[Personal] Mother's Day Celebration + Try & Review Ribena Blackcurrant Products

 My brother just came back from his trip to China. Since he went to Shenzhen, he brought back a lot of electronics because they were really cheap. One of the items he bought was a Karaoke set which he got it for like $300+. He invited us to his house to try out the system and also to celebration Mother's Day. 

After lunch, my daughter and I started singing. The system was good but we had to download the songs beforehand, and most of the newer songs were not available. It was great playing and listening to oldies as it comes with a speaker.

I received some Ribena Blackcurrent products from Try & Review so I brought them along for photo shoot and to share with my family. 

 After that, we played Rabbids: Party of Legends on the Switch. It's a fun multiplayer games. My mom joined us too and we had so much fun playing all the mini-games!

We enjoyed our Mother's Day dinner at the newly opened, air-conditioned FoodCity at Senja Close. It was great value for money and the food was really delicious. Would definitely be back again. I love spending Sundays with my family. My parents are getting older which is why family time is very important to me. I will usually set aside Sunday for my parents to come over and have meals together. It’s also the only day I can fully rest and recharge and do housework before the hectic school and work week starts, which is also why if I go out on Saturday, it’s usually packed with all the places or events I wanted to go. 

XOXO

[Personal] Celebrate Mom's Birthday at One Holland Village - Wushiland Boba + Lo Hey

 There's something about One Holland Village (OHV) that we really like when it comes to our family gathering time and that is how the whole mall is designed to be pet-friendly with specially designated pet lift, water dispenser for pets and spots for pet owners to leave their pets leashed outside the shops. The whole OHV is modern, with wide outdoor spaces and I just love the vibes of being there. It's different from the usual shopping malls in Singapore. Some of the shops also allow pets to enter so we've decided to meet at One Holland Village to celebrate Mom's birthday.

First stop was Wushiland Boba to grab my bubble tea. I got the Strawberry Ice Cream Red Tea which I redeemed using my points. I love how there are seats with power socket here. Sometimes I do my work here too. 

For dinner, we had already decided and I made a reservation at Lo Hey, a Hong Kong seafood restaurant that has the option for pet-friendly alfresco dining.  

Hami Melon Sea Conch Chicken Soup - $58

This was my favourite, I'm so glad we ordered this soup that comes with Hami melon, dried sea conch, scallops, pork ribs and ginseng. Drinking this just warmed my heart and tummy. The meat was tender and the soup has a sweetness to it. 

Sweet and Sour Pork (Large) - $28.80

The crispy pork balances sweet and tangy flavours and cooked with capsicums, onions and pineapples. 

Deep Fried Chicken Wings with Tai O Shrimp Paste - $16.80

My daughter's favourite. The crispy skin of the wings complement the flavour of the shrimp paste. 

Stir Fried Live Prawns with Superior Soy Sauce - $55

Another of my favourite. Love that they've already removed the prawns head and is partially deshelled. 

Sizzling Choy Sum in Claypot with Tai O Shrimp Paste - $18.80

A good balance with all the other meat dishes. 

Scrambled Egg with Tomatoes - $12.80

Mom's favourite. A simple yet delicious dish that is packed with flavour. 

Creme Brulee Beancurd - $10 and Mango Sago with Pomelo - $6.80

We ended off the meal with some cold desserts! The Creme Brulee Beancurd is so good I wanted to have a second bowl but looking at the price, I think one is enough. 

It was a great meal overall though a bit pricey. Happy that everyone enjoyed the food and time together since we don’t meet up often due to everyone’s busy schedule. Check out my TikTok video too.

XOXO

[Personal] KDF 2023 Charity Icon Launch Ceremony

The KDF's Charity Icon Launch Ceremony 2023 combines a Chinese style dinner with the unveiling of the 2023 Charity Icon - an exquisite Fortune Rabbit, as this year also marks the lunar year of the Rabbit. Crafted from shimmering amber 'liuli' glass, this masterpiece showcase a majestic rabbit with auspicious clouds and blooming peony, symbolizing resilience, growth, and a brighter future.  

My family and I were among the crowd of 615 participants invited to this charity dinner held at The Jubilee Garden Restaurant, nestled within the SAFRA Toa Payoh Complex. Before this, My girl and I were at the Kidz Amaze, a fun indoor playground after attending a church wedding. So we've been out the whole day since morning.

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport, and Ministry of Finance, Mr Chee Hong Tat graced the occasion as the Guest-of-Honour while Im Komei and local celebrity Brandon Wong took on the role of hosting the night. 

The evening kicked off with an electrifying performance by the talented 24 Festive Drums Troupe, delivery a show that was full of energy to the audiences followed by Minister Chee's opening speech. Together with the KDF Chinese Community Committee, Minister Chee unveiled and personally signed a collection of eight magnificent 'Fortune Rabbit' Charity Icons. These eight Fortune Rabbit were presented to the highest bidders during the event. Local Fengshui Master, Master Hui, delved into the symbolism of the Fortune Rabbit. Audiences can also adopt and bring back the Fortune Rabbit with a donation of $888 or more. Next, Chan Tianwen and Brandon Wong brought waves of laughers to the audiences. 

While we have our dinner, we also enjoyed the singing by Mr Chee Hong Tat of the renowned song "I Once Loved You with All My Heart" (我曾用心爱着你). Zhuang Qing Yu, the local "King of Hokkien Songs," also sang two signature songs and shared about his personal experience as a kidney patient.

The KDF Charity Icon Launch Ceremony 2023 concluded on a high note, with a mass singalong to the timeless Chinese classic, "Song of an ordinary Man" (凡人歌). The night ended with an amazing fundraising achievement of more than $500,000.

A reminder that when life is good, don't forget to give. Practice gratitude in life and count the blessings! 



XOXO

[Personal] Family Day Out to Fort Siloso Tour + 365 National Steps Challenge + DIOR Christmas at Orchard

 I am quite active when it comes to participating in the community events so when one of the RC committee members told me there's a family day out event, I just purchased three tickets ($10/ticket) on the spot.  

The Family Day out event is a half day outing with a one-way transport to Sentosa. We had to meet at the RC at 8.30am to board the coach bus. Here's a photo of my girl running towards the coach bus as she was afraid the bus would leave without us. 

It was a fully guided tour to explore Fort Siloso. We set off with a scenic stroll along the 11-storey high Skywalk Trail among the treetops to Fort Siloso. The beautiful harbour below will move to Tuas in 10 years time. 

Next, we witness the largest collection of coastal guns left behind in Singapore. These are guns with the load emulsion in front and not canons as some may think they are. There are a total of 3 fortress built by the British but only Fort Siloso was preserved. 

These exhibitions may not be too suitable for my girl as it's more on the history of Singapore. 

Good thing is one of her best friend in class was also on this tour so she just hanged around with him and his sister throughout the whole tour.

This is an old photo of Fort Canning. A lot of people guess Chinatown but the hint is actually the light house behind.

Unfortunately, it was raining quite heavily towards the end of the tour and my girl was so concern for her best friend because he did not had an umbrella, so she shielded her all the way. 

We ended the tour with a round trip journey on the Singapore Cable Car - Sentosa Line. My girl had actually ride on the cable car before when she was 2 years old but when asked her about it, she couldn't recall it anymore so it's a good opportunity for us to ride the cable car again as a family. The whole duration to and back is about 30 minutes. 

After the cable car ride, we took a shuttle bus out to Beach Station and the buffet lunch was held at Good Old Days. We were lucky to find a long table so the two families can sit together and the kids can eat and play together. The food is quite nice but limited choices. The RC members told us that next trip is most probably going to the Jurong Bird Park in January before it shift to Mandai. This one I may not join as January is a busy month with Chinese New Year coming up.  

I continued to stay in Sentosa for the National Steps Challenge, Healthy 365 Feel Refreshed with Every Move Challenge. Coincidentally, this is a one day only event at the Sapphire Pavilion, Siloso Beach. As we've been out the whole morning, I asked my hubby and my girl to go to the library at VivoCity to wait for me while I complete this challenge. Gotten my game card and was told to hurry down to the Tanjong Beach at the other end to get the Bonus Chop. Hopped on the Sentosa tram and made a new friend. Like me, she's also heading to the Tanjong Beach for the bonus stamp. We chatted alot and we walked back from Tanjong Beach instead of taking the tram. Along the way, we made another new friend so the three of us completed all the challenges together. Even though in the end, all the lucky draw has been fully redeemed, I still enjoyed the long walk and chat. Both of them stayed in the East and even asked me to join them at Tampines for dinner but I had something on. 

After this, I met up with my family at VivoCity and we head down to Orchard to meet my friends, Jessie, Meryl and their other half. We had arrange to do our Christmas gift exchange and also to take photos of the Christmas decorations at Orchard. My girl was starting to feel sick and was coughing non stop thus I only managed to take photos at Dior and ate dinner with them at ION before we had to go back home. 

XOXO

[PROMO CODE ALERT] #anywherewithGL - Trip to the Zoo featuring Gaston Luga CLÄSSIC BLACK Backpack

Do you know a bag can tells a lot about your personality? Beside your outfit, a bag is probably the next most important item that defines your style and carries your things. Being a practical person, a full-size backpack is always my top choice be it going out for outings or to work. The reason is simple, I just had too much things to bring out. I had to bring an umbrella just in case it rains, a water bottle just in case I felt thirsty, laptop for working, wallet, handphone and whatsoever. That's why I'm rarely out with a small bag unless it's just a trip to the supermarket downstairs.

Official Photo from Gaston Luga Website

I was so surprised when I was approached by Gaston Luga, producer of quality backpacks from Stockholm, Sweden for a collaboration. The truth is, I've been eyeing their backpacks for a while because they are so functionable and versatile. After accepting the collaboration came the tough decision, which backpack should I choose? There were many different series and each series comes with different set of colours. In the end, me being me, I went for the good old CLÄSSIC BLACK Backpack. Delivery was pretty fast, after my order was confirmed, I received my first Gaston Luga CLÄSSIC BLACK Backpack within a week, just in time for me to use it for our planned Zoo Trip on Father's Day today! 

The front, the inside and the back

Being a first time proud owner of a Gaston Luga backpack, I just had to do an unboxing video for it. Check out my unboxing video here on tik tok or instagram. Made of PU leather, which is a strong and durable canvas, I'm ready to go anywhere with my new backpack. It has an inner padded pocket that can holds most 11" - 13" laptops so I can also bring this to work. There's a hidden back pocket to put valuables and although there's no zip, it's deep enough to even put a passport. I'm also loving the Maroon Red inner lining that is in contrast with the black exterior. 

Here's my what is in my bag photo for this Zoo trip. The backpack was big enough to carry all my essential items and there's still room to put more. The coin pouch, keys and two handphones goes to the zippered front pocket for quick access while the rest inside to the main compartment. 

Off to The Tortoise Shelter. Hubby even inferred that me carrying my backpack is like a turtle carrying its shell. 

Love that My CLÄSSIC BLACK Backpack can goes well with majority of the outfit, even this patterned dress I'm wearing. 

My little photographer, she's so excited taking lots of photos of the animals at the zoo as this is her first time there.

Carrying the backpack in front helps to cover up my fat tummy when taking photos. Lol.

Looking at the animals up close and personal. 

We had an enjoyable day trip to the Zoo. Thanks to Gaston Luga backpack, I can carry everything in just one bag and still looks good. 

SUMMER CAMPAIGN from 28th May to 20th Aug 2021

For those who are interested to get a Gaston Luga backpack, there's an ongoing campaign now where you can get a free journey patterned tote bag with the purchase of every backpack and the best part is, by quoting my unique discount code <chewyjas15>, you will be entitled to a 15% discount! Free delivery and returns worldwide for items purchased within 30 days ! That's a pretty good deal! 

XOXO

[Event] Early Christmas Celebrations at The Eurasian Festival by The Eurasian Association

Do you know that the Eurasian community has been around even before the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles? To serve the interests of the Eurasian community in Singapore, the Eurasian Association (EA) was set up in 1919. That's really a long history of heritage and contributions to Singapore's development and next year will be the Centennial Celebrations of the Eurasian Association.  

With the aim to foster closer ties and promote a better understanding with the other ethnic groups and nationalities in Singapore, the Eurasian Festival was organised and supported by the People's Association. It also serves as a focal point for the Eurasian community to come together and celebrate their unique identity, traditions and vibrant culture.

Held at the West Coast Community Club, I went to this event with my family and friends to experience the Eurasian cultural. There was a specially curated Eurasian cultural exhibition outside the community hall featuring a Eurasian house, church puzzle and a cookbook with recipe cards that we can bring back.

Inside the multi purpose hall, a line-up of performances and activities was going on. I had the chance to dress up in traditional Portuguese Eurasian costumes at the photo booth and we all took a few fun photos with the props for memory.

My parents and Rena was having fun with the Christmas games such as Pin the nose on Rudolph and Toy Soldier Bowling. They also did the coloring for the Christmas tree decorations. There were also booths selling crafts and Eurasian Souvenirs.

Mel Ferdinands performed and sang a lot of oldies and there's also a traditional Eurasian Folk dance. I really enjoyed these performances. We also participate in a mass quiz on traditions and food during Christmas through the Kahoot online website.

For our buffet dinner, we got to savour traditional Eurasian cuisine such as Chicken Devil Curry, Pot Roast Beef (halal), Eurasian Noodle, Chap Chye, Patchri (halal) and sugee cake. It was really delicious.

Dr Alexius Pereira, President of Eurasian Association shared about the interesting story of how the devil curry got its name. It's actually the mispronunciation of Curry Debal that originated around the 1500s using leftover meats and made the day after Christmas. This is a dish near and dear to the Eurasian community.

Shortly after our dinner and Kahoot game, Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Communications and Information, Minister-In-Charge of Trade Relations, and Adviser to West Coast GROs arrived and grace the event as the guest-of-honour. Minister Iswaran is also the Minister representing the Eurasian community in the cabinet.

He later lighted up the Christmas Tree that was decorated by the members of public. The night continues on with a wonderful performance of Christmas Carols and a special appearance of Santa Claus. Mr S Iswaran later went down the stage to mingle with the participants and to give out candy canes. 

The event ends with a Lucky Draw and although we didn't win anything, we really enjoyed and immersed ourselves in this Eurasian celebration.


XOXO