Eat that Red Kimono!

Like most people, I, too love Japanese cuisine.  It's something I crave constantly and have to meet at least once a month.  So it's a good thing that, here in the Philippines, there are tons of affordable Japanese eateries available, both fast food and fine dining establishments clearly represented.

We're tried a lot of places here specializing in Japanese fare; but thus far, my favorite would be Red Kimono.

Red Kimono, Glorietta 2, Makati

Lugang Cafe at Mall of Asia

I think I've never tried Taiwanese cuisine before (or maybe I already did but just didn't know any better), so when we came back to the Philippines and saw Lugang Cafe at Mall of Asia, we knew it was about time to broaden our (culinary?) horizons.

Lugang Cafe, Mall of Asia, Pasay

The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS (OR Merry Christmas!)

Before I officially start this post, I'd like to great each and every one a Merry Christmas! 

Merry Christmas!

I hope all of you are happy this season, celebrating the holidays with the people who truly matter in your life (whether they are family or not).  J

Double Delights Premium Polvoron and Polvoron Cupcakes

It was on one of my very rare occasions when I go get a chance to have a day-off, that I came across these cuties right here...

Double Delights Premium Polvoron and Polvoron Cupcakes

Chez Karine Bakery's Muscovado Pudding

Chez Karine Bakery... tons have blogged about them; lots have been said about the food.  So when my little family found ourselves staying a few days at one of the hotels in BGC, I knew we just had to drop by this place and try them out, at least once.

Chez Karine Bakery in Serendra

PR: Wheatgrass C.A.N. Holiday Gift Packs

Christmas is a season of giving; and the people from Wheatgrass C.A.N., want to THANK ALL wheatgrass consumers who have always stayed loyal to them.

 

Let's Make It a More Meaningful Christmas

NOTE:  Hey! Hey!  Finally will be starting on my Philippine-based posts again!  But sit back and relax, will be writing about Singapore post-able topics again soon...  J

Hay.... Iba talaga ang Pasko sa 'Pinas; as many a hardened OFW has uttered.  It's really such a relief to spend the holidays here, surrounded with loved ones and all the familiar things that bring us comfort.

Giving...

Old and New Favorites from Starbucks™ Singapore

An old favorite of mine at any coffee shop is a hot cup of Cappuccino.  Selling for S$5.50 (Php187.00*) at Starbucks™, it's actually one of the cheapest items available on the menu. Don't let it food you, though.  I actually much prefer a simple concoction rather than a more complex one.

Starbucks™ Cappuccino

You Know You Live in a Foodie's Haven When...

1. There's a Magnum Pleasure store popping up from time to time.

The Magnum Pleasure Store at VivoCity, Singapore (photo taken last November 2013)

Hello Kitty-themed Treats from BreadTalk® Singapore

How awesome is it to be able to have your fill of Hello Kitty even while you eat?

BreadTalk® Singapore

Peanuts Archer Case from typo Singapore (and Of Other Things)

Cotton On may not make it to my list of favorite clothing brands of all time, but you can definitely count me as a fan of their stationary store equivalent -- typo.

Peanuts archer case from typo

Clear Plastic Film: An Alternative Book Cover

NOTE: November is National Reading Month here in the Philippines; and in order to commemorate this great and enjoyable pastime, I've decided to showcase book reviews, and other related items, this whole month.  We'll return to my regular hodge podge of post-able topics after.  So sit back, relax, and let the reviews begin!  J


I cover my books in plastic.  It's automatic.  Whenever I get a new tome, I grab scissors, tape and a few pieces of cover and happily wrap my newest treasure.  It's a great way to protect my new find.

Recently though, I've found another way of wrapping my "babies"... with clear plastic film!

Klear Cover, just one brand of clear plastic films available

Living with the Enemy: A Diary of the Japanese Occupation by Pacita Pestano-Jacinto

NOTE: November is National Reading Month here in the Philippines; and in order to commemorate this great and enjoyable pastime, I've decided to showcase book reviews, and other related items, this whole month.  We'll return to my regular hodge podge of post-able topics after.  So sit back, relax, and let the reviews begin!  J
  
One of the best things about attending the yearly Manila International Book Fair is the presence of all the local publishing houses in the country in one convenient venue.  I have to admit, it is most probably the only time I get to buy books from local authors since I'm much more exposed to foreign writers for most of the year (shameful, I know).

However, between the Madir and I, it's usually her who purchases from local authors more frequently than me.  And it was during the recently concluded MIBF that she was able to obtain a copy of Ms. Pacita Pestano-Jacinto's Living with the Enemy: A Diary of the Japanese Occupation.

Living with the Enemy: A Diary of the Japanese Occupation by Pacita Pestano-Jacinto

A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay

NOTE: November is National Reading Month here in the Philippines; and in order to commemorate this great and enjoyable past time, I've decided to showcase book reviews, and other related items, this whole month.  We'll return to my regular hodge podge of post-able topics after.  So sit back, relax, and let the reviews begin!  J


In A Secret Kept, Antoine Rey, a divorcee with kids, plans a special birthday surprise for his sister Melanie -- a trip to an old resort they used to frequent when they were children.  Everything goes well, until during the drive home, Melanie suddenly remembers a disturbing incident that she witnessed the last time they were at the resort (the last time they were there before their mother's untimely death).  A memory so surprising, she loses control of the car and they meet an accident on the road.

While recovering, Antoine tries to piece together the events of their childhood, trying to solve the mystery of their mother while at the same time, he questions his life and whether he really knows and understands the people in his life.  (Read the full summary at Amazon.com)

SOURCE: Amazon.com

Of Pride & Prejudice Imagined Sequels and Spin-Offs

NOTE: November is National Reading Month here in the Philippines; and in order to commemorate this great and enjoyable past time, I've decided to showcase book reviews, and other related items, this whole month.  We'll return to my regular hodgepodge of post-able topics after.  So sit back, relax, and let the reviews begin!  J

Back in 2008, I was fortunate enough to have been loaned a copy of 2005's Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightly and the gorgeous Matthew Macfadyen (yes, I was a little late in catching the film.  Working and studying at the same time could really kill your leisure hours, believe me.  Hehehe!  J).

SOURCE: IMDb.com

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

NOTE: November is National Reading Month here in the Philippines; and in order to commemorate this great and enjoyable pastime, I've decided to showcase book reviews, and other related items, this whole month.  We'll return to my regular hodge podge of post-able topics after.  So sit back, relax, and let the reviews begin!  J
  
I collect Kate Morton books.  And that's saying a lot because even though I am a self-confessed voracious reader, I usually do not follow a particular author, preferring instead to purchase novels based on the content rather than the writer.   But with this particular scribe, I make an exception.  Simply put, her stories move me.  They make me think and engage me to the point that I lose track of time and find difficulty putting book down until I reach the final page.

And her fourth novel, The Secret Keeper, did not dissappoint.

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

Ways to Donate to the Philippine Red Cross

Super typhoons, massive earthquakes, and other natural calamities.  The Philippines and us, its people, have witness and experienced our fair share.  But what keeps everyone going is the generosity of those unaffected and lucky enough to have been spared.

So please, let's us all help by donating our extras and whatever little financial assistance we can spare for those who have been affected by Yolanda.

(Taken from The Philippine Red Cross website)

• Please send cash or check donations to the PRC National Headquarters in Manila. Checks should be made payable to The Philippine Red Cross. They can also arrange for donation pick-up. 
• They now also accept cash donations for the Philippine Red Cross at any 7-11 store or Cebuana Lhuillier Pawnshop nationwide.
• For bank deposit, you can deposit money to any one of the following TPRC accounts:

Banco De Oro
Peso: 00-453-0018647
Dollar: 10-453-0039482

Metrobank
Peso: 151-3-041631228
Dollar: 151-2-15100218-2

Philippine National Bank
Peso: 3752 8350 0034
Dollar: 3752 8350 0042

Unionbank of the Philippines
Peso: 1015 4000 0201
Dollar: 1315 4000 0090

All Check/Cash for the account of Philippine Red Cross (Swift Codes)
Banco De Oro
BNORPHMM

Bank of the Philippine Islands
BOPIPHMM

Metrobank
MBTCPHMM

Philippine National Bank
-PNBMPHMM

Unionbank of the Philippines
-UBPHPHMM

For your donations to be properly acknowledged, please fax the bank transaction slip at nos. +63 2 527 0575 or +63 2 404 0979 with your name, address and contact number.

Good bless, everyone.

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

NOTE: November is National Reading Month here in the Philippines; and in order to commemorate this great and enjoyable pastime, I've decided to showcase book reviews, and other related items, this whole month.  We'll return to my regular hodge podge of post-able topics after.  So sit back, relax, and let the reviews begin!  J


I read The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova years before.  The short summary at back instantly grabbed my attention, which so eventually lead to my purchasing a second-hand copy from an ebay.ph seller a few days after my knowledge of its existence.  It held so much promise!  Vampire lore (NOTE: It is NOT like Twilight, folks!), a missing father, mystery and intrigue galore -- it was enough to make me drool in anticipation.

My love affair, however, was short lived as my enthusiasm and interest slowly waned at each passing chapter.  I just could not stomach where events were leading to.  And the ending?  Unexpected, but personally, not to my liking.  I guess I had a different idea where it was supposed to be headed.  I admit, I also had a hard time accepting a love scene between the novel's teenage heroine (as in a less than 18-year-old KID!  My goodness golly gracious me!) and a college student (pfft!).

So why I picked up a copy of her The Swan Thieves a year after my disastrous bout with the first novel, I cannot fully comprehend and explain.  I am glad I did, though.

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

November is National Reading Month in the Philippines (And The Reasons Why I Love to Read)

November is National Reading Month here in the Philippines; and in order to commemorate this great and enjoyable past time, I've decided to showcase book reviews and other related items the whole month.

So get ready, folks, as I share with you some of the wonderful tomes I've had the pleasure reading throughout the years.

The Little One enjoying her book at the Bedok Public Library, Singapore

"Invulnerable Faith" by The Catholic Clips

Captures our exact sentiments nowadays...


SOURCE: The Catholic Clips



I Miss the Old Scooby-Doo Cartoons (A Nostalgia-Infused Post)

Like most kids, cartoons also played a huge part of my childhood.  

My Favorite Singapore Malls (A Post About my Favorite Commercial Areas in the Lion City - Part 2 of 2)

Singapore is a shopper's haven.  So it's no surprise that there are malls here left and right.  It's unnerving, really, just how many there are (and here I thought we Filipinos were obsessed).  Take, for instance, the whole stretch of Orchard Road and its surrounding streets (considered the Lion City's main shopping area) houses a number of malls lined up side by side along its stretch.  A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

In fact, the very first time I came to the Lion City, my head started spinning, taking into account all the malls there are here.  And if you're like me, you'll be just as overwhelmed, too.  So here's a list of malls in Singapore (not just along Orchard Road and in no particular order) that I love going to and my personal reasons for why they hold a special place in my uhmm... wallet heart (and I promise not to let my emotions and feelings of nostalgia run away with me here.  Well, not too much, anyway.  J)

Changi City Point Mall, Singapore

What’s Missing in our Local Philippine Malls (A Post About my Favorite Commercial Areas in Singapore - Part 1 of 2)

Like most Filipinos, I too, love going to malls.  I'm not very picky with the type of establishment I would visit.  Big ones, little ones; they really don't make any difference as long as (1) they're clean, (2) equipped with working air conditioners, and (3) are full of stalls and shops with interesting items for sale.

But ever since visiting and staying in Singapore (that mecca of commercialism and anything shopping-related) for a while, I find that there are a few, make that, a lot of things I wish we had in our local malls.  I'm not talking about the presence of more well-known international brands here (since I believe that Manila will slowly be littered with these shops very soon, anyway).  I'm talking about the installation of various conveniences and services that make it so much easier for shoppers to go about their business in the Lion City.

What am I talking about?  Well, here's just what I think is missing in our local Philippine malls.

Me in front of the old Borders bookstore at Wheelock Place, Singapore (circa 2008)

BreadTalk® Alternatives in Singapore (Petit Provence and Crystal Jade My Bread)

When BreadTalk® entered the Philippine market a few years back, they made such a huge impression that, up til now, a long queue is but only the norm in almost all their branches.  And to a population of otherwise voracious rice eating people, this came as such a surprise.  I mean, we are more or less hardwired to have rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (sometimes merienda, too, if you count our local rice-based kakanins).

Now in Singapore, these unique bakeries are also well-represented (case in point, BreadTalk® is a local venture).  But aside from them, there are also other places you can go to get your bread fix.

Petite Provence, Tampines 2 mall, Singapore

Resorts World Sentosa Singapore's (Fairly) Newest Attractions: The Maritime Experiential Museum™ and Marine Life Park™

It's a known fact that Singapore is a small country.  But what it lacks in size, it definitely makes up for it in fun attractions both locals and tourists can enjoy.  Take Resorts World™ Sentosa's (fairly) newest attractions, The Maritime Experiential Museum™ and Marine Life Park™.

The Maritime Experiential Museum™ and Marine Life Park™, Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore

Xi De Li (西得利) Fried Dough Fritter (A Singapore Food Post)

An unforgettable childhood memory of memory of mine was eating a simple home-made doughnut during a particular trip to Mindoro to visit relatives back in the 1990s.  The pastry itself wasn't unusual (it was a simple dough coated with sugar); but what stuck to me was how it was cooked.  It was fried!  And me, naive as I was, always thought that doughnuts were baked, hence should be considered one of the lesser sweet treat evils.

This belief I held on to til the early 2000s when, as I was in the midst of trying to lose weight (a lot of extra poundage, believe me), I was finally made to see the reality that indeed doughnuts were fried (the horror!!!), and I regretfully had to let them go from my diet.  I vowed never a fried dough would touch my lips again (a promise I wasn't able to keep but I was able to relegate this sinful dessert as an occasional bi-yearly treat.  Hehehe!)

Now the Husband, God bless his mutant fast metabolism, is a voracious eater and no matter what he eats and how many meals he has in a day, could never, for the life of me, even gain a single pound.  And one of his usual daily snacks would include these fried dough fritters from Xi De Li (西得利) called You Tiao.

Xi De Li (西得利), ION Orchard, Singapore

A Quick Guide to Ordering Coffee Like a Singaporean

I’ve never been the type to order a cup of coffee at those expensive shops.  I’ve just never developed the taste for it, I guess.  In fact, the only caffeinated thing I can take in those types of cafes is a hot cup of cappuccino, and that’s only if I find myself out of the house and needing my regular afternoon caffeine fix.  So yes, I have to admit I’m actually quite content with a simple 3-in-1 instant mix from the store.  

But ever since having my first cup of tarik (pulled) coffee with heaping spoonfuls of condensed milk in Singapore back in 2008, I now find that it’s a concoction that I’ve been craving for ever since.  In fact, it’s so addicting that my mom became a convert when she stayed with us in the Lion City in 2012.  Now, we always have to have condensed milk in the house just for our morning cuppa.

My kopi from Wang Cafe

 

Oh No! Not Another Kaya Toast Review! (Tea Loft in Singapore)

NOTE: Yes folks, I know what you're thinking.  It's another kaya toast review!  Please forgive my enthusiasm and bear with me for one more post about this heavenly Singaporean snack.   

P.S. I, however, cannot promise to not write about them again in the future.  J

I think one the dishes I miss the most in Singapore is kaya toast, a simple meal of toasted bread served with a sweet kaya (coconut jam) filling and thick slices of soft butter.  Add 2 soft-boiled eggs seasoned with thick, molasses-like soy sauce and a cup of tarik (pulled) coffee with condensed milk, and you’ve got yourself one highly satisfying breakfast (or merienda -- afternoon snack, if you wish).

Considering this kaya toast is almost synonymous to Singapore as Hainanese chicken rice, it’s no wonder that almost every hawker center and general food establishment has their own version.  Sadly, not all of them can deliver the goods.

In the quest of satisfying my kaya toast cravings, I’ve dragged my little family to tons of eating establishments that sell this highly addictive meal.  We’ve dined at really good ones (see my posts about Ya Kun Kaya and Wang Café); and we’ve also had disappointing versions, too (you won’t read them here though since I choose to remain more positive.  Hehehe!)

One of the good ones comes from this corner shop, tucked beside the Food Hall at the ION Orchard mall.

Tea Loft at the ION Orchard mall

STYLE FOR LESS: Giant’s Relax Chair vs. Ikea’s Poang Chair

I love Ikea!  The products, their designs – all so simple and uncomplicated.  They’re a brand after my own heart.  I spend hours on end just going around the displays and imagining how our flat might look like with full sets of Ikea furniture and accessories (Hey!  A girl can dream, right?  J)

With such popularity, you can bet your boots that replicas will be coming out of the woodwork, most offered by discount stores and huge general supermarkets.  And surprisingly, here in Singapore, it’s not that an unusual occurrence.

IKEA Tampines, Singapore

Yakitori from Tori Q (A Singapore Food Post)

The Husband always knew how to get into my good graces (which is one of the reasons why I married him in the first place.  J).  Case in point.  After the usual hectic weekday composed of nothing but the usual mom activities and duties, he would make sure to take home food on Fridays instead of me cooking dinner.  It's a fun ritual we've had whenever we're physically together as a family (a tradition we have kept up with wherever we are in the world provided we're all together.). 

And one of our favorite Friday take-away dinner treats, when in Singapore, is some scrumptious Yakitori from a Tori Q stall.

Tori Q at ION Orchard mall, Singapore

One Watery Meal at The Soup Spoon™, Singapore

In most cultures, a good, hearty soup is considered and served as a complete meal all of its own.  And why not?  Given the right ingredients, it does make for one balanced meal already.  It fills you up easily (great for those on a diet, wishing to suppress their appetites).  It's also great for the kids since sneaking in those valuable vitamins from veggies is easier when mixed with soup.

And here in Singapore, the best place to have one hearty, watery meal is at The Soup Spoon™.

The Soup Spoon

Tapa King: Comforting Singapore-based OFWs Before Gerry's Grill

Very few people know this, but way before Gerry’s Grill entered the Lion City, Tapa King has already been making its presence known here in Singapore.

Tapa King, Tampines Central 5, Singapore

The 34th Manila International Book Fair 2013

We interrupt our Singapore-related posts to bring you this special message.  The 34th Manila International Book Fair  is starting today!!!

We'll finally be able to catch this year's fair!  Wohoo!!!  See you at the SMX Convention Center!  J 

Visit http://www.manilabookfair.com/index.html for more information.

Pasta de Waraku: A Japanese Casual Pasta and Cafe Restaurant in Singapore

I used to love watching those Japan Home Video shows on RPN9 (now known as Solar Television Network or ETC) during the late 80s to early 90s.  Living in the era when cable TV was but a luxury only a select few could afford, I’d usually while away my holiday, and most of my summer, vacation mornings (the curse of having no playmates during the Christmas break) watching these highly informative and entertaining programs (Yes, I’m weird that way).

Anyway, one of the many episodes that caught my attention was one where they featured Japanese sculptors making these fake dishes that look so real.  These works of art were then used as window displays for restaurants, enticing potential customers with non-edible replicas of their gastronomic offerings. 

Fast forward to 2008.  The ex-BF (now the Husband) and I found ourselves craving for some tasty pasta for dinner one weekday night.  Passing by a well-lit wooden establishment at the ground floor of a popular mall along Victoria Street, we couldn't help but be instantly drawn to the rows of fake pasta and pizza dishes on this restaurant's display.

Tasty!

Nando’s Chickenland in Singapore: Home of the Famous Extra Hot Peri-Peri-Marinated Fowl

Nando’s is a popular casual dining establishment originating from South Africa.  It’s been making waves here in Singapore since 2010, mainly because of their grilled chicken dishes marinated in their special extra hot peri-peri (literally means "pepper-pepper"; refers to the African Bird's Eye chilli, a type of chili pepper grown widely in Eastern and Southern Africa) marinade.  So it’s really no surprise that the Husband and I would be dining here on more than one occasion.

But what makes their chicken so darn special?

Nando's, Singapore

Gerry’s Grill: Comforting Singapore-based OFWs Islandwide

It’s a known fact that there are thousands of OFWs working in Singapore.  This huge number equates to a number of our kababayans who are sorely missing some good, old Filipino home-cooking.  So it’s really no surprise that a local restaurant would make it’s presence known here in the Lion City.

Enter Gerry’s Grill. 

 

 

Gerry's Grill, Cuppage Road, Singapore

Dining Out the Singapore Way

The best thing about living in a new country is definitely being exposed to a lot of new experiences, be it place, things, and food (of course).

 

A typical food court stall in Singapore

CHIJMES: Chapel in Singapore Turned Hip Party Place?

One afternoon, during my very first trip to Singapore in 2008, the ex-BF (now the Husband) and I found ourselves within the grounds of a really nice church compound.  But we weren’t there to attend mass on this particular trip.  Nosiree; for believe it or not, we were there to have dinner.

CHIJMES

A Short Message of Hope

This week has been full of challenges and trials, what with the continuous rains and flooding that we've been experiencing.  But in the midst of all these hardships we are encountering now, I pray that we all never lose hope.

SOURCE: The Trevor Project website

Because things are never as bad as it seems.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Winner of my Big Move Back Home Giveaway!

Apologies, dear friends, for my absence.  The past 2 weeks have been a such a whirlwind of activities that I literally could not sit down to pen my usual posts.  So as a break from life's pulls, here's a short post announcing the winner of my Big Move Back Home giveaway!

The prizes

Congratulations, Michi!!!  Sent you an email already.  Hope you enjoy the prizes once you receive them!

Thank you again, everyone, for all the support.  J

A Little One Milestone: Her First Haircut Ever (Singapore's The D's Kiddy Salon)!

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Get a chance to win travel-sized Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries from their Avocado, Olive & Basil collection.  Visit this post (link here) for more details.
  
We are not a family blessed with luscious locks upon birth; a fact that is clearly evidenced by the numerous photos of both the Husband and I as little ones with Shaolin monk-like dos.  It wasn't really by choice, mind you.  It's just that our genes proclaim that growing hair is an art and should not be rushed (*sigh*).  And so it comes as to no surprise that the Little One took up after us, too. 

Slow-growing hair does not mean no hair at all, hence her locks, while taking it's precious time coming out, eventually grew to uneven lengths (mostly my fault really, as I took a lock of her hair when she was but a wee babe of 1 -- month, that is.)  And so, it was finally decided that the Little One would have her very first haircut at at age of 21 months.

Considering this is an important milestone (with us deathly afraid of even trimming off a part near her ear), we decided that a special kiddy barber was in order.  So off we marched to The D's Kiddy Salon for this memorable occasion.

The D's Kiddy Salon

PR: Almost 100,000 and Still Growing in Viewership! Indie Film “Boses” Strikes a Chord Wherever It Is Shown

The viewership is growing for a small independent film that has been making the rounds of screenings here in the Philippines and abroad since 2008. 

Wawawa: Bistro by the Reservoir in Singapore

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Get a chance to win travel-sized Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries from their Avocado, Olive & Basil collection.  Visit this post (link here) for more details.

Situated alongside the jogging/biking/strolling path at the Bedok Reservoir Park (read my full post about it in this here link), enticing people with good food, is a little place called Wawawa.  And yes, this ain't no joke; for this Bistro by the Reservoir determined that there could be no easier way for potential patrons to remember their name than by using the same dang syllable 3 times (please note that this is purely speculation on my part.)  J

Wawawa: Bistro by the Reservoir

New Place to Explore! Bedok Resorvoir Park in Singapore

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Get a chance to win travel-sized Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries from their Avocado, Olive & Basil collection.  Visit this post (link here) for more details.


I've never really liked moving to different homes frequently.  Although it's actually a good excuse to take stock of all the junk inside the house; but still, it's a necessary evil for us.  That advantage aside, moving to and fro various places also gives us a chance to explore new territories and uncover hidden gems.

Take our new favorite park, for instance, located just across the street from our abode in Singapore.

Bedok Reservoir Park

TAGGED! My A to Z

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Get a chance to win travel-sized Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries from their Avocado, Olive & Basil collection.  Visit this post (link here) for more details.
 
I haven't been joining tagged post activities for a while now.  Been a little busy with other stuff.  But thanks to Michi for tagging me here! 

So without further adieu, here are a few tidbits (from A to Z) you may not know about me.

Tagged!

Daiso Singapore's Umaiwa Takoyaki

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Get a chance to win travel-sized Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries from their Avocado, Olive & Basil collection.  Visit this post (link here) for more details.
 

Hay... Daiso...  Why do you have so many interesting stuff to buy?  Why just recently the Husband discovered this in one of your shelves.

A bag of Umaiwa Takoyaki corn snack rings

Mango Milk from Singapore's Rockery

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Get a chance to win travel-sized Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries from their Avocado, Olive & Basil collection.  Visit this post (link here) for more details.

After a really satisfying dinner at BonChon (read my full post about that in this here link), the family decided that some sweet drinks were in order.  So off we went to Rockery to partake in some highly calorific liquid treats.

Rockery at Bugis Junction

Continuing my BonChon Chicken Cravings in Singapore

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Get a chance to win travel-sized Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries from their Avocado, Olive & Basil collection.  Visit this post (link here) for more details.
 
I'm a late convert of the BonChon chicken craze, having tasted a piece (ok fine.  It was three!  Are you happy?) only a couple of months back while vacationing in Manila (read my full post about that experience in this here link).  I so enjoyed their fried fowl (it was soooo good!) that when I saw their outlet here at Bugis+ mall, I just had to have a bite again.

BonChon at Bugis+ mall, Singapore

Waxing Eloquent About Singapore's The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC)

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Get a chance to win travel-sized Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries from their Avocado, Olive & Basil collection.  Visit this post (link here) for more details.
 
The Connoisseur Concerto, TCC for short, will always have a special place in this foodie's heart.  The food, whether savory or sweet, is always divine.  And the service?  Simply outstanding. 


And it's because of those 2 special reasons (is there really anything else?) that has made TCC one of our favorite restaurants here in Singapore, playing host to a number of important events in our still early marriage and family life.  In fact, it was in one of their branches that the Husband and I celebrated the announcement of the Little One's presence (in my tummy) with a quiet and intimate lunch.  Another one introduced the then 11-month old Little One to her favorite dessert of all time -- cheesecake.  A number of other branches played host to cozy dates and warm family get-togethers.  So it's really no surprise that I'll be featuring them in a post, albeit I should have done so earlier.

The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC)

Snoopy Dog House Kiddie Ride in Tampines Mall, Singapore

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Get a chance to win travel-sized Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries from their Avocado, Olive & Basil collection.  Visit this post (link here) for more details.

The Little One loves kiddie rides.  Well, not exactly be on them while they're moving (she's scared stiff, in fact); but she does love sitting on them for hours on end.  A little corny but she's a baby (technically a toddler) so we just take it easy with her fears.

Still, that doesn't stop her from sitting on each and every kiddie ride she sees in the mall.  It's such a simple pleasure (and doesn't even cost us a thing) that we've indulged her fascination far too many times.

Out of all the kiddie rides the Little One has set her derriere on, this, by far, is my favorite among the bunch.

Snoopy dog house kiddie ride

A Snoopy dog house kiddie ride!  How cool is that?  It's just like being the World War I flying ace for only S$2.00 (Php66.00) a ride.

*S$1 = Php33