First set of nails for the week! I let my nails rest over the first week of 2015 because I haven't really been doing so. For this design, I used Ciate's Pepperminty as the base and for the 1st stamp, I used white nail polish on Konad stamp m60 (criss cross) followed by black nail polish on Konad stamp m74. I carried on the black and white/silver theme onto the glitter accent nail. For the glitter, I used Ciate's Humbug and I really like how it has small black glitter together with larger silver ones.

If you like a different look, you can switch up the base to another pastel colour but keep the stamping colours to white and black. I chose a floral top stamp but you can always layer something else.

If you use a pastel pink as a base, you might want the accent nail to be a full gold glitter.

Chui Huay Lim Club is nestled in a corner along Keng Lee Road, near Newton, and the Club itself is more than 160 years old. The flagship restaurant is also called Chui Huay Lim and it literally translates as Forest of Drunken Flowers. Hmm...how poetic.

The family and I decided to go there for dinner and taste test the food as we were thinking of having our family reunion dinner with my paternal side there next month. My bro and I were a bit surprised that the Chui Huay Lim restaurant is managed by the Jumbo group.

Photo courtesy of Chope.co

The decor of the restaurant is very pleasant and the entrance has 4 private rooms that can be merged into 2 larger rooms. Each room is also equipped with a karaoke system, which I think my eldest aunt will be pleased to know.

The menu is chockful of traditional Teochew standard fare like Braised goose, ngoh hiang, steamed fish and Yam Paste dessert! The prices were a bit steep though.

We started off with half a Braised Goose and the slices were really tender while the tau kua (firm beancurd with a harder skin) was really silky and soft. The sauce was not too salty and there was no starch to make it appear shiny...this is Teochew cuisine. Not cantonese.

I think all of us really liked this vegetable dish. It's Chinese spinach cooked with salted egg, century egg and dried scallops. It was very tasty and the vegetables still maintained some crunch despite being cooked in a broth.

What respectable Teochew restaurant is without ngoh hiang? They have the typical version (above) as well as the ones with liver. It's a bit like choosing your type of sausage, isn't it? Except that these parcels have water chestnuts and other yummy things inside. My mum loved it. I think it's good but it's still not wow enough to convert me into a ngoh hiang fan. However, it's probably one of the few ngoh hiangs that I will eat more than 1 piece of.

Above is another signature dish - 'Puning' Fermented Bean Chicken. The chicken used is 'free range' or as we Singaporeans would call it, kampung chicken. The chicken was very tender and tasted almost like Hainanese chicken except that it has a slightly salty/sweet taste due to the sauce. It is served on a bed of preserved vegetables that were a bit sweet and really delicious. All of us wiped this plate clean and it's really the sauce that made this dish special. The fermented bean taste was very subtle and was mellowed by the preserved vegetables.

Then came our staple of stir fried mee sua with seafood. Check out my piece of scallop! Yums! If you like fried beehoon, you must order this. A small portion is just enough for 4 pax but they are a bit stingy with the seafood (2 pieces of scallop, 2 prawns and 2 pieces of squid). Reminds me of the fried mee sua that my grandmother used to cook.

I love love love Ouni (sweetened yam paste) and Chui Huay Lim has combined this with another favourite of mine - hashima! So...of course we ordered the Yam Paste with Hashima. The hashima was cooked with a bit of ginger and this is probably to also cut back on the onion oil used in the yam paste. Because the hashima was not the star of the dish, it was mistaken as jelly by my dad. The flavour of the ouni was just nice in terms of sweetness. However, It's not as smooth as expected.

At the end of your meal, you'll get a small cup of Osmanthus and red tea to wash everything down. It works a little bit like an espresso. I guess.

For 4 of us, we spent about S$180 for the above dishes and this is after 10% off the main food items as my dad bought the Jumbo membership card (S$20). It is a little pricey considering the amount of food ordered and the quantity of each dish. The quality is good, which is to be expected from Jumbo. The parking at the club is a breeze with their underground carpark. We probably will come back again, but only for special occasions.

Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine
190 Keng Lee Road
#01-02
Chui Huay Lim Club
Singapore 308409

Tel: +65 6732 3637
Website: http://chlteochewcuisine.com/about.html

Opening Hours:
Lunch  11:30am - 3:00pm
Dinner  6:00pm - 11:00pm

Hi folks! It's a little bit late but here's my video of all the nail art that I've done in 2014 in a short video clip :)

Enjoy!

By the way, I've also uploaded the previous years nail design videos too!

Located in a nondescript corner of the 3rd floor of Robinsons, The Heeren (btw, the new Robinsons at Heeren remind me of Selfridges in London...but that's a separate topic), that's only highlighted with this thin sign, the family and I went to Luke's Oyster Bar & Chop House for a special post-Christmas dinner.

This particular branch at Heeren is very small and it has a bar seating as well as about 6 four-seaters and 4 two-seaters. This means that in order to be assured of a table, please reserve in advance. The decor of this branch is a classy black and reminds me a little of the art-Deco era or a throwback to the 60's Hollywood glam.

Love the signboard at the bar which is flanked by shelves filled with lots of whiskey/whisky bottles. As it's in a corner, the restaurant has 2 wall-to-ceiling windows that overlook Orchard Road. When making your reservation, do request to be seated near the window and then you can pretend that you're in Manhattan while dining. You'll impress your date immediately with the ambience.

Instead of normal bread rolls, Luke's serves mini corn bread served with a dollop of homemade butter that's sprinkled with paprika. The corn bread reminds me of my brioche, where it was super crumbly but delicious. I'm not sure why but the butter tasted better than store bought ones. Perhaps it tasted a little...creamier?

Since it's an oyster bar, we ordered half a dozen of assorted oysters (S$45++) and they are all from the 'specials'. We didn't get the Moonstone variety though. So these yummy morsels were flown all the way from the US and interestingly enough, each variety had very subtle differences. I only managed to try the Rome Point and Mantunuck oysters and the differences were that the Mantunuck oysters tasted a little more briny while the Rome Point oysters had a stronger after taste. All were freshly shucked and super delicious! I didn't try the champagne vinegar that came in the middle of the bowl. I like my oysters neat with maybe a squeeze of lemon.

My family loves veg so we ordered a classic Caesar salad (S$26++) to share and you can have the option to add fried oysters for an additional S$3++ but we chose the one without. I liked that the dressing wasn't over powering the salad and that the croutons were slightly chewy rather than crunchy. The Parmesan was generously sprinkled on the salad too but again, surprisingly, this did not over power the whole plate. However, the best Caesar Salad that I've ever eaten still goes to Bridge Cafe.

Dad had his own starter of Lobster & Corn Chowder (S$22++) which was thick enough for my brother to get a taste of it using a fork. It was very thick and tasty but you could tell that there was quite a bit of butter in there so if butter isn't your thing, this is not the soup for you.

I ordered another salad - Kale Salad (S$26++) which came with peanuts and a peanut dressing. One mouthful of this and I declare this Kale with non-spicy satay sauce. Yup, that's how it tastes like to me. Not peanut butter but satay sauce. Minus the chilli. It's interesting and quite yummy and it tastes better with the squeeze of lime to cut back on the thick peanut dressing after a full mouthfuls.

Then came our mains! Dad, bro and I ordered the Bone-in Tenderloin Au Poivre (S$74++) which is a 300g steak that's encrusted with crushed peppercorns and in a mustard cognac jus. The steak was perfectly cooked to your requested doneness and it was very tender. I also really liked the cognac jus as it complimented the steak perfectly. I wished there was less peppercorn though. I had to scrape away the whole lot because biting into the peppercorns caused my mouth to only taste pepper and not the beef nor the jus. The steak was also very lean, which is great for people who just want to load up on the protein and not have to worry about fats. This is really one of the best tenderloins that I've eaten in Singapore.

I spied my little eye on the table next to ours and they ordered the Ribeye with confit garlic (S$88++) and it looked really dry. It was a 400g steak that came either 'Naked' or 'Luau' style but I just saw some glaze on the top of their steaks with a whole head of garlic that's sliced off at the top and fried/roasted. Hmm...I'll stick to my tenderloin that comes with jus.

As a side to our mains, we ordered the Lobster Mac & Cheese (S$26++) and this was soooo good. Don't expect a layer of cheese at the top but do expect macaroni that's still al dente, swimming in a cheesy creamy sauce that has bits of lobster inside.

Mum went for the Georges Bank Scallops as her mains (S$47++) and it was pan seared to perfection. You can't really go wrong with scallops unless you undercook/over cook these tasty medallions of seafood.

Now...we did indulge in dessert afterwards...

Mum ordered the Coconut Cake (S$16++, if I remember correctly) and it's a massive slice so I suggest sharing this one. The cake itself was very moist and flavourful so those who love anything to do with coconut (like my mum) will adore this cake. The coconut shavings on the outside of the cake is not dessicated coconut but rather dried coconut flakes, adding to the coconut flavour subtly. 

The rest of us had a very adult version of cookies and milk. It's actually Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies with Stout Milkshake (S$16++). This picture is actually a 'split' version because I shared with my brother and the wait staff helped us to split it into 2 servings! So the usual one will have 2 chocolate cookies and 1 full glass of the Stout Milkshake. The warm cookie was full of chocolate chips and the gooey sweetness was contrasted nicely with the stout milkshake which was creamy but still retained that slight hops flavour from the stout. Thus, it was a nice balance between sweet and bitter but it was all good and super satisfying. Can they just sell the milkshake separately? In a larger glass? Please?

For cocktails, my bro had previously tried their Rock & Rye (S$21++) which he said was very good and he was very intrigued with the square ice that was clear and bubble-free. It's details like this that make you feel that it's worth paying the prices on the menu, I guess.

Yes, it's not the cheapest place in Singapore for a piece of good steak. However, the ambience is a lot nicer and less false compared to Lawry's. The view is a lot better than Morton's (what view?) thanks to the windows while the service staff were all super friendly. Thus, this is one of the ideal places to impress your date if you feel like splurging and the best part is that you'll walk away feeling that the money was well spent because of the whole package!

Luke's Oyster Bar & Chop House
20 Gemhill Lane
Singapore 069256
Tel: +65 6221 4468

260 Orchard Road
#03-02, The Heeren
Singapore 238855
Tel: +65 6733 4813

Website: http://www.lukes.com.sg/chophouse

It's going to be 2015 and to celebrate that fact, my nails for this week are extra bling bling! I used OPI's "Shine For Me" on my thumb, index and pinky and in 3 coats so that it's opaque. If you do not want to put on so many coats (removing glitter can be a bit of a b**ch), use a silver polish as a base before applying your glitter nail polish.

For the middle and ring finger, I used The FaceShop's white and then let it dry completely before adding the glitter 'tail' of the shooting stars with a brush. Once that is semi dry, I added the crystal studs but do use silver star studs if you have them. As you can see from my ring finger, I used 2 crystals of different sizes and I found that this made it more interesting instead of using 2 similar sized ones.

What are your countdown plans? I currently have none except to have a hotpot dinner with my parents on the eve and I'll probably play with some sparklers by myself while downing a couple glasses of champagne. Horribly mundane, I know. Alas, friends of mine whom I used to spend NYE with are now busy with their own plans or they can't countdown due to the children. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to 2015 as it can't be worse than 2014. Cheers people!

Merry Christmas everyone! Above is just a present that I put together named "Spa In A Pot" and in some ways, I too need a spa or rather, a relaxing day without any worries. As I reflect on 2014, I must say that it has been a stressful year that taught me many lessons and despite being over 30, I am still learning more about myself and life has a funny way of reminding you that you're still young in the eyes of the Lord/ universe.

Check out our matching Hello Kitty shoes!

Unplanned matching bling bling tops in the same colour!

I am thankful for some colleagues who are the silver lining in my grey clouds. Their laughter, listening ears, advice and most importantly, their friendship. 2013 and 2014 are the years where I find out who among my colleagues are true friends and who are those who are just friendly.

Thank you for the lovely presents from people whom I never expected to receive special presents from! The thought behind the gifts also show how much they know me and thought about the presents.

Mum makes the best meals from Christmas leftovers!!

I'm grateful for my family, despite their predictability and our constant moments of passive aggressiveness, it is this that grounds me. Just like how it amuses me that despite 11 years of begging at the table and not getting a single scrap, Baileys will still do so in hopes of getting whatever yummy stuff we have.

True friendship stands the test of time and I'm very thankful and blessed to have a group of friends who've stuck with me for 14 years and counting. We've seen each other grow, seen 2 get married and 1 give birth to 2 beautiful children. Sure, we've got our little run-ins but all of us have taught each other about friendship, relationships with the other half and also, what it means to be a good person.

I'm also glad that I managed to take a long leave this year and in doing so, managed to recharge my batteries, take stock of my health and just be at peace with my ambitions. I may want to do 10,000 things but my body is not able to catch up both physically and mentally. I must pace myself. Also, I'm also happy to have made new friends during my Yoga retreat in Krabi!

Yes, 2014 has been full of ups and downs but I can only move forward. I do anticipate 2015 to be a lot more exciting because I do have 2 exciting projects in the pipeline and I can't wait to share them with everyone once they have gained more confirmation.

I do not want to make any resolutions because it would be hard to keep to them. However, my goal for 2015 is to lead a more fulfilled life by balancing health and doing work that motivates me.

As I mentioned in my previous post on Bee Choo Hair Treatment - Week 2, my friend and I were to try out the Tiong Bahru branch since a colleague with longer hair than me, apparently paid less.

The address on their website is not very updated. It does not include bus 121 which you can take from the bus stop just outside Tiong Bahru MRT and it is about 2 stops away. However, my friend and I walked from Tiong Bahru MRT and it really isn't that far away. Sure, it's a lot further away from the MRT compared to the Clementi branch but a short walk never hurts anyone.

First impression of the Tiong Bahru branch is this:

• less crowded
• newer furniture
• nicer staff

Sadly, when it came to the price, I ended up paying $46. I really must ask my colleague how she managed to get it only at $38. So, the cashier explained to me their pricing (note, this only applies to females):

Hair touching the ear                       $36
Hair between the ear and shoulder  $38
Hair touching the shoulder              $46
Hair touching the chest area            $52
Hair longer than the chest area        $60

My advice to Bee Choo is to kindly update their graphics because it's really quite misleading and will be a source of great discontent if people want to argue about it.

Anyway, my conclusion is that I'm going to go to the Tiong Bahru branch from now on. They didn't bother to hardsell or upsell me any products, they were a lot more gentle with my head and you didn't feel like you were being herded off like an animal that's off to be packed. The staff felt a lot more sincere and they didn't bother you except to ask you whether the temperature of the water is ok and to politely ask you to move off to the next station.


I noticed that over the past 3 weeks, my baby hair hasn't dropped out yet so it's a good sign that my new precious strands are not weak. As the herbs will dye your hair brownish red, you can kiss your hair dyes away (unless you want it light brown/blond). Also, I do notice that my hair is a lot softer but because it has already been previously damaged, it does not take out any kink so it still looks horribly frizzy but I know that it's due to the damaged strands.

It's still too soon to conclude whether this is the cure to my hair loss woes but I'll check back every month to let you guys know!