Our very own October babies

.
I love Librans. They're fair, charismatic, easy-going, sociable and usually make SUPER friends.

My childhood bestfriend's Libran. The bf's Libran. Dearest Kit and Jeeves are Libran! Gosh, I've surrounded myself with indecisive, flirtatious and self-indulgent* people! Lol.

*Also traits of Libran according to astrology-online.com

While we can't celebrate Kit's birthday today, we were lucky enough to catch up for Jeeves' birthday over blueberry cheesecake and laughs. Happy birthday to both. We love you loads!

30 again! Hope life decisions get easier over time ;)

Message that I personally piped on Jeeves' cake. Folks at Bakerzin couldn't manage the "maple" leaf! I was really excited when they let me in the kitchen and suggested that I teach macaron classes over the weekends! So very cute


The fab crew


Ross and Ling looking cute


Kit looking hot


And Jeeves...

There's a first for everything

.
I once saw a print ad showing a grotesque figure in a living room, legs crossed and reading the papers. The space was set to look dim and ominous with a beer can on the coffee table, which I’m sure was added for effect. Summing it all up, was a headline that read:

"No child should ever have to live with a monster."

That ad, was nothing short of brilliant. It hit me on all the right (or wrong?) nerves and I felt an immediate abhorrence for child abusers and empathy for its victims.

This past week, when dealing with someone whose name is unmentionable for various reasons, I was brought back to the time when I saw this ad. Instead of the living room, the grotesque figure was seated in his cubicle, headphones blasting. When he spoke, his mouth spewed yellow gunk laced with anchovies and everything gross imaginable. Every word that rung in my ear was foreign, yet you’re sure they can’t be pleasant at the tone in which they were delivered.

*Cringe

The only thing left to be hopeful for is that I have a strong team.

Monsters never last long anyway.

Especially when they’re morons.

'Nuff said

Bejeweled and cheese straws

It was a super duper weekend!!!

Marmalade Pantry one day and Jaan, the other. The latter of which, drove a friend to write this review. Both experiences were so much fun. Trust the bf to balance everything out by making Wee Nam Kee Sunday's brunch *Groan

On the home front, we had strawberry pink peppercorn macarons, green peppercorn cheese straw snacks for the fam and the occasional game of Bejeweled. I know, I'm lame.

And, the highlight of the weekend has just GOT to be Little Big Planet the bf bought for us. I just couldn't stop laughing at his silly little sack boy with its clown outfits and comical face. I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but if you have a PS3, buy it now. It's like Super Mario Bros, reinvented.

There. Yet another cheese sandwich straw post I'm not proud of. But the weekend was just soooo much fun :)

Loving Demetri Martin

All over again

Demetri's "Art" from Comedy Central

Am going to start using larger fonts on this blog for readability purposes. *Testing 123*

What weekends are for

Sleeping in, leisurely evening jogs, yoga, manis, pedis, movie nights and experimenting in the kitchen. Random photo postings yet again (because I'm a lousy blogger).

Upon discovering the bf's mom's rum butter in the fridge, I got really excited. You can't not bake something when you're faced with tradition that came all the way from Cumberland - right?


Rum & raisin anyone?


Turns out, rum butter goes perfectly well with raisin scones


Afternoon tea at Club 55


Sometimes you chance upon the most unexpected events just by leaving the house. Like these F1 tickets. Thanks JK and Helen!


Because work is now in a slightly more remote location (there's no MRT in the area), I'm making it a habit to bring my own breakfast. Hence the homemade pepita granola, which just wouldn't be the same without hand-stirred pumpkin butter and shaved apple. Smells like fall in a bowl


Occasionally, we like to take a break from baking and let others do the job. Here's an Empress Dowager from The Patissier, a delicate strawberry mousse enveloping layers of sponge cake atop a crispy chocolate pastry crust


Mid-Autumn festival was a long forgotten tradition since we moved to the States. Now that we're back, there's no reason to skip these champagne truffle mooncakes from Raffles Hotel, which are just to die for

Wish I could share more from the weekday events such as the bf's birthday celebration or Model's night at Oosh, but it's late and I have an early day tomorrow.

While we don't go out as much in Singapore, I'm really glad it's starting to feel a lot more like home.

NY NY

Ryan picked us up at the airport, and we headed to Brooklyn, got lost, attempted to borrow a phone at a Chinese shop, got shunned, finally found our way, had brunch and rushed off to the outlets. It was totally worthwhile


After a long day of shopping, we stopped for supper at a trendy Shanghainese restaurant with hipster servers in Brooklyn. Eating meatballs at 1AM after taking the red eye, and being up the whole day is something I'd only ever do when on vacation


Next morning: tried our luck at Grimaldi's pizza but decided to eat somewhere else with a shorter queue


The bf shopping at Sabon, and really getting into it


Ta-da! After so long, we finally made it to dinner at WD~50


We were fooling around outside the restaurant before getting seated. Wendy took a photo of the bf leaping over a pile of garbage bags (at my dare). I still owe him $20


A quick recap of the experience


We met chef Wylie Dufresne who was busy working in the kitchen, to our amazement. Nice guy


Clay came to visit us in Brooklyn and were 'happy' for many nights after


My breakfast at Pastis: steelcut oatmeal and roasted bananas


The highlight of the meal? Seeing Hugh Jackman walk through the door


While Wendy and I were gawking and trying to snap pictures of the famed Wolverine (who btw, was sitting a mere few feets away from us) the bfs were cool and all


Chris having and intimate moment with the love of his life. It's too bad pitbulls aren't legal in Singapore


Being silly at Urban


At the High Line, Meatpacking District


This felt a little like Singapore's Hort Park, with much cooler weather. We stopped at Chelsea market as well, where I had the best whole milk in a long time since Switzerland


Hogs & Heifers: the place my old clients and I chanced upon during a business trip to NY. Good times!


Chris & Marcos go to White Castle


Doughnuts from Babycakes by Wendy. Though they tasted nothing like the original fluffy deep-fried variety, they were tasty. Arguably the best everything-free dessert we've ever had


Club Monaco' cupcake truck handing out free cupcakes to passerbys. Don't you just love promotions the American way?


Wendy enjoying her vanilla + chocolate in the rain


Lunch at Gramercy Tavern was SO perfect it deserves a post on its own


Thanks Wendy for being such a fun and lovely host!


30 Rock in the night


Afternoon tea at Bergdorf's where we had the yummiest passion fruit souffle with white chocolate sauce


...and Bergdorf's was where I saw this beauty, which I regretfully did not buy


After all the ridiculous amount of fun we had, the trip ended with a low-key birthday celebration at Narita airport over tempura and soba *Sobs. We miss you NY!