I'm back from Down Under!

Where should I start? I was gone for three weeks to the land down under to fulfill my teen dream of revisiting it. I am back reeling from that experience. I am so glad all worked out well and I cannot wait to share my journey with you. In the meantime, #livingwithmelly and #jcmaussielovin on Instagram to see updates of the trip from my account and a joint hashtag with my travel mates respectively.

Platypus Kitchen @ Bugis

Black and White Crab and Scallop pasta

Jungle style fries

Though tucked away in a corner of Bugis Junction, Platypus was ¾ filled on a mid-week night. Reservations were required. With a great ambiance and relatively wallet friendly dishes,the restaurant is suitable for any occasion. 

I had a lovely catch up session with my closet friends and we really enjoyed ourselves. Apart from the company, the food was the highlight of the night. We ordered their well known handmade pasta and a cheeky plate of fries. The Jungle style fries were smothered with addictive sundried tomato sauce and bacon bits. It was definitely a good change from the classic truffle fries. The party really started when I had my first bite of the Black & White Scallop & Crab pasta. The pasta was chewy, scallop and crab cooked nicely and the dish as a whole wasn't too oily. Everything was just right. What amazed me was the black pasta. Apparently, to prevent dirty black squid ink teeth and lips after eating, Platypus infused the squid ink into the pasta. What a genius idea! My friends had Truffle Carbonara; it was too salty, and Crab & Tobiko Bacatini; creamy pasta which I don't really fancy. 

Overall, Platypus is worth the visit! I highly recommend!

Current nail obsession

All thanks to Essiebutton's vlogs, I am obsessed with these newly formulated Revlon nail polishes. They are the Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy collection. As the name suggests, these normal polish formula are enhanced with gel effect. They last longer, I had the polish on for 2-3 weeks before having to remove them. They do not chip easily. The colours are very distinct. An easy apply of one coat is sufficient to cover my whole nail. They can be found easily as any drugstore for less than $10. And most of all, they are not as harmful to your nails as the real gelish polishes. 
Aren't you tempted to try them already? I recommend the "630 Long Shot" colour for this festive season. It's a vibrant mix of orange and red, just the colour for Chirstmas. Or if you are going for the winter wonderland theme, then try "540 Checkmate".

Also, if you haven't already known about Essiebutton, go check her YouTube channel for great beauty tips and her vlog channel about life in London with her boyfriend and her cutest dog, Reggie. Her energy on camera is contagious and will put a smile on your face after watching her videos. 

Park @ Holland Village

Known for it's affordable booze and late night operating hours, Park is situated on the grass patch in front of Starbucks. Opened by a local artist, Adam Chen, it has limited seats and can be quite claustrophobic during peak hours. Thus not suitable for a big crowd. Food wise, it was as disappointing as the restaurant's atmosphere. Among all four dishes my friends and I ordered, we only liked the Mac and Cheese. It was the most decent dish with distinct a flavour to it. The two sides, fries and luncheon meat chips, were extremely oily. It felt like we were drinking oil while chewing on them. Burger was acceptable but not fantastic.

I do not usually put restaurants down but Park gave me no choice. It is definitely not worth your time and money. My mini post-exam celebration turned into a disaster.

Healthy snacks

When exams are approaching and the stress level is rising, most people tend to rely on food for comfort. And most of the time we crave for unhealthy sweet and savory food items which can be harmful to our body. I am guilty of that too. However ever since I've stumbled across Eastern Granola's Milo granola and Second Helping's beenut butters, I became a convert. They are such fuss free snacks and easily paired with milk and bread. They are my go-tos every morning. I feel good knowing what I give my body is something healthy. These snacks have no preservatives and healthier choice ingredients are used. For instance, unlike household brands like Skippy, Second Helpings uses olive oil in their beenut butter. And it tastes even better. These items can be found at a local grocer, Crateful. I'm sharing this because I have seen changes in me, mentally and physically, after I have made gradual changes to my eating habits. Body change isn't an overnight thing. Start now and start small to get your body in tune with the change and in no time you will reach your goal. 

Nu Smoothie

Does hic'Juice ring a bell? I bet you health conscious people will know what it is about. Hic’Juice supplies pressed juices incorporating loads of different fruits and vegetables to produce fluids that are jam packed with vitamins and nutrients. Sounds good to maintaining a healthy diet? However one bottle cost about $7-$8 which is too darn pricey and not worth spending. Then, the thought of investing in a blender to make fresh blended juice every morning crossed my mind. But I scratched the idea because, in time to come, I will get lazy and leave the blender on the kitchen top to rot. I know some of you out there are guilty of that. I want something fuss free but still filled with fresh goodness. 

Randomly, I found Nu Smoothie. All the way from France, this juice is 100% all natural, rich in fibre and is filled with 3 types of fruits in every different flavoured juice. The fruits include orange, mango, passion fruit, pomegranate, acai, cranberry, pineapple, banana and coconut. One packet of Nu Smoothie provides 2 of the 5 recommended daily servings of fruit and 24% of the daily fibre requirement. It is very much similar to a $7 bottled juice for a much friendlier price. One packet only costs $3. I have been drinking it for the whole of August and I am so satisfied with it. Now, my mornings are not complete without it. It fills and energizes my body, setting my day right. When the antioxidant kicks in, the batheroom is necessary. Nu smoothie is available at RedMart, a virtual supermart. Download the app and experience grocery shopping in the comfort of your own home. It is fuss free, has regular promotions and has such good service. Groceries can be delivered to your door step on the next day. That's a major plus point! I love RedMart. I love Nu Smoothie. I’m glad I found them and is able to share them with you. 

Current Song Obsession || Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran

I still remember listening to this song, on the radio, while on the way to school. That captivating voice, beautiful melody and relatable lyrics was suck in my head the entire day. The lyrics "people fall in love in mysterious ways, maybe it's all part of a plan" instantly melted my heart. Evidently, I am a sucker for romance and there is no better artist to sing a love song than Ed. Ed's voice is simply amazing. I have so much respect for him. It amazes me how one man can serenade a sea of audience and be nominated for two grammy awards. Moreover, after watching the music video, I just found out he can dance. Seriously, what can he not do? He is definitely the artist to watch. For that I am so bummed for not being fast enough to catch his 2015 concert.

Spanish Doughnuts @ Orchard Central

Who's like me, who has been searching for ages for some great tasting churro? I have tried churro from Churrosity, Common man coffee roasters and butterscotch cafe but are incomparable to that insanely long churro stick I ate at Disneyland, when I was a kid. I almost gave up on this hunt when I stumbled across Spanish Doughnuts while shopping in town. There was a long queue and a fully occupied seating area. Churro are cooked on the spot, sprinkled with icing sugar instead of the traditional sugar coating and served with three different warm dips: white, dark and milk chocolate. Though fried, it's not oily and maintained its crispy exterior and chewy interior. There are definitely more cafes offering churro but I think, for now, Spanish Doughnuts has won my heart. 

Tai Parfait @ Bugis Junction

What better way to combat the summer heat with a soft serve ice cream. This newly opened Japanese ice cream store is known for their unique way of serving ice cream. Instead of serving the ice cream on a cone, the soft serve is perched on the famous Japanese "fish" pancake with matcha/custard/red bean filling inside. The pancake is made on the spot so you get crispy fresh "fishie" along with smooth, creamy and refreshing ice cream for a mid-day snack. I don't really know the difference between soft serve and normal ice cream but I do know soft serve melts super quickly, especially under such humidity now. So eat it while it's cool. You can find Tai-Parfait at Bugis Junction Shopping Mall, B1. You won't miss it as there will most probably be a line and is near the escalator. Remember to stay hydrated!

Stateland Cafe @ Bali Road

Oops, I did it again! I cafe hunted, and I'm not guilty! That's my failed attempt of being creative whist being high on sugar. It has been so hot these past few days that almost every meal has to start/end with ice cream. I brushed the idea of having a proper brunch and went straight for dessert. My friend and I got red velvet waffle and honey toast with ice cream as they are the cafe's popular choices. Their honey toast has constantly been compared to the popular "After you" toast from Bangkok. I have not tried the After you's toast so I can't compare but I love the toast we ordered. The bread is crispy, coupled with blueberries, raspberries and yogurt ice cream (to give a citrus taste to the sweet honey) and is pre-cut into cubes for easy eating. The whole combination is so good! I would totally recommend! Unfortunately, the red velvet waffle is a miss for me. There isn't anything special about it and would rather go for the original waffle instead. The waffle is not crispy and is drizzled with cream cheese which I find it totally unnecessary because it makes the whole dessert too sweet and cloy. I would not recommend it at all. 
Stateland Cafe, a 5 mins walk from Bugis mrt station, is situated along Bail road, 2 mins away from the popular Haji Lane. It's super easy to locate so give it a try. Another plus to this cafe is it does not charge GST or service charge! Cheers to saving money!

Artistry @ Jalan Pinang

Artistry, one of the longer standing cafes in the Bugis area, was my next cafe stop. It is within reach with a 5 minutes walk from Bugis MRT. Once in, you will be warmly greeted by the friendly people working there. Artistry offers breakfast, pastas, sandwiches, cakes and amazing coffees. While looking through the menu, I spotted this tiny line at the bottom stating "Artistry does not charge GST or service charge". My face immediately lit up. Excuse me for being such a scrooge but I am still a student with no income so that explains. I ordered their famous peanut butter and jam french toast along with mocha while my friend ordered waffles with berry compote and latte. I would recommend the french toast as how can someone resist not having peanut butter with jam with eggs in the bread?! The three flavours together creates an explosion in the mouth. One thing that bugs me is there isn't any colour contrast between my toast and the plate, no matter how hard I tried to colour correct it. The picture looks like as if it is a plate of a scoop of ice cream. Waffles were crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside but I would not recommend as the portion served is not worth the price paid.  Artistry is known for their coffee so no explanation is needed on that. 
Artistry also acts as a platform for musicians to perform and artists to display their art pieces. Head over to their facebook page to get the rundown of performances available. And be sure to be early to get the best seats. 

Llao Llao @ 313 Somerset

Yum Yum Yum Yum Yum!!!! Oh god, I am salivating just by looking at this picture! I had this Llao Llao sanum snack four days ago and have been craving for another cup ever since. Almost every day I get pictures of this iconic cup of yogurt on my instagram feed and so I decided to get one on a hungry day after work. Now, I totally understand why my friends are obsessed with it. There was a steady stream of customers at the 313 Somerset basement outlet but the service was quite fast so I didn't have to wait too long. Basically, I ordered the popular sanum which consists of yogurt + 3 fruit choices + 1 crunchy choice + 1 drizzle choice and the end product is this colourful and healthy cup of goodness. The yogurt is not too sweet, as compared to yoguru, and the fruits are fresh and juicy. Don't be deceived by the size of this $6.50 snack because it can fill your tummy to the brim. Totally worth the money, highly recommended!!

Oriole Cafe & Bar

Where to eat when you are in town? I'm always faced with that question when I'm out with friends because we are always spoilt for choices. I can name so many different places off my finger tips. However Oriole cafe is the one particular place that I have always wanted to try after being addicted to their coffee. I first tried their coffee at a local flea, public garden. Oriole offers an amazing cup of vanilla coffee. I don't know if that's the real name of the coffee but basically it's coffee infused with vanilla syrup. It's delicious! Back to the topic on food, I went to their Somerset outlet to give their food menu a shot. Reviews online say that their fish and chips are a must try so I ordered that and the prawn linguine. Fish and chips were amazing! Fish was fat, juicy and crispy, and the portion is just right. Pasta was cooked well but my friend thought the prawns were a little salty. I can't vouch for that because I dislike prawns. And obviously I can't miss out on a good cup of coffee. We wanted t to try their desserts, too, but my friend and I were too full and well satisfied with our meal. I shall leave the desserts to next time. 

Poteato @ Tiong Bahru

You know, there are times when you just want to find a place to sit and chill with friends? I personally think Tiong Bahru is the place to go. This estate has been so popular among aspiring cafe/bakery owners that the number of cafes/bakeries has been increasing through the past few years. There is a old meets new feel whenever I there. One popular bakery that can be found is the Tiong Bahru Bakery.  Being spoilt for choices, my friends and I settled at Poteato as we were craving for fries. Poteato is known for their selection of small bites, especially sweet potato fries and truffles fries. We were out of luck with the latter so we had sweet potato fries and a cranberry scone with lemonade. The fries did not disappoint but the scone totally missed the mark, which is sad because one scone is so expensive. Money went down the drain. The place is cozy, easily accessible and has plugs available around the cafe, very good for people who wants to grab a coffee while working. I was satisfied after the visit and will visit this estate again for another cafe hunt. 

Nakhon Kitchen

Just a few shops away from Hatter's, you will be able to find a severely populated Thai restaurant. There is nothing fancy about place but still attracts a hell lot of people because of the authenticity of the food. As their chefs are flown in from Thailand, the food served are as real as what you can find in Bangkok. It is obviously better to have the real deal in Thailand itself but this will do for now. I miss Thailand so much after the satisfying meal.  My friends and I ordered everything local; pat thai, green curry chicken, pineapple rice, tom yum soup, olive fried rice and thai iced milk tea. You can never not order a cup of sweetened tea while enjoying a Thai meal. The combination of the drink with the food is so complimenting. This is the only exception I allow myself to have something that sweet. Another perk about this restaurant is that it is super affordable. With so much food ordered, my friends and I (5 in total) only paid $14 each. Good deal, isn't it? With things this good, I recommend you to come earlier to beat the crowd. 

Here is a little party pooper; though Nakhon has satisfied my craving for Thai food, Ah Loy Thai's standard triumphs Nakhon but Ah Loy Thai is a lot more expensive and has a long queue too. So it is up to you people to decide which to patronize. 

Hatter Street Bakehouse & Cafe

A sweet remedy for a hot sunny day - ice cream waffles!! No doubt can it fill your belly with pure goodness, it also refreshes yourself from the humid weather. Hatter Street is another waffle joint that fulfills my waffle needs. It is located at hougang and offers three different flavours, chocolate, vanilla and pandan, along with their heavenly crispy butter waffles. Their waffle is different compared to creamier's and assembly coffee's (two of my favourites). It's more buttery and crispier. Considering pandan ice cream flavour to be a little unique, it was surprisingly refreshing and pairs well with the waffles. Besides waffles, it also offers different types of homemade cakes like tiramisu and cheesecake. It is mainly a dessert cafe where you can hang out with friends after a hearty meal.  There's nothing more to say about this new discovery than to try it for yourself. 

Audacious Cakery @ Everton Park

The sweet tooth of mine acted up again, so I was on a hunt for a new place to visit. I visited a quaint cafe at the heart of Everton Park, Audacious Cakery. I love the location as it is quite centralized, nearest mrt station is outram park. The cafe has a clean cut outlook that immediately draws your attention to the colourful array of cakes/cupcakes displayed. With so many options to choose from, the staffs were very friendly and helpful in giving suggestions on which cakes to try. So here's what my friends and I ordered; smores cupcake, carrot cake cupcake, matcha cupcake, noir yuzu cake and black forest cake. Everyone was flavourful and not too sweet, definitely a plus point, but I thought the smores cupcake was a little dry. Audacious Cakery also provides cake customization services and they look pretty good and real. Check them out on their instagram page. Audacious Cakery is worth a visit.

Summer purchases

HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Summer has finally don on us again! This means sun, beach, sea, GSS, pastel colours, ice cream and crazy adventures. You must be thinking I'm such a weirdo for being excited for summer when Singapore is hot and sunny ALL YEAR ROUND. Thing is, I rather it be sunny than to be gloomy and wet, like the later months of the year. On that note, I am going to share with you a few of my summer purchases during the crazy Great Singapore Sale. I tried my very best to incorporate colours to my wardrobe but like most people, I prefer the monochromatic scheme. 
Be a little kind towards my photoshop skills as I am still in the phase of learning.
1. Models Own nail polishes - Maybe because nail polishes are fuss free and easily adds a pop of colour to any outfit, they are one of a few girly items I am interested in. As Guardian was having sales where I can buy any 3 Models Own nail polishes for the price of 2, I purchased the three most beautiful pastel colours in the collection; Beth's blue, Fuzzy peach and Pastel pink. I like the consistency of the polish. It is thick and dries fast. One down side is the polished have narrow brush. I prefer thick brushes that covers a larger nail area when painting. 
 2. Tops from Runway Bandits - With summer being all floral and pastel, I gave in to that idea and bought these tops; Beese Layered Flare Top-Blue & Ralaci Floral Layered Top-Black. They are so comfortable and soft plus they are not body hugging. This gives me an excuse to indulge in all the ice cream and amazing goodness as it hides my tummy under those ruffles. They pair well with denim shorts or bandage skirts. Runway Bandits has been one of my go-to blogshop as it has an amazing selection of outfits and is very reliable. 
3. Lovisa Necklaces - Accessories are also another item I will spend on when I am feeling girly or when I want to spice up my outfit. The sale had me to also choose 3 items for the price of 2. My necklaces have a similar colour scheme as my nail polishes as these bright colours scream summer when I saw them. I have been wearing the multicolourd one a couple of times and it looks amazing on any coloured top.
4. Kiwi - I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS HAIRY GOLDEN FRUIT!! It's like as though I've found gold from the fruit kingdom. Everyday I will crave for a kiwi because it is just so sweet and juicy and refreshing. It definitely helped in cooling my body from the humid weather. A tip for choosing sweet and good kiwis is to look for those with brown skin. The green ones are not ripped yet, so don't get those. 

There you go, those are my summer purchases for the timing being. I can foresee penny board to be on the list as I am currently obsessed with it after watching the Brit youtubers skating around like a pro. If you follow me on instagram, you will be able to see a cool picture of me skating. I'm still in the midst of learning and I like it.

Singapore Food Festival 2014

Reasons why you should visit #SFF2014:
1. All the best local delicacies all in one spot - Geylang's frog porridge, Old Airport Road's satay beehoon, Newton's satay, ice ball and so much more
2. Free wifi
3. Easily accessible - A stone's throw away from Chinatown MRT station
4. Be a tourist in your home country for a day
5. Only till 20 July 2014
For more information, visit #SFF2014. 

Founder Bak Kut Teh @ Rangoon Road

Maple & Market

As we are entering the second half of the year, when all the parties usually happen, I am going to recommend a place where you can get pretty darn good cakes for any occasion. Who says cakes are only meant for birthdays? They can be desserts for a party too. Anyways, the bakery/cafe I am going to recommend is Maple and Market. From a home baker to the owner of a humble area tucked in the east, there has been a growing recognition for the cakes baked by Sarah, the owner.It's always an inspiration to see dreams turn into reality when she first operated at Cassia Crescent. I still remember specially making a trip down to her bake sales just to have a slice of goodness. Even though her cafe is in the east, I still make trips there just to have a taste of those delicious bakes again. They are divine. The range of cake flavours offered are endless and mouth watering. I especially love their local flavour, gula melaka with kaya cream cheese frosting. Sarah also conducts baking classes every month. So if you are looking to make something special for your love ones, join her class. Evidently loving her cakes, I always recommend my friends to order their 21st birthday cake from her. Not only is there a wide selection of flavours, she also creates pretty cake designs using only frosting. This provides a raw and organic concept for the cake, rather than using fondant which sometimes make cakes look artificial and extremely sweet. The cake above is one of the many designs that Sarah offers. Ain't it pretty? I think I have said enough for you to pick up the phone to order a cake from her now. There won't be any regrets.

#AdventurerMelly || Batam

Ohllaaaaaa! I'm back from a real quick getaway  and am feeling rejuvenated and refreshed now. I'm so glad to be taken away from the city to adsorb the sun and cool breeze from the ocean. The beach definitely had a calming effect that I was so reluctant to return home. The thought of waking up to a sea view is just breathtaking, something you can't have in a small city. This beach vacation is definitely the start to more.

Accommodation: Turi Beach Resort
After a 40 minute ferry ride from Tanah Merah ferry terminal, I reached Nongsapura ferry terminal. It is 5 minutes away from Turi Beach Resort. Upon arrival, I was greeted by a beautiful view of the beach and a somewhat warm hospitality. The front desk was a little chaotic and had some confusion between the taxi and check in lines but the staffs were very helpful and welcoming. The room, a decent twin bedroom, has the usual amenities of a hotel room except for a fridge. I was kind of surprised as I wanted to chill my water for the hot day ahead but could not. 

Things I did:
1. Nagoya Shopping Centre
- Ayam Penyet Ria: The chicken was very crispy and the chili is spicy. They have a stall at Lucky Plaza so if you want to have authentic Batam Ayam Penyet, you can. 
- A&W: It's a ritual for me to indulge in A&W whenever I visit Malaysia or Indonesia. The food is not the most fantastic but just because there isn't any in Singapore I had to eat it.
- Jco donuts: There's nothing special about the donuts, just that it is so much cheaper as compared to Singapore. So I bought them for supper.  
- Massage: I did not had a massage at the all so famous Isabella Massage House because it has moved out of the shopping mall. So I had my massage at the only massage parlour on the top floor of the mall. A Massage is definitely a must in Batam because it is so freaking cheap! No joke, my massage, including tips, only cost $12!! You can never find such cheap massages in Singapore.
- Layers Batam: If you are looking to bring back something for your relatives or friends, their Kueh Lapis is a good gift. This brand is pretty well know over there so don't worry if you can't find it. It is everywhere. 
- Hypermart: Everything in there screams cheap. If you are not lazy to bring extra baggage back, it is ideal to stock your necessities from here. Most items are at least half of what you will find in NTUCs. 
2. Harbourbay Seafood Restaurant
It was one of those rare moments where I could have dinner by the sea with live music playing at the background. I was satisfied with my salted egg yolk crab but wished the crab could be meatier. 
3. Catch the sunrise
More often than not, we tend to be sleeping while Mr Sun is rising from the east or get caught up with technology or our hectic schedule that we missed the moment. This time, I forwent my sleep and watched the ball of fire bring colour and light to the sky. It felt so magical and glorious as the sun lit up the surroundings and commenced the start of a brand new day. I was so glad to be able to capture the moment. 
4. Sun tan and chill by the pool
I gave my skin some vitamin D and colour while reading a novel. Life like this is good but hard to find. 
5. Room service
The price tags are equivalent to Singapore cafe price thus affordable if you are lazy to head to the shopping malls.

Total expenditure: $218.50 (It is super wallet friendly, so much cheaper than a staycation at MBS.)
1. 2D1N Turi Beach Resort accommodation + american breakfast + 2 way ferry and land transfer (alldealsasia.com's promotion) - $99
2. Extra ferry fees: Singapore PDF & fuel surcharge - $20 & Batam terminal fee - IDR 50,000
3. Personal expenses (shop & dine) - $94

Overall it was a relaxing 2D1N escape from the bustling city and is so glad to be able to squeeze so many things into 2 short days. I also love that everything screams cheap, very important for a student with a tight wallet like me. One thing to note is to bring insect repellent if you do not want to be bitten by those blood sucking monsters.

Mother's day - Cupcake Weekend

Show some love to your mother on the mother's day by spending quality time with her accompanied by sweet treats and a cup of tea. Create your personal high tea session and shower her with words of gratitude for the undying love she has given you. This mother's day, I gave my mum a box of pretty cupcakes from a home baker, Jolene. You might know her as @jolenekcw on instagram. She is the owner of cupcake weekend and bakes delicious treats like cupcakes, cake loafs and granolas. I have been loving her bakes as they are flavourful but, at the same time, not too sweet.  Cupcake flavours like lemon poppy seed, maple cinnamon and water rose pistachio bring a different flavour palette to your taste buds, different from what is offered in the mass market. More importantly, these cupcakes are not slabbed on with a thick layer of cream cheese, very suitable for folks without a sweet tooth and are sugar conscious. During her last Christmas bake sale, she had gluten free brownies and strawberry scookies (scone - cookies). They are so delicious that till this very moment, I am still craving for a bite. So go check her out on instagram and surprise your mum on this special weekend. 

Choupinette @ Bukit Timah

Surprisingly one of the best eggs benedict and egg royale I've eaten comes from one of the little shop houses along the main street of Bukit Timah. The place is not that fancy but don't be fooled by it. The eggs are cooked just right and hollandaise sauce is simply delicious. It's definitely cheaper if you purchase their set meal, which comes with a hot and cold drink along with the eggs ben/eggs royale. I wondered why two beverages in the set meal but it made perfect sense after ordering it. One of the drink is to be consumed while waiting for your food and the other is for the after meal. Or if you are extremely thirsty, you can drink both before your food arrives. I suggest to come before 5pm or else the selection of food will be very limited. 

Top 1 handmade noodles @ Beauty World Food Centre

Cheap, good and healthy.

Pasarbella & friends go to town

I'm baaaaaaccccckkkkkkkkk! I'm sorry for not updating for almost a month. School has been a bitch. I managed to rewind and relax at the yearly iLight exhibition. This year's exhibition was slightly different as there was an outdoor food market that was organised by Pasarbella. The food market was located at an open space outside MBS that oversees the Singapore skyline. It was so beautiful having the skyline while enjoying my meal with friends, along with music playing at the background. Apart from the scenery, the food selection was amazing. Most of the vendors can be found at Pasarbella's home ground at turf city. I wanted to Omasake Burger but the queue was so long. People had to queue for 45 mins for their burger. I ended up having smoked salmon burger, chili pork sausage, sea bass fish and chips and Sapporo. They did not disappoint! The beer was smooth and the heap of chips that covered the sea bass are yam and sweet potato chips, not regular fries. Ended the night by walking through the exhibition whilst digesting the food I had. It was definitely a good concept to incorporate food in the exhibition.  
If you have yet to visit Pasarbella at turf city, you should. It's like as though you are transported to those markets you see in Europe, when you are there.

Lola's Cafe @ Kovan

I seldom head to the East because it is just too far for comfort.  So since I was there, I took the opportunity to dine at their neighbourhood cafe; Lola's cafe. Lola's cafe can be found opposite Kovan residences, a 5 minute walk from Kovan mrt station. Thus it is easy to locate. I was there alone so I did not have the luxury of trying more than one dish but I heard their chicken wings are popular. So if you are a chicken wing lover, you can try that. I ordered the pork sausage and iced apple tea. Sadly, there was nothing fantastic about the both of them. The sausage was not tender and the only redeeming quality was the nacho sauce that was drizzled on top of the sausage. The iced tea was too sweet and did not feel refreshed after sipping it. Other than the nice service, I will not go for a second visit.