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Countdown - Be Prepared to Confess @ Golden Village Plaza Singapura

February 24, 2013, 11:56 pm
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To cut the story short, i was invited to register for a preview of a Thai horror movie and i was successful!! Yippeee! As close friends would know, i am a fan of the horror genre!!!

Before i start with my review, maybe you could just give the above video player a click to check out the trailer and have a rough idea of what to expect.

Official Synopsis
4... 3... 2... 1... No matter where you are, everyone in the world is looking forward to the countdown to New Years Day, which includes 3 Thai teens in New York City. They are roommates. 

Jack is a rich kid from Thailand who lies to his parents that he’s in NYC to study, where in reality he is actually spending their money on a daily basis just to have fun. Pam, a materialistic girl who would do anything to impress others and finally, Bee, Jack’s girlfriend, who has yet to reveal to anyone why she came to NYC in the first place. 

The 3 friends want to have a NYE party to remember, so Jack calls Jesus, a drug dealer, to drop off some stuff to their apartment so they can celebrate the end of the year in style. They actually don’t know Jesus that well and don’t really know his background. However, his visit that night will change their lives forever.

4... 3... 2... 1...  They are counting down without knowing for sure that their new day is going to be waiting for them…. if they will be welcoming the new year. 

Given a classification of M18 [sorry kiddos who have yet to reach the age], this drug junkies film was a bit draggy in the beginning with the actual excitement starting only upon the arrival of the flamboyant ang moh drug dealer who looks like Jesus!

Befitting its M18 status, there were gross scenes involving breaking fingers, nail gun, cling wrap, teeth and for the katsaridaphobics; cockroaches. I was expecting a paranormal movie but "countdown" is not exactly it; there were indications but sadly not strong enough. 

Picture taken from http://www.robshep.com/2011/08/20/leaning-on-the-promises-of-god/
I would have placed this under thriller with a bit of spiritual inclinations that ended with a meaningful note. Just to give you a teaser, the ending has something to do with confessions for your sins!

Curious? Catch the movie at all GV theatres from 21 February 2013! 
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Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee [亚九香菇肉脞麺] & its Teochew Dumpling Soup @ Hong Lim Food Centre [Chinatown]

February 26, 2013, 7:10 am
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I am not a big fan of Bak Chor Mee (or BCM; a common abbreviation used in local food forums) but mom was craving for a bowl that day at Hong Lim Food Centre!  =(

As a filial son and also as a curious foodie, i joined the queue at one of Singapore Hawker Legends; Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee to see what the fuss was all about for it to have one of the longest queue at the hawker centre.

Actually, my preferred brunch was supposed to be the nearby Ji Ji Wanton Mee and the decision to switch abruptly to the famous BCM rest entirely on one factor; the availability of free flow deep fried pork lard at Ah Kow. 

Six types of noodle choices and i am in a dilemma on which one to select! Eventually, my selection was based simply on the BCM picture on the signboard; mee pok. 

Most customers ahead of me in the queue appeared to order an extra Teochew Dumpling soup and i thought it would be better for us to have that as well!

Teochew Dumpling Soup
潮州饺汤
Despite its delicious outlook with a semi cloudy broth (which i always attribute to a more flavourful taste), please don't expect too much from this bowl of soup.

The generous ingredients didn't justify for the surprising blandness we had. I did enjoy the dumplings very much although they had a harder texture that would benefit with the inclusion of more Chinese chestnuts.

Mushroom Minced Pork Noodles
香菇肉脞麺
With almost seventy years of history (since 1945), Ah Kow was well known for serving traditional BCM coupled with its special chilli sauce and a type of vinegar specially imported from China.

There were a few other things worth noting; the freshness of ingredients (the braised mushrooms were amazing), pieces of dried flatfish and slices of pork that were much softer than those of its competitors!

"Slurp, Slurp, Slurp...." - Japanese would enjoy eating the noodles!

Taste wise, it would satisfy diners who prefer more vinegar in their BCM. For me, it has a unique aftertaste that was likely the smelly effect of dried flatfish even though for BCM, it was really not as impressionable as i expected (kindly note my opening statement). 

As much as i worship pork lard, even their existence failed to better my opinion of Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee.

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Location
531A, Upper Cross Street, 
#02-42, Hong Lim Food Centre

Price
Teochew Dumpling Soup - S$4.00
Minced Pork Noodles - S$3.50

Operating Hours
8.00am to 5.00pm
[Closed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday!] 

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500 Luohan Temple [五百罗汉庙] @ Bintan Island [Indonesia]

February 27, 2013, 5:25 am
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My mind drew a blank when my brother in law suggested a visit to the 500 luohan temple in our recent trip to Bintan Island. Don't get me wrong; i am fully aware of a place that houses five hundred golden statues of arhats but from my understanding, it is in China and not Indonesia.

Whatever the case, this recently completed temple was said to be a key attraction in many Bintan travel itineraries! Our arrival started with a grand Chinese stone archway guarded by two fierce looking heavenly generals.

To enter the vihara's compound, you first have to walk through what appeared to be a city gate built according to Chinese traditional architecture. To be honest, it was weird having such a towering structure on top of a small hill that has no similar building complementing its imposing existence.

Impressive sight that greeted us upon entering and one that took our breath away - the sculptural display of five hundred stone arhats on a tiered platform! More on them later.

Shocking news - deities in captivity! Sacrilegious! No lah, i think they might have just arrived and the caretakers have not had time to put them in their designated spots.

I could not remember who this is although i found it extremely cute to see a modern day pacifier on a religious statue. Beware, it would not be long before we see statues of gods holding mobile phone in addition to their magical weapon in their hands.

This statue depicted the daughter of a dragon who has attained the Buddha status despite her relatively young age at eight years old.

Guanyin Bodhisattva - as you can see, access was blocked to prevent touchy hands from damaging the statue and also to deter non religious visitors from posing inappropriately beside the statues for the sake of photo taking.

She, as in Guanyin (along with two other Bodhisattvas by her sides), was located right opposite the congregation of 500 arahats and it did seem like a religious sermon was scheduled to start; likely at night when all pesky, noisy visitors have left the compound.

Drinks and snacks were available (for purchase) for those who want to take a rest and enjoy the peacefulness and tranquility of the temple.

Steps to the main shrine housing the patron god, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva [地藏王菩萨] who is famous for making a very noble vow; his determination not to achieve Buddhahood until hell is emptied of souls.

Now, we all know that is impossible! Humans are complicated and subject to way too many temptations in life. Having said that, his quest to eliminate human suffering is highly commendable and well respected by Buddhists.

Guess these were blessing papers where devotees wrote their names.

Elevated view of the five hundred lohan and their surroundings. Could you guess another place with a better view to catch the full splendour of the statues?

Answer: the top of the "city gate"!

A pavilion next to the shrine had a golden Buddha statue with Thai elements.

Facing him was the statue of a toddler; that of the Buddha when he was borne as an Indian prince. For more information on the founder of Buddhism, please click here.

Big ass bee with a yellow furry back!!

Coming back to the star attraction; the five hundred arhats (or arahats or luohans or lohans) that everyone is waiting for. Note: avid photographers would absolutely love this place.

Every statue was life liked and similar to the terracotta warriors in Xi'an; each of them has his own exclusive facial expression, features, hand posture with some holding on to weapons, animals, children and other magical possessions.

It was a neat arrangement that screamed of symmetrical order. Once again, visitors were restricted from climbing in, which i thought was a great pity.

You would have noticed the plaque in front of every statue which detailed useful information of the respective arhat's title and his background.

However, the barrier to enter means those plaques at the back would be as good as useless unless you have a pair of binoculars!

The first one looked like the war god; Guan Gong while the second one might have been the holy monk; Tripitaka from the Chinese classic literature, Journey to the West.

Ending the post with an arhat who had a mocking expression directed at the bird!

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Location
Unknown. We rented a car with a personal chauffeur and he was the one who brought us there. If you are keen to engage the service of a reputable car rental company, please click here. Most tour packages to Bintan would also likely cover this temple. Check with them for confirmation.

Additional Information
In the middle of my post, i mentioned having a better view by going up to the top of the 'city gate'. It was a no-go as the access was blocked!
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Dino-Soarin' - A Kiddy Ride on the Pterodactyls @ Jurassic Park [Universal Studios Singapore]

February 28, 2013, 5:00 am
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Dino-Soarin' in Universal Studios Singapore (USS) - when i first explored the theme park back in 2011 under the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences' family day, i thought this ride must have been the most unexciting in the whole of USS.

Take a look - you can easily find this kind of fly around ride catered for the kids even in small scale fun fairs at Singapore's temporary night markets (known locally as pasar malams).

However, take a step backwards and try to recollect the basic purpose of a theme park - to provide entertainment for everyone in the family and that includes very young children (not infants though) who would not have met the minimum height requirements for most rides in USS.

With this mindset (and that i have an annual pass now), it was decided to give Dino-Soarin' a try in my recent trip to the theme park. No doubt, it was embarrassing to have two adult men joining the queue when everyone seemed to have a kid beside them!

Pterodactyls cars - Heck, i don't even know how to pronounce pterodactyls even though these ancient birds were commonly seen in movies revolving around dinosaurs.

What was thought to be a boring ride turned out to be pretty entertaining; thanks to the above button. In order to "fly" your pterodactyl, you have press and hold the button.

Going up gradually was nothing; it was the abrupt descent that was fun! How i wish i have brought Jovyn along! 

By the way, it would be quite a squeeze to have two persons in the car. Could we actually use the pterodactyl's feet as a helpful hanger for my big bag during the ride? 

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Location
Beyond the Gate of Jurassic Park
Lost World Zone
Universal Studios Singapore [USS]
Sentosa Island

For other posts on USS, please click here. 

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Pasar Oleh Oleh @ Bintan Island

March 1, 2013, 7:43 am
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While researching on the activities to do at Bintan Island, we frequently read about this marketplace known as Pasar Oleh-Oleh; which was reported by many travellers as a tourist trap!

However, there were positive reviews of the massage and spa salons within the pasar and we decided to bring our dearest mummy for a well-deserved muscle relaxing session.

As you can probably attest from the above picture; the whole place was literally empty. I could think of a few reasons; the current monsoon season when visitor level is usually the lowest, the negative online reviews etc.

The appearance of a wishing well, in most cases, has a smelly reference to what i term as a tourist trap. To cut it some slack; this well is at least an exact replica of a well typical in villages in this region.

An eye-catching sign declaring that this is a free touting area was erected right at the entrance; a white elephant as we were approached by touts as soon as we stepped in! I didn't complain as they were well mannered and non-pushy.

D' Bintan Salon Day Spa - from memory, there were at least four salons in Pasar Oleh Oleh and mom was kind of drawn to this particular one.

To assure my mom and sister on the cleanliness, they were encouraged to take a look at the facilities before deciding on whether to engage the services of this salon's masseurs.

Rate of spa treatments and massages at D' Bintan Salon Day Spa for your reference - note that prices are in Singapore dollars and subject to change.

Please keep in mind the reservation number (0770-692898) and email (spa@bintanidola.com) as free transportation is provided for a minimum spending of S$50 at the salon! In case you are unaware, you have to pay for a Bintan resorts shuttle to Pasar Oleh Oleh which ranges from S$5 to S$6 for a two-way trip for each person. 

I don't profess to be an expert on massage parlours and spas but what from what i see, the environment was relaxed and soothing. Sadly, a traditional Indonesian massage was not on my agenda that day; after dumping leaving the mom and sister, i departed for my mini exploration alone.

The above was another company offering massages and spa treatment; Bali Mayura spa. Prices are generally similar although there might be some competitive discounts during off peak season.

Pasar Oleh Oleh was not big (around 20 to 30 shops) and i could easily cover the entire place within 30 minutes. According to the official Bintan resorts website, it is supposed to be "a souvenir gift market and shopping village set up to promote Indonesian culture, arts and crafts".

In a way, you can find a few shops selling souvenirs and Indonesia artwork and craftwork; most of which can be easily found back in Bintan Lagoon resort where i stayed for three nights. 

Prices were comparable to the resort even though you can try your luck at bargaining for a better price. In some cases, there were attractive promotions of as high as 50% off the original price.

Didn't bring enough beachwear? You can easily get some from the shops in Oleh Oleh. 

A travel agency was also located on site to provide arrangement for local tours, hotel booking, golf booking, car rental, taxi service, massage, spa etc. For those who would like to rent a car, you may click here for a review of my experience in Bintan. 

Temporary tattoos were available for those who wish to show off their rebellious nature in an overseas country and yet too chicken to have a permanent mark on their body (like me)!

You can get drinks, snacks, instant noodles, beer etc from two mini-marts in Pasar Oleh Oleh. Pricing wise, equivalent to what you pay back in Singapore! Two hundred meters away is another place where you can get the aforementioned items at cheaper prices. Want to know more? Look out for it in a future entry (i am expecting it to be posted in a week's time).

Hungry for food? There were two main eateries serving local, western and even Japanese cuisines; Helo Helo Cafe and Bintan Idol Cafe. Out of these two, Bintan Idol (sister company of D' Bintan Salon Day Spa) had more diners partly because it had an air-conditioned dining section. 

Menu of Bintan Idol Cafe appended above for your reference. See, i am so nice right?! As usual, please note that prices are subject to change! As i was still full from a great lunch my mom cooked back in the resort villa, i was only on the lookout for just a cup of coffee. 

My choice was Helo Helo cafe since it was right opposite D' Bintan Salon Day Spa where i could  peacefully play my game while waiting for the two ladies to complete their massage session. 

The layout of Pasar Oleh Oleh has a village (or known as kampong to many local Singaporeans) theme; clusters of kampong houses that doubled as shops with communal spaces in the middle where visitors can rest in any of the three sheltered pavilions. 

Despite its infamous tag as a tourist trap, there were subtle indications of similarity to my kampong days (i stayed in the village until i was six years old) which is incredibly memorable.

Kids playing carefreely in front of their houses.

Cats lazing under the hot sun until they were disturbed by a blogger who could not help taking a few photographs for his blog.

A family of wild long tailed macaques that frequently barged into the mini-mart for free food and drinks at the expense of an unwilling mini-mart owner who branded them as robbers! 

Elevated houses that were specifically built to prevent flooding and also acted as a cooling agent for the residents. Personally, i find this kind of houses on cement stumps to be really scary; imagine sleeping on the wooden floor and hearing someone knocking or crying directly beneath the floor!

Walk to the back where you can see more of the real kampong life; dirt path, small scale plantations of herbs and vegetables, cluttered arrangement of household items etc. 

Even to the extent of seeing a few pairs of freshly washed (i think) underwear. 

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Location
Township Bintan Resort Region
North Lagoi, Bintan Resorts,
Bintan Island

Map
As above and slightly outdated. 

How to Go There?
The easiest way is to take a bus shuttle from your resort and pay a nominal fee per person. Kampong Lagoi, as indicated in the above picture, is right across Pasar Oleh Oleh.

My family missed the bus (result of a different time zone) and since we didn't want to waste time, we approached the customer service counter of the resort to book a taxi to bring us there. 

Cost - S$22 one way for the three of us. 

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Kampong Lagoi @ Bintan Island [Opposite Pasar Oleh Oleh]

March 2, 2013, 6:53 am
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Situated directly opposite the main entrance of Pasar Oleh Oleh was another "shopping village" - instead of a pasar (market in Malay), it was given the name of Kampoeng Lagoi. 

A misnomer if you ask me since Kampong Lagoi was nothing like a traditional village. Strictly speaking, Pasar Oleh Oleh has a much stronger kampong vibe than Lagoi! 

Walk into the compound and you get the feeling it was more of a European concept rather similar to the Johore Premium Outlets; albeit of a much smaller scale.

Nevertheless, the correct mixture of shops is very important and this is where you would get a sense of disappointment; nothing really excited me and some of the shops were not even tenanted!

It was like a ghost town; I was there for possibly ten minutes and besides the employees who manned the stores, there was practically not a single soul (except myself of course).

Kampong Lagoi was likely built to serve as an upmarket destination for visitors who would have a better shopping experience over Pasar Oleh Oleh. Overall decor was indeed more modern and nicer.

There was a massage salon and spa as well although i am presuming that the prices are more expensive than those across the road. To be fair, the interior design for this particular salon was a perfect picture of relaxation!

Likewise with Pasar Oleh Oleh, there was a travel agency offering tour packages. There are actually a lot of things you can do in Bintan; mangrove tour, fireflies tour, fishing tour, heritage tour, eco tour, adventure trekking and my favourite snorkeling excursions which are available during non monsoon season!

Cafe Tempo (open only from 4pm) was said to serve an epic soft-bone chicken! I am appending the menu above for you to get a rough feel on the pricing. 

Strangely, you get a better discount in this Polo Ralph store than anywhere else in the Bintan resorts area. I have my misgivings on the quality on the branded clothing so choose carefully before you actually buy any! 

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Location
Township Bintan Resort Region 
North Lagoi, Bintan Resorts, 
Bintan Island

How to Go There?
Check out the last few paragraphs of my Pasar Oleh Oleh post. 

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Table Manners - Louisiana Fried Chicken @ Changi City Point [The Oasis]

March 4, 2013, 6:14 am
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"Table Manners" - my initial thought was that this is going to be a pricey, quiet restaurant with pompous service staff who would not hesitate to use a cane to hit against your hands for using the wrong cutlery! 

The reality was the direct opposite; service was great, the environment was noisy (with much laughter if i could add) and every diner appeared to have the intention to truly chill out in the company of friends and family.

Without further ado, let's start with food (i know it has been quite a while since i last had a food entry)! 

My order - Louisiana Fried Chicken
Described as the Southern fried chicken with truffle fries, garlic aioli and house salad, this chef recommended dish didn't disappoint even though i would prefer to classify it towards the like of chicken cutlet. 

Nonetheless, the crust was a perfect crunch while the meat was a chunk of yummy juiciness that blended really well with the garlic aioli dip! You might want to consider asking for a second helping of the dip! 

And who could actually resist truffle fries?!?! Not me although i found them to be slightly soggy and the chef seemed a tad less generous with the truffle oil. 

My friend's order - Norwegian Baked Salmon
The texture (at least for the piece i had) of the fish was exceptionally creamy and totally changed my opinion of baked salmon. Shouldn't they be hard, dry and likely to have the lingering fishy taste? 

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Location
5, Changi Business Park Central 1, 
#01-68/69, Changi City Point [The Oasis]

Website

Price
Louisiana Fried Chicken - S$16.00
Norwegian Baked Salmon - S$20.00
[Subject to GST and Service Charge]

Food Menu
As above [the cocktails are supposed to be very good; i cannot comment since i am no drinker]

Additional information
Go for the indoor section if you don't enjoy the heat and humidity in Singapore! That's provided you can get a seat in the first place (picture was taken when Table Manners was closing for the day).
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Local Market (with Much Cheaper Stuff) Near Pasar Oleh Oleh & Kampong Lagoi @ Bintan Island

March 5, 2013, 7:30 am
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In close proximity to Pasar Oleh Oleh and Kampong Lagoi is a local market guaranteed to be wallet-friendly for any visitor who has a budget constraint! 

Firstly, walk out of the entrance of Pasar Oleh Oleh, turn right and turn right again at the next turn where you would be greeted with the content in the above picture. Continue further ahead towards the landmark of a 4-storey building. 

From my understanding, the local market was catered for employees of Bintan resorts; many of whom stayed in the nearby staff quarters. Although it was open to the public, most visitors of Pasar Oleh Oleh and Kampong Lagoi remained unaware of its existence.

These buildings must have housed staff who are of higher positions due to the existence of a luxurious item; air-conditioning units. 

Since it was shortly after lunch when i walked over, the neighbourhood was dead quiet; guess most occupants must be either taking an afternoon nap or returning back to work in the resorts.

We have reached the destination! There is no official distance given but i took around five minutes and i guess the distance between Pasar Oleh Oleh and the local market should be in the range of 300-400 meters. 

There was a Singapore style hawker center comprising of nineteen stalls in total, with eleven that were operational and selling a variety of Indonesian fare. Given my weak stomach, i thought it was best just to look around and not to eat. Prices were not indicated; therefore, i could not comment further on the pricing. 

Those who would be staying for a few days at Bintan resorts should seriously consider paying the market a visit in their first day as you could find easily find vegetables, fruits, eggs, cooking oil and even packets of sauces etc to whip up a good meal without costing a bomb! 

Need to get a SIM card to beat the crazy roaming and data charges? Get it in this market too!

Guess i stepped in too late as there were structural remnants of what appeared to be a wet section selling fresh meat and seafood! The view of people snoozing barefooted on the stalls would, however, definitely deter my mom from buying any raw meat.

Next to the market was a row of low rise shophouses; this was where i got my purchases of bottled water for less than S$1 each (i paid 5,000 rupiah)! A similar bottle of the same capacity (1.5 liters) had a price tag of S$3-4 within the resort!

Minimarts offering many items for sale at local prices! Do stash up on mineral water (as i mentioned previously), juices, milk, coffee, snacks, beer etc! Those who have forgotten to bring their anti-dandruff shampoo would be pleased to know that there were a few brands for you to choose from! 

Stroll across the small road to the 4-storey building in where you can find a few commercial entities like massage salons and spas. There was another D'Bintan Salon Day Spa?! Damn, are the rates cheaper than its branch in Pasar Oleh Oleh? 

Restaurant Kampoeng Nelayan - a typical air-conditioned seafood restaurant commonly found in Singapore. To dine in a more rustic environment, please click here. 

The good thing was that you can select the seafood yourself in the many tanks located next door; personally, i actually feel that it is cruel to pinpoint and end the life of a living creature that could likely be served as food on the dining table! I think i will turn vegetarian if i am ever stuck alone in an island! Anyway, pricing was comparable to Singapore with crabs costing S$50 a kilogram. 

Yet another small scaled supermarket but it was more tidy and spacious! A magnum ice cream cost 22,500 rupiah (approximately S$3 plus) at Pasar Oleh Oleh; in the local market vicinity, it was sold for 11,000 rupiah (half price at less than S$1.50)! 

Don't want to lug a whole pack of instant beverage back to Singapore or unsure on what to have? Select from the wide choices available in individual baskets (we should have this kind of concept in Singapore)! 

Mi-won kopi ginseng - 3-in-1 coffee lovers should get a few boxes of these rich ginseng coffee! With six sachets in a box, the price tag was less than S$2 (honestly, i could not remember). Other things worth buying include hair waxes; S$2 for Gatsby Mat and Hard etc! 

Time to go back as Mom's massage session was ending soon! On my walk back, i bumped into a few children on bicycles who had just returned from school. 

It was a picture of happy carefreeness that i am super envious of. 
Wtf,I think i am facing a mid life crisis! 

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Location

Map
A rough gauge of what i remember! 

How to Go?
Check out the last few paragraphs of my Pasar Oleh Oleh post.

Additional Information
You may read my posts on Kampong Lagoi and Pasar Oleh Oleh via here and here. 
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My Long Lost Piggy Banks & The Hearsay that S$1 Coins can Grant you a WISH

March 6, 2013, 8:33 am
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After almost two years, i finally found the secret box where i hid all my beloved piggy banks! Mind you, all of the above containers were fed to the brim and my favourite has to be the adorable flower pig! 

Now, i bet many of you have heard of a popular rumour that the inclusion of a ba qua outline (a religious item used generally in Fengshui) within the Singapore $1 coin has the magical benefit to ward off Singapore's back luck and misfortune during the economic crisis in the 1980s. 

However, has anyone heard of the following regarding the same one dollar coin? 

Fill up your piggy bank with only S$1 coins (note: these coins must be sourced as part of a normal transaction where change is given and not exchanged via the bank counter) and once you ensure that nothing can go in, you can then make a wish and it will definitely be granted! 

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Nonya Kueh (Kueh Dar Dar & Best Ondeh Ondeh) @ Galicier Confectionary [55 Tiong Bahru Road]

March 7, 2013, 7:30 am
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In the last five to ten years, Tiong Bahru was swarmed with the opening of many charming little Western cafes (Drips is one of them); resulting in frustrating parking woes for the residents of this housing enclave built way back in the 1930s!

New entrants aside, there are actually a few decade-old shops that continue to be operational, giving us a glimpse of the past that evokes warm nostalgia in the memory of many people who used to patronise the area.

Galicier Confectionary is one of those shops.

Walk into the dated bakery and be overwhelmed with the vast variety of cakes, biscuits and traditional nonya kueh waiting for you to pick them up! I have to agree with Dr Leslie Tay from ieatishootipost.sg; there is always an impulsiveness to buy the whole shop just so i could slowly take my time to savour each and every one of them!

Knowing the above option is impossible, i usually have to make do with buying a few of my favourite kuehs whenever i am nearby. This time round, it was Kon and Ms Tan who foot the bill (kamsahamnida) for the delicious looking treats!

Ondeh Ondeh 
番薯丸子
Atypical of normal ondeh ondeh, these 60-cents apiece balls of goodness were not bright green in colour yet still managed to be ranked, in my honest opinion, as one of the best ondeh ondeh in Singapore.

What set this ondeh ondeh apart from the others, besides the color, was the inclusion of an even tinier ball made of sesame seeds that enhanced the overall fragrance and flavour. 

Soft they definitely were and merely a light bite was enough to have the liquefied gula melaka oozing out of the protective covering! Be careful as more often than not, first timers would have the brown gula melaka dirtying their clothes! 

Kueh Dar Dar
白色椰子卷
At 70 cents each, they didn't appear to be any different from kueh dar dar sold in other places. It's only when you take a bite that you realise things are not the same.

Instead of the common gula melaka drenched coconut shreds, the ones in Galicier were of a natural whiteness! To improve the taste, rock sugar and sesame seeds were mixed in. 

Custard Buns
I could not remember the pricing of this pastry although i guess they should be as affordable as the others mentioned so far. 

Frankly, this was pretty normal and would have performed better if there was a balance between the sweetness and egginess of the custard cream. Oh, and i really dislike the stale taste of the pastry skin.

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Location
55 Tiong Bahru Road,
#01-39 [Opposite the main Link Hotel]

Opening Hours
10am to 8pm
[Closed on Monday]

Additional Information
There are just too many things to buy in Galicier for a person with a sweet tooth and i am going to give you a photographic image of what else to expect! 

Swiss Roll [S$4.50]

Jelly-O Biscuit [S$5.50]

Biscuits [Varied Prices]

Chiffon cakes and others! Do you know that many tourists would specifically buy chiffon cakes in Singapore and bring them home?! Locals like me have always taken them for granted.
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Tanjung Pinang - A Day Trip on a Rented Vehicle with Driver @ Bintan Island

March 9, 2013, 7:30 am
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Remember my post on car rental at Bintan Island? This entry would elaborate further, on a chronological basis, on what the family did on that specific day away from Bintan Lagoon resort.

Eko, our friendly chauffeur, arrived with his seven-seater sedan ten minutes before the agreed time. Knowing he was early, he waited for us patiently outside the villa (if it was me, i would have 'chased' my customers and asked them to hurry up)!!

The day started out really gloomy with a light drizzle. By the way, I didn't know Bintan Lagoon resort was so huge; to drive to the gatehouse, it took us five minutes and to get out of the Bintan resorts zone, it was another eighteen minutes!

After close to seventy five minutes, we reached our first stop; the spacious Avalokitesvara Graha Temple [大观音山梅峰寺].

Maybe due to the ongoing Chinese new year festivities, the temple was not as crowded as expected although it was said to be a major attraction in Bintan.

Main shrine of the temple that hosted the tallest statue of the Goddess of Mercy in Indonesia. From this angle, the building seemed short but it had in reality another four higher levels.

Here's the famous Bodhisattva; measuring 6.5 meters long, 1.4 meters wide and 16.8 meters tall, the seated brass statue was covered in 22 carat gold!

Happy Buddha [彌勒佛] - an equally popular Bodhisattva in Chinese dominated regions. For more information, please click here. 

Flanking Guanyin on both sides were numerous colourful statues; many of whom i initially thought were Taoist deities but they turned out to have Buddhist titles. 

What i found more interested were the intricate details given to the three dimensional stone carvings making up the walls and pillars of the shrine!

Jovyn was simply enjoying herself by running here and there. Kids. 

If not for the incessant rain and strong wind, i would most probably explore the rest of the temple, especially the huge compound right in front of the main shrine. 

Monks in many bigger temples would grow crops and vegetables to supplement their food supply. Down here in this temple, the king of crop was the dragonfruit (guess they were grown more for sale instead of personal consumption within the temple)

Another towering statue; albeit of 地藏王菩萨 [Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva]. We shall see more statues later at the 500 arhats temple! 

Praying was a must for my mom! However, we realised that most visitors would separately go into a room and speak with an elderly monk; i bet there would be spiritual advice being dispensed. 

Thirty minutes in the car brought us to a 'shopping' area in Bintan's main township; Tanjung Pinang. I was at the exact same place ten years ago when i participated in an army medical exercise. And it has not changed a single bit since then! 

We requested for a change within five minutes of arrival and was taken to a more modern building; Mall Tanjung Pinang which has a Ramayana department store, fast food outlets, an arcade, shopping kiosks and a supermarket.

Lunch @ Charlie's Chicken [own expenses].

KFC was way better! The deep fried chicken parts at Charlie's Chicken were too dry and lacked an outstanding flavouring. They should thank their lucky stars that i was super hungry. 

Menu for your reference. Those could not understand Bahasa Indonesia may wish to note that kopi is coffee, teh is tea, susu is milk, panas means hot, coklat is chocolate, jus is juice, nasi is rice, sop is soup. 

The shopping kiosks failed to excite me and the same goes for the department store. For my family members, it was a different story; they shopped for an hour in Ramayana! 

I preferred to spend my time at the supermarket where things were so much cheaper than what i can get in the resorts! Get your stash of snacks, biscuits, chocolates, fruits, instant noodles, daily household applications, soft drinks, facial and hair products, fresh milk, yakult etc etc.

As our family was not sure on what was available in Bintan, we were actually very well stocked in our supplies and only purchased a few items in this supermarket.

Cheap magnum ice cream at only 11,000 rupiah! I mentioned this in my post on local market near to Pasar Oleh Oleh and this was the evidence! 

Buying one was necessary to partake in the luxurious action of biting through the rich chocolate casing and hearing the 'cack cack' sound commonly heard on Magnum television advertisement. 

Arcade to keep the kids occupied. 

On our way to another supermarket as we desperately needed some charcoal for our BBQ and didn't want to pay exorbitantly for a pack at the resort. 

Saw a really young boy (no more than five years ago) selling newspapers dangerously on the busy road. The plastic bag he was carrying contained money from the sales he made. That's the harsh reality in life that many of us in Singapore have never experienced. 

Anyway, this was the local supermarket that offered even more things than Mall Tanjung Pinang! 

There were definitely more locals which means language barrier was also significantly higher. It took half an hour for them to understand i need charcoal and liquid fuel! 

Local transportation for us means buses and trains. In Bintan, local transport is via passenger vans and motorcycles. 

Next temple stop: the impressive 500 Luohan temple. In view of the many pictures of this temple, a separate post was published earlier and you may refer to it here. 

Final destination: Dinner at a Kelong! Check out my review here.

======

To rent a car with chauffeur, please refer to this post.

Additional Information
Note that the itinerary is up to you to plan (you can choose to include spas, historical sites etc) but do keep in mind that from the exclusive Bintan resorts zone, it would take around ninety minutes to drive to Tanjung Pinang. 

For a more comprehensive guide on the attractions in Bintan Island, click here. 
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Char Siew Wanton Noodle @ Hong Ji Mian Shi Jia [鴻記麵食家] in Telok Blangah Food Centre

March 10, 2013, 8:30 am
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Out of the possibly millions of food trips in his 32 years of life, the Great Kon would still fondly recollect his childhood affection for a plate of wanton noodles from Telok Blangah food centre. 

We were brought to try it a long time ago although memory told me it was not well taken by the rest of the Gang. Nonetheless, my tastes buds have undergone drastic transformation over the past few years and it was only fair that i should give the hawker stall another chance. 

It always helps to know that there is an option to take as many pieces of deep fried pork lard as your arteries can take; truly a euphoric moment for me! 

My order with chilli while Alex had the traditional dark soya sauce without chilli sauce. 

The char siew was said to be made by the owner himself and boy did it surprise me! The char siew was fattening and juicy with a substantial amount of caramelised charrness that never fails to up the "taste"! Forget about the wantons; there was nothing special about them. 

Noodles wise, i had the suspicion that it was the same type of noodle used by Kok Kee Wanton Noodle (国记云吞面) at Lavender Food Square; they were thinner than conventional mee kia, smooth and didn't seem to have that strong a "kee" flavour.

S$3 was hardly sufficient for us! If you happen to be around the vicinity, i would strongly recommend the authentic version (Alex's order was more delicious!) without chilli or tomato sauce. 

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Location
79 Telok Blangah Drive #01-05,
Telok Blangah Drive Food Centre

Map
As above.

Price
S$3 per plate
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Bintan Lagoon Resort - My Personal Review @ Bintan Island, Indonesia

March 11, 2013, 8:30 am
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We have come to the final post of my recent visit to Bintan Island and I guess writing a review for the resort i stayed in for four days, three nights would nicely wrap up this trip taken in February!

Let's start with the very beginning; taking the ferry from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. This would not have generated much interest from many of you except the following; Bintan Lagoon resort has its very own ferry terminal!! 

Tickets can be purchased via https://www.journeyful.com/. The fully air-conditioned vessel for embarkation was Queen Star 1 which was able to seat two hundred passengers.

Snacks and drinks were available for purchase. For those prone to motion sickness, you would not find any sour plums or fisherman's friends for sale. 

Journey from Singapore to Bintan Island - a dizzying eighty five minutes! Just when i thought i was going to purge out my lunch, the sight of the breakwater was comforting enough for me to hold back everything! 

The great view that greeted us upon our arrival. For a person who has been to Krabi, this was seriously nothing to scream about. However, the period i went was the monsoon season and it was said that the beaches in Bintan were powdery, sandy and white in other seasons. 

Immigration was the usual; i was half expecting hassle-free clearance since this terminal caters mainly to customers of Bintan Lagoon resort but it was not to be. 

From where i stood (which was right outside the ferry terminal), i can already see the main resort buildings, including its two hotel wings and main lobby! From some online reviews, i was led to believe i had to walk quite a bit to reach the lobby. 

Lazy to walk under the hot sun? Fret not, you can choose to ride the shuttle bus to the main lobby. All my family members chose the option except for me. Tsk tsk tsk. 

Walking is healthier what! Follow the yellow arrows and you would reach the lobby in just five minutes! The shuttle actually took longer since it would start its journey when most seats are filled up. 

The spacious, airy lobby! Kindly note that all pictures were taking over a four days period and i would use them interchangeably in this entry without taking into consideration the chronology factor.

There is an advantage to taking the shuttle - an Indonesian dance and musical performance awaits you while you alight from the bus while eco 'walkers' like me wonder what the hell was all that ruckus!!

I almost forgot to mention about the checked in luggage; they will be brought to the lobby and you may then collect them once you have completed your villa or room check in. 

Jovyn was enjoying herself as it was her first overseas trip and there were so much to see!

The Chinese New Year festive atmosphere can also be felt in the resort and this was nothing surprising given that the main bulk of business comes from Singapore.

View of the breathtaking South China Sea from the main lobby. 

One of two swimming pools in the resort. In the past, i could not understand why beach resorts have to build a separate swimming pool when there is a beach so close by! Now, i am thankful some of them choose to do so as the beach can be so dangerous for young children!

Free wifi only in the lobby! If you die-die have to do a constant check on your facebook, twitter and email, you could 'purchase' dedicated wifi at the business centre. The rates as follows: S$8.55 for an hour, S$19.55 for a day and S$95 for a week. 

Limited shopping was available at the lobby, especially for those who require extra beachwear, swimming googles, polo brand attire, sand castle kits, souvenirs and even kopi luwak!

Snacks, water, sunblock lotions, sweets, chocolates can be bought via the two mini-marts in the resort. For me, i would strongly suggest you pay the local market a visit to make your purchases. For details, please click here. 

I am not going to touch on accommodation here as i have already covered the villa in a separate entry. Should you be keen to book for a Bintan Lagoon resort's villa and are not sure what to expect, please click here. Kindly note that there are hotel rooms (two blocks of them) as well although i am not in a position to write a review for the rooms since i did not actually stay in one. 

As i mentioned before, Bintan Lagoon resort is humongous and the usage of a buggy can be extremely helpful in saving some time, especially for villa dwellers! 

Leisure Centre - as the name suggests, this would be the place with loads of activities and most of them come with a nominal price, obviously. Let me try to list them down, starting with the free ones.

Gymnasium that had my younger sister as its longest staying visitor for the four days! It was my first visit to a gym and i must say i am really tempted to sign up for a gym membership after that; it was clean and there were so many equipment targeting different parts of the body!

The smaller of the two resort pools and the one nearest to the villas; this one came with slides for children (Jerald loved it)! Now coming to the more somber section on chargeable activities.

Water walking balls - fans of running man would recognise them from the episode featuring a South Korean Olympic swimmer as the guest and remember how hard it was to walk in the plastic ball.

Renting a bicycle; besides the pedal type (S$6 an hour), you can also opt for the electric bike (S$10 an hour). Have i mentioned that everything in the resort is in Singapore dollars instead of Indonesian rupiah? 

Laser Quest at S$11 per person. This was so much fun even though my eventual score was a pathetic 16 points! For comparison purpose, my brother in law had on his score sheet 200 over points! :(

Pool and billiard (S$8.80 an hour)! I had a happy time thrashing the rest over pool; an appropriate revenge after the humiliating defeat in laser quest. 

Other activities and their operation hours can be found in the first picture. The exciting All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) guide tour would understandably be conducted outdoors.

Archery would take place further away at the Golf Club House. We actually wanted to participate in this activity but missed all the designated timings (there are only three sessions a day)! 

That's not all; there are also badminton court, basketball court, tennis court, volleyball court and futsal court for large groups who would like to sweat it out. 

Golf enthusiasts would of course know that there are two world renowned 18-hole golf courses in Bintan Lagoon resort! As a person who doesn't understand golf except for "try to hit the ball into the hole", i am reserving my comment in case i embarrass myself further. 

Next destination: the beach! 

The waves were too strong (typical of the monsoon season) and the best one can do was to lie on the deck chairs and tan their skins. Upmarket beach front dining can be have had at this 3 Degrees Signature Restaurant housed in a modernistic glass building. 

This spot would be perfect for a bridal shoot. 

My left side, where the ferry terminal stands, as i set foot onto the beach.

Right side which appeared to have a mysterious mist falling over it. The weather was okay yet i could count no more than five persons on this private beach. 

Reasons for the lack of human activity; no life guard was on duty and the planting of red flags (signalling that no swimming is allowed due to strong current) on the ground! 

Seasports Counter - it was closed during monsoon season as it was  almost impossible to organise any sea sport activities in a rainy, windy environment typical of the season 

For the benefit of those would be holidaying in Bintan starting from March, i bet you would love to know the price list for the various sea sports activities offered in the resort; like snorkeling! Note, prices are subject to change.

I saw an attraction tagged as "Nature Walk" on the resort's map and decided to take a nice stroll there on my last day. As luck had it, it was sadly closed for upgrading!! :(

Nevertheless, i managed to chance upon a marvelous work of nature; red ants' nest!

A photograph of the pool with the main lobby as its backdrop. 

Time to go home! This time round, the whole family walked to the ferry terminal (as shown in the picture) instead of waiting for the shuttle bus! They agreed it was not as far and as difficult as they originally thought!

Jovyn taking a nap while the ferry bobbed up and down in rocky waters.

In all, i totally enjoyed myself in the resort and could hardly wait to be back again (especially to partake in seasport activities)! In fact, i have requested my brother in law and elder sister to book for another corporate villa in the next few months! 

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Website
[Select Bintan Lagoon Resort]

Resort Map
As above

Map of Bintan Resorts Zone
As above [Pasar Oleh Oleh and Kampong Lagoi are located in the area of Kota Sebung]

Additional Information
Prefer to get out of the resort and explore the island at own time, own target? Check out the rates to rent a car with a personal driver. Alternatively, you may also check out my entry here.  

Those who like to have a more structured itinerary should consider the excursions and local tours offered by the "activities desk" at the resort's lobby. 
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Treasure Hunters @ Universal Studios Singapore [Ancient Egypt Zone]

March 13, 2013, 8:57 am
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Treasure Hunters - a leisure ride attraction in USS that many friends have forewarned me; "boring", "a total waste of time", "kiddy ride", "not worth the wait" were just some of the feedback received.

Nonetheless, i decided to take on the ride on my 10th USS visit (my 5th in 2013)! My rationale: what's the point of getting an annual pass if i am not going to fully utilise it by going through all the attractions multiple times?!

For an attraction with so many negative comments, the waiting time can stretch to as long as 45 minutes even when the more excitable Revenge of the Mummy; The Ride has a wait of no more than 5 minutes!

It can be rather intimidating to see the contents of the warning board although by the end of the ride, you would actually wonder if a mountain has been made out of a molehill.

Designed to portray a vintage jeep look, this open air vehicle (sorry air-con dwellers) would bring you to a world where you are the brave adventurer (together with your driving mates) seeking treasures in ancient Egypt!

Kindly disregard the fact that you could actually see part of the Ever After Castle, the big tree at Madagascar and the rollercoaster track of Battlestar Galattica during some points of the ride. Thank you very much.

Safety is of paramount importance here! Buckle up!

The steering wheel can be rotated at most 10 to 15 degrees either way. As you should have figured by now, the track is motorised and the best thing you can do is to lean on the seat, relax and let the vehicle run its designated course.

Here was the beginning of our journey.

As expected, there will be fake animals and animatronics. It's obvious at this point that the target group for this attraction is for the whole family as the realistic looking animatronics were limited to only slight movements and the occasional hissing and grunting.

For a hyperactive chap like myself, this would be one ride i am likely to fall asleep on. The chance is even higher in the event the sun is merciless in shining his rays and i have a god damn full stomach. =_=

Nothing's lost yet; along this slow moving journey was a big item that excited me for a very short moment. No, it's not the box of fake looking golden coins!

A smoking Egyptian sarcophagus; how often do you see that!?! Honestly, this would be more frightening at night. In the daytime, the first thought that came to my mind was: "the electricity short ah?"

In the movie, the sight of the meat-eating scarabs sent chills down the spine of many movie-goers. In this treasure hunters attraction, they appeared to be plasticky bugs you can buy over at the prank store. 

This ride took us under five minutes to complete; not exactly excruciating for me as i was already under the impression that it would be more suitable for families with small children and definitely not for thrill seekers.

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Location
Ancient Egypt Zone
Universal Studios Singapore

For all my entries on Universal Studios Singapore, please click
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Mei Le Yuan Cheng Tng [美樂園冷熱清湯] - Top 8 Best Cheng Tng in Singapore @ Redhill Food Market

March 14, 2013, 8:30 am
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A simple craving for the local dessert [cheng tng] after digging into a plate of my favourite char kway teow at bukit merah compelled me to check Google for the best cheng tng in Singapore!

Mei Le Yuan was listed as one of the eight recommended picks by The New Paper reporters on Soshiok.com and given its proximity to where i originally was, we decided to throw our bet on this hawker located at the nearby Redhill market.

With the indication of [Toa Payoh Bus Interchange] on the colourful signboard, i am assuming that the demolished hawker centre next to the old bus interchange at toa payoh was the original location of this dessert stall. Anyone is able to confirm this?

I can end this post straightaway by saying i still prefer the cheng tng from Ye Lai Xiang at bedok corner but hold on for a second; i will elaborate a bit more for the sake of you readers! 

The dark brownish liquid was potent; not as sweet as Ye Lai Xiang yet held the full natural flavour of traditional ingredients (i counted ginkgo nuts, dried longans, white fungus, dried persimmons and sweet potatoes) that were supposed to be nourishing for the body. 

To quote an example, the ginkgo nuts were de-shelled at the stall and didn't have the fake sweetness common with bulk purchase already-de-shelled ginkgo nuts that many dessert stalls were using. 

To wrap it up, i like the cheng teng at Mei Le Yuan even though if given a choice, i would still travel all the way to Bedok Corner.

=====

Location
Block 85, Redhill Lane, 
#01-81, Redhill Food Centre

Price
S$1.30 per bowl

Dessert Menu
For your reference please! 
Click to see a bigger picture.

Additional Information
There is an extra 20 cents charge for takeaway. My family had a surprising complaint; the cheng tng was too sweet! So do test the soup before you add some hot water.
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Aoyama - Special Tonkotsu Ramen @ Ramen Champion [Bugis Plus+]

March 16, 2013, 8:30 am
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Okay, i admit i have slackened! 

I was all motivated to try out all the competitors for Ramen Champion 2011 but as you could probably prove from the lack of related posts on my blog, i managed only three and before i could even press the "compete" button again, the championship was already over!! 

On well, there is Ramen Champion 2012 and i shall take on one of the new entrants; Aoyama which has taken over the premises from Tetsu. 

Without knowing what to have (it's a great pity that the stomach can only hold so much ramen), i pointed to the big appetising picture of Special Tonkotsu Ramen on the counter menu.

As far as ramen Cha Shu is concerned, this wasn't the melt-in-your-mouth kind that usually attracts a lot of positive comments. However, i enjoyed the unconventional way of grilling the cha shu right before serving, resulting in a smoky BBQ charr-ness well liked by many barbecue lovers.

The noodles were of the thinner type and after staying away from ramen for almost a year, i must say my taste buds were rather unaccustomed to the milky richness of pork bone broth! 

Hunger prevails! And i cleaned up the bowl of flavourful ramen in mere minutes! Guess this has rekindled my love for ramen again; time to try out the rest! 

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Location
201 Victoria Street,
Bugis+

Price
SS$16 - Special Tonkotsu Ramen 
[Subject to GST i think]

Additional Information
What about the flavoured egg talked about by many ramen lovers? Well, i still don't get "it". Aren't tea leave eggs much much more delicious? 
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Parking at the Bus Stop Bay - Another Inconsiderate Act!

March 17, 2013, 7:18 am
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The infamous video of a private car that refused to give way to an ambulance on the expressway has fuelled anger from many online netizens. 

Such inconsiderate incidents on the roads are often seen and i am going to share one that i personally encountered a few weeks ago; at a bus stop.

I took the free shuttle bus from RWS to Vivocity after yet another visit to Universal Studios Singapore and although traffic was smooth, the bus could not drive into its designated RWS bus stop to let us alight due to the selfish action of one motorist; driver of SGL4201P.

The car was parked with its hazard lights on and there was absolutely no one in the car! I can understand the urgency (hey, i am really being sympathetic here) but for goodness sake; stop your car outside, and not inside the bus stop!

Frankly, this kind of driver must be penalised and i know for sure that under Singapore's Road Traffic Act, it is illegal to park within 9 meters of a bus stop ["park" is defined as bringing "a motor vehicle or a trailer to a stationary position and cause it to wait for any purpose other than that of immediately taking up or setting down persons, goods or luggage"]!

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Super Monsters Ate My Condos - An Addictive iPhone App!

March 18, 2013, 8:30 am
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Property is a political issue in Singapore but today, we are going to brush politics aside and step into the virtual world where gigantic, kawaii looking monsters try their best to destroy your condominium unless you give them what they want! 

Let's start with the purpose!
Score as many points as you could before the game ends; which is a matter of either time's up or collapse of the tower.

Gameplay appeared easy and somewhat similar to a vertical matching game; stack up at least three condos of the same colour, upgrade them to a bronze and then three bronze to a silver, three silvers to a gold, three gold to a luxurious diamond condo and three diamonds would culminate in what the game calls Mega Zone! 

The four monsters, identified by their primary colours (red, blue, green and yellow) control your game and only with proper management of their powers would you be able to score!

In a nutshell, feed them the upgraded condos to activate their powers. The higher the upgrade (diamond is obviously of the highest value), the longer you can utilise their powers. Personally, i love to use "green" power to upgrade the condos faster and "yellow" power for point multiplication!

Some statistics from my account; as you can see, green power was top in my list and used for a total of over ten long hours (you can just imagine how much time i spent on this engaging app)! 

Now on the bad side; the condo hungry monsters have a tendency to get angry (remember the saying, a hungry man is an angry man) and every time they are pissed, they would stomp the ground and cause your tower to become increasingly unstable. In the worst case scenario, it would result in a full collapse meaning 'game over'! 

Other types of non-monster condos (pigs, clocks, concrete, nuclear, bombs etc) are included but i am not going to talk about their abilities in this post as it would simply be too dry, too technical and too boring! You can read more on their capabilities via the "How to Play" option on the main app page. 

Ten boosts (you can select up to three) would assist you in reaching your ultimate aim to gain more points, more time etc to complete each game. To ensure my tower doesn't collapse from the unreasonable wrath of the monsters, the "peace" boost is almost picked in every single play! 

Still confuse? To ensure you get the game in its correct context (and to earn additional coins to buy boosts), i would strongly encourage players to clear the goals and advance up the educational ladder.

Lastly, everyone loves the fat lady who is tied to the wheel of fortune that spins at the end of each game (note: not applicable when the tower collapses) and like many people, i am always praying for its jackpot of 5,000 coins! 

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Download from the Apple App Store!

My top score currently stands at 49,018,701,515 and my global position is now ranked 354th! 

For more tips and strategies, click here.

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Ambush [Fast Causual European Dining] - Bolognese Paella Set Lunch @ Plaza Singapura

March 19, 2013, 8:57 am
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One of the few things i told myself to do before i resigned from NUS was to take on as many set lunches as possible in as many different restaurants situated in the business and downtown districts. 

The rationale is simple; a set lunch is usually priced much lesser, comes with a free drink, sometimes with a complimentary bowl of piping hot soup and even a single serving of dessert of the day!

Not knowing what to eat in food-filled Plaza Singapura brought us to Ambush; a casual dining place dealing in notable European cuisines like Belgium, Italian, Spanish, just to name a few.

My pick for set lunch - Bolognese Paella with Sunny Side Up (i could not resist the temptation of a cheerful fried up surrounded with minced meat! 

Complimentary minestrone soup (there was a free drink too) - although it was chock full of diced vegetables, i found the soup to be a bit too thin for my liking and lacked the flavourful, intensive punch i expected. 

Paella is a traditional rice dish originating from Valencia in Spain; having rice is no big deal in the Asian culture although the short-grain rice used for paella is very different from what i am accustomed to; pulpy, somewhat round with a texture that was almost like eating boiled barley beans. 

Unlike the lackluster soup, the intensity of this Bolognese paella was rich and savoury (note: it can get very heavy towards the end). The one thing that came to mind after chowing down a few mouthfuls was a spicy coney dog! How nice it would be to have a few sausages complementing the dish!

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Location
68, Orchard Road,
#04-64/66, Plaza Singapura

Price
Bolognese Paella Set Lunch - S$10.90
[Subject to GST and Service Charge]

Set Lunch Menu
Check out the second picture in this post. 
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Cinnamon Sticky Bun @ Drips Bakery Cafe [Tiong Bahru]

March 20, 2013, 8:35 am
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Does anyone still remember Saints Cinnamon that used to have branches all over Singapore? I was a huge fan and was devastated when the management decided to exit from the little red dot. 

That teenage-year happiness was rekindled recently in Drips Bakery Cafe when i found what appeared to be really tasty looking cinnamon buns next to the counter! It was a trip to Heaven but i didn't take any picture then. 

This time round, the Gang of Four decided to pay Drips another visit for drinks and i could not resist ordering the Cinnamon Sticky Bun again although it was straight after a damn heavy meal at Ambush! 

Despite my initial infatuation the first time, i wasn't that sold this round; the bun was covered with a thick sticky sugary cinnamon glaze that continued to wow me but it was the insides that disappointed us. 

They were supposed to be strongly infused with cinnamon powder which was unfortunately not the case this visit. To put things on a more optimistic side (and to console myself), too much sugar is bad for us. 

Nonetheless, it is still the best Cinnamon Bun i can find in Singapore unless anyone of you has any other suggestion.

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Location
82 Tiong Poh Road, 
#01-05, Tiong Bahru Estate

Price
Cinnamon Sticky Bun - S$3.20
[No GST and No Service Charge]

Website

Additional Information
For other related posts pointing to Drips Bakery Cafe, please click HERE (Macadamia Nut Tart & Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream with Exotic Berries) and HERE (fruit tarts, directions, map etc).
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April 11, 2024, 5:07 am
Fake lip ring, silver lip ring, simple lip ring, unisex lip ring by AIRlab

Fake lip ring, silver lip ring, simple lip ring, unisex lip ring by AIRlab

April 9, 2024, 4:00 pm
People's Blog • First Pictures of the Eclipse ! ! !

People's Blog • First Pictures of the Eclipse ! ! !

April 8, 2024, 1:08 pm
People's Blog • First Pictures of the Eclipse ! ! !

People's Blog • First Pictures of the Eclipse ! ! !

April 8, 2024, 1:08 pm