Category

Gift Ideas

Category

Post-Event Blog Entry About Savour 2013 [Part 1 of 2]

By

WARNING:This blog entry is going to be a rather lengthy one and because we took over 400+ photos, you can expect to see tons and tons of photographs in just this blog entry alone. Anyhows, the way this blog entry is going to be written will be according to the chronological sequence of events that took place.

———-

It was our first time attending Savour 2013 and we absolutely loved the experience!

From Savour 2013

Despite the extremely hot weather and the minor hiccups, Savour 2013 was truly an event that should be on every foodie’s MUST-GO list.

From Savour 2013

We arrived at around 2pm in the afternoon and because we decided that we were going to be there the whole day, parking was an issue because we all know how expensive the carpark rates in town can be. Thanks to sgcarmart, we managed to find the carpark with the lowest rates and parked our car at the Ritz Carlton Hotel Singapore. We certainly hope that Ritz Carlton Hotel will not increase their carpark rates if they come across this blog entry but we shall just cross our fingers anyway.

As we bought the Savour Premier Pass for the Evening Session, we could only access the Gourmet Village in the evening; but though that was the case, we had full access to the Gourmet Market where there were tons of classes and workshops that were taking place.

From Savour 2013

Anyway, our Savour Premier Pass came with 30 Savour Dollars which we could use to purchase anything that we fancy at the Gourmet Market or Gourmet Village and because we used our Standard Chartered Bank Credit Card, we were entitled to 10% more Savour Dollars which makes it all the more worthwhile.

From Savour 2013

The Gourmet Market is sub-divided into different sections; namely, Jason’s [the supermarket], Savour Gourmet, Savour Lifestyle, Savour Wine, and Savour Baking.

To start off our Savour 2013 experience, we headed straight for Jason’s because we found the heat too unbearable that all we really wanted to do at that point of time was to just find a nice and cool place to chill-out. With that being said, Jason’s is indeed an extremely cool place because this is where we found the freshest produce of meats, vegetables, fruits, cheese, and many other assorted food products!

Just how fresh were the food products sold at Jason’s? Take a look at the pictures and you might just find yourself drooling over them!

Fresh Oysters from France

From Savour 2013

Fresh Seafood [Lobsters, Prawns, and Crabs]

From Savour 2013

Hams

From Savour 2013

Sausages

From Savour 2013

Lamb Meat

From Savour 2013

If you like a lamb meat to be cooked on the spot for you, yes, that sort of service was available at Jason’s!

From Savour 2013

You can also make your own salad……

From Savour 2013

……or have a freshly made sandwich.

From Savour 2013

Colourful fruits of all kinds were available as well.

From Savour 2013

We got the opportunity to sample some really fresh tomatoes.

From Savour 2013

For something even more premium, Jason’s also has caviar too……

From Savour 2013

…… and they don’t come cheap.

From Savour 2013

Cheese-lovers weren’t disappointed when they saw the variety of cheese that were sold at Jason’s.

From Savour 2013

Besides fresh produce, we spotted some really exotic dry goods like Jamie Oliver‘s Sauces and other food products like……

From Savour 2013

Condiments……

From Savour 2013

……Yummy Oat Slices……

From Savour 2013

……Nougats from France……

From Savour 2013

……and Japanese snacks.

From Savour 2013

For a little bit of booze, Jason’s had a large collection of wine selections and one can really be spoilt for choices.

From Savour 2013

Besides buying and eating, Jason’s also had a Gourmet Kitchen where classes and workshops were being held. It was a pity we arrived a little too late because when we were there, there was actually a class that was conducted by Bake King and it was about baking the Roti Boy Bun.

From Savour 2013

Having explored the entire Jason’s, we went to check out the Savour Baking section of the Gourmet Market and there, we found lots of yummy sweets and snacks that we really want to share with all of you.

The yummy pies from Windowsill Pies!

From Savour 2013

A closer look at one of the yummy pies that Windowsill Pies was selling at Savour 2013. By the way, the pies cost $8 for 1 slice and though it wasn’t really that cheap, it was worth trying because they were fantastic. If you’re a pie-lover and you missed out on Savour 2013, you can still head down to Windowsill Pie‘s Retail Store that is located at 78 Horne Road, Singapore 209078. They are closed on Mondays but are open from Tuesdays to Saturdays. For more information about Windowsill Pies, do check out their website: http://www.windowsillpies.sg/

From Savour 2013

Next up, we want to bring your attention to Hana Indulgence because we absolutely love their sweet treats that are specially imported from the Middle East!

From Savour 2013

There are really tons of specially imported sweet treats such as chocolates and Hana Indulgence makes their own chocolates which we found to be rather delightful.

From Savour 2013

Some of their other products include nougats……

From Savour 2013

……and sweets like these.

From Savour 2013

In fact, we bought a couple of sweets from them at Savour 2013 and at the time of blogging this entry, we have already finished all of them. If you want to try some authentic middle-eastern desserts and sweets, Hana Indulgence is really the place to go. They have a retail shop at Tanjong Katong Complex, #03-10 and we will definitely head back there to get some more yummy treats!

From Savour 2013

As we also missed the pie-making class, we waited for the chocolate appreciation workshop that was conducted by Hana Indulgence.

From Savour 2013

These were the various chocolates from Hana Indulgence that we sampled and tasted. To start with, Rohana taught us that good quality chocolates don’t melt when it is held between the index finger and the thumb. Rohana also highlighted that chocolate appreciation is similar to that of coffee appreciation because it involves the 5 senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing.

From Savour 2013

This is Rohana, Managing Director of Hana Indulgence, whom conducted the chocolate appreciation workshop.

From Savour 2013

Of all the chocolates that we have sampled, we would like to make one special mention of this particular chocolate that is wrapped with a red wrapper.

From Savour 2013

This chocolate that is wrapped with a red wrapper is a white chocolate that contains rose buds and some flower petals. It is really unique and when we took a bite of it, it really soothes the mind and calms the soul. It is really hard to believe that such an ordinary-looking chocolate could give such an effect so you got to really try one for yourself to understand what we’re talking about.

From Savour 2013

After the chocolate appreciation workshop, we went to check out the stuffs that the stores were selling and to be honest, we were so tempted to buy some new baking equipment.

From Savour 2013

Another store that we found pretty interesting is Cake Over Heels.

From Savour 2013

Cake Over Heels is a boutique cake shop that sells customised designer cakes and they do offer classes for cake decoration as well.

From Savour 2013

You might be surprised to know that both the heel and the bag can be eaten.

From Savour 2013

We were also taught how to make cupcakes like these but we will be providing more details in the sequel to this blog entry.

From Savour 2013

If you are looking for a custom-designed cake and/or if you would like to attend cake decorating classes, you might want to give Cake Over Heels a try. For more information about Cake Over Heels, do check out their website: http://www.cakeoverheels.com/

We hope that this blog entry hasn’t been too overwhelming for all of you because there are just so much things to blog about Savour 2013 that it is practically impossible to put everything into one blog entry. Hence, we shall stop here as it is and do look out for the sequel to this blog entry!

by
Keep Reading

Exciting Ben & Jerry’s News for All You Ben & Jerry’s Fans~!

By

Last Thursday, we were invited to an exclusive Ice-Cream Party at the Ben & Jerry’s Dempsey Scoop Shop and we totally enjoyed ourselves. The awesome people from Ben & Jerry’s hosted us with so much fuzzy warmth and love that it was a night down memory lane for both Baby and I.

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

Here are photos of the exclusive Ice-Cream Party that we attended at the Ben & Jerry’s Dempsey Scoop Shop.

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

If I had to choose between my car and Ben & Jerry’s Vintage Van…

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

I would probably have went for Ben & Jerry’s Vintage Van.

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

Check out the Ben & Jerry’s Merchandise that the Ben & Jerry’s Dempsey Scoop Shop is selling.

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

They even have tee-shirts with fabulous designs too!

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

Look at those temptinglicious Ben & Jerry’s Ice-Cream Cakes, perfect for birthdays!

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013
From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

The rather extensive menu at Ben & Jerry’s Dempsey Scoop Shop.

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

Seriously, Ben & Jerry’s Ice-Creams does go well with Waffles~!

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

During the Ice-Cream Party, there were games being played and in one of the games, participants were blind-folded and they have to guess the flavour of the Ben & Jerry’s Ice-Cream. Definitely not easy but certainly a doable task for a fan of Ben & Jerry’s!

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

Special appearance by the DJs from Power 98 FM.

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

Jeronimo performed a few numbers for all of us at Ben & Jerry’s Dempsey Scoop Shop.

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

A photo with Jeronimo.

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

I really love this song, “Firefly”, that Jeronimo performed at the Ice-Cream Party.

Say “Hello” to Woody, Ben & Jerry’s Mascot.

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

When Baby and I started dating more than 2 years ago, our favourite hangout spot was the Ben & Jerry’s Heeren Scoop Shop. Indulging in Ben & Jerry’s Ice-Cream then was a weekly affair. When Heeren underwent a major renovation, our love for Ben & Jerry’s Ice-Cream never once dwindled. In fact, all thanks to the generous promotions that NTUC Fairprice occasionally has, we often buy two pints of Ben & Jerry’s Ice-Cream to indulge at home while watching our favourite dramas or movies.

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

Our two favourite Ben & Jerry’s Ice-Cream flavours are Chunky Monkey and Triple Caramel Chunk. Of course, there are also other flavours such as the Maple Tree Hugger and the Peanut Butter Cup that we fancy a lot.

Chunky Monkey [Image Courtesy of Cake Group]

Maple Tree Hugger [Image Courtesy of Campus]

Well, we hope we ain’t making you salivate at this point in time but we are really happy to announce that we’re one of Ben & Jerry’s Moolets! Hence, if you’re a Ben & Jerry’s Fan like us, you will definitely be able to find out the latest news and insights that are happening at Ben & Jerry’s on our Blog!

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

So first up, we will like to announce to all of you that Ben & Jerry’s annual FREE CONE DAY will be taking place in 5 days time on 9 April 2013, Tuesday, from 12pm to 8pm at seven Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops! The location of the seven Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop are as follows:

1. VivoCity, 1 Harbourfront Walk, #02-135/136, 12pm to 8pm
2. Dempsey Hill, Block 8 Dempsey Road, #01-14, 12pm to 8pm
3. The Cathay, Level 1 Atrium, 2 Handy Road, 12pm to 8pm
4. Rochester Mall, 31 Rochester Drive, #01-01, 12pm to 8pm
5. Ben & Jerry’s @ Zoo Entrance, 80 Mandai Lake Road, 12pm to 6pm
6. Fairprice Finest @ TripleOne Somerset, 111 Somerset Road #01-04, 12pm to 8pm
7. Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade, #02-40A, 12pm to 8pm

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

This year’s line-up of funky flavours for Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day are Chocolate Therapy, English Toffee Crunch, Maple Tree Hugger, Strawberry Cheesecake and Lemonade Sorbet! If you’re wondering what’s the best flavour to have on Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day, we definitely would recommend Chocolate Therapy and if you just can’t get enough of it, all the major supermarkets in Singapore are currently having a promotion where you can stand a chance to win weekly lucky draw prizes by purchasing 2 pints of Ben & Jerry’s Ice-Cream [at least 1 have to be Chocolate Therapy flavour]. This promotion is ongoing from now till the end of April!

Chocolate Therapy [Image Courtesy of On Second Scoop]

Apart from making your mouths and bellies happy on Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day, we also hope that you will join Ben & Jerry’s in doing some good for the community by raising funds for Project Happy Feet [Ben & Jerry’s fairness partner for Free Cone Day 2013]. Project Happy Feet is a Singapore-based not-for-profit organisation set up to empower the lives of underprivileged youths and children in Singapore and developing countries. It supports education-related initiatives and programmes through fund-raising that can positively impact them or their families.

To further aide Ben & Jerry’s in this cause, the CLEO editorial team will be adopting a Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop at VivoCity. The first 400 Ben & Jerry’s fans in line at the CLEO adopted scoop shop need not worry about the long queues as they will each receive a copy of CLEO’s April issue! To add fudge to your ice cream, CLEO will be throwing in a complimentary three-month digital subscription of CLEO magazine for the first 200 kind fans who donates more than $30 to Project Happy Feet. Now, that’s something to look forward to if you’re heading to Ben & Jerry’s VivoCity Scoop Shop on Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day!

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013

With that being said, we have yet another piece of exciting news for all of you. For our Blog Giveaway this April, we are giving away 5X Ben & Jerry’s Ice-Cream Voucher which you can use to redeem a free scoop of Ben & Jerry’s Ice-Cream ONLY at Ben & Jerry’s VivoCity Scoop Shop. The voucher is valid till 15 October 2013; so you have about 6 months to utilise it if you win! So, to participate in our Blog Giveaway for the month of April, check out the following link: https://awinsomelife.org/current-blog-giveaway/

See you all at the Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day that will be taking place on 9 April, Tuesday!

From Ben n Jerry’s 2013
by
Keep Reading

The Phantom of the Opera Returns to Singapore on 16 July 2013

By

The world’s most successful and longest-running show on Broadway, “The Phantom of the Opera” is returning to Singapore and the award-winning musical is set to take Singapore by storm when the show opens on 16 July for a STRICTLY LIMITED season at The MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands.
[Image Courtesy of Base Entertainment Asia]

From The Phantom of the Opera 2013

Previously, The Phantom of the Opera experienced a sold-out season not just in Singapore but also in Shanghai and Seoul in 2007; so if you are planning to catch it, be sure to book your tickets fast as it will definitely be selling like hotcakes.

If you have never heard of The Phantom of the Opera and you don’t know what is it all about, The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a disfigured musical genius known only as ‘The Phantom’ who haunts the depths of the Paris Opera House. Mesmerised by the talent and beauty of a young soprano, Christine, the Phantom lures her as his protégé and falls fiercely in love with her. Unaware of Christine’s love for Raoul, The Phantom’s obsession sets the scene for a dramatic turn of events where jealousy, madness and passions collide.

[Image Courtesy of Base Entertainment Asia]

From The Phantom of the Opera 2013

The Phantom of the Opera is a timeless, romantic and much-loved musical that has been honoured with seven prestigious New York Tony Awards including Best Musical, seven Drama Desk Awards and three Olivier Awards. The Phantom of the Opera has also been seen by over 130 million people worldwide, in more than 27 countries, has grossed more than US$5.6 billion, and has won over 50 major theatre awards.

With 130 cast, crew and orchestra members, jaw-dropping scenery, breathtaking special effects and more than 230 costumes by international designer, the late Maria Björnson, The Phantom of the Opera contains some of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most famous and stirring music, including “The Phantom of the Opera”, “Music of the Night”, “Angel of Music” and “All I Ask of You”.

The Music of the Night in The Phantom of the Opera [my personal favourite]

Tickets will be on sale to Mastercard Priceless members from 25 March 2013 and general public ticket sales will start from 4 April 2013. Ticket prices start from SGD$55 for the lowest category up to SGD$230 for the highest category. Prices EXCLUDES the booking fee of SGD$3 per ticket.

Showtimes for Tuesday to Friday is at 8pm. For showtimes on both Saturday and Sunday, there will be two sessions that will take place at 2pm and 8pm.

To book your tickets, you can either book online via the following websites: www.BASEentertainmentasia.com or www.MarinaBaySands.com/Ticketing

Alternatively, you can book by phone via the number 6688-8826 or book in person at Marina Bay Sands Box Offices [Museum, Theaters, SkyPark, Retail Mall and Hotel Tower 1 and 3 Lobby]

For VIP, Hotel and Dining Packages, please visit www.showbizasia.com

Corporate and Group Bookings are available via Showbiz so for corporate and group bookings, you can email to the following address at corporate@showbizasia.com or call 6688-1029

Don’t miss out on The Phantom of the Opera when it returns to Singapore on 16 July 2013 for a limited season!

by
Keep Reading

Nespresso Atelier Class [SAVOUR 2013 Preview]

By

Recently, I was invited to attend the Nespresso Atelier Class, which is also a preview of the classes that are available at SAVOUR 2013. I will be sharing more about SAVOUR 2013 in a separate blog post but meanwhile, take a look at the Nespresso Atelier Class that I attended with other Bloggers like Magdalene, Dawn Yang and Juliana.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

To begin with, coffee isn’t a subject that is totally alien to me. Back then when I was a scrawny-looking youth and was working at McCafe as a Barista, we didn’t exactly have any formal training. It was 100% on the job training [also known as OJT] and within a short period of 3 months, I acquired the necessary knowledge to make espressos, cappuccinos, lattes, frappes and other types of beverages. Knowing how to make these coffee beverages were what I was good at, but what I probably lacked was the knowledge of coffee appreciation as an art.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Similarly, many of us enjoy drinking coffee to stay awake but what we probably didn’t know is how we can appreciate coffee. As coffee is an acidic beverage, it is highly recommended that we take in some food before drinking coffee. As such, we bloggers were treated to a sumptuous spread of canapes before we went on to learn about coffee appreciation.

Bacon with Artichokes

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Scallop with Truffles

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Cheese with Tomatoes

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Mini Lasagna

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Here we are happily eating all those yummy canapes that were served.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

After we were done eating, we were ushered to the desk where it was set up for all of us to learn about coffee appreciation.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Allow me to introduce you to the Nespresso Pixie Coffee Machine that we used for the Nespresso Atelier Class.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

What I like best about the Nespresso Pixie Coffee Machine is that it is really eco-friendly. The aluminium of the panels is made of 98% recycled Nespresso Capsules and it is really energy-efficient as it auto powers off after 9 or 30 minutes. Though it is eco-friendly, it doesn’t compromises on its performance and heats up in only 25-30 seconds! Moreover, it is rather stylish and comes in 6 different colours. You can also purchase a separate milk frother to create interesting coffee beverages like cappuccinos and lattes.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

The Nespresso 16 Grand Crus Coffee Capsules that can be used in all Nespresso Coffee Machines are produced from an exclusive selection of the finest green coffee grown in the world. Only an estimated 1-2% of the coffee grown globally meets Nespresso’s specific taste and aroma profiles. Hence, you can be assured that every Nespresso 16 Grand Crus Coffee Capsules are of the highest standards for quality and sustainability.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Our trainer for the evening, from whom I gained lots of insights into coffee.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

My learning space for the evening. Extremely professional and personalised.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Here are the 3 out of the 16 Nespresso Grand Crus Coffee Capsules that we tried for the evening. My personal favourite is the Dulsao do Brasil because of its smooth and balanced taste.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

The Nespresso Pixie Coffee Machine is really easy to operate. Its a simple matter of putting the coffee capsule into the machine, pushing the lever down, and pressing the button.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013
From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

And there you go, an instant hot cup of espresso coffee to start the day!

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

From the Nespreso Atelier Class, I discovered that coffee appreciation is rather similar to wine appreciation or even tea appreciation for that matter. To appreciate coffee, you have to make use of your sense of sight, smell, and taste and to begin with, you first use your sense of sight to look at the coffee. You should observe that there is a layer of golden brown crema at the top of the coffee and the bubbles present in the crema should be small and fine.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

If you scoop up the crema using a teaspoon, the crema should stick to the teaspoon and not drip.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Following which, you use your sense of smell to smell the coffee. When smelling the coffee, let the aroma of the coffee sink into your mind and as it does so, try to associate the coffee to something that smells like it. It could be the scent of hazelnut, chocolate, candy, toffee, maple and so on.

Finally, you use your sense of taste and taste the coffee. To taste the coffee, you should slurp a reasonable amount of coffee and let the coffee flow all over your tongue just before you swallow it. After you have tasted the coffee, try to associate the coffee to something that tastes like it and use descriptive words to describe how it tasted. Some descriptive words could be mellow, smooth, balanced, intense, fruity, acidic, and so on.

*Before you go on and taste another type of coffee, it is important that you always cleanse your palate with a mouthful of water.

Having learned the art of coffee appreciation, we were treated to a delightful Tiramisu cake that was made from Nespresso Coffee.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Besides learning how to appreciate coffee, we also had the opportunity to make our very own Cappuccino A La Rose. Here, I had the opportunity to use the Nespresso Milk Frother and using it was a breeze. I just had to push a button and the milk will be heated up and frothed.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013
From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

I have to say, the Nespresso Milk Frother really frothes the milk beautifully.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Well, it is rather simple to make the Cappuccino A La Rose. All you need is a shot of espresso coffee, 30ml of rose syrup, and a piece of milk chocolate.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

The first step is to pour the rose syrup into a coffee cup.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Next, you put in 1 piece of milk chocolate into the coffee cup filled with the rose syrup.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Then add in a single shot of espresso into the mixture.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

After which, add some warm milk until the coffee cup is 3/4 full.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

Finally, scoop up some milk froth and fill the coffee cup till it is full.

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

If you wish, you can lightly dust some red icing sugar. If not, this was how my cup of Cappuccino A La Rose looks like. The white stuffs that you see on my cup of Cappuccino A La Rose are not marshmallows but milk froth. Yes, my skills as a  former Barista are still intact and working good. 😛

From Nespresso Atelier Class 2013

All in all, the Nespresso Atelier Class was an eye-opener for me and if you’re interested in attending such a class, do check out SAVOUR 2013 because they have a whole range of other culinary workshops and classes like these that are available for you to learn and experience. For me, this will definitely not be the end of my learning journey with coffee. I definitely will hope to learn more about coffee as a subject and venture into the art of making wonderfully crafted coffee beverages. Once a Barista, always a Barista!

by
Keep Reading

The Verdict for LG Optimus G Smartphone [Part 5 of 5]

By

In this final installment of our LG Optimus G Smartphone Blogbuster Series, we will be sharing with you our verdict for the LG Optimus G Smartphone.
If you haven’t read our previous installments of the LG Optimus G Smartphone Blogbuster Series, you can click the following links to check it out:

LG Optimus G Smartphone Specifications [Part 1 of 5]
LG Optimus G Smartphone QSlide Function [Part 2 of 5]
LG Optimus G Smartphone Cheese Shutter (Camera Function)- [Part 3 of 5]
LG Optimus G Smartphone Apps- Quick Translator & Safety Care [Part 4 of 5]

________________________________________________________

Our Verdict:

Having fiddled with the LG Optimus G Smartphone for a week, we really like the responsiveness of the phone. With the QSlide Function, running multiple apps at one go is really a breeze and the performance of the phone was way beyond our expectations. In fact, loading games with intense graphics were pretty fast and smooth.

Images displayed on the 4.7-inch True HD IPS Plus Display were extremely sharp and lifelike and we really like how the phone optimises the battery by automatically controlling the brightness of the display. The apps that are available on the LG Optimus G Smartphone also comes in rather handy and we enjoyed using the phone very much.

Having said that, we really hope LG will consider investing more money to develop better cameras for their smartphones. Though we really like the Cheese Shutter Function on the LG Optimus G Smartphone, the images that were produced aren’t exactly the best if we were to compare it against the images produced by other smartphones. This is despite the fact that the LG Optimus G Smartphone’s camera has the highest number of megapixels as compared to the rest of their competitors.

So, if you’re looking for a smartphone that packs a punch in terms of power and productivity, and you don’t mind its mediocre onboard camera, you definitely have to choose the LG Optimus G Smartphone. The LG Optimus G Smartphone is available at all local telcos retail stores and hint hint, it’s cheaper to get it from Starhub! 🙂

by
Keep Reading

LG Optimus G Smartphone Apps- Quick Translator & Safety Care [Part 4 of 5]

By

Continuing from where we left off about the LG Optimus G Smartphone Blogbuster Series, we are going to share with you some general information about the Quick Translator and Safety Care Apps that are available on the LG Optimus G Smartphone.
Quick Translator
The Quick Translator App on the LG Optimus G Smartphone allows you to translate texts from any language to another language that you are familiar with. This is especially useful when you travel overseas and there’s a need to look up the meaning of certain texts which are presented in a language that you are unable to comprehend.

Safety Care
The Safety Care App can be very useful in times of an emergency. For instance, should you dial an emergency number such as 999 or 995, an emergency contact which you have already pre-assigned would be automatically alerted of your location. Also, should you not use your phone over a duration of time that you have pre-assigned or if your phone is running low on battery, your pre-assigned emergency contact will also be informed of your location. Hence, your pre-assigned emergency contact would be able to keep track of your last known location and inform the relevant authorities accordingly.

For a better understanding of the Quick Translator and Safety Care App, here’s a short video demonstration that we have created.

In the final part of our LG Optimus G Smartphone Blogbuster Series, we will be concluding our review of the LG Optimus G Smartphone and what we feel you should know about the LG Optimus G Smartphone!

Stay tuned!

by
Keep Reading

March Blog Giveaway: 1KG of Huiji Honey Worth SGD$7.50

By

We have an exciting piece of news for all you Winsomelifers because we’re launching our March Blog Giveaway, courtesy of the kind sponsorship from Huiji. So for our March Blog Giveaway, 3 Lucky Winners will be selected to win a 1KG Bottle of Huiji Honey worth SGD$7.50
[Image Courtesy of Fanpop]

In case you’re wondering, Huiji Honey is natural honey from China and this pure honey is distinctively different from others because of its pure concentrated form. Nutritious & delicious, honey can also be used for barbecues & for baking of cakes. Not only that, honey helps to relieve dryness in the mouth & also promotes good health.

[Image Courtesy of Huiji]

Well, whichever way you intend to use honey, be it cooking up a storm in the kitchen or preparing a simple hearty breakfast, one handy ingredient that adds oomph is honey. Boasting a perfumed jasmine flower scent, Huiji Honey is definitely a must-have in the kitchens!

Ellena Guan, a Blogger whom Blogs at Cuisine Paradise and also someone whom Baby and I really respect a lot for her fine culinary and baking skills, came out with a recipe for Baked Honey Chicken Wings using Huiji Honey. Do check out her Blog via the following link for the recipe: http://ellenaguan.blogspot.sg/2012/12/huiji-baked-honey-chicken-wings.html

[Credits to Ellena Guan of Cuisine Paradise for the Image]

For those of us whom are honey-lovers out there, you would know that handling honey can be a rather messy affair and even with the use of a spoon to scoop up a dollop of honey from the jar, there will still be residue left on the rim and cap of the jar. Now, with Huiji Honey, you can enjoy the natural goodness of honey anytime anywhere and with much more ease because of its special cap that is designed to help prevent spillage.

From Huiji Honey 2013

This specially designed cap ensures that each squeeze of the bottle leaves no residue and it also allows you to squeeze out the exact amount of honey that you require; hence, leaving no room for unnecessary wastage! The bottle has also been designed to be quite environmentally friendly because you can reuse the bottle for other purposes like dispensing oil or soya sauce after using up all the honey.

If you’re wondering where you can find Huiji Honey, it is available at Giant, NTUC Fairprice, NTUC Finest, NTUC xtra, OG, Prime Supermarket, Sheng Siong, Shop N Save and ZTP and it is selling at an affordable price of SGD$7.50 for a 1KG Bottle and SGD$4.35 for a 500g Bottle.

Since we’re giving away Honey, we reckoned that we should share with you 3 ways that you can use honey in your daily life.

1. Using Honey for Cooking

Honey can be used in a variety of cooking methods. In fact, you can use honey to marinate chicken wings and pork ribs for that tinge of sweet aroma and flavour or you can whip up some homemade salad dressing by pouring equal parts of honey, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil into a jar, closing tightly with a lid and shaking all 3 to form a mixture. You can also use honey as a substitute for sugar and personally, we like our toasts spread with butter and honey!

[Image Courtesy of Did You Know Archive]

2. Using Honey for its Medicinal Properties

Honey has a myriad of medicinal properties and one of them is for soothing sore throats and for relieving pain caused by burns. Because of its anti-microbial properties, honey helps keep infection at bay. If you’re experiencing a pretty bad sore throat, you can mix one to two tablespoonful of honey in a cup of warm water/warm green tea to drink as it helps to soothe the throat.

[Image Courtesy of Jiiva]

3. Using Honey for Beauty

You will be surprised to find out that you can actually use honey to give yourself a facial treat. For a DIY [do-it- yourself] facial treatment, all you have to do is just apply some honey onto your face and gently rub the honey onto your dry skin in a circular motion with your fingers. Thereafter, wash off with warm water, wipe with a clean cloth, and your skin should be radiant-looking!

Check out a video by Annie Jaffrey [a Beauty & Lifestyle Blogger] about how you can use honey to do your own honey facial mask.

Having said so much about honey, we know you’r excited to win that 1KG Bottle of Huiji Honey. So, to participate in our giveaway, do check out the following link and submit as many entries as you can: https://awinsomelife.org/current-blog-giveaway/

Good luck!

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

by
Keep Reading

More Rewards, More Recognition, More Experiences & More Surprises with CLUB313! [Advertorial]

By

Last Thursday, we were at the CLUB313 Extravaganza Event at 313@Somerset and we had the privilege to experience for ourselves what it feels like to be a member of CLUB313. In case you’re wondering what CLUB313 is, CLUB313 is essentially the first experience-focused loyalty programme which rewards top shoppers with engaging experiences such as workshops and exclusive privileges.
At the CLUB313 Extravaganza Event, five booths were set up to showcase upcoming CLUB313 members’ exclusive workshops [including trendy fashion, beauty tips and food essentials] and we had the opportunity to experience what it is like to be a CLUB313 member.

The beauty booth was set up to inspire shoppers with tips on how to create a perfect look with professional advice from Etude House’s very own Make-Up Stylist.

From CLUB313 2013

Here’s one of our fellow Blogger getting a makeover done by Etude House’s Make-Up Stylist.

From CLUB313 2013

There were also nail art tutorials that were conducted by Summer Nail Salon and since nail art and make-up tutorials weren’t my cup of tea, I went to check out the collection of limited edition sneakers from L.E. Way.

From CLUB313 2013

Some of the limited edition sneakers from L.E. Way are really funky but they’re somewhat pricey. Nevertheless, they make great gifts for someone whom loves being trendy and contemporary.

From CLUB313 2013

For food lovers, there was a Sushi-Making Demonstration that was hosted by umisushi and we were shown how to make cute-looking sushi like these…

From CLUB313 2013
From CLUB313 2013

Can’t bear to eat the cute-looking sushi!

From CLUB313 2013

Anyway, we found out that umisushi is conducting a Bento Decoration and Sushi Making Workshop in the month of April and May at their Changi City Point Outlet. The 2-hours long workshop will cost SGD$65 nett per person [inclusive of lunch]. For more details, you can check out umisushi’s website!

From CLUB313 2013
From CLUB313 2013

The Straits Wine Company is no stranger to us because we have been there more often than not for our weekly dose of Moscato D’Asti. At the CLUB313 Extravaganza Event at 313@Somerset, we had a wine appreciation session that was hosted by The Straits Wine Company.

From CLUB313 2013

Here’s me trying the Syrah Red Wine that the Wine Sommelier recommended.

From CLUB313 2013

And if you’re a wine lover like me, be sure not to miss out on The Wine Warehouse Sale 2013 organised by The Straits Wine Company at their East Coast Outlet! We’ve been there and we’ve gotten quite a couple of awesome deals!

Do check out The Straits Wine Company’s Website for more details!

Anyways, 313@Somerset also hosted an exclusive members only “Horoscope Night” in partnership with Elle magazine.

From CLUB313 2013

The speaker whom gave an overall prediction of how the year is going to be for all the 12 animals in the Zodiac.

From CLUB313 2013

Well, having said so much about the wonderful workshops and tutorials you get to enjoy as a member of CLUB313, we’re pretty sure you must be wondering how you can sign up to become a CLUB313 member.

To quality for the CLUB313 membership, all you need to do is to meet a minimum spend of SGD$2000 and make 6 shopping trips to 313@Somerset over a 12-month period. Besides regular members’ workshops, you will also receive a special welcome gift, birthday surprises and be eligible for a reward redemption programme which consist of mall and retailers vouchers and free parking.

And from March 4 to April 30, shoppers who spend a minimum of SGD$50 in a maximum of 3 same-day receipts will be entitled to redeem a CLUB313 Moleskin notebook. This promotion is limited to the first 50 shoppers each day on a first-come-first-serve basis and between now and April 30, all shoppers at 313@Somerset will receive one chance for every S$50 spent to win the new iPad in the grand lucky draw to be held on May 2. CLUB313 members will receive double the chances for the same expenditure. This is redeemable for up to a maximum of 5 chances per shopper per day, and up to a maximum of 10 chances for CLUB313 members each day.

For more information about CLUB313 or 313@Somerset, you can call their Concierge Desk at 6496 9313 or log on to the CLUB313 Website

To stay updated about the latest news from 313@Somerset, do like their Facebook Page and follow them on Twitter! From time to time, you can also stand to win shopping vouchers when you take part in the featured contests on 313’s Facebook and Twitter Page.

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

———————————————————————-
About 313@somerset 313@somerset

The first major retail development by Lend Lease in Asia was opened on 3 December 2009.

Offering the very best of mid-market fashion, food and lifestyle, the centre has been drawing in the crowds since its launch and this is set to continue with key fashion retailers including Zara, Mango, Forever 21, New Look, Cotton On, Uniqlo and Esprit. The centre features 8 levels of retail with food precincts comprising the largest Food Republic on Orchard Road; Discovery Walk outdoor dining precinct with crowd pullers Brotzeit German Bier Bar and Restaurant, Marché® Restaurant & Natural Bakery, JiBiru Japanese Craft Beer Bar and Malones Irish Restaurant & Bar, and the B3 Food Hall. Lifestyle anchor retailers are represented by Stadium by RSH and HMV.

313@Somerset is conveniently located above the Somerset MRT and records average monthly customer traffic of 3 million people.

313@Somerset is the first mall on Orchard Road to be awarded the BCA Green Mark (Platinum) Award for sustainability.

by
Keep Reading

LG Optimus G Smartphone QSlide Function [Part 2 of 5]

By

The QSlide Function which the LG Optimus G Smartphone has is an extremely cool feature that no other Smartphones [that I know] offer till date.
With the QSlide Function, you can perform multiple tasks at one time and this really helps to improve productivity. For most of the Smartphones that are available in the market [for e.g. Apple’s iPhone, Samsung’s Galaxy, and Nokia’s Lumia], you can only perform one task at any one time. However, for the LG Optimus G Smartphone, you can perform up to 3 tasks at one time!

The QSlide Function on the LG Optimus G Smartphone only works with the following apps; they are Video, Internet, Memo, Calendar, and Calculator. This means that you can carry out any two of the apps mentioned + one other app that is not listed. For instance, you can watch a Video, surf the Internet, and send a Whatsapp Message all at the same time or you can use the calculator, write a memo, and surf Facebook! Truly remarkable indeed!

Check Out Our Video Demonstration of the LG Optimus G Smartphone QSlide Function:

In part 3 of our LG Optimus G Blogbuster Series, we will be sharing with you about the Quick Translator and Safety Care App on the LG Optimus G Smartphone.

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

by
Keep Reading

LG Optimus G Smartphone Specifications [Part 1 of 5]

By

The newly launched LG Optimus G Smartphone is a high-end smartphone from LG Electronics that offers powerful performance, an elegant design, and an innovative user experience with fast and smooth transitions.
In our upcoming blog entries, we will be sharing more about the LG Optimus G Smartphone with you and what you can expect from this newly launched Smartphone. In part 1 of this LG Optimus G Blogbuster Series, we will be sharing with you some of the key specifications of the LG Optimus G Smartphone.

Network
The LG Optimus G Smartphone can operate on the 2G/3G/4GLTE network. Hence, it can be used in any country that uses these mobile networks.

Operating System
The LG Optimus G Smartphone is running on the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean Operating System and we really like its fluid movements. There is no lag at all and by the way, the Android Jelly Bean Operating System is the latest for Smartphones.

Chipset
The LG Optimus G Smartphone is the first Quad-Core 4G LTE Smartphone to be powered by Qualcomm’s fastest performing Snapdragon S4 Processor. It offers users a maximum user experience, high performance, and better graphics quality. The Snapdragon S4 Processor also incorporates the next-generation Adreno 320 GPU for an enhanced gaming experience with faster frame rates and smoother play and support for higher HD resolution displays.

Main Display
The Main Display of the LG Optimus G Smartphone is a 4.7-inch True HD IPS Plus Display and with its widescreen display, watching movies and serial dramas can be rather satisfying. The display on the LG Optimus G Smartphone offers the sharpest and clearest image, colour accuracy and natural, non-saturated colours.

Memory
The memory capacity of the LG Optimus G Smartphone is 32GB and it is definitely enough for storing your movies, music, and photographs.

Front Camera
The 1.3 Megapixels front camera on the LG Optimus G Smartphone is useful for taking self-photos and also for video calls with your family members and friends.

Rear Camera
The rear camera on the LG Optimus G Smartphone is perhaps one of the best camera that Smartphones in the market have. With a whopping 13 Megapixels camera, it is expected to perform even better than the 8 Megapixels camera on the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3.

Battery
The 2100mAh Battery in the LG Optimus G Smartphone is un-removable and in tests conducted by LG, the LG Optimus G Smartphone can last for 335 hours on standby!

Size
Comparing between the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S3, the LG Optimus G is 0.15mm slimmer than the Samsung Galaxy S3 but thicker than the iPhone 5 by 0.85mm. With that being said, the LG Optimus G Smartphone can be slipped into pockets easily with no obstruction.

Weight
The LG Optimus G Smartphone weighs at 145g and comparing with the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3, the LG Optimus G Smartphone is slightly on the heavier side. However, this is to be expected as the LG Optimus G Smartphone packs a punch in terms of performance.

In part 2 of our LG Optimus G Blogbuster Series, we will be sharing with you about the LG Optimus G‘s QSlide Function.

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

by
Keep Reading