Having "Me" Time

I love Christmas, I love New Years.  I love this time of year when everyone is in a festive mood and everything is just fun fun and fun.  Organizing parties, get-to-gethers, and gift raffles.  This is the time of year when everyone "gives" to everyone else.  It's when we forget ourselves a little and think about those around us. During this time of year we celebrate family, love and friendships.   Shopping malls are packed with people and everything is packaged in gift sets.  There are always long lines of people in the days running up to Christmas and New Years as last minute shoppers come out to get that special gift.  Here are a few gift tips on finding the perfect gift for those who need a little inspiration.  Tip 1 :  Think of the person you are going to give the gift to.  What do they like? Do you remember them eyeing something at the store?  Remember, expensive doesn't always means its going to make that person fall in love with you.  Its the thought that c

With all the festivites going on, Christmas and New Years is undoubtedly one of my favorite time of the year.  I get to meet friends, catch up over lovely meals accompanied by weather that is nice and cool in winter. It doesn't snow in Thailand, but the temperature drops to the mid-twenties (celsius).  It's lovely and cool.  Perfect.  And as one of my friends put on her facebook status it is the "perfect weather to get fat."  I think this perfectly describes how we all feel. A lot of activities during Christmas and New Years undeniably revolve around eating.  We meet, we eat.  We celebrate, we eat.  We travel, we eat. Then we sleep in between those "meets" and "eats."  Oh how easy it is to pack on those pounds that won't just go away.  Nevertheless, do not fear them...there is a way to overcome them and one tip is to Plan Your Meals . I used to never plan my meals.  I'd just eat what I felt like eating each meal and if I had a big party

After two weeks roaming around Singapore I have to say I am happy to be home. Although I enjoy going around and exploring new places, trying out new dishes and meeting friends, nothing beats the warmth of being back home surrounded by family and loved ones.  Even if we don't meet everyday, somehow the thought of being in the same city is reassuring.  It's warm and I feel fortunate to have such a lovely family. It's funny when you look back on years past.  There was a time when I would want to go away for weeks on end and not miss a thing.  Life was fun and I was young.  Now, I can feel the years creeping up on me ever so quietly and I find myself saying "I miss home. I miss my family." "Home" for me has always been a funny thing.  I remember being asked on countless occasions what I considered "home" since I moved country every couple of years.  I wasn't really "Thai" becaused I hardly lived there and I was hardly a citizen of

I feel like I haven't been to Singapore if I haven't had Bak Kut Teh .  What is it?  It's pork rib soup.  What I love about it is that the soup has lots of pepper and as a meal it is not too heavy.  We have this dish also in the southern provinces of Thailand and in Malaysia but I have yet to try the ones there.   I think there will be slight variations.  There are lots of places to have Bak Kut Teh in Singapore, but my newest discovery is called " Outram Park Ya Hua Rou Gu Cha ."  It's a long name.  Don't ask me what it means.. On my previous visits I'd go to the one on Rangoon road, but this trip I wasn't able to so you can imagine my delight when my good friend Dalin told me that there was one not far from the hotel I was staying at.  We walked there and it was a mere 5 minutes walk away from the hotel and is located at the base of Tangong Pagar Complex.  Mind you, this is not the same as Tangong Pagar Plaza!  This one is located on Keppel Road

Like in every country, food comes in many ways and forms.  There are always the "elegant" and high end restaurants which just give you an experience to remember and then there's the "local" kind of foods that most people eat on a day to day basis.  If you come to Singapore and want something "local"  you should try the food at the hawker centres.  These are food that the average Singaporean would eat and is not just for tourists.  During lunch times, these hawker centres are filled with working professionals. Here are some of the hawker centres I've been to whilst exploring Singapore this trip: 1) Lau Pa Sat Hawker Centre :  This place is open 24 hours and has a long history dating from the 1800's as well a uniquely octagonol shape that is quite beautiful.  It was formerly known as the "Telok Ayer Market" and dates from the times of Sir Raffles, the founding father of Singapore.   There are roughly 80-100 stalls selling food rangi

When you go to the gym or fitness to workout there is a certain sense of  fashion at each one.  In some places in Bangkok, the norm is just an old t-shirt with a pair of shorts, anything goes.  In other gyms (which may cater to the more young and 'hip' professionals) the norm might include form fitting tops and matching bottoms especially designed for sports.  Those were the main differences I had observed in Bangkok.  In Singapore though, there is a much more colourful sense of style in fitness clothes. The mix of clients who come to the M-hotel in Singapore is diverse and multi-cultural.  Singapore is diverse and multi-cultural.  Everywhere I go I see a mix of expatriates from the western world, indians, chinese, and people from other countries.  However, I never expected that this cultural diversity would be apparent in the gym. I never knew before how muslim females dressed when they went to the gym to exercise.  The thought just never crossed my mind.  I  knew that swi

This trip I've been to Clarke Quay already three times and everytime it gives me a different vibe. It's strange this area by the Singapore River but I like it and am at the same time impressed by it. The first time I went there this trip was on a group tour to take the "Bumboat."  I've been to Singapore so many times but never took the bumboat and so I decided to join it this trip.  I enjoy being the tourist no matter how "touristy" it is and I especially enjoy anything to do with water and rivers.  It's so calming and relaxing.  We get there at around 9.30am and Clarke Quay resembles a deserted town.  All the shops and restaurants are shut and not a single soul is to be seen.  It's quiet.  This part of Singapore has not yet awakened.  Only after nearing the crossing roads do we spot a few people.  They are runners out for their morning jog. Healthy people. It's quite educational this trip.  I learn that this beautiful area where the shop

On trips that bring you away from family and friends for a week or so things can get a little quiet (but that is significantly helped by the wonderful technology of Skype and sim cards.)  Of course, no technology can replace the warm feeling one gets when one is with close friends and I have to say that I feel especially fortunate to have such wonderful friends in Singapore who take great care of me.  From having the skinny pizza with Dalin, pepper and chilli crab with Mark, hot stones steak with my cousin to the wonderful steak house "Cut" with Rasina,  I have to say I am truly enjoying my stay in Singapore. Today I'll focus on "Cut" which some of you might be wondering what it is.  (No it's not a salon where you can go cut your hair, nor is it a nail spa.)  It's a steakhouse that was brought to Singapore along with the Marina Bay Sands and is by Chef Wolfgang Puck.  Reviews tell me me that in the USA his restaurant has been considered "one of th

When traveling, everyone always tries to buy goods that are cheaper than what they can get back home.  Being in Singapore, where a lot of people come to buy electronics I had to go check out the prices.  My mission was to find out if electronic products (especially the iPad) are cheaper here or in Bangkok. Singapore has a mall that specializes in electronics called Funan . It's easily accessible by MRT (undergound), just get off at City Hall and exit on North Ridge Road.  Funan is just down the street.  It's like Fortune and Panthip Plaza in Bangkok, but its more quiet and more orderly. There are a zillion shops selling laptops and computers.  I walk around and just enjoy browsing through all the gadgets and gizmos.  I always had a particular fondness for electronics and the techonology always fascinates me.  Its actually more fun than looking for clothes...  I check out the price of the ILuv clock radio for iPod and iPhone dual charge. It's S$399.  With exchange r

Most people who come to Singapore either Eat then Shop or Shop then Eat or if you are not a big fan of eating then you'd Shop.  Most girls I know who come here go crazy with all the shopping malls and variety of brands.  So today (and yesterday) I went round exploring the shopping scene in Singapore as well as to buy everything that's on my shopping list for friends and family.  I discovered some new malls and also a new route for which to shop. Route : Before Id 'always just get off at Orchard MRT for shopping at Orchard Road, but this trip I discovered Somerset MRT.  Somerset MRT actually gives you access to the East side of Orchard road which is awesome if you want to shop at Robinsons, Centre Point, 313@ Somerset before making your way to Paragon, Takashimaya, Wisma and  ION . What and Where: Robinsons is great if you want to buy Vitamins and other health related products.  They have a section in most Robinsons on the same floor as the comestics and there are a

I don't gamble, but if there is something new that has to be seen then I'd go see it even if its a casino.  Singapore has just recently opened it's Marina Bay Sands  Hotel and the area has both Shops and a Casino.  Coming from Las Vegas, they brought the concept here and I must say I felt like I was no longer in the island country of Singapore.  Even the restaurants and the Casino come from Las Vegas.  The casino has 500 tables and 1500 slot machines. Imagine how big it is.  It is a mega gambling empire. After an extremely delicious meal of scrumptious steak at the newly opened restaurant called "Cut" (which I will write about tomorrow), my dear friend in Singapore took me to see the Casino from a bird's eye view.  We were standing on the third floor balcony overlooking the 500 tables.  The feeling is unlike any I've had before. Upon first seeing it you are just dazed and awed. It's all a gigantic space of curves and lights. For a few seconds, I di

When packing for my two week trip to Singapore I am always at a dilemma as to what to bring. I want to travel light so that I'd have space to bring my shopping and gifts back yet there are also a few essentials I think I should bring.  The list gets longer the older I'm getting.  For the first time now, I am actually now including running shoes and running clothes into my "list."  They are needed because I know that for two weeks I'd be doing a lot of eating and sitting.  Trips like these are always a danger to the waistliine.  And so, this trip I brought along all my running gear.  On Tuesday, I woke up early and got myself down to the gym by 7am.  I have to say I expected it to be empty.  We're in a hotel I thought.  Who would work out so early? Most people would be gettting ready to eat breakfast or go out to their meetings.  This was still my still chubby inner me at work. To my surprise, the little hotel gym was packed.  Almost all the cardiovascular

After a night here and a day full of activities and meeting people, I feel myself settling in and getting in pace for the next two weeks.  Being around the business district on weekends can be a bit quiet, almost isolated, but on weekdays there is a whole different energy. There are people walking around each going on their way, each with their own lives.  The energy then settles when we get to dinner time and everyone goes get something to fill their empty stomachs.   This past evening I got to reunite with a good old friend who lives here in Singapore and she introduced me to this new kind of pizza that is currently in trend in Singapore. It's called " Skinny pizza ." Now I've never heard anything about it, but it sounded delicious. Anything with "pizza" sounds good to me but I have to beware of the cheese that comes with it.  My friend tells me that its pizza made of extremely thin crust topped with vegetables and other toppings of choice.  It wasn'

Yes, I'm traveling again.  This time though is not to the incredible pyramids of Egypt or the fish market in Japan.  I'm in Singapore, the Merlion City where much happens in this tiny island of only 274 sq miles (710 sq km).  It's small yet there is diversity and it is ever changing.  The last time I was here was over three years ago and since then much has changed.  On my way from the airport I saw many new  buildings.  I see construction going on in small roads and corners.  It is a city that is continuing to evolve and develop.  No wonder it is one of the region's financial centres and has one of the busiest ports in the world. Whenever I come to Singapore, two things (not including work) always pop into mind:  Shopping and Eating.  Shopping here for certain goods are cheaper than in Bangkok.  Foodwise, I just love certain dishes that cannot be had in the same way in Thailand.  One of those dishes is the Hainanese Chicken Rice. What's so special about the chi

The last day of the week has arrived and is almost ending for people in Asia.  On the other side of the world, Europe is still midway through and the US is just awakening.  It's snowing hard in Europe and the US.  People are waking up to a winter wonderland and trudging through the snow to get to work.  Roads are blocked.  It's a nightmare for those who have business to attend to, but for children snow is fun.  Snow is about snowball fights and snow angels.  Snow is when we get to put on those ear muffs and fluffy coats.  I like snow.  It reminds me of the little pleasures and especially of a little incident involving my dog Dyzio and the 'snow'.  It happened when we were living in Warsaw, Poland and Dyzio was but a small puppy almost a year old.  He was an Aquarius, born in January when it was cold outside but of course he had been kept indoors being about the size of my palm.  He was my baby and I of course watched him evolve and grow.  I watched him learn how to cl