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Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Fu [秀记江鱼仔酿豆腐] Winner for Singapore Hawker Yong Tau Foo Master 2012 @ Chinatown Complex Market

April 15, 2013, 7:53 am
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Ask a veteran on the whereabouts of the famous yong tau foo (YTF) stall in Chinatown and he would likely give an irritated grunt and ask "which one?". 

In the past, the only one that popped up in my mind was Yong Xiang Xing Yong Tau Foo located at People's Park Food Centre and it was only through the Great Kon that i found out the existence of an equally, if not more famous YTF at Chinatown Complex! 

The queue didn't appear to be as bad as Yong Xiang Xing but i still managed to clock in a wait of around twenty five minutes during the busy lunch hours. 

Crowned the WINNER for Singapore Hawker Yong Tau Foo Master in 2012, its key selling point lies in the soup; unlike its competitors who usually prefer yellow beans, the stock was prepared using ikan bilis (anchovies) and fish bones! 

A note for rice lovers - you can only choose between noodles and bee hoon (rice vermicelli); the rice option was sadly unavailable! A few patrons ahead of me requested for dry bee hoon and i decided to follow the flow. For better or for worse. 

Soup - two words; disappointingly bland and i am regretting my dry bee hoon request as the addition of extra ikan bilis to the soup would likely heightened its savoury level. 

Bee Hoon - it was strangely delicious and the taste was somewhat similar to a very healthy plate of stir fried bee hoon (even though boiling was the cooking mode) that ended with the satisfying crunch of those tiny anchovies. Rest assured, the ikan bilis were not as salty as one would expect them to be. 

Ingredients - everything, i repeat, everything was homemade and i especially enjoyed the fishballs (for their springy texture and solidness) and beancurd skin rolls! For those who prefer a bigger variety can consider topping up the standard ingredients with bittergourds, eggplants and even mini abalones for a nominal price! 

Chilli Sauce - the only thing i can think of was its alikeness to chicken rice chilli sauce albeit spicier and leaving a short-lived tingling sensation on my lips. Sorry, no sweet sauce! 

Between Yong Xiang Xing and Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis, my taste buds actually fancy the former.

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Location
Block 335, Smith Street , #02-87/88 
Chinatown Complex Food Centre 

Opening Hours
5.45am till 3pm [Daily]

Price
S$3 for a standard bowl* with bee hoon / noodles
S$3 for just eight pieces of YTF
*standard bowl has six pieces of YTF

Map of the Hawker Centre
With 226 food stalls vying for your attention in four different clusters, having a map would be easier for you to navigate your way [it took me ten minutes before i found the YTF stall].
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Free Train Travel Before 7.45am

April 17, 2013, 7:17 am
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Like many residents who take the public train (MRT) to work in Singapore's central business district, i am ecstatic to read the radical news on paper today that come 24 June 2013, commuters will travel for free so long they exit the respective gantries before 7.45am! 

Sounds great right (even though it is only a one year trial)? 
There's only one main problem. 

Even at 6.50am, the usual sight at Yishun's narrow train platform to city would be of one filled with office workers, school children etc who could not manage to squeeze in in their first attempt. Unless the operator can significantly reduce the train frequencies that currently stand at an average of four minutes; the one year trial would only worsen the current situation and result in more unhappiness.

Furthermore, sardine packed trains during peak hours are merely one of many issues facing the public transportation nowadays. 

For one, the train (majority of them was built between 1986 and 1989) i took early this morning was leaking badly due to the heavy thunderstorm. Even if i was keen to make space to allow more commuters to enter, i would not want to be drenched!

Nonetheless, the temporary gesture (thanks to MP Dr Janil Puthucheary) to offer free travel before peak hours is at least better than having no action at all. We can only hope there would be more concrete plans in the future to deal with the train breakdowns, leaky trains and complaints on air-conditioning.


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Entering Jenal Jetty Near Yishun Dam - Said to be the Last Fishing Village in Singapore @ Lower Seletar Reservoir

April 19, 2013, 8:30 am
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Frequent visitors to Yishun Dam would find it extremely hard not to notice the rickety-looking piers floating on water beyond the dam. Some of you might have read about them on the newspapers; illegal jetties built without permission on state land.

A compromise was eventually reached and the jetties shall remain as they are until further notice. There are supposed to be additional terms and conditions, which i could not recollect at this point.

No matter what, i am very blessed to have an uncle who knows the people in one of the jetties and i was therefore allowed entry to check the place out!

It has a rustic village feel to it and i could almost imagine myself back to my childhood days when i was living in the kampong and enjoying that carefree lifestyle, except for the rare occasion when i stopped on dog shit.

Said to be the last fishing village in Singapore; i believe most people would agree based on the appearance although deeper down, these jetties are essentially business operatives where rent was collected from those who docked their boats there. Some history about this place can be read here.

I hate low tide as you can see a lot of rubbish on the exposed seabed and the decomposed smell was a constant torment for my sensitive nostrils! 

Ever wonder the need for these wooden frames? They were definitely not to protect one against the rain or the sun. Their purpose was to guard one against the dark; very rudimentary lamp posts. 

An abandoned boat! 

If you have mischievous and hyperactive children, never ever bring them here. The fences stretched only 20-30 meters away from land and the wooden planks that made up the floor had holes big enough to have their legs half way through.

Owners of these boats are mainly retirees who enjoy fishing and the low rent charged at these jetties help in the affordability to pursue their hobby. 

Enjoying fishing does not equate to enjoy eating their catch. Hence, this is one good place to get fresh seafood at prices cheaper than your usual wet market. The catch (pun not intended) is how you can gain entry into the premises. 

Hazy view of the Johor Strait.

See the island in the picture? That's Seletar Island which is totally inaccessible unless you have a boat. A wakeboarding school frequently conducts sessions around its water; click here if you are interested. 

Besides Jenal jetty, there are two parallel jetties managed under different operators.

I am unsure how long the arrangement with the authority (to keep the jetties) is going to last as the surrounding area is undergoing a lot of development; the aerospace hub, expansion of Seletar airport, a direct road connection to Punggol, expansion of road lanes etc. 

Looking back from the end of the jetty - how long do you think it stretches? Two to three hundred meters? 

This sheltered spot was the waiting area for delivery of fresh seafood! Unfortunately, i had an appointment at noon and could not wait for the boats to return with live and flipping spoils! :(

Nevertheless, it served a secondary purpose as a shade provider for my mom and female relatives while i took photographs in a slow and relaxed mood. 

Bags of fishing nets! Do you know it is a great hassle to maintain and keep the nets in tip top position? That's why i have always insisted i don't mind eating fish yet you would never see me catching a fish; watching a thought provoking movie is more therapeutic than waiting aimlessly for a fish to bite the bait! 

Polluted air!!!! There's nothing we can do about it since the power station is located in Malaysia territory. Don't underestimate its power; the occasional burning flare can be seen even from my block. 

Time to walk back.

A fisherman had returned with baskets of shellfish!! We didn't purchase any since i have never eaten this kind before. Anyone has any idea what type of shellfish these belong to?

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As mentioned before; no entry to its premises.
And please be careful of crocs!!!

Location Map
As above.
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Jovyn - The Answering Machine for My House Telephone

April 20, 2013, 6:41 am
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Jovyn has finally reached the stage where she would rush to get the house phone whenever it starts ringing! Cute it might sound but not when she hogs on to it with no intention to inform anyone else! 

For the person on the other line, it would likely be a frustrating ordeal. Good luck to those property telemarketers.

However, for the person who is looking at Jovyn, her adult-like antics would just make you laugh.

Especially her extremely unladylike posture! 
I think she is imitating my mom. =P
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A Badly Placed Urinal @ Turf City

April 21, 2013, 8:31 am
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As a man, i guess i would never have noticed anything amiss with the above photograph. But for a woman like Saneva, the effect was immediately felt; one of shock and disgust.

It was the urinal that attracted her attention - okay, it was more than that; a man was pissing and she can see the whole action in progress! You cannot blame me for missing that since visiting the man's room is a common, daily activity for any ambulant man! 

And with no thanks to Vanessa, I caught the man (who was already out of the toilet when i took the pictures) shaking his junk, putting it in his pants and zipping up before leaving! 

This picture was shot at the same spot where the urinal was stationed. It's amazing no lady has complained about this! Maybe it is some sort of free entertainment for them! 
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Sleeping in Universal Studios Singapore?!

April 22, 2013, 7:23 am
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As every friend on Facebook is aware, i am an annual pass holder for Singapore's very first professional theme park and i try my best to enjoy every single bit of time in USS whenever i visit. 

Hence, it was a bit of a mood dampener when i stepped in one fine day at 1pm to find two persons sleeping soundly along the main walking street at the entrance! 

Is USS that boring!?!?!?

On second thought, it was right after lunch, the weather was incredibly hot and for all you know, they are just like my mom who dislikes all thrilling rides and came to USS purely to experience the theme park. 

To think about it, i have not been back to USS for close to a month! Time to make full use of my annual pass this week! Maybe i should catch the pyrotechnic show! 
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S.E.A Aquarium - World's Largest Aquarium and World's Largest Viewing Panel @ Marine Life Park [Resort World Sentosa]

April 23, 2013, 8:31 am
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This is a follow up entry to my post on Maritime Experiential Museum - it is a separate attraction but the good news is that your ticket to the aquarium includes entry to the maritime museum.

Although located in the same building, you are required to queue up again for admission to S.E.A Aquarium (SEA should mean Southeast Asia). Why the hassle? Trust me, without this crowd control measure, you would enjoy it much lesser than i did.

Thanks to Vanessa, we were granted priority access! To be honest, the modest entry point said nothing of its Guinness record as the world's largest aquarium and was (honestly) way too similar to the nearby Underwater World!

The above is an exact scene of what you can get in Underwater World. Anyway, the pictorial journey starts from here as i am very lost when it comes to the ocean.

Maybe because of the hype, i was expecting more than the usual oceanarium. As far as the number of fish species is concerned, i wasn't too impressed with zone number 1; Strait of Karimata and Java Sea.

Remember the beautiful view after exiting the Typhoon Theatre at Maritime Experiential Museum? It's actually linked to this zone and showcased a shipwreck that evolved into an artificial reef system.

Zone 2 - Strait of Malacca and Andaman Sea.

This featured a see through glass floor where sharks and stingrays lurked silently beneath every step you take. Sounds cool right?

Not when everyone was crowding around and blocking the way for less patient visitors to advance further.

Razorfishes - with snorts pointing downwards, they were not as menacing as they sound.

Double Edged Pipefish - i originally thought this was an oddly shaped seahorse!

Fish that was commonly seen in those island trips i did in Krabi. Did i mention i miss Krabi a lot?! Check out my posts here if you are interested to find out more.

According to a father who was educating his daughter, these tiny fishes would group together to make themselves appear bigger (and therefore more threatening) in front of a predator.

Find the fish in its almost perfect camouflage!

Circular Aquarium - once again, this is comparable to what you can get in Underwater World. As you could probably see from this photograph, it was super duper crowded and this might be the reason why i was less than enthusiastic.

I could not even get to the discovery touch pool! There were way too many kids and i figured it would be more beneficial for them to touch the starfish etc as opposed to a 33 year-old man.

Zone 3 - Bay of Bengal; and Laccadive Sea. For those who are unaware, fishing on stilts is unique to Sri Lanka and disappeared for a period of time after the devastating tsunami in 2004.

Believe me, i think mangroves would be interesting (even though such habitats are common in Singapore) but the sheer number of visitors made it extremely difficult for a person to slowly digest the information when most people were scrambling to take picture after picture.

I think i would return on a weekday with my parents.

Never compare visiting an aquarium with actual snorkeling or diving in the surrounding turquoise waters of an island; you would have to spend much, much more than the ticketing charge of less than S$30 in order to cover all ten zonal attractions for real.

Cuttlefish! I love to eat them!!

This was way too cute to be a local delicacy. Back in Underwater World, there was a section known as Ray of Fun where you can feed the stingrays using your bare hands!

These fishes on the walls appeared to swim together with the visitor flow. Nice!

The highly controversial bottlenose dolphins were not ready when i went a few weeks ago. I read from the local newspapers that they are now available for viewing.

Zone 4 - Ocean Journey.

It touched on cold water habitats housing creatures like the delicious giant spider crabs.

And my personal favourite; the slow dancing jellyfishes!

These looked like overturned mushrooms! Either that or they were on the verge of dying. I seriously have no idea since i have never seen jellyfishes like the above.

Indonesian Sea Nettle - i saw these while snorkeling near Redang Island!

Japanese Sea Nettle - the threatening tentacles gave a good estimate on its level of danger. How does it feel to be stung by a jellyfish? I don't have an answer although it would be nice to know. I am known to be a crazy man, for good reason.

Zone 5 - Open Ocean. The place where the ocean was spread out like a humongous television screen with one peculiarity; you are standing right on the ocean floor.

A failed panoramic picture that SHOULD have given readers a better perspective of its size. 

At 8.3 meters high and 36 meters wide, the viewing panel was massive! It's totally worth purchasing the annual pass (currently out of stock) just to be able to enjoy the spectacular marine creatures parade right in front of me. 

Darling of the aquarium; the gigantic manta ray! 

Another picture. Like many Singaporeans, i was really looking forward to catch whale sharks (the biggest fish in the world) before the plan was axed. 

Kindly note that there is a passageway beside the aquarium where you can step in further for a less cluttered view (by clutter, i mean the many many human bodies that appeared to have their ass glued to the carpeted floor) of the world's largest aquarium.

The passage would lead you to the Ocean Dome. For those who have the cash to splurge, you can book and hold events like a sit down dinner for a maximum of 30 guests in this facility.

A picture can speak a thousand words. Seeing the aquarium for real using your own eyes is definitely a hundred times better than one thousand words. In all, i am suggesting that most of the photographs hardly represent the "real" thing. 

These windows belong to the ocean suites of 'Beach Villas'; imagine getting to bed with an enchanting view of the manta rays, leopard sharks, goliath groupers and other marine creatures at night! The rate for a night stay? At least S$1,200 and that's before taxes. 

Interesting fact of the deep sea anglerfish! Lament the loss of the male anglerfish and celebrate his unconditional sacrifice to continue the species lifeline. 

Last view of the aquarium and one where you can partially see the elevated three platforms. To be honest, this is a great place to take a snooze in a hot afternoon. 

After the remarkable Open Ocean zone, i didn't quite keep track on which zones i was at. Pictures of the last five zones were therefore all over the place!

Taking photographs under low light condition with no flash, no tripod can be a pain in the ass and that also partly explained why i was too tired to concentrate on the zones. Sorry!

In addition, the throngs of people in the aquarium made it extremely hard not to have heads appearing in almost every photograph! I have already made plans for a second visit. On a weekday.

It was much later i started playing around with my camera's manual function. And damn i should have utilised the function back at Open Ocean zone! There's one problem.

Flash - with reference to the FAQ for "Am I allowed to take photographs within S.E.A. Aquarium?", the answer was nicely phrased as "Feel free to take as many pictures as you would like. For the comfort and safety of our animals we ask that you refrain from the use of flash photography."

I could not resist taking a few more.... 
Forgive me, fishy fishy. 

Notice those glass panels? Can you guess their thickness? I thought it would be just two or three centimeters thick and i was wrong! 

Alex willingly demonstrated the thickness of the glass; compared it to the width of his face, minus the ears. 

Even though aquarium serves noble purposes in education and conservation, i often have to curb my craving for seafood after a typical visit. I bet i am not the only one to feel this way. 

Giant Moray Eel - it has a second set of jaws that can move forward to tighten the grip on a struggling prey! Suspicion tells me the creator of the original "Alien" movie must have gotten his/her inspiration from the giant moray eel. 

Zone 10 - Shark Seas! 

Selachophobics might have a bit of trouble walking through this last passage to the exit! 

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Website and Impt Info
Click HERE.

Map of S.E.A Aquarium
As above (click for a better view). 
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Vanilla Bar & Cafe - Pork Belly Don, Mentaiko Pasta & Dirt Cake! @ No 3, Boon Tat Street

April 24, 2013, 8:41 am
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Voted one of the top five finalists for the Epicurean Star Award 2012 under the "Casual Dining" category, i was totally unaware of Vanilla Bar and Cafe until my sister decided to treat me for my birthday! 

Quaint little cafes are the rage nowadays and most have a similar setting; decor to reflect a very comfortable atmosphere. At Vanilla Cafe, it went a bit further; a nice vanilla fragrance surrounds you as soon as you step in! 

By the way, that pleasant aroma dissipates as more and more customers step in. For a truly enjoyable session, do visit before the noisy office crowd swarms in from 12 noon. 

Although the cafe was famous for serving great coffee and delicious sandwiches, there were more than just Western fares. You can also find a limited range of Japanese fusion food on the main or special menu. 

Mentaiko and Tobikko Pasta w Bacon Bits
Joyce, like me, didn't have any inkling on what to have but i remembered a blogger who could not resist mentaiko and hence, suggested this pasta.

Surprisingly, this was very flavourful (helped by the strong bacon bits and spicy fish roes) and definitely not as light as i expected a non-cream based pasta to be. 

The only disadvantage, as far as health goes, was the generous amount of oil residue at the end of the meal! Joyce was explaining it could likely be the olive oil which means it would not be as harmful. Well, i have my reservations.

Pork Belly Don w Soft Boiled Egg
Coming from a man who was complaining about excessive oil a moment ago, my order was the super fattening pork belly don! 

Why did i request for a Japanese don in a cafe? Simply because i was in the mood to have Japanese. In fact, i have been craving for Japanese cuisine for the longest time. 

The soft boiled resulted in a consistency that was wet, sticky and thick; conditions complementing  the juicy pork belly that could have better benefited from a longer searing. 

I licked clean the whole don! Yet, i could not help comparing this to the super epic Katsudon at Ginza Bairin.

Vanilla Dirt Cake
Our dessert for the day; the visually unappetising dirt cake. 

To most of us, the novel presentation appeared realistic (albeit as a fake plant with two gummy worms) and if you ever serve this cake for an event, the likelihood of your guests brushing it off as a decorative item is very high. 

Taste wise, i wasn't sold. It was clearly just an uninspiring Oreo ice cream cake topped with Oreo crumbs looking like dirt in a pot.

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Location
3, Boon Tat Street, #01-01
[Near to historical Thian Hock Keng temple] 

Map
As above


Website


Price
Mentaiko Pasta - S$16.90
Pork Belly Don - S$14.90
Dirt Cake - S$9.50
[Subject to Service Charge. No GST]

Additional Information
Closed on Sundays! 

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Food Stuck In Between Teeth? Time to Visit a Dentist When You Detect a Foul Smell!

April 26, 2013, 9:20 am
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I am super particular with oral hygiene, thanks to my national service vocation as a dental assistant, and can sadly detect morning breath of others from a distance away. I am therefore extremely disciplined when it comes to brushing my teeth twice a day and the mandatory flossing at night! 

In the past few months, i persistently noticed food stuck in between the first and second molar of my upper right jaw (known dentally as 16 and 17 respectively) and a foul smell whenever i flossed. 

Gut feeling told me there would be a problem.
Time to visit my friend at The Dental Practice! 

Sigh..... The x-ray accurately pinpointed a dark shadow on 17. The tooth, already compromised with a big amalgam filling, was found to have a big decay that required immediate attention! =(

Thankfully, the decay has yet to reach the nerve and i was spared the agony of having to go through root canal treatment and the subsequent crowning (which would cost me a bomb)! 

A simple composite filling (with some miracle steroid cream) managed to do the job perfectly but i was strongly cautioned against eating nuts. Not that i have an allergy but chewing nuts might crack my tooth apart. 

By then, it would not be just a simple filling. 

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Dr Edwin Oh has opened a new branch at Singapore Post Centre (Paya Lebar). To make an appointment, please call 6748-8678
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My FIRST Participation as a Vendor in a Flea Market @ Yishun Block 745

April 27, 2013, 8:30 am
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I have to admit - i wasn't very involved in the operation of the flea market booth except for the setting up in the beginning and the packing up just a few hours ago.

Let's rewind to the very beginning - 2pm; an hour before the start of event with the designated void deck for the community flea market still looking pretty empty.

3.30pm - a hive of activity and working electricity (operating fans were essential to dispel the heat)! It's quite amazing to see experienced vendors who can practically set up their wares in less than twenty minutes!

With around 60 tables, a neighbourhood flea market might not be as bad as it sounds. The inexpensive rent (we paid only S$15) usually translates into reduced prices and the significantly lower purchasing power means you can get really incredible deals! 

5 t-shirts for S$10?! Do note that some items could be pre-loved goods (meaning second hand) and it would be best to seek clarification if you are particular about it. 

Hair bands - given my fringe and side burns, i am not embarrassed to declare that i am a frequent user of hair bands. I have my limitations; i will use them only at home. :P

Our next door 'neighbour' offered shiny accessories!

Some vendors started their operations in a less than a minute by dumping everything onto their tables! Such untidy layout might actually attract customers as they are aware that the products are free to be rummaged. 

Besides drinks and snacks, it is recommended for any vendor to bring along a portable fan! 

IT products - Two months ago, i asked for the price of an iPhone5 charging cable and was quoted S$8. Today, it was priced at S$3 and i believe i can bargain for an even cheaper price. 

As expected, there were a lot more ladies stuff; nail polishes, cosmetics, accessories, handbags etc etc.

DVDs and VCDs - Alex and I used to buy a lot of these until we found a phone application where we can watch movies and dramas for free without the hassle of converting them as a suitable format! 

The things that caught my attention here were the cookie cutters with adorable shapes of hearts and animals. I was supposed to learn how to bake in my semi-retirement, which unfortunately has yet to materialise.

Face masks 'freshly' imported from Korea! 

Beads-art and you are free to request for customisation. Honestly, i found them to be visually much more appealing than the acrylic artwork found in pasar malams. 

Again, female accessories. Business in general for everyone was frankly not good but in the case of my family, it was the experience that counts. 

Notice the CJ7 plushie? I could still remember that for a period of time after the Stephen Chow blockbuster, i had a hard time finding one that looked perfect without costing too much!

Toy figurines for the families with boys! Thought it was quite expensive at S$15 a pack.

Cartoon brollies! If Jovyn was with us, she would insist on getting the Hello Kitty or Disney one! 

The assigned table was not big and most vendors made full use of their creativity and resources to enlarge their space. The easiest way was to have plastic sheets on the floor where you can throw anything on them. 

A few, including us, brought along easily assembled clothes racks. A veteran  took the cake by having two-level clothes racks!

Some used the pillars to hang their products.

Quite a number even pull laundry lines to hang the clothes! 

Now, cheap is always good but in the case of the above, you are free to name your own price! Of course, it depends on whether the seller is willing to accept your price, or not. 

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Location
Yishun Block 745. Another flea market (likely at the same location) would be scheduled in July. 

For Yishunians who could not wait till July to be a flea market vendor can also consider another venue at Block 150 which would take place earlier on 05 May 2013! For more information, call 6853-4272.

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Shin Minori Japanese Restaurant Buffet Lunch (À La Carte) @ UE Square [Clemenceau Avenue]

April 28, 2013, 7:33 am
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I have been thinking of trying Shin Minori Japanese buffet for the longest time and the chance finally came in the form of a birthday treat voucher! Although it was free, i thought it would be very weird to dine alone and hence, dragged Alex along as a companion!

Bad choice. Alex, as we are aware, is a picky eater, doesn't eat much as well and any kind of buffet would be utterly wasted on him. Oh well, it is Japanese cuisine and i bet i can eat the worth of two persons by having more sashimi! 

Ordering the ala-carte items was actually very simple using four different coloured sheets categorised as sashimi /sushi, agemono/ yakimono, temaki/ makimono and ippinmono/ itaemono/ nimono/ piza/ teppanyaki/ gohan/ men/ shiru.

There were 146 items to choose from and knowing the limited capacity of my stomach means i would have to strike a balance between dishes i personally like and those labelled as chef's recommendation!

First up was Kani Miso Shiru - Cream of crab bean paste soup that tasted almost like a not too bad mixture of sweet pumpkin soup and savoury lobster bisque. 

I am going to have my fix of assorted raw and good quality seafood; sashimi moriwase! Tuna, salmon, snapper, swordfish, octopus and cuttlefish - all, with the exception of cuttlefish, were so palatable! Alex doesn't take raw food which means i would have to finish everything on the plate.

Honestly, by the end of this, i was almost 50% full. 

Sushi! I didn't have any as i tried not to touch any carbohydrates when i am having buffets. In the opinion of Alex (who would be the best to judge the sushi), he claimed they were the best! p.s. i am not sure if i should endorse what he said since he has weirder taste buds than mine.

Tempura Moriawase - Assorted tempura prawns, fish and vegetables. I might be a person who likes deep fried stuff but when it comes to tempura, i have yet to try any that blows my mind away. 

Pumpkin with Special Sweet Sauce - despite the unexciting appearance, i did enjoy the freshness crunch of well simmered pumpkin. Unless you are a pumpkin lover, you can give this a miss. 

Tako Yaki - the octopus balls sold under the brand of Takopachi were much better and definitely much warmer than these from Shin Minori.

The waitress informed that the above was Tori Teppan (Chicken on Hot Griddle) and i wondered if she is telling the truth, even now. Nothing's wrong with it truthfully as i did love the thin, crunchy skin and garlic marination. However, i don't remember food cooked the teppanyaki style had such a texture. Well, i could be wrong.

Mystery deepened with the above two trays. I would have thought one was Tori Karaage (deep fried chicken) and the other was simply the same thing with wasabi mayonnaise! Wrong, the latter was supposed to be a pan-fried dish! 

Gyuniku Shogayaki - beef with special sauce that was incredibly delicious with layers of tender beef and should have come with an additional bowl of Japanese sticky rice to soak up the yummy sauce!

Tori Teriyaki and Buta To Garlic - both meat skewers were good (comparable to Tori Q) and i would have ordered more if i was not already 95% filled up by then. Surprisingly, my sister thought otherwise when she dined at Shin Minori last June.

Unagi Yaki Meshi - Eel fried rice that was moist, juicy and a well deserved carbo-rich conclusion to a good meal. For those hoping for desserts, i am sorry to say there was none!

How could i forget chawanmushi - the Japanese steamed egg? Alex was impressed even though i was pretty neutral with it.  

Knowing Alex, if he likes something, he will order more of it and befitting his character, he did request for three more servings of chawanmushi! 

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I covered at most twenty items, which was not even one-seventh of the menu. Nevertheless, i prefer Shin Minori over Shin Yuu and would likely make another trip to try other items on the extensive menu! 

The next time would see me bringing a bigger cohort to share the food! 

Location
81, Clemenceau Avenue 
#03-15/16, UE Square

Reservation
Please call 6733-2272

Rates and Operating Hours
As above.

Website

Menu
As above. For updates, please check out their website.

Price
Buffet Lunch Adult - S$32
[Subject to GST and Service Charge]

Additional Information
Sake is separately charged while a cup of green tea (in our case, cold green tea) cost an additional S$0.30 each. 


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One Million Pageviews - A Milestone for this Blog!

April 29, 2013, 7:36 am
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From an average of only 20 pageviews a day, even i was taken aback by how far my blog has advanced to reach an accumulated 1,000,000 pageviews recently, with yesterday's count standing at 3,077!

Obviously, i am not comparing myself with professional bloggers and this declaration of a million pageviews is more a personal achievement worth remembering as a memorable entry in this blog.

No matter what, I would like to express my deepest heartfelt appreciation to everyone who has been encouraging me to continue this blog despite the thousand over entries marred with often incoherent English peppered with grammatical mistakes and, loyal readers who frequently return to check out my updates! 

You would not want to know the number of times i almost deleted this blog as it was taking up far too much of my time. But thanks to all of you; i am constantly given the courage and motivation to keep going. 

Once again, a big thank you!

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Pirates of the East - Zheng Yi Sao [鄭一嫂] @ Resort World Sentosa

April 30, 2013, 8:30 am
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'Pirates of the East' - a little known exhibit at Resort World Sentosa that has a high tendency of being passed over by visitors. 

Frankly, after going through two main attractions within the same building; S.E.A Aquarium and Maritime Experiential Museum, i doubt you would have much energy to explore further! Even i had to drag my feet to take a few photographs.

There weren't many exhibit items but the content was interesting as it touched on notorious pirates in this region; all of whom i am unaware of. Illanun, Balangingi, Xu Yabao and Zheng Yi Sao.

As the only female leader in a very restrictive Chinese society back in the 18th century, Zheng Yi Sao attracted my attention by carving out an impressive reputation for commanding the largest pirate empire in the world with 200 ships and crew numbering 40,000! 

Strange though - for an Asian, she appeared to have facial features belonging to an ang moh! 

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Trivia
Zheng Yi Sao was actually featured in "Pirates of the Caribbean 3"!  In the movie, she was the heavily makeup pirate known as Mistress Ching! 

Location
The exhibit is located next to the souvenir section for S.E.A Aquarium and Maritime Experiential Museum.
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New Record for Super Monsters Ate My Condos!

April 30, 2013, 8:21 pm
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I finally broke the record for "Super Monsters Ate My Condos"! For those who have never heard of this iPhone application, please click here. 

This time round, i succeeded in strategising all the special powers unique to the four monsters and besides the score of 101,796,243,435; i also managed to drag the game beyond nineteen minutes! 

Luck continued when i secured a whopping 5,000-coin jackpot from the very entertaining monster wheel! 

An additional wave of happiness for gaining 4,924 coins from the condominiums i cleared from the game. Technically, i made some gain from initially investing 5,000 for the special event and 2,250 for boosts (peace, double good and extra time).

Global rank is 321 and i should have been ecstatic. 
But i am not. 

According to the leaderboards, the top rank gamer has a score of 9,223,372,036,854,775,807 and there are 45 having the same points. Gamers who hack games for the sake of feeling good in front of their friends should be ashamed! 

If you don't have what it takes to score, move on!
p.s. this is coming from a man who cheats in Fishing Joy. 
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Singapore Teochew Memorial Park [新加坡潮州公墓] - A Cemetery for Over 20,000 Unclaimed Remains @ Yishun

May 2, 2013, 8:08 am
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Similar to a lot of places in Singapore, the town where i stay was the subject of numerous ghost stories when i was studying in the neighbourhood schools. 

However, mentioned the existence of a columbarium in Yishun (not Mandai) and you would likely draw blanks from many of my fellow classmates.

I am going to leave the columbarium for another day as my focus today is on this memorial park (circled in red) next to the columbarium. What's so interesting about it? Well, you would know shortly.

Before Ahmad Ibrahim Primary School was built, my apartment has a direct view of the memorial park and strangely (and shamefully) enough, i never gave much thought about it and didn't know anything of its history.

An incident six years ago piqued my curiousity but even then, the first time i stepped foot into the memorial park was only two weeks ago. Want to guess how long it took me to walk from my house to the park?

Five minutes. 

A bit of history about this memorial park. In the 1950s, a number of Teochew cemeteries in Outram and Orchard were acquired for redevelopment. Ngee Ann Kongsi, the company managing those cemeteries, decided to relocate the unclaimed remains to Guang De Shan (广德山); the cemetery in Yishun where the memorial park stands now.

It's true after-all; Yishun was really a cemetery! 

The iconic memorial plaque that seriously looks like a super-sized tombstone was first erected back in 1953 before undergoing renovation in 1962 and again in 1986. 

Elaborate praying ceremonies and rituals were held annually to remember these unknown Teochew pioneers, although on most days, you would be lucky to see anyone in the vicinity. 


To the back of the plaque was a small altar facing a large patch of greenery. Notice the latch on what seemed like a metal door? I was so tempted to open it and take a peek! 


Living next or near to a cemetery is taboo for Chinese yet i am aware that Chinese cemeteries are also known to have fantastic Feng Shui in order to ensure a good life (in this respect, it would usually mean prosperity, wealth and good luck) for descendants of the deceased. By aligning to this concept, i am actually trying my best to comfort myself for living so close! 

I am not the closest by the way! Residents of block 123 have a much clearer view of the memorial park than me. Going back to my previous concept, those residents would also have a much better life than me! 

This is the Yishun Columbarium to the left of the park. Unfortunately, i could not afford the time to explore its surrounding that day.

追思先人 - four simple Chinese characters that hold a strong meaning to all Singaporeans. Without the contribution of pioneers, regardless of race, Singapore would not be what she is today. For that, they deserve our utmost respect and a space in our memory. 

Question time! The memorial park is not big so how could it house over 20,000 unclaimed remains? The answer shall be revealed in another entry. A teaser - this is related to the incident six years ago. 

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Location
As above [red star].

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Placards Held During the May Day Protest 2013 @ Hong Lim Park [Singapore]

May 3, 2013, 8:30 am
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Once again, i have shot too many photographs and it would definitely take a bit more time before i can give a proper take on the protest organised by transitioning.org for Labour Day. 

In the meantime, i have sieved out twenty eight pictures of placards/signs/notices seen on that day at Hong Lim Park. By showing them in this blog doesn't necessarily imply i am agreeable to what was written or drawn. 

01 - man who was unhappy with the stop at 2 policy which had inevitably resulted in the current situation where our birth rate is one of the lowest in the whole world. 

02 - same man on CPF and high cost of living. 

03 - the importance of people power; i hope the gentleman meant election and not violent protest to overthrow the government

04 - local Singaporeans versus newly mint citizens; this has been a contentious issue in recent years. 

05 - a hot button issue for general election 2011. Honestly, i don't care whether it is public or world class transportation. What i desire is a transportation system that is reliable (minimal breakdown), efficient (on-time) and responsible to its commuters (i detest the lack of effective communication whenever there is a breakdown). 

06 - from quite a number of friends in the private sector who shared with me their personal experience on foreign PMETs (Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians) being given preferential treatment over locals, i would not be surprised to find this topic hotly debated in the coming years. 

07 - Singapore has one of the highest GDP per capita in the world but the wealth of the country is not well distributed among its citizens with a widening income gap. To be fair, it's not easy to tackle this problem that is also faced by many other countries.

08 - a quote by the late J. B. Jeyaretnam.

09 - short, sweet and to the point. 

10 - xenophobia is a term used frequently nowadays by supporters of the white paper. Defined as "an irrational or unreasoned fear of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange", i am of the opinion that one must first rightfully define "irrational or unreasoned fear" in a specific context.

11 - this was already used in the last protest in February.

12 - is the government always wrong? 

13 - not exactly a placard for the protest although it did portray the meaning of participating in this protest; the love for Singapore.

14 - i understood the quote by the 32nd president of united states but what's the meaning with the drawings? Nice drawings by the way.

15 - a humongous label on a person's head! 

16 - the righteous man was actually holding on to the above two placards. Can't really agree with the one on healthcare though; the benefit of working in healthcare for the past one month. 

17 - some of the placards were tied to lamp posts. 

18 - and people sure loved the succinctness of their content! 

19 - like many participants, i wondered initially why there was a roll of toilet paper until i realised it was white in colour (hint: white paper and its obvious reference to throw it in the toilet bowl).

20 - the dilution versus the extinction of the Singapore core 

21 - and the supposed remedy at the back. 

22 - another placard on the income gap.

23 - hm.....

24 - translated to English, this would mean to pull Ah Long down the political stage in the next election. Ah Long, in this case, refers to the current prime minister of Singapore. 

25 - i am especially heartened to see the active participation by the younger generation; some of whom were barely ten years old. 

26 - pet peeve by many concerned Singaporeans even though i have never seen it as a major issue myself. 

27 - an elaboration.

28 - an abruptly written placard; guess he/she must be quite carried away by the speakers' speech! 

- to be continued with a proper post on the protest - 


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Over 34,000 Unclaimed Remains! @ Singapore Teochew Memorial Park [新加坡潮州公墓]

May 4, 2013, 8:55 am
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Coming back to my entry on the Teochew Memorial Park in Yishun, i previously indicated my skepticism for that small space to contain unclaimed remains for over 20,000 people.

The truth shall now be revealed.

Referring to the incident that happened back in 2007 - An unusually heavy downpour resulted in a small landslide that exposed thousands of earthenware urns buried in a hill right beside an MRT track. You may click here for the news story.

taken from http://visionsanasini.blogspot.sg/2007/01/hidden-treasure-or.html
It was hot news, especially in Yishun where many residents were simply not aware of their existence. Even if they were aware, they would not have imagined the burial ground to stretch beyond the structural compound of the memorial park. 

One interesting segment in the article caught my attention; "Mr Baey Theng Mong, 62, administrative secretary, told The New Paper: 'According to our records, there are over 34,000 urns in the memorial park." 

In essence, we are not just looking at 20,000 but a hefty 70% increase in the number of unclaimed remains!

Even though it would likely be futile to check out the "main" site after six long years, I made the decision to climb up the hill, hoping to catch sight of any urn sticking out of the ground. 

As expected, nothing at all except tall grass with a potential for ugly snake encounters! Damn, my fear for snakes is proving to be a major impediment for me to explore places alone! 

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Commuters travelling from Yishun to Sembawang train stations would be able to spot the hill on the left side of the train carriage. 


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Raining in the Singapore Strait - Taken from a Hidden Spot along Tanah Merah Coast Road

May 5, 2013, 8:30 am
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After a super heavy meal at 85 Bedok North, the Gang of Four decided to give the stomachs some rest in a more relaxed atmosphere at this hidden spot i blogged about a while ago. 

The feeling was therapeutic under the music of waves crashing against the stone barriers while our faces were lightly stroked by a gentle sea breeze as the sun slowly made its way home. Mmmmmmm....

That would have been a perfect scene with the exception of the huge storm cloud ahead of us. Nothing's worse than a big storm coming your way when you neglect to bring along any brollies!

Nonetheless, it was spectacular to have a blanket of rain performing right in front of you. If only i can see a few water sprouts... i have never seen them before!!! 
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Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery (陸林娘惹粿] Where Halal Kueh Are Still Handmade! @ Bedok North [Singapore]

May 6, 2013, 8:32 am
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The Gang of Four was recently invited for a food tasting session at a neighbourhood confectionery on the ground level of a housing block in Bedok where it has been in operation since 1987.

Tasting traditional kueh aside, another key attraction was the opportunity to handmade some of the stuff ourselves! More on that later. Let's begin with what Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery has to offer.

Nonya Kueh is a must (given the context) and you can find common staples like kueh salat, pulut inti, tapioca cake, ang ku kueh, ondeh ondeh, nine-layer cake etc.

Older school snacks, in the form of png (rice) kueh, soon kueh, ku chye (chives) kueh and glutinous rice can also be found. Sad to say, many people of the younger generation have no idea how to appreciate such classic fare and i could hardly blame them.

The rapid dilution of Chinese culture and the influx of overseas cuisines have greatly reduced the significance of local, traditional food in the highly competitive food industry in Singapore.

Likewise with the nonya kueh, these Chinese kueh were all laboriously made by hand in the same vicinity!

Deep fried items were later introduced as part of their regular offerings and it's not hard to see why from a business point of view. Compared to steamed or baked kueh, deep fried items actually have a loyal following regardless of age; just look at Old Chang Kee.

Top seller was the deep fried yam cake! Frankly, i wasn't too sold on the idea it was that fantastic as no other yam cake can beat my mom's version!

You can also find festive goodies like the multi-coloured rice cakes in the above picture. Strangely, i am more accustomed to seeing the white and yellow variants in the markets and they are usually bigger in size.

Those items placed outside the confectionery were likely purchased from other manufacturers as there is a need to expand the varieties in order to attract more customers.

Before we start with the hands-on sessions, Gavan (the man who sent us the invitation) gave a short history of Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery including its humble origins in a kampong kitchen back in 1968 by his grandparents.

Pulut Inti Making Session
Everything was prepared in advanced and our job was just to "complete" the product. I am quite pleased to hear that since i am a total failure when it comes to actual cooking. 

Note the glaring blue colour of the rice? In the past, the colouring came from a type of flower flower but it's getting increasingly difficult to find the flowers in urban Singapore. Artificial colouring is hence widely used and accepted as a replacement. 

The macik patiently gave us a demo and it wasn't as bad as i imagined! Well, truth was i did only one. Imagine how your back would feel if you have to do a few hundred pulut inti within a short span of time!

Take a sheet of coconut leaf, put the glutinous rice in the middle and dump the gula melaka infused (not brown sugar okay) coconut shreds on top! Wrapping the content was more challenging and in our case, consistency eluded us.

Guess which is mine?!

Gang of Three with their pulut inti! It should be quite easy for you to make a good guess on which was mine since all of them were showcasing theirs proudly. 

While waiting for the other group to complete their ku kueh session, Gavan showed us around the kitchen and explained to us the processes required to make some of the nonya goodies. 

Adoption of machines (like the mixer) was necessary in helping to save time and increase productivity. However, the confectionery still persists on having a pair of human hands to mould and finish the end product.

Alex's favourite; nine-layer cake (九层糕). Making it the manual style was so tiring; one layer at a time with intervals (i think five or ten minutes) in between before you can pour the next layer! As a child, i had to compete with my sisters to get my hands on one; peeling off each layer and enjoying every moment of eating it until i was left with the least palatable layer. The base. 

All these were made from tapioca! No prize if you could tell me which was deep-fried, baked or steamed and whether it was tapioca flour or chunky tapioca mixed with other kinds of flour. 

No preservative is used in the making of kuehs and everything is freshly made on a daily basis. Leftovers would be thrown away at the end of the day unless it was a lot. In this case, Gavan would donate them to a school for the mentally disabled. To be consumed on that day of course. 

Ku Kueh Making Session
Time to start our ku kueh session. Why did i not mention ang (red) ku kueh? Because there were chhiⁿ (green coloured) and oh (black coloured) ku kueh also!

In comparison to pulut inti, this was way easier to accomplish! Just think of playing with plasticine or play-doh and you should get a good inkling on what we did to mould them into shape. 

As far as QC was concerned, i think the Gang of Four failed the test miserably! Nevertheless, it was a fun session with Vanessa unknowingly covering my arm with flour, twice. In addition, it was incredibly satisfying to know i personally put on the finishing touch for some of them! 

Steaming the ku kueh will take around twenty minutes and Alex, being the baby of the Gang, could not resist buying a few boxes of kueh to relive his sweet childhood memories. 

I had to try the colourful Kau Ding Kueh (nine-layer cake)! Not the best i had and this was mainly due to the lack of sweetness. The kueh salat was better in my opinion as the supposed kaya layer was egg-less, resulting in a richer pandan fragrance. 

For someone who has always insisted that his mom offers the best yam cake in Singapore and some said Batam, i am afraid Mom has finally met her match; the deep fried yam cake had a nice semi crusty bite perfectly complemented by a savoury filling that would entice you to take another bite! 

Maybe i should ask my mom to deep fried her epic yam cake next time!

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Many thanks Gavan and his family for accommodating the Gang of Four! And it's great to know other bloggers; the funny Ai Lin from Purple Taste, the young Li Tian from Dairy and Cream and her equally young friend, Xinyu!

Location
Block 84, Bedok North Street 4, #01-21

Map
As above

Website

Facebook Profile

Prices
Refer to the website under Product Catalogue.
Party packs are available! 

Additional Information
For all my Muslim friends, Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery is Halal-certified! 

I never expected Gavan to pass every one of us a huge bag of kuehs from his shop (was only thinking of the ku kueh and pulut inti)! I was eventually left with three big bags when Kon forgot to take his share from my car!!! 

My family members were the biggest beneficiaries given i was extremely bloated after a heavy dinner at Bedok 85 hawker centre (shall be blogging on it soon) following the visit. 

If it helps, my mom and sister especially enjoyed the soon kueh, ku chye kueh, deep fried yam cake and this particular tapioca cake with coconut shreds enriched with gula melaka ! 
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Queuing to Get Into The Trains? It's Happening at Tanjong Pagar too!

May 7, 2013, 7:18 am
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I am going to keep today's post real short today as i am having a really bad migraine right now due to restless sleep in the past few nights. 


It appeared that habits can be contagious! 

Since i started work at the central business district a month ago, i could not help noticing that many working professionals have taken to forming a nice queue at the train platforms even though space is not a luxury in ageing MRT stations belonging to the green and red line! 

Let's hope it would not take long before this considerate "epidemic" spread to other parts of the country. 

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