Mercedes A Class launch at OverEasy

Thanks to my friend who was on a waiting list for a brand new Merc, I had the opportunity to attend the launch event at OverEasy @ One Fullerton on Wednesday, 13 March 2013.  The star of the event was the brand new Mercedes-Benz A Class, the rebel of the brand synonymous with luxury but rarely youthfulness.  Incidentally, Wednesday was also the day the Category B COE plunged by a third.  I wonder if there were people who booked one right on the spot?

Anyway, this car is meant to rival the BMW 1 series and the Audi A3, which makes it a possible choice for small families thinking of an upgrade to a European marque.  There is also the popular-and-cheap-and-good-and-packed-with-features Volkswagen Golf.  I took a closer look at the car in between the free flow of alcoholic drinks and people watching (celebrities and models were there to glam up the event) to see if it scores an 'A'.

Stars of the night: Rebecca Lim, Elvin Ng, Rosalind Lee, Desmond Tan and the A Class.

Street artist at work.  Unleashing the rebel in you!

The exterior of the A Class would certainly turn heads, especially when compared to the boring Audi A3 and the quasimodo-like face of the BMW 1 series.  A low stance, aggressive front end, sweeping side character lines and gorgeous LED light clusters front and back make it a pretty little thing to look at.  In the A250 Sport edition, you will also get the bling bling treatment called the diamond grille.  Fashionistas out there, you can finally stop thinking about putting swarovski crystals or fake diamonds on your ride.  With the A250 Sport edition, diamonds come as standard!

The interior of the car impresses as well.  Although the A Class is the entry level in the Merc family, you won't feel like you bought a outcast.  The right mix of leather, aluminum, textures, exposed stitching and soft touch plastics will please you as you go about your school or supermarket runs.  The bucket-like seats not only saves space for the rear passengers in a short car, it also looks very sporty.  Like most European cars, ISOFIX mounts for the children car seats are standard.  So far so good!

A for Awesome?

LED and xenon lights are a must have these days.

However, as you take a seat in the rear - important for a small family as an adult would usually accompany the child at the back, you would feel claustrophobic.  From what I recall, a BMW 1 series has more legroom at the back.  I'm sure the Audi A3 would be the overall winner here, as Audi usually does very well in creating space inside the cabin.

She's nice to see and she's soft to touch.

Looks and feels expensive (other than the multimedia screen)

Bucket-like seats help you go faster.

The single most important feature that small families are looking for in a car is perhaps the boot space.  And in this aspect, the A Class might have killed off its chances against its German rivals.  The boot is really small - at 341 litres.  I think the useful space is less than that, as they have gone for a split level design.  Comparatively, the BMW 1 series has 360 litres and the 'everything also can' Volkswagen Golf has 380 litres of boot space.  I guess it saves you some money in the long run, as you would realise that a cheaper Quinny stroller would fit but a extravagant Stokke would not.

Nice try Mercedes, but I think small families are better off playing some Golf or stopping at 1, rather than to strive for an A.

The rebel in me.  Asked to pen down something rebellious for the photo.

Mirror mirror on the wall

Waiting time can be a fun time when you're two.

I was leaning against the wall outside the restroom the other day, waiting with Aiden for Cheryl to be done.  It didn't take long for Mr Cheeky, who was standing on the opposite side of the aisle, to also lean against the wall and give me a playful look.  I knew exactly what he was up to - he has recently started to take an interest in mimicking my every move when he's in the mood to play 'silent simon says'.  More than 10 people must have walked past us but Aiden was oblivious to their staring.  I was comparatively more aware and self-conscious.

And so when Cheryl came out of the bathroom and found us both pretending to be aeroplanes, superman and big birds, we had to take a picture together to remember this silly moment.

Thinking back, it is also a reminder for me that Aiden is watching how I behave very closely and will readily (and perhaps irreversibly) adopt/learn from it.  Sometimes, we don't want our kids to walk our path (especially the wrong ones) but I guess the best way to ensure they pick up the right/good things is for us to practise what we preach.

Superwoman Me!

I never thought I had so much energy before I became Mummy to Aiden. It was as though I was bestowed superhuman powers as I gave birth to him. With great powers, come great responsibilities, indeed.

Flashback: When I was single or married without kids. Weekends were most often spent sleeping in late, lazing in bed & then perhaps a leisure swim, shopping in malls, enjoying a meal at our own pace. How I miss those times. I am very thankful to my parents who sometimes help out with Aiden, and we can do the things we enjoy leisurely. But I often feel guilty and decides to shorten our time out so I can spend more time with Aiden and also to relieve my parents.

Times have changed, and so have I now. Aiden is my alarm clock every weekend - just today he got up at 7.50am even when he only slept close to 12 midnight yesterday. And so very reluctantly I woke up. We had a drink first thing, and then we read a few books - Thomas the Train, Little Miss Greedy & The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We went on to play with Thomas the Train set & lego. And surprise surprise, my dad came by with breakfast.

Aiden and I settled down to have breakfast and my very cheeky and active boy got me fuming within minutes. He spilled his rice, his water all over the table, his clothes and the floor! Of cos he got a scolding from me, and got punished - left him to sit on his high chair while I vacuum and cleaned the house. He wailed and screamed but I left him to himself.
I decided to be nice & to cheer him up after - so we got changed and left for water play & the playground. Once we got home before noon, we showered, and Aiden fell asleep after a bottle of milk! Haha peace! I finally got some time to sit down to BLOG. All these before 12 noon on a weekend. How incredible. 

Here are some pictures from last weekend where we invited Xavier & Levine (oh and of course their super mummies) over for some water play too!

Hello Pretty!

Kids go wild!

Bang bang!

Kick kick kick kick splash!

This is fun!

Xavier showering LOL

Let's go for the ball!

A very happy Aiden

Milk buddies forever! Cheers!

How married couples with kids can lower their tax bills in Singapore

It's that time of the year again for about 55% of Singaporeans.  No, I don't mean rushing down to the IT Show this weekend to buy the 5th LED TV for their homes (to put in the toilet perhaps?) or a camera with lots of useless freebies (coincidentally, read this post if you're buying one).  Believe it or not, I was reminded of my duty obligation through SMS today.  I am talking of course, about filing my personal income tax return.

Tax.  Some things in life are certain.

For the single Singaporean, there is not much to think about other than whether they have set aside enough money to 'contribute to nation building'.  Tax reliefs and rebates are pretty much computed automatically by the system when you e-file.  But for married couples with kids, there are careful decisions to be made, which will directly affect how much they pay jointly as a couple.  I will explain in just two simple steps and illustrate how a dual income young family can pay less tax, legally!

Aiden at 4 months.

Step One - Determine your taxable income, net of deductions/reliefs you can't share:

The first step is to calculate how much taxable income (generally from employment) you both have, net of deductions and reliefs that you can't share with your spouse.  Other than the reliefs available to everybody, women would be entitled to reliefs such as the Foreign Maid Levy relief, Working Mother's Child Relief (15% of earned income for first child) and the NSman wife relief ($750).  Men would be entitled to reliefs such as the NSman relief (generally $3,000).  When you're done, let's call this the 'Net Income'.  Because mothers get a lot more reliefs compared to fathers, you might find the Net Incomes looking very different from your original employment incomes.  You will need to know what the net positions are before allocating the shared reliefs and rebates in Step Two.

Step Two - Give the QCR to the one with higher Net Income, generally:

Keep in mind how much Qualifying Child Relief (QCR) you can share between the two of you (at $4,000 per child).  Apportion the QCR to obtain the maximum actual tax value between the two of you.  You will need to refer to the tax rate chart below.

Source: www.iras.gov.sg

With our progressive tax rates, this is done by generally giving all the relief to the one with higher Net Income (see Illustration A).  However, you might need to share the QCR if the both of you are in the same tax bracket and the Net Incomes are just above a hurdle (see Illustration B).  Illustration C is there simply to show that if you're filthy rich, this post is useless to you, but I do thank you for the amount of tax that you pay.

Illustration A:
		Actual tax payable
	Net Income	A gets QCR	B gets QCR	QCR is shared equally
Taxpayer A	30,000	84	140	112
Taxpayer B	100,000	4,150	3,690	3,920
Total	130,000	4,234	3,830	4,032
Illustration B:
		Actual tax payable
	Net Income	A gets QCR	B gets QCR	QCR is shared equally
Taxpayer A	82,000	2,247	2,506	2,345
Taxpayer B	82,000	2,506	2,247	2,345
Total	164,000	4,753	4,753	4,690
Illustration C:
		Actual tax payable
	Net Income	A gets QCR	B gets QCR	QCR is shared equally
Taxpayer A	350,000	46,050	46,850	46,450
Taxpayer B	350,000	46,850	46,050	46,450
Total	700,000	92,900	92,900	92,900
Note: QCR is assumed to be $4,000.

 Things to note:

• Be aware that there is a combined cap of $50,000 for the Working Mother's Child Relief + QCR.  Don't breach it no matter what!

• Be aware that QCR reduces the Net Income but also reduces your actual Personal Tax Rebate (PTR) (30% for YA 2013, capped at $1,500).  Good news if you still have more than $94,348 after deducting the QCR - you get the full benefit of QCR!  That's because $94,348 is the amount where you get the max rebate of $1,500. 

• On the website, IRAS actually encourages you to make a claim for Parenthood Tax Rebate ($5,000 for first child) for convenience as soon as you are entitled to it, even if you have no tax to pay.  Don't do that!  That is because the split of the rebate between spouses will be fixed for future years.  It's better to know exactly how much tax you have to pay before determining the split of the rebate!  Otherwise, one might end up using the rebate over many years while his/her spouse has to pay tax every year.

That's all you need to know, really.  So go do your part as a taxpayer, but don't pay more than you should!

Alfero Artisan Gelato

A few days ago, being the OCD of the family (Aiden comes close), I decided to rummage through the box where we keep all our coupons and vouchers issued by restaurants and shopping centres, you know, to do some spring cleaning of the expired ones.  Perhaps you would call it the 'Treasure Chest', but I guess a more accurate description would be the 'Lost and Found'.

Does not represent actual box in our home.

Anyway, as I was happily carefully throwing away the expired coupons and vouchers, I found some unexpired vouchers from this gelato cafe called Artisan Alfero Gelato.  We had received them in a Christmas party cum gift exchange at our house last year and it was a bit like winning the consolation prize (since I did not strike the Ang Bao Toto jackpot).  Coincidentally, the theme for the gift exchange was "Something that makes us smile". How appropriate!

It was only after we reached the cafe at Marina Square that we realised that this was one that received many awards and accolades over the years. As our expectations rose along with our appetite, we ordered the overindulgent waffle with 3 scoops of gelato - Tiramisu, Bacio (hazelnut) and Snow White (milk).  The ordering experience was different from the usual gelato/icecream cafes as you could not see what you were ordering - the gelato was kept in a sealed metal container.  Apparently, air and light would affect the quality of the gelato!

The verdict?  The gelato was rich in flavour, creamy and smooth in texture - distinctively different from others.  Worth every penny voucher!  Needless to say, we cleared the plates in no time at all.  Another plus point would be the service.  Even though there were only 2 staff at that time, they were attentive to our needs (for water and serviettes). They also didn't bat an eyelid when Aiden dripped water and gelato all over the table.  The waffle was a let down though.  As a comparison, the equally popular Gelare Cafe serves better waffles. 

We would definitely return to try the fruity flavours.  Thumbs up!  Or as the Italians would say, eccellente!

Aiden started without us.

Sweat-proof Makeup for Mummies

I hear fellow mummies crying out loud on how they can look nicely made up when their makeup starts to melt as soon as they step their toes out of the door - either through struggling to separate their toddler with his entourage of toys, putting on his shoes or lugging the baby's luggage (with diaper, diaper cream, wet tissue, dry tissue, milk powder, milk bottle, a snack, water bottle, a toy and the list is not finished). Gone are the days we have an hour to prep ourselves to go out. More often than not, we spend an hour on our kids and only five minutes to ourselves - enough for a quick shower & basic grooming.

Typical conversations (before we set out) go:
Mummy: For goodness sake, take your son so I can get a quick shower
Daddy: Ok
Mummy: Do I look ok without makeup?
Daddy (not taking a second glance):  Yeah
Mummy: Let's not go to crowded places or town
Daddy (wondering what's wrong): Um ok
Mummy (pleading desperately): I don't wanna risk bumping into people I know without makeup!

This is not made any better with our extremely predictable weather in Singapore all year round - extremely hot, and humid! For those of us mummies who are not blessed with naturally sexy gorgeous skin, going sans makeup is not a choice unless you don't give a hoot to maintaining  appearances. For every other mummy,  with or without makeup, they end up looking slick (oil slick I mean!) or sick.

So with 3 minutes to get yourself ready to face the world, here are tips for a quick & long lasting makeup:

1) Moisturized Skin
Moisturize daily & drink lots of water. As simple as it sounds, I am really bad at this especially when I crash as soon as Aiden gets to bed near midnight & being really busy all day I drink too little water for my own good. With a well moisturized skin, your makeup will be more easily absorbed and last longer. If skin is too dry, makeup tends to crease at the lines (eye lids, forehead, laugh lines) and flake off. For oily skin, needless to say, makeup melts and cream based cheek colors fall to lip level (horror)!
Tip: I use a clay mask at night during blemish prone periods & a hydrating mask when skin feels dry to get supple looking skin.
Cheat: I use Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester 15 at night before my moisturizer for radiance the next morning. It helps to give my tired skin the boost it needs every once in awhile.

2) A Flawless Canvas - Base Makeup

An oil free makeup base is extremely essential to absorb excess sebum and create a smooth canvas for subsequent products. For those of you blessed with good skin, you can even go without foundation and just dab on concealer where necessary. I love RMK Creamy Polished Makeup Base and applying this before my foundation helps lessen the amount of foundation needed.
Tip: Visit the beauty stores for a consultation and always try the products on your face before deciding on texture & shade. Always decide in natural light and not in a dim environment or warm lighting as the shade may look really wrong.
Cheat: Remember less is more, always apply a little each time and layer on as required.
Apply lighter shade concealer on your nose bridge, under eyebrows 

3) Cheek & Eye Makeup
Cream based formulas are a no no for combination to oily skin types or risk major smudging.
Tip: Select a powder based blusher with light reflecting pigments that help achieve a radiant glow at the same time. Multi-functional products are always helpful when we are time-pressed!
Cheat: Fake lashes always enhance your eyes even when you've not slept well. I draw a quick black liner and stick on the lashes - tadah! Eye opening immediately.

4) Lip balm/stick/gloss
An absolute no no unless you want to stain your baby's clothes or have his cheeks & lips all covered in lip products and colors. I kiss Aiden a lot on his cheeks so I refrain from wearing lip products when I'm out with him.
Tip: To keep lips well moisturized, use a light formula, colorless lip balm - probably Vaseline. I skip this altogether.

5) If all else fails, fret not.
Tip: Put on a wide smile and confidence
Cheat: Pinch your cheeks & bite your lips

Try these tips the next time you go out with your kid(s). Stay cool and gorgeous!

Aiden at 18 months, visiting the Singapore Flyer

How to choose the right camera for child photography

The most challenging photographs are not taken by the immensely talented photographers at National Geographic.  I reckon that these photographs are instead taken by parents all over the world.  The subject matter? Kids! Kids that are not sitting still.  Kids that refuse to listen to your instructions.  Kids that think that running away from a camera is a sport.  Kids that are just, being kids.

In a bid to capture lovely moments of our kids growing up, many of us would have believed in at least one of the following myths when it comes to choosing a camera for child photography:

1.  The more expensive the better

It's a logical conclusion isn't it?  You do get what you pay for, right?  Well, while it is generally true that the more expensive a camera is, the more features it would have and the better quality the pictures are, but as most of us would never print larger than 4R (i.e. 4 x 6 inches), we would end up paying too much for quality and features that would never make a difference in the final output.  Do you know that for a 4R print, a resolution of 1800 x 1200 pixels would suffice?  There is no real need for that top of the range camera with a gazillion megapixels.  Better to save the money for other things!

2.  The bigger the better

Everytime I see someone raise their hefty DSLR to take a picture, others around would try not to get in their way or line of vision.  So big! Must be professional leh!  While DSLRs provide excellent picture quality (owing to their larger sensor sizes), they are usually too heavy to hold up for extended periods of time.  High quality lenses would add even more to the total weight of your set up.  Unless you turn green when provoked, your hyperactive child is probably going to outlast your shaking arms.

3.  The more popular the better

Parents who believe in this myth are also the ones who would queue hours for food that they have never eaten before.  Long queue leh... must be sedap!  Unfortunately, not all cameras are alike, so the most popular camera might not give you the features that you actually need for child photography.

So should parents turn to drawing their children instead?

Of course not!  I will tell you exactly which are the key features you need to look out for in a camera.

1.  Big aperture and high ISO

Simply put, a big aperture (i.e. small f-number like f2.0) would allow more light to reach the camera's light sensor.  This in turn allows for faster shutter speeds, which freezes the fast movement (i.e. 佛山无影脚) of your kids.  ISO measures how sensitive your sensor is to light.  The higher the ISO, the more sensitive your sensor is.  Thus, high ISO also allows faster shutter speeds to be used, reducing the number of blur photos.

2.  Wide angle

Having a camera with wide angle lens (i.e. small number like 24mm) means that you don't have back up too far to capture shots of your little one.  At wide angles, camera shakes and movements are also less obvious.  The best thing about the wide angle?  You can take pictures of your entire family (of 3 or 4) without external help.  Best for cam-whoring!

3.  Faster start-up time and less shutter lag

How many times have you seen a lovable look on your children's face and by the time your camera is ready to capture it, he/she has already changed his expression (sometimes faster than 变脸)?  You will need a camera with a fast start-up time, and more importantly, little or no shutter lag.  Shutter lag is the delay between triggering the shutter and when the photograph is actually recorded.  In plain parent language, it is the difference between capturing a megawatt smile and a shot destined for deletion. Generally, DSLRs would have an advantage in this area.  However, if you look hard enough, some point and shoot cameras are competent enough.

 

So remember to look for these features the next time you look for a new camera.  Happy snapping!