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

May Day!

So, it's already May! And boy what a month its starting to be. I'm now ultimately nursing what is supposed to be a hangover but I manage to haul ass out of bed for back to back yoga sessions. 

OH WOW...Yes I am surprised at myself. 

Since I got off to a good start, let's continue the streak shall we? So I went to the supermarket on the way back from yoga and bought all the necessary ingredients for my first green juice. Now, I usually blend fruits using a cold press juicer and I have salads for lunch on most days...but i wanted a way in which I could get more greens in the body without having to chew them because my jaw is lazy. My best friend Google helped me out with a recipe which looked good. The recipe calls for mostly organic stuff, not everyone can afford organic stuff so just use what you have access to. 

Green Juice:

1 1/2 cup of cold water (you can also use coconut water)

1 bunch of romaine lettuce

1 big handful of spinach

3-4 stalks of celery

1 apple

1 pear

1 banana

1/2 lemon

Chia seeds

1. Blend the romaine at medium speed in the liquid 

2. Add in the spinach, celery, apple, pear and chia seeds

3. Lastly, add the banana and juice of half a lemon

**The juice came out a little bit thick for my liking so I added more water to make it easier to knock back.

Makes 3-4 servings

A few tips to remember when juicing:

1. Remember to use the 70/30 rule. 70% vegetable, 30% fruits. You want the fruits to help give the juice flavour so it doesn't feel like you are eating a vegetable garden. But you don't want to use too much fruits or its like having a sugary drink.

2. If you have fruits that are going bad, cut them up before they go bad and freeze them. You can use them in your juice and it helps to make the juice chilled.

3. If you have made too much for yourself, put the extra juice in an airtight container and you can have it as a quick on the go drink the next day. Juice that's stored properly usually lasts for 2 days. 

Happy Juicing!