iLove: Mariner's Corner Restaurant & Steakhouse

I can't remember ever being as thankful that it's Friday, as I am today.

After what was a heavy week (well, than usual anyway), I am absolutely gagging to knock off and collapse into bed!

On Tuesday night, I had a couple cheeky vodkas and a refreshing magnum Hoegaarden (with a squeeze of tangy lemon!) during the final pub quiz at Turnstyles Holland Village. Their lease is up and have decided not to continue at Holland Village, focusing on the city bar at Boat Quay and their New Orleans concept restaurant and jazz bar, The Big Easy at Resorts World Sentosa.

Funnily enough, in the last 4 years that Turnstyles has been open at Holland Village, I had never attended a single pub quiz. But boy was I glad that I turned up for the last one - I had a ball of a time! It helps if you've got great company to form a team.

Sadly, our team Wizard Sleeves did not win first place, losing out to the champions of the night by a measly half point but on a lighter note, I am definitely more enthusiastic about participating in more pub quizzes at Turnstyles in the City (45 Circular Road) on Tuesdays. If you think you've got a bright bunch of mates, SMS Neil at 96143004 to reserve a table as their quiz nights are extremely popular with the regulars. Winners will receive attractive prizes!

The Wednesday night that followed saw me at battle with insomnia, resulting in 3 hours of rubbish sleep so I was understandably exhausted by the time I sat down to celebrate the official union of Mr & Mrs Cheshire at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Thursday. I'm not really one for traditional 10 course Chinese wedding dinners but seriously, the Cod they served definitely made a lasting impression. It was cooked to perfection, with a subtle sweet sauce drizzled over the thick chunks of fish.

I have to say, there were a few things that really disturbed me about the wedding reception last night. One of them was about how rude some of the guests were during the best man's speech. Now, half the guests were expats, seeing as the groom is and the other half, as is Singapore, were made up of a majority of Chinese. As the best man, also an expat, was giving one of the best wedding speeches I've ever heard, not only were the tables with the Chinese guests not even paying attention, they were talking amongst themselves and laughing loudly, their silverware clanging sharply on their dishes. It was as if they were there solely for the food than to be a part of a couple's most special event.

Another thing that really annoyed me (and the other guests I'm sure) was that the hotel banquet staff were serving food and clearing dishes while each of the three video montages were playing on the screens, blocking the view of guests of other tables. I've never managed a hotel banquet before but I would think he should have had the brains to orchestrate timely service that would not disrupt the programme for the evening!

So 10 mini servings of food and what seemed like a barrel of Tiger beer later, I stumbled home and snoozed for 4 hours.

(If you've been paying attention, that's 7 hours in the last 48 hours. You can imagine the mega eye bags this morning.)

I was planning to have a nap at lunchtime this afternoon but my colleagues decided forgo our usual kopitiam noodle lunch for a nicer restaurant steak lunch. They took me to Mariner's Corner Restaurant & Steakhouse (120 Cantonment Road Maritime House #01-02) for the most delicious steak set lunch I've ever had!

They offer different selections of main courses for different days of the week but their New Zealand sirloin steak is available from Monday to Friday for set lunch. We were served garlic bread with a bowl flavourful minestrone soup which arrived almost immediately after we placed our order. The staff were not particularly approachable but they were very organized and worked fast.

The steak arrived just moments after we were finished with our soup. The 200g of grilled beef was laid seductively on a bed of roasted potatoes, soft buttered carrots and green beans. The thick, dark mushroom gravy was admittedly the most delicious steak sauce I've ever tasted. I requested for mine to be done medium rare but it arrived more red in the centre than I would have preferred. Nevertheless, it was absolutely delicious and I took my time to enjoy it, which was a good 5 minutes more than everyone else. They were even worried that I was struggling to finish it but like a good girl I eventually did.

We were expecting the dessert to be some store bought spongecake or cheap vanilla ice-cream but were pleasantly surprised when they served us bowls of creme caramel with a light golden syrup coating. My colleagues were kind enough to mention the hidden raisins and I unglamorously fished them out of my pudding before diving into the light, silken custard.

And guess how much lunch cost me? $11.90 inclusive of taxes and service charge!

If you work around the area, I urge you to call and make reservations! With all the typical local fare from the variety of food centres to choose from day to day, this cosy, understated little steakhouse will be a welcome change.

And thank God it is officially the end of my work day and it's time to go home because after such a filling lunch and the air conditioning at full blast, all I can think of is sleep.

What men would kill for...

iLove: Despicable Me

I haven't giggled this much at the movies in ages!

I'm not really one for cartoons but this one comes highly recommended!

Best viewed in 3D. Quick, go catch it before it stops showing!

"It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!"

Hen Night Planning.

I've officially hit the window where almost everyone around me is getting married and having babies.

I love weddings, I really do. I've spent years taking down mental notes, clipping magazines and compiling them in thick, heavy binders in my mind. I love attending weddings - well, a certain sort of wedding anyway; I've found some to be quite impersonal and void of all the essence that would drive two crazy people to commit to a lifetime together to begin with.

But you really spend your whole life attending weddings, even as a child. You watched your siblings, aunts and uncles, even cousins tie the knot in your sunday best. There's cake and other children to run wild with, much to the delight of the adults who then have some time to socialize with other adults, to save their sanity. What's really new to me is, on the other hand, hen nights!

Planning a successful hen night is just not as simple as that of a stag do. Mapping out a pub crawl for a bunch of rowdy men, wired and ready to drink away their consciousness just won't do. Not to mention, the bride-to-be we're honouring this weekend is much too tasteful for cheap tequila shots and a male stripper! (There aren't any fantastic ones worth the money in Singapore, from what I've heard!)

I actually began writing this post with intentions on researching and sharing with you the quirkiest hen party ideas but as I was googling I found everything much too cheesy!

I went online and found a bunch of games, props and costumes for inspiration. Everything from cheeky shot glasses, bright pink satin sashes dripping in crystals, tiaras, dare games... the works, but nothing was particularly genius.

So, since I've got my dream (future) wedding down to tiniest details, I figured I should probably give my hen night a thought too!

My ideal hen party would definitely have to take place in a gorgeous cliff top sea view villa in Bali.

My darling girlfriends and I will be treated to hours upon hours of pampering body scrubs, relaxing body massages, rejuvenating facials and all the other simple pleasures in a woman's life.

Every evening we would dine at sunset, either on the beach or with a view of the beach. Pina Coladas and Mojitos all around!

And after the 12th dinner cocktail, my entourage and I would adjourn to one of the many night clubs and dance the night away. What's more, we could party comfortably in our beach dresses and flip fops! No sore feet from 4 inch stilettos! (Nothing the masseuse couldn't take care of the next morning...)

Then, repeat cycle the next day! And who knows... I may even stay on to get married in Bali!

Is it inevitable we're back to fantasizing the dream wedding again? (It's a job hazard, having come from an events background, I'm telling you!)

Naaaaaaahhhhhhh! Being young and single is way too fun to give it up... for now. (;

My mini weekend getaway.

I've been gagging for a holiday for months. The last trip I took was to Bali last June!

I haven't been abroad since but waking up in the comfort of hotel sheets can have the same effect. Well, almost the same effect.

I stayed a night at the Scarlet Hotel over the weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it! The room was lush and enveloped in deep, rich hues of reds and golds. The fittings were accentuated in leather and a relaxing mix of lemongrass and lavender scents hung delicately in the air-conditioned room.

Aside from just alluring aesthetics and elaborate hospitality, the Scarlet Hotel boasts the perfect location for tourists, couples in search of an accessible city retreat or an enclave for the weary individual in need of some time alone.

For more information on the Scarlet Hotel, visit www.thescarlethotel.com

What had to be my favourite part of the weekend is exploring the vicinity. The hotel is nestled in a cosy corner of the city centre and is a stone throw's away from Chinatown and Ann Siang Hill.

Along Club Street and Ann Siang Hill sit rows of quaint cafes, cosy restaurants and eclectic shops. This was also where I discovered Gem (10 Ann Siang Hil), a rustic bar with my favourite Kronenbourg Blanc beer on tap. Venture inside to find a den-like lounge area, with massive, billowing upholstered arm chairs and sofas to seat a small party.

Another must-visit bar is The Screening Room. They offer a relaxing rooftop bar, which overlooks Chinatown and the Singapore city skyline. Mega fans ensure that there is always a constant breeze to ease you into the warm tropical evenings. Ardent movie goers will delight in regular movie and food themed nights held in their cushy screening rooms.

When the weekend drew to a close, I couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment - the kind that often gets you down after a good holiday. Luckily for me, I have only one month to slog through before my first official vacation of the year.

iLove: Benefit from Crimson Rose

It's so funny how when I was 18 and partying at least four nights in a week, I never really developed eye bags or dark circles. I could go without sleep for 48 hours and still look as bright and chirpy as I would after ten hours of sleep.

Now that I'm approaching my mid-twenties, I find myself looking quite worn out even with the minimum 7 hour rest. The grey mounds under my eyes seem to swell a little more each day. Sadly, I've even turned to the Retouch Tool on iPhoto - just a little swipe and eye bags be gone!

A close girlfriend of mine recently snagged a wholesale supplier and has begun bringing in Benefit cosmetics in bulk. Now, I don't really wear that much makeup and I'm definitely not a makeup junkie. Whatever makeup I have is just enough to last me until the palettes and tubes run out. Usually just some shadow for the brows and eyes, mascara and blusher and I'm good to go. However, I noticed that most girls in this cosmopolitan city either wear the works, or they don't at all.

Benefit, with it's whimsical names and packaging, has taken Singapore by storm. Their unique, frisky appeal quickly bought the local consumers over, in spite of the slightly higher prices.

So I went through the catalogue of available products and stopped dead in my tracks. It never occured to me that I may one day have to acquire any form of concealer. I've got relatively clear complexion, aside from the occasional acne attack, but the recent developments in droopy and tired eyes saw me making an order for the Realness of Concealness mini kit. What's more, for $30, it was a steal!

In addition to my eye bag (also applies to other flaws) quick fix, I ordered the highly sought after Smokin' Eyes kit, also for $30.

Perhaps the reason why Benefit has done so well in Singapore is that these mini makeup kits come with an instructional booklet on how to apply the products to achieve the desired look. Most ladies here will tell you that they really have no idea how to apply makeup properly. The ones who don't admit that include the minahs with their paper thin arched brows.

So if you fancy spending a little bit of money on makeup this month, do add Crimson Rose on facebook and have a look at the products available. They also bring in Nyx and are looking into bringing in Urban Decay very soon. Some sprees require a preorder but most are already in stock and ready for sale. Crimson Rose only does meet-up transactions to ensure that you receive all goods in the best condition. For the busy working girl, you can even opt for courier service at only an additional $5.