I am in awe of this fan-made tribute to Mr. Hayao Miyazaki (宫崎骏).
Ever since I watched "Castle In The Sky" many years ago, I was sold and became a fan instantly.
Whenever I can, I am always on the lookout for anime produced by Studio Ghibli, a film studio founded by Miyazaki.
Their attention to details is beyond words but what I am most impressed with is how they are able to string my emotions along with the story's development. There are times when I secretly wished I was the protagonist of the story so I could walk in their footsteps and experience their adventures.
Some of my favorite Studio Ghibli anime include Grave Of The Fireflies, Totoro, Spirited Away, Castle In The Sky, Howl's Moving Castle, among many others.
I can't say for sure which is my ultimate favorite because they are all so good it would be a crime to pick just one.
Hayao Miyazaki is, without a doubt, one of the most revered anime master in this day and age. I think I might just re-immerse myself in the world of Studio Ghibli this weekend.
Once again, it's the season to binge on Mooncakes and playing with lanterns!
In today's post, I'll share how to make your very own lantern using just a soft drink bottle. You can hardly call this a DIY because I simply bought a lantern handle which comes with a LED bulb and all I did was to push the bulb into the bottle. The only DIY part I did was make a hole in the cap to insert the ring to hook onto the handle.
You can probably paint the bottle or wrap it with cellophane paper but I think this will do for me.
The photos below are pretty self-explanatory.
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The lantern handle with LED bulb which I bought from NTUC for $1.30
After a grueling two weeks high key ICT (which gave me a very nasty blister), it finally ended this morning with a unit cohesion at SENTOSA. What luck it was for me, as I lay in bed last night and read the news about Malaysia's fried chicken franchise, Marrybrown, setting foot in Singapore at SENTOSA's iFly!
I loved their fried chicken so much that I try to have some whenever I visited City Square at JB.
So, after the cohesion ended, everyone out pro-ed and I happily made my way to iFly. The fast food restaurant was officially opened just a week ago on the 1st of October.
I reached there 30 minutes before 11am and being the only customer, had the whole place to myself and all the privacy I needed to take photos.
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Marrybrown outlet at iFly, SENTOSA
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Combo E, Chick-A-Licious
I ordered the Chick-A-Licious combo which is a two piece chicken drenched with black pepper sauce served with fries, a scoop of mashed potato and a drink. Normally, I would have preferred mushroom sauce (which was my usual order in Malaysia) but I wasn't given the option by the staff.
I am actually a little disappointed that the meal was served in a box instead of on a plate just like in Malaysia.
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While the drumstick was tender and juicy, the other piece being breast meat was a lot tougher and not that well marinated thus the black pepper sauce make a good dip for the otherwise tasteless meat.
The fries and mashed potato were quite generic while the latter's brown sauce is bland.
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My combo costs $9.90. I upsized the drink for $0.30 more which brings the total to $10.20. Under normal circumstances, $8 is the maximum I would pay for a one person meal at a fast food restaurant so this is rather pricey by my standards. It doesn't help that the restaurant is located at a tourist attraction so they might have mark up the price to cope with rental.
I like Marrybrown but the Singapore pricing is a big deterrent for me to make a return visit anytime soon. With the current exchange rate in our favor, it makes more sense to have Marrybrown in Malaysia.
Just before I went for my ICT two weeks ago, I made some corner bookmarks for a book lover friend of mine. These bookmarks are inexpensive and easy to make so even if you lose them, they are easily replaceable.
I have long wanted to write up this post when I found out this ingenious way of making bookmarks but have been procrastinating like forever.
If you love reading or know someone who does, perhaps you can try your hand at making your own bookmarks?
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Step 1: Draw three connecting squares on your craft paper as above. My squares are 5cm. Feel free to experiment with the length according to the size of your book. The shaded areas are unwanted.
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Step 2: Fold the left flap up along the pencil line. Apply glue on top. Now, fold the right flap over it.
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Step 3: You should end up with the shape above and we have completed the corner bookmark already. Yes, it's that easy.
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The pocket is where the page of your book goes in. See example below.
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I also made a couple of origami heart shape corner bookmark. This is a little more challenging but still doable.
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For the heart shape corner bookmark tutorial, please refer to this youtube video.
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If you are hopeless with origami, you can simply snip off the corners from old envelopes.
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You get four bookmarks out of one envelope.
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Isn't it neat?
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Actually, old ang pows also can lah. They are more colorful than white envelopes.
And so, I saw someone flaunting this retro handheld game console on FB the other day. Not to be outdone, I ordered one set for myself too.
I believe 8-bit games form a collective memory for many people who grew up playing such games on the Atari and Nintendo. This is especially so for those from my generation.
I placed an order on October 4 but there were no updates on the tracking website till October 9. I got a little impatient but there was nothing I could do except to wait. Then, I found out that week was their holiday following their National Day.
The package finally got delivered yesterday so I thought I would share the unboxing here.
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I am quite surprised to see the delivery guy holding a box of this size. I thought it would just be a small one.
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The box within the box.
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I am so excited to unbox this box. What memories will I unravel from within?
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And there she was, waiting for someone to rouse her from her slumber.
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The game console is thicker and lighter (feels almost empty inside) than what I expected but it is quite comfortable to hold.
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The package comes with:
game console x 1
game cartridge x 1
charger x 1
battery x 2 (I bought an extra battery)
tv cable x 1
pouch for game console x 1
instruction manual (in mandarin) x 1
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There are 128 games installed in the game cartridge whereas there are 472 games installed in the console itself. Sounds confusing?
Think of the game console as your phone. There are 128 games in the external SD card (game cartridge) while there are 472 games in your phone's internal memory.
I have glanced through the games but my favorite ones are the first two: Super Contra 24 in 1 and Super Mario Bros 3. I have been playing these games since young!
If you insert the game cartridge into the console, you can only access the games on the cartridge. If you want to play the games in the console, you will have to remove the cartridge.
After playing with the console for a day, I find the screen a little small and straining on the eyes. However, it isn't so bad when you connect the console to the tv via the cable included in the package.
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$18.99 for a game console with 600 games doesn't sound like a bad deal but, I am perplexed by the total charge.
The console price is listed as $18.99. Shipping charges by Qxpress is $6 while an extra battery costs $4.
If $18.99 + $6 + $4 = $28.99, then why was I charged $30.99?
What is the extra $2 for? Is there some hidden charge that I didn't know of?
Well, they are used as musical instruments and in a Chinese Orchestra no less!
Sounds unbelievable? I have to admit that I too raised an eyebrow when I came across the videos but after listening to them, I find the sounds... music to my ears!
I'm probably late but this is the first time I have heard of Hatsune Miku (初音ミク), a humanoid persona voiced by a singing synthesizer application developed by Crypton Future Media.
The name of the character comes from merging the Japanese words for first (初 hatsu), sound (音 ne) and future (ミク miku), thus meaning "the first sound from the future," referring to her position as the first of Crypton's "Character Vocal Series."
Yes. That is Hatsune Miku herself on stage with a 'live' band during one of her concert. See the number of male fans she has? I'm intrigued how a virtual idol could command such a huge following? As I dig deeper, I realized that Senbonzakura wasn't the first song I have heard from her. She is the original 'singer' for Nyan Cat.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the debut of the Peanuts comic strip.
An animated movie - "Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie" - slated for release on December 10, is a long, overdue wait for enthusiastic fans of the Peanuts gang.
Aside from the movie, the Singapore Philatelic Museum is collaborating with 20th Century FOX, Blue Sky Studios and Charlie Brown Cafe to put together an exhibition showcasing stamp artworks, stamps and first day covers issued by Singapore, Portugal, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, USA, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong.
Also on display are comic strips and collectibles on loan from private collectors, Charlie Brown Cafe, and Mint Museum of Toys.
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Stand to win this one metre tall Snoopy plush!
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Entry ticket into the Philatelic Museum is a stamp sticker
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Art or vandalism?
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The exhibition will be on till 30 April 2015.
Free admission for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents!
SINGAPORE PHILATELIC MUSEUM 23-B Coleman Street Singapore 179807
McDonald's Singapore will be launching a set of 10 collectible toys from the animation, Snoopy And Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie this coming Thursday, 03 December 2015 at 11am.
The characters are:
01. Charlie Brown And Snoopy Bobble 02. Sally And Snoopy 03. Flying Ace 04. Linus 05. Spinning Snoopy 06. Ice Cleaning Woodstock 07. Lucy 08. Schroeder And Snoopy 09. Peppermint Patty 10. Charlie Brown
The toys come free with every purchase of a kid's Happy Meal.
Q: When is this promotion starting?
A: Thursday, 03 December 2015
Q: How many toys will be launched in this promotion? A: 10 in total
Q: How many toys will be launched each week? A: 2 per week
Q: Which characters will be launched each week?
A:
Thursday, 03 December 2015
Charlie Brown And Snoopy Bobble
Sally And Snoopy
Thursday, 10 December 2015
Flying Ace
Linus
Thursday, 17 December 2015
Spinning Snoopy
Ice Cleaning Woodstock
Thursday, 24 December 2015
Lucy
Schroeder And Snoopy
Thursday, 31 December 2015
Peppermint Patty
Charlie Brown
Q: How many Happy Meals do I have to purchase in order to redeem the two toys? A: Each Happy Meal is entitled to ONE toy therefore, it's two Happy Meals for two toys
Q: When will the new toys be launched? A: Every Thursday at 11am
The SG Reef Club held a marine tank competition called the "Marine Exposition 2015" at Qianhu Fish Farm last week.
I have always been amazed by the beauty of marine tanks but I already have difficulty keeping freshwater fish alive as it is so I guess I had better save myself the heartbreak from the lose of livestock and money by admiring other aquarist's tanks instead.
I took the free shuttle bus to the farm from Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange as usual and the competition is right in front of the drop off point.
There are ten marine tanks in the competition. My favorite are tanks number 3 and 4.
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I did not stay for the results as it seems like it is going to rain. The judges were just arriving when I board the shuttle bus out of the farm.
David Bowie losses his battle with cancer two days ago.
I will not pretend that I am a very big fan of his or marvel what a musical genius he is. Sure, I have heard of his name but I know nothing about this man or the songs he sing.
The one thing I do know (apart from the fact he is a rock singer) is that he plays Jareth, the Goblin King from the movie "Labyrinth" which I never fail to watch whenever it airs on TV.
I loved that movie so much I once recorded it on VHS and now owns it on VCD (bought it from HMV before it moves out of Singapore).
Last Saturday, I went on a one day trip to Kluang, Johor, Malaysia with my folks. The trip was organised by Dad's friend, the same uncle whom we went to Malacca with two years ago.
Just like the previous time, we dropped by Gelang Patah for breakfast. There were several coffeeshops here and we chose the one furthest away located under Hotel Linkway.
I ordered Wanton Mee but it was no where in sight after 20 minutes despite not being very crowded. I was just this close to beating up the hawker when I found out that his helper is serving those who ordered after me first. Well, I have a coach to catch and we only had 40 minutes for breakfast.
When my order finally came, what struck me first was the small bowl and its even smaller contents. Next would be the mee pok. Isn't Wanton Mee usually mee kia by default?
Nonetheless, the sauce coating the noodle is pleasant - the kind that I like, although the puny wantons and char siew are quite generic.
After breakfast, our first itinerary is 永平天保宫 which is actually a Ji Gong temple (济公庙).
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The temple had a very big compound and welcome donations for further expansion
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Flanked by two rows of Arhats, the Ji Gong statue measure at 68 meters, the tallest of its kind in Malaysia!
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永平天保宫
Address: No. 20 Jalan Satin, 83700, Yong Peng, Johor
While we are still in Yong Peng, what better place to bring us shopping for local products than YOYO? I like how clean and spacious the place is. They even have their own kitchen/machinery to produce their own biscuits/snacks.
Free sampling is available for most products, sometimes still piping hot out from the kitchen.
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YOYO Native Food Products Address: No.19 & 21, Jalan Cahaya Baru 1, Taman BCB, 83700 Yong Peng, Johor Website: http://yoyonative.com/index.php
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A majority of the Chinese population in Yong Peng are of the Fuzhou (福州/Foo Chow/Hock Chew) dialect hence, it is not difficult to find shops selling Fuzhou foodstuff. We visited a factory making Fuzhou noodles.
Alighting from the coach at the main road, we had to walk to the back entrance of the factory along a small lane leading to some kampung houses.
Even before reaching the door, I can already hear the sounds of the machine churning out the noodles. We had a tour of the small factory showing how the noodles were made.
Unfortunately, I have no idea of the name of this factory or its address but it is within walking distance from the next destination - Eng Hin.
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Kedai Membuat Kuih-Muih Eng Hin (永兴福州饼面厂)
Not far from the noodle factory, we came to Eng Hin, a shop specializing in making Fuzhou biscuits. The shop on the left with the blue folding door is where they make the biscuits fresh daily while the shop on the right is their retail shop where the biscuits and other Fuzhou specialties are sold.
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Fuzhou biscuits
There are a few varieties of Fuzhou biscuits: the plain sweet ones, the plain savory ones with sesame seeds, and the ones filled with peanuts.
Mum bought some of the plain sweet ones which I like and some of the plain savory ones which are very tough to the bite.
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Kedai Membuat Kuih-Muih Eng Hin (永兴福州饼面厂) Address: No.14, Main Road, 83700 Yong Peng, Johor GPS Coordinates: 2.011265, 103.060086
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After hours of travelling on the coach, we finally arrived at our first destination in Kluang, the Kluang Coffee Powder Factory. The moment the coach opened it's door, the aroma of the coffee infiltrated the entire bus. I already feel refreshed simply by taking a deep breath!
We were given a quick tour around the factory with a brief introduction of how coffee bean is turned onto coffee powder. It is said that the Sultan of Johor is a fan of the coffee here and his photos graced the walls of the factory.
The photos of Mediacorp artistes Mark Lee, Ng Hui and Sharon Aw can also be seen alongside the photos of the Sultan too.
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A coffee plant outside the factory
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At the end of the tour, we were treated to complimentary coffee with biscuits. The kopi-o (black coffee) is aromatic and robust. This is definitely one of the best coffee we had. No wonder the Sultan is a fan!
Lunch is superb with the restaurant's specialty Pipa Duck, a fish with different fruits among others. Unfortunately, there are no photos to show as we are sharing a table with seven other strangers who are ready to strike the dishes with their chopsticks. There would be nothing left except bones if I am not fast enough.
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Having visited Malaysia so many times, I realized this funny phenomenon in their Chinese restaurants. While one half of the restaurant is having a wedding, the other half is still available for walk-ins. The thing is, they do not seem to mind!
Actually, I feel so bad for the couple as if we are gatecrashing their wedding!
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After lunch, we came to Yuen Fatt Biscuit for more... biscuits.
The specialty here is their odd-shaped Shanghai Mooncake. Strangely, the tour guide did not "promote" this to us. I know because I am still reading up other blogs the night before the trip.
I suppose this shop did not give a lot of commission to the guide?
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The Shanghai Mooncake is in this odd elongated shape with two pointed ends. It comes with either two yolks, one yolk or no yolk and flavors such as Pandan, Tau Sar (Red Bean Paste) and Lotus Paste.
Seeing the bloggers describing the taste as "buttery" and "melt-in-your-mouth", I really regretted not buying any but they do deliver to Singapore.
Kluang RailCoffee is located just right beside the Kluang railway station. It was started way back in 1938 during the pre-war times as a canteen to serve the train passengers arriving at this town.
The business is now run by the third generation Chinese owner who employed Muslim staff at this original shop. They now own a few other outlets.
We arrived at two in the afternoon when they were having their break so the entire bus load of us filled up all the tables in the space-limited shop waiting for them to open for business.
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According to the blogs I read about this establishment, the bloggers have nothing but praises for the Nasi Lemak and Mee Siam here so that is what I really wanted to try. The parents who only wanted coffee and toast turned pale in the face...
"But we're going for dinner after this! Later too full how?" they said.
"Walau, you come so far you don't want to try meh???" I argued.
Since the bloggers say good then it must be good. Right?
Our coffee came first. Dad's kopi-o (black coffee) is too thin and lacked the aroma that coffee should have. My kopi peng (ice coffee) tasted better (probably due to the addition of condensed milk) but is too sweet for me.
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Our Nasi Lemak and Mee Siam took quite a while to come. And when it came, the tour people around us turned to look as we were the only ones who ordered that.
I think the portion is like only 1/3 of the regular packets. We stared at each other, trying to suppress the laughter that is erupting from within. All that worries about not being able to finish the food for nothing!
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The Nasi Lemak is very basic with just rice, a couple of ikan bilis, a few stale peanuts and very nice sambal. I think it is just RM 70 sen which is just about SGD 30 cents. At that price, I have no complaints.
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The Mee Siam is the dry version without soup and the Mee Siam flavor is not very distinct. To be honest, I would have thought it is just normal fried beehoon if I did not know it is Mee Siam beforehand.
The next time, do not believe everything bloggers say! But this blogger you definitely can trust because I pay for my own food so I am not obligated to say only the nice things.
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Coming up next is the charcoal toasted bun with kaya and a slab of margerine.
The homemade kaya with a cold slab of melting margerine sandwiched between the heated buns tasted heavenly but it is too sweet for my sensitive tooth.
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With the top bun removed
They are quite generous with the kaya which had a hint of gula melaka.
For the last itinerary of the day, we were brought to Kluang Mall, the largest mall in Kluang.
Initially, we wanted to go to the Pacific Hypermart but I find it off-putting that we need to leave our bags at the counter outside.
I am not going to spend my money at a place where customers are being treated like shoplifters. On the contrary, I am more worried about having my camera, tablet, powerbank, etc going 'missing' under their care.
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My only loot were these priced at RM 4.90 per box which is only SGD 1.60.
I am so excited that I bought 12 boxes of it including Spongebob, Iron Man and a couple of dinosaurs.
We are not too interested in shopping malls since they are all the same. Perhaps, we are spoilt for choice having come from the city. Apparently, small towns like this typically do not have a good variety of retail outlets to choose from that is, until the arrival of Kluang Mall.
We spent the two hours there waiting for the coach to come pick us up for dinner.
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Dinner at Sing Guan Restaurant is another superb experience. I really love the food in Malaysia's Chinese restaurants. They are fresh, delicious and affordable! I especially love the kampung chicken here. They are way better than Ipoh Lou Wong's!
On our way back to the second link, we came across an accident involving a heavy vehicle and three cars. One of the cars turned turtle and was almost flattened. I hope no one is in any of those cars. I applaud the auntie's commentary at the background as if she witnessed the entire accident. She can go apply to be a detective already. My trip to rustic Kluang is an enjoyable one though I wish we could have visited more places like UK Agro Resort, Zenxin Organic Farm and perhaps even Gunung Lambak. Next time, perhaps?
By now, you might have had already heard about the old Bukit Purmei Lor Mee reopening for business at Blk 501 West Coast Drive.
I was taken aback when I heard the news a year ago that the stall at Bukit Purmei had closed down due to Uncle Teo suffering from a heart attack. However, I am glad he is back in action again after a year of recuperation.
The current hawker taking over his stall at Blk 109 Bukit Purmei (also selling Lor Mee) is in no way affiliated with him, as clarified on their FB page. I guess the clarification came about because some customers who did not know about the change of hands thought that uncle's Lor Mee standard has dropped - quite drastically!
Yes, Uncle Teo's Lor Mee stall finally have a social media account now so we are able to know their whereabouts should they move again!
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I was unable to visit the stall earlier as they are not opened everyday but when they do, they closes very early. The stall is located at Blk 501 West Coast Drive inside "Food Loft" coffeeshop near the Ayer Rajah Food Centre.
I got there around 9.30am and the queue is already stretching outside the coffeeshop. I queued for about 45 minutes, which I feel is a reasonable time however, it could have been my turn earlier if not for the customer in front who let his friend jump queue and that person ordered 6 bowls with different requests.
For those who are wondering whether the people behind the West Coast Drive Lor Mee is from the Bukit Purmei stall, I can assure you that they are the same - same signboard and same uncle in the same signature white shirt.
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That is him in the photo above (photo from here) during the pre-Bukit Purmei days and the video I took of him coming out from the toilet at West Coast Drive below...
A little blurry lah but still recognizable right?
After so many years, his hair is still jet black! Could the secret to his black hair lie in his Lor Mee? If this is true, then uncle is definitely giving Yun Nam and Beijing 101 a run for their money!
I am so glad to see Uncle Teo again and I cannot stress this enough. Even though he does not know me, I have already seen him toiling behind his Lor Mee stall when I was just a little boy during the 1980s. This was at the old Tiong Bahru Market way before it was torn down and rebuilt.
As my grandparents used to stay at Jalan Membina, we would visit them nearly every weekend but not without dropping by uncle's stall to have a bowl of Lor Mee first.
Due to his ill health now, uncle had been advised not to overwork therefore, the new stall will only be opened for business four days a week. Having the stall closed for the other three days means a loss of quite a substantial source of income. The inevitable way to sustain the business would be to increase price.
The Bukit Purmei pricing of $2.50 (red bowl), $3 (green bowl) and $3.50 (yellow bowl) is now $3, $3.50 and $4.50 respectively.
Since I came all the way there and queued for 45 minutes, I would have let myself down if I do not order the biggest bowl. The Lor Mee contains the usual fishcake, ngor hiang, lor bak, chopped slices of pork chop and everyone's favorite fried batter.
All these ingredients in a lip-smacking gooey sauce which does not turn watery despite after taking so many photos of it in any angle possible. I have eaten Lor Mee that tasted downright flat but this is almost three dimensional (if there is even such a way of describing food!).
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.There are many reasons one may have for liking a particular food. For most, it could simply be the taste but for me, it goes far deeper than that because this Lor Mee bring back many childhood memories I had had of my deceased grandparents.
Those who grew up eating Uncle Teo's Lor Mee (and I meant at least three decades), this is a price which we are most willing to pay and queue up for to keep him in business
Uncle Teo, please take care of your health. I still want to have a bowl of your Lor Mee years down the road!
For your information, they will be closed from 5/2/2016 to 12/2/2016 during the Chinese New Year period. Business will resume on 13/2/2016.
Food Loft
Blk 501 West Coast Drive
Singapore 120501
Opening Hours (subject to changes):
Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: 7.30am to 1.30pm
Cast: Mark Lee, Aileen Tan, Wang Lei, Suhaimi Yusof
Director: Jack Neo
Genre: Period Comedy
Language: Hokkien and Malay with Mandarin, English and Malay Subtitles
Release Date: 5 February 2016
Distributor: Golden Village Pictures, Shaw, MM2 Entertainment Facebook
*Spoilers ahead*
Set in the 60's, we followed Zhao Di back to her kampung after being thrown out of her husband's home. In a era where boys are favoured over girls, returning home with three daughters in tow may not be a easy thing especially with a superstitious father "Fourth Uncle" (Wang Lei) and nosy neighbors.
She had to go on her knees to beg her father to allow her and her daughters to stay but went into labor while doing so.
Mark Lee's potrayal as Ah Kun - Zhao Di's obnoxious and foul-mouthed brother is infuriating yet fun to watch. He is the self-deserving guy who thinks of himself as the alpha male in the family and that womenfolk have no status in society. Despite Zhao Di helping him out every time he gets into trouble, Ah Kun is not the least grateful to his sister.
The second brother Ah Hee (Benjamin Tan), on the other hand, is a little repulsive of his sister's return in the beginning but later grew to respect and even stood up for her when her soya bean milk cart was wrecked by the hooligans who came to collect protection money.
The movie documents several important milestones in Singapore history: registering for identity cards (IC) after gaining independence; the very first National Service callup; the rising tensions between the chinese and malays during the 1969 racial riot; the first industrialization of Singapore; and the worst flood in Singapore history.
Two of my favorite parts in the movie are the stop-motion fight between the gangsters and the health inspectors and the flood scene.
Long Long Time Ago is definitely one of my favorite Jack Neo film to date. I cannot wait for part two in March 2016.
It is a nostalgic and heartfelt movie that Singaporeans and perhaps even Malaysians can relate to. Do stay for the end credits though. The theme song and photo montage is not to be missed.
Synopsis:
This is a story of trials and tribulations of a family during the early years of Singapore's independence.
Through the narration of Zhao Di's (Aileen Tan) eldest daughter, we are brought back to 1965 where she and her three daughters were forced to leave the house by her husband's first wife after he passed away.
Heavily pregnant with no one to turn to, she makes a unwelcome return to her patriarch home in the kampung.
After giving birth to a pair of twins, Zhao Di is pressured to give away her new born daughter who had two moles on her face. The moles were considered bad luck and feared to bring trouble to the family.
With the help of her good friend Osman (Suhaimi Yusof), she began selling soya bean milk on a makeshift cart to support her daughters and contribute to the household in return for a roof over her head.
My ratings? Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. 4/5
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Marina Bay Sands and Artscience Museum
It was the third day of the lunar new year and the folks had wanted to visit River Hong Bao so I brought them there via the new Downtown Line which is much more convenient and faster compared to the East West Line. The public transport infrastructure is so well connected now there is no need to own a car in Singapore.
We alighted at Bayfront Station and exited through Marina Bay Sands.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Singapore's financial hub skyline
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. The water lily pond at the Artscience Museum
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. The Helix Bridge that connects Marina Bay Sands (in the background) to the Floating Platform where River Hong Bao is taking place
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Everybody's best friend - God Of Fortune aka Cai Shen Ye
We were just in time to catch Cai Shen Ye sending golden showers of blessings and everyone rushing to catch it with their hands and upturned umbrellas. What a sight!
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Most of the lanterns are inspired by the Monkey
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. My favorite lanterns are these two lions
It was way too crowded to see and photograph anything. I ended up taking family portraits of other people so I gave up. We had the $5 tasteless grilled squid from the food street and I felt so depressed the entire night. Everything is crazily priced!
The folks were also getting tired so we decided to head to Marina Square for our late dinner.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.The British army surrendered Singapore to the Japanese forces at the Ford Factory in Bukit Timah on 15 February 1942.
The annual Total Defence Day is picked on this date to remind Singaporeans of the sufferings of our forefathers during World War II and what we stand to lose if we are unable to defend ourselves. The sirens on the Public Warning System (PWS) will also go off for a minute at 6.20pm - the historical time that the British surrendered to the Japanese.
Total Defence is the name of Singapore's comprehensive defence strategy, based on the understanding that besides military action, aggressors can also attack the country by wrecking its economic systems, tearing its social fabric apart, targeting Singaporeans' beliefs and commitment to defence, and its ability to recover from disasters, both natural and man-made.
The Total Defence concept encompasses five key aspects – military, civil, economic, social and psychological defence – and focuses on the need for each Singaporean to play his or her part to defend the nation.
"Military Defence" consists of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), including its citizen soldiers. Their mission is to "enhance Singapore's peace and security through deterrence and diplomacy, and should these fail, to secure a swift and decisive victory over the aggressor". As part of the mission, the SAF strives to maintain a high state of operational readiness 24/7
"Civil Defence" is about ensuring Singaporeans know what to do in times of an emergency. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) supports this aspect of Total Defence. However, if Singapore encounters a nationwide emergency (e.g.: terrorism act or war), the SCDF will not be able to cope with the demands of the situation. Hence, it is crucial to rope in Singaporeans to help their fellow Singaporeans. To facilitate this, the SCDF recruits and trains civil defence volunteers in first aid, rescue and evacuation procedures, and shelter management.
"Economic Defence" is defined as maintaining the economy of the country and its ability to compete in the world, as well as environmental protection. It also involves helping Singapore (and Singaporeans) stay relevant in the global economy and putting in place economic systems to ensure that the Singapore economy does not collapse in times of crisis.
"Social Defence" is about keeping the social fabric strong and ensuring that Singaporeans live in harmony regardless of race or religion. This is especially important because Singapore is a multi-racial and multi-religious society.
"Psychological Defence" is about loyalty, commitment to Singapore, and having the will power and resilience to overcome challenges. This is the component that would determine if Singaporeans will stay to fight or abandon the country when it is in trouble. - Wiki
The theme song, There's A Part For Everyone released in 1984, was one of Singapore's first few national songs. As the name implies, everyone have a part to play in defending our country.
This year, the song got a makeover and has been rearranged to be more upbeat by local band QuickPick.
After Hong Kong and Malaysia, the McDonald's X Nanoblock food icon is finally coming to Singapore!
The promotion will be launched next week but there will be a sneak preview this coming Wednesday (17 February 2016).
McDonald's will be setting up their smallest store in the world at Bugis Junction Atrium (outside Bossini) and the first 100 customers can order one of the following items: Big Mac, French Fries (M), McFlurry Oreo, Apple Pie, McCafe Premium Roast Coffee or a Coca Cola (S).
Each customer will receive their order free of charge along with one matching McDonald's X Nanoblock food icon.
The restaurant will operate from 12pm and orders are limited to one menu item per customer.
This is only a ONE day event so do not miss it!
More details on the promotion will be shared soon.
After Hong Kong and Malaysia, the McDonald's food icon X Nanoblock is finally coming to Singapore!
The Nanoblock will be made available in stores every Monday from 22 February 2016 at 11am and each collectible is available for sale with purchase of any EVM (Extra Value Meal).
The Nanoblock are released as follow:
Week 1:
01. McDonald's Food Icon X Nanoblock (limited edition collector's kit)
McDonald's Nanoblock Collectors Kit in-store sales From 11am on 22 February 2016 until 28 February 2016, customers can purchase McDonald's Nanoblock Collector's kit at $29.00 with each purchase of an Extra Value Meal. Each customer may buy up to 2 Nanoblock collector's kits per transaction, subject to availability. The McDonald's Restaurant Nanoblock is only available with this Nanoblock collector's kit. *This is not available via McDonald's drive-thrus, self-ordering kiosks, dessert kiosks, McDelivery and restaurants located at KK Hospital, Tampines Kiosk and Shaw Lido.
Week 2:
02. McCafe (only available at McCafe)
McCafe Nanoblock only available at McCafe outlets
From 11am on 29 February 2016 until 03 April 2016, customers can purchase McCafe Nanoblock at $4.00 with each purchase of a McCafe Set Meal. Each customer may buy up to a maximum of 4 McCafe Nanoblock per transaction, subject to availability.
McCafe Nanoblock is only available at McCafe outlets, while stocks last! *This is not available via McDonald's drive-thrus, self-ordering kiosks, dessert kiosks, McDelivery and restaurants located at KK Hospital and Tampines Kiosk.
Week 2: 03. French Fries Week 3:
04. Cold Cup
Week 4:
05. Apple Pie
Week 5:
06. McFlurry
Week 6:
07. Big Mac
McDonald's Nanoblock collectibles (individual food icons) From 11am on 29 February 2016 until 03 April 2016, customers can purchase Nanoblock collectibles (except McCafe Nanoblock) at $4.00 together with each purchase of an Extra Value Meal. Each customer may buy up to a maximum of 4 Nanoblock collectibles per transaction, subject to availability.
*This is not available via McDonald's drive-thrus, self-ordering kiosks, dessert kiosks, McDelivery and restaurants located at KK Hospital and Tampines Kiosk.
Image may be NSFW.
