Ma Maison - 16 March 2006

*Click on pictures to enlarge*

It has been several years since I last ate at Ma Maison. I didn't have much of an impression of it then. All I remembered was the dark interior, and the food was not that memorable. I do remember it was a mix of Japanese and French styled food. Neither here nor there.

Last year I read raves about Ma Maison on a forum and I was intrigued and surprised. I finally had the chance to try the food again yesterday. As the name suggests, the restaurant gives a very homey cosy feel to it. It creates the impression that you are seated right in the heart of the kitchen, and it has been said that the kitchen is the "soul" of the house.

The kitchen is an open concept, you can see the chefs slaving over the hot stoves. Rows of copper pots and pans are hung across one wall, I love that. Floral printed tablecloth is draped over the wooden table, with a retro-looking lamp (reminiscence of Swensens in the '80s) on it. Kudos to the service staff. Young, energetic and polite. They are also able to give good recommendations on the dishes.

In the end, Celest and I shared the starter of escargots drenched in garlic butter, mains of a beef rice with brown sauce (their specialty sauce) and tuna au gratin, as well as dessert of brownie a la mode. The escargots are not bad, though some are a bit salty but others are fine. The garlic butter flavor is subtle, not overpowering.It is interesting to see the ring of fire around it. Not sure what purpose it served.










I love this dish - tuna au gratin. Essentially pasta with tuna and corn in a cream sauce (the sauce is really yummy!) topped with the egg and cheese (can't taste the cheese though) and ketchup. This is very similar to my Tuna Noodle Casserole, maybe that is why I like it.










Beef rice - This is supposed to be a popular dish, but I find it is alright. The egg is really good, very eggy. The rice is flavored (but I couldn't tell what it is) and topped with the egg and surrounded by pieces of beef in their specialty brown sauce.










The homey feel of a kitchen, with pots and pans and dishes all laid out.













Retro lamp










Brownie with vanilla ice cream. The brownie is soft, not hard and is not bad. The chocolate used is good.













The key to "check out"

Another cool concept is the use of a key to indicate your table number. It is like being in a hotel or B&B. You will bring the key to the cashier to "check out" once you are ready to leave. Neat idea!

Contact:
Ma Maison Restaurant
Parco Bugis Junction #02-51
Tel: +65 6338 4819

The Line @ Shangri-La (Sept 2005)

I went to The Line on Friday night for a buffet dinner. Featuring over 16 culinary stations though I have no idea what they are. From what I can recall, there was a huge variety of food that one is spoilt for choice.

There were the seafood appetitizer section, japanese food, italian station, chinese food, grill, salad/cheese/crackers section, dessert, crepe station, dim sum, indian food, local food, ice cream bar, juice bar, chocolate fountain and probably others.

The oysters were really fresh, with no fishy smell to them. And the service was great. The person manning it was wonderful, passing you all the things you need - tongs, spoon, tabasco sauce, wedge of lemon, etc. The lobster was nicely done, not too tough that it was hard to get it out of the shell.

The soup was a bit of a disappointment. The seafood broth was too salty. The sashimi was also fresh. The highlight was dessert The chocolate fountain was fantastic, with strawberries and marshmallow on stick, ready for you to dip into the rich milk chocolate. The tiramisu was very rich and creamy...a bit too much though.

It is a place to re-visit again, just to try the other stuff. Regina said the pasta was a must-try, and the xiao long bao was wonderful, plus many more. I told Davis and Regina that we must have a girls night out there someday. Lol.

Au Jardin Les Amis - Sept 2005

I went to Au Jardin for Sunday Brunch. It is a semi-buffet for the starter with choice of eggs, main course and dessert. I had the scrambled eggs which was presented nicely with strips of smoked salmon. The sourdough roll went very well with that.

I ordered the grilled snapper with potato 'Anglaise' and pearl onion confit for the main. The fish is done just right, not too dry or tough with a crispy outside and tender inside. Same for the potatoes and pearl onions. I had the poached plum with lychee parfait which is equally lovely. The semi-tartness of the plum is offset with the light sweetness of the lychee parfait.

Au Jardin is now my favorite restaurant. It is a small restaurant with only 14 tables, so reservations is a must. The greenery outside the glass windows takes you away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The service is impeccable - I am very impressed by that since it is so rare to get such excellent service in Singapore. Everything is done discreetly, water glass is topped up without asking, chairs are pulled out when you need to get out. Plate was given to you when you went to the buffet table. The staff will inform you of the selection available without you having to ask.

The buffet spread is sufficient for a hearty meal. I didn't try the white bean soup as beans are not really my fave. The only exception is soya bean milk. The nicoise salad was excellent, same with the fois gras terrine (and I am not a big fan of that). The seasonal mushroom was nice. The potato salad with truffles was not bad, and the cod ball was interesting. The scallop was fresh and juicy.

The coffee was strong and freshly brewed, not for the faint-hearted. The service staff will add sugar and milk for you, basically you don't have to do anything over there though it is not quite the "No Hands Restaurant" in BBK. A plate of chocolate and peach tarts were served to go with the coffee as well as a plate of petit fours. They were good too.

I think it is better to go to Au Jardin during the day as you can view the scenery. Pity that they are only opened twice a week for lunch.

Info:
www.lesamis.com.sg

Halia Restaurant - 10 March 2006

I have heard so much about Halia Restaurant but have not had the chance to go there until yesterday. It was a toss up between Les Amis Au Jardin or Halia. Since I have been to Au Jardin, I decided to try Halia. Besides, the feedback has been good.

Nestled in the middle of the Ginger Garden, Halia (Malay for ginger) blends into the lush greenery. I must be pretty bad with directions as I kept losing my bearings whereas F knew precisely where we were heading.

The restaurant has full length glass windows, with tables scattered all around. It is not very big and gets filled up very fast. So reservation is recommended. We snagged a table by the glass windows and it was very nice, looking out to the trees and plants. There are alfresco sittings too, for those who prefer to be outdoors and be one with nature. I like the old world charm of the place with the wooden timber slats across the ceilings and the fans. One can imagine the whirr of the fans on a lazy warm afternoon. But since we are living in the 21st century, there is air-conditioning to cool the place.

I decided to go for the 3 course set lunch as I didn't have breakfast. I selected the seared tuna belly with avocados and some greens for the starter, linguine vongole laksa for main and dessert was cappuccino dunking (or something like that) with coffee to end. I also ordered the iced halia which is a very refreshing ginger drink with plums.












Iced Chocolate - looks good with the whipped cream and cherry on top.








Chili crab spaghetti









Seared tuna belly with avocados and greens. The tuna is nicely done, not too raw or overcooked.









Linguine Vongole Laksa - a tad salty but still tasted great, but nothing can beat Teaspa pasta with laksa inspired sauce. Too bad it has closed down.












Cappuccino Dunking - This is a disappointment. Maybe I was expecting some sort of warm chocolate cake-like dessert. Instead I got this. Beautiful presentation though. This dessert is great for those who loves caffeine or coffee. It is a layer of warm chocolate sauce, followed by fresh cream and shaved iced with coffee/cappuccino drenching it. You are supposed to dunk the walnut chocolate cookies (like biscottis) in the creation. In the end, I dunk the cookies in the regular cup of coffee.

Contact:
1 Cluny Road, Ginger Garden
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Tel: +65 6476 6711

Meal Service Hours
Weekend Breakfast Buffet 8am to 10:45am
Lunch 12 noon to 3pm
Light Meal 3pm to 5:30pm
English Tea Service 3pm to 5pm (except Sunday & public holidays)
Dinner 6:30pm to 10:15pm (last seating at 10:30pm onFriday, Saturday & eve of public holidays)

ETA: See the greenery surrounding the restaurant.

(Just ignore the person in the pic :p)

Beyonce True Star Gold - Tommy Hilfiger

True Star Gold opens with a ‘scintillating sensation of watery notes’, coming from the blend of melon and golden kiwi. The heart reveals a bright and enticing bouquet made of linden blossom and pumpkin flower. The dry down is an enveloping sensation where sisal and lily blend with milk and tulip wood.

Top note :
Provence Melon, Golden Kiwi, Red Currant

Middle note :
Pumpkin Flower, Linden Blossom, Golden Pollen

Base note :
Milk, Raspberry, Honey, Sisal, Lily, Tulip Wood

Source: osmoz.com

I bought True Star Gold last weekend at their roadshow outside Heeren. The scent itself while lovely, is not the usual scent I would choose. Milk, honey, tulip wood, lily, etc are something new for me. I was tempted to buy as I like the tank tee as well as the gold bag. The promotion tier is confusing, but suffice to say, I would need to spend $150 just to get the gold bag.

I decided to just wait and see if I still lem for it after the movie. After much walking around and stuff, I was still thinking about it, so I decided to take the plunge and plonked down the cash to get the bag and fragrance. I bought the 75ml EDT ($95) and the 200ml shimmer body lotion ($50) - the 30ml gwp body lotion was OOS by then, so the GWP I got in the end was a bit confusing.

Besides the gold tote bag (which is totally roomy, versatile and handy and oh-so-glam), I got the tank tee, hair accessory with gold sequin globes to tie the hair, pink panther notebook and some sample vials and the mesh pouch it came in. The promoter threw in those freebies for me. Right now when you buy at the store, it will just be the gold bag for $150 purchase.

I love the shimmer body lotion as the sparkles are small and lasting and will look really good with tanned skin. It gives a glow. The fragrance itself, I am starting to like it as it has a pretty fresh scent. The gold tote bag is the ultimate. It is light gold with a hot pink lining. The combination is very nice. My ex-colleague even commented on the color combi and he is a guy! (Must be the hazard of working in a fashion industry :p) I took it out for shopping and gym and to the pool. You can just dump everything in, with room to spare. The only gripe is that it does not have any zip or snap button to close it, so I have to be careful that I do not get pickpocketed.

Agnes bought the fragrance just for the bag too after she saw me carrying it at the IPS. We were joking that we paid $150 just for the bag. Lol. That is the most expensive bag I ever bought/owned.

Escada Magnetic Beat Fragrance

I plumb forgot I listed down Escada Magnetic Beat in my birthday wishlist and I got it yesterday as a belated birthday gift :) That was a wonderful present!

F dropped into Singapore for a few hours and bought that for me before leaving again. Feeling so happy now, with getting the fragrance (yes, I am a fragrance freak!) as well as finally seeing F again. It has been about 2 years 1 month since we last met. It was good catching up.

Magnetic Beat is released as a lighter version of Magnetism (released in America/Europe) in Asia back in 2003. Once I had a whiff of it, I knew I want it. It is slightly sweet, with a vanilla-y scent. Different from the citrusy stuff I usually wear. A gf got that for me as a Christmas gift in 2003 and that lasted for about 2 years (I finished the bottle early 2006), so now I am onto my 2nd bottle :) I'm a happy girl.

Description:
Magnetic beat is a soft, modern, oriental blend of leafy greens and scrumptious fruits mingled with light florals and warm musks.

Notes:Leafy Greens, Basil, Freesia, Black Currant, Plumberry, Jasmine, Immortelle, Muguet, Blond Woods, Iris, Almond Blossom, Amber, Musk, Cashmere Vanilla, Sandalwood.

Style:Soft. Scrumptious. Feminine.

Source: www.sephora.com

Suit

October 2003

I have not worn a suit in a long long while. I have a feeling I might be donning that again with this new job. I love that suit, my 1st ever purchase. It is from Fairweather and fits me like a glove. Perfect. I have it in Eggplant too, but I hardly ever wear that either.

Make your own puzzle

I need help with resizing this puzzle. The original size is too big, but when I changed the size of the width, it became like this.

Could someone help? Thanks.

Oscars 2006

The winners are:

Best Picture: Crash

Best Director: Lee Ang, Brokeback Mountain

Best Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote

Best Actress: Reese Witherspoon, Walk The Line

Best Supporting Actor: George Clooney, Syriana

Best Supporting Actress: Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener

Best Adapted Screenplay: Brokeback Mountain

Best Original Screenplay: Crash

Best Original Score: Brokeback Mountain

Best Foreign Language Film: Tsotsi, South Africa

Best Documentary Feature: March Of The Penguins

Best Documentary Short: A Note Of Triumph: The Golden Age Of Norman Corwin

Best Original Song: It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp, Hustle & Flow

Best Animated Feature: Wallace & Gromit In The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit

Best Animated Short Film: The Moon And The Son: An Imagined Conversation

Best Art Direction: Memoirs Of A Geisha

Best Cinematography: Memoirs Of A Geisha

Best Costume Design: Memoirs Of A Geisha

Best Film Editing: Crash

Best Live Action Short Film: Six Shooter

Best Makeup: The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe

Best Sound Mixing: King Kong

Best Sound Editing: King Kong

Best Visual Effects: King Kong

Notable Quotes:
'Bjork could not be here. She was trying on her Oscars dress and Dick Cheney shot her'
Oscars host Jon Stewart on the Icelandic singer who once attended the Oscars in a swan-like outfit

'Capote showed America that not all gay people are virile cowboys - some are actually effete New York intellectuals'
Jon Stewart

'There are women here who could barely afford enough gown to cover their breasts'
Jon Stewart, joking that Hollywood was losing money to video pirates

'The Oscars is really I guess the one night of the year when you can see all your favourite stars without having to donate any money to the Democratic Party'
Jon Stewart

'This will always be synonymous with your name from here on end. It will be, Oscar winner George Clooney, > sexiest man alive 1997, Batman, died today in a freak accident...'
George Clooney after winning his first Oscar, for supporting actor, in Syriana

'I do my own stunts'
Actress Jennifer Garner after nearly tripping on her way to the microphone to present an award

'I want to thank the academy for sitting me next to George Clooney at the nominees luncheon'
Corinne Marrinan, co-winner of the short subject documentary Oscar

Island Cafe @ Tangs & Glutton Bay @ Esplanade - 4 March 2006

Went out with Celest yesterday, and Davis too. I met Davis earlier at Sunny Bookstore at Far East Plaza and we had lunch at Island Cafe inside Tangs (this is my fave hideout place for days when I am tired and want to have a peaceful meal without jostling for tables at food courts or other places).

Island Cafe is now bustling with actitivies and customers after the revamped. I have been dining there regularly since 2001 (though I think I have been there before in the late 90s too when I first came back) and have seen their several revamps, from the dishes to the layout to the crockery and prices. It has always been well-known for their laksa and chicken rice, and now their soft shelled crab tung hoon.

I ordered the Crayfish hor fun, chocolate milkshake and banana chocolate cake while Davis just had the chicken rice and barley. This is the first time I tried the crayfish hor fun and it is absolutely yummy! The whole crayfish was spilt into half, and the dish is chockful of seafood ingredients (fish cake slices, fish, squids and prawns, beside the crayfish). Very generous. The gravy is tasty with a slight "wok hei" flavor to it.

The banana chocolate cake is not bad, at least the chocolate is made of good chocolate, and not the cheap type where it is more cocoa butter rather than cocoa itself. The chocolate milkshake is a disappointment (reason for me to order the cake as I wanted something chocolatey). The chocolate tasted like the chocolate ice cream you get from the uncle outside takashimaya for $1. Maybe I am spoiled, but I prefer fine chocolates, especially valrhona chocolate.

(Think I shall make a post all about chocolate some day soon)

Contact:
Island Cafe
Tangs 4th Level

Glutton Bay @ Esplanade

We met Celest at Coffee Club outside California Fitness, and watched her had her lunch. Celest and I were to watch "Mrs Henderson Presents" after that while Davis went off for her other appointments. We ended up having dinner at GluttonBay as we were sidetracked outside Heeren by a Hippo Bus which has been commandeered for the Music Festival. It was pretty amazing. Loud music blared from the bus, with some people on the upper deck making whopping noises. We decided to stay below and just enjoy the cool air. Brochures, phamplets etc decorated the bus, with information on the various performances available at the Esplanade. And it is a free ride to the Esplanade :p

Glutton Bay, operated by Makansutra, is an outdoor hawker center with a row of stalls selling local food. It is an attempt to bring back the old days of outdoor eating, before al fresco was popularized by Western restaurants, where hawkers will sell their food anywhere along the streets. In the '70s, the government felt it was not hygenic to serve food without proper sanitation, and hence built centers to house these hawkers. The centers are commonly known as hawker centers or food centers.

In mid 2004, the carpark next to Specialist Shopping Center along Orchard Road was revitalized and morphed into a temporary outdoor hawker center to recreate "Glutton Square" as part of the Singapore Food Festival. IIRC, that was to showcase what it was like in the old days, where hawkers will park their mobile carts at the lot in the evening and start selling food. It proved to be so popular that it was extended till after Chinese New Year in 2005. As people still longed for a place for good local food during the wee hours, Glutton Bay was conceived. The opening hours tend to be from 6pm (could be slightly earlier) till 3am (but if it is raining, the stall operators will close around 2am or earlier - I experienced that before).

While Glutton Bay is not huge, there are pretty decent local delights to please the palate. From the famous Fried Prawn Noodles with long lines all the time and Oyster Omelette to chicken wings, seafood stall, minced meat noodles, satays, dim sum, chicken rice, etc.

We shared the Hokkien Mee (Fried Prawn Noodles), oyster omelette, satays and ended with teh tarik. I realized I tend to order the usual stuff at certain places. The noodles was good as usual, with enough gravy but was not too wet. The prawns were not that fresh though but they were ok. The oyster omelette was wonderfully crispy and was not overly thick with the tapioca flour and the oysters were plump and fresh, served with the tangy chili sauce.

The satays (chicken) were very nice too, first time I had that there. I am never a big fan of satays as I am not a really a meat person, but they are yummy. Very tender meat, and well-marinated with the herbs and spices. Definitely much better than the one served at Straits Kitchen at the Hyatt. I love the peanut gravy, it was full of chopped peanuts and not too spicy with a tinge of sweetness.

Another stall which I want to try is the Kaya stall. It actually has a kaya fondue where toasted bread are sliced into fingers. One day...

Moonfish Pasta & Seafood Restaurant - 1 Mar 2006

Popped into this restaurant with Davis for dinner. D had to leave just after she placed her order, so I had dinner on my own. I'm cool with that as I have learnt to do things on my own and to enjoy my own company. Plus I had my book with me, so it was fine.

I have never been to the place ever since it changed from being Spageddies to this Moonfish. The decor and layout still looked the same, so I wondered if it was just a name change for this outlet but is under the same management.

The dishes on the menu is different but the tiramisu design is the same (but not when they served it to me).

Okay, I just did a search and Moonfish is a sister company of Spageddies.

Taken from www.moonfish.com.sg:
"Moonfish Seafood and Pasta Restaurant started up in August 2003. It branched off from its sister restaurant Spageddies Italian Kitchen, in aim to create the Mediterranean cuisine experience of great seafood and pasta. Moonfish is part of the Acma Group's food and beverage division. "

Ahhhh.......so that is why it looked similar.

I wanted to try the "Escargot Moonfish" where the garden snails are stuffed into mushroom caps and then baked with herbs and what not. Unfortunately it was not available, so I settled for the "Room alla Funghi" - deep fried mushrooms with tartar and neopolitan sauces. Maybe I am not in the mood for really fried stuff, so I wasn't overly enthusiatic about it. The mushrooms are very juicy though.


For mains, I ordered the crayfish parmigiano. This is surprisingly good. The crayfish is sauteed and smothered in the neopolitan sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese and comes with a side of aglio olio. The pasta is al dente and you can taste the fragrance olive oil and fresh slices of garlic. Delicious! The crayfish is tender and fresh and sweet and goes very well with the cheese and pasta.









For dessert, I had tiramisu and cappuccino. I must confess to being a bit disappointed by the presentation of the tiramisu. It looks different from the picture and is different from they way it was served at Spageddies. (See pic).


Overall, the food is pretty good but I didn't get a sense that it is trying to serve more mediterranean food.

Contact:
Moonfish Pasta & Seafood Restaurant
Time2 @ Millenia Walk
No. 9 Raffles Boulevard #01 - 106
Tel: 63390987
Email: moonfish@acmamall.com

Things in Singapore

Someone has requested for a list of recommended things to do while in Singapore for a visit. Here is my abbreviated list.

Attractions:
Sentosa
- Images of Singapore (good intro of Singapore's history)
- Fort Siloso (heard it's haunted, but great for military/history buff)
- Merlion (only for the view)
- Underwater World (I like this place, the marine life)
- Beach (the sand is actually imported, there is KM8 for a hot tub party)
- Musical Fountain (only if the timing coincides)
- Cable Car ride (if you like seeing the view from the top)

Chinatown
- Chinese Heritage Center (very interesting, esp to see how large families used to live in a small room in the shophouse)
- shopping for knick-knacks

Arab Street
- interesting to wander around

Little India
- Mustafa Center (24hrs shopping center, everything under the roof, can even buy a car!)

Orchard Road
- shopping belt

Esplanade
- basically for food or shows and to walk along the waterfront

Sim Lim Square
- "cheap" electronics (just beware of touts)

Asian Civilisations Museum

Clarke Quay
- Crazy Horse (topless show)
- Ministry of Sound (latest club)

Arts House (used to be the old parliament house)

Night Safari (a must-see)

Food:
Dry Prawn Noodles aka Chili Noodles (level 2) @ "Army's Market", next to Kampong Glam CC, opp Golden Mile Complex along Beach Road
- I love the prawn noodles, the pork ribs are good, the meat just slides off the bones and melts in your mouth (and I am not a pork person)

Hock Lam Beef Noodles @ Far East Square
- very good flat thin kway teow noodles which are soft and slippery. I prefer the dry version with the thick gooey sauce and I love the crushed nuts scattered over it.
- There is another version at Purvis Street too.

Don's Chicken Pie @ Far East Square/China Square
- excellent chicken pie with real chicken chunks.

Brazil Churrascaria @ sixth avenue (along Bukit Timah)
- great place for meat lovers. reservations recommended

Cafe Iguana @ Riverside Point (opp Clarke Quay)
- Cheap tequila/drinks before 9pm (50% off) and after midnight
- great mexican food

Glutton Bay along Esplanade
- Fried Hokkein Mee (very flavorful and delicious)
- Oyster Omelette (sinful and very fresh oysters)

Esmiraldas @ Orchard Hotel
- wonderful mediterranean food, esp the garlic bread which is a must-try.
- seafood paella is good too, likewise for the fisherman's stew (I can survive on the stew and garlic bread)

Via Mar @ Esplanade
- good spanish food, esp the paella and tapas (this prawn thing with chorizo bits is my fave)

Les Amis Au Jardin @ Botanics Gardens
- lovely setting, very romantic and great French food to boot.
- very pricey though

Blu @ Shangri-La
- lovely view, esp during sunset
- excellent californian food, with jazz singer. very romantic, but very expensive

Tea Lounge @ Regent Hotel
- very good English tea spread with scones and mini sandwiches and sweets

Mezza 9 Sunday Champagne Brunch @ Grant Hyatt
- fresh and wide selection of food with free flow of champagne
- another pricey place

Good Italian food
- Da Paolo @ Club Street / Holland Village
- Modestos @ Orchard Parade Hotel
- Pasta Brava @ Craig Road (along Tanjong Pagar Road)

My Mum's Cuisine @ Paragon (peranakan food)
- ayam buah keluak (must-try though it is an acquired taste)

Ok, I think the list is pretty long now. There are lots more places but these are the main ones. Hehe. Have fun exploring in Singapore.

Gems of Wisdom

I just finished reading this. A Total Waste of Make-up - Kim Gruenenfelder
And it is a must-read, must-buy book. It will make you laugh and at times go, "that is so true/real!".

http://www.atotalwasteofmakeup.com

Ok, I admit what caught my attention was obviously the word "make-up", especially since I have become somewhat a makeup junkie (but still nowhere as some of my pals ;p). Flip to the back, and it seemed interesting.

"Never ask a single person if they're seeing anyone special; an unemployed person if they've found a job, or a married couple when they're planning to have children. You're not making conversation. You're starting someone on the road to Prozac." - quote in book

That struck a resonance in me, maybe because I am single and not really seeing anyone special and I was unemployed (but I just got a job offer and will start March 13. Yay!). I continued reading the back and it seemed like a witty, quirky and fun book to read.

There is a description of their experiences in the day spa and I so want to go there. It was fab!

Reviews:
"Charlize 'Charlie' Edwards enjoys her job as a personal assistant to a hot male movie star, but as she turns 30, she finds herself reflecting on and wanting more out of life. Being her younger sister's maid of honor makes her feel old and alone, her family is driving her crazy, and it doesn't help that her best friend and her boss are becoming romantically involved. Convinced that she'll never have children of her own, she writes advice to pass on to a future grandniece-and realizes she knows a lot more than she gives herself credit for. Yet dating again just brings more disappointment and angst: after a seeming Mr. Right goes wrong, she falls head over heels for a gorgeous set photographer she's not even sure likes her. It all comes to a head at her sister's disastrous Las Vegas bachelorette party. Gruenenfelder, a Hollywood screenwriter, knows her setting and her craft. Well-written characters and a wicked sense of humor help this debut stand above the usual chick-lit fare. Recommended for larger fiction collections or where chick lit is popular." - Library Journal

"A personal assistant tries to define the rules of dating in Hollywood. Charlie Edwards spends most of her days tending to the whims of movie star Drew Stanton, whose celebrity supposedly rivals that of Tom Cruise. When she isn't booking his massages and interviewing his personal trainers, Charlie finds time to write observations about life and love in her journal, which is filled with advice meant to be passed along to her future great-grandniece. This burst of introspection is the result of Charlie's looming 30th birthday-to be celebrated sans boyfriend. To make matters worse, her little sister, Andy, is beating her down the aisle. Forced to put dreams of love on hold, Charlie musters the necessary enthusiasm to support Andy. Thankfully, she has two loyal girlfriends with whom to share her frustrations-the three hit the town, reveal their vulnerabilities and regale each other with dating horror stories. The honesty of emotion they share is refreshing. Gruenenfelder's debut supplies a splendid vacation from reality. At times better than re-runs of your favorite Friends episodes." - Kirkus Reviews

My thoughts:
It is a wickedly funny book filled with moments where every girl can attest to. The pitfalls and highs of dating. The wonderful support of her girlfriends and the wacky family characters make it a good read. I will want to share some "advice" from the book, which is probably universal and everyone has probably heard them before from their friends/family.

Gems of Wisdom (words in brackets are mine :p) :
Don't wait by the phone.

Don't wait by the phone! Ever! If you do, the guy you like won't call. Your mother (or your friend, sister, brother, boss, etc) will!

Never expect anyone to take care of you financially.

If you've been dating someone for a year, you know if you want to marry them or not. Fish or cut bait. Either get married, or set them free. And if a man you've dated for a year hasn't proposed - definitely cut bait.

Never subject your daughter to your wedding dress. Styles have changed.

Don't spend your whole life looking forward to your wedding day. Don't spend a year's salary paying for your wedding day. It's just a day. Youwill spend more time writing a term paper than you will at your wedding reception.

This may be sexist, but...when dating, always remember the treasure doesn't do the hunting.

When men say they'll call you, what they usually mean is "good-bye."
(Hands up, those men who said that and mean that.)

Repeat this mantra when down about men: "I don't need a lover, just several really close friends."
(Very true, close good friends helped me thru so many times. Thank you.)

If a man gives you three different ways to get in touch with him, he's interested in you. This is not rocket science. Don't play dumb.

Women are not capable of having "fuckbuddies." It's a concept men came up with. Don't buy the hype.

When it comes to finding a man in a bar, remeber: The odds are good but the goods are odd.
(this is a good one. lol)

Never start a fight with a drunk. Verbal or otherwise.

If a man calls you at 3am, he is giving you what we in the 00s called a "booty call." He wants only one thing - do not give it to him. Have some self-respect.

The heart has a mind of its own.
(Sigh...another sad true fact)

There's no such thing as free sex. Eventually you pay for it.
(be it emotionally or financially, I guess)

There's no such thing as a perfect man.

Nothing good has ever come from a conversation that begins with "We need to talk." And, frankly, what it really means is, "You need to listen."

Don't go out with a man just because he looks good on paper. You are not kissing paper.

Don't ever be afraid to be alone.
(Very sound advice - learn to appreciate your own company)

Some days are a total waste of make-up.

Everything happens for a reason.

Never judge people by who they date - your own sex life is confusing enough without trying to figure out everyone else's.

Be yourself. Don't try to impress anyone. You're enough on your own.

Always take responsibility for your actions.

Never ask a guy about his old girlfriends.
(very hard not to do so :p)

Don't talk to new guys after 1am. If he hasn't made the move before then, he's out.
Don't go for the cutest guy in the room. If he says he doesn't have a girlfriend, he's lying. Or gay.

Advice is like a sandwich. If you know someone is hungry, you can offer them a sandwich. They may even ask for a sandwich. But if you put the sandwich in front of them, and they don't eat it, there's nothing you can do. You can't force someone to eat a sandwich.

Don't do anything in your life just to get someone else's approval. Yours is the only one that matters. (It is your life. Live it with no regrets!)

No matter how you feel, or what you've done, take comfort in knowing that someone, somewhere, has been in the same position you're in, and has felt all the same feelings are you are feeling right now.
(another gem.)

On your first date, see how he treats the waiter. That's how he'll be treating you in six months.

Never throw good money after bad. And when it comes to dating, never throw good time after bad. Cut your losses! Dump the bastard.

You won't meet your future husband in a bar.

No matter who you are, and what's going on in your life, there's always someone out there worse off than you.

When someone presents you with a gift, no matter how strange, do not respond with "Huh?" "Yikes!" or "What the hell is it?"

Buy real estate. They're not making any more land.
(Except Singapore where they reclaim new land. Haha)

No one likes to be judged. If you're going to advise someone, do it without judgment.

Don't do something just because everyone else is doing it.
(This is so familiar - if your friends jump off the bridge, will you jump off too? :p)

You should never have a job that you hate so much you think "Thank God It's Friday" every week of your life.

Ignorance isn't really bliss. But some days, it's just easier.

Money can't buy happiness. But it sure can rent it for a while.
(My fave. So true. )

Never trust a man who says, "I just want you to be happy." What it really means is "I just want you to be happy - so that I can get whatever it is that will make me happy."

It is rude to ask a woman if she is pregnant. But it is a death wish to answer "yes" if a woman asks, "Do I look pregnant?"

When a friend is in pain, usually all you need to do is shut up and listen.
(another so true advice)

A man who claims he is "still technically married" is married. Get the hell away from him.

Men who chase married women, or women in a serious relationship, do so to avoid commitment. This is why, when you finally start dating someone after a long dry spell, suddenly the men come out of the woodwork.
(This works both ways too)

If you ask a man if he has a girlfriend, and his answer is "No, yes, I don't know," that means "yes." Or, at the very least, the woman he's seeing has a boyfriend - him.

Men aren't stupid, and you don't need a complicated set of rules to find a good one who loves you. Here's the only rule you need: if a man loves you, he will do anything he can to keep you around. Anything.
(Very true. Men will do anything when they really want something)

Breaking up is hard to do. Do it anyway.

If you ever (God forbid) need to check into a detox center, skip Betty Ford. Spend the same amount of money and check into a fabulous hotel, spend your days at the pool, and order lots of room service. You'll feel so refreshed and spoiled, you won't need drugs or booze.
(alternatively go to a spa every day)

When men say they don't want to talk about it, what they really mean is - they don't want to talk about it.
(kinda the opposite for women, just that we are trying to find the correct phrase)

Wow! That is a long list. There are more in the book, but these are some/plenty of my favorites.

Ramekin @ Starbucks

I was intrigued when I saw the word "ramekin" for a pie-like looking snack. The first time I came across this word was from a food blog and it was a crockery for cooking/baking, kinda what you call a casserole dish.

From www.waitrose.com
Ramekin - A small straight sided round dish made from glass or ceramic. Ramekins are ovenproof and are ideal for serving individual soufflés or mousses or pâtés, dips and nibbles such as nuts or olives.











Because of the ramekin, I ordered the chicken and broccoli ramekin with a cafe latte. The ramekin is quite a disappointment. It tasted like a regular pie, with less flaky crust. It was also eggy and seemed similar to a quiche.

I like the Starbucks at Suntec City. I must confess that is the first time I ever had my coffee there. Usually I order it to go. It is very nice, with a fake fireplace and a mantel and a lived-in look for the lounge area. I love the coffee mug too, very modern and current with the black ceramic.

I Want...

Read Sherie's lemmings in her blog and now I want this pair of Garter Mules from Fredericks of Hollywood. It is so sweet and will go perfectly well with my new red polka dots cami top from Topshop (influenced by Davis yesterday when she bought a red polka dot top too from Dorothy Perkins), plus I also have a black/white polka dot cami from Fox from last year's spring collection.

Polka Dots is huge this Spring. I have seen 3 variations of it in Topshop, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins. It also showed that maybe all 3 brands have the same buyer. Hahaha. I'm kidding there as I can never remember who are the buyers for those brands (since we were doing different brands) though I met several ex-colleagues while out shopping at Marina Square since it was the opening of Miss Selfridge/Topshop/Topman at Marina Square.

ETA: I am finally getting that pairs of shoes. Yay! Mule with black garter-style vamp, polka-dot accents and pink ribbon trim. 3 1/2 inch heel. Fabric upper, leather sole. This will be one of the highest heels I ever wear.

Melt The World Cafe - Oriental Hotel

Pictures say a thousand words.








































































The food is very fresh and while the variety is not as wide as The Line at Shangri-La Hotel, it is very manageable. There are local Chinese (which I didn't get to try), Indian, Italian, Western, Japanese, Thai food plus appetizers (no fresh seafood i.e. oysters, chilled prawns, mussels etc), salad and cheese board. The dessert is yummy with selection of cakes, waffles, brownies, mini portions of sweets, fresh fruits and the chocolate fountains (milk and dark chocolate).

One thing I must rave about is the FANTASTIC SERVICE. From the moment I stepped into Oriental Hotel till I left, the service was wonderful. The doorman actually walked us to the bank of elevators when I asked how do I get to Melt (Oriental has renovated, so there were some changes), I was impressed with that as that is more of a Ritz-Carlton service where the staff has to walk guests to the destinations, and not just wave and point in a general direction.

At Melt, the Maitre D offered to introduce the types of food available and showed us around the various stations. The rest of the staff was equally attentive and helpful. Water was topped up and plates cleared without us having to prompt, and food recommendations were made when asked or if the saw us contemplating what to get. They were very proactive. When they saw my mom and her friend starting on their desserts, the staff asked them if they will like coffee or tea. Apparently the coffee/tea can be free flow as a waiter asked me if I would like more (my coffee was half finished and I was reading the papers while my mom and her friend yakked away). Initially I said no, but then he named the various types of tea available. He recommended the moroccan mint tea, which was really nice. A bit sweet but refreshing. It came served in a small cup with a leaf of mint floating on it.

The clincher was when we walked out of Oriental, the doorman remembered me and asked if I enjoyed my lunch. Now that is service.

Location:
Melt The World Cafe
Level 4, Oriental Hotel

Candy Empire

Candy Empire is every kid's dream come true. It is filled with all kinds of candies and sweets - sugar overload. Besides chocolates, sweets and cookies, it also has chips in all flavors. What makes Candy Empire different from the stuff sold in supermarkets is that it imports items from Europe and Australia, the "rare" or "hard to find" stuff where one would need to fly to that country to buy.

The most eyecatching item in the store is the huge candy dispenser (well, I call it that though there are probably a proper name for it) where you can choose the goodies you want.

Location:
Millenia Walk, Level 1 (opp Outback Steakhouse)
Terminal 1, Changi Airport

www.candyempire.com.sg

Joaquim Restaurant - Suntec City

Porridge buffet at Suntec City Convention Center

*Disclaimer* - The 3 of us didn't finish any of the dishes that we took nor did we have 2nd helping of the porridge/congee.

Decided to try the porridge buffet at Suntec City as it always seemed to be busy, and busy is good as it means the food is not too bad. Plus, it is cheap at only $12.80 nett for the weekend buffet (weekday lunch is $9.90) though beverage is not included at all.

This is the 2nd time I have been to a porridge buffet and it certainly has a wider spread than the one I went to somewhere in Killiney Road. There was a row of food stations, with the different type of dishes available. Cantonese, Hokkien, Teochew, Hainanese - I didn't even know there are so many variations of congee. There is even a meat station for the roasted duck and chicken and steamed fish. There is also a dessert station too (but I was a good girl, I didn't have any sweets at all yesterday :p)

I took the Cantonese styled congee where the rice is cooked over a long period of time to get the gooey texture. I love this version rather than the others where the rice grains are not as soft or mashed up. I added a bit of century egg bits to it, plus the spring onions, fried shallots and pepper. Very good. For the dishes, I mostly had tau pok, tau kwa, seafood tofu (I like beancurd/tofu), the preserved veggies, ikan bilis (anchovies), peanuts, some vegs and 1 piece of the chicken.

The quality of the food is average, but the spread is huge. Not too bad a place to go to when you want something light for a buffet.

Prima Taste - Local Food

Local food, I love the huge variety of food we have in Singapore. For all the fine dining and international cuisines available here, I still like local food. Nowhere else in Asia (except for Malaysia) can you get authentic good old stuff like Hokkien Mee, Prawn Mee Soup, Laksa, Char Kway Teow, Fishball Noodles, Mee Pok Tah, Oyster Omelette, Fried Carrot Cake, Chwee Kueh, Fish Meat Bee Hoon Soup, Yong Tau Foo, Rojak, Beefball Kway Teow (Dry) and of course the all-time National favorite - Chicken Rice.

I find I am partial to the noodles and soup dishes. I think I am underprivileged in eating out when young (maybe that is why I am eating out almost everyday now? - sign of rebellion?), so I only know a few dishes then - Wanton Mee, Chok (pork porridge/congee) and roti prata. These were the breakfast dishes I had when growing up (and only on weekends at my aunt's place). Occasionally my mom will buy yong tau foo or the peanut pancake or chwee kueh or chee cheong fun for breakfast on weekend. Yes, I only get to eat hawker food on weekends when mom goes marketing.

Come secondary school, I still only get to have hawker food twice a week. My grandma used to go to the market on Tuesday and she will buy wanton mee for me. So after 2 years of wanton mee, I am off wanton mee. I got so sick of it, and that is the one dish you will never ever see me order (unless there was no choice). I always love prawn noodles soup, actually I like it because of the soup only. Other childhood favorites were fried carrot cake and mee pok tah and chicken mushroom noodle (but only the stall at my interchange, other places do not come close to it at all - and I finally found the place after more than 10 yrs. Haha.)

It was quite embarassing actually when I started working, cos I can't read much Chinese so sometimes I don't know what dishes the stalls have. I never know of a zi char stall before and the fish soup stall until then. But slowly I begin to discover Singapore has lots more food than the usual I always have. Maybe that explained why I am so into food now. Hehe.

Well, back to the topic, I was out with Davis and decided to have dinner at Prima Taste. Prima Taste offers a decent selection local food and I remembered it as not too bad though I only ate there a couple of times a few years back.

Their specialities seemed to be laksa and chicken rice. I saw many tables tucking into that. However, I wanted something soupy so I had the bak kut teh (just for the soup as I don't really eat pork now due to the smell/taste) with you tiao (fried dough stick) and chicken wings while Davis had her usual fave - fried hokkien mee.

The food is good, esp the fried hokkien mee. I had a taste of it. It has a bit of the wok hei taste, plus the broth used to cook in it was very flavorful that it seeped into the noodles. It is not too wet, though gooey sticky. Utterly delicious, I have to order that next time.

The bak kut teh is also nice, not too peppery, just a tad. Definitely not the herbal type. Actually since I rarely have BKT, I don't really know what constitites as a great one. Nevertheless, I like it though you can probably find better one elsewhere. The you tiao is crispy and goes well with the soup. I tried the pork ribs and though it did have the porky taste, it was tender and fell off the bones. The chicken wings are not bad, you can't really mess up chicken wings. Hehe.

Location:
Prima Taste
Centrepoint Shopping Center, Level 2