Western Swedish Academy of Gastronomy: prize giving ceremony and gala event, 2008

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The setting makes half the event and what better fitting place is there in Göteborg for a grand dinner than the 350 year old Torstenson Palace, now the private residence of the Governor of Gothenburg and his wife, Lars and Ann-Christin Bäckström.

Every year, the Western Swedish Academy of Gastronomy holds a traditional dinner in recognition of the most outstanding chefs and all things gastronomical in Western Sweden.

Awards and prizes are given out, after which a dinner that seldom fails to impress the hardiest bon vivants, is served. Continue reading “Western Swedish Academy of Gastronomy: prize giving ceremony and gala event, 2008” →

Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum

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Nibbling the Big Apple X

Outside the Metropolitan Museum, New York.
Text & Photo © JE Nilsson, CM Cordeiro-Nilsson 2008

Since its opening in early May, the Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum has drawn quite some media attention with numerous write-ups, press conferences and an opening night gala dinner, where all invited were supposed to dress to the superheroes and fantasy theme. My favourite evening wear for the night was an elaborately padded silver gown by Chanel, donned by Anna Wintour.

I couldn’t well pass up on the chance to view this exhibition at the Met, when in New York. Continue reading “Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum” →

Swedish summer cooling with denim shorts and strawberry wine, July 2008

Posted on by cheryl

Cool blue in the summer.

I find denim shorts a long time staple when it comes to hot weather. Whether in Southeast-Asia or Scandinavia, denim shorts seem to appear in various cuts and lengths when sweltering temperatures set in. This season, I’m once again grateful I have these to don.

With the insisting sultry temperatures in Sweden, a perfect accompaniment in mind is lemon sorbet in frozen strawberry wine, topped with champagne before serving.

Sorbet with sparkling wine at ChikaLicious in New York. Photo by ChikaLicious.

The idea is very much like the sorbet with sparkling wine at ChikaLicious for St. Valentine’s Day 2008, but with a slight twist of champagne.

Lemon sorbet in frozen strawberry wine and champagne

What you’ll need:

  • Lemon sorbet
  • Your favourite strawberry wine
  • Your favourite champagne

    • Place the strawberry wine into the freezer. Let stand for at least 2 hours. Fill half the dessert glass with frozen strawberry wine. Add a scoop of lemon sorbet to the wine. Fill up the remainder of the glass with your favourite champagne and serve.

    Agent Provocateur: Heating It Up

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    Putting a whole new meaning to micro-mini and the ‘naked dress’.

    Where I am, it’s almost as if we’re experiencing a heat wave of sorts. And Agent Provocateur, maker of exotic lingerie is heating up this summer in their own way, with their 2008 bikini collection.

    I thought this frilled cerise Arianna bikini set with detached puff sleeves was most intriguing of their 2008 collection. I’ve only ever noticed frilled skirts on either little girls’ swimwear or swimwear for the more mature figure, the frills being more of a skirt that falls over the bottom, as a cover-up.

    In the above bikini, the puff sleeves and frilled skirt throws the bikini into the genre of barely-there dresses, with most everything of the dress removed, save sleeves and mini-skirt. What they’ve produced, is a celebration of sorts, it’s beyond micro-mini.

    The cutting looks super and the cups are padded for that extra lift – important details for the day out in the sun!

    Très sexy!

    Starbucks at Trump Tower, New York

    Posted on by cheryl

    Nibbling the Big Apple IX

    At one of many visits to Starbucks when in New York.

    Starbucks has been a staple in Singapore since 1996 at Liat Towers, smack in the middle of Orchard Road. Singapore being it’s third international country of expansion, I never quite understood the hype. The coffee they served at Starbucks Singapore wasn’t too fantastic and I thought the kopi-o, kopi-si, kopi-siu dai at most local coffeeshops, at half the price of Starbucks, lent some serious competition.

    So I wasn’t planning on making Starbucks a staple stop for coffee when in New York. But that was difficult to accomplish since Starbucks was literally, everywhere. Just walk a couple of hundred meters and you’ll find a brewing outlet.

    The first Starbucks outlet visited was the one on the 2nd floor of the Trump Tower. I don’t quite know why it is – better staff, better coffee blends, better roasts? But I think the coffee served at that particular outlet beat most other Starbucks outlets in terms of taste.

    Picture taken at Starbucks, Trump Tower. The logo that shocks and offends some.

    I was also very taken with their split-tailed mermaid (technically, a siren) logo. I absolutely loved it. Though not everyone is smitten with it, as the BBC News reports.

    As someone who has tried Starbucks coffee in New York, I would say that their coffee is good. I think the Singapore Starbucks need to bump it up in terms of coffee brewing because the impression given from a Singapore Starbucks doesn’t give much credit to the parent organization in the USA.

    And I hope they sort out their current downswing and that they survive the steep competition.

    Cars that go BOOM

    Posted on by cheryl

    Nibbling the Big Apple VIII

    At around 07:30 hrs, Stephen Korte, myself and his Dodge

    It was such dreary and cold weather to begin the day. Walking down the street half frozen and half awake, I expected nothing to happen, at least not before the first triple vente whole milk latte at the first Starbucks. And then I heard, an unexpected hip-hop beat in the far distance. At 07:30 hrs in the morning?

    As I walked, the street beat got louder and louder. It was catchy. So catchy, I began to walk to the beat of the music, not caring if the DKNY black patent coat looked displaced in the hip hop genre. Perhaps it was a club that forgot to turn down their music from the previous night? Continue reading “Cars that go BOOM” →

    New York by Horse

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    Nibbling the Big Apple VII

    At New York’s poshest address, where 5th Ave meets Central Park South, you are invited to take a 19th century horse carriage ride through Central Park.

    These horse carriages, which define New York City as much as the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, can be found parked along the oval roundabout almost directly in front of the toy store FAO Schwartz.

    The city sight at this particular spot where the skyscrapers tip the doorstep of nature, is fantastic! Standing with hands outstretched where the horse carriages are parked, you can almost touch with your fingertips, Trump Tower, FAO Schwartz, Cartier, Saks 5th Ave, Bergdorf Goodman, Henri Bendel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Continue reading “New York by Horse” →

    The Empire State Building and Macy’s

    Posted on by cheryl

    Nibbling the Big Apple VI

    Empire State building from the corner of Broadway and 34th west street

    It’s easy to slide between fantasy and reality when walking around in New York. The city has featured in so many movies that you begin to recognize places you’ve never actually visited in real life, places that render you a feeling of déjà vu, when really, it isn’t. Continue reading “The Empire State Building and Macy’s” →

    Prada along 5th Ave, New York

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    Nibbling the Big Apple V

    A pair of Prada boots from their Runway, RTW S/S 2008 collection.

    I couldn’t help but bound into Prada along 5th Ave after spotting it from across the street. Their Spring 2008 collection on the Runway seemed interestingly creative this time around, with inspirations from the 60s and 70s, woven into swirls of fairy mystic. The cut out boots I was trying on in the picture above, are quintessential in exhibiting the spirit Prada in Spring 2008. It’s also one of the more wearable of shoes and boots this season from Prada, without looking too much of a fruit cake. Continue reading “Prada along 5th Ave, New York” →

    Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

    Posted on by cheryl

    Nibbling the Big Apple IV

    The Statue of Liberty, New York, May 2008. An appropriate and symbolic view. This is the view you will have at the exact moment you are told that your ticket does not include a visit to the monument itself, i.e. this is as close as you’ll get. Tickets for checking out if the X-men actually could have had that final fight inside the monument needs to be booked at least two days in advance.

    A stay in New York is not complete without a visit to the Statue of Liberty, with a visit to the former immigrant facility office at Ellis Island included. Tickets can be bought at Clinton Fort, Battery Park, at the south western part of the Manhattan Island, just a few blocks away from “ground zero” where the WTC Twin Towers once stood.
    Continue reading “Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island” →