A Temperate Garden in Tropical Singapore!

Gardens by the Bay, the pinnacle of the garden city Singapore. We only managed to visit the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome in the half-day trip. We'll be back to visit the other 3 quarter of the park.

A Walk In The Park

We didn't travel this year in the Christmas period. Meimei had to be on standby for work so we decided to stay home for the holidays. I must confess it is so much more relaxing being at home than living off a suitcase. Sure its plain old Singapore but there are still many sights and locations we have yet to explore.

Today is our first trip to Gardens by the Bay. Papa and Mama are also in Singapore for the holidays so we went as a whole family, Sis included, to the gardens. The place is really huge, we were there half a day and only covered a quarter of the place. I foresee many more return trips, weather permitting.

This was also my first real site-test of my Canon G15. I learned a lot about the camera on the trip and also picked up a number of tricks and techniques from Meimei. I'm loving the chance to really pick up photography.

Overall a wonderful way to end the holidays. Goodbye 2013, may we have a blissful and magical 2014!

(Shots courtesy of Sis)

Humpy Walls

When we were hunting for our home, one of the criteria I had was that the layout had to be squarish. No odd v-shaped or circle shaped walls. Those create wasted space and corners which you can't really utilise.

So we were excited when we found our 'ideal' home. Our apartment is basically squarish in layout. However, within the apartments there were inlets and turns  in all sorts of sizes. After seeing many homes in the area, these design flaw seems to punctuate flats of the early 90s era. Was it a construction technological limitation? I doubt so, the ones built in late 70s through 80s were fine. No, it's HDB trying to create fancy homes but at a budget, hence the somewhat non-flatten exterior and messy interiors.

Now we are left with corners which are weird and challenged on its utility. You'll never find a off-the-shelf cupboard or fixture you can put in the inlets to fully maximise the space. Your only option is to create customised built-in cabinets or cupboard, which by the way cost double to triple the ala carte ones.

We addressed the uneven walls in our master bedroom with built-in but our budget couldn't take the same for the other rooms. So now we are left to compromise on the space. Find a reasonable furniture to utilise 60-70% of the space and live with the space inefficiency till we can afford to install built-ins. And that means having to measure every twist and turn of the walls ... it takes quite awhile I must say ...

I suppose some would say these gives the apartment character ... not your blocky squarish 4 by 4 unit. Hmmm, if we didn't have to pay for the floor space I suppose you could say that. But when your 126sqm unit actually gives you only 120sqm of usable space ... you would cringe too at the wasted space. Oh and don't get me started on the inlet beneath every window ... the HDB architect that designed this must have a dent in his head.

Instant Thai Green Curry

We chanced upon this truly delectable instant pre-prepared green curry soup at the supermarket. All you had to do is add in the seafood, meats, fresh basil and lime leaves, and a touch of chopped chilli for that spicy oomph. Its so simple and easy to prepare, one pot for a meal. We stocked up a few packets of the soup hehe.

It now gets me thinking how easy it is to 'cook' Thai. Suppose we open our own Thai food restaurant someday? Heh, nah ... too much effort to the other menu items. Plus I'll be constantly tearing trying to cut the onions and chillies. No thank you sir.

Unsupervised Shopping - Meimei@Diaso 23 Dec

2 measuring tapes ... we already have one but ooo~k ... 3 mesh for baking ... I don't remember having so many trays but ooo~k ... 1 milk bubble maker ... what? huh?

Christmas 2013 - Takashimaya Tree

Always love the tall Takashimaya 3 storey tree. More so this year with the turquoise colour theme.

Christmas 2013 - Themed Desserts at TCC

Christmas dessert at TCC. I like the strawberry snowman.

Vase 303 - 2013 14th Dec

Orchids, the national flower of Singapore. I like its delicateness.

Lentils, Not Our Favourite Food

There were several recipes in Gordon's cookbook which calls for lentils. Honestly I thought it was a type of vegetable when I first saw the word. It's not something you normally eat in Asia. And it is hard to find too, I managed to find a pack at the organic, aka expensive, aisle at Cold Storage.

It taste like salty green beans, and are hard to cook through. Maybe I was doing it wrong but I find it baffling that some of them are not cooked after an hour in the pot. I should have substitute it with rice or pasta. Oh well, I suppose there is no harm trying new stuff once in awhile.

Sauces Fantasy

I've always been one for the sauces, especially when it comes to eating western.  A piece of fillet is a piece of fillet. A strip of sirloin is a strip of sirloin. Its the seasoning, the marinate and the serving sauce that really brings out the favour of the meats and fish. Some would argue that having just the meat is the best way to taste it. Yes I would agree if this was in a western country where the meats are fresh from the farm. But in Singapore where everything is imported frozen ... nah.

I remember asking for more mushroom sauces on my sirloin beef or more of the white mayo for my surf and turf. Funny thing was, I never bothered with Asian sauces. I think asian cuisine are already coated with too much sauce, and most of them are starchy and sticky ... not really my taste. So as I picked up some of the simpler recipes from the cookbooks, my eyes tend to gravitate towards the sauces preparation steps. I somehow perk up when it comes to making my own sauce.

Since I was making fish these few days, the first I tried was a vinaigrette. I never figured vinaigrette was this easy to make. 4 parts olive oil, 1 part white wine vinegar. Hmm it's that easy? Add in mustard, fried onions, chopped spring onions and whatnot to layer a further favour. Wow ... now I have a good sauce for fish!

Shredded Pork Shoulder with Garlic Bread and Cherry Tomatoes

Meimei had marinated the pork over night with lots of spices. Fabulous afternoon snack. Guilty pleasure!

Pan-Fried Red Snapper in Vinaigrette Dressing, White Button Mushrooms, Carrots and Potatoes

I made my first vinaigrette today. It really goes well with the fish. Now I know how easily it is for restaurants to make a sauce for fish.

My First Home Repair!

The contractor Uncle Lim was here yesterday to look at the touch-ups we wanted done before CNY. He advised to get a wrench that had teeth to open the cap. He didn't sound keen to open it himself, said it would leave scratch marks ... i.e. he doesn't want to be responsible for replacing the tap if we become nasty and blame the scratches on him. Understandable, I would have done the same if I was in his place.

So I went to the hardware store today and got the most mean and tough looking wrench. Wala, the cap came off on the first try, yeah!! After that the valve came out pretty easily and I was done in 5 minutes. Woot! I will chalked this up as my very first repair job. 

It may look simple to most people but it's a milestone for me. I've never been a hands-on person. So to be able to find the valve and change it myself was a small accomplishment. Hopefully this can spur me to do more simple touch-ups myself.

Oven Baked Pork Shoulder with New Potato and Tomato

Over cooked the pork, turned out tough and dry ... will remember to watch the time on the meats. But still as tasty, though the picture doesn't do it justice.

Teriyaki Cod Fish on Bed of New Potatoes, with Portobello Mushrooms and Imperial Batavia Lettuce

Casual lunch, cod fish was for the weekend but we were busy. Better cook it than let it go bad in the fridge.

Say Cheese You Lousy Drivers!

I can't say it enough that I should have installed a car camera long time ago. It's been 'on my mind' since the big accident but somehow as time goes and the scars heal I set it aside. It costs a few hundred, the workshop to install is of unknown creditability, fear of being conned etc. It went into the abyss of my memory bank till ... the recent Injustice On Wheels. That spurred me to immediately re-look at the camera e-flyer Meimei had sent ages ago.

So today I went straight to the workshop after sending Meimei to office. $400+ is quite a hole in the pocket for just a camera but priceless for a peace of mind. Meimei was elated that we got it. So smile you idiotic drivers, pose for the camera! 

 

Mozzarella and Cheddar Cheese Baked Rice with Bratwurst and Portobello Mushroom

Cool lovely weekend cooking with Meimei. I like lots of cheese in my baked rice.

A Cook Book?

Pokpok don't remember publishing a cookbook on Thai street food. I call dips on the name Pokpok ... been so for 30 odd years.

冤枉啊！Injustice on Wheels ...

I really don't know why this always happen to us. A Lexus just reversed into us today in the carpark of Vivocity. It wasn't trying to park ... it just reversed straight on into our car. Our front bumper was dented but there wasn't a single scratch on the Lexus. Who is going to believe that we were stationary and it was the front car that came at us ... We did our best to mitigate it by asking the other driver, a lady foreigner with a leased car by the way, to sign off on the incident on paper. 

Seriously ... are you blind and deaf? And you actually have the audacity to question "What's wrong with your car? I don't see anything wrong here." *thoughts 'Hello bitch?! You reversed right into us and you still dare to claim there was nothing wrong??!!' Thankfully Meimei was there to control my temper.

Even my own mum thinks we banged someone else when she saw the damage at the front. The workshop agents advised the same ... it's going to be very difficult to prove my case that it was the other driver's fault. Worst still, they may turn around and claim against my insurance. 

I should have installed the camera a long time ago. It was silly of me to put it aside for so long. A video of the incident would have given a clear cut victory to us, but instead here we are in agony over what might happen. I'm following up closely with the workshop to resolve this and hopefully we can have the car repaired before Chinese New Year. Oh and I'm installing the camera first thing Monday morning. No more delays ...

Update 4 Dec 13: Went to buy the 3rd party report made by the other party today at GIA after getting the run around by the insurer's appointed workshop. Thankfully they were honest and indicated that they reversed into our vehicle. Phew! 

Last Exam I'll Ever Take, Maybe

This morning I took my last paper for the MBA. Next is the 6-8 months final group project and then I should graduate sometime in Dec 2014. It's been an extremely stressful and tiring journey since Jun 2011. Not just for me, but also for Meimei as well. The time, the cost, the stress ... I need a long long break from this.

I'm glad it's over. I don't expect the MBA would help me in anyway in terms of my career. I can honestly say though that I've learned quite a bit from the course. Maybe not technically in-depth as I like but that's the beauty of an MBA. It exposes you to various fields in the business spectrum and arms you with the analytical avenues and research capabilities to further any topic you wish to dive into. I've gained a greater appreciation of the varied functions in business through this course.

I suppose if I were to study again it will be short courses. And hopefully it will be something that Meimei can join in as well. It really makes a differences if we could motivate each other. Maybe cooking or painting classes would be fun for the both of us :-)

Droop, Droop, Droop ...

Our kitchen tap has been leaking over the past few days. We could go to bed and the sink bucket would be full next morning. Sigh ... things just don't last these days huh? We didn't know where it was leaking exactly so I dismantled the water filter and isolated the cause to the tap valve. Bah ... we may have replace the whole tap.

Update 2 Nov 13: Went down to Adamas at Jalan Besar to see if I can find the same tap again. I took Meimei's advice and ask if the tap can be repaired, and what you know, the Uncle say yes and taught me how to remove the parts to install the valve. Yeah! instead of spending $80-100, I bought the valve for $12 instead. Sadly my cheer was short-lived. The round cap holding the valve is stuck. I've tried pouring hot water, use ice to freeze the cap ... nothing works ... it just wouldn't bulge. Looks like we may have to engage a plumber after all.

My First Oven - Tefal Uno XL OF1802

I've never used a oven before. There never was one at Hillview and mum and dad didn't even have a microwave till a few years ago after I've moved out. An oven always seemed like a 'luxury' item for a typical Chinese home. So when we renovated our new place, we didn't set up a build-in oven cabinet in the kitchen design. It seemed impractical to have a white elephant appliance at that time since we thought we weren't likely to be cooking much.

But as we started cooking on the weekends and surfing the web for recipes, an oven became something we miss. Most recipes we find includes an oven baking process and without one we were handicapped. And with a new design idea of a kitchen trolley, the space for an oven suddenly materialised.

So next came the research phase for an oven. There sure are a lot of brands out there. And they don't come cheap. Well I suppose if we were to use it regularly, the cost is going to justify itself. I mean, imagine baking your own double chocolate muffin ... now that's something I've been dreaming of doing for sometime now.

Eventually we decided upon Tefal's mid range ovens and went ahead with the Uno XL. *smile I've started to dream of the days where I can make delicious cakes and pastries with the oven. Now I just need to buckle down and start experimenting with the different techniques of baking. Oh and invest in baking tools as I go along. So look forward to more cooking pictures on the blog!

A Leisurely Day of Shopping

Happiness - Spoils from a day of shopping. Tangs were having a members sale with discounts and 12% rebate. Funny though none of these are christmas gifts for others!

Udden Kitchen Trolley

From Ikea. Mobile, nice quality, took about 30 minutes to put together. Great for stashing other kitchen appliances.

Green Fingers - A Sudden Flourish

I thought it wasn't going to grow. But it suddenly flourish late last week. It must have been hampered by my 无奈 before and now that I have been 解脱, it is blossoming. They do feel.

Sharp Air Purifier with Humidifier KC-A40E - Fresher Air!

I've been meaning to get a air purifier for the bed room for the longest time. For some odd reason which I still can't figure out, our master bedroom is extremely dusty. I still remember how surprised I was at the amount of dust in the room. I had to clean the vacuum floor brush 3 times before I was done with the room. So I always wanted to buy a purifier for the room so we don't have to breathe in the particle laden air. And it made more sense with the extreme haze this year.

So wala, we just purchased a Sharp KE-A40E air purifier with humidifier. Comes with 3 filters, HEPA, deodoriser and humidifier filter. I love that you don't have to change the filters, the instruction manual explicitly specifies that the filters will last 10 years with proper care. Wonderful, no constant add-on of additional cost, which in this case can sum up to amounts more than the whole unit itself in a few years as HEPA filters run around $100-200.

Ok coming to the operations, simple and clear buttons, no over the top flashing lights nor complex selections. The fastest fan can be noisy but you don't need it unless you are in extreme dusty conditions. I switched it to Auto and the fan was running at low speed the whole night and was practically silent. Also you can switch off the lights on the machine if you don't like lights in the room when you sleep. The humidifier really helps as we sleep in air-con nightly.

At $499 it's expensive, but most HEPA machines are about the range of $400-600. If you are going to buy a purifier, might as well buy one that works well.

Christmas 2013 - Changi Christmas Decor

Much better this year, last year's tree branch inspired fixtures sure bombed. More traditional and festive looking this year.

Christmas 2013 - Presents!

Early Christmas present from Meimei. New Mug, perfect gift for Christmas!

解脱！

我终于解脱了。 这一年半的折磨可害得我好苦啊。我相信因果报应，你们会受到惩罚的。

Now I can concentrate on the coming exams in end Nov and then a break for the holidays. I'll most probably pick up a half year contract after the new year while working through the final project for my MBA. I think something not Accounting related would be fun and the primary criteria would be that it is flexible in terms of hours as my focus would largely be on the project. Once I graduate then I can concentrate on a full time job.

Meimei says I look so much more relax and calm. And she is right, no regrets nor sadness. I did the best I could for them and do not owe anyone anything. I can look back and say I held my end of the bargain. That's why I am so calm and cool about it. Meimei says it is a good thing and happy that it happened. Thank you dear *muach!

Chipped Pedestal

I must have accidentally clip it while vacuuming. Sigh ... I love this Cellini piece.

Bintang

Our favourite beer. Not available in Singapore. Hand carried goodness from Indonesia.

我是个宅男

Meimei has lovingly labeled me a 宅男, "Home Boy".

I like to stay at home. I do like to eat out and groceries shopping but those don't count. To be fair I don't mind going out if there is something to do out there. But there aren't a whole lot of places to sight see nor activities to participate in Singapore. I think the top leisurely activities in Singapore go something like this:

1) Retail therapy

There is just about a mall every 20 kilometres in every direction. The malls are busy on week nights and horribly packed on weekends. You have to shove your way through the crowd to get anywhere. For most Singaporeans, this is the de-facto place to go when you leave the house on a weekend.

2) Food hunt

Singaporeans love their food. We will go out of the way to jump into an hour long queue just to try out a stall critics and reviewers have rave about. Nevermind the wait and arrogant rude hawker, we simply have a "if there is a queue it must be good" mentality that overrides all other logical sense. Personally I'm sometimes guilty of this though I tend to be very specific and more choosy than your average Singaporean on what I would queue for.

3) Catching a movie at the Cineplex

There is a cinema in every neighbourhood in Singapore. Why? Just because that's what people do. Go spend several hours at movies. Top that with the meal and window shopping before and after the show, you have the cluster mess of endless crowds at the malls.

I think this is partly driven by the weather. You are likely to break into oozes of perspiration with every step you take outdoors. It is hot and humid year round and with rising global temperatures, it can only get worst. So people seek out indoor activities where they can enjoy the comforts of air conditioning.

I rather keep away from the crowds. I've never been a people person and having to squeeze through the hordes of people isn't something I look forward to. It's been ages since I've been to a pub or night spot. I think the last time was sometime back 15 years ago?

I much prefer to potter around the house. We spend enough time at work that staying home is a welcomed event. True to my 宅男-ness, I like to clean the house. Some of my favourites are:

1) Vacuum

It's a good workout, not muscle intensive but enough to have me perspire till my whole back is wet. Also the clean floor is something I prize since I don't walk around in a slipper. It just feels wonderful to stroll on the dust free surface. I have my trusty vacuum cleaner to thank for that. It's one of my favourite household equipment.

2) Iron

I iron all my clothes and some of Meimei's. I think this is the most tiring part of laundry but also the most satisfying. A whole row of crisp straight shirts for 2 weeks, nice.

3) Tidying Meimei's table

This is like a mini treasure hunt. You never know what you may find. Sometimes you find little trinkets and scratch your head wondering what they do. Other times you find 'rubbish' hidden in weird corners and crevasses. I try to do this when Meimei is not around and always with a plastic bag in hand to throw the many receipts, empty boxes, cloth tags etc that litter the table.

So with so much to do and only 2 short days in the weekend, we pretty much filled it with TV and simple chores. Not an exciting life but I'm contented.

I Am A Couch Potato

I like lazing in front of the TV. It brings me into another world full of charm, laughter, suspense and intrigue. I would have preferred to sit around the dining table to chat but conversations are not my strength. I tend to listen, and mostly to interesting topics or I fade away. Hence my affinity to the TV where you are bombarded with sights and colours you would never see in the little dot Singapore.

Thanks to the internet subscription package we receive a basic selection of cable channels 'free' and that expanded the entertaining programmes. You can never catch every show you want to watch. There isn't enough time!

I also like to watch movies at home. Until recently I would only buy the ones on sale but as I did some quick calculations the normal priced ones are also affordable. I mean going to the movie theatre would set us back by at least $10 a ticket, add on parking, popcorn, drinks etc and it is more expensive. Plus the stress of getting a good seat, getting there on time, the wait for the show to start, the inflexible show hours and only getting to watch it once, no replay- ability. Watching in the comforts of home wins every factor of consideration. So I have started to purchase latest DVD on release.

And to track the ever-expanding DVD collection, I've setup a new page to outline the title I already own, and add in a touch of pointless feedback to each.

So with TV and DVDs I never have to leave home for entertainment!

Bottling the Seasons

Interesting bottles depicting the 4 seasons. Add appropriate spice to represent each season.

Home Cooked Goodness - Fish Paste Brinjal

Always like Brinjal, love the texture and sweetness. Couple this with a salty fish paste brings out the smoothness of the vegetable.

Fish Paste Brinjal in Oyster Sauce

This was a weekend of cooking as Meimei was sick. It gave me the impetus to finally put on a chef's hat and start my culinary cooking journey.

Yesterday I cooked fish soup, teriyaki gindara and red grouper, and threw together a fresh salad for vege intake. Today I went with one of the favourites in Mama's repertoire. I've been meaning to cook this for the last year.

We bought the brinjal and fish paste a few months ago but wasted it eventually as we didn't get to cooking it. We threw the ingredients after they went bad after a month.

We didn't make the same wasteful attempt this time. Today we made a wonderful batch of fish paste bringjal in oyster sauce. The salty paste eaten together with the sweet and fullness of the brinjal is really something to savour. I have to declare that it was success on the first try.

Vase 303 - 2013 13th Oct

Simple purple elegance. The tiny flowers backdrop give the piece an appealing contrast.