Ladies Expo, Marina Bay Sands Expo 25-28Sept2014

Today I took a little trip to Marina Bay Sands to go check out their Ladies Expo (from 25-28Sept2014) organized by Exhibits Inc, a subsidiary of SPH (Singapore Press Holdings). 

I wasn't expecting much because the hall looked somewhat empty but there was enough foot traffic to pique my interest. 

After walking around, I ended up with a lot of discount coupons and flyers. About to call it a day and head back, two things caught my attention at this discreet store in the corner- 1) Le Specs, an Aussie brand  2) a hot black midi dress (of course they didn't have my size) 

I asked if the clothes were from independent Aussie designers and they were!!! The Wyld shop started as an online store that has now opened their first boutique in the heart of the CBD at Clifford center. 

I ended up walking away with 6pieces (1pair of pants, 1super sexy top, 1maxi dress and 3short dresses), any attempts to add color to my wardrobe was futile. I love all the pieces I bought and will definitely forgo lunch one of these days to check out the store! Damaged done- $400 poorer, 110% happier!

The little things that I got from a Luxola/theWyldshop goodie bag

Treated myself to an express manicure for $8 at the Nail Palace booth and bought a white nail polish at another booth.

Left for home happy and satisfied with my haul! 

TGIF tomorrow! 

Why my posts are all food and scenery...

Today I asked my OH to take a nice picture of me so I could actually have a photo of myself in the Maldives with an amazing view behind me.

Big mistake:

Pic 1&2- I look like an ant in the general scope of things

Pic 3&4- my breasts look the same size as my sticky out belly. Typical no breast, all ass and a soft belly syndrome

Pic 5- I actually look nice and curvy! Face, all scrunched up...

When I asked for another picture, he is too hungry but not hungry enough to go back in, take the big camera and come back out again. 

Apparently I am not supposed to get mad at the fact that he hasn't learnt the art of photography and composition. And I guess i can't be so hard on him because he isn't the adoring, "take a dozen memories of my girlfriend doing everything" sort of guy. 

He takes awkward photos of me- funny faces, double chin, belly rolls, eating with my mouth wide open sort of pictures. Pictures which go in the "never to post" archive. Pictures which only he can appreciate...after all, he married me...

And since I have an aversion to too many selfies and the selfie stick, this is why you will never see pictures of myself on any form of social media. Or anything else for that matter, unless I go on holiday with a bunch of girlfriends or people who actually like photography or have a bit of know how. 

Till then, my memories are but a trace of scenery pictures and the foods I enjoy around the world...

Xoxo, the traveller without a face...:(

Its been awhile...

And damn but do I have a good excuse or numerous great excuses for being MIA.

Starting with:

1) My holidays were amazing!!! 3 weeks out of the country enjoying the sun, sand and food! Good news is that I didn't put on too much weight because I stayed well away from the good fried stuff. No schnitzel, no falafel, no fun but cést la vie...I did however have a lot of fresh fruits due to it being summer. Including lots of cherries, all hand picked by my lovely self and the boyfriend and his sister. Heaps of plums which were straight from the tree to the tummy and I also went to the cow farm and had fresh cheese!

Cherry picking!

Letting a cow lick me because someone said I should try...Uhhhh!
It was WEIRD!!!

2) Coming back to Singapore was a rude awakening. So bad that I had a panic attack at the airport...it didn't help that we ended up having a 4 hour delay which threw our body clock out of synch! So panic attack plus delay does not make for a happy camper. Missed my connection flight, got set up on the earliest flight out and was happy to be home to get into the swing of things. OMG, then it hit me-7 weeks (this was then) to the wedding!!!

3) So now, I have 38 days to my wedding. I always feel like there is something I am forgetting. Most of the external vendors have been settled including a little surprise for the other half but I am still running through checklists everyday! Sometimes I feel like I want to give up because seriously...some of those checklist just bloody don't apply because Singapore weddings have the hotels helping them out with stuff. We got our rings just last week (from a life saver no less) but that is a reason for another blog post. Link will be attached in due time! I just signed up for my solemnization and solemnizer...again, cutting it very close. I basically spammed everyone with an email address listed on the Justice of Peace list! So, that's settled!

4) I still have a day job! Which requires constant attention because apparently my workload has just doubled...Bah! I have nothing nice to say about this and momma always said "Don't have anything nice to say, don't say it". So I won't even elaborate.

This is how I feel now...Daily!

Things to look forward to this week:

- food tasting at the hotel

- dress fitting (scary)

And...in August...Hen's Getaway!!! And then the Big Day!!! 

So I will do my very very best to keep everyone updated as the weeks go by. And as I slowly start to lose my sanity in the next 4 weeks, I am sure this blog will turn into my rant page more than anything else. Posts to look forward to include:
- my trip to Israel (the insiders guide)
- Wedding Planning 101...and how to survive doing it solo
- Bali Hen Weekend
- Personalizing your wedding...
- also some posts about the vendor's I used and the pro's and con's

XoXo, POTP

PS: While this post comes at a times when everyone is posting hate messages all over the internet and re-posting photos from different war zones without checking facts, I choose to try focus on the good stuff and not get to worked up about things that are not within my control! 

INGLOT Cosmetics

I recently went to Johor Bahru after a long time of not having the luxury of a car to cross over and boy was I pleasantly surprised and happy to find INGLOT at City Square Mall! And then, what was supposed to be a quick entry and exit turned into a spending trip for me! Oh so horrible!

I first heard about Inglot while trawling the web for makeup tips and technology. Then, recently, on a trip to Sephora, I asked one of the cashiers what brand of makeup she was using as the colours were so vibrant and she said Inglot, but told me that you could only get it in Malaysia since it has yet to come to Singapore (despite rumours that they will be on Singapore soil soon). 

Inglot has been around for 30years and actually originates from Poland. While similiar to brands like MAC and Illamasqua, Inglot's policy of using high quality ingredients and retailing at fair prices as well as the fact that ALL of Inglot's cosmetics are produced within the EU gives them an edge over the other 2 brands. The vibrant colours that they produce, the Freedom System and O2M Breathable Nail Enamel are the few reasons why Inglot is gaining worldwide popularity.

Well enough about that, here is my haul:

Matte Lipstick RM52 (+/-SGD20) 

As you can see, the colours for the Matte Lipstick is actually very vibrant and pigmented. I loved the fact that it wasn't as drying as Illamasqua matte lipsticks. However, in general, I'm going to conclude that 

Matte = Dry.

Slim Gel Lipstick RM56 (+/- SGD21)

Now this is a product which I really really love! The colours are amazing, I got some previously in the vibrant colours and as you can see, I'm going for the Pinkish Nude tones colours. I have been searching for the perfect shade of nude for the longest time and finally I found it!!! I think No.51 will look amazing if layered with MAC Angel Lipstick and Smoky eyes to compliment.

Tangs Market @ Orchard

So while the parents are in town, it is a good time to go trawling around Orchard especially since we were on a mission to find dresses for the mum and sister for the Big Day. The whole idea was to go to Tangs because my dad has always loved shopping there, whether its shopping or simply window shopping. Bottom line, we managed to get a dress for my sister (Hurrah!). Mum found hers elsewhere. 

But I digress...let's get to the goodstuff...FOOD!!!

Because we all need energy to shop right? And where better than the newly re-opened (OK, not so new but I am slow!) Tangs Market! I'm loving the new concept of old school Peranakan decor but I'm even more loving the fact that I think I just found the place for my Char Kueh Tiaw fix! More about that in a bit...

Yummy Laksa stall

I ordered the Laksa to try because I can never turn down that spicy, lemak plus sambal flavour. It didn't disappoint. First, at $3, it's so affordable for anyone to enjoy. Secondly, when I ordered the Laksa, the aunty actually puts in the gravy, stirs it around, drains it and repeats this process about 3 times. What you end up with is noodles that are nicely coated in the Laksa Gravy and the perfect amount of Gravy! Not like some places just dump the gravy on top...

$3 Laksa, choice of cockles (of course I said yes!)

And then everyone else wanted Char Kueh Tiaw. And so, reasons why I love the Char Kueh Tiaw here:

1) Only Kueh Tiaw, no noodles (because its Penang style)

2) The Jumbo Prawn...OMG! It's like prawns on steroids

3) The "Char" Taste

4) $5, need I say more?

Only 2 things can make this the BEST ever Char Kueh Tiaw - Ham and Lap Cheong!!! (cockles and Chinese sausages, pardon my spelling) and maybe some Sambal on the side?

Carrot Cake and Char Kueh Tiaw stalls...

Check out the steroid Prawns!

Carrot Cake (Chinese style)

Ok, last but not least, the carrot cake as you can see was good, but it was over shadowed by everything else I ordered. So today was not a Carrot Cake day...maybe one day I shall return for the Kueh Pie Ti and the Jumbo Pau and...OMG...I will be back!!!

Tangs Market

B1 Tangs Orchard

(no reservation needed, just patience)

Shiraz @ Clarke Quay

So the better half was craving his Middle Eastern cuisine and a Shisha hit today, where better to get this than at Shiraz @ Clarke Quay? We used to patron this place quite a fair bit when we were staying across the street from Clarke Quay, but since we moved, visits to Shiraz have been few and far in between.

We went early (before 7pm) to be able to score us a seat as the place does tend to get quite hectic after 7pm, especially since they have belly dancers that are a definite crowd puller (and pleaser)! It is definitely a place I'd recommend for a social gathering but be sure to try and make reservations as it can get quite busy- even mid week!

Complimentary Starter Plate served with bread

I had my usual glass of wine and we ordered the Shiraz Twin Platter (serves 2, $82) which comes with filet mignon, boneless chicken and minced lamb. Then finally a choice of the fish fillet, prawn OR quail. We ordered the fish. They use snapper and the fish is always so nicely done! Its very nicely flavoured and despite being grilled, the fish is never dry or inedible (this is the second time I've had it and it's pretty consistent). Despite being a major meat eater, the fish has always been a hit. I also really love the Basmati rice that they served with the platter or whatever dish that you order.

Lovely Meat Plate...Yumz!

As you can see, the portions are more than generous and we did polish off every single piece of meat and fish on the platter. Ugh! Feel so disgusted with myself now! However, Shiraz does pride itself on healthy methods of seasoning and char grilling their meat to perfection. So maybe I can stop beating myself up about it!

Shiraz @ Clarke Quay

3A River Valley Road 

#01-06 Clarke Quay

Tel: 8128 4770

Yo-ga To Go Try This Out!

Whoa...its May already! Is it me or does it seem like 2014 is flying by in a blink of an eye? Or is it my imagination because i'm approaching the big 3-0? And today I have cause for celebration! My weighing scale is no longer "broken". It has snapped out of its 66.5kg and gone just a smidge below that! Woohoo! I don't care, every little counts. I feel like I am starting to get somewhere. Pushing for more! Contributing factor? Read on!

Years ago, when yoga was still fairly new, I always discounted it as being too easy for me, too slow, so monotonous...snore! You get the point. However, as my body (my knees) started to disagree with my love of running, I needed to find alternative ways to burn off my access lady lumps. Thanks to a Groupon promotion at Affinity Yoga and 2 friends who have always liked yoga, I now have a new found love for yoga. At the end of my one month trial at Affinity Yoga, I signed up for a years package. They were having a really good promotion and the locations of the studios (walking distance from both office and home) left me with no excuse as to why I can't go. I believe that they are now having another promotion. You can check it out at: http://www.affinity-yoga.com

Sign up before its too late!!!

If you go to the website, you will also see that they have a week trial for $1! Wow, that's value for money! Check for validity...

Honestly, sometimes, the yoga talk still baffles me and some poses i'm doing like a lost soul. But I like the fact that every time after a yoga/Pilates I suddenly feel like muscles i didn't realize were there are suddenly screaming at me. I can start to see my body changing from having no waist to having a slight waist...Bye bye pear shape? My back is also starting to get more sculpted and my posture is getting better. No more slouching, no more hunching. AHHHH I LOVE IT!!! 

Also, I have a new found respect for yoga practitioners...for all those times I said it was too "slow" or not challenging enough- try one session of 60 minutes Hot Yoga and you will be begging for mercy! Honestly, I feel like I burn more in one yoga session than I do in a run session. Having said that, the runner in me does cry out for a good run every now and again. And I still gym. 

I still can't touch my toes- but that doesn't mean I am not trying. Maybe one day I will and you will definitely read about it!

PS: To the inconsiderate person who took more than 2 towels...please have some Yoga-tiquette! Its just plain rude!! 

Affinity Yoga River Valley

491 River Valley Road

#02-01 Valley Point

Tel: 6732 6007

Affinity Yoga Telok Ayer

157A Telok Ayer Street

2nd Floor

Tel: 6223 8254