Ibu Mangku Chicken Rice, Ubud, Bali

You know you've come across something good when local crowd is swarming an eatery.

This local warung (hawker) has served traditional Balinese chicken rice for as long as the locals can remember.


They only serve one dish, THE chicken rice, accompanied by a variety of freshly squeezed juices.

The meal is hearty, plentiful, healthy (chicken and vegetables are organic - as many locals grow and produce locally).

It consists of three chicken dish (one curried, one fried and one on a lemongrass stick) with sides of local salad. The chilli (staple to many Indonesian food) is fried to crispiness and very tasty.

Ambience is very local and we only saw about one or two other tourists around, thus I declare this place fabulous and (almost) tourist-free.

The meal for two here cost about no more than S$5.50 altogether. Good for the stomach and healthy for the wallet.

Typical local spot - no obvious address, which makes part of the charm.
Why is it Haute? It's only 5 minutes drive from the gorgeous Four Seasons Ubud resort ;) (Meaning, spend more on your honeymoon resort but not on your meals)

Nasi Ayam Kedewatan Ibu Mangku

Kedewatan, Ubud

Bali

Pacific Coffee @ red dot Traffic, Singapore

If you work around the Tanjong Pagar and Raffles Place area, you would have at least spotted this great red colonial building which used to be the former Singapore traffic Police Headquarters, just two minutes walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT station.

The Red Dot Design musuem is now a landmark to showcase the various innovation in this little island. Whilst the musuem is an anchor tenant, the red dot Traffic houses some creative companies, including advertising agencies and design studios.

Nestled within these red walls is a Pacific Coffee pitstop, and one of Singapore's best hidden secret hideouts! But it's really too good not to share this with everyone.

The Pacific Coffee brand has gained much popularity in both Hong Kong and China, with most branches strategically situated at Central Business Districts such as Raffles Link, Raffles Place, Citibank Plaza, Bank of China Tower and IFC Mall. The weekday crowd is hardly ever underdressed to say the least ;)

Comparing to the lights of the more commercialised Starbucks and Coffee Bean, this place offers ultra comfy couches (those that allows you return into a fetial position while reading your book), as well as a library of magazines. We're talking about Travel + Leisure, BusinessWeek, Cubes and many more selections!

And if you need to spend the weekend working on 'that' piece of assignment, here's the place which will give you way more inspiration than that 3-by-3 cubicle of yours. Fresher environment, faster thinking, smarter working ;)

Pacific Coffee
red dot Traffic
28, Maxwell Road
Singapore
Tel: 6327 4835

How to throw a (Haute) Dinner Party?

Ever felt that you've been challenged by the mid-week syndrome and just wished for the weekend to come sooner rather than later? And when the weekend came, you either have became an item with the bed, or whined about there is absolutely nothing to do... because its too hot, too crowded, too jammed and too lazy to get out of the house.

And if you don't want to, that's perfectly fine. We suggest you throw the perfect dinner party for a couple of your friends and relatives ;) But here's a couple of tips on how to spruce the things up to make it into one haute party without wrecking up the bills.

First tip. Set the theme. Dim lighting, candle lights and jazzy house tunes would go extremely well with a dinner party. Most importantly, set the dining table and get everyone seated around the dining table. We suggest that you go paperless and stick with the proper cutlery, drinking glasses and porcelain plates. Paper plates encourages people to roam around the freakin' house, and you'll end up having a bunch of them munching away to the sights and sounds of American Idol.

Second tip. Add small touches that matches the theme of your dinner party. Although small touches are unnecessary, your family and friends will appreciate the fact that you have put in alota initiative in hosting this dinner party. Behind the scenes, you can choose to outsource the nitty-gritty bits to your younger sister or your mother-in-law. (Floral printed paper napkins were from IKEA and hardly cost anything)

Tip no. 3. Aggravate the tastebuds! Appetizers are usually a great way to do the job and we suggest something special which you won't be able to get from your local supermarkets. We chose Muji's wacky Japanese tidbits - although a tad bit expensive (S$2-3 per pack), it certainly got some tai-tais on the route to diabetes.

We can't emphasize any further just how important presentation is. Your mother's Chinaware should come in handy at dinner parties like this. Just don't take those which are as old as you.

You can also choose to cook up some savory appetizers. We prepared some Hawaiian Chicken tapas. Extremely easy... slice the baguette to bite-size, place some chicken ham and sweetened pineapples on the individual slices. Then top it with mozzarella cheese and season with black pepper and sea salt. Chuck it into the oven for 5 minutes before serving. Simple?!

When it comes to the main dishes, do plan your food list and shop a few days in advance. You can choose to cheat by cooking some and catering some. Muahaha. Try to think of some favourite local dishes that your dinner guest will enjoy. You can't go wrong with satays and yeong tau fus. A roast lamb from EuroDeli nicely does it as well ;)

Last but not least, the perfect party requires a perfect host. Greet everyone like you've not seen them in donkey years. Catch up on the good times and most importantly, have some crazy fun!

Villa Amala, Ubud, Bali

This week, we bring you to another part of Bali. Welcome to Villa Amala located in the province of Tegallalang, Ubud. Unlike the Seminyak area which target mainly chic and Western travellers, Ubud is a more popular destination for those who would like to be more in touch with nature.

As you can see, Villa Amala is smacked in the midst of nearby padi fields and overlooks the river Wos. The villa is an hour’s ride from Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport, which is a price we had to pay for this tremendous and serene getaway. Speaking of which, our transport was provided along with the accomodation package.

With five ensuite guestrooms, Villa Amala can accommodate up to 10 people pretty comfortably. Definitely suitable for 4-5 couples looking to spend some quality time away soaking up the sun and forgetting about their deskbound jobs (at least for the weekend!). Speaking of which, the villa boasts a 20m lap pool where guests can take a leisurely dip...

...or just enjoying the surronding greeneries sprawling over the deck chair ;) Here, we also managed to experience what it is like to harvest these fields. You'll think twice about complaining about your job!

One of the highlights of this villa is the open dining area, which again, overlooks the padi fields. The in-house chef has mastered both local and western cuisine. All we needed to do is to discuss with the chef on the type of dishes we wanted and they'll speed off to do their grocery shopping. Best of all, we only have to pay for the cost of the groceries (plus a small tip of cos!).

As you make your way to the back of the villa, you will notice a small passage way that would eventually lead you to a quiet and cosy hut.

There is also a large daybed overlooking the lap pool for you to enjoy your evening read or even a massage...

...and perhaps enjoy the sunset that Bali has to offer!

Like what you're seeing? You can place your reservations at Villa Amala, Bali

Has the crisis changed you?

Frugality and safety are in; bling and plastic are out. The economic meltdown has sparked a major shift in our financial values. And one that's likely to last.

A new set of values is emerging from the ashes of 600,000 layoffs a month, a lost decade in stocks, and the worst housing crash ever. These values may ring familiar to anyone who lived through the Great Depression. But for most of us it amounts to a large-scale makeover of the way we think about money and life.

We're not just cutting our bills, we're rejecting materialism. We're placing safety and intrinsic rewards like relationships and personal growth ahead of profit. We're embracing family and community and asking how we can help others, not just ourselves.

And why our new values will last?

Some argue that when the economy recovers, our new embrace of thrift, nesting, and altruism will end along with our fears of Armageddon. Certainly, we will borrow and spend again. But it won't be the same as in the pre-crisis era.

Psychologists note that trauma often leads to a shift in behavior - the worse the trauma, the more lasting the change. For example, a near-death experience typically leads people to permanently shift their focus from material success to intrinsic rewards like good relationships and personal growth. You don't see that after, say, a root canal.

No doubt some folks will relapse into their old bad habits once the economy gets rolling again. But you can keep your baser financial instincts in check by reminding yourself of how painful it was when you were maxed out on your credit cards or lost your job with no cash cushion.

Above all, commit yourself to living within your means.

That's a haute habit by itself ;)

Source: CNN

The Power of Association

If there was one thing that caught our eyes on the Straits Times was this Subaru advert. Let me point you to the proportion of colours they use. Lots of white on the background. Black for the description. Yellow and blue for the corporate colours. And...the mother of all red for the pricetag.

And why did it catch our eyes again?

Because it looks like a freaking IKEA advert! Anyone who religiously does corporate charity to the Swedish conglomerate will take a second glance of the Subaru advert. (Numerically, that would be half of Singapore's and Malaysia's population)

Our verdict on the advert:
Conventionally boring. Zero creativity. But works effortlessly.

Now, this is the power of ASSOCIATION. Two thumbs up for the lazy bastard who gave (much) thought into this ;)

Grocer & Grind, Seminyak, Bali

The spot is a typical brunch hang-out for the local Bali expats. They serve excellent coffee and nourishing Western foods to start your day (mind you, everyday in Seminyak is a long weekend).

Very few cafes and bistros in this part of the world do latte art this well..

Not only it accomodates food, it serves as the local provision shop, filled with western brands. Got the craving for that Hershey's chocolate in the afternoon? Come and drop by.

Fans of Jones the Grocer in Singapore would probably feel a similar vibe towards this place.

Brunch for two at this place only sets you back around S$12-S$15.

Grocer & Grind

Bistro and gourmet delicatessen

Jl. Kayu Jati no. 3X Petintenget Beach, Seminyak

Bali

+62 361 730418

Marina @ Keppel Bay, Singapore

We welcome you to one of Singapore's best hidden secrets to date yet!

Boat Asia 2009, Singapore

If you think that the Marina is too captivating, we bring you some pictures from the recent Boat Asia 2009 event, featuring some of the latest luxury boats, yachts and everything that floats along with it!

This was definitely THE place for boating enthusiasts. Some admired, some went on to purchase, and some just finally found another boat-junkie to share their passion with.

However, this event was very much aimed at getting the general public to appreciate the waterfront lifestyle, simply chilling with family and friends on a yacht over the long weekend (minus the sea-sickness of course). Definitely something that's picking up in Singapore.

And that is exactly what we did. We got on one of them and it feels damn good! Yes, even though it was idle and not exactly sitting on water.

So imagine, how it would be like if you were ;) Among those which were displayed, we picked this! Has that "on-top-of-the-world" Range Rover feel behind the wheel. Woot!

Any takers yet?!

Mini Convertible @ Mini Habitat, Singapore

Last weekend, we managed to take a spin in the spankin' new Mini Cooper Convertible!

The ones in Singapore comes in two variants, the Cooper and the Cooper S. Whilst the latter comes with a turbocharge that churns out 175bhp, we opted for the Cooper - just because we want something with a lil more poise (and with our hair still intact at the end of the test drive).

Time it takes to get its top off... 15 seconds, with a touch of a button ;)

The Mini Cabriolet also comes with a 'Always Open Timer' which keeps track of exactly how long you have spent with you top down. Redundant but it does remind you why you bought a convertible in the first place.

So here's our verdict, whilst the Mini Cabrio was another chic machine, we would give it a pass. The drive is fun-inducing, but less compared to the hatchback models, and back seats are way too straight for long journeys. Also, you would need to fork out S$127,800 for the Cooper Cabrio and S$147,800 for the Cooper S Cabrio. That is a S$20,000 premium on top of the hatchback models!

Nevertheless, if you want something that turn heads, this is the only convertible out in the market which can successfully do it everytime! (from our experience hehe)

Gourmet Garage, Kemang, Jakarta

The place is wonderful mix of deli and easy casual dining. It's where locals and expats alike have their brunches and lunches when they're around Kemang area.

Their deli (or mini supermarket) offers a wide range of overseas goodies and they provide a decent ice-creamery on ground floor.

Head to second floor, that's where you'll find the dining area where they have two different specialties.
Saba caters fusion Western food while Hiro boasts some of the freshest Japanese food in town.

In one section of their dining area, they display some cute chinas from Jenggala, a local china company that has their own store in Cathay, Singapore as well.

A sample from Saba - their famous Wagyu Burger (where is the standard minced beef??). Fries were crispy with the right amount of seasoning, while the burger meat was (of course) juicy and tender.

While from Hiro, I tasted their grilled Silver Cod fish (or Gindara) with teriyaki sauce. This could be one of the tastiest Japanese fish dish I've ever tasted. The Japs could've disagreed to so much seasoning, but I gotta say, the meat was so tender and the sauce went right through the fish, it was soooo good.

Waited 15 minutes for this dish. Cleaned it up in 5.

Some of the Jap expats have told that Gourmet Garage's fish and oyster selection is one of the freshest in town. That's enough proof to get your sashimi here.

While for the sides, we got their Bruschetta trio of guacamole, tomato and roasted mushroom. Each one got two thumbs up. Delicious and fresh for the toppings and just enough crispiness on the French bread.

Entrees S$3 to S$ 10

Mains S$5 to S$ 30

Desserts S$5 to S$15

(See? It caters to all budgets!)

Gourmet Garage

Kemang Raya Kav 66-68

Jakarta Selatan

+62 21 7190875