Singapore Air Show 2014, where we fly on Chinook and planes look like dummies.

It was Singapore airshow last weekend and we were lucky to get our hands on the ticket and even balloted for a ride on Chinook! Till date, I can't believed that there were 80,000 tickets made available for the weekend for Singapore airshow and it was a sold out.

A little profile about the Singapore airshow

Singapore Airshow is Asia's largest and one of the most important aerospace and defence exhibitions in the world. It is where the latest state-of-the-art systems and equipment, together with their related technologies and developments, are displayed by top aerospace companies around the world. 2014 marks the third edition of the biennial event.

With security checks and having to battle through a large crowd, the transfer trip to the show took quite a while. We were lucky enough to still be able to catch the aerobatic show by Singapore's RSAF Black Knights. The show was not bad, but not amazing. While I would like to support our very own local talent, I actually prefer the aerial show by South Korea's ROKAF Black Eagles later in the afternoon. Not a fair comparison, because the Black Eagles probably get more air time practice, but as an audience, you can only compare what you see. 

Performance by RSAF's Black Knights. The sun was super glaring.

You suddenly realised that EVERY Singaporeans seem to own a DSLR.

The event space was HUGE. A quick Google revealed that the site boasted a 40,000 square metres of fully air-conditioned exhibition hall, 2,000 parking lots for trade visitors and motorists as well as 100,000 square metres of outdoor space for exhibitions and functions. Being the usual bad-at-directions person, I didn't realised it was so near to the terminals. 

The new F35. Very sleek.

 

This has got to be Stacey's favourite plane - Osprey! The nacelles can be rotated, 90 degrees for a more fuel efficient, higher speed capability or at 80 degrees to quickly achieve high altitude and speed.

We had to queue for about an hour each to get onto the planes for photography. Given the limited amount of time, we had to be strategic in our decision and decided on the Apache and a cool F16 fighter jet.

It felt like a theme park. We had to queue for the ticket to go board the planes, which took us about an hour each.

The F16 fighter jet. Noticed the lady on the plane? Apparently she's the second female pilot in Singapore! *Salutes*

 

   I wanted to take a photo of this because this is what we are going to ride on later! Chinook! 

 

We had to ballot for tickets to get the tickets for the ride and I have to say that we were really lucky. It was another shuttle ride to the place to the board the Chinook, and we got to ride through the restricted area. No photography was allowed, but just looking at what's inside the restricted area is already an eye-opener by itself. There's street soccer and basketball courts, and plane shelters that you only get to see in movies like Pearl Harbour. 

On board the Chinook, where they lowered the loading ramp to reveal a magnificent landscape view.

The inside of a Chinook.

And then we were back on land after being airborne for 30 minutes. This time, to catch the next round of aerobatics flying show.

Performance by South Korea's ROKAF Black Eagles.

The Black Knights having their eyes on the Black Eagles.

An arrow through the heart? Aww~

Time flies, and it was already late in the afternoon. Seeing the queue heading back to Expo MRT. We decided to spend some time in the exhibition halls in hope that the crowd will lessen by the time we join the queue.

Despite having to suffer from sunburns and having asked a lot of what-appears-to-be-dumb questions to my friends, e.g. why can't an aeroplane land on a helipad, preconception that planes parked underground in a desert so that the planes do not get covered during times of sandstorm, why can't planes be loaded with more fire weapon, etc., it was, all in all, an eventful day.

Thank you for reading.

♥ ZM & Kim

Anna Wintour: There is something about fashion that can make people really nervous.

As Anna Wintour puts in very clearly, there's something about fashion that can make people really nervous. After working for close to 4 years, I've decided to ditch a stable career for something unpredictable. I know I know. I have mentioned this umpteen times already. It's been 1 month since I fully focused on the online store but the progress has been slow. 

Slow because there's alot of things waiting to be found out.

Slow because FASHION seems to be another universe on its own. 

Slow because I'm not a usually patient person.

Plowing through articles and articles about fashion, blogposts written by fashion bloggers, there's no denial that the elusive word, FASHION, does make people like me nervous. The word CONSTANT has been in my dictionary for the past 26 years in my life, or at least knowing where I am heading but FASHION changes every season, every month, every week down to every second. Microtrends, macrotrends and megatrends are loitering around in that particular corner, eager to reveal itself when people are least guarded. 

Being a pessimist in nature, this journey is not going to be easy. I need to believe in myself and persevere. Like what aiks says, be armed with a blind optimism. Hopefully I will be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel very soon. *Pessimism looming**

Thank you for reading.

♥ ZM & Kim

4 Lessons from an Entrepreneurial Career

I've been working from home since January. While it has only been one month since I officially started on my online fashion business, it has not been easy mentally. The uncertainty of whether you are doing the right thing, and whether you will eventually get there can be daunting. 

I only know a handful of entrepreneur friends and David happens to be one of them. He's so approachable and chatty that there is rarely any awkward silence when you meet him. And today, I decided to visit him at his own entrepreneurial venture, Wee's collection - which specializes in the buying, selling & renting of vintage items from Post War Days right up to the 1970s. It has been a good 1.5 years since he turned this passion of his (since he was 16) into a full-time career and it was a joy seeing the vast collection of vintage items and knowing that it has been doing well. 

Wee's Collection

512 Changi Road, Singapore 419913

The main purpose of the visit was really to catch up and gain some insights into an entrepreneurial career. Four points that I took away from our conversation:

1. Focus - Personally I agree that it is easy to fall into the trap of wanting to achieve everything, especially when ideas start to flow. But, point to self, stay focus. Set milestones along the way. It's easier to direct one's energy and hit one milestone at one time than to achieve everything at one go.

2. Find means and ways to reach out to your target market - Reach out to your audience base using different marketing means, even if it requires you to put in plenty of effort, plenty of legwork and multiple rejections. It will eventually pay off.

3. Be patient - Unless your product/service is out-of-the-world, one-of-its-kind, it takes time to see if it will eventually work out. Be patient, strategise.

4. Network - Network and know more people, both within the trade and people whom you need to know in order to make your job easier. Help them out so that they have a reason to help you in return.

Some sneaks that is really not representative of the collection that he had. Head down to see more ;)

Did you know that bicycles in Singapore used to have number plate?

Thank you for reading.

♥ ZM & Kim

My Favourite Red Carpet Best-Dressed @ Golden Globes 2014

As with each year of Golden Globe Awards, the red carpet fashion is as glamourous as the awards ceremony itself. Here, I've rounded some of my favourite red carpet best dressed.

In my search of the photos, this really funny #jlawphotobomb moment is one not to be missed. This time round, Jennifer Lawrence has done it on Taylor Swift. Definitely brightens up the mid week blues.

Jennifer Lawrence in Christian Dior Couture

Taylor Swift in Carolina Herrera

I've come to realise my liking for vintage fashion after watching 500 days of summer (here). This time round, Caitlin Fitzgerald seemed to have nailed the retro vibes better than Zooey Deschanel. I like the combination of vintage and modern elements - how the classic fit and flare goes in a modern fresh blue colour and balanced up with the undone hair, tangerine lipstick and carefully chosen accessories.

Caitlin Fitzgerald in Emilia Wickstead

This is a difficult gown to carry off, but Cate Blanchett looks clean and classic in it.

Cate Blanchett in Armani Prive, Jimmy Choo, Chopard

While I have to agree that Lupita Nyong'o looks gorgeous in the red Ralph Lauren caped gown, I felt that it resembles too much of the Tom Ford gown (here). I, instead, prefer Michelle Dockery's sequined Oscar de la Renta dress with a mullet hem and monochromatic gold pumps. Stunning!

Michelle Dockery in Oscar De La Renta, Bulgari

Thank you for reading.

♥ ZM & Kim

500 days of summer. Love it!

 

I know I'm late to this movie... but, I have to say. THIS IS WAY BEYOND AWESOME.

A really simple plot yet it is able to clearly articulate a story - a story of a boy and a girl. Classified as a rom-com, I prepped myself for a oh-so-cliché plot, thinking that it would make me feel warm and fuzzy inside and go gaga over the male or female leads. Indeed, the casts are worth swooning over. But what really caught me was the plot. Presented in a non-linear, non-fanciful way. 500 days of summer tells a compelling story that people can totally relate to. Really. I'm all in. 

Watch it if you have not. Trust me. It's worth 90 minutes of your time. 

I'm sure I'm going to blog about Zooey Deschanel pretty soon. Her style and her character, it's simply impeccable.

 

Thank you for reading.

♥ ZM & Kim