ABSOLUT VODKA KONKOCTION

ABSOLUT VODKA KONKOCTION is a three part limited edition series created for Singapore. ABSOLUT knows the critical role that barware plays in cocktail creation, and the KONKOCTION series will comprise the essential bar tools for budding mixologists to create cocktails with professional equipment.

Priced at $139.90 each, the first in the limited edition series is ABSOLUT VODKA KONKOCTION Shaker Kit, which is currently on sale at selected supermarkets. Launched in June, you might still be able to get a kit if you are lucky.



The second kit of this three part limited edition series is the ABSOLUT VODKA KONKOCTION Mixer Kit. It will be launched tomorrow and will be available through the month of October (while stocks last).

The ABSOLUT KONKOCTION MIXER KIT contains:
- Two bottles of ABSOLUT Vodka Original (750ml each)
- One ABSOLUT mixing bowl
- One ABSOLUT muddler
- One Miniature bottle of ABSOLUT Mandrin (50ml)
- Three ABSOLUT KONKOCTION MIXER KIT cocktail recipe cards

Mixologists advocate using fresh ingredients in cocktails because a drink made with fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, as opposed to bottled juices and mixers, is rich in taste and has the true flavour of the ingredients, enhancing the drinking experience.


The purpose of muddling is to extract not just the juice, but also the flavours from the skin of the fruits and herbs. Pressing and twisting the ingredients with a muddler is a good way to combine ingredients without pulverising them into little pieces

With the ABSOLUT KONKOCTION MIXER KIT, you can now make your own fresh fruit cocktails following the recipes provided.

ABSOLUT Crush

ABSOLUT Caipiroshka

ABSOLUT Raspberry Mojito

For more cocktail information, please visit: www.absolutdrinks.com

ABSOLUT ELYX @ 1128

Two weeks ago I shared with you the newly launched ABSOLUT ELYX vodka. On 12th July, I attended the exclusive taste experience, a media event that was held at 1128. It was a fun night where I caught up with media friends over drinks.

1128 is the new bar located at 56 Tanglin Road, Tanglin Post Office. It is by the same group of people who brought you KPO, Balaclava, and Wala Wala.

Check out the swanky ABSOLUT ELYX Bar at 1128. From now to September 2012, ABSOLUT ELYX will be available exclusively at 1128. After the exclusive launch, ABSOLUT ELYX will be available at selected bars only.

A great welcome by the ABSOLUT ELYX models

To showcase and highlight the artisanal aspect of ABSOLUT ELYX's hand-operated copper distillation process, the event featured an engraver on site to engrave copper tags for guests.

A personalised message of up to 20 characters. Well, I had to choose Butter&Ash, the names of my two doggies. Giving a whole new meaning to dog tags!

Engraving in progress...

Butter&Ash are immortalised on ABSOLUT ELYX tags. I love events with a personalised touch!

Copper tone sticker as ID tag.

What we drank all night? ABSOLUT ELYX is best enjoyed neat or on the rock, but it makes a smooth cocktail too with fresh ingredients.

Good looking peeps are a necessity at parties!

On my left is ABSOLUT Brand Ambassador Jason Fenwick. On my right is Dylan Boey, Editor-In-Chief at Prestige Singapore.

The Alchemists at work. Lyndie (left) and Nick (right) are my trusted alchemists.

Jason went behind the bar to make us some drinks too. What a hardworking Brand Ambassador!

With the team at InSing.com

Instant photography is a great way to remember a great night.

Perth Fashion Festival x Marie Choo

The word is out, I have been named as one of the International Ambassadors for Perth Fashion Festival 2012, alongside French musician Jean Michel Jarre. Together with New York based photographer Russell James, we will help put Western Australian designers on the international map. It is such an honour for me as I represent Singapore and Asia in this fashion and cultural exchange.


Russell James was appointed in 2010 as the first International Ambassador for Perth Fashion Festival. Perth-born James now lives in New York and is known for his campaigns for major fashion labels like Donna Karan and Victoria’s Secret, and for shooting huge stars like Scarlett Johansson, Halle Berry, Faith Hill, The Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna and Hugh Jackman.


French musician Jean Michel Jarre first came to international fame three decades ago with his number one hit album Oxygene and in 2013 he plans to present Rendez-vous Perth, a tailored, city-scale, civic concert event. He personifies French couture with his natural elegance and style and his music is most often aired to accompany the presentations of the collections of major fashion houses.


It's a little surreal for I am supposed to write about myself. Trained as a fashion designer in London, coupled with a Banking Diploma from Singapore, I am a misfit at times with my bold and quirky style. Born and bred in Singapore, but having lived in cosmopolitan London and Shanghai, I would describe myself as an amalgamation of the East and West.

For my day job, I am the founder and Director of Alchemy Consultancy, and I specialise in public relations and event management for fashion and lifestyle brands. Besides writing on my blog Style Canvas, I also sometimes contribute to NYLON Singapore and InSing.com.

For those who really know me, will know my passion also lies in helping dogs. I have recently established D.O.G.S with some friends, a charity that aims to raise and allocate funds to various dog welfare organisations and individual dog rescuers in Singapore.


Once a week, you will find me at a dog shelter working with volunteers to rehabilitate dogs. Inspired by Cesar Millan, I am now pursuing a degree in Dog Behaviour and Training on a distant learning program.

I look forward to my first visit to Perth and will be bringing you exciting first-hand account from the front rows of Perth Fashion Festival. Stay tuned!

Cool Britannia, HotLips!

Yesterday, ICON magazine hosted a great British street party at Solange Azagury-Partridge to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee and present the Regalia Collection. I dropped by to say hi to the Queen (a cardboard cut out version) and checked out the bling by British designer Solange Azagury-Partridge, a former creative director at Paris jeweler Boucheron who launched her eponymous label in 1990.

Britannia cupcakes with the hot lips motif. Too pretty to eat!

Guinness Stout Milkshake. How cool is that?

Love the Guinness Stout Milkshake. So original! For the record, it was delish and tasted like Horlicks milk shake!

I have always liked the HotLips collection but never gotten round to buying one (for whatever reason, I don't know) till yesterday.

The various shades of hotness!

The iconic HotLips ring

Lady Gaga goes gaga over the encrusted HotLips.

Katy Perry loves her HotLips in candy hues.

Scarlet Johanssen and her (RED) HotLips. Fifty percent of the profits directly go to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

The limited edition Britannia HotLips is designed in celebration of the London Olympic Games.

I finally found the HotLips I was looking for... the cool Britannia.

For more information, please visit solange.co.uk.

ABSOLUT ELYX

This week sees the launch of ABSOLUT ELYX in Singapore. Positioning itself a notch above the current luxury vodka offering (think Grey Goose and Belvedere), the ultra-luxe ABSOLUT ELYX is a vodka of real substance that honours the roots of Swedish vodka making traditions.

Quick trivia before I tell you more about ABSOLUT ELYX. Did you know that the ABSOLUT company was founded by Lars Olsson Smith in 1879? The enterprising Swede invented the original ABSOLUT Vodka using a revolutionary distilling method called continuous distillation, a method that is still being used today. Reason being it is a superior way to remove impurities in vodka, while maintaining the character of the raw material from which it is made.

So what makes ABSOLUT ELYX special and unique? Heritage, craftsmanship, and natural ingredients.

With no computers involved in the copper distillation, ABSOLUT ELYX is the result of genuine craftsmanship and manual operation in every detail of the process. The old 1929 copper column still is only operated by a selected few, who inherited their knowledge and expertise from past generations of spirit and vodka makers. Made to the uncompromising standards of the skilled craftsmen, every batch of ABSOLUT ELYX is carefully tasted and approved before it is bottled.

Each batch of ABSOLUT ELYX is manually distilled using a hand-operated copper column still from 1929, and made from a single harvest of Swedish winter wheat. ABSOLUT ELYX is the result of century-old expertise, passed down through generations of Swedish vodka makers.

Copper distillation is the natural way to remove any impurities in vodka, and refined copper distillation is what gives ABSOLUT ELYX its natural pure taste and unique silky texture.

Single Source. Single Estate. Single Vintage. Single Batch. Watch out for the rise of this haute vodka! The palate is fresh, pure and invigorating, with a silky texture, a long-lasting smooth finish and a subtle spiciness.

ABSOLUT ELYX is best enjoyed neat or on the rock.

It is also perfect in martinis and classic cocktails where its purity and texture shine through.

From July to September 2012, ABSOLUT ELYX will be exclusively available at 1128, the new bar located at 56 Tanglin Road, Tanglin Post Office. After the exclusive launch, ABSOLUT ELYX will be available at selected bars.

D.O.G.S

I have been very busy last month setting up a new dog charity with my good friend Manida, and that explains why I haven't had much time to update Style Canvas. D.O.G.S stands for Dogs Owners Guidance Support, a charity that aims to raise and allocate funds to various dog welfare organisations and individual dog rescuers in Singapore.

D.O.G.S is a non-profit organisation in Singapore that aims to be a collective voice for the dogs, and to assist various dog welfare groups and individual dog rescuers.

This is me with Bailey from Madam Wong's Shelter.

My good friend Manida with Rocky from Madam Wong's Shelter.

Our primary focus is on public awareness program to promote responsible dog ownership, good canine behaviour, equipping volunteers and fosterers with the right knowledge to help dogs. We will also help to rehabilitate rescued dogs and make them more adoptable. Our goals are to help re-home rescued dogs, impart knowledge to owners to ensure they have a meaningful relationship with their dogs, reduce dog abuse, abandonment and related issues.

Please like the D.O.G.S Facebook page if you support what we are doing. On our Facebook page, you will see pictures of the dogs that we have helped and you can also pick up some tips on how to rehabilitate dogs. You can also post a picture of your pet to show support for D.O.G.S.



Here are some of the dogs that we have rehabilitated at Madam Wong's Shelter since we started helping them 3 weeks ago. To read the full story and follow their progress, all you have to do is to visit D.O.G.S Facebook page.

#1 Success Story - Rocky

Rocky was happy to feel grass for the first time in his life. Madam Wong was so happy that we managed to get Rocky out for a walk. Due to his "aggressive" nature, he has been isolated in the kennel for maybe about 3-4 years. Rocky now enjoys walks with selected volunteers.

#2 Success Story - Bailey

Handsome Bailey had a sad past as his owner passed away while he was being boarded at a pet hotel. Madam Wong adopted him and so he won't be homeless. He was also deemed "aggressive" and un-leashable, and hasn't been on a walk for about 2 years. Bailey now gets excited at the prospect of going for walks and has transformed into an affectionate dog who loves to be petted.

#3 Success Story - Timber

Timber was a rescued dog who used to roam free around the Tanjong Pagar area. He is being isolated in the kennel as he has aggression towards certain dogs. He has also never been out for walks since he became a resident at the shelter. His first step out of the kennel saw him hiding under a car as he was so fearful. However, he has now discovered the joy in being taken out for walks by volunteers.

#4 Success Story - Xiao Bai

Of all the dogs we rehabilitated so far, Xiao Bai is the one with the most "aggression" when she sees a leash. She will show her teeth, growl, bark and then yelp. However, once we overcame that, she was happy to go for a walk and actually walks really well on leash. We now need to overcome her fear of water as we really wanted to give her a bath!

#5 Success Story - Shadow

Beautiful Shadow is also a rescued dog from the Central Business District area. She was extremely fearful and shy. Even after we managed to leash her, she will remain frozen and will not move. It was only on the 2nd attempt a week after that we discovered how to encourage her to venture out of her kennel on her own terms. She is now opening up and is walking a little more.

The reason why I wrote "aggressive" and "aggression" in quotation marks is because the dogs are perceived to be aggressive or with aggression. In fact, most of the times, the dogs are just fearful and insecure. Now that they opened up and are being taken for walks, they are mentally more stable and have less pent up frustration, making them easier to manage.

If you are interested in adopting any of the dogs featured, please email me at marie@alchemyc.com and I will put you in touch with the personnel in charge at Madam Wong's Shelter.