Domestic Goddess

Chye Seng Huat Hardware

By admin On February 19, 2013 · 1 Comment

There was a great deal of media hype surrounding Chye Seng Huat Hardware when it opened and I was curious about this cafe joint that has the namesake of a hardware store. It is kinda of hard to find and from the outside, it looks like an old fashion hardware store. The front of the cafe overlooking the road were just windows and peering in, I could see it was bustling with people. But… how do I get inside? It took me awhile to realise that I had to go through this huge gate beside the store and viola, the entrance is on the side of the store.

The interior is industrial and quirky and the menu board is so cute.

Hubs and I were there for brunch and we ordered an orange cappuccino, an ice coffee, scrambled eggs and an omelet. I had high expectations of the coffee since Chye Seng Huat Hardware is the successive coffee bar from the guys behind Papa Palheta and Loysel’s Toy. I haven’t tried coffee at either cafes but I do know that indie coffee boutique Papa Palheta helped to kickstart the gourmet coffee boom.

The orange cappuccino was aromatic and delicious, with a hint of orange aftertaste. The ice coffee came in a dark medicine glass bottle – Love the cute presentation! But I was disappointed with the taste – I found the ice coffee sour and too acidic for my liking. Maybe that’s what gourmet coffee is supposed to taste like but I’m never getting it again. The scrambled eggs and the omelet were alright. Overall, I thought the coffee and food were just okay but I love the hip decor and it is a nice place to people watch.

Chye Seng Huat Hardware
150 Tyrwhitt Road
Tel: 63960609

December Babies

By admin On January 30, 2013 · Add Comment

We decided to have the birthday celebration for Clarice and Shirley at La Cicala, a chic Spanish tapas gastrobar located at club street. Decor of the restaurant is sleek and masculine with the use of lots of glass, mahogany and steel. Very sexy. Despite its contemporary design, La Cicala serves up traditional spanish food, using an avant-garde Japanese grilling method which gives a unique smokiness to their dishes.

Since we were feeling adventurous, we requested for the restaurant staff to arrange for us to sample a variety of tapas. The sautéed prawns with garlic, herbs and sherry wine sauce was succulent and tasty.

Aww, the salmon, grilled green and white asparagus and the croquettes looked too pretty to eat. I loved the presentation and though they all tasted alright, I wasn’t as impressed as I thought I would be.

It’s a good thing the dessert is a totally different story. The panna cotta with strawberries looked delicious and tasted even better. It’s served with some crackling candy on the side. Have you tried crackling candy before? It felt like there were literally fireworks in my mouth!

Photos with the birthday babes

La Cicala were so sweet to surprise Shirley and Clarice with some cake too!

Overall, the service was great and the food was decent. I read some reviews online and I’m surprised that most patrons raved about La Cicala’s food but I realised that we didn’t try the more popular dishes so maybe that’s why I wasn’t blown away. Well, I guess it pays to do some homework when you’re trying a new restaurant.

1st Anniversary

By admin On January 23, 2013 · Add Comment

Wow, we have reached our first anniversary! Hubs and I have gone through a great deal last year; we had our ups and downs but one thing I know, there isn’t anybody else I rather do all that with. Happy anniversary hubs!!

Hubs, knowing that I have been wanting to try the spanish tapas restaurant, Catalunya, secretly reserved a table there to celebrate our special day. I’ve heard great stuff about Catalunya from both the media and from friends who have dined there and loved it. It’s best known for its executive chef Alain Devahive Tolosa who comes with 10 years of experience at the now defunct 3 Michelin star elBulli and other stints in Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe.

To complement this renowned culinary team, Cataluyna has award winning mixologist Dario Nocentini who invents unique cocktails concocted with high spirits along with contemporary techniques.

Located in the glass-enclosed Fullerton Pavillion on the waters of Marina Bay, Cataluyna looks like a blue fireball floating by the bay.

Enjoying our date night

Hubs’ must-have: iberico. Try the cured ham with toast and tomato tartar. Yummiest!!

Don’t be fooled by the looks of this sandwich. The ordinary-looking ham, cheese & truffle ‘bikini’ has a hint of truffle taste which I can’t resist.

Never a fan of lamb, I was pleasantly surprised that the Braised Lamb Rack turned out to be my most loved dish. It was cooked to perfection, juicy and tender.

This contemporary Spanish restaurant is tops my current list of restaurant I would revisit. Luv it!

Aperitivo: the rich brother of Happy Hour

By admin On November 7, 2012 · Add Comment

As I did my research on where to eat in Milan, I stumbled upon the aperivito culture and realised that it is hugely popular in Milan. Italians like to socialise during aperivito but interesting, some tourists even use it as a mean to travel frugally.

Aperitivo is Italy’s happy hour. In the States and in Singapore, drinks are discounted during this period; in Italy however, it takes on a totally different meaning. Aperitivi is a pre-dinner drink, meant to ‘open’ the palate and give you the opportunity to socialise, relax and nibble as dinner approaches. Though you will find aperitivo throughout Italy, it is more popular in the northern part and you will find they are served in fashionable cafes in Milan, Rome, Venice and Turin.

Drinks during aperitivo are generally not only not discounted; they are raised. However, the purchase of a 10 euros Negroni entitles you to unlimited access of regularly replenished buffet of fresh food. Not all aperitivo are equal; the rule of the thumb is the offering gets slimmer as you head south. In Milan, expect generous portions of meats, cheese, pizzas, tapas, chips, nuts and more.

Aperitivo generally runs from 7pm to 9pm. Unless you do not mind embarrassing yourself, do not be over-eager about piling your plates at the buffet table ie, don’t stuff your face too obviously. The Milanese are just eating a bit to go with their drinks so that they don’t get drunk, but they’re still intending to eat a full dinner somewhere else.

Some bars focus on food while others focus on drinks with a hip atmosphere. Where you choose to go depends on your agenda but you should have a great time no matter. Do some homework before heading out and take note that bars that have signs with ‘happy hour’ on them tend to be for tourists.

More reference:

Checking forums like Chowhound would be a good idea to get up-to-date recommendations
La Bella Città has some reviews as well but is less updated
If your decision where to go depends heavily on food, the fugal traveler would be a good reference. I felt hungry just reading his post!
Ms. Adventures gives a good overview of the aperivito culture and shares the popular aperiviti ordered

Hope you have fun checking out the aperitivo culture. Ciao.

Eats… in Milan

By admin On November 6, 2012 · Add Comment

Europe, the land of gastronomic delights here we come. First stop, Milan! There are so many highly recommended restaurants that it makes me feel spoilt for choice. I have cherry-picked the best for both fine and casual dinning:

Michelin Star Restaurants

ALICE, 1 Star
Via Adige 9 Milano (00 39 02 54 62 930; www.aliceristorante.it). It’s a high end, contemporary restaurant which serves innovative mediterranean cuisine. Dinners are wowed by the excellent combination of modern cuisine technique and the respect for traditional, corroborated by fresh top quality ingredients. So this will not be your typical Italian food. An interesting tidbit about Alice is that it is very feminine… The food is feminine and get this: from the maitre d to waitresses and kitchen helps, the entire work-staff consist of only women.

Alice

AL PONT DE FERR, 1 Star
Ripa di Poreta Ticinese 55 (00 39 02 8940 6277; www.pontdeferr.it).The restaurant has a friendly, down-to-earth, arty vibe. It serves up honest, filling pasta, meat and fish dishes. For starters, try the paste e fogioli and the ricotta-stuffed ravioli. As for mains, I hear the oven-raosted rabbit with potatoes and the pork stuffed with spices are great.

Al Pont De Ferr

IL LUOGO DI AIMO E NADIA, 2 Star
Via Montecuccoli 6 (00 39 02 416 886; www.aimoenadia.com). This restaurant with a history spanning 50 years is ran by husband and wife, Aimo and Nadia. Another contemporary restaurant, their style of cooking uses the goodness of ingredients as its central element, respecting their original flavours. I wonder how old Aimo and Nadia are given the restaurant has a 50 year history. They have pass the reins to the next generation but are still very much involved in business. I hear eating there it’s like having dinner with grandpa and grandma in the kitchen in Italy.

Il Luogo Di Aimo e Nadia

TRUSSARDI ALLA SCALA, 2 Star
Piazza della Scala 5 (00 39 02 8068 8295; www.trussardiallascala.com). The food served at Il Ristorante Trussardi Alla Scala is seasonal and constantly changing: the rich á la carte menu is varied and well-balanced to offer a unique taste experience.The inspiration comes from classic French and Italian recipes that are skillfully given a modern twist through the use of avant-garde techniques. Due to his extreme attention to detail, Chef Taglienti uses, whenever possible, products that have escaped the globalization process and are a part of Italy’s gastronomic culture. Dishes such as the Raw sea bream, gold, ginger and saffron jelly or the Veal nose braised with spumante, mackerel, cucumber and black truffle served at Il Ristorante Trussardi Alla Scala are an example of his unique approach. Downstairs is an equally appealing and trendy cafe with ceiling high green.

Everything Else:

I realise that Michelin awards stars mainly to cutting edge restaurants. Other than those with awards, I’m sure there’s great food in Milan. I definitely want to have mainstream hearty italian food too. Furthermore, there are cafes with interesting decors and vibes as well as restaurants with unique characters. More research was done and these are some eateries and cafes that are noteworthy:

ZERODUE
C.so di Porta Ticinese 6 (00 39 02 89420241; www.zeroduemilano.com). Superfine environment that is great for lunch and romantic evenings. Frequented by hip, young Milanese, Zerodue serves up great food at reasonable prices

PASTICCERIA CASTELNUOVO
Via dei Tulipani 18 (00 39 324 987 0159; www.pasticceriacastelnuovo.it). I can’t believe how popular this desert joint is. It’s #1 everywhere when I googled it and one site describes its pastries as ‘mouthwatering’. It’s slightly off the beaten path a little and this makes it all the more interesting to me.

THE SMALL
Via Paganini Niccolo (00 39 334 782 8058). The Small is really small (only 20-25 settings) with a really big heart. Its friendly owner will make you feel completely at home, sitting down with you while explaining the menu to you. The decor is exquisite, it makes you feel like you landed in Peter Pan’s land and has many interesting details like arsty painting, barbie dolls, antique crystal water decanters, plates and silverware.

AMARNI NOBU
Via Pisoni 1 (00 39 026 231 2645; www.noburestaurants.com). Amarni + Nobu = great setting + great food. Try it to see if that’s true that a collaboration between 2 greats equals success.

COVA
Via Montenapoleone 8 (00 39 02 7600 0578; www.pasticceriacova.com). A great place to people watch and for eating up a part of Milanese history. Cova displays local bourgeoisie in all its awful glory. Order a pot of tea, sit back and enjoy the show. Dowagers with hairdos you could land on and fake-tanned figli di papa in blue blazers and cravats look through the tourists with a mixture of nonchalance and contempt. Occasional supermodels stray in to binge on Montebianco cream cakes, accompanied by men wearing creative glasses. The service is reassuringly haughty, and prices reassuringly high.

LUINI
Via Santa Radegonda 16 (00 39 02 8646 1917; www.luini.it). Cheap (4 Euros!), delicious fried pizza, centrally located behind the Doumo. I’m sold! Try its classic panzerotto and the ricotta e spinaci version.

PASTICCERIA MARCHESI
Via Santa Maria alla Porta 11 (www.pasticceriamarchesi.it). One of the oldest pastry shop in Milan. Classic.

RESTAURANT AT MAISON MOSCHINO
Viale Monte Grappa, 12b (00 30 022 900 9858; www.maisonmoschino.com/). Stylishly distinctive decor, excellent drinks and superb finger food.

CANTINA DELLA VETRA
Via Pio IV 3 (00 39 02 8940 3843; www.cantinadellavetra.it). Modern Milanese Restaurant that serves a widely varied menu. It has a great atmosphere and is within walking distance from the Duomo. Great for us since we’re staying there. Cantina della Vetra also has a fixed-price brunch menu available that includes a generous buffet and one hot dish per person – such as tortelli, risotto or fondue.

L’ISOLA DEL TESORO
Via Ludovico da Viadana 2 (00 29 025 830 7003; www.isoladeltesoro.net). A large neighborhood family oriented restaurant with excellent pasta and seafood. It has a busy and noisy atmosphere and serves up delicious big portions.

NERINO DIECI TRATTORIA
Via Nerino 10 (00 39 023 983 1019; www.nerinodieci.it). The restaurant is a 10 min walk from the Duomo and a little hard to find but from what I read, this place is worth the trouble. It serves regional cuisine and the food is absolutely fresh and delish. What’s more, it is really cheap to dine here by Milan’s standards. Book early in advance as they are sometimes fully booked 2 days in advance.

MANNA
Piazzale Governo Provvisorio 6 (00 39 022 680 9153; www.mannamilano.it/). It’s in a neighborhood with an unexpectedly nostalgic air of old Milan. The dishes are very interesting and unusual, but with the solid foundation of the renewed tradition. It’s not centrally located but worth going for Michelin-like standard (as some reviewers claimed) at reasonable prices.

And the planning starts…

By admin On November 1, 2012 · Add Comment

O.M.G. I haven’t blogged for the longest time. I have been really tied up the past week planning for our honeymoon in Europe. I can’t believe we have made so many revisions. At one point, after hearing how cold and wet (in my opinion, the worst combination EVER) Italy is during winter, I tried persuading Hubs to move our trip up north to Germany. In the end, the land of Prada and Bottega won.

I so wanted a road trip, traveling down Italy from Milan to Rome, stopping at quaint, idyllic Italian towns along the way. I was imagining visiting less touristy spots like this:

So we started planning a few Italian cities and towns we would like to visit and our itinerary looked crazy. I had a headache just looking at it on the map:

This would be a night or 2 at each of the 7 cities/towns. Too many stop-overs meant too much packing and unpacking. Tiring!!! So we decided to trim it, choose a couple of bases and travel around those areas, having the best of both worlds. We chose to stay at 4 locations:

Since we fly in from Milan, we will travel south to Florence then to Rome and take a flight to Paris. Hubs didn’t want to drive which I thought was fine since I might end up having to drive a lot. And the thought of driving through the damp roads of Italy isn’t exactly mood lifting. We will travel via trains…

Now, this looks much better

Lazy girl’s guide to… having the softest soles

By admin On October 17, 2012 · 4 Comments

I secretly like having the soles of my feet shaved when I have my pedicure done. The thing is that I feel guilty shaving my soles since my previous manicurist refuses to shave it as she claims it will grow back thicker. Anyhow, a girlfriend recommended an exfoliating foot mask. This foot mask from Actizen promises to remove corns, calluses, cracked heels, feet odour, fungus, bacteria and dead skin. I had to try it!

This plastic sock contains the fruit enzymes that helps to exfoliate your feet, removing a layer of skin. You have to cut the top part and wear this over your feet for 2 hours.

My first attempt at wearing the mask was hilarious. I couldn’t find the tape which is given to secure the plastic socks and hubs used a hell lot of masking tape to secure them. Please dun try this cos the masking tape isn’t waterproof and the plastic socks kept slipping off. See, my second attempt (which I did myself!) was way better. I felt a little grossed out keeping my feet in those things because it’s wet and 2 hours is freaking long. I wore real socks over the foot mask and it’s much more comfortable.

Okay… now for the pixs… Just so you know, the ~~before~~ after soaking my feet pictures are disgusting.

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See.. The ~~before~~ after soaking my feet pics are gross! Soaking my feet after the mask made the skin easy to come off. You can see the amount of dead skin it got rid off! Pretty yucky but check out how soft my soles were after that. This foot mask is way addictive. That’s why I’m on to my second one already!

Guess… 30 Sexy Years!

By admin On October 16, 2012 · 1 Comment

Elaine invited Kat and I to Guess’s 30th Anniversary Celebration, which also showcased their F/W 2012 collection. It was a cool event with a sense of anticipation throughout. My curiosity was aroused and I was excited to see how this event was going to be like when I found out that it was going to be held at a warehouse along Keppel Road. That is such an unique location and it’s kinda hip to go industrial.

8 stunning, leggy models togged out in Guess greeted us at the door. Nice entrance!

Yup, I felt really short beside these babes.

The celebration was held on the second floor and we had to take a huge manually operated cargo lift to go up. They made the normally grungy cargo lifts so girly, decorating the lifts celling to celling with leopard print laminate. There were cushioned seats in the lifts and the lift operators were, yup.. sexy Guess babes.

Once up, we were given a key each. There were 3 locked boxes and if we could unlock them, the prize inside was ours!

Guess it’s not my lucky day

I remember being crazy about these Guess Ads during my school days and they still look great.

The Guess F/W 2012 fashion show literally started with a bang. A percussion group that performed with water and neon lights started the event. I like drums. To me, they give a sense of excitement and add a regal aura. What’s more, this drum group is different… There is a visual quality to the performance as everytime the drum was hit, the water on it will splash and the neon light around it will glow upwards.

Nice right. I loved it! But I wouldn’t want to be those drummers, they look soaked and tortured. Poor guys :/

Guess F/W 2012.. I like Guess skinnies.

Chilling out after the show

Finally booked our flights to Italy!

By admin On October 10, 2012 · 2 Comments

Hubs and I are going to Europe for our long overdue honeymoon. We’ve booked the flight back home but have not got a confirmed flight to Italy. We wanted to head straight to Rome, skipping Milan altogether. Unfortunately, we’re still waitlisted on SIN–>ROME so we have decided to confirm our flight on SIN–>MILAN. Finally got this out of the way so we can start planning. I’m so looking forward to our trip!!

I <3 Retail Therapy

By admin On October 10, 2012 · Add Comment

I just read an article and it says that retail therapy does make you happier. According to the article, treating yourself to something nice in the shops has a lasting positive impact on your mood and it leaves ‘few negative emotional side effects’. Wooh, a study supporting shopping! This study is true only to a certain extend. Cos when the credit card bill for your retail therapy arrives at month’s end, all these ‘positive vibes’ will be immediately replaced with feelings of guilt and regret. It happens more so in Singapore where almost all shops have a strict no return policy. At least when you do internet shopping, you have a week to ponder if you should keep your purchase. The return shipping fee is insignificant compared to the cost of purchasing something you do not use. I hate buying clothes I end up not wearing. What a waste of money!

I find that the more I shop, the more unnecessary things I buy but… I will be happy if I buy something of good value for money. I also try to be more strict about what I buy so that I will not experience buyer’s remorse. Anyhow, I wanted to pick up some household items recently and decided to check out Franc Franc. It’s a designer and retailer of lifestyle products, offering rich quality designs at reasonable prices. I was lucky there was a mini sale then too.

Toothbrush holder and cotton pad container. I couldn’t resist getting the goblet for rinsing cos it’s too cute!

See how cute it is?

Bedroom slippers I had to get cos I love apply cream all over especially on my feet. It helps to keep the floor at home cleaner.

These rugs were on sale. Love the colour and how soft they are

Whimsical fridge magnets

After that, I decided to top up some of the skincare products that were almost finished. So I could say that I love these products as I’m getting them at least more than once.

I love love love Chanel skincare. I’ve used Chanel whitening cleanser many times and even after trying other cleansers I still come back to this one. It makes my skin feel so clean yet it isn’t drying at all. Chanel whitening sun block is great too; I like the high SPF and the finish is very silky and not oily so it can also be used as a make up base. As for the eye cream, I only recently discovered it when the sales folks gave me a sample. My undereyes are really dry and this eye cream has a thick and creamy texture, keeping my undereye moisturised for a long time. I kind of regret buying the Chanel eye shadow cos it makes me look sleepy and tired. Maybe I’m not using it right :/

Chye Seng Huat Hardware

December Babies

1st Anniversary

Aperitivo: the rich brother of Happy Hour

Eats… in Milan

And the planning starts…

Lazy girl’s guide to… having the softest soles

Guess… 30 Sexy Years!

Finally booked our flights to Italy!

I <3 Retail Therapy

About Me

Hi! I'm Serena. I love food, traveling, partying and finding the newest and best beauty secrets.

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