Life – Page 3

September 27, 2014

A Trip to Ladies Expo 2014

September 27, 2014

Shared this as my facebook status today.

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Today I went to the much talked about Ladies Expo and I was so, so disappointed
There was so much hype surrounding it pre- event. Everyday while driving to work, Kiss92
advertisements would run and two lovely ladies would say “there are car
shows, baby shows, why can’t there by one for us ladies…?” before
chorusing together “ladies’ expo!” and promising “a showcase of the most
posh and chic in beauty, fashion, nutrition, health, wellness, sports,
fitness, shopping and more! …spoilt for choice …cater to all the
wants and needs of being a lady! Be EMPOWERED and pampered at the Ladies
Expo and emerge a better, stronger you!”

With such promises, wouldn’t you be really excited as well?

When I got there, I was so, so, underwhelmed. Most of the stores were
aesthetics inclined- skincare, facials and a whole range of slimming/
beauty products. I’m not going into details because they aren’t
important anymore but seriously, organizers of the expo, is that the
message you really want to send out to the ladies of Singapore?

I
left the fair feeling incredibly confused and slightly insulted. So
this is what it means to be a lady? Every store I passed, there was
someone offering to “improve me”. My pores could be less clogged, my
waist could be made slimmer by a special product from Korea and good
grief, how could I not be on their highly acclaimed diet shake program.
Apparently this is empowerment?!

To the organizers, I just want
to say that I know pulling off something like this isn’t easy at all and
I recognize the hardwork and logistical nightmare it must have been but
I also want to point out that the ’empowered’ lady of today isn’t a
diet shake drinker, slimming patch wearer, facial obsessed person. She
is so, so, so much more than that. The girls I hang out with today are
loud and sporty and fun. Some of them love to read, others to craft,
many are excited over some kind of sport so may I humbly offer
suggestions for the next ladies expo you may organize:

1. This
ladies expo is honestly such a good idea and I really hope that it would
continue to get better year by year. Let it be an arena where women can
get together and try on makeup in the most outlandish fashions and have
a good laugh (or self discovery) with their girlfriends or perhaps try
out something new in more comfortable surroundings without the presence
of men but it is so important to remind women that they are more than
the superficial. We don’t need the oppression of other women as well or a
fair to tell us that we are even further from perfection than we
already think we are. There is nothing wrong with offering pampering
beauty treatments, or fashion or whatever not but don’t limit the idea
of a “lady” to that. Collab with other vendors. Books, music, crafts,
sport. There was a belly dance event but how about rock climbing, muay
thai, art, woodworking, gardening, learning languages, cooking, bicycle
parts, car shows something like that? Perhaps if we stop dividing
activities and hobbies into “male/ female- centric”, we would start
seeing all of society as “human” rather than in binary oppositions.

2. If you really want to empower women, offer booth spaces for the women from http://www.motherandchildproject.com/, or EmancipAsia
or the hundreds of other charity organizations aimed at giving work and
hope to struggling young women. Invite the busker outside Shaw House to
give a performance (she’s great btw). Shine the spotlight on the myraid
of young talented, passionate women from all over Singapore. There are
so many! Throw a stone and you’d hit 10.

3. There were health
talks aimed at women that were pretty great but we could certainly do
more. Invite women who have suffered from eating disorders, breast
cancer, ovarian cancer to share. Search through the thousands of
instagram pages in Singapore for women who have gone through so much.
Invite EUNICE OLSEN
to share about her WomentalkTV experience. Show young women still
finding their footing in this world that life isn’t about how skinny
they are or how they look but what they aspire to be. Then equip them
with the confidence that in whatever they choose to do, there will
always be a group of people out there they can look to for healthy
guidance and motivation.
At the end of the day, the main aim of a
“ladies expo” shouldn’t be to sell a bunch of beauty products but to
inspire- to make women feel that they are so much more than the
superficial, that they indeed have the power to go out there and live
their dreams (whether as a beautician or a politician or an
auto-mechanic).

I know all these are tall orders and there are
so many budget and logistical constraints to think of but I really hope
that in the future ladies’ expos to come, (my girlfriends and) I would
exit through the doors truly inspired, empowered and proud to be a lady.

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September 16, 2014

Tokyo Autumn Trip 2013: Shibuya + Shopping Haul

September 16, 2014

Last day in Tokyo! T.T

No pictures coz I spent the whole day in Loft and Tokyu Hands. Happiness!!!

This is how my poor boyfriend looked like at the end of the night HAHAHA

This may be totally out of point but I REALLY REALLY wanted to buy this totally impractical label maker. IT PRINTS ON RIBBONS! How cool is that?! And comes in the prettiest of pastel pink.

I didn’t buy it though and 1 year later, I’m STILL thinking about it.
Man, my list of things I want to get in Tokyo is every growing. Oh by
the way, if you guys want anything (SMALL!) from Tokyo (I’ll be going in
Nov), drop me an email or comment. I really wouldn’t mind getting it
for you if it’s convenient. Maybe I’ll buy some little stuff (my
favourite sporks maybe?) and do a giveaway with them or something then
you can share my Japan joy as well! Haha

My current list is just growing and growing meh. I am dying to buy the Coharu Washi Tape Printer but it’s so impractical. Do you guys have the same problem? I always have such long shopping lists before I go somewhere but when I get there, I just can’t bring myself to spend on the stuff. Haha.

Ending off the night with Freshness Burger.

I love the nuggets! And they have spam burger! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the onion rings!

At Narita airport the next day, my boyfriend was using MY cat to chat up pretty retail staff at the airport. Haha, okay no, not really. D takes pains to make sure I always feel like his one and only so I mustn’t joke about such things. Hehheh. In actual fact, he was wheeling my cat around while I was looking at duty free and all the sales assistants were gushing over the cat and saying it was so kawaii. He did look very pleased though. Like people fawning over his son! -.-

Airport food is surprisingly good. Only at Narita Aiport (and Hongkong Airport!). Haha.

and here’s some of the stuff I bought from the trip! I bought heaps of chocolate, snacks and other souvenirs as well but no pictures because they are gifts!

Muji mini segmented lunchbox | Corn scraper (doesn’t really work 🙁 | Seaweed stamp punchers! |
Furry Cony pouch that my boyfriend insisted we get hurhur |
THE BEST FOLDABLE SPORK IN THE WORLD | Organizer stickers from Loft & Tokyu Hands | Rice Molds | Onigiri case ( I use it to put granola HAHA |
Apple slicer ( Either I don’t know how to use it properly or it doesn’t work) |
SUPER DUPER CHEAP SHU UEMURA eyelash curler | Zojirushi thermal bottle (less than $30) | Laneige water sleeping pack from Changi Airport’s duty free

Geez, you guys made it through all that garble. Well done!

And that sums up my Tokyo Autumn Trip in 2013! Tokyo Autumn 2014, here we go! 😀

Till next time,

September 14, 2014

Tokyo Autumn Trip 2013: Tsukiji | Garden Walks

September 14, 2014

We were supposed to all go to Tsukiji Fish Market today. Unfortunately, a friend was feeling unwell so d and I left to just take a stroll and wander.

I don’t know how Japanese bakeries do it but their breads are always so soft and amazing. My favourite is their chocolate chip bread which is this amazing chocolate bread with SQUARES of chocolate in them. Don’t eat it on the spot after buying it though. Bring it home and toast it a little. The bread gets warm and slightly crispy and the squares of chocolate transform into these little pieces of gooey melty heaven. Mhmm.

Another favourite place of mine in Tokyo is Ootoya Restaurant. I’ve tried it’s outlets in Singapore and it’s TOTALLY not the same. For one, the Singapore branches don’t sell my favourite dessert (picture top right) which is basically FRIED Hokkaido milk bread with matcha ice cream. It sounds terrible like that (think:oily and gross) but it isn’t! The breadsticks are crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy inside and not greasy at all . I also ordered a salad although we were just looking for dessert coz as healthy as Japanese food is made out to be, that was my first (and only) bowl of greens I had in my 9 days there. Haha

We decided to stroll down the street near Marunouchi Station which is kinda like Singapore’s Shenton Way- lots of government/parliament buildings etc and it was lovely to be able to be tourists and meander slowly, admiring the turn of the autumn colours whilst all these Important People in Black Suits hurried down the train and walked Very Fast to their office before 9am.

Tokyo is full of zen gardens and the weather is great for walking and admiring. It was nice to just leave the hustle and bustle of sightseeing and just wander with a loved talking about everything and nothing at all 🙂

We headed for Tsukiji next because d had never been there and I was excited to show him but it turned out to be not much because everyone was out in full force (and the inner markets were all closed and cleaning up already) and we ended up having really sucky sushi because I refused to wait 3 hours for sushi at the more ‘famous’ places. WE ARE IN TOKYO!! There is AMAZING sushi EVERYWHERE!

I honestly think that out of 254357353459 stalls in Tsukiji where you can have sushi possibly only 1 or 2 would have not-so-nice sushi. And as luck would have it, we had not very nice sushi. Hur. I’ve been to Tsukiji 4 times now and each time, none of the sushi places have ever served me anything less than fresh and spectacular. I’m not sure if it was a one off incident but the sushi tasted like the kind you can buy at the supermarket. Rice was cold and hard and the fish was rubbery and not fresh at all 🙁 It was a total bummer because I was really looking to The Best Sushi Ever at Tsukiji! On a brighter notes, the miso soup was super yummy and presentation was not bad, haha.

Hello crab with with long legs. You don’t look very meaty.

Lucky Tsukiji is filled with more than just sushi! If you go, do take the time to wander and try the beef bowls, the oden and lots of little stalls selling interesting things. I really like tamagoyaki so I always eat this when I am there 🙂

I know of friends who went to Tsukiji super excited to eat sushi there and after touring the markets, couldn’t bring themselves to eat anymore fish. So if you are squeamish, you might want to head straight for sushi first! The next time I go, I will probably revisit the ones that are not bad or I might, just might be totally Singaporean and go queue for Sushi Daiwa. MAYBE 😉

Till next time,

September 10, 2014

Tokyo Autumn 2013: A Tale of a Cat in Shinjuku

September 10, 2014

Konichiwa!

This was my second last day in Tokyo and my friends and I just decided to roam around to the main shopping belts- namely Shinjuku and Shibuya and pick up souvenirs and gifts for our loved ones back at home!

Before anything can happen we headed back for my all time favourite Ramen in Tokyo. I know right. Tokyo- Capital city of Japan. Home to Michelin starred restaurants serving world class Ramen and my favourite is part of a franchise chain. ICHIRAN RAMEN. *insert hearts for eye emoji* This is my all time favourite ramen IN THE WORLD. I like that it’s broth is flavourful but light; not swimming in oil and not jelat- tasting after several mouthfuls. I always order the same combi everytime I go there- An onsen egg, medium broth, medium chewiness, medium everything, add pork slices, add thinly sliced spring oinions and the cold ‘fat burning’ tea. Hahaha. (Yes, Inchiran has an in house bottled ‘beauty’ red tea that they claim is ‘fat’ burning. Hurhur I only choose it because it’s the only sugar free option but crossing fingers it does what it says as well haha)

Sorry I collaged everything but this is the only photo I have of my beautiful bowl of Ichiran ramen! The extra photos are pictures of my breakfast haha- my favourite smoked salmon onigiri and a green juice!

Then on to Shinjuku for some shopping!

Shinjuku is a great place to shop because it is slightly cheaper than the famous 109 places in Shibuya. There are plenty of stores there lining the streets. Get off the train at Shinjuku san-chome for the slightly cheaper shopping districts.

You must be wondering why this post is titled ‘A tale of a Cat in Shinjuku’. That’s because just as we got off the station, I spotted an arcade! Normally I ignore them because well, arcades are not my thing (I’m a tea and book kinda person, remember. No fun and excitement for me please. I am 26 turning 85, thank you) but this time I just couldn’t resist! Right at the front of the store was a UFO catcher machine with a whole bunch of huge Sumikko Gurashi plushies! Have you ever heard of them?

They are a bunch of characters with unique personalities! The polar bear is afraid of cold (haha) and the brown one is the last piece of a tonkatsu. Nobody wanted to eat him coz he is 99% fat! Hahahah. So he has self esteem issues. Super cute and funny. Anyway, I saw the cat lying REALLY near the drop hole of the machine! All my friends were about to walk away because nobody ever wins at such machines right? But I was adamant and wanted to try! So armed with 200yen, I tried my luck and actually caught it!!!

I was so excited and happy! This was the first time I ever played with a UFO catcher and I actually won something!

Then it struck me that I now have a very round and fat cat to carry.

All around Shinjuku.

#storyofmylife.

So carry I did, with a large round cat tucked under my arm I wandered around Shinjuku with my friends (I notice there was a friendly berth of space between me and them after I got the cat, haha). Credits to the shopkeepers in Shinjuku who still treated me as if I was an upright, wonderful citizen of society with a sound mind. Thank you, Tokyo 🙂

In case you are wondering how big he is, here is a pic!

I saw him in NBC, JEM on my return back to Singapore and guess what! He’s $77 here in SGD!!! I got him for $2.50! 😀 😀 😀 HAPPINESS 😀

Shinjuku is a great place to shop. If you are there, I highly recommend checking out this place called ‘BICQLO’. It’s a collaboration between BIC camera which is like an electronic store and Uniqlo. It’s NINE FLOORS of amazingness and above that is GU as well which is Uniqlo’s sister brand targeting teens and young adults so things are slightly ‘trendier’ and more importantly, less expensive! I bought my ugg inspired boots there (that I wore to Hakone) for only $10! 😀

Other than to get my Uniqlo fix, this is where I go to to buy CHEAP and discounted electronics/ thermal jugs for soups etc!

On the first floor you can see they have this thing called ‘ BIC theme zone’ and they usually place all their picnic stuff and thermal house ware here (depending on the theme for that month). Zojirushi thermal jars, usually retailing at around $60 in Singapore’s Takashimaya retails for only $20+ at BICQLO!

Everything there is slightly cheaper as well but I love shopping the streets of Shinjuku. D bought a pair of Adidas shoes at over 70% off what it retails here in Singapore. While he went around saving money by garnering huge discounts, I splurged excessively on random cute tableware and bento accessories at the 4 story MUJI. Oh well. At least someone was saving money. Haha.

Ending this post with a mish mash of our supper that night! One of the greatest joys of wandering around Tokyo the whole day is just ‘collecting’ food and tapao-ing everything back to eat at night! 😀

Mos burger nuggets & burgers | Tempura soba | Delectable cream filled pastries!

Till next time guys 🙂

September 8, 2014

#95 holler because it’s the holidays! | A beauty day out

September 8, 2014

Ahhhh… term break.

Music to a teacher’s ears. Finally that one morning you don’t have to wake up once your alarm goes off. When I was relief teaching, I used to set my radio as an alarm and it was hilarious because once it sounded, it would play Majulah Singapura which in any case, was rousing and inspiring for like, the first day and that was it. Is it disrespectful to say that after awhile the sound of the national anthem made me squirm and protest a little inwardly about how ‘it’s too early. bejeezus- this is inhumane!’.

I don’t teach in a goverment school now but term time is no less frantic so when the holidays roll around it’s time for some R&R! Every end of term I treat myself to a day off. That is FOUR days off a year T.T to eat good food, get a hair cut maybe and definitely, definitely get a massage. This time, the plan was to indulge in something healthy and great tasting, get a massage, go to the dentist, get my hair trimmed and.. get a facial.

I know this sounds weird to you guys but my experiences with facials (I can count them on one hand) have never been amazing. I usually go because a girlfriend of mine wanted to go. It’s like taking rollercoasters- said friend always promises that it’ll be great! It’ll be awesome! You’ll feel so good after! It’ll be fun! C’mon! and I always agree because.. maybe, this time? Only to walk out of the place feeling meh. At best I feel meh. On my last trip to a facial salon however, I walked out feeling absolutely traumatised. The person doing the facial had found a small, tiny pimple on my face and instead of cooing over it’s adorable baby-ness, she proceeded to attack it with such viciousness there should have been baby pimple laws written to protect them. ALSO, the thing I dread most- the EXTRACTION process. I HATE IT HATE IT HATE but everyone says it’s a necessary evil and the road to smooth skin is full of bumpy little white and blackheads that need to be aggressively removed. Suffice to say, I left my very last facial a couple of years ago absolutely traumatised and with a pimple scar that lasted almost 2 years.

Anyway, I decided to schedule a facial this time because (1) my face is insanely clogged. There aren’t any pimples or anything and it looks clear if you see me from far away but late nights and poor hygiene (eep!) have left much room for improvement. I don’t know how to explain it but if I look into the mirror under strong sunlight, the surface of my skin is bumpy 🙁 and (2) I had a voucher for a discounted first trial at a new facial salon called Le Queenz that just opened at Tanjong Pagar Plaza. Haha, yes I’m very cheapo.

I wasn’t intending to blog about it because quite honestly, I was just hoping for some blackhead removal and crossing my fingers the beautician wouldn’t scar my face and please please please be gentle with the extraction BUT GUYS, this was such the bombdiggity that for the first time in my life, I actually signed a package with them.

Since I wasn’t intending to blog about it, I don’t have any pictures so I took the following off their facebook. I love it when beauty salons are new! Everything is so gorgeous and pretty and I love the colour palette of the place. Some beauty centres make my head spin- everything is so pink!

Doesn’t it just look so inviting and pretty?

The process is quite standard I guess. When I arrived I filled out a form (area of concern: dry skin, BLACKHEADS, BLACKHEADS!! CLOGGED PORES!) and was then ushered into the room above to have my skin ‘analysed’. It was quite embarrassing to have to tell the beautician that I don’t do anything with my face except to wash (sometimes without a dedicated facial wash) and I uh, also don’t put sunscreen. But! She did say my skin was in very good condition despite my horrendous neglect (yay!) and said I must have a very good diet with a lot of fruit, veg and water. YES! I DO *bows* hahaha.” Pity eating well doesn’t clean my skin :/

The beautician was a fountain of knowledge though. She smoothly answered all my question, talked me through how to take care of my face while she cleansed, exfoliated and whatever else beauticians do (I was falling asleep).

Then she said the magic words!

” I don’t believe in extraction because it actually harms the skin and introduces bacteria into the pores. So what we do here is that we use a special machine that ‘scraps’ off the black/ white heads and unclogs the pores”

AND THE MACHINE IS AMAZING I TELL YOU. It’s quick and painless and afterwards, she actually shows you all the stuff that comes out (ew).

But seriously, NO EXTRACTIONS! I didn’t care what she did after that man. This place is my new favourite!

Okay, I’m going to show you guys something- I was half asleep so when she was zapping away with the machine and she actually missed a small spot- I suppose it’s easy to miss coz it’s the spot under my lower lip and you actually have to stick your tongue there to be able reach the skin in that area. If I was awake I could have told her but hurhur, it was too comfortable and I was in zzzland. Anyway, good thing she missed coz I could take a photo of what my skin was like before the facial.

Prepare for something really gross though..

Hahaha. It looks like a whale’s jaw but that’s okay coz everybody looks like that when they do that 🙂 But do you see all those little bumps! That’s what I had around the sides of my nose, on my nose and my face in general!

And after the extraction my skin was smooth like a baby’s bottom! No redness too! You can see that the skin surrounding it is totally free from all the bumps. AMAZING. I need to remember to stick out my tongue in that place next time haha.

After everything was over she brought me to a chair to get my eyebrows done (she says she can’t do it when I’m lying down because it wouldn’t be as accurate as when I’m sitting up) and this was the only part that I didn’t really like because I was so zenned out by the facial that to have to sit through the eyebrow plucking was sheer torture T.T I rather 先苦后甜 you know?! Plus for the eyebrows, she shaved a little of it for me which I also disliked because shaving makes it grow back much faster but the good thing is that whatever it is, you can just tell the beautician. She customizes everything to what you say and what your skin is like so when I vocalised my concerns, she was quick to switch to plucking it entirely. Also I heard that she’s had almost 10 years of experience and used to work at this really well known eyebrow embroidery place. It’s amazing she has 10 years of experience though. She looks so young! But when she speaks, you know she is definitely worth her mettle.

The salon is new so package prices are going at great promotional prices. I bought a package of 12 sessions for only $1000+ I can’t remember the exact price. A session is usually $168. I’m trying to slowly move away from chemical laden skincare too. Le Queenz uses Babor which is a German skincare brand that is preservative free and uses ‘natural plant derived substances in their most concentrated form’. I’m going to start with preservative free skincare followed by partially (?) chemical free then hopefully organic. Still very new to all these! (Is there such a thing as a organic facial spa in Singapore?)

Alright, I just wanted to share my experience here because I’ve finally found an extraction free facial place in Singapore that actually works. I’ve been to facial places that offer no extraction as well but my face has never been this clean. So if you are looking for a place as well, definitely give this place a try. Since it’s new, first trial is only $68!

Hahaha. Can’t believe I wrote so much about about a facial salon. Anyway! The next place I went to for a quick hair trim was Organic Hair Professional. It’s located in the same plaza as Le Queenz and I am in love with the place. Seriously, if you want to pamper yourself, don’t spend 3 hours stuck in some hair salon filled with chemical smells! I used to not notice how strong the chemical smells were in hair salons till I went to Organic Hair Professionals. Now I can never go back! Seriously, even if you don’t go for a hair cut, at least walk in to smell the salon. It smells so lovely!

I ended the day with a tuina massage at XinHua TCM clinic located at 100AM. I love deep strong massages and honestly think shiatsu massages are a waste of money haha. Just as I was paying to leave, I noticed they offered a ‘tummy detox slimming massage’. Curious, I asked what they did. It’s about $80! The woman replied that they basically massage your tummy for a while then they WRAP you up for the remaining time. $80?! To be wrapped in shrink wrap for an hour?! I think the only way it helps you detox is by preventing you from eating anything for that hour.

With my $80 safely tucked in the depths of my bank account, I hot footed out of that place and headed back home with a considerably cleaner face, neater hair and a less tense body.

T’was a good day.

p.s I feel compelled to say that I wasn’t in any way compensated monetarily or made to write the review for any of these places. I just like to share good things. 🙂

// EDIT

WOW GUYS! Lequeenz has generously offered to give all my readers their first trial at only $48! Quote vegsmoothiebunny when you make your appointment with them: 6244 0228. Offer valid till 31 December 2014. Males welcomed though they don’t have the shoulder massage segment but I guess that’s okay because you still get a really clean face? Haha.And as usual, for FIRST time customers only! Enjoy! 😀

September 8, 2014

Tokyo Autumn 2013: What to eat in Tokyo/ Where to go: Harbs/ Yushukan Museum

September 8, 2014

This is the second last of my picture log of my trip to Tokyo in autumn last year (2013). I’ll finish up with my haul for that trip and this year, I’m going back again! With the same group of people! (now you know how much we love the country, haha)

Wrapping up the series with our trip to Harbs which is a cafe serving a whole myraid of the most delicious, light tasting cakes (I don’t have a sweet tooth so I actually prefer the sandwiches, but the cakes are not bad too!) as well as our visit to Yushukan Museum!

I love menus that look like they were hand drawn and coloured. Too cute 🙂

That prawn patty T.T What I wouldn’t give to take a massive bite of it right now! We also had the omeltter sandwich (such a fluffy egg and the most amazing soft, toasted bread)

The desserts I highly recommend would be the mille crepe cake (it’s famous for it), the aged cheese cake and the banana chocolate. Actually everything is pretty good and the ambience is really lovely.

Harbs Cafe
www.harbs.co.jp/harbs
6-10-2 Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo 106-0032, Japan
Opening hours: 11:30am- 9:30pm

With our tummies filled we head off in the light drizzle to Yushukan Museum! If you’ve never heard of it, the museum is a Japanese military and war museum located within a shrine which is dedicated to the souls of soldiers who died in WWII.

Truth be told, my friends and I went to the museum partly because we wanted to check out the discrepancies between what we know and what is preserved in the heart of Japanese history.

I must admit I walked in only with the intention to search out and see for myself said discrepancies but walked out feeling a slight twinge of sadness and admiration for the humility and courage of the Japanese emperor.

Autumn is just such a lovely time to visit countries with four seasons 🙂

I only took pictures of the first floor as photography isn’t allowed on the second where all the exhibits are. Also I dislike taking photos in museums because the shutter sound is very distracting!

See you next time for my final post on this trip! 😀

September 6, 2014

#94 Time was passing like a hand waving from a train I wanted to be on

September 6, 2014

I’m back after a quick social media detox 😀

I find that it’s just so easy to get sucked into the whole whirlwind of virtual reality that you lose on out on real living so I took some time out to just get away from social media for a bit, recharge, think about what I want to do with this space and life in general.

I’ve really enjoyed having this space to connect with all of you. I enjoy the interaction, the exchanging of tips and tricks and of course, all of your emails that you have so generously written with the sincerest of hearts. I recently made a decision to go into full time teaching next year (made the decision only! Don’t know whether I’ll get in! Haha) but it occurred to me, of course, that I wouldn’t be able to upkeep this blog very much when and if that happens. (All you teachers out there struggling with CRAAAZZYY workloads and still breathing life into all your lessons each day- I SALUTE YOU!)

Truth be told, I now feel like a woman on her deathbed. *cue dramatic music* I want to do so much more with this space before the possibility of having to leave it comes true. I want to write more, share more, reply more of your emails and questions and most importantly, remind you everyday that you are more than your body or the food that you eat. Way, way more. I want to promote connection and love and trust and fill up my little space here on the world wide web with so much positivity and love and optimism that it would come out like fairy dust through your screen and brighten your day a little, no matter how you feel about yourself at that moment 😀

Sometimes when I read your emails, I feel such closeness to all of you; like we are a bunch of friends who’d known each other forever and we are just sitting around with our hair bunned up, wearing PJs, sipping tea and exchanging stories about everything and anything from body image issues to best facial places and uh.. where to buy cheap pots and pans. (hurhur- I’ve realised there is a secret aunty buried within all of us. We should UNLEASH HER!) I’m battling against time, working very hard to achieve all of that and I
can’t wait to share good news with you guys about my next giveaway (AREN’T YOU EXCITED! I love giving stuff away haha) or a
discovery in my journey towards organic skincare (current knowledge
level = 0.003%) or simply to just return home each day, sit in front of my computer and start off my post with a mundane ‘Today I … (went to the toilet?)’.

I don’t even know why I’m writing all these haha. I wanted to write about my day and share with you guys about my new discovery about vertical gardening (YES! I finally found out how to plant vegetables in a HDB flat!) but my words flew right off tangent into a jumble of goodness-knows-what. I guess I just want to say that no matter how the future pans out I’m so, so grateful for this small little chance to have known all of you. (And also I will try and blog more often haha)

So from now till the next post, no matter where you are remember that someone out there (here) truly doesn’t care whether you are size -200, 0, 4,28 or 2000. All I care is that you know yourself to be worthy of everything you envision yourself to be and I think of you often, especially in times when you think no one in the world could possibly be thinking about little ol’ you.

August 27, 2014

Tokyo Autumn Trip 2013: What to eat in Tokyo: L’atelier de Joel Robuchon in Roppongi

August 27, 2014

Hahahha! Is it bad that I’m simultaneously planning my next Osaka/ Tokyo trip whilst still blogging about a previous trip?

Anyway! If you are searching for a relatively inexpensive way to treat yourself at a Michelin starred restaurant in Tokyo, I highly recommend L’atelier de Joel Robuchon! If you want to live on the fly cheaply, always always go for lunch sets at high end restaurants. Eat a country’s snack/ street food for dinner! You get to enjoy the intimate atmosphere of a classy restaurant without the intimidating ‘rich people’ atmosphere (haha, omg- sorry I’m just so cheapo) and the bustling, exciting atmosphere of a country’s night market! And your wallet wouldn’t cry! Win-win I say!

Prices range from as low as Y1950 (24SGD! For a 2 Michelin starred meal & service!) to Y15,500 (186SGD) for their full degustation lunch. For more information on prices and menus, you can check it out here

Pictures!

We chose to sit at the bar so we could see all the action in the kitchen and the patissier was so serious and focused on making dessert! She was so precise – it was quite thrilling to watch! I really don’t think it matters what job you do. HOW you do it can elevate even the most menial jobs to an art. Maybe after this I’ll go sweep the floor and elevate it to art. Hurhur

I chose the Menu du Jour which basic price is Y6500 and D got the L’unique for Y1890. Another tip for high end eating on a budget is if you go with people, try out more stuff from their menu by combining expensive and inexpensive meal sets and splitting the cost after!

First up:

so complimentary appetizers-

The BREAD BASKET. Since I am vegsmoothiebunny, I feel the need to tell you that bread baskets are unnecessary since you know, just plain flour and not very nutritious. However, if you go to Joel Rubonchon and miss out on the buttery brioche bread- you are CHEATING YOUR SOUL. Hahahah #justsayin’. I think I had 3 😀

Le Saumon Fume- smoke salmon served with mushrooms marine and shiso flower buds. Isn’t the presentation just so pretty?

Le Bar- sea bass served with seaweed butter gratin & capers coulis

Les Legumes-Seasonal vegetables served on a thin toast with chorizo and tomato

And up next… La bavette de boeuf- wagyu beef served with JR’s famous mashed potatoes (they were really, really good!) for an additional Y1260. The beef is just out of this world. Sometimes I still dream about it back in sg. Hahaha

Pre dessert-

and desserts to finish the meal off-

The meal came up to be around SGD80+ which is a total steal in terms of service and food. The staff are friendly as well and so talented! On my previous visit, there was a french service staff who spoke French, English, Japanese and Mandarin!

Definitely check the place out if you are in Tokyo!

L’atelier de Joel Robuchon
2F Hillside, Roppongi Hills, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032
Lunch: Weekdays 11:30 to 14:30 (last order)
Weekends and national holidays 11:30 to 15:00 (last order)
Dinner: 18:00 to 21:30 (last order)
Phone: 03-5772-7507

See you soon!

August 12, 2014

Tokyo Autumn Trip 2013: Tokyo Disneyland!

August 12, 2014

We are off to Disneyland today! I have to be honest here and say I HATE THEME PARKS. Hahahaha. Okay, maybe not Theme Parks but I HATE ROLLERCOASTERS. I ABSOLUTELY ABHOR the I-can-feel-the-depths-of-my-tummy- feeling as we free fall through the air. But I still take the rides anyway -.- and scream my way through them. Meh.

Not a lot of pictures for this trip as this is my 3rd time here but it’s the guys’ first time! I’ll share pictures of Disneyland and Disneysea from my past trips (…if I ever get down to posting them haha)

Anyway! Pictures!

Breakfast on the way to Disneyland! It’s amazing! Onsen Egg Onigiri! I don’t dare to think what chemicals they must have used to stop the egg yolk from hardening but hehheh- when on holiday, just eat and enjoy!

I am still smiling happily over here because we are only at the entrance and the place is magical! Soon after this picture was taken I got dragged to queue for Space Mountain 🙁

… and this is me after Space Mountain. 🙁

I HATE ROLLERCOASTERS!

Hahaha! Aren’t the chocolate pandas the cutest! I was so traumatised I had to soothe myself with chocolate. AND THE BEARS LOOK EXACTLY LIKE HOW I FELT. My mouth was a squiggly line, trust me.

My friends decided they better find a kiddy ride for me so we went to it’s a small world! I LOVE IT. Hahaha!

… hence, I am very happy.

Can you see the fear still in my eyes?! I bet nobody looked and felt as clammy as I did after the rides. Hahaha! I am no adrenaline junkie. Cup of tea and a book for me please.

… and my phone died after that so no more pictures of the rest of the day. HAHA. But we had churros and we spent the whole time walking around in the freezing cold, queueing for rides, watching the parade and waiting of the heavy downpour that suddenly ravaged across the Happiest Place on Earth, making many little kids not so happy anymore. Us adults were quite fine though. We sought shelter at the restaurant and had a very indulgent meal to soothe our sorrow. 🙂

Then it was time for the parade!

I love Disneyland at night 🙂 It was freezing cold due to the rain that we had to seek refuge in the bakery. And well… since we were in the bakery, we bought lots of bread and random bits to eat. D was SO COLD that he bought two cups of tea to put in his coat pockets as hand warmers. Desperation leads to ingenuity, I say.

Do you like rollercoasters and/or amusement parks? My favourite part of Disney are the super talented artists dressed as janitors who go round the park painting amazing art work on the floor with mops! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check this video out:

and here’s saying goodbye with my favourite Donald Duck discovering and following a Mother duck and her ducklings in Disneyland picture strip!

That face! That delight! I know it’s some guy in the suit but at this moment I am willing to suspense all cynicism and believe that Donald Duck is real and truly delighted at having discovered his own species waddling around the park. And of course- that, to me, is really the magic of Disney.

Till next time!

August 5, 2014

Tokyo Autumn Trip 2013: 1 day Hakone- Mt Fuji Trip

August 5, 2014

This was what we woke up to on the day of our Mt Fuji Tour! Thank God for clear blue skies and gorgeous rays of light!

We were really so blessed- even the tour guide on the trip said that such a day was rare in autumn and we were really lucky!

I did check on the weather forecast for that particular week before booking the tour but I didn’t expect it to be so gorgeous either! 😀

We joined a 1 day Mt- Fuji Hakone Tour and booked it from here. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend going on this tour if you are in Tokyo in autumn because the scenery is just AMAZING.

Our itinerary included a bus trip to Mt fuji- lunch, a boat cruise on Lake Ashi, a cable car ride to Mt. Komagatake in Hakone and then the shinkansen back to Tokyo. Talk about trying out different transport modes all in one day!

The tour starts at 9:00am from the bus terminal but the company does do a pickup from your hotel too so be sure to enquire if you don’t stay near the station.

We were at the bus station early so…

#shamelessselfies. haha.

Let the adventures begin!!

The bus ride to Mt Fuji!

and the multiple coloured leaves at the Mt Fuji visitor centre. T.T
Typing this, I can still feel the cold breeze and the feeling of enchantment standing there jsut surrounded by all the amazing colours and greenery!

I WAS SO HAPPY!!! And we were only at the visitor centre -.-

This is the back of Mt Fuji:

The view. The Sun. The Colours. You know what I really liked about the place? I really liked that there were many Japanese there and they were all really happy to immerse in the beauty of nature as well and I learnt from them that they visit the place every year because they say it’s important to constantly feel inspired in life. Constantly inspired. Wow. I think I’ll make that my life motto or something. Haha.

Next up was lunch…