Purchase of new microwave steam oven - Sharp AX1100V(R)

As our Panasonic Steam oven was over 5 years old and even though it was still serving us well faithfully, we thought it prudent to replace with a new one as a precautionary measure as due to wear and tear, and also for hygiene reasons since the oven interior is abit worn off.

(Above) Our old Panasonic Steam Oven On the topic of microwave ovens, there are alot of paranoia and cospiracy theories on how bad microwave ovens are. The most common being that claim that microwave cooking sucks the nutrients out of food. Based on what we researched, this is not entirely true. Technicians and scientists agree that microwave-cooked food may in fact retain vitamins and minerals better than stove-top-cooked food because the microwave zaps food quickly and without much water. This is based on the theory that the longer you cook food in liquid, the more nutrients may seep out, which is fine for soups and stews, but it's a problem if one discards the liquid before eating. One study by the US Consumers Union found that spinach retained all of its folate when cooked in a microwave, compared with 77 percent when cooked on a stove, There is also the fear that microwave ovens can leak radiation. However,the Food and Drug Administration allows for some leakage. But this leakage if there is, is at levels that are far below any known to cause harm. Further, it states that microwave ovens stop producing radiation once the door is opened and they suggest that there should be no attempts to operate a microwave if the door is broken. There is also the accusation that radiation can cause burns, temporary sterility, and even cataracts, since the a microwave oven can heat body tissue in the same way it heats food. However, for this to occur, one would have to be exposed to levels that are much higher than the allowable limits for leakage. Therefore, unless you put your body parts in the oven during operation, there is no possibility at all of getting cancer from your microwave. Just make sure that the microwave is not operating when you open the door. Many negative articles also claim that microwaves change the molecular structure and composition of food by ejecting some electrons from atoms and forming cancer-causing free radicals. According to scientists, microwaves don't affect the molecular structure of the food, except through the thermal effects we associate with normal cooking (e.g., denaturing of proteins with heat and caramelizing of sugars). That's because, like all electromagnetic waves, microwaves are emitted and absorbed as particles called "photons." The energy in a microwave photon is so tiny that it can't cause any chemical rearrangement in a molecule. Instead, it can only add a tiny amount of heat to a water molecule. During the microwave cooking process, microwave photons stream into the food and heat it up and do not change the molecular structure of your food. Okay enough with the information on debunking microwave ovens myths, we scouted for another microwave oven with steam function and managed to get a new one at a good price - Sharp AX-1100V(R) microwave oven with steam, microwave and grill functions. Importantly, this model has both high and low steam functions to help vitamin retention and preserve natural moisture and flavors. Gain city was selling this oven for $599 with $50 voucher. We managed to get the same one from our favourite electronics store- Mega Discount Store for $499 which has many good buys for electronic products. We also liked that this oven shuts off electrical supply when not in use - ie no standby mode. Activation of oven only begins when one opens the door thus saving energy. The oven looks aesthically pleasing and comes in shades of red or silver. Stocks are limited t Mega Discount though as it is a very popular sales item.

Repair Kerb Rash @ Autokinetics

All car proud drivers would understand the heart pain when your nice rims get damaged by contact with a kerb and would definitely want to quickly restore their rims. Recently in order to avoid a jay walking pedestrian, we had a slight kerb rash when our left rear rim contacted with a kerb around a car park exit. Definitely heartpain to see damage to one's shiny rims. A search online brought us to Autokinectics, a tyre shop in Macpherson where they also do spraypainting and repair of rims beside wheel alignment. Jake, one of the owner of Autokinetics did an assessment of our kerbed rim to give a quote @ $40 to restore the rim which is very reasonable. The kerbed area was sanded down,buffed and then resprayed within 30 minutes. As the pictures show, you cant spot the area that was restored. Though if you look really closely, you may be able to see some light fine scratches which will indicate the area that was restored but the result was acceptable for $40. We also did wheel alignment for front and rear wheels with Jake as he had the settings for the F20 and E87 1 series at $80 on their brand new Hunter laser based alignment system which supports BMW models.They can be contacted at -http://autokinetics.sg/contact/

(Above)Kerb Rash can be seen on edge of rim

(Above)Kerb Rash area sanded down and buffed before respray

(Above)Restored rim. Can you spot the restored area?

(Above)Car raised up with alignment targets mounted to all 4 wheels.

(Above)KDSII wheel alignment targets mounted onto the wheel for precise alignment seting by the machine.

Mickey and Minnie Picture Decor for our Home

Franc Franc at Vivocity is having a clearance sale on it's Disney line of products and we decided to add some colours to our house and continue our Mickey and Minnie theme by purchasing 3 pieces of Mickey and Minnie art decor.After discount, each piece was going for $21.60 ( usual retail - $46 to $76). They add colour and a dash of comic relief to the house. A value buy indeed.

BMW F20 Harmon Kardon Tweeters and Cover trim

Munich Automobiles, the other authorised agent for BMW and BMW M cars in Singapore is having a promotion to attract new and existing BMW owners to go to it's workshop for their repair or warranty needs. MA is offering welcome vouchers of $200 that can offset up to 50% of the cost of your purchase of services or accessories there. Taking advantage of this offer, I went to MA to register and collected my vouchers. There I ordered 2 sets of Harmon Kardon tweeters with cover for my BMW F20. Tweeters are speakers that operate at higher frequency such that sounds become more sharp and crisp. Before I installed the tweeters, I had difficulty hearing the background sounds and general sound was flat. The tweeters do make a very big difference to the overall audio quality for the small sum of close to $400 and less if you use vouchers. You have to order the right and left side cover and it comes with associated HK tweeters. Part number is B51.33.7.270.759 and B51.33.7.270.760. The tweeter and cover forms a continuous single piece of door trim at the front edge of the front doors. Each HK tweeter with cover costs SGD$194.15 before GST. I did a 45 minutes installation for $80 at Soundwerkz who are an audio specialist who are very familiar with BMW cars.If you are keen, do give MA a call. You can contact Andrian Sit, the MA Senior Parts Advisor at +65 6896 3933. Andrian was very helpful helping me to source for the part number and then checking for me whether the covers came with the tweeters. He helped me to check the parts properly upon their arrival making it a smooth ordering and collection process. Kudos to Andrian and MA.

Authentic Napalenese food in Singapore - Gurkha Palace

We drop by our favorite Napalese food joint in Singapore - Gurkha Palace, a modest home feel airconditioned eating place located at 51 Chander Road, S(219548). The naans here are really good- soft fluffy and especially pur favorite, rich aroma of the butter and garlic naan. For 2 persons, 3 naans will be just nice which are cut up in convenient pieces and served to you. The naans take some time to cook which can range from 20 to 30mins depending on crowd but is piping hot and fresh. Also, for starters, you will be served with pappadum dipped in mint sauce.

(Above)Pappadum fresh crispy and warm - a good start.

(Above) Mint sauce for dipping the Pappadum

(Above)Fragrant and savoury butter and garlic naan.

(Above)Palak Paneer

(Above)Mutton Masala - We usually order main dishes of Mutton Masala ( mutton cubes cooked in spicy gravy with onions and green chilli ) which are good dips for the naan.This is a little spicy which we like for the kick, yet it is not too hot for the stomach and throat. But still, taste varies and those that are sensitive to spiciness, do avoid dishes that are spicy. We also ordered a vegetable dish called Palak Paneer (Fresh home made cottage cheese cooked with spinach) whose fragrance and milder taste offset the spiciness. Cheese is mild tasting so do give it a try, The cubes of cheese taste and have a texture like toufu if you did not know they were cheese. The next order was for a very tasty serving of ladyfingers called Bhindi Do Piaza (Ladyfingers cooked with onion, tomatoes and spices)and the unique thing is there is no usual sliminess of cooked ladyfingers. This tasted so nice that we forgot to take a picture of it. A meal for two with plain cold water ( the best drink so that you can savor the taste of the food) costs about $32 with taxes.You can refer to their website at - http://www.gurkha-palace.com/

AC Schnitzer Type IV rims fitted to F20 BMW 116

(Above)AC Schnitzer Type IV Rims fitted on car It was my good fortune to be recommended to Dave by a fellow BMW forummer who had bought excess stocks of tyres and rims from Performance Motors during their clearance sale a few years back. Wanting to clear his stores, he initiated a fire sale of his stored items, including original AC Schnitzer Type IV rims at an incredible price of SGD$1000 for 4 rim pieces brand new in box complete with air valve, caps and sealed ACS silver star centre cap inclusive of installation labour charges.

(Above)Brand new in box upon delivery by Dave These rims if you do a search on the internet sells for US$589 per piece and when it was sold by Performance Motors, the authorised agent for BMW in Singapore which at one time held the distributorship for AC Schnitzer rims in Singapore sold it for SGD$900 per rim. Weighing about 10kg per rim, these rims when fitted to my F20 resulted in noticeable improved take off at traffic lights and also fuel consumption improved by about additional 40 to 50km more from full to empty tank based on urban driving. Finished in silver, these rims although not the latest ACS models still retain the classic subtle sporty look and add an attractive contrast colour to the mineral grey body colour of the car.

(Above)Closeup of BBS stamp - ACS Type IV rims are manufactured by BBS

(Above)Rims are made in Germany, unlike many branded rims these days that are outsourced to China or Taiwan.Certain BreYXXY rims made in Taiwan have had cracked rims due to poor quality control.

(above) Close up of Rims with ACS silver star cap and ACS decal on spoke.

Wedding Anniversary Lunch and Dinner

(Above)Gayle enjoying her meal at Serenity We celebrated our Wedding Anniversary with a nice French lunch at Bistro Au Petit Salut at Holland Road and a flavourful Spanish dinner at Serenity at Vivocity. Bistro Au Petit Salut offers value for money authetic French set lunch with starter, main course and dessert with free coffee/tea at about $33 per pax after taxes.

(Above)Half dozen baked Burgundy snails with tomato fondue and garlic butter as starters, soft tender wth no after taste.

(Above) Main course of “Minute” of onglet beef with French mustard jus and mashed potatoes if you ould like a meaty meal.

(Above)“Gateau Au Fromage Blanc” or Homemade cheesecake with Madagascar vanilla beans

(Above) Choux buns with vanilla ice cream,warm chocolate sauce and sliced almonds Sereity is more expensive at about $50 to $70 per pax but you get to taste wonderful Spanish food which just sits very well with your taste buds. For starters, we had a rich and really invirogating soup known as Sopa Catalunya or Spanish clear soup with pork, beef, chicken and butter beans. The meat boiled for long periods to give the soup it's rich and addictive taste just falls apart in your mouth.

(Above)Sopa Catalunya

(Above) Closeup of the ingredients in Sopa Catalunya After this hearty soup which we never fail to miss when we dine at Serenity,we continued with crispy but yet soft and moist inside deep fried Spanish prawn cakes called Bunuelos de Gambas

(Above)Bunuelos de Gambas

(Above) Soft and moist sweet insides of the Bunuelos de Gambas Next on our order was sinfully rich Paté Con Cebolla Caramelizada or Foie Gras with caramel onion which melts in your mouth wth the sweetness of the caramelized onion.

(Above)Paté Con Cebolla Caramelizada This was followed by the main course of Paella de Marisco (Seafood Paella)with hearty servings of herb infused fragrant Bomaba rice cooked slowly over the stove for 45 minutes with servings of tiger prawns, squid, half shell mussels, dory fish, capsium.

(Above) Paella de Marisco (Seafood Paella)