We’re into the final month of the Great Singapore Sales 2013 [GSS2013] and in this entry, we will be featuring Nespresso’s awesome PIXIE coffee machine, and the three popular limited edition Variations that has become part of Nespresso’s permanent Grand Crus range! The Nespresso PIXIE Coffee Machine.
The three most desired limited edition Variations- Vanilla, Dark Chocolate and Caramel will be brought back as part of Nespresso’s permanent Grand Crus range. The three flavours will be re-introduced as Vanilio, Ciocattino, and Caramelito Variations Grand Crus.
A month ago, we had the privilege of having a Nespresso PIXIE Coffee Machine loaned to us and it sports a new sleek, stainless steel-panel.
To collect our review set, we went down to the Nespresso Boutique at Ion Orchard and the place is really classy.
The Nespresso Boutique has quite a number of accessories that Nespresso Club Members can purchase and some of them include coffee cups and saucers.
These are not the colourful Nespresso coffee capsules. They are actually coffee cups.
There are different types of Nespresso Coffee Machines that are retailing at Nespresso’s Boutique Shop @ Ion Orchard and you will definitely be able to find one that will cater to your budget.
For the more trendy coffee connoisseurs, you can consider this “bling bling” Nespresso Coffee Machine.
After our rendezvous with the friendly people from Nespresso, we lug this huge amount of goodies home.
We were given a full set of Nespresso Coffee Capsules and they are really colourful. Due to the generosity of the friendly people at Nespresso, we have quite a couple of Nespresso Coffee Capsules leftover.
A milk frother was also loaned to us and it really comes in handy for making hot beverages like cappucino, mocha, and latte.
Using the Nespresso PIXIE Coffee Machine is a breeze. It takes only 25 to 30 seconds for the Nespresso PIXIE Coffee Machine to heat up and prepare a Nespresso Grand Cru Espresso or Lungo Coffee.
The addition of a black mat handle enhances the stylishness of the Nespresso PIXIE Coffee Machine.
The Nespresso PIXIE Coffee Machine is super easy to operate.
All you have to do is just lift the handle, pop the coffee capsule in……
Push down the handle, press the appropriate button, and there you go, a freshly made cup of hot coffee in less than a minute.
Like we mentioned, the Nespresso Aeroccino does comes in handy and you can use it to heat milk suitable for making a latte……
Or to heat up the milk to form milky froths and make a cup of Cappucino or Mocha.
We love having a cup of coffee served with Danish Butter Cookies! It’s heavenly!
Seriously, if you’re a coffee lover and you’re someone whom absolutely must have a cup of coffee every morning, you might want to consider getting the Nespresso PIXIE Coffee Machine. Not only does it satisfy your craving in an instant, the Nespresso PIXIE Coffee Machine is eco-friendly and saves energy too!
With the GSS2013 coming to an end soon, don’t miss out on Nespresso’s GSS Special because when you purchase any Nespresso Coffee Machine during this season, you can receive a $50 Club Credit that you can utilise to buy Nespresso’s Coffee Capsules and other accessories as well.
So hurry down to the nearest Nespresso Boutique near you!
We are currently in Taiwan and will be back this Sunday evening. As such, we will not be having any blog updates till then.
Meanwhile, we heard that the haze situation in Singapore was pretty bad over the last few days. Do remember to drink lots of water and as much as possible, avoid any physical activities when you’re outdoor. Also, it would definitely help a lot if you are wearing a N95 mask if you’re outside. In case you’re wondering if a normal surgical mask would suffice, we’re afraid not as it only helps to filter out particles that are larger in size. However, if the N95 mask is out of stock, a surgical mask provides the simplest form of protection. If you have the N95 mask, be sure you are wearing it properly and that there are no leakage of air; otherwise, it would defeat the purpose of having it.
Anyhows, if you’re interested to find out what we’re up to in Taiwan, do check us out on our Instagram.
I know that this blog entry will raise suspicions, especially from my friends whom are still in the Church but here is my personal true story as a former member of the Church. Also, I know that with this blog entry, there were be many whom will start “flaming” or “un-friending” me on Facebook or on whatsoever channel but my sole purpose is for people to know some of the truths and observations that I have made when I was a member there. I went to City Harvest Church [CHC] in 2004 and I was 16 then.
Back in those days, the Church was having its regular service at Jurong West and all Cell Group Leaders [CGL] were addressed as “Brother so and so” OR “Sister so and so”. There were multiple services that ran from Friday to Sunday and even though the weekly trip to the far west was really tedious and time-consuming, I didn’t mind the distance because it was there that I met Christ.
As I belonged to an adult cellgroup at that time, I was constantly blessed and showered with lots of love and even up till today, I am thankful that I was once part of an adult cellgroup. It was also during that same period that I joined my very first ministry, The Strikeforce, a street percussions band.
In 2005, the Church shifted its services to Singapore EXPO and my cellgroup experienced a surge of growth. As more youths started to join the cellgroup that I was in, the cellgroup “multiplied” in 2008 and I was then assigned to a youth cellgroup where I was serving as the Cellgroup Guitarist. While serving as a Cellgroup Guitarist, I left The Strikeforce and joined the security ministry.
As my youth cellgroup was stagnant and did not experience much growth, it was later “merged” with another youth cellgroup in 2010. When 2011 came, the Church shifted to Suntec for its weekly services and to be honest, I haven’t really attend much services except for a few which I could barely count with one hand. This was because from 2010-2012, I was serving my National Service. Even then, I was fully aware of what was going on in Church and subsequently in 2013, I made the decision to leave the Church.
Some Truths & Observations When I Was In Church From 2004-2013:
– Pastor Kong [PK] did made some comments that demean a particular Church when he was preaching and he occasionally reveals the name of that Church by calling it “that rock”.
– In the first year that I attended Church, they had two types of offering envelopes; one that is specially made for those who tithe and the other, the normal white offering envelope for those who don’t tithe.
– In the first year that I attended Church, I was literally shoved/pushed aside by the Security Personnel when PK was about to enter the auditorium.
– In the earlier days, PK told the Church that he looks up to Pastor Ulf Ekman, Pastor Phil Pringle, and Dr A R Bernard but if anyone realises, not much is mentioned about Pastor Ulf anymore and Dr Yonggi Cho is now somewhat PK’s centre of attraction.
– The Church has many categories of memberships and classifications for its members and here are the ones that I know about when I was there; potential visitors, potential ordinary member, ordinary member, ministry member, and executive member.
– The Church conducts regular Bible study classes and members often compare/compete with one another to see who’s the fastest in completing the entire programme. Some of the Bible study classes are; Church Introductory Class, Getting Started, Christian Living, Victorious Living, Foundation Truths 1, Foundation Truths 2, Going On To Perfection.
– Church members were told by PK that not a single cent was used to fund Sun Ho for her projects in the States.
– Offering envelopes in the earlier years were not stamped with a statement that says “donations made to the Church are non-refundable”.
– Nobody seem to question why David Yem, Gan KC, and some of the Pastors left the Church.
– There was a time when people would associate a CHC member with Blackberry, Ed Hardy apparels, and Twitter.
– At one point in time, the members were told not to address Sun Ho as Pastor Sun.
– Nobody seem to question why the clothing stores that PK started had to wind up.
– The Church owns shares in Suntec REIT [real-estate investment trust] but that does not mean that it owns Suntec Convention Centre. Hence, the Church will still have to pay rental for using the hall at Suntec Convention Centre and then use the dividends from owning the shares to defray the costs. Then again, if the Church is engaged in some sort of investments to gain profits from dividends, doesn’t that make the Church a business entity and not a place of worship?
I don’t know about you but when I was reading up about some confessions pertaining to the Church, I could identify with some of them and if you’re interested to check it out, here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/CHCConfessions
Well, having said so much, I still have many questions/doubts about the Church but nevertheless, I still regard the friends that I’ve made in Church as my friends. To me, this blog entry is meant to be an avenue where I channel my own opinions and thoughts about the subject but if anyone is offended, please feel free to “unfriend”, “block”, or “delete” me from your social media accounts and electronic devices. Otherwise, the small little “X” at the top right hand corner of your Internet browser might just suffice.
Last Friday, we had a rocking good time at the launch ofSingapore Polytechnic‘s [SP] first ever record label, SPEAR, at The Coliseum, Resorts World Sentosa and truly, we were very impressed by the performances that were put up by the Students from SP’s Diploma in Music and Audio Technology [DMAT].
With the launch of SPEAR, this makes Singapore Polytechnic the first education institution to have such an initiative and in case you’re wondering why the record label is named, “SPEAR”, SPEAR is the acronym for Singapore Polytechnic Emerging Artiste and Repertoire. The SPEAR initiative also reflects a refreshed DMAT course that is more industry-centric and better able to marry the aspiration of students with the opportunities in the music industry.
When we were there, we were given the VIP treatment and and we managed to get upclose and personal with some of the Student Artistes whom were going to be performing. As a matter of fact, we managed to interview V’Bel [a.k.a Wong Ay Shyuan], a 20 year old up-and-coming Violinist, and Mr. Michael Spicer, who is DMAT’s Course Chairman.
Interview with V’Bel
A Short Video of the Interview that We Had with V’Bel
Posing for a Photo with Mr. Michael Spicer
A Short Video of the Interview that We Had with Mr. Michael Spencer
After the interview session, we headed straight for the concert to take some photographs and the following are some of the shots that Jacqueline took with the Olympus EPL-3. As we took more than 400+ photographs, it is nearly impossible to embed all of them on this blog entry and hence, we’re just going to feature some prominent ones. The full profile of these Student Artistes is available online at www.spear.com.sg and if you’re interested, do check it out!
Celestia belongs to one of the first batch of Students to graduate from SP’s DMAT Course and she graduated with a Diploma with Merit. She has participated in many music competitions and won several awards as well. Her music genre mainly lies in eclectic pop and western folk music.
The Violinist in Celestia’s Band
One of The Guitarist in Celestia’s Band
The Keyboardist in Celestia’s Band
The second performance was put up by Formalisms, the only and biggest group that is made up of an eclectic mix of nine third year students of SP. It is also interesting to note that every members of the group are academically inclined with an average GPA of over 3.0
Beth Yap, Vocalist and Bassist of Formalisms
Tang Hui Jun, Bassist of Formalisms
John Tim, Drummer of Formalisms
Boaz Koh, Guitarist and Vocalist of Formalisms
Mr. Michael Spicer, SP’s DMAT Course Chairman, Playing the Flute with the Band.
The third performance was put up by V’Bel and her band.
V’ Bel is a very talented Violinist who recently graduated with a Diploma with Merit and a book prize. Her natural flair in music was discovered when she was 7 years old and since then, she has been performing in many arts events and concerts to hone her skills. Her music genre mainly lies in classical cross-over.
The Keyboardist in V’Bel’s Band.
The Bassist in V’Bel’s Band.
Now that you know and have seen a little bit about the various Student Artistes, wouldn’t it be good to listen to some of the songs from them?
Well, we have embedded the Student Artistes’ latest EP/Song Tracks in this blog entry and you can listen it for yourself below. We personally like the songs by Victoria Street and the addictive tune of V’Bel and her band.
The highlight for the night was perhaps the splendid performance put up by The Sam Willows, a local indie outlet.
Formed by siblings Ben and Narelle Kheng, and friends Sandra Riley Tang and Jon Chua; The Sam Willows burst onto the Singapore music scene in May 2012 with their luscious harmonies and special brand of country-folk that created a solid buzz across the island-state.
Drawing inspiration from acts like Mumford & Sons, Bon Iver, Joss Stone, Keith Urban and the sound of a leaky tap, The Sam Willows craft an interesting country-folk sound interlaced with heavy vocals.
Benjamin, Primary Songwriter and Vocalist of The Sam Willows
Jonathan, Guitarist of The Sam Willows
Narelle from The Sam Willows Playing the Bass Guitar
Sandra from The Sam Willows Playing the Tambourine and the Shaker
Personally, we really like The Sam Willows and we daresay we’re converts now! To hear some of the groovy song tracks by The Sam Willows, we have embedded them in this blog entry as well.
Well, having said so much about the SPEAR Concert; if you’re an “O” Level Student and you have a keen passion and interest in music, you probably might want to consider enrolling yourself in Singapore Polytechnic’s Diploma in Music and Audio Technology Course. There, you will learn about acoustical science, music theory, recording and mixing techniques, musicianship, song-writing, song production, song arrangement, and many more!
What’s more, you can look forward to an array of exciting career opportunities upon graduation. Some of the career prospects include Recording Engineer, Live Sound Engineer, Music Producer, Songwriter, Music Arranger, and etc.!
For more information about Singapore Polytechnic’s Diploma in Music and Audio Technology Course, you can check out Singapore Polytechnic’s Website!
Once again, we would like to thank Singapore Polytechnic for inviting us to the SPEAR Concert and the various Student Artistes for putting up such an electrifying performance. 😀
This post is specially written and dedicated to my dad for Father’s Day and also for the Singapore Blog Awards 2013 themed challenge where we are to write about someone or something from the 60’s that inspires us.
As I thought about that one person from the 60’s whom inspires me, one person that comes straight to my mind would be my dad.
My dad is a very conservative and strict man and I likened him to the typical Regimental Sergeant Major in the Army. A man of few words, my dad always puts up a tough front but inwardly, he is actually a very caring and loving father. On most weekends, he would be at home listening to songs from the 60’s and when he dines out, he is usually on the hunt for some good local Asian food.
Found a really old Black Record with Classic Songs from The Beatles.
Posing with the rare treasure!
Like father like son, I gradually come to love the songs that he listens to and The Beatles is still one of my all-time favourite rock bands. One song by The Beatles that strikes a chord with me would be “Let It Be” and it is one of the songs that is found in the 12th and final studio album that was released shortly after The Beatles announced their break-up. I’m pretty sure most people would know this song but if you don’t, check out the song cover that I recently did:
Let It Be Song Cover
Very much like my dad, the hunt for good food is a natural instinct for me and when Jacqueline shared with me about a café that serves tasty local food, we drove right away to Old School Delights.
Old School Delights is located at 215M Upper Thomson Road [Singapore 574349], and they serve local food like Mee Siam, Mee Rebus, Laksa, Nasi Briyani, and many more. With a classic old-school kind of setting, the inspiration behind Old School Delights lies in the owners’ desire to serve home styled food which is prepared in a traditional manner with no MSG and artificial food enhancers used in the food preparation process.
Inside the cosy Old School Delights
When we were there, it was packed with diners and we highly recommend you to make a reservation if you’re planning to dine in big groups.
There are both indoor and outdoor dining areas and if you prefer to have a more spacious space for dining, we suggest that you opt for the outdoor dining area.
The props in the store were really old-school items that could hardly be found in modern Singapore and they even have old-school merchandise for sale.
Old School Props in the Store
Old School Merchandise for Sale
Interesting stuffs that we used to play with when we were still young.
While waiting for the food that we ordered, we were given a toy box which contained some classic games that we could play with to pass time. Some of the classic games include snakes and ladders, country eraser war, five stones, and happy family.
Wanna challenge me to a game of five stones?
Jumbo Otak [Side Dish]- $2.50
Best eaten hot, this large and sumptuous otak wrapped in banana leaf and made with fresh fish meat marinated with coconut milk and ground chilli is truly a local delight.
Choco-Teh-Cino [Beverage]- $4.90
A first for us, the Choco-Teh-Cino is a really unique beverage which tickles the taste buds and in case you’re wondering, the Choco-Teh-Cino tastes very much like hot chocolate and milk tea combined. However, we have to add that for the price of $4.90, it is quite overpriced.
Nasi Briyani [Main Course]- $10.80
The Nasi Briyani is only available during the weekends and I highly recommend it if you’re there on the weekends. Though it is somewhat expensive, the Nasi Briyani is probably one of Old School Delights’ signature dishes. The fried chicken is tender and crisp and accompanied with the fragrant basmati rice, the Nasi Briyani is a sure winner!
Mee Siam [Main Course]- $5.80
A 30-year old recipe comprising a secret blend of 11 fresh grounded spices, Old School Delights’ Mee Siam is a must-try for all Mee Siam aficionados. Personally, Jacqueline feels that the gravy is exceptionally tasty and flavourful.
Chendol [Dessert]- $4.50
We really like the Chendol because it completes our meal pretty well. No artificial sweeteners but pure 100% Gula Melaka and home-made, preservative-free Chendol worms are used to make the Chendol.
If you’re planning to visit Old School Delights, do note that their opening hours are 11:30am to 10:30pm, Tuesday to Friday, and 11:00am to 10:30pm, Saturday to Sunday. Old School Delights is closed on Mondays and if you want to make a reservation, you can ring them up at 64584518.
To walk down memory lane where nostalgia and comfort food are entwined, Old School Delights is definitely the place to consider and we guarantee that the experience will evoke some pleasant memories of your childhood.
Since we’re on the topic of the old times, Jacqueline and I made a trip to Haw Par Villa last weekend for some rediscovery of our childhood days and in fact, Haw Par Villa was an extremely popular theme park in the 1960s.
When we were there at Haw Par Villa, it really brought back many wonderful memories for the both of us and though many people would consider Haw Par Villa as one of the weirdest theme park in Asia, we guess everyone [more or less] would agree that it is a part of our childhood.
The park, originally called “Tiger Balm Gardens”, was built in 1937 by the Burmese brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par, the developers of Tiger Balm, as a venue for teaching traditional Chinese values. The “Haw Par” in the park’s name is based on the Aw brothers’ personal names – “Haw” and “Par”, which literally mean “tiger” and “leopard”.
A Photo with the Tiger Statue
A Photo with the Leopard Statue
Now, most of its compounds are either sealed off or not operational.
Wonder if anyone remembers what this place was used for in the past.
The park contains over 1,000 statues and 150 giant dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology, folklore, legends, history, and illustrations of various aspects of Confucianism.
One of Aw Boon Haw’s famous Tiger Cars which still exists.
When I was young, I remember playing with the moustache of this statue.
This used to be the amphitheatre where people could catch performances.
The best known attraction in Haw Par Villa is the Ten Courts of Hell which features gruesome depictions of Hell in Chinese mythology and Buddhism. This attraction used to be set inside a 60-metre long trail of a Chinese dragon but the dragon has been demolished and it is now covered by grey stone walls.
To be honest, when we were inside the Ten Courts of Hell attraction, it still sends chills down my spine and that’s the reason why we didn’t take any photographs inside. However, if you’re wondering how the inside of the Ten Courts of Hell looks like, I managed to find a video on Youtube about it.
Our main mission when we were there was to locate the statues that Jacqueline took photos with when she was in her preschool years and boy, was it tough!
Laughing Buddha [Past], spot any difference?
Laughing Buddha [Present]
Wall Mural [Past]
Wall Mural [Present]
Journey to the West, Tripitaka’s White Horse [Past]
Journey to the West, Tripitaka’s White Horse [Present]
Journey to the West, Zhu Bajie [Past]
Journey to the West, Zhu Bajie [Present]
As you can see from the photos, some of the statues from the past are still around but much of the park has either been cordoned off or demolished. In fact, when I was searching for the Log Flume Ride that was a rather popular attraction in the past, it no longer exists and when I tried finding some other attractions that used to be rather popular in the past, it was no longer there and I kinda feel a tinge of sadness in my heart. Well, even though not much of Haw Par Villa remains, I believe that it will always have a special place in the hearts of those whom have had fond memories there.
If you’re interested to revisit your childhood days or just to check out Haw Par Villa, the most convenient form of transport to get there would be to take the train. The nearest MRT Station is Haw Par Villa MRT Station and the park is open everyday from 9am to 7pm. Admission is free but if you are driving into the compound, you will have to pay $5 per entry and there are carpark lots available for you to park your car.
With this, we hope that you enjoyed reading about the who and what [from the 1960’s’ that inspires us. Also, if you can, do cast your votes for us for the “Best Lifestle Blog” in the Singapore Blog Awards 2013.
Every voter can vote at least once a day till the 23rd of June 2013 and to reward you for voting, you might stand a chance to be one of the 5 lucky winners to walk away with either the JBL Charge Stereo Speaker worth $249 or the JBL Flip Stereo Speaker worth $195, all of which are kindly sponsored by JBL.
The competition is really stiff and every vote counts. We at A Winsome Life are counting on you to help us realise our dream of becoming Singapore’s Best Lifestyle Blog! Help us make it happen!
SingTel is taking its first ever real-time Twitter race one step further by turning it into a physical race to find Dee Kosh and I believe Dee Kosh needs no introduction because he is such a popular Youtube personality and 987FM DJ. [Credits to SingTel for the Image]
Today [6 June 2013] and tomorrow [7 June 2013], Dee Kosh will be releasing a series of tweets and clues based on his location and the fastest person to find him IN PERSON will win SGD$1000 cash! To obtain the clue of his location, simply follow @SingTel on Twitter and look out for the Tweets about Dee Kosh’s whereabouts.
Also, if you need more clues about Dee Kosh’s whereabouts, you can Tweet to @SingTel and include the hashtag #Fastest4GSpeed to ask questions. When you catch Dee Kosh, don’t forget to mention “Fastest 4G Speed” and show Dee Kosh the SingTel Network Logo on your phone!
Here’s How You Can Participate in SingTel’s ‘Catch Dee Kosh If You Can’: The Final Countdown – #Fastest4GSpeed [Credits to SingTel for the Image]
All the best in catching Dee Kosh and may the force be with you!
I first heard about Scoot’s Longest Virtual Flight last week and it was held yesterday and is expected to end at 1300 hours today. Initially, I was contemplating whether I should take part in the challenge but after seeing all that has happened, I’m really glad I didn’t even though I registered and was invited to participate in person at Golden Village City Square Mall. [Image Credit to Scoot Singapore]
In case you haven’t heard, Scoot’s Long Virtual Flight was organised to commemorate the first anniversary of its maiden flight to Sydney and one lucky contestant will win S$20,000 in cash, with a further S$30,000 in travel vouchers to be given away.
[Image Credit to Scoot Singapore]
Contestants “on board” must tap [for those using mobile devices] or click [for those using the desktop/laptop] the “Scoot Virtual Flight” every 60 seconds and the contestant who outlasts all others will walk away with the grand prize of S$20,000 cash and free Scoot flights for one year.
Sounds doable and achievable? Probably.
However, when contestants were supposed to “board” the virtual flight at 8pm and get ready for “take off” at 9pm yesterday, there were multiple technical glitches and out of the 10,000 people that registered for the challenge, only 20-30% of people managed to access the challenge. Even then, out of the 2000-3000 contestants that managed to access the challenge, more than 3/4 of them dropped out midway in the challenge due to technical problems and malfunction. This led to a public backlash and even contestants at the contest venue [Golden Village City Square Mall] experienced similar technical difficulties.
[Image Credit to Scoot Singapore]
To pacify the contestants whom consisted of media personalities, bloggers, and the general public at the contest venue, Steven Greenway, Head of Commercial at Scoot, apologized and assured the contestants that the team is working hard to sort out the glitches and as a token of appreciation, gave everyone at the contest venue a free return ticket to Sydney. When news about this reached contestants whom weren’t at the contest venue, a second public backlash took place where a majority of the contestants cited that it was unfair.
A third public backlash took place when the first half of the challenge was completed and this was because contestants whom completed the first half of the challenge did not have their names listed for the second half of the challenge. This means that some of the contestants whom have been tapping or clicking for the last 8 hours have been doing it for nothing.
Currently [as @ 1031 hours], the challenge is still ongoing with 18 contestants tapping away and once this challenge ends, I guess Scoot is going to be put in a rather difficult position as they will have to answer to the rest of the contestants about the technical glitches. While I’m not sure how this crisis will be managed by Scoot but taking a look at the Terms and Conditions for the challenge, Scoot inevitably has an advantage over the contestants that took part and the ball is in Scoot’s hands to decide the course of action.
Anyway, Scoot’s Facebook Page currently has 274,000 likes/fans and if Scoot wants to maintain its stance and decide that they will not be responsible for the technical glitches, they will probably lose 10,000 [or probably lesser] likes/fans and that is only like 3.6%. So, I guess that isn’t much of a concern to Scoot but if Scoot chooses to compensate all 10,000 contestants by offering them a $50 travel voucher each, this would cost them half a million dollars and even then, some people will probably eventually “dislike” Scoot’s Facebook Page and leave due to this bad experience. Hence, what do you think Scoot will do? Pacify all 10,000 contestants by giving them a token of appreciation or just admit their mistake, apologise, and move on without offering any forms of “compensation”? After all, Scoot is a big company and the primary purpose of a business is to make profits and minimise financial losses.
Well, my guess is that Scoot don’t really have anything much to worry about. After all, they don’t really have much to lose other than the support of a minority of disgruntled people whom spammed Scoot’s Facebook Page with vulgarities and verbal insults.
To be honest, I didn’t expect this sort of incident to happen in real life because I have only seen it happen in TV shows and movies but well, it happened to us today while we were driving along the CTE and the temperature gauge suddenly indicated that my engine was overheating.
Since it was my first time encountering an incident like this, I told Jacqueline to look up the Owner’s Manual and it indicated that we had to drive to a safe place and stop the vehicle. However, at that point in time, I was in the 2nd lane and there weren’t any safe spots to stop my vehicle and I continued driving so that I could take the nearest exit to Serangoon.
Along the way to the Serangoon exit, the temperature gauge went back to normal and minutes later, my engine went clattering. At that point in time, I was approaching a bend and was travelling at 60km/hour. Suddenly, my whole car lost control. The steering wheel became heavy, my engine stalled, and worst still, my foot brakes were not working! As a matter of fact, we were freewheeling and because the engine stalled, the engine brake could not work too. The one and only available option that I had left was my handbrake and I waited for my car to drop to a speed of 40km/hour before engaging the handbrake which caused our car to skid a little to the side. Thankfully, there weren’t any cars in front or behind of us and we managed to stop safely under a shelter by the side of the road.
A photo of our car after stopping safely under a shelter. For us to be able to stop safely and furthermore under a shelter [as it was raining] without obstructing the traffic is truly God’s magnificent grace.
We got down from the car and I opened up the hood. The engine was hot and there was a burning smell. I checked for signs of leakages but could not spot any. After letting the engine cool down for what seems like half an hour, I started the car and the burning smell came back. I could also hear some sort of gas leakage and decided that it wasn’t safe to continue driving my vehicle. Hence, we got a tow truck to tow my car to the nearest car workshop that is near my place.
Jacqueline was rather observant as she smelt a burning smell when we were driving. I dismissed it as it was raining and there were many vehicles on the road emitting carbon monoxide. When she told me that she heard that the engine was clattering, I knew I had to do something quick and that was to manoeuvre my car to the nearest safe spot.
2). Don’t take anything for granted.
Life is extremely precious and when we stopped our car safely, we reflected what could have happened had I been driving fast and had there been many vehicles travelling in front or behind of us. Through this terrifying experience, we really thank God that we are safe and sound and we truly count it a blessing to have “survive” this episode. It is also on this note that I highly encourage all of you to buy an insurance plan to protect yourself and your family.
3). Social media is powerful.
As soon as I posted a photo of our car on Instagram which was also shared on my Facebook Timeline; family members and friends started calling me to check on us and some even offered to give us a lift home. This made us realise that social media is a powerful tool if used appropriately under the right context/circumstance.
With this, we want to specially thank our Church friends, Ming Wei, Xinying, and Winnie for dropping by to give us a lift home even though it has been a long day for them. We want to thank our family members for their care and concern; Mag for offering to give us a lift; and our other friends and colleagues whom were concerned for our safety. We are really grateful and yes, we feel loved.
If you’re wondering what happened to my car, we’re still unsure yet and the mechanic would only be available tomorrow to carry out the necessary checks and repairs. For now, we’re just glad to be alive. 🙂
Safe and sound at the workshop pending for checks and repair tomorrow.
Over the last few days, the weather has been scorching hot and even the nights were not spared. I was sweating like a pig most of the time and the heat was quite unbearable. To cool off the heat, I had a bottle of Somersby Apple Cider and it was simply refreshing!
Somersby Apple Cider is made from fermented apple juice and there are no artificial sweeteners, flavours, or colourings used. To give it a crisp and fruity apple taste, only sugar, natural flavouring, and apple juice are added to Somersby Apple Cider.
Most people I know have a misconception of cider and they would usually equate it with beer and wine. However, though all three beverages [cider, beer, and wine] undergo the same process of fermentation, they are in fact quite different by itself. Ciders are actually derived by the fermentation of the juices from apples and most ciders are carbonated. Sugar and apple juice may also be added both prior and post fermentation.
In recent years, cider has experienced a dramatic renaissance and it is a very popular alternative to beer and wine, and also a natural alternative to flavoured Ready-to-Drink products. While the origin of cider isn’t clear, it was said that when the Romans arrived in England in 55 BC, they found villagers in Kent drinking a delicious cider-like beverage made from apples. For centuries, traditional village life in the apple-growing regions of Britain would revolve around farmers making their own alcoholic beverage, which was a cloudy drink they affectionately called ‘scrumpy’. In fact, the drink was a popular sweet alternative to ale and it even replaced water as a refreshing drink because it was considered healthier than the drinking water at the time. The traditional ways of cider making are still with us today and cider is still appreciated by people from all walks of life who enjoy its naturally fruity and refreshing taste.
Somersby Apple Cider is currently available at all major supermarkets and currently, NTUC Fairprice is having a promotion whereby 4X 330-ML bottles of Somersby Apple Cider will cost $14.95 instead of the usual price of $16.80
If you have never tried Somersby Apple Cider before, you have to try it because it’s uniquely juicy apple taste makes it a tasty and natural choice for some relaxing moments with your friends.
To drink the Somersby Apple Cider, you can chill the Somersby Apple Cider in the refrigerator and drink it straight from the bottle OR pour the Somersby Apple Cider over an ice-filled glass and drink it from the glass.
It was my first time to the ArtScience Museum at the Marina Bay Sands and I am really thankful for the wonderful opportunity to be there to view the two current exhibitions that are on display, The Art of the Brick and Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb.
The Art of the Brick was on display since 17 November 2012 and from what I heard, the exhibition was supposed to wrap up last month but it has been extended till 26 May 2013 due to popular demand.
The Art of the Brick is deemed as CNN’s 12 ‘Must-see Exhibitions’ and it showcases 52 large-scale LEGO sculptures by New York-based artist, Nathan Sawaya.
When I was there, I must admit that the works by Nathan Sawaya were really thought-provoking and reading the short description that accompanied each of Nathan’s work really challenged my thinking.
In this piece entitled ‘Swimmer’, Nathan used 10,980 LEGO bricks and took 15 days to create it in 2009. As you can see from the picture, the piece can only be seen above the surface and Nathan challenges viewers’ imagination to fill in the rest of the sculpture below the surface.
Inspired by the changes that takes place on his journeys, Nathan created this piece entitled ‘Yellow’ in 2006 and it is probably one of his best known piece. Nathan used 11,014 LEGO bricks to create this piece.
Nathan made use of 3,720 recycled LEGO bricks to create this piece entitled ‘Peaces’ in 2010. The description that accompanied this sculpture says, “What does it take to create Peaces? It takes many pieces. And all the colours in the world working together”.
I particularly like this piece entitled ‘Mask’ which was created in 2007 using 18,509 LEGO bricks. The description that accompanied this sculpture says, “Masks are used by just about every culture on the planet. They keep things hidden and show only the face we want others to see. I build Mask as a reflection of revealing our true selves. So often we put on a different face and then can no longer identify our own self. Mask identifies the facade we hide behind”.
There is this other piece entitled ‘Grasp’ that I also like. It was created in 2007 using 17,356 LEGO bricks and the description that accompanied this sculpture says, “No matter where your heart wants to lead you, there will be hands that try to hold you back. Life’s challenge is to find the strength to break free. I created this sculpture in response to so many people telling me ‘No’ in my life. I wanted to break free of those people”.
The highlight of the exhibition would probably be this piece entitled ‘Dinosaur Skeleton’ which was created in 2007 using 80,020 LEGO bricks. The description that accompanied this sculpture says, “This is one of the largest sculptures I have ever made. It took an entire summer to build and nearly drove me crazy trying to make it work. After seeing so many kids flock to my first solo exhibition, I wanted to give back something and create a sculpture that children would enjoy. What could be better than a dinosaur?”
After looking at all the pieces that were on display, I was truly inspired by Nathan Sawaya because his works are not only thought-provoking but it really sends a strong message that transcends our core inner being. What is shown in this blog entry is just a few of the many wonderful pieces that were on display at The Art of the Brick and really, you should check it out if you haven’t because it will only be here in Singapore till 26 May 2013.
The Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb is the latest exhibition at the ArtScience Musuem and it will be here till 4 November 2013.
At the exhibition, the secrets of the mysterious Egyptian burial practices and mummification process will be revealed in technologically-advanced detail and it pairs mummies and artifacts culled from the extensive and famed Egyptian collection of the British Museum with an innovative 3D film experience that captures the “virtual unwrapping” of the Egyptian mummy.
As I wasn’t allowed to take any photographs when I was there, I have obtained permission from a fellow writer, superadrianme.com,to use the pictures that he took when he attended the media showcase.
There’s a host of engaging and hands-on opportunities that are available to visitors of all ages and this includes an interactive Embalming Workshop that will shed light on the various steps and rituals that comprised the embalming, mummification, and cartonnage procedures of the time.
Visitors will also be able to take part in a specially-designed exhibition quest through age-appropriate activity bags containing a host of engaging activities and tools that are directly related to the artifacts on display. Among these are jigsaw puzzles, creative games, and magnifying glasses to help young Egyptologists complete various challenges.
With the use of the most advanced and cutting-edge scanning technology, details about Nesperennub’s life and death and images of him with regards to how he looked like 3,000 years ago were retrieved without opening the coffin or disturbing Nesperennub’s wrappings .
Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb will showcase more than 100 stunning artifacts and six mummies in total.
Among the other mummies on display in the exhibition is the mummy of Tjayasetimu, a singer in the temple of Amun, whom died when she was still a child, around 800 BC. Her carefully embalmed body has been enclosed in a cartonnage case representing her with the golden face of a divine being, and with her hands, feet and arms partly freed from the traditional mummy wrappings.
Unfortunately, I don’t have photos of the mummy of Tjayasetimu.
For me personally, I had an enriching time at Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb and to be able to see for myself all the Egyptian mummies and artifacts that has a history dating back to more than 3000 years ago is truly an experience that is really amazing. This is perhaps one of the rarest opportunity that I have to get a slice of Egyptian history without having to travel all the way to Egypt.
My Thought After Visiting the ArtScience Musuem:
Honestly, I really enjoyed both the exhibitions and it was truly an enriching time for me. As a matter of fact, I would highly recommend you to purchase tickets for both the exhibitions because not only is it cheaper, it provides the greatest value as well. With that being said, the prices for the souvenirs were exorbitant and as much as I wanted to buy some souvenirs for keepsake, I decided that it was not worth the money. Nevertheless, do go catch these two exhibitions because they are truly awesome.
Guided Tours
Guided tours are conducted in English and Mandarin on Saturdays and Sundays. Each guided tour takes up to 20 people and is on a first come first served basis. Stickers will be given out 5 minutes before the tour time.
The Art of the Brick
Meeting Point:
Exhibition entrance at the Upper Galleries (Level 3)
English Tours:
Saturdays, 11.30am
Sundays, 5.30pm
Additional sessions: 1 & 24 May, 2pm
Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb
Meeting Point:
Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb Galleries (Level B2) It is recommended that visitors view the 3D film before joining the tour.
English Tours:
Saturdays, 5:30pm
Sundays, 11:30am
Additional sessions: 1 & 24 May, 4pm
Mandarin Tours:
Saturdays, 3pm & 6pm
Sundays, 3pm & 6pm
Additional sessions: 24 May, 3pm & 6pm
How to Get to the ArtScience Museum at the Marina Bay Sands:
You can get there via the following modes of transportation: MRT, Bus, Taxi and Car. The nearest MRT Station would be Bayfront Station [Circle Line] and the buses which stop at Bayfront Avenue are 97, 97E, 133, 133M, 502, 518, and 106.
If you’re travelling by car, the nearest car park is the North Car Park at Marina Bay Sands and the parking rates are $6 for the 1st hour and $1 for the next subsequent 30 minutes, up to a maximum charge of $26 from 7am to 7pm.
If you are planning to drive there, I strongly suggest that you park your car at Gardens By The Bay and then take a 15-20 minutes walk over to the ArtScience Museum at the Marina Bay Sands. The parking rates for Gardens By The Bay is $0.025 per minute for the first 5 hours and $0.05 per minute thereafter from 5am to 6pm. This is way cheaper than parking your car at Marina Bay Sands.
