Lava Queen

Traveling has always been one of my (and my hubby's) passions; love to see the different cultures, architectures, sceneries, people, food etc, and my hubby loves photography. T o me, travel is a journey, be it long or short, near or far, to somewhere that is new, which makes me sit up and take notice.  My hubby and I used to travel overseas quite a bit before our baby princess came along. We took a break from this when we found out I was pregnant - only went for a few short local trips during the whole pregnancy and when she was still an infant. When she turned 1, we decided that it was about time to share  this passion for the world with her, but at the same time, we were consumed with hearsay: "Life will change beyond all recognition once you have a baby ” and that we would no longer be able to travel independently and freely. My take: Don't listen to naysayers.  Picture taken from realmumreview.com Of course, traveling with a baby/toddler, especially when an ...

Mee hoon kuey (hand-torn noodle) used to be very popular in most Chinese homes. I still remember eating this when I was a kid. Most people these days call it Pan Mee, and since ready made Pan Mee is easily available at supermarkets and restaurants, fewer families cook this noodle at home. However, authentic mee hoon kuey are torn into pieces by hand and the texture is different from Pan Mee, which are usually rolled by machines. It's not springy as no alkaline water was added to it. Ingredients: 100-120g all purpose flour 40g steamed purple carrot, mashed 1/2 an egg, lightly beaten and mixed with 1 tbsp of coconut oil Water  Put 100g flour in a bowl and make a well in the middle.   Add in the egg mixture and mashed purple carrot. Mix well. Mix well and knead into a dough. Slowly knead the flour mixture into a dough, adding water gradually until it forms a soft dough (or add the remaining flour if it gets too wet). Cover and let it rest for a...

Mom v Dad. It is said that women are from Venus and men are from Mars because there is an incredible difference in the mindset of men and women; it's almost as if they came from two separate distinct planets. The differences between being a Mommy and being a Daddy can be pretty obvious. In fact, moms and dads usually have a totally different style of taking care or raising their kids.  For example:  1. MEALTIMES. I'm hungry! Mommy: Carefully select a type of grain, a root vegetable, a green leafy vegetable and a type of meat. Boil a porridge with balanced nutrition and also good in taste.  Plan, prepare and cook LO's meals so he/she can eat at proper times. When food arrives, strap LO into the high chair and cut up food into smaller pieces for LO, before touching her own food. Daddy:  Rice? Checked! Veggie? Checked! Meat? Checked! Fruit? Checked! All into one pot = a balanced and healthy meal. Awesome! Watch TV/browse the internet/p...

Bonjour de Paris! Paris, the capital and most populous city of France, is often called the city of love. Most Parisians would argue that that's one of the most stupid appellation for the city and it's not the most romantic place in the world, nor the worst. My take is: You have to go there to really understand it. Paris is indeed the perfect setting for a romantic moment. Its beauty strikes you at every corner - elegant yet impressive architectures, the legends that stick to its iconic monuments, and the subtle combination of art, history and nature. More than any other city that I know of, Paris is a city that encourages you to take your time and enjoy life. Before we set foot in this city, we heard plenty of stories about how snobbish and unfriendly the Parisians were, how they wouldn't answer you in English though they knew the language, how dirty the city was with dogs' poop everywhere etc. But after our trip, I would say these are mostly rumors (Or perhaps we w...

Definition of mom: One person who does the work of twenty. For free. Agree? ^^ Have you ever thought of, or secretly wished that there is a 'Do-Over' Button - just press it, you'll be able to redo anything, at any time and maybe have kids later in life, or tempted to feed your child a little alcohol or drowsiness inducing drug, just to get some peace? Well, just so you know, you are not alone!  Every mom loves her children very much and wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. Still, nothing being a mom is easy. It's enjoyable, but definitely not easy. And to make things worse, people around you try to step in, put their two cents worth in and pinpoint your mistakes. Hey, mothers are humans too and nobody's perfect, remember?? M om bullies are the worst! Here are some honest confessions by moms around me, including myself: When you are trying to embark on your breastfeeding journey, the milk hasn't kicked in yet and your baby is crying....

After all the hoo-has and nearly missing the train, we managed to arrive at Zurich HB station in one piece :D. From the station, we made our way to Anne's house located at a quiet and peaceful area in  Stüdliweg   - our first ever AirBnB experience! I was kinda skeptical about the idea of staying with a complete stranger, but at the same time, I thought it would be interesting to feel and experience the city like a local. Anne sounded like quite a nice person when we corresponded via emails, so I felt more comfortable to go ahead and book her place. Her little 2-room apartment was on the ground floor. My first impression of her was she's pretty! And she even bought us a day pass; train, bus or tram - one ticket covers all of them,  as a welcome gift. Aww, so sweet!  First word that came to my mind when we reached the city? ASTONISHINGLY BEAUTIFUL! Ok, that's 2 words :P Oh well. The buildings, the streets, the trees, and of course the shimmering Lake Zurich ...