Mind over Matter

I recently read this article on how age is simply a state of mind...literally. Eight seniors in their 70s were invited to enter a time portal back to 1959! It was a house decorated in the style of that age, with items - books, newspapers, music, old programs showing on a black-and-white TV - from that era. The seniors were told to not just imagine and reminisce they were back in the age, but to really embody and inhibit the whole experience. And guest what, when compared to another group of senior who did not get that experience, they showed sat taller, had improved sight, showed greater manual dexterity and even "looked younger" to observers. 

It really brings the message home about "mind over matter". For centuries people have underestimated the power of the mind and how having the right mindset or thinking in a positive manner will have obvious effects on your body and your surroundings.

I'm rambling about this because I was really feeling some stress over the last few weeks - couldn't sleep well, or even in my sleep I'm dreaming of work. And reading this just made me realise all this stress is probably self-inflicted. It's like if I have a bad hair day, Nettie tells me it's just in my head. Nobody else will notice. A funny story about my hair - it was annoying me and I just flipped it up and it was oily so it stayed, and somebody came up to me and said: "I love your hair, how does it stay like that?" I almost chocked on the cake I was munching.

I'm off to Tokyo tonight. In any case, I'm determined to just relax, have fun and work hard while at it. Seek that passion that ignited the flame in the first place, find the reason why I love doing what I do.

Review: d'Good Cafe

Am taking a 10-minute breather through October - which has unpredictably flown by - what's with 2014!!!! This Friday Nettie and I will be embarking on a 3-week adventure for a holiday & my first official travel photo assignment in Tokyo and Taipei! It's so surreal how it's really happening, and how the opportunity literally landed in my lap. Plus it's to my favourite city in the world *pinches self* 

Before I whizz off, took time to meet the girls for a long-awaited Saturday brunch at Holland Village. We went to d'Good Cafe, at Holland Village. It's along the same stretch as Hatched and occupies the 2nd and 3rd floor of the shophouse. The standard cafe order system - there's a counter on the 2nd floor where you order and collect food - and free seating throughout. It wasn't that crowded but it was blazing hot that day so we passed on the outdoor rooftop garden.

Food-wise I would say it's pretty average - my hazelnut latte was so sweet beyond belief, in a not-so-good way - but it does have a pretty picture-worthy environment which saw many budding photographers walking all over the place with their hefty DSLRs. I would rate it 2.5 out of 5! 

Just Breathe!

Last week was crazy-ass busy but I had such fun bringing my colleague Luis around. It was his first time in Singapore and I genuinely enjoy bringing people I like - stress "people I like" - to the hole-in-the-wall joints that I enjoy discovering myself! But how glad I was that the week was over and I got to just sit down, breathe, and enjoy some food (and shopping!) to rejuvenate with my favourite person.

Shoe Party @ Supply & Demand

Sunday noon, we all gathered in our funkiest shoes to celebrate the eighth 21st birthday of our loveable raunchy princess Sheryl. Lots of Italian food and moscato going around that contributed to the laughter emanating from our table. The truffle fries and sweet potato fries were amaze-balls, and the pizza is pretty decent though not the most outstanding I've eaten. I would say stick to the Italian items on the menu, if I wanted Asian food I would go to an Asian restaurant (just sayin'). 

Gripes: Service speed could be improved; and is it just me, but it just irks me to no end when the staff repeatedly comes to us to say that certain items are not meant for sharing. Then for gawd's sake don't call your self a Trattoria. I'm referring to the $10 pots of tea by the way, which they have a great collection of. A pity. 

But overall a pretty decent place and great for large groups to gather due to its central location. It's also away from the noise of the main Orchard area as it's on the 2nd floor. 

And of course the star of the day!

Sugar Star Super Stars

Super sweet way to end the week with my wonderful team! Mel arranged a chocolate-making session for us at Sugar Stars and it was such fun!

We were kinda apprehensive at first because after shuffling us into the kitchen, we sat around a table filled with tea and chocolates and started watching a Youtube video on ... chocolates. Ok...and the guy started making caramel, and we were twiddling our thumbs, when's it our turn!?!

Finally we got to put on colourful Dutch aprons, and get our hands dirty (literally) with making and decorating. I found out pretty soon that I'm hopeless at anything in the kitchen, so I stuck with eating instead heehee. And the highlight, surprising Michela with our very own hand-made chocolate cake! The look on her face, priceless!