Monday, December 31, 2018

Happenings in December - Su:m37 + Tampopo

Saturday 1/12/18

Here comes the first weekend after I came back from my trip, I arranged a dinner with L where the objective was for us to exchange the overseas souvenir we got for each other. We met up at Ramen Champion @ Bugis+ as we have cravings for ramen.

I have Tonkotsu Sukiyaki Ramen ($12++) from Buta God. The broth was savoury which I enjoyed sipping on and it has generous portion of pork slices. The pork slices has a good balance of meat. 

After the dinner, we went to Blackball to have a drink. I have Ice Green Milk Tea with Pearl. I enjoyed the chewy pearls drink.

Thanks for the dinner treat and the souvenir from Hong Kong.

Monday 3/12/18

Yesterday was a very sad day for me because I lost all my Taiwan trip and Malaysia staycation photos as my thumb drive was corrupted and all the photos were gone. I only managed to retrieve partial photos from day 1 to 3 of my Taiwan trip as I have copied out for blogging purposes. Super heart pain that all the travel memories (food, scenery, experience, selfie and welfie) were gone because I might not go overseas with this person anymore or we might not visit the same place again next time. Things might have changed but photos will preserve the moment.

We went Tampopo for lunch and I have Ham Ramen ($12.80++). The noodles were very springy and the broth was nice.

Friday 7/12/18

It's been quite awhile since I last ate Korean food, MI brought me and R to Sun Korean Food for lunch.

I have Hotplate with Chicken and Egg ($5.50). 
How I eat runny egg is to burst the egg yolk and spread it thoroughly on the egg white. I love the chicken slices because it has a good bite.

After our lunch, we went Barcook for a drink session. I have Teh C ($1.70) which means Tea with Evaporated Milk. It was a nice lunch session with them, thanks MI for the treat.

Su:m37 Secret Essence has been a wonderful product, it has been my favourite skincare product ever since I starting using it. 

The secret essence has a watery texture that makes it penetrates fast into my skin, leaving my skin feeling supple, soft and no sticky feeling. I love how the fragrance of the essence made me feel soothing and how the essence provides hydration to my skin, making my skin look refreshing and moisturised. 

My skin problems have also shown improvement with the red spots become smaller and lesser. I was very happy with the result after 1.5 months of usage and I will continue to use su:m37 Secret Essence. 

Friday 21/12/18

Today I ended work late at about 2.10pm despite taking afternoon leave. I only reached the salon at 2.40pm for my hair appointment. Year end is the time for my yearly hair appointment.

It was a long session and I ended at about 6.40pm. The cost was $169. I went home the same time as my normal working day.

KP just came back from Taipei and got us a packet of Nougat biscuit. Thanks KP, we love it very much.

Sunday 23/12/18

I met up with GF for our Christmas lunch gathering and gift exchange session at Tampopo @ Liang Court. It's been awhile since the two of us last meet up for a meal together. I'm glad that the festive season gives us an excuse for an opportunity to meet up.

We ordered a side dish for sharing. I love the crispy fried ebi that was flavoursome.

I ordered Chicken Cutlet Set which comes with a crispy batter on the outer layer of the chicken and juicy on the inside. The cost was $21.70 per pax.

We have quality time spent together catching up and having heart to heart talk. She is someone that I cherish, someone who will keep a lookout for me, tell me the hard truth rather than beautiful lie. Someone who will pull me up when I was falling to the bottom.

Monday 24/12/18

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone.
This festive season called for us to get together and bonding with each other. I began my day with a hearty breakfast with the team at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf @ VivoCity. We were seated according to the timing we arrived, I was the 4th to arrive at my table.

Our breakfast set comes with a cup of tea.
I added only half a packet of sugar as I like the tea to be not too sweet.

I opt for Breakfast Platter ($12.90) where comes with sausage, turkey bacon, sauteed mushrooms, scrambled egg, panini bread and salad.

I revisited Trick Eye Museum after 3 years, there were some new additions and they even come up with an app who allows us to take photo with moving effects.

Get our eyes trick with all the 2D and 3D art structures. It is more fun to go in a group so that more people can create different effects compared to just 2 person, where you just take photo for me and I take photo for you.

I have started using on a travel size Honeyce Deep Moist Repair Conditioner which I have received from Honeyce previously. 

This conditioner helped to repair damaged caused by heat, UV and colour, and frizzy hair. It contained floral honey which gave a sweet scent and amino acid which provide intense hydration.

Wednesday 26/12/18

Mee Ing was craving for western food so I suggested to have lunch at Hooters, a restaurant that I haven't visit for at least half a year. Lunch with MI and R today again.

Besides recommending them my all-time favourite Buffalo Wings with Curly Fries, we decided to try their Spaghetti as well. Having patronized Hooters for so long, I have not try their Spaghetti.

We have Chicken Alio Olio for sharing. 
The al dente Spaghetti was served together with Chicken Breast, Garlic, Chilli Flakes and topped with Parmesan Cheese. 2 pieces of Garlic Bread was also added to the plate.

The set lunch comes with a scoop of ice cream, the Rum Raisin Ice Cream has a smooth consistency which I love. 

Today is a happy day because it is the start of my long weekend.

Friday 28/12/18

I went to watch Aquaman today. It was a long movie (2 hours 22 minutes), I went in to the theatre when the sky was still bright and came down to nightfall.

Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) discovers that he is the heir to the legendary underwater kingdom of Atlantis and is to be crowned King of the Seven Seas. As King he must do whatever is necessary to save his world and lead his people.

Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) is the human-born heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. Arthur's younger half-brother declares war on the surface world and yearns the title of being the King of the Seven Seas. To prevent this war between the worlds of ocean and land, Arthur goes on a quest that makes him come to terms with his real identity and discover his worthiness of fulfilling his own destiny: becoming a king.

It was an entertaining movie and the CGI graphic was brilliant.

Sunday 30/12/18

My cousin brought the kids over to my house for a gathering. After we have our brunch at home, we brought the kids out to playground.

Amber finally had her turn on the swing, the 2 swings were always occupied so we have to wait for our turn. I love playing swing too, I waited until the swing was left unoccupied before I have my turn.

Monday 31/12/18

New year eve is half day work for us, short work week always make us happy. Even happier when K got us sweet tarts for nye.

I love it very much, the tart crust was slightly crunchy and it taste marvelous with the filling of nutella sauce.

In a blind of eye, 2018 has ended. It has been a very busy year for me, it has been a year filled with many ups and downs. I have lost something precious and photo memories, I have gained new experiences and accomplishments. We are growing up and growing old every single day. I hope 2019 will be a better year for me.

Welcome 2019 with an open heart and let's make the best out of it.

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Taichung (Taiwan) Guide: 9 Places To Visit in

Traveling is an eye opener affair and the greatest escape from reality. Before the peak of my work and new school term begins, I went on a 8D7N vacation to Taiwan to recharge. 

I have compiled some of the recommended places to visit into a blog posts for your ease of planning to Taichung.

1. Catch the sunset at Gaomei Wetlands

Gaowei Wetland is a wetland in Qingshui District of Taichung, it is a popular spot for catching sunset. We began our walk toward the end of the broadwalk to catch the sunset, the scenery ahead was surreal.

It was only 5.10pm and the sun was setting down.
This was the most memorizing sunset that I ever seen. We watched how the sun went down bits by bits with no obstruction. Though I have watched many beautiful sunset before, nothing beats the experience of this. It was simply fantastic.

Gaomei Wetlands
Qingshui Dist., Taichung City 436, Taiwan

2. Explore Fengjia Night Market

Night market is a must visit place when you travel to Taiwan, it's the best way to experience their local culture and trying their local delight. 

My first bubble tea in Taichung was dedicated to 蔡大明青娃嗑奶, a highly recommended stall to try in Fengjia. 

We got milk tea with caramelised pearls at NT$45.
Bubble tea is originated from Taiwan, that's why there are so many bubble tea stalls and almost every lane will have one stall. It's a must have drink when you are at night market.

The temperature has dropped to about 10°C in the night, we need something hot to ease the coldness. We bought Cheese Takoyaki, the tako balls were huge and drizzled generously with sauces.

FengJia Night Market
Wenhua Road, Xitun District, Taichung City, Taiwan 407
Operating hours: 2pm to 12am daily

3. Visit Cingjing Farm

Cingjing Farm is located far away from the city area overlooking the mountains, it was a joyful affair to stroll along the plains and hillside, enjoying the fresh air.

Every overseas trip never failed to let me gain new experiences and see what the country offers. 
Words can't describe how much I enjoyed myself. A picture speaks a thousand words, my pictures tell everything.

We went up to the open pasture ground where they released the sheep to roam and graze freely. We have a great time interacting with the sheep.

Cingjing Farm
No. 170, Renhe Road, Ren’ai Township, Nantou County, Taiwan 546
Operating hours: 8am to 5pm daily
Entrance fee: NT$160

4. Visit The Old England Manor

The Old England Manor Hotel has a Tudor-style exterior with a Gothic-style clock tower, the hotel is rich in English artefacts throughout the grounds. A picturesque hotel that is located in the highlands of Nantou County, surrounded by green hills. 

The manor looked like a castle, the surrounding was so beautiful. It was a pleasant morning spent at Nantou.

The Old England Manor
Nantou County RenÆai Township, Ren’ai Township, Nantou County, Taiwan

5. Visit Sun Moon Lake

Sun Moon Lake is Taiwan's largest lake located in the mountains of Nantou. The name of the lake is inspired from the unique terrain that looked like a sun on east side and a crescent moon on the west. Sun Moon Lake is crowned as one of the Eight Wonders of Taiwan. It is also home to the Thao tribe.

The first thing we did when we reached Xuanguang Pier was to drop by to buy the famous tea leaf egg from Jin Men Ah Ma Cha Ye Dan 金盆阿嬷香菇茶葉蛋. It was a prominent stall with long queue forming, it's a must try.

Sun Moon Lake
Yuchi, Nantou County, Taiwan
Entrance fee: NT$300

6. Explore Lavender Cottage

Lavender Cottage is a relaxing and pretty little garden. As the name Lavender Cottage suggested, the garden is decorated with beautiful lavender flowers and purple decor.

Lavender Cottage is founded by two coffee-loving, herb-loving young women loved to draw. Tired of working in the cities of Taipei and Kaohsiung, they decided to quit their jobs and start new lives as farmers. They bought a hill in the middle of nowhere and began working towards their dream of a hillside coffee shop surrounded by lavender. After years of hard work, the dream was realized and Lavender Cottage was born.

I love this tropical paradise, how I wish I could take my life slow every day and allowing me the time to appreciate what each moment offers. It has been an enjoyable trip so far.

Lavender Cottage
No. 20, Zhongxing Street, Xinshe District, Taichung City, Taiwan 426
Entrance fee: NT$150

7. Visit Xinshe Castle

With the charming European style mansion, lake, and romantic garden as a backdrop, Xinshe Castle is like fairy-tale fantasy brought to life. Every corner of the castle was picturesque.

Standing here, enjoying the chilly breeze and the scenery ahead made me feel peaceful. The best photography spots are around the tranquil lake, it captured the panoramic view and the beauty of the castle.

Xinshe Castle 新社古堡
No. 65號, Xiezhong Street, Xinshe District, Taichung City, Taiwan 426
Operating hours: 9am to 6pm daily
Entrance fee: NT$250 

8. Carton King

We visited Carton King (紙箱王), a Creativity Park in Taichung City where the furnishings and decorations are all made of corrugated cardboard.

Even the train was made of cardboard too. Though this train was only for showcasing, there was an operating train (similar to this) that we can purchase ticket and take a ride in the carton train around the park.

 Carton King 紙箱王
No.2, Aly. 2, Sec. 2, Dongshan Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung City 406, Taiwan
Operating hours: 9am to 10pm
Entrance fee: NT$200

9. Visit Rainbow Village

Rainbow Village used to be a military veterans villages. 
The government tried to demolish the villages one by one, giving the land to building companies. It was all torn down until the last village residents owned by Mr.Huang Yung-fu. He started painting animals, dolls, manga characters on the walls and alleys using vibrant colors. After the protests of the local residents, and also realizing that the village was becoming one of the attractions in Taichung City, the local government decided to suspend the demolition.

Rainbow Village 彩虹眷村
No.56, Chun'an Road, Nantun District, Taichung 408, Taiwan

Hope this post helps in your itinerary planning to Taichung (Taiwan). 

* I have lost majority of my Taiwan's trip photos due to thumbdrive corrupted. Probably I will only be sharing about the guide to Taichung as I have already taken out some of the Taichung's photos for blogging use before the thumbdrive was corrupted. For my Taipei's photos, I have lost all the food, scenery and selfie photos. Hence, I won't be sharing on the guide to Taipei. I have checked out the price for data recovery, the range is $680 to $2,000. The price is too hefty to pay for recovering the photos.