Gifts - Wrap It!

The Essential Tips for Getting the 'Perfect' Gift

--Written by Stacey Lee

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The idea of shopping for gifts for your loved ones or friends can always be a dilemma for most, and this is evident in not just Singapore alone.

Sometimes the thought of getting the ‘Perfect’ gift for someone can be a real pain, and the gifts also vary from occasion to occasion.

Yet the thought of seeing a smile across the receiver’s face does provide a sense of gratification to the buyer.

Here in Singapore there are many places that one can purchase what is to be called the ‘Perfect’ gift, but alas the idea of a meagre budget or insufficient funds can deter us from getting it.

Many stores try to provide monthly promotions or even package deals to attract the buyers to buy from them.

Yes, the idea of getting something at a reduced price or more than 1 item at the same price is in fact tempting, but if you are talking about getting a gift for someone then it is not some random discounted item for sure.

One needs to think of many different factors when it comes to choosing the ‘Perfect’ gift, factors like the receiver’s character, likes or dislikes, functionality and budget.

Everyone has a different character, that is a general fact, and from that you can see that certain traits of a person also depict what present to get them.

For example, say your friend is a techie and you wanted to get him or her a present, now if say you got them a pocket diary, they probably would not know what to do with it and have it stored up in a shelf or hidden somewhere in their room. The reason being is well due to the nature of a techie, whom is always surrounded by new technological items.

Another way to look at is that a person whom loves fashion will always wants the latest fashionable items, thus why considering a person’s character is critical for gift purchases.

The next factor would be a person’s likes or dislikes, meaning to say while you consider his or her character as mentioned earlier you have to remember that certain people have pet peeves or dislikes for certain things.

A personal example would be my Aunt, she was born in the year of the pig and well she has a thing for collecting pig related or inspired objects, and she loves it a lot. So every year my parents would always buy for her a pig soft toy or even plates with images of pigs. And every time I would see that same happy smile from her.

Another factor on the list would be functionality, when getting a present for someone you will always have to remember, will the person have any use out of it or are they just going to dump it aside and not bother at all.

In my opinion, if I knew that my present was going to be useless for them, I would question myself and ask why I even bought that.

No matter the reason you really do not want to waste your money on a useless present that will never be used, after being unwrapped.

Thus, we need to remember that whatever we decide to get, it has to be useful to some extend or it would just be an unwarranted expenditure.

The last one is the budget factor, which can be one of the most important factors, since it actually dictates what you can buy in the end. It also gives you the best idea on where to shop at for the gifts.

Obviously if say you had a budget of SGD$50, you sure as heck cannot get a gift from Tiffany & Co. much less Gucci or Prada. Budget helps, you, the shopper be realistic in getting your present, it also helps when you and your friends have an earlier agreement that all presents are cost at most under a SGD$10 budget.

That would get you thinking where to get such a gift at that price here in Singapore, well there are many places that do offer this, but I will talk about that in the next article, which would be the Christmas edition.

In that article, I will talk about my recommended and favourite shops to get gift shopping done, and also budget Christmas shopping.

--Edited by Pinky, Nan Ohnmar Tun

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Eateries - Fork It!

Café Hacienda: A garden for your palate

 -- Written by Sarah Begum

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Located at Block 13A, Dempsey Road, Café Hacienda offers a wide variety of western delicacies for every time of the day from breakfast to dinner, and even the most heavenly desserts. 

However, despite the cliché of a hearty western meal, Hacienda bestows onto customers a well-thought out composition of ingredients which create the freshest and most table-cloth-grabbing experience your mouth has ever encountered. 

Non-the-less, the dish called Eggs Royale was voted, from my table of friends, to be one of the Café’s best.

 

Even though the name does not do justice to the dish, nothing could possibly name two pillows of poached eggs, protected by a whirl of hollandaise sauce, waiting to explode in your mouth while they nestle in a bed of lightly toasted bread and salmon. Nothing!

The Café also brings to the table unique salads, pastas, sandwiches, pizzas and burgers; all with its own way of latching onto your tongue. 

However, out of all the entrées that were tasted, probably the only one that fell short was the pasta as the order of Fusilli was undercooked.  

Even then, the huge juicy chunks of crabmeat in the sauce of their Spicy Crabmeat Fusilli saved the meal. 

As for their pizzas they use, a premium tomato base sauce called the San Marzano, a variety of cheeses and the use of olive oil for their base.

It gave the pizza a simple yet refreshing taste to it, however, Hacienda might want to consider adding more meat to their choices of pizzas as the entrée might not be filling for most. 

A dish that was seen coming out of their kitchens often was surprisingly, their burgers. The Café never seems to skimp on the quality of their ingredients, as every burger patty on their menu is made from the famous Wagyu beef. 

For those not familiar with Wagyu, it is considered as one of the most sought after type of beef, anywhere, for its amazingly tender and tasty meat. 

In the case of their desserts such as the Hazelnut Praline and Luscious Peanut Butter Crunch Cake, the use of strong flavored ingredients puts them at a disadvantage as there was no real balance of texture and flavor.

However, one dessert in particular managed to strike that balance and even went one step further. It was the most contradicting piece of cake, with cheese so deep and fulfilling yet so light and fluffy at the same time. 

Everyone at the table called it a work of art, which was when I knew it had to be My Pick for the Week! The Yuzu Citron Light Cheese Cake priced at a very valuable SGD$6.80/piece.

 

Similar to the cake, which uses a Japanese citrus fruit called the Yuzu, their ‘Iconic Dishes’ is another category which does not endorse the Café’s western flair.

The only three entrées in this section are the Braised Beef Cheek Quesadillas, Grilled Shrimp and Sweet Onion Tacos and Marina Puff Pastry. 

These entrées were supposed to be taken off the menu after the time of their promotion. However, according to Mrs. Su, a senior staff at the Café, the dishes got such outstanding reviews that they were actually incorporated into their menu as main courses.

It proves that not only can Hacienda push boundaries and deliver cuisines outside their comfort zone, but they can also do it well. 

A personal favorite out of the lot would be the Grilled Shrimp and Sweet Onion Tacos, with flavors like avocado guacamole and jalapenos surprising you in this dish; you will never want to turn back. 

Their variety of beverages such as their beers also comes from places like Mexico, China, Japan and even Belgium. 

Other than that, they even specialize in tea, harboring an extensive selection of teas from flavors like Crème Caramel to Royal Darjeeling (Indian Tea), which are made from 100% hand sewn cotton teabags. Talk about authentic!

Their set meals are very affordable, at SGD$20++ for a two course meal per person and SGD$22++ for a three course meal per person.

It is a steal considering the choices are almost anything on their menu, with of course a SGD $2 – SGD $10 supplement for their more expensive main courses. 

As for their À-la-carte prices, which range from SGD $13 – SGD $26 per dish, it is still not considered as too over-the-top for such fine quality food. 

For those who have never been to the Café, however subtle Hacienda might seem with its selection, do not underestimate what it can do to your palate once a dish lands on your table. You will be scraping at it, regardless of whether you are the one who ordered it. 

For those already hooked onto the Café, hopefully we will be seeing more from the innovative kitchens at Hacienda. Until then, their ‘All Day Breakfast’ menu of eggs will be very closely followed.                           

Café Hacienda

13A Dempsey Road, Singapore 249674
Telephone: (+65) 6476 2922
Fax: (+65) 6476 4892
Daily 9am – 11pm (Last order 10:30pm)
Website: http://haciendaconcepts.wordpress.com/

                                                                                                        

-- Edited by Stacey Lee

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Fashion - Bank It!

Follow the trend and get your right style

 --Written by Pinky, Nan Ohnmar Tun

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As Singapore is a globalized country, the culture and traditions are being greatly influenced by the other countries. Especially in terms of our attire which is mostly taken from European fashion. 

Physical appearance is very important for our daily lives in order to gain the self-confidence and respect from people around you. Most people know what is trendy and tend to copy famous fashion. However some choose to ignore, whether or not their attire even suits them or if it is appropriate for certain occasions.

When we look around Singapore, we are bound to see many people with different styles, according to the place and location. Like in the case of Orchard road, where most outfits are branded, high class, or even very eye-catching. When compared to the Bugis area, where most of the people are dressed very simply for comfort.

We can say that Singapore always on trend because of the immediate availability of world-wide fashion. However, most Singaporeans, whether male or female choose to stick to boring yet comfortable clothing, without taking advantage of what Singapore has to offer. We constantly see students dressed in gym shorts, shirt and slippers, not dressing up properly.

Everything in the world is changing very fast with new fashion and styles, which come out almost every other day, so be careful of collecting and be bold with your style. Have the self-confidence of starting a brand new you.

Fashion trends this coming 2011

Let’s look beyond 2010 to the spring and summer of 2011. It is the season where a maxi-dress can be an essential item in every woman’s wardrobe. This can be combined with another trend favorite to give us the sheer maxi-dress trend. 

We have good news for biker fashion, which will be making a comeback this spring and summer in 2011. Also, with the warmer weather coming, the need to update your sunglasses is essential; with the new trend of the Cat eye sunglasses.

The clog reached a new height in 2010 and will be continuing in 2011, heeled versions are by far the best, with a preference for a more Swedish style. For Burberry lovers the hottest upcoming colors for 2011 will be brown, blue, yellow, beige and green. So prepare your choice of outfits to co-ordinate with the new color trends from Burberry girls, because it is going to be groundbreaking.

Other than that, it is going to be interesting to see how newer styles will be introduced from the trends in 2011, possibly a Burberry biker look or even a punked out hippie maxi-dress. We will just have to wait and see what else 2011 has to deliver in terms of fashion.

Easy tips to mix and match your outfits

Your simple clothes will not look simple anymore if you know how to put it together. The secret is color co-ordination and accessorizing. These are some easy tips that will make you look outstanding and feel comfortable with your outfit at the same time.

-          Proportions! If you are a person who likes to wear long jeans or a long skirt, the top should not be too long; it will cover the whole of your body. So, to be attractive your top should be just above your waist, if it is too long you can tie it up.

For ladies who like to wear shorts, loose shirts, T-shirts or Halter-neck tops can make you look sexy and feel comfortable. With this outfit you can wear a hat or sunglasses, but don’t wear both as it will cover up too much of your face.

-          Accessorize! Working ladies are you feeling bored with wearing the same uniform every day? So why don’t you put some accessories on, it can make you look different from others. For example earrings, a necklace, rings and a brooch. However, you have to be very careful of choosing things. Wearing a scarf will make you look smart and outstanding in a group of people. In this way, you will not feel bored with your uniform anymore.

For boys, wearing slippers is comfortable, but why don’t you wear boots or shoes to look stylish and smart. Boys should not wear too much accessories, for example some people like to wear hats, sunglasses and a scarf at the same time, which can very excessive and uncomfortable. So try to wear something simple and smart to attract the girls.

--Edited by Sarah Begum

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Wrap It for Xmas!

Places to get the ‘Perfect’ Gift for Christmas

--Written by Stacey Lee

With the Christmas season around the corner, many will be looking to find the ‘Perfect’ gift for their family and friends.

It being the season for sharing and giving, many here in Singapore practise the idea of gift giving and even Christmas dinner parties.

Although the practise of having gifts around the Christmas tree is not widely done here in Singapore, many have found the idea of gift giving amongst family and friends to be a good way to go about it.

It is due to this joyful season that many shops have already begun their Christmas promotions to attract more gift shoppers to their doorsteps.

 

This article will introduce several places where you can get a wide selection of gifts that can meet most budgets.

The first recommended place would be Daiso, with its 7 branches located at various major shopping centres in Singapore.

Daiso offers a wide range of products from ornamentals, food and beverages, household items, and much more, all at only SGD$2 storewide, which is the main reason why it attracts many to walk in and take a look at its products.

Selling everything at only SGD$2 makes this a great place to get a present under a SGD$10 budget. One would definitely be able to find something unique or of interest in Daiso.

Also, if you are looking to decorate your home or to liven up the party, Daiso carries various Christmas decorations and even mini Christmas trees.

The next place recommended would be Tangs, the departmental store, located at Vivo City and The Marriot Hotel (Orchard) basement.

As mentioned above, Tangs being a departmental store offers various products ranging from clothing, kitchenware, household appliances, children’s toys and many more.

Although Tangs does not offer super low pricings like Daiso, it offers an even wider selection of quality products. The prices may be on the high-end, however, it is still considerably affordable for most.

Do note that Tangs also has various discount rebates with some credit card companies and its very own Tangs membership card.

Also, during the festive season Tangs offers gift wrapping services to all of their customers, if requested. In addition they have a home delivery service for all customers who purchase items from them, although, there is a minimum expenditure required.

There are also many stores like Precious Thots, which specialize in such joyful occasions. Precious Thots with its many branches located all over Singapore, carry many items like soft toys, Disney related ornaments and also tons of Christmas related gifts.

Precious Thots even has its own online store where you can purchase your gifts without the hassle of going through a thick Christmas crowd.

Although, by doing so, you lose the selection of their festive wrapping papers and even gift boxes, which are only offered at the store itself.

The store also offers a wide variety of ‘Hallmark’ greeting cards for one to purchase. Many of these cards have meaningful and sometimes playful messages for the receiver, which is one of the things that are great to purchase when at Precious Thots.

Finally, my personal favourite store to visit and purchase gifts from would be Ameba. It has only 5 stores in Singapore, with locations at Bugis Iluma, Parkway Parade Shopping Centre, West Coast Mall, Ameba Corner@Miko Millenia Walk and Nanyang Polytechnic.

The main reason why this is my personal favourite is because this store has a wide variety of novelty gifts for sale. Many of the products that they offer are unique and even have a vintage or nostalgic feel to it.

Their products are also produced by new age designers, who’s items range from interesting board games, voodoo dolls, soft toys, luggage tags and many more unique and quirky items. Overall, Ameba, is a very entertaining store to walk into, to say the least.

Majority of the mentioned places have an average price range of SGD $10-SGD$600+. Depending on what is purchased.

A word of advice before purchasing your gifts would be to make a trip or two just to do some window shopping and research on what to buy.

This will provide you better ideas of what to get, and also time for you to consider the various factors when getting a gift for someone.

Bear in mind that it would be pointless to purchase something that someone did not like or is not worth buying at all. Budget and tastes are key factors to your choices, so do remember to take your time and decide.

After that, you can worry about the wrapping paper and the gift box, which is a whole other issue for a later time.



Places

Daiso 
Type of Gifts: Ornamental, Food & Beverages and Household items
Website: http://www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp/english/ 

Tangs 
Type of Gifts: Household items, Kitchen ware, Soft Toys and Electronics
Website: http://www.tangs.com.sg/main.php 

Precious Thots 
Type of Gifts: Ornamentals, Disney Related Ornaments, Christmas related gifts and 'Hallmark' Cards
Website: http://www.preciousthots.com/ 

Ameba 
Type of Gifts: Unique and Quirky board games, soft toys, luggage tags
Website: http://www.ameba.com.sg/

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--Edited by Sarah Begum

Fork It for Xmas!

Christmas Delights

--Written by Sarah Begum

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Let’s be realistic, eating out this holiday season in Singapore is going to be chaotic. No matter how early your reservations, you will still find yourself amidst one of the thickest crowds in Singapore. 

However, this is still a food review section and as always I will live up to the obligations of reviewing restaurants during Christmas, but first let’s look at the alternatives.

 It is something that has been phased out in Singapore for a while, but truly captures Christmas. A Home Cooked Christmas Dinner! Imagine the surprise of your loved ones when they hear Christmas dinner will be at their very own home this year. 

With that in mind, let the review part of this article begin. Every year Singapore’s slew of fine dining restaurants never fails to have a Christmas Special. 

Including items on the menu, like Honey Baked Ham, Gravy and Stuffed Roast Turkey readymade and already carved for you. It makes Christmas Bliss! Though, nothing can beat a Christmas Buffet. 

Surprisingly Christmas Buffets are very wide spread in Singapore, but what really kicks it out of the park is the aesthetics and ambience that not only the restaurant offers, but also the location around it. 

Most of these places include restaurants around Orchard, which are very prominently surrounded by Christmas Cheer. The decorations alone will leave you in awe. 

However, one restaurant offering a Christmas set lunch & dinner is TCC (The Coffee Connoisseur), located many areas of Orchard, it offers a 3-course meal with prices ranging from SGD $33++ to SGD $36++

Though the fact that it is quite a common restaurant in Singapore might be a turn off, their dishes sing a different carol. 

Turkey Triumph, Oceanic Joy and Steak Grandeur are the Christmas goodies featured for the Christmas set’s, which comes with an addition of their Chicken and Chestnut Soup and a dessert called the Passion-choco Bells.

Their attempt at trying to put a twist on the Christmas traditional favourites, was refreshing, however whether or not that is something to look forward to is subjective. 

Somehow even in early December, the atmosphere of the restaurant gave off the homiest Christmas feel with elements like decorations, Christmas Jingles and even the cheery holiday spirit in their service. This is why TCC made it on the list of Christmas eateries. 

Just a few blocks away, the Checkers Brasserie at the Hilton Singapore offer food lovers a chance to experience an elegant and gourmet Christmas buffet. 

However, the buffet is exclusive. One is a brunch on Christmas Day at SGD$120++. The other is a Christmas Eve dinner at SGD$125++, which includes a complimentary glass of Louis Roederer Brut Champagne. 

The restaurant does truly live up to its expectations through liberal use of ingredients such as caviar and truffle, which are both extremely exclusive and premium, especially for an occasion like Christmas. 

As for their roasted meat, it is always juicy and tender, unlike many other restaurants. It is hard to keep meat from drying out, especially in buffets because they sit outside for long hours. 

The Checkers Brasserie ensures that you are not disappointed, by having a Chef personally carve for you the meat of your choice while it sits under a heat lamp. 

This results in the meat having a lovely crispy exterior while the flesh remains juicy and tender inside. The dining experience here is truly one that is not to be missed, especially during the festivities of Christmas.

Another thing to look forward to this Christmas season is the indulgence of log cakes, gingerbread men and fruit cakes. 

This can be found at Chihuly Lounge in the Ritz Carlton for an afternoon high tea buffet at SGD$36++ per person on Christmas Day from 2:30 PM – 5 PM. 

The Lounge offers one of the most creative looking Christmas desserts in Singapore, with intricate decorations on a variety of dessert such as their cup cakes, mousses, cookies and the ever so longed for log cakes. 

The buffet provides a very convenient and elegant gold tray in which all these treats are displayed.  As for the savory items, not much of Christmas was incorporated into their preparations. 

However, they are still products of quality which offered a delicious variety of unlikely combination's. 

A very memorizing example of this is their seared scallop, which was combined with a mousse made out of cauliflower, dressed with caviar and drowned in coriander dressing. 

No matter how much this appetizer might turn off your taste buds now, its depth and flavors can be extremely satisfying as the combination is married together very subtly. 

The buffet might contain a wide variety of innovative food, though it is questionable whether or not the price is actually worth a high-tea.

With that closing this Christmas article on food, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and do not forget, the festive season is the only time when we can truly let go of our diets and really go for it, so enjoy eating your hearts out!

Places

TCC (The Coffee Connoisseur)
Type: 3-course Lunch and Dinner
Days: 19^th Nov (2010) – 3^rd of Jan (2011)
Price: SGD $33++ – SGD $36++
Tel: (+65) 6509 6106

Checkers Brasserie
Address: Hilton Hotel, 581 Orchard Road,  Singapore 238883
Type: Brunch and Dinner
Days: 24^th – 25^th of December
Price:
Brunch (25^th Dec) – SGD $120++ per person
Dinner (24^th Dec) – SGD $125++ per person
Tel: (+65) 6730 3390

Chihuly Lounge
Address: Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 7 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039799
Type: Weekend Afternoon Tea Buffet
Days: Christmas Day (25^th December)
Timings: 2.30pm - 5pm
Price: SGD $36++ per person
Tel: (+65) 6434 5288

--Edited by Pinky, Nan Ohnmar Tun

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Bank It For Xmas!

Prepare your wardrobe for Christmas

--Written by Pinky, Nan Ohnmar Tun

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Time to say Merry Christmas is coming! If I am not wrong most of you are excited with shopping and thinking about your winter outfit, some of you may get a headache thinking of what to wear during this Christmas season to be stylish. Don’t think too much, relax and read through this article, and you will get some ideas.

When we talk about Christmas, the first thing we noticed is the cold weather, which is kicking into gear with a crisp chill in the air and a layer of snow on the ground. For sure Singapore is not going to be cold like this. 

The winter season is an excellent time of year to explore the hottest new fall and winter fashion trends and creates a style that is both unique and exciting.

Christmas season is the time to refresh your mind with red, green, white and gold colors.  Red for Santa, green for Christmas trees, white for the falling snow and gold for the celebration. Most of the items for this season are made of wool, leather and fur.

Now let’s see what styles of outfits are available for this Christmas season. Layering clothing is creative and chic when you know how to put it together, an oversize knit sweater or jacket will look good with sleeker pieces such as a pair of pants or a pencil skirt.

If you prefer a simpler and smarter outfit, double breasted wool coats and a simple pair of skinny jeans will work well with long patent leather or ankle boots.

Nobody said that in winter you cannot wear shorts, mini-skirts or dresses, just don’t forget your wool stocking, it will make you stylish and warm with your mini-skirt or dress. 

For a country like Singapore which is not cold enough to wear the above outfit, you still have a chance to get the feeling of winter by wearing a mini-dress or skirt with furry boots, sleeveless knit sweater or a fur vest.

As gold is the celebratory color, so for the accessories gold and silver colors will be the best. Long necklaces, large pendants, bangle bracelets and loop earrings will make an outfit look complete and stylish. 

If you do not like wearing jewelry, a colorful scarf or wool hat can also make your outfit stand out as creative and stylish.

When looking for bags, soft gray, dense blue, rich brown, black and cream colors will stand out with dramatic silver or gold jewelry and a stylish outfit. Shoes or boots are the most important thing to make your outfit stand out. Sleek boots, Funky boots and Ankle boots are in high fashion and can be worn with a simple pair of skinny jeans or be dressed up with a fancy skirt or suit.

While most of the men do not like to change their summer clothing habits, Christmas season brings the cold wind and a drop in temperature. So this is the right time to think of some fresh things to add to your wardrobe.

Colors for men are mostly dark: black, grey, brown and deep green. These colors always look stylish. However, for men who love to stand out, you can choose brighter colors: orange, red and white. 

Renewed military style, new cuts of suits and velvet cloth are some of the main things to dominate men’s fashion sense. Great coats, aviator jackets and aviator boots are some of the brightest outfit available for men. 

Velvet is a new trend for men, but do not wear everything made with velvet. You can wear velvet jackets with trousers of a different material or velvet slacks with some other jackets.

All of the above outfits will not suit a hot country, so it will be better to wear shirts or T-shirts of bright colors with a pair of jeans or shorts to make your outfit stand out. By adding a scarf you can add to the Christmas feel.

This season is the most romantic season for couples; surely most of the couples love to wear same the colored outfits. Red and white colors can refresh your love and make you and your partner stand out from the crowd and this time all the jealous eyes will be on the two of you. 

Other than wearing the same colored clothes, wearing identical styles and same colored scarf’s or wool hats are also very romantic and sweet for a couple.

If you are a person who loves wearing black, you can put on a red scarf, belt, stockings or gloves with your mini black skirt. This entire thing can make your outfit stylish during the Christmas season.

Winter fashion does not have to be overly expensive, by adding two or three red colored fashionable winter pieces is a great way to update one’s wardrobe for celebrating Christmas.

--Edited by Stacey Lee

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