the music run by aia Archives

It has been an exciting and exhilarating week so far and I am really glad that in 5 days’ time, I will be taking a long break away from work because I have been away from home almost every week.
Just yesterday, Jacqueline and I were at The Music Run by AIA and this year’s edition saw a vast improvement as compared to last year’s! The fringe activities along the running route were very engaging and while I’m not the sort of runner who will stop to take pictures, I was really glad that there was sufficient space that catered to both the walkers and the runners.

The entertainment likewise was superb and we had lots of fun swaying to the beats and tunes of The Sam Willows and DJ Sam Withers. Despite it being my first 5k run for the year, I was really pleased with the fact that I completed the whole run in 34 minutes without any formal training. The Music Run is definitely a good start to my two other upcoming runs that I will be participating in.

As mentioned, I will be flying off in 5 days’ time and for my coming trip, I will be heading to Taiwan with Jacqueline. We will be taking a direct flight to Kaoshiung via Scoot and then we will be returning to Singapore from Taipei via Jet Star. It has been quite a long while since our last visit to Taiwan and this time round, we will be heading to Kenting, Kaoshiung, and then northwards to Taipei.

As usual, we will often compare prices for our accommodation and boy were we glad that we chanced upon HotelsCombined because it has helped us to find the best accommodation deals in seconds! In case you’re mistaken, HotelsCombined is not a booking site but a research tool that helps travellers make the right accommodation decisions.

Their leading price comparison technology allows travellers to easily find the best price online from all the top travel sites (like Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, etc) plus many other credible sites you’ve probably never hear of too (like Amoma, Hotelopia, Skoosh, etc).

With HotelsCombined app, travellers can now have the convenience of being able to always find the best deal in seconds without having to install so many apps to compare deals one-by-one.

Since Mothers’ Day is also round the corner in about two weeks time, I’m pretty sure many people are making plans to spend quality time with their family and if you’re thinking of bringing the whole family for a classic dim sum dining experience that won’t burn a big hole in your pocket, you might want to consider making a reservation at Yum Cha Restaurant.

My family always frequent the outlet at Serangoon Gardens Country Club but unfortunately, the Yum Cha Restaurant there is no longer in operation and the only available outlets are the ones located at Chinatown and Changi Business Park. For Mothers’ Day this year, Yum Cha Restaurant is launching 3 special items that seeks to re-create the long-lost taste of traditional Chinese dishes that mothers and grandmothers would remember with nostalgia of their hometowns.

The three special items are the Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables, the Pan-fried Salted Fish Bun, and the Almond Tarts.

Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables

A notable classic Chinese dish, this delicious bun which was easily carried around in the past, was eaten for days while our ancestors were fleeing the war in China before settling down in different parts of Asia. Quality tender pork belly is braised in a secret recipe sauce for hours to create a sweet and succulent taste that is balanced by a soft steamed bun.

Pan-fried Salted Fish Bun

A traditional Chinese dish originating from the Guangdong province, this salted fish bun used to be a favourite of Emperor Kang Xi of the Qing Dynasty. The bottom of the bun is seared to golden brown, with a flavourful filling made from salted fish paste and minced meat. To enhance its flavour, a secret seasoning is added for a more savory experience.

Almond Tart

The classic Almond Tart has a soft and flaky texture. Served warm, its sweet taste will definitely bring back fond memories of the old days in Hong Kong.

How will you celebrate Mothers’ Day?

That’s all from us for now and it sure looks like the coming month of May is going to be quite an exciting one too!

Just last weekend, Jacqueline and I participated in The Music Run by AIA and I must say, it was quite a disappointing experience for us. Even then, over 9000 race participants ran, danced, and partied to the beat of their favourite songs at the first Singapore edition of the The Music Run by AIA at Sentosa.

Image Credits to The Music Run Facebook Page

About The Music Run by AIA

Presenting sponsor AIA, The Real Life Company, has brought this event to three countries across Asia, bringing fun into fitness for everyone as part of its effort to promote healthy living for all members of the family.

Image Credits to The Music Run Facebook Page

The Music Run is one of the fastest growing events of its kind globally; a future focused, interactive, and non-competitive 5KM fun run that puts music at its heart. Offering a unique total music immersion experience amplified by over 150 concert quality speakers lining the entire route, the concept has been making waves in Asia with sell-out crowds in cities like Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bangkok, Yangon, and now Singapore.

Our Personal Opinions and Thoughts about The Music Run by AIA

To be honest, The Music Run by AIA should just be called “The Music Walk” and The Music Runners, “The Music Walkers”.

Just to set the record straight, I have been to a couple of other fun runs [like the Hello Kitty Run and The Color Run Singapore] which has seen a much larger turnout and they have given me a positive running experience but not so for The Music Run by AIA.

Throughout the entire 5KM [4.85KM to be exact], the “Music Walkers” were all walking in big groups; it is as if they own the whole stretch of running path and what made the run even less enjoyable was the fact that the running path was narrow and heavily congested with human traffic.

While I do appreciate the organisers’ attempt to make The Music Run by AIA interesting and exciting, the run is nothing more than just having some speakers [blasting loud music] placed alongside the running route and I personally felt that there wasn’t much of an immersive experience as claimed by the organisers. In fact, if I may be upfront; it would have been better for me to just plug in my Plantronics BackBeat Go 2 Bluetooth Earphones and run the 5KM route instead.

Notwithstanding this, I sincerely believe that a fun run should be a fun run and definitely not a fun walk. To me, a fun run is one where runners [whether individuals or groups] will enjoy running and the running experience that comes along with it. Sadly, The Music Run by AIA failed in this aspect and I do hope that they will improve on the running experience should they continue next year.

On hindsight, one plus point about The Music Run by AIA is probably the post-race after-party.

Image Credits to The Music Run Facebook Page