ROYAL SELANGOR x EXCLUSIVE STAR WARS COLLECTION PREVIEW

I always admire companies with the story behind them.

When it is not just a label or commercial project, but the whole philosophy, idea, determination and belief in quality and timeless design.

Recently I had a chance to get to know such brand a little better and I am pleased to share with you my first impressions here.

It all started when I was invited to attend Exclusive New Star Wars Collection Preview by Royal Selangor . At that point I was excited, but did not know anything about the company yet which made my visit even more informative and overwhelming.

However let me start from the beginning here.

Royal Selangor is a company, specialising in quality pewter, with roots dating back to 1885 when it all started with a young pewtersmith Yong Koon who arrived to Malaysia with determination to succeed. And he did manage to succeed, indeed, as the company now is a fourth-generation family business with 250 craftspeople  and 40 in-house design team, known and respected all over the world.

It appeared to be that pewter also has unique characteristics , however it is not the pewter itself or its properties that attracted me in Royal Selangor the most.

As a person, who works in luxury retail environment, I can really appreciate fine craftsmanship, attention to detail and beauty, that this brand has to offer and share with the world.

The range of products in their beautiful London's boutique (261 King's Road, SW3 5EL) varies from very decadent high-end limited edition home decor pieces (such as swan seen below) to tableware (bowls, napkin rings, cutleries etc.), wine&bar (decanter, aerator, bottle openers) , desktop (clocks, card holders), absolutely adorable children's gifts (tooth boxes, book ends etc) and much much more!

Life size swan figure with each feather individually had chased!

Unusual cufflinks (and other accessories, jewellery pieces):

Wine Funnel

And my personal favourites:

Aerator, puffer:

Beautiful Spoon with a Bee detail

My partner and I absolutely fell in love with  this whisky decanter set, it is very stylish and has art deco/cinematic vibes: 

Also I was really fond of this serving spoon in a Shell form, it is so truly beautiful!
Below demonstrated with Crab and Lobster serving dishes (Yes, these objects can be functional, too! You can open them and use as a bowl, it is not only table decoration).

However one of the main reasons why I actually visited Royal Selangor this Saturday was their Exclusive New Star Wars Collection Preview.

This collection was a result of collaboration between Royal Selangor and  The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia and a real celebration for true Star Wars collectors and fans! 

Collection consists of 8-inch figurines of famous characters: Darth Vader, Han Solo and Princess Leia (all three figurines are Limited Edition pieces) , as well as 4-inch figurines of Yoda, the Stormtrooper and Boba Fett.

While you can read more about collection here , please find my personal images below.

Darth Vader - everyone's favourite and the most popular figurine!

Kylo Ren - made with amazing attention to details!

Princess Leia 

 

One of the major pieces from the collection: Podracer (Limiter Edition)

Diorama (below, Limited Edition), captures the rancour monster in his pit rearing to attack Luke Skywalker - a classic scene from Return of the Jedi.

And even cufflinks...

And for those real Star Wars fans, special "Making of" video:

The making of the Star Wars collection from Royal Selangor on Vimeo.

In conclusion, I can only say that I am truly impressed and pleased, that I have discovered Royal Selangor company. If you want surprise someone with a really special gift with a personal touch (monogramming and engraving services available), - I think this is an excellent choice to consider!

In my opinion this is a great place to choose gifts for man, - it can be something small yet very elegant, e.g. Aerator (£25 - £35), stylish bottle opener (£29 - £49) or very sophisticated, e.g. Whisky Decanter (£119 - £129) or a Hip Flask (£69 - £99).

Also, when you need to give a gift to someone, who has everything... this is definitely a great destination to shop.

PS Thank you, dear David, for taking your time and introducing me to the brand, that is definitely worth attention and sharing with others!

I hope this post has been interesting and useful. 

Subscribe to the Official blog's page on Facebook or follow me on Instagram: helenslifeblog.

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And may the force be with you! :)

See you soon, 

JP

SUNDAY IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS

Finally it is getting warmer and I am determined to use every opportunity to discover new areas in England and enjoy spending time outdoors!

This Sunday, we have decided to go to Tunbridge Wells (Kent). There are various ways how to get there , we used Rail services (it took us around 1 hr 40 min and three trains to get there from Bexley).

Official Tourism Website  for Tunbridge Wells might be useful if you have a little bit more time to do your research.

We had a brief look on the website in advance, however we were hoping to get all the information from main tourist information office once we are there.

Unfortunately it was closed on Sunday, so we just used our phones/available maps to understand what's around.

Once arrived at Tunbridge Wells Rail Station, we went to Calverley Grounds park first (not much to see, very small park).

But mainly we spent out time in Tunbridge Wells Common area and Dunorlan Park in particular.
You can hire a boat (£7 only for 30 min on a pedal boat).

The nature around is beautiful!

There is also a Cafe with a nice view, where you can get cold/hot sandwiches and paninis, drinks, ice-cream etc.
Happy me :))

The town centre itself is very cozy and sweet, with plenty interior design/decor shops and cafes (Pret, Nero etc.) and places to eat, e.g.  PizzaExpress, Zizzi, Bill's , Jamie's Italian etc.

We enjoyed The Tunbridge Wells Bar&Grill place (84 High Str, TN1 1YB). Nice food, good music (there was a dj on a terrasse) and a fairly good service!

I hope you have enjoyed this post and managed to discover Tunbridge Wells with me!

I wish you a wonderful week! 

Stay tuned and show your love&support!

HL BLOG. on Facebook

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@helenslifeblog on Instagram

Thank you! 

TROPICANA CABARET SHOW (CUBA SERIES, PART 3)

One of the main things in our "Havana to do" list was to go to "Tropicana" show, also known as "Paradise under the stars".

When I was planning our trip, I found out that The "Tropicana" cabaret is Cuba's oldest (opened yet in 1931) and certainly most famous attraction/entertainment in Cuba.

We both were very excited to see the show! I thought that it will be something spectacular, similar to "Moulin Rouge" in Paris. I was imagining  beautiful dancers, dressed in a signature cabaret feather colourful costumes, great music, the "wow" factor, nice food/drinks and the most important... I was anticipating feel of magic and joy, that normally appears when going to such large scale shows!

So on Monday (Day 1st in Havana), we rushed to buy the tickets (in the same Hotel Florida , Old Havana town).

Now, if I may say: the tickets aren't cheap. The prices may vary depending on a season, but in general we have been told that there are three options to choose from:

1) cost without dinner £55 - £65

2) cost with dinner (cold snacks) £65 - £75

3) cost with dinner and a souvenir  (+ £16 per person approximately)

To give you a better idea, please see below:

Offer 1 includes
• Show "Tropicana Cabaret Bajo las Estrellas"
• 1 Welcome drink
• ¼ Bottle of rum: Havana Club Añejo Blanc
• 1 Soft drink
• Assorted snacks

Offer 2 includes
• Show "Tropicana Cabaret Bajo las Estrellas"
• 1 Welcome drink
• Preferential table
• ¼ Bottle of rum: Havana Club Añejo Reserva
• 1 Soft drink
• Assorted snacks

Offer 3 includes
• Show "Tropicana Cabaret Bajo las Estrellas"
• 1 Welcome drink
• Preferential table
• ¼ Bottle of whisky or rum: Havana Club Añejo Reserva
• 1 Soft drink
• Assorted snacks
• 1 Souvenir

Information source: www.cubatravelnetwork.com

We have chosen a second option, as I preferred to seat fairly close to the stage, besides we thought it would be nice to have some snacks (canapés etc.) during the show time.

Getting to/from Tropicana:

Be aware that besides the tickets, you will have to pay for the taxi (round trip, the venue is located quite far from the city centre).

The tourism agencies will offer you a luxury (Old American car) or a standard taxi transfer from certain places (like Havana hotel) , however it will be much profitable if you will speak to the owner of your Casa and they will book a regular taxi for you. Locals will normally know cheaper options.

First impressions:

The venue has an outdoor, tropical setting (I assume this is where the name "Paradise under the stars" came from and this is also why the show is weather permitted) and our first impressions were positive. Musicians played something pleasant on stage while guests were finding their seats and waiters were taking orders.

At the entrance, you will be asked to pay an  extra charge if you want to take pictures (5 CUC), which we did as the expectations were high. 

Also, you will be offered either a flower or a cigar as a souvenir. We suggest you to choose a cigar, as even if you don't smoke, at least it might be a gift for someone! 

... And reality check: 

Our first disappointment was the fact, that by paying extra for "cold snacks" we have received only one tiny jar of peanuts (you know, those which you get in the bars free of charge...) We were expecting at least a sandwich,  or a little bit of salad etc. 

The waiter, who was serving our table was rather rude and VERY slowly. He has forgotten about my order, it took him ages to bring my partner a drink ... We do not mean to be very fussy, however at such signature famous venue you expect at least certain service level.

Then we though: forget about the meal, let's hope the show is going to be good!

Well, what can I say... the whole experience was rather disappointing. Yes, the dancers were performing OK (but it was nothing extraordinary), yes, the singers had nice voices (yet it was better not to look at them, as they had such indifferent face expressions, as if they were making their grocery shopping list in mind!), the costumes were quite outdated and overall... we did not feel the magic at all.

The tickets cost nearly as much as for The Mouline Rouge Cabaret Show in Paris, but the experience was not even near that level. 

By the time the show finally ended, we felt absolutely tricked and drained, and it wasn't only our opinion. One Chinese girl at our table even fell asleep during the show, she was so bored!  :) 

All the guests were taking a bottle of rum from the table with them (included in a ticket price),  it felt like people want to get at least something back...

Later on we have spoken to some girls from Australia, and they felt exactly the same.

It all was very sad, as I believe it really was a legendary cabaret: in 1956 A Cabaret Guide described it as "the largest and most beautiful night club in the world"  (source: wikipedia).

Here I will try to share as much pictures/video materials as I can, so that after seeing all of them you could think and decide, whether you still want to go. 

I would say: it could be impressive and interesting for kids or people who haven't been to any other shows yet. Otherwise our advise is not to waste this money, as it is just not worth it.

These videos are recorded by me only and are made in the same sequence, as the show goes on. Hopefully, after seeing them you will have a feeling, as if you have been there yourself! :)

That was interesting: 

One of the prettiest performances:

One of the most boring parts:

And the grand final: 

As you can see from the above, I have tried to share with you as much as I could!

I hope this post will be useful for both: those who are considering to go to Cuba and those, who are just curious! 

Next part will be about places to eat/drink in Havana, stay tuned and please support blog's official page on Facebook , your feedback is very important!

Many thanks, 

JP

ESSENCE SHEER & SHINE LIPSTICK REVIEW / ОБЗОР НА ПОМАДЫ SHEER & SHINE ОТ ESSENCE

One of my recent make up findings, that I really wanted to share with you is Sheer & Shine lipstick by Essence.

Let me just say: I haven't been happy with a lipstick as much for a very long time! 

Before I used to consider and buy only expensive lipsticks, such as: Dolce&Gabbana (you can read my review about their "Monica" lipsticks here ), Giorgio Armani, MAC etc.

However I must say I am getting tired of lipsticks (even the new ones) very quickly and either they start to annoy me and I stop wearing them (my colleagues will admit, - it is very often I do not wear any lip product at all) or I use them for special occasions only, - like Armani bright red.

I paid my attention to these Essence lipsticks thanks to recommendation from one of my favourite Russian-speaking Youtube bloggers: JustVell . I then tried them in one of my local Wilkinson stores and have chosen "I FEEL PRETTY" very deep  beautiful berry shade.

I absolutely love the texture, - it is soft and lightweight, you can layer and build up the colour. I always apply it on my lip balm though. 

I wear it nearly every day and am happy to apply it again and again, and it does not annoy me! (People who are not keen to wear a lip product, especially a glossy one will understand!)

It gives you a nice juicy shine (without feeling sticky!), does not dry your lips and makes a great statement as a main pop of colour.

Я очень рада поделиться с вами одной из своих последних косметических находок, - полупрозрачной помадой с блеском серии Sheer & Shine бренда Essence .

Я обратила внимание на этот продукт благодаря рекомендации одного из моих любимых русскоговорящих YouTube блоггеров, прекрасной JustVell .

До совсем еще недавнего времени, я приобретала помады исключительно класса люкс, например:  Dolce&Gabbana (кстати, мой обзор на их помады коллекции "Моника" можно посмотреть/прочитать тут ) , Giorgio Armani, или немного попроще, допустим из MAC. 

Однако я человек очень практичный и бережно относящийся к деньгам, поэтому меня всегда очень расстраивала чаще всего случающаяся со мной история: новые помады мне очень быстро надоедают, а их присутствие на губах часто начинает и вовсе раздражать. Мне очень сложно подобрать продукт для губ, с которым я бы долгое время чувствовала себя комфортно, который меня бы не напрягал...Чаще всего все новинки рано или поздно "заканчивают свою профессиональную карьеру" у меня в коробочке с косметикой, к которой я прибегаю исключительно редко,  раз в пару месяцев, если повезет.

Данная помада от Essence стала для меня настоящим исключением, оттого и такой восторг! С момента ее покупки в красивом, бордово-ягодном оттенке "I FEEL PRETTY", я с удовольствием пользовалась этим продуктом практический каждый день и получила множество комплиментов и вопросов о том, что это за помада!

Продукт имеет очень приятную и легкую текстуру, которую совершенно не ощущаешь на губах. При этом в жизни оттенки выглядят не столь ярко, как на фото: на губах они почти полупрозрачны, но, при желании, цвет можно сделать более интенсивным, просто добавив пару слоев. 

Это прекрасный яркий акцент в ежедневном макияже, создающий эффект "сочных", ухоженных и увлажненных губ. 

Правда, пожалуйста, примите во внимание тот факт, что я всегда наношу любую помаду/блеск поверх бальзама/уходового продукта, чтобы избежать прямого контакта губ с краской.

I also really like the fact, that on the Essence web page you can easily find all ingredients of the product:

(RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, POLYBUTENE, OCTYLDODECANOL, CANDELILLA (EUPHORBIA CERIFERA) WAX, POLYETHYLENE, ETHYL VANILLIN, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE, SODIUM SACCHARIN, AROMA (FLAVOR), BENZYL ALCOHOL, CI 15850 (RED 6), CI 45410 (RED 28 LAKE), CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE).)

As far as I understand, this is part of the brands philosophy: no secrets from consumers, all ingredients revealed.

I really wanted to compare it to Dolce's sheer lipstick ingredients, but unfortunately they do not reveal them even on the brands official page... Interesting why? MAC and Bobbi Brown also did not show me what their sheer lipsticks are made of. I am really keen to find out whether there is a decent difference, however I quite doubt that Essence products contain more chemicals than  e.g. MAC. ..(with all my respect to the brand!)

Please let me know in case you are an expert and could help me with this.

And.. hooray for animal lovers, - no testing on your beloved creatures! Respect! 

Now, last but not least, - one of the main reasons why these lipsticks are great is the price point. It is hard to believe, but retails price for these lipsticks is £2 !!!

Which means, if I hate it, - I just throw it away, without having another £25-35 product waiting for its "right time" in my make up box.

Colour swatches under the different lighting / Свотчи помад при разном освещении

Мне также очень симпатично то, что Essence перечисляет все ингредиенты продукта на сайте:

(RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, POLYBUTENE, OCTYLDODECANOL, CANDELILLA (EUPHORBIA CERIFERA) WAX, POLYETHYLENE, ETHYL VANILLIN, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE, SODIUM SACCHARIN, AROMA (FLAVOR), BENZYL ALCOHOL, CI 15850 (RED 6), CI 45410 (RED 28 LAKE), CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE).)

Насколько я поняла, это входит в философию бренда: ничего не скрывать, и позволять потребителю знать,  из чего сделан тот или иной продукт.

Я пыталась найти и сравнить составы увлажняющих полупрозрачных помад брендов Dolce, Bobbi Brown и MAC, однако мои попытки были безуспешны: ни на одном из официальных сайтов состав не оглашен, что, лично, у меня вызывает некоторые вопросы.

Мне было бы очень интересно узнать, насколько велико различие в составах, однако я уже почти уверенна, что в помаде Essence навряд ли больше химии, чем, например, в помаде такого же плана от MAC (при всем моем уважении к бренду!)).

Также, они не тестируют на животных.

А теперь, один из самых приятных факторов: цена! Не знаю, как обстоят дела в других странах, но в Англии эта помада стоит всего лишь 2 фунта! Дешевле, чем кофе в Starbucks! :)

Прекрасно осознавать, что, в случае если цвет не понравится или вдруг надоест, можно с чистой совестью этот продукт просто выкинуть и забыть, а не терять очередные 25-35 фунтов в виде пылящихся в косметическом ящике неиспользованных /недоиспользованных помад. 

Below, a little bit of "I FEEL PRETTY"  shade on me. I hope you have found this post helpful and entertaining! 

Ниже на фотографиях, немного оттенка "I FEEL PRETTY"  на моих губах. 

Я очень надеюсь, что вам поправился этот пост и что он был кому-то полезен!

With love / С любовью,

JP

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