Indulgence: Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The skinny version:  Normally made with thick cut crusty toast and fattening full cream cheese, you can halve the guilt for this quite easily, without compromising on taste. Instead of using two slices of bread, just use one for an open faced sandwich. And of course, swap the white bread for whole meal and the full cream cheese with skim cheese. To make it healthier (and tastier!), add some tomato slices on top.

Indulgence: Spaghetti

The skinny version: A great healthy swap for spaghetti is of course, spaghetti squash. Simply cook some squash, run a fork down lengthwise and voila! You have spaghetti squash. It’s not just healthier, but it’s like fresh, homemade pasta.

But if all this sounds like too much work for you, then instead of getting traditional spaghetti, there are several whole meal versions now. So if you’ve made the swap from white to whole meal, why not so the same with your pasta?

Indulgence: Meatloaf

The skinny version: Who doesn’t love a good meatloaf? Make enough and you’ve got leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch and more. How do you go about making this dish healthier though? Replace red meat with turkey instead and add a few more vegetables. Yes, it’s a simple as changing the type of meat you use. And you won’t compromise on taste at all!

Indulgence: Apple Pie

The skinny version: Who doesn’t love warm apple pie? But rather than get the calories that comes with pie, why not slice up and apple, sprinkle cinnamon over the top and bake / microwave till warm? Need extra sweetness? Drizzle a bit of honey over the top. Then indulge guilt free.

Fashion Terms

Great for those who are starting out and learning about various styles.

As the names suggests, this app is a fashion dictionary that will explain every “fashionable” word. What’s the difference between a tote and bag? Or a bolero and a shrug? What are the different shoe types? Look it up on Fashion Terms – it also comes with illustrations to make it easy to identify things.

Women Wear Daily

Fans of the “Devil Wears Prada” should have this.

If you are serious about fashion, then the WWD is an essential to have to stay up to date on fashion industry news. Not mere fluff, you can be the first to know with this app.

Stylebook

For the organized and those that want to get organised.

While this app is not free, it is one of the most useful to have, even if you’re not into fashion. This app can help you organise your closet and help you “restyle” what you wear each day. We love how it can help keep track of what you wore so you can easily identify if you’ve worn something over and over again, and prevent you from falling in a style rut!

Pose

A cam-whore fashionista’s companion.

Love taking selfies? Then this is for you. Also known as the “Instagram of fashion”, it’s one of those social-media-meets-fashion things. This nifty app lets you take a photo of what you’re wearing and share it with EVERYONE. As a little ego boost, you get to see who loves your outfit and scroll through your feed for inspiration from others too. Best part? It’s FREE.

All Women Stalk

A great all-in-one for tips, advice and more…

This app has a plethora of fashion tips, style tips and even diet advice! It has practically almost everything under the sun for you to look up. It’s like a constantly updated digital fashion mag. Plus it’s easy to follow based on what interests you thanks to the various categories – Shoes, Bags, Cooking, Fashion, Diet, Home and so many more! Great for lazy days in bed and to while the time away during your long commute.

Gastronomic affairs are dear to us, and with the latest F&B outlets that will set up shop in Vivocity, visitors can enjoy even more of the finest dining experiences, alongside the hottest trends in retail and lifestyle, all under one roof.

Feast your palate on cuisines ranging from Asian delights from Madam Kwan and Putien to Western fare from Jamie’s Italian and Poulét. Highly-acclaimed British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver brings you Italian food at Jamie’s Italian (#01-165-167), made with quality ingredients and skill. The new outlet will feature a signature antipasti station, as well as quirky design concepts unique to its location at Vivocity – only the fourth outside of the United Kingdom.

Let the French charm of Poulét (#01-175-177) win you over, as they serve you their signature French Roast Chicken dish, the Poulét Roti. It’s infused with layers of rich flavours that’s immersed in either a creamy homemade Fresh Button Mushroom Chardonnay sauté or rich, homemade Cranberry sauce and Double Mustard. Either way, it’s sure to be a favourite amongst all diners.

For those who prefer sticking to traditional roots, can indulge at Putien (#02-131/132), a Chinese restaurant renowned for its authentic Putian (Heng Hwa) cuisine. Their latest outlet at Vivocity even features a new item, exclusive to Vivocity – the mouth-watering Putien “Jian Bao”, a succulent pan-fried bun that combines the best qualities of northern Chinese delicacies like meat bun and pancakes.

There’s also the popular Malaysian restaurant, Madam Kwan (#01-152-154), which will open its first overseas outlet at Vivocity. Diners will get to enjoy their signature fluffy and fragrant Nasi Lemak and over 100 other unique dishes, inspired by the rich cultural mix of Malaysian cuisine.

Need your fix of retail therapy? Apart from the latest in F&B offerings, shoppers can also look forward to several household names in fashion, lifestyle, beauty and wellness open their doors at Vivocity. Popular Swedish fashion house H&M will be opening a 15,000 square feet outlet in June 2013, while Taiwanese label iROO will introduce its range of affordable runway styles to Singapore’s shopaholics.

Visitors will be able to also enjoy a host of exciting new tenants who’ll offer sportswear apparel (Onitsuka Tiger, Le Hall of Fame) to services in beauty and wellness (Lacoco Korean Hair Salon, Apivita).

Vivocity

1 Harbourfront Ave, Singapore 098585

These people are the new breed of Singaporeans who are reigniting the culture people think we have lost. And because of they are so passionate in what they’re doing, you will realise that you can get better products from their businesses than foreign giants. Here are the 5 local businesses you should support (and won’t regret supporting):

1. BooksActually

Opening up and running an independent bookstore in the digital age takes a lot of guts, but that’s exactly what the duo behind BooksActually did. Karen Wai and Kenny Leck – both with a crazy passion for books – didn’t just start a business, they created a local community for fans of literature. Find books from local authors, vintage books and other quirky literary works here.

Find it at: 9 Yong Siak Street, Singapore 168645

2. Bellwethers

Gywn Tan wouldn’t let his day job stop him from doing what he always dreamt of doing: running his own pub. Despite its location – it’s on the corner of the infamous Desker Road – Bellwethers will make you feel right at home with its laidback environment and ice cold Australian beer. The bar staff are a lovely bunch too; strike up a conversation with them just to see what we mean.

Find it at: 120 Desker Road, Singapore 209639

3. Carpenter and Cook Artisan Bakery Café

What’s the best way to have a full English tea party? Go to Carpenter and Cook of course! The three masterminds behind it – Phoebe, Shenn and Eunice – love all things beautiful, especially vintage furniture and freshly baked goods. All the carefully handpicked furniture in store are for sale, so go ahead and shop while you munch on cakes!

Find it at: 19 Lorong Kilat #01-06, Singapore 598120

4. Simone Jewels

Simone Ng gave up her career in the banking industry to pursue her real passion of making jewellery. This love stemmed from an early age, when her grandparents were still in the jewellery line. Each product item is handmade and one of a kind, usually in an 18-carat gold design encrusted with other gems.

Find it at: AVANA Boutique, #03-09/10 Pacific Plaza, 9 Scotts Road, Singapore 228210

5. The Organic Grocer

Previously, the task of organic grocery shopping was a tedious one, having to run from store to store to get everything you need. But with the opening of The Organic Grocer (which spans 1,200 sq ft by the way) at PasarBella, you can find everything from organic teas to gluten-free pancake mixes. Gerardine Chong, who co-founded the company with Trish Peh, is a certified speech and language therapist who was frustrated at the lack of a one-stop shop for everything organic.

Find it at: #02-K52/53/54/55/56 PasarBella @ The Grandstand, 200 Turf Club Rd, Singapore 287994

1. The Exes

Whether it’s your ex or your significant other’s, inviting exes is a big no-no. Even if your partner says it’s okay and they don’t mind, it’s often best not to. Talk to him or her about it beforehand. If the ex has always been an issue, then avoid even mentioning it at all costs. Because you’re not just putting yourself and your partner in an awkward situation, your relatives and friends might get affected too. To some, it shows poor taste, so it’s best to not even go there.

2. Uncle… Who?

If you have to ask that, or can’t put a face to the name, then just don’t invite them. This might seem rude and even a little harsh, but you have to realise that unfamiliar relatives won’t take as much offence when you do not invite them. Save yourself and your guests from awkward introductions and uncomfortable silences. You’ll also be cutting down on your wedding budget. However, if your parents really insist on it, then don’t refuse them, especially if they are chipping in money.

3. Distant Friends

How about the friends you haven’t talked to in ages? The ones you grew up with but are no longer in contact with? Again, you really shouldn’t. Your wedding is a celebration with your closest loved ones, not an occasion to rekindle a friendship. Yes, you might have been close to them at one point of your life, but inviting them now may just come across as soliciting gifts.

4. Your Boss (or Ex-Bosses)

It is best to keep one’s professional and personal lives separate. But hey, if you work in a tight-knit environment, go ahead and send out the invitations! If this isn’t the case though, inviting your boss can be very awkward for the both of you during and after your wedding. And some of your more jealous colleagues might take it as a sign that you’re trying to garner career gains. It would be in everyone’s best interest if you did not invite your boss, or ex-boss.

5. Problematic Friends

Ah, we always have that particular breed of friend who has drama as his or her shadow. The girl who weeps after having a little too much to drink or the guy who tries to pick up every girl within his radius can be a handful. Even if you’re really close to that friend or relative, it’s best to leave him or her out of the guest list, failing which, have someone keep a close eye on them.

Wear them around the house.

One of the easiest and simplest ways to go is with the “au natural” at home method. Wear them around the house for an hour or for as long as you can withstand. This will obviously take a couple of days till your shoes stretch and require quite a bit of patience on your part, till you can show off your new cute shoes to friends and colleagues.

Frozen shoe stretchers.

If you don’t mind sharing your freezer space with your new shoes, then this is a pretty ingenious method. Simply fill a watertight Ziploc bag halfway with water, then place it in your shoes where it needs most stretching – the toe area, heel or lengthwise. You can “shape” and keep the Ziploc bags in place with rubber bands. Then wrap your shoe up (for hygiene purposes) and stick it in the freezer. Let the water in shoes freeze. This makes them expand and in turn, stretch your shoes.

Dual purpose hair dryer.

Yes, you can use your hair dryer to stretch your shoes, but with caution. And get ready to sweat. First, wear your thickest pair of socks, or 2-3 pairs of socks altogether. Put your feet in the shoes. Using a heat setting, slowly work your way over the entire shoe and stretch them. A few things to note so you don’t damage your shoe:

• Don’t put your hairdryer directly onto the surface of the shoe
• Don’t use the highest heat setting
• Check to see what material your shoes are made of first – rubber / jelly materials should not be subject to heat.

DIY spud stretchers.

Like the frozen shoe stretchers, simply place a fat potato into the spot you wish to stretch. If you’re trying to stretch the entire shoe, simply place two (or more) spuds lengthwise in your shoe. This should have the same effect as wearing your shoes around the house, only you can leave this to work its magic overnight.

You can obviously buy shoe stretchers or get it done at the cobblers. But if you would like to avoid spending the money on these, then try out one of the above methods.

1. It is probably the most famous park in the world

No other park has been featured in more movies or books than Central Park. It’ll take a whole article to just feature all the movies that were filmed in Central Park (and even then it might not be enough), but some notable movies are The Avengers, Men in Black III and The Smurfs. Visit the park to see why it’s one of Hollywood’s favourite filming locations.

2. It is not just another park

Where else can you have a picnic, ride a horse on the carousel, row a boat around the lake, go bird watching, and visit the John Lennon Memorial all in one place? Spanning over 800 acres in New York, Central Park has countless of activities for its visitors, far more than any other parks in the world. And the activities are not just limited to summer; you can ice skate at Wollman or watch a play at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre.

3. It hosts the original Shakespeare in the Park

Yes, we have Shakespeare in the Park every year in our very own Fort Canning, but nothing beats the one in Central Park. Not only is it free of charge (be there early to avoid the long queues), it sometimes features big name stars like Natalie Portman, Meryl Streep and Al Pacino in the productions. Check out for events on the website.

4. It is the home of the Madagascar characters

Before Marty, Alex, Melman and Gloria mistakenly escaped to Madagascar, they led blissfully pampered lives in the Central Park Zoo. Although this zoo is not as big as the one in Bronx, you’ll be able to see over 150 species of animals, from red pandas to poisonous frogs to penguins. The prices of tickets differ according to seasons, so do visit its page before to go.

5. It is a romantic spot

Remember the bridge where Tom Hanks met Meg Ryan in ‘You’ve Got Mail’? Yes that was in Central Park too. Called the Bow Bridge, it is the perfect place to bring your other half to share a special moment (like popping the question). Not romantic enough for you? Take a horse and carriage ride or climb to the top of the Belvedere Castle then. Central Park is the perfect setting for a fairy-tale romance.

Whatever the issue you might be negotiating with your boss, it actually might be better to avoid doing it face-to-face. So how should you do it?

According to a study done by Michael Taylor, a PhD student at Imperial College London, face-to-face negotiations may be more advantageous to the party with more power (in this situation, it’s your boss). What he found instead was virtual negotiations – we’re talking e-mails and such – allow those with less power to fare better.

The first part of the study looked at two-sided negotiations. 37 pairs of people participated, with one party more powerful than the other. The next part was a study of how negotiations would go if there are three parties involved, all of which from different levels of hierarchy. This time, 21 groups of threes took part.

What Taylor found was interesting: it didn’t matter how many people were involved in the negotiations – the party with the least power performed better when the negotiations took place virtually as compared to face-to-face.

After more intensive research, he concluded that virtual space affected the way people thought. It allows the ones with lesser power to voice out more, as factors such as hierarchies have less impact in comparison to face-to-face conversations and negotiations.

Perhaps it is due to the lack of tonality on virtual platforms that enables those with lesser power to ignore the factors that normally would stop them from voicing out opinions during face-to-face negotiations. The next time you’re going to negotiate, you might want to take advantage of this approach. Just remember: you should still have the same level of professionalism and respect when you’re communicating virtually.