With Halloween barely a month over, last night we had the fun opportunity
to roleplay again.

My friend threw a housewarming party over at his new crib, with a hip-hop
theme. Another occassion to play dress up! Time to bust out all those apple
bottom jeans, boots with da fur.....

I love frontin'~

Hip hop was originally born during the 1970s out of the creative impulse
and cultural improvisation of African-American, Afro-Caribbean and
Latino-American communities living in New York City, more specifically
in the Bronx. The five pillars of hip-hop culture: MCing, DJing,
breakdancing, graffiti, and knowledge. Other elements include beatboxing,
fashion, and slang.

Hip hop has infiltrated such a big part of our mainstream culture, quite
incredible considering not too long ago in history there was still much
intense and unfair discrimination against Black people. It's inspiring then,
that some of today's biggest and wealthiest media moguls are Black hip
hop artistes.

Unlike mainstream pop and rock musicians, who make the bulk of their
earnings from record sales and tours, hip-hop's biggest stars preside over
vast entertainment empires. Gurus of branding and cross-promotion, these
singers, rappers, producers and MCs run their own record labels, design
their own clothing lines, operate bars and restaurants and ink their own
licensing deals for everything from booze to books.

The Top:

1. Jay-Z (a.k.a. Shawn Carter)
$35 million


 
Reclaimed his crown as the top Hip-Hop Cash King despite taking a
steep pay cut from the $82 million he brought in a year ago. The reason?
That figure was inflated by a top-heavy 10-year, $150 million deal he
signed with Live Nation last April. Still had a good year: wrapped up
a huge an international tour, made a groundbreaking appearance at the
U.K.'s Glastonbury Festival and honeymooned with new wife, hip hop
diva Beyonce. Owns a stake in pro basketball's New Jersey Nets and
New York's 40/40 nightclub.


2. Sean "P.Diddy" Combs  
$30 million

Dapper don of hip-hop continues his decade-long run of good fortune.
Diversified Diddy brings in cash from clothing line Sean John, record
label Bad Boy, premium vodka Ciroc and reality TV shows Making the
Band and Run's House. With over 1 million followers and an abundance
of exuberant posts, Diddy is among the most prolific of hip-hop's
Twitterati.

3. Kanye West
$25 million

 

Stayed atop the hip-hop charts with the release of his fourth album,
808s and Heartbreak. Though not as well-received as his prior effort,
the multiplatinum Graduation, experimental oeuvre sold nearly
2 million copies. Last year's "Glow in the Dark" tour included a stop
in his native Chicago to headline the music festival Lollapalooza.
Moonlights as a shoe designer, recently crafting a successful limited-
run Nike line called the Air Yeezy; designed another shoe line for
Louis Vuitton, due out this summer.

4. Dawn Yang
$24 million

Oh mistake, that figure must be in Rupiah or something ;)
I do have some networth you know!

 



Getting crunked



Party's off the hook




Phat afro!






Spotted: J. Lo and P. Diddy in da house!!!!!



Respect.


Go shorty....


Crank up the volume and break away




Fo shizzle



"Forget the watch, rings and overweight chain. Ma networth's really in ma TEETH."


Livin' large



Bounce with it





Crowd favorite hip-hop song of the night:



New York, New York. This anthem track says it all. I love this city.
All it has to offer, all that it inspires.
:)

What are some of your favorite hip hop songs or artistes? Has the culture influenced you in any way?

Why don't we get the best out of people?

Why is it that the kids who score As in Chemistry and Math in school are praised and put on a pedestal, while those who lag behind in those "important" subjects but love art and dance classes, are supposedly not as bright and told to "study harder"?

In an academic system borne out of industrialization, have we have been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers?

Looking back, half of what I learnt in my later schooling years was unnecessary and useless to me now. Oh yes, everyday I do complex solving of logarithm equations, not to mention I am often required to calculate the velocities of light between the angles of incidence and refraction. You know, whenever I turn on the microwave and stuff.

Many subjects forced down my throat in my formal education from age 13 to 18 have little to do with what I am interested in doing for my career. It is more accurate to say that what I was interested in learning, was never even really an option in school. School never did quite nurture my talents; and many I discovered on my own. Yes, I attended some of the best and most exclusive schools in Singapore, but I'll let you in on a secret: after the Cambridge O-levels I actually wanted to go to a Polytechnic. Not as prestigious in people's minds, but more useful I felt. Eventually, I conformed to societal and parental pressures to pursue the more elitist route.

Don't get me wrong, we should all definitely be learned in more than just one area. I am very much for the well-rounded development of a person with basic knowledge in all areas of arts, literature and science. My rigorous education in a multitude of sometimes difficult and boring subjects no doubt helped in the training and sharpening of my mind.

However, in the new and ever-changing revolutionized world we live in today, I do believe that the emphasis of education has been wrongly placed. What worked 70 years ago won't now. We need to rethink our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence for children gifted in different fields. EVERYONE has a talent to contribute to the world. But like Ken Robinson says, "...we ruthlessly squander it away." It will also take time to gradually shift society's attitudes. In Singapore, the government has expressed concerns about this for some years now and I am curious to see how what kind of changes they are going to introduce. (No, that one lame "creative-thinking" module we had in junior college which had everyone going WTH does not count)

That said, what inspired my ramblings was this great video -- it's a MUST WATCH. (Please view this before commenting, otherwise you might misunderstand what I'm driving at) It carries a message with a deep resonance, as well as being very, very funny :) I love British humor and accents!

*Sir Ken Robinson is an internationally recognized leader in the development of
innovation and human resources. He has worked with national governments in
 Europe and Asia, with international agencies, Fortune 500 companies, national
and state education systems, non-profit corporations and some of the world’s
leading cultural organizations.

Genius without education is like silver in the mine - Benjamin Franklin

Las Vegas isn't just famous for its casinos and free drinks; it's also about food, glorious food...

....more specifically, the BUFFETS!

Yes, an all-you-can eat buffet is one of the quintessential Vegas experiences. The other is to wake up

hungover, $10,000 poorer, mystery wedding photos and marriage certificate in hand..  and trust me,

I think you should stick to the buffet.

We're not talking soggy shrimp and lifeless chunks of mystery meat swimming in gooey gravy here.

Sin City has some of the best buffet spreads in the country, each boasting an array of foods that'll take

you on a culinary tour of the world. The only gamble here is whether to go back for that fifth plate

and risk being wheeled out of the dining room after slipping into a food coma.

I know us Singaporeans, we are kings of buffets, very experienced, don't pway pway.

So let me tell you which one you should just head straight to when in Vegas. This is

the renowned as best of the best in Sin City hands down.

♦THE BUFFET♦  at the Wynn



 

Lunchtime prices were cheaper at $23.  Not too bad at a 6* hotel.

The insane part is, you can choose to add on free flow of champagne for a mere
$7. Of course, I did not hesitate. Alcoholics Anonymous members, stay far far away!!!!


 I don't think you will get a buffet space any more beautiful than this.
 

you feel like
Alice in Wonderland at a Mad Hatter's dinner party.

 





I took Asian food....



Western food...

They had lots of fish and Alaskan crab legs too :) .... buffet masters will tell you forget the
cheap carbs and hit the seafood.



I have a sweet tooth and ended off with all this:



My favorite crepes as well.


The cool major difference between the Wynn and many other Las Vegas hotels is that
it was designed from the "inside out." In contrast to Steve Wynn's previous hotels like
Bellagio, The Mirage, and Treasure Island, there is no huge themed attraction
on the strip to draw passers-by in. Rather, visitors must venture inside to see what
the hotel is all about.

....and when you do, it'll take your breath away.





 













Lit majestically, these stunning peacocks allure pundits into the  "Baccarat" Pavillion.
Otherwise known as Chinese gambling trap.

I found it slightly amusing that they built this lavish area specially to cater to that
particular market segment. Interesting enough, there were no magic glowing peacocks
for "Blackjack" or "Poker".
The only other similar pavillion I saw was for "High Rollers", thus my conjecture is that
the Chinese/Asian Baccarat gamblers are also big-time juicy prey to suck bags of notes
from. (But don't most Chinese flock to Macau though?)

**


Las Vegas is actually a desert, which means be prepared for chill weather at night.
But ohhhh, warm sunny days!!!! :D

The great escape from New York City freeze.

One warm afternoon, when we were fortunate enough to wake up early, we enjoyed an
al fresco lunch in our hotel's Italian restaurant Dal Toro.


We were right by the sidewalk of the Strip.

Marbled entrances, European contemporary artwork and fresco fountains put me in a
cheery mood.










But what I liked most about this place is.......

*omg* the restaurant is integrated with a Lamborghini showroom!
I have a serious weakness for sexy exotic very fast cars ..... food TO GO please!


I had:

Linguine allo Scoglio 
Linguine pasta with clams, mussels, prawns and scallops tossed with tomatoes and
white wine


He had:

Filetto Roquefort
Grilled filet mignon, topped with a Roquefort sauce served with fries and seasonal
vegetables


We shared:

Traditional Italian cake. Lots of icing and a caramel sauce. It was so good, I was so tempted
to order another piece!
(I should have doggy-bagged 10 of those to bring back home! I haven't seen anything like
this on menus since.)

Dal Toro @Palazzo

Caffe: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Lunch: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Dinner: 4 p.m. - 12 a..m.

**

A holiday must is lazing by the poolside, relaxing and soaking in the glorious rays of
the sun.




Healthy tea time snack from

Canyon Ranch Grill
All organic ingredients, nonetheless yum.

Caribbean French Toast
Rum-flavored with banana, pineapple and maple syrup


Bliss!

Canyon Ranch Grill is part of the Canyon Ranch Spaclub in our hotel the Palazzo


Over a 100 top-of-the-line treatment rooms, plus a rich sampling of many other
amenities, programs and services!
The brand enjoys a worldwide reputation for luxury vacations devoted to healthy living.
Synonymous with the best in health, fitness, and nutritional food, it was the overwhelming
winning choice for best spa according to the readers of Travel + Leisure and Condé
Nast Traveler magazines.



This cabana was a treat.
 


Underwater dreams


Watching the sunset...



My beauty advice for the pool or beach:
Don't lay on the makeup. A made up face on such occassion looks too much.
Let your skin breathe and keep the look natural. If you really must, put tinted
moisturizer or dust on a bit of loose powder.
Unless you are definitely going to prevent your head from touching water,  it's
going to look like a freak show when foundation starts streaking and eye liner
starts smudging!


Here I only have on a single thin swipe of waterproof mascara and lip balm.
And I slapped on the sunscreen. LOTS and LOTS of it.
It will give you a bit of that glowing sheen too.
Remember, ALWAYS apply sunblock when you are going to be exposed to the sun.
Sun damage is one of the worst and most rampant forms of skin aging! And it's
essential for those who, like me, are religious about staying fair :)


***

"Buona sera!"  Venetian gondolas and their starkly too-blue-to-be-true waters. 


A fiery spectacle at The Mirage, set to the beat of pulsating congo drum beats.
One of the many free entertaining shows on the Strip.


Luxor,  Egyptian themed hotel

The architects and engineers of the building must have taken very seriously the theory
that the pyramids were built by UFOs. The tip of the pyramid shoots out the brightest
beam of light in the world at over 42 billion candle power, strong enough to be seen
from space! "Hello... is anybody thereeeee....?"

Think the aliens won't be fooled by the imitation? Hah well, this pyramid also houses a
lot of valuable treasures plundered everyday too you know. You know how many times
I had to go to the casino ATM machine?


 
The Palazzo, grandly lit up.


Spice challenge!

Don't underestimate us South-east Asians....! Guess which one I ticked?



 
 Save your marriage, buy your lonely wife this.


 

 











 




Damnit.......

Maybe if I photoshop my face in there and blow three times, it will come true.



The ULTIMATE SPECTACLE:
Bellagio's fountain show

 

Water, music and light thoughtfully interwoven to mesmerize its admirers in an ambitious, choreographically complex water feature.

Devastatingly beautiful. You have to see it to believe it:





From 8pm to 12am, show runs every 15 minutes.
I really wish the Bellagio were my palace home then I could watch the fountains
every night!!! ^_*




Inside the Bellagio itself, is quite a feast for the eyes too.


Upon entering, you'll be vividly greeted by 2,000 hand-blown glass flowers peering from
the high ceiling above. This flight of creative expression is by world-renowned artist, Dale Chihuly.

The brilliant Conservatory & Botanical Gardens.

The attention to detail is astounding - a whimsical display of nature in all its awe-evoking
glory.Being autumn now, the fall season with its splendid reds and golds was recreated
with gorgeous natural plants, flowers and trees from all over the world.

To ensure the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens maintains magnificence 365 days a year,
140 expert horticulturists theatrically arrange gazebos, bridges, ponds, and water features
uniquely for each season.

I got a big shock when this tree started talking...!

The animatronics were fantastically done, every twitch of the eyebrow, every movement
of the bark face, it was so realistic. I had to pinch myself.






Ah hah, never imagined that a pumpkin could kill eh?
 


This is the first scarecrow I've seen in real life.



Jean Philippe Patisserie



You'll be welcomed by a Willy-Wonka style real chocolate fountain!
A fitting entrée to ta world of carefully crafted chocolates, cookies, cakes, crepes,
sandwiches and more.



   

Feel thirsty after admiring the chocolate fountain?

Buy a bottle home :) I'd definitely pick the dark.







The following are all cake!

Are the piracy authorities too caught up in China?



Spongebob Square Pants!

My chocolate, banana and hazelnut dessert tart. Mmmm.
Notice the JP logo? Nicely designed.


JP Patisserie
@ Bellagio
Monday - Thursday
7:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Friday - Sunday
7:00 a.m. - midnight


Forgot to mention I met Lady Gaga ;)

 

Aerial view from the plane:

Las Vegas has the most concentrated collection of neon and lights in the world. The strip
really stood out from even miles above in the sky.



I ♥ penguins. VIVA LAS VEGAS!


Like my heels? If you noticed, most of my outfits during this trip were paired with
these gorgeous, gold-plate embellished camel sandals :)

 


I got them sponsored from




There is such a wide array of fashion from all over Asia to choose from - my favorites
are the Korean and Taiwanese brands. Each time I end up spending a few hours on
end shopping and picking stuff out from their website! Not to mention, really fast
shipping. Highly recommended.

www.yesstyle.com