Welcome to SAVOUR 2013!

Hi Huneybees,

Remember my post on the media preview of SAVOUR 2013? It's finally happening and it was a pleasure to be invited by the presenting partner - NESPRESSO to tour SAVOUR 2013 as well as to witness the launch of their latest limited edition coffee.

Let me bring you over to the NESPRESSO booth for the launch of the coffees first...

Arriving at the booth, I was already captivated by the 2 Vespas parked right outside. It already gives you an idea of what gave the inspiration to the making of the 2 limited editions. 

With bloggers, Malcolm, Elrica and her hubby,

Jack and Rai and Jack's wife.

When I entered the booth, I met alot of friends there and we had a hell of time photo taking and it was great to share stories whilst sipping aromatic NESPRESSO coffees.

Henry Golding was the host for the night and after a brief introduction by Irene Latoa (Country Manager of Nespresso Singapore), we were surprised by 2 of the Vespas, ridden down the red carpet and there was our stars for the night in the hands of the models!

Introducing the NESPRESSO Spring Limited Edition Grand Cru duo - Trieste and Napoli.

Paying homage to the strong coffee heritage of Italy Trieste and Napoli celebrates the two Italian cities that are delightfully distinct in character yet equal in their passion for coffee.

Trieste

The Trieste Limited Edition reflects the rich and varied cultural experience to be found in Trieste. The multifaceted northeastern Italian port city reflects a mix of German, Italian and Slavic cultures. All green coffee bound for the coffee houses of Vienna came through Trieste, as the gateway to the Austro-Hungarian empire.

The coffee is delightful both with and without milk. With an intensity level of 9, Trieste is a subtle blend of 100% Arabica beans from Brazil and eastern Africa offering notes of chocolate and fresh hazelnuts, a round texture and a fruity touch. While it is best enjoyed as a ristretto (25 ml), Limited Edition Trieste reveals intense, roasted coffee notes with a hint of brown caramel and nuts when served as a cappuccino.

Napoli

Coffee also holds a special place in vibrant Naples, located in the south of Italy. Here, the first domestic appliance to prepare coffee was invented: the “caffettiera napoletana”. This brought coffee consumption into the home, transforming it from an aristocratic drink enjoyed in cafés to a domestic pleasure.

The Nespresso interpretation of the concentrated “black gold” of Naples is Napoli: a blend of Arabica beans from South America, Africa and Asia, with a hint of Robusta. Bold and assertive with a syrupy body, it has refined, smoky notes reminiscent of dried black tea leaves. With an intensity level of 11, the Napoli Limited Edition is best enjoyed as a ristretto (25 ml). For an even more authentic tasting experience, it can be served as an even shorter cup (15-20 ml) and sweetened with sugar.

The coffees are available for sale at Savour 2013 and it was a pleasure to have Mark making us the coffee that night. Do drop by the Nespresso booth to experience the aromatic coffees. I bet you would not leave without buying some.

I even got to take a picture with the Michelin Star Chef - Mauro Colagreco from MIRAZUR. He was the one behind NESPRESSO Crealto Grand Cru.

Now, onto the "restaurants". There's so many choices to choose from and all I can say is prepare your Savour Dollars as you will be eating non-stop! And a note for you: Do be early and be patient as there might be long queues.

Top notch restaurant dishes at only a fraction of the price for you to try!

Other than good food and drinks, there's also opportunity for you to meet the chefs for some photos or probably they might share their little cooking tips with you?

We met Chef Moon again and seriously, his Truffle Kampachi is something you wana eat and eat again. I had it at the media preview and I can't forget it since then.

Margot Janse is the ONLY female chef at Savour 2013 and you can find her dishes at THE TASTING ROOM AT LE QUARTER FRANCAIS. Malcolm and I loved her Seared Scallop (Aerated Scallop and Dill Vichysoisse, Barley and Squid Ink Crumble) that we had to have one each.

The other dish that we loved was also the Stellar Grill (Beef). It's so tender, it melts in your mouth and bursting with juice! Eat it with sips of Moscato and that's what I call heaven!

Do visit the Gourmet Market too! You can shop for top quality ingredients and produce sourced from around the world. Connect with an entire ecosystem of quality brands, food and wine producers and FREE sampling sessions. There’s over 300 different activities that are available for you to attend for that complete sensory experience.

The SAVOUR Premier Pass is priced at $55 (Lunch Session) and $65 (Dinner Session), inclusive of SAVOUR Dollars to buy food and drinks at the Gourmet Village, and produce at the Gourmet Market. Extended opening hours at the Gourmet Village and Gourmet Market means a combined total of 7 more fun-filled hours to spend at SAVOUR 2013. It’s definitely fulfilling!

To purchase tickets to SAVOUR 2013, you can click here.

Tomorrow is the last day, so be sure to be there for the tasty 5 five star dishes!

More photos can be viewed in my album here.

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Nespresso launches U - The New Coffee Machine That Lives Like You

Hi Huneybees,

U is the ultimate machine in Simplicity, Modularity and Purity.

Recently, I was invited to Kam Leng Hotel at Jalan Besar for a great time with Nespresso and fellow bloggers. We saw the launch of Nespresso U and we had a hearty dinner with amazing menu by LP+Tetsu....

Check out the beautiful backyard garden done up by the organisers! So much love and 'U's!

The table was set and dinner was served. Delectable dishes were individually served in between chats, videos and introductions.

Latest Nespresso ad, featuring their ambassador, the suave George Clooney.

Woohoo! Dessert time! And boy, it was a surprise! We had hotel rooms and dessert was there in every room we visited. Each room was designed specially and in each room it shows how easy U can match the setting and how easy it is to get a cup of Frappuccino/Special Blend coffee ready at the comfort od your own place.

Room 1 (Young Couple) was by Velda Tan, Founder of Blog Shop - Love, Bonito. Velda envisoned the couple full of life and drive, always seeking new adventures on the roads less travelled. The look is kept simple with Black and White decor. But she uses accents of red to represent the excitement and passion the newly-wedded couple possesses. This is inspired by the quaint corners of her favourite city -  Paris and the modern interiors that add character to its charming old buildings.

The bright red U was used in this room. Fits nicely on a shelf in a corner...

Room 2 (Modern Bachelor Pad) by David Fahmann Law, Editor of FHM. A room that invokes a man's individuality, a space that defines his "je ne sois quoi" and a den that helps to seduce. The room is subtly sexy, red is always attractive in this sense. There are conversation pieces to help ease the night along, while fresh flowers and candles show a sensitive side.

The animal motifs make the space more masculine without being outré, the colours add depth and vibrancy . The experimental silver puts texture on a least expected surface and the posters contribute art and kink. It's the kind of room that makes a sparkling first impression without being overwhelming and it's also a place of sensuality, peace and persuasion.

Room 3 (College Dorm) by Sharon Tan, Stylist for magazines. College was the best years of our lives for many of us. The college dorm room was an inspiration from stories that Sharon's boyfriend have told her from his exciting  times back at college. A college dormitory is a room where you will stumble upon an interesting array of nothing and everything.

Room 4 (Industrial Chic) by Anthony Ho, owner of Left Foot. Inspired by 1970s interiors and design, Anthony designed this room with beauty, affordability and utility in mind. He wanted to achieve a "weathered and industrial chic" aesthetic. From free hanging light bulbs, the well curuted decor demonstrate a space efficient,  thoughtfully designed room. He rescues and glues a second life to pieces on his 'treasure hunts'. 

Of his favourite pieces, the bicycle was a "love at first sight" moment - the look of faded elegance and lost times hides the untold stories behind each piece. Anthony says, "no matter the size, the lighting you put in and how old your vintage furniture is, your space will feel like home if it reflects you. Junk or stuff that I treasure that I feel deserves another journey and has not met its potential for beauty or utility, inspires my decorating the most." 

Room 5 (Shanghainese Colonial) by Alvin - Designer/Write/Art Director and girlfriend, Kalista - Event Managament. Alvin and Kalista wanted to give the guests an idea of how it was like staying in the Kam Leng in 1938. With Shanghainese brocade, wares and accessories from old colonial Singapore. Elaborate and very vintage. The hotels today reflect modernity and seemingly soul-less. With Kam Leng, we are inspired by the infrastructure which has stood the test of time. It's really quaint to actually live and dream of a room which could have existed in 1938.

Room 6 (No Sleep) by System Sovereign. In this chaotic world that is spinning out of control, there still lies a certain order - a path we are all pre-determined to follow. It is the way the universe as has been designed. You are reading this because of a series of decisions you have made throughout your entire life. You are not here by choice. 

The black balloons symbolizes our subconscious - we cannot look inside with true clarity. It is constantly shifting and evolving. Juxtaposed against this sleepless 'chaos' is a web of evolving patterns that holds everything together, connecting sound to night to being. 

Room 7 (Gardens by the Bed) by Stephanie (Senior Designer at Epigram) and Diana Tang (Creative in corporate world). In a room, not too far away, a garden grow. Friends gather and stories shared. 

From dawn till dark, lights are aglow. Hidden surprises, no expenses spared. Come experience the grass below, into another world if you dare. Inspired by fairytales, stories, nature, trees, good times/friends and conversation, comfort, fun and surprises.

At Gardens by the Bed, we even got to taste the limited edition Crealto. It's a very strong, fragrant cup of coffee and for me, I added in Milk. The cup of coffee is great for waking up in the morning and the strong nutty coffee aroma filled the room with just one small cup of Crealto. 

I like the white U most. It look so simple and sophistocated at the same time... :)

So, after the hotel room visits on showing how well U blends into its environment. Let me introduce more about it....

The Nespresso story began 25 years ago with a simple but revolutionary idea: enable anyone to create the perfect cup of espresso at home. Today Nespresso has made that idea even simpler by developing U, the next generation machine that shapes itself to suit you and your lifestyle. Offering ultra-convenience, yet sophisticated technology, U has been designed to suit modern life and its demands. With clever, modular design, U can change its shape to fit contemporary living spaces and interiors, while its cutting edge technology delivers a perfect coffee, time after time. A pleasure to use and display, U is the machine for those who seek ultimate simplicity, the highest quality coffee and pure design.

With its curved, flexible form, U is the most modular coffee machine to date, designed by Nespresso to adapt to all lifestyles. On top of its sleek shape, U has a tactile interface which memorises your favourite cup length, removing the need to selct it each time and thanks to the pre-programmed Ristretto, Espresso and Lungo sizes doesn't require reprogramming.

The first-of-its-kind, it has a rounded, adjustable water tank that is able to semalessly slide around, letting it change shape to suit your interior layout.

Working around the user to make their lives simpler, U's neat cup support is also designed to fit long or short drinks - so you can configure your machine depending on your mood and your favourite coffee rituals.

U is the height of convenience, its minimal exterior enclosing the latest technology. In addition to a quick heat up time of 25 seconds, U features automatic brewing, so your coffee begins the second you drop your Nespresso capsule and effortlessly close its neat slider. 

This same process creates an ideal coffee extraction, delivering an optimum result as U stops automatically when desired. Its immediate cut-off also makes it one of the cleanest machines - stopping any drips and automatically ejecting each capsule. Alongside all its cutting-edge functionality, however, users' consciences can rest at ease as U possesses the optimum energy profile for its class of machine. Its body is made from over 30% of recycled materials (not in contact with food) while its automatically switches to OFF mode after 9 minutes of inactivity. 

With U, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication in both functionality and design, its minimalist, contemporary look fitting neatly into any living space. Available in 4 understated colours - Pure Cream, Pure Black, Pure Grey and Pure Orange. U is smooth and rounded with a sensual soft-to-the-touch finish and elegant curved edges with the Nespresso signature embossed on its sides. The pure lines of and varied shades let users express their style while complementing their interior design.

Thanks to Nespresso for the great invite.

Coffee lovers! Go on down to Nespresso Boutiques to learn more about the sleek U!

Toll free hotline 800-852-3525, Nespresso website (http://www.nespresso.com/)

Non-watermarked images are all courtesy of Nespresso and www.gadgetguy.com.au

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