Sentosa Buskers Festival 2013

ABBEY: Sentosa Buskers Festival 2013 exhibited many of the local artists' talents. Our first stop is with Dharni and K-Leah. We have seen the performance of Dharni in Singapore Night Festival and his beatboxing is great. Matched it with the husky voice of K-Leah and it was superb.  

After the acapella we went to see the string duo, Off Beaters. This kids really plays their instruments well. I liked it when they play Bruno Mars' Hey Soul Sister. They can improve their show if they would interact with their audience. 

We also got a photo shoot session with Sentosa Buskers Festival mascot. Last stop is Tribal Ninjas. Hands up to these artists especially with their fire acts. The show must go on even its windy causing the fire to touch their skins. I got also a chance to pose with The Leaning Man. We're hoping to see more of the world-class talents on the next festival.

WILL: Its Sentosa's 4th year in busking! Time flew so fast, isn't? This is a new for all of the attendees as they invite their local artists to perform at the stages of Sentosa, they were located at Merlion Pitch, Bell Pitch, iFly Ground, and to cut it short, they were all over the island. 

      On my observation, more audience actually went there to checkout the performances despite grey clouds engulfed the city-state.

      First we checkout the program so we can plan our visit. We listened first to Dharni and K-Leah, amazing voice accompanied by beatbox. Then we stopped to amaze ourselves with Off Beaters. Hey, I also attended the meet and greet the Buskers Mascot. 4th stop was the nice duo that played fire, well done tribal ninjas. To stop our grumbling stomach, we ended our visit with The Leaning Man. 

      That was a great break on a very hectic and pressured working environment. 

      I wish that the local performers will practice more on how to communicate with their audiences. 

      As usual, I am looking forward on 2014 Buskers line up. :) thanks Sentosa for this free event and helping a charity through our island entrance fee.

Singapore Night Festival 2013 (Bras Basah.Bugis)

ABBEY: This is the second year that we attended Singapore Night Festival. This was held along City Hall until Dhoby Ghaut. Art installations and performance were exhibited. We participated in one of the interactive light display by drawing on a led wall which will be activated by a wet sponge. 

But the main stage is at the National Museum. Again, all entance fees on  the galleries were free. Princely Treasures showed portrait and landscape paintings of oil, graphite and other mediums and canvases. At the facade of the museum Vertical Extractions defy the gravity by doing acrobatic stunts in midair. Starlight showed dancing skills with fire as the attraction. 

Armenian street was also closed for street performers and concerts. However, Perenakan Museum didn't hold any shows as it is under renovation but other galleries were open though. 

In my opinion last year's festival is better.

WILL: This is our second time to attend the Singapore's Night Festival and this is bigger and many attended this unlike before. The festive stretched up to Plaza Singapura and City Hall MRT but we focus ourselves more in the National Museum Galleries and its performers.
      After Abbey's office, we walked from Suntec City to Raffles Place to experience to write on something at their water light graffiti. You can see what Abbey wrote on photo above, ha! A lot of walking is a must to any of Singapore festivals so wear your most comfortable shoes or sandals. 
      From City Hall, we paved our way to National Museum. Absolute Vodka Canvass was open for public. We took the chance that everyone was watching performance of Circus Swingapore when we slipped through a thick crowd then entered the Princely Treasured Gallery. 
      8:00 we positioned ourselves to watch the Vertical Extraction and Pyramid of Void but we are too late to have a good spot to see Starlight Alchemy. 
      After those performances, we visited Armenian Street. We entered the Peranakan Museum but decided to stop the tour. 
      Its almost 10pm and we decided to hail bus 7. That was a tiring night. We ate bit too late. Next time we should be there from 6pm ;)
      See you guys on Singapore Night Festival 2014! 

Meet Up and Cashflow Game

ABBEY: Wilma and I decided to learn more about handling our finances. We believe that we have to be good stewards with the blessings that God is giving to us. 

Here we meet like-minded people who wants to enrich their financial literacy and eventually become financially independent. 

The attendees were less than 10 but we had fun sharing our ideas, tips on investment and calculating the money you have left after spending most of it on a yacht for a "doodad" :)) We indulged in sisig-style tofu and pork ribs and chicken barbecue. It was a day full of FREE learning. 

Yes, playing cashflow game is free here :) Until next time!

WILL: I know Robert Kiyosaki's game board named Cashflow and just recently Abbey and I play these board through e-game. Abbey always won almost each round bit we are still craving to play the real one with real people.
      Cashflow game is a real fun while learning how to attack the different situation that may occur in real life. Here you can see who is the risk takers and who are very conservative in investing. 
  

BELVEDERE MIX (ft. Belvedere Pink Grapefruit) - 2nd Social Cocktail Soirée

ABBEY: I already said in our past blogs that I'm not a drinker; neither occasional nor habitual. I just don't like the after taste of it. But Belvedere Vodka somehow gave me a different view on liquors. We were invited at their 2nd Social Cocktail Party which was held at The Vault along Chinatown. 

The party is unique in a sense that you have to mingle to get your desired concoction. Every guest will be given a pink band which was assigned a particular ingredient of a drink. You must look for other ingredients of the drink of your choice. Once found you will go to the bar and they will mix it for you. Not only will have your vodka but also new acquaintances. Clever, right? 

Top 4 mixers and mixes were shown in a wide screen on the hall. The most favourite that night is the Pink Grapefruit Cosmo. And the females beat the males for the number of drinks made. The party was a sure fun.

WILL: First of all, thank you to Belvedere Mix not only for the tickets but for teaching me how to mingle with others in a party. When I go to club, I usually sit in a corner, watching the people around while sipping my drinks.

     I am fond of vodka and concoction drinks and before my drool drips, Abbey and I found another couple looking for 2 more people to get a drink! Pink Grapefruit Cosmo is a hot hot drink that night and I fell in love with it.

     As the sun came down, more and more people were getting along with each other. Sharing tables and seats, exchanging smiles and sometimes asking me and Abbey if we can go to the counter to try the other mix.

     Abbey is not a drinker but that night he finished 2 glasses. So now readers, you know how good this Belvedere Pink Grapefruit tastes! 

     Again, thanks Belvedere Vodka - Singapore and The Vault for making this pink party a success! 

SpreadKindness.org - Free Kindness Cards

ABBEY: "Give and it will come back to you", "It is more blessed to give than to receive"; these are the teachings from the Bible. And as the ultimate gift that was given to us when God sent His only Son to die for our sins, we need to do our part. 

Wilma and I always look for ways to give back; be it to an acquaintance or to a stranger. Not that we want to boast but we have a sense of satisfaction when helping others. 

Spreadkindness.org has the same objective. They're doing act of kindness and hoping the recipient will pay it forward. Send them a mail thru their website and they will give you cards (size of name cards) to give to your recipients with suggestiosn on how to do a random act of kindness. 

It is uplifting to know that there are people and organization who still want to make the world a better place. Kindly join the cause :)

WILL: Do you feel so blessed and feel an extra happiness when you're giving to others some of your blessing? Do you want the people to know that you do this out of HIS abundant love unto you? If you are doing this random act of kindness, well congratulations to you! You're not alone in this run. If you are ready to spread kindness and you need some cards to encourage others to do same, SpreadKindness.org will be ready to help you on this. They are giving away some kindness cards for free and out of a good heart you can donate to them also. 

We can do this world a better place to live-in, our small ways will make a big impact to the recipient. Happy Spreading the Kindness!

Singapore's Hair for Hope 2013

ABBEY: Our company participated on the Hair for Hope drive of Children Cancer Foundation. It is my second time to join. 

Every delegate will be given a pledge card for donation and at the same time you can decide if you want to be a shavee. For every drive I became both. I raised 150sgd on the first year and a hundred more on the second. 

As my mom is a fighter of a stage 4 breast cancer, I want to show my support by joining this cause. I hope and pray that even though not sooner but someday there will be cure for it.

WILL: UBS Singapore made a bald statement again this year of 2013 in participating for Hair for Hope. UBS scheduled the shaving at their Raffles Office, and my husband and I never let the opportunity passed to show our support the fight against cancer. Hey! This is our second year!

     {Teary eyes} My mom-in-law is now at stage 4 cancer, she resides at California and this is somewhat saying "thank you" for all the organization helping her and us financially and emotionally.

     Abbey and I pledged that every year, we must do something to give back, and this is one of those. Thanks to Hair for Hope (Children's Cancer Foundation) for holding this event and thanks to all our friends that signed and give some donations! May the Almighty One blessed your kind hearts!

DBS Marina Regatta 2013

ABBEY: DBS Marina Regatta was celebrated last two weekends of May. I received an email that I was selected to have a chance to go sailing at Marina Bay. Then Wilma told me that she registered for it. It was a first for me. 

We went to Marina Promenade where DBS held booths for the visitors. They have food and drinks stall, free archery target shooting, and display of bikes made out of bamboo. They even had a make-shift stage for the concert later that evening. A large photo wall was exhibited featuring all the guests and participants of the events. 

We signed a waiver upon going sailing. We were given life jackets and briefed about the safety measures while on the boat. At first we were slow but when the wind struck the sails we picked up speed. I was afraid getting capsized when our boat tilted by 45-50 degrees. But our captain told us it would not happen as there is a weight under the boat that balances it. Still it made me nervous. 

The sailing took about 30 minutes and the experience is great. It's a good thing that the sailing club have their boats used for the event. Other water activities includes dragon boat and kayaking. The souvenirs we had are a bull cap and a fan.

WILL: DBS is one of the largest bank here in Singapore and last 25th of May we were lucky to participate on one of their activities. 

      Regatta means a series of water vessel race and DBS held those races at Marina Bay on a two weekends. 
      At 230pm, on a lovely scorching heat of the powerful sun, we are very lucky to experience to sail for free. For minutes of briefing, we were there at the sailing boat and wait for a strong wind to blew us away!
      Abbey enjoyed the breeze and the Marina Bay water's gushing against our boat, as I sat in front, I was time to time instructed by to loosen or tighten up the sail's rope, experienced added!
      DBS Marina Regatta 2013 is so successful. Thanks DBS for the archery, performers, music and binding the family through water sports!

Kindness Day SG 2013 by Singapore Kindness Movement

ABBEY: A couple of weeks back Singa the Lion, the official ambassador of Singapore Kindness Movement in spreading good deeds to people resigned. The world celebrated Kindness Day last week and Singapore held its first Kindness Day on May 31. 

Successive Kindness Days will be on every last Friday of the month of May. It drizzled that day but the show must go on. DJs from FM radio 98 hosted it enthusiastically. Individuals and organization who showed activities of goodness were awarded a token of appreciation. 

It must not be a big act for you to be noticed; in small ways we can spread kindness like smiling or greeting people you met in elevators or giving up your seat to person who needs it more. I was teary-eyed during the ceremony as these people do "ordinary" things but made an extra ordinary impact to the recipients. 

Attendees were served a cocktail for refreshment. Free cruises on Singapore river were offered. We got our goodie bag compose of a shirt, sunflower floater, paper for making sunflower origami and discount coupons. Live bands and performers rendered their arts for entertainment. 

I hope someday I'll be able to share more kindness.

WILL: Before the posting of Yahoo! News that Singapore ranks as world's emotionless society, Prime Minster Goh aims Singapore to be a gracious society and my husband and I are supporters of his advocacy. 
      We are thrilled that our work scheduled conformed with the inaugural of the Singapore's Kindness Day last 31st of May. Not only me and hubby went there but we also asked our friend to go with us and we were happy that she agreed even it is raining so hard, well rain is a blessing from above :) 
     The event started and a very inspirational message was given by Dr. William Wan and Koh Poh Tiong. Then the token of appreciation was given to the Kindred Spirit Circle...groups doing simple things to improve the lives of others not only here but also outside of this island. Their deeds and most special message of two person behind this project moved us, they are truly correct, it takes only a smile from one man will make a difference. Let's take our part to achieve the goal of this society. 
     Me? I pledge to be more happy in answering calls from our clients. You? Will you pledge for a change? 

Republic of Singapore Navy Open House /18-19 May 2013

ABBEY: After we have seen a spectacular display and show of aircrafts at the RSAF open house last 2011, we decided to attend their Navy Open House. This was last May 19 at Changi Naval Base.

After my night shift we hurried to Singapore Expo Hall 3 to ride a bus. We reached the Expo by 9 am and the queue was already at Hall 6. But the queue is moving fast. It's like your just in a walkalator :) When its our time to ride the bus, I noticed that Navy officers are putting  seals on the bus doors for every bus that is ready to go to the base. This is good security measure to ensure that all passengers of the bus passed through the checkpoints done on Expo. 

We arrived at Changi Naval base at 9:45am. We didn't waste time to strike a pose on the ships. As the sun continue to rise we cool down on one of their airconditioned-zone, the Mission zone. This tent exhibits the activities done by the Singapore Navy like peace-keeping missions, relief operations, and anti-piracy. In here also we got the chance to dress as a navy soldier with matching helmet and goggles, vest and rifle. The PA system invited all the visitors to watch the first performance of Navy on engaging on battle at sea. 

They have an equipment to locate and launch torpedo on an under the sea combat. They also showed how they communicate and operate a mission to rescue a hijacked vessel. Then at the end of the show, the submarine appeared. 

Next we went to the Heart Zone where we got our Sinagpore Navy stamps for collection. They also sell shirts and other souvenir items. We also have a couple pic courtesy of mojoideas. They also developed a game as part of the celebration, the Sea of fire. Android and iOS users can download it for free. They are also giving away souvenir badges and pens. 

Another tent houses the food and drinks carts. We got nasi lemak and chicken shawarma. We haven't got the chance to go inside the ships as the queue time is more than an hour. Given that I have not yet slept and the heat of the sun, I'll definitely collapse :) 

They also have a tent for kids wherein they can play remote-controlled boats and  target shooting games. We headed home by 1:30pm. Before riding the bus we were given bottle of water for hydration. Make sure to bring water when attending this activity and be early. By the way the event is for free.

WILL: This is why the Facebook is very useful for propagating a news, here at Republic of Singapore Navy page I saw their advertisement on their Open House 2013 event. As I was amazed with the fighter planes I saw when we went to RSAF 2011, I know my jaw dropped here too.

      I woke up 530AM and left our home 7AM, I waited for my husband to go out from office. Yes! He is from night shift and yes, he will be going with me and yes he do not have sleep! I just bought him a black coffee for some caffeine kick!

      Once we saw a queue at Singapore Expo, we immediately followed it and not more than 30minutes, we already boarded the free shuttle going to Changi Naval Base.

      Their ships are huge but do not have the guts to queue for 45minutes to go inside due to the razing heat of the sun, my husband may faint, haha.. We just took photo from outside and waited for 9:30am show.

      The Singapore Navy show-off all the skills and high-tech machines they used to defend this country 24/7. Known as the busiest port, they have a lot of duties and work to do. I am so happy that my long question of "Do Singapore have a submarine?" was answered when I saw it.

      We ate Nasi Lemak for lunch, queue for some photos together with mighty navy, then went home.

      This experience is very nice! Looking forward for another Open House! Thanks Republic of Singapore Navy for keeping us all here... SAFE!