Sunday, February 28, 2016

Royal Caribbean Day 2

We woke up early the next morning and headed to Rhapsody in Blue for our breakfast!



Tuesday, February 23, 2016

5 Reasons To Shop At Gumtree



As part of my recent collaboration with Gumtree, I participated with a booth at their recent flea market, which was a success! Live music, arty goods, free coffee and truffle fries - I had a great time!







Thanks everyone who came down to support, many managed to purchases brand new apparels from LyraMinn.com at awesome prices of $5-$10!



I also went around to look at the other stalls and there was an interesting mix of vendors, just like on the Gumtree app! Bf and me got airbrush tattoos done at one of the stalls.



Here's 5 Reasons To Shop At Gumtree!

1. Everything you need is on Gumtree

Gumtree is Singapore’s number 1 free online classified, where you can find anything including furnitures, electronics, books, clothes, and even services like a language teacher or a tennis partner!

The wide range of products available makes this my all-in-one app whenever I need to find something! So convenient!



2. Effortless shopping

If you haven't downloaded the Gumtree app, what are you waiting for? I like the easy to use interface, and it allows effortless shopping while on the go!



Don't worry about not having a credit card, because you can simple arrange a meet up with the seller using the app's chat system ~ which brings me to my next point!

3. Shop and sell on the go

There is an instant messaging function so that if you have any queries, can just reach the seller immediately! As a seller, I use the app to post my ads and reply to queries too, and it's so much easier than replying emails.



4. Exclusive deals from blogshops

Because it's free and so easy to post an ad on Gumtree, there are many sellers and this includes a variety of blogshops selling clothes, makeup, accessories, phone cases and more in a single platform! Some blogshops have collaborated with Gumtree to give shoppers exclusive deals not found on their official site, so if you are an avid Gumtree shopper, you got the deal!

LyraMinn.com for example, listed many brand new designs at only $5-$10, below cost price and more than 50% discount from the listed price!



5. I updated new products!

Find me on http://profile.gumtree.sg/estherxie or use the new search users function on the Gumtree app to get exclusive discounts off new arrivals from LyraMinn.com! Just search for user “esther xie” on Gumtree App and I’d be there. I have recently updated a few more designs and I will continue to post more. I am listed as one of the featured users, so you just have to click "discover", then "users", and you will see me there. You can also discover ads to find other items which you may like too here.



I have also added a grab bag sale - 3 random preloved pieces (not listed) for $12! It includes postage and it's an exclusive deal only for Gumtree shoppers! Whilst stock last!

See you at the Gumtree app!

This post is brought to you by Gumtree

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Royal Caribbean Day 1

Awhile back, I went on a weekend getaway onboard the Mariner of the Seas, kindly sponsored by Royal Caribbean! I was especially excited before the cruise trip because it came shortly after being impressed by the ship during the Nuffnang/Churp Christmas gathering.

Although my cabin was sponsored for two, I really wanted to spend the holiday with my whole family so we paid for another cabin so that my parents could stay in a room while my sis share my cabin with me.

We went on the 4D3N Singapore-Pork Klang-Singapore weekend cruise so we only had to take one day leave on Friday as we come back to Singapore by Monday morning. Yes, I went straight back to work immediately after the awesome holiday. Haha. It was an especially tiring trip because we had so much to do on the ship, contrary to popular belief that cruises are boring. I enjoyed myself a lot on the trip and felt really reluctant to leave when it came to an end.



Friday, February 19, 2016

The 13.9 Million Toto Draw



Looks like I need to go back to work on Monday. HAHAHAH.

There goes my 13.9 million retirement plan.



Not bad lah I kena one number.

#staypositivehahaha



My family's reaction. LOL.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Rebecca Lim retiring saga

Today, I wanna share about the Rebecca Lim saga that happened over the weekend.

I think that the campaign itself is good. It got people's attention and it was creative. So why did it backfire? There're two very important reasons.

1. Rebecca was a well-liked artiste, known for being real. Her image was always good, genuine, down to earth.

And that's why people find it harder to accept that she, of all people, would do this to her fans for money. It made her look insincere and a sell out.

Perhaps if it happened to another actress, the response wouldn't be so bad.

2. This campaign felt similar to Chris and Fann's OSIM ad last year, when they posted a photo which seemed to suggest that Fann is expecting. But for that, the key point is that people assumed; they did not pointblank say they were having another baby. Hence, they did not really lie.

Whereas for Rebecca, she said "I am retiring". It was an outright lie. Perhaps, the words used would have made a whole lot of difference. Like, instead of "I'm all set, I am retiring", she could have said "I am ready for retirement". It will have the similar effect of misleading and allowing the audience to assume, yet not really lying.

I personally don't think she intentionally wanted to lie to her fans and I feel that perhaps the choice of words used was wrong. Don't need to be so angry about it!

Overall, I'm glad she's not really retiring from showbiz!

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Christmas onboard Royal Caribbean

Back in December, I went onboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas for a Nuffnang/Churp Christmas gathering.

Soon after, I brought my family along for a cruise trip on the same ship! This is only a brief, introductory post as I will be sharing in detail about the facilities and activities in another blog entry because I have so much to say.

My first impression of the Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas was "Wow! So huge!" These are balcony rooms, rows and rows of them. The ship is actually very big, with a total of 15 decks. The Mariner of the Seas can accommodate more than 3000 passengers on the ship and more than 1000 crew members!



Went up to the top deck! Beautiful view of Singapore as we were still docked.


Photo with Isaac! Haven't met him in ages!



Pool area~


We went to the ice skating rink and because none of us were in the right attire, we watched the performer do some interesting tricks instead! Group photo with him here!


Around half the total staterooms in Mariner of the Seas are balconies, while the rest have windows facing the ocean or promenade, and some interior staterooms with no windows. There are also wheelchair-accessible rooms, though limited so book early.

I personally don't mind the interior staterooms because there are so many things to do onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise so the room doesn't really matter. Also, all rooms in Mariner of the Seas felt more like a hotel room than a cabin, and are already much more comfortable than most cruise ships! However, there are very good prices for certain balcony rooms and it's definitely worth it for the experience.

If you have lots of cash to spare, get the suite!! The living room is big, with a piano right beside the balcony!


Plus a bar counter and dining table behind the sofa!


The room is huge plus a seating area inside the attached washroom.


We explored other areas on the ship too.... The Casino, for many people, is the highlight of a cruise!


This is the grand and gorgeous main dining room, which has three decks and a huge chandelier right at the centre. Each guest will have a designated table with the same server every night. This arrangement allows guests to receive personalized and top-notch service!


There are many activities and sports facilities available onboard, including a rock climbing wall!



We had lunch at Chops Grille, one of the recommended restaurants onboard.


Christmas presents from Fresh Masks!







We enjoyed the meal very much! Their signature dish is the steak but since I don't take beef, I had chicken, which was good too.

I was playing the hyped Neko Atsume back in December so I excitedly showed Isaac my decor and realized we both had the same furniture placements! Haha. Great minds think alike.



We all then had a fun and exciting game of pass-the-parcel and I won myself a bath and body works set from it! Luckily I didn't kena the forfeits!


Group photo with everyone after that!


Desserts are served!


After desserts, we went out to the side decks and good lighting calls for more photos! My top is an upcoming piece from www.lyraminn.com


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We all had a great time, thank you Royal Caribbean for hosting us!

So excited to share more about my family trip on Royal Caribbean in the next entry :)

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

"Can help to wake Esther?"

Hahahaha my sister just showed me the whatsapp conversations she had with my bf and I laughed so hard. The content of their messages are all the same. Back story: It's very difficult to wake me up in the morning, and bf has the daily responsibility of getting me up every morning. Often, I wake up to over 10 missed calls from my bf because in my sleeping state I thought it's the alarm ringing and I automatically press my phone button to "snooze", without even opening my eyes. Sometimes I pick up his call, say "mmmm", then sleep back. Lol. This is how I always oversleep!

02/06/2015
8:23 AM - Bf: Can help wake Esther up?
8:37 AM - Sis: Ok
8:56 AM - Bf: Thanks.

03/06/2015
8:22 AM - Bf: Help help
8:27 AM - Sis: She not working today what
8:27 AM - Bf: Ya. But she still gg pak tor with me
8:27 AM - Bf: Lol
8:27 AM - Sis: LOL
8:27 AM - Sis: Okay can
8:28 AM - Bf: Tks. :)
9:08 AM - Bf: U got ensure she woke up le hor?
9:09 AM - Sis: She mmmm
9:09 AM - Sis: But still on the bed
9:09 AM - Sis: As usual
9:10 AM - Bf: ...
9:10 AM - Bf: U still home ah?
9:10 AM - Sis: Nope
9:11 AM - Bf: Ur dad is home?
9:11 AM - Sis: Nobody's home
9:11 AM - Sis: Her phone cannot call meh
9:11 AM - Sis: Just now I heard keep ringing ley
9:11 AM - Bf: Got .. call but dunwan pick up
9:13 AM - Sis:

9:14 AM - Bf: High 5


13/06/2015

12:05 PM - Bf: Ur bf is waiting for u downstairs. Please bring your sis down together when u coming down.
12:05 PM - Bf: That is provided if I am seeing the correct person.

12:17 PM - Sis: Oops. Too late. I only read this now. 


13/07/2015

8:26 AM - Bf: Help me to wake her up again when u done with ur bath. I believe she went in coma again . . .Thanks!
8:37 AM - Sis: Wake her up liao. But I get a "mmmm." response.
8:37 AM - Bf: Lol means not enuf!
8:37 AM - Bf: Her coma is the jialat kind.
8:37 AM - Bf: U tell her "ur bf angry liao"
8:38 AM - Bf: She got event later...

8:38 AM - Sis: Hahahahahha I still get the same "mmm." response.
8:38 AM - Bf: . . .
8:38 AM - Bf: Ok i call her


21/07/2015

8:21 AM - Bf: Can help to wake ur sleeping sister princess up once u bathed? Lol
8:30 AM - Sis: Ok


17/08/2015
8:25 AM - Bf: U awake?'
8:42 AM - Sis: Oops. Was in the shower.
9:03 AM - Bf: Lol its ok. I managed to get her up anyway.


18/08/2015

8:43 AM - Bf: Can help to wake her up?
8:43 AM - Sis: I left house already
9:16 AM - 
Bf: Alright.

*** No text between September to December hahaha ***

19/01/2016
8:40 AM - Bf: Can wake Esther up before u go?
8:40 AM - Sis: Dad's home to nag her to wake up. Haahah
8:40 AM - Bf: Haha okok.


05/02/2016

7:59 AM - Bf: Can help to wake Esther up?
8:22 AM - Sis: She's awake
8:22 AM - 
Bf: Ok thanks.


Saturday, February 6, 2016

4 CNY Questions Challenge

Kena tagged by Nad on Dayre to do the #4cnyquestionschallenge. Wrote this on Dayre yesterday and decide to copy paste for my blog readers too!

* * *

Actually ah, I seldom get asked questions during CNY leh. At most kena comment "最近好像变胖了hor." It means, "recently become fatter le hor" -.-

The most frequent question I get is "要水吗?要黄利塔吗?谁便拿ah,不要客气。” (direct translation is "want water? want pineapple tart? don't need shy ah just take." Hahahah)
Nobody wanna know when I getting married, when I giving birth, when my kids start going to school and when I gonna have grandchildren? Lol.

Ok lah let me think about the four questions that I kena ask before.

Meanwhile I share story ok!

When I was still studying, people seldom ask me about my school results. I guess my entire extended family are quite average and none of us get super high scores in school so we don't really get compared much. But I have this Uncle from my dad side who I only meet once a year, he is super fierce one! I think in primary 3 we met and he told me to get at least top 3 in class and he will reward me. Don't remember if there was punishment if I don't score well, but I was damn scared of him!

That year I did quite badly in my exams and I was so afraid of meeting him again!!! Luckily, I didn't get to see him that year. The following year, I suddenly become one of the top few students in class and I scored third for my exams. I met him after that and after I told him about my results, he said, "good, want I bring u go arcade?" Of course I said no because I was still very scared of him. Then he said, "but third not good enough. Next time must first or second".

Zzzzz.

Second story is just to haolian abit. Hahahahaha. Got once this aunt came to visit during CNY and we haven't met for years. When she saw me she gave a shocked face and told me she couldn't recognise me. Hahahah cos the last she saw me I was a plump, no makeup, no confidence girl going through puberty. Haha. Then when she saw me, I was already wearing contact lens, makeup, and less shy.

Felt accomplished! Haha. Told ya already this story is just to make myself feel good only. Lol.

Then third story is, one of the years during which I had blonde hair and thick makeup, a lot of people didn't recognise me and thought I was probably someone else girlfriend that they didn't know. Then when they know is me, they asked my mum "you allow her meh??" Cos my mum was known to be quite strict with me, so it was quite unbelievable that she let me have such ahlian hair. Hahaha. My mum thinks I blonde hair nice ok.

Ok lah late already I go sleep first. Wake up then answer the 4 CNY questions.

Actually I only thought of two now. You all can pretend to be my relatives and ask me kaypo questions!

1. 你是姐姐还是妹妹?

(Translation: are you the elder or younger sister)

This happens when i visit not-so-close relatives with my sister. Because she's quite tall and I'm very short. Hahaha. But actually I prefer being the younger one instead because I don't like the responsibilities of being the older one (e.g more tedious chores grrr).

Somehow there's more good than bad to be the younger one, since there isn't much emphasis on respect for the older sibling these days. More like the big one must give in to the small one lor. Tell me, what's good about being the older sibling?

My benefits ran out as a kid when I had all the new clothes and toys while my sis had the old ones I used before. Hahahaha. And those were the days when I could still bully her, before she turned into this adult who could bully me back. Sobs.

2. "Are you still studying?"

Okay this question was quite frequent during my young twenties when it was a legit question because at that age it's either university or work. Not sure if it happened last year. But this year I'm turning 26. If anyone still ask, it's either I look young or that person still stuck in the past. Probably the latter.

I'm grown up now, completed my studies and graduated from Uni, and already worked fulltime for 6 years. Thanks!

3. 你的男朋友在哪里?为什么没有带他来?

(Translation: where is your Boyfriend? Why never bring him along?")

Er... Where ah, With his parents doing their own CNY thing? Why he never come ah, because he's with his parents doing their own CNY thing? Haha.

I wonder how some married couples manage to match their timings so well. Cos I heard that usually first day go visiting at the male side. Then second day go visiting at the female side. So how is the female going to meet her brothers if the guys are gonna be visiting their parents on first day instead? How can a younger sister visit her elder brother if on the 2nd day he needs to visit his wife's parents? (Cos usually the younger one must visit the older one)

And, what if the parents have their own elder brothers to visit? I know in the past people just go visit the elderly relatives without calling in advance. So these people stay at home whole day to wait for someone to come? Those top on the hierarchy type I understand lah like grandparents. But those mid ones leh? Like people need visit them, but they need visit others too?

E.g male guy who needs to visit his parents on day one but he has a son who needs to visit him on day one too. Hahaha.

***

What else what else? One more question to finish the challenge! I think I too longwinded lah. Just four questions I answer so long lol.

4. 整天吃好料hor?

(Translation: Everyday eat good food hor?)

Dunoe issit suan me or what but some of them follow me on fb and I received quite a lot of these. I actually don't mind cos I do agree I pamper myself with food a lot. Haha. Eating is one of my favourite things to do and it brings me lots of joy. I believe that being able to eat whatever you want is a huge blessing.

I usually answer, "no lah I only upload nice food mah, those not nice one I also never take picture...." Haha. I also got eat hawker one lah, but I prefer to eat something nice during weekends after a whole week of mediocre food court meals. Actually if hawker, I okay! Just not food courts if possible. Haha.

I do spend a lot on cabs and food. But one buys me time while the other buys me joy. So I feel quite worth it. Plus I don't spend on expensive clothes and bags and accessories so I think that's where I get the money to spend on eating? Hahahaha. Maybe my priorities will change when I grow older. I shouldn't eat so unhealthily anyway.

Yesterday I ordered kebab rice for lunch and asked for it without veggies. But it came served with veggies. It's a sign I should eat more veggies. Haha.

Bought mala noodles for dinner to reward myself after tiring day at work but I ordered the wrong type of noodles. So I reorder another type to add on, also wrong! Wahpiang. I forgot which noodles was the nice one I had previously!

Friday, February 5, 2016

Tanuki Raw

I've been seeing these really nice pictures of food at Tanuki Raw on Instagram so I decided to find out more and visited them for lunch some time back!

We went to the Orchard Central outlet. They were previously located at Orchard Central, but is currently temporarily closed for renovations at another unit. Meanwhile, they opened a new unit at Bras Basah! Just do a quick search online for the exact address.


Sat at the balcony overlooking at Orchard Road. Ordered a side of spam fries. Bf's favourite!


Their signature dish should be the beef bowl but since I don't eat beef, I ordered the salmon don which is equally good too! Three types of salmon on top of flavoured rice.


Bf's beef bowl.


Delicious good-looking food, see already also shiok! Haha. Ordered an additional egg to go with my rice. Don't see the bowl like so small, I will very full after the meal!


The best thing about Tanuki Raw is that the food is not pricey at all!

Wore this casual floral top from www.lyraminn.com, easy to match plus material is comfortable too. Do check out the new arrivals, if you want anything from the CNY collection by this weekend, just send an email with your request and a meetup session may be arranged this Saturday! :)