Confessions of My Christmas Love Story

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you had a great time with your loved ones!

This is a post to share with you guys what Christmas means to me, and to share with you my story that is so close to my heart.

I've always loved Christmas since I was a little girl, I always treasure the great times with my family, putting up our Christmas tree, unboxing presents, having roast turkey and just.. the presence and quality time spent with loved ones. I still remember spending Christmas in Australia with my relatives and family when I was just six years old, having a great Christmas meal together, plenty of presents under the Christmas tree to unbox, the laughter and the fun that we had... That will always be the best memories of Christmas I will ever have. No pictures to share, but just the fond memories in my head that will never be erased.

And today, I'm glad that Christmas will continue to be the most meaningful season for me!
Let me share with you my story of Christmas from 3 years ago. It is pretty crazy thinking about how things have turned out to be, in a good way, and it always give me goosebumps!
Do you know that I got to know Joseph (my boyfriend) because of Christmas, and do you know that I started being on Youtube because of Christmas?

It all started because of this Christmas video below! If you haven't watched it, here it is!

That was three years ago! This video is the reason why, and how I met my boyfriend today.

Vince Chong, the singer of this song, casted me to be in this video together with Joseph.
Watching it now gives me butterflies in the stomach, knowing that we were just friends back then and it was all acting! Honestly, we were both in our respective relationships with someone else, and we never thought we would be a couple!
And this was how I step foot in Youtube and how I started to work with other Youtubers too.

As time went by, Joseph and I were still just normal friends, leading our own lives respectively.
I still remember how we would sometimes talk about life, and talk about how we would one day meet someone that we would truly love. At that point of time, we would share with each other our stories, and how we were 'numb' in relationships already, and maybe focus in our own career.
As crazy / cheesy as it sounds, but we accidentally fell for each other a year later.
I still find it hard to believe, but it just happened unplanned, unexpectedly.

And at that point of time, my plan was to go to Dubai for work for at least a year, and we weren't sure if it was the right time to start a relationship. But everything just felt right between us, so we just gave it a try anyway. And today, I'm so glad we made that decision. :)

Of course, we had a crazy rough time, especially in social media. Many fans disapprove our relationship, even up to a point where they created memes and so on..
For those who were with us during the time when we first shared our relationship publicly, you would remember what a huge hoo-hah it was.
Well, some fans thought that another guy was better for me, that I should be with this other person, up to a point where some of them started creating stories, such as Joseph stole me away from another friend, he is a player, or things like, I chose Joseph because he has more money (??!!??) and that I'm a gold digger.  Ridiculous!

Honestly, I can't control what fans or people think, but only I know who I truly want to be with, only I know how I feel, and only I know how true and genuine is the love between Joseph and I.
Fans only see things from the screen, see things from videos. They have to know that those are not REAL LIFE.
I honestly never planned to share this on my blog, but all these thoughts just came as I'm writing this blogpost. And I just have to say that Joseph is genuinely such a great person with a big heart. Maybe a year ago, some people could say that "Oh, you guys just started... or Oh.. wait til he shows his true colours.." But now, nobody could say that they know this person better than I do (maybe except his mum, lol), but I feel happy being with him!
And since I've said up to this point, I just want to say again that, we mean no harm to anybody, all that has happened is just that we fell in love with each other.

Okay, back to my love story! :D
This was us, last year during Christmas. We officially got together during Christmas :)



Candlelight service in church during Christmas Eve :)

And our first Christmas party together with close friends!

After a year being together, the history repeats :)  Happy one year to us! And a very happy Christmas with loved ones! :)

 

Christmas has been great, and I'm looking forward to many many more Christmas with family and friends <3

Here's also a recent video that I did, sharing with you guys my Christmas favorites :) Do subscribe to my Youtube channel for more videos! http://youtube.com/aliciatanchannel

Merry Christmas! xx

4 Reasons Why You Should Not Get a Dog

Have you ever dreamt of getting a dog of your own? I know how seductive they are, how adorable and cute they are, which totally make the cut to be the perfect companion, or an 'accessory' to some! Corresponding to your own preference, there are so much that you could pick, big or small, be it a golden retreiver, chow chow, jack russel, to a cute lil yorkie, pomeranian, shih tzu and so on.

In my case, my family has owned countless dogs since I remember, many ended up pretty tragic, and it's truly heartbreaking. Reason being? They weren't given the love and care that should have been given. Who should be blamed? Children who kept persuading parents to get us pets, but ended up neglecting them because of the lack of commitment and responsibility?
Well, let bygones be bygones and I'm not here to be all sour and dig up the past, but I'm genuinely here to send out awareness to anyone considering to get a dog.

It is really not as simple as it seems, there are so much sacrifices to make, commitment, time, patience, money, and the list goes on. But is it worth it? From a dog lover here myself, YES, it is worth every penny, every cent that I have. TAKE ALL MY MONEY! (haha jk dont take all my money please) But that is my own take, and for all the dog lovers out there, you will definitely understand how I feel. But on the other hand, I have friends who love playing and looking at them, but sincerely do not have the compassion to take care of them. And that is fair enough, don't get a dog if you don't have that compassion, and that is being responsible!


Most of you would already know that I now have a female pomeranian, named Bambee, and she puts a smile on my face everyday! But I could proudly say that I seriously do love and care for her with all my heart.

Owning a dog takes many considerations. Here I list down 4 serious considerations before thinking of owning a dog, lets go!

1) TIME

Do you have the time to take care of your little one? Honestly, they are not just a pet to play with when you're free. Remember, we all have our lives, our work and our own entertainment, but this little one only have us. What is your pet going to do when you have work from 8am-6pm, and then when you are out with your friends? Unless you have a caretaker or family to take care of it when you are not around, please, do you really have the heart to leave it alone, waiting for you most of the time?
Well for me, I have the privilege to work at home as I don't have a 9-5 job, and it is really a joy to wake up every morning to an exciting lil dog, looking forward to a brand new day with me.
But if I have a 9-5 job, will I get a dog? Probably not. It just saddens me imagining my dog alone most of the time. Now, I really can't imagine leaving my dog alone for almost the whole day in a regular basis. We even try to only dine in at pet friendly restaurants just so that we wouldn't need to leave it at home alone. (ok, i might be super 'over', lol, but I hope you get the message, and that is how much I love my puppy, sincerely!)

And I found this article and video that is heart wrenching, hopefully you could get this message:-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2396570/Pets-depressed-left-home-day-working-owners.html


2) PATIENCE

Although obviously I'm not a mum yet lol, but having a puppy really gives me the 'feels' of being a mum. I'm just imagining how a mum feels when she first hears her baby call her 'mum', the first time the baby walks, or go to school for instance. It would probably be emotional, in a good way. Just like having Bambee, the joy I felt when I could train her to 'sit', 'hand', or when I succeeded potty training her, it felt great! BUT, it takes alot of patience, alot of love and care.
So, do you have the patience? It is not a one-time training, but the patience to give her the attention, love and care as long as it lives. Probably you would be frustrated in it when it is naughty, it bites your favourite things, mess up your things, or maybe, sometimes, you have a bad day, would you let it out on it and neglect it?
But for me, I try my best to give Bambee the most attention within my means, and when she loves me back by cuddling me next to me, bringing her toy to me just so that I can play with her, or just following me wherever I go in the house, it just worths the whole world!

3) MONEY

Most of us forget how much it costs to own a dog. Going to the vet is sometimes more expensive than me going to the clinic! Same goes to their shampoo, food, snacks, pee pads etc. You probably wouldn't know how costly they are until you step into a pet shop to have a good look. And worrying about what they can consume and not, their allergies, so on and so forth...

4) LOVE AND ATTACHMENT

And all of a sudden, I'm just so emotionally attached to this lil thing that I have. And that's the way it should be if you have a pet. They are probably more loyal and more loving than you know, and honestly, I feel they deserve all the love in the world, and the love they shower us with - priceless.

Bambee becomes part of me, my family.

And all of a sudden, I'm worried about her if I leave her alone at home, worried if she's healthy, worried if she licked something toxic in the house that is deadly to her, worried about so many things!! 

So are you ready to take care of a dog? Are you ready to take the responsibility to sacrifice your time and commitments to give love to this little miracle? If you aren't ready, please don't!!!
But if you think you pass all the above, be ready to get loads of joy, love from it!

And not forgetting, different breeds have different personalities and characters, so they all have different temperament as well! Research well before you get one, and never take it for granted!


Here, I made a video of Bambee, my lil puppy. She is the most adorable lil thing to me! <3 You can see her mannerisms and the tricks that I've taught her from the video. Enjoy! xx




Dogs are man's best friends for a reason <3

xx

New Hair calls for New Eyes - Horien Eye Secret Lenses

Hi there! If you don't already know, I just gave my hair a trim with a fresh new colour.

Nothing very eccentric or quirky, but a colour that looks natural, yet still gives me a clean, fresh look! I've been dying to chop off my long locks, and finally, healthier looking hair!
Tadah! :)

Okay, before I get carried away, my hair is actually just a supporting actor on today's post. lol.
The main actress is my new EYES. Okay, please don't think otherwise, no, it's not an eye surgery, it's new contact lenses!
It couldn't get any timelier seriously! Neither have I planned to get a new hair colour together with these new contact lenses, but I guess it's all in the name of fate. :D
But I'm just delighted that they go so well with each other!!
You ready to see my slight transformation? Here you go!

What's your verdict?
Frankly, I've not worn coloured contacts for a long time. Reason being, they either make my eyes dry and uncomfortable, or they just look unnatural.
But surprisingly, these Horien Eye Secret contact lenses made me think otherwise!
I've been using it for awhile now, and there isn't any discomfort after wearing it for a whole day.
Plus, it enhances my eyes (it has a diameter of 14.2mm) without looking unnatural! :)
And so I became more interested in learning about Horien Eye Secret Contact Lenses, researched more about them and I found these about Horien. Well, eyes are really important, so it is mandatory to know the details. :)

This is the one that I'm wearing - The All New Horien Eye Secret 38% 3 MONTHS Disposable Colour Contact Lenses. 

3 months baby, that's a good buy! Feel the world through your eyes!

Horien Colour Contact Lenses has ocular health with advanced "BMW Technology". The paints will not contact eyes directly, making it safe to wear, even for long hours.

Here's an easier and more detailed explanation, all in this box.

Here are some close shots for you to have a closer look:

I'm wearing the BERLIN GOLD color and I love how it stands out, yet look natural at the same time. It matches my hair perfectly!

For those who likes varieties to maybe match the color of their eyes with their outfits/hair, fret not, they have many more colours to choose from. Here they are :

Allow me to showcase to you how these colours would look on the eyes :D
I collaged it into before at the top, and after at the bottom :)



1) VANCOUVER PINK 
Firstly, the Vancouver Pink below! I'm really surprised with how it turned out, because i thought pink would look fake on the eyes, but Horien Eye Secret's Vancouver Pink is very sweet and subtle. Personally, it is one of my favourite, alongside Berlin Gold (the first i wore above)

2) BERLIN GOLD

This need no introduction, berlin gold is the one I wore first. Just showing you the differences, with and without. 

3) KIEV BLUE
This blue is more prominent and vivid, great for those who wants it to really stand out!

4) MADRID GREY
Same goes to the grey! Pretty prominent, reminds me of Megan Fox's eyes honestly!!
So if you want to have Megan Fox's eyes, you know you should get this one. :D

5) ROME GREY (3Tone)
Don't get confused! There are two grey colours! The one showcased below is 'Rome Grey'- where there is actually 3 tones in this grey.
Personally, I prefer Rome Grey, because I prefer a more subtle and natural look.
This Rome Grey gives me this look! :) I really like this one too!!

6) NEW YORK GREEN(3Tone)

Last but not least, green! Similar to Rome Grey, this New York Green also consists of 3Tone and is towards the lighter side, almost look like a combination of light green-brown-gold to me. Looks really nice too, don't you think so? :)

Horien Eye Secret now have a PROMOTION of Buy 1 box and get 1 free 360ml fresh solution!

So hurry!! And choose you favorite colours!

Here are close shots of all the colours for you to have a good look! :)


1) BERLIN GOLD

2) ROME GREY (3TONE)

3) NEW YORK GREEN (3TONE)

4) VANCOUVER PINK

5) KIEV BLUE

6) MADRID GREY

Other than this new range of 3 month colour contacts, they also have monthly and daily ones.
For those who are not interested in coloured ones, you can also try Horien's 38% or 55% soft contact lenses, monthly or daily.

Days where I want my 'real' eyes to be seen, I wear the 55% clear soft contact lenses, and they are really really comfortable!
Definitely a good buy, especially when they have a promo for the clear ones as well, of

Buy 3 boxes, FREE 1 extra box + 1 60ml of solution! Good deal!



For more information, check these websites :-

Horien Official Website : http://www.eyesecret.com.my

Store Locater : http://www.eyesecret.com.my/store-locator/

Facebook Page : @Horien Eye Secret #Horien Eye Secret

Instagram: @HORIENEYESECRET #HORIENEYESECRET


Happy shopping!!

xx

PORTO Portugal with my travel buddies

Today's post is a major throwback travel experience, but I really think it's worth sharing, so here it is! Porto is the 2nd largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon, and is one of the oldest European centre. Also, proclaimed as the World Heritage Site by UNESCO. I know, travelling to Porto is pretty hipster, and to be honest it wouldn't make the cut to be in my list to travel if I was based in Malaysia. However, I had the chance to do this when I was studying in UK, so it was definitely much cheaper and easier to travel to Europe. With no expectations, I came back with contentment and fulfilment. It is true that sometimes, when you travel to a place less touristy, you could genuinely absorb and experience the city and the culture.
So here i bring to you- Porto!

Pretty isn't it? Sadly, I didn't take those pictures above lol. Stole them online :P But anyway, that, definitely is Porto. There is really something about European architecture that amazes me. Old but completely beautiful... classic. And i really hope they can be preserved as long as possible!

Now, let me show you the pictures that I've taken :D
Perfect timing- Sunset witnessed. This was taken steps away from a famous cathedral in Porto.

See that bird I caught flying majestically hehe. Not bad right , my skills :P 

Warning: My chubby self. I was definitely much chubbier back then D: D: 

Meet my UK travel buddies! :) Love the photos with the pretty sun ray!

And the cathedral below, there you go! 

I really enjoy just strolling on the streets, observing how the locals live, seeing their lifestyles. I could see that most of the locals in Porto live very simple lives, most of them still live in centuries old buildings. They may look pretty run down, but i can say that there is a beauty in these buildings.

Look at the cute plushy being hung and dried!
And the amazing thing about traveling in Porto is how safe we felt, surprisingly! It wasn't like being in the bigger cities, with plenty of gypsies or pickpockets.
We were first skeptical when we got lost at the town, and someone came to help us with directions.
But it really turned out that the locals which we encountered were very genuine and friendly, just simply living simple lives.

European countries are famous for their beautiful cathedrals, and here in Porto you could find astonishing ones too! This one that we chanced upon, have a magnificent set of baroque cravings, silver altars and paintings. Named St. Francis Church, it is the perfect example of a gothic architecture, fully gold plated!

We ended the cathedral trip with Magnum icecream! Magnum and Wall's is really popular here!

We headed to the city centre of Porto and the architecture looks very similar to the UK & the other European major cities that I've been to, such as Paris or Italy. The classic European structures, always beautiful. 

The shopping streets!

And the famous Majestic Cafe for high tea, beautiful English looking interior.




Not forgetting the food here! Porto's most popular snack is this 'Frencesinha', a sandwich with several meats, covered with cheese and their special sauce made with beer and tomato sauce. Super sinful D:
But we had this almost everyday for brunch, lol.

Porto is also known for their fresh seafood, especially their famous cod fish. Really simple, but very fresh!

But the most surprising finding was the Wall's Carte D'or desserts. Yes it's Wall's but they were so very good that we went back to the restaurant on our last day, craving for more of the desserts!

So there you go! Tried my best to sum up my trip in Porto. Well, pictures do speak a thousand words, so I let them do the talking! :) Plus, it was actually 2 years ago, so it's amazing how pictures could bring back fond memories.

xx