Gag Order

(Daddy gags)

I am reminded of a story told by a friend a few months back. 

He was at a birthday party of his son's schoolmate over the weekend. And while the kids were having their own fun and games, the adults were engaging in their own conversation over party food. Suddenly, the Birthday Boy, at the tender age of three, came walking into the crowd with a squirt gun in his hand. He then yelled out at the top of his lungs…(oh, profanity warning here!) FREEZE ALL YOU MOTHERF**KERS! 

Needless to say, the silence that followed was curdling to say the least. Well, it turned out that he had heard this lovely use of language on some DVD movie that had continued to run after their parents had fallen asleep.

Luckily for me, I don't swear. Uhm okay okay, not much anyway. I used to, when I was younger especially as a hot-blooded teenager in the Army (who doesn't right???). Now, I only let the expletives fly usually when I'm driving. 

But that has always been met with a disapproving look and the click of the tongue from the wifey. Especially since the monkies are usually around us. And I used to think that they were still too young to pick it up.

But I was wrong.

Kids are always smarter than we could ever give them credit for. And phrases like 'Wah lau eh!' and 'Bloody hell!' have been blurted out from them on more than one occasion.

So now I have imposed a gag order on myself.

In place of all the profanities that I have been used to saying, I have come up with a few new ones.

Oh Shit-ake Mushrooms!


Cheese-pie!


Fartnuggets!


Holy Poop!

Do you have any other alternative phrases that you say in front of the kids? Do share... I can only say 'Shit-take Mushrooms' that many times!

Gardens by the Bay Grand Opening - Kids Acitivities

Gardens by the Bay is finally opening! And we are honoured to be one of the Appointed Bloggers for the anticipated Grand Opening.

We were down at the Bay East Garden in April this year. And while we had a great time time running ourselves silly over there, we couldn't help but look forward to the time when entire Gardens by the Bay is fully opened to the public.

And that time is NOW.

From 29 June to 8 July 2012, expect a host of exciting events as Gardens by the Bay serve up a buffet of fun-filled activities! And here is just a brief introduction to the various Attractions at Gardens by the Bay.

The Flower Dome, with its iconic design, serves to replicate the cool-dry climate of Mediterranean regions like South Africa, California and parts of Spain and Italy. Home to a collection of plants from deserts all over the world, it showcases the adaptations of plants to arid environments.

Sneak peek of the Flower Dome - Bask in the Mediterranean Summer-themed flower field of roses!

The Cloud Forest, on the other hand, offers a totally different experience compared to the Flower Dome. Comprising of a 35m tall mountain complete with the tallest indoor waterfall covered in lush vegetation, it portrays plant life from about 2,000m above sea level at the top of the mountain to around 1,000m at the bottom of the ravine.

Sneak peek of the 35-metre mountain with the cascading waterfall in the Cloud Forest.

And then there is the Supertree Grove. These uniquely designed vertical gardens of 25 to 50 metres tall have large canopies that provide shade in the day but come alive at night with a exhilarating display of light and sound. We have always been clamouring Daddy to bring us to see these Supertrees whenever we drive past them on the ECP, and we can't wait!

The enchanting Supertree Grove!

 Oh, and did I mention that there will be tons of activities? For us kids, no less!

Here's what to expect if you are bringing kids along.

30 June: Lights Out Wonderland
6.15-7pm; Supertree Grove; Free Admission
Enjoy a performance based on characters from “Alice in Wonderland” featuring eight youths from Young Actors Annonymous.

30 June: Movie at the Gardens
9.30-11pm; The Meadow; Free Admission*
Catch the movie, “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs” outdoors beneath a blanket of stars, surrounded by lush greenery.
*Free admission upon redemption of tickets at Rhythm with Nature information counter at Green Fair. Tickets subject to availability, and limited to 4 tickets per person.

30 June - 1 July: Flower Nymph Roving Performance
4.30-5pm & 5.30-6pm; Bay South Garden; Free Admission
Treat your senses to this entertaining spectacle of music, dance and drama by Cake Theatrical Productions.

2 July onwards: OCBC Light & Sound Show
7.45-8pm & 8.45-9pm; Supertree Grove; Free Admission
NOT TO BE MISSED! This show is the signature nightly display of magical lights and music amid the giant Supertrees.

4-6 July: The Story Garden
4 & 5 July - 5-5.30pm; Flower Dome; Entry Fees apply
6 July - 6-6.30pm; Indian Gardens; Free Admission
Listen to a host of stories in the company of wise trees and be transported into another world!

6 July: The Analog Girl LIVE!
8-8.45pm & 9-9.45pm; Supertree Grove; Free Admission
Enjoy an evening of dreamy soundscapes by artists from Musicity Singapore including Analog Girl.

7 July: Singapore Garden Run (with Youth Concert)
5-7.30pm; The Meadow; Free Admission
Enjoy a full day of exciting activities that include a race, performances by youth bands and a flash mob.

7-8 July: Ring Around the Roses
10am - 5pm; Silver Garden; Free Admission
Kids, parents and the young at heart can revel in a day of carnival-like atmosphere, crafts and performances by Cake Theatrical Productions.

8 July: Swing! in the Gardens!
5-5.45pm; Supertree Grove; Free Admission
Come enjoy an evening of lively dances and join in the fun!

8 July: Symphony of Life
7.30-8pm & 9-9.30pm; Supertree Grove; Free Admission
With larger-than-life costumes and sound, this surround-sound sculpture-cum-musical display showcases the Gardens’ unique design and structure.

7- 15 July: Singapore Garden Festival
10am - 10pm
Weekdays: $10-adult, $20-family, $5-concession
Weekends: $14-adult, $38-family, $8-concession
Asia’s best garden and flower show is in full bloom! Show your entry ticket to get 20% discount on admission to the two cooled conservatories at Gardens by the Bay and vice versa. Click http://www.singaporegardenfestival.com to find out more!

So there you have it, the biggest Playground in Singapore is finally opening soon and you can be sure we will be there to soak in all the sights and sounds! And just in case we don't get lost, I think we need a map.

Do check back on our Blog, as well as our Facebook page, for our roving updates and reports on Gardens by the Bay!

In the meantime, here are some bits of information about Gardens by the Bay that you may find useful.

Opening Hours:

Bay South Garden is open from 5AM to2AM daily. Opening hours for the Cooled Conservatories and OCBC Skyway is from 9AM to 9PM daily.

Admission Charges:

Access to the outdoor gardens in Bay South is free. Admission to the Cooled Conservatories (Flower Dome & Cloud Forest) and the OCBC Skyway are chargeable. For a full listing of the admission charges, please CLICK HERE. 

*An additional 10% discount on admission rates to the cooled conservatories applies for holders of PAssion Card, NTUC Plus! Card, SAFRA Card and Home Team NS Card.

Getting there:

If you’re driving, from ECP take exit 17 (towards Changi Airport) or 17A (towards City). Travel onto Marina Boulevard and turn left onto Marina Gardens Drive. There are 2 car parks available at the Gardens – a basement at the Visitor Centre and an outdoor one at The Meadows.

By MRT/Bus:

Via the Circle Line:

Alight at Bayfront MRT Station (CE1). Take exit B and follow the underground linkway. Exit and cross the Dragonfly Bridge into Gardens by the Bay

Via the North-South Line:
Alight at Marina Bay MRT (NS27/CE2) station. Take exit A and hop onto bus service 400. Alight 4 stops later at the bus stop along Marina Gardens Drive.

Walking from Marina Bay:

From the Helix Bridge towards the Art Science Museum, follow the footpath which leads under the ECP, that will bring you directly into Bay South Garden along the waterfront.

From Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, walk across the Lions Bridge on Level 4 which connects to the Dragonfly Bridge into Bay South Garden.

For more information, visit http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/home.html

Ash's lesson in the Value of Money

(Daddy blogs)

Teaching children the value of money - that should rank as one of the most important life skills that we parents can impart to them. Because without a healthy attitude towards one's finances, it sure is a recipe for disaster in their future years.

I am too, guilty of indulging the monkies at times - be it buying them boxes of LEGO or building an entire army of Transformers. And don't even get me started on the little diva.

But I try. I try to teach the boys the concept of budgeting. I teach them how to split their savings into 3 groups: one for saving, one for spending and one for giving. 

Money placed into Savings would be for something that the kids really want - something that requires a substantial amount of savings but yet not too unattainable. Things like buying a Wii game, or a LEGO Hero Factory set.

Money that goes into Spending is meant for things that they want but the wifey and I wouldn't buy for them. Things like one round of play at the Animal Kaiser machine, or a lollipop.

Money meant for Giving would be for charitable causes. And ever since Ash & Ayd were old enough to understand, we have been highlighting newspaper articles to them whenever the unfortunate and needy were featured.

But the most difficult part of all, I feel, is teaching them the true value behind working for one's money. Because the entire chunk of their fortune so far has come from either us or the grandparents. They didn't exactly toil for it. 

So I was very happy that on our KidZania trip during the last June School Holidays, Ash received a lesson in learning what it truly meant to work for your money.

At KidZania, the kids are made to work for their money, or KidZos as it is called there. The kids have a wide array of jobs to choose from and after the completion of these jobs, they are paid in KidZos.

Ash & Ayd earned approximately 110 KidZos each after our 5 hours there. And Ash decided to spend 50 kidZos on a light wand as a reward for himself. He also generously bought another light wand for his sister, so that she wouldn't feel left out.

Shortly after we left KidZania, Ash wanted to tear away the plastic wrapper around his light wand. He gave it a hard tug and to his horror, the 'star' portion of his wand broke away from the stick. I tried my best to repair it but it was to no avail as the wires had already been severed.

Ash burst into tears immediately. Right in the middle of the shopping mall.

I have never seen him wailing so badly for as long as I can remember. To say he was inconsolable was an understatement. I think Ale must have been taken aback by this crying kor-kor of hers, because she did the unimaginable - she offered her own light wand back to Ash!

Well, it sort of comforted Ash somewhat. But he was still sobbing away uncontrollably.

He did stop crying eventually and when we were back in the hotel room, I asked him the reason behind his devastation.

He replied, "I bought that wand with my own money, and I had to queue so long and work so hard to earn that money. So when my wand broke, of course I feel so sad lah!"

I couldn't have put it better myself. :)

Penang with Buddies - Part 3

Day 3 in Penang and this was the day specially reserved for us kiddos. All because the adults had promised us that we would be heading down to Adventure Zone! Yippee!

Adventure Zone is an Indoor Playground, housed within Golden Sands Resort premises. But it isn't any ordinary Indoor Playground. It is home to a 3-lane Wave Slide, as well as 3 heart-stopping Drop Sildes!

See the blue and red slides? Yup, those Drop Slides are definitely not for the faint-hearted. This would be di-di's & my third time at Adventure Zone, but it would be grossly wrong to think that we would be bored by it by now. In fact, I couldn't wait to get reacquainted with the red Drop Slide and ascend to the top!

And then, down I went! WHEE!

No sweat. Benji was initially afraid to attempt it but after seeing how much fun I had, he followed suit! Hee.

You can see our previous review of Adventure Zone, as well as videos of us having a go at the slides, HERE.

As for Sarah & di-di, they rode the waves in their gunny sacks...

Which kind of influenced the adults to have a go at it too!

In the end, I lost count of the number of times the adults went on the Wave Slide. Yes, it was that exhilarating.

The previous time that we were here, mei-mei just turned one year old and could barely join in the fun. Fast forward 7 months later, she can now exert her rights, demand to follow us everywhere and mimic whatever we do.

Well, obviously she's still too young to go onto the adrenaline-inducing slides. But luckily for her, there's a separate play area reserved for toddlers below 4 years old which is essentially a mini Indoor Play Gym that you would find in most Indoor Playgrounds here.

So it comes complete with climbing structures, slide and the perennial fave - a pit full of colourful plastic balls.

Colourful balls always attract kids - no matter the age. So it sort of made Daddy wonder aloud as to who were the ones actually having more fun in the ball pit.

Hur hur... erm, we were not there to have fun contrary to what the photos depict. Rather, we were there to keep a watchful eye over mei-mei.

Either that, or just to have a change of scenery after the multiple free-falls down the slides.

With our 2-hour play time fast approaching the end, we kids then headed back to the main part of the Playground to continue with our fun.

And FUN, as Daddy put it, should really mean Free-falling is UnNerving.

Why? Because this time, Daddy joined us and went down the blue Drop Slide as well! And he said it sure looked easy when he was at the bottom of the slide watching us having a go. But when he reached the top of the slide and peered down, it was entirely a different matter altogether! Taking that first leap of faith was the toughest but he couldn't risk losing face in front of us kids, could he?

And by the end of our play session, you could tell how much fun we have had by the sheer amount of perspiration that had gathered on our heads.

Daddy called us the 3 mophead amigos.

Okay, make that 6 stinky mopheads.

A hearty lunch duly followed, coupled with a refreshing wash-up back in our rooms. We then had a short recharge before heading out once more in the late afternoon - this time to Gurney Drive.

Yup, we had to do the mandatory touristy thing... which was to pay the Gurney Drive hawker stalls a visit.

Yummy food. Again! Or at least that was what I think the adults' mission to Penang was - to eat and eat and eat!

Is it any surprise that the adults over-ordered once again?

But I guess that's the fun in eating with a large group of friends. :)

We then headed to Plaza Gurney next door for some air-con respite and shopping, before we headed back to our hotel to retire for the night. The following day would be our final full day in Penang, and we were missing it already!

Useful Information about Adventure Zone

Dress Code: Socks must be worn when on the play equipment, and long sleeve tops must be worn when using any of the Drop Slides.

Opening Hours: 10am to 7pm

Price:
For resort guests
Children : RM40 for half day package or RM20 per 2 hour session
Adults enter free of charge with paying children

For non-resort guests 
Children : MYR30 per 2 hour session
Adults enter free of charge with paying children

Monopoly Singapore: Then & Now

-Product Review-

I'm sure everyone must have heard of Monopoly, the evergreen property trading board game. Di-di & I first had a taste of Monopoly with our Monopoly Junior set and we loved it!

Now, Hasbro has launched the world's first two-sided Monopoly board game here in Singapore with the Monopoly Singpore: Then & Now edition. And thanks to Hasbro Singapore, we monkies got a set for ourselves to try out!

The board has 2 sides to it, featuring iconic past and present Singapore landmarks on opposing sides of the board. With the 'Then' side, we got to re-visit past Singapore historic sites like Big Splash, Oxley Estate and Coleman Market. Yah, places which hold lots of fond memories for Daddy.

Flip over the board and you will see the 'Now' side, with current landmarks like The Esplanade, Lau Pat Sat and The Fullerton Hotel. Places which di-di & I have grown accustomed to.

And in a nod to the shift in eras, this Monopoly edition also allows for 2 ways to play and deal - either through the traditional way of playing & paying in cold hard paper cash, or the modern way of transacting with an electronic banking device.

Mummy had long been wanting to try out this electronic device because she thinks it's too cool to credit and debit money this way. Daddy thinks she's just being plain lazy.

Anyway, in keeping with the Then & Now theme, newly-designed game tokens have also been included in the box, like the tingkat (or tiffin-carrier), wooden clogs, trishaw and mobile phone. The Durian token remains the most popular token though, with Daddy & Mummy fighting over it whenever we start a game. Heh.

But there were no fighting when it came to choosing which side to play first.

Di-di & I unanimously chose to play with paper cash on the 'Then' side. Nothing beats wheeling and dealing in stacks of money we say!

We can't grab certain concepts like Mortgages just yet... BUT we sure know how to build lots of houses & hotels on our estates and then, we pray really hard that someone will land on them! HAH!

Well, at least that was how I got bankrupted when I landed on one of Mummy's estate. Bummer.

No matter, there is always the 'Now' side and I shall return with a vengence! If you are interested in becoming a Monopoly property mogul, Monopoly Singapore: Then & Now is retailing at S$79.90 at Toys 'R' Us and all major departmental stores.

Have fun!

An Unexpected Father's Day Gift

(Daddy blogs)

I'm surprised. Gobsmacked, even.

Last Tuesday, I received a belated Father's Day present from Ash. And it came in the form of this.

Yes, an ANGPOW (or red packet).

He reasoned because we were in Penang last weekend and that we were only back in Singapore on Father's Day, he couldn't find the time to make me a Father's Day card.

But he didn't want me to forgo my Father's Day gift. So after turning his brain inside out, he decided to pry open his piggy bank, grab a bunch of coins and put them into a red packet. Yup, he knows where to find my empty red packets.

He then wrote the wordings on the angpow, sealed it up with lots of scotch tape - maximum-security style no less - and presented it to me that night when I returned from work.

I was stumped. I never saw it coming.

I once asked him to spare a dollar from his prized piggy bank to treat the wifey & I to ice cream and he looked at me as if I were insane. That was how ferociously he would guard his fortune. And he would save every penny that his grandparents gave him. Every time.

So I am utterly pleased to have received this very nice gesture from Ash. He told me he just chucked a handful of coins into the red packet so he didn't even know the value of the contents.

Well, neither do I.

Because I have no intention of opening it. This will always be one of the precious little things that will stay with me until the day I die.

Thanks, son.

Penang with Buddies - Part 2

If you haven't read about all the fun we kids had so far in Penang, you should. And you can do it by clicking HERE. 

Since all of us kids have had our share of fun on Day 2, it was time for the adults to have fun too - in the form of DURIANS! It's currently the Durian season in Penang and the adults reckoned there was no better place to indulge in these thorny fruits than at a durian plantation.

We drove to Bao Sheng Durian Farm, which is in the Balik Pulau area - not too far from our hotel in Batu Ferringhi actually. Do note that the road leading to the farm is pretty windy and narrow but there was no stopping us when it comes to durians!

The Farm is situated atop of a hilly region, and we had to navigate a steep slope down after we parked the van. But the view from the Farm was definitely worth all the effort! Or least that holds true for the adults.

There was a very nice sheltered pondok, where patrons could enjoy licking durian flesh off their fingers while enjoying the superb view.

And when it came to selecting what kind of durians to consume, there were no lack of choices.

3 different kinds of Durian buffets available, each with different types of durians on offer. There's even Durian Tours conducted every morning and evening. But what was probably even more amazing was one could even book a villa there for RM180 a night.

And it even comes with your own private pool!

But enough of that. The adults couldn't wait to get started on these babies.

They decided they wouldn't go for the Durian Buffet in the end, as they weren't sure if they could eat their money's worth. Heh. So they opted for an a la carte order of 5 different types of durians.

First up - the Kun Poh Ang Bak.

This one has creamy and bitter-sweet taste, with thick flesh and small seeds. The boss of the place said that this one goes best with coffee.

The next one the adults had was the Little Red.

It is creamy, but more moist the one before. It also tasted sweeter, with a slight hint of bitterness.

The Green Skin Ang Bak was next in line.

Compare to the first 2, it is less creamy and sweeter. The boss also mentioned that if the durian flesh is wrinkled, the aroma will stay longer in the mouth.

The Hor Lor, which came next, was the creamiest of the lot.

It has a beautiful golden flesh, and extra creamy & sticky too! Taste-wise, it's sweet and a little bitter.

But the best was saved for last, and the adults eagerly welcomed the Red Prawn!

Can you tell how much fun the adults were having yet?

And us kids? We were left to chew on our bread with butter and jam.

So miserable right? Haha... We weren't as big fans of durians as the adults were - not yet anyway - so the kind Durian Boss gave us some pieces of bread in case we got too hungry.

Notice too, that mei-mei slept through the Durian Degustation session as well.

No wonder Mummy was so thrilled to have been able to savour her durians in peace. Just check out the adults' damage count.

Total damage for the durians? RM240. Not too costly. Or least that was what I gathered from the adult's happy-like-bird faces. I figured that they would be too full for lunch, so we drove back to the hotel where we kids got to order room service to satisfy our rumbling tummies.

And since we were on holiday, would you care to guess what di-di & I did immediately after our not-so-early lunch?

Watching Disney Channel in bed on a full stomach. Pure bliss I tell you. And yes, absolute piggies too.

But there was something that made us jump out of bed instantaneously.

The hotel's marvellous pools, what else.

And once Daddy gave the permission to invade the water grounds, there was no denying the happy troopers!

Compared to Hard Rock Hotel Penang, where we had stayed during our last trip to Penang, the slides at Golden Sands Resort definitely lacks the fun factor. Oh wait, that should be singular as it has only one slide as opposed to Hard Rock Hotel's three.

But as you can probably tell, we don't really need lots of slides to have bundles of fun. Sometimes, the company is what matters most.

And although Hard Rock Hotel's pool area would probably appeal more to kids, it is also pretty much crowded and jam-packed with toddlers and kids. The pools at Golden Sands were larger, and so we had a great time just frolicking around and having the occasional water wrestling match with Daddy. Heh.

So I guess you already know how we feel about the pool area at Golden Sands Resort huh?

It shouldn't come as a surprise too, that the next activity on our Day 2 itinerary involved - wait for it - FOOD yet again! It was truly a case of how time flies when one is having fun because before we knew it, it was time for dinner once more.

And this time, we paid the Beach Corner Cafe a visit which is about a 5 minutes walk away from our hotel. Look out for The Ship restaurant which is in the shape of a erm, ship and the Beach Corner Cafe is right beside it.

The last time di-di, mei-mei & I were here, we didn't get to try the famed deep-fried spring-rolls.

They were good! Perhaps fueled by the fact we were starving then too. But we needn't have worried... not when the adults in our group have a history of over-ordering food. Heh.

From starved to stuffed - all in a day's work in Penang. And the perfect sunset by the beach to cap a wonderful Day 2.

Stayed tuned for more eating escapades! :p

Useful Information about Bao Sheng Durian Farm

Address: 150 Mk.2, Sungai Pinang, 11010 Balik Pulau, Penang, Malaysia
Phone: 012-411 0600 / 012-401 0800
Email: bsfarm@durian.com.my
GPS: N 5 24.1755 E 10013.165