viva mexico

Went out with a newfound friend G (pseudo-date? :P) on Friday after work. First we went to watch All’s Well Ends Well 2012 at Cineleisure. It’s a romantic comedy with a (naturally!) happy ending, and nothing too thought provoking. The most notable thing about the movie is that Donnie Yen proved that he can do comedy really well!

After the movie, we walked down Orchard Road and went to Viva Mexico in Cuppage Terrace for a late dinner/supper! Apparently, G had wanted to try this place, which does Mexican cuisine (obviously! :P),  for some time. This is the first time I had Mexican food, not counting the one time I had Taco Bell during secondary school.

There was a heavy stone bowl on each table and I wondered what it was for.

初二

Today was the second day of Chinese New Year but did not go out visiting. Siblings and I lazed around at home. In the afternoon, I decided to go to the City Hall area to walk walk a bit.

Few shops were open, but the malls were not deserted; there was a surprising amount of people out that day. Window shopped but didn’t buy anything, and eventually decided to have a late tea at Starbucks.

Ordered a chocolate peanut butter stack. It was a little hard although I liked the pairing of chocolate and peanut butter. Rather rich and very moreish, like a cake version of a Mars Bar. Eat until jelak, haha. Paired the cake with iced jasmine orange tea. The tea was citrusy and refreshing. I only added a drop of sugar syrup to the tea, so its bitterness still came through, and cut the richness of the cake. Definitely a curious (though not unpleasant) combination!

Starbucks
1 Raffles Link
#B1-01/02
CityLink Mall
Singapore 039393
+65 6884 9141

初一

Today’s the first day of Chinese New Year!

What I wore:

Dress: Depression, Far East Plaza (bought way back in July 2010, on the same day I got my dress for my Commencement!)
Bangle: Diva
Bag: Unipel, Salvation Army Praisehaven Family Thrift Store
Shoes: Americaya, BHG

Rather curiously, my mum expended quite a bit of time and money into decorating our house this year!

reunion dinner

I normally have my 团圆饭 with my immediate family (ie, parents and siblings) only, and this year was no different.

What we had yesterday evening, courtesy of the mother, with a little help from the sister……

A modified version of 盆菜 (which usually has less broth than this),

enter the dragon

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!!!

祝大家龙年大吉、龙马精神！！！

HUAT AH!!!

:D

eve

除夕快乐！！！ :)

ong lai

The mother once informed me that it is a tradition for Hokkiens to decorate their homes with pineapple-shaped ornaments (made of soft red plastic), as pineapple is ong lai in Hokkien, which is a homophone for ‘arrival of good fortune’.

So yesterday evening I was walking through the void deck of a block near mine, and passed this middle-aged couple who had clearly just done a bit of last minute CNY shopping. The man was carrying a gigantic pineapple-shaped ornament. And I do mean gigantic. It was probably more than 1 m tall and was longer than his torso!

I gazed at it for a few delightful moments. Where are they going to hang it? I couldn’t help but wonder. :)

eve of an eve

小年夜快乐！！！ :)

the 3ms

Healthcare Financing Framework In Singapore

The financing philosophy of Singapore’s healthcare delivery system is based on individual responsibility and community support. Patients are expected to co-pay part of their medical expenses and to pay more when they demand a higher level of service. At the same time, Government subsidies help to keep basic healthcare affordable. For more information on government subsidies, please click here.

To help Singaporeans to pay for their medical expenses, the Government has put in place a financing framework, which consists of Medisave, MediShield, Medisave-Approved Integrated Shield Plans and Medifund. The CPF Board administers the Medisave and MediShield schemes.

Medisave-approved Integrated Shield Plans are generally an enhancement to MediShield, which is already part of the 3Ms.

from here

Now, why is it Medisave, Medifund and MediShield, not MediSave, MediFund and MediShield, or Medisave, Medifund and Medishield? Why is there an inconsistency in nomenclature? On some fussier days, when I see the 3Ms (I believe all three words are formed by clipping and blending) appearing in the same sentence, I do find the inconsistency rather unaesthetic.

I guess this is just another of the little linguistic mysteries of life……

halfway there

Happy 24.5 birthday to meee!!! :D

pink & white

Two weekends ago, I spotted an interesting bike parked at my void deck. It had a pale metallic pink body and white tyres.

Then I saw that the white tyres were grimy, obviously from use, and at that moment I suddenly thought that white tyres must surely be one of the most impractical things in the world.

the solitary diner

Had dinner at Cedele in Great World City on Friday evening after work.

Sat at my usual table, the innermost circular one. There was another solitary diner at the table in front of mine. It was a skinny lady in perhaps her 40s, and she too read while she ate.

Ordered yet another sandwich. Chicken avocado with brie!

You can choose the bread you want and I chose walnut as I’d never tried it before.

time flies

This week most of my guy friends began their last semester at university.

Oh no, we’re all really growing up……!!!!!!!

milestone

Got my 10 000th page view this afternoon!!! :D

To the next 10 000 views!!! :D

the future of our nation

A short sms conversation with Dr S Tan a few hours ago:

Me: Oei oei~ free for dinner soon? :)

Dr Tan: sorry in paediatrics now… quite busy… sorry… next posting?

Me: Lol! Do the cute babies awaken your maternal instincts? Sure… hope to see you soon! :(

Dr Tan: haha no, but homicidal tendencies yes. see you soon! take care!