Galleria Italiana is a multi-brand luxury fashion boutique featuring high quality Italian leather goods and carries brands such as GABS, Piquadro, Braccialini and Gherardini.

Galleria Italiana is the brainchild of two friends, one with business contacts in Italy and the other armed with extensive experience in retailing luggage and personal leather goods across Southeast Asia. Conceptualized to be a multi-label retail gallery showcasing established Italian products in Southeast Asia markets, Galleria Italiana is targeted at discerning consumers who value good quality leather, exquisite craftsmanship, as well as modern, yet classic styles.

Galleria Italiana’s boutique has been designed by Kevin Yeo, a local but London-based award-winning designer, and features a showroom-within-a-store concept which emphasizes clean lines, effortless style and chic comfort.

GABS is a Florentine leather goods company that produces high quality bags and accessories which are made in Italy. The brand is all about colour, transformation and versatility, allowing the bags to easily modify shape, thereby creating up to give different shapes from one bag. Each GABS bag is meant as a passe-partout, an all-purpose bag to eliminate monotony and conformity. The brand was formed in 1999 by Franco Gabbrielli, who was able to dream and visualize beyond the ordinary bag, so he invented a series of transforming objet d'art that can both change dimensions and be functional as bags. The brand strives to distinguish itself by the use of colours and materials. 

• Change the shape of the bag 3 different ways, as shown in the collage
• Comes with a pliable leather bag bottom to give your bag more shape
• Comes with a free recycling bag, if you decide to head to NTUC on a whim 
• The interior is made of jeans cloth material, so it's very durable! 
• Mini notepad keychain. 2-in-1 Stationery and Bag Accessory
• Customizable bag designs for you to pin on your bag, switch em' up! 
• Comes with a long strap for you to change it from a tote to a sling bag!  

Braccialini was founded as a leather goods company in 1954 by Carla Braccialini and her husband, Roberto Braccialini. Carla is the creative spirit and extraordinary  visionary behind the Braccialini brand. She wanted her purses to have authentic flair, pure fancy and bright colours so that they were not ordinary purses or bags, but a sort of magical means to break free and travel into a world of dreams, where surprise was the passport. Her bags had to be a storyteller that stirred things up with unexpected tales. Carla intended to invent an eternal and universal style that blended passion and charisma, personality and liberty; remaining elegant, feminine and tasteful. 

The Gherardini brand boasts an impressive history; the very expression of renowned Florentine craftsmanship and artisan skill. Gherardini family members ran the company until 1990, giving it a unique fingerprint in style and workmanship. They implemented the most revered traditions creating unique products. Tradition, craftsmanship and the Made in Italy label are still the distinguishing features of Gherardini. 

Tintamar is established in 2003 by its current CEO, Mrs Edith Petit. The name Tintamar was derived from a virgin island in the Caribbean, reflecting the young vibe and dynamism if the brand.  

Tintamar embraces the creative philosophy of "intelligent daily bags". With this as guide, Tintamar designers aim to create original concepts, always looking after new material combinations, fresh colour and trendy styles, until they obtain the perfect balance between functionality and design. 

Araldi roots were founded by the Pierpaolo family at the end of the 19th century producing high quality saddlery in Recanatia a small village near Ancona, Italy. The company continued to grow through the years, with each generation of the Pierpaoli family striving to uphold their tradition of high quality hand-made craftsmanship paired with a great attention to detail. 

Specializing in men's belts and small leather goods, Araldi also offers a range of shoes, bags and travel goods for the modern man who appreciates a touch of history. The brand philosophy is to integrate Italian artisan craftsmanship with the newest technology. The designs are exclusive and distinctive and reflect the careful balance between tradition and modernity. All products are made in Italy by master artisans in their historical production site in Vimercate. 

Labels: Events, Lifestyle

Awkward Situation #1: The Ultrasound Scan

Saturday, October 20, 2012 | 4:00 pm | 0 comments

Me: why do people like t show others their baby ultrasound scans? I don't even know how to react to seeing a black dot, or as technology has improved - a brown blob of potato-lookalike.

Mum: These people ding dong ah!? Isn't an ultrasound scan a private thing? Or at least it was in my time. 

HAHA. Precisely how I feel when people insist on stuffing their ultrasound scans in my face. 

It gets worse when they look at me expectantly, waiting for me to exclaim or yell in excitement.

Were you expecting a:

OMG THAT'S SO CUTE!!! CONGRATULATIONS! 

or

Wow this is so cool how many weeks now?

or

I'm so happy for you!!!  

or 

ALL OF THE ABOVE?!

 You wanna explain to me how a black dot or a brown blob is cute?

Cute is subjective. 

Some people think clowns are cute; whereas some find it frightful.

You might think a black dot is cute, but I beg to differ. 

You only find it cute cuz it's YOUR baby. You can feel it in your womb. That's love.

 But for the rest of us mere mortals?

 Nada. Zilch.

For that same reason, I have no idea how people can exclaim over the cuteness of a black dot when being cornered with a potential parent waving the ultrasound scan. You really think it's cute?!?! Congrats on your well-honed pre-developed motherly instincts. Maybe I'm heartless but, a black dot is not cute. Or maybe you were forced by circumstances to say that. 

As the saying goes, if you can't say anything nice then shut the hell up. 

So I did. 

It was the only polite thing I can do without seeming heartless. 

Then I get bombarded with:

WHY IS YOUR EXPRESSION SO WEIRD??

or

Well?? What do you have to say?

or

NOT CUTE MEH?
Why didn't you exclaim or say something?!?

or 

ALL OF THE ABOVE. 

How do I tell you that I am NOT INTERESTED!? 

It's rude right, so I settled for a smile and the universally politically correct answer:

"Oh, I just don't really know how to look at an ultrasound scan." 

At this point some kind-hearted well-meaning person will want to start explaining the finer details of looking at an ultrasound scan to you. *face palm*

To which, I will find some reason to be momentarily engaged so I don't have to partake in any of this.

Why oh why do these people think the whole world feels the same as them about their unborn baby??

Don't they realize it's such an awkward social situation for the rest of the people? 

Or at least the heartless non-maternal type??

Image taken HERE

Once, when showed a 4D ultrasound scan, I did not realize it's an ultrasound scan. 

I thought it was a POLAROID SHOT.

That's how much of an idiot I am. 

But that's not the worst. 

I thought the brown blob in the picture was a potato.

Image taken HERE

 I was still wondering why this person decided to show me a polaroid shot of a potato.

So bewildered. 

Good thing I kept my thoughts to myself cuz a minute later said person announced it's his unborn baby. 

LUCKY I KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT.

Then I endured through the necessary niceties and took the first opportunity I had to be "momentarily engaged". This allows for other more interested parties to partake in the "festivities" of the situation. 

Sighs. 

Sometimes I just wish there were less socially awkward situations.

Life. 

Why you so difficult?!

Labels: Oct2012, Thoughts

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Thursday, October 18, 2012 | 3:00 pm | 0 comments

There are so many things I love about this movie. 

Not gonna waste letters on telling you about the plot cuz it's not something mere words can describe. 

You have to experience it to be able to understand it. 

This whole movie is an experience. 

It might be written from a 16 year old's point of view but it is strangely similar to what a person will go through at every stage of his/her life. It's deep, it's emotional and it connects. This is what a good movie is all about, connection with the audience. 

Most awesome song I've ever heard, this movie is full of great music. 

One of my favourite scenes from the movie. 

Carefree. 

At least, for the moment. 

I LOVE SAM'S ROOM. 

LOVE.

I DON'T EVEN CARE THAT IT'S PINK. 

IF IT LOOKS THAT DREAMY AND COSY, IT CAN JOLLY WELL BE SWEET PINK. 

AND THAT WINDOW SEAT!!! 

Sitting there and watching the rain outside, reading a book, or daydreaming away.  

Sighhhs..how idealistic. 

The best quote in the movie. 

Yes we are. 

Shall end this with a quote I found while searching for movie stills. 

I think this quote sums up the essence of the movie as well. 

Wallflower or not, just feel good in your own skin and everything will fall into place perfectly. 

“Of course, men like long hair. There’s no two ways about it. The majority of the boys around me were like, “Why did you do that? That’s such an error.” And I was like, “Well, honestly, I don’t really care what you think!” I’ve never felt so confident as I did with short hair—I felt really good in my own skin.” — Emma Watson

Verdict: 5/5

Great music, great plot, great acting. 

This is one movie that I will watch again and again. 

Oh and read the book too, please go on sale. 

Pictures from Tumblr.

Labels: Movies, Oct2012

Itacho Sushi: Quality Taste

Monday, October 15, 2012 | 5:00 pm | 0 comments

Itacho is my new favourite sushi place, because of it's quality sushi at affordable prices. 

I've wrote an entry about it when I visited the Ion Orchard branch, and now I'm at the Plaza Singapura branch. Now you must be thinking, it's the same company, how can there be any difference?!

I am here to tell you, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. 

Just like how the Sakae Sushi at Wheelock tastes better than the branch at Northpoint, Itacho Sushi cannot escape the same fate. 

Now let's start the comparisons, and try some new dishes which I missed out last time!

SMOKED SALMON WITH BLACK PEPPER

Salmon slices were a little on the thin side at the Plaza Sing branch. 

Smoked flavour not as strong too. 

A teeny bit of a letdown, if I have to compare. 

Avocado and soft shell crab ROLLs

Whoo hooo love avocado! 

This is just as good as the one at Ion Orchard branch. 

Thumbs up! 

LObSTER AND mAngo SaLad roll 

Mango is a little small today hmm.. 

But taste wise, かんぺきです！

ROASTED SCALLOP WITH FLYING FISH 

I just wanna ask, why your scallop smaller todaay?! 

If your flying fish roe got any tinier, it's going to disappear into the stratosphere. 

I can barely taste them. 

Check out the picture of the same dish I had at the Ion Orchard branch a few months back. 

QUALITY CONTROL PLEASE! 

The difference is a little too big ah Itacho! 

So yes, the scallops were disappointing that day. Not gonna order them again. 

SOFT SHELL CRAB HAND ROLL

Sakae Sushi your softshell crab handroll fail already. 

This is 100x better. No offense. 

No fan fare and other distracting ingredients stuffed in to divert the customer's attention away from less than perfect rolls. 

The limelight is all on the softshell crab, which didn't disappoint. 

Deep-fried to a crisp outer texture but the insides are still very much juicy and flavourful. 

The seaweed is very crisp and it tastes quite good. 

The rice, needless to say, is very very yummy. Don't overlook the rice, because this is afterall sushi! Every grain is glistening white and it tastes mildly sweet. 

ROASTED EGG WITH SPICY SALMON

This is my new favourite. 

THIS IS WHAT I CALL,

 A REAL JAPANESE ROASTED EGG.

Thick, flavourful and juicy. This just screams I AM EGG EAT ME! 

The spicy salmon adds a zingggg to the overall flavour and it's just so addictive. 

Now I know why the Japanese love this dish and can gobble plates of it with their beer. 

It is really that delicious. 

SPICY SALmOn WITH bEaNcurd

Pretty decent, but nothing extraordinary. Their spicy salmon is really good, as proven above in other dishes so there's guaranteed satisfaction! 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rating: 4/5

The branch at Plaza Singapura is really not as fantastic as the branch of Ion Orchard. 

Check out my other post HERE

The pictures were taken with my iPhone in the previous post whereas in this entry I brought along my camera to snap the shots. Sadly the quality of the sushi couldn't compare to Ion! 

I still love Itacho though, but I won't be visiting the Plaza Sing branch anymore!

68 Orchard Road, #02-35 

Plaza Singapura,Singapore 

Opening Hours:

Sun–Thu: 11am – 10pm 

Fri–Sat: 11am – 11pm

Labels: Food, Oct2012

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