#steveexplores2020

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Royal Christmas Cruise to Nowhereland Day 4

December 27 marks the last full day of activities for the family’s Christmas cruise to nowhere. Since we had little time left, the kids just had a bright and early start to the day with a visit to the arcade for some fun and games.

After the arcade, it was more pool time with free flow soft serve ice cream that is popular with kids of all ages.

Our last lunch onboard the ship featured corn cake, mixed beans, catfish tempura, lasagna, and beef burger. Dessert was my favorite carrot cake and merragne with a texture that was as light as marshmallow.

Quick family photos around the ship and it was time again for dinner!

Day 4 dinner featured roast beef, duck a l'orange, seafood pasta, fish fillet, and stuffed portobello mushroom.

And to end our trip, a nice warm souffle that was pretty decent with a nice consistent texture balanced by the right amount of sweetness.

Overall, the family had a lot of fun onboard the cruise and we felt safe and well taken care of by the entire crew. Social distancing measures were strictly enforced and everything was kept spick and span all the time.

The family would definitely book another cruise with Royal Caribbean in a heartbeat and we are already counting down to our next cruising adventure!

[steve-explores]

Royal Christmas Cruise to Nowhereland Day 3

Day 3 is practically a repeat of Day 2 where the family just continues the cycle of pool time and meal time with the addition of bumper car in the evening. Although no booking is required for the pools, queues are long and guests should try early mornings and late nights to encounter smaller crowds.

Lunch for Day 3 featured prawn risotto, duck salad, seafood burger, beef wrap, and korean fried chicken with rice.

Lunch dessert included apple strudel, custard cream, and creme brulee.

A quick rest in the afternoon included a trip to the dog house for a hot dog snack and a visit to the art gallery onboard the ship.

Day 3 dinner featured fish fillets, Japanese steak, braised beef, and chicken parmesan with spaghetti. In my opinion, Day 3 was the best dinner ever as both beef dishes were simply delicious and I actually ordered seconds even though I was already full.

Day 3 dinner desserts were also outstanding, featuring lemon meringue tart, chocolate cream cake, and dark chocolate mousse.

After dinner, it was time to make our 8pm appointment for bumper car action before retiring for the night with surprise animal towel creations for the kids by the service staff.

Since the family was still wide awake at night, everyone decided to make a quick trip to the jacuzzi before a late night supper at the cafe.

And with that, only one more day before the end of our Christmas adventure onboard Royal Caribbean!

[steve-explores]

Royal Christmas Cruise to Nowhereland Day 2

December 25th marks Day 2 of my family’s Royal Cruise to nowhere and Christmas Day brought along a beautiful sunrise accompanied by the big pink bear onboard the ship.

Breakfast with the family featured eggs benedict, new york bagel, french toast, and buttermilk pancakes. The meal was satisfying and nourished the family for a big day ahead of us.

The pool would become the family’s favorite venue in-between meals where my nieces just splish and splash their way to good times.

A quick shower and its off to Christmas lunch featuring mozzarella cheese sticks, pan fried fish, lamb wrap, fried noodles, and pulled pork burger. Dessert featured chocolate cake and coconut cake which was decadent and delicious. Lunch quality was definitely a huge improvement over Day 1 dinner, and the excitement continued into Christmas dinner.

A quick rest in the hotel room and its time for our special Christmas dinner food extravaganza!

Christmas Day dinner kickstarted with butternut squash soup and fried brie followed by risotto, turkey, ham, beef wellington, and lamb shank. Each dish was festive and delicious, and the family loved every moment of it.

Dinner ended with a delicious spice cake and chocolate ganache for a perfect evening onboard Royal Caribbean.

With a full belly and a big smile, the family retired to our rooms with special animal towel creations lovingly folded by the service staff.

[steve-explores]

Christmas Staycation at Park Hotel Clarke Quay

With the release of #SingapoRediscovers vouchers at the start of December 2020, the family organized a short Christmas staycation at the centrally located Park Hotel Clarke Quay for a two day relaxing adventure comprising of pool time with meals slotted in-between swim sessions.

The family checked in bright and early at around 10am in the morning on a weekday to avoid busy crowds on the weekends. Check-in was hassle free and the hotel staff was considerable in arranging the rooms to be next time each other for easy access by family members.

After a round of shenanigans by my nieces, it was off to breakfast at Porta restaurant which was conveniently located at the ground floor. Breakfast comprised of buttermilk pancakes and eggs benedict accompanied with yogurt and a choice of coffee, tea, and juice. Food quality was average and service could be better but nothing beats the convenient location of the restaurant.

After a quick rest, it was time for play time at the pool! Each room was entitled to a one-hour swimming slot each day and my nieces made full use of the allocated time by swimming laps around the pool until their fingers were all wrinkled up.

A quick shower and rest was followed by tea time at Porta restaurant featuring our favourite Pecan Pie with a delicious scoop of ice cream. We also received complimentary mocktails by signing up for the hotel’s free loyalty membership program.

Subsequent days were just rinse and repeat of swimming slots with meal times slotted in-between sessions. 

Overall, the family had a great time at Park Hotel Clarke Quay. Major plus points include a big swimming pool, sufficient room sizes for families with kids, and a friendly hotel staff. Minus points deducted from our stay included a constant lingering smell of second-hand smoke at our level, and a much-needed increase in manpower at Porta restaurant to improve its service quality and efficiency.

Word of advice: While making reservations for hotel bookings using #SingapoRediscovers vouchers, remember to take note of discounts from booking platforms and credit card discounts in order to fully leverage the promotions and stretch your dollar for maximum returns.

[steve-explores]

Art Jamming at TRYna Cafe

It’s my first day of leave for the festive holidays which means it is the perfect time to attend an art jamming session with my niece to create artworks for our Christmas decorations at home. For this arty adventure, we decided to visit the TRYna Cafe located in the recently renovated Tekka Place.

Located at the 2nd floor, TRYna Cafe is an open concept cafe with a relaxing environment to unleash your creativity. For this December holidays, budding artists can enjoy a 2-hour art session which includes a 20cm by 20cm canvas, a slice of cake, and a bottle of cold brew. Kids can paint for free with each paying adult.

Art supplies are provided during the session though colors might be limited. So you might need to use some creativity in mixing and matching your favorite colors.

Prior to the art jamming session, my niece has already conceptualized her drawing so she was able to fully utilize her time in transforming her draft into her masterpiece. Restrooms are conveniently located nearby for cleaning up after the session.

The paint draws up pretty fast as long as you do not apply too much at a time. My suggestion is to start with a thin layer of paint and allow it to dry slightly before slowly building up your design.

After 60 minutes of intense concentration, our drawings were mostly done and it was time for a quick snack break.

After a few touch-ups and final finishes, our masterpieces were ready to be shared with everyone.

If you are looking for a fun place to art jam, I would definitely recommend TRYna Cafe as it offers an affordable package in a cozy environment where you will be well taken care of by the friendly staff. Looking forward to my next arty adventure at the cafe!

[steve-explores]

Festive Foodie Staycation at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel

It’s the start of the festive season in Singapore with the Christmas Light-Up in Orchard Road on 13th November. The family decided to kickstart the holidays with a foodie staycation at one of my niece’s favorite local hotel, Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel.

The day started with a delicious breakfast spread at the Marriott Cafe located at the lobby. As part of safe distancing measures, breakfast is served to order and I managed to sample a wide variety of dishes including  chili crab omelette, eggs benedict, french toast & waffle, granola with yoghurt, baby green salad and tropical fruits.

After a hearty breakfast, the family made a quick pitstop at the Jurassic World Cafe located at ION Orchard to get a photo with my niece’s favorite Velociraptor.

My little niece was so excited for the Christmas holidays that she did a fun dance in the mall to share the festive joy.

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Lunchtime came quickly and we decided to visit one of the best zi char restaurant in Orchard Road: Maddie’s Kitchen. I managed to sample some of the restaurant’s popular signature dishes including Ngoh Hiang, Pork Chop Set, Pig Trotter with Bee Hoon, Beef Hor Fun, and Oyster Omelette. I would highly recommended the restaurant for foodies who love yummy zi char served with lots of "wok hei".

With our tummies filled, it was time for a quick rest before the highlight of the day: pool time with a special guest appearance by a little mermaid.

Time flies when you are having fun, and soon it was dinner time. As a special treat, we managed to indulge in delicious food and drinks at the Lobby Lounge featuring tortilla chips, buffalo wings, calamari, satay, truffle fries, and mantou with chili crab sauce. The kids loved the warm friendly service and festive mood accompanied by cool Christmas tunes.

As the night draws to a close, it was time for a short stroll around the neighborhood to admire the beautiful Christmas lights before retiring for bedtime.

As always, it was a fun and enjoyable staycation at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel where the hotel staff did their best to make us feel welcomed while maintaining a high level of cleanliness and safety for guests.

And once again, my nieces had so much fun that we are already planning our next staycation at the hotel.  Counting down to our next adventure with Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel!

[steve-explores]

Perfect 10 Weekend of Wonder at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel

It’s been 7 months since my last big adventure with my nieces and life is slowly returning to a new normal with a focus on rediscovering our local sights and sounds. The family decided to embark on our #FirstWonder in the new normal at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel during 10.10 for a well-deserved break from our usual routine of studying and working at home.

The moment we stepped into the beautiful Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, my nieces cannot contain their excitement and began to explore their surroundings with lots of zany antics and fun selfies.

We were lucky to secure a Premier Deluxe Room on the 15th Floor with a beautiful view of the Orchard shopping belt. The room was spacious and clean, and my nieces cannot stop rolling on their big comfortable bed.

After a quick lunch, it was time to jump into the swimming pool for two hours of water play. To maintain social distancing, guests have to book their two-hour timeslot in advance. With reduced capacity in the hotel and the pool, we felt safe to have as much fun as we could during the allocated time slot.

Just before dinner, we held a mini birthday celebration in the room with some of our October birthday babies featuring our favorite Oreo Cream Cheese Cake from Java+ located in the hotel lobby.

The birthday celebration antics continued into meal time at the family friendly 49 Seats with claw machine play time at Fat Cat Arcade.

With a day choke full of delicious memories and laughter, my nieces were ready to be tucked into bed with their favorite friends and blankets.

During our staycation at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, the family felt safe and assured that the hotel staff were doing their best to maintain the highest level of cleanliness and safety for guests. 

My nieces had so much fun during this weekend of wonder that we had already booked our next adventure for the year-end festive season. Counting down to our next #WeekofWonders with Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel.

[steve-explores]

Sydney Hatted Adventure - Firedoor

To conclude my visit, I simply have to visit Firedoor to experience the wonders within the hidden village of fire led by Chef Lennox Hastie, the undisputed master of his domain.

1st express lunch course : Bread with smoked butter and sprouted rye.

To the uninitiated, this course might seem trivial. But you will be surprised at the wonderous mix of the soft butter on warm bread with crunchy rye. Its memorable without overpowering your senses, preparing you for one of the best meals that you will ever experience in Sydney. 

2nd express lunch course : Burratina, peach, smoked tomato.

Silky smooth burratina accentuated by mellow sweetness from the peach and tomato filled me with so much joy that I could not stop smiling and dancing in my seat, amusing those around me.

3rd express lunch course  : Barramundi, cabbage, anchovy.

The salty anchovy paired with the perfectly cooked juicy barramundi was a masterstroke from the fire maestro. The chef's careful manipulation of salt and fire with an attention to detail simply astonishes me.

4th express lunch course : Black market chuck tail, leeks, horseradish.

The main highlight of my meal arrives with a powerful punch to my senses, overwhelming me with wave after wave of umami. Each bite is just packed with so much flavor and complexity, made possible only by a team of fire masters dedicated to their craft.

5th express lunch course : Wood fired rum baba, smoked creme diplomat.

I am simply at a loss of words with this dessert as it is lit up before my eyes. The smoked creme beautifully complements the sweet alcoholic rum baba, helping to draw a perfect close to my best meal in Sydney over the past two weeks.

My last surprise of the day : A roasted marshmallow with a hidden sweet tangy surprise in the centre.

You have to visit the restaurant to find out for yourself.