Changmoh - 4/60 - The musings of an English girl [angmoh charboh] in Singapore on style, food, life & everything in between

Original hat hire in London

By Changmoh • Tuesday, 9 June 2015 • Brit Stuff, Fash, My Edits, My Holidays, Travel

Heading to the UK any time soon? I was loaned two insanely fabulous headpieces last year when I was back in Blighty for Royal Ascot as well as several weddings. The lovely London-based girls who run The Hat Club asked me to hold fire on posting about them until it was hat season again, which it certainly is now.

Last summer I had three weddings to go to and only so much space in my suitcase. Harriet and Lucy to the rescue, who appear to have set up The Hat Club for people just like me.

Essentially a fresh take on a hat hire company, these gals have done their research: they only seem to stock genuinely covetable creations. Everything I saw on their website I instantly want to jam on my head and wear. Milliners that they stock include Philip Treacy and Gina Foster as well as up and coming names such as Emily London and Rosie Olivia. Prices range from £45-120.

Moving house

By Changmoh • Monday, 18 May 2015 • House & Home, More Dash than Cash, Travel

Why do I always forget what an utter nightmare a house move is? It all seems like a great idea at the time of signing the lease: you are buoyed with enthusiasm about a little bit more space, a different kitchen and a bath you can actually lie down in.

The other problem with my current move is that we are only renting. I can say for racing certainty that we will move again.

Onsen etiquette

By Changmoh • Monday, 11 May 2015 • Health & Fitness, My Holidays, Travel

I’ve got rather behind in my postings recently (house move happening – sorry) but today’s is all about Japanese onsen and how to do it right (are you naked or not? What do you do with that blasted hand towel?). I am not sure I *quite* mastered it when we were over there at Easter….but here’s my take on how to get by.

When we were in Niseko, we stayed in the ski-in, ski-out Hilton in Niseko village equipped with many things, but what I was most excited about was their onsen (UK readers, onsen is a sort of hot spring, strictly separated in to men/women). A Japanese tradition, there is quite a lot of etiquette involved, as you might imagine.

Fail #1 was turning up in my swimming costume; (puritanical English girl that I am) I just felt that everyone was kidding when they said you had to go starkers and I figured it was better to have to strip off than arrive naked when you weren’t meant to be.

Going local in Niseko

By Changmoh • Thursday, 30 April 2015 • Food & Drink, Restaurant Reviews, Travel

We have just got back from a trip to Japan with some friends, one of whom is Japanese. It was a massive treat to see the country with someone who was born there and who can speak the lingo.

One of the best dinners we had was in Hokkaido after a day on the slopes. The restaurant took the form of an utterly random bar, or izakaya as they are called in Japan, stuffed with baseball memorabilia and – more importantly – locals.

A blogger with no voice

By Changmoh • Monday, 27 April 2015 • Health & Fitness

I have lost my voice. I don’t mean I have a sexy hoarse whisper or that it’s cracking and starting to go; it has really left me. Mr Changmoh is in a state of excitement at having a new, compliant, quiet wife but, I have to say, I am slightly less pleased.

Instead of trying to speak, which is exhausting, I have got to grips with whispering. The only thing that’s vaguely amusing about talking in constant hushed tones is that after about a minute, people start whispering back. Whispering is highly contagious, it seems.