Touring A Massive Barbie Doll Collection

Photo Credit: www.hindustantimes.com

I'm so amazed at how our office is passionate in raising funds for victims of supertyphoon Haiyan (local name Yolanda) in the Philippines. There's collection of goods, toy auction, bake sale, breakfast sale and ticket selling to tour Jian Yang's massive Barbie doll collection. In a span of 20 years, Jian has amassed over 6,000 Barbie dolls and is reported to be one of the largest collections in the world. Let me know if you are interested in purchasing tickets ($15 each). All proceeds will be donated.

Baguette - The Viet Inspired Deli

I first saw this deli at International Plaza during one of my quick lunch breaks. I tried their baguettes but got hooked with their curry chicken with rice (of course!) My friends and I spotted their Vivo City branch much later and it has a bigger space with an outdoor dining area.

Reasons why I keep coming back to this deli:

1. Wallet-friendly prices.

2. Fresh vegetables, good-tasting dishes with 'Vietnamese' kick.

3. Limited menu, which is a good thing for me - no headache and no confusion as to what to order.

Baguette - The Viet Inspired Deli is at #01-163 Vivo City, 1 Harbourfront Walk

Tel: +65 6493 1426

Laduree

French macaroons. Expensive. Fancy food. Hard to find. Dessert of the rich.

My curiosity started when celebrities started posting their photos with French macaroons when travelling in Europe. And my curiosity was satisfied when a generous vendor gave our office two large boxes of the luxurious French brand Laduree. 

So they came in a very fancy box with the Laduree gold crest and fancy ribbons that got me so excited. The colorful double-decker lovelies looked like semiprecious stones in a jewelry box (okay, I might be a little bit exaggerating here).

The shells were a little bit harder than I expected but just enough to hold the filling together. My favorite flavors include vanilla, pistachio, strawberry candy marshmallow and chocolate (admittingly good even if I don't like chocolate-flavored anything). 

Laduree is at #02-09 Takashimaya Shopping Centre, 391 Orchard Road

Tel: +65 6884 7361

The Merchants of Bollywood

I have heard of the term Bollywood and I've seen bits and pieces from YouTube clips and Hollywood films such as Slumdog Millionaire and TV shows such as Outsourced. However, these did not prepare me for what I was about to see when I stepped into the Grand Theater of Marina Bay Sands last night.

Intricately detailed and lavish costumes, humorous lines, exaggerated acting and high-energy dancing from start until the very end made this show very entertaining to watch (no boring parts!) No wonder London's The Times describes it as "Their energy is electrifying.. it's a high octane pleasure."

The free tickets gifted to us by Base Entertainment gave us VIP seats (second row, woot!) and we were so close to the stage that we literally saw sweat splashing as the dancers danced their hearts out. Thank you Base Entertainment!

This Australian musical written and directed by Toby Gough is about the history of the Bollywood film industry. Based on the true story of a well-known Bollywood dance choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant and her grandfather Hiralalji Merchant, a pioneering Bollywood choreographer, this musical started touring in 2006 and was well-received in Europe, Australia, Canada and Asia. The group had a sold-out run in Singapore in 2010.  

Props were no way under-toned.

Intricate and elaborate costumes.

Intricate and elaborate costumes.

A simple but powerful number.

Love the intricacy and extravagance of the dresses in the wedding dance.

Love the intricacy and extravagance of the dresses in the wedding dance.

Love the intricacy and extravagance of the dresses in the wedding dance.

A very intense number showcasing grief and respect.

Let's go disco!

Let's go disco!

Ending on a high note! (Don't be distracted by the 6-packs, haha)

The Merchants of Bollywood is in Singapore for a limited 8 performances only. Get your tickets now - you don't want to miss out! 

Performances are at Mastercard Theatres, Marina Bay Sands from November 5-10, 2013.

Penang Bridge International Marathon 2013

I've been wanting to do trail running in the mountains of Vietnam or Indonesia so when my dear sister asked me to sign up for Penang Bridge International Marathon because she already did - I registered for my first marathon overseas.

I read that this is the biggest marathon in Southeast Asia with this year's registered participants numbering more than 45,000! Whew!

I received my race pack (well not really a pack because it only contained my running tee and bib) via courier.

Here's what Tourism Malaysia says about this marathon:

Held annually since 1985, The Penang Bridge International Marathon caters to runners from local and international grounds. The marathon is recognized for its captivating sight of the sunrise as it reveals the panoramic view of the "Pearl of the Orient." Thousands come together to race across The Penang Bridge, the third longest bridge in the world.

Great Eastern Women's Run 2013

I claimed my Great Eastern Women's Run (GEWR) race pack last Sunday and is impressed with how they upped their kit from last year. The Adidas race tee, athlete's guide, race bib, vouchers (yay!) and all the freebies (more yay!) are packed in a messenger bag (last year's was a duffel bag).

GEWR is one of the two female-exclusive runs in Singapore, the Shape Run being the other. This is a very special run for me because it's the very first run I did and I completed it without any training or preparation due to a personal problem last year.

Last year's run was organized well with a lot of cheerers, hydration stops positioned well and the 'staff knew their stuff'. The race carnival was designed to be family-oriented with lots of booths and things to entertain both kids and adults. And yes, a lot of free food for everyone!

Looking forward to this year's run on Sunday!  

Giving Is Social

Join us this Saturday evening as we support our dear friends launch Giving Is Social - a campaign promoting corporate volunteerism, giving and social networking. No experience is required, just an open mind and willing heart to see lives changed.

Know more about the event through Giving is Social and the Facebook event page. Please RSVP here.