www.natashayong.com

Read:
Google Wave Invitation
Samuel L. Jackson + Pulp Fiction + Google Wave

Celeste always has nice suggestions for dining venues. This time round, she suggested Graze at One Rochester Park for our FSP Christmas luncheon. I know there is no excuse but this was actually my 1st time at One Rochester. I've never been a west diner.

One Rochester Park is tucked away at Rochester and has a similar concept of old colonial-style black and white buildings turned posh restaurants like in Dempsey and Lock Road. It's very easy to fall in love with the chic, outdoor alfresco lounge and garden oasis amidst lots of lush greenery. The restaurant serves an Australian menu - Big Breakfast and the Ozzie styled BBQ.


At Graze @ One Rochester Park with Celeste

I was generally more in love with their Breakfast Menu. A great place to chill for Sunday brunch till they close at 3pm.


Simply Eggs Benedict
Classic or smoked salmon and spinach


The Cast Iron Pan
GRAZE bratwurst sausage, smoked bacon, mushroom, tomato, country potato, fried egg, baked beans and plum chilli salsa

Their BBQ specialties didn't appeal much to me. Never a big BBQ fan to begin with.

Dance away with Ubisoft's 'Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party' on Wii!


Dance off with Andy, Han Xiang and Kent

There's no game that can bring your intellect lower then Ubisoft's 'Rayman Raving Rabbids'. And no way on earth I'm gonna own any Raving Rabbid game title. I'll borrow it (of course) if I ever wanna throw a silly game party.

Christmas was spent over at Ming's for a potluck dinner - pizzas, drumlets, satay, black pepper beef, rocky road, muffins... blended lychee liquor with crushed peaches and 'Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party'! Every testosterone filled hot blooded male present was either skilled in Taekwondo or Muay Thai. Very violent bunch. Then they play 'Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party'!!! Which totally brings out the Himbo side of them!


Even the Great Singapore Workout couldn't make us more in sync!


Rabbid Judges

Created by Online Education

It all make sense! It was the FORCE!!!
BTW...You mean you can actually do this???

The Christmas Turkey is becoming quite a family Christmas Eve tradition. Since our shift into our new home and installing for myself a gorgeous TEKA oven, I've really enjoyed fixing up a feast. This year, we've got the usual 4kg Stuffed Turkey, Cheese Sausages, Ham, French Loaves, Cereal Prawns, Baked Potatoes, Button Mushrooms, Long Beans for greens, Corn Soup and a Log Cake!


The Christmas Log Cake

I don't recall us ever having a Log Cake. I've never been much of dessert person, but the Log Cake certainly brought home and completed the Christmas meal.

Now this is what I call a rocking, flashy Christmas! The extend people will go for their Guitar Hero! Eh MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Read:
Guitar Hero III on Wii
Wii Guitar Hero III Opening Ceremony
Why Guitar Hero IV will surpass Rock Band
Wii Guitar's Flaming HOT Face Lift
Singapore Toy, Games & Comic Convention 2009

The cousins from Oz were in Singapore the early weeks of December. Jules and Sarah bunked over at my place. Lots of cousins catch up and practically every imaginable activity we could do as a tourist in the tropics of Singapore!

Within 5 Days we covered:
- Singapore National Museum
Jules wanted to check out the swinging chandeliers which mechanics were designed by one of her friend in Sydney.
- Fort Canning
- Fireman Museum @ the Central Fire Station
A surprisingly interesting showcase. Free and very worth the visit.
- Singapore Botanic Gardens
Checking out the Nature Borne Exhibits and the National Flower
- Chomps Chomps
Eat as locals do!
- Breakfast at Ya Kun
Kaya was voted their No. 1 favourite food!
- Fullerton Hotel / One Fullerton
It's never a complete visit to Singapore till you have a picture taken with our infamous Merlion!
- Boat Quay
- Lau Pat Sat
- Colley Quay / Clifford Pier
- Esplanade
- Vivo City
- Clarke Quay
Uncles rocking away on the dance floor at Pump Room. Errr... very wrong...
- Little India
Shopping at Mustafa! LOL!!!
- Bugis Junction
I had to pay the girls to have DURIANS! It was pure torture for them! Muahhahaha!!!
- Newton Circus
- Orchard Road
Lots of shopping and glittering Christmas Lights!
- Asian Civilization Museum
- Sentosa Beach
- Chinatown
- Marina Barrage

Phew!
Let's just say it wasn't an easy feat.

Singapore Botanic Gardens - Swan Lake
It's nice to know that some things never change. Like the Swan Lake at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. We never miss those two love swans.

Killing three birds with one stone at the Singapore Botanic Gardens:
1) Take my overseas cousin sight-seeing
2) Take a long needed nature stroll
3) Check out the Nature Borne Exhibit. Part of the Singapore Design Festival 2009

It turned out to be the most perfect mid-afternoon weather, right after a shower and with a cloudy over cast.

More than 25 sculptures and installations have been created by five Korean and five Singaporean designers and artists specially invited to take part in this unique exhibition. The exhibition, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, unites landscape design and public art.

The sculptures and installations are varied in medium and form with the central theme an interplay between Man and Nature – and the evolution of what is regarded as one’s natural environment.


'Bamboo' by Seo Jung Kug (Korea)


A contrast of real bamboo shoots and Seo's artwork - his Bamboo made of stainless steel and consists of sharp, spear-like sticks bored into the base. Stiff and warrior-like, they seem to act like a fence instead of a path to Nature.


'Planting Shadows' by Vertical Submarine (Singapore)
A bed of grey sunflowers.

“We were inspired by a Chinese poem by local writer Chien Swee-Teng on how a sunflower-plantation owner’s pact with the devil for success came at a price of osing his sight for the colours in his trade.” - Fiona Koh

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2009 (SCSM) marks my completion of 4 Marathons in 2009 - Adidas Sundown 4x10.5km (Team), SAFRA Bay Run Half Marathon, New Balance Cross-Terrain (10km) and lastly with Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2009 (10km). Officially making 2009 (by far) the year I ran the most!

Following up from my 1st ever marathon in last year's Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2008, and as much as I always tell myself how much I really don't like to RUN... I seemed to have caught on to the growing running culture! More so in 2009, there have been more marathons, biathlons, triathlons and bike ride events. I've kept true to "running for fun", irregular in trainings and never over pushing the body.

50,000 runners took part in this year's Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, with 17,000 running the full 42km marathon. Making it the largest running event in Singapore till date. Every single running slot in the event was taken up.

I had 1 regular run before the event since the NB Real Run Cross-Terrain in November 2009 and came in at 1hr 24mins. An improvement of 6mins from last year's SCSM. My best 10km timing stands at 1hr 22mins clocked at the NB Real Run 2009.

My nutcase aunty Yvonne, a regular runner took the leap from her usual 10km runs to attempt the full marathon! She turns 50 next January! Woot! She came in strong with a timing of 5hrs 24mins! She was happy as a bird upon completing the race. Better then striking 4D!


45% of runners completing the race before me. I was doing 55% last year. Decent improvement