Encounter with an idiotic taxi uncle

Last Friday, my mum and myself flagged a taxi along the road outside our house to go to SGH. We boarded this SMART taxi. The first question the taxi driver asked is "which way would you like to take ? We can go by PIE". Seriously, I wasn't very sure but normally CK does not take that route. He always go by AYE. Anyhow, the taxi driver was driving on the left lane which was on the wrong lane leading to AYE from Bukit Batok . Therefore, I took his suggestion to go by PIE. Somehow, he told us that he thought PIE should be the wrong way. We have already by-pass the U-turn to change the route. By this time, I was a bit frustrated with him. It was more than 5 minutes before we started where we have began.

This was not the exciting part of the journey. along Clementi Road, he drove like a drunken. Cars were honking at him because he has exceeded the road dividers many times ! That was out-right dangerous ! I was tempted to alight at that time.

The next thing he did was to lean casually towards the steering wheel while driving and singing his lungs out ! He was practically leaning both his arms and his chin on the steering wheel . This was extremely dangerous because he will have no time to re-act if any accident would have occurred. At that time, I felt like slapping him !

He was so obsessed with his stupidity acts that he has forgotten to turn left to AYE !! Idiot ! Luckily, there were not many cars along the road and he was able to reverse to enter AYE !! At that time, I felt like strangling him !

He was also playing with the volume of the radio while driving. At one point, he increased the radio to an unacceptable volume that I have to ask him to tun it down !

I was watching him closely every moment now not knowing what else was up his sleeves !

Finally, we were inside the big compound of SGH. We told him that we were going to Blk 3 and I have to direct him because I no longer trusted him. He would miss turns or by-pass the place. As there were a queue of cars to Blk 3, I saw him closing his eyes !!! The car behind honked to get him moving. I have also "woke" him to drive on ! Such an idiot ! It was such a relief to get out of his cab ! Anyhow, we paid $2 more due to the joy-ride he has given to us. Most taxi drivers would have initiate to reduce the taxi-fare but not for this uncle. He happily took the money and I suspected that he used such tactics to earn more money. My mum and I nicknamed him as the "Xiao uncle".

What a day !

We went Poon Huat to buy some stuff for my bakery. There is this sudden desire to make a cake using the cupcake recipe somehow. Oh, my cousin and Meimei will be coming to our house to make another round of cupcakes too. It is more to the fun of gathering together and sharing the recipe.


Trying the recipe on a few layers of thin paper holders. They turned out to be alright. The extra layers of the thin paper holders will be loosen naturally after the baking was done. This time round, I our the mixture into a jar with sprout and it was a breeze to pour them into the cups !


It seems like there was nothing wrong with these cupcakes ? Sigh ... I followed the recipe very closely this time and added the Baking Soda as indicated. Somehow, the cupcake raised loopsided !!! For next week's baking, I will stick to my own style with just baking powder ! Oh, I use a knife to cut across the loop-sided top and covered them with the frosting. I did not have any green colouring. I just mixed the yellow and blue colouring that I have to get this green colour.


This is not the cake that I made with the cupcake recipe. My cupcake recipe cake was ruined !!! The middle part was not baked at all. I was quite disappointed as Amy could do it. I kinda suspected that the round baking pan was too deep, therefore it was not baked well. I went to buy a cheap ready-made cake from a confectionery shop near my MI's house as I do not want to waste the frosting meant for the ruined cake. What a day ! I spent like a few hours doing nothing much at all.

Founder Ba Ku Teh

We met Ruth and Ivan last weekend for a short lunch at the Founder Ba Ku Teh. Both CK and myself have not tried this famous Ba Ku Teh place in Singapore but we have heard a lot of good review about it. Faintly remember that the Hong Kong Governor could not get to eat this Ba Ku Teh because it was closed for business on that particular day some years ago or something like that !


The weather was so hot ! Crossing the bridge to the eatery house was a nightmare with uncovered walkway !There you are, tucked in a corner house where Founder Ba Ku Teh is situated. I was beginning to feel the giddy spell from Mr Sun. Can't wait to rush into the air-conditioned eatery house for refuge.


What left me the deepest impression was the photos of the Boss and Celebrities pasted all over the eatery house !! Can't help feeling that the boss is kinda obsessed with himself ... shhhh ...


Ok, spotted the Boss dressed in blue from his numerous photos on the wall. We arrived at 12pm when the eatery house was just opened. It was crowded shortly afterwards.


Over-rated Ba Ku Teh. The Ba Ku was rather tough and dry. The soup was nice but was over-whelmed by the white peppers.The salted vegetables and Tau Pok tasted better. The boss will kill me if he happened to chance on my blog.

Birdcages and loving them

Ruth helped me to buy these lovely white cages and at a very affordable price too. So grateful ! I have been searching for white birdcages as decorations pieces but do not have much time to do so. Tangs sold similar cages but the prices are double the price of these that Ruth bought.


CK scratching his head .... don't quite understand what I have been up to. And what does these cages served ?


I have an existing round table lamp on the high table. I tried putting it into the bigger cage and it doesn't look too bad. I removed the Christmas berries wrath on the wall and put it on top of the bigger cage, it looks pretty good. Oh, looks all ready for Christmas ??


How about adding some pearls ? I remembered I have a pearl necklace (my 21st Birthday gift!) which I hardly wear ... I just wind it around the cage but it's not long enough.


Looking rather vintage with this colour adjustment. Somehow, Precious Moments figurines look very fitted with the white birdcages. If you are planning for a wedding, you can use birdcages to put in your reception tables or even the bride & bridegroom's table. They look so romantic ! Wind the bottom of the cage with those white fluffy feathers will look even more romantic. (There are many other ornaments like crystal drops or even love birds models)


My pink colour CNY flowers I found in the storeroom come into good use ! (Not just duirng CNY period)


I suddenly thought that I have some birds I used on the cherry blossoms.



The 2 little bears are actually gifts at a wedding dinner. They doesn't look very right just placing them in the cage. If they were seated on a white garden chair or both seated on a swing suspended from the cage, they will definitely look better !

Very happy, I do not need to spend another cent on the decorations by using existing stuff lying in the house.

Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm

Glad that I tried out this lens.
It is pretty fun to use. Thanks to Dr New for loaning it to me.
What is special about this lens is that if you focus on the main object, the rest of the items will appear very blur. It is pretty similar to other lens, but the "blur-ness" using this lens seems to intensify.


Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm





These photos show the focus on the different object using the same bacground.

Cupcakes

So inspired by Amy's home-made cupcakes that I have to made some myself first !

This was done in such a hurry that I made some grave mistakes !!


My 3/4 finished products. (need to put in fridge) The muffin is moist and nice. I must take note of the frosting procedure in my next round of baking.


What was underneath the layer of frosting .... next time I must remember to use a jar with sprout to pour the mixture inside the rather small cups. Fast and not so messy.


Cocoa was used. (Left-over from Tiramisu making). First time using Poon Huat's cream cheese imported from Australia. (Verdict: Not too bad) Poon Huat sells this whipped cream too for the frosting.


Cream colouring .... the blue turned out pretty nice but the yellow was rather disappointing. Maybe I should increase the density of the yellow colour in future.

RECIPE
Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes
(makes 24-27 standard sized cupcakes)
U must refer to this fabulous website --> http://glorioustreats.blogspot.com/2010/04/recipe-perfectly-chocolate-cupcakes.html

2 cups sugar (I only put in 1.5 cups)
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (best quality available)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (I put in more baking powder instead. Turned out ok)
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (best quality available)
1 cup boiling water (I replaced with boiling milk as recommended by Amy)

Directions-
Line muffin tin with paper liners. Heat oven to 350*F.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for one minute.

Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don't worry, this is right).

Fill liners 2/3 full with batter.

Bake cupcakes for aproximately 22-24 minutes.

Cool completely on wire rack before frosting. (another mistake, never read probably ... I do frosting on rather hot muffin ... so silly lor)

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
½ cup (1 stick/8 Tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature (about 250 g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered confectioners sugar (I used fine sugar ... a mistake. Must used icing sugar)
1 to 4 Tablespoons heavy cream, heavy whipping cream

Directions:
*Place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend slightly. Add cream cheese and blend until combined, about 30 seconds.
*Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
*Slowly add the heavy cream, a little bit at a time until desired consistency is met. (Don't add too much if you want the frosting to stay in place when piped on cupcakes.)
*Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
*Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)

Friends' visits

Thanks thanks to friends who visited my mum ... BC, LL, Tiang, Reg & Jasper.

Visit during lunch time:
I prepared some food. Thanks Auntie for the home-made "mio ji".



Took some photos for Min Min & JL too:

Poeny-Jade Mao Shan Wang Mooncake

I am someone who will not spend money on mooncakes. Somehow, I got this craving for mooncakes this year. This must be the first time in my life that I have cravings for this rather sweet pastry.


The organic pandan snowskin was super nice !!! This mooncake set me back by $52.80 ! (10% off) Jan told me that I should buy the real durians to eat instead. I kinda agreed with her. Nothing beats the real fruits !

Turi Beach Reccee

So far, the biggest resort in Batam ! Good-sized venue for Staff Retreat if you have a larger staff-strength. Weather was hot but there was occasional sea breeze which made this reccee more bearable. In fact, we were very tired at the end of the day. It was even more tiring than working !


I love the white furniture in this cafe !The place is tastefully done up!


U can imagine yourself running towards to the shelter ...


The lovely path towards the Island bar was a delight !


Sharing a room with your colleague and feeling rather awkward ? Release the mosquito net !


Raine Wing .. the more traditional and Indonesian style accommodation.


The new wing, Tiara Wing with contemporary feel.

Kate first birthday

Sneaking off an hour or so for Kate's FIRST birthday !


Beautiful cupcakes made by Amy for Kate !


Kate and mummy...

BBQ - too late a post though (8 Sept 2010)

Too many events taking place and no time to record down.
However, I thought I should document down all events as they required effort and time to organise.


With my mum in hospital, the BBQ was canceled. However, my fiends have bought all the ingredients and there were no BBQ pits available last minute ! My mum thought that it was too wasteful and encouraged us to go ahead with the BBQ session at our estate. She was operated on this very day and she was very tired and sleepy the whole day. We left SGH about 7 plus and headed home to join the rest.


Very relaxing BBQ session ... we arrived and got ready and delicious food to eat! How blessed ! Thank you my friends !


Not forgetting the colourful fruits and home-made almond jellies !


Ladies taking photos near Wall of Fame ...


Group photo ... looks very familiar (not many other place in our house to take photos)