I'm going to France this October

Yep, it might be too soon after the winter trip but I think it's time to experience autumn in Europe, particularly in France.

This will be a relaxing trip, which means planning will be much less detailed than US trip. I wanna to walk leisurely in Paris or to soak of the atmosphere in Mont Blanc mountain. Yep, no Internet for 20 days for me, except for flight check-in or other emergencies. Life is too short to just think about problems in life.

Happy 28

But I'm forever frozen at 26. Hohohoho...


At Hue restobar (Amara Hotel), near my new office

Singapore shopping - YSL Iconic Arty Oval Ring

I don't know if I should be proud or feel guilty. Finally, I've got myself a ring from Yves Saint Laurent.
I am a fan of the brand, especially its shoes and accessories. They are so beautifully made and reasonably priced. But I didn't have a mood for YSL accessories, just its shoes. So I didn't explore its accessories until today.

Recently, I have a passion for rings. Previously it was just earrings and necklaces. But Tracy had made me to think differently. So I blame you, Tracy, for my new obsession.

A few weeks ago, I saw this YSL Iconic Arty Oval Ring on the Internet but didn't think the Singapore store was carrying them. So it was just pure coincidence that the SA showed the ring to me. Initially, I only wanted to check out their sale items. But there were not many things I like. The shoes were on 50% discount but I didn't think the marked-down price was justified for me. Maybe I just wait until next US trip to buy some pairs of Dior and Miu Miu shoes. Anyway, I wandered to their accessories counter and tried a few pieces. But they were too normal for my taste. I guess my face showed my thought at the time. That was why the SA told me that he had a ring that might interest me. And the price was the same as the ring I was trying. Well, no harm checking it out, right? Wrong, cos it was harmful to my wallet. It was the ring I've been thinking about, but thought they didn't carry it here (no display in store) and it might be too expensive. It turned out they have it and within my budget. So what else could I do? Buy it of course!

So here are my first YSL ring and hopefully not the only one.

Singapore eats - Durian fiesta at Goodwood Park Hotel

I'm a bit tired of talking about New York and might have lost my muse about that trip. So I've decided to tell you more about Singapore - a super small island/country I'm living in.

One thing about the locals, which you can't tell if you just stay here for a while, is they are really proud about their food. Being the cuisine originated from Singapore or other countries, they enjoy it a lot. And it is much easier to find the food you want to try, if you spend a little time reading food blogs/forums. In Saigon, it is a bit harder, partly because of the lack of info and another part being the messy addresses. If you know the address in Vietnam, it doesn't guarantee you to find the correct place you want. Trust me on this, dun ya?

Since I was young, I've liked summer. Summer meant no school (but there was still cram schools), rains and most importantly, fruits. Lychee, rambutan, longan, mango, etc... you name it, I like it. And obviously, durian is no exception. When I came to Singapore to study and work, I discovered the locals have managed to make variety of pastries out of durian. I was amazed and super happy. What is better than a durian? Of course, a durian puff which eliminates the bitter taste sometimes I unfortunately encounter. Yes, I like my durian sweet and cheesy.

Every year, from around May to July, Goodwood Park Hotel would have a Durian Fiesta which they offer a variety of durian pastries. And the taste and quality are superb. The price might be a tad high but I tell you, it's worth the money and even the calories. You can find the details on the hotel website, if you are interested.

Anyway, here are some photos to entice you. Dun blame me if you run out to buy a durian after this. Hhhehehhee...


Plenty of choices for you to choose


Durian puffs


Durian eclairs


Durian crepes


Durianmisu

Riding a New York subway

Living in Singapore for the past 9 years, I have learnt to appreciate public transport. If you plan carefully enough, you could get to anywhere. That applies to San Francisco, Chicago and apparently Manhattan.

However, I hadn't had a right appreciation for Singapore public transportation system until I rode New York subway. And I've realized that those who are living in Singapore are really pampered (not only the locals). The system has been designed to bring the most convenience to its people which a big percentage of these people don't really understand. Try New York subway for a day and you learn how wonderful the MRT in Singapore is.

Anyway, once you learn how to navigate around Manhattan, subway is a cheap but excellent method to explore this interesting city.


7-day MetroCard


Chambers St. Station






Inside a subway train

New York eats - Kitchenette, Tribeca

After a good rest, we were ready for a full-day city exploration. However, sleep wasn't enough, I need to take in more energy, which meant a good breakfast. And I found this restaurant on the Internet when planning for the trip. About 5 minutes from our hotel, it seemed to be a good place.

It has a cozy and homey ambiance. Once you step in, you could feel the warmth which is a god-sent if you are in the middle of a winter. There is not much to choose from, just very essential American breakfast. As I didn't like bacon and sausages for morning, I had chosen blueberry pancakes and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Luckily I had finished both cos the next meal was actually lunch cum dinner in Columbus Circle.










A huge glass of OJ


A big plate of blueberry pancakes


Looking fresh after a good night of sleep

New York eats - Viet Cafe, Lower Manhattan

After our disastrous shopping trip at Century 21, which Tracy had managed to buy something (amazingly), we couldn't wait any longer to head for dinner. We got lost for a while, but somehow we regained our direction and landed to the right area. But if you ask me for one advice, dun ever plan your dinner around Financial District. The whole place looked like a ghost town to me. Quite scary for 2 girls.

Anyway, we chose a Vietnamese restaurant cos I thought after 2 weeks in North America, Tracy and I might miss our food. And yes, I was right. We were glad to have some cabbage salad and some hot noodle soups for dinner. Even though the price was steep, I dun think I could have chosen otherwise.






Cabbage salad with chicken


Pho Nam Dinh


And of course, a photo of myself on my first night in Manhattan

New York shopping - Century 21

Technically it was my second day in New York, the first day being the day I landed to JFK, aka two week before. But who cares, it was my first day in Manhattan and NYC. And managing to get here on schedule was another miracle (I hate terrorists, but that will be another story of another blog post).

After catching some much needed sleep (I think I didn't sleep a wink the night before in Canada) in the hotel room for about 2 hours and waiting for Tracy to arrive from San Francisco, we went out for some much needed retail therapy and of course, dinner. As we stayed in Tribeca which is quite near to Ground Zero, our logical shopping choice was Century 21.


(sorry, the photo was a bit blurry. I was cold and hungry.)

I'd had high hope for this department store after all the raves from other travelers, and even some New Yorkers. And yet, I was disappointed. The brands the store carried were just blah and the selection was bad. After 5 or 10 minutes in the store, I was bored even others were digging furiously. Its only saving grace was shoes, but I couldn't choose anything as there was no size for me. Really, I had had better luck at Neiman Marcus Last Call in Chicago. I'd managed to score a pair of Brian Atwood heels there.

Anyway, that might be just me. You may find the store interesting if you like those brands. But I won't recommend this for any of my friends' shopping list.

Magnificent Mile at night

If you are a shopaholic, you must visit this part of Michigan Ave. Even if you are not, you should come here as well. Especially at night. The street looks magical and beautiful. I enjoyed shopping at Saks Fifth Ave. The service was warm but not too overwhelmed.

Christkindlmarket, Chicago

Christkindlmarket is a Christmas market held annually at Daley Plaza in Chicago. It was inspired by the Christkindlesmarkt in Germany. And it has become the largest Christmas market in the United States, hosting well over 1 million visitors annually.

That is the info I have gathered from Wikipedia. Well, largest or not, I had gone there cos I love Christmas and market. The coldness didn't deter me at all. Tracy and I had a lovely time there, exploring, squeezing, eating and laughing. It's a must-go if you are in Chicago around Christmas time.






Christkindlmarket


Big Christmas tree and yes, it was a real pine tree!


In front of one of the stores








Yummy German lunch

Chicago snacks - Garrett Popcorn

In the middle of a disastrous city light tour, we decided to finish it early and spend our last night in Chicago walking along the streets, and of course, doing some shopping at the same time. We passed by Garrett Popcorn shop on the way to Macy's (State St). Even though the queue was long, we couldn't resist the temptation to go in and try some American popcorn and see if there was any difference from the ones from Vietnam and Singapore.

Well, lucky for my weight, I didn't like this so-called gourmet popcorn. It was either too cheesy or too sweet. For me, I prefer taking sourness or saltiness to the extreme. I like sweet food, but not too sweet. But I think it was an interesting experience to try this one in a lifetime.

Chicago eats - Volare

I am a devoted fan of Italian cuisine, especially pasta and tiramisu. Sometimes, I could eat pasta a whole week if I am in the mood. That's why it was no surprise I decided to visit Volare when I was in Chicago. The restaurant is recommended on Trip Advisor as a worthy try. And it's located around Magnificient Miles where you could find it a difficult task to choose a good place to eat.

On Google Map, you could see Volare is situated on a street crossing with Magnificient Miles. Well, if you see from above. In reality, you have to walk down 1 level to get to Grant St. The atmosphere here is a big difference from the busy and touristy street above. And if I didn't know about or tried to find the restaurant, I didn't think I would go in there at all. I was definitely glad I did though.


Here is the unassuming but great Italian restaurant






Homey but charming interior


The street as seen from our table. I wanted to take photo of falling snow, but my camera is not good enough, or was that my bad skill?

Delicious food obviously aside, what I remember about Volare is its great service. The staff who waited on our table was charming and not pushy. A fun memory was that he asked Tracy and I if we could finish what we had ordered. I mean, that was the first time some waiter asked me that question. It was always the opposite, aka "would you like anything else?". And being too hungry at the time, Tracy and I said of course. Well, we realized why the staff had asked afterward. But we were still happy to stuff ourselves as the food was super duper delicious. I really want to eat their pasta again. When will I have the chance to go back to Chicago?


Yummy bread for appetizer (one of the best bread appetizer I have ever tasted)


The plate looked ugly but it was the food that counted


Compulsory Italian dessert - Tiramisu


Of course, a must-have photo, aka me and the food