Footwear in the sand, By the 15-km shoreline, East Coast Park, Singapore
BRENDA & DARRYL are one of the five couples I’m really close to. They share a lot of their interests, themselves and their home with their friends. And Brenda, in true Barefoot Contessa fashion, whips up meals that are so good they could only be cooked with love. Whether whipped up in minutes or really slaved about over a hot stove, her cooking has always been superb. I would raise my feet if only to let her know that meals at their place have always deserved more than my two thumbs up.
The requisite wacky shot at our Mexcian Christmas Party at Brenda and Darryl's place.
I still have vivid recollections of the Mexican Christmas Party we had at their Singapore home. She rolled out a spread that appealed to the shameless recipe requester in me. I just had to learn how to make her Mexican Rice (I’ve a feeling this is her original, based on her understanding of what Mexican flavors are), Pan-grilled Pork served with freshly made Pineapple Salsa, and Chicken Fajitas. For dessert, she made Churros con Chocolate, spiking the chocolate with a little chilli, making it oh so wicked and oh so Jacques Torres.
Darryl and Brenda
The Mexican spread – Tacos with the works (tomatoes, onions, lettuce, jalapeno) by Vel; Fresh Salad by Kwai Han; Mexican Rice, Chicken Fajitas, and Pan-grilled Pork with fresh Pineapple Salsa by Brenda; Almondigas by Vel, Brenda, and eNTeNG; Fresh Tomato Salsa by eNTeNG.
Mexican Rice
Chicken Fajitas
Pan-Grilled Pork
Fresh Pineapple Salsa
The pan-grilled pork, topped with the fresh pineapple salsa.
The tacos had the "works" – diced tomatoes, onions, shredded lettuce, and jalapeno peppers.
Fresh Salad
Fresh Tomato Salsa
The churros got a dusting of confectioner's sugar before being served.
It was paired with wickedly good chocolate.
Churros con Chocolate can put you in the holiday spirit!
Yesterday, a Saturday, they organized a day of recreation at East Coast Park. The original plan said we would have breakfast at Old Town White Coffee, the one at Playground @ Big Splash, and then we would have the whole day to “unwind.” It was the unwind part that I was so breathless in anticipation of. There are just weeks when you just wish there would be a time to exhale.
I shall now refer to Old Town as the most leisurely luxurious meal of the non-fastfood, non-hawker kind that can be had here in Singapore. It rings true to their trademarked tag line at the back of their receipt, “take your time™”. I had the Old Town Soup Egg Noodles, Kaya & Butter Steam Bread, a Basket of Sausages, and a cup of Hot Mocha White Coffee. The egg noodles were swimming in a most flavorful broth, almost with the hint of the sweetness of corn. I fell in love with the bread, so delicate and tender after being steamed.
The gang at Old Town White Coffee, Playground @ Big Splash, East Coast Park, Singapore
Alvin, Jossel & Vel, and Loradel
Jossel and Vel
Brenda & Darryl, and eNTeNG
There was no doubt where we were having breakfast. The paper napkins say, "Old Town White Coffee". Here it is photographed with my and Darryl's Blackberrys, and my old, beaten, yet still trsutworthy Canon IXUS 860IS.
Soup Egg Noodles
A tight shot of my new favorite noodles. Okay, it's one of many. Haha!
A bucket of sausage
Kaya & Butter Steam Bread
Kaya & Butter
Delicious butter slathered thick on tender, delicate, really soft bread.
Hot Mocha Ipoh White Coffee
Dry Ipoh Chicken Hor Fun
Hainanese Chicken Chop Rice
Ipoh Lum Mee
Steam Rice with Mushroom and Chicken
A Kaya Toast
Two soft-boiled eggs
After a full breakfast, we rented a couple of four-seaters at the bicycle shop. I was so excited with the thought of taking in the view of the famed 15-km. shoreline that 7.5 million visitors see each year. When the ride I shared with Loradel and Alvin made it past the initial downward slope, Brenda handed me a print out of the shore line and said that we should take a photo in front of each of the land marks identified on the map. It was one of those moments that made me look up in the sky, scratch my head and say, “I didn’t see that coming!” But how could I not, when every event Brenda and Darryl have organized has some sort of surprise twist to it, or sometimes, just the best “special effects” and props like those for the games during our Christmas Party. Their 40+-inch TV was perfect for providing the slides and the backdrop to our party.
On board our four-seaters. Super excited!
Making it past the first downward slope... snapping a shot of the other team.
Taking another one
Brenda & Darryl
The Young Married Couples' Team, in front of one of the requisite stops, Burger King.
Alvin & Loradel
Loradel & eNTeNG
The young married couples, in front of Long Beach, another required stop on Brenda's map.
The singletons struck a pose too.
We had to resume pedaling like crazy. I could still hear Loradel screaming at the top of her lungs, "eNTeNG, mag-pedal ka!!!" ("eNTeNG, keep pedaling!") Hahaha!
Vel & Jossel... and a four-seater. And oh, that's Brenda too in the background!
From time to time, we just had to park our four-wheel-drives. Haha!
A shot of our competition right before we passed them.
Sorry, but we had to pass you guys. Hehe.
Good job to my team's driver, Alvin, and navigator, Loradel. Haha! It felts like some real race.
East Coast Park really has amazing views.
Alvin and Darryl had to get drinks for the girls.
We had to stop for a shot at one of the "lighthouses". I haven't figured out all the kinks of my brand new camera so the lighting wasn't what we wanted.
Jossel subbed for Darryl, and took this second shot.
Finally, the family of the 4J's made it to the race!
Julie, Jasmin, Julia, and Jack
The girls wanted more laps around the park with Daddy.
The race is done! Loradel and Alvin.
This was so much fun! Here, Loradel and eNTeNG.
Negotiating the stretch of the shoreline was much more challenging than I had initially hoped. Haha! So when we had completed most of the necessary photo stops, we took our sweet time at one of the free barbecue pits (they could be reserved for a fee, online), soaked in the amazing view of the water, and even got our feet “dirty” in the powdery sand. I’ve never been a beach person. But the little time spent at East Coast Park made me reconsider. Especially when we decided to take more than a kilometer’s walk back.
eNTeNG by the bay
By the shoreline – Jossel & Vel, Alvin, Darryl & Brenda, Loradel, and eNTeNG
"All my life, it's always been my shadow and me."
What's out there in the horizon?
I couldn't look at this lifebuoy and not hear in my head, "Some people stand in the darkness / Afraid to step into the light..." Hahaha!
My red TOMS in the sand
You couldn't get too close to the water without getting yourself wet.
The sand had an exfoliating effect.
Another wave was about to come in.
Of course, we had to have group shots taken!
Getting ready to jump!
Almost there!
Yehey!
I like this group shot for the pensive feel I get from it.
eNTeNG was here.
Vel & Brenda
Brenda tagged Kate Spade along. Hehe.
Brenda reviewing the group shots.
One more shot!
A Walk To Remember
Another Walk To Remember
The 1-km. mark! Whew!
Lunch was at McDonald’s, before we headed to Marine Bowl for a couple of rounds of friendly but competitive pin tumbling. All the pedaling and walking didn’t take a dent on our energy levels. Each one bowled for the win – losers were to pay, after all. Haha! The final tally? It was even.
Marine Bowl
The balls that came into play!
eNTeNG
Alvin
Jack
Loradel
Brenda
Darryl
Jossel
We had a blast!
From East Coast Park, we took a taxi ride to Velocity Mall at Novena to claim our singlets, bibs and runner’s kit for the Safari Zoo Run 2012. If us enduring the day’s busy and physically demanding schedule is any indication, then I have a good feeling that I’d make it through the 6km Zoo Fun Run I signed up for.
The line for the Safari Zoo Run'12 was so long, it snaked all the way outside Velocity Mall.
Yey, getting closer to the end of the line!
This setup was quite efficient. We didn't take as long in line as we had feared.
Of course, the Fun Run is yet another one of Brenda and Darryl’s influences on me (though I used to run back in the Philippines). And for that and a really full-packed, fun Saturday, thanks!
Can't wait to go back to running!
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