Let's go, Chicago

I was at Chicago for a work trip and everyone's been tweeting me about the shopping that I did at the outlets. Not surprising right - since it's indeed super awesome. I'm going to share some pictures I took there, and then we'll get to what I've bought :)

Here's the room where I stayed at - at Mariott Schaumburg. I've got a room all to myself, and that's super awesome.

Where I laze and watch Family Guy at.

This is Woodfield Mall - second largest mall in USA.

The outlet!

Finally caught sight of snow :)

Cheesecakes from Cheesecake Factory was AWESOME.

Gotta go to Walmart, right?

The total number of shopping bags all of us acquired. Hotel staff was shocked.

Taken while on my way to downtown Chicago.

Chicago Sun-Times building

The buildings are beautiful.

More awesome buildings

An artistic shot my colleague took

I like how the sunshine comes in and the shadow casts itself on the buildings

Italian cuisine at Frankie's

Yum-meh salad

Pizza - pretty good

Chicken, Italian style

Italian ban mian - or hor fun, if you wish

A huge Hershey's store

I'm wondering if Jordan really owns this

Iconic beauty sighted!

Another news building

Beautiful buildings

Had really good eggs ben for brekkie alone on the last day

Bye, Chicago!

Okay, now I'll get to what you've been holding out for - the shopping!

At Woodfield, I popped into Victoria's Secret and bought this Sexy Little Things Noir gift set. I fell in love first with the vintage-style perfume. You know - that pump spray thingy? And then I fell in love with the scent. Then I thought - what the heck - I should just get the full set. And it only set me back by friggin' USD30!

I'm glad I didn't lose my mind when I was at the outlet. I have more self control than I thought. My purchases include...

This hot red (fave colour of the moment) envelope clutch from Michael Kors. I figured I could bring it to dinner parties and use it as an iPad cover too (it fits an iPad2 perfectly)

I also bought this nautical bag from Michael Kors. I was absolutely attracted.

And if you know me, you wouldn't believe that I would leave without snagging a Kate Spade bag. I had to! The discounts are just too good to pass!

Another of my fave brands, Juicy Couture, was also available at the outlet, and I got this blazer at a steal.

DKNY jeans too... And this fits so perfectly and is super comfy. It's already got itself a special place in my wardrobe. I foresee I'll wear it, A LOT.

And a new charm from Juicy Couture, which actually is a bit expensive, but I couldn't resist.

Which is your favourite out of all my buys? :)

Review: 7Adam - Hidden gem for food and art lovers

I love quiet, stylish places where I can spend quiet meals at. At the newly-opened 7Adam seems to tick all the right boxes.

Housed at a charmingly rustic colonial house, it is one of the National University of Singapore Society's Guild Houses. 7Adam also has a bistro-meets-gallery concept where diners can also purchase contemporary paintings and sculptures from. The art works are by a mix of local and regional artists, and will change every eight to 10 weeks.

I visited the 110-seater restaurant and sampled some of their creative dishes.

You should begin your order with one of the cocktails. One of the most indulgent ones I saw on the menu is the Creamilicious Kit Kat, a concoction of Bailey's, Creme de Cacao and milk with Kit Kat flavoured ice-cream. I know, you're drooling already. It's featured in the picture below, second from left.

I ordered a Ladies' Desire for myself, which is a mix of vodka, elderflower syrup and lychee liqueur. If you're the kind who goes for Cosmopolitan or Lychee Martini at the bar, this is probably something you'd love too.

I must say that I'm particularly impressed with their appetisers. These two - Seared Tuna Loin ($16.50) and Crab Cakes ($15) - were pretty awesome.

The tuna is prepared with avocado and salsa, and you could taste a hint of wasabi too. The natural sweetness from the fresh tuna is enhanced with the caviar and avocado, and it goes especially well with a glass of sweet cocktail.

Even better is the Crab Cakes, which is lighter than it looks. Served with tomato chilli jam, I thought it'll go perfectly with a light beer.

My favourite from my tasting menu has to be the Duck Confit ($24). It features a duck leg served with Sze Chuan peppers and laced with mashed potato. I love its crispy exterior and the rich flavours that are enhanced with the peppers. The mashed potato doesn't do much for the dish, but I guess it's always good to have something to munch on while you wait for the desserts to come.

As for desserts, go for the Affogato ($10), and skip coffee after since the Espresso should probably get you going for the rest of the day.

7Adam is located at 7 Adam Park. It's opened from 11am-11pm daily. Call 6467-0777 for the restaurant and 6463-0777 for the gallery. Visit www.7adam.com for more information.

Palate membership for foodies

What if there's a card that's specially created for those who love food, where you get awesome discounts of your bill?

How much? You ask.

Say, you bring your Valentine out for dinner and it's practically 50% off?

I'm talking about Palate. Palate brings together more than 40 restaurants including Chinois at RWS, Moluccas Room at MBS, Tung Lok Classics, and also many bars such as Post BAr at Fullerton Hotel. This programme will continue to expand and plan to double the number of participating dining establishments in the coming months.

Basic and premier membership are available at $428 (plus $1000 worth of vouchers) and $598 (plus $1500 worth of vouchers) respectively.

Palate Premier

Palate Basic

The structure is such that one person always dines for free:
If you dine alone, you enjoy 15% off
50% off for two persons dining
35% off for three persons dining
25% off for four persons dining
20% off for five persons and above

Well, you get the gist.

Now good news for American Express Cardmembers. If you have The Centurion or Platinum cards, you'd receive complimentary Palate Premier Membership. Those with the Platinum Reserve Credit Card and Platinum Credit Card, will receive complimentary Basic Membership. AMEX cardholders can also look forward to cardmembers-only events, including exclusiving tasting menus and wine-pairing dinners.

Check out www.palate.sg for more information.

And check out these pictures from the Palate launch event and of the yummy food I got to sample.

Foie Gras Magnum

The above definitely require special mention because it's foie gras that taste like ice-cream and I loved it so much I had two. Pure indulgence.