I haven’t had the time nor energy to do outfit posts these days, but last weekend, I finally decided to pull myself out of the rut and get back into the groove of dressing up. 

I’ve had these floral print palazzo pants in forever but have never found the opportunity to wear them out because nothing in my wardrobe seemed to go with it. Then as I was going through my rack just last week, I found this old sequin top from Bangkok that happened to go really well with them. I love how it also adds a touch of glitz to these granny pants. 😛

The rest of my accessories were mostly in shades of nude and gold as I didn’t want the outfit to be overshadowed. The nude wedges c/o of Bata did however add a spot of neon to the outfit. Me likey!  

On a related note, I am one of the 4 winners for the Bata Spring Summer Bloggers’ Style Contest. Here’s a BIG thank you to all of you who voted for me!! 🙂

Accessories from Hermes, CCSkye, Diva and Accessorize

Vintage pearl belt from my mum’s closet

Lunch bag clutch from Wisteriea

Shoes from Bata

Authentic Thai cuisine is hard to come by in Singapore, so if you’re looking for authentic Thai cuisine in the heartlands, you have to try Joe’s Kitchen. Located in Bukit Merah Lane 1, opposite Alexandra Hospital, it is a gem that I unraveled during a recent food review with Karen, Jasmine and Ruiying. 

Joe is Thai (in the blue t-shirt below) and he’s the
wonderful chef behind all the sumptuous delicacies that you are about to
see in this post. While Joe whips up a storm in the kitchen, Jamie, his
wife, is always serving customers with a warm smile and making sure
that everyone is well taken care of. 

I really liked the restaurant’s non-pretentious, homely ambience and the friendly service, which made me feel right at home. This is a place where you can let your guard down and unwind after a long day’s work by indulging in delicious Thai food!

Thai Iced Tea (S$2.50)

I like that the Thai iced tea here isn’t overwhelmingly sweet. It’s very refreshing and one of the best that I’ve tried. I can’t take caffeine because
it keeps me awake all night, but I have to order Thai iced tea whenever I
have Thai food. Now you know what my favourite drink is!

Mango Salad (S$7)

The mango salad appetizer has just the right mix of textures and flavours to awaken your tastebuds. The nuts add crunch and do a good job of balancing the sweet, sour and spicy flavours. In general, this appetizer is a pretty spicy one and will definitely not disappoint those of you who love spicy dishes.

Thai Prawn Cake (S$2.50 per piece)

The prawn cakes here are fried to golden perfection. The batter was light and crisp, just the way I like it. I would definitely order this again on my next visit!

Seafood Tom Yum Nam Kone (S$5.50/S$9.90/S$13.90)

The tom yum soup here packs a punch of flavours, complete with a lingering spiciness that makes this dish unforgettable. No wonder it is touted as one of the top 10 best tom yum soups in Singapore!

Mixed Vegetables (S$8/S$12/S$16)

 The sliced chilli padi peeking out from all corners of this seemingly innocent dish promises to stimulate your tastebuds in the most unexpected ways. This dish is certainly not as bland as it looks. In fact, it is so flavourful, we finished the dish in minutes.

Black Olive Rice (S$8/S$12/S$16)

 I have a penchant for olive vegetables in general and I liked that the black olive rice here is very fragrant and tasty. Yummy!

Thai Style Steamed Sea Bass (S$24)

The best way to test if a fish is fresh is to steam it, and I must say the fish here is really fresh! Infused with a blend of thai herbs and lemongrass, the fish is sweet, succulent and flavourful. This is another dish that I would highly recommend.

Claypot Crab with Vermicelli (Seasonal Price)

I love crabs and vermicelli so you can imagine how my eyes lit up the moment this dish was served. The glutton in me manifested and I devoured everything in no time.

Thai Red Ruby (S$3)

What better way is there to end a spicy meal than with a bowl of ice-cold Thai red ruby? This dessert is delicious and great for cooling down your palate. 😉

Tapioca with Coconut Milk (S$4.50)

I didn’t think I would like this dessert very much, but I was wrong. I LOVED it! The soft but firm texture of the tapioca went really well with the mild flavour of the coconut milk. Among all the desserts that we tried, this is my personal favourite.

Mango Sticky Rice (S$5.50)

Jamie told us that the mango that day was sour, but all of us were yearning for mango sticky rice that day and she was so sweet to accommodate our request. The glutinous rice was good, but as we had expected, the mango was sour. I’ll order this again when the mangoes are sweeter!

I thoroughly enjoyed the Thai cuisine at Joe’s kitchen and I’m very sure that I’ll be back again when I next crave for Thai food. If you’re looking for authentic Thai food in a cozy, homely setting, Joe’s Kitchen is the place to go!

I’m plagued with problem feet thanks to bunions (birth defect, not due to high heels) and a much longer second toe, hence it is an absolute pain for me to buy shoes from online stores without trying. As much as I longed to buy Jeffrey Campbell shoes, I had to resist the urge to give in every time because it’s hard to get hold of them in physical stores here, which means my best bet is to buy them online, which is not a problem if my feet weren’t this problematic. Thanks to my feet, I can never gauge what size to buy unless I get to try them on in real life!

So one fine day, I chanced upon a shop in Cineleisure by the name of P.V.S and there, sitting on the racks were Jeffrey Campbell shoes in different styles. It was a dream come true for me!

I’ve been eyeing Foxy Spike for the longest time. Hello there.

I always thought it would be impossible to wear shoes this high, but the raised platforms in front lower the arch significantly and make this a breeze to walk in.

I’m always in shorts during the weekend, and these shoes are the perfect complement to my weekend attire.

The spikes behind are exceptionally sharp though, so if you’re thinking of getting this pair, please be careful! However, if you look on the bright side, these shoes actually double up as weapons. If anyone tries to attack you, all you have to do is give them a kick and I’m pretty sure it’ll send them to the hospital. 

In case you were wondering, no, I wasn’t kidding when I said that. 😛

Mini spiked bangle from CCSkye (Shopbop)

Anchor ring from Accessorize

Chain bag (Gift from Jun)

Ever since we got back to Singapore, JW and I have been on the lookout for great cafes. I’ve heard about Carpenter & Cook from a couple of friends and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it’s just a stone’s throw away from our home! Finally, the cafe culture is starting to permeate the western part of Singapore!

  I was mesmerized by the decor
the moment I stepped in. I love retro and vintage items as they’ve so
much character. Check out those retro clocks. They make excellent
conversation pieces don’t they? The best part is, these vintage items
are up for sale!

JW liked the coffee too, although he opined that the coffee at Chye Seng Huat is much better. Here he was, trying to take an artistic shot of the coffee cup. It’s amazing what boredom does to a man. LOL

One thing that I didn’t quite like about the cafe was the limited seating capacity. They’re very packed during the weekend and it’s not uncommon to see patrons sharing seats at the larger tables. I prefer a cozier atmosphere where I can chat with friends without having strangers eavesdrop on our conversations, so the lack of personal space didn’t quite cut it for me.

That said, I would still revisit this cafe to try out the other snacks. This time, I’ll probably head there on a weekday. 😉

Carpenter & Cook

Address: 19 Lorong Kilat #01-06, Singapore 598120

Tel: 6463 3648

That’s Rachel kicking off the preview with an introduction of Bata. Did you know that Bata hails from the Czech Republic?

In fact, Bata was founded by Thomas John Bata (which explains the name of the shop) in 1894 and the first Bata shop in Singapore was established in 1931.

After a detailed introduction on the various shoe lines that Bata carries, we were treated to an up close and personal experience with the bags and shoes. All the bloggers could choose a pair of shoes and a bag each to take home with us!

I fell in love with their collection of wedges because there are so many colours and designs to choose from. When it comes to footwear, I personally like wedges the most because they’re so comfortable to wear and you don’t have to compromise on height!

If you’re curious about what I picked that night, here they are!

Now, here’s the final look. I love mixing colours and prints for an unexpected twist. The gorgeous
shoes and bag from Bata complement my outfit perfectly, lending a subtle
dash of edginess without compromising on style! The best part is, they
go so well with everything, I can already think of a dozen ways to mix
and match them with the rest of my wardrobe!  

Do you like my outfit? 

Bata’s running a bloggers FB contest right now,so it’ll be great if you could help  “Like” my photo to vote for me at this link:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=477376378983687&set=a.477375752317083.1073741832.225091904212137&type=1&theater

By voting, you’ll also stand to win a pair of shoes and bag from their Spring Summer collection!

Contest ends 22 March 6pm!

I always try to find time for a leisurely brunch during the weekend and it’s great that most restaurants these days serve brunch till 4pm or even all-day brunch. I’m always on the lookout for new restaurants that serve brunch, so you can imagine my delight when Karen invited me for a food review at District 10 together with Calvin and Darren.  

Located at the boundary of the
CBD district at UE Square (how strategic!), District 10 is a quiet
restaurant with a wonderful chillout vibe, perfect for losing yourself
to a couple of hours well spent.  

Look at the wine bottles on display! Yes, you can also head to District 10 if you’re game for drinks after work on weekdays!

 
 Losing ourselves to a delightful spread of breakfast varieties complete with desserts and drinks was precisely what we did on a lovely Sunday afternoon!

I have a huge soft spot for Eggs Benedict (S$24) – as Karen rightly pointed out, and I almost always order this when I’m out for brunch.

I love the spanish Jamon Iberico Ham that accompanied the poached eggs topped with hollandaise sauce. I was also pleasantly surprised to see crispy hash browns on the plate, which is a breath of fresh air for a dish like Eggs Benedict. I adore hash browns and having all my favourite breakfast foods in one dish is enough to make my day.

If you prefer a hearty breakfast with the full works, go for the Grease Spoon District 10 breakfast (S$26). It comes with bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns, tomatos and baked beans. If this is not enough to fill you up, I don’t know what will. 😉

Aside from egg dishes, Karen decided to order something out of the ordinary – Wagyu Meatballs (S$24)! I thought the meatballs could be a little more moist but I absolutely loved the crispy shoestring fries which were fried to golden perfection.  

The brunch ended off on a sweet note with delectable desserts.  The Sour Cherry Pie (S$12) that came with a dollop of pistachio ice-cream tasted great. The ice-cream flavour was very unique and complemented the cherries, which had just a tinge of sourness.

The Bitter Chocolate Tart (S$12) was my favourite of the lot. I generally like chocolate desserts and this was no exception. This lovely tart was made of delicious, rich dark chocolate that literally set my heart aflutter.

The Warm Apple Crumble (S$14) was equally good and every spoonful brought moist apple chunks lightly sprinkled with crumble to my mouth. Coupled with the sweet, lingering taste of creamy vanilla ice-cream, this dessert was very satisfying indeed. 

I love meringue and pavlovas, so it was no surprise that I ordered the Pavlova (S$12) here. I liked the tangy flavour of the passionfruit ice-cream, which went really well with the meringue.

We were bursting at the seams by the end of the meal, but we had a lot of fun chatting and savouring all the different dishes at the restaurant!

District 10 Bar & Restaurant

Address: 81 Clemenceau Avenue #01-15/16/17 UE Square Shopping Mall Singapore 239917
(corner of Unity Street and Clemenceau Avenue)

Tel: (65) 6738 4788
Fax: (65) 6738 4013
Email: contact@district10.com.sg

Operating Hours:
Sundays to Thursdays

11.30am to 12 midnight (Last food order: 10.30pm)

Lunch: 11.30am to 2.30pm
Tea-time menu: 2.30pm to 5.30pm
Dinner: 5.30pm to 10.30pm

Fridays and Saturdays

11.30am to 1am (Last food order: 11pm)

Lunch: 11.30am to 2.30pm
Tea-time menu: 2.30pm to 5.30pm
Dinner: 5.30pm to 11pm

Parking Facilities:
Available at UE Square Shopping Mall, Unity Street and Robertson Quay

I’ve taken a
liking towards statement jewellery and I’ve been trying my hand at
layering them in different ways. For a person who doesn’t own that many
pieces of jewellery, this can be a rather daunting affair.  

Beautifying your wrists is probably the easiest way to start experimenting with statement jewellery. I’ve seen how fashionistas and celebs alike have gone all the way with layers of chunky bracelets and bangles, but given my tiny wrists, I prefer to keep the look simple with just 2 bangles.

Mini gold spiked bangle from CC Skye (You can get this from Shopbop)

Strangely, I am a little more adventurous when it comes to necklaces and I love how they instantly add panache to a bare neckline, transforming my otherwise plain attire into a glamorous ensemble!

This was my first attempt at layering necklaces. The baroque choker was from Vera Moda during my work trip to Beijing some time back, the spiked crystal necklace and long bauble chain were gifts.

This is my chunkiest statement necklace to date. I love how it dresses up the neckline so effortlessly. The amazing thing about this is despite its chunky appearance, it is surprisingly light as a feather!

All the colours are incredibly captivating, don’t you think? 🙂