Best company ever!

My colleagues treated me Domino's lunch for my last day at work today! 

We ordered Hawaiian Paradise & Classified Chicken. I like that the latter pizza has a creamy cheesy flavor! Their twisted breadstix is sprinkled with cheese powder and it would definitely taste better toasted! 

Domino's delivers your pizza in 30 minutes and any minute later, you'll be given a free pizza on the house! Though the down side is that they provide additional chili flakes yet none for cheese powder.

 We also bought Pokka green tea from the convenience store just below our office and I must say that the new version of it without sugar really tastes soooo much better! It's just Japanese green tea chilled. One sip on it and it's decided that I'll never want to drink the original one anymore. 

        Went for a once-in-a-blue-moon jog around my neighbourhood and I passed by the same man after 20 minutes and he only managed to cover about 5m distance. It struck me that we will all grow old one day, and it's up to how you take care of yourself now and what fates lies for you in future. 

From my instagram @raayche :

I am thankful that I can see the moon shining ever so brightly while feeling the evening breeze in my hair. More importantly, I am blessed to have a healthy body that doesn't fail it's functions on me, enabling me to enjoy this sight with ease. As the saying goes "Live quietly in the moment and see the beauty of all before you. The future will take care of itself."

It's been a memorable & thankful day for me as I am glad that I have met my wonderful colleagues and felt how it is like to work in a company that doesn't have any hierarchy and politics. This is the first time I felt so reluctant to leave but as my contract was over, indeed all good things must come to an end.

I sure have gained valuable insights that will be engraved in my memory & that genuinely nice people still, and do exist in this wretched world. :')

Operation eat clean

BunnyBoi and I went on a #eatclean diet ever since we came back from Taiwan but it was really hard to stick to the plan.

Here are some of the healthy food that we made!

Purple & green lettuce with grilled chicken, eggs, garlic butter croutons, cheery tomatoes and potato hash.

Using the leftover chicken & purple lettuce and ham for lunch at work.

Oven toasted salmon with garlic for our lunch for the very first time which was really easy to prepare and oil-free! :)

Ten days is never enough..

Hello! We're back from our first ever long holiday together in Taiwan! It has been good 10 long days and unfortunately, time passes by quickly in the blink of an eye when you're having fun. 

Last night, not only was I having jet-lags, I was also having the lag-ness of having to get used to the absence of BunnyBoi's presence and the vibrant night life back in Taipei. 

Can't wait to blog about our 10 days as soon as I've gotten alllllll 100+ foodie photos from BunnyBoi's Instagram: @jxnr! 

Till then! :)

Consideration

My daily dose of enriching quotes that my colleague sends me everyday. 

Today's quote : Being considerate.

After last night's 2.5hrs interview.. I have been feeling so silly and cheated by allowing the boss to mentally challenge myself by lowering my expected salary and furthering the interviewing session.

But that's just how every bosses are, isn't it? They just want to lower their labour costs and get every bit out of their workers. 

I was wrong to not reject too.. I've gotta learn to speak up and protect myself in future cause this truly is a man-eat-man world. 

I hope I won't be like him though, cause it really was an inconsiderate and insensitive gestures displayed last night. 

Oh well.. Lesson learnt the hard way..

One year & 3 months

Finally had a proper date with 🐰BunnyBoi today! :))

Watched R.I.P.D and we both found the movie to be okay-okay & we headed to Vanilla Bar & Cafe for the third time! The food there is really delicious! 

He bought the deal online priced at S$19.90 for a 5 course meal : Soup/salad, appetizer, main course, drink, dessert. It's really worth it! The food tastes good, and the price is even better! :)

Carrot soup for him & salad for her. The carrot soup tasted sweet and sour with a tinge of spice in it whereas the salad seems fresh and I really liked the sesame dressing!

 

Breaded shrimps with tobiko mayo or otherwise known as ebi tempura. I especially liked that the crumbs were crispy and each bite into it is with a crunch!

For him: Wild Mushroom Risotto with chicken. Tried a few spoonfuls of it and boy... I'm not a big fan of risottos due to the stickiness of the rice but this dish won me over! The mushroom cream sauce is really tasty and its not very creamy that you'd stop eating after a few mouthfuls.

For her: Parmesan baked white fish with sautéed potatoes. 2 words: Very niceeeeeeeeeee. I think they used dory fish, as the meat is soft and tender, accompanying it is the layer of Parmesan cheese which just melts into your mouth everytime! It seems like the cheese is only a thin layer but the taste in your mouth is overpowering but in a good, tasty way. :)

Time for desserts! Their very own "dirt cake" which is actually Vanilla ice cream with crushed Oreos.

Overall we enjoyed our monthsary dinner! I wouldn't mind coming here over and over again as their food is above expectations and being a small cafe, we were able to dine with some privacy provided they didn't have alot of guests. Their service were commendable too! Their staffs were warm and friendly and efficient in clearing the table for you after each course. 

Vanilla Bar & Cafe is located at 3 Boon Tat Street.

Time spent with love

Finally met up with BunnyBoi now that my exam is over! Had a really cheap Japanese dinner around Ubi and I'm glad he liked it! :)

 Salmon Don S$3.80 x Chicken Katsu Don S$3.30 - MAD CHEAP RIGHT! Where can you find such pocket-friendly price and tasty Japanese meal?

Visited Teddy today and he really looks more like a ChiHuaHua than a poodle after his haircut! Haha but I like it when his fur all short though! :)

Dad's pre-birthday dinner @ Old Hong Kong Taste Restaurant

Was looking for dining deals online and I chanced upon this restaurant deal on Groupon! 

For S$24.80/pax, we got a yin-yang steamboat buffet with complimentary 1 serving each of beef slices, fresh oysters and prawns! I didn't manage to take a picture of the ala-carte steamboat buffet menu as well as the other dishes as my fingers were already busy peeling off prawn shells. But the picture above, credits to Groupon shows basically what we had! 

The main star of our dinner was... 

FRESH OYSTERS!!! It was a serving meant for 7pax, though I didn't eat it as I'm not a fan of raw food. 

The other ingredients also includes the usual fishballs, pork liver, tofu, fish slices, chicken fillets, crispy fish skin, vegetables.. Very what-you'd-eat-during-steamboat-kind.

Overall the service was acceptable as there were only 1 manager and about 5 crew members on the shop floor, with only about 6-7 tables being occupied. Had some difficulty getting their attention but 2 of their staffs deserved compliments!

1 was a lady staff with long hair, it's easy to spot as there's only 2 ladies in long hair, 1 the manager and the other the staff crew. 

The staff crew was very understanding as we requested if they could keep our beef first as not everyone in my family takes beef and its not good to cook beef into the soup, so we'll only eat it last. Initially she said she couldn't do it but after hearing that the 2 elders doesn't take beef, she helped us keep in the fridge & even said "remember to take from me ah!" Haha! & she was also the only one who said goodbye to us when we left! 

Next was the only cleaner lady as she was wearing a different uniform and she was really efficient in replacing a new plate for you. Though towards the end she cleared quite frequently, but being in the F&B service before I figured maybe she had to clear as much so that its easier to clean up after we left henceI'm fine with it. Thumbs up! :)

Ambience seems like those kind of Chinese ballroom restaurant and the outlet at Serangoon Gardens seems to be half empty when we got there and left. Picture credits to Groupon again :)

For our soup bases, we had the Spicy SzeChuan & the normal soup. We all preferred the normal one to the spicy soup as its really super spicy and very, very oilyyyyyyyy. Haha. 

Not very worth it to go during non-sale period as I think other places are cheaper and have more varieties plus fruits as well. But for the oysters, and the amount we paid for this dinner..... 

I'd say that it's money well spent! ^^v

Old Hong Kong Taste Restaurant is located at 1 Maju Avenue, #02-01, Singapore 556679. 

It's after Chomp Chomp! Very easy to spot as its the only shopping mall there. Above Udders ice cream / Bakerzin!

They have parking inside the mall and complimentary Valet parking service for you. But of course... Nothing comes free! Tipping applies! :)

Photo map taken from their official website.

5th Day @ SOSD

I got to walk Peanut instead of Sharky yesterday as there were insufficient members, only 8 of us turned up and we weren't able to walk all 30dogs. 

Peanut is easier to walk in my opinion! Initially I was worried if I would be able to do it but I took a deep breath and started singing happy songs in my mind. I could sense that she wasn't keen on walking with me but after awhile of "bonding session" at the carpark area, I felt that we are picking up things better. :)

A sign for my Instagram July Challenge!

Walking to the 2nd water break point @ Lor Halus.

Skippy, Peanut, (Butter) haha! Just kidding its Pam Pam!

SOSD's very own band of brothers!

My first purchase from Étude House!

I stumbled across some random bloggers stating that the Baking Powder range & Wonder Pore Freshner from Etude House is pretty good and affordable hence I've decided to give it a try to further improve on my facial condition! I have very sensitive skin and oily at the T-zone but dry on other areas. 

Hence I've decided to swing by Parkway Parade during lunch and got myself these! 

From top left: AC Clinic Daily Gel Lotion S$20.90 for 150ml, Wonder Pore Freshner S$16.90 for 250ml, Baking Powder Cleansing Foam Moist S$16.90 for 150ml. 

On top of that, the kind salesgirl gave me some samples too! Magic bubble O2 water peeling pack, I'm Blooming special care kit, 1x Pearl Extract Mask and 2x Correct & Care (CC) cream! 

I immediately used the main products during & after shower respectively and here's my verdict! (In order of use)

1. Baking Powder Cleansing Foam Moist S$16.90 for 150ml. 

It says on the back that "baking powder is able to penetrate & cleanse deep within pores to remove makeup & residues. Maintains rich, smooth lather for moist sensation."

It smells very acid-y! Very, very strong and sour smell of lime and a point to note is.... Don't squeeze your normal pea-size amount out! I squeezed my normal pea-size and had a hard time getting the right consistency for the soap to be spread out. Shall half the amount and see how again tmr! 

I didn't have much trouble washing it off, and I can feel like my face has brightened up a little (due to the thick coverage haha), though pores are still visibly seen. & it feels smooooth!! I didn't have any tingly sensation too! So yay! Oh and it's also cause I've read that for those with sensitive & dry skin like me, it's recommended to get the moist one instead of the normal or BB cream wash as shown below, and I've also included mine (the one in pink) to show the whole family of baking powder wash series for your reference :)

 

Next, would be the toner to see if the cleansing foam really did remove my sunblock and concealer. I don't use makeup because my skin doesn't adapt to it well and will break out easily. 

2. Wonder Pore Freshner S$16.90 for 250ml.

I hope you're able to zoom into the 7 descriptions that they've claimed. However, I'm just gonna touch on some as I couldn't see the results on my first use. 

I couldn't make out what the smell was. It smells fruity but towards the low-scent kind. It smelt like melon, but not really.....

My pores weren't minimized as its the first use today, however I'm kinda concerned now as all the reviewers claimed that its good, but I DID get tingly sensation when I wiped my face using a cotton pad. Initially i thought maybe i wiped it too fast/hard, hence I slowed down again.. But the tingling sensation appeared again around my cheeks area. Or could it be its cause my pores are around my cheeks hence they are trying to go deep into it? Am I the only one here who felt this way?

Good news though, it didn't last long, only during the time when I applied it! It could also be as I have sensitive skin. It varies among individuals. :)

Lastly, the lotion! 

3. AC Clinic Daily Gel Lotion S$20.90 for 150ml.

This wasn't in my shopping list this noon, but I like to browse around the shelves if there are other options for me to try. And as this was voted by the Cosmopolitan magazine & also AC Clinic targets acne problems, I've decided to give it a shot! 

I figured it smells like mint and those kind of aroma-therapy oils? 

It comes with a glass bottle and its kinda hard to pour the liquid out as I was afraid it may be too much, & I'll probably have a harder time when the liquid is running low!

I applied it onto my palm directly and pressed it onto my face for a few seconds after the toner application. My face felt kinda red after but it's not painful at all. 

As I'm typing these down, I can still smell the mints as the scent slowly fades off after 20mins+ & my face certainly felt smoother and bouncy when I pressed my finger against my cheek!  

All in all, it's a great buy so far as the prices are really reasonable! I hope my face doesn't break out so quickly else my money is going down the drain! 

Bedok 85 & movie chill-out!

Here's what happened last night! :)

4th day at SOSD

Remember Sharky? I got to walk her again today and I'm glad we managed to walk further without me having to tug her much unlike last week's session. She seems like she's getting used to me now as she will kiss me more often! Haha! 

The pack was supposed to be heading to the pet run but we couldn't make it as it started raining hence we had to

Run back to the shelter!

After which, it's time for their meals and Sharky seemed to eat better when boiled salmon was mixed with her kibbles, courtesy of Stasha! 

The dogs waiting for their meal to be served.

I got a lift back from Cheryl, one of the vollies there and thank god for foldable bicycles! Yay! :) 

Was supposed to head to Bukit Brown but it was postponed to tmr. I've already gotten my Tetanus jab & it costed S$25 as I took it at the nearby clinic. My left arm feels kinda numb still though. 

Sigh, ever since I joined SOSD, I'm more aware of animals (welfare)? Around me. I saw a fb video on a cop shooting down a dog and I just can't believe that the owner would leave the dog in his car while he gets handcuffed. And that the cop shot the dog who was actually trying to protect its owner and yet... Was shot dead. 

And another sad note...

Why would people keep a pet when they are a couple/married and then discard it when they have kids? YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T THINK OF THAT?!!?!?!!

Owners should undergo Orientation courses before they adopt a dog so that they'll be prepared for the Do's & Don'ts, and that keeping a pet is a life-long commitment, and not something which you can give up halfway due to another major change in your life like having a baby, moving house, etc..

I don't know what else to say for these undeserved plights that these poor animals have to suffer & go through due to our lack of commitment and selfishness which easily abandons them without any qualms..... 

(Each time I look at these animals, and I look back at my own, it makes me treasure and love Rex even more. And give thanks that my grandma holds firm on Rex wherever she goes, never once thinking of giving him away even though there's some frictions in my family. Also.. Now that I'm a part of this AWG, I want to do my best and give love to all the rescued dogs by being competent in having the right handling techniques for the better good of both the dogs and myself.)