A Frugal Way to Celebrate New Year

On the last day of each year, everybody prepare for a major celebration: Count down.

Even though a new year is approaching, that does not give us the excuse of spending a lot of money to celebrate it. We can still have fun even on a budget! Last year, we welcomed the new year by making it a potluck dinner gathering at Glenn's place, so that everyone did not have to spend too much money and we get to sample everyone's homemade creations! By hosting the gathering at one of your friends' place will also save you the hassle of going out on New Year's Eve. You know how crazily packed everywhere would be.

So, here's how we celebrated New Year with everything costing under $50!

What?! Really?!! (Sorry Esther and Hazel, this is too funny I just had to!) 

Generous portion of aglio olio prepared by Chef Lovell and his Assistant Chef Rui Xuan! Spending only about $11.30 on the ingredients, both of them whipped up 9 big plates of restaurant standard, chicken mushroom aglio olio for all of us! 

So good that the guys could not resist eating from the pan!

Tip to keep your guests occupied after dinner: Bring card games. Although this is quite a popular game, if you bring Cheena games then all you'll do is just spend the night trying to figure out what the card does. 

Chef Jia Wei prepared 7 rolls of sushi for us and with each roll serving about 20 pieces, we had a sushi feast! I only managed to eat 2 pieces of sushi though, because the guys were like hungry ghosts. Jia Wei mentioned that he used Japanese cucumber, egg, carrot, mushroom and crab stick as the main ingredients in his sushi. As much as I love my mushrooms, I preferred the egg and crab stick combination! All these for less than $20! 

Tip from Jia Wei: Buy your ingredients from Sheng Siong. They are cheaper there. 

Chef Glenn wanted to re-create his own Blackball dessert with taro balls but he made some glutinous rice balls with grass jelly instead. The grass jelly costs $2, while the glutinous rice balls were made from leftover flour from last time. Everyone agreed that it tasted better with the canned sea coconut that I brought. Hehe.       

            

I decided to contribute by getting canned longans and rambutans stuffed with pineapples because I have zero cooking talent (shame on me I know) unlike the guys. Add some ice and water, viola! You have the world's easiest dessert. Hahaha. 

Lovell very kindly got us this Mont Blanc cake from River Gauche Patisserie. Mont Blanc comes with traditional vanilla layered with smooth chestnut filling and whipped cream, finished with chestnut cream and Japanese chestnut. A really unique cake apart from the other cakes that we have tried before.

What better way to end a year, and start another one with The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Based on James Thurber's 1939 short story of the same name, this movie will surely get you thinking about what you're doing with your life.

Wishing everyone a belated happy new year!

Grub

Grub believes in using responsible ingredients and ensures that they only use the freshest and the most natural as possible. Their promise is that what they serve, they would serve it to their own families as well. You will never believe how far we walked just to get to Grub. I almost gave up but Dharshiney pushed us on and was determined to get us to that place to have dinner. Initially, I was worried that we would not be able to get a seat as they do not accept any reservations. However, I was glad we managed to reach there before the dinner crowd and got seated immediately.   

I ordered the Crispy Fish Burger ($14) while Dharshiney ordered the Pork Steak Burger ($13). I like how each table has a glass jar of artificial flowers (makes for great photo background and liven up the space) and how the food is being presented on a wooden board. I have a weakness for anything wood! 

Both of us agreed that the buns tasted sweet and are just as tasty as what was being put between them as well. I love fish and I always order fish if I see it on any menu. But, I will always have a hard time finishing the fish if it is not to my liking. So, I was really happy that the haddock that Grub used for this Crispy Fish Burger is fresh and seasoned well so much so that I finished the entire burger by myself! Of course I did gave some to Dharshiney to try, hehe. 

As for Dharshiney's Pork Steak Burger, it was a total hit. It is quite rare to find a decent pork burger here in Singapore. Most are either too dry, overcooked, and thoroughly unappetizing. Grub's take on it is the complete opposite. The pork steak packs a punch with its succulent tender goodness paired with sweet apple and chimichurri sauce. Dharshiney wiped the entire serving board clean. That's just how good it was. 

The fries tasted pretty normal though. I jokingly told Dharshiney that this is atas McDonald's. Haha.

Located in the middle of Bishan Park, it was no surprise that Grub attracts families and large group of friends. With long tables and benches, the sheltered alfresco area seems like a great space to gather all your friends for some good burgers amid the greenery. The servers were really attentive, or maybe because there wasn't too many people then. Nevertheless, it was a good service on their part.

Grub
510 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, Singapore 569983 (Bishan Park)
Weekdays: 5.30pm to 10.30pm
Weekends: 9am to 2.30pm / 5.30pm to 10.30pm
Closed on Mondays
64595743

Public Garden Flea Market

I have been a fan of Public Garden ever since I attended one of their first few flea markets at the MICA building. I like how Public Garden handpick their vendors and bring local businesses together to offer the public one-of-a-kind products. Meant to blog about their Christmas Markets before Christmas but procrastination is the mother of all blog posts. 

These badges by Small and Able accurately describes me. 

The first time Glenn saw these terrariums, it gave him an idea to make one for me because I have always wanted a terrarium in my room. Due to inexperience, the plants died while under my care. :(

This stall owner uses really unique containers and she designed the terrariums really well. She was very friendly in introducing the plants and even provided us tips to taking care of our terrariums even though we didn't buy anything from her. Terrariums make really great gift for anyone as they are very pretty and require very little maintenance. Consider terrariums the next time if you have no idea what to buy for your friends!

Pretty cakes from Little House of Dreams 

Watches from Naked Glory

Red Velvet Dessert Shots from The Sweet Movement

These cat brooches caught my eye and Glenn (being the nice boyfriend) decided to buy one for me!

Only friendly people at the Public Garden! The stall owner of My Itchyfingers kindly shared with us how she made all these cute little things by hand. Not that she would need to be afraid of people copying her because it is not easy to make one as nice as these. 

Pop by Public Garden for a nice surprise the next time they have a flea market!