Mango Madness!

This week I have visited Mango four times. Yes, no kidding. I'm no die-hard Mango fan but the Mango sale begins this week and my crazy colleagues have influenced me, so fortunately (or unfortunately) there's no turning back. Three of us went to chope clothes on Monday at the Wisma outlet, only to go to the Raffles City one on Tuesday to chope some more. Yes, smart shoppers know that different outlets have different clothes. Choping means that you get to choose what you really want before the sale so that you don't have to jostle with the rest of the crowd during the sale. The wonderful thing, though, is that after finding out the discount on the first day of the sale, one can decide whether or not one wants to buy the choped item. Yes they do not force you to buy!

Today we split ourselves into two teams and headed separately to the two outlets during lunch. It was utter madness with clothes stacked like sardines, thrown all over the floor and girls changing in front of mirrors. I purposely wore a tight-fitting top and skirt that allowed me to try clothes in front of the mirror. In addition to the clothes I had reserved earlier, I picked out another skirt. Even after the mad rush during lunch, we still hadn't had enough. We decided to head for the Shaw outlet after work in my colleague's car.

It was even crazier at Shaw with people queueing to get into the outlet and with staff sealing customers' belongings in big plastic bags to prevent people from shoplifting. My colleague helped me to grab a red top I was eyeing and once that was done, I hastily made my exit. Enough heat from the lights and warm bodies and enough blasting music for the day! All in all, I bought two tops and two skirts and am very happy with my purchases. Mango's got some really good deals when they run a sale and it's no wonder that makes all the girls go crazy. Too bad I didn't see anyone stripping down to their underwear though, heheh. I heard that happened last year. Thankfully, this time people were quite disciplined and didn't push, though I sensed frustration in the overworked staff's voices as they kept shouting 'excuse me'.

Hopefully my exciting episode at Mango marks the end of my Great Singapore Sale shopping spree. By this time I've spent so much that I'm afraid of shopping! Better save up for my trip to NY in Sept. That's gonna cost me more than a month's salary but heck. Pleasure above savings for the moment ;p

Have Car Cannot Drive

No, it doesn't mean that I have a car but I don't have a driving licence. Instead, it's like this... I started off today on a bad note. Was trying to unlock the car but couldn't do it successfully via the 'press button on key' method so I manually turned the key instead. Then I set the alarm off and couldn't stop it. Every time I unlocked the car using this method the car alarm would go off. It was tremendously frustrating and in the end I took a cab to church instead of driving because I was afraid I could not turn off the alarm in case it chose to go off suddenly. Wasted one hour of my time travelling by public transport instead of driving and man, I was so peeved! Mum is going to ask the car agent what is going on. Hope I never have to encounter this alarm business again. UGH. I tried to comfort myself by thinking about how I'd contribute to the taxi driver's salary and that I'd get extra exercise and vitamin D by walking in the sun. And yes, I did all of that. Am going to make sure I eat cheaper meals this week though because cab fare is not cheap (I don't take a cab unless it's absolutely necessary so it hurts)!

Having said that, this new car (an economical Toyota Vios) is still quite a nice drive. The engine's very silent and it's more aesthetic than our old car, with a sleek modern interior, more comfy seats and a sexy shiny red coat to boot. The steering wheel also requires less force to turn and the accelerator and brakes are very sensitive. But it can never beat our old Honda City in terms of engine power. It just doesn't feel as shiok as a Honda when the car is going at 70km/h and above. Nevertheless, I cannot complain. This car costs less to maintain and still does the job, provided it does not cry molest out of the blue! And oh, all Vios cars are female because they require the driver to be very gentle on the accelerator and brakes. They're like young ladies.

Today is also Father's Day and I always feel a little sad because my father passed away in 2000 and I will never get the chance to treat him to a nice meal or give him presents using my hard-earned money. Anyway I have come to terms with his passing and I know he is in a place where there can be no suffering or pain. And I know that even though he isn't here with me on earth, he's watching my every move and is tremendously proud of me, as always. Happy Father's Day, Daddy.

On a positive note, I had the opportunity to blog alot today, which is a luxury I've missed out on for the past two weeks. I also went for a swim in the evening and bought a pair of big shiny heart-shaped earrings from Perlini's Silver at half price ($12.50, U.P.= $25), courtesy of the birthday voucher they sent me. Bless the Perlini folks, they sure know how to make their customers happy :)

Yoshinoya Sucks!

Yoshinoya's food is nothing to shout about. But I was craving for a Japanese rice bowl last Sunday and thought heck, just give it a try and see if it has pulled up its socks ever since the last time I ate there. True to my expectations, it hadn't.

I have no personal agenda against Yoshinoya but have always wondered how it can claim to be Japan's number one beef bowl when its beef lacks fragrance, its vegetables are tasteless, its miso soup is powdery and tastes worse than the instant kind and its teriyaki chicken is inauthentic. And no I'm not saying this because I am a picky gourmet foodie. I may enjoy good food but I am definitely not atas when it comes to eating.

But seriously, this is the sad state of Yoshinoya and I have always remembered it to be so. It wouldn't be so sad if it did not claim to be Japan's number one beef bowl but to do so and not live up to its name is literally shooting itself in the foot. Doesn't matter if it prides itself on clean interiors and a hip, modern ambience. The food just doesn't measure up. I really wonder what a Japanese would think of Yoshinoya after trying the food there.

Like many other eateries, Yoshinoya has feedback forms for customers. I filled up one expressing my opinions as expressed above and left my email address. The feedback forms are addressed to Yoshinoya's general manager. I'm still waiting for him/her to contact me and convince me that I should continue to support Japan's number one beef bowl. Till then, this beef bowl and the campaign accompanying it will remain a joke at Yoshinoya's own expense. How's that for laughs?

A Lazy Leisurely Saturday :)

Today was one of the most pleasant Saturdays I've ever had in a long time, save for the 33 degrees sweltering heat. I bought an intricate embroidered bag for $29.50 (YES YES it was 50% off, this sale is terrific!!!) from Urban Warehouse at Orchard Emerald and that put me in a real good mood, albeit slightly guilty for the unanticipated expense.

My boyfriend and I decided to go to Tanjong Pagar and check out the eateries there for lunch instead of heading for boring old Orchard/City Hall/Bugis and getting bumped into by the crowds. It was a wise decision as Tanjong Pagar was quiet and sleepy and there was hardly anybody walking in the area.

We had a leisurely lunch at a Korean restaurant along Peck Seah Street and had the whole place to ourselves. We got to sit on the floor with cushions. The food was also delicious and came in generous portions. I learnt that in Korean restaurants in Korea, every meal comes with appetizers that may even be topped up with no additional charge. At this restaurant we got five appetizers including the ubiquitous kimchi. That's wonderful! Now if only Chinese restaurants could serve more than just peanuts and pickles.

After lunch we strolled from Tanjong Pagar into Chinatown passing an interesting mix of shops that included Dermalogica and Tong Heng which sells traditional Chinese pastries such as egg tarts and lao3 puo2 bing3. We also glanced through Thieves Market, which is a little alley opposite China Square where people lay all sorts of things on the ground for sale, ranging from old Nokia phones to yellowing Chinese romance novels. Quite interesting and worth a visit if you're in the area.

The afternoon was so enjoyable because it was simple and leisurely and I like the idea of walking around aimlessly without a plan. The heat proved too much to bear, though, and we took an air-con break in the McDonald's at Circular Road. Desperate for a drink, I bought Heaven and Earth's new white tea from 7-Eleven nearby and found it to be delightfully refreshing. Try try, I recommend! Less sweet than bottled green tea, lighter than jasmine tea and with a very pleasant floral essence.

From the 7-Eleven we parted ways, I to the Arts House to view an Australian glass exhibition and my boyfriend to meet up with his friends. It was a pleasant surprise to run into an acquaintance of mine in the bookshop of the Arts House and we chatted for a good 20 minutes. For those of you who don't know, the bookshop Earshot was set up to promote Singapore literature. It doesn't aim to make profits but simply to provide a platform for Singapore writers to promote their work. Earshot's prices are similar to those in major bookstores here and one can have a cuppa or meal while browsing through the volumes (the bookshop and restaurant are one). They've got books on MM Lee, Mrs Lee's Cookbook, books on Singapore's history, comics and even Stefanie Sun concert DVDs. Great idea I think but hopefully it'll pull off. There are also plans to showcase local artists once a month. For example, local bands can apply to play there. The Arts House is within walking distance of my workplace, so it's pretty convenient to hop over for a $6.60 set lunch, to watch a movie or view an exhibition. Am looking forward to more programmes as a result of this new initiative.

The day ended with a dinner treat from a friend at the quaint, luxurious and very tai tai V Tea Room at the Esplanade. The V Tea Room is situated at street level diagonally opposite Harry's Bar and near the pushcart stalls. Am impressed how every effort is made to create a Venetian experience here. Sitting in a carved chair with curly legs, I felt like I was in a European cafe. The waitresses' uniforms are black with white aprons, the walls are adorned with fancy dress party masks and the furniture is very European. Each table is decorated not with a vase of flowers but with three red rose petals arranged in a triangle. Reservations are also indicated by placing a half-body mannequin on the seat. This is one upmarket place with a refillable pot of tea for two at $12++ and cakes between $7.50-$15++ a piece! The more expensive ones have liqueur such as Bailey's in them. The service staff are friendly, very attentive and truly delighted to serve customers. It was refreshing to experience such good service. I also like the tea tray that they use to serve each table. Among the items on the tray are white and brown sugar cubes and even dried longans that are supposed to go with tea.

My friend and I shared the omelette loaf with bacon, the winter pear cake with vanilla ice cream and a pot of macadamia bourbon tea. The food was not fantastic (7 out of 10) but the tea had a pleasant vanilla and orange aroma and was wonderfully sweet on the palate. I'll be coming back again, but only after I receive my bonus. Excellent place for pampering a loved one, for a romantic date or an afternoon tea with a close friend. Be prepared to spend about $20 odd per person for a meal and dessert or below $20 for tea and cake. I only wish they had Coffee Bean prices ;P

Super Shopper!

Wow it feels great to be able to blog again! To my readers out there, sorry for the prolonged absence. For the past two weeks I haven't blogged for a number of reasons: too tired to write at the end of the work day, too busy meeting up with friends for dinner and shopping (YES SHOPPING!), and had my home Internet access cut over the past few days (horror of horrors!). I must say I've experienced withdrawal symptoms from not being able to blog. Such is the allure of blogging, won't be surprised if it progresses (or shall I say degenerates?) from addiction to world wide epidemic!

Anyway, the title of this post is Super Shopper and here is why...

After grabbing a number of fantastic buys during the beginning of the Great S'pore Sale (hereafter referred to as GSS), I felt a little guilty and thought I should tone down. And yes, everything in the stores seemed unexciting after my initial craze. I thought I wasn't going to report any more damage on my blog and diary, but guess the GSS is THE sale after all and I soon found new things to pump up my retail high. The breakdown in the past week as follows: black capris with satin floral detail at the knees from Bysi ($26), 2 cotton tops which look like an artist drew on them for $9.90 each from pushcart stall at Junction 8, black handbag from Tangs Studio ($0 cos I used a voucher, heh ;p) and white handbag with green floral detail and leather strap from Accessories ($23.90). Now isn't all that a steal?!!!

And you know, either STB or MediaCorp or both are really smart, because now there's a show called Super Shopper hosted by Pam Oei on Thursdays, 8.30 on Channel 5. There couldn't have been a better timing! After picking up my two handbags today, I got home and turned on the TV while having dinner and lo and behold, Pam appears before my eyes. I have to confess that Pam is my idol. I've even told her that to her face and she was so shy she hid behind a pillar! But it's cool that she still recognises me in public and I feel like a 14 year old having a lesbian crush when she waves back to me, eeks!

Anyway, Pam is a joy to watch as she's so incredibly funny, perky and every bit the diva as she flits from shop to shop. I thought the show would just feature clothes, shoes and the like, but Pam actually went for facial light therapy and body firming at Expressions (the treatment supposedly burns fat equivalent to the fat burnt from 360 push ups?!!!) and took a trip for just $95 to a kelong in Batam! That's it. I'll be staying home Thursday nights to watch Pam religiously, or so I hope! This show's truly dedicated to all the super shoppers (and closet super shoppers) out there. The producers couldn't have found a better host. Pam is IT and she RAAAAWKS!!!