Skye Soon
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This picture of scattered bougainvilleas was taken on a rainy day. I thought it looked lovely.

small updates
of nature things


We finally went to the beach for the first time in months. It was really nice! There's less of a crowd though it was the weekend. Guess everyone is really staying at home (or in the malls, lol). This picture looks really idyllic, does it not? But if you zoom in, you'll see the garbage man in a little beach jeep, clearing the bags of rubbish lining the beach. It's crazy how much trash we generate x_x

Recently I learnt that recycling in Singapore sometimes meant sending the items to overseas facilities to be processed... and if the recycled materials have nowhere to go, they still get incinerated. Worse, the energy used to recycle the product can sometimes be more than the energy required to produce the product. Yikes. All the good intentions from recycling are dashed in an instant. How heartbreaking. It seems like the best way to go is truly to reduce consumption.

In other news, I had another hornbill sighting. I always feel so blessed when they grace us with their presence. Recently I dreamt of a hornbill and its babies perched on a branch. A good omen I hope.


I also received my packets of free seeds from the NEA. You get two different edible vegetable seeds at random. We received Lady's Finger and Chinese Spinach! Still thinking about where to grow them though, especially since Lady's Finger will require some kind of pole as a support. 


We went to Macritchie Reservoir for a walk, but BOY it was SO crowded. I was glad that there were social distancing ambassadors to remind people to spread out. We left quickly because we were envisioning a relaxing walk in nature, and not a chiong session with an army of people behind us on a crowded two-way path. Nevertheless we got to enjoy this visual treat:


TRIPPY no? The water surface was really like a mirror. Gorgeous!

We also visited Changi Beach and enjoyed the Coastal Walk.


Spotted some boats with interesting names.

"Chilli Padi"

"Mistress 2" Haha, who is mistress 1 then?!
Lastly, I spotted a mulberry from a tree downstairs so I plucked one to have a taste. I love pronouncing the berry in a 'Chinese' way - like 猫-berry (mao/cat berry). It amuses me.




On hindsight it was probably not ripe yet, judging by how tart it was. My sister made a hilarious face when she took a bite. I think I'll wait till it's more of a dark purple next time! 

Hope you enjoyed this post of little updates.

Peace,
Skye


Heyoo!

Recently I made up a recipe on the fly, just wanted to share it here! Pardon the lack of measurements, I tend to eyeball stuff.

Creamy Baked Pasta with Otah

Ingredients you need:

  • Otah cut into small pieces
  • Pasta of your choice - we used Fusili
  • Cooking Cream (I use Nestle's 170g cream)
  • Minced Garlic (2 small cloves)
  • Butter or oil
  • Chicken stock (soup/powder)
  • Herbs (oregano/ basil
  • Black Pepper
  • Shredded Mozarella
You'll also need:
  • pot for cooking pasta
  • a shallow dish
  • frying pan
  • an oven preheated to 200 deg c
  1. Preheat your oven.
  2. Cook the pasta till about 90% done. Pour into shallow dish.
  3. Prepare your sauce! In a frying pan, fry your garlic, then add the cooking cream. Add chicken stock or powder to flavour the cream. Add herbs and black pepper. Mix well.
  4. Pour into dish and combine well with the pasta. 
  5. Top with otah pieces.
  6. Cover generously with mozzarella cheese and pop into oven for 20 minutes, or when top is nicely browned. 
  7. Enjoy!
Here's a cheese pull shot of the dish!


Haha, it was fun cooking this! Will try more types of baked pasta next time :)

Enjoy,
Skye

Air-Conditioned Nation Revisited

by Cherian George

Hey guys! Just wanted to share some excerpts and thoughts after reading this book by Cherian George.

Here's the content page of essays in this collection so you can see at a glance if there's any topic that interests you!






Here are some excerpts from my favourite chapters:

On our next PM and 4G leadership (and a little peek into inner politics?)



Things I never knew about:
  • Sintercom, an early online community. 

  • This dude Tang Liang Hong who was denied a NMP seat in 1992 and came back the next election as an opposition party. This chapter gives me some food for thought as I have never really spared a thought on how the Chinese language card was used in Singapore politics.


The media essays were especially interesting for me, as it highlighted the complexities behind our state press, its limitations, function and its potential. Previously my understanding was very shallow these chapters helped me reach some new realisations. 


As much as newspapers are dying out, they still retain their importance despite the growth of other online sources of information. I look forward to a day where we have fearless, but objective, thought provoking journalism in our papers. 

I really enjoyed this book and the discussions, insight and analyses that it provides. It's not every day we have such commentary in Singapore... or at least I have not come across many. I'll continue to keep my eyes peeled. 👀  

One function of books is as a memory deposit. Sometimes things can fade quickly from public memory, but a record like this, together with some context and intepretation, helps us to gain some valuable lessons and insight. I'm a strong believer of learning from history.

The book tackles some topics that most Singaporeans shun discussing in public due to fear, and it definitely helped me have a better understanding of how our country is run.

I have been trying to read more about Singapore politics and this book was recommended by Nicole Seah on her IG livestream, so I gave it a go! I'll probably read The First Wave, and also Tall Order (The Goh Chok Tong Story) next! Yes, I try to read different viewpoints - I find that this helps me paint a fuller picture of things, especially since perspectives can be so subjective.

(For more books on Singapore (non-fiction) - check out my Singapore bookshelf on Goodreads)

Where to read:
I borrowed my e-copy from NLB. Mark it as To Read on your Goodreads~
You can also purchase the book from Ethos Books.

Wrapping up this post with a testimonial of this book from Teo You Yenn:


Enjoy!

Skye

P.S. It was an exceptionally hot day today and it really brought to mind how LKY said air-con was really important in Singapore. In the stifling heat, I must agree that the temperature really affects productivity.  Haha!
Heyo heyo!

A little late to the game but since we haven't been out much since CB, we didn't know about this J-bbq restaurant at Paya Lebar Quarter, haha! Gave it a go today.


The outlet opens at 11am, but at 10.40am there was already a queue forming! We went on a Sunday. Glad to be one of the first batch of customers to enter the restaurant as we were ravenous!

Menu! Their table is really cute too - the tray fits snugly into this panel. Space efficient and secure.
 We ordered these items:

  • Prime Karubi and Rosu Set (Boneless Short Rib and Beef Chuck) 200g -  $19.80 nett
    with soup, salad/kimchi, rice, and egg.
  • Sukiyaki Karubi 100g $5.90

In Japan, you can specify the size of the ramen portion you want. Likewise, at this J-BBQ restaurant, you can specify how much rice you want. (100-300g at no extra cost for larger portions). That caters to each diner's preference and hopefully helps to cut down waste. I appreciate these little thoughtful practices that the Japanese employ in their restaurant service.


This cute J-BBQ grill is small but great. Being forced to cook a small quantity at a time lets me savour my food at a more leisurely pace. If you have ever tried having bbq with your friends, you know it can get really chaotic and busy when you want to maximise the use of the grill and be efficient so everyone gets enough food.

The small grill also means you can dine solo with no fuss. Love it.


Our favourite cut of beef would be the boneless shortrib! It has the most beautiful marbling of the three cuts we had, and had the best texture. The sukiyaki wasn't as thin and tender as we thought but it was decent.

These were our last two pieces hahaha. We saved the best for last. The grill works really fast, so watch your meat!
You also get some sauces like garlic soy sauce and BBQ etc to dip your meat in.

I think there is some special smoke suction technology because this restaurant was smokeless despite all the hot grilling involved. A+!!!

Total bill was $25.70! How cheap! We'll definitely be back.

Things to note:
🍖 You only have 40 minutes to eat, so it's good to be a chop, chop, curry pok!
🍖 Be early to beat the queue


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Yakiniku Like 

 #B1-28 PLQ Mall
(Opposite KFC)

10 Paya Lebar Rd,
Singapore 409057
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Heya guys!

I finally had the chance to read Atomic Habits by James Clear. It's a book that I have seen being recommended a lot online. My copy is an e-book from my library.

This book is a self-help book which "teaches you how to form good habits and break bad ones." For me, it was a great reminder on how to stay motivated and be consistent in the things I set out to do. I found the ideas simple to understand and follow, and overall found the book to be useful. I'll just be sharing some parts of the book I collected in this post! I do recommend you to read it too especially if you feel exceptionally unmotivated. My thoughts and comments in bold.

We do a little bit, and then expect too much too soon. Therefore, we reach the Valley of Disappointment and perhaps sometimes stay mired there, or even giving up completely.



But this is a good reminder. We need to be more patient because our outcomes do not come instantly - they lag behind.


Understanding the ideas behind our cravings, hacking our habits.





Upon reflection,  I found that I often seek comfort or relief from some things I do. For example: I like soft, fluffy things. Hugs. A comfortable bed. Shelter. Warmth. 

Another example: My friend seeks sweet things as a reward or comfort after a difficult day. After reading this, perhaps it is not so much that we crave the chocolate itself  but instead, we crave the idea of comfort it brings.




An idea on how you can approach changing our behaviour via three layers. The first layer is via our outcomes ie. our goals. Many of us just set goals or change them. The second layer is our process. However, it seems like the third layer, where we change our identity, is where the real change can happen. I've been giving this a try. I tell myself that I'm 'fit and stylish'.
From James Clear's website, which is more, ahem, clear in articulating this.

The first layer is changing your outcomes. This level is concerned with changing your results: losing weight, publishing a book, winning a championship. Most of the goals you set are associated with this level of change.
The second layer is changing your process. This level is concerned with changing your habits and systems: implementing a new routine at the gym, decluttering your desk for better workflow, developing a meditation practice. Most of the habits you build are associated with this level.
The third and deepest layer is changing your identity. This level is concerned with changing your beliefs: your worldview, your self-image, your judgments about yourself and others. Most of the beliefs, assumptions, and biases you hold are associated with this level.
Outcomes are about what you get. Processes are about what you do. Identity is about what you believe. When it comes to building habits that last—when it comes to building a system of 1 percent improvements—the problem is not that one level is “better” or “worse” than another. All levels of change are useful in their own way. The problem is the direction of change.
Many people begin the process of changing their habits by focusing on what they want to achieve. This leads us to outcome-based habits. The alternative is to build identity-based habits. With this approach, we start by focusing on who we wish to become.

How habits can COMPOUND, for you, or against you. Beware the power of habits, and learn how to use them to your advantage.



I like this idea about how mastering skills can free up brain space for new skills!


The bit about how outrage compounds is reflective of societies today - riots and mass movements don't happen overnight- they are merely manifestations of problems that have already taken root a long time before.

Since we all have the same goals, who deserves to win? The goal is the not problem. 


Well, these are just some of the interesting ideas of the book that I collected! You should definitely read the book if you prefer more overall coherence, ideas and examples. I only provide bits and pieces of excerpts here!

Yes, it's yet another self-help book but I find that I need reminders like these to keep me on track and to motivate me. I think I can only grow if I reflect often and press on for self-improvement. There's always room to improve to be a better person, don't you think?

Till next time!
Skye

Hey sweeties!

My sister recently managed to get a 100g packet of Black Cocoa, and I thought it would be the perfect time to attempt Blackout Brownies from Buttermilk Pantry. This brownie recipe is inspired by the famous Backyard Bakers brownies that has a crazy following here in Singapore. They're popular and also interesting because there are strict rules on how to order via IG, and during CB there was a minimum ~$80 order for 12 brownies. Phew~

Heheh, luckily I had the chance to try their salted caramel brownie once, thanks to my friend Dailing who managed to snag them! It was truly rich, decadent and satisfying. I'm too lazy to make a trip down to queue and buy these though so let's try making something like it at home!

A pic of our night baking. This baking activity was supposedly to fill the time waiting for GE results to be out, but turns out it was postponed to 10PM and onwards. Honestly I don't think I can stay awake for the release of the full result lol.


Making blackout brownies seem much easier than the Famous Amos recipe that Buttermilk Pantry has (cookie dough has to be chilled 72 hours!!).

Tada!!


Haha we made round ones because that's the only tray we have XD They just look very... black lol but I promise they taste better than they look. 

We made three flavours - sea salt /plain, nutella filling and peanut butter filling. Here's the nutella one!


Taste and texture was pretty good, though I remember the original is be better! I heard that the brownie improves after a night in the fridge, so I'll try that and update again.

Okay yo I gotta go tune in the election results, it's getting EXCITING now that the sample counts are out.

Ciao!!!
Heyooo!

Had this inexplicable, persistent craving for macarons for a very long time, and decided to sate it TODAY.  Almost wanted to abort the plan to make macarons when I saw that the recipe called for almond meal, but it turns out that I could just use regular almonds and grind them into a powder with our processor/blender!

I used this video recipe from Yes, Please! It's my first time attempting to make macarons, infamous for its trickiness. I have no expectations whatsoever. 


lol the egg white looks so yellow in the photo. I also forgot to place my cocoa powder in this photo!
Once again, we had to whisk egg whites to become a meringue with stiff peaks! Been doing this so often lately (see: japanese souffle pancakes). 

I could not find my piping set so I just spooned the mixture onto this silicon mat my sister bought maybe 10 years ago. Lmao. As you can see it was a bit of a mess XD


I was too lazy and too impatient to wait for my shells to dry, especially after I tried some of the mixture. Dayummmm~ I could not bring myself to wait for an hour in Singapore's humidity. Maccy babies are best made in a "dry, cool" environment.


So I was pleasantly surprised to see that they somehow managed to bake! And even though they look kinda flat and ugly, they had FEET! OMGah yay. Left them to cool, but not before sneaking a bite.

They taste unbelievably better than expected! SHOOK! Will definitely try to make them again with more precision and care. I didn't bother with the nutella filling because I found them already sweet enough. Gotta find a less sweet recipe.

Macarons are super finicky and Singapore's humidity does not help...but I just wanna make more of these to EAT! Pretty photos be damned!

Things I Would Do Next Time:

  • sift my ingredients esp the almond meal
  • lessen the amount of sugar
  • pulse almonds with sugar to soak up the oil / or buy pre-packaged almond meal
  • use a piping set
  • make sure my macarons dry properly
  • never bake macarons on rainy days

Love, Skye

P.S. My sister made the zucchini brownies and they were soooooooo bizarre. My ugly macarons win this round!!!
Hey lovelies!

How have you been? June has really been full of surprises.

One dreary Monday (15 June) I woke up feeling incredibly SIAN because it didn't seem that Phase 2 was happening anytime soon.

I tried to cheer myself up by making freshly squeezed orange juice. I also took a picture of the sky and posted this lil reminder.

The good times and bad times don't last - let them flow like water.
To my utter surprise, Phase 2 was announced that very evening! Wow! It was really exciting. I didn't know what to do with myself for the rest of the day haha. I'm really glad to be able to work properly and meet everyone in the flesh. Virtual hangouts are nice but nothing beats face to face conversations!

•·················♡·················•

 After watching vlogger Belinda Chen's video on mixing up simple summer drinks, I made black tea jelly using gelatine and black tea leaves and chopped them up into little pieces. Then I prepared an iced korean yuzu drink! Super refreshing! These tall glasses are free from Magnolia milk, lol.


My friend Si Min also made an iced rose tea with tea jelly and mint leaves version! Ain't that pretty?!


•·················♡·················•

I'm very lucky and very happy to receive my very early birthday present~ A set of AKG headphones! I love how the bass shines through, and really enjoy that it can be connected via bluetooth or by wire! Had fun talking on it when a phone call came through while being hands free too!


•·················♡·················•

On the first day of Phase 2, I forgot how to walk. Literally tripped on nothing and landed hard on a drain cover. I feel a little too old to be having knee scrapes, but I guess the only bright side is that it makes me feel young? Lol. This injury ripped holes in my pants, what the.


Going back to work was quite fun. It's really nice to meet everyone! My first two meals outside was a soft shell crab burger and a plate of roasted chicken noodles, yum~ What did you make a beeline for?

•·················♡·················•

I also downloaded Overcooked for free from Epic Games, and we have been playing it on the PC. Heehee. Highly recommend for couples to play together...if you can't even communicate and cooperate on a game and scream at each other, how are you going survive life together? 


•·················♡·················•
Some books I've read in June:

Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1) by Laini Taylor  Poison Study - National Library Board Singapore - OverDrive  A Certain Exposure – Epigram

Strange The Dreamer - Laini Taylor (Fantasy)
Poison Study - Maria V. Snyder (Fantasy)
A Certain Exposure - Jolene Tan (Written by a local author, but I didn't really enjoy the book even though it tried to touch on race and privilege in Singapore. The ending felt abrupt to me, and all the themes, including homosexuality, seemed rather touch and go.)

Click here to see more books I read in June. 

•·················♡·················•
That's all folks! Let's gear up for a fun July!

Love,
Skye

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

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      • small updates of nature things 🌿
      • Creamy Baked Pasta with Otah
      • 📖 Air-Conditioned Nation Revisited
      • Yakiniku Like 🍖 J-BBQ at PLQ
      • 📖 Atomic Habits by James Clear
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