Most un-child friendly Park: Jurong Eco-Garden

We only went there because I thought it was part of Jurong Lake Gardens (you can read our review here). Turn out it was far-flung at the edge of NTU, omg. I nearly died on my trip there, it was so far in. And to enter, there were so much steps, a tiny crossing made of literal rocks and a tight bridge around a marsh. For info, we didn't push our stroller in cos baby happened to be asleep at that time. It was me...the pregnant woman who explored that place. LOL!

There was even a wild monkey which I almost trampled on cos it looked like a trash bag from my angle. I was petrified after seeing it and was a bit sian when it decided to guard the tight bridge back. After my surveying, I sort of concluded there was no way we could have made our way in with a stroller. 

If you are a person truly into nature (by that I mean you are fine with snakes and all sort of assorted insects), this is a great place to explore. With a kid and fetus, I am not sure how much of these nature I can take. The Hubs was a bit bumped that he didn't even venture much in (cos he was looking after our baby in the stroller) and had to turn back. 

I did catch sight of a lot of nature enthusiast (complete with their professional cameras) camping at the tight bridge on the marsh. I am not sure what they were trying to see and was a little too shy to ask as I was on uptight mood eyeing the wild monkey. 

Overall, it was a good exploration on my part. Proud of myself for making this journey. Maybe next time when there is less construction around the area, less snakes and when kiddos are older. 

Food Tour 26: Affordable good food

I received some "feedback" that the food I am sharing seems to be on the pricier side, oops. I feel a bit apologetic but these are the type of food I generally eat. A good deal of my "non-existent wealth" is truly spent on food. But I do "indulge" in budgetted meals and these in my opinion are highly worth raving about. 

1. iSteaks

I have walked past them serveral times and somehow I never stepped in. I think it is because the exterior doesn't look that inviting. But dining there, I quite like it because the food was really good, the ambience didn't feel too cheap either and there was no service charge! Most people probably go there for the steak but we weren't in much of a beef mood, so I had the shoulder lamb ($19) and the Hubs had the pork collar ($16).

If you avoid the beef, you can save quite a bit. I also really like the variety of sides. I love that you can have 2 servings of the veg and they are not just poached but well marinated. We should have stepped in to this place earlier because I am quite a fan of their food!

2. Bizen

Quite honestly, this place was so badly located. We wouldn't have stepped in if we didn't kinda of gotten lost at Plaza Sing (too much reno works) and we were in a rush to get home. (Our LO was waking up soon, so we had to decide fast.) It is another beef place but oddly we went for fish and chicken instead, which resulted in some nice savings. 

It is more Jap style and the sides I feel is more normal compared to iSteaks. In terms of pricing, it is slightly lower and hey, there is free ice-cream too after the meal. It reminds me of a nice dating place for Uni students. Don't get me wrong, the food is good but it is just not my first choice, would pick iSteaks over Bizen any day. 

3. Queensway Shopping Centre Laska

This is just hawker food so obviously it can't cost that much, hahaha. This is one of the few laksa which I would eat in Singapore and it does defines what I feel is a perfect laksa. Interestingly, I don't know the price, lol! because I would just order when I am shopping at Ikea. It is my must-have! If I remember correctly, the price is slightly higher than the other hawkers but trust me it is worth every calory. 

Usually I would also have their muah chee and sweet corn. I tried their pork chop. It is not too bad but it is not something I would go out of the way for. The curry chicken is also very popular among the diners but I only like my Dad's curry chicken so I don't really bother eating it outside. But do note, this area is super cramped and you can't really sit there for long and chit-chat. It is a eat-and-go thing.

NParks: OneMillionTree Movement

As a family, we were pretty lucky to get a slot to plant a tree under the OneMillion Tree Movement. It was our first time planting and we had no idea what we were in for. All I knew it was pretty cool to bring my toddler to experience it. Here's some tips to make your planting experience better. 

1. Bring as many people as possible. Tree planting is hard work. Initially Nparks restricted us to 2 pax. As I was expecting and had a toddler in the tow, Nparks was really accommodating on the day itself and allowed us to swap our men in the family to do the hole digging instead. You literally do all the work, this is not a for photos only sort of moment. 


2. Involve the family. I think it was a lot more meaningful because the family was there. Imagine it was me and my kiddo with the stroller. I don't think I would have made it there and we would definitely have a lot less fun.


3. Be punctual and present. There was someone who did not turn up in the end because she forgot about it. So there was this tree which was left hanging and the NParks people planted it themself. I dono whether the person was genuine in the excuse but the chance could have been given to someone who would cherish the experience more. 





4. If you bring a toddler, bring an extra pair of hands. To be honest, this is not entirely child-friendly. There were shovels and my kid watered 6 watering can of water on the grass. My Mum and I basically looked after the kid most of the time. NParks was very welcoming towards him though. He definitely had fun too. 


5. You can't tie stuff on your tree to identify it in future. I actually brought along 2 ribbons for it. Haha. In the end, I just took a photo of the nearest lamp-post and a few photos to mark our tree. We are definitely coming back to see it in 10 years time to see it tall and sturdy. 


6. Wear sports wear, covered shoes and a cap. Bring sunblock too. We were lucky the weather was pretty good that day. There were quite a bit of red ants around the grass (nature, what you expect) and my son freaked out a little. But after a while he sort of got used to it and was running wild like a Tarzan. Hehe. 

Floral Fantasy

I have been seeing a lot of reviews on this and ever since we walked past it last year, I was sucked into its beauty sort of wanted to go. Finally, I decided to just take a day off and jio-ed my Mum along with my son. There was a promo going on and it only cost us $15 to pop by for a visit for us 3. 

A lot of things happened at home lately, which led me to this thought to create more memories for my kid with his grandparents so that one day he can look back and remember those days. The same for us too. I want to look back without regrets and stop being stingy with my off days. 

My son is a true flower lover. But somehow with his grandma, he was more excitable than usual. It was really hard taking nice shots of him that day. Most of the time, he was bouncing around, making sure I was not sitting / skiving and gently carassing the variety of flowers. T_T He even had a hearty poop and needed a change at the diaper room.

There is also a water feature within the exhibit (which is not huge by the way) and my son was absolutely obsessed with it. He spent a good deal of his time (believe it or not we spent nearly 2 hours in the nice air-conditioned space) staring at the flow of the waters.  

I managed to get some good shots myself (with occasional photobombs not that I am complaining) mainly through selfies and my Mum. Now I understand why family pay for their helper to join, so that they can get proper family photos. Maybe it is high time I invest in a tripod, just that I don't have a professional camera and is too impatient to use one.

Overall, I really love our day out. My Mum and I had somewhat proper bonding time and 1 photo together. By the way, you can take off your mask for photography which we didn't know initially so we were totally masked up. And we all had fun together, the 3 of us. We had high tea before that too so it was like half-day of chillaxing. 

The only grouse was that my son refused to take his afternoon nap. He probably didn't want to miss out any fun. And by the end of the day, my Mum and I were desperate for my husband to take over. I needed a break/ seat cos my son refused to let me sit down. He also wanted my Mum to carry him most of the time, instead of sitting in a stroller. So we were quite physically drained. 

We tried taking a stroll around GBTB to knock him out, but no luck. I actually enjoyed the stroll because the garden is really quite beautiful and the weather wasn't as bad. I am decked in one of my fav nursing pieces by the way from Mothers en Vogue. It is very versatile and you can wear it even after pregnancy. <3

Secret Garden @ Hotel Indigo

For folks with kids and pets in the East, rejoice as we found this secret garden at Hotel Indigo. First of all, I love this hotel's location. There are some places in Singapore which I feel have a lot of character and one of them is Katong. But today I will focus on this nice little enclosed garden of Hotel Indigo.

From the photos, most of you are going to assume this place is HOT. I actually went around 12.30pm and it was very acceptable even for someone who doesn't enjoy breaking a sweat. They have a cooler within the vicinity and there is a natural breeze.

As a Mum, I love the Hotel Indigo Garden. It is a nice scenic area filled with low furniture and lots of comfy cushions and beanbags (for that soft landing effect too). It is so safe for children and dogs. To be honest, it has been a long while since the husband and I could sit back and enjoy a meal while we let the little one run loose. 

He was having a ball of fun just enjoying the garden. In case you are wondering how this toddler entertained himself, he basically ran around the area to try out the different chairs. Then he went around hugging different cushions. And at some points he would ask me to take a photo for him. His favourite was definitely the beanbag because height-wise, it was as though it was made for him. 

Currently,  Hotel Indigo is having a Sunday Brunch. Go with an empty stomach because this is a free flow ala-carte spread. My personal favourite is the Angus Cubes (complete with black pepper and garlic chips) and the husband's was the Crab Meat Croquette. We both agreed that the Kueh Pie Tee was super good and the best we ever had so far. 

Because, I had a toddler and am also expecting, I had some fully cooked dishes which I could share with my toddler. My toddler went crazy over the french fries (which I agreed it was super good) and we finished his char siew donburi for him cos he decided that fries prevailed. 

For The Sunday Brunch, it is priced at S$88++ per person with 2-Hour Free Flow Food, Cocktails & House Wines. There is a promo going on now which entitles diners to partake in a lucky draw to stand a chance to win a 2 day 1 night stay at the Peranakan-inspired Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong’s Standard Room (inclusive of breakfast for 2 persons).

Ending the post with more photos we took while we were there. The leisurely vibe was so strong that for a while I thought I was a staycay. Really great place to hang out and chill. To find this spot, follow the dog paws  stickers on the ground, it is right beside Starbucks. 

Mini Indoor Playground at Hillion Mall: Kinderbabyz

Being a parent now basically indirectly means we are always on the lookout for places we can "dump" the kids. Haha, kidding. Sometimes, the husband and I need a breather. So we do like indoor play areas. Because the area is curated (which means it is safe for the child) and there is usually a variety of activities for them to try out. 

So Kinderbabyz at Hillion Mall has a Hinoki Pit. Since we were around the vicinity, we decided to bring the little one there. Beside Kinderbabyz, I noticed there was a nail palour which I was super tempted to get my nails done while the kid played (I am sure many Mums must feel the same way too.)

Kinderbabyz isn't huge but big enough to keep my son occupied. I like that it charges in 30 mins block at a very affordable rate of $7 (there are some discounts if you go for a longer stretch). The hinoki pit is filled with lots of treasures such as balls, rings, macaroons, bowls etc. I passed my son a shovel and he basically started sitting at a corner digging/ accumulating the hinoki wood. In fact, he did that most of the time. It probably fascinated him because this was something we didn't have at home.

It is more of an open-play imagination concept. The older kids would use the hinoki wood as sand. Some of the girls were more interested in the cooking station, digging out various food items from the pit. I introduced my son to the ring and soon he was ringing me LOL. 

Apart from the pit, there are also some merchandise which you can shop there. Some of the toys were really interesting, but we didn't get anything on the spot because they have an online store which makes purchasing easier (don't really like carrying items now the the tummy is getting bigger).

Separately, Kinderbabyz offers party services which you can rent their pits/ order goodie bags etc. I have to admit that caught my eye because we are planning some events for #1 and #2 birthdays (Hit us up if you are in the party line and want to collaborate). Oh, before I forget, do remember to pack a pair of socks for your little one. Tip: I always put a pair in his going out bag for surprise visits to indoor play areas. *winks*

Preparing for #2...New pram again

The pram is honestly one of the best buys we have gotten ever for Baby #1. We use it every time we go out and the mileage is so high. But with high usage, it also means it is disgustingly dirty. There are times the diaper would leak and pee/ poop would spill out. 

Don't judge me, but I used to be very conscientious in wiping the pram clean after every use. I would even put a towel on top of the seat to make the cleaning of leaks easier. But after Mummy went back to work, I guess time isn't really on her side anymore. 

We came across Pram Wash and decided to give it a try. Honestly, it was the poop that really disturbed me. We couldn't exactly remove the cushions from the stroller to throw into the washing machine ourselves and with #2 coming, I felt grossed out that this little one may have to lie in the brother's old poop. Yucks. 

There was the option of sending it at Vivo City (which is actually still pretty convenient for us) simply because Mummy likes to shop at the huge Fairprice and Mothercare, lol. 2 way home pickup and return delivery (at an additional $16) is also a pretty good option if you are feeling kinda heavy, nausea and just don't want to move anymore. We went for Option 2 in the end, cos we needed the stroller back before the weekends. 

Funny story, the collection guy came and somehow our toddler caught sight of him wheeling his ride into the lift. He went into a 30-minutes melt-down insisting someone stole his carriage and the adults should wear their shoes immediately to go after him. Gosh, lol!

I did this with an intention of doing a review so before my pram was collected, I took photos of all the visible dirty spots. Mainly it was dirt stuck on the wheels, footprints on the cushion areas cos my son redeveloped a bad and very dangerous habit of standing on the carriage and also some less visible dirt at the cranks. I am so sinister I know, but this is for a baby and I am sure you readers want to know what sort of services we are actually getting. The pram didn't have a poop smell. Some of the paddings were already removed because they are removable and we clean them quite consistently already, so there wasn't a point. 

The stroller came back the next day and I received a note from Pram Wash informing me that some of the older stains couldn't be removed. Immediately, I instinctly thought it was the cranks. The stroller came back nicely packed in a giant plastic (which could be reused to pack bigger items at home). I did search for the stains and couldn't find them. After much inspection, I think the unremovable stains were referring to the marks in the basket below the stroller. 

I won't say it was much of a big deal cos we usually dump all the "soiled stuff" in it and...we have never cleaned it (not once). Also the kid doesn't have any contact with it. I even sniffed it to ensure that there was no chemical smell because I am particular like that. I showed this to my husband and he was like...oh this is so clean, #1 should just use the spare pram so that this can be kept pristine for #2. I am like what?!? I guess it is kinda obvious who is his new favourite now. 

We went for the Ultimate ($138 before delivery cost) because the real concern was the poop (and now that I see vomit, I don't think I can deal with cleaning up vomit from the pram). Now that I have went through the service, it is really good if you need (i) an occasional cleaning (because poo/pee is quite inevitable), (ii) have a new baby coming and you want to keep things fresh or (iii) you bought/ received a used stroller and you are particular because of the pandemic. 

Apart from strollers, you can also send in your car seat, soft toys and they even have house/ car disinfection services. Soft toys might be my next target because our toddler has so many soft toys and they can quite hard to clean sometimes. At home I give them a monthly lite treatment. But if he ever vomits/ pees on them, these toys are going in for a fresh wash. 

Yummy Taiwanese Food - Wanted Tea Plus

Now that I can't travel, I have been spending time eating around (now that I am eating for 2, it feels like it is more value for money and I can eat more, haha.) With my nausea subsiding, I also noticed a craving for overseas cuisine - Thai, Taiwanese and Indian. Gosh. 

When I heard Wanted T had an outlet opening at Jurong Point, I was more than game to give it a try. Basically, this place serves affordable Taiwanese food and beverages. There is no seating area, so preferably you take away or be like us (be creative and find some seats around the vicinity.) The dinner crowd is really strong too. Although they just opened, we had to wait about 20 mins before our food was served.

If you have been to Taiwan, you might have tried the bento food served on their trains. That was what Wanted T reminded us of. Although the food looked unassuming, it tasted as good as those railway bentos we had in Taiwan. This is bringing back so much good memories. 

Here's what we tried for the food:-

1. Braised Pork Belly Rice ($5.80) - I feel like along with the oyster mee sua, this is the landmark food of Taiwan. The mee sua wasn't available so we went for the ru rou fan. And it was really good. I love the pickled vegetables at the side which gave a break to braised flavour. 


2. Pork Chop Bento ($6.80): This was recommended by the store assistant. Although this isn't the recommended signature dish, it was really good! In fact, I thought this was one of the best pork chop I ever had and I would totally come back for it again!


3. Honey Glazed Chicken Bites ($5.50): For 2 pax, I would recommend getting a side to share as the bento are quite carbs heavy. The chicken bites were fantastic too! I am guessing Wanted T's fried food are probably are really good!

The drinks were really impressive too! The husband wanted a coffee and went for the recommended E4 - Mocha Coffee with Jelly Coffee and Brown Sugar Pearl ($5). We are not much of sugar fans so we picked a humble 25% sugar level. The drink was very aromatic and delightful. Me being me, decided to make my own concoction which I would strongly recommend to you guys too!

To be completely honestly, being adventurous usually don't work very well for me, so I am thrilled this one worked so well. I had a G6 +T8 - Four Seasons Mango Tea with QQ Yam Taro ($5) at 0% sugar. If you ever had 0% sugar drinks, you will know how badly they usually turn out, but this one was very good and I actually slurped it all up without sharing with the husband XD. But I think it would have tasted better if I picked the 25% sugar option. 

* If you are a westie or a NTU student, you really shouldn't give this a miss! Thanks 1004 Label/ Convo for sending me an invite!

Address (Jurong Point):1 Jurong west central 2 ,#03-40, Singapore 648886