I finally managed to get an appointment with my regular hairstylist (Vince) and he did a texture perm for me. It is designed to give more volume and bounce to the hair. He trimmed the hair and gave me a longish "fringe" so now the front part almost brushes against my chin. This is a bit annoying actually as it keeps getting onto my face and I can't really tuck it behind my ears.
The back of the head was layered more so that there will be more waves and bounce. Overall I quite like the effect. It is not a harsh perm, but it complements the natural hair movement. My hair always has a mind of its own and is slightly wavy, so the texture perm just enhanced that. It gives me a nice, natural tousled look. The messy look which is perfect for me as I just do not have the time and patience to really do my hair. I prefer something simple and nice. Wash and go is me.
I have been going to Xtrim for years, since 2000 or 2001. I started with shoulder length or chin length bob or with layers. But I decided to perm my hair in October 2002 after growing it long. Since then, I have never looked back. And because it is permed, I only go back to Vince like twice a year. Every 6 months. Once to perm, another to color. I don't want to overprocess my hair.
And throughout the years, I have seen Xtrim moved so many times. From MacDonald House in Orchard to Boat Quay to Circular Road and now back to Boat Quay. It has certainly arrived. Vince has done very well for himself now, cultivating a regular clientele. The new place is very cosy and inviting. Exclusive is certainly the word.
He moved back to Boat Quay last month. The salon overlooks the Singapore River and faces the Parliament House or Asian Civilisations Musuem. It has a balcony which has a mini bar counter with 2 stools. A great place to relax and chill. There are also 2 "basket case" swings, really nice. There is a snazzy coffee maker to make drinks of your choice. Latte, cappuccino, mocha, etc. He even serves vodka ribena, red wine, juice, tea and water of course.
There are only 5-6 stations, with its own privacy through the use of threading to separate the areas. A full length mirror faces the chair, with a mobile glass side table to hold your bag and magazines. What sets Xtrim apart is that the place is completely Wi-Fi enable. You can bring your laptop and surf the web or work. There is also a laptop at the sofa area for customers to surf too. This is such a neat idea. I really regret not having a laptop with me when I was there. I spent about 4 hours just doing my hair. I read through 4 magazines and part of my book while there.
Xtrim is exclusive also because they do not take walk-in customers. Appointments are needed. There are only 3 stylists there, and Vince himself will only take in 12 customers per day. How is that for having "arrived"? Plus the salon is only opened for 4 days (Wednesday to Saturday) from 12noon till 11pm. He understands that his customers have to work and are mostly working in the Shenton Way area now, after his years spent in the area.
I think when he first started out, he has lots of students and NSmen as his customers and they probably have stayed on with him once they started working. I got to know of him through a friend who went to him during his NS days. I trust and like Vince that he will only give you a cut or style which is suitable for you. He does not force his opinions on you and it is an open consultation. He probably finds me a boring customer as I don't like changes that much :p
He has always wanted me to rebond my hair since I first went to him but I refused. Now he thinks waves and curls really do suit me better. He also knows that I prefer colors which are muted and not screaming loud. Though he did give me a brownish blonde look which my cousin said made me looked like an Asian J-Lo. The honey brown hair. That was the only time I really dislike that color and he muted it when I went back and told him so. I like that the service is really personalized and customized. He will always re-do or make changes if you think it is not what you want. Color not obvious enough, curls not that strong, etc.
Prices wise, it is not say very cheap nor is it that expensive like Passion or other salons in town. But the prices have certainly increased from when I first went to him. It used to be $38 or something in 2001 for a haircut, then it went up to $43 at Boat Quay (though he gave me the old rate as I was an old customer). Now it is $53 for a haircut. I think it is quite ok considering the place and the personal attention given, and the drinks provided and beautiful view and internet access.
Location:
XtRim
41B Boat Quay
Tel: 6339 5025
http://xtrimhair.com/
Friday, June 30, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
LifeSpa @ Pacific Plaza
I went there today for a facial. It was a regular facial but it is interesting. Very different way of doing it. The products used are from Italy and are herbal stuff.
She started off with cleansing my face, followed by the scrub. Instead of using a steaming the face to allow for easier extractions, she used a black mask to extract the blackheads and whiteheads. For stubborn blackheads or whiteheads, she will do manual extractions.
What was interesting about the facial was that she actually used massage oil with essential oil to massage the face. This is the first time I ever had massage oil on my face instead of my body. The lavender essential oil was very soothing and relaxing. Unfortunately she is not that skilled with the shoulders massage though she is fine with the face.
After the massage, she applied two masks on my face - a deep cleansing mask and a soft mask which is icy cold. After about 10-15mins, the masks were removed and moisturizer massaged into the face.
The room is pretty small and the bed was tiny. Not a very comfortable place. The spa is opened to men and women though. They are closed on Sunday which is a pity. I will be trying the massage another day.
I doubt I will want to sign up for the facial package. I much perfer True Spa for that.
Location:
LifeSpa
Level 5, Pacific Plaza
www.lifespa.com.sg
She started off with cleansing my face, followed by the scrub. Instead of using a steaming the face to allow for easier extractions, she used a black mask to extract the blackheads and whiteheads. For stubborn blackheads or whiteheads, she will do manual extractions.
What was interesting about the facial was that she actually used massage oil with essential oil to massage the face. This is the first time I ever had massage oil on my face instead of my body. The lavender essential oil was very soothing and relaxing. Unfortunately she is not that skilled with the shoulders massage though she is fine with the face.
After the massage, she applied two masks on my face - a deep cleansing mask and a soft mask which is icy cold. After about 10-15mins, the masks were removed and moisturizer massaged into the face.
The room is pretty small and the bed was tiny. Not a very comfortable place. The spa is opened to men and women though. They are closed on Sunday which is a pity. I will be trying the massage another day.
I doubt I will want to sign up for the facial package. I much perfer True Spa for that.
Location:
LifeSpa
Level 5, Pacific Plaza
www.lifespa.com.sg
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld
The Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld in Florida is the very first time I recalled ever staying in a luxury hotel on my own. I remembered feeling awed by the grandeur of the place, though I think I will see it with different eyes now if I go there again. But then again, I was so used to staying at Motel 6 and Super 8 that anything beyond that is pure heaven.
The Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld was part of the Florida accommodation package I had. Of all the junk mails I received then, one said I was chosen to get special rates...blah...blah..blah. Hey, I was young and naive enough to believe these stuff then. But it turned out to be genuine.
It was quite a good deal too. 3 nights (or was it 4) accommodation in Orlando, 2 nights accommodation in Daytona Beach and 2 nights cruise to Bahamas for only US$299 or something (just accommodation - I had to get my own air tickets). I didn't get to go to New Orleans then due to flight problems. So I spent about 18 days or more in Florida and Bahamas. My most expensive vacation ever.
We were supposed to stay at Omni Marco Polo (though I can't find info on it online now) in Orlando, but it was overbooked so we were upgraded to the Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld. The room was huge, with 2 queen size beds. That was the first time I knew about the turn-down service in the evening. To be greeted by the chocolate pralines at night was such a sweet experience. Can't recall if they also placed a sprig of flower (I seemed to remember orchids or hibiscus) on the pillow too.
It was just too bad that I didn't really know how to appreciate or utilize the hotel's facilities then, so I can't write on that. But that was also my first encounter with Bath and Body Works. The hotel provided BBW products in the bathroom. I still remember it being the Sunripen Raspberry range :p
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/mcosr?WT_Ref=mi_left
The Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld was part of the Florida accommodation package I had. Of all the junk mails I received then, one said I was chosen to get special rates...blah...blah..blah. Hey, I was young and naive enough to believe these stuff then. But it turned out to be genuine.
It was quite a good deal too. 3 nights (or was it 4) accommodation in Orlando, 2 nights accommodation in Daytona Beach and 2 nights cruise to Bahamas for only US$299 or something (just accommodation - I had to get my own air tickets). I didn't get to go to New Orleans then due to flight problems. So I spent about 18 days or more in Florida and Bahamas. My most expensive vacation ever.
We were supposed to stay at Omni Marco Polo (though I can't find info on it online now) in Orlando, but it was overbooked so we were upgraded to the Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld. The room was huge, with 2 queen size beds. That was the first time I knew about the turn-down service in the evening. To be greeted by the chocolate pralines at night was such a sweet experience. Can't recall if they also placed a sprig of flower (I seemed to remember orchids or hibiscus) on the pillow too.
It was just too bad that I didn't really know how to appreciate or utilize the hotel's facilities then, so I can't write on that. But that was also my first encounter with Bath and Body Works. The hotel provided BBW products in the bathroom. I still remember it being the Sunripen Raspberry range :p
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/mcosr?WT_Ref=mi_left
Staying in Hotels
Next to going to spas for relaxation, I have always like staying in hotels too, provided they are luxury hotels of course. It might seem silly to just spend a weekend in a hotel, right here in Singapore when you are not even traveling at all. But somehow it can be quite rejuvenating, making it seem like you are away, in a foreign land.
When I was younger, I recall spending weekends at Mandarin Hotel or at the hotels at the Marina area. It was just fun, going there, staying over, using the pools. Actually I only remember using the pools more than anything else.
When I was in Canada, traveling was a budget affair. We will look for the cheapest accommodation and usually that will be motels (Motel 6, Super 8, etc). The AAA guidebook was my best friend. The hours I spent poring over it and calling the motels to make the booking for when I travel down the West Coast and when in Florida. Yahoo was my next best friend too. These were the days before Google made its appearance and the internet was still fairly new then.
But growing up, I think it is definitely getting harder to rough it out now. One gets used to living in luxury (as in no more sleeping on the floor - I get backache just by lying on the floor, and using dingy washrooms). Now I prefer to have a proper bed and a very nice spacious bathroom. Actually I look at hotels now based on their bathrooms.
In Singapore, the Ritz-Carlton has the most fantastic bathroom ever! I love the wide space there. The bathtub is fairly huge and overlooks the window (I still think no one can peek in, even if they use a telescope). A great place to just relax and eases the sore muscles (if any) in the warm bath. The shower is away from the bathtub, with a separate toilet. Really nice. Watch out for the cold marble floor though. It gets really cold at night, this is one time where you need to wear the slippers provided.
The Grand Hyatt in Singapore is also pretty nifty after its renovation. I have only seen the Grand Deluxe room and Junior Suite though. I like that the mirror next to the bathtub made the bathroom seemed bigger. Also there is a separate shower and toilet area. What is a thoughtful touch is the supply of a brand new loofah wrapped in plastic.
The bathroom at the Raffles the Plaza is dependent on the room you get. I have checked out a few of the Grand Premier room over there and they are all different. Some looked really cramp and tiny. Others are pretty alright. And not all will have the "rainshower" shower. Just what is a rainshower? It is basically a huge round showerhead attached on the ceiling of the shower area. It is to mimic a rainshower effect say when you are caught in a rainstorm. It is quite common to see that in many places now, including the spas.
The Marriott, Hilton, Swissotel and Traders (other hotels I been to/stayed in) are not that fantastic at all.
So far my favorite is still Ritz-Carlton, followed by Hyatt. I love the separate living room and bedroom area over there, and the sliding door which keeps them separate.
Description of the Grand Deluxe Room
Similar to a junior suite, the new Grand Deluxe Room boasts a separate living room and bedroom area with a large en suite bathroom, offering maximum comfort and every modern convenience:
• Hi-tech work station with broadband internet access and cordless dual-line phone
• Spacious bathroom with separate bath and shower
• 25" and 21" Bang & Olufsen flat screen televisions in living area and bedroom
• Top-open drawer safe with universal power outlet for storing and recharging your laptop
• Deluxe duvet and pillows of goose-down and feathers
Raffles the Plaza is quite ok, if you get the nice room with a long hallway before you reached the main living area itself. Otherwise, it is nothing fancy. Highlight is that it has a CD player so you can play your own music, which is piped-in in the bathroom.
Other hotels which I would love to try will be Conrad Centennial (for the rubber duckie and teddy bear :p), Four Seasons, Regent and Fullerton. Somehow the Raffles Hotel doesn't appeal that much to me.
When I was younger, I recall spending weekends at Mandarin Hotel or at the hotels at the Marina area. It was just fun, going there, staying over, using the pools. Actually I only remember using the pools more than anything else.
When I was in Canada, traveling was a budget affair. We will look for the cheapest accommodation and usually that will be motels (Motel 6, Super 8, etc). The AAA guidebook was my best friend. The hours I spent poring over it and calling the motels to make the booking for when I travel down the West Coast and when in Florida. Yahoo was my next best friend too. These were the days before Google made its appearance and the internet was still fairly new then.
But growing up, I think it is definitely getting harder to rough it out now. One gets used to living in luxury (as in no more sleeping on the floor - I get backache just by lying on the floor, and using dingy washrooms). Now I prefer to have a proper bed and a very nice spacious bathroom. Actually I look at hotels now based on their bathrooms.
In Singapore, the Ritz-Carlton has the most fantastic bathroom ever! I love the wide space there. The bathtub is fairly huge and overlooks the window (I still think no one can peek in, even if they use a telescope). A great place to just relax and eases the sore muscles (if any) in the warm bath. The shower is away from the bathtub, with a separate toilet. Really nice. Watch out for the cold marble floor though. It gets really cold at night, this is one time where you need to wear the slippers provided.
The Grand Hyatt in Singapore is also pretty nifty after its renovation. I have only seen the Grand Deluxe room and Junior Suite though. I like that the mirror next to the bathtub made the bathroom seemed bigger. Also there is a separate shower and toilet area. What is a thoughtful touch is the supply of a brand new loofah wrapped in plastic.
The bathroom at the Raffles the Plaza is dependent on the room you get. I have checked out a few of the Grand Premier room over there and they are all different. Some looked really cramp and tiny. Others are pretty alright. And not all will have the "rainshower" shower. Just what is a rainshower? It is basically a huge round showerhead attached on the ceiling of the shower area. It is to mimic a rainshower effect say when you are caught in a rainstorm. It is quite common to see that in many places now, including the spas.
The Marriott, Hilton, Swissotel and Traders (other hotels I been to/stayed in) are not that fantastic at all.
So far my favorite is still Ritz-Carlton, followed by Hyatt. I love the separate living room and bedroom area over there, and the sliding door which keeps them separate.
Description of the Grand Deluxe Room
Similar to a junior suite, the new Grand Deluxe Room boasts a separate living room and bedroom area with a large en suite bathroom, offering maximum comfort and every modern convenience:
• Hi-tech work station with broadband internet access and cordless dual-line phone
• Spacious bathroom with separate bath and shower
• 25" and 21" Bang & Olufsen flat screen televisions in living area and bedroom
• Top-open drawer safe with universal power outlet for storing and recharging your laptop
• Deluxe duvet and pillows of goose-down and feathers
Raffles the Plaza is quite ok, if you get the nice room with a long hallway before you reached the main living area itself. Otherwise, it is nothing fancy. Highlight is that it has a CD player so you can play your own music, which is piped-in in the bathroom.
Other hotels which I would love to try will be Conrad Centennial (for the rubber duckie and teddy bear :p), Four Seasons, Regent and Fullerton. Somehow the Raffles Hotel doesn't appeal that much to me.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
New phones?
Recently I find myself contemplating buying a new cell phone. Everyone who knows me will definitely think it's high time I get on with the times and get something more trendy or up to date. Even my ex-colleague got on my case (and he is a guy!) and said the phone I am using now does not match my image. Haha. Errr...what image is that, I wonder ;p
I really do love my current phone, antique as it is. It has not really given me any trouble and because it is so basic with none of the bells and whistles, it does not hang on me at all. However, it gave me a scare few days back when the audio went dead. No one could hear me talking but I can hear them perfectly well. Turned out a screw was loose. Now it is tightened so it is working again, but who knows when it will die on me again. So far I have dropped the phone twice a few months back, and the entire casing fell apart. That could be the reason. Otherwise my phone is fine, except for the expected battle scars (read = scratches).
One reason why I have been hesitant to change my phone is that it is only 81g light. It is so hard to find a phone that light, what with all the software and functions in new phones. But I find myself leaning towards getting a Motorola phone now. I like the rounded cuteness of the Moto PEBL. It comes in bright vibrant colors of pink, blue, green and orange besides the usual black. The drawback is the weight. It weighs a whopping 115g!
I really do love my current phone, antique as it is. It has not really given me any trouble and because it is so basic with none of the bells and whistles, it does not hang on me at all. However, it gave me a scare few days back when the audio went dead. No one could hear me talking but I can hear them perfectly well. Turned out a screw was loose. Now it is tightened so it is working again, but who knows when it will die on me again. So far I have dropped the phone twice a few months back, and the entire casing fell apart. That could be the reason. Otherwise my phone is fine, except for the expected battle scars (read = scratches).
One reason why I have been hesitant to change my phone is that it is only 81g light. It is so hard to find a phone that light, what with all the software and functions in new phones. But I find myself leaning towards getting a Motorola phone now. I like the rounded cuteness of the Moto PEBL. It comes in bright vibrant colors of pink, blue, green and orange besides the usual black. The drawback is the weight. It weighs a whopping 115g!
The other option is Motorola Razr V3i in maroon. The Razr has also caught my eye since it was launched last year. I like the slimness of it. It is slightly heavy too at 97g.
Oh well, I am still considering if I want to move away from Nokia now.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Elements Spa
I had a badly needed remedial massage today at Elements Spa. It is getting harder to have an appointment there, what with the GSS happening now and the countless promotions going on. My shoulders and neck were very tense and ached too much.
It didn't help that I had to stand the entire time in the two days I was at CommunicAsia earlier the week. Plus I had to carry my heavy bag with me while standing and walking. It was pure torture on the shoulders.
I started off with the Shiatsu-like remedial massage and ended with the therapist stepping on me. I have no idea what that is called, but there is a bar attached to the ceiling for this purpose. She used her feet to step and massage by back. It was not too painful when she was standing on the back of my thighs. But it hurt lots on the back of the calves and on the upper arms. She also used her toes to nudge the spine area, "cracking" the back, re-aligning the spine, I suppose. It was a relief to get the tension out.
The neck felt more supple and relaxed after that and I dozed off when she was massaging my neck and head. It was that good. Hopefully I can keep this calm and relaxed stage for a much longer time now.
It didn't help that I had to stand the entire time in the two days I was at CommunicAsia earlier the week. Plus I had to carry my heavy bag with me while standing and walking. It was pure torture on the shoulders.
I started off with the Shiatsu-like remedial massage and ended with the therapist stepping on me. I have no idea what that is called, but there is a bar attached to the ceiling for this purpose. She used her feet to step and massage by back. It was not too painful when she was standing on the back of my thighs. But it hurt lots on the back of the calves and on the upper arms. She also used her toes to nudge the spine area, "cracking" the back, re-aligning the spine, I suppose. It was a relief to get the tension out.
The neck felt more supple and relaxed after that and I dozed off when she was massaging my neck and head. It was that good. Hopefully I can keep this calm and relaxed stage for a much longer time now.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Time for a change!
Recently it seemed like all my electronic stuff is dying around me. My pc died and would not start on Friday night when I got home. A friend came over to have a look then and said it could be the power supply which burnt out.
Another friend popped over on Saturday to take a look and tried to change the power supply from the other pc. This is the first time I ever know there is a power supply in a pc, yes, I am that computer illiterate. Kinda ironic since I am supposed to know lots about technology stuff seeing that my clients are in the technology field.
Anyway, that didn't work, so he tried to take out my hard disk and put it into the other pc (which turned out to be spoilt - brother only told me that on Sunday), which of course didn't work too. Anyway, he got mad cos I didn't trust him to fix that (i.e. swapping of hard disk). Reason why I didn't really want him to do that cos it didn't seem like a simple operation and he wasn't really sure either. Plus after having my hard disk or pc crashed previously, I am more wary. And I do like my current hard disk now after another friend (who actually owns a PC shop or something) fixed my pc when it was hit by virus. He has installed several stuff for me to clean my pc with on a regular basis and cleaned it up. And I have kept it simple by not downloading anything from unknown sources.
Well, unfortunately I couldn't get hold of that friend so he couldn't take a look at my pc. Plus I didn't really want to impose on him too as he is busy enough as it is. Brother finally came to my rescue on Sunday, he didn't reply to my msg on Saturday. He didn't really know what was wrong, but he offered to take the pc to Sim Lim Square to let someone else have a look.
The diagnosis was that the motherboard has died. He also recommended to change the power supply as the old one wasn't able to handle that many things running. So I had to change all that on Sunday to get my pc up and running again.
The 2 days without access to a computer made me realize how dependent I am on the internet. I can live without CC (which has been down for a few days or weeks now), but I just can't live without the internet or even MSN. Not that I chat every often now, but at least most of my friends are on it. And I always get my information online. E.g the latest NHL score, research on laptops (yes, I am considering getting one if my pc dies again), MAC, Stila, reading friends' blogs, etc. So much information online, just waiting to be read.
Then today, my phone kinda died. Yeah, yeah, I am carrying an antique now. But I happen to love my Nokia 8250. It is the lightest phone I ever owned. Only 81g. Again, a light phone is important to me since I have too many things in my bag. What happened to my phone today? Somehow no one can hear me talk while I can hear them perfectly well. I can sms, and call out and receive call. Just not the talking part.
That was a disaster as today was the start of CommunicAsia and I had to communicate with the media for the meetings/interviews I had set up. Also need that to contact my colleagues on site. We have 2 clients participating there and I was running between the 2 booths. So it didn't help that I got to test out the latest chocolate phone from LG as well as the Motorola V3i D&G phone and the maroon phone. Very snazzy! Set me thinking if I should switch over to that.
Well, I will have to reconsider that again as I just found out the Moto phone weighs 100g! Then my brother managed to fix my phone. Said a screw was loose, but it may not be fully fixed. So I still need to think of what phone to get next. Welcome all suggestions which is hopefully 85g or below.
Hmmmm...what else is dying. Yes, my work pc is driving me nuts too! It will hang and shut down after 6pm, especially around 7pm, making it impossible to do my work. Many times my work disappeared cos it has not been saved. Even when I restart the pc, it will just shut down automatically. Sometimes it is lucky we save documents in a shared drive, so I can at least retrieve it and work on another pc, but at other times, it is just impossible to do anything!
Another thing I foresee giving up on me is my pda as it is pretty old now. Palm Vx. Already the screen is not very sensitive and it is hard to scribble information. But I still like it as it is slim. However I am thinking if I should try the blackberry instead.
Thankfully my mini ipod and digital camera are pretty new, so they should still be functioning for a while. My webcam and mic had already died and I doubt I will be replacing them. Can't find a small webcam to attach to my monitor, plus I am so used to not using them now.
Another friend popped over on Saturday to take a look and tried to change the power supply from the other pc. This is the first time I ever know there is a power supply in a pc, yes, I am that computer illiterate. Kinda ironic since I am supposed to know lots about technology stuff seeing that my clients are in the technology field.
Anyway, that didn't work, so he tried to take out my hard disk and put it into the other pc (which turned out to be spoilt - brother only told me that on Sunday), which of course didn't work too. Anyway, he got mad cos I didn't trust him to fix that (i.e. swapping of hard disk). Reason why I didn't really want him to do that cos it didn't seem like a simple operation and he wasn't really sure either. Plus after having my hard disk or pc crashed previously, I am more wary. And I do like my current hard disk now after another friend (who actually owns a PC shop or something) fixed my pc when it was hit by virus. He has installed several stuff for me to clean my pc with on a regular basis and cleaned it up. And I have kept it simple by not downloading anything from unknown sources.
Well, unfortunately I couldn't get hold of that friend so he couldn't take a look at my pc. Plus I didn't really want to impose on him too as he is busy enough as it is. Brother finally came to my rescue on Sunday, he didn't reply to my msg on Saturday. He didn't really know what was wrong, but he offered to take the pc to Sim Lim Square to let someone else have a look.
The diagnosis was that the motherboard has died. He also recommended to change the power supply as the old one wasn't able to handle that many things running. So I had to change all that on Sunday to get my pc up and running again.
The 2 days without access to a computer made me realize how dependent I am on the internet. I can live without CC (which has been down for a few days or weeks now), but I just can't live without the internet or even MSN. Not that I chat every often now, but at least most of my friends are on it. And I always get my information online. E.g the latest NHL score, research on laptops (yes, I am considering getting one if my pc dies again), MAC, Stila, reading friends' blogs, etc. So much information online, just waiting to be read.
Then today, my phone kinda died. Yeah, yeah, I am carrying an antique now. But I happen to love my Nokia 8250. It is the lightest phone I ever owned. Only 81g. Again, a light phone is important to me since I have too many things in my bag. What happened to my phone today? Somehow no one can hear me talk while I can hear them perfectly well. I can sms, and call out and receive call. Just not the talking part.
That was a disaster as today was the start of CommunicAsia and I had to communicate with the media for the meetings/interviews I had set up. Also need that to contact my colleagues on site. We have 2 clients participating there and I was running between the 2 booths. So it didn't help that I got to test out the latest chocolate phone from LG as well as the Motorola V3i D&G phone and the maroon phone. Very snazzy! Set me thinking if I should switch over to that.
Well, I will have to reconsider that again as I just found out the Moto phone weighs 100g! Then my brother managed to fix my phone. Said a screw was loose, but it may not be fully fixed. So I still need to think of what phone to get next. Welcome all suggestions which is hopefully 85g or below.
Hmmmm...what else is dying. Yes, my work pc is driving me nuts too! It will hang and shut down after 6pm, especially around 7pm, making it impossible to do my work. Many times my work disappeared cos it has not been saved. Even when I restart the pc, it will just shut down automatically. Sometimes it is lucky we save documents in a shared drive, so I can at least retrieve it and work on another pc, but at other times, it is just impossible to do anything!
Another thing I foresee giving up on me is my pda as it is pretty old now. Palm Vx. Already the screen is not very sensitive and it is hard to scribble information. But I still like it as it is slim. However I am thinking if I should try the blackberry instead.
Thankfully my mini ipod and digital camera are pretty new, so they should still be functioning for a while. My webcam and mic had already died and I doubt I will be replacing them. Can't find a small webcam to attach to my monitor, plus I am so used to not using them now.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Omu Rice - Takashimaya Basement
I have always walked past Omu Rice at Takashimaya basement but have never tried it until a couple of months back. I ordered the chicken cutlet with the rice. Tomato based rice nestled inside a thin omelette and smothered with Japanese curry. There was a promotion which included some fried calamari.
I liked the curry and rice. The blend of spices went well. The chicken cutlet was crispy and hot. Nice.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Cool Feature - M1
I am not sure when it happened, but I noticed this cool thing on my phone yesterday. It actually showed the location I am at! I usually only have this function when my phone is on roaming in another country - Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, etc. It will usually tell me where I am at.
Even now I am home, it tells me the street I am at. Today, earlier in the office, I notice it flashed Armenian, NTUC Income, Peninsula, Adelphi, etc. I wonder if this is something new from M1. To have this feature in Singapore too.
And yes, I know I am carrying a way too old phone. But I love this phone and it has served me well since I have it, err...since 2001? I can't remember but I am currently on my 3rd battery, and it typically lasted 2 years, so you can do the math.
I do want to change my phone, but I have yet to find a Nokia phone which is as light as this. This is only 81g. I need a light phone as I carry too many things in my bag - PDA, camera, mini ipod, wallet, cardholder, etc, but no proper makeup pouch for touch-up :p
So until Nokia comes up with that, I am still stuck with this.
Ryan 1st Birthday - 11 June 2006
Ryan playing peekaboo
Ice-Cream Cake
I rarely post personal stuff as I am actually quite paranoid about maintaining my privacy, but this is just too cute not to share.
My nephew, Ryan, turned one and we had a family lunch to celebrate his birthday. Yes, he is pretty tall for his age. But I have no idea what his height or weight is. I don't keep track of such stuff. His favorite game is still peekaboo, and that usually gets him laughing.
Here is Ryan, playing peekaboo. He loves car, takes after his dad who is into cars and planes. So I believe when he is older, he will also wants toy planes as well as cars. Hmmm...seemed like I should have gotten him the toy cars after all, instead of the educational toy I bought for him. Next time.
Ryan is actually a joy to have. He is a smiley child and is rarely very cranky. Maybe he takes after his aunt in that? ;p He can't really speak yet but he understands and is testing his boundaries daily. He knows his animals and his face (nose, eye, mouth, tongue, etc).
When he saw the car, he made the "vrooming" sounds. My sister has taught him that. Hahaha. And he was also taught lots of stuff by my sister, things which I sometimes find is a bit silly, but with him it was fun.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
MAC Lure Collection 2006 Loot
MAC Lure Collection LootI was lured by the colors to check the new collection. The shades are of the sea, reminiscent of the iridescent blue-green of the ocean, where mermaids dwelled.
I bought 3 eyeshadows - Waternymph, Aquavert and Mancatcher - plus 2 fluidlines - Haunting and Delphic. This is the first time I ever tried the fluidlines and I am impressed. They are so soft and apply easily. What is great is that you can use it as a base too. Yay! I really can't wait to try all sorts of combinations. I love the aqua-pearl casing, which has shimmers to it. Really pretty.
What struck me was that I bought similar shades during the Madame B collection launch. 2 greens and 1 purple - Meadowland, Metamorph and Plum.
I bought 3 eyeshadows - Waternymph, Aquavert and Mancatcher - plus 2 fluidlines - Haunting and Delphic. This is the first time I ever tried the fluidlines and I am impressed. They are so soft and apply easily. What is great is that you can use it as a base too. Yay! I really can't wait to try all sorts of combinations. I love the aqua-pearl casing, which has shimmers to it. Really pretty.
What struck me was that I bought similar shades during the Madame B collection launch. 2 greens and 1 purple - Meadowland, Metamorph and Plum.
With flash
No flash
After reading the reviews on MUA, I am seriously contemplating if I should buy backups of Delphic and Haunting as I have heard that fluidlines dry very fast after opening. Hmmm.
MAC Teals
Initially I thought Waternymph looked so much like Meadowland, but it isn't. It is closer to Shimmermoss. Some said it is a cross between Aquadisiac and Shimmermoss, or is like Parrot with less blue, or even teal pigment.
MAC Purples
The purples which I thought looked similar but were not (though Mancatcher is supposed to be a dead ringer to Lovely Lily pigment - lucky I do not have that)
My major cosmetics haul after a 2 months hiatus. Let the spending begin again. Next haul will be the SweetieCake collection in July. Simply gorgeous. So sweet. I am also thinking of getting full-sized pigments for a few colors - maybe I should buy Softwash Grey instead of waiting. I think I will use that as the color is so me, doubt my sample size can last me that long.
MAC is launching the new collections every other weeks. Bait and Hooked will be out in June too. I am also waiting for the pigments from the She Shines collection. Thank God there is nothing else from Stila which catches my eye.
Cupcake - Spinelli
Strawberry CupcakeI have been going to Spinelli's pretty often as there are 2 outlets near my workplace. But now I am getting a bit tired of it, of the salads and the sandwiches.
The desserts always look good and it is so hard not to order. But when I saw the strawberry cupcake, I just have to try it. I was (still am?) in a cupcake craze :p I love the swirls of icing around the cupcake. It has a very strong strawberry taste to it, and a light tartness to contrast the sweetness.
I also ordered the iced chocolate. I was quite surprised by the preparation as I would think it will be hot chocolate with ice. But no, it was actually milk with a thick chocolate sauce to stir and melt. The effect looked pretty. The ribbons of chocolate sauce drizzling down the milk, making a marbled effect.
Iced Chocolate and other stuff
Caramel Latte
I like the way the staff drew the flower using the caramel sauce for the caramel latte. Pretty!
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Amethyst Ring
I love this ring! It is simply gorgeous, and in my birthstone too. I am always partial to amethyst. 61/2 carat of amethyst is huge though ;p
From www.ice.com
Dazzling, vibrant, and richly hued, the amethyst has been a symbol of royalty for centuries. In this stunning ring, a large oval vivid purple amethyst sparkles gorgeously between green amethyst accents in a delicate white gold setting.
Product Details
Metal Information: 14Kt White Gold
Item: Ring
Finish: Polished
Weight: 3.6 gram
Width: 1/2 Inch Wide (top) 3mm shank
Stone Information:
Amethyst
Cut: Oval
Color: Purple
Weight: 4.37 Carat TGW
Length: 14 mm
Width: 10 mm
Green Amethyst
Cut: Trillian
Color: Green
Weight: 1.05 Carat TGW
Length: 6 mm
Quantity: 2
Price: US$175 (only :p)
Foodtasting at Meritus Mandarin Hotel
We went for a food tasting at Meritus Mandarin Hotel last week as my brother will be holding his traditional wedding dinner in early July. The food was excellent except for the fish which was rubbery and tough. Then they forgot our duck dish. In the end, we waited 40mins for it.
Other than that, everything was good. Very yummy as what it should be during the food tasting session.
Feast your eyes on the dishes. 9 courses. We changed the dessert to "or nee" aka yam paste.
Will continue with uploading pictures another day. As usual, some problem with blogspot.
10June06: Pictures uploaded (click on pictures to enlarge)
Rows of colorful kaya
Monday, June 05, 2006
Continuation to Cafe Cartel Saga
Well, I was at Junction 8 and decided to try the Cafe Cartel there. Oh what a difference it was in service. I was impressed with the service level at Bishan, drastically different from the one at Plaza Singapura.
Well, I found out the wait staff will come over to take your order even though there is an order chit pad on the table. Each and everyone of the staff pays attention to the diners and will always ask if they need anything. This is really service, well worth the 10% service charge.
I requested for butter for my blueberries pancakes, and the waitress asked if I will also like to have maple syrup too. Kudos to her for her initiative. Later I was searching for black pepper and tabasco sauce and was going to get up to take them from the bread counter when another waitress came by and asked me what I required. She brought them to me with no complaints. Water was topped up without asking.
Staff was knowledgeable and made good recommendations. I was served by 4-5 different wait staff and all of them did so cheerfully. Even for payment of bill, they will bring the bill to you. Thumbs up for the outlet at Junction 8.
I still wouldn't go to the one at Plaza Singapura.
Well, I found out the wait staff will come over to take your order even though there is an order chit pad on the table. Each and everyone of the staff pays attention to the diners and will always ask if they need anything. This is really service, well worth the 10% service charge.
I requested for butter for my blueberries pancakes, and the waitress asked if I will also like to have maple syrup too. Kudos to her for her initiative. Later I was searching for black pepper and tabasco sauce and was going to get up to take them from the bread counter when another waitress came by and asked me what I required. She brought them to me with no complaints. Water was topped up without asking.
Staff was knowledgeable and made good recommendations. I was served by 4-5 different wait staff and all of them did so cheerfully. Even for payment of bill, they will bring the bill to you. Thumbs up for the outlet at Junction 8.
I still wouldn't go to the one at Plaza Singapura.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Heads or Tails
No, this is not a coin toss. Instead, Heads or Tails is a new foodstall at Tangs Market Place. It took over the Vietnamese stall which I have never tried at all.
Heads or Tails is a franchaise from Thailand and it serves simple fare. Toasted bread with the spread of your choice, and it is swiftly sliced into cubes, complete with toothpick to pick up a tasty morsel.
I read about this place in CC (a fount of information) and couldn't resist trying the bread. Yes, so I broke my diet again by having sweets. I tried the Iced Thai milk tea (my fave drink), together with the "chicken floss with sweet chili paste" and "ovaltine on condensed milk" on toast.
The spreads are so simple. Stuff which you have probably put into your sandwich or toast before at home. The specialty is the kaya toast, but I didn't want to try that as I thought it would be similar to the usual kaya toast from Killiney or Ya Kun. They do have many flavors - pandan kaya, vanilla kaya and yam kaya. There are also peanut butter spread, fruit jam, etc.
Heads or Tails is a franchaise from Thailand and it serves simple fare. Toasted bread with the spread of your choice, and it is swiftly sliced into cubes, complete with toothpick to pick up a tasty morsel.
I read about this place in CC (a fount of information) and couldn't resist trying the bread. Yes, so I broke my diet again by having sweets. I tried the Iced Thai milk tea (my fave drink), together with the "chicken floss with sweet chili paste" and "ovaltine on condensed milk" on toast.
The spreads are so simple. Stuff which you have probably put into your sandwich or toast before at home. The specialty is the kaya toast, but I didn't want to try that as I thought it would be similar to the usual kaya toast from Killiney or Ya Kun. They do have many flavors - pandan kaya, vanilla kaya and yam kaya. There are also peanut butter spread, fruit jam, etc.
The floss with sweet chili sauce is interesting. I quite like the contrast of the salty floss with the sweet spicy chili. The ovaltine with condensed milk will definitely give you a sugar high. I think I used to do that with milo powder instead at home. Same with the floss, except it was over margarine/butter, not sweet chili paste.
If this incites a craze, soon we shall see "copycats" sprouting all over the islands or being offered on the menus of Ya Kun, Killiney and other kaya toast coffee outlets.
I still don't understand Blogspot way of posting pictures. Can't seem to upload the rest of the pics :(
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Cupcakes Party?
I just read from Celest's blog of this new online bakery which sells cupcakes. What a coincidence. Especially after I posted about the lack of places which sells nice drool-worthy cupcakes, and now I found out about C-Cups.
Owned by 2 guys (one was in advertising, which probably explained the snazzy looking website and the other is the baker, a Canuck, whoo-hoo!), they make the most delectable and gorgeous looking cupcakes I have seen so far.
I will so want to try the cupcakes to see if they are as yummilicious as they look. The drawback is that there is no actual store so the online order has to be of at least $30, with probably a dozen cupcakes. And each flavor needs to have 4 cupcakes, so you can't really try all the flavors unless you have a party.
So anyone up for a cupcake party? We can have tea or coffee with the goodies.
Check the website for the various tempting flavors.
http://www.c-cup.biz/
Swatch Bunny Watch
I saw this watch-clock face fixed proudly on the facade of Swatch store at Raffles City Shopping Center and I am astounded.
I am intrigued that this is actually displayed in such a prominent area, given the "straitlaced" image of Singapore.
Ok, I know I didn't take a very clear picture of the watch-clock, but I am sure one can see what the bunnies are doing *wink*
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Philosophy Melon Daiquiri
I finally opened the bottle of shower gel from Philosophy - Melon Daiquiri. I love it! The scent of melon though it smells so strongly of rock melon or honeydew that you just feel like you can taste the sweetness of it. I can see myself loving the Philosophy brand now.
I also realized the recipe of the melon daiquiri is actually printed on the bottle.
Here it is:
Melon Daiquiri
1.5 oz light rum
1 tbsp triple sec
1.5 oz lime juice
1 tsp sugar
watermelon
1 cherry
1 c. melon
1 c. crushed ice
Combine all ingredients (except for the cherry) in an electric blender and blend at a low speed for 5 seconds, then blend at a high speed until firm. Pour contents into a cocktail glass, top with a cherry and serve.
Easy peasy. I have not tried it though.
I also realized the recipe of the melon daiquiri is actually printed on the bottle.
Here it is:
Melon Daiquiri
1.5 oz light rum
1 tbsp triple sec
1.5 oz lime juice
1 tsp sugar
watermelon
1 cherry
1 c. melon
1 c. crushed ice
Combine all ingredients (except for the cherry) in an electric blender and blend at a low speed for 5 seconds, then blend at a high speed until firm. Pour contents into a cocktail glass, top with a cherry and serve.
Easy peasy. I have not tried it though.
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