Skye Soon
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Hey guys,

I've been wanting to talk about adult friendships for a while now. People talk about relationships all the time, and there’s a ton of advice and websites on them. But adult friendships? Not so much.

Making and keeping friends when you were still schooling was a piece of cake as compared to when you are adulting. Without sharing a common space or activity, you may find yourself longing for the past, and maybe even lose a friend or two along the way. It can be a painful process, but it doesn’t have to be. In this post I'll be touching on two parts of drifting away - being the active drifter and being the one who is left behind. 

Transitioning to adulthood


Adulthood isn't easy. You have to juggle a whole bunch of stuff. Sometimes friendship takes a backseat, and this can cause disagreements.

Halp.

Growing Apart


“We used to be best buddies, but now we’re not.”- Frozen, Do You Want to Build a Snowman (lol)

You guys used to hang out in school all the time. You enjoyed the company, the gossip, the inside jokes, the constant checking in with each other. 

Then both of you were catapulted into different worlds. Both of you entered the workforce in different roles and companies. Either way, life has changed and so have you. You drift apart more and more, due to the differences in lifestyle and outlook on life. You don’t hang out in the same places anymore, nor do you do the same activities. One of you picked up yoga, the other met some drinking buddies at work. One of you is saving up for a house, while the other is not interested in dating at all. 

People change. People drift.The differences increase, and they grate on each other. You find that you do not enjoy each other’s company anymore. You hate that she complains about work all the time. while she hates that you keep talking about BTO and money. You hate that she no longer watches the Korean shows you love. Worse, you gave up the common hobby you guys shared. You find yourself wanting the company of another, or even just the comfort of your bed.

Wouldn’t it better if you just stopped meeting up? The friendship feels more and more toxic and unhealthy with each passing day. Your values simply do not match anymore. 

Soon you don't even bother with the half-hearted "Let's meet up soon!" text messages. The chat conversation remains silent.

"I don't really want to meet, but I'll ask you anyway and act enthusiastic, so when this friendship fails, you can't blame me for not trying."
How can years of shared company fade away so dramatically, you wonder. But you know what? It can be a good thing. It can even be a great thing.

Drifting Away: Why it happens and what to do with the guilt


Change is part and parcel of life. Drifting away may happen as you outgrow each other and go on to pursue different things. It could also be due to changes in outlook, personality or habit. It can aid growth. You get to meet new people, go to new places, learn more about yourself and form your own opinions. Maybe you want to focus more on your career, or your new family. You shouldn't have to feel guilty that you're making choices. Do what you can, and more importantly, do what makes you happy.

Drifting could also be due to the removal of an important factor in the friendship equation, such as location. You were friends of proximity, either by school, work or organisation. Now that you left the place, you no longer have the premise of meeting often. (And maybe you don't want to.) It's a little brutal but it happens.

It's okay to feel the guilt, but move on with life.

Perhaps you guys enjoyed a friendship in the past, but now your life values just do not align. And that's completely okay, you don't need to feel guilty. (It's okay to change who you are, really. Do you really want to be the same person you were ten years ago?)

Was she there for you in a difficult time? Yes. Is it ok to not be as invested in the friendship now? Yes, too.

There must be a reason why you don't hang out as much as before. Maybe times together are no longer as enjoyable as compared to your other friends, or you just have more pressing responsibilities to tend to.

No matter your reason, it's okay to drift away. Nothing is set in stone. Acknowledge the guilt and let it pass. Don't feel obligated to stay in a dead friendship. You are entitled to do what you think is best for you. It's your life.

The tricky thing is when one person wants to drift away and the other doesn't want to. 

Sometimes, you're the one who wants to keep the friendship alive, but somehow nothing seems to work. Was it something you did? Maybe yes, maybe no. Maybe your friend changed, Maybe you changed. Either way, you start to feel really tired at trying to initiate conversations and meet-ups. 

Perhaps it's time to let go too.

You may feel disgruntled. How can your friend drop you when you have so much history and good times together? Well, no matter how sour you feel, let it go. Don't force a friendship if you find that you are unable rekindle it. You tried, now let it go. Don't flog a dead horse.

In the era of Facebook and Instagram, you may also see your friend hanging out with all these new friends, doing new and fun activities - without you. But that's the thing. You have to go live your life too, with someone who actually wants to be part of your life. Respect the space that grew between you guys. Perhaps your paths may intersect again. It was fun while it lasted. 

I mean, if someone really wants to leave, no amount of effort on your part can persuade them to stay. So just let go, buddy. Maybe you'll feel happier this way.

Unrealistic Expectations

Are you still holding on to an idealised concept of what friendship should be?

Want friendships like those in shows (Friends or Big Bang Theory), where people hang out with their friends all the time, or when they get off work? Well it's cute, but also very unrealistic. People grow up and people grow apart. Everyone follows their own path and sometimes that means that they are not able to come together as often as they could in the past.

For example, if you have stayed in hall and enjoyed the company of your friends almost 24/7, you would have experienced withdrawal symptoms upon leaving the hall. But can you recreate this sense of community again?

No. The time has passed.

You enjoy the most of it while you can, but life goes on. Eventually you will get used to the coming and going of people in your life. The sooner you get used to this fact, the less hurt you will feel.

Friends Forever

Why do you see the need to be friends forever anyway? Nothing in the world is forever. This too shall pass.

Maybe ask yourself, why do you need to cling on to forever? Are you sentimental for what used to be? Is it because you’re too familiar with a person and am afraid of change? Do you feel that you would never find a friend like this again?

Well, it is very likely you would not find a friend like this again. Instead, you’ll find another friend, a different one, perhaps a more suitable one, if you simply give yourself the chance and permission to.

Don’t be afraid of change. Change is everywhere. All we can do is to flow with it. Don’t be afraid to leave the past. Yes, the past is important, but living in the present is even more so.

•·················•·················•

What you can do if you feel off-kilter about your friendships:

1. Figure out what you need.


Do you need a constant best friend companion to share your day-to-day thoughts and woes?
Are you good with a weekly or monthly hang with your friends? Do you prefer one-to-one, heart-to-heart talks? A friend to exercise with? A friend to drink with? A big group of friends that play games together? A small trio to chat and maybe do some shopping together? Someone to contemplate the deep mysteries of life together?

Personally, I need all these types of friends. (I'm so needy haha.) The trick is not to expect everything from a single person.

Be honest with yourself. Problems are easier to solve when you possess a good amount of self-awareness.

Once you've got your answer, work towards trying to establish how you can fulfil your need.

(Also: you don't need to be everything to everyone.)

2. Put in the effort.


Be the organiser. Be the one who organises the weekly/monthly thing. 

Lazy? Just a little reminder that friendships, like relationships, takes effort too. If you want something, be prepared to give a little to make it work too.

IMPORTANT: Not everyone will view the group or friendship the way you do. If they do not respond well to your monthly/weekly hang, do respect their wishes. Everyone is busy and has their own priorities too. Don't take it personally as everyone is at a different stage of their life and has very different needs. That said, if you tried and failed, the next logical step would be that you try to fulfil your needs elsewhere, with different people.

and BTW, very rarely can you find someone who ticks off everything in your ideal friend list. Learn to live with that. I mean, are YOU the perfect friend? 

•·················•·················•

As for me, I actually enjoy my friendships (what's left of them) very much. I meet new people sometimes and as much as they’re cool and everything, I don’t need the extra stress to make friends with them. I simply do not have enough time nor energy to invest fully in them. I already have a lot on my plate, thank you. It took me quite some time to come to grips about not feeling guilty about it.

It's actually very dangerous to make zero new friends and live in a bubble because then you'll live in an echo chamber, but I'll figure that out as I go! Right now I acknowledge that I have finite energy and finite time so I will choose how to best to tend to my priorities. 

Just like this article about adult friendships suggests, time is limited. Be ruthless in picking your friends, just as you are picky in choosing your relationship partner. You're going to spend so much time and effort, and life with them, so choose those who bring you joy, those you love and want to grow and experience life with. 

I found these helpful guiding questions (from the article above) if you're looking for friends who offer you growth as a person.

  • Who do I learn from?
  • Who challenges me?
  • Who can I confide in?
  • With whom do I find joy?                                      
If you are considering if you should drift away from a person, here are some questions to help you out:

  • Do you often feel emotionally drained after hanging out?
  • Do you feel like you are not being heard?
  • Do you feel like you would rather do something else or be with someone else?
If yes, yes, and yes, do consider why you're still holding on. (You may actually have a toxic friend!) You deserve better. 

What are your thoughts on adult friendships? Is there even a polite way to end a friendship?  

Thanks for reading my ramblings :)

I hope that if you will have satisfying friendships!

Be happy,
Skye

Hey guys :)

Welcome to Tea Time! This column will be where I talk about some of the teas I drink, and a little chat on a book I've been reading.

I'm sometimes envious of people who are so into coffee. I can't drink too much of it as my heart suffers from it, and if I drink it too late in the afternoon, I can't sleep. Perhaps it's the whole coffee-is-cool culture surrounding it. I've always wanted to walk down purposefully down a New York Street, with a coffee in my hand. It's such an iconic scene, isn't it?

Well anyway, while I can't appreciate coffee as much as I would like to,  the good news is that I enjoy tea! I love tea so much, and yes I need to talk about it. Haha :)


Hyunmi Green Tea Jakseol

A little story behind this tea:
I was travelling in Korea with my friend Eli. I have a habit of drinking hot tea in the morning and it was rather strange for me not to do so. I just felt really wonky. Haha. I guess now I understand why my dad brings his own coffee when he travels overseas. It's just super comforting to start the day with something you love.

So we went to a supermart and I found this tea! I was rather hoping it would be something like the barley teas served in Korean restaurants. I love my green teas so I purchased this. I had no idea what Jakseol meant. It seems to be an umbrella term for green tea in Korea.

Taste: Initially I was a little disappointed by this tea. It came across as kinda oily, and had a very mild flavour. It had the comforting 'barley' fragrance though!

Now, however, I rather do enjoy it. With my $6.90 Miniso teapot, I pop in two tea bags for a stronger taste. The tea is wonderful chilled too. Unfortunately, I'm down to my last few packets. Well, it's okay because we have a kitchen cupboard well stocked with tea.

Tea time is slow time for me. I love that it warms my belly and throat. And I absolutely love reading and drinking tea. (Someone once remarked how I am like an old granny. It's true actually. I like leading the slow life. Plus I would actually pick up knitting but it just seems rather complicated at the moment.)


I'm just about done with this book, Never Too Late To Be Great by Tom Butler-Bowdon.
It's a non-fiction, self-help book, meant to encourage people to strive to be their best, even if they think they are old.

There are plenty of case studies, such as Howard Schultz (Starbucks), KFC 'Colonel' Sanders, MacDonalds, Mother Theresa, Dan Brown (author of The Da Vinci Code) etc. Did you know Dan Brown used to be a singer?! He even released an album called Angels and Demons before he became a writer. Sometimes the amount of case studies causes the book to feel a little fluffy, but I guess it's nice to know all these successful people actually arrived at a late age.

TLDR: Basically even if you're in your 40s or 50s, it's never too late to change your career or try to achieve something remarkable. If anything, it seems that the older you are, the more remarkable your work can be. This is part due to the life experiences that help mould your thinking or your techniques.

I think it's unhealthy to compare yourself to the teen stars of today. The media often reports on talented young children/teens in the music industry, or highlight successful entrepreneurs in their twenties taking the world by storm.

Meanwhile, you feel like a stagnant old person whose 'golden age' has passed. In fact, you have barely scratched the surface of your own potential, really.

We actually have so much of our productive lives to live (say we live to 80), so we have not actually missed the proverbial boat. If you're about 25 now, you have about 55 more productive years to go!

So if you're feeling down and unaccomplished, don't be discouraged! It's ok to bide your time.

Leaving you with a quote from the book.



May you never lose the spark.

Till next time,
Skye
Hey guys, what's up?

I've been working on some new articles for the blog, but meanwhile I've been on Netflix again so yes this is YET another post on a show. I promise some other content soon HAHA.

So I was looking at this post from a local blogger, whose minimalist house is so gorgeous! She mentioned the film and I checked it out.


Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things
Duration: 1h 18min

What's it about:
The documentary centres on two guys, Joshua Fields Millburn (the one that looks like Clay Aiken) and his bestie Ryan Nicodemus (long haired rock star looking guy), and how they became The Minimalists. Includes loads of clips and soundbites from experts, different types of people practising minimalism (a man with 6 children, a newscaster, a millennial etc), and also people who live in Tiny Houses. We learn a lot on how their lives have improved since they started to declutter their lives and rid themselves of things.

One of my favourite quotes:

"How do we go from working all throughout our lifetime to enjoying a lifetime with a bit of work here and there?"

Yes please haha. Financial freedom plz.

Thoughts:
Most of my close friends know that I'm very into decluttering (even before Marie Kondo. I have not watched the series on Netflix but I have read her books). I read minimalist, decluttering books often to motivate myself to not create mess. I've went through tons of clothing purges, and have gotten rid of many things I no longer have use for. I donate books, clothes, and try to sell amps and cute things (my Sonny Angels) I've collected. I also do digital cleansing of my laptop and stuff, since I have TONS of photographs.

For the longest time, I also held on to my CDs cuz I loved them so much. I finally started listing most of them on Carousell, though I still can't bear to let go of some of my favourites. Shit is sentimental though. I'll have to rehome some of my favourite guitars too because I have too many. T_T

I have only a few soft toys left. I got rid of unknown cables and wires. Got rid of tons of papers and old things from my teenage years. I also count my shoes, my shirts, fold things the Kondo way, and also try to be more mindful when I buy new things.

One good motivating factor to declutter is that you can pack less when you intend to move out. I've moved house twice in my life, and packing is super tedious. Wouldn't it be great if you had less to begin with? Less problems. No need to rehome things, no need to donate , or throw things, cuz you're already done!

And though I have decluttered so much, I still have so much stuff. Crazy first world problems indeed.

Apparently, decluttering also helps with fengshui! From what I've read online, fengshui involves removing obstacles to energy blocks and stuff. So too much crap in the house affects the qi. Might be a total coincidence, but after I decluttered my room (yet again), I had the luck to close a quick Carousell deal! Hurray!

I'm also thankful for Carousell. Although sometimes it can be Carouhell, I'm glad to send my things off to another person who can have better use for them, and maybe earn a couple of dollars here and there. Throwing them away will clear them out of my house instantly, but it's sometimes a big waste since they work fine, plus throwing stuff hurts the earth too. I told myself that I should at least try to rehome them!

(Sidenote: Trying to sell a spare guitar, HMU if you're interested.)

Ok lol I completely digressed. Sorry for the massive brain dump. Back to the film. It uses super powerful images and even presidential speeches about consumerism and how it's damaging people, relationships, and the Earth.

There were also interesting juxtapositions, even in sound (ie. a busy, noisy crowd, followed by a quiet scene. One scene was hilarious to me because they interviewed this guy in a large white room. It was very echoey and had lots of reverb, so he sounded very godly and wise. Lol.)

The excess and waste shown in the film shocks you and guilt-trips you. It's super sad and I hope more people can join the movement to consume less! I hope I can live simply and lightly too. (I mean, I really don't think I can ever own just two duffel bags of things, but I can definitely share a closet with someone haha!)

Watching documentaries, I also realise some people are so eloquent and express themselves so well! I really admire that. Guess I should watch less entertainment stuff and more documentaries? I hope to speak and write well!

If you're interested, you can also check out Tiny Houses, a movement where people live in really small spaces! Haha. Was introduced to this by Tze Lin while on my Germany trip with LingHong. It's a cool concept though definitely not for everyone. I liked this one about a girl living in Tokyo.

The documentary closes with a quote from one the duo's speeches.
 "Love people, and use things. Because the opposite doesn't never works." Nice.

Bonus: There's a lady with the feel of Leonard's mum (Big Bang Theory) in the show. Quite amusing lol.

So maybe check it out if you're interested! Being minimalist isn't about being boring. It isn't about not being able to buy anything either. It just encourages you to live a more intentional life. if anything, maybe the lack of clutter will help you create even better things too. You also pay less for your smaller house, and that means less housework!

Plus theses concepts help me save/earn quite a fair bit of money too. HAHA #letsbereal More next time!

Cheers,
Skye



Heeeey guys!

Here are some YouTube videos I really wanna share with you guys~

1. Clean Bandit - Mama (Feat. Ellie Goulding)

Are you the kind of person who watches/listens to music on YouTube?

Well, I certainly am. Despite having Spotify, I find YouTube a great place to find all sorts of music, especially covers. It's also nice to discover new music since I always listen to my own playlists on Spotify. Here's one!



Trump appears in this video...?! (Clickbait eh, but kind of true.)
It was a really cool story video too! The song is super catchy too. Clean Bandit always features artists with very clear vocals as well, such as Ellie and Anne Marie.

The kids dancing Fortnite moves really takes the cake! Haha so absurd but mesmerising. A true reflection of what today's children is like  - face with tears of joy emoji. Also, I never know how they do these dances. I can't even do the floss properly.  Nevertheless,I hope you enjoy this one!

2. ZULA Pillow Talk: Xenia Tan | Ep1



I've been a fan of Zula YouTube content, especially Zula First Dates and Zula Tries. I think Leah is a really charismatic host! (sidenote: I also enjoy watching Real Talk, lol)

This new Pillow Talk segment features host Shiberty (Jessica), interviewing/chatting with pretty high profile people like TSL Personality Xenia and more recently, influencer MongChin Yeoh.

It was a reaaaally long video at 49 minutes, so here's some TLDR if you prefer.
  • Xenia used to be like 'ahlian' in secondary school, and became more guai in JC. She was 'ugly' in primary school.
  • She talks about how she started out in The Smart Local.
  • She got cheated on in her relationship by a mutual friend (!!! who double dated and even travelled with her and her bf then).
  • This cheating incident/breakup really moulded her into what she is today, ie. being more bold in her career, and also chasing her acting dreams (she's heading to NYC!)
I enjoyed the video though it was pretty damn long lol! It's not every day where you get to know so much more about these people you see so often on social media. I mean yeah, you see their campaigns, their glam pics on Instagram etc but rarely do we get to peer deep into what their life is really like. It's not easy being so exposed and vulnerable online, that's for sure.

When this video appeared on my feed, I did a double take because I saw Shiberty! HAHA! My friend and I used to read her blog when we were secondary school kids, what the hell. Really miss the days when people used to share so much of their lives on blogs. Now the emphasis is on video/IG stories or images. I'm really sad that Dayre kind of died too. It used to be soooo much more livelier.

3. Monsieur Periné: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

If you're new to Tiny Desk Concerts, the idea is that artists gather in the office (with tiny desks) and perform. The small session makes things very intimate and special. All the lights, stage, and effects are stripped away. Basically you get to enjoy artists in a simpler and super authentic setting. I love it!

Some of my favourite sessions include H.E.R. Foster the People and Superorganism, while some of the artists that have been on the show include Paramore, Yo-Yo Ma, Adele, Hozier, Death Cab for Cutie, The xx, Tegan and Sara and The Civil Wars.

I also get introduced to tons of new artists and music I will not usually listen to. For example, I really LOVE this band from Colombia! I have no idea what the vocalist is singing, but I love it so much.



I also love the YouTube comments lol.

"This woman's face is a poem about cherries, soda pop, and peppermint chewing gum. - Bruce L"

So true ?!!?! She's so cute!

Alright, it's getting late so I'll sign off for now! Hope you guys like the vids  :)

Cheers,
Skye


Heya guys,

Recently I got back on Netflix and started to watch a couple shows! My friends Wenxin and Si Min recommended this show so I checked it out.



SPOILERS EVERYWHERE, read at your own risk.

The Umbrella Academy
Episodes: 10, each about an hour long
What's it about: The world is about to end, but a family called The Umbrella Academy attempts to stop the apocalypse. Each family member has a super ability, such as super strength, the ability to talk to the dead etc

Starring: Ellen Page (Juno), Robert Sheehan (Misfits), Mary J. Blige
The original comic books were written by:  Gerard Way, singer of My Chemical Romance!



A page from the comic

First impression:
When the season just started, I felt that there was a lot of Wes Anderson meet Series of Unfortunate Events aesthetics and vibes going on. I wondered what I was signing up for when the pool turned red and baby appeared. Gyms and blood always remind me of Carrie by Stephen King. I also found it so funny that the baby appeared after a kiss! HAHA!

Opening scenes. The grand manor and symmetry shots reminded me a lot of The Grand Budapest.

Slowly the characters really grew on me though! There's just something about numbers and lists. Lemme discuss them a lil.


Number 1, aka Luther
I really hate this dude man. He's very unlikable! A very brawn and no brain guy, very set in his ways, and unkind to everyone except Allison. Did he really have to lock Vanya up and isolate her YET AGAIN? Grr.


Number 2 aka Diego 
At first, he came across as strange and extra, in his black suit. Plus he threw off a lot of Hawkeye vibes. However, as the show intended, we get to see more soft fluffy sides of him and it's great!


Number 3 aka Allison
What a gorgeous, charismatic lady! She doesn't really use her power anymore but dayum I'm glad at least someone has a more level head in the gang.


Number 4 aka Klaus
Klaus is the kind of character that is so eccentric but lovable. Major Captain Jack Sparrow vibes here, with the way he moves, and definitely because of the eyeliner. Overall Klaus is one of my favourites really. He's so vulnerable yet loving. (Irresponsible too, of course.)


Lol maybe I can relate to his silliness a lot.
Moving on.


Number 5
No. 5 has one of the coolest abilities, and they really cast him right. Wonderful acting, this little boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders. However, there was maybe one too many scenes of him complaining about coffee.


Number 6 aka Ben
The token Asian? But Ben hangs out with Klaus and he's a pretty cool, laid back dude too! Funny thing is that he mainly nags at Klaus for this season. Lul. It's a pity he's dead cuz he seems like a cool guy.


Number 7 aka Vanya
Right from the start I really wanted to love Vanya, because she was played by the actress Ellen Page. Plus she was so pitiful and all, always dressed in drabby clothes and basically being excluded from the whole UA. HOWEVER, as time goes, she became rather unlikable for me, her circumstances and past be damned.


Grace aka Mum
How pretty is she?! I think she is the prettiest of them all! She also had the best wardrobe!

Cha cha and Hazel in the comics

Cha Cha and Hazel, the hitmen

Hazel is such a sweet little teddy bear in the show!! And someone give me some jelly donuts please.

Conclusion
A pretty good show with plenty of distinctive characters and a plot that is made more complex with some time travelling. It's a completed season with 10 episodes so that's pretty low on commitment too!

Can't wait to watch the next season!

What did you think of the show? Who is your favourite character? I'm not sure what I should watch next. Any recommendations?

Alrighty it's time to get back to Netflix.

Be back soon!
Skye

Gifs from @umbrellaacad on Giphy

Heya lovelies!

This has been in the works for a while now and I'm glad to present our Burpple Beyond food article! 
Burpple used to be just a food review app and community (which I find super useful), but last year they revealed Burpple Beyond, where you pay a monthly or annual fee to enjoy 1-for-1 meals. 

Since it's March now, Burpple is offering their plan at a discounted rate! I think you can get it at about $40/year, instead of the full $70ish per year. You can check it out here. For Grab Platinum users, you can also purchase a one month plan at just 1 point ! These are temporary promotions so be quick if you want to join.

So far, we are enjoying Burpple Beyond because of the type of restaurants available. They tend to be more casual but more accessible to us, and seem to suit our taste more. 

So without further ado, let's introduce you to some of the many restaurants they partner with!

Once again, I would like to say we are #notsponsored, ok? :D

Lobsters and Ice Cream

191a New Bridge Rd, Singapore 059423 (Chinatown MRT)

Ambience: There was limited seating so we sat outdoors. The restaurant is at Chinatown and sometimes there were random Chinese waitresses walking around and talking loudly. A good casual joint to hang out and grab a roll though!

Comments on Food:
Their Signature Lobster rolls are excluded from the Burpple 1-for-1, so we ordered the Seafood Roll instead, which is basically half lobster and half crab, Maine style.

Seafood Roll, Maine Style

We waited a while for the food, but it was worth the wait! We are big fans of lobster rolls, and often go in search for lobster roll joints. We have tried Burger and Lobster (our favourite), Pince and Pints (rather expensive and overrated), and Chunky Lobsters at The Cathay (the cheapest at about $16, but so-so).

The Lobsters and Ice Cream Seafood Roll ($23) is definitely money for value, with the generous amount of meat given. So if you do not mind a more casual setting, do check out this lobster joint.

Also, we didn't order the ice cream as we were too full, but the kind owner gave us some milk tea and vanilla ice cream! It was their self-made ice cream too, and tasted pretty good. We'll be back!

Reservation by Chope: No
Rating: 10/10


Dumpling Darlings

44 Amoy St, Singapore 069870 (Telok Ayer MRT)

Ambience: 
Almost full house on a Monday night at about 9 p.m. A rather small space. Closes on 10.30 Mon-Thu, Sat nights. Closes at 12 midnight for Fridays.

Comments on Food:

The smoked duck dumplings offered an interesting take, but can be rather jelak after a while.


Smoked Duck Dumplings

Momo Curry consists of minced pork collar, curry spices, charred cauliflower and labneh, a soft cream cheese yogurt. This was pretty good!

Momo Curry

We also shared a bowl of Braised Pork Noodles, which many other food bloggers raved about. It did not disappoint!

We spent $20 in all with our one-for-one dumplings, with an add on of noodles.

Tip:
Free refillable beansprouts/taugay, and alcohol is also available! Good for hanging out after work.

Reservation by Chope: No
Rating: 8/10


The Communal Place

465 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427677 (Near Katong I12)

Ambience:
Quiet on a Friday night. The place was full of We Bare Bears plushies!

Comments on Food:
Upon arrival we were welcomed with a refreshing Pomelo Sparkling drink. What a nice gesture!

Staff was also great and friendly, explaining the dishes and telling us what was popular. We went with their recommendations.

Pulled Pork Burger
Miso Salmon

The mash for the Miso deserves a huge shout out!

Overall the food was not bad, but slightly salty.

Tip: Happy Hour promotion!


And for those of you without Burpple Beyond, a set lunch promotion!



Reservation by Chope: No, but you can book via Quandoo.
Rating: 8/10

Etto

6 Handy Rd, #01-01 The Luxe, Singapore 229234 (Dhoby Ghaut MRT, stretch between The Cathay and behind Plaza Singapura)

Ambience: Pop music over the speakers in a modern interior, filled with expats on the weekend. You can even host a party here.

Comments on Food:
We ordered the Seafood Risotto ($26) and an additional Lychee Dose ($8), a lychee fizzy soda, because it was a really hot day out!

Seafood Risotto
The risotto comes with plump, fresh prawns that were huge! There were also juicy grilled scallops. I enjoyed the seafood as they had that BBQ flavour and smell I adore.

Would recommend and come back to try the other mains. A nice place to hang out and grab a meal before a movie at PS or The Cathay, especially if you're looking to get away from the crazy crowds.

Reservation by Chope: Yes
Rating: 9/10

Kajiken (Bugis)

6 Tan Quee Lan St, Singapore 188095 (Bugis MRT) and various outlets around the island, including Paya Lebar Square and Square2.

Ambience: 
Casual. Tables were small and customers sat in rows, elbow to elbow. Not a suitable place to hold your private conversations. Restaurant was crazy understaffed, with only one kitchen staff and one wait staff to handle the Friday dinner crowd. Be prepared to wait as well. Not for the Hangry.

Comments on Food:
We ordered two bowls of 'All Toppings'. That includes an egg, a piece of fried chicken, chashu, as well as braised pork. We were also served two cups of water and small bowls of soup.


I have never eaten Mazesoba (dry ramen) before, so I did not know what to expect! I was wondering if it would turn out to be an expensive meepok like meal.

To our surprise, the noodles were really a cut above the rest. They were really springy and chewy, and after when coated with the egg, they become smooth and went down easily. Yum! Definitely digging it.

The same can't be said for the rest of the bowl. The meat was rather average and disappointing, with the braised pork being rather tough too. We have definitely eaten better chashu from ramen chains elsewhere. The bowl of noodles is kind of oily and leans towards a saltier palette.

Overall Mazesoba was an interesting experience but the crowded shop, with a long wait and growing queues outside, was not the best environment to enjoy a leisurely meal. Also, the primary ingredients such as Chashu was rather disappointing, and I feel that we shouldn't have to give up good chashu just because we chose a different style of noodles. In that case, we would prefer to go to a proper soup ramen shop next time with better chashu. (Chashu is really important to us when having Japanese ramen noodles! What do you think?)

That said, do give Mazesoba a try as the noodle texture is really excellent.

Tip: Come earlier to beat the Friday night crowd! Top up some $$ for 1.5 upsize of noodles! No sharing of noodles allowed (one main per pax).

Reservation by Chope: No
Rating: 6.5/10


Tom's Palette

#01-25, 100 Beach Rd, Singapore 189702 (Shaw Tower, Esplanade MRT)

Ambience:
Usually crowded! Maybe get a seat before you order, or just get your ice cream to go :)

Comments on Food:
We ordered two 4oz cups, which meant we could pick 4 flavours. And we only paid $5!

Previously we had the Dark Chocolate Sorbet (no dairy), and the Yuzu. There are also seasonal flavours such as Kueh Bangkit and Pineapple Tarts during CNY. Do look out for their new flavours every now and then! There are also flavours like Chocolate Stout and Parmesan Cheese and Crackers.



The Mocha Madnut is mocha ice cream with macadamia nuts. The coffee taste really appealed to our ageing taste buds. Suitable for those who can't take super sweet things anymore. 10/10

The Nasty Mix was a Snickers like flavoured ice cream, with pretzels (soft though). Decidedly delicious when paired with the Mocha Madnut, or perhaps with the Dark Chocolate, to offset some of the sticky sweetness. 8/10

Blueberry Cheesecake 7/10 
Mango was fruit and refreshing. 7/10

Tip: After downing two 4oz cups with just the two of us because we wanted to use the 1-for-1 promo, we concluded that we were just too greedy and should have shared the two cups with more people instead. I will never understand how people can eat entire tubs of ice cream like in movies?! Highly recommend you to share with more people, as the ice cream melts pretty fast.

Also, do check out the AWESOME cookies from The Wooden Spoon, just beside the Tom's, if you're lucky enough to catch them before they close for the day.

Nevertheless, visiting Tom's Palette is always a treat, as you never know what new flavours you can enjoy! They also hold ice cream workshops if you're interested in making ice cream.

Reservation by Chope: No
Rating: 9.5/10

•·················•·················•

Hope you enjoyed this post!

Bon Appétit,
Skye, Rae, and Chanel


Hey loves!

Today we sit down for an interview with Wenxin, a gorgeous mum-to-be! 

At the age of 27 in Singapore, people around me are getting BTOs and planning weddings. And my friend Wenxin is the first of my close friends to have a baby :') It was such great news and I have been really excited about the whole journey! I also thought she had lots of great stories and tips to share with you guys, whether you plan to have a baby or not. So let's jump in!

When you found out that you were pregnant, how did you announce the news?

We wanted to give our parents and grandparents a surprise, so we printed photos of our honeymoon, placed them in a photo album, and put our ultrasound scan at the very last page! They were pretty stunned for a few seconds because they didn't think we would be expecting so fast haha.

For the rest of our family and close friends, we told them the news face to face, or through WhatsApp for those we couldn't meet. It was really nice how everyone was so excited and happy about the news! In fact, some of them seemed even more excited than us haha. One of my friends even saved my next gynae appointment date in her calendar so that she would remember to get an update on gender and progress of the baby!

Wenxin and her husband announcing the news

What are some things about pregnancy that nobody told you?

I was quite prepared in terms of pregnancy symptoms because my sister-in-law and friend shared quite a lot about their pregnancy with me, so I knew about the crazy fatigue, nausea, leg cramps, vivid dreams etc that would hit me.The funniest symptom I've heard about, and thankfully have not experienced, is the 'Lightning Crotch' - sudden and often sharp pain, deep in the pelvis or vaginal area that some mums experience during their pregnancy.

However, nobody mentioned to me how important it is to have a supportive partner, maybe because it's supposed to be a given? I am very thankful that my husband is an understanding, stable and loving guy because the pregnancy journey would have been a lot tougher and less happy without his support. He listened when I needed someone to rant to, gave me leg massages almost every day and was a pillar of strength and calm when I wasn't.

How has pregnancy changed you? 

Physically, I'm about 15kg heavier. I had a few people ask me where the weight goes, so see the chart below:

Source: Mayo Clinic

I've never been this heavy in my life before, and it did take some getting used to. The extra weight made me clumsier, and my feet hurt if I walked too much, but it was a good excuse to buy new shoes ;)

Thankfully, I also didn't experience wild mood swings from the hormones, but of course there were some days when I felt 'off' for no reason, and days when I felt absolutely ecstatic. Definitely not complaining about the latter!

Pregnancy also made me prioritise my health and well-being a lot more, because it does affect the baby. So I ate even when I had no appetite, rested a lot more and tried to exercise as much as I can.This whole pregnancy journey also made me more in awe of the human body - how it can create a human being and adapt to carry it for 9 months?! Though if humans could adapt even more to make the entire pregnancy process less tiring and childbirth less painful, that would be perfect, wouldn't it?

What was magical for you?

Feeling the baby move, kick, or punch! Every time it happens I just feel a sense of contentment and cannot wait to meet him.

And what was frustrating for you?

The unpredictability of the changes was really frustrating. I never know whether I'll be having a good or bad day. I would feel super tired on some days, fine on the other days, but the worst was falling sick and taking very long to recover because I cannot take the usual medication. Having disrupted sleep due to the need to pee every hour or because of leg cramps in the middle of the night was quite annoying too.

Is there anything you miss when not being pregnant? 

I really miss being able to sleep through the night. I haven't done that since the 2nd trimester because the baby was pressing on the bladder, which meant that I had to pee every 1 hour or so. I also miss being able to do Muay Thai!

What kind of parents do you think you guys would be?

We would like to be loving and patient parents who encourage the kids to have a growth mindset and to be kind to all.

What are some useful websites you recommend?

I don't stick to a few websites. Instead, I usually Google and read a few websites to make sure they corroborate, to see what the differing views are, and that it's not some fake news or old wives' tales lol.

I found the pregnancy tracker app Nurture very useful - you can track your symptoms, medication etc. It also provides daily articles about pregnancy, so I learn something new every day!

Glow Nurture helps you track the 101 things to do during pregnancy. (And no, we are #notsponsored) 


Do you have any tips for mummies-to-be?


Take it slow and take care of yourself! Know that every woman's pregnancy journey and symptoms are different. Also, eating for two is a lie!! So many people have told me I can eat as much as I want and I should indulge. However, you really don't need to eat a lot more food. In fact, in the first trimester,most pregnant women don’t even need to have extra calories! Depending on your pre-pregnancy weight,we only need around 300-500 cals in the later trimesters.

Another tip would be to exercise when you can. Even 30 mins of walking helps! Get a fitness buddy so you will drag your body to exercise even when you feel like a zombie (thank you for being my fitness buddy). Like they said, no one ever regrets a workout :)

Skye: It's true guys, we went swimming during her pregnancy and she always swam faster and more laps than me! Haha. 
•·················•·················•

Thank you Wenxin for having this interview with us! I definitely learned a lot, and I hope you gained some insight about how being pregnant feels like. I was also one of those who asked her tons of questions during her pregnancy LOL and she never hesitated to share her new knowledge with me. Thanks for being patient as always!

New mummies and mums-to-be, what are your experiences? What were your favourite parts and not-so-favourite parts of being pregnant? Comment below ^^

I hope to be bringing to you guys more featured people and articles like this post, so I hope you enjoyed this one! Stay tuned for more and thanks for reading :)

Till next time,
Skye

Update: Wenxin has since delivered a healthy baby boy :) She now faces new challenges like pumping milk every three hours, even in the small hours of the night. We wish our two new parents all the best in their child-raising journey! ❤ 



The newest Marvel movie, Captain Marvel, has hit the cinemas! Spoilers everywhere in this post, read at your own risk!

Caught it in the Grand Cathay, a huge hall that seats about 590 people. Spotted lots of bros watching the movie together! It's always fun to watch blockbuster movies with fans on the opening weekend. I watched the movie with my movie buddy/Marvel movies fan, Chanel.

The movie started off with a tribute to Stan Lee. His photos flashed across the screen, with the iconic comic Marvel montage effect. Then, "THANK YOU STAN". Oh the feels.

People in the cinema started to clap and whoop. Good crowd!

Opening Scene: Vers/Carol/CM wakes up in a pod, and we see the flashing blue chip in her neck. The blinds at the window reveal a city.

Well, to be honest all the alien planets are starting to look really generic and similar to me. They all have this super neon futuristic style, but nothing much to differentiate each planet from each other. I can't remember a very unique planet, other than the Ego planet in Guardians 2. (Wakanda is on Earth, so it does not count. But excellent world building, fresh and distinct, in Black Panther!)

Rather than creating new worlds, somehow I feel like more and more movies are banking on nostalgic feels from yesteryear. Guess nostalgia is always familiar and appealing, but damn it's really starting to grate on me.

CM goes to practise fighting with her mentor, Yon Rogg, played by Jude Law (ie. the hot, young Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts).


I was worried that CM would turn out like Wonder Woman, which I found very frustratingly slow. Luckily that wasn't the case. I had super low expectations for the movie - didn't even watch the trailer. Knew close to nothing about CM other than that she would be played by the actress Brie Larson, whom I was first introduced to in the movie Scott Pilgrim as Envy Adams.

Brie as Envy, seeing Black Sheep by Metric!!!
MUCH LOVE! Later I caught her performance in Room.

"Villain":
Moving on, we are introduced to the enemies, the Skrulls, a type of shape shifting alien race.

Aesthetics wise, they received the ugly alien chin, much like Thanos.


Other than that they just look like bald elves to me. XD

The Skrulls were first depicted as invaders, but later it was revealed that they were just resisting rule by the all encompassing, supposedly more 'noble' Kree. Smacks of colonisation all day every day.

The Kree 'bosses' looked like they were inspired by Egyptians. (Side thoughts: OMG lol what if they DID inspire Egyptians? Inspire the pyramids etc?)

Wonder what the hammer/ax can do. 

Vers finally gets to go on a mission and get caught by the Kree. Later she flaunts her fighting chops and escapes while taking down "20 of their best men".

Her first mission.

RAWRGHHH! So funny but so relatable LOL.
Another funny scene. So brutal though lol.
With the name Captain Marvel, comparisons to Captain America will definitely be drawn. CM at first glance would seem to be a female version of Cap Am, but COME ON she's so much stronger. She has the Tesseract power in her, can fly, and can hit photon blasts. Steve only has some steroids and a huge shield. Both dig brown leather jackets though.
Sorry, much cooler than Steve.

Later, she meets young, cat lovin Nick Fury when she lands on C53, ie. EARTH. Or a 'shithole' as one of the Star Forcee quips.


Makeup is so magical. Nick Fury looks so cute here.

Maybe also because last I saw him on screen, he looked like this:

Samuel L Jackson in the movie 'Glass'.
This movie was also interesting because we get to learn more about how Fury formed the Shield.

Soundtrack: BRILLIANT! Some famous ones like No Doubt, The Cranberries, Nirvana, and throwbacks to the past with Mr Postman by the Marvelettes. BUT I really enjoyed the one by Garbage,  Only Happy When It Rains. Used to jam to this with my friends Mike and Darren. I also really liked Celebrity Skin by Hole. (They remind me of Metric!)

Supporting Chars:
I'm so glad that they didn't slap a (white) male BFF for Carol/Vers. GOOOO Maria Rambeau, a badass pilot! I feel like it has been such a long time since female friendships were shown in films. The trend has been more for bromances? Loved her daughter Monica too. Very convenient to have her jog memories by going through old photos of Carol.


The pep talk in the backyard was kind of abrupt to me. I was still busy being suspicious of the Skrulls. How did Maria get convinced so fast?!

I totally forgot Gemma Chan was in the movie though. Couldn't recognise her at all, what with the blue makeup, LOL. So happy for her that she's in more movies now. Rooting for all you Crazy Rich Asians actors and actresses! Did you know Gemma has a law degree?



Touching Moment: When Carol stood up and picked herself up whenever she fell, against the odds, against what people think or expect of her. You go girl! :')

I guess this is one of the feminist things in the movie? An important message to all genders though.


SHOW EM HATERS

Made this one, thought this quote was pretty apt for the scene. Couldn't find many pictures of young Carol though. The little girl was cute yet as tough as a nut!

LET IT GOOOO
The scene of Carol fighting her mentor, Yon Rogg was also a very classic mentee surpassing old mentor trope. Luckily, it was a short and funny scene before we wrapped up the ends.

End Credits Scene:
I was just being irked by Black Widow's blonde hair lol.

Pic from Reddit
Orange red hair FTW!! She looks really old with blonde hair. Looking forward to her own original movie though! (Seems that it would be out in 2020) Which is your favourite Black Widow hair style?

Other than that, I'm always happy to see good old, happy Bruce :) Looking forward to the next movie!

ALSO : If you need a recap on the Tesseract, try this article for its timeline.

Absorbing the essence

Ending off this post with the crowd favourite, Goose.

You're a hero!



You little cutie! 
 Definitely wasn't expecting this little fella to be so ferocious.

So what's next: Avengers Endgame, slated to be opening on 24 April 2019!

Hope you enjoyed this little recap/react for the movie Captain Marvel! It wasn't a mindblowing, super action packed movie, but it was entertaining nonetheless, even though some parts were kinda predictable. I liked that the movie took its time to delve into her origin story. Wonder who else will get an origin story too.

Welcome to the on-screen fam, Captain Marvel!

Signing off,
Skye

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Skye Soon : lifestyle blogger in Singapore, street busker and enthusiast of chocolates and books

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