If you've seen Telok Ayer on the Downtown line and wondered what is good there other than office buildings in the see-bee-dee... here's a game changer tumbling its way towards you. FYR Cycene Ond Drinc is the next popular place to hit up on weekends, proving that brunch doesn't have to be eggs benedict, honey pancakes and all that uninspired jazz. Tune in for a hearty, fiery good menu here:

FYR Cycene Ond Drinc's kitchen serves up modern European grilled meats and seafood enlivened by Southeast Asian spices. Their smoky, mouthwatering flavours is created by the Josper Charcoal Oven ande lychee wood to infuse the dishes. 

To keep you hydrated, woozy and happy, FYR Cycene Ond Drinc has aplenty in its shelves. They've put a snazzy twist to the usual OJ, the Roasted Orange Juice emerges from the rites of fire as the more sophisticated and sexy twin. Get this, you won't regret it. FYR’s unique house blend coffee is made using the premium La Marzocco Espresso machine, an instant pick-me-up and one of the better coffees I've had ever since Melbourne spoilt me (for life). Their very fragrant Sangria is also available pre-noon. I approve. There's something for every mood, very well-played.

Grilled Steak and Eggs (SGD28) or Baked Blinis (SGD15)? The choice is clear for me because I absolutely cannot resist grilled salmon, with the generous heaping of ikura, Avruga caviar and grated bottarga. Friends who love salmon, no more menu dilemmas. Order this! Steak, on the other hand, has not impressed me yet... 

This succulent Baked Beef Hash (SGD18) served in a sizzling hot pan is one of the highlights. It is a ribeye mash comprising corned beef, baked beans, subtle flavours of paprika and made juicy with a runny egg. It is quite filling and definitely makes a good choice for brunch.

For sides, what have we got here? The Skillet-Roasted Escargots (SGD12), while the freshness and chewiness can't be compared to Parisian fare, are very value-for-money considering how many escargots there are in this tiny little pot. I kept fishing them out non-stop and they don't seem to end. The savoury sauce should be mopped up by the baguette slices on the side. With the invention of Yam and Sweet Potato fries (SGD8), truffle fries should officially go into retirement.. they're such a treat! The Grilled Squid (SGD12) was beautifully plated, with a whole row of tantalizing squid rings made especially tasty with the dash of lime, tumeric, garlic base and paprika powder. The portion makes it quite a steal - it seems like there isn't much when it was set, but there's plenty to go around.

This little darling of a dessert! I ain't sharing this Baked Pistachio Melt & Pandan Ice Cream (SGD10), a beautiful invention by the chefs at FYR. It is almost like a lava cake, but better, every single bite was such a blessing! Smooth, soft and pandan-infused flavours in the cake coupled with crunchy bits from the pistachio nuts and the occasional waft of cinnamon. One is not enough.

The PK rounds are upon us and in this episode, it is obviously, it is rock-themed (or rather, Wang Feng -themed). Be prepared for quite a lot of heart-thumping, motivational songs. This season truly begins at this point, as some of the contestants appear to have been polished to quite awesome performers. 

The Dream Judge assisting Wang Feng is G.E.M Tang, who is only 24 years old this year, but her songs have been crazily popular within the Mandarin Chinese pop industry across all the countries that listen to C-pop... China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia... who doesn't know her? Her style of judging is pretty much very straightforward, and she doesn't choose contestants to 'console' them when she has to advise Wang Feng on who to choose.

After the Top 6 emerged, they undergo another impromptu pairing as they performed their solo songs. The performances that I really loved included Huang Xiao Yun's 鱼, a song that first appeared on Voice of China by Yao Bei Na. The best of covers happened too - Bei Bei's 存在 is so good, there's really nothing much to fault at all and I was completely in awe! However, when her PK opponent Zhang Xinxin sang 恆星, it is such a crazy feeling - they were both being so good at Wang Feng's songs, they are definitely better than the originals and anyone else who came before them. These three performances are the one to look out for in this episode.

Are the Blue Mountains really blue? Um yeah. What other colours would mountains be? If you're planning a trip to Sydney, it seems like a journey up these rugged mountains would be one of the recommended trails to do if you want to get close to nature. If you remember from my previous Sydney updates, our affinity with rain is really strong on this holiday, and it was especially difficult to predict the weather.

The first gaze upon the mountain range took my breath away - it is such a gorgeous, wide expanse of rocky terrain... it is during these rare times that I feel Mother Nature is really amazing. The main lookout points at Blue Mountains were pretty much overrun with tourists snapping pictures, and so we decided to begin the trail to throw ourselves into the embrace of nature. There were a few trails to do, the shortest was to be conducted in 45 minutes, the longest was to be finished in 3 hours. Some people go to Blue Mountains to do the Scenic World, which was quite expensive - AUD35 for adults and AUD18 for children for access to the railway, skyway, cableway and walkway. We continued walking the trail which was actually not very family-friendly at all, considering how the steps were quite steep and challenging. I cannot imagine how strollers would manage in this situation, and I guess most people come to Blue Mountains just to take photos at the main area. The Three Sisters were closed for maintenance during that time, so there were even lesser attractions to visit.

Unfortunately, the sky was beginning to look very threatening and pelt raindrops at us, and the ground was all mushy and slippery.. It feels like a very dangerous situation because the forest was beginning to feel very deserted. We quickly exited the Blue Mountains from a trail and went back to Katoomba Station. While the mountains were majestic, I find that for holidays that are tight on time, it would not be worth it to spend two hours trying to get there (and another two back).

Sydney is a pretty expensive place to be, especially if you're hunting for food in general... let alone to calm a raging buffet craving! After scouring streets around the Little Korean Town of Sydney, we finally found Shinara Korean BBQ, the restaurant that appears to offer the best value for what we can get. The main restaurant area is on the second floor, and there was a really extensive selection of buffet items at Shinara.

Overlooking the rather curt but efficient service, the experience at Shinara's Korean BBQ was pretty awesome. There were so much meats and they were all sizzling, well-marinated juicy slabs that were very good. The prawns were troublesome to deal with, but they were so delicious that I simply powered through them quickly. I don't normally praise Korean BBQs but this was really quite an enjoyable one. If my memory did not fail me, we paid AUD29 each for this buffet, which was quite pricey, but relatively reasonable as compared to the other Korean BBQ prices along the same stretch.

The ocean changes its colour and shape and expression according to time and place and weather. There is no other place that I experienced how capricious weather and the ocean conditions can be in such a short span of time. We begin the Coogee to Bondi walk at Coogee Beach, a gorgeous stretch of white sand filled with mostly locals sunbathing.

To reach Coogee Beach:
We took Bus 374 (372 works too) from Eddy Avenue Bus Stand C to Bream Street near Brook Street - a bus ride that took around 30 minutes. After alighting, instinctively walk towards the beach based on the sound of the waves.

It was crazy - we were walking for 5 minutes along the trail when it started pouring on us! I guess the fate with rain is really strong on this holiday. The thunderclouds were really quite ominous and scary, coupled with very strong winds that rendered umbrellas completely useless. Needless to say, we were almost all soaked! And then... like a mischievous kid playing a prank... it cleared up: 

So we carried on our merry way... in a way, it was very interesting to see how the colour of the oceans really changed very quickly based on the weather conditions: from an angry grey to a striking shade of cobalt blue, it could really be anything. The rock formations surrounding the coastline were also pretty much a geographer's dream.

We chanced upon a cemetery mid-way during the walk which really incited morbid curiosity in me... okay, I love cemeteries because I feel this strange calmness whenever I observe tombstones. What's more, these tombs have premium class positions along the beautiful coastline! Luckier than most, I guess.

Of course, there will be wedding photography going on, it'll be a waste not to grab the opportunity with this backdrop! However, it looked really dangerous to be there especially for the lady who has to be in heels and cumbersome wedding garb.

There we are, at Bondi Park. The walk was much shorter than I expected, maybe it was so distracting trying to drink in all the different landscapes that were changing as we strolled past! This is the kind of place on Earth that requires a re-visit, to do different activities, maybe soak up the sun on the beachfront or simply to read a book.

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One of the world's most impressive coastlines is the Great Ocean Road at Victoria, Australia. That is an open secret, and often recommended as a day trip if you're visiting Melbourne. What most people don't know is...  if you're a geography buff, one day ain't going to be enough to clear all the highlights in a comfortable time frame. We did the Great Ocean Road in two days. Starting from Melbourne, we cleared a few attractions on the way, caught the Twelve Apostles at sunset, stayed overnight at Warrnambool and then on the return trip the next day we ticked off a few more attractions we missed back to Melbourne. It was such a mindblowingly gorgeous feast for the eyes that I can't help but be trigger-happy while holding the camera... and I ended up with hundreds of shots as usual. These are the ones I picked out from morning till lunch. :) Part 1 of the Great Ocean Road, let's go!

Caffeine break at The Pond Cafe by the Torquay Front Beach looking out at Zeally Bay... well, expectedly good coffee. There are a lot of cafes and restaurants around this area, probably the most classy area with breakfasts and coffees, making a great rest stop before going on.

Catch sight of wild kangaroos beside Anglesea Golf Course. The golf course itself is a restricted area from the public, but the kangaroos can be spotted around the region. They are not tame like the kangaroos in the zoo, so don't get too close to them... these wild kangaroos can be dangerous, they might actually kick (or box) you with their powerful legs.

I look like a dumpling in here... but I swear, I am so thankful for the layers of clothes I put on! I was there mid-April (entering autumn), and it was already freezing cold because the winds blowing from the Antarctica are especially biting. Three layers is just adequate - including a Uniqlo heat-tech long-sleeve shirt, a T-shirt and a jacket. Bear in mind it was a good, sunny day... but looks are really deceiving, it was already quite cold.

This is one of the rare 'manmade' highlights along Great Ocean Road from which there are some lookout points to marvel at the coastline. It was a very good day to enjoy the sights, which result in a vivid azure blue. It looked really vibrant even to the naked eye!

As far as I know... vegetables are unappealing to most people. If you remove the wondrous healthy properties of vegetables, it will almost certainly be ousted from my diet straightaway (yes... #CarnivoresUnite). Green Dot, a homegrown brainchild by two secondary school friends, have taken upon themselves to overthrow this notion. Their challenge was to provide an option of delicious vegetarian meals - yes, a challenge indeed... I went ahead to see if they manage to change my mind about veggies.

Green Dot has four outlets: Paya Lebar Square (pictured), Bedok Mall, Westgate, and Temasek Polytechnic. Each of the different outlets offer a different menu/ selections due to their kitchen operating size, but Paya Lebar Square has the most comprehensive range of items including their most popular, value-for-money, and delicious hotpots - my number one recommendation from Green Dot.

What do you want to eat? Use Green Dot's quick, easy-to-understand computerized system to order it.

Lion Mane Mushroom Rendang Rice (SGD 9.50) is a perfectly sized rice bowl for those who don't like to share your food with others. Trust me, I know that feeling. Their rendang paste is very fulfilling and has quite a good kick, which pairs up nicely with the crunchy and juicy vegetables on the side. Reminds me of a good ol' well-balanced bahn mi. 

If you're coming in a group of 4, the Mushroom Mini Hot Pot Set (SGD 59.90) will be perfect. Including shitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, shimeiji mushrooms, tomatoes, taukee, konnyaku prawn, baby bak choy, Chinese cabbage, green coral in your choice of soup. Otherwise, there is an option for two as well.

Depending on your crowd and mood, you can choose among three possible soup bases: Herbal, Tom Yum or Laksa. The Tom Yum is not the kickass spicy and fragrant sort, and the Laksa tended towards the coconut flavours. My personal favourite has got to be the Herbal one which made me feel very comfortable and happy after drinking the soup. Not all soups has this effect. It is essentially made of herbs such as wolfberries, licorice and angelica root. I love it! You can have five different types of rice to choose from to go with your hot pot: Beauty Rice, Emperor Rice, Five Treasure Rice, Fragrance Rice or Sesame Rice.

Providing the laksa base for the hotpots, Green Dot also has the Laksa Bowl (SGD 5.90) going for them, which was a tamer version of the fiery local one, but nevertheless still enjoyable in its own way. This laksa is creamier, evidently from more coconut milk, with sufficient dose of spices, and a lot of sauce-soaked taupoks. The noodles were also the classic sort you find in laksa bowls, and altogether, I can say that while it is different from the typical laksas you find, it is definitely still worth a try.

I was surprised to see burgers at a vegetarian place, but this Lion's Mane Mushroom Burger (SGD 8.90) was slightly disappointing as it tastes almost like a McDonalds burger. Granted, vegetarians will now know how it tastes like.

Their teas - Alisan Oolong and Peach Oolong Tea were beautiful to go with any meal, really. Very fragrant and handpicked by the owners, the hot Alisan Oolong teas have a calming effect on the stomach and mind. The Peach Oolong Tea comes in chilled form, refreshing and great for the summer.

I was further impressed by their fruit juice bar which had so much incredible hidden gems in there! Some of their in-house concoctions include the Soy Caramel Latte (SGD 6.50), Mocha Frappe (SGD 7.50), Avocado Yogurt Milkshake (SGD 6.50), Passion Dragonfruit Green Tea (SGD 5.50), and Strawberry Banana Green Tea (SGD 5.50).

The weird has got to go to the Avocado Yogurt Milkshake which received mixed reviews from the table. I found it strange because I didn't find the combination well-gelled together, yogurt is pretty much the outcast that is hard to fit in most places. I am a huge fan of avocado milkshakes so I could turn a blind eye to the nagging strange yogurt taste in the drink, but I don't think it will appeal to the mainstream taste.

The Passion Dragonfruit Green Tea and Strawberry Banana Green Tea, on the other hand, performed well despite the ambitious and potentially strange combinations. Especially the Passion Dragonfruit Green Tea which I was slightly nervous about trying, it surpassed all expectations, the dragonfruit juice was very much in sync with the green tea. The coffees were pretty good but if I only can choose a drink, I'd definitely want to try the fruit-based ones which are very unique.

We ended the night with a sweet bowl of Osmanthus Jelly (SGD 3.50), which was legitly stuffed with dried osmanthus flowers and wolfberries. Even though I was very full at the moment in time, I gobbled this lovely sweet treat in record time. Thumbs up.

Support homegrown brands which have the heart and passion to serve great food! They are really funny, candid and open about receiving feedback on how they can improve their menu so as to prepare even better vegetarian meals for all to enjoy. 

Green Dot

Paya Lebar Square

60 Paya Lebar Road #02-15/16/17
Singapore 409051

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Sorry for skipping regular updates last week! With Na Ying's unprecedentedly strong team (best of Voice of China) emerging from tearfest after tearfest, how will Jay Chou's team 地表最强队 hold up? Here is the blow by blow analysis of this episode!

Definitely a successkid mix of songs with Just the Way You Are and 稻香 - I went wild and was thoroughly impressed with how clever this mix is. Possibly Will Jay's handsomeness bedazzled Xu Lin in the beginning and made Xu Lin skip a line, which possibly caused A-Mei to comment how Will Jay is more confident. Nevertheless, I find that Xu Lin's voice is stronger and had more potential. Being the best PK round of Jay's team, both proves to be very strong in different ways so it's almost equally-matched. Jay Chou ultimately chose Will Jay possibly because for viewership.

SDP rallies aren't rousing. Unlike the Workers' Party, their supporters are significantly younger. The speakers, particular Dr Chee, had gripping attention from the audience and made every single one listen to them. Nobody speaks, and it was magical. For the longest time, I feel Singaporean again. This is a picture story for Singapore Democratic Party's last rally for the General Elections 2015.

I wished I could write more retrospective pieces, but Cooling Off Day is due in thirty minutes. I guess it couldn't come at a more appropriate time for us to slowly digest the overwhelming rally speeches - touching, heart-wrenching, jaded, hilarious, exciting - and decide. If you'd ask me, I am non-partisan in my political views, but simply, pro-Singapore(ans). For months and years, I see the country that I love shrink away, and I feel increasingly disoriented. Could I be alone on this? Tonight, I see a Singapore that I've forgotten about, a Singapore I've seen when I was much younger. In a muddy field, with ants bugging our ankles, we stayed unwavering. Are we rich? We've got each other, and when every one of us matter, we can be infinite once again.

How do I start commenting on this movie? It left me rather confused with too many different scenes stuffed into two hours, which ended up seemingly disorganized. It is a continuation from the first installation of the trilogy (which I found both exceedingly exciting and hilarious), but spun into a part action, part horror movie quickly. I definitely did not see that coming... looks like I should always read the book before watching the movie first. Spoilers ahead, proceed with caution:

Maze Runner is not designed to test your brains - there are telltale spoilers sprinkled all over the first half an hour of the film that pretty much tell you the storyline of the rest of the movie. Either case, your brain will be busy going into overdrive of panic and paranoia about stifling screams when the Cranks pop out to scare you.

One of the images come from Divergent, the other from Maze Runner: Scorch Trials.

The dystopian scenes seemed like a patchwork from Inception, Divergent and Hunger Games - something that I am disappointed to say because I actually pride Maze Runner for being original all this while. Granted there are some portions of the dilapidated buildings scene that were considerably impressive, on an overall, the set-up was not particularly exhilarating to watch. It surely did not sit well with me when the director/writer made the only minority in the group die, too (Not Minho because he is too popular, so predictability? Mega).

I have immunity (from dying onscreen, not just from the Flare) because the girls love me.

There is no Plan A.

Teresa contributes nothing. Nothing at all.

Unfortunately, Teresa ends up being the antagonistic character, but not to my surprise. I've never liked her since she appeared, now she confirms my suspicions of her. Either first class acting, resting bitch face, or simply the sixth sense working its magic. The failing romance between Teresa and Thomas starts to grate on my nerves quickly, and my ruffled senses only got calmed when...

A very unnecessary scene, after which it transited conveniently to the next without any explanation.

Getting back into the groove of updating my Melbourne adventures, this post is a sequel to my first post on Great Ocean Road in which we set off from Melbourne city, We cruised through the surfing beach town of Torquay, Bell Beach, Anglesea, Split Point Light House and then reached the town of Lorne for a lunch stop.

It was recommended online to grab fish & chips in Lorne, and so we did, at The Salty Dog Fish & Chippery which was supposedly the best place to have. We were pretty much starving at that point in time, and this little shack was stuffed with people! We grabbed the Family Pack which included 4 blue grenadier, 4 potato cakes, 4 fried dimi's, 8 calamari rings and 1 large chips for AUD58.10. While this piece of memory is quite faded, I remember that I really liked the grenadier fish and finished it up quite quickly. Possibly because of hunger, I went on to gobble up most of the stuff and left feeling really satisfied with the meal. I am not sure why The Salty Dog has such negative reviews online  now - I just did a check - their quality surely isn't that bad, at least in my experience.

Note: 'Salty dog' is a slang for pirate.

The Salty Dog Fish & Chippery
1/150 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne VIC 3232

Other honourable mentions if you stop by Lorne:
1. The Bottle of Milk (Breakfast place)
52 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne VIC 3232

2. Fisho's (New fish and chips opening)
36 The Esplanade, Torquay VIC 3228

5. Watch parrots and koala bears at Kennett River

The most thrilling experience of watching these parrots and koala bears is knowing how you are observing them in their natural habitat... after all, for city people like us, seeing animals locked up in captivity is the norm. You might have to veer into Grey River Road away from Great Ocean Road at some point after crossing Kennett River if you're coming from Melbourne towards 12 Apostles. Keep your eyes peeled as they can appear any time! The parrots crowd around one particular area and there were many people surrounding the brightly coloured birds, so it was pretty obvious. On the other hand, the koalas are especially difficult to spot, but it was a rewarding time spent here. It will take some patience but it's not impossible.

6. Spooky Forest

Someway along the way between Kennett River and Cape Otway Light Station, we passed through a different landscape of forest and a stretch where the trees were bare with their branches at awkward angles. This is not a particular attraction but it's a welcomed change from the gorgeous but similar coastline view.

7. Otways National Park/ Cape Otways Light Station

This is the oldest working lighthouse in Australia and is supposed to provide some really gorgeous views from the vantage point. However, do note that the place to buy tickets for Cape Otways Light Station is separate from the Light Station itself (about half an hour drive), and you should aim to reach the ticket place by 4pm latest if you plan to go up the light station which closes at 5pm. We were too late so we just did a little short walk to a lookout point to see the light station. If you are doing the Great Ocean Road without a tight schedule to follow, be sure to seek for the Triplets Falls in Otways National Park (a 1-hr hike, return loop).

8. Twelve Apostles

This is the ultimate touristic pilgrimage of the entire Great Ocean Road - quite rightfully so! The rest of the attractions are unique but not as majestic as the Twelve Apostles. The atmosphere was so electrifying as everyone watched with bated breaths as we witnessed the glowing ball of fire sink into the horizon amidst angry clouds. Sunrises and sunsets happen everyday, but it's only when you're travelling you have the time to appreciate its beauty properly. Technically, there are only about eight apostles left as some have fallen due to physical and chemical weathering. After all they are submerged and worn down by crazily huge waves every day! Luckily, we managed to catch the sunset after much speeding! It is advised not to attempt such dangerous moves and plan ahead according to the sunset timings. Try to park your car at least an hour before the sunset timing because it is quite a walk from the carpark to the lookout point. We frantically ran all the way knowing the sky was dimming by the second, and reached there in 10 minutes.

9. Dinner at Warrnambool - The Liebig Cafe & Restaurant

A night stay at Warrnambool is an additional one hour ride away from Port Campbell, but significantly cheaper than staying at the inns at Port Campbell, the nearest town to the Twelve Apostles. For dinner, we headed out into the extremely quiet town of Warrnambool and into the most bustling Liebig Street... which didn't seemed populated by people at all. In hindsight I realized this was pretty similar to how silent Adelaide was. After we scoured some restaurants (most were uninteresting), we decided on The Liebig Cafe & Restaurant serving Vietnamese-Japanese-Singaporean-Thai dishes. In general it was a typical hit-and-miss sort of place. While its Tomyum Sukhothai was sufficiently spicy and fragrant, it tasted like somebody tipped the salt bucket in when the chef's not looking. I was in complete agreement with their Vietnamese noodles salad which was seriously good, with all that fish sauce, coriander, mint... it was super refreshing and tasty to enjoy. I would say it's completely worth it to return for their Vietnamese noodles. 

The next post will be the last part of the Great Ocean Road series (until the next time I visit that coastline again) on more rocky formations ;)

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I am tired. I am tired of having my feet stepped onto in the trains with no apologies, having to say thank-yous to service staff and being stared coldly. I am tired of having to wait for cars to zoom pass me at zebra crossings and green lights (the last I checked, pedestrians have the right of way). Music, dramas, blasting from their electronic devices. No explanation, no consideration. Each fighting for one's own interests. "Your gain is my loss," yells my fellow Singaporean. "No one owes you a living," another says. My ears fail me, but my heart felt it, loud and strong. Selfishness has become a Singaporean trait. I look for signs to disprove it. Is that true? I hate to believe it, but reality keeps telling me it is. I miss you, Singapore. I really do.

In the previous episode, Harlem said "It's not a crime for men to cry" (男人哭吧不是罪 is a famous song by Andy Lau) as a taunt to Jay Chou's indecisive and emotional trial of eliminating his students. This week, will Harlem break down in face of the stress of eliminating his students? How will he surprise us with his innovative choreography once again? JJ Lin is the dream mentor of the episode too!

I absolutely went crazy over their performance of 燕尾蝶 by Fish Leong, which I have classified as one of the most difficult songs to sing in the arena of Mandopop! There was so much power, I thought the stage will collapse from that bursting energy. This is truly disciples of the man who loves to play with music. Yet, you have to choose one from the pair, and that, my choice was Zhang Shu because I found that she had greater control, poise, and still had some energy reserves (in a good way) while Li Wen Hui looked like he strained himself to the maximum and was slightly out of control. Zhang Shu received affirmation from three other judges as well, and ultimately, is also Harlem's choice. Oh my god at least Harlem gave Wen Hui a pair of damn sleek gold high tops.

"BACK TO 1955!"Harlem calls out. And then... I can only bow down to Harlem's impressive re-assembly of songs and breathing life into old songs. This time, the pair sings 亲密爱人 with a super vintage, sweet and jazzy edge. It reminds me of Harlem's own song - Honey Song! The improvement of both contestants is remarkably obvious much to my surprise! It could be the magic worked by dream mentor JJ Lin, but I guess we will never know. Worth replaying again and again. I loved Zhao Da Ge from her blind auditions of 我在人民广场吃炸鸡, and she continued to wow; but Duan Xin Rui has amazing(ly hilarious) showmanship too. Ah, what a dilemma! Harlem chooses Zhao Da Ge for her future potential in the competition, and she serenades Duan Xin Rui and Harlem with the lyrics of  亲密爱人.

Malaysian-born Gu Zhen Bang and Li Wen Hao does a Voice of China classic - 叶子 which has been executed to perfection by Na Ying's champion in the second season, 萱萱. According to how touched I feel during the performance, I think Gu Zhen Bang takes the crown... but that's not to say Li Wen Hao's R&B-laden voice is very lovely to listen to, which reminds me of Taipei city night streets, for some reason. With the elderly of the contestants at the event looking at Harlem's choice, it is such a stressful choice. Either way, I think the choice is warranted.. and it goes to Li Wen Hao. Very tear-inducing part as they give a teary send-off for Gu Zhen Bang.

Gorgeous ladies face-off in a classic 情人的眼泪, with a modern take on the tune. The judges are divided between Ma Yin Yin and Wu Si Ai - they do have their own strengths that can't be compared this way. Ma Yin Yin is more calm and collected, while Wu Si Ai is more warm and friendly, Their post-performance conversations get even more teary as the two girls revealed how closely-knitted they are. Between sniffs, Harlem chooses Ma Yin Yin as the top 6 of Harlem's team.

This impossible pair amazingly pulls this sultry, monotonous song of 表白 off quite well. I give a hundred-and-one points to showmanship to both of them. I love how Tong Yu Shuo's voice has this effect of ocean waves but Wang Di managed to manipulate spontaneously which is too cute! I agree with Wang Feng and JJ Lin's choice of Tong Yu Shuo which I preferred. And I can't take my eyes off her shampoo-advertisement worthy hair. And Harlem agrees.

Harlem makes them sing IT'S MY LIFE. It is designed for a fantastical, perfect ending for the PK rounds... and it does burst through the ceilings! The two guys melded as one most of the time. Cao Jing Hao had improved immensely, but Tan Xuan Yuan was able to challenge very high notes easily It is another difficult choice to make as they are pretty much shoulder to shoulder in standard throughout the performance. Harlem goes with Wang Feng and JJ Lin's suggestion to choose Tan Xuan Yuan.

 

UV rays is the number one reason for signs of aging that are impossible to reverse unless you undergo facial aesthetics treatments. Prevention is always better than curing, so keep your sunscreens close because they are your best friends. Understandably, the stickiness and heaviness of usual sunscreens will deter most people from using it. What's more, some of us put on foundation on top of sunscreen and it can really get very oily and uncomfortable as the day wears on... y'know what I am talking about. This Biore UV Aqua Watery Gel is the solution for a light formula and your UV protection.

The longstanding brand of Bioré has introduced its complete range of new and enhanced sunscreen products, ofering the highest level of UV protection recognized in the industry – SPF50+ and PA++++ rating (previously PA+++). Bioré’s enhanced UV Series is your perfect shield against skin woes that could be easily prevented, like sun spots, wrinkles and freckles caused by damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. Bioré’s unique Aqua Rich technology creates the same light and watery texture of Bioré’s popular UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence, which created a cool and refreshing feel upon application. It is now my go-to sunscreen base before applying makeup, and I don't feel it from day to night at all.

It completely vanishes into the skin, and keeps you protected. By the way, regardless how good the sunscreen is, the effect wears off after a few hours and you should always top up. The Bioré UV AQUA Rich Watery Gel is also very space-efficient to be slipped into a slingbag.

Photo credits: www.ent.qq.com

Whatever happened during the recording for Episode 11 (Wang Feng vs. Harlem Yu, to be broadcast on 25/9)? Wang Feng became really furious and sad, and decided to speak up about it. That melodramatic portion might not even be broadcast because it is an instant recipe for controversy. Here is what went down:

The competition has progressed to the next stage of the competition in which two teams will face off. In the next episode, the top four contestants from Jay Chou's team will meet the top four contestants from Na Ying's team on the same stage. Each team will pre-decide the line-up. The first contestant from Jay's team will compete against the first contestant from Na Ying's team, and so on. The four judges no longer have the power to choose who they prefer, and instead, 51 media representatives will vote. Out of the 51 media representatives, 26 of them include recording companies, music producers, music critics and radio DJs; the remaining 25 is made up of mainstream media representatives from all over China. The contestant with the higher vote will stay, and the other will leave. Each judge has an immunity vote to 'save' their team member.

Photo credits: www.weixinyidu.com

On the 10/9, the Voice of China team was doing a recording for Wang Feng and Harlem Yu's face off episode. Before the competition began, VOC host Hua Shao began by asking judges Jay Chou and Na Ying to comment on the new competition format.

Jay: It's great to deflect this conundrum to the judges, I feel so much relaxed now.

Na Ying: As their mentors, it's really difficult to make a decision. The media people can represent the voices of people. Wang Feng was really nervous in the backstage, but I told him that the media has no issues with him.

Subsequently, Harlem and Wang Feng performed an opening act one after another and host Hua Shao prompted them to declare their battle cry, to which Harlem yelled his signature animalistic 'Rockkk', but Wang Feng simply answered 没-有-宣-言 (No Battle Cry) and he turned to the media and reminded them that each of their vote is sacred.

Photo credits: entpaparazzi

Photo credits: www.qu.weixinyidu.com/

To all my students that have failed to go through, I am extremely apologetic to all of you, please forgive me my frankness. You did not lose to music, you did not lose in Harlem's point of view, you did not lose to your opponent's spectacular performances, you lost to the materialistic and crude world of gossip and bias, to which it is aimed at your mentor (himself). Please do not cry, I am grateful for The Voice's band, director, music producers, music critics and DJs. I would like to apologize, because I believe your performance is close to perfection, but I cannot change the reality. I have to say sorry because you've gotten hurt because of me. I can handle those defamation and gossip, but I should never let you bear all this.

Photo credits: www.gdyfs.com/

Shots fired. A commotion erupted among the media representatives. Major awkwardness ensued. During the final face-off, some of the media representatives continued to choose Harlem's contestant over Wang Feng's, and explained snarkily, "I did not choose Wang Feng's team because I am materialistic and crude."

Not saying who got eliminated, but it's pretty sure that at least three of Wang Feng's contestants got out. As a recap... these are the ones in Wang Feng's team: Bei Bei, Huang Xiao Yun, Zhang Xinxin, Huang Yong. It also means that at least three of Harlem's contestants got through: Tan Xuan Yuan, Zhang Shu, Zhao Da Ge, Ma Yin Yin. Told ya there are spoilers in here.

Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, just open Sugar to discover awesome places nearby. You can try a new exciting place at inviting prices... things will never be the same again. Download SUGAR to find out more! 

Is it crazy how I found one of the most inspirational and motivating quotes at a corner of Great Ocean Road? Scrawled onto a metallic plate that was nailed into the rocky wall at Gibsons Steps, it reads: "Your life unfolds in proportion to your courage". Whoever who wrote that, it's bookmarked. ;) We set off in the morning on the return trip from Warrnambool back to Melbourne, thereby checking out all the rock formation attractions that we didn't have time to look at yesterday.

10. Nibbling Away/ Bay of Islands

One of the best feelings in life must be waking up groggily and being greeted by such a magnificent sight. Of all cliches, I choose you: Mother nature is amazing... she must have gotten A+ for aesthetics class. At Nibbling Away or Bay of Islands - I think they refer to the same few lump of rocks - were named as such because they have been subjected to the most wear and tear and are now left with the remaining standing ones. Based on my weak geography knowledge, I am assuming that this occurs because Bay of Islands is the most Westernly-situated rock formations of the cluster of attractions, and has the least protection from the offshore island of Tasmania, so it is subjected to stronger waves and winds. This is just a conjecture by the way, my physical Geography classes ended quite early in my life. Anyway, by extrapolation, I guess Bay of Islands may vanish very quickly, just as the Twelve Apostles are being worn down to nine.

11. The Grotto

More types of differently-shaped rocks. I think it's a better idea to do the rock formations from Warrnambool rather than towards because in that way, it gets more interesting rather than less... well Bay of Islands is technically just a lump of rocks in the ocean, but the Grotto was way more mesmerizing to look at! It was low tide in the morning so the grotto opening was quite calm and big, but I would imagine it to be sloshing with waves when it's high tide. This is my favourite rock formation because you get a special view through the opening and into the great ocean, like a personal window with protection. It's quite scary to stand at the beach facing the sea because it's cold (even in 'summer') and the waves are really strong. But at the Grotto, you enjoy the view with a little ring of protection.

The Arch

12. London Arch/ The Arch

The London Arch and The Arch are essentially within the same field of vision when you are there. The London Arch is named as such because it used to be linked to the main land before the centre portion broke through and fell into the sea, leaving the 'London Arch' behind. Fun fact: when the centre portion collapsed, there were people exploring the London Arch and they were stuck on it for a few hours before the helicopters came to pick them! That must be crazily traumatizing. The waves are extremely strong, so regardless how proficient you are at swimming, you will most certainly be swept away. There are signs that read 'unstable cliffs' everywhere, but nobody ever listens anyway.

13. Breakfast!

A quick break somewhere in between to feed those growling stomachs before we conquer more rocks...

14. The Blowhole/ Loch Ard Gorge/ Tom & Eva/ Razorback

Make no mistake, it is Loch-ARD-Gorge. I thought it was a misspelling - Loch and Gorge, right? But no... Loch Ard Gorge is the site of a shipwreck of the clipper ship Loch Ard after which it is named. The ship carried 54 passengers; only two survived – 15-year-old Tom Pearce, and 17-year-old Eva Carmichael whom he rescued that fateful night. The two teenagers took shelter in Thunder Cave on the night of the shipwreck. It was quite a scary story to read when we were there. I could imagine how - there were so many protruding rocks in that area, it must have been really dangerous for ships to come close. You can access the gorge beach area by walking 10 minutes, and you'll be greeted with a lagoon sort of area. The waves are really strong despite looking calm. Looks are deceiving, beware!

15. Gibsons Steps

Perhaps the most identifiable rock formation/ attraction is the Gibsons Steps which involved descending down some steps to the beach. The question many people asked: is it difficult to reach the beach?! It isn't for the average individual, it can be challenging if you have weak knees. But don't worry, hold onto the siderails and do it slowly and you should be fine. It is the most iconic stretch of beach you can find on Great Ocean Road and you can surely rest your feet at the beach! Of course, take some pictures, enjoy the breeze... it's really memorable :)

One of the website resources that I found really useful at marking out locations of the rock formations: here.

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I share interesting episodes in life revolving around food, lifestyle, travel and inspirational ideas. If you would like to stay in touch, follow me on my Instagram on @spherepiece and Facebook page!

Welcome to Grill'd, the paradise of burgers. It isn't anything fancy, Aussies might be wondering why am I writing about something as common as Maccas, but this is so underrated!! These burgers are so delicious with every bite. Some have said not every single Grill'd outlet has the same quality, those with seater capacity are more likely to have better burgers.

Am I just hungry or are these Grill'd burgers especially worth missing? Two bread choices, three sauce choices (Herbed Mayo/ Sweet Chilli Mayo/ Tomato Relish), take your pick. Regardless when I was eating the Simply Grill'd (AUD9.9) or the Summer Sunset (AUD12.5), contentedly sighing while eating them is a must. I just wished I had tried every single burger on the menu. 

You may have seen a particular food truck in the shape and colour of a milk cow (it made an appearance at Singapore Night Festival), or you may not have. In any case, you can catch this nomad of a food truck at their headquarters - The Diner by The Travelling C.O.W (which stands for Chef on Wheels). Karen, an avid traveler has introduced many wacky concepts from her overseas experiences and made them into reality in her cozy restaurant, including the ramen burgers from Japan. She appreciates a good drink from time to time, so be sure to check out her private bottle collection at a bar corner of The Diner too. 

Appetizers at The Diner ain't just simply starters, they already start engaging you with their exciting offerings. These lip-smacking Ramen Chicken Wings give KFC a massive sprint for their money - tasty and succulent, it's quite a mess to eat, but a show-stopper for sure.

The Oriental Garden Salad seems like the polar opposite of the ramen chicken wings on the scale of healthiness, with a drizzle of sauce which reminds me of chicken rice sauce. Crunchy leafy vegetables and juicy tomato slices are a good switch-up from the awesome fried appetizers.

My favourite among the three has got to be the Truffle Mac & Cheese Balls which got me swooning... I mean if it were up to me, I'll have these for the ultimate comfort supper food everyday. Heck hypertension, these crunchy golden exterior nestles a treasure trove of mac and cheese with a sprinkle of truffle taste that I cannot resist. Highly recommended!

Fizzy Lychee Summer Ice

Here comes the ramen burgers in their different flavours. It feels like the congregation of flavours from all over the globe. Korean representative, Ramen Bulgogi Short Ribs Burger! Crispy and brittle ramen layers require quite a bit of skill to eat, but the bulgogi short ribs are boldly-flavoured with tender stretches of beef. Ramen Wagyu Burger should be the classic among the ramen burgers with its juicy meat patty and a party of mushrooms, which eased the crispiness of the fried ramen layer. Ramen Chicken Teriyaki Burger is pretty delicious except that the chicken teriyaki could be slightly dry - possibly because we took some time for photo-taking - but it sure hit the right notes on flavours.

I left The Diner with this lingering endlessly in my mind: the Hainanese Chicken Rice Burger. Say what? We have our national dish in burger form, because why not. This is my favourite burger out of all, hands down, because I love how innovative this is and how well it actually works!! That's a rice patty 'bread', with the same sauce in chicken rice drizzled in between. I don't blame your skepticism, I was wondering how this would actually turn out. After the first bite, I was thoroughly amused and amazed. I would recommend this to bits!

Evidently, The Diner is really strong in their suit of fusion dishes as well. Their Chilli Crab Pasta, Chicken Seafood Laksa Pasta and Chicken Bak Kwa Carbonara are all curiously tasty. It's really hard to find good fusion food nowadays (especially Singaporean-Italian), so many contenders have came and failed, but I must say The Diner has done respectfully well in this aspect. What I really like is that they retained much of the local flavours and made it the centre of each dish rather than as a cursory selling point. I particularly liked the Chicken Seafood Laksa Pasta because the laksa curry flavours was overwhelmingly shiok, and to enjoy it in a dry pasta form rather than have it sloshing around under my chin is a fantastic change.