Singapore is known as a garden city. There's no wonder the small - city state boasts of lush greenery and rich nature reserves. The choice of gardens and parks is endless. Whatever you feel like doing, be it a family outing, picnic with friends or just a relaxing stroll, there is a perfect place for that. Most parks in the country are equipped with playgrounds, open fields, biking and jogging tracks, fitness stations and many more. We visited some and I was delighted to see how the parks were kept clean and well maintained. We particularly liked the fitness corner where one can actually use all the equipment for free. There's even a guide on how to perform a warm up / cool down exercise properly.

The infamous Orchard Road was our home for two weeks before we found a place somewhere in Choa Chu Kang North. Orchard road is the most popular shopping haven in Singapore. It's a long strip of shopping centers, food and business establishments. Among the many things that we liked frequenting here is the S$1 Ice Cream Cart. Personally, I developed a liking for the ice cream - wafer sandwich. Durian is simply awesome! There is nothing so sophisticated about the taste of this popular ice cream. But the flavor actually delivers and the mouthfeel is just right. For something that costs only a dollar, this is quite worth it.

Orchard road being the heart of the city is always flocked with people. For a much comfortable walk, we often times opt for an early morning or late night visit. Unless we intend to do some serious shopping we actually veer away from this area. For now I can attest, there's absolutely much more than just Orchard road in Singapore. But anyhow, among my favorites here are 313 Somerset (being the newest shopping mall in the street, it got the cleanest Food Republic as well), Ion (for the food hall that houses a wide array of international cuisines), Plaza Singapura (for it's good mix of retailers and merchandise), Wheelock Place (for its relatively big bookstore - Borders) and Ngee Ann City (for the renowned brands it carries other than that it remains to be the largest shopping mall in Orchard).

It's been more than a month since we relocated to Singapore. Until today, I can't say that we have completely settled. Not yet, but we're certainly on our way there. The kids are getting by so well. As for me, I would say I am adjusting more to Singapore life than work in general. In as far as my career is concerned, I am happy to be back to my comfort zone. I did miss the customary taste and aroma of savoury. My olfactory senses are once again waiting to be challenged. I am truly back home but in one way or another I am absolutely not.

After roaming around Singapore’s rich natural reserve, it’s the city sights that we wandered the next days. First off is the now famous Singapore Flyer. With the construction of the flyer, the country has a new towering landmark next to Merlion. It is currently considered the largest observation wheel in the world; even larger than London Eye. It has a total of 28 air-conditioned capsules that serve as the observation decks. As soon as you get into the capsule, you will be taken into a half an hour tour of the city and its fascinating history. A free radio will be given to the guest and you just have to follow the voice prompt for the narration. No city cab driver is needed to know the bits and pieces of the country. It’s a no-sweat kind of sight-see, truly enjoyable.

The increasingly becoming popular Hippo Tour. We were not able to try this one, but will definitely look forward to it when we get back on January.

During this time of the year, Orchard Road truly enchants with the vibrant holiday decors and lights. We enjoyed numerous leisure walks day and night.

We're back from our recent trip to Singapore. I must say that much has changed and progressed in the Lion City since the last time I visited there. To a great deal of delight, the country has a lot of new things to offer. The Singapore Flyer for instance and the Hop on Hop Off - Duck Tours were another must try experiences. What with the opening of the Universal Studios by January 2010? Indeed, Singapore never ceases to amaze its locals and tourists alike. The country definitely has always something new. That's why undoubtedly; no country is too small to dream big. I've seen this realized from everywhere I've looked in Singapore. But before we can have a taste of any of their new offerings, we feasted on what's available at the moment. So for this photo essay of our Singapore Trip, I tried to capture those that we considered are must haves and a pleasure to do.

The first in our list is the Jurong Bird Park. It’s a large habitat for a varied population of aviary. It is the best place to indulge into the colorful world of birds. We enjoyed in high heavens the bird show which is usually slated at 11 in the morning. This is the highlight of the visit. Hence, it's a must that you catch this one when you visit the park. I was taken back in childhood time and it sure was a feel good experience to have.

Next in the list is Singapore Zoo. It is home to a wide array of animals. Wild or tame, name it they have it. We underestimated its vastness so make sure you are armed with a good stamina and highly conditioned feet to do the trails.

Night Safari is being claimed as the first and only in the world. For such a big claim, it makes this attraction a must do when you visit Singapore. No visit to Singapore is complete without having been terrified and enthused at the same time by the Creatures of the Night Show. This animal tour is one good example of a uniquely Singapore experience.

We're currently vacationing in Singapore. The past 2 days were spent roaming around popular destinations such as Jurong Bird Park, Zoological Garden and Singapore Flyer. The weather is a bit exhausting here. It's hot and humid in the morning then light to heavy rains pour in the afternoon. Hence, it makes it more difficult to sight see especially when you have kids around. Nonetheless, we have to maximize our stay and appreciate the city since it'll soon be the "new home" for us. Here are some photos we can share for now. I'll make the complete post about this trip when we get back. Ciao... (off to Orchard Road).

I noticed that my home page has been well graced by pasta/noodle dishes these past few days. Despite that, I am adding another one today. Certainly because it's Presto Pasta Night (PPN) again! This recipe I'm sharing with PPN is a spin-off recipe of my favorite meat shop - Monterey's Roast Beef Pasta which they featured in their latest "Beef Up Your Meals - Mini Magazine". They usually have this mini magazine in their store which shoppers can get for free. Everytime I do my shopping in the branch nearest to our place, I always look forward for new copies of the magazine. For time-strapped moms like me, it's a delight to have cooking kits like this which can make your weekly menu planning stress-free. It gives me quick ideas and inspirations to stir up in my own kitchen. This is exactly what happened with this Pasta Recipe. I modified it according to what my pantry has to offer. Gladly, the taste did not disappoint.

What you need: 250g linguine cooked according to package directions, 250 g ground beef, salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 cup butter (for sauteing) + another 1/4 (for the sauce), 1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1 pc red bell pepper (diced), 2 cups beef broth (2 cups pasta water reserve + 2 beef broth cubes), 2 tsp Knorr liquid seasoning (original flavor)

How to make: Cook the linguine according to package directions, set aside including 2 cups of pasta water reserve. Dissolve beef broth cubes in the pasta water and set aside. Melt butter in a heated pan, add ground beef, season with salt and pepper, saute until beef is browned and tender. Set aside. Melt the other serving of butter, whisk in all purpose flour, add in red bell pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add in the prepared beef broth then simmer until slightly thickened. Add in the sauted beef and liquid seasoning. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes with occasional stirring. Pour over the cooked pasta and serve.

This week's pasta bloggers' event is being hosted by the Pasta Queen herself -Ruth Daniels of Once Upon a Feast.

It seemed like it was only yesterday that we were unpacking and loading new things to a new place, in a new home. Back in 2008 we decided to move in to a new location for the kids to have bigger roaming space and cleaner ambiance. I even made a post about our new-found home here. Lo and behold! Surprise of all the surprises, it never did occur to me that we will be passing through the same experience again at the same time of the year. Only, 2009 speaks of much height. We are moving to a new country!

I’ve been in deep thoughts these past few days and weeks. I’ve been trying so hard to discern the decision that we have just made. It’s going to be life changing for sure. But there’s no doubt in my mind and in my heart that it’s where I would like us to be. So in January 2010 we are definitely moving LAH!

For the second time around, we will be welcoming the New Year in a new place. There are just too many to prepare and arrange - house hunting, school search, culture to learn, rules to know and so on and so forth. How does one really prepare to relocate, much more to a foreign land?! This is the challenge my family is about to take. For those who have been through the same road before, your thoughts and suggestions would be very much welcome.

For now, we will take a quick plunge unto our new environment. The pre-scheduled visit to HK with the kids will again take a back seat for now. Zoos and Botanical gardens will be the must visit spots next month over the happiest place on earth. It still is a mixed feeling at the moment. To my dear readers, in 60 days, Our Taste of Life will be evolving to Our Taste of Life in Singapore. Join us as we embark on new beginnings in our lives. I hope to be still journeying with you as we take on new discoveries and ultimately have a new TASTE of LIFE, the Singapore way!