SG | Quick Bites | SWAG (Salad, Wraps and Greens)

NOTE: Quick Bites are short posts about anything and everything; on things I don't exactly have much information on but have photos or short snippets I want to share.

SWAG, short for Salads, Wraps and Greens, is truly heaven-sent for those of us working near the industrial area surrounding the Tai Seng MRT station here in Singapore.

Sure hawker centres (local food stalls) are a dime a dozen in the area, but nothing sure beats the crunch of fresh vegetables during lunchtime.

SWAG's Ceasar Chicken Wrap

My fave is the Ceasar Chicken Wrap.  At S$10.50 an order (of which I will almost always order a soup of the day side, too, making my total bill a high of S$13.50), it's something my budget can't allow everyday (my lunchtime fare would usually be something from home or some good old hawker staple costing me S$5.00 or less).  But on days when I'm feeling especially wanting a health kick, I sacrifice the moolah for this one enjoyable healthy lunchtime treat.

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SWAG (Salad, Wraps and Greens)
The Commerze @ Irving 
1 Irving Place #01-26 
Singapore 369546
T:     +65 6941 6126
W:   http://swag.oddle.me/

FAB FIND: Daiso Japan's Strong Cyanoacrylate Adhesive

It is my belief (well, in my opinion anyway) that every home should always have some type of strong glue in their arsenal of repair tools.  They are absolutely fantastic pieces of equipment.  Doesn't cost too much and is useful for simple repairs.

But the gripe I have with most super glue brands is how watery it is.  Using it on paper is a chore (what with the paper absorbing the glue and all).  Worse off, it tends to run everywhere (because of its texture)!

Now 3M's Super Glue Gel (blogged about it before) is not as runny and is much more effective in spot binding pieces.  But for a cheaper (but still effective) alternative, I use Daiso Japan's Strong Cyanoacrylate Adhesive.

Daiso Japan's Strong Cyanoacrylate Adhesive

SG | Quick Bites | AnnaBella Pâtisserie's Macarons

NOTE: Quick Bites are short posts about anything and everything; on things I don't exactly have much information on but have photos or short snippets I want to share.

AnnaBella Pâtisserie is a Singapore-based, Japanese-French-inspired bakery well-known for their macarons.

AnnaBella Pâtisserie's Macarons

FAB FIND: Kokuyo's Harinacs (The Staple-free Stapler‎)

Ok.  I know the title may be a bit confusing.  But allow me to explain.

Stapler's use (staple) wires to stick paper together.  A life saver for adults, but staple wire and kids make a really bad combo.  Enter Kokuyo's Harinacs - the staple-free stapler‎.

Kokuyo's Harinacs (The Staple-free Stapler‎)

SG | Quick Bites | Kueh Lapis

Nonya Kueh are local bite-sized delicacies sold in Malaysia and Singapore. Think their equivalent to our native kakanin (they use a lot of asian ingredients like coconut milk, rice).   These tasty snacks are great options for merienda or whenever you feel like having a sweet treat (although, there are also savoury types).

My favorites?  

Rainbow Lapis (top and bottom) - think sapin-sapin.  Tastes exactly as such but is not as chewy.

 

Nonya Kueh

 

Kueh Salak (middle) - a rectangular layered block of pandan custard and coconut rice cakes.  The pandan part is the sweeter of the 2 and has a thick pudding-like texture.  The other part, is a mix of coconut cream rice flour and sugar (among others).  My way of eating it is to have a bit of both portions in one bite. 

Yummy!

CRAFTY: Daiso Magnetic Paper Dolls

I remember playing with paper dolls growing up.  I'd spend hours changing their outfits, bringing loads of fun for periods at a time.

Now the Daughter has also gotten into the habit of playing with paper dolls.  The thing is, her generation also gets to enjoy them in sticker play set form.  It's easier though, but based on our experience, once you stick it on the background scenes, it's no longer reusable.  What a waste!

So what's a mom to do?  Make magnetic paper dolls, of course!

Materials needed.

SG | Tokutokuya: The Best Store Evah (Too)!

People who know me are aware how much I love shopping in Daiso.  The products are cheap (S$2 or approx Php66) and you never know what you'll find.  I guess the best way to describe the shopping experience is "you go in and come out with something you never even knew you couldn't live without."

But apparently, Daiso is not just the only store of its kind in Japan.  There's also Tokutokuya.

SOURCE: Tokutokuya Singapore facebook page

Zen Pencils by Gavin Aung Than

2015 found me sorely ignoring my bibliophilistic tendencies.  I've experienced dry months before, where I find myself not wanting to pick up a book, but 3 months is usually my max.  A year?  Unheard of.  Until 2015, that is.

What I did find myself craving for is a return to simpler times.  Admittedly, the big move (again) to Singapore drained me -- both physically and emotionally.  Missing family, taking care of my own little brood, and adjusting to everyday life (including work) in another country took a toll on me.

I find that one of the ways I could cope was to start doing things I enjoyed doing when I was younger.  And nothing more exemplified my childhood than hours spent with a good stack of Archie and Harvey comics (which I have my one of my titos, who was an avid collector, to thank for).  And so, that was where I reverted back to. 

Waiting for someone?  Read a comic.  In the MRT on the way to work?  Run through a few pages before my stop.  Archie and Harvey comics are an easy read, requires no heavy mental effort to appreciate, and was always a surefire way to perk me up (even until now that I am in my 30s).

But man does not live on these comics alone.  And eventually I did have moments when my favorite comic characters were not able to lighten my mood.  So on one particularly bored night, I came across a review about Zen Pencils.

Zen Pencils by Gavin Aung Than (SOURCE: http://zenpencils.com/)

SG | Quick Bites | Dimsum at Tanjong Rhu Pau & Confectionery

NOTE: Quick Bites are short posts about anything and everything; on things I don't exactly have much information on but have photos or short snippets I want to share.

Two blocks away from our place here in Singapore is a quaint little dim sum shop called Tanjong Rhu Pau & Confectionery.  It's a small place, no seating inside and only take-away (or take-out in our part of the world) allowed.

My favorites?  Their Char Siew Pau (or asado siopao), big Chicken Pau, Siew Mai (siomai) and those green meat and chives rolls (not sure what they're called).

Assorted dimsum

Their food's so good, it's no wonder there's always a line of people.  Warning: they charge a bit higher than most neighborhood dim sum shops (S$1.40 for a "big" chicken pao but you definitely get more meat than dough) and the staff are moody (depending on the day, I guess).  But all in all, so worth it!

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Tanjong Rhu Pau & Confectionery
389 Guillemard Road
Singapore 399788

fitbit Charge: A Review

2014 was a year of big changes for my little family.

1. The Husband and I decided that it was time again for the Daughter and I to move back to Singapore (which we did middle of that year).
2. After 4 years of being a stay-at-home mom, I was lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to restart my HR career again.  This time in the Lion City.
3. We are now parents of an active pre-schooler (a.k.a. The-Daughter-formerly-known-as-The-Little-One.  How time flies!

So as expected, work and parenting duties has been keeping me quite busy nowadays.  Imagine this:

• The Husband and I wake up at 6:00 AM and get ready for the day.  The Daughter is coaxed out of bed by 7:00 AM for breakfast and the usual morning dress-up routine.
• Drop off the Daughter at childcare ("daycare" to us used to American English) at 8:00 AM (yes, we decided not to get a yaya/nanny/helper).
• Work for the Husband and I starts at 9:00 AM and ends at 6:00 PM.  OTs happen (thankfully, not so often but it's unavoidable sometimes), but we work around the schedule at least to make sure one of us is free to...
• Pick up the Daughter by 6:30 PM.
• Arrive home by 7:00 PM (after a brief run through the playground).  Daylight hours here are quite different in PH.  We see light by around 7:00 AM and experience the sun setting at around 7:00 in the evening.
• We have dinner by 7:30 PM.  Hopefully, with all of us together.
• At bed by 9:00 PM.
• Start, repeat again for the next 4 weekdays.
• Weekends are spent (1) grocery shopping, (2) shuttling the Daughter to pre-school gymnastics class (on Saturdays), and (3) just plain going around town for a break at the usual routine (or if we're particularly lazy/want to save money, we stay at home.)

Considering our busy schedules, it was actually a surprise when I found that been feeling kinda sluggish days on end, a huge sign I am definitely out of shape.  Huhuhu!

Now, I'm not exactly the exercising type (gym club membership and the like), but I do love to walk, which in Singapore is actually quite easy to accomplish.  You can survive without a car here, what with the great public transport system and all.  So the one thing that really got me thinking was, considering I was actually walking more than when I was in the home country, why am feeling less peppy and energized.

To get to the bottom of it all (and mainly due to my endless hinting), the Husband gave me a fitbit Charge for my birthday last year.

My fitbit Charge

SG | Quick Bites | Emporium Shokuhin

NOTE: Quick Bites are short posts about anything and everything; on things I don't exactly have much information on but have photos or short snippets I want to share.

Emporium Shokuhin -- an integrated Japanese Emporium with a grocery store (selling mainly Japanese goods) and 8 restaurants.

The cafe's where we go to mostly.  Called Kohi Koji, they sell parties, cakes and drinks.  Offerings are ok, but the presentation's superb!

Emporium Shokuhin

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Emporium Shokuhin
6 Raffles Avenue #01-18 Marina Square
Singapore 039594
T     +65 6224 3433
E     contactus@emporiumshokuhin.com.sg
W    http://www.emporiumshokuhin.com.sg

SG | Milkcow

Round 2 in the Korean-style soft serve ice cream wars.  This time around, I get to try Milkcow.

Milkcow in Velocity@Novena Square

SG | Honey Creme

The battle of the Korean-style soft serve ice cream has already started in Singapore, running since 2014, me thinks.  Now isn't it high time I try and see what the hype's all about?

First stop, Honey Creme.

Honey Creme

FAB FIND: DAISO JAPAN's Eye Glasses Fit (Ear Hooks)

I'm loving my new OWNDAYS (a Japanese eye shop brand) glasses.  They're durable and stylish and definitely does the job well.

My home-wear pair is great, has withstand abuse and misuse these past 6 months.  My going-out pair?  Let's just say that the design has its pros and cons.

My rimless frame OWNDAYS glasses

SG | OWNDAYS Optical Shop and Eyewear Boutique

I finally had new eye glasses done!  Woohoo! 

My rimless glasses from OWNDAYS Singapore

Admittedly, my last 2 pairs were cheapo ones I bought in the Philippines, had them since 2012.  Decided to downgrade due to the fact that kids and expensive eye wear do not mix well.  Believe me, the Favorite Nephew alone has cost me 2 pairs of transition lenses already (and that was only during the first 1 and a half years of his life!).  So the desire to spend a bit higher on eyeglasses while the Little One was still... uhmmm... little, was not to my liking.

But with restarting my career here in SG and the daughter already 4, I decided it was high time to purchase a good pair again.

SG | celio* Factory Outlet

If you're a fan of French male clothing line celio*, be sure to head on over to their CityLink mall factory outlet in Singapore.

celio* Factory Outlet

Offering discounts for as high as 70% off on select items, you're sure to find something for that special male in your life.

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celio*
1 Raffles Link
CityLink Mall #B1-47
Singapore 039393
FB:     https://www.facebook.com/celiosingapore/ 

PH | YOUR LOCAL, Makati

Two and a half weeks in the Philippines.  A whirlwind of activities -- mainly meeting with missed family members and friends.  Add that to the country's extra special Christmas festivities (iba talaga ang Pasko sa 'Pinas!  I swear), and the family and I found ourselves tired (with matching aching legs and feet); but with hearts bursting with love due to those who took time off to meet us.  :)

Oh!  And our holiday coincided with the Husband's and mine's wedding anniversary.  So off we went and had an "us" only date (and believe me, it was a feat in itself.)  Our destination?  YOUR LOCAL in Makati.

YOUR LOCAL, Makati, Philippines