hey hei, chocolate ice cream

Lately, I had my wisdom tooth extracted (cost me enough to get an iPad!) and was a semi-solid diet. For a couple of days, meals were of porridge, yogurt, oatmeal and, unavoidably, ice cream.

Speaking of ice cream, I had this incredibly delicious chocolate-flavoured one, called "hei" (黑), by Awfully Chocolate.  It is a super premium dark chocolate ice cream made with natural ingredients.

According to the website, it contains a blend of our Awfully Chocolate's own chocolate and Belgian dark chocolate (min. 70% cocoa solids), real eggs, fresh milk and pure cream. And because of the low air content in the ice cream, it's very rich and dense, and it has less sugar than most other premium ice creams.

True to its word, joy is in hei and it's better if you get a few more people to share the pint ($11.60, also comes in Single and Double scoop servings at $3.80 and $6.20 respectively) with you because, once you start, you may find it hard to stop. With low sugar content, you can easily smell the fragrance and enjoy the rich taste of the chocolate. This is unlike those which are so sweet you can hardly taste the chocolate. hei is definitely the best and most serious chocolate ice cream I've ever had, and the calories are well worth it.

Address: 10 outlets in Singapore, including ION Orchard, Star Vista, VivoCity and Jurong Point
For a full list, visit http://www.awfullychocolate.com/singapore/storelocations.php
Rating: Will be back!

It's Christmas!

Merry Christmas and happy happy holidays. Say Hello to Santa!

As much as I didn't want to eat this cute thing, it was an awesome fruit cake from Shangri-La Hotel.

Those Kisses are so lovely

It's been quite a while since a music moved my heart at the very first time I hear it. I kind of miss this feeling -- sort of a first love kind of feeling -- and was overjoyed when I fortuitously heard the track Those Kisses by The Fisherman Three while I caught the short film "The Ticket". 

This beautiful track is so surreal and poignant, so much so it brings back the bittersweet mood you experience while listening to Augustana's Boston. I prowled the Net in search for the lyrics to no avail, so I decided to listen (and of course enjoy) the words and below is what I caught. Pardon me for any errors!

The Fishermen Three - Those Kisses

I got past through a thousand desserts

And come upon a mountain stream

I was blinded for a thousand sunsets

Then open my eyes to see

My angels coming closer

I feel her breath on me

Lipstick in the mirror

Blowing kisses in a dream

And though your kisses are blowing us away
And here they take us is where we’re gonna stay

Oh inside the darkness, all over the land

I can’t see anything but I can feel your hand

Send me a sparrow, show a little flame

Anything to help you make it home again

The sand was white as moonlight

As I woke from the beautiful dream

Oh if I could only see you

But there’s a dessert in between

I’m tracking a trail of petals

The night, it is alive

The wind keeps twisting and turning

But somehow I will arrive

And though your kisses are blowing us away

And where they take us is where we’re gonna stay

Oh inside the darkness, all over the land

I can’t see anything but I can feel your hand

Send me a sparrow, show a little flame

Anything to help you make it home again

 

A Room with a Meal

I decided to pop by the recently-opened Alexandra Retail Centre and found that they offer a wide range of F&B for the busy office crowd. It was evening time when I was there so it there wasn't too much of on-the-go white collared people. Hence, I could take my pick on where to dine (instead of opting for the place with the shortest/no queue.

Eventually, my friend and I settled on Room Coffee. Bar. It is a little quaint-looking cafe located at the heart of the mall so you can't miss it.

The menu is pretty comprehensive, with selections ranging from sandwiches to burgers to pastas.

Since there was a 1-for-1 pasta promotion, we decided to give them a try. We ordered a Spaghetti Aglio Olio ($8) with prawns (meaning an additional $5), and Spaghetti Bolognese ($13). Both of them were served in a pretty powl (plate-cum-bowl). Interesting presentation I must say but the taste was to be seen, I mean, tasted.

Generally, the pasta didn't taste as good as they looked. However, I must say that they are pretty generous with the portions.

The Aglio Olio came with 5 prawns, which were crunchy but felt somehow artificial. The pasta was a teeny weeny too tougher than I'd like it to be.

Many a time, the minced meat in the sauce comes in pathetic portions but not this one. There was a heap of chicken--probably half the amount of pasta so I thought that was cool. While the texture was fine, unfortunately, I felt that the amount of salt was enough the make someone with hypertension do a double take. 

Room Coffee.Bar also serves an array of desserts which looked decent, such as carrot cake, red velvet cake and muffin. There's also a great range of coffee and tea, of which I tried the Organic Chamomile by Taylors of Harrogate and was incredibly satisfied.

Address: 460 Alexandra Road #01-18, PSA Building (Alexandra Retail Centre)
Rating: Worth one try

A cafe for dogs and humans. Yay.

After much procrastination, our family finally made a trip down to Doggiestyle Cafe at Serangoon's nexhttp://www.nex.com.sg/   shopping mall to give it a try. In this cafe, both human beings and doggies are allowed to co-exist and have a great meal together, something that's usually confined to just the home.

Located at the rooftop (I wonder if the pun on 'roof' was intended), we had to take a special pets lift to get to the cafe. It was empty when we stepped in. Once inside, we unleashed the 2 doggies to let them roam around. They looked happy. One would think that a cafe for dogs wouldn't serve nice food for human beings but we were so wrong. The Western-styled dishes were great and the serving was big enough to feed a..husky? What's more, they came with interesting names.

Our doggies had a Doggie Yogurt Ice-cream ($3.90) and they looked super delighted to eat it. A human being who took a lick of it looked delighted too =P Yes, human beings can eat this too.

The human beings had a sumptuous meal too, consisting piping hot Oven-baked Potato ($7.90). There were 4 pieces of half-cut potatoes topped with cheese and bacon bits. This is special as I had expected something like those you see in Western restaurants -- cut and opened in the middle and smeared with sour cream. This is certainly worth a try.

We also had a Chicken Caesar Salad ($8.90) which came with a generous serving of chicken thigh (yea, you know how most chicken caesar salad is pathetic with their chicken). The grilled chicken was succulent and vegetables were fresh and crunchy. 

The other dishes we tried were BBQ Chihuahua ($12.90), which is actually a pair of hot dogs..I wondered why they didn't name the dish BBQ dachshund. Heehee. But rest assured that the hot dog was made of pork and not dog meat *shudder*. We also shared a Maltese Mushroom & Chicken pasta ($12.90), named so probably because of its white colour.

Then there was also a plate of Frenchie Fish & Chips ($12.90). Why Frenchie, I do not know, cos the fish doesn't look like a dog in anyway. What's important is that it tastes good too. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. And it comes with tasty criss cut fries too. 

Speaking of Frenchie, this reminds me of the bulldog we saw in the cafe, which was incredibly friendly but it gave me quite a scare when it leapt up to the empty seat next to mine and tried to lick my food. LOL. Be prepared for such incidents. Generally speaking, dogs owners are very friendly people so feel free to talk to them and ask them more about their pets and I'm sure they are more than willing to share their anecdotes.

Before we left, we got the doggies a box of Beef Pasta ($7.90) for their dinner later in the day.

Is this place worth going? Certainly, and I'll be back for more doggie food..for the dogs, of course.

Address: 23 Serangoon Central nex #04R-72 (Rooftop) Singapore 556083
Rating: Will be back!

5 ways to increase your productivity in your mornings..and get that extra zzz...

Do you lug yourself out of the bed every morning for work? And then scramble for time to do the 101 tasks we have every morning? Here's some tips to accumulate more time for that extra boost of beauty sleep.

1. Face and mouth go together

While rinsing your mouth with mouthwash, wash your face. By doing one after the other, you're effectively wasting time! I suggest pouring the mouthwash into your mouth before applying your cleanser on your face as the reverse feels icky -- the cleanser could easily get into your mouth.

Time saved: 2 mins

2. Don't dry up your time
Instead of laying around waiting for your moisturiser or liquid foundation to dry, do something productive. For me, while waiting for my moisturiser to dry, I'll prepare my breakfast. Once it's dry, I'll apply liquid foundation, and before slapping on the other stuff, I use the time to pick my outfit.

Time saved: 8 min

3. Pack in time
Pack your bag the night before so that you don't waste time gathering your stuff, and worse, feel stressed and flustered as time runs out.

Time saved: 5 mins

4. Enjoy your breakfast - ditch the papers
This is one task I believe should be truly enjoyed. Don't read newspapers while eating breakfast 'cos you may end up eating slower and worse, choke on your food (especially if you see news like bus strikes). Read the papers while waiting for the bus or train..suggest not ON the bus or train (see point 5 below).

Time saved: 15 mins

5. Find time in a tight space
Trains and bus might be too packed for you to read the papers. Also, it's inconsiderate to take up twice the space you require by opening up your arms. Hence, do something productive that requires less space -- check or reply your emails or Facebook messages while travelling -- you can easily keep your arms to your torso when using your smart device.

Time saved: 10 mins

Total time saved: 40 mins

By making little changes to your mornings, you can easily find 40 mins more of sleep!

5 foods that help me sleep better, and at a low cost!

Yesterday was a somewhat sleepless night for me. Maybe I was too excited that the next day is a Sunday! Now, I feel groggy ><

I guess we all have our sleepless nights so what do you do to overcome that? I noticed that if I take certain food/beverage before going to bed, it does help in sleeping more soundly. Of course, there's lots of scientific reason behind how these food help us sleep better but I shan't go deep into the details cos what works, works.

And you may be happy to know that it doesn't cost a lot to get your good night's sleep!

Chamomile tea
Worry not as this herbal tea contains no caffeine and instead, is a natural relaxant. Believe it or not, I once had this during a dinner gathering with some friends and halfway through, I felt like dozing off.

That said, not all chamomile teas are made equal. For myself, I enjoy brands like Twinings which is available at leading supermarkets in Singapore, and Gryphon. For the record, I really like Gryphon's wide range of exciting flavours, especially Hanami (but don't drink this at night 'cos there's caffeine!). Way to go, Gryphon!

Brew chamomile tea bag for about 3 minutes. I usually pour less than half a cup of water to the tea bag so that I don't wake up in the middle of the night to use the toilet. I avoid adding sugar or honey as the extra calories is not necessary at night.

The next time you find yourself staring at the moon while in bed, give this amazing tea a try.

Taste: 4.5/5
Effectiveness: 4.5/5
Value for moolah: 5/5

Salmon
Salmon is high in DHA which is said to promote melatonin levels, a key ingredient for good sleep regulation. There's also a chockful of magnesium pretty much a natural muscle relaxant. What's more, this fish tastes especially good with teriyaki sauce. Yums. What's even better is, though it's a relatively 'fatty fish' some researchers believe, the omega-3 fats together with other components in it can actually promote weight loss. I eat lots of Salmon and I don't find myself putting on weight so I guess there's some truth to it.

Salmon is easily available at supermarkets and these days, many hawker centres and food courts serve it too.

Taste: 4/5
Effectiveness: 4/5
Value for moolah: 4/5

Blueberries
There researches that show that high levels of antioxidants, a kind of substance in our bodies, can help one to sleep better. Blueberries contain lots of antioxidants, as evident from its deep blue colour. These small and cute blue spheres are touted one of the most powerful foods of nature so don't hesitate to pop a few more into your mouth.

They are available at markets and supermarkets and prices vary. Prices can be pretty steep at certain places, at about $4-$6 per 125g. However, at wet markets, it can be as low as $3 for the same amount. On another note, I noticed that they get cheaper in the early part of the year.

Taste: 3.4/5
Effectiveness: 4/5
Value for moolah: 3/5

Oatmeal 
I know that oatmeal is a turn off for many people but I truly truly enjoy it and truth be told, I can eat it raw and dry. But you may want to throw in some raisins or dried apricots to healthily sweeten it, add some hot water and down it to warm your tummy. According to research, oats have melatonin and complex carbohydrates, both of which gets tryptophan going to regulate sleep. But take care not to add too much dried fruits to it as they can be high in sugar, which gets you high and excited, hence defeating the purpose of eating oats. Haha!

If not raw plain oats, I will usually buy Lowan's Apricot & Almod or Tropical Fruit muesli which is convenient and value-for-money, at about $4 for a 500g pack.

Taste: 4/5
Effectiveness: 3/5
Value for moolah: 4.5/5

Milk
I always enjoy milk, be it in the day, noon or at night. Based on my online research, there's no clear explanation for why milk can help promote sleep. While some think it's the tryptophan amino acid in milk, it could also be the melatonin in it. I usually add on some oatmeal to it as it makes this supper meal more gastronomically rewarding. Those keeping a watch on their weight can go for low-fat milk instead.

For myself, I enjoy meiji fresh milk as it doesn't have a funny taste or smell found in other brands which I shall not name.

Taste: 4/5
Effectiveness: 3.5/5

Value for moolah: 4.5/5

After all's said and eaten, of course, good sleep doesn't occur just through diet. Good life habits are crucial, like keeping active and healthy state of mind.

Though I feel tired now, nonetheless, it's time to enjoy my Sunday!

NB: I didn't eat the stuff above as I was too lazy to get out of bed!

Delicious Thai food on a budget

Satisfying your craving for Thai fare is not a tough affair in Singapore as Thai cuisine can be easily found everywhere. However, great Thai food is hard to come by, in my opinion, especially if you're talking about affordability. Hence, many people end up at popular chain joints like ThaiExpress or Siam Kitchen. Don't get me wrong; while they are tasty, I find them a tad steep and not so value-for-money.

Hence, I was really happy to find the Thai stall in Marina Square's food court, The Gallerie #04-101/102.

 It was a fortuitous discovery as I happened to crave for Thai Tom Yum soup and this was the first stall I passed by that serves it. I order a bowl of Tom Yum fish rice noodles ($5.50) and the pineapple fried rice set ($5.90), which came with a soup and mango (or was it papaya?) salad.

Often, rice noodles are too soft that they stick together and then clings to your teeth. Either that, they are undercooked and they get stuck between your teeth. Whichever it is, good rice noodles are rare here. I was really therefore very pleased with this stall's rice noodles as it was firm to the bite, what the Italians would call al dente. The fish was fresh and fragrant, and most importantly, the soup was rich without being too spicy..that means I could drink more without difficulty. If you're a chilli powerhouse, the server would happily add more chilli for you.

The pineapple fried rice didn't disappoint either. The rice was a tad overcooked but overall, it tasted as good as what a casual dining restaurant could serve. In the rice is chockful of seafood, egg, pineapple cubes and raisins, certainly delightful. Topping it off is a slice of omelet which didn't taste any special but the thoughtful addition (note that there's already lots of egg in the fried rice) was much appreciated. 

The next time you're craving for Thai food, you might want to swing by this affordable outlet.

I'll sure be back to try out other yummy-looking stuff on their menu, including the phad thai and tapioca cake!

 Address: Marina Square, The Gallerie food court #04-101/102.

Rating: Will be back!

The psychology of eating a tomato

If your skin is prone to outbreaks and dryness, you may want to consider eating tomato as a natural remedy. Sounds like a turn off (I think most people, including myself, don't like the taste of it)? Not to worry, it's a matter of mind over body; I'll share with you how I eat a RAW tomato in this post.

The tomato is one of the greatest gifts from nature and it's thanks to the chockful of antioxidants in them. If you just do a quick search on Google, you'll find tons of review raving about its goodness, and I am no exception. It is high in Vitamins C and A, both of which are known to be essential elements to good skin, and rich concentration of lycopene. Check out WHFoods for more information.

I used to have pretty bad and sensitive skin and whenever I take chocolates, biscuits or what Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctors/sinseh would term 'heaty' food, I'll have an outbreak and dry skin. That's really sad isn't it. Hence, for a period of time, I had to forgo eating my favourite snacks because my skin condition was getting worse.

I saw a dermatologist but the cream and medication prescribed weren't of much help. That's when I thought I should heal from within the body. A friend of mine recommended me to eat a tomato everyday. "OMG, are you serious?" was my first thought. While I love tomato sauce (ketchup), I don't think the tomato is one of the tastiest food around. But I've managed to overcome the psychological barrier of eating a raw tomato. Here's how:

Step 1: Bring the tomato close to your mouth. Smell it. (Honestly, an unpeeled tomato doesn't smell much so don't worry).

Step 2: Talk to the tomato. Tell it: "Thank you for giving me good skin." Kiss it. It's all about psychoing yourself to like it.

Step 3: Bite into the tomato. By this time, you'll get a whiff of nature and possibly a repulsive indescribable sour taste. Oh, and mind the juice!

Step 4: Your tongue may ask you to stop, but your mind gotta stay strong. Tell yourself: just swallow it! Forget the taste, I can do it!

Step 5: Keep thinking "this will give me good skin" and will yourself to take the next bite.

Step 6: A mouthful by a mouthful, finish the tomato.

It's really doable if you put your mind to it. Nowadays, I have pretty smooth skin and I still get to enjoy my chocolates and biscuits with no worries. Just one tomato a day for about 3 weeks and you should start seeing results. It's not so difficult; it's boils down to the habit of the mind. Nowadays, I eat tomato as a snack and though I still don't like the taste of it, I just eat it without thinking too much about it. Hail the tomato!

Before I end, let me share a riddle with you:

Chilli sauce and tomato sauce were running together. What did chilli sauce say to tomato sauce when tomato sauce was falling behind?

Ans: Catch up! (ketchup)

Cheers!

A sweet and fattening experiment

Just for experimentation purpose, I had a really sinful day and was on a sugar high all day, thanks to a high sugar and high fat diet, which I 'rewarded' myself to cos it's the weekend! Now I finally understand why high-sugar foods should be taken minimally.

Breakfast consisted of Lindt almond chocolate and Magnum ice-cream (my all-time favourite off-the-shelve ice cream), which I balanced out with a small cup of yogurt and oatmeal! I know that this is not exactly a balanced diet but I guess it'll do for the weekend. For morning tea break, I had a large piece of delectable Turkish chocolate cake and it kept me incredibly queasy for the rest of the morning. Nonetheless, it was well worth it. Close to noon, I popped a few pieces of savoury Lay's potato chips. Our bodies need sodium, don't they, I convinced myself.

The highlight for the day was chicken rice from the legendary Zhou Kee Hainanese Chicken & Roasted Rice at Ang Mo Kio Ave 10. Each grain was plump without being too oily and the chicken was succulent and juicy. Chilli is not needed as it's so good you can eat it on its own. Thereafter, I completed my meal with a piece of dark chocolate Tim Tam and Ribena. Yum.

While my taste buds were perked by the tasty treats, by late afternoon, my radar was on all-time low and I felt incredibly sleepy and lethargic. I couldn't think well and all I craved for was some sleep. But I didn't nap or whatsoever as I didn't want to waste a beautiful Saturday sleeping.

Hunger didn't strike till late in the evening and by then, I knew I should cut out the sugar so all I had was a lovely cup of milk and muesli. Lovely. By now, as I'm typing this, I sense my body moving back to status quo and I feel more energetic and alert. No wonder they say nature gives us the best things in life. Thank you, milk and muesli.

First toast!

Everyday brings a new life. Let's toast to life!