Off to school

Aww... my little boy is all grown up ready to go to school! Well, at least for playschool. Ken and I had been scouting around for a suitable playschool for Angus and were feeling a little unsure about sending him to school when we saw this advert at our doorstep. It was from a new playschool just a stone throw away from home and best of all, it is a playgroup for toddler and parent! Am elated that I can actually attend school with Angus!! I may sound a little protective and even kiasu but I believe most first time mum will feel anxious, like me about the first time their baby is going to leave home and be on their own with a group of strangers for a few hours. So, this playgroup for mum and toddler is ideal for me as I can help Angus adjust to the new environment and programme while I actually get to witness what he goes through in school and how he respond to the school environment and activities.

Alrighty, Angus and I are both ready for school!

Here's Angus in his uniform all ready!

Dutch Pancake

My brother had recently returned to Singapore for good (or not) and brought with him this simple and good recipe for Pannekoeken (Dutch Pancakes). It's really easy to do, flexible and makes a hearty breakfast for young and old. Best when it's hot and slightly crispy at the sides. It's a little like hotcake but has got more texture and thinner. Try it for a twist to your usual hotcakes or bread.

Pannekoeken (Dutch Pancakes) Recipe

250 gr flour

500ml milk

2 medium eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tblsp oil (I skipped this and the pancake still taste great)

1/2 tsp sugar

If using blender or mixer, combine all ingredients and blend.

Mixing by hand method:

1. Put flour in a bowl, make a little hole in the middle. Pour in some milk in the hole and start stirring as you pour in the rest of the milk gradually

2. Mix till you achieve a smooth batter.

3. Add in the eggs one by one, then add the salt, sugar and oil. Mix well until the batter is smooth.

4. Cook the the pancakes should be baked in a non-stick frying pan (a french crepe pan is ok too) preferably in butter (or oil, if you don't like cholesterol).

5. The butter should be very hot. Pour in some batter (about 4 tabelspoons) and cook. Turn the pancake when the upper surface is dry and bubbling with holes. Flip pancake and cooked the other side.

Fillings

1. Great thing about this pancake is, you can add anything you like. Savoury or sweet is up to you. Pizza type fillings are nice and can be put on top of the pancake when you flip to cook the pancake on the other side so that the cheese and other fillings will be a little cooked also.

2. For classic fillings, try bacon, syrup and apple.

3. For the bacon pancakes you have to fry the bacon first and then pour over the batter. They are served with dutch syrup, which has a thicker consistancy than american syrup. You can use cane molasses, and that tastes almost the same as dutch pancake syrup.

4. Apple pancakes: first cooked some fine chunks of apple and pour over the batter. Here's a picture of my favourite, with cheese and ham.

Takashimaya 15th anniversary sale

Yeah!!! The end of the year is near and it's time for shopping, shopping, more shopping.
My last shopping trip was to the Takashimaya 15th annivesary sale and naturely almost everything was on 15 percent off including sale items. Most big brands like COACH, Kate Spade, Tod's, Paul and Joe, Estee Lauder were also on 15 percent. It's worth a trip if you are buying cosmetics as these are rarely on SALE.

I am soooo proud of myself to have been able to hold back buying the kitchen scale from KAI that i've been eyeing, for the past 6 months till today to enjoy the 15 percent off. It's rather pricey at $59 for a kitchen scale so I have to switch to my auntish housewife mode on this one. The scale is a cute and compact one where the digital display can be close like a drawer underneath the weighing plate. It comes in white and pink and I just had to choose the pink one because all small thing just looks nice in pink.

My next favorite purchase is a hot plate grill with handle from Tefal. Can't wait to try out my new grill. Am already hearing the sizzling sound of steak cooking...hmmm... yum yum.

These shoes are made for walking...

Lately, I've been a fetish for flat shoes; pumps, ballets, sandals ... you name it! It's probably...er.... definitely due to motherhood. Visions of myself strutting down Orchard Road in my sexy black 4 inch heels is ... simply... a vision. Trips to anywhere, 5km radius away from home will be armed with a tote bag filled with diaper, bottles, milk powder, hankerchief, toys acompanied by a 20- month old toddler, stroller. My armour will usually be something comfortable, cooling and No low neckline in preparation for tackling the embarrassing situation of a small toddler sneaking away from you, persistently playing with somebody else's ____ (choose 1: bag, stroller, skirt, fruits, puddle) and making a dodo. As a result, I've come to appreciate designers who bothers to create beautiful, stylish yet comfortable flats.

There is a boutique that I've discovered quite a while ago that sells nice variety of flats at reasonable price. I've gotten like 5 pairs from this shop named Schu in the past few months and I find the shoes to be quite durable too. Yesterday, when I was near Wisma Atrium, I could not resist the temptation of popping in the shop and there waiting for me was pair of white pointed flats with gold polka dots beckoning me to bring it home. The pair is now among my collections of flats in the shoe cabinet. Maybe, I should take a picture of my collection and post it the next time. I noticed that the shop also sells pretty, working and causal bags as well as accessories like necklaces and sunglasses now. By spending $100 in a single receipt entitles one to be a member with privileges such as 15 percent discount and members prevail.

Happy 2008!

This is the view of the New Year's firework from my place. I had initially intended to join the countdown party at Habour Front or Marina Bay. Nevertheless, the crowd that was already there, when I reach Vivo City in the afternoon caused me to change my plans. Well, I spend a quiet evening with my family at home and ended up counting down with my little nephew on the top floor of my flat watching fireworks ; )

Designer Anya Hindmarch's I am not a plastic bag

The hottest trend - recycling

Few months back, I've come across an article from a lady's magazine that highlights the trend towards eco friendliness. It shares about some fashion label that includes organic materials in the making of clothes as well as some designers that creates their own line of eco-friendly fashion. Then there is also the Singapore design competition that has a category for designing recycling bins and an article that focused on the health benefits of going on organic diet. Whether it is a ride with fashion statement or health reasons, I am grateful for the media and commercial industry for spreading the notion of going green to people. In the past, cashiers will react with a funny look whenever I bring my own shopping bag or reject the carrier they offer to place my groceries in. Nowadays, it is no longer weird to be environmental friendly as cashiers and shopkeepers appreciate you bringing your own bag and there are more and more shoppers doing so. (and oh... I love the "I am not a plastic bag" bag but didn't manage tobuy it.)

My husband and I have been some sort of environmentalist for the past 5 yrs. Although, we find it rather impractical and expensive to go for organic food or fashion, we have developed our own way of saving the environment. Other than, recycling bottles, papers, refusing extra plastic carriers, we have been on our toes in energy and water conservation. It is really saving the environment and savings for our pocket.
Here are our few cents worth on going green:

1) Switch off the power suppy switch and do not let electrical appliance on standby mode. This actually cut down on electricity usage and help us to save on electrical fees.

2) Try not to wash a single plate or cup. Accumulate till you have more so that you can wash it together to reduce water wastage.

3) Bring own shopping bag when you are going to NTUC supermarket. They will refund you with 10cents if your purchase is more than $10. Isn't it great that you get to save some money when you are helping to save the environment.

4) Recycle the water use for washing food in a pail so that the water can be reuse for washing the floor or toilet later.

5) We try not to use too much of disposable bag, utensils etc. We will usually refuse to take these utensils when we packet food from outside. We also choose to store our food in reusable containers rather than the disposable one time usage kind.

Going green can be developed into a lifestyle that need not bear economical consequences on us. Although, the fashion and trend of recycling and going organic may be a passing cloud but I sincerely hope that the culture and habit of saving and conserving our environment that was brought to us during this period will go on and on.