Happy Lunar New Year everyone!

Sunday Brunch with Karen

I'm a late morning person and I always enjoy having breakfast anytime of the day. For working adults like myself, I tend to sleep in during the weekends and prefer having the option of dining at an all day breakfast cafe.

Just before Christmas, I had late breakfast or rather brunch with Karen at Choupinette. Though it was a tiny cafe, it was rather cozy and they served nice breakfast set. It was really filling! A cup of hot drink, a glass of juice and a breakfast dish. I believe what I had was the Eggs Benedict and I absolutely love it! I heard that they sell nice pastries and eclairs too. Considering the space constraint, Choupinette don't take reservations on Sundays and according to Karen, it is pretty packed from 9-12 and by 2, which was the time we arrived, most of the pastries and eclairs were sold out. I guess I'll have to wait for my next trip there to try the lovely eclairs.

After brunch, I followed Karen for her photoshoot and to run some errands. I'll have to wait for Karen's photo to post our photo of the day. At the meantime, have a great week ahead peeps. :)

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Birthday Kids

It was wx's niece and nephew's birthday and Wx bought Bumblebee cake for them, cute isn't it?

Happy Birthday Kids. :)

Baby Izzac

It's either weddings or baby shower. Peers around me are starting their new phrase in life and similar to how some of my friends felt, somethings just passed by too quickly. Some of us are still studying, some are entering the workforce while some have started their families. Looking back, I really agree that we should enjoy our childhood and teens phrase as much as possible.

A few months ago, I attended a baby shower party of little Izzac. Cute and adorable and he naturally caught our attentions. We were busy entertaining him, made sure he was happy and smiley throughout the party. It was also a good opportunity to catch up with the dancers and find out what they have been up to lately. I really enjoyed myself and I'm sure Baby Izzac was having a good time as well. Congrats to the couple! :)

Rock Climbing

First time trying Rock climbing! It was tiring and I was aching all over the very next day. Of course I was still a beginner and at least I managed to reach the top of the very basic wall. It was an interesting first experience and I'm glad to attempt it after so long. :)

Lion King Musical

This post is long overdue, but I just had to share this experience with my fellow readers.

Sometime in April or May, I watched The Lion King Musical with Wx. I'm always a fan of Lion King when I was a little kid, together with my cousin, we watched the movie together, played the toys and also mimic some of the famous and common verses. No surprises that we were both fans of both Simba and Nala. And if I remember correctly, I still keep some of my favourite Lion King toys and even bought the soft toy, Baby Simba at Disneyland, Orlando.

Well, that being said, Wx was somewhat of a different era and he has no idea and even couldn't understand the hype about it, but he decided to watch the musical with me nonetheless. :) I was excited about the musical and I simply love and enjoyed the musical! The concept is really brilliant, the music and singing was good and I simply love the part where they engaged the audience by performing at the stairways.

There was also a small exhibition where they showed how they prepare for the musical. The producers actually watched and learned how the African animals move or reaction to certain things, and from there they created the dance and movements closely related to real life. The materials used for the props were also detailed and well thought of. It definitely takes a lot of effort to prepare one musical and to execute it smoothly on the actual day itself requires great thoughts and efforts. :)

Halloween 2011

Happy Halloween everyone! :)

Ice Cream Time!

It was afternoon tea time and the recreation committee organised a walk-in Walls ice cream push cart for all staff to enjoy. What a thoughtful gesture and everyone was pleased and amused by this whole activity. The ice cream man was also sweet enough to give us extra waffles. Well, that's the advantage of booking the whole push cart isn't it?

Though we were swamped with work, Tisha and I still enjoyed the ice cream. :)

Abalone Mince Meat Noodles

Recently a friend introduced us to a yummy place that sells Abalone Mince Meat Noodles. Something different from the normal Mince Meat noodles and it is delicious! Although the serving was a little small for my hearty appetite, the variety of ingredients was enough to satisfy our tastebuds. I can't remember exactly where it is located, but I know it's along race course road and I believe it is called Lam's.

Do give it a try if you happen to be around the area, it is definitely worth a try. :)

Cold Stone Creamery

Remember the night out with the girls I posted a few weeks back? I found the one and only photo I took! Here's the Ice Cream we shared at Cold Stone Creamery. It looks small because all of us were extremely full from dinner and decided to share a small cup. :)

Mid-Autumn Festival

We decided to celebrate Mid-Autumn festival with some friends this year. We headed down to Chinese Garden and it was indeed a fruitful yet interesting trip. The jam along the road was terrible and somehow everyone seemed to be rushing to Chinese Garden. Though it was also drizzling, the beautiful lighted lanterns made up for it. The pandas were the cutest and my favourite segment of this whole lantern affair. Here are some photos of the little trip, enjoy. :)

Universal Studio Singapore

Surprised no 2 was a trip down south. We had lunch at Sushi Tei and walked the linkway to Sentosa. I really had no idea where we were heading to and it really came as a surprise for me as timid little me dare not try most of the rides.

There was I at Universal Studio and at least if any foreigners were to ask me, I can finally reply that I've been there once! Although I dare not take most of the rides, I did have a fun time at Universal Studios. Personally, I find it rather family-friendly. There were a fair share of shows and rides for the young and old. Of course, the rides were not fully opened yet at that point of time but I believe now it is.

Someone once told me, the older you are, you become more timid and afraid of heights. I couldn't agree more as I believe I was more adventurous and daring when I was in my teens. Well, that being said, at least I'm glad I tried the Mummy. Maybe if I ever find the guts I may try the huge roller-coaster. Have you all been to Universal Studios Singapore? If you have not, what are you waiting for?

Pick a date!

Many months ago, wx surprised me by bringing me to a beach to chill and relax. I always enjoy just sitting by the beach to clear some thoughts and also listen to the waves and just enjoy the nature around us. Sadly, being in a city place and fast moving environment, many of us just can't spare the time to chill or relax.

After the beach, by night time we headed to down to town to try Wild Honey! Wild Honey is one of the recommended all day breakfast restaurant anyone could think of in town. They serve sweet and savoury breakfast, sandwiches and salads too. It was my first time there and I couldn't decide what to eat and I ended up with a simple french toast while wx had the English breakfast. The food was great and I would recommend you to try if you happen to be craving for breakfast at night. It was a weekend when we headed there and it was a little crowded. So, if you are thinking of heading there, don't forget to make a reservation.

It may not be a happening day, but I did enjoy the day spent with a special someone.

Btw, the pretty flower rubber band was a gift from Lita all the way from Bali! Thanks for the little gift. I really love it! :)

The Changes

I used to enjoy the food at Pastamania with some close friends during secondary school or poly days. Friends whom I used to dine with at Pastamania have changed as well. Pastamania also changed from non-halal to halal food restaurant, of course the taste of certain pasta may be slightly different. Changes do take place every now and then, we just need to move on and look forward to the future. No point looking back or crying over spilled milk. Good memories will always remain warm in your heart.

Occasionally I still crave for their pasta and I would still order my all time favourite, Bolognese.

Taking a stroll

I'm still trying to catch up with my blog posts and trying to maintain it as regularly as possible if time permits. After working for more than 6 months, I feel extremely tired every weekend, like as if I've drained out all my energy at work. Let's hope it will be much better end by the end of the year.

Before heading to Clarke quay, I had my favourite Prawn Noodles and carrot cake at Da Lu. After which, I headed down to Clarke Quay to meet Patience and friends. As we were still early, we took a stroll and since it was near Mid-Autumn festival, there were lanterns and other decorations to prepare for this special festival. Just as we were about to leave the carpark, we managed to catch a glimpse of the lighted Clarke Quay, but by the time we went down the lights were switched off and we could only take photos of the lanterns not lighted. Oh well, but it's definitely better than nothing isn't it. :)

At Oriole Cafe

Just before Daph left for her overseas exchange program, we met up together with Jean and had dinner at Oriole Cafe. The food was great and so was the accompany. I believe the above was one of my last shot I took with Daph before she left. Had dessert at Cold Stone before ending the night early as all of us were tired or had other plans.

Time flies and in another about two months, it will be Christmas and New Year. :)

Yoda's 2nd Overnight stay

The loyal dog never fail to come up with different ideas that surprised me. This time round, he is rather tired and lethargic, I supposed it is probably due to his age but no matter how tired he is, he never fail to wait by the door at night for his owner to fetch him home. Sounds like a homesick dog isn't it?

Be it homesick or loyal, he is still as cute as ever whatever he does.

One Bakersworld

One Bakersworld was recommended by Karen and I absolutely love their cakes! I love their concept of low sugar, no trans fat and no preservatives. Having healthier cakes also makes one feel happier and lighter. Best of all, I can keep their cakes for as long as two weeks in the freezer.

I'm addicted to their Chocolate indulgence and every time I'm near Raffles Place, I will definitely walk home with delicious cakes. I'm looking forward to their new range of flavours and more. :)

Baby One Month

You can't help but become rounder with lovely cakes, yummy biscuits and all sort of snacks at the pantry waiting for you, particularly when clients or colleagues bring gifts to office. This time, it is one of my colleagues baby one month cake, just by looking at the sweetly designed muffins and you know it must be a baby girl. :)

Breakfast at Swensens

Family meals are one good way to bond and catch up on each other's daily lives. I believe in that as it helps the family to stay together. During public holidays, my family tend to have our meals outside and on one of the public holidays, we went to Swensens for lunch. As it was a public holiday, there was breakfast set available and I ordered one set for myself. Sausage, ham, french toast, tomato and hashbrown, it was quite filling actually. I always enjoy having breakfast and I can have it anytime of the day. :)

Saybons & Munchy Moo

A quick and short meet up session with Wan Jin about a two months back and we decided to try Saybons followed by Munchy Moo.

Saybons is a French food outlet, where you can takeaway or dine in to savour their lovely crepes and soups made from scratch. They sell a variety of sweet and savoury crepes and one of my favourite is the ham and cheese. They also have freshly made soups, rest assure that they are made from natural ingredients and definitely different from those manufactured or can soups. On top of that, they also have escargots, salads and breads. In fact, I believe that Wan Jin and yl has made the soups one of their favourite. :)

Munchy Moo officially opened when we happen to pass by the shop a few months back. Both of us decided to give it a try and we shared a cup of rum and raisin ice cream cake. Munchy Moo specialise in making ice cream cake and also offer a wide range of flavours. Both Wan Jin and I enjoyed the rum and raisin and hopefully we will have the chance to try other flavours as well in the near future.

Both of us had an appetizing meal and in the upcoming post, I will share another new place we discovered around the area. :)

Bedtime for Ody

It is Ody's bedtime and this is what he will do every night. Pillow for his head and hug his toys to sleep. He really knows how to enjoy life. Lol. :)

McCafe Hot Chocolate

A cup of Hot Chocolate on a cold and chilly weather. :)

All about Scones

I always enjoy having a cup of Chamomile tea and some Scones during afternoon tea sessions with girlfriends. This time, I decided to try and baked a batch of scones. It is my first time baking scones, although it may not look as nice and the taste was still acceptable, I hope to improve and bake better scones next time. If any of you have any tips for making delicious scones, do feel free to let me know. :)

I really miss baking during my holidays and also spend my afternoon relaxing at a cafe and shopping with friends. I guess that is the one of the major difference between school and work. I will just have to get used to it, oh wells.

Ajisen

Another long overdue photos. I had dinner at Ajisen and ordered my favourite Mayo Prawns.

Kyle

Jean's sister gave birth to a little boy named Kyle. He is such a cute and handsome boy. Managed to grab a shot with Ryan too. Although it was some time back, it was another great opportunity to catch up with Jean. :)

Birthday Celebration

It was wx's birthday and I planned a surprise get together session with his friends. He was really excited and tried to test his friend and of course try to figure the 'dinner' location.

First, we detoured and made a trip to the old turf club at Bukit Timah. Since he already knew we were heading to a place that keeps horses, I had to make a detour before bringing him to Rider's Cafe for brunch with his friends. I heard so much about Rider's cafe, especially the breakfast menu. But, by the time we reached it was almost noon and the breakfast menu was not available. The food was fine, but I'm still anticipating to try the breakfast menu, which I heard, will be much better than the lunch sets.

After Rider's cafe, we went to Kbox for some Karaoke session. His friends suggested singing as they used to sing together and said that he particularly enjoy singing Andy Lau's songs. Never did I expect him to know so many chinese songs at the back of his head. Well, at least now I know. :)

The day ended with a simple dinner with his friends at Old Airport road. It was a long and tiring day, but yet relaxing and enjoyable. I believed he had a memorable time and appreciate the time and effort his friends took to celebrate his birthday.

Craving for Wedges

I met Wan Jin for afternoon tea a few months ago and so happen it was one of those rare times where both of us were available for an impromptu session. I was craving for Wedges, not craving for wedges from an particular cafe and so we decided on TCC at Ion. Considering it was a weekday and at such an odd hour, TCC was fully occupied and we had to wait to get a seat. Oh well, I guess the waiting didn't really bother us since I really wanted Wedges and we had so much to catch up with each other.

I had a good afternoon, time spent with my dearest good friend and catching up with her on almost everything under the sun. Ever since then, both of us have entered a new phrase of life and probably weekday afternoon tea may not be as frequent as it used to be, but there is always weekends and dinner. Hope to catch up with you soon babe! :)

Lunch with colleagues

Back in May, I had lunch with my colleagues, Candice and Tisha at Waraku. We were busy snapping photos and trying the 'red light' effect which Tisha taught us. It was great working and sharing many memorable experiences with them. Although it was a short period, I still enjoyed the times spent with them.

In a blink of an eye, it is July and about one month later will be my graduation. Within a short period of time, there were too many changes, be it good or bad, it is just too much to describe. The 'working world' is really not as naive as the 'schooling world', that I would definitely agree.

Just before I end this post, I shall share what inspired me and gave me motivation to work harder. Recently, I attended a workshop and I really enjoyed the session with the trainer. She was doing Human Resource for many years and she told us many stories about hiring and firing and how she ended up being a trainer and pursuing her interest and dreams. I was really inspired by her stories and it made me realised that what she said does make sense. Sometimes when you are young you may not be as lucky, not given a chance to pursue what you really want. What you really want, may not be suitable for you. It is through gaining experiences and going through those experiences that make you realised what is most suitable for you and what do you really want. Being a trainer, she felt that even though she was doing recruitment and other spectrum of Human Resource, it is through all these experiences that helped her realised what she wanted was to have the sense of achievement to teach and train and ensure her participants gained valuable insights. Also with all these experiences, it made it easier for her to share real life stories that relates closely to the topics. Thus, to summarise, even though you may not do something you like, just hang in there and the worst will be over soon. Everything happens for a reason and through that, it makes you treasure your passion and pursue your interest for a better future.

A trip to the Airport

Mother's day was spent at Changi Airport. Someone once told me that the sashimi at Changi Airport will definitely be much fresher than the other Sakae Sushi outlets, so there we go. We happen to pass by an area that display orchids which explains the photos above.

I think my family is a rather pro-Singapore fan, since one of my parent's favourite flower is none other than the Orchid and be it Chinese New Year or any other occasions, we will definitely have a pot of Orchid at our garden.

Sharon's Wedding

Recently I was invited to Sharon's wedding and I attended her wedding mass together with wx. I didn't take much photo with the bride as she was busy with other guests too. Although each of us have our own busy schedule and a meet up is rare, it is nevertheless as heartwarming to witness a good friend's wedding.

Congratulations Sharon and Du Wen!! :)

Ody's Birthday

It was Ody's birthday and we brought Ody to the dog run area at Bishan Park. Coincidentally, it was another doggy's birthday and they were having a birthday party for him. Initially, we kept Ody away from the dogs, knowing that he is afraid of bigger dogs considering his small build. However, Ody kept whining and he wants to be part of the party too, so we brought in and guess what, he was being chased by the other dogs. They just wanted to be friendly with him and wanted to play with him, but Ody was too afraid and he ran away. The best part was, instead of running back to us, he decided to continue running and let the bigger dogs chase him. What an irony isn't it? Lol.

The other dog owners were really nice and they offered both Yoda and Ody a slice of dog cake each as well as a goodie bag full of treats to bring home. Despite the scare earlier, we gave Ody birthday meatballs. I guess that kind of make up to him. Ody is now One year old and hopefully wiser and obedient. :)

Reminiscing Gelare's Waffles

Gelare's Waffles never fail to make my day. I used to look forward to Tuesday as Gelare sells their waffles at half priced. The discounted amount was significant as a student back, but now things has changed. I really miss being a student, enjoying my holidays, having afternoon tea with friends and most importantly just carefree and lesser worries.

Back to the waffles, I remembered it was Wan Jin's and my favourite and we used to meet on Tuesdays at particularly at Far East Plaza where one of the Gelare outlets was there then. We will always share the waffle, with whipped cream and I will choose my all time favourite, cookies and cream, while Wan Jin was more adventurous, she will always try different flavours depending on her mood. We spent those times catching up with each other, planning something, have a goal to look forward to. We even draw on the serviettes! I really enjoyed the time spent with her then and I believe she misses student life as much as I do.

This time, I brought a special someone with me and I wanted the person to experience the same experience I had back then, but somehow, the experience was just different.

Different experiences with different people and that's how we gained more experience by learning from various individuals isn't it?

Old Airport Road Soya Beancurd

I have heard so much about it, and it was about time to try the much raved about, Soya Beancurd. My first experience was pretty disappointing as they closed at 8pm and by the time I reached, close to 8pm, it was sold out. Well, probably because it's the end of their daily operations, so can't be help, but I managed to grab a drink! :)

Went back there a few times just to eat the beancurd and it is always worth it. It is like a custard beancurd , smooth and silky. Something different from your normal beancurd that makes it worth the uniqueness. However, recently the queue is crazy and even queuing is not guaranteed a buy. I hope they will expand soon and maybe there is still a chance to get something and not a wasted or disappointed trip. But if you ask me, it's definitely worth the try! :)

Running carefreely

Over the weekends, when we have spare time, we will bring the little furbies out for a walk/run. Found a huge grassland, suitable for Ody to run carefreely, knowing that we can still see him and he won't dash out the road. Seeing Ody running happily while Yoda just sit down and enjoy the surroundings. Somehow, the both of them just reminds me of Garfield and Odie the comic/cartoon I used to watch when I was a younger. Yoda resembles Garfield, lazy and just let Ody run like a mad dog, while he just sit there and watch. Ody on the other hand is really like Odie, every small little things will distract him.

It has been awhile since I last brought them out. Hopefully I can spare some time in June. :)

Hot Chocolate

This photo was taken sometime back when I was having drinks with a really good friend. It was about time to catch up with each other despite our busy schedule, having a cup of drink, slacking by Starbucks and just enjoying our afternoon tea session. That is life of a student on holiday or an unemployed graduate like me back then. I really wish I could turn back time and just enjoy those carefree moments where I could meet my friends and enjoy High-tea. I guess I will only have time to do that on weekends or if I am on leave. Oh wells.

I love Starbucks's Hot Chocolate, chocolate richness and most importantly not as blend or diluted like some other cafes outside. If you are wondering, I'm not a coffee lover, neither am I into tea, thus Hot chocolate or Milo is my fair share daily dosage. :)

Meatball Noodles!

Finally decided to try the Meatball Noodles my East side friends have been raving about. Although Bedok 85 market has a wide variety of food, the Meatball Noodles is none other than one of my friend's favourite, and now it has become one of my favourite too! I especially love the soup!

Just looking at the photo make me crave for it all over again. It is about time to head there for another meal! Yums! :)

Nutella Cupcakes

Decided to bake a batch of Nutella Cupcakes for some close friends.

Exploring

Singapore Food Trail showcases the past, just like how it used to be at those food stalls, selling Singaporean's all time favourite hawker food. I even managed to spot those old school bottled drinks. The pricing wise is pretty reasonable, probably around air-conditioned food court pricing. Moreover, there are some antique items there, like the sewing machine, typewriter and many many more. Some was even up for sale! It was an interesting experience reminiscing the past, although all I could only remember was the sewing machine which some of my relatives still keep.

Since I was around the area, I decided to drop by Marina Bay Sands again and catch the 'Wonder Full', the water and light show. It was a spectacular show and I really enjoyed the show especially the laser lights. It just reminds me of how my friends and I would stay at Sentosa till 8pm just to catch the free Musical Fountain show, which was a must see then.

It was a great night full of event, exploring something different and being a true blue Singaporean, visiting certain new places of attractions. I wrote a simple black dress which I bought from Club Couture a very long time ago and match it with a simple brown belt. :)

Mad for Garlic

Much raved about Mad for Garlic, Wx and I decided to give it a try. Mad for Garlic is popular in Korea and have ventured and opened a branch Suntec City. Needless to say, majority of the items in their menu is nothing but garlic. Being a non-garlic person, I chose a pizza that was not so garlic-flavoured, while wx had the recommended lobster pasta. The food was a little disappointing for wx as he felt that it was not as 'garlic' as he thought it would be. However, I do feel that the lobster pasta's garlic taste was not that strong and suitable for a non-garlic person like me. Each have our own preference, so it really depends on the perception one have before you enter the place and what do you really like. As for the layout and ambience of the place, it is not too bad, rather cosy and suitable for dates or hangouts.

The food pricing is rather reasonable and decent and I would recommend all of you to try at least once, and maybe you might have a different opinion. As for me, I don't think I'll head back there again, unless one of us have a special craving. :)

Mickey Mouse Pancakes

Sometime back, I was baking and there was some flour left, just enough for my dad to whip a simple Pancake, so I suggested using my Mickey Mouse cookie cutter which I bought in the States to shape the pancakes nicely!

The pancakes may not look yummy, but I'm sure the Mickey shape just stole the limelight! :)

Daddy's Birthday

January and February is usually the busiest month of the year. Not only because CNY falls on one of those months, most of my immediate family member's birthday falls back to back. This time, it was my Dad's birthday. My dad's all time favourite dining place is none other then Swensens. Without much though or even looking at the menu for new food recommendations, my dad will always order the Crayfish Pasta. I chose a simple Chicken Baked rice.

It was just a simple celebration, dinner, cake and present. Simple is bliss. :)

The Rabbit's Birthday

Another year has past and it is the time of the year I will always look forward to, but yet dread about it. Ironic as it may seem, I believe most of the girls would agree with me. This year I celebrated my birthday with a mini blast to coincide with the Year of Rabbit.

My birthday started with a simple bowl of Traditional Mee Sua and a family lunch at Ion Orchard. I chose Paradise Dynasty again because I simply love the Xiao Long Bao there and I wanted to bring my parents there as well to try this different xlb. Both of them agree with me that it taste much better than Din Tai Feng. Other than xlb, we ordered a few simple dishes to share. After lunch, we collected my birthday cake and headed home to prepare for my birthday party!

I had a small birthday party at my place and invited a few close friends over to celebrate it with me. I chose the theme 'Rabbit' as I was born in the year of the Chinese Zodiac, Rabbit and it was also the Rabbit year. On top of having Cny decorations that were full of rabbits, I brought a few Rabbit soft toys to display. Simple as the theme may seem, I invited guest to join in the fun and dress according to the theme. They can choose to impersonate the Warner Brothers character, Bugs Bunny or follow the Rabbit in one of the popular childhood story and movie, Alice in the wonderland.

I prepared small little gift bags for my guests as well a simple message for each of them. The food was simple home-cooked peranakan dishes. Noodles is a must according to my parents as it represents longevity. There were Chap Cai, Ayam Buah Keluah, Babi Ponteh and Kueh Pie Tee. The Kueh Pie Tee was the 'hot seller' and my friends ended up having a mini Kueh Pie Tee party of their own. So cute of them isn't it? Of course not forgetting the birthday cake, which was specially ordered from Rive Gauche and a imprinted Rabbit at the corner of the cake to match the occasion and theme.

As I mentioned above, guests were suppose to dress according to the theme and everyone voted for the best dressed guest, Karen. Other than wearing the bunny ears, she even made a bunny tooth to match her outfit. Kudos to her spontaneous and creative outfit! Not forgetting the other guests as they all took effort to dress too. Be it wearing the colour of a Rabbit, or some of them which tied two pony tails representing the bunny ears, brought Rabbit toy along and the bunny hairbands and tooth. I really appreciate everyone's effort to dressing up! :)

Here's my outfit for the day! Rabbit ears hairband and a white dress to match my white Rabbit. Even though it was a plain dress, I simply love the design as it was not overwhelmed. :)

I had a wonderful day spending quality time with family and friends. In this hectic and busy city, it is not all the time you get to meet your close friends or even hang out for long. Even with information technology, it also takes effort for one to contact one another. I'm really glad that all of my dearest friends could make it to celebrate this special occasion with me. Thanks for the lovely wishes and presents! Thanks Mum and Dad for helping cooking those lovely food! Thank you! Love! :)