Soann's Page

Soann's Page http://soann.multiply.com/ I started a blog in 2004 when we conceived Cavan at http://clementsoann.blogspot.com. The blog is still updated, with other entries not found here too. In both Multiply and my blog, I record things and thoughts in my life, which revolves much around parenthood currently. And an occasional mindless blabber. Other websites that I have created previously when I was bored: http://geocities.com/clementsoann http://www.geocities.com/cavan_yee Fri, 9 May 2008 21:30:44 -0000 Fri, 9 May 2008 21:00:14 -0000 Soann's Page http://images.soann.multiply.com/logo http://soann.multiply.com 100 100 Claypot Delight This stall is housed in the same coffee shop as the popular Botak Jones. Tucked in the left corner of the coffee shop, it can be easily missed as long queues at BJ tend to attract more attention. Young, and/ or international folks go for BJ. Ah, but veterans know Claypot Delight. We went there once, and were surprised at great food and low prices. Within a week, we were back again. My parents were more fanatic. Just the week before, they went there 3x in a week! (And we don't stay in Clementi.) Below are some of the menu items: Claypot Fish head ($12/ $15)- nowadays, you don't really get good and cheap fishhead anymore. This one is generously topped with the veg (brinjal, ladyfingers, long beans). And the curry was marvellous. Fragrant thick curry and enough spicy level. I literally drank the curry like soup (no thanks to what it could do to my waistline). Claypot sesame chicken ($3/$5)- delicious juicy chicken stewed in sesame oil and dark sauce. Ooh lala. Cavan enjoyed i... http://soann.multiply.com/reviews/item/4 Fri, 9 May 2008 21:00:14 -0000 Verity Look-alike Meter <A title="Click to get your own Look-alike Meter" href="http://www.myheritage.com/meter" target=_blank alt="Click to get your own Look-alike Meter"><IMG height=470 src="http://storage.myheritagefiles.com/K/storage/site1/files/09/83/02/098302_6949837e2b42846b8li350.JPG" width=435 border=0></A> <IMG height=470 src="http://storage.myheritagefiles.com/K/storage/site1/files/09/62/92/096292_703292cbfa42843ghqbc48.JPG" width=435 border=0> <A href="http://www.myheritage.com">MyHeritage</A>: <A href="http://www.myheritage.com/meter">Look-alike Meter</A> - <A href="http://www.myheritage.com/page/free-genealogy">Free genealogy</A> - <A href="http://www.myheritage.com/page/geneology">Geneology </A><IMG style="VISIBILITY: hidden; WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: 0px" height=0 src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/CIMP/bHQ9MTIxMDM2NDcwMzczNCZwdD*xMjEwMzY*NzE1NTMxJnA9MTEwNTcxJmQ9Jm49bXVsdGlwbHkmZz*y.jpg" width=0 border=0> http://soann.multiply.com/journal/item/87/Verity_Look-alike_Meter Fri, 9 May 2008 20:24:00 -0000 Cavan Look-alike Meter <A title="Click to get your own Look-alike Meter" href="http://www.myheritage.com/meter" target=_blank alt="Click to get your own Look-alike Meter"><IMG height=470 src="http://storage.myheritagefiles.com/K/storage/site1/files/09/74/02/097402_941658aa1b428412jghm88.JPG" width=435 border=0></A> <IMG height=470 src="http://storage.myheritagefiles.com/K/storage/site1/files/09/52/22/095222_436745efda4284w1m7s528.JPG" width=435 border=0> <A href="http://www.myheritage.com">MyHeritage</A>: <A href="http://www.myheritage.com">Family trees</A> - <A href="http://www.myheritage.com/genealogy">Genealogy</A> - <A href="http://www.myheritage.com/celebrities">Celebrities</A> - <A href="http://www.myheritage.com/celebrity-collage">Collage</A> - <A href="http://www.myheritage.com/celebrity-morph">Morph</A><IMG style="VISIBILITY: hidden; WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: 0px" height=0 src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/CIMP/bHQ9MTIxMDM2NDM3NzU3OCZwdD*xMjEwMzY*Mzk*NTAwJnA9MTEwNTcxJmQ9Jm49bXVsdGlwbHkmZz*y.jpg" width=0 border=0> http://soann.multiply.com/journal/item/86/Cavan_Look-alike_Meter Fri, 9 May 2008 20:19:00 -0000 Shokudo Japanese Food Bazaar Clem and I are Japanese food lovers so we were eager to try out Shokudo. There were long queues the couple of times we were there. So when we saw there was no crowd, we jumped at the opportunity. What a mistake! We roamed the whole place to check out the selection. Nothing really appealed to us. It was more of a high class food court pretending to be a Japanese place. The display were unattractive, unlike what Jap restaurants would usually have. Based on this, I already deduct points from Shokudo from the lack of presentation standards, something Japanese highly pride. Food? Omigosh! How should I start? After going rounds and making the painful decision (not from the vast selection but from the lack of!), we half wanted to leave the place but decided to give it a chance (we should have left!). So we settled for the following: Char siew ramen with spicy soup- terrible! The soup base had a strong ghee taste even though the noodles were not cooked in it. I couldn't make out wh... http://soann.multiply.com/reviews/item/3 Fri, 2 May 2008 02:13:05 -0000 Tree Top Walk Thank God the weather was good. Took us about 2 hours 45 min to walk up and down the trails, starting from Venus Drive near Singapore Island Country Club. However, I was quite disappointed when I reached the top. I expected to reach some peak, catch a breathtaking view of the surrounding and enjoy the scenery for a while before descending. What I didn't know was that the Bridge was the so-called "peak". After we sauntered along the bridge, I asked Clement "So where is the tree top? Where's the peak?" "The bridge lor!" I felt so cheated. No climax at all. Chey... Anyway, it was good time spent with Clem and Cavan. Quite amazing that Cavan managed to walk 2/3 of the way. http://soann.multiply.com/photos/album/26/Tree_Top_Walk Sun, 27 Apr 2008 07:59:55 -0000 Of Pencils and Stylus I have problems getting Cavan to write and draw on paper. He simply isn't interested. I wonder if I should be concerned, since he does his worksheets in nursery, colouring and drawing. The teacher's review (last year) was that Cavan had very strong language abilities, both in English and Chinese but showed little enthusiasm in craftwork. Recently, I had a revelation. Cavan is not uninterested in writing and drawing. He is uninterested and uninspired by paper and pencil (or crayon, for that matter). For a long time, he often asks to doodle on our handphones and PDAs. Give him a paper and a pencil (or crayon) and he barely musters a few weak strokes. Give him a magnetic doodle board or an aqua doodle mat or a PDA and he can write his name and create pieces. The following are some of his works. I would ask him what he drew. Below are the replies: <IMG class=alignmiddleb src="http://images.soann.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SBCwZgoKCCAAABpqYJg1/DSC05842.JPG?et=xcyDuAehwr9x4PfgPlpXWg&nmid=" border=0>A girl <IMG class=alignmiddleb src="http://images.soann.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SBCxogoKCCAAADm6CwQ1/DSC05845%20%28Small%29.JPG?et=jU7Do7BmyjZ8GwD3p4ECzg&nmid=" border=0>A dog <IMG class=alignmiddleb src="http://images.soann.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SBCxzgoKCCAAAEIyQGU1/DSC05866%20%28Small%29.JPG?et=LBx3vyOon8CpHF%2C9MshDcg&nmid=" border=0>A happy face <IMG class=alignmiddleb src="http://images.soann.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SBCx6woKCCAAAEMaRvQ1/DSC05905%20%28Small%29.JPG?et=%2B3GHvMb9Pj%2BYlr97eSewKw&nmid=" border=0>Bird on a tree Guess we've introduced him too early to a high tech world. I wonder how he's going to survive in schoo... http://soann.multiply.com/journal/item/83/Of_Pencils_and_Stylus Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:04:00 -0000 Clement's Birthday http://soann.multiply.com/calendar/item/10020/Clements_Birthday Sun, 13 Apr 2008 13:58:17 -0000 Cavan's Encounter with Mr Policeman I received a phonecall from Cavan's teacher last Friday as I was travelling home from work. I got an initial scare. Me: "Hello?" Ms Gracie: (sounding unsure) "Is this Mrs Yee, erm, Cavan's mother?" Me: (growing suspicious) "Yes?" Ms Gracie: (sounding secretive) "Mrs Yee, actually I'm calling you regarding Cavan..." Me: (Oh dear, what has my son done) "Yyyyes?" Ms Gracie: "Actually, I just wanted to tell you that today during school...(Oh please, hurry and tell me what's going on)... that I put a present in Cavan's bag. Me: (relieved) "Oh..." (I wasn't sure how to respond) Ms Gracie: "Because today, we had a police officer... (Police officer? What happened? Sounds serious!)... who gave a talk in school." Me: "Okay..." (Still waiting for more clues) Ms Gracie: "And later there was a quiz at the end of talk." Me: "Okay..." (Still waiting for more clues) Ms Gracie: "Cavan volunteered to go up and answer the police officer's question. I thought that was very brave of him, so I deci... http://soann.multiply.com/journal/item/81/Cavans_Encounter_with_Mr_Policeman Wed, 9 Apr 2008 17:37:00 -0000 Dad's Birthday Celebration http://soann.multiply.com/calendar/item/10019/Dads_Birthday_Celebration Wed, 9 Apr 2008 17:36:55 -0000 Watch "We Will Rock You" Musical THE ELECTRIFYING MUSICAL THAT'S GUARANTEED TO BLOW YOUR MIND We Will Rock You, the musical by Queen and Ben Elton, UK’s most successful comic writer, is an electrifying show that’s guaranteed to blow your mind and is set to rock Singapore from 28 March 2008 at the Esplanade Theatre. Now in its 6th year on London’s West End, where it continues to play to packed houses, We Will Rock You has captivated 6 million theatre-goers around the world from London to Las Vegas, Toronto to Tokyo and beyond. We Will Rock You is an enormous multi-million dollar musical featuring stunning costumes, sets and lighting. The talented international cast includes New Zealand’s pop princess Annie Crummer as the Killer Queen and “Rock Star INXS” finalist Miguel Ayesa, who reprises his West End success, in the starring role of Galileo. We Will Rock You is not a Queen tribute but a “rock musical’ featuring 26 of Queen’s legendary hits including “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “We Are The Champions”, “Killer... http://soann.multiply.com/calendar/item/10018/Watch_We_Will_Rock_You_Musical Tue, 1 Apr 2008 02:10:18 -0000 Watch "The Soldier and His Virtuous Wife" Fresh from their 19-show sellout run of the hit musical If There’re Seasons…, The Theatre Practice switches from pulling your heart strings to tickling your funny bone! Starring Joanna Dong, Ric Liu, Darius Tan, Jonathan Lim and a host of amazing actors, The Soldier & His Virtuous Wife is a modern send-up of a “Chinese period comedy of errors” – it tells the tale of a poor man who is sent to the army the day after his wedding, and finally returns 10 years later! Filled with nostalgic melodrama, uproarious irreverence, a campy habit of breaking into song and dance, The Soldier & His Virtuous Wife is packed with great entertainment for the whole family! http://soann.multiply.com/calendar/item/10017/Watch_The_Soldier_and_His_Virtuous_Wife Tue, 1 Apr 2008 02:07:42 -0000 Little Munchkin Verity sure likes her food. She started semi solid at 5.5 months. While other babies started their 1st feed experimenting with several small spoons and bits, Verity decided to start with a big bang. Her first feed was a bowl of porridge. Yes a bowl. Instead of displaying grimaces due to experiencing different textures in her mouth and coming to terms with foreign gooey stuff, she adapted with great (and quick) stride. She yelled at my mom to quicken the feed. While my mom hurried to scoop the next mouthful, Verity was already yelling for more. So my mom had to feed very fast. Verity is interested in every single thing we put in our mouth. Now, 1 month into eating, she has tried rice, bananas, pears, ice cream, beancurd, buns, bread, and durians (Well, at least in my knowledge. I don't know what else my parents feed her in my absence). If we refuse to feed her anything we're eating, she would grimace, pout, shake her fists and stamp her feet. We are breeding an eating machine. Gue... http://soann.multiply.com/journal/item/80/Little_Munchkin Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:15:00 -0000 Verity (Growing Up) http://soann.multiply.com/photos/album/25/Verity_Growing_Up Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:04:54 -0000 "Cute cute face" One day, we found that Verity would scrunch up her face whenever we asked her for a "cute cute face". Managed to catch one http://soann.multiply.com/video/item/12/Cute_cute_face Fri, 7 Mar 2008 17:09:00 -0000 More Chinese! This video was taken last year, with Cavan reciting his fav Chinese nursery rhymes. Guess he adopted the very Chinese accent from his teacher! That's why I love hearing him speak the http://soann.multiply.com/video/item/11/More_Chinese Sun, 2 Mar 2008 12:13:14 -0000 Standing up for himself It is not unknown to family and friends that Cavan does not really have a <A href="http://soann.multiply.com/journal/item/27/_Character">temper</A>. He is rarely aggressive. Even when someone pushes him or snatches his toys, he does not retaliate nor fight back. He only whines. And complains. He complains to the teacher or the parent of the aggressor. This definitely worries me, cos I'm afraid he'd end up being bullied in school next time. As parents, it would be wrong for us to tell him to fight back, even though that option was so tempting. All we can advise is, for him to say "No!", "Stop it!" or "Don't..." to signal that the behaviour displayed by the aggressor is undesirable. But knowing kids, who would take such retort seriously? This CNY came the turn of events. We were at my uncle's house and all the kiddos were playing and roughing it out in the bedroom. My 2.5 year old grandniece, a brassy gal, was harassing Cavan. She pushed him, stepped on him, poked him. Cavan seemed helpless as he repeatedly told her no, and tried to steer clear of her... http://soann.multiply.com/journal/item/79/Standing_up_for_himself Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:26:00 -0000 Mum's Cooking & CNY I recently read a quote "Food was my mom's way of pampering us". This quote succinctly described exactly how I felt and caused my eyes to well. Yes, not only that, I told my friend. Mom's cooking is also about the memories it leaves behind. Memories of childhood. Memories of tradition. And I felt it most strongly this year. Due to my mom's poor health, she was not able to cook much this CNY. She lost her sense of taste and could not eat properly (ulcers on her mouth and tongue, and water in her lungs) due to her chemo treatments. She actually forgoed having reunion dinner at home cos she was totally not in the mood to prepare and cook. That was very unlike her. She was a very tough woman and nothing could replace such traditions. This year, she had to "surrender" as her condition really pulled her down.  Maybe it's age. I started getting very nostalgic about CNY. Missed seeing my parents squat over the charcoal stove, making and rolling love letters, and... http://soann.multiply.com/journal/item/78/Mums_Cooking_CNY Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:11:00 -0000 Happy V-Day This year, we decided to spend V-Day with Cavan. We wanted to devote one-to-one time with him. When Verity was around, he was big brother enough to give most of the attention to her without complaining. So for today's outing, no Verity. He was so happy and told his baby sis, "Bye Verity, we're going out! See you later!" with a smug face. Even though he might not understand what is V-Day (and we didn't mention anything about it), he was sure in a loving mood today! Usually he was already sweet and dovey, but today's dosage was doubled! He kept telling us, "I love you, daddy and mummy!" and kept wanting to hold both our hands as we walked. Even when we were seated in the car or restaurant, he would put his arm around us and gave us a tight squeeze. We simply soaked in his saccharin sweetness. Happy Valentine, our dear son! We love you too! Sooooo much! <A href="http://soann.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/R7RdRQoKCCAAAFf8HHw1"><IMG class=alignmiddleb src="http://images.soann.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/R7RdRQoKCCAAAFf8HHw1/Photo_021408_002.jpg?et=iAI5uxEmxGmg4KHFb%2BtaLA&nmid=" border=0></A> <IMG class=alignmiddleb src="http://images.soann.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/R7RdZgoKCCAAAFf7G9Q1/Photo_021408_011.jpg?et=621USGWoSdk%2C%2BYp87bYmBg&nmid=" border=0> http://soann.multiply.com/journal/item/77/Happy_V-Day Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:14:00 -0000 Hor Fun Recipe This one-dish meal is easy, especially when you don't really want to prepare a lot. This has passed the fussy-eater (read: kids) test. The measurements given here are based on estimation, since I don't really keep track of the exact portion. Free and easy is the way! Sea Food Hor Fun (or you can replace with chicken meat) Serves 4 Ingredients For Hor Fun: 700g kway teow, washed (to get rid of the oil) Garlic, chopped 2-3 tablespoons dark soy sauce Hor Fun Soup: 200g lean meat, sliced and marinated with light soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch Half a packet of crabstick, cut into wedges 2 pieces of fish cake, sliced 1 packet caixin or kailan, plucked 2 eggs, lightly stirred cornstarch Cooking Method For Hor Fun: 1. Heat non-stick wok and pour a bit of olive oil 2. Fry chopped garlic till golden brown 3. Add kway teow and fry till fragrant 4. Add dark soy sauce to kway teow 5. Fry till nice brownish colour 6. Scoop and set aside Hor Fun Soup: 1. Heat... http://soann.multiply.com/reviews/item/2 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:58:52 -0000 Cavan's 3rd B-day Bought a cake to Nursery to celebrate. And held a birthday party for Cavan the next day. Thank you aunties, uncles and frenz for your http://soann.multiply.com/photos/album/24/Cavans_3rd_B-day Mon, 4 Feb 2008 03:44:52 -0000 Japan Trip (14-26 Jan 2008)- Part 2 2nd part of the trip- visiting companies that won the Japan Quality http://soann.multiply.com/photos/album/23/Japan_Trip_14-26_Jan_2008-_Part_2 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:30:56 -0000 Japan Trip (14-26 Jan 2008)- Part 1 1st part of the trip - http://soann.multiply.com/photos/album/22/Japan_Trip_14-26_Jan_2008-_Part_1 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 03:13:24 -0000 Cavan's 3rd Birthday Party http://soann.multiply.com/calendar/item/10016/Cavans_3rd_Birthday_Party Mon, 28 Jan 2008 02:08:07 -0000 Airflown Breastmilk I'd never have thought that I would go this far to still breastfeed Verity (no pun intended). When my boss asked if I wanted to go to Japan for a week-long study mission, she was also concerned cos she knew I was still breastfeeding Verity. Well, I said yes after thinking through. And since I was going there, I thought might as well extend my trip and have a hol. Clem couldn't take leave so I asked Brenda, my all-time travel kaki. It was only after I started planning that I realised what a huge "project" it would be to still continue to breastfeed Verity. I thought of pumping and dumping while I was there but it suddenly it dawned upon me that Brenda was coming back 1st after one week. So I asked if she was willing to help transport BM back. She agreed. A great pal, she is. So I started to read up on pumping, packing, transporting and customs regulation. Really got very stressed with all these. Got help and advice from Multiply's Breastfeeding Moms group. ... http://soann.multiply.com/journal/item/76/Airflown_Breastmilk Mon, 28 Jan 2008 01:12:00 -0000 Adventures in Taipei (Part III: 26 - 28 Dec 2007) <A href="http://soann.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/R4jJCwoKCCAAACvMAHo1"></A>26 December 2007 Occasional rain (17-20 Deg C) The weather seemed great in the morning so we planned to go to Shenkeng, the (smelly) tofu street. We needed to transfer train then transfer bus. I'm not exactly sure which bus but the travel guide was very helpful. Also, at every station, there was info on where the nearest places of interest were and how to get there. So after getting the bus info, we went to the bus stop. After confirming with the bus driver, we hopped onto the bus. Cavan was asleep on the stroller so Clem lugged the whole stroller onto the bus. There was an electronic signboard on the bus indicating the location at every stop, so I kept a lookout to make sure we didn't miss our stop. <A href="http://soann.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/R4jJCwoKCCAAACvMAHo1"><IMG class=alignmiddleb src="http://images.soann.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/R4jJCwoKCCAAACvMAHo1/DSC04623.JPG?et=zShqJh39xV0BqTis3ZcwGQ&nmid=" border=0></A> <IMG class=alignmiddleb src="http://images.soann.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/R4jJUQoKCCAAADF5HzM1/DSC04659.JPG?et=qXO9%2BNGnSDMMVFMqP6Xj3A&nmid=" border=0> After about 10 min, the bus suddenly swerved into what looked like an abandoned garage. The bus driver told us to get down. I looked around the ulu place and it didn't look like what I expected. But we had to get down as this was the so-called bus terminal. I asked the driver where Shenk... http://soann.multiply.com/journal/item/75/Adventures_in_Taipei_Part_III_26_-_28_Dec_2007 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 14:04:00 -0000 Adventures in Taipei (Part II: 25 Dec 2007) 25 December 2007 Fair weather (17 Deg C) The weather was great, so we planned to go to Danshui, a sea-side town. The Metro ride took around 30min and we were there. <IMG class=alignmiddleb src="http://images.soann.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/R4OZoQoKCCAAAEnaT1c1/DSC04558.JPG?et=Jq9VLeeEnvg2QxiudZOrMw&nmid=" border=0>Wanted an iconic photo but Starbucks snatched all the attention. Talk about globalisation! This little town is full of small shops and pasar malam stalls by the sea side. There is also the "Lovers' Bridge" which we didn't walk through. Visitors can take the ferry to the other side, the Fishermen Wharf, where Meteor Garden was filmed. For us, we just hung out at Jhong Jheng St and ate all sorts of munchies. <IMG class=alignmiddleb src="http://images.soann.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/R4ObpQoKCCAAAHxwTG01/DSC04559.JPG?et=31Nj6nRZa9tTjRq5CvYGfQ&nmid=" border=0> <IMG class=alignmiddleb src="http://images.soann.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/R4OcSgoKCCAAABV5FNs1/DSC04561.JPG?et=G4Pk73sfctSkR%2CcpOM0rbA&nmid=" border=0>One of the few recommended places are Chez Jean, where they sell traditional wedding cakes. You can also visit the Fishball Museum, which isn't exactly a museum. It's a shop selling fish crackers. <IMG class=alignmiddleb src="http://images.soann.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/R4Od7QoKCCAAAEQDBm01/1%2520025%2520%2528Small%2529.jpg?et=7lAcUD7%2B4kK5cd5TN6QgJA&nmid=" border=0>We stopped by at a small eatery to lunch as it was time to feed Verity. Had fried bee hoon, gong wan soup,  a plate of cold cuts and an ah ge. An ah ge is something like a huge soon kueh but its fillings consisted of ... http://soann.multiply.com/journal/item/74/Adventures_in_Taipei_Part_II_25_Dec_2007 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 15:27:00 -0000