Interview with Angelina Pradana from The Studio www.thestudiobar.sg

Angelina Pradana

Managing Director, The Studio Cocktail Bar

(All beautiful photos courtesy of Jiahe from Hearted Moments Photography)

Grace: Earlier this month, I got an invite to attend The Studio’s media launch and after that, post-hangover (just kidding!), I got to interview the 23-year-old(!) lady boss.

1) Why did you decide to start a cocktail bar and what do you love most about the work you do?

I wanted to do something fun on my own and I always wanted to go into the F&B industry. Opening a bar seems to be the most fun of all. What I love most is enjoying my drinks with great people. The feeling of being part of every party, meeting different people everyday, making new friends and getting some drunk for the first time! That’s something that makes them remember The Studio as a fun place to hang out and that just makes my day all the time.

Bartender & Photographer forced to drink:

2) What sort of challenges did you face being a female and also being very young, in starting this business? How did you overcome them?

People did not respect me at the start, especially during the renovation phase. Having to sort out the renovation details with contractors was no easy task. To them, I was just a small girl trying something for the fun of it and eventually fail.

It was difficult having to meet people who put you down. I also had staff walking out on me initially due to the lack of respect and that taught me a very important lesson of not trusting people too easily and always watch your back.

3) Who are the people you are thankful for? (Those who have given you business tips, invested in your business, or who have inspired you?)

My parents. Without them, all these will never come true, both monetarily and mentally. They have been my advisers whenever I faced any problems. My boyfriend, Wilfred who have been of great help in running the place. My sister, Jessica who has helped me with all the design work. My mixologist, Sam, without him, there will not be the wonderful cocktails on the menu and he is also such a fun person to work with.

Sam:

My friend, Joash who has always been there when I needed IT advice and help like my website! Lastly all my friends who have dropped by to show their support and have helped me in any other way.

4) What are your plans for The Studio?

To stabilize this outlet and eventually turn the Studio into a chain of concept bars. Hopefully, you can see my second outlet in about 2 years. Haha..

5) What advice do you have for young people like you, who may be studying right now but have dreams of becoming entrepreneurs?

Go for your dreams. Many people told me that I won’t make it. Some thought that I should be working for companies before jumping into starting my own business. Don’t be discouraged by them! When you have the passion to do something, you should strive for it while you still have the drive and energy. Starting your own business is never easy, so you really need to be passionate about it to keep you going!

Grace says: I had a lot of fun with the DIY cocktail segment. Bigger pics so you catch all the action…

Bloggers galore:

Some Blogger-volunteers mixed their own Cosmopolitan:

I made my own Whiskey Sour:

Shake up all the ingredients and don’t forget to SMILE:

Pour your drink out:

And ENJOY!

All these would not have been possible without these 2 gentlemen:

My new friend Smith

and Jiahe from Hearted Moments Photography

Cheers and Happy Chinese New Year! Get Drunk! <- The Studio’s tagline

I loved the place! The intimate setting makes The Studio a great place for parties and chill-out sessions with friends.

Check out their menu and promotions.

The Studio Cocktail Bar is located at:

778 North Bridge Road

Directions and Opening Hours here

Feature: Lim Junying & Thistlebelle Nail Boutique

Sponsorships are every blogger’s dream but blogging truthfully about the product or service is not what every blogger does. Hence, I took 9 days to figure out what I must share about my 3D Nail Art manicure. And now, I think it’s time to tell you if such manicures are worth the time and money spent.

My manicurist, Junying, has a home-based nail salon called Thistlebelle Nail Boutique. She’s 23, studied Real Estate Management but realised working for others meant she was often too tired to pursue her passions, such as dancing. Hence, she has become an entrepreneur, has control over her time, and also indulges in her love of nail art too!

I knew she’s a talented young lady from viewing some of her past nail art creations so I threw her a challenge by telling her what I wanted only when we met and frankly, she nailed the job (pun fully intended).

First, allow me to introduce you to the 2 goldfish on my thumbs:

When I attended the Meet The Entrepreneurs Charity Concert on Monday, one Facebook friend came up to me and said she could not recognize me from my Facebook profile photo but she recognized the 2 goldfish! LOL!

And the rest of the nail art on my fingers:

On the middle finger is a silver sticker with “年年有余” and on my pinky is “福”. Very auspicious, no?

Honestly, I would have preferred to have goldfish on all 10 fingernails but that would have taken up too much time. The acrylic extensions plus the 2 goldfish and some bling took a total of 3 hours already, and Junying’s next client was already on her way over.

And speaking of acrylic nails, it was my first time getting them!

My nails were trimmed and acrylic powder was used to make the extensions:

Then, with some colored powders and the photo of a goldfish keychain, Junying made the goldfish right before my eyes:

If you’re wondering whether the goldfish were created separately and then glued onto my nails, the answer’s no. They were created right before my eyes from scratch – moulded on my nail, shaped and colored. As far as I know, I’m the ONLY one in Singapore (or the whole world, for that matter) with these pink and red goldfish nails. This gives me lots of bragging rights. Ha! *update: Junying later gave another client gold-colored goldfish nails. I still maintain that my pink and red ones are cuter. XD*

Junying told me the nail art would last 3 weeks to a month. I could have bet that the crystals would have fallen out by the 3rd day at least, but surprise surprise, they are all still firmly stuck to my nails!

One drawback, I suppose, is that I have difficulty removing my retainers every morning (if you have worn braces before, you’ll know what those are).

Tips for acrylic nail extensions and 3D nail art:

1) I learnt this from a celebrity manicurist, Lisa Logan (she does Beyonce’s nails) -> Apply sunblock onto your hands to protect them before sticking them into the UV light machine used to solidify the extensions and 3D artwork.

2) If you’re someone who usually keeps your nails short, grow them out for 2 weeks or more before you get your extensions. This is to ensure you are used to the nail length and don’t get into accidents (like stabbing yourself in the eye when removing contact lenses) if your nails suddenly become extra long.

3) Ask Junying for tips on how to remove contact lenses with these super long nails. She has a method of squeezing the eyelids to get the lenses out, but I didn’t bother to learn ‘cos I have perfect eyesight after Lasik!

Lastly, be prepared to get lots of compliments and answer questions like “Is it difficult to work with these nails on?”, “Can I touch the goldfish?” and the ultimate “You don’t do any housework, do you?” *chuckles*

Do your homework before meeting Junying. You can check out her artwork at http://thistlebellenail.blogspot.com. I sure did my own homework on the way to her home-based nail salon, and here are some of my favs from her blog:

1) Hello Kitty nails!

2) Ribbon nails:

3) Special request Holland-theme nails:

See? I am not kidding you when I say this girl is REALLY talented. Go on and throw her a challenge. I believe you’ll be amazed, just as I was. And getting compliments from strangers every day has led me to the conclusion that getting beautiful nails is definitely worth the time and money!

Junying’s appointment slots are fully booked for CNY but there’s Valentines’ Day coming up, so book early to avoid disappointment. (Psst, she’s really good at bridal nails too!) SMS Junying at 90261583 and check out Thistlebelle Nail’s Facebook page here.

*For all pricing mattes: leave Junying a comment on Facebook or SMS her.

Thanks to Junying, I’m celebrating CNY in style! Happy Chinese New Year, everyone!~

Meet The Entrepreneurs Charity Concert 2012 and visit to Dignity Kitchen

(Photo Credit: MTE on Facebook)

This week is proving to be a soul-stirring one. What with the Meet The Entrepreneurs (MTE) Charity Concert on Monday and my visit today to Dignity Kitchen.

What an interesting coincidence too that while reading Robin Sharma’s book ‘The Secret Letters Of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’ this morning, I chanced upon this passage:

“With every person we engage, in everything we do, we must be kinder than expected, more generous than anticipated, more positive than we thought possible. Every moment in front of another human being is an opportunity to express our highest values and to influence someone with our humanity. We can make the world better, one person at a time.”

The passage encapsulates neatly the message that both the charity concert and my visit to Dignity Kitchen gave me.

Thanks to Andrew Chow from Ideamart, I got my first media invite to a charity concert.

The charity concert was organised by local entrepreneurs and spearheaded by Roger Koh, CEO of Chen Fu Ji International F&B Group. It warmed my heart as it showed me that there are many entrepreneurs who (in Roger’s words) care about “love, giving and sharing”.  Funds were raised for Club Rainbow which helps children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses and their families, and Dignity Kitchen, a hawker training school for the disabled and the disadvantaged.

One of the highlights for the evening was definitely Dr Tan Cheng Bock’s performance.

I particularly liked too, the Talkshow by Patrick Liew (CEO of HSR). While the Talkshow was hilarious and most enjoyable, the inspiring message that Patrick left us with was “If you have to talk, speak words of life. Inspire, motivate people and make them greater than before they met you”.

Upon the invitation of another of the MTE committee members, Ashley Ella Choo from One HR Concierge, I visited Dignity Kitchen today.

The 14,000sft foodcourt had stalls mainly manned by students of Dignity Kitchen and can be recognised by the logo:

I also got to meet Alson, who works at the noodle stall. He suffers from cerebral palsy and has difficulty cooking the noodles. Can you guess how Dignity Kitchen assists him?

 Second from left: Alson

They put together a special noodle machine with pre-set timers and which will lift the cooked noodles up automatically:

I think it’s an amazing invention! The bonus is that there’s quality control and the noodles always taste good!

Other innovations include the talking calculator and the cash registers affixed with Braille stickers to aid the visually impaired. I applaud all at Dignity Kitchen for going all out to assist the disadvantaged and helping them live fulfilling lives with dignity.

For one, Dignity Kitchen provides its students with $30 training allowance for each day of the 6-8 weeks training course that they attend. They do this to help solve the financial woes of the students first. Also, classes are conducted between 10am and 4pm so students can avoid the peak hours when taking public transport!

Their hard work has clearly paid off with the 100% passing rate for the NEA’s Food Hygiene Basic Test!

Here’s what our President, Dr Tony Tan, had to say about Dignity Kitchen:

Instead of donations, Dignity Kitchen prefers sponsorships for the elderly from old folks’ homes to lunch at Dignity Kitchen. I think that’s really awesome as every dollar goes toward meals for the elderly and also rewards the disabled and disadvantaged for their hard work in preparing and serving the food!

Dear friends, come on down to Dignity Kitchen at 1 Kaki Bukit View, #01-01 Techview Building (opposite Bedok North Secondary School). I loved the experience – the food not only filled my belly, the students’ warmth and friendliness (and innocence too!) lifted my spirits!

You and I can make a difference in the life of at least one person this year and we can “make the world better, one person at a time”.

Celebrating 3 months of STOMPing around! :D

I still remember the first Stomp blogpost I had to submit – to critique a Minister’s Facebook posting.  One wrong word and my first day at Stomp would have been my last.

*Phew*

Check out my first week of Stomp posts here.

And now… It’s been 13 weeks of blogging for Stomp! *Yay* It’s been a lot of fun. I can’t tell you that I’ve made many new friends ‘cos honestly, I have not met my two fellow Stomp bloggers, much less spoken with them. Ha!

A blogger’s life can get lonely sometimes so I’m glad YOU, my dear blog reader, are joining me on this journey!

This post is to remember some of the highlights along the way and share with you some of the tips I learnt about blogging with Stomp.

Here are my favorite posts so far *click on the pics to read the blogposts*:

1) This one showed me that people really are concerned about $$

2) This one told me my readers are either (a) concerned about me *thank you thank you* or (b) very ‘kaypoh’/inquisitive

3) This third one revealed the importance of having a catchy blogpost title. Hehe!

4) And this one… I really can’t quite figure out why people like reading it *shrugs*:

My honest opinion about blogging for Stomp is that it inculcates discipline. I get the topics on Fridays and MUST submit them by latest Monday morning. There was one particular Monday morning when I had to wake up at 7am to complete my blogposts, send them to the editor and go back to bed. (>_<)

People probably mistake this as all glamorous only but as the editor said on the 2nd day we met, there is a responsibility to the readers of Stomp.

The second thing I learnt is that I must be objective and really answer the question.

For this topic, I had initially written a blogpost that stated that I think sexy is overrated and shared about my cryolipolysis treatment that was supposed to give me sexy abs but went all wrong.

The editor told me on Monday morning that it would not do, and I had to name my top 10 sexy people. *Panic*

In about an hour, I rushed out a blogpost for him that did not fare too badly where views are concerned AND got me a compliment from a reader:

And I suppose you have guessed. The third thing I learnt is that people on Stomp don’t mince their words and don’t pull any punches. Like the editor had warned me earlier, some readers are really gonna whack the blogger when they see something they don’t agree with. Haters, flamers, you name it. Hence, it is necessary to have ‘thick skin‘.

So far, it’s been mostly good. Except one time when one of my near-5000 friends on Facebook shared my blogpost link on his own Facebook wall and said he didn’t think the advice in one of my Stomp blogposts was good advice. I deleted him from my Friends list and admitted one more admiring fan instead.

Also, I received a compliment today that absolutely made my day – from the founder of Eighteen Chefs, the one-and-only Chef Benny:

*Yay* Happiness.

If you like what I’ve shared so far, you’ll LOVE the tips and tricks I’ll be sharing at my upcoming Blogging Workshop (4th Batch!) on 11th Feb (Sat) 10am-12noon. We’ll have a Stomping good time! Simply email me at gracewwg@gmail.com with subject “Blogging Workshop” and I’ll send you more details. See ya!~

Interview with Olivia Lim from My Lovebites www.mylovebites.com

Olivia Lim

Founder, My Lovebites 

www.mylovebites.com

Photo Credit: Hearted Moments Photography

One of the Christmas gifts I received was a pack of Chocolate Chip cookies from a local company with a blush-inducing name ‘My Lovebites’!

So I looked for this entrepreneur to find out what makes her cookie business so successful (and also figure out the story behind the name. Ha!).

Check out the best-selling Salted Caramel cookie:

Looks cute, doesn’t it? It reminds me of an egg with a yummy yolk in the middle.

The best part about visiting the store is the consultative tasting session, with all the available flavors placed before you so you can try every single one before deciding which to buy!

I found my fave:

It’s the Earl Grey Tea & Almond!

Here’s the selection:

And what has the awesome baker been doing before starting this store? Turns out she was in a consultancy business with her hubby, Sant:

According to Olivia, she will bake every time she’s stressed. And previously, when she was studying overseas, she would even bake using soup bowls and anything else she could find or borrow. She has proven that she can make do with little and still create something awesome.

Her cookies were later baked as Christmas gifts for corporate customers and orders grew with each festive season. And now her dream has come true with this shop.

Guess who came up with the name ‘My Lovebites’?

Olivia

Or Sant?

*chuckles*

Sant. He came up with the name as the goodies and cookies Olivia bakes are all about “sharing the passion and love”. The name is also “interesting and a little naughty, besides being unique and personal”.

What about the secret to making the cookies so yummy?

Olivia shares that she uses an original recipe for each unique flavor. For the Tangy Lime cookies, for instance, she uses fresh lime juice. And her cookies have no artificial flavoring or preservatives.

What impressed me most about Olivia is that she has a dream of growing this business into a chain of cookie stores. For someone who has just started a store, her ambition is most inspiring!

So watch these 2 in the lovely red tees. They’ll be making waves in the cookie world:

The cookies are indeed too yummy to resist. Go on, have a bite:

You’ll find all the yummy cookies right here:

412 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427637

Photos: Hearted Moments Photography www.heartedmoments.com

Blogging Workshop Batch #3: How To Earn A 4-Figure Monthly Income Working 4 Hours A Week on 08.01.12

I was delighted with the ‘rave reviews’ after yesterday’s workshop. It more than made up for the disappointment of not having 5 participants like always ‘cos one lady fell ill the night before.

I was fortunate to have the company of these 4 cool peeps (clockwise) -> Amanda, Ash, Arasi, and Leela.

Here’s what they said about the workshop:

Amanda (soon-to-be PhD candidate and Lush advocate) – “Thank you for the most awesome workshop today. I really love the personal advice and help in setting up our blogs successfully, with the long-term goal of maintaining them. Really useful workshop I would recommend to all who are interested in blogging, whether for personal interest or to make passive income!”

Leela (works in the NEA) – “The course is short and sweet. Grace shared a lot of good tips on blogging and I hope to benefit from them soon! “

Arasi (Accountant) – “Grace is personable and very knowledgeable. She is selfless in sharing her secrets of success.”

Ash (Sales in the printing consumables line & part-time property agent) – “Grace is attentive and answered all questions that I asked. Impressive & Interesting Blog Workshop. Would recommend to my friends.“

I went to meet friends for Prawning after the workshop and one of them asked me “Grace, aren’t you tired after working the whole morning?”

Me: *puzzled look* No, it was all fun!

Yes peeps, don’t ask me why this is so. Sharing about blogging is fun for me. Even early on a Sunday morning!

Check out my previous Blogging Workshops here and here.

Join me for the next one on 11 Feb, 10am to 12 noon. Simply email me at gracewwg@gmail.com with subject title “Blogging Workshop” and I’ll send you more details.

Have a fabulous week ahead! ~Grace

Interview with Jared Fogle, The Subway Guy

Jared Fogle

Spokesman for Subway Restaurants

http://jaredfoundation.org/

1) What was it like physically and emotionally to be “an obese child, an obese teenager and an obese adult”? How did obesity begin in your childhood? And what did your parents do?

For me, each stage of development being obese was harder and harder.  There is never a good time in one’s life to be heavy but as a child, it was especially tough.  I dealt with it by withdrawing more and more from my family and friends.  I could always seem to find solace in food.

It became harder for me to do everyday things like fit into my school desks, go to a movie theatre, sit in the back seat of a car, and took much more effort to walk even a block down the street.

My unhealthy lifestyle started when I was 8 years old when my dream of getting my own video game system became a reality.  I quickly stopped exercising and became very sedentary.

My parents were very concerned but the more they approached me about changing myself, I would push away from them and continue eating and not being active.

This continued getting worse each year until I was 20 years old and weighed over 425 pounds*.

*425 pounds = 193kg

2) What exactly prompted you to embark on your weight loss plan that allowed you to shed 245 pounds (111kg)? How did you suddenly find the motivation to shed so much weight? 

I finally had enough when I was 20 years old and over 425 pounds.  I had developed a severe case of sleep apnea and was always exhausted because of it.  I would wake up throughout the night gasping for air, which was a very scary situation.  At that point, I had had enough I think.

3) Many people have difficulty keeping to a weight-loss plan. What do you think is the reason they are unable to lose weight like you have? 

I tried many different ways to lose weight but struggled to find a way for me to do it.  I finally happened upon the idea to eat Subway sandwiches from their low-fat menu.  I ate Subway twice a day everyday and also started walking everyday.  It started to click and I continued with it under the supervision of a physician to make sure I was doing everything in a healthy way.

As long as I stuck to that plan, I continued to drop weight and it took me just under a year to lose 245 pounds!

I looked at losing the weight as phase one and keeping it off is a continual struggle that I will fight my entire life!

Now I practice eating in moderation and staying active.  I still eat Subway several times a week but learned to eat most things, just not as much as I used to.
4) How has life changed since you became Subway’s spokesman?

It changed in every way.  I’m recognized a lot these days and it’s great to be a positive role model for others who fight with obesity.  It makes me feel great to give hope to others who are in a similar situation I was in.

 5) What’s a day in your life like? 

I travel almost 200 days a year for Subway and also doing work for my foundation to fight childhood obesity, called The Jared Foundation.

When I’m on the road, I’m usually up early doing interviews for radio and TV then on to some school visits to encourage children not to go down the same road I went down and ever wind up weighing 425 pounds.  I try to empower kids with education to take the healthy road to life!

Grace says: You may have set a New Year’s Resolution to lose some weight so take heart, it IS possible to shed those extra pounds and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. For the sake of your own health and happiness, and for your loved ones, make those lifestyle changes and choose to eat in moderation and stay active, like Jared advises.

You can read the story behind ‘The Subway Guy’ here.

Also, visit The Jared Foundation’s website and make a donation so the Foundation can reach out to more kids and help them lead healthier, happier lives.

Stay healthy, stay happy!

Come back again soon for the next exciting interview!~

Dining + Prawning & Fishing in JB

I lurve shopping and eating in JB. And this blogpost will tell you why. =)

2nd day of the New Year and I head over to JB for some prawning/fishing.

Visited KSL City for food first and made some interesting discoveries…

Shilin Oyster Mee Sua RM6.50 (~S$2.70) *Cheaper than in SG!

You know Shilin Taiwan Street Snacks? There are a number of outlets in Singapore. And in JB too. This one at KSL City (L2-127) in JB serves stunningly big oysters.

Initially, I was apprehensive. Would the oysters smell funny or have those grains of sand inside (like some oysters do) ? But these were yummy. Certainly the BEST bowl of Shilin meesua I have ever tasted!

I usually don’t order the XXL Crispy Chicken in SG ‘cos they are usually dry, salty and cut up into unappetizing bits.

But in KSL City…

Shilin XXL Crispy Chicken RM6.50 too!

You get the entire piece (2 pieces in fact). And it’s nicely flavored – not too salty or spicy. *yumz*

*I got my fringe cut at Plaza Pelangi for RM$5 (~S$2) Muahaha. Eyebags from a late night on New Year’s Day *sigh*

And elsewhere in KSL City, I find, to my absolute delight…

Makes me think of… “Best in Singapore, JB and some say…” (Not sure if it’s in Batam!)

Honestly, I think 51 is better than Lao Ban in terms of level of sweetness. 51 has got it just right while Lao Ban is too sweet for my liking. And mind you, I have many ‘sweet teeth’.

So proud of our SG brands spreading their wings overseas. Even if it’s just across the Causeway!

Random pic with cute alien-thing outside a store:

And there’s supposedly a shortage of prawns for Prawning in JB ‘cos of some recent flooding. So I tried some fishing there (which wasn’t fruitful).

Go to Taman Daya then Jalan Pinang 23 and you’ll find this place for Prawning and Fishing. (*Note: Absolute must to go to Taman Daya first ‘cos there are many Jalan Pinangs all over the place and it’s extremely easy to get lost in JB!)

One drawback is that there is NO SCENERY at all. You stare at the water, walls or your fellow Prawning/Fishing buddies.

This is my view while I was Fishing (didn’t catch anything though)

I was supposed to catch some of these, but it’s crazily difficult:

The rates were okay though:

Bait and rods are all provided. The catch is not fantastic but it’s a good practice ground ‘cos the rates are better than in SG.

*Note: The place is usually only open for business from 4pm onwards. So don’t arrive there too early.

If you spot me in JB, do say Hi! And let me know if you have any place to recommend for food/prawning/fishing in JB. Comment here or email me at gracewwg@gmail.com. Thanks in advance!