Food Review: McDonalds Salted Egg Chicken Burger and Salt & PepperFrench Fries Challenge

Took awhile to write this review because I wanted to confirm the taste of the burger, despite the many negatives remarks on Facebook.

Being someone who only believes in what I see and hear, I wanted to try the burger from at least 2 different venues before I write the review. 

First Burger Tasting

Though there was more sauce in the second burger, the taste did not differ very much. :( 

I think I was being unrealistic to hope that the burger tastes like salted egg prawns or salted egg crabs! Haha! 

Second Burger Tasting

BUT the shaker fries were legendary!!! We always asked for extra servings of shaker fries whenever we go to Mcdonalds!!!

I even had shaker fries for teabreak at office once! :P The calories that comes with the shaker fries are totally worth it! 

My Stress-Killing Teabreak 

Don't look at my Sundae lah! Hahaha, since the shaker fries were going to fat-die-me anyway, some additional calories won't matter lah! Besides the chocolate will kill my stress! Haha! 

Oh yes, if you are a goreng pisang lover, you may like the angmoh goreng pisang aka Banana Pie! I tried the Salted Caramel Icecream Cone. Hmmm.. it tasted sweet.. Is it supposed to taste sweet? I was expecting it to taste salty :/

Yum! At least I like Banana Pie lah! ^^

I hope this food review did not come too late as I just saw this in the papers this week! Oh Gosh! 

What caught my eyes was not the Chessy McSpicy but the Milo Dinosaur McFlurry! I die die must give it a try really soon!!! 

As a cheese lover, I am not going to miss the Cheesy McSpicy too! So stay tune for my next food review! ^^

8 Ways to Distress cum My Series of Birthday Celebrations

Hello World! Lately I had been busy and stressed over work and life, hence I am having backlog in my blogging again.

Feeling guilty when my friends told me they were looking forward to hear more about my various food venture, staycations and my recent Koh Samui getaway with Laogong.

Oops.. I really got to be more committed in my blogging. I actually always have new ideas. Recently, my Laogong even suggested I can do a Scoot4Food Series with him when he realized there are many good foodie spots to explore which are within scooting distance. He was also game to do cafe-hopping and finding new pak-tok spots with me! Feeling so loved! My girl also suggested doing Youtube videos with me! Wow! Am I not been a positive influence in exposing my family members to the social media?

So what had I been doing these two months to destress?

Vintage Birthday High Tea at Dempsey with my lovely friends on 29 April 2016 

I have the habits of googling and reading up blogger reviews before I go for my food venture. I will try to write more food reviews too to share my experiences!

I was not disappointed with the "famous" Vintage High Tea @ Dempsey. There was a good variety of both sweet and savory bites. I especially love the raspberry tea served too! 

Haha! Food has always been a good therapy for me when I am stressed (which is not good! Haha!). Thus I am even more inspired to try out and recommend only food that worth the calories! 

We ended the evening with dinner with a beautiful view at Keppel Bay, Prive.

Birthday Lunch at Swissotel, Market Cafe on 2 May 2016

I have two very accommodating friends who are always eager to bring me to try the seafood in different hotels.

I really like the crabs and good variety of food at Market Cafe, the only imperfect part of the place is its noise level.

I was so lucky to grabs some of the black pepper crabs on my first serving as I was unable to get any (due to the long queue) after that. 

As usual, we forgot to take a group picture again :( I think I will opt for a quiet, non-crowded, non-noisy high tea session in future so we do not need to rush through our food and be chased out of the restaurant in 2 hours. It made my food therapy seems too stressful! 

But it was really good food and I had my fill and feel :)

Mothers' Day Lunch at Carousel on 8 May 2016

Again I did my homework before the big feast. But I still could not believe my eyes! The seafood spread was heavenly for me! There was Oysters, Chilled Prawns, Crabs, Shellfish and Crayfish I will definitely go back then again for the seafood! 

Though I had a bad lesson about eating Oysters last Xmas, I still cannot help it but gobbled a few down. The children also had fun trying out different food.

But what was most important during this family gathering, was that everyone in the family trying their best to be present for this special day to celebrate for my mother-in-law.

I especially love this family photo! 

Joint Birthday Staycation with Yvonne on 20-21 May 2016

We totally enjoyed our nua-ing in the hotel, since we checked in at 2.30pm. 

It was a great idea to get the Club Room, which is only few tens of dollars more than the normal room, but comes the list of M Club benefits below:

Interestingly, we are two good friends, who give each other a lot of personal space, even when we travel or have staycations together. 

Since we left our common workplace, we meet and chat lesser due to our busy schedule. But I know we can always count on each other in our time of need. Thank you for always being there for me!

Love the quiet private check-in and the quiet afternoon tea at the M Club Lounge. I can see that we are both trying to let-go, recharge and avoid binge eating! Haha! 

The foc afternoon snacks include yummy homemade cookies, coffee/tea and chips. Not too fanciful but good enough for us to stay full till the evening cocktail ^^

The room is cosy and nice. We are not so much into the room itself, except nua-ing in bed and watching TV together. :P 

When the clock struck 6pm, we hit the M Club Lounge again. We were not so keen in the canapés which included lovely macaroons and pretty small bites...

Yes, people who know us have guess it correctly! We aimed for the free flow red and white wine. In fact, there was so little crowd in the M Club Lounge, I think we finished 3 of the 4 bottles of red wine served. The wine helped us slept well that night. Sleep is always the best antidote for stress.

Hugging and Bonding with my two darlings

My J&J never failed to make my day no matter how tired or how short fused I am for the day. 

Even when the weekdays wore me out, I still look forward to bring them out every weekends!

Really love them! 

Just last Saturday, Yvonne and I challenged ourselves by bringing J&J to the zoo (without Laogong). Though tired, I really enjoyed myself with my darlings! 

Feeling loved by Laogong

This one month we had been through a lot together, and we both made efforts to make things work. Now we are lovey dovey like we first got together. It really feels good being sticky to Laogong once again! And feeling loved definitely helped me to feel destress too! 

Missing Laogong really badly during his 3 weeks overseas reservist! Counting down to his return everyday! 

Laogong never fails to surprise me with his very sweet staycations to ensure we have sufficient privacy, despite being parents of two young children. Many couples we know would have think otherwise but I really do believe that marriage is the foundation of effective parenting. He would always want to feed me with the best food and buy me anything within his purchasing power. 

My Surprise Birthday Staycation at One Degree 15, Sentosa

Though I did joke with Laogong about a belated birthday celebration for me after our helper returned, I did not think too much about it. Hence, it was really a sweet pleasant surprise when Laogong brought me to One Degree 15 @ Sentosa for one night stay. 

I had always hoped to go for the new Wing of Time laser show at The Beach Station but had not have the chance. My very thoughtful Laogong actually remember my wishlist and brought me there! 

It is all these sweet thoughts that means so much to me :)

Laogong helping me to cut and peel snow crab legs

Maybe to many, this act seems no big deal but Laogong being someone who does not eat crabs due to bad childhood experience, this means alot to me. He is willing to overcome his "fear" to cut and peel snow crab legs for me! 

2+ more days till we meet again.. I miss you Laogong! 

7 more days to my Big 37!

Haha! Please tell me you don't believe I am turning 37 in a week's time! At least I don't! :P

Well, time flies.. really flies... another year has passed and so many things had happened in this one year. But I am glad all that had happened are good things. My life had finally changed for the better. I believe many more good things will come along in the next one year! 

正能量，来吧！

As usual, I always like to do a recap before my next birthday. So as to remind myself to treasure what I had achieved that did not come easy, and continue to work hard to retain what I have...

Still Slim and Pretty!

I always use my photo which I took in 2013 to "scare" myself and to remind myself what I had been through back then. I am glad I am still slim and pretty.

For those who forgot what I had been through may read about my "iVain: Obasan to Hot Mama Journal"

http://jolene428.blogspot.sg/search?updated-min=2013-01-01T00:00:00%2B08:00&updated-max=2014-01-01T00:00:00%2B08:00&max-results=50&m=0

Before Slimming (64kg)

After Slimming (48kg)

Don't be shy if you wish to find out more about the TCM Slimming Programme I went through in year 2013 to slim 16kg in 3 months. It is definitely achievable for everyone who sets his/her mind to slim down. 

Email me your queries at jolene428@gmail.com and I will reply within 24 hours. ^^

Let It Go

I still remember how unwilling I was to say Goodbye last year to the workplace I was so attached to, but yet also the workplace that had tormented me emotionally since 2011...

But I knew I had to leave because it was not doing good to my self-esteem and self-worth. It took me a few months and lots of tears to finally let it go.

I now learnt that we should only work hard for bosses who are worthy of us, who can make us feel proud of ourselves and who knows how to unleash our potential and polish us into gems.

I also accepted that Life was not all that unfair to me afterall. I did suffer injustice for 3.5 years but Life was kind to me towards the end of my career in that workplace. Life had introduced me good colleagues, good bosses and new good friends...:)

Life gave me the chance to leave my unhappy career with happy new memories...

A New Beginning

Ending of an unhappy career usually means a new beginning in my work and life...

This new beginning did not come easy. But it makes me realized that, by keeping my options open, opportunities will come along. 

I am happy and thankful in my new career. Work is busy but I really love the busyness, because I am working for someone who appreciates what I can contribute to the organisation.

My new career is definitely not perfect. There are office politics and there are 小人 too. But at least I know that my new bosses have "eyes". I know I can trust that they are unbiased and with good characters. I also know that the majority of my close working colleagues are kind and want the best for the organisation. 

Missing My Travelling Sprees

Suffering withdrawal symdrome from my travelling sprees last year. 

I definitely can feel the itch for not being able to travel this year, as much as I did last year. But I know I have an empty piggy bank to fill up again before I can plan for my next long trip.

I am thankful for the opportunities "to see the world" last year. I enjoyed the visits to BKK and KL to catch up with my long-lost friends, and I had fun spending a good 10 days in Taiwan with Qiuling.

My trip to Taiwan was especially fruitful. Not only, we covered the north-west part of Taiwan, bought tonnes of food and beauty products, I also make a new Taiwan friend. It was also addictive to experience travelling alone. 

Pinky and Me on plane alone

I don't mind sharing that I do have plans to travel alone again by end of this year. And I am determined to make more friends around the world, so that I have more opportunities to travel alone to visit them :P

But I also do not mind travelling with new travelmates too, because I always believe travelling with different people helps to make me a more accommodative, understanding and considerate person.

Jamie goes to Primary School

Time flies and my baby girl is already in Primary 1 now. She is still not reading well but at least I see progress. 

Jamie's K2 Graduation

Jamie 6yrs old birthday party

I was thrilled to hear and see her reading the books brought from the LSP.

We still believe she can catch up with her peers when she is ready to hit her milestone for her reading skills.

Jiayou Jamie! One day, you too can write your own blog! ^^

James Can Talk

In fact, these days we felt that James talks too much. Hahaha... But we are glad that the siblings can finally communicate with each other. 

James' first concert performance

James' big 3 birthday

Goodbye to a Long-term friend 

Ace was like an old friend to us because we had been through so much together with him. Laogong and I had our fair share of scares too during the last few months of Ace's life. We were grateful that Ace survived till his COE expired.

Thank you Ace, you had been a good friend! 

Goodbye for a Better Future

We could not bear to rent out our first love nest but it is not economical to leave it empty. Yet it is not big enough to fit 4 adults and 2 children comfortably. 

Hence, we will be renting it out for a better future for our children. 

Addicted to Staycations

We are busy filling up our empty piggy banks, hence unable to go for long trips. However, it does not stop us to become addicted to staycations (be it couple trips or family trips), especially staycations across the borders. 

Enjoying good currency exchange rate for the past one year had given us opprtunities to try other JB hotels other than KSL and Hotel Jen @ Puteri Harbour. We especially loves DoubleTree Hilton now for the good rates and friendly staff. But we really do not mind trying out more JB hotels to compare their service quality. 

I even thought of going on roadtrips with Laogong to different parts of Malaysia by public transport, like those "good old days" again when we were young and "poor" but adventurous.

Panda Supermum Reporting

This April happens to be the once every two years "supermum peak period". Once again, I am challenged and stretched to my max to test my endurance and time management. 

Lucky for me this round, because my new boss is extremely understanding. 将心比心, I will give her my best within my means even when I am tied up at home. 

I always treasure this opportunity to bond with my children and to train them to be more independent. I know we had been blessed so far with a good helper, but sometimes we really never know if she may change her mind suddenly. 

I also treasure the opportunity to cook for the family. Many people may have forgotten that I actually can cook. Maybe I cannot cook as well as my helper but I believe I can cook well enough for my children to finish up the food I prepared for them. 

However, having to spend more time for my children's routine work eg bathing, eating and putting them to sleep etc, also means sacrificing my Me and Sleep Time. Hence, I totally look like Panda Supermum now! Hahaha! 

Looking forward to be a Princessy Supermum once again :P

My Scheduled Belated Birthday Celebrations

Previous years, I would meet up my friends before my actual birthday to have a meal or/and some activities.

But this year, due to my helper's home visit leave, I could not agree to any birthday meetup before my actual birthday. Instead, I had to pack all my birthday celebrations on the long weekends from 28 Apr to 2 May 2016. 

28 Apr 2016 - I will be on Birthday Leave so I will be having a joint birthday celebration with my nephew, Keith, again! This year, we are trying out the newly opened Punggol Safra Indoor Water Playground! Look out for my review about it! 

29 April 2016 - Birthday High Tea with Uni Friends at Vintage High Tea @ Dempsey. Will do a Food Review! 

1 May 2016 - Helper will be arrived in Sg in the afternoon, hence Night Time should be going out with Laogong

2 May 2016 - Lunch Buffet @ Swissotel and KTV at Teo Heng, Suntec with 好姐妹. Will do a Food Review! 

7 May 2015 - Mothers' Day Lunch/Dinner with my mother

8 May 2015 - Mothers' Day Buffet Lunch @ Carousel with mother-inlaw.

21-22 May 2016 - Joint Birthday Staycation with Yvonne @ M Hotel

Who else want to chope me in May? Hahaha!