Happy AuGHOST Month!

August is the Happy Ghost Month for the Chinese. It is the time of the year where food offerings, fresh and burnt; 'hell bank' money, paper cellphones, and whatever gift possible line up the streets of Singapore to commemorate (?) this month.

According to my Chinese colleague, this is the month when the gates of hell are opened and the ‘ghosts’ are set free and head out for a month of vacation. Living individuals are compelled encouraged to offer food, money, or things the ghost might need to enjoy his month’s VL or else..

Likewise, you are not allowed to say anything nasty or you’re..

This burning ritual photo was taken just now at our office parking lot.

Since I’m not Chinese, August for me is HAPPY GAIL MONTH! Yeah!

This is how bad it can get

..and it's only 730 AM! Clearly something must be done.

Scene at the Philippine Embassy, Singapore

Location: 19 Nassim Road

Wine and Dine Singapore: Stellar @ 1-Altitude

Location: 1 Raffles Place, 62F

It's my sister Glai's nth birthday and we found yet another reason to indulge!

We come from a family who has an aptitude for high altitude dining , hence, we opted to celebrate her first birthday in Singapore at one of the country's city-overlooking places, Stellar @ 1-Altitude.  Despite the rants and raves I've seen in several blogs, our dining experience at Stellar gave us a new set of good memories. The food was great, service was great, and probably the only thing that needed improvement was the loo. Price is on the high-side but the overall experience is worth every ‘singy’ and all the inevitable calories.

What we had:

/Top left: Twice Baked Gruyere Souffle with Blue Cheese Dressing

Top Right: Pan-fried Foie Gras with Rhubarb and Cherry pickle

Bottom: Slow-cooked veal with Kurobuta Pork/

/Top Left: Polenta Cushion with Four Cheeses and Field Mushroom

Right: Chocolate Seduction - 100 points for the Hazelnut Mousse! Almond Lava cake is a bit crusty and no lava at all :,(

Bottom left: CHEERS! (Our first of the 3 bottles atop the Singapore CBD /

/Birthday girl (on the right) all smiles after receiving a surprise from our beloved SG friends and a visit from dear SE friends./

/More photos on FB/

Pic(k)s of the Week - A Day in a Life

Labels:

1. View from office window

2. Economy mixed rice stall

3. Ikea Cafe

4. Chocolate Sale at Cold Storage

5. Awfully Chocolate cupcakes

How Hot is it in Singapore?

Chili Dark Chocolate.
Bittersweet and spicy.

So HOT that it melts on-the-spot.

The Lion King Singapore

The Lion King is my all-time favourite Disney animated film and watching the musical at the Marina Bay Sands Theatre came with a very high expectation.

The production is undoubtedly one of the grandest I have seen but this theatre roar seemed to have missed the “fwar” factor.

Could it be the audio quality that didn’t give justice to the songs and the performers? I don’t claim to flaunt a sophisticated ear but even the cinemas are investing on heart pumping audio, why can’t they? Or if they did, my commoner ears did not sense it.

Or could it be the stage design that lacked the grandeur? Except for the creative backdrop execution, the overall set design subdued my “woah.” The mini Lion King show I’ve seen in Disneyland years back was even better in terms of set design.

These are just two things that needed improvement. On the bright side, the actors deserved a standing ovation. They were great (and definitely convincing). I had a wonderful time reliving my childhood for three hours. In fact, I cured my Lion King hangover by watching the animated film for the nth time the day after.

Btw, young Simba and Nala were portrayed by Pinoy kids.. Nice!

FoodEx: Beaming Beancurd

I wasn't particularly looking for a Beancurd House as I am already content with the grocery and soybean kiosks for my much-needed soya fix. I was too early for a meeting and so I looked for a nearby coffee shop to do some work while waiting. Out of curiosity (and the sight of the lovely egg tarts), I checked out this hole-in-a-wall store, Rochor Beancurd House, which became an instant favorite!

Presenting.. My 
recent
 discoveries:

1. Portuguese Egg Tart: Flaky crust, creamy custard filling. Just the right sweetness..

2. Tofu Fries: Crisp and softness in every bite! This lightly breaded tofu fingers is topped with a dash or two of cinnamon and chili powder. Never expected it to be so addicting!

3. Sweetened Bean Curd (Hot or Cold): Similar to our taho but without the sago. Silky smooth texture, sweetened by a light sugar syrup. So simple yet satisfying..

I have yet to try the other items on their menu.