New staycation programmes at Marriott's group of hotels; cheapest month to travel to Spain & more lifestyle news

New Things On The Block covers all the latest lifestyle news you need to know at the tip of your fingers.

South Korean Star and Skechers Regional Brand Ambassador, Cha Eun-woo, To Grace The Grand Opening of Skechers Malaysia's First Brand Experience Store at The Exchange TRX

South Korean Star and Skechers Regional Brand Ambassador, Cha Eun-woo, is coming to Malaysia!

Skechers, the Comfort Technology Company and a global leader in lifestyle and performance footwear, announces the grand opening of its first brand experience store in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at the newly-opened mega-mall, The Exchange TRX on Tuesday, 9 January 2024.

Cha Eun-woo will be gracing the opening with an exclusive Meet & Greet session at 5pm at the store.

Situated at lot numbers L2.57.0, L2.58.0, L2.92.0, and L2.93.0 on Level 2, and spanning 6,469 square feet, the new store marks Skechers’ 99th store in Malaysia, featuring its first revolutionary in-store running zone and a Do-It-Yourself corner that allows customers to discover the perfect pair that complements their running style and craft unique pieces that resonate with their individual style.

Skechers is available at its official website | Lazada | Shopee

Sentosa Festive Market paw-ners with Dogs Singapore for a special Paw Friendly edition

Dive into a world of paw-some delights at Sentosa Festive Market, as the organisers celebrate "Walk Your Dog month" with a Paw Friendly edition and embrace the resolution to get back into shape by incorporating the joy of dog walking into your routine.

Kickstart your morning with activities organised by Dogs Singapore that promise a tail-wagging good time and discover a selection curated pet brands offering the finest treats, toys, and accessories as well as an eclectic mix market vendors featuring delectable food, exquisite crafts and beauty products that promise to elevate your lifestyle.

Vendors participating on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 January include The Gingerbread Pan, Mireia, Staple Food Cafe, Kind Kones, Therapeutic Bake, Smol Delight, Paws and Crystals, fuzzy folks, say hoy and Emery.

For more information, check out their Facebook event page: https://fb.me/e/3607vCBcV

Deep Cuts celebrates creatives and individuals at Peace Centre

Deep Cuts, an Asian grassroots conference series for the creative community, announced its Singapore debut to be held at Peace Centre from 13-14 January 2024. With over 20+ curated programmes exploring the diversity of Singapore’s independent creative scenes, Deep Cuts brings together 40+ liminal voices from the music and nightlife, visual arts, street arts, and dance scenes, among others, to discuss the current realities and envisioned futures of the local grassroots community.

Some of the programmes include: Deep Dives, intimate keynotes with independent creatives and collectives that emulate live podcast sessions — providing raw, unfiltered takes of particular topics, spaces or lines of work. Speakers include butoh practitioner and choreographer Xue, artist Minsoo Bae of Queer Life Drawing, and live visual arts performer Jaymi McManus of Mischief Makers among others.

Panels and presentations provide enriching perspective on industry experience and time-tested paths towards forging a creative “signature” identity. Speakers include Chris Shearmon (Wild Pearl), Wang Ruobing (Comma Arts Space), Kimberly Shen (Dblspace), and Dione Keh (The Glass Hut/CŪN/DEEP CUTS) on building independent creative spaces; photographer Marisse Caine and journalists Hidzir Junaini, Michelle Lhooq, and Robin Vochelet on documenting nightlife subcultures, and musicians Ahmadul Amin, Sean Sundaran, Cherry Chan, and JX Soo on cultivating musical appreciation in Singapore.

Closed-door workshops and roundtables cater to smaller focus groups keen on no-holds-barred engagement and participation. Sessions include an introductory course to building safer nightlife spaces with nightlife researcher and DEEP CUTS co-founder Anastasiya Varenytsya, an interactive and historical session hosted by radioriotgrrl, a movement and arts jam hosted by dancer neo jialing, and a ‘drawing with dirt’ workshop run by artist Zhai Qiutong where participants will learn to create with natural materials.

Ticket prices start from SGD30 for a one-day conference pass, and SGD25 for pre-sales official party access. For more information, please visit HERE.

Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas creates new luxury three- and four-bedroom villas

An exclusive retreat nestled on one of Malaysia’s most pristine coastal strips, Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas has expanded its portfolio of luxury holiday homes with an addition of five three- and four-bedroom residences, bringing the total number of short- and long-term villas and residences at the resort to 116 units.

The modern, low-slung buildings strike a balance between architecturally designed and cosy, and are seamlessly integrated into the area’s lush natural setting. Eco-friendly touches include a smart skylight that reduces energy consumption, refillable bathroom amenities, and rainwater recycling system for irrigation water.

The new 288-square-metre Three-Bedroom Residences can accommodate six adults and three children, and are perfect for multi-generational getaways or friends’ weekends away. Fronting the glass-enclosed structures are spacious decks with a private pool, an outdoor shower and a shaded dining area, which provides a quiet oasis for reconnecting. Ensuite bedrooms and an elegant dining area come with ample living space, while the powder room and helper’s room offer functionality. Making the most of Anantara’s peerless service, guests can outsource meal planning to their butler who can arrange a floating breakfast, a poolside BBQ or a fully bespoke experience.

Spanning two levels, the new 597-square-metre Four-Bedroom Residence can accommodate eight adults and four children. On the ground floor, guests share a range of flowing spaces, with a glazed front ensuring that the landscape remains strongly present everywhere. Upstairs, the architects have placed the master bedroom tucked away in a more private setting, with large windows framing picture-perfect views. Downstairs, two king and one twin bedrooms face calming green gardens whereas the airy upper floor living room is bathed in joyful tropical sunshine through a skylight, while a wellness room comes equipped with a treadmill, yoga mats and a professional massage bed. A nature-hedged pool deck is ideal for soaking up the warm Malaysian sunshine or cooling off with a frozen drink in a personal plunge pool, as well as enjoying alfresco meals on the pool deck.

All residences boast cutting-edge kitchens and pantries stocked with complimentary luxury amenities replenished daily, latest AV equipment, and a wine fridge. Guests also get to enjoy complimentary non-motorised water sports, S$500 resort credit per residence per day, access to a private beach, kids’ and teen clubs.

Book your stay here: Booking.com | Agoda | Trip.com

"Only in Madrid" campaign launches in Asia

Did you crawl under a table and eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight for good luck recently? This tradition originated in Spain and was popularised by social media users recently. The tradition of eating grapes at the stroke of midnight is believed to welcome good fortune and prosperity in the new year. Now, how about traveling to Spain to truly indulge in the culture of where this tradition came from?

With a vibrant culture, rich history, beautiful architecture, colourful cuisine and great nightlife, Madrid has much to offer and it's considered one of the best destination for first-timers to Spain.

Travel now in March to take advantage of the cheapest flight.

Cheapest month to visit Madrid

Dior announces two new ambassadors, Dilraba Dilmurat and Rachel Zegler

Dilraba Dilmurat is the new ambassador for the Fashion Creations of Dior’s Creative Director of Women’s Collections, Maria Grazia Chiuri, and the new Face of Dior Makeup by Creative and Image Director, Peter Philips.

Who is Dilraba? Dilraba Dilmurat is a multi-talented Chinese actress; from early childhood, she studied music, singing, and dance. In 2010, she entered Shanghai Theatre Academy, and she very quickly shone in film productions such as the romantic comedy Mr. Pride vs Miss Prejudice. She has been particularly successful in many television series including, Pretty Li Huizhen in 2017, for which she won most popular actress at the 29th China TV Golden Eagle Awards and most popular actress at the 12th China Golden Eagle TV Art Festival, or Eternal Love Of Dream, which saw her become immensely popular both in China and overseas. In 2020, she won the best rising Star at Busan International Film Festival.

Dilraba Dilmurat regularly appears on the covers of the most prestigious magazines, and is followed by tens of millions of fans worldwide.

Rachel Zegler is a dynamic actress and singer who has already established herself as a trailblazer of her generation. In 2021, at only 17 years old, Rachel earned the role of María Vasquez for Steven Spielberg’s new adaptation of West Side Story out of 30,000 auditions. The film captured Rachel’s motion picture debut, and earned her an NBR Award for Best Actress along with a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.

Rachel then starred alongside Zachary Levi, Helen Mirren, and Lucy Liu in D.C. Comics’ Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the sequel to the successful predecessor, Shazam! In 2023, she led the highly anticipated prequel The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes as Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. The film quickly reached the #1 spot worldwide after its initial release.

Next year, she will be seen in the A24 disaster comedy Y2K, directed by Saturday Night Live alum Kyle Mooney. And in 2025, Rachel will be seen as Snow White in Disney’s live-action remake of the classic story, making her one of the first Latina actresses to star in a live-action Disney film.

Labeled as one of the stand-out voices of her generation and identified as a leader of the New Hollywood guard, Rachel Zegler has received numerous accolades for her work.
She is a Forbes “30 Under 30” recipient and has been recognized by Time Magazine in their Time100Next list, which highlights emerging leaders. She also has been recognized by Variety in their annual Power of Young Hollywood Impact list, and by The Hollywood Reporter with their Next Generation list. She was also named one of “Nine Latinx Women in Hollywood Currently Changing the World” by Elle Magazine.

IWC Schaffhausen launches 25 limited-edition dive watches inspired by Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom film

New behind-the-scenes footage from the set of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has been released ahead of the blockbuster’s global release on the 22nd December.

The exclusive footage was shared by IWC Schaffhausen who outfitted the movie’s villains with prop watches that glow brightly in red or blue and gives fans an exciting preview of what’s been dubbed “the most mind-blowing 3D experience since Avatar”.

You can check out the behind-the-scenes footage of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom here.

To celebrate the film’s global release, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer has also created a limited-edition timepiece inspired by watches supplied for the production of the highly-anticipated feature film sequel.

The watch, which helps divers keep track of their oxygen levels and comes in two colour choices, will be limited to just 25 pieces per colour, and features imposing 49-millimeter Ceratanium cases, black dials, and black rubber straps.

Australian filmmaker James Wan, the co-creator of the Saw franchise, who directed the Aquaman movies, explained the rationale behind this:

“One of the things that we wanted to do with the watch is to keep it aesthetically in the same world as my design for Black Manta and… make sure the watch is very slick, all black, very cool. The other colour within [the movie’s villain] Black Manta is the red of his optical cannon in his helmet, and so Black Mantis’ watch actually glows red!"

“They're not just accessories they actually perform a very important function. I have a lot of admiration for all the skill and craftsmanship that go into building a really precise fine watch.”

The Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar Digital Date Month is available in two versions, both with black dials and black hands. Inspired by the glow colors of the movie prop watches, the first one (Ref. IW379405) features red Super-LumiNova on the dial, the hands, and the inner rotating bezel indicating the dive time and the second one features blue (Ref. IW379406).

Kinn Studios focuses on wellness and self-care in the heart of Keong Saik Road

Based on the American Express 2023 Global Travel Trends Report, about 72% of respondents claim they are more focused on self-care and wellness than they were a year ago. Thanks to the worldwide pandemic, many are starting to look within and prioritise the concept of being kind to oneself. With that in mind, Kinn opens its second establishment, Kinn Studios, nestled in the heart of the vibrant Keong Saik Road. This four-story boutique hotel redefines the guest experience, emphasising mental well-being, tranquillity, and curated partnerships with local artists.

The hotel's open lounge, adorned with earthy colours, creates a serene atmosphere, setting the tone for a memorable and rejuvenating stay. Different room types cater to varied experiences, from the light Cosy Rooms to the wheelchair-friendly Ground Rooms and the secluded Hideaway Rooms on the top floor.

With its spotlight on mental health, Kinn Studios is partnering up with Safe Space, an online/offline mental health counselling service in Singapore, to provide its guests with access to therapy sessions to help counter travel anxieties and worries. If you are looking for a respite from your usual home environment or a great location where good food and drinks abound, Kinn Studios is the place for your next staycay.

Kinn Studios is available at Booking.com, Trip.com and Expedia.

The Marriott Bonvoy group of hotels has a slew of staycation programs (in case you're interested!)

In the Lap of Luxury with Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel

To combine world-class Christmas shopping with a relaxing stay, families can book The Family Getaway package at the chic Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, located directly above Orchard MRT Station that serves the Orchard Road shopping belt. In addition to such perks as free parking and breakfast, the offer comes with free lunch or dinner for children from the kids’ menu, free-flow ice cream for kids with any meal, extra bed or baby cot, 24-hour use of room for arrivals from Mondays to Wednesdays, 50% savings on the second room, and M Passport Activity Map with stickers and postcards for every child.

To book the Family Getaway package, please visit HERE.

Sustainable Dining and Pancakes in Bed at Courtyard by Marriott Singapore Novena

Family-friendly Courtyard by Marriott Singapore Novena located a stone’s throw from such popular attractions as Little India, Gardens by the Bay and Sentosa, is flying the green flag at its rooftop restaurant Sky22, which has recently been awarded the Farm-To-Table: Mid-Tier Certification from Singapore Food Agency for having over 15% locally grown produce. The new Savour and Stay overnight package, available for check-ins on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, encourages culinary discoveries and lazy moments in bed watching TV and snacking on buttery room-service pancakes with a daily credit of S$120 nett to spend on in-room dining, or at the signature dining establishments Sky22 and Las Palmas Bar.

To book, please visit HERE.

A Taste of the Good Life at W Singapore - Sentosa Cove

Families looking to escape the urban jungle while staying close to popular attractions such as Universal Studios, Wings of Time and Singapore’s spectacular Christmas markets, can book the Happy Days! package from W Singapore - Sentosa Cove. The offer comes with all-inclusive meals for the young ones, who can choose their favourites from a special kids’ menu, and daily breakfast for two adults.

To book, please visit HERE.

Emma Stone bedazzles in a custom Louis Vuitton embroidered dress for her Poor Things premiere

Actress Emma Stone is set to star in a dark satire sci-fi film called Poor Things, where she plays a young woman who was brought back to life by a mad scientist of sorts called Dr. Godwin Baxter (played by Willem Dafoe). For the premiere of her film in New York City (6 December), Stone wore a yellow custom Louis Vuitton long slip dress in embroidered tulle. Fun facts: The hand embroidery is made of a mix of metallic wires encrusted with crystals and mother of pearl on a base of open and frayed lightweight tulle, creating an organic pattern with see-through elements. The dress was entirely assembled by hand including the motif hem finishings, and it took artisans 250 hours were needed to create the pattern and carry out the embroidery, and nearly 300 hours were needed to complete the dress. To complete the look, a flower choker seen on Stone was also handmade, and encrusted with glass pearls and crystals.

Shop Louis Vuitton on the official site

Cé La Vi Singapore ranks 44 in The World’s 100 Best Clubs 2023 list

Homegrown brand and world-class lifestyle destination, Cé La Vi Singapore, climbed an impressive 24 places in The World’s 100 Best Clubs 2023 by the International Nightlife Association, achieving a prestigious #44 placement in this year’s ranking. This accomplishment sets the stage for Cé La Vi’s 2024 DJ Line-Up debut, featuring some of the world’s most renowned international DJ acts on the Club Lounge decks, including The Godfather of Techno - Sven Väth.

International Nightlife Association, a non-profit organisation founded in 2012, is the first of its kind to celebrate and recognise the pinnacle of nightlife entertainment across the globe. The successful placement sees Cé La Vi cementing itself as one of the best international nightlife destinations, with its global footprint amplified in Taipei, Tokyo, and Dubai.

Cé La Vi Singapore plans to raise the bar again in 2024, kicking off the calendar year with Sven Väth, Sam Divine, and Themba. The trio will set the dancefloor ablaze with their return to the Club Lounge decks this January and February.

Cé La Vi Pres. Sam Divine

Date: Friday, 26 January 2023

Time: 10PM till 4AM

Ticket Prices: Pre-Event at S$38 Nett, walk-in at S$48 Nett.

Ticketing info is on https://celavisingaporesamdivine2024.peatix.com/view

Cé La Vi Pres. Sven Väth

Date: Friday, 2 February 2023

Time: 10PM - 4AM

Ticket Prices: Pre-Event at S$48 Nett, walk-in at S$58 Nett.

Ticketing Link: https://celavisingaporesvenvath2024.peatix.com/view

Cé La Vi Pres. THEMBA

Date: Friday, 23 February 2023

Time: 10PM - 4AM

Ticket Prices: Pre-Event at S$38 Nett, walk-in at S$48 Nett.

Ticketing info is on celavi.com/en/singapore/

KFC's First-Ever Time-limited Sliders Are Small In Size But Big On Taste

KFC, renowned for its finger-lickin’ good chicken, is ready for the new trendsetting craze as it introduces its new KFC Sliders. Typically served in casual dining restaurants, this limited-time-only introduction makes KFC the first quick-service restaurant in Singapore to launch sliders.

Available from now till to 23 January 2024, embark on a culinary adventure with the mouthwatering KFC Sliders that comes in two scrumptious flavours – the rich and indulgent Cheesy Mayo or the zesty Tangy Dill Mayo.

These mini-burger wonders feature succulent crispy chicken tenders, marinated to perfection with the legendary Extra Tasty Crispy recipe, expertly fried, and then crowned with an irresistibly gooey layer of either Cheesy Mayo or Tangy Dill Mayo. All of this sandwiched between the embrace of soft, buttery brioche buns.

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