priscias-blog

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Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick Swatch - Abused, Celebrity Skin, Prom Night, Rose Matter, Mannequin, Masochist and Watermelon Soda

Thou shall not waste time talking but to dive right into the swatches! If you are wondering what is this Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick, you can check out my previous post here! 

So anyways, this is how my bare lips look like:

Abused

Swatch on the website:

Swatch on me:

Celebrity Skin

Swatch on the website:

Swatch on me:

Prom Night

Swatch on the website:

Swatch on me:

Rose Matter

Swatch on the website:

Swatch on me:

Mannequin

Swatch on the website:

Swatch on me:

Masochist

Swatch on the website:

Swatch on me:

Watermelon Soda - Summer 2016 Limited Edition

Swatch on the website:

Swatch on me:

So there you go, seven shades of Jeffree Star's Velour Liquid Lipstick for your reference and yes, that also means I have a total of 12 lipsticks from her. I highly doubt I will stop at 12 but we'll see! :)

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Chanel Beauty Lounge @ Changi Airport

Strictly by invitation via the brand's clientele database, I scored an invitation to the Chanel Beauty Lounge at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 which came in handy as I was traveling out of the country for an annual family holiday.

Each invite admits one + their guest, and it is advisable to make an advance booking. From making the phone call to confirming my appointment, it was a pleasant prelude to spending my time at the all exclusive by invitation only beauty lounge.

Despite the fact that our flight was at 2240hr, we checked in at Changi Airport Terminal 3 around 1800hr because our appointment was scheduled for 1830hr. I did not want my experience at Chanel Beauty Lounge to be a hasty one, hence the early check in.

Upon entering through the immigration, you will be able to spot the Chanel Beauty Lounge on the second floor of the Shilla Beauty Loft, which houses beauty lounges like SK-II, La Prairie and Dior. On the website, you can find more information of these three brand's beauty lounge but there is none on Chanel, so the mysterious and exclusivity makes me more excited to spend my time there.

The minute we walked through the automated sliding door of Chanel Beauty Lounge, every one of the Chanel ladies stood there to greet us. We were quite taken aback in a good way. Immediately we were asked what beverages we would like to have, ladies disappeared to get our drinks, then another two ladies appeared to take our bags for storage. All I could think of at that moment was that we are gonna be so pampered with their services that it might make it hard to want to leave the area. Haha!

After some recommendations, both the sister and I decided to go for "Travel in Comfort" and "Anti-Jet Lag Eye Treatment" - a facial and eye treatment as it makes more sense, given that our flight is at 2240hr, it would be insane to go for a full makeup service.

There is only one area for the facial treatment, which they called it "Cocoon", so I asked the Sister to go for it first while I spend the time exploring the area outside.

Housing areas designed for a specific service on their menu, such as makeup, fragrance services, the flow of the space was really fluid and personal.

When it was my turn to get the facial and eye treatment, I was asked what are my skincare concerns and it was matched with products that are targeted at my concerns.

Out of the five products displayed here, I am already using four of it, so I know I am going to enjoy the quiet time with the pair of skilful hands that will soothe and prep my face for my flight ahead.

After my treatment was completed, I was shown to the makeup area of the lounge. Seeing the drawers of makeup and shelve of nail polishes, it is a place that I believe every girl wish they have in their room.

While waiting for the Chanel ladies to ring up my purchases, they showed me the items that have been picked out for me to take away with. Such a sweet thought for travellers who spent time at the beauty lounge.

Oh, I was also given another Chanel Beauty Lounge invitation for my next travel through Changi Airport and that, I will use it in November when I am going for my solo Japan trip.

Overall, we enjoyed ourselves at the Chanel Beauty Lounge being pampered. Thank you Lina, Jinev, Fiza and Natalie for making our stay there a pleasant, relaxing and enjoyable one. It makes me really happy to enjoy such an excellent experience and definitely a great start to my trip ahead.

If you ever have the opportunity to spend time at the Chanel Beauty Lounge, know that you are in good hands of the Chanel ladies. Just simply enjoy the experience and have fun!

[priscias-blog]

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick Swatch - Scorpio, Gemini, Unicorn's Blood, Redrum and Androgyny

Jeffree Star's (JS) Velour Liquid Lipstick is the rage right now besides Kylie's and ColourPop. So much so that every time she restocks a new shade, it gets sold out within 24 to 48 hours. If you have not heard of JS, damn girl, where have you been?!

Look at the range of colours!

Instagram @jessikapetten

Lucky for me, I first got my hands on Androgyny over at Carousell and I totally fell in love with the shade. Subsequently, I got my hands on Scorpio, Gemini, Unicorn's Blood and Redrum within six minutes upon her restocking it on the website.

The packaging look so pretty too!

Anyways, I realised that there are not many swatches of the lippies by Asian women so I decided to contribute my share to the Google Search and hopefully, it will be of help for you to decide what shade you would want to get your hands on.

This is how my bare lip colour looks like.

Redrum

Swatch on the website:

Redrum on me:

An interesting fact that my friend shared with me - "Redrum" is actually "Murder" spelled backwards. 

Unicorn's Blood

Scorpio

Gemini

Androgyny

It is very hard for me to pick a favourite out of the five that I have because every single shade is really pretty and I love all of them, yes, including Scorpio although I doubt I will have the guts to wear it out often.

At the price of US$18, it will take a while for me to collect them all. The only bad feedback I have is the international delivery from USPS which does a bad job at tracking the parcel. For a moment, I panicked and was super worried the items will not arrive but thank god it did!

Do look forward to more swatches of Jeffree Star's lippies on this space!

[priscias-blog]

Recap of My Life in 2015

The first day of the new year is here. How fast time passes by...

Before I look back at my life in 2015, I shall do a recap on my resolutions.

Update my blog regularly | Which did not really happen because my life was kinda boring. For 2015, I only posted nine entries on my blog. Reading 70 books | I only managed to read 31 books which is not even half of what I set out to read. Bah! Shall set reading 70 books again as my goal for 2016. 52-Weeks Money Challenge | I gave up halfway but I will aim to complete it for 2016!

Obviously I did not do really well in achieving my resolutions set out on the first day of 2015 but since we are in the new year now, thou shall attempt to achieve those same resolutions again. Yes, my life is just that boring. Oh, I also really need to update my photography site.

Anyways, let's take an overall look at my life in 2015 using some screenshots of my Instagram account because I am feeling too lazy to edit photos one by one and spending time uploading it.

Hong Kong (March)

Due to some medical issues with the Father, the annual family trip was down by two members, namely the parents. We did not want to waste the money that was spent on the air tickets and accommodation so the Grandmother, Sister and myself went ahead to spent one week in Hong Kong.

Cantonese being a dialect that the three of us are familiar with, we felt safe enough to let the Grandmother roam around on her own while the Sister and myself spent time catching up with friends and shopping. We did made it a point to have breakfast and sometimes dinner with the Grandmother everyday when we were there. And we were also kept updated by the Father's doctors about his medical issues too, which I felt was really an extra mile and nice of them to do that.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew's Passing (March)

I believe that Mr Lee Kuan Yew's passing affected many Singaporeans in the country and in other parts of the world. We knew his health was deteriorating and every year he seems to be needing more support from his bodyguards was a sign that his impending departure was a matter of time. But when the reality kicked in with his passing, it was too much to bear.

My friends and I paid our last respect to Mr Lee at the Parliament House, joining the rest of the nation but we felt like we needed to do something more to remember him and we came up with the idea of doing bookmarks. 

The idea was shared with Mr Baey Yam Keng, one of the MPs for Tampines and he shared it with Mr Heng Swee Keat who loved the idea. So we began the production of sample bookmarks but they were looking at producing 5,000 bookmarks which is beyond what we could do in the mere few days. After several phone conversations with Mr Baey, we agreed that the large volume should be printed by a printing company and we helped to make sure that it is exactly as what we wanted. And on hand, we had about 1,000 handmade bookmarks which we gave out at the Padang on the last day and the 5,000 printed bookmarks were given out at Tampines Community Tribute Night.

We also pen a letter to PM Lee Hsien Loong with a few of the handmade bookmarks for his keeping, sharing that this is our way of creating a little something within our means to remember Mr Lee, which was handed to Mr Baey to deliver to PM Lee.

SG 50 National Day Parade 

Really blessed to be able to attend the SG50 National Day Parade (NDP) on 9 August with much thanks to the Father who managed to ballot for the tickets through his office.

This is the one day of the entire year where my patriotism for my country climbs up to the top of the scale and also an emotional one because it was also the nation's first NDP without the late Mr Lee.

Thomas Pavitte 1,000 Dot-to-Dot

Picked up a new (but short) hobby on connecting the dots to create portraits and landscapes from Thomas Pavitte and I have completed three books with much satisfaction and I got my friends hooked on it too.

It is a really therapeutic process which makes you focus on connecting the dots and there is no room for your thoughts to drift off because the moment you do, you just might make a mistake or two.

New Job (September)

After being unemployed for just nearly a year (I call it a sabbatical year), I finally got a job at an organization that deals with the Arts, an area which I am very passionate about. Friends around me were happy for me, saying that this is like the perfect place for me to work at, seeing that I have been dabbling in abstract painting, pottery and other arts and crafts area.

Albeit the learning curve is very steep, I hope in due time, there will be no problem with me handling the daily work that is required to be done. Keeping my fingers crossed on that!

New Friends

With the new job, I have made some new friends too! They are a very nice bunch of people to hang out with and we do schedule for a "once a month get together" lunch session. They are more accepting of me and friendlier than my colleagues in my department (even though two of them are from the same department as me but we are all newbies together). Hopefully our friendship will blossom and continue to be just as awesome!

I have also made new friends through mahjong. Haha! Thanks to Faith who introduced me to her friends, now we enjoy a weekly session of mahjong whenever our schedules allow. Mind you, we are not the hardcore players who just want to win money hor! We enjoy the mahjong sessions because we always talk cock, catch-up, gossip and singing along to whatever is being played on our Spotify playlist.

Membership to this mahjong club has to be renewed annually unless you have played four rounds and above at one session, your membership is lifetime. Yeap, that's how we roll! LOL!

Photography/Instagram

If you have been following my Instagram account, you will also realise that I have kinda done a sequence of nine black and white photos followed by nine (sometimes three) coloured photos.

I really enjoy taking photos and ever since I got my hands on the iPhone 6S, I have neglected my Nikon D5300. I mean come on, the phone versus the DSLR, obviously the phone will be a much better option because it is light and easier to carry around. Plus, when you wanna shoot random strangers, it seems more subtle than the DSLR.

Hopefully this pattern of photo uploading on my Instagram will continue in the new year.

Bangkok, Thailand (November)

It was an impromptu trip that the Sister and myself wanted to go on and we brought along the Grandmother as our treat to her.

However, it was a short getaway (three days) so we literally just buy whatever we want without thinking too much as we have no time to go back to the area again. 

The trip coincides with my birthday so the Sister wrote to Tiger Air and asked if they could surprise me with like a birthday celebration, which they did! Thanks Tiger Air!

Prints

The #GrabDurian one was really a surprise because I did not expected it and it was spotted by one of my friend on Twitter. As for the one related to K-Variety/Pop, it was done over a phone interview so yeah, I knew it was coming out. Her World Beauty Post was also one that I knew about but I did not share it with anyone till I saw the article.

No, I am not famous nor seeking fame. I prefer to stay in the background if possible.

Christmas (December)

Received some really awesome Christmas presents from my family and friends. The wrapped Chanel present was from the Sister, the Barn & Potter was from Vicki and Shaun and the limited edition Ironman G-Shock was from the Father.

Presents from myself to myself were makeup and skincare products from Chanel and it is really a splurge but I have to say, it is really worth it. And I have a few items from them that I wanna get in the months to come. 

That's All For 2015

Comparing to my friends, I feel that 2015 was kinda dull for me but I am not complaining about it! It's just that having celebrated my 29th birthday two months ago and knowing that come November 2016 I will be turning 30 is scary for me.

Like really freaking scary and as if my life is not progressing anywhere from singlehood when most of my friends are married/getting married/pregnant/gave birth to kids and here I am, still single and taking life easy. But oh wells, at the end of the day, we will still arrive at the same ending point so maybe I shouldn't be too stressed out about having to achieve a certain chapters of life. Just be myself, enjoy my present time and live my life to the fullest!

[priscias-blog]

Auriga Spa @ Capella Singapore

Always trying my luck in giveaways/contests on Facebook, I have never been really lucky and I was really surprised when I won an Auriga Detox Day Spa Package from Capella Singapore.

So I decided to utilise this pampering session in the midst of the Christmas season on Saturday, 26 December 2015. An afternoon of relaxing and "me" time was exactly what I needed.

As you can see from the photos above, I was required to fill up a form regarding to my health/medical conditions for the Spa Therapist to take note of.

The Detox Day included dry body brushing (15 mins), seaweed & lemon body scrub (30 mins), body wrap & scalp massage (45 mins), lymphatic drainage massage with juniper & fennel (90 mins), deep cleansing facial (60 mins) and ending it off with a healthy meal at The Knolls.

For someone who rarely go for a spa session, I was excited of my afternoon at Auriga Spa because I have read about their highly raved spa facilities. I would highly recommend that you arrive at least one or two hours prior to your treatment so you can fully enjoy the spa facilities and it is advisable to bring your own swimwear.

What are their highly raved spa facilities you may ask? Well, I shall let the photos do the talking for me...

You can always choose to enjoy the facilities after your treatment but I prefer using it before the treatment to get my body into a relax state so I can enjoy the massage even better.

Do keep track of your time and be ready at the waiting room. If you are late, your treatment will not end late so it is best to be prompt!

There was some miscommunication/misunderstanding and I actually ended up in the wrong room with the wrong therapist but nevertheless, photos of the massage room as shown.

My spa therapist for the day was Ms Sey, who went through with me all the different kind of products she will be using on me for the four hours session.

Initially I was quite worried that being a plus size, it will be tough on Ms Sey because she has a slim built but I was proven wrong and that my worry was really unnecessary. She had the strength and skills to knit those tension knots on my body away and I was feeling so relaxed that I actually dozed off several times during my treatment.

The four hours seems to just breeze through and before I knew it, my treatment was over. To continue keeping me in a relax state, I was brought to the Relaxation Room to chill and enjoy tea with snacks like dried fruits and nuts.

I stayed there for a good 15 minutes before heading to the showers and getting ready for my healthy meal.

The Knolls is on the same level with Auriga Spa and I was shown to my seat where I can choose my main course from the menu. I opted for Poached Chicken Breast with Steamed Vegetable and Steamed Rice.

For someone who really hates eating vegetables, the salad was really good and I actually finished almost 2/3 of it. I guess being really hungry after the treatment helps.

A healthy meal of Poached Chicken Breast, Steamed Vegetables and Steamed Rice did not help satisfy my hunger nor my sudden cravings of strong flavoured food but I guess after a detox spa, you have to go bland.

Just an fyi, drinks are not included in the menu so you have to pay for your own beverages.

My Thoughts

Overall, it was a great experience at Auriga Spa and I feel so blessed to be given such an opportunity to unwind and relax just before a new year begins.

If you are looking for a pampering session, do consider spending time at Auriga Spa at Capella as it really makes you feel like you are in the middle of the nature with birds chirping and greeneries to enjoy looking at. It will be well worth it.

On another note, it might also be a great idea to do a staycation at Capella, which I hope to do so in the near future. The place is just so stunning with old colonial building integrating with modern structures.

——————————

Address: 1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island, Singapore 098297

Website: http://www.capellahotels.com/singapore | http://www.auriga-spa.com/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/capellasingapore.sentosa

Instagram: @CapellaSIN

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Christmas Wonderland 2015 at Gardens by the Bay

Back for the second edition at Gardens by the Bay, Christmas Wonderland 2015 was officially opened by Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr S Iswaran on 27 November 2015 with the illumination of the Spalleria.

I felt really blessed to witness both official opening last year and this year. Also for the opportunity to be taken around Christmas Wonderland to see the key attractions.

The 2015 edition sees Christmas Wonderland doubling the size from last year with four main areas: the Luminarie light sculptures, the Festive Market at the Supertree Grove, the Fairground near The Meadow and the Christmas Toyland floral display in the Flower Dome.

Being a wheelchair accessible location, Christmas Wonderland is for everyone to enjoy and soak in the atmosphere of the Christmas spirit.

Luminarie (7pm to midnight daily)

The Italian Luminaries by Paulicelli Illuminations International are magnificient sculptures of light handmade by skilled craftsmen using white wood from the south of Italy. In case you are wondering, Paulicelli Illuminations International is a family-run business that has handed down the skill from generation to generation for over a century and this year's lights will feature an all new architectural design reminiscent of the medieval period.

There are about 56 of these enchanting sculptures nestled within the Supertree Grove, Dragonfly Bridge, Meadow Bridge and Flower Dome, which is about 26 more compared to last year.

Spalliera (7pm to midnight daily)

For me, the highlight of Christmas Wonderland is definitely the Spalliera which is located at the Supertree Grove. The Spalliera is the largest Luminarie which surrounds the Cassa Armonica, a 8m-wide illuminated gazebo where there will be a special line-up of carollers who will perform there.

Also, you can expect some Blizzard which will make the child in everyone come forth and just enjoy the 'snowfall' that is quite a rare experience given the climate of Singapore.

Here's the timing of the The Blizzard time at the Spalliera that you need to take note of if you wanna experience 'snowfall'.

Monday to Thursday, Sunday: 8pm, 9pm and 10pm

Friday and Saturday: 8pm, 9pm and 9:45pm

Ice Palace (4pm to 11pm daily)

Making its first debut at Christmas Wonderland 2015, the Ice Palace is a great place to bring your children to experience ice skating at the Ice Skating Rink or just playing with snow at the Snow Playground.

It does not matter if you are new to ice skating as there will be skating aids provided upon request, which will help offer some confidence to skate around the rink.

If you want to try skating on ice, it will cost SGD$14 per child/adult (inclusive of skates) for a 30 minute session. Gloves and socks are available at an additional of SGD$2 per pair.

Over at the Snow Playground, it will cost SGD$12 per child/adult for a 30 minute session and like the Ice Skating Rink, they offer gloves and socks at an additional of SGD$2 per pair.

Spiegeltent (4pm to midnight daily)

The Spiegeltent is an ornate century-old traveling 'mirror tent' from the Netherlands. It is originally built in the late 19th and early 20th century and there are only a handful of them left in existence.

Creating an enchanting setting for activities day and night at various functions and festivals around the world, the Spiegeltent is 18m wide, 6m high and comes in 1,000 pieces of wood, brocade draperies, stained glass and beautifully hand-carved artwork that takes two days to assemble.

For food lovers, you can indulge in their specially curated festive menu items such as Harry's Merry Wings, Cajun Spice-rubbed Turkey, Smoked Duck Breast with Marmalade Glaze and Raspberry Sundae as well as weekend brunch experience by Harry's - Singapore's most well-established bar and dining chain.

Festive Market (4pm to 11pm daily)

Mimicking the style of Christmas markets in Europe, the Festive Market features wooden huts that are brought in from United Kingdom and specially-built restaurant units that everyone can indulge in a wide range of international cuisine and wines from renowned food and beverage operators like Brewerkz, Café Iguana, The Diner by the Traveling C.O.W and Paul's

Thanks to the media invite, we had a media pass for food at Culina which was delicious and surprisingly satisfying (despite being really hungry but I think we were just too tired from the walking to want to eat much). Drop by Culina to try the Duck Confit Sandwich (SGD$8), the Freshly Shucked Oysters (SGD$12) and die die must drink Alain Milliat Cabernet Rosé Grape Juice!

Oh, local Chef Janice Wong also brought back her pop-up booth which features some really cool interesting chocolate combination that will make a great gift to any chocolate lover friends you have. Or if you have a painter friend who loves chocolate, Janice Wong's Chocolate Paint will be the coolest item to gift.

The Fairground (4pm to 11pm daily)

Brand new at this year's Christmas Wonderland, The Fairground will get everyone excited with its variety of traditional carnival rides and game stalls located near The Meadow. 

When I was there, the crowds were giving it a go with their skills at the game stalls and you see kids going onto the Vintage Carousel for a ride (Debbie and myself were one of the kids).

Tried my hand at the Can Smash Game Stall because I am a sucker for teddy bears (I know I don't look like it) and I REALLY REALLY REALLY want that giant teddy bear!! And after four tries, I walked away empty. So, if you are a girl and want a giant teddy bear, drag your boyfriend/husband/partner down and ask them to win it for you. Super envious of those who got the bear thanks to their other half. Bah! 

Also check out the Helter Skelter which is a 14-metre high slide (tallest in Singapore). Climb up the inside of the high tower and when you reached the top, be greeted with a view over The Fairground before you embark on a spiralling way down to ground.

However, do take note that all the rides and game stalls run on a token system which can be purchased at the site. Note that one token is SGD$2.

Christmas Toyland Flora Display (9am to 9pm daily)

Unfortunately due to time constrain and the fact that the official opening was delayed by half an hour, we did not got a chance to race to the Flower Dome to check out the Christmas Toyland Flora Display.

But that said, over in the Flower Dome, toys reign supreme amidst yuletide floral favourites like the Poinsettia, Christmas Rose, Winter Heather and Holly because towering over the enchanting floral display is the centrepiece of Christmas Toyland - a 11m-tall Christmas Pyramid decked with toys.

The multi-tiered traditional German wooden carousel will transfer into a 'live' stage, hosting a series of festive performances in the Flower Field.

My Thoughts

Overall, I felt that this year's Christmas Wonderland offered a much more variety of activities for everyone of all ages to indulge in the merry mood of Christmas.

A night is not enough to spend exploring all the attractions at Christmas Wonderland and despite being someone who really hate crowds, I think I might try and brave through it again once of these days because the festive mood is really addictive!

For couples, it is also a great place to paktor at. But ladies, please wear a pair of comfortable shoes as lots of walking is involved.

And in case you are wondering just exactly how many bulbs were used to create the magical extraordinaire, the magic number is 165,000.

——————————

Address: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953

Website: http://www.christmaswonderland.sg

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ChristmasWonderlandSingapore

Instagram: @ChristmasWonderlandSG

Hashtag: #ChristmasWonderlandSG

[priscias-blog]

Happy Birthday To Me.

Unlike previous years where I will organise a dinner with my friends for my birthday, this year, I decided to leave town, even if it is just three days.

I needed to go away, get out of town. Tired of trying to rally my friends together to celebrate my birthday, I opt for a quiet one - my last year of being in the 20s.

How time have fly passed and here I am, in my last year of the 20s. It still amazes me that I am of this age. Growing up, I wish I was older but now, I wish I can be younger. Sometimes, I wish I could turn back time but obviously, that is not going to happen so I have and will try to embrace the present. Life is too short to constantly look back over your shoulder and wishing on things that you could have done.

Besides that, I felt I have grown emotionally and mentally over the past few months. There are times when I am surprised by my own thoughts and mentality. I hope that is a good sign of change.

And with that, happy birthday to me. Life will get better if I just believe in it.

[priscias-blog]

Someone...

Someone said to her:

"Don't be too hard on yourself. You are setting high expectations of yourself when it comes to work but you are just a newbie, not an old bird. You are feeling very stressed out right now because you are so hard on yourself. Don't be!"

The nail struck hard on the truth.

There is no point in denying what she have been pushing towards the deepest point of the trunk. Someone saw right through her, right through that bubbly and happy facade that she have been wearing. She burst into tears and was sobbing hard.

Behind that colourful front lies a monochromatic world.

Someone saw that side of her. 

[priscias-blog]

9 August - Singapore Independence

50 years ago, Singapore gained independence.

It was an emotional moment for then Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

Though I was not born then, I learned how Singapore became an independent country when I was in school. Every time the image/video of Mr Lee crying and fighting back his tears during a press conference that took place on 9 August 1965 announcing the separation from Malaysia, it brings tears to my eyes.

The failure of the merger with Malaysia was a huge setback for him but in the press conference, he addressed to the people of Singapore, assuring them that there is nothing to worry about.

Mr Lee said: 

Many things will go on just as usual. But be firm, be calm. We are going to have a multi-racial nation in Singapore. We will set the example. This is not a Malay nation; this is not a Chinese nation; this is not an Indian nation. Everyone will have his place: equal; language, culture, religion.

 (Transcript of the press conference by the Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, at the broadcasting house, Singapore, at 12:00pm on Monday, August 9, 1965)

50 years since then, Singapore has transformed from a third world country to a first world country, where we unite as one, regardless of race, language or religion, living together in harmony and calling ourselves, Singaporeans.

This 1987/88 National Day Song is the most fitting song that sums up how proud we are as a strong and free nation.

Singapore is celebrating her Golden Jubilee this year. 

Every year on 9 August, I get quite emotional because this is when my patriotism spirit is at an all time high. I have always been proud to call Singapore my home but even more so on this day. 

Image credit: Papypress

A long weekend of celebration for the nation with plenty of activities happening all over the island and National Day Parade (NDP) 2015 were planned many months in advanced with the NDP organization committee claiming that this year’s NDP will be very spectacular!

But that said, NDP this year will also be very different from previous years, because this will be Singapore’s first National Day without Mr Lee, who died on March 23 at the age of 91.

Image credit: Priscias

It will be an emotional moment for many Singaporeans, including myself.

[priscias-blog]

Good Bye

Thank you for everything that you have done for Singapore.

You will be remembered.

Rest in peace, Mr Lee Kuan Yew

[priscias-blog]

[Selling] Completed Cross Stitch Unframed - Flower Bouquet I

Under the encouragement of my friends, I have decided to put my completed piece of cross stitch up for sale via ebay. The money earned, if this piece is sold, will be just nice for me to purchase another set to start the cycle all over again. 

Over the duration of three months, I spent most of my weekends working on this piece - that means sitting at my desk for hours (morning till late evening). Back then, I had a day job so working on this during the weekdays was out of the question.

This could possibly be the first of many that I will be selling because doing cross stitch is therapeutic so I see myself hanging on to this hobby for a while. Plus, I have been told that I don't look like one who will be into cross stitch (read: cos I don't look like the girly type, so they said).

"But frankly speaking, will people buy meh?!" That is my view on this. LOL! Well, let's see what is the result after 30 days is up.

[priscias-blog]

New Blog Layout

Yesterday I posted my 2015 New Year Resolution and on my new year resolution list, I included "change blog layout".

Today, I actually got around to doing just that! 

Before:

After:

What do you think of it? I actually like the new blog layout a lot more for its simplicity, just like how I like clean cut guys. Okay, that was totally random but I hope you get what I mean! 

Besides that I also cleaned up my sidebar. Removed a lot of things that makes the blog look untidy. Oh, I also updated my "About Me" too.

Now I am even more excited to blog with the new layout! Hurray!

[priscias-blog]

My 2015 New Year Resolution

As the new year begins, we are all older by a year and so does my blog. In 2015, this blog turns 5 years old.

That's like the toddler age compared to other blogs out there but still, I am quite happy to say that I have stuck to maintaining this blog for five years albeit there was a brief one year hiatus. So in 2015, I hope to update my blog regularly with posts that will interest my readers and maybe, just maybe, do something about the layout because I am quite bored of the look but too lazy to start on the html. Any talent donation towards the blog layout and html works would be greatly appreciated! Haha!

Now before I go into more of my new year resolution for 2015, let's touch on my 2014 resolution - to read 40 books in the year and I am very proud to say that I have completed just that! In fact, I have read 15 more books than what I have set out for, making it 55 books read in 2014.

I have been contemplating on getting a Kindle Paperwhite since 2010 but I was not sure if I will really made it a habit to read, so I kinda put the idea on the shelf. 

That is when Kobo came into the picture. Reading on Kobo app on my iPhone was my traveling companion. We have spent countless hours together reading so many books that I think I may have spent more than USD$1,000 over the period of four years purchasing e-books directly from Kobo website itself. The amount spent is astonishing even to myself but reading has became a part of my life.

Then in August 2014, I decided to invest in a Kindle Paperwhite and that was also the same time I bid farewell to my trusty Kobo app.

Kindle Paperwhite was my new found love and I hope it will be my last. Reading on Kindle Paperwhite makes me really happy and it felt like I was reading the actual psychical book. It is always in my hands when I am on the bus or on board the train. I never let it out of my sight.

Knowing that I can complete reading 55 books in a year, I am going to push my limits for 2015 - to read 70 books.

That is an average of 5.83 books per month. I am not feeling that confident about reading 70 books in a year but I am going to challenge myself! Stay tune next year to see if I am able to strike this off my 2015 new year resolution list.

Moving on, I am really bad at saving up money. Whatever money I have on hand or in the bank, will eventually go into my spending expenditure.

But recently, I am toying with an idea of doing a backpacking trip to Croatia. In the photo below, that is Dubrovnik - a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea, in the region of Dalmatia.

Image from Google Search.

In order to make the backpacking trip to Croatia happen, I will need the money for it. So, I am going to take up the 52 Weeks Money Challenge.  

By the last week of 2015, I should have SGD$1,378 in my bank account but that will hardly cover the costs of the round trip air ticket which is around SGD$1,800+. Accommodation expenses, food expenses, traveling expenses and air ticket can easily add up to a few thousand dollars.

However, the main point of this challenge is to learn to save up money. There are so many places that I want to go and so many things that I want to see but I am unable to do just that if I do not have a pool of money to aide me with my traveling expenses. I hope that as time goes by, I am able to learn to cut down on my spendings and save up more for my traveling goal!

Those are my 2015 new year resolution! If I have lost you with too many words along the way, do not worry, the entire post is telling you that I am challenging to:

1. update my blog more regularly and hopefully change the blog layout;

2. read 70 books in 2015; and

3. take up the 52 Weeks Money Challenge.

If you are one of those who likes to scroll to down to see how long the post is before reading, you got to the main point of this post without going through the detours! Hahaha!! 

If you have any new year resolutions for 2015, I hope that you will be able to achieve it by the end of the year! Let's all work hard to achieve our goals!

[priscias-blog]

A Recap Of My Life In 2014

It is the last day of 2014. 

2014 has been kind to me in many ways - winning a prize to co-host on the local radio station, traveling with family and friends and meeting new people.

Besides that, I actually left the job that I held for four years to try out something new but it only lasted for two weeks because of certain reasons, so now I am enjoying my time off from work, period. 

At this moment, I am at a cross junction trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I believe that this phrase in life happens to everyone. Unfortunately there is no GPS navigation app that we can use to find out where to go in life from the current location and we can only depend on ourselves.

That said, I went to a psychic just earlier this month. Before we started the session, she simply held my hand and told me that she sees me at the cross junction. Imagine my shocked facial expression. What I learned from the two separate sessions (yes, two because I was curious and still am) was that I need to learn to let go of the past and gain some confidence. That will be something that I need to work on and hopefully in 2015, things will be even more awesome for me than in 2014. 

On the brighter side, I thought to do a recap of the more happening events that happened to me in 2014. I have put together photo collages so you do not have to spend a lot of time reading my rumblings and I believe photos tend to work more than words.

So, in order of the month, let's recap...

I also picked up one of my hobby again and I think not many people are able to associate me and that hobby together but well, believe it. I like to do cross-stitching. LOL! I have completed one but it is just lying in my drawer because I do not know what to do with it. Friends have advised me to put it up online for sale but seriously, would there be people who wanna buy it? 

There was some changes to my hair color in 2014 which I really love! I did not spend big bucks to get the colors I had because I got it done at Toni & Guy Academy and it was a great job done by the students under the watchful eyes of the instructor~ My current hair color is purple! Hehe! What do you think of it?

As I was going through my photos folder for the collages, I came across several photos that I really like and thought that it was well taken. No, I am not self praising because I know my photography skills are in the lower percentage level as compared to many other skilled photographers out there. 

Anyways, my main point is that I would like to share those photos with you unless you are following me on Instagram, you might have seen a few of them when I posted it on my timeline. 

Guess that pretty much sums up my life in 2014.

I am thankful for the times spent with family and friends. Also thankful for meeting new people and making new friends. Thank you for the invitations to events if you have invited me. Thank you everyone who have been a part of my life in 2014.

It has been a wonderful 2014 and I hope everyone will have a grand celebration for the new year ahead!

[priscias-blog]

How To Remove Candle Wax From Candle Jars

I really love candles and I tend to buy a few so I do not have to make a trip to get another one when one is finished. So if you are thinking of buying something for me, candles will be a good gift. Haha!!

On a sidenote, the mess behind the candle jars have been cleared. Haha!

If you are a candle lover like me or if you have been gifted candles and would like to keep the candle jar after it is finished, I am going to share with you the best way to do so.

Typically, one would think that you have to stick the candle jar into a pot of boiling hot water to remove the remaining candle wax but trust me, I have tried it and it is super messy.

So what is the less messy way to remove the remaining candle wax from the jar you may ask? My answer to you is the freezer!

Place the candle jars into the freezer for at least a day. Sometimes I leave the candle jars in the freezer until I have some free time to deal with it.

When you leave it in the freezer, the cold temperature will cause the wax to shrink and loosen from the side of the jar. You will see crack lines on the candle wax if you placed it in the freezer for a few days.

With a knife, stab it at the crack lines and the candle wax will crack into pieces. The metal candle wick sustainer tabs will also come off the candle jar with the candle wax too.

Throw away the chucks of candle wax and give your candle jar a good wash with kitchen soap and sponge. 

But sometimes, there will be some remaining stubborn candle wax that does not come off even though you scrubbed it hard with the sponge. So what I do is to fill the candle jar with hot water and wait for a minute. During this time, you will see the stubborn candle wax melt and float to the top. Throw away the water. Give it another good scrub with soap and hot water. Once that is done, you are left with a clean glass jar.

What about those candle jars with labels on it? How do I remove the labels?

I would try to peel the label off when I take it out of the freezer but there will be sticker residue left on it and I get really annoyed by it.

I have tried boiling the jar in a pot of hot water with the sticker residue facing the bottom of the pot but it does not help to make removing the sticker residue any easier.

But what I have tried and worked really well in removing the sticker residue was to use lighter fluid. I would drip a few drops on the sticker residue, use a tissue paper to give it a good rub and it comes off easily. So you may wish to consider getting lighter fluid if you do not have any at home. Alternatively, you can try using nail polish remover but it does not work that well as lighter fluid. Yes, my main point to you is get the lighter fluid and save time!! Haha! But remember to wash your candle jar clean after you are done removing the sticker residue.

Over the last two months, I have collected quite a number of candle jar and the one that I really love is from Yankee Candle because of the lid that comes along with it. I have not decided what to do with these candle jars but one thing I know is that they come in handy for flowers arrangement. 

I hope that this post will be very useful to you if you have been thinking of how to get rid of the candle wax and keeping the candle jar. And if it has been really useful to you, leave a comment and send some love! =) 

[priscias-blog]

Christmas Wonderland at Gardens By The Bay

The inaugural Christmas Wonderland at Gardens by the Bay was officially launched on 28 November 2014, Friday with the illumination of the Spalliera - the largest Luminarie light sculpture - by Minister for National Development, Mr Khaw Boon Wan. 

There are many festive installations that you can feast your eyes on at Supertree Grove and at the Flower Dome. I had the opportunity to do just that last Friday during the official launch. And in the company of my friends - Debbie and Sheng, we spent the evening walking around Gardens by the Bay.

This set of Luminarie light sculpture welcomed us near the Visitor's Centre and it was just the start of a magical night. Did you know that all the light sculptures are made of white wood frames from the south of Italy and they are handmade by skilled Italian craftsmen? Imagine the scale of planning and workmanship that goes into these beautiful sculptures so take your time and slowly enjoy your walk.

Flower Dome

Yuletide in the Flower Dome

I am pretty sure that for most of us, we have been to the Flower Dome in the day but now is the chance for you to enjoy a walk at the Flower Dome at night in a wintry wonderland with glistening tower that gleams in a realm of dreams. You can admire a charming little town adorned with poinsettias and Christmas trees and learn how plants adapt to survive winter on the Garden Trail.

Besides that, the atmosphere in the Flower Dome with the Luminarie light sculptures glowing is very peaceful and romantic. It will be a great night walk with your family and kids and for couples or those who are dating, this is the place to go this Christmas season.

Both Flower Dome and Cloud Forest have extended their operating hours to 10:00pm from 29 November 2014 to 6 January 2015 and admission charges do apply. However, you get to enjoy a 10% discount on the admission rates when you purchase your tickets online at www.gardensbythebay.com.sg at least one day before your visit. Terms and conditions applies.

Supertree Grove

The Supertree Grove is where you will definitely feel the strongest festive spirit of Christmas with the Casa Armonica that lights up your path towards the festive market and the Spalliera.

Casa Armonica

For couples who wants a little bit of magic added to their upcoming wedding photo album, the Casa Armonica is actually available for bridal photography hire from Mondays to Thursday during the event. If you are interested, send an email to info@blueskyevents.com.sg and enquire for more information.

This beautifully lit mini capola (or better known as gazebo) will be the host to 12 days of choirs, Festive Sirens and Festive Verses by Act 3 Drama Academy. Be sure to check out the entertainment schedule on the website so you get to enjoy your favourite acts!

Festive Market

Set amidst the Supertree Grove, the Festive Market will feature specially designed wooden huts adapted from renowned Christmas markets throughout Europe, such as those in Hyde Park in London and the Avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris. 

The Festive Market opens from 29 November to 21 December 2014 from 3pm to 11pm daily while the Food huts open from 5pm onwards. Here, you get to indulge in some delicious food from Brewerkz, Chef on Wheels, Peach Garden, Saybons and have your desserts from Ice Cream & Cookies Co before you quench your thirst at the Christmas Wonderland Bar. 

Once you have filled your tummy with all these goodness, you can start your Christmas shopping from vendors like Yankee Candles, Happy Plant, Babyatt, Perfect Fit and many others! So be sure to bring along your wallet (with your cash and debit/credit cards!) if you want to do some shopping.

Exclusive Dining Experience at Spiegeltent

The spectacular Spiegeltent which is a traveling 'mirror tent' from the Netherlands will make its first appearance in Asia under the Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay. The Spiegeltent was originally built in the late 19th and 20th century, only a handful remains in existence. 

You can get the chance to dine within the enchanting tent made of 1,000 pieces of wood, canvas, brocade, exquisite mirrors and stained glass for a unique gastronomic experience but just a heads up, the menu changes every week.

Unfortunately we did not get the opportunity to dine at Spiegeltent because it was closed off for a private event but we had a glimpse of the interior and it is really stunning!

Spalliera

The Spalliera is the highlight of this entire Christmas Wonderland, being the largest masterpiece at 31m wide and 17m high which is approximately five storeys.

This is also the place where you get to experience 'snow' in the tropics when 'Blizzard Time' comes. The Spalliera will host Blizzard Times four times a day (subjected to weather conditions) so do take note of the timing: 7:30 to 7:40pm, 8:20 to 8:30pm, 9:05 to 9:15pm and 9:45 to 10:00pm. 

Garden Rhapsody Christmas Edition

End your night at Gardens by the Bay by watching the Garden Rhapsody Christmas Edition and be entertained with familiar Christmas tunes as the towering vertical gardens come to life every evening in a specially choreographed 12-minute music and light show.

The Festive Market will be open till 21 December 2014, while the Luminarie light sculptures will be lit up till 1 January 2015 and Yuletide in the Flower Dome will continue till 6 January 2015. 

There are many photo taking opportunities that you do not want to miss when you are at Christmas Wonderland so if you are posting your photos onto social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, make sure you hashtag #ChristmasWonderlandSG to share it with everyone!

Since last Friday, I have been recommending family members and friends that I met to take some time out of their busy schedule and spend the evening at Christmas Wonderland at Gardens by the Bay. With the year coming to an end and Christmas just around the corner, the evening spent walking around Gardens by the Bay with the Luminaries glowing will somehow make you feel relax and really happy. And yes, you might also feel like dancing to Pharrell William's Happy throughout the night because you are happy!

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Christmas Wonderland Singapore

Address: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953

Website: http://christmaswonderland.sg

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ChristmasWonderlandSingapore

Instagram: @ChristmasWonderlandSG

Hashtag: #ChristmasWonderlandSG

[priscias-blog]

LaBrezza The St Regis Singapore

LaBrezza is the specialty restaurant at The St. Regis Singapore. Fine trattoria-style Italian cuisine is served amid lush tropical gardens and the pool, which is an ideal choice for a casual business luncheon or an intimate evening in a relaxing and laid-back environment.

I won a Business Set Lunch voucher from @StarwoodOffers so I decided to make an appointment with my friend - Smith, for lunch on my birthday. If you have not heard of Starwood, they are one of the world's largest hotel and leisure companies with St. Regis, W Hotels, Westin, Le Méridien and Sheraton under their belt.

You can check what's on the menu for the Business Set Lunch at LaBrezza's website (refer to the link at the end of the post) because they do change the menu regularly with new highlights being introduced. And if you are wondering just how much does one have to fork out for the Business Set Lunch, the price list as follows (which is quite affordable) might help you decide if LaBrezza is your next place to go for lunch:

3-Course Lunch - SGD$43++ per person

4-Course Lunch - SGD$53++ per person

So on my birthday (which is 17 November, if you wish to know), I met up with Smith at The St. Regis Singapore and made our way to LaBrezza which is situated at the second level in the hotel. 

The staff showed us to our seat which was indoors and by the glass panel that overlooks the pool. We decided that to get one of each dish from the Antipasto (which means "before the meal" in Italian) menu and for the Piatto Principale (which means "main course" in Italian), Smith ordered the Pan-seared Rib-Eye Steak while I ordered the Grilled King Salmon. From the Dolce (which means "sweet" in Italian) menu, we ordered one of each dessert to share too.

While waiting, Jackson, who is the Marketing Communications Manager for The St. Regis Singapore came by to wish me happy birthday and it was really great to see him again! Jackson showed such great hospitality by treating us to a bottle of champagne because what more better reason to drink on a birthday! Thank you so much, Jackson! =)

Before the food was served, a basket of assorted breads and dips were placed on our table to enjoy while waiting. Because I was trying out the "no white flour and white sugar" diet, I had to resist the urge indulge on assorted breads.

Antipasto

Mozzarella Cheese Salad with aged balsamic is vegetarian friendly and I love the taste of the aged balsamic with the mozzarella cheese, very rich and tangy.

Wagyu Beef Carpaccio with capers, sun-dried tomatoes, mesclun salad and truffle sauce is HEAVENLY! Everything about this antipasto is perfect that I would strongly recommend this dish to all of you. The saltiest from the capers, crunchiness from the mesclun salad and the truffle sauce along with the wagyu beef made my tastebuds danced with joy.

Piatto Principale

Pan-seared Rib-Eye Steak marinated with porcini powder served with truffle mashed potato and mesclun salad was what Smith ordered for his main course but I did not see the truffle mashed potato on the plate though. I had a bit of the steak and it was good.

Grilled King Salmon served with pink pepper and herbs, marinated vegetable and extra virgin oil was quite an interesting combination and I liked it. 

Dolce

Cannolo - almond and ricotta cannolo served with peach and cinnamon sauce was just so-so for me. The peach and cinnamon sauce was actually replaced by the berries which was a tad too sour for my liking.

Tiramisu - venezian tiramisu and bitter dark chocolate flakes was also just so-so but much better than Cannolo because I actually finished the tiramisu. 

While the coffee and tea were being served to us, one of the staff came out with a cake with a lighted candle as a surprise for me. I was pleasantly surprised and Jackson, thank you so much for the cake and the champagne. You really made my day with your hospitality!

Overall, I think the dessert could have been better. I loved the antipastos a lot, given the fact that I actually avoid eating greens as much as possible but I actually finished it all. That proves how good it was. The main course was also not too bad and I honestly wouldn't mind paying SGD$43++ for the 3-course menu and if the menu changes, I would be quite curious to try the new dishes.

For more information on LaBrezza, you can visit their website - http://www.labrezzarestaurant.com

And also a big thank you to Smith for taking time out from his busy schedule to have lunch with me! =D

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St. Regis Singapore Brasserie Les Saveurs 

Website: http://www.labrezzarestaurant.com

Address: 29 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247911 (Level Two)

Phone: +65 6506 6884