I don't get to vote!

A short quick off topic post. I just found out today I am under the Marine Parade GRC, so I don't get to vote on May 6.

But...but...but...for the years I have live along this street, it has always been under the Aljunied GRC. I always thought I am under the Aljunied GRC. I see Aljunied GRC billboards and posters hanging just outside my house, along the road.

To have the website telling me I am under Marine Parade GRC, I am feeling a bit disillusioned and out of sorts. Even my mother was asking me where are we supposed to vote?

I have been trying to find maps and announcement of the actual boundaries of the GRCs, but it does not indicate street names or estates. It is very confusing.

Merlion Everywhere

I like this picture. The Merlion is such an iconic image for Singapore that most people really thought it is real, a legend in Singapore. The Merlion Tower in Sentosa even has a story about it. What may or may not come as a surprise to people is that the Merlion is actually a tourism campaign thought by the Singapore Tourism Board, way back in the early 1980s.

Using the story of how Sang Nila Utama spotted a lion when he landed in Singapore and he named it Singapura (Lion City), the STB came up with the merlion to represent Singapore. The lion head and the fish body to represent the lion residing in the jungle (though some history books said it was most likely a tiger Sang Nila Utama saw as there were more tigers than lions in Malaya), and the fish body to represent the fishing village. The sea is important to Singapore as it has a natural deep harbour, perfect for a shipping commercial. Entrepot trade was Singapore's livelihood then, and even now Singapore is one of the world's busiest ports.

Pride was indoctrined into Singaporeans through schools. I still remembered having to draw the Merlion head for art class when I was 8 or 9. From young, we were taught songs which instilled pride for being a Singaporean, especially when National Day was round the corner. I think we (my generation) must have been fed so many programs. The busy bee to be hardworking, the lion to be courteous, the squirrel to save money, and the elephant to be sharing. All these cartoon characters in primary school. Sometimes I think the government thinks we are still young kids. I am recalling how the Aljunied Town Council actually has Alfie, (the mascot which looked like a lion?) to educate the residents not to litter, etc. Even all the notices are in cartoon forms. Are we stupid or what? Their rationale is that there are many old people who do not understand words. And I can comment on that cos I used to work in the Town Councils. Hah!

Some nationalistic songs:
"Stand up for Singapore"
"Count on me Singapore"
"We are Singapore"
"One nation, one people, one Singapore"

I must admit though, it is quite electrifying and can be an emotional affair when at the national stadium for the National Day Parade. BTW, I think I will finally get the chance to vote for this year's election. It has always been a walkover in my GRC. As usual, our esteemed media gives a very fair coverage - NOT. So I have no idea who is the opposition at all.

World Cup 2006 Fever

I am not really a big fan of the World Cup (yes, I know I am gonna get some flak for that, but hey, I'm a NHL fan, not soccer :p) but I can't resist taking pics of the outdoor ads. World Cup 2006 Fever has hit Orchard Road. I didn't get the chance to take the pic of "Brazil bus stop" by Nike along Scotts Road, but here are Korea and Portugal. I thought it is a pretty neat idea. Countries on the bus shelters' roof. Quite a subtle Nike World Cup advertisement campaign.

Salmon steak with mango salsa sauce

I was asked ("told") by mom to eat the salmon which she bought ages ago for me. I didn't even realize that. So I prepared an impromptu dish of pan-grilled salmon with mango salsa sauce. I wasn't particularly in the mood for salmon as I had that yesterday at Olio Dome (that was really excellent - pan-fried salmon with mashed potatoes with a dash of lemon).

There was no lemon, so I had to think of alternatives. I searched the fridge for inspiration and took out the lurpak garlic butter, regular butter, and then saw the bottle of salsa sauce. I decided to try making the mango salsa sauce to go with the salmon. It was an interesting taste. I think I will make the sauce from scratch, with fresh chopped tomatoes instead of the salsa sauce. The mango was very sweet, so the entire taste sensation was sweet with a hint of spices.

I always seemed to be making things with salmon. Reason being I rarely do the grocery shopping, and I tend to cook on the spur of the moment. So I usually only have salmon available :p

Japanese Snacks

I absolutely adore Japanese packaging, especially for snacks. The Japanese snacks tend to be wrapped individually, keeping it fresh and hygenic. Plus, it won't go soft or attract ants when you open the package.

I am starting to realize the supermarket at Isetan Scotts stocks a huge variety of Japanese snacks. I mean, I do know it has many Japanese stuff, but it really does have other special Japanese items which were flown in for this promotion and that.

A few weeks ago, it was a the strawberry fair. And all the snacks on promotion were strawberry-flavored. I have no idea what was the theme for the promotion yesterday, but I bought a box of cheesecake snack and a box of blood orange chocolate truffles.

I love the cheesecake snack. It tasted just like the cheesecake from Beard Papa. The blood orange chocolate is good too though it is a bit on the tangy side. Wonderful stuff. Each piece is wrapped individually, making it easy to control the quantity that gets into your mouth (or maybe not :p)

Imperial Herbal Restaurant

I went there for dinner last night with the family. BIL got promoted to Regional Manager - Congratulations! - and he treated us for dinner.

It is quite a typical Chinese restaurant. The specialty is the herbal soups, all sorts of soups are available. This is what we had:
1. Egg white with shredded scallops on deep fried vermicelli basket
2. Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup
3. Cod with man tou
4. veggies with wolfberries
5. Ee-Fu noodles










































































The house specialty (egg-white scallop) is interesting. The vermicelli basket is freshly deep-fried, it seemed to be fried in lard though, it has a taste to it. The egg white scallop mixture is interesting. Soft and tender, almost like eating a cloud.

The soup is nice though I don't appreciate all the ingredients. I passed the sea cucumber to my mom, I can't abide the slimy, rubbery texture as well as the smell. I did quite alright with the fish maw, abalone, shark fin, mushroom, chicken pieces and even the corderceps (?) worm herb.

The cod is fresh and the man tou goes very well with the sauce. My fave has got to be the vegetables. The wolfberries gives a burst of sweetness to the dish, and they are good for the eyes too.

The noodles is chockful of seafood. Very nicely done. Overall it was a good and filling dinner. I like it.

Contact:
Imperial Herbal Restaurant
3rd Floor Metropole Hotel
41 Seah Street Singapore 188396
Tel: 6337 0491
Opening hours: 1130am - 230pm; 630 - 1030pm

Delectable Delights

I have totally forgotten about Harry and David until I was telling my gf on what/where I usually shopped when I go to those factory outlets in the States. Suddenly it all came back to me. The road trips we took whenever there was a long weekend. We usually drive on down to Oregon for outlet shopping as there is no sales tax there.

I like Lincoln City, Oregon. It is a very small town, with a factory outlet for shopping. Driving down I-5, taking in the breathtaking scenery, especially when nearing Seattle and Puget Sound. One side will be the Pacific Ocean, and the other side is the Casade Mountains. Mount Rainier. Simply gorgeous.

It was always windy at Lincoln City. Maybe because it is along the coast. I often saw kids flying kites over there.

Ever since I discovered the chocolate truffles from Harry & Davids, I must get it every time I see it. The round truffle is not very big, nor is it very small. It is just enough for a chocolate crave. I used to have 1 a day when I craved for chocolate. So, no. I don't down the whole bag in just a day or a few days. One bag (250gm) can usually last me a month or more.

I like biting off the shell, then savored the ganache truffle filling. Of course, my fave is dark chocolate as I like the bittersweet aftertaste.

I did a search for Harry and David and found its website and all the glorious sweets it has. They looked simply sensational. Sinfully scrumptious. I did not try any of the cakes or pastries when I was in the shop, nor did I try the savory snacks. I only focused on the truffles :D

But for the uninitiated, feast your eyes on the beautiful creations and weep (cos we don't have it in Singapore).

Some descriptions, couldn't get all the pictures or descriptions as the website is a bit wonky. Kept showing errors. Not sure why, the last time I was on that site was way back in 2003 when I was showing F some stuff from there. Hope it will work again soon.

Bonnet Cake (1st pic on left)
Make delicious memories — Mother’s Day or any day.First she’ll be delighted by this festive pink chapeau at the table. Then she’ll be thrilled by the moist richness of fine chocolate layer cake inside. (You just can’t keep flavor like this under your hat!) Accented with a ribbon and lifelike gardenia, made entirely of smooth confectioner’s fondant.

Followed by the cheesecake petit fours, lava cake and petit fours.

Cheesecake Petits Fours
Too rich and delicious – but that's the whole idea.These single-serving cheesecakes delight everyone with our luscious new spring flavors: Key Lime Cheesecake frosted in more key lime, Original Cheesecake in lemon, Strawberry Cheesecake in strawberry, and Black & White Cheesecake in milk chocolate.

Mini Lava Cakes
Richness overflows from these creations – 24 cakes in all!They look innocent enough, but beware: The first forkful releases a languid, dreamy, slow-motion flow of dark, bittersweet European chocolate that's as sensual as it is delicious. Just warm them in the microwave for a few seconds while you pour the coffee.

Seemed like this is a common dessert now, the warm chocolate cake.

Spring Petits Fours
Made with love and decorated by hand.Each one is a delicious work of art, intricately crafted and beautifully finished as shown. Light, fluffy cake layers alternate with smooth fillings: Vanilla buttercream with raspberry purée, strawberry, milk chocolate or bittersweet truffle creams.

Mudslide Cake
An avalanche of chocolate — warm it up and let it envelop you.A layer of chocolate cake. Then chocolate ganache. And then more of both. This dessert is – yes – a chocolate lover’s delight. It’s topped with caramel, marshmallows and nuts, plus chocolate chips and bits of brownie. Mudslide Cake is a thoroughly decadent dessert, making it perfect for holiday celebrations! Microwave for a few seconds and then indulge.

Cupcakes for Connoisseurs
One dozen decorated desserts. They're irresistible!These hand decorated cupcakes inject the "Wow Factor" into any springtime celebration: Wedding showers, garden parties, as gifts or for guests. Includes dreamy Vanilla Chiffon and moist Devil's Food Chocolate – hand finished, delicious, totally delightful.

So pretty and so utterly delectable. Too cute to eat, actually.

Chocolate-Strawberry Heart Cheesecake
We've given this gourmet classic a luxurious makeover.We create this rich, velvety dessert with plenty of cream cheese, eggs, sweet butter and no shortcuts – over a layer of our lavish sun-ripened strawberry sauce. Then we drench the whole affair in our wonderful chocolate ganache and decorate the top with a stylish ribbon of frosting.

I like the thin later of strawberry sauce. This is such a great combination. Cheesecake with chocolate ganache and strawberry for the tinge of tartness.

Peony Tea for One with Velvet Fruit Pastels
A beautiful reason to slow down and relax each day.Our handpainted 3-piece set is perfect for springtime giving. She'll think of you every time she uses it (and that's every day, most likely). We include a box of our delightful Fruit Pastels to enjoy at tea-time.

I quite like this. It is so English, a cuppa tea in a dainty tea set.

Cinnamon Swirls
Good old-fashioned flavor.Lightly crisp on the outside … wonderfully gooey on the inside. Laced with chopped English walnuts, too. We still make them by hand because there's just no way to duplicate this kind of homestyle quality. And when you warm a few slices in the oven, and their heady fragrance fills the room, you'll see why this remains one of our most popular items.

Carrot Cake Roll
More moist and spicy, it's ready to slice and serve.This classic, hand-rolled creation is made here in our own bakery with more of the things that make carrot cake so special: Delicate, carroty spice cake – with a generous layer of frosting swirled into every slice. Decorated as shown for a smile-making presentation. Arrives ready to slice and enjoy.

Such a neat idea. More frosting to enjoy, heavenly if it is cream cheese.

Oreo WaferSticks

I saw this at the counter when I was at 7-11 getting a drink. I decided to try it. After all, it is pretty small and can fix my chocolate craving.

That was a bad bad bad mistake. One bite and it was awful. The chocolate coating tasted like those cheap chocolate. It particularly reminded me of the chocolate wafer which was wrapped in the red foil wrapper. The type of wafer biscuits that I had before when I was very young (before I tasted better chocolates and became more particular about it).

Why is it that bad? Primary reason is that the chocolate has an oily waxy feel to it. It is probably more cocoa butter than cocoa itself. Sorry to say, but most chocolates produced in Malaysia and China taste like that. Cheap chocolate.

I was shocked by this low quality and looked at the wrapp again. There - the reason. It was manufactured in China. But it is just so wrong, for a household name brand to produce such inferior quality product. Now the question is, why does a multi million company use poor chocolate substitute for its products? I mean, I can understand if the "lesser-known" brands do that due to cost constraint. But for a rich company to do that, it is quite incomprehensible.

Other reasons that came to my mind is that, is it because this product is actually meant for the "poorer" countries in the region? And since their purchasing power is less, the company cut cost by using poor quality chocolate so that it can be sold cheaply? It did say on the wrapper it is manufactured in China, and registered in Indonesia. Importers and distributors are for Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Singapore.

This is definitely the first and last time I shall eat this, and I will definitely be more wary and be conscientious in checking out the labels.

Make Up Ban

I think I should start a makeup ban (exception is getting pigment samples from MAC's new collections - Sweetie Cake and Sundressing). I do certainly have a nice collection now, with lots of colors. And right now I really don't fancy anything at all. Not even the Just My Luck palette from Stila. Only the blush and the casing caught my attention, but to pay $65??? I might as well wait for the next EL sale where it can go for only $22 or so. And with the recent news about Stila being bought by another company, who knows what will happen. More sales?

I have already started a clothes ban since end March, and I have been sticking nicely to it. I don't need more suits or blazers.

The ban shall be effective from today until further notice. Review will be in 3 months time.

At the moment, I am just waiting for Tangs 12% rebate, so that I can get the moisturizer from Phytomer. I am soon finishing the current tub.

Che2 Bag

I bought this Che2 (Che Che New York junior line) during the Isetan Private Sale (IPS) last month? I was initially hesitant as I know that the metallic part will flake off after a few uses, based on Davis' experience with her bag. I checked with the SA and she assured me that it won't, and she was just such a good SA that I decided to buy it. After all, it came up to around $50 after the discount and me using the vouchers gained from spending on MU.

True enough, the metallic part indeed flaked off after a week of usage. Now it looked very well-used and worn-out. Anyway, decided to take a pic before it is completely ruined.

I like the bag because of the size and the compartments in it, plus the cute little heart-shaped pouch.

Sunset @ Riverside

I was on my way home when I saw the sun setting, lighting the sky in a blaze of flaming red, orange and pink before quickly fading into the dusky inky night sky. It was so pretty.

I always love looking at sunsets, maybe because I see that more often than sunrises. What always amazes me is how one part of the sky could be awashed with colors, while the other side is still the clear blue day sky. But within a matter of minutes, it will be dark, with only the moon to light the sky.

Va Va Voom Cafe - The Vietnamese Concept (Updated)

I met the girls for dinner on Friday night. Despite a miscommunication on the location, I finally made it, found the place. It is on Seah Street, next to Raffles Hotel. It was the first time I went to va va voom cafe, I never even realized it existed in the first place. Thanks to Livia for introducing it to us.

























We shared the grilled chicken salad and the chicken wings. They were very good. The salad tasted a bit like coleslaw because of the shredded cabbage. The dressing is tangy sweet, very refreshing. Very fresh and crunchy salad we had. The chicken wings were well marinated, and the flavor permeated through to the meat. It had a bit of sweetness, which could be sugar. Really nice!

I decided not to order my usual boring pho bo (beef noodle soup) and ordered the beef stew in claypot. There were some spices in it, giving it a wholesome flavor. The beef cubes were tender, but not those melt in your mouth type. The stew was more watery than I expected, making it more like a soup rather than a thick gravy.


Livia had the grilled pork chop with meat pudding. I would say her main was the star of the evening! The pork chop was so tender and bursting with juices and flavor, that even me, a non-pork eater liked it. The meat pudding was quite puny in serving, but it was good too. It tasted like the filling of a spring roll.

Would like to go back there again to try the pho bo. Davis ordered that, and it looked pretty alright, quite standard.

No contact details as I didn't flinch a business card. But it is cash/NETS payment only. Oh yeah, the prices were low, making it very affordable. Less than $10 for a main.

Update:
I went again a few days back with Livia and Davis. We sat at the same place again. Ordered the pho bo this time. It was nice, but a bit salty for me. Maybe there is MSG in it. We shared the mango salad which was good too.

However, I have decided I won't ever go back again. Why?
I was quite turned off by one waitress's attitude. I ordered at the counter and while making payment, I asked her if she could serve us iced TAP water too. She replied they do not serve tap water at all as there is no service charge or GST charge. Let me paraphrase the entire convo:

C: Could you serve us iced water too?
W: Oh, no. We do not serve iced water at all as we do not charge GST or service charge
C: Oh, is this a new policy which just started?
W: No, it has always been our policy.
C: But I was here just 1-2 weeks ago, and I distinctly remembered being served iced water. (Now, this is true. We ordered other drinks too, but also requested iced water. Plus, I remembered how helpful the other server was. She actually came out with a jug and asked if we want to top up out water glass. We declined as we were leaving soon.)
W: Oh no. Who served the iced water? In the 4 months I have been here, we never served iced water.
C: I don't remember the person who served us.
W: Well, we just do not served iced water.

I was quite pissed off with her attitude, doubting my words and emphasizing the fact she has been there for 4 months and it never happened. I would be fine if she said, oh it is a new policy or something. I took umbrage with her insinuation that I lied and just wanted iced water. We also did order drinks (lemongrass drink and I had the plum with lime soda drink, just as I did the previous time as I liked that).

This is really POOR SERVICE from the waitress and a bad move from the management. To do this so soon after the heel of the report in the dailies about restaurants charging astronomical sum for water. Some restaurants charge $6-$12 for a bottle of water, but those are usually from the fine dining restaurants, and they do serve tap water if requested.

Other smaller eateries (but much bigger than this cafe) which are chain-restaurants also charge between $1-$5 for water and they do not served tap water at all. And this information is stated upfront on a tent card on the table.

It drew flack from many people, especially at those restaurants' operators reasoning. They said they have to charge for tap water to reduce the cost of manpower. That the waiters spend the time topping up water for non-paying customers (as in people who occupied the table for 2-3 hours, long after they finished their food). While I agree that there are some people who will just take a table and stay there for hours without ordering anything but just keep requesting for water top-up, and those people should be charged. They should not charge diners for water when they have ordered food. It is ridiculous.

Sometimes people do need to drink water to cleanse the palate or if not feeling well and can't take other beverage. It is just so wrong. I just feel that some restaurants are just jumping onto this bandwagon to make a few quick bucks.

Certain outlets do see many people occupying the tables without ordering more food, but not all outlets have that sort of clientele. I can understand why Coffee Club outside Orchard California Fitness charges $1.50 for a small bottle of Evian. It is a 24hr outlet and that location attracts many teenagers who spend hours there just chit-chatting or studying. It is a prime location, and this could affect their business if they do not have spare tables for people who want to eat there. And kudos to Coffee Club for not taking advantage of this reasoning to charge for water at all its other outlets. I dine there often enough and do not mind paying the $1.50 for water. While I don't necessarily like it, there is a legitimate reason for it. Plus they are serving Evian at relatively about the same price as what you would pay for in supermarket.

Now Secret Recipe charges $0.50 for a tiny housebrand bottle of water (3 huge sips and it's gone). I don't find that justifiable at all. The chain of cafes is usually located in shopping malls, so they operate at mall's hours and while it might be full during meal times, it is not overly crowded at all. And I find it nonsense when they said they save time by not serving water as they do not have to wash the glasses. BUT when they served the paid water, it is also served with glasses.

So what can consumers do? Boycott places where you think is out to pull a fast one.

EL Sale 2006

After waiting for so long, it is finally here! The annual EL sale was held today, and I managed to get tickets for the event! Thanks angels *muack* I got the PM tickets (unlike last year where I had the AM tickets as we were considered partners for MAC), but decided to try my luck with my gfs for the AM session. Thank God and friends/angels that we all managed to get into the AM session.

It was much stricter this year. Everyone has to enter in a single file, show the ticket, get it punched with a hole, then queue again to enter the main hall. Bags have to be deposited. At the door to the "treasures", huge plastic bags are issued for buyers to stash their goodies. Tickets are surrendered to the cashiers during payment.

I guess this came about after complaints from last year. It was messier, everyone dashing into the hall, and tickets were sold on ebay. This year, tickets issued to employees are recorded, so that if the holder of the ticket is deemed to be bulk-purchasing for sale online, the employee will be taken to task.

There certainly seemed to be a wider variety of cosmetics and skin care from the brands under the EL stable. The quantity seemed bigger too. However, the prices have increased across the board. My guess is that they did not sell as much as they would like in 2005, hence the increased quantity, and to meet their target, the items were pricier too. Either that or they are trying to discourage people from buying LE stuff at very low price and then find the items being floated around in ebay or yahoo auction.

After last year's experience where I spent a bomb, I was trying to minimize my spending. Unfortunately I did not succeed with the price increase. My target was the MAC olive brush set, and I got that plus others. It was crowded inside the hall, everyone was sweeping the counters clean. I figured we were there for around 5 hours total. I circled the place so many times, debating what to keep and what to release. In the end, I got these:

I bought mainly Stila items, plus some MAC stuff and just 1 Origins product, and 3 fragrances (yes, again!) and a teddy bear. I bought Clinique Happy to Be, DKNY Women and Beyonce True Star (these 3 perfumes came to about the cost of 1 fragrance in retail price, but still less than my Vera Wang Sheer Veil). I believe the total value of the stuff is around $1000 if I got them at retail prices. But since it is a sale, I got all that for a fraction of the cost. No, I won't mention how much the total is, but it is less than what I spent last year.

I bought the Stila Pussycat Dolls palette again as I love the colors in it. It is very easy to use, and I have been using the palette almost everyday. It is foolproof. It will be my replacement once my current palette hits pan. I have a feeling it will be doing that by end of this year, at the rate I am using it. I just hope the e/s won't turn bad.

Thank you Celest, for controlling my spending, and for making me dump several items into the "reject" bag.

Of all the items I bought, this teddy bear produced by Gund for Tommy Hilfiger is my favorite. It is so cuddly and soft and just so huggable. I love it!

Coffee Club @ California Fitness

It never fails to amaze me how fitness centers or weight loss/slimming centers are usually located next to restaurants or food, sinful concoctions waiting to tempt the weak-willed.

Outside California Fitness Center in Orchard, there are Starbucks, Orange Julius/Dairy Queen (I think it also served DQ ice cream since most DQ and OJ are together in Singapore) and Coffee Club. Another example is the Marie France (I think or was it Haach or some other slimming salons) in Marina Square. Opposite it is Carl's Jr. Imagine, huge greasy burger and fries. If that is not enough to tempt the dieter, there are also Swensens, Changing Appetites and some other restaurants down that stretch.

Back to Coffee Club. I was there for 2 consecutive weekends, and one of the servers actually recognized me and asked me where are my friends on the 2nd visit. I was with different people both times. Amazing! It is quite rare for the wait staff to recognize people and to give very good service in Singapore.

Both times I ordered the chicken piccata. Just what is that? It is deep-fried breaded chicken fillet served with a side of salad and spaghetti in pesto sauce. I like this dish as you can totally ignore the pasta if you want to be on the "no/low carbs" diet, plus there are real veggies in there too. It is better than the garlic prawn pasta or seafood pastat which were what I usually ordered. The first time, I ordered the set meal which comes with the soup of the day (mushroom) and coffee or tea. The 2nd time I ordered it as a la carte as I was not that hungry.

Part of Set Meal

A la Carte

I was stunned when I saw the plate for the a la carte. It was huge! See the difference! The chicken is gigantic. I certainly didn't expect that at all. For once, I didn't finish the entire thing, it was just too much. I think I only ate half or 2/3 of the food. However I prefer the set meal pesto pasta. There were more pesto sauce or at least, it was more flavorful when compared to the a la carte, which was more bland.

We ordered the mussels in chili crab sauce, served with mantous "Chinese buns" the 1st visit. That was nice. The sauce is the highlight and the mantou too.

Food Republic - Wisma Atria Level 4

Wisma Atria revamped its food court and the new concept food court finally opened late last year. It is a huge food court, taking up almost the entire 4th level, with an escalator outside the building leading to it. Do not use that if you suffer from vertigo as it is quite high up, plus you are out in the open.

Besides serving the usual hawker fare, there are tiny restaurants nestled within. There is a variety of food ranging from Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Thai to Korean. There are pushcarts with people selling dim sum or drinks. There is even a guy walking around selling papadums, trying to re-create the days of old.

I have only tried the food there a few times as it is close to impossible to get a table, especially during peak hours. The dim sum is very expensive though, at $4 a dish. My cousin was outraged by the price of the egg tarts. $3 for a plate of 3 tiny tarts. I am not that familiar with the usual price of dim sum, but I would assume that is about the price. $2.50 to $4 for a plate.

The fried hokkien mee is not as good as the one at the esplanade though they looked similar and could be a franchaise. But alas, the taste is just different. However, you still see a long line at the stall daily. I like the Indian stall. The prata is crispy and the curry is slightly tangy with generous serving of veggies in it. I like that. The murtabak is great too, very huge serving. The fish bryani is nice though the fish is a tad dry. Best of all, it serves Teh Tarik and Teh Halia. Wonderful drinks. Forget about the drinks stall, the "teh peng" is not that fantastic at all.

At my recent trip there, I found out Pow Sing is there. I like Pow Sing Restaurant which is at Serangoon Gardens. It has very good chicken rice and peranakan food. I will always order the ayam buah keluak when there. At the Food Republic outlet, Pow Sing set up a small stall, besides the mini kitchen, which sells ayam panggang style rice set.

The service was wonderful. The lady was very polite and was also very generous with the servings of veggies, and sauces. I ordered the grilled fish set. It comes with rice, lightly deep fried fish fillet which is grilled before dipping into the Indonesian styled bbq sauce, plus veggies and a piece of omelette and a bowl of soup. Delicious. The other popular ayam panggang stall is at Plaza Singapura food court, operated by Riverside Indonesian BBQ Restaurant, which always sees long line too. But the best one I ever tried was at the old Starhub Center food court. The fish was not deep fried but truly grilled.

Stepping into the food court from the outside escalator, you will see the kopitiam styled stall, selling toast and coffee and tea, plus some other stuff. We decided to try the "kon lo bun" (I think that is how it is spelt or called). It is a plain bun with a slice of butter in the center. Served that with a cup of "teh si", it is just so good. I think the butter made the difference. Conversely the otah toast was a disappointment. It was more bread than otah, making it dry and unpalatable.

The thai restaurant Waan Waan is not too bad. The tom yam soup is fiery spicy but the olive rice is not that great. The Indian restaurant, Chutney's, is pretty good. I like the butter chicken and the naan. Wonderful.

Fragrance Galore

A gf just asked me today how many perfumes do I actually have, and I could not give her an answer, all I know was I have over 20 bottles (30ml and up), excluding miniatures and sample vials. I know I love fragrances, and do I need that many? I do not know, but I can't seem to stick to just one scent, make it my signature scent. I need variety, to suit my different moods.

When I am happy, I wear citrusy-floral sweet scents. When I am feeling sporty or going for sports, I like pure citrusy scents, something to perk me up. And for night events, I like musky, heavier scents which makes me feel sexy and glamourous. For work, I like light florals which is not too cloying or overpowering. During the day, I will wear something light. When I am going to the beach, I want to have a sea or ocean scent.

When I was young, I love looking and trying out new fragrances. I would buy foreign magazines just for the strips of perfume samples in the pages when I was in my teens. My very first bottle was probably Estee Lauder White Linen (a miniature of 15ml), which someone gave me. Then it was The Body Shop Fuzzy Peach and White Musk. EL Beautiful, Wings by Giorgio Beverly Hills (1992), Gio by Giorgio Armani and Tuscany Per Donna by Estee Lauder (1992) were some of the perfumes I liked then.

Then I started using Gap Dream, Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers, Lizsport by Liz Claiborne and various other body splash from Victoria Secrets. In 1997, I discovered you can actually buy sample vials or get them from the counters. I got cK Be, cK One, Polo Sport from RL, and CK Escape. I think that was the turning point. With the various scents, I started to use whatever I deemed is suitable for my mood or activity or event.

So what do I actually have right now and what did I have before? Here is my list.

*Warning* - It is quite long, don't faint.
Bottles of fragrances (30ml and above):
Escada Sexy Graffiti LE(finished 1 bottle, on 2nd bottle) *fave*
Escada Magnetic Beat (finished 1 bottle, on 2nd bottle) *fave*
Escada Pacific Paradise LE
Gucci Envy Me (finished)
Tony & Tina EDT (BNIB)
Chopard Pure Wish *fave*
Chopard Wish Pink Diamond LE *fave*
CK Escape *fave*
CK Be
CK Euphoria
CK Eternity Love (2004 LE)
Liz Claiborne Lizsport
RL Style
RL Glamourous (Discontinued) *fave*
RL Blue
RL Ralph (on 2nd bottle)
Gap Dream (left the 15ml x 2) *fave*
Incanto Dream
Beyonce True Star Gold
Stella Sheer (finishing one, 2nd one waiting to be opened)
Clinique Simply (BNIB)
Michael Kors Michael (BNIB)
Tommy Girl (gave away)
YSL Baby Doll Light LE (swapped away)
Davidoff Echo Woman
Shiseido Relaxing (don't use this at all!)
L'eau Por Kenzo
Hugo Woman (3rd bottle now)
Boss Woman (finished)
Giorgio Beverly Hills G
Giorgio Beverly Hills Ocean Dream (2nd bottle is BNIB) *old fave*
Paul Smith Woman (2nd bottle is BNIB)
Vera Wang Sheer Veil (mistake buy, most expensive fragrance I own)
Anna Sui Secret Wish *fave*
Victoria's Secret Apple Garden body splash

Errr.......that is more or less what I can remember. Other miniatures or sample vials include:
Jil Sanders Sensation
Bvlgari Blv
Bvlgari Blv Notte
CK Contradiction
Gap Blue No. 665
Gap Heaven (solid scent)
Gap Dream (solid scent)
RL Romance
Escada Island Kiss
Escada Magnetism
Burberry Touch
Thierry Mugler Angel
Stila Midnight Bloom
Narciso Rodriguez For Her
Aquolina Pink Sugar
........and others.........

So I guess I have about 30 bottles of fragrances, with around 20 sitting on my dresser, the others are kept in my wardrobe (some opened and some unopened). Sigh, I am still eyeing Incanto Charms and Euphoria Blossom though.

Some descriptions of the old fragrances:
Giorgio Beverly Hills launched Wings in 1992 and classified it as a lavish fragrance merging with notes of exotic floral, musk, woods and amber. It’s ideal for romantic wear.
Floral Fruity Green. It is blended to evoke impetuousness confidence and exhilaration. This crisp invigorating fragrance consists of 621 notes some of which are ginger lily green osmathus passion flower gardenia marigold blue rose cattleya orchid shaffali jasmine heliotrope woods amber and musk. The elegant glass bottle is capped with a sky blue stopper.

Tuscany Per Donna Perfume by Estee Lauder, Launched By The Design House Of Estee Lauder In 1992, Tuscany Per Donna Is Classified As A Refreshing, Oriental, Woody Fragrance. This Feminine Scent Possesses A Blend Of Citrus, Grapefruit And Mandarin. Accompanied By A Touch Of Spice, Carnation, Honeysuckle And Vanilla. It Is Recommended For Daytime Wear.

As sensuous and luminous as the Italian countryside.This fragrance perfectly captures the warm light and relaxed sensuality of a romantic hillside villa. Even the name Tuscany Per Donna, which means "Tuscany for Women," reflects the lush blend of blooming flowers and Mediterranean herbs, softened with rich sandalwood and sweet vanilla.
Fragrance Type: Floral/Oriental
Top Notes: Rose, Muguet, Citrus, Mediterranean Herbs
Middle Notes: Jasmine, Carnation, Honeysuckle, Peony
Base Notes: Sandalwood, Amber, Vanilla

The design house for Liz Claiborne introduced Liz Sport in 1997; it’s known for being a fresh flowery daywear fragrance. It blends notes of green floral, mandarin, ivy, moss, and cedar along with white musk.

Gio Perfume by Giorgio Armani, Created By The Design House Of Armani In 1992, Gio Is Classified As A Luxurious, Floral Fragrance. This Feminine Scent Possesses A Blend Of Green Florals, Gardenia, And Orange Blossoms. Accompanied By Amber, Wood, And Vanilla.

Another new perfume

Ok, by now I think most people know I am really really into fragrances. After resisting the temptations of getting Incanto Charms from Ferragamo and cK Euphoria Blossom, I finally succumbed to getting Escada Pacific Paradise. Yes, I know. I just got Escada Magnetic Beat as a gift, plus Beyonce True Star Gold.

But...but...Pacific Paradise is just so different from the other two. It is fruitier, sweeter and so similar to Escada Sexy Graffiti which is my fave Escada perfume. For those who do not know, Escada releases a spring/summer fragrance annually and it is a limited edition, meaning you can't find it after the year is over. I got Sexy Graffiti in 2002, love it so much (then I didn't realize it was LE) and was lucky enough to find a 2nd bottle in end 2002 when the bottle was almost empty. Then I used it really sparingly cos I can't bear to finish it.

I didn't get the other LE scents i.e. Ibiza Hippie (2003), Island Kiss (2004) and Rockin Rio (2005) until today when I bought Pacific Paradise (2006).

Pacific Paradise:
Lush, sensual, and full of fun, Pacific Paradise is a beach party for the senses. This fruity, citrus floral beats with the heart, soul, and scents of a tropical paradise.

Notes: Kaffir Lime, Dried Victoria Apple, Coconut Sorbet, Physalis Fruit, Sugar Candy, Banana Flower, Hawaiian Salt Blossom, Sandalwood, Powdery Musk, Amber Crystals.

Style: Fresh. Fun. Sexy.
(Info from Sephora)


Escada Magnetic Beat (2003):
FRAGRANCE NOTES - the kick of spice, the sweetness of fruits and florals, with hints of amber, musk and vanilla.

Escada Sexy Graffiti (2002):
FRAGRANCE NOTES - multiple fruits, musk, vanilla and violets.

See the similarities in the fragrance notes. Fruity, musk and vanilla.