BLISSNDREAMS

DIY plumbing of rinser valve and replacement of bin chute cover

2012-02-02T21:51:00.013+08:00

(Above)Rinser valve

With our apartment reaching it's fifth year since renovation, wear and tear of certain items have set in so it's always good to keep aside some spare cash for on and off perodic replacement of these worn out items in the apartment.

Recently, we had to replace our rinser valve in our common bathroom.The valve just started leaking and soon became a full blown water spout flooding the common toilet floor until I shut off the main water supply valve outside our apartment. The cause was the rinser valve switch that usually holds back the water supply had failed and water was just flowing out.

(Above)Remember to turn off the main water supply valve tap and watch where the pipes run to identify which is your valve tap. Don't turn off your neighbor's valve by mistake.

We initially wanted to call a plumber but with some advice by Gayle's dad,we were advised to save ourselves from a potentially expensive bill and try to see if we can DIY to fix it ourself. Based on his advice, we went to Sim Siang Choon to purchase a rinser valve for less than ten dollars.

We also got a new hand rinser spray for about $35 ( bought a top of the line model with better feel and hardier trigger)to replace the current one that was dripping excess water. this meant the rubber lining had worn out and that was why water was dripping out. The current rinser was removed and then Eugin used a wrench to remove the defective rinser valve attached to the common bathroom waterpipe.

(Above)Removal of defective rinser valve using wrench.

(Above)Rusted screw grooves of the defective rinser valve

(Above)New and shiny screw grooves of the new rinser valve

After it was removed, the screw groove of the opening to attach the rinser valve was wiped and cleaned dry of recess water.

(Above) New rinser valve screwed back with PTFE Thread seal tape (white tape seen)wrapped around the screw grooves where the hand rinser spray hose attaches on.

The new rinser valve was then screwed onto the screw grooves of the opening. Prior to that, Eugin covered the grooves with PTFE Thread Seal tape to prevent water seepage. This was also done to the screw grooves of the rinser valve where the hand rinser spray hose attaches on.

(Above) PTFE Thread Seal tape. Bought from hardware shop.

(Above) Old hand spray rinser

(Above) New hand spray rinser

(Above) Fixed rinser valve. As good as new.

Thereafter the main water supply valve was turned on and the rinser worked as good as new once more. A solution that cost us less than $10. Thanks to Gayle's dad advice.

A week later, the bin chute cover jammed and this time we had to call in the experts as this was not DIY possible since it involves removing and taking out the whole bin chute cover. We were told that the latch design of the current bin chute covers with their locking device was prone to jamming due to wearing out of the spring and latch.
We called a contractor from C.BOREALIS Consultancy & Marketing Pte Ltd as he charged among the cheapest for $190 for a new bin chute cover with features such as self-closing, insulation to keep out smell and water during chute cleaning, non corrosive stainless steel and fire rated. The insulation also prevents banging and damaging of the bin chute cover should you lose grip of the bin chute cover when opening.You can call them at 92704493 if you need a bin chute cover.

(Above)Newly installed shiny chrome plated bin chute cover.

(Above)Chrome finishing even on the inside.

Service was prompt and the installer arrived earlier than appointed time. The whole removal and installation took over 30 minutes.

Short break in Kuala Lumpur

2011-12-29T11:25:00.043+08:00

This December, we had another short break away to Kuala Lumpur(KL) since work ended later this year. Instead of taking the Aeroline Bus to KL which we did previously, we found another luxury coach company - Luxury Tours. While it is just slightly cheaper at $48 single trip as compared to $50 for Aeroline's single trip, we chose Luxury Tours because it drops us at Dorsett Regency which is exactly where we want to be, right in the heart of Bukit Bintang shopping area and near to our hotel - The Westin. This compares favorably with Aeroline's drop off point at Corus Hotel which is nearer to KLCC area and which entails quite a bit of travelling via MRT and LRT to Bukit Bintang. Based on our experience in June, we felt that we enjoyed the shopping and eating at Bukit Bintang more so than at KLCC. Luxury Tours has a number of bus types so when choosing your trip ( done online or at their booking office at Concord Hotel in Orchard), do note which bus you want as different timings may have different bus types. We chose the Exclusive A Bus which is 30 seater luxury coach that provide a coach guide, luxury recliner seats, on demand video and breakfast at the Concord Hotel food court and onboard light food. We found that the service in terms of the driver and the guide much better than Aeroline as they spoke better, provided alot of information and ever ready to answer queries on board and were efficient and professional especially at the immigration checkpoint and restpoints. The bus interior was also better maintained than Aeroline's.

(Above) Interior of the coach

(Above)Double seater lounge recliner seats with good foot space.

(Above)Foot rest

(Above) Adequate foot space

(Above) Watching Iron Man 2 on the personal video screen

We left Concord Hotel at 8.30am sharp and reached our stop at Dorsett Regency in KL at 1.30pm with two rest stops along the way. The coach also makes two other stops at Sheraton Imperial KL and Istana KL hotels catering to which stop is more convenient for you to drop off at. Dorsett Regency Hotel is located just beside Ritz Carlton KL and behind the Westin hotel.

(Above)The Westin Hotel in the day and at night.

We took a short walk to the main entrance of The Westin,located just opposite Pavillion shopping mall. We checked into our suite(upgraded compliments of the hotel) on the 9th floor at Westin Exclusive residences which is the serviced suite wing of the Westin hotel. The check in service was friendly and efficient and we were impressed with the privacy of our floor with our lift serving only 1 apartment per floor. Stepping in, we were very impressed with the size of the serviced suite which is just like a regular 1 bedroom private apartment.

(Above)Our own Private Lift lobby

(Above) Gayle posing outside our suite.

(Above)Doorway to Living Room

(Above)Living Room

(Above)Bouquet of flowers for Gayle compliments of The Westin

(Above)Nice! Strawberries dipped in chocolate, compliments from The Westin

(Above)Cozy yet spacious Bedroom

(Above) Kitchen area

(Above)Dresser area

(Above)Doorway to bath and washroom area.

(Above)Bath shower area

(Above)Bathtub area

(Above) City view from hotel room

(Above)Airconditioned balcony with a view of the city

(Above)Gayle happy at having a nice kitchen

(Above) Eugin cutting oranges. Having a kitchen is convenient as it means we can buys our own food like fruits and supper to store and eat.

(Above) Eugin coming out from the main entrance to the serviced suite wing of Westin

We spend the next few days of our KL trip shopping ( have to look out for good buys and do calculations, pre-check on prices of items in Singapore before you leave to assess if you are getting a good deal) as December is KL's great shopping spree season with discounts of 50 to 70% off. We find that for branded stuff, you will need to be aware of the pricing in Singapore to do a good comparison and factor in conversion rate if you are using credit cards. Most branded goods are cheaper in general in Singapore than in KL but you do get good buys at times.

(Above)Christmas spirit at Pavilion

(Above)Gayle coming out after her buy at Armani Exchange

(Above)Armani Exchange top after discount at SGD$28 from AX Pavillion

(Above)Mango Sale!

The Westin provides a free shuttle service from Westin to KLCC and back which is very convenient. Cinema tickets are still cheap as ever, both of us catching Mission Impossible 4 at only SGD$2.50 per ticket at Pavillion.

(Above)Cheap cinema tickets - Going to watch Mission Impossible

We also had nice meals at Pavillion, KLCC and of course,Jalan Alor where we had our fill of zi-char and satay.

(Above)At our usual spot at Jalan Alor - Chu Char makan place

(Above) Mussels in black bean sauce

(Above)Black pepper Deer meat

(Above)Pipping hot Bak Kut Teh, this version comes with pork ribs and intestines. Very nice. $10 ringgit for two person to share.

(Above)Vegetables with garlic and oyster sauce

(Above)Fresh Fruit juice to wash away the oily food

(Above)Food republic food court for affordable food at Pavilion

(Above) Vietnamese lunch set

(Above)Dash of sauce to our teppanyaki lamb meal as it is being prepared

(Above)Hot dogs at Carls' Junior are cheap and good at $15 ringgit for two person with 1 drink, 2 dogs and fries. Their fries are the best we have tried and has potato skin and not too salty.

(Above) Lunch at Brozeit. Surprisingly, they serve good and cheap lunches. A lunch set costs SGD$7.50 inclusive of taxes which is cheap for a meal at Brozeit.

(Above) Closer look at Brozeit lunch menu

(Above) Yoghurt at Crumbs at Pavilion basement is similar to Yoguru's but cheaper, $11 ringgit for large.

(Above) Cakes from cake chain - Bread History. Cheap at SGD$2.50 a piece but quality is not there though in terms of the sponge cake texture.

We also had a spa pedicure at Bling Bling located at Pavillion just to try out but this was not to our expectations in terms of the service and quality of treatement rendered and still cannot beat our usual pedicure haunt in Singapore.For example, nail colouring was not done properly and handling was abit roough. We also noticed they reused sponge and tools unlike in Singapore where it is used once. Shop interior where the pedicure was done was rather untidy with boxes and bottles strewn along the floor. The shop was crowded with Malaysians but may not meet service expectations of Singaporeans from what we experienced.

(Above)Did our pedicure at Bling Bling @ Pavillion.

(Above)Gayle choosing her nail colours

(Above)Foot Scrub

(Above)Eugin finding the scrubbing of the sole ticklish

(Above)Foot wrap

(Above)Buffing of Eugin's nails

(Above)Clean glossy nails

(Above)Us in the Westin shuttle van to KLCC

(Above)Usual traffic jam at Bukit Bintang. Avoid taxis as you may get caught up in jams and in Nov, Dec, flash floods.

(Above) Traffic jam at 10pm at night on a week day.

On our last day, we took the 4.30pm coach. It's arrival was delayed to 5pm due to massive jam at KL. Our journey back to Singapore was smooth otherwise and there were only 6 of us on board, 1 driver, 1 guide and 2 couples so we had the whole coach to ourselves. Although the trip was no meals specified one, Luxury Tours gave complimentary packet drinks and muffins, a nice gesture.

(Above)Coach to ourselves

Installation of optical fibre cable at our home by OpenNet

2011-12-08T17:16:00.009+08:00

(Above)Optical Fibre Cable Termination Point

This week,we had the contractor from OpenNet Pte Ltd, the official provider of optical fibre(OF) cables for the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore(IDA)come to our place to install the OF cables.This installation was free of charge under the IDA initiativ to wire all homes and offices for the Next Generation Broadband network to allow for wireless access broadband speeds at 1 Gbps which is 100 times that of current speeds. Given that current cable broadband will go the way of the dial up internet systems we had many years many, we felt that it would be prudent to take up this free offer as normal installation charges would amount to $200 so that our home would be optical fibre ready. We know from the press that many households had rejected this offer due to the inconvenience and 'ugly' drilling and cabling but then we guess this is a small price to pay and eventually, homes would have to install this or be left behind in the stone age.

We received the letter of offer a month back from OpenNet and made an appointment. The process was fast and easy with confirmation of the appointment date within a day. For those keen to find out more about the appointments, you can call up 65634273 or access http://www.opennet.com.sg/

The process of installation started with drilling from the outside to connect cables into the house. This is probably the most ugly aspect of the installation with a rudimentary plaster patch to cover up the hole access for the cable (Below).

(Above)Entry of the OF cable into the house beside our main door.

While there is not much we could about the outside, we made sure that we were present for the installation to discuss with the contractors the best way to run the trunking of the cables which is from the outside access point to the nearest TV antenna cable box.
The contractors were quite nice and commented that since our home was so stylish, they would do their level best to try to make the trunking as inconspicuous as possible. Now that is customer service.

(Above) We discussed with the contractors and agreed that the trunking at the floor cornice would be the best option.

(Above)Trunking ending at the optical fibre termination point hidden beside the window pillar,out of sight.

The whole process took about an hour plus so be prepared to set aside adequate time.It will take about a month for downloading to the terminal access point to be operationally ready if you plan to sign up for a current optical fibre cable plan with any of the three main telcos.
It was a dusty affair with drilling and trunking so a major clean up of the house area is necessary.After the job was done, we spent a few hours cleaning up the hall area that was filled with debris and dust from all the drilling, cutting of wiring, trunking. Then Eugin painted the trunking so that they would blend with the walls.

(Above)The floor cornice trunking painted in the same reddish shade as the wall

(Above) The finished cable trunking painted grey as with the walls.

For us, if we were to subscribe to current plans, we would most probably choose Singtel since their middle of the range plan of $79.90 a month which is ten dollars more than our current plan allows for download speeds of 100Mbps ( For the current plan we have now, we are at 3 to 5Mbps), upload speeds of 50 Mbps, limit of 15Mbps for overseas sites (M1 has no overseas speed cap though) and the package includes a free integrated wireless modem for the OF cable network ( usually you have to buy it at $200 plus with a cheaper plan), free 1 month subscription, a homeline with unlimited digital local calls and free Mio TV package of 20 channels. Plus since both of us are Singtel mobile customers, we get additional 20% discount with annual handset upgrade and free caller ID for our mobiles.

Christmas time is here again

2011-12-04T17:18:00.005+08:00

With this month of December, we prepare for our 4th Christmas celebration at our home with the setting up of the Christmas tree and wrapping of presents with Gayle preparing plans for her Christmas meal for the family.

(Above)Shayna just loves to pose for the camera

Baking Beetroot cake ( red velvet cake)

2011-11-22T17:00:00.007+08:00

Gayle was interested in learning how to make the popular red velvet cake and in her research process, she was horrified by the amount of food colouring that outside bakeries use to give the cake it's red colour sponge. So she went back to tradition and basics to find a healthier and natural method and found that the origins of the red velvet cake actually came from beetroot cake, using the beetroot vegetable. Gayle bought 1 beetroot at 70cents and blended the beetroot foor use in the cake and to give the cake a natural red shine. She also made cream cheese frosting to layer and cover the cake as it is traditionally done for red velvet or beetroot cakes. The cake was very well received by family, friends and colleagues and they liked it for it's distinct taste and the good balance between the beetroot sponge and the cream cheese frosting.There are plans by Gayle to sell the cake with decor in the near future. Check out the blog!

(Above)Beetroot plant

(Above) Beetroot peeled, cut and blended

(Above) Beetroot puree after blending

(Above)Oven warmed up.

(Above) Sifting of sugar into the bowl of batter, cocoa powder, butter.

(Above)Vanilla extract added.

(Above) The beetroot puree will be poured into the bowl and mixed.

(Above)After the baking process, the beetroot cake ready to be sliced for layering.

(Above)Covering the cake with cream cheese frosting

Korean BBQ @ Blue Garden Restaurant

2011-10-17T15:05:00.010+08:00

(Above and below)Interior of Blue Garden Korean BBQ Restaurant

To celebrate mom's birthday, our family decided to head down to Blue Garden restaurant at 50 Tiong Bahru Road,#01-07 located within the Link Hotel. This restaurant is a simple setup that offers Korean BBQ at a very reasonable price. We had read mixed reviews of the restaurant with good review by food bloggers like ladyironchef and also a few very negative reviews by netizens and decided that the some of the negative reviews needed to be taken with a pinch of salt as it appears that they are expecting a royal treatment when the bbq buffet only costs $19.90 for lunch and $26.90 for dinner. The dinner is more pricey as they also serve barbequed live seafood directly imported from Jeju island.

Arriving there slightly at 11 plus before the restaurant, we were met by the smiles of a korean lady who seemed to be in charge. She was very friendly to our queries and invited us in even though they had not opened for business yet. They open from 12noon to 3pm and then from 5pm to 10pm. We did not come across any rude staff or any form of unfriendliness from any staff that we had heard netizens rave so much about and so it was a pleasant experience eating there. They even changed our used bbq hotplate and dish plates without us asking and so it was prompt and good service. At $19.90 for lunch, it was alright to be served with plain water for drinks since it is absolutely sinful to wash away the wonderful marinated taste of korean meat with sugary soft drinks.

We started off with the cooked section which comprised of free-flow of standard Korean fare like Kimchi Pancakes, Korean seaweed Soup and Ox Bone Soup, Korean Spicy Rice Cakes(Ddukbokkie), and a variety of Kimchi. The cooked section dishes are not warmed, in fact some are cold so we can see why some netizens were not too pleased but then why get so uptight over the side dishes since these are not the main reasons why you come to Blue Garden.

(Above) Kimchi pancake

(Above) Boiled Pork Belly from the cooked section.

(Above) Piping hot ox bone soup.

This is not to say that they are not nice. The side cooked dishes are acceptable but we would like to point out the Ox bone soup. This was really good murky white boiled to goodness bone soup with soft bone marrow thrown into the soup. Gayle and myself had countless bowls of this soup which is really comfort food. Our family liked the kimchi pancake and fried chicken though. There was also abalone porridge available which mom liked.

(Above) Hotplate for bbq of meat

Finally, we were ready for our main course which was the meat section. There was free flow of Pork Collar, Beef Belly, Pork Belly, and three different types of Bulgogi (beef, chicken and pork). There was also free flow of beef and pork slices which are not marinated for those who want the unadulterated taste of meat.

(Above)Assorted Bulgogi

(Above)Meat and more meat

(Above)Savoury meat cooking

(Above) Lettuce and garlic clove to go with the meat.

Given that most of the Korean restaurants that we have been to charged at least $18 for a small plate of bbq meat, the free flow of meat here showed that the pricing at Blue Garden is really reasonable and even value for money. Do go for the bottom slice when taking the meats so that you get the fully dunked in marinated slices but remember not to make a mess of the buffet spread. The wine pork belly was really nice and we had to stop ourselves in the name of health. The meat is really well marinated and we ate like a week's supply of meat there.

While we not there for dinner, we read that they serve seafood during dinner which accounts for the higher price. Recommendations are to try the Jo Gae Gui (Live assorted barbequed shells), Gwang Uh Hoi (Live flat fish sashimi) and other meat dishes like Insam-Seol Leong Tang (Beef Bone Soup with Ginseng).

In all, we spent $109 inclusive for 5 persons for a very fulfilling Korean BBQ lunch which is quite hard to match. The restaurant is surpisingly quite quiet as there were only like three to four other tables occupied. We really see no logic why they are not crowded at lunchtime though. We plan to go back there soon when our meat craving starts again!

Carpark at the Link Hotel is pricey though at $5.90 for over two hours of parking on a weekend and the carpark is difficult to turn in if you are not familiar with Tiong Bahru area. After the Shell station at the intersection of Outram and Tiong Bahru road, turn sharp right into Seng Poh Road and look immediately to your left for the carpark entrance behind the pink coloured Link Hotel main building.

VW Golf Updates: New map software to RNS510C and activation of rear footwell lights

2011-09-18T19:07:00.005+08:00

Over the weekend, met up with Jimmy - the one man VW accessories centre and he helped me to install map updates to our Golf Sports RNS510C Media and Navigation system. The new map updates covers additional roads such as the new expressways added in the past few years and locally updated Points of Interest(POIs) such as traffic light cameras, makan spots, petrol stations, ATMs etc.

The updated software allows you to select which additional POI you want displayed on your map. It covers both maps of Singapore and Malaysia including known speed trap location and petrol station POIs for Malaysia.For those keen, you can contact Jimmy
at 91777305 or go to his blog - http://jimmy-cbx.blogspot.com/

(Above) Select from the menu display your required POIs

(Above)Comprehensive List of all petrol station POIs available.

(Above)RNS510 Map display showing the POIs around Tanjong Rhu vicinity

We also asked Jimmy to install two bulbs at the rear and use his VAGCOM to activate rear footwell lights which activate during night and when the door is unlocked or opened which is conveneient especially when you are putting stuff on the floor in the rear in a dark carpark.

(Above)Rear footwell light

Dedicated to my dearest wife - Gayle

2011-09-10T17:27:00.007+08:00

(Skip to frame 0:37 to ignore the commercial)

Wonderful Song originally sung by 2 Korean singers - Tim Hwang and Esna Yoon and I found this version sung by two aspiring Korean youths - Megan Lee (aspiring singer) and Jonathan Sim (of Ensemble Memo - a stringed instrument outfit) in the US a better refreshing version. You can find more songs sung by this talented duo on youtube. Meanwhile this song - He Said She Said is dedicated to the one I love.

There`s no other way to say that I do love you baby
There`s no other way to prove that I do love you baby
You`re always on my mind
I think of you all the time and I
Don`t know what I would do
If you would ever leave me
Baby that`s just crazy

I may run out of words to say
I may run out of tears to cry
But I`ll be always by your side
Even when the sun decides to hide behind the clouds

There`s no other way to say that I do love you baby
There`s no other way to prove that I do love you baby
You`re always on my mind
I think of you all the time and I
Don`t know what I would do
If you would ever leave me
Baby that`s just crazy

Celebrating our 4th Wedding Anniversary

2011-09-10T11:18:00.011+08:00

(Above) Us dining at Greenhouse @ Ritz Carlton

Time really flies and we found ourselves celebrating our 4th Wedding Anniversary this month. Since we are already planning to head to KL end of this year once more, we decided to skip our usual hotel stay which we normally do as part of our wedding anniversary celebrations but we continued with our usual massage and makan session.

(Above) Ikeda Spa facade

Instead of heading to our usual massage retreat to the Spa Retreat at Changi, we decided to try out a new place - Ikeda Spa along Bukit Timah Road just before Sixth avenue. Gayle had subscribed to a promotional offer from Reebonz City, a portal offering attractively priced promotions from various retailers which offered a 60 minute Japanese massage session for $58 a person inclusive of a $50 voucher for the next visit.

Carpark space is at a premium outside the row of shophouse where Ikeda is located so we would recommend you park at Guthrie House just behind where Cold Storage supermarket is located although parking is not cheap ($6 for 2hrs of parking on a Friday afternoon).

Ikeda Spa is known for it's authentic Japanese theme and treatment experience. Two very unique features of this spa includes a hot stone table and an authentic Japanese style ofuro (hot bath). Apparently, materials were shipped from Japan for their construction so as to bring home that authenticity in the spa. The spa interior makes you feel like you are in a ryokan with its traditional mats and shoji sliding doors to the spa rooms.

We paid additional $20 for use of a couple room.

(Above)The Couple Room at Ikeda Spa (courtesy of http://www.timesoutsingapore.com)

Upon entering, you are ushered to the waiting area and served hot tea while you are asked to write down your health history and preferences. After that, we were led by the staff to the 2nd level where the spa rooms are located.
We chose the Inyou massage which is a treatment for stress relief. Those who have a fear of pain are forewarned - the massage really awakened your nerves! But then the saying goes - no pain , no gain and note that this was in spite of us indicating we wanted the lightest touch at the start of the session.

The staff were very polite, friendly and importantly there was no hard sell so it was a comfortable, relaxing experience. We enjoyed the massage on our calves though which really soothed the tired muscles although at times, we felt our legs were almost cramping when they pressed on the acupoints. Ikeda Spa is worth a try although I guessed we still like our usual haunt at the Spa Retreat where the massage is more relaxing and not so painful for the same type of treatment. The couple room at the Retreat Spa is more luxurious with it's own bath and sauna and there was no additional charge for the couple room previously.

Those interested in Ikeda Spa can go to http://www.ikedaspa.com/ for more information.

(Above)Greenhouse restaurant at Ritz Carlton Milennia

After the aching though revitalising massage, we headed home for a rest before heading out for seafood buffet dinner at Ritz Carlton's Greenhouse. Priced at $70 per head inclusive of taxes after 15% discount from UOB Credit cards, the seafood meal was a quality one featuring a wide array of spread but to make your money's worth, just head for the lobsters.

(Above)Raw Oysters, scallop , sashimi on the palate

(Above)Boston Lobster body and claws.

Between us, we had 5 Boston Lobsters and countless sashimi, oysters, scallops, mussels etc.We also enjoyed the distinct stew of their drunken prawns special. In all it was a fulfilling and relaxing end to our anniversary celebration.

(Above)Crab soup - taste like sharksfin soup though.

(Above)Drunken Prawns

(Above)Gayle enjoying her meal

(Above) Anniversary Present to Gayle from me - A spectacle inlaid with crystals from Dior.

Short break in Kuala Lumpur(Part 4) Food

2011-08-18T21:24:00.019+08:00

Of course, a trip down to KL must include affordable good food and we did indulge ourselves silly and came back at the end of the trip heavier in body mass and would we dare say body fat! For breakfast, we usually headed for our usual fix of either roti canai(prata) at the Indian Muslism coffeeshop opposite our hotel at Capitol Hotel doing just as the locals do.

(Above)Roti Canai - 50 cents SGD for one egg prata.

If we wanted airconditioned surroundings, we would go for Toast and Eggs at Old Town Coffee at Berjaya Times Square or Toastbox at Food Republic at Pavillion. Other times, we would decide on a sandwich and tea breakfast set at Coffee Spice Cafe at KLCC which is popular with the office crowds due to their cheap set meals and quick takeaways of kuays.

(Above) Gayle at spices cafe waiting for our order.

(Above) Having a cuppa in the morning

(Above) Toastbox at Food Republic. Long queues from office corwds on weekdays as early as 8am.

(Above) A satisfying breakfast completed at Toastbox

(Above) Craving for a soupy breakfast? Kimchi noodles at Food Republic at Pavillion

(Above)Gayle leaving Old Town Coffee

(Above) Old Town breakfast set.

(Above) Nasi Lemak from Old Town is popular since it is a full meal for the same price as a toast set. We had that upon our arrival at KL while waiting to check into our hotel.

(Above)Wash the heat away with their chendol, not the best we have tasted but still, something to beat the heat with.

In KL, perhaps food bargains can be found at Fast Food Chains like Mcdonalds which may be cheaper than eating hawker food. A typical lunch set meal sets you back by about $6 MYR which is like SGD$2.40 for a filet fish burger, upsized fries and drink.

(Above) Lunch at Mcdonald is a relatively good bargain

(Above) Jalan Alor Street

Jalan Alor is perhaps the most famous tourist eating spot situated within walking distance from Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle at Bukit Bintang area. If you’re looking for local Chinese hawker food with a Malaysian interpretation, then this is one of the place to visit. It scores because it provides a slice of good Malaysian food at a convenience since it is so accessible for tourists. It's a good food retreat after all the shopping along Bukit Bintang. You pick and choose which group of stores you fancy. Usually,go for the ones that are most crowded with locals ordering in Cantonese. Pick your seat and you will be swamped by representatives fro the different hawker stores belonging to the same shop you are patronising. Look through the menu to order anything from char kway teow to fried dishes. Satay comes in orders of 15 sticks per set at $9MYR which translates to about SGD$0.20 cents per stick of satay. Each set comes with with 2 ketupat and usual accompaniment of sliced onions and cucumbers.

(Above) Satay - really sweet and tender, well marinated thick chunks of meat. Singapore satays cannot compare to this!

(Above)Gayle at our usual spot at Jalan Alor.

(Above) Vegetables with garlic, simple yet savoury

(Above)Balacan Sotong - let the fragrance of the Balacan and the softness of teh sotong rock your dining table!

(Above)Chilli Frog Leg. DOn't worry about the chilli, no kick at all but the dish is just wonderful!

(Above)The second time to Jalan Alor, we ordered the spring onion version of claypot frog legs. Really tasty with the onions, ginger and spring onions giving a tasty zest to the frog meat.

(Above) Nice hawker staple - Char Kway Teow with lots of bean sprouts served. The chilli is shiok.

(Above) Mussels fried with black beans, addictive gravy and juicy mussels!

(Above) Deer meat with spring onions and ginger. Tasty and with no lingering smell.

(Above) Stingray meat, really thick slab of fish meat, double the normal portions you find in Singapore at $10 to $12MYR.

(Above) Usual favorite- Smabal Kankong - just right for us. otehrs may find the sambal tame.

(Above)Wash down every meal with fresh fruit juices at only $2MYR each.

(Above) Cute budget hotel along Jalan Alor that caught our attention as we ate.

Short break in Kuala Lumpur (Part 3): Shopping around Bukit Bintang

2011-07-13T18:42:00.016+08:00

(Above)Map of Bukit Bintang

From our hotel at Capitol, we can reach Jalan Bukit Bintang by foot within 3 minutes. Jalan Bukit Bintang is famous as a major shopping area within the Golden Triangle vicinity bordered by Jalan Bukit Bintang,Jalan Imbi and Jalan Sultan Ismail.The major shopping malls that are located here are Starhill Gallery, Sungei Wang Plaza Lot 10,Low Yat Plaza Imbi Plaza and Berjaya Times Square.
These giant shopping malls are within walking distance of each other and offer a variety of shopping and leisure choices to choose from to fit one's budget and taste. This shopping district is strategically located within the vicinity of different categories of hotels from 2 star to 5 star. If you want to look at lower to medium range retail shops in Bukit Bintang, then you head to Sungei Wang Plaza, Berjaya Times Square, Low Yat Plaza etc. Higher end will be at Starhill and Pavillion Shopping Malls in the Bukit Bintang area.

We find in our opinion that for shopping in general, nothing quite comes close to Singapore if you want to consider pricing, quality and variety together. There must be a reason why the Japanese, Chinese, Indians and Koreans come to Singapore to shop besides getting brand labels. Shopping overseas is more of looking for opportune buys or unique items that could not be found in Singapore or is reasonably much cheaper overseas. So it was KL that we went window shopping for most part and did come away with cheaper buys on occasions.

(Above)Jalan Bukit Bintang

(Above)Eugin posing outside Lot 10, a medium end shopping complex

(Above)Shops inside Lot 10.

(Above) Eye catching advert e-screens inside Lot 10. Yes to more shopping!

(Above) Low Yat Shopping Mall.

(Above) Sephora futuristic facade

(Above) High end shopping street with shops like LV in vicinity of sephora and pavillion shopping malls along Bukit Bintang

(Above) Another famous brand shop - Coach

(Above) Familiar home decor shop - I wanna go home at KLCC.

(Above) Starhill

(Above)Shopper's paradise - Pavillion shopping mall. We were really admiring the aprtments on top of shoping mall. A 2 bedroom about 1500 sq feet costs only about just under $1 million SGD which is a steal since you cant get such prices at Orchard Rd in Singapore.

(Above) Gayle admiring all the shops in pavillion

(Above) Gayle feasting her eyes on all the shops ahead

(Avove) We chance upon her ballet school and Gayle just cant help doing a ballet pose since she is a teacher in charge of ballet.

(Above) Gayle outside Berjaya Times Square, a medium range shopping mall featuring small shops like Far East Plaza variety to usual brands like Esprit.

(Above)Shops in Berjaya Times Square

(Above)On occasions you can find cheaper quality buys like the sporty Addidas dry fit T-shirt($35SGD) and Calvin Klein cotton T-shirt($40SGD)which Eugin bought. 2nd Week of June is the start of their Great Sale, something like our Great SIngapore Sale so that is a good time to look for buys there.

(Above) Another good buy - Chanel make up powder retailing at 30% cheaper at Pavillion.

(Above)2 interesting wall clocks that we bought for a steal and would not look out of place in Molecule. The clocks are now displayed in our master bedroom and kitchen. The dropped numbers face clock for $13SGD and the Red and Black numeral cut out clock for $20SGD.

Short break in Kuala Lumpur (Part 2): Checking into Capitol Hotel

2011-07-04T11:39:00.012+08:00

(Above) Capitol Hotel building from Jalan Bukit Bintang, outside of the Bukit Bintang monorail station exit.

Alighting at Bukit Bintang Monorail Station, we went down to the ground level. there is only one exit down the stairs or escalator from the elevated platform. You will find yourself on the pedestrian pavement opposite Lot 10 Shopping centre with ut;s green facade.

From the station exit point, turn left and walk down Jalan Bukit Bintang moving directly away from Lot 10 past the shophouses on both sides of the road for about 200m until you come to the first side road which is Jalan Bulan 1.(Directly opposite Jalan Bulan 1 across the road is Changkat Bukit Bintang which leads you to the famous Jalan Alor food street) Turn into Jalan Bulan 1.There is a Arab eatery along Jalan Bulan and a departmental store at the end which is part of Bukit Bintang Plaza. A good landmark is the Old Chang Kee store beside the departmental store which will tell you that you are on the right side road.

As you walk down Jalan Bulan towards the entrance of the departmental store, the road will have a bend to the right. Follow the road and you will walk past a Muslim coffee shop selling prata and mee goreng and if you look ahead you will see the entrance to Capitol Hotel about 50m ahead. The exterior surroundings of Capitol Hotel is a bit old and dingy since the hotel entrance faces the peeling and blackened back of old shophouses. You will see also a number of taxis waiting there touting for customers from the hotel but just tell them nicely you are not interested if they approach you.

The reception staff told us that our room was not ready yet even though check in time was 2pm and they said that it would be ready at 3pm. We decided to head to Plaza Low Yat on the right side of the hotel entrance to have tea time while waiting for the room to be ready. Low Yat Plaza reminded us of Sim Lim Shopping centre with it's many electronic gadgets, mobile phones and IT shops. There is a food floor on the ground level and we headed for a familiar sight - Old Town White Coffee for some nasi lemak and ice soya chendol.

(Above) Nasi Lemak and Soya Chendol for tea.

Note that if you want to go there for breakfast, it is opened at 11am. For toasted bread and tea for breakfast, you can walk down to nearby Berjaya Times Square, a 10 minute walk from the hotel to another Old Town White Coffee branch located there which opens at 10.30am. Shops in general there open at 11am.

(Above)Gayle waiting at the lobby while I check us in at the reception

After our light tea, we returned back to our hotel to check into our room. We had booked a Deluxe Room for two under the early bird booking promotion for four nights with a rate of SGD$84.50 per day inclusive of all taxes which is pretty reasonable for a modern and clean comfortable room. We asked for higher floor and got a room on the nine floor with a hard to forget room number - 911.

(Above)Gayle posing by our room entrance

Entry to the floors and the room is by electronic card access. The corridors were clean and quiet. Room service was on a daily basis unless you requested privacy. The only negative thing was there was a slight lingering smell of cigarette smoke which Gayle's sharp nose detected but I didn't even though we were on a non-smoking floor and room so it could be the air con duct that was bringing in that smell but it is not enough to cause any irritation and I was oblivious to it if Gayle had not told me.

(Above)Our deluxe Hotel Room

My only 'disappointment' was that there was not much satellite channels to watch during rest time with most of the programs being Malay channels and a BBC and ESPN channel but then that's me. Others may not mind.

(Above) Gayle checking out the washroom

(Above)Hotel room washroom

(Above) Gayle taking a closer look to see if there is massage spray function on the Grohe Shower head.

Importantly to us, the washroom was considered luxurious and spacious with Grohe sanitary and bath fittings and marble top wash basin. All in, the rooms are clean and modern, reasonably priced and quiet even though the street downstairs is slightly chaotic with traffic during peak hours.

We decided to take an hour rest before heading out to explore Bukit Bintang. Our focus on this trip was more to explore the KLCC and Bukit Bintang area in detail and to move out to outer areas in future trips to KL. More of Bukit Bintang in the next posting.

Short break in Kuala Lumpur (Part I)

2011-06-20T14:59:00.022+08:00

(Above)Us happy to be together on our short break to Kuala Lumpur

Over the past week, we decided to give ourselves a short break from the hustle and bustle of work here and take a short break in Kuala Lumpur ( to take advantage of the good currency rate of the Singapore dollar and look for good makan) which would be our first time there. We decided to take a leisurely route to KL by taking a luxury coach service instead of a flight as flights were fully booked at short notice, a coach will bring us right to the city centre as compared to the airport which is about 50km from the city. Plane tickets during promotional periods are definitely cheaper than a coach also but these good deals need to be spotted early and cater to travel only during a specified period which did not coincide with our free time. As Safety was on our mind, we chose Aeroline given that the company had won Bus driver competitions before and that their buses are fitted with safety braking systems and well trained drivers. Most luxury coaches offer more or less the same facilities like video panels, leg room, on board food and drinks, comfortable business class seats, on board toilet, lounge area etc so it really boils down to the smaller differenting aspects.

(Above)Ample leg space on the coach, something you don't get on economy seat flights unless you are willing to pay for business class.

(Above) Lounge area on the ground deck of the bus for you to stretch out your legs or have a chat as a group.

One aspect is accessibility of pickup point since Aeroline coach picks up passengers at Harbourfront which is easily accessible by MRT or taxi. 2 way coach ticket is SGD$100 per person or $SGD50 for single trip inclusive of a meal and drink and you can choose the seats. All seats are on the upper deck as the lounge and toilet is on the lower deck. If you can choose the front seats which appear to have a bit more space and privacy although it may more glaring and tall people have to watch their head as their seat will be situated near a LCD TV mounted above. If you want to save some money, you can purchase single trip to KL at $50SGD and then buy a ticket at the Aeroline counter at the Corus Hotel for $95 ringgit which after currency exchange at 2.4 is about SGD$39.50.

(Above)Gayle posing in front of our aeroline bus at the Harbourfront Terminal.

One thing to note though that the coach leaves exactly on the dot so do make sure that you are punctual or you may end up missing your coach! You can pop by their website at https://www.aeroline.com.sg/aboutus.html for more information.

(Above) Eugin filling in his immigration card. You can get one on the bus from the cabin steward.

After the usual immigration processing and stamping of passport at the Singapore and Malaysian immigration(Make sure that your passport is stamped at the Malaysian immigration before leaving or you may end up in a jail cell as an illegal immigrant as what happened to two ladies recently)and baggage x-ray check at the Malaysian side, the journey to KL is continued and there is only one toilet break along the way. The toilet on board the bus is for light use only.

(Above) Our bus at the toilet stop.

A light meal is served along the journey with choice of one hot drink and one bottle of mineral water. For our trip to KL, the meal comprising of tart,sandwiches was in our opinion just edible, the kind where you eat to survive. We had a better meal of fried noodles during our return journey so it depends on your luck.If you are fussy about food, do bring on board your own snacks like we did.

(Above) The light meal provided comprising of a swiss roll cake slice, sandwiches, curry puff and some tarts. Looks not too bad but in our opinion, wasn't very tasty or maybe we are just fussy : )

(Above)Our bus has reached Kuala Lumpur city centre

The journey was delayed by the jam at the Singapore and Malaysian immigration checkpoint (long queues of coaches) and we reached the drop off point at Corrus Hotel in Kuala Lumpur city centre after 5hr 30minutes.

(Above)Corus Hotel facade

Corus Hotel is located along Jalan Ampang which is about 10 minutes walk to KLCC where you can take the LRT(their version of our MRT) train to your destination. If you plan to base yourself near KLCC and the Petronas Towers, then you can consider Corus Hotel since the location is convenient especially if you are taking aeroline coach as the hotel is the drop off and pick up point.

(Above) Us taking a pose outside Corrus Hotel

After freshening up at the washroom at Corus Hotel, we headed by foot down Jalan Ampang to the Malaysian Tourism Centre which is located at the other end of Jalan Ampang. It took about 20 minutes walk. From Corus hotel, walk straight down Jalan Ampang road until you come to a junction where you should see a Public Bank branch.

(Above) Gayle at the junction along Jalan Ampang opposite Public Bank, waiting to cross to the left side of Jalan Ampang, on our way to the Malaysian Tourism Centre.

You should cross to the left side of Jalan Ampang and continue down the road, past Zouk and you will come across a colonial house which is the site of the KL Malaysian Tourism centre where you can get information, maps etc. However, the tourism staff there on our visit do need to go for a course in customer service though as they didn't seem happy to be working and gave very curt and limited answers to our queries.

(Above)Malaysian Tourism Centre in KL along Jalan Ampang

However that should not sway you from dropping in to take a look at a historical icon since the colonial house belonged to Chinese businessman - Eu Tong Sen who has a road in Singapore named after him. The main building in the complex houses the Malaysia tourist information office, while several annexes contain a tourist police office, restaurant, and a concert hall where regular cultural shows are performed. Traditional games, such as top-spinning, are also hosted here over the weekends.

After getting what we needed at the Tourist Information centre, we headed out and turn left from the centre's main entrance and proceeded down to the end of Jalan Ampang where the Bukit Nanas Monorail Station is located. From there, we paid $1.30 ringgit (SGD$0.54) each to take a single trip past one station(Raja Chulan Station) to reach Bukit Bintang monorail station where our hotel - Capitol Hotel is located nearby. More on that in the second part of this posting.

(Above) Map of KL city central ( courtesy of Corus Hotel )

Motor Insurance Renewal

2011-05-21T13:02:00.002+08:00

Very often,for a propsective car buyer,the initial car price and COE is what attracts and claims a buyer's attention. Little thought or focus may be placed on maintainance costs of car ownership since the focus is on monthly installment. Thus a prospective carbuyer in Singapore needs to factor in the running costs as this adds to the initial monthly installment and may cause stress to marginal income owners who are on a tight budget. One big ticket item is Motor insurance Premium which has increased almost over 50% over the last 3 years due to escalating claims.

With our VW Golf Sports approaching a year old, it was time for insurance renewal. As is the trend of price increase, we received a notice from renewal from our original insurance appointed by Volkswagen Singapore at the time of car purchase. We were not too happy with the increase from $1050 to $1380, an increase of over 30% within one year and given that we have made no claims in the past 3 years from previous insurers. Luckily, there have been inroads made by local firms specializing in personalised insurance solutions, offering to source out for buyers better priced insurance and financial packages for their needs. Among them are Compare express, RNS Consultancy, Direct Asia and Motor Insurance Singapore.Just by spending about 2 minutes on a simple form usually online, you can get as many as 12 or more quotations. This is enough for you to determine if your current insurer is the cheapest…or not.

In comparing motor car insurance quotes, you will need to consider your profile as a driver, your financial budget, your needs when making a cliam, insurance company track record of filing and claiming and other factors such as to identify the insurer that favors your car-driver profile the most. For example, one insurer prefers Toyota while another prefers Hyundai. Certain insurers may prefer insuring drivers between the age of 35 to 45 while another may prefer drivers above 50 years old. These differences arise due to the claims experience (history) of the individual company.

For us, we laid down what we wanted for our next motor insurance. At least 20% lower premium, option to repair at the authorized agent workshop, Loss of use benefit, provision for authorized driver at no additional cost, a insurance firm with track record. For us, we will willing to accept higher excess ( the initial amount you need to co-pay first in repair costs before insurance claim can be made)to ensure lower premium because we felt that for small claims up to $2000, we were willing to pay that on our own rather than make an insurance claim and lose the No claim and safe driving discounts plus high possibility of increase premiums which will certainly amount to more than $2000 in the long term. It is not worth making a motor insurance claim if the amount is within one's budget and means to settle it privately since insurance claims record in Singapore stays with a person for 3 years and insurance companies will hold that against you as a reason to up your premium or worse refuse to insure you if you have made claims amounting from $25 000 upwards.

We selected RNS consultancy because they were prompt and offered courteous good service and feedback to us. Roy who attended to us came back to us within a day was willing to help us negotiate with the prospective insurance company for better deals after we told him about certain things that other firms were offering at the same price. With his recommendation and our own assessment, we selected Chartis which is a 90 year old international insurance firm with 58 years operating in Singapore.Our insurance premium was lowered by 20%. While excess was $2000, there is an ongoing discount of $600 off the excess for first claim if you choose to repair at one of the recommended workshops offered by Chartis so you only need to pay the first $1400.
If you choose to repair at your own workshop or at the authorized agent workshop, Chartis allows for it but there is no discount for excess so you have the choice. Note that only drivers with 50% No Claim Discount (NCD) entitlement are given the $600 repair excess. For NCD less than 50%, drivers will enjoy a S$300* repair excess waiver.This also applies only if the car is 3 years or newer.

There is a loss of use benefit of $94.00 a day so you can claim public transport costs or rent a replacement car.For new car owners, there is 100% Indemnity with New-for-Old Replacement where in the event of a total loss of the insured vehicle due to accident, Chartis will pay you the full purchase price to buy a brand new car (of the same make and model) if the insured vehicle is less than 12 months old from initial registration. There is also personal Accident Cover of up to S$50,000 for the insured. This benefit pays over and above other personal accident or life insurance in the event of death or permanent disability due to an accident while traveling in a car. This means added benefit for the driver and his/her loved ones too. There is also the usual provision of cover for thrid party claims including those caused by the driver's passengers, flood, windscreen and sunroof damage, 24 hour free breakdown towing in Singapore, claim for replacement of vehicle lock and car key in event of break in with excess of $50.

All in all, it is an attractive insurance offer for us. Roy also provided immediate responses to our queries, was upfront about limitations of benefits, no hard sell and personally came to our place to settle the administrative and financial requirements for us, even on a public holiday.

Those in the field looking for motor insurance renewal, do spend some time to canvass for quotations from the various companies on offer and choose one that you are comfortable with and trust in.

Those keen on contacting our motor insurance provider can look up http://www.rns.com.sg/motor.html on their own or call up Roy at 91699306.

Software update to RNS510C LED GPS Feature

2011-05-16T17:48:00.006+08:00

(Above) Our RNS510C LED GPS detecting location of speed cameras and speed traps

Thanks to Jimmy CBX, we received a complimentary v3 software upgrade to our car's RNS510C LED GPS navigation. With the version 3 upgrade, the GPS detects and features on the display the locations of traffic cameras, speed camera and potential speed trap areas. It also shows the location of the main fastfood restaurants -BK, Mcdonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and petrol stations such as SPC, Shell, Esso, Caltex. You can select to show only those points of interest that you frequent too. The update also features an updated road map to replace the older map with new roads added in. While it is not the most current, there is some improvement in the number of roads featured and updated expressway links. We will be updating soon from Jimmy the Version 4 which has locations of DBS and POSB ATMs.

(Above)SPC Petrol station detected and displayed.

This service is free for all of Jimmy's RNS510customers although you can make a small token donation to thank him for keying in the coordinates of the new points of interests and traffic points.You can contact Jimmy at 91777305 if you want to update your RNS or you wish to purchase a RNS unit from him. Good service deserves good referrals.

Mother's Day makan

2011-05-14T18:05:00.010+08:00

As with every mother's day, we will bring mom for a makan treat. For this year, she had a craving for German fare and we brought her back to Brozeit at Vivocity.We started the meal with two different soups - Soup of the Day ( Mushroom soup) and French Onion Soup.

(Above)Rich Mushroom soup

(Above) Fresh warm soft bread straight from the oven. Well baked as it doesn't disintegrate when you dipped it into the soup.

(Above)Onion soup with cheese dumplings

Both Gayle and myself really liked the French Onion soup with it's sweet and rich onion soup and generous serving of cheese dumplings within the soup. Since all of us are fans of German sausages, we ordered quite a bit of the sausages as the main course - Nurnberger pork sausages and the Wurstelplatte - sausage platter for 2 featuring juicy and meaty platter of spicy chicken sausages, pork sausages, pork cheese sausages and garlic pork sausages accompanied by sauerkraut and mustard.

To complete the meal, we ordered Schweinshaxn - crispy pork knuckles(above). Highly recommended if you are in the mood for meaty stuff. Just be careful when cutting into or biting into the sausages as they are so juicy and bursting with richness.

To round off a balanced meal, we ordered the Meeresfruchtesalat seafood salad(above) with mixed vegtables crowned with seared tuna, smoked salmon, fresh prawns accompanied with sour cream and house salad dressing which added zest to the salad dish.

After our heart meal, we introduced mom to the wonderful fruit tarts at Fruit Paradise - the Fruit Tart shop located at vivocity too. We will let the pictures do the talking but our favorite was the grapefruit orange tart which was refreshing and juicy to the bite which accompanied the tart crust very well and also the strawberry nutty caramel, sinfully rich,sweet and addictive.

(Above)Blueberry Tart

(Above) Grapefruit and orange tart

(Above) Chocolate Strawberry Tart

(Above) Nutty Caramel Fruit Tart

Appliance shopping(Part II) - Philips Small Star HEPA Bagless Vacuum Cleaner

2011-05-01T14:40:00.009+08:00

Our next appliance buy was to replace our current vacuum cleaner that was losing it's vaccum power and was overheating very fast and there was a lingering burning smell. It has been is use for two years. We did some research and decided that we wanted hard bag vacuum cleaners. Hard bag vacuum cleaners are those that deposit dirt and debris into a container instead of a vacuum bag. These hard bag vacuum cleaners, also called bagless vacuum cleaners, and usually include HEPA (Those with the High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) technology, enable the users to reduce dust which includes allergens filters that more efficiently remove dirt particles) dust, pollen from the air passing through the vacuum cleaner and make a good choice for households with allergy sufferers. This was important to us as we are susceptible to dust allergy.

Another important thing was silent operation, better construction and fit of the wand attachment so that the attachments don't loosen and come off after some time and spill out dust while you are vacuuming. Suction power was important too and we were looking for at least 1600W.

After scouting around, we headed back to our familiar haunt at Mega Discount at Kallang and purchased the Philips Small Star 1800W Vacuum Cleaner. What sealed the deal for us besides it's better suction power was it's small and compact design with large easy to use buttons which you can use your feet to depress without bending down. Also the Small Star featured chrome wand which makes for better fit of the hose and attachments. Importantly, it was bagless and the dust would be gathered into a container that can be removed for easy disposal of the dust collected.The container can be washed and cleaned easily. In addition, the HEPA filter prevents particles and allergens from flowing out with the air backflow passing out from the vacuum during operation. The Small Star also comes with big rubber wheels for easy maneuvering of the vaccum and retractable long power cord.We got a slight discount off the vacuum cleaner's retail price of $140.

(Above)Recessed grooves to better grip and lock the wand and it's extension and attachments.

(Above) Chrome quality wand for better and durable fitting of hose and attachments.

(Above) Big buttons for easy activation of retractable cord and on/off switch.

(Above) large rubber wheels make it easy to move the vacuum around.

(Above) easy to open and large opening for easy removal and cleaning of dust and container respectively.

(Above)Smooth operating retractable cord

Appliance shopping(Part I) - Braun Sommelier Electric Kettle

2011-05-01T13:34:00.006+08:00

After over 3 years, there is a need to start changing some of the appliances we had bought when we first shifted in. To make sure that this is not a painful exercise in the monetary sense, it's good to gradually introduce replacement appliances over the long term gradually. For this time round, we decided to replace our current plastic electric kettle for better health reason and due to wear and tear.

For electric kettles, we did some research and found that most websites tend to provide the followng summary recommendations:

Auto Shut Off
Auto shut off is a handy feature that most electric kettles have. This means that the kettle automatically turns off once the water is boiling. This saves energy while it acts as a safety feature to prevent water evaporisation and overheating that damages the kettle heating mechanism while preventing fire hazards.

Design of kettle Spout
If you fear pouring boiling water, either because of burns or spilling, ensure that the spout's design is well contoured and proportionate with a rounded spout end to prevent dribbling of the water being poured out.

Material
Electric kettles can be made of glass, plastic or stainless steel. A glass kettle allows the user to easily see how much water is left in the kettle, while a stainless steel kettle holds the heat longer than the other varieties. Plastic kettles are often the least expensive.

Water Level Indicator
If you like to know exactly how much water you're boiling, look for an electric kettle that has the number of ounces printed on the side or handle of kettle. While this may not make much difference for tea, if you make hot chocolate with too much water, it can taste less rich and more watered down.

In addition, we wanted a stainless steel electric kettle for health's sake as we have read that while research remains inconclusive, plastic kettles may release
bisphenol A (BPA), a cancerous agent when their plastic parts come in contact with the heating water.

After some window shopping and comparing, we decided on the Braun Sommelier Stainless Steel electric kettle. This kettle made by Braun, an established 90 year old German electrical appliance company, a subsidiary of Procter and Gamber.This kettle line has undergone extensive reliability and endurance testing by P&G’s Global Center of Excellence for Devices . The kettle is run in repeated time-lapse cycles, during which all aspects – from switch, through lacquering, to electronics – undergo automatic reliability checks and is expected to last beyond consecutive boiling of 10 000 litres of water. This got our vote for reliability and product quality.

We were impressed with the safety feature which is that the kettle has an auto stop safety system that switches off the kettle when water is completely boiled; if empty (as in the switch is accidentally depressed); the kettle is lifted up from docking base; the kettle lid is opened during operation.

The handle is made of high quality plastic that is cool to the touch even after boiling. The spout is wide enough to fill in the water without having to open the lid making it convenient. There is two easy to read water indicators so you can see it from either side of the kettle. The kettle has a rapid boiling system for fast boil and is able to bring to boil a liter of water within 3 minutes saving electrical consumption. The heating plate is stainless steel and can be cleaned. There is also a removabe scale filter at the spout entrance to filter the water as you pour it out. The base is rotatable and has cord storage. The Sommelier kettle is also aesthetically modern and won the Red Dot Design award in 2004.

(Above) Large contoured buttons on top for easy operation - one is for the lid opening action and the other the operation switch.

(Above) The removable water filter and stainless steel internal construction and base can be seen.

(Above) Well designed spout ensure water pouring out flows smoothly and precisely without side flow thus preventing harzardous spilling and dribbling of hot water.

(Above) Easy to see and read water indicator markings on left and right side of kettle.

We went to Mega Discount at Kallang Leisure Park and got it at a cheaper price than the retail price of $140 at major electronics stores. Those who are looking for a quality stainless steel kettle can consider this. After all, it's worth the investment for health's sake.

Installation of CSR Spoiler on Golf Mk6 Sports

2011-04-19T16:44:00.007+08:00

To add the final sporty touch to our Golf, we ordered a Golf Mk6 Rear Spoiler from German accessory company - CSR Automotive through Lyonel from Godspeed. The spoiler took two weeks to arrive and a day to spray paint. Installation was by the staff at HAT at Kaki Bukit and took half a day. CSR is a TUV quality certified company specialising in car accessories for brands like BMW, Porsche , VW , Audi , SEAT. The CSR sport hatch spoiler gives the Golf 6 a more aggressive rear profile with extended depth and profile as compared to other spoilers.

Refurbishment of our main door

2011-04-16T21:27:00.008+08:00

After more than 3 years of exposure to strong sunshine and rain, our main door looked faded and the laminates at the corners of the door were starting to peel.
We called Jonas from Contat Decor and Transportation who had built our customised main door for us three years back once again to request his service to refurbish our
main door. As usual, he was prompt and helpful with advice and we made an appointment for his guys to come down to do the door refurbishment.

The whole process took about 3 hours. The door was taken off it's hinges first and then work was done on removing the old laminate around the door edges and replacing them with a new cut of laminate. After the laminate was pasted and glue dried, the door was reattached back and then sanding was done to smoothen the door surface. Then a few coats of varnish were applied as a protectant sealant for the door laminate and our door was as good as new again. The whole service cost $160.50 nett.

(Above)Friendly Uncle from Contat Door removing our door for refurbishment works.

(Above)Measuring to cut to size the new strip of laminate for teh door edges.

(Above)Trimming the new laminate for a good fit.

(Above) Door goes back on again

(Above)Sanding of the door

(Above) Closer look at the new strip of laminate at the edge of the door.

(Above) Uncle varnishing the door

(Above)Our door shiny and new once again

New pastry creations

2011-04-12T20:10:00.002+08:00

Gayle's exploration with fondant cakes continues.... Fondant Lily decor

Cakes from Gayle

2011-04-04T20:48:00.004+08:00

Another week and Gayle has a new cake to add to her fondant cake collection.

Pretty cakes by Gayle

2011-03-27T15:05:00.003+08:00

Gayle is in the midst of her Wilton Gum Paste and Fondant course and these are 2 of her starting pretty creations(above). She is currently taking the course at Phoon Huat which is far better than her other earlier Wilton course at BIY. The advantage of Phoon Huat is that there is more time for your work, the instructors are very helpful and they do not rush you off. Importantly, while the fee at Phoon Huat is slightly higher than a similar course at BIY, note that Phoon Huat provides everything that you need for the course such as equipment like cake smoother, fondant imprint mat, rolling pin etc which is more than the Wilton standard package so you don't have to buy every single item, which is good for those who want to try out and see if they are keen before committing financially to procuring more items. Another good thing is that you can just come out of your class and pop into the Phoon Huat store to buy all your baking needs after getting all inspired at the classes.Phoon Huat baking courses are held at Geylang Lor 23, One Sims Lane, #01-10/11 Singapore 387355. Transport wise, Phoon Huat is more convenient being just within walking distance(about 10 minutes) to Aljunied MRT station.

(Above)Pretty dog cant keep away from pretty cake!

Door Signs for sale ! New oval shaped sign available now.

2011-03-19T17:39:00.004+08:00

Thanks to all our readers who bought our door signs and are happy with the look on their doors and gates over the past 3 years since we started our blog. Have a classy door sign to complement your new main door or to replace the old HDB issued door signs. New oval stainless steel design now available in addition to the original standard design of black base. Email: blissndreams@yahoo.com.sg for pricing(from $35 onwards)and other queries.

1st VW Golf 1.4TSI Sports halogen headlight conversion to HID LED xenon headlights in Singapore

2011-03-19T17:00:00.008+08:00

Our VW Golf Sports has become the first VW Golf 1.4TSI Sports in Singapore to have completed conversion of it's halogen headlights to the latest VW OEM(Original Equipment) LED HID Xenon Headlights imported from VW Germany. Conversion and programming was done by Raymond from Juzz For Cars at Sin Ming Autopoint. We would like to commend Raymond for his meticulous work and always ready to answer our 'noob' questions. The Audi like LED really give the car a unique look while adding to day driving safety. The conversion took two days as it was the first such conversion in Singapore and well, the time spent in the workshop was well worth the final look.Thanks also to Peter from Juzz For Cars for arranging the conversion and rushing down to collect the lights and bulb holder when it arrived.
With this , our Golf has become a full LED car with front and rear LED headlights and tail lights

(Above) LED rear Golf R OEM tail and brake lights

Rieger Replica bodykit for VW Golf Mk 6 1.4TSi Sports

2011-03-19T15:35:00.014+08:00

Over the past week, I sent our Golf Sports to the guys at Carbon Revo(above) at 50 Serangoon North Ave 4 First Centre #02-09 S555856 to install a bodykit to give the car a classy sporty look. They offered the cheapest price online for a reiger Replica kit and allowed me to select and mix and match items. The front and sides of the car were fitted with the Rieger replica front lip and skirts and sideskirts while the rear was fitted with a vortex rear diffuser for the OEM twin exhaust.
I got the guys there to cut a under section of the sideskirt so that there is allowance for the clamp of a wheel jack to clamp on the hardened undercarriage found in every car for future wheel changes as the plastic bodykit will not be able to absorb the pressure of the car weight if a wheel jack clamp is placed upon it.See below pictures of the cutting and positioning of wheel jack so that we know which section to cut off.

However do note that installation was not so satisfactory as it was outsourced to another shop by Carbonrevo.

(Above) Reiger sideskirt unpainted.

(Above) Unpainted front lips and skirting

(Above) Vortex rear diffuser unpainted

The silicon sealing was not done properly for the sideskirts. To overcome this, I got the guys at Advanced Scratchmaster (ADSM) at 33 Kim Chuan Drive to reinstall the bodykit and respray to the same body colour as the car. A word of advice is that it is good if you are free to stay around and monitor the job as I found again certain paintwork not up to expectations when it is done by the younger workers. The older uncles agreed with me that it wasn't a job well done and they resprayed and resealed the silicon and I must say the uncles really showed they have the skills and attitude over the youngsters. I also got the uncles to install wire meshing for the rear air vent of the reiger sideskirt.

(Above) Our Stock VW Golf 1.4TSI at VW showroom during car collection day.

(Above) Reiger sideskirt

(Above) Reiger Front skirt lips

(Above) Sideskirt air vent mesh.

(Above) Vortex rear diffuser - top bumper part sprayed same red body colour while for bottom diffuser part, it is sprayed matt black.

(Above) To finish up the rear look, a pair of OSIR chrome muffler tips are fitted over the original exhaust pipes.

(Above) Reiger bodykit front stands out much more than vortex(Silver Golf) which is more subdued.

(Above) Reiger skideskirt with the air vent and deeper creased lines to match the Golf's tornado line design

(Above) Vortex more mundane sideskirt - a very much more subdued look.

Shayna is 3 years old!

2011-03-18T21:31:00.008+08:00

Shayna, our dear doggy is 3 years old! Time really flies and this are just some shots to capture this naughty and greedy girl who never fails to put on a sweet act and fool others into thinking she is so 'kwai'. Always jealous and possessive of her toys and even each of us. She will jump and disturb us when me and gayle are too close together for her comfort.

(Above) Shayna 6 months old.

(Above)Shayna 1 year old

(Above) Shayna 2 years old

(Above) Shayna 3 years old

Gayle's pastry beginnings

2011-03-18T20:54:00.008+08:00

Gayle has in the past months started on her journey into the world of patisserie. She has completed Creative Culinaire school's Cake making foundation, Wilton Course 1decorating basics at B-I-Y and will be starting on her Wilton Course 3 gum paste and fondant course at Phoon Huat and then going on to her cake making intermediate at Creative Culinaire. All these are laying the groundwork for our future dreams.

(Above) Gayle's first swiss roll cakes

(Above) Gayle practicing the basics of decorating on biscuit surface.

(Above) Display of cakes made by Gayle and her course mates at Wilton course. Gayle's cake is the unique white cake with blue shaggy mums decor as she didn't want to do the traditional rose petals cakes.

(Above) Cupcakes done by Gayle

Along the way, we have researched on some nice cakes and designs on the internet and hope to achieve this standard in the not too distant future.

Celebrating Gayle's Birthday and Valentine Day

2011-02-25T17:14:00.011+08:00

(Above) Birthday and Valentine's gifts we got for each other

(Above) Cute Valentine's Day card that I got for Gayle

(Above) Pair of comfy Hush Puppies that Gayle had been eyeing and I got it for her

(Above) Pair of Precious Moments Figurines for each other.

We celebrated my dearest Gayle's birthday and Valentine's Day recently with a nice dinner at Ma Maison and shopping for gifts for her and myself.

(Above) Ma Maison

(Above) Speciality of Ma Maison - Butter Escargots

(Above) Fragrant and falvorful seafood rice dish - a must try at Ma Maison

Ma Maison is a French - Japanese inspired restaurant serving French delights . Yet the restaurant has a very traditional and charming English cottage theme that is evident from the wooden based floor, tables and chairs, replete with ornaments, old clocks and posters can be found on the walls. All these make for a cozy homely atmosphere. The dim lighting in the form of candles and vintage table lamps,helps to make the restaurant a good place for a leisurely romantic dinner. If you like French food with a fusion blend of Mediterranean and Japanese, this is the place for you. We ordered the speciality which was the escargots which was presented in a dish that was lighted up with flames for an exotic presentation. It presented a more buttery and oily version of French escargots with less spices treatment. Altogether something different from the French treatment. This restaurant is worth a first try. They have two branches - one at Bugis Junction and the other at the Central. Service was good. We had a courteous and efficient mix of Japanese and Filipino staff serve us and when we reported that one of the escargots seemed to 'refuse' to be extracted from it's shell, the manager promptly cooked a replacement escargot presented on a new plate and warmly heated up without any fuss.
An interesting concept is the presentation of a brass key(below) to each diner whereby you bring the key to the counter to make payment.

Chinese New Year Korean style dinner

2011-02-05T20:19:00.009+08:00

Over the Chinese New Year break, we decided to try our own Korean Shabu Shabu steamboat and invited mom and brother to dinner. We got tasty Korean side dishes such as pickled seaweed, kimchi and anchovies to add to the main dishes of pork collar and pork belly shabu shabu, codfish slices, mushrooms and scallops! Gayle prepared the soup base by boiling pork rib to create a natural flavor base before spicing things up with spicy toufu paste. As a supplement, we bought chicken rice without the meat from 5 star chicken rice stall.

New watch purchase - Luminox Limited Edition Tony Kanaan Chronograph Watch

2011-01-30T19:02:00.007+08:00

Recently, I went looking for a new watch that would be stylish yet rugged and found an eye catching and attractive design in the racing-inspired Luminox Tony Kanaan watch(above). It boasts all the signature features of the Luminox brand, including perfect visibility and continuous illumination provided by the proprietary Luminox Light Technology, superior water-resistance and bold construction.

This watch was designed by famed Indy Race driver - Tony Kanaan.Instead of just being a watch with a famous racer's name on it, Kanaan (being a major watch lover), and Luminox worked really closely together on the design and production process, and approved every feature of the new watch, from the whole design to every minor detail so this really makes for an authentic race car driver's watch.

While Tony could have easily worked with a number of higher-end brands, he really wanted to make sure that his friends could afford the watch with his name on it. His friends were working with brands like Audemars Piguet - and while they created some beautiful timepieces, they didn't make a lot of sense for the fans with prices around $70,000.

The first Luminox Tony Kanaan watch featured the driver’s signature colors - bright blue and orange. The black dial features orange numbers, while the chronograph sub-dials are surrounded by bright blue. At 4 o’clock, you will notice the Tony Kanaan logo. The updated version I bought features the new Green and Yellow racing colours of Tony Kanaan's new race season.

The new sandwich-construction case, 44mm in diameter, is of asymmetrical design. The chronograph watch incorporates a black PVD steel top fitted with six satin-finished screws, a black steel bottom and a middle part crafted in black carbon fiber.

The new Luminox Tony Kanaan watch is available with either a racing tire-pattern rubber strap or a padded black leather strap featuring yellow contrast stitching and green backing.

Luminox uses a sophisticated movement setup in the watch that isn't your standard 12 hour chronograph. They use a precision Swiss made Ronda movement, and it is a 1/10 of a second chronograph. The subdial on the left of the watch has two hands - for the hours and minutes. The subsidal at 6 o'clock is the 1/10 of a second indicator, while the subdial on the right of the dial is for the main time seconds. As a racing watch, of course it is going to have a tachymeter scale on the flange ring. On the dial is also Tony's "TK" logo. Glowing tritium gas tubes are placed in the hands, and around the periphery of the dial next to the hour indicators. The watch crystal is sapphire with AR coating, and the case is water resistant to 100 meters.

As a second release of the Luminox Tony Kanaan watch, Luminox changes the colors on the dial because Tony changed the colors of his helmet. The watch now has a yellow and green tint to the dial. Luminox fans realize that this pieces is totally unique in the entire Luminox collection - as it is not based on a standard model. Inside the watch is a Swiss quartz chronograph movement with a big date complication at 6 o'clock. The dial is large and bold, and quite sporty. Not just in the "active" sense of the world, but actually feels like a watch that fits into the world of professional competitive sports.The new version of the Luminox Tony Kanaan watch is offered in a larger limited edition of about 999 pieces and each watch will be inscribed with the limited edition number on the back - mine being No 161 of 999.I read that half have already been pre-sold at launch time.

(Above) Back design of the watch backing with Tony's signature, race car and serial number inscribed.

(Above) Solid construction and carbon fibre design shows off the watch's sporting and rugged design.

The TK series watch comes in a raching inspired collector's box with information on Tony Kanaan as seen below:

The Luminox TK watch is retailing at $1694 w GST at major watch retailers and I believe some outlets like Tangs have a credit card promotion of 30% discount off the retail price for UOB card holders. For myself, I managed to order the watch at the lowest price of $1145 w GST through Yuen Long watch located at 03-L1 at Parkway Parade(above).

Little bit about the watch designer:

Tony Kanaan (born December 31, 1974 in Salvador, Brazil) is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. He won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara. That season he completed 3,305 laps, making him the first IndyCar Series driver to complete every possible lap in a season. He also led 889 laps in 13 separate races to establish an IndyCar Series record. Kanaan is also the only driver to lead the Indianapolis 500 in each of his first seven starts, though he has yet to win this flagship event. He has a total of 13 IRL race victories.

Kanaan was invited by Luminox to design a watch that would become Essential Gear for his active lifestyle. Kanaan is very pleased with the second timepiece collaboration in the partnership. "It was a wonderful experience for me to work on the design and so many details of my watch," Kanaan said. "Design, performance and precision - I almost feel like my watch is a part of me when I wear it."

Installation of Flat bottomed R Line sports MF steering wheel

2011-01-29T15:22:00.010+08:00

This week, i completed another upgrade to our Golf with the installation by Jimmy CBX of the flat bottomed R Line Sports Multi-function steering wheel(MFSW)together with the OSIR G-shift alloy paddles from Godspeed @ HAT.
The steering really adds a sporty touch and the grip on the thick leather stictched steering really helps provide better steering grip and wheel, especially the flat bottomed section.

The OSIR paddles can be gotten from Lyonel at 90612014 while the wheel can be gotten from Jimmy at 91777305.

New Steering

Original Steering

OSIR paddle shifts

Why VW Golf 1.4TSI over Mercedes CLC?

2011-01-23T16:47:00.002+08:00

This post in in reply to a few of our readers who enquired why we changed from a Mercedes CLC coupe to a VW Golf Mk 6 Sports.
Basically, the Mercedes CLC was a good deal as CnC offered to absorb the loan difference between the sale price and outstanding loan amount of our Mitsubishi 'i'. The CLC was also going for 103k in April 2009 during a weekend promotion which was a great discount from the normal 126k retail price.It was too good a chance to miss and well the lure of driving a Mercedes was a very attractive proposition.

After a year, when COE prices shot up, we found that our CLC which we bought at 103k was going for 155k which meant that we could make a profit that could be used to pruchase a new Golf Mk 6 sports which is much faster, more roomy, better drive experience and tremendous kit list surpassing the merc. Besides, 4 doors would be more practical over the long term.

As for some readers asking abt the Golf Mk 6 Sports, there have been horror stories about the car breaking down from some owners but these mostly affect the non-sports 122hp version rather than the Sports. Car is reliable.The only minor defect was a clicking sound in the steering wheel which was solved with a new steering wheel replacement. The fuel economy is good. Road tax is only $620 a year since displacement is 1400cc. Insurance is just a few dollars over 1k after 55% NCD. Could be less as i included loading for Gayle as the 2nd authorized driver. Sports mode is infectious with the rev counter climbing rapidly as car zooms from zero to 100km/h in 8 seconds. Car has every conceivable kit from external downlight, auto headlights, auto wipers, lighted footwell, 11 airbags, touchscreen head unit wit hSD card slot ( upgraded to OEM 30GD Hard disk and GPS, Reverse camera ), individual zone climatic control air con, leather sports seats etc.

Car still puts a smile on our face!

(SOLD!!!) 3 months old Golf 6 OEM Multi function steering wheel with paddle shift

2011-01-23T16:16:00.007+08:00

(Above)Well maintained steering wheel with airbag unit in wrapping

3 months old almost new Golf Mk 6 Multi Function steering wheel for sale. This steering was newly installed 3 months back by VW Singapore as I made a complaint about a clicking sound in the previous steering wheel. Comes with OEM airbag unit and OEM paddle shifts.
Letting it go for $250 as i have just installed Golf R sports flat bottomed steering.
Suitable for retrofitting on VW Jetta basic 1.6, Tiguan and New Touran models. Can refer installer to you if you do not know one. Note that you may need to purchase an additional control module and programming from the installer to operationalize the steering wheel. Check with installer. New Golf Mk 6 MFSW going for at least 4 times the sale price so this is a steal.

(Above) Front face of steering with housing for airbag unit

(Above) Back of steering wheel with paddle shifts

(Above) Airbag unit front

(Above) Airbag unit rear

Also available for sale - 6 months old Mk6 Golf Sports Tinted Rear Tail lights for sale. Left and right side - main and accompanying light units at total clearance price of $50.In good working condition as owner has changed to LED Golf R lights.

Please email blissndreams@yahoo.com.sg if interested. Prices are nett.

Refurbishment of our apartment

2011-01-01T20:50:00.024+08:00

(Above) Unveiling our home's new look

Having stayed 3 years in our current apartment, we felt that there was a need to update and refurbish our current apartment for a updated look and to keep pace with new needs. We are very happy with our current location at Bedok South as it is a private HDB estate that is near ameniites like Siglap, the ECP, near a good school -Temasek Primary, coffeeshops, salons, pet clinic and pet grooming, laundry, 7/11 all downstairs and walkable to Tanah Merah MRT and feel we will stay here for long term so we decided to invest in a new look for our apartment.

We started with our kitchen extension which was featured in our earlier post which saw our kitchen extended to incorporate more storage space, tabletop space,a glass encased shelf for books and baking items and installation of a built in oven.

(Above) Original state of the Kitchen before extension.

(Above) After extension of the kitchen cabinet.

(Above) Additional Storage space

(Above) Glass display for Gayle's bakery books and bakery items.

Next we changed our lights to energy saving lights as the current halogen lights were quite energy consuming in our opinion and gave out heat.

(Above)Original halogen boutique light for walk in dressing room.

(Above)New energy saving lighting tubes which act as a wardrobe light too.

(Above) Original halogen crystal master bedroom pendant light

(Above) New master bedroom energy saving honeycomb design pendant light. We like the lighting and shadow effects on our ceiling.

With the new master bedroom lighting linked to a Philips dimmer enabled energy saving bulb, it means lighting that saves energy, yet flexible enought for brighter light for reading or a dimmer light for cozy dinner in the dining corner of our master bedroom(below)

After a week of installing the new energy saving lights, we noted a drop in our electricity bill due to a drop of 11 kwh in electricity usage when our bill arrived and this is in December where usually our electricity usage goes up since we are on leave and stay at home more during this period.

We plan to divide our current relaxation room in the future with a dividing feature wall and made the first preparatory stage by repositioning the light point and including an additional light point. The addition of an extra lighting point and light also required us to purchase a 2 gang light switch from the Legrand Milla range(below) to replace the current 1 gang light switch.

(Above) Original lighting point in the Relaxation room.

(Above)Installation of extra lighting point and pendant light and shifting of lighting point.

Our next step after the kitchen and lightings was to remove our curtains in the hall and replace it with contemporary roller blinds. Curtains are difficult to clean and previously when Shayna was infested with ticks, we were advised by Rentokil, the pest company we hired to detick our apartment to remove curtains as they are a good source of hiding spot for ticks, fleas and bugs. So with the curtains out, we contacted Chicks and Blinds Decor to install our glossy black roller blind.

(Above)Black gloss roller blinds add a modern touch. We like the thin blackout material of the blind fabric and the smooth pulley system.

At the same time, we hired Colourland to repaint our house using NIPPON paint and apply oil-based sealant to keep out mositure on the wall due to condensation of walls in air-conditioned rooms.This was the main reason why we got inspired to repaint our apartment as there were alot of water condensation marks over the 3 years. We chose interesting colours of a combination of spellbound red and galaxy grey for our hall and master bedroom, lime green for our relaxation room now renamed Blissndreams room, white for common areas like the kitchen, wash area, black for the toilet ceilings, combination of yellow and purple for the study and walk in which really help brighten the room.

After the paintjob which took two days, we hired Modishop Design to customise decals to rejuvenate our bedroom glass doors to give a fun look to our contemporary home. All in, our apartment looks better than before and we are pleased with the results!

(Above) Hall and dining area of spellbound red and galaxy grey.

(Above) Galaxy grey dark tone brings out the play on shadow by our avant garde clock from XZQT.

(Above)Purple for the entrance to our storeroom.

(Above)Red ceiling gives a cozy feel to the master bedroom

(Above)Bright yellow for the study to brighten it up since natural light is blocked by the walk in wardrobe behind.

(Above)Combination of purple and yellow for the passage to the study.

(Above) Purple for the vanity area of the walk in space and entrance to master toilet.

(Above)Lime green for the revamped Blissndreams room

(Above)Yellow for the study and passage leading to walk in space. IKEA wall mirror helps to make the space bigger.

(Above) Shayna supervising the guys from Modishop who were putting up our decals for our glass doors.

(Above) Our customised decal on our bedroom doors.

(Above) Our rejuvenated living area.

Christmas celebration 2010

2010-12-27T17:26:00.012+08:00

(Above) The traditional Christmas tree surrounded by lots of presents

Another Christmas has come and gone. Time really flies and we have spent three Christmases as a wedded couple already. For this year, we celebrated at brother's new place somewhere in the East. Lunch was really substantial with baby turkey drumsticks ( nothing baby about those ), far better than turkey meat which is tougher. We also had bacon, salad and pasta plus cakes and macarons from Obolo.

(Above) Nice balcony area of brother's apartment

(Above) Shayna very happy to be dolled up and out at a new place.

(Above) Sinful Bacon

(Above) Italian Pasta

(Above) Healthy Salad

(Above) 'Baby' Turkey drumstick. Lots of meat!

(Above)Posing with all our presents

(Above)Seated at the balcony together after a full Christmas lunch

(Above)Shayna happy with her own Christmas presents - A donut squeaky toy and a Mr Bean teddy bear.

(Above) Back home in her room enjoying her presents!

KitchenAid heavy Duty Mixer 5KPM50

2010-12-18T19:39:00.009+08:00

For her baking needs, Gayle bought the The KitchenAid 4.83 litres Heavy Duty Mixer
5KPM50 over the weekend. We went to a few places like Mayer and found that the best retail pricing was $959 at ToTT (896 Dunearn Rd) as compared to Mayer retailing at $1116 after discount.With its all-metal construction, this mixer from KitchenAid raises the bar for superior performance in a stand mixer. We chose this model due to the sturdy construction of the mixer and it's ability for prolonged mixing periods.

This mixer offers 325 watts of mixing power, along with KitchenAid's trademark planetary mixing action, which rotates the beater around a stationary bowl.The 5KPM50is also one of KitchenAid's bowl-lift mixers, which utilizes a special two-position lever that raises the bowl up on two support arms. The benefit of the support arms is extra stability, which is particularly useful when making heavy batters and bread doughs. A secondary benefit is convenience, since the mixer head doesn't have to be tilted up to access the ingredients in the bowl. With overall dimensions of 41cm (height) by 33.8cm(depth) by 26cm(width), this mixer is rather large in comparison with others in its class. Its weight (roughly 11.4KG) also makes it prohibitive to move, especially for anyone who has difficulty lifting heavy objects.However, the weight gives added stability during the mixing process.

The KitchenAid 5KPM50 mixer comes with two large 5-quart stainless-steel mixing bowls, a flat beater (for mixing cake batters, blending cookie dough, beating frostings and other basic mixing tasks), a heavy-duty dough hook designed specifically for mixing and kneading bread dough and an oversize wire whisk for whipping cream or egg whites.

The mixer is controlled by a speed lever located on the mixing head. There are 10 speeds in all, the slowest of which is well suited to start-up mixing. While the mixer is operating, it emits a steady hum that gets progressively louder, like the revving of an engine, at higher speeds.

We are pleased with the smooth, effortless mixing. Again, the weight of the mixer head, combined with its powerful motor results in exceptional stability so there is virtually no rocking or movement of any kind. The attachments twist and lock in place for secure mixing. Insertion and removal is easily accomplished by grasping the attachment and pressing upward, then turning to the right (attach) or left (remove).

There are other optional accessories that include a food grinder, pasta maker, slicer/shredder, citrus juicer, fruit/vegetable strainer, sausage stuffer, can opener, grain mill and more. The cons is that this machine is really heavy so shifting it around is not a good idea unless you want to break your back. Also we read in some reviews that the little black knob on the speed selector lever is fragile and can split and brake off if not handled or operated with care. All in all, we are pleased with this mixer purchase.

Philips Energy Saving Bulb

2010-12-14T14:57:00.005+08:00

Previously lightings that use energy saving bulbs did not allow for a dimming feature. So we were pleased to find that Philips had launched a Easyscene energy saver starter kit that features two 20W energy saving bulb that is paired with a remote control(Below).

The remote control allows for convenient control of lighting for up to 4 main lighting points that are fitted with ES E27 bulbs(Below).

Perhaps the most important feature to us is that now we are able to dim our lights that use energy saving bulbs depending on our requirements. It was an easy process pairing the bulbs with the remote using the easy to follow instruction manual. For the remote to be activated and in control of your intended lighting point, you will need to turn on the light switch for that point so that the light is on standby mode. This consumes about 0.1W. You cna then use the remote to turn on and off the light or dim the light as long as line of sight is maintained. If you are particular, then you can turn off the standby mode fo your lighting when you don't need it.The starter set comprising of two bulbs(each can last 8000hrs or approx 4 yrs of normal lighting needs) and a remote control costs $109 and sold at all departmental and DIY stores.

(Above) Dimmed lighting

(ABove) Bright lighting

Installation of Golf- R LED tailights

2010-12-13T17:44:00.004+08:00

To give our Golf a Sportier look and keep it up to date with the current trend on automotive LED lighting, we went to Volkswagen Centre to upgrade our tailights to the OEM Golf-R version from the current halogen ones(above). The lighting software upgrade included has also resulted in our headlamps doubling the brightness since two lamps light up instead of the usual one.Installation time was really long, from 8am to 7pm as the service executive informed us of the extended wiring and software tasks in enabling the car's software to accomodate the lighting requirements of the new LED lighting.

Reno ad hoc project - Addition of Built in oven and cabinet in kitchen

2010-12-11T19:35:00.024+08:00

We decided to built an extension of our current kitchen cabinet(above) to accomodate a built-in oven , storage space and a book shelf. We had held back on this during our initial renovation last time in order to rein in removation costs and not go beyond our budget. At that time, an oven was not on the critical equipment list for the house. Now with Gayle intending to learn and do more baking, we decided to go ahead with this planned extension.

(Above and below)Original IKEA Lack book shelf costing $28 which we installed 3 years ago during our initial renovation in the kitchen to provide shelving space without busting our renovation budget.

(Above)The cabinets finally arrive for installation. Setting down the base supporting frame.

(Above)Contractor checking if cabinet top is level

(Above)Main cabinets in place.

(Above) Installation of glass doors for the book shelf.

(Above)Fitting in of oven.

(Above)Use of the computer table type wiring turntable.

Our ID- Jacky suggested a unique way of running the 15AMP plug for the oven through a attached wiring turntable(above) usually found in computer tables. This provides a neat and aesthtically looking wiring outlet.

(Above) Gayle's collction of baking books displayed in the book shelving.

(Above) Closeup of the Bosch built in oven -model HBA23B550J.

(Above) Oven controls. Pop out controls featured.

The Bosch built in oven model is for installation in HDB flats where the electrical requirements meet HDB regulations. Do check whether the model you are planning to purchase is compatiable with HDB regulations if you are staying in a HDB apartment. Bought it at $1280 inclusive of GST and eco cleaning panel(HEZ329020) for oven self-cleaning from Mega Discount at Kallang. We like the sleek modern look, energy saving baking and self cleaning function. We tried the doors of other oven but none can match the solidity and smooth operation of the Bosch plus the reflective inner glass helps keep heat in and reduce heat conduction levels on the outside of the door for safety and efficiency.Gayle like the ergonomic pop out control which helps maintain a clean line on the face of the oven so that cleaning is easy and aesthically better.

(Above) Installation of the Eco- Self cleaning panel by Bosch staff.

(Above)Cabinet almost completed, waiting for solid top to arrive.

(Above) Installation of the solid top for the cabinet top

(Above)Black Solid top for our cabinet extension which matches the top in use for current cabinet.

(Above) Additional storage spacing in the kitchen - Top storage space and bottom storage space(Below)

With the cabinets completed, the kitchen has a new look and reminds us how lucky we are to have such a big kitchen to accomodate a long cabinet with space for extension and a wash area. The red glossy cabinets help brighten up the kitchen. Thanks to Jacky who in his usual friendly and easy-going manner helped us along in our design requirements and installation process. He also helped us to patch the holes in the ceiling after the electrician installed new lightings. Those interested in a similar project can contact our ID- Jacky from Ideal Design at 81460584.

(Above)Completed Cabinet at last!

Celebrating Eugin's birthday at Long Beach Seafood

2010-12-11T19:13:00.004+08:00

Dad and Mom brought the family out to celebrate Eugin's birthday too so this was our second rich meal in a row. We are putting on weight! We had two chilli crabs(above and below) with plenty of roe, meat and mantou ( fried buns) to go around, deep fried baby squid, claypot kai lan vegetable with mushrooms and steam fish patin fish with lots of garlic and ginger. Awesome dinner and really busting the waistline again.

(Above) Mixed vegetable with assorted mushrooms cooked in claypot.

(Above) Steamed patin fish - soft, fresh and the garlic and ginger give it a kick!

(Above) Lala cooked in broth. The broth was really addictive!

Celebrating Eugin's birthday at Le Bistrot

2010-12-09T21:03:00.006+08:00

(ABove)Facade of Le Bistrot

We celebrated Eugin's birthday at a French dining establishment - Le Bistrot at Singapore Indoor Stadium. Located at 2 Stadium Walk #01-03, this French eatery is known for its down to earth service without any 'atas' pretences, and true blue food. The kitchen is helmed by Le Cordon Bleu trained Chef Lee, and the cuisine is on the classic/traditional side but with a modern flair to it.

The Menu is prix fixe, which is good since you know upfront what you are ordering and how much you are paying for. There are fixed prices for either a two ($50+)- or a three-course ($60+) meal and it’s the same menu/price for lunch and dinner. Ala carte is also available ($18+ for entree/dessert, $40+ for main) but the prix fixe menu is definitely more value for money so do try to stick to it.

Diners seem to dine there quite late with the crowd building up from 8pm onwards. we were there at 6.30pm when it opened and had the whole restaurant to ourselves such that Gayle jokingly said that she had booked the whole restaurant for us :). The restaurant ambience was cozy and romantic, quiet.

(Above and below)The cozy interior of the restaurant in the background with us posing.

For once, we appreciated the peace and serenity when dining without screaming kids running around or loud intrusive chattering from other diners. Even when the restaurant was filling up, the diners there were quiet and exercised dining etiquette.

The service was impeccable- non-intrusive, polite and offering great help when called upon. They served our takeaway(below) in a glass jar and refridgerated for us till we left the restaurant.

They also showed integrity by charging a separate bill that did not have service charge for an additional item that we had ordered as take-away.
You can view their menu at http://www.lebistrot.com.sg/le_bistrot_dinner_menu.pdf

The food portions were extremely generous and tasty. For starters, Gayle had Caviar du Pauvre (Poor Man's Caviar) which is verrine of eggplant and garlic purée, chicken liver mousse and Pernod crème fraîche, served with chargrilled bread (below).

The bread crust was a little hard though but bread texture was soft and warm. The Carviar was so delicious we ordered an addiitonal takeaway for supper.

Eugin's starter(above) was Velouté d'Ail aux Escargots à la Semoule semolina-dusted escargots served with roasted garlic cream and parsley jus. There was a nice crispy texture to the escargots, an interesting and different treatment of the classic French dish from the other French eateries we tried.

For mains, Gayle had Crumble à la Joue de Boeuf Wagyu, Pommes Sarladaises (above) which was crumble of braised Wagyu beef cheek served with duck fat potatoes and mesclun salad. This main requires an additional $8 surcharge.

Eugin ordered the (above)Carré d'Agneau au Thym, Gratin Dauphinois au Pecorino Romano (fromage Italien au lait de brebis)which offered lamb rack roast crusted with thyme, served with potatoes gratinated with pecorino romano (sheep's cheese)which has an additional $12 surcharge. All worth every morsel. The generous servings for the lamb especially are actually enough for two.

For dessert, Gayle chose the Nougat Glacé aux Noisettes(above) which features frozen parfait of hazelnut praline and honey with a feuilles de brick pastry "cigarello" of
Gianduja and candied orange peel. The orange zest was quite refreshing but again the serving was huge and we were near 'stomach exploding' point in finishing this.

For dessert, Eugin had the Pastilla à la Pistache et Chocolat Noir(above) which served up warm dark chocolate ganache and pistachios in feuilles de brick pastry, accompanied with pistachio crème Anglaise and vanilla bean ice cream.

(Above)Satisfied diners

All these for a bill of $172. It would have been less without the additional takeaway we ordered. It was a meal well spent for that satisfying French dining experience. On hindsight, for two persons, one can actually order a starter and main and the other a main and dessert so that both can share the starter and dessert. This would shave the bill further down, and there would be no need to really stuff yourself to the brim. All in all, a good dining experience.

Installing new lights in our home

2010-12-07T17:03:00.006+08:00

After 3 years, we decided to do some houseworks upgrading to refresh the look of our house while at the same time switching to more energy efficient lights. We realise that our existing halogen lights while attractive were not energy efficient. We bought 3 new lights -1 for the master rm, 1 for the relaxation room to add to existing light and 1 for the walk in. The relaxation and master rm lights were bought at 168 Trading at Lavender. They gave good discounts and service plus they have reasonably priced attractive lights. For the walk-in we bought contemporary energy saving tube lights from Lightcraft at Mohd Sultan.

(Above) Our contemporary looking honeycomb light using energy saving bulb.
(Below) Lighted up with warm white light.

(Above) New additional light in relaxation room. Complements existing light as both are spherical and both reflect different modes of design - 1 modern and 1 rustic.
We put two lights due to our plan to partition the room in the near future.

(Above) New lights for our walk-in to make it brighter and to cast overhanging light into our cupboard and shelving spaces.

Upgrading to RNS510 Radio Navigation system for our VW Golf

2010-12-07T16:16:00.011+08:00

This week, we sold off and upgraded our RCD510 touch screen radio CD player in our VW Golf(above) to the latest model - the Radio Navigation System 510 'C' which was recently launched by VW Singapore for their upper end cars. VW is apparently charging a very exorbitant price and we got ours through a reliable importer of OEM VW parts through the VW owners forum which is 4 times less than the amount which VW Singapore is charging.

With the RNS510C, our Golf is brought up to the latest features available in cars with a LED display touch screen which has a resolution that is so much sharper than the previous RCD510 LCD screen.

(Above) RCD 510 screen resolution is not as sharp as the RNS510 screen(below)

(Above)Lots of wiring works for the installation

(Above) Jimmy installing the RNS510C
(Below) Jimmy doing software upload for the RNS510C

In addition, there is a DVD player, a SD card player, a aux for ipod/mp 3 players, a 30GB hard disk to store music and movies, 6 CD changer. Main highlight would of course be the built in Teledata sourced GPS Navigation for easy location of destinations and trip routes. The user interface is quite easy for example by it being able to narrow down all the possible addresses for you to select so that you don't have to scroll a long list of number and addresses. We will be waiting for the map updates next year once Teledata releases it and hopefully can get it cheaper through our installer - Jimmy.

(Above)RNS510C in navigation mode.

There is also a reverse camera for reference during reverse parking while retaining the original optical parking sensor. Those VW Golf/Passat/Jetta owners who are interested can contact the ever friendly,helpful and experienced Jimmy at 91777305.

SOLD!: Crystal Pendant light $50

2010-12-04T10:17:00.006+08:00

Thanks to our buyer - Mr H for the Crystal Pendant Light. Cheers!

(Above)Crystal Pendant Light

As we are changing two of our lights for a different look and to allow for the use of energy saving bulbs, we are selling our used Crystal Pendant light. The light features Egyptian crystals and the pendant light when new cost $600. However, the light was hardly used since we have a standing lamp and was more of a decor light piece for our room. Still in good working condition.Comes with the original Halogen bulbs. Selling for $50 and we will throw in the boutique lights for free. The crystal pendant light can be used as a main light or a corner light piece. It has a beautiful reflective effect as seen in the picture above,on the walls as the lights cast through the crystals.
The boutique lights with Phillips Halogen bulbs will give your walk in a boutique shop feel.

Anyone interested can email us at blissndreams@yahoo.com.sg

Oh yes, thanks to the reader who bought our used Garmin GPS navigator. Hope you are finding it useful.

(Above) Boutique light for your walk-in

DAY 10 - Leaving SEOUL

2010-11-26T20:10:00.011+08:00

(Above)Strolling to COEX together

On our last day in Seoul, we did our last shopping at COEX

(Above) Nice contemporary electronic piano we saw.

We had a good lunch at Nooblo trying out their bean paste soup set with extra orders of noodles.

(Above)Menu at Nooblo. Many set meals on offer.

(Above)Set meal that we ordered.

(Above) we couldn't get enough of the tasty soup

(Above)Posing by the good looking telephone booths by COEX.

After our meal, we continued shopping till noon before returning back to our hotel to catch the bus to the airport.We had a relaxed trip to the airport since the helpful staff at Seoul Park Hyatt helped us to purchase the airport limousine bus tickets in advance and hired a complimentary taxi to ferry us to the city air Limousine bus terminal which was actually a kilometer away froom our hotel.

(Above) Gayle posing at the hotel lobby while waiting for our taxi.

(Above) Us posing in the taxi

(Above) Traffic jam ahead.

(Above)On the limousine bus to the airport

(Above) Spacious leg space on the bus.
At Incheon airport while waiting for our flight back home,we had a light meal since lunch was going to be served on board the fight.

(Above) Rice rolls for a light meal before our flight

We went to the duty free collection centre to hand in the duty free exchange bill to collect Gayle's purchase of SKII products.(See below)
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There was also a SALE at the duty free shopping area for sunglasses and Eugn purchased a Oakley sunglass for SGD$180 after currency conversion which is far cheaper than back home.

On the flight, due to some problems caused by SIA when they cancelled our air tickets by mistake which got us upset,they surprised us with a cake and wine.

In all, we had a wonderful and interesting trip to Seoul filled with lots of shopping and eating. We hope to make a second trip there in the near future.

DAY 9 in SEOUL - Dropping by Lotte World and COEX

2010-11-17T12:16:00.012+08:00

Our last day in Seoul, we decided to drop by Lotte World to satisfy our curiousity and see what the hype about it was all about.

Lotte World which is South Korea’s version of Disneyland and Universal Studio is opened daily from 9.30am to 11pm.. Lotte World is a theme park packed with interesting rides, an ice-skating rink, parades, a folk museum, a lake, and much more. About 6,000,000 tourists come here every year and it is open all year round, regardless of what weather is it as a large number of the attractions are indoor or underground.

After breakfast at COEX across our hotel, we headed back to back to our hotel entrance where Samcheong Station is located. It was this time that we decided to take a closer look at their very classy looking glass encased bicycle station which is for train commuters to park their bikes secured and indoors so as to encourage bike commuting to the train station. Perhaps Singapore should take a learning point from this if they want to encourage people to cycle to work.

(Above)

From Samseong station, we took the subway line 2 and got a taste of morning rush hour(Above) and were glad to finally reach our stop and alight at the 3rd stop at Jamsil Station(Below).

We headed for exit no4 which is directly connected to Lotte World via a underground shopping arcade. Lotte World can be reached via trains travelling on or transfer onto Line 2 and Line 8 if you are coming from other stations or subway lines.

Arriving at Lotte World(Above) as it was still early, we decided to walk around the vicinity of Lotte World and actually found that the neighborhood was built around Lotte World as the central hive of activity. Both of us were attracted to the different shops catering to boys and girls(Below) - Eugin with Toy R Us and Gayle with Chanel.

Inside Lotte World, you can shop within the shopping concourse(Below) if you do not wish to spend the money at experiencing the rides at Lotte World.

(Above) Prices in Korean Won for entering Lotte theme park with and without ride fees.

For us, after taking a look at the rides, we didn't really find it very interesting and found the theme park abit run down like a upper grade amusement park below par of Disneyland or Universal Studio. So we decided to save the money and spend our time sjopping and eating. That did not prevent us from entering the viewing gallery where we could actually see the inside of Lotte World indoor section of the park(Below).

(Above) Balloon ride inside Lotte World.

We found it impressive that ice-skating was indeed very popular with Korean youths especially after inspiration from their Olympic ice skating medallist - Kim Yu Na. We spent some time watching young girls(below), as young as 5 or 6 years old undergoing training.

(Below) We took time off shopping to pose with the mascots of Lotte World - Eugin with Lotte and Gayle with Lorry

We also dropped by Lotte World's supermarket(Above) to look at all the delicious snacks there and buy some for teabreak. Enjoy the food spread.

After returning to our hotel to rest, we headed to Nolboo once again at COEX to have our dinner. This time we chose a soup based dinner set. Actually they have so many different sets that we wished we had more time in Seoul to try them all. Some delicious pictures of our dinner to whet your appetite for Korean fare.

After dinner, we continued shopping. It's always a gigantic shopping experience at COEX with the endless rows of shops there from the familiar to the local fare.

So that was how we spent our last day in Seoul, leisurely filled with shopping and eating. Indeed we were sad to be leaving the next day but all good things must come to an end and we plan to go back to Seoul in the not too distant future to do what else- eat and shop to our heart's content.

A Dyson Air Multiplier for our house

2010-11-08T17:12:00.004+08:00

(Above)The air multiplier can oscillate and has varied air flow speed controlled by a knob(below).

(Above)Remote controller looks like an apple mp3 player.

Over the weekend, Dad and Mom bought a Dyson air multiplier for us after hearing that we were interested in the fan but the high cost of the fan had made us think twice. We were thinking of maybe gtting it much later when the price hopefully drops but since they were also getting Dysons for themselves, they were generous enough to
buy one for us too.

We are fans of avant garde modern practical designs and the Dyson air multiplier design was admired by us.The Dyson Air Multiplier is a bladeless fan that employs aeronautical technology to draw in air and amplify it – from 15 to 18 times, depending on the model. With no blades or grille, they’re also safe and easy to clean. They produce an uninterrupted stream of smooth air, with no unpleasant buffeting. You can pop by the Dyson website below to see how the air multiplier works.

http://www.dyson.com/technology/airmultiplier.asp#HowItWorks

The Dyson Air Multiplier comes in three sizes and our model purchased is the medium size and the only one that is rectangular in shape which we felt is slimmer and more modern in design. Operational wise, the air multiplier isn't noisy and the air stream produced is surprisingly quite effective and we just feel that the wind produced is cooler than that produced by conventional fan and we are not using it in any air-conditioned environment.It is retailing at $699 at most major electronic stores but you can bargain and get it at $650 inclusive of GST at Mega Discount Store at Kallang Leisure Park shopping centre.Definitely a must for design conscious and modern homes

DAY 8 in SEOUL - Shopping n Eating At COEX

2010-10-27T21:46:00.026+08:00

(Above) Us getting out of our room looking to an interesting day ahead

Our eight day in Seoul, we decided to head to the famed COEX Mall,Seoul. It is a well known shopping mall which lies just beneath the Samsung-dong Trade Center in Gangnam-gu of Seoul. The underground shopping mall of COEX Mall is the largest shopping center in Seoul and also Asia's largest underground mall. The sprawling shopping arcade of COEX Mall is spread across an area that accounts for 85,000 square meters of space housing some 260 shops and restaurants within. The location of COEX Mall is at a convenient position. It is near the Samseong Station on Seoul Metro Line 2. COEX Mall of Seoul offers locals and tourists from different corners of the globe with an extensive range of shopping options. The mall specializes in selling clothing materials and dress items, interesting range of quality makeup, fashion and accessories, and items for decoration of the interiors. COEX Mall of Seoul is home to about hundred shops that offer shoppers a variety of items and products. This place is a favorite hangout of teenagers and young couples.
The Hyundai Department Store and COEX SKM Duty Free shop are also directly connected to COEX Mall. Shoppers can compare and shop for affordable non-branded goods as well as high-end luxury goods. Also nestled amidst the myriad shops are the COEX Aquarium, Megabox Cineplex, and the Kimchi Museum - a popular destination among international visitors to enjoy some sightseeing between shopping sprees.

(Above) Hyundai Shopping Mall next to COEX.

(Above) Walking down the street outside as we headed to COEX for breakfast.

Breakfast at Macdonalds since most of the eateries were not opened so early at eight in the morning.

(Above) Menu board at Mcdonalds. Interesting to see burgers not sold in Singapore.

(Above) Bill for breakfast at Macdonald

(Above) Entrance to the COEX Aquarium

(Above) kids waiting to go into the aquarium

(Above Us posing at the COEX aquarium

As the shopping complex is so huge, there are helpful information display touchscreens(Below) available in main languages including mandarin and English. It works like a giant i-phone.

(Above) Touch sensitive screens take some getting use to if you are not a i-phone user.

(Above) Gayle having a go at the information touchscreen.

(Above)Factory outlet at COEX for branded items from Guess, Armani.

(Above) Jackie Chan eatery selling Chinese noodles and dim sum but not much crowd there so we didn't try.

(Above) Shops galore at COEX

(Above) Eugin coming out from the Apple shop

(Above)Dropping by Uniqlo

(Above) Super sized I Phone 3GS at the A shop.

(Above)Nice looking cakes on display

(Above)Posing at a Standee advertisement corner for a Korean war movie

(Above) Familiar sight - Coffee Bean

(Below)Boutique fashion shops offering a slice of Korean fashion

(Above) Gayle enjoying her shopping experience

(Above) For shoes in Seoul, still can't beat your Pedro or URS or Charles and Keith in terms of design, comfort and pricing in SIngapore.

Being the car enthusiast, Eugin couldn't keep his hands off trying the Kia car models on display. Here he is trying out the Kia Sportage SUV which had not been released at that time in SIngapore yet.

(Above) Kia Megatis

(Above) Trying out the Megatis

(Above)Some quirky aspects of Seoul - a queue line for washroom cubicles.

We felt hungry after the walking and looked around for lunch. Along the way we spotted the central foodcourt.

(Above) We came across a number of eateries and were spoilt for choice but finally decided on a eatery selling soup which obviously must be good since thre was a crowd in the eatery. Although the menus are in Korean,Eugin used his phone camera to take a picture of the soups that we wanted which were displayed outside the shop to show our desired orders.Much gesturing and nodding followed between us and the waitress followed.

(Above) Ox Blood Soup. Really goodness boiled into the soup. Natural goodness from ox bones, meat and blood boiled.

(Above) Blood bits from the Ox Blood Soup Eugin ordered.

(Above) Gayle ordered the Hangover Soup, a fish stew famed for curing hangovers after a drinking binge.

(Above)When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Throw your rice in your stew soup and eat it together.

(Above) Empty bowls are a sign that food was lips smacking good!

(Above)Price of our satisfying lunch

(Above) We found Koreans very loving, many couples young and old held hands or hug, quite unlike the stuffy unromantic behavior we see in certain Korean dramas.

(Below) Some of the shops at COEX

(Above) The AK Duty Free Shop where you can purchase duty free items in advance. You select your item, pay for it, get a redemption receipt and on the day of your departure, redeem for your product at the redemption counter at the aiport's AK Duty Free Branch.

(Above)Gayle buying SK II products at the Duty Free departmental store.

(Above) Us taking a breather together to rest our feet.

(Above) We dropped by the super market and found their array of side dishes an eye opener and interesting experience.

(Above) Cute doggies at a pet shop at COEX

(Above)We spotted the familiar signboard of TGIF ( Thank God It's Friday), a restaurant which was once opened in Singapore beside Park Mall and has sicne closed.

(Above) Menu offered at TGIF.

(Above) Queue starting to grow at the Nooblo eatery

With our stomach growling after a afternoon of walking around and shopping, we spotted an eatery called Nooblo(above) which sold ingredient fried in a pan or boiled, very much like teppanyaki cum steamboat, Korean style. There was a crowd building up which indicated to us that there must be quality food on sale there.

(Above) Interior of our dinner eatery - Nooblo

(Above) Pouring the oil into the heated pan.The simmering fragrance of oil and the crackling sound from the pan just sets the atmosphere for a food fest.

(Above) In goes all the main ingredients - blood sausage, vegetables, rice cake.

(Above) Adding of mint leaves to add some spice and taste to the spread.

(Above) In Seoul, the waiter doubles as the cook as he stir fry the ingredients in front of you

(Above) Closeup of the ingredients in the pan.

(Above) Gayle - bon appetit, going to start on enjoying dinner

(Above) Empty plates and bowls are once more testimony to good food!

After dinner, we shopped a little more before heading back with our buys to our hotel.

(Below) On the way back to our hotel across the road, very convenient if you wish to shop at COEX.

(Above) Home sweet Home, a sight for our tired legs

Gayle tried out some of her buys. This was also to check if there was any defect so that we could go back to the shop if there were but luckily there was none.

(Above) Accessory bought.

(Above) Trying the top from Uniqlo

(Above) Trying the embroided tee.

We ended our day with a nice relaxing warm bubble bath while watching TV in our luxurious bathroom.

(Above)Bath salts provided by the hotel. Fill in 3/4 bath water , warm and throw in sprinkling of bath salts and viola, a frothy connoction beckons!

(Above) Watching Simon Cowell in American Idol

DAY 7 IN SEOUL(Part 2) - Visiting Apgujeong - Seoul's high end shopping area

2010-10-17T09:27:00.021+08:00

After settling down in our new hotel, we took the subway to Apgujeong

The affluent district of Apgujeong may not boast as wide a selection of shops as, say, Myeongdong, it's neighboring counterpart. But what Apgujeong shops lack in variety, they most certainly make up for ten fold in quality. With virtually few street stands or outdoor vendors to speak of, most of the purchasing is done indoors at lavish department stores or the myriad fashionable shops dotting the many side streets. Apgujeong has long been regarded as “The Beverly Hills of Seoul”, where fans of stylish, upscale goods wil find a mecca there. Prices there are steep of course, so if money’s no object, you can shop to your heart's content. Many nice pieces we saw there was from $200SGD onwards.

We decided to take a walk around the outskirts of Apgujeong to soak in the atmosphere beyond the glitzy shopping district and also to look for normal Korean lunch fare.

(Above) Apartments of middle class Koreans - makes us appreciate our HDB flats which look sprucier and cleaner.

(Above)Nice European architecture

(Above)We spied a familiar icon - Coffee Bean and Tea Leave

Walking is for most part faster and more interesting than taking public transport such as taxis and buses sicne most likely, you will get caught in a jam. We took some pictures of traffic in Seoul and it is not even peak hour yet.

(Above) Bad Traffic in Seoul

(Above) Crossing the road in Seoul, you can't just assume you have the right of way. Watch out for incoming traffic even if you are on a pedestrian crossing.

(Above) We saw this adorable puppy at a pet shop.

We came across this lunch eatery at one of the side streets and since there was office crowd going inside to have a munch, we decided to give it a try.

(Above) Shop front of the eatery we patronised.

(Above) Inside the eatery

(Above) Eugin waiting hungrily for lunch

(Above)Standard Korean fare

(Above) Korean luncheon meat

(Above)Side dish - Anchoivies

(Above) Sie dish - Seaweed

(Above) Eggroll

(Above)Traditional Bean Paste Stew

(Above) Prices at the eatery

After lunch, we proceeded on down the main street until we came to the road sign - Apgujeong Street.

(Above) Gayle posing at Apgujeong Street

(Above) More Street scene

You know that you are in Apgujeong when the buildings start to feature avant garde designs and the cars around you get posher!

(Below)Avant garde designed buildings

(Below) Cars start to get flashier by the minute. SMall snazzy cars like the Chevolet Spark to the usual continental suspects -BMW, Porsche, Land Rover, Audi.

(Below) Major brands are well presented from LV to Tommy Hilfinger

(Above) One thing about Korean shops is that the ymake effort to design and give each of their shop a unique decor.

(Above) The shopping queen at work : )

(Above) Space is at a premium, double level parking

(Above) range of cafes on offer for tired shoppers - Italian cafes to theme based cafes like the monopoly cafe

(Above) Singapore noodle house at Apgujeong

We came pass Once in a Blue Moon(Above) is one of the best known jazz clubs in Seoul that features two different bands playing live jazz sets every night starting at 7 p.m. up to 10 p.m. This place exudes an elegant, sophisticated atmosphere, which is perfect for a romantic date. Many Korean dramas have used the club as a filming location, such as My Lovely Samsoon where the main characters, Jin-heon and Hee-jin enjoy wine and cocktails while watching a jazz performance there. This jazz club is located on the street between the Hakdong intersection and the Galleria intersection in Apgujeong-dong. From what we read, the jazz played here is one of the best in the city -- a comprising sax, drum and piano with some voices playing mostly standard and familiar jazz riffs and melodies, with exceptional improvisitory solos from every member extending each song to 10+ minutes, which is the way good live jazz should be.

We decied to head to Myeongdong to soak in the World Cup atmosphere and to look for dinner there. That day happened to be a big world cup match featuring South Korea versus Argentina

(Above) Myeongdong shopping street entrance

(Above)Face painting for soccer fans!

(Above) Dropping by CK shop as there a sale there.

(Above) Accessories galore at Myeongdong street carts.

(Below)We had dinner at one of the crowded stew shops.

(Above)Caught in the rush, getting out of the subway station.

We got the shock of our life getting back as we forgot that there was a live screening of the soccer match in front of COEX, opposite our hotel. As a result, we almost got 'crushed' by the crowd. It was so crowded that the subway train refused to stop at the station at our hotel as there was fear of stampede so we had to stop one stop earlier and walked back to our hotel. We had to use the backstreets which took a longer time as the main street was choked with people. What an experience!

(Above) The scene of the crowds at the live soccer screening from our hotel room

(Above)We watch the world cup from our room and it was an experience as you could hear the crowds roaring and floodlight and laser shows everytime South Korea came close to scoring

(Above) After the soccer match, we retired to our cozy bed for a good night's sleep.