GIFT | sharon pakir

Tag Archive for GIFT

single happy moment

March 12, 2012 Happiness, Lifestyle, Love No comments

After hearing the news of our engagement, what seemed like a deluge of well wishes poured upon us. It helped us know that we are so incredibly cared for and it was pretty crazily lovely.

One lovely woman indeed, Belinda, even threatened in a off the cuff Facebook comment that she was so happy for us she was scheming up a giant cupcake to celebrate.

Imagine my surprise then, when I walked into the studio a few days later, and she presented me with… a giant soup pot.

And inside the soup pot?

Well.

Pictures speak much better than words:

NOM.

Apparently, the gods had spoken, and she found a giant cupcake mould whilst randomly browsing in Spotlight the next day. WOWZA!

ps, yes, it was very, very good.

pps, yes I shared it with S. Kinda.

Receiving a beautiful pot of tulips from a student, Belinda, who is not only a delight to teach but also a wonderful person to know. These were presented to me on a low night months ago – when I was ready to collapse after a night of teaching.

As I’ve said before, my students keep my so alive, and teaching is such a joy and passion that it rarely feels like work. And it’s not gifts like this that make it worthwhile, but this gift certainly made me remember the vibrant happiness that my work brings.

5 happy things

April 3, 2011 Lifestyle, Love 4 comments

It’s wonderful to be able to list some extremely simple things that make me a generally happy person. I think too few people realise the simplicity of happiness, the extreme privilege we face in living in a first world situation, the miracle that is our existence.

Some things that have made me incredibly happy in the last 10 days:

1. Travel with my team

gleeful after some great performances!

It astounds me constantly that I am able to travel for dance, my passion, and go around Australia and sometimes the world, teaching, performing, making new friends and learning so much about different places. Mostly though, I’ve enjoyed spending some ridiculously good times with my amazing team. We are so good together, and these trips always make for memorable weekends that we will reminisce about with joy in our old age. The Adelaide Salsa Festival that just passed was a shining example of such a trip.

2. Celebrity moments

I was invited to a little VIP soiree for the Melbourne Latin Festival Launch Party last week, and taught a dance class whilst I was there. Fabulously, I got to meet some really cool people but also, look!

sharon pakir in herald sun newspaper melbourne latin festival

fame! i'm gonna live forever!

This was in the Herald Sun on Saturday. I know it’s not REAL fame, but hell, S’s parents (without being told I was in it) very cutely sent me this message: “We see you are a celebrity, we see your photo in the paper!”

And you know what? That’s good enough for me!

3. Great news

That my dad is going to be coming to Melbourne very soon to spend some quality time with his favourite child. (This is a test to see if my siblings read this blog, let’s see how long it takes for the excuuuuuuuse me phone calls to come in!)

poor Sheil.

This pleases me to no end – it’ll be wonderful to spend a few weeks with my favourite man ever, but also, I’m excited for him to see our home that we’ve made, and experience a bit of my life. I’m excited about slow walks, holding his hand, and cooking for him. It’s going to be tiring, but lovely.

4. Getting more clarity

And coming to terms a bit more with the limitations of my body. This week was a bit of a landmark, whereby I brought myself to sell a few pairs of shoes I’ll realistically no longer wear due to my back injuries. It’s probably the first time where I’ve managed to rationally do something so… final… about what my life is slowly but surely becoming.

high heeled shoes sharon pakir melissa vivienne westwood, steve madden, witchery

ay. goodbye my pretties!

If you know me at all, you know how much I love my (large) collection of heels – and don’t worry, I’m not getting rid of them all, just the ones that are either over 5 inches, OR just that bit unstable (and I no longer have the capacity to totter about in). A few friends messaged me saying they were a bit sad or amazed that I had made this step, but it made me feel mentally and emotionally stronger about it all. Yes, I know they’re just shoes, but hell, when even choosing footwear can make or break your day, you know your mindset has to shift dramatically.

5. Surprises from my darling

I got back from the Adelaide Salsa Festival exhausted and on the verge of falling sick, and all I wanted was a cuppa tea and bed. A little note from S on the kitchen counter would’ve been a bonus. So imagine my joy and surprise when I came home to a PRESENT!

awesome present, straight off my wishlist.

There’s nothing better than a gift, except a gift that you’ve specifically wished for, and briefly mentioned the week before. And there’s nothing better than knowing your sweetie was thinking about you whilst you were away, and went out of his extremely busy way to spoil you. Uh huh. Love!

So there’s my 5 happy things this week, what are yours? xx

inheriting love

February 13, 2011 Fashion, Lifestyle 2 comments

My mum was a super stylish dresser – all through my childhood, I remember coveting everything she owned. Indeed, I remember wishing fervently that I would grow up and somehow assimilate her effortless style, her confident walk, and her always-in-fashion effervescence that leaves everyone she meets happy and at ease.

It wasn’t that my mum shopped a lot, or collected fashionable items incessantly. Instead, she had an admirably doting husband who always bought her classy outfits that oozed elegance. My father was a sucker for beautiful dresses, tasteful jewellery and timeless accessories, and lucky for him, my mum was a naturally elegant lady who pulled them off with aplomb.

I’ve written before about my wonderful father’s magnificent tastes in gift buying for my mum, but on this last trip back to Singapore, I got to reap the benefits of this romantic man’s penchants. My mum, upon hearing that I was now a “small handbag girl” (due to my back injury), promptly started pulling out some of her handbags for me to choose from. My sister and I watched on with glee as she pulled bag after bag from her treasure trove of a wardrobe, with both handbags new and vintage for us to try on, vainly model in front of the mirror, and paw at.

Lucky me, this one’s siren call started long before she removed it from its dust bag. Purchased in the 80′s I’m guessing, I spotted its rich navy leather tassel sticking out of the top of its protective cover.

mmm come to mumma!

I gasped and started pointing frantically, “THAT ONE MUMMY! I WANT THAT ONE PLEEEEEEASE!” and she pulled it out for me. EXCITEMENT! Everything you could possibly want in a handbag – a narrow profile, perfect length chain straps, buttery soft navy leather that’s quilted (oh so current) and of course the stamp that makes it irresistible and priceless to all daughters – it belonged to my mummy.

The amazing thing was its condition – it was still BRAND NEW, because this was one gift from my father she evidently prized. And it’s been around SO long, that it matches current fashions, and better yet, this year Bally actually went back to making leather tasselled accessories! Super win! I love that mum happily gave me this handbag (with a promise that I would look after it well!) and can’t wait to start planning outfits around it.

So there you have it, one of the favourite things I brought back from Singapore, though you can’t really classify it as shopping. Using it is not only going to make me feel fashionably like mum on a daily basis, but also leave me with the kind of happiness and warmth of heart that only sentimental family love can bring… Or perhaps, the kind of simple joy that can be likened to feeling like a 5 year old girl, wearing her mum’s pearls and high heels and feeling VERY glam indeed!

never too old to become young

December 29, 2010 Lifestyle, Love No comments

As I keep saying, this year’s Christmas was exceedingly special – not only was it a “proper” Christmas, complete with decorations, great food, a special family, and wonderful bounty! S also made it ultra special – by getting me not one, but 2 gifts – a pretty trinket, and then a practical one too. The delivery was incredibly gorgeous – he wouldn’t let me out of bed until it was posed on the deck, he covered my eyes as I walked down the stairs, and then turned me around a few times to disorient me before allowing my first peek. And with a shriek of delight, here we have it!

my new toy!

Ages ago, I’d mentioned that I wanted a bicycle to S, and he said that when we lived together in a house where there were safe streets to ride on, I’d get one. Imagine my surprise that he remembered this passing conversation from over a year ago, and went to get me one for Christmas!

I’d told him I wanted a cute vintage cruiser, but he didn’t get me one of those (too few gears) – instead, he tried to make sure it was the same-ish shape, had great functionality (21 gears!!) and we’re going this weekend to get me some cute accessories (a basket on the front, some tassels, maybe some spokey-dokeys even!!). So excited. AWESOME gift!

Clearly, I missed out on Christmas in my youth because this has made me feel like a 9 year old with a new shiny bike!!

PS – no, you will never see pictures of me in the helmet. God, they’re ugly things.

gift guide

December 11, 2010 Shopping No comments

Need to find some last minute gifts? I had a lot of fun tonight putting these gift guides together. To start with, here’s some ideas for someone you know that loves a pop of colour and fun in their lives, and all pretty affordable too!