This month’s colour light purple 💜 (Though it looks a little like pink) #EBJ622 (at Toofdoctor Serangoon)

2nd Braces Adjustment - 3rd month into wearing braces. So far it has been love and hate - maximum hate and minimum love actually. Hahaha. As you might be aware, I love to eat. And, with the braces on, it restricts me to what I can eat because I hate the feeling of food stuck between my teeth or braces. 

This month, it’s gonna be a new challenge because I’m putting on some rubber bands. Rather, one rubber band on the right side of my teeth. Why? Because there’s this one stubborn tooth that is not moving in with the rest. So it needs to rubber band to correct it manually. 

Hoping it’s going to get easier after today because the bands are really difficult to fit in and, it makes my daily routine longer than usual. HAHA. Also, gums really hurt after the adjustment yesterday. Can’t wait for next month’s adjustment. Hopefully, I can bid goodbye to the rubber bands. :)

p.s. ebj622 denotes Ellie’s Braces Journey from 22-Jun.

Cuppa Tea. (at Artichoke Cafe & Bar)

I learnt a new word. #Senso

SPRMKT - Food | Retail | Art

It’s a work day and we visited SPRMKT for lunch since it’s just across the street from our office.

Ambience was pretty good but food prices were a little high - especially when we were just trying to fill our stomachs for lunch. Cause D and I are suckers for salmon - raw, smoked, pan-fried, whichever way you do it, we ordered the Eggs Royale ALL DAY BREAKFAST. And she ordered truffle fries. Like I mentioned before, I’m not crazy over truffle fries but I have no idea why my friends around me all are. So ignoring the confusion, she ordered and we shared. I don’t really know how to tell good truffle fries with the not-so-good truffle fries but I felt this was pretty good. Seasoning or rather the taste of truffles was strong but not overpowering and the tint of Parmesan worked wonders. So they’ll get a fan out of me. Haha.

When the main course came, it looked really delicious. And it is served with a side salad with no greens. Well, if you don’t already know, I don’t eat leafy green salads because I just didn’t like how raw leafy vegetables taste. But I was really glad that it was only cabbage and lettuce with tomatoes. Awesome or what? The eggs were well cooked, rather, skillfully cooked so I have no complains about that.

Overall, the experience was good but I would re-consider going there again for lunch because it is pricey.

“RATE: 3.5/5

{ADDRESS}
2 McCallum St
Nearest Train Station: EWL Tanjong Pagar

{MENU CHOICES}
Truffle Fries
Eggs Royale

Foodie Hide & Seek
-Elizabeth.

A "Strangers' Reunion' with the "Waffle Slayer"

Left to Right - Danny, me, YJ

Section 2.3 - 3 and missing 2 - Reunion, like finally. So we’ve known each other for like 6 years now since we entered JC in 08 (Time just zoomed past in a Bugatti. HAHAHA). Guitar was what introduced us and friendship was what kept us in touch. No matter how long we stayed apart, we could always catch up with never-ending topics. Haha.

One fine day, we decided to visit Stranger’s Reunion for brunch but when we arrived, place was packed to the roof. We decided to take a step outside and wait by the benches. Then came this guy - I forgot to ask him for his name - he told us that they were related to Waffle Slayer and if we would mind sitting at the other side. Of course we were glad and eager to get out of the hot sun and once we were seated, these few ladies came and gave us the menu and all. We decided quickly and waited for our orders.

Took quite a while for the orders to arrive but one of the girl came to us to inform us that there’s a backlog of orders and hence the delay in the kitchen. We could do with a little delay since it’s been quite some time since we met.

Truffle fries came first and they were pretty good. I’m not really crazy about truffle fries but it was good enough. Then came the baked eggs which was good but a little too spicy for my taste. My friends had the Deep-fried poached eggs and baked eggs. And according to them, they were awesome.

Overall experience for Stangers’ Reunion food was well, 3.5/5 because I find it a little pricey. It’s good but it’s not THAT good.

Moving on to the WAFFLES!

So these waffles are from Waffle Slayer and not from the Kitchen of Strangers’ Reunion and the difference?
Waffle Slayer has waffles in both sweet and savory flavors that feature red velvet, matcha and even squid ink waffle.

We tried the Buttermilk Waffle with Peanut Butter because YJ is crazy about peanut butter and to satisfy my curiosity, we took red velvet buttermilk waffle. We were not that curious to find out what the savory waffles taste like because we were all just craving for sweets. Will visit again for the savory waffles and judge again. Anyway, the waffles were de-li-cious! What do you say when they’re crisp on the outside and soft on the inside? I don’t know but think about it. Salivate over it and decide if you should try it.

I’ll give Waffles Slayer a 4.5/5 because there is always room for improvement. ((:

{ADDRESS}
37 Kampong Bahru Rd
Nearest Train Station: NEL Outram EXIT G

{MENU CHOICES}
Deep-Fried Poached Egg
Baked Eggs
Eggs Benedict
Truffle Fries
Buttermilk Waffle with Peanut Butter
Red Velvet Buttermilk Waffle

Foodie Hide & Seek
-Elizabeth.

Fault? Had to check the definition to be sure.

If you’re wondering why I had ‘FAULT’ checked out, because a simple comment sparked a whole lot of trouble.

Context aside, what is the most important thing to you when friends meet up?

To me, it is the company followed by the activity you engage in. What happens when you and your friend have different priorities? You end up in a squabble on whose making the most effort and whose not making enough.

I’m not going to repeat the entire story because I feel this entire episode started with a comment that everyone - and I mean everyone no matter if you know me well or not - will be able to discern it as a joke, a casual sentence.

Nonetheless, this got me thinking.

She was never this worked up. What was it that changed? The people were still the same. The intention was still the same - at least to me it remained. But what has changed? Was it because we have all moved on to the next phase in life? Was it because there was less communication hence more friction? Or was it just simply because she was having a bad day?

No matter what you’re feeling, it is no excuse to throw it on your friend.

As your friend, we will accept your good and bad. We will accept your high and low. But we do not need to accept your attitude and distrust. Don’t hide details and throw it out later thinking it will make you more of a hero of the sacrifices you’re making. We will understand your effort, we will understand your pain, only if we are aware of your effort and your pain. Without the entire truth, what do you expect us to do? Just remember, always do what you do, go with the flow and your friends will understand. They chose to befriend you not because you’re the hero but because you’re you. Stay you, stay true.

Good luck, all.

-Elizabeth.

SampleStore Review - Checkout 2: Essential Damage Care Hair Mask

{YAY OR NAY}
[Y] Nice Smell
[Y] Rich Texture
[Y] Does not dilute

{WHERE/ HOW TO GET}
Major drugstores and supermarkets

{OVERALL}
The package I received came with both types of Hair Mask - Nuance Airy and Rich Premier. I used the Rich Premier one first and I really love how the product smells. Basically, it feels like a whole lot of shear buttery goodness in your hair because it is so thick and rich. You can’t really feel the water content which is good, personally. When your hair is wet, it should be good enough to help spread the product all around. Before using this product, right after you shampoo-ed, you should try to squeeze out any remaining water in your hair as much as possible. Rinse off thoroughly and do take note to rinse your bathroom floor. It does make the floor pretty slippery too. HAHA. Hair feels really soft and silky after drying off. Would definitely recommend this product. You can try it for yourself before deciding on whether or not you should get it. Simply register at SampleStore.com for these goodies! 

“RATING: 4/5

-Elizabeth.

Sunday Folks, Singapore

{ADDRESS}
44 Jalan Merah Saga, Chip Bee Gardens #01-52

Alight at Holland V and take exit A - Chip Bee Gardens. Once you emerge from the MRT station, walk straight ahead to Chip Bee Gardens and turn left. You should see the ‘Sunday Folks’ banner flag in a while.

{MENU CHOICES}
Earl Grey Lavender Waffles (left), and Roasted Pistachio Waffles (right)

{OVERALL}
This place is pretty easy to find. Conveniently located near Holland Village. You would probably be reading a lot of food places here so do try them out when you are nearby or if you’re into food seeking as much as I do. Anyway, S and I went to this cafe but what we didnt know if that they did not serve any main course. Everything that is on the menu is waffles and their signature soft-serve ice cream. S ordered an Earl Grey Lavender waffles topped with cheescake cubes and I ordered a roasted pistachio waffles. Disclaimer, if you are looking to take a good photo of your waffles, do it quick! Because these waffles are served with soft-serve ice cream and it melts pretty fast. If you are not fast enough, you would end up like us - with a toppled ice cream right after the photo. Haha. Overall, I believe I would go back again for the waffles if I am around the area. Would love to try out their cakes as well. I do not have any photos but they sure look delicious. I do have another post coming up regarding waffles so, please stay tune. 

“RATING: 4/5

For now, do try Sunday Folks! :)

Foodie Hide & Seek
-Elizabeth.

A video posted by Elizabeth T (@eliz_betht) on Aug 8, 2014 at 8:17am PDT

A farewell, Date. #punintended #handecraft #crafteliz #elliecrafts #wellmissyou (at Fast Retailing Singapore)

SampleStore Review: My first checkout...

Recently, I signed up at SampleStore.com following my friend’s advice. If you don’t know what SampleStore is, it is a website – managed by Singapore Post – that allows its users to redeem samples for try-out before actually committing to a whole bottle/ pack of product. In each redemption cart, you are allowed to redeem up to 4 different samples. And, generally, there are 2 types of samples available:

(1) Sponsored Samples
Enjoy 4 samples absolutely free-of-charge as postage is paid forth by the various companies
(2) Other Samples
With a minimal cost of 5.99SGD, you get to enjoy 4 premium samples that you may or may not fall in love with

What’s good about SampleStore is that it updates its samples pretty often and there is a large variety of samples available. With every review you provide, you will get to earn 2 points which is used to redeem more samples. Well, ain’t this a vicious cycle that you just can’t step out of? J Another thing I like about SampleStore is that they carry good brands and not some ‘ulu’ brand. You will be confident to try-out the products in SampleStore because you have heard of the brands they carry somewhere.

The not-so-good thing about SampleStore is that the samples gets snapped up pretty fast. So you’ve got to watch it often or else you’ll be missing out the best deals. So far, I have yet to try the paid samples but I heard that there is only 1 paying option, i.e. PayPal. People like me that don’t have PayPal accounts, I don’t know if you will be creating one but I’m pretty sure Singapore Post will come up with another payment method once this SampleStore program stabilizes – if you’re willing to wait.

So here goes my first review on the products I received from SampleStore on my first checkout.

Hiruscar
<Good> Smell of the gel is pretty nice and it is clear in color. I like how it feels when applied, not too sticky and the smell is not too intense. 
<Not-so-good> I probably didn’t use it enough as it says you need like a period before it actually make visible changes. Well, I did see some reduction in redness but not that much about lightening the scars.

No definite judgment yet but it sure is a product you can consider keeping.

Nivea In-Shower Body Conditioner
<Good> Love how this product feels when applied. It really feels like your hair conditioner. Speaking of, there are like literally conditioners for everything now. How great is that? Moisture, moisture and more moisture. (Y).
<Not so good> Nothing much actually. Just that like any other conditioners, you gotta be careful after you wash them off. Do rinse your floors a little more as it tends to get a tad bit more slippery after.

HAVE FUN & enjoy locking in the water even with your packed schedules!

DHC PPQ gel & DHC Suncut Q10 Aqua Gel SPF 50
<Good> It’s really easy to apply and the product feels great on the skin. Easily absorbed.
<Not-so-good> Again, there is nothing much to say bad about this product. I only wished I had more…

I decided to write this 2 ‘reviews’ together because they were of the same brand and they felt similar when I applied them. I first heard of this brand after watching running man. HAHA. Because, if I’m not mistaken, Song Ji Hyo is the ambassador for this brand in Korea. Nonetheless, if you’re looking to get this in Singapore, try visiting Watsons.

So, that’s about it. Let’s just end here.

- Elizabeth.

Many may seek but not all shall find...

Does the title sound familar to you? If yes, you may have heard of this secret cafe in Singapore - Whale & Cloud.

After hearing about this ‘famous’ secret cafe - tucked away in the streets of Niven Road - I’ve been wanting to check them out. And finally, late last night while chatting with my friend, we finally decided to visit this morning.  

Personally, this does not feel much like a cafe except for the aroma of roasted beans. When we stepped in, it was more like entering a house of a friend, a host. It was a fairly small space much like the size of a regular bedroom but I felt the space was very well utilized.

The owner - I assume - spoke to us and very simply asked, “black or white?” Basically, they only serve coffee drinks and I went ahead with a flat white. Coffee’s pretty good and from what I heard, these beans were brought back from the owner’s travels all around. 

Reason why I said the concept was more like a hosted party was because of the center table of cakes and pastries. They looked really good and the ‘menu’ changes weekly. We tried the Banana Walnut and the Carrot Cake loaf and it was good! Exactly because of its small space, it felt very private like everyone knew one another and the owner was very friendly. Chatting with the various ‘groups’ and talking about his travels. 

Price-wise. We didn’t know what to do because there was no menu and no price tags. Of all the ‘research’ that I have done online, everyone was saying different things. I’m serious, you should google it and see for yourself. What we ended up doing was ‘tipping’ a reasonable amount for the loafs and coffee right before we left. I believe it is up to you but like I said, it should be reasonable. 

We left pretty soon as there were more ‘seekers’ knocking on the door and we didn’t wanna hog up the space. Oh, and did I mention that the owner will lock up the door once the cafe is full. Not to worry if you’re there and the cafe is full, they have this bench outside that tells you they’re open and you can take a seat to wait. So, fret not - it’s not a wasted trip yet.

Overall, I thought it was a good experience. The pastries were good and the coffee too. Of course, the company made everything better but if you’re around the area, try your luck and find this place. If you were to arrive by the front, you will see this office space called LIFEOPP and right beside it is this green polka dotty unit that is filled with kids apparel and accessories. When you take a closer look at the LIFEOPP door, you will see a little notice.

So, all you have to do is follow the instructions until you see the bright blue door. And if it says OPEN, you’re in luck. From what I gather, they only open on Saturdays from 0900-1600hrs, but I’m not too sure about the other days. Alternatively, you can and probably should follow their instagram (@whalencloud) for updates. As far as I know, whenever they’re open, they will upload a photo or two on Instagram so this could be your best bet. 

Good luck and have fun seeking!

- Elizabeth.