Style | The Weekender: Astier de Villlatte candle, Paul Smith Man, Kinfolk vol. 11, Bruceart pop-up card and Tartuensis Classic notebooks

From left: Astier de Villate 'Brasilia' candle | Paul Smith Man 30ml | Bruceart illustrated pop-up card set | Kinfolk vol. 11 | Tartuensis Classic notebooks

Having just finished a crazy week of preparation for my architecture review (my final exam basically), I've been looking forward to the holidays for quite a while. In a model-making frenzy that had me without sleep, writing this post was definitely a cathartic release from AutoCAD and laser cutting. Now that I'm free to spend my days under the sun, chilling with friends and catching up over creative endeavours, it's about time I come up with a "weekend" things-to-do list and snuggle up in bed with some much-needed R&R. Which leads me to the raison d'être for this post...

It's tiring to balance work and play.  No matter how sociable or extroverted you are, I reckon everyone needs some personal time to himself. So what is one to do when you actually find some time off?

1. Open up Spotify (smooth house music, thank you very much)

2. Brew my favourite cup of Earl Grey tea from Mariage Frères

3. Light up a candle

4. Browse through blogs, magazines, Style.com, YouTube, cat videos (ahem)...

Writing for Cut & Copy is no doubt one of my greatest joys but it's also a good idea to switch off from social media every now and then. In a world filled with technology, a person reading a good book is a rare sight to be seen nowadays. Even more so, taking notes with notebooks have become obsolete for that matter... 

Whilst I was browsing through Kubrick cafe, I came across these stylish notebooks. Who needs a Olympia Le-Tan book clutch when you can just get the real deal?). They're a gem to put on the coffee table and the publishers at Tartuensis Classic have done an amazing job of breathing new life into these vintage titles.

Not feeling inspired?

Introduce a bit of art to stimulate your mind! For me, the illustrated pop-up card set serves exactly that to reinvigorate my creativity. Titled Teenage Years, these beautifully illustrated cards were designed by a young and talented illustrator who goes by the name Bruceart. At only 17, there's definitely more left to be desired...

And last but not least, scents have always been an important aspect in my life. As a secret collector of perfume, my reason for having more than 20 different scents is that I enjoy the uniqueness of every bottle. Each one carries a scent that could evoke a memory or carry my mind to an exotic location. The candle above by Parisian candle maker Astier de Villate does exactly that. Notable for it's location-specific candles, it's funny that the one above reminds me more of Paris than it's name 'Brasilia'. The slightly metallic notes are offset with a bouquet of fresh spring florals that remind me of avant-garde boutiques and the gardens in Paris.

Speaking of memories, another product I found at Kapok was this book of scented paper from Papier d'Arménie. Don't be fooled by its humble appearance as burning one of these is more than enough to scent a living room with wafts of incense and vanilla.

Paul Smith MAN has also been my winter signature for the past 3 months. Yuzu, bergamot and star anise form the top notes, patchouli and incense for the middle and iris, violet and tonka beans for the base. Fresh, exotic and slightly festive, this was definitely a winner...