Roses and their uses

Well, it has been close to 2 weeks since I received the chest of roses. I didn't transfer them to a vase after 3 days as planned after I found out the stalks were too short and my vases are too big. Drying them also seemed weird, plus I never know what to do with dried roses. They just take up space, my precious space ;p

So I thought I shall enjoy them instead. Instead of a flower bath, I had a rose petals footbath. I used 3 roses for that. A few days later (1 week after receiving the flowers), as more roses are dying, I decided to have a "bed of roses" though it was more like a bed of rose petals. Hehe. I still could not bear to use the entire 7 roses, so I only scattered the petals from 4 roses.

No, I didn't sleep on them. Hehe. I placed the petals in a glass dish for candle and they are drying naturally now.

Now I have 3 roses left in the chest. They are no longer a pretty sight, but I still love them. Some of the petals are dried, the rest are damp and they are still giving out the lovely fresh cut rosey scent. Amazing!

Maybe I will put the dried up petals into a sachet and use it as a drawer scent. Or does anyone else has any idea on what to do with the roses?

St. Gregory Spa - Novena Square

I mentioned before that I usually go to a spa on my birthday for a massage treatment. I kinda broke tradition this year. I still went to a spa, but surprise surprise, I didn't get a massage. No sirree. I just went there to chill by the rooftop pool. Plus I already had a massage the previous day at Elements.

That was the 1st time I used the facilities at St. Gregory Therapeutic Spa. I usually go to the one at Plaza Hotel along Beach Road. There are different themes to the St. Gregory Spa at the various outlets. At Plaza Hotel, it is St. Gregory Javanese Spa, so the treatments are geared towards the Balinese/Indonesian treatments like mandi lulur, hair creme spa, boreh scrub etc.

At St. Gregory Therapeutic Spa, I find it has more Tui Na and Cupping massages, plus the signature Japanese hot tub. The place is huge, it is like a maze with the numerous doors and walkways. I was led to the ladies changing room. In that area, there were the shower area, restroom area, sauna, steambath, and mini changing cubicles before it led out to the rooftop swimming pool.

Swimming pool

I love the view from the swimming pool. One can see the skyscrapers and the sky too. The pool itself is quite shallow at only 1.2m deep. There is a jacuzzi at a side too (too bad I couldn't find the button to turn it on :( ). At one end of the pool, there is lounger of sort to lie in the water and relax. Pretty cool. Besides the sun loungers, there are 2 mini hammocks to sit and rest your feet and the sway where the breeze takes you.

Mini hammocks

I spent about 3 hours there, mostly lazing on the mini hammock and reading my book. Took a dip in the freezing cold water, rested a bit on the lounger in the water before tanning myself on the sun lounger. Went back to the ladies locker room and nipped into the oxygen lounge (yes, you read it right. Oxygen lounge). The oxygen lounge has oxygen pumped into the room with a machine. Oxygen is said to be good for the skin, make it fairer and purer, etc. There are magazines provided to browse through, and tea/coffee/water and crackers are also provided.

Oxygen Lounge

Everything is provided at the spa; cleanser, toner, moisturizer and body lotion are available in the dressing area. I like that there is even a dryer to spin the moisture from the swimwear. I would love to go back there again :)

Another outdoor ad - IShop

I am fascinated with the black apples dotting the top of the bus shelter just outside Heeren. Somehow it always reminded me of Snow White and the poisoned apple she ate (yes, I know it was red in the book/Disney's movie but I think black is more apt). See the glossy shine and the perfect shape of the apple.

That is the outdoor ad for IShop - opened by the Club 21 group, I believe.

Royal Copenhagen Tea Lounge

Royal Copenhagen Tea Lounge on the 2nd level of Takashimaya is apparently a haven for rich tai-tais to have a cuppa and rest their weary feet after a morning or afternoon of shopping. I rarely go there for tea or dessert as I much prefer Toast, but when there is nowhere else to go, it will do in a pinch.

Celest and I got there around 815pm, with 45mins to go before they are closed. We were tired from walking around after watching Brokeback Mountain. We were not hungry as we had a late lunch, so we just ordered Uva tea and shared a slice of green tea cake.

It is a quiet place, with the gentle chinking of cutlery against the royal copenhagen plates and cups. The whole premise is set around the use of the Royal Copenhagen crockery, to use the delicate floral patterned fine china for tea or meals. When we were there, they changed the crockery to the year series, instead of the usual (due to too many breakage).

Straits Kitchen - Grand Hyatt Hotel

I like Straits Kitchen - Grand Hyatt's newest restaurant. It serves a variety of local food in a buffet though ala carte is available too. I went there with Irene for lunch. I think it is $36+++ for the lunch buffet. Thank goodness for UOB Platinum 1 for 1 at Hyatt. Hehe.

There are many stations featuring indonesian/malay nasi padang, chinese food, indian food, noodles/rice, local desserts and fruits.

We tried so much food. I always like the Indian food section with its naan, prata and murtabak plus countless side dishes of curries. I like the puree spinach dish and the prawns curry. The Tandoori chicken is surprisingly tender.

Indian food

We also tried the bbq stingray, oyster omelette (very good - oysters are fresh), otak, satays (bit tough - a disappointment), soya chicken and roasted duck (I didn't try that), fried rice (has the wok hei taste, delicious), steamed seabass or cod and popiah...I finally had the prawn mee soup but without the noodles. The prawns were huge and sweet.

Popiah

For dessert, I had a small scoop of black sesame ice cream with a wafer. That was good. I didn't try the local desserts like cheng tng, pulot hitam, pineapple tarts, kueh lapis, cookies, or nee (yam paste), goreng pisang (fried bananas), etc. I like fruit juice bar with the free flow of fresh juices. The selection of fruits is not wide though - dragonfruit, guava, watermelon, papaya and melons.

I like the wood pillar and the decor of the place. It has lots of dark polished wood with glass all around.

Island Creamery

I heard about Island Creamery through CC. It is at Serene Centre along Bukit Timah Road, facing the junction. Island Creamery is fascinating because of the local flavors available. Pulot Hitam ice cream, anyone?

I couldn't resist the myriad of flavors available and ordered a 2 scoops icecream - Teh Tarik and ReversO (dark chocolate with oreo bits). The teh tarik really tastes like teh tarik, except it is not as sweet as the drink itself. The ReversO is so good. The bittersweet dark chocolate with the crunchy oreo bits is so heavenly.

Teh Tarik and ReversO

I also tried the kahlua latte, very nice. Davis ordered the Horlicks ice cream and it just tastes like Horlicks. Hehe. Livia said the chendol is fantastic too. I heard there is a Tiger icecream (I assume that is Tiger Beer ice cream). There is also peanut butter icecream and lots more.

It is pretty much a no-frills place; small on presentation but big on taste. There are also complimentary pockey sticks and milo or horlicks powder to sprinkle on the ice cream. There are other desserts like baked alaska, brownies, mudpies, etc.

Mad Jack

Mad Jack - an aussie restaurant along Bukit Timah Road, just after Serene Centre. The signboard is eye-catching, with its pictures and bright colors. It certainly caught my attention when I alighted from the bus.

The images of fish and chips, burgers and steaks are tantalizing. There are not that many places which serve good fish and chips at a "cheap" price. We decided to give the place a try. To assauge the guilt of having a deep fried fish and chips, I ordered a juice for weightloss (try to argue with a woman's logic ;p ). The drink was tasteless though it was made of tomato, cucumber and carrot juices.

The fish and chips were fabulous. The fish was pretty fresh and the batter was crunchy though I felt it was a bit too thick. The veggies had canned peaches on it, which was not what I was used to, but it gave a sweetness to the raw vegs. Now, the fries were the highlight. They were warm and crispy and tasty with the spices sprinkled on them. I would go back just for the fries.

A friend ordered the lamb chop in brown sauce. The lamb was tender and the sauce went well with it. The mash potatoes were run of the mill and the gravy was just a tad too salty with it.

Contact:
6 Duke's Road
(S)268886
Tel: 6289 1506

Yhingthai Palace

I decided on Yhingthai Palace restaurant for my birthday celebration this year. After an experience of having a set menu on my birthday, I promised myself I would never ever do that again. It was bad, bad, bad.

The restaurant could not cope with a full house and there were 2 sittings. Food were served late and people were left hungry. I felt like I was being in a cattle production line or something. There is no romance at all.

Anyway, after that experience, I always try to go to restaurants which have their regular menus and do not try to cash in on Valentine's Day by changing to a set menu for that one day.

So it was Yhingthai Palace for my girlfriends and I. So touched to know that they are willing to forsake their SOs to celebrate with me instead. Thank you girls :) Love you all.


It has been several years since I last went to Yhingthai for Thai food, but I always remembered the good quality food served there. The olive rice and deep fried pomfret with mango sauce are to die for.

So we ordered mango salad, deep fried pomfret with mango sauce, olive rice, green curry chicken, string beans with shrimps in spicy sauce and seafood tom yam soup. The fish is amazing. Fresh and crispy that one could even eat the bones (well, the side or is it fin?) and the tangy mango sauce goes very well with it. The olive rice is fantastic, no other restaurants came as close to its standard. The string beans are crunchy and tasty with the spicy sauce. The tom yam soup is deceptively clear but packed a punch. The disappointment is the green curry chicken. Somehow I felt it is a bit watery and the taste is not there.

Kisses for the girls

The meal ended with a birthday cake which Livia bought from Bakerzin. It is called Desire and it is so yummilicious. Rich and sweet, with the prettiest chocolate roses I ever seen.


Contact:
Yhingthai Palace Restaurant
#01-04, 36 Purvis Street
Tel: 6337 1161

Busy Busy

It has been a fairly hectic week for me, with all the birthday celebrations and then calls for job interviews. I am exhausted and hence did not stay online for long to really post and blog.

So many places to review. Hehe.
13 Feb - Genki Sushi
14 Feb - St. Gregory's Spa at Novena Square; YhingThai Palace (Thai food)
15 Feb - Carl's Jr; Din Tai Fung
16 Feb - Straits Kitchen at Grand Hyatt
17 Feb - Island Creamery; Mad Jack
18 Feb - Marche; Royal Copenhagen Tea Lounge

Yes, I realized I do eat out very often. I think that is because food is so easily available and it is quite affordable too, when compared to elsewhere. Plus, eating and shopping are the national pastimes :p

Happy Happy!

Happy birthday to me and happy valentine's day to everyone!

Woke up to see my phone filled with smses from my gfs and family, wishing me happy birthday. Thank you, thank you :)

Then while I was deciding if I should still laze in bed or wake up (only 830am), my mom knocked on my door to tell me someone has just delivered flowers for me. Yay! I was so excited that I flew down to see it. Hehe.

I'll Treasure You Always

It was 10 red roses on a bed with other blooms in a treasure box. Very pretty. I brought it up to my room, and that was heavy! Made me wish it was also filled with gold coins and jewelry. Hahahaha. Thank you F :) Love you for making my morning so bright today and for the surprise.

This is the 2nd time someone has sent flowers to me, and both times were from F. The first time I only saw it after I came home as I was out early, and this time round I am actually home to see it :) Feel like I am in 7th heaven now.

1st time round was a hand bouquet of tulips. It was meant to be purple tulips but I guessed the shop ran out of it and hence the red tulips which I also loved.

Another birthday cake - 12 Feb 06

Yesterday was the 15th Day of the Lunar Month and that also meant the last day of the Chinese New Year Celebration. We had dinner at my cousin Ivy's place, and guess what was served?

Yup, Yu Sheng again. That would be the last Yu Sheng of the year until 2007. Dinner was a congenial affair, with everyone talking and laughing and just catching up with one another.

There were over 20 of us, including the kids. Cousin Ivy has outdone herself. There were lots of food. 8 Treasures (too bad I am not such a big fan of that nor do I know how to enjoy it), chicken, pipa duck (still trying to find the English word for that), roasted pork, chinese cabbage soup with fish balls and mushrooms, chap chye (mixed vegetables) and cereal prawns, plus chicken rice and very very nice chili sauce.

I like the pipa duck, think it is the first time I had that. I am not a duck person and always try to shun it, but decided to give it a try this time round. It is very tender and the taste of the pipa (something sweet, similar to plum sauce) probably disguised the meaty taste.

For dessert, there were cheng tng (sweet soup with dried longans and dates) and or nee (yam paste with pumpkins and gingko nuts). I only tried the or nee as that is my fave chinese dessert. It was made the traditional way with lard! I like the pumpkin and yam, but am not a huge fan of the gingko nuts.

For drinks, my niece made me a vodka peach with sprite. Vodka is not my fave choice of poison, but when absolut came out with the vodka peach, I don't mind that. It was light and very good. Maybe that is the alcohol talking? Hehe.

At the end of the meal, they surprised me with a birthday cake. Felt so loved and touched as it was unexpected, plus my birthday was only a couple of days away (Feb 14 for those in the dark). It was a durian cake from Savory Fare, our fave bakery. I love their cakes ever since cousin Irene bought me a chocolate fudge cake from there for my 12th birthday.

That was a very lovely birthday celebration with the family :) I love you all.

Tim Tam Balls

I became a huge fan of Arnott's Tim Tam biscuits after I discovered the thrill of doing a "Tim Tam Slam". This is an utterly sinful pastime.

Basically, a tim tam slam involves a tim tam biscuit and a beverage of your choice. Personally I prefer it with warm milo. You nibble off 2 corners (diagonally) of the tim tam biscuit (dark chocolate for me) and the use the biscuit as a straw. You dip 1 end of the nibbled-off biscuit into the beverage (warm milo - my choice) and then try to suck up the liquid with the other nibbled-off corner. Once you got the liquid into your mouth, you will slam the entire biscuit into your mouth...thus the "Tim Tam Slam" This is fantastic for a chocolate fix. The warm gooey texture and sweetness of the tim tam with milo is sure to put one in heaven.

Caution: This is not a lady-like sports at all. Lol.

I have tried it with cold milk and coffee, but somehow only milo provides the kick. Maybe it is a double whammy of chocolate dosage. Obviously one cannot indulge in this habit all the time :p

I love the Candy Empire at Millenia Walk. It just carries so many varieties of chocolates, candies and cookies from Australia and Europe. Besides the run of the mill Tim Tams, it also has Tia Maria, Caramel, some chocolate fudge thing and other types of Tim Tams. I saw the Tim Tam Balls there, but refrained from buying any on my last visit there last Sunday. I am trying to stay away from sweets, but alas they keep calling my name. It doesn't help that with my birthday coming up and all the CNY dinners, I am still eating sweets :(

A lovely friend dropped by my place on Thursday to give me a box of Tim Tam Balls. She just returned from a trip to Australia, and she knows how much I love chocolates and probably Tim Tams too, hence the gift :) Thank you.

I finally succumb to opening it today and had some. The little balls are tiny and oh so easy to just pop them into the mouth. Nice.

Read the box: Kiss them, crunch them...nibble them...juggle them...suck them...ooh la la.

True Spa

True Spa is a newly opened spa right in the heart of Orchard Road, making it convenient for shoppers, tourists or office workers who want a respite from the busy traffic (human or otherwise) and crowds. It is owned by the people behind True Yoga.

True Spa takes up the entire Level 16 of Ngee Ann City Tower A. Part of it is True 'Est, an aesthetics centre with 3 doctors on site, where one can get treatments like IPL or similar (permanent hair removal, weight-loss, cellulite-loss...).

The place is huge, with seemingly endless corridors and treatment rooms. The lounge area has plenty of chairs and tables scattered all over, with acloves dotting the one side. Fresh fruits and refreshments are served after the treatment, so one can just rest and relax and just absorb the serenity (the burning of essential oils helped too).

The men and women treatment rooms are segregated in different sections. The men treatment rooms are much bigger (not fair! :p) than the women as it contained a shower cubicle and day sofa too. Then again, it is because there is no men locker room, unlike the women section. There are 3 VIP rooms where couples can have their treatments together. The treatment package usually comprise of a body scrub, massage and facial and you will get to use the hydro bath for free. I like 1 VIP suite which has a window, so one can pull up the shades and be in their small little world for the 3 hours there. There is also a daybed to relax. Very nice.

The women section: There is a locker/changing room, as well as a small powder room. Behind it are the steambaths and hydrotherapy baths and showers. I am not too impressed with it as there is no privacy at all for the bath. 3 baths lined up next to each other, with a shower curtain for privacy. I think I will feel so claustrophobic in there.

The massage rooms and facial rooms are in different areas. The massage room is much bigger with a mirror across 1 wall and a ledge to place your stuff (i.e. jewelry, watch...). There are also a chair and a small coffee table in one corner, I do wonder if those are there just to create the ambience cos you will definitely not be sitting there at all. The facial room is slightly smaller. Just the bed and sink at one side, but still very nice with the teak wood fixtures. Each therapist has their own room, which is probably good as it creates a sense of ownership.

The nail station looks good. There are 6 massage chairs with an attached sink at the foot of the chairs for pedicures. Unfortunately there is no button to increase the intensity of the massage, only the vibration. They use mainly Essie and some OPIs for the nails (I wonder if they brought in OPIs after I feedback during the soft launch that OPIs are better than Essie. Hehe).

So far, I have tried 3 treatments at True Spa (massage, facial and foot treatment) and I still have yet to try the pedicure, body scrub, manicure and hand treatment.

Massage - therapist Doreen
As I went there when they just opened in early Jan, they only had Swedish and Aromatherapy massages. The others like Balinese (which I wanted to try), Hot Lava Stones, Ayurvedic Shiro Dhara, deep tissue and sports massages are not available then. In the end I had the aromatherapy with some pressure points massage as I desperately needed something stronger.
The massage was good, the therapist was able to read the body and apply pressure accordingly.

Facial - therapist Mandy
I love the massage bed as it is heated, giving a warm cocoon feel to it. Initially I thought it was a bit too warm in the room, but coupled that with a face massage, I actually fell asleep. And I rarely fall asleep during treatments. The spa only uses Peter Thomas Roth (PTR) products which are supposed to be really good, a cult brand.

I had the clear luminous facial which is supposed to hydrate and create a luminous skin. Every facial will consist of 2 masks and an ampoule. I like the therapist as she was always very concerned about what I was feeling, especially since I told her I have sensitive skin and tend to have very strong reactions to enzyme based products.

Something different is that they used a warm towel to open the pores instead of using a steamer, and extractions are done by fingers instead of the tool. Overall, I am very pleased with the facial and I am so not a facial person. Maybe I was wowed by the fact that I fell asleep. Also the therapist will not leave the room for the entire treatment, unlike other places. After the treatment, I actually have a pinkish glow to my face. I think that was the skin reaction to the enzyme peel...but at least only the cheeks were pink. Natural blush :)

Foot treatment - therapist Mandy
I am surprised to have the treatment done in the facial room (Mandy's room) as I would have thought it will be done at the nail station. Mandy told me it could be done out there too, but she is more used to doing things in her room instead of out there. It is not too bad having it done in the room. You get to lie on the heated bed while she prepped the feet for the paraffin wax. PTR products are used for this treatment.

A peel is applied on the feet to assist in exfoliating the dead cells I guess. That is followed by a quick feet massage before finally dipping the feet into the paraffin wax. Mandy is very gentle, so the whole process is not as painful as it sounds. After which, the feet are wrapped for maybe 5 minutes or so and you will be left with very soft and smooth feet.

Tip: Best to have your feet scrubbed or removed of callouses before doing this treatment.

I have been to True Spa several times and have brought some friends there and recommended others to try too, especially for the facials. So far those who went love the facials too, and most fell asleep. Hehe.

A weird thing about True Spa is that you need to have a consultant, who is supposed to guide you and of course try to sell you packages. I have met a few consultants as my consultant (Caslyn) was not around then. I like Caslyn as she does not try to hard sell at all, and she is very nice. Hazel is also good, but she is a bit young and thus not as experienced as Caslyn.

Please look for either Caslyn or Hazel if you are thinking of making an appointment :) You can say Carolyn recommended as they *should* remember me. Hehe. Also if you do sign up a package, I think I will get a Taka shopping voucher too :p

Contact:
True Spa
16th Floor
Ngee Ann City Tower A
Tel: +65 6732 9555
Open daily with last appointment at 7pm

The Ultimate...

I want this! Looking at this just makes one want to relax and chill. Such decadence, with a glass of champagne, butler service and is that a bowl of strawberries or flowers? Doesn't matter, it is just sheer bliss, to soak in the bath.

I snapped this picture (a billboard actually) while waiting for the bus. This will be either a spa at St. Regis (new hotel being built in Singapore now) or the bathtub to rival that of Ritz Carlton Millenia.

Very Nice Outdoor Ads (Nokia and Paul & Joe)

Recently there are many outdoor ad campaigns and I am impressed with some of them. Besides the usual ads on bus shelters (most notably is HSBC, esp at the bus stop outside Dhoby Ghaut MRT), there have been many outdoor ads at the Orchard MRT underpass to Tangs and from Tangs to Isetan Scotts.

Those that caught my attention are Nokia L'Amour Collection, Underwater World, Escada Pacific Paradise and most recently, Paul & Joe Spring 2006 Collection.

The Underwater World ad at the escalator leading up to Tangs Basement 1 was marvelous at re-creating the travelator experience in the aquarium. The use of blue and pictures of sea creatures did give the illusion that one is exploring the underwater world.

I am most impressed with the Nokia L'Amour Collection ad as it managed to create a illydic romantic era (Italian?) with real benches, scones, fountains, etc against the wall background as seen in the pictures below.

Nokia Outdoor Advertisement for the L'Amour Collection along the underpass from Orchard MRT to Tangs.

Fountain (but it is quite dark to see clearly)

The slab of wood for the bench is real, notice the booklet on it? The back of the bench is fake, painted on the background. I love the mixing of real products with the fake.

Paul & Joe Spring 2006 Collection (Goddess of Spring)

I am very surprised to see Paul & Joe getting into outdoor advertising. The brand is imported by a small (I presume as it is not under EL or L'Oreal) company and its entry into the Singapore market in Octover/November 2004 has been pretty low-key. There were the usual advertisements in beauty/women magazines for new collection, but this is the first time they did an Outdoor ad and with a private party too.

I like the creative done, with the blending of cut-out images onto the lightboxm, as well as sticking the creatives for the entire underpass from Tangs to Isetan Scotts. For the launch party opened to P&J members, it was held at the Wisma Atrium and the Japan International Makeup Artist, Joji, was flown in for the event. Coincidentally, they also tied up with Nokia to give away the L'Amour collection in a lucky draw.

The campaign is very nicely done. It was very crowded at the party, and also packed at both Isetan Scotts and Wisma counters. I am certain sales went up tremendously that evening, particularly when there is a 20% discount from 530pm to 930pm. I was surprised to see that P&J also had a event section at Isetan Scotts atrium, with local makeup artists.

Birthday Wishlist

Just for fun, I am creating a wish list for my birthday :)

WISH LIST
1. world peace (hahahaha...Miss Congeniality all over again :p)
2. trip to Maldives Banyan Tree (still waiting for the long overdue birthday pressie *hint hint*)
3. Cacharel Amor Amor
4. Escada Magnetic Beat (I love this fragrance. Have finished 1 bottle already)
5. Stila All Over Shimmer Eyes *5 (deep plum shade)
6. Marc Jacobs gold oval watch (vintage look and it costs a whopping S$1,650!)
7. Nice mini ipod case which can house the earpiece
8. A job in the lifestyle industry (fashion, cosmetics, beauty, spa, food)
9. Cash?
10. Bath products - body scrubs, shower gels, body lotions (prefer Crabtree & Evelyn lotion)
11. Spa packages ( don't mind True Spa facial package)
12. trip back to Canada
13. Burberry Touch
14. Gucci Envy Me (finished my bottle, don't mind another replacement)
15. Entire OPI Mexico Collection (Spring 2006)

Brands I like:
Skincare - Phytomer, Biotherm, Peter Thomas Roth, H2O, Neutrogena
Bodycare - Crabtree & Evelyn, Bath & Body Works, Victoria Secrets
Cosmetics - MAC, Stila, Paul & Joe, Ettusais, Bobbi Brown
Fragrances - Calvin Klein (Escape, Euphoria), Escada (Magnetic Beat, Spring LE scent), Ralph Lauren (Style, Blue, Glamourous), Anna Sui (Secret Wish), Chopard (Pure Wish, Wish Pink Diamond)

Wow, it is quite tough coming up with some of the things. Hehe, so used to getting things on my own.


*Marc Jacobs watch*

Brazil Churrascaria - 9 Feb 2006

I have been wanting to try the food at Brazil Churrascaria but the location is a bit inconvenient for me as it is in the Bukit Timah area (read = far from me). There are many nice restaurants along that stretch now but I guess those other eateries will have to wait till there are special occasions or if someone else is driving me there :p

I finally went to Brazil Churrascaria with Sheryn to celebrate my birthday (early celebration). It is definitely not what I had expected. The place is much bigger than thought as it can actually accommodate many tables (yet it is full house every night; reservations is a must). The menu is simple: full dinner (salad bar and BBQ meat) or light dinner (salad bar only). Of course we had the full dinner as the whole point of going there was to try the bbq meat - all you can eat.

The salad bar is round and holds many items from sauteed eggplants, steamed corn, tomatoes, broccoli, potato salad, egg salad, pasta to couscous, beans, cauliflower, spinach etc. Passadors (servers with skewers of meat) will walk from table to table, offering diners slices of the bbq meat. The staff is attentive and will top up the water glass without being prompted, likewise with the meat.

BBQ meat include lamb, fish (my fave as it is tangy and refreshing), beef (many cuts - topside, rump, hump, errr...can't remember the rest), chicken (thigh, breast, heart, liver) and pork (ham, sausage). I only tried the fish, chicken thigh and breast, garlic steak, and some beef (very thinly sliced). Oh right, there was also bbq (?) pineapple, it was cooked and very sweet. For a non-pineapple person, it sure tasted good.

I had a caipirinha with lime and it was absolutely yummy. Strong and sweet. I like it :)

The best part of the night was when the staff came out with a birthday cake and burst into song - Happy Birthday in Portuguese. I didn't expect that at all. Thank you Sheryn for arranging that :) Excellent chocolate cake, not too sweet, dark - the way I like it - topped with strawberry and the sour fruit thing (can't remember the proper name now).

Brazil Churrascaria is definitely a place to visit again and again, but only when you have an empty stomach. Hehe.




Location:
14/16 Sixth Avenue Singapore 276476
Tel: +65 6463 1923
Monday to Sunday: 6pm - 1030pm

The Garlic Restaurant

Finally got to try the famous Chili Crab Noodles from The Garlic Restaurant at the Esplanade today. The chili crab noodles has won awards and accolades from others and I was keen to try.

The Esplanade has this interesting dining concept with Colors of the Bay. It houses several restaurants, and diners can choose dishes from any of the restaurants even when seated at a specific restaurant. Besides the garlic restaurant (where every dish has garlic in it, including a garlic ice cream!), there are a halal restaurant, thai, japanese, italian and chinese.

http://www.colours.com.sg/garlic_rest.htm

The chili crab noodles is tasty but I can't really find the crabmeat inside the gravy-laden noodles. The soft shell crab is crispy and warm, the gravy is just a tad spicy and absolutely delicious that I just want to order a man tou (chinese bun) to soak it.

We also ordered the garlic lemon butter prawns as appetizer. That wasn't done very well. The prawns were not succulent and did not seem fresh as the meat was a bit on the soft side. Maybe overcooked or something, but I like the buttery taste.

MOS Burger

I wrote about the Fan-tastic Burger from MacDonalds, and now here is a post on MOS Burger. It is a franchaise from Japan, and their specialty is in rice burger. Instead of buns, the burgers are made with rice patties.

My usual favorite is the Yakiniku rice burger as the beef is very tender and soft. But recently MOS Burger has this organic scallop rice burger and I tried that. Boy, am I hooked on it now! Maybe I got lucky and the burger was freshly made. There were so many scallops in the patty, all stuck together and breaded and fried. It was topped with 3 beans (not sure if it is french bean or the japanese bean) which were fried ala tempura style.

The warm crispy scallop patty made all the difference. The sauce is a bit salty but I can live with it as it goes very well with the rice patties.

The fries are a favorite too. Thick and chunky and especially delicious when freshly made.

Amrita Spa, Raffles the Plaza (Dec 2003)

SPA REVIEW

I got to try out Amrita Spa as part of the Body & Soul Room package provided by Raffles The Plaza. A 1 night stay in the Grand Premier Room and a spa treatment. Obviously, being a massage junkie, I chose a 60min Aromatherapy massage over a facial.

Amrita Spa is huge (50,000 square feet), spanning over 3 levels of Raffles The Plaza Singapore. It has 35 treatment rooms (attached showers), dedicated pedicure and manicure stations, hot and cold plunge pools, meditation alcoves and a relaxation lounge. Besides that, it fitness facilities include 6 tennis courts, 2 outdoor swimming pools, aerobics and yoga studios and a gym.

My appointment was pretty late, 8pm I think, so I didn't really utilize the facilities. I like the huge ladies changing room. The cold plunge pool and 2 warm jacuzzis are in there too. So you can actually just remain inside and never come out of the changing room. I was asked to change into a bathrobe in the changing room, and then I was brought out to the relaxation lounge.

The relaxation room was really nice. It has rows of beds with its individual curtains for privacy, as well as a CD player to listen to. You can request for CDs from the attendant. Floral tea is also served inside the room.

The treatment room has dim lighting, can't remember much of it now. The therapist was pretty good, managed to get rid of the kinks on my back and shoulders. It was a wonderful 1 hr treatment. After the treatment, I tried out the jacuzzi. As it was late, there were not many people using it. It was relaxing amidst the bubbles created by the jets.

Overall, I like it. I like the spaciousness of the spa. As with all hotel spas, they do not try to hardsell you into buying packages which makes the experience even better.

Contact:
Amrita Spa, Raffles City
Address: 2 Stamford Road Levels 6 to 8 Raffles The Plaza Singapore 178882
Phone: +65.63364477

Asian Spa, Fullerton Hotel (January 2004)

SPA REVIEW

Asian Spa, located at Fullerton Hotel in Singapore, belongs to the Aspara Group. This is the 3rd Aspara Group spa which I tried. The other two were Aspara at Goodwood Park Hotel and Amara Hotel.

I finally had the opportunity to try Asian Spa when I was searching for spas which catered to couples in January 2004. I like the spacious treatment room for couple. Asian Spa has a mix of the Asian ethnic decorations combined with the sleek modern look of Fullerton Hotel.

The staff is polite and very helpful. The ladies changing room is quite the norm. It is a brightly lit room with lockers, steambath, shower cubicles and commodes. Lots of metal and glass and a very clean look, which is great as I dislike changing room with dim lightings. You can't see your reflection or things clearly.

In the locker, it is filled with the customary spa slippers, paper panty, bathrobe, towel and hangers. Very important, as some places do not check if hangers have been removed from the lockers. After changing into the bathrobe, paper panty and slippers, I went out to the small waiting lounge.
At the lounge, there were a few comfortable sofas and chairs and 2 tables. Nothing fantastic, just a place to wait for the therapists and your partner. It's also the place where they will serve tea to you after your treatment.

I have selected the package "Me & My Valentine" from the various couple's spa package available. It is supposed to last 2hrs 25mins with 5 treatments for S$400.

The 5 treatments are: Body Glow (body scrub with sea salt), Minty Foot Massage, Aroma Body Massage, Replenishing Hand Treatment (hand paraffin wax) and Dream Bath of Flower Petals.

The treatment room is dimly lit for conducive relaxtion. It is roomy with 2 massage beds, covered in Asian-inspired sheets and towels. At one end of the room, nearer to the door is a small round jacuzzi. There is a sliding door separating the treatment area and the bathroom. There are 2 small cubicles in the bathroom. One is the toilet, the other is the shower. There is also a long countertop for the sink and shelves where extra shorts and towels are kept.

We had two therapists, one for each of us. We were asked to remove the bathrobes and lie face down on the massage beds. They started with the body scrub. Our bodies were given a thorough scrubbing all the way to the neck. I felt the sea salt is a bit too rough to be used on the neck and body, so I didn't really like it.

After the scrub, we were asked to take a shower. In the meantime, the therapists prepared the flower bath. After the shower we were invited to take our flower bath in the tiny jacuzzi. I had my reservations about fitting 2 persons into such a tiny space. The jacuzzi was filled with orchids and was bubbling away. My worries were unfounded, and we could sit in it quite comfortably. The only gripe is that you can't stretch out your legs. It is a deep round tub. We were served tea, which were placed on a tray next to the tub. The jets were strong, creating many bubbles that I can't find the holes where it came from. My partner told me they were right at the bottom as he could feel them.

After a 20mins soak, the therapists came back into the room and asked us to change into dry paper panty for me and shorts for him. My legs were like jelly while getting out of the jacuzzi and walking into the bath area. I was amazed, never had I felt so relaxed from a jacuzzi before. My conclusion is that the tub, while small, is filled with many powerful strong jets which really works your body. Very unlike the bigger jacuzzi which contained a few big jets and seldoms hit the right spots on the body.
We got back onto the massage bed. We were asked to dip our hands into the hot paraffin wax. They were then wrapped in plastic bags. Lying on our backs, the therapists started working on our tired feet using minty oils.

After which we were asked to lie face down again for the body massage. By then it was time to remove the hand paraffin wax. We were left with baby soft and smooth as silk hands. The body massage was good as the therapist was firm and not too hard. I was floating in and out of dreamland while my body was being kneaded to sublime bliss.

It was with great reluctance that I got up when the treatment ended. We were wrapped back in our bathrobes, and we shuffled back to the changing room.

After changing, I went back to the small waiting lounge. Tea was served over there. This time, it was greatly appreciated to just sit and lean back against the sofa. At the reception, the staff told me that they had tried to shorten the treatment time by doing both the foot massage and hand paraffin together since I had told her that we had a plane to catch when I made the appointment. It is certainly very thoughtful of her to make the efforts so that we won't miss the flight. It is indeed a wonderful experience at Asian Spa. I will definitely go back there again.

Contact:
The Asian Spa at The Fullerton Hotel
Address: 1 Fullerton Square, Singapore 049178
Phone: +65.68778183

Spa Esprit, Holland Village (May 2004)

SPA REVIEW

I have heard so much about Spa Esprit and have wanted to try their services for some time but just never got around to doing it. Main reason is the location, it's not very convenient for me to travel to Holland Village.

I went there a couple of weeks ago and tried their new item, Mud Stones Massage. It is essentially a hot stones massage coupled with the detoxifying mud treatment.

They have renovated the premises, and it is painted blue. I didn't like the colour, it is not a soothing sky blue or marine sea water blue. It just looks like a tired blue. It is located on the 2nd and 3rd level of a shophouse. Once you entered, you are greeted with the scent of essential oils burning. Pepperminty fresh.

At the reception, I was served a cup of cold honey lemon tea. Very refreshing, I like that. While the room was being prepared, I was ushered into a bigger waiting lounge. I was asked to select my own blend of essential oils. That was a nice touch. There were more than 10 blends available. As I was wavering between the blend containing the grapefruit and the other containing geranium (relaxing), the staff kindly offered to add geranium to the grapefruit blend (detoxifying, I believe).

I was then shown into the treatment room. It is very dimly lit. After changing out of my clothes and putting on the paper g-string, I lie face down on the massage bed. The therapist came in shortly.
She started with massaging my back using mud. The strength is good, however she has rough thumb and fingers. So the experience was not very good as you can feel the roughness when she massaged the neck and other sensitive areas. That is the only gripe I have with the treatment.

She spent quite some time massaging with the mud, and I was waiting for the hot stones. The stones were nicely warm and not burning hot. Overall, the treatment was quite alright.

After the treatment, I was ushered back into the bathroom, which is located at the end of the hall. The bathroom area is pretty small. Part of the area has been converted into a desert garden, with stones and small palms. I like that it has a the heavenly rain shower head. That was great for showering and feeling the tension melts away.

I went back to the treatment room to change back into my clothes after the shower. The lights were too dim that I had a hard time putting my jewelry back on. At the reception, I was given ginger tea. Very nice.

I like the services provided by the staff. They are not very pushy in getting you to sign packages though they do inform you of whatever promotions they currently have.

The Retreat at Grand Hyatt (2004)

SPA REVIEW

As part of the Great Singapore Sale 2004, The Retreat at both Grand Hyatt and Marriott were having some promotions.

I made an appointment for the special promotion at The Grand Hyatt. It includes a floral body scrub, cooling leg wrap and a deep tissue massage, plus the use of the spa facilities (sauna, steamroom and jacuzzi). The whole thing is to take about 90mins.

The Retreat is at the Grand Hyatt's Club Oasis, which is where the swimming pool and gym facilities are. The place is quite standard, nothing outstanding.

The women changing/locker room is much better. It is spacious and has lots of mirrors. There is a vanity area with countertops, chairs and hairdryers plus complimentary use of Crabtree & Evelyn skincare products. I like that there are 3 loungers at the spa facilities area. It is a good place to relax after the treatment and have a cup of hot tea. The jacuzzi is on a spilt-level, thus ensuring a little privacy from others. It is warm and cosy.

The treatment room is modern, lots of mirror to give the illusion of a bigger room. It has an ensuite bathroom with a bathtub. That is a minus point as it is not very convenient to shower off the body scrub grains.

The treatment itself is ok. The therapist could be better. She has the strength, but she doesn't listen to the client's body. And the whole treatment took only 70mins (including shower time). That is a real negative because you are paying for 90mins.

The scrub is not floral, instead she used sea salts. She combined the cooling leg wrap with the massage. Hence she used massage oil on the body, and the cooling gel on the legs. She didn't wrap the legs at all.

In the end, I felt the treatment was very short and ineffective. She is polite though.

Conclusion, the changing/locker room is nice, but it is not enough for me to want to go back there again.

The Retreat at Marriott (August 2004)

SPA REVIEW

I went to The Retreat at the Marriott. The service was not very good. I was there early, and was told to have a shower and change into the bathrobe. The receptionist said she will come and get me at my appointment time. After waiting for 5 to 10 mins, I went out to check if the therapist is ready. The receptionist had forgotten about my appointment!

I was brought into the treatment room and told to wait. I had booked for the Body Massage & Relaxing feet wrap, which will take about an hour.

The therapist came into the room after a 5-10 mins wait. She is polite and apologized for her lateness. I am not certain if she got my treatment wrong or what as she started off with a body scrub.

The room is small and has no ensuite shower or bathroom. I was told to go to the changing room to take a quick shower. After that, she started on the body massage. The massage was good, different from the usual style. And she ended it with a cooling leg wrap. The whole thing took about an hour (including the shower time).

The changing/locker room is very basic, a bit small. The vanity area is tiny, but it also comes with complimentary use of Crabtree & Evelyn skincare. The spa facilities include the steamroom, sauna, warm jacuzzi and a cold plunge pool. Unfortunately there is no loungers or areas to sit and relax after the treatments. And the therapist did not serve tea or warm face towel unlike its sister outlet at The Grand Hyatt.

Overall, it is alright, nothing to really recommend. Based on the facilities, it loses out to The Grand Hyatt. Service wise, it is mediocre. Therapist is ok.

The Red Peach (May 2004)

SPA REVIEW

The Red Peach is set in the middle of Chinatown, amid one of the numerous shophouses around. The concept is interesting, have a spa treatment after browsing the gallery of antique furniture and accessories.

The Red Peach has a Chinese influence in its decor, heavy with warm mahagony furniture. It is very woodsy, its monotone broken by the trickle of small stone water fountain found in each
treatment room.

I like that each treatment room has its own shower/steam area and wooden bathtub as well as the commode. The commode area has a square hole which serves as an open window. The starkness is soften with a pot of plant.

The shower/steam area is all modern, with the latest shower nozzle and a heavenly showerhead. The heavenly showerhead seemed to be a "in" thing now. There is a small bench to rest while using the steam. It has an inhouse shower gel and shampoo (red peach and apple), which is stored in a ceramic jar. Very nice.

The wooden bathtub is huge and deeply relaxing. The jets get to the sore muscles at the right spots.

I love the Ancient Chinese Massage, which is done by a male. You will wear a kimono, lie face down on the massage bed, and he will cover you with a sheet and then a towel. The Ancient Chinese Massage uses lots of finger pressure in circular motion. It is definitely for those who required therapeutic work on their body. Surprisingly I tend to fall asleep while he massaged one part of the back.

Tea is served at the end of the session.

Fire Dragon

FIRE DRAGON Horoscope Feb 3, 1916 to Jan 22, 1917 Jan 31, 1976 to Feb 17, 1977 Dragon people are the most eccentric in the Chinese Zodiac. Soaring high into the serene heavens, they can be stubborn, passionate, excitable, honest, and brave, wear purple and walk barefoot in public fountains. They listen to their own drummer, thank you very much, while the rest of the world stands in amazement. People always admire their individuality and feisty personality. Dragons are capable of doing great work for mankind and they inspire trust in almost everyone. The Dragon symbolizes life and growth and is said to bring the five blessings: harmony, virtue, riches, fulfillment and longevity. Chicken Soup and Bamboo Shoots are among keys to even greater good health!

Downright electrifying, Fire Dragons breathe vigor and power. These natural leaders smile at adversity, turn complainers into optimists, and lead lives as inspired as a Beethoven Sonata. They are square shooters in dealing with individuals and are often called upon to mediate disputes. Because they care so much about people, Fire Dragons like to support charitable causes and bring friends together for elegant evening soirees. These Dragons are fired with ambition, unflagging enthusiasm, and intelligence and enjoy most impressive careers as a result. Despite all the money they make, Finance is a big question mark. Money is easy come easy go. Until they control their spending habits, money will just go flying in the wind. Romantics at heart, Fire Dragons can't help playing Matchmaker. They're pretty lucky, too! As for themselves, they ooze charisma and never need anyone to fix them up. Successful in love, often placed on pedestals, Fire Dragons are attractive and have fire in the belly. The opposite sex feels very secure. Check your horoscope here. http://www.tuvy.com/entertainment/chinese_horoscope.htm

OPI Bottles

Self-explanatory.

OPI Mexico Collection 2006

I am so lemming the entire OPI Mexico Collection! It is a rarity since I have never like a whole collection before. But the Mexican Collection colors are so pretty! The reds, pinks and lilacs. I like! These are colors I will and can wear. Someone please talk some sense into me before I do something rash and buy the entire set. Or someone could be a kind angel and buy them for me as a birthday present. I promise to be good for the rest of the year...errr...month? Hehe.

The only hesitation I have is that some (about half of the collection) are creme, and I prefer shimmer or frost as mistakes are easier to hide. Creme is not very forgiving in smudges.

Order of choice:
1. You Rock-apulco Red! A glimmery crimson that totally rocks. (it looked like other reds I have, but I still love red!)
2. Cozu-melted in the Sun A shimmery beige-pink that's hot!
3. Strawberry Margarita (just because of the name :p) Sip into this bright pinkand enjoy!
4. Puerto Vallarta Violeta You'll really "lilac" this paradise purple.

Then the others:
A Dozen Rosas A rose-pink bouquet that deserves an olé!
Magnífico México A rich terra cotta you'll wear a-lotta!
Will You Mari-achi Me? A romantic opal you'll truly love.
My Chihuahua Bites! Bright orange-red that can't help but be noticed!
Pink-o de Gallo Light pink with a hint of nice spice.
Los Cabos Coral Like a day at the "peach".
OPI Por Favor A pretty lavender that's sure to "please"!
Tijuana Dance? A pale lilac-pink youcan't resist.

*Descriptions of colors taken from OPI website.

P.S. Do let me know if I have also created lemmings in you. All good things must be shared, agree? Hehe :P

Dum de Dum

Grrrr....I have been trying to create links in my blog and failing miserably. Now that I finally got them in the blog, the size of the sites kept decreasing and I have no idea why. Maybe this is payback time for not paying much attention in class for Computing Science 001 where we actually learnt HTML coding (before all the softwares came out - Dreamweaver, Frontpage, etc).

While I still remember the very basics (e.g. bolding, italizing, paragraph break...), adding audio or even adding these external links are driving me nuts.

I wish there is a more easily understood help manual for blogspot or all other html-related stuff.

*Help*

ETA: I finally fixed it. I think the problem lies in the <> I had in every line, and I forgot to input < /ul > to close the code. Can't remember what "ul" means, underline?

Deep Fried Mars Bar

Have anyone tried the deep fried mars bar? I read about it, I saw it being sold at this little stall in Level One of Far East Plaza, but I didn't try it until a few days ago. Unfortunately I didn't have the chance to take a picture.

I always wondered how it would taste like? Deep fried candy??? Almost as weird as deep fried ice cream (which I first tried in Jakarta in 1989). It is probably the same concept. Coat the mars bar in a batter, and quickly dipped it into the deep fryer for a couple of minutes or few seconds, enough for the batter to be fried, before draining off the oil and ready to be served.

Over here, the mars bar is chopped into chunks before coating in the batter and then deep-fried. Once drained, it is served with a scoop of either chocolate or vanilla ice cream.

Verdict: It is undeniably sweet, but I am not that into it. I probably will not have it again. It is probably fantastic for caramel lover or those with a very sweet tooth. The contrast of the warm battered mars bar and the cold ice cream is lovely, but I think I just do not like my sweets to be oily. You have to try it to make your own judgement.

British Chippy
#01-16C Far East Plaza
Open noon to 9.30pm daily

Capoeira

Ok, so I often try things without realizing the history or what it actually is, or even what it looks like. E.g. bellydancing, curling, sensual dancing... I have heard about Capoeira from Neka a few years back when I was telling him about my dances I think. He told me he was learning it in NZ and he took to it like duck to water and became very good at it. When we last met last year when he was in Singapore (he asked some church friends where I was as he didn't see me in church), he told me he was actually teaching it at the university in Hawaii. Cool eh. I doubt I can ever teach bellydancing as I am just not focused and disciplined enough to practise everyday, plus I am really bad with remembering choreography.

Well, back to capoeira. I have always wanted to try it after Neka told me about it. I think he told me it was like a dance, so of course I was keen. I am always interested in all forms of dance. California Fitness is finally going to offer it as a class in end February or early March. There was a preview of Capoeira on Monday, so I decided to go try it out.

It was fun. Lots of bending/crouching positions (I guess that is the attack or defense mode) with arms in front of your face. The sway/beat of the stance is similar to kickboxing. There were even kicks involved, twirling on the floor, supporting on your hands and lifting your legs in the air (that of course, I can't do). It worked up a sweat, but it was good. Time flew by and before you knew it, the 1 hr is up.

Now I am paying for that workout. The instructors did warn us our thighs will ache the next day, but they never mentioned how much. The back of my thighs and butt are still aching 2 days later. It is quite bad, I can barely sit or lie down without grimacing in pain. Not sure if a sports remedial massage will work.

Anyway, here is the history of Capoeira (taken from http://www.adoclife.com/history.htm)
The Origins of Capoeira
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form, which merges physical activity with music, rhythm and dance. It is an activity whose essential character has been preserved over the years by virtue of its intimate connection with popular culture. It was the negro slaves that arrived in Brazil who, through the practice of capoeira as a form of amusement, attempted to forget the burden of their lives. Entertaining themselves thus, they developed, in camouflaged form, and instrument of combat, which they could employ without need for weapons, to confront the supervisors and owners of the plantations.

After the abolition of slavery, a new struggle for survival began against economic and social marginalization, as well as against racial discrimination. Many former slaves left the plantation and contributed to the growth of the urban centres such as Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. Under the difficult circumstances of their new life in freedom, many capoeiristas saw no alternative other than to take jobs as hired gunmen and bodyguards for those holding power.

The practice of Capoeira, which had already been forbidden and persecuted under slavery, continued to be the object of State repression.Hundreds of Capoeiristas were exiled to the distant island of Fernando de Noronha in the 1890s. Despite this regression, Capoeira managed to survive and retain all of its vigour and beauty, enchanting all those who attend the displays in the big cities such as Recife, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro.

In the 1930s the first official Capoeira gymnasium was founded by Master Bimba, who managed to obtain official recognition. Capoeira academies have multiplied in Brazil since then, and Capoeira has become established in all the states of Brazil. It is even practiced in schools and has become part of the official curriculum. This growth has continued, spreading as far away from Brazil as Autralia.

In essence, capoeira is a form of martial arts with acrobatics, dance and music involved. There are 2 types of it. Capoeira Angola (more graceful) and Capoeira Regional (has more street fighting elements). I think I am learning Capoeira Angola which is the traditional and more graceful type.