Bangkok May'17: Staying at Park Hyatt Bangkok

Hello, Park Hyatt Bangkok!

Leaving on a jet plane yet again - Bangkok is one of those cities I never tire of, but checking into the brand new Park Hyatt Bangkok made it even better and was an exceptionally amazing experience!

Located right in the heart of Bangkok, Park Hyatt Bangkok feels like you're in an exclusively secluded space made just for you - every single inch of this five-star luxury hotel is tastefully put together, elegant and posh, and yet feels utterly welcoming.

The best part? All it takes is one elevator ride and you find yourself at Central Embassy, a luxury shopping mall that's home to huge names like Hermes, Prada and Chanel, alongside high street labels, local Thai designers and lots and lots of food choices! The hotel is also directly connected to Chidlom BTS Station, which makes it convenient to get to anywhere via BTS.

Staying at Park Hyatt Bangkok

I stayed two nights at Park Hyatt Bangkok to attend the gala opening of Park Hyatt Bangkok as well as the completion of Central Embassy and it was legit one of the best stays I've experienced in Bangkok - Every aspect of my stay was nothing short of impeccable.

Let me share a personal anecdote. I "lost" a pair of socks that I carelessly left rolled up inside one of my used bath towels that got cleared away by housekeeping on my first night and expected never to see those socks again in my life. Housekeeping miraculously recovered the socks a couple days later and even sent me an email to personally inform me of the good news so that I could collect my socks back. Hurrah!


If you like tall, airy, spaces, you'll love Park Hyatt Bangkok and its minimalistic and refined interior decor that is classy chic without being overbearingly ostentatious or opulent.

Everything feels discreet and exclusive, from the minimally-furnished hotel entrance to the modern, polished-looking reception and common areas, as well as the top-notch service of the extremely attentive hotel staff who greeted me warmly everywhere I went and assisted me during my stay.






My room was stylish and spacious - Most importantly, the bed was utterly luxurious and comfortable.
With universal power sockets and USB outlets located beside the bed and at the study table, I didn't once have to worry about charging up my devices (cameras, phones, power banks and the likes), which was a huge convenience for me.

I particularly adored the motorised curtains that I could control with the touch of a switch even while lounging in bed half-awake. It may seem like a small detail, but feels like the most luxurious thing on earth on a lazy morning ;)

Did I also mention the fantastic surround sound system (there are speakers even in the bathroom!) and BlueTooth-enabled speaker that allowed me to connect my phone wirelessly and blast my Coldplay tunes on repeat?




The bathroom area is a dream come true. You can't get any better than two sinks with two mirrors, separate cubicles for the (huge) shower area and toilet as well as a huge bath tub, topped off with a spectacular view of Bangkok city.

La Labo amenities were provided, and I love love love the bergamot fragrance in them!


Woke up to this view on Day 2 - And yes I drew those curtains electronically while I was still lounging in bed!

Breakfast was such a delectable affair. You get to pick your breakfast of choice from a menu, as well as a wide array of offerings from the pantry area - there was parma ham, fresh fruits, yogurt, cold pressed juices, freshly-baked bread, and the likes!

I was very very happy with the breakfast - Everything was delicious, and I ate so much that I hardly had space for lunch! Some personal favourites include the rice congee, eggs benedict as well as the selection of different fresh fruits available every day.

There's also a bar and a grill located within Park Hyatt Bangkok should you choose to dine in the comfort of the hotel, though we had most of our meals just downstairs at Central Embassy.




If you have time, take a soak in Grand Hyatt Bangkok's infinity pool as well. The view is lovely, it's decently-sized, and better yet, the pool is heated, so you don't have to dread the icy cold water!

There's also state-of-the-art gym facilities as well as a spa (soon to be opened) at Park Hyatt Bangkok, but I was too busy luxuriating and lazing about to even step into the gym - I'm sorry!

I highly recommend Park Hyatt Bangkok for those looking for a tranquil and exclusive retreat in the middle of the city - One night goes for 300SGD and up (depending on your booking dates) and it may be pricier than the standard Bangkok accommodation but you're certainly paying for your money's worth.

Gala Opening of Park Hyatt Bangkok & Completion of Central Embassy

I was looking forward to attending the gala opening - It was a black tie event with 700 guests made up of celebrities, media, well-known personalities and affluent society all coming together to celebrate the completion of Central Embassy and the opening of Park Hyatt Bangkok!






On the red carpet with my fellow ladies from Singapore, gorgeous Francesca and Rachel!


Just for the occasion, I got my hair styled at a salon just downstairs in Central Embassy, and dressed up in this piece from Sheike, an Australian label I like very much!












It was a spectacular night despite the achy feet from being up and about all evening in my heels - It has been some time since I last savored such an agreeable time with the loveliest ladies. What great fun!

Thank you for hosting me, Park Hyatt Bangkok! A special thank you to Eclair for extending the invitation and taking such great care of us. I'm looking forward to the next time I'm back!

 

PARK HYATT BANGKOK

Central Embassy, 88 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan
Bangkok,  Thailand, 10330

Tel: +66 2 012 1234

http://www.park.hyatt.com/en/parkhyatt.html

Review: Shu Uemura Petal Skin Fluid Foundation

The modest-looking Shu Uemura Petal Skin Fluid Foundation got me sold immediately the first time I tried it. For my normal/dry skin, liquid foundations work best, and I love my foundations natural, radiant and light-weight. Shu Uemura's Petal Skin Fluid Foundation checks all those boxes and more!

Ok, I admit it. 

I was already sold the moment I saw my idol Pony (a Korean makeup blogger turned celebrity) use the Petal Skin Fluid Foundation in one of her makeup tutorials HAHAHA! The foundation looked absolutely flawless on her, and I couldn't wait to try it out on myself!

Why is Pony so perfect?? You need to watch this video to see what I mean. This is what I call an effortless-looking natural finish!

Shu Uemura Petal Skin Fluid Foundation (SPF 20 PA++)

Inspired by the beauty of petals, the new petal skin fluid foundation features a unique and innovative combination of semi-matte and semi-glow characteristics in one beautiful formula. The unique petal skin technology within the foundation contains mineral fine-pigments with high skin affinity, hence offering a natural poreless coverage that emits soft radiance.

Shu Uemura Petal Skin Fluid Foundation comes in 11 shades - I wear shade 564 (medium beige sand), which is a perfect match for my skin tone.

Available in 11 shades \\ $68 (30ml)

Texture-wise, Shu Uemura Petal Skin Fluid Foundation is amazing. It's extremely light-weight, and spreads easily, with no cakiness or settling into lines. It also feels moisturizing and comfortable, almost like wearing nothing on your skin at all!

Look at how the Shu Uemura Petal Skin Fluid Foundation blends into my skin so imperceptibly!

It contains mineral fine pigments that have high skin affinity to achieve a thin and smooth layer with natural powerless coverage, evens out complexion and signs of imperfections.

Petal Skin Fluid Foundation also contains the following plant extracts: 

*Botanic oleo-veil (soothes skin)

*White jasmine extract (boosts skin clarity for a bright and radiant complexion) 

*White lily extract (hydrates skin).

Shu Uemura Petal 55 Brush \\ $80

For best results, I highly recommend Shu Uemura's Petal 55 Brush together with Petal Skin Fluid Foundation for seamless coverage with just a few strokes.

The hairs on this brush are so incredibly soft and luxurious! Its unique ergonomic shape also allows for both precise and even application on your entire face, even around the eyes and nose.

Using the Shu Uemura Petal 55 Brush is really easy, just use long sweeping strokes in the directions indicated by the arrows in this picture. It's quite intuitive, really.

This brush can also be used for any foundation texture, regardless of whether it's liquid, cream or powder. I love how the brush feels so gentle on my skin, and it does such a good job with application of the Petal Skin Fluid Foundation.

Before/After: My overall skin tone has been evened out and redness around the nose, as well as my dark eye rings, are a lot less pronounced. One pump for my entire face gives me a natural-looking medium coverage.

The breakthrough petal skin technology also diffuses light from skin to give the appearance of a soft, poreless finish! It looks almost like my skin got magically airbrushed to become petal soft and radiant.

I'm in love with the semi-matte, velvety and poreless finish that feels and looks like second skin! The lightweight finish is perfect for everyday usage.

As I have normal/dry skin, I find that the Shu Uemura Petal Skin Fluid Foundation looks great on its own, but I recommend setting it with loose powder if you tend towards combination/oily skin. 

Shu Uemura Petal Skin Fluid Foundation has also been tested in Singapore weather to ensure that it's humidity and heat resistant, and I was impressed with how the foundation held up throughout the day with no oxidation or "sliding off"! 

Finshing off my everyday to-go look with a light touch - A bit of concealer around my eyes, eyebrow pencil, subtle eyeshadow, eyeliner, blush and lip color! 

Wearing Shu Uemura's Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte Lipstick in shade PK 354!

And here's my completed everyday look with petal soft skin, thanks to Shu Uemura Petal Skin Fluid Foundation!

Create Your Petal Skin Canvas \\ 1-On-1 Free Tutorial This April

Learn how to create your perfect petal skin canvas! 

Shu Uemura is conducting a month-long activity where their highly-experienced makeup experts will show you how to create a look just like Pony (!!!) with a semi-matte petal soft radiant finish with natural poreless coverage in 3 simple steps! What's more, you get to bring home a FREE petal skin canvas trial kit after attending the tutorial!

To sign up for a one-on-one session, register to pick a preferred date and time slot here: http://www.shuuemura.com.sg/whats-new/petal-skin-fluid-foundation/

xx

Seoul Jan'17: Best Value-For-Money Korean BBQ at Hongdae - Dally So

MEAT, MEAT AND MORE MEAT!

You must must must have Korean BBQ when you visit Seoul, it's practically a crime not to! I'm a little sad that I only had two BBQ meals when I was in Seoul this time because I loveeee meat almost to the point of insanity. (Can't imagine turning vegetarian. Really.)

A good day in Seoul despite the freezing winter temperatures

Seoul is filled with BBQ joints all over, but Hongdae, in particular is famous for its "Meat Street" where the enticing aroma of grilled meat permeates the air from a distance - It's the most mouth-watering smell, ever!

One great tip for finding good food when you're overseas is to simply ask the locals. I find it especially useful to ask shop assistants while I'm shopping because most of them know the area so well! It's a more or less fail-proof plan for affordable and delicious recommendations.

A recommendation from a Chinese-speaking staff at Etude House, Hongdae brought me to Dally So for value-for-money Korean BBQ, super legit!

Dally So 하회마을시즌투

Directions: 
100m away from Hongdae station.
At Hongdae station, Exit 9.
Turn left, walk straight pass KFC, cross 2 small roads.
Dally So 하회마을시즌투 will be on your left hand side.

If you have at least 3-4 pax, please dont think twice, GO FOR THE KILL and order the 1.2kg Assorted Beef at just 39,000 won!!! That's less than SGD50, yall, for a giant 1.2kg platter of assorted beef!

There's also pork and chicken on the menu, but trust me when I say that 1.2kg of beef is more than enough for 3 pax and so that was all we ordered (plus a side dish of steamed omelette).

PS. There is a "setting charge" of 2000 won per pax so remember to factor that in! You get free-flow ban chan, and also kimchi stew so I think it's rather worth it.


Our jaws literally hit the floor when the meat arrived at our table. Just look at the generous portion of meat! 39,000 won is totally worth it.

Technically, you ought to start with the thinly sliced beef slices before moving on in sequence to the other cuts - It just gets better and better when you hit the thick juicy beef chunks of meaty goodness!


And remember not to over-cook your beef please, medium rare is the way to go!


So so so so so satisfed with dinner!

I'd most definitely recommend hitting up Dally So at Hongdae, it's probably one of the best value-for-money ala carte Korean BBQ places around! Go go go!

DBS Visa Debit Card X Multi-Currency Account: Fuss-free Shopping Online & Overseas!

Do you travel the world frequently, or are you a savvy online shopper, like I am? ;) If you're like me, I'm sure you totally understand the frustration and pains of shopping and paying in foreign currencies both online and overseas - I sometimes get a rude shock when I see the poor foreign exchange rates and high conversion fees on my purchases! :(

One of my favourite overseas-based online shops!

For instance, Shopbop is one of my favourite overseas-based online shops, but it only charges in $USD, and we all know how much the USD can fluctuate from time to time.



I really don't have patience when it comes to shopping. When I want something, I want it straight away, and usually just bite the bullet to buy what I want at a more expensive price even when the foreign exchange rates aren't the best or the conversion fees are high HAHA.

It's just not ideal to wait for exchange rates to drop or the most favorable time to shop from my favourite online websites (what if the item I want goes out of stock???), you know what I mean? It's like Murphy's Law - Those darn foreign exchange rates always soar sky-high just when you're about to need that particular currency, yet when they're at their all-time lows, you have no use for them! I've experienced this phenomenon more than once, and it's downright frustrating!

Here's where DBS x Visa's overseas payment solution for travellers and e-commerce shoppers, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, comes into the picture - It's an easy, fuss-free and smart way to shop online and overseas!

Skip FX fees & Conversion Charges with DBS x VISA!

All you need is a DBS Visa Debit Card linked to a DBS Multi-Currency Account (MCA), and you'll no longer need to fuss over foreign exchange (FX) fees and conversion charges for cross-border payments - Ultra convenient when it comes to online shopping or even shopping overseas!! D:

Best of all, it's so simple to apply for a Multi-Currency Account (MCA) and DBS Visa Debit Card!

Step 1. Sign Up For A Multi-Currency Account!

I already have a DBS account, so it was easy peasy to sign up for my Multi-Currency Account. For existing DBS/POSB customers, your MCA Account will be opened instantly online.

You can even link your MCA to an existing ATM/Debit Card so that it's totally fuss-free! 

With your MCA account, you can access up to 12 foreign currencies and the Singapore dollar conveniently with one account and transact at your preferred rates wherever you are.

The 12 foreign currencies are Australian Dollar (AUD), Canadian Dollar (CAD), Euro (EUR), Hong Kong Dollar (HKD), Japanese Yen (JPY), New Zealand Dollar (NZD), Norwegian Kroner (NOK), Sterling Pound (GBP), Swedish Kroner (SEK), Thai Baht (THB), US Dollar (USD) and CNH (Renminbi).

Note: CNH (Renminbi) is not available for direct Visa Debit payments as it is a restricted currency. 

I also applied for my DBS Visa Debit Card, which was sent to me within a few days time. 

Do make sure that your DBS MCA is linked to your DBS Visa Debit Card as a primary account! When applying for the visa debit card, just select your MCA in the primary account field to link your new DBS Visa Debit Card to your MCA account.

YAY! (And also my new DBS Visa Debit Card has Visa PayWave, ultra convenient woohoo!)

Step 2. Do A Foreign Currency Fund Transfer Into Your MCA To Lock In The Rates

No need for any hassle, it can be done via DBS iBanking or mBanking! There is no waiting or processing time, the fund transfers will happen instantly.

It really is straight forward, just keep an eye on the foreign currency exchange rates (you can find them on DBS's website) and once you see favourable rates for the foreign currency you wish to purchase, you can then transfer from your own savings account in SGD to your Multi-Currency Account and select the foreign currency to hold in your MCA!

For instance, I did a fund transfer into my MCA for Thai Baht - I frequently travel to Thailand, so if the exchange rates are good, it's definitely a good idea to keep my money in Thai currency for my future spending ;)

You'll also be shown the exchange rate as well as the transfer currency's equivalent amount.

With these foreign currencies held in your MCA, you can then transact directly in foreign currency with your DBS Visa Debit Card!

All Ready To Go!

Be it overseas and online purchases as well as cash withdrawals from global ATMs, you won't have to bear any foreign exchange conversion fees ever again, or worry about carrying huge amounts of cash in foreign currencies on you! You can also check your transactions and balances on-the-go via mBanking, no matter where you are.

For example, if I know that I'll be heading to Europe later this year, I can choose to do a fund transfer to my MCA and hold EUR currency at any point of time in advance. If I wish to make a EUR300 purchase in Italy using my MCA linked DBS Visa Debit Card, this EUR300 purchase will be deducted directly from the funds in my EUR wallet, with no foreign exchange conversion fees and additional FX administrative card fees at purchase! :)

One huge benefit I really enjoy from using my MCA and DBS Visa Debit Card is that I can access and convert Singapore dollar and foreign currencies conveniently no matter where I am, and at the best possible rates simply via DBS iBanking or mBanking!

For a frequent traveller like me, it saves me a whole lot trouble because I don't need to waste time making trips to the money changer, or even looking for money changers when I run out of foreign currency abroad!

Shopping made easy no matter where you are. Gotta love that!

Online shopping just got a whole lot better and more convenient too! You can bet that I'm waiting for the next time the USD and AUD dips so that I can buy in on those currencies and shop to my heart's content hehehehe.

This DBS x Visa Debit Card that's linked to my MCA is going with me where ever I am!

Keen to sign up for your own Multi-Currency Account and DBS Visa Debit Card too? Find out how you can skip FX fees and conversion charges with DBS x VISA and visit DBS's website here to sign up straight away! :)