8 cool activities to do to make this year a better one for you

From the clothes we wear and how we keep fit and look our best to where we wine, dine and travel, here are eight ways to refresh the way you live — and look and feel your best.

That gorgeous cashmere sweater will feel even more special when you know it was specially sourced or made just for you. Retailers like Everlane are promoting product equality, transparency and sustainability, at prices that don’t break the bank to boot. Independent multi-label stores such as Dover Street Market Singapore, and labels with a strong social media presence like Exhibit, offer stylish finds you can’t find elsewhere. And at your favourite luxury brands, consider indulging in bespoke experiences such as Burberry’s myriad customisable options for bags and its signature trench coats. Being special is special.

Everlane www.everlane.com

Dover Street Market Singapore 18 Dempsey Road; http://shop.doverstreetmarket.com/sg/

Exhibit https://exhibitstore.co/index.php

Burberry www.burberry.com

This year, why not check into a “less is more” hotel? Try Mexico’s La Zebra Beach Hotel with its mix of sleek furniture, comfy beds, luxe textiles and intelligent technology. In Antarctica, the White Desert camp offers Saarinen chairs, bamboo headboards, fur throws and sustainable toiletries. Or check into a tiny, intimate hotel such as the two-bedroom Mahana Villa that’s set in a winery in New Zealand. Under-the-radar travel hotspots this year include Pantelleria in Italy, Naxos in Greece and Corsica in France, where the five-star, eco-certified luxury hotel Le Domaine Misincu will open in June. At the Bellevue Hotel in Cikat, Croatia, there is a herb garden on the hotel’s roof where produce is picked daily for the restaurant.

La Zebra Beach Hotel www.lazebratulum.com

White Desert www.white-desert.com

Mahana Villa http://23.91.125.226/~mahvilla/

Le Domaine Misincu www.phoenixhotelcollection.fr/hotel/domaine-misincu/

Bellevue Hotel www.bellevuelosinj.com

Korean fine dining is on the rise. This new trend fuses the local with unexpected flavours: A stellar example would be Meta’s Korean-French fare, served up by South Korean chef Sun Kim who trained in Tetsuya’s in Sydney. Fusion takes on a new taste with chefs who travel across the world. One to watch is Canadian-born Romanian-Chinese chef, Haan Palcu-Chang, who has worked in Paris and has cooked for dining pop-up events in Singapore.

Meta 9 Keong Saik Road

Haan Palcu-Chang http://www.mamaflos.com/

In 2017, gin looks poised to become the new whisky, with more small-batch bottles available in bars like Cin Cin in Singapore. Mark down June 10 in your calendar: It’s World Gin Day. As Cuba opens up to the world, rum is gaining popularity, too; Bago at Lime House serves over 150 types.

Cin Cin 100 Peck Seah Street, level 1, Oasia Hotel Downtown Singapore

Bago at Lime House 2 Jiak Chuan Road, level 2

The Secret Mermaid 10 Collyer Quay, #B1-08 Ocean Financial Centre; www.thesecretmermaid.com

Horse’s Mouth 583 Orchard Road, #B1-39, Forum the Shopping Mall; www.horsesmouthbar.com

Make friends and get fit with an exercise interest group — whether it’s walking, bodyweight training, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) or hybrid classes like yoga and ballet barre work at the newly-opened Called to the Barre. Try joining a Facebook group like Urban Remedy for daily fitness and wellness tips.

Called to the Barre www.calledtothebarre.com

Studio 360 Fitness 90 Eu Tong Sen Street, Block C #01-11; www.studio360fitness.com

Ritual 11 North Canal Road, #03-01 and 17b Lorong Liput, #02-01; www.ritualgym.com

Who doesn’t love design-centric gadgets? Exercise trackers now resemble futuristic bracelets like the Moov, while later this year, we will see TV screens like LG’s W7 Signature line that are as thin as a credit card, and faster smartphones — like the iPhone 8, Galaxy S8 and the much-anticipated Microsoft Surface Phone.

Moov https://welcome.moov.cc/

This year, athleisure and utilitarian styles are great for days off and in the office — think a fitted sweatshirt over a pencil skirt. For evenings, ’80s glam complete with oversized jewellery and earrings are en pointe. And for those of us who can’t live without our essentials, the big bag is back.

Club 21 Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, 190 Orchard Boulevard, #01-09/10/11 ; www.club21global.com

Net-A-Porter www.net-a-porter.com

ASOS www.asos.com

Living in a city means your skin is subject to pollution. To the rescue: Anti-pollution skincare from brands like Kiehl’s, Clarins, Shiseido, Murad and Chanel, while new and exciting ingredients – such as hydrating birch juice, bamboo and yuza (Korean for yuzu) – means your favourite K-beauty products promise to be even more effective than ever before. For skincare emergencies, in-clinic treatments with minimal downtime such as Mosaic laser skin regeneration – which takes between five and 30 minutes – are great options to consider.

Sephora Ion Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, B2-0; www.sephora.sg

Robinsons The Heeren, 260 Orchard Road

Tangs Tang Plaza, 310 Orchard Road; www.tangs.com

OWN A LIMITED-EDITION DESIGNER CLUTCH!

Step 1: Register

SMS “LadysVTyour NRIC number” to 77862.

Step 2: Spend

Shop, dine, or travel with your UOB Lady’s Card. Charge a minimum of SGD3,000 locally, online or overseas between now and 31 March 2017 to qualify.

Step 3: Flaunt it

The first 1,000 spenders will receive a limited-edition Vivienne Tam clutch.

There’s more:

Get up to 10X UNI$ on your shopping and taxi rides.

You’ll also earn up to S$1,216 annually with the UOB Lady’s Card X One Account.

If you don’t have a UOB Lady’s Card, apply online now at UOBLadys.com/sg.

Terms & conditions apply. Details on UOBLadys.com/sg.

Insured up to S$50k by SDIC.