tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45683000093626658092012-01-19T10:16:42.032+08:00The-F-word-blog is about the 4 F's that I enjoy the most in life. Food for eating out, Film for watching movies & Flight for traveling. I will also be documenting my ATTEMPT (Again, I say ATTEMPT hehe) on losing weight, hence the last F for Fitness.Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.comBlogger2171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-1496439052358706682012-01-14T17:17:00.001+08:002012-01-14T17:26:17.785+08:00

Day 3 was our most anticipated trip of North Holland. I couldn't wait to see REAL windmills :-)   You can get your tickets from "Tours & Tickets" offices which were scattered all over Amsterdam... they gave you earphones which you could plug to the side of your seat and hear commentaries of the places you see on the road - quite fun and knowledge-enriching (I was amazed at how the commentaries

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-73807026646035073852012-01-14T16:49:00.003+08:002012-01-14T17:00:42.296+08:00

I'm waiting for my stomach to digest my late lunch of Delimondo corned beef with piping hot rice (hehehe) before I go for a run around the reservoir, so might as well (finally) start my travel blog on my Netherlands trip last October :-). Every now and then I have mental glimpses of the Netherlands and I wish I was back there. What I miss the most aside from the cool weather is going to Albert

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-18059163056734232812012-01-10T01:11:00.011+08:002012-01-10T01:32:57.151+08:00

 Now, I'm sure you've probably heard of the new campaign by the Department of Tourism in the Philippines - "It's more fun in the Philippines". And since my blog is about travel ("flight" being one of the F's in this blog), I feel I should contribute in my own little way towards this campaign. First of all, to all the smart-a$$ critics out there, let's give this a chance. The WOW Philippines

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-61739623803442059152012-01-01T02:45:00.002+08:002012-01-01T02:46:56.785+08:00

Dear God, I thank you above everyone else for 2011. For my family, friends and loved ones who give meaning to my life, for the things I have gained and lost, for the places I have seen, for the friendship and people I have met, for the love I have given and received, even for the people who hated and ridiculed me during tough times, I thank you.  I pray that you make me and all the people

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-30045924123815058922011-12-22T10:18:00.005+08:002012-01-07T21:15:24.066+08:00

Sorry this video diary is all about my HUGE face haha! Anyway, as I mentioned in the video, I'll be documenting my fractional c02 laser treatment. I'm uber excited about it! I'm at the office now and all I can think about is going through the laser this afternoon. Zap those scars away! hehehe. I'm doing the treatment with David Loh Surgery (Aesthetic Clinic). You can go to his website by

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-52955345879862021152011-12-20T19:17:00.000+08:002011-12-20T19:17:53.073+08:00

Wow, how time flies!!! It feels like it was only yesterday when I was planning my leaves for 2011 and what do you know the year has almost ended. This year has been very eventful and I feel nothing but gratitude for all that has come my way- be it good or bad.   Even before I started working here in Singapore, Christmas has always been an occasion I really look forward to. Apart from the usual

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-76865505643522630292011-11-22T23:57:00.006+08:002011-11-23T00:19:31.341+08:00

  DISCLAIMER: This is mostly a rant post so don't click on "read more" if you wish to keep your sunny disposition :-P The Case of the Lunatic Lady It was an awfully rainy Saturday afternoon and I was waiting at our bus stop, on the way to meet a friend at the Museum. The fact that it was raining (i.e. torrential rains) meant that the bus stop was crowded with people seeking shelter. This lady

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-56736522496792533832011-11-01T23:32:00.004+08:002011-11-02T00:06:20.156+08:00

I was about to go to bed, browsing through some regular blogs that I read and something struck me. It may seem petty and unimportant but can you help me answer this - Is it really necessary for maids to wear uniforms? Is this a "phenomenon" that only happens in filipino culture? Yes, some of you may say that chambermaids or cleaners really wear uniforms (as J.Lo depicts in the picture below) but

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-81595533634376166442011-10-29T15:04:00.001+08:002011-10-29T15:08:04.501+08:00

I finally met Siri! haha. But only after falling in line for an entire day - to be exact, 12.5 hrs! Honestly, I'm not a sucker for techy gadgets. But the thing is my 8gb iPhone 3G is so damn slow and is starting to hang. Plus, my $100 voucher for mobile recontract plan is expiring on 31st Oct. So since my office is right beside Starhub in Vivo City (luckily thank god), I decided to troop

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-36479338759876158862011-10-16T11:39:00.004+08:002011-11-14T23:39:43.776+08:00

Its 5am in the morning and I'm already up, I slept around 10pm last night but already feel energized with just 7 hours of sleep. The flight was VERRRYY long. Almost 20 hours of total travel time. I took Malaysia Airlines after all and not KLM as per my previous post. I think those passengers who booked KLM rode Malaysia airlines instead because of the code sharing. Our flight was delayed due to a

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-29201630289921468792011-10-14T23:03:00.001+08:002011-10-14T23:04:29.709+08:00

   I'm here at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and loving it!!! :-)It's my first time here and boy am I impressed! I usually take budget airlines to Malaysia that's why I've never seen this terminal. Wide array of designer brands, shops and food choices within a modern brightly-lit facade. The check-in lady at SG Changi Airport was a bit disappointing though. The thing is I booked my seats

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-50118404981179961532011-10-01T12:34:00.003+08:002011-10-01T12:36:32.234+08:00

I didn't realize there was an original Johnny English movie, thus I'm not sure if that one was more funny than this "reborn" sequel. Rowan Atkinson has got to be one of the greatest comedians on the planet. I mean, really, who doesn't know him as "Mr. Bean"? It was a funny movie alright but I guess "Bridesmaids" just set the bar too high for me haha. It's great to see Rowan though on the big

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-85738264037053260442011-09-13T22:04:00.002+08:002011-09-13T22:14:39.853+08:00

I said it in my facebook status and I'll say it again - Shamcey was the best ever Miss Philippines in the history of Miss Universe! She definitely represented our country better than any other philippine candidate. I'm sure a lot of us feel robbed of the crown given that she nailed the Q&A, but it is what it is. At least, there is nothing that anyone can say against her on why she didn't win (

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-12573162332341864482011-09-11T14:53:00.000+08:002011-09-11T14:53:41.497+08:00

These past few weeks were great for moviegoers like me as a number of worthwhile movies were shown. Bad Teacher, starring Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake was a funny riot. Not as hilarious as Bridesmaids though, but funny nonetheless hehe. Cameron was sluttishly funny in the movie but I doubt that such extreme teachers exist in the real world  (definitely not in Singapore at least :-P). It

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-89464167796851431892011-08-28T18:42:00.000+08:002011-08-28T18:42:36.749+08:00

S. T. R. E. S. S. Goodness gracious this movie was hilariously stressful!!! Seriously, I never thought I could laugh and be stressed at the same time haha. It was so gory I couldn't help but cringe in my seat and cover my mouth to prevent unwanted embarrassing shrieks hehehe. I guess I was laughing because it was unbelievably gory, see trailer below: Buuutttt, I loved it! hahaha. I don't know

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-53564112659259266232011-08-17T22:56:00.002+08:002011-08-17T22:59:55.130+08:00

Less than 2 months to go 'til our epic Amsterdam trip! (haha I'm just assuming it's going to be epic). Tomorrow is my interview/application at the Netherlands Embassy and I've double/triple checked that all my documents are complete. I hope everything goes as planned as my parents and twin brother already got their schengen visa just recently. This trip is even more special as my cousin and her

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-48821843606602083892011-08-07T03:27:00.003+08:002011-08-07T03:37:20.907+08:00

I haven't done a movie review in a long time, despite the fact that I've seen quite a number of movies lately (The Hangover Part 2, X-men First Class and Kung Fu Panda 2), but this movie is soooo hilarious that I just have to make a review! :-) [Spoiler Alert] The trailer does no justice to the movie at all, in fact I had no interest or plans whatsoever on seeing this movie. I'm also boggled on

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-52546841331252091342011-08-07T01:40:00.012+08:002011-08-07T01:55:53.483+08:00

Wow, I didn't realize the last project chocolate review I did was already 7 months ago! Anyway, when we were at Marina Bay Sands Hotel a few weeks ago I decided to bring back to life this chocolate review and chose Godiva for this post :-). They didn't allow pictures... the saleslady on the left was rushing to stop me from taking pics, too late though hehehe First and foremost, Godiva is the

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-10625467650617750682011-07-31T22:04:00.004+08:002011-07-31T22:12:11.596+08:00

Today was "me" day. I think we all need some "me" time for ourselves to reconnect with our spirit. Sounds deep but it is true. Of course it's fun to spend time with loved ones but nothing beats spending time with yourself hehe. Anyway, I had to accomplish a few things. Woke up pretty late and wasn't able to pass by the nearby clinic to replenish my supply of Xenical, so this one I have to do

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-15377364915625856862011-07-31T21:16:00.002+08:002011-07-31T21:19:50.222+08:00

I'm sure you can't believe your eyes but yes, the fitness aspect of this blog is still alive and striving! hehe. Early last month, Aileen and I went though a blood profile test, just to find out if there's anything wrong with our bodies. I turned 30 last year and I think it's just about time I start checking my internal issues (as in literally), especially that I am overly overweight. Lo and

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-87704207247441408662011-07-25T23:59:00.022+08:002011-07-26T00:32:04.264+08:00

Wikipedia pretty much sums it up - Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. Developed by Las Vegas Sands, it is billed as the world's most expensive standalone casino property in the world at S$8 billion. The resort features 2,561 rooms, a 1,300,000 square foot convention/exhibition centre, the 800,000 square foot "The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Mall", an

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-68491815691443952792011-07-23T03:48:00.009+08:002011-07-23T04:03:31.871+08:00

Haha that title was a mouthful. So darn happy it's the weekend! I've been working for 11 years now (on and off) but I'm still amazed that I can make it through a 5-day work-week hehehe. Anyway, back to the recipe... I baked "Raisin Banana Pudding with Vanilla Sauce and Caramelized Bananas" for our weekend staycation tomorrow. Let's just say the universe conspired and the stars aligned that we

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-73341214803323337132011-07-17T05:05:00.001+08:002011-07-17T05:15:32.045+08:00

Finally, we've come to the last installment of my travelogue on Spain. Just about time since it's now been 2 months since our trip. It was a hectic 8-day 5-city trip but was well worth it :-). Again, I'm always thankful for the chance to work here in Singapore because if it weren't for the opportunity to be here none of this would be possible, hehe mushy but true. VALENCIA Tourists would usually

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-40670121300119563092011-07-14T21:08:00.004+08:002011-07-14T21:22:23.520+08:00

I am writing this post with the intent to help those people who are perpetually being harassed and taken advantage of by ruthless agents. I've been searching forums and sites these past few days trying to find answers to my questions until I finally contacted the Council for Estate Agencies to shed light on our concerns. The thing is our rental contract expires next month and we were looking at

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-88963191938288812342011-07-10T15:36:00.002+08:002011-07-10T15:39:51.540+08:00

A few weeks ago our cousin, Brett and his wife Pinky, were in Singapore for a week to attend a conference and for some R&R, as well. Thus, we found a good excuse to prepare something special, ergo we decided to cook Paella since I bought quite a lot of ingredients from my recent Spain trip :-). Most of the ingredients are shown above (the rest you can see from the pics below): Paella seasoning

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-45902605486552360432011-07-10T02:09:00.005+08:002011-07-10T02:19:16.428+08:00

It's a Saturday night and I was bored haha. I am definitely getting old as previously my weekends would be spent partying, clubbing, drinking or what not. Now, it's baking haha. But seriously, cooking is my therapy. It takes my mind off whatever worries I have at the moment (not that I have any major ones right now, luckily). I just really want to practice my piping to be honest. I was rummaging

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-571587996264290372011-07-06T23:13:00.006+08:002011-07-06T23:26:07.281+08:00

I just woke up from a long nap as I got home earlier than normal because my appointment finished early - the perks of a sales job hehehe, so back to blogging! Finally, my post about Granada is here - my most favorite city in Spain! :-) This was the view from our room, can you believe that?! We were so lucky because again, my email requesting for a high-floor view-facing room was granted! and

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-50416724987009328222011-06-29T15:19:00.007+08:002011-06-29T15:24:26.045+08:00

I've been sick these past few days, caught a really bad flu bug. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the the other day when I went inside my airconditioned room after a jog - wet sweaty shirt and all. Or it's just the fluctuating weather. Or I got it from some passengers in the bus or train who sneeze or cough without covering their noses/mouths. Oh well. At least I've got time to blog

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-60535384067510497142011-06-09T17:49:00.023+08:002011-07-26T02:06:45.455+08:00

Madrid is my second most favorite city next to Granada :-) We walked so much in Madrid I felt like my legs/feet were going to fall off at the end of the day. The weather was colder in the morning but got bearable in the afternoon. I guess the cool weather also made the long walking bearable. Estacion de Atocha - main train station in Madrid First glimpse of Madrid! Such a relief after 24

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-20672867433843193802011-06-09T00:44:00.004+08:002011-06-09T00:50:32.922+08:00

This is an update to a previous post... I finally retired my trusty and reliable shoe bag hehehe. Well not exactly because I still use them for shoes haha. I almost lost hope that I wouldn't find the perfect work slash casual bag in Spain but I did! And thanks to Massimo Dutti :-) I'm not exactly sure what it's called - is it still considered a messenger bag? But who cares, 5 minutes after

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-6714187219083401252011-06-05T22:04:00.005+08:002011-06-05T22:09:58.770+08:00

I had no plans at all to bake yesterday but since I accompanied my cousin to the baking supplies store then I might as well do hehe. I cheated this time around as the cupcake ingredients we got from a box hehehe. My cousin had a spare box of yellow cake so I just used that :-P. My cousin gave this to me for my birthday in October last year and I haven't had the chance to use it. I never knew

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-9089017248328560502011-06-05T21:43:00.020+08:002011-06-09T17:50:48.259+08:00

Spain left me breathless, literally and figuratively. Figuratively as the sights, sound, smell, taste and feel I experienced in Spain were truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Literally because we were left breathless in fear due to our 3 encounters with pickpockets in Barcelona on our 2nd to the last day. Anyway, let me try and set aside that horrible memory and focus on the beauty that Spain

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-60018846119904982742011-05-08T23:39:00.000+08:002011-05-08T23:39:35.645+08:00

Every first friday of the month, our company has a mass workout then one team will prepare our healthy breakfast. Last friday, it was our team's turn and since I was the assigned leader I put my baking skills into use hehehe. Thanks to my colleague Darren for the pic I googled for a recipe and found this recipe from allrecipes.com. I was a bit skeptic on how the muffins (or more like cupcakes)

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-29399991697099458042011-05-01T16:55:00.005+08:002011-05-01T21:59:35.400+08:00

Happy Labour Day everyone! This is the 2nd long weekend in a row and it feels grreeaaattt! 12 days to go 'til Spain and I can hardly wait! We pretty much settled everything we need for this trip and all we need to do now is count down the days :-) We are lucky Pricebreaker sells the Eurail Pass and you can also arrange the train reservations with them. The Eurail Pass was actually more

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-78900060523562325562011-04-24T13:42:00.009+08:002011-04-24T13:52:43.354+08:00

4KG!!! I can't believe it!!! YEEEEYYYYY!!!! My low carb, low fat diet is working!!! Honestly, I haven't gone to the gym since my diet but ironically that's when I lost weight. Just proves to show that what you eat is really a major major factor. Though I know I should start going back to the gym for even more weight loss and toning. Marigold puddings have been my bestfriend lately. I

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-91179769836113201482011-04-22T03:40:00.002+08:002011-04-22T03:40:43.599+08:00

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-13941353301700880762011-04-17T22:34:00.003+08:002011-04-17T22:49:23.838+08:00

3KG. I'm so damn proud to say I've managed to lose 3kg since that fateful day at Universal Studios Singapore. Slowly but surely I am trying to lose the weight. It truly was an awakening to me, but the experience was a bit traumatic at the same time. I was planning to go to this theme park in Spain called "PortAventura" but decided to scrap it from our itinerary. I just want to move on and learn

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-57672173720086344862011-04-16T12:56:00.021+08:002011-04-16T15:06:00.064+08:00

My mom and stepdad are fortunate to have been able to travel to a lot of places and they recently realized that we haven't gone on an overseas trip all together. So this October, they decided to treat myself, my twin brother and our step brother on a trip to Europe! Thank god for the immaculate realization! hehehe. One of the canals in Amsterdam The plan is to enter through Amsterdam and

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-80654213975828691362011-04-14T22:01:00.008+08:002011-04-14T22:17:48.553+08:00

My cousin, Quincy, is in town and since he said Japanese ramen is such a craze in Manila, and since we ourselves are going gaga over everything japanese lately (haha), we decided to head to Parco Mall to try out Nantsuttei. This was Aileen's recommendation actually, as she already went there with her Japanese colleague previously. We got there past 2pm on a Sunday yet the place was still

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-67434601088193096432011-04-08T23:32:00.014+08:002011-04-08T23:45:43.580+08:00

I can be so cheap in some (or most?) ways that it's just pathetic... Would you believe that this soiled shoebag is what I carry to work? hahaha I know, I'm cheap like that! You can even see the blood stains from my hand when this idiot biker ran into me at the bus stop the other day (as posted on my FB page). Anyway, Aileen saw me carrying this and felt terribly sorry for me hahaha who wouldn't

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-88189277960825825612011-04-03T22:59:00.003+08:002011-04-03T23:00:40.903+08:00

These past few months, because of my cousin Aileen's influence, we have been obsessed with Japanese food. This afternoon, while waiting for Vice Ganda's show to start at Clarke Quay, we wandered around Liang Court and found this japanese supermarket. I googled and found out Meidi-Ya is a supermarket chain in Japan which started in 1885 (click here). Not sure if the website is updated but it

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-66019875324327471072011-03-29T23:32:00.005+08:002011-03-30T00:07:42.556+08:00

I was at the LTO on my first day here in Manila to renew my license. I'd like to share my very detailed experience so that the people out there would know what (and what not) to do when renewing your driver's license. My flight arrived slightly delayed and I got here around 4.30am via Jetstar. We had breakfast at the Borough in Ortigas while waiting for the LTO office to open at 8am. Now the

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-70696171795018200872011-03-23T21:54:00.002+08:002011-03-23T22:11:13.304+08:00

Tomorrow night I'll be flying to Manila for a short 4-day trip. I got lucky with Jetstar and got my ticket for only S$130, what a steal! Anyway, my real purpose for this trip was to invest in a condo. I celebrated 4yrs here in SG last 21st March and I feel it's high time I invest into something to make all my hardwork here worthwhile. This is the property I'm looking at: I think it's a

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-49588594746052470222011-03-08T23:23:00.009+08:002011-03-08T23:29:18.941+08:00

Thank you to "stranded soul" for sharing this article which he posted in his comment in the SG Yahoo Article. click on the link below: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20344142,00.html I share the exact same sentiments as Mr. Kevin Smith. People may say flying is a whole new different situation but not really, it's the humiliation of being rejected that is the main issue. Only fat people

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-124634959595512602011-03-08T20:21:00.008+08:002011-03-29T23:56:20.361+08:00

The New Paper article has finally come out (the reporter has yet to send me the softcopy which I will append to this article upon receipt see end of this post for the article), and surprisingly there is also a yahoo article on SG Yahoo. You can click here, or see the full article below at the end of this post. I knew it would spur mixed reactions from people, but in fairness to The New Paper

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-21939732682671600602011-03-06T14:35:00.003+08:002011-03-06T18:31:28.711+08:00

So it's that time of the year again when we plan for our holiday trip. We were actually choosing among India, Australia or Spain and after many bouts of discussion, consideration and after visiting the recently concluded NATAS travel fair, we decided on Spain!!! :) Though this time we decided to plan our own trip from scratch! Last year when we took a travel package tour to Turkey, it was

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-66189596266768447952011-03-04T18:26:00.008+08:002011-03-10T01:04:01.435+08:00

Just a quick update as I am doing this from the office: I finally had the interview with the reporter last Wednesday, 2 March. Just this evening, my friend was also interviewed over the phone by the reporter. I heard the article is coming out tomorrow. I'm quite apprehensive as I know it will get mixed reactions from people but I'm sure the intelligent public will know the purpose of me sharing

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-65596734741444588402011-03-01T20:33:00.006+08:002011-03-10T01:04:40.991+08:00

I just received a call from a reporter for The New Paper. The New Paper is Singapore's second-highest circulating paid English-language newspaper, first launched on July 26, 1988, by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH). Its daily circulation is around 110,000. I'm scheduled to meet the reporter tomorrow for an interview. I'm actually preparing myself for negative feedback as I'm quite sure people

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-90124172349314672382011-02-28T19:42:00.017+08:002011-03-10T01:05:04.233+08:00

This morning I received a call from a Lady from the Forum section of The Straits Times. The Straits Times is an English language daily broadsheet newspaper based in Singapore currently owned by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH). It is the country's highest-selling paper. It was a very short call and she just wanted to inform me that they are considering to feature my story in their Forum section

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-44100208767848853892011-02-27T19:25:00.008+08:002011-03-29T23:41:37.128+08:00

I just received a call from a columnist named "Mia" of Lianhe Wanbao. Lianhe Wanbao (literally United Evening Paper) is a Singapore Chinese afternoon newspaper published daily by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH).  We spoke several times through a few phone calls where she basically went through the facts of my story plus asked additional information about myself. She also shared with me what

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-26925682691587614012011-02-27T12:05:00.005+08:002011-03-29T23:42:49.768+08:00

I had the most unfortunate incident at Universal Studios Singapore yesterday. I have written to all the major publications here in Singapore, including NBC Universal and Universal Studios Orlando in the US. As of today, 27 Feb, the Universal Studios Orlando responded to my email and forwarded my concern to US Singapore. Just a few minutes ago, someone from US Singapore called to say they

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-65934101899083317962011-02-19T12:41:00.008+08:002011-03-29T23:45:54.673+08:00

"127 Hours" is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's (James Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah. Over the next five days, Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, scale a 65-

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-6465587887109277982011-02-13T21:24:00.001+08:002011-02-13T21:33:01.378+08:00

After watching a movie yesterday, we were intrigued with this newly-opened (or is it?) dessert place called "Honeymoon Dessert" as people were queueing to get in. I wanted to have the red or green bean hot soup but it was unavailable already. Hmm not quite the impression a new place would want to leave to eager patrons but I can give them the benefit of the doubt as the place seems new - they

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-43395857498288515202011-02-13T20:55:00.003+08:002011-02-13T21:31:55.830+08:00

You can always trust the Singapore Tourism Board to come up with new ideas to further promote tourism. Last Saturday, we took a stroll down the newly-opened Sentosa Boardwalk as we wanted to buy advance tickets for Universal Studios in time for Galactica's re-opening (though when we were there the lady at the counter said the Galactica was already operational). All I can say is that the boardwalk

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-59027025767574048872011-02-13T20:36:00.001+08:002011-02-13T21:07:47.550+08:00

Inspired by true events, "The Rite" follows skeptical seminary student Michael Kovak (Colin O'Donoghue), who reluctantly attends exorcism school at the Vatican. While he's in Rome, Michael meets an unorthodox priest, Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins), who introduces him to the darker side of his faith, uncovering the devil's reach even to one of the holiest places on Earth. (Overview taken from SG

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-35097646012460443382011-01-30T12:07:00.009+08:002011-01-30T12:24:44.401+08:00

Thanks to my insistent prodding, we were finally able to go to Jurong Bird Park yesterday despite the uber rainy weather. No project chocolate review for this week for the meantime, else I want to get diabetes and go bankrupt at the same time haha. Opened in 1971, Jurong Bird Park is the largest bird park in the world, offering a 20.2-hectare hillside haven for 4,600 birds representing 380

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-10885985393511062472011-01-24T21:40:00.001+08:002011-01-24T21:41:07.888+08:00

I've googled the net in vain to no avail. I can't seem to find the origins of this stall in Takashimaya (which replaced my all-time favorite Auntie Anne's).  Now I don't know about you, but to me the brand name is a bit very confusing... Is it Japanese (Sapporo - 5th largest city in Japan)?? Or French (Petit is french for Petite)?? Or English (Doughnut - English spelling of Donut)?? As per

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-87798454279071717562011-01-23T16:56:00.012+08:002011-08-07T01:37:02.419+08:00

I actually now look forward to my weekends because I know I'll be tasting a new brand of chocolate hehehe. So I randomly chose Leonida's as the second contestant for my project chocolate. This stall is actually right beside Patchi in Takashimaya. I've heard of Leonida's before but it never really crossed my mind to taste it. Again, I put my trust on the sales girl (who was very perky and

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-15385674827220009072011-01-23T16:10:00.001+08:002011-01-23T17:19:26.047+08:00

I haven't reviewed a movie in a while so I might be a bit rusty hehe. Saw this movie last night, and at midnight at that. The first hour was a bit dragging and dry as it was mostly narrative but the last hour was quite engaging. Thank god for the large coffee I drank at Coffee Bean which made me widely awake the entire time haha. I actually liked the story of the movie. It was based on books

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-17478757049915039942011-01-16T22:04:00.000+08:002011-01-16T22:04:57.283+08:00

W-O-W!!! This truly brings dining to a whole new level! (literally and figuratively that is haha) Actually, I first learned about this on TV through Discovery channel. Imagine dining at 160-180 feet above the air! According to their website, dining in the sky is available in 25 countries. I checked out the Las Vegas outlet website and found out you could dine in the sky for a mere US$289 (

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-74428642779421679632011-01-16T01:09:00.003+08:002011-01-16T01:17:52.391+08:00

GUILTY. GUILTY AS CHARGED. My attempt to fitness has become my journey to fatness. I AM GUILTY BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT. Even more guilty than Hubert Webb. Haha kidding, that was totally out of line and irrelevant. I have been trying to avoid this topic in my blog for the longest time and realized it's been almost 2 years since the last fitness update. I've been tempted so many times to take out

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-88985388704871085272011-01-15T22:21:00.011+08:002011-01-23T16:21:43.748+08:00

I read in Anton's blog (http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/) that Patchi Chocolate recently opened in Manila at the Bonifacio Global City, so this sparked my interest (in my big tummy) on finding the best "underground" luxury chocolate. Thus, PROJECT CHOCOLATE was born! :P I read through several local blogs and forums and narrowed down my list to 10 luxury chocolate brands as listed below,

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-75056822261232505752011-01-04T21:12:00.007+08:002011-01-04T21:53:36.204+08:00

I'm sure you've heard this line at least once - that Singapore is a FINE city. Meaning, there are FINES for almost anything (e.g. No Durian, No smoking - Fine $1000, etc) but at the same time FINE also means Singapore is a great, modern and clean city. Now that it's 2011, I just realized that on March I'll be celebrating my 4th year anniversary here in Singapore. WOW. I can't believe it. Really.

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-56300783351481092632011-01-02T19:54:00.005+08:002011-01-04T21:49:43.342+08:00

It was really nice to be able to cook again for our New Year's Eve media noche feast. But before I go into that, please pardon me for saying I'm so uberly happy I finally got to buy a MacBook! Yeebbbaaa!! I remember posting in July 2010 that I wanted to get one. What was holding me back was I wanted to get over all the holiday expenses first before making another big purchase. So now that it's

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-31256355784107483612010-12-31T15:22:00.000+08:002010-12-31T15:22:41.671+08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Another year has passed... As I've posted on my FB status, "A little bit older, a little bit rounder (or shall I say MUCH MUCH rounder haha) and hopefully a little bit wiser". Looking back at 2010 makes me realize how blessed I am. There are a lot of things I am grateful for - the love of family and friends most especially. I had the opportunity to travel to new places this

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-40659416932321600132010-10-20T00:04:00.016+08:002011-08-07T04:04:41.831+08:00

I seriously didn't know "Newfangled" was a word haha. I just googled synonyms for "recent" for this blog title haha. Anyway, work and life (what's new...) has pretty much consumed my waking hours, which explains why I haven't had the time to write as much as I want to. Life has been good (which I believe is a choice no matter the circumstance) and I'm very thankful. Work has been taxing to be

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-20793418091100969852010-09-10T15:32:00.022+08:002011-01-04T21:42:17.678+08:00

So it's a long weekend... YIPEEE!!! Last night, while aimlessly traipsing on my way home, I fumbled and stumbled upon "Awfully Chocolate", which newly opened in Ion Orchard. I literally stopped on my tracks to carefully inspect the goods on display. The layout of the store was very basic and minimalist which really sparked my interest. Looking back, I don't know why in the world I didn't try

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-4521504881234598922010-08-27T23:09:00.010+08:002010-08-28T00:00:38.068+08:00

After work, I went home with my cousin Aileen, since we both work in the Orchard area. On the taxi, she mentioned she had this dream that she was in a burning building in Eastwood in Manila. It made me realize the most common dreams I usually have which are "falling" and "naked" dreams. As you know, dreams happen during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep. Do you ever experience a sudden

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-14293903923145965702010-08-22T02:39:00.006+08:002010-08-22T03:02:41.815+08:00

My company had a software launch event at the Orchard Parade hotel 2 weeks ago and the very gracious owners of our company treated all of the event participants to lunch at Grandma's.The interior of the resto was very "kampung" style which gave a homey relaxed atmosphere. I ordered "Nasi Bukhari" (S$ 14+, I think) - pilaf rice with fried chicken thigh, half a boiled egg, and sides of beef rendang

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-86162762071687695642010-08-22T01:52:00.013+08:002010-08-22T02:20:58.416+08:00

2 weekends ago, I was in a baking mood (as usual haha) so I decided to finally try my own version of red velvet cupcakes. It was also my friend's bday party so more reason to do so.I'm really so glad I have this baking book. It really comes in handy for baking all sorts of stuff. I used the recipe for Classic Chocolate Cake - though I replaced the water with 1 cup homemade buttermilk and 1/4 cup

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-48538152853303921242010-08-22T01:32:00.008+08:002010-08-22T01:49:57.498+08:00

Angelina Jolie plays Evelyn Salt, a CIA officer who swore an oath to duty, honour, and country. When she is accused by a defector of being a Russian sleeper spy, Salt goes on the run. Using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative, she must elude capture and protect her husband or the world's most powerful forces will erase any trace of her existence. (http://

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-42816655452369992522010-08-01T13:34:00.008+08:002010-08-01T13:59:30.588+08:00

Precious is an adaptation by Geoffrey S. Fletcher of the 1996 novel "Push" by Sapphire. Clareece "Precious" Jones is an overweight, illiterate African-American teen in Harlem. Just as she's about to give birth to her second child, Precious is accepted into an alternative school where a teacher helps her find a new path in her life.Now let me be honest with you and say that one of the major

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-7565153283986359442010-08-01T00:21:00.013+08:002010-08-01T02:17:03.259+08:00

It was a Friday night and it was nearing the end of my 1-week break so I decided to do something productive. Enhancing my baking skills is definitely on top of the list so I decided to bake Dried Cranberry & Blueberry Scones!I'm really very thankful I managed to bring to Singapore some of the baking cookbooks from my modest collection. This cookbook "New Baking Book" from Better Homes and Gardens

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-11196115727399895182010-07-30T13:51:00.013+08:002010-08-01T02:41:37.422+08:00

After we checked out the following day, I was craving for sinful, artery-clogging fast food and I was so decided to eat at Carl's Jr to try their chili fries. On our way, we so happened to pass by Madam Kwan's and saw the place was crowded (on a Monday at that) so we figured why not try authentic Nasi Lemak!! I can always eat Carl's Jr in Singapore anyway.We quickly took a glance at what everyone

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-54169258453706092052010-07-30T13:16:00.014+08:002010-07-30T13:47:54.330+08:00

Over the weekend, we had a quick 2-day getaway in Kuala Lumpur. Luckily, Air Asia flights were cheap and flight schedules were perfect which meant we had 2 full days for food, shopping and more food :)On our first night, we had dinner at Ichiban Boshi - a japanese restaurant in Pavilion shopping center. The interior was really nice and I love the conveyor belt concept.We were so hungry from

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-12151684629010499882010-07-24T01:10:00.003+08:002010-07-24T01:26:02.308+08:00

Since I've a lot of free time on my hands lately I decided to check and housekeep my hotmail email account and I was so shocked to see emails from some blog readers from more than a year ago!!! I really feel bad now that I wasn't able to reply to their inquires regarding some blog posts/reviews :( So I do hope they still receive my looonngggg overdue email responses.The thing is I rarely (or

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-11495254960314216542010-07-23T16:01:00.008+08:002010-07-23T18:13:25.510+08:00

So today is my last day of work...I'm not sure how I feel today but I guess it's a mix of happiness, relief, sadness, anxiety, excitement and fear.I actually felt quite touched that my boss (who I previously called a prick in this post) took out the entire team and treated us out for lunch. Plus a few colleagues who really made effort to send a note, chat with me or have a drink to bid their

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-2693304060343866232010-07-21T14:53:00.012+08:002010-07-21T15:12:53.586+08:00

I was browsing through the net and saw these funny food pictures......"Suso" means "Breast" in Filipino..."Pekpek" means "Vagina" in Filipino..."Puke" is another street slang version of "Vagina" in Filipino(Credits to http://tunaynalalake.blogspot.com/)

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-36089199188651277502010-07-20T21:08:00.011+08:002010-07-20T21:54:58.889+08:00

Today, I attended my last meeting with our client - Ministry of Education. I was really flattered as they graciously hosted lunch for me, my boss and my colleague (who will replace me) when they found out that today was the last day we were going to see each other (though of course we informed them a month ago that I was leaving).We went to this japanese restaurant, Sakuraya, in West Coast Plaza.

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-17924379423786099342010-07-17T16:36:00.016+08:002010-07-17T17:55:16.837+08:00

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a skilled thief who can steal ideas from someone's subconscious, is given one last chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible - inception.I've been staring at the monitor for 5 minutes now and I'm still not sure how to start this review. If I were to describe the movie in a few words, that would be "

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-24328629076365759692010-07-16T12:09:00.010+08:002010-07-16T13:35:44.376+08:00

Sorry for such a shallow post haha :) Please forgive me. I'm just really boggled on what brand of laptop to buy. You see, I've only had the chance to purchase my very own laptop in 2007, a few months after I arrived in Singapore. But it was a short yet sweet relationship with my (Compaq)laptop because I sold it to my twin brother at a very cheap price, as payment for my debts to him hahaha.So

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-56571761018487796192010-07-15T10:31:00.011+08:002010-07-16T13:41:26.600+08:00

A remake of 2003 French thriller "Nathalie..." with Emmanuelle Beart, Atom Egoyan's "Chloe" is a suspenseful story of love and betrayal. When Catherine (Julianne Moore), a successful doctor, begins to question the fidelity of her lecturer husband David (Liam Neeson), she sets out to resolve her suspicions with the help of an alluring young prostitute, Chloe (Amanda Seyfried). Soon caught in a web

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-87437242276388270882010-07-08T18:02:00.003+08:002010-07-08T18:17:21.943+08:00

Hallelujah!! Praise GOD!!!I got a new job!!!Just as my company was pushing me away, I get a call from one of the companies I was really looking forward to hear from. God is really good. You see, my prick of a boss talked to me today asking if I'm ok with cutting short my notice period by 1 week. I said I would rather stay still the 30th because I have a pending meeting with a client which

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-86192915398694687202010-07-07T13:56:00.016+08:002010-07-19T21:53:55.290+08:00

Wow I just realized it's been a year since my last real post. I've been busy with just work and life in general (and with the advent of Facebook) that I totally neglected this blog. I also noticed Blogger has so many new features/functions It's like learning how to blog all over again (arghh).The other day I was looking through my posts and felt a bit of nostalgia with all the memories, photos

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-81372364979675276732009-11-01T20:43:00.003+08:002009-11-01T20:53:18.210+08:00

Yes I know, Ive been missing in action...When I first started this blog I thought It was going to be a walk in the park... just rant or rave about something and surely people would come and read. Its been over a year since I started this blog and I guess it wasnt as easy as I thought it would be. Work and personal matters have kept me pretty much pre-occupied this past few months, aside from

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-25357033633782953522009-07-19T21:21:00.013+08:002011-01-04T21:59:36.846+08:00

I've always been intrigued with Marche especially with the long queue during peak hours so I finally decided to check the place out. Zach has been transferred to their Alexandra branch office due to a H1N1 case in their original office so we have been going to Vivo City quite often lately. Quite surprisingly, they don't have a website. For an establishment, or any form of business, not to have

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-1464005969215347832009-07-16T13:39:00.007+08:002009-07-21T23:23:15.025+08:00

One Lazy Sunday afternoon we decided to barbecue the day away. Zach's colleague had actually booked the place but couldn't make it the last minute so we happily took over (and for $20 bucks at that because of company benefits).I decided to check out the room while Zach was getting the grill ready and I must say not bad. Pretty decent for a chalet room.The bathroom was also decent. Not your

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-9839670877350154052009-07-12T01:51:00.017+08:002009-07-20T00:01:10.204+08:00

I LOOOvvveeeEEE Modestos!!! I so love Modesto's that I will just let the pictures speak for themselves! (in short, I'm in a lazy blogger mood hehehe)(from their website - outside daytime view)My Rating for Modestos:Ambiance - 5.0Food - 5.0Presentation - 3.5 (the chili came in cheap plastic hawker-style yellow saucers)Service - 4.5 (5.0 if not only for the pasta that took so long)Price -

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-59984531760201278012009-07-12T01:51:00.011+08:002009-07-19T22:35:05.072+08:00

With the help of the Autobots, the soldiers of NEST, and an old adversary-turned-ally, Sam and Mikaela must uncover the secret history of the Transformers presence on earth, and the sacrifices that have to be made to save it from an ancient threat sworn on returning here for revenge... an ancient Decepticon named THE FALLEN.(http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809943432/details)I am so not into '

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-58819159438140896872009-07-02T21:47:00.007+08:002009-07-19T22:20:16.314+08:00

Ok. I Admit it. The fitness part in my blog has gone nowhere. It's been mostly food, I might as well strike-out the fitness part. It's been more than a year since I started this blog (wow can u believe it?!) and I've lost 0 pounds. Nada, None, Zilch.So anyway, here I am again trying..... Read onLast June 28, we joined this 12-week weight loss challenge (wlcsg.blogspot.com) sponsored by Herbalife

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-42566008264818571822009-07-02T21:43:00.009+08:002009-07-19T22:59:20.000+08:00

After watching "Transformers" a few weeks ago, we had a late night snack at Coffee Club in Orchard. We were going to join this 12-week weight loss challenge the next day (refer to Fitness Blog #7) so we wanted to have our "last good meal" haha, excuses excuses.We were pleasantly surprised to find out the place is actually 24 hours open and boy were they packed.Calorie-laden vanilla milkshake to

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-45052898542009919132009-06-14T17:58:00.007+08:002009-06-16T11:38:48.690+08:00

Up until I got here in Singapore, I never really liked Durian. I didn't hate it but I just didn't like it. I didn't mind its notorious smell but I just thought the texture and flavour were a bit odd. Lately though, for some strange twist of fate, I developed this fondness for durian. I think it started last year when I got to taste durian-flavoured moon cake. And as they say, the rest is history

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-79316676265619226242009-06-09T15:05:00.005+08:002009-06-15T12:26:10.255+08:00

A decision to deny an extension of a home loan to an old woman named Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver) causes Christine (Alison Lohman) to become the recipient of a supernatural curse. Haunted by an evil spirit and misunderstood by a sceptical boyfriend, Christine seeks help from a seer to break the curse and save her soul from eternal damnation.http://sg.movies.yahoo.com/Drag+Me+To+Hell/movie/15158/DBS

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-29604634512598609262009-05-31T22:32:00.030+08:002009-07-19T23:23:33.153+08:00

I first discovered "Royals" and their wonderful pies at the Tampines Mall basement, where they have a stall. Eversince, I have been a silent fan hehehe. Zach found out through his sister that they actually have a full coffee shop in Siglap so of course we had to go.We went on a fine saturday afternoon to have late lunch and I must say, I so love the Siglap area. It has a different homey vibe, the

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-2345416449824544852009-05-31T22:31:00.003+08:002009-06-13T13:17:36.128+08:00

So one Friday night I just decided to cook something special. For some reason, my yearning to cook has been stirred lately (stirred, isn't that the perfect word haha). Zach wanted salmon pasta using whole wheat fettucine but I couldn't find whole wheat fettucine so I opted for wholemeal spaghetti. All these healthy terms are confusing me, whats the diff between wholemeal and wholewheat anyway?!I

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-42539570248127800622009-05-22T18:13:00.015+08:002009-07-19T22:53:33.648+08:00

I don't have work today (Friday) because our office is closed due to our relocation (We are moving to Bukit Batok and I live in Tampines, ugh stress!). To put my long weekend to good use, I decided to put my rusty baking skills to the test by baking some fudge brownies - ready mix brownies though :P.Ok, I will let you in on a secret - the brownies were supposed to be "best before October 11, 2008

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-66169905123726618372009-05-16T15:07:00.010+08:002009-07-19T22:51:07.092+08:00

I got a free $20 Outback voucher when I purchased my digicam at the IT Fair last March. Now, the voucher was actually supposed to be good for a month only (eventhough there was no stamped or signed date on the back of it). It was obviously more than a month from March but luckily they didn't really mind. It didn't say anyway where we got the voucher from (and they didn't ask).Annyyywwaayy, we

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-31245731302626687802009-04-30T12:15:00.002+08:002009-05-18T18:35:39.047+08:00

What would you do if you got a second shot at life? Class of 1989, Mike O'Donnell is a star on his high school basketball court with a college scout in the stands and a bright future in his grasp. But instead, he decides to throw it all away to share his life with his girlfriend Scarlett and the baby he just learned they are expecting. Almost 20 years later, Mike's glory days are decidedly behind

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-75280274246392723292009-04-25T01:21:00.010+08:002009-05-18T18:09:31.626+08:00

In yet another version of the famous story, five friends - Whitney, Clay, Mike, Jenna and Trent - decide to explore the famous Crystal Lake campsite but their seemingly fun weekend turns tragic quickly. Before they know it, each of them are hunted by a machete-wielding maniac known as Jason Voorhees. (http://sg.movies.yahoo.com/Friday+The+13th/movie/14941/)Obviously, they capitalized on the

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568300009362665809.post-61708571138582576432009-04-25T01:21:00.007+08:002009-05-18T17:33:44.117+08:00

Bryan (Liam Neeson), a former secret agent living in the US, reluctantly lets his 17-year-old daughter Kim (Maggie Grace, "Lost") go on holiday to Paris with a friend. Upon arrival in Paris, the two girls meet a seemingly nice young man who turns out to be a member of an Albanian crime syndicate, promptly kidnapping and forcing them into prostitution. Bryan must rely on his old skills in order to

Shan Abellanedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12075006344111011567noreply@blogger.com0