Beansprouts was 6/10. Served with light soya sauce, I think it would taste better if a few more dashes of sesame oil were added to this dish. Bean sprout is one of my favorite vegetable and I think bean sprouts taste better without salted fish! Yup no salted fish here and I liked the generous topping of crispy mini fried garlic cubes.

As I thought about the garlic, I realised how much I love plants from the onion family which includes the onion, shallot, leek, and chive. Hard not to love them. Their pungent yet spicy flavour always manages to mellow and sweeten any dish.

Chicken was 7/10. I was looking forward to a nice, slick texture but it was more firm than tender. Flavour-wise, it was decent and not so oily. Better than your average but I prefer my steam white chicken chilled with skin that is slick enough to slip down my throat. That said, this is one dish that finds many different tastes and palates. You may think otherwise on how the perfect chicken should taste like for a chicken rice dish so feel free to tell me what you think or drop a link to your favourite stall! I’m keen to check them out!

(:

The next dish is the star of Meng Kee Char Siu.

Char siu was 9/10! I loved it! You must visit this stall if you’re a fan of charred, savory, and sticky uber-sweet perfection char siu! The slices of meat were not lean but I can live with not being healthy for lunch that day. How could you resist chewy roasted pork with a super-sweet sticky outer crust? Well the meat is not your conventional tender char siu because it had a good bite and slight crisp to it. Apparently leaving the meat longer at high heat may charred the meat but makes it chewier. That explains why the cha siu was darker than those found elsewhere.

We ordered just these 3 dishes. The rice was below-par because there was a missing glossy texture to it. I’m so picky today! I don’t know why!

I think Zac (I’ve changed Jack’s name after that dumb Jack Neo fiasco) takes pretty decent photos. Anyway lunch was RM58 for five! Kinda atrocious right? To think we were dining in a normal-looking coffee shop. Good thing the portions were not miserable and the char siu was good. I like my char siu hard, charred and sweet. You?

Meng Kee Char Siu
Alor Kopitiam
(next to Nova Hotel)
Jalan Alor
Kuala Lumpur
Closed on Sundays

Well, the KL trip was a very short one so I didn’t had much time to catch up with friends. Am grateful that sweetie-pie Marcky who wished he was pork and dainty Joanne who can’t wait to kill some Mat Rempits took me out for yummylicious supper. Unfortunately we didn’t took much pictures because most street food places in Malaysia are dark and romantic at night. Just fyi, we had beef balls somewhere near Jalan Alor again and then Chickuteh! Both were good!

Yes Marcky, I will be coming back for more of such dining escapades!

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.

(:

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!

Hope  the weather won’t be a bitch.

Do you like my red stockings? Ken hates it! Oh well, at least Clara adores them. Haha. She’s such a babe. Our trainer, Laurette was sweet too! I was the test subject of the day and it was an indulgence to have her applying the latest MJ makeup on my face. It was like a free makeover but I got to learn how to do it after that.

Of course, Laurette used the featured MJ products which includes a Pore Cover. It works like a makeup base. Something like a BB cream but I find that MJ Pore Cover is so much lighter and my skin felt more comfortable in it. Any idea why BB cream is heavier and oilier? Maybe it is ill-suited to Singapore’s humid weather. Then there’s the Jeweling Eyeshadow which comes in either a pink or blue palette. She tried the pink one on me. Honestly, I never had pink eye shadow before and was worried it may turned out weird. Thankfully, the swatch of colours was soft and pastel-like.

Here comes the best product of the chapter. Laurette glammed up the light yet distinctive eye shadow with the Amazing Mascaras Lash Bone Black Fiber In & Lash Enamel Glamour Volume On. My lashes was significantly lengthened and thickened after the application! OK we are supposed to use the Bone Fiber which acts like as the mascara base followed by the Enamel Glamour. I tried it on my other lash and the application was fairly easy.

My lashes were very stubborn. They simply refused to curl nicely! I was told to clip them longer next time with the eyelash curler. Anyway I found that Asian brand mascaras are more suited for me than Western brands especially Revlon which tend to be clumpy and smeary! MJ is not bad. The mascara was quite light, even after I applied a couple of layers thinly. Doesnt weigh my lashes down. Nice!

Since I had a date at St.James after dinner, Laurette gave my doll-like eyes an extra finish by lining my eye with the Perfect Automatic Liner. It looked even more dramatic. Meanwhile..

From the looks of it. everyone was busy having fun, dolling up, trying out MJ products. I will probably post more detailed reviews of these products when I get my hands on them. Am definitely looking forward to using the Lash Enamel Glamor Volume On & Lash Bone Black Fiber On for night outs with girlfriends!

Photos credit: Majolica Majorca Facebook Fanpage

Strangers looked at us with curious eyes while they performed their daily rituals within these spot-stained, ancient walls. I felt comfortable that no one was bugging me to buy anything. I was actually pleased to be ignored. With that, we continued this little tour of ours quietly under their silent watch.

I saw cute, grubby kids with rosy cheeks playing along the alley.  They looked happy. I saw old folks sitting leisurely on rattan chairs staring into space. Some looked happy. Some not so. Then there was an old men smoking from a pipe, a cobbler and a fruit vendor with her three-wheeled cart. The air had a faint scent of freshly baked bread, coal and raw meat. Weird mix but it wasn’t unpleasant. As I made our way through these narrow walkways, I got more intrigued by the way the poorest in Beijing live their lives. At each sharp turn which twist and turn with no rhyme or reason, I can never foresee what lies around each corner and that was the thrill of exploring a hutong.

Before wide boulevards and high rise apartments, almost all the folks in Beijing live in these narrow alleys called hutongs. Along these alleys lies the courtyard houses which then link up and form a network of hutongs. I peered into one of the courtyard house and found that while the exterior were preserved, the clear cut design of a Si-He-Yuan was totally messed up inside. Sadly, there seem to be ugly extensions of all sorts in the house and the original structures have been lost in almost every case. Messy. Ugly. Sad. The fact that almost all hutong residents don’t see their neighborhoods as historic districts is disheartening.

Originally designed as a building complex formed by four houses around a quadrangular courtyard, it was meant to house one family! But the 1950s went awry for the Chinese if you knew what happened. Since then, most of the Si-He-Yuan were converted to house several families as tenants. That probably explains the overcrowding and unsightly extensions. What a pity! Really hope the preservation works will turn out well.

Sorry no pictures here. I hid our camera as I wandered along these old lanes because this residential estate felt so private and exclusive. Snapping pictures just felt so awkward! Took the extra care not to be rude and invade the locals’ private spaces. Ah it was extremely fascinating to wander through the maze of old Beijing! Do take a walk along these hidden paths if you’re not afraid of getting lost!

In any case, the hutong today is fading into the shade for both tourists and inhabitants. Out from the maze, we strolled along the riverbank of Houhai where the more tourists-targeted shops, restaurant and hangouts are located. I must say that I had more fun exploring the maze of old hutong neighborhoods than shopping at the touristy haunts in the same area.

Here are some pictures.

(:

The setting looked like a movie set!

Was getting bored of this Clarke Quay lookalike place until we chanced upon a rundown eatery that proudly displayed a ‘China’s Time Honoured Brand’ at its entrance. This dilapidated shack is a gem.

Good thing all of us are feeling adventurous! We ordered 2 plates of odd-looking snacks and a bottle of Tsing Dao to share. That mass of black stuff is fried pork tripes while the white one should be boiled sheep innards.

Both are springy and chewy. Too bad if you’re into innards. These wobbly pieces of protein goes really well with the peanut sauce!

Lots of love to Hao, Libei, Betty, Zhenyi, Sirui, Isaac, Ruth and Shuyan. I miss all of you loads!

(:

I have no idea how many time I’ve said this but I’m gonna say it again! I love Beijing! This beautiful city is one of the world’s most important historical site. Don’t you agree that is exudes a unique ambience balancing ancient and modern? But it takes hard work to keep a balance between these two extremes. As Beijing gets giddy with the rest of China to rapidly urbanised, it is saddening to know that the atmospheric hutong lanes, traditional residential homes and Si-He-Yuan courtyard houses all are fast disappearing. So you better start making plans if you want to catch a glimpse of Beijing’s past.

To get to Shichahai area: take bus 60, 13, 118, 701, 42, 823 to the north gate of Beihai Park. You”l see the Lotus Market. The entrance of the Shichahai area is just right opposite.

For serious foodies and travelers, you’ll be pleased to know that there are 450 restaurant reviews  in this mobile guide! Ever since I’ve got Jack, my trusty iPhone has become the most convenient way to figure out what I want to eat!

I’m able to search The Miele Guide by restaurant name, top rankings, city or cuisine. it’s such an easy-peasy application. I’ll show you what I mean!

Personally I like searching via Cities! OK there are 16 Asian countries listed here: Brunei, Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. And… I pick Hong Kong!

The Top 5 restaurants for each country is listed in the guide and each country chapter features an insider’s perspective of the country’s dining scene written by The Miele Guide’s shortlist panellists, who are top restaurant critics and food writers in their respective home countries.

Yung Kee is listed under the Hong Kong! The place where Ken and I drop by for roasted goose when we were there last year! Well, if you are having cravings for a particular cuisine and is willing to plan your holiday around that craving, just search via Cuisines! I can just mark my favourite restaurants and plan my meal itinerary in advance.

I’ll go with Japanese. And woah. That’s alot of suggestions and lots of cities! Wasabi by Marimoto in Mumbai, India sounds interesting.

But honestly, I think the best best feature of this application is its ability to detect where I am and recommend the nearest top restaurants from The Miele Guide. That’s not all. The map views also show directions on how to get to restaurants. Don’t you love your iPhone? I love mine!

The Miele Guide is available via the Apple iTunes App Store at US$4.99. Kinda steep but that’s the price to pay to have Asia’s best chefs and restaurants at your fingertips. Check out www.mieleguide.com if you are interested.

(:

Organised by DiningCity.com Singapore, Restaurant Week is actually a highly successful event, a culinary event in countries such as The Netherlands, Austria, Belgium and USA. Thus, the launch of Restaurant Week in Singapore instead of anywhere else in Asia sorta amplifies and establishes Singapore’s position as the food capital of Asia. Gotta give credit to this tiny island for beating Shanghai for winning this launch.

After the event, I am officially a fan of Veuve Clicquot! It was lively, delicate yet powerful. Moet & Chandon, Cape Mentelle and Terrazas was also served to my pleasure.

Photo credit to Glenn!

Not to mention those exquisite canapés I sampled from four of the participating restaurants: Julien BOMPARD, Garibaldi Italian Restaurant & Bar, The Song of India and Tatsuya Japanese Restaurant. The event was tastefully done.

This one-week culinary event is a darling for lucky peeps who managed to book limited seats! They can enjoy a special three-course meal at affordable fixed prices of S$35++ for a three-course dinner and S$25++ for a three-course lunch during the Singapore Restaurant Week from 22 to 28 March 2010. Just the perfect opportunity to taste a varied range of unique dining experiences at a wide selection of choice restaurants.

That’s the guys from Tatsuya. Oh when you book your reservations, do check if the particular restaurant is a DiningCity Star Awarded restaurant. If yes, you may be charged a fixed supplement of S$15 for lunch and S$20 for dinner. Also check the menu to see if you like the offerings.

(:

Bookings can ONLY be made online via www.restaurantweek.sg. You gotta hurry if you are interested because the last time I checked, empty tables are fast filling up. There are in total 58 participating restaurants. Unfortunately, Julien BOMPARD and Tatsuya Japanese Restaurant have NO MORE SEATS! 18,000 seats gone so fast! It’s just been a day! Must be those American Express Cardmembers. Yup American Express actually offers early booking privileges to their Cardmembers! Jealous.

):

Not that I’m going to sign up for an American Express card anytime soon. So next year, I shall set my alarm clocks to be the first to reserve some Restaurant Week tables!

*Pete was resting at home so I had to grab pictures from Kyle. Thanks Kyle!*

Here’s a glimpse of the action at George & Dragon.

Well well seems like Eujin now set a very high standard for upcoming boyfriends of besties to match. After much gossip with girlfriends, I shall share a little on what the girls think of as a sweet wedding proposal!

Surprise! Surprise!
Guys! A marriage proposal MUST be a surprise. Take time and devise a way of proposing that she won’t suspect. Jindi dear is the most unsuspecting person ever! So, Eujin had it EASY. LOLX. Anyway, if your girlfriend is slightly paranoid ie. Winnz/Elaine, you need lots of back-up plans. It always help if you are on friendly terms with her close girlfriends because they are good at diverting attention.

hahahaa. Look at Jindi’s face. She’s the pretty babe in the middle. Hahaha. After kidnapping her for the entire afternoon, we whisked her into MNG to grab this sleek black sequin dress. She took in all our nonsense and bought this highly recommended dress in less than 10 minutes! Walked out of MNG in the dress, still a daze before we made her took this pic for keepsake! Obviously Elaine and I had the ‘oh-my-goodness she got punked-to-dress-up’ face.

She was totally oblivious to what’s going to happen! The look on her face when Eujin proposed was priceless.

Write your own proposal
Saying, “Will you marry me?” should be original! Say something meaningful and sweet! Eujin’s mathematical proposal is perfect for accountants. LOLX. Yup both of them are accountants. Well, how about writing a poem or sing a song you wrote yourself? Basically,tell her why you want to marry her and write your own proposal! Then make sure you memorise the script and don’t ever read from a paper! The key is sincerity.

Getting the right engagement ring
Since wearing an engagement ring is a lifetime commitment. Thus, you got to do it right. Though personally I’m not a jewelry person, I’m quite sure that most brides want their proposal to include an engagement ring. Well if your bride-to-be is very particular about her jewelry, you may want to consider including her in the buying/designing process. In-line with the surprise element, I suggest proposing with a faux ring before going to the jewelers together after the proposal so she can pick and choose something she likes.

Can’t see the ring right? Too bling. He spent close to RM40k for that baby.

Be creative
Make the proposal memorable by incorporating significant things, foods etc. into the proposal but keep the focus on what’s important: the proposal itself.  Thank goodness Eujin did not hid the engagement ring in food. It’s too cliche so no brownie points for creativity. Gotta give the guys credit for planning Eujin’s entrance with a special song he shares with Jindi. It was quite hilarious when the bride-to-be was busy eating to notice the boys had problems with the music. There were a few failed attempts to play the song.  Yikes. Good thing there was a back-up CD. It pays to be prepared. Well done Kenji and Gavin.

(:

MUST drop to one knee
We insist. This is probably going to be the most charming and romantic moment for any guys! No wedding proposal is a proposal without the man going on one knee asking the love of his life to marry him! And with that, you passed with flying colours. We trust you, Eujin, to take good care of our bestie.

Points taken?

We are so proud of you, Eujin! Haha. Congrats to you and Jindi! We love you, Mrs.Lim!

Needless to say, I did what I do each year. Stacked those that I can no longer fit up in the top-most shelf, hoping that I can fit into them next year. I may be too optimistic. But there’s a tiny glimmer of hope. I am going to start running regularly and cut down on heavy dinners this year! I’m serious! Especially after I’ve invested in this funky running shoe.

With a perfect slimming plan in mind which I am going to start after the festivities, I’ve decided to celebrated Spring with no cares and worries. Pineapple tarts? Bak Kwas? Love letters? Beer? Bring it on.

So the Eve of Chinese New Year which really means a feast with families, came with sumptuous spread. I think homecooked delicacies are always extra tasty when everyone is gathered around the table with amiable chatter.

Not sure if it is just me but the coming of Spring this year appears to be fleeting. Before I know, the night ended with firecrackers crackling all over Adda Heights. A good indication that the population of Chinese has prosper in the area.

It is strange how fireworks always manage to evoke emotions. As I caught the beautiful display with dad, ma, bro and sis in the garden, I can’t helped but regret that I am growing up so fast. A teeny feeling of dread came over me knowing that I may not be able to spend more of such moments with them. Now I wish that time could just stay still.

This year, Eevon is more thankful for people who loves her. Happy to have 3 valentines this year.

Spring is such a warm season. Don’t you agree? How was your cny celebrations?

The celebration was held at the new Esmirada At The Pier located in the thriving dining hub of Robertson Quay. Warm lights illuminated the interior of Esmirada At The Pier and the combination of rustic brick walls with blue accents brought an easy-going allure. Seemed like the perfect place to idle away a lazy Saturday evening with girlfriends!

Esmirada At The Pier is a really cosy and casual restaurant with a rustic charm! We spent the evening at the al fresco seating. Good thing that the courtyard was breezy and when dusk arrived, pretty candles tea lights evoked a romantic feel! Nice.

Ken and I enjoyed a glass of Sangria with Esmirada’s Famous Garlic Bread (S$6) – a towering crusty baguette loaf fragrant with garlic and butter – before digging in to the selection of appetizing antipasti, salads, soups and tapas!

My favourite starter would be the refreshing Greek Salad (S$16)! The cheese was awesome and it gave the salad enough flavor that salad dressing isn’t needed. The sharp taste of onion went really well with the red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. Tasty! Would be perfect if I could add a bit of garlic, a dash of oregano and a teaspoon of white wine vinegar! Hehe I like my salad to be fancy.

Tossed a couple of cold prawns on our plates too to go with the wine. Fresh goodness.

Of course, Mediterranean food is not Mediterranean without some grilled meats, pita bread, and falafel. It was nearly impossible to decide what to taste first considering the selection dishes displayed on the counter.

That’s the roasted pork. I love the few unique starters especially the delectable Balkan dish, Cevapcici (S$18) – grilled meat fingers made from minced beef and lamb and served with a homemade mustard ragoo dip.

Another tasty entrée was this. Make a guess what this is.

Smoked ham! Totally scrummy! Look at the size of that humongous piece of meat!

The chef was there the entire evening making sure that each slices of smoked ham was cut to perfection. These delicate paper-thin slices of smoked ham were so well-flavoured.

Our appetite was further satiated by main courses such as the Esmirada Skewers (from S$28) – perfectly grilled quality ribeye steaks, lamp chops, chicken kebabs, king prawns, swordfish and vegetables served on a custom-made iron frame and accompanied by bell pepper relish, tzatziki sauce and oven baked potatoes.

Ken tried the famous Spanish saffron rice dish, Paella Espanola (S$30), that is brimming with fresh mussels, squid, prawns, chicken and vegetables. That was a hearty dish.

Always have space for dessert when it is chocolate fondue and fresh strawberries!

I’m sure no one could resist creamy smooth chocolate cascading down a chocolate fountain. Sinful.

Craving for some Mediterranean goodies? Well there’s something going on now. You can enjoy 15% discount off Total Bill from now to 31 March 2010 (not applicable with other promos) at all three Esmirada outlets.

Esmirada At The Pier
80 Mohamed Sultan Road
#01-03 The Pier at Robertson

Photo credit to Huishan

Last Saturday morning was not put to waste as I went under the sunny weather and got a healthy dose of Vitamin D. Good thing we did not chanced upon any ox-eye/a cloud or other weather phenomenon that may be indicative of an upcoming storm. Marina at Keppel Bay is a very pretty place. Was here exactly a month ago for the NYE yacht party.

Huge red Keppel logo on the clipper as it was the main sponsor of the Uniquely Singapore yacht in the 09-10 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race! Very amusing how I keep running into stuff affiliated with this company. First, it was Ken. We were quite into Keppel Nights for a period of time. Then there’s the very interesting oil rig tour. And now I’m going sailing! Woo hoo!

It was blazing hot! Wanted to get a healthy tan but freaked out during breakfast. Don’t want to look like Ken. He went sun tan and became an ugly brownie after peeling for a week. So bought the mini Mentholatum Sunplay SPF130 sun block from Guardian. $1.95 only! Woah good stuff. It worked like magic.

The crew on board were very friendly and I got a feel of their enthusiasm to be sailing around the world! Singapore is actually the 4th leg of the race and up next is Qing Dao, China. Would you want to be an ocean racer too?

Fyi The Clipper Race is the only round the world yacht race for non-professional sailors and takes place every two years. This means people from all walks of life can sign up to be ocean racers! Apparently many of those who took part had no sailing experience before they began their pre-race Clipper Training. But be prepared to leave everything behind for at least a year to pursue this extraordinary aspiration.

Uniquely Singapore is helmed by Singapore-born Skipper Jim Dobie, whose present crew includes female Keppel Ambassador Karan Teo as well as Nicole Ho, who is circumnavigating round the world. In just ten months, the race will see the international Clipper Race fleet cross five continents and visit 14 ports, including Brazil, Qingdao and California. So cool! Around the world! I also wanna go! But on second thoughts.. maybe not. I don’t want to end up looking like a sun-dried tomato.

Despite the scorching UV-rays, I enjoyed the breeze and awesome sea view as the Uniquely Singapore Clipper sailed across the waves. It was generally a smooth ride.

Briefly pondered if I am up to the challenge of becoming an ocean racer but my hopes were dashed shortly. Though the Uniquely Singapore Clipper was easily sailed and maneuvered, I freaked out minutes after I steered the clipper when it tilted precariously to one side! SCARY. I think the girls screamed in horror or maybe it was just me.

Ben attempted to do some tacking/zig-zagging so as to sail directly towards the wind. Not bad. Lester and Lionel was pretty good at steering too. As you can see, the clipper is quite narrow. It’s an amazing feat for such a compact vessel to house a team of ocean racers.

Didn’t really dared to move around the clipper. But my fear of falling overboard gave way to photo opportunities! Haha. Stole Vic’s bright yellow sunnies.

Photo credit to Huishan

Just when I thought the clipper is stable enough for me to move around, I was wrong. Huishan caught my panic-stricken expression.

Photo credit to Huishan

Big thank you to Ben and Lionel of Singapore Tourism Board for the invite to be onboard the Uniquely Singapore Clipper! Though we were all pooped after sailing across the wind for 3 hours, this outing was extremely enjoyable! Most of us went home with uneven tan but Victor acquired a really strange tan because he only smeared a streak of sunblock on his arm. Lol.

Last but not least, wanna thank Huishan for the lovely pictures! Lucky girl! No sun block but unly her eyelids were burnt! Can you believe it? Anyway the rest of the pictures were taken by me using Hipstamatic for iPhone. Nice?

If you noticed, the few italic words in this post are all commonly used nautical terms. More at wiki.