In the evening of our second day in Hong Kong Disneyland, Rachel and I brought our son to try out the very popular “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” ride.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

There is always a long queue for this ride as it is one of the most visited attractions in Fantasyland, with a usual occasion of running out of fastpasses and waits for over 120 minutes on peak days. Luckily for Rachel and I, we took less than half an hour to queue as it was nearing the end of the day.

The queue was long, but thankfully, there are large story book panels like these to keep Asher entertained along the queue

Eeyore – Asher’s favourite character from Winnie the Pooh

This is a dark ride based upon the film, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, itself based on the Winnie-the-Pooh books by A. A. Milne.

All three of us enjoyed the ride very much, entertained by the neon colours and the interactive Pooh characters appearing at each turn. Rachel and really like how Disney managed to weave a complete story into a ride, literally make a story book comes alive.

Neon colours

Tiger and Piglet

As the ride was mostly dark, I did not manage to get much shots, you have to be there yourself to experience it.

Rachel and Asher standing in front of a captured photo of the three of us during the ride

Our candid picture

Asher and Pooh

Entrance to Winne the Pooh gift shop after the ride

Winnie the Pooh gift shop

There was still so much of Fantasyland and other parts of Hong Kong Disneyland which we had yet to explore. We narrowly missed the last ride for Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Never mind, we will be back again when Asher is older.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

When we are done with the rides, we were just in time to catch the nightly fireworks show, “Disney in the Stars”. We have already seen it before the previous day, but one can never get enough of beautiful fireworks! Here’s the video again from the previous night:

After the fireworks, we were hungry again and it was time for dinner.

We took the free shuttle bus to Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and headed to Walt’s Cafe for a fine dining dinner experience in Hong Kong Disneyland.

Walt’s Cafe

Walt’s Cafe interior

Another picture of the interior

The restaurant is decorated Victorian style like the hotel and features over 50 images of Walt Disney himself. The menu features signature dishes inspired by favourites from Walt’s era and also offers some Asian choices.

The menu in Walt’s Cafe

Various photos of Walt Disney

More pictures of Walt

It was the perfect dinner to round up our last night stay in Hong Kong Disneyland. It has a been a long time since Rachel and I sat down for a nice dinner like this and we really appreciate the moment. What makes it even more special was that our son was with us and he behaved himself throughout dinner, munching on his own bread and food.

A mocktail which Rachel ordered

English mineral water

Fluffy bread which Asher loves

The appertiser

Nicely plated

Delicious creamy soup

Rachel’s salmon main course

My juicy steak

Cake for dessert

This rounded up our two days of adventure in Hong Kong Disneyland. If you are interested to visit, do check out their official website for more details! There are some Christmas specials promotions going on now.

I will be posting one last blog post on our breakfast the next day at Chef Mickey restaurant. Stay tuned.

To read all my blog posts on Hong Kong Disneyland, CLICK HERE.

We were set to leave Hong Kong Disneyland on the third day morning. Time really flew by and two days went past just like that.

Time to say goodbye…

Though the trip was a short one, we brought back fond memories for a lifetime with this being Asher’s first overseas trip and also his first trip to Disneyland.

Before heading off, we had breakfast at Chef Mickey restaurant, located within Disney’s Hollywood Hotel where we stayed.

Inside Chef Mickey restaurant

Like all other Disneyland restaurants, there were many baby-friendly food options in the buffet spread.

Buffet spread

Chinese dim sum

Mickey pancakes

My breakfast

Asher had a very good breakfast and got to practise eating on his own with the baby cutlery and plates provided.

Asher enjoying his breakfast

Parting shot with Indonesian blogger Leonny and her daughter Bree

This sums up my entire Hong Kong Disneyland 3D2N adventure!

If you are interested to visit, do visit their official website for more details. 

I am ending this posting with a series of video from Hong Kong Disneyland giving an overview of the park:

Note that the newest attractions like the  Grizzly Gulch and Toy Story Land are not featured in the video. You can read about them in my previous blog post though

To read all my blog posts on Hong Kong Disneyland, CLICK HERE.

Revisiting Gardens by the Bay!

There is no winter in Singapore, but you can experience a drop in temperature at the two magnificent conservatories at Gardens by the Bay – The Flower Dome and Cloud Forest.

Over the festive period from December 2012 to January 2013, Gardens by the Bay has a slew of exciting activities lined up. You can find out more via their official website. 

Rachel and I revisited the Flower Dome a week before last Christmas to soak in the festive atmosphere. We brought Asher along since he enjoyed himself so much during our last visit. 

The dome was transformed into a Winter Wonderland, with some 2,000 poinsettias in striking hues of red, pink and white and a grand Noble Fir taking centre-stage in the 850-square-metre Flower Field.

Asher had fun running all over the dome, exploring and smelling the different fragrance from the various flowers.

Other Christmas motifs like penguins, polar bears and Santa with his reindeer sleigh were peppered across the dome to enhance the celebratory mood. For the camera-trigger-happy folks, there are lots of spots for amazing photo opportunities:

We were greeted by this Christmas tree upon entrance to the Flower Dome

Festive themed Flower Dome

Can you see the tall Noble Fir centerpiece?

Family photo in two Christmas bells

See how happy Asher is

Flowering cactus

More cactus flowers

“No Asher, do not touch the flowers”

Beautiful little cactuses

Beautiful lotus-shaped cactuses

Exploring the Flower Field

Rachel showing Asher a flower

A Christmas crow

Three green penguins

More penguins

Rachel and Asher with the penguins

Christmas teddy

Up close with the bear

A pair of Christmas crows

Another pair

Two polar bears under the fir tree

Santa and his sleigh

Close-up on Santa

Isn’t this so beautiful?

Asher got busy running all over

The Alvinology family

Giant hibiscus in bloom

Festive decor

This is prickly!

Lots of spots like this for great photos

Flowers in bloom

Another photo spot

Other than visiting the Flower Dome, we also pop by the Cloud Forest to see the majestic waterfall. Now that many of the plants have grown to maturity and flowering, it looks much more beautiful than our first visit. The walls definitely look more lush and green, covered inch to inch with vegetations:

Revisiting Cloud Forest

Every inch is covered with vegetation now

The pillars are covered too

Lush green walls of the waterfall in the Cloud Forest

Flowers in bloom

Assortment of colours

Hanging flowers on the walls

The window openings are covered with plants too

An interesting plant

Even the canopy garden is more lush

This looks like a little hill by itself

Top down view

Behind the waterfall

Me with Asher

Rachel strolling with Asher

One last look

The wonderful thing about Gardens by the Bay is that you can visit it at different time of the year and you would see something different as the seasons change. Rachel and I can never get sick of this place. We will be visiting more – together with Asher.

The Winter Wonderland display at the Flower Dome is still on till 9 January (next Wed). Do head down for a look if you miss it during the Christmas period. One good thing is that the crowd might be thinner during this time and you will be able to take better photos! Best of all, there is a 10% discount promotion from now till 9 January if you book your tickets online!

On 26 October 2009, I proposed to you online with web banners. This date is special to us as we both share the same birthday.

At 5.50am on 2 February, 2010, on board Jetstar’s plane, 3K 823 at Changi Airport, Terminal 1, we were the first couple in Singapore to have our solemnisation ceremony on board an airplane.

On 12 June 2010, we held our traditional wedding banquet. From the design of the wedding card to our album photos, we customised most of the items ourselves to make it memorable.

Imitation of Carl and Ellie from the movie, Up

At 9.39am on 21 August 2011, little Asher Lim Yu Yi (林语毅) entered into our lives.

In October last year our flat was finally completed and we moved into our own home with Asher. We also brought Asher travelling to three countries – Hong Kong, Malaysia and Taiwan. What an adventure it was for the three of us!

The three of us in Taiwan last year

Thank you for being with me and loving me through all these milestones in our lives. Although I seldom say it and although both of us do not believe in celebrating Valentine’s Day, I still want to say I love you my dear. You have been a wonderful wife to me and a caring mother to Asher.

This post is dedicated to the woman behind Alvinology.com – my dearest wife, Rachel Chan.

A toast to more wonderful years ahead and to growing old together.

Rise & Shine Carnival is an event organised by a group final year students from my alma mater, Wee Kee Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), together with a group of newly-minted mothers, who want their children to start their lives healthy, happy and strong.

The event focuses on raising children healthily in all areas: social, physical, intellectual, mental and medical.

Rise & Shine Carnival at The Lawn, Marina Bay

The carnival took place last Sunday (3 Mar) at The Lawn at Marina Bay from 8.00am till noon. It made it into the Singapore Book of Records as the first and largest ever Breakfast Picnic in Singapore. 

Over 1,900 people turned up for the carnival, with Dr Amy Khor, Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Manpower, showing up as the Guest of Honour.

My wife and I are not the usual early morning folks. Last Sunday, we made an effort to get up earlier to prepare our own breakfast to bring along for the picnic.

Rachel made some fresh pancakes while I buttered a few slices of bread and packed an assortment of fruits to share.

We reached The Lawn at around 10am. The place was very lively, with carefree kids running all over while parents lazed on their picnic mats.

Once we got ourselves settled on a cosy little spot, we had our breakfast, explored some of the booths and brought Asher around to have some fun.

Many people turned up for this event, despite the early timing

Fencing trial for kids

Cricket trial – Asher had a go at this

Increasing contrast between the cold financial buildings and the family atmosphere on the ground

Free face-painting for kids

The two top winners for the hot mum and kid contest

Asher particularly enjoyed riding in this rental bike:

Asher had fun riding in this bike

All in all, we had a fun family day out. I like the idea.

We should have more events like this in Singapore so parents with kids have more things to do over the weekend instead of just staying home to watch television or heading to shopping malls.

Come September, Rise & Shine will stage the world’s largest Children’s Health and Development Expo. The event will be spread over three days, with over 100 seminars, workshops and trial classes, and more than 120 exhibitors at Suntec Convention Centre. You can visit their official website for more details.

Sporting matching Red Nose Day tees designed by Stella McCartney, Rachel, Asher and I headed to 7Adam Gallery Restaurant at 7 Adam Park on Easter Sunday for an invited brunch.

The Alvinology family in matching attire

The dishes for the day were put forth by Chef Chey Reynaldo, who has trained with two-starred Chef Thierry Marx and held positions in acclaimed restaurants in Evian and Bordeaux, France, such as Relais De Margaux and Evian Royal Hotel 5-Star Gastronomique Restaurant.

We were looking forward to having a good brunch and family day-out.

Here are the dishes we tried:

Creamy egg omelette in crispy yam nest

One… two… three…

Deviled eggs with ponzu salad topped with ikura

Trio of Capsicum Soup

Pan seared Chicken Cordon Bleu and crispy truffle fries

Asher eating his own main course

Asher having a good time

Baked beef tenderloin stuffed with oyster, wrapped with crispy bacon

Close-up of the stuffing and wrap

Orange flourless cake served with citrus segments and sweet walnuts

Strawberry tartlets with white chocolate sauce

A rabbit came to say hi while we were eating

This is my third visit to 7Adam, but it was the first time I visited with my family. I like the restaurant’s location. It is housed in a historical black and white colonial bungalow, nestled among greenery on a little slope overlooking Adam Road.

7Adam Gallery Restaurant @ 7 Adam Park

Restaurant interior

Other than fine dining, 7Adam is also an art gallery, specialising in contemporary paintings and sculptures. The works of art are displayed throughout the gallery-restaurant and are changed every few months. If you visit regularly, you may get to see something new each time.

One of the gallery’s objective is to promote promising and emerging artists and help art collectors with planning their art selection and collection. There is an experienced gallery executive in 7Adam to assist you if you are interested to purchase any of the artwork.

We got to experience the fun, artsy side of 7Adam after our meal when we were invited to do some painting together with Asher:

Drawing and painting fun for kids

Asher having fun painting

Asher and I with Mr Rabbit

The venue is also host to many interesting events, including cooking workshops and special festive menu like the Easter Brunch I attended. Do visit their website for more details.

7Adam Gallery Restaurant

7 Adam Park. Singapore 289926
Restaurant: +65 6467 0777
Gallery: +65 6463 0777

Opening Hours:
11am to 11pm daily (Restaurant)
11am to 08pm daily (Gallery)
Email: enquiries@7adam.com

It is about time.

With traffic growth and higher exposure, I am getting way too much blogging invites and requests that I can handle alone. 

I tried to search for a regular guest contributor to collaborate with on this blog, but it is hard to find the perfect fit. 

In the end, who else knows my personality and blogging style better than my wife, Rachel Chan? 

Actually, she has written posts on this blog previously, but without proper attribution. You can read all of Rachel’s post on Alvinology.com here. 

A quick introduction on Rachel:

Rachel and son, Asher in Hong Kong Disneyland with Mickey Mouse

Rachel has nearly a decade of experience as a print journalist for my paper (English)and Straits Times Life! and has also worked as a news producer for Mediacorp Channel 8.

She won a nomination for a Special Award for Excellence at Singapore Press Holdings’ (SPH’s) annual English & Malay Newspapers Division Newscom awards in 2010 for her investigative story on self-proclaimed celebrity hairstylist, Jonal Chong.

Rachel has since made a career switch into education to spend more time with her young son and young Alvinology, Asher Lim and is a guest contributor to this blog.

With a stronger writing background than Alvinology, you can clearly differentiate her blog posts from Alvinology’s from the use of difficult and obscure vocabulary and more words than visuals. 

The Alvinology family at the car park of Resorts World Sentosa

Thanks to the folks from Wearnes Automotives, I was invited to test drive their new Volvo V40 Cross Country on a trip to the Marine Life Park at Resorts World Sentosa with my family.

Asher checking out the fishes

An interesting looking fish

One of the many large tanks

Dolphin spotted

Swedish automobile manufacturer, Volvo, has always been well-known for their emphasis on safety. You can read the full list of their safety milestones via wikipedia. This includes the invention of the 3-point safety belt in 1958 which is now the standard for the front seats of all cars.

With a young son now, on top of comparing lifestyle and performance features, safety is one of my utmost concern when choosing a car.

The new Volvo V40 Cross Country brings an unique balance of ruggedness and elegance by establishing a Cross Country in the Premium C-segment of the car market.

The full technical specifications and features of the Volvo V40 Cross Country is available via the official website. The car comes with a 1.6-litre GTDi engine. T4 with 180 bhp is also fitted with start-stop and braking energy regeneration. Fuel consumption is 6.1/100km with CO2 emission of 143g/km.

Some of the key features include:

- Fully graphic interactive display in the instrument cluster with three themes – Elegance, Eco and Performance
- A tinted panoramic glass roof
- Seven different mood light options for the interior lighting
- Two-piece, 40/60, rear backrest that can be easily folded to maximise loading
- Two different chassis setups: Dynamic and Sport
- Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC) system that uses a roll angle sensor to identify any skidding tendencies at an early stage
- Corner Traction Control that uses torque vectoring so the car corners more smoothly
- Lane Keeping Aid to help the driver stay on course
- Road Sign Information that display road signs in the instrument display as they are detected
- Driver Alert Control that will detect and warn tired drivers
- City Safety (active up to 50km/h) that keeps an eye on traffic in front and automatically brakes if the driver fails to react in time
- Full set of crash safety features including a knee airbag on the driver’s side

City Safety sensor at the car front windscreen

Sleek interior

Steering wheel

Non-standard sports rims

Rachel and Asher in the backseat

Optional external airbag

Check out this video for a quick visual introduction:

The new Volvo V40 Cross Country is choked full of safety features. Rachel and I were impressed by the demonstrations of the various nifty high-tech features like the Driver Alert Control, City Safety and Lane Keeping Aid. These features make it seems that even if the car is driven by an unsafe driver, the car will still try it’s best to keep everyone safe!

The drive from the car showroom at Alexandra Road to Resorts World Sentosa was a short one. I had no problem adjusting to the new car even though this is the first time I am driving a Volvo vehicle. It runs well and most of the functions and features are pretty easy to figure out or pick up.

Asher in a baby chair in the backseat

Getting into a Volvo V40 to drive off to RWS

Rachel said the ride was comfortable, with not much noise or bumpiness. Asher was intrigued by the panoramic roof when we slided it open with the remote. I switched the graphic interactive display around to try out the different themes, amusing myself while driving.

On the road

If you are someone who values safety and want a good mix of ruggedness and elegance for your next car, do consider visiting the Volvo showroom in Singapore to check out the Volvo V40 Cross Country. The brand specialist for Volvo rightfully pointed out to me that this car model is a value buy in the Premium C-segment for continental car brands.

The Volvo car showroom in Singapore

You can load bicycles on your Volvo

Various Volvo products for sale

About Wearnes Automotive

Established in 1906, Wearnes Automotive Pte. Ltd. is the sole distributor for Volvo cars in Singapore and has consistently been one of the top Volvo dealers in Asia. The Volvo showroom is located along the prime automotive belt of Alexandra Road, boasting one of the most customer-oriented automotive facilities in Singapore. The premises accommodate a state-of-the-art service and repair workshop that gives special attention to the intrinsic safety qualities of a Volvo.

If you are looking for somewhere for a staycation in the later part of this year, why not consider the grand-daddy of Singapore luxury hotels, Raffles Hotel?

Raffles Hotel was gazetted by the Singapore government as a national monument in 1987

Rachel, Asher and I stayed for 3D2N over a weekend in May. It was like walking into colonial Singapore. The hotel is rich in history and every nook and cranny is filled with nostalgia. Many important people have stayed here over the years – from Queen Elizabeth II to Michael Jackson.

From now till September 2013, Raffles Hotel Singapore will be having a special suite package, available from S$550++ per suite per night for any day in the week. From September onwards, it will only be available over the weekend. The suite package is specially tailored for locals and includes a host of relaxing and tempting benefits:

• Children below the age of 12 stay (using existing bedding) and dine for free with their parents at hotel-operated restaurants (adults must dine at the restaurant)
• Welcome Singapore Slings and fruit upon arrival, while children will enjoy fruit smoothies and cookies
• Complimentary breakfast at Tiffin Room on the first morning
• Complimentary Buffet Dinner at Bar & Billard Room or Tiffin Room (once during the stay)
• Complimentary in-suite internet access
• 24-hour Butler Service
• Complimentary S$500 Raffles Hotel Arcade Shopping Discount Vouchers
• Complimentary late check-out until 6pm
• Complimentary parking

This special rate is extended to residents in Singapore, including Singapore Citizens, PRs and work pass holders. The Suite Package will be valid only during the weekend from 1 Septemember 2013 onwards. 

It is a pretty attractive deal. Every Singaporean should stay at least one night at Raffles Hotel to find out why this historical icon encapsulates the epitome of hospitality. Do consider it after checking out my photos and review.

In this two-part staycation series, I will share my views on the accommodation, facilities and architecture of Raffles Hotel Singapore in this first part and dedicate the second part to food – a topic which never fails to excite Singaporeans.

Upon arriving at the hotel, checking in was a breeze with the friendly hotel staff. The hotel lobby is not sprawling, but it exudes a grandeur old world charm. The tall Sikh doorman completes the look.

Rachel and Asher with the iconic Raffles Hotel doorman

Check-in counter in the lobby

A large antique standing clock

The hotel lobby

From the ground floor looking up

Staircases leading up to the rooms

Old switches that are still working

Rachel and I had fun inspecting all the furniture and fixtures in our room, marveling at the many remnants from colonial time like the switches and the faucets:

Separate dining and lounge area from the bedroom

Plate of welcome fruits

A mandarin duck decorative piece in the room. Asher wanted to play with it…

The hotel folks prepared a Raffles doorman as a welcome gift for Asher

Rachel and Asher as we checked into our suite

View of the room from the other direction

Asher sharing his apple with the doorman

Rachel by the dressing table

Asher inspecting all the large wardrobes in our suite

The television is hidden in the middle wardrobe

Bathroom wash area and mirrors

Nice old faucets

Asher getting very excited on seeing the large bathtub

Love this vintage faucet

Even the bathroom scale is antique

We did a quick tour on our own around the hotel and for a while, we felt like English aristocrats, reliving colonial Singapore. Many famous writers like Somerset Maugham like to stay at Raffles Hotel while writing their books. We can understand why. The hotel is located in the city centre of modern Singapore, but yet seems to be in a different time zone of its own.

Fancy a little shopping?

Locked gate for hotel residents only to access the second floor and above

Staircase leading up to our room on the second floor

Lounge area for guests to do some reading

Rachel enjoying reading the newspaper in the quaint surrounding.

Internet and computer access

There is always the lift if you do not want to walk up and down the stairs

Rachel slowly strolling down the wall of fame in Raffles Hotel

Our current prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong and his wife, Ho Ching

Blast from the past

Layout of the Raffles Hotel Singapore at the very beginning

An old poster

Here are some shots I took on a tour around the hotel with the hotel’s historian:

Interior of Raffles Grill restaurant

The chandeliers caught my eyes

The wine cellar

Raffles grill is named after this silver grill, dug up after the Japanese occupation

Every corner in this hotel is beautiful

Bar near the lobby

Vintage stained glasses

Area to sit around and drink tea

Bar & Billard Room. We are standing around the antique billard table.

Antique billard table and set-up

Old billard score table

Dining area in the converted Bar & Billard Room

An outdoor fountain

Jubilee Theatre

It is dark in the theatre.

An interesting wall mural. I am not too sure durians grow this way…

Another wall mural – there are many of these

Entering the ballroom where many wedding ceremonies are held

Inside the ballroom

A bar on the ground floor

A bust of Sir Stamford Raffles

Here is another venue in the hotel for weddings and other events

I like walking down these rows after rows of white columns

At the third floor of the hotel

View from third floor down

Lounge area on the third floor, just outside the presidential suites

An old piano

A closer look at the piano

I could get used to this

We had the privilege to visit the Sir Stamford Raffles Suites, one of the two Presidential Suites in the hotel. Each of these two suites comprise a parlour, dining room, two bedrooms, pantry and private balcony. The cost is from S$10,000 a night:

The walkway leading to the presidential suites on the third floor

Ready to step into the suite?

The sofa area

One happy little boy spotted

I like this lounge chair

Camel motif

Me in the Sir Stamford Raffles Presidential Suite

Everything in the room seems to be antique furniture

One of the toilets

Dining area

Dining table

It is so huge there is a corridor

Bedroom 1

Vintage wardrobe, bookshelf and such

View of the first bedroom from another angle

Posing by the study table

The room is really huge

Attached bathroom in bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Me laying back to relax

Wash basins in the bathroom

Functioning vintage switches

Kitchen area

Giant fridge tucked in a corner as it’s modern appearance do not gel so well with the overall interior design

Rachel also tried out a Swedish massage at its Raffles Spa on the last day. The spa has customised its version of the relaxing massage by offering three combinations of aromatherapy oils to go with it. There’s a lavender one, which is supposed to be relaxing, a bergamot one, which is invigorating, and a cypress one, which is detoxifying. She went with the last one and fell asleep during the massage.

The bathroom in Raffles Spa

Spa products

The masseur

The spa and massage room

The spa is luxurious without being overtly opulent and there is a row of deck chairs  on the verandah facing the Swissotel Stamford Hotel. Just the spot to curl up with a magazine on a sleepy, rainy day.

Place to sit and laze after the spa

I brought Asher to the open-air rooftop swimming pool for a swim:

Raffles Hotel rooftop swimming pool

Asher and I

There was a full moon that night

Initially, we thought we will probably wander off the hotel to do some shopping nearby. In the end, we spent most of our time exploring the hotel itself!

I am ending this post with a video from the Ninja Girls, a group of Japanese bloggers who also stayed at Raffles Hotel during the same period when I was staying there with my family:

To see more photos taken during my Raffles Hotel Summer Staycation, visit my public facebook album here. 

To read all my blog posts on Raffles Hotel, click here. 

About Raffles Hotel Singapore

There are a few hotels in the world whose names have become virtually synonymous with the cities in which they are located – and none more so than Raffles in Singapore.

Named after Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore, Raffles Hotel opened in 1887 and soon became the haunt of intrepid travellers from around the world. Regular guests included Noel Coward, Joseph Conrad and Somerset Maugham, who describe the hotel as embodying “all the fables of the exotic East.” Through their stories, The Long Bar, the Palm Court and the Bar & Billiard Room with its tiger, became familiar to people who had never even been to Singapore.

While preserving its atmospheric teak verandahs, gleaming white colonial facade and magnificent Gieves & Hawkes-clad doormen, Raffles is very much part of the modern, vibrant city of Singapore. It is now the proud flagship of the nine strong Raffles Hotel & Resorts.

This blog post will be about the food in Raffles Hotel Singapore. A word of advice – do not read this blog post with an empty stomach!

In just 3D2N, we tried out the following dining options within Raffles Hotel:

Dinner at Raffles Courtyard – alfresco restaurant serving fresh Italian salads, pizzas, pasta and gelato:

Raffles Courtyard

Mozilla cheese with tomato

Salad

Carpaccio (raw beef)

Pasta

Pizza one

Pizza two

Lasagna

Night drink at Long Bar – serves the legendary Singapore Sling and other creative concoctions:

Long Bar

Love the rattan fans on the ceiling

Bottles of liquor and juices for the bartender to mix drinks for us

Peanuts at every table

Guests are suppose to throw the peanut shells on the floor, following tradition in the bar

The different coloured drinks are named after different countries in Asia from Cambodia to the Philippines

Series of five drinks

Long Bar bartender doing a demo

Mixing

Six different cocktails

The kids get to mix juices

Rachel and I enjoying a Singapore Sling each

Breakfast at Tiffin Room:

Tiffin room

Dim sum

A la carte menu

My order

Bread and pastry selection

Belgian waffle served with honey and berries

Sautéed mushrooms

Egg benedict with Hollandaise sauce

It was very pleasant to have breakfast in a set-up like this

Lunch at Tiffin Room – North Indian curry buffets:

Indian buffet selection

Indian desserts

Large variety of curry dishes

Papadum with a variety of sauces – I love this

Dinner at Empire Café – serves Singapore hawker fares:

The restaurant is joined with a bakery

Coffeeshop setting

A walk into the past?

Pastry and brea section in the adjoining bakery

Asher enjoying his soy bean milk

Green dumpling

Siew mai

Fried spring rolls

Laksa

Crab fried rice

Gula Melaka

Brunch at Bar & Billiard Room – buffet featuring an international spread and seafood:

Sunday brunch at the Bar & Billard Room

Asher is ready for brunch

Free flow of oysters

Many different varieties to choose from

Freshly baked breads

Ribs and meat section

Fancy a slice?

Beef tenderloin

Fruits and desserts

Asher made a new friend

Seafood goodness

Roast platter

Overall verdict: Excellent! You cannot get enough of good food. The buffet brunch with it’s wide spread of international cuisine and seafood is definitely a hit with Singaporean foodies, used to variety.

The Empire Café will not be too relevant for Singapore diners. It serves a good selection of local hawker fare in the comfort of an air-con environment with attentive waitstaff and decor maintained to look like a coffeeshop from olden Singapore. Foreigners will find it interesting, but Singaporeans will probably find the prices too steep compared to what they can get from regular hawker centres.

Rachel and I enjoyed ourselves at Long Bar the most. We indulged ourselves in the guilty pleasure of tossing peanut shells casually on the floor and leaving a whole lot of mess in following with the tradition at the bar. It feels great to be sipping Singapore Slings at the very place where it was first concocted – fyi, the cocktail was developed sometime before 1915 by Ngiam Tong Boon, a Hainanese bartender working at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel Singapore.

Back then, it was not “lady-like” for females to be seen drinking hard liquor in public. The fruit punch appearance of the Singapore Sling makes it an ideal disguise for ladies to consume alcohol in public without appearing too vulgar.

I am not much of a drinker, but I would highly recommend guests at Raffles Hotel to visit the Long Bar, order a Singapore Sling, sit back, relax, crack some peanuts and enjoy the live band performances there, letting yourself teleport back into colonial Singapore.

To see more photos taken during my Raffles Hotel Summer Staycation, visit my public facebook album here. 

To read all my blog posts on Raffles Hotel, click here. 

About Raffles Hotel Singapore

There are a few hotels in the world whose names have become virtually synonymous with the cities in which they are located – and none more so than Raffles in Singapore.

Named after Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore, Raffles Hotel opened in 1887 and soon became the haunt of intrepid travellers from around the world. Regular guests included Noel Coward, Joseph Conrad and Somerset Maugham, who describe the hotel as embodying “all the fables of the exotic East.” Through their stories, The Long Bar, the Palm Court and the Bar & Billiard Room with its tiger, became familiar to people who had never even been to Singapore.

While preserving its atmospheric teak verandahs, gleaming white colonial facade and magnificent Gieves & Hawkes-clad doormen, Raffles is very much part of the modern, vibrant city of Singapore. It is now the proud flagship of the nine strong Raffles Hotel & Resorts.

Rachel and I took Asher for a short, 4D3N trip to Bangkok and Krabi earlier in June, flying via AirAsia. During the two nights when we were in Bangkok, we stayed at the five star Amari Watergate Hotel.

Exterior of the towering Amari Watergate hotel by night

The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Bangkok’s vibrant Pratunam neighbourhood, right beside the fashion wholesale district where Platinum Mall is.

Major shopping malls like Siam Paragon and Central World are a short walking distance away and there is also the Ratchatewi BTS Skytrain station nearby.

Central World is less than 10 minutes walk from the hotel

Devotees praying to the famous Buddha statue outside Central World

There is a giant supermarket, Big C, within walking distance from the hotel as well

Additional perks include free internet wifi if you book your rooms directly via Amari.com.

For added assurance on quality, Amari Watergate won two consecutive certificate of excellence in 2012 and 2013 from the world’s largest travel review site, TripAdvisor.com.

When we arrived at the hotel on the first night, all we wanted to do was to tuck in to sleep immediately as we have an early flight to catch the next morning and would have to wake up before 5am.

Hotel lobby

Reception and lounge area on the first floor

Amari Watergate has 569 guest rooms and suites. All the rooms are spacious in room size (at least 40 square metres) and feature wifi as well as broadband internet access (the latter is very important for me as I cannot live without wifi or internet).

We were staying in an executive room located on the top four executive floors. The four executive floors feature their very own private reception with 24- hour butler service and a lounge offering spectacular panoramic views of the city:

View from the outdoor area in the executive lounge

I can see Big C supermarket

The sky is a little hazy, otherwise, the view would be more spectacular

Asher knows how to enjoy the good life

The breakfast lounge area on the executive floor

Service was top notch at the hotel. The staff were very attentive to our needs. They were quick to render assistance when they see us traveling with a baby and always wear a smile when we walk pass them.

Check-in was done in the reception area of the executive floor. We got to lazed on the sofa and sip on fresh juices while waiting.  Rachel and I were each presented with a hand garland of fresh jasmine flowers as a welcome gesture while Asher received a Amari Watergate teddy bear.

Lazing in the lounge while waiting for our check-in to be done

Flower garlands for Rachel and I

Teddy bear for Asher; though he seems more interested in the flowers

I know these are part of their standard services for all guests staying on the executive floor, but both Rachel and I were touched by the gesture, especially when we entered our room and saw this:

Love birds!

Heart-shape flower pedals

The hotel staff thought Rachel and I were on a couple vacation and had thoughtfully laid flower pedals round our bed and folded two towel swans for us!

We were impressed. Asher on the other hand, had fun scattering the pedals all over the room. He was very excited when he got into the hotel room and ran all over to explore his new environment before we managed to tuck him in for the night.

Rachel smiling while Asher started scatting flower pedals all over behind her

There are more surprises…

Chilled champagne!

It wasn’t our wedding anniversary, but still it was really sweet of them!

Fruits and dessert sampler

Small, quick bites

This is life

Sofa recliner

Bathrobes provided in the wardrobe

There is even an iron and an ironing board provided

Bathroom

Wash basin and Chang brand drinking water

Bedside radio clock cum iPhone charger

Bangkok night view from our hotel room

Hotel airport transfer service

Another perk of booking an executive room is that guests will have the option of having your breakfast on the executive floor, right on the same floor as your room, away from the crowd.

Asher exploring the rooms corridor

We had a wonderful breakfast after our second night stay and Asher even made friend with some of the hotel staff.

Pick your breakfast while enjoying the panoramic view of the city

Small jam jars

Fruits, cheeses, nuts, juices and such

Bread and pastry section

Assorted sushi

Hummus – I love this!

Asher enjoying his breakfast in a baby chair

Food I got for Asher for a nutritious breakfast

Food I got for myself for a middle eastern style breakfast which I grew fond of when traveling in Israel

On the last day, I visited Breeze Spa & Salon in the hotel for a refreshing thai massage:

Breeze Spa & Salon in Amari Watergate

Reception area

Products shelves

Menu and prices

Breeze’s own line of spa products

Citrus welcome drink and a warm towel to freshen me up before my massage session

The welcome drink was followed by a small macaroon and hot tea

The cosy massage room

Basin for foot wash and scrub

Changed and ready for my massage

Macaroon and tea to round up a very comfortable massage session

The hotel pool is just outside Breeze Spa

Hotel gym

Weights training area

For the high standard of hospitality, the cost of the executive room is pretty reasonable at around 6,000 Baht (~S$240) with breakfast included. Alternatively, the deluxe rooms cost around 3,000 Baht (~S$120) a night with breakfast included.

Amari Watergate is currently running some very attractive package promotions now for their deluxe rooms. Do check out their website for more details. 

If you are intending on doing some heavy duty shopping in the Pratunam district, Amari Watergate hotel is the perfect luxury base.

Even though I have been to Bangkok many times and stayed at various hotels and service apartments, this was the first time we stayed at Amari Watergate. After this great experience, I can confidently say it won’t be the last time.

Click here to read all my blog posts on flying to Bangkok and Krabi with AirAsia. 

Rachel and I took Asher for a short, 4D3N trip to Bangkok and Krabi earlier in June, flying via AirAsia. We spent two nights in Bangkok at Amari Watergate hotel and one night at Crown Lanta Resort & Spa in Ko Lanta.

Ko Lanta consists of several islands, the two largest of which are Ko Lanta Noi (เกาะลันตาน้อย, “Small Lanta Island”) and Ko Lanta Yai (เกาะลันตาใหญ่, “Big Lanta Island”). The one which tourists go to is Ko Lanta Yai and is usually referred to as just Ko Lanta like in this blog post.

Much quieter and less crowded, Ko Lanta is popular with tourists traveling with children like Rachel and I, divers, as well as those who just want a tranquil holiday with minimal disturbances. Think more walking on the beach and watching the sunset versus drinking and dancing all night long. The island is less well-known than neighbouring Ko Phi Phi and hence is less commercialised and corporate.

To get to Ko Lanta, we took a domestic flight from Bangkok to Krabi (about an hour), followed by an airport transfer from Krabi Airport to the AirAsia land tour partner’s office (15 mins) and finally, a land and barge transfer from the office to Ko Lanta (about three hours).

AirAsia bus at Krabi Airport

Asher and Rachel in the bus

Barge transfer

Weather was pretty good

It was the monsoon season when we visited, hence we have to take the land and barge transfer instead of a direct ferry from the pier near the tour operator’s office. It would have been much faster, but the ferries were not operating because of strong winds.

On reaching Crown Lanta Resort & Spa, we checked in to one of their Ocean Sunset Villa Rooms which like the name suggests, has a balcony facing the ocean:

The resort staff greeted us with fresh juices upon arrival for check-in at the lobby

Reception counter

the exterior of the room we stayed in

Living room area

Complimentary fruit platter

Asher was quick to grab the fruits he wanted

The bedroom

View of the bedroom, looking in from the balcony

Ocean view balcony with deck chairs

This is life

Bathroom shower area

Bathroom dressing area

Poolside rooms

Resort spa

Strong wind during the monsoon period

Nice isn’t it?

The hotel general manager told us that they have done many wedding parties and events at the resort. The resort is popular with Scandinavian tourists, especially from Sweden. Singaporean guests are less frequent.

The resort boasts two private beaches and 83 rooms, including an exclusive Grand Villa. Wifi is available in all the rooms at no extra cost (very important for me) and there are free buggy transfers to-and-from anywhere within the resort. More details on their facilities and services are available on their official website.

Free buggy transfer

Computer terminal for internet access at the resort lobby

When we arrived, the weather was pretty pleasant and we got to enjoy a quiet outdoor lunch by the poolside:

Poolside restaurant area

Closer shot of the pool with a children slide

Deck chairs

Phad thai (thai fried noodle)

Thai pineapple rice

Hawaii pizza

View of the beach from the poolside restaurant

We were lucky to enjoy a clear sky when we were there

In the evening, it started to rain heavily and we ordered room service for dinner:

Wanton soup

Minced pork porridge

The next day morning before we left, we took time to visit one of the two beaches after having breakfast at one of the resort’s restaurant:

Buffet breakfast with a green view

Where we sat to enjoy our breakfast

Omelette station

My breakfast

Bunny-shaped pancakes for Asher

Asher enjoying his pancakes

Panoramic view of Crown Lanta resort

it was high tide, so we couldn’t really get down to wet our feet

Rachel with Asher

It was relaxing to listen to the lapping waves though

Room rates are lower during the monsoon season, but you may not get to enjoy the beach and views much if it keeps raining. For my family, we were lucky the sky was clear most of the time when we were at the resort. For other periods, book early to avoid disappointment. They have a promotions page on their website offering regular discounted rates – do visit if you are interested to book a room at Crown Lanta.

Booking the land transfer or ferry ride to Koh Lanta and other exotic Thai islands can be done directly on the AirAsia website when you book your plane tickets. There are no hidden charges. The local operators we encountered at Ko Lanta did not try to up-sell up any other tours or make us give any extra payment. What was provided was no frills, straight-forward transport from one point to another. One thing to take note when making the booking is to ensure there is allowance in transit from plane to land transfer and vice versa. You would also want to avoid too much idle time waiting in-between.

My advice is to go for a longer vacation if you plan to hit Bangkok, Krabi and an exotic Thai island in one trip. A better schedule would be to fly from Singapore straight to Krabi and transfer to Koh Lanta, stay there for a couple of days; then fly to Bangkok and stay there for a few days before flying back to Singapore or vice versa (Singapore to Bangkok to Krabi to Koh Lanta to Singapore).

Check out how my blogger friend, Qiuting does it on her Budget Barbie show:

Click here to read all my blog posts on flying to Bangkok and Krabi with AirAsia. 

Today is my last day working at omy.sg.

I have been with omy.sg for close to seven years. I joined the team before it was even launched in September 2007. Click here to read through all the projects and experiences I shared with the omy.sg team.

omy.sg’s first ever print ad in 2007

I was there when we launched our first TV commercial. Yes, we had one at the very beginning:

I was there when we launched the first Singapore Blog Awards and the first Singapore Entertainment Awards.

I was there when we hosted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during the launch of CLing, a Chinese learning portal, co-developed together with Business China.

I was there when we set up the omy Blog Club and developed it to what it is today with a strong, vibrant community of over 3,000 registered bloggers.

I was there when we ventured into mobile and tablet platforms, launching the Fong Fei Fei commemorative e-book and the Vice Ring Probe mobile news magazine app.

There are more exciting projects upcoming at omy.sg. We have to constantly innovate in order to survive as the industry is constantly evolving. I would love to be a part of all these, but the journey ends here for now.

I am thankful for all the opportunities given to me by my wonderful bosses at omy.sg, my supervisor, Kuan Fung, and our big boss, Chim Kang. 

I am thankful to all my colleagues, new and old for the great support they have given me, especially when I have to constantly trouble them with many last minute marketing projects. Janet in particular for having to support so much of my work whenever I am absent.

I am thankful to all the external partners, sponsors and advertisers I have worked with for omy.sg. Thank you for supporting us and do continue to shower your support for the omy.sg team.

It is bye bye for now as I am being transferred to market another website within the Singapore Press Holdings group.

I will still continue to watch omy.sg grow, but this time, as a blogger, as part of the omy Blog Club and as a news reader.

Adieus.

About two weeks ago, I had the privilege to own the Volkswagen Sharan for a week, courtesy of Volkswagen Singapore. The car is a 7-seat MPV with a 2.0 TSI engine:

I will get to drive this for a week! How exciting!

According to the sales representative from the Volkswagen Singapore showroom, the model is selling well in Singapore, with batches often sold out.

Rear view from the side

When Rachel and I went to collect the car at the Volkswagen showroom, our heads were filled with plans on how to best utilise the car’s spaciousness.

Rachel hatching plans on how best we can utilise the car for the week

Before my son Asher was born, whenever we go out together with my side of the family or her side of the family (both of us have a younger sister), there will be five of us to fit nicely into a standard saloon car.

After Asher came along, my sister or Rachel’s sister will have to take public transport to sacrifice a seat for Asher and his bulky car seat.

With the Sharan, this no longer will be an issue:

The car is really spacious!

Loaded Asher into the car – spacious?

There is still room for two more pax behind Asher!

Beside having a seven pax seating capacity, you can pack all sorts of camping gear, your bicycles and even a canoe into it. The last two seats in the last row are easily foldable to allow for more storage space if you are not carrying so many passengers.

Here is a wider picture that better depicts how much space there is inside the car

The car is cleverly designed to let in more light with its large glass windows and a sun-roof, making the car appear even more spacious than it is for both the driver and passengers.

Pressing the electronic button to open up the car roof

Panel to adjust the car roof

Asher showing off the open roof to his aunt

Asher with his aunt

One problem I had with the Sharan was that Asher will get very upset every time I need to get him out of the car!

On the day when I returned the vehicle, I had to catch a flight to Seoul right after. I find it pretty amusing how small my luggage seemed when I packed it into the car boot as compared to a regular saloon car:

My luggage looks really small beside the Sharan

After loading my luggage into the car boot, there is still so much space

It feels great to be able to fit my wife Rachel, my 22-month-old son Asher, my parents and my sister into the same car with me and we still have room for one more person! I took everyone for a short spin on the first day when I collected the Sharan and the feedback from everyone was positive – the ride was smooth, quiet and there was lots of space for everyone in the car.

All the passenger seats are equipped with three-point seatbelts, which means that you can fit in up to six child restraints! The perfect car for those with large families.

The Sharan also comes with lots of automated and nifty tech features, including park assist with rear view camera, keyless igntion, electric handbrake, automated headlight adjustment, among many other cool stuff.

Using the car GPS to navigate around – it’s pretty accurate and easy-to-use

It is a touchscreen btw – like how all screens ought to be these days

Car dashboard

All the buttons are lit, making them easier to locate even when you are driving at night or in a dark tunnel

Picking the radio station to listen to while cruising in the Sharan

Me driving the Sharan happily, chauffeuring my wife and son around

Here is a video for a quick overview of the Sharan:

During the week when I had the car, I could hop on and drive off anytime easily, without having to fiddle with any buttons to switch on the aircon or even adjust the headlight since everything is automated. It made me feel lazy, but it also forged a personal connection between me and the car, as it seemed to intuitively understand what I wanted.

Happiness.

How was my experience driving the Sharan?

It felt very much like what this video depicts:

Exhilarating.

Making a turn – it doesn’t feel heavy at all, despite the size of the car

The car is large and I was expecting it to handle like a bulky van when picking speed or cornering, instead, it purrs along fine like a smooth feline.

Me in the Sharan

My son Asher loved the car so much he learned the word “Volkswagen”. Coincidentally, he has a die-cast VW model car which my dad bought for him sometime back. For some inexplicable reason, he was drawn to the car and picked it himself at the departmental store. He is able to associate the two together and recognises the circular Volkswagen logo.

When we first seated him in his car seat in the Sharan, he turned and pointed to the VW logo and said “Volkswagen” to me.

Asher pointing out the VW logo to me

The few times when I drove him in the Sharan, he refused to get out of the car and would want to go for a longer spin! When I asked him if he preferred our current car or the Sharan, he replied without hesitating, “Volkswagen”! I kid you no.

Now I have to save up to get this car…

One converted Volkswagen Sharan fan, looking very pleased with himself with his car choice

To find out more about the Volkswagen Sharan and purchasing information if you are interested to buy one or take a test drive, do visit the official Volkswagen Singapore website.

I got a NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto® Melody Automatic in my home a few months back. Other than gourmet coffee, the machine can also brewed a variety of 15 assorted beverages like lemon tea and peach tea.

It is also able to dispense drinks that are hot or cold!

The machine has integrated into my family life and routine. My two year son loves it the most.

Even though Asher is too young to drink tea or coffee, he loves to see the Dolce Gusto Melody Automatic at work. I taught him how to operate it and it has become his hobby to make coffee and tea for everyone who visit our house.

See how easy it works:

Every time someone visits, he will approach the guest and ask “你要喝茶吗 (Do you want tea)?”

Asher picking out which tea or coffee to serve to our guests

Every morning when I wake up, he will ask me: “ 爸爸，你要喝咖啡吗 (Dad, do you want coffee)？”

Preparing iced peach tea for me

In the afternoon or in the evening, he will ask me if I want tea.

A two-year-old can operate the Dolce Gusto Melody Automatic

Sometime, I will be “pressurized” by Asher to drink up to three cups of gourmet beverages a day!

Asher watching the machine

I like the simplicity of the Nescafe Dolce Gusto Melody Automatic. It is so easy to use that even a two year old boy can operate it (disclaimer: it doesn’t say so on the manual. Asher makes beverages with the machine under our supervision to ensure he do not get scalded or upset the machine).

Tada! The drink is ready!

Love the froth

The capsules used to be also available for sale at limited places, but they are now available at NTUC supermarket which makes it very convenient for replenishing. You can also order the capsules online. 

On a hot day, I appreciate a frothy glass of iced peach tea or iced cappuccino:

On rainy days when I want to snuggle in at home with a hot cup of latte macchiato or mocha:

On mornings when I need to perk up, a shot of espresso will do the job.

The Nestle Dolce Gusto Melody Automatic is one machine with many functions, enriching our lives in so many ways.

All about the machine

The NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto® stands above the competition as the only single-cup coffee machine which delivers a professional 15 bar pressure, guaranteeing a perfect cup and fine milk froth every time. It prepares each drink variety, Hot or Cold, in a matter of seconds. The NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto® coffee machine comes complete with a 2-year warranty from KRUPS®.

This unique machine combines the expertise and history of NESCAFÉ® coffee making with innovative KRUPS® know-how, engineering and technical perfection.

All about the capsules

The innovative easy-to-use capsule system, exclusive to NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto®, is specifically designed to ensure that each cup of coffee you make is fresh and contains only the best Arabica roasted coffee. The airtight capsules optimise the extraction pressure for each flavour variety, delivering the best coffee quality, texture and milk froth!
Capsules are avaliable at retailers near you or via their Online Shop.

Over the Deepavali weekend, I got my family signed up for the Gardens by the Bay Friends of the Gardens membership.

Family picture (short of my sister who was the one who took this picture)

The membership card we got was the Friends of the Gardens Family Plus which give unlimited free admission to 5 family members (no age restriction) for an entire year. Shared privileges include:

• Unlimited entries to the Cooled Conservatories and OCBC Skyway
• Free parking for first two hours per visit
• Special invitations to Gardens’ workshops and programmes
• Exclusive dining and retail privileges

All these for a price tag of S$238. That works out to S$47.60 per pax. For my family, all five of the passes were allocated to adults (my wife, my parents and my sister). Asher gets to visit for free because he is under three years old.

If each person were to visit one of the dome for a minimum of 4 times a year, this will cost S$12 x 4 = S$48, not including parking charges.

Worthwhile isn’t it?

There are always different themes at the Flower Dome during festive occasions. These are great opportunities for families to gather for photo-taking and bonding. Here are some photos I took with my family during the Deepavali weekend:

Photo I took of my family

Rangoli: indian rice art

At the Flower Dome

Elephants in chrysanthemum flower bed

This flower looks like a bird in flight

Other purple flowers

Cute little flower pod

Deepavali display at the Flower Dome

Red elephants

More deepavali decors

This train set is new. I did not see it during my previous visit.

Asher looks looking at the train and stood there and watched for a long time

Then, he asked me if I can buy the train set for him…

The mist adds to the mystery of the garden at the top of Cloud Forest

Medinilla magnifica

Asher feeling really happy

Can you name this plant?

Pretty little red flower

Long red flowers

Each time I visit Cloud Forest, the foliage gets thicker

From another angle

Happy family of three

For retirees like my parents, the family pass allows them to take regular long strolls in the cool conservatories. They can also enjoy free parking, dining discounts and bring their grandson along for some fresh air.

Gardens by the Bay currently offers five different membership types to cater to different group of visitors. Here is a quick glance on the prices for the various memberships:

If you are interested to apply for membership, simply  download and complete this application form and email it to friends@gardensbythebay.com.sg. More details are available on the official website. 

CBeebies Live! comes to Asia for the first time, and makes Singapore its inaugural stop. Starting 29th November and ending on 15th December 2013 at Plaza Singapura, the young and young at heart will be able to get up close with the Zingzillas and the Teletubbies as they sing and dance to familiar tunes from their own shows.

Asher and I with the Zingzillas

CBeebies Live! (StarHub Channel 303) is a television channel for pre-schoolers, owned by BBC Worldwide, with emphasis on the concept of “learn through play’.

At the CBeebies Live! You’re a Star this Christmas event, pre-schoolers and their carers will get to meet the ZingZillas, a band of four primates (Zak, Tang, Panzee and Drum) who live on a tropical island where music is everything; and of course, the Teletubbies, Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa Laa and Po which everyone should be familiar with.

The event is free to all visitors of the mall and is produced by Millennium Entertainment International (MEI) for Plaza Singapura.

I brought Asher to a special Zingzillas “Meet and Greet” media preview last Saturday morning and he had a blast of a time:

Waiting for the show to start

Dancing Zingzillas

Bringing out the musical instruments

Bollywood dance

Asher alone with the Zingzillas

Asher checking out his polaroid shots with the Zingzillas

Looks fun isn’t it?

Interested to bring your kids down for the event? Details of CBeebies Live! You’re a Star this Christmas at Plaza Singapura follow:

Dates: 29 November – 15 December 2013 (No shows on Tuesdays)
Schedule: 2 shows per day on weekdays and 3 shows per day on weekends
Weekdays @ 1pm and 7pm (except for Tuesday 3rd and Tuesday 10th on which there are no stage shows)
Weekends @ 1pm, 4pm and 7pm

Following each show will be a “Meet and Greet” session with either group of characters, for lucky fans who managed to get their hands on exclusive passes. For more information on the “Meet and Greet” sessions and how to win these exclusive passes, visit the CBeebies Asia Facebook page, the CBeebies page on Starhub or the official Plaza Singapura website.

CBeebies cupcake!

Zingzillas airs on weekdays on CBeebies (StarHub Channel 303) at 4:45pm and on weekends at 7:05am.

Teletubbies airs on weekdays at 8.00am, 12:00pm, 6:00pm, 10:30pm and on weekends at 6.00am, 12:00pm, 10:30pm.

About CBeebies

Specially created for pre-schoolers, CBeebies offers a learn through play environment where fun colors and friendly characters engage and captivate young minds, encouraging children to get involved. Lively, funny friends – Tinky Winky, Fimbles, Charlie and Lola, Igglepiggle to name but a few – inhabit a colourful, fun environment that creates an innocent, playful experience to keep young children enthralled.

Programming on CBeebies is customised to appeal to and suit the developmental needs of distinct age groups, encouraging them to learn through play. Parents and carers trust CBeebies to deliver a safe, non-violent, interactive experience designed by developmental experts, and delivered by the trusted BBC brand, to promote imaginative play, social interaction, language skills and educational values.

CBeebies’ fun and vibrant mix of award-winning children’s programming includes puppetry, games, song, dance, animation, arts and crafts, and live story-telling.

Disney on Ice, the mega ice-skating family entertainment group will be in Singapore this March.

In collaboration with JEM, the mall will be running a series of Disney on Ice promotional events from now till 2 Mar 2014 (today is the last day).

Asher and I attended the preview last weekend and here are some photos taken at the event:

Asher and I with Mickey Mouse

Treasure Trove entrance

Activity area for kids

Colouring fun for Asher

Magic mirrors which got Asher really tickled up

Interactive matching game

Feed Pumba game

Spin-the-wheel

If these looks fun and exciting for you and your family, head down to JEM today.

There are attractive prizes to be won:

Win tickets to the Disney on Ice 2014 Live Show

Every S$50 spent earns you a chance to win tickets to Disney On Ice Treasure Trove. You can get 2X chances with any receipt from the Children’s and Maternity stores.

1 Grand Prize consisting of:

• 4 tickets to the Disney on Ice live show on 20 March 2014, 7.30pm
• 4 Meet & Greet passes for the Disney on Ice live show on 20 March 2014 (worth a total of S$2,000)
• S$500 worth of Jem Gift Vouchers

25 Consolation Prizes:

• 2 tickets to the Disney on Ice live show on 22 March 2014, 7.30pm

Redeem a Disney on Ice Tote Bag

Top up your spending to S$120 to receive one. JemX Rewards members and shoppers with any receipt from the Children’s and Maternity stores spend only S$100. Limited to first 200 shoppers daily.

More details and how to get to JEM. 

Time flies!

Rachel and I have been married for four years and my 4th anniversary went by over the Chinese New Year period on 2 February 2014.

Our plane solemnisation story was revisited on Jetstar’s Jump Seat Blog recently. Here is the extract:

Singapore Book of Records – First Wedding on Board an Airplane

Alvin Lim and Rachel Chan exchanged their wedding vows on board Jetstar Asia’s inaugural flight from Singapore to Shantou on 2 February 2010. Happily married for four years now, the couple has a boy named Asher Lim who will turn three years old in August.

“Have we been married for that long already? Being solemnised on board an airplane in Changi Airport has been quite an experience and remains a very unique and memorable milestone in our lives. Even till today, whenever we have to produce our marriage certificate to others, the venue of the wedding solemnisation which is stated in the certificate, never fails to surprise them and our friends and relatives are still talking about it as if it happened only yesterday!” 
- Alvin & Rachel, on how they felt about the wedding solemnisation

“The stars were definitely aligned! My mum is a Teochew and so were my bosses, one of whom was our wedding solemniser, and they are members of the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan which chartered Jetstar’s inaugural flight to Shantou, home to many of the Teochew descendants in Singapore. When the idea was first mooted, they thought the wedding would bring an auspicious start to the Singapore – Shantou service too and one thing led to another and we got married on board the plane! We were shocked by the huge media turnout and coverage too, so well done to the Jetstar PR team!” 
- Alvin & Rachel, on why they wanted to get married on board Jetstar’s flight

“Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or Yuanxiao festival, we don’t really celebrate as every day is a special day for us. But we did go for a good family dinner at a Korean restaurant on our fourth wedding anniversary on 2 February this year together with our boy.” 
- Alvin & Rachel, on how they will be spending Valentine’s Day

Read more about the wedding solemnisation on Alvin’s blog and also watch the video:

Adlena is a schoolmate of mine back in NTU WKWSCI.

Couple years later, we met again at work on several occasions for different projects. Through a random conversation we were having at a media event, Adlena mentioned she would like to continue honing her writing skills and I invited her to write for Alvinology.com in jest. She likes the idea and voila! Adlena is now the newest contributor to this site.

There are now three writers on Alvinology.com – Alvin (me), Rachel and Adlena. 

Here is a short introduction on Adlena: 

Adlena considers her professional life to be multi-faceted, having spent almost the last decade working for leading media owners, agencies and MNCs in the areas of communications and journalism.

She sees herself as a creative, resourceful, pro-active and dependable professional who has built cordial relationships with the media in Singapore over the course of her career. She is currently a co-owner of a small business and splits her time between managing that and her precocious three-month old daughter, Keri.

A third generation Singaporean-Chinese of mixed parentage, Adlena is trilingual and has a weakness for good “live” music and spa treatments. During her free time — which is almost non-existent these days– she loves to cook and bake for her family and friends and work up a sweat with some hot yoga and running up Mount Faber. To fulfill her wanderlust, she travels whenever possible and makes yearly sojourns to idyllic beaches in the region with her husband.

If you have any invites or opportunities to engage Adlena in areas of travel, beauty, health, fitness and anything baby-related, you can get in touch with her at wong.adlena (at) gmail (dot) com

She will be posting her first article up very soon. Stay tuned.