3D2N: Eat, Stay, Do at Batam

And yea, as some of you may know I am literally the Indonesia Tourism Ambassador, given the number of trips I made to Indonesia this year itself. Today, I thought I will share with a little on what to do in Batam if you ever go there.

It is quite a favourite weekend overseas hangout of Singaporeans because of our strong currency and Batam is literally like a cheaper version of Singapore. And it has lots of activities and facilities which Singaporeans love to do!

1. Touristy Places

So I thought I might start off the post with places that first-timers may be interested. Personally, I don't find all these attractions mind-blowing anything. We were only there because we followed a tour. But if I were to travel solo, you won't catch me at some of the places. :P

a. Welcome to Batam Sign

It is seriously nothing fancy and it is located in some abandoned area. But the guide insisted we had to take some photos before we can move on. So here's some happy smiles, we are on a trip anyway. In fact, I think this place looks way better in photos :D

b. Batam Miniature Park

This park is right beside the factory outlet (which I didn't find them to be great shopping). The discounts are decent just that it is not my type of stuff - Ralph Polo and all, you know what I mean. If you have time, I guess you can visit this park cos it is quite cute and it's free. 
I was actually looking forward to the go-kart. But damn, it was almost as expensive as that in Singapore. It was really not value for money. :(

c.  Cheng Ho Mosque and his Junk

Hmm, I didn't expect it to look so good in photos, I am now in 2 minds whether to send you there. Well it is actually very near to the factory outlet. Guess, there's no harm going to take a 5 minutes look. Yea, it is really tiny. There's also a statue which I didn't think it was worth getting a photo of. Hey, maybe it will look great.

d. Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya Temple 

Surprise, surprise, I am going to highly recommend this temple, not because it is the biggest or anything. But because of the food. The canteen serve really affordable and interesting vegetarian food. Because the tour included a free seafood meal I didn't get to try out a good deal of their canteen food. And you know what, I am regretting already.

And I am no sell-out travel writer. That's why you hear this must-eat place right here. We tried the po-piah (sorry, no photos cos they gobbled it down too fast!) and dumplings. The dumplings are so intriguing, I never tasted anything like this. Psss, the BF love them!

2. Where to eat?!?

Now that we are on the topic of food, let me share with you the hits and misses I had during my 3D2N stay at Batam. Yea, it's kinda of long cos usually you can finish Batam in max 2 days. Hahaha. If you minus the tour and do the things you really want to do, you don't need that many days. :P

a. Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall Food Street

There is really a lot of variety there and it is a popular touristy spot, maybe because precisely for that reason. We are only tried 3 food along that street and I would probably recommend the Penang Laksa (although I don't understand why we had that in the first place, who goes to Batam for Penang Laksa?!? Sometime I don't really understand the choices my family makes!) and the Gado Gado from Ayam Penyet Ria (even though many people will recommend the penyet instead, they dono the Gado Gado is darn good!)

b. A&W

The queue is ridiculously long. But Singaporeans because nolgastic reasons, we simply just don't care. LOL! Must try only if you are Singaporean. If you are not into A&W, at least drink the Teh Botol, photo in my next travel post :D

c. KFC

Ok, I don't really think this is for all. But I love KFC from Indonesia and Malaysia. Their chicken is always springier and the meat is more tender. Dono, maybe cos the chicken have more space to run around?!? But don't try the float, it was so bad, an absolute waste of calories.

d. Overhyped Golden Prawn Seafood

This restaurant makes me mad because it was recommended by a lot of bloggers, prominent one too as having the best seafood (Now I know they are nothing but sold-outs!) and it is really not that good. The food isn't bad, it is just average.

I just wished the other bloggers have been more honest about it and called a spade a spade and not some other shape. This was where the tour brought us for our free seafood meal and it is nothing more than a tourist bus stop. Fullstop. Not worth the hype.

e. Generic Cafe - Hong Kong Cafe

The service is a little slow and the portion is small (but each dish is like SGD 90 cents so I am not really complaining.) The thing is it is kinda of salty. And by the time I am done with the meal (too salty to continue on), I realise I spent as much as Kangen (the best cafe, read point g.) and not even full. Not worth it!

f. Bistro Godiva

If you are looking for a cheap Starbucks thrill, this is quite a good option. The pasta (it looks a look like fried noodles) was different, yummy but still too salty for me. I love the drink. So value for money and worth every calories! Just Fat ME!

g. Generic Cafe - Kangen Cafe

After a while, you will realise that the shopping malls are flooded with generic eateries and is almost a direct replicate of each other. But this cafe was really a notch above the rest. It was not the cheapest but the food was the best. In fact, it was so good, we came back again for their Bakso.

Their Bakso was like always sold out?!? I guess cos it is better than the one at Nagoya Food Street. :P Beacuse, they were the first generic cafe we had a meal at, so we thought all the generic cafes were good. Guess, we were pretty wrong :(

Things to do 

If you are there for a while or a few days, you definitely need somethings to pass time right. Things I think would have been fun but didn't have time to do were (a) doing pedicure and manicures, (b) singing kbox, (c) doing other seasports, (d) hair-styling and (e) shopping (I thought there isn't much but I was so so wrong T.T).

Next time, next time I will try them all out. I like Batam enough to go there again *Indonesia Tourism Ambassador*

a. Cinema

Each movie ticket is like SGD4. Totally can go there and watch all your blockbusters man!

b. Go for a good massage

I spent around S$25 for mine. There are definitely cheaper ones out there but I went for convenience and I place a lot on cleanliness. I just can't go to a shady shop. This was also the spa of my hotel. And why I even thought of doing mani/ pedi/ hair etc. was simply because this spa provided all this services. It is probably going to be my new daycare centre HAHAHA.

c. Convenience Store Raid

This is now one of my favourite thing to do and should be every seasoned travelers' to do list. I mean if you really know a place here, you should go where the locals hang out right. So I basically threw lots of unknown snacks, seasonings and even cup noodles to my shopping bag. Most of the snacks are of salty. But do try their timtam (not their specialty but I love it) and the sweetened snacks which I dono what they are, but it is nice!

Where to stay - Eska Hotel

Oops, I didn't take much photos of it (the above photo is just to show off my cute minion look HAHAHA), but you can always visit their site for more information. It is quite a new and clean hotel (with breakfast provided)! I really like the fact that we are right next to Kepri Mall and they even provided us shuttle buses to Nagoya Mall. It is a nice place which you don't have to worry about what to eat, where to go cos it is all within the vicinity or a free ride away :D

Food Tour Part 5: Orchard Theme

I am so sociable last 2 months that (1) I am eating out a lot and (2) I am trying out a lot of new places. Cos it seems that my friends have more of a life than me. Hahaha. But on the bright side, now you guys have a review and will better choices. Get a bang from your bucks. (Is that how it is even supposed to be like?)

This is going to be a post where you read and wonder, this woman has issues. She keeps up with her friends annually?!? Hey, hey, hey that's because they are not in town and busy with life ok. I do meet my friends rather frequently except for these few. :P

Nantsuttei

Was at Orchard to support my friend's flea at Shine Festival (Dang the stuff sold there are really quite expensive.) OMG, Shine was super awesome this year, simply because I took home so much cute and good freebies - a "dogtag" of decent quality, a miniature kueh, had free drinks every 100m and the free pens were good. (I mean rarely come across free pens where the ink flows so well.) Sorry for the side-track.

Back to food :P This is actually the second time I am at Nantsuttei . But because I didn't take any photos there the last time, I didn't really review about it. Now that I have a photo at hand (Don't even need editing), let's talk about how yummy it is. I think if you have a good broth, it is kinda of difficult for the ramen to go wrong.

Situated at Orchard Central, I think it is quite convenient for many. It is also cheaper than the last ramen I reviewed and taste quite close to my favourite ramen. (The price is similar too!) Take the pork stock one cos the miso one isn't as nice! Enjoy!

Genki Sushi

To celebrate one of my friend's birthday, and another for winning an award and being back in town. We went for "Hype Sushi". Honestly, I really do not get the hype over this. I don't think it is really worth the queue for its quality and price. Apart for the cho cho train that delivers your food, it kinda of got stale after a while.

I did try some of their weird food. Apart from the lime float, the rest were just disappointing. I even got scolded by my friends for offering food. "Nobody wants to eat the food you don't like and messed up with your chopsticks!" Thanks B. Thanks. I really feel your love. LOL!

Hot Tomato

I really wanted to share with you guys my friend's cute little baby. Well but after second thoughts, there are so many pedophiles out there. God knows if someone might go download his photo and do naughty things with it. Guess we shall now mix kids with food. So this is what my friend and I had. It has been like a year since we met up (Guess motherhood overwhelmed her.)

Because both of us were so out of touch with the social life out there, we decided to try this "new place". Sorry if it isn't as new. :P We thought the food was reasonably priced, actually is cheap, and of decent quality. Good for students. Do try out their set meal if you are looking for affordable western food!

Dessert posts coming right up soon! Stay tune!

Food Review: WOK°15 Kitchen

Ok, this post is kinda of delayed. But hey good stuff are worth the wait right? So remember during the launch of Jules Taylor (read more about the post here), food was being served! Today, we will be sharing with you more about the food!

First off, more information about the WOK°15 Kitchen. Lauded as "Singapore's Top Restaurant" by Win & Dine, you can expect hearty Cantonese cuisine that will appeal to even diners with the most discerning tastebuds!

I hope you are feeling hungry because we are going to do a a quick run through of all the food. (Look at how yummy they are! Mind you, these photos don't even need to be edited!)

Appetizers (at the bottom)

1. Deep Fried Fish Skin - This is sinfully good. Fried to crunch perfection. But please don't have to much of it, it is not that good for your health.
2. Chilled Cucumber & Garlic - It is what we call the "开胃菜" (open stomach vegetables LOL!). It is refreshingly good and is a good cleanser to the savory food coming out next. 
3. Sautéed Pork Belly with Special Sauce - I am pork belly lover so I would recommend this side as well. Once again, this should be shared unless you want to get a free float around your waist!

Mains

1. Deep Fried Marble Goby with Deluxe Soya Sauce - WOK°15 Kitchen is really good in their frying skills. (Yumm!) However, I am always of this impression if the fish has to be fried it is less fresh than the one being steamed. 
2. Sautéed Beef Cubes with Garlic Flakes - I hope you readers can consume beef because it is such a waste to miss this. The thick cubes were juicily good! Mmm!
3. Singapore Chilli Crab with Fried Mantou - We saved the best for last. For overseas readers, this dish is one of Singapore's pride. Most tourist I know like to go Jumbo to satisfy their craving. You know what, I think you can come to WOK°15 Kitchen for it. I love the buns. Can eat them on their own.

And by the way, I am super in love with the atmosphere at WOK°15 Kitchen (although sometimes I think any place with a sea view can easily win me over.) Personally, I like it because it is quaint. The exterior and interior is elegant making this a good place to host business lunches.

If you are going to get married soon, there is even a grand dining hall available! I think it can be quite an exoitic experience for the guest though those who are trying to take public transport in may face a little difficulty. (It can only accommodate up to 120 guests so it is quite perfect for a small wedding!)

This is the point where everyone starts scolding us for being hedonists. We were enjoying the yacht so much we actually took quite little photos of the food. Oops.
So here's some of the finger snacks served on board:-

1. Chilled Drunken Chicken Roll with Osmanthus and Wolfberries - This is actually really good for health. And for a health food, this taste awesome! Order this on board!
2. Sautéed Scallops with Egg White and Truffle Oil - This is super luxurious and a delight to the tastebuds. The generous truffle oil is going to make all fans of truffles squeal with delight. Do try it ok!
3. Sautéed Prawns with Wasabi Sauce - This is one of the finest combination. It is good but if you are looking for something exclusive, this may not be what you are looking for. 

With that, we have come to the end of the event launch write-up. Please don't be too surprise if you catch me at WOK°15 Kitchen in the near future. :D

Note: This post was written with input from my representative.

LOTD: It's Party Time!

I am sure by now most of you know by now one of theme in which ForFunk is yakking non-stop about is culturally neutral fashion. Basically, it just means you get to try out different type of looks even if it is or may be normally associated with a particular race, class or nationality.

Today, I will be wearing the hanbok. It is not exactly fashion inspired. It is a very beautiful costume and is a piece in which you could wear for special occasions such as D&D, parties and even as maternity dress. Hehe.

So Jiang jiang, that's me in my hanbok. If you are wondering why my hair isn't tied up, that's because I look like an ajumma when I wear it in my ponytail. When my hair was long and curly, I could twirl it and wrap it around my head like a court lady. Will update another photo of me in it when my hair is longer, ok. (Totally worthy of any best-dressed award!) Hehe.

Pardon my messy hair and even messier ribbon. I did my best to give myself a gigantic fancy tie. (Just in case you want to tie it like me, I decided on the length of the ribbon first and double-tied it so that it was proportional.)

Apart from the ribbon, the Hanbok is really easy to wear. The inner pink spaghetti dress is airy and good for Singapore or even Korea's Summer weather. Also, it comes with velcro and is stretchy. With the petticoat on the outside, you don't really have to worry about being too fat or skinny for the costume haha. The turquoise petticoat with a clip on button to secure it. It is a fantastic simplified version for any of you who are eager to dress up fast.

Just in case you are wondering, the costumes in this post are all from partybasket. And they have an amazing collection of hanbok at an incredibly affordable price too. (<S$40) Personally, pairing up the contrasting colours looks nicer for Hanbok. But if you really want to use it as a maternity dress, then you may consider something duller. :P

I guess from the photos, it is kinda of obvious what is the second costume. Yesh, I am the pretty (maybe a little slutty) Santarina from Finland. Guess Christmas just came early! If you are looking for a costume that you can wear again and again, I guess this is it. After all, Christmas is a yearly affair just like birthdays.

Okay in comparison to the hanbok, I think the material is not as good. It is nice and furry, reminding me of suede. But I think it traps the fur balls from the hat. But if you are looking for something that won't last forever and hog your wardrobe, this is the piece! And I like the fact it can be quite versatile if you pair it with a jacket etc.

Usually, I don't really edit my pics. But I just couldn't resist editing this collage cos it is so festive (when in a set). Check out my Santa's beard. Guess, I am not that good with strings and knots. Was totally struggling to "corset" up myself. After much tries, I decided it look better loose than tight hehe. I also note that I don't look as good as the models in the photo. *Sobs*

But still I think I look fantabulous in both costumes. Ending the post with a photo I think is funny (Me in my face roller). I thought it look a bit like a "Korean" me doing plastic surgery. I am not sure even how I made my face that round and over-sized. Gah.

For any of you who are keen to get yourself the costumes I tried or other costumes i.e. superheroes, movie characters, I think you may want to consider partybasket. (Especially if you don't like renting or sharing, the costumes at partybasket is very affordable and of decent quality.) Most of the costumes are in stock. However, if you are buying in bulk, do order early before your 'big day' lest they go out of stock.

Guess what, you can even find something for the little ones too. Guess you can twin around with them. And do check out their Princess collection. I am starting to think it might be quite a good idea to do a Princess photoshoot. Oh yea we do have something big coming up. So keep your eyes peel to the blog!

Jules Taylor Launch on ANKA

This is something a little more unusual for our blog. But I am there are some of you who may be wine connoisseur. Then you may like the post we have for you today. For those who are under the legal drinking age (18) you may need to give this a post a pass. Don't worry we have other posts that are suited for you :D

So today we going to introduce you wine that comes all the way from New Zealand, Marlborough - Jules Taylor. This is a family owned boutique wine. The wine is on the fruiter side so it may suit a lady's taste well. :)

Just to share a little more about the brand, there are 3 ranges (1 for everyone, depending on your budget and drinking experience you are looking for.

1. Classic - also known as the Better Half Series. For newbies, we would suggest this as it is lighter and sweeter, without compromising the flavours. This is also more fruit friendly. We will be talking more about the food in another post. :D
2. Premium - This is the award winning series, also known as the 'Jules Taylor' collection. It is intermediate between the Elite and Classic. and may be suitable who wants a stronger Classic.
3. Elite - For those who appreciate the better, more exclusive wine, OTQ is the one for you. It has the stronger after-taste and the "siapness".

The launch of Jules Taylor was very different from the other launch. We were sent to the sea on ANKA, enjoying OTQ. Because ANKA is such a rare luxury treat, it deserves a paragraph or 2 by itself. Going onboard and spotting a jacuzzi makes staycation looks too mainstream.

Even the toilet looks instagrammable. ANKA is the biggest among the Monohulls being offered by One 15 Luxury Yachting. Usually I like to joke that this is one trip/ party, you can't end early. But given the amount of amenities and comfort, you probably don't want it to end early too!

Usually the charter of the yacht comes with food. But I will not be talking about the food in this post. We are saving it for the next one, lest this post can do heavy and wordy. OTQ was made on the quiet by Jules and it is a real pleasure to sip it whether in solace or with company.

Especially with the sea wind blowing against your face, it is just one unforgettable memory. For those of you who go out to sea often, do consider bringing this along as your ideal beverage. But don't get too intoxicated.

Leaving you with a video of ANKA instead of one of the islands, cos they were just too green. And well, it may not be as appreciated by you guys. By the way, if you want to visit any of Singapore's public islands, perhaps you might want to consider yachting there. New vacation idea, huh!

Note: This post was written with input from my representative.

Food Tour Part 4: Hawker Version

So you may know by now that I am working (out) hard. And apparently, I realised I have been eating damn hard too. Lol! Considering the food photos I have accumulated thus far. Well, I guess I have truly been eating.

FYI, not all reviews are good. So please read them carefully. These columns are food that I bumped into. Some are hits while others are misses!

Amoy Spicy Noodle (Near the ATMs)

I am sure many of you have heard of Noodle Story but this is not it. (Sorry, I forgot the store's name!) This is also at the first floor but at the other end. Taste-wise, it isn't as fancy but it has a queue too. And it is around $3-$4. My friend doesn't like it. She say "not spicy enough" but it wasn't too bad. Not something I would have craving for but is something I am fine filling my stomach with.

I actually burst the egg and mixed it? I am not sure if that's how you eat it. But I like my noodles soggy. It comes with a bowl of soup too. Try it and let me know if you like it. :D

MACS Nasi Lemak Burger

I did try the Minion's stuff the last time round. And unfortunately it didn't work my way. I just didn't like it. Shake head fervently! Guess banana is not my thing. But you know I like novelty so I gave this new MAC trend another go. It was initially pretty conflicting cos Nasi Lemak and burger just sounds like a huge amount of calories.

But it is all worth it! Please try it, I know some influencers called it confusing but I love it. It is a mouthful of Nasi Lemak goodness and worth every calories. And the coconut pie is awesome too. I tot the drink was just average. But I still want this to be in Macs permanent menu. Just change the bread to rice and this is perfect! (BF was so hungry. The photo even has him putting his hands at his tummy! WTH!)

Clementi Central Chwee Kueh

There are so many people raging on how good their Chwee Kuehs are. But I really think this is the best I have tasted so far. I only go for Clementi Centrals's cheap and yummy one (even though it writes there Bedok -_-) In fact, Clementi has a lot of good food. I should really do one post on it some day.

Yea, do go and try them out! This is really where I satisfy all my Chwee Kueh cravings. And mind you, I got try out the "famous" Ghim Moh one too. I still think this one is better. :D

There is going to be a lot more food posts coming up. (I have too much photos!) So if you are a foodie or is just hungry for more choices, you can just keep reading. :D

LOTD: Looking awesome with Midniteblue

It has been a long time since I last wrote on fashion. So hip hip hurray, we are back with some LOTD. I hope you are excited with what I am going to share, because I sure am myself.

The clothes I am wearing today are mainly from Midniteblue. It is quite an amazing shop given that what you see in pictures is what you get. As most of the items are in PO, the only downside is that you have to wait. (But you still you don't have to wait that long!)

Lately, I noticed that Midi and Maxi skirts seem to be very in. Even young girls are wearing it. Pardon me for saying this for longer skirts used to be associated with older and more mature women. I decided not only to give Midi skirts a go but also try out one with prints.

And voila, I look like a demure yet modern, young lady. I like the effect. <3 Just in case if you think prints might be kinda of hard to match (Mine has a huge ferris wheel by the way!!) Just try out with a simple, mono top. My top had frills and still it worked well too! :D

It has been a while since I reviewed tees and a cute one too. So, this might be refreshing to you guys. Personally, I found the white alien tee a bit too sheer for my liking if I had to wear this out. But...it makes a very nice comfy shirt at home. Especially when the weather is so hawt, this is really good.

Of cos the sheer white tee has "not yet babe" which upz the kawaii factor. But the other designs are really nice too. In fact, the grey one caught my eye. If the material is less sheer, I am sure it would look great with short, skorts, and jeans!

For the printed skirts, there are many designs you can choose from. The skirt comes with a partial rubberised at the back (so it is still stretchy) and has a zip at the side. It doesn't come out crunched at the top so you can still tuck in your top confidently. :D

So if you are into phone cases, cosmetics or even footwear (this shop has amazingly dope footwear), you may really want to check out Midniteblue. Most of their items are very reasonably priced. So do show them some love ok? :D P.S. they have many positive comments by the way.

P.S. Quote ForFunk and you get to enjoy 10% off from any bags, apparels and footwear. Enjoy 5% off for all cosmetics!

Funky Find: Someone GIF Me!

This is kinda of funny. Cos I have been gyming really hard lately (so I think at least) and I grew strong, so strong I broke my door (into 2 halves mind you)! So I was trying to "boast" about my own strength to the BF and came across this GIF image.

What's so intriguing was that it was like my exact doppelgänger! Did I model for someone and forgot about it?!? I was wearing this exact turqoise singlet and my hair was of the same uncanny length with wispy curl. P.S. I even had heart shaped shades (in yellow) though.

I promptly decided that this should have a post of its ownn. Here's a picture of me showing off my "subject"/ "modeling" talent. Quite a surreal feeling, but if any of you know the artist, please let me know and help us connect. I am curious to "find my twinning sister".

And if anyone want to draw me, please feel free to present me in my best face. LOL! But remember to credit me. And also send me your work when it is done so I can help you share it! <3