Hand Made Leather Coin Pouch for W

I like to make things with my hands (like earrings) so have been trying out different types of DIY craft recently.  This was something that I made for my dear friend W, who is notoriously difficult to get gifts for since she has everything and doesn't need anything.  But I know she will appreciate the effort that went into sewing this coin pouch for her!

(Although this was fairly easy as the leather was pre-cut and the holes pre-punched, so all I had to do was to stitch it together.  Which is actually tougher than it looks and blister inducing ! Kudos to all leather artisan masters. )

How to Entertain a Lego-Mad Boy: Bricks and Cubes Cafe, the Cathay

Ethan is truly obsessed with Lego (in a good way!), which is great because there are so many Lego options around to keep him entertained.   Since I needed a bit of a break to catch up with my friend L, we decided to bring our two boys to Bricks and Cubes café, which I had chanced across on another blog.   Highlight - this lego-themed café has a special dedicated play area, well stocked with a very extensive range of lego and duplo bricks, and play stations for each child!

It was the best three hours catching up with L over a meal that we had for a few years.  Ethan and HX were completely engrossed in building their creations and sneaking peeks at the child-friend movies that were screening (we caught the tail-end of UP, all of FINDING NEMO, and the beginning of MINIONS), and only dashed to the eating area for five-minute bursts of fuel replenishment, in the form of pizza and spaghetti.

The food is frankly nothing to shout about - average café standard and a limited range (pizzas, pastas, desserts and coffees), but it is pretty affordable and serving portions are large.  In my opinion, I make a much better Hawaiian pizza - the pizza crust at Bricks was slightly thick and not crispy, and there was a bit too much mozzarella cheese for Ethan's liking.  Our other order of the spaghetti aglio olio was decent though, with a nicely crusted fish fillet accompanying it.

To sum it up, all of us had such an awesome day at Bricks and Cubes Café! We were there on a Saturday afternoon and the café was fairly empty with only 2 other children and a loud toddler who was flinging lego bricks on the floor.  But to avoid disappointment, it might be a good idea to call beforehand to check if the café has been booked by a group or for a party as the play area is small, and can only support around 6 to 7 children playing within. 



www.bricksncubes.sg
Bricks and Cubes Café
The Cathay, 2 Handy Road #02-12/14, Singapore 229233

 

Finally, MediShield Life for all, for life

1 Nov 2015 marks a huge milestone as MediShield Life starts.  Now, all Singaporeans will get the protection that they need for life, regardless of their health and financial situation.  I am proud and deeply privileged to have been part of this important journey for the past three years.

Find out more about MediShield Life here: www.medishieldlife.sg

Home made Hawaiian Pizza - Yamaha Lunch

On Thursdays, Ethan goes for Yamaha keyboard class.  Due to the early start time for his Yamaha class, I have to pick him up early from school and give him his lunch on the way to class.  And that's where the fun starts, because he gets a different lunch each week that he really really looks forward to.

This week's Yamaha lunch is by Ethan's special request, a home-made Hawaiian pizza with lots of pineapple and a little bit of ham (in view of the latest findings about processed meats being carcinogenic), with his favourite Gouda cheese.   Ethan must have found it good as he gobbled the entire pizza up and kept on mumbling "what a delicious meal" in between mouthfuls.

Pizza base made using this recipe, tried and tested since 2007.  Try making your own pizzas!  They are really worth the effort (think crispy and fragrantly yeasty, bread pizzas just don't make the cut) and don't take that much time either.  My cheat trick - I make the dough and pre-roll the bases in advance, then pop them in the freezer to be used whenever there is a request for pizza.
http://emmaelephant.blogspot.sg/2007/05/homemade-pizza.html

Ethan is Five!

It's hard to believe how fast time flies.  Ethan turns 5 today and I could not ask for any greater happiness in my life.  

My darling boy, may you stay happy, healthy, cheeky, and love Lego and trains (but not too much) always!

My Perfect Apple - the Envy

I have found the perfect apple and its name is Envy. 

I used to think that the tiny Royal Gala apples from South Africa were the best version of the pome fruit, until quite by accident, I chanced across the Envy, which is grown in New Zealand.  According to Wikipedia, Envy is a cross between Royal Gala and Braeburn.  Which explains why it looks a bit like a Royal Gala (and my mum has actually bought Royal Gala that were mixed into a pile of Envys and felt real cheated by that).

Taste wise, the Envy's super crisp, juicy, sweet and clean taste - without any hint of sourness or rancidity after exposure to air, puts all the other apples to shame.   Go try an Envy today! They are stocked at NTUC Fairprice supermarket regularly.