Travelogue - Perth, Western Australia February 2013 (1)

Aloha! I am back with Perth photos finally! It's my fifth trip to Perth and by now, I've gotten used to living there for a longer time around. Need to get used to limited shopping as well, hurhur. Well, without shopping, that leaves me with more time to explore my other interest - cooking!

I love Aussie supermarkets. It's my favourite place to go in every mall I went there. Each suburb I visited, I made it a point to go to the supermarkets. The products are always displayed nicely and all of them look so fresh, you just wanna buy them all! Even if you don't know how to cook, they sure make it tempting enough for you to try!

Eating out can be really expensive in Perth, so Tex and I made sure we cooked as much as we could. Besides, we love eating home-cooked meals and I love to cook (while he love to wash up, okay that's not true), so why not? Luckily for me, one thing I can be finally confident about - cooking isn't a problem for me at all. No one has lao-sai-ed from eating my food yet.

The purpose of my trip this time round was to stay (bum around) in the house and help him settle into the environment as he was starting school after a two and half years hiatus from it. Also, to help him move into college and be his maid! Hahahaha.

Tex left ten days just after we solemnised. Such a 负心汉 right?

Hahaha, I arrived a week later than him and he already got himself a car! A nice vintage BMW 1990 318i series. Mad loveeeeeeee it. He knew I would love it.

One feature I super adore about it - it's MANUAL. Fuck yes.

Definitely a sucker for manual vintage cars. And for $3000 - his red packet to all those back in Singapore during the CNY period.

Flight wear for the day!

Still went to work for half a day before going to the airport to catch my flight in the afternoon! It was my last working with my buddy, Cassandra (same person who was the photographer for my solemnisation), as I would be away for about 3 weeks! Her last working day was during the period that I would be away!

Gonna miss you buddy.

So sweet of her to still give me a present! She understands me so well. We were randomly chatting one day when I said I wasn't sure what my blood type was (don't judge) and look what she got me!

Mad sweet of her!

Kinda forced my folks to grab a photo and give me a hug because I was going to be away for close to three weeks. The last time I was away for that long, was during my first trip to Perth too in 2008 but even that, they joined me and Tex in Perth for ten days.

When you fly budget, plain water is your best friend.

I hope everyone knows this by now. You CAN bring an EPMTY bottle with you into the boarding gate. Inside the boarding gate, there will be potable drinking water station which you then can fill your empty bottle with, unless you are willing to part with $4 for a bottle of water inflight, then go ahead.

Met a fellow passenger who was also having a LDR. Didn't feel so lonely anymore. :)

Meet my buibui!

Crashed into bed early that night and woke up early the next morning to check on Rosie proper. Yes, our car has a name, Rosalie, Rosie for short. It creaks a little when we corner, during the most unexpected moments. Tex and me can be talking and turning round the bend and she goes "eeeek!" in the most gentle way possible, hence the gender. SO CUTE.

I like to think the husband was happy to see me.

And YES! WE CAN HAZ A SUNROOF! But so not as pleased as I thought I would be because the week that I arrived in Perth, there was a heat wave passing through. Forty degrees Celsius, not very funny.

Keeping myself occupied - respite from technology

Accompanied Tex to one of his trials for soccer. Enjoyed the me-time tremendously.

Got a little cold so went back into the car, hai. I bluff. There were too many dogs running around and I was super scared. So I hid.

Caught a super pretty sunset while waiting in the car - which reminded me why we yearn to travel as much as we can.

When Tex was done, we went for dinner. It was Valentines' Day that day, all we wanted was a simple meal with each other. I would have very much rather cooked but we didn't go to the supermarkets to stock up that day. Supermarkets in Perth close really early at around 5:30PM.

Tried an affordable pasta place called Riley's.

I loved the risotto that I had, which Tex encouraged me to cook it myself. And so I did. Will share with you guys how it turned out. Hahaha! Till the next! :)

With My Loved Ones

Saturdays, if not for work, would be my rest times to recharge from the week that drained all my energy. Other than waking up naturally without any alarm clock to blast my ears, spending time with Tex or my little rascals would be of ultimate consolation for me.

I'd do things like.. painting my princess's nails in rainbow colours. Which I deeply regret because she now hounds me for it whenever she comes back from Malacca. And painting nails for a three-year-old isn't exactly the most fun thing to do. It tests my patience to the max!

Waiting impatiently for her nails to dry. This is the third time I've re-applied the polish for her after she messed up the first two applications. *frowns*

Her make-shift colouring table on my mum's bed while watching teevee. Good life eh!

This is absolutely comfort food by my mum. Ahhhh.

Headed out with Tex for a date at Tiong Bahru Market! Had Tau Kua Pop!

Doesn't it look like a face?

Went to Novena area near my place to look for Vespa bikes! Tex has been wanting to get one for the longest time ever. Still yet to find our perfect ride in the right condition and right price. :(

Men's talk

Then Tex sent me to town to meet bestie for shopping!

Isn't this quite a beauty!

Vroom vroom!

We had 1-for-1 Magnum at all 7-11 stores! Have you had your Magnum today? :)

Met Tex at night for supper again. Kinda offset my run the day before with all the junk food that I've been putting into my tummy. :(




West Coast Mac - must be one of the lousiest in terms of food

And I would like to introduce my cousin's collaboration with one of the Japanese food stall owner in the food court of Singapore Post!

My cousin was a chef at Sakae and was based in New York for a year. He also apprenticed at one of the Hokkaido ramen outlets in the city (can't name which) and decided to venture out on his own!

I've given it a taste test and I really like his Shoyu soup base! At $7.50, I'd think it's super worthwhile and affordable for such a big bowl! We all know how ramen at foodcourts taste like right? Well, this is not the sameeeee! Please go try and tell me what you think! ;) We would appreciate all feedback!

For an additional $3, you get another four pieces of cha shu if you think you need more protein! Rahhhhh!!!

Singapore Post Centre

10 Eunos Road 8

Singapore 408600

Kopitiam Foodcourt at Basement One

Sooooo hungry nowwww.

That's it. Gotta go eat it again soon! :) Cya guys around!

Birthday Getaway!

Yay to a small getaway with my loved ones to visit my sister who resides in Malacca!

Day 1

That's me and the Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee man.

We got up at 4.45am on National Day to beat the jams! What luck to wake up sooooo early on my birthday hoe mai gork. :( I already am waking up at 5.45am every morning for work and now I have to do this! *hulk smash*

Apparently rather annoyed when I pleaded "One more, one more!"

Reach Malacca around 8.45am and went to my favourite market there, hoping to have my Asam fish! Alas, it was closed for the day. Sad max.

We went back to my sister's house and slept half the day away. Her house is like a chalet seriously. Got too lazy for a dip in the pool so we headed out for some shopping at Palahwan!

Anyone knows where to buy the A&W mug?

Anyone knows? Please don't ask me to kope okay. I seriously thought about doing it but my balls shrank. They have the small ones on sale but we want the big ones! >.<

A&W should seriously consider venturing into Singapore again. We are more aware of fast food now, as compared to our older generation like our parents who prefer tze-char stalls. I mean, I love tze-char food too but fast food is just a different arena. It's, well, fast and engineered to taste nice! Anyway the A&W at Palahwan tasted baddddddd. It isn't even tasty. I've had nicer ones in other parts of Malaysia!

Then we went into an arcade to play my favourite DAYTONA!!! HAHAHAHA oh those memories. Found old-school playing machines and rides!!!

Please tell me you have rode these rides before.

Aaaaahhh, my favourite is the spaceship!!!

Shopped around and met two old friends! Malacca is seriously a small place hahaha! Then I demanded that we have tze-char for my birthday dinner!

Yummehhhhhhhh!

The above dishes cost RM118 for seven adults and two kids. Are you kidding meeeeee. And my very very very kind sister ordered a Haagen Dazs ice-cream cake for me! Oh my god, so 感動 to the maxxxx! (Though I secretly think it may be a good chance for her kids to practise singing 'Happy Birthday', jackiechan.jpg)




MY OWN CAKE!!! MINEEEEE!!!



謝謝姐夫替我們照相！

She knows my taste really well.

My favourite boys.

What a wonderful dinner and dessert to offset my 4km. Damnnnn. But it was all worth it!


Day 2

We went to my usual haunt to get our hair done!

I look straight out of a horror comedy. Gosh.

Tadah! His Beckham-inspired hairstyle. Which is really common now. LOLOLOL!

Aaahh! And I got three pairs of Mickey Mouse socks for RM30!

Lychee beer to accompany research nights for our upcoming trip

Day 3

The Dinosaur Roar. Says so my niece.

Fiance cooked me a heartwarming dinner

Not much photos because I've been to Malacca like crazy don't know how many times. Okay I'm really bad at writing endings as like my personality is - I hate summarising. So there.

Bye. Hahahahaha.

Being A Tourist In Your Own Country

On one of the Sundays, we headed out to Rubato which is near Tex's office for brunch buffet! :D The menu changes every week and this was the menu we had on the day we went!

Made a reservation at 10.30am and there was only a couple in the restaurant when we arrived. Coincidentally we bumped into Tex's colleague, Liren, who was there to have his birthday brunch with his fiancee! Yes, it was his birthday that day! =)

Here's the spread:

Bacon Frittata, Rustic Sauteed Vegetables, French Toast, Italian Herb Roasted Chicken

Spaghetti with Pork Ragu, Penne Carbonara, Baked Hash Brown Potatoes, Cold Cuts with Mesclun

Are you salivating yet? I know I am. It costs $18.23++ per person! Why such a weird pricing, I hear you ask. I guess it's related to their history or something, I'm not sure. Too hungry to ask. Hee.

You jelly?

Oh, and one thing I would like to recommend was their Iced Lemon Tea! No photos of it cos I downed one jug. Okay, we shared. But it was sooooooo good.

Rubato Modern Italian Trattoria

3 Clover Way

Singapore 579078

6252 3200

Wah, mad love MAC blusher - Light Year *.*

Pardon my gummy smile but I thought I looked really happy here =D

Tex always say that I have a goofy smile. I think it's true. Sad max.

Me and you, just us two.

"Who, when being loved, is poor?" - Oscar Wilde

 

Tex said he wanted to buy me my solemnisation dress so we went around Raffles City scouting for it. Didn't see any that I liked and we headed over to Excelsior Shopping Centre and Peninsula Plaza to enquire about tailor-making his suit. I would say prices are relatively close to what we expected.

We strolled on in the afternoon, enjoying each other's company when we reached Armenian Street and decided to check out the Peranakan Museum. Admission is only $3 per person (normal-priced tickets are $6) with Passion Card discount! I swear by the Passion Card, I tell you. $12 for 5-year application and it acts as an EZ-link card, gives you discounts for movie tickets at Shaw and Cathay. I think I have easily saved $100 for the one year that I have owned this card.

Well, if you don't own a Passion Card, you can swing by after work on Fridays from 7pm to 9pm! Admission for this time-frame is $3 too! :)

男女授受不親

Marveling at the art of my ancestors

Such a beautiful piece.

The beaded piece that you see above? It's a table cloth. A TABLE CLOTH. Painstakingly hand-sewn on by the Nyonyas of the past. I have beaded shoes templates that my granny gave to me when I was younger but this wins hands down. I've never seen anything like it before.

Speaking of which, as I'm reminded of my beaded shoes template. Maybe I can send them to a cobbler to make new shoes already? Now that I'm grown up? Right????? HEHEHEHE.

Oh, in the exhibition area, they showcased a Peranakan funeral altar with a full-sized coffin in there. Although they did set up signs that warn parents of the visual discussion about death, I still got a little hesitant about viewing the display. I'm quite terrified of these morbid things but they piqued my curiosity to the maxxxxxxx. Everytime I attend a wake or watch documentaries discussing about death, I would have a terrible terrible sleepless night.

No doubt, I had a crazy sleepless night that very night. :S The last time I watched Wong Li Lin's Unexpected Access where the episode was about body embalming, I had panda eyes the next day and still thought about the body dayyyy annnndddd nighttttt.

But it's not like there isn't a cure to it, I just need to hold someone's hand to sleep and I'll be fine. Catch is, I SLEEP ALONE. T.T

Tex had a crazy craving for Filipino food so we took a bus to Lucky Plaza! Turned out that the food was sooooooo oily and disgusting, I had to stop myself from vomitting. I think it's just that stall that we bought from. The food in Boracay and Manila was soooo good! I even had a balut and didn't vomit okay! Plus it was so crowded and many bapoks were burping around, hai. Well, our fault for deciding to visit Lucky Plaza on a SUNDAY.

So oily, I don't even!

After that meal, we had to head to our favourite cafe in the city - Provence, to wash our tummies with hot tea and coffee. And a lil' cheese bun, heh.

CB! Hahahaha!

Awww, Tex knows me and my coffee habits sooooo well.

Anyway, it's the eve of my birthday today! :) Looking forward to a short getaway with Tex and my parents to visit my sister who resides in Malacca! :)))