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Advertorial Two weeks ago, I had my first encounter with ‘Indie Pop’ photography and I fell head over heels in love with this romantic photography style almost instantly. Click to find out why. 🙂 ‘Indie Pop’ photography (also known as 小清新) is a blend of dreamy and quaint photography styles. This new form of photography was incarnated by the the ‘Indie Pop’ culture of the the UK music industry in the 1980s. It was popular for chronicling the little things in one’s life through refreshing, gentle and positive music themes. Later, this interesting sub-culture expanded its influence to the movie and photography industry. A few photography houses in the region have jumped on the bandwagon and adopted this new style of photography and one of them is A Square Visual Studio from Singapore. They approached me a month ago to take part in their ‘The Pavilion of Dreams’ project that features young popular and fashionable people with big dreams. The purpose of the project is to capture the dreams and stories of these youths through their lenses. I gaped when I saw their criteria – popular, fashionable and young?! Seems a little far-fetched for me… But of course I was incredibly happy and said yes! 😀 I’m a huge Audrey Hepburn fan and since my numero uno is traveling, the photoshoot naturally took on a Roman Holiday theme (without the vespa unfortunately). Yeah. You get the picture. Now welcome to my ‘Roman Holiday’… So what do you think? Honestly, I thought the folks at A Square did a great job. I’ve never see this side of me before – the soft and feminine side. Haha! Thanks ladies! Oh yes! Did I mention that the owners of A Square Visual Studio are two very beautiful and brainy (NUS PhD holding) girls? Aki(left) and Ada (right) This series of photos are only Part One of my Roman Holiday. Part Two features the other love of my life – Bebe (my bunny) and will be showcased on my next photography post. My bunny, Bebe On top of ‘Indie Pop’ individual photo shoots, A Square also offers wedding, lovers, BFF, family and maternity photoshoots in this whimsical photography style. And the better news is A Square Visual Studio would like to offer Honeyz Belles a 20% discount on their photography services from 1st November to 1st December 2012 and a 15% discount from 2nd Dec to 2nd Feb 2013! Whoopie! Simply quote ‘Honeyz’ when you enquire. For a full list of their packages, click here . Also, like their Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/ASquareVisualStudio for their latest news, photos and discounts! Meanwhile enjoy the behind-the-scene photos of this shoot while I (poetic tone) scoot off in my imaginary vespa to my medieval fantasy dreams… Till next time! Your friend, Juliana #fashion #ASquareVisualStudio #Photography #advertorial #photoshoot

Our most favorite holiday of the year is around the corner. Yay! But it may also be the most stressful time of the year for some because not many of us have mastered the art of gift-giving. Well, don’t fret because I’ve compiled a suggested list of gifts (for him) for your reference. Now wipe that frown off your face and click on my Christmas saviour list! 😀 If your boyfriend is a huge fan of Avengers/Iron Man and Macbooks, he’s going to drool over this gift that I’m going to introduce… iStickr Ironman Macbook Decal Iron Man’s arc reactor is lighting up the Apple! The glowing Apple logo fits perfectly into Iron Man’s arc reactor. iStickr is made with high quality transparent material, coated with high glossy protective film. The brilliant full-color iStickr with high resolution Iron Man design will light your MacBook up and impress your friends! Click here to find out where you can get it. Aztec and tribal prints are the hottest trends right now. We all have a piece of tribal in our wardrobes but how about injecting some tribal into his wardrobe as well with this next gift? Vans California Sk8-Hi Slim Zig Zag Pattern Straight from their California collection, Vans has released their popular Sk8-Hi sneaker in a dazzling Aztec-style pattern. The sneaker features a suede upper alongside Native American woven fabrics and round, waxed laces. The new pattern appears on both their brown and black colorways. Click here to find out where you can get it. Is your man trying to survive a stressful workplace? Well, you can perk him up or even help him to enhance his resilience to work stress with the following gifts. Shit’s Fucked: A Positivity Guide This is a very small self-help pamphlet by Gina Sarti, who is perhaps the punk rock Sark. It’s fun, concise, and full of little reminders we need all the time. 20 pages, quarter-size. Click here to find out where you can get it. Quirky stationery are the perfect tools to light up your man’s mood at the workplace! The Butt Station The Butt Station is perfect for any desk, keeping you smiling and organized! Includes a tape dispenser with metal cutter, pen and business card holders and a toilet paper clip compartment with magnetic butt for easy retrieval. Click here to find out where you can get it. When the pressure gets too intense, your man could grab his can of cold soda from this mini USB fridge from you. It’ll be the best pick-me-up to him I tell you! USB Fridge You’ll never need to get up from your desk, provided that a USB fridge is available and stocked with your beverage of choice. The cold plate within the USB Fridge cools to 45° F within only seconds after plugging into your USB port – the ideal temperature for any canned beverage. Click here to find out where you can get it. Time for a ‘fully-loaded’ drink for the ultimate stress control! Your refreshing beverage from the USB fridge may be ’embellished’ with ice pistols from this cool ice tray too. 🙂 Freeze! Ice Tray Pop a few rounds of these finely-tooled ice cubes into your beverages and watch how things chill before your eyes. Click here to find out where you can get it. Now that your man has successfully eliminated his work stress, reward him with this next gift for a timeless testament to your love for him. Watch Cufflinks Keep track of time in style with these functional cufflinks from Jan Leslie. The black faces and brilliant silver finish of these designer cuff links will help you be on time for your meeting or dinner date while giving your look a flawless finishing touch. Click here to find out where you can get it. Jazz up your boyfriend’s ‘cool’ image with this flask that’s totally worth showing off! 😛 Shot Flask The Shot Flask is a drinking flask with a twist. In addition to it’s premium, stainless steel & bonded leather wrapping, the Shot Flask contains a hidden cup allowing you to pour a precise 2-ounce shot whenever and wherever desired. Using a collapsible design, the shot glass can be flattened for compact storage and easily expanded for your drinking pleasure. Click here to find out where you can get it. Quit singing Fiddler on the Roof’s ‘If I were a rich man’, cus now you can flash all that cash with this next gift! Haha! Money Stacks Backpack Ok fine. The cash is fake but it is still pretty cool to crush the competition with the Money Stacks Backpack’s stacks of 100 dollar bills…a new staple item in the Money Collection. Click here to find out where you can get it. If your boyfriend is a huge soccer and fish fanatic, he’s gonna fall head over heels with this next gift. 😀 Fish Training Kit The easy to use, targeted feeding wand that comes with each kit makes it easy to reward your fish at the correct times. Click here to find out where you can get it. Well, that’s my top ten unconventional* gifts for him. * No DVDs, Xbox games, colognes, etc. Since this list is catered for all ‘martians’, feel free to use these ideas when shopping for gifts for your daddy, brother, uncle, male friend and boss too. 🙂 Next up – Christmas Gifts For Her. Stay tuned! P.S. For more exclusive content on gift ideas, makeup tips, free samples, style books or to receive the full gamut of privileges as Honeyz readers, like my Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/ilovebunny.net Your road to a sparkling lifestyle begins here . Your friend, Juliana #fashion #GiftIdeas #beauty #Christmas #Fancy

Advertorial Halloween fashion is making its rounds again and I’m not spared. Well… at least my nails are not. 🙂 To keep up with the spooktacular theme, I prepared scary Halloween masks, frightful costumes, ghostly hairdos… And of course, boo-tiful nails! This Halloween, I opted for spooky, classy yet trendy nails. Black for spook. Gold for class and ‘accent’ for trend. In case you’re wondering what accent nails are… Accent nails were first spotted on the runways and later trickled down to the red carpet. It started with creative designers replacing jewelries on the ring finger with nail art that consisted of rhinestones and metal. It was later simplified on Hollywood’s red carpet with celebrities painting their ring finger nails with a contrasting hue and these nails were known as accent nails. Now let the scare began! Photography My nails were created with nail decals and Hand and Nail Harmony’s Allure (the gold hue). Color: Allure And this eerie masterpiece was designed by the bubbly Doreen of Nail Indulgence De Beau. Next up! Christmas nails ! Here are my nails last Christmas. Still love it to bits. 🙂 Urgh! I’m running out of ideas for nail designs this Christmas. Let me know if you creative ladies have any suggestions. Meanwhile, create your own festive nails by booking an appointment with Nail Indulgence De Beau too! Here’s a Honeyz offer not to be missed! Quote ‘Honeyz‘ at Nail Indulgence De Beau (uBeau) to enjoy a gelish nail manicure and free soak off at $29 only*! (Priced at $60 originally.) * For first timers only. So ladies (and gentlemen), bring your mommy, grandma, girlfriends and aunties to Nail Indulgence De Beau too! With these low rates, everyone can afford to be pampered with manicures and pedicures! Nail Indulgence De Beau (uBeau) is located at No. 1 Liang Seah Street, #02-14. (Opposite Bugis Junction) You may call them at +65 6333 1687 for an appointment. (Remember to quote ‘Honeyz’!) Click here to view their Facebook page! Meanwhile… This song has been ringing in my head since I started typing this post. “If there’s something strange in your neighborhood…who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS!” I ain’t afraid of no ghosts! :p Happy Halloween! Your friend, Juliana #gelishnails #gelishnailpolish #Photography #beauty #advertorial #photoshoot #NailIndulgenceDeBeau

This November, exude confidence and laid-back glamor by pouring your curves into Lace & Buttons’ figure-flattering frocks! Fall fashion do not have to be dark, dull and boring. Spice up your fall wardrobe with a timeless fashion trend – Colors! This season we go back to bright colors and color blocking with our outfits, accessories and even hair! I absolutely advocate this trend so I was extremely excited when the fashion forward folks of Lace & Buttons launched their slim fit Butterfly Blue Dress with Pink Sash that rolls colors, sophistication and style into one! Aww… Here I am in the beautiful dress! Afterthoughts… I’ve had several slim fit dresses in cotton, lace and satin but never in chiffon. So it was pretty refreshing to wear this body-hugging chiffon number. The fabric is very light and smooth and does not weigh the dress down. The chiffon fabric also made the dress appear brighter and shinier in real life. The soft and smooth satin inner lining also prevented the skirt from riding up on me. This is a huge plus point for pear-shaped me. I’m a huge fan of the flirty ruffle details as they enhanced my small bust and injected some fun into the overall look. The pencil design at the lower part of dress also hugged my curves to produce an hourglass silhouette. The dress comes with a chiffon sash to create a bodice. I thought the contrasting color of the sash is ingenious as it defines my waist for a slimmer look. Even though the craftsmanship is so so, I love its flattering cut, wrinkle-free fabric and reasonable price point. 4 Honeyz crowns! Photography Model For more lustful dresses from Lace & Buttons, visit their website at www.laceandbuttons.com This Halloween, no tricks but only treats. And here’s my Halloween fashion treat for you Honeyz Belles! Happy shopping and have a great Halloween! Muhahahaha! Your friend, Juliana Disclaimer: I know I’m going to sound like a broken record but I would like to emphasize again that Honeyz fashion reviews are NOT advertorial posts. I do not endorse any of those brands featured. Rather, I’m trying to show you how normal girls (girls with non-supermodel statures) look like in clothing from these famous boutiques. This is to aid you in making informed purchase decisions when it comes to updating your fashion wardrobe. 🙂 #fashion #fashionreview #LaceandButtons

Sponsored Review Sip the finest cocktail, munch on crunchy fritters and savor the juiciest steak at the classiest restaurant in town. Sounds like the perfect lunch getaway eh? Well… I might know of a place that delivers just that. Read on to find out! A few weeks ago, I received a phone call from my good friend, Anthony, who suggested that I should check out the new menu of a restaurant in the hotel he works at – Mandarin Orchard. And the restaurant is none other than the award-winning buffet restaurant Triple Three . Big smile! Triple Three is the definitive authority of asian-styled haute cuisine in Singapore, so I was extremely honored and exhilarated to be the first lucky few to try their newly revamped menu that is inspired by oishii Japanese cuisine! This is an excited me and my friend Anthony. 😀 I also invited my good friend Alex and YT (the photographer of this photo) to join me. 😀 Upon entering the restaurant, we were greeted warmly and sweetly by mouthwatering cakes and pastries. This is the best welcome ever and it has certainly spurred us to pick up speed and head to the buffet table immediately. 😛 Wow! The restaurant looked spacious and very luxurious. And now it’s time to unravel the highlight of the day! The buffet table! The delectable buffet spread featured eight culinary stations of sumptuous Asian and international delicacies! So there was no opportunity for menu deliberations. 😛 I met the Chef de Cuisine of Triple Three, Sam Chin who gave me a detailed walk-through of the buffet table and his inspiration behind all his palatable creations. I know Sam looks kinda young (well he is young) but guess what… He has already been a chef for seven years and has worked in several renowned restaurants in Australia and Singapore. :O I can’t help but notice that he translated his passion and intercultural culinary experiences into this new menu which has a nice blend of both Asian and Western influences. Well, he did this by Japanizing his international buffet with a plethora of Japanese ingredients to expand our palates. Sam believes that Japanese ingredients are healthier and would appeal to his large number of health-conscious customers. Well, I can’t agree more! 😀 Both the health of his customers and the quality of the food are of utmost importance to Sam. Hence, he ensures a fast turnover of the food to maintain their freshness. Besides a healthy and delicious Japanese inspired spread, Sam also made sure that the decor surrounding the food went hand in hand with the theme of the food. For example, if the station served appetizing Indian cuisine, the station would be surrounded with artistic Indian ornaments or decoration that well represented the Indian culture. According to him, this will create an all-round dining experience for his customers. Talk about passion and details! With all that detailed introduction and obvious display of dedication, I could not hold it any longer… I have to try Sam’s dishes now! I went to my table and anxiously waited for the first dish to arrive. And it did. Okay not exactly. The first item to arrive was a cool and refreshing glass of mocktail to pique my appetite! My lunch officially began with a plate of Smoked Salmon Tartare that was exquisitely dotted with blueberry sauce and accompanied with crunchy lettuce. The sinful creamy sauce was balanced by fresh salmon cubes, tasty lettuce and sweet cherry tomatoes. A burst of four flavors! The salmon cubes were not mushy and the dish was chilled to the right temperature. It was certainly a great and healthy appetizer to start with. Teppanyaki Wagyu Beef is a signature of the restaurant so you bet that we felt extremely ‘obliged’ to try it! 😛 My Teppanyaki Wagyu Beef arrived in a sleek fine-dining presentation with juicy asparagus and drops of rich truffle oil. First bite into the beef, I died and went to food heaven. I’m not kidding. The meat was soft, succulent and extremely delicious. Even my lunch companions agreed with me! It was definitely love at first bite. I was still in food heaven when Sam woke my reverie with this astounding dish – Triple Three’s premium Snow Crab Tempura. I’ve never been a fan of crustaceans because it’ll usually take me ages to extract their meat out of their shells. However, picking the meat from this crab tempura was child’s play. Most of the shell had already been removed leaving most parts of the meat open for savoring. To release the rest of the meat from the shell, simply give it a slight pull and you are all ready to enjoy this tasty snow crab. After the tantalizing snow crabs, we were served a light and sweet basil sorbet to cleanse our palates and clear all our senses for the next dish. Cheers to a great meal! Just when I thought it couldn’t get better, the Triple Three folks gave me a small surprise… Tadah! Yes! I was served the legendary Chatterbox Chicken Rice! “Isn’t Chicken Rice only served next door?” I asked. Mary (a friendly Triple Three staff) replied “Yes. But we know you’d mentioned to Anthony that you would like to try the Chicken Rice so we thought we could make an exception by bringing it over to you from Chatterbox.” I almost teared. Gotta share this with my friends on Instagram immediately! Every Singaporean has a love affair with Chicken Rice and so do I. So I was very excited to try this famous chicken rice that everyone has been swooning over. The dish had hits and misses. The hits were the fragrant rice, crunchy texture of the cucumbers, smooth tofu in soup and great sauces. Even though the chicken was soft and tender, I thought it tasted very much like the ones I had in the hawker stores. Well, I guess that’s a miss for me. Despite the ambivalent feelings towards the dish, I think the price is still worth the warm service, nice environment and incredible sauces! And the grand finale of the lunch was of course – the dessert. 🙂 “Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos.” – Don Kardong I totally concur that so I had the matcha ice-cream to conclude this wonderful lunch at Triple Three. The aroma of matcha instantly turned on my taste buds again. I’ve always been a huge fan of matcha ice-cream and to me, a good matcha ice-cream is one that is not too milky or sweet. It is quite a task to find good green tea ice-cream in Singapore you know? But I was very happy to find my perfect matcha ice-cream at Triple Three. I ate the ice-cream with much fervor and delight. Afterthoughts… The one thing I noticed throughout my lunch was the impeccable service rendered by the Triple Three staff. They had a great attitude and accommodated all requests such as change of orders or table and even photo taking! They were all smiles and sunshine all the time! I love their wholesome and delicious menu. Indubitably, there were still plenty to explore in their new Japanese-inpired menu. I can’t wait for my next visit already! Overall, a cozy and classy restaurant that offers oriental food with a modern flair. 4.5 Honeyz Crowns! Thanks Sam, Anthony and Roberto of Mandarin Orchard for the invitation and great hospitality! From left to right: Anthony, me and Roberto. For your own dose of the perfect lunch (that consists juicy sashimi, crunchy tempura and luscious dessert), visit Triple Three at Mandarin Orchard! Lunch Buffet (12noon to 2.30pm) Monday to Saturday Adult : $48.00++ Sun & Eve of and Public Holidays Adult : $58++ Child : $28.00++ (daily) – 6 to 12yrs old Dinner Buffet (6.30pm to 10.00pm) Sunday to Thursday Adult : $88++ Fri/Sat & Eve of and PH Adult $98++ Child : $33++ (daily) – 6 to 12yrs old Dining Reservations: +65 6831 6288/71 I’ve shared my idea of a perfect lunch getaway. What about you? What’s your idea of a perfect lunch? Your friend, Juliana Disclaimer: Please be rest assured that even though the food and services were sponsored, it does not have any bearing on the content of this post. Opinions stated are genuine and honest. #MandarinOrchard #travel #TripleThree #SponsoredReview #FoodReview #travelreview #lifestyle

Diamonds may be a thing of the past. These days we’re singing ‘PANDORA is a girl’s best friend…’ Three lovely weeks ago, famous Danish jewelry line PANDORA celebrated their third anniversary and re-opening of their outlet at Raffles City, #01-37C. I was very honored to be invited by Cindy (Pandora’s PR Associate) to grace the event together with other esteemed bloggers such as Elaine of Elaine73.blogspot.com fame and Danish singer  Sanne Gottlieb . From left to right: Cindy, me and Elaine. Danish singer, Sanne Gottlieb On top of enjoying palatable canapes and Twelve Cupcakes’ good-looking and tasty cupcakes, we also got to sip fine champagne, design our very own PANDORA bracelets and savor a beautiful ballet performance. Here are some of the highlights of the evening. The party began with a welcome address by Ms Anne Trads Hansen, the Marketing Director of Norbreeze Group. We listened attentively to Ms Hansen’s introduction of the brand and PANDORA’s future plans for the Singapore market. The address concluded with an exquisite ballet performance at the podium. Here are some photos of the performance for your viewing pleasure. 🙂 I was given a walk-through of the brand and the process to creating a personalized PANDORA bracelet by PANDORA’s friendly PR Associate Vivien. According to Vivien, PANDORA uses 14k/18k gold, sterling silver and carefully selected gemstones, stones and pearls to create their lovely charms and bracelets. Besides gold and silver bracelets, you can also wear your charms and clips on stylish leather or textile bracelets like the ones below. Then it was my turn to create my very own PANDORA bracelet too! I realized the PANDORA’s sales assistants really knew their PANDORA inside out when they shared the line’s latest collection of festive themed charms and spacers in great detail! It is always a pleasure to be served by friendly and dedicated staff. PANDORA introduced their yet-to-be-released Christmas and Valentine’s Day charms at the party and here’s lucky me donning the Valentine’s Day collection. Browsed the intriguing PANDORA Charms & Bracelets brochure for more bracelet ideas. Besides alluring personalized bracelets, PANDORA also have a beautiful collection of rings, earrings and watches to captivate your supernova fashionista hearts. You may also give your PANDORA earrings a touch of personal flavor by customizing the hoops and pendants. Much to our delight, we were all given a classy PANDORA notebook as a souvenir from the party. For more information about PANDORA, retail locations in Singapore and their latest happenings, visit their website at www.pandora.net or like their Facebook Page at   facebook.com/pandorajewelry . Who knows? You may just find your perfect Christmas gift at PANDORA! Your friend, Juliana #fashion #event #Pandora #fashionreview #BloggerEvent

Sponsored Review Follow me as I scour The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands for delectable tea break treats for my rumbling tummy! It was 2pm on a Monday afternoon and I was starved of… … a good afternoon tea. They always say, a hungry woman is an angry woman. Well, I say a woman deprived of her afternoon tea is an angry woman too! So to prevent my deprivation from inducing more anger and grumpiness, I began searching for the ideal coffee house at Marina Bay Sands to satisfy my afternoon tea cravings. Look what I spotted from a distance! It was coffee guru – Java Detour ! Java Detour is undisputedly one of San Francisco’s top coffee houses. They follow a very strict ‘quality pledge’ by making sure that their coffee beans are 100% organic sourced from the best known coffee growing regions in the world and hand roasted in micro-batches. So you know we have hit the jackpot when Java Detour decided to expand its presence by opening a new outlet on our sunny shores. The best part is – besides world-renowned freshly brewed coffee, Java Detour also serves appetizing Mrs. Fields cookies and Mrs. Fields cookie frappes, along with organic teas, 100% fruit smoothies, and fresh pastries and breakfast sandwiches for the ultimate high tea experience! I entered the Java Detour premises and was immediately charmed by their intimate ambiance, delightful pastries and warm service. The cafe provides free wifi service so you can enjoy your nice cup of coffee while assessing the internet on your electronic devices. My face lit up when I saw the legendary Java Detour coffee on their brown walls. So before I sink my teeth into their delicious goodies, I decided to order something from their Coffee and Tea menu – a Green Tea Frappe to quench my ‘Java Detour Specialty’ thirst. 🙂 Hey! The latte was surprisingly good! Its sweet dairy taste was nicely accompanied by the strong revitalizing aroma of matcha (powder green tea). Aaah… Heavenly! My lovely afternoon tea session was also joined by these beautiful ladies – Grace and Karen . The food has finally arrived! Yay! Nom nom nom! First up was Roast Chicken with Green Apple Salad – SGD12.50 I thought the salad was rather exotic with a fruit and meat combo so I was slightly skeptical at first. But guess what? I was awed by its surprisingly sweet and stimulating taste. The chicken was lightly layered with balsamic vinegar so it oozed a nice aroma. I thought the delicious appley flavor of the crunchy apples also gave it a good refreshing twist! 4 Honeyz crowns! Next we were served palatable sandwiches as our main course. Bacon and Green Apple Sandwich (Customized) – SGD13.50 Feel free to customize your sandwiches at Java Detour too! This was originally the Roast Chicken and Bacon sandwich but we removed the roast chicken to taste the richness of the bacon. Well, also because we had roast chicken in our last dish. 😛 Anyway, the bacon had a rather strong flavor. I was glad it was not as salty as the ones I had before. Again, the crunchy green apple added a refreshing zest to the sandwich. For its tasty ciabatta and salt-free bacon, I award it 3.5 Honeyz crowns! Haha… I think I’m beginning to sound like a sandwich connoisseur. 😛 Next up! Smoked Salmon and Avocado Sandwich – SGD13.50 Wow! The smoked salmon was endearing and delicious! The smokey taste coupled with the fresh buttery flavor of the avocado made it the ultimate killer! I like how both flavors did not overpower each other but instead complemented each other to exude a unique and savory taste. I was also a fan of the baked edges of the bread which were pleasantly crispy. For its wholesome ingredients and splendid taste, 4.5 Honeyz crowns! Once we were done with our mains, we were swiftly served dessert that we selected earlier. Chocolate Therapy – SGD7.50 This cake was truly out of this world I tell you! I always thought it is a brilliant idea to ice the cake with dark chocolate ganache and place it on top of a yummy hazelnut crunch base. This cake did all of the above with perfection. 5 Honeyz crowns! Japanese Cheesecake – SGD7.50 I always have a penchant for cheesecakes so the Japanese Cheesecake definitely topped our order list. As I was looking forward to a rich and creamy cheesecake, its light flavor was slightly disappointing for me. Its redeeming factor was probably its velvety smooth texture. 3 Honeyz crowns! We culminated our afternoon tea session with some Assorted Mini Macarons – SGD10. Juxtaposed these baby macarons with their regular-sized counterparts for comparison. The mini macarons score in the looks and taste department. They had a softer and chewier center than the regular ones. Their outer layer was also crispier than usual. And I like that I can save calories and try a variety of flavors. 😀 4 Honeyz crowns! To view the complete menu, visit www.streetdirectory.com/javadetour Besides in-house dining, you can also bring Java Detour home by purchasing their coffee and tea products from the cafe. I had a wonderful afternoon of awesome company, cheery banter, delicious gourmet and yummy macarons at Java Detour! For your perfect blend of taste and ambiance too, visit Java Detour at: 2 Bayfront Ave, #01-30 Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 018972 For more information on their opening hours and menus, contact them at +65 6688 7034 or visit their website at www.streetdirectory.com/javadetour Your friend, Juliana Disclaimer: Please be rest assured that even though the food and services were sponsored, it does not have any bearing on the content of this post. Opinions stated are genuine and honest. #travel #SponsoredReview #JavaDetour #FoodReview #travelreview

Advertorial Between the bright beachy colors and hot pink flamingos, my freshly manicured nails by Nail Indulgence De Beau are here to conquer the Animal Print Fever! Besides new hair color, new cosmetics and stunning new frocks (:P), my autumn makeover still falls short of one thing. Did you guess it right? Yes. Chic autumn nails! This season, I’m looking at something whimsical. Something that makes a great fashion statement. Something that spells quirky and bold. So I googled online with the key words ‘Bold, Beach, Bird, Bright, Quirky….’ and found this design that fits the bill perfectly! Pink flamingos! Why didn’t I think of that? I showed Amanda of Nail Indulgence De Beau this photo and she replicated the design with a few shades of Jacqueline Burchell in SH74 as the base color and drew the body of the flamingo with Jacqueline Burchell in D44. Jacqueline Burchell SH74 Jacqueline Burchell D44 And this was the result. Yay! The nails looked stylish and absolutely fashionista approved! I love the color contrast and the adorable flamingos. I’ve named it Flamingo Fun. 🙂 Before I present my Flamingo Fun photo spread, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to my friend, Anthony, and to Mandarin Orchard for providing this gorgeous venue for this shoot. And now, may I present you Flamingo Fun by Nail Indulgence De Beau. Photography To create your own Flamingo Fun or Fall Fun look, book your appointment with Nail Indulgence De Beau and enjoy the following offer! Quote ‘Honeyz‘ at Nail Indulgence De Beau (uBeau) to enjoy a gelish nail manicure and free soak off at $29 only*! (Priced at $60 originally.) * For first timers only. So ladies (and gentlemen), bring your mommy, grandma, girlfriends and aunties to Nail Indulgence De Beau too! With these low rates, everyone can afford to be pampered with manicures and pedicures! Nail Indulgence De Beau (uBeau) is located at No. 1 Liang Seah Street, #02-14. (Opposite Bugis Junction) You may call them at +65 6333 1687 for an appointment. (Remember to quote ‘Honeyz’!) Click here to view their Facebook page! Never hold back when making a fashion statement. So start a new nail trend today with Nail Indulgence De Beau! Your friend, Juliana #gelishnails #gelishnailpolish #beautyreview #Photography #JacquelineBurchell #advertorial #photoshoot #NailIndulgenceDeBeau

Sponsored Review Jazz up your beloved gadgets with show-stopping cases from Pijama! Vertical tote bags have been in the fashion limelight for the longest time. Many renowned brands and designers such as Michael Kors, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Lacoste have also jumped on the ‘vertical’ bandwagon to produce simple and classy vertical tote bags to set our fashion-craving hearts aflutter. Besides highly desirable vertical tote bags, how about nifty vertical laptop bags to protect our Macbooks too? Anyone ever thought of that? Well, Italian gadget accessories designer Pijama definitely did! Check out its latest Macbook vertical tote bag! Famed for its scratch-proof and stylish soft cases for computers, iphones, ipads and other precious everyday objects, Pijama is the answer for city-dwellers who love their fashion and technology. Pijama cases are easy and simple with no zips or handles, just a quick velcro closure. They are made of soft and durable neoprene, combined with a wide selection of fabrics, like classic dandy and tartan wool, vintage hand printed cotton and denim. Each case is carefully designed and made by craftsmen in the fashion city where every detail matters – Milan since 2006. So you know that workmanship and quality of the cases are second to none. 🙂 Okay. Here comes the exciting part. Three weeks ago, I received an early Christmas present from Pijama and… … it was the Vichy Multicolor Vertical Tote Bag! I shrieked. Afterthoughts… The laptop case definitely scores in the aesthetics department with its bold and whimsical multi-colored checkers and cool dark handles. Needless to say, the material felt as good as it looked and the soft interior cushioned my Macbook well preventing it from shocks and scratches. The sewing and seams were also very well-constructed which made me wondered – where are the threads??! The dimensions of the bag are 36cm x 27cm so I guess any 13-inch laptop will fit snugly. After slipping my Macbook into the bag, you bet there were still plenty of room for an iPad or some pens and a notebook. It did not look overstuffed or bulge with these additional items. Here’s a small downer though – because of its perfect fit, it is impossible to fasten the velcros. So to prevent your items in the bag from falling out, always remember to hold it up right. I also noticed that the velcros are pretty strong. I slipped my iPad and Harper’s Bazaar magazine into the bag and flipped the bag upside down. The velcro closures did not give way and still held my items firmly. The straps were thick and strong and they allow me to lift my tech essentials with much ease. Even though it comes with a rather hefty price tag (SGD106), its well-padded interiors, upscale design and durability have definitely won me over. And I hereby pronounce it – Fall 2012’s It Bag! 4.5 Honeyz crowns! The tote bag is also available in a horizontal format (SGD117) for your 15-inch Macbooks and in the classic dotty design. Guess what? Pijama also extended its Christmas wishes to my boyfriend by sending him a Pijama iPhone case worth a whopping SGD34! Afterthoughts… If you don’t like bulky plastic cases, then this little guy is for you. It is handy and fits the iPhone like a glove. Its sophisticated design also goes very well with the iPhone. Like its vertical tote bag cousin, the material is soft and durable and the craftsmanship was top-notch – stitches and threads were non-existent! Pijama has 24 fabric designs and the fabric of this iPhone case is Herringbone from the Dandy Classic series. I thought the iPhones pouches from this series looked very classy, business-oriented and masculine, especially the Herringbone. The fabric itself reeks of class and it looked like it will complement any guy well. The dimensions of this iPhone pouch is 11.5cm x 6cm so it’ll fit almost every iPhone except the iPhone 5. I reckon that it can also fit most portable cameras and iPods well. My boyfriend thought the case is rather functional as he was able to slip it in and out of most of his pockets with ease. Even though he had minor difficulties pulling the case out of his jeans pockets due to the friction of the fabrics, he thought the case still deserved a huge thumbs up with its good protective properties, great fabric and long-lasting quality. 4 Honeyz crowns! Pijama not only produces cases for your digital gadgets, it also offers sunglasses cases, sleeping masks, coasters and even slippers made from its iconic scratch-proof material! For more information on Pijama products, consult their website at www.pijama.it To get your hands on these amazing Pijama cases, you may also visit the following stores. TANGS VIVOCITY 1 Harbourfront Walk #01-187 and #02-189 Singapore 098585 Opens daily:10:00am – 10:00pm PROLOGUE BOOKSTORE (ION ORCHARD) 2 Orchard Turn #04-16 & #05-03 ION Orchard Singapore 238801 Opens daily: 10:30am – 10:00pm PROLOGUE BOOKSTORE (ORCHARD CENTRAL) 1181 Orchard Road #06-01/02/03 Orchard Central Singapore 238896 Opens daily: 11:00am – 11:00pm NBC STATIONERY AND GIFTS (RAFFLES CITY) 252 North Bridge Road Raffles City Shopping Centre S179103 Opens daily: 10:30am – 9:30pm TIMES BOOKSTORE (PLAZA SINGAPURA) 68 Orchard Road #04-18 Plaza Singapura S238839 Sun to Thu: 10:30 – 21:30 Fri to Sat: 10:30 – 22:00 Psst! Pijama is seriously playing early Santa this October because it has also sent me an iPhone case from its new Dotty collection to give away to one lucky Honeyz Belle! Yay! Polka dots are a hot favorite right now and this polka dot baby is definitely the most perfect accessory to elevate you to fashion royalty status! To win, like Honeyz Facebook Page and share this photo on your wall. Then comment ‘Shared‘ on this photo on Honeyz Facebook Wall. It’s that easy! I’ll announce the winner on 22 October 2012, Monday at 10.30pm on Honeyz’ Facebook Page . This is an international giveaway so readers outside of Singapore can take part too! Finally, thanks Pijama and Elrica for this wonderful sponsorship! Before I sign off, I thought you might be interested in some behind-the-scenes photos. 😛 I put the trusty handles to the test with my new ‘Swing Quality Control Test’! Haha! Swing it like it’s hot! Trust me, after all that swinging, the handles were still firmly attached to the bag and no loose threads were spotted either. It certainly deserves a top quality stamp. Ending this post with a quote from Pijama: When your laptop goes to sleep… put on your Pijama! Your friend, Juliana Disclaimer: Honeyz bag reviews are NOT advertorial posts for the bags or brands. I praise or inveigh against bags to aid you in your purchase decisions. I also scrutinize them for your authentication purposes. Endorsements are non-existent unless stated otherwise. #fashion #bagreview #contest #SponsoredReview #FacebookGiveaway #fashionreview #Pijama

This October, a new season falls upon us… And that calls for a hair color change! Whee! Psst! Read on to find out how you can enjoy 10% off all hair services at Jawed Habib! Two weeks ago, I was invited to one of the most highly acclaimed beauty salons from India – Jawed Habib, to experience their Color Intensive Care treatment. The treatment involves hair coloring and a restorative hair treatment that rejuvenates and restores the vibrant health of damaged hair. I arrived at the salon at Tanjong Katong on a Friday afternoon and was greeted by a scorching sun (boo!), an eye-popping red signboard and a glass window of hair products. I walked into the salon and was immediately awed by its magnificent space and cleanliness. This is my most favorite part of the salon – the chill out space. It is well equipped with comfortable sofas and magazines that makes it a great waiting area for our bored boyfriends and hubbies. 😛 Besides hair grooming services, the salon also offers a suite of beauty treatments such as nail and facial treatments to fulfill all your beauty needs. I mentioned earlier in the post that Jawed Habib Hair Salon actually hails from the land of rich culture and heritage – India. Please allow me to introduce to you the man behind the reputable Jawed Habib Hair and Beauty Salon Ltd (JHHBL) – Jawed Habib himself. Ah.. yes. He was the guy in the picture at the chill out corner. Jawed Habib came from a family of hairdressers who had styled famous personalities such as the last British viceroy, Lord Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister. To preserve the family’s legacy, Jawed Habib started Jawed Habib Hair and Beauty Salon Ltd to provide quality hair styling and beauty grooming services to the wider population of India in 2006. The salon was a major success and soon JHHBL became one of India’s leading hair and beauty salon companies with 312 franchised outlets in 90 cities across India, and salons all over the world including London, USA, Dubai and of course Singapore! The Singapore office is managed by Denise who’s also the co-founder and lead hairstylist of the salon. Denise is probably one of the most accomplished hair stylist I’ve ever known with extensive hair styling experience that spans many years in many continents. During our hair consultation, Denise shed light on the different hair textures of the Indians and the Chinese and the different methods of handling them. According to her, Indian hair generally looks thick and wavy but in fact, their hair texture is very fine which makes them very airy and bouncy. Their hair also changes along with the weather and will swell and become frizzy in our humid weather. In contrast, Chinese hair texture is thick, dry and coarse. Most salons in Singapore are not aware of this difference, hence, they usually do not handle Indian hair correctly. Denise believes that every client should be treated according to their hair texture and preference. So she decided to leave the country a few years ago to consult hair expert Jawed Habib in Mumbai on the proper styling techniques for Indian hair. How passionate! So there you go. After a few months of intensive training, Denise brought her vision for the salon to fruition by opening Jawed Habib Hair Salon that specializes in cutting and treating Indian hair in Singapore. Yay! Time to rejoice my Indian friends! 😀 So this was the condition of my hair on the day of the visit. As predicted, my hair was dry, coarse, slightly static and “headed for splitsville”. So it was important to use products that are nourishing and less harsh on my hair. Denise suggested using chemical free and anti-frizz products from Wella for my treatment. Because of its poor condition, Denise strongly discouraged bright colors or going for the ombre or dip dyed hair trend. So I chose my all-time favorite – the mousy brown hair look. Let the work begin! Denise went on to highlight my hair first. The foil helps Denise spread my hair strands evenly to create a mirror reflection effect which will produce a more blended and natural look. The whole process was very enlightening because Denise spent most of the time imparting wholesome hair care tips and teaching me how to differentiate between good and bad methods of hair styling. Check out that ‘attentive look’! Haha! Someone should consider casting me in the next Alien movie. With the drying hood over my aluminium hair, I’m affirmative that I’ll make a pretty good alien. Thumbs up for ear caps! After removing the hair dye, the chirpy Jawed Habib ladies dried my hair and applied the hair treatment cream on it. The treatment aims to soften my hair cuticles and seal in the moisture to leave my hair looking soft, smooth and shiny like I’ve just had a soft rebonding treatment. To speed up the drying process, the drying hood is ‘put into action’ again. To completely seal the moisture in my hair, Denise blow-dried my hair with the sticky treatment cream still on. Be warned that this process may be slightly uncomfortable for some because the process involves some tugging of the hair. Despite the ‘uncomfortability factor’, I was rather pleased with the results. My hair was significantly softer and less frizzy after the treatment. Here comes my most favorite part of the treatment – styling! I opted for natural tousled waves that I thought were great for a Friday evening out. And here’s the big reveal. I went from this in the day… To this! Even though the treatment took a whopping 5.5 hours, I was very happy with the results. I took several photos of my new hairdo that evening. I admired Denise’s positive attitude, dedication and passion towards professional hairstyling. She emphasized that bad hair styling methods will damage the hair and lead to hair loss so she’ll always ensure that her team is adequately trained and her products are carefully selected for maximum quality control. To Denise, her customers’ health and well-being are more important than running a lucrative business. So I know I am in good hands when I’m in Jawed Habib Hair Salon. 🙂 In case you’re interested, the Color Intensive Care treatment for my ‘rapunzel’ hair length cost SGD210. Usually it’ll cost much more than that for coloring, highlighting and treatment. For its wholesome hair products, full-service menu, affordable priceline and scintillating hair services, I give it 4.5 Honeyz crowns! I attended the Tachi Zero movie premiere three days after the treatment and my hair still looked and felt silky and smooth. Here’s a close-up in natural lighting. Can’t wait to check out Jawed Habib too? Here’s a good news for you! Quote ‘Honeyz’ for 10% off all services at Jawed Habib! Call them at +65 6348 0212 or visit their website at  www.streetdirectory.com/jawed-habib  to book your appointment. They are located at: 279 Tanjong Katong Road, (S)437062 (It is located near Tanjong Katong Girls’ School.) Your journey towards soft and shiny princess hair begins here . Your friend, Juliana Disclaimer: Please rest assured that even though the products and services were sponsored, they do not have any bearing on the content of this post. Opinions stated are objective and genuine. Also note that all sources, information, content, links are valid to change at any time. #SalonReview #HairSalon #beautyreview #beauty #SponsoredReview #JawedHabib