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Awana Genting Trip with Nuffnang [Sponsored] -Part 1 of 2

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I was with the Nuffies for a 2D1N Awana Genting Trip that was generously and graciously sponsored by Genting and the trip was really fun and extraordinary! Ok, just to make my point clear; our trip was unlike the usual Genting Trip. In fact, our Genting Trip was very much in the “wilderness” [the sort you would associate Outward Bound Singapore with].
We were told to report to Golden Mile Complex at 0630 hours and I had to wake up at 0500 hours to prepare myself! Well, it has been a long time since I’ve woken up at hours like these since my army days and so, I cabbed down and was there pretty early.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Having grabbed some light snacks from the nearby Caltex Petrol Kiosk to munch on during the trip, I met up with the Nuffies and we boarded the Five Stars Tours Coach.

Sitting beside me whilst on the way to Genting were two lovely ladies, MeiTing & Michelle! Please don’t get the wrong idea here! All of us are happily attached to our other half 🙂

We had a short stopover at Yong Peng and I got my Malaysia Mobile SIM Card here for RM$30. By the way, the Malaysia SIM Card that I got allows me to make phone calls, send SMS-es, and surf the Internet! For unlimited data access, it would cost RM$8 a day and that is relatively cheap to me because if I were to use Data Roaming via Singtel, it would cost SGD$22 per MB! What a total ripoff right?!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

That’s the mobile store that sells the Mobile SIM Card.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

I didn’t really had the mood for any heavy breakfast so I ended up walking around and seeing what snacks I could buy to munch on.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

I was rather intrigued by their Koi Fishes because they were super huge; unlike my Koi Fishes at home which are quite small in size.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012
From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

By the way, the Five Stars Tours Coach was rather comfy and offers a rather spacious leg space. I could even lean the seat all the way back as though I’m sleeping on my couch!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

The more atas [high-class] Five Stars Tours Coach even has Personal Entertainment, Videos On Demand [VOD], Massage Chair + Snoozer Seats, and even Guide Services.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Nothing much to see during the journey to Genting except trees, trees, and more trees.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Managed to wake up in time to capture this shot of Kuala Lumpur’s famous landmark, the Petronas Twin Towers!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

And after the uber long journey, we finally reached Awana Genting!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

The plot of land which Awana Genting sits on is extremely large! Getting from one point to another point can be really tiring!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

To energise us after a long journey on the coach, we were treated to a buffet lunch at the Rajawali Coffee House where a wide range of food choices were available for us to choose from.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

The dining area at Rajawali Coffee House is huge! There’s even a stage platform for occasional performances.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

I managed to capture this beautiful shot of the Golf Course from where we were seated at Rajawali Coffee House.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Feeling quite “important” and “privileged” for the day.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

The Nuffies having lunch together.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Yummy and juicy fruits that were ultra fresh!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

I had quite a healthy lunch consisting of fruits, desserts, and salad. Didn’t really have the appetite for a heavy lunch especially after the long journey.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Travelling to Sarawak Long House [our camping site] from Awana Genting’s Lobby can be quite a distance. So, we travelled on the mini buggy to get there.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

While waiting for the rest of the Nuffies to arrive via the buggy, I took the liberty to explore the surroundings and shoot some photographs.

We could either sleep in the tents or the Long House.

Thankfully, we didn’t have to build/setup the tents. It was all ready for us and there were even mattresses placed inside the tents already.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012
From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Even the logs and chairs for the campfire at night were all setup and ready when we got there. Superb!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

This is the common area of the Long House. The doors that you see are actually the doors to the respective rooms.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Ta-dah! Welcome to the sleeping area at the Long House!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

When everyone arrived at the Long House, we were given a short tour around the campsite by Zul! He is a very nice and friendly facilitator throughout our entire stay. [photo courtesy of Nuffnang]

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Welcome to the toilet.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

The toilet isn’t as bad as what most people would think. If everyone is cooperative and makes a conscientious effort to aim their pee and clean up the mess, the toilet is actually quite liveable. The only thing which probably irked everyone was the constant flying insects and etc.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

And this is the shower area. Many people would think that the showers at the campsites don’t have hot water but well, the shower does come with hot water; which I believe everyone is really thankful for!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

From where we were, we could spot the Chin Swee Temple! Further up is Resorts World Genting.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Oh, and everyone was pretty thankful that there was power points for us to charge our phones and cameras! Truly a lifesaver indeed! By the way, there are 7 power points and it is definitely not enough. So, if you are heading there anytime soon, it would be wise to bring along a super-long multi-plug!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Since I didn’t expect that there would be power points, I actually bought along my Energizer XP4001 Universal Portable Charger which allowed me to fully charge my iPhone 5 twice! So yeah, I didn’t have to compete with others for the plug. 😛

After touring around the campsite, we broke up into 4 different groups and started the programme proper.

Here’s a photo of my team [Team Duo], consisting of Peishi, Diana, Kelvin, and myself.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Doing the chicken dance as a form of warm-up!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

We started the ECO Treasure Hunt with the Tangram Puzzle and seriously, it was difficult and complex. Thankfully, my team managed to clear this and all thanks to Peishi for her brilliant mind!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

We had to decide for ourselves if time or points was more important. Obviously, the more difficult the puzzle, the more points there are; but that would also mean more time taken to complete the puzzle due to its complexity.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Having completed our first challenge, our second challenge was to locate the ECO Park and complete a physical activity. And so, when we reached the ECO Park, we found out that our second challenge was to get hooked up to the flying fox, and while flying mid-air, drop two golf balls into the hula hoops to gain points.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

The task sounds and looks pretty easy but it sure wasn’t.

Here’s Kelvin flying like a boss.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Our team managed to get two golf balls inside the hula hoops.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Following which, our third challenge was to locate the Sunrise and Sunset Complex where the Archery and Wall Climbing are situated; and shoot some arrows + climb some wall.

A photo of MeiTing’s Team at the Archery Range [photo courtesy of Nuffnang]

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

I have tried Archery a couple of times before but I only managed to hit the target only once! Darn! [photo courtesy of Nuffnang]

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

MeiTing’s team at the Wall Climbing area. [photo courtesy of Nuffnang] I really do miss rock-climbing a lot; since I was quite an active climber in the past!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Go Go Team Duo!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

We were supposed to have a go at Abseiling but due to the wet weather, it was called off. =(

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

After the ECO Treasure Hunt, we were all so famished that we could eat a cow! Boy were we glad when it was time for the BBQ Dinner at Pasir Ikan Bakar!

Seriously, the BBQ Dinner was way better than the lunch at Rajawali Coffee House and the food prepared by the Chefs were oh so yummy!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Fresh seafood waiting to be BBQ-ed!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Delicious food dishes that were prepared by the Chefs.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Oohhhh! I really missed those BBQ food! Maybe its time to head over to Chomps Chomps soon!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Yummy BBQ Dinner that was plated by one of the Nuffies! [photo courtesy of Nuffnang]

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Sweet and tempting-licious desserts treat!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Fruits, fruits and more fruits!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Group Photo during the BBQ Dinner! Machiam like attending some Wedding Banquet.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

The BBQ Dinner was so fabulous that we really ate a lot! And after dinner, we headed to the campfire area for some lighthearted games like “Passing the Balloon a-la Dare Style”, “Guess the Leader”, “Charades”, and etc.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

To kickoff the night activity, we had a group challenge where we had to eat [or literally downed] 2 sticks of Solero Split Ice-Creams and then aim and throw the Ice-Cream Sticks into a box to gain points.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Trying my very best to finish the Ice-Cream after a really heavy dinner!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

In the end, my team only managed to get 1 Ice-Cream Stick into the box.

Adiji ahdiji ah uh ah, adiji adiji zim bom ba, ah au ah, zim bom ba, rah rah rah! [The campfire certainly reminded me of my camping days in the National Cadet Corps]

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Colourful lightsticks to brighten up and cheerify the atmosphere ! [Photo courtesy of Nuffnang]

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Anyways, the weather wasn’t that good when we were there. It was raining on and off and as a result, we had to move to the Long House and continue with the rest of the night activities there. [Photo courtesy of Nuffnang]

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

The last game we had was Charades and it was really funny because we came out with some really funny moves that were totally unrelated to what we were supposed to act about!

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

Well, the game of Charades very much ended the night on a high note and the mystical feeling at the Long House was simply stunning with the mists and all. We had a light supper before heading to bed and this very much concluded day 1 of our trip to Awana Genting.

From Awana Genting with Nuffnang 2012

I will be publishing Part 2 of the 2D1N Awana Genting Trip blog entry tomorrow so stay tuned! Meanwhile, enjoy the photos and God bless! 🙂

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Bloggers’ Appreciation Dinner Hosted by Lion City Distributions @ J.K Don Cafe & Bar

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It’s 4 more days to the supposedly “End of The World” [EOTW], 8 more days to Christmas, 15 days to the New Year, and 16 days to my 1st day of work in the new year. On a side note, our current giveaway of a bottle of Moscato D’Asti by G.D. Vajra, Italy is ending in 3 days time and we’re happy to announce that Jason Koh is currently in the lead for the giveaway. +Claps Claps+.
I [Melvin] just came back from a really tiring but fruitful sponsored trip with the Nuffies at Awana Genting and I will be blogging about it soon; so do keep a lookout for that blog entry because you will discover another different side of Genting apart from the usual casino, food, and accommodation!

Anyways, we’re not sure if anyone remembered about the Gold Kili & Frezfruta Challenge that we previously embarked on but if you don’t know, worry not because you can check out our Blog entry about it via the following link: https://awinsomelife.org/2012/11/15/lion-citys-bloggers-challenge-medzs-millenia-walk/

Since the Bloggers’ Challenge has officially ended, Lion City Distributions hosted an appreciation dinner at J.K Don Cafe & Bar for all the Bloggers whom were involved and it was a fabulous evening indeed.

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

J.K Don currently has two outlets in Singapore, one at Shaw Tower and the other one at Telok Kurau. Both their outlets serve Japanese and Korean cuisine.

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

J.K Don Cafe & Bar at Telok Kurau has a cosy alfresco dining area where you can just chill and catch up with your colleagues/friends over some drinks and snacks. They even screen live soccer matches too!

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

If you’re not into soccer, you can also have some fun with the in-house board games that J.K Don Cafe & Bar provides.

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

A picture of the prizes and souvenirs that Lion City Distributions generously gave away to all the Bloggers.

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

Baby took a photo of me interacting with Mr. Tan [Director of Lion City Distributions] before the dinner.

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

Here are photos of the sumptuous & awesome food that we had for the evening!

Salmon Sashimi with California Maki and Unagi Sushi

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

Chawanmushi [my favourite!]

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

Tempura Prawns

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

Spicy Egg Soup with Straw Mushrooms

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

Chicken and Beef Bulgogi Set with Rice and Salad

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

After the extremely filling dinner, Ms. Audrey Ho [General Manager of Lion City Distributions] announced the results of the Bloggers’ Challenge.

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

and the Grand Winner of the Bloggers’ Challenge is none other than Celestial Delish! +Claps Claps+. The gentleman whom presented the prize was the owner of Sin Sin [remember the Sin Sin Kaya that comes in a metal tin that we always eat for breakfast?]

From LionCity Appreciation Dinner 2012

The dinner ended with a blast and we really want to thank Lion City Distributions for the fantastic dinner that we had and the kind invitation to participate in their Blogger’s Challenge. Celestial Delish really deserves the grand prize because she came out with quite a number of recipes using Gold Kili‘s Coffee and Frezfruta Jams as ingredients!

Just check out one of Celestia Delish‘s creation using Frezfruta’s Apple Blueberry Jam via the following link:
http://www.celestialdelish.com/2012/09/apple-blueberry-milk-tea-cake.html

Also, I guess that by now almost everyone would have heard of the Gold Kili and Frezfruta’s Hello Kitty Promotional Packs that are selling at all NTUC FairPrice, FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra, Sheng Shiong and Prime. If you haven’t heard, check out the following link: https://awinsomelife.org/2012/12/12/shoutout-to-all-you-hello-kitty-fans-out-there/

Now that you know about the Hello Kitty Promotional Packs, we have a piece of good news to share with you all. We currently have one Hello Kitty Promotional Pack to be given away to one very lucky winner.

From Gold Kili & Frezfruta HK Promo Pack 2012

All you have to do is just follow the instructions via the following link: https://awinsomelife.org/current-blog-giveaway/

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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Seoul Garden Hotpot at Cineleisure

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Baby and I were dining at Seoul Garden Hotpot at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard a few weeks back and we reckoned that we should write something about it since everyone else is so familiar with Seoul Garden for its Korean-styled cuisine in a buffet-styled format.
In case you’re wondering, Seoul Garden Hotpot is opened by the very people whom started Seoul Garden and Breeks Cafe and it is currently available at 2 locations; HarbourFront Centre and Cathay Cineleisure Orchard.

From Seoul Garden Hotpot 2012

Seoul Garden Hotpot offers an array of authentic Korean dishes like Bibim Baps, HotPot and Jjiage Sets; and Students can rejoice because Seoul Garden Hotpot offers Student Meal that cost from $6.90++!

From Seoul Garden Hotpot 2012

While we were looking through their menu…

From Seoul Garden Hotpot 2012

We noticed that Seoul Garden Hotpot also has this promotion that runs from Monday to Thursday, 12pm to 4pm. Pretty redundant unless you’re having lunch or planning to have hi-tea there.

From Seoul Garden Hotpot 2012

So having decided what we wanted to eat, here’s what we ordered:

Seafood Hotpot [SGD $11.90++]

From Seoul Garden Hotpot 2012

Our Opinion: The Seafood Hotpot is one of their Chef’s Recommendations and we personally find the quality of the soup base to be sub-standard. We kinda expect it to be a little bit more spicy and flavourful but well, or maybe it’s just the way the taste should be. The amount of seafood in the hotpot was rather countable with one hand and they had more vegetables like mushrooms and cucumbers in the soup rather than seafood.

Bulggogi Chicken Bap [SGD $10.90++]

From Seoul Garden Hotpot 2012

Our Opinion: The Bulggogi Chicken Bap was also listed as one of the Chef’s Recommendations and it was fabulous. The chicken was of the right texture and it was very flavourful. The taste is authentic and we will definitely recommend it.

Peach & Mango Tea [SGD $3.50++ each]

From Seoul Garden Hotpot 2012

Our Opinion: The presentation of the drinks were above expectations and the taste was there. We will try the rest of the beverages the next time we visit.

The total cost of our meal amounted to SGD $35.07 and cost about SGD $17.54 per person. Value for money? Probably not; considering the portion was a little less than expectations. Will we go back and dine at Seoul Garden Hotpot? Probably; because there are a couple of other dishes that we really want to try. Other than the food and beverage, the service was tip-top and while we don’t exactly remember the name of the service staff that served us, we were pretty satisfied with the service process.

You can check out their full menu via the following link:
http://www.seoulgarden.com.sg/sites/default/files/hotpot-menu-hf.pdf

So if you’re wondering where to get that Bibim Bap or Hotpot that you’ve been craving for, head on over to Seoul Garden Hotpot!

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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Tring Tring! Hello Hello!

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No, I am not making a phone call nor am I receiving a phone call but this blog entry definitely has got something to do with the phone.
I’m not sure if anyone has heard of this but 313@Somerset recently launched the first mall-branded, location-based, mobile app known as Tring 313 and with this app, you can receive information such as current promotions that the stores at 313@Somerset are having and also the latest events happening at 313@Somerset.

From Tring 313 2012

In case you’re wondering, Tring 313 is only available on the Apple App Store and there are plans in the pipelines to develop an Android version of the App.

So how does Tring 313 works?

Well, Tring 313 is designed to send push notifications to shoppers within a 500 metres proximity of the mall and shoppers can choose to “follow” selected brands in 313@Somerset which will allow them to receive notifications of the brands’ promotions even when they are outside the defined proximity.

In conjunction with the kickoff of Tring 313; Forever 21, HMV, and Malones Irish Restaurant & Bar are having exclusive offers where shoppers can download the coupons via the Tring 313 app and redeem it by presenting the coupons at the respective retail stores.

From Tring 313 2012

Some of the interesting exclusive offers are as follows:

•High street fashion brand Forever 21 is featuring exclusive offers till 31 Dec 2012! 10% off all shoes and a Lip Gloss Bundle Buy going for 3 at $7 (U.P. $9).

•HMV allows music lovers to save $3 with every $25 spent from 29 Nov – 31 Dec. Alongside this, free exclusive HMV mobile phone screen cleaners are also up for grabs without any minimum spending! Shoppers only need to present the coupon for redemption.

•Wine and dine at Malones Irish Restaurant & Bar – from 29 Nov – 31 Dec, shoppers will be able to enjoy any 2 full pint Archipelago beers at $18++ (U.P. $28).

What We Think of the App:

As we frequently shop online and offline, we personally feel that more could be done to improve the app. In fact, only selected brands are listed in the app and not all brands/stores are included; thus, posing somewhat of a limitation. Some of the paid coupons do not really appeal to us either. With that being said, there really are rooms for improvement. Some of the improvements could be having more brands/stores listed, have a loyalty programme where shoppers can “check-in” to the brand/store and gain points which they could use to redeem for vouchers, or even better still, have a feature where shoppers can take a snapshot of their receipts and from there, convert their spending into points which they can use to redeem for goodies at the Information/Concierge Desk.

The Difference Between Transactional Coupon and Non-Transactional Coupon

From Tring 313 2012

All isn’t that bad though. The current exclusive offers by Forever 21, HMV, and Malones Irish Restaurant & Bar are worth checking out and if you happen to frequent Orchard/Town, do download the Tring 313 app and see if you could find any other exclusive offers!

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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Lion City’s Bloggers Challenge @ MEDZS, Millenia Walk

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Thanks to Faith from Brand Cellar and also Lion City Distributions Private Limited, we [both Baby and I] were invited to a blogger challenge that kicked off at MEDZS [a restaurant that serves Mediterranean cuisine].
What’s The Bloggers Challenge About?
Essentially, both Baby and I are to be extremely creative with how we are going to share some information about Gold Kili and Frezfruta Products with all you readers. This challenge would last for 14 days which would be till 23 November 2013 and hence, we are left with 8 more days to spread the good news about Gold Kili and Frezfruta Products.

Well, in this blog entry, we will be sharing with you about the fantastic dinner we had at MEDZS and also a little bit about Gold Kili and Frezfruta Products. In fact, we will elaborate more about Gold Kili and Frezfruta Products in our next few upcoming blog entries. Also, do check out some photos of Gold Kili and Frezfruta Products that we uploaded to Instagram as well.

So, when we arrived at MEDZS, we were given a “mystery bag” which contained the various Gold Kili and Frezfruta Products.

From Lion City Bloggers’ Challenge 2012

Well, in the mystery bag that was given to us, we took out two Gold Kili Products which we believe are all-time local favourites; the Instant Double Shot White Coffee and the Kopi-O Kosong. And you know the coffee you drink in almost every Kopitiam? Well, some of them uses the Gold Kili brand and we will elaborate more on this in our next blog entry.

From Lion City Bloggers’ Challenge 2012

Meanwhile, here’s what we had for dinner last Friday night.

From Lion City Bloggers’ Challenge 2012

Morning Glory Mocktail– certainly reminded me of my time at Shatec Institutes where we constantly have to memorise the concoctions for the different mocktails and cocktails for our bar showmanship test.

From Lion City Bloggers’ Challenge 2012

Posing with the Morning Glory Mocktail in hand. 😛

From Lion City Bloggers’ Challenge 2012

For Appetisers, Home-made Cured Salmon Bruschetta with Pesto

From Lion City Bloggers’ Challenge 2012

& also the Spanish Omelette “Tortilla” with Aloli Dip were served

From Lion City Bloggers’ Challenge 2012

For Mains, there was the Braised Cook Chicken Paella with Chorizo and Saffron,

From Lion City Bloggers’ Challenge 2012

the Charcoal Grilled Baby Sea Bream with Aubergine Gratin, Mashed Potato, and Watercress Salad,

From Lion City Bloggers’ Challenge 2012

& also the Moroccan Beef and Caramelized Apple Stew Tajine with Couscous

From Lion City Bloggers’ Challenge 2012

Well, it was our first time trying out Mediterranean Cuisine and to be honest, for us to do a review about the food that we had at MEDZS wouldn’t be fair till we had a taste of other Mediterranean food from other Mediterranean restaurants. Nevertheless, we find the quality of the food to be ok, and the presentation of the food to be above average. The restaurant also has an Al Fresco dining area which really provided a pretty cool chill-out ambience.

The best part is, MEDZS has 100 over different types/kinds of beers from all over the world! Now, that is something to rave about!

From Lion City Bloggers’ Challenge 2012

Anyhows, we ended the night on a high note and we really would hope to bring you more updates about Gold Kili and Frezfruta Products soon!

From Lion City Bloggers’ Challenge 2012

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony @ Baci Italian Cafe, 112 Katong

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Thanks to Mileage and Chaswood Resources Holdings Limited, I was recently invited to attend the Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony at Baci Italian Cafe and for those of you whom are familiar with the Korean pop-culture, you would definitely have heard of Bulgogi Brothers.

From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012

For those of you whom have never heard of Bulgogi Brothers, Bulgogi Brothers is a Korean casual dining restaurant in Korea known for its signature traditional Korean dish, Bulgogi or “fire meat”.

The first Bulgogi Brothers restaurant opened in Gangnam District, south of Seoul in 2006 and yes, the 2012 K-pop song “Gangnam Style” by Psy was inspired by the Gangnam District. Today, Bulgogi Brothers has more than 30 outlets in South Korea, 1 in Canada, 4 in Philippines, and 3 in Malaysia!

Before the commencement of the signing ceremony, I was going around snapping photographs of Baci Italian Cafe because I really like the cosy and classic ambience.

From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012
From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012

Here are photographs of the dining area at Baci Italian Cafe. Baci Italian Cafe can cater to large group gatherings and it is especially ideal if you’re looking for a place to just chill out and relax with your friends, albeit slightly pricey for Students.

From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012
From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012

Baci Italian Cafe‘s Beverage Preparation Area

From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012

During the Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony, I found out that Baci Italian Cafe is own by Chaswood Resources Holding Limited and not only that, they [Chaswood Resources Holding Limited] also owns other brands such as Malones Irish Restaurant & Bar [313@Somerset] and T.G.I. Friday’s [previously at Heeren’s now at 112 Katong].

Anyhows, for those of you whom are looking forward to a Bulgogi Brothers outlet in Singapore, there are plans in the pipelines and we might see a Bulgogi Brothers in Singapore sometime in the near future. For now, if you’re planning to dine at Bulgogi Brothers, the nearest outlet is in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012

The signing of the License Agreement by ET and Zeus Incorporation to allow Chaswood Resources Holdings Limited the exclusive rights to develop and operate Bulgogi Brothers in Vietnam and various cities and provinces in China.

From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012

After the signing ceremony, all guests were treated to a simple reception and here’s what I had for the day.

From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012

Mini Sandwiches- Juna Panini & Romano Chicken Panini

From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012

There was also the Sicilian Pizza & Vegetarian Pizza

From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012

They served canapes during the event too.

From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012

Yummy Desserts

From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012

Well, if you want to find out more about what Baci Italian Cafe has on their menu, head down to 112 Katong or you can check out their website too! 🙂

From Bulgogi Brothers Signing Ceremony 2012

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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Shin Yeh Taiwanese Restaurant @ 19 Liang Seah Street [Liang Court]

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After 3 long tiring days of shifting things from the old house to the new house, we finally have some time to blog about Shin Yeh Taiwanese Restaurant [which by the way, is a blog entry that is long overdue].

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

Truthfully, as we go about blogging this entry, we really do miss Taiwan alot! Ever since Baby and I returned from Taiwan, we really had severe withdrawal symptoms. We really miss walking & shopping at the night markets till 1-2am in the morning and we also miss the glorious food there!

Since we were craving for Taiwanese food for such a long time and as we were also on the lookout for suitable wedding venues, we decided to check out Shin Yeh [a restaurant that serves Authentic Taiwanese Cuisine @ Liang Court].

The outlook/exterior of Shin Yeh is rather simple and has a clean zen look to it.

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

Here’s the bar/cashier counter and the hostess stand.

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

As we mentioned, we were also on the lookout for wedding venues and Shin Yeh was shortlisted on our list. However, we found the venue to be unsuitable because there were pillars. But if you’re looking to host a business meeting or a private family gathering, there are private rooms available and they vary in sizes.

Nevertheless, we had an enjoyable time dining there and here were the food dishes that we ordered.

Appetizer [some soured pickles]

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

We also ordered a pot of Taiwan Tea that cost us $12 [rather expensive but totally worth it]

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

Baby trying to find the best angle to take a shot of the tea pot.

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

We also ordered their Soup of the Day [Pork Ribs] which cost us $8.00

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012
From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

Lu Rou Fan [a.k.a Steamed Rice with Minced Meat] in Taiwan is extremely popular and we just couldn’t get enough of it [though we have to admit that Shin Yeh‘s Lu Rou Fan cannot match up to Taiwan’s].

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

For side dishes, we ordered their….

Golden Calamari Rings [$16.00]

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

Prawn Roll with Yam [$4.00]

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

and Braised Beancurd with Mushrooms [$12.00]

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

Just when we thought our rather satisfying and filling dinner was over, the service staffs surprised us with a complimentary serving of Glutinous Rice Ball [a.k.a Muah Chee].

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

Here comes the moment of truth!.

From Shin Yeh Restaurant 2012

Although the quality of the food was really superb and they tasted quite close to the food we had in Taiwan, we honestly felt that it was way too pricey. In fact, great tasting food in Taiwan didn’t cost us that much when we were there.

Nonetheless, if you’re into fine dining and you’re looking for a suitable venue for a formal occasion [like business meetings or family gatherings], you might want to consider Shin Yeh because both the food and service are tip-top! 🙂

Stay tuned to more updates from us.

God bless!

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Peperoni Pizzeria- the Place for XXL Pizzas

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It has been quite a long while since we last did a blog entry about food & beverage and I guess it’s about time that we do it! To be honest, we have about 5 blog entries that are currently on backlog and we will do our best to upload the contents the soonest we can.
Anyhows, since this is going to be quite a casual blog entry, I will attempt to answer some of the queries that I’ve received and also share a bit more about what’s been happening in my personal life.

As I will be shifting to my new place next week, I’m currently in the midst of packing up my belongings. Also, having launched an errands running service a few weeks back, I have also completed a few assignments that were given to me by my clients. For more details about the errands running service that I am providing, you can check out the following link: https://awinsomelife.org/2012/10/18/errandsrunning/

Since Christmas is coming soon, we’re currently having some projects in the pipelines as well, so do stay tuned to it. Another piece of exciting news is this, we’re turning 1 and we’re planning to conduct a major giveaway in the coming month of December! So spread the word, be merry, and end the year well! In fact, I have already received my early Christmas presents from Baby and I will be blogging about it soooonnnn!

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

Last but not the least, I want to thank God for the many wonderful opportunities that he has given to me. Despite it being a really tough year and having to manage National Service, Studies, and Blogging; I am glad that I have persevered and made it through. Having been awarded 2nd Class Lower Honours by Northumbria University, I am really happy that my hardwork and efforts have paid off and yes, it pays to work hard. So, what will I be doing now that I’ve completed my studies? Well, I will be joining the education sector and after a few years; I perhaps might start my own business with Baby.

Then again, there are many things to think about and for now, the most important right now for the both of us is to work hard, earn enough money and save up for our wedding and flat!

Well, so much about us. Now, it’s time for us to share about our really awesome XXL dining experience at Peperoni Pizzeria.

From Peperoni Pizza 2012
From Peperoni Pizza 2012

I have heard about Peperoni Pizzeria from Baby for quite some time but I haven’t had the opportunity to try it until recently.

Established in 2004, Peperoni Pizzeria is part of the award-winning Les Amis Group.

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

Peperoni Pizzeria has 4 outlets in 4 different locations such as Greenwood Avenue, Binjai Park, Frankel Avenue, and Zion Road. The outlet that we went to was situated in Frankel Avenue.

Their operating hours are as follows:
Mondays to Saturdays: 12pm to 10.30pm
Sundays: 11am to 10.30pm

Besides Pizzas, Peperoni Pizzeria offers an extensive range of Italian food consisting of pastas, soups, side-dishes, and desserts!

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

I personally like Peperoni Pizzeria‘s interior decorations and furnishings. Vintage, retro, but also elegant!

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

Their Pizza menu is also rather extensive and yes, you see it right, ALL PRICES ARE NETT!

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

And no, they don’t charge for ice water.

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

So while waiting for our orders to arrive, we took some photos of ourselves.

From Peperoni Pizza 2012
From Peperoni Pizza 2012

and when our orders arrived, we were so elated!

We ordered the…

Spaghetti Carbonara

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

Deep Fried Chicken Wings

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

and the XXL Suprema/Capricciosa Pizza!

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

We just couldn’t resist taking a photo with the XXL Pizza and seriously, the XXL Pizza can feed up 4 to 6 persons!

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

By the way, Peperoni Pizzeria uses special gas fired ovens that are supplemented by the flames from specially imported flavoured wood chips. These specially imported flavoured wood chips give Peperoni Pizzeria‘s Pizzas a rather unique flavour and taste in every bite.

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

An overview of the food preparation area where you can see how pizzas are being made in-house.

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

Well, having tried Peperoni Pizzeria‘s Pizza, I must say, they are really excellent and superbly tasty! We will definitely return to Peperoni Pizzeria because not only is the service good, but the quality of the food is outstanding as well. The best part is, the price is right!

And in case you’re wondering, yes, Peperoni Pizzeria does provide home delivery service too; except that they are unable to deliver the XXL Pizza.

From Peperoni Pizza 2012

So if you’re craving for some pizzas right now [especially in this cold rainy season], why not head down to Peperoni Pizzeria or call for Peperoni Pizzeria‘s home delivery? In fact, you can even order online via the following link: http://orders.peperoni.com.sg/

Currently, if you are placing an order via Peperoni Pizzeria’s Website, you will receive a 10% discount! What’s more, they will waive the additional $4 weekend surcharge if you choose your order to be delivered to you during the following timings:

3pm-6.30pm and 9.30pm-11pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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Miramar Entertainment Park + Five Dime Restaurant @ Taipei, Taiwan

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Continuing from where we last left off in the previous blog entry about our stay at Mulan Motel, we will be covering about the Miramar Entertainment Park and the Five Dime Restaurant @ Taipei, Taiwan in this blog entry.
The Miramar Entertainment Park is a shopping mall that is situated in the Zhongshan District of Taipei, Taiwan. The nearest MRT Station is Jiannan Road Station and it is located just next to the Miramar Entertainment Park.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

On the roof of Miramar Entertainment Park is a 70-metre tall Ferris wheel; the second tallest in Taiwan, and the building and wheel have a total overall height of 100 metres.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Frankly speaking, there really isn’t anything much to shop at Miramar Entertainment Park. In fact, we found the products to be quite pricey and the retails shops there mostly cater to upscale customers. The one and only reason why we were there was to take a ride on the ferris wheel.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

A standard adult ticket will normally cost $150 TWD [approx. $6.37 SGD].

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Our tickets came together with a Haagen Dazs $50 TWD discount voucher.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

There are two different types of carriages that you can board, one which is entirely transparent and the other which is the normal one. However, the waiting time for the transparent carriage will take quite a while as compared to the normal one.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

So here we are onboard the ferris wheel!

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Here are some photos of the wonderful views that we saw from the ferris wheel.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

After admiring the breathtaking views from the ferris wheel, we adjourned to the Five Dime Restaurant [which was nearby] that my mum personally recommended to us.

This is how the external facade of Five Dime Restaurant looks like.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

From the external facade, you can tell that Five Dime Restaurant is quite a unique dining place. However, when we arrived there, the interior decorations of Five Dime Restaurant was even more quirky.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Here’s the entrance to Five Dime Restaurant.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

And here is how the interior of Five Dime Restaurant looks like.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Even the furnishings and decorations are uniquely designed.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

They even have a water feature in the restaurant!

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Their restrooms are also designed in a rather peculiar way.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

There are a wide variety of food choices to choose from and we were so spoilt for choices. By the way, Five Dime Restaurant serves authentic Taiwanese cuisine.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

After having our order placed, tea was served and we waited for our food to arrive.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Here are photos of the food that we ordered.

Fried Mushrooms Coated with Salted Egg Paste

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Fried Rice

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Crispy Chicken with Spicy Sauce

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

The food portion at Five Dime Restaurant are pretty huge and even the both of us couldn’t finish what we ordered. Nevertheless, the quality of the food is superb and the price was quite similar to the average restaurants in Singapore. Not only that, Five Dime Restaurant is even featured on Tripadvisor‘s website. Overall, we found Five Dime Restaurant to be quite a unique dining place and it is one restaurant you must visit at least once in your lifetime.

Here’s a parting shot at Five Dime Restaurant.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

In our next blog entry about our Taiwan Holiday Trip, we will be covering the Raohe Night Market, the Vogue Star Serviced Apartment, and many other interesting sights we saw in Taipei, Taiwan.

Stay tuned to more updates from us.

God bless!

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SAFRA Toa Payoh Openhouse 2012

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After more than 2 long years of renovation, SAFRA Toa Payoh is now finally back in operations and they are having an Openhouse till 28 October 2012 [Sunday]!
Thanks to omy Blog Club and SAFRA, we were invited to attend SAFRA Toa Payoh‘s Openhouse and man, it was a blast! In fact, Baby and I will be heading to the Openhouse again later in the day and if you’re interested to come along, do let me know 🙂

Well, Baby and I drove to SAFRA Toa Payoh yesterday and the place was just bustling with so much activities.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

The very first thing that caught our eyes was the McDonald’s Drive-Thru! Finally, we need not head all the way down to Ang Mo Kio Park McDonald’s Drive-Thru because there is one that is now available at SAFRA Toa Payoh! So, if you’re in need of a fix for a McDonald’s craving, you will be more than glad to know that you can head down to SAFRA Toa Payoh‘s McDonald’s Drive-Thru!

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012
From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

So after having parked my car, we went to Lift Lobby B, took the elevator up to Level 2 for registration and checked out what the programmes and activities for the day were. It sure looked like we were in for a busy day ahead.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

Here I was at the registration counter to collect my goodie bag and if you’re a SAFRA Principle Card Member, you can redeem a free goodie bag too!

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012
From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

Having completed the registration, Baby and I were free to roam around SAFRA Toa Payoh until 4pm as we had signed up for a Zorball Challenge [Couples Category] that took place at 4.30pm.

So, maybe let’s start with what you can eat at SAFRA Toa Payoh [since we Singaporeans are food-lovers].

Besides McDonald’s, there’s Toast Box, Tim Palace [a Chinese restaurant], Kkongdon Barbecue [a Korean restaurant], Restaurant Hoshigaoka [a Japanese restaurant], New Zealand Natural [an Ice-Cream Palour], and Astons Specialities [a Western restaurant]. With so many different types of food and cuisines to choose from, you will definitely be spoilt for choices. By the way, SAFRA members can earn points and get dining discounts when they dine at any of these restaurants and even then, if you’re a Student [it’s really good to be a Student, trust me], you can get special dining discounts!

Tim Palace serves Chinese food and they have a huge pillar-less dining hall with beautiful chandeliers that can fit about 50 tables or even more. So, if you’re looking for a venue to hold functions, whether its personal or corporate, you can consider this place. And oh, they serve Dim Sum too.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012
From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

Kkongdon Barbecue serves Korean barbecue food and looking at their menu, it was simply attractive! Baby and I will definitely want to dine at this restaurant one fine day. In case you’re wondering what Kkongdon Barbecue serves and what a fellow blogger, Miss Tam Chiak, thinks about Kkongdon Barbecue, check out her blog entry about Kkongdon Barbecue!

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

We personally haven’t tried Restaurant Hoshigaoka and it would be good for Baby and I to dine there one find day too! And oh, if you’re a Student, there’s fantastic dining discounts just for you too; just remember to bring along your Student Pass.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

New Zealand Natural serves ice-cream and I really love their ice-cream because they contain no preservatives and they are low in fat! But that shouldn’t be a reason to have more than 3 scoops of ice-cream if you’re on a diet. Nevertheless, besides the usual ice-cream, New Zealand Natural also serves gourmet sandwiches and waffles too.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

Astons Specialities is a common brand name to everyone and we reckoned that most of you would have dined there at least once in your lifetime. If not, you really ought to try their Chargrill Chicken because it is really awesome. So, instead of heading down to Ang Mo Kio’s Astons, we can now have Astons at SAFRA Toa Payoh!

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

What goes in must come out right? So, after lots of sinful eating, we ought to exercise a fair bit and SAFRA Toa Payoh gives you the opportunity to do so because they have tons of sports facilities that you can utilise.

There’s the Gym which has extremely new equipment and currently, they are having an attractive gym membership promotion for those of you who have ORD-ed with effect from 28 April 2012; for 24 months of gym membership, membership rate will cost you only $250! That is about $10.42 a month and yes, you can hit the gym anytime you want.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

There is also the swimming pool available for those of you whom prefers a less intensive workout.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

By the way, we found the competition pool quite amusing. From the carpark at the basement, you can literally see through the swimming pool.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

If you’re into squash, there’s also squash courts as well.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

Now, things are starting to get a little serious and here is why.

There is a bowling alley at SAFRA Toa Payoh!!!

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

Honestly, I think a lot of people will frequent the Superbowl at SAFRA Toa Payoh because of its convenient location and its very very affordable rates.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012
From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012
From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

Here’s the bowling rates for a game at Superbowl.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

There’s also a chillout area at Superbowl.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

So, I really wanted to have a game but we didn’t have enough time.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

We moved on to the next facility which is personally my favourite! The Lagoon Billiard Room!

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

Here are the rates of the Lagoon Billiard Room.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

Presenting to you Singapore’s first billiard/snooker tournament hall with seating gallery!

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

There is also a free handphone charging station available for you to charge your phone while you play your game.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

Check out the comfy seats and there’s even a board for you to record your scores.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

There’s also a chillout area where you can buy some snacks and drinks while you are having your game.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

Honestly, this is perhaps one of the most modern, state-of-the-art, billiard/snooker place that I have ever come across. The tables are well-maintained and the service is tip top. So, if you’re looking for a really nice place to chill out, this is the place to go!

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

There are also many other activities that are available at SAFRA Toa Payoh. From what I know, the Karaoke room at SAFRA Toa Payoh is still under construction.

Do check out their bulletin board for more information about upcoming workshops or courses that you can participate in!

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

SAFRA Toa Payoh is a really family-friendly place. There are many children facilities as well and you can even enrol your child for tuition lessons, music lessons, holiday camps so on and so forth.

One Learning Space‘s the place for workshops and classes.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

Medley‘s the place for music lessons.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

There is also a huge play area for children. [I honestly enjoy such play areas when I was a kid]

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

There is also a dance studio for dance classes [They converted the place for Art and Craft Workshop temporarily for the Openhouse].

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012
From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

It was time for our Zorball Challenge [Couples Category] and seriously, it looks easy but it sure is not.

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

And yes, Baby and I emerged second in the Zorball Challenge [Couples Category]. For that, we won a buffet dinner for 2 at Swissotel! Totally awesome!

From SAFRA Toa Payoh Open House 2012

It was really a fun and tiring day for both Baby and I and if you are not a SAFRA member yet, do go and sign up because there are really many perks and benefits that you can get to enjoy!

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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