Enjoy the Sweet Sam-sation with Gelato World Tour

Did you enjoy your weekends with the sweet sam-sation of gelato at Gelato World Tour at

Marina Bay Sands, Hall D Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre on March 20, 2015, for three consecutive days? The Gelato Village was set to flag off the “Formula One of Gelato” and celebrate fifty years of the Singapore Republic in the coolest way. 

If you were there, the hall was flooded with people as people flocked in to try out the different flavours of gelato. Singapore, being known as the food paradise, got that name for a reason. When it comes to good food, Singaporeans will find it wherever it is.

We got our free gelato samples, did you? There was just so much to try, we didn't know where to get started! There were 16 flavours to try. It was so exciting!

We started queuing up for our gelato! 

If you weren't there, here's a short recap of the events during the three days. Entry was free and the program included:

• Mini Courses for adults and children by the gelato chefs of Carpigiani Gelato University on “What is Gelato?”. Participants will also be the first to learn more details about the 4-week program that teaches participants on how they can become successful gelato entrepreneurs. 

• “How to open a gelato shop?’, educational workshops by Academia IFI

• The Tonda Challenge by IFI @ PreGel tent  

• Discover the secrets of gelato “Always FrescoTM” with PreGel 

We took turns to try different flavours and we certainly tried out the Singaporean flavours.

Singapore Sling

Chendol Merdeka

I found the Beer with Ciambella a really cool gelato, imagine tasting beer but in ice cream. Generally my guy friends and I enjoyed the gelato that was more ice cream like as compared to the sorbet kind of gelato as they tended to be less sweet. We preferred flavours that were less extreme in the sense that we could finish one serving without feeling it to be too salty or too sweet. The opinion of us guys. We were pretty glad we came as a group and shared the gelato because eating it all on your own can be a little gelat-though. 

The top three flavours announced were:

1. Good ‘Ol Days by Sharon Tay of Momolato, Singapore

2. Roasted Walnut and Honey Crunch by David Lamprell, Michael & Brian O’Donnell of 48 Flavours, Adelaide, SA, Australia

3. Vanilla of the East by Keewin & Seow Han Ong of Cielo Dolci, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Me

Us!

To follow the stages of Gelato World Tour: www.gelatoworldtour.com.

Movie Review of Foxcatcher

Directed by: Bennett Miller

2014 | USA | Biography/Drama/Sport | In English | 129min | M18 (Some Drug Use)

Cast: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave, Sienna Miller

Trailer:

Foxcatcher is not a new movie. It was screened in 2014 and has been nominated for 5 Oscars and winning Best Director at Cannes Film Festival last year.

Foxcatcher is a biography. That means if you are expecting action, fast moving scenes then be prepared to be disappointed. The story revolves around three main characters, Mark, John and Dave. It is mostly conversational and through their conversations you get a glimpse into the sort of person each of them is. 

Mark and Dave have a brotherly relationship and in this relationship, Dave is the one who is the superior in some sense. Mark relies on him heavily in terms of emotional support and in the later part of this movie, this is something that John comes to realise. 

The character of John is the most interesting of the three. There is this atmosphere of suspense that is built up around him. He hides his motivations for the things he do and this is reflected in the way he conducts himself. His verbal response in conversations and his expressions show that he is someone who thinks deeply but he has no one in which to confide in. 

The story is one that is open to interpretation. There is no narrator voice to tell you what is going on, so the audience has to figure it out on their own. This gives them the space to make inferences and allows them to come to their own conclusion about the characters involved. The scenes are framed in a way that leaves you wondering what will come next.

Personally I am not one who enjoys the biography genre because it is too slow moving for my taste but I have to admit that the cinematography for this film was pretty good. All in all, this movie is a tragic story and it will cause one to think about the psychology of a man. Was the tragedy the result of the environment (nurture)? I leave you to give it some thought and to come up with your own answer.

Who or What is Behind the Mysterious Crate Discovered in the Pre-war Bunker?

Have you heard of this mysterious crate found in an abandoned pre-war bunker at the foot of Mount Faber? Curious to know what they found inside and how it came about? You will be surprised but this is one of Tiger Beer's new campaign!

 

I received a similar crate personalised with my name on it.

 Guess what I found inside?

 Tiger Beer!

Tiger Beer, being a brand synonymous with the Singaporean identity and culture has launched a new campaign. This campaign is the #Unofficialofficial campaign which kicks off on 16th March today!. Two mockumentaries that chronicle the 'real story' behind some of Singapore's unique quirks and oddities have been planned:

1) Who invited chicken rice? To be launched on 16th March.

2) Who created the Kallang Wave? To be launched on 23rd March.

What inspired this? It was inspired by the very first Tiger beer can produced in 1965. The brand will be releasing limited edition adaptations of the classic 1965 theme in cans, pints and bottles format in commemoration of Singapore's 50th anniversary.

Get your Tiger Beer cans at all major supermarkets and you will be pleased to know they come with limited edition T-shirts which come in four different collectible designs.

Seafood With Peter Kuruvita

You like seafood?
Check. Replies "I luv seafood!" or "maybe if it is of good quality".

You like Peter Kuruvita?
Who's that you ask? Hesitant to check? He's a chef. That much you can guess right?

Chef Peter Kuruvita

What is his specialty?
Seafood, definitely.

Seafood!!!

What is his experience?
He has been creating modern dishes with a strong seafood focus and great reputation at award-winning restaurant ‘Flying Fish Restaurant & Bar’. He is more than just a well-known chef in Australia, he is also a restaurateur, TV presenter, author and restaurant consultant. His love and passion for cooking was cultivated by whipping up dishes behind the closed doors of his grandmother’s traditional kitchen back in Sri Lanka.

Is he in Singapore? When and where can I catch him cooking up a storm?
Ah, you have finally asked the important question. He is now at W Hotel Singapore, Sentosa Cove at the kitchen table till 7th November, every Friday and Saturday 6 to 11pm.

Starting this 13th and 14th March, you may meet the Sri Lanka borne Australian culinary superstar in person on as he shows you how to consume seafood by using sustainable ingredients.Yes, you are probably not interested in how sustainable the ingredients are but how awesome they taste, so I am telling you now to be prepared to dazzle your palate with an unforgettable gastronomic experience as Celebrity Chef, Peter Kuruvita raises the bar in the way you “seafood” with delectable new renditions of the catch.

So what kind of seafood do I get to taste? 
If it is the same variety of seafood you get to taste at other places, I won't be writing this now would I? /Plays introductory music and does drum rolls. Introducing specially curated dishes both rich in culture and taste, there are: the majestic Ambul Thial of Kingfish, King Tiger Prawn Tortellini, Modern Prawn Kottu, lightly garnished with roasted coconut shards, garlic chips and peanut, and Modern Wattalapaan, served with spiced coconut cream, rich in flavour yet light and creamy. In short, there is something for every palate.

What are those dishes? No photographs for me to see?
Unfortunately, I don't have photographs. So let your imagination do the work and know that your photographs will be the first photographs on Instagram. Instagram them at @WSingapore or Tweet at @W_Singapore: #SeafoodfromtheHeart. I know you want to share your awesome food photos with everyone else. You know you want to, so make your reservations at  +65 6808 7268 or thekitchentable.singapore@whotels.com now!

Price: S$85++ per person
For more information, visit http://www.wsingaporesentosacove.com/peterkuruvit

Think You Know All There Is to Know About Singapore? I Challenge You!

If you think you know all there is to know about Singapore, I challenge you to go on the Diverse-City Trails which is a collaboration between Ben & Jerry's and The Thought Collective.

Each trail is 1.5hr and costs $25. They run from 16 March till 16 September 2015.
Locations: 1) Little India 2) Toa Payoh 3) Jalan Besar

Is it your ordinary heritage trail? What is there to expect? I think it will be boring, why should I pay to go on such a trail? I am sure these are the questions running through your head because if it was me, I would be asking myself these too. What you don't know is that this is no heritage trail.

Each of the trails will expose us to different issues and allow us to experience something new, something we might have heard in theory but never experienced firsthand. Their aim is to engage the public on a deeper level with current issues affecting Singapore in the hope of inspiring change and action while having fun and ice-cream. Yes, ice-cream! The trail ends with participants having the chance to try out Ben & Jerry's new flavour called the 'Nice Kacang!', a mixture of peanut butter ice cream, chocolate nougats, fudge chunks topped with sweet and salty pretzel swirls.

Let me share with you my experience on the trail at Toa Payoh. At the core of it was the issue of the relationship in a community.

We walked to a few residential blocks in the area and we learned about the architectural design of the HDB flats there. This particular one was a typical L-shaped one but due to its 'programming', social cohesion was something that was more difficult to encourage.

The corridors were narrow which made it difficult for neighbours to hang out at. While there was a park downstairs, it was considered too intrusive and was barely used.

This walkway was known as the Road To Hell. 

We learned about how the boundaries between private space and public space mattered in fostering cohesion in a community and between neighbours. There were many thought provoking questions raised. Would you live in a neighbourhood where everyone had requests or offers? Requests meant that they required a service and offers meant they were willing to offer something. Interestingly, relationships all begin with such a transaction of meeting a need with a service. 

If you think a HDB block of requests would turn you off, what about a block of unsent requests? It means that you know they require help but they do not ask for it. This is certainly scary. We all know that there exists income inequality in Singapore but have you seen this for yourself firsthand? People staying in rented flats with little means to support themselves. A scene you will never forget once witnessed. Your heart just goes out to them. One person can do so little but imagine if the community rises up and actively takes steps to help such a block of residents.

Of course, there were much more examples raised but sharing everything here will spoil the fun. I certainly learned a lot from this short trip and if anything, it made me open my eyes to the things we normally don't observe. Has the HDB community become one where everyone closes their eyes to the things others do with the 'it's not my business' mindset or is it one whereby social cohesion exists and neighbours are willing to offer help?

I hope this article has caused you to think a little more and if you would like to experience all I have felt firsthand, do consider purchasing your tickets via trails.thethoughtcollective.com.sg. Early bird tickets for the first 300 signups will cost only $20.

Revisit The Retro Years at the The Great World Cabaret

Gona do something new with this post. It shall be a photo-story, so let's see what you can interpret from these photographs. From what I learned recently, art is not just a one way tool, it is meant to be a form of communication. Everyone interprets things differently and this also applies to these photographs.

Perhaps just a heads up, this is a performance about the retro years back in the 1800s where Bo Bo Cha Cha and songs such as 玫瑰玫瑰我爱你 were popular.

For more details on the cast, the plot and the details check out http://theinfluencermedia.com/2015/02/18/dance-to-the-beat-of-bo-bo-cha-cha-with-the-great-world-cabaret/

That's us!

How was your trip down memory lane? Not your memory? Ok, then it might not be your generation. I would love to hear what you understood from my photographs, feel free to leave comments. Hope you have enjoyed the photographs as much as I enjoyed taking them.