The Queen and Mangosteen @Vivocity

The Queen and Mangosteen
#01-106/107 Vivocity 1
Habourfront Walk
Singapore 098585
Lift Lobby E or F

http://www.queenandmangosteen.com/

Good view of Sentosa and a very cosy European-ish feel.
I chose this place for his birthday.

Calling themselves the 'Gourmet British Pub', we were excited about the Gourmet that they'd be dishing out,
and of course, the Beers.

Pimm's and Lemonade

A cocktail mixed with lemonade, mint, cucumber (ya, the veg cucumber!), orange and strawberry.
The glass was mixed with so many fruity cubes and greens.
Wen said it looked as if they were ‘leftovers’ and somebody merely dumped them all in!
I thought they looked unique and the taste was indeed refreshing as promised on the menu!

They have a wide selection of Beers and cocktails, you wont be disappointed.
Wen had the Irish Ale, I found it bitter.
Then again, all beers taste bitter to me.

We decided to order some starters as we admire the view of Sentosa and the cable cars while the Sun began to set. I heard great raves about the hot wings but thought that was common.
We were delighted with our choice.

Lamb kofta meatballs with warm pita bread

The stew was so good that we cleaned up the entire bowl without any stain left!

Then came the main course.

Mini kobe beef burgers with chips and fresh Greens

I love the presentation of this dish!
Soft bread on juicy and thick beef patties...
They might look mini, but after just 2 burgers, I was already very full!

Pan Seared Fillet of Snapper served with risotto, fine beans, and chili crab sauce

Healthy choice, this fillet was smooth. I was surprised to see chili crab sauce in the menu and was even so when it tasted just as how we locals knew it to be. Risotto is a class of Italian dishes of rice cooked in broth to a creamy consistency. I didn't quite like this as it felt a bit too heavy. I would have preferred rosti*. Rösti is a Swiss dish consisting mainly of potatoes.

We took time to enjoy our drinks and got lured into the dreamy candle lights.
A perfect ending to our night.

@Singapore Zoo - His First Visit after a long long time.....

His Top 10 Shots!

Giant Tortoise

Ring-tailed Lemur

Fruit Bat

Jaguar
Cheetah has black spots, Leopard has black rings called 'rosettes';
Jaguar has rosettes with a black dot in the middle.

White Tiger

Hamadryas Baboon

Saki Monkey

African Penguins
A flightless bird found off the coast of southern Africa.
Their distinctive black and white colouring is a vital form of camouflage–white for underwater predators looking upwards and black for predators looking down onto the dark water.

Giraffe

Free-ranging Orangutans

Unfinished Business

I am currently reading Unfinished Business by Lee Kravitz.

Just the title itself is enough to set my emotional thoughts at work.

(Extracted from the Web)

There are so many things we got to do.
We need to grow, we need to engage, we need to rest.
Every day of our lives, time is ticking away.

We find ourselves growing older, wiser and yet, some of us still behave and do things as if nothing has changed. Babies know when they need to learn to flip, when they need to start bending their knees to crawl, and when they’re able to lift themselves up and start to walk. There is a smooth progression path that babies know instinctively.
But why, do adults stop knowing what they need to do or progress towards?
Adults can stay in a same job for years and do the same thing for years, everyday leading their lives as if their sole purpose in life is to keep doing what they know best.
They do not know what else they can do with their lives.
I got tired.
~
Every phase in our lives, we meet new people.
People come and go.
Some stay for long as lifelong partners, some stay for a short while and left, some are mere acquaintances and there are those who leave a significant mark in our lives.

I’ve made several incredible friends along the way.
We’ve experienced fun and laughter, shared life chapters, embarked on adventures, my life would never have been this colourful if not for them.
Thank You.
Some may be somehow neglected along the way as we moved on and focus on other priorities in our daily business, but they are never forgotten.

Reminiscing those memories at times made me smile.
Everything in one's life - every person and experience - is part of everything else. - Lee
~
Every time we feel tired, we feel like giving up.
We sleep. We stop. We retire.
But, just what do we do after that?
Hopefully we can think of something better to do, that is.

I received an interesting email article on retirement which questioned the fundamental paradox of man.
We do not know what we want to do after we stop doing what we’re tired of.
Most would answer that they would want to travel around the world when they retire. However, that would take 3 months, or perhaps a year (like Wen!). And, what’s after that? Idle…?
Not enough time, too much energy.
Not enough energy, too much time!
Retirement plan is important (not selling any policies here!) and the article suggests planning for this at a very young age. I think it’s a good idea. Whether we drop dead tomorrow or not, it doesn’t matter. Planning sets your mind with a goal, and something positive gives you something to look forward to.

I am planning.
~
The best portion of a good man's life: the little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness & of love – Lee

Hai Tien Lo - Pan Pacific Singapore

Hai Tien Lo - Singapore (海天楼)
Pan Pacific Singapore 7 Raffles Boulevard
Buffet Brunch from 11.30am - 2.30pm
Adult - S$52.00++

After months of battling a weak constitution, we decided that it was time to bring Ah Gong out for a walk, and of course, to be treated to a good meal.

The lift from the hotel lobby took us up 37 storey to where Hai Tien Lo is. Being one of the few lifts in Singapore that was built outwards, the view up was stunning.

We were greeted at the entrance of Hai Tien Lo, and was then led to a roundabout to our table. This place is designed in such a way that it forms a circle, and every table will be able to get a panoramic view of the landscapes.
We reserved for 9 pax and when the room door opened, I gasped. The view was absolutely beautiful! We had the full view of Marina Bay Sands, and also the Singapore Flyer. Sky was blue and the whole atmosphere took our breath away.


Ah Gong - glad that he was enjoying the view... :)

We were served Pu-er rose tea, a refreshing change from the usual Pu-er.
I like the subtle taste and rose aroma.

Next came the food that we ordered and they were served rather efficiently.
Every dish was awesome and of very good quality.
Shark Fin's Soup

Mini Buddha Jump over the Wall

Assorted Cold Dishes

Beancurd - For Grandpa

Vegetables with Clams

Beef

Ostrich Meat
It tasted somewhat similar to deer meat though... I couldn't tell any difference.
It was soft and tender.

Dim Sums

Prawn Dumplings

Fried Dumplings

Chee Cheong Fun with X.O. sauce
(Rice noodles roll)

Shishamo
A Japanese smelt (saltwater fish), the females were picked for their egg sacs.
This was one of the best Shishamo I have ever tasted. The shishamo was huge and full of eggs.

Boiled prawns

Deep fried Prawn Wasabi Mayonnaise
This was my favourite dish!
It's a must try!

Then came dessert time
We headed to a prepared station where we could choose from a variety.
There were beancurd white fungus, cakes, fruits, tarts and mooncakes, etc.

The little ones couldn't get their eyes off the big plate of colourful fruits.
But what really kept them quiet at the table was the cakes.

Wen loved this cup of jelly. He had 3 cups!
I am not too sure what it was, but it tasted like Osmanthus.
I was not too keen though, was quite an acquired taste.

Touted as one of the best Chinese restaurant, Hai Tien Lo totally deserved the honour, in terms of the taste, style and presentation.
Unfortunately, there was a miss.
This place is not handicap friendly, at all.
From the carpark to Pan Pacific lobby, we could only find an escalator and we were told by the front reception that there was no lift! Weird.
We didn't bother to search for the lift and had to make Ah Gong stand in order to fold his wheelchair up the narrow escalator. (Escalator was too small for wheelchair too!)
We learned that we should have just dropped him at the lobby beforehand.
Worse was when my grandpa needed the toilet.
You need to walk down a flight of stairs (prob 15-20 steps) before you reach the bathroom.
Either that, or we had to choose to wheel him to Level 1 lobby. Crazy.
Poor Ah Gong, he made his way down the difficult steps, with the help of 4 men
(dad, bro, BIL, wen).

Pity I had to give a minus to Hai Tien Lo for this, otherwise it would have earned a five star status just like the Hotel.