NOISE Singapore 2014

I missed out on bringing my girls to NO13E Singapore 2014 Festival Showcase Exhibition at ION Event Hall B4. With all the "excitement" about Prelims and PSLE, I forgot to note the dates for NO13E Singapore 2014 (27 August - 14 September). Alas, I could only admire the art works by myself and take as many photos as I could to show the girls. Sorry, girls, 2015 ok?

Dong Zhi 2013 (Winter Solstice Festival)

Happy Dong Zhi 2013 or Happy Winter Solstice Festival 2013! :)

We cooked small coloured glutinous rice balls and the larger red-bean stuffed ones in brown sugar soup (as seen in the photo). It was really nice eating the steaming hot glutinous rice balls in brown sugar soup on a cool night. :) 
Dong Zhi is a time for families to get together and tangyuan ((湯圓) or glutinuous rice balls which symbolise reunion, are eaten. :) After Dong Zhi, there will be days with longer daylight hours and therefore an increase in positive energy flowing in.

Happy Deepavali 2013

Here's wishing Happy Deepavali to all who celebrate the festival! :)

As Deepavali public holiday falls on a Saturday, Monday 4 November has been declared an off in-lieu at my work organisation as well as my girls' school. :)

Duanwu Festival 端午节 2012

It is the fifth day of the fifth lunar month again. Time for Duanwu Festival. It is also known as Dragon Boat Festival. However, there are some who mistakenly called it Rice Dumpling Festival. :( Well, that could have come about because the focus of the Duanwu celebrations includes eating rice dumplings, drinking wine - xionghuangjiu (雄黃酒), and racing dragon boats. 

As children, my mother used to get my brother and I to do this particular Duanwu activity - standing an egg. If you are successful, it means good luck for the year lol. I used to enjoy it a lot. :) Now, my children are doing it too on Duanwu. You have to stand the egg up at 12 noon on Duanwu Festival. If you are one minute too early or too late, the egg would just roll over and not stand up. It has to be precisely at 12 noon! Till now, I still can't explain why 12 noon is the magical time but it is just lots of fun trying to stand an egg up. Juliane managed to get her egg standing up. :) 

Try standing an egg at the next Duanwu Festival if you have the time or the egg. It is a fun activity for all. :)

Thailand Festival 2007

Actually, I intended to bring Juliane to Takashimaya. But I spied a flurry of activities going on at the Thailand Embassy. It is the Thailand Festival 2007. Never been to one, might as well go for it. Hahaha.

There were many stalls, selling Thai products such as hand-made jewelleries, clothes, beauty products and Thai food. Didn't try the food as most of them were spicy. It is interesting, it reminds me a little of the craft markets that I used to visit in Australia and UK. I bought a pair of dangly garnet earrings and a torquiose necklace, which will go very well with a white dress I just bought. Oh yar, I bought another top and two dresses on Friday. Hahaha. Am so glad that the GSS is over! LOL.

We went for lunch at Dome, Isetan Scotts. Juliane and I shared a Penne in Mushroom Cream Sauce and a Apple Crumble with Vanilla Gelato. We both enjoyed the creamy penne. Juliane enjoyed the gelato while I liked the Apple Crumble. All's well that ends well.

Penne in Mushroom Cream Sauce

Juliane enjoying her gelato more than the apple crumble

Juliane "taking" my picture

Juliane and I