Tsuta made a huge buzz when it first landed in Singapore a year back, and for its one-year anniversary, it’s giving us Singaporeans what we like – duck. This isn’t your normal run-of-the-mill duck, whether roasted or braised, but instead, poached duck that is slow cooked in shoyu sauce for a tender and juicy texture.
Tsuta’s Chef Yuki Onishi’s been pondering about bringing duck ramen to Singapore since late 2016. As the result of one year’s worth of extensive experimenting, the duck ramen dishes will be available from 4 Nov onwards in both soup and dry. While both dishes feature poached duck breast, my tastebuds were receiving different signaling cues from the soup and dry variations. Which do I prefer? Each dish has their standout element, which funnily enough, wasn’t the poached duck breast in either dish (although this was also very good).
The Kamo Paitan Soba ($11) as the soupy version came with a slow cooked duck broth, which according to Tsuta, is cooked for five hours using precise temperature control. In addition to the standard ingredients in every ramen – noodles, soup, and meat – it also came dusted with crushed roasted cashew nuts and scattered yellow onions for a contrast in textures. What stood out about this dish was the broth. The flavours were strong and richly defined by the taste of duck, all in a creamy broth that you just wanted to slurp after every mouthful of noodles.
Kamo Paitan Soba, $11.
The Kamo Abura Soba ($10) is the dry variation that upon first glance, is almost identical to the Kamo Paitan Soba except for its lack of soup. But the noodles! The noodles are marinated with premium shoyu and duck oil that’s made from scratch by Chef Yuki Onishi. Each strand of noodles has a texture that rivals the springiest of egg noodles, and also comes with the cashew nuts and yellow onions. A bowl of refreshing chicken stock, with a bit of shio, was on the side.
Kamo Abura Soba, $11.
If you want to add on à la carte items, the gooey ramen egg is available at $1.80 and the silky duck wanton at $1 each.
Get the Kamo Paitan Soba for its hearty broth and the Kamo Abura Soba for its noodles.
Available at Tsuta (#01-01, Pacific Plaza; #01-01, 18 Tai Seng Street) from 4 Nov onwards. Images: NYLON
Header Image: Tsuta
A glimpse at 3INA’s social media platforms and campaign images, and you’ll promptly learn that this London-based beauty brand is all for self-expression. Known for its disruptive, rule-breaking approach to beauty, 3INA is home to bold, punchy colours and inclusive shade ranges tagged with pocket-friendly prices – attributes that are inherently embedded in its DNA.
What you probably didn’t know is that the brand was founded by Pablo Rivera and Mark Eve, who’ve both built their reputation in the world of fast fashion before boarding the beauty boat. And for men who knew zilch about makeup upon making that huge shift, we’d say these fast learners have done a solid job at serving up a slew of on-trend pieces for all beauty enthusiasts. Needless to say, we’ll be clamouring for monthly product launches and exclusive seasonal treats from this cruelty-free and paraben-free label.
We sat down with the boys (young at heart, they insist) and got down to the nitty-gritty on all things beauty.
NYLON: 3INA’s flagship store in Covent Garden is incredible. What are some of the bestsellers in London right now? PABLO: The Highlighter is doing extremely well, all over the world actually, which is kind of rare for a beauty brand. The whole Longwear Lipstick line – 503 is the bestseller – but the whole range is actually doing extremely well. It has a very long-lasting formula and it doesn’t dry the lips out. Our Pen Eyeliner too, of course, and The Cream Eyeshadow. Our Cream Eyeshadow is very unique, the texture is amazing. MARK: You can’t get it off your face once you’ve got it on. PABLO: We want products with good formulas, high pigmentation, and long-lasting effect. This is what we stand for.
N: What makes 3INA stand out in a sea of coloured cosmetics? M: It’s our disruptive price point, I think. Just to explain a little bit on what makes a product special: It is all down to its ingredients, and we source the best possible ingredients that you can find on our planet, basically. We bring those ingredients to Europe where we come up with these terrific formulas that will compete against the best brands on the market, but at drugstore prices. With our prices, you won’t have any service proposition, you’ll be there amongst typical brands like L’Oreal, Maybelline, Revlon… So the experience is very different if you look at our price category for the product that you’re getting. Also, the variety – we’ve got over 600 products in the store – and what you’re able to do with 3INA is explore colour without compromising on formula. So maybe you’d want to explore a purple mascara, you should try it… N: I’ve tried the pink one and I love it. M: For you to pick a pink mascara over your common black mascara is quite an investment. So typically you would try to find one that’s cheaper – typically won’t last very long, you won’t get the payoff and pigmentation as Pablo mentioned. But with 3INA you can get very high quality and explore more with colour. P: What makes 3INA 3INA is the formulas, the playfulness, and our approach to beauty. We believe that we are very disruptive versus all other brands that have a very traditional approach to beauty. We are much more real in that sense. We’re very flexible – we can pick up a trend and put it in stores within 3 or 4 months depending on which product it is. So we work very fast compared to the rest of the industry. So I would say that these things are what make us different from the other brands. M: Also, we bring out product every month. So there’s 2 types of launches: one is a product launch, a range of different colours; and then you have our collections, so the collections are limited edition, so the thing we’re stressing is that when it’s limited, it’s limited. So if you don’t get it at the launch, you probably won’t get it. If you wanna be the one amongst your friends that has it, come down and get it at the store. If not, we’re not bringing them back in, so come and pick up that product before it’s gone.
N: If you had to pick a favourite from the collection, which product would it be and why? P: I use The Micellar Water every day, but if I have to choose one… It’s in the Top 10 and it’s totally unexpected, it’s The Matte & Smooth Primer. We have an amazing face primer which, again, is something we’re very proud of because it’s not an obvious one for coloured makeup brand. It’s one of those products that shows the quality we have because it’s not easy to have a primer make the Top 10 list, like The Highlighter. So yeah, it’s my favourite because of what it means, what it implies. M: Mine is The Fixing Spray. It’s taken us completely by surprise. First of all, the smell – it’s quite a unique smell to us and those who have bought it have become pretty addicted to the smell. You can use it as a base, or if you’re halfway through the day, with the climate that you’re in, just a couple of sprays will reset your makeup, so there’s no need for touchups during the day. So yeah, if you just want a bit of a refresh from the air-conditioning you’re exposed to every day, take it out, do a couple of spritzes and you’ll feel much lighter.
N: Which items do you think would perform really well in the Singaporean market? M: Yeah, I think The Fixing Spray is gonna be popular here. The Longwear Lipstick, definitely. You can kiss as many guys as you want, all day long, it will still be there – no matter what you eat. P: 70 shades of lipsticks. 3INA is about colour and playing with makeup, about exploring and having fun, so that’s why we have such a variety. M: We have a very wide range of foundations, 5 different types of finishes. We’ve got mascaras with 5 different formulas. And in case you’re a swimmer, we have a little tip for you. Often what people do is they’ll use a waterproof mascara, but it doesn’t give you the effect you’re looking for. So if you take any one of your favourite mascaras, and then you take our Waterproof Definition Mascara – it’s clear – you can then apply this over the top. So you can have definition or achieve the cakey look or whichever look appeals most to you. If it’s raining outside, don’t worry about it running down your face, just use our clear Waterproof Mascara and you’re set. And The Cream Eyeshadow. It won’t run, you can go and swim in it… We have people in Greece that used it throughout summer, and they were coming out of the ocean and still it was perfect.
N: How would you define the 3INA girl? P: I would say she’s a person of today. We are gender agnostic and age agnostic… M: Yeah, I think it’s somebody who’s pretty confident in themselves. So, if 3INA had a voice, she would say, “I knew who I wanted to be and that’s who I am.” If you live by that motto, if you’re not afraid to be you, and if you wanna live youthful. We don’t care what age you are, what race you are, what gender you are. Yeah, even for our age – I know he’s considerably older than I am – we live life like we’re 22 or 23-year-olds. P: We feel like we’re closer to reality than most brands are. A lot of these brands have this sense of perfection that is far away from what is actually happening today in the world amongst the younger population. So this is why 3INA was born – to bring this honest approach to beauty. We feel we are very close to the customer. M: We keep referencing girls but obviously guys as well. When you’re in a group of friends in today’s modern world, it means that your friends are of different ethnic background, and if you look at a friend and say, “I love your blush. Where did you get it from?” Often, the brand doesn’t service all skin tones, so you can’t exchange tips or products because the brand doesn’t cater to various skin tones. With 3INA, we’ve always tried to make sure that the product carries across all skin tones, so you should be able to share tips with any one of your friends. If you wanna send a gift to your friend in Ghana or in Mexico, you can be sure that our product will work well with any skin tone. P: We have stores in Australia, we’re opening in Moscow in 2 weeks, we have stores in South Africa, in Belarus… The diversity is part of what we are.
N: Speaking of diversity, you touched on the topic of gender earlier. Will you be featuring more boys in your future campaigns? M: We’ve had Patrick Dooley – he’s a model who’s based in London. He was in our Valentine’s campaign and our brow campaign, so yeah. P: He’s a part of 3INA.
N: What is the brand working on at the moment? Can we get a sneak peek of what’s to come? M: Oh, we’re working on so many things. We’re very excited about the Christmas collection – it’s quite different. It’s pretty special, and it has a very special formula. P: It’s gonna be holographic, and the effects are amazing – how they change and the texture. It will be launched next month. M: It is a super interesting product because it changes from a powder into a cream, so it’s more the experience you get with the product as well the effect. We’re working on products out in July at the moment, so we’re constantly watching what’s on trend right now, and what people are talking about on social media. We’re heavily influenced by colour from the catwalks, and we’re very close to culture, what is it that the Gen Z and Gen Y are talking about, so maybe it’s the IKEA blue bag that’s the inspiration of the next blue lipstick. As Pablo mentioned earlier, a real sense of what’s going on in the world.
N: Are there any specific individuals who have inspired your products? M: I think it’s more of what happened in the ’80s and ’90s, so we do reflect a lot on past decades, and we love the early generation of Benetton, of ESPRIT, the Uniqlo movement – so all these colour moments. We really hope that 3INA is that next colour moment that’s connecting culture and colour, but in beauty. P: Also we are not just about London, New York, or San Francisco – we are global. We are already present in 11 countries today, so we take inspiration from global trends. M: And we travel. We travel a lot. We’ve travelled for many years – Pablo obviously a lot longer than me, as you can see. [Laughs] P: He wants to make his point! [Laughs] But he also said it’s about the spirit, and I’m younger in spirit than he is. M: So yeah, we get feedback from everywhere. You can be on a trip and see a particular item, or it might be a piece of art, or it might be something that you’re wearing… I mean I really like your nails, I think that’s a very clever little technique so you might be seeing that in a campaign soon. N: 😱 M: So it’s things like these that we pick up on and share it with the team. We have an amazing team around us so we’re very lucky. P: That’s what makes 3INA unique. It’s the team, it’s the people.
3INA, available at #01-27, Tampines Mall; and #B2-67, ION Orchard Linkway. 3ina.com. Header image: @3ina
Singaporeans are realistic people, correct or not? We’re very aspirational when it comes to dressing ourselves up, but the insufferable weather can often impede our choices, and even our moods. That’s one of the many reasons people have turned to online shopping as an outlet for convenient, weather-inconsequential shopping. Especially during the later months of the year, it definitely sucks to walk into our favourite high-street stores and find displays of thick sweaters and layered jackets meant to insulate against freezing temperatures. Sure, it may look chic then, but we all know we’re not impervious to the scorch and humidity of our surroundings.
Speaking of, one of our favourite online shopping sites, ZALORA, recently showcased the latest collections of four local designers they partnered up with at their Fashion Futures 1.0 show during SGFW18. Always at the forefront of the fashion market, they presented a shoppable live stream at the event, much like many global luxury brands have done as part of the see-now-buy-now movement, where attendees could purchase their favourite looks from the collections as soon as the models appeared on the catwalk. After seeing the clothes up close, we can forge that they check off every requirement we have as Singapore shoppers. Mostly basics with an unique twist, the pieces are definitely transferrable from school to work to going out and having a fun time. In fact, we loved our local designers’ collections so much that we bookmarked some standout looks so that you can find inspiration and shop them now too! As always, we have a promo code for everyone — scroll all the way to the end! Ying The Label
Being feminine doesn’t mean we have to be submissive. We love Ying The Label’s collection for its soft silhouettes that we know will keep us comfortable all day long paired with statement prints that won’t fade into the background of our closets. Take for example this slip-dress that’s colour-blocked right in the centre, navy and sky blue. It’s irreverent yet eye-catching, and it gives the illusion of the outfit consisting of colour-blocked separates when it’s actually a one-piece. Or these white palazzo trousers with bold pocket outlines near the waist and sunny tropical prints at the bottom. The subtext? I’m serious on the outside, but look further and you’ll realise I’m super fun to hang around! Weekend Sundries
Weekend Sundries is for the girl who loved her secondary school uniform so much she will only wear variations of the same colour and vibe as an adult. Think basics with a unique twist. This person’s aesthetic is normcore, the idea that being plain is as valid a choice as any other. One of our top must-haves include a white button-up blouse with a revere collar. It’s intellectual yet sensual, two traits every woman aspire to have. Another is the diagonal dress, an otherwise plain outfit if not for the hint of lavender that slashes at one side of the hip. Gin Lee
If clothing reflects our mood, then wearing anything from Gin Lee’s collection means that we’re super excited about life or we’re in a desperate need of a sartorial boost to get through the day. With more covered-up pieces like the bright-yellow drop-shoulder sweater and pastel blue trench coat, we are looking forward to spend the hours in our chilly office feeling cosy and special. We dare you to try on the rose red sweater and report the reaction you get on the street. We bet you’ll stop traffic, and rightfully so. Ling Wu
Dare we say Ling Wu’s extravagant bag designs feels like the lovechild of Gucci and Kenzo? With an overarching sense of oriental influence, we’re largely impressed by the croc-embossed bags that look luxurious yet never overbearing. The collection features across a spectrum of maximalism, which frees our imagination and increases our choices. One day we want to blend into the crowd carrying our blue and brown-mix snakeskin clutch, and the next we want to wear the actual snake hissing with its fangs out printed on a maroon box cross-body bag!
JUST FOR NYLON READERS! Quote NYLONSG15 when you hit checkout on zalora.sg to get 15% off* your purchases, from now till 31 December 2017.
*Only 1 Promo Code may be used at a time, valid for one use per customer only, and does not apply for certain excluded brands. Other T&Cs apply.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Promotion period is from 1 September to 31 December 2017.
Only one Promo Code may be used at a time.
The Promo Code may be used on www.zalora.sg only and must be entered upon checkout to be effective.
The Promo Code is valid for one use per customer only.
Google today launched the Google Assistant in Singaporean English. Yep, you heard that right – this means that Google now understands not only our accent and grammatical structure, but also all the terms we use. “Shiok”, “makan”, and even terms like “confirm plus chop”, are now part of Google Assistant’s vocab.
Google Assistant is meant to help you get things done in your everyday life. How do we start? First, squeeze the sides of your phone and say: “OK Google”. Or you can hold down the home button too, but the tactile squeezable option just seems so much more interactive. What other phone do you know is squeezable?
Once you’ve squeezed and said the magic words “OK Google”, you can now ask your phone whatever question pops into your mind as you go about your daily life.
You can try…”What are the best places to makan in Bedok” and you’ll get a list of top eating places, “Tell me about your day” and you’ll hear a summary of your day including weather details and the length of your commute, or you could even ask for help with language translations.
Google Assistant is available in the Google Pixel 2 XL, but will also be made available to Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or above over the next few weeks, and also gradually to iPhone devices. You can use Google Assistant to start planning, connecting, and generally, having lots of fun by asking “waste time” questions – that’s why we can’t wait for the release of the Google Pixel 2 XL on 15 Nov.
The Google Pixel 2 XL has a 6” fullscreen in Black & White and Just Black.
Black & White.
Just Black.
Apart from cool elements like having a fingerprint scanner on the back (makes sense), or having unlimited storage in Google photos, the Google Pixel 2 XL takes the award for the world’s highest-rated smartphone camera. They’ve managed to fix Portrait mode into one camera, while giving us crisp portraits and selfies with a nice bokeh effect.
Google will also be releasing the Google Pixel Buds, and what’s even more impressive is that this unassuming pair of ear buds help deliver real-time language translations right to your ear.
Available in 40 different languages, this lets you hear the translation in your ear while the other person is still speaking. So useful for when you’re travelling overseas, and instead of having an awkward conversation through hand gestures and body language, you can naturally converse with the locals by using your earphones and Pixel.
You’ll also have instant access to your Google Assistant with the buds, and you can play music, send a text, or even get walking directions without ever looking at your phone’s screen. They last for up to 5 hours of listening with just one charge.
The Google Pixel 2 XL is available on 15 Nov in Singtel stores islandwide. You can only purchase a Pixel 2 XL with one of Singtel’s Combo plan, ranging from $0 (monthly price of $239.90) to $1,098 (monthly price of $27.90). Each Combo plan has a 24-month contract. Images: Google
Header Image: Google
Avocado lovers have made it absolutely clear that there isn’t a shortage of ways to consume avocado, whether you are eating it on your toast or incorporating it as part of your beauty regime. And it’s not hard to see why we wouldn’t love avocado – it’s super moisturising for your skin, full of proteins (5 times the amount of potassium compared to a banana) and it’s tasty to boot.
LiHO’s latest limited edition menu now debuts the avocado smoothie, with a sweet surprise. The Avocado Smoothie is a thick blend of pure avo, fresh milk, ice and gula melaka and then topped with LiHO’s signature cheesy froth for a refreshingly delicious drink. If you are a huge lover of milk, the Golden Avocado Milk is an even milkier version of the Avocado Smoothie, just without the cheese.
Left: Cheese Avocado Smoothie, $6.90; right: Golden Avocado Milk, $4.20 and $5.20
Will this replace the basic pumpkin spice latte now that autumn is over?
If you still don’t get why everyone loves avocado so much, you can give LiHO’s other limited edition flavour a try. The other new menu item – the dragonfruit smoothie – is not something you often see on smoothie menus. Dragonfruit is a sweet fruit with an unusually spiky appearance that you would have probably spotted in the supermarket and wondered what it was. Despite its ‘weird’ appearance, the fruit can be quite delicious when it’s in season!
Left: Cheese Dragonfruit Smoothie, $6.90; right: Dragonfruit Green Tea, $4.20 and $5.20
The dragonfruit flavoured teas are offered in two variations – the signature LiHo cheese smoothie and a dragonfruit and green tea blend. Dragonfruit is pretty light on the tastebuds, which makes it a good pairing with green tea. From the images, it looks like LiHO is using the pink variant of the dragonfruit, which means you get a deep magenta drink that’ll make for a pretty picture. Of course, you can also choose to customise your drink with your favourite toppings like grass jelly, aloe vera cubes and pearls.
The avocado and dragonfruit teas are available at all LiHO outlets island wide now for a limited time only.
When we found out that Lauren’s fronting the Adidas Originals Campus’ campaign, we were more than thrilled.
Lauren was our favourite in the Aloha State version of the Japanese reality show Terrace House – we couldn’t help but admire her for her striking good looks, passion for drawing, and her ability to speak fluent Japanese. We originally described Terrace House as one of those Netflix shows that will make you cheat on your significant other (by watching the episodes without them!) and as a show to binge watch on a long weekend.
For all you wondering, Lauren’s Chinese-European but was born in Massachusetts, and moved to Japan when she was 15 years old.
She’s now 19 and despite her pretty young age, she’s making it big for herself. As part of model agency Image Tokyo, Lauren has walked for big-name designers like Dolce & Gabana and Samantha Thavasa, and has also been featured in numerous magazine editorials. In Adidas Originals latest Campus campaign, Lauren radiates effortlessly chic while wearing different variations of the classic sneaker.
She makes the Adidas Originals Campus sneakers look effortlessly chic, but she’s Lauren Tsai, so no surprises there. And how can we ignore her amazing artwork? In sketching images inspired by fantasy and colouring them with muted watercolours, Lauren’s art looks like it comes from another dimension – in a good way, of course.
Meanwhile, Terrace House’s fourth season “Opening New Doors” is scheduled to air on Netflix Japan on 19 Dec. No word yet about when it’ll air worldwide.
The first three seasons of Terrace House can be watched on Netflix Singapore. Images: Adidas
Header Image: Adidas
“Brows are the pillars of the face.” Surely we can all agree with makeup maestro Charlotte Tilbury on that. A pair of groomed brows frame and define, pulling your entire look together to create a more polished appearance. Unfortunately, most of us simply weren’t born with Cara Delevingne’s, so it’s up to our daily arsenal of products to fake some full arches. We’ve tried plenty in the past, and what we’ve learnt thus far is that nailing gorgeous brows can be incredibly tricky indeed.
What we’ve also taken away from our trials and tribulations is this: Sculpting your twin arches with the right formula and technique is crucial. Pencils and crayons consume way too much time to achieve balanced brows, while gels and stains can be difficult to manipulate, especially in the hands of a novice. This is why we’ve come to favour the powdered formula housed in KATE Tokyo’s Designing Eyebrow 3D Palettes, which fuses good colour payoff with easy control. So if you’re someone who has to dedicate early mornings to your brows, go ahead and hit the snooze button – these palettes will cut your meticulous routine in half.
While it does come in a brow kit like most, KATE Tokyo’s Designing Eyebrow 3D Palette is small enough to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand and stowed into any purse for quick touchups. And when you open up its sleek black case, you’ll notice the convenient built-in mirror too, which proves once again that the Japanese truly have an eye for practicality.
There are 2 different palettes you can choose from, both with 3 easy shades to help us achieve that natural gradient, and there’s also a straightforward dual-ended brush to help us fill in any sparse areas quickly and precisely. The fragrance-free formula goes on light and comfortable on the arches, and it’s also easily buildable depending on how bold you’re going. All you need to do is use the angled brush and swipe on the darkest shade to boost brow volume and add a little extra definition to the brow ends and edges.
Here’s an interesting bit we picked up as well: The shading brush isn’t just meant to blend out the pigments on your brows, you can actually contour your nose bridge with it and use it as an eyeshadow brush too. So, when we invited celebrity makeup artist Clarence Lee to create 3 brow looks for us, he swiped on two of the darker shades on her lids and the middle shade to add shadows to the sides of her nose bridge before starting on her brows.
Have a look at the 3 easy brow styles he created in the video below, and try them out yourself:
Products used:
KATE Secret Skin Maker Zero Face Powder
KATE Designing Eyebrow 3D
KATE Brown Shade Eyes N
KATE Sharp Lock Gel Pencil in BK-1
KATE Glamorous Lash Mascara
KATE Color Highvision Rouge in RS-2 & RD-3
VIDEOGRAPHY
Adli Sazali MAKEUP ARTIST
Clarence Lee MODEL
Kathy Fung @ The NU Management
The KATE Designing Eyebrow 3D (in 2 shades), $20.50, available at selected Sasa and Watsons stores.
Note: no cats were harmed in the process of writing this article
We don’t exactly know how the obsession with cats started or how they managed to become the meme lords of the internet, but if it’s one thing we know, it’s that pictures of cats have the magical ability to instantly brighten up anyone’s day. Now, you might say that you are not a cat person at all, but you’ll love these photos regardless if you prefer dogs over cats.
Hisakata Hiroyuki is a photographer, but in his spare time, he likes to shoot cats. To share the love he has for these frisky felines, he has even dedicated an entire Instagram account to photos of cats caught in midair.
Everyone knows that cats cannot be tamed as easily compared to other animals, which is why we were quite impressed by how Hisakata managed to capture these explosive shots. If you are a proud cat owner yourself, you would have some point in time considered taking photos of your pet but found that it wasn’t that easy. Hisakata probably has an endless amount of patience but he shares that apparently all it takes for the cats to get excited is a bag of cat toys. Cats are such easy creatures to please.
Hisakata hasn’t shared where he finds his cat subjects, except that it’s a deserted island populated with stray cats. A quick search on Google revealed that there are two possible islands in Japan that are overrun with stray felines – Aoshima and Tashirojima island. Guess you actually have to visit to find out which island Hisakata frequents.
And of course the quintessential silhouette shot.
It’s almost like these cats knew they were being photographed. Images from Hisakata Hiroyuki’s Instagram
Here’s a fun fact: everyone you’ve ever dreamt of is a real person from your memory. Even strangers, who you probably don’t explicitly remember but have stored images of their profiles in your subconscious. It’s actually humanly impossible to think up of a face completely imagined without having seen that person before.
Several days ago, however, a video showcasing the abilities of a new software called Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) reveals how AI has been utilised to create a series of random “celebrity” faces of people who don’t really exist in real life (at least not yet).
Trippy, huh?
While attempting to create realistic images of celebrities isn’t a new technology, GAN has produced the most successful method of doing so thus far. The software detects however many images of celebrities at one go, filtering through other fake images and randomly creates facial features based on existing ones, producing realistic images of humans who aren’t real.
Some of GAN’s shortcomings include only developing images of a maximum size of 1024×1024 pixels and occasionally distributing facial features unevenly, resulting in wonky eyes or droopy earlobes. Purely by chance some images look too similar to real celebrities, rendering it ineffective.
While this can foreseeably boost the entertainment industry regarding by more quickly synthesised fantasy universes in games or movies, some wonder if such photorealistic AI evolution could become complicit in propaganda and misrepresentation. Speaking of which, just a few days ago, Saudi Arabia granted an AI robot citizenship, a decision which has left many questioning the boundaries of AI in our future lives.
Regardless, it’s certainly an impressive step in technology. In fact, the software goes beyond generating fake human faces. Depending on its use, it can create any fake object — a car, a building, an animal — just by sifting through similar images and piecing random traits till it becomes something of its own. Header image: The Verge
What would we do without dogs? Life would lack a lot of love and laughter, that’s what…and we’d probably spend a lot less time browsing cute videos on Facebook too. Sadly, our furry friends aren’t always well to do. There are many strays without a home, and shelters are often forced to put unwanted canines to sleep.
It’s quite the tragedy. However, you can now make a difference, and it’s real easy – all you’ve got to do is eat your heart out. Yep, that’s right. All it takes is eating. At the inaugural Pup-Up Café at the Bosch Experience Centre happening on Nov 18 from 10am to 3pm, there will be a range of yummy brunch items for sale.
All proceeds will go directly to Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD).
The grub, which is coming courtesy of boutique bistro SPRMRKT and home cook/dog lover Snowcology, will be prepared a la puppy-style, while you can also get some useful baking tips from renowned pâtisserie Chef Yamashita, who will be hosting a live baking session at this fundraising event.
And of course, an army of just the most adorable pooches in the world will make a special appearance for an adoption drive. If you’d like to save a spot, or check out the menu choices – which includes typical brunch items like eggs benedict and pancakes, hit up this link.
The Pup-Up Café is happening on Nov 18 from 10am to 3pm at the Bosch Experience Centre. For more information, visit the official Facebook event page here. Images: SOSD Singapore/Bosch Home
Think of fitness trackers, and Fitbit is almost always the first brand that comes to mind. The company is synonymous with things like “step counting”, “heart rate tracking”, and the like. But they’ve been pretty slow when it comes to making smartwatches, although that’s all going to change with the brand new Fitbit Ionic.
Launched last Friday (Nov 29), the Ionic is Fitbit’s first real smartwatch. It has all the fitness functions that the company is known for. GPS tracking, heart rate tracking, guided workouts, and automatic sleep tracking – you name it, the Ionic’s got it. The difference is that this time, there are smartwatch benefits to enjoy too.
Housed in a boxy, square-shaped body – with a selection of garish colours to choose from, the Ionic does what a standard smartwatch can. It makes contactless payments (via Fitbit Pay). It gives notifications. And of course, there are a range of apps and clock faces to choose from.
Music is also a big feature of the Ionic. But there’s one big problem – the only music streaming service compatible with the smartwatch is Pandora, which is only available in the US. For now, customers in Singapore have to manually upload songs. We did, however, spot a Deezer rep at the Fitbit Ionic launch in Singapore, which could be a sign of things to come.
Fitbit Flyer – Fitbit’s first wireless earbuds
That said; if you’re all about that fitness, then the Ionic is a beast of a gadget.
Fitbit’s accuracy is almost medical grade, and five days of battery life is nothing to sniff at. The fitness features have been improved, and go well with other products in Fitbit’s ecosystem, like the newly launched Fitbit Flyer; sweatproof wireless earphones, and the Fitbit Coach app, which is like your own personal trainer.
Demonstrating Fitbit Pay
Just be warned though, it’s not going to come cheap. Right now, the Fitbit Ionic is retailing for $458, and is available at authorised retailers, including Challenger, Courts, and Harvey Norman. The Fitbit Ionic comes in Silver Gray, Smoke Gray, and Burnt Orange. For more information, visit fitbit.com.
We’re already late to the party, but we needed a moment to psych ourselves up to fork out USD349 for GlamGlow’s Big Wheel of Sexy holiday set. It’s an assortment of lotions and potions we’re sure will pamper our skin celebrity-style, and it’s all stacked prettily in cabins of a mini ferris wheel. It’s like GlamGlow has given us the authority to kickstart our holiday fun without ever having to second-guess the state of our complexion.
Basically an amusement park of skincare products, the Big Wheel of Sexy features some of their classics as well as new launches that target our every epidermal qualms: the Youth Mud Tinglexfoliate Treatment, Super Mud Clearing Treatment, Thirsty Mud Hydrating Treatment, Gravity Mud Firming Treatment, Glow Starter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer, Volcasmic Matte Glow Moisturizer, Dream Duo Overnight Transforming Treatment, Plumprageous Matte Lip Treatment, and a Mud Brush skincare applicator.
As preachers of skincare, this sounds like paradise. What’s not to like about a set of nine wondrous products housed in a pink ferris wheel that actually rotates! What a complementary set piece it would be to the lineup of our vanity tabletops. And to those who are concerned about its price tag, getting the products individually will set you back USD476, so we’re going to say the Big Wheel of Sexy is pretty much a steal?
You can get GlamGlow’s Big Wheel of Beauty holiday set at Sephora’s online store now. Header image: Sephora Other images: Sephora
While we like our chocolate-coated waffle cones, it isn’t exactly a breakthrough in our millennial world of child-like cravings. But when you add frothy steamed milk mixed with Bandung syrup, the colour takes on a vivid rose quartz hue that instantly has that perfect Instagram look going on. The Coffee Academïcs Singapore brings us the first Bandung Babycino in a Cone, and we’re loving how photogenic the simple waffle cone is.
The Coffee in a Cone ($8.90) is also available in Piccolo, Babycino, and Hot Chocolate – these are items that have claimed their spot in The Coffee Academïcs Singapore’s menu.
A post shared by The Coffee Academics Singapore (@thecoffeeacademicssg) on
I tried this for breakfast one day, and although that shade of pink looks like it can’t be healthy, it was au naturale with soothing milk and a sweet taste of Bandung. It also wasn’t as sweet as I thought it would be, making it a solid let’s-start-the-day-happy drink.
The chocolate-coated cone was crunchy which contrasted to the soft frothiness of the steamed milk, giving the cone a good balance of textures. The release states that the coffee-in-a-cone concept is patented, and that it involves a complex process where the cone is coated with four different chocolate compounds. This is meant to prevent leaking, while also giving the drink a chocolately taste.
But my cone started leaking five minutes in! Of course, that could be due to the unnecessary jostling of the cone while I took photos but even so, I had higher expectations of this patented process.
If you’re down at The Coffee Academïcs Singapore, don’t just try their Bandung Babycino in a Cone. They also host a mix of innovative classes, including their Signature Coffee Classes where coffee lovers brew their ideal cup of coffee. The Colour Your World Latte Art workshop adds a colourful twist to your standard latte art, and you can learn the skills of espresso brewing and milk frothing.
We wonder what next year’s special edition of the Coffee in a Cone will be.
The Bandung Babycino in a Cone is available for a limited time only at The Coffee Academics Singapore Flagship Store (#02-01/02 Scotts Square) and The Coffee Academics Raffles City (#B1-12 Raffles City Shopping Centre). Images: The Coffee Academïcs Singapore, NYLON Singapore
Header Image: The Coffee Academïcs Singapore, NYLON Singapore
Dropping just in time for the holidays, she’s officially joined the liquid lipstick game, and these babies are about to shake things up. Of course, Pat McGrath isn’t just adding any old matte liquid lipstick to your collection, though – the exclusive kit will instead feature 6 new liquid lipsticks for a multi-finish experience. Go ahead and swipe on one coat of liquid lipstick or pile on the gloss and glitter after. To quote the makeup maestro herself, “Darling, it’s MAJOR.”
3 shades from the kit lean closer to neutrals, with a cinnamon brown shade called Slay-Omi that’s obviously an ode to her perennial favourite, model Naomi Campbell. We’re also eyeing Wreckage Totale, a screeching pink, as well as Nightshade, a gorgeous deep plum. In these lip kits, you’ll also discover metallic glosses that promise a vinyl finish, so don’t mind us – we’re just going to douse ourselves in those crystalline pigments to amp up the sparkle this festive season.
These liquid lipsticks are a breeze to apply, too. Each wand has an angled V-shaped applicator which helps to smooth on the velvety formula, and since it’s packed with lasting pigment, all you need is a thin layer to create the bold lip of your dreams. We heard it has the consistency of a serum and won’t dry out the lips too, so these have pretty much checked off every box on our list.
While the exact launch date of the LiquiLUST 007 kit has yet to drop, you can head over to patmcgrathlabs.com and sign yourself up for all the latest updates. Header images: patmcgrath.com
When we think about exercise, our minds tend to jump straight on conventional and slightly mundane activities like running outdoors or hitting the nearby gym. While we’d love to get in shape (i.e. ascend a flight of stairs without collapsing ), throwing ourselves into common workouts like these doesn’t exactly sound exciting to us sloths.
However, all that changed a couple months ago when we discovered a slew of workout classes from Amore Fitness that are anything but a drab, and to celebrate their 32nd birthday this November, Singapore’s leading fitness centre is back again with exclusive promotions and free powerhouse workouts.
From 6 – 12 November, join in the birthday festivities across all 10 Amore Fitness outlets!
Enjoy a complimentary tour around Amore Fitness & Boutique Spa, access to world-class gym facilities with Technogym and Preva equipment, and top off your workout with a pampering steam bath.
From 6 – 12 November, get in on the action with free workout classes from Amore Fitness’ signature Blitz series, which are all produced and choreographed by qualified and experienced trainers over at the fitness centre. Each specialty workout is infused with moves drawn from stimulating dance and aerobic routines too, so there’s never a dull moment for the mind and body.
Here’s an energising Zumba class conducted at Amore Fitness Hillion Mall Studio 1
If you seek a full body workout that’ll challenge your muscles and tone your entire body, you can opt for the CardioLatino® from the signature Blitz series, which will get your heart rate up as you groove to the sultry sounds of Latin music. Belly dancing is a popular one that doesn’t just target the abdomen, so if you’re up for a full body routine that combines traditional belly dancing moves and aerobic techniques, the BellyBlitz® is it.
Lest you’re worried about getting thrown into the deep end, relax – not all of Amore Fitness’ workouts are that intensive. Give the StretchFit® class a shot; it’s a routine that fuses multi-regional stretching exercises and regular breathing techniques to put your mind at ease and helps increase your flexibility and strength.
Perhaps the best part about this? All of the workouts are free for newcomers, so feel free to bring a friend, two friends, three friends, and even four friends along to the classes.
This November, you can enjoy 3 months of Fitness Membership at the price of 2 months!
Yup, if you’re new to Amore Fitness, you get to enjoy 3 months of Fitness Membership at the price of 2. And lucky for us, Amore Fitness has also kindly thrown in complimentary wellness treats by way of an $80 Spa Voucher, a Body Composition Analysis and Fitness Assessment with a minimum membership package sign-up that’s worth $138.85. If you sign up for a 1-year membership, you’ll also receive the latest Amore Fitness’ Cadet Gray Gym Duffle Bag.
This November, block out your dates, gather your friends at Amore Fitness, and start working on that New Year’s resolution you made 10 months ago. For new members only. For more details on store locations, visit amorefitness.com.
We know exactly what you’re thinking after reading the first part of this title — Starbucks, really? You go all the way to visit the historic districts of Kyoto and admire the majestic centuries-old temples and shrines, andthen plonk yourself down at the establishment of a modern global brand that we’ve already seen plenty of? Not to mention how, despite how we’re in an era of premium blends and pretty legit nitro cold brews, the brand is hopelessly mired with the image of, not a mermaid, but a basic b*tch. You know, that one friend who quotes from Nicholas Sparks and goes to barre class to Insta-stories the entire time. You get the point. Why Starbucks? Simply because we haven’t seen one that looks like this.
You might have to squint but that little green logo is unmistakable. And this time, it’s home to a two-storey Japanese townhouse, or a machiya, one that was built over a 100 years ago.
Opened in June just this year, the outlet nicely pays homage to a lot of traditional Japanese elements, preserving the charm of its refurbished setting with wooden walls and floors, noren curtains over the subtle entrance — dyed an iconic indigo to match its stunning facade — and tatami mats on the second floor where visitors can lounge old-school style, shoes off, of course. It’s also situated on the historic Ninenzaka street, and a neighbourhood that’s full of weaving cobblestone paths and close to the famous Kiyomizu-dera Temple that you can hop over for a visit later.
Go on in, and you’ll honestly feel a little… weird. And okay, kinda mesmerised actually. Every little touch is beautiful, and as your eyes wander to the wooden beams, old windows and kimono silk scrolls, you’ll feel like you just stepped back into the Taisho era of Japan; the millennial in you will want to take photographs of everything. And yet, you’re also greeted with very familiar sights — a friendly barista in a bright green apron, the enticing beckoning of waffles and bagels arranged neatly behind a glass counter, or Starbucks merchandise on clean wooden trays. The displacement feels strange but also strangely comforting, and you could say, kinda like a warm cup of coffee.
Don’t spend too long at the front of the house though, because you’ll want to make your way to the back, and then up to the second floor. You’ll first walk along a hallway that connects to a whole new area; go past a small sitting spot where solo visitors like to cosy up, before you reach a bar counter and a courtyard, with a zen garden and stone water basins, both bathed in natural light.
Our beverage of choice happens to be the Almond Milk Granola, ¥580, which is a small price to pay for the ‘gram beauty of this place, and is at least something you can’t find in Singapore. It’s a sweet drink but not necessarily sugar-sweet, due to the presence of almond milk that lightly rolls off your tongue. Having the crunchy bits of granola also works in its favour because of how delightful it is to munch on them, and though we obviously wouldn’t recommend to replace your breakfast with this, but you know, you could. Then again, you can still opt for your lattes or java chip frappucinos though, we won’t judge! We just picked the more photogenic choice, so sue us.
Things certainly get more interesting when you ascend to the second floor — the cafe levels up the experience with little cosy corners that retain the structure of the house, all the while with that Japanese touch. Here’s where you’ll find the tatami mats; visitors remove their shoes and then sit atop wooden platforms, nestling themselves on tatami mats with zabuton cushions, or on cushioned seats by the window where they can admire the picturesque street below.
If you find a seat — a process that requires tremendous patience and uh not side-eyeing random patrons at all — you’ll be able to truly relax and soak in the experience, the idea that you’re sipping on a plastic cup in surroundings as quaint as this. The irony isn’t lost on us, but it’s still worth indulging in.
Oh yes, and as a helpful tip, you might wanna plan this at the start of your day. The cafe opens at 8am, and while it isn’t packed to the brim, prime spots (like the tatami mat area) were already hard to come by when we visited at about 9am. Entry will also be limited when the shop is full, and to respect its neighbours and passing pedestrains, you’ll not be allowed to line up in front of the shop as well. All that aside, you’ll definitely want to pay this one a visit, thanks to its sheer novelty factor.
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