Merlion Wayfarer's Walking Singapore: North

Showing posts with label North. Show all posts

Gyu-Kaku : Not A "Value Lunch"

Novena Square

North, Singapore

August 2015

It was time for lunch. Attractive posters describing various promotions adorn the walkways. Over at Level 2, this poster seemed interestiing. The decision was made.

There were 4 kinds of donburi (rice). Ranging from S$9-12, they range from chicken to pork to beef. These sets come with salad, kimchi and wakame seafood soup.

Opting for more variety, the Gyu-Kaku Bento Set (priced at S$15) was chosen. According to the description, this Set contains these: "Rice Item", "Cold Item", "Deep Fried Item", "Pickled Item", "Meat Item", "Soup Item" - a total of 7 different items.

Despite the picture on the poster, it was still a surprise when the Bento Set arrived. There were 6 compartments within the Set. Each compartment contained an item, each barely bigger than a saucer dish.

Deducting the Kimchi ("pickled item"), Wakame Seaweed Soup ("soup item"), and a simple lettuce-corn-tomato combination ("salad item"), which were components of the other Don Sets, it really seems like there isn't much "value" left of the Set.

The Rice ("rice item") was topped with cooked salmon shreds and egg bits. The portion was about 30% of a normal rice bowl. Hardly enough for the fistful of recommended rice intake. The salmon was bland (i.e. tasteless) and the egg hard.
The tofu was once again miniscule in size, about the length of half a thumb. The spicy sauce was mild and tasty and it was a healthy side.
Of the final two dishes, it was hard to tell which was the "deep fried item" and which was the "meat item". One consisted of two fried beef balls dribbled with some tomato sauce. This tasted as good as those in Ikea.
The fried breadcrusted pork/chicken served with raw cabbage slices was aromatic due to the breaded crust and some sprinkling of mayonnaise.

All in all, this Set seemed more like a serving of appetizers, or worse still, a payable Set of really small dishes which other restaurants normally serve as freeflow appetizers.

Night Safari - Embark On Your Mystica Quest

5:25 PM Events, Food, Invites, North

Night Safari

North, Singapore

November 2014

For eons, humans and animals have lived in harmony sharing Mother Nature's bounties. With progress, mankind evolved to embrace wasteful and destructive ways of life that began to take their toll on Mother Earth. Habitats were destroyed, forcing animals to seek a new place to call home.

Many perished, but a handful found refuge in a wondrous healing island of everlasting night, MYSTICA.

Begin your journey at the entrance to the wilderness wonderland...

Visitors to Night Safari will step into a wonderland of dazzling lights as they enter the park. There, they will be met by the mysterious and magical Island Keeper, who will encourage them to go on a Mystica Quest which will have them navigating challenges and solving puzzles to collect wristbands. Along the way, curious creatures will guide them. Be prepared to come face to face with the Ravishing Raven, the most divine of the Mystica inhabitants; the ebullient Jumparoo, with his springy dance steps; and the scintillating Slithery Snake, with her shimmery moves.

Throughout the quest through the mysterious land,

be surprised by the host of characters that greet and help you along...

When visitors have collected all the multi-coloured wristbands and completed their Mystica Quest, they will be rewarded with a sparkly surprise. The first 200 guests who do so every event night will receive a glittery gift.

Have a brief stopover at Zebra Cafe for a meal or some snacks...

And of course, the real cats in the wilderness - the shy fishing cat...

And take home a souvenir or two to remember this mystical experience...

Details

Dates: 21, 22, 28, 29 Nov and 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 Dec (Fri and Sat)

Time: 1730-2200 hours

Venue: Night Safari (start your quest at the Entrance Plaza)

Fee: Festivities at the entrance are free

The usual admission of $39 (adult) and $25 (child 3-12 years) applies

Tertiary students 17 years and above enjoy four adult admission tickets for the price of three for onsite purchases only. Other terms and conditions apply. More details are available at nightsafari.com.sg/mystica.

Photo Credits

Wildlife Reserves Singapore (for non-watermarked photos)

This blog post is replicated from Merlion Wayfarer Goes Green.

Vesak Day 2014 - Gratitude To Planet Earth & Our Country

3:17 AM Architecture, Festivals, North, Temples, Vesak Day

Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery

Bright Hill Road

North, Singapore

13 May 2014

Vesak Day is the most significant day of the year in the Buddhist calendar and is celebrated by Buddhists the world over. The day commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha and is a day of immense joy, peace and reflection. In Singapore, Vesak Day usually falls in the month of May, on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

On this day, devout Buddhists and followers alike congregate at their various temples before dawn for the ceremonial, where the Buddhist flag will be hoisted, and hymns sung in praise of the holy triple gem: The Buddha, The Dharma (his teachings), and The Sangha (his disciples). Devotees often bring simple offerings of flowers, candles and joss-sticks to lay at the feet of their spiritual teacher. These symbolic offerings remind followers that life too, is subject to decay and destruction when the offering burns out or wilts away.

Buddhists believe that performing good deeds on Vesak Day will multiply merit many times over. Buddhist youth sometimes organise mass blood donations at hospitals, while general rites and rituals practiced on Vesak Day include chanting of mantras; releasing of caged birds and animals; having vegetarian meals; and "bathing" a Buddha statue, a reference to the legend of the child Buddha being showered with the waters of nine dragons soon after birth. These acts of generosity observed by the Buddhist temples are also known as Dana.

Arriving there was a nightmare - a sweltering hot day with traffic jamming the single-lane road,
cars parked on both sides of the road, and buses packed with commuters...