What was life on the Internet like before Google (got popular)? Technically, the Google domain got registered in September 15, 1997, and was recognized at the search engine of choice in 1998. Then again, most of the Internet was still using other search engines like Yahoo, Dogpile and Alta-Vista Search... the transition to Google happened gradually in the early 2000s before it became our default search engine. Here are six things that existed before that memory: 

1. Neopets

Neopets is one of the greatest preoccupation and obsession of the 90's kids and playing games like Meerca Chase, Faerie Bubbles, Hasee Bounce was the best way to spend an afternoon! Of course, stocking up your shop and grabbing a slice of the omelette from The Giant Omelette can also be listed as one of the nostalgic joys of this virtual pet website.

Launched: 1999

Now: Still existing, with Neopets, petpets (pets of Neopets) and petpetpets (pets of petpets).

2. Encarta

Encarta was an online encyclopedia created by Microsoft, similar to the current Wikipedia we have now, except it has thousands of articles written by professionals... I guess they soon realize that the Internet world was too huge and yet huge enough to be self- sustain an entire encyclopedia of all the knowledge known to humankind. Do you remember playing all the national anthems one by one? I did.

Launched: 1993

Now: 2009

 

3. Moeboid, Solitaire, Minesweeper

Looking at all the fancy games we have now, I am astounded to recall the days when I actually felt thoroughly entertained by games like Minesweeper, Solitaire and Moeboid. They are rather rudimentary games made of simple pixels and ideas, does not require much Internet to play. Do you know that Microsoft Solitaire was developed in 1989 by an intern Wes Cherry? Now you do.

Launched: 1990 (Solitaire)

Now: Still existing

4. IRC/ MSN Messenger

I never got to use IRC because well, #age. Hashtags definitely didn't exist then, but super annoying and funny winks did on MSN Messenger! Appearing offline was such a neat trick that deserved some conversation airtime, and chatting into the wee hours of the night was an amazing feeling. Especially to people you don't even talk to in real life.

Launched: 1999

Now: 2012

5. Geocities

Geocities contributed greatly to HTML knowledge of many of us in our 20s right now. Spending hours reading and copying HTML codes from blogskins.com or other webpages source codes is no doubt hard work, but creating webpages then seemed like the coolest thing. Maybe just to dorks like me. Photobucket was Geocities's best friend for uploading images.

Launched: 1999

Now: 2009 (US), still existing in Japan

6. Love Calculator

Retrospectively, Love Calculator is one of the silliest things that constitute much of many people's childhoods. As the name suggests, input two names (full names, or it won't work!) and it will calculate the chances of a relationship working out based on a certain algorithm. When an email chain of a similar love calculator circulated and sent results back to the sender, the craze over this love calculator website died down. Those were the times grappling with the idea of anonymity of the Internet...

Launched: 1998

Now: Still existing. Give it a go!

I think I've combed much of Westgate's casual dining spots that I thought I would try, on the first and second floor. Now I'm going basement... where most of the places are smaller-scale and really cozy. Tsukiji Men Don Tei was one of those that caught my eye because I was craving for something Japanese. It's a no-fuss, no service-charge (read: self-service), 20-mins meal sort of place, which is perfect for a pre-movie quick bite!

There are days when my quick bites = a bowl of rice. You know, maybe it's an Asian thing, but I actually can crave for rice, or can't go a day without rice without feeling uncomfortable. And then it's probably a Southeast Asian thing, but I can't get enough of chicken. I'm just trying to justify my perpetual ordering of things similar to... Teriyaki Chicken Don. I wasn't expecting a lot from this, and probably that's why I wasn't disappointed as well. The only thing that is vaguely Japanese about this was the round rice grains and the bowl.. the rest of it was decent, the chicken was mildly well-flavoured and tender, though pretty inconsistent throughout, and the egg was a tad overcooked... but overall, it is still okay, I guess. 

For those who'd like to have beef, they have Gyu Don too. At this moment, Tsukiji Men Don Tei actually reminds me of Yoshinoya which I used to be crazy over. I guess that was where I fell in love with carrots for the first time because they are cut into such pretty shapes. Then I outgrew it when my appetite expanded into ravenous proportions (or did their bowls shrink?) and I never looked back. At Tsukiji's, their dons are much bigger than Yoshinoya and they are priced quite similarly. So... if you're looking for something that's somewhat Yoshinoya-sque, then you know where to go.

Zipping down the train route from Monaco, we arrived in Cannes. It feels unbelievably surreal to be in Cannes, the host of the largest film festival in the world every year. As compared to Nice,  Cannes feels slightly more disorganized, laidback, casual and everyone seems perpetually on holiday! After all, its main attraction is the endless stretch of beach resorts, yachts, and carnivals. In this post, I'll be showing you the only meal we had in Cannes - La Piazza.

Two Salmons Fettucinis: MINE, ALL MINE

Spaghettis Carbonara

All'arrabiatta

Calzone

Is it ironic that we are having Italian food in France? A little, but all irony faded when I tried the dishes. I was warned against dining in Europe because I would no longer be mildly impressed by any pasta back in Singapore anymore. Indeed... it was so good.  The pasta sauces were all so luxurious with flavour without being overpowering... bring me back there right now! >;( Each dish serving is prepared to feed one big hungry man... we could hardly finish it and I wished I could hide it in my luggage to bring it back to Singapore. Pictures of Cannes coming up soon, when I get over procrastination of my travelogues!

Singaporeans seem to live in an urban jungle that is characterised by lack of compassion, but now BlockPooling Singapore is bringing kampung spirit back. Similar to something like a Facebook, now you can connect with your neighbours living in the same block as you. Pretty cool, eh? P/S: Ben & Jerry vouchers up for grabs! Read on:

If you're vaguely well verse in the Chinese language, you must have heard of the saying that the water faraway can't put out the fire nearby. Well, that's directly translated but it means that sometimes you have to rely on your neighbours for help in times of emergencies. How many times have I been trapped outside my door because I forgot my key? If I were friends with my neighbours, I can go knock on their door and ask for a cup of tea or something, but no... I can't, cos' I've never really talked to them before.

Step 1: Sign up for an account 

Signing up is free and easy! You can even sign in with Facebook and you don't even have to bother with uploading a new profile picture.

Step 2: Professional Networking, Lending, Forum 

Right now you can even win a voucher for a free pint of ice-cream! You just need to reach three super simple achievements: Professional Networking, Lending, Forum. This also means that you can lend your items and help each other out by knowing what everyone is good at. It is an additional platform for networking too!

This is what I did! I actually just copied that chunk of description from LinkedIn. Just fill it up.

Step 3: Wait for email and fill up your address to receive your voucher

The email sent to your inbox will contain a link in which you can fill in your details for the voucher to be mailed to you.

Brewed by yours truly in a home kitchen: I surprise myself sometimes, but maybe the credit is not entirely mine. A bad workman can still do well with fantastic tools, and  you can make your own cup of cafe-standard coffee without much skills too. Can you imagine having your own coffee of cafe-standard every morning... without stepping out of your house? That's one of the little things you can look forward to even from your dreamland. 

Most people would probably much better than what I did anyway, since I am barely more than a beginner. Find out how you can make your own almost-artisanal coffee at home here in this post with MeDANO coffee capsules. www.amiehu.com has a promotion for MeDANO Coffee until 31 December 2014. Read on to find out. 

MeDANO Coffee is a homegrown Singaporean brand that has their own line of coffee machines and specially dedicated mix of coffee inside Nespresso® compatible coffee capsules. Sourced from Mandheling Region in the remote highlands of northern Sumatra, MeDANO's coffee is dry-processed and natural with exotic complexities. Let's see how I'm using these local coffee capsules!

First up: you need a coffee machine which is used to brew the coffee. It makes things so much more sophisticated and gave me an immediate upgrade in quality from the usual 3-in-1 coffee that I usually make from processed coffee powder. There are also two options -  I like the less concentrated version, but go ahead for the concentrated one if you'd like.

It is extremely easy to operate and intuitive, even for someone who has never been on the side of the making of the coffee. (Well, I usually just enjoy it.) Fill up the little water tank behind and fit it well. Switch on the electricity!

The light will blink - when it stabilizes into a constant light, it means it is ready.

Pop the MeDANO coffee capsule in! 

Close it and hit the button on the front of the machine for your choice, and watch it go!

Almost there...!

Add your ideal amount of milk - if you're unsure, a 1:1 ratio to the coffee is the safest choice. My favourite choice would be Farmhouse milk - which is also the brand that a lot of cafes are using when they brew their coffees.

I wasn't expecting latte art while juggling a camera and a milk carton, but hey it happened so I tried to design something with one hand. Hey, that looks like a swan... in hindsight. 

A little toothpick creates wonders, even though that's kinda cheating... but looks like legit cafe coffee, no? Considering I wasn't even expecting latte art, this is pretty good for a first attempt. How does it fare in terms of taste?

The coffee was so strongly fragrant, even from the first moment it hits the cup... it brings literal meanings to wake up and smell the coffee. Hmm, now isn't that the most effective wake-up call on earth? MeDANO coffee is indeed of a different league as compared to the usual 3-in-1 coffee powder, as it is much woodier, deep, full-bodied and classic - something really very close to the better coffees in most of the hipster-cafes in Singapore. And to think, having a coffee machine right at home is like a dream come true! Coffee machines are becoming one of the most common household equipment in like blenders and ovens, and it will be the perfect addition to any kitchen... Idea: Christmas present for your family.

The question in your mind right now could be: What's the difference between Nespresso and MeDANO's coffee machines and capsules?

MeDANO is offering a Christmas special with their coffee machines selling at a more wallet-friendly rates of $179.50 with free 1 month supply of MeDANO Bagus of 30 capsules (Nespresso coffee machines are going at $238 - $1088). I would say that MeDANO's coffee has a less imposing, more classic and pure taste, goes smoother on the palate. What's more, it's also more affordable to maintain in the long run - and that's probably what you need to keep in mind too.

>>> I want to order a coffee machine at home now!  <<<
>>> More promotions at MeDANO's - Find out here! <<<

Don't miss this:If you're thinking of getting MeDANO's coffee machine, you can have an extra 10 MeDANO Bagus coffee capsules (in addition to whatever you're getting) because you're reading this with the promotional code: AMIEHU. Promotion ends 31 December 2014.

I think it's no secret that I'm a big fan of Nivea products for their whitening functions. If you want to know what products I use to keep my skin fair, the only whitening and moisturizing products I use are those of the Nivea range. Of course, bringing the umbrella out and using sunscreen are two important tips as well! When I know about Nivea's daily essentials gentle facial cleansing wipes, I know I was going to love it as well. But nothing beats trying it out and finding out if it is true!

As compared to the micellar water as a makeup remover, cleansing wipes are crucial for your traveling needs, especially if you don't always get the comforts of a hotel room when you're on the go! Switching around cotton pads, bottled cleansing water, or cleansers isn't the most fun thing to do after traveling the whole day. Or even after a full day of activities back in Singapore, lying on the bed and cleaning my face is such a luxury (cue: Lazy Song) - as opposed to bending over a sink and letting water splatter all over.

 

This is my pre-cleansing face after the whole day out... caked with makeup, dying to be wiped off and get ready for bed!

It's easy to pull one sheet from the pack without disturbing the rest of the flock. Reseal with the sticker to maintain its moisture.

Not sure why I was laughing so happily when I was using the cleansing wipes, but yeah, it makes the winding-down-face-cleansing session at the end of the day much more convenient and relaxing. Normally I would probably be doing this while I'm watching Youtube videos... or eating desserts. No more annoying accidental water slipping into my eyes during cleansing time.

Not the most artistic result, but all my makeup gone - and barefaced, happy and clean!

There is a grim beauty in wandering during the monsoon season, with the pitter pattering of rain on the feet and the excellent excuse of some hot piping churros to go along. Why not, when it's such a perfect indulgence. A little walk around Holland Village makes for a liberating, destressing afternoon and then this caught my eye: Churrosity.

Uh-oh! Who's in trouble? It's exam week and the amount of stress is mounting like crazy, is your skin breaking out in all kinds of acne? Relief yourself from all these skin problems with ORIGINS Out Of Trouble® 10 minute mask! You've got to read this if you're facing bad skin recently, because it is a product which I could feel and see immediate results on my skin... definitely something I want to share with you. Unique discount code on for 30% off Luxola inside this post too! Read on:

ORIGINS Out Of Trouble® 10 minute mask 

When skin is too-slick or when more pressing issues start to pop up, it's ORIGINS to the rescue to keep your skin out of trouble! Packed full with nature's trouble-shooters, including super-absorbent zinc oxide and sulfur, calming camphor rapidly responds to problem skin's plight with a three-part plan: sop up oily-shine, slough off sticky, dead cells, and sweep away irksome debris. Together ORIGINS Out Of Trouble® 10 minute mask help to steer your skin clear of slippery situations, refine rough texture and pull the plug on troublemakers to oust potential outbursts.

Note: Best for combination to oily skin 

Instructions

1. After cleansing your face, dry it. Start with a bare face!

2. Squeeze enough! The texture is very, very thick, and smells minty! 

3. You can choose to dab the mask cream on your problematic areas - a blooming pimple, or a suspected acne, or just give your whole face a treat!

4. I've decided to go on and do it for my entire face since I need to find out how well it works! This requires quite a lot of the cream to cover the whole surface area of my face. 

I feel like a geisha in making already. 

Almost done.

5. Don't forget your neck in your skincare routine too, as reminded on the bottle too!

6. Wait 10 minutes.

Application was easy and pretty much fuss-free, even while juggling a camera for this review too. Smearing was convenient too since it is relatively solid once it's out of the tube, but melts into a viscous paste upon pressing it onto the skin.

My skin, rejuvenated! 

Back from washing my face, it's a little stubborn and slippery as I washed so it took a bit more effort.... but the results! I don't say this often, but my skin feels baby-skin-soft after this mask. It's amazing how 10 minutes could do wonders to my face. A lot of redness from my usual pigmentation has gone down, and I feel so much cleaner, hydrated, and very comfortable. It's like an instant good-skin day, the sort that I have after eating clean for a week and having lots of sleep. It feels much better than facials, honestly. I don't have any impending pimples or acnes to test it on, but I'll update on the efficacy when I do. You know those nights where you go the extra mile (MyBeautyDiary face masks, eye serum, and the whole shebang) to look your best? This is definitely a product that's going into that beauty routine.

Perseverance is a virtue, and so I'm going to (in)directly compliment myself for actually trying to go to Sunday Folks for three times before successfully earning a table in this highly coveted ice-cream and waffles cafe. Moral of the story: don't bother going if you're thinking of dropping by anytime after 8pm because the queue will be too long. Perhaps at least in the near future. Now that we've gotten in after valiant efforts, let's find out if this superhyped waffle-ice-cream is really that good!

I'm going straight down to comparing it with Creamier which has a strikingly similar concept with Sunday Folks. You can think of Sunday Folks as the more exuberant cousin of Creamier, located at a fancier neighbourhood flanked by The Butcher and Bistro Petit Salut (versus good ol' heartland Toa Payoh). The interior is a hybrid between the elegance of Artisan Boulangerie Co. and grungy look of most underfurnished hipster cafes. Let's get down to the waffles: A petit waffle (ie. one) with ice-cream goes at $8.80. The popular Instagram vote for the ice-cream flavour is pistachio, so pistachio it is. 

Sunday Folks' signature waffles come with a definitely fancier presentation with photogenic fruits and the beautiful twirl of my pistachio ice-cream, but beyond the presentation I would have to say I preferred Creamier's, or Wimbly Lu's. The pistachio ice-cream was way too sweet than I would prefer even though there were nicely roasted pistachio bits to enjoy. The waffles were similar to Creamier's standard - well, sister branches - Sunday Folks's held up better and did not turn soggy as fast as Creamier's., and is similarly more of the crispy sort. Overall, I would say Creamier is crammier and less fancy but go for its better deal. In fact, if you aren't in the mood for waffles but just drooling for ice-cream, Daily Scoop serves a wider variety - and you don't have to wait for a seat. Overhyped? Slightly, But it's not too bad, but definitely not over-the-top "excellent" or "best".

Photo credits: sliceoflondonlife

Resting bitch face, resting nice face... then we have common faces which unfortunately, I think I fall under based on the number of random comments that I've been receiving from friends and strangers. I always feel more amused and less offended when it happens... and a little curious, because I'm increasingly convinced I have some twin double out there.

Photo credits: businessinsider

1. Hey, I saw you at [inserts name of place that I haven't been to]!

If it happens once or twice, it is perhaps coincidental. When this comment happens multiple times, it also makes me wonder if my body practices sleepwalking or wandering as a side hobby that I'm not privy to.

Photo credits: hair-makeup

2. You look like my friend.

Oh, I get this too often, perhaps as a conversation starter to draw me in closer. It's quite interesting how I would get this quite a bit, and then me and said friend would scroll through pictures to ascertain which part of my face looks like the other her.

I hope my twin double never becomes a wanted criminal.

3. A random user tag on my Instagram photo.

It gets a little unnerving when this happens - just a user tag and no other comments. Then when I click in, I get it. I'm staring right into the face of someone who looks somewhat like me. I can see the resemblance... ... but no.

4. You look like [insert celebrity name].

Thank you... :) Such high compliments are encouraging but everyone probably has their own celebrity lookalike anyway. I supposedly resemble Yvonne Lim, Joe Chen (or rather, Chen Xinyi, her role in Fated to Love You) and more recently, Carrie Wong (Are you Di Shen's sister?). They also politely omitted how I'm the less-attractive version, but we all know that's a fact... such white lies. But I'll still accept them. Haw haw haw.

Because we all kinda have two eyes, a nose, and a mouth.

5. Eh, you... [trails off] Sorry, wrong person.

Hello, I look like your friend, right. I know. This happens to me all the time.

3 December: Seeties is now live to public after one year of private beta. Finally!!! I've been on it for the longest time since May, and if you know me... my attention span for social media platforms is pretty damn short. But I keep going back to Seeties. I love this website (and app!) for more reasons than one, and the first has got to be its beautiful, clean and pretty interface. Call me superficial, but this is very important in retaining my interest. User experience has been excellent even in the beta phase, and now it's just going to get bigger and better. What's Seeties all about? Find out more:

 

Through Seeties, you can find out what's hot in your city. For me, it's Singapore (pun kinda intended). There are also other countries! If you're interested to go for a spin in the other areas, you know the best recommendations come from the locals themselves. Planning itineraries in the Southeast Asia + Taiwan area has never been easier! Get local suggestions on what to eat, where to go and have fun or party. You can even ask the users questions about the recommendation - this interactive feature allows you to understand the place fully instead of a one-sided information portal.

With a useful search engine, you can easily zoom in on what you want to find immediately. Seeties is on its way to create the most comprehensive platform for all kinds of lifestyle recommendations - including Food & Drink, Outdoor & Sport, Arts & Entertainment, Beauty & Fashion... and so much more.

Want to know if Big Hero 6 is worth watching? Listen to what these Seetizens have to say about it. Not sure about what to do over the weekend? Plenty of suggestions here, life will never be boring again.

Bloggers or local experts, you can join the community to recommend your latest awesome cafehopping experience or a great movie you just watched. Submitting your review is extremely easy and also allows post-publishing editing. I've never experienced any hiccups even after seven months of using it, which is pretty impressive because there are always some kind of bugs in many other sites.

Keep Seeties in your mobile phone through their equally user-friendly and pretty app:

Don't miss their Jumpface Campaign:

To celebrate the public release of Seeties, we are launching Jumpface contest nationwide! Post your funny Jumpface and stand a chance to win a free skydiving worth RM3,000. You can create your Jumpface with the friendly photo editor here.

Contest period:
3 December 2014 - 3 January 2015
(You can vote for the same person once, everyday!)

Zaffron Kitchen is a name that I've always heard of but never really paid much notice because it's not your conventional kind of restaurant, but I've decided that non-mainstream restaurants actually snuggles a whole lot of surprises in there. That's my experience in Zaffron Kitchen - welcoming and markedly great food that hits all the right tones. The warm hues from the lighting also remind me of a cozy home with a fireplace - and you can imagine a billowing snowstorm right outside for the complete Christmas feel. That's right - I'm introducing Zaffron Kitchen's Christmas Set in this post.  Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, don't go away yet because it's a really value-for-money good deal and you can just go and stuff your faces with an awesome line-up of dishes!

Zaffron Kitchen serves North and South Indian cuisine, presented in a slightly contemporary style. Diners can expect favaurites like classic butter chicken, old-time tandoori grill to Dosai and Roti. They have two branches: one at Westgate and the other at East Coast Road. For this year's Christmas, Zaffron Kitchen's award-winning head chef Satish Madaan whips up an unconventional pairing of Christmas favorites with Indian spices. His accolades span far and wide including experience with working with five-star hotel chains like The Oberoi Group of Hotels (Google images for jaw-dropping luxurious images) and a gold medal in the FHA Culinary Challenge - a prestigious international culinary competition. He commands a lot of respect in his professional field, and I feel completely honoured to try the dishes that he prepared. Although it's impossible for him to do everything, he visits Zaffron Kitchen outlets weekly to ensure that the highest quality is maintained.

Their Christmas Festive Menu goes at $35 per pax, which is great value considering what you'll be enjoying: Butter Nut Squash Soup, Entree (choose betweeen Shahi Turkey Biryani or Tandoori Turkey Set), Dessert (choose between Blueberry Chocolate Sliced Cake or Masala Bread and Butter Pudding). 

We didn't get to try the Butter Nut Squash Soup but instead we had the Cream of Mushroom Soup and Roasted Pumpkin Soup which were excellent. Mushroom soups are my favourite wherever I go and the one I'd pick for a safe choice, and this performed up to expectations with a fresh, thick blend of finely diced mushrooms, with a perfectly toned amount of milk. The pumpkin soup was surprisingly great as well - I must say I have never been a fan of pumpkins unless they are executed very well - and this had got me slurping spoon after spoon. I would expect the butter nut squash soup to be equally, if not even better.

Papadum is also a must-have if you want to immerse yourself in the experience of Indian cuisine. if you are one that can't take spiciness (like me), you can have the regular papadum which is a crispy wafer-thin crackers that kind of reminded me of keropok. The rolled-up ones are the black peppercorn papadum - for those who absolutely live and breathe for spicy food! 

The first entree choice: The Tandoori Turkey Set is quite a huge portion - it serves one. But you know, Christmas meals are all about feasting and indulging yourself in the amazing food and this does exactly that for you. It comes with a flavourful fragrant raisin pilaf which gently pamper your tastebuds to pair with the deeply-flavoured, chewy turkey slices chestnut fillings and herb vegetables. The apple sauce deserves an honour mention too as it did wonders to elevate the whole dish with its sweet and sour tones that really whet the appetite!

The second entree is the Shahi Turkey Biryani which came as an impressive aromatic huge serving. Ta-da - there is more that meets the eye in this dish as you pry open its delicious secrets packed inside the folds - turkey breast cubes marinated with yoghurt and freshly ground spices amidst biryani rice. The basmati biryani rice was very tasty which everyone enjoyed very much, though it proved to be quite spicy after a few bites. It is spiced with garam masala and cooked in sealed pots as pictured above to lock in the moisture and taste.

For desserts, you get to choose between the Blueberry Chocolate Sliced Cake and Masala Bread and Butter Pudding! I would gamely love to have both though - they were both so delicious and well-executed. For a more creamy and pastry sort of dessert, go for the bread and butter pudding. For a more conventional safe choice, the chocolate sliced cake was perfectly done too with every chocolatey bite that isn't too sweet. If you are undecided and are looking for a suggestion, I loved the bread and butter pudding a little bit more - I personally would go for that.

If you feel like you can't do Christmas without turkey, there is also the option of ordering an Oven Roasted Tandoori Masala Turkey ($70). Their turkey is roasted with herbs potato, brussel sprouts and carrots, accompanied with chestnut stuffing, masala cranberry sauce and caramelized onion and herbs sauce. We tried the turkey stuffings as well, which was beautiful. Every bite was this sinful fatty goodness and you can actually taste the chestnuts accents... it's so delicate and delicious, I secretly wanted a second serving and couldn't bear to finish it!

Some of the other dishes that Zaffron Kitchen has under its extensive menu include the Butter Chicken which is a hot favourite of Zaffron Kitchen's regular customers. This should be the first on your list if you're planning to dine here ala carte! ;)

 I also made new friends with Rina who was seated beside me, as well as the lovely hosts of the night: Stacey and Marie from Icon Group Communications.

A picture with the Head Chef Satish Madaan - MVP of the night! The Christmas Set Menu is available at both outlets - Westgate and East Coast Road. However, if you're coming along with children, it would be more suitable to go to the East Coast Road outlet as they have a Children's Corner.

This is probably a pretty rare post. I have my ideas about what this space should be like: clean, strictly posts that will be helpful to my readers with minimal personal interjections which are probably not as useful and do not portray a certain image that I want to. It's one more day to the second anniversary of this blog (including its forerunner spherepiece.blogspot, which is simply a portmanteau of two of my favourite words)... and so I've decided to write about my thoughts about being a blogger. If you're thinking of becoming one, perhaps you might want to read this as well. The first: I wish more bloggers would write on this topic.

I don't earn enough from blogging to even feed a cat, let alone do it as a full-time job.

It is 4 in the morning and I'm still typing this - and these are nights when I question myself why I would torture myself over blogging with such fervour that I would sacrifice sleep (and beauty) for it. The question that comes up pretty often is: Do you earn a lot from blogging? Is that why you do it? The answer is up there - I don't. Do you get free gifts/goodie bags/products/dresses/food tastings, that's why you do it? I try not to be exasperated when I answer this because I know it's a legitimate question from someone who isn't into this hobby (yes, that's what I call it). The answer is yes to the first part of the question. Pragmatically, I'm running a loss in terms of the money I would have earned in the hours I spent publishing a post. However, I would say that it's a fair trade off. I enjoy my time blogging because I feel a sense of fulfillment when I maintain this space, see it grow, and gain feedback from readers who enjoyed reading it. It's probably like a chef seeing how his customers appreciating his food. Brands who want to gain a little publicity and feel that I can do that for them would willingly trade their products in. That's how it works. But feelings of exasperation aside... it is also these late nights that make me feel alive and a different sense of happiness because I feel like I have something to strive towards. The best things happen when we're awake, and that include chasing your aspirations.

What goes behind a blog post?

Obviously, I only speak for myself. I don't like to give disclaimers, but I don't like to pretend I'm a know-it-all because I still have a lot to learn: I am not experienced, I'm not sure how others do it, but I figured out this train of steps with a lot of trial-and-error. I won't go into details, if you want to find out more you can email me or drop me an ask. If you have any tips you can share it with me too! The steps may vary depending on the type of posts that I do. The two main categories you see are food tastings and beauty product reviews which are slightly more complicated. The other posts are just a simplified version of these steps.

Food tasting: Email liaising & basic background research > Attending food tasting session (3 hours) > Selecting, editing photos (Usually 2 hours for 20 pictures) > Drafting blog post (2 hours) > Publishing > Facebook shares + Instagram post > Submission to online food portals > Email liaising

Beauty product reviews: Email liaising > Trying out beauty product (duration depends on product) + phototaking > Selecting, editing photos > Drafting blog post > Publishing > Facebook shares + Instagram post  > Email liaising (usually not applicable)

Case in point - I'm not writing this to literally guide you to become a blogger, but just showing you how much work actually goes behind a blog post and that bloggers shouldn't be slighted. Nowadays, the word 'blogger' is being thrown around too much it has become associated with unsavoury connotations that include bitchiness, vanity, materialistic, cheapo, manipulative, attention-seeking... ... the list goes on. But really, it's just like any other hobby.

Sometimes, I do feel too vain.

A lot of times, blogging is about self-presentation. There are already so many sources fueling this sense of inadequacy in life - magazines, TV shows, stick-thin models. Now we have fashion blogs and Instagram to do that too. There is a perception that bloggers need to be attractive to be bloggers... especially if you're venturing into the specialization of beauty/lifestyle/fashion blogging. The pressure is real. There are days I feel like my Instagram pictures aren't pretty enough and second-rated pictures just rest in my little gallery folders, probably feeling rather dejected for being rejected. There are days I manipulate my reality to create an Instagram-worthy image and that is when I realized enough is enough. Initially, it can be really fun and hilarious to do it in jest, but then I'll realize that I wasn't living a life of my own, but frightfully - for a little virtual application called Instagram. Life can flash past if I don't realize it.

Then there are bloggers who twist and change their bodies and faces to make themselves feel happier with their appearances. As I said, the pressure is real. If you want to be on top, you've got to be pretty, at every angle. There are times I wonder if I should get braces - I'm afraid of dentists and that's why I haven't been there yet. Then I think to myself that there will always be prettier/skinnier/sassier/cuter/funnier girls... to interject a cliche quote: everyone is already taken - just be yourself. Maybe one day crooked teeth will be fashionable too? Who knows... I'll be banging my head against the wall if I had to re-visit the dentist to crookify my teeth then.

I learn a lot about myself, brands, websites, online marketing... and develop much patience after I started blogging. Most of all, I've become ambidextrous when it comes to taking photographs. Even when handling my 1kg DSLR while taking selfies. This is a skill nurtured through the beauty posts that I've done, to juggle between using the product and taking photos of me using the product... I'm really curious how other people do it though. My most unfortunate experiences include having this yogurt cleanser sting my eye with hands caked with the product, dripping soap everywhere, battling with sleepy eyes while literally taking photos of myself waking up. The hardest part is really being vaguely glamorous while doing it. I've tons of failed photos in my computer that I like to laugh at occasionally as jokes.

If you've reached this point of the post, I have successfully forced you to sit through all those irrelevant photos which feature my first sponsored dress from Candy Clothes. If you quote "CDCSpecial", you'll get a 20% off all their dresses. They have a huge variety and their prices are much more affordable - A lot are going at $20-25 (before discount) - than those other more mainstream blogshops which are becoming so overpriced. This dress I'm wearing has pretty thick and good quality fabric with in-built cups, so you don't have to worry about bra straps/nu-bras and all that troublesome innerwear. I'm more practical than fashionable, I know. But just being myself here. Any questions, feel free to drop me a comment/ask. Till the next time. ;)

We've progressed into a digital age where there are electronic cards for everything. But when get well wishes become gws and happy birthday becomes a Facebook message dressed in emoticons, you know the human population has reached a new low. It's time to bring heartfelt craft work back to the table! I love to receive handmade gifts, cards and letters - which explains why my room looks like the office desk of a popular teacher during teachers' day (or, a gallery of my face). Don't you love handmade gifts, too? It just feels remarkably different to hold a piece of work done by a friend. The most common excuse of not doing so is that they lack the artistic gene. Well, the lacking of elusive piece of DNA is not going to bother you with PixaRoll, a creative house that helps you create excellent quality photo products with their artistic talents. There is a promotional code available in this post if you're interested in PixaRoll products... otherwise come in and take a look at pictures anyway!

PixaRoll is on mobile as well, with their complete price lists on all their products: (1) Magnets (2) Wall posters (3) Stickers (4) Chop blocks (5) Photo prints. You can create photo prints straight from your phone gallery or camera with this mobile app, which makes things so much simpler. If you quote "XMAS20", you'll get a 20% off all their products.

>>> Shoutout on their Indiegogo campaign which is a crowdfunding campaign to make their innovations come to reality. Click in for details! The team at PixaRoll really has an eye for beauty. <<<

There was only one reason why I entered CRAFT Bakery & Cafe... to try out the new Sugar app on my phone. It is one of those cafes that I found appearing to lack a character, it just looked very normal and a little dull. I guess I've been too pampered by fancy hipster cafes which haul bicycles onto tables. Oh well, but anyway I was curious about the functionality of the app so I did not care less about the frills, so I entered eagerly with a phone at hand, with $10 credits which I received upon my sign-up.

Photo credits: CRAFT Bakery & Cafe Facebook

The Craft Sandwich was going at $9.60 on the Sugar app after I skimmed it, which was quite perfect for the credits I had stored inside my phone. For the post introducing the Sugar app, click here. The process of using the app was actually quite similar to using the taxi apps - very fuss-free and totally cashless. The Craft Sandwich's sugar immediately dissolved too, which made me realize that there's only one offer available to be claimed until they renew it again. However, after I finished buying the Craft Sandwich, I only had $0.40 left in my credits which meant I needed to top up my Sugar account. To be honest, that makes me very reluctant to use it again because I feel like the money stored in that account could potentially be left untouched for a long while and maybe even forgotten. If there was a way to use credits straight from my credit card without topping up, I'll feel a greater incentive to use the app.

Back to the Craft Sandwich since this is supposed to be a food review as well: It was more like a waffle stuffed with bacon and salad. Cutting it was quite a challenge, and my fork met the plate more often than desired with violent clangs. Having said that, the waffle was quite crispy and the bacon was also not too tough to bite. The salad was surprisingly quite fresh and enjoyable though I still don't like vegetables. It was overall decent but nothing spectacular. I wished they could have a more exciting dish on the app to entice people for a second visit.

It's the holidays now and don't you dare say that you've got nothing to watch with so many great films around! Or maybe you've already watched them all... I'm quite slow when it comes to movies because most often I am hit by serious cases of procrastination until it stopped screening in theatres, or somehow the trailers or reviews of the movie did not entice me enough. In any case, aren't we thankful for the existence of the Internet (read: Piratebay/Subtitles Search/Youtube) for an alternative...? :) This time, I'm suggesting two older films and one that is still screening in theatres. Same old rule - no plot spoilers involved in my review, so go ahead and read them!

I must be really predictable. The opening trick of Now You See Me immediately drew me in as part of the audience of the show, as one of the protagonists managed to guess exactly which card I saw. Is it illusion, hypnosis, psychology or was it real Science? I only became more and more intrigued by their ways of showmanship and the secrets behind their magic sequences. Now You See Me is brilliant in many ways, and perfect for a late night movie without any frightening gore that can induce nightmares, but a lot of thrilling suspense. Their second act of Now You See Me 2 is coming in 2016, and this time I'm going to watch it in the cinemas. Watch it? Yes.

One word to describe: Genius

I was drawn towards the unique cinematography and its setting in a city of blinking lights of Limitless, with slight elements of fantasy but that's what watching movies is about, isn't it? A temporary escape from reality and what could have been. It feels like falling into a rabbit hole, tumbling down further as the film moves further along, but you're never disconnected from what's going on. It keeps you excited and challenge you to think about your life's potentials. Watch it? Yes.

One word to describe: Inspiring

I was warned against watching The Hunger Games: Mockingjay in the theatres because of the lack of action like the previous films in the trilogy, and a lot of long-drawn conversations. Perhaps because of my major, I enjoyed it very much - but equally, I thought it must be dead boring for a lot of young teens and those who loved the usual explosions onscreen. Why did I love it? It's different, for one. I felt a lot of emotions stirred up even though I was not a citizen of Panem, I felt like I was with them on this one. Mockingjay opened up another section of emotions that I've never felt in a theatre. Usually I am only incited to feel basic feelings: wonderment (Interstellar), fear (Legion), regret/sadness (TFiOS) or happiness. With Mockingjay, you feel confusion, irony, and a real attachment to the characters... even side characters like Finnick. I shan't say more in case you haven't watched it - staying true to my no-spoilers movie reviews. Watch it? If you're looking for the gore in the first bloodbath film, you'll be sorely disappointed. If you've read the books, you'll know what to expect. If you're into the rebellion storyline, go watch it. But don't expect fights and action.

One word to describe: (Very, very) Different

You'd probably heard of Cannes as the city that hosts the most famous film festival in the world. It is also the next destination on our itinerary. To reach Cannes, we took a direct train from our previous stop, Monaco Monte Carlo, which took us about one hour. The scenery that we saw on the train was really beautiful as the train snaked around the French Riveria coastline, especially so because the sun rays of late afternoons are especially gentle.

Anything in excess can get a little tiring, even breathtaking sceneries. I look quite tired here because we were hyperactive back in Monaco and the energy level was beginning to dwindle on the train. #sleepy

And then we reached Cannes! The architecture here reminds me of Nice quite a bit, except that it has a lovely backdrop of yachts which gives it a slightly more posh feeling.

Did I just spot a supermodel? She was walking briskly past and I pretended to take a photo of the surroundings... but she was so tall in real life, she probably didn't even notice me.

The whole place looked like a giant resort as everyone were in this merrymaking mood that you can just feel in the atmosphere. We were looking for a dinner place to placate the grumbling stomachs and we soon found La Piazza. By the time we were done with our meals, the sky has quickly darkened to a velvety black and the city was set ablaze with lights.

The streets were actually semi-crowded with people and we meandered our way through to reach the beach where the Festival d'Art Pyrotechnique de Cannes was happening! I love fireworks and was very excited about seeing a festival dedicated to a lot of designer firework shows. If you are interested in seeing the amazingly choreographed fireworks, this is the video showing that is the exact one I watched! I didn't film this. I really loved it because the music chosen complemented all the unique colours and shapes the fireworks appeared in... one of my favourite songs was used too, much to my surprise (Hallelujah at 24:00). I felt so humbled under the sky of enchanting pyrotechnics and it was a night to remember... even watching this video right now brings back so much memories.

If ever you can coordinate your holiday plans with the festival, you should totally go for this. It's technically free because the fireworks are fired pretty high up into the air, but there's no chairs so be prepared to stand for about 20 minutes. Time passes much faster than you think while watching fireworks so it's of little concern. Pictures:

That's the end of the day at Cannes... till the next time!

We were back in the heart of Nice city for a little farewell lunch and a final tour around this gorgeous place, enroute to Paris by the Gare De Nice Ville SNCF train. Revisiting the city for a second time felt different from the first time, because somehow I felt less thrilled about just about everything and anything, and began to experience touring in a more collected way.

We came from the other side of the city this time, and realized that the SNCF train station actually lies at the end of this long stretch of road that we didn't manage to cover that time! The fountains and Place Massena can be found at the other end.

Chez Rene Socca: We were introduced to socca, a specialty from the Nice town itself (pictured in the above image). It is an unleavened pancake/crepe-like dish that is made from chick pea flour and olive oil. It's really flat, savoury and quite filling. There isn't much bite to it, but it's still an interesting try that locals recommend! Dining in the summer outside isn't uncomfortable for a Singaporean like me because I'm used to such temperatures (without the humidity - it's such a blessing), but I would expect people who are used to air-conditioner temperatures to feel the heat.. literally! But I loved the authentic experience just people-watching as we feast on a spread for lunch. We were also sitting shoulder to shoulder and the whole street food feeling is pretty rare for a city girl like me.

I know I'm going to miss Fenocchio a whole lot and we went for a second round anyway. Ice-cream is never enough.

I discovered this gem of a photo while I was sorting through this day's photos... I know, slow, right? But this captures the colours and the whole summer atmosphere at Nice so well. The waters are also so inviting... I wished I knew how to swim and had the time to jump in. But it's okay, because fate brought us to meet...

Thereafter we went on our way to continue walking around the city and towards the train station again. At the train station, I had a mini scare of almost-losing my passport... I searched everywhere in my travel bag where I was extremely sure I stuffed it in, but it was nowhere to be found. Honestly I had no idea when I lost it as I was always feeling for it to ensure it's around. I was almost close to pouring everything out and rummaging through my luggage in the middle of the train station because I didn't want to leave Nice without knowing where my passport was (and leave it in Nice..? Nooo!). I was totally panicking but trying to keep my composure at the same time. But all was well when I found my passport with the mother. -Insert my unimpressed and yet relieved face- That felt like the premonition of the many little unfortunate events that happened in Paris... follow my adventures as I attempt to speed up my speed of posting my travelogue in France/London! Meanwhile, let's enjoy some photos that I took on the train enroute to Paris...