Singapore - Bisdak Babbles

Archive for the "Singapore" Category

Pilates Round 2

August 5th, 2011 shiera

In my desperate attempt to start leading a healthy life, I became a member of an all-ladies gym but I only went there for the first few months. I love breaking a lot of sweat but after the incident where I passed out, I decided that gym wasn’t for me. I even gained 2 kilograms after a few weeks because I just couldn’t stand the hunger after I worked out. The effect on my arms is not good either, so I stopped.

I have been curious about Yoga and been wanting to try but Yoga studio membership is way too expensive for me. I wanted to try taking lessons at community centers but couldn’t find lessons that’s close to my place. Then there was Pilates! There are lessons in the community center closest to my apartment, so I signed up.

The instructor has taken a number of personal trainer certification programs. Her name is Janice, she’s in her 50′s and yet her body looks like she is in her 20′s! Pilates exercises are really hard but I love it. I wanted to take at least two sessions a week but Janice only gives lessons in the community center every Sunday. I’ve completed 8 sessions and I have signed up again. Now, at least I can touch the floor without bending my knees.

Health, Singapore Pilates

A Chinese wedding banquet

July 29th, 2011 shiera

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NO NO… I’m far from getting married. I don’t even have someone who can give me a ring but I am fascinated with rings. I’m not really into jewelries but one of the artcarved rings caught my attention. I think this one’s really pretty:

This brought me to the experience I had two months ago. I got invited by a Chinese friend to be at their wedding banquet that was held at The Raffles Hotel. The other Filipino friends couldn’t make it but I still agreed to go just for the experience. I didn’t know what to wear and what to bring. I did some research and found out that black is definitely NOT the color wear. So I decided to buy a purple dress. I didn’t have makeup so I had to buy this also…

The banquet was supposed to start at 11:30AM. I arrived at the hotel at past 12. To my surprise, there were still a few people! It didn’t start until 2PM. Also, I might have been overdressed a bit because some people were just wearing jeans. There were ladies wearing black, too! As for the gift, I’ve asked some Chinese colleagues and understood that one should give cash. At the reception, there was a box where I could put the gift.

The event was really different from the weddings in the Philippines. I was expecting some games, or throwing of the bouquet. But there wasn’t. I was seated with people I don’t know and who were not interested in continuing conversations with people they don’t know. So I just spent my time taking photos of the food. Well, it was still a good experience. Of course, Chinese food was served, and here’s my favorite food at the banquet. I forgot the name but it was a kind of dessert.

My favorite part was giving wishes to the bride and groom by saying “yam seng”.

Friends, Singapore Chinese wedding

Project 365 No More

July 28th, 2011 shiera

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It’s been almost two weeks since my last post! It has been really crazy at work that I often work from home. Using my brain for more than 12 hours a day has even taken out the inspiration to write something here. The worse thing is I was not able to occasionally upload my entries to Project 365. Now, I have about a dozen in my camera, I’ve missed taking photos for four days, and I don’t think I could come up with something creative in the coming months!

Well, enough of whining. I decided to stop taking daily photos but my camera will always be with me wherever I go. So to lessen my stress level, I would like to share with you my chicken rice!

I took this when I had lunch at the Changi Airport Terminal 2. I can say that this is the most delicious chicken rice I’ve ever had here in Singapore. The soup was not delicious but then it was a freebie.

Bye bye, Project 365. Before I go, I would like to invite you to view all my entries here:

Food, Project 365, Singapore Changi Airport, Chicken Rice

From spoons to flowers

June 28th, 2011 shiera

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My place (and workplace) is only a few bus stops from the Changi Airport. When I feel really bored from just staying at home, I sometimes go there to read, have a cup of coffee and window shop. Every time I go there, I look forward to taking photos of the decorations, which they change from time to time.

Here’s what I saw in Terminal 2 last Friday:

Stunning, isn’t it? Taking a closer look at the details…

Above all, I was quite amazed at what they did with the plastic spoons…

Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2, Singapore

It was Ramen, now it’s Yumyan

June 25th, 2011 shiera

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The ramen houses here in Singapore that serve really delicious ramen is far from my place. I don’t want to spend 13SGD and still be unsatisfied. Finally, I found a Chinese substitute for ramen: Yum-yan! Every food court has a stall that serves yum-yan.

Still, not all serve delicious yum-yan. But at least there’s one at the Century Square in Tampines, just a few bus stops away from my place. My “addiction” to this food keeps me away from rice, and a big bowl only costs 3SGD-4SGD!

Food, Singapore food, Singapore, Yumyan

Bicycle Parking

May 28th, 2011 shiera

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There are only a few people who regularly use bicycles here in Singapore. Could be due to the warm weather or the cheap and really convenient public transportation. Bus stops are really close to the apartment buildings and bus ride is cheap, so why exert a lot of effort and a lot sweat? I got myself a bicycle almost a year ago. I was determined to use it as often as I can but I ended up using it once every few months. Well, I just have a lot of excuses, including the ones above. Another, is the limited bicycle parking space. In our apartment building, we only have this:

Where else can I squeeze in my bicycle? Also, I am wary of leaving it outside because I have heard that there were many cases of stolen bicycles. Just imagine the hassle of taking out the bicycle from inside the apartment, waiting for the lift, and passing the chance to get on if it’s already occupied. But since I signed up for a pilates lesson at a nearby community center, I am bound to use my bicycle every Sunday.

Singapore

Those websites

May 16th, 2011 shiera

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Every business establishment has to have a website. Ever since I moved to Singapore, I have relied a lot on the internet – getting directions, taxi fare estimates, church events schedule, food delivery, sale events, aircond repairs, rv repair, the list goes on. Maybe soon, I’ll try online groceries shopping as well. Online transactions has made life here really convenient. On the downside, this gives me less reason to go out!

For someone like me who is really dependent on the internet, will one start to seek help about personal matters in the internet as well? Would you visit the website that is written on the car’s mud guard (see photo below)? If I do get married, I hope I won’t find the need to visit that website. *_*

Singapore

Best buys on CNY

February 17th, 2011 shiera

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So almost all the shops are closed during Chinese New Year. And about having a hard time finding a tailor during the CNY holidays, it cost me more than twice the normal price. I had my pants altered at the Lucky Plaza in Orchard, and alteration for each pair of pants cost me S$10 when it only cost S$4 in the tailor near my apartment. Oh well, it was quite urgent so I just have to think of it as an expensive meal. But there is another good thing about Chinese New Year, aside from the non-work days. The day after the Chinese New Year, many stores have huge sales going on. At Courts Megastore, I came across lcd samsung tvs that are sold at huge discounts. Too bad I don’t have a budget to buy one and I don’t have a need to buy one either. Not only that, but almost all the household stuff are on sale. What I actually just managed to buy was the air pump for my bicycle but it was not on sale.

Singapore Chinese New Year, sale

Bed linens paradise

February 8th, 2011 shiera

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Three years of stay in Osaka, Japan, but I have not bought a single futon cover. I was lucky that the company provided one, and I had another which I bought when I was just a trainee years ago. It is hard to find a good but cheap futon cover unless you love searching for bargains at a shotengai (a style of Japanese commercial district running along a certain street). But Singapore is a bed linens paradise for me because these stuffs are often on sale! The ones that I’m using were bought at about 50% off the original price. Pillows are cheap, too. When in Japan I only had one, now I have three.

Singapore

Happy Chinese New Year!

February 3rd, 2011 shiera

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Rabbits are everywhere, and as expected from Changi Airport, their decorations are as beautiful as ever:

It’s my second Chinese New Year here in Singapore and I love it! I didn’t go out last year and I am not planning to this year but at least we get two and a half days off from work. The holiday rush that I witness at this time of the year is the same as what we experience in the Philippines in December. Lots of red colors everywhere, and the supermarkets have loads of oranges and sweets.

My flatmates and I are not Chinese but we have to join the race to the supermarkets. We have no choice because most of the stores are closed for two days! Even on Chinese New Year eve, they close early. I had a hard time yesterday finding something for dinner.

Also, I was supposed to find a tailor to have my pants altered but since two days ago, they no longer accept any alteration jobs. One tailor told me they are closed until February 19th. Another one just told me “no cut, no cut”. I don’t get it but maybe they have some superstition on cutting things during the Chinese New Year? I just hope I can find a non-Chinese tailor on Saturday because I need my pants next week.

Anyway, I’m still grateful for the two days of not forcing myself to get up. Now, what the year 2011 has in store for a Goat/Sheep like me…

Singapore Chinese New Year, Singapore