Travel: 2014 Jul Marriott Mai Khao Beach Vacation Club Phuket, Thailand

Hubby got invited to stay at Marriott's Mai Khao Beach Vacation Club Phuket[1]. We have no idea who recommended us, but I for sure am grateful to whoever he/she might be. The 4D3N stay was free (air tickets not included of course). The only price to pay is to sit in for their sales presentation for at least an hour. The sales talk took place at Marriott's Phuket Beach Club. In fact, there are 3 Marriott's property within that area: Marriott's Mai Khao Beach, Marriott's Phuket Beach, JW Marriott@ Phuket. By the way, this is not a sponsored post (in case you are wondering).

Sales presentation venue

We went when QW was just 3 months old. Well, some might say she is too young for a plane ride. At least our paediatrician (PD) Dr. Ho of Australia Clinic think so. I still remembered his words when we told him about the trip, "Baby, can you don't go? You are too young and you haven't finish all your vaccinations yet."

I wavered. Had it not been that hubby had already bought the tickets and booked the room (which was expiring by end Jul), I probably would have asked him to cancel the trip. But not surprisingly, we did see younger babies (at most a month old) on board. Kudos to their parents. Seeing them did put me at ease by a little though.

Good thing about going to Phuket is the plane ride is short enough for QW (2 hours) not to become too cranky. To better prepare ourselves for the plane ride, I did some research and found the advices given by Mama Natural[2] pretty useful. Hence, I faithfully nursed QW when the plane took off and landed. I was glad that QW cooperated pretty well though she did not seemed to like the baby/infant buckle.

Not sure what are your feelings about Phuket Customs. I am totally loving them! For both our arrival and departure, the Customs officers immediately led me to a new counter when they saw me carrying QW. The same goes for those parents who were carrying their babies. They get cleared faster as well. Clearing the Customs faster to me meant that I have more room (freedom) to move about in case QW becomes fussy.

Once we cleared the Customs, our ride to the Vacation Club was already waiting for us. Took us about 15 to 20 minutes to reach the Vacation Club.

Foyer

Lobby

Reception

Welcome drink

Before I forget, we went with his family and my siblings. A total of 6 people because we saw from their website that their typical 2 bedroom villa sleeps 6[3]. Check out the interior of their villa apartment:

Entrance

Bedroom 1 

Bedroom 1 toilet 

Bedroom 2 (King size bed)

Bedroom 2 wardrobe and TV

Bedroom 2 toilet

View taken from living room

Dining area

Kitchen cutleries

Kitchen cooking wares

Kitchen dinnerwares

Washing machine, dryer, iron, ironing board, etc.

Balcony

Most of the stuff you need to whip up a meal can be found in the kitchen, ranging from cutleries to dish washing detergent. The only thing you need to get hold of is your ingredients.

Being quite a distance from touristy places like Patong beach and Phuket center, it does not mean you will be bored stiff there. Rather, I find this place is tranquil and helps to revitalise a lot! A good place if you want to just wind down and recharge. Here are some things you can do within their compound:

Play a game of snooker in their billiard pavilion

Relax at their swimming pool

Dine in at their restaurant 

Vegetarian menu

Play a ball game

Join one of their activities

Some other to-dos within their compound but I did not take a photo of are

• kids club: activities for kids
• gym
• yoga pavilion
• bicycle rental
• table tennis tables
• Not forgetting, SPA!

If you finished occupying your time using the facilities within their compound, here are some other activities that you can do in their surrounding:

Take a free shuttle bus to explore their 2 other properties

Shop and dine in at their next door Turtle Village 

Buy your ingredient to cook a meal
(located within Turtle Village)

Take a stroll

Go to the beach 

Panoramic view of the beach

One thing I really liked about their beach is it gave me the feeling of a private beach. True to what you see in the panoramic view, there is no/hardly anyone at the beach. The waves are pretty strong here, so I won't recommend swimming in it. But, a walk would be pretty relaxing when you want a place to de-stress.

Before I forget, there is another thing you can do at Turtle Village apart from shopping and dining. They have a couple of booth which promotes their property: Anantara Phuket villa. For, again, the price of attending their sales presentation (when we visited them), you can sign up for their freebies which may be Phi Phi islands tour, body massage, etc.

Maybe, it was because of all the freebies. Maybe, it was because we just relaxed around the very spacious villa. Or maybe, it was because we did not go to where most tourists go. I find that Phuket is a pretty good place to relax and recharge. Hence, I do think that Phuket is worth at least one visit. But, my personal preference is still Taiwan or New Zealand for repeated visits.

Would I visit Phuket again if not for those freebies? Unlikely, since I have already seen most of Phuket. Anyway, we enjoyed our Phuket trip and returned home fully recharged. Goodbye Phuket, maybe see you again~

References:

1. Marriott's Phuket Beach Club
2. YouTube - Mama Natural: 10 Tips for Airline Travel with Baby
3. Marriott's Phuket Beach Club - Villas & Amenities
4. Tripadvisor - RYWsg in Mai Khao, Thailand

Vegetarianism: Potato Fried Egg

This dish is well-liked by my hubby. It is sort of inspired after I had rosti in Marche.

Personally, I preferred to use russet potatoes because I like the texture. Also, it is because the size of potato is just right. But, it should work with any breed of potatoes. If you are using baby potatoes, just make sure that there are enough strips to cover the bottom of your frying pan.

Ingredients:
1 potato cut into strips
2 eggs
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp chilli flakes
Cooking oil

Steps:

1. Fry the strips of potatoes in cooking oil, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp chilli flakes until thoroughly cooked. Mix well.
2. Roughly arrange the potatoes to cover the bottom of the frying pan.
3. Beat 2 eggs and pour over the potatoes.
4. Flip side when the bottom side is cooked until golden brown.
5. Serve when both sides are cooked until golden brown.

Bon appetit!

Vegetarianism: Milo Inspired Recipes

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone :) Greetings from QW, my hubby and I!

QW ootd: Carter's

Now, back to the topic on Milo. What does 'Milo' mean to you? Most of us would probably just think of it as just a drink right? For me, Milo means a lot of other things, including memories.

I really LOVE and still have fond memories of Milo trucks! My primary and secondary schools hired them to provide drinks for our Sports Day at Kallang Stadium and Macritchie reservoir respectively. But no matter how I try to recreate the taste, I just cannot seem to get my homemade Milo to taste as delicious as those from the Milo trucks! If you know the secrets behind, please share!!!

Milo was also one of the few food that my mother was able to stomach when she experienced morning sickness. Milo porridge is still what I will have if I need a quick and nutritious meal (and of course when I am feeling lazy).

Anyway, featuring yet another brilliantly written article by my by my ex-band student Denise Bay! This round, she consolidated 20 Milo recipes! Out of those 20 recipes, I have only tried one: Milo porridge. I guess it is time for me to head to the kitchen to try more then!

Bon appetit!
May 2015 be as wonderful as 2014 for you all!

Reference:

1. TheSmartLocal - 20 Milo Recipes That Will Change How You Look at Milo Forever!

Travel: 2010 to 2013 Stay at H132 Hostel, Taipei, Taiwan

Whenever I make my annual visit to Taipei (since 2010), I will always stay in H132 Hostel[1] which used to be known as Star Hostel[2]. It is conveniently located within 5 (at most 10) minutes walk from Zhong Shan station. Before you start thinking that this is a sponsored review, I assure you that it is not.

I found H132 Hostel with my best friend back in 2010. We were attracted to it mainly because its convenient location, it being within our budget, its chic interior design and its facilities: free WIFI, ensuite bathroom, complimentary breakfast, desk service, in-room hair dryer, towels, etc. On top of that, it was newly opened back then.

I vividly remembered that we stayed in Room 401 back in 2010. It was a private en-suite double bed room (meaning it has attached bathroom).

Panoramic view of H132 lobby

H132 lobby

H132 room walkway

H132 double bed

H132 in-room TV

H132 bathroom

We were pleasantly surprised by their staff who spoke English fluently. They are also extremely helpful, which made you feel at home and well taken care of!

A recount on the extra mile that they went on my most recent stay: We were supposed to stay for one last night but my hubby's friend checked us out, showed us around Taoyuan and checked us in South Gardens Hotels and Resorts. Because we checked out too last minute, we did not get any refund and forgot to collect the key deposit! But the staff were very helpful and e-mail us about a week later to refund us the key deposit.

As for the unpleasant part about staying in H132, first of all, it does not have a lift. To reach its common area (lobby), you got to walk a flight of stairs up to the 2nd level of the building. The rooms are located from 3rd level onwards. Next unpleasant part (as the year passes) was ant infestation. The last but most unpleasant part is that H132 gets fully booked TOO FAST!

In any case, now that Star Hostel is relocated near Taipei Main Station, I will stay there (assuming I manage to book a room of course!) when I visit Taipei because they finally have lifts within their new building! That, I think, is very crucial given that we have QW to bring along with us! 

Until next time, keep up the great work and we will be missing you~ Star Hostel~!

References:

1. Star Hostel
2. Tripadvisor - 2012 RYWsg in Taipei H132 Hostel reviews
3. Tripadvisor - 2011 RYWsg in Taipei H132 Hostel reviews

Vegetarianism: Chye Sim Egg Soup

Chye sim egg soup occupies a special place in my heart. It holds a dear memory which my maternal grandmother and I shared. Before I share the memory, let's take a look at how to cook this simple soup which takes less than 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

2 to 3 stalks chye sim cut into smaller pieces

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 beaten egg
500 ml water

Steps

1. Add 1 tsp pepper and 1 tsp salt in 500 ml water (use hot water to speed things up), and boil.
2. Add in chye sim and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until chye sim is crispy green.
3. Switch off flame and swirl in 1 beaten egg.

That's it! It's done and ready to serve. Do adjust the amount of seasoning to suit your taste. 

Now, back to the chye sim fond memory of my maternal grandmother. She passed away since I was in Secondary One. But, I still recalled vividly what happened that day.

It was a school day. My father sent me to primary school per mother's instruction. I was supposed to be on one more day of medical leave still due to chicken pox. Of course, I got sent back the moment I got into the classroom.

First, I tried to contact my parents but could not reach them. Since the only other number I remembered was my maternal grandmother's, I dialled it while praying that she was at home. Rang thrice and she picked up. A sigh of relief! Phew~ 

Luckily for me, she stayed near my primary school (and my place). Within an hour, I was at her house waiting for my parents to pick me up. Seeing that I am on the verge of crying (pretty traumatic experience for a primary kid), she cooked me this soup. Hence, this soup is one of my comfort food. It never fails to calm me down.

For years, I was trying to recreate it by adding seasonings such as vegetarian oyster sauce, mushroom granules, vegetable stock cubes, etc. but in vain. Something about the soup just did not bring back those fond memories.

Then, I recalled that my maternal grandmother was not a vegetarian (hence, I doubt she stocked up those seasonings). Also, she cooked me the soup about 20 plus years back. At that time, those seasonings were not readily available (or not in the market) too. So, I decided to go back to the basics and use only pepper and salt. Viola~  I finally got back the taste I missed so much. More accurately speaking, I miss her dearly still...

This is a very simple clear soup. Some might feel that the vegetable taste is a bit strong. But, I hope you will also like it. To increase its nutritional value, you may want to add in other ingredients such as tomatoes, carrots, etc. Go ahead and experiment with it! 

Bon appetit!

Vegetarianism: Tomato Rice

A Facebook post on cooking tomato rice using rice cooker captured my attention. It looked simple and fuss free enough for me to give it a try. One thing to note, I deviated the amount of seasoning and water used from those suggested by the YouTube[1].

Ingredients:
1 tomato (pick a big one place of at least the size of your palm)
2 cups rice
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
Water

Steps:

1. Wash 2 cups of rice and add water as indicated by the rice cooker.
2. Add 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp olive oil. Mix well.
3. Remove stem from tomato and it on top the mixture with stem side faced down.
4. Once cooked, stir the tomato into the rice and serve.

Step 3: Ready to commence cooking

Step 4: Mixed well and ready to serve

As compared to plain rice, this is definitely more nutritious if you are in a rush to get a meal ready. It has the fresh tomato smell, yet not over powering. A really quick way to boost the amount of carotene lycopene[1] (a very powerful antioxidant) and vitamin A in a meal~

Bon appetit!

References:

1. YouTube - How to make whole tomato rice
2. Wikipedia - Tomato

Travel: The Seletar Mall Visit

The Seletar Mall opened in Nov 2014 only meant one thing to me: A new place to explore! :) And that was exactly what I did on 15 Dec 2014, Monday.

Being so new, some of the shops have yet started business. There are also vacant spots here and there, waiting for their potential bosses' to lease them. Hence, I think I should probably revisit it in a few months' time.

Once you step in, you will definitely notice the many food eateries scattered on various levels of the mall. It not only houses the usual McDonald, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, but also the less commonly seen Delifrance. In any case, you will be spoilt for food choices if you are a non-vegetarian. 

But for a vegetarian, the food court operated by Food Fare does not have a vegetarian stall. Hence if you want to grab a bite, you will have to settle for the vegetarian dishes offered by one of the eateries or exit the mall and walk to the nearby non air-conditioned Koufu food court.

Some of the pull factors would probably be NTUC Finest and Shaw Theatres. For those staying Seng Kang/Punggol area, it definitely beats going to The Seletar Mall than travelling to Kovan and Serangoon MRT station respectively. 

You will also see the usual variety of shops ranging from fashion to travel. But one thing did catch my eyes is that the mall would appeal to new parents because of the many kids related stores such as Mothercare, Lamkins, Baby Spa etc.

Being new to parenthood, one of the places that I zoomed into is the baby care rooms (again~ Haa~!), which are located at levels B1, 3 and 4. I managed to check out the ones at levels 3 and 4.

At level 4 (where the cinema is located), the main sliding door to the baby care room is automated with lock function. There are 2 diaper changing stations, a sink, a hot/cold water dispenser, a nursing section separated by a sliding door with lock function, dust bin and 2 power sockets (located in the nursing section).

Level 4: Automated main sliding door with lock function

Level 4: Water dispenser, 2 changing stations, sink, dust bin

Level 4: 2 power sockets in the nursing section

Level 4: Nursing section's sliding door

Level 4: Nursing section's cushion seat

The power sockets, which I feel is especially useful for pumping mothers, is hanging on the wall and not near any physical structure (e.g. table or shelf). Also, the distance between the sockets and the cushion seat is pretty far. So, it might be a bit of a inconvenience if you want to pump comfortably because you do not seem to have a convenient spot to place your pumping essentials.

Comparing to the baby care room at level 3, the one at level 4 is larger in terms of size (though still smaller than the one at Compass Point). It should fit in 3 strollers comfortably (2 to use the diaper changing stations and another in the nursing section). The nursing section is also better ventilated as it has a dedicated air-conditioning vent.

On the other hand, level 3 has 1 diaper changing station, a sink, dust bin and 1 nursing section separated by a sliding door with lock function. It is smaller than level 4's baby care room but it can probably fit in 2 strollers (1 to use the diaper changing station and the other the nursing section). I personally feel that if you close the level 3 nursing room's sliding door (which I can't seem to lock!), you will feel that it is very stuffy because of the lack of air-conditioning vent. 

Level 3: Water dispenser, changing station, sink, dust bin

Level 3: Nursing section's cushion seat

To end, I feel that the mall is a pretty kids friendly place. I hope that the mall management has/will looked into ways to ensure that people do not misuse the baby care rooms (for their water dispensers and/or sinks), so that those who truly need to use the facilities can access them.

In any case, I will write another post on the mall again with details on the B1 nursing/diaper changing room when I revisit it. In that post, I will also include the roof top garden (which I think is probably kids friendly too).