5 Brilliant Ideas to Maximise your Kitchen Storage Space

You would have seen my small little kitchen in my previous post, and being the hoarder I am, I am desperate for more storage.

Check out this short video for 5 cool ways you can make your kitchen space more organised and accessible!

Presenting Our Humble Heartland HDB Flat!

Have been on hiatus for a long while because I was buried with work.

Am I done with work yet? - img courtesy of hypnotension.com

These two months have been hectic; I was juggling among work, renovations, wedding preparations, and personal life.

But things now are getting better and so, I AM BACK!

img courtesy of giphy

I haven't been updating the progress of our BTO flat for a while, but in reality, I am actually really excited about the new house! Much progress has been made since we have received the keys to the flat, and fast forward three months, the house is almost done!

We started by going to roadshows and asking for recommendations from family and friends. After we have short-listed some potential Interior Designers and Renovation Contractors, we sieved out some of them by reading up forum reviews and checking out their portfolio on Facebook and their corporate websites.

We are most concerned with two factors: reliability, and cost.

There are just too many articles and reviews about errant renovation companies or companies folding after collecting payment; so many reports that it becomes a cause for concern. We also do not believe in taking up renovation loans just so that we can have a nest that is showflat-worthy. Even though we are pretty cash-strapped because of all the major milestones we are hitting, we want to spend within our means and keep to our budget. Say hello to Mr and Mrs (to-be) Scrooge!

img courtesy of busyconf.com

Most of the packages provided by firms and contractors are rather basic; you have to do up your own list and compare it with the packages to have a gauge of how much you will need to top up to obtain your dream home. For example, packages typically do not include installing or shifting of lighting points, adding new electrical points, carpentry for wardrobes... etc.

Do give much thoughts to what you want to do for the house before you invite the IDs and contractors over for an on-site quotation. This helps in ensuring that you are conscious of the budget and you do not miss out much when discussing with each company.

Because we aren't in a hurry to move in, we worked out our list only after we received the keys and gotten a good idea of what we want to do with the house.

Here are some photos of our house:

The living room (the place looks dim and small) -

The kitchen (yikes irregular shaped!) -

Walkway to rooms -



One of the rooms -

One of the toilets -

I will start updating our progress across the next few posts, so do keep a lookout for them!

How to: 6 Simple Steps for an easy HDB BTO Key Collection Experience!

As a couple who has just officially become first-time HDB tenants homeowners, we can imagine how excited you are when you receive the official HDB letter for key collection... After all, this is the last hurdle between you and your very own new home!

For us, we had a very smooth collection process because of the help we received from others, and we hope that everyone can have the same pleasant experience as well. Hence, we have compiled this guide for HDB Key Collection:

1. Ensure that you bring ALL the necessary documents... Better be kiasu than be sorry!

Follow the list indicated in your official HDB letter, or follow HDB's online guide. 

Typically, it will consist of both applicants' original NRIC, marriage cert*, latest CPF statements**, and GIRO form***. If you have applied under priority schemes such as 'Married Child Priority Scheme', or 'Parenthood Priority Scheme', please note the additional verification documents you would have to produce as well.

* Do note that the submission of marriage cert on or before key collection is a must if you have applied for the Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) or Special CPF Housing Grant (SHG). If not, you can submit your cert before the estimated Delivery Possession Date of the flat (BTO) or within three months after you have taken possession of the new flat (resale/ completed flats as at application), whichever is later. You will have to submit a copy to your HDB branch before the stipulated deadline.

** If you have submitted your CPF statements previously and have authorised HDB to access your CPF details, you do not need to bring your latest CPF statements again.

*** This is only necessary for applicants who intend to pay your HDB monthly loan instalment by cash (partial or full).

2. Purchase HDB Fire Insurance right before your key collection appointment

It is compulsory to produce Etiqa's Certificate of Insurance when you are collecting your keys. The premium (less than SGD10 as at 1 Aug 2015) covers your house for five years and it covers damages caused by fire to the internal building structure, fixtures and fittings provided by HDB and its approved developer.

It is important to note that the compulsory fire insurance covers only the house itself and not the content. You will need to separately purchase fire insurance that covers other content such as renovated items, household contents, burglary, etc. You can choose to purchase directly from Etiqa at any point of time (SGD80 per annum as at 1 Aug 2015), or source for your own insurance provider.

i. Enter HDB Office from Biz 3 Lift lobby 1, and locate the escalator right behind the lifts.Go up to level 2.

Biz 3 Lift Lobby 1

ii. Look for the Etiqa Counter (see arrow in grey), and take a queue number. Produce your NRIC and HDB Appointment letter for processing. Payment can be made in cash or by NETS.

Etiqa Counter at HDB Hub

iii. You will receive two copies of Certificate of Insurance and you can then proceed for your key collection.

3. The moment you have been waiting for... KEY COLLECTION!

i. From Lift Lobby 1 again, take the lift to level 8 directly.

Floor Guide at HDB Hub

ii. Take a queue number from the orange self-help kiosk on the left. 

Reception and Self-Help Kiosk

iii. Wait for your number! It was pretty fast for us because there were 30 counters available. Got to applaud HDB's customer service for this.

iv. Now here's the exciting moment. The officer will ask for the necessary documents and tally them against the thick file they have created for your application. You will then have to sign various documents, such as declaration form for CPF Home Protection Scheme, home deed and legal documents. 

This is also the time where you confirm the HDB monthly instalment amount to be paid. If you are unsure of the amount you should be paying every month to pay off within a certain number of years, check out the cool HDB Instalment Calculator! We have used this before the appointment to estimate the number of years required for us to pay off the full amount through CPF.

4. Payment of Service & Conservancy Charges like a real homeowner!

After everything is confirmed and signed, you have to head down to level 3 to pay your very first Service & Conservancy Charges (S&CC).

Signage from the Lift Lobby

Make your first S&CC Payment here

5. Collect your KEYS

You can now go back to level 8 and collect the signed documents and keys from the officer. Confirm that the keys issued to you are in full sets before leaving.


6. Activating Electricity and Water supply in your unit

You would have to open an account with SP Services for electricity and water supply. Note that you do not need to do this on the same day, but we decided to do so because we were heading down to the house on the same day. The counter is located on level 2.

Activation is immediate; you will be able to switch it on on the same day. Also, utilisation of electricity and water is free on the day of activation.

SP Services at HDB Hub

You can open an account online as well, but we heard from our neighbours that they encountered some issues with the activation. Queuing at the counter directly with your HDB appointment letter is one of the easiest and fastest method in my honest opinion.

And ta-dah! You are now the proud owner of your new house! The whole process took us less than two hours, and we had sufficient time left for a celebratory late lunch before heading over to the new house.

We do hope that the guide is useful to all new homeowners, as much as it helped us previously. Do share with us what are some of the issues you have faced for key collection, or share this guide with anyone who may need it!

Restaurant Week 2013: Equinox Restaurant, Swissotel the Stamford

Restaurant Week is here again!

For our first stop in 2013, the man decided to have dinner at Equinox. There were 2 different options for each course, so we chose one of each to sample what they had to offer.

Equinox Restaurant is one of the 6 restaurants located at the Equinox Complex in Swissotel the Stamford. It presents diners with an exquisite Modern European culinary experience coupled with breathtaking views overlooking Singapore's busiest district.

The 3-Course Set Dinner cost $55++ per person and if you are keen to get a table by the window, it will be an additional fee of $20.

For this post, it is a combination of photos taken with my iphone and photos taken with the man's Sony RX100. Dim lights and scenery are just incompatible with the iphone, so the difference will be rather stark.

We figured that being on level 70 of the hotel, we should take this opportunity to witness Singapore's transition from day to night. We reached the restaurant at about 6.30pm, right after work. It was really bright and sunny, so we get to enjoy a day view of our beloved island from our seat:

The meal started off with us being served 2 slabs of butter, salted and seaweed-flavoured, and salt:

The waiter will come by with a basket of freshly baked bread and introduce us to the various bread before asking us to make a choice.

We liked the black olive bread, which was complemented well by the butter. The onion and cheese bread was stronger in taste.

Black Olive bread:

Onion and cheese:

We couldn't resist taking another photo of the breathtaking scenery:

We were also presented with a complimentary appetiser, though sadly I was unable to catch and remember the name of it:

For food pairing, we have separately opened a bottle of Moet & Chandon Rose Imperial for the night at the promotional price of SGD99++.



Pre-dinner Toasting while overlooking scenic Singapore:

After much anticipation, our appetisers arrived. I WAS SOLD (I am an appearance-sort-of-person though i don't exactly look appealing myself).

It was as if you can feel the heart and soul of the chef who has prepared them. The dishes were so sincere and exquisite! The naming of the dishes aren't exactly creative though... it is basically just telling you what's in the dish.

i. Grilled Vegetable Salad, Goat Cheese, Quail Egg, Frisee Lettuce, Horseradish

Special mention to the quail egg, which comes with a beautiful golden runny yolk centre:

After tasting the salad, i must say that grilling has brought out the sweetness of the various vegetables, and the quail egg's yolk was done to perfection. However, the dish in its entirety was not the best salad i have eaten, and appetiser wise, i prefer the tuna tartare (below).

ii. Tuna Tartare, Avocado, Crispy Onion, Soy and Lime Vinaigrette
We love the gorgeous presentation, which makes the food taste even better! The tuna tartare was light, and it was refreshing when paired with avocado:

Another sneak peek at the dimming scenery out there:

As the area turns from a bustling business district to a gorgeous entertainment central, we start our main course:

i. Poached Salmon Fillet, Star Anise Oil, Braised Lettuce, Beetroot Gnocchi, Razor Clam Sauce

It was getting a little too dark to see the dish properly. On the overall, I would not rate this too high, because the star of the main course (salmon) was a little too fishy in my opinion. However, the redeeming factor was that the razor clam was fresh and the braised lettuce and beetroot gnocchi were tastefully done.

[Mental OS] Looking at the presentation, I wonder what has happened to the kokoro ('heart' in Japanese) displayed during the appetisers...



ii. Breast and Thigh of Chicken, Potato Terrine, Morels, Cauliflower, Toasted Almonds, Roasted Onion

I love this, which was much better (in my humble opinion) as compared to the salmon fillet. The potato terrine was well baked, and the chicken paired well with morels.

Next up was desserts!

i. Violet Wild Strawberry, Granite, Almond Sable, Meringue
It was definitely not as sweet as it looked and sounded. It was balanced, and you can experience different textures of the meringue, granite, sable... all intertwined together.

ii. Verbena Apricot, Preserved Blood Peach Jelly, Lemongrass Sorbet
I love the lemongrass sorbet, but i thought that the preserved blood peach jelly and verbena apricot were overly sweet. (actually, at first bite, i thought it was hawthorn and not blood peach *i need to get my tastebuds checked*)

Personally, I think that going to Equinox during restaurant week is very worthwhile, as they maintained their top service quality despite the much lower prices. However, it may be a tad overpriced for the same food quality because there are hits and misses along the way.

If you are running out of dating ideas, why not look out for the next round of restaurant week?

Equinox Restaurant
Swissotel the Stamford
2 Stamford Road
Singapore 178882

Hours:
Brunch on Sunday, 11am - 2.30pm
Lunch on Mon-Sat, 12nn - 2.30pm
High Tea everyday, 3.30pm - 5pm
Dinner everyday, 6.30pm - 10.30pm

Reservations online / phone (68373322) / email (reservations@equinoxcomplex.com)

[Staycation] Moevenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa - Onsen Suite [Photo-Spam]

We decided to do a staycation for the weekend and for that, we selected and booked Moevenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa's Onsen Suite.

According to Moevenpick Hotel's webpage, the hotel comprises of 2 separate wings: the newly-built contemporary wing with 105 Deluxe Rooms, 19 Onsen Suites, three Executive Suites, and two Penthouse Suites; and the heritage wing, which is a restored colonial building that dates back to the 1940s, with 62 suites.

The Onsen suite features a Japanese-style hot tub set in a tranquil outdoor sanctuary.

The lobby is set a level below the main entrance, so we took a while to get to the lobby on the first day. The hotel staff were friendly, and very courteous. While showing us to the room, they brought us round the hotel and told us where were the various facilities (e.g. swimming pool, gym etc).

The Suite was bright and airy:

View from the inner walkway:

View from the private outdoor area:

Randomly, the mini snack bar in the room is complimentary, all snacks and drinks are complimentary.

View from the room, looking out into the outdoor 'onsen':

We checked with the hotel engineer, the onsen's water is not recycled, so we let the water run a little before using the onsen pool and i insisted on going in with my swimsuit (yes, i am paranoid, and it doesnt help that the pool doesn't look very clean to start with).

Closer view of the pool:

To be very frank, the pool was jacuzzi styled and hence, really relaxing and comfortable. 

Random night view shot:

We bought some asahi and kirin beer, and opened the snack packs from the mini bar while enjoying the onsen pool.

I love how they put the toiletries in the chinese bamboo steamer:

Dry-cleaning laundry bag:

Slippers labelled as 'for him' and 'for her', but i realised that they are identical, of the same size:

As we have booked the onsen suite, it comes with complimentary use of the crystal lounge, where guests can enjoy complimentary high tea (snack bites and drinks) at the comfort of the lounge:

Took some random shots of the snack bites:

So apparently the man told them that it is our anniversary, so they delivered this to the room:

Never mind the very interesting handwriting that kind of looked smeared, but the cake was really delicious (i mean, what do i expect of Moevenpick right - nothing, but the best):

Complimentary evening snack bites and drinks at 'World of Whiskey':

Breakfast at Tablescape, with an array of selection - toast, pancakes, waffles, muffins, assorted bread, congee... etc.

On the overall, we had a very pleasant experience there. The rooms were comfortable, but the outdoor area was slightly dusty, which cannot be helped since it was open-air i guess. The food was acceptable, and the staff's great attitude made up for any imperfections in their breakfast selection (i guess eggs are not their forte).

One incident that happened during our stay was: There was a period of time when the tap-water turned brown, so we were alarmed and checked with the hotel staff. They checked with the engineers and ascertained that it was a technical fault but there was nothing they could have done, except to ask us to let the water run for a longer period of time.

As a kind gesture, they offered us 50% off our next stay with their heritage suite Merlion, which we have gladly taken up. Photos for that will be in a separate post.