✈✈✈ allium ✈✈

We made our first stop at IHOP (famous for pancake) to fill our stomachs before we set off for Venice Beach. IHOP is 10mins walk from the hotel, hence, we normally come here for breakfast.


Arrived Venice Beach after 45mins drive from Anaheim.


We had a pleasant walk here.




Caught sunset in the car on our way to Santa Monica. It's really awesome!!


This strawberry milkshake is reaaaalllly good!!


We missed the Santa Monica exit on the highway. By the time we got to Santa Monica, we were famished. Thus, I suggested we have dinner at the fast food restaurant, Johnny Rockets. And this is the burger I gobbled down in no time.



We dropped by a nearby fun fare before heading back to hotel. I was super zombied-out already but Benjamin & Grace were still full of energy.

We got back to the hotel at 11pm. Wasting no time, I made a dash for the bed, as we are meeting up to drive to San Juan Capistrano on the next day.

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Shrimp Heaven, consisting cocktail shrimp, tempura shrimp, coconut shrimp & ...


Bourbon Mahi Mahi
Charbroiled cajun mahi mahi with bourbon sauce and shrimp served over mashed potatoes.





Coconut shrimp.




After work, starved colleague, Benjamin & I walked to Bubba Gump for dinner as we didn't have proper food for the last 15hrs at work. During a casual conversation at work, we discovered we share a common hobby and he's planning to drive out in Anaheim to do some shooting. Without saying, I would follow suit. And we managed to get a few keen parties to join us. Yahoo! Am looking forward to exploring the Orange County the next day. After a hearty meal, we left Bubba Gump stuffed and satisfied :)

The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant and Market is a chain of seafood restaurants inspired by the 1994 film Forrest Gump. Launched in 1996 by Viacom Consumer Products (part of Viacom, which also owns Paramount Pictures, the distributor of Forrest Gump) and the Rusty Pelican Company. As of 2008, it had 22 locations in United States, 2 in Mexico, and 7 in eastern countries of Asia. The most famous restaurant is located at 1501 Broadway in Times Square, New York, NY in the Paramount Building. The first one opened up in Monterey, California. The restaurant is named after the movie's main characters Benjamin Bufford "Bubba" Blue and Forrest Gump, who were inspired to go into the shrimping business per Bubba's suggestion.

The menu consists mostly of shrimp dishes, but also other seafood, as well as Southern and Cajun cuisine, due to the main character Forrest coming from Alabama. On the company's menu, the company's CEO says (quoting from the movie) that "shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried, there's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. Th-that's about it."

Here's the website www.bubbagump.com.

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We went to Ministry of Food in Bugis Junction to pre-celebrate JoAnne's birthday. She brought us to this fairly new japanese restaurant with extensive menu which is wallet-friendly. While waiting for Lydia to arrive, famished us had tofu & avocado salad and fried chicken maki. Both tasted pretty good. Perhaps we were starving, thus, whatever went into our stomachs sure taste good.

After the entre, I had a hard time deciding on the dessert as I was spoiled for choice! Hmmm.. I would return for more. This time, I had 3 scoops of ice cream with waffle. The sesame ice cream sure tasted good!

Happy Birthday, JoAnne! Glad you enjoyed dinner with us. Must wear the cape okie, even though all of you find it weirdly-designed. Ha.

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On the eve of New Year Day, the company treated us to a meal in Paris. At 7.20pm, we gathered in the hotel lobby prior to proceeding to the restaurant for dinner and dinner was served at 8.15pm. By this time, most of us were feeling super sleepy as it's 3.15am in the morning, time we hit the sack, in Singapore!

We were planning to go Eiffel Tower for countdown & watch fireworks at the same time, after dinner. Unfortunately, the plan was canceled after finding out there's no fireworks to receive the new year. Hence, I headed back to room & dived into my bed quickly, as I had to work in the morning, the next day!



Marble of duck liver with exotic fruit puff pastry
(Marbre de foie gras et son feuillete de fruits exotiques)

The smooth, creamy & salty Foie Gras was served with sliced warm bread (I love warm bread!) and I only managed to finish one piece of it.


Slowly cooked rack of veal with risotto cannelloni/mashed pumpkin & parmesan chip.
(Tracon de veau confit, cannelloni de risotto, puree de citrouille, chips de parmesan)

The veal confit was lean & it tasted like salmon. Yes, the texture it's like fish. Am not a fan of risotto thus I didn't eat it after one mouthful of it.



Macaroon with passion fruits n red fruits
(Macaron aux fruits de la passion et fruits rouges)

The star of the 3-course meal was definitely the dessert! All of us agreed the macaroon's the best!! And of course, I savored the whole dessert to myself and some of my colleague's chocolate walnut cake! Yummy!

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A big thank you to all my friends who take time out of their busy work schedule to shop for gifts for me. Most of the gifts turned out to be accessory! And I simply love them all!! Muacks!!



Cup cap from Sherin. My first gift ;)


MUJI toiletry bag from Ashley. My second..


Necklace from Agnes. Third gift..


Necklace from Genelle.


Shimmer power puff from See Hian.


Bangle from Vicky.


Pearl bracelet from Ling.

Book of my favorite author from Maggie.

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Super tender BBQ pork!!


XO sauce carrot cake.





Chicken feet with black bean sauce.


My favourite juicy BBQ pork bun aka Char Siew Pao.


Siew Mai


Glutinous rice with chicken


Pan fried yam n pumpkin strips


Pork ribs

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Upon arriving hotel, I quickly fill my stomach up, after a hot shower, to regain some energy. After dinner, I head to High Street Kensington to get some stuffs from Marks & Spencer and I return with mostly my favourites!! (Some of them are gifts for friends)


What a gloomy day.. (View from my room at 9am)


Breakfast at The Muffin Man


Toasted scone with strawberry jam & devon cheese and my favorite Earl Grey tea.

This is divine!!!! The toasted scone is so crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. It tastes better when u spread cheese & jam on it. This tea set cost me 5.50 pound. And I left the cafe feeling extremely satisfied with my breakfast ;)



After a happy breakfast, I head to Leicester Square to purchase ticket for musical, Billy Elliot, which I plan to catch tonight. This is the stall I normally get my tickets from as the price is one of the lowest in this area. Get myself a ticket at 25 pound (S$55) this time.

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Wow! Time flies! The year is coming to an end in no time. I realized I have not gone to London this entire year and my very first trip there is next Monday! Although the stay has shortened, but I still yearn visiting her. Marks & Spencer, Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Warehouse & Primark, here I come.. wahaha! Gosh! Seems like there's so much to do with my 47hrs layover. With the pound rate at 2.3, I hope I could control my shopping!

On my last trip, I told myself I must catch a play every time I were to visit London. I missed Billy Elliot and I am hoping to catch it this time round. Hope my plan materialized.

See you on Monday, London!

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