317 of Project 365: Starbucks Christmas Mug 2012

Another mug to add to my collection of Starbucks Christmas mugs.

Besides the Christmas collection, I also love the Spring Sakura collection but sadly those launched in Singapore seemed to be different and very limited compared to the range launched in Taiwan & Japan.

I will also buy a Starbucks mug when I'm traveling. Of course, given the hassle of having to bring a fragile and breakable item back, the mug should be something unique which I can't find in Singapore. I don't go for the run-of-the-mill mugs which has the country or city name printed on the mug.

ISO: 125

Exposure: 1/30 sec

Aperture: 1.7

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

316 of Project 365: Poudre Universelle Libre

Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre

Natural Finish Loose Powder (Net 30g) in 20 Clair

When it comes to cosmetic & skincare products, I'm a fickle and adventurous consumer who likes to try different brands and products - most often before I finish any of the existing arsenal of products I already have. Which is why, it is a surprise when I realised that I've finished this loose powder from Chanel within the recommended 18M used-by date.

The only explanation is: I like this product enough to keep reaching for it. The finely milled powder matched my skin tone and it doesn't make me look pasty which is a common problem with powder products. It also has a light floral scent which is pleasing without being overwhelming. 

I would definitely repurchase this product but that is only after I finished the existing loose powders I have stashed in my drawer. I can think of at least 4 - 5 other tubs from different brands like MAC, Laura Mercier, Kanebo, Natural Republic,.....

ISO: 100

Exposure: 1/80 sec

Aperture: 2.5

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

315 of Project 365: Tool of the Trade 2

Here's another post about the tool I used to apply my makeup. The first post was a dual ended foundation-and-concealer brush.

This is my current favorite brush to apply liquid foundation - Sigma Round Top Kabuki (F82). While doing my research on Sigma synthetic brushes, I found that many recommended the Flat Top Kabuki (F80). In the end, I decided to go with my own preference for a round top brush because I already owned something similar to the flat top kabuki brush.

ISO: 100

Exposure: 1/60 sec

Aperture: 2.5

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

314 of Project 365: Under-redded

I bought this "Red Carpet" Revlon ColorStay nail polish when it was on sale at 20% off (RP: S$13.90).
The sales person told me that this is the same red nail polish used by the SIA girls. She even went on to recommend me the matching red lipstick in "Really Red" which I already owned. For those aspiring to create the SIA girl look, here's something affordable to consider.
This is definitely one of the best nail polishes I owned. I've tried many different brands from high-end to low-end so I know that this is a winner when it's quality stood out clearly enough to woo me.
Rich creamy finish with high shine, minimal chipping after one week (with minimal fading around the edges which is a rarity for me).
The thing I love best about this polish is the applicator which has a slightly rounded brush tip so application is a breeze. Another thing I notice is the brush picks up the right amount of polish and it's easy to control the amount of polish being picked up so I wouldn't end up with a huge gob of messy liquid or insufficient polish resulting in uneven finish.
I am tempted to buy another bottle in a neutral color but sometimes different colors might perform differently, which is something we have to bear in mind.

ISO: 100

Exposure: 1/250 sec

Aperture: 1.7

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

313 of Project 365: Burberry

This is what happened when I can't make up my mind.

Burberry Complete Eye Palette

NT WT 5.4g

ISO: 100

Exposure: 1/200 sec

Aperture: 1.7

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

The eyeshadow is housed in a velvet pouch which also has a side pocket to hold 3 brushes.

312 of Project 365: Nutmeg (豆蔻)

Nutmeg (豆蔻)

This fruit reminds me of the yummy nutmeg drink I had during my recent trip to Penang. Some might find the taste medicinal, as nutmeg is one of the ingredients commonly found in ointment but I like it very much. Most importantly, it is good for health whether you consume or apply it.

ISO: 100

Exposure: 1/1300 sec

Aperture: 2.2

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

This is how the fruit looks like inside. Doesn't it remind you of the "Nutmeg and Mace" sculpture by Kumari Nahappan outside ION Orchard? 

311 of Project 365: Dragonfly 2

Dragonfly must be one of the most common insects because I see them in most of the parks in Singapore.

Here's the first post I did featuring the same yellow dragonfly at Hort Park. This time round, I managed to get a closer shot where I can see the fine hairs on the belly & back and the spike on the head. I guess this is the best I can do with my prime lens at 4x zoom. 

Sigh, at times like this, I wish I have a more powerful camera.

Taken at Gardens by the Bay.

ISO: 100

Exposure: 1/800 sec

Aperture: 2.5

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

Full frontal shot.

ISO: 100

Exposure: 1/800 sec

Aperture: 2.5

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

310 of Project 365: Spider Lily

Taken at Gardens by the Bay

ISO: 100

Exposure: 1/1300 sec

Aperture: 2.2

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

309 of Project 365: 以人为本的设计

I need a bag to replace my old trusty shoulder bag from UNIQLO which has served me for more than 3 years. So I went back to UNIQLO hoping to find something similar but I was disappointed by the limited range which is catered more for lugging the laptop. 

My next best bet is Muji. I need a bag that is sturdy & big enough to carry my camera, with many compartments within the bag to keep all my barang barang, lightweight, waterproof, ...... The list goes on and on. It didn't take me long to find what I want but I had a small problem. I was looking at the zipper at the bottom of the side pocket which can be unzipped. It doesn't make sense to expose the bottom because it would mean that I won't be able to put anything in the side pocket when it's unzipped. But in my mind I know that the design must serve a purpose, and given the thoughtfulness of Japanese designs, I'm sure it's there for a purpose.

I found this piece of instruction slip in the bag and viola, mystery solved! The side pocket when unzipped at the bottom actually serves as a flap where one can hook the bag through the handle of a luggage handle.

Guess I might not be using this function much because I much prefer to keep it zipped so I can put my stuff in the side pocket for easy access.

ISO: 400

Exposure: 1/6 sec

Aperture: 5.5

Focal Length: 34mm

Flash Used: No

308 of Project 365: Paris

法国 - 巴黎 - 自助

France - Paris - Free & Easy

Yes, free & easy, a word which I fear the most because it takes a lot of planning & research.  But for once I can go on a free & easy trip planned by someone else, my sis.

As usual, my holiday planning can be stressful right from the start. Firstly, getting approval for my leave application is always a nightmare. Well, it's never a straight forward "ok" when it's subject to the whim of one's bosses.

Then it's booking the flight. Different airlines, different dates, different timings and most importantly, prices that can fluctuate so much.

Then comes lodging. Everything seem so expensive in Euro. Even at the supposedly strong SGD rate, nothing looks cheap when you have to multiply by 1.60 times.

Finally, we have to start digging into the guide books, online research for the places to go and things to do while we were there.

This time round, I'll take it easy and let my sis do most of the planning for I shall be a faithful follower.

Au revoir!

ISO: 400

Exposure: 1/15 sec

Aperture: 5.3

Focal Length: 30mm

Flash Used: No

307 of Project 365: Harmonie Du Soir

A picture of perfection for the record before I dip my brush and paint the window to my soul with a rosy view of the world.

Regard Signe De Chanel

Ombres A Paupieres Quatuor

Quadra Eye Shadow

Harmonie Du Soir

ISO: 400

Exposure: 1/30 sec

Aperture: 5.6

Focal Length: 45mm

Flash Used: No

家常菜: 砂锅鱼头

开饭了！

好久没吃的家常菜 - 砂锅鱼头！这应该是一道广东菜式的代表菜之一吧！

有点像大杂烩，因为光看就可以看到很多的料扑在鱼头上，所以完全看不见鱼头的踪影！

我想这也可以叫 “一锅搞定”， 可为均衡的一餐，有鱼，有肉，又有菜。

I Cooked Curry Again!

Haha, can't help but smile when I entitled this post!

Yes, I cooked curry again! And this time with greater success after some modifications.

The colour is not as dark compared to my first try because I didn't poach the purple carrot. What I did was sauteed the onion, white radish, red carrot, purple carrot and chilli padi. This process took the longest time, at least 15 minutes before the onions & carrots are soft enough before adding water, bring it to a boil and finally add the curry cubes. Besides the chilli padi to increase the hotness of the curry, no additional seasoning is required. Easy, peasy right?

306 of Project 365: 45-65: Liberation, Unrest... a New Nation

I can't help but take a picture of this printed silk screen which is part of the "45-65: Liberation, Unrest ... A New Nation" exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore. 

Frankly, I quite enjoyed this exhibition which is both nostalgia & unfamiliar at the same time. Nostalgia because there are some artefacts on display which I can recognized but unfamiliar because some it was an era which I wasn't born yet.

 Besides the numerous printed silk screens and artefacts, there is also a black & white film screening of early Singapore. I noticed that there are numerous headphones around which I believe provide oral narration of Singapore's history. There are many seats provided, so you can really take your time to sit down & enjoy the exhibition. The best thing is admission is FREE. Can't beat that!

ISO: 160

Exposure: 1/30 sec

Aperture: 5.5

Focal Length: 14mm

Flash Used: No

305 of Project 365: Frame

ISO: 100

Exposure: 1/125 sec

Aperture: 5.6

Focal Length: 45mm

Flash Used: No

I Cooked Curry!

This is my first try to cook curry katsu don (curry pork cutlet rice). I bought the curry sauce from Isetan Supermarket. It took me a while to decide which curry sauce to buy because there is a whole shelf to choose from ranging from different brands, intensity, etc. I finally decided on this because it has English instructions. 

304 of Project 365: Creepy Crawlies

ISO: 100

Exposure: 1/100 sec

Aperture: 5.6

Focal Length: 45mm

Flash Used: No

I Want to Live Another Thousand Years

I Want to Live Another Thousand Years

by Agus Suwage

2005

Cigarette butts and watercolour, tobacco stains on paper

This is one of my favourite pieces on display at SAM

303 of Project 365: Night Lights 2012

Night Lights 2012: Light Installations @ Singapore Art Museum (SAM) 

Fri 24 & Sat 25 Aug

Fri 31 Aug & Sat 1 Sep

7.30pm - 2am

Mimoïd II

by Stèphane Bève / Milosh Luczynski / Philippe Rizzotti

Music composed by: Vuk Krakovic

Mixed and SFX designed by: Ctrl Fre@k (Jeffrey Yue)

ISO: 800

Exposure: 1/15 sec

Aperture: 3.5

Focal Length: 14mm

Flash Used: No

Tiong Bahru Bakery

Tiong Bahru Bakery

by Gontran Cherrier

Address: 56 Eng Hoon Street #01-70 Singapore 160056

(Open daily 8am to 8pm, closed on Tuesday)

I guess this place needs no further introduction because it has been featured in almost every food blogs. So jump right in and feast your eyes on all the yummy baked goods.

Bio-X

Good things must share, so I thought I should share the wonder of Bio-X in a separate post since I've raved about it in one of my previous post.

This is how the product looks like. I bought two 600ml bottle from my friend (one was given to my sis but don't know if she has used it or just chuck aside somewhere). This also comes in a smaller 300ml bottle. The scent is in "Natural Lemon Fragrance" so you don't have to worry about the nasty chemical smell commonly found in insecticide. Since this can be used as a deodorizer so the smell can't be that bad.

I believe you can buy this from most supermarkets or houseware stores. I actually saw this being sold at the Prime Supermarket near my house, so I guess it should be quite easily available elsewhere, since the Prime Supermarket (the one near my house) isn't known to be the best stocked supermarket. The retail price for the 600ml bottle is $19.90, not sure about the price for the 300ml.

Thus far, I've only used it on my plants and as an insecticide, which has served me very well. I didn't try using it as a disinfectant or deodorizer because there really isn't a need for it. Moreover, I think this product is too expensive and a waste to be used as a deodorizer. I don't think my house smells that bad to warrant using a deodorizer to get rid of bad smell.

The ingredient listing is very short. The following is the composition listed:
Active ingredient: Etofenprox 1.25% (W/W) Inert ingredient 98.75%

302 of Project 365: 家常便饭

我是名副其实的阿宅！

没上班的日子，我可以整天窝在家里，大门也不踏出一步。

每天下班就回家和妈妈吃晚餐。

去年，因为厨房大装修，所以有两个月得打包。那阵子真是我这一辈子吃外带最多的一次，永生难忘啊！

就算妈妈不再家， 我也不会打包。有一回，妈妈自个儿去吉隆坡探亲，那一个星期没人煮饭，我就煮蔬菜汤吃了一个星期，瘦了两公斤。

图里那两粒像小笼包的东西是妈妈最近的新发现。挺好吃的哟！外皮类似鱼丸，可是内有乾坤。里头抱了鲜甜的鱼卵所以就叫“鱼包蛋”。吃的时候得小心的慢慢咬，不然里头的汁会喷出来哦！

来个赞吧！

ISO: 400

Exposure: 1/60 sec

Aperture: 1.7

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

301 of Project 365: Blooming

My (freaking) violet is finally blooming after lingering in the realm of near extinction for quite a while.

I used to keep this plant in my office within the confine of air-conditioned environment and it was doing very well with minimum care. It kept flowering non-stop and the leaves grew to the size of my palm. It was such a joy to see the plant flourishing.

However, all these changed the moment I brought the plant home. Within a week, I started seeing white spots on the leaves and the flowers will wither before reaching full bloom. After a couple of months, there were no longer any flower and the plant languish to the point of almost no return.

All these changed after I started using Bio-X! My friend was doing a bulk purchase for Bio-X which is mainly used as an insecticide, I decided to buy it because I wanted to get rid of the cockroaches which is a constant nuisance. Little did I know that it can be used on plants too. As the product is safe and eco-friendly, it can be used as a disinfectant and deodorizer too.

Ok, back to my violet. The moment my I received my Bio-X, I sprayed a liberal amount on the plant and into the soil. I swear that within the next couple of days, I notice that the colour of the leaves begin to regain its lush green of health and new leaves started growing. I believe it has been almost 2 months since I started using Bio-X and now the plant finally start blossoming again. I still continue spraying Bio-X into the soil bi-weekly to keep whatever pests at bay from attacking my beautiful flower.  

My nightly massacre of cockroaches has also stopped as the number of cockroaches has been drastically reduced after I started spraying Bio-X around the rubbish chute and around the entire kitchen floor.

I dare not say that Bio-X works until I saw my violet beginning to flower because for a while I only saw leaves growing but no flower. It's only when I see flowers blooming, I was assured that my plant wasn't poisoned/damaged by unknown chemicals.

I'm not sure if the same results can be seen when Bio-X is used on other plants. Let me know your results if you have tried it on your pest-ridden plants.

ISO: 200

Exposure: 1/2000 sec

Aperture: 1.7

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

300 of Project 365: Praying Mantis

This picture was taken with my pancake lens in manual mode, using 4 times zoom, so that explains the graininess.

I have taken more than 40 pictures but I can only choose the best to post here. 

Do all photographers share the same woes or is it just me?

I'm not complaining, just feel that it's quite a waste that 99.9% of the pictures I've taken never get to see the day of light. 

Well, back to my subject. I was amazed that this praying mantis had been very co-operative, so much so that I actually feel that it was posing for me (of course not, its being alert to possible danger). I was moving my camera trying to take a shot from all angles and the praying mantis will follow my camera so I ended up getting more frontal shots than the side profiles. It was actually more difficult to focus when the praying mantis was facing the camera because the area is smaller and it kind of blended in with the colour of the leaf.

I didn't really keep track of the time, so I wasn't very sure how much time I've spent taking the picture of this praying mantis, but I suspect at least a good 10 to 15 mins before the praying mantis lost interest & jumped away.

ISO: 400

Exposure: 1/500 sec

Aperture: 1.7

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

Werner's Oven

Werner's Oven

6 Upper East Coast Road

My sis asked where to go for dinner before sending me & my mom home. So I said it's my treat & she can decide where to go. So we ended up at Werner's Oven which is near my sis' place.

A nice treat after cycling more than 20km on Sunday.

The Last Kampong in Singapore

Kampong Lorong Buangkok

En route back to Sengkang Riverside Park, we stopped briefly at one of the houses belonging to a friendly Malay family, who allow us to roam around the compound & take a look at their mini oasis.

299 of Project 365: 榴莲 (Durian)

果中之王 - 榴莲

它的魅力何在?

喜欢的人，赞不绝口。不喜欢的人，退避三舍。

可是，我已经好久没尝到真正好吃的榴莲了。

每当和家人一起吃榴莲的时候，我们都会重谈好多年前在吉隆坡吃过这生中最好吃，最难忘的榴莲。

现在的榴莲的气味似乎没有那么浓郁了。有时走到榴莲摊前都闻不到香味。

我有多爱榴莲呢? 以下或许可以从中了解。

当年我应该还是个小学生，爸爸买了几粒榴莲回家。也不知何故，没马上吃。隔天，下课回家后，看到那诱人的榴莲在面前却不能吃。天啊！那是多么折磨人啊！

怎么办呢? 当时，我就自己拿了一把至少一公斤重的大菜刀，把那几粒完整的大榴莲劈开，然后完好无损把那金黄的果肉取出，放在盒子里再摆进冰箱等晚上和家人一起吃。当然，在这之前，我吃了一颗解馋。

现在正是榴莲季节，你吃了吗?

ISO: 100

Exposure: 1/40 sec

Aperture: 1.7

Focal Length: 20mm

Flash Used: No

水闸 (Chui Chak)

我们一群人浩浩荡荡准备去拍日落了！

你看我们多么的专业，还带了高脚梯去，就为了捕捉水闸稻田和日落最美的画面。

最牺牲的应该是提着高脚梯坐摩托的阿辉哥了。听说我驾摩托的表弟才刚拿到执照的哟！

298 of Project 365: Waiting



ISO: 400

Exposure: 1/30 sec

Aperture: 3.5

Focal Length: 14mm

Flash Used: No

标语 (Courtesy Slogans)

在香港的地铁站，地铁车厢和巴士都可以看到这些有趣的标语，以轻松有趣的方式提醒乘客们。

在新加坡的环线，我也看到类似的标语。可是，本地的似乎缺少了幽默，而且句子也比较长。



庸记 (Yung Kee Restaurant)

庸记 (Yung Kee Restaurant)

This is another must-try restaurant when you are in Hong Kong.

All the great reviews I've read online only served to fuel my curiosity to try it for myself.

In order not to disappoint myself & the 7 others in the group, I made a reservation for lunch one week in advance from Singapore. You can either call or make your reservation online via the restaurant web site. However, for group of more than 6, you have to call to make your reservation, which was what I did. The staff requested for a telephone number, so I provided my Singapore mobile number but was told that they would not be able to make international call in the event that I'm late, and the table would only be held for 15 mins. The staff was very polite & efficient and the whole reservation process was done in less than 5 mins.

I was asked why I go during lunch when it would definitely be very crowded because many people working in Central would go there for lunch. Well, I've read that if you go too late, some of the limited items would be sold out & horrors of horrors, I've came across someone who said that the roast goose was sold out when he went there for dinner. How can I possibly allow that to happen?

Boy, am I glad I made a reservation because the restaurant was really packed when we arrived but we were immediately directed to the second floor where our table awaited us.

Enough talk, let your eyes feast on the best roast goose I've ever had!

I'm busy! Don't disturb me!

Guess what little kitty was busy doing? It was busy filing its claws on the wooden plank. It was really intent with filing its claws until my approach.

Well, maybe little kitty was really shy or on alert when strangers approached. Either way, it stopped his activity & turned to face me so I quickly take a good pic of its profile before it walked away.

Recently, I've been considering getting a pet. I think these days, the variety of pets we can keep can range from the exotic (think reptiles) to the common (your usually cats & dogs).

I'm undecided between a dog or a cat. After weighing the responsibilities to take care of a dog or cat, I'm leaning more towards getting a cat. This is because my mom would be the person spending the most time with our pet, so it should be a good companion without being too taxing on my mom.

So I'm wondering if a stray would invite itself into our house like what happened to one of my mom's friend, when one day a kitty just walked into her house & became a part of their family for more than a decade.

297 of Project 365: Warning

You have been warned!

 

ISO: 400

Exposure: 1/15 sec

Aperture: 3.5

Focal Length: 14mm

Flash Used: No

添好运 (Tim Ho Wan)

添好运 (Tim Ho Wan)

Address : Shop 8, Tsui Yuen Mansion,

2-20, Kwong Wa Street,
Mong Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong

This is a must-try place when you visit Hong Kong. Would you believe just by looking at this picture that this restaurant had been awarded the Michelin Star?

We visited the branch at Mongkok which is near out hotel. There is also another branch at Sham Shui Po.

We went twice because the dim sum was simply great & most importantly, the price was very reasonable.

Be prepared to wait at least 30 mins to 60 mins, but I can tell you that it's definitely worth waiting for.

Just tell the staff the number of diners & they will write a number on the order slip. The number will be called out when the tables are available. The order slips come in Chinese & English, so if you can't read Chinese, request for the English version. The place is really very small, so the diners are basically sitting shoulders to shoulders.

Since went twice, we have basically try almost 90% of menu because we can share our food.

296 of Project 365: Perseverance

Took this pic of an old man walking down the stairs at the famous Central - Mid Levels escalator in Hong Kong.

ISO: 125

Exposure: 1/60 sec

Aperture: 5.6

Focal Length: 45mm

Flash Used: No

Elderly Friendly Country

Over the years, our government has done their part to make our environment more elderly friendly. The range of infrastructures include handle bars, ramps, lift-upgrading for HDB, subsidies for retro-fitting flats of elderly, etc.

This is the first time I see this special traffic light outside Tiong Bahru Plaza. Elderly with their EzyLink card can tap their card for longer crossing time. Since the card reader is still under wrap so I guess it's still not ready for use yet. I was quite excited to see this & was telling my mom that next time when she see such traffic light, she can tap her card so she can have more time to cross the road.

These are some of the hardware which our government can put in place to enhance our environment, but the software is still something which we have to work on.

Citizens in various estates had voiced their concerns & protested the building of elder day centers at their void decks, citing reasons like lower home values. I am for the idea of building elder care centers at void decks because if we can have child care centers, then why not elder care centers. 

40 Hands (Forty Hands)

After our walkabout around Tiong Bahru, we finally found 40 Hands (78 Yong Siak Street) to take a break from our walk & the sweltering heat. The cafe was pretty cramped & the indoor air-con sitting area was almost full, so we decided to sit at the non air-con backyard.

七星针

I heard about this plant many times from my mom about its rich medicinal properties but have never seen it for myself. My mom said that my aunt (my mom's elder sis) in Malaysia have this plant right in front of her old house, which I have never noticed.

这就是传说中的七星针.

Unique leave pattern which is just one of the plant features.

Look out for the thorny stem which is one of its distinctive attributes.