Pamper Yourself: For Beloved One

Today’s beauty regime ~ trying out Taiwan’s most popular beauty brand For Beloved One which has garnered rave reviews.

For Beloved One’s Melasleep Brightening Lumi’s Key Bio-Cellulose Mask

The uniqueness of For Beloved One mask is its made of A-Grade Thickness Bio-Cellulose (bio-cellulose material—commonly used as artificial skin) giving you a luxurious, spa-like experience from the comfort of your couch.

When you take it out there are 3 layers, the mask is between two outer layers. Do be gentle when unfolding and careful not to rip it when removing the inner layer to apply to the face and after doing so peel off the outside cover. This is one of the few masks I haven’t had to readjust at all- it stays on once applied cupping perfectly to the sculpture of my face.

Packed with antioxidants and other good-for-you ingredients, it nourishes and hydrates the skin, all while reducing redness, inflammation, and dark spots. The end result was great. The rich creamy essence doesn’t have a sticky after feel and the mask is fragrance free. After one use, my skin felt clean, rejuvenated, instantly brighten up giving a supple and glowy look. I really am impressed with the results given my hesitation to try a brand I wasn’t familiar with.

If you’re looking for a high quality collagen mask, definitely give this a go. My skin is very moisturized and the difference is noticeable immediately, I definitely see this as an essential mask for that extra glow.

For Beloved One’s Melasleep Brightening Lumi’s Key Essence Serum

Don’t let the word ‘Melasleep’, mislead you to think that it is for night use only. This bottle of essence can be used twice a day – once in the morning and another at night before bed. I quite like using the essence as it’s consistency is lightweight which makes it easy to absorb into skin with a few light pats making my skin instantly soft and smooth. Complement its effects with the moisturiser thereafter.

For Beloved One’s Melasleep Brightening Lumi’s Key Lotion

A light weight moisturiser perfect for our humid and hot weather. Easily absorbed, non-greasy and has a smooth finishing without the stickiness after feel. Bringing a flawless and luminous shining skin.

After using this for a couple of days, my skin certainly look brighter, and the dark spots seem to have faded more quickly than usual. It also feels much smoother and less greasy…thank God.

What are you waiting for? Start your beauty regime with For Beloved One. Let’s get our skin radiant and revitalise with For Beloved One which is exclusively available on Sephora Singapore.

Products were provided for in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you for reading.

X’mas Wreath Workshop

Hey Lovelies!

We often sacrifice self-care because we are too busy trying to save everyone else. Sometimes we just need to be selfish and love ourselves more. For when we care and love ourselves, we are better able to care for and love others.

To feel better about yourself, learn a new skill. There’s reason to believe that engaging in a project can put you in a meditation state. Finishing the project, or mastering a mini skill, boosts one’s confidence.

I did just that – took the day off and attended a X’mas Wreath Workshop hosted by A Sassy Florist with a girlfriend.

Excited to be making my first wreath

It’s a mad house of fir, spruce, pine and what have you

Mia, owner of A Sassy Florist and mummy to Apple Juice (that’s the adorable shiba who loves belly rubs and head massages). This is her first time hosting wreath making workshops and it has been a sold out success. I was glad we manage to get a spot. Mia makes beautiful hand bouquets/arrangements – Omakase style or some would say avant-garde.

The cheeky Apple Juice

Mia makes wreath making look so easy but it’s not it took us two hours to make a wreath. Mia was very good at teaching us the basics, encouraging us to let our creativity run its course. She was very patient with us, guiding and helping us along the way.

It’s all about your gut feel when making your own X’mas wreath

Milestone unlocked – our beautiful creations

I’m in love with my final wreath – it looks professionally done and very expensive – full to the brim with foliage (pine, fir, spruce, eucalyptus) and elements (deco of acorn, cotton, cinnamon).

You can hang the wreath at the door

As a table display with X’mas candles – filling the house with the smell of X’mas wonderland

We both had loads of fun making our X’mas wreath and playing with Apple Juice! A wonderful experience that I would highly recommend.

Thank you for reading.

Bior Restaurant & Bar

Hey lovelies!

Boat Quay is full of treasure, some of which are hidden and others are just gems in their own right. That said hidden amidst the rows of shops is a delicious Thai restaurant- Bior Restaurant & Bar (Bior).

A visit to Bior feels like an invitation into a Thai home. Minimalist interior design – chic and stylish exuding a warm welcome. On the second floor is a cozy bar where people sit and relax.

A cozy nook for those looking to escape the daily grind of life.

The food is authentic, deliciously tasty, portions are great size and reasonable prices to boot. Dishes are made from scratch in the kitchen only when you order so you can be assured it’s freshness and the quality.

From left: Thai Prawn Cake ($7.90), Green Milk Tea ($3) Crabmeat Roll ($11.90), Pork Collar ($9.90), Minced Pork Omelette ($9.90)

Love at first sip with the green milk tea – Pandan infused neither too sweet nor heavily laden with evaporated milk but instead very refreshing. Never drank such a good milk tea not even from the roadside of Bangkok!

Punchy tom yum soup ($11) packed with the right amount of spices

How to tell if it’s an authentic Thai restaurant? By trying the simplest dish – clear tom yum soup. I had the seafood clear tom yum soup – spicy enough but not an overkill of the senses, packing a right amount of spices and have a generous serving of ingredients.

Pork collar ($9.90) with their house special chilli dip which has a kick

Their pork collar is tender, juicy and melts in the mouth goes so well with their house special chilli dip which is freshly made each time.

Chef was so nice to accommodate my request for an extra serving of chilli dip – it’s damn shiok

The crabmeat roll is a seasonal special and not on the menu. The crabmeat used is Sri Lankan crabs and you can see they are not stingy, the roll is compactly filled with crabmeat! This dish is so yummy crispy on the outside, juicy and flavourful on the inside.

Thai Chendol

A meal is never complete without dessert don’t you agree? The difference between a regular chendol and a Thai chendol is that the latter comes with glutinous rice. The Thai chendol is rich but not too heavy or sweet pairs very well with the soft and sticky glutinous rice.

Service was impeccable too – the team was friendly, attentive, give good recommendations/suggestions and accommodating to requests.

I personally feel one of the joys of dining out is finding fantastic food and ambience when you least expect. If you missed the taste of Thai food I highly recommend you to try Bior Restaurant & Bar. I’ll definitely be going back again.

Do make a reservation to avoid disappointment.

Thank you for reading.

Bedok Bak Chor Mee @ Boat Quay

Hey lovelies!

Bet you didn’t know that there is a Bedok Bak Chor Mee (minced meat noodle) located in the heart of bustling Boat Quay.

And on the second floor is a quaint, cosy drinking hole for you to unwind after work or simply to catch up with friends.

Through this door on the right is the stairway to a secret hideout

Cozy corner

Besides minced meat noodles they also have Wu Xiang, bubble tea (if your not into alcoholic beverages) and last but definitely not the least they serve Joy Luck Teahouse egg tarts! How cool is this place?

The broth of the minced meat noodle is rich in taste – not only flavourful but delicious as well.

Soup was so aromatic I forgot to feed my camera before slurping

Wantons are yummy as they have Ti Po (dried flounder) inside which makes it so tasty you keep wanting more!

Generous serving of minced meat in broth

The perfect combi ~ Wu Xiang and beer

Food is yummilicious, ambiance is great and service is impeccable. What’s there not to like? Highly recommend you to check out Bedok Bak Chor Mee to find out for yourself. I don’t know about you but this place has become my favourite hangout! See you around.

Thank you for reading.

Pretty & Scrumptious ~ LeGem Patisserie

Hey Lovelies!

Was craving for madeleines and chance upon LeGem Patisserie. Sometimes I think Instagram can read my mind (haha).

LeGem Patisserie freshly baked modern madeleines comes with an assortment of unique flavours.

Chocolate hazelnut ~ glazed with a layer of chocolate, sprinkled with a generous serving of nuts and filled with whole nuts too!

Nuts about you

Black Sesame ~ aromatic and had a deep nutty flavour.

Sesame everywhere

Fig with Cheese ~ savoury and sweet a perfect match.

Triple Chocolate ~ has an intense chocolate flavour but not too sweet.

Thick chocolate coat is simply divine

Kaya with coconut ~ uniquely Singaporean style topped with desiccated coconut.

Glistening golden brown

Matcha With yuzu ~ refreshing twist of zesty citrus yuzu and an earthy kick of matcha goes very well with a cuppa sencha green tea.

Perfect combi

Strawberry with ruby chocolate ~ a tension of fresh berry fruitiness and luscious smoothness like yoghurt.

Pretty in pink

Lemon ~ a decidedly tangy note but not too sour.

Sugar coat & lemon peels

Earl Grey ~ wonderful in smell and delicious in taste.

Evergreen classic

The dear little cakes are tenderly moist, soft and spongy and definitely does not have the acrid after taste of baking powder.

I can’t decide which is my favourite cause all are so yummy! Melts in your mouth…makes you going back for more and I sure did (this is my second purchase before I wrote this). I highly recommend you to try! LeGem Patisserie madeleines are not only scrumptious but also a feast to the eyes!

To me what makes LeGem Patisserie stands out is that she takes the effort to pen a note which adds a personal touch.

Handwritten cards are so rare these days

Thank you for reading, it’s time for tea!

Oo La Lab ~ Be A Perfumer for the day

Hey Lovelies,

I’m blessed to have received such a unique and fun birthday pressie from my buddy ~ an Eau de Parfum Workshop with Oo La Lab.

The highlight of the workshop was learning to create our own unique and bespoke scent. Along the way we learned about the art of perfumery and also found out that they are the people behind the Changi Airport and Ion Orchard signature scent.

Jon (our trainer) gave us a brief introduction to the world of perfumery. We kick started by sampling the different fragrances using the scent card booklet given to us earlier and learning the key notes in each sample. It’s interesting how some scents can jolt back forgotten memories. He informed us that fragrances consists of top, middle, base, complex plus high notes and the importance each category plays. He was very patient in answering our 101 questions.

Felt like we were back in school in the chemistry lab with 26 scent bottles and apparatuses laid out. The scents are divided into 3 categories –

• Base Notes: the longevity of the scent which stays on your body/clothes comprising of sweet and musky scents the likes of “Vanilla”, “Gourmand”, “Woody”;
• Middle Notes: sets the tone of the whole fragrance and includes a number of floral scents i.e. “Muguet”, “White Flowers”;
• Top Notes: the one that makes your perfume instantly recognisable, though it doesn’t last as long as the base note however it is this scent that makes it memorable.

Everything looks so complicated at first glance

Now comes the challenging part – deciding which scent blends well with one another and fits your personality. Rule of thumb, is to remember the importance that creating a fragrance is subjective so don’t be tempted by others around you of their likes and dislikes. I guess that’s one of the reason why our trainer didn’t want to give suggestions on our concoction?

After much trial and error I finally picked out the scents I wanted. My bespoke fragrance consist of “Woody”, “Gourmande”, “Muguet”, “Tea”, “Fruity” and “Aquatic”. Now comes the fun part of being a chemist, doing the maths for composition then blending the chosen scents into a bottle.

Once your done they will assist in fixing the spray nozzle and cap. What makes it even more personalised is that you get to name your creation! My bottle of perfume is then nicely packed in a bag emblazoned with Oo La Lab logo, a lovely keepsake from an awesome experience!

All in all I had a great time with my buddy. This is by far one of the most unique present I have received.

An Eau de Parfum Workshop with Oo La Lab makes an ideal gift. Not only is it a great experience to have with your friends and have some fun bonding over the art of perfumery but you also get to create your own bespoke fragrance! If you are perfume enthusiast, this is an ultimate experience for you.

My very own signature scent

Thank you for reading.

The Gallery Bistro

Hey Lovelies!

Sharing with you a new quaint bistro my girlfriend and I visited which have just opened – The Gallery Bistro (part of the Saveur Group). Nestled inside the grand old dame of the former Supreme Court and City Hall.

Wine & Dine with a picturesque view of the Singapore skyline, whilst taking in the afterglow of the sunset lingering on the horizon and enjoy the cool evening breeze.

As an opening special each table reservation made by quoting “Amarone” entitles you to a bottle of Amarone della Valpolicella Wine at $55 which is a steal (normal price is $136) the red wine is smooth, easy to drink and doesn’t leave an after taste. The red wine goes well with everything – truffle fries, oysters and of course steak!

Fresh, succulent, plump and smooth oysters

Food was delicious – good quality and portions are substantial. However menu selection can be improved – with more bar bites options like chicken wings, beef cubes, spam fries etc.

Tender, tasty & cooked to perfection ~ medium rare

The ambience of the restaurant has a Parisian style vibe it would have been a scene right out of “Emily in Paris” if the fairy lights could be switched on.

The restaurant manager, Pauline and her crew deserve to be complimented! Everyone is treated like a VIP! Not only were they attentive, friendly, welcoming, patient and helpful in recommending options. They always serve with a smile (ok everyone is masked up but you can tell through their eyes and their bubbly voice when they serve they are smiling from behind the masks).

Pauline and her crew – surprised me with a cake and sang me a birthday song!

An unforgettable and memorable dining experience! We will definitely be coming back again!

P.S. From 16-27.Nov they have free half dozen oysters! Checkout their Facebook or Instagram for details!

Thank you for reading and see you there!

My Keto Journey

Hey Lovelies, hope everyone is coping well in these strange times.

Today I want to share with you my keto journey.

During the circuit breaker (similar to a lockdown) period in Singapore and being cooped up at home all the time sometimes sends your mind to wonder off all over the place. For me was how to lose more weight to fit into that one dress I found whilst spring cleaning the wardrobe!

And as if Vyriella read my mind she asked if I was keen to try out ketones. After much thought I decided to take up her offer to try out the ketones experience pack. Thats how I embarked with rebooting my body, setting the stage to a healthier me and improving my eating habits.

Vyriella tailored a program for me and patiently guided me through my keto journey despite my ‘5W and 1H’ . In all honesty,  am a lazy ketogenic dieter – I don’t count my calorie intake neither did I change my diet drastically nor was I actively exercising. But I could see the results in 1 month and that makes me feel AMAZING!

For all the attributes of a ketogenic diet, there’s one big side effect you have to be prepared for: THE KETO FLU. This is real, am not joking. Keto Flu is a term that refers to the period after you start the diet and how your body adjust to the new regime. Everyone reacts differently for me the first week  was horrible – I developed:

• Bowel changes: due to the dietary swing I get both (i) Diarrhea: whenever I ate carbs I would be running to the toilet ever so often (good and bad I would say. The good makes me abstain from eating too much carbs..haha); (ii) Constipation: insufficient fibre intake
• Headaches: due to the imbalance of electrolyte – when our body is in ketosis, our kidneys tend to lose more electrolytes than usual so an easy fix will be to take a quarter teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt or celtic sea salt, drink it with water that usually helps);
• Lethargic: feeling extremely lethargic not wanting to move around, dizziness and sometimes mental fog too;

I know, the above may sound scary and you start questioning yourself if its all worth it. For me my motivation is to fit into that dress and perhaps drop a size or two down. I believe slowly but surely I will. One tip is to find like minded friends who have the same goals as you so you can spur each other on.

My tummy has shrunk as well, I used to be very conscious of my love hurdle thus I will never tuck my top in and will always wear dresses with a flair waist down to camouflage the bulge. Nowadays I ‘m feeling confident enough not to tuck in my top and wear more body hugging dresses and bottoms!

My double chin is also slowly disappearing making my chin sharper.

Am now in my second month of Keto, my body performance continues to improve. I don’t have migraines as often, better digestive system, my appetite is not as ferocious (more normal) and I don’t crave sweet stuff as much as before.

I imagine if I went full out on a strict keto diet the results I would have achieved will be even more significant! But, for me I want a sustainable diet which I can adhere to and not have my weight yo-yo around. Ultimately you have to figure out what works best for you, because if you choose something extreme yes you loose weight fast but you won’t be able to sustain long term and therefore end up gaining back all the weight again. Trust me I have had my fair share of experimenting of diet plans to know what works.

Now that I have tried and tested to know ketones works and is sustainable I’m getting my daughter to try too!

After reading my journey and you feel inspired to try out the ketogenic diet do drop Vyriella a DM on Instagram. She will be more than happy to share more on how you can kick start your ketones journey. Quote ‘Shenwendys’ for USD 10 off regular price bundle if you purchase it online.

Thank you for reading.

Le Petit Chef Sheraton – Bangkok

Hey Lovelies!

Last Christmas holidays was spent in my favorite city – Bangkok the land of smiles.

Having heard rave reviews we decided to have an early Christmas dinner celebration at Le Petit Chef Sheraton Bangkok. I have booked us the 6-course menu.

When we arrived we were seated at the lounge, refreshments and hor d’oeuvres were offered whilst we wait to be ushered into the dining room.

Chilled Towels are individually sealed to maintain hygiene

Hor d’oeuvres – Amuse Bouche: Goat Cheese Foie Gras mousse on duck breast with pickled kohlrabi

Dishes were prepared in fusion style with a French base recipe and an Asian twist (Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Indian) in my opinion would have been better if they stick to just one Asian style. Having so many different flavours you lose identity.

Appetitzer – Hokkaido scallop carpaccio, marinated radish, ponzu sauce, finger lime & oxalis

Soup – Bouillabaisse Tom Yum

Main – Boston Half Lobster Gratinated with mornay sauce

Bon Appetite 

Pre dessert – Mango sorbet, coconut milk foam, peanuts and chocolate ginger sauce

Mushu the Red Dragon is going to prepare the dessert

Dessert – Rice Pudding Brûlée with saffron, cardamon

It was Natasha’s first fine dining experience, the cinematic and theatrical performance was spectacular, leaving her in awe. Seeing the animation come to live was engaging and fun. 

Mother & daughter Pre-Christmas Dinner Celebration

Ben and her team provided an exceptional superb service we were treated like Kings and a Queens. We didn’t feel out of place at all Ben gave the narration in both Thai and English (her English was fluent and spoken with ease). 

If you ask me was the price tag worth it? Well, not for the food – food was only so-so, don’t get me wrong the quality of the food is there but the way the dishes are prepared are not worth the price you are paying for. But the impeccable service we received from Ben and her team, the unique and unforgettable dining experience are all worth the price. 

Thank you for reading.

 

HanpanS – Personal Shopping Service

Hey Lovelies!

Another sharing session I stumbled upon HanpanS by accident while looking for masks from Japan – I won’t deny I had my reservations at first since their Facebook page was only created in Jan 2020 and there wasn’t much information I could find online (no comments nor reviews were available).

But all my doubts were put to rest after I join their Line Group chat. I discovered the portal is run by a lovely couple (JP & N) not some bots, they are reliable, responsive, accommodating and resourceful.

HanpanS – Uzu, Eye Liner (very lasting and smudge proof)

HanpanS – Suppin Face Powder (gives you a perfect smooth complexion)

Sourcing only for the best quality products that are reasonably priced in Japan and Korea. They are very transparent about pricing always asking the group to share their thoughts should a certain product that they recommend is actually cheaper in Singapore. JP is very honest when he found a certain item which was retailing cheaper in Singapore due to a promotion he updated the group and asked those who are keen to buy to go directly to this place. Another plus point is they don’t hard sell their products and services.

HanpanS – Anti-virus Face Spray

When they were in Japan they provided live updates on requests they received and also provided recommendations on exclusive products found only in country that are not for export. Its a whole new level of personal concierge service for shopping. Their genuinity made me feel they treated us more like friends then we were their customers. They buy products out of their own pockets to sample and review before recommending. If the product isn’t up to their expectations they won’t sell and will tell you instead not to waste your monies.

HanpanS – Toilet Gel (check out their facebook video on how to use) makes the whole toilet smell so nice

From just wanting only to order masks I ended up  ordering whole lot of other stuff. There isn’t anything that they can’t find.  All items were delivered to me nicely packed and in good condition.

HanpanS – Happy with my loot

I will definitely be using them again to help me buy stuff from Japan and Korea as I know the items they get for me are of quality, genuine and good condition! I highly recommend you to check them out on Facebook, Instagram and join them on Line for the latest updates, promotions.

Thank you for reading.