Amateur cook - Cook simply and from the heart :)

Sweet potato ball - coffee break  :)

Due to Covid-19 many people were forced to stay at home. Some was due to jobless, some work from home, some study from home, and some was like me, a housewife cum cannot-fly-traveller. Hahaha.... :P

I think many of you who knew me well enough, might hear before, that since young, I aimed to be a housewife who stayed at home and cooked nice food to my families, instead of becoming a successful career woman who aimed to hold multiple degrees, live a rich and luxury life.

As long I have a roof to stay, clothes to wear, food to eat every day, I am content enough and happy with my life. To live with my loved ones in harmony and peaceful environment are added points and I am truly grateful for all things that happened to me.

I chose to study Hotel Management was because of that simple dream. I knew, my parents and fellow teachers might feel disappointed with what I have become but this is my life, and I know what I want, and that is enough. 

As long as I love it (IG: rimareyka.writes)

Starting from Circuit breaker to current phase 2, I had to spend most of my time staying at home. Usually on weekdays my mother-in-law would prepare dinner for all of us. But at this period, hubby and I would take turn preparing food too.

Each of us specialises in cooking different food. Mother-in-law is good in preparing Chinese dishes and soup to be eaten with rice. Hubby specialises in cooking hawker style food, such as: minced meat / fish ball / wonton noodle, fried oysters, etc.

Today is always a special day (IG: rimareyka.writes)

As for me, I am specialise in cooking the food that I love eating. Hahaha...... :P It varies from pasta salad, potato salad, burger, tortilla wraps, pasta Bolognese or cream pasta, stir fried noodle / vermicelli / kway teow, fried rice, vegetable fritter, Tahu isi (tofu filled with vegetable fritter), Indonesian style Soto chicken soup, Lontong, Korean pancakes, muesli, Bhutanese dishes (ema datshi, kewa datshi, dhall), and so on. 

Indonesian Tahu Isi (Tofu filled with veg fritter)

I do not intend to brag here but like I mentioned earlier, I cook things that I love eating, and I have too many food that I love hahaha.... :D

Homecooked Swiss Rosti :)

You might have heard too that Singapore was the world's most expensive country in 2019, and therefore, to eat in restaurant, you would need to get ready to pay a lot of money.

Homecooked Korean veg pancake - perfect with Soju :)

In order to taste the similar food but paying less, many times I decided to prepare it myself at home. 

Healthy chicken wrap with Salsa and fries :)

Usually first, I would find how to make it from YouTube videos. I would usually watch at least 3 different posts before deciding which one to follow and to find better tips in more crispy results, or simpler way and ingredients used. 

Homemade green bean popsicles :)

Many food I tried it first time, like the first photo you see in this blog post - Sweet potato balls. And yes, I love making easy dessert too to be eaten after meal or during tea / coffee break :)

Pancake with banana and ice cream :)

The above pancake was made based on my mother's recipe. I modified it by adding banana and Milo powder inside, and topped it with ice cream. It was perfect to have it during tea break. 

Korean noodle for cooling days :D

Recently it rains almost daily. The weather makes Singapore so cool and nice. The Korean drama made me wanting to eat something hot and spicy, and the above was simply perfect!!! Kimchi and dumplings were extra ingredients!!! Hahaha.... :P

My friend already warned me of gaining weight. Lol!!! Thank you for your reminder :D I shall bear it in  mind. 

Dalgona coffee with brown sugar and sea salt flavoured milk

Last but not the least, finally I made the trendy Dalgona coffee too :) The ingredients are simple: coffee powder, sugar and milk. Mixed 2 Tsp of coffee powder, 2 Tsp of sugar, and 2 Tsp of hot water. Mixed it in a bowl using whisk. Stir it non-stop until it is thicken and colour changed to light brown colour (approximately 8 mins). Prepare 2 glass of milk (either cold or hot - to your liking). Fill in the coffee foam on top of the milk and voila!!! Enjoy your Dalgona coffee!!! :)

I may only an amateur cook, but I enjoy cooking because I know my loved ones will enjoy eating it and I just do my best to make it edible and nice. Do not forget to put in the most ingredients in every thing you prepare, which is LOVE :)

Phase 2 - Starting 19th June 2020

Phase 2 - What you need to know (Pic source: Mothership.sg)

C'est enfin là!!! It is finally here.... Phase 2 (safe transition) has been started since yesterday in Singapore. You can find more information about what we can and cannot do during this period from the attached pictures (above and below).

First of all, yes, more people are allowed to meet and go outside together in a group, also to visit household (max. 5 people). One-metre safe distancing measure is a must anytime anywhere you go, both between individuals and groups. 

Wearing mask remains compulsory for this period of time as the opening up does not necessarily mean that the country has been free from Corona virus. It is mostly done due to the economy reason only (shop close --> no job --> no income --> higher employment rate --> higher crime rate/ depression/ suicide, etc.)

What can we do in Phase 2 (Pic source: Mothership.sg)

The most exciting part of the Phase 2 that most people was waiting for was that the retail shops and F&B outlets could reopen for shopping and even dining-in (takeaway and delivery are still recommended though). Bubble tea shops were allowed to open too!!! :)

This excitement could even be seen starting from 19th June midnight, where group of people immediately gathered at the prata joint or neighborhood coffee shops together with friends and/ or family members and had their late supper. 

Me too, excited to dine-in at coffee shop :P

Everyone from any ages was exciting and missing even just to sit down at the coffee shops. The feelings were indescribable, especially for Singaporeans. Sitting down and smoking (in smoking seating area), sipping the local brewed coffee or tea during daytime, drinking their favorite beer (ordering in bucket) with group of friends at nighttime, chilling out, eating delicious local dishes, and feeling the breeze or cool wind (especially in rainy season like now) were definitely parts of most Singaporean's way of living. Simple things in life that most of us took it for granted.

Many gathered at restaurants and bars too starting Friday night despite the liquor sales and consumption have to cease at 10.30 pm, plus live music, television and video screenings will not be allowed in all F&B outlets. Nightspot at Holland Village was very crowded and spotted with many long queue to enter the F&B establishments.

Long queue at Waterway Point to enter the mall at about 2 pm - 19th June 2020

Shopping mall had more visitors too starting yesterday, as more retail shops had been opened. Scanning bar-code or Identification Card to trace your visit plus body temperature check are still a must activity before entering the shops and malls.

The additional part is the limitation capacity for the number of people that are allowed to be roaming inside the mall. That is why you can expect long queue outside the mall and even some popular shops, e.g. Daiso, ZARA, IKEA, Popular Bookshop, etc. 

Queue to enter Daiso inside Waterway Point at 12.30 pm - 19th June 2020

If you need to go down to mall to buy your necessary items, please avoid the peak period (weekends and after school over). Otherwise you make sure you have enough energy for queuing (to enter and even to pay what you buy). It might take longer than you expected.

What we cannot do in Phase 2 (Pic source: Mothership.sg)

The above activities are still not allowed to do now as it shows opportunities for large clusters to form in community. So, many people can still continue watching their favorite movies and drama online, singing karaoke, praying, and listening religious teachings from home. 

The phase 2 may carry on for months and we have to learn to be patience until the phase 3 (the final phase) or the new normal begins. 

Let us be grateful that we have been blessed with everything that we have now (be it health, food, place to stay, etc.) and stay vigilant towards what exists around us. Be considerate to people whom we stay with and meet up with and take responsible of our own health being. May the above bless us always!!! :)

I am my everything

Yes, I am (IG: rimareyka.writes)

Well, it sounds selfish, isn't it? 

I asked hubby last night, "What is your everything in life?"

He immediately said, "My family."

Then I told him, "No, you have to answer, 'I am my everything.'"

He was puzzled, pondered, and then replied, "But that sounds very selfish."

His face still showed his disagreement with what I said earlier and seemed he still could not digest it well.

Well, I didn't blame him. Many people would also think the same and put everything else above, i.e. boyfriend/ girlfriend, family, career, money, etc., except themselves, as the most important thing in their lives. 

Don't misunderstand though. I reached the realization upon it after watching the Korean drama - Avengers Social Club. 

Avengers Social Club (Pic source: Google.com)

One of the members, the richest lady (the one sat in the middle at the above picture), had been living her life in accordance to her family's plans and fulfilled their wishes like a puppet, which included marrying a husband she never loved for over 10 years.

Her husband had secretly converted her inheritance properties to fall under his names and taken control of it for his own benefits. He even took in his illegitimate son (from previous fling), whom he found out only 18 years later, to live together at the house, as he would be the perfect bait to continue and inherit the father's future inheritance (in Korea they usually regard their son to get the main inheritance instead of daughter).

She too, was illegitimate daughter in the family. Her elder sister from different mother never wanted to be called 'sister' by her and always made her life difficult. 

Love yourself first, and it is not selfish (Pic source: Google.com)

At the end, after doing much efforts with the help of Avengers Social Club members, she managed to revenge to his greedy husband, and also divorce with him. She also made the deal with her 'sister', asking her sister to support her in removing her hubby's General Manager position from the company (to make him powerless and penniless). In return, she had to give her sister, her part of company's share, and it left her with no power in the family's business. 

Her sister was wondering why she was willing to do that as usually the share was worth power and wealth in society and life. 

She answered calmly, "For you, this company is everything in your life. But for me, I am my everything in life."

You deserved it all (Pic source: Google.com)

She finally gained her freedom to live the life she wanted, with no pressure, no forcing, not being puppet of someone else's plans, and for her, it was something much more valuable than the value of company's share that she had given up. 

Afterwards, she left house and travelled to every places she wanted to go, lived the life she wanted to live, and be happy :)

Rainbow on the Last Day of CCB in Singapore

Rainbow on the last day of CCB

Today - 1st of June 2020 - is the last day of the implementation of Coronavirus Circuit Breaker or CCB in Singapore. It does not mean that Coronavirus has gone from Singapore. It is still here and today's cases are still numbering so high, at 408, but no new community infection is recorded (it is the first time after more than 3 months - what a good news!). And tomorrow, we are going to enter to the new phase, called Phase 1 (as mentioned in earlier post and you can find more details there).

Rainbow comes after the rain (Rainbow in Singapore 1st June 2020)

In this post I just want to share my excitement with the rainbow photos that were taken this evening from my house's balcony, the first time I saw since I have moved here for more than 8 years (perhaps it happened so many times before but I was not around or did not notice though, hahaha..).

Thank you for appearing today <3<3<3

Nevertheless, I still believe that rainbow symbolizes the good luck, providing us with new hopes and motivation, wherever it is. The weather in Singapore for the next few days is going to be cloudy and rain, which means we have more chance to find the rainbow as well. Hehehe... *finger crossed. 

Hope these pictures can brighten your days despite many of us will still take precautions by staying at home more and only go out when necessary to prevent further unexpected Coronavirus spreading in the country.

It is all temporary (be it good or bad) (Instagram: rimareyka.writes)

Remember that it is not over yet. We still have to stay vigilant and always remember to treasure our health, as we have already known that the health is the greatest wealth that human beings can ever get and let us treasure this gift of life by treating our body and mind the best we can. 

May all sentient beings be happy and healthy, free from suffering and the cause of suffering, life full of peace and joy. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu.