Threadless

My threadless spree has finally arrived! 

Epic Battle

Epic Battle

Ninja Kick Ass Clash

Ninja Kick Ass Clash

I have been hearing alot about Threadless but never knew what was all the hype about? From the website, it seemed quite popular so I decided to jump on the wagon and ordered two for myself!

I ordered three actually, but the third design (below) was out of stock.

Little Warrior

I call it the "Smurvatar"! (Smurf + Avatar)

Everyone help me to request for a reprint pretty please!

Hungry Ghost Festival: Mystery Of The Falling Chopsticks

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The Lunar Seventh Month, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival is celebrated by the Chinese around the world.

Some might confused this with Qing Ming (Tomb Sweeping Festival), when the living pay homeage to the dead; whilst during the Hungry Ghost Festival, the roles are reversed: it's the ghosts and spirits who paid visits to the living.

As Buddhists, my family do not celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival as true Buddhist teachings do not encourage the burning of material comforts (paper money, clothes, houses, etc) although we do worship the ancestral tablets at home with twice daily incenses.

*Knock Knock* Who's there? It's The Hungry Ghost!

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With the Gates of Hell opening and the hungry ghosts set free to wander the streets for the next thirty days, I shall repost an old entry from my previous blog to kick start the annual Hungry Ghost Festival which begins tonight!

Beware!

Wong Solo Ikan Bawal @ Far East Plaza

Mum and I were at Shaw Lido last Saturday to attend the movie premiere of TWISTED.

However, I had brought her to Far East Plaza to have our early dinner before the show starts.

Just the previous night, I sent out a Tweet asking for recommendations of what to eat and Daniel was there to help.

Video: How To Get That Girl You've Always Wanted!

Troubled by love?

Always shunned by the opposite sex?

Wondering why the girls never look your way till you wanna sing 对面的女孩看过来?

WORRY NO MORE!

Help is here!

电影： 《撞鬼》 (TWISTED)

影 片 名：《撞鬼》
英 文 名：Twisted
类别 ：恐怖/喜剧
导 演：蔡于位
主要演员：李国煌 朱咪咪 廖语晴 苏智诚 陈来翔 林冰冰 梁祖仪 赖力豪 李美玲
上映日期：2011年7月28日
本地发行商：Shaw Organisation Clover Films

继《还魂》之后，由本地新晋导演蔡于位所指导的另一部恐怖片《撞鬼》终于隆重登场！这部影片汇集了新马港台各地的演员，分别在三个故事里大斗演技！

Terracotta Warriors: The First Emperor and His Legacy

In the Spring of 1974, several farmers from the Yang Village near Xi'an were digging a well when they stumbled across the most priceless archaeological discovery of modern times!

Excavations have un-earthed thousands of terracotta warriors, each with a unique facial expression and positioned according to their ranks.

They are a replica of the Qin army from more than 2,200 years ago and it was believed that each terracotta warriors were replicas of real Chinese soldiers.

The army of statues, numbering in the thousands, is testament of the forces the first Emperor of China had at his command. 

Qin Shi Huang (259 - 210BC) was the first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty and he was the founder of China's first empire after unifying the Seven Warring States. If this name sounded all too familiar, that was because he is the one who ordered the building and restoration of the Great Wall of China!

Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13, Qin Shi Huang ordered the construction of his tomb which took 38 years to build and utilizing the labor of over 700,000 conscripts many of whom were killed to protect the privacy of the Emperor once it was done.

A Visit To The Chinese Garden

I was feeling bored at home last Sunday so I decided to change into my jeans and shirt and hopped onto an east-bound train with no destination in mind.

As I travelled, I figured that I had nowhere to go to on the east side so I changed my mind and u-turned at Jurong East, headed for Chinese Garden instead.

Since young, it has always been my dream to visit the garden together with my family but due to some reasons whatsoever, this dream never did materialize.

Fridgeezoo 冰箱动物园

顾名思义，Fridgeezoo 指的正是「冰箱里的动物园」。

这是由日本所出产的四款以北极动物为主题的“牛奶罐”。

牛奶罐形状的北极熊，企鹅，海象及海狮很逗趣吧？

因为是要放进冰箱里的，因此，以北极动物来做造型是非常贴切的。

Chocolate Melts 1-For-1 From McDonald's

McDonald's Chocolate Melts buy one get one free!

Flash the above coupon to enjoy the offer.

Promotion starts from today till 19th July!

Hurry!

金龙咖喱鱼头 Kam Long Curry Fish Head @ Johor Bahru

For the past few months, Dad has been talking about this Curry Fish Head from Johor Bahru which he has heard  from his Malaysian colleague.

I loved Indian Curry Fish Head alot but I would not say the same for Chinese-styled Curry Fish Head. It is not something that I would order unless it's a family dinner and the rest of the clan craves for it.

So, it was very unwillingly that Mum and I followed him to Johor Bahru in search of this Curry Fish Head. 

Twister Fries From McDonald's

The Twister Fries is back if you do not already know!

That is the Chilli Chicken McGrill at the background.

电影： 《岁月神偷》 Echoes Of The Rainbow

昨晚看MIO TV (付费电视) 时，无意间转到第五十频道正播放着《岁月神偷》。

原本以为是部有关小偷的故事因此没多大兴趣。但，因为有我所欣赏的演员 - 吴君如与任达华两人主演，所以决定继续看下去。

故事是由罗家次子罗进二  (钟绍图 饰) 的角度回顾了六，七十年代的香港。

罗家四口是香港典型的低阶层市民。

罗爸爸 (任达华 饰) 是个造鞋铺的老板。妻子，罗太太 (吴君如 饰) 则是贤内助。

长子罗进一 (李治廷 饰) 长得帅气，品学兼优，又是运动健将。看似有美好的将来，却不幸的患了癌症入院。他与富家女Flora (蔡颖恩 饰) 的纯纯之恋尚未开花结果就夭折了。

弟弟进二则是哥哥的相反： 他喜欢在街上游荡，顺手牵羊，上课不专心，被老师罚站，倒数更是家常便饭！

D.I.Y: Cradle And Docking Station

I own a Samsung Omnia 7 phone.

If you are a non iPhone user like me, you must be frustrated with finding suitable accessories for your mobile phone.

From phone covers to apps and even docking stations, everything seems to be made for Apple products only.

Today, I am going to DIY a cradle and docking station for my mobile phone with the box that it came in with.

All you need is just some time and some ingenuity but most importantly, it costs next to nothing and you did your bit to save the environment by recycling!

Enjoy!

莆田菜馆 Putien @ Jurong Point

A very Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

We celebrated Father's Day two days ago at Putien over at their Jurong Point branch.

My parents and I were only informed by my sis about this dinner for Dads at the very last minute!

Video: The Lunar Eclipse - Red Moon

No, do not mistaken this for the title of yet another silly vampire movie.

There have been so much talk about it lately but I was not sure if I would be interested to stay up for it.

Singapore is usually located too out of the way geographically to be involved in any eclipse - lunar or otherwise.

This time, however, except for North America, the Lunar Eclipse would be visible practically almost everywhere!

From Africa to Europe and even Asia! Yes, that means Singapore too!

No wonder Twitterville was aflutter with excitement over this rare phenomenon which was set to occur this morning.

I do not usually moon-gaze but my interest was aroused when I knew that the moon would turn a scarlet red (as a result of sunlight refracting through the Earth's atmosphere, and more red light landing on the Moon than blue light) and it was gonna be the century's longest and darkest Lunar Eclipse.

You might want to know that this Lunar Eclipse is different from the Solar Eclipse in the sense that it is perfectly safe to watch with your naked eye and telescope is NOT required.

I shall be updating this blog 'live' with pictures of the moon taken from right outside my window for as long as I could stay awake and hopefully, bring some decent pictures to my readers.

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Cupcakes From Africa

As I still have some ingredients left over from the previous cupcake making session, I thought of finishing up the remainder so as not to take up space in the cupboard.

Actually, this was just my third time baking cupcakes so I do not have much experience to speak of.

Movie: LADDALAND 怨鬼之家 ลัดดาแลนด์

Cast: Piyathida Woramuksik, Saharat Sangkapreecha

Director: Sophon Sakdaphisit (Jim)

Genre: Horror

Language: Thai with English Subtitles

Release Date: 9 June 2011

Distributor: Golden Village Pictures

Being a ardent fan of Thai horror movies, I was delighted yet nervous at the same time to attend the premiere of Laddaland at Plaza Singapura last night.

As with most people, I have a love-hate relationship with horror movies. Each time after watching, the horrifying scenes would be looping in my mind for days and despite that, there is a incessant urge in me that's begging to be spooked.

Teochew Fishball Noodle @ Tiong Bahru Market

The uneven shape of the fishball is evident that they were all handmade

After her follow-up at the hospital, Mum and I dropped by Tiong Bahru Market for our brunch. It was way past 2pm and it is no wonder why we were famished!

As it was a Monday, most of the stalls were closed for business but I am not complaining; it simply means less headache over choosing what to eat!

Video: Let's QOO Dance!

Anyone remember QOO - the water droplet icon for the non-carbonated drink from Coca-Cola? Although not too big a fan of the beverage, I find the mascot rather cute.

I happened to stumble across this series of QOO TV commercials from Hong Kong and thought of sharing it.

Grand Opening Of Shaw Theaters Lido and "Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" Gala Premiere

The new ticketing counter

After a intensive seven months renovations, Shaw Lidos is back - newer and classier!

Thanks to Nuffnang, I was invited to the grand opening of Shaw Lidos and the Gala Premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

It is exhilarating to know that we are watching POTC4 way before the Americans does which is due for release on May 20, 2011 in the US!

The Worst Is Over...

This has been a most depressing week.

Mum was hospitalized and I have been with her at the hospital for the past few days.

I feared that I would lost her for good seeing how frail and sickly she has become.

Fortunately, she was getting better after surgery and is now recuperating at home.

An Open Letter To Comfort Delgro Cab

To Whom It May Concern,

On Wednesday (May 11, 2011) afternoon, my Mum was gravely ill and at the advise of the polyclinic, I had to rush her to the A&E Department of the Singapore General Hospital immediately.

We waited for a long time by the roadside but not a single empty cab was in sight.

For the next hour (yes, that is how long we have been trying to flag for a cab), I managed to flag down three empty blue Comfort cabs at three different locations but sadly, all three drivers rejected our hire upon learning the destination.

The Comfort cabs in question were 4535, 5919 and 6536 (I could not remember their taxi prefix).

The driver of 6536, in particular, gave us a wave of his hand before stepping on the accelerator and sped off laughing.

This is disgraceful.

Your drivers' lack of compassion and sympathy seriously astounds me!

The reason why I did not book a cab earlier was because I did not expect it would take us that long just to get us one cab to the hospital.

We finally found one willing to take us within five minutes through booking.

I guess I have only myself to blame for not booking a cab instead so that your mercenary drivers could earn that extra $2.50 booking fee from me.

When we finally did get to the hospital, my Mum had to be hospitalized immediately for treatment.

I hope your drivers understand that someday, their loved ones could be in the same predicament and it would be a shame if something deplorable were to happen just because help was not rendered in time.

Happy Mother's Day!

Mum was digging through her cupboard when she dug out these Mother's Day cards which I have made for her during primary school.

These must have been at least 23 years old!

This card open upwards

"PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES” Gala Premiere Tickets Giveaway!

Are you a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean series?

The long awaited Captain Jack Sparrow is returning to the big screen in the latest instalment of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

And guess what?

Nuffnang is giving away 80 pairs of tickets to attend the Gala Premiere in Singapore!

Movie: FAST & FURIOUS 5

Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Dwayne Johnson

Director: Justin Lin

Genre: Action/ Adventure

Language: English

Release Date: 6 May 2011

Distributor: UIP

Thanks to the good people at [OMY] and United International Pictures (UIP), I was among the lucky few invited to preview FAST & FURIOUS 5 at Film Garde, Iluma tonight.

I have to be very honest here.

I did not watch the first four instalments thus I do not know what I was expecting from the movie. However, the action picked up and I was soon gripping my seat for the remainder of the show.

Nevermind that the "escaping on corrugated zinc rooftop" scene reminds me of a Jacky Chan movie. Do not even try to figure why the Kingpin's bank vault is under protection inside the police station.

Throw your logic out of the window because some scenes here do not make any sense at all.

Pre-Mother's Day Dinner At First Thai Food Purvis Street

The Menu

With a sibling in the service industry, we would often have to accomodate his schedule which is often quite the opposite from everybody else. 

Therefore, whenever there are any birthdays or celebratory events in the family, we would often have to hold it earlier.

Lor Mee 178 @ Tiong Bahru Market

Tiong Bahru Market

I spent a greater part of my childhood visiting my Grandparents in Tiong Bahru almost every weekend.

Each time we are there, we would visit the old Tiong Bahru Market and have nothing else except for our favorite Lor Mee.

After the passing of Grandpa, Grandma moved in with her eldest son to another estate, thus ending our regular visits to Tiong Bahru.

It was also the last time I had the original Tiong Bahru Lor Mee.

Recipe: Shark's Fin Melon Soup 鱼翅瓜汤

Do not be mistaken. This is NOT Shark's Fin Soup with melon. This soup is made with a type of melon called Shark's Fin Melon (鱼翅瓜). This melon is so named because once cooked, the flesh will disintegrate into transparent strands that resembles shark's fins. Do not confuse this melon with it's cousin, Winter Melon although you could prepare them practically the same way! Here are some benefits of the Shark's Fin Melon: - Low in calories  - Expels heatiness - Decreases blood sugar I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Bon appetit!

General Elections 2011 Nomination Day

With the forthcoming General Elections, one could really sense the tension building up in their respective neighborhood.

Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice @ Eng Hoon Street

UPDATES (6th June 2014): Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice has moved location. New address is updated at the end of this post.

Mention Tiong Bahru and what comes to mind?

Other than the unique pre-war and post-war architecture as mentioned in my previous post, what draws people to this quaint little estate has got to be food!

And indeed, Tiong Bahru boasts some of the best hawker stalls that Singapore has to offer!

While planning my Tiong Bahru trip, l did some research on what to eat as well. Among all the suggestions that turned up in the search list, what caught my eye was Hainanese curry rice.

I have long heard about Hainanese curry but have never got around to tasting it. Since most of the reviews that I found have been quite positive, I see no reason to deny myself a visit to this stall!

The stall in question was Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice located at Blk 57 Eng Hoon Street.

Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice SGD 4.90
(Bernese Mountain Dog in the background)

Tiong Bahru Estate: A Walk Through Time

That low rise building was where my Grandparents' flat once stood

My Grandparents used to reside at Jalan Membina before their old flat was demolished and redeveloped into what you see today. That was a long time ago and it was way before Tiong Bahru Plaza was even built.

During that time, we would visit my Grandparents every weekend and I remembered I could see CK Tangs Tower in the distance right from the corridor.

Community Performance By Keat Hong Chinese Orchestra

Several months ago, I received an invitation via Facebook to attend a community Chinese Orchestra  (CO) performance at the Community Center near my neighborhood.

This performance was organised by Keat Hong Chinese Orchestra and two neighborhood secondary schools (Bukit Batok Secondary School and Bukit Panjang Government High School) which are participatig in the SYF Central Judging this week would be participating in this performance as well.

Being an old boy from Bukit Batok Secondary School, this got me real excited because I was involved in the CO as my ECA (CCA).

As a alumni, I was more than happy to turn up and support my fellow juniors.

You may not know who was the one that got me involved in this whole cultural art back then, but if you were a CO member, you would have most probably seen his name somewhere... like on the score for Matsuri?

MATSURI/ 响宴

Recipe: Lotus Root Soup with Peanut 莲藕花生汤

Slow-cooked soups (ie, soup cooked over slow fire for several hours) are particularly popular especially among the Cantonese. Being one myself, soup plays an integral part in my life. I grew up eating rice in soups and I could survive on that for every single meal. Tradition wise, it is also imperative to have soup on the table during festive occasions. Some foods are known for their healing properties and our forefathers have cleverly incorporated such ingredients into soups. Recipes for such soups vary infinitely, depending upon the desired health benefits as well as taste. Here are some benefits of Lotus Root: - Stops diarrhea - Relieves constipation - Clears heat and improve appetite I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Bon appetit!

Recipe: Braised Chicken Wings With Dried Bean Curd Skin

I first learn how to cook this no fuss, one-pot dish from my Mum. This recipe is easy to clean up and without having too much dishes to wash. I would cook this whenever I feel lazy or when I have simply ran out of ideas over what to prepare for dinner! This is a fairly easy recipe as you just dump everything inside a pot and wait for it to be done. Sometimes, I would prepare slightly more so I could eat it over several days. The meat would have absorbed all the flavors and needless to say, the robust sauce goes very well with white steamed rice too! I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Bon appetit!	Ingredients: 5 chicken wings (trim away the fats) A handful of Dried Bean Curd Skins (腐皮) Pig's Skin (blanched in boiling water ) 5 Chinese Mushroom (soften in warm water) 1/2 a Star Anise 1/2 a Cinnamon Stick 1 head of Garlic, skin on and bruised 2 inch Ginger, skinned and sliced 1 cup hot water Dark Soy Sauce to taste (I used Kecap Manis) Method: 1)  Fry the Star Anise, Cinnamon Stick, Garlic and Ginger in a tbsp of oil to release the fragrant. 2)  Add in the chicken wings to brown. 3) Add the water, Dried Bean Curd Skins, Pig's Skin, Chinese Mushroom  and Dark Soy Sauce. 4)  Allow to boil, then reduce fire to simmer for 20 minutes. 5) Garnish with Spring Onion and Coriander if desired. 6)  Serves 4.
Note: This is a very versatile dish as you could always mix and match your favourite ingredients. Some other ingredients that you can use for this dish include: Pork Belly, Duck Wings, Chicken Feet, Hardboil Eggs, Bean Curd Sticks (腐竹), Tau Kwa, Tau Pok, Champignons...

Ladies: Would Your Mother Film You Stepping Out Of The Showers Naked And Post It On The Internet For The World To See?

Apparently, Gan Lu Lu's (干露露) Mum did.

The elderly lady made headlines recently for her bizzare actions.

At that time, I was baffled why would a mother resort to such extreme measures just to find her daughter a suitor?

Then, I found out that Gan Lu Lu is an actress/model in China.

三盅两件 Soup Restaurant @ Jurong Point

Soup Restaurant at Jurong Point

Having walked past the Soup Restaurant so many times, I still have yet to try their food. Since Dad's birthday was round the corner, we decided to hold his birthday luncheon here last Saturday.

I called and booked a table for ten at their Jurong Point branch.

The Smurfs - Not The Movie

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What is blue, three apples tall, lives in Mushroom houses and sings La La La La La all day?

The answer is a no brainer.

If you have not already guessed, it is The Smurfs!

The Bunny Is Out Of The Bag

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Straits Times' April Fools Prank On Twitter?

Read from bottom up

Is this a boohoo by Straits Times on it's Twitter account?

Video: Socialisation Starts Young

Just wanted to share a video I saw on Facebook a couple of days ago.

Awww! Is that not the cutest?

The twin boys seem to be engaged in some serious men's talk!

Gagagagaga! Haha!

To A Certain Big Organisation Out There...

A service breakdown occurs when the expectations of a customer are not met.

When this unhappy customer feedback to you, it goes to show that he is giving you the opportunity to make things right.

Double Rainbows

Many of my friends were exclaiming on Facebook and Twitter how they witnessed two rainbows in the skies today.

It was quite rare to spot even one rainbow on any given day but having TWO appear on the same day and at the same time? Wow!

It must have been quite a sight to behold but what a pity I missed it!

Before I learned about the double rainbows, I did notice the buildings opposite were enshrouded in a hue of gold.

What a pretty sight it is!

Adopt a Bunny @ Downtown East! No fee payable.

2011 March 28: Updates from AVA and Downtown East
(scroll to the bottom please)

Will The Real Samantha From Holland Village Please Stand Up?

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Update: SAMANTHA HAS APOLOGISED!
(91.3FM has removed the audio)

I bet all the Samanthas staying in Holland Village are cursing away right now.

Apparently, we heartlanders were deemed too uncultured to step foot in Holland Village and that we should just "stay where we fit best" (in our own heartlands)!

If you still have not heard about it, "Samantha" called in 91.3FM, during The Married Men on Wednesday morning to rant about us, 90% of the Singapore population for visiting her estate in "shorts and slippers and weird colored hair".