23rd European Union Film Festival (EUFF)

Singapore’s second-longest running film festival, the European Union Film Festival (EUFF),  returns with the largest line-up of 28 outstanding films. For the first time Croatia, Norway, Turkey and Ukraine will be joining the festival this year.

Jointly organised by the Delegation of the European Union to Singapore (EU) and the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU, the 23rd EUFF will feature acclaimed films which have never been released commercially here,  giving local audiences a taste of Europe’s diversity and creativity.

I was invited to a special preview of the partly-animated Euro-manga Suicide Room (Poland).

Suicide Room (Poland) –  A teenage boy is mocked in school and online after a series of humiliating dares and events. Bullying and the expectations of successful but absent parents cause him to retreat into his room and fall into depression. He meets a suicidal girl online and finds solace in a virtual 3D community, losing grip on reality.

The 23rd European Union Film Festival will run from 15 to 26 May 2013 at Shaw Lido. A sneak preview of the new Irish-Singapore production Mister John ( starring Singaporean actress Zoe Tay and Irish actor Aidan Gillen ) will be shown exclusively to invited guests at the EUFF opening gala. The public will have to wait for its commercial release later this year.

Since 2009, the EUFF has facilitated a cultural dialogue between European and local cinema by partnering with film schools to showcase student short films alongside European feature films. The EUFF’s film school partner this year is the distinguished Chapman University Singapore. The Festival will be screening 15 short films by Chapman students and alumni, and will also involve students in other areas such as marketing and the filming of a Festival teaser.

Tickets are priced at $11 and are available online at www.shaw.com.sg from 25 April 2013. For the latest updates and the full programme, please visit www.euff.sg or the EUFFsg Facebook page.

Songkran Water Festival - PhotoHunt

PhotoHunt theme : Coffee or tea?/ Zoom

April is the hottest month of the year in Thailand. For a week, the whole country celebrates a fun festival with friendly water fights and street parties. Tourists like myself flew into Bangkok particularly to enjoy this colourful and festive carnival.

We bought several huge water guns. There were chaos along the roads leading to my hotel. Everyone went bananas and started shooting water at strangers. Some locals threw buckets of water at us. Nobody got angry. It was fun though. :D

At the Central World Mall, there were fun-filled events featuring entertainment, food, attractions and rides such as a Ferris wheel, merry-go-rounds and games. Most interesting and fun was a foam party.

It was difficult to get near the crowds for better shots without getting my camera wet. I stayed in the air-con buildings and zoomed in on the action outside :D

During Songkran, most offices, banks, small family-run restaurants and shops are closed as the people go back to their hometown for reunions with their families. Big shopping malls remain open. Thankful that my favourite Thai restaurant was opened. Love their delicious Thai milk tea and crispy salmon skins. hehe.....

Breakfast With Ted Ryan of The Coca-Cola Company - WW

Ted Ryan with Coca-cola collectibles

For its 127th Anniversary, Coca-Cola Singapore hosted a breakfast meeting with Ted Ryan, Director of Heritage Communications at The Coca-Cola Company, for about 40 collectors of the Singapore Coca-Cola Collectors Club and invited guests.

Ted Ryan has managed the historical collections at The Coca-Cola Company based in Atlanta, USA since 1997. Ted is responsible for the physical and digital assets in the archives collection.

Ted brought a small collection of US and Singaporean Coca-Cola items to create a small exhibit in the Shangri-La ballroom where the meeting was held. Many including myself were excited to see the small exhibit as we have never seen the series of print ads from 1952 that had appeared in Singapore.

Ted took his audience on a journey through some of the most interesting design stories Coca-cola has to tell. It was fascinating to see a display of bottles and cans that demonstrate the evolution of the famous beverage. My eyes sparkled seeing the original ‘Hutchinson’ bottle from 1900 standing alongside Coca-cola’s most iconic asset, the famous glass ‘Contour’ bottle from 1915.

Several collectors had brought along items to show and share with Ted and the other collectors. It was a privilege to see some rare and interesting Coca-cola collections.

Auctioning of the vintage Coke memorabilia

There was a trivia contest where Coke collectibles were won. An auction was held, all proceeds were donated to the Red Cross.

Ted is one of the main contributors to Coca-Cola Conversations, their official blog.

 A group photo of the participants

World Summit Gourmet Launches Inaugural Youth Chefs' Day - RT

Peter A Knipp, CEO of Peter Knipp Holdings Pte Ltd, the organiser of the award-winning World Gourmet Summit

Our World Tuesday

Today the World Summit Gourmet launches the inaugural Youth Chefs' Day, presented by Meat & Livestock Australia. Together with close to 300 F&B students (aged 15 to 25 years) from 5 leading Singapore culinary and tertiary institutions, I had the rare opportunity to pick up tricks of the trade from the world's best culinary experts.

Mr Ernst Huber, Awards Of Excellence 2013 Déliciae Lifetime Achievement Award winner

Mr Ernst Huber (age 65, Chairman of Huber's Butchery), shared his expertise on the Art of Butchery. He demonstrated how to make South German Sausages and an impressive Pork Belly Roll with sausage stuffing.

During coffee break, I had a chat with this passionate and inspiring gentleman. He then invited me to visit his butchery. Yay!

Executive Chef David Senia (Capella Singapore) is such a humorous and fun guy. The audience adore him as he kept them awake with his jokes. haha....

He demonstrated 3 cheese dishes which seemed easy to prepare. One recipe calls for goat cheese which I would like to taste for the first time.

Spain’s finest pastry chefs, Paco & Jacob Torreblanca

Paco Torreblanca - Best Master Pastry Chef of Spain (1988), Best Maser Pastry Chef of Europe (1990)

Having cooked for the Royalties of Spain, this father and son team shared their insights into the Evolution of the Patissier’s role in the Kitchen. Watching a video of their amazing creations, the audience's questions came thick and fast.

Executive Chef Jimi Tegerdine (age 30  years), LeVel 33

Executive Chef Jimi Tegerdine's seafood dishes consisting lobsters and prawns attracted a lot of attention. :P Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to try them. 

Jimi's from UK but he speaks with an Australian accent because he lived there for 8 years. During those years, he also picked up Japanese cooking.    

Three-Michelin-starred French Chef Yannick Alléno talked about The World of Flavours and Tastes, sharing his techniques to achieve the best cuisine.

Mr Olivier Bendel (CEO of Déliciae Hospitality Management) owns and manages eight concept restaurants in Singapore : L’Entrecôte, Sabio, 83, Forlino, Le Petit Cancale, &MADE by Bruno Ménard, La Cantine by Bruno Ménard and Sabio by the Sea. Olivier shared his journey to success.

Home grown talents Janice Wong (2am:lab,  Awards Of Excellence 2013 Classic Fine Foods Pastry Chef Of the Year) and Daniel Sia (The Disgruntled Chef) demonstrated an innovative dish of sweet and savoury dessert using vegetables.

Executive Chef Edmund Toh, President of Singapore Chefs Association taught us a basic Thai dressing which can be used  to create several dishes.  

I spent an interesting and fruitful day at the event. The speakers generously shared their knowledge with us. I skipped coffee breaks to pick the brains of these professionals and was reluctant to leave when it ended.   

World's Largest Baby, Planet@ Gardens By The Bay - PhotoHunt

PhotoHunt theme : In a park/ Wither

Meet the world's largest baby! For this week's PhotoHunt theme, I went down to Gardens by the Bay to photograph “Planet”,  the giant sculpture of a 7-month old sleeping baby by British artist Marc Quinn. :)

Donated by Mr Putra Masagung, this 7 ton (383 cm by 353 cm by 926 cm) bronze cast sculpture which is a depiction of the artist's infant son Lucas, appears to float above the ground. It is one of over 40 artworks nestled among the horticultural splendour of Gardens by the Bay. It is now a prominent landmark to the Gardens' new city gateway.

You can see Planet at the Meadow, near the Colonial Garden. Against the backdrop of the city skyline, the blue sky and white clouds, the baby appears to be floating in the air.

We are experiencing hazy skies over Singapore and a burning smell in the air because of our Indonesia neighbour's forests burning in Sumatra.

I pray for rain during the weekend to wash away the pollution caused by the haze and that some of the withered plants during this traditional dry period could get some much needed moisture.

Library@Chinatown, Public Library in a Mall - WW

Reading Corner resembles a restaurant :P

While shopping with my girlfriends at the newly revamped Chinatown Point, we discovered this cool Library@Chinatown on the fourth floor.

At this self-service public library, visitors who require assistance can speak to a cyber librarian via a hotline at a special Cybrarian kiosk. It is also equipped with the standard self-service borrowing stations and eKiosks for general library transactions.

a public library in a shopping mall

This new 1000 sq m library is funded privately and staffed almost completely by volunteers. It carries a collection of books and audio-visual materials on Chinese arts and culture (calligraphy, literature, music, painting, traditions, customs and more).

There is also a small selection of books and audio-visual materials in commonly spoken Chinese dialects such as Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese.

Visitors can also read local and foreign online newspapers on large screens via iPads.

The Rediffusion Room

There is a  Rediffusion room which allow visitors to enjoy nostalgic dialect hits, activities and talk shows on Chinese festivals, beliefs and food culture within the library.

Children's corner

Visitors can also look forward to a wide array of programmes such as storytelling sessions, arts appreciation workshops, music and dance workshops, musical performances and poetry reading sessions.

Library@Chinatown
133 New Bridge Road #04-12 Chinatown Point, Singapore 059413. Tel: 6332 3255

Opening Hours :
Mon - Sun : 11.00am - 9.00pm
Closed at 5.00pm on eves of Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year. Closed on Public Holidays

Bookdrop Hours: 10:00 am to 9:00 pm

Scrumptious and TV Seat - PhotoHunt

PhotoHunt theme : Where do you sit when watching TV?/ Scrumptious

Curry Fish Head

This is one scrumptious meal that had me holding back my tears as I ate.

A long time family friend invited my family for a meal one weekend. He brought us to his favourite restaurant which serves scrumptious seafood.

He ordered a huge Curry Fish Head and several specialities of the restaurant. When he was ordering the dishes, I noticed that his wife was frowning. Sensing my concern, she confided that her husband is having final stage lung cancer. Knowing he doesn't have much time left, he gave us this farewell treat. I was shocked and chided her for not letting us know earlier, also he shouldn't be eating these spicy and oily food.

The wife sadly shared that her husband has given up hopes of getting well and intended to enjoy his favourite dishes until the day he dies. He throws away whatever herbal brews or medicine his wife brings him. When we tried to persuade him to abstain from consuming these rich foods, he refuses.

Yesterday night, we received news that the cancer has spread to other parts of his body and he is warded. We shall be visiting him this Sunday.

The display outside the stall for diners to choose, no menu is needed. Stacks of plates filled with all manner of fish and the ingredients to be used in cooking them.

The past week while I was on medical leave, I watched a Korean TV drama series which has a 'sob sob' theme. The beautiful lead actress has cancer. Armed with scrumptious snacks and a box of tissue papers, I spent unproductive time chasing the drama. Silly me.

Poh Guan Cake House, Traditional Chinese Pastries - WW

Established in 1930, Poh Guan Cake House (宝源饼家) is a traditional Chinese confectionery that specializes in making traditional biscuits, cakes, Teochew kuehs and snacks. I visit this shop regularly to buy their yummy pastries.

pastries are hand-made

Owner Chan Kim Ho took over the shop in 1958 from his father. He had to work 16-hour days with only one helper then. Mr Chan is very passionate about his craft, over the years he improves on his skills and recipes by learning from many masters. His pastries are popular

In recent years, I have seen a steady decline in the number of shops selling traditional Chinese pastries. I am glad Mr Chan has no intention to retire as long as he can still work, but long time customers like us are worried as his children are not willing to take over his business.

Traditional cakes and snacks

I come here without fail yearly to buy their sticky glutinous rice cake before Chinese New Year commences. Many Chinese couples come here to order their traditional wedding cakes. Singapore's famous actress, Fann Wong bought her traditional wedding cakes here too. :)

Axe Biscuit - Fu Tou Bing

Now, this is one traditional biscuit which my family and I love. We will munch this while watching TV programmes. It has a savoury filling and the more you eat, the more fragrant and tasty it is.

Tau Sar Piah (豆沙饼)

Poh Guan Cake House is also popular for its tasty sweet or savoury bean cakes (Tau Sar Piah) in Singapore. All their pastries are handmade and contains no preservatives.

Poh Guan Cake House 华人传统饼家 - 宝源饼家
Blk 531 Up Cross St #01-57 Hong Lim Complex S(050531).

Terrarium Workshop@ The Plant Story

Before going to bed on Friday night, hubby announced that he is going to bring me to a surprise event the next morning. Despite asking him repeatedly, he refused to disclose what he has up his sleeves. hmmm....

The next morning, he brought me to The Plant Story@HortPark. The surprise event was hosted by Marriage Central, it was a special treat for couples to spend some quality time together at a Terrarium Workshop. awww....

Hubby was one of the fastest fingers to sign up. Together with 21 couples, we 'grew' house plants in a bottle. The terrarium is low maintenance and only needs watering once every six months! Good for lazy gardeners like me. :D

Ideas for an Air garden

The Plant Story conducts group workshops upon request. It has a cafe within its premises too, offering healthy bites and refreshments.

My Terrarium

I get to bring home my terrarium. It's sitting on my desk right now. If it survives two months later, I will add more plants and decorative accessories to it. :P


The Plant Story@HortPark
Opened : 12noon to 7pm on weekdays, 11am to 7pm on weekends and public holidays
Closed on Wednesday

Quirky Tranquility - PhotoHunt

PhotoHunt theme : What is peace and tranquility for you?/ Quirky

A quick getaway to Bangkok for some great Thai food and shopping.

Tranquility in a busy city like Bangkok is possible. At a Hong Kong friend's recommendation, we checked out Bangkok Tree House. Situated far from the tourist belt, guests even have to take a ferry to reach this quirky hotel.

Huge ants crawling in my room!

There are only 10 rooms which are all built above ground level. Each room features a different insect on the wall. There's no fridge and no TV. There is chilled water in a fridge in the common area for all guests.

Bed on the roof terrace so you can lay on it and count the stars at night. 

Need some peace and quiet? 

Outdoor seats of the cafe overlooking the woods 

Looks scary standing on this glass floor. 

Oh no .... every time a lady needs to use this loo, she might get nervous.

Enjoy a good view of the greenery outside when having a shower in this bathroom, I don't know whether the peeping Toms consider it as a good view if I am taking my shower. LOL......

Bangkok Tree House
Bang namphueng, Moo 1, Samut Prakarn, Thonburi - South, Bangkok