. running man: kim jong kook in sg .

While I’m not as obsessed with the K-WAVE/ K-POP as compared to many of my other peers, I must, however, confess that I’m a HUGE fan of the highly popular Korean variety show, Running Man! And this is coming from someone who was barely interested in the Korean entertainment scene. In fact, a few of my friends who are not exactly K-crazy also love watching Running Man because the show is simply so hilarious and entertaining!

Click HERE to catch the Eng sub version of Running Man!  

Thanks to my girlfriend who managed to score a pair of tickets to (1 of the Running Man cast) Kim Jong Kook’s  Meet & Greet session yesterday, I was able to catch him perform in a sold-out concert for free! Unlike most concerts that I have attended, the Meet & Greet session also involved KJK playing Running Man-inspired games with his fans on top of a mini showcase. Pretty cool! I cannot help but feel like a teenager gushing & swooning over how handsome and charming he is! :p  Brings back the good old teen days when I was boy-crazy! Haha.  오빠 너무 잘생겠어요!

all pics credit to KJK Global

Singapore Press Conference

Singapore Fan Meet 

. jan in cubes .

January was an extremely busy month filled with celebrations, weddings and dinner dates with many girlfriends! It started with my 5th anniversary lunch with the boy at Salt Grill & Sky Bar where we dined in style atop ION Orchard. The next couple of weekends were filled with wedding celebrations and I found myself becoming a bridesmaid for the very 1st time!  Am certainly looking forward to becoming a bridesmaid for more weddings to come! Took a breather and spent some “ME” time by indulging in art therapy at an art jamming class  and giving my tresses a mini makeover (change of hair colour + treatment)!

. The Land of the Morning Calm .

Unlike many Singaporeans who are immersed in the Korean wave (K-Pop/ K-Drama, Cuisine, Culture, Language), I, however, was never really into this Korean “pop culture tsunami” and couldn’t understand the hype and buzz behind this Korean phenomenon. Well, that is until about a couple months back when MK introduced me to this popular hit show, Running Man and I have been addicted to this variety show since then! Yes, a self-confessed Running Man addict … That’s what I am!

This post comes very belated as it has been 9 months (!) since I went on a company incentive trip to South Korea as I didn’t get about blogging about it earlier. As with all my company trips, the trip to Seoul was relatively short, lasting not more than 4 days so it was really a “touch-and-go” travel trip with a very packed itinerary!

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Looking pretty in the hanbok

We did 1 of the most touristy thing that you can ever do in Korea – which is to don the Korean traditional dress called the Hanbok for photo opportunities.

Time for Kimchi!

Tried my hand at making the Korean’s national dish, Kimchi. Okay, I confessed that all I did was to marinade the fermented cabbage with the ready prepared spices and voolah, I was done in 5 minutes flat! Not a bad effort for someone who barely cooks back home.

Do you know that the Kimchi is cited as 1 of the world’s healthiest food? This spicy condiment is loaded with lots of vitamins – A, B and C – , fiber and a dose of healthy bacteria (those bacteria that aids digestion). In fact, as part of my anti-aging regime, I’m trying to incorporate Kimchi as part of my daily diet although I haven’t been quite successful with that yet.

A peek into North Korea

Technically, we didn’t really get a chance to have a peek into the world’s most secretive country, North Korea, as the Korean Demilitarized Zone is a relatively large strip of land that serves as a buffer zone between South and North Korea. Despite its name, this area is actually the world’s most heavily fortified border in the world as it is guarded by both armies from North and South Korea. The only way you can spot North Korea from a distance is probably through the binoculars on a fine sunny day. So, don’t get your hopes too high to catch a glimpse of 1 of the world’s most mysterious country!

In fact, I had a close shave with the law when I accidentally whipped out my camera to attempt to take a picture of the border within the “No Cameras” boundary, only to be shouted at by the South Korean solider that this is a ‘no camera’ zone! Yes, we were kept very in line … one wrong move and you will find yourself playing with fire. The tension is still very palpable.

Our half-day excursion to DMZ brought us to the Imjingak Park, which is the main stop for most tourists. Some of the places that we visited include the Dorasan Station (symbolic place of unification of the 2 Korean countries), Dora Observatory and the 3rd Tunnel of Aggression, which is 1 of the 4 tunnels that are believed to have been planned as a military invasion route by North Korea. Apparently, it is carefully designed such that it will permit the passage of an entire infantry division of about 30,00 pax in 1 hour!

At the Top of Seoul

Traveled 243m up the N Seoul Tower where we were treated with a beautiful panoramic view of Seoul city! We also tried to spot the little red dot, Singapore, but to no avail (duh) since we were 4651.9 km away from home!

The Seoul Tower is probably the most romantic place in Korea as many young couples express their love for each other by hanging their locks of love at the fence at the observatory before throwing away the keys thus signifying everlasting love. Since we were in the ‘Locks of Love’ without our significant others, ZN, Ka Chun and I decided to dedicate a little love note to our beloved one. Coincidentally, ‘Stephanie’ was the recipient of our postcards – The boys are married to 2 different ladies also called Stephanie and yours truly decided to dedicate a postcard from Korea to herself! Lol.

Touch of the royalty

Visited the grand Gyeongbokgung Palace, which was originally constructed in 1394 during the Joseon Dynasty. Many of the original buildings were either damaged or demolished during the Japanese invasions of Korea from 1592- 1598 and  the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 – 1945 thus leaving behind only a small portion of its previous glory.

Unfortunately, the royal palace didn’t impress me as much as I thought I would as I have visited other palaces such as the Forbidden City in Beijing and Grand Palace in Bangkok that truly left me in awe of its magnificent architecture and sight.

Experience the traditional life & culture of a Korean Folk Village

Another must-do thing on a tourist itinerary – A visit to the Namsangol Hanok Village! The most interesting part of this excursion was probably to see both ZN and KC lifting the girls in the seemingly makeshift traditional sedan chair… Daebak!

Friends, friends & more friends!

Similar to my previous 2 company retreats (Beijing & Shanghai), I cannot be more thankful for the great company that I had during my short visit to South Korea!  The food (BBQ fiesta, Ginseng Chicken & Kimchi) was delicious, the shopping was awesome (face masks and beauty loots), the city is so vibrant (beautiful Korean people to admire) but it was truly my friends & colleagues who made it so enjoyable!

Hopefully, yet another fun company retreat to either Sydney or Melbourne this year? :p

. Featuring The Boy & Simba .

And just like how a proud ‘parent’ would react, I was smiling gleefully when I first saw that the boy & our little Pomeranian, Simba, were featured in the Pets’ Corner of The Sunday Times!

. OZ The Great and Powerful .

I’ve a feeling that I’m gonna enjoy this movie a lot!

. review: Kao megurism steam hot eye mask .

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I must confess that I have been a Qoo10 addict as of late as I spend too much time ‘window-shopping’ and splurging on non-essential beauty products. My recent obsession with beauty products (I’m already 25 this year, which means it’s the time to embark on an anti-aging regime) turned me into this self-obsessive person lol. I’m my biggest and harshest critic!

I have been on the lookout for a warm/hot eye mask ever since I went for an eye treatment at a home salon a couple months ago. However, all of the eye masks that I saw in stores are sheet masks, hence I decided to try my luck online and was absolutely delighted to find raves about the KAO megurism steam hot eye mask! The calming effect of the self-heated eye mask (up to 40 °C) aids in refreshing and soothing fatigue eyes. Good for people like me who faces either the laptop or mobile screen almost 24/7 aka slave to technology. It really works wonders as I found myself falling asleep within 5-10 mins upon application of the mask. A DIY yet pampering treat for our overworked peepers!

My verdict: 4 stars out of 5
(The price is a little hefty for 1-time usage – $2.10/eye mask)
Highly recommended for anyone who wants a good night sleep
* only available online

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. the journey of our dreams .

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. art jamming at my art studio .

My 1st ever art jamming session with Serene at Arteastiq @ Mandarin Gallery was such an enjoyable albeit stressful (try completing a painting within 3 hrs on your first attempt!) experience that I have been on the lookout for similar deals since then. Fast-forward a few months, I made an impulsive purchase when I found a Groupon deal for an art jamming session at a studio that’s located relatively near to my place for only $28!

While most people prefer to get their friends or partner together for an artistic time, I, however, chose to indulge in some alone time to let my creative juices flow and enjoy a moment of tranquility. Honestly, it’s really not awkward to spend some time doing things alone. My fascination with the ocean and lighthouses (no thanks to childhood storybooks) inspired me to settle for a simple art piece that features a coastal lighthouse. Nothing too fanciful or I fear that I will need even more than 24 hours to complete the painting!

Inspiration

Unlike Arteastiq, there are art teachers/instructors in My Art Studio to provide guidance to both beginners and amateurs who need a little assistance. In addition, there is less pressure on me as I don’t feel like I’m an animal in captivity (With reference to the glass panels of Arteastiq that allow full access view of the “budding painters” at work).  Having said that, I miss having a nice cup of ice gourmet tea for my drinking pleasure as the studio only provides the usual mix of coffee and tea.

My Art Studio also offers a range of art programmes catered to both children and adults, such as workshops on acrylic and oil painting. Good for those who are interested to bring their painting skills up a notch!

Will I be back for more art jamming? I hope so although I would like to bring the boy along the next time round for an artistic date!

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3 hours Art Jamming session @ $30* include:
1. Unlimited acrylic paints and tools rental
2. 1 x canvas 30cm x 40cm
3. Free flow coffee and tea
4. Lacquer spray paint services
* promo price

My Art Studio @ Midview City
Address: 28 Sin Ming Lane, #02-133, Midview City
Operating hours: 10am – 6.30pm

My Masterpiece!
Not bad at all, right? :p I like the gradient of the blue shades in the sky.

. new year’s eve & new year 2013 .

For the past couple of years, the countdown to the new year has always been a cozy family celebration with my parents. Treated them to a relatively disappointing NYE buffet at Hotel Re!, where we joined hundred of others feasting on our last meal of 2012! To be fair, the buffet dinner was a last-min offer on DEAL so we should have expected a sub-standard quality of food. Fortunately, none of us are food critics so we were able to put the food aside to simply enjoy the company that we had. =)

Spent the last couple of hours of the past year with people from all walks of life in the New Year’s countdown and firework extravaganza at Gardens by the Bay. Honestly, it has been too many years since I caught a massive fireworks display and I can never quite figure out the reason why so many Singaporeans would rather squeeze with the maddening crowd for that fleeting spectacle of fireworks . However, on that special night, the stunning display of fireworks illuminated the night sky over CBD and took my breath away… An absolutely beautiful sight to remember for the many years to come. Nonetheless, it came with a small ‘sacrifice’ as it took us an awfully long 2hrs to get home from the gardens instead of the usual 20 mins! =p

To mark our “half a decade of happiness & sorrow”, the boy decided to surprise me by treating us to a luxurious lunch at Salt Grill  & Sky Bar (ION Orchard) by Australian celebrity chef, Luke Mangan. Perched atop of ION building (level 55), this fine dining restaurant offers diners with the rare opportunity to dine on a delectable menu with a magnificent 360 degree view of the city and beyond (Catch a glimpse of CBD, Chinatown, Clarke Quay and even neighbouring housing estates!). To kick-start our dining experience, we had to take a private lift tucked in a quiet corner of the mall that is decked with visuals of clouds. Hence, the interesting lift ride to the top of ION pretty much made us felt as if we flying through the clouds to Heaven.

Unlike many reviewers on TA, I personally felt that the portions at Salt Grill are not as bite-sized/tiny as compared to the other fine dining restaurants that I have visited previously. The warm and crispy bread, paired with olive oil and a fusion of spices, was definitely one of the best that I ever had and this is coming from someone who doesn’t fancy carbs. Our main course (blue fin tuna and steak) were delicious albeit nothing too special. Surprisingly, the popular crab omelette dish and oyster tempura with wakame salad had a lovely fusion of flavours and were cooked to perfection!

For those who are interested to head to Salt Grill restaurant for the special occasion, be prepared to have deep pockets – It costed the boy about $250 for 3 appetizers, 2 mains and 1 dessert.

My ratings!
Food: 4 stars out of 5
Ambiance: 4.5 stars out of 5
Service: 4 stars out of 5
Value: 3.5 stars out of 5

Oyster tempura with wakame salad and wasabi dressing ($36)

Crab omelette, miso and mustard broth, enoki and asian herb salad ($29)

Pan seared scallops, black pudding sausage, crushed peas, red wine reduction ($29)

Blue fin tuna in dijon mustard and toasted sesame seeds, wasabi
aioli ($50)

Ribeye 300g Cape Grim Tasmania grass fed BBQ spice ($69)

Happy 5th Anniversary, my boy!  
❤ 사랑해요❤