Enjoying The Festive Vibes With Hubby At Chinatown

Hi Huneybees,

With the Year of the Rat coming, hubby and I decided to take a stroll around Chinatown to soak up the festive vibes, Afterall, 2020 is MY YEAR, how can we miss it right?!

Like every year, Chinatown dons on its brightest suit ever to bring in friends and families to this district for some Lunar New Year shopping, deco, and bites, to prepare for the celebrations. Maybe I'm biased but I find this year's decorations prettier than last's and it looks so much more joyful!

The whole Chinatown area is decorated with lights and 1,388 lanterns along the streets of New Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen Street, South Bridge Road, and the Garden Bridge. This year's Street Light-Up depicts the story of the 12 Chinese Zodiac race, where the Rat wins the race with its wits and agility.

Other than the Zodiac animals making an appearance, the streets are also decorated with flower and coin shaped lanterns. I always love joining the crowd this time of the year and being a Rat myself, I was exceptionally happy to shop along the Festive Street Bazaar. Let me show you what I will normally buy when at Chinatown.

Decorations for around the house is a must get for me, I love sourcing for those with good blessings, special designs that are not common. Hubby always lets me make the decision and designing of the house since I'm creative, I'll show you around our house in the next post...

These twisted bamboos plants are said to help "change" your luck and spin off all the bad luck.
How can we not get them too right?

After decoration shopping, we will also shop for some food and cooking ingredients. Mandarin oranges are a must, for they bring fortune and are auspicious, the more you have the better luck you will have for the year!

Pomelos are also not to be forgotten. Because the Chinese word for pomelo (柚 yòu) sounds like 'to have' (有 yǒu), except for the tone, and exactly like 'again' (又 yòu), so the more you eat, the more wealth it will bring. Pomelos are also a symbol of good health, fertility, and family unity.

There's also preserved duck version too!

These red sausages are called Lap Cheong - Chinese Sausage; it is normally smoked pork and fat, sweetened, seasoned with rose water, rice wine and soy sauce left to dry in the air. They are exceptionally popular during this season and when cooked with rice, it is extremely fragrant!

Nuts, sunflower seeds, and peanuts are popular snacks to have on the table too. Not only are they there to keep our mouths busy, but they can also help prevent all the seniors from asking too many personal questions. 

Hahahaha! Actually, the real meaning of nuts is because they symbolize money, fortune and also an abundance of children.

Ok, that's roughly what we would normally get during our Lunar New Year shopping in Chinatown. If you are in the vicinity of traveling in Chinatown Singapore, come on down to soak up the festive vibes and grab some Insta-worthy shots with the lightings!

If you are tired of shopping, there are also some activities happening around the area...

Nightly Stage Shows

4 - 24 Jan 2020

8.00pm - 10.30pm

Kreta Ayer Square

The festive mood is particularly infectious here, immerse in entertaining nightly performances of festive songs, cultural music, and lively dance performances each night at Kreta Ayer Square. No Chinese New Year Celebration is complete without some music and dance.

A perennial crowd-pleaser, get a nightly dose of Lion Dance from 8.00pm - 8.30pm (except 24 Jan where the segment begins at 9.00pm) for an exciting display of athleticism and skill coupled with thumping drums and crashing cymbals.

Chinatown Wishing Tree

3- 24 Jan 2020

11.00am - 9.00pm

Chinatown Point

Spread some cheer to te less fortunate and the elderly this festive season! Write New Year wishes on a "Make A Wish" card and hang them on the banyan tree. Each "Make A Wish" card costs S$2 and all proceeds collected will benefit Kreta Ayer Seniors' Activity Centre for the underprivileged elderly residing in Chinatown.

Chinse New Year Countdown Party

24 Jan 2020

9.00pm - 12.00am

Stage at New Bridge Road

Come on down to Chinatown on the eve of Chinese New Year and countdown to the Year of the Rat with star-studded performances by Mediacorp artistes and VIP guests. There will be song and dance with Cai Shen Ye on stage and usher in the year with 152 strands of firecrackers and 3 minutes of fireworks.

Chingay 2020 @ Chinatown

2 Feb 2020

6.00pm - 10.00pm

New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Road

The Chingay Parade is the largest annual street performance and float in Asia will make an appearance in Chinatown, ending the 2020 Chinese New Year celebrations on a high note. Join in for a colourful night that includes special performances by local and overseas performers. while marveling at the nine beautifully decorated floats.

There's simply so much to see, so much to do right here in Chinatown, do come on down to check them out. Here's wishing everyone an early Happy New Year, Gong Xi Fa Cai and please be vigilant and responsible at this Wuhan virus time. Only we can all have fun and enjoy when we are careful...

For more information, please visit www.chinatownfestivals.sg,  www.facebook.com/Chinatown.Festivals and www.instagram.com/chinatown_festivals.

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram for the latest updates!

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Is The MEG Worth Watching?

Hi Huneybees,

Going by its movie thrailer, it was inevitable that movie-goers, including myself, entering the cinema hall to catch The Meg (巨齿鲨) for the first time would have compared it with the iconic "Jaws" from 1975.

With the plot of The Meg centered around the attacks of shark, the rescue effects that followed, and the attempt to destroy it (pretty similar to the 1975 blockbuster), I was expecting the thrills to be equal if not better since the shark in this movie was the infamous prehistoric alpha hunter of  ocean - Megalodon - which was at least three times larger than that Great White movie directed by Steven Spielberg; but unfortunately the similes ended here and I was left feeling mixed instead.

As a disclaimer, I have no problem with Hollywood movies co-produced/funded by China companies, as in the case of The Meg was co-produced by Warner Bros from USA and Gravity Pictures from China, since it gave international exposure to Asian talents such as Li BingBing (李冰冰) and Winston Chao (赵文瑄).

Unfortunately, in this case, the scriptwriting for The Meg were plain awful! Clearly written for the China audience in view of their limited English,  I found the scripts for characters in The Meg were rather flat and at times, silly. Also, there were too many "dry" jokes, which I found was rather unnecessary for a thriller. The only two times the audience did laugh was the airing of Thai version of "Mickey" by Pim, during a scene switch to Thailand, as well as the dog named "Pippin" swimming for its life, which I found rather funny but at the same time irrelevant.

The on-screen romance between Suyin (played by Li BingBing) and Jonas Tylor (played by Jason Statham) reminded me of SPG - Sarong Party Girl - as Suyin fall for Jonas Tylor's half-naked but well toned body after he rescued her from the deep.

The power of love had certainly turned Jonas Tylor from a reluctant participant in the rescue mission to someone who became spontaneous in his heroic effects to save everyone, which I found was just unreal especially up against a 23-meter long ferocious shark.

While there no complaint about the acting skills of actors and actresses, it was Meiying, the daughter of Suyin (played by Sophia Cai), who stood out above the rest with her innocent but confident charisma on top of her distinctive Pan-Asian look (fyi: she was born to a Chinese mum and British dad) .

Lastly, the 3D animations in general were realistic but I were looking forward to more actions from the Megalodon through my 3D glass at IMAX but there were not many to wow me, I was waiting for that moment where I'm in the mouth of the beast...

All in all, The Meg is a movie I would give it a miss unless I'm a huge fan of either Li BingBing,  Jason Statham, or liken the idea of swimming near a Megalodon.

Have a Great Weekend, my Huneybees!

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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Falling In Love With Mellower Coffee's Sakura Fubuki

Hi Huneybees, ;

While the general public are still praying for the return of Gong Cha and sharing mixed reviews on the new cheesy milk tea by LiHO, a specialty café from Shanghai has been making great stride into the local F&B scene with very interesting coffee.

Imagine standing under the cherry blossom trees, wind blowing against your skin, making the sakura petals fall from the trees as you catch a whiff of sakura fragrance whilst sipping on your warm cuppa of Joe. This is what Mellower Coffee Singapore wants you to feel with their newly launched signature drink - Sakura Fubuki.

Designed as an unique Japanese twist to the typical Americano, this drink contains Sakura blossom preserve that is actually Sakura petals imported from Japan (Osaka to be exact) in a glass of chilled syrup with ice and 2 shots of expresso in test tubes.

To truly enjoy this new signature from Mellower Coffee, I suggest you, my Huneybees to start by mixing half a shot/test tube of expresso into the glass of syrup with Sakura blossom preserve just to sample it before adding more.

Doing so will allow you to find your own preference by adjusting the degree of bitterness, whilst reducing the saltiness and sweetness from the petal preserves and the syrup collectively. Just like first love, magnificent yet short lived, beautiful yet with a snip of bitterness.

For me, my perfect balance was to add in 1.5 shots (or test tube) of espresso, leaving me with a slight floral aftertaste. Not only is the Sakura Fubuki a dance on your taste buds, it's also Instagram worthy.

Sakura Fubuki is the latest of many signatures that Mellower Coffee has had created, such as Ice Lemon Sparkling Yirgacheffe and Ice Rose Fresh Cream Lungo, just to name a few, by a team of world class barista at its disposal.

Since its establishment in 2011 in Shanghai China, Mellower Coffee has grown from strength to strength with 20 outlets in China, 2 outlets in Singapore - 77 Robinson Road #01-03 and 108 Middle Road - and 1 in Seoul Korea . More information - http://www.mellowercoffee.com.

With Mellower Coffee's bold attempt to communicate to the world about Chinese sentiments towards Coffee as well as constantly pushing the boundary of coffee with new signatures, I'm sure it is going to be a new force to reckoned with in this fast growing potential world of coffee.

Do try it and let me know your thoughts of this drink =)

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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Here's To A Better Life!!!

Hi Huneybees,

Sorry, got to protect bro's privacy... :X

I was looking forward to a great new year but these couple of weeks have been a painful moment for me as I've lost my little brother. He was one of the victims in the recent Jiangsu tugboat accident and the whole holding-high-hopes-of-survival to having to sending him off was really too hard for me to get started on writing again.

Thanks to all of you who have been patiently waiting, showering care and support, I'm back here writing; and hopefully after "pouring" my heart out, I could get back on track. I've been staring at my computer for days, not really sure how to go on. But seriously, words can never express how much I feel about this loss. Every little thing reminds me of him and each time, it's like someone has dug a hole through my heart.

But by chance, I saw the movie "Book Of Life" and it kinda shook me up. After death, it doesn't mean everything stops. Life has to go on and hey, my bro might be having a party in Paradise, like the characters in the movie.

Right now, friends and family are my priority, treasuring every single second that I have with them. I'm gona live everyday like there's no tomorrow happily, doing what I love. Heck with the minute little things, can't be bothered about what others think and spend my time on the people who needs me more.

All these getting pissed about people stepping on your toes, bloggers' disputes, which celeb is not on terms with which celeb, seemed so irrelevant now. Time is now better put back on living a healthier lifestyle, getting back to do what I love most - painting, as well as caring and sharing more with the community.

Here's urging you all to treasure all the time and loved ones that you have, tell them you love them, hug them, kiss them and try to do more "good"! Cheers to a better life!!!

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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Call, Kiss & Hug Your Family NOW!

Hi Huneybees,

I am currently writing this blog post with a heavy heart. I may disappear from blogging for a few days as my brother was one of the missing Singaporeans on board the tugboat that has sunk in China's Yangtze River. We have yet to hear of any news about him and I am flying over this evening with my family.

Please help keep praying for every member of the crew's safety and my brother will be safe and sound in our arms very soon. Go give your family a call, a hug and a kiss and thank them for being safe. I am dying to do just that to my brother.

Please keep safe and I will try to be back soon.

And if you are from any PR or marketing company, please bear with me as I might take awhile to respond back.

If anyone has any more news, please email me at prevaricator_84@hotmail.com.

Thank you!

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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[What's New] Joining Addy Lee Around China For The Filming Of "Addy 重新出髮"

Hi Huneybees,

Internet connection in Cambodia wasn't that good and I couldn't update more on Addy Lee's journey in China. So here's more about his journey in China <Addy 重新出髮> and if you missed out what happened in Shanghai, here you go --- http://huneyzworld.blogspot.sg/2014/07/follow-addy-lee-as-he-goes-on-hair-ific.html.

Straight after Shanghai, Addy travelled to Ningbo where he had a charity event of volunteer hairstylists cutting hair for the elderly in the park. Not only did he go round teaching them and imparting his skills, he also gave a special grandma a more sassy haircut. Who says old = no style?!

He then headed to Hangzhou to pick up some hair washing techniques. It's been 20 years since he last washed someone's hair and it was not just plain shampoo and water. He had to learn how to make the customer feel relaxed with head massages and looking at that model's face, I bet I will be dozing off within minutes! :)

He also did not forget about meeting up with "friends" and getting them to do his signature "scissors hand" gestures, before he proceeded to another makeover for a lady by the lake 西湖. Isn't it amazing? If only I could be travelling around like him and get my hair pampered. Diva treatment right? LOL!

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His next stop was to Jiaxing where he went to the Xitang Ancient Water Town. It is famous for its cobbled streets, old buildings, bridges arching over canals and row boats. It is like the Asian Venice and that's definitely my next travelling destination!

There, Addy visited a simple and basic hair salon where customers were overflowing. It was a old vs new time when a red octopus looking equipment that's so ancient, meets Babyliss hair equipment. The old equipment is so old that even Addy have not seen before!

Addy showing off what the Babyliss hair equipment can do...

Of course, there comes another makeover and this time, it was for a guy. See how Addy transform this dorky guy into a street punk full of zest and zeal. Don't he just look so much more fresh?

His last stop in China was to make a trip back to Shanghai where he did a final makeover for a lady against the beautiful skyline of the city. This was more of an elegant look, for heading out in the evening for parties and this time, with a makeup expert to pull the whole look together.

Though the China trip has already ended, Addy will still be travelling to more countries like Myanmar, East Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Paris, England, Italy and not forgetting Singapore! Do stay tuned as there will be more updates!

Photo/video credits: Addy_Lee工作室

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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