Review: Cake Delivery Singapore

 The family loves cakes and I love cheese. I do not have a sweet tooth so usually I'd take a few bites of any "new" cakes that I've not tried for the experience and that's it. 

This year, being quite an extraordinary year, has been hard on the kids and also the parents. The kiddo does not learn as well via online classes versus that in physical and we have been having a challenging time closing the gaps. So when the opportunity came from Cake Delivery Singapore for a cake delivery I was really happy as I wanted to surprise the kiddo with one after her prelims. 

A quick search on their website and I ended up being doubly happy - they were many different types of cakes including *drum roll* up to 7 different kinds of cheesecakes! 

The order was quick and easy with a "click and drop" 

Cake Delivery - Click and Drop

And each selection page offers you the choice of number of candles and the option of a birthday topper. I really like that as most of the websites that I have visited get us to use a "remarks" box instead. 

Now, when I was ordering, I saw that they offer both 24-hour delivery as well as get this - midnight delivery! Why is that great - I now know where to order from when the clock strikes 12 when the kiddo turns 12 later this year! 

When the cake arrived, it did not disappoint - it arrived with a big festive bow, celebrating our end of prelims! 

My choice for the cake was a Burnt Cheesecake. The cake was still cold when it arrived and the delivery was prompt. The cake was also not "misshapen" which happened to one of the kiddo's birthday cake before when she was younger. 

Now, if you are a fan of a classic cheesecake - firm but are looking for a twist, then you will like this one. The exterior was charred where it had a caramelized finish which balances the rich cheese. For me, since I do not have a sweet tooth, I enjoyed the slightly burnt bitter ending notes, as it would have been too "jelat" (read: singlish for "rich") for me otherwise. 

With the kiddo's birthday coming up, I am considering the "build your own cake" option which offers up to 10 different flavours and possibly the midnight delivery too! 

Disclaimer: We were invited to the meal by Cake Delivery Singapore so that we can give our opinions about it. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page and Instagram where I share my parenting thoughts (both on the kiddo and my furkid), food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), outdoor fun, useful reviews, early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest! 

8Crabs Feast: Convenient Zichar with Delivery!

During the circuit breaker period, my family cooked a lot - up to about 12 meals per week. As we slowly eased into the middle of the CB, I started taking breaks, ordering food instead. I live in a great estate where we often have group buys for contactless delivery and in doing so, we will often share delivery cost or garner enough responses for special discount but that post is for another day.

So you can see how often I've been searching and googling for food and 8 Crabs popped up on my IG recently and we had the chance to try it out!

:: Ordering
The ordering process was fairly quick and simple as it basically has a mobile responsive site as well as sections for quick selection:

A quick "click and drop" to your cart where the checkout process is just as easy:

:: The stars
We chose a variety of items which had seafood (crab of course), meat (poultry & beef), vegetables and toufu.

But first, some fun facts!

Do you know that crabs travel about 500m every night and prefer to live alone. However, crab farms breed as many crabs as possible in a small confined area so as to be profitable. This causes crabs to be stressed up which then causes them to release ammonia, a sign a decomposition in seafood.

Most restaurants purchase farmed crabs due to the lower cost. 8 Crabs is the only company in Singapore which uses AAA premium Sri Lankan sourced wild crabs which are caught, flown, prepared and delivered to consumers in 12 hours!

:: Salted Egg Yolk Crab 
We chose this style of cooking because amongst us, Dumpling is the crab lover. The salted egg yolk style from 8 Crabs is somewhat a tad different from those we have tried before. For one, there's gravy and secondly, the taste is lighter and less salty. While the taste is much lighter, this means that we were able to taste the freshness of the crabs and I'd have to say that the crab was sweet and the flesh came off from the shell easily.

One suggestion: if you are going to order this, do order the mantous so that you can dip them in the gravy.

:: Stir fried kai lan
One true test for me when it comes to food delivery is the "done-ness" of vegetables. A simple dish but when overcooked, they tend to be limp (even worse when time is needed for delivery) but on this note, I really enjoyed this dish -  the vegetables were green and crunchy. 

:: Claypot toufu

The other non meat dish we ordered was the claypot toufu.

The mix of ingredients good for me - toufu, veg, black fungus, prawns, mushroom & yam. I could also taste a dash of chinese wine which balanced the dish well - as a result, most of the gravy ended in our rice.

:: Black Pepper Beef
We were pleasantly surprised by the beef as it was really tender. I also like that there is quite a good portion of onions and capsicums added to this dish as these usually helps balance dishes with "stronger taste" be it thick brown sauce / black pepper.

Though peppery, the kiddo walloped it; on hind sight, we should have ordered a "medium" for this instead seeing how we are all meat lovers. :p

:: Prawn Paste Chicken 
A quintessential poultry dish of all zichar stalls, I was originally hesitant about ordering this dish. Tis is because I was worried that the skin would be soggy and soft with the moisture trapped in the container during delivery.

However, I was pleasantly surprised once again as the food arrived warm and this chicken was still crispy and the skin was flavourful.

All in all, our experience with 8 crabs was good - from the ordering to the contactless delivery right down to the quality and affordability of the food.

For this Father's Day, 8 Crabs is also offering a Father's Day specials.

About 8 Crabs

8 Crabs is an award winning crab delivery and seafood delivery service serving Singaporeans island-wide.

It started of as being the only premium seafood importers specialising in wild catch crabs, sea cucumber, prawns, grouper, and tilapia from Sri Lanka. 

Today, it has its own processing premises in Sri Lanka. Being the only supplier of wild catch crabs, it is always being able to promise you crabs that are better than the rest. (Read more about our crabs and its advantages here!) 

Disclaimer: We were invited to the meal by 8 Crabs so that we can give our opinions about it. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts (both on the kiddo and my furkid), food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), outdoor fun, useful reviews, early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram! 

A review: Cats the Musical

Cats the Musical is based on a 1939 poetry collection of Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T S Eliot and has been written as a musical composed by the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is a sung-through musical (meaning no dialogue) which depicts the story of a tribe of cats – the Jellicle cats. These cats were gathered at the annual Jellicle Ball to make a jellicle choice on which cat will ascend cat heaven (Heaviside Layer) and be reborn again into a new (hopefully better) life.

The production is a 2-hour performance of songs and dance with an intermission in between. The junkyard stage set is the same throughout the musical so do not expect fanciful props. However, there are loads to watch for and here's the kiddo's and my favourite parts of the show. 

1) Graceful and cat-like movements

When I first watched this musical, it was eons (and I do mean eons) ago when our local artiste Jacintha was cast as Grizabella in 1993 (in the South East Asian tour). I recall that the actors were around the foyer and seating area, really getting into their character as they came near to us for us to pat them.

For this round, we did not spot any, but the actors did an amazing job getting into their characters – their movements graceful and gestures deliberate and lifelike. 

Rehearsal photos

Check out the makeup and the movements

Photo credit: CATS Tour 2019 Photography by Alessandro Pinna

If you are lucky enough to be seated along the aisle (Dumpling did!) you will meet them close up and personal as they prowl along the steps where we could see the realistic makeup and even their contacts! 

Photo credit: CATS Tour 2019 Photography by Alessandro Pinna

2) Mr Mistoffelees the Magician

Oh, can this magician cat dance! His “solo” was frankly one of the highlights for me as he twirled, swirled and owned the stage. More than that, he has fur that lit up (bling bling!) and had a couple of magic tricks up his sleeve! (I shan’t say more so that there’s no spoiler) He was a clear crowd favorite judging from the applause he received. 😊

Fun fact: Number of conjuring turns Mr Mistoffelees performs during his solo: a whopping 22!

Photo credit: CATS Tour 2019 Photography by Alessandro Pinna

3) Grizabella the Glamour Cat

And of course, not forgetting Grizabella. According to the "fandom" website, her name "griza" is derived from grey / disheveled and "bella" of course, means beauty. Hence as the name would suggest, it means grey beauty. 

When Grizabella first appeared on stage, she was indeed disheveled and “old”. Previously known as the Glamour Cat, part of the story is centered on this cat, a “has-been”, who has fallen hard on times and was trying to seek for the tribe’s forgiveness.

Photo credit: CATS Tour 2019 Photography by Alessandro Pinna

The vocal prowess and the actor’s portrayal of Grizabella did not disappoint. Dumpling and I could hear the despair and the loneliness as she first sang “Memory” and when she later reappeared and sang the reprise (of Memory), trying even harder to earn the acceptance of the tribe. Her desperation rang convincingly and true as the last notes faded in the theatre. 

Photo credit: CATS Tour 2019 Photography by Alessandro Pinna

Though I was originally unsure if the production was suited for Dumpling, she enjoyed herself (she’s just turned 11 recently) and could understand most of the play and the emotions behind it though there were some parts she had to google to understand the characters better. For me, it was a great night where I got to re-watch the musical at a different phase in life, and just enjoy the songs, dance and the feline antics. :) It is no wonder that CATS is one of the longest-running shows in West End and Broadway history, received its world premiere at the New London Theatre in 1981 where it played for 21 record-breaking years and almost 9,000 performances.

Here's more fun facts to share:

• The word JELLICLE is mentioned 138 times in the show
• The production tours 9 full shipping containers 
• The production tours 116 wigs
• The musical has toured 20 cities so far this year
• 50kg of ice is used for ice baths for the actors at the end of a hard week 

:: PERFORMANCE TIMES (From 17 December)

Tuesday to Friday: 8:00pm

Saturday: 2:00pm and 8:00pm

Sunday: 1:00pm and 6:00pm

:: TICKET PRICE

From 50 SGD*

*Excludes the booking fee of 4 SGD per ticket

:: BOOKINGS

www.MarinaBaySands.com/ticketing 

or www.sistic.com.sg 

PHONE

+65 6688 8826

:: IN PERSON AT

Marina Bay Sands Box Offices

(Museum, Theatre, SkyPark, Retail Mall and Hotel Tower 1 Lobby)

For more information please log onto

www.MarinaBaySands.com

Disclaimer: We were invited by Base Entertainment to the Gala night so that we can give our opinions about the musical. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts (both on the kiddo and my furkid), food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), outdoor fun, useful reviews, early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Review: Shepherd's Pie

Food is a common language for my family; I am very blessed that the kiddo is not only not picky about food but also very adventurous. This means that she's ok with most cuisine types: Korean, Japanese, Indian, Western etc.

We recently received a delivery from Shepherd's Pie; to try out the beef rendang version. It is not our first time ordering from The Shepherd's Pie as I have previously ordered pies from them to bring for Potluck at for parties. However, it was our first time trying out this flavor.

As the kiddo and I were out the whole day, so we placed them in the freezer and then reheat it the following day.

As you guys would know, I bento daily for the kiddo. Mainly because the school canteen has very few stalls (4 at last count). If you have been following my IG account, you would know that I am quite particular about food and nutrition for the family where weekly herbal soups are a regular thing for us and I also make it a point to ensure that there's always fruits at home and that the kiddo eats her greens daily.

With Shepherd's Pie, I did not get the heavy sauces where I usually get if there's too much seasoning (and MSG). The meat was still moist and tender with the taste of homecooked mash potato (nothing like those instant mash potato). A quick chat with the founder and I found out that the pies are freshly baked daily!

Additionally, the pie was very well balanced in terms of the proportion of "filling" and the potato. It is not a case where there's more potato than meat. Here's a side view of one slice:

Besides the "family sizes", the company also sells "mini ones" which are exceptionally useful for me when the kiddo has to stay in school till 3+/4pm. So besides packing for her recess and lunch, these minis came in handy as a "noon time" snack and the portion size was just right.

With the upcoming year end festivities, this is definitely a great option to have for parties and for potluck and I dare say, popular with all ages. :)

:: About Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie's journey started in 2011 when the founders were looking to find some good old Shepherd’s Pies for a Christmas party. Shepherd’s Pies weren’t so popular then, and it was rather difficult to find someone to bake them. Their party was coming up they really wanted to get Shepherd’s Pies as they were some of the founders' favourite foods.

This led to some research, and the founders made their own Shepherd’s Pies! Over the years, the recipes have since been refined and perfected to what they believe to be the tastiest, freshest Shepherd’s Pies in Singapore.

Contact Number: 9762 6523
E-Mail: admin@shepherdspie.sg

::DISCOUNT CODE! 

Keen to try some wholesome pies? I am pleased to share a 10% discount code with you! Just click on this link https://shepherdspie.sg/shop/, add the items to your cart and then input alicia10 in the discount field! (10% per single use) 

Disclaimer: We were sent the pies above by Shepherd's Pie to try so that we can give our opinions about it. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts (both on the kiddo and my furkid), food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), outdoor fun, useful reviews, early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Our Ortho-K journey: 9 months later...

The kiddo has been on the Ortho-K journey for about 9 months now and I thought that it would be great to update since the usage of these lens is now very much a part of her “lifestyle”.

If you need to have some background of what Ortho-K is about, I have previously done a post here.

But as a recap, Ortho-K is the usage of hard lens to reshape the cornea as the child wears it to sleep. This then reduces the need for glasses or contact lens during the day. 

But of course, to start off, the kiddo needed to go for a consultation to determine her suitability on the use of the lenses. 

Consultation to determine suitability

One of the most common questions that Dumpling gets from her classmates and me, from other mums are, what's needed / the steps involved. 

So here's what she goes through on a daily basis:

And off she goes to bed! 

When she wakes up, basically there are 3 steps: 

:: Step 1: Removal of lenses 

This is done with a small removal (suction) tool. Of course, when the kiddo first got her lenses, she "trialed" the removal and putting on under the watchful eyes of our consultants at eyesight.sg. I have to say that the staff there were super patient and very experienced in explaining, teaching and managing the kiddo's experience. 

They talked the kiddo through the steps slowly and very encouraging despite the fact that she was flustered in her first few attempts as it must have seem quite daunting to her to place the lenses into her eyes the first few times.

:: Cleaning of lenses

The steps involved in the cleansing were explained simply and the staff got the kiddo to demo to them too to ensure that there's no miscommunication. As hygiene is key to the success of this programme, I was really impressed with the detailed explanation and how the staff made it a point to highlight to the kiddo that it is her responsibility to maintain that hygiene. 

:: Soaking of lenses

And after the rinsing, it is off to soaking the lenses in another cleansing solution where it stays in the holder during the day. 

:: Overall experience

The kiddo's "degree" was about 150 to start off so I wanted to quickly manage / control the increase of the degree to a minimum when it was still on the "low" side. And because it was "low" to start off, her eyesight was tested to be perfect only after a few days of use.

(This was a momentous moment as we went on a family vacation in Dec, just 2 days after she started on Ortho-K. On the 4th morning, I still recall that she said to me "Mummy, I can see the ripples in the water! It's magical!") 

While there's "work" to be done in cleansing and soaking of the lenses plus regular eye checks, the pros far outweighs the "work". The kiddo has better "quality of life" because of better "quality of sight". It's now much safer for her to partake recreational netball

She's now able to enjoy her holidays where she can see well and do not have to cope with the hassle of wearing glasses... 

During March holidays in Penang

During June holidays in Ho Chi Minh City where she could take in the sights while on the back of a motorcycle during a local night tour!

Eyesight.sg

Addresses:

148 Potong Pasir Ave 1, #01-51 Singapore 350148
827 Tampines Street 81 #01-146 Singapore, 520827

Call or WhatsApp at (+65) 9824 1607

Operating hours: Monday to Sunday 11am-9pm

CALL FOR A NON-OBLIGATORY FREE CONSULTATION AND QUOTE "BEANIE "N" US" FOR $100 OFF YOUR ORTHO-K PACKAGE! 

Disclaimer: this is a series of collaboration as invited by Eyesight.sg so that Dumpling and I can share our reviews and experience on this new Ortho-K journey.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Our Ortho-K journey: prologue

As a family, we have been quite careful with Dumpling’s vision by reminding her to take vision breaks. Sadly though, she was diagnosed with myopia this year. I’ve heard friends sharing that once diagnosed, their “degree” goes up quite quickly and so, I’ve been really paranoid about her vision. I’ve heard of Ortho-K and have been reading up on this as a few of Dumpling’s friends are also on it.

Having gone through LASIK years ago, I’d say that’s one of the best decisions I made. With children however, they are of course too young for such an invasive method. Hence the next best possible option is to look at myopia control.

As I am writing this post, we are in the midst of waiting for Dumpling’s lenses collection after her initial eye examination. While waiting, I got Jason, Consulting Optometrist of The Eye Initiative to answer some questions and debunk some myths.

:: What exactly is Ortho-K? How does it work?

Jason: Ortho-K is a process where we prescribe kids with specially designed hard rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses that temporarily reshape the shape of the cornea to reduce myopia. This is a great technique to control myopia as it make use of the peripheral defocus (which is to bring the light rays in front of the retina) which is a proven method to ensure the increment of myopia stops/reduces. Apart from that, the advantage for Ortho-K is that it also allows the end-user the freedom of not using spectacles or contact lens in the day time.

:: Is Ortho-K safe, after all my child will be wearing it to sleep?

Jason: All contact lenses have a risk of infection, usually due to the negligence of hygiene. As long as the hygiene regimen of the individual is upheld there should not be any risk of infection. The use of Ortho-K to sleep is very safe, mainly because it is a hard lens so it:

- reduces the chances of hypoxia (lack of oxygen) and
- the chances of infection as hard lenses are not hydrophilic ( water-loving) as compared to soft contact lenses. This means that there are lesser chances of microbes sticking on the lenses.

(Jason explaining to Dumpling how Ortho-K works and showing her how the lenses look like)

:: How often and long does my child need to wear it for?

Jason: For best results, we encourage the child to wear them every day as this will ensure that the effect of myopia control is optimal. We also recommend to wear it till 16 years old as it is the 'plastic period' of the kids eyes (the period where the prescription changes significantly.) 

:: Ok, I am keen but what is the “running cost” and how often do I need to replace the lenses?

Jason: The “running” cost would be saline solution which is quite minimal. Lenses wise, they should be replaced every 2-3 years because of wear and tear.

:: As this is a long-term partnership, what should I look for in an optometrist for my child?

Jason: The optometrist must be well versed in his contact lenses knowledge and more than that, should be practising ortho-k for at least a year. Additionally, the setting of the optical shop must have a few compulsory equipment: the topographer, slit lamp and auto-refractometer as these are essential equipment for us to design the lenses.

:: What should the Ortho-K package consist of?

Jason: The cost of ortho k for eyesight.sg starts from $1,800 and it consists:

• Eye examinations (prior and after wearing to track progress)
• Unlimited consultations
• A pair of standby glasses
• One set of solution for the kids to start learning about the hygiene of Ortho-K and last but not least
• The contact lenses

:: The decision

As with my usual parenting style, Dumpling and I would discuss all matters regarding her welfare and interests - from enrichment classes to holidays to camps, so Ortho-K was no different. My viewpoint is simple: the kid must want it and be responsible for it. After all, it is her life and she has to learn to be accountable for her decision.

Thankfully, this seems to be the same approach for Eyesight.sg because at the end of the explanation, Jason turned to Dumpling and asked her for her thoughts and if she would be able to be responsible to take care of the hygiene and be responsible for the cleansing of her lenses, etc.

Dumpling doing her eye examination

And I am really glad to share that in the end, Dumpling decided that she will proceed with the journey!

Update: we've collected our lenses 2 evenings back and Dumpling has just started her journey so next up, we will be sharing her experience + some tips I learn along the way. 

About Eyesight.sg

At Eyesight.sg, previously known as The Eye Care Initiative, we offer a comprehensive eye check as we believe that regular eye examination is the key to improving the quality of one’s life as it helps prevent damage to vision brought about by diabetes and other sight-threatening eye diseases.

Eyesight.sg’s slogan is 'improving life with primary eye care' and we achieve this by having a more health-based approach in our eye examinations as we believe that we are here to add value to every customer by assisting them to know more and care more about their eye health.

Apart from that, we are a team of optometrist that is passionate in paediatric optometric practice and that is the reason why we strive and take pride in using Ortho-K to help every child in their journey of myopia control and enjoying a better quality of life.

Disclaimer: this is a series of collaboration as invited by Eyesight.sg so that Dumpling and I can share our reviews and experience on this new Ortho-K journey.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Review: Cat in the Hat by SRT (戴高帽子的猫)

Dumpling has always looked forward to watching Chinese theatrical productions and was especially thrilled when we made plans to catch Cat in the Hat 戴高帽子的猫 by Singapore Repertory Theatre (especially right around our CA period! :p). 

Perhaps one of the world's most famous children’s authors, Dr. Seuss was certainly a well-liked character in our household when Dumpling was younger. His whimsical rhythmic stories provided us with such precious moments during our homeschooling years.

:: The story

“The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house all that cold, cold, wet day.”

The play was true to the story where the opening scene depicts the first page of the story with the 2 main characters staring out of their window on that cold, cold wet day. The props were also done up in the trademark Dr. Seuss's blue with the actors’ costumes riding on the "watercolour and ink illustration" style which is synonymous with the author.

When I first brought Dumpling and my niece to watch this play, I was worried that the play would be too simple for her since she is in Primary 4 after all. However, while the play is simple (where there’s far lesser lines than SRT’s other Chinese productions), it was, by no means, less enjoyable. What it “lacks” in dialogues, it makes up in physical comedy. 

The production was also able to draw on the children’s imagination with the simple stage sets, fuelled by the outrageous antics of the Cat in the Hat. Of course, no Cat in the Hat story will be complete without Thing 1 and Thing 2 ->; 小家伙

For parents who are looking for a gentle way to ease your children into Chinese exposure, this play is perfect for you. I heard young children laughing at the naughty antics Thing 1 and 2 did. 

Good phrases and vocabulary such as  急吼着，目瞪口呆，仔细看，垂头丧气 were used in the play too and of course, I did not waste the tiger mom learning moment to empahsize on those words to the kiddo. :p 

It was my niece’s (Primary 3) first foray into watching a Mandarin production and she really liked it. I heard her laughing out loud and saw her leaning forward, looking really engaged. At one point she also wondered out loud how Cat in the Hat could balance the gazillion things which he stacked.

With the September holidays just around the corner, this will be a great time to bring your children to sample this entertaining production! 

Here's more details:

Event Date

Thu, 9 Aug - Sat, 8 Sep 2018

Weekdays: 10am
Weekend & Public Holidays
Sat, 4 Aug and 11 Aug: 11am & 2pm

Venue

KC Arts Centre - Home of SRT

To book for your tickets, please click here.

Disclaimer: We were invited by Singapore Repertory Theatre to watch the play so that we can give our opinions about it. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours. Images are courtesy of Singapore Repertory Theatre. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts (both on the kiddo and my furkid), food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), outdoor fun, useful reviews, early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!