Taiwan Trip Kao Hsiung Day 1

After our Taipei photoshoot, we were on the morning bullet train to Kao Hsiung...

No more luggage space at the end of the train so heng I have short legs! 

Bare face as too early.

Heng we bought the tickets online at early bird price (35% off) and collected the tickets in advance, if not must wake up even earlier! 

View on the way!

Catching up on his sleep! 

I used the time to make up! Baby half awake! LOL!

Selfie!

Royal Hotel lobby! My fave purple! 

Conveniently located opposite kao Hsiung mrt - train station stop

But I referred to wrong map and got off at 美丽岛站 which is nearer to our bridal studio so we ended up walking for 20 mins with our luggages!

Shag after the early morning workout and Waiting for our room as we reached too early! 

Our cosy room! 

No view but a change from our no window rooms in Taipei! Cheaper too!

Standing shower... No more bathtub! 😞

The toilet 

Our room next to the lift so abit noisy at times but still love it!

Headed for lunch at 正忠排骨饭 about 5 minutes walk from the hotel.

Come out of hotel turn left pass Kindness hotel and turn left again at junction (a motorbike parking and rental place) and walk straight till u see a 4 storey building with the words 正忠排骨饭 spanning the whole building. Kinda hard to miss! 

A giant piece of pork chop and 3 small sides only NT70! Super value for money! 

Happy but little did we know the bridal studio will also tabao this for us during our photoshoot the next day! But we ordered the drumstick one the next day! Also super nice with a giant drumstick! There goes my hope of eating less to fit into more gowns! 

As it was too early for our 2pm appointment, we continued walking straight down to a bookstore cafe! 

Chilling with books and milk tea! 

Then it was gown picking time! I can't remember the name of the lady that service me but she was super patient and let me try a million gowns! End up we still took one of the first few gowns I tried! Oops! Only think is she didn't allow me to take pics of the gowns I tried so no t much pics... Here are some I secretly took pic of but I didn't pick them...

I tried the same gown in Taipei in white... Hmmm green is not my colour! 

And Alex is lazy to stand up to take pics of me so I look damn frumpy! Humph! No bottom up pics please!

This gown is actually 2 piece! Quite unique and easier to wear but just feel I dun look good in it! 

I took pics of the 1 white and 2 evening gowns I picked for my photoshoot but no t posting till after my wedding! 

After that we again walked straight to the recommended balloon shop by the bridal studio to order balloons for our shoot tomorrow. 

Spent NT590 for 10 heart shaped balloons in different colours and bubble gun!

I actually didn't want any props for the photoshoot. Partially because I'm lazy and partially because I just want a simple classy shoot not overwhelmed by props... But I've always loved balloons and bubbles since young so I'm glad for the chance to incorporate that in at the last minute. 

Then again is short walk straight to next junction and cross the road to 六合夜市。

Nearest mrt stop is 美丽岛站 exit 11 walk straight and you will see it on Ur left. 

Thirsty so bought yakult green tea from this cute store! NT50 for a giant sized cup! 

Bought this to share. Abit like round 叉烧酥 with 肉包 filling! NT40 for one!

Cheese grilled scallops at 3 for NT100!

Yummy! 

We got psychoed to buy this mix set of crab/fish/seafood cakes at NT100

Alex love all things fried and fish cake in nature! 

We shared one box only! But is a good mixture! Nice! 

The street view! Very touristy and full of Ah tiongs! Not very big too! 

But sadly this is the only night market in kao Hsiung that we got to go in our 3 nights there! 

The bridal studio staff recommended other night markets that are less touristy and more for the locals but we just had no time! 

Our gigantic 3 storey high bridal studio! In fact the whole street is full of bridal studios! Next time can just go there find need not sign package in advance in SG!

Headed back at 9pm after a short rest at our hotel to talk to our photographer who is just back from his other shoots! 

Ken is funny and humorous right from the start! And he is just back from a 2 years stint in SG Cang Ai so he understand us well! 

Laurent Cafe @ Portsdown Road

Again our food adventure can continue just because we have the car as my parents are away in Genting.

We wanted to continue on another wings place on the 20 best chicken wings in Singapore list. 

But after a long hard day at work, Alex wanted an air-conditioned and less local place (I was initially thinking of the famous PM lee also queue chicken wings at redhill market)...

Therefore headed to Chuckwagon BBQ and Grill at 7 Portsdown Road. 

But to our horror, after taking the long winding dark small road, the place was closed on Tuesdays! 

Hence we decided to check out Laurent Cafe nearby just because it was open and erm nearby...

The relatively empty French cafe... By 8pm there were only another table of 2 ladies and us left in the place.

There was only 1 server but she was attentive and friendly! Love the cosy and quiet atmosphere!

Initially thought their drinks were rather pricey so didn't order any but Alex was startin to doze off while waiting for the food (which to our surprise took quite long considering we were the only customers who ordered mains) so he ordered a cafe latte

It came with a cube of dark chocolate which he devoured in a second without sparing me a bite..... Humph!

But I remember the nice Tiffany blue boxes which someone gave me for birthday before! Do check them out when you need to give people nicely packaged expensive chocolate as housewarming / birthday / Xmas gifts!

Sleepy face awoken by his yummy cafe latte! He says is more fragrant / aromatic and also thicker than the usual cafés. But I would advise do take his words with a pinch of salt as he is the sort dat dumped 2 packets of sugar into that small cup! He says is much nicer than the 2 drank yesterday at Maple and The Coastal Settlement and price wise is comparable just that this is a smaller cup. Well good things come in small sizes!

The antique looking coffee machine probably speaks of a true coffee lover owner!

He ordered Roasted Spring Chicken ($24)

The half spring chicken is slowly roasted to perfection! Just look at the beautiful colour! The meat is seasoned and flavorful! 

The accompany wedges were also crispy and most amazingly stayed crispy for the next 30 mins while we finished our main! 

My BBQ ribs served with mash potatoes and roasted tomatoes ($21)

Though it appears to be more mashed potatoes served with ribs as the entire bottom of the plate was covered in mashed! It was at least 2-3 potatoes in that side! 

The ribs were tender and fall off the bones without me using the knife much. I wouldn't say it is the best ribs I've had as I usually prefer the sauce to be thicker as I've got a heavier palate. But definitely a decent contender!

Mashed were smooth in texture and had a hint of butter on it. 

Sliced tomatoes were evenly sliced and grilled without being overly mushy! Just the way I like it! 

We will be back again! Can't wait to try their all day breakfast or duck leg confit! 

Him saying I'm too full for dessert! Just kidding!

Warm chocolate cake served with vanilla ice-cream ($12) 

The cake was soft fluffy with a huge molten centre. It was perfect with the cream (center of pic) and ice-cream! Worth the $12 and better than a lot of molten lava chocolate cake at a lot of high end restaurants!

The empty but cosy and quiet outdoor area!

Food coma kicking in! 

There is a bus stop just right outside the place if anyone want to venture there by public transport. Only one bus (191) though...

Definitely one of the most underrated cafés we have been to! 

4Fingers @ Westgate

1st July Tuesday 

Ok all of my friends should know I'm a fan by now so there is really nothing much to post

But just want to specially thank Alex for queue ing for more than half an hour at the new West Gate branch to ta bao back for me! 

Only downside about 4Fingers is that the chicken wings are small and tend to be a bit dry when fried

Ok is a bad pic

The 6 pieces drumsticks 

Green Pumpkin Cafe @ NEX

27th June Friday Dinner

It was a crazy weekend that left us drained and tired for the start of July! 

Our Life Group (aka Cell Group) sometimes meet as this small Japanesez Cafe at Nex 

The food is Japanese Western fushion and it is part of the Ichiban food chain.

Though it is not out of the world yummy we still felt it was great value for money! (main courses are generally less than $15 before tax)

Alex with his mentaiko carbonara

I love Mentaiko and I love carbonara and Green Pumpkin mixed the 2 perfectly together! 

A must eat if you have a heavier taste palette like us! 

I had mentaiko scallops baked rice which was not as delicious as clearly for $12.90 there were a lot more rice and cheese than scallops.

Outfit of the day: Moonriver free size dress $19.90

Great for pigging in! I have another pink one and various other same cutting different prints! 

Got fried chicken to share. Quite generous portion for $6.90! And u can't ever go wrong with fried chicken!

Word of warning on their coffee! It's surprisingly strong for a harmless looking Jap cafe! 

I had a Yuki (aka ice-blended) Mocha thinking I might need to stay up late as was going to a girls sleepover at my primary sch fren's place...

Forgot we are all above 30 and basically can't stay up beyond 2am

Ended up with very light sleep and a pounding heartbeat for the whole night! 

Same for Alex who had an iced latte!

Some photos of the sleepover! 

Trying out my selfie pod for the first time! 

Still too paiseh to use it in public! 

Mermaid team from May's hen party in Denmark! 

In pyjamas! 

She married a Danish guy last August and now we get to wake up to the cutest mixed baby!

My just wake up hair! 

Baby Liam: see that is why it is better to have no hair! =p

Brooding Liam! 

He grows up so fast! Can you believe he is less than 3 mths old???

Hope can see him again soon!