Flavors at Zhongshan Park

Just on Sunday, I finally treat my family to lunch.
And that is like after three weeks of postponing the lunch date?! Okay maybe two.
It was suppose to be Father's Day celebration when I planned the lunch, but eventually exams period was just round the corner, so we postponed it till the Sunday after my papers had ended.
But...
The Sunday after my paper had ended, I had a run that morning followed by a job.
So it got postponed... Again.

Finally on Sunday, I finally called them for the reservation and the four of us headed down for lunch.
We had a booking at noon but even reaching there slightly earlier, we were unable to enter as the restaurant officially open for business at noon.
Left without a choice, we sat at the bar instead.
Maybe, just maybe I can hit the bartender up and get myself a free drink (like real).

To admit, the chairs are quite comfortable.
And with the pillows provided, with the awesome aircon just blowing down on me, it create the perfect environment to have a nap.
Literally I was tempted.

The menu consist of both Western and Chinese cuisine.
Didn't find much interesting choice so I settled for the Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Brother, on the other hand, knows that I'm paying for the meal, decide to order the most expensive of the four of us.
He took the executive set lunch.

Therefore, he is entitled to appetizer while we watch.
As if.
We happily helped ourselves to the food as well, no way is he having four sticks of satay to himself while we watched in hunger.
A bit disappointing moment though, like they just opened for business at noon, so in the restaurant there were only three tables.
A couple at one side, and a man on the other side and it seemed that everyone had order the set lunch.
Their appetizer dish were served first while we slowly waited for us to be served and it was only served around 12.30pm. I mean how long does it takes to prepare the satay?
The waiter even came to informed us that the beef burger (mom's order) did not have the ingredients and whether she would like to pick something else from the menu.
And..
The laska (dad's order) didn't have the white noodles and whether it is alright for them to eat with the yellow noodles instead.
Displeased were shown at our face, but we went along anyway.
After that, brother was joking that fairprice was just round the corner and they can easily head over and buy the ingredients to prepare.
Troll much.

Mom's ordered fish and chips in the end with extra salad instead of fries.
It came with two slices of battered fish and the sliced carrots with raisin on a lettuce.
Honestly, the lunch looked sad.
And even asking the waiter he said that he has already informed the chef to provide my mom's meal with more salad and usually the rest of the people only get half of the amount.

Though she ended up eating her lunch with the chili provided.
Western meets Chinese.
To think the chili provided was actually for my brother's dish.

Mine came shortly after that.
Decent amount of fries and the vegetables provided.
But I wasn't entirely happy with the chicken.
From the picture it is seen that they had given me the breast meat. My chicken is supposed to be stuffs with ham and melted cheese.
Judging from the picture, it was a small piece of ham and barely seen or taste of melted cheese.
Suffocated and drown my chicken in tomato sauce instead.

At the end of the meal, the waiter came again and passed my mom the menu, asking her to take a look to see which dessert she would like.
Further explanation that the kitchen felt bad for changing our orders twice and serving us late while the other tables had already been served their meals.
Therefore, he would like to give us a complimentary dessert to make up for it.
I thought my mom would choose the chendol but surprisingly, she ordered the same dessert as my brother; durian with gula melaka and pandan jelly.  

Her reasons? Cause that was the most expensive dessert on the menu.

Honestly, would you pay $17 for this?
I wouldn't.

That pretty round up our experience at Flavors.
Would not have come to this place if I didn't have the voucher. Then again, it's good to try a new place out only if it's nice.

Next surprise was the bill.
I kind of expected us to exceed by at least $20 and above, but when the waiter showed me the bill, the only exceed amount that I needed to pay is $9.05.
Super shocked.
Apparently, they deduce $80 from the total amount, and with the remaining amount, they used it to calculate the GST and service charge. Which bring the exceed amount down.
If they had calculated the total bill, and using it to calculate the GST and service charge, I'm pretty sure that when I need to pay an additional $10.
Still, guess that was quite a cheap lunch.
Technically per person was worth $2.20

Next stop is meeting Box for dessert in Orchard.
Didn't really know what we wanted to do on our monthsary. Though we did consider just heading down to Cathay for waffles.

But we ended at Paris Baguette for cheesecake, royal milk pudding and strawberry shortcake.
Fell in love with the cheesecake. Fell out of love with the milk pudding. And stumbled down for the strawberry shortcake.
Guess strawberry isn't my thing.

But dinner was good at my cousin's store. A place that I have been craving to go for almost a month plus already, just that I haven't found the time to head down for dinner.
Inside, I wasn't sure if Box would enjoy the food, but considering the other friends that I have brought there and I received positive comments, I'm sure he would too.
Busy day for them, which leaves me to settle food on my own. So we joined the queue (Rahhh no VIP treatment) and I guess after a super long time, I just realized the portion that they give their customers.
And to think I have been eating at their store for ten years ago. Loyal customer.

Let Box choose his food first before I chose mine. Apart from my usual three favorite dishes, I added luncheon meat and fried fish. New favorites to add to my current three.
And it seemed that Box was shocked at the amount of food that we have on our plate.
At our table, he was telling me that our portion is like 1.5 times more than what the normal customers have.
Somehow at that moment then I realize it. Hahah! But I mean it's kind of true as well, since I'm the cousin so the worker kind of gave me more.
And hey I found out that my cousin-in-law makes a good cup of Teh. Now that's surprisingly new to me as well.

Rahhhh.

I just missed the early bird rate to join Standard Chartered marathon in December.
Kind of upset about it, considering the normal rate now is like $95?!
That like paying almost a hundred for a run. Major sigh. As much as I thought of pushing myself to run that distance this year, I'm not sure if I am up to that challenge.
Sometimes it's kind of funny how peer pressure changes as we grow up.
When we're in primary school, maybe we had simple peer pressure like bringing mobile phones to school, getting more allowance or owning the best pencil cases.
In secondary school, we had peer pressure of smoking, skipping classes or going home late.
As we grow older, now it's like peer pressure of going drinking, buying expensive items, getting into a relationship, earning more money.
Somehow my peer pressure lately is joining marathon/race events. I wonder how that changed.
But in any case, I'm glad that it's towards a healthy lifestyle instead of pressure to go clubbing or drinking.
Rather now is to go dessert hunt, food hunt, exercising, eating healthy and well, for me, losing weight.

Just had a jam packed week, and next week doesn't look any easier.
Fighting against time and tiredness. Guess it's now getting used to less sleep, more running around and less procrastination.
Aka, I better start focusing whenever I type a report and stop being on Facebook.

Still, at times I just want a day of enjoying myself. Just lazing on the bed with a book, smoothie and dessert. Awesome dream.
And after that it's off for a nice meal of dim sum. And finally literally bumming around.
Well, next Wednesday I'm finally going to have dim sum. Like omg at last?!
Been silently cursing at people who have been eating dim sum and cursing more at those who went to Swee Choon to eat. I mean I have been waiting to go to that place since the beginning of this year when I heard about it, but yet I haven't been there. RAH!!

Busy weekend and I got 4 reports to write by Sunday night. Wish me luck!

A year ago...

Another ranting post again. Kind of wished I would stop thinking about stuffs that happen a year ago, but during this period from July to say September kind of made the most impact.
Let's start with the fun part. Exactly a year ago, I made a crazy change of colour to my hair. Like literally. Two-toned hair with a side shave, and even in the form of a stars. Kind of shows my obsession with stars.

Some stuffs that you want to do at least once in your life. Really love the colour combination and like the read as well. Except that it kind of fade to brown a little too fast then. And my gosh. My hair literally died after that bleaching session. In addition, I didn't know how to take care of my hair properly so my ends were damn dry, the whole front part is dry cause it got bleached like 5 times in total.
But the main thing wasn't the colouring part. I coloured my hair the day after I got back my university results. And it was also the day where I went to Jasmine's house to stay over the weekend because I couldn't handle the build up of emotions inside me.
I cried so much over that weekend, I had long chats with her mother but yet inside it was just empty. I didn't know what to do again, I didn't know how to convince my parents to let me return back for the supplementary papers.
Yet then, I made mistakes. And now looking back, I wonder why didn't I put it as my priority but let distractions lead me astray.
I should have been home early to try and talk to my parents, and let them know how I feel. Yet I chose to go out with friends to chat to, and came home late when they are asleep.
And finally the day of my suppose departure, I lost all control.

Why am I typing all these out. Why am I remembering all these stuffs that happen a year ago.
Maybe it's so I know how much I have perhaps grown, how much mistakes are there to be learned and like how was I then. The distance I put between people and myself. I refuse to let them into my life, I refuse to trust them or let them be there for me.
Inside, I was just thinking, what's the point. What can you do for me even if you know my troubles. Can you change reality for me or would you just be there to force me to accept reality. Suck it up and move on in life.

I don't want to care anymore. Shut off my heart to everything around.

After all, why should I bother?

In front of others, many lies can be said, many things can be said and promised, and confessed.

But once the person is gone, and we're faced with reality, everything changes.

Everything said is just empty words.

Nothing matters except proving that you're right and making the other person suffer.

Thinking that you're in comtrol, that you're higher, that you think you're doing it for me.

Don't bother, seriously.

Right now, I don't trust anyone anymore.

Nothing, but everything is a lie.

You won't know when the person you trust, will disappear one day, and you're left with nothing.

You won't know when the person you trust, will betray the trust and crush you down.

 It becomes a vicious cycle, happening over and over again.

Why should I tell you any more things?

I rather look you in the eye and say this is the product of your action.

So be proud then, of everything you have done, and everything you perhaps have taught me in the past two months.

Teaching how nothing is safe is the house, that you have to lock your things up from being taken, silently taken.

Teaching that this is how life has always been in the house, quiet with no conversation.

Teaching the importance of not making a promise, cause it will always be held against you.

Teaching the caution of every words said, that one day it will be used back.

Teaching that father main concern lies with education, and if a problem should arise, he would be the first to ensure that a solution and a fallback plan is assured.

Teaching that when family problems arise, nothing is done.

Teaching that the first thing that went wrong with your daughter is to diagnosis her with depression, and insist on a psychiatrist at mental health hospital.

Teaching that always to blame an eternal person for what is happening.

Teaching to never trust what is said in front of strangers, because it is said just because it had to be said.

Teaching what exactly a 'family' is.

Some stuffs that I typed in a blog post last year. It was all pure anger, hatred inside. Nothing else could be felt.

Eventually it became a habit of locking myself up into sister's room, spending the whole day in front of the computer, watching shows, on facebook, youtube, anything that keeps me occupied yet inside there's so much crying. 

I stopped eating much as well, and it's like a month of depression, just doing nothing. And like all things, arguments happen, fights occur. I learned then what is called locking up my cupboard, preventing the people you thought you trusted, from taking more things away from you. 

I was so prepared to kill myself then, jump off the building and let life end that way. 

The fear inside each time I leave home a while to meet my friend. The importance of locking up the cupboard and wondering if when I return, my items would still be there. The begging of help from my friend whether I can stay at her house for a month. 

Everything wasn't falling into places. In fact everything was falling into pieces and you just watch the glass shatter. 

Boyfr then was chatting with me every night, making plans for me to escape Singapore and fly down to Australia.

I could stay with him, work and study at the same time, maybe instead of studying full time, I would just take two modules per semester instead. We could save on expenses by not eating out that often, cooking more, and maybe get my old job at the market and save even more when I can bring home fruits/food. The plan was so tempting. It could work I told myself.

But we left out one main flaw... I don't have my passport with me.

And to make a passport again would need time. 

After three weeks I got forced to get a job instead of lying around meaninglessly and staring into thin space.

Manage to get a job at a dental clinic for the next six months.

Feels like it's an excuse to escape home and just not be around parents or the house at all. 

And even in the evening I can always just go out for dinner, be home late and not see or have any conversation with them at all.

To look back at all these event a year ago. It's amazed how much have changed in a year. Some things I thought wouldn't be possible then, it's actually possible now.

I thought I would never want to talk to my parents or even have family responsibility now. I told myself straight that if February I am still not going back Australia, I would just kill myself.

To the point that I actually started writing letters to leave behind. Scary thoughts much?

Who knows what might happen another year from now...

Eighteen Chefs

The first few times when I heard of this cafe, I really want to try it out.
But asking a few people around me, somehow it just never happened.
The first time I asked box, we walked past cineleisure and didn't mention about going in.
The second time I asked box again, we also walked past cineleisure and didn't mention about it, but also 'cause that point of time we were busy with my job assignment and like finding a normal shirt.

But finally today, we are going in, and going into Eighteen Chefs to try their food.
My thought was like 'OH GOSH FINALLY'.
Going to cineleisure on a Tuesday afternoon is awesome, just to admit that. The simple fact that it isn't crazily overcrowding with youngster.
And plus, I get to enjoy my lunch with Box without much of a queue in front of the place.

The ordering is simple. On the table you have the menu and the slip of paper to write your orders.
Before you bring up to the cashier for payment.
Feeling very cheesy today and decided to spam lunch with lots of cheese.
Both of us attempted their cheesy baked series. One double cheese baked rice and one cheese baked pasta.
And for a side dish, we order bolognaise cheese fries.
Cheesy much?

To think I spammed even more cheese when the dish arrived. Almost like three times and was happily mixing the cheesiness into the rice while my dear ate his lunch.
Though overall, with both of us trying out their baked rice/pasta series, it's not too bad. You first choose the base (whether it's rice or paste, cheesy or double cheesy), then you choose your main and also the sauces, finally if you're feeling hungry you can choose another main.
For us as student, we get a special price for student meal which consist of the baked food series, with ice lemon tea and ice cream.

My baked rice was alright, though I wished they slice the chicken sausage into smaller bite size pieces and also so I have more slices of sausage to eat with my rice instead of the big pieces.
By the time I finished my baked rice, I was half full.
The bolognaise cheese fries I felt wasn't that nice. Still prefer Carl's Junior beef chili cheese fries.

After lunch it's off for my horrible job assignments.

Dinner at Soup Spoon.
A place I haven't been to since April. Though honestly I only eaten here like less than 5 times.
Ordered the super value meal to share with Box.
Super failed pictures taking of the soup and sandwich.

And now my failed pictures of the moon.
It was just super round and big in front of us after we dropped off at the bus stop.
But there's only so much my camera skills can handle.

Another busy day today. Another busy day ahead.
I just want a week of no appointments at all.

RAC

Just run, no sweat.
To conquer, to overcome and not to yield because only the finest make it through.
The extra effort differentiate a winner from second place.

These quotes stick with me as I run the race. And half or literally almost all the time I was trying to mindfuck myself with the distance left to run.
The excitement, the adrenalin rush inside as you stand around the starting line, waiting for the emcee to tell you it's 10s more to the start of the run.
You wasn't sure whether you would survive running, or whether you would come close to your target timing. It's just a matter of seconds before the race starts, and focus is all that is on your mind.
The horn went off, and people started rushing past the starting line.
It's suddenly a race of who can squeeze through the tiny gap between runners and getting to the front.

The first kilometer was easy, I mean I just started the race, I'm still fresh with energy. Come on, I can do it.
But one mistake was to start a little too fast ahead of my normal speed. And like all things, I eventually can't maintain at that speed.
Half the time, it was about enjoying the run, observing the way people run and their expression. And it wasn't about just running, but the fact that people are taking time out to exercise.
It was a 5km run up before a turn about and we run back another 5km.
On the other side, I see the disabled cyclists, and the runners beside them cheering them on.

A guy with a red shirt ran past me, and his shirt says 'feel like heaven after running like hell'. Total motivation to chase after him. And the excuse to ask where he get the shirt from.
Another guy on the opposite side was dragging a car tire as he runs, ultimate salute for him. You can hear the sound of the car tire being dragged on the ground as he runs.
You see people running, jogging and walking.

It's almost like a life route.
At the start, things look easy and you're sure that you can do it.
The start is good, a nice comfortable pace or maybe a little too fast but it's still good.
As it continue, you realize that it starts to get a little tiring and stopping is just so tempting.
You look forward to the halfway mark where you can turn around and now head towards the finishing line. It's like a mental state where you either focus on running, or you let your mind wander and distract.
The distance gets longer, the pain starts kicking in. You see people overtaking you and you try to match their pace.
Finally you reach the last kilometer and you increase your pace, yet trying to match it to a comfortable pace so you can last.
One thing you still hate about the last kilometer is that the route seemed longer, you can't see the finishing line and just when you turn the corner and hope the line is there, no, it's a lot further away.
But after you cross the line, it's the sense of achievement that you have completed the race. You challenged yourself and you achieved it.

Yea, that's what happened when you run.
And after that it's enjoyment of the milo van ^^
The word is just 'OMG'. I haven't seen that milo van in at least 4 years since my last race in Secondary 4. Fond memories. And the thing on my mind then is just spam drinking milo. I'm never going to see much of this milo van again.

So let's start from the beginning. My first race pack collection.
And the thought of purchasing the RAC bears. Yet I'm always in a rush from places to places.
Headed down to Velocity to collect my race pack the day before my exams. Good job. After collecting it, it's a straight journey home to study.
And mummy was more amused at my number tag than me because it had her name on it.
Hahah!
So that was day one.

Some pictures taken before and after the race.
And my first medal this year!
Though I couldn't take pictures of the cheer-leading quad like in front, but hey, back view is awesome too!
Barely slept the night before and was up like twice that night chatting with Box. Thank goodness for him sleeping late else I won't have anyone to talk to in the middle of the night.
Ended up getting up at 4.30am and just like going to survive on less than 5hours of sleep for the whole day.

After the race, it was another rushing day for me to head down to Chinatown for some work.
And Box finding me after that. Ultimate happyness.
Who knew that working two days there, and I know well quite a number of people there already. From the 7-eleven aunty to the kfc staffs and even some other staffs there and the security guards as well! They even can joked with me that they wanted to help me take the whole carton of tissues away for me so I can go back earlier. But unfortunately I still have to be there for three hours.

After that it's earning the first meal of the day with Box.
Literally surviving almost 9hours without much proper food is starving and dying.
Lunch at Genki Sushi, our first time there and we both got super amused by how they delivered the food to you.
The dishes you ordered is sent to you on a moving train. It reduce the staff need to carry and serve you every dish and you get all the dishes at one shot. How cool is that.
And I got my well-awaited Starbucks drink. Tried their new drink of dark mocha white chocolate pudding frap. Honestly, I didn't quite enjoy it. I prefer back my original drink of dark mocha, skinny and without whip cream.
We were joking how the white chocolate pudding looks like tofu!
But that's my guilty treat of the day and starting today (Monday) I am going on a no-dessert diet.
Do wonder when I would start having withdrawal symptoms or like binge eat dessert.

First day of term, and the lecturer didn't turn up. Good job! Wasted two hours of my time to travel there and wait for a non-existence lecturer.
Tomorrow, work and study. Back to being busy busy busy. Sigh T.T