Mia's Birthday: Of Museo, Capella and Fruit Paradise

Yup yup, I've celebrated my birthday some time ago this month. :) I shall not disclose my (old) age, but I have to admit that I've started to dread birthdays. Signs of an old woman, yikes! Nevertheless, all the text messages and initiations to meet up, be it even for a quick brunch (yes, this is for you to see, Sa!), still warms my heart and it makes this birthday thingy a lot more enjoyable. <3

I have to say the best part of my birthday is that J will take great effort to bring me to a new place, which I've never heard of, to try out the food. And all these years, she was never wrong with her recommendations. 

And this year, she brought me to a buffet lunch/high-tea at Museo: Art on the Isle, located at Quayside Isle, Sentosa. They're just next to W Hotel and opposite W Residences, near Sentosa Cove. 

Arteastiq’s signature concept of combining the tea lounge cum social painting studio is given a brand new packaging in MUSEO at Sentosa Quayside. Together with the painting studio, MUSEO will be celebrating the spirit of art and creativity with its dining-in-a-cup concept, as well as its range of more than 30 specialty cocktails.

MUSEO has embraced the bold move of combining a luxury afternoon high tea salon which undergoes a smooth transition into an artistic bar and exquisite dining restaurant as the sun sets. Through this, customers get the best of both worlds – not only would they be able to enjoy the classic range of brunch and signature teas popularized by Arteastiq, but also relish in trying out the newly concocted cocktail range and exquisite dinner items at a refreshingly new location, Sentosa Cove, where they can dress down and relax with their friends and colleagues.

The magnificent sea view, coupled with the chill-out holiday-making atmosphere and friendly staff, all plays important roles in crafting MUSEO as the perfect haven for city dwellers to retreat from the hustle and bustle of urban life.

 -Credits to MUSEO-

And yes, I do agree that it's a pretty pricey choice at $48++ for a high tea buffet, even with FREE FLOW Coffee and Tea for a Coffee/Tea junkie like myself. But, look at the scenery you get to enjoy with your meal!

J has specially requested for a corner window seat so I was literally facing the window and looking out at the dock as I sat at the table.

And on top of that, apart from people (ang moh) watch, I could also dog-watch for the entire day! :)

 I didn't manage to snap much pictures of the restaurant interior, but that's the dessert bar and couch seats by the window that overlook the dock. 

 Upon seated, I was welcomed by this really pretty "plate-holder". It's the pretty feature plate, upon which we place our food plates. 

 J and I didn't waste time on ordering our coffees for the day. I got for myself a Salted Caramel Latte (yes, I'm still on a salted caramel craze) and J got a Chocolate Coffee. Both the coffees were great! However, my latte somehow pales in comparison to J's coffee. I think the caramel was slightly overdone and the sweetness overpowered the coffee taste. Whereas for hers, the chocolate complimented the coffee extremely well to give an awesome chocolate richness with strong coffee fragrance. Simply divine for a chocoholic coffee addict like me. 

And then J decided to grab a bit of the Iced Pear Tea in this cute teacup to try out. They're surprisingly good as compared to the lychee tea that she also took, coming from someone like me who really isn't a big fan of pears and would have preferred lychee anytime. I thought the lychee tea was too bland and tasted rather diluted. The pear tea, on the other hand, was definitely sweeter with a pear fragrance.

I shall not do any detailed review of the food, since this is a buffet (and they're pretty 'buffet-standards', if you get what I'm implying). However, I shall pinpoint on their vongole and cream of asparagus as the best and worst dish. I shall not touch on their roasted potatoes because I'm horribly biased towards potatoes (evident from the ratio of potatoes to the rest on my plate).

The vongole was divine! It's a pity there wasn't any pasta in it, if not it'll make a brilliant pasta zuppa. The clams were relatively big and fleshy (don't compare them to overseas clams, keep it Singapore standards please) and cooked to perfection, neither the sliminess of being undercooked nor rubbery of being overcooked, but extremely chewy in a generous amount of savoury stew soup with the fresh sweetness of the clams. 

It's like, ZOMG YOU GOTTA PILE YOUR PLATE WITH THIS! (pardon my bimbotic ah-lian moment)

But of course, the frustration sets in when you keep hauling up empty clam shells from the serving bowl and the vongole-hungry stranger up in queue behind you was literally breathing down your neck. Okay, I exaggerated. But I did get cheated quite a bit by all the empty shells. The trick, I realised, was to 'dig deep'. Most of the clams would have separated from their shells and went down to the bottom of the serving bowl. So if you're a vongole lover, get working with the ladle and dig deeper! 

Next up, the cream of asparagus, which earned the top position on the worst list. I guess both J's and my expectation of it was high due to some raves about it online, as according to J. But the soup was just bland. Way too bland to be good, and it even brought out the raw-green taste of the asparagus inside. Quite a cringe-worthy taste. I vaguely remembered having my first taste of Cream of Asparagus at V8 Cafe located at Bugis Junction almost 10 years ago. V8 has done it better in my humble opinion. Sorry there, Museo.

 And after gorging ourselves with all the food, we ordered some tea to chill and laze the rest of our afternoon away. I got for myself Chamomile Mint Tea and J opted for the French Rose Tea. 

This is the first time I've tried a Chamomile tea with mint added and it's actually a pretty good combination. Next would have expected the addition of a couple mint leaves will make the entire cup of tea so much more refreshing and rejuvenating. :)

 And finally, at 5pm we bid Museo goodbye and decided to make our way to a place that holds some special memories for J. It was also the place she initially wanted to bring me to for high-tea but got to change her plans because dim sum was served that day instead. 

Yes, we went for a casual stroll at Capella! It's really a piece of heaven on its own down here. The entire hotel premise was so calm and tranquil, and look who came to welcome us as we walked towards the restaurant/pool.

A pair of peacocks! Yes, they are a pair of free-roam peacocks. 

 

They were roaming around at the cafe area before coming up the stairs to 'welcome' us. :)

 And beyond the restaurant outdoor seating area, was the pool. It's a pretty small pool, but the view was awesome. My samsung note 2 camera didn't do the scenery justice, I got to admit.

After which, we did a bit of exploring and left the hotel premise via the stretch of Garden Villa. And made our way back to Vivo City. 

And then we finally got to end my amazing day with a slice of chocolate berries tart from Fruit Paradise and a birthday song from J. :)

And I wanted to rush this blog post out by today (I would have taken longer if I could) because I'm flying to Melbourne (alone, on the flight) tomorrow!

So excited! :)

Till I'm back from Melbourne,

Mia

Continue

Mia's Tracker: Nu Skin's AgeLoc TR90

Yes, I've decided to do a series of periodic tracking post on my progress (hopefully) on AgeLoc TR 90. For those who have no idea what's TR 90 about, you can read them up HERE. Basically, it's a newer, better version of their previous weight management programme called TRA. 

Frankly speaking, the pricey-ness of this programme aside, I was also horribly put off by the amount of pills I have to pop on a daily basis. There are 16 of them! T.T 

But I totally jaw-dropped when my cousin (who sold the set to me after buying 3 at one go) told me she's still popping 29 pills daily with her TRA. 29 versus 16? I've no problems with my mathematics. 

So here's the load she hauled over to my workplace earlier this week. 

First up, is 15 days work of TR 90 Jumpstart, which is literally to jumpstart the entire programme. I dissolve it in 2 ounces of water and drink it in the morning on an empty stomach, along with the 4 pills I'm supposed to take 20 minutes before my breakfast. Taste wise, it's pretty funky albeit faint and diluted. I'll strongly recommend dissolving it in just the bare minimum amount of plain water (which is 2 ounces) and drinking it one shot. Don't think of adding it into your morning milk, milo or coffee. Don't ever think of trying that.

Then, there's TR 90 Complex and TR 90 Control. Both to be taken as 2 capsules twice daily, 15 to 20 minutes before meals. 

And then there's LifePak, which is just some multi-vitamins to ensure that we still get all the vitamins we need even on a controlled diet, with 4 pills to be taken twice daily.

 Trimshake in Chocolate Flavour, 1 packet to be taken in place of carbohydrates and protein for dinner daily. The diet of TR 90 is very simple. It's basically to cut down (but not remove completely) on carbohydrates and protein (meat etc), and eat more of vegetable and fruits. On top of it, to replace the carbs and protein with the replacement shake for every dinner. Yup, that's it. To be honest, I'm already on a no carbs dinner for quite a while (but of course my lunch are always super high carbs to make up for the 'lost') so the dinner diet is really no biggie for me. Just that after having the shake, I'm actually too full for my veggies and fruits. 

However, breakfast and lunch wise is a chore to follow. So up till now (it's been 5 days?) I've yet to follow the 'correct' TR 90 diet plan for my breakfast and lunch. :p 

Oh well, I shall work harder on that. But it's really hard given my working condition.... I'm keeping my finger cross that I'll still get results. 

 And lastly, one of the more useful gifts that came along with the set (the other two are measuring tape and a diet plate) is this blender bottle with this patented blender ball. To prepare my trimshake, I'll just pour my cold milk up to the recommended 300ml mark, pour in my sachet, throw in the blender ball, twist up and shake away. It'll get the mixture mixed up pretty well. A good tool for me to prepare my shake while outside. 

Alright, so for my progress update. I have to say there's basically nothing yet, apart from the fact that I'm taking in a surplus of vitamin B from the multi-vitamin and it's giving me highlighter yellow pee. But that's nothing to be worried about. It'll be fine as long as I drink more water (which I'm not).

And as for whether this tracker shall be a weekly update or bi-weekly update, I'm still deciding on it. Bi-weekly, perhaps? :)

Note: Updates on my final thoughts on this product HERE. Very important for you to read this if you're currently considering to purchase this product!
If you wish to just go ahead with the purchase without finding out more, I suggest you get it directly online via amazon.com instead of contacting a distributor and risk getting prospected as their downlines.
Good Luck.

Moreover, I've also successfully dropped 3.4kg following a Weed-Seed-Feed detox diet that doesn't come with any hefty price tag. Read my post on that HERE.

Till then,

Mia

Continue

Mia's Update: ParkRoyal on Pickering

This is a pretty late entry, for I've visited a Junior Suite at ParkRoyal on Pickering last month for a friend's birthday party. The hotel is located conveniently at 3 Upper Pickering Street, opposite Hong Lim Park, which is a mere 5 minutes walk from Clarke Quay MRT Station.

 The main entrance

 The interior of the hotel

credits to booking.com

 The 'green' exterior of the hotel building

credits to booking.com

ParkRoyal on Pickering, a PARKROYAL Collection hotel, redefines the metropolitan skyline with a unique hotel concept offering 15,000 square metres of lofty sky gardens, and an exclusive rooftop Orchid Club lounge that offers amazing 360 degree views of the Singapore city skyline for club room guests. Strategically located at the gateway to Singapore’s dynamic Central Business District, opposite Hong Lim Park, the hotel offers an ideal base for work or exploring the city. ParkRoyal provides modern comfort in their rooms and suites, and a dedicated wellness floor with terrace pool, spa and a jogging track high above the street level.

They are the newest hotel in the PARKROYAL portfolio and one of Singapore’s greenest hotels – proud recipient of the BCA Green Mark Platinum Award.

-adapted from Hotel Website-  

And now, let the picture do the talking first.

The corridor leading to our suite. 

 The separated lounge area with an executive desk and pretty bay windows. And yes, we were setting up Wii in the room. :)

 The bedroom, surrounded by 2 sides of bay windows, and a standard sized wardrobe.

And a pretty luxurious bathroom, with a separated WC (toilet) that wasn't pictured, a his and hers mixer basin stand, and the actual wet area with a bathtub and standing shower area. 

 The (non-complimentary) mini bar was well stocked up with chocolate bars, canned drinks and alcohols.

 The complimentary coffee machine and tea bags were pretty well stocked up as well. 

Room wise, there's absolutely no complaints. The suite was done up nicely with pretty ID finishes and provision of mood lighting that gives a luxurious feeling. Though homeowners might not truly appreciate the abundant existence of bay windows in their houses, I believe having them in hotel rooms will definitely be a plus point that serves to prim up the overall mood of the room. Just imagine spending a nice, quiet afternoon sitting at the bay window, reading your favourite book under the warm sunlight that streams in through the large windows.

The brilliance of the suite aside, I have to say that their service is really not up to the mark, yet. Unlike our previous staycation with The Quincy Boutique Hotel, whereby a friendly staff will show us up to our room and give us a detailed room tour to explain to us where were all the gadgets and equipments located and how to operate them, there was none of such thoughtfulness from ParkRoyal. We were left on our own, trying hard to figure out how to even on the lights to the bathroom!

On top of that, despite us requesting to check in at an earlier time, which we weren't rejected in the first place, we were informed that our check in will be delayed as the suite wasn't ready, even after their standard check in time! In the end, we were offered another suite. Nevertheless, the damage has been done as the initial room number holds a special meaning. 

Lastly, their service was really slow! We had some problems connecting our Wii to the TV and called the concierge for techical support. About (minimum) half an hour later, nobody turned up at our suite and we called again, to be told that they'll send the technician up soon. The technician didn't show up at our suite until at least another half an hour later. 

1 hour wait for technical support? Are you kidding me?! 

In spite of all the disappointment with their standards of service, we still had a great time together. At the end of the day, it's still the company that matters. :)

Just showing off the mad awesome chocolate cake we had that night. The whole cake was so rich and chocolatey. The most sinful indulgence of the night. Simply decadent! 

Till then,

Mia

Continue

Mia's Recipe: Japanese (New York) Cheesecake Cupcake

As in my Japanese Cotton Cheesecake post last week, I've mentioned I went on a baking spree that Sunday. Now, to be exact, I went on a cheesecake baking spree. Apart from the cotton cheesecake, I've also baked some NY cheesecake cupcakes. Now I can't really differentiate NY cheesecake against Japanese cheesecake (those sticks selling at Beard Papa), so if you know how to, please tell me!

Now, let's get on with the ingredients so we can get started. 

We will need:

For the crust base

Vanilla Wafers or Digestive Biscuits - 120g

Butter - 40g 

(You might wanna use a bit more butter with Digestives)

For the cheesecake

Cream Cheese - 200g

Caster Sugar - 60g

Eggs - 2 nos.

Fresh Cream - 150ml

Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp.

AP Flour - 3 tbsp.

Butter - 20g

First up, melt your butter in a hot water bath and then place the wafers/biscuits in a ziplock bag and smash them with a rolling pin or any alternatives. Otherwise, you can crush them in a food processor until fine. 

 I crushed my digestives with a wooden spoon, actually. 

 Mix in the melted butter until they resembles wet sand. 

Spoon the wet crumbs mixture into the muffin tin/sillicon cups lined with cupcake liners. I've used 1.5 to 2 tsp. each and then felt that my base was too thin when my cupcakes were baked. Will recommend doubling what I've used (3 to 4 tsp.) on a No. 8 cupcake liner. 

Press down the crumbs firmly into the cupcake liners and leave in the fridge for them to set for at least 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, we shall prepare the cheesecake mixture.

Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and add in caster sugar. Mix well.

Add eggs (beaten) bit by bit, mixing well with each addition. 

Add fresh cream and mix well.

Add lemon juice and mix well. 

Sift in flour and mix well. 

Finally, add in butter (melted) and mix well until the mixture is smooth. 

The batter will be pretty runny and liquidy. 

Pour the mixture into the crusted cupcake liners until 3/4 filled and bake at 170 degree Celsius for 20 minutes. 

Do not check the readiness of the cupcakes by inserting a toothpick, expecting them to come out clean, because they shouldn't!

I gauged by seeing my cupcake tops getting slightly browned (some didn't because my oven sucks) and developing this layer of sheen over the top. If you tap the top of the cupcakes, they should have this subtle 'jiggly' texture to it. 

Cool the cupcakes down to room temperature and chill them in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving. 

If you can see, the insides remain very soft and moist. I didn't do a good job with tapping out the air bubbles, though. :(

Till then,

Mia

Continue

Mia's Review: Chock Full Of Beans

Just yesterday, I visited Chock Full Of Beans at Changi Village with Sa and DS for one of my Pre-Birthday celebration. :)

Located at the end of a row of shophouses, the place is actually pretty hot. Literally. :p

In case you're wondering, CFOB is known for their awesome latte art.

Let's see what we've requested for the day. 

 I asked for a Minion on my Cafe Mocha and got DAVE!

 DS's Doraemon on his Hazelnut Latte

And Sa's Hello Kitty on her Hazelnut Latte, which later on got bits of poached egg added in. Okay, I shall not elaborate on that mishap.

In my opinion, even though their latte art is pretty impressive (I LOVE it, actually), the coffee has failed to impress me as much. The coffee is pretty weak, hovering dangerously close to being more like a milo than a mocha. But hey, I'll willingly close both eyes for the sake of my awesome minion latte art. :) 

And I'll definitely re-visit again and again for my mickey mouse, chipmunk, stitch, bunny, (and the list goes on) latte arts. 

 My Bangers & Egg - $17

Frankly speaking, I felt it's rather pricey for a croissant, scrambled eggs and 2 bangers. Plus, the scrambled egg (my favourite kind of egg) was not very well done. Very bland, almost tasteless, even though I've added in grounded black pepper and salt crazily. The croissant was crispy, but lacked the buttery fragrance I love about them. And the bangers were.... normal. Pretty dry and tough, but flavourful enough with a peppery savoury taste. 

Will I spend $17 for this again? No hesitation, my answer is no. 

 Buttermilk Waffle with Caramelised Bananas - $9

Honestly speaking, I think this waffle is every bit worth our $9. I wouldn't complain if it's slightly more expensive, either. It's so pretty! 

The sad thing was, the waffle was served together with the rest of our orders, and we only started eating it after we're all done with our individual mains. So by the time we started on the waffle, it was cold. :( 

Nevertheless, I think it's still good. The waffle was soft, fluffy and dense enough to not affect its fluffiness and yet not make us felt cheated of our money. I'm not familiar with buttermilk to know whether there's a distinctive buttermilk taste to it, but it definitely was at the right sweetness with a subtle baked fragrance to it. Plus, the caramelised banana topping was just brilliant! Cooked to soft in sugar syrup till caramelised, yet not exactly with the sickening mushy texture. There's no doubt to it, all 3 of us immediately nodded our head and said, "The banana is good!" at first bite. A must try if you're a waffle+banana person. But, do eat them while they're hot, please! Don't make the same mistake we made. 

And that's DS's Egg's Benedicts and Sa's wrap wasn't snapped... because it's just a wrap. *rofl* 

And as I've said this meet up was my pre-birthday celebration, here's what Sa bought for me as my present! A pair of Rilakkuma mopping slippers. Pretty soft and comfy too! And thanks for the treat as well! <3

Till then,
Mia

Continue