Beauty - Make-Up Tutorials Online

The beauty junkie in me has been having huge fun with make up in the last few weeks. I have been investing in white eye liner, a neutral shade lip liner, a new set of makeup brushes and skin primer and it is all because I recently discovered Michelle Phan and her truly fab online tutorials which are free and just too good not to share.

There is nothing that I like more than to experiment with different looks so bored, jaded and totally tired of what I call my 2010 'look', I decided one late night in October last year to trawl You Tube to get some ideas for a variation of those stunning smokey eyes that you see only in magazines but can never quite replicate in real life, by yourself.

That's when I stumbled upon Michelle Phan. Youthful, doe-eyed, fresh faced and extremely entrepreneurial, this up and coming makeup artist with the Disney princess voice has over one million subscribers and is one of You Tube's hottest exports with a sponsorship by Lancome and her own line of make-up brushes and accessories. She also has what I consider some of the best tips that I have found on-line or anywhere to date, from how to experiment with different looks to how to clean your makeup brushes and properly dry and store them.

So if you are looking for simple, clear and easy to follow instructions then her snappy made-at-home videos which are actually quite professionally put together by her are worth checking out. Just to save you some time trawling through her 100 over You Tube tutorials, here are some of my favourite 'how-tos' for:

Dewy Skin and Polished Eyes for a Simple and Clean look: http://www.youtube.com/user/MichellePhan#p/u/5/9hCMD02t3nc

Seductive Smokey Eyes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zupy7R4uR2g&feature=relmfu

Club Night out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-joBOHlg5J0&feature=related

How to clean your makeup brushes properly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVdciJkmb7o&feature=related

And if those don't keep you sufficiently entertained, her friend Chriselle, a US based fashion stylist has great tips on what to wear and how. My recent favourite is 7 different ways to wear a scarf as it is still relatively cool in Hong Kong. At 12 degrees celcius this week - this is perfect scarf weather indeed! See: http://www.youtube.com/user/MichellePhan#p/u/4/KzPV0iXBANs

- Elaine

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Binge - It's All About The View At Salt Grill

Such an influx of high profile chefs into Singapore, it’s hard to keep up! Plus loads of really great, non-celeb restaurants opening up around town as well…one thing I realised a long time ago…..celebrity status doesn’t always translate to a better experience.

Salt Grill opened not long ago at the top of ION Orchard. Honestly, I don’t like going to that mall as it is such a labyrinth, and the journey to this new restaurant is no different. You go up to the 4th level of the mall, squirm past the info counter, down a narrow side corridor that looks like an afterthought, then take the lift up to the 58th storey.

The lift lobby is interesting – so dark and disorientating that I almost walked into a wall, but I guess the contrast makes for a dramatic entrance. For when you finally get to the top floor, the blast of light and visual feast from the spectacular floor-to-ceiling glass walls, soaring ceiling and gobsmacking, wraparound bird’s-eye view of Orchard Road and the central district is truly a moment of orchestrated drama. Must get a window seat, as the view is absolutely fabulous.

It’s all Australian stylishness in there, from the smart waiters to the tablescape set in front of you. Of course, Mangan himself isn’t here and the kitchen is helmed by Kathy Tindall, head chef and Mangan protege.

We started with the yellowtail kingfish sashimi with ginger eschalot dressing ($29) – a fresh, lightly balanced morsel of tender firm slivers of fish that went down well with our sauvignon blanc – and the Salt Salad ($28) of vegetable with poached eggs, mozzarella and walnuts. It was a moderately sized portion, with crisp vegetables, but nothing out of this world except for its price. The crab omelette ($29) was surprisingly bold – something so simple yet well executed, sitting in a mellow broth redolent of miso and a slight tinge of mustard. Not too bad and makes for a light meal.

For mains, the snapper ($49) with tomatoes, capers and parsley presented a fairly large portion of delectably juicy fish, while the ribeye ($49) was pretty decent. I must say the mains, while good and pleasant, was nothing to shout about.

The mains are not served with too many sides, so order a few extra if you’re hungry. Particularly good were the thick cut fries with rosemary salt ($7) and the carrots with dukkah. The latter is also served with bread and is particularly delightful. I wish the restaurant bottled and sold it for it’s definitely worth bringing home!

We had a tangy passionfruit soufflé ($18) paired with banana ice cream – an odd couple which actually worked very nicely together. Chocolate 3 Ways ($18) was good too – a Valrhona fondant, wattleseed chocolate mousse and white choc salted caramel semifreddo – but once again, nothing to knock my socks off. I am told the liquorice parfait is also excellent, but we didn’t have a chance to taste it.

The restaurant serves degustation at $140 per head, and a two course lunch set at $40. Wines by the glass is steep – pushing $20 per glass of Aussie tipple, and $29 for Champers, but per bottle pricing is all right. No surprises that most are new world wines, mainly Australian and NZ.

As for the service? Hmm…..Put it this way. We had a waiter forget to clear the table after he asked us if we wanted it cleared, and went on his way to chat with colleages at the bar instead; and when he finally got round to it, dropped a plate on the table almost having the remaining gravy splashing out on us.

In subsequent days, I asked around, and those who had gone shared similar views. The final verdict? Be prepared to pay a premium for the view, get decent food and don’t expect stellar service. With that mindset, you won’t be disappointed.

55th floor ION Orchard

Tel: 65925118

By the way, do migrate with us to our permanent website at www.simplyfabulicious.com Joing our mailing list and stand to win a Club Med holiday! We'll be posting here til 15 March after which we will be posting only on our website. So come over to our new place. It's loads prettier and all are welcome!- EW

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Binge - One Night, Three Chefs

Can you really do three men in one evening? Here's a deal that gets you there and in your personal limo too!

The next time you potter off to Hong Kong with the girls, make a reservation for a five-Michelin-starred eating safari for some necessary indulgence. (Yeah, sorry - not as kinky as it actually sounded...but no less delicious.) Three of Hong Kong’s Michelin starred Cantonese restaurants, together with their masterchefs, have combine woks to serve up a meal across three destinations.

Travelling in your personal limo, the first stop for dins is Yat Tung Heen in Wanchai where you’ll start the menu with suckling pig and deep-fried pumpkin with pomelo sauce served with pancakes, deep-fried prawns with goose liver and honey-roasted glazed duck breast, and steamed beancurd with crab claw in crab roe sauce.

Then it’s off to The LanghamT’ang Court in Tsim Sha Tsui for stewed crab claw with black truffle mushrooms, stir-fried lobster with spring onions, red onions and shallots and baked seafood rice with cream sauce in crab shell. And finally, end off at the hotel’s two-Michelin-starred Ming Court with giant garoupa stuffed with shrimp paste, crispy boneless chicken with fried Yunnan ham and walnuts, and baked rice with diced abalone and cheese. Squeeze in some Chinese petit fours, and you’re finally done!

What makes this experience even more fun is that you’ll get to meet the masterchefs of each restaurant before you settle down to eat.

That’s a pretty special night on the town, isn’t it? Plus I guess you could bring your own bubbly?

A minimum reservation of two guests is required. And be prepared to fork over HK$1,880 per person.

For reservations and inquiries, call Ming Court at +852 3552 3300

or email hkg.lph.mingcourt@langhamhotels.com

NOBU In Town
Still on the topic of star spangled men, Nobu Matsuhisa will be back at NOBU InterContinental Hong Kong from 17-19 March with his friend, Guest Chef Yasajima Sasajima known for his blend of Italian-Japanese cuisine served up at the latter’s Il Ghiottone restaurants in Kyoto and Tokyo.

They’ll be collaborating to bring diners a special 8-course Omakase menu (HK$1,288+) where courses alternate between Chef Sasajima’s Italian-Japanese and Nobu-san’s mod-Jap dishes.



Expect to feast on Sasajima’s light smoked Lobster and Potato Potage, Fresh Salmon Confit, Asparagus & Ikura (Salmon roe) Salad; Japanese Wagyu Beef Tagliata with Kale, daikon cake and tapenade; and for dessert, Matcha Tiramisu & Kuromame Catalanai.

Nobu himself will be offering yummies like kue (seasonal Japanese garoupa) sashimi with blood orange and caviar; soup with bamboo shoots and sakura ebi shinjyo (seasonal small shrimp from Japan cooked in cherry blossoms), and peanut crumble, Nobu beer ice cream and jasmine peach soup. This menu is available from 17-31 March, with a sake pairing option at HK$1,688+.


There’s also a la carte options for the delicate eaters. On 17-19 March, taste Chef Sasajima signature a la carte dishes such as his most famous dish – Uni and bamboo shoot spaghetti with kinome (HK$320); crab and yellowtail leek carbonara (HK$238); and minced pork, brussel sprouts and white azuki bean risotto (HK$228).


Second Floor, InterContinental Hong Kong
18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2313-2323
E-mail: nobuhongkong@interconti.com

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Buys - We're Blown Away By Asiatique

I’ve often driven past Asiatique Collections along Dempsey Road, and always wanted to pop in, but never got down to doing it until yesterday. And you know what? I asked myself why I didn’t do so earlier! Why? Such wonderful furniture and décor thiiiiings!! And not crazy expensive either.

What was happening there was a press introduction to the shop – it’s been around for some time, but only recently expanded to a 5000 square feet space – and the launch of our friend Carolyn Kan’s jewellery, Carrie K., which has found a permanent home there. In short, an afternoon of pretty things!

Such a discovery, Asiatique is full of lovely home accessories and furniture, all impeccably tasteful, lusciously unique yet practical, which its equally exotic owner Chin Chelliah Bottinelli, personally sources from her travels. She works with some select artisans and “influences’ the design of many pieces, and you can see she’s very thoughtful in her picks.

Contemporary and elegant, they blend east and west in a very stylish, elegant way. What stands out are the clean lines and interesting textures. Everything would fit into a modern Asian home – I would buy these things, and I can imagine them in my friend’s houses too. In other words, they are modern pieces nicely designed for a ‘real’ home – not a showhouse. Most of the pieces are in muted neutrals, too, so it’s easy for you to work it into your home’s existing pieces.

I love the armchairs, railroad wood coffee tables, leather dowry cupboards, and huge, elaborate mirrors framed in all sorts of material, and mirrored Istanbul inspired sideboards. If you’re looking for candle holders, lamps and artisan jewellery, this is also the place to go. There are lots of small accessories too like little cake stands and platters; art pieces, sculptures – love the oversized mangosteen! – and assorted tableware. I salivate over a silver, coral shaped candle holder; a Victorian inspired “mirrored mirror”, and a huge silver vase which would look great at my dining table. Horrors! I could buy half the things in the shop! Nothing is ridiculous; if I didn’t take to any of the pieces I saw, it was likely because it wasn’t my taste – not that they are intrinsically ugly.

I found myself flipping over price tags, and was pleasantly surprised. It’s not Ikea, but it’s a very fair premium you pay for these unique pieces – not once did I feel that anything was overpriced and out to fleece you. I can imagine just getting one or two dramatic items to revive the look of any one of my rooms. Then there’s a section of bold artisan jewellery too by up and coming designers, of which Carrie K is the latest. Definitely a place to find fab gifts for a close friend.

We declare this shop ‘Simply Fabulicious!’

14A Dempsey Road

Tel: 6471 3146

11am – 7pm daily

- Ee Waun

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Beauty - Extreme Blotting

Blotting paper is just blotting paper, right? It’s got as much glam potential as a sink stopper right? WRONG!

Tatcha aburatorigami is affordable luxury at its most extreme. It blows the mind how something as mundane as a little pieces of paper to blot our your facial sebum can be made into an item of coveted luxury. But here it is – delicate little squares of finest grade abaca leaf flecked with gold! The abaca leaf is apparently very strong, yet super soft and offers mega absorbency to lift off excess shine. Handmade in Japan, fragrance- and powder-free, with no animal testing involved, it is blots without disturbing your make up.

Why do we absolutely need this? Its soft, ‘plant-like texture’ means we don’t need to fiddle with stiff, scratchy cheap blotting paper that looks more like baking paper; and for a touch of frou-frou, it’s a little ‘Geisha’ beauty legacy. Apparently, these ladies discovered that the handmade paper used by gold artisans to protect the metal as they hammered it into thin leaves, was great for taking oil off delicate skin. And so the rest is history, as they often say.

The gold doesn’t flake out on your face, we are assured – but that’s a shame isn’t it? A little too precious just to blot and toss. Post-blotting art and craft, anyone?

S$15.60 for a packet of 30 sheets

Pure Tincture Simple Organic Beauty Boutique

1 Raffles Place #04-22B

http://www.puretincture.com/

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Breaking News - Simply Fabulicious Has Moved!

Thanks for being part of the SimplyFab community these last two years! In the Year of the Bunny, we're thrilled to have finally built a permanent home on our very own website at http://www.simplyfabulicious.com/ 

We're so excited about this, we've tied up with the great people at Club Med to start off our the Simply Fab website on a luscious note!

Here's your chance to pack your teeniest-tiniest red bikini and run away on a 3 DAY 2 NIGHT escapade to Club Med Cherating! (valid for a stay from 1 April to 30 September 2011).

All you have to do is log onto our new website and join our mailing list for free by 14 March 2011. To do that, look for the subscription window ('Be Fabulicious!') on the right hand side of our home page

 

The prize includes:

One twin-share accommodation in a Superior room

Daily sumptuous Buffet Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner with free flow of red and white wine and beverages during Lunch and Dinner

Participation in all sports activities with instruction for adults and children to Mini Club Med (4 to 11 years old)

Terms:

• Travel must be completed by 31 October 2011 and no extension is allowed.
• Prize is non-transferable and non-refundable.
• This package excludes flights, land transfers, taxes and the compulsory Club Med membership of S$60 per adult.
• Room confirmation is subject to availability.
• Not valid for High Season
• This prize letter cannot be used in conjunction with other promotions or discounts.
• The original copy of the prize letter must be presented with your Singapore Identity Card or valid passport for verification when claiming your travel package. Restricted to Singapore residents only.

In the meantime....
We'll still be posting on blogger until March 14, after which this site will no longer be active. We hope you'd join us and all the other fabulicious readers in our new home at www.simplyfabulicious.com
If you need to contact us, please email us at elaine@simplyfabulicious.com or eewaun@simplyfabulicious.com
You can also follow us on our facebook page and twitter. Do drop us a note whenever you like to tell us what you want to see, your comments, thoughts, anything that hits you. 

Peace, Love and Cocktails!
The SimplyFab Team 

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BTW - The Next Big Thing in Kitchens!

The next time you think of doing it on the kitchen counter top, you should imagine a shiny, sleek and cool surface like Valcucine and not ... heaven forbid... Ikea! Do what you ask? Why fix a gourmet meal of course .. tsk, tsk... what were you thinking?

So who or what are  Valcucine? This ultra fashionable Italian kitchen brand looks set to be the next big thing in designer kitchen brands. Established by Giobanni Dino Cappellotto, Gabriele Centazzo, Franco Corbetta and Silvio Verardo in 1980 at a time when kitchen design was stiff, lack lustre and defined by lacquered boards, plastic, wood and stainless steel, the trio introduced materials like tempered alloy and tempered glass, carbon fibre and stain-proof stainless steel and also incorporated environmentally friendly materials in their design.

They emerged last year's winners of the ADI Italian Industrial Design Index 2010 for their outstanding quality, functional and typological innovation, production processes and use of materials and also bagged the ‘Best Kitchen & Materials Design Award’ with ELLE Magazine's Decoration International Design Awards (EDIDA), held in Beijing.

Distributed by Mooi Living Ltd exclusively in Hong Kong, China and Macau, check out their stunning split level 6000 square foot flagship store at 69 Blue Pool Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2893-8198. See: http://www.valcucine.com.hk/

- Elaine

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Breakaway - Marathon Stays and Rugby Sevens in Hong Kong

Even as I write, I know I have eaten too much and consumed waaay too many martinis and Champagne last night. CNY has this effect on you – obligatory binges that I am not complaining about, but which I will regret later when the fat sets in. I wish I had paid my dues earlier, and ran more, did more push ups, etc. I am still trying to bust my underarm hang. Sigh…but how to you go jogging while nursing a hangover?

I guess those who are planning to run the Hong Kong Marathon on 20 Feb have no such issues, fit as a fiddle and all ready to leap on the plane to fly there to run all 42.7 kilometres, if the smog doesn’t get to you first.

The Excelsior Hong Kong is offering a ‘Get Ready for the Marathon’ package between 18 and 28 February. For HK$1,600 per night, it gives you accommodation in a Superior Room, daily brekkie for two, complimentary InBody body composition analysis, HK$220 body treatment credit at the hotel’s fitness centre to relax and recuperate after the run, a training session at HK$400 per hour by the hotel’s personal trainers and 20% discount on F&B including room service. This deal requires a minimum two nights’ stay. It’s an old hotel, mind you, but it’s centrally located in Causeway Bay – lots of pre and post run shopping and eating – and if you get the larger rooms, you can get the great view of the harbour!

281 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay

Call +852 2837 6840

e-mail at exhkg-reservations@mohg.com

or book online at www.mandarinoriental.com/excelsior

Still on Hong Kong, lots of people around the region potter over for the annual international Rugby Sevens each year. This time it falls on 24-28 March. Award winning boutique hotel The Fleming in Wanchai, is offering a special package from HK$2,280 a night to HK$3,680 for Executive rooms with fully-equipped kitchens, based on a three-night minimum stay.

Apart from smart digs, this gets you daily breakfast, complimentary cocktails every evening, 20% discount on room service and 50% discount on all drinks except wine at signature restaurant Cubix, where the 3-course set dinner is priced at just HK$150. There’s also complimentary broadband Internet access, local calls, and access to the California Fitness Centre located nearby. Why stay here? It’s a 5-10 minute taxi ride from the Hong Kong Stadium, and steps away from Lockhart Road where fans celebrate after games.

41 Fleming Road, Wan Chai

Tel: (852) 3607 2225

E-mail: rsvn@thefleming.com

www.thefleming.com.hk

- Ee Waun

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Breakaway – Need An Excuse To Go Tokyo?

Here’s a perfect excuse to pack your bags and escape to Tokyo – which we all love for its food and shopping! The new five-star Capitol Hotel Tokyu has a two nights for the price of one opening offer at US$360 for two nights! That translates to about S$225 per night for luxury digs in Akasaka in downtown Tokyo. This deal gives you free wifi and access to the fitness centre and swimming pool, too.

Overlooking the city’s historic Hie Shrine, The Capitol Hotel Tokyu’s got panoramic views of Tokyo’s skyline from the 18th to 29th floors, five restaurants and bars, as well as the necessities like spa facilities, etc. Designed by the world famous Kengo Kuma, it sits on the site of the former Tokyo Hilton Hotel, which has since been demolished. Need to know: the hotel is a 10-20 minute subway ride from Tokyo Station and the major shopping and dining areas of Ginza, Roppongi, Shinjuku and Shibuya.

The deal stands until end April. Only down side is, it’s capped at only 10 rooms per day.

2-10-3, Nagata-cho, chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0014, Japan

Email: capitol.ma@tokyuhotels.co.jp

www.capitolhoteltokyu.com

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Happy Lunar New Year

It's the Chinese New Year! Happy new year, and may the Year of the Rabbit be a happy, healthy and all-out fabulicious one for you and your family. And in true SimplyFab style, our little gift to you is a recipe for Mandarin Martinis, so you know exactly what to do with al the leftover 'kum'! 

SimplyFab's Own Mandarin Martini Recipe

2 shots freshly squeezed mandarin juice

1 shot vodka (more if you like!)

1/2 shot cointreau or grand marnier

11/2 tsp syrup 

1 wedge mandarin

• Pop some ice in a shaker
• Put all the liquid ingredients in and shake until it's so cold your fingers can't take it. 
• Pour it out into your favourite martini glass
• Drop in the mandarin wedge. 
• Chin Chin!

Gong xi fa cai! Xing xiang shi cheng, hua kai fu gui!

Elaine & Ee Waun

The SimplyFab Team

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