Orchard Road is World's Top Shopping Street

A trip to Singapore is incomplete if your itinerary does not include a visit to Orchard Road.

The Lion City, even with the new attractions like the themeparks and the two new casinos, the Casino at Resort World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands Casino; the night safari, the various landmarks and attractions, Orchard Road is certainly not to be missed. Christmas decorations along this stretch in Singapore attract throngs of visitors every year.

With the Chinese community gearing up for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration on Jan 23, I can imagine Singapore would now be bustling with activity and beautifully-decked in Chinese New Year decorations.

Singaporeans would be happy to know that Orchard Road has been named the world's top shopping street beating 29 other premier shopping belts including Paris' Champs Elysees and London's Bond Street.

The verdict comes from a mystery shopping survey conducted by a French marketing consultancy, Presence Mystery Shopping, in which 90 mystery shoppers were sent out to nearly 400 retail outlets in 30 cities around the world.

Four categories were the focus of the survey - cleanliness of the streets, and retail outlets, quality of retail staff, and friendliness of passersby.

Orchard Road scores highly in all the judging categories and garnered a total score of 89 points out of a hundred. Luxembourg's Avenue de la Liberte came in second with 85 points and PC Hoofstraat in Amsterdam, was third with 83 points.


Source: DailyChilli/The Straits Times/ANN

Amazon selling over 1 million Kindles a week

Along the topic of Technology, are you still figuring out what gifts to buy for family and close friends? Obviously Kindles do make great gifts as Amazon.com Inc. says customers are buying "well over" one million Kindle devices a week despite some negative reviews of its new Kindle Fire tablet. This level of sales has occurred for three straight weeks, Amazon added in a statement.

There was a spate of negative reviews of the Kindle Fire focussing on issues such as slow response from the user interface and Web browser, the need for more privacy and child settings, and the lack of external volume control. In response, Amazon said earlier this week that it plans a software upgrade to the Kindle Fire in coming weeks that will "improve performance, touch navigation, and give customers the option to choose what items display on the carousel."

People often compare the $199 Kindle Fire to Apple Inc's iPad, which starts at $499 which is like comparing a $20,000 car with a $50,000 car, according to Ben Schachter, an analyst at Macquarie.

"It's a new product that can be improved," Schachter said. "We don't think any of the problems discussed are deal breakers."

More..The Star - Amazon selling over 1 million Kindles a week

Shop Amazon's New Kindle Fire

The First iPhone 4S Owner in Malaysia

You are looking at Leonard Chan, the first person in Malaysia to buy the latest iPhone 4S when the phone went on sale at the stroke of midnight.

The 16-year-old, who hails from Cheras, came alone to the KLCC Convention Centre for the launch of the iPhone 4S in Malaysia, organised by Maxis Bhd yesterday. He had queued in line for 12 hours and it was his first iPhone.

The iPhone 4S is special, in a way, for Apple fans because it was the last gadget from Steve Jobs before he passed away.


Source: The Star

Medical Insurance - Don't leave home without it

We are talking about medical insurance here but a little digression first.

The Thailand border towns are common holiday destinations for Malaysians. Hatyai and Songkla are popular towns where Malaysians visit by the busloads every year. Buses leave Kuala Lumpur at night, reaching there in the morning. It is a long ride. A flight would reduce the journey drastically and AirAsia, the local Low Cost Carrier, does have great ticket prices.

Many people travel without travel insurance. Making it a point to at least sign up for medical or health insurance can stand you well financially in the event of an accident. Recently, a Malaysian tourist had to cough up over RM90,000 to settle medical charges at a hospital in Thailand after being involved in a road accident.

When shopping for insurance, I believe the best rates are from an insurance agent that offers Wholesale Insurance for a comprehensive coverage. A wise shopper shops around for the best deal.

Hautelook for fashion ideas and giveaways

There are lots of shopping sites online where you can buy into the latest fashion and lifestyle trends in everything imaginable - clothes, shoes, bags, watches, accessories, travel, hotels and resorts, toys, beauty products, did I mention clothes. And the best part is, you can get them at great discounts! How would 50-75% discount grab you?

New shopping sites are getting on board all the time. The latest I just came across is HauteLook.com by Michelle Phan. Since it is just launched, when you sign up, you stand a chance to win $100 till Christmas and they are giving away $100 everyday!

Registration is needed in order to access the site. To enter, go to Hautelook.com. When you click on that link, Hautelook can track who is part of the contest. Winners will be announced here on http://www.facebook.com/MichellePhanOfficial

Watch video for more information..



Michelle Phan (in the video) is currently the #1 most subscribed woman on YouTube. Phan joined YouTube on July 18, 2005 and has created over 200 videos on beauty tutorials.

Phan's success on YouTube has produced attention from the media and people internationally and has been featured in many publications including Seventeen, Vanity Fair, St. Petersburg Times, Forbes and others. In 2010, Phan was hired by Lancôme. (Wikipedia)

Bangkok Factory Outlet Stores

Prompted by Evarts' comment about Factory Outlet Stores (F.O.S) in Bangkok, I went online looking. No F.O.S like the ones in Malaysia was found but I did uncover some great finds on real factory outlets. If you are planning on going to Bangkok for shopping, these are definitely the factory outlets to check out.

CNNGo suggests

1 - Crazy Steps Outlet for Shoes
2250 Petchburi Road, (just past Petchburi Soi 40), BTS: Huai Khwang. Open every day from 10am until 7pm.

What's there: Wide range of fashionable men and women’s shoes and accessories. The majority of items are sold at 50–70 percent off the retail price and new stock is available with an immediate 30 percent off store prices.

2 - X Sizes Outlet for Underwear
Sukhumvit 24, Bangkok 10110 (opposite Grandeville House). Open every day from 9.30am until 7pm.

What's there: Good selection of bras and panties in larger sizes, which can come in handy for larger breasted women trying to find a big cup size in the A-dominated markets of Bangkok or those with a little extra in the rear. The majority of bras are padded but there are a few unpadded designs too. Bras are available from 270 baht and panties from 49 baht. Bras can be tried on in one of two good-sized gothic dressing rooms with flattering lights and a mirror.

3 - Levi’s Factory Outlet Store for Denim
Pricha Building, 2533 Sukhumvit Road (opposite Sukhumvit Soi 62), Phra Khanong. Tel: +66 (0)2 332 7140, ext 3688. Open Monday to Saturday from 8am until 6pm.

What's there: Levi’s jeans, belts, t-shirts, jackets and other Levi’s paraphernalia are sold typically at 40-60 percent off the retail price. All major credit cards accepted.

What to buy: Ladies denim jacket at 700 baht and low-waist skinny jeans from 1,000 baht.

4 - Jim Thompson Factory Sales Outlet for Fabric, accessories and home decor
153 Sukhumvit 92, Phra Khanong. Tel: +66 (0)2 332 6530 ext 13. Open every day from 9am until 6pm
Website for More Jim Thompson factory sales outlets in Thailand

What's there: Four floors are crammed with discontinued or leftover custom orders of silk and cotton fabric, scarves, sarongs, ladies dresses, men’s shirts, homeware, suffed toys, purses, cosmetic bags and leather wallets from the Thai silk king's prestigious product lines. Take time out from your bargain-bagging at the fifth floor café.

Others include

5 - Louis Vuitton
+66 2 656 1010
999 Ploenchit Road
Gaysorn
Bangkok , Thailand 10330

6 - Adidas Factory Outlet
Address: 47/223 Kimpo Building
Muang Thong Thani
Pakkred, Thailand
Phone: 0-2980-6619
Open 10:00-21:00 daily

7 - Decathalon Sports Outlet
Address: Bangna Tower A
2/3 Moo 14, Bang Na-Trat
Km 6.5 Bangkaew
Samut Prakarn
Phone: 0-2751-9560

8 - ECCO Shoe Factory
Address: Saha Rattanakorn Industrial Estate
Nakorn Luang, Singburi
Thailand
Phone: 0-3571-6601 Ext 6464

9 - F. House Jackets
Address: City Complex Phetburi Road
Pratunam (next to Amari Watergate Hotel)

10 - Outlet (Boom International Co Ltd)
Address: 17/15-16 Soi Pradipat 1
Pradipat Road
Samsennaim, Phayathai
Phone: 0-2618-6935-6

11 - Bangkok Christmas Decoration Export Co Ltd
Address: 218 Soi Amnuaysukh 2
Phetkasem 16 Road
Thailand
Phone: 0-2868-1881-4

12 - Thailand Furniture Mart
at 33/4 Rama IX Road Huay Kwang, Thailand
Phone: 0-2643-6030

- More factory outlets
- Malls
- Markets

However, to enjoy an incident-free visit in Bangkok, you may want to take note of these 8 things travelers should watch out for in Bangkok.

Happy bargain-hunting!


Image source: CNNGo

School is Out in Malaysia

School is out for this academic year, last Friday being the last day of school. School holidays do have an impact in the office. You can tell when people come to work early and less stressed as parents do not need to get up extra early braving traffic jams sending their children to school. What a relief it must be for parents.

It's little wonder my colleagues are in a better mood today, just short of celebrating with a padron cigar. LOL

It will be another some seven weeks before the cycle begins again. Enjoy it while you can, parents!

Friday Frolics - The Christmas Tree Test

Christmas being around the corner and everything, let's do a Christmas Tree Test, shall we?

I hear Christmas decorations are already up at the malls and shopping complexes in Kuala Lumpur. Can't wait to go mall-hopping to take in the lights and all. Great time to go trigger-happy too, the camera-type I mean. And with year-end sales and discounts at every store, the city would be filled with happy shoppers. If you are visiting Kuala Lumpur this time of the year, you would be in for a jolly good shopping experience. And for now, let's get on with the Friday frolicking.. The Christmas Tree Test.

You are Brightly Optimistic

During the holidays, you're the one who has a bit of cheer for everyone. Even when things get hectic and chaotic, you keep on smiling. You believe it's important to have a spirit of generosity and gratitude all the time... but especially this time of year. You get more satisfaction from giving than receiving. You're always going out of your way to improve someone's day a little.

The Christmas Tree Test

More Fun and Funny Quizzes

A Source for Prototype SMT Stencils

Ever seen the components on an equipment or gadget circuit board? Noticed how tiny those chips are? Even tinier are the codes on the chips? Thanks to automation, many functions can be successfully performed.

Coding on spare parts like those on chips and circuit boards are normally done through stencilling. For large quantity production runs, auto-stencilling provides speed, quality and accuracy. However, for precise control for smaller production runs, the specially-designed Prototype SMT Stencils do the job better. Besides allowing you to hand-print just the amount you need, their frameless design provides convenience for easy storage.

FCT Assembly has a range of stencils to suit every need. With numerous facilities in the United States, they are one of the electronics industry’s leading manufacturers of lead-free solder products, superior quality stencils, and precision cut parts.

Factory Outlet Stores (FOS) Promotion - Buy 1, Get 2 Free

If you are looking for a good bargain on clothes, Factory Outlet Stores or FOS for short, may be the place to look.

Besides Reject Shop, FOS provides a close warehouse-like shopping experience where you can find designer labels but with a much-reduced price tag.

I have heard of Ralph Lauren shirts going for RM89 for two; DKNY jeans for less than a hundred ringgit; a D&G sweater going for RM59.90; Liz Clairborne tops for much less than the regular retail prize and Fcuk tees at a steal. Was told that FOS carries a lot of American labels including Ann Taylor and Paul Frank.

FOS can be found in many shopping malls and complexes in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya as well as in bigger cities including Penang and Johor Bahru. There is even an FOS outlet up in Genting Highlands.

Even with reduced prices, FOS still holds regular promotions to clear their stock to make way for newer items. As a matter of fact, there is a current promotion running at all outlets. It is the Buy 1, Get 2 Free promotion in which you select three items with the Buy 1, Get 2 Free sticker on the item/price tag and you need only pay for the highest priced item and get the other two pieces absolutely free. This is the sticker to look out for.

This promotion is good at all FOS outlets and will be available as long as stocks last.

Happy Shopping!

Where to get Flower Coupons

Flowers never go out of style. You don't even need a reason to send someone flowers no matter the distance. Right?

If you have friends and family overseas and you have sometimes been in a dilemma as to how to go about getting them flowers, here is a site blossoming with great deals where you can compare flower coupons to get them the best rose bouquets or basket of flowers at the very best discount.

Some Interesting Videos

Good morning and a happy Monday! I would like to share a few short videos this morning. The first two, which in real life, almost all of us would never get to experience in person. Enjoy all of them!

Flying At 35000ft., Passing Between Three Airliners
COCKPIT VIEW...


View from inside Jenson Button's racing car. Jenson Excited – Ever wondered what goes through Jenson’s mind when he’s driving?


If you are a Trekkie or a Star Wars fan, you will like this one..LEGO StarWars


Here's one for the techies..Samsung GALAXY Note – Samsung GALAXY Note is a new type of smartphone, borne of consumer insights and innovation.


If you have been to a video arcade, you would identify with this. How do you choose? – A mother and her son in a supermarket buying/choosing their fish with a device that is normally used at fun fairs to catch prizes.


Last one - about quitting smoking and running a marathon

The Haze is back - The smell of BBQ in the air..

 The haze is back in Malaysia with the air quality in parts of Klang Valley dipping further. The Department of Environment (DOE) Air Pollutant Index (API) recorded a reading of 92 as at 7am this morning(86 the day before). Shah Alam drew closer to unhealthy level at 96, Port Klang at 81, Batu Muda - 88 and Cheras at 84.In other parts of Peninsula Malaysia, SK Jalan Pegoh in Ipoh worsened to 86 while Seberang Jaya 2 in Perai recorded 79.

A good API reading is from 0-50, moderate (51-100), unhealthy (101-200), very unhealthy (201-299) and hazardous (from 300 and above).

A few things to remember when the air quality is bad.  Best to stay indoors as much as possible. If at all possible to avoid going to areas where the haze reading is particularly bad. Drinking lots of water to stay hydrated is a wise move.Open burning is to be avoided. Holding barbeque is certainly not a good idea at this moment.  Put it off until Halloween?  Did I say Halloween?  It must be because of these Halloween invitations  I saw on a website that has all kinds of Halloween invitations with images of all manner of pumpkins, witches on brooms, costumes, masks and all sorts of other related items. 
Source: The Star

Motorbike lanes in Kuala Lumpur

When I came across this website page of Shoei RF-1100 helmets, it reminds me of a former expatriate colleague.



Having just arrived in Kuala Lumpur and being a big bike fan, he bought a brand-new big bike and took it for a spin downtown.

As he was nicely cruising along taking in the city sights, a traffic policeman waved him down. Apparently, he was riding along a stretch of road that is designated for motorcars only. Motorbikes have to use an inner smaller road alongside.

The City is back to life

The almost-a-week-long holiday is fast coming to a close after the Hari Raya celebration. For those who made their way home to their hometown, most will be travelling back to the city today. If one were to see our highway from the air, the road would look like a lengthy slithering creature. The city is getting back to life, to its insane city jams and hustle bustle of activity.



Traffic jams and queues are really a test in patience - in a good way, of course. I once had to queue for two hours trying to get onto the cable car at the Genting Highlands Skyway. The line extended right down to one floor below! I'm kidding you not! I remember it was on a public holiday, Labor Day, and fearing there would be no parking uphill, we (friends and I) decided to park at the Skyway and take the cable car up instead. Officially known as Genting Skyway, the cable car station is located around midway from the foothill to Genting Highlands uphill. Genting Skyway is more or less opposite where Awana Hotels & Resorts is. This hotel complex (with golf facilities) is also part of the Genting Highlands chain of hotels.

Above, aerial view of Awana Hotels & Resorts borrowed from the hotel website.



After the day-trip, going downhill from the cable car station was another test. We were caught in the jam for another two hours. As if that wasn't bad enough, we had to put up with whiffs of burnt tyres as well. Quite an experience and a lesson learned on patience on this never-to-attempt-again Gentings day-trip on a public holiday..



Another queue I try to avoid is the supermarket checkout queue. Lining up behind shoppers with trolley loads of items is one thing, but having to wait for a cashier fiddling with (not her fault of course) a less than perfect POS system is another. One thing I've learned to avoid a supermarket queue is to check out at least an hour before closing. Also, to never pick up any item without a price tag and/or barcode tag.

PixelTuneup fixes plasma burn in on TVs

Here is a gadget that can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars if you own a television set at home. A TV set lasts a long time but like any other electronics equipment, it can sometimes wear out before it's time.

What do you do with your tv if you find it has burn in, color and contrast not quite what they used to be? Chances are if the problem persists, the usual course of action would be to have the tv replaced. When plasma burn in occurs, you will see faint images of channel logos, sports banners, computer desktop images, game console menus, side bar and others on your tv screen. Though the tv still works, these faint stuck pixel images can be annoying resulting in a lesser-than enjoyable tv-watching experience. Most, if not all of us would just replace the tv not knowing about a gadget that can fix stuck pixels. But wait! Before you go out and spend that cash, there is something else you can do to rectify the problem. Take a look at this video first.


PixelTuneup is the world’s first stuck pixel fixer that improves picture quality and eliminates image retention. It improves color and contrast, eliminates stuck pixels, reduces effects of burn in. It corrects image retention in LCD and LED TVs. There is a 30-day Money Back Guarantee if you are not happy with the result. It says on the website that regular use will also help protect your television set or monitor from static images like cable channel logos, sports banners, computer desktop images, game console menus, and side bar.

PixelTuneup pays for itself many times over eliminating the need for costly repairs or a tv replacement. There is no need to buy a new tv if you don't have to, PixelTuneup may save your hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Photo checks to market your business

Not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing that our local checks (cheques) are so boring. What do you think?

Over in the United States, checks need not be issued by banks unlike our banking system requirement here. Folks in the U.S. can order their personal checks and have different designs and prints on the checks. The personal checks in the image above are from CarouselChecks.com. Awesome idea, isn't it? Checks shouldn't be so boring, don't you think?

Checks are not only a great way to pay bills, they are the perfect venue to express your hobbies, interests and sense of style. CarouselChecks has hundreds of varieties to choose from from colorful images to panoramic views to define your individuality. If you prefer traditional checks, there are parchment backgrounds to gorgeous monograms to choose from.

Photo checks are the new fad currently. They are a great opportunity to show off your interests and family. Photo checks use modern printing techniques to put crisp, clear pictures on the front of your check. You can even use several pictures in the same checkbook if you order from CarouselChecks.
Proud of your children, your grandkids? Love your dog or kitty? Put the people and places you love most on your personalized photo checks and you'll always have a great conversation-starter. Brag away while you pay - put your vacation photos, family portraits, or even a funny moment to make your photo checks a memorable venue. The options are quite endless.

If you own or manage a business, business photo checks are a great way to showcase your finished product. Market your business by adding your best business picture of a finished renovation, wedding cake creation, floral arrangement or even a happy customer!

With hundreds of different images available, Carousel Checks has the checks you're looking for and at affordable prices. Clean, clear and classic, their bank check selection puts a modern spin to a familiar favorite.

Steel storage cabinets from Durham Manufacturing

Looking for a fire-resistant non-flammable storage cabinet? You have come to the right place. Durham Manufacturing manufactures top quality metal cabinets, steel storage cabinets, industrial storage products, shelving and racks, industrial workbenches, plastic products used in packaging, and more.

Their new non-flammable storage cabinets are sturdy all welded double wall steel construction. You have a choice of 10 cabinets of 5 manual closing, 5 self closing with 60- & 90- gallon models having internal 16 gauge reinforcements. They have 2” wide louvers support shelves, adjustable on 4” centers. They all come with an improved security feature of recessed lockable paddle latch and 3-point locking system. These are just a few of the strong features of their new non-flammable storage cabinets. Check out their website for the rest.

Durham Manufacturing has a wide selection of industrial storage products including industrial-duty 16-gauge metal cabinets, heavy-duty 14-gauge steel cabinets and extra-heavy-duty 12-gauge steel storage cabinets; all with high security locking provisions.

Durham Manufacturing also produces heavy-duty pegboard steel cabinets, janitorial metal storage cabinets, and heavy-duty extra-wide bin cabinets. They also produce complementary components such as bins, drawer cabinets, drawer cabinet systems, rotary shelving, bulk storage cabinets, and mobile cabinets.

Nothing beats metal cabinets for durability, versatility and general usefulness. When you purchase a cabinet from Durham, you know you have the best product in the market. Established in 1922, Durham Manufacturing is synonymous with top quality.

Buying gold online

Most of us do some shopping online, some regularly shop online while a small number of us even shop online 100% of the time choosing not to go through the hassle of driving to a physical store thus avoiding traffic jams and long queues at the checkout counter. And for some, shopping online could be the best thing that's ever happened!

We buy books, clothes, shoes, household items, kitchenware, insurance, movie tickets, watches, CDs, DVDs, medications, exercise equipment and lots of others online. Perhaps, it's now time that we also buy gold coin online. Besides the price factor, the next stumbling block to buying gold (or silver and other precious metals) is that it is not that convenient. Wouldn't you agree? For instance, over here, in order to buy gold, one has to go to a bank, open an account by filling in a form before ownership of gold can happen. Maybe it's the same procedure in other countries, I don't know.

I just received an email about a vending machine for buying gold coins in many denominations but that is only in Abu Dhabi. I'm pretty sure this convenience won't happen anywhere else in the world for a long time or perhaps never at all. If you are looking to buying gold online or to buy gold coin, the next best thing would be buying it online. Buying gold online offers many advantages especially if you are shopping with Oxbridge House where they have experts to help you with your transaction whether it's for an investment or a collection.

School girl outfits

A mommy at work is all excited about her little girl taking part in a kindergarten class play at an upcoming year-end concert. She said she doesn't have to do anything in preparation, even the kids' costumes are being taken care of by the kindy.

I've often wondered how do schools get the costumes for such events. Do they commission someone to tailor them or buy them off the peg? And the costumes fit so snugly too. These days, dressing up for a costume party is no longer a hassle. One can even buy adult school girl outfits in many different styles. I am bookmarking this site.