* * * Sakura Haruka * * *

Wordless Wednesday {linky party}: Danboard Mirror Mirror On The Wall | Week 9

2012-02-29T06:00:00.001+08:00

Who is the fairest of them all?

This photo is part of the 52 Weeks Danboard Photography series.

GFC is discontinuing for non-Blogger sites tomorrow. Feel free to keep up-to-date with my posts on Facebook or Twitter. Would love to connect with you off the blog too :)

*****

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Come back every Wednesday!! :)

Another Thing about Kids & Household Chores {& Maids}

2012-02-28T03:50:00.001+08:00

I wrote the thing about kids and household chores is that you have to keep it fun so that they will be interested to help out. But here is another thing - do you actually let your kids do housework??

I am not sure if it is a cultural thing, but it is very common in Singapore, and other countries in this region like Malaysia and Hongkong, to engage maids or to be politically correct, domestic helpers, for household chores. It is probably due to the low cost of hiring one, and because it is a cycle. You grow up with a maid in the house, and naturally you think one is indispensable when you start your own family.

In Singapore, a maid is usually a foreigner because a lot of Singaporeans don't take up the job. Much like our construction workers and rubbish cleaners, a lot of these kind of jobs are outsourced. These maids usually come from Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar and depending on a family, their job scope includes taking care of the young ones and elderly, cleaning, cooking, laundry etc.

We do not hire help at our household because for one, I don't like strangers living in my home, and for another, I do not really see the need for one. Yes, the messy condition of our house might prove me wrong, but that's something I can live with. I cannot live with, however, Lil Pumpkin to growing up being waited on hand and foot, thinking that she can lord over another being to do chores which she can complete with her own little strength.

This is not a generalisation to say that all children who grow up with maids are lazy. No, but I have seen little children shouting at their maids in public, ordering them to pick out the vegetables from their food, or feeding them while they play with their nintendo games. This is wrong behaviour and I do think the parents should do better to teach them right, but maybe the parents are too busy to even notice. Or even worst, they might think it is proper behaviour.

Remember the debacle about an army recruit caught with his maid carrying his army pack? It is so disgraceful and certainly something that made the nation sit up and take notice of that this may be the kind of generation we are raising {there are some funny spinoffs from that picture btw}

This post is not about whether I support hiring maids, or not. It really does all depend on your family conditions, which nobody knows better than you. If you think you need help, go right ahead and get it. I'm writing to support kids being involved with housework. Personally, I think doing simple household chores is beneficial to young children. To teach them responsibility, life skills, goal-setting and it is also a time of bonding & spending time with them... It really is not "child-labour" but something that will help them in the long run.

So do you let your kids do housework? If you have a maid, how do you balance the help and preventing your kids from growing up spoilt?

I Blog on Tues with Diary of a SAHM.

The Thing about Kids & Household Chores

2012-02-26T09:22:00.009+08:00

I do not have much time to do household chores during the weekdays... maybe just a little light cleaning. The boy does help me with doing at least one load of laundry, and the dishes. Folding clothes is solely on me though :/ By the time the weekend comes round, there's a huge pile of clean laundry to be folded and it usually takes me a whole morning. Bleh...

Lil Pumpkin likes to potter around me and help in her own little way. And by that I mean she will sometimes take our floor wiper and swipe around a few times, the way she thinks we do it. No darling, the aim is to actually sweep the dust away, not create more mess by knocking things around.

Recently, it suddenly hit me that maybe the Lil Pumpkin is of age to really help me with the household chores, if she's guided properly. An Ephinany! Woohoo!.... The past few laundry folding sessions I've taught her how to do simple folding of small items, which she can do now. Yippee! Now, I only need to work on her keeping those items folded when done and not play with them haha

Yesterday, we taught her how to wash the dishes :)

She's starting with how to use the sponge to scrub, rinse and put away her own items. Lil Pumpkin likes to play with water so I guess to her, this is still in the "fun" range.

The thing about kids and household chores is, you have to keep it fun. When Lil Pumpkin, was younger, she loved to put away her own toys and books out of her own accord. Nowadays, it is kind of a "chore" for her so I guess it lost that sparkle for her.

Some parents use reward charts to make it fun and to teach the children goal-setting, while others just emphasize that the children are doing their household duties for the love of the family, not for rewards.

I think for Lil Pumpkin's tender age, reward charts would work better for her. It will give her a strong visualisation of the goal, which I like myself, and help in the motivation part. She does like to be praised {sometimes after singing, she will ask us to clap for her, then she will take a bow & say "thank you thank you"!!} and would fit in with her nature :) And isn't it fun to be part of a "game" where you get points for completing chore tasks, and gain a prize at the end??

What age-appropriate household chores do your children help you with? How do you keep it fun for them?

Milo Easy Cool | The Perfect Cold Milo

2012-02-24T06:00:00.003+08:00

My whole family loves Milo. It is something that the boy and I grew up with and even now, our Lil Pumpkin loves the sweet chocolatey taste of an ice-cold Milo :) I know some parents do not like to give their children cold drinks for fear of them falling ill or catching a chill, but living in a tropical country, there's nothing like a cold drink to refresh you on a blistering hot day!

I drink Milo twice a day, and always make me an ice-cold one.
It's a 5-step process, more if you don't use the convenient 3-in-1 sachet packets. Firstly we have to empty the 3-in-1 Milo powder into a cup, add hot water, then stir. AND then, add ice and lastly cold water to get a cup of ice Milo.

However, with the new Milo Easy Cool, it really is as the name suggests, so much easier!

If you are using Milo Easy Cool shaker bottle {currently free with every purchase of Milo Easy Cool pack}, you can make the perfect cold Milo in 3 easy steps. Just empty the convenient Milo Easy Cool sachet, add cold water, and shake!!! The shaker bottle has markings to indicate the exact amount of cold water to use.

Why do I say it is the perfect cold Milo with Milo Easy Cool?

If you make a cold Milo the traditional way, there is usually a sticky layer of undissolved Milo powder at the bottom of your cup no matter how much you stir. I don't understand why.. such a waste! Also, if you leave it out, there's a layer of melted ice... and that causes the cold Milo to be a bit bland because of the extra water from the melted ice. Arrgh! #firstworldproblems

Using Milo Easy Cool, the powder completely dissolves in the cold water, and there is an evenly-mixed, delicious cold Milo drink to enjoy. No lumps, clumps or extra ice needed. Perfect!! #firstworldproblemsolved :) As a busy mum, even if it is just cutting down 2 steps, those extra minutes saved are extra minutes spent with your kid. And that's pretty perfect too...

Milo Easy Cool is currently running a contest with amazing prizes like iPad 2 and Sony PS Vita for users who submit their videos demonstrating "It's So Easy to be Cool - If You Know How". Check out Milo's Facebook page for more information.

* Disclosure: Milo Easy Cool and shaker bottle were provided by Nestle Singapore for review, thanks to omy.sg. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.

Wordless Wednesday {linky party}: Danboard Movie Date | Week 8

2012-02-22T06:00:00.003+08:00

Watching one of my fave movies, can you guess which one?

Not feeling well yesterday, so this photo was lovingly taken by my hubby &
is part of the 52 Weeks Danboard Photography series.

GFC is discontinuing for non-Blogger sites soon. Feel free to keep up-to-date with my posts on Facebook or Twitter. Would love to connect with you off the blog too :)

*****

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Grab my button & place it in your post or sidebar, or text link back to my party.
Add me on Google Friend Connect or Google+ before you link up.
Come back every Wednesday!! :)

Bub & Me: Waterplay at Jacob Ballas Children's Garden

2012-02-21T06:00:00.005+08:00

The last time we were at Jacob Ballas, Lil Pumpkin did not have a chance to have fun at the waterplay area. Thankfully it was a hot sunshiney day last Sat and I brought her swimwear so she had a ball of a time there!

The waterplay area at Jacob Ballas is not very big, nor contains many interesting gadgets or structures as in some of the other wet playgrounds in the Zoo, shopping malls etc., but it is sufficient for young kids to scream, splash & run around :)

Many a times, I'm truly amazed at how kids enjoy life's simple pleasures... Just give them a pail, water and they are sooooo happy!

Lil Pumpkin enjoys swimming and playing with water. She likes to splash herself, or being the naughty imp that she is, she will sometimes "ambush" and splash other people!! haha

The water jets and fountains have a time limit, so it stops after a while and you have to touch a sensor to re-activate it. If you are wondering about the patch on her knee, it's because she fell and scraped her knee just at the entrance of Jacob Ballas!

Luckily there is an information desk at the entrance with first aid services. There's also an area for stroller parking, and you can get brochures, maps etc. on Jacob Ballas and Singapore Botanics Garden.

Our sweet Lil Pumpkin. Mummy loves seeing you having so much fun! :)

Does your kid like to play with water? What other wet playgrounds do you recommend to go to?

Read more Bub & Me kids-friendly activities here. I Blog on Tues with Diary of a SAHM.

Decadent Desserts | Red Velvet Cake @ Food for Thought, Singapore Botanics Garden

2012-02-19T10:00:00.005+08:00

Yesterday, Lil Pumpkin and I met up with Susan and her daughter for a playdate at Jacob Ballas Children's Garden. Lil Pumpkin had an amazing time and after her play we went to the nearby Food for Thought at Botanics Gardens for brunch.

I was pretty tired after Jacob Ballas so I did not take much pictures there. However, it is a really nice place and I intend to go back again. This branch {there's another branch at Queen Street} has a big alfresco sitting area, and an even bigger indoors air-conditioned sitting area. Tables are not cramped together {love!} and there's a simple urban, yet homely, restaurant vibe. Set in the lush Botanics Garden, it even has a small outdoor playgound with slides & all for kids!

Going there, I knew I had to try their Old Southern Red Velvet cake. It is not a common dish in local restaurants, and I was really looking forward to eating it. Even if I did not take pictures of my brunch {Pomme Noisettes, Garlic Mushrooms, Scrambled Eggs with Cream & Chunky Sausage btw}, I had to snap shots of this delicious dessert.

Red Velvet cake got its name from its red colour, and is usually served with creamy vanilla or creamy cheese frosting. Food for Thought's Old Southern Red Velvet cake is served with creamy cheese frosting and the flavour is pretty strong. It is also rich and moist, which I adore as I don't like dry cakes.... The serving is just right as a dessert after your main meal, or an accompaniment to a cuppa. Some places serve tiny desserts for an exorbitant price, and I'm glad this isn't one of them.

The sweet red shavings at the top of the cake are just white chocolate dyed red I guess. It is a delightful cake and certainly something I will order again when I'm back there :)

Me and Lil Pumpkin, with Susan and Sophie. I love how both darlings look like their mummies!!

Food for Thought, Singapore Botanics Garden
1 Cluny Road Singapore Botanics Garden #B1-00
Sun - Thu: 8am - 9pm {Last order 8.30pm}
Fri - Sat: 8am - 10pm {Last order 9.30pm}

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored or paid post. All views expressed are my own.

Glow with Health | Phoenix Medical Group & Berrylite Frozen Yogurt at Greenwich V

2012-02-17T06:00:00.005+08:00

For the Greenwich V Experience, each team visited 11 shops in Greenwich V and sampled the various products and services from each shop. We are tasked to write reviews on each of the shop as a team, and for my team, we drew lots to see which shops we will each write about. It's hard to choose because we enjoyed the experience from all the shops!

As luck would have it, I'll be sharing about Phoenix Medical Group and Berrylite frozen yogurt. I'm happy to pick these 2 shops because they both represent something important to me - health :)

The following photos without watermark are taken from Rachell, who was the designated team photographer.

Phoenix Medical Group is set up by Dr Daryn Kang {featured above}, Dr Chua Hsan Cher and Dr Lee Kai Lun, who all obtained their basic medical degree from prestigious NUS. Since then, they have gained experience and certifications in various fields like Aesthetic Medicine {Dr Kang}, Dermatology {Dr Chua}, and Family Medicine {Dr Lee}.

According to Dr Kang, who talked to us during the Greenwich V Experience, their best-selling product is a PCA Facial Wash with lactic acid as its main ingredient. As us girls did not want to ruin our make-up for the day, William was "volunteered" to try out the product haha. The poor guy was a little nervous and I had to remind him that he was just going for a face wash, not botox!!

William said that he enjoyed the facial wash and that his skin really felt clean after that. I can always take his word as that, but since I'm writing the review, I need to try it out for myself so when I went home, I used the sample PCA Facial Wash that Phoenix Medical Group gave us in our event goodie bag.

This is me, sans make-up and post-facial wash :) The wash itself has a gel-like texture and does not foam up much, but my skin did feel clean but not tight or dry. That's a plus point for me as I do have sensitive skin. No redness occurred after that either.

PCA Facial Wash is suitable for sensitive and normal skin types. It works by loosening dead skin cells and promoting new cell-turn over. Personally, I feel that it is important to have a good skincare regime. When your skin is healthy, you do look healthy and you feel healthy. There are some people who go through many steps in their skincare regime, but I reckon the very, very basic is to get a good facial wash to cleanse away the dirt and impurities from the skin. Even if you are a "lazy" person, this is really the bare minimum.

I'm holding the travel size, and obviously the 7oz bottle they sell is bigger than that. PCA Facial Wash would be a good wash to start with if you have not found something that works for you yet. Do talk to Dr Kang and his team for more information on their other products and medical services. They were all very patient and detailed when talking to us, and seem very approachable.

Phoenix Medical Group
1 Seletar Road #02-11, Greenwich V
Website: http://phoenixmedical.sg

Now, to really glow with health, it is not just about the appearance, but taking care of your inside as well. And this is where Berrylite comes in. To be honest, I have never bought over-the-counter yoghurt before... I usually get them from the supermarket. I used to think that store yogurt were just the usual supermarket flavours with extra toppings. After tasting Berrylite, I am blown away.

Did you know that yogurt has flavours like Red Velvet Cake, Irish Mint and Cookies & Cream? Seriously, I did not either. Silly me thought only ice-cream had such gourmet flavours.. when I tasted the Berrylite frozen yogurt, I even asked the store assistants, "Is this yogurt??" because it tasted just as good as ice-cream, but it is 100% fat free!!
It really was sweet indulgence, without the guilt. Accredited by the Health Promotion Board {Singapore}, Berrylite frozen yogurt is packed with probiotics {good bacteria that boost immunity}, tons of live and active cultures and strictly no preservatives. There was a program in Japan that recommended you to start the day with yogurt for breakfast as part of healthy, beautiful living. My friend Ayaka eats it faithfully every morning and I think she is gorgeous so there might be some truth there :)

I have a weakness for ice-cream... but if yogurt tastes as delicious as Berrylite, I think my hubby will be pleased if I eat more yogurt compared to ice-cream from now on haha. Yay to another way to eat healthily! ;p Berrylite has rotating flavours all year round to tantalise our tastebuds. I think I need to go down more often to review the different flavours imported directly from the United States *grinz*

Berrylite - The 100% Fat-Free Frozen Yogurt
1 Seletar Road #01-08, Greenwich V
Website: http://www.berrylite.com

* Disclosure: The PCA Facial Wash was provided by Phoenix Medical Group, and Berrylite frozen yogurt tasting was done at Greenwich V Grand Opening organised by omy.sg and Far East Organisation. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.

Wordless Wednesday {linky party}: Danboard Be My Valentine | Week 7

2012-02-15T06:00:00.003+08:00

"I'll give you my love, my eternal love~"

This photo was lovingly taken by my hubby &
is part of the 52 Weeks Danboard Photography series.

*****

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Grab my button & place it in your post or sidebar, or text link back to my party.
Add me on Google Friend Connect or Google+ before you link up.
Come back every Wednesday!! :)

Bub & Me: Tree of Love for Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T06:00:00.004+08:00

It is very hard getting things for somebody who has everything. Many times, I do have trouble thinking of what to get for the boy during "special occasions"... it is easy to just get items from his favourite shops like BAPE {huge fan btw!}, but I do like to put more effort into my gifts. Mainly because I expect the same from him haha

Fortunately for me, the boy is somebody who appreciates handmade gifts as well. This Valentine's Day, I decided to make a simple artpiece with the help of my little girl...

I'm not a very artsy or crafty person, and this probably looks like something an elementary school kid can churn out, but I reckoned the boy will like our Tree of Love {as I call it heh} since it has a little something from two of his favourite girls. We really put our heart and love into it :)

You know how you have heaps of random coloured drawings from your kids that you just can't bear to throw away? Well, I incorporated those drawings into our Tree of Love by punching cute Sakura shapes, and sticking them onto a the tree with branches made of our hand-prints!! Mine is the big one in the middle, and her two tiny hand-prints at the side *grins* Lil Pumpkin helped me to paint the greenish background onto the canvas too. She had a lot of fun!

I actually hid the Tree of Love and gave it to the boy only this morning as a surprise! I swear, I could almost see tears in his eyes :P

Happy Valentine's Day to my darling hubby from his special girls! We love you!!

Read more Bub & Me kids-friendly activities here. I Blog on Tues with Diary of a SAHM.

Greenwich V Shopping Mall Amazing Race!

2012-02-12T10:00:00.008+08:00

As part of my Blog Goals 2012 to build community, I hoped to attend a bloggy event and interact more with fellow bloggers and readers. About 2 weeks ago there was an invitation from omy.sg & Far East Organisation to be part of the Greenwich {pronounced as Gren-ich btw} V Experience, which is like an amazing race to taste food from the various stores in Greenwich V.

Fun? Food? I'm in!! :P It was a also fine opportunity to attain one of my blog goals so of course I registered for it! :)

Greenwich V is a new shopping mall with a charming village-like atmosphere located at Seletar Hills. It's actually just about 15 minutes away from our home so very convenient!

The first floor of Greenwich V is indoors and contains Cold Storage, wellness stores like Hockhua Tonic and Guardian, as well as food & beverage stores like berrylite, Old Chang Kee, Toast Box and Chinta Manis Peranakan Patisserie.

I like the second floor, which has a large open space in the middle and a water spray area - a definite hit with the kids! Lil Pumpkin will be sure to jump right in if she goes so I'd better bring extra clothing for her haha.. The open-air concept coupled with the big palm trees makes it an easy place to relax, especially on a sunny yet breezy day like yesterday when the Greenwich V Experience was held.

The bigger restaurants like Cedele, Paradise Inn and Rakuichi Japanese Restaurant are located on this level. Majority of the stores at Greenwich V are for food & beverage, but there's also 2 language schools located at this floor - Hua Language Centre, and Jan & Elly English Language School.

For the Greenwich V Experience, 15 bloggers participated and were divided into 3 teams of 5. There was the Urban Team {wearing black}, Lifestyle Team {wearing red} and Village Team {wearing green}. I was part of the Village Team and luckily, managed to find a green top at the last minute on Friday from New Look!!

My teammates were Claire, Rachell, William and Nigel. They are very vibrant and sporting people :) We had such good group dynamics that you'll be surprised this was the first time we met! I loved that they were game enough to do kawaii & crazy camera poses haha

The challenge required us to complete a series of 10 tasks each at allocated shops in Greenwich V. To go to each station, we had to solve a clue!! Some were easy, while others were quite tricky :P See the picture above.. can you guess what shops they are referring to? We had to take a photo that best represented the shop products or services and upload the 10 photos onto Greenwich V fb page with photo captions. The photos below are the shots we uploaded to the fb page and are taken from Rachell's camera because she's the designated group photographer. I was the time-keeper hahaha..

One Burger to Rule Them All {@ Empire State}

Packed & Ready to Whack! {@ 7-11 convini}

As Hot as the Wonder Girls {@ BBQ Chicken}

吃酵有好处！{@ Fuyogi Hut}

Colour Your World with Good English {@ Jan & Elly English Language School}

Be Spoilt for Choice {at Kopi Seletar}

Rise Above the Dirt, Dust & Ashes {@ Phoenix Medical Group}

All the Goodness, Without the Fat {@ berrylite}

Nuts for the Hamsters at Heart! {@ Nuts & Nibbles}

For Good Food, Some Things are Worth Fighting For {@ Paridise Inn}

Never Lose Your Heritage {@ Toast Box}

And why yes, I am wearing my Hello Kitty glasses :) Overall, I enjoyed myself at my first bloggy event and I wouldn't mind going for more if it is going to be as so much fun as this!! I would have loved to mingle with the rest of the bloggers in the other teams after the event, but it finished quite late and most left straight after. Oh I forgot to tell you one tiny detail.... MY TEAM WON THE CHALLENGE!!! heehee. 皆さん，お疲れ様でした~! ♪(´ε｀ )

Greenwich V
1 Seletar Road
Parking and Free Shuttle Services available.
Website: http://www.greenwichv.com.sg
Grand Opening activities & promo deals: 10 Feb -11 Mar 12.

P.S. Read reviews of Phoenix Medical Group and Berrylite frozen yogurt here.

* Disclosure: The event coverage was due to an invitation from omy.sg and Far East Organisation for Greenwich V Grand Opening. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.

Bub & Me: Little Junior Masterchef

2012-02-10T06:00:00.007+08:00

Lil Pumpkin has been watching a few baking and cooking youtube videos. I'm not sure if she is hinting to me or whatever {one of her faves is a pink doll cake!} but since she's showing some interest, I decided to play along and we had a little baking session :)

Luckily, I had a packet of Betty Crocker brownie mix at hand and used that. So very convenient and I can always depend on old Betty for delicious, oh-so-satisfying baked goodness. Lil Pumpkin and I had baking sessions before but she just liked to roll the dough and throw it on the floor more than "helping" haha

Now, at 2.5 years old, she can listen and follow my instructions, and it was evident that her comprehension and motor skills had improved as she is able to do simple tasks like whisking....

Or pouring ingredients into the bowl. We added extra almonds & pistachios because the boy loves nuts!

Lil Pumpkin was really, really happy with herself and I think it did give her a sense of achievement to be mummy's little helper. I enjoyed this special mother-daughter bonding time too and look forward to more activities inside the kitchen with her.

Baking and cooking can be so enriching for kids as they

practice fine motor skills like rolling, cutting, grinding, pouring etc.
learn how to measure and count,
learn about changes between different food states,
learn different colours, shapes and sizes,
foster creativity, for example by coming up with their own food presentation
build confidence in completing tasks, and
gain more knowledge about the food they eat e.g. different cultures, festivals, significance etc.

I've read that when kids are more interested to eat the food they prepare too so this is a good way to encourage them to eat a wider variety of food, especially if they are picky eaters. Don't worry about creating a mess! Because... the children are creating memories :)

Do like your kids to help you in the kitchen? Share with me your kid-friendly recipes!

Read more Bub & Me kids-friendly activities here.

Wordless Wednesday {linky party}: Danboard Mail Order Bride | Week 6

2012-02-08T06:00:00.004+08:00

This Valentine's Day, Danboard will not be lonely <3

Photo was lovingly taken & edited by my hubby and
is part of the 52 Weeks Danboard Photography series.

*****

Note: Highlight the code & press Ctrl + C buttons to copy. You are not able to just highlight and right click to copy any text on my blog.

Grab my button & place it in your post or sidebar, or text link back to my party.
Add me on Google Friend Connect or Google+ before you link up.
Come back every Wednesday!! :)

Dinner @ Sushi Tei, Serangoon Gardens

2012-02-07T06:00:00.011+08:00

If you follow me on Instagram {find me as @aisakuraharuka} you would probably see lots of delicious home-cooked food on Wednesdays. That's because every Wednesday, we try to have dinner with FIL and spend some time with him. It is the only time when he gets to see Lil Pumpkin too since we do not stay with our parents.

"Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children"
~ Alex Haley

Last week we dined out instead at Sushi Tei at Serangoon Gardens. It is a nice 2-storey Japanese restaurant with 回転すし {kaiten-sushi, conveyor belt sushi} on Level 1, and floor-seating on Level 2. We prefer to sit at Level 2 so as it is not so cramped, and more space for Lil Pumpkin to roam. The restrooms are on Level 2 anyway so it's convenient heh.

Sushi Tei has many branches and serves a wide variety of mid-priced Japanese food. This branch is usually packed, especially during weekends... but service is usually good and fast. They have children seats and cutlery sets if you need them.

ソフトシェルクラブ{soft shell crab deep-fried},　鮭刺身{salmon sashimi} and 茶碗蒸し {chawanmushi, steamed egg custard}.

We all love to eat the fried soft shell crab {even the Lil Pumpkin!!} and ordered 2 plates. Best to eat it as soon as it arrives at the table as it is nice and hot :) We always order chawanmushi to mix with Lil Pumpkin's rice too. It's so smooth and inside there are chicken, crab stick, naruto and gingko nut.

Of all sashimi, I like salmon the best and it was rather fresh. Sashimi is rather tricky and I don't recommend feeding it to young kids. I think there's no recommended age even in Japan {but obviously don't give it to babies} so use your own mother's instinct I guess. Even in the top local restaurants there are reports of food poisoning from raw food handled inappropriately, so best not to risk it. Let me know if you find a good article on this.

いくら明太スパゲッティ {ikura & mentaiko spaghetti, salmon roe & pollock roe spaghetti},　ホタテとサーモンの和風カルパッチョ {raw scallops & salmon carpaccio} &　照り焼きステーキ{teriyaki beef steak}.

I love mentaiko spaghetti and score that ikura is added!! Love love! Usually mentaiko has a bit of nori seaweed pieces but I like that they added the shiso {perilla} leave. Don't mind more than one ;p

Carpaccio is an Italian dish of meat or fish served raw & thinly sliced. This is a Japanese version and it is awesome :) My FIL likes it a lot and it has a little tangy taste... maybe from yuzu sauce? The teriyaki beef was delicious too as it was not too hard. Some places overcook the meat too much.

ホタテアボカドロール {hotate, ikura & ebiko avo roll, raw scallops, salmon roe & prawn roe avocado sauce roll},　白玉アズキ{shiratama azuki, small flour balls & red beans ice-cream} &　白玉ぜんざい {shiratama zenzai, small flour balls and red bean dessert soup}.

I think the above sushi roll is a seasonal dish as Sushi Tei is having a Hokkaido promotion at the moment. The taste of the avocado sauce was not very strong and I would have liked a bit of wasabi there to give it a bit of kick. Inside the rolls was egg omelet and cucumber.

We also ordered カツカレー {katsu curry, pork cutlets curry} and タラ唐揚げ {tara karaage, deep-fried cod} which are not in the pictures. The boy enjoyed the curry and shared his rice with Lil Pumpkin. She also ate all of the tara karaage! At first I wanted to order chicken karaage for her {she loves chicken} but saw that they had tara. It was a little salty but still yummy.

For desserts, I had the shiratama azuki with matcha ice-cream. Sushi Tei offers different flavours of your ice-cream like kurogoma {black sesame}, yuzu {citrus}, shio {salty} or strawberry. I like kurogoma, yuzu and shio too. I've been craving for dango {rice flour balls} for while now so pretty happy to have it with my ice-cream. The boy enjoyed his shiratama zenzai too. It is a warm Japanese dessert and usually served with mochi {rice cakes}. There are many versions of it in different Japanese localities and is a must-have during お正月{O-shogatsu, Japanese New Year}.

Sushi Tei, Serangoon Gardens
64/64A Serangoon Gardens Way
Tel: 6283-7117
Mon - Sun: 11.30am - 10pm {Last order 9.30pm}

Blogging on Tues at Diary of a SAHM. What's your fave Japanese dish?

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored or paid review. All views expressed are my own.

ハローキティ｜Hello Kitty: Shades & Spectacles

2012-02-05T20:52:00.008+08:00

If you know me well, you would probably already know that I am a HUGE fan of Hello Kitty!! ^^ Even for my hen party, my best mates packed me a box full of Kitty-chan treasures. Kitty-chan and I go back a long way, and over the years I have amassed quite a large collection of Hello Kitty goods ranging from pillows, to pajamas, to jewelry, to obento stuff and now kiddy toys for the Little Pumpkin.

In my dream house, I would have a pink room dedicated to house all my meccha kawaii Kitty-chan goodies! :)

Over the weekend I bought {well, the boy paid for it but whatever} these 2 pairs of Hello Kitty Eyewear. Aren't they the cutest??!! Heart the tiny whiskers and Kitty-chan's ribbon. They are not prescription glasses and surprisingly rest very well on my face. My nose bridge is not very big so glasses slide down quite easily. These fitted me fine...

I love them so much I think I might actually go and get the rest of the colours hahah. I want to get the white frames with red ribbons but the shop didn't have it. Anybody knows where I can buy that colour?

Are you a Kitty-chan fan too? Share with me what you have in your collection!

Tips from a Busy Working Mama: How to Prevent a Computer Crash

2012-02-03T06:00:00.005+08:00

Last week I came to work to discover that my computer crashed. Again.

You would think that computer crashes do not happen very often. Me too. But as "luck" would have it, my computer has crashed 3 times in the past 1.5 years. You can call me sibeh suay {very unlucky!}.

Once you see that blue {when it hangs in the middle of your work}, or worst, black {when it cannot even start-up!} screen of death , your heart just sinks. Getting a new computer is the easy part. It's the mad rush to salvage the data in the curent computer or losing everything on your hard-disk that causes the head, AND heart aches... a lot of "work" is needed to get a computer fixed, and in the end you actually are not able to get much work done. Oh, the irony!

Here a compilation of some tips I've been told to take care of my computer to extend its lifespan, and hopefully not crash another time. Many thanks also to my hubby who is the tech whiz of the family to solve my tech problems!

1. Delete files, applications or programs you don't need. The less memory your computer has, the more likely it is to crash.

2. Don't open too many programs at the same time. It overloads your computer and saps its energy.

3. Don't bring food or drinks near your computer. Spillage may seep into your computer and hurt your harddisk and battery.

4. Make sure your virus and spyware protection is up-to-date and run regular scans. Malicious software can cause crashes too, so be careful not to click on links you aren't sure of. Even if they are from friends and family as their accounts might be hacked!

5. Backup regularly either with another computer, external harddrive, CDs etc. Set a schedule, say every Friday {or more regularly if you have very important work} and try to stick to it. I'm gonna try and back-up every Friday too. At least if there's a crash, my data is safe! Once you backup, you can delete files not used frequently to save space on your computer so that it can work more efficiently.

6. Update your operating system software regularly. Even if it is new, it is still prone to crashes so look out for the patches and updates. Yes, I know how easy it is to click "postpone" but just do it!

7. Turn off your computer when not in use. This is a no-brainer to save energy {and $ }but I know some people leave their computer running from day to day to download files, play games etc. Leaving it on for long periods might cause errors to build up but if need be, restart your computer daily.

8. Make sure to keep the computer cool {make sure the CPU/case fans are clean and working properly!} and room not too moist, as overheating and water condensation causes hardware failure.

Whether you are working mother in the office, or a SAHM blogging from home, I hope you find these tips useful and take care of your computer. It really is a b*tch when it crashes!!!

Let me know if you have more useful tips in preventing a computer crash :)

Wordless Wednesday {linky party}: Danboard Lucky Oranges 拜年 | Week 5

2012-02-01T06:00:00.003+08:00

Mandarin oranges are symbols of good luck & fortune. They are presented in pairs as well-wishes to family and friends during 拜年 {bai nian}.
Learn some simple CNY greetings here.

This photo was taken by my hubby &
is part of the 52 Weeks Danboard Photography series.

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Letter to my girl #4

2012-01-31T06:00:00.006+08:00

Dear Little Pumpkin,

Chinese New Year 2012 has just passed and it is now the year of the Dragon? What will this mean for you, my little Cow? I read here that you will have a busy work calendar and there will be plenty of emotional upsets for you at home, but I'm not worried about that at all. Maybe the "busy work calendar" refers to you starting preschool! Yes, you did just at the beginning of this month. You do seem to love it and is always so excited when we arrive there. Work? More like play and fun for you! :)

My dear, you are such a bundle of joy and sunshine that nothing seems to get you down! And emotional upsets, whatever they may be, will definitely not affect you. In any case, as with all superstitions, take it with a pinch of salt. The only belief you should hold true to your heart is that God loves you and blesses you. Remember this when you feel down in the future, ok?

This Chinese New Year was a muted affair as your great-grandmother passed away last year, and according to traditions, we are not supposed to have any celebrations. Hence, last Christmas and this Chinese New Year were rather quiet. We didn't do visiting and we couldn't even give you ang pao {red packets of money for good luck}, but we did have a lovely reunion dinner with your grandparents, aunt and uncle! Mummy even created a lively Dragon Yusheng {local raw fish salad tossed while saying Chinese wishes for good luck, prosperity & health to all} to celebrate the occasion! I made a Rabbit Yusheng last year and thought I should continue the tradition haha

Your grandparents bought you this lovely red dress in these pictures. Isn't it pretty? It is called a cheongsam {or qipao} and is a traditional Chinese clothing, like kimonos for Japanese or saris for Indians. The necklace came from a jewelry set your Aunty Kitty gave you for Christmas. You INSISTED on wearing it with your dress! My my, you are certainly turning into a little fashionista! ;p

Darling pumpkin, compared to last year, you can say the Chinese greetings 恭喜恭喜{Gong Xi Gong Xi }and 恭喜发财 {Gong Xi Fa Cai} very well! I'm sorry that we have not been very persistent in teaching you Chinese, and you can say only random Chinese phrases like 我爱你 {I love you} or 我不要 {I don't want!}. However, I'm glad that you will be having simple Chinese lessons at your preschool to get you started and more in tune with your Chinese roots.

I actually brought you to a trial Japanese class in early Jan too but it was not suited for your age, so I'm going to to try and teach you some basic Japanese and culture at home :P I've been sourcing for ideas to make it fun and include activities like origami, obento-making, watching animes etc. Let's learn more Japanese words by August this year so that when Hisashi-san and family arrive, you can talk to the kids in some Japanese too! :)

Mummy and Daddy wishes you all the best in this new year, and we are so excited to see how it turns out for all of us! サッチャン、本年もよろしくね！

Love always, Mummy

*****

I Blog on Tues at Diary of a SAHM & Celebrating Family.

I'm Worth It | All-Stars Collaboration Video

2012-01-27T06:00:00.007+08:00

It all started when Jess challenged us to change the focus on our body - to not zoom in on the negative, but more on the positive beauty.

This challenge is not about self doubt or finding the silver lining; it is about showing others that we HAVE found the silver lining, and we are totally rocking it!!!

The ladies in this video may not be movie stars or rock stars or fashion stars, but we are bright shining stars in our own right seeing the best in ourselves, and are empowered enough to embrace the beauty of our bodies that we love, and that others love us for.

I am proud to be in this video clip that features some of my fave bloggy friends {view the video to see who they are!!}, and so happy to share the maybe imperfect, but human beauty with you too.

Feel free to share the video and the message, that yes, we are worthy of seeing the best in ourselves, yes "I'm Worth It". Better yet, email us your pictures to join in and we might do an extended version :)

"Real girls aren't perfect, Perfect girls aren't real." - Anon

Wordless Wednesday {linky party}: Danboard Dragon New Year! | Week 4

2012-01-25T06:00:00.005+08:00

It's the Year of the Dragon for 2012!
新年快乐，万事如意！

Learn more common greetings for Chinese New Year here.

This photo is part of the 52 Weeks Danboard Photography series.

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Happy Chinese New Year 2012! 新年快乐！

2012-01-23T06:00:00.004+08:00

Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year... My family and I would like to wish all my Chinese friends and readers a very Prosperous and Happy Chinese New Year! 恭喜发财！

How about surprising your Chinese friends by wishing them in their native language during this festive period?? It lasts for 15 days btw! Don't forget to present 2 mandarin oranges to them for good luck too :) Here are some common greetings:

新年快乐 (xin nian kuai le) - Happy New Year!
新年进步 (xin nian jin bu) - Wishing you improvements for the new year!
恭喜发财 (gong xi fa cai) - Happiness & prosperity to you! {most popular!}
财源广进 (cai yuan guang jin) - Prosperous New Year!
年年有余 (nian nian you yu) - Wishing you a fruitful year!
龙马精神 (long ma jing shen) - Wishing you the best of heatlh!
身体健康 (shen ti jian kang) - May you be healthy!
生意兴隆 (sheng yi xing long) - Have a prosperous business!
万事如意 (wan shi ru yi) - May everything go smoothly for you!
事业有成 (shi ye you cheng) - Have a successful business!
学业有成 (xue ye you cheng) - Have a successful studies!

Spoof!!: Olympus PEN mini Camera Ad

2012-01-20T06:00:00.001+08:00

I love this recent advertisement by Olympus advertising for the PEN mini camera. So damn cute.

The boy thought it's a great idea for a mother-daughter shot and so the little pumpkin and I dressed up in matching BAPE tops and did a spoof of the ad heehee....

What do you think?? :) The boy even helped to take the shots & edit the photos!

The little pumpkin looks so much better blowing bubbles than I do haha. And yes, we were actually blowing bubbles, instead of posing like in the ad! :P Our darling certainly had fun! Looking forward to doing more mother-daughter shots with the bub... and spoofs! Any ideas??

*****
Win a My Memories Suite V3.0 Digital Scrapbooking Software {worth US$39.97} here!
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Wordless Wednesday {linky party}: Danboard Lazy Days of Summer | Week 3

2012-01-18T06:00:00.005+08:00

Where it's bliss just to do nothing at all~!

This photo is part of the 52 Weeks Danboard Photography series.

*****
Scrapbook page made with My Memories Suite V3.0 Digital Scrapbooking Software {worth US$39.97}.

Win one for yourself here!
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Or
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Code: STMMMS26017

*****

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Bub & Me: Jacob Ballas Children's Garden

2012-01-17T06:00:00.007+08:00

We have been wanting to go to this dedicated Children's Garden for a very long time, but just didn't have the chance to. I think, for one of my new year resolutions, I should make it a point to explore a new place in Singapore at least once a month. Be it a shopping mall, restaurant, park etc :) I'm such a ~~lazy~~ creature of habit that we usually just end up at our favourite haunts every week!

Jacob Ballas is a small garden, but it's perfect for little ones with enough space to explore, yet not too tiring to cover. I think it is connected to the Botanic Gardens, which I'm planning to go another time for a picnic!

Don't dismiss it just because it is small though. There is a kids cafe, waterplay area, sandplay, big treehouse with 2 slides, waterfall, suspension bridge, maze and outdoor classrooms :P I think Jacob Ballas definitely deserves a place in my list of kid-friendly places in Singapore!

Read more Bub & Me kids-friendly activities here. I Blog on Tues with Diary of a SAHM.
Been anywhere fun lately? :)

*****
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How to Wear a Garbage Bag Dress Pretty

2012-01-15T06:00:00.011+08:00

Following my fashion posts on How to Wear a Man's Shirt Pretty and More Styles to Upcycle a Man's Shirt, dear bloggy friends Mama Grace and Veronica "challenged" me to wear a potato sack and make it look pretty.

I'm not really one to give up a good dare, but seriously, I don't know where to get a potato sack in Singapore! Probably because I don't go to the market often enough haha... But anyway, I found a good substitute which I think will work just as well ;p

Behold, the household Garbage Bag.....

As a lovely toga dress...

Or as a chic tube dress

My hubby says it actually looks good like faux leather so SCORE!! :) Now, I'm no fashion designer or seamstress, so these are just simple garbage bag dresses that I threw together in about 20 mins each. In other words, you can make them too! All you need is

A large black garbage bag {no, really.. ;p}
A pair of scissors
A belt to cinch & give the dress some shape
Some clear cellotape for structuring
Lots of imagination & confidence to pull it off {very important!!}

Greatest part is, no sewing required. And you can save money!! The dresses I created today were probably good enough to wear to a fancy dress party at homes, but probably not downtown as I'm not sure how well they will hold up haha.. Maybe if I took a bit more time to position & tape everything properly *grinz*

There are heaps of other ways I can think of wearing a garbage bag, but I've no time to execute them all. If you have tried making a garbage bag dress, let me know! I'd love to see how you wore it!

*****

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International Giveaway ends Friday, 20 Jan 12.

Or
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