Happy to say goodbye to September and welcome October

Tomorrow is the beginning of the last quarter of the year. 
Surreal how September/October has an impact on my career in the past year.
Last year this time, I made the decision to leave SS and said goodbye to a job that kind of didn't fit.
And this year, I will report to a new boss after beginning my new role 5 months ago.
Not sure how it pans out but definitely a new start to a new quarter, one of the many new beginnings of the year.
It's complicated but the feeling seems to lean towards the right side of complexity.
Been taking it slow in the last few days of September.
And feeling ready to go all the way in October (or so I psych myself).
Perhaps to make up for the lack of it in the first quarter of the year. Because I still enjoy my job.
Happy to say goodbye to September and welcome October.

Saturday@Tanjong Pagar - Nail, Ramen, Coffee

What a blissful Saturday :) Started on a good note when I left office before 6pm yesterday! What an achievement - quote unquote MQ :) Went for manicure/pedicure at Envy Nail Lounge, ramen at Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King and coffee at Kiasu Espresso...

Envy Nail Lounge

It's been a long time since my last classic manicure/pedicure. Time to give my feet and hands a treat, hence bought this deal ($22) from alldealsasia. Topped up $7 for a spearmint scrub so the one-hour treatment cost $29...

Been a while since my last visit to Tanjong Pagar, and my first time to Peck Seah Street...

Didn't know my slot at 11am was the first and I was early. Shop was not opened yet :/

Quite cosy.



Nice place. Therapists were a bit unfriendly at the beginning (maybe it was too early). However they were not pushy when they tried to promote their package - $38 per session (for 10 sessions).

Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King

 

Decided to try the ramen  at Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King at Orchid Hotel since I am in the area. There was a queue! The teppanyaki restaurant next door seems to be popular too...

 







Tried the original special (with seaweed and egg) - you can choose thickness of soup base, hardness of noodles etc. Order came quickly as I asked for normal for everything.

Free boiled and spicy beansprout to go with the ramen. Plus points for tissue :)

Grind the sesame and add it as a topping to bring out the flavour of the soup...

Didn't try the boiled eggs though - brown ones for low cholesterol and white ones for normal cholesterol.

Close-up. Did enjoyed my lunch - maximum marginal utility :)

No frills shop. Authentic yah?

Nice wall paper :) Going to try the green tea cola next time. Maybe for dinner.



Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King 

Kiasu Espresso

Kiasu Espresso finally! Heard it's good and wanted to visit for a while but was lazy to make a special trip...


Took a 5-minutes walk to Kiasu Espresso at 100 AM.

Quiet on a Saturday morning.

Had a ice cappuccino as it was a hot and humid day. Thought my new manicured nude nails look good with the coffee, I thought :P Coffee was ok. Did enjoyed reading up on Bangkok trip over coffee :)

Here's a peek at my newly pedicured nude nails too! LOL. I love this pair of Vinci sandals I got from City Square JB last year! Picture taken at Neil Road where I saw so many people queuing outside Strangers' Reunion!

Decided to walk home passing by Duxton (perhaps a place to look for my house next year?)  and Neil Road on the way...Still  enjoying my Saturday... Hope you are too...

Tim Ho Wan

Tim Ho Wan, finally! Was there with I at 10am today and queued for 50 minutes before we were seated :/
Did enjoy the Dim Sum - hot and tasty, I say. Queue moved faster than expected and the wait was quite pleasant (time flies when you are chatting with a friend, I guess).

Waiting to be seated at Tim Ho Wan. My friend commented that it is more like a café than a dim sum restaurant!

I like it - the egg white and prawn went very well with the wrap! Was piping hot when served - nice!



Wanted to snap a shot to show you how it is different from the usual spring roll but I think I failed. Imagine spring roll filled with egg white!

Steamed egg cake - one of the 4 heavenly kings at Tim Ho Wan (means highly recommended/popular). I like it too - the brown sugar kind of melt in my mouth. LOL.

 

See how soft and fluffy it is! Must try! Taste good when hot and also good after a while :)



Another heavenly heaven - Baked Bun with BBQ Pork! The baked bun makes it different from the usual char siew bao.

 

A peek into the crispy bun with pork (char siew)!



Another heavenly king - Panned Fried Turnip Cake. Nothing special - it was moist and I could taste shreds of turnip....



Cold Tonic Medlar and Osamanthus Cake - nice way to round up a round of piping hot dim sum! It's good too! :)

Have yet to try the last Heavenly King - vermicelli roll with pork liver, so I'm gonna do that next time. LOL. I say go and try THW, if you haven't! Just learnt a new branch has opened at Toa Payoh, so I reckon that should disperse the crowd at Plaza Singapura...

It's good to be blogging again, after a while :) Haven't had a great time in September, so I really hope that THW (which means good luck in Cantonese) will rub some luck off me  :)

Paddington Market

I like the concept of weekend markets because you can find so many local brands/entrepreneurs in action. Seldom go weekend marketing in Singapore though. Will browse if I chance upon one, but seldom deliberately go to one :P Funny because I do deliberately look for one whenever I travel - thought it's such a nice reflection of the culture, local brands/products!

Went to the Paddington Market in April when I was in Sydney. Check out my press at http://ilovelongvacation.wordpress.com :)

PS: Was in Bintan for the weekend so I am feeling well and rested! :) How did you spend yours?

Food@Marina Bay Link Mall

Here's a peek at the food I had at Marina Bay Link Mall in August :)



Big Breakfast lunch at Cedele. Not as deli as the weekend brunches but definitely value for money. Thanks to DBS Indulge, it was one-for-one  so we paid about $7 each!

 

Went to Din Tai Fung for dinner before Phantom of the Opera. Delicious pork dumplings (top) and pork + vegetable dumplings (bottom). Had the latter for the first time and I think it tasted healthier. Haha. Yummy dumplings! Looking forward to Taiwan trip in November where I planned to try some dumplings shops! :)

Beautiful MBS at night. Not edible but still looks mouth-watering. LOL.

At the Tuck Shop! Ice Lemon Tea has been a while....
 

Chicken Hor Fun at Tuck Shop. Small. But looks good. LOL.

 

Last but not least, Earl Grey Tiramisu from Glaze. Delightfully received by the birthday girl and family. Happy 18, SS! :)

Happy Weekend! May you have a FULLfilling one :)

Malacca

 

Been to Malacca thrice - twice for department trips. Guess the proximity of Malacca from Singapore makes for a good (but exhausting) one day trip.

Always new things to discover - didn't remember Hard Rock Café when I was at Jonker Street 2 years back and it seems like there are more cafes sprouting up in the area. So I might just make a trip there again this year (and perhaps include Port Dickson as part of the itinerary) since I have leave to clear :) We'll see...

 Jonker Street - Jonker 88

 

 

Realised that Jonker Street in the day is a bit different than night. We tried the Chendol and Laksa at Jonker 88 which is quite famous. There are other local food to try too but we were full. LOL.

Yummy Chendol - we tried three types! :)

And Gula Melaka goodness in all three!

Always like the shop houses in Jonker Street. Let's feast in the courtyard!

Laksa - a mixture of coconut and Assam. It's nice but the concoction might be a bit powerful for weak stomachs...

Earlier posts about Malacca:

My Golden Half - Roll 2

Laidback Malacca

 

City Square, Johor Bahru

 

And yes, we visited City Square again! And had the Taiwanese food again at Taiwan Nostalgia Café!

 

 

 

From top left/clockwise: Oyster Mee Sua, San Bei Chicken, Fruit/Flower tea...

 

 And dinner at Old Town White Coffee before we headed back to Singapore.

 

 

Didn't knew there is a tea-time set that you can order - comprises of a smaller portion of the main course and a drink. Value for money, I say!

 



New addition to City Square. Food court with interesting designs :)



And many new cafes too - always reasons to cross the causeway, I guess :)

 

Earlier posts on visits to City Square, Johor Bahru:

Across the causeway again

Marching on - JanuarIED