Tag Archives: shopping

Old is Gold at Yasashii Trading

The sister and I spotted Yasashii Trading from a distance while out looking for food at Alexandra Village and I practically sprinted over to the shop in excitement. I love second-hand, retro, and nostalgic items and can spend hours browsing shops like Hock Siong & Co., Junkie’s Corner (Turf Club Rd) and The Heritage Shop (Jln Sultan).

Several items caught my eye while we were there and I eventually left with an enamel pot and some 锻炼身体 ping pong bowls and spoon.I like that there are price tags on the items so you don’t have to worry about the people charging you based on what they think you’re willing to pay. You also get a slight discount if you buy a few items.

We were in a bit of a rush that day so I couldn’t browse at leisure. Need to make another trip there soon and then hop on over to the food centre for their awesome avocado drink.

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look at this stuff, isn’t it neat?

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look at this trove, treasures untold

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how many wonders can one cavern hold?

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gadgets and gizmos a plenty

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whozits and whatzits galore

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you want thingamabobs?

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I WANT MORE!!!

Yasashii Trading
123 Bukit Merah Lane 1 #01-114
Singapore 150123
Mon-Sat 11am-8pm.

 

 

Open Farm Community

We had brunch at Open Farm Community a few Saturdays ago. To be honest, I wanted to visit Open Farm Community because of their playground. I saw it on someone’s Instagram account and just had to take the kids there to play. The cow and pig are too adorable for words and the sand is nice and clean.

I love how bright and open the place is and the staggering amount of greenery surrounding it. The food is great and the service is very decent. Adrian is happy to go back again just for the coffee. There’s a large garden area where the kids can explore and run around before the food comes. There’s even a little shop selling children’s clothing, bags, waterbottles, etc.

Even though we really liked the food, it is quite pricey and portions are rather small. I also wish they would open earlier, especially on weekends. But I like that they are trying to promote local farming and cooking with locally-grown produce through events such as community gardening sessions (last Sat of the month) and workshops like Pasta Masterclass and Jam & Sauces Masterclass.

Open Farm Community

Open Farm Community

I do not have a green thumb

I do not have a green thumb

climbing into the cow

climbing into the cow

adorable playground

adorable playground

a game of ping pong, perhaps?

a game of ping pong, perhaps?

some retail therapy

some retail therapy

gardening needs

gardening needs

the restaurant

the restaurant

inside

inside

lovely children's plate

lovely children’s plate

from the outside

from the outside

exploring before brunch

exploring before brunch

eggs

potato rosti served with scrambled eggs, sliced pork sausages, crème fraîche & red onion brown jus

pasta

taglierini with fresh clams & garlic sauce, parsley shad, lemon butter

pasta

rigatoni, local mushrooms, smoked pancetta topped with stilton & balsamic reduction

pasta

open-face lasagna with bolognese and béchamel sauce

kids loved the food

kids loved the food

OPEN FARM COMMUNITY

130E Minden Road
Singapore 248819
Mon – Fri: 12pm to 3pm; 6pm to 10pm
Sat/ Sun/ PH: 11am to 10pm

Twelve by Elly – Fun Fashion for Tweens!

The dreaded day has arrived!! Anya has been growing like a weed the entire year and she has practically outgrown the clothes at Elly. *Sob!* She is now very particular when it comes to her outfits. She doesn’t want to wear what I pick out for her, she’s reluctant to be seen in cute matching outfits with her brothers, and she’s not even keen on poofy princess-type dresses anymore!

It’s not easy to find clothes for fussy 6-year-olds. What’s available out there is either too princessy, too cutesy, too boring, or just too expensive! So we are moving on to Twelve by Elly. Thank goodness it’s just a few steps away from Elly. Twelve by Elly caters specifically to kids aged between 6 and 12 (a very difficult age range to shop for!) and carries clothing, shoes, bags, accessories and even stationery.

We took some time out recently to try on several outfits in the store. Anya has declared that blue is now her favourite colour so we made sure we tried on a few pieces in that colour! She likes soft, breezy dresses that she can run around in and the dresses by French label Bakker Made With Love are so perfect. The longer lengths also make her feel a bit more fancy without being fussy.

Adelaide Dress Circles Blue

Bakker Made with Love Adelaide Dress Circles Blue

aaa

Bakker Made With Love Benita Dress Imprime Blue

Bakker Made With Love Adele Dress Imprime Turquoise

Bakker Made With Love Adele Dress Imprime Turquoise

For Anya, comfort is the most important! Previously, she didn’t like the idea of playsuits but we convinced her to give it a go that day and she adored the Salted Caramel playsuits that she tried on. In fact, she left the store still wearing one of the playsuits because she didn’t want to take it off!

She just loves how cool and comfortable they are and the pockets are such a bonus. The Salted Caramel range is designed and manufactured by the people behind the wonderful clothing at Elly so the quality is assured. Definitely worth every penny because they don’t get stretched out of shape in the wash and the colours don’t fade.

Salted Caramel Halter Playsuit Rainbow Flowers

Salted Caramel Halter Playsuit Rainbow Flowers

Salted Caramel Halter Playsuit Navy Honeycomb

Salted Caramel Halter Playsuit Navy Honeycomb

Salted Caramel Sophie Dress Light Blue Flowers

Salted Caramel Sophie Dress Light Blue Flowers

Salted Caramel Zebra Stripes Yellow Tee & Striped Navy Skirt

Salted Caramel Zebra Stripes Yellow Tee & Striped Navy Skirt

Popular international brands such as American Outfitters can also be found at Twelve by Elly! Anya tried on some and they were so stylish and edgy. The clothes that Anya tried on range from $49 to $159 and the quality is awesome, which is so important when your tween insists on wearing his or her favourite outfits over and over again!

Taylor Summer Dress

American Outfitters Taylor Summer Dress

Slub Oona Top White

American Outfitters Slub Oona Top White & Soft Print 5-P Shorts Pink

Get 10% off with a minimum spend of $150 at Twelve by Elly when you mention ‘Life in the Wee Hours’ (until end of September). You can’t go wrong with a few of these dresses and playsuits for running around in during the school holidays. While you’re there, you can grab some shoes or a bag as well. The clothes from Twelve by Elly make such lovely gifts too. It’s a perfect time to start shopping for Christmas presents before the holiday madness descends upon us.

Disclaimer: Anya was given some complimentary outfits for this review. All opinions are my own.

This is Home – Elly’s CNY 2015 Collection

It feels like the year has just started but before you know it, it’s going to be Chinese New Year! I’m not particularly big on CNY traditions, but I do like to get the kids new clothes to wear for all the CNY visitations. I’m also slightly obsessed about dressing them in matching clothing especially since I can probably only get away with it for one or two more years before Anya puts her foot down and insists on wearing whatever she wants!

This year, we are dressing the kids in Elly’s Home collection. We are huge fans of Elly and have been for several years now. Anya posed for some pictures in their Horse Parade collection last year and there was a little reunion of sorts this year where they got some of the kids from the previous collections to come together for the Home photoshoot. I love the new collection and the heartfelt concept behind it so much.

I had a really hard time deciding on the matchy-matchy outfits for the kids because I adore EVERYTHING. After a lot of deliberation, I decided on the Japanese Fans and the Home fabrics for the kids. Anya will be wearing the Cheongsam in Japanese Fuchsia Fans while the boys will be in Mandarin-collared shirts in Japanese Blue Fans and Japanese Red Fans respectively. I am so crazy about the Home fabric that I’m getting Anya the Tinkerbell dress, Adam the Mandarin-collared shirt and David the shorts. I’m also getting Anya a sling bag and a clutch for myself in Home!

little ladies in cheongsams

little ladies in cheongsams

Anya and Noey in Lanterns

Anya and Noey in Lanterns (it’s completely sold out!!)

Fuchsia Fans

Japanese Fuchsia Fans

Red Fans

Japanese Red Fans

Blue Fans

Mandarin-collared shirt in Japanese Blue Fans and shorts in Home

Home

Mandarin-collared shirt in Home

Home

Tinkerbell dress in Home

Home

Sling bags in Home

clutch

clutches for the mummies

There are actually 8 different cheongsams, 3 dresses, 5 baby girl onesies and 8 outfits for boys (7 shirts and 1 pair of shorts) so you should check out their Facebook page for the full range and also for updates on the items that are sold out or limited. The Home collection is extremely popular!

GIVEAWAY

In conjunction with Elly, we are giving away one Cheongsam in Japanese Fuchsia Fans to one lucky reader. This is available in sizes from 9 months to 6 years and is worth about $65.

To qualify, simply do the following by Friday, 16 January 2014, 2359H (Singapore time):
1. Like the ‘EllyFacebook page.
2. Like the ‘In the Wee HoursFacebook page.
2. Like and comment on this Facebook post telling me your favourite CNY tradition and tag a friend.

You may also like to check out the shirt or shorts giveaway over at Beverly’s and the Emily dress in Swallows print giveaway by Life is in the Small Things!

Terms & Conditions: This giveaway is open to Singapore residents only. Winners will be contacted through Facebook message and will have 24 hours to respond, failing which a new winner will be drawn. All incomplete entries will be disqualified. All entries will be verified before the winners are announced. To be fair to our sponsors, please note that all fake Facebook accounts (e.g. accounts set up purely to take part in contests with no or very few real friends) will also be ineligible to win.

Diaper Dude Backpack from MDdiaperbags

The husband absolutely loathed our previous diaper bag. He called it the Bag of Hate and would hurl abuse at the inanimate object whenever it slipped off his shoulder for the gazillionth time or when he couldn’t find something he needed inside. To be honest, I didn’t have any major issues with that bag but when we were out, I had to carry it almost all the time since he hated it so much.

We decided to get a backpack so we wouldn’t need to worry about the bag slipping off shoulders, but it had to be one MANLY enough for the husband to carry without grumbling. I told him about Diaper Dude (even the brand sounds manly), a range of diaper bags designed for men. MDdiaperbags is the sole distributor for Diaper Dude in Singapore and after checking out what was available on their website, the husband decided on the Diaper Dude Convertible Backpack/ Messenger in Camo.

so pleased with his Diaper Dude

so pleased with his Diaper Dude

The husband simply adores his Diaper Dude bag and calls it.. the Bag of Love. If I say, “Pass me the diaper bag!”, he’ll glare at me and demand that I address the bag by its proper name. Yes, my husband is a bit mad. But I can put up with his madness because now that we have gotten the Diaper Dude, he carries the bag most of the time so that’s brilliant for me!

The bag has good weight distribution and can sit on the floor/ chair without toppling over on one side. The three small pockets in the front are perfect for items like mobile phones, wallets, spare change, little hair clips, etc.

very stable, doesn't topple

very stable, doesn’t topple

fits bottles and hot water flask

fits bottles and hot water flask

Behind the three front pockets, there’s a flat compartment that we use for random things. After that, we have our feeding compartment where we keep the bottles, hot water, milk powder and other food-related items. There’s also a removable insulated bottle holder that can be placed on the outside of the bag to be within arm’s reach but we are not using that at the moment.

The next compartment is for our diaper changing needs and that’s where we keep the changing pad, diapers, wet wipes, nappy cream, hand sanitiser and a change of clothing. The changing pad comes with the diaper bag and is quite cleverly designed. Many changing pads are designed such that the butt area folds to the middle or even to where the baby would rest his head. Imagine how unhygienic that is! The Diaper Dude changing pad folds inwards before folding upwards so the butt area doesn’t come into contact with the space for the head and body.

diaper changing necessities

diaper changing necessities

well-designed diaper changing pad

well-designed diaper changing pad

One particular feature that is very helpful is a check list printed on the inside of the bag. Although it’s called ‘Dad’s Check List’, it also helps me to be a bit more organised and to remember all the stuff we need for the baby. LOL at the last item on the check list!

I must admit that I like the design of the Diaper Dude backpack very much. It might be a bit bulky for petite ladies but looks fine on me. Most importantly, the husband is very fond of it (Bag of Love, remember?) so it helps him to be more involved in taking care of the baby’s needs when we are out and about!

check list!

check list!

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to be more organised or even to get the husband to be more hands-on with taking care of baby, it’s time to get a new diaper bag from MDdiaperbags! You can get $5 off with a minimum purchase of $80 with the discount code WH$5OFF from now until the end of February. It just might change your life. ;)

Disclaimer: We received the Diaper Dude Convertible Backpack/ Messenger from MDdiaperbags for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Big Box at Jurong East

Adrian and I checked out Big Box on the day it opened and went away somewhat underwhelmed. It is the biggest warehouse retail mall in Singapore and has some interesting stuff, but it just feels rather random. They have some of everything, but nothing I would specifically travel there for.

There are some unusual brands here and there but again, nothing outstanding. I liked the stuff at Habitat (not cheap though!) and the Papillionaire bikes at the sports section. There’s quite a bit of parking and lots of food available.

trying some sushi and sashimi

trying some sushi and sashimi

food street

food street

furniture

furniture

outdoor furniture

outdoor furniture

food court

food court

Habitat

Habitat

Habitat

Habitat

fast food

fast food

electrical appliances and IT stuff

electrical appliances and IT stuff

another eatery

another eatery

goods for elderly

goods for elderly

DIY

DIY

wine and Happy Call pans

wine and Happy Call pans

bins galore

bins galore

Cake Boss baking products

Cake Boss baking products

vegetables

vegetables

more food

more food

clothing

clothing

Glitter Glam matchy matchy mother-daughter clothing

Glitter Glam matchy matchy mother-daughter clothing

sports equipment

sports equipment

love these Papillionaire bikes

love these Papillionaire bikes

coach tickets, etc

coach tickets, etc

Journey to the West: FairPrice Warehouse Club

Over the weekend, we checked out the new FairPrice Warehouse Club at Joo Koon. Only members can buy stuff there but it’s open to all. We decided to walk around a bit to see if it was worth getting the membership ($50 a year for public, $35 a year for NTUC Affiliated Union Member).

They carry the Carrefour and Kirkland brands found at Costco and you can also find bigger versions of other items. Before buying anything, it would be useful to know what you’re usually paying for each unit of that item to determine if you would be saving as much as you think. And when buying food products in bulk, always check the expiry date to see if you can finish it all up in time.

Warehouse Club is spread over two floors, and in case you get hungry while shopping, there’s ready-to-eat food on the upper level. You can get sushi, ice-cream, hot dogs, etc. I like the hot dogs!

Shopping at Warehouse Club is probably more suitable for those who are on really good terms with their neighbours and want to share bulk buys, have many people living under one roof, or run small F&B businesses. It will also come in handy if you are preparing for a party and need a lot of food, drinks and items for goody bags!

cheese (and other assorted flavours) puffs

cheese (and other assorted flavours) puffs

giant pack of cereal

giant pack of cereal

Carrefour brand items

Carrefour brand items

giant can of mushrooms

giant can of mushrooms

1kg pack of chia seeds

1kg pack of chia seeds

24-pack of Snapple

24-pack of Snapple

books

books

giant bag of garlic

giant bag of garlic

Cheesecake Factory!

Cheesecake Factory!

yummy hot dog

yummy hot dog

giant can of tomato sauce

giant can of tomato sauce

Meiji cow mascot

Meiji cow mascot

FairPrice Warehouse Club
1 Joo Koon Circle Singapore 629117
+65 6552 2722
[email protected]
Operating Hours: 10.00 AM – 9.00 PM (Mon – Fri); 9.00 AM – 9.30 PM (Sat & Sun)