When will you treat yourself?
If there is one thing I’ve learned, especially during this period of lockdown, is that time waits for no one. One does not need to wait for anyone to make things happen. And sometimes, that includes dating. If you’re single, loving yourself is equally as important as having someone love you.
I know many of you think I’m this extrovert, social butterfly that perpetually hops from events to events and meeting different people. (God, sometimes I actually schedule people to meet me at hourly intervals in the same spot so I can cover more interactions). Contrary to that belief, I actually appreciate a lot of “me-time” and when I do “me-time”, it has to be just as good as a beautiful date night. Here’s how I would throw one.
Pick a playlist
There’s no rule to this. It depends on the mood that you’re going for. I often think of the great vibe I get from roaming the streets of Paris so I’d sometimes pick a 1970s French playlist while I prepare the next series of activities. Other times, I just play my favorite pop playlist (in instrumental) for familiar grounds but not like I’m in some trashy bars.
Next, start making your favorite cocktails
I usually go for a classic vodka soda because I swear by this diet. But, for a classic date night, you may want something more sophisticated that elevates the mood (because, why not spoil yourself?). It really creates this space for you to explore what you like and tweak the flavor to your preference.
Dinner, always dinner
How could you not have a simple and beautiful dinner? I make every effort to ensure food tastes excellent, coupled with a proper setup and plating. Like it or not, both plating and taste are equally important in the way I like my food to be. Plus, the satisfaction of incorporating a bit of effort into plating the food you make is priceless. You should definitely be enjoying that dinner with your favorite tipple.
Throw in an optional bubble bath
Not everyone has a bath at home but if you do, some hot water and bubbles (both the soap bubbles and bubbles you’re drinking, of course) would do you a great night of relaxation. I often diffuse my favorite essential oil blend during the bath to achieve optimum benefits. What is there NOT to like about a bath with a tinge of aromatherapy treatment?
There you go. A quick, simple, and elegant way of spending some time loving yourself so you can keep giving more love to people around you. I don’t know about you, but for someone who is constantly socializing, having a moment to recuperate and regenerate fresh ideas for meaningful interactions goes a long way.
If you fancy “me-times”, tell me what you do. I would be glad to pick up new ideas from you.
Throwing a Friendsgiving party like you’re Mariah
“Thanksgiving - an annual national holiday in the United States and Canada celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. “
This festivity means nothing to me as an Asian growing up in Asia. I’m taught to be thankful for everything, every day! Since I moved to Singapore, I can only be more thankful, particularly the friends I’ve made - such a diverse and unique bunch and I won’t trade them for anything else.
So, I’ve started my form of annual Thanksgiving, “Friendsgiving” because these are the friends who embrace diversity, celebrate differences and accept everyone for who they are. This year, I decided to celebrate this in the comfort of waves and vitamin D. I chartered a yacht from YMPL (highly recommend - great price and service was spectacular).
As with any kelvinkuan event, I try to make things a little more extra and personalized. If it’s not extra, you know it’s not an event by me and true friends will understand me. Thought I’d share my thought process here so if it’s your first time throwing a Friendsgiving, you can start here.
1 - firm up your guest list
Always know how many people you plan on inviting. It’s important to keep the party small so you can plan well and everyone will experience the moments you curate and have enough time to connect with others. If you have to ask “should I invite Felicia?”, the answer is probably no!
2 - send out “Save the Dates” and personalized “Invites”
I know you think it’s too extra to send out Save the Dates, but this gives you a good sense of your guests’ interests and availability (and also to buy time making the personalized invite). Your guests will appreciate the thoughtfulness of their names printed on the invite and clear instructions on what to expect - dress code, if there’s food, if there’s booze. Your friends will know you mean serious business if you have a personalized card - also you don’t need a wedding to be this extra because your friends are equally special at any moment in time.
As a drink, I like “Don’t Call me Angel” the most
3 - name your booze
I asked my mixologist friend, Reshawn (his drinks are amazing by the way!) to help me make free-flow cocktails and champagne. I want my friends to just chill and get whatever drinks they want without lifting a finger. I sat down with Reshawn to come up with a few drinks that will suit the overall taste palates of those who are coming. Of course, I then named the drinks using references suited to the theme of the event, and more importantly, represented me as the host.
4 - food, food, food
When there’s so much booze involved, always make sure there’s enough food. A good yardstick of the number of dishes - one large main carb, one large main meat and 2 to 3 sides of salads and other meat. I would usually cook but since we’re out at the boats, I ordered a customized catering plan from the trusted caterer - Neo Garden. They do a great selection of food, especially during festival seasons of such. Your job then is to arrange the food to make it look lush and plentiful - after all, it’s meant to be a feast after harvest!
5 - curate a playlist
If you don’t have Spotify, then just go and get one. They have a lot of good public playlists that you can choose from. If you are as ambitious as I am, try curating a specific playlist for the event itself. This goes from knowing the type of music that your guests like and it’s important to have a good build up of songs from arrival, to when people are having a chat in the beginning to when people are all in a party mode. I cannot stress the importance of music at a party as it determines the mood of everyone!
The stress of hosting a personalized event goes right up to the moment your guests arrive and when everyone is in a happy mode (especially after a glass of welcome champagne, it always works!). Despite having to maybe scream at your cab driver for driving slow and making you late or hating yourself for forgetting to bring something you should have, it’s all worth it and that’s when you shake it off and have the time of your life.
I think my biggest takeaway here is that I’m able pull together a few different group of friends and to see them connect after the event. These are good people and they deserve to make more new, likeminded friends and continue to help each other grow. When people say, “remember during Friendsgiving…” even after a few months, that gives me the pleasure of knowing I have created moments of elevation and connection in one of the days in their lives.
I may not know everything about creating these personalized moments and I’m happy to hear from you. Let me know your thought process so I can learn from you.
A picturesque stay that is Nobu, Ibiza - 3 reasons why
Never thought I would have made a trip to Ibiza but when my London family encouraged (and by that I mean hounded) me to join their annual affair, I budged, just because I love them.
As always, accommodation plays a huge role in my decision when I travel. I called up the Amex Platinum concierge to get a few recommendations. Nobu came up as part of their Fine Hotels & Resorts range. It was rather pricey at $290 a night but sometimes, if sleep and comfort are your priority, especially after 7 - 8 hours of dancing, it’d be worth it.
Here are the three reasons why Nobu in Ibiza is worth staying when visiting Ibiza:
1 - The gorgeous landscape and setup
The large beach pool, beautiful palm trees, and sun beds are well placed for a relaxing morning or afternoon as you sip through your champagne or something as simple as a mai tai. My friends and I practically spent our mornings and afternoons sunbathing. I’d highly recommend bringing your best swimwear or beachwear to take full opportunity of the IG moments. Not forgetting, the attentive Spanish waiters who are there bringing you your spritz any time of the day!
2 - Service was on point
The General Manager personally walked me to my room and ensure that I settle in properly (fun fact, I’ve always thought of this as a good-to-have, not everyone likes being walked to the room). From the moment I registered, they have already engaged me by my name. I think this level of personalization is absolutely necessary to differentiate your connection with anyone. What happened next was even more remarkable. I went for a swim and came back to a bottle of prosecco with a handwritten welcome note. This is a moment of elevation, a moment I will remember every time I think of Nobu in Ibiza!
3 - Stunning rooms reflecting the “white island”
I got the deluxe sea view which was beautifully furnished with Ibizan artwork. The stone-colored floors surely made me feel at home, while away. Overlooking the Talamanca Bay, even if I had to work every morning, it was refreshing to enjoy the peace and quiet. Given the party island that Ibiza is, Nobu really gave me the nap I need every night before going out. Just look at how pretty the room is!
When I left, I was offered a cup of latte the way I like it by the manager. I suspect she knew I was dying inside but hey, that’s her being observant which is important! If I do Ibiza again next year, I will consider staying here again.
On this note, I miss my friends in London. Here’s one of our many group pictures that I really like and I’ll share it with you.
