Put on my running shoes today after a hiatus of two months. Yes I know I've been talking about going running so often but I couldn't bring myself to. There was always a fear at the back of my head, I kept thinking of the two times that I fell for no reason. There was no wet ground or banana skin (?!) on the ground that made me fall. In other words, I can fall just as easily again when I run. I would always give myself silly excuses such as the weather being very hot, and the fact that I had already took a shower once that day. Just reasons so that I wouldn't have to face the fear of running. So I ran away from running (pun intended, can this be considered a pun?) for two months.
I went swimming instead because I felt safe in the water. I always liked swimming and I told myself that by swimming, I could exercise both my arms and legs and that was much better than running. Unfortunately, I don't live beside the swimming complex and often have to take a long time to psych myself to go swimming before I really do it. The inertia is just so great.
But today, my mum encouraged me to go running, probably because she didn't want me to travel so far just to go swimming and also because it would most likely be very crowded. And I decided to because I have really been eating quite unhealthily these few weeks, with frequent meetups and having desserts (whether yummy or not is another story, more on that another day). I knew I had to do something, and today I ran out of excuses. Yes the weather was hot but I just decided to go running. The primary reason being that I ate one too many of my mother's blueberry crumb cake. The top crumb layer is just so good. She baked it because it's our family's favourite cake apart from cheesecake.
So yes, I left the house with a heavy heart, haven't felt that way in a long long time. I prayed to God for strength to overcome my fear of falling and looked at the ground while running. Felt really tired while running all because of the inactivity the past 2 months. I'm happy to say that I still managed to complete the distance that I usually run, which is about 6km or so at the same pace that I ran 2 months ago. It was especially difficult and I had to push myself to increase my pace intentionally.
Nevertheless, it's a baby step towards running again. It can only get easier now, if only the weather was cooler, but I'm thankful for the clear skies. Never going to take things for granted any more. Haven't been reflecting much but one thing I realised is that often, we don't know how to treasure things and people alike until we've lost them. So cliched but true. I find cliched stuff true most of the time, and that is probably why it is still used these days, albeit not so often.
Anyhow, I still have about 4 months to train for the stand chart marathon, so I'm looking forward to improving my timing through regular running. I also hope to include swimming sessions after work too! And exercise is also so that I can allow myself more allowance to eat! All the sugar/fats/cholesterol, be gone!
It's unbelievable how my weekends just zoom past like that. I enjoy life group on Friday and service on Saturday so I'm not complaining.
And volunteering is something I've always liked to do and I must say that this year, I've done the most volunteer work that I have done in my entire life. I like that it is meaningful, not just the things I do, but the relationships forged with the elderly. It's amazing how forthcoming people are, that once they trust you, the rapport is there. How do I say it? I used to resent doing senseless things like helping out at events doing odd jobs, and I still do not see the joy in doing all these, but knowing the elderly folks made all the things I did worthwhile. So I realise that it is not the things that you do that the people see, but the fact that you made time to come to help. Had a very heartfelt talk with one of the residents today. We were knitting using strings made from pieces of t-shirts and she just confided in us. I don't know what made her do so, but I'm glad that she did. She taught me one thing, to give without expecting a return.
I felt ashamed of myself, knowing her story and what she always does to bless others. One doesn't have to be rich to want to give, one just needs to have a heart that is willing to give.
Although I always claim that my mantra in life is to make a difference, I haven't been making much of a difference, so I'm really inspired to give more, be it money, time, love, I will give them all.
That, and Saturday's sermon on Singapore being the antioch of Asia. Really, we are too blessed, overflowing with love that we need to give love.
Shall end with one of the worship songs that grew on me, in line with the title of this blog entry, Running!
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Friday, July 26, 2013
Random baking
One fine random day, I decided to bake again after a long baking hiatus. It's always a dilemma, between baking new recipes and having to eat them. My mum always complains that I bake and eat very little, so I refuse to bake sometimes! LOL. But I very randomly decided to bake this after looking through a food recipe blog. Can't remember where I got this from because my laptop crashed and I lost everything except for some photos in a separate drive.
Can anyone guess what this is?
Can anyone guess what this is?
I guess you can only tell that is is some gooey stuff on top of some cake like looking thing. Or maybe you can't even. I've coined this as condensed milk because this really really tastes like condensed milk, or rather, just the gooey portions taste like condensed milk. Haha hey if you're interested in making your own condensed milk, I remember it contains 4 cups of icing sugar, some cream cheese, and eggs. And then baked. The bottom cake layer was made using a yellow cake mix that is sold in the US but something I've never heard of so I googled for recipes for yellow cake mix and made it from scratch.
And the result? Condensed milk on hard crust which didn't taste all that bad. I actually thought I failed because it didn't turn out like how it should have like in the photos I saw, but after I refrigerated it, it became harder and it bore a resemblance to how it should look, so it was actually a success! I have to say that it was rather addictive to eat from the glass tray itself, you just keep eating and eating. It's really horrendously sweet. My brother really liked it though!(Or he was just trying to support me(:)
And the verdict? Will I bake this again? It's definitely NO! Not going to put my family and friends at risk of diabetes. This is the kind of recipes that are worth trying just once for taste, not something I would keep in a folder to bake again for special occasions. That doesn't mean that it doesn't taste nice though!
I went to google and I realised that I got my recipe here!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Hatched again!
Visited Hatched again last Sunday because my brother wanted to eat poached eggs. I was surprised when my Mum whatsapp-ed me in the middle of dinner when I was out on Saturday night and said 'Breakfast at Holland V tomorrow'.
Reached there at about 1015 without any reservations and we were given seats upstairs by the window. The chair was rather uncomfortable, it was just metal pieces. You know, I like sitting on chairs that are soft and bouncy. But I kind of got used to it as time went by and wasn't bothered by it. That being said, I still prefer cushioned chairs. Also, it was quite cold but I guess it was probably just me. Service was prompt and the food arrived not too long after we placed our orders, although my youngest brother had already finished half his meal when our food arrived. He is quite a fast eater though.
My youngest brother ordered the Eggs royale, $19++.
The grey sauce on top of the mashed potatoes look like tuna to me but they said it was something else.
And my younger brother ordered Sir Benedict, also $19++.
Both look good but the portion sizes were so small. I don't think it filled them up. The poached eggs were not really consistent as well. For the Sir Benedict, one of the egg yolks was not runny and didn't flow as it was supposed to, but luckily the other yolk made up for it. My brother said there wasn't enough meat in his set since ham and bacon don't really count. He had a mocha to go with his meal but it didn't seem impressive at all, I'm going to blog about a very nice cafe near church.
My Mum's papillote $16++ if I recall correctly.
The scrambled eggs seem like a huge portion and my mum commented that it cannot possibly be 2 eggs, so I guess it could be more. Well, I love eggs but I try to stay away from them because I'm trying to watch my cholesterol level. Tried a potato and it wasn't hot or even warm at all. I'd have expected it to be at least warm but it wasn't. Rather disappointing as it was hard too. And my mum gave me some smoked salmon to try and it was quite salty. I'm not sure if smoked salmon is supposed to taste like that since I don't eat it often. I'm sure the eggs are good!
And the last to arrive was my shrooms overload! I find a need to explain how I decided to order this. I did not set out to order the largest meal among all of us. I was perusing the menu to look for something that doesn't have eggs in it. Yes I know, such an irony, trying to look for a non-egg item at Hatched which specializes in eggs, but I had too much fatty food the previous day so I was trying to eat a little healthier that day. Not that what I chose was healthy but you know, two egg yolks already exceed the recommended daily intake for cholesterol. At least I didn't eat two poached eggs or order scrambled eggs.
And I really got a shock when it arrived. An egg right in my face. First I didn't expect that there'd be a sunny side up, and second, I didn't expect that it would come with a burger. All I expected was a beef patty with mushrooms and cheese, served with salad and fries. That was all. I probably didn't read the menu very carefully because I was proudly telling my mum and brothers the reason why I chose to order shrooms overload - Because there is no egg. So all of them laughed at me when my plate arrived.
I was happy though! Looking at the huge plate of food that was mine. $19++, a tad expensive, after the taxes it'd be more than $20.
A photo of the burger unpacked. Hahaha. The fries are not the usual cut so it was rather unique, and thumbs up for less salt in the fries. And I liked the huge portobello mushroom and the generous serving of mushrooms beneath the cheese too. The burger top was crispy and not soggy. I liked it. The only thing I wasn't really pleased about was the lack of flavour in the beef patty. I like pique nique's beef patty the most. Yes it was juicy, yes it was tender, but no flavour. I have the habit of eating my burger separately but I really had to eat the beef patty together with mushrooms. And the bacon was very nice too. Crispy and not too fatty (or maybe it was too crispy until I couldn't taste the fat).
I really enjoyed my meal but I wouldn't go back specially for this. Too many all day breakfast restaurants to try before going back!
Reached there at about 1015 without any reservations and we were given seats upstairs by the window. The chair was rather uncomfortable, it was just metal pieces. You know, I like sitting on chairs that are soft and bouncy. But I kind of got used to it as time went by and wasn't bothered by it. That being said, I still prefer cushioned chairs. Also, it was quite cold but I guess it was probably just me. Service was prompt and the food arrived not too long after we placed our orders, although my youngest brother had already finished half his meal when our food arrived. He is quite a fast eater though.
My youngest brother ordered the Eggs royale, $19++.
The grey sauce on top of the mashed potatoes look like tuna to me but they said it was something else.
And my younger brother ordered Sir Benedict, also $19++.
Both look good but the portion sizes were so small. I don't think it filled them up. The poached eggs were not really consistent as well. For the Sir Benedict, one of the egg yolks was not runny and didn't flow as it was supposed to, but luckily the other yolk made up for it. My brother said there wasn't enough meat in his set since ham and bacon don't really count. He had a mocha to go with his meal but it didn't seem impressive at all, I'm going to blog about a very nice cafe near church.
My Mum's papillote $16++ if I recall correctly.
The scrambled eggs seem like a huge portion and my mum commented that it cannot possibly be 2 eggs, so I guess it could be more. Well, I love eggs but I try to stay away from them because I'm trying to watch my cholesterol level. Tried a potato and it wasn't hot or even warm at all. I'd have expected it to be at least warm but it wasn't. Rather disappointing as it was hard too. And my mum gave me some smoked salmon to try and it was quite salty. I'm not sure if smoked salmon is supposed to taste like that since I don't eat it often. I'm sure the eggs are good!
And the last to arrive was my shrooms overload! I find a need to explain how I decided to order this. I did not set out to order the largest meal among all of us. I was perusing the menu to look for something that doesn't have eggs in it. Yes I know, such an irony, trying to look for a non-egg item at Hatched which specializes in eggs, but I had too much fatty food the previous day so I was trying to eat a little healthier that day. Not that what I chose was healthy but you know, two egg yolks already exceed the recommended daily intake for cholesterol. At least I didn't eat two poached eggs or order scrambled eggs.
And I really got a shock when it arrived. An egg right in my face. First I didn't expect that there'd be a sunny side up, and second, I didn't expect that it would come with a burger. All I expected was a beef patty with mushrooms and cheese, served with salad and fries. That was all. I probably didn't read the menu very carefully because I was proudly telling my mum and brothers the reason why I chose to order shrooms overload - Because there is no egg. So all of them laughed at me when my plate arrived.
I was happy though! Looking at the huge plate of food that was mine. $19++, a tad expensive, after the taxes it'd be more than $20.
A photo of the burger unpacked. Hahaha. The fries are not the usual cut so it was rather unique, and thumbs up for less salt in the fries. And I liked the huge portobello mushroom and the generous serving of mushrooms beneath the cheese too. The burger top was crispy and not soggy. I liked it. The only thing I wasn't really pleased about was the lack of flavour in the beef patty. I like pique nique's beef patty the most. Yes it was juicy, yes it was tender, but no flavour. I have the habit of eating my burger separately but I really had to eat the beef patty together with mushrooms. And the bacon was very nice too. Crispy and not too fatty (or maybe it was too crispy until I couldn't taste the fat).
I really enjoyed my meal but I wouldn't go back specially for this. Too many all day breakfast restaurants to try before going back!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Smooch
So I took the plunge and ordered this dress. I've been looking at it since February when Smooch first launched it, then contemplated joining the backorders and now when they launched the extras from backorders. The only thing that held me back was the price, but I decided to not live with regrets because it was the last piece and since the 25th is coming in 2 days time. Hahahaha.
Photo credits to Smooch.
Well I certainly hope I will not be disappointed, the reviews don't seem too bad.
Photo credits to Smooch.
Well I certainly hope I will not be disappointed, the reviews don't seem too bad.
Monday, July 22, 2013
God is good all the time
Got a little flustered and stressed at work because of something unexpected. Guess I've gotten too used to the daily or weekly routine that I often lament about. So when something cropped up, I got really stressed and apprehensive, afraid that I'd not be able to handle it. Then I started grumbling to myself and lamenting to my colleagues over Skype since I couldn't speak of them. I started doing the necessary and faced some problems, like being questioned about why it had to be done.
And suddenly, just really suddenly, I decided to pray. I prayed for things to go smoothly, and thereafter, things went more smoothly than before. I was not being questioned anymore (I wouldn't know what reasons to give either), and patients just accepted and agreed.
I became very thankful as well as I thought of the arrangements that had been made, like opening up of the afternoon appointments for me when it has always been the morning appointments. For if they hadn't, I'd have had a worse job to do. I stopped grumbling and was very thankful towards the person behind it.
So there, there are always two sides to an issue and how you view it. Yes, sure, my first reaction was to grumble and get annoyed at the inconvenience. But I learnt to look at it from another angle and indeed, I am blessed. And nope, the work is not done yet, but I'm not going to get stressed because I know that I definitely can work through it because God is watching over me, always.
Now all I am, I lay at Your feet.
One thing I know, I find all I need, in Your unending love.
And suddenly, just really suddenly, I decided to pray. I prayed for things to go smoothly, and thereafter, things went more smoothly than before. I was not being questioned anymore (I wouldn't know what reasons to give either), and patients just accepted and agreed.
I became very thankful as well as I thought of the arrangements that had been made, like opening up of the afternoon appointments for me when it has always been the morning appointments. For if they hadn't, I'd have had a worse job to do. I stopped grumbling and was very thankful towards the person behind it.
So there, there are always two sides to an issue and how you view it. Yes, sure, my first reaction was to grumble and get annoyed at the inconvenience. But I learnt to look at it from another angle and indeed, I am blessed. And nope, the work is not done yet, but I'm not going to get stressed because I know that I definitely can work through it because God is watching over me, always.
Now all I am, I lay at Your feet.
One thing I know, I find all I need, in Your unending love.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Modern Jap for you?
Before our Hong Kong trip, Amanda and I met up to finalize some details and info that she got from her friend who visited Hong Kong twice. Wow and I wouldn't have known about Kwai Chung Plaza if not for her friend. I had such high hopes about Cheung Sha Wan fashion street which turned out to be so errr.. Okay more about that in my Hong Kong entries.
I read blogs and heard about Shokudo at Cineleisure so we headed there to try the food! We probably reached there early since there was no crowd at all and we were served promptly.
The prices in the menu were pretty expensive for the portions served. Anyway we weren't looking for food to fill us up but more to just try the items. Glad that we weren't disappointed!
Unagi pizza with mushroom. I liked this a lot! The crust was so crispy and thin, but of course it can't be compared to skinny pizza's. My only gripe is that it came in such a small portion. Sounding like such a glutton like that because it was so nice.
I read blogs and heard about Shokudo at Cineleisure so we headed there to try the food! We probably reached there early since there was no crowd at all and we were served promptly.
The prices in the menu were pretty expensive for the portions served. Anyway we weren't looking for food to fill us up but more to just try the items. Glad that we weren't disappointed!
Crunchy salmon maki. I liked this as well! Started eating sashimi a few months ago and I really wonder why I shunned sashimi in the past. Wrapped with the sashimi is some crunchy tempura bread crumbs, I think. Really good, with lots of wasabi.
These two items didn't really fill me up but it was enough. Would go back again to try their main courses one day, or maybe I might eat these again and order more sides to share since they're so good. Looking at these photos make me want to have jap food right now, but I'm at home right now so my grandma's home cooked food will suffice. I love home cooked food too! I guess that's the dilemma about eating out. While it's good to meet friends and catch up on the times that we haven't been talking, I cannot be home for dinner and I miss the food my grandma cooks.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Saveur
Finally got to visit Saveur with Amanda after her exams ended! We had been planning to visit since the start of the year but we had to shelve our plans so we ended up at Saveur only about 5 months later. But still, better late than never.
There was a crowd and a queue had already formed when we arrived at close to 12 noon, their opening time. I didn't think to make reservations because I didn't expect the queue. There are two sections in the restaurant. They open one at 12 noon and the other at 12:30, so we gave them our names to reserve seats for 12:30 while we went to walk around at the huge Popular at Jalan Besar. I love looking at books and reading as well. I'm really glad that my Mum cultivated the habit of reading in us since we were young. My favourite author has got to be Mitch Albom, and I like Jodi Picoult for her very thought provoking books too.
We decided to share so that we can try more items
Saveur's pasta! Don't be deceived by how huge a portion this looks like. It was actually very very small in size. I really wonder how they managed to roll the pasta into such a nice shape. Their plating skills are good. It's good that the portion size is small so it doesn't really fill you up!
And wow, this duck confit was so good. The duck is so tender that the meat just fell apart, and it wasn't dry like the roasted duck that I usually have. But of course, I can't compare them like that since both the cooking style and the way it is meant to be eaten are different. We enjoyed this dish a lot! It was quite cheap for such a portion. $10.90++
Up next was dessert! We settled for chocolate and hazelnut since Amanda loves chocolate. There are many desserts I'd go back for, like the pistachio! My friend said it's nice. The chocolate and hazelnut is just mousse, and luckily it was shared because one person definitely cannot finish it. It looks like a small blob here but it isn't!
Filled our tummies for about $13 each, which I felt was very reasonable given the location and the quality of food.
And ending off with a very random outfit of that day. Paired TTR's dandelion lace dress together with TTR's tea party madness skirt. I know right, matching a dress and a skirt together, but I cannot wear the dress on its own because it's too short for me. A few of my friends also commented that it was nice too so I was happygirl90 that day. Hahaha(: I'm such a big TTR fan.
There was a crowd and a queue had already formed when we arrived at close to 12 noon, their opening time. I didn't think to make reservations because I didn't expect the queue. There are two sections in the restaurant. They open one at 12 noon and the other at 12:30, so we gave them our names to reserve seats for 12:30 while we went to walk around at the huge Popular at Jalan Besar. I love looking at books and reading as well. I'm really glad that my Mum cultivated the habit of reading in us since we were young. My favourite author has got to be Mitch Albom, and I like Jodi Picoult for her very thought provoking books too.
We decided to share so that we can try more items
Saveur's pasta! Don't be deceived by how huge a portion this looks like. It was actually very very small in size. I really wonder how they managed to roll the pasta into such a nice shape. Their plating skills are good. It's good that the portion size is small so it doesn't really fill you up!
And wow, this duck confit was so good. The duck is so tender that the meat just fell apart, and it wasn't dry like the roasted duck that I usually have. But of course, I can't compare them like that since both the cooking style and the way it is meant to be eaten are different. We enjoyed this dish a lot! It was quite cheap for such a portion. $10.90++
Up next was dessert! We settled for chocolate and hazelnut since Amanda loves chocolate. There are many desserts I'd go back for, like the pistachio! My friend said it's nice. The chocolate and hazelnut is just mousse, and luckily it was shared because one person definitely cannot finish it. It looks like a small blob here but it isn't!
Filled our tummies for about $13 each, which I felt was very reasonable given the location and the quality of food.
And ending off with a very random outfit of that day. Paired TTR's dandelion lace dress together with TTR's tea party madness skirt. I know right, matching a dress and a skirt together, but I cannot wear the dress on its own because it's too short for me. A few of my friends also commented that it was nice too so I was happygirl90 that day. Hahaha(: I'm such a big TTR fan.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Family outing
Yes, do not be deceived by the title. It doesn't have anything to do with the variety show and everything to do with food and more food!
Again, my mum loves me and knew that I've been wanting to go to Swee Choon for the longest time ever to try their liu sha bao. My brother had been there a couple of times and for him to return, the food has got to be good.
My family picked me up after service on Saturday and off we went for dim sum. On a side note, I'm really happy that they all know that I attend church on Saturdays and go for life group on Friday nights on a regular basis, that it is not a passing fad or something temporary. I am just beginning my walk with God, taking baby steps.
There was a long queue (not long as in literally, but many groups of people were waiting for seats). I half expected my family to get angry and decide that they don't want to eat there, but my mum was so sporting. But we got a table quite quickly because it's difficult to seat 6 people I guess. So those couples and smaller groups of patrons would have to wait longer since that is the most denominations of patrons. We were given a sheet of paper to order our food while waiting so that the food can be prepared and served sooner after we sit, very ingenious of them to do so since we wouldn't complain about the long waiting time.
If you're hungry now, I suggest you don't scroll further! Hahaha.
Egg white souffle with red bean and banana. Wow that was quite a mouthful. We didn't intend to order this initially, but we saw that it was a new item and that it contained red bean. My family loves red bean, well, except my youngest brother I guess. So good. I hope it is a permanent item on their menu because I will go back and order this again! 6 of us shared this, so we had to cut!
Mee suah kueh. First time trying mee suah kueh and it was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I likey! Don't remind me that it is friedddd. Hahaha.
Carrot cake which was equally good. I normally don't eat carrot cake in this form because I feel that it is a waste of my carb intake and it doesn't have much flavour. But I had quite a few pieces of this. I think the two places I'll eat carrot cake is at Swee Choon and Tim Ho Wan. So crispy!
Another dish that I don't eat unless it is stuffed with prawns or scallops. Haha okay sounding so spoilt. I tried it and it tastes like how it usually tastes at home.
Another deep fried item! The prawns were fresh and juicy and nice! It was rather huge as well. Remember a serving of prawn is 5 or 6 prawns so I most probably exceeded my one serving that night.
Evidence that I exceeded my serving size. Hahaha. The har gau is served in plates of two so we had to order three plates just so that we could have one each. The plates it came in is so cute, in terms of its size. The skin was thin and the prawns were flavourful.
Whoop! And rof course we had to order this. Red bean pancake! They were quite generous with their red bean paste and it was crispy too! My mum has figured out how to make this at home so I'll probably get fat at home from red bean paste. Hahaha.
Xiao long bao! Don't really remember how the xlb tasted. Suffice to say that I don't have a high standard when it comes to dim sum. I pass them all as long as they taste like how they usually should taste. Had two of those hehe.
Prawns in beancurd skin. Also a nice dish. It's quite big so if you don't want to be guilty of eating such a big fried item, just order one plate to share(:
These have got to be the highlight of my night. I don't know about the rest, but my younger brother and I love liu sha bao! He eats the entire basket when he eats at Swee Choon with his friends. Hahaha, and I order many of them at Swatow. Really happy that the liu sha bao didn't disappoint!
Look at the custard! Had two buns and it resulted in a very happy and satisfied tummy after.
Then it was dessert time! This is mango sago with pomelo. No real mangoes in it but it was not bad. I liked it but I will want to try the almond jelly dessert the next time.
My grandma's yam paste with pumpki, ginko nut and coconut milk. I liked how it came in such a cute container.
We sat just right in front of the entrance to the kitchen and while we ate, we saw many interesting dishes being served. Curiosity got the better of us and I told my mum that I wanted to order this! It looked so interesting. I can't remember the name, but it's pancake skin with egg and meat floss. The taste was well balanced with the meat floss and cucumber which gave the crunchiness.
Definitely will be returning again. I wish I could go at unearthly hours to beat the crowd but my stomach wouldn't take very well to me eating at such timings. Oh the dilemma. It was a night well spent with the family, given that my brother is seldom at home these days. I guess our favourite past time is to eat! But such occasions are far and few between, usually limited to birthdays. Thankful to my mum who suggested that we eat there together(:
Again, my mum loves me and knew that I've been wanting to go to Swee Choon for the longest time ever to try their liu sha bao. My brother had been there a couple of times and for him to return, the food has got to be good.
My family picked me up after service on Saturday and off we went for dim sum. On a side note, I'm really happy that they all know that I attend church on Saturdays and go for life group on Friday nights on a regular basis, that it is not a passing fad or something temporary. I am just beginning my walk with God, taking baby steps.
There was a long queue (not long as in literally, but many groups of people were waiting for seats). I half expected my family to get angry and decide that they don't want to eat there, but my mum was so sporting. But we got a table quite quickly because it's difficult to seat 6 people I guess. So those couples and smaller groups of patrons would have to wait longer since that is the most denominations of patrons. We were given a sheet of paper to order our food while waiting so that the food can be prepared and served sooner after we sit, very ingenious of them to do so since we wouldn't complain about the long waiting time.
If you're hungry now, I suggest you don't scroll further! Hahaha.
Egg white souffle with red bean and banana. Wow that was quite a mouthful. We didn't intend to order this initially, but we saw that it was a new item and that it contained red bean. My family loves red bean, well, except my youngest brother I guess. So good. I hope it is a permanent item on their menu because I will go back and order this again! 6 of us shared this, so we had to cut!
Mee suah kueh. First time trying mee suah kueh and it was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I likey! Don't remind me that it is friedddd. Hahaha.
Carrot cake which was equally good. I normally don't eat carrot cake in this form because I feel that it is a waste of my carb intake and it doesn't have much flavour. But I had quite a few pieces of this. I think the two places I'll eat carrot cake is at Swee Choon and Tim Ho Wan. So crispy!
Another dish that I don't eat unless it is stuffed with prawns or scallops. Haha okay sounding so spoilt. I tried it and it tastes like how it usually tastes at home.
Another deep fried item! The prawns were fresh and juicy and nice! It was rather huge as well. Remember a serving of prawn is 5 or 6 prawns so I most probably exceeded my one serving that night.
Evidence that I exceeded my serving size. Hahaha. The har gau is served in plates of two so we had to order three plates just so that we could have one each. The plates it came in is so cute, in terms of its size. The skin was thin and the prawns were flavourful.
Whoop! And rof course we had to order this. Red bean pancake! They were quite generous with their red bean paste and it was crispy too! My mum has figured out how to make this at home so I'll probably get fat at home from red bean paste. Hahaha.
Xiao long bao! Don't really remember how the xlb tasted. Suffice to say that I don't have a high standard when it comes to dim sum. I pass them all as long as they taste like how they usually should taste. Had two of those hehe.
Prawns in beancurd skin. Also a nice dish. It's quite big so if you don't want to be guilty of eating such a big fried item, just order one plate to share(:
These have got to be the highlight of my night. I don't know about the rest, but my younger brother and I love liu sha bao! He eats the entire basket when he eats at Swee Choon with his friends. Hahaha, and I order many of them at Swatow. Really happy that the liu sha bao didn't disappoint!
Look at the custard! Had two buns and it resulted in a very happy and satisfied tummy after.
Then it was dessert time! This is mango sago with pomelo. No real mangoes in it but it was not bad. I liked it but I will want to try the almond jelly dessert the next time.
My grandma's yam paste with pumpki, ginko nut and coconut milk. I liked how it came in such a cute container.
We sat just right in front of the entrance to the kitchen and while we ate, we saw many interesting dishes being served. Curiosity got the better of us and I told my mum that I wanted to order this! It looked so interesting. I can't remember the name, but it's pancake skin with egg and meat floss. The taste was well balanced with the meat floss and cucumber which gave the crunchiness.
Definitely will be returning again. I wish I could go at unearthly hours to beat the crowd but my stomach wouldn't take very well to me eating at such timings. Oh the dilemma. It was a night well spent with the family, given that my brother is seldom at home these days. I guess our favourite past time is to eat! But such occasions are far and few between, usually limited to birthdays. Thankful to my mum who suggested that we eat there together(:
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Brotzeit
Finally got to dine at Brotzeit! My Mum's colleagues wanted to celebrate my Mum's birthday and they invited me along as well.
Pork kunckle. It tasted like normal pork, maybe because I didn't take the fats and skin. One thing I like about German food is that there is a lot of greens. I think I probably ate more vegetables than pork or anything else that night. The preserved cabbage is one of my favourites too.
Salad to share(:
I think this was meat and ham pizza. The crust is not thick but still thicker than skinny pizza's. And as always, I feel that pizzas should be consumed hot! When it's left out in the open and cools down, I don't like it anymore.
Sausage platter which also had so many greens! Not too salty, unlike the typical sausages what are so full of salt and maybe just their seasoning.
The rest ordered beers to go along with their food but I skipped it simply because I don't really fancy drinking and that I don't need the extra empty calories. They did mention that the beers were not too bad though!
Pork kunckle. It tasted like normal pork, maybe because I didn't take the fats and skin. One thing I like about German food is that there is a lot of greens. I think I probably ate more vegetables than pork or anything else that night. The preserved cabbage is one of my favourites too.
Salad to share(:
I think this was meat and ham pizza. The crust is not thick but still thicker than skinny pizza's. And as always, I feel that pizzas should be consumed hot! When it's left out in the open and cools down, I don't like it anymore.
The rest ordered beers to go along with their food but I skipped it simply because I don't really fancy drinking and that I don't need the extra empty calories. They did mention that the beers were not too bad though!
Sunday, July 14, 2013
I am loved
Decided to compile a photo post of food that my mum baked because I love them or I said that I wanted it.
First would have to be the scones, or honey biscuits for a nicer name. I saw it on Anna Olson's baking show and thought the scalloped shaped honey biscuits looked very nice. So my mum baked them and had them ready when I got home from work. She baked them when she was on dental MC, when she could have been resting!
Hoho, and the super expensive looking (if I might say so myself) blueberry lattice pie. She has made it twice already, the first time because I got upset when my apple crumble from Tiong Bahru Bakery overturned. She made it to 'compensate' for it. The pie was so much better than the apple crumble and the apple pie that she also bought for me from another bakery Galacier. The crust was saltier than expected because she used salted butter by accident and added salt as well as the recipe called for salt to be added in. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The salty pie crust balanced out the sweetness of the blueberry pie filling very well. I ate so many slices! It's a good thing that my knees have recovered and that I can go exercising again. So many photos of it because it's really super nice.
We were flipping through a cookbook of Chinese cuisine, and I told her to pick a dish that she wanted so that I can cook it for her. No no, I didn't make this for her. She grilled this stingray for me yesterday because I ended up picking a dish as well. I haven't cooked what she has picked, but I'm cooking it today!
What I did bake was this Strawberry swirl cream cheese pound cake. Because a simple pound cake is too mainstream, I chose this cream cheese pound cake with a strawberry swirl. This was supposed to be her birthday cake for her birthday in March. Doesn't look very nice, it actually looks very ugly because I didn't know how to do the swirl properly. Tasted nice nonetheless! I got the recipe from my favourite food/recipe blogger Browneyedbaker. You can google for her blog if you wish, her recipes have never failed me once and always turn out so good.
I haven't started on my Hong Kong posts while Amanda has already finished hers! I'm so eager to blog but sifting through the photos are a big headache. I'll get to them soon but in the meantime, I will blog about other blessings that I've experienced.
First would have to be the scones, or honey biscuits for a nicer name. I saw it on Anna Olson's baking show and thought the scalloped shaped honey biscuits looked very nice. So my mum baked them and had them ready when I got home from work. She baked them when she was on dental MC, when she could have been resting!
Hoho, and the super expensive looking (if I might say so myself) blueberry lattice pie. She has made it twice already, the first time because I got upset when my apple crumble from Tiong Bahru Bakery overturned. She made it to 'compensate' for it. The pie was so much better than the apple crumble and the apple pie that she also bought for me from another bakery Galacier. The crust was saltier than expected because she used salted butter by accident and added salt as well as the recipe called for salt to be added in. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The salty pie crust balanced out the sweetness of the blueberry pie filling very well. I ate so many slices! It's a good thing that my knees have recovered and that I can go exercising again. So many photos of it because it's really super nice.
We were flipping through a cookbook of Chinese cuisine, and I told her to pick a dish that she wanted so that I can cook it for her. No no, I didn't make this for her. She grilled this stingray for me yesterday because I ended up picking a dish as well. I haven't cooked what she has picked, but I'm cooking it today!
What I did bake was this Strawberry swirl cream cheese pound cake. Because a simple pound cake is too mainstream, I chose this cream cheese pound cake with a strawberry swirl. This was supposed to be her birthday cake for her birthday in March. Doesn't look very nice, it actually looks very ugly because I didn't know how to do the swirl properly. Tasted nice nonetheless! I got the recipe from my favourite food/recipe blogger Browneyedbaker. You can google for her blog if you wish, her recipes have never failed me once and always turn out so good.
I haven't started on my Hong Kong posts while Amanda has already finished hers! I'm so eager to blog but sifting through the photos are a big headache. I'll get to them soon but in the meantime, I will blog about other blessings that I've experienced.
Changes
Quite a lot of things have been weighing on my mind lately.
The word forgive has come to me countless times. Mostly when I read the book of Matthew, and also other r sources. So I know I definitely must forgive. I know myself very well, not going to believe and blame it on horoscopes that scorpios are very good at bearing grudges anymore or refuse to change because I now believe that change can and must only come from within. I know that with my strength alone, I cannot forgive. But with Jesus I can. My leader told me to forgive with Jesus's strength. This is one of the crosses that I must take up.
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Mark 8:34-36 NIV)
Father Lord I surrender this to you. It will not be easy, but I will do this! Every day I surrender.
Another thing I've learnt this week is to stop judging others. It cannot stop immediately because it's only human to judge, but I'll start with clarifying things with the friend first before assuming and judging. Thank you Lord, for holding back my tongue from saying hurtful things, from speaking impulsively, from regretting the words I've said, for making me think twice Lord. I am ever so thankful. I managed to salvage a friendship that I once thought was beyond repair. I found out the reasons behind what the actions. How wrong I was, really. I also feel happier, now that I've stopped thinking the worst of others.
I read somewhere that the reason why people judge is because they look at others through a magnifying glass and at themselves through rose tinted lenses. Hence that results in people being hypocrites because they find it acceptable for themselves to do something and yet still judge others when they do the same. The correct way would be to look at others through rose tinted lenses and hence assuming the best of others, then observing ourselves using a very huge magnifying glass. This is not to say that we become caught up with ourselves, but to be more aware of our actions and what impact it will have on others. That way, I believe we will become better and happier people.
On a completely unrelated note, I want to share a quote: When you don't see the miracle, be the miracle.
First is the issue of respect and trust. These two aspects are what I value a lot personally. I wonder which comes first. Does one first have trust, then respect for an individual? Or does one first respect, then trust. For me, I guess it's the former. Especially for seniors whom I am expected to respect. Perhaps it's because I think too highly of myself that I give myself the right to disrespect, but somehow, once I've lost that trust, I find it really difficult to respect. I know I'm being really vague here but people who I've shared this to will know. The incident did not happen to myself, but to my mother, whom I really really love a lot. Why did it have to be against my mother? I question it every time. Just when I thought things were getting better, I was getting closer to my dad, why did it have to happen? Yes until today, I still find it difficult to speak to him.
So naturally, God has a solution to my problem. God always provides. He has been speaking to me about forgiveness for the longest time ever. To be able to respect and trust again, I must forgive my dad for what he has done, like my mother did.
The word forgive has come to me countless times. Mostly when I read the book of Matthew, and also other r sources. So I know I definitely must forgive. I know myself very well, not going to believe and blame it on horoscopes that scorpios are very good at bearing grudges anymore or refuse to change because I now believe that change can and must only come from within. I know that with my strength alone, I cannot forgive. But with Jesus I can. My leader told me to forgive with Jesus's strength. This is one of the crosses that I must take up.
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Mark 8:34-36 NIV)
Father Lord I surrender this to you. It will not be easy, but I will do this! Every day I surrender.
Another thing I've learnt this week is to stop judging others. It cannot stop immediately because it's only human to judge, but I'll start with clarifying things with the friend first before assuming and judging. Thank you Lord, for holding back my tongue from saying hurtful things, from speaking impulsively, from regretting the words I've said, for making me think twice Lord. I am ever so thankful. I managed to salvage a friendship that I once thought was beyond repair. I found out the reasons behind what the actions. How wrong I was, really. I also feel happier, now that I've stopped thinking the worst of others.
I read somewhere that the reason why people judge is because they look at others through a magnifying glass and at themselves through rose tinted lenses. Hence that results in people being hypocrites because they find it acceptable for themselves to do something and yet still judge others when they do the same. The correct way would be to look at others through rose tinted lenses and hence assuming the best of others, then observing ourselves using a very huge magnifying glass. This is not to say that we become caught up with ourselves, but to be more aware of our actions and what impact it will have on others. That way, I believe we will become better and happier people.
On a completely unrelated note, I want to share a quote: When you don't see the miracle, be the miracle.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Like a kid again(:
Guess who just received TTR's new floral dungarees! I was really excited to receive the garden of posies overalls because I've been looking at dungarees for a long long long time but wasn't tempted enough to get one. Until TTR launched the floral printed ones, that is. I got it the morning after the launch because I wanted to be sure that I still wanted it, and not on impulse. But well, a shopaholic always claims otherwise. Hahaha. I don't think I've worn dungarees (the shorts kind) in a super long time, I think the last time I wore one was when I was less than ten years old. Settled for blue in the end though I was deliberating between cream and the blue. And as usual, I got size L because it's better to be loose fitting than tight and ill-fitting. It's funny that I wear size M for TTR skirts and L for bottoms. I figure that I can fit into M too since the material is stretchable. The colour is darker than what is seen on the site but that is alright because it looks nice too. Felt younger the moment I put it on, really! No idea why this is not sold out yet because I really like it! Probably the rest already got their overalls in plain colours.
I think cream would have been easier to match with clothes since one can wear both black and white, whereas for blue, the combination of colours would be more difficult. But I like blue more:D Going to wear it out the next chance I get! I've been good the past month! Didn't exceed my quota for shopping(: Determined to not exceed it this month as well so that I can 'whack Platinum mall' as quoted from my colleague. Hahahaha.
On a side note, kind of conscious about the scar on my knees whenever I wear skirts and shorts but the weather is so warm and I can't be wearing pants or jeans all the time. But hey, the three small scars on the left knee doesn't look that obvious already right! It's probably the bio-oil that's aiding the recovery. The same cannot be said for the right. It'll be a long recovery process but I'll invest in knee guards so that I can run again! Going to get new shoes tomorrow so that I can train for my first SCMS, I'm so egg-cited!
Father of lights
God is the Father of lights, Jesus the light of the Earth, we carry the light within us.
An amazing documentary about achieving the near impossible through faith in God. I am deeply humbled.
An amazing documentary about achieving the near impossible through faith in God. I am deeply humbled.
Wednesday, July 03, 2013
Fat boys burger bar
I love burgers (secretly), though I always can't finish both slices of bread that sandwich the burger patty together.
Visited fat boys burger bar some time ago with Su xian. One thing I like about it is that they allow you to customise how you want your burger to be like. From the type of bread to the patty, to additional toppings like cheese and banana.
Being the non-adventurous me, I chose the wholemeal bread with just the beef patty. Su xian had the same as me, just that she added cheese to it! And we ordered sides to share too! She chose the cheese sticks while I chose the fatty cheese fries. You can also choose dips to go with your sides. I know cheese fries is already topped with cheese, but I just wanted to try a peanut butter dip.
Surprisingly it tasted...nice, probably because I love peanut butter!
Su xian's wrapped up burger and cheese sticks. The cheese sticks were alright when it was piping hot, but turned out not so nice when eaten cooled.
And the burger! I liked the beef patty.
It's a nice place to have burgers since it's priced quite reasonably. I can't remember the prices already but it shouldn't have cost above $15, just slightly above $10. I'd visit again for the cheese fries and peanut butter dip when I'm not feeling too fat. Hahaha.
And the burger! I liked the beef patty.
It's a nice place to have burgers since it's priced quite reasonably. I can't remember the prices already but it shouldn't have cost above $15, just slightly above $10. I'd visit again for the cheese fries and peanut butter dip when I'm not feeling too fat. Hahaha.
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