Relaxing at Kbox

Busy Busy Busy!!

Yes, it's been a horrendous busy week and i am glad the last important event in my to-do-list is finally cleared!!!

I shall start to pull my hair again end of this year!

Being Cavin who has always craved for a stress-less life that is more than impossible in the contemporary and technological age we live in, it was suggested by the dear sister (elder) to go for a karaoke session!

It's been more than a year since i last visited a karaoke joint and boy did i enjoy singing my heart out with no regards to the horrible, creaky, out-of-tone voice coming out of the speakers!

Additional entertainment by the forever younger looking elder sister with her random, nonsensical dancing!

The above bugger was forever on her feet when she's singing!! With bloody heels!! If it's me, i will have thrown aside the shoes and sing with naked feet!

Loved the savory tidbits too!! At a compulsory two dishes at S$7.00 each, i expected it to be refillable and they were!! I could have bought loads of prawn chips, onions crisps and many others at S$14.00 lor!

Total cost was over S$70 with 4 hours of singing, 3 persons and 2 free drinks each, two dishes of tidbits, copyright charge, GST and service charge!

Next time we shall go for K Lunch.

More worth it!!!

This will be the last post i made.

Before i shave my head "botak" tomorrow!!

ARGH!!!!

Sheng Kee Hainanese Chicken (盛记海南鸡饭) @ Bedok Reservoir

Sheng Kee Hainanese Chicken

@ Bedok Reservoir

A lot of TV viewers with no cable installed at home (like me) will know of this Chinese variety show called Buzzing Cashier (抢摊大行动).

In a nutshell, there's a poor performing food stall languishing somewhere in Singapore and the stall owner(s) will be sent for a crash course under a famous chef to improve their culinary skills.

Sounds boring?

Well, the best part of the show is when tasters are invited to try the improved dish. It's game over if the stall owner(s) fails to garner enough votes! Owners who pass the taste test will be allowed to keep the sponsored signboard with the show's name on it as testament of its hardship (which is mainly due to the two hosts shown above)!

Sheng Kee Hainanese Chicken is one stall which passed the test to continue using the sponsored signboard.

That's then.

What about now?

Crazy Alex ordered so many hard boiled braised eggs!!! Please enlighten me on how different these can be?!?!?! Unless it's tea leaves hard boiled eggs!

Rice was one of the better ones i had but could do with a heavier dosage of chicken stock to enhance the fragrance.

Finally, a plate of succulent roasted chicken meat!

Let's just said this is now currently my favourite roasted chicken stall with almost fat-free meat that was smooth and bursting with juiciness in every bite!

For me, the roasted chicken skin is always the main determinant of the taste test. This won hands-down with such a thin, translucent layer of skin!

Unlike the usual plain soup with nothing but sprinkling of diced spring onions, this had bits of vegetables!

And this (above) was the main ultimatum; char siew sauce to go with the rice!! Sinful and extremely compatible with the rice!!!

Yum Yum Yum!!

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Location

Block 704, Bedok Reservoir Road.

In a coffee shop located on the ground level.

Hokkiens (and i believe most Singaporeans) will be able to remember the name of this coffee shop; See Beh Ho (Very Good)! Haha.

Durians @ SCK, Geylang (opp Aljunied MRT Station)

My lovely mum decided to treat us to durians last week because of a small windfall and i happily brought her to a stall (SCK) in Singapore's famous red-light district (near to Aljunied MRT station).

I was really satisfied with the quality of the durians in this particular stall the last round and although service was not fabulous, it was at least more satisfactory than the usual stall i patronised (as shown above) nearer to Lorong 11 Geylang.

Faced with a good harvest (at least for the consumers), durians are going for as cheap as 20 cents each!!! Kaoz! That's less than the 50 cents i paid for a Chupa Chups lollipop!

20 cents only, so please don't expect a humongous sized fruit!

Anyway, it's been a long time since we last touched the insides of the all-time-favourite Mao Shan Wang (Cat Mountain King or 猫山王 or butter durian) and mommy was generous enough to treat us the S$18 per kilogram species!

One word:

Disappointing!

Seriously, we don't mind getting a haul of only 13 seeds from a 2.5 kg fruit that cost S$45 nett.

What we do mind was the quality and henceforth, taste of the durian pulp!

Granted the meat was not solid hard, but it was not that spongy soft either. If i was blindfolded, my answer was that the durian was not ripe enough!

Mostly, you pay peanuts, you get monkeys (or Durai of the National Kidney Foundation). In this instance, we paid top price and we got lousy durian. 

Damnit, i should have pushed for refunds or an exchange!

Singapore Garden Festival (2010) - Level 4 @ Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre

Part Two of the Singapore Garden Festival 2010, this level on the 4th floor is somewhat distinct from the 6th floor (to be viewed HERE).

It is much more diverse with highlights on the Singapore Orchid show, floral displays competitions, booths selling products and merchandise related to gardening and educational exhibitions for those keen learners!

Granted it may not be as alluring as the 6th floor, i did enjoy myself immensely with the varieties offered.

Pictures Slideshow!

The Taiwanese Orchid display! Seriously, i never liked orchids although a hybrid species is Singapore's very own national flower!

An orchid wall! One marvellous thing about orchid; it comes in many different colors!!

Something apart from orchids! Don't you love sunflowers?! They always have this chirpy sunniness surrounding them!

Everyone is talking about recycling and this is an example on what you can do with a used gallon sized mineral bottle!

In order to make Singapore more self-sustainable, AVA has improved the high rise farm system that can cut pesticide use and save much precious space.

I like this tabletop flower arrangement by a parent.

Looks like a dancing couple? No?

By an eleven year old kid!! I am thirty years old and i know nuts about flower arrangement!

Heck, a good car was sacrificed for the festival and adorned with plants and flowers! Don't they know how expensive cars are nowadays?!?!

Due to my upbringing, i have always found bonsai to have a calming effect on me.

Botak (or bald) bonsai are especially attractive. It seems to indicate the cruel harshness of life yet its steadfastness to survive in it.

This area is my personal favourite! Kids will love this for the educational lessons by the dedicated guides.

A real papaya tree was planted in the exhibition hall! And you can find banana trees, sugarcanes and even a coconut tree!

Pineapples! I used to think this comes from trees. To think about it, i used to think everything comes from trees! Haha. Even watermelons!

Delicious looking mushrooms!

Not everything has that positive, happy vibe! This one here is pretty morbid lor; looks like a funeral setting.

I am ending this cheerful post with a picture that looks plain scary!! Kids beware! 

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Another three more days before the event ends!

Hurry Hurry!

For location and ticketing, please refer to my previous post HERE.

Singapore Garden Festival (2010) - Level 6 @ Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre

My first visit since its inception in 2006, this biennial event has been attracting both locals (note: a lot of elderly) and foreigners! It's hard to know that this event can be popular even though there's a ticket charge for entry!

Well before i reached the 4th level of Suntec Convention Centre, my sensitive nose had already caught the flowery fragrance, with just the slight hint of the unmistakable musty smell of earthy soil.

Let's halt a most likely lengthy post on this fiesta and begin with pictures that everyone loves!

*note*

All flowers shown in the pictures are REAL!

The long corridor of yellow flowers greeted us on level 4! It's like a whole new world!

It was recommended to start from level 6, which had a more organised concept!

Nice landscaping hor? At that time, my feet had not stepped into the realm of plants and flowers!

Ever stayed in a kampong before for 6 years, this brought back a nostalgic feeling of what Singapore has lost. There's even a scarecrow nearby!

One gardening concept for the urban homes! If you look closely, you can see sand spewing from one corner.

Designs need not be too elaborate. Sometimes, a simplistic form is more than enough.

A Chinese-inspired garden design! I am always awed by Chinese gardens for its extensive use of wood, stone, bridges, bonsai and of course, flowers!

Maybe it's time for a trip to Singapore Chinese Garden! It's been like... twenty years i guess???

This is the centre of attraction for the festival! Let me present to you the humongous "The Man Who Planted Trees"!!

The MAN again with a change of suit.

Did you spot the pears? My arm, hand, fingers not long enough to attest its authenticity!! FML!

A concept from Australia using loads of recyclable materials.

The start of a LONG LONG row of beautiful, unique flowers!

Looks like the mermaid from Denmark!

Would love to have a summer house like this! Provided i win TOTO first prize at least 20 times!

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Location

Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre, Level 4 and Level 6.

Price

Different price structure for adult, child, weekday and weekend. There's even a long term pass! Please visit HERE for more information.

  

-to be continued-

By the way, this event runs till this Thursday, a mere 4 days away (22 July 2010).

Get your butt going if you are interested!