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.