Start The Year With A Treat

The year has started and it’s back to the grind after two weeks of partying, feasting and hopefully, some thoughtful reflection. So I suggest we start the year with a treat. There is a strong case for this. One – we deserve a reward for working towards world peace and familial harmony last year; and two – we’ll be working hard again this year putting all the resolutions we’ve planned into motion, grooming our nest, nurturing quality children and bringing home our share of the bacon. With so much on our plates, what better way than to start 2011 on a motivating note! We should….

Go shopping in Hong Kong!

A weekend would be perfect! Elaine will vouch for the high quality of retail therapy available there. And while there, you might as well take advantage of Metropark Hotel Wanchai Hong Kong’s newly launched Ladies Only Floor, called ‘She by Metropark’ (pictured above and top). So it’s not super duper luxe, but it is very comfy and pretty, with all the comforts particularly catered to the girls. Pretty, feminine rooms come with pillow menu, feminine accessories and design, complimentary broadband internet access and spa toiletries by THANN. Without a doubt, such a floor also gives women travellers a greater level of security. What’s best though is its great location smack bang in the heart of the city, near shops like Pacific Place, and foodie hubs like Lan Kwai Fong. To mark its launch, the hotel is offering an introductory package of HK$900 per room per night, excluding a 10% service charge, and late check-out at 3pm.

41-49 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

Tel:+852 2863-7399

Email rsvn.hkwh@metroparkhotels.com

Buy A Ring

Friendship ring, engagement ring, wedding ring, eternity ring…these little trinkets have a way of marking time, don’t they? So why not buy yourself a new year bling? I have been buying one for myself every year for the last few years already, and it’s a fun way to remember the passing time….especially when they are fun, whimsical pieces. It was a ladybird and flower pendant with black diamonds in 2009, an onyx and diamond lizard in 2010, wonder what it’ll be this year? If I had to choose one now, it’ll be a funky, edgy stud ring from GoldHeart. Not exactly Cartier, but I just love how easy these are to buy….! Only S$868.

Goldheart Boutiques islandwide in Singapore

Toast The Year

Before things heat up and get you too busy, catch up with old friends and toast the year. Two great places for sundowners, especially when the weather is still cool and breezy here, are Octapas Spanish Tapas Bar and Tomo Izakaya, two great watering holes with gourmet nibbles in Clarke Quay.

I like that Octapas is just by the riverside where you can while away a leisurely evening, grazing, drinking and talking. Run by the people who used to do Tapas Tree, it offers a good range of sangria and Spanish tapas. I like their traditional red wine based sangria (S$14 ) better than the white wine version with apple juice. You must have the grilled squid with balsamic vinegar reduction ($15.50), beef tenderloin ($17) comprising cubes of grilled tender, flavourful meat, and paella marisco which, though a little soft, is pretty pleasant with their richly braised vegetables. Reservations only up til 7pm weekdays.

From Spain to Japan, Tomo Izakaya, round the corner, offers a good range of sake (ask for the sparkling variety) and light Japanese eats, enough of which can make a meal. What I really liked was the kobacha ni, simmered pumpkin which though simple, was excellent; hijiki and simmered soybean salad ($9, above), Nasu Agebitashi or deepfried eggplant with soup stock and Ginger (S$7.30) and ebiten tama chazuke, a porridge with deep fried prawns($9.50).

Octapas Spanish Tapas Bar - Blk D #01-08 Clarke Quay Tel: 68372938

Tomo Izakaya - Blk 3A #01-04 Clarke Quay Tel: 6333 0100

Drink Good Coffee

Everybody’s raving about it, sipping it and buying it. Even though I have a Jura at home, I will admit Nespresso does a mean caffeine kick. Since our calorie intake is limited, don’t waste it on imbibing anything less than the best you can buy and get one of these sleek machines onto your kitchen counter. It’s latest models are the retro-stylish Nespresso CitiZ Metal, automatic single-headed espresso machine (S$598, left) and the Nespresso CitiZ and Milk Metal with built-in milk frother (S$728). It’s a great way to start off the remaining 359 mornings of 2011, no?

- Ee Waun

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Buys - Top 10 Christmas Gift Ideas!

A ton of press releases on gift ideas have come our way, from practical to just plain frivolous. It has been a near impossible task trying to categorise them by price and function so instead I picked my top 10 favourites. If you have not thought of something that you want for yourself, loved one, close friend or boss then hopefully this list gives you some nice ideas: 


WHAT'S IN YOUR STOCKING? ...

GIFT #1 - Tickets to Perth, Western Australia for the family. Available at: Singapore Airlines Family Playtime or visit the Best of Perth Travel Deals. It may be somewhat of a warm weather welcome with Winter in reverse seasons in Australia but you can't deny the charms of this laid back city with its great outlying countryside, good wine, great food and just a lovely atmosphere that makes a retreat there so much more relaxing than spending it in bustling built up Hong Kong (at least for me). Highlight events include the East Perth Picnic in the Park, IGA Christmas Carol Pageant and the Christmas Nativity Event at Forrest Place in the City. Check event listings and dates out here.

GIFT #2 - You really do not want a gift that you can't use so I thought the 'Ta Da' Gift  was a pretty good idea. The TA DA Gift (available only in Hong Kong) is essentially a gift experience that is pegged to how much you want to spend - think HK$500 onwards. Beautifully packaged in a high quality glossy gift box, it has a gift card with a phone number to a concierge service where you can arrange to redeem the gift. 

Select from 6 different categories  of gifts for eg. a Zen gift is all about the spa, pampering and relaxation, a Life gift includes gifts like a Thai boxing class or Horseback riding experience,  a Delicious gift is all about gourmet goodies, an Excite gift spells kayaking, war games and the likes, an Escape gift lets the lucky recipient take a break from the norm, and gain a whole new perspective on Hong Kong via an outdoor camping trip or a sailing trip to an off shore island. And of course if budget is no issue, the Ultimate gift offers the crème de la crème of experiences and can go up to HK$15,000. All in all, there are over 200 different choices of activities and things to do, give and receive. See: The Ta Da List!

GIFT #3 - Holidays are the time for catching up on beauty sleep and my bedroom could use this cool gadget called the i.relax ZEN Aroma Diffuser available at all Oregon Scientific stores, SOGO and SEIBU in Hong Kong. You simply plug in your ipod or mp3 player and you get soothing music, mood effects via a a soft glowing night light and a diffuser that gives off different light fragrances, all coming together for a good night's sleep. Product details here! 

GIFT #4 - As an Apple advocate, I have to say I would not mind unwrapping this one from under the tree. We hear that iLife '11 is out as its the new OSX Lion! 


iLife '11 gives Mac users even better ways to create and share photos, movies and music. There are more slideshow templates, a chance for you to make Hollywood style movie trailers, a faster and better People Finder to locate your cast for your photo and video projects along with new templates for you to custom make your own books and cards. Available at HK$488 as an upgrade for existing users. See: Apple Store


If you liked the Snow Leopard OSX then the Lion promises to be mighty and will give you a better and louder roar. Inspired by many of the iPad's software innovations such as offering new ways to discover, install and automatically update desktop apps. It also introduces Launchpad, a new home for all of your Mac apps; system-wide support for full screen apps; and Mission Control, which unifies Exposé®, Dashboard, Spaces® and full screen apps into an innovative new view of everything running on your Mac, and allows you to instantly navigate anywhere.  Shipping next Summer, start getting into the queue! 

GIFT #5 - In the market for a phone? Vertu and BlackBerry have both launched new ones. The newest BlackBerry Bold 9780 smartphone is the first  smartphone to come with the new BlackBerry 6 operating system, that has a rich new user interface, a fast and powerful WebKit-based browser, broadly improved communications plus multimedia capabilities, and an incredibly useful Universal Search feature. It is also equipped with a high quality 5MP camera with 512 MB Flash memory and an expandable memory card slot that supports up to 32 GB of additional storage. Additional features of BlackBerry 6 include expanded messaging capabilities, a dedicated YouTube app, simplification of the management of social networking and RSS feeds (Social Feeds), and integrated access to BBM (BlackBerry Messenger), Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. 

There is no doubt that you can't afford to lose a Vertu and their new Constellation Quest smartphone offers unparalleled luxury services and business tools with prices starting at S$9,900 onwards for the Brushed Stainless Steel with Black Leather (available early 2011) to the Yellow Gold, Sapphire keys version with Black leather at S$35,000. With the price tag comes a 24/7 Concierge service and an exclusive vertu.me email account. 

GIFT #6 - For that home party, present the host with a special collectible. Two  come to mind - the first is Mumm on Ice a.k.a G.H.Mumm Cordon Rouge, a special edition champagne launched for the holiday season that comes with a carrier tote that transforms into an ice bucket. Available in Hong Kong on 1 December at Wellcome and Jason's Market Place at HK$348. 

The next is Jacob Creek's new Sparkling Rose Moscato. I am a huge fan of muscat grapes and sweet wines, especially white. Yes, call me a peasant but I say that there is nothing lovelier than to sip icy cold moscato when you are chillin'. This one makes a good girlfriend gift not only because of looks but also quality and it has won a host of awards at the Australian wine shows. A value for money gift, available mid December from only HK$99 to HK$109 at selected outlets and retailers. Both drinks also available at selected outlets in Singapore, Beijing and Shanghai in the same period.  

GIFT #7 - I am tired of my boring old black luggage. So this release caught my eye. You are guaranteed to see your bright and bold coloured luggage come down that conveyor belt at the airport if you get any of these eye catching buys from  American Tourister this season. 

Two models, soft case Westlake (in 7 colours) and hard case F'Lite are being launched. Fully tested, these babies have passed the Drop, Jerk, Lock, Wheel and Tumble Test so whats there not to like? 

GIFT #8 - Impress that client or the boss with a trusty hamper. For lavish think H One and Sevva in Hong Kong, Cova in both Singapore and HK and The Link Home in Singapore. They have mastered the art of wowing the Taipan. 


At HK$988, this Appagamento hamper basket from H One comprising Pear Balsamic Vinegar, Black Truffle with Cheese Fonaue, Aged Parma Ham, homemade goodies including Chocolate Truffles, Cookies and Christmas Stollen, amongst others and a bottle of Prosecco, Zeta di Zardetto 2007  is not as expensive as I would have expected. Hampers go up to HK$8,888. Orders at (852) 2805 0638.  H one is at Shop 4008, Podium Level 4, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong.

At Cova in Singapore and Hong Kong, look out for 3 new cake designs, the Dolce Penguino (S$52 for 1 kg), the Chocolate and Cherries Logcake (S$48 for 1 kg) and the delightful Santa's Car (S$58 for 1kg) made from chocolate sponge mixed with butterscotch and gianduia cream.  Hampers abound at Cova where you can choose from 4 different prepacked designs or custom make your own. Prices start at only S$98. Call +65 6733 0777. 

7 beautifully packaged Hampers await at Sevva, mainly tableware gifts including French handcrafted silver and gold cutlery, napkin rings, exotic sugars, teas and honeys. Call +852 2537 1388 or go to Sevva. 

At The Link Home in Singapore, get your lovely ornaments custom packed into an elegant gift or choose from any of their exquisitely packaged hampers and gifts. 

GIFT #9 is the trusty Coffret Set. The prettiest by far this year are the ones from Crabtree and Evelyn. My favourites were the Vanity Cases (From S$85) and Hat Boxes (from S$95). The queues in Hong Kong rival the ones in LV and Chanel - just for a chance to get a whiff of the lovely smells coming from inside the store. 

GIFT #10 - And finally ... If you have not already bought the all in one latest Nespresso Latissima that we earlier recommended then this is definitely THE time! And to top it off three new limited edition flavours join the ever growing cache of gourmet tastes. Gift a few tubes of Vanilla Variation with its rich and velvety aromas of vanilla and the mellow flavour of the Livanto Grand Cru,  Caramel Variation, that evokes the creaminess of soft toffee and Almond Variation, a melt-in-the-mouth blend that evokes the mellow taste of Amaretti biscuits.


- Elaine

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Binge - For Barista 'wanna-bees', the Lattissima is a 'must-buy'!

In search of a coffee machine? There has never been a better time then now to get the ultimate all-in-one. Nespresso has just launched their new "Lattissima" a state-of-the-art machine that promises to hone the "home barista" in you. In short, you can run your own professional cafe at home, well almost, with the right ingredients and Nespresso capsules, of course! 

SimplyFab was invited for a recent private preview at the brand's swanky IFC boutique. At the same time, the lovely "coffee ladies" there brewed me a cup of their latest flavour, a limited edition blend called 'kazaar' and showed me how to brew a special recipe with it which I will share in a later post. 

Just on first impressions, the Latissima is no where as sexy looking as the Platinum Cube (I am a proud owner). However after I was properly introduced, I have to say that quite honestly, one classy lady to another (LOL) that I was suitably impressed! 

This is by far, the simplest fuss-free coffee machine to operate, clean and use. Everything is as you see, from cup warmer to milk frother is detachable and all fitted into one space-saving square box stand! 

The main difference (for me) between this machine and all the other brands that I have come across is in the four buttons on the machine body meant for you to select the type of coffee you want to enjoy - Lungo, Cappuccino, Macchiato, Espresso. 

The Platinum Cube only allows you to dispense coffee capsules and you use the accompanying Aerocino (milk frother) sold separately to determine the kind of coffee you want as after all the difference between a cappucino and a latte is basically in the amount of milk used. 

There are two additional buttons, one for water and one for milk and the Latissima controls the milk flow for you a the touch of a button so that if you want a gourmet coffee, you don't have to think too hard about how much milk to add to get what you want. Press 'capuccino' and just the right amount of milk gets dispensed and frothed into your cup. If you want it black, omit the milk. 

I liked the 'Water' button which allows you just dispense hot water throughout the various parts of the machine for self cleaning or you can get creative, put a teabag into a tea cup and use it to make a cuppa. In the Winter, warm up your cups on the flat top of the machine - now that is what I call using up all the sum of its parts!  PS. the machine comes in creamy white (seen here at HK$4,688), mysterious black (HK$4,988) and premium silver (HK$6,688)to match that dream counter top!  Now don't you want one already?

Available at Nespresso boutiques at The Elements Mall at Kowloon Station (2nd level, shop #2096) and IFC Mall in Central (Shop 1021, Podium Level One). 

- Elaine

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Buys Hong Kong - Uber Chic Nespresso

You now have the dream kitchen you always wanted. Now for the dressy accessories to pretty up that breakfast counter where you start your day. Make sure you take a look at Nespresso's Citiz range. Two new colours - uber cool Limousine Black and 60s White have joined the existing Titanium and Fire Engine Red in this cosmopolitan-ly chic range. Prices start at HK$2,699. See www.nespresso.com


- Elaine

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