My joy splurge: Nemesis Prime R5

 

After catching sight of it at the Singapore Comic Con (you can read my review here), I couldn't stop thinking about it. So I decided to make the splurge. Even though it was not the cheapest model in town, it brought me so much joy. I had so much fun assembling it without the manual because I think it is more fun to be surprised. Plus it looked absolutely great on my work table (couldn't display it at home as the kids are bound to butcher it). 

Definitely think it is worth it because it is very well made. Each assembly parts (secret compartments) was designed with great precision. Generally, I don't spend that much on myself. But...I should really love myself more and indulge in little treats once in a while. After all, I only live once. <3

Where to get it: Shopee

Christmas with Pan Pacific

It is no secret that we dig Pan Pacific's food and hotels. So I was pretty stoked when we had a chance to try out their Christmas offerings. I am unabashed to admit that I like being blown away by pretty deco. And the lined tables, iced Christmas tree, fake fireplace really gave the place so much ambience. I took away with so much inspo for the next event we will be hosting! (Thanks Pan Pac!)

The food wise was also very impressively laid out. And most importantly, they tasted as good as it looked. My favourite was the oysters. Did you know that Pan Pacific has an annual Oyster Buffet? I felt this was a entree that let you have a flavour on what the buffet has to offer <3

To me, Christmas is really a time to feast. Personally, the turkey is always a highlight so I was pleased to see a traditional roasted turkey being served. You will be guaranteed a classic Yuletide experience as there is also the Honey-glazed Boneless Ham, Fruit cakes and Log cakes! Apart from the Christmas delights, we can also find snow crab, beef stew and crispy duck skin as part of the festive offerings. 

The desserts table was truly a sight to behold as it was thoughtfully revamped and decorated with Christmas-related embellishments. The Mao Shang Wang Logcake was my personal favourite, and I did ate more than my usual share of desserts because some of the items looked so intriguing - just had to try to find out what they are!

Also, I wanted to take the chance to highlight the festive hamper. It has quite a nice variety of items and look extremely presentable as a corporate gift. Another good gift option is the box of Praline or macarons, which will add up to be around S$20+ a box. I think it is quite a nice gift to colleagues or subordinates. And you just need 6 boxes to hit free delivery. :)

If you a fellow tea lover like me, the Festive Afternoon Tea ($78 per pax) is bound to capture your heart. Even if you miss the holiday season, you can also try the tea menu at $68 per pax (but it does not have the yuletide-inspired delicacies. 

Unpopular Opinion about the Dyson Hairdryer

We are a bit late in this game but we got our Dyson Hairdryer (a complete set too). To be quite frank, I have a bit of expectations. High ones too because a lot of influencers and our personal friends rave wildly about them. 

Here's our thought - it is ok. I have a really thick mane so this doesn't dry my hair "extremely fast".  In terms of anti-frizz and a more styled look. I think it somewhat does it - not a 100% but maybe a good 60%. Is it worth the price of around S$400+? Not really. 

To be quite frank, even though it has so many accessories, we barely use any. The box which I have been lusting for turns out to be quite a white elephant cos it is quite bulky. It is though a sturdy box and my kid uses it as a stool. Please don't judge me! They also use the Dyson to shoot air at each other. Since I have it already, I will probably be investing in a stand and how to manage all these hair accessories. 

I have done my price research. So if you still want one for yourself, the official store at Shopee has the best discounts during 11.11 or any double digit sales. You should be able to get it around $400+ and not more than $500. If you are ok with a more dubious source, there are new ones being sold at Carousell, the most desperate trying to get rid his/her new hairdryer at around $250.

Tips to make the most out of Singapore Comic Con

After much count-down, we finally reached D-Day. If you are new to the Comic Con, I would say that how much you spend/ enjoy would depends on what is being exhibited. Personally, I don't belong into any "camps" so I don't have one or the other sort of likes and dislikes. This year marks the year I spent the most at any Comic Con because it featured a lot of cute blind boxes (which I am horribly weak for) and transformers!

It doesn't help that it coincided with Disney's 100 so there was a lot of Disney Merch being sold. I had to put in a lot of self-restraint. If you have a family and a home (i.e. space to display), this is an awesome convention to look at statement pieces to decorate your crib. :)

1. Go every alternate year. The Comic Con does charge an entrance fees which can be quite steep especially if you are a student. I don't usually go for consecutive years, not just to save money money but because I like to see a bigger change. For this year, I could observe quite a huge change in the blind box scene. A lot more Chinese brands (which means more choice for us) and darn they hit me on the right spot that I even bought a few back. 


2. View every store first before you make your purchase. There is quite a lot to see and you will soon realise that you can't buy everything before you burn your wallet. So set a budget and make your decision. You usually see me shopping at the last hour. But note that popular items can get sold out. One of my plushie got sold out :'(
   
   
   


3. Bring cash! Some foreign vendors charge a bit more when you try to pay by card. Photography is free by the way. So if you are a looker (like me in the past), you won't end up spending much. Some of the items that I thought was really pretty included the mage handcrafted resin dice, hand-drawn scarves and glass printed posters.
   
   
4. Go with like-minded friends. Maybe it is me, I just don't think I can walk the grounds alone. I think I will end up spending too much or leaving early. It is more enjoyable when you have friends acting like your voice of reason :D





5. Free activities: There are free activities - like the painting of the figurine. I have been getting better and faster at it :D There are giveaways too but this year I was so busy shopping I didn't have the time to hunt them down. 


6. Food Booths: I don't remember there being food booths the last time I went. But there was this round and the price was really reasonable. We didn't grab food but we did get the drinks. 


7. Super Kids-friendly! They even had Bluey down this year and I saw young families pushing strollers and baby-carrying. I didn't bring my kids but I sure think they would have enjoyed it too (and may end up grabbing a toy or 2 back) if they were 5 and above. 

X'mas with a Splash at Vivo

We have been to a few bouncy castles, but with water element...this was a first for us. This 2-in-1 concept for X'mas with a Splash was very value for money because the kids had variety. It did feel like we went to 2 play areas instead of 1. Personally, I felt the difficulty was more on the administration and packing. So here's some takeaway we had from our experience. 

We let the kids went in wearing swimsuit. And we started with the dry area. This was a good call on our part because if it was the other way round, precious playtime would be wasted on dressing them up. Also, we set about 45mins for the indoor play and the rest for the outdoors play. (Personally we felt the water play was more fun as it was a fresh experience for us.)

The sun was scorching so good thing we had our sunblocks on. The water and changing area was surprisingly clean, and the Germaphobe within me was very pleased! We did bring a stroller so we placed our non-valuables within it. We also rented a locker for us to put our valuables. I would advise to pack the dry clothes in a separate bag so you could bring it in and wrap the children immediately when done. 

Surprise surprise, the slides are adults-friendly and we had a go on it. Pure fun. We would strongly recommend this to families. Can't wait for the next installment already! It helps that Vivocity is a very family friendly mall. After our fun waterplay, we went to Sushi-Go to catch such trains sending us sushi. Not much photos here cos our baby was terrified by automated items and was bawling her eyes out everytime a train approached us. 

** Use the discount code "BABYNFAM" for 5% Discount For All Klook Activities with min. spend of SGD50. Discount capped at SGD15.

Food Tour 40: Yummy finds at One Village Holland

Holland is my secret haunt. I am sure many of you already know that there is lots of good food there. Now that One Holland Village has open, I am quite curious as to what sort of food it will add into the mix. Surprisingly, this is not the typical mall with its usual chain selection. So I was pretty pleased with the find there. By the way, this mall is pet-friendly so the kids and I are pleasantly thrilled with all the cute doggies strolling around. 

1. Extra Virgin Pizza

We stepped in because we needed to find kids-friendly food for our kiddos. Turn out to be the best decision ever because the pizza is the best we ever had. I was quite addicted to the Broccolini Gratinata (forgot to take photo of it). After our meal there, the husband did some research and I realise it had another branch in town. No wonder, I felt the name sounded really familiar because people had told me this place served awesome pizza. Haha. By the way, they are local too :D You will definitely be seeing more of me.

2. Lau Wang Claypot

It was raining quite heavily that day so I decided I needed some warm soupy food. The kids were asleep so I had more options. And I really like frogs porridge/soup. It is quite hard to find places that sell them so I had to give this a try. Generally, I feel it is of comfort food standards and reasonably priced. The Ginger and Spring Onion was really good. The frog herbal soup is nowhere near the famous stalls but was good enough to satisfy me. I slurped everything down. :D

My only grouse was that this mall is weird. The entrance was not sheltered at all. So I had to brave the rain to enter the store's compound and this is a rainy day food. I seriously don't get Far East mall design sometimes. 

To more good food. Yum!

The Artground Soft Launch

I was pretty excited when The Artground opened in the West because it seems like every fun kids enrichment was always in the East. During the soft launch, The Artground was offering S$10 per family (up to a max of 5 pax). You could even drop in the classes, but because of our time schedule, we couldn't make it for any. 

I actually did a lot of homework i.e. scrolling through instagram and the website. The place looked really pretty in photos. There was this treehouse, this climbing dome... In my head, this was a spacious play area. My #1 went with his school to the Goodman Arts Centre. Although I didn't go along, I could see in the photos how much fun he had. So I had really high expectations. 

The place isn't huge but enough to keep my 2 toddlers entertained for nearly 1.5 hours. It was also nice to see my kids interacting with other children of their age - collaborating and communicating. Because they could self-play safely, the husband and I could take a bit of a breather at times. There were nice seating areas for us to just chill and take a breather. 

If you are a parent who likes taking photo, you will be disappointed to know that the lighting there isn't exactly fantastic. I think it is too dim so most of my photos came out rather blurry. But it ok, you just have to live for the moment. Overall, I think I would still be dropping by again (or even sign them up for some classes) cos the location is really convenient and it is within One Holland Village which has some nice beauty and wellness outlets for me to have some me-time while waiting for them. 

On a separate note, I was researching on The Artground and realised they were actually an art charity and are in the reds. So if you want to support them, you can click here. If you donate more than $50, you can also get some tax incentive. 

Ending off the post with a photo with the Ah-Ge, we bumped right into him after our day out. What an awesome day!

Jun Le Font - Our First Calligraphy

We have always been looking out for a nice calligraphy piece for our house. But somehow, the husband and I have not agreed on anything until recently. We both came across Jun Le Font separately and his characters caught our eyes. That was when we knew this is the one. 

My husband did a little research and realised that Jun Le is an autistic 16 years old. I wouldn't think that we are people who would buy art simply because the artist had special needs. But we just found the piece more meaningful. We did however put a lot of thought in what we would want him to write - something that encapsulates the values of our home yet not difficult for him. 

In the end, we decided to get the lyrics from a song (with some minor tweaks on my end) because our mandarin was not that fantastic. From enquiring to delivery, the whole process took less than 2 weeks. This was probably his most difficult piece of work to date because of the sheer number of words. But we were so satisfied with it. 

As a parent myself, I know how difficult it can be to raise a normal child, let alone one that is special. Supporting Jun Le Font is not just a mere encouragement to the child that his works are loved but also to the parents that they are doing a good job. Each piece is not particularly expensive so do support them as well if you love this font as much as us. 

Fun Day Out at Jacob Ballas Children's Garden

The heat was sweltering but Botanic Gardens was a ball of fun. We have always seen similar playgrounds overseas and was envious. It was awesome to find something similar in our Jacob Ballas Children's Garden. The Children's Garden was conveniently located near the taxi bay, just a few steps and we were in. 

It was filled with greenery and not overly manicured. We love the slightly wild vibe to it. Also, there were a few playgrounds within the vicinity. The kids could play to their heart's delights. To be quite frank, I was petrified by some of the giant ants and insects we met there. My husband called me an absolute un-nature person. Perhaps he is right because a quick brush and they were off with nature again. 

As we visited during my little girl's actual birthday, we were treated to a personal tour by the gardeners. It made the whole trip so much more enriching because we got to learn more fun facts about the plants and how to grow them. Also, my little girl was allowed to pluck some of the plants. The icing was the warden singing "happy birthday" to her. 

Things to bring for this include lots of sunblock and water. We were sweating buckets and our face were flushed. There were some shaded areas but the children preferred to be out running and playing. We also met some tourists who were impressed by the layout but at the same time desperate to hide from the sun. LOL!

We spent the most time at this playground because my kids absolutely love it. It was actually quite fun to climb around even for an adult for me. We spent nearly half a day there and absolutely no regrets, would be there again a heartbeat. Will probably bring the children there again when they are older :D

Things to do and eat at Jewel: All in a Day

Jewel used to be on of my favourite hang-outs. Even though it was a bit further from home, I would still look forward and cab my way there. The main appeal to me apart from its pretty aesthetics, was the unique mix of food and shopping outlets it hold. After Covid, maybe because of its increased rental prices, the shops have kinda became mainstream. 

Some of the places are still pretty worth visiting, so I thought I would do a post on it. For info, my kid dictated much of the trip in case you are wondering why I missed out some of the more iconic things to do. Haha. 

If you want to dine at a place with a view of the skytrain, Tonito is the place to go to. Its only outlet is in Jewel so if you want a taste of their Latin American cuisine, this is the only place you can find it. The food is not the most affordable, but the weekday set meal is pretty worth it. The service is also impeccable. My boy who was wild about train was offered a make-shift seat (with a lower table) so that he could enjoy a view throughout his entire meal. 

 

Next up was multiple rides on the skytrains to and fro the different terminals. I wished we had more photo opportunities because some of the places were really cutely decorated. But my kid was pretty adamant that he only wanted to be on a train. We also managed to score some nice deals - i.e. bak kwa at half price. The great thing about shopping at the airport - we could avoid the GST charges!

Break time at Andersen's Ice Cream. This is not the only outlet in Singapore. But my kid was so enamored by the train that we had to buy ice cream from them. If you ask me, my preference would be Birds of Paradise, but it definitely not as family friendly and it sure didn't have a train. 

This is truly a must visit place for me - the Poke Center. Oddly, I have never made a purchase there, but I am always there to look around. Jewel and Changi do have occasional pop-ups which I would recommend to go visit. But I was there at a bad time - transition between pop ups, so I basically couldn't see anything. No matter what happens, I always have the Poke Center to rely on. And it helps that my children love them too!

Dinner at Kam's Roast because it seems to have food for the kids and I haven't tried it before despite the many outlets around Singapore. My child's face says it all - the food isn't fantastic.  I expected more from their roasts, but it was quite average, Their service on the other hand was excellent. By dinner time, we were utterly drained and was quite happy to make our way back. I think it will be a while before I make my way back to Jewel. It is no longer much of a destination spot for me. 

Avatar: The Experience

I have been a huge fan of Avatar so this was a must-go for me. Also, I have seen quite a bit of impressive photos taken by my friends on social media. Avatar: The Experience was my first ever night experience at any of the Garden by the Bay's domes. I was so blown away how beautiful the place was with its strobe light. (Note: Please DO NOT go in the day, it is not worth it. The gorgeous part lies in the display of lights!)

But what was fun for Mummy was not necessarily fun for baby. Baby held on to me really tightly throughout and at some point, she asked to go back. One thing for sure, the exhibition was highly realistic. If you have watched avatar before, you would know how tribal and dinosaur-looking some of the creatures are. So I guess it could be quite terrifying if you were a baby. 

In the end, I managed to convince the little one to stay on and she started to enjoy it. She started to feel a little more at ease when I let her touch a few florals. What really spook was when the creatures moved. If you haven't went for it, you really must go because it is truly a feast for the eyes and the side exhibitions look very put together. This used to my less favourite dome cos it was so boring but this exhibition really changed my perspective. 

Our journey was about 2h. I think I would have definitely stayed longer if it wasn't for the kids. We added the day with the free light show at 7.45pm and the baby appreciated it a lot more now that she was used to strobe lights. :) Here's all my unedited photos I took for that day. I have a lot more hehe, but I shall not overwhelm you with them. 

** Use the discount code "BABYNFAM" for 5% Discount For All Klook Activities with min. spend of SGD50. Discount capped at SGD15.

8th Italian Cuisine Week

The Italian Cusine Week promises to immerse participants in both gastronomy and culture. For me, the best way to know a culture is definitely through their week. This edition will last from Nov 13 to 19 and celebrate the excellence of the Italian Cuisine. The highlight this year is the Italian Wine. You many not know but Italy is Singapore's 2nd largest European wine supplier. 

During the launch, I got to taste some fingerfood from At-Sunrise GlobalChef Academy. I have heard about the academy but never did I knew they produced such exquisite tasting food. If you are a budding chef, do visit their courses. :D

My personal recommendations would be:

• 12 Nov: Ravioli Making Class for Kids & Adults @ At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy
• 15 Nov: Wine Dinner Panzano Goes To Sicily @ Bottega di Carna, Mondrian Singapore Duxton
• 18 Nov: FabItalia & Italian Language School Exploring Restaurants Sustainability (Walking Tour On Singapore River)

But of course, you may have other interests so please find find the full list of events here. 

Favourite Products from Wishtrend

 

Here's my haul from H2 from Wishtrend. A quick review for all my readers here:

1. I'm From Honey Mask ($34.20):  I'm From is possibly my next favourite brand after Klairs. I have always been using their scrub/ hand wash so I thought of giving their mask a try. It is pretty gentle on my skin. For people who have sensitive skin like me, I would strongly recommend I'm From series. 


2. Klairs Daily Skin Softening Water ($22.95): I intended to use this as a toning water because I actually don't use any toner. Despite all the good things I have heard from a lot of people on how I should use a toner....toners just don't really create any visible impact on me. 


3. Klairs Rich Moist Forming Cleanser ($15.30): If you have been following me, you will know my old favourite was the Klairs Gentle Black Facial Cleanser. This works as well as that for me, but I prefer the packaging more. The pump method prevents more leaks and dirtying of my bathroom vanity area. :)


4. Klairs Fundamental Watery Oil Drop ($26.35): I would say this product is pretty good and is my holy grail. I leave this in the office for quick freshening if I had a rough night and my skin need a boost so that it looks supple and less flaky! You are definitely going to see more of it here!


5. Vitamin A Bakuchiol Night Cream ($28.05): I got this because of the Vitamin A. Do you know that Vitamin A can help to rebuild collagen and repairs damage from UV Exposure which can reduce wrinkles and age spots that lead to the enhancement of your skin repairing. :) For people who might get pimple from the use of moisturiser, this would work wonder because it is not too oily.

Bbyeol Sterliser and Water Purifers in Singapore

For me, I usually prefer trying my products before making a purchase. Was pretty pumped to know that Bbyeol has opened a store conveniently at Suntec. I have heard about their portable sterilisers but I didn't know they were under Ruhens. Ruhens brand name is pretty strong because this makes me more keen on BByeol!

If you really like the aesthetics of Ruhens , you will share the same love for Bbyeol. Apart from the sterilisers, they have also launched the water purifiers. I would deemed them as a more affordable version (~low end of $1k). It does what it needs to providing different temperature water at a touch and is small enough to fit the kitchen top of a tiny BTO. 

The star jewel for me is definitely the Solaris UV steriliser, which is now retailing at a steal of $299. The design is the best in the market. I love its soft edges and that it doesn't feel as cold or unfeeling as the rest. Also to dispel any myths, apart from baby bottles and toys, these sterilisers can be used for other items such as clothes etc. If you work in the healthcare, this comes in very useful. 

As a mother myself, I will still advise the sterilisers that is used for the baby bottles is kept separate from those that is for daily use. If you are a bit of a germophobic like me, the portable Polaris would work well. I always thought you had to place the items into the box, but actually the uv light is on the lid so you can use the lid to uv the areas. Also, it is a lot cheaper at $69 especially if you don't have a kid and doesn't require as high mileage!

Hope this review helps!

Food Tour 38: Day out in Dempsey

Dempsey is one my favourite haunt because of its interesting food. I don't think I will ever be done trying out all the nice delicacies because I always go back to the same places over and over again...especially when I really like what they have to offer. :)

1. Candlenut

It was a special occasion so we decided to give this one-star Michelin restaurant a visit. I am not entirely use to cancellation fees charges - this place charge a $50 for a no-show. Also there was also a cake-cutting fees if we brought out own cake there which I felt was snobbish behavior. But my husband was really keen on them because it had a lot of great reviews and there were barely any Michelin restaurants for Peranakan food. And did I mention, I love Peranakan food.

We decided to go for the "ah-ma-kase" because we wanted to try everything and we only had 2 stomachs. This gave a teaser on what they had to offer. I won't think the next statement will go down well with their fans but I am not into the fusion twist. Don't get me wrong, some were great twist, but for others I preferred the authentic version. And so, I felt everything was overpriced and not worth it. Don't really think I will be coming back to this one, but it was a good change. 

2. Mr. Bucket Chocolaterie

We have been here plenty of times. It started with a chocolate bar my husband's colleague gave him and this started our fascination with their chocolates. I am always there to have a drink to end my Dempsey day. Personally, I prefer the cold drink even though it doesn't have much of a wow factor as compared to the warm one - comes with a nice marshmallow. (I just can't do warm drinks on a hot day.)

What's really cool is that you can make your own stab of chocolate. I really want to give it a try but every time I am there, I bring my kiddos along and they kinda of get in the way because they won't give me 2 hours of free time to focus on my slab :'(

Unwind at Raffles Place

 

Before this event, Raffles Place just reminds me about work, the fast-paced, stressful life. To be quite honest, I barely go to Raffles Place in the weekends because this area is just super dead. Most of the shops ain't open. 

This is the 3rd season of Unwind @ Raffles Place and I have to say this is a really great initiative, breathing new life to this ghost town. Against the familiar skyscrapers and lush greenery of the park (by the way, do you know it is named Raffles Place Park), there were lawn games, live DJ, Outdoor movie screening and even one-of-a-kind communal dining experience event. 

I would have loved to stay for all the events, but because I am now a mother, I can't. But the events lined up would have kept the younger me very well occupied and chillax. We did get our Buzz Mark. Basically, it is kind of like a simplified personality test that unlock rewards in the area. Personally, the personality test was not very interesting but the rewards unlocked were pretty good, so it is still pretty worth to do it. 

The other event which we did was the communal dining with strangers which I thought would be interesting. I have previously attended something similar (you can read about my experience here at Food for Thought) and really enjoyed it. So, I had high expectations when it came to Awkward Party.

Initially, I thought most of the attendees would be the young and single, ready to mingle. In fact, most came as a pair/ group and were separated. Well, after all it was supposed to be an awkward party and it sure lived up to its name. Based on the table settings, this was more of a "team event". The instructions weren't the clearest, but after a while you kinda have a clue how to get things going. I think the organisers aimed for deep conversations but it was pretty hard to bare all and be vulnerable with a group of strangers, who may not share the same sentiments.

The food was instagrammable and delicious but my biggest grouse was that there were no serving spoon and that some of the food are pretty difficult to share. Hmm...how do we share a soft shell crab and chicken leg equitably? And in the light of the rising covid cases, the germophobic in me was very anxious. 

All in all, it is still a very different dining event from what we are used to. And if you would like some awkwardness in life, join their next one and maybe bring home a new perspective/ friend. 

Design Expo Personality Test

Once upon a time, I was really into such free trends / personality test and would always share them here when I got wind of it. Lucky you cos that old me is back and the latest personality trend which is pretty fun is this by Design Expo. I even saw people playing it on the train.

There is both an English and Mandarin version (content is similar), but given how "great" most of our Mandarin are (and it is in 繁体字 by the way）, I would suggest doing the English version (link here) for a more enjoyable experience. 

Generally, the personality test ask a series of questions (story form but somewhat ridiculous storyline) and you pick 1 out of 2 available options. It shouldn't take more than 15 minutes to complete. The fun part is the aftermath where you send this to all your friends to find out how compatible you have been, hahaha. I would say there is some accuracy since most of my friends are of a certain pattern with extremely strong personalities. 

Initially, I thought this was the usual half-ass personality test with 8 options at most. But apparently, there are eons of combinations. I did twice but still got the same results. I don't think it is because I am consistent but more that the questions were phrased in a way that would always derive the same response for me. Haha. Do try it out and have fun!

The New Palawan Beach - Splash Tribe

The new Palawan Beach had a minor makeover and I am so excited by the Hydro Dash and HyperDrive. But because I have 2 liabilities, we are here only for Splash Tribe - the beach club for families. To set some expectations straight, the people who come here are very appropriately dressed and don't sashay around in sexy bikinis. Most people there are parents with children so they generally have basic common sense. 

Before coming, I did do slight "research" on social media. This place is a lot smaller than it looks. Nothing much - there are 2 slots, either at 10am or 2pm. But it doesn't make sense to come at either timing because the sun would kill us. We came at 4.30pm and left at 6:30pm. Honestly, 2 hours were more than sufficient. 

The highlight is a giant sandcastle structure that has pouring water and 2 slides - 1 fully enclosed. My toddler only took the open slides twice. I took each slide once and I could understand why he didn't really want to take more than once. The open slide was pretty fast and exhilarating. Water went into my nose. For the enclosed slide, there was a point my claustrophobia was acting up. It was very dark in the long tunnel. I was slightly petrified. 

My baby was slightly panicky around the structure as we stupidly stood under a pail which overturn water all over us. The beach club basically works by having a minimum spending charge with an additional S$10 per pax. As our children were under 5 (and couldn't fully enjoy the facilities), they didn't have to pay the per pax charge. If you have toddlers like me, it would be advisable to bring their own bath toys. 

Depending on the seats you choose, the minimum spending charge would be adjusted accordingly. As we chose the dining table, we only need to spend $50. It was quite easy to hit as the food prices were on the higher end. Overall, we spent only around $70+ which I thought was still pretty reasonable. If you are planning to make a trip there, would propose that you come on a weekday as it is less crowded and you can walk in. 

If you plan to book the gazebos for any parties, tip: the online system only opens one month before and you can't call to book. It is extremely difficult to book for weekends because trust me, I tired. Hope this review is useful for you guys!

Parenting - It's a Climb

I thought he might be too young. But we managed to find a bouldering place for kids - BFF Climb and he could climb. Honestly, I think I might have more fun than him (a parent is required to tag along) and it took a little cajoling before he made his first ascent. But I did realise that there were many learning points which we can impart to our kids from bouldering. 

• Problem Solving: Given his height, he is bound to have some trouble climbing up. It was a great opportunity for him to explore other options. I would ask him probing questions i.e. Do you want to try this boulder? Maybe Mummy can support you from the side?

• Perseverance: There were many times he wanted to give up. With a bit of encouragement here and there, he actually managed to climb all the way up (for the mini slides). And every time he succeeded, I would point out to him that he made it and he could do it. 


• To give a try: For the longest time, he was also pretty adamant on just climbing and sliding down the mini slide (without using fully the harness). My kiddo tends to be a bit more hesitant and risk-adverse, hence I feel like I need to play the role to push him out of his comfort zone. There is nothing wrong with his dormant personality but at his more impressionable age, I would like to play a more balancing role so that he has the courage to venture and explore (should he wants to) in future. 


• Being a role model: So I actually challenged myself to climb and beat my own timing, with my kid cheering for me down below. It was at this point I realised the importance of being a role model. I can't just push him out of his zone and challenge him to achieve if I was not giving him the impression I was doing it. I am proud to say "I beat myself and achieved the goals I set for myself"

I came out feeling immensely proud of both myself and my kid, and it is an awesome feeling. Would definitely see myself making a trip there again. By the way, BFF Climb has awesome staff that helped to look after my kid when I made my climbs. I never really see myself as much of a bouldering person. But I guess I am wrong :P

Review: The Race Around The Moon

We are really quite getting into the groove of theatre works. Fun fact, I actually considered a career in that direction which probably explains why we are using our influence to share a little more. We caught the last show of The Race Around the Moon by Gateway Theatre. 

Just to share a little more about Gateway Theatre, it is a space that supports Singapore's artises in the arts and entertainment. The genre can range pretty widely. The Gateway Kids Club is one of the more interesting programme that is geared towards storytelling and craft making activities. And it is all free, the only con would probably be its location, since it is a bit of a walk away from the nearest train station. 

The show itself happened at the Sky Garden. There has been some changes since the last time I was there. A canopy was added. Compared to the formal theatre, the atmosphere here was more relaxed and the children could laze around with their parents on the mats laid on the fake grass lawn. Apart from it being a little warm, I do like the whole area. 

The show itself had a lot of dialogue and did not have any song-dance segments which the younger children would have preferred more. The play is self-written which I would describe as a modern take and twist to the original tales of Chang-Er, Jade Rabbit and Wu Gang. Costume-wise, I guess it would have been more impressive if they could dress in period wear. The show ended with a lantern making session which my toddler really enjoyed. It was good bonding as we pasted and decorated the lantern with him. 

Acoustic-wise, the sound vibrates within the whole arena. When my toddler had a mini melt-down, it was very daunting because his screams could easily drown the whole cast and everyone stared my way. Oops. Fortunately, we were quickly directed to the the calm room. (away from the judgmental eyes of other parents, thank god). The corner was very inviting and a place we could practice positive parenting. 

Also, it happened to have a really pretty feature wall which we use to take a bit of photos for both the little ones. As you can see, the handmade craft is pretty well-loved, appearing in a good 50% of our photos someway or another :P

The Smeds and The Smoos Review

About half a year later, we finally made another trip to the theatre. And this time we didn't stand outside throughout. I guess I would call that a success. Our kid quietly sat through the show, peering intently. So far, we observed he doesn't interact much with the stage actor's prompts. Very occasionally, he will point and clap along. It was a good start. 

Some differences was that we went with a bigger group this time round. My parents tagged along. This meant I had extra pairs of helping hands. Do remember to get the booster seats for the kids because it will elevate their height and not be blocked by the adults sitting in front. 

For parents who are keen to introduce their children to the theatre early, we would strongly suggest ABA Productions. We have went to their children shows twice - one sitting outside and I have to say they put a lot of thought into their productions. Both shows were on engaging stories and incorporated catchy songs. Our first show - Stick Man (read our experience here) had a tiny live band at the side to introduce different instruments and the sounds to the kids. 

The lighting and the costumes were very on point for The Smeds and The Smoos. Although it is a children's productions, my parents and myself enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Also, we really like that they used proper English, following the story, throughout the show!

If you come early, there will always be colouring stations set up for the kids. Do remember to check out the booth selling children's books. It has a nice curation of the popular books and I always enjoy flipping through some of them to have a sense of the content and moral values it conveys. Personally, I like stories that have a good flow. :)

Till the next show, I will be documenting the siblings' introductions to the arts so that fellow parents can have a sense and take a page. :) Hopefully, we can soon proudly declare ourselves as the friends of the arts. :D