Birthday 2015 In Summary

For someone who is always late in updating about events, I managed to get the thumbs up from so many of my friends when I updated about my birthday staycation at MBS in June. It was well within a month from when it happened.

And then I forgot all about updating the rest of the meet ups and pig outs for this year's birthday.

Some of you would know that I dislike my birthday. I spent two birthdays at the specialist centre and hospital. And in all morbidity I thought that if I should leave the world, I should at least meet up with all the people who mattered to me for the last time. Hence, I started arranging to meet up more often with the different groups of good friends and also reached out to old friends whom I haven't met up with for a long time.

I really enjoy spending time with all the people I love during the May-June period. Though to me, I would just treat these as get-togethers and catching up with friends instead of celebrating my birthday. It is the time spent with treasured people that fill up my happiness jar.

This year was a little different. Somehow it was such a busy period for many friends and I that it was quite difficult to arrange pig out sessions. So unlike the previous years, here's Birthday 2015 all in just one post.

Like my usual fashion, this is a long post so to get all the pictures loaded in good speed, don't read this on your phone on 3G network.



~*Takumi and TCC with the Branch Babes*~

My branch gals had an advanced birthday lunch celebration with me on a Friday. Knowing that there would not be impending meet ups with good friends, I thought that that would be the only cake I would be getting this year. How wrong I was as you would soon find out why.

These are my lovely branch babes. Well there used to be 7 in the branch but we have since slimmed down a lot in manpower. Now you know why I'm always going home late.




We realized that the wide angle camera function of one of the gal's Samsung phone skewed the proportion of objects at the end. My colleagues' faces ended up being so distorted that even Facebook face recognition could not recognize them. After much 美图秀秀, we managed to get a decent shot... sort of.




Before drinks and cake at TCC Keppel, we had a wonderful Japanese lunch at Takumi. Takumi could be considered as semi fine dining during dinner but for lunch, they have a really affordable and yummy menu. I ordered the Salmon and Salmon Roe Don for my main.

Chawanmushi




My colleague was full of praises for her Negitoro Don. I know I could not finish a whole minced raw tuna dish on my own.




Dessert came as a surprise coz we didn't have that the last time round. It's either a nice surprise that day or they robbed us of our desserts the last time we went there.





~*Imperial Treasure Steamboat Restaurant with Hubby*~


Hubby had been spending so much time at work that he had quite neglected me. However that Friday, he promised to have dinner with me outside. We didn't know what to eat until the aroma of Chinese soup wafted into my nostrils at ION. Each time I smell this delicious soupy aroma at the top level of ION, I would tell myself that one day I am so gonna eat at Imperial Treasure Steamboat Restaurant. The day finally came!




We could do a Photo Hunt and spot the difference between the 2 pictures. Anyway I really love roasted Barley Tea.




When the waitress asked us which soup base we wanted, I asked her, "What is this soup smell that is always coming from your restaurant? We would order that." She was rather amused and said it was just a mixture of all their soup. I forgot if we ordered the Ginseng Chicken Soup or the Healthy Chicken Soup. The soup tasted like a bland version of the aroma that was engulfing us.




Before the steamboat pot was served, a tray of 12 condiments was presented at our table. We were told that we could mix our own sauce.




Hubby and I both love sauces with peanut and garlic but he was more adventurous in mixing more condiments in his. In the end, I love his sauce more! His was on the left, mine on the right.




For us Chinese, steamboat is usually an affordable and easy meal which involves throwing in of ingredients and building up a tasty soup base. It is also the kind of get-together meals whereby people gather and "cook" together. It is really easy to prepare steamboat meals and hence we seldom spend too much for a steamboat meal. However, the price is a little steep at Imperial Treasure because it is the classy sort of steamboat restaurant that serves premium ingredients. You could tell how fresh the ingredients were just from the photos. I'm craving for their steamboat as I'm typing this right now.




They served choice cut of meat like this well- marbled beef shank over here.




Their pork shoulder was delicious too. There wasn't a hint of those porky taste that I dislike.




Fresh vegetables.




Deep Fried Spring Roll, Deep Fried Beancurd Skin.




"Soon Hock" Fish and Cuttlefish.




Cuttlefish Balls with Egg York, Pork Balls and Shrimp Dumpling.




The King Tiger Prawns were so sweet and succulent. I was craving for more prawns after I finished my share.




Well, this photo was supposed to depict me with the smorgasbord of steamboat food in front of me. But the hubz preferred to leave the food overexposed and focus on how this human seemed to be spontaneously combusting.




Wefie with the hub. We both looked super tired. I'm still liking my much shorter hair and I always find it very intriguing that I could start the day with hair blown in neatly and end the day with hair curling everywhere. But that's fine. I'm ok with hair curling everywhere as long as they don't stick out as a bunch. I'm tempted to cut my hair again!





~*Birthday Cake Cutting with My Family*~


My 大姐 (eldest sis) got me a durian cake and told me to go back to my family home for cake cutting on the eve. She claimed it had been planned since January and not because I said that the cake from my branch gals would possibly be the only birthday cake I would have this year.




My sis was so funny. She wanted a solo picture of me and the cake. My dad was beside me and still, she framed me in the middle and cut part of my dad out. I would have included my dad in if I were the one taking the photo.




My dad said it was all right to cut him out as he was in shabby looking home clothes, yet he continued to sit there. Hahaha... Here is an anigif of the cake cutting process.




My mum requested not to post that day's family photos on the Internet and so this is a photo of me and kh.





~*KUVO with Vios*~


The VIOS group met up at KUVO for a joint birthday celebration for Jully and me.




It was the first time at KUVO for many of us and we wouldn't have known of this gem of a restaurant tucked away in the dingy Orchard Shopping Center. To many of us, Orchard Shopping Center is a building whereby we had karaoke sessions during our schooling days. Hence we were pleasantly surprised to discover a clandestine multi-concept space which offers fine food and wine. Besides the great food, the lush furnishing and warm lights made the short weekend lunch meet up a cozy affair.




We ordered so many platters of small bites to share as you would soon see.


KUVO Coffee Hot Wings served with baby carrot crudités and blue cheese dip.




The blue cheese dip made eating carrots so fun!




Calamari Al Ajillo -- calamari sautéed in garlic and extra virgin olive oil with pork chorizo.




Tiger Prawn Al Ajillo -- tiger prawn sautéed in garlic and extra virgin olive oil with pork chorizo.




Spicy Meat Balls slow-cooked in red wine sauce, drizzled with sour cream.




Now let's go on to our main dishes.

Portobello and Cheese Wagyu Burger-- housemade wagyu half pounder with chargrilled portobello mushroom and melted edam cheese served with bacon, U.S. fries and petit greens.




Free-Range Country Chicken -- half oven-roasted spring chicken with kumara mash and jus of forest mushroom.




Duck Classique -- French duck leg confit in amaretto prune jus, served with ovenroasted soft cheese-potato cake and fresh garden medley.




Double-Cut Rack of Lamb -- roasted baby lamb rack dusted with housemade citrus spice and juniper berry glaze, served with eggplant confit, chargrilled zucchini and gingered kumara purée.




Steak Au Poivre -- chargrilled U.S. Angus beef tenderloin with green peppercorn sauce, served with grilled asparagus, baby carrot and haricot vert on potato purée bed.




KUVO Atlantic Cod Meuniere -- sweet pea crusted fresh cod medallion with pearl barley fricassee, potato gratin and citrus nuttybrown butter.




Birthday gals, let's be irritating and act cute.




I thought this was supposed to be a proper one.




Birthday gals with the gals.






The peace smile is getting more common. You either look extremely sweet or downright annoying. I've to really work towards looking sweet. Lol!




Little Belle saw all the aunties doing the peace smile and she tried to imitate too! So cute!




I love this shot!




Photo bombed to the max.




Birthday gals with the boys.




Boys being boys...




So while this was supposed to be a dreamy shot of us making a wish...




This was what happened behind us!




We are ONE!




Jokers Mark and Kh were at it again, spoiling the group shot this time.




A proper group shot!