Restaurant Week: My Winning Pick

Before I go on writing about my food adventure in Japan, I believe there's a restaurant that needs to be acknowledged. In the past week, I've booked myself for several dinners. The quality of food was generally decent but most of them aren't spectacular so I didn't think they are worth an exceptional mention, but Gaia.

To begin, Goodwood Park Hotel always held a special place in my heart. When I was a child, I would spend my weekends with my family stuffing our faces in delicious Teochew porridge in this colonial hotel. In my limited memory, I can still clearly remember running up and down the steps leading to the lobby in some lacy, floral girly frock. But I had half a mind to not pick Gaia because I thought Goodwood Park Hotel would be so old as compared to the other restaurants in the list. I am glad I stuck to my guns.

Gaia was the only restaurant that served us a 5 course meal as compared to the usual 3. I'm very sure they made a loss but they have earned my heart. If they are planning to put the main course I picked on their ala carte menu permanently, I'll dine there at least one a month.

So, the meal began with Fresh Tuna Fish Tartar. Which was above average but nothing to shout about. Everything is fresh, in the right proportion but nothing surprising.

Next was the Carrot & Basil Cream Soup. For those who know me, I have a carnivore living in me and that wouldn't even tempt me to taste it but I did. I was so good!. Right level of creaminess and not a tinge of that awful raw veggie taste. Very well-balanced.

Malloreddus Sardinian Pasta came next but I highly suspect my expectation was set too high when the waiter highly recommended this dish. I thought it was good but again, not something that would make me go ga-ga over.

By now, you might be thinking if I'm serious about giving them a positive review. For the main, I picked the Slow Cooked Cod Fish Vicentina style and my friend picked the Braised Beef Cheek in Forest Mushroom sauce. The beef was so soft and tasty. But the cod was definitely the night's winner. The light lobster bisque reduction that the cod was sitting on was as perfect as I will ever remember a sauce like this to be. The cod was baked to close to perfection although it was a tad dry. The kaleidoscope of taste exploded in my mouth and the aftertaste was so hard to let go. I wish they can put this item on their menu so I can enjoy it again.

Dessert was the Warm Apple Strudel with Vanilla ice-cream. I must say perhaps I was too stuffed, I couldn't fully enjoy it hence I'm not in the position to fairly comment on it.

Given the disappointment I sat through over the past week with the other restaurants and of which, one gave me a bad tummy, I will highly recommend Gaia. Service standard was a little random. Long in short, the male staffs were friendly, polite and knowledgeable. The female staffs look like they are PMS-ing and weren't very responsive.

I give them a 8 out of 10 and 8 to me, is very high!

Maverick In Japan

Japan is always talked about, so accessible from where I am and absolutely gorgeous. Oddly, I have never step foot on sakura land. The time arrived when my life went into a voluntary roller coaster ride and I needed that "ME" time to put a closure to the last chapter of my life. I have absolutely no plans of boring you with depressing details to my life. However, I will over the new couple of weeks, show you my path in Japan and share various reviews of hotels, restaurants and places of interest.

The trip began in Osaka and ended in Tokyo. For a single traveller who doesn't speak much Japanese apart from Ohayo Gozaimasu & Arigato Gozaimasu, I embarked on the trip with intense nervous anticipation. Before I left, I did a tremendous amount of research and I will also share some tips with you.

 Firstly, as a modern traveller, we will very likely need our indispensable mobile phone and as such, 3G/4G services are extremely important. But with data roaming, I will effectively donate part of my bank account to the mobile service provider. After doing much research, the most value for money solution for a single traveller will be the data SIM card. you will be able to find more information from b-mobile. If you're travelling as a group, you might wish to consider the MiFi i.e. mini wifi i.e. pocket wifi. But because it needs to be charged separately and I didn't wish to carry yet another gadget on me AND have to return it by the end of my trip, I opted for the SIM card option. Please note that I had some issues trying to activate the SIM card and although it eventually worked, I was left very frustrated for the first hour upon receiving the card from the hotel's reception. To add on to my frustration, the English speaking helpdesk is only open from 7-10am on selected days, which is absolutely ridiculous! The good thing is that they can send it directly to your hotel which is what they did for me.

To kickstart my trip, I planned to meet my guide at my hotel the very morning I arrived via the red eye flight. Not the brightest idea... Anyhooooo, as I had previously liaised with Ikuko via email, I knew almost immediate (while I was fiddling with the SIM card) that the middle-aged ladies beside me were her and her sister-in-law. The services of these goodwill guides are free but you are responsible for their travel expenses and admission fees. If you are planning to have a meal with them, you're required to pay for them as well. But trust me, Japanese in general, are very considerate and the last thing they want is to impose on you. You can find more information here: Japan National Tourism Organisation For Osaka, I contacted the Osaka Goodwill Guides Club and they assigned my guide to me. They are mostly retirees and in my case, Ikuko is a part-time English teacher and is semi-retired. I only have good things to say of Ikuko and her sister-in-law.

好好說再見

Such beautiful quality.

Such beautiful voices.

Such beautiful words.

Such beautiful endings.

Such beautiful impossibilities.

The only way to say goodbye is to recognise your own mistakes and stand up to it. Then let time take over the healing. We all deserve proper closures.

你是否也像我一样在想你

Was it you who spoke the words that things will happen but not to me... Oh things are gonna happen naturally.

And I wonder if I ever cross your mind... For me it happens all the time.


Lonely train rides have a way of disintegrating one's strength. When you're feeling like titanium, all you need is a long, quiet train ride, together with the trusty iPod, to wear it all off. The pain wasn't so much from not having my own set of wheels any more nor was it about getting stuck in a cabin full of stinky shirts, but how life has transformed for me.

When you trust so much and believe too much, you sink and before you know it, the quicksand consumes you in entirety. For some reason, AppleBaby sent me this song the other day and I felt all emotional again for no apparent reason. Maybe I did have a reason... Not that I matter anymore.

hey 　我真的好想你   现在窗外面又开始下着雨
眼睛干干的　有想哭的心情   不知道你现在到底在哪里 
hey　我真的好想你   太多的情绪没适当的表情
最想说的话我该从何说起   你是否也像我一样在想你 

如果没有你　没有过去　我不会有伤心 但是有如果还是要爱你
如果没有你　我在哪里　又有什么可惜 反正一切来不及　反正没有了自己

hey　我真的好想你 不知道你现在到底在哪里

hey　我真的好想你   现在窗外面又开始下着雨
眼睛干干的   有想哭的心情   不知道你现在到底在哪里 
hey　我真的好想你   太多的情绪没适当的表情
最想说的话   我应该从何说起   你是否也像我一样在想你

你是否也像我一样在想你

Maybe it is just me... Words, especially lyrics in songs, have a way of getting to me.

Time stopped during that rainy day, standing in the queue for cabs...
Time stopped during that fine evening, the only dinner that mattered...
Time stopped during that summer night, the smell lingers...

The Soliloquy - You & I Both

Jason Mraz is probably one of the best live singers I have ever heard. It's also amazing how the words can touch people through music & lyrics...

Was it you who spoke the words that things would happen but not to me

Oh things are gonna happen naturally
Oh taking your advice and I'm looking on the bright side
And balancing out the whole thing

Pepper Potts: I got you! 
Tony Stark: I got you first! 

The magical moment when some one tells you that things will be fine and you gave yourself away in whole. Without thinking, you trusted... Not knowing that you might just be the silly one, engaging in this soliloquy. Ironman says, "Everything will be just fine".

Tony Stark: I just want to talk to you for a minute, well, make that 30 seconds... 
Pepper Potts: Okay. 
[looks at her watch] Pepper Potts: 29, 28, 27... 

Oh but at often times those words get tangled up in lines
And the bright light turns to night
Oh until the dawn it brings
Another day to sing about the magic that was you and me

If you know you can do more than words, you would. But with this pair of useless hands, what can be done? What would you have done? What would you do?

'Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of
And others just read of
Others only read of the love
Oh the love that I love, yeah

See I'm all about them words
Over numbers, unencumbered numbered words
Hundreds of pages, pages, pages forwards
More words than I had ever heard and I feel so alive

Maybe with words, it's the only way you know how to. You yearn to be accepted with the mere and only words you have. Words are afterall, the only thing you can hang on to given the lack of warmth.  

'Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of
And others just read of
And if you could see now

Oh love, love, you and I, you and I
Not so little, you and I anymore

And with this silence brings a moral story
More importantly evolving is the glory of a boy

You and I... Not so little anymore. The pain is not so little. The hurt is not so little. The words weren't so little... The stinging words weren't so little... The not so little things jolt people from their stupor.

Pepper Potts: Don't! 
Tony Stark: It's okay... 
Pepper Potts: I'm hot, I'll hurt you! 
Tony Stark: [touches Pepper] No, you won't. See? Not hot. 
Pepper Potts: Am I going to be okay? 
Tony Stark: No. You're in a relationship with me, nothing will ever be okay. But I had this twenty years ago when I was drunk, I can sort it out. I fix stuff. 

'Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of
And others just read of
And if you could see me now

Well then I'm almost finally out of
I'm finally out of...
Well I'm almost finally finally
Well I am free, oh I'm free

And it's okay if you had to go away
Oh, just remember the telephone
Well, they're working it both ways

But if I never, ever hear them ring
If nothing else I'll think the bells inside
Finally found you someone else and that's okay
'Cause I'll remember everything you sang

The one way telephone will have to stop at some point. The phone will ring if you truly matter. Stop the soliloquy now, Pepper Potts. 

'Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of
And others just read of
And if you could see me now

Well then I'm almost finally out of
I'm finally out of....
Well I'm almost finally, finally out of words

Out of words. 

Tony Stark: I thought we were having a moment. 
Pepper Potts: I was having 12% of a moment. 

Love, Sweets...

Cut The Chase

The dust is settling although life is left pending. Not knowing when the next bout of haze is going to cripple me but I stand strong. The tide may be against me but I will emerge stronger.

You can take everything I have 
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper

Then a tornado comes and sweep you off your feet. Before long, you're brought back to the ground with clothes all tattered and torn. Everything within seems to have broken into a million pieces. The energy wavers but the strength to wipe away the tears remain. There's still hope. 

Back to basics, following the instincts of an animal and welcoming the mating dance. The mind is exhausted and body becomes reluctant. So much more to give and although one can recognise that giving and taking will never be equal, endless giving will just empty out the soul. 

The world starts revolving and emitting beautiful colours when you finally mean something to someone. I don't know if my world will ever revolve again... When you truly matter to someone, things will fall in place. 

Everything will be just fine. Everything will be just fine... Just fine...

Second Chance

Tell my mother, tell my father I've done the best I can
To make them realize this is my life, I hope they understand
I'm not angry, I'm just saying
Sometimes goodbye is a second chance

There are times in life when we have to make difficult decisions. They are difficult because apart from the fact that we all want our cake and eat it, regretting a decision has got to be the worst feeling in the world.

The thoughts of jumping from an absolutely comfortable and stable spot in the world and into that of the unknown, it is extremely disconcerting. But were we not born such? Exploring space and heights, learning from the pain and at the end of the day, what brings happiness?

It is in my nature or rather due to the education that I have received, my choices tend to be more rational. Emotions come a close second but nonetheless, in the back seat. In many situations, I find myself following the mind rather than the heart. I wouldn't say it's always the best decision but for the risk adverse person that I am, I would have picked the safer of all the given options.

To begin with, I have never bought any shares nor traded any goods. For crying out loud, I don't even have a CDP account. I haven't invested anything in my life in hopes of good returns. I make my money cent by cent and they sit in my savings account. I'm not a prudent person by nature and I have rather lavish expenditures but nothing could make me take more risk than buying lottery.

When the heart finally bled, it was like an abandoned child crying out for attention. The battle between the mind and the heart felt like everything is in a flurry, almost like a tsunami has invaded this laid back town. In life, we all need little triggers or impulses to kick us out of our deceiving bed of roses. Going back to the basics, what is it that all of us humans are chasing after? We're so caught up in the daily rat race that we forget what is the most important thing to us.

Picked up this quote some years back and it's still applicable till today and in fact, this should be the basis of our every decision making process.

The greatest joy of life is to love and be loved.

All Girls Bangkok Trip

Almost like an annual pilgrimage, this trip to Bangkok is to renew my wardrobe and getting myself some relaxation which the body yearns for. Like most of my trips, I did extensive researches on the places to go for food, massages and everything else in between. So it's time for me to give it back and also pay it forward! The scene in Bangkok is always changing and there's always something left to be discovered. In recent years, there's almost always a new shopping mall to explore during every trip. In fact, by my next trip, a new mall in Siam Square (along the BTS track) should be operating by then. I will be providing individual reviews on some of the places I have visited during this trip.

Erawan Shrine
The port of call for many tourists, religious and non religious people alike. This place is always packed with an enthusiastic crowd. From personal experience, DO NOT buy anything from the peddlers located just OUTSIDE the premises of the shrine. Without saying too much, let's just say I got hounded and harassed, felt obliged to buy overpriced goods from them and ended up feeling threatened if I didn't do so. If you're not convinced, feel free to try it at your own risk. You can choose to buy sets of incense, flowers and gold leaves of different value from inside the temple. Having read negative comments from selected tourists, I must say you are subjecting yourself to a combined high level of heat from the sun, the crowd and the incense. It is extremely smoky, clearly from the incense. You will feel terribly uncomfortable because there's really nothing much else to do except people watch. But it's an eye-opener for people who are interested to take in a bit of the culture and checking out how amazing this shrine is and the reverence the visitors from all over the world exude.

Lavana
What I love about this place is that it feels so calm and serene when you step in. Also, you can make bookings on their website and they are pretty good with the responses. The thing is, the massage is not that bad, definitely above average but it's not memorable. Having said that, I find myself going back on the first day of every trip because booking it is so easy. This time around, my massage was at max, so-so. This is going to be a reminder for myself to try other places for my next trip.

Healthland
I discovered this place last year and it has become a must-go for me. In fact, I chose my hotel based on the location of this Healthland. Booking it in advance is always challenging as you will need to call. My fluency in Thai stops at haggling at the markets. In addition, some treatments on the menu requires deposit which you have to pay at the branch physically. No electronic payments yet but I do hope they take bookings by emails.

We went twice during this trip and during both times, I chose Aromatherapy Body Massage. By local standards, at 850 baht, it's definitely on the expensive side. If you ask a Thai, they wouldn't pay more than 350 baht for it. Then again, you do get 2 hours of Thai massage for 500 baht here so I reckon it's the oil that's costing me my arm.

We went on Day 02 in the afternoon. It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. We decided we'll tip those masseurs generously. Every little detail were meticulously looked after and it felt like such a luxurious affair. We were determined to go back the next day. Afterall, Healthland is just right opposite our hotel.

Day 03, we took the last appointment of the day. Looking back, it was a BIG MISTAKE. The massage was passable but like Lavana, it wasn't memorable. It was half-baked, done half-hearted. The masseurs were clearly uninterested and it didn't give us any encouragement to book a last massage before the plane takes us home the next day. The next time I'm going to Healthland, I'm going in the afternoon.

Healthland has several branches but by far, this is my favourite.

55/5 Sukhumvit 21 Rd. (Asoke),
Khlongtoeinuea, Wattana,
Bangkok 10110

 

Som Tam Nua

It's not uncommon to spot a queue during peak hours so I like to come here during odd meal times since I'm usually hunting down food in between intense shopping activities. Meal times were long forgotten. Food is generally above average but there's one dish I will go back for. If you're in Siam Square, head to Soi 5. The small streets can be confusing but there's there huge round sign with the number at the beginning of the street. That should help hunting down this place.

 

The Grilled Pork Neck is to die for! Many raved about the Fried Chicken Wings. Well, the chicken wings are well marinated, crispy and absolutely delicious. But the Pork Neck is just out of this world. Please order a beer and a few plates of the pork neck and I can ensure you will spend the next hour a satisfied diner and even if you die the next minute, life is worth living for. I went back the last day with the intention to smuggle some home but as God wants be to be a better person, I was told the heavenly item was sold out. Absolutely nada!

 

Since we were there, we just ordered the fried fish. I have never had such crispy fried fish but the inside is still so sweet and moist. I almost hated the staff for missing my order during my last visit.

 

Ironically, the som tam (papaya salad) was not to my liking. It was wayyy too spicy and sour but I blame my own inability to take super spicy foods. Oh but trust me, just a couple of plates of pork neck is sufficient to please me.

 

Many reviews spoke about the glutinous rice but it was nothing special, not to mention it gives me a bad tummy. Not about the hygiene but just the glutinous rice even if Mom were to cook it, my body reacts the same way. I'd go for the steamed rice in a heartbeat.

 

Mae Waree

The best Mango Sticky Rice of my lifetime. It's on Soi55 near Thong Lor BTS station. I I remember correctly, get off Exit 3 and at the turn of the corner, it's right there with a big red signboard, completely in Thai. You can recognise it by the display of fruits, mainly mango, right outside the shop. It was so tasty, I forgot how much it cost me. The coconut milk was fresh and not too thick. The rice is slightly savoury and totally brings out

 

We were supposed to spend an evening along Soi55 and I grossly underestimated the length of Soi 55. The original intention was to have dinner at Niyom Pochana, dessert at Mae Waree and spend the night partying away at Iron Fairies. Due to some hiccups, we had to miss our dinner at Niyom Pochana but I insisted on passing by Mae Waree before heading to Iron Fairies. The best decision of this trip but I'm about to regret what happens after. I thought since it's on the same street, I should just walk. After 30 minutes of walking, we succumbed and flagged down a cab. We were going in circles and finally gave up. I stopped at some Irish pub and checked with a farang, only to discover Iron Fairies is closed for renovation. We board another cab to head to another spot where my colleague is at but 5 seconds into the trip, the girls spotted the place like 3 shop fronts away. Totally hilarious. And nope, wouldn't recommend Wine Republic at all but interesting selection of fruit beers though.

 

Laem Chareon

 

ARGal's local friend from her secondary school days brought us there. Before I go on and on about how charming that guy is (coupled with a wicked sense of humour), he's married.

 

Stuck in a corner of the 3rd floor of CentralWorld, sits this branch of a massive chain. I never liked chains. While many love MK, I didn't like it at all. Now, Laem Chareon is entirely different. The quality of food was AMAZING. I don't really know what some of those dishes are called but the memorable dishes are Tom Yam Goong, Thai styled Otah, pickled crab. This is one place I know I'll be back for the food.

 

Fusion Suites

 

It was definitely a good deal for the location it is on. It's on Soi 21 of Sukhumvit, walking distance to the MRT and BTS stations. Located right opposite Healthland, it is just where I want to be. However, that area is located around drains that smell like sewage. It is alright when you're inside the hotel but when you step out, especially in the sweltering heat, the smell just isn't funny.

 

The hotel is really dark. The elevator is dark with some funny running lights that changes colours but still, it's completely dark. I stayed on the top floor, it's always hot. The ac took some time to cool down. The girls stayed on the 2nd floor and their floor was so cold. It was just really inconsistent. Half the lights in my already dark room wasn't working and I could only pack my luggage during the day when the daylight helps me see what I'm actually bringing along with me.

 

The ac doesn't seem to work very well. Don't get me wrong. It got really cold at night but no matter whether I turn the fan speed to high, med or low, it's always blasting high.

 

The vanity space in the bathroom was incredibly small

 

I love Bangkok and I want to return soon. I never knew I could spend that many days in Bangkok but now I think I can actually live there and bring up my kids the simple way.

Running Man

All along, I have been very adverse to the invasion of the Korean wave aka Hallyu and very reluctant to accept that they are becoming part and parcel of our lives. In fact, my body finds kim chi repulsive until today. When everyone was raving over Dae Jang Geum 大長今, I was busy catching up on my American sitcoms.

Until recently, I've begun to slowly accept Korean dramas but I'm still not as obsessed as to watch them when I'm on the train every morning on my way in to work. As geeky as this may sound, I still very much prefer to be reading a book, distracting myself from the daily real life version of Les Misérables, packaged into what I call the 'train sandwich'.

With the permanent re-runs on the cable, I found myself looking forward to the next episodes of some Korean dramas including 大長今. However, I knew I wouldn't die if I don't watch it (you know how some dramas make you feel like if you are not there for the ending, your life is completely ruined?).

But increasingly, I find myself interested in those faces which I still cannot decide if they are good looking. It's not like looking at Hugh Jackman and we'll unanimously go, "WOAH, that's illegally HOT! Blazin' Baby!" Look... Some of the men are incredibly irresistible and some are just... questionable. Women tend to mostly look the same and I swear if I were to go for rhinoplasty one day, I can probably mail order the Korean pop star nose. The only ones that look wrong would be those whose surgery had indeed gone wrong. Otherwise, what's the excuse of looking anything lesser than superficially beautiful. That said, I want one of those noses as well and I'm serious... Since there's very little I can do about my height.

And it didn't help that on a very personal level, some random ex-boyfriend cheated on me on some Korean chick and she's not even pretty. He also went on to knock her up. The rest is history.

All you KPop fans out there, before you go post this on Facebook and condemn me, I would like to state that this is just my opinion and I have a second part to this article. 

Months and months of hearing it from almost everyone I know, I finally (by accident) caught an episode of "Running Man" on TV. It's a South Korean variety show featuring a race (akin to Amazing Race) in/at a certain landmark. Even then, I wasn't in a hurry to find out more. It was only until Watziznehm heard about it from his friends, we just decide that we should sit through an entire episode. Then it was episodes after episodes... Before I knew it, I found myself addressing each of them by their names or nicknames and getting well-versed with commonly used terms in the show (in Korean of course).

Kwangsoo, the Giraffe, never fail to make me laugh. The camaraderie amongst the fixed cast is just amazing. And as I got more and more addicted to the show, I (like most of you fans) think I know these people and how they are really like. Kim Jong Kook, better known as Kookie or the Commander or even the Tiger or ... (I can easily take up another paragraph here)... is just so gentle with women. As long as you're a woman, likelihood is that you can bully him all you like. That characteristic just softens me and as much as I don't like beefy men, here's an exception. Like many schoolgirls, I am ever-ready to scream "awww soooo cuuute" but no... He's definitely not cute. His face belongs to the questionable category but there's so much more to him (spoken like a true old buddy). He makes me want to be the little woman quietly following and watching him. The show makes me so interested that I believe my right foot is already in the Korean language school, had it not been my hectic schedule.

Week after week, I find myself trying to get my hands on the latest episode. The recent ones featured them in Macau & Vietnam and there was even a special episode featuring Jackie Chan! Meanwhile, I'm now friends with Kim Jong Kook on Facebook. Believing that it's the real him (I'm the one who chooses to believe Piscine from Life of Pi was genuinely stuck with a Bengal Tiger as a castaway), I enjoyed following every little bit of information that pops up on my NewsFeed every now and then.

The show in itself has evolved and it is still changing every now and then. I must say the producers are incredibly creative with the games simply getting funnier. The last I read, Singapore TV stations are interested to purchase the format. But can I just say, it will not be the same without this cast. And really, Singaporean stations just kill everything they put their hands on. Just leave Running Man alone...

Meanwhile, everyone goes by Oppa, Unnie and Dongsang...

Help! Bone Marrow Donors Required

Now, here's a sad piece of news. Vince, whom I met during my trip to New York some years back, has become a close friend over the years. We try our best to keep in touch and Facebook, naturally, became the best tool after I gave up on Gtalk.

Vince is the middle child and has an elder brother, Marvin, whom I associate with a really cute doggy, Popcorn. We also know his younger brother, who is the baby of the family, William, gets alot of his love and attention. Recently, William has been hospitalised and eventually diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia that is very difficult to treat and a bone marrow transplant is the primary treatment option.

William’s leukemia is in remission after a series of chemotherapy treatment at the University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, and his doctors are now searching the bone marrow registries for a potential donor for a bone marrow transplant to ensure William remain cancer-free. Both his brothers, Vince and Marvin, are not matches, so we need your help to grow these registries so that there is a better chance of finding matched donors for William and others who need bone marrow transplants!

You can find out more on how to go about taking the first step...




Vince and Marvin have created this website - http://www.supportwilliam.com to help with spreading the word. You will be able to find information on how to help William. You can register and order a donor kit via the Bone Marrow Donor Programme. Or, you can also proceed to the following locations:

Primary Donor Centres

Bone Marrow Donor Program
Address:	46 South Bridge Road #03-01, Kingly Building Singapore 058679
Tel:	(65) 6327 1344
Opening Hours:	Monday to Friday 9.00 am - 6.00 pm Closed on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays

National University Hospital
Address:	Blood Donation Centre Level 1, Main Building 1 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road Singapore 119074
Tel:	(65) 6772 5356
Opening Hours:	Monday to Friday: 8.00 am - 5.00 pm Saturday: 8.30 am - 12.30 pm Extended hours on Wednesday until 7.30 pm. Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays

SGH Haematology Centre
Address:	Singapore General Hospital Block 7, Level 2 Outram Road Singapore 169608
Tel:	(65) 6321 4722
Opening Hours:	Weekdays: 9.00am to 4.00pm Saturdays: 9.00am to 12.00noon

Feeding Hundreds

Wedding shopping is dreadful. Shopping for a venue is even more dreadful and at this point in time, it's the most crucial decision we have to make before the venues are all snapped up. I wanted to be chill about this whole affair but I couldn't because the dates we thought we wanted, are all taken up! After planning a special day to visit a slew of venues, we finally just went to one and decided the very next day i.e. today! We have yet to confirm the spot. The hotel doesn't look super impressive on the outside but it's really cosy and pretty grand once you step in. We have also heard the food is great. Once that's cast in stone, everything can take their own sweet time.

Prices have gone up in the span of a few months and I'm pretty worried that I might break the bank for this. That said, as long as the food is good and if my guests enjoy themselves, then I'll be happy.

The Dress

Every girl wants to look stunning on her big day and that’s a fact!

Many have to manage a budget and is often stuck with very limited options. It doesn’t help that holding a wedding and renovating a house usually occur around the same time. At least, it’s almost true for us. We have been informed that the house will likely be ready by Q1 2014 and if we’re any lucky, it should be done by the end of this year. I do not have a budget but that doesn't mean the sky’s the limit. It only means I don’t know where to start in terms of budgeting until I meet with my wedding planner.

Being the super impatient person that I am, I emailed some of the most renowned gown designers in Singapore and mostly, their portfolio reflects what I want. THE DRESS has got to be simple but the simpler the dress is, the more important is the cutting and workmanship of the gown. Due to some unique circumstances, I have already met with the coordinators of Bridal Veil (by Michelle Huimin). An email also went out to Tan Yoong but his coordinators aren’t half as professional. I have always wanted to be a Tan Yoong bride and I’ve always told myself that as long as I can afford a Tan Yoong gown, nothing can make me compromise. I was wrong. I understand from many ex-Tan Yoong brides that he’s very patient and is a very nice and talented chap and I do not doubt that at all. But it seems that his coordinators aren’t very keen or either that, they’re too famous to entertain one more.

I am likely to go with Bridal Veil but I am not, by any means, settling for less. The moment you email them through the website, they respond within a couple of days. No one else has responded even until today, more than a week after I enquired. The Bridal Consultant sat down with us and patiently entertained the emerging streaks of a bride-zilla from me. She explained the packages without being pushy at all and allowed me to try a couple of gowns, just to see what I like. I felt very comfortable with them and I think they is crucial especially if you want your gown to be Made To Measure (MTM). The material and workmanship from Bridal Veil is among one of the best you can find in Singapore.

This review is not final and there will be more to come…

Bells Are Ringing

Nothing about Judy Holliday but all about me.

11 Jan 2013 - A flurry of wishes began to attack my Facebook once the clock hit 12. By then, I was fast asleep because celebrations from a day earlier has clearly worn the 32 year old body out. I received flowers from MW like every other year and gifts from colleagues ranged from gag gifts to household products. Unlike the past 2 years, I didn't feel old. I felt life is just beginning and things are starting to take shape. Within me, I have felt some significant changes. Physical changes aside, I believe I have mellowed significantly and I have one person to thank.

Watziznehm checked us into a swanky hotel suite and given the wonderful set up, he did the unimaginable - A super unromantic proposal. Even then, I had no reason to turn him down besides, the bling was blinding! The announcement? - Facebook!

So here goes the wedding planning...

Stay tuned!

C'mon 2013

"Such a cliche!" You may exclaim if I write anything along the lines of "Time Flies..." In reality, time did fly past faster than we can capture. I have never stopped reminding myself to "Seize The Day", "Live Every Moment To The Fullest" but instead, I allowed the drudges of the day hold me back. Before I know it, my life got swallowed by the quicksand called time. It is now the time of the year when we stare at our freshly created New Year Resolutions and think we're going to break them at some point in time, tuck them somewhere and forget about them by March.

Year after year, I hear of friends making trips to Niseko for their annual skiing holidays and every year without fail, I told myself, I will go next year (this year included). The one thing holding me back is always financial considerations. I'm a young executive and I should be making a decent living. Although it's been a rather slow year, it hasn't been all that horrible. But yet, I cannot find the spare cash to do so. I don't know if I have grown to be more prudent to ensure an X amount of savings before I spend the rest or have I been more spendthrift and hence, not seeing the savings I should be having. And from single income to dual income, of a sudden, money has become less "versatile". Every single cent that we make seem to have its purpose even before it becomes "available" on our bank statements.

Material things aside, this is one year that I will make good my promise to my body to live healthier. As we age, recovery slows down, aches and pains sneak in and refuse to leave. Annual body checks for cholesterol level makes me feel like I'm taking the O'levels all over again and dreadfully waiting for the results. Given my messy and crappy family's health history, I would say it's about time I be good to myself.

Seeing our development take shape on a daily basis, it's a building reminder that we need to work much harder to be able to furnish our place in our dream format. The house is exactly the force behind my perseverence at work and if there's anything I need to work on, I did to up the persistence ante at work. I must keep at it and overtake myself at every juncture. This year shall be named the "Mad Dog Year" and once I latch on, there's no letting go.

One Off The Bucket List - LASIK

Doesn't quite make sense that it's on the bucket list because if I'm going to die, I do not need to see clearly. However, if the world is indeed coming to an end on the 21st, I wouldn't be struggling to find my specs nor to try really hard to spot my loved ones. Then again, I might really need my eye drops.

It's been AT LEAST 6 years of talking about it but what made me take the plunge? Throughout these 6 years or so, I've done countless researches and the more I asked, the more I wanted to do it. When it comes to these things, ironically, I'm a bit of a daredevil or simply because I'm just a little lackadaisical about very important things, hoping for a guardian angel instead.

Cost was another huge factor. I started working in 2006, made good money in the first 2 years which fed an insatiable want for material goods and to feed the wanderlust in me. This only meant when the market tanked during the Global Financial Crisis, I was broke and was facing some serious debts. It didn't help that the company I joined exited Singapore, within months, and I was quickly left unemployed. Things started to stabilise this year but given the big expenditures (wedding & home renovation) expected to haunt us by next year, I was hesitating yet again.

For an entire week, I spoke/Whatsapp-ed/Facebook-ed tirelessly to people who have done it, collating data on various well known ophthalmologists in Singapore, I came to some conclusions:

1. It's almost a 100% (although nothing is 100% so let's give it 99.9%) safe procedure, especially if you pick a good ophthalmologist.
2. Recovery is fast!
3. The side effects are often negligible and it's closely linked to the skills of the particular ophthalmologist. Hence, do not pick one of the "factory line" clinics where they churn patients like donuts.

In conclusion, I picked Dr Lee Hong Ming from Parkway Eye Centre, Gleneagles. He's the guy responsible for my cousin's now perfect eyesight from serious myopia and glaucoma. Most ophthalmologist turned her away but Dr Lee did an incredible job on her. Helps that he's really nice and patient.

The Pre-Lasik Assessment
My eyes were put through all kinds of tests and the most bizarre one spat a gust of air onto my eyeballs. No pain, just mildly shocking. The test for eyesight concluded that I was wearing glasses and contact lenses far too mild for my eyes. I thought I was on 425-450 on each side but in actual fact, I was closer to 600 on each side. I was already half blind so Lasik is probably going to allow me see the world in HD! The eyedrops they used to dilate my pupils made my eyes really sensitive to light and I could barely spot Watziznehm's car when he came to pick me! Do not attempt to drive!

D-Day
Made my way there early in the morning and did the tests all over again to made sure that they have got the stats right. I was then put into this really nice cozy room to wait for my op. While I was there, I heard "tick tick tick" from the laser and I was freaking out! For the first time, I was extremely nervous and I could hear my heart trying to pop its way out of my ribcage.

All memories of the procedure were fuzzy. Everything happened too fast. Technically, I'd be in there for 15 mins but felt more like 5. I was on the chair, a gigantic machine was swung over me, wham bam and next eye... Wham bam and I was out. You mean I just spent a couple of thousands of dollars on that?

I left Watziznehm out there trying out every couch out there and I didn't know I was already in there for almost an hour! Thereafter, I gobbled down my lunch and was knocked out for the rest of the day without any medication at all to help me sleep. This is really miraculous for an insomniac like me.

Day 2
Vision was still a little unclear but damn, it was truly amazing to wake up in the morning and be able to see! I kept thinking I have my contacts on as the discomfort feels like I've over worn my contacts. My left eye didn't stop tearing and for a moment, I was really worried because I couldn't stabilize my left eye when I was told to stare at the red light.

Day 3
Exhausted from a sleepless night and insomnia wasn't exactly helping the recovery. Staring at screens that are backlit was extremely challenging. At this point, I became an expert in dripping eye drops.

Day 4
I was back at work. My left eye was seeing things super clearly but my right eye isn't recovering as well as I had expected. Things were still a bit blur and focusing was taking loads of effort. Working on the computer was quite miserable as both eyes are focusing on different speeds.

Day 5
Was getting entertained on my phone and had to pull the phone away. It was only then I realize that Dr Lee told me that my eyes were slightly overcorrected and my body will learn to adjust. All I needed was more rest. Before that happens, I behave like a 50 year old whenever I'm fidgeting with my phone.

Today, a fortnight later, I regret for not doing this earlier. Having great eyesight is such an understated need. I still think I'm wearing contact lenses when it feels dry but thankfully, my eyes rarely felt like they need the eye drops. My eyes are quite near to perfection although my right eye is still trying to adjust. It is definitely an improvement in terms of the speed of focusing but as compared to my perfect left eye, the right must learn to see again. So if given time to focus, my vision is incredibly clear. Staring at trees and appreciating being able to see every single leaf is a new found joy and privilege.

If I can dish out any advice, I would recommend everyone to identify an ophthalmologist they can trust and get tested for suitability. And if you are indeed suitable, just take the plunge. It's an amazing feeling I can not possibly use the right adjectives to describe.

Before The World Turned Digital

Now that the skeletons are longer haunting me, I can talk about this with a smile on my face. I was cleaning out the closet and found a basketload of cards and letters. I'm glad I have kept them and would encourage everyone to write and give, keep and reminisce. 10 years later, you will look at the silly things you have written or received and I can guarantee that, you will also be having the best time of your life.

So there I was with a basket of cards so I methodically went through one after another. I am definitely not proud of this but I think I broke more hearts than I can remember or wish I did. If life were to repeat, will I be such a cold person all over again? And then I reflected on my life now. According to Watziznehm's, I'm quite an individual person and evidence has shown that I've always been such. I felt sorry for those people who were on the receiving end and got rather angry with myself. I suppose nothing much can be done except to learn from our mistakes. The things we say and do when we were young... The very fact that we had to shoulder no responsibilities at that time not knowing life will slowly introduce us to life and the reality of it, gave us the courage and freedom to say some of the darnest things.

I'm very sure that I can't remember a thing I wrote when I was half my age but what I'm sure is that someone one there will have something I once penned.

Reading through the letters were very therapeutic and made me look rather silly smiling to myself. The best one has got to be the one particular "Get Well Soon" card someone once me together with a pair of toe socks. But perhaps because I couldn't find more evidence of that same person's writing, I tend to treasure it more.

And please laugh with me on this one... "I paged you so many times but you never return my pages. Are you avoiding me?" The above line appeared in several letters from different people. I miss the time of pagers! So before you just post everything onto the database of Facebook in Palo Alto, send them through the mail and expect some love.

The Men In My Life

Got inspired this morning to write about the various men in my life. These are people whose lives have crossed mine and worthy of an anecdote (be it good or bad). And since it's Christmas, I'm sure I will have something good to say about everyone. And since I have found The Man in my life, these will remain the pretty little boxes that you pack it up and leave them along memory lane.

The First Crush - I was 7 and it was my first year in primary school. I thought he was cute and I wanted to marry him some day. Then as I grew older, I came to realise that there are alot more things other than "cute" that you actually marry a guy for. But I must say, it was all sweet and giggly... (with my girlfriends of course) and I bet he never knew.

The Childhood Buddy - While we were waiting for our school bus during age 7-10, this little boy (then) told me that toadstools will "melt" my shoes because they are poisonous. Naturally, I envisioned my beautiful, white shoes sizzling away and was terrified. Thereafter, we took very different paths but as fate will have it, we went to the same school again years later. And because we were neighbours, his Dad was very kind and sent us to school every morning although we still shared very different social circles. A couple of years back, he invited me to his wedding and during his speech, he specially thanked me for attending. I was visibly touched. We were never the best of friends but somehow, he's always THE childhood friend because we once told each other really silly things.

The Eye Candy - Major teenage crush! I was 16 and was in my the final year of secondary school. He was a year older and is totally HOT (IS because he's still HOT even till today after that may years. More of that later...). Everyday without fail, I will look out (from afar) for that super cute face in the canteen during recess time that would brighten me right up. Never once, have I had the courage to approach him to even say hi. Even till today, I have no idea if he knew. Coincidentally, a couple of years back, I walked into a shop in the east looking for skates and as I was leaving, I saw a stack of business cards bearing his name sitting right by the exit. Almost immediately, I turned back and saw the silhouette of a tall, dark & handsome man walking out of the storage room. There he was, the exact suave face that made mine go all cherry red and at that particular moment, I swore my heart skipped a couple of beats. I couldn't believe my luck and this time around, I did pick up the courage to say hi and asked if he attended the same school (duh... like I didn't know...) But since then, my paths never crossed again.

The Basketballer - The first boyfriend who started my dating life. It all began with a mini crush because he was an awesome basketball player and was always the cool, quiet one. I never would have imagined for a million years that I would ever date anyone like him in this lifetime. But I did and the rest is history. Part of that chapter of history bears the mark of a really sweet and warm person who took very good care of me. I chose to leave the relationship because I was convinced that our lives were heading in different directions. He's the typical, "You're great but not for me so thanks but no thanks type." According to Facebook (because he vanished yet son after), he's now happily married with kids and during our very last conversation, he was trying to sell me a car but I had just bought mine then. Oh well...

The Loyang Boy - We were young, we dated and we partied. He watched me throw up and embarrassed myself thoroughly and hopelessly. He carried a very drunk me from the car, cleaned me up and puts me to bed. We went for a drive in his swanky car for the last night that he had it and I, unappreciatively, fell asleep with the wind in my head. He really cared although I will never know if he really loved. He was boyishly cute as far as my memory serves me well but not the gorgeous looker sort. He's down to earth yet exudes a touch of flamboyance. He's smart but not too geeky. He's probably everything I would want in a man but the timing just wasn't right. I was still a child and was extremely wilful. I was still a child (and I can say that now) and my emotions were extremely unstable. If I'm a guy, I wouldn't even date the then me. He was patient and showed his concern in his every little action. It's a pity that I didn't learn to appreciate until much later. But I'm sure he's very happy with his life now.

The Comic Fan - It was thoughts of him (while I was clearing out my drawer of nonsense) that inspired this post. He was the spoilt and pampered kid who was born with a silver spoon and waded in privileges. As a boyfriend, he was very attentive to my little needs and tried his best to accommodate my little quirks. He will buy me little, inexpensive but very well thought out gifts. Eventually, I felt compelled to leave the relationship. Apart from the fact that we were still relatively young and I was still in school, we came from very different family backgrounds. I didn't think I could lead the life of "ask and you will receive". Don't get me wrong and I'm not the angel that you're picturing right now. I love luxurious stuffs and I have been introduced to the evil world of material wants. However, I am working my ass off to get there and more importantly, even at that tender age (and maybe it's from then), I had wanted my partner to be a little hungrier and ambitious. Until today, I'm still very thankful of how wonderful his Mom treated me and I can still remember how adorable his siblings were. I don't know how things would be if I didn't choose to leave and just when I was wondering... During a forum event this year, I ran into him. Not knowing what to say like an immatured lass, I avoided contact. I know I deserve a slap! When I came to realise perhaps I should pop him a note, have a meal and give his whole thing some closure (I wasn't that great with break ups then), he wasn't as responsive as I envisioned. I guess he's still affected by my actions so I can't really blame him. Till date, we have yet to meet for a meal. *Oddly enough, I'm still friends with many of his friends.

The Psycho - Trust me, I am trying to be nice. Ironically, I spent most of my youth with this person. He probably loved and cared for me so much that it became suffocating and even creepy. I suppose if I have nothing better then I shouldn't. He did, however, opened me up to what the material world. I guess I also caught the travel bug from him as well. If anything, I do miss the luxurious surprises but I definitely do not appreciate the threats. Yes, that's how he got "The Psycho". As far as I'm aware, he continues his quest with younger and younger girls.

The Bao - Probably the only one whom I've dated who remained a friend after the breakup. I should have known that we were such different people, we would never be living the happily ever after. But during the times when we were attached, I had some much fun and laughter. I played the big sister to his nieces and nephews and we would spend the lazy Sunday mornings at McDonald's with the kids. We had regular meals with his family.. Just like... Well, a family. Perhaps because of all these, it seems that he was yearning for a family of his own and I, clearly, wasn't quite ready for it. He was an amazing guy who would surprise me with little things and go out of the way to cheer me up. It's a pity I just couldn't see myself with him. If anyone is looking for a great boyfriend, look no further. I admit that the problem laid in me and my big fat head that that I couldn't get around.

The Inspiring One That Got Away - What do I not love about this man? Nothing. He has a wicked sense of humour, carried himself well, good dose of integrity, knew his wines and sports a million dollar dazzling smile. The problem? His messy breakup and that timing was totally wrong. He went on to marry an amazing looking girl and continued living his wonderful life. We were merely friends and will always remaining so. Probably it wasn't meant to be and God meant it that way. He was very optimistic and cheerful. All the energy that would rub off on anyone but to me, out of pure honesty, it got a little tiring after a while.

The Roommate - Funny how life goes round and there are mere 6 degrees of separation. If I don't remember wrongly, our paths crossed because he went to the same camp as The Comic Fan during their NS days and through a Christmas invite (post my break up with The Comic Fan), we became friends. We had a long distant platonic friendship and after promising a visit to LA for years, where he was based, I finally visited him when he moved to NYC. The month in NYC was one of the happiest time of my life. Even while he was working in White Plains, he lived in an apartment in Manhattan and that was the best "hotel" ever even if it didn't have a TV nor a heater. He's like the best girlfriend stuck in a guy's body. He loves fashion but he also likes a hot chick. So yes, he's straight. We would party and he was my wingman! I will always remember walking down quiet Manhattan in the middle of the night during Christmas. We gossip and we talk about the dumbest things in the world. If I'm gonna have a Maid of Honour for my wedding, he's the one.

The Photographer - Maybe it was the way it began and I wasn't wholly interested. I simply needed to bounce onto a warm body. I grew to have so much affection for him that the tables were turned soon after. Throughout the relationship, I found myself to be extremely accommodating and was living my life tip-toeing around his. It was not all bad because we shared some similar interests like cars. He taught me photography and I taught him how to play mahjong. Then came the turning point when he had to go away for a couple of months. Following a period of attempted breakups by him, a very rude wake up call finally allowed me to walk away in peaceful anger.

The Divorcee - a.k.a The Compulsive Liar Perhaps it's not fair for me to make such a judgement. He was afterall a Mr Nice Guy whom everyone adores. He's a father of 2 and claimed that he was officially divorced when I decided to date him. But when you request to see documents (yes, it actually boiled down to that point), they simply do not exist. This was perhaps the mega lie and beneath that, there are still so many little little lies littering the relationship (some of which I only managed to unearth after the relationship). Recalling this relationship makes me really sick. I know I have bad eyesight but I must have been blind. That's a perfectly good reason for me to get LASIK done very soon. Ran into him a while ago and whilst I wasn't angry, I really didn't wish to waste another breath of such an irresponsible idiot.

The FBIL - It's funny how our lives have intertwined. He's the most patient and harmless person I know. The distant memories of us holding onto the phones and talking till we hear each other snore during school days, do bring back fond memories. He's one of those who has fallen into the friend zone early on and I think that's because God knows just how things will be and should be.

The Honey Bear - The man whom I tell almost every damn thing to and if I would trust my life in someone's hands other than The Man and family, it is him. The relationship is absolutely platonic but unlike The Roommate, you know it's not a girl stuck in a guy's body. The best way I can describe is like having an older sibling. I live my life vicariously through his luxurious travels and the stories he tells me. We would both swoon over the nitty gritties of first class food on SIA as he sends over photos. He would send me his cyber hugs when I'm down because he's almost never able to be there physically. He would hate the disgusting men in my life because I hate them and complain about them to him all the time. He would tell me silly things almost every day to cheer me up. He's my best friend whom I rarely get to see.

The Man - Never in my dreams would I picture my future to be so closely related to a man like that. He's not the tall, dark, handsome but he sure is tall. He's not the romantic, he's an engineer and definitely not a sweet talker. Our paths crossed briefly when we were in college but never knew each other's very well until we both bought the same car. All the quirks and wilfulness in me from before, never quite went away although it did mellow. But this is the man who made me look at myself and think twice before I act. Impulsiveness is never the trait I'm proud of. He became my mirror and my reminder. He loves me with so much conviction, I actually think he loves me more than he loves himself. Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration but yes, I shamelessly know for a fact that I'm pretty darn important to him. And for many years down the road, I think we will still fight and argue... But I know, we will also kiss and make up because nothing else is more important than having the other person to walk the walk with. I love you and you know it and I also know you're reading this!

The Brother - The real one. The irritating little brother who grew up to be my best friend whom I can never stop worrying about. We fought, we shouted at one another, we pulled each other's hair, we punched the other's face but in our hearts, we know we love each other. He's the person I can always run back to and have our little chat by the stairwell. We would bitch about our parents, about our partners, about money... We are very different and in the real world, I do not think our paths would ever cross nor will we become friends at all. But because he's my brother, he's also my best friend. I love him to bits.

Lastly, the man who gave me life and taught me all about life - The Dad. I reckon I'm not going to win some Miss Singapore or some idol contest, hence, I would like to use this opportunity to thank him for loving me. It's tough to say that he's been there for me because being a traditional Chinese Dad, he is never ever expressive with his emotions. But his life was spent ensuring that we have a decent life with food on our plates and comfortable shelter over our heads. I am not able to dedicate my entire life to him because I will have my family. But I know Dad has already dedicated his whole life to my brother and I. As a disciplinarian, he ensured that we have our values in the right place and our focus in the bulls'eye. We may not have been the perfect children but we couldn't have asked for more in a Dad.

Potato Salad Recipe

Here's my personal recipe for some really evil potato salad. After fine tuning it several times, trying out with different combinations, I have determined that this is the best tasting marriage as far.

1 bag (about 1 kg equivalent) of washed Red-skinned Potatoes (or Gold Yukon) - I've tried the different potatoes. I personally love Russet's texture but Russets will disintegrate when we're mixing. This is a heavy salad so the tossing isn't an easy task. Cover the potatoes with water and bring it to a boil. Add a tea spoon of salt into the water. Salt, no only adds flavour to your potatoes, it also brings up the boiling point of the water (although this is often disputed as the amount of salt is just insignificant). Boil the potatoes in whole and leave the skin on. The skin gives it the additional texture and I highly suspect the nutritional value is probably retained in the skin. After the water is brought to boil, let it simmer for 25-30 minutes until your fork can poke through the potatoes at ease.

300g of streaky bacon - Cut the sliced bacon approximately into 1" x  1" squares. Use a tiny bit of oil to even out the heat in the pan and to prevent the bacon from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Any bits to the pan stuck will turn dark and gives the salad an awful colour when you mix the bacon it. The fats from the bacon will then cook itself. It will reach a point when the fats from the bacon will "deep fry" itself until it turns golden brown. Drain the bacon from the oily and leave it to cool.

4 eggs - Boil the eggs and sometimes, I just throw it into the pot of potatoes. Peel the eggs and smash the eggs using a fork. The space between the fork creates the right width/texture for our salad.

1 white onion - Cut into into fine tiny cubes. The finer you chop it, the less likely the consumer will chomp into a mouthful of... well, onions. I do like a bit of crunch though.

Mix all of the above with mayonaise. Add rock salt and crack in some black pepper to taste. Garnish it with chopped spring onions (aka scallions). I love how the spring onions actually "upgrades" the taste of the salad.

Get fat with me!

WeChat

If you haven't heard of WeChat, you need to seriously keep up with the world. Just like Whatsapp, WeChat is a multimedia messaging platform for mobile phones. But unlike Whatsapp, WeChat is keeping up with the times.

To start, WeChat is stretched to fit the iPhone 5 and Whatsapp is still stuck in medieval times. The Whatsapp window just looks weird. Apart from the fact that it's not utilising the longer screen of the phone, the OCD side of me just find the black patches irk me.

Also, the convenient switch to voice chat only means that I can send a message to a friend who may be driving or cooking. I'm not encouraging texting and driving at the same time but your passenger will be able to just play it for you or sending out a text which requires only a fraction of the effort taking up ONE second at the traffic lights. Not to mention if you're living in very different time zones, you can drop your friend a "voice message" that can be picked up anytime at their convenience.

Being Asian, having emoticons in my messages just add that bit of sparkle and fun. And do you know, that if you send a message with "Happy Birthday" in it, icons of cakes will drop from the top of the screen. It's not a tool of utility but hey, it is interesting. If there are other "codes" that trigger other icons "falling", do inform me!

Whatsapp, you have to pull up your sock before you lose your market share which you have built up over the years... Slowly but surely...

Go download your WeChat now! If you must know... I'm not getting paid a single cent by them...

***Update*** The day after I published this article, the update was out and viola, Whatsapp is catching up! I'm not deleting this as I feel that they still need to improve and the speed done in today's context, is far from acceptable. But well done... For now!

Recipe: French Toast

This is a simple and basic recipe which I believe many of you either know or can find it on other websites. But I made a batch today which I thought, they are good enough to share.

 

3-4 slices of fresh bread (Cut into quarters)

2 eggs

A teaspoon of brown sugar (Better with cinnamon sugar though)

A dash of salt

Milk (estimating about 2 teaspoons?)

Butter

 

Beat up the eggs with the sugar, milk, salt and some melted butter. Dip the bread into the eggs and leave it for a couple of seconds to soak up the mixture. Using medium heat on the frying pan, lay the bread on the pan until they turn golden brown. Simple as that. Do control the fire as the mixture contains sugar and butter so it burns easily.

 

Serve with some clotted cream aka Devonshire cream and some nice hot Earl Grey and you have your perfect, easy afternoon tea within 5 mins. Kids love them too!

 

Posted with Blogsy

Cycling Cleats

Hear it from the newbie...

Whenever you see cyclists after they dismount from their bikes, they start to walk funny. That's because they are on cycling cleats. These are attachments that are permanently fixed onto your cycling shoes which will eventually "click in" with their other half of the magnetic combo that's affixed to the bike. For seasoned cyclists, clicking in and out of their cleats is second nature but to newbies like me, one will need to give it some time to get accustomed to the cleats. Otherwise, the end result would be a fall. Or in some cases like mine, a couple of falls.

 

Fortunately or unfortunately for me, I had a (rather embarrasing) fall during my first day on my cleats when I was practising outside Fat Cat Cycles. I suffered a couple of bruises and I was a brave little girl, up and running (rather, cycling) again. I became wary every time when I'm needed to approach a stop, let alone traffic lights with cars all around me. Well, the topic on safety for Singaporean cyclist will need to wait...

 

Just when I thought I've gotten the hang of things...

 

Was out on a ride with some chaps and as we approached the lagoon for our Cheng Tng, in full view of the diners, I came to a complete stop and shifted my weight to the correct side. However, I didn't realise that a slight twitch of the handle bar would send me the other way. And it did. So now you have it, more bruises on the shin, thighs and ego.

 

Aren't they gorgeous? Well, these cleats look GREY in flesh and if you're expecting it to be white, be prepared to be disappointed.

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Bali Retreat

It was a holiday that we have been anticipating for months! The counting down came to an end and we found ourselves flying off mid work week and how awesome is that!

Right before the trip, I injured myself and left a chunk of me on the bathroom door that "attacked" me. I am quite sure it was the door's fault. *pout* The morning that I was flying off, I got into the car and it refused to start. I was faced with a likely case of a flat battery. These didn't help when we were on the plane and a newspaper article reminded us that it was the anniversary of the Bali bombing and it was a sky high alert for tourists visiting this sandy haven. I was quite glad that I bought some travel insurance but regretted that I didn't purchase one with a higher premium. Having said that, all the worries was left behind when we arrived at Denpasar.

Due to road works, the usual trip to from the airport to Jimbaran stretched from 20 minutes to more than an hour. When we got to our villa, as hungry as we were because plane food REALLY sucked, we only wanted to veg out and do absolutely nothing. However, planning a trip with a bunch of girlies only meant that we have our massages and pedicures all scheduled. The holiday started on the beautiful note - A full body massage. Shortly after, it was another hour's ride back from Seminyak as we watched the sunset from inside the cab.

Dinner with the Aussie offices was pretty much an overdue get-together. We were finally able to put faces to the names while having some new names to register. Sand in feet, nestled right beside the sea, the ambience was amazing... If you would just ignore the mozzies and their excruciatingly itchy bites. Post dinner, all we wanted to do was to veg out by our pool and that was exactly what we did. The holiday couldn't have started better.

In the next few days, our schedule basically repeats itself. Massages, traffic jams in cabs, good food, chilling out by the pool, too much alcohol and cigarettes, catching up on the abandoned books, late nights and awesome breakfasts...

Few things worth a mention:

Sea Circus - http://seacircus-bali.com/
... Tucked in a little corner in Seminyak (accessible via rear entrance of Bodyworks), this little cafe provided us with a place to chill while we waited to get kneaded at Bodyworks. The food wasn't anything to shout about but it was decent. In fact, it was more than we expected. The service was amazing. They rushed the food out because we were running out of time and volunteered to help us with a group photo. Definitely a nice place to chill with the girls while you gossip about the boys...

Prana Spa - http://www.pranaspabali.com/
... We found this on the internet based on some recommendations but we remained rather skeptical. The massage was really decent. The well equipped changing room meant that you can spend some time to dress out before going for your big dinner, which was what we did. Ku De Ta and Potatohead are both just a short cab ride away.

Potatohead - http://www.ptthead.com/
... Some people swore by it, some thought it was overrated. I needed to see it for myself. Food was average, perhaps a bit better than average. There are separate areas for drinks and dining. Farm dining. We enjoyed the place partly because the company was great. It helped that they were beside the sea where the surf was huge and the air was really cool. A walk down the beach with a champagne in hand is guilty pleasure, probably one one of favourite moments in Bali. The only drawback is that the smoking area is away from the dining area so that felt like we're back in Singapore.

Ahimsa, Jimbaran - http://www.theahimsa.com/

... Last but not least, the villa which we were staying in. The service was excellent. The villas were well-maintained and we were really well taken care of. Nothing I can fault except that we would really love to be nearer to Seminyak. Then again, we were 5 mins walk away from an awesome beach. I would love to go back there.

This trip was complete with the right company but I needed more of the half hearted tan that I'm wearing now. But I still feel rather incomplete the very moment silence dawn on me, the reminder that we're returning to reality. I'm already missing Bali...