November 2012 - Regina Chow - Singapore Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle & Travel Blog

Streetdirectory Mobile App: Singapore Maps

Friday, November 30, 2012

Streetdirectory.com is no stranger to Singaporeans. Singapore may be a small island, but thanks to the addition of new roads and changing traffic conditions, it's always useful to check out how to navigate from Point A to B in the shortest possible time!

Now, with Streetdirectory's latest app, Singapore Maps, all iPhone and Android phone users can enjoy the convenience of road navigation with the touch of a finger! Road directions aside, the Singapore Maps app also comes with a slew of brand new features that promises greater user satisfaction and ease of usage!

Here are two new features that I find particularly useful:

1. Offline Maps

This new feature that enables you to download street maps of not just Singapore, but that of Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the Philippines too! Internet access is not required, so you'll always know exactly where you are and where you're heading to. That means you'll never get lost when you're overseas. :)

2. Business Directory

Looking for the nearest restaurant or the location of a particular hair salon? The information is now right at your fingertips! Just click on the "Directory" tab and you'll find a comprehensive list of businesses categories to help you with your search process.

I particularly love the Women category, which is further broken down into subcategories that cater to your every whim and fancy!

The Singapore Maps app allows you to make free calls to businesses that are listed in their database. Need to ask a question or make a reservation? All you need to do is leave your number and you'll receive a call from the store.

The app also automatically maps the store's location on your street map, which means you can immediately locate the store and get directions there! Talk about convenience!

3. Sharing Tips

Getting timely traffic updates or reviews on the latest deals/stores/food has never been easier with the Tips tab. You can also share pictures, comments and your location with friends. I especially like the up-to-date traffic alerts. Now, I'll always know which roads to avoid when I'm in a hurry!

Here're the links to download this app:

iPhone users

Android users

Palm Beach & Avalon Beach

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Mentaiko Pasta

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Arm Cuffs - The Alternative to Bangles and Bracelets

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Kiss Me Heavy Rotation Eyebrow & Nose Powder

Monday, November 19, 2012

Ways to Wear a Tweed Jacket

Friday, November 16, 2012

Decorating with four&twenty!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Looking for the perfect accessories to complement your home or office decor? Adding that extra oomph to your home or work station with accents that echo your personality and interests has never been easier with fourandtwenty.sg!

fourandtwenty.sg offers a selection of design-led products that marry form with function. Their keen eye for high-quality objects with clean lines led them to gravitate towards exquisite, hand-crafted designs by alternative designers with a unique vision.

The current collection hails from Denmark, the USA, Japan and Thailand. Delivery is free within Singapore!

To say that the products are gorgeous is a huge understatement. Don't believe me? I'll show you some of my favourites:

Oscar by Hans Bølling

Meet Oscar, the cute little dog that sits, stands and begs just like a real dog. This one however, is lovingly handcrafted in solid beechwood with leather, maple wood and wenge wood accents.

Designed in 1953 by renowned Danish architect Hans Bolling, this beauty has evidently withstood the test of time and is a Scandinavian design classic.

Place Oscar on your workstation at home or your office, and let this playful dog light up your day!

BIRD by Kristian Vedel

BIRD, designed by famous architect Kristian Vedel in 1959, is yet another Scandinavian design classic.

One of the most successful wooden designs in the 50s, BIRD is the perfect companion for your side table, or better yet, get a family of BIRDs to perk up your coffee table!

wrapqarw [wrap wrap] Cable Organizer by Naoto Yoshida

Keep those unsightly cables neat and tangle free with wrapqarw! Not only do they look elegant, these cable organizers are eco-friendly too as they are made of quality scrap wood from the furniture industry in Japan.

You can always trust the Japanese to come up with innovative, functional designs. :) These are great as gifts too!

KAMI and Cara Series by Hidetoshi Takahashi

These wooden cups are wonderful additions to your kitchen or work desk as each cup is individually handcrafted by master-craftsman Hidetoshi Takahashi. Gosh, such dedication is hard to come by these days!

I love the simple and clean design of these cups. And the best part? They'll never go out of style.

Porcelain Disc Chimes

These porcelain discs on a deerskin lace cord are designed to clink gently in the breeze. Handcrafted in Portland, USA, by Pigeon Toe Ceramics, the beauty of this wind chime lies in its simplicity.

"Founded in 2009, Pigeon Toe’s aspiration is to provide mankind with everyday beauty. Each piece is handcrafted, taking an average of three weeks to complete the transformation from clay to finished work. With a focus on craft, handmade and homespun goods, each Pigeon Toe piece represents a story woven with rich heritage."

Pigeon Toe's products are exclusively sold via fourandtwenty.sg in Singapore.

Here are some other products from Pigeon Toe:

Porcelain Tripots

Rocking Votives

Folded Porcelain Bowls

Specially for all readers of Shopping Queen's Haven!

From now till end Dec 2012, all my readers will get 10% off all purchases over S$100.

Just key in the code SHOPPINGQUEEN10 during checkout!

Dress up your Denim Shorts!

Monday, November 12, 2012

Passion Nails Nailed It!

Friday, November 09, 2012

Passion Nails is an established nail salon conveniently located in Far East Plaza, right in the heart of Orchard Road. I know we ladies can shop at Far East Plaza for hours, but squeezing in some time to take a break from shopping is always essential, and what better way to do that than to pamper ourselves with a manicure/pedicure session? Well, that was exactly what Karen and I did when we stopped by Passion Nails one afternoon!

I love getting my nails done professionally because this is one of the rare occasions when I can just put the world on hold and indulge in an afternoon of unadulterated bliss. I always feel completely relaxed and revitalized after a trip to the nail salon.

We were introduced to Ms Tran, the owner of Passion Nails, a gentle and friendly lady who takes the art of beautifying nails seriously.

The salon is divided into two sections. Upon entering, we were greeted by a row of comfortable cushioned seats accompanied by nail colour and design samples neatly arranged in pretty lace containers.

"Are OPI colours used here?" The answer to your burning question is, yes they are!
In fact, Passion Nails boasts such a wide array of OPI nail polishes, you're bound to be able to find a shade that tickles your fancy.

Just when we thought of taking our seats, Ms Tran led us to the next section of the salon. Lo and behold, that was when our eyes lit up! Luxurious leather massage chairs appeared right before our eyes. We were in for a treat, that's for sure.

I really liked the massage chair. It applies just the right amount of pressure at the correct spots, and is very effective at relieving body tension and knots.

That's not all. You can also get your dose of entertainment from the flat screen TVs installed in this section. Great for TV addicts like me!

Time to start our pampering treatments!

Our manicure and pedicure were done simultaneously by the lovely ladies at Passion Nails. Truth be told, there's nothing better than being fussed over like princesses.

I chose a red Cath Kidston inspired nail design for my classic manicure but I wanted it to be done in sweet shades of pink instead. Ms Tran who did my nails personally, listened attentively and carefully selected the colours based on my preferences.

Needless to say, she achieved the final design that I wanted quickly and effortlessly! I've been to other nail salons where the manicurists are so poorly skilled, they take hours just to complete a simple nail art design, which is extremely exasperating, to say the least.

With Passion Nails, you can be assured of both quality and efficiency. What sort of quality am I talking about? In my opinion, quality refers to both durability and aesthetic value. A durable manicure is only possible if your manicurist is very skilled in nail polish application, which is an art in itself. Aesthetic value is akin to how beautiful your nails are and that again requires a manicurist with a keen sense of aesthetics.

I was very happy with the final outcome. Most manicures only last me about 1 week, but in the hands of Ms Tran, my manicure lasted me more than 3 weeks without chipping!

Karen did the gelish manicure instead. We didn't discuss about our nail art designs beforehand, hence both of us were very surprised that we ended up choosing pretty similar designs! Talk about telepathy!

Here's another photo of my nails. Love them to bits!

I chose a nude base with dark blue glitters at the tips for my classic pedicure, and 3 weeks on, they still looked as fresh as the day I stepped out of the salon!