Friday, July 23, 2010

Happy Birthday P!

Yupz, just did a little surprise pre-birthday celebration @ hostel specially for dear Puspa. And glad that my plan worked, Puspa was caught off-guard. Well, her real birthday is tomorrow, 24th July 2010 but she's not working on her birthday, of course, so I had to do it one day earlier. Here are some of the photos taken just now! More photos can be found at abearygoodhostel facebook! Happy Birthday, P! Hope you like the gift and cake! :)

P's Birthday Cake


Yup, that's P totally embarrassed by the surprise.. hehe..:)



"I wish I can go for spa every single day!!"





P's Gift, a crazy lamp!!


She is one of the craziest person I've ever met, so, when I saw this cute lamp with "CRAZY" on it, told myself, this is the one I must get for her!! ha ha!


Once again, Happy Birthday, gal! :)

p/s: Sorry Paula, I missed celebrating your birthday last month cos I was busy celebrating mine a day before yours..hehe...-_- but I do have something specially for you when you are back on your shift tomorrow, ya! :)

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Highlights: Come play at the bay! Saturday, 17th July 2010

Alot of happenings today at Marina Bay area! Five events converge on Marina Bay with two offering free exhibitions, music performances and movies.

1) Carnival @ Marina Bay
When: Today (17th July 2010) and Tomorrow (18th July 2010)
What's happening:
- FREE Screening of Avatar @ 8.15pm tonight at the Promontory
- Jazz, Chinese orchestra and drumming concerts
- Activities include zorb balls (left), paddle boats and water tricycles
- Viewers at the Promontory can also see the Singapore National Day Parade rehearsal fireworks @ 8.15pm tonight and a Cosplay runway show tomorrow

2) Night Festival: New World 2010
When: Today (17th July 2010), 7pm to 2am

Where: Singapore Art Museum, SMU Green, National Museum
What's happening at the Singapore Art Museum:
- Flea market featuring clothes, accessories and household items starts at 6pm
- Art exhibitions such as the Art Garden for kids
- Interactive performances such as Abusement Park, in which the basement has been turned into a dungeon, and Music Hall, where visitors can sing along to Indonesian karaoke

What's happening at the SMU Green:
- Cambodian acrobats perform balancing acts and stunts

What's happening at the National Museum:
- Six satellite dishes project strobe lights and sounds culled from solar winds and radio waves

3) The New Paper Big Walk @ Marina Bay
When: Tomorrow (17 July 2010), 7.30am
What's happening:
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will flag off some 20,000 participants at the Singapore Flyer. The 4km route will snake past various sites including the Promontory @ Marina Bay, the newly-completed Mist Walk and Clifford Pier.

4) Youth Olympic Games rehearsal
Where: At the Marina Bay floating platform, for performers in the Opening Ceremony

5) National Day parade rehearsal
Where: At the Padang, for students only. Some roads will be closed today for the show.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Pizza Night and An Animal in the hostel?

Hey there, just wanna share some photos of Pizza Night we just had yesterday.





There should have been more photos but Puspa did not manage to take them as we were too distracted by an 'animal' roaming about in the hostel last night. Yup, we accepted an animal as a guest yesterday. The animal chose our hostel to stay because of the cute bears and how appropriate is that since The animal is looking for a place closer to its natural home setting. Since the zoo does not offer hostel like facilities, The animal will have to make do in a beary good hostel! ha ha!

The things we have to 'tolerate' to make ends meet, nowadays... :)

Okay, to prove that I'm not making this up, I took videos of The animal. This animal has mixed personalities. It can turn into an Elephant, Horse and Monkey. Enjoy the videos folks!







As you can see in the 3rd video, I tried making Puspa to make any animal noise, but she just refused to do it.. and Nicholas, naturally cant stop himself, he is afterall THE ANIMAL!! Oh yes, The animal is called Nicholas. And we fed him too....


p/s: Thanks to Nicholas for being such a sport. I really had a good laugh last night! Hope you have a good roam about in Singapore today!

Friday, July 9, 2010

A beary Happy post!!!

Just wanna express my happiness to the world, something good happened to the hostel today. Can't really explain what exactly but it's a really, really happy news! And I wanna celebrate by buying drinks for all the guests in the hostel today!!! Yup! Drinks on me! TODAY!!! 9TH JULY 2010!!!!! And Bill, my bro suggests we have PIZZA night today, so yup, free pizzas too! 7:00pm hot piping pizza to be delivered!!!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

5 heartland neighborhoods for a taste of real Singapore

Singapore may be known for its wide variety of exotic foods, bustling shopping malls and vibrant nightlife. However, the true Singapore spirit will always remain in the roots of the heartland neighborhoods where its rich culture comes alive.

1. Little India


Go to anywhere within Little India and you will immediately feel its rich Indian culture. Dubbed "the heart of Little India", the Tekka Centre is one of the many places you must visit. Although the exteriors of this place may seem unappealing, you will experience the Indian community at its rawest. Some of the products offered here are a riot of colors of Indian sarees, bangles, antiques, and even face jewelries. While you’re there, also be sure to visit the Tekka Wet Market in the first level. The poultry there is of the freshest and cheapest throughout Singapore as well, given that the butchers will de-skin or de-feather them right in front of your eyes.

Other places to visit are the surrounding temples, artsy stores and of course, the 24/7 mega mall, Mustafa Centre.

2. Telok Blangah


Translated to mean ‘cooking pot bay’ in Malay due to its cooking pot-esque perimeter of the neighborhood, Telok Blangah is situated at the south of Singapore. If you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle from the city, and to breathe the freshest air the country has to offer, Telok Blangah is the perfect location. One of the must-visit places would be Mount Faber, where it offers a panoramic view of the skyscrapers and other buildings in downtown and other nearby areas. And if you’d just like to have a quiet time alone with Mother Nature, head over to Labrador Park. The peacefulness of the park and mere sounds of water splashing against the rocks on the beach will certainly revitalize and nourish your soul. Also, expect to find many historical relics left behind by the British forces from World War II.

3. Geylang


Geylang is known for its authentic local food, fresh durians and the notorious (but legal) red light district. The streets, typically numbered from 1 to 42, are named lorong or lor, which is a direct translation in Malay.

Many of the food stalls are located at two-story shop houses, and are open from the afternoon till late at night. One of the more popular food stalls located here is Leong Kee at Geylang Lor 11, famous for its savory bak kut teh which is a Chinese pork soup. Another famous spot is People’s Prawn Noodles located at the next street street, Geylang Lor 12. Many locals flock there every day for its unique and genuine taste of prawn noodles.

4. Chinatown


A community enclave for the Chinese since the 19th century, Chinatown is one of the few places in Singapore that has retained a significant portion of its historical and cultural roots. Many of its quaint shophouses are still around and most of them have been upgraded.

Needless to say, the food in Chinatown is a must-try while you are over there, especially the famous Bakkwa, which is a Chinese salty-sweet barbecued pork jerky. Although it is normally eaten during the Chinese New Year, locals find the taste so hard to resist that it has become a popular gift year round.

5. Holland Village


Extremely popular with the expatriates, Holland Village (Holland V for short) offers a large selection of dining, shopping and bars. Many of Singapore’s most popular local food chains such as Crystal Jade, Thai Express and Frolick are all located here. And while there are many other fine restaurants and bars in the area, none can beat the popularity of Wala Wala. They are especially known for their tasty and crispy pizzas and 1-for-1 cheap cold beers during happy hour. The restaurant-bar is also famous for their amazing live band and live broadcast of football matches.

Note: This article is extracted from CNNGo Singapore.

5 levels of weird: Singapore foods you know you should try

Sorry for the hiatus folks, have been so sick to my stomach, puking like mad and can barely do anything at all for the past weeks.. Now that I'm better, finally get to browse around my favourite sites and soak up all the news and happenings that I've missed! and yes, I have been that sick till I cant even surf the net. :P

Anyway, talking about puke, I found this article very very interesting or maybe a little yucky. For those of you who ummmm... can't stomach weird/odd/bizzare food (which I personally not a fan of weird food too), well, do skip this blog entry. :P

Give the fried noodles and chicken rice a rest and expand your gastronomic horizons with some 'delicacies' from the stranger side of Singapore's foodie character. We start with the plain uncommon, moving through unusual and end at the downright bizarre.

1. Kacang pool/phool or fhoul


This is the Southeast-Asian rendition of the Middle-Eastern dish ful medammas. The version here has beef mince mixed with pureed and chopped beans (primarily fava or broad beans) seasoned with local spices and bathed in a sauce that's much like satay peanut sauce. Toppings include chopped onions, sliced green chilies, and an egg, sunny side up. Squeeze some lime over it, break the egg yolk and mix. Mop it all up with warm, toasty baguette slices.

An Arab family runs Fhoul Madinah Istimewa Original Kacang Pool at 1 Geylang Serai, @02-114 Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre. Mamu's Kitchen at Block 1 Bedok Road, Stall no. 26 Bedok Food Centre, also does a mean and hearty version.

2. Fuzhou UFOs (oyster cakes)


These fritters are nicknamed UFOs because they resemble little flying saucers. Anthony Bourdain describes these as “deep-fried Foochow-style beignet of oysters, minced pork, prawns and batter” that are “pure goodness”. Best eaten fresh with some chili sauce and washed down with a cold glass of sugar cane juice. Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake has been selling these little treats for over 50 years. They proudly display Bourdain’s photo and an excerpt from his book "The Nasty Bits" describing how he enjoyed the snack. Find them at Maxwell Road, #01-05 Maxwell Food Centre (Tel: +65 9344 1296).

3. Eel skin crisps


If you didn't know what these were made of, you'd probably think they were great fish crackers. But the remarkable crunch comes from the delicate skin of eels. Some menus list them simply as “deep-fried fish skin”. They are increasingly popular in Chinese cze-char (cook and fry) restaurants as an appetiser, and they are often served with a savory soy-based dip. The skin still stays fairly crisp even when drenched in the broth. Be warned, these crisps are dangerously addictive, and the fact you’re chomping on the skin of eels will quickly be forgotten. Until you finish.

Ask for it at casual Cantonese eateries Sha Tin Kitchen, 10B Lorong 3 Geylang (Tel: +65 6747 2483) or Wo Peng at 476/478 Macpherson Road (Tel: +65 6747 9892).

4. Steamed shark head


Basically throwing anything away is a waste, so some restaurateurs made a dish out of the normally inedible gelatinous shark head. There's no meat on the cone-shaped bone, except for gelatinous shark cartilage and some fat, but that very texture is what is coveted by aficionados. A lightly sweetened soy-sesame sauce is all that's needed to season the dish, but some like it with more intense sauces.

Tian Jin Hai claims to have invented the dish in Singapore. They recently resurfaced at a stall at 70 Zion Road, Zion Riverside Food Centre #01-09 (Tel: +65 6385 7831). You can also get steamed shark head at the no-frills, retro restaurant Old Mother Hen at 136 Sims Avenue (Tel: +65 6841 8789).

5. Crocodile paws


Certainly not one for the squeamish. You really do get a whole crocodilian paw, claws, skin and all in your soup or claypot when you order this. It’s frighteningly huge. Once you summon the guts to sink your teeth into it, you’ll find the skin is soft, chewy and gelatinous like sea cucumber. But why would anyone want to eat this reptile? Well, oit is alleged that crocodile gives a whole host of health benefits like improving metabolism, vitality, immunity, and of course, the libido. And it tastes like chicken.

Cafe de Hong Kong (586 Balestier Road, #01-01 Eastpac Building. Tel: +65 6255 3865) does many familiar cze-char favorites well, but its lone exotic dish of braised crocodile paw always grabs patrons’ attention. You’ll need to give them notice at least one hour ahead for this special dish. There is also a stall called Crocodile Kingdom specializing in all dishes crocodile at Block 51 Old Airport Road #01-107 Old Airport Road Food Centre. Tel: +65 9240 0886.

Note: This article is extracted from CNNGo Singapore. :)