This has been appearing far too many times on my newsfeed for me to ignore. As I'm typing this, it has already received considerable attention, including 10,000+ likes and 270 shares. Most of these approvals have come from women and I'm shocked. I'm aware that I'm one too, but I've got to take an opposing stand this time. But this is probably one of the most obvious explanations on why feminism is being treated like a dirty word.

Playing bartender this afternoon with Quai Sud Melange Pour Cocktail (Sex on the Beach) with Absolut Vodka. It felt nothing less than a science experiment, complete with everyday kitchen tools like a funnel, a chopstick, spoons and bowls to get it done. Looks easier than it was done, but hey, homemade cocktails are more fun. 

Now you have almost pre-mix everything to make most of the process self-explanatory: add A (ie. Quai Sud Melange pre-mix) to B (Absolut Vodka). The tricky part is actually how to get these bigger pieces through the tiny neck of the bottle. But we managed.

The combination is a tantalizing, nasal-invigorating fruity melee of peach, passionfruit(-ish) fragrances. Do not sniff it directly or experience a nasty instant wake-me-up effect. You are warned.

The tough part was over - getting really stubborn pieces into the vodka goodness. What's left is the pink sand-ish textured flavours, use a little physics knowledge and tilt the funnel at an angle (instead of right angles) to let it slip in easily.

Now, all that's left is to wait for it to marinate for 48 hours and to resist sneaking sips in between. ;)

SANPOUTEI. A name that used to be the elusive ramen place that everyone keeps talking about but now I've jumped onto the bandwagon and tried it for myself. And I say, yes, yes, yes! But only if you picked the right soup base for your ramen.

In fact, they are so popular they even opened a second branch at Shaw Towers. You can browse more restaurant reviews at Holland Village or follow my ramen trail here!



SANPOUTEI
253 Holland Ave #01-01

Crystal Jade Kitchen serves an array of typical Cantonese selections that might entice you to order everything... but with such a glaring golden embossed branding on the wall, the dinner plan is obvious: La Mian and Xiao Long Bao, of course!

You know a food has achieved cult status when they have their own acronym. Crystal Jade's XLBs come in a bundle of four, the perfect number for everyone to monopolize one entire bundle. The natural comparison would be against the famous Din Tai Fung's. Crystal Jade's XLBs have slightly thicker skin, but somehow all four of them are leaking through their bottoms. Taste-wise I would say I still prefer Din Tai Fung's... However, to settle a regular XLB craving, Crystal Jade's still suffice.

Out of all the la mian flavours, I chose my favourite Zha Jiang La Mian to try Crystal Jade's version of this dish. Many restaurants have this dish in their menu, and I actively try many types from Din Tai Fung, Paradise Dynasty, and Nan Xiang Restaurant. Crystal Jade's Zha Jiang La Mian is arguably the most distinctive from the rest. There is a thick coating of pretty intense sweet and spicy sauce around the smooth and finely textured la mian. I liked how the spiciness is adjusted to make it more tantalizing and also the minced pork was also quite savoury. The overall portion was super huge and almost felt like it was neverending.

Hello there. Okay so the hello pun might be overused when it comes to to the new taxi app Hailo, but it sure is apt for an app that I've been overusing these few days! With so many taxi apps (Say, Uber, GrabTaxi, Easy Taxi, and Hailo!) that hit our tiny island in recent weeks, you might be skeptical about what's going on? To say it in a single line: Taxi apps are the middlemen to provide a platform that coordinates passengers and taxi drivers together.

Built for customers

Why am I featuring Hailo in here? It's the newest taxi app as of now, I've tried it 3 times within two days and I'm already hooked onto its extremely intuitive and easy user interface and functions. Hailo is the brainchild of three taxi drivers from London, which explains why it is so well-built for both taxi drivers and customers.

Hailo has at least 1000 taxis signed up with them, but either case I waited for less than 15 minutes the first time, instantly got one the second time, and 5 minutes for the third time. My favourite part is how chic the whole design is! I tried to find a taxi through Uber app on a few occasions, but I couldn't. 

Built for taxi drivers

Unlike Uber's system which makes taxi drivers bid for their customers, Hailo works on a system whereby the app intelligently allocate the nearest taxi driver to the customer. I'm using these two apps for comparison because these are the only ones I've downloaded and tried. I found that Hailo's system encouraged safer driving because the driver only has to tap once per customer. However, for Uber's system, it makes the drivers more competitive and inattentive as they constantly have to 'fight' for customers while on the road. 

Incentives

Hailo | They have a one-time promotional code of  "HELLOSING" of $10 credits. I had a couple of $15 promotional codes which I think was from an earlybird sign-up, but I'm sure there will be more promotional codes coming up as their marketing strategies.

Uber | There is a referral program under Uber - "When a friend rides with your code, you both get $10"! Mine is WDF42 if you intend to download Uber and get an instant $10 credits ;) There is a sustainable system of credits under Uber.

So... Uber or Hailo? Have you tried any of them? One taxi driver also mentioned that his favourite app to use is Grab Taxi app! I haven't tried it yet because I only use apps with promo codes (#CheapoAlert) but the good part of it is how it reflects all the taxis in the region immediately. 

Photo credits: retrainpain.com

If you've read 5 ways to wake up without all that angst and found that irrelevant because insomnia is your bigger enemy: this is for you. I remembered downloading some apps with an assortment of sounds to help with sleeping better, but I couldn't recall the name of it. So I decided to browse the Play Store (#Android) for similar apps and found this Relax Completely App. The interface looked a bit 1997, but I saw really good reviews by other users, so I tapped on download. And oh my, it was really good.

 Interface of Relax Completely App

The interface of the app looked like this. When it comes to things like apps, I'm quite superficial. But then again, you're doing hypnosis/ relaxing, so you won't be looking at your phone much during the process but at the back of your eyelids. So... who really cares whether it's ugly or not as long as it works! You have to download a pretty huge audio file which takes about 3 minutes with my pathetic Singtel wifi speed, After which, get yourself into a comfy position (ie. your usual sleeping position) in a quiet, dark room and then play the audio file!

Photo credits: Self-Hypnosis Pendulum Free App

 Hypnosis

I've always had this irrational fear of hypnosis. Like... do you go into a trance? Can you wake up in time? What happens if someone interrupts halfway - do you die?! Okay that was a bit of an exaggeration, but it feels like a super comfortable, assisted meditation to ease you into sleep. I had an extremely restful and deep sleep and woke up feeling really refreshed and my brain felt like it received a long-awaited rejuvenation. Always had the trouble of sleeping? Try this for a change tonight. 

Fantastic food, elegance and a memorable experience beckon on the banks of Singapore River at Ricciotti Pizza Pasta Grill Riverwalk. To celebrate their 10th anniversary, this Italian restaurant has emerged with a sparkling new and elegant refurbishment and a thoughtfully curated menu. It's always useful to have a restaurant in mind that can impress for romantic dates, important family dinners and special occasions.

Staying true to their roots, Ricciotti Pizza Pasta Grill Riverwalk maintains Italian elements in every aspect of the restaurant. Imaginative paintings hand-drawn by Italian designer artist Keziat Terracciano are prominently hung around. There are also multiple specialized in-house chefs for various sections of the menu. 

Start with an antipasta dish for the true Italian experience: Cioppino Soup ($25). Savoury and extremely generous with  mussels and prawns, the brand manager, Walter Visioli, shared with us that this dish is a very rustic, homemade dish that women would cook for their husbands in the olden days. This is a powerfully seafood-infused stew with inklings of garlic paired with buttery crostini to dip.  

Carpaccio di polpo ($18) is a picturesque of summer with citrus flavours and well-marinated octopus. Among all the antipasti, this is my favourite because of the very chewy, thinly-sliced octopus slices and the dimensions of tastes that rupture together. I wished the portions could be bigger though! It's the glutton talking again... 

My first impression of the Eggplant parmigiana ($15) was that its well-execution... primarily because it actually made my mortal enemy eggplants taste appetizing! Baked with a satisfying layer of tomato sauce and cheese to create a lasagna composition, the texture of the eggplants at the bottom remains juicy and allows for "clean bites" rather than its usual slimy texture.

Nizzarda salad ($19) integrated pan-seared, fresh tuna loin surrounded with a complimentary nest of mesclun, green beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, anchovies, and very bouncy and soft-boiled quail eggs. Those eggs are the hot favourite of the table with sherry dressing.

Pollo alla milanese ($22) is a breaded chicken dish with very finely scattered bread crumbs on the surface, plated on potatoes, with tomato salad on the side. While the breaded chicken was pretty decent, the potatoes were the ones who took me by surprise - they retained moisture, oozed with parsley fragrance, slightly crispy edges... loved it!

This ear-shaped pasta orrecchiette broccoli e acciughe ($20) is one of those classic rustic Italian pasta dishes with a whiffs of anchovies, juicy cherry tomatoes and crunchy broccoli that got everyone raving!

How would an Italian meal be complete without some comforting risotto?! Since Ricciotti has seafood as their specialty, Risotto al frutti di mare would be the perfect marriage of these two elements. This turns out to be really creamy and consistent in terms of evenness of flavours and broth mixture with rather firmly dense rice grains. Anyone who loves seafood definitely shouldn't miss out on this.

Grilled seabass ($28) is not only an oceanic favourite, it is also my top pick out of all the main courses! The fleshy seabass has a tender yet firm bite. Its simple garnishing of tomato concasse capers allows the seabass to retain its original fresh taste. I love it! Not to mention, the wonderfully done potatoes appeared again in this dish.

Every chef at Ricciotti Pizza Pasta Grill Riverwalk has a specialization. For pizza lovers, Chef Akram will be the expert to satisfy your tastebuds! 

We tried two flavours of pizzas: the Al tartufo pizza (top) and Porcini e scarmoza pizza (bottom)! The Al tartufo pizza referred to a beautiful amalgamation of full-bodied signature black truffle fragrance, earthy mushrooms, and quail eggs, while the Porcini e scarmoza pizza is lighter in taste, with a milkier cheese base.

Finally the most delightful part of the meal - desserts! The Nutella sweet pizza was swept clean off the plate as quickly as the cameras were done with them. An ingenious use of the familiar chocolate hazelnuts spread doubled with a second helping of crushed hazelnuts, there is no reason not to love this.

Except that the Tiramisu ($10) took my heart away and left me drowned in its excellently moist, chocolate mousse, mascarpone cream with crisp flakes, with a slight whiff of indulgent rum that doesn't overpower the overall taste. If you can only choose one dessert... this is it!

The Panna cotta ($8) comes a close second with a distinctive vanilla flavoured pudding that has maintained a wonderful texture - very wobbly, yet held together nicely - even though we were shifting the plate around quite a lot to take photos! Paired with the seasonal fruit compote - tasted like a combination of a lot of sweet & sour berries - the panna cotta seemed to drown a little but I love the panna cotta in itself. 

Plenty of juice that stayed undiluted all night. I'm not sure how. It just happened.

Here are the menus for Ricciotti Pizza Pasta Grill Riverwalk.

And... the Seasonal Specials which you cannot miss because they are the absolutely heartfelt creations by the chefs with a limited appearance on the menu. The Tagliolini with butter and fresh white truffle sounds amazing already... grab it before it is gone!

A really wonderful tasting session organized by OpenRice Singapore in which we dined together and exchanged pointers about blogging (:  Left to right: Brand manager - Walter Visioli, Kaeting, Hazel, Carine, Summer, Amie (me!), Janel, Eleanor, Alex, and Shaun. 

We're serious when we say it's a food paradise here in Singapore. Do you concur? Come to Singapore Hawker Heritage with an empty stomach - that's the best advice I can give. With the best of Singapore’s hawker culture demonstrated in three food zones namely Ultimate Original Recipe [食代相传], Ultimate Pursuit of Happiness [食膳为心] and Ultimate Ingredients [食材科举], you can be sure to indulge lovingly in our island's authentic tastes in its full glory. Warning: This post contains heart-stopping, enticing food photos.

Supported by TOUCH Community Services, this highly anticipated hawker fest will return for the third consecutive year following its success, with a unique focus on celebrating Singapore’s hawker heritage, as part of Singapore’s Jubilee (SG50) celebrations. 

WHERE: Suntec Convention Centre Halls 401 and 402

WHEN: 22 November 2014, 1100 - 1700

For more information & to buy your coupons here at Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 >>> www.ultimatehawkerfest.sg

Sweat and hard work goes into building our delicious Singapore food culture, especially in the heat of hawker centres. But you know this is where you will find real gems and flavours that locals miss so much when they go overseas. How many people rush down to get their good ol' carrot cake when they touched down from a long overseas holiday? The Ultimate Original Recipe celebrates the heritage of our pioneer generation hawkers through stalls helmed by chefs from the second, third and fourth generations of famous hawkers.

This menu includes some of the amazing selections you can find at the Ultimate Hawker Fest.

For more information & to buy your coupons here at Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 >>> www.ultimatehawkerfest.sg

It is heartening to know that our hawker culture is very much alive with younger people extending the legacy! Armed with his grandmother’s recipe, Douglas Ng, 23, of Fishball Story arrives at his stall at 4am every morning to make all his fishballs from scratch using only pure yellowtail fish meat and no flour. Douglas has a passion in preserving the hawker heritage and serving food with heart. 

“It’s the feel of the wobbly fish paste, how I need to adjust to the supply each day as the fishes are not all the same every day and the way I need to beat and slap the paste, season and soak it before I can boil them - all very satisfying, I cannot explain why,”

The Ultimate Pursuit of Happiness celebrates the enterprising spirit of these budding chefs and hawkers by featuring individuals who left their jobs in other sectors to pursue their passion for food in the hawker industry.

For more information & to buy your coupons here at Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 >>> www.ultimatehawkerfest.sg

The Ultimate Ingredients menu features hawkers who have added special ingredients to conventional hawker fares to create dishes that are truly a league of its own! Don't miss the action of celebrity chefs Eric Neo (from Intercontinental Hotel), Tan Yong Hua (Restaurant HOME), Melvin Lim (Ramada and Days Hotels Singapore) and Shen Tan will be cooking local dishes such as otah, roast duck, nasi lemak and more!

Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 will feature celebrity food bloggers Maureen Ow, Derrick Tan and Ian Low, who will combine their gourmet expertise to bring together more than 20 chefs to create the ultimate menu just for you.

For more information & to buy your coupons here at Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 >>> www.ultimatehawkerfest.sg

On 5 November 2014, Hailo Singapore released a clarification status update on their Facebook page on the removal of credits from users' accounts. These credits are earned from promotional codes circulating around by word-of-mouth and forums such as CITI1, CITI2, CITI3, CITI4, CITI5, CITI6, CITI7 and STAR1 for $20 credits each. Plenty of users took it up to the Hailo Singapore Facebook page with their discontent as they mistakenly took cabs under the impression that they still had credits but were charged to their credit cards. 

Hailo Singapore Facebook page status update

The plug was pulled from the credits with only 1 day away from the expiry date of the promotional codes (6 November), without a comprehensive notice to all users and taxi drivers. With "tens of thousands" paid out to allegedly unauthorized users, it seems like the costs are too much to bear if this goes on for another day. Why are these promotional codes not limited to certain users only if it's not meant for public usage? That is one big mystery. You really can't rely on users to dutifully not use credits meant for employees only when the system allows it, especially in Singapore where everyone loves freebies like these.

When I was using my credits yesterday for a ride, I was having a conversation with the taxi driver who remarked that there were "a few people with credits of up to $300 stored in their account when he picked them up". Another taxi driver told me to try a new promotional code "CITI8" that was rumoured to be activated on 5 November, but it obviously didn't work anymore.

A screen capture of an email sent to a Hailo user

In any case, Hailo promised to run run regular, transparent promotions and giveaways for passengers for us to look forward to. Their customer service is quite responsive - they replied one of my questions quite quickly within hours, but they must be swamped with queries and complaints right now. Meanwhile, we can switch back to taking public transport... or, Uber? Grab Taxi? Easy Taxi? 

Photo credits: yourblag.com

Not sure where you should start to take better care of your skin? For the uninitiated, these are five steps you can incorporate in your life without going too far out of your daily routine. Five tips which I do (perhaps except #2, but I try) daily because I can feel the nourishing effects they have on my skin. What's your beauty skincare secret?

Photo credits: wikihow.com

1. Massaging in your moisturizer

Blood circulation is absolutely important when it comes to skincare and defying wrinkles. A daily facial massage should be done while washing your face and moisturizing with small and firm circular motions. Don't neglect your chin and neck as you do - gentle slapping of the area under your chin with the back of a hand is the secret tip of many young-looking women. My favourite choice of moisturizer for a night-time facial massage is the Hydra Tri-Action Aqua Droplet Sleeping Mask by Bio-essence, because of its non-sticky and non-oily texture which leaves my face feeling hydrated, light, and protected overnight.

Photo credits: mamashealth.com

Photo credits: blog.ideales.gr

3. Hydrate by drinking, mist up

Even in a humid environment like Singapore's, hydration is essential for your skin's well-being. If you find that your skin is often dry or peeling, it's a sign of its lack of moisture. Drink up or mist your face regularly. Take note that you shouldn't use excessively hot water during your showers as it strips water from your skin quickly. Lukewarm to slightly cold water would be the best.

Photo credits: popsugar.com

Photo credits: eliseaileen.com

I wanted to say that Restaurant HOME 家 would be perfect for Chinese New Year reunion dinners... but then again, why do we have to wait for only important occasions for an excuse to have a satisfying meal together? The best part of life is an aggregate of the most precious moments with our loved ones, especially those involving great food and the longgg conversations after finishing! Helmed by established Chef Tan Yong Hua, Restaurant HOME captures the essence of heartwarming dishes very well and had me feeling so blessed:

As I entered, I found Restaurant HOME 家 to be spacious with comfortable distances between each table. There are also different sizes to accommodate both large and small groups. Instead of fancy interior design and furniture, the interior design's direction remains very down-to-earth, with semblance to a semi-traditional Chinese Singaporean home. The restaurant is also equipped with a washroom at the back.

I love to look at restaurants' walls of fame (which Restaurant HOME had at least two)! I had to look twice when I saw Hillary Clinton at the bottom row (third from left) standing together with Chef Tan Yong Hua - it felt so amazing to be able to enjoy the same dishes that this inspiring woman has tried. Amongst politicians, there are also many Mediacorp artistes as well.

Despite the multiple accolades Chef Tan Yong Hua has acquired, he is extremely humble, kind, forthcoming in sharing his culinary tricks with us and even gamely posing for photos. Oh, I'm a fan already.

There's something about blue porcelain patterns that remind me of family dinners. I can't be the only one thinking that, right? This attention to these details to ensuring an experience of family dinners is giving you no room to not feel all fuzzy inside.

Indulging dining experiences at Chinese restaurants is best done with Peking Ducks. At Restaurant HOME 家, you can delight in Chef Tan's signature Barbecued Peking Duck with Lychee Wood 炭燒荔枝木北京烤鴨 ($68 - whole duck, $38 - half duck) which begins with crispy skin sliced from duck breast to be eaten with a hint of sugar in traditional Peking-style. In good ol' do-it-yourself Peking Duck traditions, we wrapped a slice of juicy, rich duck meat, classic julienned cucumbers with thick and mildly sweet plum hoisin sauce around thin Mandarin pancakes. Every wrap is very delicious and all savoured in sweet satisfaction. If you can't get enough of it, you can always opt for a second serving in which the same roast duck to be served in (1) soup, (2) wok-fried duck with ginger and onion or (3) deep-fried duck with dried chili, roasted minced garlic and capsicum pepper fine salt.

A top-up of $10 is all it takes for this extra goodness. And so we went with the second serving: Deep-fried Duck 桥底避风塘鸭件 stir-fried with dried chili, roasted minced garlic, and capsicum pepper fine salt! Beautiful name and an immensely crispy bite to match, with little bursts of spiciness that would entice those who can't get enough of the roast duck... though I would say that nothing beats the original ;)

The most photogenic dish but not exactly the easiest to eat.. some wrestling needed here with the Stewed Golden Noodles with Lobster and Spring Onions wrapped in O Ba Leaves 乌巴叶姜葱虾焖黄面 ($12.50/100gm)... but staying glam while eating is the least of your concerns if you're close enough to have such a fantastic dinner together. Served with a plate of egg noodles tossed with soya sauce, I would say that for the little meat I managed to wrung out from the lobster shells, they are very fresh and juicy, highly complementary with the seafood savoury sauce.

Tasting portion

Tasting portion

Tasting portion

And of course, I had to get a picture with the MVP of the night - Chef Tan Yong Hua who came up with all the spectacular dishes for the night. If you would like to get a taste of his Signature Peking Duck with Lychee Wood, catch him at the Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 on 22 November 2014. I enjoyed myself tremendously with such great food at Restaurant HOME 家 @ Rail Mall, and I'm sure you will too! 

[ This is an invited food tasting. ]

Enjoy a hearty lunch with your loved ones today at Restaurant HOME 家 to enjoy the culinary creations of celebrity chef Tan Yong Hua at $60++ (min. 4 pax). Promotion is valid until 31st December 2014. The menu goes like this:

Barbecued Duck with Lychee Wood
Double-boiled Shark's Fin, Chicken with Japanese Jyounsai and Wolfberries
Braise Flower Mushroom with 8 Head Quality Abalone in Abalone Sauce
Fried Rice with Prawn and Barbecued Pork Loin in Yangzhou Style
Chilled Rosella Flower Jelly with Diced Mango

Monaco was a picture of rain when we arrived but nothing some umbrellas and happy moods can't solve... onto exploring Monaco we went! This city has a lot of slopes and it was quite a hike, but the beautiful sceneries especially of the Mediterranean Sea and gorgeous historical architecture made for great motivation to keep walking around.

We were greeted by the huge cavern-like underground station of Monaco Monte-Carlo station as we arrived from Nice! What a lovely welcome after a panoramic train ride and there was more to come.

A duck was randomly frolicking in the grass!

The Casino de Monte Carlo was crazily packed with people even at the entrance, and the whole city was crawling with luxury cars and women dressed to the nines. The security guards looked very stern and had the look to turn away visitors that are not there for gambling.

We went past Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo which was featured in a lot of movies including Iron Man 2.

Arrive by helicopter if you want to travel Monaco in style.

Say hello to the Seagull! It stood there for quite sometime without flying off even though there were a few people snapping shots of it. We were really close to Italy - it's in the background! Quite cool, huh?

Flowers were in full bloom everywhere and this was the prettiest shot!

Photo credits: sina.com

For the hyperactive: never get bored again at k-box! If you belong to the tribe who loves high songs and jump up and down the sofa to exercise the springs in it... you know you can never have enough of such songs (yes, this is only part 1):

Photo credits: xiyoudoushen.com

1. 謝金燕 - 姐姐

This list is supposedly not in chronological order, but this first song is the inspiration for this post. This only means one thing - you might get an overdosage of high once you mastered this song. When all else fails, go ahead and 咚吱咚吱咚吱 with the Sister. You never know what is wtf until you finished this song, and discovered you actually liked it. And it has turned into your earworm for the following week.

Photo credits: 0737weal.com

2. 大嘴巴- 结果咧

A catchy piece by Da Mouth that will satisfy the ones who loves to challenge rap while mixing the familiar 结果咧-结果咧-结果咧-结果咧 part that everyone knows. The close substitute to this song minus all that rap is 国王皇后.

Photo credits: binmusictaipei Youtube

3. 五月天 - 傷心的人別聽慢歌(貫徹快樂)

This song has become my K-box staple whenever I needed something to break the slow-songs monotony. You can always count on MayDay when a spammage of fun songs are required, but this is one of their latest songs that have topped their previous classic high pieces. Just in my opinion - at least the MV is interesting to watch ;)

Photo credits: twwiki.com

4. F.I.R - Get High

F.I.R do things more literally in this department, and this is one song that will bring a smile to your face, definitely! Thankfully, this song is still not too difficult to sing without going too-off-pitch for mere mortals like us. Friends might beg to differ.

Photo credits: poachedmag.com

5. 蔡依林 - 日不落

After 梁棟江 and 余楓 from The Voice of China revolutionized this less-than-mainstream Jolin's song, I found newfound love for this song from 7 years ago. Opt for the VOC version if you can (should be available in Teo Heng studios) for the extra boost of happiness!

Photo credits: 9rpic.com

6. 萧敬腾 - 王妃

Jam Hsiao will always have a place in every playlist I make, especially with my favourite song that I must have selected for at least ten times. Never attempt this without a warm-up for maximum enjoyment. However, it might be so over-sung that it no longer has the high factor. But objectively speaking, yes, it definitely should appear here.

Photo credits: biasonica

7. 孫燕姿 - 超快感

Singapore-born Stefani Sun with her cheerful, upbeat song 超快感 begins at mid-pace and gradually build up to the climax. There's so much positive energy channeling in this song, it's an awesome song to choose to lift your moods.

Photo credits: bananaxmushroom.blogspot.com

8. S.H.E - Superstar

All you secretly-or-not-secretly karaoke fans, you can sing the chorus just by looking at the title of the song, right? The song especially satisfying to sing in an all-girls group where you can be your own S.H.E. And the entire song you're just waiting for this: You are my superstar, boy!~

Photo credits: Media Asia Music Official Channel Youtube

9. 鄭秀文 - 眉飛色舞

You might be busier getting your legs moving and arms waving then actually singing into the microphone itself when it comes to this song, so it doesn't really matter whether your tongue can handle the complicated lyrics that half-resembled a Chinese poem or not.

Photo credits: c11238

10. 羅志祥 & 楊丞琳 - 王見王

When these two powerful singers come together, you can expect a perfect synergy for a fun and adrenalin-rush-inducing song! It doesn't matter that the lyrics are actually damn cheesy that only Show Luo & Rainie can pull off. This song is super cute!

Never miss a post again!

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!

Photo credits: jolinjenerationgallery.com

For the hyperactive: never get bored again at k-box! If you belong to the tribe who loves high songs and jump up and down the sofa to exercise the springs in it... you know you can never have enough of such songs (read part 1 here):

Photo credits: shunwang.com

1. 張惠妹 - Bad Boy

Vintage and gold: spanning across a few decades, this is one of those songs that karaoke old-timers would definitely know. It's also perfect for an all-girls hang out day. Taiwanese pop queen A-Mei also rose to fame with this single, along with classic 聽海 in the same disc.

Photo credits: sinaimg.cn

2. 魔幻力量 - 射手

Getting back to something more recent, Magic Power takes you away with techno elements and highly catchy rap! If you want a mild feel of clubbing in the karaoke room with a hint of Jolin, this is it.

Photo credits: ent.qq.com

3. 王心凌 - 心電心

For something more cutesy and dance routines, turn to Cyndi Wang with one of her less diabetic songs 心電心! I like this song because it's so easy to sing even though it appears challenging. A few practices are all it takes!

Photo credits: mojoimage.com

4. 周杰倫 - 公公偏頭痛 

Jay Chou really isn't just your emo buddy in karaoke. Get together with his blasphemous, ridiculous yet hilarious song and the hardest rap yet, Imagine saying "我進京趕考 免不了學而時習之的 搖頭晃腦東方的琴棋書畫比西方有情調 " all in three seconds. Just wait for that hilarious chorus.

Photo credits: pengpeng.com

5. 罗志祥 - 精舞门

If you want a dance hit, Show Luo is the man to find. If you want a song where you can act cool, this is the top choice! Even if you don't know how to sing this song, you'll soon get the hang of it after listening to the first verse.

Photo credits: sinaimg.cn

6. S.H.E - 痛快

S.H.E takes it away with another song (the previous song on the first part of this playlist) with 痛快, which as the name suggests, is extremely satisfying to sing. This is especially because you get three tone ranges to choose from.

Photo credits: sinaimg.cn

7. 杜德偉 - 脫掉

When I first got to know this song, I was amazed by how such a song could exist... and who on earth would even dare to sing this in public?! But singing this with close friends is amazingly funny. Don't assume this is an easy song to sing, beyond the chorus, there are still a lot of ambiguous verses that are difficult to smoke through.

Photo credits: ivysky.com

8. 蔡依林 - 美人計

But of course, dancing diva - Jolin. You already know her usual 舞娘/大丈夫/看我七十二变, but I'll introduce a relatively newer song. 美人計 caught my attention due to its powerful chorus that makes it very rewarding to sing at one shot. It leaves you breathless, because you probably can't resist dancing to it.

Photo credits: joshuaongys.com

9. 庾澄慶 - 哈你歌

Warning: Earworm potential. A collaboration between Harlem Yu and 小S, this song is highly repetitive so anyone can sing it. The music video borders on being creepy and pretty. How is that possible? Watch it and you'll understand.

Photo credits: bulo.hujiang.com

10. 五月天 - 第一天

 Stefani Sun and Mayday both sang this song before - it doesn't matter much which version you choose... but this is a song that everyone knows and a perfect ending to a karaoke session!

Did you miss buying The Entertainer at the start of the year? Now is the time to get yours for 2015 so you can enjoy one full year of discounts! Ever since I started on The Entertainer, I wondered why I got onto this app so late. The feeling of enjoying a quality meal is great, but paying half-price for everything is superb and makes everything so much more affordable. The Entertainer is now launching its 2015 app and the best part is they are now bigger with over 1000 merchants on board.

Who doesn't love a good deal?

With over 1000 one-for-one deals with travel, spa, dining, leisure, fitness centres, accommodation stays at hotels, you can now have amazing cost-savings - especially if you frequently eat out, go to the gym, and travel. I saved over $100+ just last year by using the app and I don't even do all these very often! I've tried The Entertainer app at Bartini Kitchen, Benjamin Browns Bistro & Bakery, Kinki Rooftop Bar and The Pelican Seafood Bar & Grill. What's more, you can expect more merchants coming on board over the year as the team at The Entertainer brings you even better deals!

Enjoy the finer things in life... with prices you can afford

Ever thought that a restaurant is too expensive and should only reserve it for special occasions? You should deprive yourself no more as this app makes it so much more affordable! Bartini Kitchen had their mains at an average of $25 each, which I found too expensive for a casual dinner even though it's really delicious. However, at 50% off, it fits into my budget perfectly and it's even cheaper than the mainstream, franchise restaurants. 

A great source of inspiration.

I think I've raved about The Entertainer for their carefully curated list of dining options before, including my favourite cafe - Toby's Estate. Look to the Entertainer Singapore for inspiration on where to eat, drink and unwind. The app’s search function lets you search its huge database via GPS, cuisine, shopping mall or hotel offer—making it easier for you to make use of more deals near you.

Photo credits: Oliver Helm

There is comfort in numbers. And then there is also satisfaction in the number 1. Recharge with six activities you can do with yourself in a sea of strangers. The results might be more rewarding than you think... start your alone-time therapy now: 

Photo credits: huffpost.com

1. Dine at a restaurant

I mean those that you can actually call for "table for one", slide into a booth, and order whatever the hell you want. I'm a believer of eating alone whenever I can. Not because I don't like company, but because food tastes much more acute at a table for one.

Photo credits: Philip Payne

2. Catch a movie

The one you've been wanting to watch since forever, but no one has got the same sense of interest as you do. That comedy? That horror movie? Or.. that Pixar movie you think you might be too old for? Give yourself a treat, unwind. No more judging by anyone at all for two hours - just pure enjoyment.

Photo credits: damnwallpapers.com

3. Play with a cat

Story of my life. Cats can teach humans a great deal about taking things slow and the beauty of watching the world go by. Talk to them. They'll listen. Their nonchalant faces are telling you that your problems will disappear by itself, as they always do in the tide of time. Most of them old felines have had lived a few lives, they'd know best, eh? 

Photo credits: jonathanphotos.com

 4. Wander, get lost, be a photographer

Go without a map, get your feet moving, be swept by the desires of where your heart tells you to go. You'll be surprised by where you end up at, and before you realize, you're on an adventure. Take a few pictures to remember the tranquil moments. 

Photo credits: bestgroupaust.com

5. Read a book or people-watch at a cafe (coffee is compulsory)

The feeling of being at a cafe just makes the world a much happier place to be in. It almost feels like you stepped into a time warp: the pace of life instantly slows down. Put your phone away. Read a book. Observe what others are doing. Sip on your coffee. Or tea, if you're more of a tea-person. And just... soak all of the precious quiet moments up.

Photo credits: aceshowbiz.com

6. Go shopping

Certified a much more fulfilling (and efficient!) experience when conducted alone - shopping. Try on a few dresses that caught your eye, with no worries about friends waiting outside for you as you prance around the dressing room admiring your reflection. You can buy anything you want. Say hello to freedom. Freedom that just lies on the other side of the road.

For one of my assignments this semester, we were asked to conduct participant observations on any selected field site. Being avid cafe-hoppers, it was almost natural for me and my partner (ms cheesetofu!) to choose a cafe for our field site. (And obviously, to sip on coffee and make merry with waffles along the way.) One of the more popular cafes that we've both never gone before was Wimbly Lu Chocolates - so onto the land of waffles and chocolate we go!

Yeah I know, bad fringe from months ago. Sigh.

The title of the post doesn't leave much room for imagination on what this post is about... smartphones are a huge distraction to our conversations very much. What I didn't expect was the extent it was affecting other people, and how these electronic devices are extremely central to many of the conversations. I have to apologize for eavesdropping on a lot of conversations around me, but this was an assignment requirement (not being intrusive, but to understand what was going on) - and it's nothing personal! Just... well, finding out more about how people interact with one another. Here is also a shoutout for those who have always wondered what Sociology majors do... yeah, we sniff around surreptitiously while people mill about their usual businesses. We eliminated the possibility of confirmation bias (ie. looking for evidence to fit what we think we might see) as we entered the scene with an open mind about what we can find. That's really the whole point of doing research anyway. 

So here are six ways how smartphones (or similar electronic devices) can be very disruptive:

Having normal conversations while scrolling through their timelines.

1. Diffusing awkward situations, killing romance

This further proves how dating and romance has obviously reached an all-time new low. Out of so many couples that we've observed, nearly four in five younger couples turned to their smartphones whenever a slightly protracted silence pops up, whenever someone finishes their meal faster and doesn't want the responsibility of coming up with the next conversation topic. Isn't that the whole point of dating to look into each other's eyes and talk?

Photo credits: businessinsider.com

2. Discussing about apps

I try not to put value judgment on what I see, but it gets difficult sometimes. The first point goes into my own unacceptable zone, but this second point goes into a positive direction. Conversations sometimes revolve around the types of photo-taking apps or new apps they have recently downloaded and found useful. Such active sharing and conversation topics are very relevant because our smartphones are practically appendages of our body right now.

Someone's Instagram.

3. Obsessing over Instagram

I feel like I could blog an entire post about this itself, because the world gets so ridiculous these days over Instagram... *wait for it* "I can't even..."I have to admit, I am ridiculous over Instagram and phototaking sometimes... but I am always amazed by the levels of excitement people can have over it. The enthusiasm over it in a cafe seems to multiply by ten folds. There were girls sashaying in, taking photos at every angle of the cafe, changing their hairstyles, poses, permutations of food and humans, permutations of angles and poses, seating arrangements... you get me. Not an exaggeration at all.

This was a food tasting session, hence the extra fervor over photo-taking.

4. Documenting every cafe moment

I am supposed to not judge... but okay, I do this too. High-five, oops. However, sometimes people get so preoccupied with doing this, they don't interact with one another at all. Although they are at the same table, they don't speak to each other about anything other than assessing their photo-taking results, it was almost as if they don't know each other.

Non-stop Instagramming, limited conversations.

5. Because hands don't know where to go now

Another disturbing sight is how conversations now happen over two smartphones screens between two people engaging one another. We might be in an era of multi-tasking, but how does connection happens like that? I'm not sure how they could actually be scrolling through their Twitter/Instagram/Facebook timelines and asking about how each other's week went... and not feel offended. They were totally cool with that. That's just one couple though, and perhaps that's how they roll.

Photo credits: imenucards.com

6. Phones within the field of vision

Even if they don't hold their phones in their hands, they've got to have it somewhere within reach for some kind of security. Some people are expecting important calls, messages... or their job requires them to be accessible 24/7. But it does gets distracting when people starts checking their phones mid-conversation whenever a flashing notification comes up. 

Photo credits: alphacoders.com

Here's something to get yourself in a frenzy: chocolates are going to get really expensive soon. If you haven't already heard how crazy we got last year with chocolate consumption... the figure stands at 70,000,000 kg more cocoa than it produced. That's too many zeroes to even count properly! But the truth hits hard - we're eating more than we can spare.

Photo credits: fizzleout.com.au

This number is only going to increase as we race into the future, with a potential 1,000,000,000 kg (1 thousand million) by the time we reach 2020. That's in five years time! Not to worry because you can now stock up on your chocolate with Meiji Chocolate & Snacks Clearance Warehouse Sales...

Meltykiss: oh my goodness this looks good. Photo credits: foodettereviews.com

Go chocolate-shopping crazy with all your favourite snack brands including Hello Panda, Yan Yan, Plain Crackers, Landseries, Sesame sticks, Meltykiss, Chocobaby, Macadamia Nuts, Copan Garlic, Karl snacks, Lucky sticks and many more!

Photo credits: mandaevans.wordpress.com

The thing is... I'm stuck at home during reading week but I still managed to find a gem of an app in we want sugar Singapore! (Why is it that I keep doing app reviews...?) There are plenty of price slashes and cost savings waiting for you - are your eyes flashing yet?! You don't want to miss this:

The more people who knows about we want sugar... the lower the prices.

'Skimming' is a function that means hitting a button to reduce the price by 20 or 50 cents. You can only skim each item once per day. Get your friends to skim the item and bring prices down fast to its lowest possible price and then get it before it's gone. Did I mention I love the analogies of how they call it dissolving sugar when the deal is no longer valid?

 

Photo credits: Seasons Bistro Singapore

Unbelievable discounts.

Right now as I'm typing...

• Truffle fries from Roundhouse Pizza is going at $6 (U.P $12)
• Tiger Radler from The Fat Cat is going at $4.20 (U.P $8)
• Yogurt Parfait from Yogurberry at NUS going at $2.80 (U.P $6.90)
• Coconut Kueh & Ice Cream from Old Habits Cafe going at $1.40 (U.P $6.50) 
• Tantalizing Tuna Taco from Seasons Bistro going at $8.80 (U.P $16) - pictured above!

And they haven't even reached their lowest price yet. There are so many more - I'm lost in an endless scroll and I haven't even reached the bottom yet - it's crazy.

 

$10 credits now if you download.

Not an advertorial/sponsored, just sharing good things with you - yes, $10 credits on top of these smashing great discounts! Let'z bring those prices down yo.

 

About we want sugar: your city, only sweeter

we want sugar is a very new in the market - born six years ago in London and expanding globally... and now it's in Singapore! sugar encourages discovery by making new experiences more accessible, giving users little incentives to try out restaurants, cafes, lifestyle outlets around town! Everyday you get fresh sugar dosages from the team... life's only getting sweeter.