Thursday, April 30, 2015

Bollywood Veggies

Another one of our 'ulu' weekend dates back in January! Yep, we drove from the east end of Singapore, to the far west of Singapore to visit Bollywood Veggies located at 100 Neo Tiew Road. I have actually heard about this place a long time back but didn't bother because you know, I am totally not a veggie person at all.



Finally arrived after a long ride!


This entire blog post is just greens and browns by the way. Haha.



We had lunch at Poison Ivy!


Found a seat next to a plot of land with rice plants.


We had the Warrior's Platter, which includes: Curry, Chicken Wings, Assam Fish, Tofu, Tempura and Chap chye.


Rice to go with the above!


We also ordered an additional portion of Banana Curry. It did have a tinge of banana taste but otherwise, not much difference from the original curry.


Chopped kangkong with garlic. Very healthy hor? Although I like Sambal Kangkong more, it was refreshing to eat healthy fresh veggies once in awhile.


We had a slice of banana cake for dessert, which was quite yummy with the ice cream and sweetened syrup!


After lunch, we went to explore the garden!




Spot a swing hanging on a tree!




There was a huge lake full of lotus leaves!


My checkered skirt is c/o Earthdoll. Quite an interesting piece because it's a faux-jacket that comes attached with the tights.


Spiky tree trunk!


Lots of photo opportunities for the vain. Haha.




Quite a change from our usual dinner-and-movie dates but I am feeling a little queasy now looking at too much greens. Excuse me while I go to the windows and take a look at the nice blue sky.

Told ya I am not a veggie person. Meat over Veggie any time!

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

What would you do?

I am all for respecting the elderly (reasonably), but what if the elderly in question is seemingly taking advantage of her "elderliness"?

Me and my friend regularly visit this particular food court. There is this elderly cleaner who always rudely order the diners to clear their own trays after eating, while mumbling about how she cannot clean the whole area herself (the food court is divided into several areas and she is only taking care of one. Honestly, I don't see why other old aunties can finish their job without any issue but she cannot.) 

Okay, maybe she has an aching back. But firstly, what's up with bossing the diners around rudely? Sometimes diners have already walked 5 meters away from their tables yet it doesn't stop her from shouting and pointing to their table and ordering them to go back and clean up before leaving. Sometimes she says it nicely while diners are eating. Sometimes no such issue. Depends on her mood I guess. I have visited the food court with many other friends and they too commented the same.

Secondly, isn't that her job? Of course, anyone who helps is a kind and considerate citizen. But that doesn't mean those who don't are horrible people and I don't think they deserve to be stopped and reprimanded like teacher to kids. There is no rule that diners must clear their own trays. Once, twice, thrice, I am more than willing to help clean up after myself upon her requests. After all, it doesn't hurt to lend a hand to help an old lady. However, after observing for many months at how she orders almost everyone in her area to do it, I feel that she is just lazy at her job and taking advantage of her right as an elderly. She knows nobody would be so cold-hearted to reject an old lady right? Maybe she did not do it intentionally, but it sure does look like that. If she ask everyone to clear their own trays, then what she do? There was once I saw her "bullying" her co-worker to cleaning up her area for her while she wipes the other tables at her own sweet time.

One fine day, me and my friend ate at the food court again, in her area. After lunch, I was walking few meters ahead of my friend when he got stopped by the aunty to bring his tray to her. She said "You finished eating? Clear your trays lah! I got no time!" At this point, we are already few tables away from our table. He quietly went back to clean up. Afterwards, we were discussing about that old lady and came to a conclusion that it is a lose-lose situation.

Things we can do when faced with certain unreasonable elderly people who think that just because they are old, they get the right of way of everything.

1. Keep quiet and do whatever they request, no matter what. Must respect elderly, they say. But this just encourages them to continue doing wrong, doesn't it?

2. Argue with the aunty, then kena filmed and stomped with the headline, "Able-bodied executive refuses to help old fragile aunty and argues with her in public". Online citizens will start throwing in horrible comments, judging the poor guy. I was joking to my friend about how he would be labelled as "the unkind man who refuses to help old aunty" by all his future potential employers.

3. Ignore the aunty and complain to management. I am usually against complaining about an individual server because it may jeopardize their rice bowls and they may really need the job. (There was once this taxi driver cheated me of an extra $10 blatantly and I was so angry that I considered writing in to complain as what everyone around me advised me to, but in the end I didn't because if he really intended on cheating me, karma will find its way to him naturally.)

Oh well, what would you do in such a situation?

Monday, April 27, 2015

Cafe Melba



Girly night out with Fidelis and Nadia for Cafe Melba's 'Ladies Night – With A Difference' Launch Party! Café Melba is a trendy and rustic Australian café in the East Coast, with an Australasian menu created by Gordon Ramsey's protégé, Kacey Whaitiri-Roberts!

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Valentines 2015

How time flies! In the blink of an eye, 2.5 months have passed since Valentines Day!

We went to iiLido, an Italian restaurant in Sentosa. Here are the photos for memory's sake! :)
















Thursday, April 23, 2015

10 Instagrammable Cafes In Singapore To Visit



As you all know, I usually spend my weekends in a cafe having yummy brunch food and posting photos of eggs/waffles/toasts on Instagram (follow me @theiceangel). Besides the taste, I also care alot about ambiance and how pretty the food/decor look on photos.

So how do I choose where to visit? I usually scroll through my instagram and check out nice food photos by other food bloggers and take my pick from here. Here's my list of Instagram-worthy cafes in Singapore that I have visited!

My criteria?
- Photogenic food on photogenic cutleries on photogenic table tops
- Bright lights/ Sunlight

These are not all, just some that I remember! Do let me know if you know of others!

1. Wheelers Yard
28 Lorong Ampas, 328781
http://www.estherxie.com/2014/08/wheelers-yard.html

If you are active on Instagram, I am sure you find this blue backdrop familar. Several variants of this obligatory OOTD photo outside Wheeler's Yard have popped up on Instagram ever since this bicycle-theme cafe opened for business.


2. One Man Coffee
215R Upper Thomson Road, 574349
http://www.estherxie.com/2014/07/one-man-coffee.html

This is exactly how a cafe should be. Good coffee, good food, good decor. Food on wooden planks instead of plates immediately made it photogenic.



3. Letoile
160 Owen Rd, 218953
http://www.estherxie.com/2013/04/letoile.html




4. Fart Tartz
1 Expo Drive, #02-04 Singapore 486150
http://www.estherxie.com/2014/09/fart-tartz.html

Flower dessert! So cute and very very very instagrammable. But hor, when I sent this photo to my colleague, he didn't get it and thought it was a photo of a real pot of plant. Hahaha.




5. Kith Cafe
9 Penang Rd #01-01E Park Mall
http://www.estherxie.com/2013/11/kith-cafe.html

Something about those grilled lines on the toast.....



6. Dean & Deluca
181 Orchard Rd, 04 – 23/24, Orchard Central, 238896
http://www.estherxie.com/2013/09/somewhere-with-nice-lighting.html

Two words: Bright Lights.





7. The Tastemaker Store
Blk 22 Havelock Road #01-705 Singapore 160022
http://www.estherxie.com/2014/09/the-tastemaker-store.html

The minimalist design is comforting and pleasant. One of the cafes that I am really impressed with, after visiting so many cafes with messily put together decor. Simple but tasty food, in a simple but pretty setting.



8. W39 Bistro and Bakery
39 Jalan Mas Puteh, 128637
http://www.estherxie.com/2013/09/w39-bistro-bakery.html

Love the colors!


9. Blisshouse
http://www.estherxie.com/2013/06/blisshouse.html

This is exactly how I want my future home to look! White furniture and florals. Very korean-cafe-ish.




10. Le Halo
Blk 4 Jalan Bukit Ho Swee #01-162, 162004
http://www.estherxie.com/2015/04/le-halo.html

Colorful colors.



If you like this entry, you may want to check out my list of Yummy Brunch Cafes in Singapore under $10! http://www.estherxie.com/2014/07/10-yummy-brunch-cafes-in-singapore.html