Chic Delights: Chapters Indigo

Showing posts with label Chapters Indigo. Show all posts

Saturday, July 08, 2017

Meeting Kevin Kwan At Indigo Bookstore

Bloor-Yorkville/ Chapters Indigo/ Crazy Rich Asians/ Kevin Kwan/ Rich People Problems/ Toronto/ Travel

I finally met Kevin Kwan, the author of the famous trilogy starting with his first book Crazy Rich Asians then followed by the China Rich Girlfriend and the most current book, Rich People Problems. Kevin was a guest to launch his latest book at Indigo Bookstore on Bloor St. He finally signed my books and we got to chat about his visit to Manila, Philippines which was in the book. First of all, Kevin grew up in Singapore where the story is based. It is a story about the old rich families in Singapore that has branched out to Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand. It is a satirical story exposing the lifestyle and struggles of the old rich vs the new rich in Asia. I truly enjoyed his books because it reminded me of my childhood in Asia, although, it was in the Philippines, who also have the same struggles of the old rich vs the new rich families and the snobbery that carries with it. My favourite character in the book is Astrid, who is the fashionable one and keeps the family all together. Kevin's books are entertaining but at the same time show case Asia in a different light where there are super rich families that are super private while the new rich families are more show off. It shows the fantastic shopping and food places in Asia especially in Singapore. All three books are entertaining and at the same time a story about Asian families which we normally do not see in the mainstream media.

Saturday, July 01, 2017

Happy Canada Day at 150

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Bloor-Yorkville/ Canada150/ Chapters Indigo/ Toronto/ Travel

Today, July 1st is Canada's 150th birthday. As we celebrate as a nation, reflecting on our achievements, what makes us great and on what will make us better, here are some items from Chapters-Indigo bookstore that showcase what Canada is all about. Canada was established as a nation in 1867 as a Constitutional Monarchy. Our head of state is Queen Elizabeth II and we have a parliamentary system of government. We love to spend our summers in the cottage by the lake, we celebrate our diversity, where our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: we welcome the World to our country. We are polite, humble and friendly. Canada also has vast natural resources and vast land space that is uninhibited. We like to save the environment and this time will lead the World in Climate Change through the Paris Accord. It is time for Canadians to step up as the logo here says, The World Needs More Canada, Happy Birthday Canada!

Saturday, January 03, 2015

Inspiring Book: Places To Go, People To See

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Books/ Chapters Indigo/ Fashion Style/ Kate Spade New York/ New Year/ People to See/ Places to Go/ Travel

A New Year has begun. This is a time to turn a new leaf, to make resolutions or to set our intentions and goals for the coming year ahead. One of the inspiring books I recently read is Places To Go and People to See that presented Kate Spade's travel inspirations and lessons. Besides all of the spectacular photos on this book, there are also life lessons here that we can apply throughout this new year. I hope you will get inspired as I did with this inspiring and stylish book. I wish you all a year full of new adventures, new discoveries, new people and most of all new memories.

All Photos Credit: Places To Go, People To See, Kate Spade New York.

Wednesday, July 02, 2014

Summer Reads

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Books/ Canada/ Chapters Indigo/ Holts Muse/ Summer

This Summer season, whether you find yourself at the Beach or at Home, we relax more and enjoy the summer sun. It is also the time to catch up on our Summer Reads. Here are some of my recommendations that will transport you to different places, cultures, dramas and give you some love story inspirations. The first book is Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walters which was set in the Cinque Terre region along the Ligurian Sea of Northern Italy. In this Story which begins in 1962 involves some Hollywood intrigue set in this Italian Riviera. The other Book titled 2 States: The Story Of My Marriage, written by Chetan Bhagat transports us to India where the author, written in his male perspective, tells us about the challenges of marrying outside of your State/Province and social class in India. This book is very funny and also very informative about the trials, challenges of marrying outside of your social class and region in India. The book also shares the different traditions in India about courtship, families and marriage. Lastly, the Book, Paris My Sweet: A Year In The City Of Light And Dark Chocolate written by Amy Thomas, is about the real life experience of Amy Thomas who left Manhattan for Paris, France. This book is so delicious to read and makes one want to just leave for Paris right now. How about you? What are your inspirational Summer Reads? Do you like to be transported to some far away place during this Summer Season?

Yesterday, July 1st was Canada Day. Here was a feature about the fashion style around Canada titled True North that will transport you around the major cities in Canada. (Photo Credit: Holts Muse).

Happy reading and travelling!

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Happy New Year 2014!

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Chapters Indigo/ Christmas/ New Year 2014/ Toronto

Are you all getting excited for the coming 2014? I stopped by at the LCBO, Liquor Store here in Toronto to start purchasing some Champagne for New Year's Eve. Luckily, the display at LCBO is to Give Cheer which is a good way to start the coming New Year. Giving cheer, living bright and keep on loving anyway are three things that I will strive for this coming New Year. I will have to constantly remind myself to give cheer and to live bright by clearly stating out my goals for 2014, being grateful to the simple pleasures in life and taking steps to become a better person. But for now, it is time to leave all that happened in 2013 behind and celebrate the coming 2014! May we all continue to rejoice in the simple pleasures and gear up for new beginnings ahead with faith, hope and love.

One of my resolutions for 2014 right on the TTC Streetcar.

Lastly, I picked up this last copy of a Journal from Chapters-Indigo Bookstore. I like the message on it which will constantly remind me of this Bible quote from Corinthians 13:13. To keep moving on with Faith, Hoping for all the good things to come and to Love anyway.

Click here to view a short video of the Best of The Style and Travel Journals 2013.

Thank you all for your support and wonderful friendship. Looking forward to a spectacular 2014!

Wishing you all the best in the New Year!

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

The Happiness Project

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Barnes and Noble/ Books/ Chapters Indigo/ Gretchen Rubin/ Prada/ Style.com/ The Happiness Project Book/ The Happiness Project Toolbox/ Tommy Ton

This is a re-post from January 3, 2012. I am sharing this again in my blog as this January is the time to set our New Year's Resolutions or Goals that we would like to achieve for the rest of the year. I hope this Book may inspire you to take on the monthly challenge.

The Happiness Project Book book written by American, Gretchen Rubin has been in the New York Times Bestseller's list for several years now. Gretchen is a lawyer in New York City with her husband and daughter when she actually created a Blog about her Happiness Project to change her life for the better. This is a book about changing our lives in small monthly steps. An inspirational and effective book in helping us to achieve our goals for a period of 12 months.

I read and tried the projects in the book since January to December 2011. Instead of reading the whole book in one sitting, I read each chapter on a monthly basis so that I can absorb and action each of the set action plans. Instead of having New Year's Resolutions, I highly recommend this book as your project for the year to achieve your goals. I am sure that some of your New Year's Resolutions may be in this book too. You might be surprised!

The Happiness Project

According to Gretchen, "As I worked to identify my resolutions, some overarching principles started to emerge. Distilling these principles turned out to be far more taxing that I expected."

Gretchen's Twelve Personal Commandments

1. Be Gretchen.

2. Let it go.

3. Act the way I want to feel.

4. Do it now.

5. Be polite and be fair.

6. Enjoy the process.

7. Spend out.

8. Identify the problem.

9. Lighten up.

10. Do what ought to be done.

11. No calculation.

12. There is only love.

These are Gretchen's guiding principles that helped her to decide which actions she will take in order to achieve her goals for the whole year. Then she monitors her Happiness Project with a Happiness Toolbox which is available in her website The Happiness Project.

What have I achieved for myself from this book? Among others, the most notable and measurable was from the March Chapter, Aim Higher/Work, the actions plans were:

Launch a Blog.

Enjoy the fun of failure.

Ask for help.

Work Smart.

Enjoy now.

I would say that I have achieved most of it. Not right away but over a period of time during 2011. I was able to launch my blog, asked for help, worked smarter and of course enjoying now. I conceptualised and tested my own blog in July but actually designed, organised and launched the whole blog last September 2011 full time. I learnt many things about this book. Of course, this was written by Gretchen based on her experiences and action plans which were down to earth. Nothing too difficult. Of course, you will have to adjust some things based on your own interests and principles.