geylang serai hari raya bazaar

Hello! This post comes pretty late considered Hari Raya ended quite a while ago but! I shall still post about our visit anyway because I really enjoyed it + the photos came out really nice.

A few weeks ago, we visited the annual Geylang Serai Hari Raya Bazaar because we heard good reviews about the food and wanted to see all the interesting things being sold there -

Our first stop was the Ice Burnz drinks store where we all bought Thai iced milk tea

(we were super thirsty + it was hot hot hot out)

Leepoop and me and the story of my disastrous poofy bangs

(I've since decided to rid myself of the bangs HAHAHA can't seem to pull it off)

Jaclyn + Cynthia + their cup of tea

Jits and I actually wanted to share and try out the Kinder Bueno milkshake but it was kind of expensive and probably wouldn't be enough to quench our thirst so we didn't buy it in the end :-( Maybe next time! Nonetheless, our Thai iced milk tea was an A++++ and super worth the money (it was $3 I think)

We walked around quite a bit and realised that many of the stalls were closed because it was late afternoon and the bazaar really only came to life during the evening/night so :-(

Stopped by the squid store since Leepoop and Yengho wanted to try + it was one of the few stores open

Tried out the ice rollies (these can be found literally everywhere in the bazaar) !!!

Banana + Strawberry flavoured goodness!

I think it was priced at around $5 - definitely going to eat this again

Afterwards Leepoop, Yengho + her parents and I visited Momolato for more ice cream !!!

We spent a loooooong time trying to find it but it was worth the walking

Paddlepop pudding!

Didn't try it but the colours are just appeasing to the eye LOL

Little one getting henna done!

I actually wanted to try too but it was in the middle of a school week so no :-(

I really enjoyed exploring the bazaar (I wished I'd taken more photos!) - the colour and culture of it all :-) Definitely visiting this place again next year!

Thought of trying out the Korean spicy yoghurt (basically Korean spicy sauce on yoghurt) but we didn't have the guts ??? like we were scared we wouldn't like it and end up wasting it so we didn't buy it in the end :-( This is definitely on my list of Things-to-try-next-year at the Hari Raya Bazaar (along with the spiral potato on a stick, cheese takoyaki and so many other things)

Till next time! xx

the media challenge 2015

Hello! It's been a while :}
I joined The Media Challenge 2015 (held by Republic Poly) with Alexa, Ee Jean, Carissa and Yvette, and we had to work on this news package which had to be completed in three days. Initially thought it would be boring but it was actually pretty fulfilling (and fun !!) and I learnt quite a bit in these three days.

We were supposed to write an article, submit a photograph and create a video so here it is -

–  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –

Balancing the Weight: Mr Kok Kim Siew, 62, measures out herbs on a scale. He faces a hard time balancing modernisation with older traditions.

Cars whizz by Balestier Road, far more attracted to the glitzy light showrooms than the simple shop down the street. A sign hung overhead reads "herbal tea" in Mandarin, and the fragrant smell of exotic ingredients wafts out. Passers-by may think this is just another old store, but what many do not know is that this is the last Traditional Chinese Medicinal Hall in Balestier.

Under the dim light, wrinkled hands fold glossed pink paper, wrapping dried medicinal herbs meticulously. At the age of 62, Mr Kok Kim Siew is the owner of Wan Xing He Medicinal Hall, having inherited it from his father. This shop has remained in operation since 1952, withstanding the test of time and the modernisation of Balestier Road. 

Wan Xing He Medical Hall opens from 9am to 9pm all year round, with the exception of 3 days during Chinese New Year. "lt is not especially busy, but it is very time-consuming," said Mr Kok. The lack of business is due to minimal advertising. "We have to wait for customers to come to us. We do not have the freedom of choice, it is the customers who choose us."

In Singapore’s 50 years of independence, the pace of life for many Singaporeans has quickened. Decisions are driven by getting the maximum result in the minimum amount of time. Even when it comes to the choice of medication, it is always easier to pop a pill than to spend hours brewing a concoction of pungent herbs.

"Our trade started to decline because people’s attitudes have changed," Mr Kok mentioned, "they prefer Western medicine, which works faster as opposed to Chinese medicine, which is slower."

Mr Kok has no plans for a successor to take over his shop. When asked for further comment, he responded: "The practice of traditional medicine is already waning and nobody wants to work in this field any more. "lt is not like a course that you can complete in a few years," said Mr Kok, "learning the skills [of preparing Traditional Chinese Herbs] takes very long."

–  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –

 While we were at the medicinal hall:

They had all kinds of medicinal herbs (and animals ??) - including this snake

Our picture with Mr Kok :-)

Light trails while we were on our way to Cari's house -

Our third day -

WE WON BEST PHOTO!! (the one of him balancing herbs on a scale)

Thank you to the team, Mdm Hui, Abby, Raj and Kulvin for guiding us through this three-day journey and making this experience a fun one! :-)

chinatown

Hello everyone!
Writing this after procrastinating for about a week so here it is :-)
Recently, I visited Chinatown with my CCA to get some photos of the festivities, and basically the things that bring out the spirit of Chinese New Year (which is happening in a week's time!)
The photos here may seem a little different from my usual ones because I used a Canon 500D instead of the Sony α for this trip :} (I actually used the Canon for the trip to the lone tree also HAHA)

年糕

(It's most popular during Chinese New Year, but to be honest I've never eaten any in my life HAHA)

nyav 荧 concert 2013

this is a really, really late post, sorry. hope you enjoy the videos here!
On march 23rd, nyav (my CCA) had a concert- 荧.
and the turnout was more than expected!
here's Decibel on their 3rd rehearsal (I think)

Decibel's really cool.

and of course, we have the choir- they were singing "Animals" by Neon Trees.

(this was taken on the actual day)

(those were my videos, hope you enjoyed them!)

I didn't manage to take the decibel live on the concert day,

but they uploaded it on their youtube:

Welcome to the Black Parade

Performed by Decibel.

{not my videos}

check out their youtube account @wearedecibel :)

audience watching very intently.

here's our Sec One performance

group photo with performers and nyav crew :D

a sum up of 荧 :)