South-East Asian Stories

One of the surprising things (to foreigners, at least) about the country’s food culture is that it’s had guiding principles from ancient times. Based on the Chinese Wuxing (Five Elements), in practice this means each dish is expected to appeal to all five senses – taste and aroma (obviously), touch (mouthfeel), sight (presentation), and sound (crispness). What’s more, many dishes strive to include (and balance) five types of flavour – spicy, salty, sour, sweet and bitter.

Visiting Krabi with kids is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in Thailand’s cultural offerings. With everything from animal experiences to nature walks and swims, Krabi is one of South East Asia’s gems and well worth exploring with kids.

The Hoi An Lantern Festival is held on the 14^th day of each lunar month, during the full moon. This cultural event is all about celebrating the full moon – one of the most sacred events in Buddhist religion. The significance of this celebration is because Buddha was born at this time, and also because he achieved enlightenment during a full moon.

The lanterns are a dazzling sight and the main attraction for tourists journeying to see the festival. Colourful paper lanterns with candles lit and placed in the bottom are sent floating down the Hoai River as an offering to the gods and ancestors.

Don’t be alarmed, but it’s less than 4 months until Christmas. It can feel like ages away, until one day you’re doing the grocery shopping and you see all the fruit mince pies and rum balls in the bakery section. The dread can set in thinking of another expense to fit into the family budget.

For years now, Vietnam has been a favourite destination for travellers from around the globe. Full of rich history, temples, beaches, stunning scenery, mouth-watering food and buzzing markets, Vietnam is a traveller’s dream. And for all of the women out there looking for their next solo destination - Vietnam ticks all the boxes! Eat, pray, (shop) and love your heart out in beautiful Vietnam!

DIY and disregarded arts and crafts from the past are coming back in a surge. All things crochet are the hottest items to own in fashion and accessories this summer. Crochet bags are the bag of the season and beyond. Investing in a crochet tote is a great choice this summer.

For some people, travel is about recharging their batteries and taking a break from the reality that is work, home, kids, rinse, repeat. For others, travel is all about learning: acquiring knowledge about different cultures, religions and ways of life. For those of you who fall into the latter category, celebrating Deepavali Kuala Lumpur-style should be high on your bucket list.

Loving beautiful designer jewellery doesn’t just have to be about making a fashion statement. For women who want to make a statement of a different kind – who want to affect positive change in the world, purchasing a piece of jewellery from Senhoa Foundation can achieve all of the above. 

Vietnamese rice paper rolls loaded with beautiful fresh herbs, vegetables, rice noodles are packed with flavour and a favourite at our house.

Cushions are like accessories to an outfit. They are the finishing touch that can add colour, interest and a focal point to a room.Cushion covers can change a room instantaneously for little outlay. Once you have your foundation pieces set up in a room, cushions can be layered to make the room feel more welcoming.

Drawing on inspiration from far off lands and eclectic treasures collected from world travels, Boho style home decor has a way of transforming a space, evoking emotion and bringing people together through stories and conversation. Although this style is casual and carefree, it still requires thoughtful planning and discerning taste in order to pull it off well. Choose carefully curated Boho style homewares fromTemples and Markets to create a room that is sure to impress!

Ah, Australia. The large island at the bottom of the globe, miles away from anywhere, and home to folks wholove to shop online.

But as anyone who has tried to purchase home decor or other goodies from elsewhere and have it shipped to Australia would know, we totally get the raw end of the deal down here.