LONDON & YORK FOODS - NON TOURISTIC

Good foods hunting never stops wherever whenever. Proudly claim that these foods discoveries completed without researching was done in prior. I used to do research for recommended foods in advance before travelling but not for England nor any other country that I will be travelling in next. 

Reason being, the food/restaurant recommendation for tourist in Google is always not authentic, with crowd of tourists, long queue and higher price. You will never feel local even when you are in other people country. Change your travel style, check in your Hotel and browse around that area for better food places. Got the name of restaurant and then Google it for review checking. 

Let's see these discoveries I had completed in both London and York, they were with almost/totally no tourist over there, much lesser crowd! 

CLINTON STREET BAKERY

It is never too late to share dessert though I was having it half a year ago. If you are fed up with traditional ordinary desserts like pancake with vanilla ice cream, waffle with chocolate dip, banana boat etc, take a look at these served in Clinton Street Bakery.

Not that difficult to discover a good restaurant/cafe, just google the keyword and you will receive more than enough of recommendation with real consumer reviews. And that was how I got to know this Clinton Street Bakery, with nearly full score of comments.

When you google about this Clinton Street Bakery, you will definitely see boom of photos and recommendation of their signature blueberry pancake and chicken & waffle.

LONDON TRIP TIPS

May I share with you some tips for travelling to England (so far from what I experienced when travelled to London and York). All gonna be summaried in points to avoid a very long sentence post.

BABY FULL MONTH HAIR CUT SERVICE

Based on my family Chinese traditional that a newborn baby shall shave their hair which including eyebrow hair to welcome the very first fabulous full-month. But with a month old baby, I personally insist not to bring him out for anything except medical appointment. Therefore, to engage with a home-visit style hair cut service is definitely a very good decision for this.

POSTNATAL JOURNEY : BREASTFEEDING

About two months into being a mother, getting used to fatigued by night feeding. But overall is still much better than during confinement period. Chinese confinement meal does usually include a lot of ginger, herbal, red dates etc. Which these caused me feel hot all day long during confinement period, especially the ginger does warm up body very much. Was sweating a lot during feeding time even at night. 

DONGDAEMUN JAJANGMYEON @ DONG HUA CHINESE RESTAURANT (东大门东华饭店)

If I were asked about the top favorite food I ate in Korea, this authentic jajangmyeon (jajang noodle) will definitely be the one. I ain't a light taste food lover, and if you are same as me then this jajangmyeon must could be one of your favorite food.

YEAR 2018 FIRST NEWS

Yes my Baby Lee is on the way coming! 

MAXIM'S PALACE DIM SUM 美心皇宫点心 - HONG KONG

Brighten up your entire day with Hong Kong local dim-sum in a grand palace style restaurant. Palatable breakfast plus awesome Hong Kong harbor sea view, that shall be a new experience added in your Hong Kong vacation. 

MY SKINCARE PRODUCTS

I often say that you have only one chance to take care of your skin. Not to wait until you see signs of aging before you actually do something about it. Must invest into it before you saw tell-tales signs of damage. My grandma and mother started preached skincare to me during since my childhood. My mother presently aged 45 but her face skin is totally out of flaw, wrinkle and pimple, that is just insanely perfect and so all my siblings' skin.

ALL ARE JUST A DREAM

I remembered back in a couple of years ago, I had read and impressed by a short sentence.

"What if, you waking up from a long nap and find yourself in the primary school classroom, you realized that you are just a kid aged 7, and everything happened is just a dream which no high school, no university, no office, no job, no growths, no boyfriend girlfriend, no marriage, no anything that you thought you experienced it or gained it or lost it in the past few decades. All are just a dream but you remembered everything of that."

And you will know how important is your study in future, you can also know what better course to take in University;
And you will know how important to be obedient to your parents;
And you will know how important to take good care of your health, and so your family's;
And you will know how to make friends, which no false;
And you will know how to survive in this society;
And you will know how to choose your right partner;
And you will know how important to earn more and live well.

Indeed you can know how to make everything better and nearly without fails owing to everything is restarted.
Yes that is fantastic but, and so now you knew: you only live once, no repeat.
Cherish what you still have.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE BORED

Most of the time we are bored with no certain reasons. Bored of being bored because being bored is boring. Lets share with each other in regards what to relieve boredom. There will be 2 categories: For The Energetic Type and For The Inactive Type. Of course, I had classified myself as The Inactive Type, I used to being a couch potato at home and so I feel good.

What to do when you get bored? For The Energetic Type

1. Go for movie. To research movies ranking through cinema website and get yourself a favorite movie, this could probably spend minimum 3 hours in total. 

WHO TO FOLLOW ON TWITTER

Sometimes we might get influence while reading to some posts/articles/status. When you are not willing to read a long sentence article, perhaps some short sentences will be more suitable for you. I used to thumb dragging down the Twitter page, and read sentences from my favorite Twitter people. That was quite tired for me to eyeing advertisement posts on other social media platform especially both Instagram and Facebook. Twitter is fine to cures and relieve stress at most of the time, with no complicated photos and advertisement as well. Therefore, to share in regards who to follow on Twitter. Had you been following them before?

MUSIC TALK - SHAPE OF YOU @ ED SHEERAN

Had never failed to listening good music & song. Ed Sheeran, he had distributed a new album "Divide" with a hot catchy song named "Shape of You". I will listen this song from FM radio for several times a day, yes they are playing it non-stop. Honestly I will not follow closely about any new album distributed, I was thinking like "that is Ed Sheeran voice, his distributed new song?" while I was accidentally listening it through FM radio. And when I started to check its lyrics, I had also found out what was the song "Shape of You" originally meant to be. As shown in followings as Ed Sheeran said.

NEGATIVE INNOVATION?

According to a Yahoo statement reporting by Peter Henderson, a pair of autonomous buses began driving around an empty San Francisco bay parking lot, preparing to move onto a local public road in California's first pilot program for a self-driving vehicle without steering wheel or human operator. The shuttle buses will test for a few months in the parking lots before operators apply for Department of Motor Vehicles approval under the new law.

FU KEE RESTAURANT 富记粥品 - HONG KONG

Fed up to commonly get porridge with youtiao? Here you go. 

Fu Kee restaurant in Hong Kong, serve you more than 20 options of mixed porridge. Based on Hong Kong authentic trait, you are able to taste your favorite porridge with roast goose! 

YAT LOK ROAST GOOSE 一樂燒鵝 - HONG KONG

A Hong Kong trip deem imperfect if without tasted the Hong Kong roast goose. The delicacy roast goose is rare to be seen in Singapore. Hong Kong roast goose meal was the cuisine that I tasted most repeatedly. I pen herewith a recommended roast goose restaurant which is located at Hong Kong central area, a famous food district. I actually used to experience staffs' furiousness in many restaurants/food stalls in Hong Kong but I was okay with it, that is their own culture without malice. Thus, Yat Lok restaurant had surprised me with their polite service attitude, and I would confirm that Yat Lok restaurant was the only one that has obtained my own strong satisfaction. 

BLACK SPOTS ON MY BEAUTYBLENDER @ HOW TO CLEAN BEAUTYBLENDER

Beautyblender, a luxurious make-up sponge. It is well known to almost every woman, it cost SGD30++ each. For myself, beautyblender was the best make-up sponge that I ever used. With beautyblender in your make-up desk, you will never wish to use other products to put your foundation cream/bb cc cream/concealer onto your face skin. Because there is only beautyblender could make your entire make-up foundation flawless. But I had discovered black spots on my beautyblender one month ago, and black sposts were getting more and more despite I regularly clean it (once a week). I believe it was mold, and for sure the beautyblender with grew mold will cannot be restored. Consequently I've found out several methods of how to maintain it in a good condition when I bought myself a second beautyblender.

1. To clean it after every time you used it
My previous habit "once a week" was not proper. From all information that I had researched from internet forum, you have to form yourself a habit which to clean your beautyblender after every time you used it for make-up.

Saving Money Tips

Why is savings so crucial? Think if you need some money urgently but you did not have any, those unexpected expenses are so devastating. Too many unknowns in your life, in your future, or even your tomorrow. Always being prepared to deal with future crises that may arise. Therefore, non-stop from positive fighting when you are still young. If you could not earn more, at least you could save more; learn how to save more while you are available. Find ways to start saving, it always easier to talk but difficult to do. Lets shifting your thought which able to yield long-term result.

Hong Kong - Tsim Chai Kee Wonton Noodle

During my latest Hong Kong trip in Jan 2017, I had discovered few more restaurants which are well-known to tourists. To pen about my conclusion after tasted based on own opinion. Some were really delicious but some weren't. I was thinking to commend all together in a blog post or separately, so I decided to blog it separately as well. Wonton noodle is famous local food in Hong Kong, it almost can be seen in every local restaurant. Refer to this Tsim Chai Kee is well-known to tourists, you can search many information about it on Google. But regret to say, it had deeply disappointed me.

Wicked Grill At Tanjong Katong Road

Updated on 23 February 2018: Google stated this restaurant permanently closed



It has been quiet a long time since the last time I discovered a good restaurant in Singapore. And the thing I am going to pen to share was so fantastic. I were astonished to know all the prices were that low in this fresh-opened western food restaurant Wicked Grill ! And I bet everyone would know how will that cost if take a proper meal in a western restaurant in Singapore, for instance, a plate of fish and chips costs $19++, a plate of seafood aglio olio will cost $18++, a side dish (fish fillet/french fried) usually costs at least $5.9++, and a can of soft drink will costs $3.5 something. Therefore, I guess a western meal for 2 person will usually cost approximately $50-$70. 

2017 Resolutions

I had checked my 2016 resolutions not long ago, and I realized that I've done almost 70% of it. That was quiet a good result, to achieve every single resolution and I will need to have enough cash & time. For whatever that I did not achieved in year 2016, I will not carry it on this year. I just need to be changed. Go for new mindset new dreams. 

2016 In Review

Always be grateful for your today, that might be what others were craving for but couldn't reach to. Be thankful; Be filial; Be lovely; Be whatever you knew is legally right to be. At least two decades we have been lived through. With making the same wishes for a new coming year but never achieved. Is because have no planning, no effort and no dream. As you knew that nothing gained with no pain.

I cannot believe December is going to over. It seemed to fly by so quickly this month and I am not looking forward to end my holiday/my Christmas. I would be find with another few more December. With only one day left in year 2016, I thought it would be appropriate to look back at some of my favorite memories this year.

Dancing Hair & Fragrance

Imagine if you could get fragrance emitted from your hair, and how fascinating that will be. Every lady has a wish, she wish to has long, thick, healthy and shiny hair. To maintain a beautiful healthy hair is a common habit that almost every lady has. But not everyone could make hair to emit fragrance. Therefore, the way to make a beautiful healthy hair to emit fragrance will be a vogue topic these days. Sometime when you are just going out from house to supermarket, probably you do not wish to put some perfume on, you wish you could still be gorgeous by emitting the fragrance from your hair. Sounds great because it makes others think that is pure natural fragrance when you are passing by and without meticulously dressed up.

It Makes Great For World Travelling # Casio Baby-G

I had discovered my second Baby-G watch. As from Casio new launch, this series combine with attractive jet black color finish. Black is always my first choice. Today trend, everyone follows to Apple iPhone 7 jet black series, and so we follow to Baby-G black too. Casio Baby-G versions are in femme style, designed in a smaller size of strap which obviously different with G-Shock. Generally is a perfect companion for sport, its design reflects stylish fashion trend and make these watches a tough eye-catcher. You could be fashionable and get ready for the outdoors during summer, especially in our country, Singapore.

A Whirlwind Journey, Jeju Province

Korea’s Hawaii. A Tropical Paradise “Very Famous in Korea.” All those adjectives, and more have been used to describe Jeju no matter who or when it has come up in conversation since we’ve been here. Obviously curious to see what this tropical utopia is all about, I decided to take few days to down to this island off the southern coast of Korea. I spent three days there, was temporarily leaving away from the hustle and bustle city, Seoul. I landing at Seoul the day before and spent one night over there. Had put our main luggage at hotel (Royal Hotel Seoul) before heading to Gimpo international Airport owing to there is no luggage check in allowance with the plane that I was going to take (JejuAir). 

Pandora Christmas

Christmas songs are playing everywhere; Every corner, every district in Singapore. We love Christmas, as we love winter, christmassy all along, and we love to have a beloved one to stay right beside. Conjectured that almost every lady has her own dream Christmas day, Christmas gift and Christmas celebration to create an unforgettable memory. 

Pandora, a jewelry brand which is well known to everyone. It emphasize to create consummate memory, to remember every single important date in your life. They had countless design of bracelet charm, that was their signature. Every charm comprises different of significant: Love, Family, Friendship, Horoscopes, Characteristics, Countries Culture, Numbers, World, Travelling, Chinese New Year, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Christmas and so on. Just to get one Pandora plain bracelet, and you could get charms to match with it. I formed a habit in buying Pandora charms, during every trip and festival. And the Pandora item numbered 791773CZ Christmas Stocking Red Enamel & Clear was the charm that I received as gift for this upcoming Christmas. 

Product details (from Pandora official website): Indulge in Christmas cheer and treat a loved one to this sweet sterling silver stocking charm. Delicately crafted with a cute teddy bear in a holiday hat, this whimsical charm is sure to bring a smile to your face and will be a cute addition to any holiday themed bracelet styling.

Give the perfect Pandora gift this Christmas with Pandora Christmas collection. To keep memories close to you and beloved one. Christmas is just few weeks away, Pandora distributes signature black color pouch and silver case upon purchase. 

There is "Gift Of The Day" when you visit Singapore Pandora official website: http://www.pandora.net/en-sg

It  will participate for your chance to win Pandora Christmas gift by just click in, and fill in your personal information. Hope you will be a luckiest one to receive gift from Pandora Santa Claus. 

Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong MyeongDong | 明洞姜虎东烤肉

It will never to get bored with Korean cuisine. Korean style barbecue is so well-known nowadays. Korean barbecue restaurants are opened everywhere in Singapore, and of course it can be found at almost every corner in Korea. You will never feel how great to having a barbecue meal in Korea until you did, especially is during winter season. Kang Ho Dong BBQ is one of the famous BBQ restaurant in Seoul, specialised with their thick juicy texture of meat and baked eggs. I am not a beef consumer, pork is my only favourite choice for barbecue. 

Korea Roadside Peddles Foods @ MyeongDong Street Foods

This happened on almost half a year ago, during spring season in Korea. I been at Seoul Myeongdong for a week. This post gonna focus on Myeongdong street roadside peddles foods though I have a lot of Korean foods posts still pending. We would prefer to get roadside peddles foods the most, especially at Myeongdong street. Append is my sharing, all about the foods. 

1. Steamed Egg Cake  (Score: **/*****)

This was the first Korean snack I ate at Myeongdong street, and it wasn't the only one peddlers to selling this. With no any idea and had just choose either one. I love the cake, it taste like pancake; but a bit dry for the steamed egg especially its egg-yolk. Overall it was lacking in flavor, and I think supposed to be a little bit salty or sweeter. 

Recommended Hawker Food # Bai Nian at Bugis

I still remember back in School when I would sprint to the canteen during recess, just to get that plate of dried wan tan mee with black sauce and the dumplings that in the soup. In Kuala Lumpur, wan tan mee is quiet a common dish that you would see it at almost every hawker centre/food court/restaurant. It is so common as for our breakfast, lunch and even supper. And when I began my life in The Lion City, wan tan mee over here is taste strange to me. Some are even with tomato sweet sauce instead of common black sauce as what I used to have in Kuala Lumpur. It is on few weeks ago, I got the recommendation about one dried noodle at Bugis area. I had googled it before going to, the photos I browsing through online were literally raised my cravings. This will be the first Singapore hawker food in my blog.

The stall name comes first.

"Bai Nian", I do not know why is people called it as Bai Nian Yong Tau Foo. The scene comes into my mind is those common Yong Tau Foo as I saw at every food court. They put the cart before the horse when they sell every assortment of Yong Tau Foo that is filled with the same fish paste (the white color thing), probably is from the same supplier. Which is the foods that I dislike the most. What I had in Malaysia is really filled with self-made ingredients, might be minced of meat, prawn, fish and even salted fish as well. Therefore, all I saw in Singapore have disappointed me so far. By the way, as aforementioned the photos of Bai Nian dishes have raised my cravings whatsoever.

When my first encounter a steaming bowl of stuffed bean curd from Bai Nian, I literally be mystified.

As far as the eye can see, has no bean curd whatsoever. Instead, there is a whole lot of stuffing, sticks of minced pork and batons of minced prawn. Bai Nian is truer to the spirit than the letter of the dish, with the attention it pays to the stuffing. Among the items, the prawn stick is the most surprising. The mince is smooth, but not too fine, such that you discern separate juicy morsels in each bite. Somehow, the stall has improved on nature and made prawns sweeter and springier. The pork stick has great taste and texture. The bean curd skin-covered fishcake is silky outside and firm inside, while the bean curd skin-covered pork stick is rougher outside and softer inside. And there is few small scallops mixed with it.

They only have 2 selling prices, $5 for regular size, $7 for upsize. Upsize is for the ingredients in the soup instead of for the noodle. You may choose to upsize the noodle as well with no any extra charges, how awesome it was! I do not know how is the queue during lunch time, I used to be there during dinner hour 8pm. So far been there for twice and I never met any long queue. To start your first try, 

01-58 Albert Centre 270 Queen Street

(Nearby Bugis Mrt station)

Opening hours from 8:30am to 9pm Monday to Saturday only 

Typical Singaporean Breakfast (Part 1)

Singaporean breakfast is something of a varied concept. It not must be any grain, croissant, egg benedict etc. Singaporeans used to take breakfast at hawkers and kopitiam, especially during working days. It is as common in Singapore as Starbucks is in the US. Those foods must not only can be lunch or dinner, if an eating house or hawker is serving it in the morning, it can be breakfast, it can be eaten at any time of day. No anyone will look twice if you get a plate of wantan noodle or fried noodle for your breakfast. We are living in a bustle country, but if you have a few minutes to spare, sit down to take your traditional Singaporean breakfast at hawker centers or kopitiams, it is a kind of enjoyable moment in the morning. Append below are just 5 breakfast options to get your day started energetic. 

1. Roti Prata

An Indian food which most commonly to be seen in Singapore and Malaysia, a fried flatbread and usually served with a meat-based curry sauce for dipping. Depends by every different food store, you can ask if can get chicken curry sauce or fish curry sauce instead. The roti is thinner and less chewy, with more of a crisp tender contrast. You can choose to eat roti prata (plain roti) or even with butter/chopped onion/eggs/sardine fish added in. But... Singaporean style "one roti prata and one egg prata"! 

Location: Tampines Central 1, Blk 505

2. Wanton Noodle

Wanton mee (Wanton noodle) is probably one of everyone's favorite local dish. Wanton is the small dumpling that usually served with the noodle, either steamed or fried. Two types of wanton mee are soup based and dried based. As what I knew in Singapore Malaysia Hong Kong, wanton mee used to be eaten for breakfast and lunch. And so, when it comes to breakfast, I prefer dried based wanton mee over the soup based. Don't really like to take hot soup especially in a busy weekday morning. Second characteristic of wanton mee is char siu slices (the Chinese style barbecued pork), it has to be a bit fatty to make dish palatable. 

Location: First Love Wanton, Kopitiam, Tampines Mart, Tampines Street 32

3. Chwee Kueh

Chwee kueh is one kind of breakfast which popular in Singapore and Malaysia. It is a type of steamed rice cake and every single piece has shaped as mini bowl, it served with chye poh (fried chopped radish)  and Chinese style chili sauce. Most of the Chye poh provided taste salty, some are sweet. Perfect taste combined with the plain steamed rice cake plus salted fried chye poh and homemade chili sauce. Singaporeans will request for "more chye poh" when buying chwee kueh, food store owners usually are happy to give you even more without extra charges. 

Location: First Love Noodle, Kopitiam, Tampines Mart, Tampines Street 32

4. Youtiao With Coffee

Youtiao known as Chinese style fried stick, called as Chinese doughnut sometimes. It is a long golden fried bread-stick (about 25cm length), two youtiao (bread-stick) as one piece. A traditional snack in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Youtiao can be eaten plain without any sauce, especially enjoy its crisp texture when just deep fried from hot oil. As breakfast, Singaporeans used to dunk it into a hot coffee, sometimes replaced by hot milo or hot soy bean milk. 

Location: Koufu Shop, Commonwealth MRT Station

5. Economical Fried Noodle/Beehoon/KueyTeow

A common and humble local dish, it serves as a delightful breakfast for the locals here in Singapore. Singaporeans used to dabao (take away) economical fried noodle/beehoon/kueyteow to work, or sit at the hawker to dine. It is literally perfectly-flavored and with some side dish like sausage, luncheon meat, poached egg, otak-otak, fried chicken wing, fish cake etc. If anyone was here as a tourist, forget about the egg benedict in any classy cafeteria, and this fried noodle will definitely brighten up your Singapore trip indeed. 

Location: Holland Village Fried Noodle, Tampines Central 1, Blk 505