As a jetsetter, nothing can be more derailing than travel screw ups and last minute surprises. At the frequency i'm flying around, a comprehensive travel insurance plan is certainly required. It was a dark dark day when i missed my connection and was stuck in Dubai for a good 12 hours with little juice on my phone and without my personalized toiletries. Nightmare for every girl I swear. Or that time when our new camera was stolen at the start of our London trip. Thankfully insurance covered some of that emotional trauma with some monetary compensation. 

So i was out about town over the weekend, shopping for yet another upcoming trip and i chanced upon the DBS Travellershield booth at Ngee Ann City. The folks are promoting an exclusive new benefit, called TravelAlert Service, which keeps you informed with SMS alerts on safety and security related information about your travel destination - from extreme weather to transport strikes and more. This is certainly a service I can do with, especially in countries without much connectivity (e.g. No wifi, no roaming, no cable tv.)

Here is how it works.

TravelAlert Service is exclusive to the new TravellerShield Single Trip Premier Plan and Classic & Premier Annual Plan purchases via the DBS website or branches.

For more information on DBS TravellerShield, visit their website. Remember to get yourself covered!

Fusion is a dirty word in Singapore, mostly due to the many ridiculous restaurants jumping on the bandwagon and giving fusion a bad name. Thankfully, there's Pidgin Kitchen and Bar to the rescue, doing a creative fusion that has never been attempted before. This 2 month old restaurant in Dempsey (it was formerly Pamplemousse) does some mean South East Asian inspired dishes that are bold, playful and refreshingly fun!

We started with some drinks and i had the Pigeonmail ($28) made from Diplomatico Reserve Rum, Lime, Ginger, Honey and Cava.

Snacks & Bites section

*Must eat* Chicken Rice Arancini ($8). This is one chicken rice that i'd gladly have on a regular basis. The ingredients and execution is Italian, with Carnaroli rice and Scarmoza cheese used. The rice was cooked in chicken fats, giving it that fragrant and savory flavor. The garlic chili jam (it's not spicy) hit all the right notes without any of that pungent aftertaste. Love it!

Crab Otak Croquettes ($12). These were more crab cakes than the otak (a coconut and chili seafood paste). The 'otak' component probably came from the Asian spices used, mainly lemongrass. The Chye Poh remoulade that it came with added a nice creaminess to the dish but i didn't taste any salty preserved vegetable though. 

Lamb Meatballs ($12) were inspired by tulang merah (bone marrow) sauce. The balls were bouncy as no flour was used in making them. I'm not a fan of the sauce but the meat paired well with locally sourced Hay's Dairies goat milk yogurt. 

Fish & Seafood

*Eat This* Spicy Tuna Tartare ($24), in cube form. I love Japanese Furikake seasoning on anything but it's the first time i had it paired with toro. Sambal belacan (prawn and chili) oil added a light spicy tingling sensation to the aftertaste. 

We are all familiar with Tau Suan, a sweet and starchy mung bean dessert but a savory Razor Clams Tau Suan ($20) was the first for me. The stock is a clam dashi which was very lightly flavored. I still can't wrap my head around it. Go figure. 

Pasta

*Order this* Bak Kwa Mac & Cheese (sweet BBQ pork jerky) ($20) was one of our favorite dishes. Al dente penne was served in a liquid Gruyere cheese sauce with truffle oil and was well complemented by the sweet chunks of bak kwa. While the sauce may appear watery and diluted at the start, you'd appreciate the lightness in flavor as you progress through the dish. 

Doesn't the Lobster Wonton Capellini ($26) look like the regular wanton mee? This is the atas version of course. The pasta was tossed with the umami lobster oil and sweet sauce, thinly sliced chorizo Iberico. A waft of sweet Canadian lobster could be inhaled as one bites into the crispy wanton skin. Comes served with home pickled green chilies!

I realized that their pastas are all on the slightly sweet side. The Uni Tagliolini ($28) was in a rich pink crustacean cream sauce which was sweet as well. 

Next on Kampong Eggs.

I wasn't too impressed with the Oyster2 Egg ($19). Actually i hated the fishy dried oyster taste but that's me. The fresh oyster from Hai Loong farm was pearly and juicy though. 

Vegetables
*MUST EAT* I loved the Quinoa ($13) salad very much and would certainly order this again. The chenopod was cooked in tomato and pandan broth in a pressure cooker to give it that rich flavor. Tossed with preserved Chinese olive vegetables, Parmesan and almonds, the dish had a risotto-ish texture. I'm craving for this right now.

Meat & Poultry
*MUST EAT* Pork. Bone. Tea ($24), inspired by local favorite Bak Kut Teh. Tender Sous Vide Pork Ribs smoked with apple/cherry wood, beef bone marrow smoked with oolong tea, and a reduction of the garlic-pepper ba kut teh sauce. Absolutely mind blowing. 

*Worth a try* Foie Gras with Rojak Sauce ($28). I was surprised that the pungent prawn paste could replace the typical acidic fruit compote so well. The fried Tau pok (beancurd skin) was also an interesting stand in for brioche. 

Lamb Rack ($38) was average.

Desserts

*HOT FAVORITE* Kaya Bread & Butter Pudding ($15) was the RAVE. The homemade kaya (pandan and coconut jam) had a long lingering fragrance and it came with a Hojicha milk tea ice cream. ZOMG. This is da bomb. Try it and you will know what i mean.

*Order this* Chocolate lovers would dig the "Milo Dinosaur" Version 2.1 ($15). Super GAO milo ice cream is paired with a 72% dark chocolate flourless with milk streusel and dulce de leche. 
Bandung Panna Cotta ($12) was ok. Tangy rhubarb sauce, intense rose syrup milk pudding. 

Chef Adrian is constantly coming up with interesting creations and was experimenting with some ice cream flavors that night. We were the first to sample the Charcoal Vanilla, Goreng Pisang and the Pineapple Sorbet ($8 each). The banana was exceptional!

Camera showdown with @thechosenglutton was judged by @thehungrycow. MOO.

 

Pidgin Kitchen and Bar certainly deserves a spot on Ms Skinnyfat's Favorites list. I love the fun and playful dishes and flavors and you definitely would appreciate the thought that has gone into the creation of the sharing dishes. Definitely worth checking out! 

Pidgin Kitchen & Bar
7 Dempsey Road #01-04, S249671
Tel: +65 64750080
Mon-Sat: 12 - 2.30pm, 6.30- 10.30pm

It's time for another beauty review by this skinnyfat girl!

My friends all know that I'm obsessed with having a sharp and well defined face and I'm always complaining about how chubby my face is. I use the Clarins Shaping Facial Lift serum religiously even though I don't see much effect (my gfs say that it's because my face is already very small. MEH.) Anyway, i tried the Topical Hyperbaric Oxygen (THO) Therapy, a facial which promises to make my face smaller! Touted as the Madonna treatment (she swears by it), the temporary effects are similar to that of a facelift.

We started with a microdermabrasion treatment to remove the dead skin from the surface. One of my favorite treatments for sure. Then we proceeded with the THO O2 Rejuvenate therapy.

O2 Rejuvenate ($250) uses ingredients derived from natural amino acids, targeting expression lines and producing a firmer and smoother look. Chester added the Atoxelene serum ($120, added on to a THO treatment) for that extra firmness.

The facial treatment was way more relaxing than my first facial (no extraction! Read review of my first facial here). It works by directing oxygen to the vital fluids at the surface, and it helps to promote new cell growth to speed healing and aid absorption of the serums used. In layman's terms, the serums are vaporized and blown onto/into the skin. All i felt was a light cool stream of air on my face which was very refreshing.

So how's the effect? AMAZING. I'll let the pictures do the talking. First, the before picture. Focus on the jawline and the chin. Hello Miss Hamster Cheeks!

Now here is my sharp melon face after the treatment!!! My colleague said that I can cut fruits with this chin.

Firmer and smoother skin with reduced appearance of wrinkles and fine lines! More camwhore pics!

I couldn't stop smiling at myself in the mirror after the treatment. Haven't seen such a small face in a bit, thanks to all the eating and drinking. Woes of a food blogger. :( Don't tell me there's no difference to the before and after. There is really a difference! 

The effect of the Atoxelene lasts for about 3 days. That is what 'lifts' the skin. The glow however lasts for about 1-2 weeks. Now here is a picture after 3 days. Loving that glow. No blusher required! :)) 

This is definitely a facial to do right before an important occasion. Apparently the effect lasts longer if you do it regularly. That's probably how Madonna looks so young still. Certainly my hot favorite from DRx Medispa! Stay tuned for more delicious beauty treatments! 

The DRx Medispa
302 Orchard Road, #14-02
Tong Building (next to Paragon Shopping Centre)
Singapore 238862
Tel: +65 6223 1555
Mon to Sat: 10am to 8pm
Sun: 10am to 6pm

Our love for fast cars must have been picked up by the sweet Volvo folks for we were invited to take home a Rebel-blue V40 T4 R Design to test drive for the weekend. The sporty hatchback is rather perfect for young professionals looking for a fun luxury car with power (it generates 200 horsepower with direct injection turbo!)

The Passion Red version that was displayed outside the showroom got my heart racing with excitement but we were given the outlandish Rebel Blue. The racer blue drew us numerous stares which we weren't sure if it was the color or the car or us but we got used to that pretty quickly. So here is a his and her review on the Volvo V40 R Design! S will give you the technical boy aspect and me on the superficial girly stuff. Heh.

C: I was having fun playing with the bluetooth function which wirelessly connects my phone to the car, allowing me to play my favorite tunes and also receive and make calls without compromising on road safety. A USB port also allows for charging of my electrical devices, perfect for us digital natives. 

C: The leather interior was also very luxurious. I love the feel of fresh leather on my skin and couldn't stop touching the seat and panels. I was also glad to find out that the glove compartment doubles as a chiller for cold drinks! 

C: I'm used to being driven around and thus it was a little nerve wrecking for me to drive the car. However, i found the V40 easy to maneuver with its small turning radius. 

S: Having driven several Volvos, namely the S80 and the V60, i am happy to report that the signature volvo drive and feel is still intact, even in this compact package that is the V40.

S: The ride quality was firm and the steering assuring, though it bordered on being a little too light during low speed maneuvering. The digital display worked best in the Performance mode, with the speedometer rapidly racking up the digits under hard acceleration. The smallish boot was also able to swallow a full sized samsonite suitcase for an airport run.

S: We have also experienced the city safety system firsthand. This system is active at speeds up to 50km/h, allowing the car to brake automatically should the driver fail to react in time. I must emphasize that we were not in any real danger of a collision! Rather, the safety system kicked in when we were exiting an ERP gantry car park, and as the barrier failed to lift as we approached it at a low speed, the car ground to an abrupt halt. It is certainly good to know that the car has your back covered. :)

Our overall impression of the V40 would be that of a reliable, safe (Five star Euro NCAP rating) and sporty little hatchback.

Thank you Volvo Singapore for the weekend ride! 

For more information on the V40 R Design, check out the Volvo website or head on down to your nearest showroom to give it a test drive. 

Here is a quick summary on our ride. 

Model: Volvo V40 T4 R-Design (Polestar)

Specs: 1,596cc In-line 4 cylinder with direct injection turbo, 200bhp

Speed: We managed a 0-100kph sprint in 8.2 seconds.
Fuel consumption: Volvo claims a combined consumption of 6.1L/100km for both city and highway driving.
Price: S$174,999 with COE (UP: S$200,000)
Alternatives BMW 1-series Hatchback, Audi A3 Sportback

I would love a cafe in my hood that would allow me to satisfy any cake or croissant craving in the middle of the day without having to doll up and travel to the ends of the world. It doesn't have to be fancy or spectacular, it just has to be cooler (literally) than the coffee shop, and provides some fancy cake or pastry that i can't get at the traditional bakery. Maple & Market is one of the first few to recognize this sandwiched market and is sure gaining popularity with the Kallang neighborhood tai tais and lazy yuppies.

M&M is by no means indie. There isn't a need for that. Instead, they are comfortable being simple and homey as evidenced by the bare-bones furnishing; a long wooden table with an assortment of mismatched stools was all to the 'cafe'. To set your expectations right, it's not a place for chilling out for long.

M&M offers a variety of cakes and pastries.

Their butter croissants looked a little deflated imo but popular enough for aunties to come by regularly to grab some for what i presume is breakfast for their kids. For $1.80, i guess this is reasonable quality. Their pastries are also on the lower price point, ranging from $2 to $3.

Saw some bacon topped cake of sorts but the batter looked too dry for me to wanna be adventurous.

My $4 latte was strong and decent enough. It was a good complement to the 1919, a Gula Melaka cake with kaya cream cheese frosting and almonds ($5.50). I like cakes that are moist (who doesn't) but i took to this grainy porous one, though i agree that it could be less dry. The kaya cream cheese wasn't overpowering like the traditional coconut jam, instead it was a little more pandan. I would have loved it better if the frosting were creamier and less separated from the sponge. We had the cake a second time for a birthday celebration and that's when i was more aware about how dry the cake was. :/

Baking classes are available and they do teach you how to make pretty things. Not a bad way to keep the ladies in the neighborhood occupied.

Maple & Market makes the cut as a neighborhood cafe. I wouldn't mind popping by if i'm in the area but it's not quite worth the traveling for. 

Maple & Market
34 Cassia Crescent #01-82
Tel: +65 6348 8068
Weekdays: 12 - 10pm (Closed Tue)

Weekends: 10am - 10pm 

If you're suffering from cafe fatigue in Singapore, with the dozens of cafes that are like clones of one another, perhaps check out Cups N Canvas, an Arts cafe just off Orchard Road. Cups N Canvas has been quietly making waves in the Selegie vicinity despite the lack of publicity and hype on social media. S and i drove past this place so many times without even realizing its existence. We were surprised to see the healthy crowd it drew when we popped by one weekend. I guess these sneaky folks have been keeping this gem to themselves. How can!  

I decided that i like Cups N Canvas the moment i stepped into the place. It's chill, fun and very New York. Or perhaps Brooklyn. You'll know what i mean if you've been to NYC.

Cups is split into 2 sections, an art studio and the cafe. The art studio half will be closed when there is painting class going on, otherwise the space is available for food.

Nothing makes me happier than All Day Breakfasts. Even though Cups only has 2 items on their ADB, it was enough for people to go crazy for them, especially the Eggs Ben-Addict, which is served on a bagel. In fact, they ran out of it when i was there and i really couldn't wait for an hour for breakfast to be served. :(

Of course there were other yummy options. Their pastas are very popular. The Blanc Bacon, a garlic cream bacon mushroom fettuccine is their hot seller. S tried it another time during lunch and said it was fab. The Vermillion Prawn, a white wine garlic based linguine is another favorite.

Ok back to brunch, i had the Breakfast Canvas ($16.90), which came with bratwurst, bacon, sauteed mushrooms, roasted potatoes, grilled tomatoes, greens, toast and juice. This came with a juice (from concentrate). Buttery and wet scrambled, cooked to (my idea of) perfection. A thick and juicy herb sausage that was absolutely delicious and that crispy bacon rash was simply godsend. I would have loved for a toast that is denser and more substantial as the one served was too light.

The drink to have is certainly the Sweet Potato Latte ($4.80). According to the lady boss, this is the only place in Singapore that sells it. This is made from freshly pureed sweet potato and steamed milk and i could inhale 2 of these easily. Another interesting drink to have would be the Sticky Date Shake ($6.80).

Cups N Canvas is a simple cafe, but it works. It kinda proves the point that you don't have to be indie, or third wave or fancy schmancy or complicated in order to succeed. Check them out sometime. The service is awesome. 

Cups N Canvas
139 Selegie Road
Tel: +65 6884 6855

Tue - Thu: 9.30am - 9.30pm
Fri - Sat: 9.30am - 11pm

Sun: 10am - 5pm