Author: xoxojeneen

cathay pacific, harbour city, hong kong, tap dogs, travel, travel recomendations

Hong Kong Tales – Part 1

by xoxojeneenLeave a Comment on Hong Kong Tales – Part 1
I’m just recently back from 5 awesome days in Hong Kong with the Gushcloud family. A big thank you to Cathay Pacific, Harbour City and Tap Dogs for the wonderful time and pampering us so. I’ve been to Hong Kong countless of times and I almost never ever get bored of this vibrant city. Here’s some bits of adventures that we had and my recommendations of must-visits and must-eats. 
A shot of the Cathay Pacific plane just before boarding. I’ve always had a good impression of this airline and it’s always been one of my choice airline to fly. Stewardesses are usually friendly (and pretty!), food onboard is good and the seats are comfortable. The leg room for economy is by far one of the largest I’ve had on planes! Cathay even has 9 flights daily to Hong Kong and that gives you such flexibility and convenience when planning your flight itinerary.

Cathay Pacific also has an eNewsletter that brings you exclusive fare and holiday deals, right to your email! CXpecials is now having a special promotion and if you sign up by 30thJune 2014, you can stand a chance to walk away with a round-trip economy class ticket to Hong Kong! Because good things must be shared, click here to get your own subscription of CXpecials and chance to win the tickets! 
http://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_SG/latest-offers/subscribe-offers/cxpecials-newsletter-subscription.html?p2=CXPYLG

We stayed at The Marco Polo Hotel and this was the view that greeted me when I entered the room. Whoa. I was blown away. How awesome is this view! The room was huge with a walk-in pantry, mini walk-in wardrobe and study desk area.
Super comfy bed. I fell asleep almost immediately every night when my head touched the pillow. The hotel is super conveniently located beside Lane Crawford and Harbour City, the huge shopping mall. It’s also walking distance to Tsim Sha Tsui. 
                           
This is me in the mini pantry room. I just couldn’t help myself when I saw the cosy ‘lil room….Ohmm….
We were hosted by the lovely people at Harbour City on Monday (3rd day in Hong Kong) and they pampered us silly that day. It started with this manicure treat at A Beauty Bar. The hand massage was absolute heaven…I almost nodded off sitting up!
A Beauty Bar only carries organic beauty products. They carry the following brands: Sparitual, John Masters Organic, Erbaviva, Coola, Red Flower, Esse, Karuna, Nest fragrances and Ilia makeup. This outlet at Harbour City is really cosy and located away from the hustle and bustle of the city crowd. A perfect hide-out for a manicure treat!
With the warm and friendly A Beauty Bar team and Gushcloud manager, Audrey.
My nails after the manicure session. I love the colours!

We were treated to this gastronomical lunch feast at Canton Deli + Chiuchow Restaurant after my manicure session. Check out our feast below. We were so lucky to have food from both separate restaurants!  I had happy finger nails + a very happy tummy.

Every dish tasted good. I can’t even pick favourites. If I really had to, I’ll vote for the egg tarts and ‘bo luo boa’…only because I’m bias and I usually love these 2 dishes. One of the best dim sums I’ve had in Hong Kong, you have to eat at this restaurant if you visit Hong Kong!

With our lovely hosts.
We popped out to look at the Happy Moments sculpture installation by Kim Gyung Min. There are art pieces sprinkled all over Harbour City. What a treat for the art lover in me! 🙂 And yes, we were all trying to mimic art and be sculpture installations ourselves. What fun!
From left to right, the Gushcloud influencers Rachel Wong, Reiee Kok, Audrey Faith Lim, Nicole Chang, Julian, Tyler, Szes, Roseanne Tang and me. 
My #ootd. 
Top: Bershka
Skirt: From Tokyo
Shoes: Fendi flatforms
Bag: Givenchy Antigona
We continued with a macaron tasting mini tour after at Pierre Herme and Laduree. Am I lucky or what?! How awesome is Harbour City to have both macaron shops under their roof. 


Funky decor at Pierre Herme.
Mmm…macarons galore! I want 1 of everything!!

The flavours that I tasted. I like the rose and salted caramel best. 

In macaron heaven!

Laduree is all pink, pretty and polka dots. 

Pretty macaron tower

Even the macaron colours are so prettyyyyy.

One of each, please!

Happy macaron campers. We each got to take home a box of macarons and a bottle of jam. Thank you, Laduree!

Special Hong Kong edition Lauduree box.
And like all that macarons weren’t enough, we were hosted for tea at the newly opened Dalloyau cafe. More sweets for all the sweet tooth monsters! 😀
                           

More yummy macarons!
I love lemon tarts.

The interior of the cafe is really pretty.

Dalloyau’s signature, the Opera cake. If you’re wondering, yes, it’s very good. You’ve got to try it!

Interior of the cafe.
With Gushcloud managers, Sheena and Audrey, and Roseanne.

The cakes taste as good as they look.

Le menu!


As if the day wasn’t going well enough, we bumped into Gigi Leung at Dalloyau and got a picture with her.
We had some free and easy time to explore the shops at Harbour City after tea and here is where we all ended at: Style Nanda. We all got really excited at the stand alone store and all went a lil crazy buying 3CE makeup.

Tyler, Nicole and Xuen looking like models in the store.
Harbour City is one of my favourite malls in Hong Kong. I never fail to visit this shopping heaven every time I go to Hong Kong. It’s got everything under one roof – shopping, dining entertainment and sightseeing. I have to reiterate again that it’s pure shopping heaven. It’s got Lane Crawford and so so many shops (at least 400 I think?) and possibly every brand name that you can think of. You’d probably need a whole day to cover all the shops in this mall. They’ve also got Greyhound Cafe from Bangkok!
Finally, to end the already perfect day, we were hosted to an Italian dinner at Cucina. Located at the Marco Polo Hotel where we are staying, the view at dinner was this amazing. 

The fish came encrusted in what looked like a salt crust covering the entire fish. The waiter had to break the salt case apart to serve it. It was so good.

There’s always room for dessert!

And just like that, this sweet treat was the perfect ending to a wonderful day.
This is all the Hong Kong tales that I have for now. Check back for Part 2 and more soon! 
-xoxo-
marathon, run for a cause, run for cover

Let’s Run For A Cause!

by xoxojeneenLeave a Comment on Let’s Run For A Cause!
I’ve noticed that Singapore has lots of marathons. The concepts and themes behind these runs are also getting more interesting and creative…with the costumes, neon lights, getting colours sprayed on you and more. My friends are constantly signing up for various runs and egging me on to do so. Me? I’ve never quite been a fan of organized group runs. Call me lazy, but I don’t quite see the point in paying money for runs with thousands of other people. When I want to run, I run – alone.
However, it’s a different entirety altogether when you’re running for a cause.
“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down
and lifting people up.”
– John Holmes

Always meaning to make more time for volunteer work and to engage in activities with good causes, MEH’s Run For Cover struck a chord with me. The first of its kind in Singapore, this run translates to free cataract treatment surgeries for the needy elderly suffering from cataracts. 100 cataract surgeries have been projected and are fully sponsored by Mount Elizabeth Hospital’s Khazanah IHH Healthcare Fund.
This run will see contestants running non-stop on the treadmill for 24 hours.
Every 30km clocked by each team will translate into one free surgery treatment for one elderly who suffer from cataract.
Here are details of the run:
Race registrations are until 14 May 2014. You’ve got 1 more week to register. Hurry!
Qualifier 1: 17th/18th May
Top 20 fastest teams to complete this 5.5km time trial will qualify for the next round.
Qualifier 2: 7th June
Top 10 fastest teams to complete this 10km time trial will qualify for the final race.
Qualifiers 1 and 2 will be held at East Coast Park.
Actual Event: 21st June, 2pm to 22nd June, 2pm, at Ngee Ann City.
10 teams race to run the farthest in 24 hours. Winning team members are eligible for complimentary 10 years of health coverage!


 And yes, there are special privileges for readers of my blog who want to enter this run for a good cause.

If you are the first team to sign up under this link: http://bit.ly/jeneen_runforcover

·      First person to sign up will receive a free FITBIT,
·      The remaining 7 members will EACH receive $20 CapitaLand Voucher,
·      The whole team of 8 will EACH get $50 AIBI Shopping Vouchers!

Plus, registration fee is also discounted to $15/pax for all when you enter this discount code: RFCjeneen during sign up!

 Grab 7 other friends to form a team of 8 to join us for the first qualifier round.
For more details and to register: http://bit.ly/jeneen_runforcover

foundation, L'Oreal, l'oreal one true match, makeup, makeup review, one true match review

Beauty One True Match

by xoxojeneenLeave a Comment on Beauty One True Match


There are many reasons why I fall in love. It could be the looks, excitement of the new, butterflies in the stomach…amongst many others. What seals the deal – that tipping point that pushes me over the edge to really fall are these few reasons above all else – my one true match must make me a better person, complement me perfectly and help me shine.
These 3 tipping point reasons resonate to many other aspects of my life. In the aspect of beauty, I have found my perfect partner who amplifies these 3 reasons in L’Oreal’s One True Match Liquid Foundation ($30.90). 

With the Opti-match technology, the foundation has six shades to match anyone’s skin. I’m using shade N1 and it complements me perfectly (reason 1); blending to my skin tone flawlessly and covers my imperfections, pores and blemishes without feeling too thick and heavy on my skin. Most importantly, the colour stays true all day without oxidizing, helping me shine and look my best at all times (reason 2). The secret I hear to the flawless finish is in the micro-fine formula that adheres to skin contours. This allows the foundation to blend evenly throughout the whole face whilst concealing imperfections for a gorgeous, smooth finish. 

These are the 6 fundation shades. (From left to right) N1, N4, N7, G3, R1 and R2.

Check out the coverage of the foundation on this blemished mango. I repeat, the foundation covers flaws well, but yet still feels light and comfortable on the skin. 

Here’s my Before / After:

The foundation evened out my skin tone and brightened my skin, giving me an overall fairer and brighter complexion.

What got me most excited is how the True Match Foundation matches up to making me a better person (reason 3). This foundation promises to improve skin quality in two weeks. What a daring promise! It contains Hyaluronic Acid that moisturizes the skin, no oil, fragrance or pore-clogging fillers. It also contains sunscreen to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. With so many benefits, there’s no wonder why they’re so daring and confident in their promise!
With so many pluses, what’s not to love about the L’Oreal One True Match Liquid Foundation? I’m a convert! If you would like to win a $150 L’Oreal Paris hamper for yourself, check out @lorealparissg on Instagram for more details.

Wearing the One True Match Liquid Foundation in N1.

customization, getting fit, gym, personalization

Feeling Good Should Be This Easy

by xoxojeneenLeave a Comment on Feeling Good Should Be This Easy
We are living in a customization generation. Intentionally or not, everyone is customizing. From customizing your phone ringtone and settings to the interior of your bedroom, we customize to have something to our liking and for it to blend in with us and our lifestyles. Innately, I think we all like having choices. Who really likes to be set by fixed boundaries and rules?
As you all should probably know by now, I’ve been working out at Amore Fitness for some time…and I bring you all exciting news today. You can now customize your package and create a personalized package to suit yourself and your needs! The new Amore Holistic Package allows you to choose anything from Amore’s offering from gym, group classes, personal training, spa, etc.

With 16 fitness and spa clubs, over 500 fitness classes to choose from every week and a wide array of spa, facial and body treatments, Amore is the biggest service provider of fit and spa – a one stop for all your wellness needs.
I believe they’re the first of its kind to launch such flexibility in gym packages. There is a trial promotion available for the month of March for those who want to see how it works: 

2 Choices At $69
(A +  B /C)
3 Choices At $89
(A + B + C)

A
4 Entries
(utilised in 2 weeks, worth $90)
Access to state of the art gym & fitness classes at all Amore outlets.
B
Botaroma Swedish Massage
(45mins, worth $94.16)
Soothe all aches & achieve ultimate relaxation with a therapeutic blend of Geranium, Sweet Orange & Lavender.
C
Purity Facial
(75mins, worth $90.95)
A clinically proven purifying facial that revives the complexion. For oily, dehydrated or sensitive skin.

My kind of personalized package will definitely include lots of gym classes and a massage after. How awesome it is to have a massage right after a gym class to soothe the achy muscles!
To find out more about customizing your package: visit www.amorefitness.com/holistic or call 6781 1822!

On a more personal fitness level, I’ve been going for a lot more classes these days at Amore now that I’m no longer undergoing personal training classes. My two favourites are Energy Sculpt and Kick Box. I like to focus on toning and sculpting in classes and do my own cardio activity such as running on the side. These two classes give my muscles a real good work-out and I always ache (in a good way) the next two days. Energy sculpt class is especially challenging…so many times I almost give up mid-way in class!

I know it gets hard to motivate yourself to ‘drag’ yourself to the gym sometimes. Here’s some fitness motivation that I love and have to share.

To a fitter, healthier lifestyle and body!
-xoxo-
hair and scalp care, L'Oreal, L'Oreal Ever Strong, L'Oreal Paris Hair Expertise, review

Hello, stronger and thicker hair!

by xoxojeneen2 Comments on Hello, stronger and thicker hair!

If you guys remember, I blogged about L’Oreal’s Hair Expertise range of sulfate-free, silicone-free and paraben-free haircare last year. A quick reminder, sulfate is really really bad for the hair. Sulfate is equivalent to and found in most home and industrial cleaning products such as floor cleaners, car wash soaps and engine degreasers. Using shampoo and hair products containing sulfate can lead to dry and brittle hair, split ends and scalp irritation. So if you want healthy and shiny hair, sulfate is a big no.

L’Oreal has recently introduced and added on to their Hair Expertise range a complete hair and scalp system that includes shampoo, conditioner and hair thickening tonic. Aptly named EverStrong Hair and Scalp System, these 3 products when used in unison targets hair fall control from the roots so that you’ll have stronger, thicker hair in 30 days! 
The promise to target hair fall control from the roots got me really interested as my regular hairstylist told me that she noticed that my hair has gotten significantly lesser over the years. *gasp* (Damn you, ageing process!!) I’ve also noticed that I drop quite a lot of hair throughout the day and during hair wash. Most likely, years of scalp neglect is the cause for this hair loss. I’m sure it also doesn’t help that I’m quite a bit older now…everything seems to start falling apart as you age. I used to have a full head of thick hair! Anyhow, here are a couple of reasons why your scalp becomes clogged: 
– Excessive sebum production/oily scalp
– Leftover styling products
– Pollutants
– Improper cleansing/use of the wrong products
So obviously when your scalp is clogged, your hair cannot grow properly and healthily. Just as like plants that need good fertile soil and nutrients to grow well, hair is the same and a healthy scalp is necessary for thick and luscious locks. The EverStrong range of products promise to help regulate and control sebum production, hence allowing hair to grow healthily while fortifying hair strands, making each strand thicker and stronger. It’s enriched with botanical oils such as Rosemary to sooth the scalp, Mint to revitalize and also contains Amino Acid Complex to fortify, thicken and energize the scalp.
To test the effectiveness of the EverStrong range, I’ve embarked on the 30 day challenge to test the claim for ‘stronger, thicker hair in 30 days’.  I had my scalp tested for a before/after review.

Before:
In this ‘before’ image, you can see that my hair strands are of varying thickness with some being very thin. As opposed to a healthy head of hair where the strands are of similar thickness (see below picture). This hair test shows that my hair strands are thinning which means that my hair is more brittle and drops and snaps easily. Thinner hair strands also equals a less full head of hair. 
After:

I am mid-way through the challenge and this is how my scalp looks. Already, the width of my hair strands look more similar and each strand looks thicker and stronger. Although we could not locate the exact same spot for the before/after images, we did a more thorough scan around my scalp for this after review and the images all turned out pretty similar. 

Besides strengthening my hair so that each strand becomes thicker, I really love the minty smell of the products and how fresh my scalp feels after a wash. My scalp also feels a lot cleaner now, like I’ve thoroughly removed all the hair styling product build-ups and excess oil. 

If you would like a healthier scalp and stronger, fuller hair, join the L’Oreal Hair Expertise Every Strong 30-day Scalp Care Challenge too! (Honestly, I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t want a healthier scalp and stronger hair…)
Here’s how:
1. Purchase the Ever Strong tonic and receive a 59ml set of shampoo + conditioner. 
2. To redeem your complimentary shampoo + conditioner, register with your particulars on L’Oreal’s HERE.
3. Use the full set of products for 30 days after redemption. At the end of the 30 days, head back to L’Oreal’s office for an after challenge scalp shot, share your testimonial and receive a $50 hamper incentive.