There’s a 60-minute aromatic-oil massage to relax, a 30-minute body scrub to cleanse and a 30-minute facial massage using a mask of 24-karat gold sheet and damask rosewater.

It costs Bt7,390. Book a date at (02) 162 9000 or spa.siambangkok@kempinski.com.

One lucky pup

For Chinese New Year beginning on February 16, the Mandarin Oriental has a Year of the Earth Dog Spa Experience to ground, relax and re-balance body and mind.

The 80-minute treatment is inspired by the grounding yoga pose called the Downward-facing Dog and uses Flourish Oil, a blend of lemongrass, cardamom and coriander, along with hot healing stones and a soothing abdominal massage.

Sign up for a session year-round at any Mandarin Oriental spa.

You can book online at http://www.MandarinOriental.com.

It’s Starbucks for dessert

The new dessert menu at Starbucks Coffee (Thailand) includes Whoopie Pie – two soft cookies oozing vanilla cream – the Double Chocolate Muffin (best eaten heated), the Chocolate Donut imported from Spain, the Pandan Custard Brix, the Red Velvet Cake made with butter and cream cheese, and the Boston-born Boston Cream Pie. This last favourite is a double sponge cake filled with custard cream and topped with chocolate cream sauce.

Alpine dining in Bangkok

The buffet at Latest Recipe, a restaurant at Le Meridien Bangkok, is sampling “Winter in the Alps”. Lunch, dinner and brunch include cheeses, organic vegetables, meats and seafood served alpine-style. Fontina soup, saffron risotto and French, Croatian, Neapolitan, Austrian and German cheesecake are among the treats available.

“Winter in the Alps” continues through March 4. The lunch buffet Monday to Saturday costs Bt1,100-plus, dinner buffet Sunday to Thursday Bt1,300, seafood dinner Fridays and Saturdays Bt1,600, and Healthy Sunday brunch Bt1,800.

Reserve a table at (02) 232 8888 or http://www.LeMeridienBangkokPatpong.com.

Jabra’s Elite 25e Bluetooth stereo headset handles the music superbly and has a battery that can last 18 hours.

It’s got a cool black neckband that’s easily adjusted for comfort and cables running from the earbuds almost perpendicular to the sides of your head.

Jabra designed the neckband for a great fit and all-day comfort. Meanwhile, the Elite 25e is water-resistant (IP54 rated) and useable in light rain.

The sound quality is quite good, the result of 10mm drivers delivering full-spectrum music, especially when you make the correct choice in EarGels size for the earphones. Three sizes are provided.

The neckband has a microphone on the left side so you can use the 25e as a headset for your phone. Magnetic inear snapping means you can attach the magnets near the buds together to wear the headset securely when not in use.

The magnetic design has other functions as well. During a call, you can hang up by snapping the two magnetic zones together. Pick up an incoming call by detaching them.

The Elite 25e has control buttons on the right side of the neckband for volume and, between them, another for multiple functions. On the left side, near the microphone, is a button for making phone voice commands to Apple’s Siri, Google Now or Microsoft’s Cortana.

The Multifunction button is for turning the headset on and off, for playing and pausing tracks, and for answering or rejecting a phone call.

It can also be used in handling multiple calls. For example, when you’re on the phone and another call comes in, tap the button to simultaneously end the first and take the second.

Press and hold the button for two seconds to put the current caller on hold and answer the new one. Press and hold another two seconds to switch between calls. Doubletap the button to reject an incoming call.

The neckband will vibrate to let you know there’s an incoming call, but that can be switched off if you dislike it.

The Voice Guidance function announces the current status of the headset, such as when it’s connected to a phone or when the battery is low. This can be turned off as well.

In my test, I found the sound quality very good for inear phones, with clear midtones and highs and impressive bass.

RTB Technology distributes the Jabra Elite 25e for Bt2,990.

KEY SPECS

– Bluetooth: Version 4.1

– Talk and music time: Up to 18 hours

– Standby time: Up to 22 days

– Charging time: Approximately two hours

– Wearing style: Neckband, 157x141x35mm

– Weight: 48 grams

– Dimensions: 48.3×17.9x23mm

– In the box: Elite 25e, small and large extra EarGels, USB cable, Quick Start Guide, warranty leaflet, warning leaflet, registration leaflet

– Warranty: One-year limited

A digital camera with lightning-fast autofocus, the new RX10 Mark IV from Sony makes sure that even amateur shutterbugs can produce images of professional quality.

Among the highlighted features are a 0.03 second hybrid autofocus system with 25x optical zoom using a very bright and good-quality Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens, superfast 24 frames per second continuous shooting and a touch focus system.

This is the fourth incarnation of Sony’s renowned RX10, a camera that uses the Japanese giant’s 1.0-type (13.2mm x 8.8mm) Exmor RS CMOS sensor in 3:2 aspect ratio with 20.1 megapixel resolution.

The CMOS sensor is stacked with a DRAM chip, resulting in good performance, the capacity for 960fps super-slowmotion shooting and super-highspeed anti-distortion shutter of up to 1/32000 second The stacked sensor also provides 315-point focal-plane phase-detection autofocus for fast and precise tracking.

Also, thanks to the high-performance stacked sensor, the RX10M4 features rfast hybrid AF with 0.03sec autofocusing response. This AF system seamlessly integrates the superlative speed and tracking of focal-plane phase-detection AF plus the high accuracy of contrast-detection AF, and boosts the camera’s capabilities to focus, track and capture sharp, clear still images of subjects in all situations, even in the middle of fast, dynamic action.

Its 315 focal-plane phase-detection AF points cover about 65 per cent of the entire image area of the RX10 IV’s new image sensor. This makes AF coverage widespread and dense enough to quickly capture subjects, such as small or fast-moving ones that are otherwise difficult to focus on, throughout the image area.

With fast focusing system, fast continuous shooting speed and high-density Tracking AF technology, the RX10M4 is good for capturing sports. This technology allows your subject to remain in focus even in fast moving actions.

And the powerful combination of the Exmor RS 1.0-type image sensor and the BIONZ X image processing engine allows for continuous shooting with AF/AE tracking at up to approximately 24fps for up to 249 frames at a time, meaning you won’t miss any fastaction event.

Moreover, fast data readout from the Exmor RS image sensor helps reduces distortion when the subject is moving fast. And RX10M4’s anti-distortion electronic shutter achieves shutter speeds as fast as 1/32000 second.

You can achieve faster autofocusing by using some smart functions, such as Focus Range Limiter and Autofocuson mode. The Focus Range Limiter allows you to restrict focus to subjects that are 3m or further away. The AFON setting lets you trip the shutter without the lengthier half-press focus sequence. There is also AFA mode which automatically switches between AFS (Single AF) and AFC (Continuous AF) modes, according to changes in subject motion.

Another handy function is the ability to customise a button by assigning it to a frequently used focus area setting, then instantly recall that setting whenever you like. This can be handy if an ideal focus point frequently changes, for example, between strokes in a tennis match. Focus point as well as focus area can be set as desired for optimal focus performance for the scene being photographed.

The RX10M4 is an ideal travel companion as it comes with 24600mm equivalent extra-wideangle-to-ultra-telephoto range plus macro capability.

The camera uses AA (advanced aspherical) and ED (Extralow Dispersion) glass elements, Zeiss T Coating, and large f/2.44 aperture. These help the camera to provide high optical performance for high resolution and beautiful bokeh.

And with a silent shooting function, the camera is also good for capturing wildlife. When close to animals as well as in other noise-sensitive situations, you can shoot in silence, even during continuous shooting, by muting the camera’s shutter sound with a couple of simple settings.

The RX10M4 comes with effective optical image stabilisation technology, which is very handy for lowlight shots or ultra-telephoto picture at 600mm equivalent focal length. Normally, at this telephoto focal length, you will need to support your camera with a tripod or monopod but with this Sony, you achieve sharp and clear photos at 600mm focal length in handheld shooting.

The RX10M4 comes with Zoom Assist function that is very handy when you are shooting telephoto images. When you lose track of a moving subject while framing in ultratelephoto shooting, you can press and hold down the C (custom) button to which Zoom Assist is assigned to trigger Zoom Assist function’s automatic zoomout.

Then, you find and frame up the subject again, then release the button, and the camera automatically zooms back in to the original focal length, so you can resume shooting. This is very handy because at ultrazoom length, we often lose the subject.

The RX10M4 has peaking function accuracy, emphasising contours of the focused region in a specified colour when shooting in manual focus or direct manual focus. This feature has been improved in this latest model to make intricate focusing during macro shooting, even easier.

The RX10M4 is well designed with triple rings for you to manually manipulate focus and other settings as you look through the viewfinder to achieve precise settings.

And it comes with Touch Pad function that allows you to shift focus simply by sliding your finger across the LCD screen from one area to another, while you look at the viewfinder. Whether you make the shift according to finger motion distance (relative position) or the area of the frame that you touch on the screen (absolute position), shifting is smooth and easy.

It also has Touch Focus that allows you to simply touch the LCD at the point of the image on which you want to focus.

The RX10M4’s LCD monitor that can tilt up to approximately 109 degrees upwards and 41 degrees  downwards, making shots even easier to monitor from various positions while recording. The monitor has 1440Kdot resolution that surpasses that of its predecessor.

And when you use a viewfinder in other shooting situations, a display panel on top of the camera makes it easy to check key settings at a glance.

In a nod to the nature photographer, the RX10M4 comes with dust-resistant, moisture-resistant sealant and operating parts built in such a way as to allow the camera to withstand rigorous shoots outdoors in rugged environments and under rainy, dusty, humid, and other difficult conditions.

Like all modern cameras, the RX10M4 has Bluetooth function and can be paired with the PlayMemories Mobile app installed on a compatible mobile phone or tablet device to acquire location data, record these on still images, and correct camera date/time and location settings.

The camera also has builtin Wi-Fi function with one-touch remote/one-touch sharing function. Just install a PlayMemories Mobile app to your NFC-enabled Android device, then touch the device to the camera’s NFC mark to connect them. Then you can use the device as a remote and can share captured photos and videos to your social networks.

I found that the camera was easy to operate. Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual Exposure modes are best for advanced shooters but the two auto modes, Intelligent Auto and Superior Auto, were good enough for me to capture beautiful shots. In the Intelligent Auto mode, the camera shoots with automatic scene recognition while in the Superior Auto, the camera may shoot multiple images and create a composite image for images of dark or backlit scenes.

Or you may select the scene on your own by turning the mode dial to Scene Selection and then choosing one of the available scenes from a list that includes Portrait, Sports Action, Macro, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, and Handheld Twilight.

I was able to capture beautiful portraits during the test and the landscape shots were also vivid  especially when I used the Creative Style.

And research shows, it’s not a coincidence. Olive oil is a great source of antioxidants, including vitamin E, which according to American dermatologist, Dr Patricia Farris, effectively prevent free-radicals and protect against wrinkles, ageing and inflammation.six best beauty olive oil Uses:

Hair revitaliser

One of the best ways to naturally reverse the effects of hair damage is an olive oil pre-shampoo treatment. The Vitamin E in olive oil helps hydrate hair, and its antioxidant properties will protect your hair from free radicals which are known to cause hair loss. Just take a few tablespoons of plain olive oil and massage it directly onto your scalp and hair. Leave on for 30 minutes, then shampoo as usual. Do this weekly, and you’ll notice your hair will become healthier, shinier and stronger.

Makeup remover for all skin types

Makeup is fun, but we all know the removal process can be a pain – especially if it’s water-resistant. Olive oil is also the perfect all-natural makeup remover, good for all skin types and sensitive skins. Not only can it easily remove long-lasting makeup, but it has the extra benefit of acting as a mini facial treatment, infusing your skin with moisture and antioxidants. Simply apply a teaspoon of olive oil to your face, massage it for 10-20 seconds. Then gently wipe it away with a soft, wet face cloth.

Super moisturiser

The phenolic compound found in olive oil is scientifically proven to have antibacterial properties, making it an ideal moisturiser for all skin types – even oily and acne-prone ones. It is also a beauty guru favourite because it naturally hydrates and is absorbed quickly. A tip is to apply a small amount of olive oil after a shower, then allow it to absorb into your skin before applying another layer of skincare. By putting olive oil as the first layer of your skincare routine for both face and body, it will lock in moisture without clogging pores or causing breakouts. It’s also budget-friendly!

Scrub and exfoliator

Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells, allowing skincare to better absorb into skin. And to make your exfoliation routine extra effective, simply add a few drops of olive oil to your usual scrub for a soothing and moisturising boost. Or to make an all-natural scrub, simply mix a half cup of brown sugar, a half cup of olive oil and a few drops of your favourite essential oil together in a bowl.

Aid digestion and eliminate bloating

If you ever wake up feeling bloated, we have the cure for you! Instead of drugstore laxatives, which can cause cramping in some people, reach for olive oil, a chemical-free alternative that can prevent constipation and avoid bloating. A spoonful of extra virgin olive oil on an empty stomach in the morning is recommended for alleviating constipation, as it can help lubricate the bowel.

Rejuvenating footcare

From cracked heels caused by dry weather to tired feet in need of TLC, olive oil is here to save the day! Just before bed, rub a generous amount of olive oil into each foot, focusing on the heel area. Then just put on a pair of socks to seal in the natural goodness. Olive oil will soften and soothe dry and callused feet, making them sandal-ready in no time.

The event presented by Toyota is part of a five-year agreement between Ironman, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Thailand Tri-League.

There’ll be a 42.195-kilometre marathon, a 21.1km half marathon, a 10km Bangkok Bank Run and, on February 3, a 4km Family Fun Run.

Also planned is a Sports and Lifestyle Expo at the Bangkok Airport Rail Link from February 1 to 3.

The marathon is set for February 4 starting at 2.30am from Rajamangala Stadium, the half marathon at 5am and the 10km at 6am run from and back to the Democracy Monument.

The course will take runners past the Victory and Rama V monuments and the Rama VIII Bridge.

The early morning flagoff ensures cooler conditions and roads along the route will be closed to traffic to guarantee safety.

Register at http://AmazingThailandMarathon.com.

There’ll be a 63-kilometre “Going Greener” race and a 113-km “Fearless Gentlemen” race, together open to no more than 2,200 riders.

The Tour de Farm is designed to raise awareness about sports and eco-tourism in the province’s Pak Chong district, making it a destination for recreational and adventure tourism.

The organisers will also donate Bt100,000 to the Foundation for Khao Yai National Park Protection.

Participants will be able to help local communities by buying farm-fresh produce, organic fruit and vegetables at a mini-fair, getting a massage and herbal compress, and taking an ecotourism tour.

Register by tonight at http://FarmChokchaiSport.com.

These natural and hypoallergenic items are specifically designed to suit sensitive, delicate skins. Exhaustively dermatological tested and guaranteed free from paraben, phenoxyethanol, colouring, free and silicon, the contain a blend of active ingredients including softening, soothing orange blossom, nourishing, restorative cotton; flowers and protective, cleansing cherry blossom.

Leather for forever

Forevermark Diamond, De Beers Group’s top-of-the-range jewellery brand, caters to the younger generation with the new Encordia Leather Bracelet. The genuine leather bracelet is delicately adorned with diamond in design inspired by the Knot of Hercules signifying the secure bond of everlasting love. It’s available in four interchangeable colour choices: white, black, brown, and blue and is on sale in a special promotional offer at the store’s Siam Paragon and Central Chidlom branches until the end of January.

All dressed up and ready to party

Don’t miss the new collection from Nasaseasons, which has now arrived at Club21 His Lab in Siam Discovery. Launched in 2014 as a collective organiser of underground parties inspired by the ’90s New-York nightlife culture, Nasaseasons brought the historically North American concept of “vintage house parties” to Paris. The year after, co-founder Alexandre Daillance (aka Millinsky) undertook the task of developing the collective’s clothing lines with the frequent parties in Paris, NYC, Los Angeles and London setting the foundations for the brand’s 21st-century slogans such as “I Came To Break Hearts” embroidered on everything from hats to t-shirts.

Lines for the eyes

Add sparkle to your eyes with new Sisley Paris Phyto-Khol Star Waterproof liner. The eyeliner combines colour intensity and skincare expertise with full control and ease of application and is suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. The luminous shades reflect light and electrify the eyes from the first application until the night. It comes in brown, bronze, blue, black, and grey.

Game fun for the feet

Inspired by the small screen of games and created for the fans, the new collection of Havaianas footwear brings boasts favourite characters from Nintendo, including Mario and Luigi! With three fun prints to choose from, fans will always find a model that fits their profile. For the more nostalgic, the first model has a more retro vibe, representing a scene from the Super Mario World game. The second model portrays the beloved brothers along with Princess Peach, Toad and Bowser. The latest model brings a fun iconographic approach to the characters Mario and Luigi. The first two models are also available for younger fans, in child size.

Nestled above Lake Geneva, the clinic focuses on the detection, prevention and treatment of pathologies linked to ageing.

The expertise required includes preventive and regenerative medicine, genetic screening, nutrition, management of the physical body, without neglecting aesthetic medicine and antiageing programmes.

In 5,000 square metres, customers can organise short, medium and longterm stays in residences and enjoy fivestar hotel services, gastronomic offers and much more.

The innovative concept comes from Professor Jacques Proust, a pioneer in the biology of ageing and antiageing medicine who shares 25 years knowledge, experience and expertise with his patients.

It incorporates all the activities of the Centre of Preventive Medicine with its highly personalised medical checkups (Essential, Essential Woman Plus, Advanced, Advanced Woman Plus, Excellence, Excellence Woman Plus, and Excellence Onco Plus for men and women).

“Men’s Health” is a complete package targeting the prevention and treatment of malespecific and agerelated pathologies. You could benefit from expertise in physiotherapy and sport coaching and other medical and aesthetic activities.

Find more at info@nescens.com.

Four decades after the game took the world by storm, a high-tech exhibition is allowing enthusiasts to save the world from extra-terrestrial invasion in a variety of novel ways.

Part of the installation sees the game projected inside the windows of a skyscraper’s 52nd floor, against the glittering backdrop of Tokyo’s night skyline.

Elsewhere at the “Play! Space Invaders!” exhibit, gamers interact more closely with their alien opponents thanks to motion-sensor technology that allows them to stamp or hit the invaders as they approach on the floors or walls.

And for those with a touch of nostalgia, the exhibit also features the traditional game machines that first tempted players in arcades and pizza parlours decades ago.

Father of two, Keiji Ishihara, 50, remembers the frenzy that surrounded the game’s original release when he was 10.

“It was a big shock, a fever swept Tokyo, but boys like me didn’t have much money to play at the time,” he said, smiling as his son blasted away an alien.

“It’s beyond sci-fi that we can now access Space Invaders like this!”

When the game was released in 1978, Japan’s tech sector was still in its infancy, creator Tomohiro Nishikado said.

“At the time, computers were not that well known in Japan so I learned everything by myself.”

“I came up with the characters and the concept. I did everything on my own. Looking back, it is quite impressive… I would say that I am surprised that I managed to achieve this.”

Takayuki Taketa, 46, first played the game in a bowling alley and was involved in the development of its revival as an art director.

“It’s fantastic to see the game being played again,” he said, as electronic bleeps and bloops around him indicated the progress being made in the war against the aliens.

“It makes me so happy to watch people’s reactions and see them enjoy it after working on the project.”

“There’s also a delicious array of food, fascinating culture, live music and more,” says Tourism Authority governor Yuthasak Supasorn.

The 38th edition of the festival has 10 zones.

In “Follow in the King’s Footsteps – the Art and Science of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej”, visitors can enjoy a remarkable tribute to the royal philosophy set up in front of the Rama VI statue at the main gate.

Other zones are “Domestic Travel Products”, “Discover Thainess in the Five Regions” with cultural processions daily at 5pm, “Unique Culinary Delights”, including cooking demonstrations, the “Main Stage”, “TAT Studio” and “TAT Lab”, “Outdoor Fest”, “Trash to Treasure” and “Pracha Rath”.

Access is easy from the BTS Sala Daeng Station and MRT Silom Station.