Tartarus Berries

Quarter-life Crisis

2010-06-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

This blog hasn't been updated in such a long time. Perhaps it is time to get back on track. Honestly, I have no idea as to the purpose of this blog. Initially, Jim and I wanted a lifestyle blog that we can make some money with. But like always, we have no idea how to go about achieving the latter. Due to the lack of readership, we got disheartened and thus, our inactivity. Another reason for the lackadaisicalness is due in no small part to the quarter life crisis I'm facing. Yes, like many twenty-something year olds, I have no idea as to what to do with my life. But I am working on it! I am reading a quarter-life crisis self-help book and am dutifully doing all the exercises in them. Furthermore, I am also spending time reevaluating my attitude and aspirations. I hope that I can figure myself out soon enough and then will myself towards my goal.

Anyway, all that quarter-life crisis management crap is the back up plan to winning the lottery. I bought a Lottery ticket and if I do win (and like Rebecca Bloomwood, I know I will), I'll be 2.2 million dollars richer! Right...

I hope to update this blog soon! So, if there is anyone, please watch this space.

XOXO
Gem

Quotable quotes #6: Jim on Monograms

2010-04-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

JIM:

"If you bag monograms,
you're an office lady."

GEM: -_-|||

Quotable quotes#5: Jim on Rubi Shoes

2010-04-23T18:25:00.000-07:00

Rubi Shoes's store advertisement spread read:

"Shoes make me happy.
I'm superficial.
Whatever."

Jim corrected it to:

"Shoes make me happy.

Rubi shoes make me sad."

...

-_-|||

Tiramisu Recommendation #1: Michaelangelo's, Chip Bee Gardens

2010-04-22T22:50:00.000-07:00

Hello all, your favourite "Gem" is back! These past 2 weeks have been filled with horrifying examinations and the sheer neglect of Jim. Yes, Jim has been neglecting me and, as I also see, all you readers too! Fret not, I am back to pamper you with your much-needed frivolity and no-holds-bar reviews of lifestyle products and services because you know me, I call a spade a $#*^$ spade.

Today, I will be clearing the backlog of reviews and posts I have promised. Herein, you will find the update on Tiramisu. This decadently creamy Italian dessert made of savoiardi dipped in espresso and copious amount of rum, layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks, mascarpone cheese, and sugar, and topped with the finest cocoa is Jim's choice dessert. While not as passionate a devotee of this heavenly treat, I definitely know a good one when I taste it!

Well, Jim, D (friend and photographer!) and I were at the newly-revamped Michaelangelo's a while ago for some after-dinner sweets after our comfort meal at Pho Hoa. We were all uber excited to finally go to Michaelangelo's for dessert as all of us have not frequent this cimmerian Tatler's favourite for quite some time. We were quite taken aback, to say the least, when in place of the dungeonly old haunt is a splashy establishment with no semblance of "trattoria homeliness". Whatever happened to Holland Village's darling cubbyhole? Anyway, we decided to give this refurbished restaurant a shot since we figured that the face-lift would not affect the food and service quality.

But, we were wrong - things have changed:

- There is now a new head chef

- The dessert menu has shrunk considerably; and by "considerably", I mean HELLUVALOT

- They have the gall to sell Mövenpick ice cream, when they used to serve their own homemade Gelato

- Their first question was "Still or Sparkling?" which led us to assume that they no longer serve Tap, until we looked over to the next table which was having Tap.

- Their Still water, which we all agreed was ROUGH, is priced shamelessly at 12SGD ++ for a 1l bottle (I honestly don't remember paying this much for Still even in Paris.)

- Their wait staff, almost all of them new, have not familiarised themselves with their service. (They forgot to give us table napkins!!! And when we asked them about the dessert menu, they had no idea!).

Well, in light of the abovementioned disappointments, we were not particularly hopeful about our desserts. But again, we were proven wrong. The Tiramisu still tasted as fantastic as it was before the change in management. The Lemon Tart (new on their menu) and Affogato were also equally delightful. But since this post has in its focus Tiramisu, we shall leave the other desserts for another review, ne?

Below are some pictures of the Tiramisu:
(courtesy of D)

So many places serve Tiramisu. But even more places serve crappy ones. (Yes, Bakerzin, you are one of the culprits!)

Well, I am glad to say that Michaelangelo's kitchen has managed to preserve the sanctity of this Italian staple.

I have more recommendations on where you may polish superior Tiramius but that's for another time!

X O X O

Gem

Quotable quotes #4: Jim on Marc by Marc Jacobs

2010-04-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

Jim and Gem were shopping at Mandarin Gallery.

Gem wants to check out Marc by Marc Jacobs - just for fun! But Jim staunchly refused.

After Gem's persistent pleadings, Jim finally relented and stepped into MbMJ.

Gem found some cute graphic tees for Jim.

Jim: omg,please,I'm not going to buy from SECOND LINES.

GEM: -_-|||

Miss me?

2010-04-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

Gem here! I will be away for a week! Until then, I hope Jim keeps you all company!

L O V E

Gem

Quotable quotes #3: Jim on Poverty

2010-04-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

Gem:

There is no shame in poverty

Then Jim added, to Gem's disbelief:

Just don't live like you are poor

Gem:

-_-|||

Rip-off #1: P.S. cafe

2010-04-04T01:40:00.000-07:00

7.50 SGD

for a tiny pot of

SUB-PAR

Camomile Tea

only at

PS. Cafe

Today, I had the sheer misfortune of patronizing PS. cafe, another uppity dining establishment snugly located in Singapore's tai-tai enclave - Palais Renaissance. The purpose of my visit was not to indulge in my usual fanfare of afternoon tea; instead, I was there to discuss work. Thus, professional ethics dictate that I not order anything to eat even though I was quite keen on the Pineapple Meringue Pie.

After balking at the price list (the standard Croque Monsieur cost a whooping 24SGD! Even the TWG and Hediard versions are well below the price ceiling of 20SGD!) and mulling over the woeful lack of tea selection, I decided finally to opt for a pot of Camomile tea which costs 7.50 SGD (++). At such a shameless price, I expected this everyday classic to be a cut above Twinnings or whichever supermarket-brand's variation of it. However, yours truly was sorely disappointed when the sad-looking pot of tea descended. Not only was the amount miserly, the quality was unbecoming of any tea joint - the tea was served LUKEwarm (gasp!) and it tasted bland. Were it not for the fact that I was there for a business parley, I would have requested for the wait staff to investigate into my inferior beverage.

Well, I may not have tried the food or their desserts, but after this deplorable experience, I think I will pass, gladly.

Gem feels: PS. Cafe is but a fancy chi-chi establishment - a rip-off! But then again, this may be a one-time-off episode, ne?

Coming up: A review on the newly-revamped Michaelangelo's at Chip Bee Gardens (p.s. they have got a new head chef too!)

LOVE
Gem

Tea in Town #2: Hediard

2010-03-31T02:07:00.000-07:00

Tea At Hediard

Tucked away in a clandestine corner of Orchard road, far from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, lies a picture of old-fashioned European grandeur, in the form of a curiously aloof house.

Its quiet elegance is a breath of fresh air, a pleasing sight to behold, and certainly a much-needed respite from the mass-market mediocrity that Orchard road has become of late. (No offence, Forever21; Zara; Topshop; Uniqlo; Newlook; Bershka River Island...the list is endless, but woefully insubstantial, sartorially speaking. I digress.)

Therein lies an ostensibly atas French cafe and boutique, Hediard (pronounced Ay-dee-ah).

Now don’t be turned off by its apparent upmarket vibe--- step in and you’ll be surprised, pleasantly of course, by its homely interior; warm lighting, friendly staff, topped with delightful yet subtle notes of mandarin orange in the air, you’d feel immediately at ease.

Hediard is a French cafe and boutique that, besides serving the usual French fare, stocks a plethora of groceries and hand-made food stuff that would be sure to satisfy most, if not all, of your French cooking needs. While admittedly, the prices for such ingredients may be a tad exorbitant, rest assured that they cannot be purchased off the shelf in your run-of-the-mill super market(although, Marketplace at Paragon has a section dedicated to Hediard); most of Hediard’s wares belong to Hediard’s house brand, or are hand-made.

Thankfully, Hediard’s tea sets are highly affordable; for just SGD 12++, you’ll be spoilt for choice with their wide range of Hediard blend teas, and home-made desserts. (You may choose one dessert and a hot or iced tea of your choice)

Moelleux Chocolat avec Vanille Anglaise, ie: Warm Chocolate cake with Vanilla(on the side)

I highly recommend the Crème Brulee(done to crispy, caramelised perfection on the outside and an almost dreamy creaminess on the inside), and Rum Babas(rum-soaked Madelines!!!). If you’re feeling ravenous and want something savoury and filling, try their frivolously cheesy Parma Ham and Cheese sandwich (whose real name escapes me).

For beverages, the iced teas are sure to please. Try the flower blend if you’re looking for something that has a slight citrusy taste. Otherwise, the Hediard special blend iced tea won’t disappoint either. Likewise, the hot teas are wonderfully prepared, and served in your own personal pot.

Your very own pot of tea.

While waiting for your food, feel free to browse through the immense variety of groceries---sure to impress even the most fastidious and discerning of French food connoisseurs---and you’ll be blown away. Think endless shelves of bottled jams, juices, le cures, sturgeon caviars, oils, vinegars, and even their very own mini wine cellar which sits cosily at the back of the cafe. Simply put, epicurean heaven.

Chocolate lovers, you’d be glad to know that Hediard makes their own chocolates, white and black or in any incarnation you chocolate addicts could possibly conceive or desire. Do note that they do not come cheap though, but then again, good chocolates never are, no?

Jim and Gem like:

--- The warm wait staff who are very patient and bother to take time explaining what things on the menu mean. (Gem and I took quite a while to look through the menu; it was partly in French)

---The ambience. It is PERFECT for a lazy afternoon. Feel like royalty in their comfy chairs or lie, languid and relaxed on their plush cushioned seats. Hediard has a red and black theme; a simple albeit regal touch to enhance the overall classy mood, for a reasonable price!

---The attention. Oddly enough, while Hediard is really one of the best tea places Gem and I have every patronized, it is relatively quiet on weekdays (unlike TWG) due in part to its relatively obscure location. That’s in our favour because we don’t feel obliged to finish tea in a hurry (whilst avoiding the incessant We-Hate-You stares from patrons waiting their turn) and we get all the attention and good service we need from the wait staff. Definitely a plus if you ask me.

Jim and Gem dislike:

---The inexplicably sequestered washroom hidden in some secluded corner of the main building of Tudor Court; Hediard DOES NOT have a washroom within its premises. WARNING: Go to the washroom before tea or risk spoiling your mood.

4/5 Teacups : They got it all right; ambience, food and service. Blame the imperfect score on the icky, ulu-ated toilet.

Review by:

Jim

Hediard Singapore is at Tudor Court, Ellis Road.

I hate them fat days!

2010-03-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

I hate ‘em FAT days! For the benefit of all you naturally-slim and slender girlies constituting at best a mere 1% of the female population, I will, from my experience, describe “fat days”, an occurrence probably highly abstract to you all.

For the majority of us, the not-so-lucky ones, cursed with crazy sizes like M, even L and God-forbid XL, we, from time to time, find ourselves battling to get through these depressing “fat days”. These damnable days strike occasionally and at random but when they do, you know it immediately; it will feel like you have been hit with a twenty-pound sledgehammer.

You first wake up in the morning feeling like a thick slab of sinfully well-marbled Kobe beef. Languidly pulling your heavy frame out of the sunken bed mattress, you trudge to the bathroom to wash up for the day. You look into the mirror only to find that it stares back at you with a face that you cannot, or rather, refuse to recognize – a fatter you. You observe your dreadful reflection; your face is much chubbier, the blubber blunting your relatively sharp angular jaw line and high nose bridge. The observable slight cheek bones you are so always thankful for disappears for the day and as you tilt your head downwards, you recoil back in horror as a chunky double chin greets you. You stare some more. Your face and neck are a porky shade of oily pink; such colour and texture would excite your neighbourhood Swiss butcher. Sighing inwardly, you pump a copious amount of facial cleanser onto the meaty palm of your left hand, and then spread them evenly between both hands, before lathering them industriously onto your face in an earnest attempt to eliminate the nasty film of facial grease. Soon, your face is squeaky clean. But fat it still is.

Ah! The wardrobe pandemonium then descends. 15 minutes have passed and you still find yourself clad in just lingerie in front of your clothing cabinet. In the hellish quarter of an hour, you have tried on numerous permutations of attire. A good number of clothes that you have tried on and immediately deemed unsuitable are discarded and they are either hastily chucked back into your chaotic closet or strewn on the surrounding floor. You take stock, for the hundredth time, your dresser but your mind again fails to come up with a combination that would flatter your hefty figure today.

You reach for the blackberry (or iPhone, if you will, you yuppie one) on your study table and check for the time. Your appointment beckons; you are spending way too much time on getting clothed. Frustrated, you pick out a loose-fitting black (because we all know black is God’s gift to fat people) drape top and an also-black bootcut workpants that would conceal your belly bulge, beefy arms, colossal thighs and the likes. You are also hopeful that your v-necked top and the vibrant assortment of accessories you carefully pick out will help to draw attention away from the unsightly fatty protrusions tucked here and there. Subsequently, you apply some make-up where you, recalling Youtube tutorials by blonde cosmetic gurus, artfully define for yourself svelte contours and arches that magically slim down your ghastly face.

After making the easy decision of skipping your usual breakfast of two hearty slices of peanut-butter-jelly bread in favour of a healthy red apple, you lumber out the house for work. And well, this distressing fattiness plagues you for the rest of the day. Good luck!

Love

Gem
P.s. I feel your pain

Have you ever felt like this?

2010-03-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

Through my cheap red-rimmed plastic glasses, I stare at my blank Microsoft Word document, then at my off-white Vaio keyboard, all this while my mind scrambling furiously for writing inspiration.

I think but to no avail. "It's okay, no one strikes gold the first time," my mind comforts itself as it continues its earnest search for the perfect opening sentence.

Nil.

Nada.

My ugly made-in-China $15 Quartz table-clock continues its irksome ticking as I think somemore. Still, nothing comes to my impoverished mind.

But the mind persists.

Nay.

Zilch.

By this time, a good fifteen minutes have passed and my document is still shamefully blank.

%*^&

*&%$

Agitation starts to course through my entire being. My right leg, crudely crossed over my chunky left thigh, started its vulgar shaking as my body tenses. The frustrating writer's block activates my compulsive-hypersensitive mode. The surrounding air becomes increasingly stifling, the floor beneath my left feet feels dusty, and the operating buzz of my laptop grates my ears too. This potent combination causes my limbs to shuffle distressingly about. Worry lines etch horizontally across my blemished forehead and my impeccably-trimmed brows furrow as my bleary eyes squinch irritably at the still-wordless document. "Think! Damn it!" my heated mind once again pressures itself to come up with some clever exposition but all creative impulses allude it.

Like all "great" writers, I open a new browser and proceed to "thesaurus.com", which is undoubtedly the panacea to writer's block, in a desperate endeavour for some stimulation. I know that only when I find special vocabulary can my creative juices start flowing.

Thesaurus baby, here we go!

I feel hopeful.

I entered some blah word and then click on the search button, my mind reeling in anticipation of the results. A plethora of synonyms appears within the next few seconds and my frantic eyes then hungrily scan the web page on the lookout for the right words.

A few more searches later, I have in my arsenal a mini bank of helpful vocabulary. Feeling adequate, I then decide to start on my first paragraph.

tap. The first meaningful alphabet taints the page and my document, at long last, loses its virginity.

tap... tap... tap...; my fingers start to engage in a tentative speechcraft. After a painful alternating series of typing and backspaces, my first sentence is formed, finally. I look at it; my mind expecting to orgasm at my beautifully-constructed first liner, but the climax did not come. Instead, my brain's response is lukewarm.

I sigh inwardly. My opening sentence is mediocre.

LOVE

Gem

http://speech-craft.blogspot.com/

The Proenza Schouler PS1

2010-03-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a

FAB

casual-streetchic

and

kindof-GRUNGE-esque

yet

t i m e l e s s

IT-BAG

???

Well, really, the final fight would probably be: Balenciaga City v. PS1. Both bags have, despite the passage of time, retain their classic design, though its colours and materials are constantly being re-worked.

Balenciaga City Motorcycle Bag (Pewter)

V E R S U S

Medium Suede PS1 Bag (Sand)

Well, I am in Team PS1. Infact, I do not quite fancy the Balenciaga City; it is over-copied and the vulgar hardware of the Giant City (see: below) freaks me out a little. (okay, I bet my life that Jim, the ardent Balenciaga fan that he is, is hoppin' mad right now)

Balenciaga Giant City

Anyway, this post is about the PS1. I was surfing Barneys and came across the PS1 they have available which inspired this post. (note that prices are in USD)

CLICK TO ENLARGE

My personal favourites?

Isn't the pale blue so demure?

I don't think you can ever ever ever go wrong with the combination of python and white.

This unpretentious colour which matches most day-to-day outfit is practical yet chic.

This stunning croc leather satchel will set you back by 14.5k USD (croc leather aside, I have to say I hate this blah colour; this dreary beige is what makes a dead croc)

Classic

Sea Blue; bloody brilliance of a colour

I sigh. I do not have a PS1 nor any designer bag, really; what is a poor student to do? But a girl can dream, right?

I hope you rode out the visual orgasm.

xoxo

Gem

Quotable quotes #2: Gem on Hermès

2010-03-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

Jim and Gem admires SS 2010 Hermès at the Ngee Ann City boutique
...

...

...
...the H bangles...

Gem: isn't "H" the most outstanding alphabet of the lot?

Jim: -_-|||

Tea in Town #1: TWG

2010-03-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

TEA at TWG

This stylish Tea Salon and Boutique, as it prefers to be known, sits aloof, but quite aptly on the second level of Ion Orchard, like an eye-catching centrepiece. The ostentatious warmish-gold decor instantly makes you feel welcomed once you step in; a simple, but necessarily majestic touch for an upmarket tea joint such as this.

Before i start discussing FOOD, let me kindly warn you that the average waiting duration to get a seat in this perpetually packed (yes, even on weekdays!) tea establishment is at least 15 minutes, if not longer. My advice for you dearest readers, is to come after 4pm when the queue starts to dissipate inexplicably (p.s. maybe tai tais stop eating after 4pm altogther)

Waiting time aside, I have to say that TWG has to make an effort to create a minimally comfortable place for patrons to queue; the current waiting area is deplorable. In terms of geography, it is narrow and cramped. Additionally, the air is distressingly warmish and stale due to the sheer lack of ventilation and air-conditioning in the area!

Admittedly, Gem and I did not really have a very good impression of TWG because of that.

BUT THAT ALL CHANGED ONCE WE TRIED THE TEA AND THE SWEETS.

TWG has surprisingly provided the option of a relatively wallet-friendly tea set (17++ SGD) for a pot of tea of your choice (only 10.50 SGD teas can be chosen, otherwise you will have to top up the price difference) and either:

i) 2 muffins;

ii) 2 scones;

iii) 1 pastry of your choice from their wide selection of delectables available;

iv) 1 dessert of your choice from the dessert menu (additonal cost of 1.50 SGD).

Personally, I recommend the Singapore Surprise; a crème brûlée variation with delightful bits of raspberry in it (see: picture below).

If you are at a loss as to what tea to choose to compliment your sweet treat (considering how TWG has an EXTENSIVE tea list entailing a few hundred different types of tea which comes from countries such as Brazil, Zimbabwe, India and the likes), you should consult the wait staff. Most, if not all, are well- trained and thus competent enough to answer any queries you may have about choosing the right tea to please your eager tastebuds for the day.

IN A NUTSHELL

Jim and Gem LIKE:

- the competent and knowlegeable wait staff who are well-versed in the types of teas available

- how badly spoilt-for-choice they make patrons suffer with their OMG-extensive tea list

- how they pay attention to every little need of patrons; take for example

(1) attentive wait staff who settle you in your plush seat and then place the folded table napkin on your lap

(2) the colour-coded tea-pots (black for you, and white for your friend, or vice versa) to help differentiate your tea from your friend's

(3) the thoughtful padded arm-rests and the curved handle so that your bag can easily hang off it

Jim and Gem DISLIKE:

- the stuffy waiting area (i mean seriously, what is with the dire lack of ventilation?)

- the noise level (granted it is an atas-esque place but Singaporeans will be Singaporeans; we all talk in volumes several decibels higher than the rest of the world because EVERYONE JUST WANTS TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT)

- the repetitive playlist (they had this french soprano on repeat; it was good the first time round but by the fifth time, we wished that the singing fat lady would just shut up.)

3.5/5 teacups: They really make sure they pamper their patrons with their jaw-dropping variety of teas and thoughtfully prepared sweet treats, but inevitably fail in terms of ambience; when it comes to tea, crowds and noise are the greatest botheration, and TWG simply has too big a crowd, but too small a seating capacity to accomodate patrons comfortably.

*Disclaimer: this rating is based solely on the overall impression of the food, ambience and service of TWG. We do not claim to be able to critique food per se and thus shall not attempt to in this review. We will leave the tasting part to you, dearest readers...

REVIEW

Jim

P.S. Coming soon on Tartarus Berries: review of selected boutiques in Mandarin Gallery

Spring 2010 Couture

2010-03-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

I know that this post is dated but I just got round to checking out Spring 2010 Couture... which is truly deplorable (I know). Couture is so awesome!!! In this post, I bring you my favourites of 2010 Spring Couture:

Valentino

Sinfully demure!

Givenchy

Beautiful nude-esque ruffles.

Check out the heels too!

Elie Saab

ABSOLUTELY DIVINE

Christian Dior

Armani Privé

Love how the dress "flares" open like that!

Thimister

If I had the money, I would bless all men with a coat like that...

Majestic.

xoxo

Gem

Today marks THE day!

2010-03-21T18:06:00.000-07:00

Dear all, Gem here!

Today marks the day

that I will start walking around with a camera (so I can snap pictures for this blog)

stay tuned.

START, being the operative word :)
Gem: don't be an ass Jim...

Full of drive and plans

2010-03-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

Jim and I met yesterday and there is so much that we are going to do with this blog:

1. Afternoon tea reviews on Hediard and TWG (both of which are absolutely fab!!!)
2. Our post on Mandarin Gallery and why it is the most fab place in Singapore to shop at
3. The Singapore Sartorialist (enough said) - see: http://sleuthed.blogspot.com
4. Dining etiquette

To do all these, Jim and I need to learn how to take fab pictures with those swanky cameras. Well, we will. Infact, I am going to start learning photography for this blog... so follow us on our Tartarus Berries journey!

I snack, therefore I am.

2010-03-16T23:33:00.000-07:00

My nose tingles.

My olfactories were greeted, very unpleasantly, by the sickening smell of cooking oil wafting through the air. So palpable it's presence that, though it had no tangible form, I could literally feel a slick oily mass coursing through my entire being.

Ick.

My fight-or-flight instincts kick in and I turn to run. But my ailing tummy compels me to stay put; I needed a snack.

Times like these, i wished the snacking scene in school were a little more vibrant; a little less oil, transfats, MSG and plastic food, and a little more healthy snacks.

If you have ever felt the same, then you'll like what we at Tartarus Berries have in store for you. You might've noticed our miniature snack baskets containing a frivolous assortment of lifestyle snacker bars around school; this we hope satiates your need for GOOD SNACKS.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE SNACKS COMING YOUR WAY :)

Jim

The IT-LIFE #5: Water

2010-03-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

Dear all, Gem here!

Lifestyle does not centre on luxury products, high profile parties or the likes. Upping the quality of your life can be as cost-effective and as simple as: placing slices of lemon or some strawberries in your jug of drinking water... it makes water taste oh-so-much lovelier and it looks absolutely pretty too, ne? Make something basic such as drinking water a lifestyle for you and your family...

My favourite would be strawberry and mint leaves. I say, 3-5 strawberries and about 3-5 mint leaves as well. Amount depends on the size of your jug.

*Jim: remember to halve the strawberries because only then can its flavour be optimally diffused

Start making little lifestyle changes today...

L O V E

Gem

Spotted #1

2010-03-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

Absolutely fab!!!

Love,

Gem

Chanel FALL 2010 RTW

2010-03-13T19:26:00.000-08:00

Here's Chanel's Fall 2010 RTW! Absolutely fab!!! The furry designs are to-kill-for!

I spy with my little eye, abominable snow men and women...
tsk tsk tsk... Mademoiselle Coco would sigh in disdain if she saw this collection.

How do you "live it down"?

2010-03-13T10:51:00.000-08:00

"Lifestyle" is not only about living it up... but how you live it when you are down in the pits as well...and for many of us, that involves varying degrees of intoxication...

Sometimes you want to get really OMFG drunk and where better to go let loose than at clubs where you can divest your entire being to tequila shots, Lady Gaga and of course, the ego trip of being hit on by the opposite sex.

But other times, you may just want to relish, again and again, the slight burn of whiskey straight-up as it slides down your throat as you bare your melancholic soul to your closest friend in the whole wide world, "the entire world be damned" being your mantra for this solemn night...

Now, the question is: where is a good place to be to sulk?

I never believed in patronizing whiskey/ wine bars to sulk mainly because of (1) privacy concerns (2) its impersonal environment and (3) your inebriated woeful self still have to find a way to get home... which adds to the crappiness of things.

For one of my best friends and I (coincidentally, we are neighbours too), we usually bring a bottle of black label, some mixers, ice and glasses down to the swimming pool area so we can mix ourselves something that usually ends up overly-potent; we then sip our nasty concoction and then dwell and exaggerate on all the shitty things in life as we lay on our backs on those white plastic chaise longue (french for "long chair")... we talk for hours until realisation that our conversation is getting increasingly dumb hits us after which we pack up and lumber home to crash...

...and everything is fine and dandy (save for the slight migraine) by the next morning...

So readers, having shared how I "live it down", care to share yours as well?

(p.s. girls, never go clubbing with Jim... you don't want to find out why *winks*)

Love,
Gem

Swan Song

2010-03-13T00:41:00.000-08:00

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN AUTUMN/WINTER 2010

I feel so inept when I see this collection. I mean, really, no amount of fancy purple prose can articulate its regality and it's significance.

Let us admire, reminisce, and remember ALEXANDER MCQUEEN.

Rest In Peace, Lee Mcqueen.

Jim

*To Gem: On a lighter note... THERE, I POSTED!
Gem: No amount of fancy prose can ever articulate how happy I am that you're back... with Mcqueen no less...! love ya to bits Jim!!!

Hey Good Looking...NOT!

2010-03-12T20:33:00.000-08:00

Dear Rohaizatul Azhar, writer of Urban's column "Hey Good Looking!":

Please be more DISCERNING when choosing who to feature on "Hey Good Looking"!

As readers, we want to know more about the impeccably-attractive kind decked in this season's designer ready-to-wear. This is why magazines like Vogue are so popular: people want to see divineness, not mere mortals. We want to oogle at thosewho are truly model-esq, be jealous of how effortlessly-chic they look and subsequently try to replicate their dressing... with commercially-available mid-priced brands.

But come every Friday, we flip through Urban, only to be stupefied by the "well-dressed" and "charming" gentlemen and ladies you have "conscientiousnessly" selected. Save for the occassional few whose stylish dressing and overall appearance is a veritable pleasure to look at, the rest of them just screams MASS-MARKET! There is nothing wrong with mass-market per se, but we do not want to read about the crowd that we already see thronging Orchard Road every day; honestly speaking, why would we be interested in people decked out in some unknown top from Bangkok which they always conveniently forget the price of (this just SCREAMS Chatuchak market), Topshop bottoms, Charles and Keith mastique shoes and accessories (which they label as vintage! then in any case, everything is vintage "lor") when we, the average readers, ourselves wear the same damn thing???!!

Show us something splendid, Azhar! Show us something that will make us do a double take when we reach your column! Show us people who are REALLY "8.5 out of 10". Show us people that dress infinitely better than us so that we can take a leaf from them, and not take a dig at them!

So, yes Rohaizatul Azhar, you definitely picked the head-turners: you know, the kind people turn their heads away from and flip to the next page of Urban.

P.S. Jim pleads you to have some quality-control: call out the bluff on people who overstate the price of their Gucci Canvas Monogram Red Green Stripes sneakers and whatever designer items they are have on.

LOVE

Gem

Tell me about it!In March 12th's issue some dude claimed his Gucci Monogrammed canvas sneakers were SGD1400? The calf leather sneakers don't even cost more than 1000 bucks!! Who're you kidding man? One thousand, four hundred dollars is a GROSSLY exaggerated price. SERIOUSLY.

Wake up in the mornin' feeeeelin like...

2010-03-12T08:32:00.000-08:00

The chillness of the morning is discomforting. Unconsciously, your body shuffles; your limbs pull your bolster closer to your main frame as you burrow deeper under the blanket. More shuffle; your bedsheets ruffle. Then your face contorts, irritably, as glaring sun rays filters through your willowy curtains, hitting your face. Your eyes, though shut, tenses as it somehow sense the damnable morning light and thereupon, your ears pick up the cacophony of highway traffic. You try to mitigate the damage to your slumber; your hands instinctively pull your plush duvet cover over your bedhead. But, the damage is done - you are now semi-awake. Ignoring this fact, you make applaudable efforts to get back in the sleeeeeepin' groove, and find youself suceeding. Slowly, you are drifting... back to dreamland...when suddenly "WAKE UP IN THE MORRRRRNINNNNNNN FEEELIN LIKE P DIDDY..." attacks your ears. F^$# iPod Touch alarm clock; F$^% Ke$ha, her bottle of jack, and her pedicure on her toes toes!!! Your right hand thrusts from under the oh-so-snug duvet cover, ghosts across your messy bedside table to look for your iTouch, finds it finally, and angrily snaps on the snooze button. The air is silent once more but the peace is broken; you are officially awake.

Groans escape your dry morning mouth as you languidly sit up. You stare blankly for some moments before deciding to finally crawl out of bed. The day has started... kindof badly... and then it hits you "what better way to remedy it than to go for a nice brekkie...~!"

In this post, I will be introducing a few chic breakfast places that you can start your day with! Rest assured that I will not be introducing only snobby establishments. Whether you are in financial dire straits (à la Rebecca Bloomwood), or financially comfortable, or unabashedly rich, I have something for everyone.

1. You open your agnès b. purse and find only a paltry amount (Oh yes, you burnt your pocket money on that half-arse purse, you silly undergraduate!)

There is no shame in poverty! Chic and poor are not mutually exclusive when you find yourself at...

a) Buttercake n Cream at Sunset Way

b) Simply Bread at Gutherie House

c) Huber's Butchery at Dempsey

2. Your finances are well-managed by your absolutely chic Balenciaga Long Wallet
(P.S. I love the Arena Compagnon; white leather only please!)

So you have a little more dough to spare; so you want to be at those chi-chi establishments where the stylish tai-tais raise their eyebrows in approval when they notice the masterfully-designed Balenciaga wallet you proudly clutch in your manicured hands... where better to enjoy such attention than at:

a) Marmalade Pantry at either Ion or Holland Village

b) Jones the Grocer at either Dempsey or Mandarin Gallery

3. Your designer full-exotic-leatherlong wallet (Hermès Kelly Long Wallet anyone?!!) is lined with a colourful assortment of credit cards (you know, the infinity credit kind...)

Ah you shamelessly affluent one! I see, money is never an issue; well, where better to showoff your Kelly than at...

a) Graze at Rochester Park

b) Li Bai at Sheraton Hotel

OH I AM NOT DONE WITH THIS POST YET... PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR REVIEWS ON MY RECOMMENDATIONS! I apologise for not getting everything up in one shot – writing meaningful reviews is so not an easy thing to do! I have to remember my experiences at these places and pen them down in a fun-to-read manner... which I take quite long to do... in any case, enjoy this half-written piece first and check back for upcoming reviews!

P.S. my beloved Jim and I spent our afternoon having tea at Hediard (pronounced as: eh-diar) at Tudor Court. It was fab!! Stay tuned for an upcoming review on this cosy French corner...!

P.P.S. Jim promised he will be blogging again soon...! I am so excited!

LOVE

Gem

Quotable quotes #1: Jim on hell...

2010-03-12T07:29:00.000-08:00

Jim says something really snobbish.

Gem: OMG! I can't believe you said that! you are so going to hell, you know?! JIM:

"well, they better have Prada in Hell then."

Quotable Quotes

2010-03-12T07:27:00.000-08:00

You must be wondering... what is this new section called "Quotable Quotes"? Well, you see, when Jim and I hang out, we have the craziest conversations - I swear if I could record what we say and convert them into podcasts, you will be eagerly waiting for every installment! Here's how our typical conversation goes:

Jim: okay, today, we have to settle our business

Gem agrees excitedly

Gem: starts yabbering on and on about our failing business

Jim: agreeing that our business is going no where

Gem: tries to imbue Jim with belief that we will be successful one day if we keep at it

Gem: shares her dreams on how successful we will be...

Jim: continues lamenting on how we suck at business

Gem: inserts snide comments (but in good faith, of course) which goes along the lines of "if you actually do work, then maybe we will get somewhere" then she tries to get Jim to do some work

Jim: agrees and talks about how unmotivated he is feeling

Gem: tries to find out the reason for his unmotivation

Jim: talks a little about his feelings (which are frivolous)... then ends up saying that the only thing that excites him now is his Balenciaga bag

Gem: comments that feeling unmotivated gets nobody nowhere/ also comments the he must be positive and earnest like herself

Jim: "Gem, pass me Balenciaga!"

Gem reaches over and passes his beloved luxury bag to him

Jim starts admiring how well-made Balenciaga is; how soft the leather is; how detailed the bag is

Jim is not exactly paying attention to the conversation anymore

Gem: continues motivational talk that is increasingly idealistic...

Gem: "imagine that our business becomes big someday, Jim! We will be so rich, we can go for high tea everyday! We will also get premium invites to fashion shows"

Jim: continues caressing Balenciaga bag

Gem: "we can expand our business... we can be like the definitive lifestyle distribution company... we can bring in designer clothes... we will be like Colette! Colette!!! omg"

*p.s. Colette is the awesomest lifestyle store ever ever ever! see: http://www.colette.fr/
*p.p.s Gem always dream of owning a Colette-esq store one day...

Jim: "the leather is so smooth"...

Gem: "imagine... we can buy houses in orchard... next to ion... and our company can be in town too..."

Jim: asks her to stop dreaming/ gives her reality check, while still molesting his Balenciaga

Gem: "but...just imagine..."

Jim: chides her/ comments on how Gem is going on one of her "imagine....what if.....Colette! Colette!" pitch for the millionth time

Gem realises that she is being idealistic yet again...

Gem comments on Balenciaga and agrees that while well-made, Balenciaga does not do it for her

Gem talks about the bags that does it for her i.e. LV Vernice Alma, Chanel 2.55...oh, and Lady Dior! Gem then says for the hundredth time how Balenciaga Motorcycle is for grungy hobos like the Olsen twins... and also puts forth a vociferous argument on how Balenciaga is not classy...

Jim is stunned for the hundredth time by Gem's comments on Balenciaga. He goes "OMG! how can you say that!!!" He defends Balenciaga more passionately than he defends Singapore in National Service (NS)! He then compares Balenciaga to Balmain... OH CRAP!

Gem and Jim starts their Balmain/ Balenciaga war again...

...
...
...

The verbal conflict continues until Jim asks Gem if she has seen this season's ___insert luxury brand___. Jim comments on how fab the bags are...

Gem: squeals! agrees that the bags are fab!

Jim and Gem discuss their favourites of the runway collection....

...
squeals... more squeals
...
omg... more omg... more OMGS
...

Jim finally comes to his senses.

Jim: "omg, we are digressing....! business talk, business talk! we have to settle our business agenda today!"

Gem: ohh...right...

Gem: "okay okay, let's be objective now. so, let's first analyze why our business is going no where..."

...
...
... and the entire conversation repeats itself.

You see, at some point of time during our completely featherbrained conversation, we inevitably come up with a hilarious quote that we are completely in love with... and we would like to, through this new section, share them with you! Stay tuned and check this section frequently if you are interested in the most unprofound and whimsical of quotes...

Love,
Gem

Let us all have a little Rebecca Bloomwood in us!

2010-03-09T22:50:00.000-08:00

Dear all,

this is Gem....again! Firstly, as a matter of housekeeping, I would like to say that I will be updating this blog every two days - that's right! you can expect to hear from your beloved frivolous blogger every other day. This is my attempt to make this blog undead... and to provide readers a cheerful avenue as well as quality lifestyle information. So stay tune! (P.s. my upcoming blog post will be of much interest to everyone; I will be talking about... DINING ETIQUETTE!!! You know, so you know how to drink your soup, place your cutlery and even properly receive the chivalry gesture *SWOONS* of your man seating you down!)

Today, I would like to discuss a topic of relevance to everyone that is... THE GRIND OF EVERYDAY LIFE.

You know what I'm talking about- hectic working lives, crazy competitive employment and business environment, horrible boss, backstabbing jealous colleagues, worrying about your child's PSLE/ O Levels/ A Levels/GPA, keeping up with the Joneses in every aspect, monthly house mortgage, bills, bills, stock market woes, saving for rainy days, burgeoning credit card debts for some, fretting over how to acquire more status symbols: bling-bling, cars and handbags (gasp! birrrrrrrkin baby), pessimistic about the dire state of your dating life or the lack thereof, feeling sore about aging and its effects (crow's feet! a labyrinth of aging lines!), trying to squeeze into the crazy-crowded MRT every morning, thinking about beating the damnable ERP every morning and cursing when you fail and end up paying a whoooooooping 3 SGD because of the &%*% traffic...

...oh! Add "being paranoid over whether your husband/boyfriend is cheating on you" to the list (see: Jack Neo/ Tiger Woods sagas)...

...and the list goes on. I bet my annonymity that you experience more than half of my list!

Well, truth is, we all go through the inevitable grind of daily lives but what is most important is that we keep things in perspective; that we can always find something to be thankful for even if we are down in the pits, that we know how to make ourselves happy when we find ourselves despondent over an undesirable situation. Herein, I would like to share that once you know can seek out happiness in whatever un-fab situation you are in, you will find yourself enjoying life. Well, take my role model for example, Rebecca Bloomwood, fictional as she may be, is always optimistic and even though something truly unfortunate befalls her, even though she is not exactly educated, high-flyer, rich or anything like Alicia Bitch Longlegs, she always find something positive in every situation. And baby, that is the way to live life!

Jim and I also experience the grind of daily lives: we are not omfg smart, we are not zomg rich, neither are we drop-dead gorgeous (no! wait! actually, we think we are drop-dead gorgeous!) but we have our own ways of coping. For one, we meet up, we bitch about it, we laugh about it, we think of ways to get ourselves out of whatever crappy situation we are in and everything feels better, somehow...

Well, today, I would like to share how I cope with whatever crap life throws at me...

Gem: When life gives you lemons...

- plug in Ke$ha and go to the gym/ go for a run!
- read fashion magazines and look at pretty designer things
- go for afternoon tea/ high tea
- cook! (I lurrrve cooking; I will show you my culinary work someday!)
- view this season's runway collection (check out this Balmain FW 2010!)
- watch Confessions of a Shopaholic (for the hundredth time)
- watch Gossip Girl and drool over Chuck Bass/ watch Full House and drool over Rain/ stare long and hard (pun unintended!) at David Beckham's impressive crotch in his underwear ads for Armani... you get the idea...
- meet your closest of friends/ talk to your sisters
...
...
As a warning, if you feel poor, please do not take a stroll along Orchard... it will not make you feel better. Take it from me, it's tried and tested... and it will make you feel more down and more sore...

Essentially, once you can put things in perspectives, you will find contentment and happiness even in the most horrible of situations (like when you could not make it for the On Pedder sale....KIDDING!). Basically, nothing can ever get you down for an extended period of time.

So readers, what do you do when life gives you lemon...

High Life, High Tea

2010-03-07T13:49:00.000-08:00

Dear all,

Gem here! Sorry we have been away for far too long. We are just disappointed over the dire of lack of readership but I'm back and I'm going to psycho Jim into coming back and I hope that this blog will be up and running again.

Jim and I always make it a point to have afternoon tea (yes, afternoon tea, not high tea - high tea refers more to the expensive hotel/ taitai version of afternoon tea) during the week. Sure, it's partly because we enjoy each other's company. But who am I kidding - it's mainly because we are in love with the idea of afternoon tea. Let me explain myself: It starts with dressing for the tea date. You want don't want over-the-top clubbing attire, you steer away from dreadful kopitiam-wear of small shorts with havianas flip-flops, or from stifling formal wear. Your wardrobe has only one aim: effortlessly-CHIC. The next part is the waltzing in into some sexy lazy-looking establishment, being led to seats by professional service staff, settling down on the plush seats, and being greeted with a stylish menu that promises unpronouncable but truly delectable treats... You flip the laminated pages one after another, taking in the delighful description of each dessert option, and find yourself repeating this process a few times over. "This flourless chocolate soufflé or this strawberry shortcake...wait a minute, how about this caramelized pear tart?" You are in a dilemma... but a good one. Spoilt for choice, you naturally take quite a while to decide and end up ordering some fancy flowery/fruity/combined flowery & fruity tea (which comes with an attentive piece of homemade biscotti delight) and a slice of heaven (which is strawberry shortcake IMO)...

Oh no, it does not end here. The fancy tea comes in a whole setup of matching porcelain teapots and cups. Your chosen cake comes in one of those white curvy plates with extravagant garnishing of fudge, berries, mint leaves and even gold flakes. It almost looks too good to be destroyed by your dessert fork but your taste buds cannot resist. The eating part then officially commences. You elegantly sip your combined flowery & fruity tea, you delicately polish your strawberry shortcake, in between your frivolous, whiny and bitchy (there, I said it) conversations with your fellow lifestyle whore. Sometimes, you throw your head back in a calculated laughter that must come off as spontaneous and effortlessly-spirited and charming...just because.

I love tea. Jim loves tea. It's not just tea... it's the entire tea experience I describe that I am in love with. Well, in this blog post, Jim and I want to share some accessible cool places to have awesome afternoon tea that will not burst your budget. Specifically, I will be introducing 3 places, and Jim, another 3 so prepare to be spoilt for choice.

Gem's Top 3 budget-friendly-yet-still-chic places for afternoon tea:

1. 1 Caramel Patisserie Cafe (for Cakes and Tea)

This is my most recommended high-tea place. On weekday afternoons, please head down to 6 Handy Road (it's located just NEXT to The Cathay) for 1 Caramel's Afternoon Tea special - 10 SGD(++) for a slice of cake and a pot of tea. Many of the cakes are awesome (p.s. I have tried almost every single one of them) and the Strawberry Shortcake, Lychee Rose, and Chocolate Berry Lust is just O-R-G-A-S! I don't know about you but for me, dessert > actual food. So, the cakes are awesome... but don't go thinking that they give you NTUC-available tea (Lipton! Twinnings! GASP!) to go along with it. They have a wonderful selection of flowery/fruity/flowery&fruity combined tea, all of which are named stylishly. Well, tea choices are very subjective but in case you are interested, my favourites are the Happy Birthday tea, Charlemagne, and Bain De Rose. Jim loves the Camelot, i think. Anyway, the staff are kindof nice, albeit rather unprofessional, in my opinion. But with the price that I'm paying, I'm not complaining. In any case, I rather my staff unprofessional than SNOOTY because nothing makes me (Jim too) mad more than ATAS ARROGANT staff!!! Okay, I digressed. Anyway, if you are in the area, drop by 1 Caramel and chill...

The Luxe, 6 Handy Road #01-01A Singapore 229234
+6338 3282
http://www.1caramel.com/

2. Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie (for Ice Cream and Cakes)

If I had to recommend a chic place for quality ice cream, Canelé immediately comes to mind. Honestly,I do not like ice cream from random Gelato places - see: Udders, Venezia, Island Creamery, etc nor ice cream from Ben & Jerry's - sure, they serve very fun flavours but quality-wise (i.e. the texture, consistency, flvour-depth and presentation), it's not "up-there". It should also be mentioned that they are not cheap! A single scoop of chocolate ice cream with copious amounts of the most outragrous mix-ins, all served in a paper cup can easily set you back by at least 6 SGD. That's a lot of money for a lot of crap nestled in mediocre ice cream. On the other hand, a single serving of ice cream creatively assembled in a sophisticated porcelain dish from Canale cost about SGD 8 (++) and you can be rest assured of the quality. I highly recommend 66% (Chocolate ice cream with chocolate crumble and dark chocolate shards) and L'amour (Rose petal ice cream with raspberry swirl, rose meringue and lychee pieces) but the rest (I've tried almost all the flavours) are very yummy too!

If you do not feel like having ice cream, you can opt to try their cakes. I've tried some of them and found them to be so-so only though I particularly enjoy the one called "Barcelona" - it comes with a tube of blood orange jelly or something like that. I should also mention that they serve quite-nice sandwiches (order the Croque Madame) too if you need something savoury rather than sweet!!!

Anyway, as a final point of mention, you will be having your ice cream in a laid-back and warm atmosphere, as you should be, and not in some noisy parlour with attractive and sometimes bitchy 18 y/o female scoopers.

#01-01A Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Road
+6738 8145
http://www.canele.com.sg/

3. Fosters - the English Rose cafe (for scones and little sandwiches)

This neat cafe tucked snugly at the corner of Holland Village is an unpretentious place for an afternoon tea. It's afternoon Devonshire Cream Tea is priced very reasonably at 10 SGD (++). This Tea Set entails oven hot scones, cake and tasty finger sandwiches accompanied with butter, homemade strawberry preserve and fresh cream with a choice of a cup of tea or coffee. No one item particularly stands out for me but the whole set-up (the tea set, the warm rustic ambience with just enough afternoon light filtering in as well as the reasonable pricing) is simply cosy, homey and endearing for 2 to idle and chat the wonderful afternoon away...

277 Holland Ave Holland Village Singapore 278994
+6466 8939
http://www.fosters-restaurant.com/

Well, if you have a little more moolah to spare, try pricier joints such as 2 am Dessert Bar, the V Tea room, and the likes and relish the feeling of "RIP-OFF". Because really, pricier does not necessarily mean value-for-money! I really like the creations of 2 am dessert bar especially the chocolate tart (18 SGD (++), if I remember correctly) but IMO, it's too overpriced.

If you have alot alot more money to burrrrn and are conscious of where you step into, please (1) ASK ME OUT and then (2) we will proceed for HIGH tea at hotels - the ones worth mentioning are: Rose Veranda at the Shangri-La and Tea Lounge at Regent Hotel. Their high-tea selections are absolutely fab!!! If I had the dough, you will find me there every other afternoon.

Anyway, this marks the end of my Top 3 budget-friendly-yet-still-chic recommendations for quality tea here in Singapore because for most of us, our ZARA-pockets are not deep enough to fund regular splurges at __insert expensive high tea places catered to tai-tais/ tai-tais-in-the-making___, ne?

Speaking of desserts, I just have to write about Pierre Herme...

Gem's MUST-TRY-SOMEDAY: Desserts by Pierre Herme

I have not tried any creation by Pierre Herme - one of France's leading pastry chef - and if I don't do so before I depart from this world, I will be full of regrets. I have only heard praises about his delectable creations, my heart flutters when I see pictures of whatever he comes up with , my soul just yearns for his slice of paradise and my mind works up a frenzy over how to get to Paris - NOW! Jim has had the good fortune of patronizing Pierre Herme and the luxury of delighting in his Macaroons... I hope that my turn will come someday...

*P.S. For all you Gossip Girl fans out there, do you remember the epic scene where Chuck finally professes his love for Blair (last episode of Season 2)... the macaroons he gifted her was from Pierre Herme! (:

Love,
Gem

We have readership!

2010-03-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

Dear all,

Gem here! I am very excited to let all you all(ghost-readers alert!) know that we have readership. Initially, Jim and I were down that because it seemed that we have no readership - no comments on our posts, or anything. Then, we got our very first reader email who commented that our blog was interesting and that she was looking forward to our updates! Now, we are uber-excited over growing readership (kind-of) we have and the prospects of our blog.

If you enjoy our blog, please feel free to comment. It makes us feel really motivated and awesome!

Please bookmark Tartarus Berries and also look forward to more frivolous updates!

Love,
Gem

**PS: I speak for Jim as well, that lazy fashionista...

Shoes of note #2

2010-01-13T20:55:00.000-08:00

Having already done a post on desirable shoes for women, I thought it was only fair that I dedicated an entire post or 2 (more posts on men's shoes coming up, so stay tuned!) about men's shoes. This post will focus only on sneakers. If however, sneakers aren't your cup of tea, stay tuned for subsequent posts under 'Shoes of note'. In the meantime, have a look at the season's latest sneakers for men. Enjoy.

A high-top sneaker from the Spring/Summer 2010 collection of Alejandro Ingelmo. This highly elusive New York based designer has made a name for himself in the world of men's designer sneakers. He has a penchant for using metallic leathers, although it's less obvious in his collection this spring.

Heavy on bling, these winged shoes are borne of the collaboration between designer Jeremy Scott and Swarovski. Apparently, the swarovski crystals were picked and placed onto the shoe entirely by hand, making each and every pair unique.

For Spring/Summer 2010, Louis Vuitton has introduced a new range of monogrammed sneakers. This one's in matt calf leather accented with strips of patent calf leather. I know, monograms are almost always tacky, but given the right treatment, like in this case where the monogram's embossed on black calf leather, it's definitely more class, than crass. Details like the velcro strap in the front give it an edgy street look, and perfectly juxtaposes the luxurious feel of the patent calf leather. Certainly grunge-meets-luxe at it's best.

Multi-coloured patent leather sneakers by Japanese cult label, Bape, these head-turners known as Bape Sta 88 Rainbow sneakers aren't for the conservative.

Lanvin's Swarovski crystal studded sneakers exude quiet subtlety and remain nonchantly luxurious without being garish, despite the generous use of bling. A must-have for all shoe fanatics. Too bad it's not for sale.

The fourth edition in Pierre Hardy's range of Colourama high-top sneakers, these colourful sneakers are limited to 500 pieces world-wide. The latest interpretation of the Colourama uses nubuck(raw) leather,which has a suede-like, velvety texture. This edition also has black piping details along the colour blocks adding a beautiful contrast and accentuating the cut-out, panelled design of the shoe. Simply put, technicolour in it's fullest glory.

Jim

The IT-Life #4: Headphones

2010-01-08T21:38:00.000-08:00

Well, times have really changed. Unlike in the past, headphones and earphones do no longer have as its sole purpose the delivery of quality music to the ears of their wearers anymore. Instead, headphones and earphones are now fashion and status symbols. The vogue importance of headphones and earpiece first started with Apple’s signature white and sleek design. But now, it’s no longer that cool to plug in the Apple signature white ear-piece. So, what is cool then? Well, you got to know Beats by Dr. Dre.

Beats by Dr. Dre (original pieces)

Red Heartbeats headphones for Aids Awareness (A Dr. Dre-Lady Gaga collaboration)

Another Dr. Dre and Lady Gaga Collaboration: Heartbeats by Lady Gaga

Beats Spin: The ultimate DJ headphone

These are available on http://www.beatsbydre.com. Beats by Dr. Dre has taken Hollywood and many other entertainment scenes (such as the Korean entertainment industry) by storm with celebrities and the hippest bands donning the headphones in their music videos and the likes. For example, beats by Dr. Dre has appeared in Lady Gaga’s music videos such as Love Game, Paparazzi and Beautiful, Dirty, Rich. Black Eyed Peas also wore his signature headphones in Boom Boom Pow. Other notable celebrities endorsing his headphones include Snoop Dogg and Eminem. However, these new fashion symbols come at a high cost. The headphones each average USD 350.

Beats by Dr. Dre (custom pieces) - yes, you are also allowed to customize your pieces though I would suppose it will cost more.

The members of one of Korea's popular band, 2NE1, in custom Dr. Dre headphones

Other custom headphones

Well, I saved the best for the last. I am not so sure about the brand of this final headphone but it's the best I have seen and when you see it, you will concur.

This is Taiwanese Pop artiste Elva Hsiao's USD$9000 (SGD $13,000) encrusted headphone

If I were rich, I would custom a headphone similar to Elva Hsiao's. It's an absolute beauty! Wouldn't you agree?

Gem

Givenchy Spring/Summer 2010: Fashion's Tribute to the King of Pop

2010-01-06T07:05:00.000-08:00

Givenchy Spring/Summer 2010 Ad campaign

(Picture courtesy of Kevin of Mymanybags)

On the 25th of June, 2008, the world bade farewell to a legend--- Michael Jackson. Dead or alive, any decent super-star was bound to generate gossip, as was the case with Michael Jackson's death. His was one shrouded in mystery and fraught with rumours of conspiracy theories, homicide and suicide, all of which of course, soon became media fodder. Consumed by speculation, and distracted by tabloid reports, the world, in some way, seemed to have neglected the significance of his passing.

That wasn't the only thing they neglected though.

In case you didn't know already, Michael Jackson was a huge fashion icon (and I mean HUGE!). Honestly, while i wasn't a huge fan of his music, I am certainly in awe of his ability to influence fashion, even beyond the grave! His taste in regal, romantic, futuristic and even gothic looking clothes naturally led him to choose Ricardo Tisci of Givenchy to dress him for his "This Is It" concert, part of a series of concerts that was to mark his return to the music scene and his eventual retirement from it. As fate would have it, Michael Jackson's come-back concert never came to be, thanks to his untimely demise. Alas, Ricardo never had a chance to showcase his design genius to the world through one of the most influential figures of modern times.

Nevertheless, he paid homage to Michael Jackson through his Spring/Summer 2010 collection. Deviating from his usual gothic, edgy designs, Ricardo opted for eye-catching prints, and more bling, a la Michael Jackson to honour the passing of a great king, the King of Pop.

Jim

The IT-LIFE #3: How to pronounce Hermès

2010-01-05T07:13:00.001-08:00

Her-meh, Her-mez, Air-mez, Eck-mehz? Which one is the right pronunciation? I’m sure that many of you out there, fashionistas or not, have been put in a spot or have had red creeping up your cheeks because you had no clue as to how to pronounce some luxury brand name. I can also vouch that a good number of you have given your own rendition of ___insert luxury brand___.

Personally, I feel that it is no shame to not know how to pronounce a brand name (since many brand names are not in our native language) though others may not think the same way. They may secretly snub you for a mispronunciation… and well, you may think that they are just snobs. For now, let us leave all value judgments aside. Either way, it’s better to know how to pronounce something rather than not. Well, you have the dough, you buy the fantabulous bag, and it will be good to pronounce its brand name right especially since you are paying substantially for the brand in itself!

Here is a list of brand names you should know how to pronounce!

Agnes B: Ah-ni-ess Beh
Balenciaga: Bah-lin-cee-ah-gah
Balmain: Bal-mah
Bebe: Bee-bee
Bottega Veneta: Bo-tega Ven-e-ta
Bulgari: Ball-gah-ree
Burberry Prorsum: Bur-bur-ree Pror-some
Cartier: Kar-tee-aye
Chanel: Shuh-nail
Christian Lacroix: La-Kwa
Christian Louboutin: Loo-boo-tahn
Dior: Dee-or
Dries Van Noten: Drees Van Know-ten
Diane von Furstenberg: Fur-sten-berg (pronounced as spelled)
Dolce & Gabbana: Dole-ch-aye Ga-bon-na
Dries Van Noten: Drees Van Know-ten
Emilio Pucci: Eh-mi-li-oh Poo-ch-ee
Ermenegildo Zegna: Er-men-a-jeel-do Zen-ya
Etienne Aigner: Eh-tee-yen On-yay
Furla: Fer-luh
Givenchy: Jee-von-shee
Gucci: Goo-chee
Hedi Slimane: Eddy Sli-mahn
Hermès: Err-mez
Hervé Léger: Air-vay Lay-jay
Issey Miyake: Ee-seh Mi-yah-key
Jean Paul Gaultier: Zhan Paul Go-tee-aye
Lanvin: Lon-vahn or Lon-vawn
Loewe: Low-ev-ay
Louis Vuitton: Loo-ee Voo-ee-ton
Madame Gres: Mah-dam Gray
Moschino: Mo-ski-no
Nicolas Ghesquière: Ni-co-la Guess-ki-air (very important!)
Prada: Prah-da
Rodarte: Ro-dar-tay
Thierry Mugler: Tee-air-ree Moog-lay
Versace: Ver-sah-chee
Yves Saint Laurent: Eve San Lor-ron

*This list is the abridged version from the list available at thechicspy.wordpress.com

Gem

Shoes of note #1

2010-01-05T04:51:00.000-08:00

I sincerely believe that, one can never have too many shoes. But in all their forms and incarnations, aren't shoes really just things that keep our feet off the ground? No, not in this century they aren't. Today's shoes don't only serve the original purpose they were created for; they are a reflection of one's taste and status. Designers seemed to have readily embraced that notion, what with the crazy shoes they've created of late:

Nina Ricci Fall 2009

(Picture courtesy of Bryanboy)These gravity-defying shoes by Nina Ricci don't look like they were made for wearing. What was Daphne Guinness thinking before she put them on?

I think this is a work of art! Can you not see the concealed platform?

Alexander Mcqueen Spring 2010 (see: left)

The infamous 12 inch heels by British designer Alexander Mcqueen. They really are pretty to look at but i'm not so sure women would feel pretty wearing them. Heck i'm not even sure if they can feel anymore after putting these on.

The concealed platform! This is my favourite pair of the lot! "..i'm not so sure women would feel pretty wearing them" - are you serious? I would have to disagree with you on this one, Jim. Women would kill for this pair. I know I would.

Balenciaga Spring2010 (see: below)

These multi-coloured stripy platform ankle boots look the most comfortable. Balenciaga does it again with wearable high-fashion.

(Honestly, I don't quite get this peep-toe boots)

Hope you enjoyed the visual orgasm.

Till next time,

Jim

Visual orgasm indeed...

Gem

The IT-LIFE #2: The Club21 Card

2010-01-05T03:41:00.000-08:00

In case you all didn't know already, Club21 is a home-grown fashion giant that distributes such luxe designer labels as Marc Jacobs, Dolce&Gabbana, Balenciaga, Mulberry, you name it. And like most other fashion heavy-weights in Singapore, Club21 has its own membership card, one that promises exclusive privileges in the world of designer fashion.

Recently revamped, the card has 4 tiers of membership namely, regular, classic, prestige and elite. Obtaining the lowest tier of membership's easy; simply spend $500 on regular-priced items at any Club21 boutique in the span of 3 months, and voila, the card's yours.

Before you get all excited and think that you've just gotten your ticket to exclusive discounts all year round, here's a reality-check; only classic, prestige and elite membership status get u an all-year round discount (10-15% depending on the tier of membership). Regular membership has no such privileges whatsoever. To get any form of monetary rebate at all for regular members, one has to spend a certain sum of money to redeem vouchers. (last i checked, spending ~$9000 at their boutiques lets u redeem a $250 voucher.)

Discounts aside, the card also promises invites to fashion shows and so-called fashion 'presentations' of fashion's latest offerings. While it may sound tempting to be invited to such seemingly high-profile events and feast your eyes on the latest in designer clothes, the catch is that the exclusivity of the show you're invited to is wholly dependent on how much you spend at their boutiques. Put crudely, spending $x dollars gets u invited to a mini 'presentation' with no seats and where fruit-punch instead of cocktails are served. On the other hand, spending $(x plus an indeterminate sum of money) gets you invited to more exclusive shows where tapas and wine is served.

Don't get me wrong, i've absolutely nothing against how Club21 handles such invites. Afterall, it is entirely logical from a purely business standpoint; reward more the customers who splurge, and less the customers who do not. The point of my post is to warn those who think, naively, that a mere $500 expenditure at their boutiques is going to take them anywhere closer to being a fashion insider, because it doesn't.
So unless you're ready to frivolously blow your savings/hard-earned moolah/parents' money regularly at their stores, i suggest you look for another card---one that hopefully might take you closer to the world of fashion insiders, at a less extravagant price.

PS: Good luck though, it doesn't exist.

Till next time,

Jim

The IT-LIFE #1: Zouk membership

2010-01-04T19:32:00.000-08:00

Those in-tuned with the clubbing world will know of the holy grail of all cards: the Zouk membership card. I am not an avid clubber but I do hear of friends wishing to be bestowed membership status. Thus, I decided to check out what makes the membership card so highly sought after. I would suppose that a fair share of you readers have logged on to Zouk’s official website to check out how you may obtain the elusive card especially since you are a regular spender there only to be disappointed by the “rubber band” requirements.

Well, according to the Zouk official website, it seems that there are 2 ways to obtain their complimentary membership (Yes, the membership card is complimentary which only means one thing - technically speaking, it cannot be bought by money).

Firstly, one can enter via the “corporate membership” route where one is in a complementary industry such as media or fashion or creative. Another possible way is through staff recommendations. Basically, Zouk says that one will have to “BE SEEN” regularly patronizing the club and partying the night away. Also, it will be helpful if you were to introduce yourself to the right management and staff such as the front office desk. I suppose that when the right people know you by name and by face, and that your “resume” is impressive enough, they will invite you to be a member.

Wow! All I can say is that the Zouk card is really exclusive. Since the issuance of membership is solely based on managerial discretion, it seems that Zouk must really want you there and see value in your presence! They want the rich and the famous/popular, the loyal, the PR and amiable types – Wow, you really got to have the whole works! (sounds like Gossip Girl, no?)

So, let us say that you have managed to charm your way into getting the tricky plastic... and all is good right? Not quite so... well, your membership has a shelf life of only 6 months and renewal is based on whether you have hit renewal requirements which I guess means how often you frequent Zouk, how much you spend and the likes. Maintaining your membership sure sounds like hard work!

But then again, i'm sure there are other more exclusive and thus, more elusive events membership out there...

On a side note, Jim, can you update our readers and me on the Club21 card? I think that many would be interested in finding out more about it.

For all you lucky Zouk members out there, I would like to know: is the Zouk membership card really worth it? Is the return purely in the form of prestige? Or perhaps, the VIP area is where you really network...

Gem

Gasp! Tights and Leggings!

2010-01-04T05:49:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, I have been itching to talk about this fashion trend for a long time mainly because so much social-ills (epic-fails, actually) have come with it. There, I said it! Honestly, if there is some kind of ratio representing tights/ leggings wearers, it would be as follows:

1:10:10000

(Miss sixty, Fall 2008 - i absolutely adore the combination! Very chic!)

(Lindsay Lohan looking rather pleasant)

(not nice at all...)

Only people with slender legs can pull off leggings and tights. If your legs are not too slender, tights should not be a staple - wearing them once in a while is okay. If your legs are chunky, I think that you should steer clear of leggings and especially tights (it’s sheerer counterpart). Outlining your chunks is not in the least flattering!

Well, mainly because I do not have slender legs, I shun the world of leggings and tights and whatever cloth that cling-wraps one’s legs. As I broached this topic, I faced this preliminary problem: what is the difference between tights and leggings anyway? And then, there is also this thing called pantyhose (which I will not bother myself with). I have always thought they were all one and the same, but I decided not to risk embarrassing myself if tights and leggings turn out to be distinct wear so I researched (I Google-d and Wikipedia-ed)

For those who, like me, have no clue on the difference between the tights and leggings, I hope this blog post will serve to enlighten you, as writing it did me. There is a whole lot out there on this topic - Wikipedia talks about the history of these cling-wrap garments! Well, on Tartarus Berries, I am making sure you only know what you need to know...

In the past, tights are supposed to cover the foot while leggings only cover the legs. But in modern context, we now have footless tights and leggings so I suppose this distinction does not hold anymore.

The Modern context

Tights

Tights are more transparent than leggings. Like many will lament when they see some females revealing more skin and gasp! bulge than they should, “tights are not pants!!”

Leggings

As you can see, leggings are more opaque-ish and can be worn as pants.

Well anyway, for the most part, I do not think that tights nor leggings are fashion symbols. They are, well, just there for pairing up with...though on the right figure, and if worn right, tights and leggings can make the outfit look absolutely stunning. For the rest of us, it is quite safe to say that they are definitely not the choice garment. What do you all think?

Gem

Leggings, tights, skinny jeans, whatever. Hell has a special place for each and every one of them. - Jim

I sense your disdain from a mile away. - Gem

Jim thinks: Spring 2010

2010-01-04T04:05:00.001-08:00

What better way to welcome the new year than to take a peek at what fashion has to offer this coming spring/summer?

Jim takes you through what he thinks are the key trends in fashion come Spring 2010.

Leather
Not exactly the usual suspect when it comes to spring fashion, designers are sending models down the runway clad in, well, leather.And it's not just leather jackets we're talking about. We're looking at leather jeans, blouses and even shirts here.

While it is an odd move considering the higher temperatures and stuffiness in spring/summer, I have to say it is refreshing; a bold and certainly unconventional move in terms of the use of materials. Have a look:

A leather and linen vest from Neil Barret Spring 2010 (picture courtesy of Joe, of 00o00)

Leather Jeans, a leather panelled vest and ---can you believe it--- a leather hoody! Balenciaga Spring 2010. (Picture courtesy of Style.com)

A word of advice for all you fashion victims out there: Do not attempt to wear such leather-wear in Singapore. I mean, think about what all that perspiration would do to the leather!

Wow Jim, why doesn't it surprise me that the well-being of the leather comes before its wearer! - Gem
Bee-yotch, how could u insinuate i care more about clothes than the people who don them? Well, maybe i do. - Jim

Looser Bottoms
Designers have long been trying to introduce looser cuts for men ever since pencil-thin skinny jeans took over the world(or at least Singapore) when Hedi Slimane reigned in the men's fashion world. Now Kris Van Assche(of Dior Homme) has finally driven home the idea with his collection for Dior this spring. Absolutely eschewing skin-tight, figure-hugging clothes, he shows us a world where men are comfortable in loose-fitting tops and bottoms. Time to put those skinny jeans into cold storage for a while and experiment with breathable clothes, no?

Loose, billowy clothes? Gasp! Dior Homme Spring 2010.(Picture courtesy of Fashionwindows.net)

And there you have it, my interpretation of Spring/Summer's key trends in a nutshell.

Till next time,

Jim

While I am not as fashion-fastforward as Jim in terms of the latest luxe, I definitely do appreciate the good pieces and the OMG pieces as they come up. Well, Jim, the Balenciaga leather jeans and hoodie just does it for me. I cannot believe that she (refer to Balenciaga model above) is leather-clad from head to toe and still look so chic. When I imagine someone being leather-clad, nothing like that comes to mind. Moo-oooh! Since when do cows look so darn good...!

Jim, your last point is well-made - the skinny jeans got to go! really!

- Gem

The three pillars of Tartarus Berries

2010-01-03T08:37:00.000-08:00

Dear readers,

I just got off the phone with Jim. Our conversation revolved around this blog as well as our upcoming business plan that we are going to embark on.

With respect to Tartarus Berries

A. Jim and I came to a consensus that there will be three pillars of Tartarus Berries and they are:
1. Fashion
2. Food
3. Random musings/ life as we see it
I suppose that categorization will make our blog less random. So, there, Jim, I have also introduced the three pillars of Tartarus Berries... in Gem-like fashion.

B. Jim commented that my writing is too formal and “not easy on the eye”. When I wrote my introduction, it didn’t occur to me that my writing was too formal. But I hope that despite the more formal flavour, it is nonetheless personal. Well, the writing came naturally to me and no, I definitely did not have the dictionary and thesaurus by my side as I wrote out my introduction. In any case, I do get where Jim is coming from – that my writing may not be easy to digest – so I promise to simplify my writing as best as I could, but I will not overly-compromise my writing style such that Gem is well, not Gem anymore.

C. We also discussed the system of our correspondences. Well, it appears that our replies will be differentiated by colours; Jim’s reply will be in blue while mine, red, and black will be the official post colour.

D. Well then, everything looks set and it seems, to Jim and I at least, that our blog is progressing nicely so until then, brace up for our official post!

Gem

My name is Jim

2010-01-03T06:05:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

As far as i can tell, Gem's done a pretty good job introducing us, and the blog to all you curious readers out there. So i'll cut to the chase and share just a lil' bit more about me. I honestly feel reading should be easy on the eyes as much as possible so my introduction will be in point-form. No doubt, writing in proper prose would be a good chance for me to exercise my literary prowess, but i guess i'll just leave that for another day.

1. My love affair with luxury, out-of-reach fashion started 3 years ago.

2. Before that, i was a Giordano whore.

3. I am not much richer than the average converse-donning joe.

4. I do not wear converse shoes.

5. I am more frivolous than most other guys i know.

6. Hence my obssession with all things luxe.

7. Gem and I are NOT romantically involved.

8. I am single.

If you're reading this, and

a) love fashion

b) love food

c) find our musings intelligent, then,

STAY TUNED.

Till our next post, dear reader.

Jim

An introduction to Tartarus Berries by Gem

2010-01-02T08:59:00.000-08:00

An introduction to Tartarus Berries by Gem

The concept behind Tartarus Berries

Dear readers, I would like to welcome all of you to Tartarus Berries.

Before my personal introductory note, I take it upon myself to explain the concept behind Tartarus Berries. Tartarus Berries is, to put it nicely, a lifestyle blog, where my partner and I talk fashion, food and I suppose things related to the quality of life. However, to put it crudely, Tartarus Berries is probably just one of those random blogs out there where we just scale the surface of topics we broach, providing little meaningful insights to readers. Well, whatever the case, Tartatus Berries will hopefully be, a no-holds-bar place where my partner and I can vocalise our thoughts on everything lifestyle-related from denouncing as an unforgivable sin the act of wearing jeans with sport shoes to promulgating that all women should own a pair of Salvatore Ferragamo Varina bow ballerina flat. I hope that many of you dear readers will enjoy your stay here and if insights and wisdom are lacking from our blog, I am confident that we will make up for it by our entertaining correspondences.

The duo behind Tartarus Berries

This introduction may be rather skimpy as the purpose of it is to provide an outline of who we are. I believe that our personalities will slowly be revealed along with our posts.

Well, the duo behind Tartarus Berries is my partner, Jim and I, Gem. We have been close friends for a rather long time and our views on life are painfully similar. In my opinion, we are a good representation of frivolity and idealism. As in our heading, he is the Rebecca and I am the Bloomwood and well, this blog contains our confessions.

Get to know Jim

My partner is someone who cannot seem to resist his luxury wear indulgence and has since chalked up huge debts (thankfully, the debtors are his parents and not the merciless banks). I have witnessed his wardrobe progress and financial decline from the beginning and his vogue journey is spectacular and will be more so as his taste becomes more expensive. Well, I should not say more about my partner since I suppose he will be revealing himself in his introduction. But I would like to affirm that to me, he is defined by his wonderful personality and not the fashion he wears.

Get to know Gem

It sounds too easy to write a description about oneself but in actuality, it’s very tough. I suppose it takes a huge dose of self-evaluation, assessing what ought to be revealed as well as figuring out how to most accurately reflect that. No surprise, I am struggling with penning a short self-introduction...

My name is Gem and what is important to me is upping the quality of my life, in both material and immaterial aspects. Thus, in this blog, my aim is to discuss everything lifestyle-related from luxury and wealth to health to relationships to travels to food to shopping and most importantly, positive attitudes to have. I am not where I want to be yet, but that only spurs me on to try harder. I also do not believe in employment; I always say “employment is just a back-up plan for not striking the lottery”. Current status: still figuring out ways to beat the rat-race system. I gladly welcome any readers who are keen to share and bounce ideas with me...!

Well, that is all for my self-introduction as my writer’s block has kicked in prematurely. In any case, I hope that many of you enjoy this blog like my partner and I will enjoy this journaling outlet experience.

Gem