… in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.
-- Albert Einstein
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
HAPPY ON FATHER'S DAY
Last weekend's probably one of the happiest days of my Singapore life. It was Father's Day and my Dad was here for a business trip.
A few days before that my mom already told me that my Dad would possibly be here in Singapore for a short visit, she just couldn't tell me the exact date then. Come Saturday afternoon I got a phone call from him and he told me he already checked in at a hotel somewhere in Bras Basah. But he had other commitments that day so we decided to just meet up the following day -- just in time for Father's Day.
Sunday morning I woke up early, excited and feeling like a kid once more. You see, when you grow up almost "without" a father, every little opportunity of seeing him would literally make you jump for joy. We agreed to meet before lunch. I left my flat at 11AM and arrived at the hotel to pick him up after a few minutes.
At first it was a bit awkward coz we were never really close so I had no idea what to do and where to go that day. It was just me and him spending the day and that never happened before. Not in my entire life. It was the first time and I loved it, I think I was smiling (at least in my head) all throughout the day.
And since I know that he was tired because of work and has limited time to wander around Singapore (apart from the fact that he has been here before), we just had lunch and shopped together. We ate at Applebee's, a steakhouse somewhere in Somerset. He had steak and I had ribs. The food was awesome, and so was his company. :)
I told you, I grew up without him, hence, I was too shy to take his/our picture. I only take our pictures whenever my Mom and siblings are around, more comfortable that way. Hehehe.
After a satisfying gastronomic activity (and some serious talks, too), we went around Orchard shopping together. It was fun coz I think the last time we really shopped together was when I was a kid, together with the entire family. I was too embarrassed whenever I looked at something and then he'd ask me if I like the item, then he'd pay for it. Man, I feel like I am still not earning my own money. Hahahaha. Anyway, I know he just wanted to make his baby girl happy. :) I also picked (not BOUGHT coz my Dad paid for everything.. haha!) some stuff for my sister and my brother that I will bring home to Manila next month.
Isn't it funny that it was Father's Day yet it was him who spent a lot? Haha. :D (Hey, I tried paying for the cab fare but he insisted to pay for it :P . )
Before 5PM we already called it a day. Short but sweet. Quick but meaningful. And I got emotional when I went home coz I still wanted to spend more time with him but we just couldn't anymore; he still had professional duties to attend to while I had household chores to accomplish. Good thing, we would all come home to Manila next month -- something to look forward to. Oh, how I wish it would come soon! (I wouldn't go out much when I come home.. I only have 1 week there and I'm planning to spend A LOT of time with my family :) )
I just hope that he enjoyed our day together as much as I did (even if I wasn't able to prepare something for him for Father's Day :D )
To end this post, I would like to say Happy Father's Day to my perslab, my dreamboy, my captain, my chief, my soldier, my idol, my superhero -- my Dad. You will forever be my #1. :)
A few days before that my mom already told me that my Dad would possibly be here in Singapore for a short visit, she just couldn't tell me the exact date then. Come Saturday afternoon I got a phone call from him and he told me he already checked in at a hotel somewhere in Bras Basah. But he had other commitments that day so we decided to just meet up the following day -- just in time for Father's Day.
Sunday morning I woke up early, excited and feeling like a kid once more. You see, when you grow up almost "without" a father, every little opportunity of seeing him would literally make you jump for joy. We agreed to meet before lunch. I left my flat at 11AM and arrived at the hotel to pick him up after a few minutes.
 |
| Ang higante kong Tatay |
At first it was a bit awkward coz we were never really close so I had no idea what to do and where to go that day. It was just me and him spending the day and that never happened before. Not in my entire life. It was the first time and I loved it, I think I was smiling (at least in my head) all throughout the day.
And since I know that he was tired because of work and has limited time to wander around Singapore (apart from the fact that he has been here before), we just had lunch and shopped together. We ate at Applebee's, a steakhouse somewhere in Somerset. He had steak and I had ribs. The food was awesome, and so was his company. :)
 |
| He looks young, doesn't he? |
 |
| Enjoying his steak |
I told you, I grew up without him, hence, I was too shy to take his/our picture. I only take our pictures whenever my Mom and siblings are around, more comfortable that way. Hehehe.
After a satisfying gastronomic activity (and some serious talks, too), we went around Orchard shopping together. It was fun coz I think the last time we really shopped together was when I was a kid, together with the entire family. I was too embarrassed whenever I looked at something and then he'd ask me if I like the item, then he'd pay for it. Man, I feel like I am still not earning my own money. Hahahaha. Anyway, I know he just wanted to make his baby girl happy. :) I also picked (not BOUGHT coz my Dad paid for everything.. haha!) some stuff for my sister and my brother that I will bring home to Manila next month.
 |
| Lucky me :) |
Isn't it funny that it was Father's Day yet it was him who spent a lot? Haha. :D (Hey, I tried paying for the cab fare but he insisted to pay for it :P . )
Before 5PM we already called it a day. Short but sweet. Quick but meaningful. And I got emotional when I went home coz I still wanted to spend more time with him but we just couldn't anymore; he still had professional duties to attend to while I had household chores to accomplish. Good thing, we would all come home to Manila next month -- something to look forward to. Oh, how I wish it would come soon! (I wouldn't go out much when I come home.. I only have 1 week there and I'm planning to spend A LOT of time with my family :) )
I just hope that he enjoyed our day together as much as I did (even if I wasn't able to prepare something for him for Father's Day :D )
To end this post, I would like to say Happy Father's Day to my perslab, my dreamboy, my captain, my chief, my soldier, my idol, my superhero -- my Dad. You will forever be my #1. :)
 |
| <3 |
Monday, June 13, 2011
GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURES (SG Ed., Part 1.)
Singapore is known to be the melting pot of Asia. Because of it having people of different race and culture, the country also became a spot for food lovers and critics since it has a wide array of cuisines to offer -- from Western to Asian. And as some of you know, I love eating. Almost close to being glutton, actually. However, no matter how addicted I am to food, I tend to be a picky eater at times (all the more when the food's presentation looks unappealing to me). So, Singapore is a perfect place for me to live in since I have a lot to choose from. There are even Filipino restaurants in the city (from turo-turo to pricey restaurants).
In my 4 months of stay here, there's already a few dining places that I frequent. I have yet to taste the other famous dishes of Singapore though since I only get to eat near my workplace and my apartment. For now, I'll share with you some of them, and I am calling it the first part of my Gastronomic Adventures coz I'd still post some more when I get the chance to explore the city.
Here's my list. Happy "window eating" !!! :D :D :D
-------------------------------------
MARCHE. It has always been one of my choices to dine in even when I was only a tourist here. I love the concept, the atmosphere and the freshness of the food. The decors and furnitures add up to the relaxing feel. I even made an entry about it (Click HERE) last year (I only knew the one at Vivo City then, but now I am often at the Somerset branch). My favorites here are: paella, pork knuckles, green salad (overwhelming vegetables at the salad bar! :D ) and the sweet crepe. Prices are a bit high though.
ZENSO. My colleagues and I love spending our lunch breaks here because of several things: it's near our office (Sunshine Plaza along Bencoolen, my office is at Fortune Centre, Middle Road); most of the staff members here are Pinoy (so they're very warm and friendly); there are varieties of Japanese and Thai dishes to choose from; for a decent restaurant like this, the food is affordable (most of the dishes that we order come with a drink, soda or juice). For Thai, I often eat their Stir-Fried Basil Chicken and Fried Rice with Shrimp Paste (prices range from $5-$8). For Japanese, Yakiniku and Ebi Katsu (pretty decent, but not that mouthwatering). I like their Thai food here better than their Japanese meals (probably because I am a sucker for Jap cuisine and I have already tried a lot of Japanese restaurants).
KOPITIAM. The Singapore Taste. It's a high level type of hawker, something like a food court in the Philippines. We frequent the Plaza by the Park (somewhere along Bras Basah) branch coz it's near my workplace. Several cuisines are being offered by Kopitiam, from authentic Chinese food to Japanese and some other Asian delicacies. Apart from my favorite seafood fried rice that is staple in every Chinese food stall, I usually order at the Vietnamese stall here called Viet Kitchen, there's a set that include: soup, meat, rice, veggies and rolls. I think its around $6-7.
LOY KEE BEST CHICKEN RICE. This is probably one of the most decent chicken rice I have tasted so far. By that I meant not just the taste but also the quality. The presentation is good (looks neatly prepared) and the waiters look tidy (the cleanliness of a dining place matters to me a lot). The chicken meat is tender and the rice is fragrant. This meal below costs around $8-$10 (A little pricey for small serving of chicken though).
Loy Kee has a branch near my apartment, along Balestier Road but I heard it has several others, some of which are in Woodlands and Bukit Batok.
JAPAN BOAT TAKOYAKI. I am not much of a takoyaki fan, but this one's really good. My friend, Harry, introduced me to this kiosk at Iluma (just a few blocks away from my office) and I loved it! A serving costs a little beyond $2 and you can choose from spicy or the regular one. The only thing that I hate whenever I buy here is the loooooooong queue of customers (which is a good thing for some, coz it probably means it's really good that people are willing to endure waiting before they can buy).
TORI-Q. Most of the time, before heading home, I buy food first so I have something to eat if ever I get hungry at home. Bugis Junction is the place to be and Tori-Q is the "food to be". Hahaha. Kidding aside, I love their yakitori that comes with rice (bento box). I usually order Bento A (costs around $5++) which consists of 2 sticks of chicken, 1 pork, 1 stick of chicken balls, rice with seaweed and pickles. The sauce is delicious and the serving is good enough for my forever hungry belly. :D
I'm certain these are not yet the best for most of you (especially those who have been living here for a long time now) but for my taste buds, they're already good enough. :)
I have yet to taste the best of Singapore as I am too tied up at the moment and have not much time exploring the city (believe it or not -- haven't tried eating at Lau Pa Sat, SG's famous one-stop food centres). But when I do, I will share with you my experiences for sure. :)
In my 4 months of stay here, there's already a few dining places that I frequent. I have yet to taste the other famous dishes of Singapore though since I only get to eat near my workplace and my apartment. For now, I'll share with you some of them, and I am calling it the first part of my Gastronomic Adventures coz I'd still post some more when I get the chance to explore the city.
Here's my list. Happy "window eating" !!! :D :D :D
-------------------------------------
MARCHE. It has always been one of my choices to dine in even when I was only a tourist here. I love the concept, the atmosphere and the freshness of the food. The decors and furnitures add up to the relaxing feel. I even made an entry about it (Click HERE) last year (I only knew the one at Vivo City then, but now I am often at the Somerset branch). My favorites here are: paella, pork knuckles, green salad (overwhelming vegetables at the salad bar! :D ) and the sweet crepe. Prices are a bit high though.
ZENSO. My colleagues and I love spending our lunch breaks here because of several things: it's near our office (Sunshine Plaza along Bencoolen, my office is at Fortune Centre, Middle Road); most of the staff members here are Pinoy (so they're very warm and friendly); there are varieties of Japanese and Thai dishes to choose from; for a decent restaurant like this, the food is affordable (most of the dishes that we order come with a drink, soda or juice). For Thai, I often eat their Stir-Fried Basil Chicken and Fried Rice with Shrimp Paste (prices range from $5-$8). For Japanese, Yakiniku and Ebi Katsu (pretty decent, but not that mouthwatering). I like their Thai food here better than their Japanese meals (probably because I am a sucker for Jap cuisine and I have already tried a lot of Japanese restaurants).
 |
| Fried Rice with Shrimp Paste (has side dishes - shredded green mangoes and dried shrimps) |
 |
| Stir-Fried Basil Chicken served with Thai Steam Rice and Fried Egg (and Spring Rolls on the side) |
 |
| Yakiniku |
 |
| Garlic Chicken (I'm a garlic lover!) |
KOPITIAM. The Singapore Taste. It's a high level type of hawker, something like a food court in the Philippines. We frequent the Plaza by the Park (somewhere along Bras Basah) branch coz it's near my workplace. Several cuisines are being offered by Kopitiam, from authentic Chinese food to Japanese and some other Asian delicacies. Apart from my favorite seafood fried rice that is staple in every Chinese food stall, I usually order at the Vietnamese stall here called Viet Kitchen, there's a set that include: soup, meat, rice, veggies and rolls. I think its around $6-7.
 |
| Grilled Pork with Rice and Rolls (Viet Kitchen) |
 |
| oily Seafood Fried Rice |
LOY KEE BEST CHICKEN RICE. This is probably one of the most decent chicken rice I have tasted so far. By that I meant not just the taste but also the quality. The presentation is good (looks neatly prepared) and the waiters look tidy (the cleanliness of a dining place matters to me a lot). The chicken meat is tender and the rice is fragrant. This meal below costs around $8-$10 (A little pricey for small serving of chicken though).
Loy Kee has a branch near my apartment, along Balestier Road but I heard it has several others, some of which are in Woodlands and Bukit Batok.
JAPAN BOAT TAKOYAKI. I am not much of a takoyaki fan, but this one's really good. My friend, Harry, introduced me to this kiosk at Iluma (just a few blocks away from my office) and I loved it! A serving costs a little beyond $2 and you can choose from spicy or the regular one. The only thing that I hate whenever I buy here is the loooooooong queue of customers (which is a good thing for some, coz it probably means it's really good that people are willing to endure waiting before they can buy).
TORI-Q. Most of the time, before heading home, I buy food first so I have something to eat if ever I get hungry at home. Bugis Junction is the place to be and Tori-Q is the "food to be". Hahaha. Kidding aside, I love their yakitori that comes with rice (bento box). I usually order Bento A (costs around $5++) which consists of 2 sticks of chicken, 1 pork, 1 stick of chicken balls, rice with seaweed and pickles. The sauce is delicious and the serving is good enough for my forever hungry belly. :D
 |
| Chicken, Chicken Balls, Pork Yakitori |
I'm certain these are not yet the best for most of you (especially those who have been living here for a long time now) but for my taste buds, they're already good enough. :)
I have yet to taste the best of Singapore as I am too tied up at the moment and have not much time exploring the city (believe it or not -- haven't tried eating at Lau Pa Sat, SG's famous one-stop food centres). But when I do, I will share with you my experiences for sure. :)
Friday, June 10, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
KUNG FU PANDA 2
I love Po. I love Kung Fu Panda. I watched the first installment and I loved it.
Since I moved here in Singapore, I hardly go to the cinema and catch movies anymore as weekend for me means doing household chores and taking a rest. However, I just couldn't resist Kung Fu Panda 2, hence, I had to finish doing my laundry early so I could go out and watch with my friend. As expected, it was awesome. It was beautifully animated, entertaining, action-packed, hilarious and most of all -- it has a HEART.
By that I meant it has lessons and inspiring lines. Those that made me shiver, sigh, smile.. and shed some tears.
"Anything is possible when you have inner peace."
"Your story may not have such a happy beginning but that doesn't make you who you are, it is the rest of your story, who you choose to be."
"Scars heal."
"You got to let go of the stuff from the past because it just doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what you choose to be now."
The best things about this movie for me?
It reminds us not to underestimate our strength, to fight for what we believe in no matter how hard we tell ourselves that some things are just impossible to achieve.. Coz we never know what we are capable of doing unless we try. :)
It tells us as well that a painful past should not stop us from having a happy ending. In fact, it makes us stronger and appreciative of what we have no matter how simple they are -- like being surrounded by good friends and a loving family (ohhh, it somehow connects with my post about my tattoo.. Haha!)
And since I am a huge fan of Po, I went through my old photos and posted this, taken last year when I went to Universal Studios (as a tourist then.. hahaha!) :D
He is soooooo adorable, isn't he? :)
Since I moved here in Singapore, I hardly go to the cinema and catch movies anymore as weekend for me means doing household chores and taking a rest. However, I just couldn't resist Kung Fu Panda 2, hence, I had to finish doing my laundry early so I could go out and watch with my friend. As expected, it was awesome. It was beautifully animated, entertaining, action-packed, hilarious and most of all -- it has a HEART.
By that I meant it has lessons and inspiring lines. Those that made me shiver, sigh, smile.. and shed some tears.
"Anything is possible when you have inner peace."
"Your story may not have such a happy beginning but that doesn't make you who you are, it is the rest of your story, who you choose to be."
"Scars heal."
"You got to let go of the stuff from the past because it just doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what you choose to be now."
The best things about this movie for me?
It reminds us not to underestimate our strength, to fight for what we believe in no matter how hard we tell ourselves that some things are just impossible to achieve.. Coz we never know what we are capable of doing unless we try. :)
It tells us as well that a painful past should not stop us from having a happy ending. In fact, it makes us stronger and appreciative of what we have no matter how simple they are -- like being surrounded by good friends and a loving family (ohhh, it somehow connects with my post about my tattoo.. Haha!)
And since I am a huge fan of Po, I went through my old photos and posted this, taken last year when I went to Universal Studios (as a tourist then.. hahaha!) :D
He is soooooo adorable, isn't he? :)
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