1 For the last first time

Today was a day of many firsts.

Black Cherry Chocolate Spirutein

I tried out my first Spirutein energy supplement in Black Cherry Chocolate in lieu of the usual Ensure Plus. I followed the instructions and added 3/4 of the packet of powder to a mix cold soy milk and ice-cold water, which I found weird because usually powders are added to hot liquids to aid dissolution. I stirred the mix vigorously, dubious as to whether the powder would dissolve. Surprisingly, it did, though only after quite a bit of stirring and not completely. To sum up the taste experience, it was blackforest cake packed into a drink - great flavour but overly sweet. The bits of dried cherries floating about was also kind of annoying as it interfered with the drinking process. On the plus side, Spirutein comes in an amazing range of 20 (!) flavours like Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl, Double Fudge Crunch and Peaches & Cream. If I ever buy Spirutein again I would get those without the fruit pieces. Overall I still prefer Ensure/Ensure Plus for it being less sweet. Nutrition-wise, I would say Spirutein is more suitable for those looking for protein enrichment (110 kcal, 0 g fat, 15 g carb, 14 g protein) while Ensure Plus is a more balanced source of energy (300 kcal, 9.8 g fat, 40 g carb, 13 g protein).

First cookbooks!

I finally put the $50 worth of Kinokuniya gift vouchers I received a year ago to good use and bought my very first cookbooks: 500 mediterranean dishes and 500 vegan dishes of the 500 recipes collection. At first I considered buying cookbooks by well-known figures or even celebrity chefs, but then I decided that perhaps generic cookbooks would suffice, at least for me the novice cook (and I wouldn't have to pay for all the celebrity fluff too). The 500 recipes cookbooks boast plenty of pictures, easy-to-read texts and multiple variations for each recipe. For example, the basic squash & apricot tagine in 500 vegan dishes can be varied by using beans & apple or prunes. For $15.95 for each book, I think it is very worth it. Hopefully this will inspire me to cook more and expand my repertoire of recipes :) I also bought a small London travel guidebook by Time-Out for my upcoming exchange.

Then just outside Orchard Building, I had my first up-close encounter with models who were, I believe, part of an event for the launch of H&M. Okay, I wasn't that close to them, just about 5 m away, but it was the closest I'd ever seen a real-life model. Now I fully understand what is meant by being a "head-turner." The male and female models were mostly Caucasian, tall, slim, leggy, decked out in trendy (H&M) wear, and veiled under a layer of immaculate make-up. Many Singaporeans were inevitably gawking at them, and some of them stared back - they were simply standing outside Orchard Building as if waiting for something to happen. I felt so... small, so underdressed and so ugly next to them. They made me feel like I was from outer space and a total different breed from their species. I guess this is what it takes to be a model.

I met mum at Plaza Sing to get party decorations and run some other errands. The day culminated with dinner- a bowl of shrimp Ipoh hor fun (soup) - at Angel Kitchen at Cuppage Plaza which was simple and good. They are better known for their curry chicken, which mum had. I bought the last bowl of hor fun available!