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The New Stage Mommy

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The Stage Mommy is Moving

Aside from our website overhaul, we are also moving to a new address. Please stay tuned and apologies for the lack of posts while we gear up for a newer and better Stage Mommy!

Thank you!

Book Review: The Girl On The Train

I love to read so I think it is but appropriate to have a regular book review on this blog, a book club if you like. As much as I love to read, I have lost touch with the beauty of reading as life got in the way. In the last few months, I have started reading again. I have started reading real books, the one that you actually hold in your hands and be able to actually flip the pages. 

One of my new year's resolutions is to read at least one book a month (that might change haha) and post in here what I think about it. Beware of my disclaimer as I am not a literary critic so don’t expect New York Times bestseller type of reviews. I will review books the way I know how, the stage mommy way.

My first ever book review on the blog is The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins.

I am easily taken by thrillers and this particular book promises hair raising suspense. I swear I couldn’t put this  book down for the life of me. The main character's constant blackouts makes the story more confounding and I love how the author made three of the characters carry out the narration in the book. Knowing what the other characters are thinking during the course of the story makes it more interesting than it already is.

The main character, Rachel, is an alcoholic whose life went for the worse when her marriage collapsed. Her husband left her for another woman, Anna, whose character takes one of the three narrations in the story. Rachel takes the train to London daily and has been obsessed with a couple (whom she calls Jess and Jason) who sits on their balcony each morning and whom she sees from where she sits on the train. She develops a compulsive familiarity with the couple even though she only sees them from afar. On one of her daily commutes, she "witnessed" something odd about the couple. She learned a few days later that Jess, who is actually named Megan, who takes the third narration in the story, has been missing since that last particular day she saw them on the balcony. One puzzling thing is that she feels she holds the answer to the mystery of Megan's disappearance as she has been having flashbacks of herself walking along the street where Megan lives, injured and bloodied, on the night she disappeared. The story slowly unravels from there, out of the twists and turns that the author cleverly fabricated into the story.  We later on learn that each and every character in the story are somewhat interrelated with a very interesting back story in each of them.

The concept of what happened to Megan and how Rachel could hold the answer to the mystery of her disappearance as manifested by her flashbacks is the gripping component of this book. I just couldn't wait to finish it to know what actually happened to Megan and what was Rachel's connection to it.

I really enjoyed this book and if you are like me who loves the thrill of a suspense story then this book is for you.

The book is soon to be released on film by Dream Works with Emily Blunt as Rachel.

5 Best Things In Paris

Paris is hands down one of the best destinations in Europe. It is like a dream. To wake up to the heavenly smell of croissants with a view of the Eiffel tower is what every romantic’s dreams are made of. But Paris is not just all about romance. It caters to all. I made a list of the best things in the city of lights so you don’t have to.

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High on my list is a visit to Angelina’s Tea Room. The hot chocolate is not called the best hot chocolate in town for nothing. And if the decadence of the hot chocolate is not enough to lure you in, I am sure the opulence of the interior will. Coco Chanel was known to frequent the place.

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A walk through Tuileries Garden is a must when in Paris. Take the less beaten path and explore the beauty of this garden. Located between the Louvre museum and Place De La Concorde, there is so much to see and do here. You can grab a chair for free and enjoy its several fountains and sculptures aside from the beautiful flower display.

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A visit to the Louvre museum should not be missed. The  Louvre is one of the biggest museums in the world with Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo among its collections. I.M Pei’s pyramid on the courtyard is also an art to reckon with.

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 What is missing from your view when you are at the top of the Eiffel tower? The Eiffel tower, of course. This is why going up the Arc de Triompe is as worth it as going up the Eiffel tower itself. The view of the Champs Elysees below is also one for the books. One of the most beautiful avenues in the world.

If seeing the Eiffel tower from the Arc De Triompe is really not enough and that you have to see the most famous structure in the world up close then beat the long lines by either taking the stairs rather than the elevator or book yourself a lovely meal in one of the restaurants at the top. Either way, going up the Eiffel tower is one of the best experiences any tourist could have.

The Importance of Me Time

If truth be told, we ladies tend to overlook ourselves because we are always too busy taking care of our squad. Aside from running a household, we also bring home the bacon. Gone were the days when the lady of the house stays in the house. With the rise of girl power and feminism, we not only want to run our household, we also want to run the world. Nothing wrong with that. In fact everybody wins. Unfortunately, we forget ourselves in the long run. We get drained and eventually, our surroundings gets affected. 

Someone once said that we need to fill up our well to be able to pour out from it. This is why having that much needed time for ourselves is very important for us to be able to take care of others. 

Studies suggest that making time for ourselves and making ourselves a priority makes us happier and more able to take care of the people around us. Not only that, it also improves concentration making us more productive and strengthens our relationships. 

So how should we spend our me time? I for one believes in the power of me time. For me, it does not have to be elaborate. Doing the things I love always does the trick. I love to read so having a couple of hours reading a book or  browsing my favourite sites online is good for me. Watching my favourite series or programs uninterrupted is another thing. Spending time with a friend to catch up with things also counts for me. But my ultimate me time is being able to leisurely browse the shops in my own time whether it is actual shopping or window shopping. 

Schedule time for yourself regularly, be it for a 30 minute run or a nap, whatever it is, it is the best thing you can do for your family as you will be in your best form to take care of them.

Five Faves

It has been awhile since I posted my last five favourites. Life got in the way and I haven't been very consistent with my posts. Without further adieu, here are my latest favourites.

1.Dyptique candle in Baies - Dyptique is the world's favourite candle and their Baies scent in particular has a cult following.  My first Dyptique was a gift from a friend (Mimosa scent) and I have to say, once you go luxe as far candles are concerned, you never go back. I used it sparingly so it lasted me forever. I burned it for the last time by the end of last year and decided to get a new one as a Christmas present for myself. Selfridges was having an online sale that time so I actually grabbed a bargain. I was tempted to get the Mimosa scent again which I love but at the last minute chose Baies as I was quite curious of its cult following. When I first lighted it, I knew why. It's scent is so heavenly like a bouquet of roses scented with blackcurrant leaves, exactly how the people at Dyptique describes it.

2. Beehive vase - my newfound love of flowers has a consequence, a newfound love of vases. I found this unusual one whilst browsing at The Range, a home store here in the UK. I love that the white and gold compliments any flower I place in it.

3. Clinique Color Pop Lipstick - I love my lipstick and nothing beats the exhilarating feeling of opening a new one. This particular new lipstick of mine is from Clinique. The reason I love this is the fact that it is very hydrating and very pigmented that even their nude ones (I've never been fan of nude) really pops on the lips. Exactly how the name suggests.

4.Statement Cushions - I have been meaning to get rid of my cushions as I have had them since we moved in the house, about 10 years! Cringe. I am drawn lately to cushions that has quotes and characters on them and I have been loving the alphabet cushions from Next. Very inexpensive but good quality.

5. Kate Spade watch - My sister in law introduced me to Kate Spade and since then I have been a fan. I particularly love their handbags and now their watches. This particular simple silver watch has that spade logo in pink, a flair Kate Spade is known for.