This weeks post has been put up late because I wanted to make it a Birthday edition! Nothing too interesting or exciting happened, although I still wanted to share it with you.  After all, you only turn 18 once.

I have been to Clarke Quay in my past visits to Singapore, but not recently, so I really wanted to have my birthday dinner there because I believe it is such a nice location which offers seriously delicious food. Clarke Quay is definitely a tourist hotspot, but with that, it creates such a relaxing vibe. The sidewalks, as soon as you exit the train station, are lined with restaurants. You see people strolling by the water’s edge, travelling up and down the water way on traditional looking, Chinese boats and scanning the menus outside restaurants; no one is in any rush. Most of the buildings in the Quay are painted with vibrant splashes of colour which  makes the area very exciting and picturesque.

We booked a table at Muchos Mexican bar and Restaurant, which was such a treat. We were served really lovely, fresh and extremely tasty Mexican food. I sadly forgot to take a photo of the sharing plater of soft tacos because I just couldn’t wait to dig in! Sincere apologies. We sat outside on a deck which was situated right beside the water. We watched the sunset and the stars cast their place upon the night sky as we celebrated.

Following Dinner we made our way to Marina Bay and caught a glimpse of the light show. There was a live band playing beside the water’s edge and around the bay there was recyclable art on display. There were illuminated recycled plastic bottle lights which looked like a field of dandelions from afar. There was also a cloud made out of light bulbs of which you could switch on by pulling the string. Crowds were drawn to these extremely clever and interactive art pieces.

My birthday yesterday was filled with special memories with my new friends and delicious treats.  One of my closest friends at Uni got me a box of cupcakes from 12 Cupcakes! She clearly already knows the way to my heart. They were all delicious. The best, most special gifts are always unexpected. That evening I spent with my family, celebrating adult hood.

I did really miss celebrating alongside my Australian friends, but thank God for Skype and social media which allowed me to see and speak to them all! Despite being on the other side of the world. 

I am writing this weeks blog post outside, which is such a welcomed pleasure. The extreme lack of rain in the last few months means that the outdoors aren’t the usual horrible level of humidity and a breeze can be very cooling.

This week was my first week of university. I of course was extremely nervous on my first day, but by the end of it I was laughing alongside my treasured new friends. I have only been to school in Australia, so attending school outside of what I was used to proved very interesting. I was fascinated by the fact that the majority of my class mates came from different parts of the world, such as Vietnam and China. It was so interesting just to talk to them about where they were from and compare cultures.

These last two weeks I have been doing one of my favourite things on earth; re reading books. When I don’t have time to go to a book store or I have to wait for my order to come, I search through my collection for book to help pass the time. People are usually dumfounded by the idea that someone would ever want to read a book twice, but I suppose it’s exactly like watching a movie over. One of the benefits is that you usually pick up on things that you didn’t notice the first time you read it. The books I read were ‘The Time Travellers Wife’ by Audrey Niffenegger; which is my favourite book of all time, and ‘One Day’, by David Nicholls. I think these novels are the perfect choice if you’re searching for an enchanting, unique and addicting book.  They both also have brilliant endings which is something I love about them both.

After class one afternoon I headed to my favourite book store here in Singapore; Kinokuniya. The one I most commonly go to is at Orchard. It really is a book lover’s heaven. It is filled abundant range of books from all genres. I find it extremely convenient because you can find many of the western novelists’ new releases which aren’t as common in smaller book stores here. I picked up another one of Gillian Flynn’s books called ‘Sharp Objects’. 

I also headed into the harbor this week, which is right beside the famous Marina Bay Sands and the art museum. There was a jazz festival on, so it created such a calming and enjoyable atmosphere as we strolled along the river.  

Despite dealing with homesickness and culture shock, something I love about moving somewhere new is all the unprecedented discoveries you make on a daily basis. Behind every corner is something new to feast your eyes upon. This feeling just makes everything hard to comprehend worthwhile; it makes you feel truly alive.

Driving home after my university orientation day mum took me into a flower market along Thompson Road, which unfolded into a nursery. Inside there was the most beautiful array of flowers. The store smelt sweet and fresh, with different types of flowers framing the room. The colourful flowers illuminated the somewhat bleak looking interior.

Walking distance from my home is café called Wimbly Lu Chocolates. Since I moved here and spotted this café I’ve wanted to go there because I had heard such wonderful reviews.  It’s a small cozy cafe, with different types of furniture adding to the quirky and fun factor.  Finally this week I went in for afternoon tea, and it far exceeded my expectations.  I ordered an ice chocolate assuming it would be the usual bland drink where large amounts of crushed ice overpowered the desired flavour. Although this drink was phenomenal. You could taste actual chocolate and cocoa; something rare in the many ice chocolates I had consumed previously. It was creamy and delicious. Of course I couldn't just come to this café and get a drink. So I ordered a waffle with vanilla bean ice cream and toffee sauce. One thing you must know about me is that I am an absolute sucker for waffles and whilst I scanned the menu I convinced myself that yes, I did deserve this treat. I think they are one of the most delicious desserts, and that is exactly what this waffle was. The toffee and ice cream added another simply delectable layer to this dish of my dreams. I definitely recommend this café to anyone who is in Singapore and isn't concerned about their waistline but feasting on sweet delicious foods. 

Kaylah Cooks #1: Lemon and Coconut Slice

When I finished school I wrote a list of goals that I wanted to achieve now that I did not have study tying me down. One of those goals was to bake multiple times per week. Baking is something I missed a lot while I was studying; I found it to be very therapeutic and thoroughly enjoyable. So this week, instead of making the usual array of cakes such as chocolate and butter as well as cupcakes, I decided to do something different. I baked a lemon and coconut slice, which was a HUGE hit. I've been demanded by my siblings to make it again as soon as possible. So, with this, I decided to share the recipe with you!

You will need:

Base:

•  125g unsalted butter, melted, cooled
•   3/4 cup caster sugar
•  1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
•  1 egg, lightly beaten

Lemon Curd Filling:

·         1/3 cup cornflour

·         1/2 cup water

·         1 cup fresh lemon juice

·         1 cup caster sugar

·         60g butter, coarsely chopped

·         3 egg yolks

Coconut topping: 

·         3 egg whites, lightly beaten

·         3/4 cup caster sugar

·         1 1/2 cups desiccated coconut

You will need to begin by preheating your oven to 170°C fan-forced and grease a slice pan, lining it with baking paper.

Following this, place butter, sugar, flour and egg into a bowl. Stir to combine. Press into prepared pan. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until light golden.

Whilst the slice is baking you can start on the lemon curd.  Combine cornflour, water, lemon juice and sugar into a saucepan. Whisk for 4 minutes or until the mixture thickens and has a smooth, shiny consistency. Remove from heat, whisking in the butter and egg yolks. Make sure you cool mixture before placing it on the slice. You can also use bought lemon curd from the supermarket.

To make the coconut topping place the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until mixture is white, thick and forms peaks. Fold in sugar and coconut until glossy.

Once the slice base and curd is cooled, spread the lemon curd over the slice base. Sprinkle with coconut topping. Bake for 15 minutes or until the coconut mixture is golden brown. Cut the slice into squares, ready to serve!

                                     

This week I caught the train to City Hall, I hadn't been to city hall since I moved here and I decided to check it out. Right beside the MRT is the beautiful St Andrews Cathedral. I spotted the white, gothic styled steeples and made my way inside the cathedral. The stained glass windows were a spectacle within the church; sending streams of colours through the church as the sun shone through. As I walked up and down the sides of the church, I was invited to come on a free tour. I took up this spontaneous invitation. It was then that I learnt the mind blowing amounts of history that was encompassed in this Cathedral.

The present site chosen for the church was by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1823. In 1838 the church was consecrated, although was struck twice by lightening, therefore declaring it unsafe and closed in 1852. Soon following this it began re- construction and the present building was consecrated in 1862 by Bishop of Calcutta. In 1942 the Battle of Singapore took place, when the Empire of Japan invaded, during this time St Andrews was used as an emergency hospital.  The church was soon after completed and two years ago they celebrated the 150^th anniversary of its consecration. 

Following the visit to the church, I wandered around the City Hall area to see what other hidden gems were located nearby. The famous Raffles Hotel was just outside and you could even see the Singapore Flyer, unfolding into marina Bay. There was also Raffles City Shopping Centre which was filled with a tempting assortment of stores. Along Beach Road just outside the shopping centre was the War Memorial park. It is a memorial to the civilians who died in Singapore during World War II. The memorial stood tall and strong, dedicated to remembering the civilians who perished during the Japanese occupation of Singapore.  

Hi there,

This is been a rather lazy week. I have had  a lot of organisation to take care of for university so I have spent a lot of time at home, which thankfully has all been taken care of now!

I went into Orchard this week to go shopping, which is always a highlight. I absolutely love Orchard Road. It is one of my favourite places here in Singapore. The diversity of stores all along a single strip of road makes me so excited! I picked out a few lovely items, although it is a shame that most of the stores are still stocked with winter clothes, because this climate is not lenient towards one wearing woollen coats and jumpers. 

Earlier this week I finished reading a book called ‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn. It is a fiction thriller novel and is hands down one of the best books I've read in the last few years.  The story line is centred around Nick Dunne and whether he killed his wife Amy Dunne who went missing on the day of their fifth wedding anniversary. This novel is full of suspense and twisted story lines which causes each page to introduce something shocking to the reader. The constant happenings and new discoveries kept me gripped the entire time. I read this book in two days, and when I was not reading it, it was the only thing I could think about! I tried to piece together the ending but my prediction was far off. It was a brilliantly written book which is such a credit to the author. I find that a book which causes the reader to turn each page in such anticipation and excitement is really special. ‘Gone Girl’ really delivered and made me eager to discover more amazing books as the year continues.

I had lunch today with a new friend of mine here in Singapore named Sarah. She introduced me to a type of dumpling called Xiaolongbao which originates in China. My own interpretation of it would be that the dumpling contains a pork mixture which is surrounded by a soup or broth. Sarah demonstrated to me that you are meant to bite off the top of the dumpling and drink the soup before consuming the rest of it. We ate them alongside shredded ginger in soy sauce and Chinese tea. It was delicious! The menu included a variety of other flavours of which I was fascinated by, such as black truffle and Crab Roe.  I hope that as my time here continues I will be able to experience an even wider variety of foods!

 

My First Chinese New Year Experience!

This past week I have been busy with Chinese New Year celebrations and organising University requirements for this year. February is already showing signs of becoming an exciting month.

A few days before Chinese New Year festivities began, I visited China town to get a sense of the anticipation for the fast approaching New Year. Lanterns filled the streets, the waft of Durian and incense weaved its way through the passing tourists.  We arrived relatively early, 9:30 am, although by 11 the market alleyways were bustling with people.  The market streets were full of little nick nacks and varieties of foods. You really could feel the excitement of the festive season as you went from stall to stall.

The evening of the 1^st of February I went into China town once again with my family to celebrate the New Year. The streets were lit up, proclaiming that this year was the much anticipated year of the horse. If you looked up, glowing horses lit the way. On one of the main intersections there was an illuminated, large sized horse, perched on its rear legs, with copious amounts of tourist stopping traffic to get a photo in front of it.

 As the week continued, we were invited to a lunch at a family friend’s home to celebrate and get a taste of the traditional aspect of Chinese New Year. We were expected to arrive with two mandarins as a blessing to the household. You also have mandarins returned to you as a blessing.  The lunch began with a Lo Hei salad which is typically celebrated on Chinese New year. It is where all the guests use the chopsticks all at once to toss a salad; tossing for good fortune. The salad incudes cucumber, radish, carrots, picked ginger, crackers and even salmon. Following this, we were treated to a Malaysian lunch which was absolutely delicious!

We spent the rest of the afternoon collecting red envelopes. The red colour symbolises good luck and believed to ward off evil spirits. It is only given to people who are not married. The amount of money in each envelope usually ends in a even digit. Odd-numbered money gifts are traditionally associated with funerals. 

 It has clearly been an amazing past week. I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing all these new ways of life, it is something I will always remember as part of my experience living here in Singapore!