travel

Delve into a world of luxury at GODIVA Chocolatier Café

maybeline

Author: Alex Chua

The ever-graceful Sheila Sim, the GODIVA ambassador, at the ribbon cutting ceremony

As a GODIVA fan, I look forward to the opening of its café similar to the ones in Shanghai, Beijing and Taiwan. And on 29 June, 2017 is the day when the 140 square-meter lifestyle concept dessert cafe debuts at ION Orchard, marking the brand’s first foray into Southeast Asia. Now not only there’s a new hangout spot to chill with friends, I got to enjoy luxurious dessert at the same time.





That said, sitting down to some posh nosh chocolates on this special occasion is a real treat. How wonderful if everyday life is like this Dark Chocolate soft serve – smooth, creamy and sweet?





The elegant yet unpretentious café is a conducive place for intimate, friendly conversations; a good go-to dessert place with friends or date. Encompassing design elements inspired by GODIVA’s signature gold, white and dark chocolates. The interior of the 40-seater café is reflected to ooze rich sophistication, yet not aloof to the point of being intimidating. It is a casual setting with friendly staffers and I simply adores its soft plush velvety red seats.





At the entrance of the café, the new lifestyle-oriented concept features a huge glass display filled with a wide variety of decadent pralines and another display with an array of curated gifting options from Chocolate Carre Collection to Chocolate Gold Collection to G by GODIVA Collection, to extra special seasonal gift items. If you don’t really know what to give to your loved ones, chocolates are the ideal gift and the GODIVA label spells out its special meaning to the receiver.





Paying homage to its 90-year rich brand heritage, GODIVA Chocolatier takes care and pride in using only the finest ingredients. This café will also offer Singapore-exclusive sweet delights like the well-loved Belgium Waffles and to-die-for Chocolate Fondant with Soft Serve. For me I love Chocolate Fondue where I can choose the items – fruits, macarons, marshmallows – to dip into piping hot chocolate melted from GODIVA Carre Chocolates.





Other special items you can look forward to when you visit this lifestyle café would be their exclusive Chocolate Cakes made from quality GODIVA chocolate. Not only are these cakes aesthetically appealing, they are sinfully deluxe with its well-balanced sweetness and intricate layers.





GODIVA Chocolatier Cafe
ION Orchard, #B1-05
Operating Hours: 10am to 10pm daily
Tel: 6509 8924
Facebook: @Godiva.Asia
Instagram: @godivaasia
Website: www.godiva.com.sg

TRAVEL: Where to go in BKK – Cafe Hopping in Bangkok

maybeline

Author: Maybeline Sim
Camera: Casio ZR5000

I noticed that I get quite a fair bit of hits for my travel articles! So this time round, I am going to share more about Bangkok.

Although you may already know where to visit in Bangkok, I assure you that there are still some hidden cafes you may not know!

Thank you Casio Singapore and Ultravan for bringing us around. I have two extremely nice cafes to share. Do drop by when you are there! However, I am unable to provide you on the information on “how to get there” as Ultravan drove us around.

First up – Featherstone Bangkok

Service: 4 Stars
Food: 4 Stars
Ambience: 5 Stars

Address: 60 ซอย เอกมัย 12 Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand





There was no language barrier as their staffs were quite trained in English, not perfect, but understandable.

I love Featherstone a lot as it gave me a very “Harry Potter” feel. I am a fan of the series so all the furnitures were very relatable! Hehe. The entire cafe felt very magical.











Check out their drinks, you can find petals in their ice cubes. Every single corner of the cafe and every single item in the menu was very Instagram worthy.





Their cakes were superb. We did not have a chance to try their mains because we were there in the mid afternoon and all they had were desserts. Nonetheless, it was a nice and memorable visit.





Second – Sundays

Service: 3 Stars
Food: 4 Stars
Ambience: 4 Stars

Address: เสรี 8 ซอย 12 Khwaeng Suan Luang, Khet Suan Luang, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10250, Thailand

Not sure where the exact location is, but it felt a little far from the city. I love how relax one can get inside this cafe. The only setback was the language barrier. We waited quite long for our food because we realized that the orders were not placed properly. Thankfully, Vincent from Ultravan helped us with the communication.





It seemed to be quite packed that day. And they do not take reservations so be there as early as you can!





Love the interior so so much!








I love the food! Love the pasta, Love the cakes, Love the drinks!! Okay, maybe not all of the drinks but most!

We couldn’t resist the pasta and ordered a second helping.








You can find a lot of OOTD spots in or out of the two cafes mentioned. Make sure your phone or camera is fully charged when you visit them!

What to do in Resorts World Genting Highlands

maybeline

I must say that we are pretty lucky because this is our third media trip this year 🙂 Of course, we are thankful for every opportunity given and we look forward to the next!

The last time we visited Genting (separately) was more than 10 years ago so we were glad that this chance came by. Anything to get out of the humid Singapore right now!

We left Golden Mile at 10.30pm and arrive in Genting the next day at 5am with some stops in-between.

After we checked in to the hotel, we had a short nap before making our way to the first activity: “Ice Age Collision Course”.

I can dare say this is the spot in the whole of GENTING with the MOST kids!  This is simply because it is an interesting & good learning stop for the kids especially if they are BIG fans of Ice Age characters!

If you are going in a big group, do note that you will be divided into team of fours to solve the 3 challenges within 10 minutes! I shall just reveal one of the easier challenges:  You are suppose to relate the constellation sign to each Ice Age character! Not that easy huh!





I shall leave you to discover the other two challenges & not spoil the fun for you! If you manage to complete the tasks within the allocated time of 10 mins, you are entitled to take part in their on-going Instagram contest where you are suppose to do the most interesting yoga pose with that signature hazelnut in the movie!

Our best attempt since we aren’t the most flexible couple! Lol!





Another must visit is the “Power Rangers” Show – It’s Morphing Time! That was the highlight of our entire trip! James couldn’t control himself and immediately revealed the child in him as we waited for the show to start! Seems like his childhood was pretty much made up of Power Rangers!





The general plot revolves around pink ranger being kidnapped by the baddies & how the other rangers saved her in the end! No problem getting the kids to go crazy over this play! Next question then is how about the adults especially one who did not have a power rangers forming a big bulk of her life like ME?

Ok my truthful take is even though I may not be able to relate as much as J did! It was still worth my time catching it! Firstly, I like the fact that there isn’t a boring moment. The action began right from start to the end with well choreographed fighting moves! I can just imagine how much the power rangers panted under their masks!

Secondly, both the power rangers & the baddies were very engaging with the crowd! The excitement on every kids’ face is a testament to that! For instance, the baddies would jump off the stage to tease the crowd & the power rangers calling out to the crowd for aid. In their response to save the ‘world’, the ‘world’ also responded!





Beautiful graphics with vivid colours litted up every corner of the stage as the power rangers danced into action!





Adult fans of Power rangers like J & parents who are bringing their children to GENTING, are strongly recommended to catch this show! There is even a photo opportunity with the power rangers right after the show at an affordable fee!





Shedding some light on the shopping scene in GENTING, there is a Nike Factory Outlet and they are really way cheaper than the outside retail price. I went to ask around and everyone told me that the shop is authentic. Nike lovers, rejoice!

Trendy and pocket friendly clothes/shoes can also be easily found at Padini, Cotton On and many more retail shops.

Whereas for food, there were SO SO many restaurants to choose from! We were simply spoilt for choices! But my favourite is still THE FOOD FACTORY HI-TEA BUFFET!!

The selection was relatively wide (see below). Not to mention, the price of the buffet was super affordable for us (after the conversion from RM to SGD).

Their Hi-Tea Buffet starts from 12pm to 5pm at RM38 nett/adult & RM10 nett/child. Whereas for dinner, it cost more at RM68 nett/adult & RM28 nett/child.

We had dinner elsewhere that night. So sadly I did not had a chance to try out their dinner as much as I would like to after trying their lunch! I am guessing that the variety will be even larger for dinner!!!





Enjoy delicacy from East to West, from Dim Sum to Indian Food to Western Food. Everything was served piping hot (excluding desserts of course).


There were a lot of stations to choose from but I was too busy filling my tummy, hence, the lack of photos.




















At night, we tried Rajawali. Rajawali is located at Awana Genting Highlands Golf and Country Resort. If you were to visit this place from First World hotel, you will have to take a coach down. The traveling time via coach is about 15 minutes.





Like The Food Factory, it also also a buffet-styled dining experience for us. As expected, you can find another round of East meets West experience.

We had the privilege to seat at the balcony area which overlooked a picturesque view of greenland and mountains! It was really breath-taking! SO much so we almost forgot about eating all together! lol!





The Vegetable Fishball soup was the bomb. We couldn’t help but fill up our bowls again and again.





Stir fried Clams





Curry Fish











The dessert table was so instagram worthy because it was super colourful!








Even though the spread is as good as the one at the FOOD Factory, I still prefer the latter ! I find that the food in Rajawali has a tinge of traditional local Malay flavor which I am not used to. Nonetheless, there are some influencers who enjoyed the food here! So I can only say taste is really subjective in this aspect! However, this place is worth a visit for the dining experience and the view if you are a countryside person!

I would say that the most memorable part of this trip was the Power Rangers show! This goes without saying for my dear boy, J! Even though, it was a relatively short trip, we both enjoyed it very much. We will always be ready & happy to come back to this wonderland, Genting, which has continually MORPH to suit crowd of all ages!

Thank you Resorts World Genting!

Hugo Boss UNLIMITED taking Centrestage @ #SUCCESSISMADE Stadium in Changi Airport Terminal 1

maybeline

Leaving Singapore with a Heavy Heart? You will be spared of this agony from the 29th April 2016 till 9th June 2016. This is very much owing to the first ever collaboration between Changi Airport Group, Shilla Duty Free & most importantly, HUGO BOSS!

This is part of the fourth iteration of BOSS Parfums’ ubiquitous Soccer Campaign: ‘SUCCESS ISN’T BORN, IT IS MADE’. Simply love this humble yet impactful tagline! Personally, I think it should seat in as the epitome of every Mens’ success!

With this campaign, came the birth of the ‘BOSS #SUCCESSISMADE STADIUM’ situated at the departure transit area at Changi Airport Terminal 1! In fact, you will spot it easily once you crossed the passport check point! Here, you get to immerse yourself in a wonderful combination of retail & entertainment experiences!





Still feeling the rush of excitement upon recalling some of the entertainment at the ‘Stadium’!

One of which is the ‘DIGITAL PENALTY SIMULATION’ which even M who does not play soccer, couldn’t resist giving it a shot! I must say she does have some talent in this, scoring a good 2 out of 3 goals on her first tryout!

With that said, it really isn’t an easy feat! Try it if you don’t believe! If you do as well as M did, you might just get lucky with some attractive prizes autographed by international soccer superstar, James Rodriguez !





M & I saved our friendly couple competition for the second station which is the ‘BOSS FOOSBALL GAME’.

Time just slipped by unknowingly as we unleash our soccer prowess through our nimble hands & fast reaction! Just don’t get distracted like we did and totally forget about your boarding gate timing!





Enough of the entertainment for the time being. Let’s go on to the Retail aromatherapy !

You cannot mention about HUGO BOSS without conjuring that top of the mind recall of its fragrance especially their BOSS BOTTLED range!

If you ask me about my personal favorite perfume, it just had to be their ‘BOSS BOTTLED UNLIMITED’ in its beautiful porcelain white bottle! I like how fresh & invigorating the scent is from its top notes right down to its base notes.

Shedding some lights on how its notes evolve. The top notes which you inhale immediately upon application is slightly minty as delivered by the Iced Violet Leaves.  With that, you will be lured into a smooth transition to the heart of this fragrance which is a relatively uncommon zesty Pineapple tone. Dwelling a little longer through the day would be the all-time favourite Sandalwood & Musk base notes!

Undeniably, the combination of these three level of notes exactly hit the right note for a perfectly masculine scent all gentlemen desire!





James Rodriguez of Real Madrid F.C takes the centre stage for being the Latin America and Asia ambassador for HUGO BOSS Bottled Unlimited!

Accompanying him are other big boys in the Soccer world such as Yohan Cabaye and Robin van Persie who will represent campaigns in France and the Netherlands respectively, whilst Daniel Sturridge, Mats Hummels and Isco will front the global campaign.





Back to the Final entertainment: ‘THE ULTIMATE BOSS PHOTO OPPORTUNITY’.

In short, the ‘Stadium’ is constructed in such an interesting fashion that you can get to capture yourself in some of the most intense moments of a soccer players as he prepares for success on the pitch at the Entrance tunnel (in this case shaped like the BOSS BOTTLED) and….





…even the locker room setting!

To be a Soccer Star or Perfume Star, you pick!!

For me, I like the best of both worlds that explains the two ultimate goodies in my hands, the BOSS BOTTLED UNLIMITED in one while a soccer ball personally autographed by James Rodriguez in the other!




The Eau de Toilette 100ml is retailing at $128 while the 50ml one retails for $102.

Ironically, BOSS BOTTLED UNLIMITED is only limited for a time period. While it last, it might just be the perfect gift for the men in your family especially your father for the nearing Father’s Day! So don’t miss it!

JamesnMaybel’s Bali Adventure Trip with Casio FR100

maybeline

If 2016 is a 365 page book, I would think JamesnMaybel has already penned down an exciting first chapter by being part of Casio’s Project: To review their latest FR100 camera in Bali!

But before I begin, let us set three important disclaimers. One to fully credit the pictures & another to prove our objectivity in reviewing this camera.

1)All photos are NOT edited (aka #nofilter in IG term) & FULLY taken with the Casio FR100.

2)No payment nor sponsorship of FR100 was exchanged for this project.

3)All opinions are made solely based on our own experience – JamesnMaybel.

With that said, now you are all set to click your way through this post as though you were also on this Bali adventure with JamesnMaybel + Casio crew!

Why Bali? What better place to review the FR100 other than Bali with its myriad of exciting outdoor activities! In fact, some of the activities we engaged in are definitely ready to put the camera to its TOUGHEST durability test yet. In terms of the extremity, let’s just say some bruises were inflicted upon our limbs during these activities which took more than a week to heal! *Sob*

So, was the FR100 able to prove itself to be as tough as its sister brand, the G-Shock? Let’s see ><

How can we go Bali without a single picture of its beautiful beaches! So let me start the post with my most satisfied photo of the peaceful beach at Crystal Bay!





Why am I satisfied?

Simply because we managed to still capture this landscape picture clean, clear and most importantly in HIGH resolution despite of the difficult condition we faced that day due to strong lighting. No conditions is ever too difficult for the FR100 to handle with its facelifted engine & lens! Good for those who are camera/photography newbies, this is simply a quick cheat to show off your photography skills with the pictures taken by the FR100! ><


Activities done to test the camera:

1. AVT Ride (@ Bali Quad Discovery Tours)

First day was all about beaches & high resolution landscape shots. The real adventure came on the second day with the AVT Ride being the first challenge for the FR100!

First, let me show you the standard ‘Casio-Approved’ stance we took to snap most of our shots during this trip: Shot Free-Style (With the camera lens at the tip of a selfie stick while controlled close to you)!





Truth be told, I used to sneer at the sight of selfie sticks but the versatility of FR100 combined with a selfie stick just proved me all wrong! Detaching the camera from the controller makes for a more advanced free-style camera which allow us to creatively snap our selfies/wefies!

See our Epic 360 ‘Trusurround View’ shot taken on our  AVT ride!





Combined with its 16mm (35mm film equivalent) SUPER W-I-D-E-angle lens, this allows for easy capture of the magnificent outdoor as natural backdrop! Outdoor shooting never been this fun till we got hold of the FR100!





On the flip side, it is so wide, I find it hard to not get photobomb sometimes! Grrr!


One other versatile & creative way we snap our AVT ride experience was to mount the camera lens onto the front of the vehicle which continuously took videos of us going up and down the bumpy mountains!





This is just 2 of the 6 ways we manipulated the FR100 to create a wholesome gallery of our AVT ride experience. We showcased 2! We shall save the other 4 methods to your creativity! Lol!





Off JamesnMaybel go!

2. Canyon Tubing (@Bali Quad Discovery Tours)

There was hardly any time for us to catch our breadth as we were rushed to the next station after the AVT Ride: the Canyon Tubing!

After passing the ‘Shake’ test, now it is for the ‘Water’ test! How would the FR100 fare in this seemingly perilous environment?





We have absolutely no idea just like J with his worried & clueless face in this picture! Nonetheless, this was his most EPIC picture for this trip as he absolutely love the vibrancy in the ’50 shades of green’ around him as well as the clear resolution of the gushing stream!





Whereas for me, my most EPIC photo just got to be this one below! Capture at the moment when I was busy snapping selfies until I felt a drop!

One moment I was seating on the tubing. Next moment, the tubing was seating on me! Haha! I was fully drenched along with my FR100!

First thought that came to my mind: Is my camera is working?!





The verdict to the Water Test was positive! The FR100 has proved itself to be waterproof! After which, I didn’t spare any moment worrying about the water threat anymore as long as the USB ports are closed!

In fact, I wasn’t the only one capsizing. Even J capsized multiple times & to our amazement, the FR100 remained alive all these while till the end of our tubing session! KUDOS to its water-proof function I must say!





One other good thing J & I agree unanimously was its user-friendly interface! I would say it is almost idiot proof. We took less than 10 minutes to figure all its function! The function buttons were well arranged on the touch screen interface! So we save much time ‘sulking’ OVER navigating around the buttons and instead IN FRONT of the camera (for fun)!





Even after our ‘sulking’ wefies, I still have enough time for my own selfies! Love Casio for being so customer user oriented !





The whole ride was approximately 2 hours long!

You must have thought that after turning on the FR100 for a straight 1 hours of video recording (AVT ride) followed by 2 hours of On & Off ‘Time Lapse’ on th(Canyon Tubing) would have fully flatten the battery! Then you are wrong! Our battery was only 3/4 burnt at this point of time!





With such durable battery life span, I must say it surely does live up to its name to be an Adventurer Camera!

3. Snorkeling (Crystal Bay & Mangrove Point @ Nusa Penida)

For the very last activity before we make our way back to homeland Singapore! One which JamesnMaybel has been waiting most eagerly for: Snorkeling @ 2 of the most highly-raved locations (Crystal Bay & Mangrove Point) in Bali!

At this point of time, the test is more than just ‘Quality of pictures taken’, ‘Durability’ & ‘Waterproof’. This time around, we want to experience all 3 of this qualities put together: How good are the shots taken by FR100 underwater!





Off we go to Crystal Bay first!

FR100 has proven its worth in taking landscape shots, here is the proof it can take nice human wefie shot …





..as well as selfie shot!





*Splash*

Into the clear waters with my FR100 well secured to my life jacket!





Shots delivered by Fr100 for you readers to judge!

My photos were taken without any casing! Do note that we were only on the surface of the water while taking these photos hence this was a good 3-4m away from where we were.





Also, I must say I put my life on the line taking these shots. Firstly, I have very bad motion sickness. To compound the problem, the current on that day was much stronger than usual! Hence, my hands was shaking non-stop!

However, I think the shot was still considered relatively clear (as seen in these two pictures) very much thanks to to improved high level of stabilization in 3-axis for shake that occurs when moved while shooting!





For divers, good news for you! The FR100 can go up to 20m deep if you buy the marine casing!

Other functions of the camera which I love:

-Time Lapse

Like the videos of moving clouds and sunset in shows while the buildings in them remains stationary? You can do this with FR100.

You can record the process of the sun setting with this.

Let me show you an example of a Time Lapse clip.



-Strong Stabilization

I used another camera before and we were going around with the camera. My friend had motion sickness after watching the video so a strong stabilization helps! We recorded some videos during the AVT ride and I will share the videos with you guys soon.

-Photo Collage

You can summarize your day with these functions by rating your pictures in the camera. The higher the rating, the chances of them appearing in the random collage will be higher!





Time to end the post with a glass of refreshing watermelon juice!

Oh! And not to forget mentioning this photo was taken and transferred immediately & conveniently through the ExilimCONNECT. This app makes transferring of photo from the camera to any smartphone a simple task ANYTIME ANYWHERE!





If there is one thing we have to complain about this camera would be its price point! Currently, the FR100 is retailing at SGD699 (not inclusive of equipments for photo-taking e.g. selfie).

We really do love this camera and would certainly hope that the price point come down to a more affordable level especially when we do travel quite frequently. Furthermore, we don’t usually have the luxury of someone taking our wefies with a wide shot of the backdrop for us! The FR100 would be the perfect camera for this task!

My Taiwan Trip for 2015 – Kaohsiung

maybeline

The decision to go back to Taiwan again when I just there last year was made just a month before I flew over.

Last November was my first visit to Taiwan – Taipei and Taichung but it was unforgettable because of the friendly people and environment there. The pace there is much slower than Singapore. When I was there last year, the weather was cooling and nice, but it was freaking hot and warm this year. I totally regretted bringing the coats over. Luckily Taipei turned cool during my last 2 days.

I went to an addition city, Kaohsiung, this year.

Recommendations: If you are planning to visit Kaohsiung, just buy the one-way ticket to Kaohsiung Airport and come back with another one-way ticket from Taoyuan Airport. I made an extremely wrong move by buying a two-way ticket to/from Taoyuan because the ride from Taoyuan to Kaohsiung is CRAZILY long and tedious. I landed at Taoyuan at 2pm but reached Kaohsiung only at 8pm because of the waiting/travelling time and jam. Although I know it is recommended to take the speed train over, but I googled and the difference between the two types of transportation was only 1-2 hours so I picked the cheaper option. The only good thing that happened was that our hotel was just opposite the bus station!!

As soon as I checked in to the hotel, we went to Liu He Ye Shi for dinner.

If you are expecting to shop in Liu He Ye Shi, save it. It is a night market full of food.

We did not take any pictures there because the night market was very empty even on a Friday night. You can finish combing the entire place within 15-20 minutes.

OOTD on the first day:








Since Day 1 was a disappointment, we made very good use of Day 2.

OOTD for Day 2:

James was decked in outfits from Uniqlo for both days. The jackets are his current favourite and I think he look damn good in the checkered white and grey shirt. I picked that out for him!!








We woke up super early for their traditional breakfast at a shop opposite our hotel because James wanted to try their Dan Bing and the Black Soy Bean.








There were a lot of stuffs to see at Pier 2 Art. And more importantly, it was free and interactive 😛








There were so many trains to see and take OOTD with!








‘


Art pieces all over the rundown railway tracks.











We moved on to a heritage tour after roaming around the area for a good 1.5 to 2 hours.

This tour cost only NT30 ($1++++) so don’t be scam by the cabs around the area. We almost boarded one of them who offered NT100 to 1 destination. The mini bus offers a lot of destinations at a flat rate of NT30 with unlimited rides + a tour guide.





I really want to experience the feeling of studying in any Taiwan’s university even if it is only for a short while.




















You can also head over to Formsa Boulevard Station 美麗島站 to visit the Dome of Light.

Pop over for a short 2-3 minutes if you are on the way to anywhere because you don’t have to tap out of the station to visit the place.











I visited 4 night markets in Kaohsiung. Let me bring you through in my next post 🙂

SHILLA 1st anniversary the opening of Shilla Beauty Loft

maybeline

Did you hear about Maddy’s coverage of The Shilla Duty Free first anniversary and the unveiling of The Shilla Beauty Loft at Singapore Changi Airport last week? I was present at The Shilla Duty Free. I went there empty handed but went home with bags and bags of shoppings because everything was at lease 30-40% cheaper than the retail prices outside!!








I was there when The Shilla Duty Free first open its door last year and I am more than happy to be back. The Shilla Duty Free also launched its iconic beauty loft concept at Singapore Changi Airport, Terminal 3. The Shilla Beauty Loft is the first luxury spa concept in a duty free store in the world, offering beauty services from prestige brands Chanel, Dior, La Prairie, and SK-II.

CHANEL Beauty Lounge is strictly by invitation ONLY.

Dio Beauty House is open to walk-in customers and they stole my heart when I was there as I had a very personalized experience which shoppers can also feel the same as I was introduced to Dior’s fragrance artistry and makeup/skincare services.



You can walk in to do a makeup service, facial service, hand massage and more.

Ken removed my eyeliner and red lipsticks. He contoured my eyes with eyeshadow and lipstick from Dior. I am seriously digging this color!!





Don’t you just love the hot pink lips?





Dior La Collection Privée  can only be found there with 12 elegant and exclusive scents for men and women. Customers can explore their fragrance preferences and customize a signature scent for their unique personality.








Prestigious skincare brand SK-II revives jet-age glamour and heralds a new golden age of luxury travel with the debut of the brand’s first-ever airport lounge concept, giving travellers a pampering respite from the stresses of modern transit.

They offers a select menu of facial and massage service specifically designed to meet the discerning needs of frequent flyers. The SK-II PITERA Lounge pairs a cosy and serene spa atmosphere and each treatment features the use of SK-II’s acclaimed skincare, including their famous Facial Treatment Essence.

Please email in to reservations_changispa@skii.com.sg or call in to 9352 3687 to book an appointment to avoid disappointment if you walk-in/








la prairie is also strictly by invitations only. They offer facial treatment, makeovers and personalization treatments.

There is also a lounge and sofa area where you can enjoy light complimentary refreshments while you wait for your appointments.











“The establishment of the new dedicated space on the mezzanine level, combined with impeccable products and services, creates an intimate environment where The Shilla Duty Free can actively engage customers for a memorable and well-rounded shopping experience. It also serves as an excellent platform for exclusive and differentiated services that resonate strongly with customers who desire more sophisticated treatments. Together with our multi-brand beauty store on the first level, we create the best of both worlds in shopping as we strategically align our products and services to different profiles of international travellers,” said Mr. Jason Cha, Senior Executive Vice-President, The Head of The Shilla Duty Free.

For people who fly often and do not have the luxury to enjoy services like these outside, aren’t you glad that you can enjoy such treatments before your flight? 🙂

5 reasons why you should visit Bangkok

maybeline

Speaking of Bangkok now would strike fear and sadness in everyone’s mind because of the explosion that happened  in Bangkok last month. As much as the fear might deter you from entering Bangkok this period, it does nothing to reduce the beauty of this touristy location & so here’s 5 reasons why you should still consider visiting Bangkok:

1) Hotels at affordable rates, great hospitality & convenient location & comes with healthy & tasty breakfast to kickstart your day right!

I was there for 4 nights and stayed in 2 hotels for review – Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Sukhumvit 11 & Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Sathorn

Thank you Holiday Inn Express for their generous hospitality during my stay there! One of the things I like most about them is their staff! Apart from being extremely patient & helpful to our enquiries of the places of interest, they have a very good command of english which makes communication easy to follow.

Some hotels do not offer breakfast there but people don’t usually mind because food is relatively cheap in Bangkok if you compare it to Singapore.

I still prefer to wake up to a table-ful of healthy food because it starts my day right!

So on to the topic of breakfast! They serve quite similar spread and they tasted consistently good for the whole duration we were there! To be frank, I hardly get impressed by hotel breakfast easily but trust me, they are good! Furthermore, they observed the health level of the food by ensuring that the food served was not oily nor salty.





James’s favourite was their fried rice. Pretty rare for a non-carbo lover! The rice was not overly oily and they were pretty generous with the ingredients eg prawns used.





For me, I love the Congee the most! I had pork congee on the first day, followed by prawn congee. Don’t be deceived by the plain outlook of the congee here, it was actually more flavorful than it seemed. I had two bowls for breakfast everyday!





If you are busy, they have cups for you to take your drink away so that you can have a muffin and a cup of hot coffee on the go. That is what Holiday Inn Express is all about.





People always say cheap room comes with lousy bed!

Well, think again if you come here! Despite the affordable rates, the beds are one of the comfiest I have tried. ALMOST had trouble climbing out of those cushy beds every morning! I could just spend one day just to laze and cuddle together with J.

Neat rooms, soft pillows (you get to choose soft or hard), cosy ambience, and clean toilets. What more can you ask for at such affordable pricing!

We walk & shop a lot in Bangkok so much so we were almost burnt out by the end of everyday. But their rooms never fails to give me that good night sleep/rest such that I can endure another full day of shopping and exploring!

Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Sathorn –











Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Sukhumvit 11 –








Also enjoy facilities like Gym and meeting rooms!

I will be frank, don’t expect it to be as large as compared to a 5 star hotel. But this is the whole point of the trip! They wants you to explore the beauty of Bangkok more than the hotel itself!

Come on! You are on a trip so why do these which you can do in Singapore right!

So do a good workout and head for a warm bath after. But keep it short & don’t let the beauty of Bangkok wait for you for too long!








Last by not least, I really like the location of these hotels!

Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Sukhumvit 11 is located near Terminal 21. We walked to the station and back to the hotel after exploring the place. Oh, Nana Night Market is also around the corner as well. Lining the streets around this vicinity are bars and restaurants that bustles into life once the night approaches! So if you are into the night life of Bangkok, this hotel will be best suited for you and your friends!

For Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Sathorn, it is a stone’s thrown away from a SKY Train Station so it is very very easy for you to travel around.

The hotel is two blocks away from Patpong night market, all you need is just a 3-5 minutes slow walk and another few minutes to walk to Silom Street Market.

Saphan Taksin station is only 2 BTS stations away and tourist can take the FREE boat shuttle to the most famous Asiatque night market (We had a lot of fun there!!).

If you hate to even walk a single step to the nearest SKY Train station, fret not! Cabs and Tuk Tuk are easily seen outside the hotel waiting for people!

Moreoever, both hotels have 7-eleven downstairs so it makes it easier for you to buy some midnight snacks and necessities.

This two hotels are one of my biggest reasons why I will visit Bangkok anytime and everytime!

Good news for you because you can find early bird packages for the hotels!

Check out their promotions:
Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Sukhumvit 11: Click here

Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Sathorn: Click here

2) Cheap transportation fare

The hotel staffs even helped us save some money by telling us that it would be cheaper to take the cab instead of MRT to travel because the cost of 2x for MRT would already be equivalent the cost of a carfare. But we went once for the feel anyway.





NEVER take the tuk tuk in my opinion. I thought it was fun and fast but it was unhealthy because you will be inhaling all the exhaust smoke. And they can be such a rip-off!!

For example, an MRT/cab fare to destination A will cost you 70 Baht but tuk tuk drivers will quote you at least 3x more and the lowest you can haggle till would be 100-150 Baht.

Just cab, cab around everywhere. The price is probably only half of what it cost here.

3) Cheap Shopping if you know where to visit

We saw a lot of clothes there which we can also find in Singapore but at a way higher price.

No pictures because I will be doing a separate post on Top 5 places to shop in Bangkok later this month.

For now, we got these singlets really cheap.

On James, 100 Baht (SGD4) and me, 50 Baht (SGD2). My hair band only cost me 10 Baht (40 cents).





A whole bouquet of roses at 40 Baht (SGD1.60)





4) Cheap food everywhere

Not only does the night market have cheap food, the food in restaurants are also reasonable. I enjoy green curry and Tom Yum even in Singapore so Thai food in Thailand is even better!

Oh, I found Coco Ichibanya in Terminal 21 and it was 40% cheaper there.

The ice-cream place I visited cost 3x lesser in Bangkok than at home! Yay!





Mango Sticky Rice at half the price!





80 Baht Curry FishBall BeeHoon. SGD3.20, not exactly cheap, but it was delish!





My cute Jello drink at 10 Baht (40 cents).





5) Fun games we don’t have in Singapore


Now… This gotta wait too. Wait for my Top 5 places to visit in Bangkok.


[Bali] A trip to the “ZOO”

maybeline

It’s back to my Bali posts again. So sorry for the delay cause I have been really really busy. It seems like all the events are coming together in May.

—

 

Bali Day 2.

We started the day early as early as 8am after the first day (http://maybelinesim.sg/2015/04/26/bali-holiday-inn-express-holiday-resort/) because we booked a day trip for a day filled with water activities.

 

The breakfast hours in Holiday Inn Express Kuta Square was 6am to 10am and with it being an express hotel, I expected lesser variety of food but I was quite surprised to see the food there. Since I was there for 4D3N, I had 3 chances of trying out their breakfast there and it seems like they change their menu daily. I don’t see much repeated food among the three days.

 

I like to eat clean if I have to eat in the morning so the first station was the fruits.

 

If you want it quick, grab one or two muffins before you head out!

 

The food were all hot and warm and the staffs were really helpful in clearing the plates, or assisting us with the plates and necessities.

 

There will always be mains like noodles and rice every single day. So if you don’t feel like eating (example) fried rice today, go for the fried noodles.

 

I think I had 6 slices of omelette. Hehehe. I was hoping that they would give us scramble eggs and I was literally praying for that every night. LOL.

 

Pork Sausages and many many more but I was too concern about my tummy so I only snapped a few photos of the food :/

 

And cereals! I realized that most of the tourists there attacked the cereals first.

 

Even the drinks were thoughtful.

Orange juice, Apple juice, Pineapple juice, Soy bean, Fresh Milk, Skim milk.

 

We filled our stomach with a whole lot of food before traveling out to the sea.

 

The transport and activities were booked a day prior to Day 2 which we found at Kuta Square.

 

It was about SGD130-140 for 4 pax which includes Glass Boat Tour (which was quite a SCAM in my opinion), snorkeling, turtle island and then dinner by the beach at Jimbaran Bay Beach.

 

We were quite lucky that the sky was clear.

 

 

 

 

 

But sadly, we could only see one species of fish and the water was way way way too cloudy. We snorkeled for less than 30 minutes and gave up.

 

 

 

 

Turtle Island – It only cost you SGD2++ per pax and I really like this place than the snorkeling done earlier because there were a lot of hands-on that you won’t get experience in Singapore. I call this a Mini Zoo, probably better than the actual Bali Zoo. It was cheap and we spent 1.5 hour there!

 

 

 

 

The huge turtle you see there is the oldest, older than any one of us and nobody seems to be able to lift him up. It was low tide so that explains the dry shell. See! This was what I mean by hands-on. Where else can you find such close encounter in Singapore?!

 

 

 

 

 

And this proud bird here. Hehehe.

 

 

William and Lip carried the snake while James and me preferred not to. The mouth of the snake was actually taped together using the scotch tape which I find it amusing lol!

 

The fruit bat!!!! You have to swing it for it to open it’s wings. All of us had a go with it, even me!!

 

 

 

 

We took a short rest after playing around and ordered a cup of Pop-mee which usually cost SGD0.50 in their supermarket but we paid SGD1.70 there. Still reasonably priced in my opinion. The coconut cost SGD5 if I am not wrong!

 

While some of us ate and some of us continued to explore, Lip saw crabs in various bright colors.

As for why I felt the Glass Boat Tour was a scam because it wasn’t like this…

Credits: http://www.arunatoursbali.com

 

It was as blur/narrow as this, and the glass/plastic was super cloudy looking as well. It was almost opaque.  So what can we see? NOTHING.

 

And on our way back to the island after a good 3 hours, we saw a sinking boat! It seems like it is quite common there because no one was surprised.

 

Till then…

 

I’ll be back with my experience on dining by the beach and our Day 3 in Bali 🙂

Malacca with Casio EX-ZR3500

maybeline

Last year November, James bought me a camera for my birthday – Casio EX-ZR1500 all because I was in love with the make up mode and being a blogger, I needed more than just a selfie camera, this was why I opted for a ZR.

I have never regretted picking this as my birthday gift because it accompanied and serve me well for all my events, product reviews and holidays.

Truth to be told, I was sad when EX-ZR3500 was released because I could have just waited for a few more months for this awesome baby to be released!! Since ZR1500 was that good, I was expecting ZR3500 to be even better. And yes, Casio passed my expectations with flying colours. It was good, in fact, it was so much better. I love the grip, the enhanced make-up mode and the functions.

Casio came out with 4 different colours for this model. I thought the pink and yellow one was cute but I ended up with white (again, because white is my favourite colour). Pink/Yellow are very eye-catching so it is very suitable for people who likes loud colours.


Buttons at a glance.



ZR3500 not only accompanied me to Bali, it also accompanied me to Malacca for a 2D1N trip with Team Casio.

During the trip, I learnt more about the functions of the camera and the different effects the camera has.

Let me share with you what is good for #selfie or #wefie.

– Enhanced makeup mode
– Front selfie button
– Motion Shutter

Unlike the older models, ZR3500 has a front button for you to capture wefie from different angles but if you need a bigger space for bigger groups, or even when you are traveling alone and there is no one to help you with a ootd or something, you can activate the motion shutter. Wave your hand and snap! The pictures below were taken using Motion Shutter + Enhanced Makeup Mode.



So flawless looking too right? Who doesn’t want pretty photos without having to photoshop~~





We can even take pictures like this! So cute! No up skirt because I wore FBT shorts inside 😀





The black button where my thumb is at is where the front shutter button is. Good for selfies!





It’s easy to use the motion shutter. Just go to Menu and on it. Press once on the shutter button..





And the palm icon will appear. Wave at the palm are and snap! You can also change the position of the palm to where you want it to be.





It has a very high shutter speed so if you need to capture multiple shots fast, this will work well for you.
I love the black circle on the top right of the camera because it enables a better grip of the camera.

Let me show you some of the pictures taken in Malacca with the different effects.

They have Crystal Ball, Sparkling Shot, Soft Focus, Toy Camera and more.. You can also find suitable scene for your picture in Best Shot for examples like food or scenery.





Miniature – one of my favourites among all the different functions. The focus was the boat and the rest of the background were blurred out. No editing done at all!





Crystal Ball.





Monochrome








The next two pictures are taken using HDR Art which creates dramatic art images with the camera with absolute no editing done! You can control the level of intensity from Level 1 to 3! The images are merged to give birth to works of art. FYI, you can also do a HDR Art Movie if you like!








Pop is also another favourite of mine because of the intensifying colors. Colour makes one happy and vibrant!





Then… a random photo with no effect. Looking good still? I have been using ZR3500 to cover all my event photos because I have absolute faith with the pictures.








Also, EX-ZR3500 has inbuilt Wi-Fi and is armed with Bluetooth Smart Technology. You can transfer the photos from your camera to your phone via EXILIM Connect application. The application can be found in Google Play or App Store.


Logo:




You only have to pair the camera to your phone once to enjoy the constant bluetooth/wifi auto transfer. For every picture you snap, it will appear in your phone as well (no more pairing or activation required for auto transfer!). If you don’t want your phone to be flooded with all the pictures, you can also off the auto transfer and selectively select the photos you want and do a one-time transfer.
Pssst: You can also do a remote capture by pairing your smartphone.




And because we went in a huge group and all of us had a ZR3500 on us, there were way too many photos so we shared it in Scene, another application which allows album sharing among friends (it works like dropbox). Just upload the picture into the album and people who are in the group will be able to see and download the pictures they want instantly. Best of all, Scene is free for all to download!





You can view the photos shared by your friends and download them to your phone as well! Upload them to your social media platforms instantly!





For more information on EX-ZR3500, you may visit: http://www.casio-intl.com/asia-mea/en/dc/ex_zr3500/spec/, or follow them on their Facebook and Instagram (@casiosg)!