SOULSCAPE - Yoga & Fitness Festival at Tanjong Beach, Sentosa‏

Here we are at Tanjong Beach Club @ Sentosa‏ for the launch party of SOULSCAPE where we find out more about the inaugural Yoga & Fitness Festival.

SOULSCAPE is the island’s first iconic Yoga and Fitness festival set amidst lush tropical surroundings which started from 4pm to midnight. This one-of-a-kind evening  will offer Yoga and movement workshops by local and regional instructors, fringe activities, a lifestyle and wellness market, world music and a dance party.

SOULSCAPE was created by health and wellness digital magazine and platform - intheLoop.

They connect and engage the local health and wellness community, bringing together like-minded individuals and businesses through yoga, pilates and alternative fitness events.

Thanks Jasmine for the group photo.

This was not my first time trying out yoga. I was being exposed to yoga in the beginning of this year. I find that doing yoga gave me an energized and refresh feeling.

Before the start of the yoga session at sunset and night, there was a holistic lifestyle marketplace and fringe activities to keep us entertained.

The Lifestyle and Wellness market has set up multiple stalls featuring eco-conscious retail therapy, organic foods and cold pressed juices, natural handcrafted soaps and jewellery, and sustainable yoga accessories. 

This particular stall caught our attention because they were giving away free toe slippers.

The slippers have toe separators that help to spread your toes for proper alignment. By re-training your toes to spread out as you walk, it helps improve your posture, balance and strengthen your feet. 

Interesting right?

It's been a long since since I last came to beach. I miss the sandy beach.

Paused for a selfie.

Thanks Jasmine for the group photo again.

We have a great girls gathering.

We came to the fringe activities corner.

One of the activities - Slacklining. It is a balancing activity with a suspended stretch of nylon/polyester webbing tensioned between two anchor points. One can exploit its balancing properties for activities such as walking, executing tricks and doing yoga poses.

This was a really tough one. Doing it barefoot will be easier.

The Night Yoga Rave is a dynamic 90min flow session under the moonlight with glowsticks. It looked really cool with all the lightsticks glowing. This was a highlight of the evening which culminates into a spirited dance session.

Through this event, intheLoop hopes to educate people how healthy living weaves into a play-network-connect theme. 3-in-1 benefits.

Thanks intheLoop for the invitation. For more information, please visit http://www.intheloop.com.sg/

Family Gathering and Dinner at Century Village

Finally, we come to the last day of our family gathering with our China's relatives. They have been in Singapore for almost a week and they will be flying back to China the next day noon. So our plan for that day was to have a family gathering at my uncle's house, followed by a dinner.

My 小叔 has tabao the local delicacy for our lunch. They are roti prata, bee hoon, rojak, fried carrot cake, char kway teow, curry puff and etc.

Everyone was eating and chit chatting away happily.

My relatives from China still prefer eating porridge for their meal. They are not really used to eating our local food.

More photos of my family:

The cute pie was out to greet everyone.

Here's a photo of cute pie with uncle. So glad that my uncle was feeling all right after one day of rest. All of us were so worried for him.

With my 姑姑.

Thanks Kai Pin for the photo.

My turn to carry Aiden.

Aiden likes to carry him and walk around, he dislikes sitting down in his pram. He is at the stage where he likes to put everything in his mouth to discover the taste and texture of everything, including my hair.

We drove to Bedok Industrial Park to have our dinner at Century Village Eating House.

We split ourselves into 2 big tables

Ordered my all-time favourite drink, lime juice. I was surprised that it comes in a bottle form with a sour plum in it. It tasted refreshing with a strong sour taste.

Some of the common zi char dishes we have ate.

My ah ma with her great-grandchild. 

Aiden belongs to our fourth generation.

Before we parted all, we took a group photo. Here's a family portrait of mine.

I hope my relatives from China have an enjoyable time in Singapore. Because of their arrival, it also provide us an opportunity to meet up among our family. Usually we only see each other on special occasion like lunar new year, grandma's birthday, lunar seventh month and wedding. But for this week, I met up with them almost everyday. It helped us to bond even closer.

I love my family ♥

Ricciotti 10th Anniversary Party - Benvenuti Casa

Happy 10th anniversary to Ricciotti.

Ricciotti Pizza Pasta Deli was first opened at The Riverwalk in October 2004. It has since proven to be as the destination of choice for authentic and affordable Italian gourmet food and pastries in Singapore. Here I was at Ricciotti, the Riverwalk for the anniversary party.

In conjunction with the 10 years milestone, Ricciotti has unveiled a whole new concept, design and menu with the theme "Benvenuti Casa", it means "Welcome Home". Ricciotti is setting up to be a place for everyone – singles, couples, families or friends – to gather and celebrate life.

To match the outlet’s Italian facelift, their menu was also revamped to showcase its premium offerings. Time to kickstart the feast.

Here's what we have for appetizers: Carpaccio Di Polpo, Asparagi Alla Griglia, Polenta Herb Fries, Panzerotti and Nizzarda Salad.

Everything on the plate was so delicious. 

Nizzarda Salad was my favourite of all. I love the fresh tuna loin and quail egg.

Do not be little this curry puff-like Panzerotti. It was actually pizza dough stuffed with chef creation.

Pasta selection from left to right: Spinach Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cheese, Arborio Rice with Seafood and Crab Meat Linguine.

I can't decide which was my favourite: Arborio Rice or Linguine. Both were so delectable. 

The mussels were really fresh and succulent while the Arborio Rice gave a creamy taste that was to my liking.

The crab meat linguine with chili and tomato cream was delicious, the sweet and spicy flavours were infused together to give the perfect taste. Thumb up!

The new Ricciotti offers a experiential dining where consumers can enjoy food, art, music and other cultural experiences, bringing a new cultural dimension for Italian dining.

Ricciotti has on-going collaborations with Italian artists from different backgrounds to make the restaurant’s dining concept a more holistic one, surrounding the theme of Italian culture. The artist at work now.

Next was our main course - Cod Fillet, Chicken Skewers and Grilled Pork Ribs.

I love cod fillet the most. It was soft and tender on the inside, slight crunchy on the outside. It was well marinated and the taste was just right. 

Porcini mushroom pizza with cow's milk cheese. 

A pretty decent dish that family friendly. Everyone love it.

Here comes Tartufo Pizza, the black truffles pizza with quail eggs and mushrooms.

The truffle fragrance was infused into the pizza, bringing out the strong flavour and it tasted yummy. 

Dinner will never be complete without desserts.

We had dessert platters consisting of Soffiatto, Canella Sweet Pizza, Tiramisu and Carrot Cake.

Soffiatto was everybody's favourite at my table. We just love the Dark Chocolate Molten Cake with Stracciatella Gelato, it was a great combination. Every bite was filled with the rich flavour of chocolate. Chocolate lovers definitely will love this.

The tiramisu has rich coffee taste to my liking.

My first time discovering dessert pizza. The canella sweet pizza has cinnamon sugar and raisins that was mouth-watering, perfect to have it for dessert.

With this, it marked the end of the celebration party. 

Ricciotti is definitely a warm and cosy place to enjoy my meal and hang out together with friends after work or on a weekend. Do pop by the restaurant if you are free.

Ricciotti Riverwalk

20 Upper Circular Road 

#B1-49/50, The Riverwalk 

Singapore 058416 

Tel: (65) 6533 9060

Opening hours: Opens daily: 10am to 11pm

Sentosa Spooktacular 2014 Media Preview: A Journey to Laddaland

Fort Siloso is no longer the same as before, it is being transformed into an immersive haunted village, Laddaland.

Are you ready to set your foot in for Sentosa Spooktacular 2014?

This was my third year at Sentosa Spooktacular. Each year, the horror trails is getting scarier and scarier. I actually came here with a mix feeling of excited and scared. Excited because of the fun experience, feeling scared because the horror trails last year were spine-chilling and I'm always screaming my lungs out.

I decided to embrace myself up and just go for it. I definitely don't want to miss out this memorable experience.

Click in and read about my past experience of Sentosa Spooktacular here:

Sentosa Spooktacular 2012

Sentosa Spooktacular 2013

Sentosa Spooktacular returns this Halloween with a renewed, more immersive and integrated experience for visitors at the boundaries of once Fort Siloso and new haunted village Laddaland.

Following the raving success of Sentosa Spooktacular 2013, Sentosa Spooktacular is continuing its successful partnership with GTH (GMM Tai Hub Co. Ltd)– one of Thailand’s leading movie studios. Sentosa Spooktacular 2014 will be based on 4 GTH movies.

The 4 brave souls ready to embark on our journey to Laddaland.

Yes, ready.

Let's go!

Here at Ladaland, the new Spooktacular haunted village where horror lurks at any corner.

A family of four abandoned their old lives and moved into Laddaland, ready to settle down in a beautiful home they could call their own and live their dreams. All is well until they found out about the ruthless murder of a Burmese maid in their neighbour’s house. Savagely beaten, her mangled body is found stuffed inside the refrigerator. A wrongful death always results in a vengeful soul. Even the innocent ones are not spared from strange sightings and mournful cries.

Me and Jessie visiting one of the houses at Laddaland.

Gather all your courage and explore the village, because every house is haunted.

What seems to be a dream house in the day will turn into your darkest nightmare when night falls.

You can never be sure what you will find in your path...or off the path; as ghosts and ghouls play hard and work hard in bringing to you Asia’s Scariest Fun. 

I must say that the team have put in lots of efforts in this year Sentosa Spooktacular. I could already feel the thrill and immersive experience of the settings and atmosphere right at the start when I first step into Laddaland. As for last year, I could only feel the horrific fun when I began the haunted trails.

The dark village comes to life in the wake of the night.

Be prepared to play hide and seek with the poor haunted souls. You hide, they seek, and be assured they do not give up easily because they promise to haunt you long long time. You could tell from their inevitable stare.

Be alert of your surroundings.

The ghosts are everywhere, don't think of passing through them peacefully without being haunt.

Meet my newly hired bodyguard.

Though this year there is fewer trails, the trails are so much longer than before. It allows us to stretch our wildest imaginations and experiencing the movie story as we went through many heart-stopping moments of fear, prolonged suspense, and a complete perception change.

Credits to Sentosa Spooktacular.

Horror trail 1: Countdown

“4...3...2...1...Happy New Year!” 

Join 3 friends – Jack, Bee and Pam, as they planned to celebrate the start of a new year in style. Lose yourself in their excitement as they wait eagerly for a drug dealer, Jesus, to drop some good stuff at their apartment. When Jesus arrives the countdown bash turns into a psychological game that involves violence and torture.

We entered the trail feeling light-hearted because of the "party goers" we met along the way and the loud clubbing music. Thanks Jas for the photo.

We came to a stopping point where we queued to enter the lift-like door. It was then I realised the horror trail has yet to start, this was just the beginning.

Credits to Sentosa Spooktacular.

The amazing thing about this trail is that it is in 3D. We were given a pair of 3D glasses to admire the amazing 3D graphics.

The journey through these haunted houses will take you through an altered state of mind, twisted pathways underground and underwater, and many other familiar scenes from the movie.

Actually I didn't expected the trails to be extended so much longer than before, make a prolonged heart-pounding journey. At many point of time, I thought the trail has ended, but it was just another door towards more anticipated twists and turns, as well as sudden shocking moments.

They adapted the elements in the horror movie to create a memorable real-life experiences – of the smell of fear, the cold perspiration running down one's nape. This is so scary.

For countdown, the team has spent a lot of efforts in creating this visual treats and 3D experience. 

Horror trail 2: Alone

A story about the conjoined Siamese twin sisters, Pim and Ploy. Both fall in love with a boy named Vee

Years later, Vee is seen happily married to Pim, and leading a decent life in South Korea...without Ploy. Pim had survived the operation which separated her from Ploy – the same operation which left her sister dead. 

Given her vicious personality, Ploy is not one to leave peacefully. Back haunt her sister with a vengeance, she is about to make sure that her sister regrets ever being separated from her.

***

The staff told us that this trail was called "Alone", so we have to go in one by one alone. No!!!!!!!!!

We were being led in to the trail in pairs and experience the horrific story about the twin.

Credits to Sentosa Spooktacular.

Of all the 3 trails, this was the most scariest of all. All the props were so real and the scare actors just left me feeling goosebumps. I felt like I was the victim in the movie.

Credits to Sentosa Spooktacular.

The trail was totally mind blowing, it sent a shiver down my spine. I could feel myself breathing hard when I passed through the neverending rooms. I screamed a lot over here because of the gruesome scenes and shuddering fear moment that will make your hair stands up. We quickened our pace to finish the trail, we just want to end this quickly. Do not look over your shoulder, for you are never quite alone too.

We met the Senior Director of International Business department of GTH, Mr Yongyoot Thongkongtoon, along the way. We have a good chat with him. He did a great job in transforming Fort Siloso into the haunted village. A round of applause to him and the team.

Ready for our last trail:

Credits to Sentosa Spooktacular.

Horror trail 3: The Swimmers

Perth is the school’s star swimming athlete. After a fatal accident that killed his long-time crush, Perth is devastated. He turns to the familiarity of the pool, seeking peace and solidarity in being underwater. 

However, the swimming pool is no longer safe; it is now haunted with ghosts of dead swimmers. 

Trying to walk past them quietly without them being alert.

Each trail has their own distinctive features.

For The Swimmers, it is not just a simple walk. There will be obstacles waiting for you. Be prepared for it if you want to come out safely.

Thanks Jas for the photo.

Yes, we managed to come out alive from Laddaland. We felt so happy as though we have attained a great achievement. 

The first thing I ask them after we completed the trails: "Game for next year Sentosa Spooktacular?"

And everyone say "Yes."

This is how awesome Sentosa Spooktacular is, they never fails to create the best Halloween experience in Singapore.

After visiting the trails, this was my thought:

I thought that the horror trails last year were already a spine chilling one, I was totally wrong. This year Sentosa Spooktacular was 10 times scarier than before, creating a new extreme experience for me. The team left no mercy and make sure you have a frightful night. It was definitely an unforgettable night that will always be remembered. 

I have become braver and braver after all the countless scare. 

Are you game for the high-octane and fresh experiences for this Haloween? Sentosa Spooktacular is waiting for youuuuuuuuu!

Available Date: 11th, 17th , 18th, 24th, 25th, & 31st Oct, 1st Nov 2014

Time: 7pm - 1am (last entry to Fort Siloso at 9.30pm)

Ticket price: 

Standard ticket - $66.60

Yin Yang Pass - $40.60 (Only available on 25th Oct & 1st Nov only Valid only for entry after 11pm Last entry at 12 midnight)

Kia Gui Pass - $16.60 (No trail pass)

Fast Pass - $32.00 (Access to 3 trails) or $15.00 (Only for 1 trail)

Tickets Available at: Sentosa Spooktacular Website or Sentosa Ticketing Counters

For more information, please visit http://www.spooktacular.com.sg/