Aura Blender Review: Aura Portable Blender and Aura Insulated Sleeve

 We all know that having a blender at home is a great help, simplifying the process of preparing delicious smoothies, juices, sauces, and more. But having a portable blender offers an added dimension of convenience, allowing us to blend our favourite ingredients on the go, whether at the office, the gym, or while traveling. It is definitely a preferred option in our fast-paced lifestyles, ensuring a nutritious boost whenever we need it.

I recently had the opportunity to review the Aura Portable Blender, paired with the Aura Insulated Sleeve.

Aura Portable Blender

Regular price: $150.00 

The Aura Portable Blender boasts a sleek and compact design with AuraXtreme Borosilicate glass, the travel-sized wonder packs a punch for power, style, and convenience all in one.

The power button has a built-in light indicator that displays the current battery level. Press the power button to check the battery level. When the Aura Blender is running low on battery during use, the red light indicator will start blinking, serving us a reminder that it's time to recharge.

Red Light: 0-20%
Blue Light: 21-80% 

White Light: 80-100%

Cleaning the Aura Blender is an easy chore, simply add water and a drop of dish soap, then click on start button to blend and clean the blender.

I was amazed by the magic of a simple blend comprising only water and a single drop of dishwashing soap. The mixture transformed into a milky solution, and within seconds, my blender was completely  clean.

 I rinsed the blender with plain water to kickstart my blended creation.

I am going to try making dragon fruit drink where I will be blending together some fresh dragon fruit cubes with water for the antioxidant intake. I'm quite lazy in consuming the fruits so blending it into a drink in a perfect solution for me.

The cutting-edge blending technology allows the dragon fruit slices to be blend into smooth and velvety texture. The Aura Nutri Extractor blades extract & preserve up to 99% of vitamins and minerals, ensuring each sip of our blends are packed nutritional goodness.

The blender is equipped with AuraVortex blend technology, capable of pulverizing ingredients at an astonished rate of 25,000 RPM, equivalent to a dizzying 417 times per second! It can even crush ice in under 10 seconds.

I loaded the blender with dried shrimps, all set to create a batch of Hae Bee Hiam. This was the end result of the blended dried shrimps, which shows in a finely shredded form. The powerful blending capabilities surprised me, effortlessly breakdown the solid ingredients into smooth texture. 

I also had mango juices where I blend mango slices with milk to create a refreshing treat.

The Aura Blender has a built-in safety feature which ensure the blades do not function unless the jar is firmly secured to the motor base. This feature not only prevents accidental mishaps but also provides a sense of security during use.

Aura portable blender also features a convenient bottle cap, which offers the flexibility of transforming the blender into a portable bottle by swapping the base for the cap. This allows us to take our blended creations with us on the go without the need to transfer them to a separate bottle. 

Aura Insulated Sleeve

Regular price: $30.00

The addition of the Aura Insulated Sleeve was a thoughtful touch, ensuring that my freshly blended beverages stayed at the perfect temperature on the go. It can fit any standard 500ml bottles.

Crafted in premium neoprene, the Aura Insulated Sleeve provides waterproof and padded protection for the Aura Portable Blender. With the AuraGrid insulating technology, it works like a personal climate control system within the sleeve, ensuring our drinks maintain their intended temperature, whether refreshing cold or soothingly warm.

Check out Aura Blender Website to find out more about Aura Portable Blender and Aura Insulated Sleeve. Delivery is free for those residing in Singapore. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity if you have intention of getting a blender.

This post is a collaboration with Aura Blender and expressed in my own opinion.

Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts

 Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts is just 2 minutes walk away from our hotel, making it our first stop after we left our hotel since it is just a stone throw away. Many attractions in District 1 are conveniently situated within walking distance of each other, making the district easy to explore by foot.

We reached the museum at about 1.25pm and I was instantly captivated by the charm of the colonial building. The architecture has a harmonious blend of Asian and European styles, with vintage structure, transporting me to an era of cultural influences.

The museum covers three buildings, each with three-floors, which house a collection showcasing an array of Vietnamese art works in sculpture, oil, silk and lacquer painting. Through these artworks, we caught a glimpse into the rich history of Vietnam.

Gazing at the artwork is not just about seeing pretty pictures, each piece of art has a message behind it, unfold through the artists' expression in their creation.

Each room housed a collection of art as we moved through the museum, wandering through the visual tour. The masterpieces came in all form, ranging from portraits hanging on the wall to sculptures. 

The artwork was illuminated by the bright light used. The atmosphere was warm and humid due to the absence of aircon (only selection room has aircon), I started to feel my energy being drained as I  browsed through the room. I was feeling unwell during the trip, so it also contributed to the low energy level.

Breathing in the fresh air at the open area to ease away the lethargic and checking out the interconnect buildings.

I loved the stained glass window in colonial building, the patterns created a picturesque backdrop for photo taking.

It was raining by the time we finished exploring the museum in 45 minutes, we sat down at the bench while waiting for the rain to subside as we left our umbrella in hotel. After 15 minutes, the rain become smaller and we returned to hotel at 2.40pm for a rest in aircon room.

Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts

97A P. Đức Chính, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bình, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam 

Operating hours: 8am to 5pm daily 

Entrance fee: 30,000VND (or S$1.71)

Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) Day 3: Café 30/4 + Checking Out Of CityHouse Ariosa

 I managed to catch at least three hours of sleep last night despite waking up twice to check the time, I really dragged sleepless night because the time was so hard to pass. 

By 8.10am, I was fully prepared to start the day, though the lingering traces of tiredness still visible on my face.

The reason for waking up early was to enjoy the breakfast set available from 7am to 9am at Café 30/4. We arrived at the cafe around 8.30am, it was just 5 minutes walk away from our serviced apartment, besides Independence Palace. While we had visited this spot five years ago when it was under Highlands Coffee, it had now been taken off by Café 30/4.

It was a two storey cafe and we had the whole of level 2 all to ourselves. Stepping into this cafe brought a wave of nostalgia, reminding us of past memories. The wooden charm of the new interior design gave a different style to the familiar cafe.

After gotten our food, we moved in to get a seat besides the floor-to-ceiling glass window with ample of sunlight filtering in. The tranquil and relaxing ambience, coupled with greenery surrounding, make having breakfast here enjoyable, and with privacy too as we were the only customers on level 2.

Both of us got the combo set which consist of Ice Coffee and Pork Banh Mi Que. we added milk to the coffee for an additional of 10,000VND per pax, making the set cost 65,000VND (or S$3.71) per pax. While it may not be considered very cheap, the price remained reasonable for a café. The coffee was not bitter with substantial ratio of sweetness in it.

We sat here for about 1 hour 15 minutes to immerse ourself in the pleasure of coffee, bread, scenery and conversation. I really enjoyed moments like these, where we simply live in the present. 

I noticed a routine of the locals where they like to gather at the opposite park. Some sat along the pathway or on the grass, enjoying breakfast or engaging in conversations to kickstart their day.

Café 30/4

1 Huyền Trân Công Chúa, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Operating hours: 6am to 9pm daily

Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) Day 2: Godmother Bake & Brunch

I had a sleepless night. Being a light sleeper, I found myself tossing and turning throughout the night. It's quite typical for me not to sleep well during the first couple of nights on a trip. I found myself getting up a few times during the night, walking over to the bench to check the time on my phone (no side table as my bed was facing the wall), and then returning to bed to continue resting. I was so happy when I started hearing the sounds of passing vehicles on the road (since we were staying on the ground floor) because morning has arrived.

As I finished my preparation,  I felt excited for the day ahead. Today would be the highlight of our trip, so we chose our nicest outfit that we bought to the trip to wear today.

Here's how our serviced apartment looked like when viewed from the opposite side of the street. As we headed in the direction of Saigon Square, we also looked around for a good spot to have breakfast.

Just 5 minutes walk from our serviced apartment is Independence Palace, a well-known attraction for tourists. Since we explored it during our previous visit, we did not revisit again.

Saigon Square was 26 minutes walk from our apartment. We ended up spending less than 10 minutes inside the mall because I was quite hungry and we couldn't find a suitable breakfast spot during our journey there.

As we stood on the opposite side of the street, we noticed a charming food spot above the striking blue awning called "Godmother." Without hesitation, we decided to dine there regardless of the menu, I was so hungry that I was unwilling to walk any further.

After nearly 40 minutes of walk, we finally settled down at Godmother Bake & Brunch for our breakfast at 10am. We were led to the second floor where there were plenty of seating options awaited us, each corner with different table arrangements. There was also alfresco seating for smokers who want to have a puff while waiting for food.

The panoramic street view from the cafe's second floor was refreshing.

 Our impromptu exploration of the streets led us to surprises, and stumbling upon this lovely cafe was an unexpected finding. The ambiance and vibe were delightful, and they offered a wide variety of Western brunch options.

Since our food required 25 minutes preparation time, we took the opportunity to explore the alfresco area. With our flexible food itinerary, we have the freedom to leisurely explore and take in delicious food around the city. 

Both of us ordered Matcha Latte at 85,000VND (or $4.86 before tax) which came with a beautiful latte art of rabbit and seahorse. After yesterday incident of not eating full for dinner, Linda decided to follow exactly the same as my pick. The matcha latte had a harmonious blend with robust matcha flavour and well balance earthy tone. 

I had Signature Savoury Pancake Stack at 170,000VND (or $9.71 before tax). After Linda's experience yesterday of not eating full for dinner, she decided to follow me in ordering the same menu, even though she had initially considered another option. The pancake stack arrived, consisting of three delectable pancake layers, accompanied by three savory bacon slices and a perfectly cooked egg.

Godmother Bake & Brunch

2-4-6, 4 Đ. Đồng Khởi, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Operating hours: 8am to 9pm daily

Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) Day 1: CityHouse Ariosa + Banh Khot Co Ba Vung Tau

Here marks the beginning of my first vacation after Covid-19, I felt so happy being able to travel again. It's a much-needed break from work, a chance to create new travel memories. I am going to resume my travel adventures, making up for the lost time and fully embracing life once more.

Once we had completed the check-in process, we walked around Terminal 1 departure hall, looking around for lunch at 11.50am. I settled for Pontian Wanton Noodle with black sauce ($7). Though expensive, the wanton noodle was nice with combination of boiled and fried wantons, each bursting with different flavours.

Waiting at the boarding gate, we were flying with Scoot with air ticket at the price of S$137.31. There was a delay of 45 minutes which was quite common occurrence with Scoot flights. 

This time around, we decided to travel light. I only had a backpack and a small hand-carry cooler bag with me, especially since we were planning to switch hotels and not much things that we want to buy.

I exchanged my money at a rate of SGD1 : 17,500VND.

We touched down at Tan Son Nhat International Airport around 2.50pm local time in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam is one hour behind Singapore. Clearing customs took about half an hour. After we left the airport, I spent some time activating my eSIM card for mobile data and booked a Grab ride to our serviced apartment. It took a bit of time for the Grab driver to locate us because we couldn't find the specific meeting point he mentioned. Eventually, we decided to meet at the front of the location. I was surprised that the driver didn't cancel the ride when he couldn't find us, which was quite considerate.

The journey from airport to our serviced apartment was 35 minutes drive. We arrived in District 3 around 4.30pm, the fare for the ride was 112,000VND (or $6.40).

We were staying at CityHouse - Ariosa for two nights at S$100.10, it is a five storey high serviced apartment with a total of 29 rooms. The exterior gave a charming aesthetic, like an assembly of multiple wooden houses stacked on top of one another.

174 Đường Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, Cityhouse - Ariosa, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Here's our standard double room with loft bed (22sqm). We were staying on the ground floor and directly the first room, we could see the view of the reception table through the small window. It was my first experience staying in a serviced apartment, it was amazed how the room was designed to incorporate a bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom within such a compact space. The wooden interior and high ceiling added a tropical house ambiance, enhancing our overall experience.

The window opened up to the view of  a mini courtyard featuring a small round table, two chairs, and potted plants. This outdoor space was also used by their staff as a dining area and a place for their breaks. I like the window that allows abundance of light into the room.

We did not have a particular destination in mind, so we just walked around and explored the nearby restaurants and eateries to find a place for dinner.

We chanced upon Banh Khot Co Ba Vung Tau and decided to give it a try for "early" dinner. It was around 5:30pm local time, though it was actually 6:30pm in Singapore.

The restaurant had an inviting atmosphere with wooden interior details against a white backdrop. Since it was still early for dinner, the place appeared a bit empty, but as time went by, more diners began to arrive.

I enjoyed a refreshing Coconut drink at 35,000VND (or $2). The coconut was served directly from its husk where I can taste the natural freshness of the coconut.

I had Egg Fried Rice at 70,000VND (or $4) which was served in a claypot with cucumber and tomato. While the rice had a delightful fragrance, I noticed that some parts of it were a bit firm and tended to stick together, which was a minor drawback.

The total bill came up to 205,800VND (or $11.76). The sky already turned dark when we finished our dinner, the sun set at around 5.45pm.

Just 6 minutes walk from the restaurant, we found a shopping mall named Diamond Plaza. However, it was a high-end department store operated by Lotte, akin to Isetan of Singapore. After a quick five-minute exploration, we decided to leave the mall. 

Though it was only 6.30pm, the sky was completely dark. On our way back to the hotel, we spotted a convenience store. Linda picked up cup noodles and snack to consume in hotel as she was still hungry, she only had crab soup and one spring roll at the restaurant.

We reached our serviced apartment at about 7pm.

Since our main objective for the choice of this serviced apartment was the bathtub, I also utilised it during our stay.

We spent our night watching YouTube variety shows till midnight. It felt like a staycation to us as we found ourselves spending the majority of our time in the room, enjoying the cozy atmosphere. 

This sums up our experience on the first day in Ho Chi Minh City.