My Third Bouquet Actually

Yesterday I finally get taught how to put a bouquet of flowers together by the Flower King and this is the second bouquet I did with all the really short flowers that were supposed to be thrown away. I managed to get it almost right, and needed his help to suggest a bit more stuffing on one side to make it more even. So this bouquet is actually the third bouquet I did. 

The first one I had to put together was a bouquet of roses for someone's anniversary gift to his wife. That was my first attempt and I tried my best and he thought I was trying to be creative, but that was me just trying. The second one is probably still in the store but that was more like me just helping to hold the flowers together while the Flower King told me which flower or filler went where.

He says there will be more for me to do tomorrow, so hopefully the bouquets start looking better soon. 

Finally The Right Cheese Ramen

Saw this on the shelf at Sheng Siong just now and I was wondering if I might have been a new design for the cheese noodles I tried before. Since the other noodles were on the shelf, had a big difference in price, and this one had the Paldo brand with the cheese holding a sign (as described by The Ramen Rater). Finally I get to try the cheese noodles that i first saw on the 2014 top ten list.

Checking Out Potential Savings

Went out with my parents today to check out the NTUC Warehouse Club, as well as Big Box which is almost similar. Both have memberships available but Big Box deals are for anyone, with their membership giving extra savings and invites to special events. Looking through both places, there are deals which are quite good, especially if you have a big family or have a a good amount of people to share in bulk buying. I would say the best deals are actually cleaning products where you do not have to worry about the expiry dates. There are also good deals to be had to food and you do not necessarily have to buy a ton of food to save. Only thing I was disappointed with Big Box, was that they did not have any diet drinks!

Not A Bad Concept

Had a long day at work today and I was glad to have Angie join me for both my lunch and dinner breaks. We were not sure what to have for dinner, but I definitely wanted a place I could just rest my feet. So after skipping a few outlets in the Gourmet Paradise, we ended up trying the food at Griddy. 

As their name suggests, there are waffles to be had here and what we did was order a main course and top it up with a waffle and drink. I got the Griddy Combo and it came with a rather flat piece of chicken, a nice burger patty, fried egg, and fake bacon, along with a salad, waffle fries and a small ramekin of mushroom sauce. It was quite filling and I only ate one of the waffle fries as I actually wanted to just have my waffle with all that meat. The waffle actually came later and had a really tiny portion of butter on it, but it was a nice simple dessert. 

I would not mind having this again, but I think I might try one of their waffle sandwiches. 

Om Nom Nom...

Created My Own Recipe

It is the second day of Christmas preparations and I thought I would make something for mom and I to nibble on while we baked. With the ideas from all the almond and coconut flour recipes I have been using, I thought I might do something similar and use up as much of my Nutella stock as I can. I intended to make cookies, but they turned out a little more like cakes and would definitely do well as cupcakes. Too bad I did not have any cupcake cups, but it does not matter what shape it is, as long as it is easy to eat. 

Om Nom Nom...

Japan Fair

There is a Japan food fair at Isetan Westgate and since my aunt had a winning lottery number, she bought us a few things from the fair. There is a stall selling some fried and braised seafood and we got a pack of fried prawns and mini crabs to snack on. I saw a braised squid stuffed with cod roe which I was thinking of getting but I might get some another day. 

We then went round after dinner and saw mini fish Taiyaki that came wither plain or stuffed with one of nine different flavours. We decided to get a pack of sixteen fish for $9. The stall also sells Mochi in soy bean powder and was thinking of getting it when the boss gave me and my aunt a sample. It was easy to just grab a pack after that sample as the mochi was different from the sticky chewy Japanese mochi I was expecting. I knew mom would like it as she loves her Muah Chee, but this was a cross between that and our Agar jellies and the Konnyaku jellies. It was light, just slightly chewy, and had the tiniest tinge of sweetness to it. Rather refreshing when the mochi cubes were cold. 

I will definitely come back for more. 

Om Nom Nom...

Massive Low Carb Burger

Went to Vivo City this afternoon with Shane and family and ended up going to Carl's Jr for my lunch, while the rest had their dinner. I have not been here for more than a year and the menu has had some nice additions. One of which was their Low Carb Thickburger, which was great for someone, like me, who should not be eating so much carbohydrates. Also, I do not really like bread and it would be at the bottom of my carbohydrate choices. 

Anyway, it was a really filling burger and I did not order any fries with it. The downside was that it was quite messy to eat as the lettuce just was not big enough and a little too firm to wrap around the burger and other ingredients. I would definitely order this again when there is a Carl's Jr where ever I may be.

Om Nom Nom... 

Barkley's Date

Finally managed to meet up with AiLi with our dogs for a fur-date. Barkley got all excited when he saw Orby and would not leave him alone to whole night. I would think that once we got into the cafe, Barkley would have been busy meeting other dogs to ignore Orby but that was not the case. He basically chased Orby around as Orby went investigating, and only stopped when he actually lost sight of Orby when the big mongrel would jump in between them to play. 

We realise it was no use trying to get them to stop going round so we got our orders in and almost finished eating when Orby did not seem to like this one guy at the next table. Once Orby started barking, Barkley soon followed and we had to stop them as other dogs wanted in on the action as well. 

They then continued going round again and about and hour later, Barkley was so tired he was waddling like a duck. Sent Aili and Orby back and gave them a few gifts, while Barkley got a squeaky frog toy!  

Test Kitchen 19

I was reading the Masterchef cookbook and saw a recipe for Gravadlax (cured salmon) that I wanted to try. It was going to take at least two days and after finding a good deal on whole trout, I decided to test it out. It is quite an easy recipe but the fishmonger messed it up a little by cutting my fillets into four. Well, after making do with the mistake, I still managed to cure the fish and it seems to be a hit with my testers. Mom is now thinking of making it for the Christmas dinner. 

Fingers crossed we find a nice fresh whole salmon or trout in December. 

Om Nom Nom...

Cha Soba So Good

Before Angie and I went for the Kabuki and Noh show, we had lunch with my mom at Hifumi, trying it out for the first time. The concept there is there you get to enjoy a buffet of appetisers and desserts once you order a main course. You could also just enjoy the buffet, but it will end up costing about just as much as getting the main course. 

The one thing I really liked from the whole lunch was their cha soba. It looks quite boring on display, but the noodles had enough green tea in it that the flavour came through even after a good soaking in the sauce. Same goes for their green tea jelly, but the soba is so good that I am thinking of heading back just to have more!

Om Nom Nom...

Test Kitchen 18

Was contemplating this year's Christmas dinner menu and thought that we could perhaps make duck. The roasted meats usually the dishes we change every year, and since dad has been trying out some roasted duck, I thought I could try another recipe and perhaps we might come up with something good. I found this recipe for crispy duck and thought it looked good, and decided to give it a go.

I'd say the skin could have been crispier, but the long roasting time made the whole duck dry even when I got dad to seal the cavity up. The glaze is a really nice mix and that I might keep. Now to find a way to get that crispy skin in a short roasting time....

Japanese Dance Theatre

The day has come when Angie and I finally get to watch the Kabuki and Noh show by Ebizo Ichikawa XI. She bought me a ticket as a very, very early birthday gift (sometime in August) and we get to watch it more than a month after it. I actually wanted to watch a show in Japan, but my interests during that time was more on the food of Japan and how many bowls of ramen I can eat in a day. So this was the opportunity to sit and enjoy a performance without having to wonder about all the food I could be eating. 

The display at the theatre was quite minimal, just some of the clothes used during the dance. The stage was the same, just a few trees and a bridge and two movable platforms that were brought in and out depending on the performance. Angie, who understands Japanese, opted not to have the portable guide, while I chose to get one even though there was not much dialogue in the whole show. The performance was mesmerising enough but the guide did help with understanding what was happening throughout. The show reminded me a little of the local Chinese Wayang, just a little more solemn and in Japanese. However, it did end on a dramatically high note.

Would have been nice to take a picture of the cast in their costumes though - that in itself is stunning! 

Check Up For The Car

In order to be able to drive in Singapore, your car has to be inspected to ensure that it is still road-worthy before you get can pay for a little disc which allows you to drive on the roads. Today, mom and I head to VICOM to get her car inspected, which was quite interesting as it was my first time. You drive the car up to the point the staff asks you to stop, they take over and it goes through series of tests. I missed the first part because I waited for mom to pay for the inspection, but managed to catch the testing for the brightness of headlights and the emission levels. The last part was someone looking at the undercarriage, not exactly sure what for but I am guessing there were no leaks. Then it was just waiting to receive a certificate to say that the car passed the test. Everything done in a bout ten minutes. 

Crack Chocolate

Was craving for a little chocolate and I found the bars of Cicada chocolates I bought at the Epicurean Market. Bought them after tasting a few little chunks, liking that they were not too sweet and it reminded me of the Bahen & Co. chocolate I left in my sister's fridge. The two companies have similar packaging as well, and both are Australian companies. Both have really addictive chocolate. The only difference is that I can at least get some of Bahen & Co. chocolate in Singapore.

On Nom Nom...

Halloween Horrors

This would be the first Halloween since everyone from the neighbourhood has moved into the new blocks, and since there were a few foreigners in the building, we decided to get into the spirit of things. Dad and I found some cool decorations and ee wanted to get a giant skull but it was too big to stuff into our luggage. We decided to get something much smaller but packed a good punch as well. Once pressed, this doorbell will have a snake attacking your finger, followed by flashing red eyes and a scary voice saying "Welcome to the haunted house!" 

Wonder if there will be any daredevils coming around tonight. Mwuahahahahaaha!!

Bit Of Fun In This Old Town

Everyone was talking about the Weymouth Beach Motorcross event for the past week, and even the guest house we were staying in was at full capacity for the weekend. There were some events along the esplanade yesterday afternoon, also a lot more motorbikes running around town, both livening up the usually quiet beach.

Dad and I were on our way to get the bus to the Weymouth Sealife Adventure Park but ended up watching a few races. It was quite fun and exciting, and there were a few close calls when as some bikes got stuck in sand, others trying to pass the stuck bikes, some falling at the bottom of a mound and almost being squashed by the bikes trying to fly past. There was sand being blown everywhere (still wondering if the child's ice cream had an extra crunch) and some bikes even started smoking after crashing. The atmosphere was a big difference from the rest of the week, very lively with supporters laughing at their friends who fell while racing, and the bikes were loud!

We did not stay for the rest of the races, but we managed to catch the happy winners walking off with their trophies when we took shelter from the bad weather at the Weymouth Pavilion.

Cheap Spider Prevention

We were walking around town this morning and popped into the florist to have a look if they might have any seeds and bulbs we could grow later. The staff there were really friendly and were not bothered by us just having a look. What caught our eye was this box of horse chestnuts and the sign with it. We had to ask how they used it as I only know it was either eaten, or used by Brendan for a childhood game. The nice lady explained to us that you just had to leave one chestnut in any corner that spiders might like to comfortable in and they will not go near it. Some people say you might need to drill or poke a hole in them - possibly to release something that the spiders dislike. Anyway, if you have a spider problem, these nuts might just be a good, eco-friendly, and rather long-term solution. 

Breakfast Of Champions

After the long journey we had, dad and I went to bed right after settling into our room at the Charlotte Guest House. We woke up quite early the next morning, too early for breakfast in fact. There was no clue what breakfast we would have, but I was happy to just have scrambled eggs and toast. Once we head down to the small dining area, we were met by Martin who made our order of two large English breakfasts. 

I really did not expect to have breakfast with such an interesting presentation. Toast was well buttered, everything hot, and the eggs were fried with lovely soft yolks. The rest of the table was simply set too. A bowl with instant coffee, tea and sugar, a thermal pot with hot water and a small jug of milk for you to make your hot drink the way you like it. Another small bowl had condiments, while another had jams to spread on your toast, and also a jug of orange juice to accompany the rich breakfast. 

This is definitely a good start for every day. 

Om Nom Nom...

Another First

Was out with mom getting a few things ready for the flight to England when I had a craving for a chicken burger. We were in Westgate and I thought I would try one from Texas Chicken. I ordered their Mexicana burger and did not really know what was in it, but it looked good. As usual, burgers from fast food places rarely look good, and most times rather disappointing. Anyway, the burger tasted alright but it seems to have the fried tacos missing, or they just turned soft while it was being transported home. 

Would I order this again? If it was in the building when a craving hit. 

Om Nom Nom...

Something I Learnt A While Back

Wanted to have a hot pot today and I asked mom to get a few bunches of this pungent leafy vegetable called "Tang Orh". When I was younger, I only saw this vegetable on the menu during the Lunar New Year reunion dinners, or only get two leaves (it is that rare) in a bowl of liver soup from the Bak Kut Teh stall. It has a slight antiseptic pungency to it and I guess it probably helped with the bloody offal flavour of the liver. 

Recently, NTUC has been stocking quite a bit of it regularly on their shelves, but it is apparently a Japanese breed which is quite thin and looks a little more delicate than the ones I was used to. It tasted just as good though, and that was more important anyway. 

While in Australia, I found that they had the opposite, a giant compared to the Japanese ones. Seems like everything in Australia was bigger. It was also in Australia that I realised, while walking through Bunnings, that it was called Garland Chrysanthemum. 

Now I've got some seeds and I wonder how big mine will end up.