Rainbow Cube Bread Loaves

It's the end of 2015. Yet another farewell to a year. Let's see, in the past year, I traveled to five cities, feasted on loads of good food, got a lil loony with purple streaks and had a job change. A pretty decent year of trials and changes I would say.

I thought I should celebrate by posting something special. So many things came outta my oven this year, but I thought that I should save the best for the last post of the year. While bread itself is nothing too extraordinary, I think the rainbow hues makes it special hey?

Rainbow Cube Bread Loaves

Artichoke Cafe & Bar

It's not a new brunch spot, it's not the usual brunch crowd you see at a typical cafe, and it's not serving the common brunch fare you see at every other brunch place. So where's this place again?

Artichoke Cafe & Bar

Paddy Hills

If The Lokal was my 2014 favourite cafe, Paddy Hills certainly is my 2015 favourite cafe. In the span of less than six months, I popped by Paddy Hills at least eight times. If you do the maths, it's a visit or two per month. It didn't help that it was within walking distance of my office, so it was extremely accessible to have lunch there, either with my colleagues or lunch dates with friends. Or rather, should I say, my old office, now that I'm in a new environment.

I've amassed a collection of food shots from my multiple visits. The cafe opened in March this year, and my first visit was in May and my most recent visit was in October. They had a menu update before my last visit, so I managed to try several stuff from their original and new menus. In fact, this might just be my longest picture post for a cafe haha.

Paddy Hills

Bangkok 2014: 3 Desserts to Try in Bangkok

Sweet tooths in Bangkok unite. There's a lot of dessert choices in Bangkok. I tried three in my trip last year, and though I'm pretty sure they are already well known in the blogging universe, but hey, there's never too much desserts photos right? ;)

1. Coconut icecream at Chatuchak Market

Coconut ice cream in Chatuchak Market, Bangkok

Purple Sweet Potato Pie

You know, I'm beginning to think I'm a born klutz. I sprained my ankle on Monday. YES, AGAIN. I last sprained it a couple months back. So it is seriously not funny at all.

Purple Sweet Potato Pie

Mango Ombré Cake

Since last year, instead of entremets, I've been making more layered cakes. It's pretty time-consuming to make entremets, and also, there's more cream in it than actual cake (I reckon the family prefers stuff that has more cake bits than cream bits), so unless I have extra time on hand, I don't think I'll be baking entremets much.

Mango Ombré Cake

Purple Sweet Potato Buns

Age is just a number. Certainly rings true when you're getting on your years eh?

Purple Sweet Potato Buns

Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Hello Nom-ember.

It's the time of the year again. Where the year end feasting begins. It's the month of birthdays. And soon, Christmas and New Year's Day will come chasing too.

Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Mango Coconut Loaf

Loaf cakes are one of the easiest things to bake. The most common loaf-type of cake would probably be banana cake (although it's normally called banana bread - I prefer calling it banana cake because it is not really a bread). When I chanced upon a recipe for a mango loaf cake, I was intrigued because I have yet to encounter a fruit-type loaf recipe which was not banana-based.

Mango Coconut Loaf

Double Chocolate Muffins

I was sick for the past few days. And boy do I really hate being sick. In fact, whenever I fall sick, it seems to be the same ol' flu bug that just wham bam smack me. It was especially bad on Wednesday night and I couldn't fall asleep because my nose was so blocked that I totally couldn't breathe. You know that feeling I'm describing right? The whole trying to breathe through your mouth motions, which totally sucks big-time cos you're sucking in loads of air, which makes you just want to burp repeatedly, which in turn hurts like mad cos your throat is quite sore. Aaargh.

Anyway. So I've been cooped up at home for the past three days not doing anything much except spam reading manga on my phone, or snooze in the afternoon because of the meds. I did actually managed to do some productive stuff though - like clear a whole ton of mail that was piling up like mad in the room, and also edit enough photos to form a couple few new posts. (Yay!)

When I am sick, it's porridge all the way for meals. Lunch and dinner. So needless to say, looking at all these food photos I edited made me a tad grouchy cos I was craving for them - in which I cannot eat them because I am sick. Bah. Especially these double chocolate muffins...

Double Chocolate Muffins

Restart

Back from the vacation, right back to reality.

The past two weeks have gone by in a flash. And before I know it, I'm starting on a new journey tomorrow.

Korea 2014: 코레아노스키친 Coreanos Kitchen

After spending a lovely afternoon just chilling around Garosugil at Sinsa-dong, the girlfriend and I walked over to Apgujeong area for our dinner. The girlfriend and I, we were both Mexican food lovers, and I had noticed that there were several interesting Mexican dining places in Seoul while doing prior research for dinner places.

코레아노스키친 Coreanos Kitchen, 2014

Korea 2014: 가로수길 (Garosu-gil)

As you read this, I'll probably be in Seoul by now! I've managed to upload more Korea 2014 photos, so enjoy!

 가로수길 (Garosu-gil), 2014

抹茶クリームパン (Matcha Cream Pan)

I have a looooooooooooooon backlog of baking posts to upload (since I've only been posting about my travelogues). I actually made these buns last year. Like waaaaaaaay last year. Heh.

 抹茶クリームパン (Matcha Cream Pan)

Korea 2014: DMZ

Everytime I travel to Korea, there are bound to be new sights to see. I went on a half day Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) tour on my 2014 trip. My friend booked the tour for us, and as the friend's parents are more comfortable with mandarin, we went ahead with a mandarin speaking guide.

DMZ, Korea 2014

Korea 2014: 노량진 수산시장 (Noryangjin Fish Market)

Oh my my. Procrastination aka Lazy Queen here has been happily neglecting the blog to spend her time catching up on dramas, read, bake and travel. Basically doing anything but uploading photos.

Just came back from a short trip to Hong Kong (which explains why my 2014 Hong Kong photos will sort of merge with my 2015 Hong Kong photos ha!), and I'm flying off again in less than two weeks' time for another vacay. Where else to but my favourite city - Seoul. I had thought that it would not be possible to visit Seoul this year as there was the MERS situation a while ago, but thankfully, the situation has sort of settled and it's kinda safe to travel to Korea again. It's gonna be a loooooooooooooooooooong trip, and that reminds me that I've yet to post any 2014 Seoul photos. Okay, given the special circumstances, I'm jumping queue on my other travelogues, and posting a couple Seoul photos like now now. ;)

I was in Seoul late last September too (oh, so the photos are about a year old ha!), and it was a truly enjoyable trip with my girlfriend. I had another girlfriend who was on the same flight as us, who was traveling with her family, and it was a coincidence that we had booked airbnb apartments in the same building at Seoul Station! We met up a couple times to eat together, and the very first day we arrived, after settling in, we agreed to head to Noryangjin Fish Market together for a hearty breakfast/lunch. The more people the better right? When it comes to feasting.

I've been visiting Seoul annually for the past few years, but it was my first visit ever to the famed fish market. So glad that the girlfriend who travelled with me was a foodie and quite adventurous in trying new stuff, so I really got to try a lot of new stuff in the trip.

노량진 수산시장 (Noryangjin Fish Market), 2014

Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters

Hi I'm still alive.

I tend to disappear for weeks on the blogosphere, then reappear for a bit, before the cycle repeats. Ha. I blame it on my short attention span.

Anyway, here's one of my favourite cafes (which I haven't visited for a while, but still...) which has amazing natural sunlight, white walls, and wooden tables. Been here a few times and every single time I step into the cafe, cue *dreamy sigh*.

Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters

Hong Kong 2014: On the Streets of Hong Kong

Hong Kong. It's the land of food and shopping. I'm sure everyone is well aware of the fact. I'm no exception. Just that, even though I've been there several times in the past, I did not pay attention to anything else much in Hong Kong besides well, food and shopping. When I was much younger and still schooling, I was focused on the shopping aspect of Hong Kong whenever I flew over. Then in my past two trips within the last five years, I was obsessed with the dining culture of Hong Kong. Luckily though, in the midst of all the pigging out I did on my last trip in 2014, I somehow managed to pay some attention to my surroundings, and capture non-food related snaps.

So there you go, a behind-my-lens POV of the bustling city.

Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong 2014

Japan 2014: 5 Things to Eat in Tokyo

I'm celebrating a one-week anniversary of a sprained leg. Oh, haven't I mentioned? My middle name happens to be Klutz. In case you were wondering, I sprained my leg on flat ground, while wearing flats. Okay, to be more precise, I was stepping off the pavement to cross the road (no traffic lights), so I turned my head to keep a look out for cars, and somewhere in between that coordination (or lack of) between my brain and my body, I sprained my ankle and managed to park my butt on the road. Talk about mortification. I'm not even going to think about whether I flashed anyone in the midst of my fall. *shudders*And it's no-exercise for the next two weeks or so. *wails*

It's not the first time I'm being clumsy, and sigh, I can't blame anyone except myself. Well, then I guess I should be glad that my overseas trip this coming long weekend was cancelled cos I can't do much walking anyway. As my friend had a last minute work trip, we had to cancel our tickets. :( Okay, I'm officially suffering from withdrawal travel symptoms.

SO. Instead of moaning about lack of travel plans, I decided to have a look at some of my old (way overdue) photos of our Japan trip early last year. These are the last set of photos, and it's all about food, glorious food.

Blacows, Tokyo, Japan 2014

Ricotta Pancakes

I never knew that I could possibly experience nausea that would result in me not eating anything for more than eighteen hours. I literally did not eat anything from 4-ish yesterday afternoon till 11am this morning. And even then, when I was chomping on a piece of bread, I was eating for the sake of eating, and not because I was hungry. Me, not eating. I never imagined the day I would see those words in a sentence together. I was never the kind who who have no appetite. Like say if I'm stressed, instead of having no appetite like some people do, I just carry eating as usual without a care. Oh well, that just goes to show the wide range of side effects that period pains can bring about. The woes of being a woman.

Ricotta Pancakes

Cheese Scallions Scones

There are days where I use my laptop to death, switching it on almost the moment I step into the house; and then there are days where I can spend days not even touching it at all. I went without turning on my laptop for the whole of the week. After staring at the computer the whole day at work, it is certainly a break after work cos I can do other stuff, like say, head out with friends, gym, read a book, or get addicted to mobile phone games (yes, I'm currently hooked onto Alpha Betty, no thanks to my colleague). Talk about subbing one form of technology with another. *shakes head at self*

Cheese Scallions Scones

Cherry Almond Lattice Pie

Havn't had the time to bake much lately since I came back from my Melbourne trip. Fathers' Day is coming soon, I'm thinking a cake is in order. Now, to decide between the Dad's perennial favourites -mango, or rum and raisin?

 Cherry Almond Lattice Pie

Live a Life You Will Remember

Isn't life too short at times?

The Bravery

Feeling pretty pensive tonight. I wonder if I'm the only person around who likes to think too much into things, or to talk to argue with oneself. Perhaps I just shouldn't think. Right. Off to bake a cake for a friend now to stop myself from over-analysing things.

In the meantime, sharing a brunch place that I visited a few months back, which I loved for its peaceful vibe. Well, considering that we were one of the first customers of the day at 8ish on a weekend morning, quiet was the word.

 The Bravery

Jpot

Hotpots (otherwise known as steamboat) = comfort food. At least to me. Basically anything soupy is comfort food, and so, hotpots are no different. One thing about having hotpots is that it's a communal affair, so the table tends to be rather full, with all the various dishes, and the huge hotpot in the middle. What I loved about Jpot is that instead of one huge hotpot for everyone at the table, everybody gets their own individual mini hotpot. There are several types of soup bases for hotpots, so at Jpot, everyone gets to have their favourite soup base, no squabbles at all.

 Jpot Vivocity

Vanilla Bean Eclairs with Raspberry Glaze

I made these some time late last year. I was pretty pleased with how they turned out cos they looked so girlish pink, and almost too pretty to be eaten.

Vanilla Bean Eclairs with Raspberry Glaze

Japan 2014: Tokyo sightseeing

The second last post on my Japan 2014 trip, will be made up of sightseeing photos taken at famous landmarks, and random on-the-street shots.

I always tend to hurry my travel posts along, especially right before I head for a next trip. It's not any different this time. As you're reading this, I'm probably still in the midst of a vacation right now, so I better bid "sayonara~" to my Japan pictures soon.

 Shibuya crossing, Tokyo 2014

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

It's going to sound repetitive. But these were made for a friend's birthday. Ha. What can I say, a baker loves to bake, and it's just what I do especially for those whom I hold dear to me. I could say that, if I offer you a homemade goodie, you're probably someone special? ;)

 Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Aoki

Yet another birthday meal last year. A friend and I had for the past year, treated each other for our birthday meals. I'd previously treated her to Fat Cow, and in return, she treated me to a meal at Aoki.

Aoki Maze Chirashi

Japan 2014: Tokyo Daiwa Sushi & Tsukiji Market

This was when we woke up at 330am to queue for sushi. For breakfast. Yeah, because that's totally what normal people do while on holiday.

Daiwa Sushi, Tsukiji Market 2014 

Anti:dote

Another high tea place I visited late last year - Anti:dote. Well, on my birthday to be exact. Since our office has a birthday-off policy (you can take the day off aside from work exigency), I made plans in advance to meet a girlfriend for high tea that day.

I had quite an enjoyable birthday last year in fact. I slept late, woke up and baked some scones for a late breakfast/lunch snack, had high tea, followed by a sumptuous Japanese dinner at Tatsuya. Yes, as you can see, an enjoyable day for me = feasting.

Anti:dote high tea, 2014

Herb Garlic Butter Three Cheese Pull-Apart Bread

This is one helluva bread recipe.

 Herb Garlic Butter Cheese Pull-Apart Bread

On The Table

I've been to OTT for countless of times already, say, perhaps slightly more than five visits? It's probably one of my to-go cafes (hey it's a west side cafe!), alongside The Lokal, Assembly Coffee and Pacamara, whenever I'm lazy to think of new cafes to try out.

Mushroom Monsieur; Salmon & Mushroom Truffle Cream  Linguine; Tomato Swimmer Crab Linguine

Portico

I wouldn't have known about this place if my friend had not said she wanted to meet there for dinner. It was actually right next door to one of my favourite Japanese restaurant, Himawari, but I had never seen the place before prior to the dinner.

 Portico truffle fries

Matcha Tofu Cheesecake 豆腐チーズケーキ

This was yet another cake I made for another friend's birthday last year. My BFF's birthday actually.

 Matcha Tofu Cheesecake 豆腐チーズケーキ

The Landing Point

I had actually composed a few posts and was going to publish them, but postponed them as the past week has been quite somber due to the passing of Singapore's first Prime Minister, Mr LKY. Most social media platforms were quite subdued and were swamped with articles about the man, and his contributions to building Singapore into what it is today. The national mourning week brought Singaporeans from all ages, races and religions together, to grieve for the man who had transformed our little red dot into the thriving metropolis it is today. Articles were strewn over the newspapers and online media replaying the man, his policies, his vision. There were also touching articles depicting the softer side of Mr LKY, such as those on his love story with his wife. It was also heartwarming to see the people stand together united in this moment, to read in the news media about little acts of kindness that was shown among strangers. Brave on Singapore, for we shall "look at that horizon, follow the rainbow, ride with it."

On a less serious note, I shall be posting quite frequently in April, cramming as many posts as I can, before my next vacation in May.

 Weekend high tea at The Landing Point

Sin Lee Foods

Had dinner with some friends at this cafe some months back.

 Sin Lee Foods

Coconut Meyer Lemon Cake

I made this cake last May for my good friend's birthday. Wow, it's almost her birthday again (soon). Time flies indeed...

Coconut Meyer Lemon Cake

#justsaying

Hmmm, I'm not sure if it's due to my age, but in the past two months or so, an increasing number of people around me have volunteered to introduce available single guys to me. Insert my typical "whuuuuut?" expression. I mean, when it's not just one, two, three, but more people doing that, I guess it's my cue to stop and think, "Hey, wait a minute, what's going on?"

Japan 2014: Snacks to Buy From Japan

I'm not sure about you guys, but when I go on vacations, I often fret about what to buy back home for my friends/colleagues. Most often, I find myself grabbing food items, cos seriously, who doesn't love food (and I in turn, am spoilt whenever my friends/colleagues head overseas and lug back goodies for me too...).

One thing about my trip to Japan in 2014, I lugged home a duffel bag worth of goodies. It's Japan! Land of everything oh-so-cute-and-dainty-and-elaborately-packed! Land of all-kinds-of-yummy-food! Land of I-must-buy-everything-I-see-in-sight. True story.

I'm just gonna share with you some items that I bought back from my vacation in Japan, just to give you guys a better sense of what kinda goodies you can look out for during your own trips.

Sixteen different-flavoured Kit Kats. Yes, ONE-SIX. Only in Japan.

Japan 2014: Osaka お好み焼き 千房

It's been about a week since I got back from my first vacay in 2015. To France, in fact, for those who are curious. We went to Milan > Nice > Lyon > Paris for about ten days or so, and it was too short for my liking (obviously). My family and I flew over about a week prior to the lunar new year, so we totally skipped all the lunar new year festivities of reunion dinner, house cleaning, CNY baking, loading up on CNY goodies and more. Yeps, to date, I've yet to eat any CNY goodies at all (it's def a boon right, to not put on weight from CNY goodies), received any angpaos cos I've not done any house visiting (well, except for the one my Dad gave me, so that's def a bane, though at my age, I should be quite paiseh to still 伸手要红包 ha!) or pack my room (erm, I'm still on the fence if that's a boon or bane hee).

Anyway, back to my last post on Osaka, here's one of the best meal I had on my Japan 2014 vacation. Okonomikayi (お好み焼き), is a Japanese savoury pancake, and "okonomi" refers to what you want, and "yaki" refers to the method of grilling. It comprise of a batter made of flour, eggs, shredded cabbage and can include varying ingredients such as seafood or meat. After the pancake is cooked, a thick sweet brown sauce is than lathered over it, followed by a generous squirt of mayo, topped with some seaweed flakes, and finally finished off with a heap mountain of bonito flakes.

お好み焼き 千房, Osaka 2014

Japan 2014: Osaka

Oh hey. I'm just about to start posting about my first trip of 2014 (just when I'm about to go off soon for my first trip of 2015...). My procrastination...has no limits. ;)

Anyway, first trip of 2014 was to Japan with the fams, over the CNY period. It was a really last minute decision (I mentioned it here before), and it was a very short trip. We flew to Tokyo, and even managed to squeeze in one night in Osaka in our very tight schedule. I'll post about Osaka first, just because well, there's lesser photos to edit (ha!).

道頓堀 (Dōtonbori), 2014 (taken with iPhone 4S Panoramic cam)

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

One can never have too many recipes for chocolate cake. Discuss.

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

Dancing Crab

I was on course for the past week, and it's been really nice, being away from the office (the shorter hours are a bonus too!). When I'm away from the office, it just makes me use social platforms lesser, cos I don't access it mindlessly when I'm at work, and even when I get home, I don't really really switch on the laptop too. It's nice to take a short break from social media once in a while.  And from that, I mean my most frequently used media platforms - Instagram, Facebook, Blogger and Twitter (in that order of usage).

But, yeah, I was reminded of my promise (to self) to blog more to finish my backlogs. So, here's a really great seafood place I've been to last year, twice.

 Dancing Crab (Combo bag #1)

Blueberry Coconut Lime Brown Butter Muffins

Okay...It's a new year, I'm slowly (but surely) plodding my way through the mountain of backlog I had accumulated. I've at least edited photos for three other posts! See? Baby steps. It seems too soon to start talking about New Year reflections (given that my reflections post for the previous year was like what, a half year ago?), so I'll skip that bit first and jump straight to the goodies.

Blueberry Coconut Lime Brown Butter Muffins

The Lokal

If I must choose, The Lokal must be one of my current favourite cafe of the moment. I mean, I had visited it like five times in the past two months or so. And that must mean something right, given the high density of cafes in our tiny island these days. My friend joked that I should be a VIP member given the number of times I've gone to the Lokal. Ha, I can only wish.

The Lokal