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The Mid-Autumn festival is once again upon us and it is time to tuck into delicious mooncakes! Sitting under a sky of mesmerising moonlight and enjoying morsels of mooncakes one bite at a time — for a more memorable experience just add a cup of any Gold Kili’s range of Chinese teas. You have yourself a truly unforgettable experience!
Getting into the spirit of the festival, Gold Kili is holding a promotion and offering discounts on its range of Chinese teas. Select from different flavours: Green Tea, Jasmine Green Tea or Ginger Drinks. For a more exotic flavour without the dreaded calories, drink Gold Kili Natural Ginger Bag (100% sugar free) or Gold Kili Ginger Lemon Bag (100% sugar free). Hold your very own gather of exquisite mooncake and tea pairing!
The green tea and jasmine green tea will go very well with matcha snow-skin mooncakes.
The natural ginger bag and natural ginger lemon bag are perfect for those who have a hankering for traditional mooncake with a baked crust. Mooncakes tend to be cloyingly oily and the teas can help to rid the excess oil.
So be sure to stock up on these traditional teas this Mid-Autumn festival and enjoy your mooncakes the way it was intended!
Promotion is available at NTUC FairPrice, FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra.
Gold Kili Green Tea – Now: $2.05 (UP: $2.45)
Gold Kili Jasmine Green Tea – Now: $2.05 (UP: $2.45)
Gold Kili Natural Ginger Bag – Now: $4.20 (UP: $4.80)
Gold Kili Natural Lemon Ginger Bag – Now: $4.20 (UP: $4.80)
Conveniently located in the heart of Orchard Road, Covelli Italian Bistro & Wine Bar has been serving up rustic Italian favorites with a touch of luxury since October 2011. Chef Dean Ng has put together an innovative menu – simple yet contemporary, with creations filled with such delectable flavors leading you wanting more after each bite. This modern bistro and wine bar combines unrivalled freshness and impeccable plating for every dish. If food presentation does matter a lot to you, you will be impressed over at Covelli!
Occupying a sprawling 3000 square feet with a total seating capacity of 80, Covelli is great for intimate meals as well as events. The restaurant’s simple white and black themed décor, soft lighting and tables decorated with bright fresh flowers, accompanied by classic love songs really set the atmosphere for a romantic dinner!
My dinner date <3 <3 <3
Wine connoisseurs will be heartened to know that Covelli boasts one of the most well-stocked cellars in Singapore, featuring more than 60 different types of wines from Italy, Australia, France and Spain.
Our dinner took off on a positive note with the Baby Spinach Salad ($16). Served on a bed of baby spinach, the sauteed tiger prawns had a nice pinkish color and was extremely firm in texture. The prawns were dressed in garlic-devon cream which tasted rich and heavenly!
I really enjoyed the Antipasto Frutti di Mare ($18) although it was slightly on the salty side. A winning combination of seared tataki tuna, cured salmon, crabmeat and avocado topped with avruga caviar and balsamic reduction is definitely something that I would order again on my revisit! There is a myriad of exciting tastes and textures in this one.
And the “cherry” on top would be the caviar! Can I have more please? :P
The husband and I have a habit of posting photos of our food on Instagram! Add us @missuschewy and @misterchewy! :P
We were given two pieces of Black Truffle Ravioli ($20) to sample. This makes up to about 20g as told by the waiter. The standard serving would be about 180g. You do the math. The subtle earthy flavor of black truffle is hard to miss as one bites into the al dente ravioli.
While I found that the brown butter cream sauce a tad heavy, I liked that the ravioli was topped with grated hazelnuts. Two pieces of black truffle ravioli was more than enough for me and I cannot imagine having to finish a standard serving. This is probably best for sharing.
We were caught by surprise when the Barramundi e Astice ($30) was served. The ‘black stuff’ was actually charcoal lobster, which in my opinion, tasted like fried fish with a slightly chewy texture within. The pan roasted barramundi was very well executed and the sweetness of the flesh was magnified with the addition of Gewurztraminer cream.
Out of all the dishes, I loved the presentation of the Kurobuta Pork Belly ($28) the most. While the chocolate spiced US pork belly was not the most tender kurobuta pork that I have tried, its unique taste more than made up for it. The porcini mushroom tortelli in hazelnut butter cream and blackberries complemented the pork belly really well and made this dish a very exquisite one.
We concluded the dinner with Lychee Champagne Panna Cotta ($10) which was silky smooth. I’m not a particularly huge fan of lychee but the hint of champagne was much appreciated.
Please note that the above dishes that we had were served in tasting portions. Despite this, we were really full by the end of the meal because of all dishes we sampled were cream-based! :P
Thank you Covelli and Publicist PR for the invitation.
Covelli Italian Bistro & Wine Bar
181 Orchard Road
Tel: 6238 6400 / 8181 8023
11am – 11pm (Last order at 10.00pm)
A couple of weeks ago, missuschewy received a congratulatory email from CozyCot indicating that she has been nominated as one of the 100 inspiring women for CozyCot 2012 International Women’s Day!
In March 2012, CozyCot celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD) – a special event commemorating the economic, political and social achievements of every woman! This year, the theme is ‘Connecting Girls, Inspiring Future‘ and CozyCot wants to pay special tribute to young women who shine and inspire in their own unique ways under these industries: Beauty, Fashion, Hair, Sports, Health, Food, Education, Entertainment, Media, Science & Technology and Finance.
The 100 women were nominated by family, friends and colleagues, as well as by CozyCot, with one or more of the following attributes:
1. Contributed significantly to their family, or others.
2. Demonstrated passion and drive for the enhancement of a cause.
3. Undergone a challenging experience to obtain her goal.
4. Shown passion in her career, and the interesting nature of her job.
Missuschewy is deeply humbled to see herself among the 100 nominees. If she has inspired you in one way or another, or perhaps if you truly enjoy reading her blog, please give her a virtual pat on the back by voting for her here! Thank you! Muacks! :D
What has dark chocolate, oats and honey that is indulgent, yet healthy and delicious at the same time? It is the new Nature Valley Oats ‘n Dark Chocolate Crunchy Granola Bars, made with 100% whole grain oats, so now everyone can grab a delicious bite of nature and get a healthy chocolate fix at the same time.
Nature Valley Oats ‘n Dark Chocolate Crunchy Granola Bars are an indulgent combination of rich pieces of dark chocolate, sweet honey and whole grain rolled oats. This is a wholesome snack that will keep you going.
Nature Valley snack bars are all made with 100% whole grain oats and contain no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives. They are an excellent source of whole grain with at least 16g of whole grain per labeled serving.
The hustle and bustle of city living can make you feel disconnected from Nature. Nature Valley snack bars are a tasty, convenient way to bring a little bit of nature back into your urban life.
They’re available in delicious flavours such as Oats & Honey, Roasted Almond, Maple Brown Sugar, Apple Crisp, and a Variety Pack for $6.30 / 6 pouch box.
About Nature Valley
Nature Valley™ created the granola bar category in 1975 and today is a global leader in the snack bar segment. Our products are available in more than 50 countries, ranging from Korea to Argentina, New Zealand to the United Kingdom. Consumers across the globe love this great-tasting, convenient, wholesome snacks from Nature Valley.
Visit website at http://www.naturevalley.com/
Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NatureValleySingapore
Genre: Comedy caper
Cast: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Matthew Broderick, Téa Leoni, Gabourey Sidibe, Casey Affleck, Stephen Henderson, Judd Hirsch, Michael Peña and Alan Alda
Directed by: Brett Ratner
Writers: Adam Cooper & Bill Collage, Russell Gewirtz, Rawson Marshall Thurber, Ted Griffin, Leslie Dixon,
Noah Baumbach, Jeff Nathanson
Produced by: Brian Grazer, Eddie Murphy
Executive Producers: Kim Roth, Karen Kehela Sherwood, Bill Carraro
Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy lead an all-star cast in Tower Heist, a comedy caper about working stiffs who seek revenge on the Wall Street swindler who stiffed them. After the workers at a luxury Central Park condominium discover the penthouse billionaire has stolen their retirement, they plot the ultimate revenge: a heist to reclaim what he took from them.
Queens native Josh Kovacs (Stiller) has managed one of the most luxurious and well-secured residences in New York City for more than a decade. Under his watchful eye, nothing goes undetected. In the swankiest unit atop Josh’s building, Wall Street titan Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda) is under house arrest after being caught stealing two billion from his investors. The hardest hit among those he defrauded? The tower staffers whose pensions he was entrusted to manage.
With only days before Arthur gets away with the perfect crime, Josh’s crew turns to petty crook Slide (Murphy) to plan the nearly impossible…to steal what they are sure is hidden in Arthur’s guarded condo. Though amateurs, these rookie thieves know the building better than anyone. Turns out they’ve been casing the place for years, they just didn’t know it.
Tower Heist looks set to be promising by starring two comedy titans, Ben Stiller (Josh Kovaks) and Eddie Murphy (Slide), but the movie falls a little short of expectations. The plot is dull in the beginning and picks up the momentum when Josh starts laying out his plans to steal back the embezzled money. Together with the rest of the gang of ‘thieves’, including Slide, the exciting part is watching them steal a Ferrari sports car made out of gold, from Arthur Shaw’s apartment. With some humour injected throughout the movie, Tower Heist is the movie to watch if you’ve got some spare cash in your pocket.
Dear friends and readers, Singapore Food and Fun blog, missuschewy, is taking part in the DELISHED Food Blogger Award 2011 contest!
If you have been following my blog closely and enjoy what you read in my regular reviews and updates, please vote for missuschewy here! You might need to ‘Like’ Delished’s facebook page first to get started. All I need is just ONE vote from each of you and I promise it will not take up more than one minute of your time! Voting ends on 13 November. Thanks for supporting, everyone! Muackz! :D
With a total of 126 featured writers lined up to participate in 177 programmes guided by the overarching Transaction theme, Singapore Writers Festival 2011 (SWF) is ready to add a bustle of literary activity to the vibrant Bras Basah arts district. Organised by the National Arts Council, this year’s edition of the festival will take place from 22nd to 30th October 2011 and aims to reach out to a broad and diverse audience.
SWF 2011 Programme Line-Up
To reach out to broad audiences, the SWF 2011 programme line-up comprises Festival Pass events, ticketed and free events.
Festival Pass Events
At $15 each, the newly-introduced Festival Pass grants access to close to 90 Panel discussions, In Conversation With, as well as Meet-the-Author, Screenwriter events and the Musee d’Orsay Readings.
Panel topics range from serious dialogues on the art of political biography by Irene Ng, Ooi Kee Beng and Asad Latif; politics and society with Andrey Kurkov, Yang Lian and Catherine Lim; to light-hearted subjects such as humour in writing by Tom Cho and Neil Humphreys; writing as therapy with Francois Lelord and Joe Haldeman as well as those focused on the literary craft such as writing across cultures with Kunal Basu, Meira Chand, Justin Hill and Dawn Farnham; and a closer look at the short story form with F Sionil Jose, Dave Chua and Jeffrey Lim. One highlight panel is “You can write too” featuring television celebrities Jeanette Aw and Edmund Chen, with reformed gangster Joshua Foo and creativity guru Fredrik Haren.
Other topics tabled for discussion include a celebration of contemporary poetry by Marc Nair, Chris Mooney-Singh and Cheran; trends in Chinese Fiction writing by Murong Xuecun and Xi Ni’Er (Chia Hwee Pheng); Singapore’s literary heritage with Robert Yeo and Andrew Koh; writing about China with Frank Dikotter, Yang Lian and Chong Yuan Chien; and measuring happiness with Kari Nars, Francois Lelord and Nattavudh Powdthavee.
In Conversation With presents the pairing of two authors for more intimate discussion sessions. These include, one of Singapore’s literary pioneers Edwin Thumboo and England’s former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion on writing poetry; Noor Hasnah Adam in conversation with Fira Basuki on what inspires the two young female writers writing in Malay and Indonesian; and the curious pairing of Brian Thacker, a humorous travel writer, in conversation with popular philosopher, Julian Baggini.
In this year’s Meet-the-Author sessions, the audience will have the opportunity to hear from popular Indonesian author Putu Wijaya discussing the secret of writing across several genres, Chong Wing Hong on the trials and triumphs of writing in Chinese in modern Singapore, Nicholas Hasluck’s reflection on his literary and legal careers, Kari Nars about greed and the world’s greatest fraudsters’ ploys, and award-winning author and diplomat Vikas Swarup on writing Q&A, the novel that was adapted into the blockbuster Slumdog Millionaire.
The Musee d’Orsay Readings are two special evenings of literary performances at the National Museum of Singapore. Set against the best impressionist art from the Musee d’Orsay which rarely leave France, the two evenings promise to leave you marvelling at the beauty of words and visual arts.
Finally, showcasing how words are transformed into film is a number of Screenwriter events featuring Lee Shinho, Bi Feiyu, Hao Yu-Hsiang, Michael Chabon and Prabda Yoon.
Other Ticketed Events
In addition to the previously announced SWF Publishing Symposium, a two-day seminar on the world of publishing and writing, as well as the newly-introduced SWF Lectures series with Steven Levitt, Bi Feiyu and Michael Chabon, a number of other affordable ticketed events will form part of this year’s festival.
Workshops & Master Classes
Budding authors should sharpen their pencils in anticipation of Workshops and Master Classes by established writers from a spectrum of disciplines. For example, screenwriting buffs can learn about the importance of plot, characters, research, pacing, and dramatic effectiveness from Lee Shinho, while Grandmaster of Science Fiction writing, Joe Haldeman, will share the fundamentals of writing a compelling science fiction novel.
The Literary Meals programme offers a rare opportunity to dine with your favourite authors – distinguished poet and writer, Andrew Motion; author of Q&A, Vikas Swarup; food memoir writer Cheryl Tan; contemporary Chinese author Yang Lian; and British philosopher Julian Baggini – in an intimate group setting at The Arts House restaurants.
Set against the backdrop of The National Museum of Singapore’s History Gallery exhibition areas, Literary Tours are a visual and literary feast that will connect audiences with Singapore’s history through readings and performances of poems and literary works by famous Singapore writers of yesteryear and today including Edwin Thumboo, Robert Yeo, Alvin Pang, Ting Kheng Siong, and Mohamed Latiff Mohamed.
Finally, many SWF activities remain available for all to enjoy without charge. To cultivate the next generation of readers, a series of Little Lit! activities have been catered specifically to kids and families. These range from a hands-on session with Singaporean authors Adeline Foo and Eliza Teoh, who will share tips on how to write interesting diary entries, to a Mandarin reading by celebrity and Chinese children’s book author Edmund Chen on the importance of being eco-aware.
SWF 2011 will also show its support for the industry by opening itself as a platform for authors to launch new titles. Brand New Books will see the launch of A Daughter Remembers by Ho Minfong, a memoir by her late mother, Li Lienfung; and Coast, a mono-titular anthology from indie bookshop and publisher BooksActually.
In addition, Off the Page features programmes that cross disciplines such as an exhibition of literary-themed art installations by Donna Ong, Vertical Submarine and Thai artist Torlarp Larpjaroensook at various sites in and around the Singapore Art Museum. Off the Page will also see diverse outdoor performances at SMU’s Big Steps amphitheatre. They include poetry slams, tongue-in-cheek readings, showcases of Singapore songwriters and original music, an exhibition debating match between students from Singapore Management University (SMU) and Nanyang Technological University as well as story-telling sessions.
Finally, one special collaboration in SWF2011 is ‘PasSAGES’ – a unique community project which matched eight Singapore writers with residents in a hospice and old-age home to unearth personal stories that would have otherwise gone unheard. The project will culminate in a reading and sharing session during the Festival with selected short stories published online on the Quarterly Literary Review Singapore.
Festival passes and tickets are available for purchase at http://www.sistic.com.sg (Literary Meals tickets may be purchased at The Arts House or on http://www.bytes.sg). For regular updates on Festival programmes and ticketing details, literature fans and interested public can visit the Festival website at www.singaporewritersfestival.com.
Click here to ‘Like’ SWF’s facebook page! :)
On Saturday, I was invited to a special preview of the latest horror action comedy TWISTED (撞鬼) , starring local actor/comedian Mark Lee (李国煌), veteran actress Mimi Chu (朱咪咪), and Taiwanese singer/actor Linda Liao (廖语晴), including many others. I was even lucky enough to be the last person to have my photo taken with Mark Lee the man himself before the preview started! OMG! OMG! OMG! :D
Cast: Mark Lee, Candy Lim, Zhu Mimi
Director: Chai Yee Wai
Release Date:28 July 2011
The story of TWISTED revolves around a drug dealer who impregnated a girl, a pair of conmen who wants to turn over a new leaf and 4 cabin crews whose lives were turned upside down over a fateful night of drugs and booze.
Guan (starring Mark Lee) is a flashy, womanizing drug dealer. It was during one of his many flings that he’d knocked up Mimi (starring Candy Lim), who turned obsessive in getting his attention which led to a fatal end. Guan’s ruthless way unknowingly unleashed the devil in Mimi…
Through Guan, two horny cabin crew, Cavin and Randall (starring Cavin Soh, Randall Tan) got their hands on some drugs. Their game plan was to spike the drinks of their colleagues, Linda and Tracy (starring Linda Liao, Tracy Lee) during a night out at the club. Anxious to get fresh of the girls, the eager duo stumbled upon a freak accident. The incident soon snowballed and led to a series of unfortunate happenings, bringing about a display of animalistic survival instinct.
Fa (starring Zhu Mimi) and her daughter, Yi Ning (starring Joey Leong) were victims of her abusive husband. Unable to tolerate the abuse and traumas, Fa killed her husband. The vengeful spirit of her husband swiftly possessed Yi Ning to create harvoc. To save her daughter, she seeks the help of two mediums, who further complicate the issue.
Among these seemingly unrelated characters, their paths crossed and intertwined… Somehow, ill-luck seems to transcend the characters.
This is a story of individuals with fates intertwined and their paths collided. A series of twisted events that is a study on cause and effect and how our actions affect the people around us.
Chewy Charles and I were kinda excited over watching this horror action comedy! Horror movies are always the last on our list. Hahaha we huddled very tightly throughout the movie! And here’s what we have to say…
No doubt this is a common way of filming a movie, but we like the director’s usage of flashbacks (otherwise known as interjected scenes) when narrating the story. It helps the audience gain a better understanding of what’s happening and also acts as a form of reinforcement. For people like me whose tolerance for horror flicks is extremely low, the funny scenes, although not very funny but it was funny in a Singaporean-style way (you know what I mean) sure provided some lightheartedness for everyone. While it was the humour injected scenes that made Twisted less horrifying, we felt that it was also the splendid sound effects that slowly built up the tension throughout the movie. I have a very short attention span but the movie plot was interesting enough to keep my eyes glued to the screen. In my opinion, all the characters played out their parts well, especially Mark Lee and Zhu Mimi. There are some underlying messages for everyone to ponder about after the movie! And here’s a random question from me: Will you look at bak kut teh the same way again? ;)
Will misterchewy and missuschewy watch another horror movie again? Well.. It’s hard to tell right now but definitely not anytime soon! :P Last but not least, we would like to thank omy.sg for the movie invite.
Singapore viewers and fans will be thrilled to know that the Asian Food Channel (AFC) will be premiering a new original production, True Passion – Martin Yan on Wednesday, 13 July at 8.30pm, StarHub Channel 435.
The exciting eight-part series includes one Chinese New Year special and features world-renowned chef, Martin Yan. Filmed in AFC’s own studio kitchen, Chef Yan cooks a range of delicious contemporary Asian dishes and pairs them with his favourite wines from Jacob’s Creek, Australia’s largest wine brand. The series also sees Chef Yan traveling to Barossa Valley in Australia visiting Jacob’s Creek vineyards and learning about the intricate details that go into producing an internationally-acclaimed bottle of wine.
Not only a certified Master Chef but also a highly respected food consultant, cooking instructor and prolific author who has published over 30 cookbooks, Chef Yan delights audiences with his infectious personality and stunning dishes in this series which will be broadcasted regionally across eight countries to over 45 million viewers.
Even after appearing in over 3,000 cooking shows broadcasted worldwide, this AFC production is the first ever series where Chef Yan shares his knowledge of food and wine pairing with viewers. Local viewers will also be pleased to know that Chef Yan takes on some of Singapore’s favourite dishes such as Chili Crab and puts his own special touch on them!
“Chef Yan is a household name when it comes to Asian cuisine and has been an inspiration to many. We knew that filming a production with him meant that we had to come up with a new and innovative concept which we have achieved. I am thrilled that AFC is able to provide our Singaporean viewers with relevant Asian content that has such a unique twist,” said Maria Brown, Co-Founder and Managing Director of AFC.
True Passion – Martin Yan is the second cooking series to be fully filmed and produced by AFC. It follows the great success of Best Wan, which featured a mix of recipes from the East and West by Malaysian Chef Wan, along with other documentary programmes covering topics like the use of palm oil in cooking as well as those that chronicled visits by notable chefs like Chef Daniel Boulud and Chef Robert Rainford.
“With the success of Best Wan and the upcoming premiere of True Passion – Martin Yan, AFC is steadily building its portfolio of self-made programmes, producing shows in HD quality that give viewers an in-depth view into the rich culture and heritage behind popular dishes available to them today,” added Ms. Brown.
In line with the premiere, AFC will be launching a microsite dedicated to the production. The site will complement the series by offering recipes and information so that viewers can easily access details to recreate Chef Yan’s unique dishes in the comfort of their own home. In addition, an online contest where visitors can win exclusive Chef Yan prizes will also be held when the series premieres in July.