When you think of summer, what colour comes to mind? Yellow for the sunny days? Hot pink or poppy red to signify fun times and juicy fruits? Due to the intense humidity and warm sticky days, I find myself being drawn to cool tropical blues. Just the other day, while Min and I were browsing through Pantone's website for some colour inspiration, we were immediately attracted to the colour swatch of Blue Radiance. Something about it reminds us of the chill temperatures of swimming pools, the summery charm of the turquoise stone, and suspicious-looking but deliciously-tasting icy blue cocktails. Ahhh, all we wanted to do right there and then was to leap into a lagoon to cool down! With temperatures soaring and us feeling like defeated slugs on a hot day, I turned to the glorious internet for some sparkling blue relief. Here are my curated picks for the best blues of the day. 1 // Curious Creatures Amazonite Bar Earstuds The co-founders are dear friends of ours and we can’t stop wearing their delicate jewellery! Friendship aside, we adore the aesthetics of Curious Creatures and this bar earstuds are a simple but fun every day accessory. 2 // Moxi Leather Roller Skates Ain’t it adorable? Throwback to yesteryears in this outrageously pretty pair of roller skates. Nothing says summer like an ice cream cone in hand while you skate around with your pals! 3 // Anthropologie Cactus Spirit Wallpaper This wallpaper would look darling in a sitting room or as a feature wall in the kitchen. Spirits will be lifted at the sight of the white and blue tones along with the beautiful cacti illustration. 4 // honey&gazelle Beach Life iPhone Case We designed this pattern with a pristine beach and an endless ocean in mind. Kaftans, cocktails, and this iPhone case will go hand-in-hand for a stylish day out. 5 // CiaraJCREATIONS Trinket Tray
Made from polymer clay, this marbled ring dish would look amazing and bring cool beach vibes to your entryway or bedside table. It is the perfect size for catching all your daily rings and accessories! 6 // Genuine People Blue Sky Sleeveless Cropped Knit Top Yes, I know this blue lacks a punch of green for it to be similar to Pantone’s Blue Radiance colour but the shade’s dustiness caught my eye and calmed my heart. This cropped knit top is so versatile; pair it with a floral and flared midi-length skirt for an afternoon high tea party or with boyfriend jeans and sneakers for a casual weekend look. 7 // Barbarian Navy Like A Mermaid Pillow Sham Inspire dreams of deep diving and swimming with the dolphins with this pillow sham that is exuding so much bohemian beach vibes. I loved seeing the artist’s brushstrokes on this intricate piece of artwork! 8 // Richer Poorer Latitude Sock The minimalistic and often monochrome grid pattern takes on a fun and whimsical turn with this gorgeous shade of blue. It is unexpected and utterly chic! - Anything caught your eye? <3 Jia. (All images taken from the product sources. Links provided in the description.)
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A close friend of ours got married recently and the bridesmaids were in charge of a small and cosy lunch reception. We planned the menu way in advance and that is when Jia and I jumped at the idea of concocting a light and refreshing alcoholic beverage for the celebration. Now, what is a celebration without some sparkly and fruity bubbly? This Sangria recipe that we created a few years ago is our absolute favourite. It is sweet and tasty, looks fun and is so easy to put together that we often make the Sangria to share with friends and family or to pack into festive gift hampers for our clients. This white Sangria gets a ton of rave reviews and always hits the right spot! Sparkly Fruity Bubbly White Sangria by Min+Jia Serves 4 or 2 major Sangria fans Ingredients: 1 bottle of good quality Chardonnay 1 can of ginger ale 2 medium red apples, cored and sliced 8 large strawberries 1/2 lemon, deseeded 1/2 Tahitian lime, deseeded Instructions: Place apples, strawberries, lime and lemon into a clean pitcher or bottle. Pour the bottle of Chardonnay into the pitcher of fruits. Refrigerate and let the mixture sit for an hour. After an hour, take out lime and lemon. Let the rest of the mixture infuse for at least a day in the fridge to release the full fruity flavour. Add ginger ale and a squeeze of fresh lemon to the Sangria right before serving. Serve chilled, with or without ice. Cheers! -
What is your go-to celebratory drink recipe? With Love, Min+Jia. The weather in Singapore has been t-e-r-r-i-b-l-e. Yes, just terrible. The intense humidity and warmth is seriously getting to us and all we wish to do is to hide in our rooms with the air conditioner on full blast. Min and I are pretty sensitive to the weather. When it is too hot, bright colours seem too cloying and loud music gives us a headache. Yes, we are old grannies at heart. These wallpapers were designed with the weather in mind! We wanted something soothing to look at while we use our tech, something that will cool us down and send us straight to a dreamy chill state of mind. Download these wallpapers, grab that cold drink, and keep cool! Both wallpapers are available for download in three different sizes. A HD quality wallpaper that is best suited for bigger screens, a slim yet sharp wallpaper perfect for 13" screens, and a parallax wallpaper for your mobile phone and tablets. To download, just head to the Downloads section to choose your preferred size. - How are you dealing with the heat these days? Tell us some tips and tricks! <3 Jia. We have been so overwhelmed with work since the end of May that we barely have the time to catch up with our friends and family members. With hectic schedules and ticking deadlines, our attempts at maintaining a clean diet has been shot as our meals mainly involves fast takeaways from eateries around us. But hooray, our first free weekend is in sight with a lighter work week ahead! To celebrate, we are hitting the grocery stores to scoop up ingredients from these recipes.
1. What a yummy breakfast idea! 2. Beat the heat with some icy fruity goodness. 3. Hallou, it's mi, your favourite vegetarian burger. 4. A Kale rice bowl sounds like just the right clean meal after an oily and fried week! 5. Head down to the pool with a mojito to enjoy the weekend. 6. Sometimes, you get the kimchi cravings and you just got to try your hand at making it. 7. Nothing like a decadent dark chocolate tart to end off the week. - Do you have a great recipe to share with us? With Love, Min+Jia. The internet has made travelling so easy. Our travelling options are no longer limited to itineraries set by travel agencies. All we need are our travel dates, a click of a few buttons, a swipe of a credit card and a travelling booking is confirmed. With the efficiency and convenience of technology in hand, I dare say that we are getting a tad too dependent on the internet for travel recommendations. If you enjoy travelling and exploring new places with a slower and carefree pace, you may enjoy these tips that Jia and I swear by. Let's go! Make The Tourist Centre Your First Stop Always drop by a tourist centre to get a walking map of the area before you start exploring. The suggested walking routes in these maps will always take you to places of interest, so it is a really easy and fun way to explore a brand new town or city without a tour guide. Information brochures are filled with good-to-know tips about the city and who knows, you may even find discount coupons for popular attractions or theatre shows. Join A Walking Or Cycling Tour It is relatively easy to explore and navigate a new city on your own if you are armed with a trusty map and good walking shoes. Since most maps don’t go into details about the significance of historic buildings, we suggest joining free walking tours offered by the city’s enthusiastic locals. It is a wonderful way to learn about the place from the perspective of a local and it is always great to make new friends in new places! If your budget allows for it, go on a cycling or Segway tour to cover more city ground and get a little more active. Check Out Local Produce Make exploring a farmer’s market over the weekends a top priority when you travel. You can try different local cuisines from stalls or food trucks, pick out fresh flowers and even buy some homemade jams as souvenirs. Depending on the type and size of the market, you may find different types of knickknacks and collectibles. Attempt To Speak The Language A good way to quickly soak up the culture of a new city is to speak their language. You don’t have to be fluent to be understood. All you need is some words to get a basic conversation started. Travelling is all about learning too, right? Pack A Cute Dress A pretty dress can come in handy if you chance upon a cool restaurant or simply for a day that you are feeling extra dressy. This will come in handy if you tend to only pack jeans, t-shirts and sneakers. And don’t leave out scarves! They are versatile, lightweight and can easily glam up any outfit. Alight At Unexpected Places Exploring small towns on the map makes a road trip fun. Whether you are stopping by to refuel the car or to take a toilet break, try to squeeze in some time to take a look around. Some small towns have the coolest antique shops or old and traditional bakeries. You will never know what you will find! -
Do you have any interesting travel tips to share? Let me know! xMin |
Min+JiaThe humans behind honey&gazelle Design Studio. When we are not frantically working, we share our mishmash of thoughts on design, life, and love here. Grab a cuppa and stay for a bit! Categories
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