there is just something alluring about mini things. the UOB visa mini, the mini cooper, mini magnums, mini cornettos, mini peanut butter cups and the list just goes on and on
well, the mini selection of breads at various bakeries are definitely making the raves. Bakeries like Four Leaves, Bread Talk and Sun Moulin have all tapped into this HUGE demand for mini breads and decided to satiate the desire of the public for these so cute mini things. Perhaps its the thought that you can buy more without having to gauge yourselves out. Perhaps its just that these breads look much more appetising and inviting when they are so small and harmless. At 5 pieces for $2.80, it is so easy for one to pile up 10 pieces on that tray, that tray that seems so empty if just one small item is placed on it.
I've tried various flavours, and man they are addictive! The sweet and savoury mini croissants from Four Leaves taste like little drops of heaven. I was in love with the sweet potato croissant. A thick paste of Japanese sweet potato wedged inside the squarish croissant. Unfortunately it was discontinued due to poor response? :(
Anyway, I tried the blueberry, strawberry, choco and nut and ham and cheese croissants. The layers of sweet croissant are laced with sugar syrup which made it extra flaky and crispy. The fillings are of the right amount, and when bitten into half the filling oozes out and it just tastes awesome! Mine would taste extra better though, I brought them home, gave them a slight toast in the oven, and made them that more crispy, the filling that more oozy.
The ham and cheese croissant was not disappointing either. I expected it to have just a small slice of ham wedged in between. It was not the case however. The ham was rolled in together with the croissant, and every bite of it was bursting with the flavour of ham and melted cheese.
Go explore the other flavours! There are plenty to be adventurous with. This is great to step out of the ham and cheese/sausage bun routine, and try other flavours. With these mini breads, you can experiment without much costs incurred. If it tastes bad, just dump it out!
Four Leaves is available at
Takashimaya Basement 2
Picture Source
Friday, January 25, 2008
Awesome Mini Breads!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Awesome Win for Maria Sharapova - Ousted World Number 1 Justine Henin
yes! I was so anticipating this match between Maria Sharapova and Justine Henin. World No 5 vs World No 1 - the odds tend to give favouritism to Justine Henin, especially after Justine had such a long winning streak of Grand Slams.
It was long-awaited. I was waiting for Sharapova to get back her form after slipping down the rankings - from No 2 to No 5! Sharapova proved critics wrong - that she is not just a pretty woman who happens to do well at tennis. She DOES play the game well with great precision, strength & technique.
I expected a head-to-head fight between the duo, but Henin put up a disappointing fight. Well, I guess all good things have to come to an end - Henin's serve was terrible, played conservatively thus resulting in few winners, and allowed Sharapova to manuever her to and fro the courts.
Sharapova definitely deserved every bit of her placement in the semi-finals, and deserved every point she put her heart into playing.
Monday, January 21, 2008
The Amazing Race is an Amazingly Awesome show!!
For those who are the type of pple who DO NOT like to know the finale endings of whatever you watch, please do not read this post! For those who like myself, loves to know the endings to the Korean dramas/reality TV/etc etc I'm watching, I am just about to reveal the winner of the Amazing Race Season 12.
I'm an ardent follower of Amazing Race since its first season. I love travel, and the more I watch The Amazing Race, the more I want to travel! This season, the top 3 teams competing for the US$1 million prize money in my opinion - deserves their spots in the final. 2 of the teams (Christina and Ronald, Nic & Don ) have an elderly - which is amazing enough that they can survive through in terms of physical and mental strength. The 3rd team (TK & Rachel)have a strength of teamwork and unity which I feel has brought them far in this race.
Well - here you go! The winner is..... TK & Rachel!!
I like them - They have never quarreled once in the race, they work through everyting with faith and they keep positive. I think to myself - isn't this what we should apply to our daily lives as well? When trials and tribulations come our way, we immediately get discouraged, throw our tempers at our loved ones and give up. This shouldnt be! We should look at it at another pt of view - that trials are here to make us stronger. :) Keeping faith will ensure we get past the difficulties, and ultimately emerging victorious.
TK and Rachel has proven this point - they took a wrong flight and was on the verge of elimination, but they never gave up and went through all the tasks. Lucky for them, it was a non-elimination round. The next round, they had a speed bump which only they have to perform - and yet they managed to catch up with the rest of the teams!
It only goes to show: With determination comes success. They truly deserve every penny of that US$1 mil buck!
Yummy Food at Teahouse The Asian Kitchen!
I've finally did my first ever food review! I ALWAYS wanted to be enjoying my meals and taking pictures and writing about them and sharing them with others, but not bringing my camera out is always the bottleneck. This weekend, I have succeeded! And I give my virgin review to Teahouse The Asian Kitchen.
We have always wanted to try this restaurant located at the newly refurnished Raffles City Shopping Centre. Its warm and homely ambience beckons to us - and the rows of roasted ducks and meats in the display window is enough to tempt anyone who is looking for a good meal into stepping in and ordering a bite.
Since the roasted ducks are what enticed us, and is apparently the signature dish, we decided to order a small serving of its duck breast meat served in herbal sauce.
It is fragrant, its skin is crispy, its meat is tender, and the herbal sauce topping off the meats is just awesome! One thing though, I'm a fan of anything herbal - thus the herbal sauce in my opinion can be more herbal-ish for me. :)
We also tried the Fiery Fish, which is a simple dish of fish slices stir fried in chilli sauce.
One thing about such a dish is that it can get too oily (due to the chilli) for anyone's liking, and thankfully the chef at Teahouse kept the oil amount to a reasonable amount. Match the fish slices with a mouthful of white rice and you have yourself a meal not to be forgotten.
Another must-try is the Crispy Garlic Ginger Ribs! I personally love this dish - it is tasty, and not too tough on the bite.
All in all, the meal at Teahouse was a memorable one, and I definitely will be back! I was looking over at my neighbouring table and a group of tourists were enjoying their oriental cuisine with cups of beer. I wonder how yummy that will be..
Awesome Breads! - Apple Galaxy at Bread Talk
hehe. I'm glad I managed to try more breads this week. :)
Well - everytime I walk past Bread Talk Silver located at the basement of Paragon Shopping Centre, I'd make it a point to step in, just to take in the fragrant smell of the newly-baked breads, and entice myself with the myriad of varieties available out there. This outlet sells breads different from its regular outlets, infusing a mix of unique ingredients to cater to the taste buds of their patrons!
I saw picked up the Apple Galaxy - what can possibly go wrong with anythng apple? It is similar to the Applewerm available at the regular Breadtalk, just this is without the sugar coating. It is also "designed" to look like a galaxy, with rich caramel-brown swirls encircling this round-shaped bread, topping off with a star-shaped apple slice.
Its fillings are obviously apples, but they added some extra flavour with the use of raisins. The end result - a delicious yet wholesome bread that I believe will become a favourite with the young and old alike.
Turning a Japanese Car into an Italian Ferrari Dream
We are constantly amazed by beautiful sleek luxury cars - from the Lamborghinis usually lined outside Meritus Mandarin Hotel, to Ferraris parked at Hilton & Hyatt Hotel.
For Italian car lovers out there who dream of owning one, this is one way you can do so! Replicate it! I found this video on You Tube showing the entire process - transforming a run down car into a Italian Dream.
We basically fake just about everything, from clothes to bags, hell - now we are faking cars too.
Check this video out and you judge if it is awesome or not.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Hot Male Underwear Models - David Beckham & Freddie Ljungberg
David Beckham has just caused a huge stir with his Emporio Armani Underwear advertisement which first unveiled in Milan, the capital of fashion. Yes, he looks good. But Beckham seldom looks bad!
While there has been much buzz about Beckhim and his package, I remembered going ga-ga over Freddie Ljungberg when his ck underwear ads splashed all over town. Freddie is an equal heartthrob as Beckham - great bod with great mesmerising eyes.
Here's a feast for your eyes :)
You judge: Which of these underwear models is more awesome? Beckham or Ljungberg?
Do Your Shoe Straps Keep Coming Off? Try Shoo-Sticks!
Do your strappy sandals always go against you? The straps rub against and cut into your skin, causing blisters & cuts to happen. Besides that, they keep falling off!
Well, I have just gotten news of this latest Australian invention at On Pedder. Shoo-sticks are an addition to other shoe inventions like the heel cushions & blister cushions. These handy adhesives ensure our shoe straps do not come off, provides cushioning and eliminates rubbing & cutting - perfect for all heel lovers! 
Retails at $25, I am definitely heading down to On Pedder to check this out.
Awesome Rapture Silk Scallop Bell Dress from Zimmerman
Available in 2 colours (both of which I lurrvvveeee), this dress is very aptly described as "vintage-inspired grace, delicate feminity and flirtatiousness rolled into one"
This dress is available at Shopbop for an astounding US$680. Sigh.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Awesome Transformation: Sex & The City
I have mentioned I'm a huge fan of Sex and The City.. Was looking through their pictures and can I just say how much Carrie, Miranda, Samantha & Charlotte have transformed? From Season 1 to Season 6 - they have blossomed - their faces give off a more radiant glow, they can dress better & they have great hair!
Was just flipping through the latest production pictures of Sex & The City movie and I think the movie is going to be another fashion parade - out to raise the envy in women's eyes.
Lets see the transformation from past to present:
I think these 4 ladies have never looked better!
Picture Source
Awesome Drink: Negative-Calorie Fruit Juice!! - Green Apple Celery
i personally am pretty health conscious - so though I love to eat, I ensure I count my calories everyday to make sure I do not exceed my limit. It really comforts me to know that there are such things as "Negative Calorie" around -- to make our lives that much easier.
Let me introduce to you this awesome drink - green apple + celery fruit juice.
These 2 fruits are both negative calorie, meaning though they have calories when eaten, become negative calorie when digested as the energy needed for digestion is more than what they contain! You must be thinking, are you sure?? Is this for real?? Yes yes yes!! I am for real. It means -- that you can eat as much of it as you can and not gain weight - of course, without adding any sugar/dressing etc etc.
Other negative calorie foods are: berries ( blueberry, strawberry, raspberry ), apples, mangoes (surprisingly), watermelon
Green apple + celery fruit juice is possibly the most refreshing drink there is out there. Celery is an acquired taste though ( applies personally to me too ) but once you get the hang of the taste, you'd be wanting more.
Simply blend 2-3 green apples with 1 stalk of celery and you have yourself a great beverage - whether for breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea time or supper.
Awesome Videos: Other Hilarious Djokovic Imitations!
here are other imitations of Djokovic - first is Roddick, then Hewitt, then Nadal.
so hilarious!
Awesome Videos: Djokovic's Imitation of Sharapova
Djokovic is currently World No 3 on the ATP Rankings, and he is ranked No 1 in another talent he has - Impersonations!
He has imitated Federer, Nadal, and the most recent one was after his 1st round win at the Australian Open - where he imitated Maria Sharapova. Judging from the standing ovation he received, we can tell the crowd loves him. Watch this video for a good laugh!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Awesome Advertisements: M1 Indian Cafe Commercial
This commercial simply makes my stomach tickle everytime I watch it! The essence of a good commercial has to be memorable, and this one certainly makes the mark. This humorous advertisement has reminded marketers that a well-directed and thought through commercial can still impact consumers and hold their position in the advertising world today.
Indian accent "Singapore? Is that another island? Another country? This is Mumbai la! India!" hahahaha....
watch, enjoy and have a good laugh!
Awesome Game to Watch: Tennis
The Australian Open Tennis Tournament is here!!! Imagine my delight. I'm an ardent fan of watching tennis - mind my words. I watch, I don't play. haha.. This is one strange thing about myself. I watch tennis, but I don't play. I love bread, but I don't bake. I've told myself umpteen times to get down to learning tennis and to try to at least bake, but to no avail. I really got to get down to doing these things!
Anyway, I started watching tennis since 1 year ago - influenced by some of my friends who are CRAZY over this game. And i don't see why they should not be - it is a game of literally outwit, outplay and outlast.
Why do I say so?
Outwit - Players have to trick their opponents into thinking they're hitting the ball left, when it is actually going to the right. They trick their opponents in thinking they're hitting a strong ball when it is actually a drop-shot.
Outplay - Tennis is also a game of mental strength. You can be the best player in the world, but if your mental fails you, your opponent can easily walk over you. One has to be absolutely concentrated on his game - only then will he claim victory. A great example is Leyton Hewitt. He is termed "comeback kid" as he is always trailing 2 games behind but ultimately emerge victorious due to his never-say-die attitude.
A player also has to outplay in terms of his skills. Lots of skills come into handy here - you have to excel in serving, changing direction of the ball, strong strokes of your backhand and forehand, minimising your unforced errors etc etc. It is hard to win a game without a good combination of all the skills.
Outlast - As of every sport, one has to outlast the other in terms of physical strength as well. If it is a best-of-5 game and they have to be on court for 3 hours slogging it out, the winner is the one who has outlasted both physically and mentally.
That said, other plus points of watching tennis are of course - to catch the male players in action. :) they always put smiles on my face. I'd be literally glued to the screens during this season of Australian Open. For beginners, you might get confused with their scoring system of 0-15-30-40. Get someone familar with the game to watch with you, and I bet you'd be hooked in no time too.
Here are some of my favourite players ( and i'm sure you can guess who )
Picture Source
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Awesome Song: My Love, Justin Timberlake
OoOoooOoooh. I simply love this song. Justin Timberlake is smooth, sleek and an absolute awesome dancer. Enough said - enjoy the video!
Awesome or Not? Scarification
my colleague just informed me about this procedure that is one class higher than the art of tattooing - scarification.
Basically, scarification as according to Wikipedia involves scratching, etching or some sort of superficial cutting or incision. One usually uses it to etch designs, pictures or words into the skin.
I guess people like scarification as it allows one to translate any pent-up stress/emotions/whatever they are feeling into pain, so they will feel a high and release.
words cant illustrate this process - let pictures speak for itself:
Is this a form of art? Or is it simply torture? You decide. It makes me shudder though - at the thought of the pain...
Awesome TV: Sex and the City
I love Sex & the City - I'm glad my sister took the risks of being caught by the custom police in Malaysia and smuggled it over. - thanks sister. :)
After a 1-year hiatus, I recently picked up my collection of Sex & the City DVDs and decided to rewatch it, all the way from Season 1. I forgot how great this show was.
Well - this show is like none other. It has the right fuse of elements which makes for great TV. Themes of love, friendship, hot sex, betrayal, great fashion & shoes are instant hooks and we cannot ignore the display of great foods like - tempting Magnolia cupcakes, delicious huge pizzas and a host of Martinis & cosmopolitans that just makes you wanna go party.
Apart from all that, i love how 4 friends of diverse personalities have stuck together through thick and thin, shared their woes & happiness and amidst their hectic work, make time to have lunches & dinners with each other! yes, its on-screen, but don't you hope this can apply to you in real life? For those who already have such great close friends who meet up with each other everyday - cherish them! I'm ashamed to admit that through my hectic work life, school life & relationship with my boyfriend, I have neglected some of my friends. It only makes me reflect - what is more important? Great friends to last you a lifetime, or jobs that pay hell alot but you have to give up practically everything? It's a double-edge sword, I feel. But ultimately, when we die, we are remembered by the great friends we have, not by the amount of money we earn.
I can only say I can't wait for the movie to show here in May. In the meanwhile, I'd just get my regular late-night fixes of 2-hr Sex & the City. :)
Picture Source
Awesome Breads: Blueberry Fluff from Bread Talk
I was at Citylink yesterday night after a game of pool and what better place to visit then Bread Talk?
This branch is different compared to other outlets in Singapore. They have different varieties of bread which other outlets do not have! ok, lets not compare to Bread Talk Silver at Paragon - that is a story for another time.
Some breads that are uniquely theirs are like this awesome Blueberry Fluff that I tried yesterday. Retailed at $1.10, it is truly worth the money, and whatever calories contains. True to its name "fluff", the bread is amazingly soft, and accompanying this texture is its milky, custardy taste. The blueberry filling adds the finishing touch - its blueberry bursts are not too coyingly sweet, and tastes of wholesome goodness - do you know that blueberry is actually a negative-calorie food?
Negative-calorie means that while some fruits and vegetables have calories when consumed, become negative when digested. The energy needed to digest is more then the calories they contain.
Well, though the blueberry filling has been tampered with sugar, making it not negative-calorie anymore, it is still superior to eating whole breads of custard cream cheese or chocolate cream.
What was meant for breakfast had been devoured on the spot - thus leaving my next-day breakfast options wide open.
PS: Pictures coming soon
Monday, January 14, 2008
Awesome Spreads: Duchy Originals Strawberry Preserve
Since young, jam has been a part of my life - i eat it with plain bread or eat it with peanut butter for an awesome PB&J. Strawberry jam has always been my favourite, thus imagine my delight when I got to taste this pretty awesome strawberry preserve from Duchy Originals - the latest brand brought in by Ms Christina Ong of Club 21. Duchy Originals came from London, and is now the up and coming upmarket lifestyle brand specialising in organic foods. Located at the basement of Paragon, it targets just the right group of customers - those who are health-conscious and affluent - so they can afford to spend a premium on organic food stuff.
For the first time in my whole being - i ate the jam differently. I spread it on a cream cracker (those from Jacobs, Khong Guan or Hup Seng) due to a recommendation from my boyfriend, and wow does it taste good! The cracker plays an important part - it has to be crispy, buttery and fragrant. Mine was from Khong Guan, and thankfully it played its part well. The not-too-sweet jam combined with the cracker proved great as a breakfast item and even more excellent as a late-night snack.
Yes yes, we heard all about the high sugar content that jams can contain. I comfort myself by telling myself this jam i'm indulging in is organic. =P
Awesome Breads: Wassant from Provence
I love breads. I do not know why. Even though I can't bake, I can't help it but walk into any bakery that I pass by. I hope to intern in a bakery just to get close to these lovely carbohydrates!
Meanwhile, i gotta rave about the various breads I've tried. The wassant from Provence bakery has got to be one of my all-time favourite breads in the whole wide world! As and when I can, I'd head down to Holland V to purchase these cute swirly chocolate buns, and I can devour them in a second.
they are amazingly soft, not too sweet and filled with just the right amount of chocolatey goodness. These wassants come in just 2 flavours - chocolate and custard, but my personal fav is still the chocolate one. Another bread-lover friend of mine adores the custard one though, so there is no particular debate of which tastes better - both are equally awesome!
If you want to get your hands at these lovely wassants, head down to Holland V. its located near the foodcourt, opposite sub way and beside the newly open Marmalade Pantry. Remember though, if you want to ensure you can get your hands on these heavenly breads, always make a reservation. In this way, satisfaction is guaranteed. :)
Provence at Holland Village, Tel: 6467 6966 check out their website! www.provence.com.sg
PS: Pictures will be up soon. :)
Awesome Awesome!
this blog is set up to record all (hopefully) of the awesome things that have happened in my life! Sweet experiences, good tidings, great food, great travel, great friends etc etc. I wanna thank the Lord for these wonderful things he has bestowed.
I always believe too, that it is only in the midst of trials and tribulations that we find sweet things sweeter. Thus, a positive light to view hardships is so that we can treasure goodness that comes our way.
watch out for my lists of awesome stuff. :)