Back to catch up with Yanni, my pretty doctor friend, at her work place before facial! Thank god for a girl friend who knows these things way better than i do. Since i religiously started on the skincare regime she recommended, my face is less oily, pores are more refined and my skin color more even. Yay!

Headed off to do the Essential Facial at the DRx Medispa. According to the condition of my skin, i didn't do my usual Essential Facial Plus because Plus has an additional step which is microdermabrasion and that is not suitable for acne prone skin or when you have a pimple breakout. If you're not sure, the therapist will assess your skin condition first before recommending the right facial. 

We started with the ultrasound deep cleansing and then moved on to the extraction. I was surprised that there wasn't much to extract this time. Well if you recall, my virgin facial experience was super painful but this time it only took a few squeezes. Whee! I guess all that slapping on skincare products on my face worked. After extraction, we proceeded with the Vit C infusion using ultrasound. Vit A is also available but that's more for acne prone skin. 

Ended off the session with a hydrating mask. Minty and cooling it was! 

I then popped by to say hi to the principal trichologist Peggy at the Tricho center and the sweet Stella gave me a tutorial on how to use the Repit Brush (imported from Korea) which is exclusive to the DRx Medispa.

Well let's just say that life would be a lot more perfect if you can wake up to beautiful bouncy curls or if you have a bunch of hairstylists working their magic on your tresses every day. Gosh this was hard!

I was not too great at curling my own hair. What you don't see here is Stella's disapproving look. Haha. Nah just kidding. Practice makes perfect!

You gotta keep brushing your hair till there are no knots and then bring the heated brush to the end and keep twirling. When the hair has sufficiently curled, or with the help of your palm, make sure it stays around the curler and the roll it upwards. Be careful not to touch the metal strips though and don't be overzealous with the curling or you may fry your ends. The tip is to reduce the heat at the start, familiarize yourself with the brush, then up the temperature next time.

With a bit more guidance, this was how my curls turned out.

I don't like my curls too tight so the bigger 26mm brush ($280) suited me better. The 22mm ($250) worked ok for me too though. The humidity in Singapore makes it impossible to hold temporary curls for long, especially without products. However, I’m still thankful I’m able to attain DIY salon-worthy hair! The Repit brush is great for investment and definitely doesn’t harm hair as much as regular curlers (which i'm also terrible at using).

With Peggy! She's always so bubbly and her positivity is really infectious. I updated her about my reduced hair fall and she reminded me once again to eat more so that my hair will be as luscious as hers. Haha. Love her! 

The signature Essential Facial (without microdermabrasion) is 40% discounted at $69 (before GST) if you quote me when you call to make an appointment with The DRx Medispa.

The DRx Medispa
302 Orchard Road, #14-02/#16-02
Tong Building (next to Paragon Shopping Centre)
Singapore 238862
Tel: +65 6223 1555
Mon to Sat: 10am to 8pm
Sun: 10am to 6pm

As many of you would know, I love love love hot yoga. For people who think that it isn't a work out, you cannot be more wrong and this is coming from a yoga convert. I used to think Yoga is really easy and boring/static until I tried a couple of classes (flow, vinyasa, ashtanga) and then I've not looked back since. But if you're looking at only doing yoga to lose weight, then you better be doing 4h of non-hatha classes a day for an extended period of time.

So i tried BYCH Hot Yoga at Raffles City Shopping Mall some time back. BYCH offers the classic hot yoga series which is practiced in a 40ºC studio. Well essentially it's Bikram and it comprises a fixed sequence of 26 standing and floor postures. Think of it as Hatha yoga in a very very hot and humid studio.

I was wondering how to pronounce BYCH and then I noticed that the floor mat says it all. My girlfriends  commented on how it's a perfect place for me since I'm quite the bitch (sometimes only ok and only to annoying people!). 

Well I guess it's another way to get lazy asses to work out. Sometimes we need some tough love to whip us into shape. So no whining once you step onto the mat. It's all for the good of your body. Trust me, you'll thank yourself later when you see your 6 pack.

This is the first carpeted studio i've been in and it supposed to prevent slipping and to protect muscles against strain. An antimicrobial preservative is used on the mat covering to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria and so the room doesn't smell bad as well. Yoga mats (called Mowels) are used during the class and washed and tumbled dried after each use.

These reminded me of those baby mats to prevent babies from wetting the beds. It looked and felt the same. 

Loose clothing are not allowed at BYCH. I think you're encouraged to wear as little as possible to prevent heat exhaustion as well.

The class hasn't even started and i already started to perspire! Students are not allowed to use towels to wipe their perspiration during the class and that really annoyed me because i really perspire a lot! That made it really hard to hold my poses because i can't grip my toes or ankles tightly. The waterproofed underside of the mat was also kinda slippery and there were moments that i simply had to step off the mat to balance in the poses.

No photo-taking during class duh. Here's my take on Bikram. I don't mind doing it occasionally but i'm not a fan because i don't have that sorta determination and mental strength to follow the exact instruction given (i'm such a free spirit). Static poses really bore me and i cannot imagine myself doing the same sequence over and over again. Well, BYCH also offers a 55 minutes Cardio class which suits me better.

That said, there are many people who only do Bikram. The instructions given by Chin Rei (the instructor) were clear and i could follow the sequence easily. Just a reminder, there's a lot of talking in a Bikram class, as in the instructor will be talking the whole time to guide you through the poses so if you cannot take that kinda environment, then Bikram is not quite for you.

Post 90 minutes Bikram class. Thoroughly soaked from head to toes. My fingers were wrinkled from all that perspiration that i cannot and have nowhere to wipe off on. It felt really good to perspire so much! I wouldn't say that it's a strenuous workout on the body as compared to cardio but it was tough mentally and physically (for those not used to hot yoga).

I didn't quite like the lockers as they are all closely packed and stacked high. Not too shorties friendly. Meh. Good showers with delicious organic bath products (almost edible really). I certainly welcomed the nice shower after the class!

Overall not a bad experience at BYCH. Convenient location, cosy studio with decent facilities. Check them out if you're interested.

BYCH Hot Yoga (moved)

123 Penang Road, Regency House (Office Tower) #04-12/13, Singapore 238465

Tel: +65 6339 6639

We Singaporeans love our Japanese food and we're really lucky to have great and affordable options on our little island. It's easy to rattle off sushi, bento and ramen joints but i'm usually stumped when it comes to teppanyaki. Well here's introducing SHIMA, a fine dining teppanyaki establishment at Goodwood Park Singapore. SHIMA has been opened since 1980 (i regret to inform that i did not know of its existence prior!) and recently reopened after a month-long renovation.

The refurbished SHIMA is now made more comfortable with better exhaust piping so one could dine without smelling like bbq meat. They have also retained their one-inch thick cast-iron griddles that were custom made in Japan. Well, the 'wok' has been seasoned for 34 years of seasoning to produce delicious flavors (don't worry it's clean).

We had the good fortune of having Chef Victor Yok, SHIMA's Sous Chef who has been with the restaurant since it opened, cook for us. The menu of the night featured items from the Weekday Teppanyaki Lunch Buffet. It's a steal at $49.90/pax! The buffet lunch is also available on weekends for $59.90 with a few additional dishes.

I enjoyed the fresh buttery Salmon sashimi and the yummy California Maki. Well that is because the seafood is air-flown twice a week from Japan’s Tsukiji Market to ensure quality and freshness. The sushi rice was very well seasoned too! If you do not fancy teppanyaki, you could just visit SHIMA for sushi and sashimi. :)

Prawn and Shisamo tempura are also available under the buffet spread but i didn't like the powdery prawn and the thick batter.

From the mains, we enjoyed SHIMA’s signature Poached Salmon ($25 ala carte) which featured a Norwegian salmon gently simmered in SHIMA’s secret sauce.

The meat was cooked to a nice pink center. I don't lie about such things. Picture evidence for your validation. I would say that the sauce is kinda sukiyaki style but less sweet.

The oysters are darn good too and they are so fresh and fat! Super yummeh! The regular ones were cooked with garlic and some special sauce and some of us went for round 2.

SHIMA is highly diner focused and will customize their service to suit each guest. Vegetarian Teppanyaki options are available upon request and Chef also entertained our special request of Oyster Omelette ($30 per 120g, not on menu)! And i say this is the best oyster omelette i've had in my life!

Premium beef at SHIMA is sourced from the best farms in Japan and America, and Wagyu-lovers can feast on top-notch A5 Wagyu ribeyes from esteemed farms in Kagoshima ($140 per 100g) cooked to
preference. The lunch buffet usually serves Australian Tenderloin. We had the US Tenderloin ($45 per 120g) from the ala carte menu which was juicy and tender. Very very nice.

SHIMA doesn't let any precious ingredient go to waste and the wagyu fats from the steaks are used to make the fried rice! Best seasoning ever.

SHIMA makes all their sauces in house and that's why the meats are so delicious too. I rather enjoyed the Teriyaki Chicken cubes which were succulent.

If you do not fancy Teppanyaki, like i mentioned, you could do other types of Japanese food here at SHIMA. Sushi, Shashimi, Shabu Shabu and Yakiniku are available in the other dining rooms. There is also the option of private dining room with a minimum spend of $100 spend/pax.

We ended off dinner with desserts. The goma ice cream was really smooth and tasty! SHIMA also does seasonal fruits imported from Japan so you could also sample the fresh produce without having to fly to Japan.

SHIMA is certainly my new go to for Teppanyaki! Set Menus are priced at $90 onwards.

SHIMA
Level 1, Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road, Singapore 228221
Tel: +65 6734 6281
Daily: 12 - 3pm, 6 - 10pm

Last post on the HIC'Juice restore level 2 cleanse! Was reminded of this because there's a recent pop up at Rockstar by Soon Lee and I went to grab some juices! :)

Was in a semi state of insomnia because my body was just bursting with energy. You would think that going on juice alone would make you lethargic and hungry but nope! That said, I really wanted to sleep but somehow the body thought otherwise. I also crazily believed that I can do a marathon at 1am in the morning. What did they put in my juice?!

640am. Weight: <39kg Mood: Energetic

Had my juice early (because I'm a rebel like that). Well I always skip the warm water with lemon thing because it's too much of a hassle. Drink 1 was the yummy 4 carats which I surprisingly took to even though there's celery in it. I shared some with the mummy and mama. Btw they both liked Heart Beet too! I took the obvious opportunity to get mummy to take the bottle of Kaleidoscope. Mission accomplished! I really couldn't stand that mix. Replaced that final drink with my coconut water from Day 2 since I didn't managed to drink it before I sleep. Well remember to just chill, there's no need to force yourself to go through the whole cleanse. Drink to your limits #yolo.

1030am Lemon n Spice
No kick for me. I'd take this drink over Kaleidoscope, which mummy has informed me that she only drank a little because it's spicy for her. So says the woman who grew up on chili. -Roll eyes-

1215pm
Yoga for lunch! Hot Patanjali at my regular studio to work out the arms. I had a hard time concentrating at the start because I'm so hungry!! Then I decided to cast away the need (yes food is a need) and to focus on my body. Felt terribly drained after the class though. Jelly but toned arms and a superbly flat tummy! Thankfully I'm not losing my abs. Had to use every ounce of willpower to walk away from marche and not lose myself to the freshly baked breads. God this sucks. Need to get back to my juice now!

Oh My Greens was waiting for me back in office. A slight energy booster with the mix of Celery, Apple, Pineapple and Broccoli. It's an ok drink like I mentioned before.

4pm. Green Lemonade was my tea break. Apple, Cucumber, Kale, Celery, Romaine Lettuce, Parsley and Lemon. The green juices do taste quite the same but this is a little cooler in terms of taste.

Ended the cleanse with Lemon N' Spice and Coconut Water.

Well, the cleanse was rather tough to get through for a serial snacker and rule breaker like me but I'm glad that I kinda stuck to it. If you want tastier juices, I'd recommend Level 1. The green juices, though good for your body, is quite nasty. I guess I just need to find a company that doesn't add too much celery in their juices.

So HIC Juice wasn't too bad but like I mentioned in my first post, the major con is the weight and fragility of the pretty bottles. I much preferred the lighter and smaller packs that they sell at their store on Boon Tat Street. They definitely need a store somewhere in town! For $8 a pop (250ml), it is certainly a good (and cheaper) way to initiate yourself into a cleanse.

Read about my entire HIC Juice Cleanse experience here! Day 1 and Day 2. Happy juicing people!

Finally another brunch place in Orchard Road! Seasons Bistro, a casual dining outlet at Triple One Somerset offers seasonally-changing menus based on Americas inspired cuisines. What's Americas you say? Well it's the melting pot of cuisines in US duh. Dishes are inspired by Chef Benjamin's travels and Seasons Bistro using seasonal ingredients to give you the freshest flavors at pocket friendly prices.

From brunch to dinner, drinks to desserts, you'd be hard pressed not to find something to eat. The menu is pretty extensive. On weekends, brunch is also served and we gave it a shot alongside dishes from the main menu. Make it a happy brunch with the sweet 2 + 1 promotional offer on Moscato wines.

Starters from the main menu. I really enjoyed the Seared Yellowfin Tuna Taco ($14). The flavors were light and refreshing with the pickled onions, crispy shallots, cotija cheese and cilantro jalapeno watercress salad. I obviously cannot resist anything with avocado in it (it's in the mayonnaise) and also crunchy tortillas!

The Pan Seared Foie Gras ($16) - came with chocolate ganache, bacon jam, caramelized bananas and granola crumbs. The bacon jam, made from molasses, maple, onion and bacon, had the right amount of tartness and sweetness. We felt the dish could do away with the banana because it made the dish too sweet. The pain de mie was also too dry and porous. The foie gras was faultless.

The Grilled Portobello Salad ($16) was marred by the overseasoning of red wine vinaigrette. Cut that down and the dish would be delish. I couldn't help picking at the homemade candied walnuts.

The mains such as Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($22) and Surf & Turf Gumbo ($27) failed to impress. I was expecting the full blown Southerness but got a watered down version instead as both lacked in the flavor department. The brunch items were also meh-ish. Yes it was edible and filling (the portions were more than huge) but it's just the usual fry-ups. The pancake in the Lumberjack was a little more chewy than I liked and still lacking in buttermilk. The bagel offering (Montreal & Lox, $15) did nothing to quench my NYC bagel thirst. It was, like the typical bagels in Singapore, bland and hard.

Seasons Bistro is not all that bad and brunch was saved by the delicious Sangria Loco Cocktail Pitcher ($45 for 1.5l). They add elderflower to the red wine sangria and I swear I could have this as a main course with their generous serving of cut fruits.

The day was saved by desserts. Clockwise from top, we have the Lemon, Basil & Olive Oil Cake ($8), Chocolate Fudge, Deconstructed Banana Split ($12), Red Velvet Cheesecake ($10), Carrot Cake ($12) and in the middle, the Mojito Tart ($12). Of the lot, the carrot cake fared the worst with a dry texture. The Lemon basil cake was rather intriguing with its strange powdery texture. As for the chocolate fudge, well it's impossible to get it wrong.

I loved the Mojito Tart ($12), a toasted crunchy coconut tart with mint lime curd and rum cream. It had the right balance of tartness with an amazing crust. 

The Season’s Red Velvet Cheesecake ($10) was absolutely amazeballs. Rich, creamy chocolate cheesecake with a yummeh Oreo base. I would come back to Seasons just for this cake!

Hits and missed at Seasons Bistro but certainly a good spot for some cakes and drinks hic*. 

Seasons Bistro 

111 Somerset Road, #01-11/12

Triple One Somerset, Singapore 238164

Tel: +65 6836 5841

Mon - Thu: 11am - 12am

Fri: 11am - 2am

Saturdays: 10am - 2am

Sundays: 10am - 12am

Weekend Brunch: 10am - 4pm

DOMVS, The Italian Restaurant at Sheraton Tower Singapore is showcasing a new menu which plays on the classic Italian flavors. Sure I've been to tea at and dinner at Li Bai (read review here) but I didn't even noticed that there's an Italian restaurant in the hotel! So anyhoo, here is what we tasted.

I liked that the restaurant has ample space between dining tables so that one can dine in peace. There's certainly a posh feel to the restaurant.

Starting with appetizers. I didn't expect much from a grilled squid ($22) dish but was delighted by this one. I maintain that fresh seafood should be done simply and seasoned lightly. And this was really fresh and I loved that char on the tentacles.

The Vongole ($22) was also another favorite seafood dish that night. The best way to eat this white wine clams? Remove all meat and dispose all shells before digging in. Delayed gratification worked extremely well. Make sure you dunk the garlic toast in too. Soo gooood!

I wasn't too impressed with the Wagyu Beef Carpaccio ($25) which was really bland. I couldn't even taste much of the beef.

Lobster Bisque ($28) was a good choice with rich crustacean flavors and chunks of lobster. Gotta say that the freshly baked croissants took some of that limelight away from the seafood stew. 

My favorite main course was the succulent Lamb Chop ($48) doused in a coffee sauce which isn't too overpowering.

Beef Lasagna ($36) had an interesting presentation. Each slice is made individually and baked in a giant pasta sheet which kept the lasagne moist. I thought the dish could do with a more acidic meat sauce. 

The Homemade Basil Tagliatelle ($32) was served al dente atop a delectable bed of fried Eggplant. The homemade pasta was cooked with a slightly piquant Tomato Sauce and topped with salted Ricotta cheese. The dish was kinda bland for me as the basil flavor didn't quite come out. I enjoyed the eggplant the most in this dish.

Duo Seafood ($60) was a motley crew of poached Boston Lobster, battered Red Garoupa and Italian Rice in a Tomato Seafood broth. The presentation confused me and did nothing to enhance the flavors. The garoupa went to waste with that deep frying imo.

We tried 3 desserts, the Salted Crème Caramel ($18), Strawberry Tiramisu ($18) and Banana Strudel ($18), of which only the banana strudel impressed me. Banana isn't my typical choice for a dessert as i thought it to be too heavy but this was surprisingly light, even after all that feasting. The thin and crispy filo pastry is certainly worth a mention. The other desserts were too sweet for me. 

Hits and misses at DOMVS but i guess with the extensive choices, the overall experience wouldn't be too bad. An affordable three-course Executive Set Lunch, priced at $42/pax is also available. 

DOMVS 

Sheraton Towers Singapore

39 Scotts Road Singapore 229230

Tel: +65 6737 6888