It is always crowded during dinner time (or actually most times) in the Orchard area. You will see long lines at most food places. ION, Wisma, Taka and Wheelock are packed with people waiting for a table, and much worse on weekends.
So we ended up at Din Tai Fung and joined the wait which was about 30mins. Thankfully they served the dishes fast and you would usually have your order ready by the time you were seated. We decided to have the spinach appetizer and it was good. Fresh and crunchy with light seasoning.
Next up was the xiao long bao which was still good. Translucent skin with a flavorful broth and meat inside.
The zhajiang noodles took some getting used to as there were beans in there. I guessed I was more used to the version at Crystal Jade.
The promo item ~ chili crab dumpling ~ for the Singapore Food Festival. There were 4 pieces, J was too hungry and took one immediately.
Crabmeat over meat with a chili crab gravy broth inside the dumpling. I felt a bit cheated as I thought it would be only crabmeat inside the dumpling. I did not expect the pork at all. The chili crab broth was a bit sweet. So I did not like this dish much, I thought it was just so-so.
The shrimp dumpling soup was also average, not that memorable at all.
A friend sent a forwarded mail to me and I thought it was pretty good, and something to think about, reflect upon. BEST POEM IN THE WORLD
I was shocked, confused, bewildered As I entered Heaven's door, Not by the beauty of it all, Nor the lights or its decor.
But it was the folks in Heaven Who made me sputter and gasp-- The thieves, the liars, the sinners, The alcoholics and the trash.
There stood the kid from seventh grade Who swiped my lunch money twice. Next to him was my old neighbor Who never said anything nice.
Herb, who I always thought Was rotting away in hell, Was sitting pretty on cloud nine, Looking incredibly well.
I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal? I would love to hear Your take. How'd all these sinners get up here? God must've made a mistake.
'And why's everyone so quiet, So sombre - give me a clue.' 'Hush, child,' He said, 'they're all in shock. No one thought they'd be seeing you.'
JUDGE NOT.
Remember...Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.
Hahahahaha! I LOVE this phrase which is so true and funny. I am so tired of people who think they are holier than thou just because they go to church every Sunday, yet sometimes their behavior for the rest of the week is something to think about.
It is really so hard not to judge, but it is something I always try to strive for. Maybe that is why I always try not to bother about what others think cos if I do, then I will try to analyze and then I will be judging. And by my above statement, I know it also has some form of judgement in it. So yes, I am still a sinner trying hard to live a life which will be pleasing to God.
Another analogy which Candace Cameron Bure (actress from Full House) used in a video of her testimony was pretty good too. It was something she read and stuck with her.
"When you take a white sheet and place it on the grass, it looks very white. Yet when you take the same white sheet and place it on the snow, it does not look so white anymore."
It means that when you compare yourself to others whose behaviors are worse than yours when based on current yardstick e.g. stealing, drugs, killing, etc, then you seem to be a very good person because you are not doing criminal acts. But when your "good" behavior is measured against God's yardstick, then it may not so good after all.
For Candace, she based God's yardstick on The Ten Commandments, and so she tries to follow the 10 commandments which she says will be what God will be looking at during Judgement Day.
Every saint has a PAST.... Every sinner has a FUTURE!
Yay! I have graduated!!! After about 2 months of 3x a week treatments, I have moved on to 2x a week. My spine has improved its position and I can finally tell.
I am pretty much "duh" when it comes to myself as in I don't really focus on myself. I don't really scrutinize my body, my face, my skin, my emotions, my anything. I just go and do things and let it be.
So I did not realize that I have stopped "cracking" my neck in the last 2 months after I started chiropractic treatments. I have been "cracking" or "popping" my neck (the sound you hear when I turn my neck quickly) for so many years as it just helps to release the tension in the area. And it got to a stage where I just have to turn my head and it will just "pop".
When I first started chiropractic treatments, I had to consciously remember not to "crack" my own neck. Reason being that if I do that, I will be reversing what the chiropractor has done to adjust the spine back to its original position.
I do not know when I stop getting the urge to "crack" my own neck, but when the chiropractor said I have "graduated", then I start to think about it and realize I have stop this habit. Yay for me. I guess this is the most telling impact of chiropractic treatments for me.
I usually get such nasty migraines that my painkillers are those super strong, prescribed only pills which cost about $9 each at the doctor and over $10 each at the pharmacy. Since it was so strong, I always try not to take it unless absolutely necessary as I did not want to be addicted to it or for it to lose its effectiveness. I know people who take painkillers daily as it has become like an addiction for them.
So far I have not had any headaches after starting chiropractic treatments. Then again, I am also not very highly stressed at moments. It seemed like my headaches or migraine attacks come when I am extremely stressed. Though sometimes they come when my eyes are very tired and I do not have enough sleep.
I also do not feel the need to go for regular massages now. I used to feel the want or urge for a massage every few days but now I find I can get through the week effortlessly. Not much aches or soreness. Sometimes I still feel a bit of achiness on the upper back where the shoulder blades are, but it is no longer as bad as before.
I used to go for massage once a week or alternate week though it has dropped to a monthly affair. Massage is still a nice thing to have and I find I can really use the massage treatment as a form of relaxation and no longer as a form of remedial therapy. So now I will usually go for Swedish or Balinese massage where the long soothing strokes and kneading will relax me. I stopped asking for sports/remedial massage where pressure points are the norm to remove the knots in the body. I never like Tui Na as it was always too painful for me.
So it is indeed great news that I can see and feel the improvement in my spine with chiropractic care. I know sometimes people do wonder and think if it is all in the mind or something as it is not something you can see immediately.
Except for the instant relief the body feels after each treatment, you really do not know if your spine will or can be moved back to its original position. But now I can safely say that even if I cannot feel or see my spine, I can definitely feel the difference at this moment.
So hopefully it will continue to improve and the body will be at its optimum stage.
Food Opera (the food court) in ION Orchard was so crowded in the first few weeks after opening that it was so hard to find a table. So I waited and in just a couple of weeks, it was fairly empty on a weekday afternoon or even weeknight. I guessed people have satisfied their curiousity about the food there.
Food Opera is under the same people who bring us Food Republic, so the prices are higher than usual. The place seemed to have an animal theme as you can find sculptures of animals scattered around the place, with mirrors and other wall decorations.
If you have been missing the Scotts Picnic beef noodles, you can find it over here. They located and got them to set up a stall in Food Opera. I ordered the beef noodles with a side order of the beef ball soup and it came to $6.50 or so.
The beef noodles was not too bad. The sauce did not lose its sticky, gooey starchiness nor did it turn watery after a while so that was very nice. The beef slices were tough and chewy which I did not like. However the beef balls were soft and springy and those were good. If I was to order this again, I would just ask for beef balls noodles instead.
We shared a plate of oyster omelette. This was very nice. I liked the crispy edges and the oysters were plump and fresh. The chili was tangy and so yummy with the dish. Now I know where to find oyster omelette when I get a craving of it in town.
I was at Coffee Club earlier in the month and found out its soup promotion has ended. The new promotion then was the Twist Food Fiesta with baked pasta or rice. So I had that instead. It came with a choice of the special smoothie plus an entree. I selected the Tropical Blast which had bits of rambutan in it. Cool, icy and refreshing. Perfect for our warm weather.
The server recommended the Skipper's Delight which was penne topped with dory with a lobster bisque-like sauce. The pasta was not very al dente, the fish was usual, but the sauce really had a lobster flavor to it. So that was good.
Since I could still find the promotion information on its website, it is probably still available till early September.
Can you believe this was my very first time to Dian Xiaor Er? I have always skipped it when deciding on where to dine as I am not really a duck person. Friends had told me it was really very good but somehow I was not convinced. So it must have been a blue moon when I agreed to try it earlier in the month.
As usual, there was a long line though it did move fast. We were given a menu to browse while waiting for a table, and the waitress came to take our order just before we were shown to our table. That helped to speed up the process as the food came shortly after we were seated. The seasame chicken. It was not too bad, the sauce was sweet and the seasame seeds fragrant. The chicken was a bit tough though, so it would be easier to eat using your fingers.
Baby kailan with lime and salted fish. I liked this dish. The veggies were fresh and crunchy, the lime gave a tangy twist to it and the salted fish added a new dimenson to the taste.
The famous dish - roasted duck in 10 herbs sauce. There were 3 options for the duck (Angelica - Dang Gui, 10 herbs and Ginseng) and we chose 10 herbs. It was surprisingly good. The sauce was not overpowering or herby, instead it was a bit sweet. The gravy was light and not thicken with starch. The meat itself was not very gamey which was the reason why I dislike duck. The meat was tender and lean and the skin was crispy. It kind of grew on me after a while.
Now I know why there are always long lines outside all the Dian Xiao Er restaurants. They do have pretty tasty duck and veggies. There are also other signature dishes such as the cereal prawns, dongpo (stewed pork belly) and mongolian ribs and spinach with salted and century eggs. Hmmm...dishes to try for next time.
A friend posted about The Cove, a movie which starts screening in Singapore today. It is a documentary about a dark secret happening in Taiji, Japan. With hostility from the Japanese, the people in the movie had to film the footage secretly. Whether that is right or wrong is another issue.
The Cove highlights what is little known about how we actually get the dolphins which we see in the various marine theme parks in the world. Pods of dolphins are actually chased, hunted by Japanese fishermen and then driven into the cove in Taiji, Japan. Once there, nets are dropped to prevent the dolphins from escaping. Dolphin trainers from the marine theme parks will travel to Taiji to select dolphins which they think will be suitable for their shows. These dolphins can fetch up to US$150,000 each, a very lucrative business. The rest of the dophins (some 23,000 or 2,300 - I got different numbers from different reports, but in any case either numbers are too just too many!) will be inhumanely slaughtered, turning the sea into a pool of red.
The meat will be sold in supermarkets for mass consumption in Japan, and are even sold as lunches to the schools. Then two Taiji authorities actually tested the meat and found out the mercury content in them was way too high (5 to 3500 x more than allowed by health officials). So they are also slowly "poisoning" their own school children by making dolphin meat as part of the lunches. I don't know how long this practice has been happening, but when you keep reading about the violent outburst which has been happening with the Japanese youths, I start to wonder if that has a correlation. And people always wonder why cancer is so common now ~ it's probably all in the food (meat, veggies, seafood, fish, etc) we are consuming now plus the environment.
I have not watched the film yet but I do so intend to, even though I will probably bawl my eyes out. The director decided to make the movie a la Ocean 11 style, so it is like an exciting action movie, except it is real. It is happening in real life. So I think the film showed them putting together a team like Ocean 11 and to try to tell people what is actually happening in Taiji. The actual senseless killing of the dolphins is about 2 minutes in the film but apparently it is enough.
Make a difference. It may not be about dolphins, but it could be about other issues you are passionate about. What this film shows is really how if someone (in this case, Richard O'Barry ~ dolphin trainer for the famed TV show Flipper turned activist to save dolphins) is passionate about his cause and what he believes in, things can happen.
Already things are happening. It was reported last Friday that Broome shire in Western Australia has said it will sever its sister tie to Taiji, Japan. It bowed to pressure from people emailing and asking the Broome authorities to do something about the dolphin slaughter in Taiji after they watched The Cove.
As with any issue, read more about it, do your own research and then form your own opinion. While I think it is great that we will get to know what is really going on with the dolphin trade, there are probably so many more things happening in the world that we are unaware of.
I am undecided if Aquariums and Marine theme parks are really evil. I think they walk a fine line between educating the general public about the marine sea life and mammals as well as being able to raise funds to continue its research and studies? I don't know, probably I need to go find out more about it.
For most people, such aquariums and marine theme parks (e.g. Sea World, Marineland, Ocean Park, etc) are probably where they first see dolphins and other marine mammals. However I do not agree with the shows now though I did not think much of them when I saw the shows when I was a kid. While the idea of "swimming" with dolphins sounds so cool, but when it is done in the theme parks, it is just another way for the parks to make money.
I learnt a lot when I was at Sea World Orlando. I took the "behind the scenes" tour where I paid extra so that I could be up close and personal with the mammals and also hear more about their natural behaviors, habitats and what Sea World is doing to help in conservation. Being young and like any park visitor, you would think that the handlers or park know what they are doing, that having small groups of visitors descending on them will not have any adverse effects on their well being.
According to Richard O'Barry, the trainer for dolphins, those dolphins who performed in shows are actually always starving. They learnt that if they do the "tricks" right, they will hear a whistle and get fed. Which is why you always see them being given food as a reward. The trainers called it positive reward, to O'Barry now, it was an act of cruelty. To starve the animals so that they will perform and entertain the visitors. And that usually it is the mammals/animals who dictate the timing of the shows as in they will go into the pool when they are hungry.
He could be right as I did remember some shows where an animal or mammal will start first and the trainer will say wow he sure is eager to start. Of course we will all laugh since we have no idea of what actually went on behind the scenes. If really they are not fed until show times, it sure is animal cruelty. I wonder how those animals in our own Night Safari, Zoo and Bird Park are treated.
There are dolphins in Vancouver Aquarium, and I have only been there once or twice in the mid-1990s. It never really occur to me to keep going regularly. Reading more about the Vancouver Aquarium, it seemed like the dophins were rescued after being trapped in nets, and they are scarred. One has lost a flipper after being tangled up in nets. It was rehabilitated and and kept in the aquarium to educate visitors. In this incident, then I think aquariums can play an important role. Save dolphins who are genuinely injured or trapped by nets, care for them and if they cannot be released back into the wild safely, then keep them to educate people.
The Vancouver Aquarium also has beluga whales. The tank is definitely much smaller than the vast ocean. I still don't really know how the aquarium got the beluga whale, but it has successfully bred beluga whales, with a calf born last year and another one this year. I think by now the beluga whales are so used being kept in captivity that it will be hard for them to adapt to the ocean.
Apparently there used to be an orca show at the aquarium though I don't recall seeing it at all. Maybe that was the year the activists has successfully forced the aquarium to stop the show and give up the orca. Living in Vancouver, I was actually blessed to be able to see the mammals in their wild habitats. That is, if you have the money to go for whale watching tours. Those tours do not guarantee that you will see them but you are just out in the open sea in areas where they usually travel.
I was on a trip once, and it was freezing cold out there. We had to wear thick jumpsuits provided by the operators and then we just wait. I did not see any whales then (maybe too early in the season in end April), but I did see porpoises, sea lions and seals. It was still amazing.
Some marine mammals become used to urban areas and will actually take the harbours and piers as their home. I would always drive to the Marina in Victoria, Vancouver Island just to catch a glimpse of the resident harbour seal. It is its home and the residents there just treat it as normal. Same for the famous Pier 39 in San Francisco where the seals have made it its home.
So I guess when it is a natural phenomenom, it is ok to go see them as long as we don't disturb them while they go about their everyday activities? It is only when people try to hunt, kill animals senselessly that is it bad?
It is a hard line to draw on what is right and wrong. I guess I have been rambling on but it sure has opened up questions and thoughts about animals/mammals in captivity.
Bottomline - go watch The Cove. If not for anything else, just for knowledge.
I met up with ex-colleagues for lunch earlier this month. We decided to try the lunch buffet over at Pan Pacific Orchard (formerly the Negara Hotel on Claymore Road). It is always quiet when I go to Pan Pacific Orchard and it is no difference on a weekday afternoon.
Besides us, only about 2 or 3 other tables were filled. One was a big group, obviously on a company lunch bonding thing. I started with a plate of salad ~ greens, grilled zucchinis, mushrooms, pomelo chicken ~ which was fresh and appetizing. There were more items available.
10 @ Claymore with its huge chocolate fountain in the background. It actually has a ring of food for you to dip into the fountain. Dried fruits, profiteroles, fresh fruits, marshmallows and many more. The buffet itself is not big but it is sufficient. I like that each chafing dish is spilt into two, so you get two types of foods in one. It saves space and the food is warm and fresh as they are not left that to harden over time. The food is replenish quickly and frequently too.
The table setting. It is quite dark with its warm brown color scheme. I like the glass all around the place, giving it quite a cozy yet modern feel to it.
The soup is served from the kitchen and the soup of the day is french onion soup. It was average. See the difference between what is served here and the picture I blogged about from Kelsey's which looked so much more appetizing.
There were many types of bread and the ones I had were warm and soft inside and crusty outside. You just sliced the bread to the thick you liked. I loved the butter though. Herb butter and tomato butter. So delicious on the bread.
The roast beef was very good. Super tender and almost melted in my mouth. The roasted sweet potatoes were very nice too. The fish was fresh and the chicken in some sauce was equally yummy. The carb was garlic rice which made a nice foil against the meat. Steamed veggies completed the mains. The grilled squids were not too bad, not too rubbery. There was also a pork dish and other stuff which I did not take.
I was quite happy to just eat the roast beef with roasted sweet potatoes and some fish. I think when you have good quality or decent food, you don't need a large variety to be satiated.
The dessert was a bit of a disappointment. It is obviously not their strong suit. The chocolate cake thing is meant to be a brownie but it obviously tasted like a chocolate cake and is good as that. So if you are really expecting a brownie, you will be disappointed. The strawberry cake thing was not that nice. The sponge cake was not too bad and the pineapple tart was not that good either. There was an apple crumble which I forgot to try. Fresh fruits rounded up the dessert section.
The weak dessert selection was probably the reason why the chocolate fountain had its place of honor right in the center of the restaurant and is the focal point for people walking into the place. If you are not a chocolate or fruits person, then you are totally lucked out for desserts.
I hardly go for the chocolate fountain now even at other restaurants as I am quite over it. Then again, most places only have the typical strawberries, marshmallows and melons to dip into the flowing milk chocolate. At least at 10 @ Claymore, you get the profiteroles which is a nice touch to counter the sweetness of the chocolate. It will be even better if they have two types of fountains ~milk and dark chocolate.
Another highlight is the coffee maker. You can choose the type of tea you like from the selection available. And for coffee, you get to select the type of coffee too. The waiter helped to make the cappuccino and brought it over to the table. That was a nice way to end the meal.
I would not mind going to 10 @ Claymore again to try the dinner buffet or just for lunch again. It is a nice place for a quiet meal. It is near town and yet is away from the crowd and madness.
Doesn't this picture of a cheddar bacon sirloin burger just grab your attention? So thick and juicy that you can practically feel its juice running down your chin when you bite into it. Crispy bacon with melted cheese and fresh tomato slices with toasted bun and fries. It looks so appetizing.
I have only been to Kelsey's once. Long time ago on a dark cold night when I was in London, Canada. Yes, there is a London town/city in Canada which is more known for its students population (University of Western Ontario is there). Despite only one meal there, I have always remembered it as the pasta I had was just so good! Unfortunately there was no Kelsey's in Vancouver then (but there is one restaurant now in Richmond area) where I spent more years than in Toronto side.
After googling for White Spot, I decided to find out what has been happening with Kelsey's and this is the result. The new menu for Kelsey's with its beautifully taken pictures and really good food. I would think it is still good if I can still remember that chicken alfredo pasta dish I had so many moons ago.
Kelsey's is just a homely place for good basic food like burgers, steaks, pasta, soup, salad, etc. Typical of so many restaurants over in Canada. It is a regular place for families, friends, students. Not a high brow type of place at all.
The Lobster and Crab linguine with a light butter sauce with garlic, chili peppers, fresh lemon, green onions and parsley.
See the thick slices of the grilled chicken breast. That was the kind of meat I had on my chicken alfredo, none of those skinny slivers of chicken meat which are served in the restaurants in Singapore. It is also common for pasta to be served with a piece of toasted garlic bread, again it is a huge piece. Basically everything is big in Canada/America :p
Even the salad looks so yummy with the grilled chicken, double smoked bacon, guacamole, bruschetta tomatoes, Feta cheese and croutons in ranch dressing. Somehow this reminded me of Cobb Salad.
This is totally new. I hardly see spinach dip in restaurants, and this is four cheese. Wow! I love spinach dip, it goes so well with plain ritz crackers. Over at Kelsey's, it is served with toasted garlic naan.
And the French onion soup. It looks so good in the picture. It is onions slow roasted in white wine and smothered in a rich beef broth. Topped with Gruyere cheese and baked to a golden brown. I would love to try this.
The meat - flame grilled sirloin steak which looks so juicy and meaty. I am not really a steak person but this could entice me to order.
Another restaurant to check out if you are in Canada, especially in Toronto area. Kelsey's started from Mississaugua, Ontario, so there are many more outlets in Ontario side than in the West Coast.
I was reading about White Spot and it reminded me of the meals I used to have when I was a student. There was a White Spot joint right on campus and it has served many. The famous burger with its Triple-O sauce and the huge pickle on the side.
I love its veggie burger, Jack Monterey burger and the original. The fries were always crispy and hot. And the milkshake...ooohhh...it is still the best milkshake I ever had. The strawberry milkshake has real bits of strawberries in it and can be a meal on its own. It is that thick and creamy and filling.
Reading more about White Spot, it seemed that it is trying to go upscale with its restaurants and is more than just a burger joint now. It has the usual salads, appetizers (I love the zoo sticks - fried zucchinis) pastas, sandwiches, grills, desserts.
Its current promotion is Celebrate BC (BC Day or Civic Day was in early August) and the above pic showed the burger with the pickle, caesar salad and blueberry pie combo. Looks so yummy. Why are there not more burger joints in Singapore? Places that serve really good and affordable burgers, some homestyle cooking.
If you are ever in Vancouver, do find a White Spot and try the strawberry milkshake. Apparently there are some White Spots in Hong Kong, Bangkok and Seoul. They are called Triple-O's and are like a fast food chain.
I received a "care" package the other day. All the way from Hawaii. It was totally unexpected and brought a smile to my face.
The Pre-Fall Catalog from Bottega Veneta and cookies! The Cookie Corner is a cookie shop which is only found in Hawaii. The cookies are baked fresh daily and they only deliver within Hawaii and mainland USA. Bummer :(
Macadamia nuts shortbread cookies - plain and partially dipped in milk chocolate. These are oh so good. Fresh and so buttery rich. It crumbles and melts in your mouth when you bite it. The burst of macademia nut flavor just makes want to continue eating it. The crunch of the nuts makes it hard to stop at just one.
I love this. I should ask my friend who is in Hawaii to send a box over.
I got this as a birthday gift earlier this year and I did not open it till last month. It has expired and there was a whitish spot at the side of the chocolate bar inside the wrapper.
I called up the shop and was advised to dump it. Awww....what a waste and a pity. Lychee martini flavored chocolate. I guess I will need to go to the shop and buy it and try it.
This is my bad habit. I love to buy snacks and things but I can just leave them alone when I get home and they will go bad. So I really need to try to eat the stuff immediately instead of letting them languish inside the paper bags.
Current items to be eaten - Milano cookies - Chocolate Fudge pop tarts - Wild Spice pringles chips - Ginger thins cookies - Ghirardelli chocolates - Almond chocolate bar
Can you believe this is in Singapore? The architecture is so out of place in the concrete jungle or blocks of buildings we know as Singapore.
I love how Friven & Co. differentiates itself from the other buildings and sticks out in a good way. I am not sure if this is the headquarters but the items over there are discounted. I do so adore the home accessories available there.
I took this picture over at the Bukit Merah area. I should go check out the other outlet at the post office across from Tanglin Mall next time.
It happened so fast. Just a slight cough on Wednesday and it quickly escalated into flu the next day. Slight body aches and chills when I slept on Wednesday night.
Rested during the day on Thursday and I was still not well, despite the extra sleep and popping pills (paracetomol and something for sore throat) and taking honey water and gargling with salt water.
Off I went to see the doctor in the late afternoon where she told me I had a low grade fever. She gave me so much medicines - paracetomol, cough syrup, lozenges and something for the sore throat. I took those and went for my events. Dior new collection cocktail party launch and then meeting a friend for dinner and drinks.
I was feeling quite ok, just tired as the night progressed. Got home close to midnight, showered and in bed soon after. I was still feeling quite ok, no tender rawness of the throat. I could swallow, no cough, nothing.
But about an hour later, my body started to ache. So I popped more paracetomol. That was a bad mistake. Nausea soon surfaced and I managed to get to the bathroom just in time, to throw up into the basin and then the toilet bowl. Basically I was retching out my dinner (cod fish fillet, which a friend told me is oily food and not good for when I have the flu). Washed up, cleaned up, went back to bed and decided to take the cough syrup.
Again, it was a bad choice. Another round of puking. This time I could feel I was just throwing up the medicine and gastric juice. Then I took the lozenges to sooth the throat. It took about 1 hour for the lozenge to disappear and by then it was around 530am. No puke but I coughed out the phelgm.
The shivers and chills and body aches did not help at all. I could not find a comfortable position to sleep. Despite burrowing myself under the duvet, I was still shivering and I did not feel the air conditioner was cold either. By then, I was just too tired and hungry and ached too much to go find food.
Managed to doze off till 830am and forced myself to go downstairs and get a piece of bread so that I can take the paracetomol again. Had a couple of bites, all the medicine and went to sleep. It was much better, the aches were better controlled and I could finally sleep.
Woke up 10am and then to sleep again. Basically I spent Friday, dozing on and off. I would sleep for 1 hour plus before waking and then going back to sleep and the cycle repeated itself. Hope I will get back to normal self by tomorrow.
There was a Fusion Fiesta promotion at Sushi Tei in Holland Village a couple of weeks ago. We ordered the shrimp and cheese wrap with cod roe mayo sauce drizzled over it. It was pretty good though a tad salty for my tastebuds.
I also ordered a california roll which was surprisingly good. I hardly order california roll in Singapore but somehow I was in the mood for some avocado and this hit the spot. A thin layer of rice, fresh seaweed and crunchy cucumbers made the difference.
This is one of my favorite breakfast items. French Cheese bun it is called. It is such a simple but oh so delicious meal.
Round crusty bun with cubes of cheese in the center and brushed with butter or olive oil before baking. It is basically bread with cheese but the combination is just so filling and wholesome. It is quite big, so it can really fill you up.
French cheese bun with a cup of coffee or tea, and you are set for the day. So far I like the version from Sun Moulin at Isetan Scotts basement. The French cheese bun from Provence in Holland Village is also not too bad.
I recently discovered books by Susan Mallory after I started on The Bakery Sisters trilogy series. Sweet Talk, Sweet Spot and Sweet Trouble. It was a fun read. Fast paced with witty dialogues made the ride over so soon.
So I started searching for more of her books and managed to read these too:
Standalone books
Falling for Gracie
Accidentally Yours
Sweet Success
Married for a Month
Buchanan Saga Series
Tempting
Sizzling
Irresistible
Delicious
Finally, the Marcelli Family Series. There are 5 in the series. I read The Marcelli Princess (book 5) first as that was one which I saw most often in the bookstore. I love it after reading that and so started my search for the rest of the series.
It was a tough search as the series was old, and thus not in stock for most of the bookstores. I tried the various books rental/sellers stores and finally hit jackpot. 2 from 2 different stores.
The Sparkling One
The Sassy One
The Seductive One
The Marcelli Bride
Good news is that they will be re-issued in 2010 with new covers so you can soon find them in the bookstores.
So I have finally finished the Marcelli Family. It is like a soap opera on daytime telly. I am amazed by her plots and keeping track of everyone throughout the five books.
It centered on an Italian-Irish family, with 2 grannies, a cantankerous grandfather, the patriach of the family. A family winery. Feud with neighbouring winery. Twins. 4 sisters, a long lost brother who was given up for adoption. The navy SEAL. President's daughter. Prince of another country. Hot shot lawyer. Family sewn wedding gown. Food. Rosaries. CEO of security company. Psychology. Divorced with daughter. Deception. Forgiveness. Stubbornness. Humor. Whirlwind.
The elements which made the romance novels industry a success. Now I am wondering if I should just keep the books and then get The Marcelli Princess again just to complete the series for keeping.
It was basically a book a day. I just wanted to devour them all to find out what happened.
The Buchanan series was equally gripping. There is a new series now - Lone Star Sisters (Titan family) - that I have yet to start. Probably because I have not seen any of the books in the bookstores. Probably all sold out by now.
The Modern Peking Duck was featured in the papers a couple of weeks ago and I was intrigued with ready-made peking duck which you can get on the go. Before the article, someone already told me about it and that it was very popular and always had a long line. Besides peking duck, it also sells roast pork.
For $6, you get 5 pieces of the peking duck. It looked a bit sad? 5 pieces in such a big box which made it seemed like something was missing.
Opening up the crepe wrapper, you would see a dab of hoisin sauce and a generous piece of duck meat. It was quite a disappointment as I was expecting the crispy duck skin with a sprig of spring onion and a sliver of cucumber.
On the plus side, the duck meat was not too gamey and it was quite soft and tender.
After a pretty long hiatus, Dunkin' Donuts came back to Singapore again. Pretty exciting, to have it here again. Being Dunkin' Donuts, do not expect Krispy Kreme style donuts with its soft fluffy sweet glazed donuts. Dunkin' Donuts' donuts are the traditional heavier version with more bite to them and not as sweet.
I ordered a set. Donut and coffee, so classic. The donut (can't remember the name) was quite normal. Dense with dark chocolate coating and chocolate balls decorating half its surface.
I must confess I still prefer Donut Factory donuts as I prefer my donuts to be light as air. However, I do hope Dunkin' Donuts will survive its 2nd appearance in Singapore. We do need more variety. At $1.40 each, it is certainly more pricey than the others.
ION Orchard, the newest kid in shopping mall heaven in Singapore, opened just 2 weeks ago. Already it is packed daily, making the other malls pretty empty. Already Takashimaya has been having promotion every weekend to try to get the shoppers and browsers back.
I like that there are some art sculptures out front. At least it is not totally just buildings and shops. In fact, there is an art gallery up on Level 4. There are 8 levels in ION Orchard, making it having a bit of everything for everyone.
With Levels 1 to 4 featuring luxury and high-end goods, it will appeal to the fashionistas and tourists with money to burn. Basements 1 to 4 (yes, 4 levels underground) will be where you get food from the various food stalls, restaurants and food court, plus regular stores to cater to the teenagers and budget conscious shoppers.
Basically the lower it is, the "cheaper" the stores are. $100 is not cheap, but when compared to over $10,000 for an item on Level 1 or 2, then yeah, it is. All is relative :p
One of the entrances leading into ION Orchard. Sandwiched between Louis Vuitton and Prada, you sure get lots of eye candy from the window display. So far, I have always entered ION Orchard via B2 where the Orchard MRT is. I love the underpass on B2 which links to Wheelock Place. It is so convenient, especially since they have removed the pedestrian crossing on Orchard leading to Wheelock. You have to cross over at Paterson Road now.
As it was the soft opening, not all the stores are opened yet. Plus I don't think it has achieved an 100% occupancy rate. So you see some hoardings still around ION Orchard. I do quite like the series the ad agency has come up with. "A xxx takes minutes, A xxx takes time" with different images can be seen all over the place.
The ceiling of ION Orchard. I am quite surprised that I do like ION Orchard. I did not really expect that. It is spacious with plenty of resting areas, especially on the upper levels. The basement levels are always packed as it attract more traffic, particularly on B2 and B4 where the food and MRT are.
Prada has yet to open. It will be interesting to see what is in store. Louis Vuitton occupies 2 levels. It seemed to be a trend for designer stores to have 2 levels now. Even in Paragon and Takashimaya, stores are renovating to occupy 2 levels.
Burberry and Harry Winston. The taxi stand is on Level 2, right in front of Burberry, and the drop off point is where Harry Winston is. Landmarks to remember.
Dior is also coming soon. I heard there will be Dior Homme too, which will probably be welcomed by the men. I am also waiting for Yves Saint Laurent to open. Finally another option besides the store in Paragon. Church's (men shoes) is also opening soon, plus Car Shoe. Miu Miu has already opened and I like the place. Looks so much better and more welcoming than the one at Paragon. So Prada group has all its brands under one roof (Church's, Car Shoe, Miu Miu and Prada) in ION Orchard.
Besides labels, there are also many food places. I am looking forward to TWG opening too. Already I spied this cafe Gusttimo Di Roma which looked so inviting on Level 1. Casual, bright airy place to have a cup of coffee and reading a good book.
Another exciting store I am waiting for is Herve Leger. Currently his clothes are available at Pois.
4 levels above ground. You could see almost all the stores in one glance which is very welcome. I am so tired of all the other malls where there are so many nooks and crannies. With so many levels, there are escalators which will take you directly to B4 from B2, or Level 4 from Level 2.
Level 1 and 2 are where the premium luxury watches, jewelry and designer stores are. Level 3 is where you get local watch stores like Cortina and Hour Glass and local designers like Alldressedup and Kwanpen and the lower end of designer stores i.e. Furla, Longchamp.
enVie de Pois is also on level 3. Lovely display with its gowns and chandelier and runway shows on the backdrop.
See the different escalators leading up to the various levels. It is quite a massive place though you will more or less know where things are if you spend an entire day walking the mall. I did that and it did not feel so huge there after :p The only mall I have not finished walking all over is the West Edmonton Mall in Canada (the biggest mall in the world in the 1990s, not sure about now, but still the biggest in Canada). For that, you really do need about 3 days just to explore.
I am used to big malls. After living right next to Metrotown (largest mall in British Columbia, and 2nd largest in Canada) for a few years, I have to be. It was my playground and had everything I needed. Another reason why I rarely went to Chinatown or even Richmond for Asian food or stuff.
A whiskey store on Level 4. I like its tagline. "See - Sample - Savour"
My favorite supermarket for now. ThreeSixty Marketplace on Level 4. It has all the stuff which you hardly get at other places. It is probably the most expensive of all the Marketplace too. I am so excited that it has Ghirardelli chocolates with more choices than the one at Raffles City Jasons. If that is not enough, there is also Hediard (also available at Paragon Jasons), Dean & Deluca, Waitrose (available at VivoCity and elsewhere), and so many others which I don't remember now. There is the dessert section with yummy looking cakes and brownies. Some cakes are so huge that it reminded me of the 7-layer cake.
It also stocks many selection of ready-made food for cooking. Freshly made burger patties, roasts ready to go into the oven, plus the various frozen food too. It has a small section for fresh seafood too. Very nice.
We decided to have the spinach appetizer and it was good. Fresh and crunchy with light seasoning.
Next up was the xiao long bao which was still good. Translucent skin with a flavorful broth and meat inside.
The zhajiang noodles took some getting used to as there were beans in there. I guessed I was more used to the version at Crystal Jade.
Crabmeat over meat with a chili crab gravy broth inside the dumpling. I felt a bit cheated as I thought it would be only crabmeat inside the dumpling. I did not expect the pork at all. The chili crab broth was a bit sweet. So I did not like this dish much, I thought it was just so-so.
The shrimp dumpling soup was also average, not that memorable at all.
