The Singaporean Sisters - Number 1 Luxury Lifestyle Blog in SINGAPORE!: January 2013

Alisha & Lace Singapore

Wednesday 30 January 2013

Pancakes on The Rocks & Hurricane's Grill :)

Pancakes on The Rocks - It was the first time Peter Krauel and Jarkayna Iman visited Sydney together with their other friends from Emirates Airlines. We met many years ago back in Singapore so it was great to catch up again! I picked them up from Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel and brought them to Pancakes on the Rocks (http://www.pancakesontherocks.com.au/). The place always had very long queues but we arrived early for breakfast and got in pretty quickly. The pancakes were fluffy and cooked to perfection. They tasted heavenly especially with the melted butter and maple syrup. If you love pancakes, this place is a must visit! Furthermore, it is conveniently located at The Rocks where they are many shops, cafes and flea markets to explore around the area see http://www.therocks.com/  :)

Hurricane's Grill - They requested to eat steak and ribs so I brought them to Hurricane' Grills at Darling Harbour ( http://hurricanesgrill.com.au/ ) to indulge in delicious meat for dinner. I must say they cook the best ribs in the world and the prices were reasonable too! It is recommended to grab a table facing the glass windows so you can enjoy the beautiful views of Sydney's Darling Harbour. The service was excellent as well as they help you put on bibs so that your clothes would not get dirty. It reminded me how we ate Chilli Crab back in Singapore with bibs on! Due to long queues, remember to call and make reservations before heading down to this restaurant. If you love ribs, this is the place to go!

Dinner conversation was pretty interesting as Ingo Janisch who works for Bain & Company talked about how he plans to do his MBA at Harvard University or INSEAD and it made me wonder if I should do the same? Bain & Company sponsors his MBA after working for 2 years with the company. I guess after graduating from Sydney University with a Masters of International Business this May 2013, I need to plan to look for a job or further my studies again. Hopefully, I am able to secure sponsorship from somewhere too! As for Peter Krauel, I was envious that he was traveling around the world with Emirates Airlines and was surprised to know that Emirates believe in providing career progression for their employees as many who fly with Emirates are degree and PhD holders. In this competitive world that we live in, we must never ever be complacent and continue to improve ourselves relentlessly.  It was great to hang out with intelligent friends as they inspire me to work harder towards self improvement and development. There is really no time for being lazy... if you wanna reap success in life!!! I'm an ambitious Capricorn :)



♥ Lora Christelle Lim 
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Tuesday 29 January 2013

SYDNEY City - Chanoma Cafe - Japanese Tea and Dessert House @ Regent Place (Townhall Train Station)




CHANOMA CAFE
The Japanese Matcha Master
Address: 501 George Street, Regent Place, Sydney, NSW 2000 (Townhall train station)
Opening hours: Daily from 11am-10pm


Chanoma Cafe - This is my favourite place to relax and grab a drink to chill with my girlfriends. We tried the delicious Japanese dogs as we were craving for a snack. The Creamy Shrimp Croquette dog is highly recommended for those who love Japanese Tempura and the Chanoma Cheese dog are suitable for those who enjoy the traditional kind of hotdog with cheese! I found it interesting that the Japanese could cook such delicious hotdogs! I also tried the Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice which they claimed they use 5 whole fresh oranges to make it. It tasted very refreshing! An effective drink to quench your thirst on a hot summer day! The other Matcha Shiratama Float was yummy too as I'm a big green tea addict! The Seaweed Shaked Chips were highly addictive as once you start, you can't stop popping more into your mouth. I'm so glad I have a really nice Japanese cafe below my home so I can indulge in Japanese desserts and snacks in a convenient way. I think this place is a great place to chill with friends or grab a quick take away before going for the movies in the nearby EVENTS Cinemas :) I frequent this cafe as it is right below my home at Lumiere Luxury Apartments.



Chanoma Cafe ( a venture between Mappen and Menya ) is newly opened at Regent Place 501 George Street above Townhall train station. The menu is interesting containing Matcha aka Green Tea in most of their items. They even sell delicious hotdogs for those who want to indulge in a hot snack. Most items are reasonably priced below Aud10. I like how it is conveniently located below my home. I like the wooden tables and the green garden themed design of the cafe that creates a relaxed ambience.

I ordered the Soft Cream Anmitsu which tasted heavenly especially when the soft ice cream that melts in my mouth goes well with the jelly and azuki red bean paste. I love how the Japanese desserts always look so perfect in their presentation. Small, dainty and appealing to the eyes. Stefanie ordered the Shiratama Mame-kan which she thought tasted better when she poured the brown sugar syrup to mix with the jelly. Overall, a cozy place to indulge in Japanese green tea drinks and desserts :)

Scientifically proven benefits of Green Tea (Matcha) that help to improve your health:
- anti-oxidants help reduce risks of cancer, strengthen immune system and reduce aging process
- improve weight loss by increasing metabolism
- lower high cholesterol levels
- contain less caffeine than coffee
- eliminate free radicals in our bodies


Dinner at Chef Gallery - www.chefgallery.com.au
♥ Lora Christelle Lim 
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Sunday 27 January 2013

Celebrating Australia Day - Sydney Fish Market's Doyles Restaurant & Darling Harbour's Fireworks Spectacular!

Early in the day after Tennis at King Albert Park, I met up with a few friends for brunch at famous Sydney's Fish Market - Doyles Restaurant ( http://www.doyles.com.au/12203+0+doyles-at-sydney-fish-markets.htm ) to indulge in delicious fresh seafood. My personal favourite is the the Lobster Mornay with chips which is baked with cheese and taste yummy! Among all the different places to eat in Sydney's Fish Market, Doyles Restaurant would be the best choice in terms of cleanliness and quality seafood served on proper plates and utensils. Unlike the other stores, you do not have to squeeze with the crowd or fight for dirty tables. Service is prompt and efficient too. Dining comfortably without the fish stench and away from large groups of noisy tourists are top priorities for me. See the pictures below for some delicious dishes which we ordered :) Sydney Fish Market is a must visit for fresh seafood!


As it was Australia day, we went to Darling Harbour (www.darlingharbour.com) at night to catch the Fireworks and Light Spectacular which started at 845pm and ended around 915pm. The fireworks exploded into the air, dazzling the night with vibrant colours and world music rocked the crowd. Emotions were heightened when films were shown what it meant to be an Australian as it was a huge celebration of everything Australian! It was extremely crowded and there were many policemen ensuring safety. Road closures also made it easier for the crowd the disperse after the fireworks show ended. The great thing about living right in the heart of Sydney's City is that I am able to work to Darling Harbour in less than 10 mins to catch the Fireworks show which happens almost every Saturday night. I just love watching fireworks!!! :)



♥ Lora Christelle Lim 
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Saturday 26 January 2013

TRAVEL - Sara Shantelle Lim Flying First Class on Singapore Airlines to Hong Kong for Cosmo Prof Asia Beauty Expo, Sheraton Oyster Bar, Armani Prive, Lan Kwai Fong, Sevva, Marie Antoinette, Space Factory Outlet DFS Hong Kong.


TRAVEL 
Sara Shantelle Lim Flying First Class on Singapore Airlines to Hong Kong 
Cosmo Prof Asia Beauty Expo, Sheraton Oyster Bar
Armani Prive, Lan Kwai Fong, Sevva, Marie Antoinette,
Space Factory Outlet & DFS Hong Kong


I fly to Hong Kong pretty often, for both business and leisure. I simply love the food, shopping and restaurants there. I recently flew there with my mummy for Cosmo Prof Asia. This is an exhibition for all beauty experts, suppliers, aesthetic doctors, beauty products and machines, factories, etc, come together to buy/sell/distribute/network. 

So, my family supplies beauty products and machines to aesthetic doctors and spa owners. Most aesthetic doctors would use our high end range called, The Skin Professionals. You can check this out at www.TheSkinProfessionals.com ~ My family's company is called, Beafully International Singapore Pte Ltd, we mainly do OEM (Original Ownership Manufacturer) - What this means, is that, we customize and produce - Aesthetic Doctors and Spa Owners their own range of beauty products with their own BRANDNAME. So, if you would like to customize your own range of skincare, bodycare or haircare beauty products, or want to Bulk-Order - Non-Evasive Stem Cells, Fillers, Botox, Hyaluronic Acid, etc, don't hesitate to email us at enquiry@theskinprofessionals.com~

I always love taking Singapore Airlines. It is reputably the best airlines in the world. The service is excellent, the lavatories are amazing clean. The Private Room is the ultimate resting sanctuary, for the First Class ticket holders. Mummy and I resting our legs at the Kris Flyer's First Class Lounge, after shopping at the Departure Hall. When it was time for boarding, a buggy sent our to our departure gate. As always, when ever I take a flight, I would always distribute my own range of SaraShantelle SkinCare products to the whole set of cabin crew. This time round, I gave them my SaraShantelle H2O Collagen Facial Foam - suitable for both men and woman, to control oil, promote skin translucency and collagen, whitening effect. 


First Class food is always good. The IFS - Inflight Supervisor helped, mummy and I to take a photo before we landed in Hong Kong, safely. We arrived into Hong Kong at night, so, we went straight to our hotel to rest for the following's day Cosmo Prof Asia Exhibition. 


As a professional Cosmoprof visitor, you always go to the expo, with a roller cabin bag or anything that can help you to carry all the heavy notes, product samples, bottle samples, packaging samples, flyers, etc. By, the time, I was ready to leave the place, my bag was completely filled to the brim!


I met up with a few old friends/suppliers/factories owners from Germany, Spain, Switzerland, France, USA, etc. We usually only meet up once a year to catch up on the latest news and ingredients from all over the world. Cosmoprof lasted for 3 full days, it was exhausting. Walking and visiting every single booth to do my marketing and product research was tiring, but it was worth it. I learn and brought back much knowledge that was needed for my business development. 


HOW I CELEBRATED CINDY'S BIRTHDAY IN HONG KONG~

So enough of work! I also recently, flew down once again to give my girlie - Cindy Li a Birthday Surprise~ Her sweet friend, arranged for me to "surprise" her at our favourite hang out in Hong Kong - Sheraton Hotel. As you can see from the previous Hong Kong trip, we love the Oysters from their Oyster Bar at the top level.

So, Cindy, didn't know that I was going there, I surprised her in the public washroom. She literally took around 15 seconds before she noticed that I standing right beside her, washing my hands in the sink. She says, "EH! SARA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!". and I went, " SURPRISE!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!". It was a great one! 


I was more than happy to fly down just to surprise Cindy for her birthday~ She was a dear friend to me. It was Deja Vu, as Cindy, surprised me on my birthday the previous year in Hong Kong too. I'll tell you more about that below. So we went to our favourite Oyster Bar at Sheraton Hotel's top level. 


Her very good friend, Elaine also managed to pop by to join the celebration. The oyster feast was fantastic!
Tip on Eating Oysters: Slurp the oysters straight off the half-shell. You may compliment it with a squeeze of lemon, a string of fresh-grated horseradish, a dollop of zippy cocktail sauce or a drop of two of red wine vinegar-and-shallot mignonette. 


After our Oyster frenzy, as our appetizer for the beginning of the night, we moved on to Armani Aqua for our dinner. Armani Aqua is located at 2/F Chater House, 8 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong. Their interior decor is in a Red and Black trendy theme. They serve Italian and Japanese fusion food. Service is excellent as we met another girlie called Stena (super hot chick) - who frequents Armani, so we had the VVIP treatment. Glasses of Champagne were served to welcome each of us, before we ordered our food. 


Stena ordered the best food they have there. These are some pictures of their really amazing dishes. The assortment of bread were baked fresh and hot, their Sashimi were fresh, sweet and tasty. My favourite was their Wild Truffles with Beef Carpaccio, very well seasoned with Olive Oil and topped with Parmesan cheese. The green and brown looking thing you see on the bottom right picture below, is actually green vegetables! Even their greens are very well presentable, suitable to cheat the young ones who hate to eat the greens. 


So, Cindy had a birthday cake at the hotel room, now we have many little cakes for her at Armani. The chef was really nice to present us with a variety of sweet cakes for candy Cindy~. She looks absolutely cute in her "Mini Mouse" dress~ Very pretty girl!


I really like the way Armani designed their whole entrance walkway, their dining area, their bar top drinking area, and even their wash room! Girls would be girls, we took quite a few photos in there. Have you ever wondered what does "WC" stands for? A lot of other countries use this sign, on their toilet/washroom/washbasin/lavatory. WC stands for "Water Closet" (old school term). 


Stena was really nice, she decided to bring me to experience the club scene in LKF - Lan Kwai Fong. That is the part of Hong Kong, where the people party like crazy! The place is filled VIP clubs and bars. There are quite a number of clubs there, that is not open to the public, only the people from the "INNER" circle are allowed to enter. Being rich to enter isn't enough, you have to be known by the bouncers and clubs owners to have exclusive memberships to enter. And if you are like Stena, they just let her in, by the sight of her face. No VIP card is needed. That's how she rolls~ Hong Kong is her play ground.


HOW CINDY CELEBRATED MY BIRTHDAY FOR ME IN HONG KONG~ 

So Cindy brought me to her favourite hang out, that was my first time trying the Oysters at Sheraton Hotel. Sheraton Hotel is Cindy's playground, she stays there almost every month. Before you enter the Oyster Bar, there's this Wine Machine area, whereby you purchase a card, and top it up with value, then you can try their different Red and White wines at a Tasting Portion. It was really fun, we topped up our cards around 3 times, and drank ourselves happy before we even had our dinner. :) So, as always, I chose a really huge oyster and some other sweet tiny ones. It was in the month of June, so we managed to have some White Asparagus from Europe. I love White Asparagus! They are absolutely crunchy and delicious~


The next day, Cindy brought me to this place called SEVVA. Its very famous in Hong Kong. They are famous for their celebrity designer chef cakes made by Marie Antoinette. Her cakes are extraordinary! Cindy surprised me with a huge Macaroon Cake topped with Sweet Candy Floss. It was so really pretty and delicious too! Reservations at SEVVA is a must~ It is usually full during dinner time: http://www.sevva.hk/


We had a lot of fun just eating the candy floss first, before we were able to slice the cakes into smaller portions. We could not finish the cake on our own, so we gave some to the other tables around us. The fish and chips there were crispy and fresh too. The view from above is good, and the people there, were fashionably dressed in their coats and ties.


Cindy also took me on a ferry ride the following day. From Kowloon to Hong Kong. It was an experience. It was faster than taking a taxi to go to the other side of the island. The ferry ride was really cheap. It is around the same cost of a BUS Ride in Singapore. She brought me to taste from Hong Kong deserts and bean curd. It is must try in Hong Kong~ It is cheap and really yummy! Every street have a desert shop, and they all taste good. 


Hong Kong is really good for shopping. One of the MUST-GO shopping place is called SPACE. It is a PRADA and MIU MIU Factory Outlet. They sell shoes, bags, clothes, etc. I bought quite a number of shoes from there. Their shoes ranges from S$300-S$1200. The ones on display on their shelves are always the "Smallest Size" they have. Their sizes usually starts from size 7 (39) and above. So for people like me, with a size 6 feet, its a little hard to find really pretty ones. They are all huge~. 


SPACE is located at 2/F Marina Square, East Commercial Block, South Horizons, Aberdeen. Taking a Taxi, takes around 15-20 minutes from Hong Kong Island. Taking a taxi in Hong Kong is really reasonable. It is about the same price as Singapore. But make sure, you Google the address before you take the taxi, not every taxi driver knows how to get to this location. The best, is to guide them with GPS information.


Another good shopping place that you must go is their DFS Gallerie in Hong Kong. This is where you can buy all the luxury brand goods like Cartier, Chanel, Ferragamo, LV, Prada, Gucci, etc. Occasionally, they have discounts on selected items. I bought quite a number of scarfs, and winter clothes from here. There is also a VIP program - Platinum Service Club, whereby you have personalized shopping assistance and a private lounge for you to rest your tired feet.


Well, when its time to fly back to Singapore. I was happy to be served by Singapore Airlines pretty stewardesses. As you can tell, I was really bored sitting in First Class. There were only 2 passengers on the morning flights back home. So I took quite a few photos and videos.


Read about my First Class Singapore Airlines Travel to New YorkCLICK HERE.
Read about my First Class Singapore Airlines Travel to San FranciscoCLICK HERE.
Read about my Business Class Singapore Airlines Travel to BaliCLICK HERE.


XOXO

Little Sister - Sara Shantelle Lim
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Monday 21 January 2013

Belated Birthday Presents - Miu Miu Nappa Cristal Clutch and YSL Belle Du Jour Patent Leather Clutch :)

I received 2 lovely belated birthday presents from my loved ones recently and I'm delighted. I have always love shiny accessories and fell in love with the Miu Miu Nappa Cristal Clutch which is extremely popular. It has been sold out in many countries and special thanks to Cindy Li for grabbing the very last piece found in London. This bag has travelled a long way into my hands! See http://store.miumiu.com/en/US/dep/handbags/cat/clutches

Miu Miu Nappa Cristal Clutch



My very thoughtful sister - Sara Shantelle Lim also bought me a red  Yves Saint Laurent YSL Belle Du Jour Patent Leather Clutch in order for me to match my red Miu Miu shoes, red Miu Miu handphone cover and the car which I bought recently. The YSL clutch comes in glossy patent leather in a classic and timeless design with a signature, stitched logo emblem. It has a magnetic snap flap closure and one inside open pocket. Many celebrities carry the YSL clutch to red carpet events. Suitable for evening wears and special dinners. This is my first item from YSL and perhaps more to come :)

Yves Saint Laurent YSL Belle Du Jour Patent Leather Clutch



♥ Lora Christelle Lim 
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Saturday 19 January 2013

Ippudo Ramen Sydney & Yogurt World (Westfield Pitt St Mall)

I met my lovely girlfriends Stefanie Lin and Tracey today for a lovely dinner at Ippudo Ramen Sydney after a long day at work today! It is located on level 5 inside my favorite shopping mall - Westfield Pitt Street Mall. As usual, the queue to enter the restaurant was long and we waited about 30-45 minutes before getting a table inside. No reservations allowed. The wait was worth it as the ramen was extremely yummy! Since its recent opening, everyone was raving about its delicious ramen.

I tried their signature dish which was the Akamaru Shinaji - a 25 year old recipe that requires slow cooking over long hours to achieve a perfect emulsion of liquid and oil to create a thick broth of Tonkotsu ramen topped with special miso, garlic oil, pork belly, black fungus, soy bean sprouts and scallions. It costs AUD16 for the basic bowl but they charge extra to add an egg for AUD2 and for pork belly another extra AUD4. We also ordered a salad and gyoza. The gyozas were the best I've ever eaten in my life as it is cooked perfectly and tasted heavenly despite being a little small in size. Total bill came up to around AUD80 for the 3 of us girls. It's rather expensive for ramen but the quality of the food was excellent and service was friendly, attentive and warm. A beautiful restaurant with modern interior and delicious slurpy ramen which created a lovely dinner experience overall :)



What's a girls' night out without something sweet to end the night? We headed to Yogurt World just next door to have some delicious dessert. We were overloaded with frozen yogurt and loads of happiness! Sugar high! We also spent a long time choosing which flavors and toppings we wanted as there was a wide selection and more than 100 toppings! It is Australian produced, 97% fat free and free of additives so I guess it's quite healthy! Not too sinful too! Colourful and vibrant place to indulge in yogurt with great friends and company. Just AUD3.20 for every 100 grams based on weighing of the cup filled with your choice of yogurt and toppings. What a great enjoyment :)



♥ Lora Christelle Lim 
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Kidz Horizon Charity Gala Ball at Ritz Carlton Hotel


Kidz Horizon Appeal 

Kidz Horizon Appeal (http://kidzhorizon.sg/) was established in 2004 as a charitable organization that attends specifically to an unfortunate, and often helpless group of people in our society - Children who are suffering from chronic or terminal illness. Since it was launched, it has adopted the KK Hospital Health Endowment Fund (KKHHEF) and over half a million is raised annually to help children with chronic illness including cancer and HIV. 

Kidz Horizon Appeal organizes a few events yearly to increase awareness of their cause and raise donations. This particular Gala Ball that I attended as held at Ritz Carlton Ballroom. The moment you entered the ballroom area, the whole place elegantly decorated in a British styled theme. The walls were covered with images of Big Ben, London Eye, London Subway, and Street Art Graffiti. We even had a Classic British Solider standing in his booth, guarding The Buckingham Palace (Ballroom's door). 


I have always loved kids and www.SaraShantelle.com have collaborated with The Singapore Children Society, whereby 10% of all online sales would be donated to them. Knowing my soft spot for kids, Karen Gian decided to invite me to this kids charity event. Each dinner seat cost from S$300 up till what ever amount you would like to donate.

The guests who attended the event were dressed in their James Bond suits and long elegant gowns. We also had a Best Dressed competition whereby a tall man dressed as a Charlie Chaplin look a like, carrying an black umbrella won the award. He enetertained us by doing a little dance before collecting his prize on stage.

In order to raise more funds, there was a Christie's Auction, whereby a lot of Fine Art and Limited Edition Watches, were placed on auction to the affluent guests.


The VIP for this event was our Deputy Prime Mister - Mr Teo Chee Hean. He was really tall. I am 1.66cm without heels, and I wore my Prada Glass Heels which was around 4 inches high that night. Yet, I still look short, standing beside him. I spoke to him a little and he was friendly and warm.


I also made a cute new friend that night, called Eli T. A premier Electronic-Pop Artist who has been nominated for "Best Singer/Songwriter" & "Best Solo Artist" in 2012, in Los Angeles California. 

The event was memorable as everything was organized with great designer taste and class. The food served was delicious and service was impeccable. It is highly impressive that Ritz Carlton Hotel managed to maintain their high food quality despite having more than 1000 VIP guests that night. Karen Gian was dressed in a beautiful red gown and the ever gorgeous Rosalynn Tay was dressed in Alexander McQueen.

XOXO
Little Sister - Sara Shantelle Lim
www.SaraShantelle.com
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