Dinner @ Grand Shanghai

Sunday night we having birthday celebration for Junxian's aunt. Aunty Yen happy birthday! Wish you have a wonderful year ahead and happy forever. She is a capable women and she is 56th this year but still continue her study in MBA.

We decided to celebrate her birthday at Grand Shanghai...

Grand Shanghai’s exterior doesn’t give much attention but step in and be transported back in time to the 1930 - 1960s where nightclubs were a rage. Everything from the tables, lamp shades, dark wood flooring and two blade fans down to the toilets, were reminiscent of a typical nightclub. Pretty much like those you see on TV when Shanghai Triad was aired. Completing the picture was a beguiling songstress belting out a repertoire of popular tunes from that era.

Main entrance with 2 green lanterns ( I wonder why they din put red one???)... 

I like the interior decor, very shanghai...

Bring back some of my memories of my grandparent. My grandparent's wedding dinner held at Restaurant with similar decor...

We ordered their signature dishes from this menu..

Appetizer - Crispy eel & Steam Xia Long Bao

Soup- Shark's fin

Main- Shanghai vegetables w beancurd skin, Stewed duck, smoked fish and drunken chicken

Noodle- Shanghai style's nian kao 

Dessert- Souffle Egg white balls with red bean and banana

( Sorry... was busy eating, forgot to take photos...)

While we are been served by dedicated crew of waiters, we also enjoyed a live 3 piece jazz band accompanies 2 accomplished vocalists as they perform a repertoire of contemporary hits and jazz renditions of popular Chinese evergreens. e.g Terresa Tng...

Especially Junxian's grandparent like it a lot as well as my mum in law...

Autumn Festival 2008

Autumn Festival... One of my favorite festival because of Mooncake. From traditional baked mooncake to newly creation of snowskin mooncake with all sort of fillings... like cheesecake, ice cream, fruit, spicy pork floss and etc!!!

This year with no exception, my hubby drove me around the Singapore to get my favorite mooncakes for myself and also for relatives.

I'll start off with my most favorite mooncakes of all-  Snowskin with Champagne Truffle & Ganache from Raffles Hotel!

The Raffles Hotel mooncakes are easily the most sinful 

and best tasting mooncake i've ever had! They sell out really quickly too!

the tin box containing these cute mooncakes is decorated with shanghai style arkwork surrounded by swirls and floral. I really like it beautiful pink-lilac for the box! 

Inside the mooncake is the champagne truffle! Once you bite into the white chocolate shell, the inside is the soft and delicious ganache that fills your mouth. ahhh... pure bliss!

D24 is my favorite tropical fruit... Goodwood Park one of my choice because they are well know of their Durian cake and pastries! This year they did not change their packaging.. long rectangle box with bright yellow. 

The skin so smooth and feel so soft... 

Skin is sooooo... thin and filled with rich D24 Durian! I almost finish the one whole mooncake!!! 

Just for today... Look up for my next entry for others mooncake from others hotels/ Restaurant!!! Enjoy your mooncake...

Sunday...Beginning of Week

Sunday means...

Begining of week
End of the weekend
Prepare for next working day
and etc...

For me Sunday is a family union day.. I love it, this sunday is my turn to prepare dinner for Junxian family. ( have dinner at Junxian's parent place cooked by his dad. Dinner at his aunt place or dine at restaurant with his family..)

I decided to prepared steamboat... Went Carrefour @ Suntec for shopping. Total damage $160+ Bought steamboat items like, all kind of ball (fish, sotong...) veggie, toufu, meats... Will post some picture.

Cooking is my another hobby but is depend to my mood... Is kinda the good feeling to cook for someone that you love. I like to browse all kind of cooking book and website. One of it is Jamie Oliver- he is a talented cook. Always cook with love... Here are some his delicious & yummy food.





















Enjoy your Sunday with your family, the other half, friends...

Recapping our 'Romancing Europe' Honeymoon Trip (Spain leg)

!Hola! I guess I've to admit that I'm guilty of not updating this blog since after the CNY, and it was agreed with my other significant half that we'll take turns to update our love blog.... As my turn is long due, and I've been procrastinating when the Z-bug caught up with me after the Europe trip, and most recently my in-camp for the past week....

Ok lah, enough of the excuses, back to the topic: our Europe (more specifically: Spain and Italy) honeymoon trip highlights. 10-days of intense walking, sight-seeing, shopping and surviving on around S$2,000. Believe us, it is quite a challenge, given that every meal costs at least S$40 for 2, we'd to save on transport by taking the metro (taxis are a no-no) and our trusty bus no.11 (read: leg work).

First stop was Barcelona, Spain, which turned out to be our favorite destination in the itin. Although it took us quite a while to navigate from the metro station to our hotel (not eased after a 13-hour flight, with 1-hour stopover), and it was a starter to what will become a very leg-muscle-bursting trip.

Anyway, maybe it's time to show some pictures of the Barcelona hot-spots, lest I am starting to bore you with words.

There is the Sagreda Familia (hope I got the spelling right) which is the first of many Gaudi architecture in Barcelona we've visited. This is the famous church that has not be completed after 100+ years of construction. Geez, they sure know how to take their time. Think it is estimated to be completed by 2012; just hope that it can be completed in our lifetime..

We also walked to this mansion that Gaudi built on a hill, and here's where you'll find the famous lizard at the steps and the longest chair/bench on the rooftop (think it's about 200+ metres long); these are classic Gaudi symbols you'll see being sold as minature souvenirs and printed on almost any brochures/ T-shirts/ mugs... you get the idea.

2 more Gaudi architecture must-visits for tourists are found on their equivalent of Orchard Road: the left one is the House of Bones (as the components resembles bones and skulls), the right one is Casa Milla (peculiar as it has no edges, quite a contemporary design for Gaudi's era).

What we liked about Barcelona was also of its proximity to the seaside (the Mediteranean Sea). It not only makes the weather more pleasant, but also a great place to stroll and chill out, be it day of night. I like the rightmost shot, with a very clear sky-sea horizon and moonlight reflection, ideal for wallpaper on desktop.

Now for the food. Actually, Spanish cuisine is ok, but not with that many distinctive flavors or uniqueness. We'd thought tapas to be some special dish, but in fact, they are just small portions of various dishes like chicken, squid, clams, salad etc, much like our chap-chai peng, without the rice.

There is a hybrid between a sandwich and sushi (but bread instead of rice, as the base), called bocadillos, that are somewhat unique bite-sized snacks. The ingredient can range from ham, cheese, tuna, to even anchovies. The cost: 10 Euros.

If you are really dying for rice, there's the paella, which is something like fat marinated rice with ingredients such as tomato, seafood/chicken. Oh, and it costs a cool 16 Euros for this plate shown here.

The ang-mohs simply love to dine alfresco, out in the sunlight and wind. But we Singaporeans tend to prefer the indoors, since we get too much sun back home already. Nevertheless, the outdoor dining experience in Europe is unlike that in Singapore, as you it is really not hot and humid at all, and you are surrounded by exotic buildings and in a relaxed environment.

(Note: the purple drink is called sangria, a unique Spanish concoction that is part red wine, with orange, lemon and some other stuff. Tastes great, and hard to get drunk on :)

We did smuggle some instant noodles there for some of the meals in the hotel though (dire cost-cutting measures...., although the shiokness of eating chu-qian-yi-ding is priceless, too bad we forgot to buy some eggs from the supermarket!)

We also went to FC Barcelona stadium (the 3rd largest stadium in the world), for a stadium and museum tour, to peek at their player dressing rooms, shower and toilets (yes, it a bit -duh-, but as football fans, who would not be curious as to how it looks like..).

And, the cream of the crop, is the 2005 Champions League Trophy!

!Ole!

Chinese New Year- Decor @ heeren

After X'mas deco, i thought it would be cute to have a similar one for chinese new year. A holiday is a holiday, and that is always a good thing. so let’s get festive!

I was awed by the decor at the Heeren, at the heart of the mall you would notice string after string of cherry blossoms ( i think there are but i am not sure) raining down from the ceiling like a fountain. it had colourful peonies and dainty little light.

I tot it's all very beautiful done, and very elegant!

Do look up for other deco...hehe... Gong Xi Fa Chai

Someone Beloved...

CNY around the corner, but it always make me think of my beloved Grandpa. Till today, I feel regret never had re-union dinner with him. Although he had left me for quick long time. But I always miss him & think of him.

When I hurt, he protects me,
When I cry, he makes me laugh,
When I laugh, he share the joy,
When I feel down, he encourages me to stand up, & many more….

Ah Gong I will remember what you had touch me & I love you forever….
----------------------------------------------------

To Lao Po:

I recall it was almost 5 years ago when I just got to know you, and you were soon faced with the lost of your Ah-gong (and mine as well)...
It is a pity I could not get to meet him, but I can understand the kinship and love you had with Ah Gong.
But I'm glad I was there when you most needed a supporting shoulder, and it might be destiny that our relationship blossomed thereafter.
Although I cannot replace your Ah Gong, but I'll be there for you always, for the rest of my life.

-Mr Lee- (8 Feb 2007)

Pictures of Our ROM @ Changi V

Picking the best out of the bunch of 300+ shots:

Warming up.... Not bad angle eh?

Classic Retro shot?!

What about this :D.... Chio Bu! My dear..

Photo evidence: Signed and bound by contract :)

The world's most powerful kiss!

Down the aisle.... of flowers

The messy part of the night.... ;)

Just one more kiss ok lao po?

-----------------------------------------------

Posted by the Lao Gong