Mei Heong Yuen Dessert

Today I'm sharing with you guys a place I like to drop by every now and then.

Quite often, teenagers like myself don't drop by places like Chinatown because it's labelled as "a place where the old people hang out" or a place for tourists. We'd most probably only head there during Chinese New Year to soak up the atmosphere, check out the decorations and all.

Whenever I tell my friends I'm going to Chinatown, they'd be like "why the hell are you going there?"

Here's one good reason why you should head to Chinatown:

Mei Heong Yuen Dessert

(Photo credit: X)

Less than 5 minutes walk away from Chinatown MRT (get out from exit A), the place offers both hot and cold traditional desserts at pocket friendly prices.

Carrot cake ($2.50)

 Chee cheong fun ($2)

Peanut paste ($3)

Yam paste ($3)

My favourite!!!

The whole place spans over three stalls, the service is fast and the friendly staff give it a plus point. In case you're wondering, there's no GST or service charge! :) Another plus point!

This is definitely one place you can drop by after school to de-stress with a couple of friends over something light.

Ordered take away for my family once, and my grandmother gave the food there a thumbs up! You know it's good when the grandmother gives it a thumbs up ;)

Mei Heong Yuen Dessert
63-67 Temple Street (Chinatown)
Tel: 6221 1156

Food: 4/5
Atmosphere: 3.5/5
Value for your money: 3.5/5
Accessibility: 4.5/5

BlackBall Taiwanese Dessert

So I was walking about Star Vista the other day with Shuhui and Vanessa trying to decide on a place to eat. Place literally spoils you with choices.

We were so indecisive we went to scan through the directory, where we stumbled upon "BlackBall Taiwanese Dessert"

Sounded interesting and rather new, and since the world was ending soon, why not?

"Jiu Fen" Taro Ball Crushed Ice ($4.50)

Settled on getting one because of our decision making issue. Girls.

Seemed like an Ice Kachang turned upside down (or inside out?) since the ingredients were on top of the ice instead of under it. There were so many elements I didn't know where to start.

Overall, the dessert was quite alright. Everything pretty much goes well with shaved ice. The taro/yam balls however, were extremely disappointing. Just by walking past the store, you could the smell of yam and it was so strong that it draws you in. So you wonder, damn, this place must smell really good yam or something. Sadly, this is a case of being conned by the scent. The texture of the yam balls were like the pearls, and the taste of the yam was barely there. Initially we didn't even know what it was.

You can get a few friends and try this out if you have reservations about a new dessert place. I can't exactly make a judgement based on one dish alone so do let me know what you think! :)

Also, if you're a foodie like myself, drop by The Star Vista and give such new places a chance! I'd say about 90% of the place is dedicated to satisfying your taste buds. The open concept of the mall is a fresh and different idea too!

Blackball Taiwanese Dessert

The Star Vista

#02-14/15

Tel: 6694 3070

Did you know?

The things you learn from Snapple caps

Not only do you pay for an awesome drink, you get rewarded with a fact that feeds your knowledge as well.

I would collect Snapple caps like how everybody used to collect Pokémon cards but..... $$$$$$

Hatched

Admit it, eggs taste good in every way it can be prepared - scrambled, boiled, poached, steamed, sunny side-up. You name it, it'll taste awesome (unless it's cooked by me, then maybe it'll be a different story) As an egg lover myself, Hatched is must visit.

Spent quite some time pondering over what to order. There were so many different variations offered with eggs. One moment I felt like having this, another moment I felt like having that, and another moment I got distracted by the design of the menu (preview: above). Making a decision will not be easy. You have been warned.

Croque Madame ($16)

Good ol' grilled ham and cheese sandwich with a fried egg on top. Changed my steak fries to their homemade mash. The gravy along with the chunks of potatoes in the mash was to die for. Portion could be bigger though. What was disappointing was the salad. Overpowering bitterness ruined it.

Sir Benedict ($13)

Nothing says breakfast food better than the perfect bacon and egg combination on top of half an English muffin. 'Do two' if you're hungry and it'll cost an additional $3.

Beef Pot Pie ($18)

(By this time I couldn't resist not digging in to my food any longer, hence I didn't take clearer pictures. Apologies!)

Beef stew in a bread pot and topped with scrambled eggs? I don't eat beef, but that sounds good enough for me. Sounds heavy and maybe even kind of intimidating, but Vanessa still felt hungry after clearing her plate. In fact, all of us did after the meal. which. is. just. sad.

Despite that, Hatched is an ideal place if you're craving for breakfast food.

Why have dinner for breakfast when you can have breakfast for dinner, right?

Hatched
267 Holland Avenue
Singapore 278989
Tel: 64630012

Food: 4/5
Atmosphere: 3.5/5
Value for your money: 3/5
Accessibility: 4.5/5

French Film Festival 2012

About a week ago, I had the chance to work with a bunch of my classmates for the French Film Festival in Singapore (well, duh. But felt like I had to add that in)

The film festival aims to promote French films and the culture in Singapore. Our knowledge of anything French is rather insignificant if you ask me. It's very much limited to Bonjour.

Ha-ha-ha. I try.

Anyway, our job there was to help usher the VIP guests, French celebrities and directors to different venues. Simple as that. Initially we were supposed to be part of the paparazzi, but ushering works as well.

Like most people, my French knowledge is kind of non existent. So you could say I had celebrities walk past me without even batting an eyelid.

Except for this one though...

Michelle Chong!

Managed to get a picture with her before she rushed off. Really lovely lady! And tall. Saw Gurmit Singh and Hossan Leong as well, but it was just a one-glance-and-for-the-rest-of-the-night-they-seemed-to-have-disappeared kind of thing. Our inner typical Singaporeans showed when we saw them, especially after seeing Michelle Chong cause we kind of had a mini freak out sesh.  

Such jobs are interesting because you'd get to meet many different kinds of people. From what I had experienced that day, I can say that you truly can't judge a book by its cover. The most intimidating looking people are usually one of the nicer ones. So don't be too quick to judge.

Setting aside a few hours of a school night to spend time and earn some money with the classmates/schoolmates was worth it. It was fun fun fun.

Lastly, many thanks to my classmate Shaz for introducing this one day job to us! :)

CoCo ICHIBANYA x Baskin Robbins

If you ask me where I'd head to have my favourite curry, I'd say my grandparents' house cause grandmumzy cooks the best pot of curry. I'm not even kidding. A pity not everyone gets the chance to taste it ;)

For you deprived souls, there's always CoCo ICHIBANYA.

Pork Cutlet Rice ($12) + corn ($1)

You can even decide on your rice portion, the level of spiciness for your curry, and be spoilt for choice with the top-ups they have! Ranging from corn to fresh veggies to croquettes. *v*

Since it originated from Japan, I thought that the curry would be kinda sweet, like those Japanese curries you can have anywhere. I was definitely wrong! Mayyyybe it's because I chose level 1 for the spiciness of my curry? Which sounds rather pathetic, but it was just right for someone like me who can't handle spiciness. If you're up for a challenge, you can put your taste buds to the test right here by choosing the maximum level of spiciness. Hot hot hot.

What did disappoint me was the portion of my corn. Felt corn-y that day and when my order came I felt kinda cornned by my top-up :( More corn please!!

Realised it was also a Pink Wednesday so we decided to pay Baskin Robbins a visit.

All you have to do is show something pink, and you're entitled to the promotion! Nothing big or fancy is needed, my friend simply flashed her pink nails and ta-da!

Because one scoop isn't enough.

I have got to head back there to try the other flavours. The wide variety of unique flavours sets it apart from the usual ice cream parlors. Really liked the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough because of the chunks of cookie dough in it. The clean futuristic design offers you a short trip to what I call ice cream heaven with each spoonful of creamy goodness — a perfect place to give yourself a mid-week treat.

So......... ice cream date Wednesdays, maybe?

CoCo ICHIBANYA
313 Somerset

313 Orchard Road

#B3-25/27 313@Somerset

Food: 4/5

Atmosphere: 3.5/5

Value for your money: 3.5/5

Accessbility: 4.5/5

Baskin Robbins

Nex

23 Serangoon Central

#01-K4/K5, Nex

Tel: 6636 6931

Food: 4/5

Atmosphere: 3/5

Value for your money: 3.5/5

Accessibility: 4.5/5

Manhattan Fish Market

Decided to reward myself a little halfway through the week, so I went down with Vanessa to Manhattan Fish Market for lunch. :)

Chicken of Liberty

I'd usually go for the safer option of Fish and Chips whenever I'm here. However, I decided to spare my throat from all the deep fried goodness because of my on-off sore throat.

Overall, the dish was fine. The chicken and rice weren't too dry and they went well together. The carrots seemed a bit raw though, even though I haven't actually had a raw carrot before. (I think) Worth a try if you're thinking of trying something new.

Main thing is, MFM has this lunch promotion going on now, so it's a great time to head down there to give yourself a little treat. Especially since most of us must be worn out from school and upcoming exams.

Great deal, no?

And great deals definitely have to be shared, soooooo anchors aweigh!

TEDx

While all you people were catching up on your beauty sleep on a saturday morning, I had to get up at 8 and drag myself to an event. Believe me, it was a challenge alright.

"TEDx was created in the spirit of TED's mission, "ideas worth spreading." The program is designed to give communities, organizations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local level."
- An extract from the TEDx website

If you're lazy to read that text, the event basically features a series of talks given by different speakers.

Huh, talks ah..... Sure very sian one what.

YOU ARE WRONG, MY FRIEND. So wrong.

18 years of my life (not very long, but still). All the talks that I have attended. The torturous assembly talks I have sat through in school. I was pretty convinced that I would switch off during such an event. Miraculously sat through 7 hours without any head bobbing. Now that's an achievement unlocked.

The speakers were undoubtedly brilliant.

Talk after talk, thoughts added up in my head. Making myself question what I'm doing with my life right now and the decisions I've made. Pretty big question, I know. Can't help but to think of it from time to time but the talks really amplified these thoughts.

As a teenager, you know how sometimes you feel like doing certain things, but you hold back because you'd think, "Would people judge me for this?" Truth is, society isn't gonna welcome and accept you with open arms. That's just how it really is. Self acceptance is vital for survival. It is that, or be crushed.  I truly believe that when you have accepted yourself for who you really are, flaws and all, that is the time when others will start to accept you. It isn't gonna be everybody, but it will be enough. You don't need everyone's stamp of approval to follow your heart and be who you really are. Y'know, being weird really isn't as bad as it seems. :)

Speaking of following your heart, you'd recall the different movies that constantly remind you to follow your heart and pursue your dreams? Mostly cheesy, but I like them anyway.

We all have dreams, be it big or small. It's no walk in the park to go after your dream, that's why people always say you have to work your way up. You don't get to your dream through one big cosmic event, but through a sum of small choices. Mess up, and you'll still have the time to start again. It's the journey; the multiple failures you will face that make you who you are.

"The value of the dream is more important than the probability of success"

Everybody is silently climbing their own Everest, so you're not alone. We're all simply taking different routes. As I quote from the ever-popular "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus,

It's always gonna be another mountain

I'm always gonna wanna make it move

Always gonna be an uphill battle

Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there

Ain't about what's waiting on the other side

It's the climb

Hopefully through my post, I have somehow messed with the thoughts in your head like how the speakers messed with mine. To say that they have truly inspired me would be an understatement.

No regrets spending my saturday at TEDx whatsoever. It was a really impactful and thought triggering experience. If you ever have the chance to go for TEDx, GO. It's amazing.

Now, I shall end my post with what I wrote on what I would call the "board of dreams".

Live for yourself, because no one will live it for you.

1983

Marina Bay Sands. If you have never heard of this place, you must be living under a rock.

Been there a couple of times and I never fail to feel underdressed. :| If you've never been there before, I'd suggest you dress up, head there and wander around just for the experience. Don't think you would ever feel overdressed once you're there.

The parents had been raving about this new place at MBS for weeks, claiming that their Western food is fab. Since it was a public holiday that day, staying home all day would be quite... sad. So yup.

Besides, Western food is my absolute fav *v*

Cajun Chicken with Spaghetti

(I apologise to the dear shop owner(s) for not remembering the proper name of your dish, for I was too hungry at that point of time to think straight)

So where exactly did I dine in at MBS? The new food court 1983 - A Taste of Nanyang.

Food court?

Food court.

Am I actually recommending you guys to go to a food court? Why yes, yes I am.

It's not as meh as you think it is, because after all it IS a food court in MBS. And it is also not as omg-it's-definitely-gonna-cost-a-bomb as you think it is. My meal only costed me $6.90! :) The spaghetti in cream sauce was soooooo good with a generous amount of sauce and spaghetti. Nothing fantastic about the chicken, but it was still good!

Sister ordered Fish and Chips ($5.90?), and it was awesome as well! Not a seafood person, so I'm extremely sensitive to that fishy taste and smell. None of that there, plus the fish was nice and fluffy. Fluffy, if that makes sense.

The parents had some Thai Green Curry dish. Don't really know what to feel about it. It was my first time tasting green curry, so I can't exactly judge based on a first time experience.

The next time you do head down to the IR, why not give this place a shot? Saves you from burning a hole in your pocket as well.


1983 - A Taste of Nanyang
B1-01, Galleria Level The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Tel: 6222 9742

Food: 3.5/5
Atmosphere: 3.5/5
Value for your money: 4/5
Accessibility: 4/5

TGIF (it's not friday anymore, but still)

Friday marked the end of the rather demanding week at school for me. My long lost unwanted cousin fever decided to pay me a visit halfway through. It left within a few days but what it also left behind for me was a really messed up stomach and taste buds. What made it even worse was that I still had to drag myself out of bed to complete my projects and all.

Tough week indeed.

On a friday night, there I was in McDonald's with the family. Just sitting there, drinking spoonfuls of my hot chocolate, eavesdropping on my mother and aunt's conversation and people watching — such simple things allowed me to unwind and clear off my mind for a while. It's a while, a momentary escape, but it's enough.

True enough, sometimes, it IS the little things that matter. You just have to stop long enough to notice it.

Phewtick

What I've been seeing on my timeline the past few days:

"Scan my QR code!!!"

"PHEWTICK PHEWTICK PHEWTICK"

"New pick up line: Hey do you have Phewtick? ;)"

And I'm just here like huh, what's this sudden uproar about this thing called Phewtick and QR codes? So I did a little research. Just a little.

Enlightenment in the form of blue seem-to-have-no-eyeballs-but-still-manage-to-look-adorable-anyway cats from the Phewtick site.

What they did not tell you in the 3 steps is that apparently, you can earn some moolah simply by scanning each other's QR codes and accumulating points.

Great news for all you bums out there, for you can finally scan QR codes for a living! :)

If you ask me, it kinda seems like an improved version of Foursquare - an app which I've always found to be rather pointless. Not entirely a big fan of broadcasting to the world about my current locations. But throw in the greens and the whole idea immediately becomes a whole lot more attractive. $__$

I would give it a shot but what I've heard about this new app is that your friends will be informed about your whereabouts after you've scanned each other's QR codes. Um no, I do not want to know where you are and I most certainly do not want you to know where I am. Feeling watched and perhaps even being stalked isn't on my Christmas wish list this year. In addition, I'm still a bit skeptical about it because it seems too good to be true.

However, if you want to give it a shot, this new app is available for both iPhone and Android users. Best thing is it's FREE! (Yes, every Singaporean's favourite word)

But please, do remember that there are actually other ways you can react when you meet your acquaintances apart from scanning each other's QR codes.