May 19 2013
3 Comments
Culture, Interesting People

Frozen Moments


I love photography.

Regardless of the subject – pictures that capture quintessence and substance tend to leave lasting impressions on me. Always.

Over the last 15 years of my career as a professional model living everywhere from New York to Paris to Milan to Tokyo – I have come across many photographers and their amazing work and I plan to showcase a few of them here on this blog to share their “magic” and hope it will bring the same mirth & merriment to you, as it did for me.

One such photographer is the beautiful Cimmaron Singh, a self taught photographer and stylist from Dehli who started her career as a wedding photographer. She quickly found fame when CNN showcased her work as the epitome of wedding photography in India. She has since been showcased everywhere from CNNgo to Travel & Leisure and promises to bring out something truly unprecedented from your next special occasion.

As you all know, I have a slight obsession with India at the moment and hence wanted to share with you some of Cimmaron’s very handsome and colourful work that was on display at her recent show here in Singapore.

Sit back and enjoy!

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“I love making photographs.

I love capturing the sensuality and inner being of my subjects.

I don’t quite know how I do it, I just do it. Every time that I surprise my subjects with an image that reflects an undiscovered shade to themselves … my job is done.

I never choose photography, it chooses me.

And I feel blessed for it.

I have a job that allows me to capture a moment, and freeze it forever and be able to revisit it whenever.

I love my job!”

Cimmaron Singh

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For those who are interested in learning more about Cimmaron or would like to contact her, please click here.

Hope you enjoyed this :)

Baci.

Amanda xx

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May 06 2013
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Culture, Food, Travel & Accommodation

Can anybody recommend a yummy restaurant?


My family and I live in Robertson Quay where we are literally surrounded by over 130 restaurants, cafes and bars within a 1.5 km radius. We love dining out and are always looking to discover new places around our neighbourhood. So seeing that we are surrounded by some of the best dining choices in Singapore, places that we have walked past hundreds of times, how do you think we decide where to eat?

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For the most part we look at places that are busy and link it with the assumption that the food ‘must be good’. Sometimes we are right and sometimes that’s not necessarily the case. Like most diners who live in Singapore, we choose which restaurants we want to dine in based on:

  1. Customer & friend’s reviews
  2. Pictures we find on Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest
  3. Word of mouth / recommendations

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Known as the food capital of the region (if not the world), Singaporeans boast their favourite past times as shopping & eating – in no particular order! Tourist who flock from all over the world also know Singapore a as culinary melting pot for multi-nationality cuisines and know that they will have many, many choices to indulge in.

The problem is that finding the right place to eat these days is like finding a needle in a culinary haystack – even for seasoned ‘foodies’ like us. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Hungrygowhere (and a many more) have become ever so popular in Singapore as diners rely on them more then ever for dining options & ideas.

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So what does this mean for diners like me and you?

It means that we can access information on any restaurant, the type of food they serve, what others have said about them in a matter of seconds. In most cases we have already formed an opinion on what type of service the place offers and how good their deserts are before we even know where it is. With apps popping up for multi devices and different operating platforms, the diner has the power at their fingertips to make not only a quick decision but also a firm opinion on restaurants all over town.

Personally I think it’s great. My friends and family often share reviews and information on new places (a great source for new places opening up in Singapore is my buddy Robbie’s portal  www.greatnewplaces.com).

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 What does this mean for restaurants around Singapore?

Simply put, they need to get digital and make sure they have a solid social media strategy in place. Facts for restaurant owners to consider when it comes to social media penetration in Singapore:

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Facebook is the most popular social network in Singapore with longest time-per-session spent in the world – a staggering 38 min 47 sec. With over 2.7 million Facebook users and an online population penetration of 76.36% – Singapore is one of the most digitally connected social media markets (per capita) in the world. Recent study shows that over 49% of people use Facebook when searching for a place to eat !!

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Twitter has 2.5m users (or 49.4% of the population) and spend around 40.6 hours logged in a month!!

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Pinterest has 97,000 users (or 2.3% of the population)and use it for 2 hours per month on average!!

Trust in social recommendations are rising in Singapore and everywhere around the real (and digital) world. A joint CMO Council-Lithium Study shows that 80% of users “try new things” based on social media content shared by other users. What’s even more interesting is that the study also suggests that 74% of users also “encourage their friends to try new products” – can you imagine the power this has in either making or (very quickly) breaking a new business?!

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A major issue restaurants all over the world today are facing is to do with “Foodstagramming” (where diners shoot pictures of their food in restaurants and share it on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest). With citizen journalism sweeping the globe everyone can post and upload whatever they want so how can restaurants manage this phenomenon?

The real question is ‘can they manage it?’

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In NYC, some restaurants have gone as far as banning ‘Foodstagramming’ altogether. The chefs and owners of some of the best restaurants in the city complain that amateur photography of their food shines a ‘non-appetising’ light on their hard-worked creations and often act more as a deterrent then an attraction. This is a hot topic and we will have to wait to see how it unfolds.

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In the meantime, here is some advice I would like to offer restaurants all over Singapore (take it with a grain of salt, dash of pepper and sprinkle of olive oil):

  • Focus on making happy customers and maintain transparency on social media
  • Remember that crisis dealt with in a timely manner and resolved in a reasonable fashion add to brand image and inspire customer confidence
  • Have a solid social media strategy for key platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram that drive engagement and ultimately ‘brand advocacy’
  • Customers who are willing to take photos and write reviews of your restaurant and food are potential Brand Advocates and Evangelists – empower, encourage and incentivize them!

If you are a fellow diner, I would love to hear from you about your favourite restaurants and if you are a restaurant owner, then please share with us some information about what we can expect to indulge on when we visit your wonderful restaurant!

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Bon Appetit Everybody!

Amanda

xx

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Boost Consulting (www.yoursocialbost.com) has put together a ‘Social Media Starter Package’ for restaurants of all shapes and sizes. Singapore based restaurants (who qualify) can claim up to 85% of what they spend on this service back from the Singapore government.

For more information on this, please write to ad@yoursocialboost.com or fill out the form below and we will get back to you.

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Apr 05 2013
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Food

Singapore’s Kitchen Superstar!!!


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For all the foodies out there who love watching fantastic cooking shows like I do… I hope you got a chance to catch the amazing extravaganza that recently unfolded on screens all over Asia. The stars were shining but not as bright as Nico Chan’s - Singaporean contestant of The Big Break. Resorts WorldTM Sentosa (RWS) offered the chance of a lifetime to 12 underprivileged youths from six countries across Asia to fulfill their dreams in an original 13 x 30mins reality television series created and produced by the Asian Food Channel (AFC) called The Big Break.

I was lucky enough to pin down this very humble cooking maestro to get a glimpse into his world..

AD: Hey Nico, congrats on the win, how you doing?

I’m doing great thanks Amanda, thanks for taking the time.

AD: What motivated you to sign up for the competition?

I have always had an interest in cooking. When I was younger, and my mom or dad would cook at home, I was always hanging around trying to find out what they were making and how they made it. The food my family makes is very good and I wanted to learn how to do the same.

REACH Community Services Society were the first to hear about AFC Original Production, The Big Break, and they were the ones that recommended for me to join this competition.

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AD: How have your family and friends supported you through the competition?

My friends and family were very supportive throughout the competition, they always gave me words of encouragement when I was feeling homesick, or when I felt like I wasn’t going to make it to the next round. I made great friends with all of the other contestants during the filming as well, we all helped to encourage each other to keep going and try harder.

AD: What do you think the future has in store for you?

I definitely want to have a career in the culinary industry. One of my favourite celebrity chef’s is AFC Celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay! One day, I hope to own a restaurant like him.

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AD: If you could cook for one person, who would it be and what would you cook for them?

I would like to cook for my parents. They are the ones that helped to cultivate my interest in cooking. If it weren’t for them, I never would have had the interest to join the competition and wouldn’t be where I am today.

AD: If you could choose one profession outside the culinary world, what would it be?

I would want to be a zookeeper! In one of the episodes of The Big Break, one of the punishments was to wash the elephants at the Singapore Zoo! I had so much fun!

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AD: Who do you consider to be your role model?

RWS Executive Chef, Chef Alan Orreal, who was our mentor, chef, judge and host on The Big Break. Chef Alan taught us so much during the competition, and shared many of his own life stories with us. He struggled to start off his career as well when he was younger, and now he is the Executive Chef at Resorts World Sentosa! His career journey has truly been inspiring.

AD: How has winning The Big Break changed your life?

This was definitely a life changing experience and I would really like to thank the Asian Food Channel and Resorts World Sentosa for believing in me.

It’s opened my eyes and taught me many invaluable lessons about responsibility and working hard to achieve what you want. It has made me a more responsible and mature person and hopefully, will open many doors for me in the future.

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AD: Do you find yourself to be a local celebrity in Singapore? Do people come up to you and ask you about your experience on the show?

People do ask me what it was like participating in an AFC original production, but I wouldn’t consider myself a local celebrity! I am still Nico, who likes to play video games and hang out with my friends!

AD: Well thanks for hanging out and answering my questions, and congrats again on your success – my last (and most important) question for you.. when are you going to cook for me?

Just say when Amanda!!!

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Mar 26 2013
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Travel & Accommodation

My road to Amritsar..


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I have been to Indian a few times prior to my recent trip to the holy city of Amritsar, so had a preconceived notion on what to expect. The noise, the over populated mass hysteria and most of all the color and vibrancy a place like Incredible India offers. I was right on all the points when I reached the holiest city for the Sikh faith… but there was something more.  A feeling of uber calmness and compassion resonated with the people of this city like I have never before seen in the other parts of the country.

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Amritsar, the city is named after Amritsar, the sarowar meaning the “Pool of Nectar”. The city was founded by Guru Ram Das Ji in 1577. The sarowar was completed by Guru Arjan Dev Ji who constructed the Harmandir Sahib and installed the Adi Granth (Golden Temple). Amritsar was the seat of the Gurus for nearly half a century from 1577 to 1628, during which period several other spots became holy places where Gurdwaras were later established.

The Wedding

The main reason we made the journey to Amritsar was to attend the stunning wedding of my beautiful cousin-in-law Preet and her dashing husband Richard. We have all heard the term East meets West, but having to experience that in a 4 day Amritsari wedding is a different thing again.

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Preet and Richard’s friends and family from Australia and New York (and 7 other cities around the world) got a front row seat to the best India has to offer, as they dressed impeccably in vibrant & electrifying Indian outfits – getting into the spirit of Punjab. By spirit I mean consuming lots of ‘AMAZING’ food and booze set amongst a colorful backdrop of color, music and crazy fireworks (lit by hand – maniac!!!).

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Golden Temple

Seeing that our driver was MIA, we decided to take at ‘ric’ (or Rickshaw) to Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) which turned out to be one hell of a ride. You don’t really get to experience the real India sitting in an air-conditioned S-Class as you do flying through the back streets, dodging pot holes and bouncing around in a ric.

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As our animated driver screamed out “enjoy the real smell and sounds of India – you will never forget her!!!!”. And in a weird kinda way he was right because the ric ride to the temple is tattooed in my mind forever when I think of the overall trip. Nice.

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When we finally got to the temple, the crowd of worshipers sprawled everywhere as they were preparing to enter the most sacred and special places for the Sikh faith. The Golden Temple was built by the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in the 16th Century. In 1604, Guru Arjan Dev completed the Adi Granth, the holy scripture of Sikism and installed it in the Gurdwara (temple).

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There are four doors to get into the Harmandir Sahib, which symbolize the openness of the Sikhs towards all people and religions. This was very apparent during my scan of the crowd to find people from all nationalities and races making the journey, and being welcomed lovingly by the Sikhs.

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The present day Gurdwara was rebuilt in 1764, but in the early nineteenth century, Maharaja Rangit Singh secured the Punjab region from outside attack and covered the upper floors of the Gurdwara with gold, which gives it its distinctive appearance and English name the Golden Temple.

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TIP:

For women thinking of visiting the temple, please wear something comfortable which covers all part of your body and remember to bring a head scarf. A ‘kurti’ (long shirt type garment) can be found everywhere is street side boutiques and vendors and are super comfortable.

Wagah Border

Wagah (or Wagha) is a border town straddling the line between Pakistan & India, 29 km from the town of Lahore on the Pakistani side and 27 km from Amritsar on the Indian side. This is the only crossing point between Pakistan and India that is regularly open to foreigners.

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So when the wedding convoy decided to rally the troops (poor choice of word I’m know) and head down to the border for a firsthand experience of the ‘Changing of The Guards’ ceremony – I couldn’t resist.

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For 45 minutes every day at sunset the guards high-kick, stamp, speed march and bawl their way through a choreographed routine. It ends in the lowering of both flags and the slamming of the border gates. The display has become a huge tourist attraction, drawing thousands of spectators every evening.

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A few important chants which are useful to know (if you are on the Indian side):

Bharat mata ki jai !!!!!!!!!!!!!  (“Victory for Mother India”)

Hindustan Zindabad !!!!!!!!!!! (Long live India)

But these days, both India and Pakistan strive to get along and reduce the tension between their respective countries. All of what you see at the border is just for show. Whether we see it in this lifetime or the next, I wish for nothing but peace and prosperity for both these colorful countries!

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TIP:

If you’re planning on actually crossing the border, you should aim to get there as early as possible. The border is open every day from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM. Border formalities can take anywhere from 30 minutes to over two hours, and you will need to arrange a visa before you arrive.

Regular buses or taxis are not allowed into the no-man’s land between the countries, so unless you’re on one of the few deluxe international buses, you’ll have to walk across the 500m between the border posts yourself. Porters — blue coats for the Indians, green coats for the Pakistanis — can carry your belongings for a few dollars.

Getting there

By Air

The Rajasansi airport, about 11 kms from town, is connected by domestic flights to Delhi and Chandigarh. You can get to town by a pre-booked rented car, taxis or auto-rickshaws.

By Rail

Amritsar is connected by direct trains to major Indian cities like Delhi, Jammu, Mumbai, Nagpur, Calcutta and Puri. The most convenient train from Delhi is the Swarn Shatabdi which takes about 6 hours.

Special thanks

Firstly, a warm thanks to the Bains family for putting us up and showing us such a great time in beautiful Amritsar.

Secondly, to John and his team at Singapore Airlines for flying us to Dehli and looking after us in style – by far the best Business Class flight to India in the market today!

Sat sri akal.

Amanda

xx

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Feb 17 2013
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Tech & Gadgets

Social Media success is like growing a plant!


Me growing up on a computer

For those of you who know me well, know that since I was a baby, I have spent all my time online. OK, well that’s not true but now that I have your attention..

What exactly am I doing online all the time you might ask?

Shopping?

Stalking?

Poking?

Truth be told, I’m actually busy working.

That’s right working!

Building a vibrant social media community via multiple platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, Pintrest, MySpace, My blog (to name a few) has been a top priority for me over the last few years. The mission is to not only build volume with regards to fans, friends and followers, but also get them to engage with my content and more importantly – each other! I achieved this milestone last year growing my digital reach to over 40,000 people worldwide. Since then I’ve been helping corporate clients with their social media campaigns.

Social Media Collage

There is no doubt that technology is playing an increasingly important role in the way brands are targeting consumers. Gone are the days where consumers used to be satisfied by a creative or abstract TV ad or a hip billboard ad – today an increasingly marketing-savvy audience expects more. The race is on to come up with more innovative and engaging campaigns in a bid to excite audiences and add real value to their lives. This is now all happening in social media!!

So just so we are all on the same page, let’s look at the Wiki definition of Social Media Marketing.

“Social media marketing refers to the process of gaining website traffic website traffic or attention through social media sites.

Social media marketing programs usually center on efforts to create content that attracts attention and encourages readers to share it with their social networks. A corporate message spreads from user to user and presumably resonates because it appears to come from a trusted, third-party source, as opposed to the brand or company itself. Hence, this form of marketing is driven by word-of-mouth, meaning it results in earned media rather than paid media.”

Social media success is like growing a plant

The way I look at social media is perhaps a little less abstract. I think of social media marketing a lot like growing a plant. The platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, ASW, Pintrest, Instagram, Blogs, Myspace etc are the plants and for them to grow up healthy and vibrant they must fertilized. The fertilizer or plant food in this case is quality content. We need to feed our plants daily for them to grow – it’s really that simple folks.

What type of content works better then others all really depends on the business type and objectives. The process of content creation and management is always what decides if a campaign is going to fail or succeed.

I speak to clients all the time who know that they need a strong social media presence where they can build brand awareness and in some cases link the efforts to business outcomes like selling more product. These are all great objectives but unless you have a clear strategy to grow your plants and feed them with content your customers and prospects ‘care about’ – these objectives will take a very long time to achieve.

So what’s the solution you ask?

Simple – hire me !!!!!!

Jokes aside, I  would be more than happy to discuss strategy development, content creation and execution with you.

To keep in touch otherwise, please follow me on all the social media platforms mentioned above!

Poke you later!

Amanda xx

Hanging with my friends :)

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Jan 19 2013
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Lifestyle Design, Tech & Gadgets, Travel & Accommodation

The Happiness Journal – Item # 1


OK so here’s the very first ‘inaugural’ item in a series of very cool things I’m going to include in my ‘Happiness Journal’..

This amazing product is suited towards the travelling gypsies out there. Let’s face it, in this day-n-age, all we do is travel. From cars to planes to hotel rooms & villas. The question I would like to ask you all, is – “What makes a hotel room, villa, serviced apartment and/or even a private yacht feel like home?”

The answer is very simple – burn your favourite scented candle, which transports you back to that special place.

That said, please allow me to introduce you all (for those of you who have been living under a rock) to the amazing collection of Amoré Essentials.

The whole range

Amoré candles are hand-poured using 100%, FDA approved, pure soy oil and burns cleaner than paraffin-based candles. Available in a variety of fragrances, our candles will burn approximately 40% longer than wax candles. How fabulous is that?

Simply magic


They are soot-free and do not emit harmful toxins such as Benzene into your home. Unlike wax candles, Amoré candles burns coolly at 41 Degrees Celsius into a reflective pool of soy that always remains warm to the touch and will not burn hands. This means they are extremely safe to have around children.. 

READY FOR THE BEST PART?

Ah lemongrass bliss..

Light your Amoré by GI OTTO candle and wait for about 30mins for the melt-pool to form. The melt-pool is always warm, and never hot. Dip your finger/s into the liquid (not to close to the flame, of course!!) and discover the comfortable, warm pool of soy oil. Because the candles burn at 41 Digress Celsius, it’s safe for little hands and will never scald.

Rub the moisturizer directly onto your skin. Remember, the soy-oil is NOT recommended for use on the face. Place it anywhere your skin requires some relief. It’s GREAT for dry, irritated areas like your heels, elbows, cuticles, etc.

Genius right?

These great treats are stocked all over town in major retailers like Robinsons Centrepoint, Robinsons MBS and also at What Women Want at The Mandarin Gallery.

Great invention..

Here are some of the great scents:

Ocean Breeze
Soapy Clean
Fresh Linen
Lavender Garden
Thai High
Tropical Jasmine
Love Spell

For more information please contact the great team at Amore at amorebygiotto@gmail.com

Thanks guys for the delicious candles – we absolutely love them here at home and when we travel.

Grazie tanto!

Amanda x

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Jan 19 2013
1 Comment
Random

Welcome, welcome, welcome 2013


Welcome, welcome, welcome 2013.

HNY

What a start to the year it’s been, with fabulous events, visits from friends & family and a wedding (mine) being planned – and we are only just past the half way mark in January!!

I have a feeling that 2013 is going to be a big year for so many of us. The general consensus is extremely positive as people are making bigger plans – much bigger then 2012.

With so much change and positively around us, be ready for some really cool blog posts this year which will be focussed around a very simply topic… “things that make me happy!”

The series will be called ‘The Happiness Journal”. I’ll be writing about music, fashion, travel, gadgets, food, health and everything else that puts a smile on my face. I also have a few very interesting interviews lined up with some quirky characters.

So all in all, just sit back, enjoy, like, comment, share and let’s collectively increase my Klout score :)

Love to all.

Amanda x

Nov 02 2012
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Fashion

In need of a Saint?


It all began when my good friend Kellee Cruse went on a personal adventure through Mexico. Being both wild-spirited and passionate in equal doses, Kellee discovered something very interesting on this trip. She discovered self inspiration to create the famous jewellery line Santós Wish.

Kellee explains that the inspiration behind Santós Wish  is the spirit of Mexico and her colorful people. The divine inspiration for Santós Wish (meaning “Saints” in Spanish) and something that resonates deeply throughout the collections.

Kellee created the range in a bid to capture Mexico’s colur and spiritual essence in unique fashion adornments that carry a special sentiment for wearers: each of the Santós Wish  designs incorporates one or more of the twelve most popular Saints that represent Love, Courage, Family, Luck, Success, Protection, Strength, Health, Peace, Beauty, Travel and Miracles.

So do you wish you were lucky in love?

Looking for success?

Seeking inner, outer strength and beauty?

Count your blessings – the stunning new season Libertad Ángeles (L.A.) collection from Santós wish will remind you of the belleza (beautiful) things in life each time you wear it. “The L.A. collection is born from love and liberty,”  says Kellee. “As well as the iconic lucky saint charms to choose from, the L.A. collection includes a striking new design element, stunningly illustrated international carved brass, silver and gold coins from Mexico and around the world.”

Now let’s marvel at this amazing new collection I absolutely adore and take a trip to the land of the saints..

 

 

And a few classics & collectables!!!

Celebrity – Who’s wearing what?

Jessica Hart

Isabel Lucas

Rihanna

Paris Hilton

Danni Minogue

Jen Hawkins

Want to get your hands on some Santos or want to stock some in your store?

Drop me a line here and I’ll be happy to connect you with the team at Santos or you may reach them directly on + 61 0416 087 341 or sales@santoswish.com

The online store is really cool too so get shopping right away: http://www.santoswish.com/

Thanks for bringing us the Saints we all need and love Kellee.

Peace !

Amanda xx

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Oct 21 2012
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Food, Health & Nutrition

My dirty little ‘health’ secrets!


We all know that exercising right goes hand in hand with eating right. But did you know that there are foods which can actually enhance your workout? I often get asked by you all about what types of food I eat to to optimize my workouts so I decide to dedicate a piece specifically on ‘power foods’.

Ok, so various foods impact our workout in different ways. Choosing easily digestible, protein-rich and fibre-rich foods are the first step. To help you sift through the myriad of available options, I’ve line up 5 easily accessible options that are a must to accompany my workout regime.

  • Fresh fruit provides an instant sugar boost and are loaded with good carbohydrates, vitamin C, antioxidants and fibre. Most importantly, they are hydrating. To enhance your workout, choose bananas (they’re potassium rich), apples (vitamin-rich) and grapes (glucose and simple sugars) over fruits from the citrus family which are harder to digest.

  • Oatmeal is a great source of glucose and help the body burn fat faster. I have oats at least 3 hours before a workout to ensure aslow release of glucose, helping to keep energy levels even throughout the workout. Whole-grain bread or pasta which are complex carbs, also provide the same functions. At least 65-70% of a pre-workout meal is best had from carbs.

  • Chicken, eggs and fish contain adequate stores of protein. Best consumed within one hour post-workout, as the body yearns to replenish its lost energy and re-build muscles. The amino-acids in these foods ensure that muscles grow back stronger. A hard-boiled egg is a great pre or post-workout snack. Packs a punch at 70 cal per egg. Tip: Make sure to have at least 20gms of protein post workout (equivalent of 2 eggs and a glass of milk). Protein shakes, low-fat yoghurt or smoothies are a simpler option to a large meal and can be finished in a few gulps.

  • Walnuts have the most amount of omega 3 essential-fats which is anti-inflammatory and boosts metabolism, compared to other nuts. Preferably had post-workout since having fats before a workout can slow a person down. A handful of these nuts is good to have in the one hour following a workout.

  • Substitute water or green tea (rich in antioxidants) for alcohol, soda or artificially sweetened drinks. This keeps you from drinking calories and instead focuses on hydrating the body. Aim to drink at least 8-10 glasses in a day and ensure you stay hydrated during the workout as well.

Incorporate these simple, readily available foods into your day to change your life and enhance your health. I swear by them and have been following this regime throughout my professional career.

If you have any questions then please drop me a line or coment on this piece and I’ll get back to you. Also, if you have your own tips, then please share – variety is the spice of life.

Break a sweat!

Amanda xx

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Oct 13 2012
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Interesting People

THE TALENTED MR. SINGAPORE


For those of you who live in Singapore or spend a lot time here, this person needs no real introduction. Robbie Hoyes-Cock is without doubt one of the most networked men in town (if not the region). His F1 parties are world famous and luxury brands throughout the region consider him as an extension to their marketing teams. This fast moving, disco dancing, big loving, family man has a heart of gold and brain of a mad scientist – so I decided to sit down and see what makes him tick.
Here we go..
AD: So Robbie, thanks for sitting down with me today – let’s get started.
You are well known as being a great connector of people, with arguably one of the best Rolodex in Singapore. What advise can you give other would be networkers out there?

RHC: Try living in Singapore for 30 years and you do get a bit of a head start! That said, I think it’s important to cast your net as far and as wide as possible. Try to attend as many invitations to social functions as you can, and don’t nail yourelf into a small group that always goes to the same places. Singapore is alive and bursting with great new places (I happen to run www.GreatNewPlaces.com as well!) and keep your fingers on the pulse. Be sure to keep all the name cards that you get when meeting new people, you never know who you might need to reach out to in the future.

AD: How has social media changed the dynamic of networking and what you do?

RHC: I think social media should be re-phrased as FACEBOOK. Facebook is an extremely effectual method for maintaining an online diary of friends and followers who want to keep informed. Running guestlists through Facebook and enabling friends to share and allow viral promotion of events is the best way to keep a party limited to friends and friends of friends. Email databases were more important pre-Facebook, but now we use both to channel our news.

AD: What career would you have chosen as a secondary option? And why?
RHC: I did a law degree at University – but my internship at Clifford Chance put me off working as a lawyer for life. None of my lawyer friends to this day, have much of a life, so I don’t envy them. I also tried banking in my early 20s and spent 2 years working in the Treasury of Citibank Singapore, on their management associate training programme. Again, the early starts, long working hours in an office and the unwaivering pursuit to make money for the bank, got boring after a while.
I’d have liked to be a professional tennis player and when I was the national champion U16 in Singapore – I thought I could be well on my way. Sadly an education at Eton College beckoned and so I pursued my academic studies in lieu of tennis academy in the US.
AD: If you could have anyone in the world dead or alive to attend your next dinner party – who would it be and what would say to them?

RHC: Without any shadow of a doubt it would be Sir Stamford Raffles (or Bingley as he was known to friends). I’d love to take him on a tour of Singapore today and guage his reaction. I think it would make a good film in fact! You see, I’d start him off just outside the Singapore River – and figure he’d not be too alarmed by the familiar site of the old shop houses along Boat Quay. We’d have to end up at Skypark of Marina Bay Sands to get a panoramic view of the city that he founded! Can you imagine!?

AD: How would you categorize the nightlife scene in Singapore today?

RHC: I think it has improved leaps and bounds over the years. There’s so much more diversity now and a lot of foreign acts are coming to Singapore to perform. There’s an enormous variety of quality restaurants, bars and clubs today and there seems to be no signs of this explosion in cool new venues. Singapore is now attracting a lot of travellers to Singapore who want to experience theatre, clubs, concerts, shows and exclusive private events that are covered by the global press. It’s exciting times we live in and it’s been a load of fun, being a part of the metamorphosis in the nightlife sphere.

AD: Your F1 parties are famous globally and boast a star studded line up every year. In a crowded F1 party circuit – how important is innovation and how do you achieve this year on year?

RHC: Innovation is critical and we’re always out to outdo previous years’ parties. The Podium Lounge has grown to over 900 guests per nights aross the 3 nights of the Singapore Grand Prix in September – and we have been lucky to have such a strong partnership with the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia. If you look at the brands we have worked with over the 4 years – we have chosen to work exclusively with top tier luxury brands and those that have cool products or services to showcase to our guests. Whether it’s Vertu, Aston Martin, Samsung, BMW M, Willow & Huxley, Roger Dubuis, Globaleye, Quintessentially, Lufthansa, SingTel, Silvian Imberg, Nissan GTR, Azimuth Watch, Audi R8, Audemars Piguet, Red Bull, 6 Drunk Men, EFG Bank, Citi Ultima, CANALI, Moet Hennessy Diageo, Trisha Vu or Yafriro we’re always bringing the latest fashions, trends and ultimate luxury brands to our events for our guests to enjoy.

AD: What surprises do you have for us next year?

RHC: The Podium Lounge will be expanding to KL in March 2013 for the Malaysian Grand Prix (Venue to be announced in November) and we have been invited to host The Podium Lounge at the Yas Viceroy Hotel & Marina in November 2013. Both of these new city locations will be awesome and we’re terribly excited about rolling out our Singapore-born brand to the world!

AD: Congrats on your beautiful baby girl. How has fatherhood changed your life?

RHC: She’s absolutely gorgeous and we’re so happy to have such a beautiful little girl. Babies require an enormous amount of time, they really are a 24/7 responsibility. We’re fortunate to have a full-time maid/nanny which does help a lot – and there haven’t been any big parties at my house since she was born. But it’s a wonderful learning curve and a fantastic way to hit your 30s!

AD: Thanks for answering that Robbie – now let’s have some fun with the rapid fire questions. Keep them short and snappy – you ready?
RHC: I hope so Amanda!

Whose brain would you like to have had?

King Henry VIII

Whose brain would you like to pick?

Jacques de Molay – the last Grand Master of The Knights Templar.

Retract one lie you’ve told?

Just going out for one drink with the boys..

If you could commit one crime without being caught…?

I’ve committed several..

What can make you cry?

Emaciated animals, death and onions.

If you could invent anything?
A silent hairdryer.. for my wife.
What current musical group would you like to join?

Swedish House Mafia

What object best represents your personality?
A Rubix Cube. Colourful with endless possibilities
What’s your favourite word?
infundibulum (funnel-shaped)
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“What’s for maktoons” (derived from the malay for food ‘makan’)
“Nice dude”
“You’re alllllrrrrright!”
“You make decisions and you live with them”
If I gave you an elephant where would you hide it?

There’s Malaysian owned land opposite the Botanical Gardens and a fabulous old but derelict colonial house in the middle of it. I’d let em chomp on some of the greenery around there and no-one would know.

Favourite Singlish word?
BMW. It’s what I take to work everyday! Stands for Bus, MRT, Walk ;)
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