Lunch at Oversea Restaurant again!

yoohoo!!! I'M BACK from my cruise, teehee, had an awesome time onboard with YZ! ^_^ it's was great to get away from work and just relax and have a good time! but anyway, i'll be blogging about it soon enough once i've started editing the massive amount of pictures!

meanwhile, this entry is a continuation from the ice cream workshop entry, right after our ice cream making session, we headed for lunch just a few steps away, at Oversea Restaurant at Shaw Leisure Gallery! Fel and i have been there once before, and it was an A-MA-ZING lunch experience, you can read about the previous food tasting session we had here!

this time round, we were invited to sample a totally different selection of dishes from previously, more to 家乡小菜, or homemade fare, which were reaalllly delicious, and really made me feel like i was having a lovingly home cooked meal at home with the familiarity and comfort of simple good food!

back at Oversea Restaurant, and we were seated in the same section as previously, which is a private dining area with only two tables.

Fel and I! pretty nice lighting in the restaurant. LOL. good for camwhoring.

this time round, we had like a multitude of dishes prepared for us, (i think there were a total of 8 or 9 bloggers present) so feast your eyes on the food ahead!! :P i hope i didn't get any of the names wrong... cos there were too many dishes and they were all served one after another!!! @_@


#1 辣子鱼滑
Fish paste in chilli sauce! the first dish that arrived at our table, waiting to be devoured by an entire table of female bloggers who were all very hungry. hahaha. unfortunately, we all had to take pictures of every dish before eating them! :P this tasted like fish cake/fish ball consistency, in chilli sauce (the kind you have with chill crab..) and it was really yummy! soft with a nice chewy texture, but not too rubbery. the chilli sauce tastes super good when you drizzle it over rice!

#2 肉碎桂豆苗
String beans with minced pork, this really tastes like home! love the addition of minced pork to the beans, it gives it a fuller flavor and added to the crunchiness of the beans!

#3 百草西柚霹雳动球???
ok i am just guessing (by trial and elimination). this dish was some thai styled fish fillet with grapefruit. tangy and refreshing!

#4 肉丸豆腐
simple meat balls with tofu, served in a clay pot! i looove clay pot!!! keeps my food piping hot, just the way i like it. yummy meatballs with an awesome sauce that complemented the meatballs really well!

#5 伊班茄子
this is sautéed eggplant, which i generally don't like eggplant, but it was YUMMY! super love the texture and flavor. kind of like melt in your mouth but not slimy.

#6 菠萝云吞
fried wanton that's put in like go lo yok tomato sauce! hmm, pretty neutral about this one, cos the wanton got a little soggy by the time i got to try it!

#7 凉瓜炒爽肉
love this one, stir fried bitter gourd with pork! the bitter gourd is only slightly better, and helps to make the strong flavor of the sauce less jelat. and i love meat in general, so i love this one :D

#8 鱼汤让四宝
yong tau hu with deep fried tau kee! the soup was sooo tasty and good! much better than the average yong tau hu out there. i only got to taste like one spoonful of the soup??? cos it was finished up so fast! lol. the deep fried tau kee is served separately so you can choose to have it on its own, or put it in the soup.

#9 油浸脆草莞鱼
crispy fried carp fish with lemon grass and a super tasty sauce! the lemon grass is supposed to counteract the oiliness of the fried fish, to aid digestion and all that! i thought it was well done, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside! :D

#10 原粒面酱豆根薯仔煲
baby potatoes with tau kee (i think) awww this one is like my favorite! the potatoes were so well marinated and soft it practically dissolves in your mouth! i love potatoes! hee. reminds me of a dish my mummy cooks.

#11 咸鱼烝鸡腿
stir fried chicken thigh meat with salted fish, this one was a tad too salty if you eat it with your own, so you have to eat it with some rice! tastes really fab with rice, the salted fish flavor complements white fragrant rice perfectly, and the chicken is tender too!

#12 瓦煲番茄蛋
another favorite, clay pot tomato omelette thingy! the tomatoes are so yummy and i also love eggs to the max! can't live without eggs :P the omelette was soft and fluffy and went well with the tomatoes and sauce!

on top of the dishes that were prepared for us, we got to try TWO more, cos we were so greedy. LOL. no la. cos they thought they would let us try this dish as well, and we requested for the special order char siew that you CANNOT MISS if you visit Oversea Restaurant!!!

soft bone pork with carrots in clay pot, i don't know what's the exact name, but this one is like soft stewed pork loin with soft bones that are edible! together with carrots and onions that make the stew sweet and tasty!!! thumbs up for me!

and ultimate must order if you visit Oversea Restaurant, signature Char Siew! it's so popular you have to call in advance to make reservations for it! and it's super worth all the calories zomg caramelized goodness and melt in your mouth char siew!! don't know why that day's char siew looked darker than the previous time we had it, here. lol. or maybe just different camera ahahah.

THUMBS UPSSSSSSS all the way!!!

#珍珠雷莎汤丸
we ended off the sumptuous feast with glutinous rice balls, i was expecting them to come in a soup, but nope, they're dry and came with a peanut sugar topping!! very soft and the sesame flavor is soooo yummy.

look at the all the cleaned out plates and pots on our table. we practically finished every last morsel of food.... D: like hungry ghosts like that! but they were so good!

surprisingly, the bill came up to a very very affordable amount! as you can see, most of the dishes only cost between $9.80 to $12.80! stuffed ourselves so much, and with drinks and all that, it cost only about $20 per pax (we had about 10 persons at the table!) exclusive of our last two special order dishes, with really reasonable portions and great variety!!!

there's this window to the kitchen outside the entrance of the restaurant, look at that char siew goodness just hanging there so decadently.....

and with Fel posing at the entrance of the restaurant! :D BTW, we are both wearing the same cardigan leh can you tell!! HAHAHA. Rivera Mesh Cardigan in Rust Orange and Cherry Red!

***

Oversea Restaurant (Singapore branch)

No. 100 Beach Road, #01-27 to #01-37,Shaw Leisure Gallery, Shaw Tower

Singapore 189702

Tel 6294 2638

Fax 6894 7881

***

me me me. this was like day 3 or 4 of my braces btw. and i could eat that much food. i'm so amazed with myself. *shakes head*

anyway, i definitely recommend Oversea Restaurant, especially if you want to bring your parents/family out for a meal and they are more traditional (like my parents) and prefer to dine at chinese restaurants!! it's really affordable for the quality of food and the general ambience and service. but remember to call to make reservations cos they are really packed during the weekends, especially dinner time! i can't wait to go back again, honestly :P LOVE the food there!!!

once again, thank you so much to Elfaine from The Sample Store for the invitation! ^_^ as well as the great team at Oversea Restaurant for so much yummy food and utmost hospitality!!

***

some instagrammed pictures from my Spongebob at Sea cruise aboard Superstar Virgo, with Star Cruises, before i actually blog about it in detail!

hee YZ and i brought along our couple wear along for the cruise, love how it looks so nautical and completely goes with the cruise theme. LOL. i think we attracted a lot of stares!

an outfit for another day, my superbly cute Polkahearts Peterpan Tee, i loooove heart prints if you can't already tell, and it goes so nicely with high waisted shorts, was wearing a pair from TCL!

close up of the heartssssss

I LOVE THIS POLAROID!!!! we took together with Spongebob and Patrick! HEE. sooo cuuteeeeee!!! super love.

and another one with the christmas tree!

brought along a straw hat. be careful with hats if you're out on the deck, the breeze can get really strong and that would be the end of your hat........

power packed breakfast (FULL OF EGGS!!!) on board!!! nom nom nom. we stuffed ourselves silly with food!

YZ with Spongebob on the christmas tree hahaha

and ending off with YZ and meeee!

had such a good time on board!!! :D happy to be back though, cos there's so much work waiting to be done (as usual) @_@ anyway, heading out for a super early Christmas party soon. bwahaha. am bringing along my "famous" Horlicks ice cream as my contribution! woooo. super #dietfail lor! :(((

update again soon! i've got another give-away coming next!!!! enjoy your Sunday night!

Lancôme Visionnaire + Lancôme Beauty Institute!

i'm always excited to try out new skin care products, and this particular product made me really really excited: Lancôme's Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector!

could be just really good marketing, but i've heard SO many good things about it, that i was really looking forward to seeing how this product would work for me! i mean, just look at the statistics shown in the video below, it already sounds like a miracle product!

apparently, it's named LR 2412 because it took the Lancôme scientists 2412 attempts to get it right!

LR 2412 is so revolutionary, because it's said to be able to self-propel through the layers of epidermis to set off a series of micro-transformations to the tissue, which allows for a radical effect to take place!

but the burning question is, did Visionnaire work for me? and your answer is below.. i decided to just show two pictures, one before and after, of about 1 month of using the product! (i actually started using it before the 9th November, i just can't find the pictures i took then! -_-)

please pardon my terrible dark eye rings and my constellation of moles/freckles, cos i didn't have a smidgen of makeup on at all in both pictures! with zero editing as well.

t tried to maintain consistency by keeping a similar angle and lighting for both pictures. i must say, i'm really impressed with the difference! you can see how i was having a small breakout in the "before" picture, and had angry spots, blemishes and redness on my nose and cheeks. after a period of 20 days, the blemishes have indeed faded, and my skin looks clearer and brighter, overall! my skin texture is slightly improved, which is especially obvious on the cheek. of course, it could be that my skin healed on its own, but i'd like to believe that Visionnaire played a significant role in it.

i've read reviews about how some people find the scent too overpowering, but i don't feel so at all, i love the fragrance of the serum, and it's so easily absorbed into the skin, it feels like it melts right in! one pump is sufficient for my entire face, and feels just right. It doesn't leave any greasy feeling after application, and in fact i feel like my skin is instantly rejuvenated!

i must say that i haven't really seen any effects in regards to reducing wrinkles and minimizing pores, but probably also because i don't have that much trouble with wrinkles or large pores to begin with. the most obvious effect after usage for me would be better skin texture, lightened pigmentation (not for my moles and freckles though) and more radiant skin.


Lancôme Visionnaire Serum is retailing at SGD135 for a 30ml bottle, available at all Lancôme counters island wide! :)

***

because the Visionnaire Serum is so groundbreaking, Lancôme Beauty Institute has even launched a special Skin Corrector Treatment, that focuses on using the super effective LR 2412 molecule used in generous amounts, and coupled with other techniques such as shiatsu, iontophoresis, and a fusion massage!

and the results? your skin will be visibly transformed and radiant, with finer and brighter skin texture; wrinkles are erased, pores are tightened, complexion irregularities are visibly reduced, for recreating truly beautiful skin!

Jazlyn kindly invited me to try the Skin Correct Treatment, and i went down to the Lancôme Beauty Institute at Marina Bay Sands for a session of rejuvenation and pampering!


i was served a cup of rose tea, whilst the therapist prepared the room for me!

and here's the entrance to the little cocoon like space where the treatment will be carried out.

the room is lit with mood lighting, which is set to different colors/modes depending on the treatment that you're doing! soooo cooooool. it's super cozy, and once you lie down on the treatment bed, you feel all fuzzy and comfortable already.

the therapy suite even comes with an attached shower and bathroom, which is really exceptionally posh!

all ready for treatment, wrapped in the provided robe.

there's even a hair brush and contact lens case/solution provided, which is so thoughtful!

after getting changed and ready, all i had to do was to press a button on the wall (photo above!) to indicate to the therapist that i was ready, and my Skin Correct Treatment began! i found out something interesting as well, for every different kind of treatment that is created at the Lancôme Beauty Institute, a piece of music is specially commissioned and composed for it, so everything you're experiencing during your treatment is all tailor made to best suit the treatment for maximum results! which is realllyyyy cool.

obviously, i wasn't able to take pictures of myself having the treatment done, but it was really so shiok, i fell asleep in the middle of it! LOL. yes, that's my idea of a good facial treatment session, to be so completely relaxing that i can fall asleep! (which is pretty hard for me, when it comes to facials and all that).

however, here's a brief outline of what the Skin Correct Treatment comprises of:

- Preparing the skin. 
To tighten pores deep down, zone by zone, but also to fully release tension in the face, the traditional steam method is replaced by a relaxing cleansing ritual, inspired by Japanese “Oshibori” (hot towels). These dance over the skin following a very precise choreography, alternating rocking movements and delicate stroking with pressure applied to the shiatsu points. 

- The heart of the treatment. 
An innovative formula coupled with an innovative treatment technique: iontophoresis, which uses a weak electrical charge to optimise the penetration of active ingredients into skin. Following a generous application of the Visionnaire serum, the face is covered with a iontopheretic mask to boost absorption of the LR 2412 molecule. Skin tingles deliciously all over and already feels reactivated, as if being fully transformed... 

- A 34-minute skin “re-creating” massage for a spectacular result. 
Every Lancôme treatment includes a “Fusion massage”: a unique combination of Eastern and Western massage techniques for maximum effects on the face. The Skin Corrector Treatment Fusion Massage penetrates deeply for an ultra-toning and revitalising effect, targeting all the facial muscles and skin layers, to stimulate the face’s microcirculation and boost the absorption of the active ingredients. The massage is performed first on one half of the face and then on the other so that the client can clearly feel, after the first half, that her skin is changing.

i believe the entire treatment took about 1 hour and 30 minutes, and i fully enjoyed every second of it, because it was so relaxing! the therapist was excellent, and at the end of the session, i was feeling thoroughly revitalized and relaxed!


and here's my radiant, glowing skin right after treatment. no makeup on again, but i immediately felt the difference, much brighter and more radiant skin, and somehow my skin looked visibly lifted and firm immediately! soooo goooood.


here's the range of products that were used during the Skin Corrector Treatment.

i was also served a different tea after treatment (different kinds of teas are served again depending on what treatment you went for, once again i love how thoughtful Lancôme is to tailor every detail to the specifics!) and the therapist also explained a little on the products she used on me earlier! you can also choose to get your makeup re-done at the Lancome makeup counter, but i didn't find it necessary.

and at the end of my treatment, i even had a complimentary hair touch up at the neighboring hair salon,  SALON 360, which will definitely be appreciated by the ladies who don't wanna walk out of Lancôme Beauty Institute looking like they just crawled out of bed. heh. got really nice curls done, and left a happy girl! :D

Lancôme Beauty Institute Skin Corrector Treatment is available at $290 for 90 minutes.

Lancôme Beauty Institute (2 locations)
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, #B2-40,
Canal Level 
Tel: 6688 7666


Goodwood Park Hotel Service Apartments, 
22 Scotts Road, Singapore (228221). 
Tel: 6737 6778.

http://www.lancomebeautyinstitute.com.sg/

if you're one for indulgent sessions and pampering, the Skin Corrector Treatment will definitely be up your alley! bring your mom or your girlfriend for a surprise treat, they'd be sure to enjoy this luxurious session and treatment, and of course leave with glowing skin and fabulous hair! i would love to bring my mom down to MBS some day, and spend some quality time shopping together or having a meal, followed by a session at the Lancôme Beauty Institute. it would be really great to de-stress and just take some time off your hectic schedule!

once again, thank you Lancôme, and Jazlyn, for allowing me the opportunity to try such a fabulous product and treatment! my skin has never felt so loved before!

***

ok, since i've shown so many pictures of my makeup less face, i figure i ought to make up for it (pun intended! HAHA) with some rather nicer looking pictures of myself. LOL.

my skin looks so glowy and nice! :D love how it looks!

got this necklace from Topshop, it's so dainty and cool at the same time, i love it ;)

Pretty as a Cupcake Romper in Wine and the London Bridge Blazer in Cream.

ok i REALLY love how awesome my skin looks. woooo.

anyways, i'm off for my 2-night cruise at the moment (SO EGGCITING i haven't been on a cruise for like what, 4 years!!!) so see you when i'm back on Friday afternoon! don't go away ah!!! ;D