How do you go up when everything is falling down?

I had this question in my Formspring a/c yesterday.

Think this is the first time a fellow blogshop owner asks me directly how I pull TFL up.

Yes, starting & maintaining a blogshop is not easy.

It's like going into a long-distance relationship.

The start was so exciting, the present feels shaky, the future...WHERE ON EARTH IS IT?? I CAN'T SEE YOU!!

You can't help but envy others who are having it all in their love lives (in this case, their blogshops).

You keep wondering if you should end it and why you put yourself through all these 'emo' moods. 

Your friends & family are not supportive anyway.

But you want to think you make a right decision by starting the relationship. 

After all the rain, you want to see the rainbow & grab that pot of gold.

You want to prove your detractors wrong.

And...you do love him (in this case, your own blogshop).

The rollercoaster of emotions can definitely get you insane.

Tammy of OhSoFickle wrote a post on Blog Shops in April.

It might be a useful reference for some of you out there, if you have not read it.

I typed fast & furiously to the question because I had yet to pack my luggage for the morning flight later.

Realised that when something is so close to your heart, expressing youself is only in a matter of 5 minutes.

When I saw the answer was that long, I thought of sharing with my readers (You! You! Yes, it's you!).

To the lady who asked this question, to all who are going through a rough patch in some area of your lives and to myself:  加油！

Formspring question no. 195: 

 

hello xinyu! how did you manage to get TFL going up when the start was so bad? I have a blogshop too and it makes me demoralised ):

Hi there! I only wrote, say, 10% of what I went through and it already look that bad? =P

1) Cry when I've no $ to fund my own living. After crying, bite my teeth, fight on, refuse to listen to anyone who ask me to give up.

2) Learn from the best. Scour thru the archives of the successful blogshops & the blogs of the owners. Read abt their happy & not so happy times. Tell myself, "See! Others are also like that!" And then, learn how they eventually mk it big - what they sell, how they sell etc.

3) Still continue reading the blogshop owners blogs. Have to be constantly in touch with what others are doing. When they are improving, I must also improve TFL, so that TFL won't seem obsolete/irrelevant. 知己知彼。

4) Get more in tune with customers. Most BS owners hv blogs, so I started my own too, at the grand age of 31. -___-  Realised that a personal blog is more engaging, let on to readers what go behind the scenes (reading blogs hv become a way of life for many) and ur readers, mostly customers, will open up to you in ways unimaginable, even if they are in their teens (that make them 10-15 yrs my junior, gasp!).

5) Non-stop advertising on famous bloggers' blogs. Shove my blogshop name into their readers' latent memories & pray hard that it stays stuck inside, when they think of buying bags.

6) What doesn't sell, slash price, throw into Sale section even at a loss. Swear to myself that I will never bring that lousy design again.

7) What sells, continue to bring variations in. Swear to myself that die die, also must have the money to bring the fantastic designs in.

8) Constantly improve TFL's site/layout/products quality & variety. NEVER think TFL is good enough. If people tell you your BS sucks, wholehearedly agree with them and harass them for constructive feedback whenever appropriate. =DD

9) Bring on the past 6 years of SQ training and apply it to TFL's customer service. Smile, smile, smile & smile, even if I get all heated up from a wrongful accusation. Never online fight with a customer. It's never worth it. Spend your time thinking about better sales & better products!

10) Pour out all my woes to my husband, and when finished, I feel recharged and ready to fight again. Never mind that he is playing his silly FB game all the while.

11) Pray hard, really very hard. Dedicate the merits of whatever sutra or mantra chanting/good deeds to the success of TFL, so that I have enough to feed myself.

12) Stick to upright business ethics. Don't take short cuts. Don't cheat customers. Don't bluff suppliers. Don't advertise with people who say they will review ur sponsored products yet tell others that they bought with their own money. Karma never forgets.

13) Don't get cocky when others start recognising your effort & tell you how much they love your products. I never think I'm good enough. I want to leave that bit of inadequacy in me, so that I will always want to better myself.

14) Don't just look at the best blogshops. Look at the ones who are not performing too. Get it inside your head that you will never do what they did.

15) And when all else fails (sometimes it takes a long time to see a teeny weeny bit of result), drown myself with Coca-cola in the middle of the night & mope over a large packet of potato chips.

Hey, I think I write long enough to cut & paste this as a blog entry! =D

I'm not having it good all the time. If you really want your BS to work, look at it inside out & thoroughly. Be your own BS worst critic. I'm sure you can sniff out ways to bring it up! Go, babe, go! =))

Metta,

欣雨 Xinyu

Late-night hunger

 Working overnight till daybreak is quite normal, prior to a launch.

But I think this is the first time I barely get sleep for 60 hours and counting.

Oh man, scare myself while looking into the mirror just now. 

I realise not sleeping can make one feeling dehydrated constantly. 

I must have gulped down at least 4 liters of water each day for the past 3 days.

I've been having this craving for Japanese buffet at Ikoi & Bakerzin.

I like the pastas and desserts at Bakerzin, though their service staff still have some way to go.

This is what working late at night has done to me. 

Perpetually plotting my next food conquest.

Late-night hunger pangs can be so insane.

And I can only dream about food, while munching on this.

Bought this big box of Oreo cookies from Value$ at S$1.95!

I don't like the montage for this series.

I'm lousy at artwork.

When the dot com is up, I should get a freelance graphics designer to do up the artwork.

Maybe pay per montage or something.

I have a couple of names in mind.

From my Formspring, TFL's Facebook & Gmail a/cs, I have been receiving more & more customers' emails/queries on which bag colour I would recommend or suggest.

Given that I don't know the customer's age, personal style and purpose in buying a bag (school/work/nice dinners/girls' night out/put kids stuff etc), I'm flattered that they trust me to give them an unbiased opinion.

=)

Don't worry, if you are stuck between 2 or even more colours, I won't say things like "Oh, just buy both! For different occassions!"

 I don't do that myself and certainly won't incite others to.

You know, last year around this time when TFL rolled out its first & second batches of manufactured bags, it was like a raindrop going into the ocean.

Barely anyone notice. Barely anyone ask.

Barely was there a "Oh, I'm so excited to see your bag!"

Nothing.

 It felt like whether I sell imported bags or manufactured bags, no one care except myself.

Close down, also no one bother. 

I felt like a pop star who went through boot-camp training & worked hard to be famous & popular so that people would buy the records & concert tickets.

But end up, no one buy (or rather, not enough people buy).

It did felt that way, when I had my first experience of my home piling up with stocks that just can't sell.

It was horrible.

Now customers are curious to know which bag is coming when and what colour etc.

I wonder if it has anything to do with me opening up a personal blog & a Formspring a/c.

Maybe people feel more at ease to voice out their suggestions & opinions through such casual platforms. 

Or maybe after 2.5 years, customers love TFL more! =D

Nonetheless, thank you for all your comments & the from-silent-now-slowly-become-more-vocal support!

Yes, thank you even to those who are 3 or 4-time dead buyers! =D

By the way, have you ever tried the baumkuchen cakes from Juchhiem, a Japanese bakery at Takashimaya Food Hall?

Baumkuchen is the "King of German Cakes".

Yes, the founder of Juchhiem is a German.

Like Flor, Juchhiem does not use additives such as emulsifiers or baking powder.

Speaking of Flor, that day while buying the baumkuche, the Husband was holding a Flor cake box. 

The male Japanese baker (apparently very senior) inside the kitchen saw Flor's box, pointed it out to his colleague and said, "Flor! Flor!"

Haha!

Maybe the Japanese confectioners in Singapore know one another.

Let's call it S, M, L & XL.

We bought the M size to try last Sunday. It's S$14.90 for one.

Quite affordable.

The orange box the cake came in looked like a Hermes box.
It sure doesn't look or feel like a S$14.90 cake box.
We were surprised to see that the cake is sealed in a plastic wrapper before being placed in the orange box.
So hygenic, so Japanese!

Girls, can buy some for your in-laws or future in-laws if they like cakes.

Great cake that uses only fine ingredients, according to Juchheim.

Important to show the elders that you think of them too when you're out, not just their son.

Take the lead to pave the way to a good relationship with his parents, like what some of my girlfriends & I always agree about (and we're married with experience). =P

I was the last one to eat.

See what's left for me...

14 layers of baumkuchen, condensed in that small chunk. 

-____-

And it turn out to be really light & yummy!

But I didn't like the icing sugar on the external rim. 

Too much sweetness for me.

Next time, I will ask for one without.

Metta,
欣雨 Xinyu

烏達木，加油！

 This is too good not to be shared.
China's version of 'America's Got Talent'.

China has so much talent waiting to be unveiled.

I know some of our countrymen do not like the foreign talent.
In my previous jobs, I have met so many talented and dilligent Chinese nationals.
There might be some with undesirable traits.
Just like there are such Singaporeans too.

 If you have met them, especially the educated and affulent ones, their drive & intellect are astounding.

Sadly we don't have so much talent of this calibre for such talent programmes.

Kids in Singapore are belting out pop songs complete with MTV-like dance moves, ennuciating the woes of love as if they have been through it umpteen times.

I very much prefer the sincere singing by 乌达木.
不造做﹑不虛僞 。
The song is dedicated to his deceased mother, whom he believe is in Heaven now.

Music transcends the barrier of language easily.
 
There is a version going around on Facebook, which is dubbed with another Mongolian boy's singing.
It's not 乌达木's voice, as apparently his singing was in a Mongolian dialect that is not approved by the Chinese government.
Strange, right?



I found this original version of his singing on Youtube.
This episode was aired on May 29 2011.
Here's the information I extracted from the video details:

中国达人秀
12岁的乌达木 唱 "梦 中的额吉" 给天上的妈妈
太感人了

在29日晚播出的《中国达人秀》中，内蒙古呼伦贝尔草原的小牧民乌达木上台。乌达木很可爱，评委问他的梦想是什么。乌达木说他希望发明一种墨水，随便在哪个地方滴一点，就­能让那里变成草原。这样纯真的梦想让评委们由衷地被感动。

乌达木来到达人秀的目的是为了给天堂里的母亲唱一首歌，《梦中的额吉》。乌达木说，他的父母都已经离开了他，他经常会做梦梦到他的母亲，他希望这首歌能被母亲听到。

歌声震撼 评委观众泪流满面

梦中的额吉 (Mother in my Dream)
用圣洁的花露当茶让您先享......
在您的眼中我找到了安祥的眼神......
您的儿子从梦中惊醒......
快来吧额吉......
您的儿子从梦中惊醒......
快来吧额吉......
乘着梦中的银鸟我飞翔在天边......
梦见您带来了瑞兆的幸福......
您的儿子这就来......
等着吧额吉......
您的儿子这就来......
等着吧额吉......

梦中的额吉......
让人哭泣的歌声......
广辽的呼伦贝尔草原......
也只有广辽的草原能有如此感人的声音......
让我们静享这份久违的感动吧......

歌曲蒙文发音, the song in Mongolian
1.sumeih zeregleend gegee anirlaad
susuglehiin erhend eej mini bodogdana
huugee irene geed suugee orgood
huslee chiltel alsiig shirtee dee
alsad suuga eej mini
amin hairtai shuteen mini bilee
2. zadgai tengerd uul ni zamharna
zalbirhiin erhend eej mini bodogdana
argaliin tsogond tsaigaa buliyeelj
anis'haa chiltel alsiig shirtee dee
alsad suuga eej mini
amin hairtai shuteen mini bilee
3.huhereh uuls'aas hoglerj haragdana
huugiin tani setgil gegelzeed baina
hunii zeregleend huu chini yavnaa
husliig tani nimgeleed yavaad ochina daa
alsad suuga eej mini
amin hairtai shuteen mini bilee.

 English version of 烏達木's story:

A 12-year-old Mongolian boy- Uudam (乌达木 Wudamu in Chinese) who lost his parents at the age of 8 in a road accident singing the song-"Mother in the Dream" (梦中的额吉) to his mother at heaven. He seldom talk about his story but when he misses his mother, he will sing this song. He always dream about his mother, sitting beside him. 

The song is in Mongolian, therefore, not everyone can understand the lyrics. However, his singing touched every judge and audience in the hall. He sang out all his love and thoughts to his mother. A touching song, performed by a boy who got a sad story behind, a voice from far Mongolia sending his thoughts to his mother in Heaven. A great performance by a 12-year-old boy! 

He has an interesting and beautiful dream to invent a kind of ink that with a drop of it on the ground, the whole world will be covered with green luscious grass. One more thing to add, his mother wished to see his singing on the stage when she was alive.

Metta,
欣雨 Xinyu

添芬藍 Series 47 - Millie Cross Tote by TFL

Back in 2006.

Worrying that the wooden structure would break under my weight and the restaurant manager would scream.

 

When I looked through the wedding photos for this post, it didn't feel like half a decade has whizzed past. 

I first learnt of Albert Chua through SingaporeBrides forum.
That forum is an excellent source of information for all brides-to-be.
I did not do any pre-wedding shoots.
I don't believe in it. The Husband is so glad about it.

I liked Albert's work and his undeniable passion for photography and not the money.
Albert liked that my wedding is sort of unconventional.

So he was to be my wedding photographer eventually.
With no pre-wedding shoot done, you can just imagine the amount of trust I placed in Albert for my actual day wedding pictures.

What I never imagine is that 5 and a half years later, the very same easy-going man will helm a TFL photoshoot of my very own manufactured bag!

I mean, he's a ex-Straits Times photographer with 25 years of photography experience!

Why would he do a photoshoot for a blogshop?

Not like TFL is a big blogshop.

I'm pinning it down to pure luck.

Lucky that I was Albert's customer and he's really generous enough to lend TFL a helping hand, amidst his busy schedule (he's often overseas doing pre-wedding shoots).

Lucky also that Albert is on the Husband's Facbook a/c, so we didn't lose touch with him. 

Have to give face & credit the Husband because he reads my blog when the moon turns blue.

My desperate prayers got heard! =D

Photos from half a decade ago!

When I told Albert I didn't think that we would work together again after my wedding,
he said, "Nowadays one need to know... Insurance Agent, Financial Consultant, Lawyer, Family Doctor, Photographer ..."
Lol.

2 months ago, even before the tote shipment arrives, I have my eyes set on Forty Hands Cafe.

It is not a delibrate decision to opt for cafes but so many cafes out there have such interesting backdrops for shoots.

I was very certain that a chic bag like this latest Millie Cross Tote would look fabulous in a modern setting like Forty Hands.

Credit: ladyironchef.com

Now, the bad thing about being very certain about a concept is it induces a stubborness that cannot be shaken off until the concept comes to fruition.
Anything that vaguely threaten this concept from realizing will send me into shrieks of panic.

Randomly, when I was showing the above photo to Jo, telling him about the place,
I said, "Eh, from this photo, Harry (the owner of Forty Hands) looks quite cute."
Jo replied, "Huh, don't know can't see clearly. So how, Madam? This time you want to 親自上陣 (do the modelling yourself)?"
-___-

When it comes to photoshoots, I plan weeks ahead.
It is always a huge challenge and a lot of to-and-fro to get everyone's schedules to meet.
Photographer, model, shoot coordinator, cafe owner's permission...
The wait of agreeing on a fixed date is torturous and when it's finally settled, you will find me on cloud nine!
I'm really so thankful too to Forty Hands for giving us the go-ahead! =D

Another thing that I totally did not expect was roping Francesca in for the photoshoot.
I once had a criteria not to use new models for outdoor shoots.
New as in, first time doing a photoshoot with TFL or the piggies.
There was once the piggies waited 45 minutes for a new model to turn up and there was no news from her whether she was late and coming or not.
Imagine if the guys have to wait so long for the model!
What if we miss the photoshoot timing allowed by the cafe and the cafe chases the crew out?
What if my photographer gets annoyed and calls off the shoot?
Then, what is going to happen to my bag launch??!!
Really cannot afford to risk.

But I broke that rule of mine with Francesca.
I was very eager to get her in for the photoshoot.
It turned out to be a very worthwhile decision! =D

TFL Multi-Pocket Carrier in Sunburnt Orange

 I was telling Fran that no eyeshadow/fake eyelashes are required.
Blusher on cheeks, eyeliner/mascara to open up the eyes and lipgloss

I have never been to any of TFL's photoshoots.
I leave it to Jo, my shoot coordinator and the photographer to run the show.
And silly me forgot to pre-empt Fran that there would be no girls around during the shoot!
Fran, on the other hand, was real sweet about this! Thank goodness! =DD

Much of my research on location shoots is done online. It will be impossible to comb all the possible locations at one go physically. Blogs are so useful!
Although I try to be as comprehensive as possible for the shoot compositions, it is still very much up to my crew to be creative on the spot.
I think this is why sometimes Jo complains of being stressed out by me.
He's always worried that what happens on location will turn out to be a disappointment for me.


When Jo & Albert reached Yong Siak Street last Tuesday, they were surprised at how much this quaint Tiong Bahru area had transformed.
The cafe was bustling with customers.
They thought, "Die already, how to shoot like that?"
To think I was so naive to want the shoot on a Saturday previously.
Harry said that was a bad idea.
Remember, don't be tricked by the photos, thinking the cafe is empty!

Jo was so delighted when they managed to grab a sofa seat!
Plenty of space, got door handle to hang the ironed clothes, comfy area, great location for the shoot too!
And guess what's the seat number?

Lucky number 8!
I am taking it as a sign that the Millie Cross Tote is going to be the bestseller of the bestsellers! =DD

Actually among all the bags I have launched this year, Millie Cross Tote is the one I have the least confidence in.
Personally, it is my favourite-est of the bunch.
I like my bags to be big and with a bit of character and edge.
And I think Millie Cross Tote falls into that catergory. 
But most local girls might not like their bags that way.
When I saw the sample, the guys in my house loved it!
Okay, not exactly the most encouraging sales statement but at least a high chance that the other guys will like it too!
There are customers who tell me that their purchase decisions are partially influenced by what their boyfriends/husbands say.
Oh man, TFL needs to work harder to win some guy fans now!

 It was quite a headache for me to plan the outfits, courtesy of the piggies, as I felt the pressure to show to my customers that this tote was really very 'wearable' and not out-of-the-league kind of bag.
I also threw in TFL's Peter Pan Booties, because there are some customers who love the cute shoes but are unsure of their versatility.
I sure hope the photos will help!

Albert briefing the model before the shoot commenced.
Spot the pair of sunnies on Albert's hand?
It is a very retro-looking pair that I bought from Cotton On for only S$5, specially for the shoot!
Really very chic!

During the shoot, Albert was just calling Fran "Girl, girl!"
"Girl, your hair is a bit messy."
"Girl, face to the side a bit."
"Girl, you turn here a bit."

I bet if I ask Albert now, he won't remember my model's name!

Maybe he only remembers them as the Girl at the coffee cafe, the Girl at the cake shop...

Haha!

In case you're wondering, he didn't address me as Girl at my wedding shoot.

Maybe because I'm not that young. -__- 

Long black, flat white, cappucino & banana bread for the team before the shoot.

They said the coffee were great & so was the banana bread. 

Jo brought back a tau sar pau from Forty Hands, which was quite yummy too!

Notice the stack of 3 books in the photo?

Jo forgot to bring books as props and borrowed from Albert's studio.

End up the bigger books were so heavy that even Jo couldn't take it.

The crew only got to use the small novel instead. 

Spot it in the photos later!

A pretty photo of Fran with Millie Cross Tote in Black.

I like this shot very very very much! <3 <3 <3

So stylish! 

Wanted to create a workwear look for the tote. 

The piggies didn't have what I wanted, so I dug into my wardrobe and found this chocolate pencil skirt that I bought from FEP at least 4 years ago but barely worn.

The chocolate reminds me of the colour of Forty Hands signage. How apt! =D

I have tons of clothes in my wardrobe of at least 5 years old but still looking new.

Maybe next time I should blog about them. At least let them see the light of the day once in a while. =D

And to get the shot above...

Jo, couldn't you take a better photo of Albert?

Aaah, much better!

I had at least 20 shots of Fran standing at the door, from different angles.

I wonder how long they hogged the entrance. =P

Jo was the de facto timekeeper.

During the shoot, he would be reminding Albert that the crew needed to move on.

Because if they stayed at a spot for too long, they might inconvenience the cafe's customers.

And Albert would be saying, "Let me get one more shot! Just one more shot! I wasn't that satisfied with the previous ones!"

Perfectionist at work. =)

Knee-length pencil skirt! I just love this look lots with the Millie Cross Tote!

Oh, mustn't forget to credit! The white flutter-sleeved shirt is from PolkaDotPigs!

Okay done, aaah, I love the pencil skirt look! <3 <3 <3

If I'm not wrong, I think you can put A4 documents either vertically or horizontally into this tote!

Great when you're rushing and you just want to chuck things in!

Jo's subsidary's role was to hold the light for Albert.

Pity no one can snap a photo of that. I would love to see it!

When Jo's on the phone, Albert would be holding the light himself.

Sounds very tricky to me.

That should be an even more interesting photo to see!

You won't be able to see the mustard belt clearly in this photo.

I bought it from Chamelon, surprisingly!

I was going up and down the esclators for a good 10 minutes, pondering whether I should get it and if it would just a waste of money.

Now looking at the photos, I'm glad I did! 

Chamelon has almost every imaginable colour in their selections!

Fran was sharing with me how she felt TFL's outdoor photos resembled Zipia's.

Another model was also saying that the photos looked Korean/Japanese.

我左看右看，上看下看。

No matter how I look at it, I can't see the similarity though. 

My models are all locals, in a very Singaporean setting (cake shop, coffee shop), wearing clothing, shoes & donning bags from local brands.

Neither did I set out trying to emulate Korean/Japanese style.

So how did the photos end up looking similar?

Oh well, I hope my customers like the photos!

That's the most important! =D

I was puzzled when I saw this photo.

Asked Jo, "Eh, why do you all ask model to stand at back door? Nice meh? Smelly or not? Don't torture model leh! Later next time I can't get her for photoshoot anymore."

Jo then leapt into a full description on how great they felt that spot was and it was clean & not smelly at all, etc etc etc...
Nice to know that Forty Hands keeps the back area clean too. =)

The crew also snapped some new pictures for TFL's previous bags.

TFL's Triple Pocket Hobo

 Albert liked the big handwritten menus at this spot. So do I!

Though I couldn't help noticing at how flat their paus were. 

Yes, I know they are supposed to be like that.

It's just...not so often I see flat paus. Haha!

When I first saw this shot, I couldn't stop exclaiming to Jo, "Aaaah, why did you ask model to wear the geeky specs? So hard for me to find a pretty face, then you go put a pair of specs to hide her face?!"

Jo kept saying, "But it's nice! Really cute! And nice!"

Alright, they do look good. =P

TFL's Double Pocket Satchel

You might have already seen these photos at TFL's site. 

For ages, I have been wanting to do a shoot at Books Actually.

Way before they moved to Yong Siak Street.

Way before I have the idea of doing shoots at interesting cafes.

The bookshop is just opposite Forty Hands.

I emailed them once. No reply.

Jo called them up and the conversation went something like this:

Jo: "Hi, we're an online boutique for ladies bags! We like the setting of your shop very much. Can I know if it's possible to do a photoshoot at your shop?"

Guy on the other line: "Which fashion magazine are you from?"

Jo: "Oh no, we're an online store, not fashion magazine."

Guy on the other line: "Sorry. It's not possible."

Jo said the guy sounded quite firm on his stance. 

No room for negotiation.

Seems like they only allow fashion magazines in for shoots. 

They do have such a quaint exterior, don't they?

So I got the guys to get some shots of Fran walking past the bookshop.

Shall not go in, must not go in, actually cannot go in, oh well!

Come to think of it, so far Flor Patisserie & Forty Hands are the ones who have kindly allowed the TFL crew in.
Both the owners are non-Singaporeans and friendly to interact with.
Only regret for this shoot is I miss out asking Harry for a shot with the model, like we did with Mel & Chef Yamashita at Flor.

Hopefully if I ever ask another place by a local for permission, things will work out. =)

The launch will be coming up in the next 1-2 days!

Hope to 'see' you then! =))

A big thank you to Forty Hands Cafe!

Do head down to try their coffee and brunch, if you have not been there!

Check out their Facebook updates too!

And another big thank you to Albert for his wonderful help!

If you are keen to engage him for your wedding, pop by his website to view his happy clients' photos.

Or follow Everafter Pictures on Facebook!

Last but not least, thank you to the big-hearted piggies at PolkaDotPigs for the gorgeous clothing on Francesca! =))
Remember, the pencil skirt is mine though!

Forty Hands Cafe

78 Yong Siak St

#01-12 Tiong Bahru

Tues & Sun: 8:30am to 6:30pm

Wed & Thurs: 8:30am to 10pm 

Fri & Sat: 8:30am to 11pm 

Closed on Mon.

Albert Chua, Everafter Pictures

Mobile: 91452101

Studio: Blk 261 Waterloo Street 

#02-03 Singapore 180621

*behind Singapore Arts Museum*

Metta,
欣雨 Xinyu

Blogging tomorrow

 

 Something about this got to do with the upcoming launch on Tian Fen Lan.

Stay tuned k!

Metta,
欣雨 Xinyu

It's now or never

I saw the Nuffang ad for it at the bottom of my blog quite a few times. 

The graphics were cute. 

I wondered how such ads ended up on my blog, whose usual readership was once the same number as my shoe size in centimetres.

That was about the only attention I paid to it.

Then I read about it on Bing's blog.

I like her blog a lot. 

Of the tens of blogs I follow, she is the only blogger who wrote about it.

Suddenly, my interest piqued. 

I had wanted to take part way back in 2003.

I could write in English, Chinese or submit entries for both!

Yes, a realist I am not.

I started counting the number of days till the deadline. 

I convinced myself that my writing poweress from the composition-writing days & the took-part-only-once inter-school essay competition was just waiting to be fired up again.

Please skip the memory of my mind blanking out halfway during the competition.

The last 3 days, I went around bothering people around me to encourage me to participate. 

Never mind that they had never read a single piece of my writings. 

I just checked out the rules & regulations. 

Looked through the list of past winners. 

Some are repetitive winners in different categories. For a few years.

Saw some of their photos. 

They look...literary.

All seem much older than me. 

That means they have a larger wealth of experience to draw from for their writings. 

Hmm.

I look...like a wannabe.

Source: storyofbing.com

10 more days to 30 June 2011, 5pm. 

The Husband think I'm wacko, with a new launch coming up this week.

Think parcels, emails, parcels, emails, parcels, emails. 

I know I am. Because my parents are. 

There is no topic on my mind yet.

This competition happens every 2 years. 

人生有多少個兩年？

If I win anything, the money will be great for making more pretty bags, won't it?

Sorry, I know I should have bigger dreams.

I love challenges.

Metta,
欣雨 Xinyu

Eating around

Been to a number of new places the last 2 months. 

Some great, some not so great, some I-can't-wait-to-be-back-again!

Source: superfinefeline.blogspot.com

After the Qing Ming praying back in April, Mum insisted that we have lunch at her friend's restaurant, which was surprisingly nearby. I balked at the mention of fish-head steamboat. I don't like fish that much to have it as the only main dish (unless it's fish & chips or baked salmon). Once, in Batam with the Husband, we ordered this whole fish. I took a few nibbles and left it to the poor Husband to finish the whole fish.

But Mum was VERY persistent. She's a fan of fish. So is the Husband. 2 vs 1. I lost. =(

And that's how we ended up at Whampoa Food Street Fish Head Steamboat, at Rangoon Road. 

I was half-expecting a run-down coffeeshop but was pleasantly surprised to see such a decent place with air-con. Didn't take photos of the shop front, so that's a Google-d image above. 

Interior of the eating house

Famous people who have patronised the eating house

Guess what? I ended up being a convert of the Fish Head Steamboat at Rangoon Road! We had Batan Fish slices in the steamboat. I'm paranoid of fish bones, so no fish head. The soup was surprisingly delicious! No strong fishy smell! Mum said they put 14 kinds of herbs in the soup and I drank bowls & bowls of it.

Source: ieatishootipost.sg

We also had the handmade Heh Zhor (蝦棗, seafood prawn rolls), homemade tofu and the Marmite pork ribs. I went gaga over the Heh Zhor & the ribs! But I wouldn't say this is an affordable place, as we spent about S$30 per person, with the large-sized steamboat and extra topping of vegetables (我愛青菜！) ordered. You notice how tze-char places now charge about the same price as a restaurant at a shopping centre? Oh man.

Because Mum is a friend, we get complimentary desserts. I like Mango Pudding a lot. But there are definitely better ones around (Si Chuan Dou Hua at Park Royal!).

After the late lunch, Mum whipped out a piece of paper with an address printed on it. Somehow she discovered online this place nearby that sells beancurd tarts. Not the normal egg tarts that we are used to, but of soya beancurd. So off we go, in the search for LeCafe Confectionery!

I think I have obtuse thinking. The place is hidden in a old HDB estate along Jalan Besar. I was again expecting it to be a run-down place, or what people might say 'old-school'. So imagine my surprise when I saw this brightly-lit, clean and airy shop!

I like the big Seiko clock on the wall. Very utilitarian. Reminds me of Muji.

We bought the soya beancurd (豆花) tarts & durian puffs.

Notice the paler colour shade in the filling? The tart pastry is surprisingly softer to the bite than it looked. 

Verdict: It is really delicious and light to eat, compared to the conventional egg tarts. Even after I eat 2, the feeling is not so 'jehlat'. Not to mention, less sweet & healthier too!

It's my favourite 'egg' tarts after the Portuguese ones from Swee Choon!

We discovered this kitschy diner, Nirai Kanai Okinawan Restaurant, at Liang Court by chance. We were strolling around, looking for a quiet place to have our dinner. This seemed quiet enough and we went in, without even looking at the menu outside. To my surprise, this was not a typical Japanese restaurant with the normal fare that we are used to in Sakae. It took me a while to order. The food on the menu was kinda new to me.

The rustic restaurant has sectioned tables, boarded by worn-out wood, so we do enjoy a bit of privacy while dining. The problem is this also made calling out to the waitresses a bit difficult. They don't come round as often as we hoped. But it's okay, I just send the Husband out to call for them when I need extra rice/water. =D

A favourite feature in this restaurant is the bag hook behind my seat! How thoughtful! This is less obtrusive and I like it even better than the bag trolley thing at Din Tai Fung. They even have hangers for the Japanese male expats who came in with suits. 

The Husband had the grilled Saba (he loves fish and Saba is the only fish item on the item. No salmon.) set while I had the stewed pork set. I like Japanese onsen eggs!

Each set cost about S$17, before taxes.

We liked the food lots and have been back to the place a few times!

The set meals in this diner comes with a seaweed miso soup, a bowl of rice and the cold Japanese tofu.

The small portion of cold tofu was amazingly soft and tasted almost like yoghurt! Yums!

We upgraded the set at an extra S$2.50 and exchanged the miso soup for a bowl of Okinawan noodles. 

It is similar to our Chinese yellow noodles without that noodle taste, and boy, was it satisfying when eaten piping hot!

 But to have a second helping of it, it cost me S$5 for one small soup bowl size. =(

This place is rarely crowded. And I really like it that way, instead of jostling at the heartland malls or town shopping centres. 

I learnt of Nuoc, a Vietnamese restaurant at Orchard Central, through Hungrygowhere. Last month was my first time stepping into the shopping mall too. I think it's more worth going in the daytime when you can get a seat near the windows, bask in the vast beautiful skyline and even catch glimpses of the sea in the far back!

I wonder what flower Nuoc uses as the table centrepiece. It's really delicate & pretty like the Vietnamese ladies when dressed in their ao dai.

 The Vietnamese rice paper rolls were so refreshing! But at S$5.50 per roll, I think that would be the last time I'm having it. The claypot chicken rice, braised cod fish and the sweet & sour eggplant were all very delicious. I like them all but like Thai food, Vietnamese food do use quite a bit of fish sauce.
One day, I must learn how to cook braised cod fish. It's S$30 for that claypot! =O

This is my favourite dish of all - Chicken Pho Ga, Vietnamese rice noodles with shredded chicken!
I love soup noodles (not the fishball/wanton noodles kind though)! It's about S$17 per bowl.
But since preparing the broth will take quite a bit of work and buying the herbs won't be cheap either, this is something I don't mind paying for once in a while. =)

Lotuses on the dining ware! How pretty! I want! =D

The caramel & coconut puddings were not bad but what blew my mind away was the banana cake.
It is those squishy squashy kind with a thin crust around it, served warm and really tastes good!

I know of Swee Choon since I was a kid because my dad used to drive past the eatery very often. 

But last fortnight was probably the first time I stepped inside this late-night dim sum place along Jalan Besar.

We were there about 10plus at night and the place was bustling. 

The eatery is air-conditioned and opens from 6pm-10am (Mon-Sat), 6pm-12noon (Sunday & Public Holiday). It is closed on Tuesday nights.

So cool, right? =D

Personally, I prefer the dim sum at 126 Sims Ave. 

We had the normal dim sum fare but what we agreed is worth coming back for were the Char Siew Pau, Char Siew Soh (sorry, no idea what the English term should be), century egg porridge and Portuguese Egg Tarts.

The Har Gow and Siew Mai were too meaty and the skins were too thick. The carrot cake was unimpressive either.

There is a Chinese chef that prepares the dough for the la mian, as and when an order for it comes in.

There will be this loud  'thump, thump, thump' sound when the chef 'pulls' the la mian dough.

Did not help that I was sitting close to his work area.

That aside, I was pleasantly surprised that the quality of the la mian is really Q and good. 

Its clear soup of less salt is great for such late-night dinners/suppers.

The bowl came with more soup than shown in the photo above, just that I was too busy eating my century egg porridge. By the time I started my work on the la mian, it had sort of dried out.

 The wantons were tasty but I didn't like so much meat in it.

Halfway through my meal, I looked up and saw Tricia (from VGY). What a coincidence as we had an email exchange just 1 or 2 weeks before. I nearly called out to her before realising we had never met in person. Lucky never make a fool out of myself.

On subsequent visits, I ordered the plain la mian in soup and a separate portion of my favourite dumplings there.

韭菜餃子！

The dumplings still have some minced pork in it, but it's like only 2-thirds of the meat in the wantons.

The skin of the dumplings is a bit thick but at least, the meat is mixed with some vegetables. =)

我喜歡！I like!

Heard the 炸醬麵 is quite yummy too!
I like their homemade barley drink and green bean soup too. Not too sweet unlike those from Kopitiam food courts.
Pricing is reasonable too. Extra bonus. =)

A newly-discovered restaurant by the Husband, who has been tasked to bring back better food for me on my hectic work days.
Beng Hiang, a Hokkien restaurant, has been around since 1978. Even older than me. =P

I like rewarding myself with lots of food after sloughing very hard for a new launch. 

The emotional upheavals of not knowing whether a new TFL-made bag will sell or not can be really stressful. 

So, I need great food to distract me & calm my nerves down.

At least that's the reason I tell the Husband. 

The photos were taken by the Husband when he went there for take-away.

We went to the restaurant last Sunday, and boy was it crowded!

I don't find their Wu Xiang and Hei Zhor nice. The fish head steamboat restaurant at Rangoon Road serves much tastier versions.

The fish maw soup (the gluey thing in the middle) is really chockful of great ingredients. I was surprised and told the Husband about it. 

To which, he said, "Of course, it's S$18 one bowl!"

OMG! =((

 The photo here downplays the portion of the Kong Ba. The stewed pork & the number of buns that come with it is sufficient for a party of 5.

To think, this is only the smallest portion on the menu. I love such buns!

And the Kong Ba sandwich is so mouth-watering!

I think I've used up my limited vocabulary to describe good food.

Now I know how hard it is to be a food blogger.

Guess what vegetable is this?

No, it's not spinach, not dou miao, not tapocia leaf.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
.

It's watercress! 西洋菜！

This is my first time having stir-fried watercress and I like it!
I think it's also my first time seeing such big dried shrimps (蝦米).

I actually enjoy the slight taste of bitterness from the vegetables too!

One more dish to my receipe book! I will try cooking with roast pork or add some wolfberries next time!

The photos were all taken with the Husband's Iphone 4.
Doing up this entry is really depressing when I see the photos on my blog, compared to those on others.
I shall mope and wait for the day till I can pluck up the courage to plonk so much money down on a new camera.
Oh well, I hope you still enjoy reading about the food!

Metta,
欣雨 Xinyu