After a busy day at work, I just want to stone amidst lush greenary and enjoy a simple dinner. I’ve been visiting this place quite often these days. Ever been to a garden in a cafe somewhere in China Square Central? Gotta thank 24seven for the tasting session which brought me to Eden Sanctuary. You can find blog entries about our exclusive Rainbow Cuisine tasting over at Diana, Amanda, Calvin, Justin and Veron’s blog. I gotta miss that entry because Chuck screwed up again. Oh Chuck. Why.
Forget Chuck. Since I’m fast becoming a regular here, it is more appropriate for me to share on some of the staple dishes here which you can find on the menu! Unlike other conventional cafes, stepping into Eden Sanctuary really really feels like home. Everyone is well taken of at Chef Clement’s cosy dining room.
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Dinner last night started with the Tomato Basil Tartlet ($7.90). Though it looked like a typical canapé, it actually tasted better than what I had at Restaurant Week. Love the crispy savoury crust filled with a tomato based sauce on the inside. Magic of this finger delight is the fresh basil leave hidden beneath the layer of cheese.
These savoury tartlets are such delicate sweethearts. Complementary flavours of tomato, cheese, fennel, herbs and especially the refreshing tones of a lucky basil leave perked me up for what’s coming up!
Creamless Homestyle Pumpkin Soup ($4.00)
I wish mom was here. She always complains about cooking pumpkins. Well, I’ve tried creamy pumpkin soups and it wasn’t spectacular. So I’m particularly pleased with Eden Sanctuary’s clear broth version with herbs. I enjoyed every spoonful of pumpkin bumps, shreds or chucks. The texture is so inconsistently attractive, I’m hating how I am polishing off the bowl in just 5 minutes. Argh. It’s hard to flirt with a bowl of soup. They don’t last very long.
Fan of Shakespeare? I am especially when it come to his timeless tales of love and human fallacy. Remember Sir Andrew in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night who tried desperate to flirt with a maiden by the name of Maria and failed terrible? It is he who said “I am a great eater of beef, and I believe that does harm to my wit”. Well, he’s a meathead if he has never tried Balsamic Strawberry Beef ($9.90). Look at that chuck of wonderment.
Oops Sir Andrew, pardon me. Nay you wouldn’t enjoy this if you don’t fancy an unconventional twist to your meat. I had mine at medium with a slight tarty. sourish pinch on the tongue. It was lovely. Accompanied with a drizzle of savoury sauce, the strawberries set off a fruity refinement to an otherwise typical piece of meat.
I’m sorry sweethearts. When I get started on literature, I can’t stop. So in Twelfth Night, Shakespeare takes a amusing approach to expose the ways humans fall prey to pride, vanity and self-deception. So we are all fools of our own deception. I felt like a simpleton fool just like Sir Andrew more often than not. Fools that are easily pleased, easily contented, easily amused. So tell me. Is that good or bad?
Nevertheless, perhaps there’s really nothing to hide especially after savouring the next dish at Eden Sanctuary. I could smell it as Chef Clement was on his way to my table. Ginger Leek Peanut Butter Fish ($6.90). Odd combination isn’t it? But trust me. You should really try this. There’s just something graceful and clever about this down-to-earth dish that screams simplicity.
Each mouthful is a blast of flavours from the distinct taste of ginger, leek and peanut butter. Yet surprisingly with such powerful elements, I could still taste the flaky fishy fish tucked under the brownish garb! No wonder Chef Clement said that a fish should taste like a fish no matter how it is prepared. You get that? Say bye bye to tasteless meat!
By the way, it’s a must to get a pot of floral tea to accompany these delicate creations. It goes perfectly well with the food here. All in all, Eden Sanctuary offers simple, natural and light on the tummy meals. A week ago I was here for lunch and the Creamless Carbonara Pasta was awesome! Yup CREAMLESS! I could successfully finish a slice of cheese cake after that! Ah ah ah, nothing to be guilty about because Chef Clement made sure that it’s a balanced, healthy meal. I’m just a simply fool at Eden Sanctuary waiting for the next serving of his witty creation.
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Eden Sanctuary Floral Cafe
18 Cross Street #01-16
China Square Central
Tel : 6224 2298
Remember to call for reservations!
Are you giggling now? Hey! Don’t be shy. I’ll bring you on a sneak peak behind this said-to-be horrifying process of ripping off a virgin forest for the sake of beauty.
Beauty and hygiene factors aside, I think waxing carries the connotation of a flamboyant style and reckless courage. I like that feel. Nice. Now obviously Brazilian waxing is not limited to use by women alone nowadays. That’s why there’s Boyzilian wax for guys! Ah Boyzilian is the cosmetology jargon for a male version of the Brazilian waxing.
Sweet.
And since a Brazilian/ Boyzilian date sounds like the perfect intimate outing, me and my special guy pal who wishes to be identified as Bass accepted the invitation for the couple waxing session. Thanks Pearlin and Strip for the invitation. We were pretty excited about it.
Truly, Strip at Dempsey Hill looks like the perfect place to unwind, strip and wax off.
With such a chic yet professional and clinical looking beauty emporium, I know I can trust them with my virgin Brazilian wax experience.
Well, waxing at Strip actually propagates a lifestyle to live life passionately. Perhaps it is high time we spend more effort in body maintenance. I like the idea of understanding myself & ultimately empowering myself in the whole process. Strip has conceptualized “Strip for Empowerment” with the Strip lifestyle in mind. That’s a good preposition to help yuppies who work hard and play hard to love ourselves better.
Before entering the dark and cosy room, we were given these plushie companions to offset some skittishness. Grabbing a moo moo and oink oink, I guess I’m almost ready to remove all hairy inhibition.
Though I was pretty enthusiastic about doing this, I almost freaked out because it was still quite awkward stripping naked in front of a stranger and spreading my legs for her to slap some hot wax on my southern region.
Thankfully, the delicious aroma of the Strip Berry Chocolate Wax help calmed my flurry nerves.
Looks like a pot of yummy chocolate fondue doesn’t it?
Erm it was rather chilly as I laid naked on the waxing chair. And it felt like I was on an operating theatre when my esthetician pulled out a hygiene pack of wet wipes, cotton buds, spatulas and a facemask. Since this was my virgin attempt at Brazilian waxing, one big consideration is pain. Hey waxing does hurt, but it is so true how the wax is performed can make it hurt less. I must admit that it does not ‘feel good’ as I like to put it. But Brazilian waxing is well worth it. The pain is temporary and after a few tries, the process gets easier. All I need to do is to trust my esthetician!
She mowed my lawn in 30 minutes flat. Love her for being so efficient on the beauty clock.
It’s also great that my esthetician used antiseptic to clean the waxing area. Heard that some of them do not care to do it after. What is more pleasing was that she used a new spatula every time she took wax from the waxing pot. No double dipping!
Must say that my first Brazilian waxing experience was priceless. Bass and I never laughed so hard in my life. We were in separate rooms adjacent to each other. But the walls were thin so I could hear him squirmed in pain. Haha. My esthetician and I can’t helped not laughing.
Laughter is the best medicine! Probably that’s why it didn’t hurt that bad after I laughed at Bass. Frankly, I think that the worst part wasn’t the actual waxing itself, but the anticipation of the esthetician ripping the wax off!
I was told to breathe properly as she ripped off the thin streaks of gardened wax by small areas. But I just can’t seemed to breathe right! so OUCH. Thank goodness for post wax care such as the Bromelaine-laced X’ed Out Cream and Ice Cream, a cooling cream to put out any hot spots!
Oh guess what. The strips of wax looked like chocolate bars once they come off the newly naked skin.
You sure you want to see it?
Sure?
OK.
Hold.
Your.
Breathe.
Put away whatever you’re eating now.
And…
Here it is. I’m sorry. Due to an upcoming event which I will talk about soon, I can’t include the picture here.
Please note that it’s not mine! Photo courtesy of Diana. Must give credit to this woman for taking this picture! She and her bf went for a Brazilian/ Boyzilian before me and Bass. Her beau didn’t even made a noise! Tough guy!
A consideration when one wants to prepare for a bikini wax is what type of underwear, if any, should be worn. I would suggest choosing a skimpy pair, preferably a thong so you won’t feel so uncomfy after the treatment.
Last piece of advice to all Brazilian wax virgins out there: stop beating around the bush. It’s your body and you have a right to feel good about it! If you are still wondering if you should mow your lawn, check out this kooky video. Haha. Enjoy.
As what the peeps at Strip say, bye bye bush. Thongs are in and hair is out. If you want to sell the house, you gotta mow the lawn. Here’s a menu of what Strip offers.
The bottom line is – don’t compromise on hygiene, speed and quality when it comes to waxing. It is an intimate process and you should not settle for anything but the best.
I believe I’ve had experienced an expertly done Brazilian at Strip. Eevon now enjoys hairless happiness. Thanks again for the invitation and I’m so gonna sign up for a package. Whee!
I’m so in love with this fruit right now! Mom bought baskets of it and I can’t believe it taste so good! All my previous encounters with passion fruit was in the form of concentrated juice. Now, with the fresh fruit on hand, we simply eat it raw or use it to flavor yogurt. I think it will taste really good in salads too.
Apparently, there are 2 types of passion fruit. The variety I have here is the purple passion fruit from Australia. The other which is not in available at the local market is a yellow variety which is also known as the Golden Passion Fruit.
So after cutting the Passion fruit in half, I could easily scoop out the pulp with a spoon. And under that smooth, glossy, light and airy rind is an aromatic mass of wobbly, gooey, membranous sacs containing orange-colored, pulpy juice and small, hard, dark brown or black, pitted seeds! it’s so appetising and delicious! Biting on that tiny crunchy seed is super addictive. I think I can finish 3 passion fruits in 5 minutes!
I guess it’s totally fine to have them as much as I like since fresh passion fruit is high in beta carotene, potassium, and dietary fiber. Definitely a good source of vitamin C.
Too bad Ken thinks it is a tad too sourish for him. Well, you got to appreciate how intensely flavoured the passion fruit is! It’s a little sourish/tarty at first followed by a musky-sweet yet refreshing aftertaste. I would say only the durian could match this level of complexity in taste.
Hehe. I’m going to grab another one now! This is really the best fruit ever. My favvy fruit!
I’ve been complaining of never having the time to work out since forever. I believe nights of Macd deliveries which was inevitable during the mad rush of writing papers after papers when I was in uni had messed up my body. But things are changing. I’m done procrastinating and I got a feeling that Vibram Five Fingers did the trick.
Check out my latest toy.
Does it look bizarre? Haha. Well it probably wouldn’ t look so weird if not for the socks but I wore socks that was above my ankles because my coach, Kris told me to. Haha. No that’s not football socks. Kamen Rider kept laughing at me when he saw me in my running assemble! wtf? Anyway, Kris took the trouble to explain the science behind bare-foot running and shared his Vibram Five Fingers experience. I was totally bought over by the logic of running bare-foot. You get what I mean after reading this article.
With this pair of running shoes, I flew like Percy Jackson in Hermes’ flying shoes. It’s so light and so awesome that I am still infatuated with running in theses shoes after 3 attempts. I normally give up sports after 1 try. Yeah I’m that bad and lazy!
Frankly, I was never one to exercise and I thought that it was a waste of time. Used to skip every PE lessons at every chance. But at 24, I had no choice. I need to start watching my diet and lifestyle. Don’t want to end up buying new clothes every year because I can’t fit into old ones anymore. Don’t want to realise that my sloth-like lifestyle is turning me into a pudgy mess only when I can’t see my toes. Don’t want to end up like Ken’s colleague who had a heart attack at 30. The fear of growing old with decreasing metabolism rate scares me.
And so I woke up and started running regularly. I still indulge in food I crave but I control my dinner portions. It is perfectly logical not to eat so much at night. After a month, I felt a real sense of accomplishment and pride at having achieved a certain goal. I ran faster and longer each time. After each evening spent at the running tracks, I felt more peaceful and happy. Got to give my body the credit for producing endorphins which also helped me sleep better and feel better. I now no longer waste time on useless thoughts of why have I not been burning more calories and looking more toned as I wanted because I know I am heading the right direction.
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Yup. Vibram Five Fingers was a good start to a healthier lifestyle for me. I’m happy that it is so light and comfy. As if I’m wearing no shoes at all! Strangely, I am starting to feel weird if I don’t run every 3 days. Gonna bring Vibram Five Fingers along for my 11 days holiday trip with girlfriends! Actually looking forward to run in Perth this coming April!
Yesh I was at Supperclub for an exclusive World AIDS Day event of art, music and dance! Despite the gloomy weather on the outside, I managed to have quite a rocking time with plenty of good food, great company and wonderful music at the VIP chill out room (:
If you remember a while ago, I was spreading the message of AIDS awareness and early testing! A big thank you to all who supported this effort by commenting on the post. Of those who commented, Kuan, Ivy and their partner joined me at the party! Hope you girls had fun! Kudos to the folks from Health Promotion Board and Ogilvy 360º for organising it.
I still prefer Maroon 5. But having any rock bands in the house always make a good party and partying for a good cause always rocks! Supperclub’s King sized beds with plush cushions is very comfy. Not to mention the many servings of Shepherd pie I had that evening.
Jack and Rai performed Pixelated, a song dedicated to World AIDS Day 2009. As what Vic said, this song reflects the need for more people to “look at HIV/AIDS through pixelated eyes so Learn more about HIV/AIDS to protect yourself and your love ones and show your care and concern for people living with HIV.”
Here are some lovely pictures of me and my peeps.
Claudia, me and Vic. Thanks dude for the pictures!
Vic was showing off his geeky specs! I must try it on!
With the geeky specs, I tried to do a wink here with my left eye. fail. lol.
By the way, a graffiti was created by graffiti artist Killer Gerbil near the entrance, driving the message to paint our life right with bright, striking colours!
