Surprise from Loving Marina Bay Photo Competition

A surprise indeed!

Didn't know that I won something from the competition until bf told me. Apparently, I think I was unreachable and wasn't in any of the winners' announcement on facebook. By the way, it's my first time winning! Haha, anyway, this is the prize - $30 Sansui Sumiyaki & Bar/Sol Tasca voucher, Marina Bay memorabilia (totebag with umbrella) and a pair of Gardens by the Bay Cooled Conservatories admission tickets! Thanks Marina Bay SG!

However, I still don't know which one won the above as I submitted a total of 4 photos... :(

#1 - A half an hour ride with 360 degree view of the heart of Singapore, the Singapore Flyer

I have seen photos taken from this angle and it is quite common. Thus, I included a small part of a branch of a tree at Gardens by the Bay in it. Hmm...and with the weather like this, I don't see anything special about this photo...

#2 - away from bustles

Trying to portray the peacefulness that you can find in our fast and busy pace of city though it seems like it doesn't really represent Marina Bay much. Taken with miniature effect. Discovered that photo would turn out more impressive when taken from a height.

#3 - Bayshore Station brings convenience to our trip to Gardens By the Bay.

I am hoping for this to be won as out of these 4, I feel most proud of this one! Again, it also seems like it doesn't really represent Marina Bay much... But I just simply love this taken in miniature effect which it just fits so well. Look at those people and cars...machiam toys right!

#4 - Reflection - another way of looking at our CBD development.

I'm sure this is another common angle that most people will shoot. Personally feel that the water pond of the Artscience museum can do a better reflection than the river. Heez...

I am glad that this motivates me more to shoot better and will continue working hard! =)

BBQ White Venus and Gong Gong overdosed

My last weekend in November was a happening one, 2 days of family chalet at Downtown East and 2D1N to Batam with Rashidah for her 'pamper-myself-birthday-treat'.

For the chalet, we did 2 days of supermarketing for our 2 days of BBQ and that's how we ended up overdosed by white venus and gong gong. First day, we had 2kg+ of white venus and followed by 4kg+ of it again and about 2kg+ of gong gong. Don't remember exactly how heavy were the gong gong that we scooped but am pretty sure for the white venus. We were just spamming lo! haha...

Here comes the BBQ part...

#1 White Venus

Simply place them on the wire mesh. Of course, we had soaked them in salt water and rinsed a few times before bbq-ing!

And wait till one by one opens its 'mouth'! Sometimes 'pop' sound can be heard. This also means that it's cooked! When it opens we dabbed butter on it before feeding ourselves. The buttery seafood taste makes it irresistible to eat!

#2 Gong Gong

Not forgetting the Gong Gong that I learnt to eat from this BBQ session...

As I didn't take any photo of it, image taken from Yahoo! and it was from noobcook.com. It looks like this... 

My cousin showing how to pull out the flesh using a toothpick and eat it...

So, this entry concluded how much we love eating them! Haha...that's why we are overdosed!

Puddings at Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe

Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe has a new two storey high branch at Holland Village which is just a few steps away from the MRT station exit. Had century egg+chicken meat congee (recommended!) and dim sums (siew mai and liu sha bao) for dinner. Puddings for desserts.

Ordered Mango Pudding+Vanilla Ice-cream first. The ice-cream makes it tastes better.

Not satisfied, we add on another pudding, the Milk Tea pudding which comes in a teacup and saucer. The presentation is interesting but can be misleading too if one doesn't look before consuming. Pudding tastes abit like kueh ko swee but just not as strong. I personally feel that this is something that is worth trying. But for those whose stomach isn't laxative tolerance, try to refrain from this. 

A good and reasonable place to dine at especially when you have no idea where to go for late night supper - it opens till 4am daily!

Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe (Holland Village)  251 Holland Avenue Singapore 278981 Tel: +65 6469 0325 Business Hours: Mon to Sun – 11am to 4am FREE Wifi

Dim Sum Buffet at Ah Yat Abalone Forum Restaurant

Visited on Deepavali Eve which is also on a weekday and making reservation is easier. Some snapshots of what bf and I had at Ah Yat Abalone Forum Restaurant (Hotel Grand Pacific)  for Dim Sum Buffet. We were on Groupon at $49.90 for 2 pax, original price at about $70+.

Very worth it especially when he was super hungry. Ordered and ate like a king, haha..Enjoyed myself very much too, busy snapping food and gorging them down! =)

On a whole, food is acceptable and one thing I like most is that there is shark fin, my fave!

Do give it a try if you come across this deal on Groupon! If not, they do not have promotions too which you can check out here, http://ahyatrestaurant.com.sg/cheap-seafood-restaurant/! Reservations can be made via online, http://ahyatrestaurant.com.sg/reservations/.

Address: 101 Victoria Street, #01-06 Hotel Grand Pacific S(188018)
Tel: 6332 2288 Fax: 6336 0207
Operating Hours (Everyday)
11.15am - 2.30pm (Lunch)
5.45pm - 10.30pm (Dinner)

Lavaedge Restaurant & Bar at MacRitchie Reservoir

Fresh air, lovely scenery and yummy apple crumple with coffee - this is how Kevin and I spent our Sunday at Lavaedge, MacRitchie Reservoir and with such a good weather (not too hot & quite cooling), why not? Relax at somewhere peaceful is what we need after a long working week.

First scenery upon arrival - the water, trees and sky make the place feel so peaceful.

One of many photos whereby he pose, pose, pose and I snap, snap, snap. Hahaha.

Stretch of benches which can be a form of art too!

Another scenery - love the reflection of the trees on the water ...somehow there are no boundaries between them... :)

And...there it is the yummy apple crumble and nice presentation too, from Lavaedge! Personally, I think it is the crumbs that make it so good. It is so appetizing that you won't mind to have more.

Goes well with coffee... :) check out the sugar stick which I don't think it's sweet enough for my coffee. Ignore me, cuz I take a HELLLLL lot of sugar! Haha...

Something I won't recommend: their edgy bite, seafood platter which cost $16.90.  Every fried calamari, fish fillet and prawn look huge due to the flour used to fry. It's the flour that deduct the score of this bite, oily and too much to taste.

Not forgetting the sky above us while enjoying the food and ambience of Lavaedge.

And also the surrounding of the outdoor of Lavaedge.

Relaxing me...meowwwww...LOL

More about Lavaedge...
check out http://www.facebook.com/LavaedgeMacRitchie
Address: 181 Lornie Road
               Hilltop
               Macritchie Reservoir Park
               Singapore 297732
Contact: 9298 2301
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri, 5pm-12midnight
                           Sat- Sun, 11am-4pm, 5pm-12midnight

Terrarium Making Workshop

Ta-dah! our results of Terrarium Making Workshop!

Got to know the workshop from a secondary school friend, Xiusi via Instagram. Haas, the power of social media yea! It's a short and sweet workshop which only takes slightly more than an hour.

The people behind the works of the above - Me & Rashidah, my ex colleague & kaki for museum visits, baking classes and many more activities coming up!

Wanna take a break from your busy life and at the same time, getting closer to nature?

Visit below for more information regarding the workshop and how to register! fee for this workshop is at $24.

Blog: http://littlegreenpot.blogspot.sg/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Green-Pot/117041638314806

Macaron Baking

My first baking class experience together with Rashidah @ Bonheur Patisserie, Duxton Road.
They have classes almost every sat from 1pm-4pm. Fee per person $80 and NUS Students/Alumni for $72.

You will realised $2.50 for a macaron in Singapore is reasonable after going for the class. =)

Malacca (17-19 Dec 2011) - Day 1

Been wanting to go Malacca long time back. The mixture of heritage, shopping and food fascinated me to go there. So I was there over the weekend with my family, inclusive of my aunts, uncles and cousins. It was a big group, a total of 12. Wasn't easy to organise and I truly understand how hard it was for my small aunt to organise for 30+ of our full strength family members to Desaru. That was like 14 years back and we, cousins were so young then!

Anyway, we engaged Five Stars Tours and took up a free and easy 3D2N package but with a two and a half hour heritage tour on Day 2.

4th aunt and uncle sitting comfy-ly, playing games on iPhone while waiting for coach to set off :)

Stopping point at Yong Peng which reminds me of  Michelle Chong in 'Already Famous', haha.. 

First time I saw purple color keropok. Keropok there is so good that mum bought more when we get to stop over there again before heading back to Singapore on our last day. 

Love Japanese wasabi? This is the best ever wasabi snack  k! YamaDa's wasabi peas! By the way, it should be spelled as 'da' not 'ta'. Trust me. Haha..The feel of the rush of 'smoke' coming out from your nostril is so dam shiok.  

Traffic light in Malacca.

Counting down by seconds, even for green light. Dam long... 

Had lunch at Wong Kok, Dataran Pahlawan Megamall which is opened by Guo Jinan. Lunch here was bad due to their service. Waited very long for their food while some has finished.

Kiwi drink. Just a tinge of sourness.

Dad's Wu Xiang Fried Rice.

Fried Seafood Pasta in tomato sauce. Simple yet savory. Fried pasta just taste better. Try frying macaroni too!

We checked in to Hotel Equatorial. Pleased that it looks very much like as what is shown on their website.

Left view from balcony.

Centre view

Right view

Pose pose with the view as background,

pose pose on bed...

and mirror reflection

The new hotel, Casa Del Rio. Check out the website! seems quite worthwhile to give it a try. If you don't mind the smell of the Melaka River. Lol.

Took the trishaw ride from Melaka River back to Hotel Equatorial for 20RM. My first time and I love it! We got to listen to 70s songs while riding. So funky. Haha..

Hello Aunt! :)

Our free set of Nyonya dinner at Seri Nyonya  Peranakan Restaurant , located in the hotel.

Black, white and red gua zi  served while waiting. Something  different...

Sop Itik Tim. Simply love Peranakan's kinda Itek Tim.  To some, it can be extremely salty that they just can't finish it.

Ikan Goreng Chilli Gram - Deep Fried Fillet Seabass with Spicy Chilli Paste. It's the chilli paste that is good and brings out the dish. Not very spicy and with a sweet taste.

Ayam Pongteh.  Like the paste of Ayam Buluak, its sweet bean paste  goes so well with rice which makes me wanna scoop more. The best paste from this dish I ever tasted so far!

Nyonya Chendol. Malacca's has its own taste! But I still prefer Singapore's, especially the one with durian paste! 

Mum, Dad, Gladys' dad and mum.

Jonathan's aunt, Charmaine, his mum and  him, himself.

Jerlynn and mum

Lastly, group photo!

Wong Kok Char Chan Teng

Address: Jalan Merdeka 75000 Bandar Hilir BD-081,082,087&088, Melaka, Malaysia 

Seri Nyonya Peranakan Restaurant

Address: Bandar Hilir, 75000 ( Located on Level 3), Melaka Malaysia 

Daily: Lunch 12.00 pm - 2.30 pm & Dinner 6.30 pm - 10.30 pm

Menu: http://www.equatorial.com/live/mel/pdf/2008_hem_seri_nyonya_menu.pdf