Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the adage goes. But in Gangnam, beauty is in the hands of her plastic surgeons and with a setting amidst upmarket shopping areas, flashing billboards images of women plastic surgery of before and after, it’s never more apt as it’s about style.
According to Korean mythology, Hwanung transformed a bear into a woman and made her his wife. A child by the name of Dangun was born out of this union and later became the founder of Gojosen, Korea’s first kingdom.
Legends and Mythologies have always enthralled and captured the imagination. Tales of the beautiful and the bold from Cleopatra to Helen of Troy have inspired the quest for the elixir of life and the fountain of youth via traditional or modern medicine means.
The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons performed more treatments per person in South Korea than in any other country, making Korea arguably the kingdom of plastic surgery.
One in five of South Korean women readily admit to have gone under the knife and in Seoul itself, 20 percent of women between the ages of 19 and 49 have had plastic surgery done.
Whatever the reasons and the driving factor behind this pursuit of enhanced beauty may be subjective but one thing’s for sure, it’s boosting the nation’s economy and image on the global front.
Korea’s Gangnam District has been compared to cities like Beverly Hills, California. Known for its heavy concentration of wealth and high standard living, the affluent southern district is also the hub for medical tourism with surging increase in the number of yearly visitors.
As part of the engine for Korea’s economic growth, Gangnam District was given an award by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for its excellence in medical tourism is set to propel itself as the aesthetics centre in Asia and possibly beyond.
The crew of Aesthetics Hub will be in the motherland of plastic surgery to video document and bring you the scoops of why, how, what and where of plastic surgery and aesthetics procedures.
As Korean music superstar PSY would say, “Oppa Gangnam Style!”
Beverly Hills Dermatologist Dr. Zein Obagi is in town for the first time to launch his skincare brand, ZO Skin Health. For this intimate event, Dr Zein Obagi had kindly offered exclusive tickets, a complimentary buffet lunch worth $100 and a Goodie bag with ZO Skin Health products worth more than $200 to 3 of our dearest members.
Dr. Zein Obagi, a world-renowned dermatologist who pioneered skin health more than 20 years ago and is also the originator of the Obagi Nu-Derm® System.
Obagi Nu-Derm® Systems beautifully transform your skin to look younger and more radiant. The Nu-Derm System is specially formulated to prevent the signs of aging at the cellular level to reveal flawless, healthy skin. The Nu-Derm System is an anti-aging therapy that penetrates below the skin’s surface to transform skin cell functions at the cellular level and correct the damage within… revealing healthy, younger-looking skin.
Witness beauty myths getting busted and understand the latest age-reversing skincare treatment backed by extensive R&D. You will also be educated on the ground-breaking ZO® Skin Health Circle™ philosophy which goes beyond the surface. Dr Zein Obagi will also assess the right mix of clinic treatments with daily care.
Event details30 April 2013, Tuesday12 noon to 2pmRaffles City Convention Centre, Atrium Ballroom, Level 3
The best 3 participants will win a free ticket to the event worth S$80 and an exclusive one-on-one consultation with the famous Beverly Hills Dermatologist, Dr. Zein Obagi.
If lady luck is not always on your side, don’t be discouraged! We will also choose 10 participants who can enjoy a discounted price of $40 per ticket (U.P. $80)
For our Members only!
All 3 winners and the 10 chosen participants (residing in Singapore only) will receive a complimentary buffet lunch worth $100 and a Goodie bag with ZO Skin Health products worth more than $200.
Tucked in a corner at little india, I probably would have missed this place if not for the recommendations from my friends. If you are a foodie who enjoys ‘fusion’ food with a slight japanese twist, this is definitely the place for you.
occupying in a pre-war shop gives the restaurant a very cosy feel
a small bar counter within the shop
open concept kitchen... counter seats are available too so one can see the chef in action
hokkaido scallop ceviche served with tortilla chips
tortilla chips served in a jar
Like this appetiser very much as the hokkaido scallop ceviche with a slighty sour tinge goes really well with the tortilla chips. Definitely a good starter!
steamed clams with fig broth and homemade kimchi.
The steamed clams are served with crispy bread. Broth has a slight and subtle kimchi kind of taste which somehow goes with the fleshy clams. Interesting broth… cant tell the fig taste at all. Bread goes very well with the broth.
firecracker pork pasta
The firecracker pork pasta is a must-have for me. Pork is cooked and shredded, tasted very soft and flavourful. I can never imagine the 2 (pork and paste) can go so nicely together. The spicy pesto and sour cream gives it an interesting combination. I felt that the spicyness takes away the “porky” taste of the meat.
black ink risotto with tako and salted egg sauce
Another of my favourite…. to my surprise actually. Really really love the salted egg after taste. Risotto is nice and slightly chewly… which i simply love. The tako (boiled squid) was soft and tender, a rare good remarks from me about tako as I am not much of a tako fan cos I dislike the usual ‘rubber’ texture of it. The mixture of the tobiko and tako gives this dish a different bit.
pan seared snapper in miso buttermilk
Light on the taste bud, the pan seared snapper is for customers who prefers a light taste.
Tree O - mixed skewers of beef, chicken and pork
The skewers were quite good. My favourite of the 3 choices was pork cos it was lighlt salted. The chicken skewer was my least liked. Order this only if you dun feel too full..
pork crackling
This dish was the day’s special. Looks pretty fatty at first but tasted surprisingly good. Wont mind ordering this again.
interesting imported japanese beer
Comments:
This little cosy restaurant is only a few months old. Own by Bryan and Petrina, a young couple who has travelled alot and brought back food culture they like from all over the world. All the food served are home made. I like their dishes as they make classic dishes with a twist. The taste is familiar yet refreshing with the ‘new’ mix of ingredients, very nicely put together. I feel their food has an interesting mix of taste and texture. One of those resturants where you can close your eyes and do the order. Food serving is small so great for people who likes variety. Definitely coming back again!
Shop decor is nice and cosy with lots of wood. Service is quick and good.
Gold, silver, white and all the blings….. You have probably seem a lot of these in shoes trend for the Spring Summer collection for many many brands. From Chanel, Prada etc etc. Guess one can never get tired of these colors since these can go with anything.
This is my obsession for this Spring summer season. Super exaggerated…. ermmmm… Yah i think so. Super extravagant…. hmmmm..**stick tongue out** but who cares when there are so few pairs of these in Singapore. Thank you for that “someone” who kept this lovely must-haves for me. Muacks..
all the blings are made of sequinnes.. put together piece by piece. i appreciate the details put into dressing up this pair of super high platforms. plus… they have the japanese influence… see the flowers?
I shall put this pair to ‘good’ use. Think i look like a giant putting on this pair? my height is 165cm plus a few added cm from the heels. Never mind….. i will just be wondering if they are looking at me “this gaint” or admiring my shoes. Lol.
Had a chance to meet some really nice during a photo shoot session. I think you will be seeing these guys in the Mar or april issues of SPH’s magazines soon.
I did the makeup for all these 3 guys. They are amazing people who holds more than 1 job and yet still can have a good balance in their work and personal life.
the very friendly jackson
the reserved alfred
the super cool Yaoxiang
While waiting for to do their make-up, I also befriended more nice people back stage. I met another make-up artiste (Wee Ming), intern at SPH (chloe) and also an american model who was get ready for her shoot.
candid shot of Wee ming in action
a get together before we part for the day
In life, there are lots of passerbys. I am glad some of these passerby sometimes can develop into friendships. Else I am also greatful that our paths crossed in one way or another. Had a wonderful and fun time on that particular day. You will see these guys soon. Gosh…. i cant wait to see them in print cos they all look like male supermodels on the day of shoot.
wakeup a little later the next day cos its a weekend
now………… we even get freebies on fridays.
Myfatpocket is giving away goodies that includes beauty products, perfumes, beauty services, fashion items and all things nice in their forums on every fridays for their members. Want a go to win some awesome goodies? Join us as on MFP member or join our forum. Registration is completely free!
I have always had quite good skin. But in recently years, there are a few ‘problems’ that I feel is bothering me more than ever.. Uneven skin tone, more obvious pores, pigmentations and also lines!!
I was so pleased when Dr Yap of Astique approached me to start on a line of skincare targetted to my current concerns.
How can this programme do?
The Obagi Nu-Derm System is an anti-aging therapy that penetrates below the skin’s surface to transform skin cell functions at the cellular level and correct the damage within… revealing healthy, younger-looking skin.
What can i expect with this treatment?
*reduction in pore size
*silky smooth skin
*even skin color
*glowing, bright skin
I was given a set of 6 products from Obagi to start the 6-weeks regime.
I started the whole Obagi regime on 16 Dec 2012. My skin appear to be very normal for the first 4 days.
5 days after starting the Nu-derm programme, red patches is starting to appear on my face
day 6 - my skin suddenly flare up with a very bad reaction. the whole face was red and blotchy
day 9 - skin feels very red, itchy and very dry. especially around eye and cheek area
day 11 - redness and blotchyness has improved. only slight peeling near jaw
day 14 - skin has adapted to the skincare. pores at T-zone seemed significantly less obvious
3 weeks with Nu-derm
3 weeks later - skin tone looks more even. i still get the peeling but it comes and goes
Mikko’s comments:
Obagi skincare has been around since many years ago but this is the first time i am using their products. As i have sensitive skin, I was a little concerned when i noticed that Obagi Nu-Derm products has hydroquinone in some of their items (have heard and read some not so good reviews on hydroquinone) but I am convinced after speaking to Dr Yap. Under proper supervision, hydroquinone is completely safe. As usual, he always make me feel very comfortable and reassured after listening to his explanation.
I was a little worried when my skin flared up about a week after I started the skincare but Dr Yap assured me again that the bad reaction was just part of the skin renewal process. He suggested that I continue. True enough! my skin did clear up after day 10.
p.s. all pictures are taken without makeup or photoshop :p
I will be coming back with more updates. Please come back soon yah!
For readers who are not familiar with Obagi Medical Products….. They are #1 Market Share in USA. 2 to 3 times bigger than next competitor.
A dinner gathering with some close buddings at Ma Maison Restaurant Bugis, located on the second level of Bugis Junction (another branch is located at the Central). They are a Japanese restaurant, the decoration in French style, while they serve Japanese versions of European dishes.
escargot with garlic and butter. it was so good that we ordered 2nd servings
omelette with rice
curry rice
our hamburger beef steak
spaghetti with mentaiko and prawns
We ordered different mains to share… thats the fun of eating in a group of 4. You get to try a bit of everything
berries tart
black berry tart
Ma Maison offers pretty good value meal as most of their main courses are reasonably priced from $15-$20ish. A great place to pop by when you are have a crave for japanese european cuisine. Great for ladies as the portions are not too big.
