Rive Gauche Patisserie

Tucked away in a little corner, next to OJ, and opposite the Japanese bakery at the Basement 2 of Ngee Ann City is this nondescript cakeshop - Rive Gauche patisserie.

It has some very good cakes but it does not get more publicity, maybe because it is rarely seen anywhere else. My favorite cake is this rich dark chocolate cake. It has a crunchy biscuit-like base which foiled the sweetness of the chocolate ganache very well.

I first tried a slice a few years back, then again last year when we bought it for a colleague's birthday. And my 3rd taste of it was a couple of weeks back when we got it for Davis and Celest birthdays :)


Look at the melting chocolate, so smooth and bittersweet, followed by the layers of chocolate sponge and filling and finally the crunchy crust.

Gold Collection from Bobbi Brown

Tis the season for spending. I love the Gold Shimmerbrick. My very first Shimmerbrick. Maybe because I am tanned now, so the gold shows up better on me, doesn't make me look pasty sick. The tube tints are so gorgeous. Now waiting for the lipgloss trio to arrive on our fair shores. The gwp of 3 color eye shadow doesn't appeal much to me. Too neutral.

The Body Shop Warehouse Sale 19 - 22 Oct 2006

It is here again. Ever since I discovered there is such a warehouse sale in Singapore in 2004, I have been going to The Body Shop warehouse sale faithfully. It is a great opportunity to stock up on the basics e.g. shower gels or body lotions. For me, the shower gels are my daily staples.

However, I notice the prices have been increasing steadily since my first visit in 2004. Then it was held at Winsland House, a tiny place. Prices were lower too. You can get the 60ml size shower gels/body lotions at 2 for $5. The 250ml bottles were going at 2 for $9.90.

Then in 2005, the prices went up slightly. And now, the 250ml bottles were mostly at 2 for $12.90 (usual sale price in the shops) for most of the scents. Others were going at $9.90 each or $7.90. Only the 2005 Christmas scent were 2 for $9.90. Still, there were some very good deals.

This is what I got from today's sale.



My usual purchase will be the shower gels as I use them, so I won't have to buy any for the next 4-6 months now. But I think I went a bit "mad" at the makeup section. I don't really use TBS products but when browsing there, helping a friend to get something, I was testing the items and fell in love with the shimmer brush. So cool, you click a button and it will dispense shimmer powder into the brush head, so you can start brushing on your face or body. Convenient. Most of the makeup items are meant for gifts, and some of the items are stuff which friends asked me to get.

Bobbi Brown Sparkles & Rubies Collection

This is so gorgeous! The jeweled-like tone of the garnet and shimmery reflection of the nail polish and lipglosses are simply divine. I used to have something similar for the nail polish (many years back) and have not seen this shade since. It is already sold out on Bobbi Brown Website. Amazing that Bobbi Brown is coming out with more "colors" collection.



Bobbi Brown is always seen as having colors in very classic and neutral hues. The browns, beiges, pink, apricot, etc. Recently the Gold Collection was launched in Singapore, so that is a departure of a sort to the usual. And now the Sparkles & Rubies Collection. Can't wait for that to be launched.

In The End - Linkin Park

It starts with one thing
I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try keep that in mind
I designed this rhyme
To explain in due time
All I know
Time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away
It's so unreal
Didn't look out below
Watch the time go right out the window
Trying to hold on, but didn't even know
Wasted it all just to watch you go
I kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when

I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter

One thing, I don't know why
It doesn’t even matter how hard you try, keep that in mind
I designed this rhyme, to explain in due time
I tried so hard
In spite of the way you were mocking me
Acting like I was part of your property
Remembering all the times you fought with me
I'm surprised it got so (far)
Things aren't the way they were before
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore
Not that you knew me back then
But it all comes back to me (in the end)
You kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I

Chorus

I’ve put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
And for all this
There's only one thing you should know (2x) Chorus

Fed up with work, and this is such a great dance song, to get rid of any negative energy. I need the mp3 though.

PINK COACH MULTI-CHARM KEYFOB

This is so cute! I would love to get this and it is also in support for BCA (Breast Cancer Awareness).

PINK COACH MULTI-CHARM KEYFOB
Support Breast Cancer research with this charming keyfob. 20% of the proceeds from each keyfob sale will support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
# Enamel
# 1 1/4" nickel keyring
# 2 1/4 x 2

Price: US$58
Style No: 92030

Kopitiam @ Swissotel the Stamford

Had lunch with a colleague at the Kopitiam at Swissotel the Stamford. She wanted to try the fish head curry so we had that, and also ordered a claypot tofu vegetables dish. The curry was pretty good, the lemak type even though there were chunks of tomatoes in them, as well as okra. The pot looked huge, but the fish head were mostly bones so amazingly, 2 girls managed to make short work of the meal. I like the claypot tofu. It is quite normal, but it is good. Just a pity they do not have sambal belechan to go with it.

Cafe Les Amis @ Botanic Gardens

It has been some years since I went to the Les Amis Cafe at Singapore Botanic Gardens. It is near the Visitor Centre and serves light food e.g. drinks, pastas, sandwiches, burgers and some local fare. I had the Club Sandwich which has 3 slices of toasted bread filled with grilled chicken and bacon and veggies. It is surprisingly good. Not too soggy and the bacon is actually crispy. It comes with a side of salad and chips. Pricing-wise, it is a bit on the high side at about $10 or so.

MAC Eye Quads

Sweetiecake, Thunder Eyes, Chromezone 2

I finally bought the Sweetiecake eye quad from MAC. Added them to my stash and realize I only have 3 eye quad from MAC. Not too many after all. Hehe.

And they are all of different colors, so not too bad. But I do have 3 other eye palettes (6 colors + brush) from MAC, so total is 6.

La Senza Mosiac Maze 2-pc Set

I bought this in black from La Senza as I need to spend my $50 Citibank Paragon voucher before it expires in a few days. A mad rush to buy something, but it is pretty and comfy. It is trimmed in delicate lace and satin bows. Did a search online and found out Singapore pricing is really way overpriced.

SGD 55 vs CDN 12.50 (online sale, reg is around CDN 29.50)

See the vast difference?

Was also contemplating about getting a chenille throw. So soft. But too bad Singapore is warm enough and I never really use my current Mickey Mouse throw much.

Convertible Dress and Top

I saw this on Fredericks of Hollywood and it reminded me of the convertible or all in one dress I saw on the Shopping Channel in Canada. I was always amazed and very much tempted to order it but I never did. It just seemed so cool...to be able to wear a piece of dress (cloth) in so many different ways. Off-shoulder, halterneck, strapless, sleeveless, etc.

The one from FoH can be both a dress or a long top, and has the same concept. Sigh, anyone thinking of ordering from FoH? Please let me know so I can ride on the order. Ta.

Passage New York

I went to Passage New York on Cecil Street today under a UOB credit card promotion. It is a rose facial and body massage with rose essential oil. I did the body massage first as they didn't have a slot for the facial (that will be done at another time).

The place is pretty nice, very European style. There are around 20+ treatment rooms, including couple rooms, and some rooms have a jacuzzi bathtub. Most rooms are of a decent size with a shower room (looks like those portable type, didn't open it up) and the beds are heated.

The place is like a labyrinth with many walkways that I got disoriented when going and coming back to treatment room from the washroom. The washroom area has changing rooms, a round jacuzzi, steambath, mini vanity area, shower rooms and toilets.

Scattered in between the walkways are plush armchairs with reading materials, probably for when you are in between treatments.

The therapist who massaged me, she was very strong. I requested for firm pressure but she used too much strength that it hurt, and despite me telling her to reduce the pressure, she would revert back to the strong pressure after a while. So overall, I didn't really enjoy the massage. Halfway through the session, I heard loud thumping music. Turned out there is a dance studio upstairs and the noise reverberated from there. Not relaxing at all as it kinda drowned out the soothing music played at the spa. And there is no rose scent at all for a rose massage!

PLUS the consultant was quite "hard sell". I told her I would consider the package offer only after I complete the facial as I really dislike having to make my decision on the spot when the therapist is not that fantastic for me, and the noise too. I told the consultant that, and she still whipped out different packages for me. Really put me off.

In the end, she agreed to let me consider after I try the facial, which will happen another day. So the place is not as bad as some other "hardsell spas" as I wasn't kept in the room for long. I think it is the culture of PASSAGE to hardsell as when I was outside making payment, another lady came by. Think she is the boss or something, and she kept telling me how great she felt after losing weight (from 80kg to 54kg) and asked me if I am doing anything to lose weight, and kept insisting that I should do that. That I would definitely feel better when I am thin :blah:

For those thinking of trying PASSAGE using promo voucher or something, just be prepared for the hardsell tactics.

Verdict: Place is nice, pity the people (staff) do not really match. More headache/stress from the hardsell.

Location:
PASSAGE New York
133 Cecil Street#01-01B
Keck Seng Tower
Singapore 069535
Tel: 62260888
http://www.passage.com.sg/

Sun with Moon Japanese Dining - Wheelock Place (5 Oct 2006)

Had dinner at Sun with Moon Japanese Dining last week. Somehow I wasn't craving for the kamameshi (Japanese traditional steamed rice pot, similar to our claypot rice) which the restaurant is well-known for.

As I wasn't feeling that hungry I thought to have something light. The beef wrapped around mushrooms and scallops sounded good. Also had cold soba to go with it. We shared the appetizer of shredded crabmeat and desserts too. It has been so long that I don't remember the actual names of the food we had. Lol.

The beef was fantastic! So tender that it can melt in your mouth, and the scallops and mushrooms went very well too. The cold soba was nicely chilled on a plate of ice and was al dente. The appetizer was really good. I like the crispy seaweed holding the crabmeat and the roe were good.

Desserts, we couldn't make up our minds and so each of us order one thing. The green tea tiramisu was rich and had strong green tea powder flavoring. It would have been better if there were dollops of red beans too as that would counteract the green tea taste completely. We also had the strawberry thing. That was nice! The tart strawberries made a great foil against the sweet red beans. The last dessert was interesting. Some chestnut paste (quite tasteless on its own) with red beans and a crispy tapioca or sweet potato chip on wafer. Not bad.

Location
Sun with Moon Japanese Dining and Cafe
501 Orchard Road #03-15 Wheelock Place
Tel: 6733-6636

Deepavali - 21 Oct 2006

We are going to have a long weekend next week as there are two public holidays a few days apart. The Deepa-Raya holidays. Oct 21 (Sat) is Deepavali (aka Diwali in some places) ~ Festival of Lights, and Oct 24 is Hari Raya Puasa (to celebrate the end of fasting). We will get Oct 23 off since Sat was already an off day for us. Yay!

It seemed like the norm to have a "light-up" for any festivals now. It used to be that the light-up is usually reserved for Christmas where Orchard Road will be decorated with Christmas decor. But now you can see it everywhere. Little India for Deepavali, Chinatown for Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese New Year, Geylang Serai for Hari Raya Puasa and possibly Hari Raya Haji.

Colorful peacocks in vibrant shades

Managed to snap a picture of this year decor for Deepavali in the car when driving in Little India. The last time I was in Little India and encountered the light-up was in 2003, when ST was here for a visit. Time sure has flown.

Laksa @ Congress (Suntec)

I finally tried the laksa at the Congress Cafe at Suntec City. It is always very crowded and it seemed like everyone always ordered the laksa and roti prata. The way to order the food is a bit different from usual.

You take a look at the various stalls selling laksa, mee siam, chicken rice, roti prata, murtabak, wanton noodles etc (typical food center fare) and once you make your decision. Go over to the cashier to place the order and collect your receipt. With the receipt in hand, head over to the stall and hand that over to the person behind the stall and wait for your food.

The laksa has lots of fishcake slices, big crunchy prawns and 2 miserable taupoks (dried beancurd). I like the taupoks and was disappointed by the small serving of that. But it does have about 4 pieces of prawns which is quite rare and plenty of fishcake slices which are quite rubbery. The prawns looked abit undercooked, hence the crunchiness? I am not sure but I have heard from some people who ate fresh raw prawns out in the boat when prawn fishing and they said it tasted very crunchy. I am not so sure as the only raw prawns I ever had were sashimi variety and they were gooey. Not very appetizing at all.

However the gravy is very good, very lemak (coconut-ty) that I almost wanted to slurp it all up. Overall, I find the laksa to be average. I had better before.

Dali in Singapore

As part of the Biennale 2006 happening in Singapore now till 12 Nov 2006, there are arts around the city. Sad to say, I have not really been keeping track and following the events except for those which are blatantly out in the streets.


The trees in Orchard Road are wrapped with white polka dots in red wrappers, and as it coincide with the IMF meeting, many thought it was done to welcome the delegates as the government also planted flowers along the road just for that.

But what really caught my attention is the Dali exhibits in town. So far I only managed to see this "Alice in Wonderland" as it is right outside Wheelock Place in Orchard. I hope to make it to Raffles Place some day to see the melting timeclock thing and others.

Cedele @ Raffles City

Turkey sandwich and broccoli & portobello mushroom soup

Cedele is another place which serves pretty decent soups and sandwiches. It is started by The Bakery Depot at Siglap area. The Bakery Depot has a wonderful selection of bread and I used to frequent there when I first came back as Siglap is one of the usual hangouts after church.

Cedele has grown and now has many outlets in Singapore. I like its selection of sandwiches, salads, desserts and soups. While it usually only has 4 varieties of soup to choose from daily, the menu changes everyday. I just discovered its website posted the soup/salad schedule for the entire week (subject to change) which is pretty cool. Now I know I can check what is available before heading down. Usually it was a surprise for me as to what was available :p

I love the turkey and brie on walnut bread. The nutty flavor is a bit sweet and when toasted goes very well with the fillings. The sandwich is delicious as the turkey came with cranberry sauce which complements it perfectly, likewise for the brie. That day, the broccoli and portobello mushroom soup was available, so I had that too. I love broccoli and mushroom so that is a marvelous combination. Despite my sweet tooth, I rarely order the desserts. Hehe. Good self control, eh? :p

Jaggi's Northern Indian Cuisine

Met my cousins for lunch and Toad suggested Indian food, so off we went to Little India.

I rarely go to Little India so it is always quite interesting to be there. We went to this small eatery called Jaggi's Northern Indian Cuisine along Race Course Road (near Farrer Park mrt) and very close to Delhi's (another good Indian restaurant) and Banana Leaf.

I prefer North Indian food, probably cos I like naans and the pureed veggies :p Plus it is more yoghurt based, rather than coconut-based. I am still not a big fan of tandoori chicken, maybe cos I have not had any that is really fantastic but I love butter chicken. Yum!


Toad ordered the food for us since he knows the place better, plus the staff knows him too. We had the fish head curry (really good!), chicken curry, pureed spinach and paneer and okras with naans (garlic, plain and butter). All these were washed down with a glass of mango lassi (very rich and sweet with real mango).

Excellent fare. The naans were so crispy and fresh from the oven. I would want to go back again and try other dishes.

Location
Jaggi's Northern Indian Cuisine
34/36 Race Course Road
Singapore 218 553
Tel : 2966141
Fax : 2960780

Soup Spoon

Soup Spoon is one of my favorite cafes for when I want some comfort soups. They serve a wide variety of soups and stews and are pretty good. It is always very crowded at the Raffles City outlet. I would only go there during non-peak hours or really early, before the lunch crowd.

I ordered the Thai beef stew. It is chockful of tender beef, cubes of potatoes, chunky carrots and other veggies plus herbs. Delicious!

Oyster Mee Sua

I had this for dinner the other night at Plaza Singapura basement. It is not from the Shih Lin Taiwanese snack outlet but something else, but with the same concept as Shih Lin. It also sells the fried chicken and pancakes with toppings.

The mee sua is very soft and the broth is flavorful. The oysters are pretty fresh and I like that they are generous with the shredded chicken pieces. I like the dashes of vinegar and chili and pepper and coriander. Very tasty. Unfortunately it doesn't fill you up for long. I got hungry 2 hours after consuming this.

Inagiku

I finally tried Inagiku at Raffles City Level 3. I have heard so much about it, the freshness and the price.

It is very expensive but it is very well worth it. There are set menus in the various categories (teppanyaki, sushi, sashimi, tempura) and since it is October, the current menu is for Autumn stuff. The cheapest is at $100 for the tempura set and the most expensive is at $220 for the teppanyaki set. The a-la-carte menu is not much better, starting from $30 (?), can't remember as I didn't get the chance to study the menu in detail.

I had the sushi set while DL ordered the teppanyaki set. The portions are huge (I was expecting the European style of small pieces of food with big plates type), so that was a pleasant surprise. In each set, there are about 6 -8 dishes (can't remember now).

Teppanyaki set:
Sashimi of prawn (big) and slices of yellowtail fish
Sauteed scallops (the scallops are huge and generous portion - 5-6 pieces)
Seafood teapot soup
teppanyaki beef (it was supposed to be fois gras but we swapped that)
lobster (ran out of lobster so they substitute for king prawn topped with roe. Huge portion)
garlic rice
miso soup
green tea ice cream with red bean topping

Sushi set:
appetizer of fried salmon and other stuff
sashimi of swordfish (I think) and tuna
cod in miso paste (this is very nice!)
seasonal steamed veggies (didn't like this)
some soup (quite bland after the richness of other food)
assorted sushi (a winner! so many pieces of sushi - salmon roe, ikura, huge prawn, tuna belly x 2, swordfish, salmon roll x 3) - very generous and thick slices and the salmon roe is so sweet, the ikura is very fresh, not chewy at all.
seasonal fruits (japanese pear)

I think this is my most expensive meal ever! But it is oh so good. Very fresh and generous in portions. I think 2 persons can share 1 set as we can't finish the food at all. Quite wasted, especially the king prawn as I only had 2 pieces and DL had only 1 piece and there are like over 10 pieces. DL doesn't eat much, and he was passing some of his food to me to sample. I couldn't finish the sushi at all. Only had the 3 smaller salmon rolls and the salmon roe sushi, the rest I just took the fish except the swordfish (didn't really like that), and only had 1 bite of the humongous prawn. It was just too much.

I think I will only go there again if I have the Feed at Raffles card where you can get 50% off if there are 2 diners. Think our total bill came up to around $500 or more since DL had 2 G&Ts and an additional green tea ice cream.

Location:
Level 3, Raffles The Plaza
Raffles City Shopping Centre

Phuket : Part IV

Too many pictures to upload, so here are the selected quirky and "nice" few.

Saw this beautiful image of the sun setting while walking along Beach Road at Patong and just had to snap it. A bit blurry though. I noticed my camera takes a while to warm up in Phuket. Maybe it was the change in temperatue from aircon room to the hot humid air. But it doesn't happen that was way in Singapore *shrug*

I am actually very pleased (read = proud) of this shot as it looks like such a typical postcard. Lol. I was just trying to take the pic of the guy on the jetski, as well as the sea, beach and some deckchairs. I was walking along Beach Road in the morning, after breakfast and it was real windy then. See how the waves are moving. That was the morning I got drenched and kinda "flashed" myself to the world in my thin pale peach cotton dress *embarassing moment*

Top 2 pictures showed a girl parasailing. See the dark clouds gathering before unleashing its load. I thought it was cute...the turtles buried in the sand and on the sidewalk, kinda showing the marine life...where the turtles will move to the shore to lay their eggs and then go back to the sea. I am not sure if it happens in Phuket but it is common in Malaysia. Though there are many people who went to pick up the turtle eggs (look like ping pong balls) and thus reducing their population now.

These are taken at Kata Noi Beach at Katathani where I was staying. The resort faced the entire beach, your very own private beach. It was a nice stroll. The waves were much stronger than at Patong. Footprints in the sand...reminded me of the famous "Christian story" where God is carrying you so you only see 1 set of footprints. I always like to look at footprints in the sand...marking the sand of time. Also see how the waves were crashing onto the rocks.

Here I show my city roots by taking pictures of common farm animals. The restaurant people probably thought I am nuts to take pictures of the animals. But it is so cool....the pigs running wild, the ducks, chickens waddling around. It is so rare (maybe non existant now) to see these in the wild in Singapore.

That's all on Phuket. Till next year, maybe.

Phuket : Part III

Beef noodles, pots of condiments, breakfast at Burasari

Food again. Surprisingly I didn't really get to sample much of Thai food. Quite sad actually. I was mostly on a 2 meals thing in Phuket as after breakfast, I wasn't really very hungry. And it made sense since I didn't expend much energy. So I either have breakfast and late lunch or breakfast and early dinner. So for this trip, I didn't have any tom yam soup or my usual beef noodles or pineapple rice and green curry. Stuff that I usually have in the Thai restaurant in Singapore.

I ordered a beef noodles soup at one of the restaurants along the beach, but to my dismay, it came with minced meat. Definitely not what I expected. I only went to Baskins Robbins once too :( Maybe that is a good thing as ice cream is not a "healthy food " :p I tried the pad thai at another restaurant facing the beach but it was really salty, not very nice at all. This time it was all new places for food. I think I would stick to the hawker stalls that I usually frequented in the future. At least I know the beef noodles soup was good and the tom yam soup etc was marvellous.

And I actually had western food there (yes, hit me, please :p). Went to a pizza joint and had pizza. Actually that was good. Hehe. I like that. The burger at Kata Beach was so-so only, but they did a very nice Thai iced milk tea. I am wondering if this Thai iced tea is only found in Singapore as not many Thais know what it is. And they always looked at me in askance when I asked if they have that. Some will be puzzled for a while and then nodded their heads and asked if I am from Singapore. Lol. I also tried their iced coffee, which is very good too.


But I did have some authentic hawker food at Surin Beach, near Kamala Beach. It was great. Ordered from them and they will bring the food over to the public tables and benches. So you can enjoy the food and the view and sea breeze. Ordered grilled chicken, papaya salad and sticky rice. Nice! Definitely cheaper than in the restaurants.

Phuket : Part II

Continue on Phuket. Took lots of scenery shots. Rented a bike, so got to explore more of phuket. Finally went to the view points in the South - Kata Beach View Point, Promtheap Cape, Rawai Beach and other places.


Elvis lives in Patong Beach. Lol. I like the dolphin image on the blue slab of concrete along the sidewalk. They are everywhere, alternate slabs, along both sides of "Beach Road" of Patong Beach. I thought that added some colors. Starbucks is everywhere! It even sells mooncakes too, but different versions from those found in Singapore.

Singapore Spas Directory

Someone (Myristic) posted this on CC and I just have to share as it is very useful. I never realize there are so many spas in Singapore. Hundreds as not all have websites at all.

1. http://www.stgregoryspa.com/
2. http://www.pinkparlour.com.sg/
3. http://www.bodywellness.ws/
4. http://www.anjana.com.sg/
5. http://www.angelsky8.com/
6. http://www.avivaspa.com/
7. http://www.kimsspa.com.sg/index.html
8. http://theretreat.com.sg/
9. http://www.spahaven.com.sg/
10. http://www.simplyspa.com.sg/
11. http://www.thespa-lon.com/
12. http://www.spador.com/
13. http://www.rusticnirvana.com/
14. http://www.amoredayspa.com/
15. http://www.blissfulmoments.net/
    
16. http://www.chrysalis.com.sg/
17. http://www.renewal.com.sg/
18. http://spavalley.com/index.html
19. http://www.spabotanica.com/
20. http://www.amritaspa.com/
21. http://www.kenko.com.sg/
22. http://www.spacare.com.sg/
23. http://www.aspara.com.sg/
24. http://www.afondspa.com/
25. http://www.debeaute.com/
26. http://www.haach.com.sg/
27. http://www.spavillage.com.sg/
28. http://www.mayurispa.com/
29. http://www.amclub.org.sg/sen
30. http://www.spaanew.com/
31. http://www.truespa.com.sg/
32. http://www.banyantreespa.com/
33. http://www.benjaphan.com.sg/
34. http://www.thebodyclinic.com.sg/
35. http://www.javanesemassage.com.sg/
36. http://www.skinrevival.com.sg/sr/
37. http://www.helioasia.com/
38. http://www.passage.com.sg/
39. http://www.aromatichouse.com.sg/
40. http://www.reflections.com.sg/
41. http://www.afondspa.com/
42. http://www.earthsanctuary.com.sg/
43. http://www.estheva.com/
44. http://www.spa-esprit.com/
45. http://spavalley.com/index.html
46. http://www.citrasari.com/
47. http://www.essentiaspa.com.sg/
48. http://www.beyondbeauty.com.sg/
49. http://www.citispa.com.sg/
50. http://www.subtlesenses.com/
51. http://www.spaoasis.com/
52. http://www.spasauvignon.com.sg/
53. http://www.benjaphan.com/
54. http://www.ucaraspa.com/services.html
55. http://www.eucalyptus.com.sg/
56. http://www.estebelspa.com/
57. http://www.theesencia.com.sg/spamenu.html
58. http://www.bodycontours.com.sg/
59. http://www.karma-inn.com/
60. http://www.leonarddrake.com.sg/website/
61. http://www.thetamarindspa.com/
62. http://www.essencevale.com.sg/evaskl.htm
63. http://www.spaanew.com/
64. http://www.expressions.com.sg/
65. http://www.bioskin.com.sg/
66. http://www.body-kneads.com
67. http://www.thebodyshop.com.sg/
68. http://www.kemi.com.sg/
69. http://www.visage.com.sg/
70. http://www.elements.com.sg/
71. http://www.breathingspace.com.sg/
72. http://www.bellsflora.com/
73. http://www.naturespa-sg.com/
74. http://basicessence.com/main/bespa1.htm
75. http://www.atos.com.sg/innerharmony
76. http://www.spavillage.com.sg/home.htm
77. http://www.senzesalus.com/
78. http://www.body-senses.com/
79. http://www.fil.com.sg/
80. http://www.ayuthayaspa.com/
81. http://www.ritual.com.sg/
82. http://www.fresver.com/
83. http://www.beautyinspirations.com/
84. http://www.javanesemassage.com/
85. http://www.theresabeauty.com.sg/
86. http://www.cosmoprof.com.sg/asianspa.htm
87. http://www.thesentosa.com/
88. http://www.bodysutra.com.sg/
89. http://www.wellnessvillage.com.sg/
90. http://www.aramsaspas.com/
    
91. http://www.onebeautyplace.com/
92. http://www.citibella.com/
93. http://www.marychia.com/
94. http://www.lynnaesthetic.com.sg/
95. http://web.singnet.com.sg/~xqliu/aboutus.html
96. http://www.ningspa.com.sg/
97. http://www.lifespa.com.sg
    

Phuket : Part I

Burasari - Outdoor daybed at reception to rest, swimming pool

I just came back from Phuket and took lots of scenery shots. So the update on Phuket will be in drips, and in segment.

This was my 3rd visit there in 2 years. I was pretty surprised that I would like Phuket after my 1st trip. I never had a good impression of Phuket and so it never crossed my mind to travel there. My 1st visit was such a whirlwind affair! It was a spur of moment trip I took with an ex-colleague as I was stressed at work and wanted a break and she was looking for a companion for a weekend jaunt. We left on Saturday morning and came back on Sunday evening. That was the first time I had a purely relaxing trip, with nothing to distract me. Maybe it was also because I went after the tsunami and so there were less tourists in end May, and the people were really warm and friendly. Plus I fell in love with the hotel (Burasari) and the pool. So I went back again a few months later.

For this trip, I stayed at the Burasari again. I may be adventurous, but sometimes I like to stick to the tried and tested. Plus I was really happy there. It is a boutique hotel, small and very personal. But now it has expanded with a new wing, so I am not sure if things will be the same if I go back again next year. I was pleasantly surprised that some of the staff remembered me from previous stays. The service is also very good, very polite and attentive.

New outdoor dining - restaurant was moved outdoor while renovations were carrued out indoor

I like the breakfast too. Hehe. The spread is not huge but it is substantial. Egg station, western style of bacon, sausages (pork or chicken), ham, potatoes (done in different ways daily), grilled mushrooms (my fave), grilled tomatoes, baked beans, french toast, pancakes, 4 types of Asian dishes (fried rice, fried noodles/flat noodles, meat stirfry and mixed veggies) and a congee pot.

There are also danishes, croissants, breads, rolls, yoghurt, muesli, cereals (3 types), jams (strawberry, pineapple, marmalade), fruits and 3 types of juices (pineapple, orange and grape or apple), plus a small salad spread.

Table indoor at the "old" restaurant

Wow, that does look like a lot! Anyway, I am quite boring when it came to breakfast. I usually start with pomelo with yoghurt and some muesli over it. Followed by an omelette and pieces of crispy bacons, 1 chicken sausage, some rice/noodles, and grilled mushrooms.

Mooncakes: Part II

I finally got my box of assorted mooncakes from Raffles the Plaza through an "angel" :) She became the "courier lady" for the day. Thanks *muacks* Look at the box, it is designed in the image of a cheongsum top, with the embroidered buttons.

There are 4 different flavors (2 each) of the mini snowskin mooncakes. I am not a big fan of the traditional mooncakes but I do adore snowskin versions as I find them to be "lighter". Maybe it is also that I am not big on the pastry crust, another reason why I never fancy the "pig" pastry.

I like the smooth chewy snowskin texture and since it is usually kept cold, it tastes even better. Refreshing and a nice contrast with a cup of hot tea.

The 4 flavors in the box are Rum & Raisin Chocolate Truffle, Champagne Truffle & Ganache, Baileys and Crunchy Chocolate Pearl Mooncakes. Don't they sound yummy?


Of the 4, my favorite is actually Baileys mooncake. It has a hint of alcohol in it. The Crunchy Chocolate Pearl Mooncake is nice too, more because of the crunchiness. It gives an interesting texture to the smoothness of the lotus paste. Surprisingly I am not that partial to Rum & Raisin Chocolate Truffle. While it also has a hint of alcohol to it and bits of raisins (2 to be precise) inside the chocolate truffle shell, the chocolate taste is just not there. Champagne truffle and Ganache is the perennial favorite for most, bringing alcohol and chocolate together.

List of Favorites

I was looking at some foodblogs and when looking at the descriptions and pictures of food, I realized I am still very much a pasta person. I love pasta!

So here is a list of my favorite things:

Pasta: Seafood fettuccine in cream sauce
Dessert: Warm chocolate cake with molten chocolate sauce inside
Ice-cream: Jamoca Almond Fudge from Baskins Robbins (too bad not available in Sg)
Restaurant: Esmirada
Soup: Clam Chowder from Soup Spoon
Cafe: Toast
Dim Sum: Shrimp dumplings and the "big" dumpling soup
Drink: Thai iced milk tea
Noodle: Beef noodles (any style)
Cuisine: toss up between italian and japanese

Hmmm...actually there are so many things I like. Haha. Maybe I should just list my fave stuff from the various outlets I have meals at instead.

To be continued...

The Swirls Cupcakes

I am still enamored by cupcakes, and no, I have not had the chance to order from C-Cup yet. So far my fixes are from Toast/Marmalade Pantry and Marina Square 7-11, though I have not had them in a while now (except for the few bites at Marmalade Pantry)

I found out about The Swirls from CC. It looks good!

I would love to order from it soon. I am a sucker for pictures of food, especially one with such great pictures. Hehe.

http://www.theswirls.com/

Starbucks Mooncakes

I finally bought the mooncakes from Starbucks. I always knew they have mooncakes but somehow I didn't really try it. Maybe that was because I was avoiding all the coffee joints since 2003 when I was trying to be healthy and stopped drinking all the drinks at those places.

Anyway, I was at Starbucks a few weeks back with Celest and I saw the mooncakes. The guy offered us the samples and I was blown away by the caramel machiato mooncake. I love caramel machiato for the drink. There were 2 other flavors - Cranberry Hibiscus and Orange Citron.

In the box, there were 2 snowskin mooncakes for each flavors and 6 sachets of tea (Camomile, green tea, mint, english breakfast, earl grey and passion). Tea usually goes well with mooncakes as the plainness of tea counteract the sweetness of the mooncakes. The caramel machiato has a robust espresso flavor which just wakes you up with its aroma. The cranberry hibiscus is interesting. A bit tangy floral taste. The orange citron is zesty and refreshing. Certainly not run of the mill ultra-sweet mooncakes.

For more information:
http://www.starbucks.com.sg/moby/cms/promotions/midautumn2006.html

Mid-Autumn Festival

It is time again. Mooncakes period! I have never really been a big fan of mooncakes as I find it very sweet. When young, the highlight for the Mid-Autumn Festival is really the lanterns. Carrying the lanterns around - maybe the fascination with lanterns (besides the pretty designs and colors) is the fact that we can play with fire. Lol. This is the time when we can light the candles and thus play with fire/matches/lighter. We used to place candles all around the front yard or at the back. And we will "cook" - leaves, limes or whatever we can pluck off from the plants :p

The most "yuckness" was when one of the neighborhood guys "cooked" a dead (?) cockroach over the tin bottle cap. I didn't stay long enough to really discover since I ran off when I found out he was grilling the roach. I dislike roaches with a vengeance.

Those were the days when we were still staying at the old place. I don't recall playing much with lanterns once we moved to the our current place when I was 10. So the festival will come and go, without much thought on my part. But I did buy some mooncakes when in Canada (though it was never finished).

Then through reading some forums in 2004, I discovered there are so many types of mooncakes around. My dad usually gets the traditional baked mooncakes with lotus paste and yolks and occasionally there will be a snowskin version. So my mooncake horizon was broadened...I got to know that there are other versions around - yam paste, durian paste, green tea, champagne truffle, chocolate ganache and many more. It was mind-boggling!

I definitely went crazy in 2004, buying so many types of mooncakes. Lol. I bought a box of the yam paste pastry mooncake from Crown Prince Hotel (alas, no longer around now) - very delicious that my sister asked me to get for her too, a box of durian paste snowskin mooncake from Marriot Hotel, green tea snowskin mooncake from Li Bai (Sheraton Towers Hotel), and some other mooncakes from Taka basement. That was the first time I had so much mooncakes. Besides that we also had the traditional mooncakes.

Luckily in 2005, I was more controlled and only bought the yam mooncakes from Crown Prince. But then we received many mooncakes at work. The suppliers all sent us mooncakes and that was the first time I got to try the champagne truffle mooncake from either Raffles Hotel or Raffles the Plaza.

For this year, I am targeting to get only Starbucks mooncakes and from Raffles The Plaza. Only snowskin as I much prefer that.

Lunch Feast

There were so much food for lunch! Cereal prawns, fishhead curry, steam cod, asparagus with dried shrimp, a omelette dish with beansprouts and dried scallops, fried seaweed chicken, fried pork chop strips, panfried egg tofu, steamed pomfret (from last night) and soup. 10 dishes!

All because sis said she will be coming back for lunch. Usually there will be around 5-6 dishes for Sunday lunch cos my brother and wife will usually be here. I seldom eat at home so they know not to cook for me, and I am quite simple. I will just eat whatever is available. I don't usually make requests though mother will always buy cod and salmon for me as these are easy to steam or grill for 1 person (for when I want to eat at home). Mother always make an effort to remember what we like - fried stuff for brother and BIL, sister will request for what she wants and for BIL. Healthy stuff for dad and me - we usually have fish and veggies. So usually if I am home for dinner, there are usually only 3-4 dishes (fish, veggies and something else and soup). And now that I am on the Eat Right for Blood Type diet (semi-following), she gets the grapefruit juice for me so that I can have it every morning.

I guess one can guess (based on this blog) that I eat out more than I eat in. That is usually because of work. It is quite late when I leave the office and I hate to eat late actually. Ideally, I would want to eat around 530pm or 6pm. Nothing after 7pm (except when I am out socializing with friends for dinner). I don't have breakfast but I will have an early lunch (around 12noon). I find two meals work for me very well. But sometimes it is habit or social norms that made me eat just cos it is breakfast time, lunchtime and dinnertime.

LifeSpa - Part II

I posted previously about my facial treatment sometime in June at LifeSpa. I wasn't too impressed with the facial treatment. I finally utilized the other session for massage last week. I didn't expect much. As usual I had to call twice at different times before I can finally get a slot. They are always full, so I had to make my appointment at least 2 weeks in advance (actually I told the person when was the first available appointment on a Saturday). Another con is that they are not opened on Sunday, and the last appointment on weeknights is at 730pm. Not very friendly to people who put in long hours.

Got to the spa on time and I wasn't left waiting for long, so that was good. I was led to the locker area to change into the disposable undies and robe. The robe is really tiny! I could barely cover myself, they should look into getting different sizes. I can't imagine a man wearing it (the spa is opened to men too). I would have prefer to change in the treatment room itself as the spa is not that big with a lounging area, and I don't see the need to wear a robe when just walking from the locker area to the treatment rooms.

I was shown to a tiny treatment room (all their rooms are small, but this is marginally bigger than the facial room), disrobed and laid face down on the bed. The therapist was very fast, she got to working the body immediately. No feeling of the body at all. BUT she was amazing! She knew intuitively which part of my body was aching (my back). She was firm with the pressure but not so hard that one would faint in pain. She also "cracked" my body, every single part of it. Much better than Thai massage in Thailand. And I could tell with the way she massaged that she knew the way the body functioned, with the meridien, etc. For a 45mins massage session, it sure didn't feel so short. So I was sold :p

Already I was mentally preparing myself for the "selling" of packages once I emerged from the changing room. The same consultant (from the other time) attended to me, and she actually remembered me. Kudos to her as I sure didn't remember her at all. So she was able to pick up on where she left off from before. Having been to so many spas before and encountered so many people trying to sell the packages, you do pick up some tricks.

For me I always like to be upfront about it. If I do not want to sign for it, I will tell them straight off. If I am interested, I will also tell them, but only if they can match my budget. It is also good to always be polite and friendly. You never know when you will see them again (case in point, my visit to Wellness Village at Pan Pacific where I got a special deal for knowing the consultant from another place).

Since I like the therapist very much, I told the consultant my budget. I do not need the 100 sessions for $3888. Too big a package for me since I still have packages at 3 other spas. At that time, I was already mentally prepared to pay $100 per month under a 12 month instalment plan, so she managed to work out a package for me based on that. And I can actually pay the $1200 on a 24 month instalment plan, but I decided to go with 12 month as I hate to owe money for too long. Later I found out my colleague also went there and signed for a $1000 package, so you can really "name your price" at some spas. But be realistic about it, they do need to make a living too.

The hesitation for signing the package still holds true, but the consultant advised to make appointment 1 week in advance. Alternatively call her and she will try to arrange something. I hope that works as now I only want the therapist to work on me, and I can be picky about that. Since she is the entire reason for me to sign up for the package.

They are opening another branch at Purvis Street in October. Maybe that will help ease the load but who knows.

Marmalade Pantry

Cuppuccino from The Marmalade Pantry

It has been some time since I last went to The Marmalade Pantry at Palais Renaissance. The food is good, not to mention the gorgeously sinful cupcakes! I love the chocolate deluxe cupcake, which is the ultimate chocolate cupcake ever! The hint of dark chocolate with the sweetness is just so tantalizing on the tastebuds.

The girls and I went there for Sunday brunch, well...as usual...after waiting for everyone to arrive, it more more like a very late lunch rather than brunch. It was around 2pm by the time the food arrived, so it was no surprise that some of the items were sold out when we ordered i.e. crab caesar and the chocolate deluxe. Yup, I didn't get to get my favorite cupcake :(

Elvis Cupcake, Sticky Date Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Bean Icecream, Devils Food Cake, Lemon Tart with berries and Cloud Nine Cupcake

It was an early birthday celebration for Livia, so we each ordered a dessert (5!) and shared them. Yummiliciously sinful. Hehe. We ordered the Cloud Nine cupcake (white coconut cake with cream cheese), Elvis cupcake (chocolate banana cupcake with peanut butter frosting), devils food cake, sticky date toffee pudding with vanilla bean ice cream and homemade lemon tart with wild berries and raspberry coulis.

I was really surprised by how good the sticky date toffee pudding is. I was never a big fan of dates but that is really nice, but it is very sweet. Sugar overload. Best to share it with others. The lemon tart was a nice contrast to the rest of the dessert as the tangyness was a good foil against the chocolatey sweetness. I wasn't that impressed with the devils food cake. It was quite normal, a sponge cake with no strong chocolate aftertaste. Maybe I am used to chocolate truffle or mousse cake which usually has a stronger taste of chocolate. The other two cupcakes were alright but can't compared to the Ultimate. Lol.

Chicken Pot Pie, Crab Linguine with Chili and Pinenuts, Ribeye Steak Sandwich and Fois Gras Burger

Just realized I jumped right into the desserts without describing the mains. Haha. I had the ribeye steak sandwich with grilled onions, avocado and wasabi. The steak was medium well and was very juicy and tender. It came with some greens and tapioca/sweet potato chips. Absolutely delicious. Also tried what the girls had - crab linguine with pinenuts and chili (al dente pasta with fresh crabmeat - very good), chicken pot pie - I love the presentation. Looks like a tree trunk with a cap like a mushroom. Flaky buttery crust filled with chicken chunks and mushrooms in a cream sauce. Great for a light meal. And the highlight - foie gras burger with sundried tomatoe relish. It was also very juicy...I am not such a big fan of foie gras but it is an excellent choice for those who love it. The chips were nice though :p

The girls. Guess who is the birthday girl ;p

Location:
The Marmalade Pantry
#B1-08 Palais Renaissance
390 Orchard Road
Tel: 6734 2700 (reservations recommended)

http://www.themarmaladepantry.com/

Ball of Fire

I took this pic from my office, hence the blurry image. The window is reflective and kinda becomes a mirror at night, we can only see ourselves then :p

What a pretty sight to look out to, it was around 630pm or close to 7pm when we saw the great ball of orange - sun. I have no idea where those blocks of flats are at. It could be Chinatown area since Orchard is towards more of the 3 o'clock position.

Prata Cafe @ Evans Road

Strawberry Lassi

I am always curious about the Prata Cafe along Evans Road, it seemed a bit out of the ordinary to have that along the quiet stretch of road leading towards the Botanic Gardens from Bukit Timah. Other buildings around it are hostel and childcare center or children playschool and private residences (looked posh and old-moneyed) of bungalows, etc.

I finally got the chance to try Prata Cafe a few days back. Celest and I ended there after we couldn't get a parking lot in Holland Village (their loss :p). A huge sign proudly proclaimed it Prata Cafe. Then you noticed it said 200 parking lots. That got us scratching our heads as we just couldn't see any parking lots there at all. I asked the waiter, he said yeah, all around is parking lots --> he meant side parking along the road. Just beware of the traffic police as it is illegal. But you can also park at Evans Lodge (next to the cafe), that is legal. When we left the place, there is a long line of cars parking along the road (2 way, 1 lane each side), I guess it is common to do that there.

There was filming that evening for some TV program probably, so the indoor section is closed. The alfresco dining was pretty nice though, I like the iron wrought garden picnic tables and benches, at least it made it less generic than the regular tables chairs.

Bee Hoon Goreng

Chicken Curry

Celest and I shared the tissue thosai, bee hoon goreng and chicken curry. I also ordered a strawberry lassi (yoghurt drink), that was super sweet! I could still taste the crunchy bits of sugar!

Tissue Thosai

The tissue thosai was interesting, it came in a dome-shaped where we peeled and broke off pieces to dip into the 3 dips (not sure what they were). The bee hoon goreng was nice, not very oily at all. Rare for Indian food. The chicken curry went well with it, very fragrant with the spices. The meat was also very tender, it slid off the bones effortlessly.

There are so many varieties of prata available in both sweet and savory versions.

Location:
26 Evans Road, 01-02
Open 24 hours
Tel: 6333-6979