• Combat a Cough with Korean Fried Chicken

    With the rainy season arriving in Singapore, it is almost raining everyday. Hooray to the cooling weather! Booboo to my bad hair days. Whenever it’s raining, my hair just got more frizzy and they fall all over the place. In the morning when I left my house, it looks perfect. But a few hours down the road, WHAM! I look like a lioness. I’m using a few off the shelf products for my hair these days but it doesn’t seem to work. Someone recommend me please?

    I have been sick for the past 1week plus and finally showing signs of recovery. Yet I still lose sleep to my bad cough. The moment I lay my head onto my pillow, the cough starts. At the rate I’m going, either I die from lack of sleep first or coughing my lungs out. It must be either one of these.

    Despite all these, I still had fried chicken for dinner with my friends last night. I couldn’t resist the temptation when I saw pictures of APink members having fried chicken before their comeback stage.

    Their new album is awesome, as expected, by the way.

    I’ve long heard raves about Chicken Up and their watermelon soju. I’ve tried peach soju and apple soju back in Korea and totally love the taste. And so, Chicken Up off we go.

    Before my meal, my friend who has tried it before has warned me about the overpriced and overrated food reviews circulating around. She had the buffet and added one watermelon soju for 2 to share, spending just slightly less than $50 per pax. That is a little steep price to pay for a meal of fried chicken. Yet considering there’s alcohol ordered for the meal, this still isn’t too bad.

    Anyway my friends and I ordered a corn cheese appetizer, a serving of Ganjang (soy) fried chicken wings (4 pieces) and half a Yangnyum chicken. For 3 girls to share, we were full and satisfied. My favorite would be their soy fried chicken wings! I’d say it’s a must-order item on their menu.Yangnyum chicken was slightly spicy for my friend who doesn’t take spicy food well, but even she finds it tasty.

    No,we didn’t order the watermelon soju because my company for the night rejected alcohol. So I guess I must make another trip down again!

    It was a busy night, even on weekdays, and queue was long. Interestingly, 3 of us were given a table for 2 to sit at. When there was a table for 4 available, we requested to shift over to that table so I don’t sit in the hallway blocking traffic. The staff rejected us saying that table is strictly for group of 4. Now this is weird. Why is a table for 4 strictly for 4 members, while a table of 2 can sit up to 3 people?

    I can totally understand if they explained to say that they have a big group coming and that table has been reserved for them, so they couldn’t allow us shifting over. What I couldn’t understand is their reasoning given to us.

    Fine then. I continued on with my meal with my bag placed on my laps, eating at a table too small for the food we ordered. I straightened my back whenever someone walked past behind me and gave occasional dagger stares when they’d still knock into me from behind. I guest it is recommended that you visit Chicken Up in groups of even number: 2, 4, 6.

    On a side note, if you are not accustomed to using knives and forks for chicken, you can always request for disposable gloves! This is how Koreans eat and it is a comfortable way to eat chicken  without dirtying your hands. We were happily devouring our fried chicken when my friend spotted another table staring at us eating. We appeared to be the only table with gloves on. After a while, they too requested for gloves. Ha! It’s good to know we managed to show other customers how chicken should be eaten.

    Chicken Up
    Address: 48 Tanjong Pagar Rd, 088469
    Phone: 6327 1203
    Operating Hours: 5.30pm – 3.00am

  • Insecurities vs Excitement

    The past week I’ve been heading to bed as early as 10.30pm, even on weekends. Gone are the days where I head to bed at 3am in the morning and finally wake up to a hungry stomach at 12pm. Now I reluctantly climb out of bed before 7am everyday and heads out before the sky turns bright. Every morning, I turned into a drama female lead being separated with my fellow drama male lead, the bed. I cling on to my bed as though it’s going to be the last time I’m going to see it, shedding tears that came to me when I yawned.

    Despite the lack of sleep everyday, my dreaming capabilities is still functioning well. Just last night I had such a long and disturbing dream. In the wee hours of the night, I was awoken by my own coughing, and thought to myself, ‘What a nightmare I just had…’ and dozed off once again, continuing the very dream.

    Your dream implies that there is an old lesson from previously employment that you need to learn and apply to your current situation. It also implies that you feel unprepared for some challenge in your waking life. You may even be harboring some guilt because you did not prepare enough for a school exam, meeting, business proposal, or some project. Perhaps you have been procrastinating on a task and waited until the last minute to cram it all in. Alternatively, it could be telling you that you are setting yourself up for failure because you have set unrealistic goals for yourself.

    The simple dream interpretation seems to imply that I am insecure at this very moment, which I can’t deny. A whole lot of uncertainties but it means excitement too! I guess the adrenaline rush is something I need to contain and enjoy at the same time. That being said, I should probably get back to work.

  • Bojeong-dong Café Street

    If you’ve been watching Korean drama, the drama “Gentleman’s Dignity (신사의 품격)” is one you shouldn’t miss. It is a light hearted drama that talks about the love life of four men in their forties. Yes, you might think men in forties are old uncles and nothing enticing in the drama. You are wrong. One of the 4 male leads is Jang Dong Gun! CNBlue guitarist, Lee Jonghyun is also one of the fixed cast. Kim Woobin appears once in a while. Even CNBlue leader, Yong Hwa made a special appearance in one of the episodes. So much eye candies to look out for!
    When watching the drama, I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful a certain filming site is. The very place where Do Jin and Yi Soo met and had their first interaction. Yi Soo’s skirt was unravelled and Do Jin came to the rescue. It is also the place where Do Jin proposed to Yi Soo in the last episode.

    The filming site is called Eco’s Library (에코의 서재), located on the Bojeong-dong Café Street. This cafe is the oldest book cafe on the street, whereas the street is full of cafes, apparels and accessories shops. A good place to sit back and relax, and enjoy a quiet afternoon.


    The cafe is filled with books and giving a warm, fuzzy feeling with it’s wooden furniture and high ceiling. (2 above pictures lifted off Korean Tourism Board website)


    I went on a weekday afternoon and you can see the street is almost empty. It is really a good place for leisure and chillax.

    I went online to search for guides on how to head to this place, and the furthest I came across doesn’t lead to the destination. Most people got lost trying to come to this place because it is quite a walk from the subway station. I relied on Google Map to get me there. Good old reliable Google Map heh~

    The subway station itself is outside of Seoul. Prepare ample of time for travelling and I’m sure you’d want to spend some time here, considering the amount of time you travelled just to get to this place. Below, I’ve prepared a guide to the Bojeong-dong Café Street.

    How to get to Bojeong-dong Café Street

    Take the subway to Jukjeon Station, Seoul Subway Bundang line and take exit 1. You will see Shinsegae Shopping Mall.

    Walk past Shinsegae, towards the E-Mart.

    See the logo “e”? That’s the E-Mart. We are going to walk to the street behind the E-Mart. So cross the street and walk towards that building.

    You can head in here to get some drinks to get you going for the long walk. The gate below is the entrance into the E-Mart.

    If not, keep on walking past the entrance, and you will see the road below. Just keep walking straight.

    And walk straight further… …

    You will need to cross the road and get onto this bridge below.

    Get off the bridge and cross the road junction. Continue walking straight.

    The plants I saw on the way. I recalled at this point in time, I started wondering if I was lost. The kind where you start to self-doubt because there are no indications at all if you’re in the right direction? I wanted to ask for directions but the streets were almost empty. There were no other options except to trust the Google Map and continue walking straight.

    When you see the Kraze Burgers, you’re halfway there. Cross the street and keep walking straight.

    You will arrive at a big junction where you can even cross the junction diagonally. You need to get to the side where Caffe Bene is.


    Keep walking straight and you will see this Japanese restaurant below. Turn to your right, after this restaurant and you’ll reach the Bojeong-dong Café Street!

    The exterior of the Eco’s Library cafe. Look at all the books. Not a word I understand. LOL


    Their menu and the waffle I ordered.


    Hope this guide helps you find the street safely. Do share with me your experiences on this street too!

    Eco’s Library (에코의 서재)
    Address: 11-3 Jukjeon-ro 15beon-gil, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do
    Operating Hours: 11:00 – 23:00
    Tel: +82 31 266 1138

  • O Cherry Blossoms, Where Art Thou

    I was super exhilarated about my April Korea trip because it was finally a 3 weeks long break away from work, and best of all, my trip was right amidst the blooming period of beautiful cherry blossoms.

    Our arrival time in Incheon Airport was at 9.50pm, so we only expected to reach Seoul at around 12am after the immigrations clearance and luggage collection. As expected, the streets of Hongdae was quiet and empty when we finished our dosage of cider and fried chicken.

    The day ended with me breathing the air in Seoul, smiling to myself as I head to bed.

    Breakfast was bibim naengmyeon at a random shop outside Ewha Subway Station. The question below pops up once we stepped out of the restaurant. Haha. I wish I could describe to you how excited I was feeling.

    Before embarking on my adventures, the first thing I had to do was to visit hair salon! I want to look good in all my pictures for my trip (or at least look decent).

    I seriously have no idea how they manage to twist the ends of my hair so they curl inwards and rest so well on my chest. Awwwww~ This is a technique I really need to grasp.

    We stopped by Beans’ Bins for some waffle and coffee after the long hours of hair maintenance.

    My fate with cherry blossoms has always been thin like ice. I recalled on one of my trips to Taipei in April, my Taiwanese friend confidently told me he’d bring me to a place full of cherry blossoms. Skeptical yet choosing to believe in the fairytale story he painted, I went. We climbed a small mountain in the rain, instead of taking the sheltered train because we wanted to take good pictures of the cherry blossoms. To cut the story short, I didn’t see a single thing because they’ve all withered and died. I couldn’t catch a single glimpse in that weather. The rain washed away even the petals on the floor. That is my very sad story of encounter with(out) cherry blossoms. Naturally I was thrilled and eager to finally be able to see the so magical trees and flowers.

    We travelled to Kyunghee University for this purpose as the school has pretty ancient looking buildings that you would expect a princess standing there waiting for her prince.

    This is a library! If my school library was this nice, I’d be there everyday waiting for my prince charming (I will be the princess waiting for my prince charming, of course).


    Yes, look closely at the pictures above. There are no cherry blossoms at all. Zero. Zilch. None. One week before our travel dates, the weather in Seoul suddenly turned warm. All the flowers decided to blossom a week earlier, before our arrival.

    These are the only cherry blossoms I see. On the floor ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

    I was standing at the above location, messaging my friend in Singapore who visited Korea a week earlier than me, whining about my non-existence fate with cherry blossoms. She sent me a picture taken 1 week earlier, at the exact same spot, full of cherry blossoms. So cruel. Sobs!

    And so, we moved on.

    After climbing a very very steep hill, we came to this magnificent building.

    This Grand Auditorium also stages musicals and concerts at times.

    Ending the post with a picture of me and my travel mate.  On a side note, I am so going to plan another April trip to see my cherry blossoms. (Roars)

  • Auntie Kim’s Korean Restaurant

    Some time ago, when BEAST released their “Good Luck” album, I got a friend who travelled to Korea to help me carry the albums back. That’s right, I used plural form because I bought 2 albums.

    The black and white version of the albums. I had to get both because the photos captured in both albums are different. Black version presents a more charismatic side of BEAST whereas white version is more refreshing.

    And the photo cards I got from both albums. Black version of Dongwoon and white version of Yoseob. The photo cards are totally random. One can also get a white version of photo card in black album. But I managed to get one black and one white version. The best part… … I got the white version of Yoseob! Out of the 12 photo card designs, I love this the best and I got it. Sobs… I do have fate with my bias after all.

    I met up with my friend at Auntie Kim’s Korean Restaurant simply because they have a dish that I really crave for. It was our first time dining at this place and I do love it.

    The seafood pancake that is crunchy and tasty when dipped in the sauce provided.

    The highlight of the meal: Raw beef with egg and pear. This is the dish I was craving so badly for. Before eating, mix the egg well with the raw beef and diced pear. Remember to add on the fresh pear by the side with every bite. I cannot tell you how much love I got with every bite. This is definitely a must-eat-dish.

    Apart from the above, we also ordered grilled pork belly and rice. The dishes we ordered filled the 2 of us to the brim, but we managed to clear all the plates. Satisfaction!

    Auntie Kim’s Korean Restaurant
    265 Upper Thomson Road Singapore 574392
    Tel: +65 6452 2112

  • Honey Creme in Singapore

    Are you ready for the big announcement? (Grabs Pom Pom) Honey Creme is in Singapore! Hooray!!!!

    The first time I tried them was in Korea and was so addicted to their goodness ever since.
    Presenting to you their famous Honey Comb Cup.

    The milky ice cream is quick to melt with the Singapore weather, so slurp it all up while you can.

    The galore of macaroons in the shelves at the counter. I’m gonna try one of this in Singapore one day!

    There are very limited seats in the store itself but they did spend some efforts into their interior design. I would suggest buying to-go because the queue for pick up extends to the seated area. You can hardly feel the air conditioner working with the crazy crowd at this moment.

    I am sorry to break to you the news, even on a weekday afternoon, I queued for more than half an hour in order to get my own cup of treats. Honey Creme is located near the taxi stand of Somerset@313, which means outdoor queuing. If you are not already dying for the cup of cooling ice cream, I can assure you, this is something you crave for by the time you reached the counter.

    I am definitely going to get myself a second cup one day… … when there are less people in line to buy.

    Honey Creme
    313 Orchard Road, #01-37 Singapore 238895
    Tel: (65) 6884 8468
    Operating Hour: Monday-Sunday, Public Holidays 1100 – 2200

  • The Living Cafe

    I visited The Living Cafe some time some time back to try their organic and healthy food. A 2 storey cafe with plenty of tranquility, a good place to sit back and relax with friend on a lazy afternoon, exactly what I was doing.

    I have to admit, I was quite skeptical about raw food before I stepped into the store. I mean they are whipping up dishes with no diary, refined sugar or flour. Ingredients are not sautéed, boiled, roasted, flame-broiled, grilled over flaming coals or fried in sizzling-hot oil before serving to us.

    I was quite taken for surprise when the food was served eventually. Look at this chicken burger with sweet potato wedges. Are you not salivating already?

    The Chef Special Sandwich with Salmon and Pear is simply awesome. The organic pear is so soft that it could practically melt in my mouth. The eggs with fresh salmon and pears emits a fresh taste to the taste buds and so delicious at the same time. 

    I am deliberately writing this at 3pm in the afternoon so I don’t feel the hunger pang. Yet I am still craving so bad just by looking at these pictures. I hope you are not reading this in the middle of the night and craving for supper after my post. (Evil Grin)

    The Living Cafe
    779 Bukit Timah Rd Singapore 269758
    Opening Hours:
    Monday to Thursday: 11.00am – 7pm (last order 6:30pm)
    Friday: 11:00am – 10pm (last order 9:30pm)
    Saturday: 9:00am to 10:00pm (last order 9:30pm)
    Sunday: 9:00am to 8:00pm (last order 7:30pm)