Birthday Celebration at Universal Studios Singapore (USS)

After the lunch, we set off to USS began our adventure at 1.50pm.

We got the tickets at $74 each for local, which included a $5 retail voucher and $5 F&B voucher. The entrance of USS led us to Hollywood Street. Despite being just here last year, I still feel excited to revisit the park again with new discovery.

The first store that I came across was Universal Studios Store, the largest store in USS. The store offered a universal collection of merchandise, featuring themes from Minion, Transformer, Dinosaur, Shrek, Elmo and more.

The Universal Studios Store is so big that it has multiple entrances. As we walked down the street lined with stone buildings and various shops, we were transported to another world in the Hollywood scene.

USS went all out to create a Mega Despicable Summer with character meet-and-greet and larger-than-life inflatables Minions. There is more to look forward to with the new themed attraction, Minion Land, opening next year.

One difference between this visit and last year's was the increase in character meet-and-greet sessions. We even caught Gru and Lucy promoting Despicable Me 4, adding a fun vibe to the park.

The Minions have taken over  New York Street, adding a lively charm to the atmosphere, I could not resist the cuteness of their presence.

The building structures stood tall with at least 3 to 4 storey high, featuring replicas of the iconic sidewalks and landmarks of New York City.

We skipped the other attractions and came to Far Far Away wanting to go for Shrek 4-D Adventure. After queuing for 20 minutes, the staff informed us that they were having technical issue and no idea how it will take to resolve. Hence, we decided to leave and chill at Goldilocks for the next 25 minutes before going for Waterworld show. It was full house inside the eatery so we have to sit outside.

I was attracted by the Shrek's Waffle ($12) because it was one of the rare items featuring the character. We used our $10 dining voucher and paid just $2 for it. The waffle was not the crispy type but more fluffy and the green Shrek has a mild pandan flavour. We drizzled chocolate sauce over the plain waffle to enhance its taste.

The live water show based on Hollywood blockbuster film, “Waterworld” is back at The Lost World. We went for the show at 3.30pm and was shocked to see the theatre was almost full house on a Tuesday afternoon. I was telling J this was the best time to be out there playing rides because everyone was here and we probably don't need to queue long for the ride. If I ever come again, I will skip this show because it will take half an hour and same show.

Applause for the performers for putting up such a incredible show with tidal wave of death-defying stunts, along with thrills and spills from real explosions of fire and water.

Immediately after we came out from the water show, we headed straight to Far Far Away for Shrek 4-D Adventure. This was no queue in the line and straight away we can enter. This was my third time watching the 4D show and it still got me fascinated.

We approached Ancient Egypt where the whole area seemed to be guarded by Anubis, ancient Egyptian god of the dead. It felt as if we traveled back in time to the 1920s, surrounded by the mystery of an era with a rich history.

We headed back to New York Street for Sesame Street Spaghetti Space Chase which we only queued for 10 minutes.

There was a Minion show starting at 5pm on New York Street. While some crowds gathered here to watch the show, I took this opportunity to head over to the Transformers Ride, hoping to enjoy the ride with a shorter wait time.

Here at Sci-Fi City for Transformer 3D thrill ride where we raced through the city, zipping through subway tunnels and along streets. We waited half an hour for the ride.

It was nearly 6pm when we finished the ride. I wanted to go for Puss in Boots ride, but it was already closed for the day. Hence, we just wandered around the hidden alleyway and explored the part of USS that we have not been to before. I had missed this picturesque spot during my last visit.

I spotted Minion Land that was still under construction, it will be located besides Far Far Away. I guess this is another reason for me to come back again next year.

The mini fountain in the lake added a touch of beauty to the surroundings, casting a magical charm as we gazed at the Far Far Away Castle in the distance.

I liked that this part of New York Street was tucked away from the main route, providing a perfect escape from the crowds and a great spot to take photos without any blocking.

We stopped by Star Snacks Stall to get this Minion Macaron ($12), featuring a crispy yellow and blue shell, sandwiched with a filling that had a hint of banana flavour. Not only was it delicious, but it was also creative to see the character theme incorporated into the treat.

We visited the Hello Kitty store where the whole store was decked in a pink and white colour scheme. The merchandise was so cute, offering an array of items with the charm of Hello Kitty.

Exploring The City With Singapore Duck Tours

After all the activities and walking, we were totally drained out and need a place to just sit and relax. Hence, we headed over to Suntec City and had an hour rest at KOI.

It has been a long time since I last have bubble tea, I went for my all-time favourite classic Earl Grey Milk Tea With Pearl ($5.60). We just laze around while waiting for the kids to come.

The one hour long adventure began with a city tour before splashing into the water and swimming off like a duck. The amphibious vehicle was filled with excitement when we embarked on the water adventure.

It was raining earlier and drizzling when we boarded the vehicle, now a rainbow was formed after the rain, casting a magical charm where the sky was painted with different colours, with waves crashing against our vehicle and bringing a casual breeze as we cruised along Marina Bay. It was so enjoyable.

We cruised past Gardens by the Bay and the super trees, where we were at in the afternoon. The changing scenery made me feel like I have been to many places in that short ride.

 As the sun began to set, we watched the sun slowly disappearing from the bustling urban city's skyline while we relaxed in our seat and took in the surrounding scenery. Make sure to come for this timing if you want to enjoy the stunning sunset view.

Passing by the iconic landmark lotus inspired ArtScience Museum while the guide shared with us the history behind some of the sites and the upcoming development as we passed by.

Just now we saw the side view of Marina Bay Sands, now we had the front view. It was still as impressive as ever. It was enjoyable to watch the structure from far, get lost in the beauty rather than standing close to the structure with many crowds.

The rainbow was still there when we were approaching the Esplanade Theatre. We were about to pass the half mark where we will cruise back the route we passed by again. I love evening spent like this, watching the sunset and passing scenery.

Catch another iconic landmark of Singapore, Merlion Park. Another Duck Tour vehicle was behind us too.

Cruise past the Singapore Flyer and making the way back on land into the Civic District. In this one hour ride, I have came across many attractions of Singapore. For tourists who only have a short trip in Singapore, this is one of the must do activity which will cover a good amount of the city.

We ended our long outing with dinner at Shake Shack. My first time trying Shake Shack and I had Chicken Burger ($9.90). 

Though it was tiring, I have lots of fun today. Thanks to the lovely companions, look forward to the next one.

Seasons Of Bloom At Flower Dome Gardens By The Bay

The cooling weather made it a perfect afternoon for exploration. I brought the girls to Gardens by the Bay for a relaxing stroll around the park. It was definitely a popular place among the local and tourists even on a weekday.

Despite being here for countless of times, I could never get tired of the breathtaking scenery. The view just got me excited to begin my day ahead.

The Seasons of Bloom theme showcased floral display from all seasons as well as Christmas decorations. I could feel the Christmas atmosphere right from the entrance of Flower Dome. 

Immerse ourselves in the festive charm where we felt like we were being transported into another world, to a place closer to Santa's hideaway and a city full of greenery.

We spotted Winnie the Pooh and Piglet, the Gorse Fairies. One thing we like about Flower Dome was able to stroll away in aircon, making our time here cooling and enjoyable.

Visiting the house of Santa Clause. The colourful decoration and flowers added liveliness to the holiday season collection. The different decorations made the area feel like an enchanted fairytale land when put together. Everywhere lead us to beautiful discovery.

2D1N Staycation at Harbour Ville Hotel Singapore + Tiramisu Xpert Food Review

Saturday 5/12/20

Luck is always not on my side when it comes to travel during these two years, things happened for some reasons when I want to travel. I fell terribly sick when I went for staycation at JB last year and couldn't enjoyed myself fully, I was badly injured just few days before my trip to Penang and I had to forgo the air ticket and hotel. This year, we are all lockdown due to Covid-19 which leave a damaging impacts to the world.

To revive our local tourism economy, the government has given every Singaporean $100 SingapoRediscovers Vouchers which can be used for attractions, hotel stays and tours. During the first day of issuance, Linda and I immediately booked a staycation for a city break to escape the busy schedule that we have been experiencing for months. This was really an overdue trip for us because we were supposed to go on a trip last year.

My day started off raining when I was on my way to Harbourfront. Linda wanted to have Pasta Mania for her late lunch using Eatigo App where we can enjoyed 50% off when dine at 3pm.

After the late lunch, we then made our way to the hotel which was 2 bus stops away from Harbourfront station. The rain has stopped by the time we alighted at the bus stop.

Harbour Ville Hotel is about 5 minutes walk from the bus stop.

Harbour Ville Hotel Singapore is a boutique hotel ideal for travellers seeking budget-friendly accommodation with over 100 rooms available. We decided to book this hotel because this hotel offers one of the bigger room size among many of the choices we looked at and the price is quite attractive for a weekend stay. I paid $48.38 for a night stay after deducting the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers.

512 Kampong Bahru Road 

Singapore 099448

We checked in our room just nice at 4pm, we booked a Superior Twin with room size about 20sqm.

Though the room might not be very spacious, but for a night stay, it was still pretty decent with basic amenities provided.

Upon entering, we discovered that the remote control for aircon was not working and the hotel staff managed to get it fix. Everything was fine after that.

I occupied the bed on the left and my first thought was that, "wow the door was just right besides my bed when I turned, a very unique design of the room."

The bathroom.

This was the view from our room at level 5, we were sandwiched between a condominium and logistic company. Nothing much at the surrounding and the nearest coffeeshop was probably 10 minutes walk away.

My tiramisu delivery arrived at 4.30pm, just perfect for our indulgence in the room. But before that, we placed it in the fridge to have it chilled. 

Linda brought her scented candle to make the room smell aromatic.

Just as we were discussing on what to do during the staycation, the heavy downpour started again. It was a good thing that we didn't plan any activities for our staycation except for the Pasta Mania. Moreover, our hotel is situated in the middle of the city where we need to travel out by bus, so we felt lazy to travel out in rainy day. Nothing has dampened our mood as we were perfectly fine with just spending the day in the hotel having our girls talk and watching fox movie channel. 

Thanks Tiramisu Xpert for the collaboration during my staycation week.

As the name suggested, they are the expert in tiramisu making and every piece of tiramisu is handmade with love. There are two variations (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) available for selection currently at three different size: 

Solo-misu for 1 to 2 pax ($10 - $12) 

Medio-misu for 2 to 3 pax ($18 - $20) 

Grande-misu for 3 to 4 pax ($25 - $28) 

We had the solo-misu for the alcoholic and non-alcoholic variations. The non-alcoholic tiramisu boosted an aromatic coffee note while the alcoholic tiramisu brought us on a heavenly sensation. The tiramisu revealed multiple layers of cream and airy moist cake with cocoa powder topping the top layer.

Time passed so fast, it was already 6.30pm by the time we started eating our tiramisu, the rain has stopped too.

 The coffee flavour was not too overpowering and complemented well with the sweetness from the cream. 

It was rich in flavour with the presence of sweet and savoury, we cleared the dessert in no time. Feeling happy and satisfied after the dessert.

We ordered Grab delivery for dinner from Omo Oishii which arrived at 7.45pm. Both of us have Kimchi Soup with rice ($6). Thanks Linda for the dinner treat. The kimchi soup was packed with fiery, which left a spicy kick after eating. 

I brought Taengstick from Celltive for our vitamin intake in the form of collagen jelly each night.

We love hiding in our room and enjoyed girls time. Perhaps because we are in Singapore, everywhere is so familiar to us that we don't feel the needs to travel around during staycation.

Linda brought 2 bottles of Osmanthus Sencha with Passionfruit from Gryphon Tea, a handy drink to have after a spicy dinner. We brought lots of goodies to enjoy during our trip.

The cold brew tea has a floral aroma from Osmanthus flowers and accompanied by light acidity of Passionfruit, the beverage was very refreshing and aromatic. We enjoyed the drinks while watching Night at the Museum and X-Men.

Without us knowing, it was already 12 plus. Time to retire to bed.

Sunday 6/12/20

The price we paid for the hotel was inclusive of breakfast. At 7.30am, the staff knocked on our door to deliver our breakfast bento. It was good that the door was just right before me, I rose immediately and collected the food.

The breakfast was a packet of nasi lemak and an apple.

It was still early for consumption so we went back to rest again.

We were up for breakfast at 9.30am. I had nasi lemak for 2 consecutive days and my third chicken wings these 2 days too.

We continued to laze in the room till check out time at 12pm. Half of our trip is already over, time to head over to our second hotel hopping.

Stay tuned to the next post.