eastcoastlife

A Date With Bloggers@Malacca 2012

2012-05-22T02:08:00.000+08:00

ECL at Uncle Keong dessert shop

My husband and I drove up to Malacca in the early morning hours of 19 May (Saturday) for a bloggers' event. It has been several years since I last visited this fabulous city.

Malacca was declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO on 7 July 2008. I am fascinated by its heritage buildings, cultural enclaves, places of worship and its wide selection of yummy cuisines.

Group photo with the management of Perfect Food Manufacturing

After arriving at Malacca Sentral, we were chauffeured to Julie's Biscuit Factory by Jee Shen. We were taken on a tour of their humongous manufacturing premises and treated to a buffet lunch.

ECL stayed here.

We checked into our accommodation after lunch. We stayed at Sayang-Sayang Youth Hostel @Riverside. Initially I was in shock when I opened the door to my room. Used to staying in at least 3-star hotels with attached bathrooms on my travels, I wanted to check into a nearby hotel but hubby persuaded me to rough it out and appreciate the backpacker experience.

I should be thankful to Kent Lee, the young boss of Sayang-Sayang Youth Hostel. He sacrificed his earnings on a busy Saturday to provide accommodation for 40 plus people. My hubby and I are getting old and have aching knees, the climbing up and down of the stairs to the loft is a task.
Queuing to use the toilet gets a little tricky for us, because we older folks have a problem holding our bladders. :P Still, I want to thank Kent for his generosity.

In the evening, we attended the opening ceremony of A Date With Bloggers at Melaka 2012 located at Mahkota Parade.

ECL chatting with witty Datuk Wira Latiff Tamby Chik, Chairman of Malacca State Tourism, Culture and Heritage

and Dr Yee Kok Wah.

After the ceremony, we stopped by Jonker Street to soak in the night market atmosphere. It was an extremely humid night, we returned to the hostel for a much needed bath and I immediately dozed off the moment I hit the pillow.

We had breakfast at the awe-inspiring Cheng Ho Cultural Museum where a free guided tour was offered to us.

Traditional Hainanese dishes prepared with love by the Women's Wing of Malacca Hainan Association.

We proceeded to Malacca Hainan Association after our museum tour. The hospitable ladies from the Women's Wing were busy cooking up a feast for us. I was getting hungrier as each dish was placed on a table for us to take photos.

We learnt how to shaped the famous Hainanese chicken rice balls, taught by two lady seniors.

Love the authentic Nyonya food prepared by Mdm Lucy Wee of Anak Nyonya Restaurant.

Talented Mr Low K.P. of Mei Zhong Yuan Confectionery Sdn Bhd gave us a hands-on demonstration of his delicous Sun Cake with durian or coffee filling. Later in the afternoon, we went to his shop to buy his famous snacks.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam joined the bloggers for lunch at Malacca Hainan Association.

We took a walk along Jonker Street after our lunch to buy some souvenirs for our friends and colleagues in Singapore. Some bloggers left early for home.

Within a short span of 24 hours, many of us have become friends who were sharing and looking after one another. It was wonderful meeting these beautiful people from Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.

Before we bade our farewells and headed for home, we had our last group photo at Kota A'Farmosa.

ECL gives the thumbs-up for Lim Kang Xiang (left) and Steven Tan (right)

Special thanks to these two well-brought-up, adorable young men who gave their best efforts to make our trip a memorable and enjoyable one. They did a good job despite being first time organisers of such a event. I will always cherish the memories of this trip.

I would also like to thank their friends who came to help out in this event. They are a bunch of truly remarkable young people to hang out with. *Applause*

Thanks to all the sponsors who made our trip in Malacca a memorable one. I went to Malacca carrying one luggage bag but came home laden with bags of goodies and lots of heartwarming stories.

Niceties over, the reviews will begin in my next post. :D

Singapore City Hall - PH

2012-05-19T02:08:00.000+08:00

PhotoHunt theme : Magical and City Hall

City Hall at night

There is nothing magical about our City Hall, but it has played an important role in Singapore’s history. I went on a tour of this magnificent building in year 2008.

Erected in 1929, City Hall was originally known as the Municipal Building. It was renamed in 1951. It housed various government bodies before it became home to the Singapore judiciary in 1987. On 14 February 1992, it was gazetted as a National Monument.

On 12 September 1945, the Japanese surrendered to the British here, formally ending the Japanese Occupation of Singapore (Feb 1942 - Aug 1945).

Interesting architecture

MM Lee Kuan Yew, our first Prime Minister, proclaimed self-government for Singapore on 5 June 1959 and merger with Malaysia on 16 September 1963 here. The first fully-independent Singapore Government was sworn in at City Hall on 9 August 1965.

It was home to the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the former Ministry of Culture and was occupied by the Supreme Court, the Singapore Academy of Law, the Public Service Commission and the Industrial Arbitration Court.

By 2012, the building together with the former Supreme Court Building will be converted to a museum to house Singapore's national art collection.

A secret passage way!!

Credit : YourSingapore.com

Tour of Rumah Kim Choo - PH

2012-05-13T17:03:00.000+08:00

PhotoHunt theme : Children/Scoop

Last week, I hosted a group of Thai students and their teachers who were in Singapore for a Summer Camp. I brought them to Katong, my residential area in the east of Singapore where they could immerse in the Peranakan culture.

The Peranakans have long been part of Singapore’s complex cultural landscape, with their colorful heritage and acculturation of Chinese and Malay traditions. This marriage of traditions gave birth to new customs and beliefs, unique practices and diverse cuisines.

The children saw how the intricate embroidery used for the Nyonyas' blouses was done by machine, and by hand.

They admired the beautiful hand-painted porcelain wares of the Peranakans. Luckily, these children were well-behaved and kept their hands to themselves while on the tour. There was no damage done to the antiques. :D

After a detailed explanation of the Peranakan culture and its rich heritage, it was time to discover interesting facts about Peranakan food and feasts.

I brought the children to my favourite Peranakan restaurant for a taste of its popular Nyonya ba chang (dumpling), traditional cakes and snacks.
.

learning how the rice dumplings are wrapped

The Thai visitors learnt how the dumplings were prepared and wrapped. Several of the students tried to scoop spoonfuls of glutinous rice and marinated meat into a pandan leave used as a wrapping for the dumplings. It was a disaster! :P

I ordered several varieties of the colourful traditional cakes and of course, its famous Nyonya dumplings. The children and their teachers took many pictures of the food before enjoying the delicious spread.

Kim Choo's popular and delicious Nyonya dumplings!

I am glad that my foreigner visitors enjoyed learning about our different races and their culture during their stay here in Singapore.

Kim Choo's Kitchen Pte Ltd - Restaurant
111 East Coast Road, Singapore 428801
(65) 67412 125

Rumah Kim Choo - Boutique Gallery
109A East Coast Road, Singapore 428800

Michelin-starred Chef Albert Tse @Golden Peony

2012-05-09T08:18:00.000+08:00

I was ecstatic when I received an invitation to lunch personally cooked by Michelin-starred Chef Albert Tse at Conrad Centennial Singapore's Golden Peony. Chef Albert Tse was popping in from his China Blue Restaurant in Tokyo where he has been based for the past 7 years, to attend the World Gourmet Summit 2012.

The incredible culinary experience with Chef Albert Tse :

Roasted Duck with pineapple, crispy beancurd skin and lettuce

on black sesame seed pancake, accompanied with Red Wine Apple

I was taught to roll this up tightly and eat it with his specially marinated green apples in red wine. The combination was heavenly! The fragrant black sesame seed pancake was not greasy and the freshness of the ingredients left me craving for more.

Chef Albert generously shared his recipe for making the red wine apple which I am going to try at home.

Superior Chicken Broth of Bird's Nest

I have stopped eating bird's nest for quite a while but my curiosity got the better of me because I wanted to taste this incredibly beautiful dish where he blends mashed Hokkaido potato and minced chicken into the superior chicken broth.

It is great for young children, invalids and the elderly as it is nutritious and easily digested.

Golden-fried Wagyu beef marinated with Vinaigrette

served with Salad in Passion Fruit Sauce

Love the tender Wagyu beef when I bite into the crispy batter. Amazing the Wagyu beef was still tender and juicy after being deep-fried in batter. Chef Albert revealed the brand of Japanese flour he used and, it is available in Singapore!

Baked Silver Sea Perch marinated with Homemade Barbecue Sauce served with

Shredded Carrot in Orange Juice and Cointreau

Chef called this the 'Char Siew fish'. kekeke..... Using French perch, the non-greasy texture of the fish matches well with the tangy sauce and shredded carrot.

Poached 'Mee Tai Mak' with Nameko Mushroom, Baby Cabbage,

Black Fungus and Ginger in Soya Milk

I was fascinated by this dish because the Michelin-starred chef uses our local rice noodle 'Mee Tai Mak', commonly known as the 'sick man's food' because we usually eat it when we are ill or have a loss of appetite. :P

Chilled Strawberry Ice-cream Mousse layered with Strawberry Jelly,

Sakura Agar-agar topped with Selasi Fresh Strawberry

Chilled Mango Ice-cream Mousse layered with Mango Jelly

in Mango Juice topped with Mixed Fruit

It would cost me S$30+ for one of these desserts in Chef Albert's Tokyo restaurant, China Blue. He served me both flavors! The mousse was not too sweet. You know why?

Chef Albert uses Haagen Das ice-cream to make this mousse. This super-premium brand is known for its quality and little sugar content. He advises me not to discard melted ice-cream but to add in fruits to make a mousse. Great tip!

It was a pretty heavy lunch, and I am impressed by his creative uses of fresh and readily available ingredients. His dishes show that food can retain its most basic properties, yet look and taste spectacular, healthy, and tantalising.

Chef Albert is a pretty humourous guy, it was a relaxing and enjoyable session with him.

Not only was I able to enjoy his food but I picked up some great tips as well. :D

Golden Peony, Conrad Centennial Singapore

Albert Tse, chef of Conrad Tokyo’s avant-garde Chinese restaurant, China Blue. The one-Michelin-starred restaurant awarded by the Michelin Guide Tokyo and Chef Tse was also awarded the Escoffier award with the title of “Culinary Art Master” in 2006.

Saveur @Purvis - PH

2012-05-06T21:38:00.000+08:00

PhotoHunt theme - Advertising/Zap

We were driving along Purvis Street looking for a place to have dinner when we saw a long queue outside a restaurant. We hastily parked our car and joined the queue. We have no idea what the restaurant serves, since people are queuing to eat here, it must be good. :D

A long queue outside the restaurant before it opens for dinner is truly good advertising! :)

Pan-fried Foie Gras with lentils and pickled onion (35g-S$7.90, 70g-S$14.90)

Foie gras at S$7.90!? Really!?

The pan seared foie gras literally melted in my mouth, it tasted heavenly. My hubby, who had never tried foie gras before, plucked up his courage to taste it. He fell in love with it! He was still raving about the foie gras as I was writing this post. :D

At that price, it is the most affordable foie gras in Singapore. The lentils give the dish an Indian favour, and the pickled onion's tangy favour zapped me.

Confit of Duck with orange segments and sauteed shittake on creamy mash potato (S$8.90)

I enjoyed the Confit of Duck with its crispy skin and its meat just fell off the bone! Love the creamy mash potato too. The dish was a huge portion for me, I had to share it with hubby.

Crispy Pork Belly With 62.5degree Egg With Diced Vegetable (S$10.90)

Hubby ordered the crispy pork belly. I was amused by the runny egg. The pork belly was flavorful and surprisingly, the lentils make a great accompaniment for pork.

For dessert, we shared a Choc Pave With Roasted Hazelnuts (S$7.90).

The bill absolutely zapped us! A French meal at S$49.75 (includes 7% GST) for two !? It does not cost an arm or a leg to savor a French meal at Saveur! :)

Owner/chefs Daniel and Joshua are professionally trained cooks who graduated from SHATEC. They desire to serve affordable good food to everyone for a fraction of the price of a top French restaurant.

It used to be in Ali Baba Eating House situated in East Coast Road, a 10-minute walk from my house. How come I didn't know about it? I must check every nook and corner of my territory from now onwards to uncover hidden gems. :)

Saveur
5 Purvis Street #01-04 Singapore 188584

lunch 12 noon - 3 pm
dinner 6 pm - 9.30pm
7% GST, no service charges

http://www.saveur.sg
T: 6333 3121 (does not take reservations)

Masterchef Daniel Jordà, God of Bread

2012-04-30T18:55:00.000+08:00

Masterchef Daniel Jordà is a 3rd generation chef from a family of bakers. He is the best-known baker in the Trinitat neighbourhood in Barcelona and one of the most admired by top chefs in Catalonia. There is no ingredient he would not touch.

From wasabi to melon, strawberry or white chocolate, he has done it all. One of his last creations had shrimp with ginger, commissioned by a chef who is from Japan. And while Jordà works for Michelin-starred chefs, he also tends to the family bakery that has been around since 1927.

This morning, 20 participnts paid S$148 each for a hands-on Culinary Workshop At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy with Chef Daniel Jordà. The event was fully booked, I was one of those who was turned away. Luckily I was allowed half an hour to take these photos at the workshop. :P

The participants learnt how to make focaccia bread by hand. Chef Jorda was very fast with his hands. A few kneads and flips, he saved all the participants' pathetic dough! :P

There was a tasting session of the most complex breads on Chef Jorda's menu that he serves to various Michelin-starred restaurants around Spain, from the white truffle and mushroom bread and the Iberian pancetta bread, to the simplest type of bread that he makes in his country.

The torrija, a traditional Spanish dessert made from bread that is eaten during Lent and is said to have originated in the South of Spain to make use of stale bread. Torrijas are traditionally old bread soaked in milk and then in beaten eggs.

Isn't it French toast?

Torrijas are fried in olive oil and French toast is fried with some butter.

The participants were very enthusiastic and many of them are good bakers themselves. They asked lots of questions and shared their secrets of baking bread with the class.

I wasn't able to taste any of Chef Jorda's bread as I had to rush off to catch two-Michelin Star French Chef Michel Sarran at My Humble House located at The Esplanande by the Bay.

Monday, 30 April 2012
Daniel Jordà Culinary Hands-On Workshop

High Tea with Michelin Star Indian Chef Vikas Khanna - PH

2012-04-28T01:20:00.000+08:00

PhotoHunt theme : Local Streets/Texture

Michelin star Indian Chef Vikas Khanna

I was invited to High Tea at The Song of India restaurant with Michelin Star Indian Chef Vikas Khanna who is a restaurateur, food writer, filmmaker, humanitarian and the host of the TV Show Master Chef India.

Chef Vikas grew up in Amritsar, Punjab, India and is currently based in New York. He is the executive chef of Junoon Restaurant in New York City and was ranked in the top 50 of People’s Magazine Sexiest Man Alive 2011.

Chef Vikas and Corporate Executive Chef Manjunath Mural of The Song of India

I fell in love with Chef Vikas' Paan Panna Cotta (betel leaf flavoured panna cotta). The flavor of betel leaf goes so well with the rich, creamy texture of panna cotta and the lovely minty taste lingers in the mouth. It's amazing that he would think of using the traditional paan (betel leaf chew) in panna cotta. That's brilliant!

Paan can be bought in nearly every local street in India. They are believed to help in digestion of curried foods and also act as mouth fresheners. I have seen kiosks selling it at our Little India but have not plucked up the courage to try it ..... yet.

After tasting Chef Vikas' betel leaf flavoured panna cotta, I think I am ready to try the betel leaf chew. :D

Situated in a prime location at the famed Scotts Road, The Song of India is located in a classic black and white heritage bungalow.

The beautifully decorated dining area

The Song of India is running a week-long promotion featuring cusine by Chef Vikas Khanna. Chef Vikas’ award-winning dishes are available for lunch and dinner from 27 April 2012 to 1 May 2012.

4-course lunch $48++ per pax,
6-course dinner $98++ per pax ( 6pm-8pm), $118++ per pax (8.30pm onwards).

The Song Of India
33 Scotts Road
Singapore228 226
Opening hours: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Tel : 6836 0055

Celebrity Chef Marco Pierre White In Singapore

2012-04-27T13:13:00.000+08:00

Chef Marco posed for me

It's a once in a lifetime experience for me to meet someone like Marco Pierre White , a British celebrity chef, restaurateur and TV personality. Chef Marco with a net worth of $40 million which he earned from his exceptional culinary skills, as well as contributions to contemporary international cuisine, is known as the Godfather of modern cooking. To date he is the youngest chef (at the age of 33) to ever receive three Michelin stars.

ECL is ecstatic to be up close and personal with Chef Marco

Chef Marco was preparing for his cooking demo at the Citibank Gastronomic Jam session when I respectfully made a request for him to pose for my camera. I expected to feel intimidated and put in my place for even thinking he would entertain such a request from the audience.

How wrong I was, he readily obliged and took the time to make sure I was happy with the photos. *swoons*

Blame it on the Hell's Kitchen TV reality show that I was easily intimidated by him. He is not really the Marco you see on TV. In person, he is such a lovely down to earth bloke.

A long queue formed as guests want a photo with Chef Marco

We chatted for several minutes, he told me what he was going to cook for this session. He talks about his life as a young cook 35 years ago under the tutelage of self-taught owners and founders of Michelin-starred Box Tree restaurant, Malcolm Reid and Colin Long. In the 70s, there were only four restaurants in Britain with two stars, three in London and one in Yorkshire.

The other participants, seeing how obliging and friendly he is, started forming a long queue to have a photo with him. He sportingly entertained each request.

I was overwhelmed when Chef Marco picked me to taste his dish. Together with another member of the audience, I was treated to a steak which was out of this world.

An aquaintence told me during Chef Marco's early career in the kitchen, there was once when a customer asked if he could have a side order of chips with his lunch, Chef Marco hand-cut and personally cooked the chips but charged the customer £25 for his time. *trembles*

Invited by Chef Marco to try his yummilicious steak

I have the honour of being treated to a dish by a superchef!

Wow, the day memories are made of.

Once home, a quick check with the World Gourmet Summit event calendar shows :

27 April 2012, 7-11pm
Marco Pierre White Celebrity Chef Dinner
Grand Hyatt
$248+

Fully Booked

Looks like I will have to travel to London to savour his dishes.

Citibank Gastronomic Jam Session 2012 @Resorts World™ Sentosa Singapore

2012-04-26T23:28:00.000+08:00

I was invited to a once in my lifetime, unforgettable culinary fiesta - the Citibank Gastronomic Jam Sessions at Resorts World™ Sentosa Singapore.

The Citibank Gastronomic Jam Sessions is a new addition to the World Gourmet Summit. Organised throughout a span of two days, comprising both local and foreign masterchefs showcasing their remarkable talents and culinary expertise, participants can expect non-stop activities.

The audience

The program :

9.30am to 10.15am | Lino Sauro and Michelin-starred chef Pietro D’Agostino (left)

Italian chefs Lino Sauro and Pietro D’Agostino demonstrate the traditional and modern techniques of Italian cooking. They had to cook with mystery ingredients the audience picked.

Andre Chiang with his creative dish

*10.15am to 11.00am | Andre Chiang and Dani García

Handsome chef Andre Chiang won the S.Pellegrino New Restaurant of the Year and KitchenAid Chef of the Year at this year's World Gourmet Series Awards Of Excellence.

Chef Dani García (right)

*11.30am to 12.15pm | Michelin-starred chefs Dani García and Paco Roncero

With four-Michelin-stars between them, witness the two Spanish chefs, Dani Garcia and Paco Roncero stand side by side demonstrating their culinary prowess in this exclusive session.

Chef Paco (left) and his brother Nico with a member of the audience

*12.15pm to 1.00pm | Pedro Miguel Schiaffino (left) and his friend James

Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino is the first Peruvian chef at the World Gourmet Summit! He brought us his country's best kept secret ingredient - the Peruvian raddish which is a natural viagra. :D

Lunch was catered by Resorts World™ Sentosa, the delicious baked salmon, roasted prime beef, chicken rice with teriyaki fish and pasta with mutton and tomato were my fave, I went for second helpings. :P

*2.00pm to 3.00pm | Celebrity chef Marco Pierre White - so awesome!

Marco Pierre White is a world-renowned British restauranteur, rock-star celebrity chef, the brand ambassador for Knorr, author and TV host.

I have the honour of interviewing him, taking a photo together and taste a fabulous steak cooked by him. I would have to pay S$248+ per person if I want to taste his food in the restaurant.

*3.00pm to 3.45pm | Lucas Glanville and Ian Curley (left)

British born, long time Australian resident Chef Ian Curley has a wicked sense of humour. The audience love him. He shared his secrets about perfecting beef steak.

Peter Knipp, CEO Peter Knipp Holdings Pte Ltd

Peter Knipp works hard to bring these masterchefs to Singapore. World Gourmet Summit celebrates the remarkable culinary talents that we have locally and internationally; taking a step forward in making Singapore a gourmet hub of excellence.

Date:	Thursday, 26 April and Friday, 27 April 2012
Time:	9.30 am to 5.30 pm
Venue:	Stage 28®, Universal Studios Singapore® Resorts World™ Sentosa Singapore

S$40+ (half day)*
S$70+ (one day)*
S$120+ (two days)*
(Citibank cardmembers receive 15% off)
*Terms & Conditions Apply

LEGOLAND Malaysia Begins Countdown to 15 Sept 2012 Official Opening Date!

2012-04-25T17:50:00.000+08:00

Mr Siegfried Boerst, General Manager of LEGOLAND Malaysia, announced the official opening date at a briefing and site tour for members of the media today at its new adminstrative building in Johor.

The spanking new LEGOLAND Malaysia Adminstrative building!

Mr Siegfried Boerst with LEGOLAND Malaysia mascots, Buddy and Ollie The Dragon

LEGOLAND Malaysia is 75% completed. The media was taken on a tour of the consruction site.

ECL took a ride on the LEGO train first :P

Site of the Observation Tower

ECL with Mr Siegfried Boerst at the Land of Adventure site

LEGOLAND Malaysia announced the official park single-day tickets which are priced at a special introductory offer of RM96 (S$40) for adults and RM70(S$29) for kids.

These single-day tickets will also be available from the LEGOLAND Malaysia Road Show (25th - 29th April 2012) which starts today at Vivocity in Singapore.

Tickets will also be available in Johor every weekend from 2 pm to 7 pm at the Iskandar Malaysia Information Centre (IMIC) in Danga Bay.

The 30% discount will be for a limited period only so avid LEGOLAND fans are advised to keep a close eye on the LEGOLAND Malaysia website at www.LEGOLAND.my for further announcements.

77th Street's Last Day in Far East Plaza

2012-04-23T20:28:00.000+08:00

22nd April 2012 marks the last day of Singapore's iconic streetwear retailer 77th Street in Far East Plaza.

After lunch with my in-laws, Chris and I stopped by the shop in Far East Plaza to have a photo with the founder Elim Chew.

Elim started 77th Street in 1988 with a small and humble retail outlet in Far East Plaza. From only a single retail outlet, it soon grew to a chain with outlets in Singapore and Malaysia, plus an avant-garde underground shopping complex called 77th Street Plaza in Beijing, China.

It was an Indonesian friend's son who 'introduced' me to 77th Street in 2001. He had sought my help to buy the trendy street wear which he would sell in Jakarta for a profit.

Then in 2002 when my only son kept falling ill, my elderly mother-in-law insisted that he had his ears pierced. My mother-in-law had lost one son to illness and my husband was very sickly as a child. She had a tough time bringing up her only son and she wasn't going to lose her only grandson when she was already in her 80s.

The older generation of Chinese believe that the God of Death prefers to take boys. When boys are dressed as girls or given the name of an animal like Ah Kow (Dog) or Ah Ter (Pig), they will be left alone. I could not dressed my son who was 11 as a girl so I dragged the reluctant boy to 77th Street in Far East Plaza which is the trendy place that does ear piercing for guys. :D

It was gun piercing and very affordable. I had fun choosing a earring for my sulky son. Yes, he only pierced one ear. When we returned home, my foreign students were so impressed and envious of his new cool look that for the next 3 Sundays, my son found himself bringing them to 77th Street to have their ears pierced.

One Taiwanese mother was especially grateful to me when her very tomboyish teenaged daughter had both her ears pierced. For several years the poor mother tried to dress her daughter like a lady but to no avail. When her daughter showed her the newly pierced ears and hip earrings, she broke down. :P

the hip earrings

Alas, my son's teachers were not impressed with his pierced ear and constantly find fault with it during his school years.

On a happy note, my mother-in-law celebrated her 96th birthday a month ago and is pleased her grandson has grown up healthy and strong.

To our beloved Elim : May you prosper wherever you go and in whatever you do!

77th Street are now at Bugis Junction, Bishan Junction 8, Causeway Point, Compass Point, ION, Ang Mo Kio Hub and Tampines Mall !

Elim's last photo in front of 77th Street in Far East Plaza

Elim’s accolades include :

Being named the Most Promising Woman Entrepreneur by The Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) in 2001,
Mont Blanc Businesswomen Award in 2002,
Young Woman Achiever Award by Her World,
the Leadership and Mentoring Award by Research Communications International in 2003.

With Elim’s sharp business acumen, 77th Street became the first fashion retailer to win the prestigious Singapore Promising Brand Award – Most Distinctive Brand 2004 by ASME and Lianhe Zaobao.

Application for Employment - PH

2012-04-20T09:33:00.000+08:00

PhotoHunt theme : Humour/Reflect

My facebook friends have been sharing this letter these couple of days. We couldn't help having a good laugh over it.

The application letter says :

"I refer to the recent death of your Technical Manager at your company and hereby apply for the replacement of the deceased Manager.

Each time I apply for a job, I get a reply that there's no vacancy but in this case I have caught you red-handed and you have no excuse because I even attended the funeral to be sure that he was truly dead and buried before applying.

Attached to my letter is a copy of my CV and his death certificate."

(♥‿♥:)

Attending a word processing course

Since completing my ICDL (International Computer Driving Lesson) Certification Programme sponsored by South-east CDC and WDA, my career consultant has been keeping in touch and I am scheduled to attend a resume-writing class.

I feel that it's important to take the time to learn how to write a resume that reflects my desire for a job and explains to the employers about my future aspirations and my career goals.

Wish me success in my job search!

Life-long Employability Programme by Southeast CDC and WDA

Mountbatten Active Ageing Community Presents Japanese Cultural Month - RT

2012-04-16T23:18:00.000+08:00

Mountbatten Active Ageing Community presents Japanese Cultural Month on every Monday afternoon in April for its residents.

I attended the 2nd activity which is making Japanese dessert at Katong Community Centre today.

39 participants, mostly senior citizens, attended the cooking class. These senior residents above the age of 50 pays S$2 each while the rest pay S$10 each.

We learnt to cook two dishes : Daigaku Imo Biscuits and American Ginseng with Gingko Nuts in Yam Puree.

Daigaku Imo is a Japanese dessert of candied sweet potatoes with black sesame seeds. Daigaku Imo means "University Potato" because this dessert was traditionally sold at university festivals. These days, the Japanese eat it at all times, anywhere.

The Daigaku Imo Biscuits we learnt today were very different from what I saw on Japanese food websites. I am going to ask a Japanese friend for her recipe.

The instructor answering queries from the enthusiastic participants.

American ginseng

I have signed up for the Japanese Tea Ceremony. I hope

Japanese Flower Arrangement
23rd April 2012

Japanese Tea Ceremony
30th April 2012

Time : 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm
Venue : Katong Community Centre
Fees : S$ 2 (Mountbatten residents who are Singapore citizens/PRs who are above 50 yrs old)
S$10 ( Mountbatten residents who are below 50 yrs old, non-Mountbatten residents,
non-Singapore citizens/PRs)

EastCoastLife Hunting For A Sturdy Home - PH

2012-04-14T01:38:00.000+08:00

Million dollar waterfront apartments in Singapore

PhotoHunt theme : Sturdy/ Home

I have been extremely busy these few months because I was house-hunting; packing our possesions and throwing away lots of stuff which we don't need.

I am so tired of moving ...... this is the 15th time in my life. :P I hate the packing and unpacking., I hate to throw away things which are still new and in their packaging. I must stop my impulsive purchases.

Property prices in Singapore have risen so much within a short span of 3 years. Depending on the location, an apartment of 1200 square feet costs more than S$1,500,000!

I am thinking of a home from the ordinary.

A sturdy floating home!

Ready to sail away!

Isn't it cool to sail from place to place, waking up to a different view every now and then?

❤❤❤❤❤

Taiwanese Dessert : Ice-cream Roll with Peanut Brittle Shavings - WW

2012-04-12T00:28:00.000+08:00

shaving tool for peanut brittle candy

Walking along Taiwan Jiufen's old street, I came across many stalls selling traditional Taiwanese snacks and desserts. I was fascinated by this elderly man who was hard at work shaving the huge slab of peanut brittle in front of him.

I watched him for a while and ordered one ice-cream roll with peanut brittle shavings (NT35).

spring roll wrap + peanut brittle shavings + ice-cream + .......

Cilantro was added to the dessert. Interesting!

Surprisingly, it didn't taste weird.

This icy cold dessert was actually yummy. I finished it although I was shivering as the temperature was 17 degree Celsius on a wet, rainy morning. :D

Awesome Yellow Rice - PH

2012-04-07T02:29:00.000+08:00

PhotoHunt theme : Awesome/Yellow

On a visit to Jakarta in February, we were treated to this turmeric-tinged yellow rice which the Indonesians call 'Nasi Tumpeng'. Shaped into a cone and served with an assortment of dishes, it is usually only served for festive occasion ranging from birthday party to wedding celebration as part of an Indonesian banquet.

I could choose to eat this awesome yellow rice with chicken, fish, meat, and/or vegetable. Because it is cooked with coconut milk, it is deliciously oily and salty. Served with the yellow rice are crackers which the Indonesian love to eat all the time.

Most Indonesians drink sweet ice tea or chilled water after eating yellow rice. I chose this sweet pink beverage which had chestnuts and coconut milk added.

LEGOLAND Easter Egg Hunt 2012

2012-04-05T07:55:00.000+08:00

To celebrate the start of the Easter festive period, LEGOLAND Malaysia and Kranji Countryside Association launched the inaugural Easter Egg Hunt at GardenAsia, the home of century-old horticultural company Nyee Phoe Group.

The event was attended by Madam Halimah Yacob, Minister of State for MCYS, Mr Siegfried Boerst, General Manager of LEGOLAND Malaysia and Mrs Ivy Singh-Lim, President of the Kranji Countryside Association.

Madam Halimah Yacob led more than 50 preschoolers from NTUC-linked childcare centre, My First Skool, on the hunt for colourful LEGO eggs.

The children had fun learning about gardening, botany and the great outdoors as they hunted for the colourful LEGO eggs!

"Yippee!! We found another one!"

"Who likes to eat starfruit?"

"This is a coconut tree. Those hanging fruits are not LEGO eggs, ok?"

Mrs Ivy Singh-Lim and Mr Siegfried held a Q&A session with members of the media ...... journalists were from The Straits Times, Berita Harian, Zaobao and the TV station.

Mrs Ivy Singh and Mr Siegfried presenting Madam Halimah Yacob with produce from the farms and a LEGO egg.

LEGOLAND Easter Egg Hunt

in Kranji Countryside
4th April 2012 to 25th April 2012

Participating farms :

Bollywood Veggies, Farmart Centre and GardenAsia

8 lucky families who take part in the hunt will stand the chance to win annual passes to LEGOLAND Malaysia which will open at the end of 2012 in Johor, a 10-minute drive from the Tuas Checkpoint. This is the 6th LEGOLAND to be built in the world and the very first in Asia.

22nd Wedding Anniversary - WW

2012-04-04T01:09:00.000+08:00

High Tea @ Equinox and a cake to celebrate my 22nd Wedding Anniversary, courtesy of American Express.

Equinox Restaurant is located on Level 70 of Swissôtel The Stamford, we were given a table by the window overlooking the scenic Marina Bay.

I enjoyed the chocolates

“To be happy with a man you must understand him a lot and love him a little.
To be happy with a woman you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.”
- Helen Rowland (1876-1950) English-American writer

Artificial Potatoes - PH

2012-03-31T03:38:00.000+08:00

PhotoHunt theme : Fresh & Artificial

My girlfriends and I met for lunch at a Japanese restaurant which is well-known for its air-flown vegetables from Japan.

There are artificial potatoes today!

hmmm....I wonder how does it taste. Curious, I picked one. It's a plastic food model that looks amazingly real! Who would buy an artificial potato for S$5 (US$4)? You can't eat it. -_-

I prefer a baked fresh potato, piping hot from the oven with oodles of melted Cheddar cheese. yum.

Rice is our staple food but the consumption of fresh potatoes is increasing in Singapore as more consumers are including potatoes in thier meals as part of a healthier lifestyle.

Jiufen Old Street, Taiwan 台湾九份老街 - WW

2012-03-28T08:23:00.000+08:00

Entrance to Jiu Fen Old Street

Jiufen's quaint streets, teahouses, stunning views of the ocean plus a wide variety of novelty and souvenir shops transform it into a popular tourist magnet.

Nestled in the hills in the northeast of Taiwan, this picturesque old town was a prosperous gold mining town until the 1950s. With the decline of gold mining activities, the poor village faded.

Must pose for a photo on Jiufen's famous flights of steps - a great souvenir to bring home

Fortunately, Jiufen's charming layout and architecture was the inspiration for a number of films such as Hou Hsiao-hsien's 'A City of Sadness' (侯孝賢的'悲情城市'), which won the Golden Lion award at the 1989 Venice Film Festival.

This was my second trip to Jiufen and it was still full of fun and delights. I enjoy wandering around this mountain sanctuary. There are lots to see and taste and don't forget to take lots of pictures.

Stalls selling all kinds of traditional Taiwanese food, beverages and snacks lined both sides of the narrow street. It took me quite a while to complete this short winding lane as I was constantly distracted by the sights and wonderful aroma of the food.

Not wanting to offend the kind vendors who offered food-sampling at almost every stall, I tried everything. :P In the end, I purchased quite a lot of souvenirs to gift away to friends and relatives back home.

teahouses on both sides of the street

a unique teahouse which sells pottery

traditional teahouse and restaurant

finally a place which serves coffee!

There are many unique teahouses which offer awesome views of the ocean and mountain of Jiufen. For visitors who dislike the commercialised old street or the noise, these teahouses offer a place to relax. You will forget your worries as you sip a cup of tea and enjoy the scenic view of Jiufen.

Many local residents provide accommodation places. If you were not in a hurry, you may want to pick a nice B and B to stay for the twinkling stars and fishing lights at night. I am planning to stay a night on my next trip to Jiufen.

九份老街的特色就是那復古懷舊的街景, 依舊保留著純樸的舊日生活風貌。
九份環山面海，擁有變化多端的山海美景。
让自己的心沉醉在美丽的山城 - 九份。

Spicy Shoes - PH

2012-03-24T09:28:00.000+08:00

PhotoHunt theme : Spicy and Shoes

What better than to complement a great outfit with a pair of killer shoes!

Oh my! These spicy shoes will dress up any outfit! :)

A friend sent me these photos when the subject of shoes came up. I learnt these shoes are hot in Mexico. The beautiful, bright festive colours will surely brighten one's day

These are actually clubbing shoes. They will surely attract lots of attention if one wears them out for shopping.

For those who really want to stick out in the crowd, then these are a “must- have.” :D

Ooooo ..... Spicy in red! :D

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Taiwanese Traditional Cakes and Pastries Store, Vigor Kobo

2012-03-22T17:48:00.000+08:00

yummy Taiwanese souvenirs

One of my dislikes about guided tours is that the tour guides like to bring their clients shopping. On a recent trip to Taiwan, I was rushing to the airport for my flight back, but the tour guide insisted on making a detour to visit this 'great' store to buy some souvenirs for my kids and friends back home.

I was brought to a 'tourist store' named Vigor Kobo which sells Taiwanese traditional cakes and pastries.

visitors get to taste the snacks before they make their purchase

All walk-in visitors are offered samples of their products to try. The crew were attentive and kept introducing their products to us.

the company's products on display

Among Vigor Kobo’s products, the traditional Taiwanese-style pineapple cakes are its all-time best seller. I was told the one-day sales record for its pineapple cakes stands at 100,000 pieces. If you stack up the NT$400 million (S$20 million) worth of pineapple cakes that the store sells in a year, the tower would rise five times as high as Taipei 101 building. WOW!

I like the buttery crust of Vigor Kobo's original pineapple cake but the pineapple filling is too sweet for my taste. 12 pieces for NT$300 (S$15) is quite expensive.

Every day busloads of tourists come one after another, and sales of its pineapple cakes can be counted by the truckload.

Most of the tourists are from mainland China. Chinese tourists have shocking buying power. Whether it’s Louis Vuitton or small souvenirs, they make a sweep of every shop they visit. It is common for a busload of mainland Chinese tourists to spend between NT$200,000 and $250,000 (S$10,000 - S$ 12,500; US$6,667 - US$8,333) in a single visit.

I bought several boxes of pineapple cakes, mung bean and red bean cakes, milk sun cake, yam and almond nougats which the crew packed and sealed in a box for easy check-in at the airport. I spent NT$3800, hope the tour guide is happy with her commission.

At the Taoyuan International Airport, I discovered they have a branch there. -_-

I love Vigor Kobo's Milk Sun Cake and nougats. The nougats are really fresh and delicious. On the flight back, I finished one box. And my apologies to my relatives and friends if you didn't get the nougats as gift, they are so yummy, I kept them for myself :P

牛奶太陽餅
Milk Sun Cake - a flaky, melt-in-your-mouth, sweet puff pastry with a sumptuous malty, milky filling that doesn’t stick to your teeth!
10 pieces for NT$350 (S$17.50)

牛軋糖
Nougat - 5 favours to choose from : original, chocolate, almond, yam or sweet potato. I bought the yam nougats and almond nougats. Love its milky, chewy taste. The almonds are fresh and crunchy. The yam is oh-so-fragrant! A packet of nougat costs NT$240 (S$12) Must buy!!

維格餅家
Vigor Kobo Cake Store (Taiwan)

St Patrick's Day Parade 2012 @Singapore River

2012-03-19T08:20:00.000+08:00

I joined the many participants who came dressed in green to celebrate Singapore’s 7th annual St Patrick’s Day street party. The colourful, multi-cultural parade featured free open-air street performances from percussion groups, bagpipers, dancers and brass bands.

A torrential downpour before the parade commence did not dampened the high spirits of those present. Everyone had fun despite the light drizzle.

Guest-of-honour Mr Sam Tan (Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and Mayor, Central Singapore District) kicked off the parade by cutting a green ribbon.

Singapore’s St Patrick’s Day Parade is a unique collaboration between Irish and Singaporean organisations. Last year 4,000 participants took part in the event, making it the biggest annual Irish event in Southeast Asia.

It was a fun day out for friends and family.

Nothing can stop me from participating in this street party !

This year the parade is held in conjunction with World Down Syndrome Day. It also aims to promote awareness on how people with Down Syndrome can be active participants in society. The parade cum buddy walk included a range of exciting activities – from face-painting, balloon sculpturing to a street party!

This year’s celebrations is significant as it marks the 7th anniversary of World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) and for the first time, this day will be officially observed by the United Nations!

The parade stretched across the Singapore River from Empress Place by the Asian Civilisations Museum, travelling down the Waterfront and over Cavenagh Bridge near the Fullerton Hotel, before finishing up with performances at UOB Plaza.

Not Your Ordinary Shoes - PH

2012-03-15T13:28:00.000+08:00

PhotoHunt theme : shoes/play

Did a murder take place? What happened to the rest of the body parts?

這可是真"皮"的!

These are real shoes worn by Chinese women many years ago. As the age of five, the bones of their feet were broken to stop them from growing so they could fit into these shoes. Cruel.

Three-inch Lotus Shoes

The Chinese Bound Feet Women

These are sandals worn by a devotee during Thaipusam, a Hindi festival.

Just as I don't understand why the devotee wants to wear these sandals and walked several kilometres in a procession, it puzzles me to see some women 'torturing' their feet by wearing high-heels daily.

You definitely cannot wear these shoes to play outdoor games.

Why would anyone want to wear these shoes?

Sunnyhills Gourmet Pineapples Cakes@ Raffles Hotel - WW

2012-03-14T18:19:00.000+08:00

After a light lunch with some friends at Raffles Hotel, I remembered reading about a speciality pineapple cake shop here. As the shop sells only pineapple cakes, I am curious how it is able to survive in this upmarket hotel.

Located on the 3rd level of Raffles Hotel Arcade, I was pleasantly surprised by its tasteful decor, cosy and welcoming space. The moment I stepped into the shop, a chorus of greetings welcomed me.

Immediately I was offered a cup of steaming hot summer oolong tea and a piece of their famous pineapple cake.

I was the only visitor when I arrived at the shop. I was enjoying the cool comfort of the place and sipping my oolong tea, which is light and refreshing, Together with the pineapple used for the filling in their famous pineapple cakes, this oolong tea is also grown on Sunnyhills farm.

I was savouring the piece of pineapple cake when visitors started streaming in ..... a retired lady, three young executives, a young sales lady and three Japanese housewives. The crew served every visitor a cup of hot tea and a piece of pineapple cake. Free.

In between, a couple of customers walked in to buy boxes of the pineapple cakes to gift away.

The ingredients used in baking SunnyHills‘ pineapple cakes boasts premium butter from New Zealand, gourmet flour from Japan, eggs from free-range chickens and organic pineapples from Taiwan.

Each and every one of them are free from preservatives, so if you buy some home, remember to eat them within 3 weeks.

I don't have a picture showing the block of pineapple cake because the aroma was irresistible once I opened the packaging. I bite into it forgetting to take a picture. :P

Updated : photo taken on 18th March 2012, thanks to the hospitality of Mr Damian Lee.

I am a pineapple tart lover and I bake my own yummy tarts. I still prefer my crust but the succulent pineapple filling of Sunnyhills is really delicious. I like the tangy-sweet flavour and the taste of chunky bites of pineapple in my mouth.

I wonder if they would sell me just the pineapple filling? :D

Next trip when I go to Taiwan, I will visit their farm. Yes!

我喜欢的凤梨酥 - 酥皮一定要有牛油的香味，凤梨肉 - 不要太甜、酸一点最好。

Sunnyhills Gourmet Pineapples Cakes 凤梨酥
Raffles Hotel Arcade
Unit #03-05 328 North Bridge Road
Singapore 188719
Tel: +65 8522-9605

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