Singapore

I was in Singapore last week and my colleague who just moved to Singapore brought me to Kinki. It was at Customs House and it is an edgy Japanese themed bar + restaurant. On the rooftop, the view was to die for - the undisrupted view of Marina Bay Sands and the CBD.

Restaurant's feature Koi flooring

Japanese art deco and the food didn't disappoint too!

Art of Packing

I have flown close to 200,000 miles this year. From Vancouver to Manila, tropical to cold, rainy to sunny and I am first to admit that I am terrible at packing. I usually bring a lot more than I actually need and I need to bring 3 pair of shoes - one for Gym, Dress shoes and a pair of casual shoes. For this post, let's look at how the stylish travel. TYLER BRÛLÉ'S 10 RULES ON PACKING 1. There's no such thing as check-in. Carry-on -- always. 2. You can usually carry on one extra bag if you ask nicely -- at least in Europe. 3. Three days, three months: it's all the same when it comes to packing. Hotels have laundry service for a reason. 4. No logos. Discreet is far superior to bling, particularly in less secure destinations. 5. Always pack a collapsible tote for shopping and in-flight material like magazines, toiletry kits, slippers et al. 6. Overlook bags by Porter, Herve Chapelier, Globe-Trotter, Coperto and Valextra at your own peril. 7. Consider the safari jacket (Helmut Lang or Alberto Aspesi); it is an excellent all-round, all-weather garment. 8. Opt for Peter Geeson knitwear in single-ply lamb's-wool; it's multiseasonal. 9. Always ask your laundry service to fold and bag shirts rather than hang them. 10. Dop kits (nylon over leather) are best kept small, as size imposes discipline. From New York Times

Financial Times + Tyler Brule + Monocle

I've been traveling a lot - from Shanghai, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore in a few weeks. Every time I fly Singapore Airlines, I look forward to reading a copy of Financial Times - whilst the journalism in the English paper is excellent, I most look forward to Tyler Brule's column the Fast Lane. I had no idea who he was but I just loved his column. He has impeccable taste in everything fine in life and his high flying career is the career I dreamed of. As I followed him more, I found out that he is founder of Wallpaper* magazine which was subsequently sold to Times and he has since started a new magazine - called Monocle. It didn't take me long to get a copy of the magazine when I saw it in a newsstand in Singapore. Reading the magazine will transport you to the world that is out there and gives you an overall brief on what's cool and relevant that is on offer in the world. Here is a video by Monocle featuring Melbourne's coffee great coffee culture

A Living Space by Kit Kemp

If I can only choose one favourite designer, it would be undoubtedly be Kit Kemp. Her sense of style is always full of surprises, injection of mood-provoking patterns, colour of patterns. When I saw that she has her published her one very book, it didn't take me much time to pre-order it online.

A Living Space

Strandmon Wing Chair

I've been looking around for a comfy armchair for my master bedroom. The chair has to look sleek and has to be a spot for me to sit down with my legs up to do some reading or just chill. Of course, budget has to be in within parameters too.

Never have I been so excited for an Ikea product, coming in 1st October 2012 ! - The Strandmon Wing chair, together with the ottoman is on top of my wish list!


I am never a big fan of flat pack furnitures but I allow myself dosage of small quantity of very little accessories from IKEA. The last thing I want when people over to my house is to notice the Billy Bookcase, or the this and that $9.90 coffee table that looks like someone with a student budget has.

But this chair definitely looks very attractive and I'm very eager to own it, it comes with Blue as well which is perfect with the colour scheme of my master bedroom.

Foyer

My foyer & study is depressing as hell and I have been working on it for the past 2 weeks. The first thing I did was embark on my first paint job ever. I have been inspired by a lot of greys and wanted something bold for a change. 

I was in Geelong today and saw this mirror at an antique shop. I have always wanted to try out a gold something in my home but have never got the guts to. For some reasons, the mirror really appealed to me and to my disappointment it was sold as a set with a console. Despite that, I wanted the mirror so bad, I bought the whole thing anyway. 

Watching Tom Ford Visionaires the other day, I, too was inspired by his stage setting. Very simple chic focal point of a gold detailed mirror. 

End result, I'm quite pleased with it. I picked up the two prints from a flea market, sold to me by a French dealer. With his French accent, anything he said was credible. He said they were 1950s and he advised me not to change the aluminium frames as they were original 1950s frame and I'm glad i listened to him.

Hotel Penaga, Georgetown Penang

I was in Penang a few weeks ago to visit a friend while taking the opportunity of a mini vacation from my business trip to Kuala Lumpur. Georgetown being a UNESCO World Heritage Site - had experienced a boom of so-called boutique hotels to cater for its increasing tourist influx. 

My colleague swears by the Mr & Mrs Smith hotel group and me having never been to Penang I took the plunge and book a boutique hotel from Mr & Mrs Smith website. I decided on Penaga Hotel, right in the heart of Geogetown. 

Housed in one of refurnished pre-war townhouses Georgetown is famous for, I'm not really a fan of its decor, the materials they use looked really cheap..you can tell by the mirror and the scone lightings. 

Bathroom

 Bedroom decor. Not sure about the green latex-like couch. Not very comfortable either - I had to wear ear plugs because the street noise was never ending from motorcycles and beeps and the room was so badly sound proofed.

Hotel Facade

 Wall Art - Georgetown is embracing its artistic culture. 

 Lush & nice tropical landscape 

Would I stay there again? Definitely not, for USD160 I can opt for a full serviced 5 star hotels in Georgetown which may be too 'generic' or 'commercial' by some but at least I can be assured I'm getting bangs for bucks rather than the 'boutique' hotel which failed in proving me efficient service (turned up to the hotel and the receptionist was so unprofessional claimed I have no bookings under their hotel) and a comfortable stay.