There I was crossing the road at the famous bugis junction (Made famous by the Ferrari) and there right smack infront of KFC Entrance, on the right pillar hoisting the roof of Bugis Village is a Popeye's Advertisement, enticing pedestrians (ME) while i cross over. So, though guilt rages, I have to check out the Popeye's outlet which is just round the other corner along the main road.
As I walk past the farmiliar scenes of shopping stalls, Bak Guar Stalls and the busstop along bugis village, a small glass door greeted me. There were not many seats available but the smell of the chicken is one that I recognize and motivated me. I noticed a huge sign stating free WIFI and I can find many wall power sockets around the small restaurant. I thought its pretty good and user friendly to have a space for charging of the various electronic gadgets one hurl around everyday. Charging is a common scene and much sought after as we now depend on our intelligent gadgets a great deal for everyday to function normally.
The prices are not cheaper, however the quality of food is much better. You still get to choose the regular or the spicy chicken however, I find the chicken pieces bigger and juicer. Opt for a combo meal and you can upsize to a large drinks. They don't charge extra for changing your drink to Ice-Milo however nacho cheese on your cajun fries cost an additional 80cents.
I love the chicken, the size is just right and the sides are great. They have the regular sides to choose from however the portion is very sufficient. Staff are friendly and efficient. I say its a great place for great fast food all fried with a touch of western deco. However, outlet is too small thus its not a great place to hang out with your friends or to study or even for long discussions.
So this is what I paid: $11.40 for a upsize combo meal (3pc) Chix and (1pcs) biscuit inclusive of Large Cajun Fries and Large Ice Milo. Plus i get a free MILO Headphone plug toy which looks like a milo box.... sooo cute! $0.80 for Cheese
Basically, Zalora is not just fashion for her! For Him, you might be able to find something interesting as well. I was quite impressed by their range of products and delivery service. First there are many great products to choose from. Some Local brands such as charles and keith shoes as well as overseas brands we never heard of like Vode Mode, etc.
I received a promo voucher in my mails as such I proceeded to check out the website and found something i like. From liking to browsing to deciding to purchase and making payment, I should say the entire process is smooth, easy, straight forward and quick.
However, what impresses me was the delivery, its almost next day and the delivery came in a great ZALORA Box, items are neatly packed with the invoice inside the box. Most importantly, it came with a 30 day money back no questions asked guarantee. If you don't like your purchase, you may arrange a time of collection and they will collect from your delivery location for free. Money returned to your credit card account... no questions asked... no complicated procedures... you don't have to send it down to their "always cannot find" warehouse....
The products listed on the Zalora website will not necessarily be cheap, however they have sales on a daily or periodical basis, so if you are free surfing online, do pop by and you will never know if you can catch a good bargain! Most importantly, you don't have to yak with the sales auntie to get a S$1 discount off your merchandise.. Do it with some style, Shop Online!
National Day Parade, an iconic event that we get perked up, excited and enjoy every august as a nation, united and undivided. It is also a time where good memories of our past achievements and events are brought back, reminding us of the adrenaline rushing moments of glory as a little red dot shining in the vast ocean of the many countries, stronger, more establish, with more resources and power. This year’s theme, I find particularly appropriate “Love Singapore, My Home” !
The front part of the entire event, I find it rather routine. The march in and march pass of the contingents however, this routine events are also much sought after for many. It’s a time where we see the muscles of our country dressed smartly, standing tall with power and dignity, especially for the parents and relative of the contingents. Well trained and extremely timely in every move and positioning. I particularly love to see the Unions march pass. Dressed in polo tees and trying to look neat and timely during marching, these ladies and gentlemen representing the mass public and working unions look proud and happy, I could really see fun in their eyes.
The usual cannon shots, parachutes jumpers, F1 flying routines, the Navy patrol boats and fireworks creates excitement in the event almost during every moment. What really caught my eye was the Singapore island shaped projection screen and the stage design, I love the projection screen, it somehow allows a good view of whats happening during the cultural and dance performance yet it seems like these cultural performance are embedded into the Singapore Culture, which is very appropriate.
I also love this year’s NDP goodie bags… The bag itself is the super IN waterproof pack which is functional and very popular, which is totally different from the past year’s NDP Bag where I definitely wouldn’t wanna be seen carrying it. The few other things I like about the NDP goodie bag is the foldable fan, which I find it particularly useful and windy, the slap on rubber wristlet which is fun, the led lite blown up clapping sticks which really light up the skys and prevented a bruised pair of hands from clapping too much and a booklet that illustrates the stories of Singapore which to me is something I will keep for a long time and to show my children. What I love and hate is the security checks and the queues to everywhere, which has to happen for security reasons and in a mass event like this, Its no choice, however, I still hate it.
NDP 2012, ended on a good note and shortly before we know it.. preparations of NDP 2013 will begin… I appreciate all the efforts put into organizing this super iconic events every year and indeed every year as a nation, we cannot but feel proud that we are so FABULOUS… Lets take time and enjoy our peaceful and safe country.
UNIQLO, 2 Levels of premium Japanese casual wear, office wear and sleeping wear. I had a shocked when I first entered this outlet, shocked by the friendliness of the sales staff, which I find it to be more and more of a common sight these days. Its like entering a Jap Restaurant while instead of being greeted 'irasshaimase" which is an honorable way to greet someone, however has been mis-pronounced in many ways.. you get the good straight forward " Welcome to UNIQLO".
I love the neatly shelved and arranged clothings, as well as the shiny white walls and cool white lightings which made the shop so clean, clear and the colours of the merchandises outstanding. I cannot help but always had to find something when I visit this outlet. I find the quality of the materials used are great and prices are reasonable. Sometimes when there is a special sale on certain items, Its really quite a steal.
I love their cartoon and comic series casual tees... The printing is great and graphics nice. The Men's Wear are also a favourite among my family. Sizing is clearly stated and if you wanna try, you could just head on to the many cubicles in the changing room. I particularly like this outlet because they have a level for female clothings and one level for masculine clothings. As and when they do come out with very practical and comfortable clothings like padded singlets which i find a must have for every lady's wardrobe and also lounging pants which are comfy and great for play and LOUNGING!
Service is generally fantastic, staff is friendly, quick to action and knowledgeable. A great shopping experience I would say.. thats why i come back here again and again! Please bring in more great stuffs and have more special sales....
I simply love to visit giant however not on weekends as it will most likely to be sooo crowded. Its like a treat to me, entering with an empty cart and nothing in mind to buy will usually end up at the cashiers with a cartful of weekly supply of drinks, snacks, toiletries, fruits and sometimes even furniture.
Matter of fact this hypermarket offers almost everything you need within the four walls of your hdb flat. Besides real fresh fruits and vegetables, the freshest you can find besides the wet market there is also a butchery where you can find all sorts of meat with pork sections carefully separated from the other type of meat and live seafood that comes with fish unscaling/ cleaning services.
If you like coffee, they also have a booth selling freshly ground kopitiam coffee powders, dried goods and every other kinds of seasoning, canned food,, and snacks, milk produces, various types of frozen food, instant processed food and even a very interesting honey product booth that sells my favourite honey sticks. If you like durian, theres a counter for that as well. The thing is the durian smell is not very strong in this fully air conditioned environment, it is pretty well-contained so the non-Durian lovers will find it still pleasant to shop at this hypermart.
Lifestyle products are also plenty. If you want to buy an aircon, a tv, hifi set, fan, bicycles, camping equipment, etc they have it all. They also have a few shelves dedicated for car owners. Matter of fact they also sell automobile engine oil...
No wonder i always emerge with a cartful of everything. They are definitely not the cheapest but i feel that the prices are reasonable and its a one stop for eveything. I havent even get started on the wine section. Though they dont have anything special but the price is reasonable for everyday drinking and there is a snack section next to the alcohol section where selected beer / alcohol snacks are placed to pair with your intoxicating drinks.
Going to giant is like going to the playground for me! I get to touch and feel everything and buy anything i want, fiddle with that fish gills, poke the well packaged mince meat, choose from the large variety of instant noodles available, and there are just so many things to buy. Thought the payment queue might be tedious at times, its still a great place to shop for everyday everything.
I'm rather surprise to find such a huge bookstore on the Level 4 Of Ion Orchard. Intrigued by the huge PROLOGUE logo by the wall, I cannot resist but have to explore this very interesting place.
Greeting me at the huge entrance is an array of latest bestsellers, local authored novels and interesting general interest books with colourful and eye-drawing hard covers. The magazine section is the first I was drawn to... Neatly stacked techy magazines from all over the world from the famous editing house to the intriguing details of Camera Techniques.. You can find most of your hobby magazines here. The fashion and lifestyle magazines are also aplenty, great for the location as ION ORCHARD is all about Fashion, Lifestyle and Fine Dining.
The books are neatly arranged in a spacious and generous setting with ample move around spaces in between shelves and books and categorized in an chronological related order so that while your search for a certain genre of books, the related ones are nearby, that could ease walking around aimlessly searching for something you think might not be there. If you cannot find the item you need, the staffs there will be a great help. My half an hour book browsing activity spotted at least 2 of the staffs, consistently packing up the place with replacement of misplaced books, making sure the books are displayed neatly, and refilling merchandises low on count.
Its a safe place for children to browse their books because the entire place is a pretty open concept, on top of that, i didn't spot any hazardous designs like sharp corners or multiple steps except for the staircase to the upper level, the entire place is pretty child and pram friendly.
The ceiling high glass windows are a draw to me as it not only lets in natural sunlight, it allows a good bird eye view of the part of orchard road, especially beautiful during rainy days. While i was there i saw them preparing an event space for a book launch, I guess they have many such events during the weekends.
It is a great place for children and their daddys to spend time while mummys do their weekly fashion downloads downstairs at the chic boutiques. Theres also a cafe at the the corner inside this bookstore that serves really yummy meals and snacks as well as aromatic hot coffee and fanciful tea based drinks.
I'm sure its a good and intriguing hide out for the lazy afternoons, reading a good book, sipping some aromatic coffee, tucked at the corner, enjoying the warm caress of the sun, cooled by the whiffs of air-conditioning indoor, feeding your ever thirsty intellect.
I was hunting for some guilt-free dessert at the newly renovated Bugis which was called iluma in the past and on the cinema level, I found this BerryLite- 100% fat free frozen yoghurt. On careful consideration between the next door ice-cream parlour and its delectable creamy ice-creams and the 100% fat-free frozen yoghurt. I chose the later as I feel that we should also make the healthier choice when given a choice.
I love the setting of the place, seats are plenty with retro couch seats by the windows available as well as a good selection of international magazines with sports, travel and fashion available. They have these really cute white lamp-post they emit a pinkish hue which I feel its really interesting. The whole place is decorated with good information on the frozen yoghurt that we are going to order portrayed in a fun and joyous manner and I felt really GUILT-FREE...
So I went ahead and ordered the largest cup-size of the 3 sizes available (Blind Date (S), Hook on it (M), I LOVE IT (L)) and you could choose between Plain yogurt or flavored ones which is about 30cents more. The flavors available to me on this day that I went are: cheesecake, mango and blueberry acai. Of course choose the Highest Antioxidant One- the blueberry acai. You have a good selection of fresh and healthy toppings as well such as fresh pomegranate, aloe vera and many other fruits and nuts. For me, I'm the Plain Jane! I feel that a good cup of frozen yogurt needs no condiments. And so there I am tasting my cup of blueberry acai frozen yoghurt without frills...
I was pretty shocked by my first mouthful. The yogurt is creamy but not sweet at all.. Matter of fact, its sourish in a very fruity way and gives me impression that I am drinking some very concentrated freshly crushed blueberry and acai berry juice. That very same acidic experience when you drink non-diluted freshly squashed fruit juices. I cannot but got to browse at the information on the wall of the frozen yogurt and I agree with a few things like, no sugar added to enhance taste, live cultures to aid digestion.
The surprise is when I get home, I get the very active bowel movement feeling and did what i need to do by my shiny white throne, which is the same feeling I had when I at one time ate one whole box of fresh blueberries. Its not the allergic reaction but the after consumption of highly anti-oxidant fruit reaction. My friend who also had the same yogurt had the same reaction. So both of us agree that this yogurt is indeed the REAL THING...
The real, no frill, healthy, 100% natural frozen yogurt.. I would suggest go for the super high anti-oxidant POTENT Blueberry Acai flavor. Its yummy, natural and full of goodness!
Get prepared to be smacked by whiffs of horse sweat at The Singapore Polo Club. I was there with a few friends hoping to catch some good old POLO action and boy did we enjoy ourselves.
The Verandah is an alfresco dining area where you can enjoy the vast greenery, bask in a cool evening sun and watch the games on the field. They have a good selection of premium wines which are not too costly, chilled to its best and they also have a good range of snacks and finger food to choose from.. Premium ingredients are used and I always feel that the quality of the food could usually judged by the basics served.. Meaning.. if you wanna know if the expensive stuffs are good.. you go for the cheap ones first.. like french fries, onion rings and the other regular stuffs.. I mean if these basic regulars are not done well, then don't expect the difficults like roast pork or premium steaks to taste as good.
But, their fries, calamari, onion rings tasted delicious. I say this not because I am too high on wine or too hungry. The fries is crispy and juicy yet not oily, calamari is of a good bite size, not too dry and the batter is well seasoned with a pinch of pepper, onion rings are crispy and sweet.
They also have a good range of mains to choose from. Like beef stew, Ox tail which is flavorful with a good portion, burgers which is superbly huge and extremely yummy. Salmon fillets, seafood platters, beef steaks which are carefully prepared and tasted fresh, sweet and served in a good portion. I mean they have to serve them in a good portion as the polo players must be really hungry after the game.
Dessert is great as well, though not many choices available. Theres always movenpick ice-cream if you really crave for something sweet yet you do not want a proper dessert. Beers on the tap include the all time favorite Stelle Artois and Kilkenny.
The location and setting is excellent especially with the games going on from late afternoon till dusk while you sip your sweating bottle of chilled wine, tucked comfortably at the corner with a gentle breeze in your face, accompanied by your beloved friends chit-chatting about nothingness while watching cute strong men in horses, galloping around playing the manly chauvinistic game of POLO... I mean what could be better then this!!!
I was most impressed not just by the cute strong muscular polo chaps but by the after game cultures.. After walking the horses back, the players and their family members will hang by the field, patching back the divots or holes in the ground and unevenness on the fields together, chit-chatting, playing and having a great time while maintaining the ground for the other players.. Its courtesy and a good time to bond with friends and other players. Some bring their dogs which most definitely had a great time running the VAST field pretending they are one of the stallions.
If you wanna find a knight in a white stallion... Look NoWhere Else!! Find it NowHere!
Mondays to Fridays, open to public and Tues and Thurs, sometimes Friday you might get to see the games... be a damsel and get whiffed off by some horse sweat smelling knight in a white stallion...
Oh yeah! the horses looked great.. matter of fact I took some picture of the horses butt... because I could never get them to face me..... they are always too fast too fast toooo fast......
I came across a couple of strong recommendations about the burgers at 2 Blur Guys so with an unintentionally free Saturday morning, we decided to give it a shot. Apparently the place is helmed by Chef Jimmy Chok, who used to be from Bistro Soori.
The shop occupies a tiny unit along the fringe of Orchid Hotel and is easy to miss because of its unassuming decor. So keep a look out for it. Seats are a premium at the place and you are looking at probably 5-6 two person tables tops. That's about 12-15 people. Talk about uncomfortable dining.
Prime Beef Hamburger - The highly raved about prime beef burger. To be be honest, I thought it was average at best. The patty had plenty of fluids but the meat was chopped way too fine (machine perhaps?), which resulted in a dry, unsatisfying texture. To compound matters, the patty was seriously lacking in brovine flavour - a definite must for a good beef burger in my humble opinion. Don't even get me started on the buns, which were insipid and tasted like off the shelf stuff. However, I did like the gruyère cheese and truffle mayo, though I did think that they could be a little more generous with the truffle mayo. Oh and did I mention that the burger was small aka fillet o fish size?
Grilled Spice Chicken Burger - I didn't quite take to this burger as well as the thigh meat was a little too oily for my liking. I could make out some form of asian/indian spice (special spice mix according to their website) which didn't quite sit well with the curry mayo sauce in my humble opinion. It made the whole burger feel extremely greasy and I felt uneasy after finishing it.
What can I say? $23 nett for 2 burgers isn't really that expensive if you take it quantitatively. But quality was average at best and portions weren't exactly generous. I don't know about you but sorry, I definitely won't be back.
Biggest Burgers I've ever come across in a fast food joint. I was always impressed by the quantity and quality of the food served in Carl's Junior. There I was taking an early long brunch break on a rainy working day, what caught my eye is the S$7.90 great promotional lunch which included a selected burger of your choice, medium fries and refillable medium sized drink. It was really a good deal, judging by the size of the burger and fries.
I guess the burger is about one and a half times larger then the regular burgers we eat in other similar joints. Its more of the gourmet burger type with huge succulent beef patties, choice vegetables, onions and cheese.. I especially enjoy the chilli burger. This chilli i mean is not the spicy hot red chilly but the mexican ground beef chilli sauce. I find it rather flavorful and extremely appetizing. The chips are great as well; fresh, juicy and not overly littered with salt, crispy on the outside yet not dry on the inside.
I love the refillable self-serve drinks bar also. I think the concept is great and they have a good choice of carbonated drinks as well as ice-tea in which slices of lemons are available at the side for your own adding pleasure. Next to the self-serve drink bar is the self-serve condiment and salsa bar where you can find a good variety of pickles, chopped salsa and salsa sauce as well as chilli sauce and ketchup for your personal seasoning pleasure.
I love the fact that they provide serviettes on the table from a dispenser. I mean it could be rather messy eating a huge burger and as much as we save the trees with lesser consumption of tissues and paper, we also appreciate the use of recycled materials for these serviettes.
I was most impressed by the attentiveness and service of the staff in this outlet. The tables were cleared promptly and tray removed as and when the customers do not want them anymore. I was also impressed by the management team of this outlet. While I was there, the outlet do look a little short staffed and 2 gentlemen in smartly ironed shirts were doing some administrative work, however as the crowd picked up, they rolled up their sleeves and moved around the tables to clear the rubbish, deliver food and say HI and GOODBYE to the customers. I was both touched and impressed...
This is definitely a great place to hang out with your friends for a long chit-chat while you enjoy the always yummy cheesy fries, Oreo Ice Cream or the forever enjoyable HANDMADE MILK SHAKES which i find particularly delicious for a dessert. The choice seats I would say is by the ceiling high windows where the benches are well cushioned and natural sunlight streaming in while you are cooled by the air-conditioning of the mall.
Value Food, Choice Ingredients, Great Service and Cute Staff.....
There I was crossing the road at the famous bugis junction (Made famous by the Ferrari) and there right smack infront of KFC Entrance, on the right pillar hoisting the roof of Bugis Village is a Popeye's Advertisement, enticing pedestrians (ME) while i cross over. So, though guilt rages, I have to check out the Popeye's outlet which is just round the other corner along the main road.
As I walk past the farmiliar scenes of shopping stalls, Bak Guar Stalls and the busstop along bugis village, a small glass door greeted me. There were not many seats available but the smell of the chicken is one that I recognize and motivated me. I noticed a huge sign stating free WIFI and I can find many wall power sockets around the small restaurant. I thought its pretty good and user friendly to have a space for charging of the various electronic gadgets one hurl around everyday. Charging is a common scene and much sought after as we now depend on our intelligent gadgets a great deal for everyday to function normally.
The prices are not cheaper, however the quality of food is much better. You still get to choose the regular or the spicy chicken however, I find the chicken pieces bigger and juicer. Opt for a combo meal and you can upsize to a large drinks. They don't charge extra for changing your drink to Ice-Milo however nacho cheese on your cajun fries cost an additional 80cents.
I love the chicken, the size is just right and the sides are great. They have the regular sides to choose from however the portion is very sufficient. Staff are friendly and efficient. I say its a great place for great fast food all fried with a touch of western deco. However, outlet is too small thus its not a great place to hang out with your friends or to study or even for long discussions.
So this is what I paid:
$11.40 for a upsize combo meal (3pc) Chix and (1pcs) biscuit inclusive of Large Cajun Fries and Large Ice Milo. Plus i get a free MILO Headphone plug toy which looks like a milo box.... sooo cute!
$0.80 for Cheese
Rating given:
Basically, Zalora is not just fashion for her! For Him, you might be able to find something interesting as well. I was quite impressed by their range of products and delivery service. First there are many great products to choose from. Some Local brands such as charles and keith shoes as well as overseas brands we never heard of like Vode Mode, etc.
I received a promo voucher in my mails as such I proceeded to check out the website and found something i like. From liking to browsing to deciding to purchase and making payment, I should say the entire process is smooth, easy, straight forward and quick.
However, what impresses me was the delivery, its almost next day and the delivery came in a great ZALORA Box, items are neatly packed with the invoice inside the box. Most importantly, it came with a 30 day money back no questions asked guarantee. If you don't like your purchase, you may arrange a time of collection and they will collect from your delivery location for free. Money returned to your credit card account... no questions asked... no complicated procedures... you don't have to send it down to their "always cannot find" warehouse....
The products listed on the Zalora website will not necessarily be cheap, however they have sales on a daily or periodical basis, so if you are free surfing online, do pop by and you will never know if you can catch a good bargain! Most importantly, you don't have to yak with the sales auntie to get a S$1 discount off your merchandise.. Do it with some style, Shop Online!
Rating given:
National Day Parade, an iconic event that we get perked up, excited and enjoy every august as a nation, united and undivided. It is also a time where good memories of our past achievements and events are brought back, reminding us of the adrenaline rushing moments of glory as a little red dot shining in the vast ocean of the many countries, stronger, more establish, with more resources and power. This year’s theme, I find particularly appropriate “Love Singapore, My Home” !
The front part of the entire event, I find it rather routine. The march in and march pass of the contingents however, this routine events are also much sought after for many. It’s a time where we see the muscles of our country dressed smartly, standing tall with power and dignity, especially for the parents and relative of the contingents. Well trained and extremely timely in every move and positioning. I particularly love to see the Unions march pass. Dressed in polo tees and trying to look neat and timely during marching, these ladies and gentlemen representing the mass public and working unions look proud and happy, I could really see fun in their eyes.
The usual cannon shots, parachutes jumpers, F1 flying routines, the Navy patrol boats and fireworks creates excitement in the event almost during every moment. What really caught my eye was the Singapore island shaped projection screen and the stage design, I love the projection screen, it somehow allows a good view of whats happening during the cultural and dance performance yet it seems like these cultural performance are embedded into the Singapore Culture, which is very appropriate.
I also love this year’s NDP goodie bags… The bag itself is the super IN waterproof pack which is functional and very popular, which is totally different from the past year’s NDP Bag where I definitely wouldn’t wanna be seen carrying it. The few other things I like about the NDP goodie bag is the foldable fan, which I find it particularly useful and windy, the slap on rubber wristlet which is fun, the led lite blown up clapping sticks which really light up the skys and prevented a bruised pair of hands from clapping too much and a booklet that illustrates the stories of Singapore which to me is something I will keep for a long time and to show my children.
What I love and hate is the security checks and the queues to everywhere, which has to happen for security reasons and in a mass event like this, Its no choice, however, I still hate it.
NDP 2012, ended on a good note and shortly before we know it.. preparations of NDP 2013 will begin… I appreciate all the efforts put into organizing this super iconic events every year and indeed every year as a nation, we cannot but feel proud that we are so FABULOUS… Lets take time and enjoy our peaceful and safe country.
Rating given:
UNIQLO, 2 Levels of premium Japanese casual wear, office wear and sleeping wear. I had a shocked when I first entered this outlet, shocked by the friendliness of the sales staff, which I find it to be more and more of a common sight these days. Its like entering a Jap Restaurant while instead of being greeted 'irasshaimase" which is an honorable way to greet someone, however has been mis-pronounced in many ways.. you get the good straight forward " Welcome to UNIQLO".
I love the neatly shelved and arranged clothings, as well as the shiny white walls and cool white lightings which made the shop so clean, clear and the colours of the merchandises outstanding. I cannot help but always had to find something when I visit this outlet. I find the quality of the materials used are great and prices are reasonable. Sometimes when there is a special sale on certain items, Its really quite a steal.
I love their cartoon and comic series casual tees... The printing is great and graphics nice. The Men's Wear are also a favourite among my family. Sizing is clearly stated and if you wanna try, you could just head on to the many cubicles in the changing room. I particularly like this outlet because they have a level for female clothings and one level for masculine clothings. As and when they do come out with very practical and comfortable clothings like padded singlets which i find a must have for every lady's wardrobe and also lounging pants which are comfy and great for play and LOUNGING!
Service is generally fantastic, staff is friendly, quick to action and knowledgeable. A great shopping experience I would say.. thats why i come back here again and again! Please bring in more great stuffs and have more special sales....
Rating given:
I simply love to visit giant however not on weekends as it will most likely to be sooo crowded. Its like a treat to me, entering with an empty cart and nothing in mind to buy will usually end up at the cashiers with a cartful of weekly supply of drinks, snacks, toiletries, fruits and sometimes even furniture.
Matter of fact this hypermarket offers almost everything you need within the four walls of your hdb flat. Besides real fresh fruits and vegetables, the freshest you can find besides the wet market there is also a butchery where you can find all sorts of meat with pork sections carefully separated from the other type of meat and live seafood that comes with fish unscaling/ cleaning services.
If you like coffee, they also have a booth selling freshly ground kopitiam coffee powders, dried goods and every other kinds of seasoning, canned food,, and snacks, milk produces, various types of frozen food, instant processed food and even a very interesting honey product booth that sells my favourite honey sticks. If you like durian, theres a counter for that as well. The thing is the durian smell is not very strong in this fully air conditioned environment, it is pretty well-contained so the non-Durian lovers will find it still pleasant to shop at this hypermart.
Lifestyle products are also plenty. If you want to buy an aircon, a tv, hifi set, fan, bicycles, camping equipment, etc they have it all. They also have a few shelves dedicated for car owners. Matter of fact they also sell automobile engine oil...
No wonder i always emerge with a cartful of everything. They are definitely not the cheapest but i feel that the prices are reasonable and its a one stop for eveything. I havent even get started on the wine section. Though they dont have anything special but the price is reasonable for everyday drinking and there is a snack section next to the alcohol section where selected beer / alcohol snacks are placed to pair with your intoxicating drinks.
Going to giant is like going to the playground for me!
I get to touch and feel everything and buy anything i want, fiddle with that fish gills, poke the well packaged mince meat, choose from the large variety of instant noodles available, and there are just so many things to buy. Thought the payment queue might be tedious at times, its still a great place to shop for everyday everything.
Rating given:
I'm rather surprise to find such a huge bookstore on the Level 4 Of Ion Orchard. Intrigued by the huge PROLOGUE logo by the wall, I cannot resist but have to explore this very interesting place.
Greeting me at the huge entrance is an array of latest bestsellers, local authored novels and interesting general interest books with colourful and eye-drawing hard covers. The magazine section is the first I was drawn to... Neatly stacked techy magazines from all over the world from the famous editing house to the intriguing details of Camera Techniques.. You can find most of your hobby magazines here. The fashion and lifestyle magazines are also aplenty, great for the location as ION ORCHARD is all about Fashion, Lifestyle and Fine Dining.
The books are neatly arranged in a spacious and generous setting with ample move around spaces in between shelves and books and categorized in an chronological related order so that while your search for a certain genre of books, the related ones are nearby, that could ease walking around aimlessly searching for something you think might not be there. If you cannot find the item you need, the staffs there will be a great help. My half an hour book browsing activity spotted at least 2 of the staffs, consistently packing up the place with replacement of misplaced books, making sure the books are displayed neatly, and refilling merchandises low on count.
Its a safe place for children to browse their books because the entire place is a pretty open concept, on top of that, i didn't spot any hazardous designs like sharp corners or multiple steps except for the staircase to the upper level, the entire place is pretty child and pram friendly.
The ceiling high glass windows are a draw to me as it not only lets in natural sunlight, it allows a good bird eye view of the part of orchard road, especially beautiful during rainy days. While i was there i saw them preparing an event space for a book launch, I guess they have many such events during the weekends.
It is a great place for children and their daddys to spend time while mummys do their weekly fashion downloads downstairs at the chic boutiques. Theres also a cafe at the the corner inside this bookstore that serves really yummy meals and snacks as well as aromatic hot coffee and fanciful tea based drinks.
I'm sure its a good and intriguing hide out for the lazy afternoons, reading a good book, sipping some aromatic coffee, tucked at the corner, enjoying the warm caress of the sun, cooled by the whiffs of air-conditioning indoor, feeding your ever thirsty intellect.
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I was hunting for some guilt-free dessert at the newly renovated Bugis which was called iluma in the past and on the cinema level, I found this BerryLite- 100% fat free frozen yoghurt. On careful consideration between the next door ice-cream parlour and its delectable creamy ice-creams and the 100% fat-free frozen yoghurt. I chose the later as I feel that we should also make the healthier choice when given a choice.
I love the setting of the place, seats are plenty with retro couch seats by the windows available as well as a good selection of international magazines with sports, travel and fashion available. They have these really cute white lamp-post they emit a pinkish hue which I feel its really interesting. The whole place is decorated with good information on the frozen yoghurt that we are going to order portrayed in a fun and joyous manner and I felt really GUILT-FREE...
So I went ahead and ordered the largest cup-size of the 3 sizes available (Blind Date (S), Hook on it (M), I LOVE IT (L)) and you could choose between Plain yogurt or flavored ones which is about 30cents more. The flavors available to me on this day that I went are: cheesecake, mango and blueberry acai. Of course choose the Highest Antioxidant One- the blueberry acai. You have a good selection of fresh and healthy toppings as well such as fresh pomegranate, aloe vera and many other fruits and nuts. For me, I'm the Plain Jane! I feel that a good cup of frozen yogurt needs no condiments. And so there I am tasting my cup of blueberry acai frozen yoghurt without frills...
I was pretty shocked by my first mouthful. The yogurt is creamy but not sweet at all.. Matter of fact, its sourish in a very fruity way and gives me impression that I am drinking some very concentrated freshly crushed blueberry and acai berry juice. That very same acidic experience when you drink non-diluted freshly squashed fruit juices. I cannot but got to browse at the information on the wall of the frozen yogurt and I agree with a few things like, no sugar added to enhance taste, live cultures to aid digestion.
The surprise is when I get home, I get the very active bowel movement feeling and did what i need to do by my shiny white throne, which is the same feeling I had when I at one time ate one whole box of fresh blueberries. Its not the allergic reaction but the after consumption of highly anti-oxidant fruit reaction. My friend who also had the same yogurt had the same reaction. So both of us agree that this yogurt is indeed the REAL THING...
The real, no frill, healthy, 100% natural frozen yogurt.. I would suggest go for the super high anti-oxidant POTENT Blueberry Acai flavor. Its yummy, natural and full of goodness!
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Get prepared to be smacked by whiffs of horse sweat at The Singapore Polo Club. I was there with a few friends hoping to catch some good old POLO action and boy did we enjoy ourselves.
The Verandah is an alfresco dining area where you can enjoy the vast greenery, bask in a cool evening sun and watch the games on the field. They have a good selection of premium wines which are not too costly, chilled to its best and they also have a good range of snacks and finger food to choose from.. Premium ingredients are used and I always feel that the quality of the food could usually judged by the basics served.. Meaning.. if you wanna know if the expensive stuffs are good.. you go for the cheap ones first.. like french fries, onion rings and the other regular stuffs.. I mean if these basic regulars are not done well, then don't expect the difficults like roast pork or premium steaks to taste as good.
But, their fries, calamari, onion rings tasted delicious. I say this not because I am too high on wine or too hungry. The fries is crispy and juicy yet not oily, calamari is of a good bite size, not too dry and the batter is well seasoned with a pinch of pepper, onion rings are crispy and sweet.
They also have a good range of mains to choose from. Like beef stew, Ox tail which is flavorful with a good portion, burgers which is superbly huge and extremely yummy. Salmon fillets, seafood platters, beef steaks which are carefully prepared and tasted fresh, sweet and served in a good portion. I mean they have to serve them in a good portion as the polo players must be really hungry after the game.
Dessert is great as well, though not many choices available. Theres always movenpick ice-cream if you really crave for something sweet yet you do not want a proper dessert. Beers on the tap include the all time favorite Stelle Artois and Kilkenny.
The location and setting is excellent especially with the games going on from late afternoon till dusk while you sip your sweating bottle of chilled wine, tucked comfortably at the corner with a gentle breeze in your face, accompanied by your beloved friends chit-chatting about nothingness while watching cute strong men in horses, galloping around playing the manly chauvinistic game of POLO... I mean what could be better then this!!!
I was most impressed not just by the cute strong muscular polo chaps but by the after game cultures.. After walking the horses back, the players and their family members will hang by the field, patching back the divots or holes in the ground and unevenness on the fields together, chit-chatting, playing and having a great time while maintaining the ground for the other players.. Its courtesy and a good time to bond with friends and other players. Some bring their dogs which most definitely had a great time running the VAST field pretending they are one of the stallions.
If you wanna find a knight in a white stallion... Look NoWhere Else!! Find it NowHere!
Mondays to Fridays, open to public and Tues and Thurs, sometimes Friday you might get to see the games... be a damsel and get whiffed off by some horse sweat smelling knight in a white stallion...
Oh yeah! the horses looked great.. matter of fact I took some picture of the horses butt... because I could never get them to face me..... they are always too fast too fast toooo fast......
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I came across a couple of strong recommendations about the burgers at 2 Blur Guys so with an unintentionally free Saturday morning, we decided to give it a shot. Apparently the place is helmed by Chef Jimmy Chok, who used to be from Bistro Soori.
The shop occupies a tiny unit along the fringe of Orchid Hotel and is easy to miss because of its unassuming decor. So keep a look out for it. Seats are a premium at the place and you are looking at probably 5-6 two person tables tops. That's about 12-15 people. Talk about uncomfortable dining.
Prime Beef Hamburger - The highly raved about prime beef burger. To be be honest, I thought it was average at best. The patty had plenty of fluids but the meat was chopped way too fine (machine perhaps?), which resulted in a dry, unsatisfying texture. To compound matters, the patty was seriously lacking in brovine flavour - a definite must for a good beef burger in my humble opinion. Don't even get me started on the buns, which were insipid and tasted like off the shelf stuff. However, I did like the gruyère cheese and truffle mayo, though I did think that they could be a little more generous with the truffle mayo. Oh and did I mention that the burger was small aka fillet o fish size?
Grilled Spice Chicken Burger - I didn't quite take to this burger as well as the thigh meat was a little too oily for my liking. I could make out some form of asian/indian spice (special spice mix according to their website) which didn't quite sit well with the curry mayo sauce in my humble opinion. It made the whole burger feel extremely greasy and I felt uneasy after finishing it.
What can I say? $23 nett for 2 burgers isn't really that expensive if you take it quantitatively. But quality was average at best and portions weren't exactly generous. I don't know about you but sorry, I definitely won't be back.
See all my pictures here.
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Biggest Burgers I've ever come across in a fast food joint. I was always impressed by the quantity and quality of the food served in Carl's Junior.
There I was taking an early long brunch break on a rainy working day, what caught my eye is the S$7.90 great promotional lunch which included a selected burger of your choice, medium fries and refillable medium sized drink. It was really a good deal, judging by the size of the burger and fries.
I guess the burger is about one and a half times larger then the regular burgers we eat in other similar joints. Its more of the gourmet burger type with huge succulent beef patties, choice vegetables, onions and cheese.. I especially enjoy the chilli burger. This chilli i mean is not the spicy hot red chilly but the mexican ground beef chilli sauce. I find it rather flavorful and extremely appetizing. The chips are great as well; fresh, juicy and not overly littered with salt, crispy on the outside yet not dry on the inside.
I love the refillable self-serve drinks bar also. I think the concept is great and they have a good choice of carbonated drinks as well as ice-tea in which slices of lemons are available at the side for your own adding pleasure. Next to the self-serve drink bar is the self-serve condiment and salsa bar where you can find a good variety of pickles, chopped salsa and salsa sauce as well as chilli sauce and ketchup for your personal seasoning pleasure.
I love the fact that they provide serviettes on the table from a dispenser. I mean it could be rather messy eating a huge burger and as much as we save the trees with lesser consumption of tissues and paper, we also appreciate the use of recycled materials for these serviettes.
I was most impressed by the attentiveness and service of the staff in this outlet. The tables were cleared promptly and tray removed as and when the customers do not want them anymore. I was also impressed by the management team of this outlet. While I was there, the outlet do look a little short staffed and 2 gentlemen in smartly ironed shirts were doing some administrative work, however as the crowd picked up, they rolled up their sleeves and moved around the tables to clear the rubbish, deliver food and say HI and GOODBYE to the customers. I was both touched and impressed...
This is definitely a great place to hang out with your friends for a long chit-chat while you enjoy the always yummy cheesy fries, Oreo Ice Cream or the forever enjoyable HANDMADE MILK SHAKES which i find particularly delicious for a dessert. The choice seats I would say is by the ceiling high windows where the benches are well cushioned and natural sunlight streaming in while you are cooled by the air-conditioning of the mall.
Value Food, Choice Ingredients, Great Service and Cute Staff.....
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