Placenta capsules

I have paid the fifty percent deposit (SG$140) to Placenta Advantage. A very amazing friend, L, recommended them to me, among many things (confinement lady, massage lady, traditional Chinese medicine shop, etc). L is a very hands-on person in everything she does from work to family so I’d be a fool not to at least check out her recommendations.

Anyways, I called Pauline from PA and she recommended that I read this website for more information on consuming placenta. Since I’d already done most of my research online before contacting her, I was more interested in reading her service contract.

Before signing up with them, they recommend that you get a doctor’s opinion on your health. For example, if you have any blood disease or other health conditions that would make the placenta consumption ineffective. My gynae isn’t very pro-placenta consumption so I think she gave me a bewildered look when I asked her if my health conditions were suitable. I took her look as a positive sign since I hadn’t heard anything otherwise.

Pauline prefers to talk to the client personally instead of having me elaborate so if you are interested to find out more, email her at placenta.adv.sg at gmail.com or call her at 9362-8425. The service contract details the process and also tells you how to instruct the hospital staff should they be unfamiliar with the process. You should also have a small ice box ready for the placenta storage.

Jun 12

Ch-ch-Changes

I’ve been humming Changes these past few days. Time may change me, but I can’t trace time… 8 months have already flown by, and G is ready to pop at any time. May simply vanished as my one-month notice was too short to take care of last minute to-do’s. And now it’s June and we’re poised to see a host of changes, personally and professionally. The two biggest are the arrival of Junior and my new job. These were also the impetus for our dining and cooking rampage of the past few months. G and I both knew that there would never be the same freedom to go out on a whim (at least for the next few years), and so we celebrated the end of just the two of us.

We’re looking forward to family life and all of the changes that come with it. I still have a backlog of food-related posts to write-up (someday), but updates in all likelihood will be less frequent between parenting and work (I actually have to wear pants everyday).

Some random updates:

Thanks Mom and Dad for shipping the baby care package from the States! We love the ~~adorable~~ manly one-piece outfits for Jr.
We’re in the market for a baby/mommy photographer. Food ≠ Baby. Any recommendations?
We have a shiny new addition to the family to keep me company and help process all of the baby photos.
I also have a new kitchen appliance – a Philips steamer/blender that I can’t wait to try out once Jr is old enough for baby food

Jun 4

Buying diapers

First rule to remember when buying diapers as a first-time parent is to not get too excited at baby fairs when the diapers are going at super-low deals. You see, babies grow really fast and each baby’s build is different. Diapers have a shelf live of maximum two years so if you buy too many, you probably want to sell it off somehow unless you plan to pop another one in a year or two.

Some guidelines when choosing diapers and planning how many to buy:

Jun 4

Wild Honey

Wild Honey is reminiscent of a local hipster coffee shop replete with deep sofa-chairs and the latest trendy design magazines for your perusal. Their specialty is serving breakfast items from around the world all-day. While the food may not be mind-blowing fantastic or truly “authentic”, the dishes that we’ve tried so far have mostly been satisfying. The one big drawback is due to the cafe’s relative size, it gets packed early. By 10am on the weekends, expect at least a 20 min wait.

Jun 2

Matsu

G and I stumbled upon Matsu awhile back on our way to eat at Torisho Taka (they are neighbors). The restaurant serves mid-ranged Japanese-French fare in a semi-formal setting, equally appropriate for a date night or business lunch. Since the set menu prices seemed reasonable and the reviews online were generally decent, we decided to try a little fusion one weekend.

The lunch prices are comparable to lunch deals available elsewhere (or next door for that matter), but diners have a few different price options to choose from for more variety or courses. Since this meal was breakfast/lunch, we elected to order the “Matsu Set” – a six course meal for $58.

May 25

Restaurant André

If there is one must-try restaurant in Singapore, it’s André. Do yourself a favor and eschew the fine-dining “chain” establishments at MBS and RWS. Instead, try a place that is uniquely Singaporean and deservedly world-class. The New York Times recently listed Restaurant André as one of their 10 restaurants worth a plane ride, and it is also one of only 3 restaurants from Singapore on the top 100 list. Despite having been opened for some time, the restaurant still commands a 4 week reservation time. The wait however is more than worth it as André is the epitome of what fine dining should be – personal, flawless, and memorable.

The restaurant is a cozy 30-seater that only accommodates one service each evening since the 10-course meal can last 3+ hours. There are no set menu options, but as our party of four experienced, dishes can be substituted or adjusted quite radically on demand. The service here leans more towards warm and casual, always present but never a distraction. Towards the end of the evening, Chef André makes the rounds, spending time chit chatting with the diners and happily answering questions. Even though there were other diners around, the personal attention from chef and staff made us feel like we were the only guests that evening.

May 20

Torisho Taka

On one of the rare family nights that everyone agreed to try some place new, we decided on Torisho Taka (since last minute reservations at Kazu are nigh impossible for large groups these days). G and I had been there for lunch and found the food to be quite good, and as the sister restaurant to Aoki, one would expect a certain level of excellence at Taka. Their specialty is sumiyaki, with cooked dishes as a secondary attraction. The ingredients are fresh and primarily from Japan.

May 19

Third trimester pains

About six weeks ago, I was eating seaweed like it was going extinct because of my hypo-thyroid condition. I was also told to have more protein in my diet to help reduce the swelling in my feet. Then in early May, I went for my follow-up visit and learned that I no longer had hypo-thyroid. Instead, I was now diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GD) and hemorrhoids. This meant an even stricter diet since my swollen feet were still persisting and I had to cut down on carbs to control the GD.

As if that wasn’t enough, over the last week or so, I have developed rashes all over my feet, calves, thighs and fingers. I’ve tried using sodium bicarbonate bath, slightly acidic water, fresh aloe vera, aloe vera gel, menthol rubs, anti-histamine pills and calamine lotion. But none have given me anything beyond a temporary relief. Apparently, it’s a chronic hives-like rash that strikes women during pregnancy, known as PUPPP. In severe cases, the doctor may have to induce labor. The silver lining in my case is that PUPPP struck only in my 32nd week and only on my limbs.

May 16

Kaya Macarons (à la sous vide)

It’s been awhile since I’ve had time to cook/bake anything of interest. Truth be told, G and I have been so busy with the baby countdown and personal to-do checklists (buy baby stuff, clean baby clothes, change jobs, more baby stuff) before D(elivery)-Day that we’ve eaten out a bit too much (also on our to-do list: top 10 ramen joints, Andre…). Still, I did find some time last week to try and make a more “local” macaron.

Kaya is a spread (made from coconut milk, egg, sugar, and pandan leaves) that is great with butter on toasted bread. The first time I ever tried it was actually back in SF. G was so excited to find it available at our local Ranch 99. Here in Singapore, there are definitely more varieties of kaya that range in taste and color, from brown to green. I’m not enough of a connoisseur to tell you where to find the best kaya, and so I normally just reach in the fridge and grab whatever is available.

May 13

Ooi

G and I have a fondness for mom and pop restaurants. Back home, we had Tekka, run by an elderly Japanese couple in their sixties. While we’ve come across a few places like that here, none have made an impression quite like Ooi. The restaurant is run by an adorably friendly obasan with her chef husband, the creator of straightforward and downright tasty meals. It might just be our new favorite (but pricey) spot for a good Japanese home-cooked meal.

Hidden in the basement of Cuppage Plaza, it’s unlikely that one would happen to stumble upon Ooi. This could explain why it’s filled predominantly by regulars, and why we were the only new faces that evening. It’s a small restaurant, seating maybe 20 people. The wife, Hiromi-san, alternates serving dishes, chatting with the guests and taking shots of shochu. Fortunately, she has two other staff to ensure that food is promptly served and drinks always filled.