Collect or Trash?

MAC is releasing its Originals Collection soon (already out in North America) and I am wondering if I should get Parrot. Parrot is so hyped up that people are just getting it because of it. So here I am, contemplating if I should join in.

I missed out on Parrot several times already. Initially because I was not so makeup crazed. Then when it was released as part of the palette (2 in fact), I never got the palettes since I didn't feel it justify buying the whole thing for just 1 color.

I have a few Parrot dupes or "sisters", and frankly I very rarely use it at all. It is not a color one will use daily - bright eye popping shimmery turquoise.

Browsing MAC website and Spectra, looking at the MAC pigments, I can safely say I am over collecting MAC pigments just for the sake of having them. I hardly use my pigments too, except for a few. Provence is still my favorite pigment for a wash on lid or as highlight. The rest is just nice to have.

So I am going back to just buying cosmetics because I like the colors on me, not because they are a "must-have". I am getting pretty good at it now. I have stopped buying from Paul & Joe, except for my staple loose powder. Stila and MAC collections will still entice me, but I know how to say no. It helps to have good regular SAs who will not make you feel guilty for not buying.

My HGs

These are the items I can't live without, my HGs:

Fragrance
Anna Sui Secret Wish (on 2nd bottle)
Escada Magnetic Beat (also on 2nd bottle)

Face
Paul & Joe loose powder in #01

Cheeks
Helena Rubinstein blush in Pose in Rose (on 4th compact)
MAC MSF in Petticoat
Bobbi Brown SB in Peony, Rose

Palette
Stila Pussycat Dolls palette (I have 3)
MAC Trend palette

Eyebase
Shu Uemura Eye Correcting Pro Concealer (Yellow)

Eyeshadows
Stila Chinois, Sweetheart, Cassis
Make Up Store Cooler
Paul & Joe eyegloss in yellow-gold

Eyeliner
Urban Decay Covet
MAC Jealous
MAC Pewterpink, Mercuric, Peacocky glitter eyeliners

Pigment
MAC Provence, Violet, Softwash Grey

Mascara
Max Factor Calories 2000 #501 (Rich Black)
Stila Major Lash
Kate Memory Curl

Lipstick
Estee Lauder Rich Red

Lipgloss
Stila IT gloss in Energetic, Smashing, Enticing
Stila lipglaze stick in Fruitpunch, Grapefruit

Lipbalm
Nivea Strawberry

Brushes
Estee Lauder blusher brush

Cleanser
Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser

Makeup Remover
Ipsa cleansing oil
Helena Rubinstein All Mascara off

Toner
Phytomer Rosee Visage Face Dew

Moisturizer
Phytomer HydraContinue
Helena Rubinstein Force C Premium

Still searching for HGs for eye gel and sunblock. Currently I am alternating between Phytomer and Biotherm for eye gel, and Biotherm and La Roche Posay for sunblock.

The Pink Ribbon

Everytime October rolls around, it seemed like retailers are rubbing their hands in glee. I hope I am not turning that cynical, but sometimes you do wonder if they are cashing in on the fact that it is Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) month and pink ribbons will be everywhere and people will want to buy something that will contribute to the research/foundation/mammogram fund.

But I wonder if what they are doing it enough. 50 cents/10 cents donated to the fund for every bag of Pink M&Ms or Pink Wish Tim Tams? It doesn't seem like a lot, is it? This is just from the confectionery section. Then you have the big departmental stores getting into the act too. October will see Sears and The Bay advertising the products they have in support of BCA month. Slippers, towels, utensils, cutlery, brooch, tee shirt, hoodie, bag, cell phone charm, etc. Everything is in pink and all for a good cause.

Sometimes I wonder if people buy because they are really so cute and sweet being in pink or is it truly because they know that a portion (usually tiny) of what they bought will be donated to the BCA fund.

Cancer has become the #1 killer in recent years, overtaking heart disease. And most people would have known someone who is suffering, has suffered or has succumbed to it. In Wiki, breast cancer is the most common for females (32%) though lung cancer is the main killer (27%). My grandfather died of throat cancer in 1995. I was in Canada when it happened but from what I heard, it was pretty bad at the end, with a tube down the throat or stomach just to feed him. I know of an acquaintance who battled breast cancer and survived, but after undergoing countless chemo treatments. Not fun at all.

So maybe it is better to buy things which will at least donated a portion of sale to the BCA foundation rather than to buy things which do not at all. Plus, the items are usually pretty good too or things you would use.

You can check out the Breast Cancer Store. It does international shipping too. While the big conglomerates like Estee Lauder, Smashbox, Stila, KitchenAid, etc will come up with items to support BCA, there are still smaller stores doing their part in anyway they could to help the countless people who are battling breast cancer or trying to get people to go for mammogram. You just never know.

And yes, I bought the BCA pink ribbon pink quartz cell phone charm from Sears. My old charm dropped off, so it was timely to get one which will serve as a reminder.

Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes

I am back on my cupcake craze again. It is not the actual devouring of cupcakes which is appealing. It is the fact that they are usually so pretty. Too cute to be eaten that draws me to them.

I stumbled onto this blog where Stef of Cupcake Project actually baked Rocher cupcakes in its likeness. How cool is that? How many people actually have the patience and artistry to make cupcakes. Cupcakes are fun as they are tiny and you can make so many things with them.


Read more on Cupcake Project how the Rocher Cupcakes came about. I am also pasting her recipe here for those who are keen to try making their own rocher cupcakes too :)

The Recipe:
The recipe for the cupcakes came from Laura of Sweets Made Here. It is for 12 cupcakes. I doubled it.

1/2 c boiling water
6 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 c milk
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 T hazelnut extract
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
10 T dark brown sugar
6 T granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 + 1/8 t baking soda
1/4 t salt

In a bowl, whisk the boiling water into cocoa until smooth and whisk in milk, vanilla, and hazelnut extracts. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, and beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Into another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt and add to egg mixture in batches alternately with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and beating well after each addition. Fill each wrapper slightly more than 1/2 way. They will rise a lot. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Note: I have never used that much of an extract in a recipe before. I actually worried that it was a typo and she meant teaspoon. However, it definitely needed that much. In fact, I added another whole tablespoon (1/2 if you are only making 12).

The Gooey Filling
If you have some Nutella around, I think you could easily just fill this with Nutella. I did not have Nutella around and didn't want to go to the store.

1 c heavy cream
1 c semisweet chocolate chips
2 t hazelnut extract

Bring heavy cream to a boil. Pour over chocolate chips to melt them. Add extract. Mix until fluffy. Let cool. Cut a cone in each cupcake and put a teaspoon or two of the ganache in. Replace the cone.

The Ganache
I used the ganache recipe from Sweets Made Here. The only change I made was that rather than putting hazelnuts on top as she did, I mixed 1 Cup of toasted, ground hazelnuts into the ganache before spreading. Also, while I doubled the cake recipe, I did not double the ganache recipe and I still had plenty.

1/2 c heavy cream
8 oz good semi-sweet chocolate chunks
2 T light corn syrup
2 t hazelnut extract

Heat the cream on the stove until it boils. Pour over the chocolate and stir to melt, adding the corn syrup and hazelnut extract.

Gingerbread Lane

The Gingerbread Lane inside Hyatt Hotel in Vancouver. It houses the biggest gingerbread house in Vancouver. The other gingerbread houses are made by chefs and students from the local high schools. You get to vote for your favorite gingerbread house and make a donation to charity.

Pretty cute, some of them.

I love this! Hahaha! Hockey! Awesome!

This is so storybook.
And this is so Chinese influenced. Lol.

This is the biggest gingerbread house in Vancouver

I love this gingerbread house with its milk and white chocolates buttons decorating the roof.


Take a walk down Gingerbread Lane inside Hyatt :)

SATC Marathon

So I am sick and house-bound. What can a gal do? Well, I actually watched 2 seasons of Sex and the City. Friday, I watched Season 5 and today I watched Season 4.

I think it is enough for now. I am going to get square eyes from staring at the screen for so long.

I will save seasons 1-3 and 6 for another day.

Season 4 was a bit heartbreaking. The 2nd appearance of Aidan, the ending of the engagement and then Big leaving NY for Napa. It seemed to have so much more issues in Season 4.
- Miranda being pregnant and giving birth to Brady, her mother's death
- Samantha finally in relationships with Maria and then Richard
- Charlotte moving back in with Trey, trying for baby and then separation
- Carrie buying her own apartment, money issues, shoes, Vogue

Shoes, bags, clothes, drinks, clubs, it's New York City.

Anyway, so I am thinking. Aidan or Big?

Bah!

My Christmas present : the bug!

So I really caught the virus last night when I was in the car with my cousin who was coughing non-stop. She was recovering from the flu virus.

Maybe I was already weak as I know I felt tired since Christmas eve. So last night I felt really thirsty and that was usually a sign. And this morning, the throat was a bit sore. I did all I could - honey water, eating honey, drinking lots of water, but bah!

Now I am totally voiceless, throat still hurts and a bit of headache and dizziness. Sigh, my lozenges and anti-throat inflammation pills are not working.

I hate being sick!

Merry Christmas

Here's wishing everyone a blessed Christmas :)

Frustrating Drive to the boondocks

I don't generally have anything against "ulu" places but the drive to Compass Point in Sengkang (SK) was the absolute pits. I was to meet a friend there for a late dinner/coffee as she lives in the area.

Driving there blind was a very very bad idea. The road signs were not very well-defined, there were no signs which indicated Compass Point or even the nearby MRT station or bus terminal. Generally there were no signs to most places in Singapore, but at least those buildings are in prominent areas where motorists can see in a distance. I had no problem driving "blind" to IMM in Jurong, Tampines Mall, White Sands in Pasir Ris or even to Causeway Point in Woodlands because those buildings are big and following the MRT tracks will help too. The tracks in SK are useless.

It took me close to 30minutes driving around SK area to find Compass Point, and once I went all the way through Anchorvale to Fernvale. It was a straight road with no place for turning at all until a distance away. So there I was, lone motorist on the road, with grasslands and trees lining along the roads. This will be a normal thing in North America, but in Singapore, it is very rare as most roads are surrounded by buildings, especially in a residential area.

Finally, it dawned on me that "Sengkang Square" means Compass Point. Seriously, for non-SK residents, how would they know Sengkang Square is Compass Point? There should be an indication. At times like this, I miss driving in the States. One can drive without a street directory in the States and just rely on the road signs. For most malls, there will be an indication on the road/freeway signs that this is the exit to get to the mall, and once you are off the exit, there will be more signs leading you to the malls, plus you will soon see the buildings too.

But Compass Point was hidden. I was driving along the Sengkang Eastway (which is a darn long road!) and the flats blocked the view of the "short" mall - Compass Point.

And then I had to circle the mall twice (!) just to find the entrance to the car park. There were so many cars idling along the roads that they blocked the mini short sign indicating car park. This is one of the worst signage problems I have ever encountered for malls (and I have been to many malls worldwide).

In the car park, it felt like you were in another country. Cars were double-parked or parked illegally. This totally reminded me of the parking situation in Mid-Valley Mall in KL, Malaysia. I would never have expected that in SK. Maybe that is the reason why there was an article in the local papers several months back about how Punggol was considered more desirable/better than Sengkang even though the two towns were just across from each other and built around the same time.

So yes, no more driving to Compass Point or even going there (unless absolutely necessary). And the irony is that it took me just 10-15 mins driving back from Compass Point. It is considered nearby but seriously, I rather go to Orchard since it takes me around 12 mins (no heavy traffic) to drive there.

Who can blame me for always shopping or running errands in Orchard when it is considered equally nearby for me.

Tim Tams - in the pink!

Tim Tam Pink Wish and Love Potions

That is the sweetest packaging of Tim Tam. When I saw those two packages, I just went weak in the knees. Somehow I am so into all things pink now ;p Plus it is for a good cause. 10cents will be donated to the Breast Cancer Foundation (or something like that).

Somehow pink packaging just make it all the more appealing. Same as the pink M&Ms I bought in Canada.

Strawberry creme filling with something sticky chewy in the center. I can't tell what it is exactly though it tasted like caramel. This is pretty sweet though, with the milk chocolate tim tam and strawberry.

The Love Potion is so ultra good! I love the contrast of the dark chocolate coat with the chocolate creme and biscuit and raspberry filling. It is so yummy! I can see myself buying this and the regular dark chocolate tim tam now :p

I bought these two at Candy Empire. A madhouse with everyone doing their Christmas shopping over there. Plus it also sells many other items not usually available in the supermarkets.

Estee Lauder Rich Red

Estee Lauder Rich Red lipstick with my tester lipbrush

Not very well-taken. Poor lighting. It is actually redder than this and more vibrant.

I decided to try my brand new tube of red lipstick. Somehow I didn't manage to capture the red-ness of the lipstick in the picture. The good thing about the lipstick is that to get the ruby red in the advertisement, you do need to apply several coats. The BA managed to get that for me. The pic above has about 3-4 coats. So if you do not want to attract attention, just 1-2 coats will be fine. I used MAC lipliner before applying the lipstick.

Red Lipstick

There is something so sexy and confident and decadent about wearing red lipstick. Recently I fell back in love with red lipstick but I have yet to find one which suits me. It is just so hard to trawl through the different red lipsticks available in the market and get one which is perfect.

The interest in red lipstick is re-kindled again when Estee Lauder launched the new ad campaign for its new Signature Hydra Lustre lipstick range. The image (above) depicts a sensual, smoldering look with the red lipstick as the focal point. It also has a "touch me not" feel to it and just exudes a confident yet sexy feel to it. A very successful ad, I must admit.

So there I was, and I decided to try the lipstick - Rich Red (as seen in pic). It was intensely red. Rich and creamy. I tried it on my lips and instantly I felt transformed. Suddenly my ruby red lips are the attraction, everything else just disappeared. It took me a while to get used to seeing the red lips and then you just feel "like a woman". Hahahaha.

What I like about the new lipstick range is that it is very moisturizing and has a shine to it. Not overly glossly and not matte at all. Hence, there was no feathering effect. But a lipliner is advised so that it will look more polished.

My new favorite lipstick - Rich Red. I have not worn lipstick in close to 10 years now. Lipgloss and balm were always my staples. And the best thing is that I am not allergic to it. My last red lipstick was way back in 1994 when I wore Cover Girl Really Red lipstick.

Weekend Brunch Buffet @ Hai Tien Lo, Pan Pacific

I love the brunch buffet at Hai Tien Lo on Level 37 of Pan Pacific Hotel. The view is pretty awesome and the ride in the glass elevator afforded a bird's eye view of the Marina Bay area.

This is the first time I had a Chinese (Cantonese cuisine) brunch buffet. It has selection of dim sum and regular dishes from the a la carte menu, plus the appetizers and desserts on the buffet table.

The appetizers seemed like the typical food you will get from the 1st court platter of a Chinese wedding dinner - seasoned octopus, roasted duck, chicken, jellyfish, spring roll, etc (see above pic). The desserts were a mixture of Asian and Western - brownies, almond jelly, seasame paste soup, puffs, glutinous rice balls etc.

The highlights were really from the menu. You can choose between shark's fin soup and Buddha Jump Over the Wall (BJOW) for your soup. The shark fin soup was really yummy - thick soup with actual whole pieces of fins. It is exactly what you get from Chinese wedding dinner at Pan Pacific. The BJOW was pretty ok, with abalone, chicken and other stuff. I think I prefer the shark's fin soup.

We ordered quite a number of dishes :p Now it is a challenge trying to recall what we had.

Shrimp dumplings - skin was thin and soft, not too chewy and the size was just right.
Scallop dumplings - equally nice
steamed cod - it was good, but I focused too much on other food, so it was not that great after it turned cold
beef cubes - this is fantastic! my fave. the beef is so tender and kinda melts in your mouth
deep fried prawns with wasabi mayo - we ordered this so many times. it is the specialty in Hai Tien Lo
"Live" prawns in herbal soup - this is another fave. the prawns were so sweet, very fresh
"Live" prawns - it tasted pretty bland after the herbal version, but still fresh and sweet
egg tofu - this is excellent too
Roast duck and some crepe roll thing - not to my liking.

Errr.....I think that was what we ordered. It seemed like a lot, probably because we kept re-ordering the prawn dishes.

It is pretty good deal at S$58+++ for the good quality food and selection available.

Kolachy

Kolachy Co. opened a couple of months ago at Bentall Centre Two at Burrard in Vancouver. It was interesting but I never got the chance to try it until my very last visit to the chiropractor. Die die must try :p

I bought the BBQ beef kolachy which was pretty good. It is slight sweet bun with the fragrant savory bbq beef cubes. Warm and toasty. Easy to munch on and great for a meal on the go.

So what is a Kolachy? It is a sweet yeast bun which is usually filled with fruit preserves, nuts or cheese. It originates from Eastern Europe or rather Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

At Kolachy Co., they served kolachy with savory fillings such as the bbq beef, or pesto, western, hawaiian, chicken, breakfast and with sweet fillings too. Interesting stuff and sold out after 3pm at the Bentall Centre outlet. Go early to avoid disappointment.

Harry & David Cakes

Found a few more items which are drool-worthy. And guess what, they do deliver overseas! Just add 30% more to the catalog prices. Hmmm.......shall I order some day? I have never ordered perishables online before. Actually I did, from COWs, long time ago but I don't recall much now.


Cinnamon Swirls
Two nutty, hand-rolled pastries – golden, sweetly saucy, ready to slice and enjoy.
We still roll them by hand because there's no way to duplicate this kind of homestyle quality. Filled with walnuts, cinnamon and applesauce, topped with chopped walnuts, and baked so it's lightly crisp on the outside, nice and gooey inside. Two pastries, individually boxed.
2lbs. US$26.95

Cheesecake Petits Fours
They're notoriously rich, smooth and velvety inside.
These single-serving cheesecakes combine our best flavors: Original Cheesecake drenched in dark chocolate, Original frosted in lemon, Raspberry in raspberry, and Chocolate Marble Cheesecake in milk chocolate. Three of each flavor, a dozen Petits Fours in all, beautifully gift boxed.
Net wt. 12 oz. US$22.95
Candycane Cheesecake
Cool peppermint candy inside – rich dark chocolate on top.
We fold Harry's original cream cheese filling with crushed candycanes, and bake it in our luxurious cookie-crumb crust. Serves 8.
Net wt. 2 lbs. US$29.95
Pumpkin Spice Log
Our handcrafted cream cheese-and-cake dessert is incredibly moist and tasty.
We bake the spicecake using lots of ripe pumpkin with pinches of clove and cinnamon. Then we spread it with a rich cream cheese filling that we've fluffed up with light, sweet whipping cream. Next we roll it by hand and frost it with even more cream cheese. The result is moist and dreamy – a great dessert cake because everyone gets lots of frosting. Serves 8 to 10.
2lbs. US$39.95

They look so good, yummilicious!

Harry & David

My other 2 favorite men, besides Ben & Jerry, are Harry & David. Why do men always know what to do to get women's attention? :p The former duo makes fabulous ice cream and the latter duo makes fantastic desserts and chocolates.

Harry and David, I blogged about its cakes previously. I went there at the outlet at Tulalip, WA and spent close to half an hour just choosing my sweets. This time, I didn't go overboard in buying tubs of the chocolate truffles. But I still bought plenty. Chocolate truffles, chocolate covered coffee beans and malt balls and pear chips.

So I went to its website again and saw this - Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Crepe Cake

Description:

Made by hand with 20 French crepes. C'est magnifique!
Is this truly our most unique new dessert of the season? You and your guests will judge for yourselves – beginning with the thin, airy French-style crepes. We layer them with our wonderful hazelnut filling, then smother the entire affair in uncompromising chocolate hazelnut ganache, garnished with crisp chopped hazelnuts. Oui, oui, oui! It's really unique and impressive. Serves 16. US$79.95

It looks so rich and yummy. Wonder how it is like with crepe in between the layers.

Bobbi Brown Pink Quartz Shimmerbrick

Bobbi Brown Pink Quartz Shimmerbrick

I want! I actually didn't think much of the colors as they looked a bit neutral and brown for me. I'm very much a pink girl . I love Rose, Peony (I managed to get it at the cosmetics group store at the outlet!) and Gold. I didn't really like Pink, Bronze, Beige or Apricot.

So I never bother looking out for Bobbi Brown when I was in Nordstrom or Macy's. Until a gf asked me to help her get the Pink Quartz shimmerbrick as it was all sold out in Singapore. Yes, we go dotty over cosmetics in Singapore. Items do get sold out within a few days of being launched, especially when it is limited edition or new collection.

Funny thing is I never saw Bobbi Brown in the usual departmental stores in Vancouver. Nope, not found in The Bay or Sears. Quite pathetic selection of departmental stores in Canada. I did a google and finally found a Bobbi Brown counter in Vancouver. How sad is that? Only ONE counter in Vancouver and it is in Holt Renfrew, the upscale departmental stores with all the designers' clothing lines. In Singapore, the tiny dot, there are at least 3 or 4 counters. And yes with that "many" counters, items still get sold out. Consumerism never dies out in Singapore - shopping is the national hobby, right next to eating :p

So yeah, I went to the counter in Holt Renfrew and managed to buy 1 Pink Quartz Shimmerbrick for my gf. The MA tested it on my cheeks and I love it! It gives a light glow to the face and is indeed a rose-gold effect. It is not meant to be a blush like you can do with Rose and Peony. It is softer and healthier than Gold, with its rosy-gold effect. I love the case too, the rose-gold is just too pretty! I tried the individual colors as they can also be used as eyeshadows, but that didn't work too well on me.

However, it is going at C$49+13% tax. That is such daylight robbery considering it is only US$38. And I found out it is either S$66 or S$70 in Singapore. So nope, I didn't shell out for that. Who knows, maybe I may be able to get it in the future. I'm glad I'm not a collector cos I would definitely pay for it if I am.

Price Check

I have not done the price check of all the items I bought, well not that I am going to check on all but just some basic stuff.

But I finally did find out the cost of Estee Lauder Beautiful Sheer edp 30ml in Singapore. It is going at S$80. Ouch. Now I feel better springing US$45 for that.

The LeSportsac satchel is selling at S$123, so I actually got a bargain since my purchase was at the factory outlet.

I know makeup is definitely cheaper in the US (never Canada!) so I am fine with that. But I have a feeling I paid either the same or more for my H2O+ products since I bought them in Canada. Somehow I didn't see any in Seattle or Portland. At least no standalone stores in the malls I went to. Hmmm.....unless they are located within the departmental stores then I could have kick myself for not noticing. Then again, I was doing targeted shopping in the departmental stores, I never browse at all the makeup counters at all or even look at the clothes or bags or shoes!

Just did a check online and found out H2O+ stores are only found in California, Illinois, Nevada, New York and South Carolina. No wonder I never see it in WA and OR. And reason why I did recall seeing them in CA and NV.

Jetlag Hits

I still think it is better traveling from Canada to Singapore as the jetlag is not that obvious. Got in close to midnight and slept the whole afternoon away on Wednesday. I noticed I felt sleepy around 8+pm but since I was to meet a friend at 9pm, I only had a short nap. Realized I couldn't really sleep during wee hours of the morning. Slept at 130am and woke up at 530am.

Thursday was not much better. I got tired/sleepy at 630pm or so, maybe it was also because I was having a massage too. Lol. Anyway, got home around 8pm and went to bed after showering. And I woke up at 230am! It is now 5am and I am still wide awake.

This seemed so familiar. It is all coming back to me now. That I used to wake up early for a few days every time I came back to Singapore. Funny how I could vividly remember how I always felt when flying into Canada, but not back Singapore (until now).

Jetlag in Singapore is not so bad since I am awake and active during the day, just that I sleep early. But hey, early to bed is a good thing too.

In Canada, jetlag is more obvious since I would always sleep once I arrived in the late morning, then I would wake up around 5+pm or so and start the hunt for food. Grocery shopping and take-out. I would go back to sleep around 10+pm and then I would be fine. Adjusted to Canada's time again.

Maybe I should start organizing my MU loot now :p

To be young again

A friend sent me the picture he took of me when he was here way back in 2003. I have lost lots of pictures when my pc crashed like 3 times in 2003-2004. It sure brought back memories.

I wanna be young again. I looked so "green" there. Minimal makeup or maybe none in that pic. Haha.

We were at a teahouse somewhere near Chinatown. It was an awesome place as you get to select your tea and you brew it the traditional way yourself. It was a good experience for us both. It was also the first time I played tour guide, with itinerary and all for his visit :p

We explored many places, particularly those with war history as he is a war history buff. I took him to Changi Prison the Chapel and Musuem , Fort Siloso, Night Safari and not sure where else. Yes, we didn't go shopping except at Sim Lim Square where he shopped for gadgets.

Oh we also went to Army Market where we had a viva gathering for lunch. Sentosa for Images of Singapore, Merlion, Underwater World, Little India, Esplanade, Dim Sum at Yum Cha and the Heritage Centre...Gosh it has been so many years that I just don't remember much now.

Tomato Rice

I didn't take a picture of the tomato rice as it belongs in the "edible but unpresentable" category :p I was basically trying to clear the items in the fridge and had to improvise with what was available.

What can I make with these:
tomato pasta sauce with mushrooms
rice
chinese cabbage
onion
red pepper

I didn't particularly want to make pasta and I need to use up the cooked rice. I didn't really want fried rice or more porridge, so I thought to make the pasta sauce but over rice instead of pasta.

What I did:
Melt butter, fry sliced onions in pan. Then add red pepper and chinese cabbage. Sprinkle with basil garlic seasoning and freshly ground pepper.

Add rice to the pan and fry ala fried rice. Then add the tomato mushroom sauce and mix them all together. Cover so the steam can soften and cook the chinese cabbage and red pepper.

Serve with baked chicken strip.

It actually tasted not bad. Similar to those stuffed pepper or eggplant thing or risotto. Except it would be better if I actually have ground beef and not add the chinese cabbage. Wrong mix.

So next time :)

Staying busy

I am back to my busy schedule again, of meeting people and activities. This is similar to my lifestyle in Singapore where I tend to have my week filled with things. I quite dislike being inactive.

I need to get a 2008 diary, I like my current one from M&S. Good size to carry around. Hope there are some nice ones left when I get back.

My schedule for the next 2 weeks:
7 Dec - last minute shopping (likely SFU to get bumper sticker for Veron), not sure if i can get down to lougheed. then housewarming party at CLT's place, social night at another place.
8 Dec - likely lunch with S, coffee/walk with K, dinner with J
9 Dec - likely brunch/lunch with P, pack and move to CP's place
10 Dec - fly off
11 Dec - up in the air of no man's land
12 Dec - arrive SG, dinner with HZ
13 Dec - lunch with N and gym and hopefully a massage
14 Dec - again hopefully a massage and swim, dinner at IC's place
15 Dec - brunch at Pan Pac with IY
16 Dec - AN's baby 1st month celebration during lunch time
18 Dec - Facial
20 Dec - Meet SC

Jetlag? What's that?! :p Still need to schedule dates/meetings with SL, VL, R, S, and many more. Plus my routine of back to gym and massages. Oh yeah, I still have plenty of sessions left.

Krispy Kreme in North Seattle, WA

I finally had Krispy Kreme donuts. Surprisingly it is not so commonly found in Western part of North America. After a successful start in Canada when it first opened, with long lines of customers, the franchise (or company which brought it to Canada) went bankrupt after 2-3 years. No more Krispy Kreme stores in Canada, except for 6 locations. 6 stores in the entire Canada (2nd largest country in the world, how sad is that?) They can be found in Mississauga, ON, Delta, BC, Montreal, Laval, Quebec City in Quebec and Calgary, AB. These 6 stores are controlled directly from the US.

So it is not a wonder that I don't see so many stores, unlike other bakeries/fast food joints like Tom Hortons, Dairy Queen, etc.

So finally I got to try the donuts from Krispy Kreme again, fresh from the fryer in North Seattle :p Funnily I didn't really see it in downtown Seattle though a search online showed that there is actually a store just 1 block away from Pike Place.

The box of a dozen donuts
What we got: original glazed, chocolate iced kreme filled, chocolate iced with sprinkles, glazed raspberry filled, glazed lemon filled, chocolate iced cake, maple iced glazed

Rows of donuts
Half-eaten original glazed. Look at the amount of sugar in there! Simply too sweet to finish

Chocolate iced kreme filled with peppermint latte. The coffee is surprisingly pretty good.

Krispy Kreme Van
The baking station

The interior
Holly decorating the shop

Jack in the Box fries at KK

Here is my verdict on KK donuts. It is simply too sweet for my liking. Granted it is quite soft but just not that fantastic. I still very much prefer Donut Factory in Singapore. Tim Horton's donuts are sweet too but not as sweet as Krispy Kreme.

We almost dumped the entire box of donuts away. Lol. I took it back and gave to my friends back in Vancouver, so nothing was wasted. Or not that I know of. I only tried 3 donuts.

Comfort Food - Baby Porridge

I am getting so much better at making baby porridge. I still remembered the very first time I made it in Oakville back in 1994. I burnt so many pots of porridge. There was no rice cooker then (poor student), so we cooked rice using the pot.

The pot was not non-stick, so the rice will stick to the bottom of the pot and get burnt if the heat is not right. Well, you just learn by trial and error.

I used to get the mushy effect (HK style) by using the masher. I will mash the carrots and rice together. The usual way is through cooking it for a long time on low fire, simmering on the stove. That is when you will get the watery, gruel like effect. Smooth and can slide down your throat.

Today, I was feeling a bit peckish and didn't feel like having anything heavy or too processed. So the baby porridge it is. I was quite surprised it took only an hour or so to get the soft mushy effect without any use of masher. I think if you used lots of water, it would get mushy on its own.

Minced pork and peas porridge
Ingredients:

minced pork, seasoned with ground pepper and soy sauce

peas (frozen is fine)

spring onions

1 egg

salt

seasame oil

Method:
Place rice grains in pot with water and bring to a boil. Once it hit boiling point, reduce heat and simmer for 45mins or so.

Prepare the meat and veggies

When the congee is at the desired consistency, add meat, peas and spring onions

Continue to stir to cook the meat

Add salt to taste

Add egg into the congee and stir

Add seasame oil

When stirring, the rice will break up further, giving a smoother consistency. When it reached the desired state, remove from heat and serve.

I like to sprinkle fried shallots on it, and have it with marmite or spicy preserved beancurd.

White Spot - 18 November 2007

We went to White Spot for lunch a few weeks back. White Spot is well known for its Triple-O sauce in its burger, and there is also a counter at SFU campus. I used to buy the burgers and shake. Mmmm...the strawberry milkshake is the absolute heaven. Really yummy with real strawberry bits and super big too. Enough to be a meal on its own.

I like the monty mushrooms burger and veggie burgers at White Spot. Zoo sticks were good too, but need to share as it can get jelak quite fast. Deep-fried does that to me.

We were not that hungry, so I had the chicken caesar wrap. The fries are refillable. How cool is that? Even then I had to doggy back the other part of the wrap. Too big.

Chicken Caesar Wrap - A classic! Chicken, fresh romaine, bacon & Parmesan freshly tossed in our signature Caesar dressing. 8.99

Jason and Ria shared the Fajita Salad. See how huge it is!

Fajita Salad - Tender strips of Angus sirloin sautéed with our special blend of spices, garlic butter and seasonal vegetables. Served over Romaine lettuce tossed with our Southwest Parmesan dressing in a crisp tortilla shell. Jack and Cheddar cheese, sour cream cilantro sauce & salsa. 12.49

For more info:
White Spot