And They are Getting Married

 Countdown one day to Jay’s big day!

 Jay’s last day as a singleton started off with a nice high tea session with Reggie, myself and Lyndynn at TWG Ion, just simply sipping high tea and enjoying the finger sandwiches and scones, while engaging in a girly chat. This place was amazingly packed with people who were filling their tables up with the yummylicious finger foods and delicious tea…. And it was definitely a ‘chi-chi’ session which we have been missing… (PS: And yes, Reggie and I  finally received our wedding invites… haha)

 And what else have we girls been up to? Here’s a peek….

It all started in TWG @ ION

Tea for you Mdm?

And we Got our Invites!!What's Next... A good Manicure & PedicureWhat's Next... A good Manicure & Pedicure

Girls All Lined Up.... before the Pampering Session.

Jaymee and Lyndnn enjoying themselves....

Paparazzi-ed... And flashing the bling blings...

The bride and her newly French Manicured nails and of course, the RING!

The Silly Girl and Jay clowning around in the salon after our hairwash...

The bride enjoying her Black Pig Shabu Shabu Dinner @ Tampopo in Takashimaya

Huns and her Black Pig Ramen... And her BOOMZ hairdo!

PS: What did the boys do…?

What else but eat.. Barbecued Food!!!

The Groom to be and his Men!

Now the girls have to go and buy some serious stuff and prepare them for the boys’ tomorrow morning. Till then…

When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman

The Silly Girl was rummaging through her old collection of CDs when she chanced upon this song. A wonderful song that just tickles my memories of the younger days.

And this song is for all you guys out there who are in love with a beautiful woman! Have a great weekend ahead!

Thought of the Day

Another thought of the day from the Silly Girl. Which of the following options below would you rather subscribe to ?

1) 爱上你用了我一秒钟，忘记你用了我一辈子

2) 我用一辈子来认识你，忘记你可以是一秒钟

And for those linguistically challenged, do leave me a message and I will do the necessary translations for you.

And as always, have a great evening ahead!

Thought of the Day

Good morning world!

Silly Girl checked out her facebook this morning and found this excellent thought of the day :

Do you know the difference between involvement and commitment? Think of eggs and bacon. The chicken was involved. The pig was committed.

                                                                                             – Martina Navratilova

Lovely don’t you think?

Memories

Fragments of her past memories came back to visit her last night.

The Silly Girl does not know what triggered this visit nor know how this might impact her emotions. But she does know that she has to soldier on and continue to change and be the person that she promised herself to be.

Perhaps in its truest meanings,  memories are a simple reminder of whom you have been in the past and a reminder call of what you have become and what you might become in the future.

My Memories of Bali

First visit. First encounter with its hospitality and culture. First sunburn in many years.First taste of Balinese Food.

Here are her fondest memories of her recent trip to Bali.

My First Dinner in Bali and under the stars

Watching the Sunset at Ku De Ta, Seminyak

Surfing and Sun @ Kuta Beach

Clams in Bali - Lovely dish to try - Barbecue it, stir fry it, steam it. you name it you got it!

Seafood Dinner at Jimbaran Beach - Must try!

Ku De Ta Pub and Restaurant

Scotts (Picnic) Beef Noodles

Reggie and I met up for dinner this evening at the new ION Food Court and guess what I found? 

The beef noodle stall from the now demolished Scotts (Picnic) Food Court. I think that it was called Hwa Heng Beef noodles or something. Anyway, they renamed themselves as “Scotts (Picnic) Beef Noodles” (hmmm… this is such a ‘creative’ name, don’t you think).

And how does the Silly Girl know that this is the same stall? Well of course. Especially since it was the same uncle taking the orders.

Prices are slightly more expensive now with each small bowl of beef noodles going for S$5, instead of the original S$3.

The Silly Girl is excited that the Scotts (Picnic) beef noodles is  back. And this brought along the memories of her school days, where the Silly Girl and her CJC schoolmates would drop by at the food court after school, before moving on to the bubble tea shop at Wisma Atria. 

Good Old Days are back again

And just in case you were wondering, the noodles tastes the same – a clear flavourful beef broth soaking a mixture of rice noodles and fresh beef. 

And it’s still lovely nonetheless.

Yum Factor : 6.5/10

Scotts (Picnic) Beef Noodles can be found at ION Orchard Food Court, #B4-04N

Tung Lok Signatures @ Vivo City

With a few friends, the Silly Girl went to Tung Lok Signatures @ Vivo City. We got the manager to do up a set menu for us (priced at $40 nett per person). 

Starters: A selection of Dim Sum

Soup of the day

Prime Pork Ribs in Barbecue Sauce

Star Grouper cooked in 2 ways

 And the Silly Girl was delighted with the 5 choices of Tung Lok’s signature dishes for this menu. The meal was both light on the palate and yet not too heavy for a lunch time treat.

And yes, she especially loved her double boiled soup. And once again, she was not disappointed with her Tung Lok Signatures.

PS: The noise level was a little unbearable half way through lunch. Just a feedback from me, but perhaps the restaurant management could do something about it.

Yum Factor : 6.5/10

Tung Lok Signatures @ Vivocity can be found at #01-57, Vivo City 

The Calling of the Princess

Boo announced via SMS the arrival of her little princess – Jade Quak this afternoon and the Silly Girl is thrilled to bits.

To the new parents - Boo &  Quaky, congratulations once again and I can’t wait to see your little princess.

Memories of Bali

Sunset in Bali

The Silly Girl just came back from a working trip, and while she worked hard, she was thankful that she managed to take some time off in the evening just catch the sunset….

And believe me, it was really a wonderful sight.

(PS: Other posts on Bali and recent updates from the Silly Girl coming soon)

Coming Back to Jin De Lai Zhong Hua La Mian

TY and I met up for lunch again this afternoon, and under the blistering sun, he asked what I wanted to eat and I immediately answer – JIN DE LAI. (For those who 1) hasn’t read my blog before or 2)doesn’t work in Raffles Place, JIN DE LAI happens to be a very well known for its authentic chinese food, and at very affordable prices… well known to the PRCs residing in Singapore or working/ schooling around Raffles Place).

Cucumber seasoned with minced Garlic & the 5-Seasoned Beef Noodles

This place was pretty packed when TY and I arrived at the restaurant this afternoon. Noting the blistering sun, we chose the seats inside but unfortunately, the lack of air-con didn’t really make much of a difference to us. True to its reputation, the plcae was packed and especially filled with the China Chinese, who were enjoying their bowl of La-Mian. The Silly Girl ordered a seasoned cucumber and Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup for starters while TY ordered his bowl of 5-seasoned beef La-Mian.

Despite the heat, TY thoroughly enjoyed his bowl of noodles. And the silly girl had no complaints to her favourite cucumber dish. However, one thing that caught her eye was green peas found in the Szechuan Soup. Yes, this soup was pretty flavourful and was one of the medium ranged soups that she had tried but she was surprised with the ingredients used for this soup.

Hot and Sour Szechuan Soup

At S$23+ for the 2 of us, the meal was reasonably priced and we will definitely be back to try out more.

Yum Factor : 6/10

Jin De Lai can be found at 10 Circular Road (along Boat Quay)

Seafood @ Jimbaran Beach

Imagine sitting by the beach, enjoying the breeze and listening to the soft rustling of the waves while savouring a barbecued seafood dinner. And did I mention that you have a sky full of stars overlooking you? Sounds like a dream huh?

But this was exactly what Jimbaran Beach in Bali offered. 

Arriving at Night

Awaiting for Dinner amidst the candlelight

Silly Girl’s replying SMSes again…

Situated near the Four Seasons Resort, Jimbaran Beach is well known for its stretch of seafood cafes that serves delicious barbecued seafood cooked over burning coconut husks. And at pretty cheap prices (and yes, for some of the cafes, you still have to do a quick bargaining of prices).

Prawns and Clams

Barbecued Fish

We went to Menega Cafe for our meal.

For our party of four, we finished a 1.3kg barbecued fish, 2.5kg of calms, 500g of Squid, 4 large prawns, Kangkong and an assortment of drinks. And what was the final bill? 337k Rupiah (which works out to be SGD$56).

If you asked me, this is really value for money!

Here are some pics when we went back the next day during lunch.

Daytime @ Jimbaran Beach

Choosing your fish…

Clams Galore….

This is how Jimbaran Beach looks like in the daytime.

  Sambal Kangkong

Barbecued Prawns

Barbecued Fish

Picturesque View from Jimbaran

 Yum Factor: 7/10

Menega Cafe can be found at Jl Four Season Resort, Muaya Beach, Jimbaran Bali

Bebek Bengil – Dirty Duck anyone?

Having tried the Bebek Bengil in Jakarta, I was of course excited with the chance to try out Bebek Bengil’s first outlet in Indonesia. And the place - Ubud, Bali.  

Entrance to Bebek Bengil

Welcome to Bebek Bengil

Resting near the Padi Fields

Walking through the restaurant, I realised why so many bloggers had fallen in love with this place. Beautifully positioned in front of a padi field, Bebek Bengil is a really a place to just relax and wine down with a nice dinner. And it was this particular setting many years ago that led to the restaurant being named “Bebek Bengil” or “Dirty Duck” (as ducks from the padi fields walked onto the owner’s new restaurant floor with their dirty mudded feet, after renovation had been completed).

Looking across the Padi Fields

Lunch Time

I tried the Bebek Bengil set which comprised of half a baby duck that was steamed and stewed with Indonesian spices, before being deep fried to a crispy finish. This set is also accompanied by 2 side dishes -  Indonesian Vegetables and a choice between steamed rice or sauteed potatoes.

 Deep fried to perfection, the outer skin of the duck was extremely crispy, while the duck meat (which by the way wasn’t much) was both juicy and tender. And despite this being my  third try at Bebek Bengil, I felt the same intense satisfaction from the meal. (click here for my earlier review).

Tauhu Goreng

Duck Melon Soup

But the same cannot be said for the Duck Melon soup (which was recommended). I almost flipped when I realised that they had used honeydew melon to boil the soup. Relatively awkward in taste is what I would rate it, and the silly girl promised herself never to order anymore soup from Bebek Bengil (fyi, the first try of Tom Yum at their Jakarta branch ended with in a huge disappointment). I think one should just stick to the crispy duck set at Bebek Bengil.

Bebek Bengil, Bali can be found at Padang Tegal Ubud 80571, Bali

Yum Factor : 6.5/10

Sungai Seafood Restaurant

 If someone ever asked me, what is good, chinese and nice to eat in Bali, whatever the price. I would recommend them to try out the Chinese Seafood Restaurants along the Jln Tuban stretch in Bali (which by the way is pretty near to the airport). And the silly girl did just that tonight, at Sungai Seafood Restaurant.

What was served to the Silly Girl

 After a hard day’s work and to celebrate the end of a working trip, the Silly Girl and her colleagues decided to drop by a nice Chinese restaurant for a good meal. And after much pondering, the boss took the lead and brought us into Sungai Seafood Restaurant.

And the order of the day :

a) Fresh Oysters (mini ones, but really fresh and nice)

b) Seafood Soup (pretty good and flavourful, especially since this is Bali) 

c) Clams in spicy sauce (ohh, this is a ‘must-try’ dish in Bali)

d) Steamed fish (Query for the price first, fresh fish is not exactly cheap in Bali good seafood restaurants)  

Steamed Clams with Rice Vermicelli in Blackbean Sauce

e) Poached Prawns (Sweet and succulent, but not in the sizes that I’d like)

f) Stir Fried Kang Kong & Belachan Long Beans (Lovely dish and flavourful. I wished there was more)

g) Steamed Clams with Rice Vermicelli & Black Bean Sauce  (Pretty forgettable. If you want the clam meat – forget it. The vermicelli was over cooked and steamed till clumpy and dry)

My Favourite – Clams Fried in Spicy Sauce

All in all, the food served here was pretty good quality and tasty. For a table of 5 people, we really managed to finish everyting up. Inclusive of the beer and drinks, the damage end of the day was close to SGD$300 or SGD$60 each.

Not exactly cheap when compared to some of the restaurants/cafes in Bali, but nonetheless, this was money well spent.

Yum Factor: 6.5/10

Sungai Seafood Restaurant can be found along Jalan Raya Tuban

To Correct or Not to Correct

The lifts at the Silly Girl’s block of flats had undergone upgrading since February this year. 

And while the lifts were being upgraded, some kind soul from her block took the opportunity to correct the English posters which were put up by the servicing company.

After all the recent blasting targeting one of the Ms Singapore World contestant, while the silly girl is happy that some folks are walking the talk, she is just wondering if this act constitutes vandalism?

Words of Wisdom

The Silly Girl was at Harry’s @ Millenia Walk this evening, to pick up some wedding invites from Eric and also to catch up with some of her ex colleagues.

Loved the coasters used by the folks at Harry’s… Truly words of wisdom.

Gems of Sin Ming Road

 The Silly Girl was sending mooncakes to her business partners this afternoon when she stopped by a nearby coffeeshop for lunch (through the recommendation of the taxi driver), and this would have the most satisfying lunch that she had for a long while.

Rong Zhen Bak Kut Teh

The Silly Girl placed her orders for Bak Kut Teh and pig liver soup. And after the taste test, surprisingly Rong Zhen Bak Kut Teh serves one of the lighter ‘bak kut teh’ which the Silly Girl  had tried. Tinged with a little dash of pepper, the soup was  flavourfully made with little MSG. The pig’s liver was thick and cooked just right and ‘chalky and powdery’ as a fresh pig’s liver should taste. But be warned, this stall only serves pork rib soup and pig’s liver. Do not try to order other spare parts of the pig lest you face a curt reply from the ’auntie’  who takes orders.

Hup Seng Braised Duck Meat

One other must try dish would be Hup Seng Braised duck stall situated 2 stalls away.  This stall is not only famous for its braised duck, but more importantly, the Salted Vegetable Duck soup. Imagine a nice bowl of piping hot soup enriched with the flavour of the duck, yet well balanced through the inclusion of the salted vegetables, which in this case gave a slightly contrasting taste. There would only be one word to describe this – BAGUS!

For all you soup lovers out there, the soup is definitely a must try for you.  

The Coffee Shop can be found at Blk 22, Sin Ming Road

Yum Factor for the Bak Kut Teh : 6.5/10

Yum Factor for the Braised Duck & Salted Vegetable Duck Soup: 7.5/10

High School Reunion

The last time the Silly Girl met up with her university best mates was in April, during Lynne’s wedding (and yes, she would be honest enough to confess that she missed the last meet-up in August due to some unexplainable reason) and it was really nice to gather the girls at Chuan’s place, before she gives birth.  My thanks to Chuan and her hubby Jimmy for their warm hospitality (especially for the laksa!) 

And for the first time, our university mates has 2 pregnant ladies. Plus we also got to see the room of Chuan’s little princess to be. The room, by the way, was painstakingly done up by Jimmy (who is the daddy to be).  

Here are some photos taken this evening:

Chuanie's Laksa and Sharon's bacon rolls

Sharon and Chuan

Auntie Taotao and Ethan

The University Sisters of Arts Club

Ethan giving us the 'bye bye flying kiss'

The Princess' Room all done up by Daddy Jimmy