Halloween 2011

Lot's of parties on this Halloween, even Hello Kitty got into costume. Instead of goth nails this year, I went right into creepy luminous red with silver shatter and colourful pumpkins, ghouls and bats instead.



High Tea @ Equinox

At the highest restaurant in Singapore, 70 floors above with a view of MBS and it's skypark. My mom still remembers this place as Compass Rose.

High tea at Equinox is not complete without tea and TWG is served here. My mom and I managed to try Bain de Rose that was high on scent and Singaporean Breakfast Tea that had exotic spices blended into green and black tea leaves. The tea station kept the staff busy refilling the hot water canteen and fresh teapots.

It's Halloween, thankfully the food wasn't frightful.

Check out the fresh lobsters in the salads and truffle oil in the pasta.

This high tea was on the house if you are Feed at Raffles member, so are the bottles of red and white wine we got to lug home.

Cross-stitch tip #4

You can always rely on memory and pattern recognition. But, it's so much easier to mark out the parts you are done with a highlighter or sharpie. Just be sure to make colour copies as backups.

Itacho Sushi

This place serves pretty authentic sushi, all seasonally stocked and chef's recommendations are changed accordingly.

I can't stop popping these tasty little morsels into my tummy.

There is jumbo scallop sushi that is huge! I am just as happy with the torched aji sashimi, uni gunkun or yellowfin tuna sushi.

CUT by Wolfgang Puck

 After trying most of the restaurants in MBS, I have to say CUT really makes the cut. Their cocktails are the best part of any visit. Having said that, prime steakhouses tend to drop their standards the longer they've been around.

Today I had Xiang Li's fragrant pear concoction that was just simply delicious, I think my standards for alcoholic drinks just went up a couple of notches.

Also the first time I am having their lounge food, characterized by soft brioches and crisp toasts. I couldn't stop stuffing myself. Even the gougere was delicious, soft, flaky with a hint of heat from the cayenne.

I got a peanut butter and jelly macaroon from the Sweet Spot for dessert on my way home.



Hooters

Hooters serves the best wings, even as a kid I knew that. Just be sure to order original and not one of those other flavours. Washed down with a cold pint of apple cider. St Louis Cardinals playing on the big screen.

Don't order anything else. The apple crumble I had was cold outside and bubbling hot inside,  a sure sign it had been microwaved.

Jemma is Born

My cousin Jo just gave birth to an adorable little rabbit girl Jemma. Congratulations!



Cross-stitch tip #3

Bits and pieces of thread ends are not to be thrown away. At the end of the sewing, there will always be a couple of empty spots to patch. Tag these pieces of loose thread with their codes for identification later.

Thimble

I don't really like traditional tin thimbles as I have trouble keeping it on my fingers.

So I was happy to buy the new improved rubber thimbles that stay on your fingers, that is provided you have small fingers.

 For the rest of us that do not sew often, a band-aid works just as well. It wraps snugly around fingers creating a customized fit and the spongy side protecting your skin.

 

Decleor Institut

I woke up with no plans on this rainy Saturday, maybe some vegging in front of the TV. By mid-day, my entire family had disappeared off to their own appointments and I started to feel a little lonely. I called some spas hoping for an available slot today and was in luck when Decleor Institut at Raffles Hotel confirmed my last minute request.

The discreet spa is located in a quiet corner of the hotel shopping arcade and by appointment only. There wasn't anyone when I arrived and definitely nobody walking around outside as well. A perfect retreat from the hustle & bustle of the city just steps away.

After a relaxing 2 hours worth of body treatments, I took some time to browse through the illuminated displays. You will be glad to know all products are clearly tagged with prices and some Christmas specials already in store. I was famished and waiting for dinner hours, this was when the staff appeared with sweet barley milk porridge that I finished quite readily.

Before my spa appointment, I took a detour into the peddar warehouse sale that is on this weekend at Raffles City Swissotel. There are no crowds as the rain must be keeping the people away. I bought this gorgeous nude pair of snakeskin Tory Burch flats.

Elderflower Cordial

Blast from the past, elderflower cordial a colonial carryover. When I was a kid, the only cordial I would drink is ribena. A resurgence of this flowery herbal drink for iced teas and lemonades will make my drink mixes that much more enjoyable these autumn days.

Balloon Figurines

Isn't it amazing!

Pumpkins!

The grocery stores are stocked with autumn's harvest. I like the giant pumpkins best. So if you are planning to grow your own atlantic giant, be sure to choose a sunny spot and clear some space around it.

Cross-stitch tip #2

When it comes to starting a cross-stitch, especially a big one, everyone has a different strategy for tackling the piece.

There is the focused approach, where a central object is sewn first followed by another object until the final picture is formed. You get to see the fruits of your labour and can abandon the rest at any time.

 Some like to sew from each of the 4 corners and gradually build the final piece from there. This is a good technique if you are doing a giant signboard as it can get tiresome counting and moving across the fabric.

My favourite technique is to sew by colour, then do a tick back on the codes so I know when I am done. I have also found this to be efficient for pieces with lots of colours and where colour mixing is required.

Walking around Orchard

I was at Shenton Way this morning to collect a prize and dropped by Orchard Road. The Jewelfest was on at Takashimaya but there aren't any exhibition pieces around this year, all wearable items.

A little further down is H&M, 4 floors of clothings and accessories at cheap prices. And the prices were low, I saw some of last season's stock around. I bought this gold hairband in Munich last year for EUR 8, the same hairband is selling here for S$7.50 now. A good buy just got better!

Spa Shower Gels & Scrubs

Putting the spa in my bathroom. I realize a huge part of the spa experience is in the products used, so I stock my bathroom with spa products. A blend of minerals and natural distilled ingredients that induce those feel good moments will always be with me.

Pillow Mists

The bedtime scents to lull you to sleep, it works like aromatherapy only stronger.

Cleansers and Toners

If those grooming classes back in school taught me anything, it is that proper removal of make-up is more important for your skin than anything else cosmetics companies can sell you.

Cleanse - Wash - Tone

My favourite brand back in school was Clarins cleanser & toner that was above average in results for a reasonable price. It completely removes all trace of makeup leaving the skin soft and supple afterwards. Sometimes 400ml combo packs are available for around $100. The facial wash is too gentle though.

When I got older and started on facials at the spa, I moved onto Sothys. For a slight increase in price, you get better results. The cleansers and toners work well with Sothys grommage (scrub) and facial washes. With the occasional desquacreme thrown in for deep skin peeling/cleansing. You can get 400ml combo packs for around $150.

Right now, I am trying out several different brands to find a new favourite. I have Lancome on my bathroom shelf this month. My aunts and cousins are such fans of this brand. So far so good, I really like the naturally fragranced toner. Cleansing gel has micro beads so it works as a scrub as well.

Hide Yamamoto

The Japanese restaurant at MBS. There is a bar, robata/teppanyaki grill and seating area. There isn't any ramen today for some strange reason.

The food may be reasonably priced but the green tea starts from $9, so you know this is located within the hotel. 

The meal started with pickled fried fish that was really delicious and flavourful, the chirashi was very fresh, even the wasabi was freshly grated. Miso soup was rather bland but you are not here to sip miso right. 

I thought the desserts would be traditional Japanese and was surprised with a apricot and kiwi sorbet in crushed biscuits. There is an affiliated casual dining place called Hy California that I will be making my way down to.

Oh yea, and I got my nails done. This time in silver shatter.