8 Fun Attractions at Pororo Park Singapore

Posted on May 31, 2016 by missuschewy

– Media Invite –

Recently, we had the wonderful opportunity of taking Little misschewy to Pororo Park Singapore, a 11,000 sq ft play and educational indoor playground at Marina Square, which is themed after the award-winning top Korean animation “Pororo the Little Penguin”. Honestly, we didn’t know much about Pororo prior our visit and the night before, Little misschewy and I huddled together in bed to watch and listen to the Pororo opening theme songs on YouTube as my way of introducing her to this character. She instantly became a fan of Pororo!

Pororo Park first opened 5 years ago in Seoul. There are seven Pororo Parks in Korea and three in China. Opened late last year, not only is Pororo Park Singapore the first in South East Asia, it is also the largest character-themed indoor playground in Singapore! No wonder kids and adults were so thrilled when Pororo Park Singapore opened!

There are as many as 8 fun attractions within Pororo Park Singapore and they have all been named after Pororo and his friends. How cute is that! Travel Tip: While you visit Pororo Park of Singapore along with your kids there are times when you simply have to access your work, Now get an instant single click access to your online private work space with hosted citrix vdi from CloudDesktopOnline. Learn more about Hosted SharePoint, Exchange and Azure managed services by visiting Apps4Rent.

1. Pororo Express

All aboard the Pororo Express! Not surprisingly, this motored Pororo and friends train is an attractive and fun ride which makes children of all ages want to queue for it again and again!

Kids get to wave hello to their favourite Pororo characters as the train zips past on the track!

Look! There’s also a tunnel which the train passes through!

Just like any other train, the Pororo Express runs on a train schedule everyday! Check the schedule and don’t miss your train!

2. Pororo House

For children around Little misschewy’s size and height, Pororo’s life-size house is perfect for them to play pretend! Pororo’s house covered in ‘snow’ plus the little Christmas tree give us the perception that it’s cold and chilly outside, so let’s hurry in! Brrr!

Okie mummy! But first, let’s take a photo with Pororo and Crong!

I wonder how does it feel to wake up in Pororo’s little house! Must be a pretty awesome feeling! Pororo’s room is so neat and cosy! Wow!

Little misschewy proceeded to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash up. Lol.

Wanted to take a bath as well but oops.. Pororo has another visitor in the house!

3. Shark Ball Pool

Kids don’t get tired of ball pools, do they? We placed Little misschewy on the ledge and she dived right in without hesitating!

Many of the older children were seen trying to shoot plastic balls into the shark’s mouth!

4. Poby’s Jungle Gym

I suppose Poby’s Jungle Gym is one of the most exciting play areas at Pororo Park because you never know what kind of maze or tunnel or slide awaits you till you probe deeper!

I really had to hand it to Little misschewy for being so adventurous. She actually wandered off to explore the gym on her own, while us anxious parents were trying to keep a lookout for her.

She was clearly pleased that her parents were still waiting patiently for her downstairs. LOL.

5. Eddy’s Classroom

We have not been to all the indoor playgrounds in Singapore but this is our first time coming across fun and interactive activities catered for little ones! Monthly activities include “Pororo Times”, “I’m a Fashion Designer” and “Cooking for Moms”. There are also exclusive members-only classes specially for Pororo Park members. While children are busy with these activities in Eddy’s Classroom, parents can finally take a breather!

6. Tong Tong’s Little Theatre

Over at Tong Tong’s Little Theatre, there are a variety of programs available for children to choose from. Apart from Pororo & Friends mini musical, kids get to enjoy monthly special performances by external talents such as magicians, puppets and juggling shows! Members can also participate in exclusive activities that are changed monthly.

When we entered the dimly lit theatre, we didn’t quite know what to expect but all the children were jumping up and down with excitement when Pororo and his friends made their appearance!

Pororo and friends entertained all of us with their live musical.

Pororo’s got the moves and it was infectious! The little ones clapped and danced along!

We also participated in the Babies and Toddlers Interactive Class. The theme was Under the Sea led by Poby!

Very interactive indeed!

All the children were really focused and attentive during the class!

7. Loopy’s Cafe

No need to step out of Pororo Park when you and your children are tired or hungry! Recharge yourselves with piping hot food and some drinks at Loopy’s Cafe!

If your kids are lucky, they might even get to be entertained by Loopy and Petty as they enjoy their refreshments during Loopy’s Dance Time!

8. Rody’s Toy Store

Can’t get enough of Pororo and friends at the park? Bring home a piece of Pororo with you! There are plenty of souvenirs and toys to choose from!

Now that we have covered all eight main attractions in Pororo Park, it is also worth mentioning that there are a few small play areas catered to babies and toddlers.

Here’s Little misschewy spending some quiet time on her own playing with a Pororo toy plane.

Here’s taking a quick glance at Pororo Park Singapore’s admission rates. Click for the full-sized picture.

Pororo Park Singapore membership rates.

Take part in the Pororo Park Singapore Grand Draw 2016 and stand to win amazing prizes!

Thank you Pororo Park Singapore for inviting us to your Family Fun Blogger Day and for the personalised recommended itinerary! If you need more information on Pororo Park Singapore, you will be able to find it on their website. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram 🙂

Pororo Park Singapore
6 Raffles Boulevard
Marina Square
#02-29
Singapore 039593
Tel: +65 6250 9700
Email: info@pororoparksg.com

Opening Hours:
Sun to Thu
10.30am – 8pm
Fri & Sat
10.30am – 9pm

*Socks are required for all visitors, including accompanying adults*

Afternoon Tea at Pollen, Gardens by the Bay

Posted on May 27, 2016 by missuschewy

Since Little misschewy had not been to Gardens by the Bay, we went there recently with the intention to check out Tulipmania at Flower Dome. Somehow, reading up on Tulipmania online led me to discover that Pollen, housed within Flower Dome, serves afternoon tea! Our previous visit to Pollen was way back in 2012 and we had celebrated my birthday by having their set lunch. If you are keen to have a laugh at our old photos, here’s the link lol. Fast forward 4 years later, we are back with Chewy Junior #1 and a little bun in the oven! 😀

Anyway, back to afternoon tea! Contrary to what is stated on some blogs/websites, I have managed to confirm that Pollen serves afternoon tea from 3pm to 5pm daily, except on Tuesdays as the restaurant is closed. Reservations are required for afternoon tea and charges are based on the number of diners. Complimentary access to Flower Dome is provided to all guests at Pollen. You can visit Flower Dome before or after dining at Pollen at your convenience, but entry to The Dome has to be made through the restaurant.

Some of the beautiful blooms spotted at Tulipmania!

Love this belly bump shot captured by misterchewy. I have lost count of the number of weeks I was when we visited Gardens but one thing I knew for sure, I can no longer fit into any of my clothes! :O I really like this Pastel Lace Dress from Jump Eat Cry, which is very light and comfortable! They have a wide collection of maternity and nursing wear which is very versatile for various occasions! Here’s a special discount code for our readers! Simply quote MISSUSCHEWY15 to enjoy 15% off your order! No minimum purchase is required but take note that the code expires on 30th June 2016.

Afternoon tea is served at Pollen Terrace, on the second level. If you are lucky, you might get one of the tables overlooking Flower Dome.

Pollen’s Afternoon Tea Menu is priced at $38++ per person which includes 5 types of savouries and 5 types of sweets, including a choice of coffee or tea. The food items are non-replenishable, while the hot drinks are only refilled with hot water.

An assortment of open-faced sandwiches are served as savouries.

Norwegian salmon, crème fraiche, dill and pickled cucumbers – Quite good; it was one of our favourites.
Braised chicken and avocado butter – Another favourite of ours.
Focaccia with mozzarella, confit tomatoes and black olive crumbs – Tomatoes were very sweet and refreshing.
Hummus dips with dukkah spices and toast – Didn’t really like this.
24 hours short ribs, mustard, pickles, alfalfa – Replaced with braised chicken as we don’t take beef.

On the overall, the open-faced sandwiches were rather tasty, except that the bread slices were a little hard and crusty.

Chocolate and macadamia brownies – Dense and moist. Chanelle’s favourite.
Banana tea cake with salted caramel chantilly – Went well with my Lavender Harmony tea!
Vanilla cream puff – Vanilla bean specks spotted!
Passion fruit meringue tart – A mix of sweet and tart. Very nice!
Macaron – Had the right amount of chewiness!

The sweets fared pretty well too!

At $38++ for 10 types of small bites and a choice of tea or coffee per diner, I personally feel that afternoon tea at Pollen is slightly on the pricier side. However, it was a lovely experience having afternoon tea within Flower Dome!

Have a great weekend everyone! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy 🙂

Pollen
Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay
18 Marina Gardens Drive, #01-09
Singapore 018953
Tel: +65 6604 9988
Email: info@pollen.com.sg

Main Dining Room – Level 1
Lunch 12pm to 3pm (last order 2.30pm)
Dinner 6pm to 10pm (last order 9.30pm)
CLOSED ON TUESDAYS

Pollen Terrace – Level 2
9.30am to 9pm daily
Afternoon Tea 3pm to 5pm (except Tuesday)

POLLEN Privileges
Personalised buggy service exclusively for POLLEN’s guests, the service runs every five minutes during service times.
Complimentary access to the Flower Dome

Chewy Junior #2 is on the way!

Posted on May 25, 2016 by missuschewy

YES WE ARE PREGNANT!! 😀 We have been keeping this a secret for the longest time!
This piece of good news totally caught us by surprise last year because misterchewy and I weren’t planning for a second child so soon as we wanted to wait till Chanelle is slightly older. However, what has happened has happened, and there’s no turning back lol. I have always wanted to have at least two kids by 30 but didn’t have the courage to do so. I guess it’s fated! 🙂 I’m currently in my third trimester and will be popping sometime in August! We are keeping baby’s gender a surprise for now! 😉 As with my first pregnancy, Chewy Junior #2 has been pretty kind to me and I’m constantly in high spirits, even at work. Haha! During my first trimester, I experienced only very mild morning sickness but I was extremely lethargic especially during the first 6 weeks when I didn’t know I am pregnant! It’s weird that I still do not have any weird or strong cravings, just the occasional fast food perhaps. I’m thankful for being pregnant because I can indulge in ice cream before bedtime without any guilt! LOL. You should check out our fridge! We have like 4 tubs and 2 boxes of ice cream!

I was about 5 months pregnant when we were in Japan, and it wasn’t the case that I wasn’t really showing yet. The thick layers of clothing helped to conceal my baby bump a little 😛 Here’s a clearer recent photo of 3 plus 1! 🙂 It feels really surreal that misterchewy and I are gonna be new parents all over again soon! Little misschewy is equally excited because we told her she’s gonna be a jie jie! Well, WE LOVE KIDS!! *Throws confetti and sprinkles baby dust* 😀

Kyoto Kimono Rental and Photoshoot by Yumeyakata

Posted on May 22, 2016 by missuschewy

Hello chewys! This will be our last post documenting our Japan trip and we have saved the best for last! Apart from our visit to Shirakawa-go which we had blogged about previously, another highlight of our holiday would be..

The Chewy’s very first kimono wearing experience and outdoor photoshoot in Kyoto!

Kyoto is the best place in Japan to explore traditional temples, shrines, gardens, as well as for tourists to immerse themselves in Kyoto’s rich culture. Over the years, it has become very common and increasingly popular for tourists visiting Kyoto to go sightseeing in a kimono.

There are so many kimono rental shops in Kyoto so it’s highly advisable that you do sufficient research before your trip to ensure that everything goes according to your plan!

I was initially overwhelmed by the various recommendations provided online and began to shortlist based on two factors: 1) Price and 2) Provision of photoshoot services.

Yumeyakata was the best choice because it offers one of the lowest kimono rental rates at ‎only ¥3500/person (~S$44) upon reservation. Please note that all prices mentioned from here on excludes 8% tax. Female and male couple kimono rental rates are quoted at ‎¥6500 – ¥7000 (~S$81.50 – ~S$88) and I reckon it’s a really good deal considering you get to wear the kimono the entire day, as long as you return to Yumeyakata by 19:30! If you wish to make a reservation, you may fill in an online form via Yumeyakata’s website or email info@yumeyakata to have your enquiries answered. Sisca was our main contact person and she was very prompt in all email communications, at times going out of the way to make sure our needs were met!

Apart from the really affordable price, Yumeyakata is one of the few kimono rental companies in Kyoto to offer both indoor and outdoor photoshoot services, which Yumeyakata terms as “Location Photo Plan“. Photoshoots are carried out by a team of professional photographers, some of whom can converse in Mandarin and English! Their profiles and photography works can be found on Yumeyakata’s website and you can even designate your desired photographer at ‎an additional ¥2000 (~S$25).

Depending on the location(s) chosen, the photography package price starts from ¥‎22000 (~S$276) and you get to receive over 200 beautifully captured photos from a 2-hour photoshoot! Yumeyakata also offers a “One-Day Location Photo Plan” where you can hire their photographer for an entire day! This is definitely a good choice if you are touring Kyoto with a group of friends!

A photoshoot usually starts at 10:30 or 14:30 and since it takes about 1.5 hours to get ready, we chose to have our photoshoot in the afternoon to avoid being late as we had to travel from Osaka. As we had a bit of time upon reaching Kyoto, we visited Kiyomizudera and subsequently took a train and alighted at Gojo station. From Exit 1, we only had to walk straight for a couple of minutes before reaching Yumeyakata’s store!

Not surprisingly, the place was packed; a good sign that business was brisk. I had to fill in a form indicating our heights, along with some other information and we were handed recyclable bags to store our shoes and clothes. We were first ushered to one of the floors to pick our kimono, which is estimated to take about 30 minutes. I almost hyperventilated at the vast array of kimonos available! One tip would be to first browse through some of Yumeyakata’s kimonos collection online to get a rough idea about your preferences. I knew I wanted large bold prints against bright colors like pink. Knowing what you want right from the start makes the picking process a lot easier! For ladies, we also had to pick an obi and sash, and you are advised to choose contrasting colors to make your outfit stand out.

Due to privacy reasons, there are different levels that cater to female and male customers exclusively. Also, photography is strictly prohibited when getting dressed as there are other customers around. A professional dresser helped Little misschewy and I into our kimonos and it took only 15 minutes.

Hairstyling is optional but I highly recommend it if you want to at least look like the real deal at the end of the day! Depending on the type of hair styles chosen, prices range from ‎¥‎1500 – ‎¥‎5000 (~S$19 – S$63). Hairstyling will take another 15 minutes.

Our photographer, Yang Suhao, is a Taiwanese, so we communicated easily in Mandarin. From Yumeyakata, we took a short taxi ride to Gion, our location of choice and commenced our photoshoot. Suhao put us at ease with his warm smile and good naturedness, which made us enjoy the photoshoot. When Little misschewy got tired and became cranky towards the end of the photoshoot, Suhao remained very patient and encouraging.

Even though we only spent two hours in Gion, we had a fun and memorable time posing for photos in our traditional kimonos. Some of the passers-by went, “Kawaii-neh!” while trying to take photos of Little misschewy. We were also very lucky that there were beautiful cherry blossoms to serve as a nice backdrop in some of our photos!

The two hours passed by very quickly and we cabbed back to Yumeyakata after the photoshoot as we had no intention of wearing our kimonos till late evening. We received a link via email to download close to 300 photos the very next day! Our family photos were really well taken thanks to Suhao and these will serve as wonderful memories for us to keep!

This is one of my favorite photos, which I have selected as my iPhone’s wallpaper!

For more information on Yumeyakata and a complete overview of its services available, please head to http://www.yumeyakata.com/english/. Alternatively, there is an e-brochure http://www.yumeyakata.com/english/images/top/en.pdf for the more important and condensed information.

Kyoto Kimono Rental Yumeyakata
600-8103
Hosai Bldg, 353, Shiogama-cho, Nishiiru sakai-machi, Gojo-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, Japan

Tel: +81-75-354-8515
Special phone line for Chinese & English: +81-75-354-9110
Fax: +81-75-354-8506
Business hours: 10:00 ～ 19:30 (entry by 6 pm) *Subject to changes depending on the season*
Closed on Dec. 31 until Jan.3 every year.（Return by 17:00 on Dec. 30.）

Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy 🙂

THE CHEWYS’ MARCH 2016 JAPAN 10D9N ITINERARY
(Tokyo – Osaka – Kyoto – Kanazawa – Shirakawago)

Day 1: Singapore to Narita Airport > JR Narita Express to Tokyo > Check into Airbnb at Kita-Ikebukuro > Asakusa Temple & Shopping Street > Shopping and dinner at Sunshine City

Day 2: Tokyo Disneyland

Day 3: Tsukiji Fish Market > Ueno Park > Shopping at Ameya-Yokocho Market > Tea at Fujiya Peko-chan Milky Restaurant > Pokemon Centre at Sunshine City > Dinner at Ichiran

Day 4: Tokyo DisneySea

Day 5: Fujiko•F•Fujio Museum (Doraemon Museum) and Doraemon Cafe > Shopping and dinner at Harajuku

Day 6: Shinkasen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka > Check into Airbnb at Shin-Osaka > Osaka Castle > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 7: Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto > Kiyomizu-dera Temple > Kimono rental and outdoor photoshoot > Dinner at Kichi-Kichi Omurice > Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka

Day 8: Thunderbird Limited Express from Shin-Osaka to Kanazawa > Check into Hotel Nikko Kanazawa > Kenroku-en Garden > Kanazawa Castle > Lunch at Sushi Zanmai > Omicho Market > Higashi Chaya District > Tonkatsu dinner at Tomikinton (富金豚)

Day 9: Nouhi bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go > Sightseeing around Shirakawa-go > Nouhi bus from Shirakawa-go to Kanazawa > Thunderbird Limited Express from Kanazawa to Shin-Osaka > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 10: Kansai Airport Limited Express “Haruka” from Shin-Osaka to Kansai Airport > HOME SWEET HOME

Win FREE Tickets to Aviva Superfundae 2016!

Posted on May 21, 2016 by missuschewy

Thanks to Imagine+, we are giving away FOUR tickets to Aviva Superfundae 2016!

Date: 4th June 2016, Saturday
Time: 10am – 9pm
Venue: Gardens by the Bay, The Meadow

Superfundae is a one-of-a-kind funival where you can indulge in some unique, quirky and all-out fantastic all-day play with your family. There are more than 30 free curated games including water slides and wet play areas, arts and crafts stations and mini races too!

The day will end with a relaxing outdoor movie screening on the nice green grass at the Meadow along Gardens by the Bay.

For more info on Aviva Superfundae, head over to their website!

In the meantime, if you would like to win some tickets for your family, please visit www.facebook.com/missuschewy to take part in our giveaway contest!

Travelling around Shirakawa-go during winter!

Posted on May 19, 2016 by missuschewy

I had not heard of Shirakawa-go until one night, as we were having our me-time after completing the household chores, misterchewy casually mentioned that he came across some photos of this village in Japan. He went on to rave about how beautiful the entire village was captured in photos, especially during winter, but also remarked that Shirakawa-go would be totally out of the way and inconvenient to be included in our itinerary. I merely listened because I wasn’t so keen initially and less than two weeks before our trip, misterchewy decided to try his luck again. I figured it would be a nice change to include a small village in our itinerary, since we had planned to go to Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.

We tried searching for a ryokan in Shirakawa-go that could accommodate us for a night, via Japanese Guest Houses, but we were informed that all the ryokans were fully booked for the second half of March. As mentioned in our previous post, we stayed in a hotel in Kanazawa instead. From Kanazawa station, we boarded the 8.40am Nohi route bus. We had reserved our seats the day before at the Nohi Bus Reservation Centre located at Kanazawa station. A round trip ticket costs ¥3290 (~S$30). Prior our trip, misterchewy checked the Nohi bus timetable online and planned our itinerary accordingly. We reached Shirakawa-go at around 10am.

Of all the places in our itinerary, Shirakawa-go was the coldest! Little misschewy was already dressed in numerous layers of thick clothing, so we made her don a knitted owl beanie. Hehe.

Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, Shirakawa-go is famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. If you notice, the farmhouses’ thatched roofs actually resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer, and that is exactly what Gassho-zukuri means — constructed like hands in prayer.

Most of the beautiful photos we saw online were of gassho-zukuri farmhouses covered in thick snow during winter. In fact, Ogimachi Village in Shirakawa-go typically gets covered by one to two meters of snow during the peak of the white season. However, we were there in March and although it was still very cold, all of the snow had already melted by then and we got to see a different side of Shirakawa-go instead.

Myozenji Temple from afar. It has the biggest thatched roof in the village, which when covered in snow, is simply magnificent.

Breathtaking, isn’t it? This is the Shiroyama Viewpoint, which offers nice views of Ogimachi Village and its farmhouses. We took a shuttle bus at about ‎¥200 (~S$2.50) per adult and we were glad we did because even though the viewpoint can be accessed via a walking trail in about 20 minutes from the centre of the village, the walking trail is a steep upslope!

We strolled back to our starting point, which was the place where we alighted the Nohi bus, and had lunch at this small cafe. The place was packed with cold and hungry tourists like us!

Curry udon to warm ourselves up!

Since we had plenty of time before our scheduled bus back to Kanazawa, we decided to walk around and take more photos.

We were so surprised when it began to snow! :O

Little misschewy was also very thrilled and she even tried to ‘catch snow’ (in her own words) with both hands. 😀

Here’s one of the videos we took!

We spent about 4 hours in Shirakawa-go which we felt was more than sufficient. However, if you prefer to explore every nook and cranny of Shirakawa-go, it is highly recommended that you stay in a ryokan. I would definitely love to visit Shirakawa-go again and witness its idyllic winter landscape!

Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy 🙂

THE CHEWYS’ MARCH 2016 JAPAN 10D9N ITINERARY
(Tokyo – Osaka – Kyoto – Kanazawa – Shirakawago)

Day 1: Singapore to Narita Airport > JR Narita Express to Tokyo > Check into Airbnb at Kita-Ikebukuro > Asakusa Temple & Shopping Street > Shopping and dinner at Sunshine City

Day 2: Tokyo Disneyland

Day 3: Tsukiji Fish Market > Ueno Park > Shopping at Ameya-Yokocho Market > Tea at Fujiya Peko-chan Milky Restaurant > Pokemon Centre at Sunshine City > Dinner at Ichiran

Day 4: Tokyo DisneySea

Day 5: Fujiko•F•Fujio Museum (Doraemon Museum) and Doraemon Cafe > Shopping and dinner at Harajuku

Day 6: Shinkasen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka > Check into Airbnb at Shin-Osaka > Osaka Castle > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 7: Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto > Kiyomizu-dera Temple > Kimono rental and outdoor photoshoot > Dinner at Kichi-Kichi Omurice > Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka

Day 10: Kansai Airport Limited Express “Haruka” from Shin-Osaka to Kansai Airport > HOME SWEET HOME

One-Day Kanazawa Trip: Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Castle and Omicho Market

Posted on May 17, 2016 by missuschewy

We have come to the best leg of our Japan trip, which I will be sharing over two blog posts! When misterchewy and I first planned for this trip, we had intended to visit only Tokyo and Osaka. It was less than 2 weeks before our flight that we finally made up our minds to visit Shirakawa-go! One of the major reasons which held us back initially was the thought of having to travel long hours by train and bus with a toddler, which can be quite inconvenient and tiring for us. We eventually managed to convince ourselves that everything would turn out fine and we would have the time of our lives! Not surprisingly, all the ryokans in Shirakawa-go were fully booked for the second half of March and we made Kanazawa our stopover instead.

Woke up bright and early to catch the 7am Thunderbird Limited Express from Shin-Osaka to Kanazawa! We left our two big luggages in our Airbnb and brought only the small one along since we were only going to spend a night in Kanazawa. This was our 7-Eleven breakfast on the go!

Reached Kanazawa station after 2.5 hours! Do you know that Kanazawa station is one of the most beautiful train stations in Japan?

Even though it was very last minute, we managed to secure a room at Hotel Nikko Kanazawa, and it was a 5 minute’s walk from the station! We paid about S$150 for a night and it was totally worth it!

Our cosy room was perfect for the three of us!

The view from our hotel room.

After freshening up, we took the JR bus using our JR pass to Kenrokuen Garden, classified as one of Japan’s “three most beautiful landscape gardens” alongside Mito’s Kairakuen and Okayama’s Korakuen. There is an admission fee of ‎¥310 per adult. As you can see, we specially packed a thicker set of clothing for our trip to Kanazawa and Shirakawa-go because these places were so much colder! Shall let the photos do the talking!

Small tea house selling snacks and souvenirs.

I don’t remember we had lunch but misterchewy wasn’t hungry so I made him buy these dango for Little misschewy and I to share.

When in Kanazawa, eat GOLD FOIL soft serve ice cream!

There were a few stalls outside Kenrokuen Garden selling gold foil ice cream at various prices and we randomly purchased from one at ‎¥890 (S$11). Definitely not cheap but so delicious! I’m not sure if the gold foil played a role in enhancing the soft serve’s taste!

Enjoying my precious ice cream outside Kanazawa Castle!

We headed to Omicho Market, in search of some of the freshest seafood available! It was late afternoon by the time we got there, thus the market was not very packed.

We ate uni straight out of its shell at only ‎¥500 (S$6)!

Little misschewy was shocked to see a gigantic fish head that she ran to us, whimpering that she was scared. Hahaha.

Stopped by Sushi Zanmai for more food, plus we needed to sit and rest after a long day.

We visited one of the many temples in Kanazawa and shortly upon our arrival, it began to drizzle.

Most of the tea houses were closed by the time we reached Higashi Chaya District in the evening.

There are a couple of shopping centres around Kanazawa station which is very convenient for tourists. It didn’t take us very long to decide what to have for dinner! Good thing we got there early because a queue was seen forming outside Tomikinton Kanazawa Forus shortly after we placed our orders.

The tonkatsu was seriously good! The outer crumbs were fluffy and crisp while the meat was amazingly tender and juicy! Rice, side dishes, cabbage, miso soup and tea are all free-flow!

Walked around the mall for a bit before calling it a night!

We will be sharing details on our trip to Shirakawa-go in our next post! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

THE CHEWYS’ MARCH 2016 JAPAN 10D9N ITINERARY
(Tokyo – Osaka – Kyoto – Kanazawa – Shirakawago)

Day 1: Singapore to Narita Airport > JR Narita Express to Tokyo > Check into Airbnb at Kita-Ikebukuro > Asakusa Temple & Shopping Street > Shopping and dinner at Sunshine City

Day 2: Tokyo Disneyland

Day 3: Tsukiji Fish Market > Ueno Park > Shopping at Ameya-Yokocho Market > Tea at Fujiya Peko-chan Milky Restaurant > Pokemon Centre at Sunshine City > Dinner at Ichiran

Day 4: Tokyo DisneySea

Day 5: Fujiko•F•Fujio Museum (Doraemon Museum) and Doraemon Cafe > Shopping and dinner at Harajuku

Day 6: Shinkasen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka > Check into Airbnb at Shin-Osaka > Osaka Castle > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 7: Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto > Kiyomizu-dera Temple > Kimono rental and outdoor photoshoot > Dinner at Kichi-Kichi Omurice > Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka

Day 9: Nouhi bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go > Sightseeing around Shirakawa-go > Nouhi bus from Shirakawa-go to Kanazawa > Thunderbird Limited Express from Kanazawa to Shin-Osaka > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 10: Kansai Airport Limited Express “Haruka” from Shin-Osaka to Kansai Airport > HOME SWEET HOME

5 Reasons Why Merries Walker Pants is the Best Diaper for Your Active Child!

Posted on May 12, 2016 by missuschewy

– Advertorial –

From time to time, I find myself browsing the numerous photos that I have taken of Chanelle since she was a newborn. I feel a tinge of sadness that she is no longer an innocent little baby with chubby fat rolls, yet at the same time, I am proud that Chanelle has now grown to become a feisty, inquisitive and increasingly active toddler. As parents, misterchewy and I firmly believe in providing only the best for our child if it is within our means. Needless to say, comfort is a top priority for us as it affects our child’s well-being across all levels on a daily basis.

We find that this is especially true in the case of diapers for Chanelle, who has not really shown signs of readiness for toilet training at the moment. As with most young children, Chanelle has sensitive skin and she has tried various brands of diapers, even progressing from tape diapers to pants diapers now. We have always wanted to make the switch to pants diapers ever since Chanelle could start walking at 16 months but the diaper samples that we got either did not fit well, thus resulting in messy leakages, or were not absorbent enough which caused her skin to develop diaper rash. We almost gave up on our search for the perfect pants diapers until we discovered Merries Walker Pants soon after she turned two!

We put the new and improved Merries Walker Pants to the test, and here are 5 reasons why Merries Walker Pants is the best diaper for your active child!

1. Exceptional Breathability

Made in Japan with premium quality, Merries Walker Pants exudes exceptional breathability, which is very important in my opinion because Chanelle is extremely active. Even at home, she doesn’t walk, but dashes around and likes to climb everything in sight. She perspires easily and the last thing I want to worry about is her skin developing diaper rash just because heat and moisture are not released throughout the day! Merries Walker Pants is designed with an all-round breathable sheet to release heat and moisture not only from pee but also perspiration, by allowing air to flow freely between the diaper and the skin. I’m particularly impressed by the airy channels around the waist of the Merries Walker Pants which allows heat and moisture to escape from the top as well! I can now rest assured that Chanelle stays dry all day, thanks to Merries Walker Pants’ exceptional breathability!

2. Comfortable Waist Fit

Thanks to Japan’s extensive research, Merries diapers provide ultra-comfort to babies. The soft gathers around the waist fit snugly and hold the diaper in place such that even when Chanelle’s diapers were full and heavy, her pee did not cause the Merries Walker Pants to slide down her waist. I’m also glad that given Chanelle’s round tummy and chubby yummy thighs, Merries Walker Pants do not cause her skin to develop any red marks or abrasions. I attribute this to the improved, cottony soft material used in Merries Walker Pants, thus giving my active toddler extra comfort! In addition, I have extra faith in Merries as Merries has been awarded a “Good Design Award” for its amazingly comfortable fit! (http://web.kao.com/sg/merries/gda/index.html)

3. Color-changing Wetness Indicator

Gone were the days when we had to keep grasping and patting Chanelle’s butt to determine if it was time for her diaper change! Plus, this old method was not fool-proof! Now, we only need to peek into her shorts or skirt. When the wetness indicator strips turn from yellow to dark green, we know that it is time to change her diaper!

4. Side Seal is Softer and Easier to Tear

Once again, I’m fascinated that the Merries Walker Pants have been designed with a softer side seal that is made easier to tear, resulting in less messy diaper changes especially when poo is involved.

Diaper changes are no longer a struggle! Once the wetness indicator turns to dark green, tear the seals at both sides to remove diaper. Roll the pants diapers up and seal firmly with the tape at the back and dispose! Easy peasy!

5. Merries Total Range and new XXL pants

Merries Walker Pants carry the largest range of pants sizes, which run from size M to the new addition, XXL. XXL can fit children from 15 kg up to 28 kg, which is the only brand that caters to the heaviest weight range.

I always receive comments that Chanelle is such a cheerful girl and I believe that a good disposable diaper contributes to this in one way or another. Merries Walker Pants supports freedom of movement in an active child, from playing to sleeping and leaves her skin free from any rash or discomfort.

Merries keeps your child merry all day! Request for Merries Walker Pants samples here and let your child experience the ultra comfort that she/he deserves. You can find out more about Merries via Merries’ website and don’t forget to ‘Like’ Merries’ Facebook page to stay updated on Merries promotion!

Day Trip to Kyoto: Kiyomizudera Temple and Kichi Kichi Omurice

Posted on May 10, 2016 by missuschewy

The Chewys went on a day trip to Kyoto on the 7th day of our Japan trip. We took the Shinkasen at about 7plus in the morning from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto. Since we were a bit early, we decided to buy a bento to share before departing.

Japan is the land of bentos! LOL! They have all kinds of bentos at the train station and we stood there in awe. I wanted to get the Hello Kitty one for Little misschewy but it was out of stock! 🙁

After a short 15 minute ride, we arrived at Kyoto Station! Took the public bus to Kiyomizudera Temple, also known as “Pure Water Temple”. It is one of the temples that you must visit in Japan!

Omamori in the form of randoseru for school children! So cute! Randoseru are large and sturdy backpacks used by Japanese elementary school children.

Women clad in kimono is a common sight in Kyoto!

Dramatic story-telling in Japanese within the grounds of Kiyomizudera Temple.

We didn’t spend much time at the temple as we had an appointment with the kimono rental company in the afternoon. So, off we went, in search of some food!

There was a queue for cream puffs and we joined in! I had the matcha cream puff and it was delish!

Our first MacDonald’s meal in Japan! Haha! Why no Mc Pork! 🙁 We had one of their chicken burgers instead and the meat was so tender! We ate our burgers en route to the kimono rental studio, which we will share in a separate blog post.

In the meantime, here’s a sneak preview! We spent about 4 hours in total inclusive of the photoshoot, which explains why we didn’t have time to visit the other attractions in Kyoto. Would love to head back to this amazing place again!

After our photoshoot, it was close to dinner time and we were famished! Stopped by for a quick meal at one of the restaurants at Kyoto Station. I ordered the Katsu-don with udon set, which worked out to be less than S$12! Good thing I was really hungry because I managed to finish all my food! Hahaha.

Not sure if you can recognise him, but he’s the famous Chef Yukimura Motokichi of Kichi Kichi Omurice in Kyoto! Chef has generated quite a hype online through photos and videos uploaded by customers who patronised his restaurant! We didn’t include Kichi Kichi in our itinerary and one day before our Kyoto day trip, misterchewy emailed the restaurant to make reservations. Not surprisingly, they couldn’t take in any more reservations and suggested that we try walking in about 30 minutes prior to closing time, which we did! BUT, the 8-seater restaurant was still packed and unable to accommodate us.

The waitress told us to return 15 minutes later and they managed to squeeze us in! I suppose we were really lucky because I read reviews that reservations are strongly recommended if you want to dine at Kichi Kichi, or be prepared to be turned away!

It was an eye-opening experience for all of us, being able to watch Chef Yukimura in action! Even though it was almost closing time, Chef and his two female wait staff remained very upbeat and amicable.

A display of Chef’s skillfulness! We ordered only the Omurice in regular (‎¥2500 ~ S$31.50) and mini (‎¥1350 ~ S$17). There were other items on the menu but we just wanted to try Chef’s omurice. Hehehe.

TADAHHHH! Chef wasn’t looking in my direction because he was busy entertaining Little misschewy and making her crack into heaps of laughter. LOL.

Omurice in demi-glace sauce! This meal certainly wasn’t cheap but I shall not go into that. Chef’s omurice tasted quite good and heartwarming; it felt as though we were eating a home cooked meal prepared by a close friend!

Little misschewy had some omurice from misterchewy’s regular portion.

She gave a thumbs up without any prompting and Chef was so amused that he roared with laughter!

Here’s the video which I took using my iPhone! Must watch as it’s highly entertaining 🙂

Thank you Chef Yukimura for accommodating our little family! We certainly had a wonderful time! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy 🙂

Kichi Kichi ザ・洋食屋　キチキチ
京都市中京区材木町185-4
185-4 Zaimokuchō, Nakagyō-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto 604-8017, Japan
Nearest Station : 京阪三条駅 (keihan sanjyou)
Lunch: 12pm-2pm (Sat, Sun & PH)
Dinner: 5pm-9pm

THE CHEWYS’ MARCH 2016 JAPAN 10D9N ITINERARY
(Tokyo – Osaka – Kyoto – Kanazawa – Shirakawago)

Day 1: Singapore to Narita Airport > JR Narita Express to Tokyo > Check into Airbnb at Kita-Ikebukuro > Asakusa Temple & Shopping Street > Shopping and dinner at Sunshine City

Day 2: Tokyo Disneyland

Day 3: Tsukiji Fish Market > Ueno Park > Shopping at Ameya-Yokocho Market > Tea at Fujiya Peko-chan Milky Restaurant > Pokemon Centre at Sunshine City > Dinner at Ichiran

Day 4: Tokyo DisneySea

Day 5: Fujiko•F•Fujio Museum (Doraemon Museum) and Doraemon Cafe > Shopping and dinner at Harajuku

Day 6: Shinkasen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka > Check into Airbnb at Shin-Osaka > Osaka Castle > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 7: Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto > Kiyomizu-dera Temple > Kimono rental and outdoor photoshoot > Dinner at Kichi-Kichi Omurice > Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka

Day 8: Thunderbird Limited Express from Shin-Osaka to Kanazawa > Check into Hotel Nikko Kanazawa > Kenroku-en Garden > Kanazawa Castle > Lunch at Sushi Zanmai > Omicho Market > Higashi Chaya District > Tonkatsu dinner at Tomikinton (富金豚)

Day 10: Kansai Airport Limited Express “Haruka” from Shin-Osaka to Kansai Airport > HOME SWEET HOME

Traditional English Afternoon Tea at The Landing Point, The Fullerton Bay Hotel

Posted on May 8, 2016 by missuschewy

The Landing Point’s Afternoon Tea Set at The Fullerton Bay Hotel

Savour a freshly-prepared assortment of English scones, finger sandwiches, delicate pastries and tempting sweets accompanied with a selection of fine teas and coffees.

We had a simple pre-Mother’s Day celebration on Labour Day last week! I just felt like having afternoon tea and began to search for places that serve refillable high tea sets. It didn’t take me long to decide on The Landing Point at The Fullerton Bay Hotel and I proceeded to make reservations via email.

We passed by The Landing Point once, but that was an awfully long time ago. Really like the atmosphere and boy, was I glad to be back! For a good view overlooking Marina Bay Sands, you may opt for the alfresco spots or indoor bar seats by the full-length glass windows. However, neither of these were suitable for us because smoking is allowed outdoors and the indoor bar seats weren’t comfortable enough for us to enjoy our high tea in a relaxed manner (yes we tested before switching to the sofa seats lol).

Before our afternoon tea set was brought to our table, we skimmed through the menu and I thought that the Magic Moment Tea by TWG sounds lovely. The hubs, on the other hand, went for his default choice, the Moroccan Mint Tea.

Little misschewy is no stranger to afternoon tea but it was her first time having afternoon tea in Singapore! I clearly remember that she loved the scones we had at InterContinental Hong Kong last year.

For afternoon tea on weekends at The Landing Point, there are two seatings and we chose the first, which is from 12.30pm to 3pm. Pretty reasonable, I would say. More than 2 hours of nibbles and tea should keep our bellies happy!

I have a preference for afternoon tea served on a two or three-tier stand because it makes everything look so delicate and dainty! Not forgetting, photogenic! Hahaha.

Apart from the afternoon tea set, we were also served warm scones with clotted cream and berry jam. The hubs had the plain scone while I chose the raisin scone. They were crumbly on the outside and fluffy on the inside! You can request for more if you can’t get enough of them!

Cucumber Sandwich with Ikura Roe

Mini Prosciutto Ham Bagel

Smoked Salmon Mille Feuille with Caviar

Duck Rilette in Sesame Bun

Boston Lobster Cornet a l’Oriental

Little misschewy was equally excited and started to request for certain items that caught her eye.

Salted Chocolate Caramel Tart, Red Velvet with Cream Frosting and Fruit Cake

We were highly amused when she pointed at the Red Velvet with Cream Frosting and said, “I want baa baa sheep!” Well, it does kinda look like a sheep. Shaun the Sheep maybe? LOL. So this is her devouring the ‘sheep’s head’, I suppose!

Strawberry Tart, Chocolate Éclair, Lemon Tart

Most of the items that Little misschewy wanted were from the sweets selection but they turned out to be way too sour for her! Strawberry tart was so sour that she dropped the strawberry without hesitation.

Oh dear, the lemon tart was also very sour! Hahaha.

Canelé and Pistachio Madeline

Although we have a sweet tooth, we found ourselves requesting for most of the savouries to be replenished, rather than the sweets. The Landing Point’s Afternoon Tea Set is available daily and is priced at $45++ per adult and $22++ per child (6-11 years old). Price includes free flow coffee and tea. Redemption of car park coupons is only applicable for diners after 6pm for a la carte dinner, and weekends for having afternoon tea.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all mothers a Happy Mother’s Day! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy 🙂

The Landing Point
80 Collyer Quay
The Fullerton Bay Hotel
Singapore 049326
Telephone: +65 6333 8388
Email: landingpoint@fullertonbayhotel.com

Opening Hours
9.00am to 12.00am (Sundays to Thursdays)
9.00am to 1.00am (Fridays, Saturdays & Eve of Public Holidays)

Lunch: 11.00am to 2.30pm
Afternoon Tea:
Mondays to Fridays: 3.00pm to 5.30pm
Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays: 12.30pm to 3.00pm (1st), 3.30pm to 6.00pm (2nd)
Cocktails: 5.00pm till closing

*Complimentary parking coupons are issued on weekdays (Dinner only) and on weekends and public holidays (whole day; Brunch, Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Dinner or Cocktails) with a minimum spend of S$100 on a single receipt per coupon. Coupons can be claimed from the Concierge Desk.

missuschewy

Singapore Lifestyle and Travel Blog

Author Archives: missuschewy

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Kyoto Kimono Rental and Photoshoot by Yumeyakata

Win FREE Tickets to Aviva Superfundae 2016!

Travelling around Shirakawa-go during winter!

One-Day Kanazawa Trip: Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Castle and Omicho Market

5 Reasons Why Merries Walker Pants is the Best Diaper for Your Active Child!

Day Trip to Kyoto: Kiyomizudera Temple and Kichi Kichi Omurice

Traditional English Afternoon Tea at The Landing Point, The Fullerton Bay Hotel

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