Orange Juice Machine

This fresh OJ machine sits outside Cold Storage Novena Square. It's fresh alright, $4 a cup.

I filmed the oranges falling into a squeezer and the OJ filling the cup. Both my hands were full so its a little shaky.

Food Fair (Zhongshan Park)

Food court that opened in Zhongshan Park last month, here's a list of stalls open:

- roast meats (shao roa)

- dish with rice (zhu chao) 

- homemade noodles (ban mian)

- dumpling noodles (wanton)

- vegetarian mixed rice (also serves desserts)

- chicken/pork belly hotpot

- nasi lemak / curry rice

- western food
- abalone noodles

- drinks and fruit

The best value has to be western food. Chicken chops $6.80 that comes with 3 sides and its soo juicy and flavorful even without the accompanying sauce.

The tastiest dish has to be ban mian with a really tasty broth. Wish there was a dimsum stall you know, for takeaway.

Dreaming & Designing

20 years ago I was dreaming and designing my own room. It took $5,000 and about 3 to 4 years to get it approved and done. The rooms got a new coat of paint, new super-single sized beds, new built-in cupboards. I bought an Ikea bookcase, new curtains, new bed sheets, sun catcher and a custom notice board. I even added in a TV and aquarium, it totally refreshed my life. Moving onto my home and I have 3 designs so far, haven't decided on the location yet. More coffee @ my worktable and high tea meetings...target 2020! Maybe I can move in on 2nd Feb, looks like a lucky date 02/02/2020.

image from behance.net

Spent a whole lot of time planning my great American road trip that is still in progress, maybe it won't even happen. Apart from passport visa, driving licence, credit card application (I need a bank account as well), new phone registration (and phone card from each state). It's much more complex now with different road toll memberships. Wondering if I need a registered address as well, since it keeps appearing in all the registration forms. American airports have TSA, so luggage and check-ins have to be compliant. I recently found out about the new airlines Jetblue and Aeromexico, will definitely try it out if I get the chance to. All I have is a general idea of what I want to see (american football match), do (sew a quilt) and eat (southern comfort food).

image from hueologystudio.com

Pek Kio Market

This old hawker center is located at 41 Cambridge Road, easily accessible by bus and mostly open only for lunch. My family comes here for the famous lor mee and prawn noodles. This time around I came by for tea and only a few stores are open.

There is the well loved fishball noodles with a salty savory soup. Oyster omelettes with very fresh and plump oysters. All the drinks and desserts you could want are available throughout the day.

If you drop by a little earlier, there is freshly made chee cheong fun and fried beehoon. Alternatively, you can try the malay stall that is always filled with food, I like that you can get briyani, prata, thosai or just mixed rice at all times of the day.

this week...I ate out a lot

4 occasions in 1 week (Grandparents Day, Hari Raya Haji, Onam, Mid Autumn Festival) is enough to put everyone in a restful mood. I ate a lot of festive goodies this week as well as fast food coz no one has mood to really cook. Tried the Veggie Crunch burger, not bad. Can't get enough of McDonald's Signatures, now available island wide. Burger King's Teriyaki Burger is a hit with me and my family.

I also won an autographed book poster from an online contest. Kinda hoping it comes with the books but it doesn't. Still excited about it tho'.

Ice Cream Review

Trying out ice-cream from the neighborhood shop. There is the usual paddle pop, cornetto and potong from our childhood as well as a few new ones that are really good. Worth reviewing here.

Apple Sourz 

Liquorice apple flavored ice surrounding a gummy center

Crunch

Named after the chocolate bar, the center is pure choc surrounded by whipped ice cream and coated in a nutty choco shell

Kit Kat

Also named after a chocolate bar, there is a kit kat right in the middle of the cone. It's chocolate ice cream swirled with chocolate sauce.

Icy Grape

Menthol citrus ice surrounding a grape ice center.

Tropicana
My favorite ice cream growing up. It's got a creamy vanilla center surrounded by tart lime ice.

Traffic Light
Multicoloured, multi fruit flavored ice.

Butterfly

Really sweet and slightly creamy strawberry & grape ice on 2 sticks.

Milo
Creamy milo ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce.

Sundae

The top pops off to connect to the base, forming a fancy sundae cup. Inside, its a regular conetto/drumstick.

Kukup Fishing Village

Kukup fishing village is located in the Pontian district of Johor Malaysia. This is a day trip but I did stay in the kelong (stilt houses over the water) chalets before when I was young. You can hear the water moving beneath you. It's a nice weekend getaway as you wake up to malay coffeeshop breakfast and watch the fishermen @ work. There is more activity when they bring in their catch, sorting and tossing.

The hatcheries or fish farming that wasn't around the last time I was here.

Mum having fun, this was taken after we bought some locally made seafood crackers. The crackers are made and packaged freshly at kukup.

Mostly, we come here for the food, malaysian seafood zhi char. In the evenings you can light lanterns, but not many people do that.