If you’re looking to improve your all-round health and learn how to live in the moment, hot yoga might just be the answer. And there’s no big secret to it. “Hot yoga is essentially Hatha yoga, which is the big umbrella; the physical form of yoga. Most other styles of yoga fall under Hatha. It’s just that hot yoga is practiced in a room that’s been heated up to temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celcius,” explains Diane Lee, founder of Bikram Yoga City Hall.

Heat For Life
Any person worth his or her kettle bells will know this universal rule of exercise: You must warm up before your session. But in an already heated room, your body quickly eases into exercise mode, reducing any chance of injury caused by exertion. The excessive sweating involved in practicing hot yoga is also a useful means of detoxification. As the sweat pours from your body, toxins are released through your skin. The environment in which you are practicing also trains you to breathe well, opening your lungs to their fullest capacity.

”With hot yoga, I don’t even have to follow a specific diet because it really speeds up my metabolism,” explains Tara Moralez, an experienced yogi. Fellow yogi Elaine Ee agrees. “Since I started practicing Bikram yoga, which is hot yoga with a systematic set of 26 postures, my metabolism has been like a furnace; it burns up everything I eat so I can eat pretty much what I want, whenever I want!” she tells us.

In such a challenging physical environment, you have no choice but to focus on the present moment. As you practice doing this regularly, you may find your mental stamina improving. For yoga teacher Alison Fisher from Hom Yoga, that means more willpower, patience and focus, all a huge help when dealing with daily life.

Where to Drop It Like It’s Hot

Bikram Yoga City Hall

The first authorized Bikram studio in Singapore, Bikram Yoga City Hall was founded by marketing consultant Diane Lee, who at the time was suffering from numerous ailments despite a rigorous gym routine. Inspired by the Bikram method of hot yoga, Lee decided to make a career out of it. The studio has even seen people suffering from slipped discs, chronic hepatitis and even Parkinson’s disease coming in for classes. “They all experience improvement in movement,” says Lee.
Where: #02-14 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Rd., 6339-6639.
How much: A single drop-in class costs $43 while a one-week unlimited pass for beginners costs $100.

Hom Yoga

Offering a fresh and modern approach to the practice of hot yoga, Hom Yoga conducts its classes in spacious rooms bathed in natural light. State of the art heating systems are also fitted in the studios to draw fresh air from outside to heat the room to the specified temperature. Here, you can ease into a variety of hot yoga styles, including Hot Hom, Hot Hatha and Hot Flow, taught by experienced yoga instructors. Eco-conscious yogis will also appreciate the use of energy efficient lighting, a filtered water fountain and eco-friendly cleaning products in the studio.
Where: #02-01, 3 Canton St., 6438-0103.
How much: A single drop-in class costs $39 while a monthly membership will set you back $370.

Pure Yoga

Pure are one of the more prominent fitness brands in Asia, and their professionalism is undeniable. Despite their location in one of the busiest parts of town, Pure manage to create a calming, sanctuary-like ambiance and the facility is equipped with excellent shower and security facilities, a retail space and a lounge with day beds and Wi-Fi access. Pure offer a full range of programs, including hot Hatha and classic classes, which are perfect for beginners.
Where: #04-00 Chevron House, 30 Raffles Place., 6304-2257.
How much: A single drop-in class costs $50 while 10 classes will set you back $459.

Updog Studio

The newest addition to chef Emmanuel Stroobant’s empire is the Updog Studio, a joint effort with certified yoga teachers Betty Kong and Andrea Yeo. While the studio’s focus is on hot yoga, it also provides other types of classes. In addition, there’s an extensive range of yoga-related products on sale such as apparel, mats, books and DVDs.
Where: #02-05A Playground @ Big Splash, Blk. B 902 East Coast Parkway, 6440-0282.
How much: A one-month unlimited membership costs $299.

You know you should be eating less, drinking way less, or at the very least exercising when your clothes are threatening to rebel. Unfortunately, the only kind of running I’ve been doing is from one appointment to another or chasing after cabs—in heels, no less.  It’s been a blur of festivities, and it’s not over yet. I reckon if everyone celebrated birth months, we’d all be happier people. I was seriously bummed out that I couldn’t make it to Sydney for AC/DC’s “Black Ice” gig earlier this year (despite having already been gifted the concert tickets from a good girlfriend of mine). A fact I was reminded of when I attended a lunch event at Sage, The Restaurant (7 Mohamed Sultan Rd., 6333-8726), courtesy of Meat & Livestock Australia. Served up by Chef Jusman So, I was treated to a five-course meal that showcased meats from down under in dishes such as roast beef rump carpaccio and lavender-glazed lamb shoulder on lentil cassoulet. The comforting beef au gratin, with achingly tender cubes of buttocks braised in red wine, was my favorite (pants down). 

I also managed to head down to martini bar @ mezza9 (Mezzanine Level, Grand Hyatt Singapore, 10 Scotts Rd., 6738-1234) for some seriously delicious cocktails. Jamey Merkel, Beam Global Asia’s mixologist, and martini bar’s Vasantha Kumar, have created seven original cocktails ($17) to add on to their already illustrious list. I made sure to try all of them, you know, for research purposes. Crowd pleasers were the honey pandan and lemon custard, but mine was the fruity 4b martini with a lovely lingering basil note.

Good news if you like stacks of pancakes (anyone who doesn’t should be mocked and ignored, not necessarily in that order). Strictly Pancakes (44A Prinsep St., 6333-4202) has opened up right beside Le Bistrot du Sommelier, serving both sweet and savory options. I’m thinking of popping by for brekkie on the weekend, if I can bring myself to get out of bed. A sweet spot called Dessert Ministry (#01-03 Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, 8 Grange Rd., 9819-0787) has also decided to join in the fun. Specializing in Asian desserts, I’m keen to try their D24 durian daifuku and matcha steamed milk with egg white.

Everyone knows about the wildly famous 328 Katong Laksa, Sin Hoi Sai Eating House, Boon Tong Kee and Chin Mee Chin Confectionery (just to name a few); this is a foodie heritage haven after all. But aside from the classics, a bunch of new eateries have sprung up and now call this picturesque area home. There’s no doubt that the landscape of available cuisines has changed, and for the better, too. We’ve scouted around to bring you some of Katong’s new kids on the block.

The French Bakery

148 East Coast Rd., 6344-6826.
Just a month old, we were pleased to find various treats such as green tea financiers ($2.50/box of three) and rum chestnut cake ($4)—an almond sponge base, layered with chestnut paste and rum mousse. They also offer up some savories, including butter croissants and other flaky pastries. But we’d go straight for their scrumptious mini lemon cheese tarts ($1.20); crisp, lightly-sweetened pastry shells cradling a cream cheese filling tinged with zesty lemon. The chocolate fudge cake ($4.90) that they put out is also a winner, satisfyingly chocolatey without being the least bit cloying.  

Joo Joo

131 East Coast Rd., 6346-7604.
Housed in the same space as Awfully Chocolate (its parent company) and Mooshi Bakes, this casual kushiyaki (Japanese grilled dishes) joint is bustling with hungry patrons. Or maybe it’s just the overflow from folks looking for baked goods. Either way, this is the place to hit up for a quick nibble or even a full-fledged meal. Choose from skewers such as pork belly with quail’s eggs and miso ($4.90), chicken thigh and leek with sea salt ($3.90) and scallops with garlic butter dressing ($5.90). For something more substantial, pile on the carbs with a helping of their cha siu and egg rice ($3.90).
 

Mooshi Bakes

131 East Coast Rd., 6346-0984.
Also under the same family as Awfully Chocolate, this pastry shop is a well-oiled machine, despite having opened only two months ago. It continues to supply all the bread for the Everything with Fries and EwF outlets, as well as offering its own goodies (all of which are baked on the premises daily, so you can be assured of freshness). Substantial-sized cream puffs (not those dainty, wimpy ones), Bartlett pear frangipane and strawberry cheese tarts are all tempting options. Aside from their namesake mooshi breads, they also offer a spinach loaf (the perfect way to get tots or big kids like ourselves to eat greens). If it’s good enough for Popeye, it’s definitely good enough for us.
 

Pavé Chocolates & Confections

93 East Coast Rd., 6342-0677.
Our new favorite dessert parlor, set up by four friends of greedy disposition (their words, not ours). When we first discovered it two months ago, the décor and menu were admittedly a little sparse. But as they say, good things come to those who wait (so we did, albeit grudgingly). And in this short span of time, Pavé’s really started to come into its own. This quaint patisserie makes some mean chocolates. Case in point, the Ooze ($14.90). Bite into this sinfully dark chocolate bar, studded with cocoa nibs, which hides a seductive sea-salted caramel. We know a Parisian who’ll gladly venture across town for their bonbons. Another unique creation is their Laputa Blanco ($8.50), a creamy thyme-scented hazelnut and almond frozen parfait. These kitchen dwellers are always experimenting with different flavors and recipes, which suits us just fine.

Temptations

91 East Coast Rd., 6440-9200. 
Right next door, you’ll find a two story shop house. The first floor is part café, part patisserie (with freshly baked cakes and breads on display), while the second is a warm and cozy dining room. That’s thanks primarily to the generous use of wood-tables, chairs, couches and flooring, with ivory accents scattered around (inverted umbrella lights add a touch of whimsy to the inviting feel of the place). Texan chef Randy Torres whips up hearty, home-style comfort food, such as their house tomato soup ($7.50). Other dishes to try include the Maryland style crab cake ($10), with a julienned cucumber-herb salad, and his chicken saltimbocca pasta ($16.50)—spinach tagliatelle barely coated in a light Marsala cream, topped with a piece of grilled chicken, sweet caramelized onions, crisp prosciutto and fried sage that make for a symphony of textures and flavors.

Also look out for:
Coccogelo
#01-01, 89 East Coast Rd., 6345-3646.
We had a peek into this alluring, well-designed gelato establishment (even though it isn’t officially open for business yet, hopefully by the end of the month). And boy, are we glad we did! Several tasting spoons of gelato later (thanks to kind owner J.J.), we knew we’d be back. We won’t ruin the surprise for the rest of you, but it’s yet another good reason to make the trek out.

Mookata
103 East Coast Rd., 6344-2985.
From what we’ve been told by the owners, this will be a traditional Thai seafood barbeque restaurant that’s opening for business this weekend. We’ll keep you posted. Or if you beat us to it, don’t forget to report back.

Ramen Culture
#01-01, 85 East Coast Rd., 6345-1998.
A few doors down from Coccogelo, Ramen Culture has staked out their spot on the stretch. As this is the second outlet of the Japanese noodle joint (their first is in ICON Village), you can expect more of the same delicious black pig ramen. 

Oldies but goodies

328 Katong Laksa
216 East Coast Rd., 9732-8163.

Boon Tong Kee
199 East Coast Rd., 6478-1462.

Chin Mee Chin Confectionery
204 East Coast Rd., 6345-0419.

Sin Hoi Sai Eating House
187 East Coast Rd., 6440-6956.

A/X
You don’t have to spend a bomb to look like a million bucks, as A/X (Armani Exchange)’s Fall collection will testify. Its “Speed Style” collection is exactly that, featuring hard-edged characters roaming with a rugged sense of elegance and sexual intrigue (just check out its latest video campaign). The guys can rough it out in tough leather military jackets and blazers, coupled with trooper vests and wool active pants that will take you through season after season, while the girls can look forward to diamond-accented black jackets and glamorous black dresses that won’t look out of the place at work or play.
Available at #B1-03 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard turn, 6304-1369.

Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair
Fusing the best elements of British and Japanese fashion, the autumn collection for Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair is anything but boring. The men’s collection, especially, is inspired by the old gentlemen’s look but with a twist—featuring pieces like double coated college jackets and bowler hats in black—certainly one for aspiring dandys. For the girls, basic tees and cut up gothic dresses (see left) should do the trick.
Available at #02-13/14 Hilton Shopping Gallery, 581 Orchard Rd., 6836-8413.

Sifr
Always good for well-made basics, the guys behind local menswear label Sifr have upped their ante even further with their latest “Wax Coated Icicles” collection. Nothing cold here, except really cool black coated twill pants and pre-washed shorts that will have you looking like a clued-in man about town in no time.
Available at Know It Nothing, 51 Haji Lane, 6392-5475.

Tsumori Chisato
If you still need to add some playfulness to your collection, the Fall/Winter collection by quirky Jap label Tsumori Chisato should do the trick. Inspired by the planets and certain cartoon characters, black dresses, tops and harem pants come with embellishments like gold embroidery for that luxe factor. Never mind that you’ll look like you just rolled out of bed; these comfortable, evergreen pieces will have come in useful year after year.
Available at Blackjack, #01-10 Forum the Shopping Mall, 583 Orchard Rd., 6735-0975.

Twenty 8 Twelve
If you insist on looking fashionably forward, just buy into British actress Sienna Miller’s latest clothing label Twenty8Twelve because the girl certainly has her eye on the pulse. Not one to unnecessarily stray into colors, Miller has come up with a set of reliably chic black pieces for the hipster in you. You can’t go wrong with eye-catching pieces like wool dresses with frilly shoulder trimmings that are all the rage right now, as well as deconstructed blazers and jackets, and well-fitted tights.
Available at Blackjack, #01-10 Forum the Shopping Mall, 583 Orchard Rd., 6735-0975.

The buzz: Love the speed and adrenalin of F1 but missed the race? Fret not—now you can soak in the glamour anytime at luxurious Italian brand Ferrari’s new store at Marina Bay Sands.
 

The vibe: If you’re a fan of the brand, you’ll definitely be staying for a while. The store’s furnishing epitomizes Ferrari’s focus on high quality through the use of soft leather and sleek brushed lacquer. Even the display concept characterizes the tradition and spirit of the brand with its dynamic lines representing the features of its race cars.
 

The goods: The line of products available is made with remarkable craftsmanship and uses only the best grade of materials. One that stands out is the All-Over Prancing Horse Collection of luggage bags ($3,859) with genuine calfskin trimming, contrasting stitching, personalized metal accessories and handcrafted details, complete with the “Prancing Horse” motif. It comes in two choice colors— beige background with brown leather trim and ecru stitching or navy background with grey—to offer an even more personalized fashion statement. The genuine leather jacket ($1,699) is also rather special; made entirely from ultra-soft washed buffalo hide for that vintage look—an absolute must-have for any Ferrari fan.
 

Why you’ll be back: It’s called style in the fast lane, baby.
 

#01-60/61 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Ave., 6688-7117. Open Sun-Thu 11am-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 11am-midnight.

With an eye to the modern, lifestyle-savvy woman, luxury brand Coach recently launched its first fragrance—a palatable concoction of fruity florals like green mandarin and lush violet petals with a luxurious sandalwood and amber wood finish. One for the chic and sophisticated among you. $36 upwards from #B1-129 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Ave., 6222-1771.

Followers of local bands I Am David Sparkle and Amberhaze will want to get their hands on these limited edition tees by indie record label KittyWu and clothing label Praise, which come wrapped in a cool vinyl sleeve and even include a free music compilation featuring the groups. $35 from Praise, #02-04 Orchard Cineleisure, 8 Grange Rd., 6735-3122.

Coyote

Sivadon Bldg., 1/2 Soi Convent, Silom Rd., 02-631-2324. Open daily 11am-1am. BTS Saladeang
With their seven-day happy hour (buy-one-get-one-free margarita: Mon-Fri 3pm-7pm and Sat-Sun 11am-7pm), getting held up by the rain at this Mexican-themed joint may actually be the best thing that happens to you all day. Plus the ultra-bright décor should brighten up any cloudy moods.

Saxophone Pub

3 Phayathai Rd., 02-246-5472. Open daily 9am-1:30am. www.saxophonepub.com. BTS Victory Monument
Having just celebrated its 24-year anniversary, this place is the city’s institution for jazz lovers and musicians alike. Thanks to its tight lineup across the week, led by the go-to saxophonist Mr. Koh Saxman and renowned producer Neung Jakkawal, you’re guaranteed a fun hip-swaying session whenever the rain forces you to swing by.

The Black Swan

326/8-9 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-626-0257. Open daily 11:30-1am. BTS Asok
With its homely wood furniture, vintage bric a brac and fireplace, this two-story English pub, right under the BTS, will definitely help warm you up on a rainy day. While you’re there, take advantage of the happy hour (daily from 2pm-7pm) and knock back a couple of pints from as cheap as B100.

Cocowalk

Phayathai Rd. (opposite Asia Hotel). BTS Ratchathewi
This enclave of lao pan (liquor shaken with ice served in a jug) joints and laid-back eateries is mostly frequented by flip-flop-wearing uni students – great footwear for rain-flooded streets. A perfect place to while away the hours until the storm passes.

99 Problems - Hugo: We’re digging this old-school, bluesy re-interpretation of Jay-Z’s hard-hitting original.

Dogs Day Are Over (Yeasayer Remix) - Florence + The Machine: Apart from Lady Gaga’s meat dress, who can forget Florence Welch’s ethereal live performance of this anthem at the VMA? Here’s a slightly tamer treatment of the song courtesy of psych-pop indie outfit Yeasayer.

Alors On Danse - Stromae: A stoned-looking Belgian/Rwandan dude rapping in French over Eurodance beats: it’s so wrong but it’s oh-so-right.

Interstellar - Gramaphone Children: Remixer Jaree Thanapura of Gramaphone Children, pays homage to the glorious 80s he grew up in with this electro sythpop.

Hands - The Ting Tings: The delight-ful Brit duo is back, delivering their usual quirky fun.

24.7 - Singular: Former choir crooner Sin and acoustic guitarist Nut manage to create a decent piece of bossa nova without falling back on Michael Jackson’s back catalogue.

2 Trees - Foals: The Oxford postpunk quintet delivers yet another serving of melancholy, topped with a good chunk of heartbreaking strings. It’s the same somberness we loved in previous single “Spanish Sahara.”

Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars: Leave Bieber to the tweens and embrace the more soulful and age-appropriate Bruno Mars.

Leave It Here - Singto Numchoke: If you’re not already by the sea, this breezy number by our very own Jason Mraz will make you wish you were.

I Want You - Cee-Lo Green: Taking a break from Gnarls Barkley, the king of neo-soul rolls out a smooth hum-along from his upcoming solo album The Lady Killer.

Any half-decent smartphone can pinpoint your location and give you a map to your destination. But that’s not navigation. What you want is a real co-pilot that gives you turn-by-turn directions as in, “In 300 meters, take a left.” An iPhone app like TomTom Thailand will do just that for around B1,800 but Nokia includes a navigation device for free in its better phones. To test Nokia’s Ovi Map, we put it up against a dedicated in-car GPS device, the WayWay.

Nokia Ovi Maps

maps.ovi.com
Ovi features real-time navigation on its frequently-updated maps. As well as road and street names, they also include restaurants, schools, malls, hospitals, and hotels. There’s even a 3D mode for those that can’t read maps. Plus, additional content from Lonely Planet and Michelin on certain models.
The good: Easy to use and with specific modes depending on whether you’re on foot or driving. Ovi Maps also offers a lifetime of free updates, unlike car GPS systems. You can also share your location to Facebook in the same way as Foursquare (when Facebook actually starts offering the service in Thailand).
The bad: Even with Nokia’s biggest touchscreen phone (the N97, for example), it can still be quite tricky to see what’s going on while cruising at 120kph. And even though the map is free, you still need to pay for EDGE/GPRS internet while using it.
Price: Free with your Nokia X series, N series, E series, 67XX series, 5800, 5230 and 2710 Navigation Edition. www.nokia.com

WayWayQ5031

www.wayway.com.hk
This is a proper GPS navigator that can be placed on the front windscreen. It features a 5” TFT touchscreen, an audio-video player, a speaker and 8MB memory card.
The good: The big screen offers a clear view of the map and the touchscreen function makes it easy to navigate. This all works directly with a satellite so there are no extra internet costs. The 3D view looks very cool, even though it tends to lag a bit.
The bad: In Bangkok, the map is still unaware of a few one-way streets, which can really confuse it.
Price: B9,900 at Powerbuy (5/F, Central Chidlom, Ploenchit Road.
02-655-7691).

The Verdict

Nokia’s Ovi system works much better than what comes free in other phones (although that can be corrected by buying an app). Still, it’s no match for a dedicated GPS. If you drive a lot (or just get lost a lot), get the real thing.