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House of Rice Roll & Porridge 粥肠粉之家

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I remember visiting this place back in year 2010, frequenting this eatery when I worked nearby. So I'm back here again after 6 years! 


DETAILS
Area:
Somerset

Country:
Singapore

Price:
 $

Good For:
Big Groups / Small Groups / Takeaway

Accessibility:
Approx. 5-7mins walk from Somerset MRT Station

LET'S EAT 
Thai Coconut 泰国椰子 ($4.50)
The coconut tasted really good and the drink was refreshing! There was not much flesh within the coconut though.

Frog Leg Porridge 砂锅田鸡粥 ($8.90)
Porridge was done just the way we liked it, in fact, most cantonese would like the porridge here as it is so fine and thick. To me, while I liked it, but I thought there was not enough frog leg meat within the porridge. Personally, I felt that the porridge would be better slightly less thick, yet still fine, but this would do too. I didn't even have to add in pepper or soy sauce to season the taste, because the porridge was already flavourful on its own.

Fruit Prawn Roll Snack 水果虾枣点心 ($6.50)
This does not look anything like a roll, right? Rather, it's a quarter of a deep fried ball, sliced. Packed with juicy mango bits that took up half the roll, it was also packed with prawn, all tucked nicely within the 'roll'. I really like this as the outer layer was still crispy after my photo taking.

Durian Chee Cheong Fun 榴莲肠粉 ($5.50)
This is definitely something you would take for a dessert - chilled and stuffed with durian, this signature dish would please durian lovers. Though not heavily fragrant, the durian dessert didn't disappoint. It's definitely a dish I would come back for again.

Overall, the store still kept its standard in porridge, and as I remember it, the hot chee cheong fun is awesome too! So give it a try and let me know if you feel the same way!


House of Rice Roll & Porridge 粥肠粉之家
Address: 89 Killiney Road Singapore 239534
Operating Hours: Daily, 7am - 10pm

Mad About Sucre: I keep going back for more

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I regret not writing about this earlier, well, late is better than never. Since my first try last year, I already went back about 5 times and their standard has never failed to impress me. 

DETAILS
Area:
Outram

Country:
Singapore

Price:
 $$

Good For:
Small Groups / Takeaway / Solo

Accessibility:
Approx. 1 min walk from Outram MRT Station (Exit H)


LET'S EAT 
Amour ($11.80), the taste of love! This is made with yuzu, French white chocolate, Savoie Sponge, Meringue Disk and Citrus Zest. This is my favourite, light and with a lovely zing!

San Domingue ($12.80) - 70% Single Origin Chocolate, Rum Jewel Box, Caramelized Plantain, Brittany Crunch.

Chocolate lovers, rejoice! This tastes the thickest out of their desserts there, hence it is recommended you eat this the last, after you finish the rest of your desserts. So flavourful and rich to the right extent.
Cake sizes are available for San Donmingue - S ($75), M ($100), L ($150).

In-house blended teas, the Melange series, cost $7.50 with menu orders, and $13 if you order ala-carte. Each dessert has an in-house blended tea which brings out its flavour, so I do suggest you get a tea to match your dessert. Get them to recommend the tea that goes with your dessert choice.

Mad About Sucre
Address: No 27 Teo Hong Road, Singapore 088334
Tel: +65 62213969
Website: http://www.madaboutsucre.com
Operating Hours: Sunday (12.30pm to 5pm) / Monday (off)

Iope Super Vital Cream Bio Excellent: Review

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Yay! Today I'm going to introduce one of my beauty purchases from my recent Korea trip. 

My K-beauty people, I'm sure you know what is Aritaum. In face, I can never leave Aritaum without fishing out my credit card. And in my second visit to the store, I walk away with the Iope Super Vital Cream Bio Excellent. 

I understand from the Aritaum staff that this product is popular, and after testing it out in the store, I fell in love with it. 

Details
Brand: 
Iope 아이오페 

Product Name: 
Super Vital Cream Bio Excellent 슈퍼바아탈  크림 바이오 엑실런스 

Type: 
Skincare, Moisturiser

Shade: 
Nil

Price:
100,000won

Where to buy:
South Korea (Aritaum)

Each box comes with a small spatula, the 50ml cream and an instruction booklet. 

Note: There is another version, with 'Rich' written below 'Bio Excellent'. I did not get that. This version is the lighter version, just note, because they are different!

This is an anti-aging cream (yes, I need this line already, CRY).

The skin gets drier and looser when you get, erm, older. This cream mainly targets these 2 areas with their Bio-seletinoid formula, which is a new bio ingredient developed by bio science research for more than 10 years.

Their solid packaging is a lovely gold shade.
This formula has also been certified to have whitening and wrinkle improvements. As you know, anti-aging skincare products are usually richer (aka oily for me), but my skin cannot take rich products, so how?
That's why I love this product, because of its light-weight watery gel texture, which does not compromise on the moisture portion.

How to apply the cream?
1. If you have the serum and eye cream, apply them first, then get a coin sized amount of this product and spread it evenly on the forehead, cheeks and chin.
2. Slightly pat the skin's surface for the residue on the surface for enhanced absorption and elasticity.

Remember, don't use too much of it, just a coin sized amount will do!

Special care application (images taken from Iope Korea's website):
(Start from top left image) 
1. Apply on the face in the order of nostrils, skin around the mouth and chin in an upward motion to promote blood circulation of skin.
2. With the second knuckle of a clenched hand, massage the face starting from the center of the forehead, working outward in a circular motion to promote circulation.
3. Pinch skin along the facial line starting from the center of the chin to strengthen the muscle of the chin.
4. With the remaining amount, apply on the next in an upward sweeping motion toward both sides of the neck.

 Before application:

Applying the cream:

After application:

Verdict
In summary, I love this cream from Iope!  I usually don't get rich creams from Korea, due to their weather being very dry, hence their products are formulated to suit their country's weather. 

Hence, with this lighter version, I do think that this non-fragrance added product suits my skin type as it was able to absorb quickly and does not feel like there's an oily film over my face after application. Plus, my face does feel more moisturised after applying the cream. So, this is an awesome buy for me!

Beauty note: 
- My skin is combination skin (oily)

Beauty disclaimer:
- Before using / testing any beauty products, I recommend you do a patch test first to find out if it suits your skin, because not every product suits every skin. :)

Bobbi Brown's Burnt Red Lipstick: Review

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 Details
Brand: 
Bobbi Brown 바비 브라운

Product Name: 
Bobbi Brown Lip Colour 바비 브라운 립칼라

Type: 
Cosmetics, Lipstick

Shade: 
Burnt Red 번트 레드

Price:

SGD$38 

Where to buy:
Department stores / Bobbi Brown Counters. I got mine from Tangs Harbourfront.


Here's the colour under dimmer-than-usual lights. A pretty sexy shade of red.
If you have dry lips, this might be something you wish to take note for this product. Application of the lipstick will not be smooth unless you sufficiently moisturise your lips with some balm (apply, not spam) first. This lipstick is not the moist type, and will give you a matt-ish look, which I like.
Tried it with some black specs as well. I think it's a nice colour for those who wears dark framed specs, as it adds a nice brightness to the face. :)
This lipstick goes well with earthy type eyeshadow colours, and works well if your makeup above the face is not very overwhelming.


Verdict
Overall, the shade of this lipstick is really lovely and I really liked it. Still, this is a lipstick which is not long lasting and falls off easy, hence reapplication would definitely be required. 

Free the Robot Coffee Cafe: Review

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A cafe that lets the robots roam in the CBD of Singapore. Attracted by the sheer robotic temptation, I visited the cafe one fine afternoon for lunch.

Be part of the storywall through this hole. 
A small, dim cafe interior, directly linked with bar Bitters and Love.

The chalkboard menu.
DETAILS
Area:
Telok Ayer / Tanjong Pagar

Country:
Singapore

Price:
 $$

Good For:
Small Groups / Takeaway / Solo

Accessibility:
Approx. 1 min walk from Telok Ayer MRT Station

LET'S EAT 
Cold brew ($7) 
I have no complaints about this cold brew. We tried the Ethiopia - Djimmah Grade 3. In fact, it was a huge welcome, and I liked it, along with its presentation of a huge huge ice ball in its mug. Awesome for a warm day. Especially since I was dining outside their eatery.

Free the Robot signature coffee ($6) 
When I knew this place had coconut oil in its coffee, I wanted to try it. Actually, this was something I already wanted to do at home, but was always lazy to try, as the traditional method was to really blend the coffee with the coconut oil, using a blender (yes I am that lazy.). Apparently here, they don't do that, but rather, they just mix in a little coconut oil after making the coffee. This resulted in the oil surfacing faster, so it's a coffee you probably don't want to drink too slowly.
Non-coconut oil lovers, you will not love this. But those who are like me, always wanting to give coconut oil coffee a try, get it here.

Sous vide egg with Jamon, truffle and brown bread ($8)
The sous vide egg itself already costed about $3, so I added on the Jamon, truffle and brown bread (additional $5).
Jamon, the Spanish's way of cured ham, actually tasted good with the truffle and the sous vide egg. This amalgamation was of eggy goodness with a intense flavour and a tingle of sweetness of the tip of the tongue.

Big brekky ($14)
This is comforting. And filling. A more affordable big breakfast compared to other cafes, it includes pork sausages, scrambled eggs, cripsy bacon (love!) and homemade hashbrown.

Free the Robot burger ($12) 
What's good about this cafe is that most of its food is homemade. Aka, cooked with sweet lovin' of the chef. The beef burger, which packs sunny side eggs, pickles, tomato, melted cheese and bacon in it (phew! What a mouthful!) is a should-try at this eatery. Delicious.
If you were to ask me if I would come back for the robots again... no. 

As for the coffees, I would give it a rating of 7 / 10. I liked the smoothness of the coffees here. But a personal view is that the coconut oil coffee might not be too much of a crowd pleaser, because I think most Asian palates might still not be accustomed to coconut oils. 

But yes, it was an overall pleasant dining experience, and if you need a definite reply, I would come back for the food, which impressed more than other cafes.

Free the Robot Coffee
Address: 118 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 068587
Tel: +65 6438 1836
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Freetherobot/

Keong Saik Food Trail x the Entertainer Singapore

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So... this happened one sunny Saturday afternoon, where we joined a couple of avid foodies on a foodtrail using the awesome, cost-saving Entertainer App!

First stop: 

Wine Mansion 
Location: 20 Keong Saik Road
 Coming to Wine Mansion, was akin to visiting your friend's house for dinner. Except the fact that this 'friend' was a crazy good wine collector! Well, of course - because Wine Mansion specialises in wines, which see many corporate customers and avid wine drinkers visit their 'home'. :)
If you love dessert wine, you've got to try this. The Gancia Romino Lychee Prosecco (Italy), now going for $42 (takeaway price). The delicate sweetness left me wanting more!
Fried Chicken with kimchi yoghurt sauce ($18). A tasty mix which plays with the senses - a sourish sweet aftertaste which goes well with wines. 
 Beef Koftas with chickpea puree, garlic tomatoes and fried onion ($16). Another sourish type dish which they recommend. Most dishes here are created to pair with wines they carry.  

Second stop: 

Praelum 
Location: 4 Duxton Hill
Praelum - A name associated with erm, yes, wine. That's their signature anyway, when it was opened by wine aficionado Elizabeth Lin in year 2011. Run by a bunch of well trained, professional sommeliers, you bet you can count on them to recommend you wines of your liking. 

Here, we tried the Reichsgraf Von Kessekstatt "RK" Riesling 2014 (Mosel, Germany) and the Bodegas Lealtanza Crianz 2011 (Rioja, Spain). I personally liked the dry red, it was smooth and tasty.
Pork Parcels ($27) - a must-have here, made with portobello, cream cheese, bacon and tomato-basil dressing. Everyone was so in love with this dish, especially with the excellent combination with the flavourful apple chutney on the side. 

Salmon-En-Croute ($32), while most chose the pork parcel to be their favourite, I'm not sure why this was my favourite. But it is. 

Salmon loin, dill-tarragon butter, puff pastry, wholegrain mustard. The entire mix was just delicious to me and I really like what they serve up here - you can just taste the passion that goes into making the food right, if not for anything, you know?

Tarte Flambee ($20) - Creme fraiche, onions bacon and egg. This brunch-type item is one of those I definitely want to wake up to in the mornings.  Nuff' said.

Lastly, we head a few doors down to: 

MEATliquor Singapore
Location: 99 Duxton Road

MEATLiquor Singapore, a flashy diner bar that serves up good finger food and bar drinks.

Chillax-ing with a wide array of drinks, including Tequila & Rosemary and Pina Colada ($19)

We tried the fried pickles with blue cheese dip ($9), Sambal fries ($12), Buffalo wings ($15), Dead hippie ($22)! 
I liked the Sambal Fries and the dead hippie, which boasts juicy mustard-fried beef patty and dead hippie sauce.

Don't worry, all food (shown in the photos above) were in tasting portions, so you can be sure that you'll be getting bigger serving sizes when you visit! 

These 3 restaurants are merchants on the Entertainer Singapore 2016 app, and each offer three 1-for-1 main menu vouchers - this is seriously going to be so worth it!

In my previous posts, I've shared some screenshots on the Entertainer App. Here's the updated version! :) 


The Entertainer App interface is so sleek and cool now, with a really nice landing page! 


Just key in the restaurant you wish to visit. [#1]


You will be led to the restaurant's page - which looks something like this. [#2]


You can either: 
[#3] call the restaurant (for reservations or enquiries)
[#4] Ping the offers or 
[#5] add the restaurant to your 'Favourite' list!
[#6] When you are already to use your e-voucher / coupon for the eatery, make sure you are there at the eatery of course! Show the restaurant your app, for them to validate the voucher for you. 

Of course, in my earlier posts about The Entertainer App, I have also mentioned the incorporation of Uber taxis [#7] in their app, so it is now easy for you to get a cab quickly after your meal!


If you want to get more details of the eatery, simply switch the tab to 'Details'[#8] and read more about it, and even see the location map [#9]


If you're still considering to dine at the chosen eatery, you can also select read reviews (if available), and this button will directly lead you to agoda's reviews [#10]

Need even more specific information? 


Scroll down below the location map and you'll see most of the additional details [#11] you'll need. Any more specific information required (for what?), you're gonna have to speak to the owner yourself, because this is as much info as you'll require. 



If you're not an Entertainer member now, you can now purchase it for SGD$85! In the long run, you'll definitely save MORE! 

For more information on the purchase, check them on their website here

To stay updated with their latest offers, updates and promotions, follow them on:

This is post is published in collaboration with the Entertainer Singapore.

Lovin' it with McDonald's huat new year feast x omy.sg

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Lunar New Year is about family reunion. What better way to bring the family together? Yes, you guessed it. Food. 

Other than the yearly favourite - Prosperity Burger - McDonald's is also launching a new Golden Treasure Chicken Burger, which consists of a grilled chicken patty topped with caramelised onions, lettuce and umami – mushroom slices (ala carte from $6.30), all in one bite which offers up a sweet, savory, spicy and tangy mix! 
Image credit: McDonald’s Singapore 
The new Golden Treasure Chicken Burger will be served from 18 January 2016, alongside the Beef and Chicken Prosperity Burgers (from $5.30) and Twister Fries (from $3.20) while stocks last.

To complete your meal, opt for the Golden Treasure Feast (from $8.90) which includes a choice of either the Golden Treasure Chicken Burger, Beef Prosperity Burger or Chicken Prosperity Burger, with Twister Fries (M), Pineapple Nata de coco Pie, and to end the meal, Yuzu McFizz – a refreshing Yuzu-flavoured drink with a colourful burst of jelly balls. 
Image credit: McDonald’s Singapore 
And really, who has got time to queue up anywhere during this festive season, right? You can have it fuss-free, by calling McDelivery! A wide selection of bundle meals are available 24/7 with their McDelivery™service!

What bundles are available? Here you go!

Grand Celebration Bundle, $49.80 (serves 5-6)
2 Prosperity Beef Burgers, 2 Prosperity Chicken Burgers, 1 Filet-O-Fish, Chicken McNuggets (20pc), 4 Twister Fries (M), 2 Jasmine Green Tea (M), 3 Coca-Cola (M), 3 Pineapple Nata de Coco Pie, 2 Hot Fudge Sundae

Celebration Bundle, $22.80 (serves 2-3)
1 Prosperity Beef Burger, 1 Prosperity Chicken Burger, Chicken McNuggets (6pc), 2 Twister Fries (M), 2 Yuzu McFizz, 2 Pineapple Nata de Coco Pie

Deluxe Celebration Bundle, $29.80 (serves 3-4)
1 Prosperity Beef Burger, 1 Prosperity Chicken Burger, 1 Filet-O-Fish, Chicken McNuggets (9pc), 3 Twister Fries (M), 3 Coca-Cola (M), 2 Pineapple Nata de Coco Pie, 1 Hot Fudge Sundae

Sharing Bundle, $21.80 (serves 4)
Chicken McNuggets (20pc), McWings (4pc), 4 Pineapple Nata de Coco Pie, 2 Twister Fries (M)

On the side, here's a tvc which they launched for the festive season. 


Okay, I realised that that smart kid at the end still did not get an angpao (red packet). No cash, but still got love. Priceless okay? But we can see how bright his future is in the creative line; his thinking-out-of-the-box skills are still awesome!

The lighthearted ad, of course, focuses on family and that's really what Chinese New Year is about: Family.

And when you think about family, what else do you think about? 

Yes, love. Anything else? 

YES - Red packets lah! Don't be shy to answer leh!


And what better collectible for the McDonald's fanatics other than McDonald’s Exclusive Red Packets? 

For a limited time only, you can redeem a pack of McDonald’s exclusive red packets with every purchase of a Golden Treasure Chicken Burger Extra Value Meal. 

This promotion will be available from 21 January 2016 at all McDonald’s stores in Singapore, excluding Nanyang Poly, NUS, NTU, Singapore Poly, Temasek Poly, McDonald’s self-ordering kiosks and McCafe.
Image credit: McDonald’s Singapore 
Redemption is valid only while stocks last.


This post is published in collaboration with omy.sg

Usher in the season of CNY feasting with Ellenborough Market Café!

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Lunar New Year is a stone's throw away, and you're scratching your head wondering which restaurants are open for a feasting?

Ellenborough Market Cafe, the Peranakan based buffet cafe of Swissotel Merchant Court is offering you a chance to solve your 'where-should-I-go-feast-during-CNY' problems! (Phew, that was a mouthful.)

One favourite CNY must-do for me is Lo Hei! Just look at this wonderfully created mess. :) So delicious~!
Prosperity Yu Sheng - shaped like a face of a Monkey! :D

Then, feast on fresh seafood like Teochew Steamed Crab and Chilled Drunken Canadian Black Mussel, along with hot starters BBQ Bak Kwa Coins and Soft Shell Crab with Thai Basil Sauce. 

Save some space for Nonya favourites Ayam Buah Keluak, Babi Pongteh, Homemade Kueh Pie Tie and of course, Waxed Duck Rice. 

Specially for dinner, diners can savour a selection of roast meats including Roasted Duck, Roasted Char Siew, Roasted Crispy Chicken and Roasted Pork. 
In-house, handmade 'Chang Shou' La Mian

(From left) Braised Fish Maw Soup with Crabmeat, Stir-fried Australian Scallops with Snow Peas, Lily Bulbs in XO Sauce, Braised Sea Cucumber with Jade Brocolli and Champagne Pork Ribs

Their signature Durian Pengat and festive goodies such as Tempura Fried “Nian Gao”, Durian Cheese Cake and Mandarin Orange Chocolate Fountain will up the sweetness factor to your celebrations.
(From left) Nian Gao with Fresh desicated coconut, Sweetened Yam Dumplings, Durian Pengat, Baby Lobster in Black Bean Sauce
The Prosperity Lunar New Year Buffet runs from 1 - 14 February 2016, so quickly call and book your feasting session soon!

Prices are as follows (Adult, Child prices respectively):
Lunch (Mon to Sun): $58, $29 
High-tea (Sat, Sun & PH): $40, $20 
Dinner (Mon-Sun): $78, $39


Ellenborough Market Café
Location: Swissotel Merchant Court, 20 Merchant Rd, Singapore 058281(Lobby Level, Ellenborough Market Café)
Phone for reservations: +65 6239 1848 /1847 
Buffet Hours: 12pm - 2.30pm (Lunch), 6.30pm - 10pm (dinner), 3.30pm - 5.30pm (high tea - Sat, Sun & PH only)



This post is published in collaboration with Swissotel Merchant Court's Ellenborough Market Cafe.

Nan Hwa Fishboat 南華昌(亞秋)魚頭爐: 2nd branch revealed!

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This post is so overdue but I assure you that the dishes served are still fresh.

Okay, bad joke. But you get my drift. Basically, after 88 years at the same location, the famed Nan Hwa Fishboat at North Bridge Road has now landed in Owens Road in December 2015.
Don't worry, the secret recipes are definitely shared between the 2 branches. With their secret silky-smooth superior fish soup brimmed with a unique combination of 12 ingredients and slow cooked over hot charcoal embers, the delicious soup is still as tasty here as it is in North Bridge road.


DETAILS
Area:
Farrer Road

Country:
Singapore

Price:
 $$

Good For:
Families / Big groups / Small Groups / Takeaway / Solo

Accessibility:
Approx. 2 mins walk from Farrer Park MRT Station

LET'S EAT 
Premium Dragon Grouper Fish Head Steamboat 龙虎斑鱼头炉 ((S) $38 (M) $48 (L) $68)
Also known as the Giant Grouper, the fish meat has a firm, sweet and fleshy texture. Combined with the broth, perfection.

Another premium fish they have is the Potato Cod Grouper, which is also available for order here! Potato Cod Grouper is a very rare premium fish species as only two fish farms in Asia supply this, so try this if you can. :) 

Unlike other contemporary gas-stove steamboats, every steamboat at Nan Hwa FishBoat uses charcoal.

Awesome fish stew, which takes over five hours to prepare before serving to you.
The zi char styled dishes (which are what I'm going to share below), are only available at Owen road.


Four Heavenly Kings 四大天王, ((S) $8.8 (M) $12.8)
We only counted 3 vegetables, since it's the 'four heavenly kings', where is the fourth?! Despite that, this dish was pretty flavourful.

Clams were fresh and lightly flavoured.
Claypot Drunken Rice Wine Clam 醉香米酒灼啦啦, ((S) $15.8 (M) $20.8)
This dish was so-so for me, goes well with rice!
Stir-fried Sambal Sotong 叁巴苏东, ((S) $11.8 (M) $17.8)
Fragrant and sweet, with a good tinge of orangey flavour.
Champagne Pork Ribs 香槟排骨, ((S) $12.8 (M) $18.8)
Dragon Grouper Shan Lao Hor Fun 龙湖三捞河 ((S) $12 (M) $18)
Silky hor fun with generous servings of fish and towgay (beansprouts)!
Dragon Grouper Shan Lao Hor Fun 龙湖三捞河

Crisp-fried Prawn in Golden Pumpkin Sauce 金瓜奶香虾球 ((S) $18.8 (M) $28.8)
These prawns were so good - I highly recommend them. Salted egg prawns? Too common! Ditch them for these and you'll not regret it.
Crisp-fried Prawn in Golden Pumpkin Sauce 金瓜奶香虾球
Overall, I enjoyed some of the tze-char styled food here, but I would best stick to the fish stew, and if I can only choose one side dish, I would choose the prawns in pumpkin sauce! So, Singaporeans who love a good fish stew, here you go.

It's surprising how slowly they are expanding, and I'm not surprised as I hear that Nan Hwa Fishboat also just opened its very first overseas branch in Jakarta by end of November 2015, bringing one of Singapore’s most celebrated local cuisine to the world. Branches in Vietnam and Cambodia are in the pipeline to open for business in 2016. 

Nan Hwa Fishboat 南華昌(亞秋)魚頭爐 (New branch)
Location: 93/95 Owens Road, Singapore 218907 (Farrer Park MRT Exit D)
Operating hours: 11.30am - 2.30pm; 5pm - 10pm (9.30pm last order)


This post is published in collaboration with Nan Hwa Fishboat.

Glomax Aesthetics: Luminous Detox Facial Review

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Recently, I received an invitation to receive a facial treatment at GLOMAX Aesthetics. Not knowing what to expect, I accepted the facial treatment after knowing that the facial they offered was an award winning facial treatment service. 

I headed over to their location in Clarke Quay and got here one weekday afternoon.
The entrance was nothing fancy, and in fact, it does look a little more homely once you step into the shop.

The friendly staff reviewed my skin and shared with me a little on the treatment I was about to receive. She also commented that my skin looked tired, and a little yellowish - to which I agreed since I just came back from winter in Korea.

Here's my before photo:
I was then led to a room, which was also quite  homely looking, with flowery wallpaper.

Here, I started my 90-min facial treatment journey here - the 'Luminous Detox Energie Care Treatment'. This treatment won the The Women's Weekly Best Pre Party Facial Award 2014

First, they purified my skin with Diamond microdermabrasion (which invigorates cell renewal). I asked them if this would redden my skin after the treatment, which my facial therapist patiently replied, "No dear, it would not. Don't worry." 

No steaming is used, but a sonic cleansing machine gently vibrates the dirt off the skin so as to prepare the skin for any manual extraction. 

Here's the before photo on the cleansing pad. 
Here's the after - OMGee! I didn't expect my face to have so much dirt, please. T.T But I'm glad it's all out.
Extraction time! To be honest, extraction still hurt - though not that much. Especially around my nose area, which is my serious pore-clogged zone. SIGH.

The dirt from my whitehead/blackhead extraction! ARGH!! Disgusting! - Don't say I didn't warn you. haha.
Here, she's using a high frequency machine to repair and calm any open wounds, speeding up the skin’s natural healing. This machine is designed with a customized cocktail of vitamins to refresh and strengthen the skin protective barrier, the skin immediately comes out looking clean and glowing inside out. After that, a 20-min customised mask to end off the session! :)
Different skin types will entail a usage of different cocktail of vitamins, which will help with whitening, anti-aging, anti-oxidants, acne/oily skin treatment or sensitive skin. The therapist will be glad to advise you on this after accessing your skin.

Before & After photos below are without any makeup, taken under the same type of lighting.

Before: 
After: The instant whitening effect! This is seriously visible and I was really impressed! Skin is much cleaner than before too.
Overall, I really enjoyed this treatment and I'm glad I did come for it!

Now.. for my readers only:

Enjoy full 60 mins Luminous Detox Facial @ $88 instead of $168 when you quote "JANELKU"! WOOHOO!
I suggest you call or sms them to make an appointment before you go there. Walk-ins are not recommended. 

GLOMAX Aesthetics 
Location: 12 Eu Tong Sen Street, #6-168, SOHO 2 Singapore 059819 (Beside Swissotel Merchant Court)
Opening Hours: 10am- 8pm (Mon-Fri), 10am - 5pm (Sat-Sun)
Tel: +65 6225 5193 
SMS: +65 9459 0795

Instagram: www.instagram.com/GLOMAXAesthetics


Burp Kitchen & Bar: Chilling Out in Bedok

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Burp Kitchen & Bar? That sounds filling already. When I heard that they are located in the East, I was even more excited, because the east side is my 'hood. Less than 5 months old, their bistro is situated at a quiet corner of a bustling area (nearer to Bedok Reservoir), well known to residents around who probably shops at the nearby Sheng Siong supermarket.

The host shared that being in a neighbourhood area, they also do not believe in charging for GST and service charge. That's definitely a plus point for me. :)

DETAILS
Area:
Bedok

Country:
Singapore

Price:
 $

Good For:
Small Groups / Takeaway / Solo

Accessibility:
Approx. 40 mins by bus from Bedok MRT Station (Best if you drive)

LET'S EAT 
Chicken Quesadilla ($9)
My first thought - this tastes healthy! Okay, minus the cheese. I liked this, crispy, and goes well with the slow cooked pulled chicken that's sealed within the tortilla wrap with melted cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Goes well with the pairing sauce.

Burp Kitchen Wings  ($10)
Yums. These wings were coated with their homemade special Adobo sauce (literally means sauce twice in Spanish/Tagalog). Well, they sure knew what to put on the table. Who doesn't like wings? If you don't, well actually there's also drumsticks in this dish. This was tasty - and airfried to make it healthier. Thumbs up.

Salted Egg Wings ($14)
With the salted egg yolk craze that is hitting the Singaporean food world, it is little wonder this eatery is doing the same. But at least they do it nicely. I liked their salted egg yolk sauce, which carries a hint of spiciness from the chilli padi. As mentioned, all wings here are airfried to make it more healthy for diners. So this is naturally another thumbs up for me.

Salted Egg Tofu Fries ($8)
This one also had the same salted egg yolk sauce, but I didn't like this texture of the tofu. It was really just fried tofu sticks, but a healthier twist to fries. I mean, I liked it, but I thought the texture of the tofu could be more chewy, instead of the full hard-on tofu type fries.

Crabby Patty ($18)
This was one of my favourite dishes of the night. I was expecting Spongebob to serve up this dish, but I was disappointed in that area. I would also like to remark that the chef looked nothing like spongebob at all. (Lighten up people, you understand jokes, right?) Anyway, the 'crabby patty' was battered soft shell crab, which retained its crispiness through our photo taking. I loved the total combination of the crisp and the juices (which merged nicely with the salted egg yolk sauce omgee!) and the sauce and the squid ink bun. I would order this again.

Burp's Beef ($16)
The beef patty was good. Marinated in-house as well. What's interesting about this was that instead of lettuce, they used dou miao, which had a stronger taste, thus giving their burger a unique edge.
They tried to balance out the taste with spicy mayo as well, perhaps to lessen the harshness of the strong dou miao and I thought it paired pretty well overall.

Pork Carnitas Tacos ($12)
Tacos, tacos, tacos. This tacos is made to be quite authentic because of their softer taco shell, instead of the hard, crispy ones which I'm used to. While I was thinking, "why go soft?" but my tastebuds convinced me otherwise.
The fillings do go better with the authentic styled soft 'shell'. Filled with pulled pork and topped with apple slaw & spicy maco, the combination was flavourful. Comes with a small potato dish, which my friend liked.

Baja Fish ($12)
Pronounced "Ba-ha", this dish has some Spanish roots. Like the Pork Canitas Tacos, they also have the apple slaw and spicy mayo as its topping.
We liked the fish as it was so tender while the outer layer was just nice. Most liked this dish, though my preference is still with the Pork Canitas.

Well, one of my favourite points about this place is that they are unpretentious and they try to make it a little more healthy and unique for their diners, which explains why most of their sauces or certain dishes are painstakingly homemade.

Burp also has brunch items from Tuesdays to Sundays, from opening till 4pm. Some of these include the usual egg brunch favourites from pancakes, waffles to burgers, bagels and even breakfast tacos!

Would I return? : Yes. I most probably would.

Burp Kitchen & Bar
Location: #01-3165, 740 Bedok Reservoir Rd, Singapore 470740
Tel: 9711 9030
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/burpkitchen/


This tasting was an invited session hosted by Burp Kitchen & Bar, and Openrice Singapore

KOKOMAMA Market Place: Eat yourself a variety at SOTA's fusion bistro

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Conveniently situated in the heart of Singapore at Dhoby Ghaut, where it is housed at the Singapore School of the Arts (SOTA) building. An adventurous business by the Chew siblings behind 77th Street, KOKOMAMA aims to present a wide range of international fusion dishes to Singaporean palate, and hence, the “Market Place”.
In an effort to continue the legacy of the former tenant, a french bakery, KOKOMAMA carried on selling french pastries in addition to creating their own dishes as well.


DETAILS
Area:
Dhoby Ghaut

Country:
Singapore

Price:
 $

Good For:
Big Groups / Small Groups / Takeaway / Solo

Accessibility:
Approx. 5 mins walk from Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station

LET'S EAT 
We got to try their signature croissants, also known as the KOKOLAVA, which include 3 flowy fillings to choose from: Salted Egg, Peanut and Custard. The croissants are baked in high quality flour which came from Europe! I did like the texture of the croissant, which was light and fluffy.
Custard KOKOLAVA Croissant
But to be honest, my heart went to the custard one because it went nicely together. If you're a peanut butter fan, you'll like the peanut filling one. As for the salted egg version, it was nice, but getting the salted egg to react perfectly is not easy. And for this, I would choose the custard one any day.
Peanut Filling KOKOLAVA Croissant
I would recommend you have any KOKOLAVA when it is freshly baked and warm to ensure maximum enjoyment.
Salted Egg Yolk KOKOLAVA Croissant
We also had a go at the fusion pizzas, which has generous toppings on top of flatbread. These fusion pizzas include Chilli Crab as well as Salted Egg Seafood flavours to choose from.
From left - Salted Egg Yolk Pizza, Chilli Crab Pizza
The Salted Egg one was a little light, for me, I would have liked a more distinct flavour from the salted egg yolk. However, I thought that the chilli crab one was pretty good and would order that again.

Now, for the pasta - their Salted Egg Yolk prawn pasta was pretty decent. It's like a whole set in a plate as you've the accompanying mushroom soup cup and a garlic bread for dipping if you please. Some of us had some differing views on this - and it depends if you like it heavier or lighter, in terms of salted egg yolk taste. For me, I felt that the salted egg yolk taste needs to be heavier.
Lastly, we finished the meal with 2 types of bingsu-  Matcha Craze and Mango Madness.
The toppings were really generous and the ice shavings were very fine. Overall, we enjoyed the bingsu, but if I could choose, I'd go with the mango one as a personal preference.
In summary, while we did enjoy the food here, I'd like that they stick to the items they make best, like the bakery items, which I'd recommend you try if you do visit, and don't forget to finish off with at least one bingsu of your preferred taste!

KOKOMAMA Market Place
Location: 1 Zubir Said Drive #01-01, School Of The Art, Singapore 227968

Dr.Young's Pore Eraser Balm: Review

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Previously, I felt that my pores were getting bigger. I ended up using too much bb cream to try and cover up my pores and I was getting sick of that. So I decided to get a pore cover balm instead, in hopes that it would help me with that problem. 

I previously tried out Dr.Young's bb cream and felt that it was pretty good, so I decided to get this balm from them too. 

Details

Brand: 
Dr.Young

Product Name: 
Pore Eraser Balm

Type: 
Cosmetics

Price:
SGD$40.90

Where to buy:
Here's the Anti-Pore Pore Eraser Balm from Dr.Young:
This product is made in Korea, and contains about 15g of product. According to instructions, apply the product before makeup onto pores and blend it out. It says to put it on oily areas, but I didn't feel like slapping it all over my t-zone, so I decided to just put it on areas where I felt I had enlarged pores.
 
Its texture reminded me of the Benefit's PORE Professional.

Ingredients List
Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Vinyl Dimethicone/, Silica, Ceresin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Polysilicone-11, Cyclohexasiloxane, Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Gylceryl Arachidonate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hamamelis Virginana (Witch Hazel) Water, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Amica Montana Flower Extract, Artemisia Absinthium Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Titanium Dioxide, Propylparaben, CO77491, CI77499, Fragrance

That's alot of product for one small tub! And as you can see, main ingredients are silicone based, which according to them, 'help fill up pores and rough surfaces of the skin'.

 I only used this amount for my pores around my nose.


Verdict
After blending it out, it was not 'flawless', but I felt that my pores really 'shrunk' in size! I was happy with the way it looked and I continued with my makeup routine. I feel that this amount might look little, but it could last me a very long time!

Importantly, it had helped control a little of the oil around my nose area, so I did like this product.

Beauty note: 
- My skin is combination skin (oily)

Beauty disclaimer:
- Before using / testing any beauty products, I recommend you do a patch test first to find out if it suits your skin, because not every product suits every skin. :)

Spider Glow Facial by Expressions: Review

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When I first heard about the Spider Gold Facial, I was worried if it actually involved the secretion of real spiders to be applied on the face. But after I learnt more about it on the Expressions website, I was really excited to try it out!

So I visited Expressions one day, after a tiring day at work where my skin is not in its optimal state. I was made to sit while the therapist helped me check my skin condition, to understand how to better customise the spider gold facial according to my skin conditions to ensure optimal results.
My therapist shared how my skin was oily on the t-zone mainly, but the inside was dehydrated. I was then led to a simple facial room and made to change into a robe.

 My therapist gently removed my makeup as she shared some beauty tips with me, followed by exfoliation of skin. She made very sure that my skin was clean before we began.

Well, the main point of this whole facial is to get that instant skin lifting, anti-aging and whitening effect on the skin!

So... introducing the star products which are used in this facial:

Spider Web Golden Lifting Serum
This product helps to minimise pores, refines and lightens acne scars, increase skin elasticity, improves blood circulation, smoothens fine lines & wrinkles, as well as reduces and lightens pigmentation and age spots.

As you know, I used to have freckles, until I lasered them off. So this facial would help me upkeep and delay the day which my freckles might return! (Dear Freckles, please keep away from me!)

I also used the specially formulated spider web mask, which my therapist fit snugly on my face before topping it with gold essence. The 10 amino acids within help to nourish skin and strengthen skin elasticity while the serine enzyme encourages the build-up of collagen, thus boosting the regeneration of skin cells.

Spider Web Golden Repair Beady Cream
This works as an ampoule type product, applied to let the product enter the inner layers of your skin. Usually, they would use 1 whole ampoule for the whole face for this treatment!
The products in the Spider Web series basically work on the collagen synthesis effect, which uses natural amino acids to encourage building of collagen and speeding up the wound-healing process. That leads to skin renewal, speeding up skin growth, which is required for all ladies above 28 years old, since our skin starts to slow the skin renewal process as we age.

Here's my before (with makeup!):

Here's the after (completely no makeup!):
Can you see the difference? My skin looks so much brighter, even without makeup! Like I dropped 2 skintones! I met a friend after the facial and she asked how come I looked so much fairer. Of course, I told her I just did the Spider Gold Expressions Facial. Also, there was some v-shape lifting effect visible after the treatment, so I guess that's a yay!

The facial takes about 1.5hours to complete.

The facial was overall relaxing and the products actually smelled great! I really liked this facial, and I was pleasantly surprised at the whitening effect of my skin at the end of it! My skin felt softer and more smooth after that too. :)

For more information on this facial, visit Expressions' website or contact them here at the various Expressions Branches.

I did mine at the Orchard branch at Regency House. Appointments are recommended.

Expressions @ Orchard
Location: 121 Penang Road #01-02 Regency House, Singapore 238464
Tel: +65-6235-9890
Hours: 10:30 am - 8:30 pm (Mon - Fri), 10:00 am - 5:30 pm (Sat - Sun)
Website: http://www.expressions.com.sg/


This post is published in collaboration with Expressions.

The Populus Coffee & Food Co.: Review

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Warm lights fill the cafe space. The cafe is narrow and comfortable for small groups.
DETAILS
Area:
Outram Park

Country:
Singapore

Price:
 $$

Good For:
Small Groups / Friends / Solo / Takeaway (for drinks)


Accessibility:
Approx. 2-4 minutes walk from Outram Park Exit G or H.


LET'S EAT 
I visited this cafe twice. First time, I was seated near the window, on a high stool. Water is served to every table.
Had the black coffee. I liked it, but it was slightly acidic for me. 
The cafe latte ($5.50). This was smooth, but not my idea of a 'favourite coffee'.
Cafe Mocha ($6). Mocha was not delicious as it had lacked the chocolatey oomph. What good is a mocha without its chocolate taste? This did not work for my friend (she ordered this).
Populus Scramble ($17), one of their signature food items. This was taken during my first visit. The presentation of the dish looks awesome, with the scrambled eggs and bacon burying the toasted croissant. I have to say that the croissant was slightly 'wet' and not crispy with this presentation.
This photo was taken during my second visit, where I told them to separate the eggs and croissant. My friend loved this dish. I liked it better too, when it is separated as the buttery croissants were fluffy and crispy, a real delight.
Buckwheat Pancakes ($18) - These were presented in a hot pan, and took about 20 minutes to serve as the pancakes were freshly made (from your order, they will start making this and baking this, yes, from powder!) The pancakes were topped with strawberries, blueberries, raspberry sauce and some butter. A little honey was served on the side.
The wait was worth it. The pancakes were so fluffy and the entire thing put together was so delicious! Definitely made the list to my favourite pancake list.
Overall, I liked the food better than the coffee, and I think that will really work well for them - if their patrons are mostly brunch lovers. I will definitely be back to have the pancakes again, and probably the desserts, as I hear that's really nice!

The Populus Coffee & Food Co.
Location: 146 Neil Rd, Singapore 088875
Tel: +65 6635 8420
Website: http://thepopuluscafe.com/


VDL + Pantone 2016 Collaboration: Ombre Lipsticks Review~!

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Recently, VDL launched a collection with Pantone, which they shared, is "the most wholesome beauty & colour solution for year 2016". One of the items in their collection, are the lovely VDL Expert Colour Lip Cube Tranquility, which features 3 colours. 
제품 이미지
Each of the lippie consist of 2 colours, which marble to form one lipstick. The ombre aspect of the lippie is can give a very special and pretty effect on lips. 

For example, is the Wellness lipstick from this series. Its main colour seems to be pinkish red, but they also infused a lovely peach colour within the lipstick, thus giving it a pretty pinkish red + peach effect. 

The image above shares that there are 3 ways to use the lipsticks. 

First image (from left) shows that you can apply the lipstick using a 85 degree angle, from the top down, following the lip line. This will give a balanced symmetry to your lip.

Second image shows that you can apply the lipstick using a 95 degree angle, from the farthest point of your lips, stroke down first and then lightly touch the upper lip with your bottom lip so that the contour will be formed. It will give it a natural look.

Third method, use the cube face and apply carefully from the centre of the lip, sideways.

Details
Brand: 
VDL

Product Name:
VDL Expert Colour Lip Cube

Type:
Cosmetics

Price:
22,000krw

Where to buy:
Online stores, as it is currently not available in Singapore

For me, I got the Serenity (01), which is the tinted lip glow bar lippie of the series. 
 I did not like how the turning of the lipstick felt unstable, though. It also felt very plasticky.
Check out the marbling! It's really super pretty - in blue and pink! And when you apply it, you get a lavender-type colour, which enhances your natural lip colour.
Before application (natural lip colour):
After application:
There's a slight colour correction there, as you can see. For those who has more pale type lips - you can consider this lovely lip balm to help correct your colours, so your lips don't look so washed out.

Verdict

One thing I really liked about this was that it was really moisturising but not sticky nor overly oily. According to VDL, their lipsticks incorporate the Advanced Full Moist Formula. After trying this balm out, I think I will get the other colours too! 

Kungjeon Bakery (궁전제과 충장본점), Gwangju: Review

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When in Gwangju, eat food! Specifically, from a bakery with more than 40 years experience! With a shop that is still very popular amongst the locals even after so many years, there must be a secret to their breads.

Not to put you in suspense, but I don't know what it is. Nevertheless, here are my purchases, and my review of this bakery!
Along our way to the bakery!
According to their website, it seems like there are more than 200 types of bread and 60 kinds of cakes available. But of course, I guess they do it on a rotation basis, because their bakery sure doesn't seem like it can accomodate that many types at one go.
The bakery has 2 levels, the second level are for dine-ins. We only frequented the first floor as we were just buying to-go.


Many pretty cakes displayed were for sale and they also had a corner where they sold chocolates. Unfortunately, it was too crowded for me to really have a good look at the chocolates, so I just took a snap shot from a distance. 





DETAILS
Area:
Culture Complex Station

Country:
South Korea, Gwangju

Price:
 $

Good For:
Small Groups / Friends / Solo / Takeaway

Accessibility:
Approx 3-5 min walk from Culture Complex Station (Gwangju Subway Line 1)

LET'S EAT 
We tried the dragon egg bread (공룡알, 2500won) and the butterfly pie (나비파이, 2200won) which are their must-haves! 
We felt that the dragon egg bread was too eggy though, so if you like egg-filled bread with a deep, radiating egg flavour, this would be perfect for you.
My friend 'trying on' the butterfly pie
For the butterfly pie, it was sweet, thin, crispy and fluffy at the same time, and the subtle sweetness to this was so good, it was like sunshine on a cold morning. Well, thanks to my awesome jacket, too.

We also liked the Nurungiji 'bread' (누룽지, 2000won), which is like a toasted flatbread, a slightly roasted taste. To be exact, parched rice! 
Tried this when I was in the cab, on the way to the museum
Totally benefiting of its name because it really feels as thin as paper, retaining its crispiness so well (despite me only having this the next morning!). Why are all their awesome breads crispy?! This was really addictive and it was one that we all thoroughly enjoyed.

On the side, the shrimp bread was strong in smell and the ham-cheese baguette (햄 치즈 바게트, 3500won) was on the average tasting side. It was also the most expensive out of all the breads we bought!
Shrimp bread
You may or may not like the shrimp bread (나는 새우다, 2800won), it all depends on how much you like shrimp. If you know how to read Korean, you'll also know that the name of the bread literally translates to 'I'm Shrimp'. Lol! So cute.
Ham-cheese baguette
It seemed that the bakery was always constantly packed, as we went back twice within 2 hours and it was still as crowded!  
Within that time of absence, I noticed the Gonggibang (공기빵, 1500won) was also sold out, which made me really sad, because I wanted to try that so bad. Gonggibang is kinda a chinese-origin baked bread that it airy and fluffy, when you bite into it, you taste the exterior. It is associated with being Chinese for some reason, and is also highly available at Incheon Chinatown, if you must have it. The interior is hollow - filled with air, hence the name Gongibang (air bread). I don't know why they just translated it to 'Chinese bread' in English, when 'Air Bread' just makes so much more sense.
Seemed like that is also one of the top sellers in the shop, hence please get your hands on one of those to try if you ever visit.
Recommended items: Nurungji bread, butterfly pie, dragon bread (for me, because I liked the eggy combination, while my friends did not).

Kungjeon Bakery (궁전제과충장본점)
Location: 1-9 Chungjangno 1(il)-ga, Dong-gu, Gwangju, South Korea
Location (in Korean): 광주 동구 충장로 93-6
Website (Korean only): http://www.kungjeun.co.kr/

The Music Run Launch Party 2016: Get into the party!

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The highly anticipated Music Run is back for its 2016 run, with more heart-thumping tracks that will accompany you through your fun run! But first, time for the launch party!

Sometime last week, I attended the Music Run 2016 by AIA's launch party at Sentosa's Woo Bar, in W Hotel! The hotel and bar was such a stunner.
Credits: The Music Run Facebook
 

Various colourful cocktail drinks in the house by Woobar!
Credits: The Music Run Facebook
Group photos first!


We also had the honor of meeting Ben and Joanna, who shared with us more on the Music Run.
Ben Pember, Executive Director of Exceed Sports & Entertainment
Credits: The Music Run Facebook
The event will be held in the lovely Sentosa, where over 120 concert quality speakers pumping out over 150,000 watts of music will line the running course, known as ‘The Sound Track’, across five interactive and music themed zones – Rock, Pop, Old School, Hip Hop and Dance.

Since the event began in 2014, this phenomenal music and fitness wave has been winning fans the world over, from Los Angeles to Bangkok, Hamburg to Singapore. From four events in four countries with 35,000 runners in 2014, the event will go to 40 cities in 18 countries this year and experienced by over 350,000 participants!
Joanna Ash, Head of Brand and Corporate Communications, AIA Singapore
Credits: The Music Run Facebook
That night, we also had Tabitha and Sonia, resident DJs from 987FM to host the party as well as test guests on their knowledge for the event and win prizes!

Our hosts for the evening, Tabitha Nauser and Sonia Nicola Chew - Official from 987FM
Credits: The Music Run Facebook
The Music run is all about having fun with your friends, while immersing music and getting healthy at the same time! We'll be there on 23 April for the run, and if you'd like to join us for this exciting event, click here to sign up now!

Here are some photos taken during last year's event!
Photo Credits: The Music Run™ Singapore
Photo Credits: The Music Run™ Singapore
Credits: The Music Run Facebook

Well, we'll see you there! :)

The Music Run by AIA's Official Event Website: http://www.themusicrun.com/country/singapore

Gills N Shells: Affordable, good value European seafood in the East!

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When I first heard about the restaurant being held at Hotel Boss, I was thinking of what to expect.
The hotel is a short couple of minutes away from the Lavender MRT Station (Exit B). Just walk all the way straight from the exit to reach Hotel Boss, which sports a nice outdoor seating area with a sculpture which I can't exactly spell out.
Near the carpark entrance of Hotel Boss, is a new, modern European seafood-centric restaurant cum bar.

Enter: Gills N Shells. 

Opened by couple Jayson and Coreen, it is the perfect spot for both locals and visitors alike, to enjoy a cozy meal with its friendly modern ambiance. Inspired by the ocean, the menu features their Chef’s Daily Catch of freshest seafood, lobster and oysters.

First dish came, the freshest of them all: ½ Dozen Freshly Shucked Oysters ($22.90)
I actually did not want to try it, because I do not like raw oysters. But this one was pretty fresh, and my friends egged me on to try one. I ended up having 2. Served with homemade marmalade and French red wine vinegar sauce, because that's the authentic European way of enjoying fresh oysters. And I refused to put Tabasco sauce on them (that's the American style!), simply because this was supposed to be European style! So, I'll be eating it the European way.

I didn't try it with the marmalade, because the vinegar sauce already won me over, so I ended up enjoying both oysters with the vinegar sauce. And... I think I secretly asked if we could order more after that. Thanks for a positive taste of the ocean.

Wild Mushroom Soup ($6.90)
I am not a fan of wild mushroom soup, but this was good. I won't say it's heavenly, but my friends did. So if you are a fan, try this. It's made fresh daily, and drizzled with aromatic truffle oil and served with crispy garlic focaccia toast, which was also made in-house.

Oh gawd, the toast was really awesome. I could eat it every morning.

I cannot go into specifics for these side dishes, because I'm going to be repeating myself, saying that it's all extremely delicious. I can't even comment on which is my favourite, because they all are. So here's the Truffle Fries ($10.90), Gills & Shells Crab Cakes ($12.90) and the Clams & Mussels ($15.90).




Oh my gawd, the Clams & Mussels. A special shoutout for this dish because this was almost orgasmic. The sauce (we chose the spicy white wine clear broth) was so good and I could eat 2 plates of this by myself.

Truffle Infused Cod ($24.90)
The cod was tender, topped with chinese preserved turnip (a pleasant twist to the dish!) In fact, we were asking if they could give us more chinese preserved turnip a.k.a Cai Po.

The rice was interesting as it was made with red saffron, but not my favourite item.

Lobster Roll ($24.90) 
Friends who loves bread. Here you go. Enjoy a succulent lobster roll meat tossed in Chef’s specialty sauce.
The roll sports a generous serving of lobster meat that you and I will probably not be able to resist.

Australian Prime Ribeye Steak ($25.90, 200g) 
This premium ribeye steak was grilled to medium rare, and when it arrived, the meat was pink (not very visible in this photo though) without much blood as our knife entered the meat smoothly. We thought it was not as rare as it should have been, but we were wrong.
The steak was at the right texture, extremely tender and we savored every bit of it. Order this, meat lovers, you cannot go wrong.

Crab Meat Pasta ($18.90)
Made with cream, cheese, chunky crabmeat & wild fungi, this was strangely one of my favourites. It was creamy, yet not overly creamy. Not extremely thick, yet very much palatable.
The flavour of fresh crab meat was apparent, and this was a delight, even at night.

We ended off the meal with Brownie with Ice Cream ($10.90) and a Tiramisu ($10.90). I love Tiramisu!

I'm not much of a brownie person so one thing I can say about it is that it's not very thick, but chocolate factor still apparent, but still, tiramisu has won my heart.

The servers at the restaurant were knowledgeable about the food served. When we ordered our food, and a wine, specifically when we ordered the Dolce Moscato ($42.90), he advised us how we should enjoy the wine, and at which stage of our ordered dishes.

This is so that we try not to 'change' the taste of the food we ordered, as best as possible. This wine is not on the menu, but patrons can order it if it is available, a lovely, smooth and sweet dessert wine which will pair well with, uhm, desserts!

All food are prepared in-house from scratch with the best quality ingredients, so you can be sure that quality control is well managed here. I also liked that the bosses were not only friendly, but receptive to feedback, that's a good sign because they really want to make this work! And I'm very sure that they will, if they continue to keep up the standards of their food here.

Overall, this was such a pleasant experience. I will be definitely returning here, and it's not because this was a tasting session. By the way, if you'd like to know, yes - parents, you can also bring your kids here. Just sit indoors, as I've seen other parents do so.


As seats are limited, do make sure you call and make a reservation before you visit!

Gills N Shells
Location: 500 Jalan Sultan, #01-19 Hotel Boss, Singapore 199020
Hours: 3:00 pm - 1:00 am (Mon-Sun)
Website: http://www.gillsnshells.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gillsnshells

Gardens By the Bay 2016, Cherry Blossoms Exhibition: A Photo Story Part 1

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As you know, I will be heading to Japan shortly! However, knowing I would be missing the actual Cherry Blossom, I was very sad. 

But... Gardens by the Bay in Singapore had made me very happy when I learnt that the cherry blossoms were coming to visit us instead!

So as a prelude to our Japan trip, we decided to make a trip down to Gardens by the Bay to see this exhibition in the flower dome. We queued at the ticketing counters for about 30 mins in the hot sun before getting our tickets. If you have any OCBC credit cards, be sure to use them as you are entitled to another 15% off your tickets. So that's what I did. And I paid about $17 to visit 2 cooled conservatories: Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. Woohoo!

Enjoy the part 1 of my photo story below. :)


On a side note, thank goodness the Flower Dome is a cooled conservatory, which means no hot weather! Woohoo!




















The floral display is expected to run until March 27, 2016.

To learn more about Singapore's Garden By the Bay, visit their website here.

Address: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953
Nearest MRT Station: Bayfront MRT Station (look for the exit sign to Gardens by the Bay)

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