Born in the vibrant city of Singapore with a unique Eurasian blend of Portuguese and Chinese heritage, my journey has taken me from the bustling streets of Singapore to the serene and open landscapes of Sweden. My educational pursuits in Singapore culminated at tertiary level with two separate Master degrees, after which I embarked on a new adventure in 2002, moving to Sweden. In Sweden, I pursued with deep interest, the knowledge field of applied linguistics, particularly corpus linguistics research methods, earning a doctoral degree from one of northern Europe’s largest universities, the University of Gothenburg. I currently work as Project Manager, focusing on EU and international projects, at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, at the Division of Bioeconomy and Health, Department of Agriculture and Food. My office is located in Mölndal municipality. Mölndal, known also as the Valley of Mills, is located about ten minutes by bus ride from the city center of Gothenburg to the south. If you’re ever traveling south from Gothenburg to Malmö, whether by train or car, you will likely come by Mölndal municipality. In these pages at cmariec.com, you’ll find my lifestyle musings on culinary and travel adventures from Singapore to Sweden, and from when I lived and worked the Arctic City of Tromsø (2018 to mid-2022). SINGAPORE | SWEDEN | NORTHERN NORWAY Life in Singapore Pursued all academic interests in Singapore, of which the post-graduate years were founded in two separate disciplines. In 2000, graduated with two separate Masters Degrees: (i) Master of Science in Information Studies at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore (ii) Master of Arts in the English Language at the National University of Singapore (NUS). In 1999, represented the Republic of Singapore at the Miss Universe Pageant in Trinidad and Tobago. With this came a variety of film, educational TV, media, and ambassadorial work for the Singapore Tourism Board. Life in Sweden In 2002, moved from Singapore to Sweden in order to pursue a PhD in Gothenburg, where a number of international corporate head offices were located that all had a substantial business presence in Singapore and also Asia in general. In 2009, graduated with a PhD in applied critical linguistics from the faculty of humanities at the University of Gothenburg, with a cross-disciplinary thesis entitled, Swedish management in Singapore: a discourse analysis study, looking particularly into the concepts of assimilation, integration and hierarchy, at top management levels of Swedish-Asian corporations in Singapore. 2013, as research fellow at the Centre for International Business Studies (CIBS), School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, researching the future implications of increasing Asian-Swedish cooperation within the field of international business. The project is entitled Gothenburg in Asia, Asia in Gothenburg, funded by the Anna Ahrenberg Foundation. The project is aligned with the 400 years anniversary of the city of Gothenburg in 2021, and falls under the broad category of Kunskap Göteborg 2021 initiated by city representatives of Gothenburg, Göteborg & Co, University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology. 2015, was granted the Flexit post-doctoral scholarship by Bank of Sweden Tercentennary Foundation (Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, RJ) for a three year project together with the Swedish-Swiss multinational enterprise ABB. From 2015-17, the research will take place at ABB Corporate Research Sweden HQ in Västerås, and at CIBS during 2017-18. The research focus of the project is how new technologies are perceived and accepted by users and customers, using linguistic methods of data analysis. More information can be found at RJ’s website, at Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (RJ) Felxit 2015. Life in Northern Norway (2018-2022) 2018, late summer. I acquired new work as Market Scientist at Nofima. Having moved to the county of Troms in August, I’m currently enjoying myself, exploring the island city of Tromsø. From the 1900s, this city became known as Paris of the North due to how the people of Tromsø were exceptionally stylish and sophisticated in contrast to the fishing village preconception that many might have of a city located in the Arctic Circle. In my years in Sweden, I have known Sweden to be called the land of the midnight sun. During the long summer mights, it was beautiful to sit and watch the sun’s languid pendulation between east and west, touching the horizon out at sea before going up again. Northern Norway takes this languid pendulation of the sun to the extreme. It is not only known as the land of the midnight sun, but it is also the land of polar nights and the northern lights. This is my new adventure. And in these lifestyle blog pages, you’ll find my personal thoughts, insights and musings. Cheryl Marie Cordeiro | PhD MSc MA ACADEMIC REFLECTIONS | CV LIFESTYLE BLOG

The evolutionizing concept of luxury goods

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Scarlett Johansson for Louis Vuitton, featuring the That’s Love collection of bags

The definitions of luxury

Luxury is an extensive concept which connects with extravagance, prestige and elitism (Dubois and Czellar, 2002). Some standard dictionary definitions of luxury could include:

  • Something inessential but conducive to pleasure and comfort.
  • Something expensive or hard to obtain.
  • Sumptuous living or surroundings: lives in luxury.

One could see how the above three definitions found in the American Heritage Dictionary, are intertwined and difficult to separate. A very broad definition of what is luxury, from Coco Chanel reflects this interlacing of definitions to form a concept of luxury: “Luxury is a necessity that begins when necessity ends” (Gradvall, 2007). Continue reading “The evolutionizing concept of luxury goods”

Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis Porte-Trésor International wallet

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The Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis line, developed in 1998 by Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton began with several baby soft colours, one of which was the coveted Marshmallow Pink as you see in the above pictures of the Porte-Trésor International wallet. Other soft pastels included a lavender, a light yellow and a neutral pearly beige, which is just a tad lighter in shade than the noisette (a sort of latte) colour launched in just about 2006/7. Continue reading “Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis Porte-Trésor International wallet”

Last days of Winter Warrior

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Although spring temperatures are beginning to set in at a constant 5 deg C, the sun outside during this time of year can be deceptively warm. Still, it’s about time to don spring outfits and coats, so it’s one of the last few days for wearing true winter wear and the last few days of being able to wear shearling boots in the northern hemisphere. Continue reading “Last days of Winter Warrior”

Spring themes in Sweden 08

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Photo: Daniel Grizelj, from två dagar, 1 March 2008.
Left ensemble: Red swimwear from H&M, apricot coloured camisole from American Vintage, pink blouse with puff sleeves from DSquared, a red tube used as a skirt, from Wolford, pink pumps from Bianco.
Right ensemble: Green cocktail dress from Coast, cobalt blue trench from Chloé with a vintage blue belt, green leopard print ballerinas from Effe.

Every weekend, Göteborgs Posten or GP issues a supplement called två dagar meaning ‘two days’ that covers plenty of interesting topics, one of its staple category being ‘fashion’.

Last weekend, the styling team from Muse Style Agency, set out some trends for Swedes this coming Spring and Summer and I thought the styling so attractive, I’d like to share it with a wider than Sweden audience. Part of this styling team are Daniel Grizelj, photographer, Jennie Bramer, stylist and Emma Nilsson, who does hair and make-up. The models were asked to pose like mannequins and that’s just about the effect that you see in the pictures. Continue reading “Spring themes in Sweden 08”

A little bit of kampong and river ways in Thailand

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Holding on to a small but growing jackfruit, just outside of the Damnoen Saduak floating market, about 110 km southwest of Bangkok, Thailand. The largest tree borne fruit in the world, jackfruits are potentially enormous things, seldom less than about 25 cm in diameter they can reach 36 kg in weight and up to 90 cm long and 50 cm in diameter.

The Damnoen Saduak floating market

Really early on the morning the 13th of February we set out to visit the Damnoen Saduak floating market in the Ratchaburi province, about one hour’s taxi ride from central Bangkok. There are several floating markets on various canals in Bangkok and other nearby provinces. Today these floating markets are kept alive for visiting tourists but were originally live wet markets for the local Thai people. “In old times the roads no good so when people want meet and trade, they use rivers.”, our chauffeur told us.

Continue reading “A little bit of kampong and river ways in Thailand”

Edible miniature works of art

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Made from yellow bean paste, these miniature ‘fruits’ make delightful eye-candy

One of my favourite Thai desserts to look out for when in Thailand are these mini works of art known as Kao Noom Look Choup. Shaped from grounded yellow beans, these miniature sculptures are then hand painted with food dyes to render the likeness of fruits and vegetables.
Continue reading “Edible miniature works of art”

Zac Posen, Fall 2008 RTW

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Zac Posen, Runway, Fall RTW 2008. Photo: Marcio Madeira

I’m constantly amazed at the speed of which the fashion world moves. Look away for just about a month and it seems like I’ve skipped two seasons in fashion.

Zac Posen might not have received too positive a review from Nicole Phelps for his Fall RTW 2008 collection but his lolitaesque collection arrowed my heart in an instant!
Continue reading “Zac Posen, Fall 2008 RTW”

The Oriental Hotel, Bangkok

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A peek at the poolside with its canopied beds, The Oriental Hotel, Bangkok

The Chao Phraya river, with its deep green waters and numerous junk boats languidly making their way up and down its vast length, lends a sight of utopia to the many luxury hotels that make the Bangkok skyline today.

The oldest hotel in Bangkok, and even slightly older than the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, The Oriental Hotel parallels Singapore’s Raffles Hotel some, in terms of history of famous writers being there and era of being. At 132 years old this year, The Oriental Hotel is the grandest dame that sits by the warm and musky Chao Phraya.
Continue reading “The Oriental Hotel, Bangkok”

Valentine’s Day by the Chao Phraya River

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At The Peninsula, Bangkok for a Valentine’s Birthday celebration!
Text & Photo © JE Nilsson, CM Cordeiro-Nilsson 2008

Thank you all who sent me Valentines and Birthday wishes. A few days ago when we arrived to Bangkok most street names were a mystery and the city had grown immensely since I was here at a conference, presenting a linguistics thesis, a couple of years ago. At that time I didn’t have the time to travel and sightsee Bangkok either.

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Table decoration replete with teddy bear and gorgeously bound menu in red,
at The Peninsula for Valentine’s Day

Cheryl Marie Cordeiro Nilsson 2008 Lebua, State Tower Bangkok

By now we are finding our way much better even if the traffic is a nightmare swept in pollution so thick you can cut it with a spoon. I think the main observation I can share with those who’ve possibly not been here before is that I would choose the roadside food stalls for the food and the up market Hotels, for the view.

Reflections from Sentosa hotspot KM8

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At Sentosa hotspot KM8
Text & Photo © JE Nilsson, CM Cordeiro-Nilsson 2008

The speed at which Singapore transforms never ceases to surprise me. When back for Chinese New Years celebration with family and friends after just a few years in Sweden I hardly recognized the most basic sights. The national library was gone and where we used the take a shortcut along Orchard Road, a new six star hotel has already been opened.

Thursday the 7th was dedicated to personal relaxation and the outfit of the day, a tie-dyed cotton sarong and sun protection factor 55. The destination, the manmade paradise island just off the west coast of Singapore. When I grew up in Singapore, Sentosa was a historical relic with ugly memories from the war. Then modernizations set in with the purpose of creating a nearby beach area for the stressed out Singaporean working population. Continue reading “Reflections from Sentosa hotspot KM8”