The Replacement | Lodge & Kitchen @ Jalan Dhoby

Past 5 days were great. Perhaps this short getaway just came right on time. Been feeling so stressful in Sg. Nothing to do about my work. It's just.. nah I can't quite name it.

Wanted to blog about this spontaneous sister trip to HCMC until I reached this newly opened cafe (~1730hrs?) located at Jalan Dhoby - The Replacement.

Quoted from their Facebook, "The Replacement - Lodge & Kitchen is the second establishment from the team of Faculty Of Caffeine!" I'm a fan of FOC, been secretly following their news and got to know their opening from my sis who is also a FOC regular. Can see that why both of us went to HCMC for cafe hopping huh? (but somehow turned out becoming skybar-hop LOL).

Seeing a familiar face smiling at me upon I got in there. The girl who used to work at FOC, is now helping out at this new branch. Had a little chitty chat, knowing that it has not yet officially launched. But I bet this cafe has already won the hearts of many.

It's impossible to miss this place if you happen to pass by the street. The very classy white building (occupied two shoplots) stands out among the rustic run-down area. Smart, sharp, very eye-catching.

Will let the pictures do the talking.

1. The Replacment Lodge and Kitchen

2. One-way street. Upon seeing Roost recycle bar, turn right into the street @ Jalan Dhoby.

3. You will see the beautiful white building on your right.

4.

5. The reason they called themselves Lodge and Kitchen. Combination of a cafe and a place to crash. 

6.

7.

8. Perhaps this area makes itself the signature of this place. 

9. My first cappuccino. Still as good. (At least I cant tell the difference LOL lousy me)

10. Some other areas.

11.

12. Now you have to get down to the cashier and place your order. Something new introduced. Prices listed are nett.

13. The menu. Perhaps more items will be added in near future.
PS: shout out to all FOC's brownies lovers: At The Replacement, the brownies are being replaced by Churos! 

14. Combination of marble and retro tile? That's quite a brilliant idea and I like it.

15. Got down to my own business.

16. My second cappuccino. Featuring Sync Press, *for more info*

17. Chef's salad. Generous portion, luxurious ingredients. So very nice.

18. closed up. Smoked salmon, greens, sauteed mushroom, poached egg, pecans, etc. etc..

19. As a result. Tadaaaa.

20. the lonesome yet arrogant rose.

21. This is a good place to observe the playful kitties playing/hopping outside the shop (entrance). It's fun to see even though I don't like cat. LOL.

For me, it's kinda like the total opposite of FOC. Black vs. White. Unlike FOC, The Replacement runs its business until 10pm daily! Lalala~ such good news to me!




That's all for The Replacement. It's been long since I last blogged about a cafe. Not even for FOC. Yea so, you know how stressful I was till the point where distractions' much needed. Am feeling so much better now.

I actually haven't been home since I landed. Haha! My parents' so gonna screw me hard. Anyway, I need some own space some times. Blogging like this to while my time away, accompanied by relax jazzy music, is really my favourite thing to do on earth.

Day time Cafe-hopped.

Transformed into party people at night.

Aghhh gonna miss HCMC so much. Will definitely return! Haven't really resumed back to work, already trying to plan my next trip. How can! Gosh.



All photos taken by iPhone6. Instant blogging from the cafe itself.

I've been here for like 5 straight hours. Siao or what. FML.

Monday sibeh BLUE.


xoxo,
Ee

时间真的很奇妙

时间真的很奇妙 

十几年前的小学同学 在十几年后的今天在发廊相遇 虽然一开始还有点茫然不敢乱搭话相认 但在临走前还是鼓起了勇气走上前问好

时间真的很奇妙

十年前对网络世界觉得新奇的我们 跟潮跟风地交了所谓网友 十年前我的那位网友 现已为人夫人父 做了生意当上老板 

时间真的很奇妙

五六年前也不晓得怎么认识的这位朋友 在五年后竟然还能接轨遇上 纵使失联那么久 话题还是源源不断 

时间真的很奇妙

几天前朋友转发一则报导的照片 说 有没有很熟悉 我才惊觉 欸 不就是他吗 不错嘛现在还能登上杂志受访 那是坊间人称 最熟悉的陌生人

时间真的很奇妙

曾有那位朋友让你深觉感叹酒逢知己千杯少 在某段时间里你们近乎无所不聊 却又在某个时间点后渐行渐远 

时间真的很奇妙

其实我累翻了却睡不着 闭着眼感受 从黑夜尽头到黎明 那分分秒秒的流逝 然后在漫漫时光里想起了好多久违的 失联的同学朋友 即使不曾主动关心联络 （毕竟主动联系或保持联络那都不是我的作风） 但曾有过的情谊是长存我心中的 若干年后回忆涌上心头 放宽心望去 满满都是美好的过去 

最后最后 分享一小段在副刊读到的一句话 我觉得特别有意思 

生命 在冷暖交织中前行 时间就是我们当下的呼吸 每一刻都应当全心全意 我们总是感叹青春的短暂 却不知道老人心中青春的漫长 

时间真的很奇妙

不知不觉都快要十点了 舒舒服服地躺在自己的床上 就算是失眠 也称得上是有品质的失眠吧 

我很好 

你呢

仪

Lately | Piano Cover: If Only by JJ Lin

Lately...

=Piano Cover=

Hmm... after one and a half year, here's another cover. (Guilty)

可惜没如果_If Only —— 林俊杰_JJ Lin

reference pianosheet

=Coffee=

with my lady @ FOC

with my siblings @ The Ink Brew by Just Want Coffee

with the Bf @ FOC

with my book @ FOC

=Book=

Done with this book like finally. Rex and the City. A good read. If you fond of dogs, or any animal you will find this memoir interesting and lighthearted.

Rex was a broken dog, fixed.

“Rex and the City is hands-down the best
human-with-dog memoir you will ever read!”
~ Bark magazine


Some quotes I jotted them down:

"Usually I believed in that sort of things--I believe that people came together, not by chance, but by subconscious intentions; I believed that path crossed for reasons that you had to stick around to understand."

"I realized that giving brings you nothing but gain."

"I always felt that if you have known great sorrow, you can appreciate joy that much more, because you have experienced its opposite."

Current read: A Mother's Love by Barbara Greene, Vanessa Howard

"In this life, we may learn that little is certain, that happiness can arrive when least expected, or that it is often only recognized in its passing. Live long enough and we learn that it is often the smallest moments that become the most cherished: the moment when a child seeks out a mother's hand to place in its own, or just the sound of the child's sudden laughter from another room.

Life teaches us many things, but perhaps the hardest lesson of all is that with life comes the possibility of death."

And I...

--drum roll please-- 

just turned 24 yesterday.

=Birthday=

simple celebration back at home.

die die wanted to pose funny.

look at those candles.

how serious. 

24 and don't care.

muacks...

earlier on. ugly though but still love this shot.
15/03/2015 0000hrs.

alright a normal one.
Thanks.

Yay.

Nothing more.

It's a wrap.

love,

Ee

Bye 2014

2015 is approaching. I still remember the last minute I was struggling whether or not to post a review of my year 2013, and the next minute, it's the end of year 2014! God, where has all the time gone?

I haven't even blogged about my Christmas last year and bomb! Year 2015 is coming. I used to look forward to the coming of December, was so so into Christmas during the past, it was my favourite festive season out of all (and my baby sister's birthday). Spreading love and joy and happiness and all. This year's Christmas was just another normal day to me.

Christmas 2013. I had time to sketch and doodle and draw.

When I first entered my company I currently work in, many times I almost said I'm 22. I had always thought that 'I'm 22'. I still remember how proud I was when I just entered 18 years old. Young and bold and crazy. College and hangouts and boys(?)

Gone were the days.


Turning into 24 real soon. Am still young though. Maybe not that carefree like I used to. Maybe I don't really mean what I say all the time. Maybe I would try to fit in to this society I once despised. Point is, I don't know what exactly would happen to me, and I don't know what decision I would make at that point of time. If you heard, change is the only constant in life. I forgot where I learnt this sentence, but I admire whoever had said this.

We always wish things to stay the same, to remain the status you feel comfortable with, but we often forget, everything is impermanent. People grow old with times, kids become teenagers then turn into adults. Friends become lovers, lovers become husband and wife and then parents, grandparents. Even technology, iPhone 3G, 4, 5, 6, who knows? As long as we can't freeze the time, things change.

It's like, I used to have my small car in JB, I could come and go freely. I could drive to town 15km away from home and have a cup of latte. I still can, when I back to my hometown. In Singapore, I need to take public transport wherever I go. I have to take a 30 minutes bus ride to my work place which is like 3km away from my place. This is change.

There is a whole bunch of new things I have to do in year 2015, a whole bunch of new situations I have to handle and a whole bunch of hardships I have to overcome. I actually kinda looking forward to the new year. I start earning, saving; planning, spending. Although I over-spend sometimes, I buy things I don't really need, I don't know where has my money gone, but overall a pretty good feeling about spending my own money. And it all wouldn't happen if I didn't go through everything I had done. I feel unreasonably proud of myself. Now I truly feel like an adult.

There's good and bad in everything.

I feel the responsibility fell upon me. I have a say, I have to bear whatever consequences. I once said blogging was like part of my life, but now I don't really feel free doing so. This blog was my territory. I feel it's now intruded for no apparent reason. Or I feel exposed under others' judgements. I was so care free I didn't give a damn about what others think of me. I do now. 时间搞得鬼？ I'm wondering if this is part of the deals of growing up.

I've been saying this tons of times I don't get bored of saying this one more time, I will at least stay true to myself, to this blog I've been using since young.

This year is probably, overwhelming to me. Completing my degree, falling down too hard, getting stitches for the first time, getting a job, starting my career life in Singapore, etc.. Overall a fruitful year. Only if I could kick the 'fall down' incident out of the list. 可惜没如果.


Feeling kinda wasted if I don't post this out since this is Christmas season. It's been delayed for a year...

Christmas 2013 handmade card to my friends. Back then I had time to really drew, cut, pasted, tied, wrote all things. This year I couldn't do it. This is change.

Which one was yours?

DIY. My so-called 百宝盒

Not printed stuff. I should have sold it for pocket money. Could I?

Again, gone were the days.... Sadly, I should have spent time on doing something for my friends on this Christmas. I didn't feel the joyful spirit this year.




Anyway...


I feel that if you are to make a list of new year's resolutions and cannot fulfill at the end, try making a list you wish you can continue doing in year 2015.

Maybe I was the one who couldn't attend to my resolutions, here are something I hope I can at least keep up for.

1. Read

I didn't count how many books I read in this year, but mostly good reads. This, The Rose Petal Beach is exceptional, unlike other Dorothy Koomson's books I found very loving warming, this is a romantic thriller.

2. Draw/doodle/sketch

This Christmas bear was for Michelle. If not mistaken.

3. Practice piano more often and cover songs if possible

Aim to cover this. JJ Lin's latest song,

可惜没如果.

Warning: super addictive, recent favourite.

4. Cafe hop

ambitiously hope that I can differentiate a latte and a flat white.

Passions above work!

Haha nahh just saying. I need money or else I wouldn't be in Singapore earning dollars.

There are many quotes I'd love to share with you, my favourite book ever (again) Tuesday with Morrie, happened to match what I'm blogging today. Some I might share with you before, but anyway...

"As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed as ignorant as you were at twenty-two, you'd always be twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It's growth. It's more than the negative that you're going to die, it's the positive that you understand you're going to die, and that you live a better life because of it." 

"The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

"Life is a series of pulls back and forth. A tension of opposites, like a pull on a rubber band. Most of us live somewhere in the middle. A wrestling match. Which side wins? Love wins. Love always wins."

"I like myself better when I'm with you."


 ― Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie 

Who would you hurt in the name of love? 

No one. Never.

There won't be too much love exists in the world. Especially when so many disasters, unfortunate things happened in this year.

In year 2015, continue to love.

I wish you a happy new year.

Peace.



love,
Ee

Logic AND Gate

An impromptu update before hitting sack. It's just something I feel I should jot it down for future reference. Haha. Or I think I'd like to recall back when I get older.

6 hours ago...

Le bf and I were going back separately from the same mrt platform, just heading to different ways. I am always the one who leaves first, so when the train door's closing, I looked back and he's already looking, which, for most of you is a pretty normal bf-gf thing but for me, it was the first.

I told him about this feeling I've got and he just (shrug, "I thought I always do that") took it as nothing. Although I know deep down he acknowledged the importance of me telling him (or aren't you?). Taking things the slightest way, ignoring each other for the longest of time kinda stuff is the game we always play. I used to be the winner but painfully losing every game lately.

They said the best feeling in the world is when you look at someone he's already staring. I couldn't agree more. But we shall set rules in here: that someone cannot be a stranger/hater/boss/teacher. Right? And that someone cannot be staring or blunt looking at u, it must be a loving longing look. Right right?? Make sense? It's like a logic AND gate, only 1-1 can open the gate, 1-0, 0-1, 0-0 cannot.

Another thing was, when I was on the way back to my place, by bus, there's an Indian little boy I assumed at the age of 4-5, he's shooting me with his imaginary gun on his hand. Without giving much thoughts, I pretended I got hit and then shot him back with my "7" pose. I guess I terrified him, guess he didn't expect to receive any response from people around because everyone's so busy with whatever world that's living in their HPs/tablets. He then sent signal to his mother who sat beside him, ("oh shit oh shit what if his mother stares at me or what not") that Indian auntie smiled at me and gave me a nod, then whispered something to her boy, who then gave me another two deadly shots. We played for a while until we stopped at the red light. I thought I should stop acting siao (we had a distance like 4-5m and over ten passengers between us), hence tried to avoid eye contact with the little boy and looked out of the window, all the way until I reached my stop and got out of the bus...

I believe one look can change a person's mood and feeling. Be it a loving look or fiercely stare, your simple gesture can affect others. From what I observed people nowadays take most things for granted. That's why we must start from these simple little gesture to make this world a better place to live in.

Don't lose ur smile to this already-cold world.


But don't smile looking down at another world living in your hp.


Good night world.

love,
Ee

First Night Shift @ 4th Nov '14

Here's the boring timeline which marks my first shift in my life. A night shift. When I say boring, it definitely is. Simply wanna jot down bits and bobs to mark my first ever working shift in my life.


5:44 AM 11/4/2014 

Listening to YES 933 (Chinese FM in Singapore, probably the only thing I like in Sg. Ops I forgot dollars should top the list). If you're wondering why am I still awake, I'm working night shift, my first ever rotating shift happened to be a night shift. Not that tiring as what I'd expected. Perhaps joining/organizing events during uni somehow helped me adapting to this job fast.Thanks to my hardcore uni events back then.

(Drinking 3-in-1 coffee)

Consider I am lucky, or not. I have to work rotating shift, nine-to-nine job (12 hours), be it day or night shift. Working 14 days per month is standard (excluding OTs). Since today is my first day, it's hard to say that I'm doing well and going to be fine. Lifestyle is upside-down, biological clock is messed up. God knows what would happen to me in coming months or years. What I know now is to work hard when I still can, when my health and body still allow me to.

Not quite sure what am I going to write since it's 6 in the morning. My brain isn't functioning well now.


6:00 AM 11/4/2014

(933 playing Singapore national anthem) I miss Malaysia more.


6:15 AM 11/4/2014

(Tuned off 933 as it's morning and DJ starts hosting. Listening to Ed Sheeran's and Love Rosie soundtracks)

Did I say Love, Rosie is so so good? I did, in Instagram.

***Recap***

Watched this movie hours ago; read this novel at least five years back, twice. A really good remake into film! Reminiscing the story between Rosie and Alex once more. British accent is so sexy! Soundtracks are another plus point. All in all, a good one, although I like the name #WhereRainbowsEnd (used in UK) more than #LoveRosie (in US).

"It's funny because when you're a child, you believe you can be anything you want to be, go wherever you want to go. There's no limit to what you can dream. You expect the unexpected, you believe in magic, in fairy tales, and in possibilities. 

Then you grow older and that innocence is shattered and somewhere along the way the reality of life gets in the way and you're hit by the realization that you can't be all you wanted to be, you just might have to settle for a little bit less. Or perhaps a variation of what you once wanted. 

Why do we stop believing in ourselves? Why do we let facts and figures and anything but dreams rule our lives?" 

(Lines written in novel, not showing in the movie) 

Am tempted to reread for the third time after watching the movie. So good.. So so good..


I like all soundtracks in this movie!


6:30 AM 11/4/2014
 
Most of the people in here are sleeping. I'm one of a few who are still awake. It's not easy to stay up whole night, guess I'm the weird one.

(Reading Yahoo News)


6:51 AM 11/4/2014

Remember I mentioned how dependent Singaporeans are on technology and whatnot. Here's the solid PROVE!!!

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/google-reveals-singapore-number-one-043027547.html

No surprise.

Went out and had a little walk out of the building just now. It's dawn. Sky is grey perhaps it's gonna rain?


You won't believe what I've found online!

http://marimarister.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/cecilia-ahern-love-rosie.pdf

Damnnnnn, Where Rainbows End/Love, Rosie online version! For those who really interested in the novel itself, this is it! Totally free. Okay I might really read it for the third time during my shift tomorrow.

(Listening Alone Again by Gilbert O'Sullivan [my favourite soundtrack], 70s' rhythm, sad lyric)


7:47 AM 11/4/2014

(Listening Small Bump by Ed Sheeran)

Got a morning text from my BFF asking how am I doing. Still alive. Strangely enough, I don't feel tired. Perhaps the caffeine kept me awake until now. Powerful 3-in-1 coffee.

Keeping myself hydrated perhaps is another way to ensure that I won't be dying at an early age.





7:57 AM 11/4/2014

Closing this 2-hrs timeline for today.

May you have a good Tuesday.


Morning people.
signing off.

love,
Ee