Review: LG Optimus 4X HD


I just laid my hands on the LG Optimus 4X HD aka LG P880, which is the latest phone from LG.

I am not a very technical person so I will not be touching on the technical aspects.

All I know is that this model is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor with 1GB of RAM and runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. 

It possessed 12GB of internal storage which can be further expanded up to 32GB via a external microSD card. 

As this is my very first LG phone and also my first Android phone, what I shared here are based on my own personal experience especially with the camera aspect of this phone. 

Raya Weekend To Kukup

At the Singapore Flyer

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!

How was your holiday?

I had a short getaway to Kukup, Pontian with my family.

We were gathered bright and early at the Singapore Flyer car park on Saturday morning to board the coach. I thought we were early enough but there was already a crowd of chinese tourists there.

The journey is about two hours drive away and I had a good nap on the coach as I only had an hour's sleep the night before.

Movie: THE DARK CRYSTAL (1982)


I remember watching a movie on TV a long time ago when I was still very young.

I think I was of preschool age therefore I have no recollection what the title is or even know what the movie was all about.

All I remember is one scene which, for some strange reason, has etched itself in my memory.

Through the years, this scene would pop up in my mind every so often just to annoy me.

It has therefore become a quest of my own to find out what movie it is and why has it been appearing in my mind!

Happy 47th Birthday, Singapore!


Singapore celebrates her 47th Birthday with much fanfare on the floating platform at Marina Bay yesterday.

I believe that for many of us, the biggest draw of the parade this year was the attendance of Singapore's Founding Father, Lee Kwan Yew.

Just earlier this week, someone who claimed to have "highly credible source" hinted that Mr Lee has passed away and that news have been withheld till the celebrations are over.

This piece of shocking news of course caused quite a stir on social media especially when  the 47th anniversary of our Independence is merely days away!

Recipe: 腐乳蕹菜 Kang Kong With Fermented Beancurd

The Water Convolvolusas, or Kang Kong as it is more commonly known, is a very hardy plant which requires very little care. Left on it's own, it will flourish along the riverbanks and even in the canals.

Due to it's prolific nature, farmers used to feed them to livestocks such as pigs.

Being an aquatic vegetable, do wash them thoroughly for the presence of tiny snails especially inside the hollow stems.

What I do is to soak them in concentrated salt water for at least 30 minutes.

Since I will be using roughly two tablespoons of liquids from the bottle of Fermented Beancurd, I will not add more salt to the dish. You may want to sprinkle a pinch of sugar to balance the taste although that is optional.

Here are some benefits of the Kang Kong:

- Antioxidant 
- Controls Blood Sugar
- Combats Hypertension

Try this out and let me know how you like it?

Bon appetit!

Recipe: Sambal Petai With Ikan Bilis

As it's name suggest, the Stinkbean gives off a pungent smell not many could accept.

Also known as the Petai, it is something that requires an acquired taste. It would take tremendous courage for a first timer to try it but once he did, I am sure he would fall in love with this! (think Smelly Tofu)

You could eat it raw straight away but in my opinion, Petai tastes best when cooked with Sambal Chilli!

My recipe today is done via the lazy way without Assam (Tamarind) or  pounding the Rempah from scratch.

I am replacing the Assam with Lime Juice and the Sambal Chilli used in this recipe is ready-made bought from the wet market.

If you have time, you could chop the Petai into smaller chunks. I find it tastes even better that way!

Here are some benefits of the Petai:

- Beats Depression
- Combats Anaemia
- Lowers Blood Pressure

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Bon appetit!

顺利猪肉粥 Soon Lee Porridge @ Clementi Central


An impromptu visit to Clementi Central last week prompted me to have lunch at Blk 448's Market & Food Centre.

With a myriad of options available, I was spoilt for choice!

I walked along the stalls and it did not take me long before I stopped my tracks at Soon Lee Porridge

I placed an order with the lad standing outside the stall and was duly informed that there would be at least a twenty minutes wait.

吃在台北 Eat At Taipei @ JCUBE


座落于裕廊东的 JCUBE (Jurong Entertainment Centre 的前生) 在今年四月就已隆重开幕。由于讨厌人挤人的缘故,到那闲逛的计划一拖再拖,迟迟没能实现。

直到几天前受大哥之托携带家中两老到JCUBE三楼的「吃在台北」品尝台湾小吃我才有借口説服自己到那兜两圈。

Video: Hong Kong School Boy Deep Fried Terrapin


A home-made video from Hong Kong has recently gone viral, drawing flakes from netizens.

Apparently, a school boy has deep fried a small Red Ear Slider and his voice could be heard from behind the video camera describing how to eat the terrapin.

He demonstrates by pushing a fork down the dead terrapin's neck, and using a knife to slice off it's head. The fork with the head was then taken behind the camera followed by an exclamation of "Very crispy!"

He then stabs the terrapin in the abdominal with the knife and hits the terrapin against the bowl repeatedly as the carapace has harderned from prolonged frying. 

The boy eventually cuts the terrapin into two, spilling it's intestine.

Watch the video below.

Cook For Family


With our hectic lifestyle, family dinners are not happening for many of us as much as we had wanted. We would get so caught up with our lives that we tend to neglect our loved ones. 

When Daniel of DanielFoodDiary emailed me about this #CookForFamily initiative started by him, I knew I had to take part.

His objective is simple: To get more bloggers, and hopefully their fans and followers, to start cooking and bond with their families. 

Recipe: Coca Cola Chicken Wings

I have long heard about this weird way of cooking chicken wings with Coca Cola but I have not attempt this recipe till today.

I am surprised that this recipe is so easy and the end product can be so good! My Mum, in particular like it so much that she asked me how it was done.

One thing I find about this recipe is that the combined 400ml liquid of Coca Cola and water may be a little too much because it takes roughly 20 minutes for the liquids to be reduced.

Though the taste is nice, I find the meat texture a little too overcooked for my liking. I think I will reduce the water to 100ml and see how it turns out next time.

Try this out and let me know how you like it?

Bon appetit!

Recipe: Seaweed Soup With Tofu

Unlike my other 老火汤 recipes which require long hours of simmering, this is a relatively no-frills soup which can be done in a jiffy.

So, if you are pressed for time yet craving for soup, this is the recipe for you.

This is quite a light soup as the main ingredients are just Tofu and Seaweed. You may like to add some seafood, meatballs or even Yong Tau Foo to make the taste more robust.

I happened to have some Prawns and Fish Maw lying around in the fridge so I added those into the soup as well.

Here are some benefits of Seaweed:

- Prevents fat absorbtion
- Reduces water retention
- Promotes mental youthfulness

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Bon appetit!

Recipe: Stir Fry Spinach With Salted Egg

I was at the supermarket choosing Spinach for this recipe when I noticed that it was labeled as 笕菜 on the packaging.

This confuses me as I always thought that Spinach is 菠菜 in Chinese?

Can someone enlighten me whether 笕菜 and 菠菜 are the same?

Anyway, here are some benefits of the Spinach:

- Loaded with flavonoids which protects the body from free radicals
- Contains anti-inflammatory properties which acts against Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Migraine and Asthma

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Bon appetit!

Recipe: 豉汁蒸排骨 Steamed Spare Ribs In Black Bean Paste

If you are a Dim Sum lover, this Steamed Spare Ribs in Black Bean Paste (豉汁蒸排骨) would be no stranger to you.

We would definitely order a steamer of this whenever we have Dim Sum.

If we cook this at home, we love to drench the sauce over white rice and the plate would be polished so clean that we could see our reflection in it!

Do not steam the Spare Ribs for too long or the meat would 'toughen' and depending on the saltiness of your Black Bean Paste, adjust accordingly how much to put in.

Just experiment abit to get the taste you prefer!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Bon appetit!

Recipe: Taro & Sago In Coconut Milk

Mum and I loved both Taro and Sago so I thought I would make us this dessert!

To be honest, I did not follow the recipe exactly.

I first divided the Taro into three equal parts. I cubed 2/3 of it, then steamed it for approximately 20 minutes together with the remaining 1/3.

After the steaming was done, I mashed the 1/3 with the back of a wooden spatula as I wanted a more creamy dessert.

The water and Coconut Milk were brought to a boil and I added in the cubed and smashed Taro while preparing to cook the Sago in a separate pot of water.

While waiting for the Sago to be cooked, I realised that the cubed Taro keeps sticking to the bottom of the pot so I have to keep stirring it.

In the end, the cubed Taro was way too overcooked and most of it has disintegrated due to the constant stirring.

Therefore, my advice is to cook the Sago first before putting the steamed Taro AND cooked Sago into the Coconut Milk at the same time.

My dessert still taste fine only that it is way too creamy!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Bon appetit!

Exercise Wallaby - R&R Day Two Part II

Capricorn Caves

Just a recap from Part I, we were chilling at Zarraffa's Coffee using their wifi while waiting for the coach to bring us to the Capricorn Caves

I was actually disappointed to know that we are going to a cave and not to Keppel Island. I mean, what is there to see inside a cave, right?

How wrong was I!

As I found out later, Capricorn Caves is an ancient geological landscape formed from underwater coral beds over 360 million years ago. 

Video: Perverted Hong Kong Grandpa Harassing Young Cement Mixer For Blow Job (Cantonese)


A young cement mixer was working by the staircase landing when an old man appeared and insinuated for a blow job.

After being turned down, the old man offered to service the young man instead. When that was rejected as well, he offered to pay the young man for his services.

Despite the young man's repeat rejection that he is not that kind of person, the old man persisted and suggested that they do it on the staircase landing. He even invited the young man to his house.

What will the conversation lead to?

Watch the video below.

Video: Abuden


How often have you encountered people asking you the obvious? Well, I get that all the time!

Sometimes, it can be funny yet at times, it could be downright baffling!

I guess asking the obvious is how some people break the ice when they have nothing else to start a conversation with?

What do you think?

Video: How To Feed A Difficult Baby


For most parents, I guess one of the most challenging task faced while raising a child has got to be during feeding times.

The child would be running all over the place and the poor parents would be trailing behind trying to get him/her to eat another spoonful.

However, parents now no longer have to be tormented by this problem.

Here's introducing a way how you could feed your child effortlessly!

Do give this unique way of feeding a try to see if the little tyke would comply?

Remember to share this method with your friends and leave me a message if you are successful!

Video: Walao Eh


Walao eh!

It is a term so familiar with Singaporeans and Malaysians alike.

This expression is so versatile that you can use it in almost any occasion!

Just under what circumstances will you say "Walau eh"?

Army Open House 2012 @ The City Part II

F1 Pit where the open house took place

Hello, here are more photos from the AOH 2012. These are the remainder photos that do not make it to the previous post. There are more, of course, but most of those do not make the cut.

Enjoy!

Exercise Wallaby - R&R Day Two Part I

4am at Farnborough Beach

Just before going to sleep, I set the alarm at 4am so I could wake up in time to catch the sunrise at Farnborough Beach.

I only had a few hours of shut eye as I was watching Top Gear on TV in my room with another friend who did not go drinking at the town with the rest of our friends.

As the resort was just right next to the beach, the seabreeze was howling throughout the night. It is kind of scary hearing that outside your balcony as we hardly encounter such wind speeds in Singapore.

The sky was still dark and very chilly as I made my way to the beach.

Exercise Wallaby - R&R Day One

The warning sign at the sentry heading towards Sam Hill

You know what? This post is six months overdue!

That is how long I have put off writing the R&R bit of my Exercise Wallaby trip!

Refresh your memories here: 


After almost two weeks, we are finally leaving Sam Hill. This was my second time leaving here and I guess it is for good. 

It would be very unlikely that I will return here for a third time.

Yoghurt Plus @ Causeway Point *closed*

The SMURF Flavored Yoghurt

What is your favorite yoghurt flavor?

Chocolate? Vanilla? Or one of those fruity flavors like Mango or Peach?

Why not try "SMURF" for a change?

Hong Kong Egglet @ Jurong Point


The Hong Kong Egglet is essentially a kind of egg waffles which has been a very popular Hong Kong street snack since the 1950s.

The batter of egg, sugar and flour are poured into a special honeycomb-shaped waffle maker and then toasted to a golden hue similar to that of an eggshell. 

Because of the unique depressions on the lids of the waffle maker, the finished waffle resembled a cluster of eggs hence, it is also known as the 鸡蛋仔 (loosely translated as Little Eggs, or Gai Daan Zai in Cantonese).

视频: 我的爸爸


今天向大家推荐这部命名为『我的爸爸』的短片。

短片中,一名小学生的作文题目正是我的爸爸》。

他先描述了爸爸的样子,再道出他与爸爸之间的关系。

他从小就在一个单亲家庭里成长, 并由爸爸父兼母职的把他带大。

原来,爸爸不仅是爸爸。他也是级任老师,更是学校的训导主任!

Siam Kitchen @ Lot One


We had an early Father's Day celebration dinner over at Siam Kitchen's Lot One outlet two nights ago.

The fragrance of Lemongrass greeted our noses the moment we walked into the restaurant and it instantly reminded me of a... foot massage palour! Haha!

The ambience is quite pleasant and I am attracted to those large window panes.

Although the restaurant is not very spacious, I do not feel very cram in there. Or maybe it's because we were early (about 6pm)?

Recipe: 仙人掌鸡汤 Cactus Soup


Today's main ingredient is a little prickly.

I did not know that the Cactus could be eaten, much less turned into a soup, and a nutritious one at that.

I was at my sister's place the other day when she asked me to stay for dinner as she is making this soup.

My jaw dropped when I heard that.

Never before in my life have I ever heard of "Cactus Soup".

I did not stay for dinner that day although it did pique my curiousity for the next few days.

Thus, when I saw Cactus pads for sale at the supermarket this morning, I decided to buy a piece home to try it out.

Cactus Soup is really fuss-free and easy to make but most of all, it is very affordable and nutritious.

Did you know that the Cactus contain beta carotene, iron, some B vitamins and are good sources of both vitamin C and calcium?

Here are more benefits of the Catcus:

- Reduces swelling
- Expels heatiness
- Strengthens immunity

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Bon appetit!

Video: The Lady And The Reaper



An old lady living alone on her farm was waiting for death to arrive so she could be reunited with her dead husband.

One night, while asleep, she receives the Reaper's visit and he invites her to step across the threshold.

However, when she is about to do so, she awakes in the emergency room of a hospital: an arrogant doctor has brought her back to life.

A frenetic struggle between the doctor and the reaper ensues to see who will finally get the old lady’s life.

手工面 Hand-made Noodle

Mian Fen Guo (面粉粿)

U-Mian (幼面), Ban Mian (板面) and Mian Fen Guo (面粉粿) are three varieties of noodles classified as hand-made noodles (手工面) and is popularly served in the food courts and hawker centres of Singapore and Malaysia. 

In Malaysia, however, they call it the "Pan Mee".

The dough, which is a blend of flour, egg and water are first kneaded and left to rise. It is then flattened and rolled into the pasta maker; and depending on the kind of pasta you are making, it is then sliced into the desired width.

Video: Paranoia

Mumbai

'Paranoia' is an animated short film made by four students as part of their final year degree project for Thakur-Toonskool Advanced Animation Academy.

The film begins with the protagonist traveling in a late night Mumbai train and the carriage is empty except for a few sleepy passengers.

As the train pulls into the next station, a mysterious man with a briefcase boards the train and sat directly in front of him...

Tong Ah Kaya Toast, Soft Boiled Eggs & Kopi-O @ 35 Keong Saik Road

咖啡,soft boiled egg,kaya roti,tong ah,tong ah eating house,tong ya,生熟蛋,kopi,35 keong saik road,土司,东亚茶室,food review,鸡蛋,烤面包,恭锡街,

Who could resist having old school kaya toast, soft boiled eggs and a aromatic cup of kopi-o (local term for black coffee) to start their day? 

Housed inside a pre-war building, Tong Ah is located at the junction that splits into Teck Lim Road and Keong Saik Road which is infamous for it's brothels in the olden days.

Army Open House 2012 @ The City


For the first time, the Army Open House (AOH) was held outside military grounds at the F1 Pit beside the Singapore Flyer.

This is in tune with the Army's effort to engage the public and showcase NS45 and the capabilities of our 3G Army. 

Video: The Passenger


This animation reminds me of the bizzare case in Canada where Vince Weiguang Li, a Chinese immigrant beheaded and cannibalized a Canadian bus passenger in front of other horrified travelers four years ago.

Li, 43, had repeatedly stabbed his victim, who had been asleep on the seat next to him. He cut off the victim's head, removed his internal organs, pocketed his nose, tongue and an ear, and taunted police and bystanders with the severed head.

Li said he was acting on "the voice of God" to kill his victim, whom he believed to be an alien for if he did not do so, he (victim) would kill everyone else.

He was later diagnosed with schizophrenia and was found not guilty of murdering 22 year old Tim McLean on a Canadian Greyhound bus on July 30, 2008.

Ah Tai Hainanese Chicken Rice @ Maxwell Food Centre

Have you heard about the drama over at Maxwell Market?

food review,麥士威,chicken rice,阿仔海南鸡饭,maxwell food centre,ah tai hainanese chicken rice,1 kadayanallur street, If you have read the papers, you would have known about the quarrel Mr Wong Liang Tai (or Ah Tai as he is popularly known) had had with his employer, Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice last October.

For the clueless, Ah Tai used to be the head-chef of Tian Tian who got fired over a dispute.

It was reported that Ah Tai did not manage his workers well and he shouted/threatened them to the point that they felt unsafe at work.

Ah Tai was aggrieved by the accusations. He is further disheartened by the fact that his twenty years of service to Tian Tian went unappreciated.

But that is not the end of the story yet.

Video: Zero


In a world that judges people by their number, Zero faces constant prejudice and persecution. He walks a lonely path until a chance encounter changes his life forever: he meets a female zero. 

Together they prove that through determination, courage, and love, nothing can be truly something.

Video: RUIN


RUIN is a remarkable CGI animation produced by Oddball Animation and directed by Wes Ball.

Set in a "post-apocalyptic universe", the protagonist found something he has been looking for but was soon spotted by a hovering aircraft which eventually resulted in a realistic high speed pursuit that is sure to blow your mind away. 

Singtel MIO TV Hiccups

Lao Li is pissed

An enormous public outcry erupted among football fans here in Singapore when intermittent "freezing" of the TV screens interrupted their game during the English Premier League (EPL) match last night.

Singtel MIO TV, who own exclusive broadcast rights to air the EPL were bombarded with hundreds of angry comments on their Facebook wall.

Singtel announced that subscribers to MIO TV's online package were not affected [link].

This is utter bullshit.

THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE IN THE SPORTS CHANNEL!

This "frozen" screen problem is affecting ALL the channels on MIO TV. I am not a subscriber of the sports channel yet, I have been plagued by the same problem ever since subscribing to some of their movie channels. 

三盅两件 Soup Restaurant @ Jurong Point


Within a matter of days, I had already celebrated Mother's Day twice.

The first was big brother's treat at Penang Place Restaurant while the second was big sister's treat at the Soup Restaurant.

Video: The Monk And The Monkey


On his final quest to become a monk, Ragu sets out on a mission to seek the sacred fruit.

However, before Ragu could lay his hands on the fruit, it was snatched by a mysterious monkey who has been tailing him secretly all the way from the temple.

Hot on the trail of the shameless thief, Ragu was not going to let one monkey get in his way of becoming a monk.

Ragu has to make a painful decision at the eleventh hour when both the monkey and the sacred fruit fell over the cliff.

Video: 「阿牛」陈庆祥 - 妈妈的爱有多少斤 ?


原本想分享原唱者「阿牛」陈庆祥的版本但觉得由孩童们唱出来的更窝心,更具感染力!

唱出第一句时,我眼角的泪马上夺眶而出了。

在此借「阿牛」的这首「妈妈的爱有多少斤」 献给全天下所有伟大的母亲。

祝所有的妈妈们母亲节快乐! 

Video: 吗 Mother



再过一天,就是母亲节了。

我想借此分享一部命名为「吗 Mother」的短片。

短片描述一名青年放学回家后,就被母亲唠叨个不停。

“书包别乱放,别老吃快熟面,煮面时别把火开的太大,冲凉前别躺床上…”

Penang Place Restaurant @ Fusionopolis

Penang Place Restaurant

With Mother's Day just round the corner, big brother brought us to Penang Place Restaurant for it's buffet dinner as part of our early celebration.

The restaurant seemed spacious enough but strangely, the tables were all squeezed to one side which I find too cramp for comfort as I have to make detours just to get to the food.

The waiting staff were attentive initially but as diners began filling up the place, their responsiveness began to wane.

Video: Live Classical Music In The Copenhagen Metro


In April 2012, Copenhagen Phil (Sjællands Symfoniorkester) surprised the passengers in the Copenhagen Metro by playing Griegs Peer Gynt. 

Watch how the passengers' faces lit up when the musicians began playing?

I think this is the most beautiful flash mob ever. 

How amazing would it be to have been there?

Video: Something Left, Something Taken


When Max and Ru decides to take a vacation at San Francisco, hitching a ride in the vehicle of the "Zodiac Killer" was not something they had in mind.

Watch how the story unfold as the couple's vacation unwittingly turns into a nightmare beyond their wildest imagination!

Based on a true story.

Happy Vesak Day!


It is the annual Vesak Day today.

Also known as the Buddha's birthday, it encompasses the birth, enlightenment Nirvana, and passing (Parinirvana) of Gautama Buddha.

Buddhists all over the world celebrated this holy day by paying homage to the Buddha.

We do this by not taking lives (eating meat of any kind is prohibited), participated in the ritual of bathing the Buddha, singing hymns in praise of the holy triple gem followed by the candlelit procession.

I visited the Singapore Buddhist Youth Mission at Clementi with my parents just like previous years.

We first went to bathe the Buddha as usual.

Video: Alma


In this post today, I am going to share with you this creepy short film by Rodrigo Blaas.

Since young, I have always had an indescribable fear for dolls especially those life-like ones with movable eyes.

I often wonder, do they have a mind of their own, coming to life at night when everyone else is fast asleep?

To me, dolls are empty shells that attract evil forces to reside in them.

In Memorium: Emma Yong


Singapore theatre has lost a talented actress tonight.

Emma Yong - one-third of the Dim Sum Dollies, has passed away at the age of 36. She was diagnosed with stomach cancer last year.

My deepest condolence to her loved ones.

There will be no more pain and sufferings, Emma.

Rest in peace.

Nick Pitera - The Youtube Sensation!



You know, some people really have it all.

Take Nick Pitera for instance. 

He looks like Elvis (to me anyway), works for Pixar as a Technical Director and is extremely talented. 

Transvestite Show, Hat Yai *Videos*


After we returned to the hotel from the [Floating Market], some of them went out for more shopping while some of us proceeded to watch the Transvestite show.

There was nothing sleazy about it like I had thought initially. It was more like a cabaret show with elaborate costumes, stage design, plenty of lip-synching and dancing.

Cameras were not allowed but people still take photos anyway so I joined in too albeit discreetly without flash.