Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow, Original Mattress, Products, Review, Singapore, Singapore blogs

Origin Mattress: Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow Review

Looking for the perfect head and neck support while you sleep? From the creators of the award-winning Origin Mattress’s, Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow, with its breathability, comfort, and design could just be your top choice if you need to improve your quality of sleep.

DSC00095

Why Natural Latex

Most of us don’t give much thought to how our pillows are produced or knowing what materials that they are made from. Origin Mattress uses natural latex, which has the following benefits:

  • Suffice to say, latex foam has a denser material as compared to memory foam or fiber
  • Brings you quality sleep, as latex pillow can mould to the shape of your head which provides the ideal balance between softness, comfort, firmness and support
  • For people with allergies, it has extreme durability with hypoallergenic properties that have lesser dust, bacteria or mould issues. This means you don’t have to replace a latex pillow as often as you would a more traditional pillow

Unboxing Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow

Instead of simply grabbing a traditional pillow off the department store, deciding which kind of pillow that is most suitable for you is important. Choosing a latex pillow, with its health and comfort benefits, can go a long way toward making sure your body gets the right level of rest.

We like the way Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow is being packaged. It comes with a lovely sky-blue box that looks super clean, neat and aesthetically-pleasing that could also be a perfect gift for loved ones.

DSC00096

Just like the right partner, the perfect pillow should meet all your essential needs. A product of Germany, Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow comes with dimension of 60cm x 40cm x 13cm, cooling gel that dissipates heat, and 2-years warranty, amongst other features.

DSC00101

In extending the pillow’s life in the long run, the pillows comes with a removable Tencel fabric pillow cover.

DSC00105

Quality sleep only comes with quality pillow.

Origin Mattress also offers super fast delivery where you can receive within 2 hours, 30-Night trial and money-back guarantee. Delivery is free of charge and you can make your booking here.

Thank you Best In Singapore for recommending another amazing product. Check out Best In Singapore, a lifestyle website with the goal to sieve out the best choices from a range of topics from food to entertainment! .

Origin Mattress:
Website | Facebook

Best In Singapore:
Website | Facebook | Instagram

 

Just finding joy in the little things. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next blog post.

All photos, information and opinions, unless otherwise stated, in this post belong to Katong Kids Inc. Reproducing or copying them for use on third party sites without our written permission are strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
Coffee, Food, Growing Up, Ipoh, Ipoh Parade Shopping Centre, Kids Activities, Malaysia, Parenting, Photography, Products, Review, Shopping, The Idea Box, Travel, Travel Blog, Vacation, WEIL Hotel

WEIL Hotel Ipoh – Beautiful Hotel, Memorable Stay

It was our first time visiting Ipoh and apart from enjoying everything what this lovely town has to offer, our trip was made even more memorable by the hotel we stayed.

Welcome to the WEIL Hotel, Ipoh.

When it comes to scouting on the best leisure and family accommodation, refreshing swimming pools and delectable food to indulge in, WEIL Hotel could very well be the answer to your travel needs.

DSC04274

Upon arriving at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport after an hour flight, our next destination would typically be the hotel. All thanks to its close proximity to the airport, we hardly had time to warm our seats before realising that we had arrived at the hotel after only less than 10 mins (6km)!

We arrived happily and left happily. There are many reasons why we would return to WEIL Hotel again.

DSC04807

DSC04268

Beautiful Lobby – Where You Find Space to Chill

If our short, magical stay were to mean anything, the best takeaway from this stay would be the warm customer service we experienced. The hotel had it nailed and we felt safe and comfortable the moment we stepped into this place.

DSC03611

DSC04287

The lobby looked very new, spacious and guests would be pleased to see there were many armchairs placed for them to chill.

DSC03606

DSC04301

Superior Suite

The Superior Room comes with a size of between 32 sqm to 39 sqm. “WOW” is the magic word to describe when one enters the superior suite.

DSC03593

The room was equipped with a king-sized bed, a study desk and chair, armoire, safe, and a fine stand for luggage.

DSC03539

DSC03602

With crisp linens and soft pillows, it would not be hard to have a comfortable night’s sleep!

DSC03529

The hotel also provides a smart phone for traveler to use.

DSC03524

DSC03531

DSC03515

DSC03514

I loved the large well-equipped bathroom where large fluffy towels and face cloths were supplied sufficiently.

DSC03587

DSC03555

DSC03572

DSC03577

Ipoh Parade Shopping Centre – Adjoined to WEIL Hotel

Being inter-connected to Ipoh Parade Shopping Centre was a big plus to staying at the WEIL Hotel. During our stay, it was so convenient to dine and shop at the shopping centre at the same time.

DSC04340

DSC04347

DSC04343

With such a big mall, it was inevitable not to eye the all of the shops, kiosks, and food outlets!

Departmental Store – Parkson

Entertainment – Golden Screen Cinema (GSC), K Box Karaoke, Laser Battle

Pharmacy – Watson’s, Guardian, Caring Pharmacy

Apparels & Jewellery – Hush Puppies, Uniqlo, FOS, Voir Gallery, Minoshe, Lazo Diamond, City Time

Books & Stationery – Popular

Food & Beverage – Sushi Tei, Dave’s Deli, Kenny Rogers Roasters, Chicken Rice Shop, Marrybrown, Subway, Starbucks Coffee, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Shihlin Taiwan Street Snack, Kopitiam Avenue, Llaollao

Services – Pahlawan Money Changer, Rosemary Floral & Gift, Imax Internet Cafe

Convenience Store – Qbiz

Grocery Store – Jaya Grocer

Breakfast @ The TIFFIN

TIFFIN offers a relaxed ambience where guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DSC04684

DSC04708

Known for its popular Nasi Lemak and Roti Canai, it is no surprising that TIFFIN is a favourite among the hotel guests.

DSC04769

A hearty breakfast!

DSC04757

DSC04761

DSC04723

Take a Dip in the Pool!

Where kids would go crazy over this huge infinity pool. Your vacation would not be completed without dipping into the refreshing water.

DSC04637

DSC04653

No matter whether it is day or night, the pool offers beautiful panoramic view of the town of Ipoh.

DSC04377

DSC04412

DSC04376

How about chilling out here in an al fresco dining concept at the Cabana?

DSC04666

The Rooftop Gastro Bar Restaurant

The Deck Gastrobar is a rooftop bar at WEIL Hotel.

Situated at level 13, we can choose al fresco dining or chill out here. On the weekends, this place will come with a live band to keep guests entertained! They have also introduced the Live@The Deck serie, which highlights entertainment by live bands on Thursday & Friday and DJs from KL on Saturdays.

P1550535

How true is that!

Yuk Sou Hin – A Favorite for Locals & Tourists Alike

We were recommended to the food at Yuk Sou Hin, a pork free Chinese restaurant, where we could also experience the authentic dishes of Ipoh. Their signature Smoked Duck with lychee wood is a must-try dish 🙂

DSC05365

DSC05359

Food lovers, especially Malays who enjoy Chinese food, will definitely love this.

DSC05343

When it comes to a delicious Chinese cuisine and dim sum, Yuk Sou Hin certainly delivers one of the best authentic dishes in Ipoh. We had dim sum breakfast here and these orders relished our mouthful of happiness!

DSC05335

DSC05322

Yoga @ The Lawn

To engage the guests, the hotel also held Community Yoga Session at its rooftop area – The Lawn.

The busyness of life can cause a ton of anxiety and take a toll on your health, and yoga can be the  perfect workout for loosening up and destressing. The participants were up here early in the morning working out and practicing their moves.

DSC04587

Nearby Attractions

An accommodation like no other, WEIL Hotel is located close to many attractions which you can read in Ipoh Travelogue here.

Concubine Lane, where we experience the charm of Ipoh old town.

DSC03757

Kong Heng Square, where hipster cafes and boutique shops gave modern trendy feel to the surroundings.

DSC03914

Tong Sui Kai (Dessert Street), where it becomes one of the most happening places in Ipoh when the sun sets.

DSC04563

Memory Lane, where it is the best place to go to for rare and secondhand items at reasonable prices.

P1550589

Kelle’s Castle, where it offers one of the most instagram-worthy spots in Ipoh!

DSC04942

The next time you’re in Ipoh, be sure that WEIL Hotel will make your stay memorable in every possible ways!

P1550682

WEIL Hotel

Website / Bookings: http://www.weilhotel.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weilhotel/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weilhotel/

Just simple travel. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.

All photos, information and opinions, unless otherwise stated, in this post belong to Katong Kids Inc. Reproducing or copying them for use on third party sites without our written permission are strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

9/11 Tribute Museum, America, Asia, australia, Austria, Brooklyn Bridge, Bryant Park, Cafe, Christmas, Christmas Markets, Diary of a Foodster, Eat, Food, Growing Up, Katong Kids Inc, Kids Activities, New York, Products, Review, Shopping, Statue of Liberty, United States, Vacation

New York Travelogue – (Part 3): The High Line, Chelsea Market, Subway, Brooklyn Bridge and Times Square

This was our final day at New York City. Our main goal was to cover two attractions. Some say The High Line is a must-go attraction and we shouldn’t give it a miss.

The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side.

Saved from demolition by neighborhood residents and the City of New York, the High Line opened in 2009 as a hybrid public space where visitors experience nature, art, and design.

Elevated 30 feet in the air, this former railroad has taken in a form of a beautiful stretch of pathway.  The walk is about a mile and a half in length and takes you from Gansevoort Street up to 34th. We arrived just when the sun was setting and took some beautiful shots.

The Chelsea Market was near to The High Line. An indoor food hall, most of the shops in Chelsea Market were food related.

A suitable place for cafe hoppers also, not to mention there was a variety of shops selling gifts, spirits, groceries and more. The building was formerly used to be a biscuit factory, which was why much of the interior and aesthetic was a reminiscence of its past.

Intrigued to see the Youtube office here..

Not surprising to see the Google’s office here as Manhattan’s Chelsea Market building was bought over by them.

So, that wrapped up our New York vacation. We hope to have more time to visit Pennsylvania and Washington DC. Maybe we will do it next time 🙂

Ending our Big Apple vacation with some memorable pictures.

Definitely not to our liking, we were still figuring out how to take the subway in NYC before we left. Absolutely confusing.

Big M at the vibrant Manhattan’s Chinatown, where when you are in food hunt, you know you will never go wrong with dumplings, pork buns and hand-pulled noodles.

You have all the reasons to walk the famous Brooklyn Bridge. It is likely to be crowded but hey, who cares? We are talking about the epitome of Big Apple.

 Who says you can’t find pockets of spaces to connect with others in one of the most densest cities in the world?

Dazzling with lights all day long, there’s a magnetic pull about Times Square. One of the most visited places in the world with over 360,000 pedestrians daily, we just loathe this place, wondering why Singapore can’t replicate it. This little adventurer was totally mesmerised. The next part of our journey would see us at the west coast of America – California where we would see San Francisco, Big Sur, Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Just travel and such. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.

All photos, information and opinions, unless otherwise stated, in this post belong to Katong Kids Inc. Reproducing or copying them for use on third party sites without our written permission are strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Asia, Katong Kids Inc, Kids Activities, OJOY Smartwatch for kids, Products, Review, School, Singapore Products

So, your kid is getting a watch? OJOY A1 4G Smartwatch is Fun!

We all know how important it is to be conscious of time. But when the watch is packed with extra features that allow parents to stay connected with their kids it would be a bonus. Thanks to innovation, OJOY A1, claimed to be India’s first 4G VolTE smartwatch for kids, was recently launched.

P1540895

Look at the happy beneficiary of OJOY A1 smart watch. Small M just couldn’t contain her excitement upon receiving the watch. It was indeed a worthwhile investment considering what OJOY A1 is capable of doing.

P1540878

P1540884

Why you should be hooked to OJOY A1 watch?

(1) Nope, it’s not just about telling the time.

  • It connects parents with their kids. Location tracking and two-way voice calling lets you keep in touch with your kids  You can set up to 10 members in the family list  and unlimited numbers of friends in the contacts. The device comes with a SIM card slot for calling and supports 4G LTE and 3G connectivity.

(2) It has cool and aesthetic appeal.

  • It comes with a 1.4-inch display and 320 x 320 pixels screen resolution with Corning Gorilla Glass protection. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 platform, along with 512GB RAM and 4GB internal storage.
  • The IP68-rated waterproof kids smartwatch features a 2MP front camera with an 84-degree wide-angle lens. It is powered by an 800mAh battery.

(3) Be busy, but allows you to stay organised

  •  Calendar lets kids save schedule for school. You can also assign tasks to your child and give them reward stickers in the watch.

(4) Radiation-less and safety

  • While radiation couldn’t be avoided with the use of smart devices, the company says that the smartwatch is designed to have much less radiation, making it safer for kids. Further, the company adds that the materials used for the watch’s body and straps are tested to be free from any hazardous materials.

(5) Hey, it is waterproof!

  • No more fret if the kids were to wet themselves while washing their hands or get caught in a rain.

P1540864

P1540895

The Ojoy A1 4G VoLTE Kids Smartwatch comes in two color options — Blue and Pink. Check them out!

OJOY Smartwatch for Kids

Website /  Booking: https://www.theojoy.com/sg/shop/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ojoykids/

Just travel and such. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.

All photos, information and opinions, unless otherwise stated, in this post belong to Katong Kids Inc. Reproducing or copying them for use on third party sites without our written permission are strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Farm Florist, Life Hacks, Photography, Products, Review, Shopping, Singapore Products, The Idea Box

FARM Florist: Farm Fresh Flowers curated to capture the best memories ever

To pride itself as a reliable online florist that promises full refunds for all orders that arrive late is certainly a special florist that every customer should be amazed of. FARM Florist, a subsidiary of Masons Home Decor, takes pride in offering the highest quality flowers with afforable rates.

Their website – https://farmflorist.com/ – is easy to navigate and explore. What really stands out are the friendly features that allow customers to sort by their choices and filter the price ceilings when shopping online. Thumbs up!

Over at FARM Florist, there are so many assortments of flowers that you can shop at ease on all occasions. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, giving flowers is a timeless romantic gesture that bounds to wow your other half.

FARM Florist has the knowledge and experience to ensure your flowers deliver on time and have you receiving the most gorgeous flowers that you have seen.

You may not be the first but you certainly won’t be the last. Bookmark FARM Florist and browse through the beautiful hand bouquets. Your best memories are created here 🙂

Email: hello@farmflorist.com

Just travel and such. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.

All photos, information and opinions, unless otherwise stated, in this post belong to Katong Kids Inc. Reproducing or copying them for use on third party sites without our written permission are strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

America, Arctic Circle, Asia, australia, Austria, Bali, Belgium, California, Changi Airport, Chinatown Gate, Christmas, Christmas Markets, Convent Garden, Diary of a Foodster, Hotel, Las Vegas, Leicester Square, Life Hacks, London, London Tube, New York, Photography, Piccadilly Circus, Products, Review, San Francisco, Singapore, The Idea Box, Trafalgar Square, Travel, Traveler Wifi, United Kingdom, United States, Vacation

London Travelogue – (Part 1): Gatwick Airport, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Chinatown Gate and Trafalgar Square

This is our first trip to London and we were told that it is an extremely expensive city for vacation. All this while, we thought it wouldn’t be possible until we discover some London hacks that made our trip a reality.

For once, we realised apart from travelling with the usual prominent airlines there are actually options to travel with budget airline to London for an affordable price of $1.1K in total for 2 adults / 2 childs (one way) – Norwegian airline.

Journey to London

Norwegian airline offers a direct flight from Singapore to London without any stopovers. To ensure further comfort, inflight entertainment are available. Ear phones were not provided.

The inflight meals were simple and nothing fanciful.

As we booked the flight early, we managed to get the best seats which gave us more room.

The 14-hour flight was surprising smooth without any turbulence and we arrived at London Gatwick airport by 5:40am.

If you are travelling to London Zone 1 or 2, we would recommend you not to take the express train which cost about $20 per adult. Our travel from Gatwick to Islington/Highbury was horrid as we needed to change platforms during the morning peak hours.

Towing 4 big luggages with us up and down the subway stairs without elevators and waiting for multiple trains before squeezing in was no joke. The weather was about 10 degrees but we were already perspiring. We would recommend booking the airport transfer (Blackberry cars) instead as the price was almost the same with no hidden charges.

The train ride brought us to the Victoria station where we would need to buy Oyster cards to travel in the London Underground, or the “Tube”. In simple terms, this is a version of our MRT. London is segmented by 9 zones with the touristy areas being in Zone 1 and 2.

Image result for london map zones
Photo Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_fare_zones

The morning crowd at Victoria station were beginning to build up.

We had our breakfast here before continuing our journey to the Airbnb.

This was already the third train ride. We were tired.

Finally arrived at Highbury & Islington station.

But not before taking a 5 min bus ride and another 2 min walk to our Airbnb apartment. For all the hassle, it would be wiser to take Blackberry cars next time.

Covent Gardens

Covent Gardens is one of the ultimate Instagram spots in London. An iconic area with thriving street arts, we heard that it is usually crowded with tourists. However, it was not that bad.

The streets were easy to explore and it was not uncommon to take a pause every now and then to soak ourselves in the historic architectures. Covent Garden is a popular tourist spot such that Din Tai Fung has recently established an outlet here.

Something similar we have seen back home.

The locals love coffee so much and very often cafes would be packed with people. The scent of fresh coffee permeated the cafe and we couldn’t help but to order a cup.

Address: 13 Floral St, London WC2E 9DH, UK

Leicester Square / Piccadilly Circus

As Covent Garden is located centrally, it is near to Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. Google maps may not be reliable. Having these street directories made it easier for us to find our way around.

We were in for a treat during winter as Leicester Square Christmas Markets was up and running.

Not a fan of shopping but food tasting was our theme during this trip. Unlike the States, Christmas markets are common throughout Europe and UK.

Didn’t stay too long in the Christmas markets as some strangers kept looking at our belongings. We decided to leave and go into M&Ms World for safety reasons.

Address: 1 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7DE, UK

Have you been to M&M’s World? It is situated directly opposite Leicester Square Christmas Markets.

The bright, colorful storefront would inevitably draw anyone in. The staff were friendly and helpful, even if you are not buying anything.

Abbreviation familiar to a tween.

Address: Leicester Square, 1 Swiss Ct, London W1D 6AP, United Kingdom

London Chinatown is close to Leicester Square. The nearest underground stations to Chinatown are Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. Bus available are 14 / 24 / 27 / 29 / 134 / 168 / C2.

Eat all you can for $10.50.

We dined here over the next 2 days as the price was cheaper compared to other restaurants. Some restaurants open till 3am.

Address: 10 Wardour St, London W1D 6BZ, UK

Our jet-leg started to kick in. One final stop at Trafalgar Square before we ended the day. The attraction here is surrounded by museums, galleries, cultural spaces and historic buildings.

Trafalgar Square is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, built around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, a British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars with France and Spain that took place on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar.

Address: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN, UK

Just travel and such. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.

All photos, information and opinions, unless otherwise stated, in this post belong to Katong Kids Inc. Reproducing or copying them for use on third party sites without our written permission are strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

America, Arctic Circle, Asia, australia, Austria, Bali, Belgium, Bintan, Brunei, California, Canada, Car, Changi Airport, China, Europe, Finland, Gold Coast, Googleplex, Harbin, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Katong Kids Inc, Kids Activities, Photography, Phuket, Products, Review, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Sweden, Taipei, Taiwan, The Idea Box, Travel, Traveler Wifi, United Kingdom, United States, Vacation, Vietnam

Recommendation – Why You Should Rent Traveler WiFi Router for Overseas Travel

Our overseas trips have been much dependent on buying SIM cards at airport terminals or tapping into free wifi connection at hotels or cafes. In our recent travel to UK and the States, we decided to rent a portable WiFi router from Traveler Wifi to give it a try for the first time and after trying it out, we are very impressed and will definitely tick it as a travel essential in the future.

These are the top 5 reasons why you should be using Traveler Wifi:

#1 – Hassle Free with Worldwide Connection

Traveling across different continents require us to purchase multiple SIM cards which can be a hassle as it could only be tagged to a mobile device. With Traveler Wifi, it offers secured global coverage which support 4G networks. We are looking for hassle free and plug-and-play connection. All we need to do is to switch on the wifi router and it can automatically be detected in the network after keying in the password provided.

P1020331

#2 – Long Battery Duration

We were told that Travel Wifi router offers up to 15 hours of connectivity. Based on our experience during the trip, it could easily last 13 hours without a single charge (with 3 mobile devices connected) before we returned to the hotel which we will change to hotel’s wifi. The pocket router could also be charged from a powerbank when we are on the go.

P1020330

#3 – Cost Savings

The wifi router can connect up to 5 smart devices at the same time! It offers unlimited data with fair-use policy. If daily data usage exceeds 500 MB, router speed will slow down but can still connect and use. Data usage count is reset on daily basis. This provides cost savings when comparing to purchasing a SIM card which can only connect to 1 smart device and not forgeting you may need to figure out how to activate the SIM card.

#4 – Multiple Service Counters to Collect

To make collection easier, Traveler Wifi has different service counters conveniently located at the following locations:

Service Counters Islandwide: 

(NO reservation required; customers can rent Wifi Routers directly at any of the retail service counters)

  • Orchard Road
    • Lucky Plaza, 304 Orchard Road #B1-108 (Perfumes & Cosmetics Gallery: 11:30am-9pm daily; Friday 12.30pm -2pm – Closed)
  • Chinatown
    • People’s Park Centre, 101 Upper Cross Street #08-19 (Incredible Odyssey: 11am-6pm; Sat & Sun – Closed, Public Holiday – Closed).
      [you may message 91065688 before coming to Chinatown service counter]
  • Lavender
    • 322 Lavender Street (Gap Year Hostel: Daily 8am-8pm)
      [Please note only for Singapore WiFi routers rental/return at Lavender service counter]

#5 – Happy Memories

Big & Small M were probably the biggest beneficiaries of this trip. With Traveler Wifi router, they were allowed to use our mobile phones during the long road trips to keep themselves occupied.

We drove from San Francisco – Silicon Valley – Big Sur – Solvang – Santa Monica – Las Vegas – Los Angeles which we will blog about the journeys later so stay tune. These would not be possible without the wifi router which was certainly a life saver as it provided us with google map directions during the long, long and long drive.

And we went places before hitting the books after the holidays.

From London Bridge and Tower Bridge.

P1020364

To New York – Statue of Liberty.

To San Francisco – Golden Gate Bridge.

To Silicon Valley – Googleplex.

To Las Vegas – Bonnie Springs Ranch.

And Los Angeles – Hollywood Boulevard.

Enough said. First time using wifi router and we were convinced of it’s convenience. Planning your upcoming trip soon and need a wifi router? Do not forget to check out Traveler Wifi!

 

Traveler Wifi

Website /  Bookinghttp://traveler-wifi.com/cms

Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/travelerwifi/

Service Locations: http://traveler-wifi.com/cms/service-locations

Call for Enquiries) –

(65) 66528470 (General Enquiry) – [Mon-Fri : 9am – 6pm]

Just travel and such. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.

All photos, information and opinions, unless otherwise stated, in this post belong to Katong Kids Inc. Reproducing or copying them for use on third party sites without our written permission are strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Asia, australia, Austria, Belgium, Bintan, Cafe, Eat, Education, Food, Growing Up, Habitat by Honestbee, Katong Kids Inc, Kids Activities, Playground, Products, Review, Singapore, Singapore Products, The Idea Box, Travel

Habitat by Honestbee: Uniquely Shopping and Dining Experience for Family

Just by word of mouth is enough to draw us to explore Habitat at Honestbee. The newly-opened supermart prides itself as a multi-sensory, tech-meets-food grocery and dining experience like no other. See, smell, hear, touch and taste fresh flavours and food items from across the globe – all in one habitat by honestbee.

When we arrived, many curious and eager shoppers were crowding at the entrance, opening or setting up their “Bee Pass” to enter/exit habitat. Yes, first of its kind experience. You do not need to bring any physical wallets and there are no ATMs to be seen as well. Just your “Bee Pass” will do.

Potted plants for sale after entering Habitat.

We read that Habitat occupies the space of slightly larger than a football field. Upon stepping into the compound, we were greeted with so many shoppers (probably their first time).

A long queue was forming at the coconut stall. Amazing, each fresh trimmed coconut was selling for only $0.95! No wonder they are the best sellers. We thought it’s a worthy buy, at least not spending more than $4 on bubble tea.

Big & Small M made a beeline to take a mandatory photo with the friendly bee when it came by.

Exploring the section near the entrance before our hunger pang strikes. According to Honestbee, the produce were sourced directly from farmers and established producers from across the globe.

Cute cup noodles from Korea and Japan.

If you are observant enough, you get to see peoples’ orders are packed quickly and transported by these conveyor belts.

 Dining here is akin to having design thinking, digital marketing and digital awareness coming alive right in front of you.

And so, we had our lunch here. To order our food, we can’t order direct from the stalls. The only way to order is through your Honestbee app under “Habitat”. E-receipt is emailed to you and via the app, you can track your order and receive notification that your food is ready to collect.

Honestly, Habitat wasn’t as big as we thought it was. Probably much of the space was taken up for storage or collection/packing. It would be good if Honestbee can introduce stationery or some electronic items in the future to make the shopping experience more fulfilling.

Finally managed to find seats after waiting for quite a while. This is Little Neck Clams and Bacon.

Milk Made: Frozen shakes & bakes.

Tiger Beer battered fish & chips.

Crumble Vairhona Chocolate.

Poofy Pancakes served with vanilla chantilly cream, maple syrup and fresh berries.

Australia Grass-fed Flank Steak. Served with roasted chat potatoes, roasted plum tomatoes, herb salad.

Cute and shiny utensils. They are actually made of plastic 🙂

We have a soft spot for fresh bakes.

Free tasting at the Lazy Loaf counter.

Exploring the remaining sections. Fresh seafood are a hit with shoppers. The best part was that you can pick your seafood and the masterchef will cook it for you.

While almost everything is automated, we still need human assistance to help us figure out how to complete our purchase.

Scan our order and the trolley will check out and be automatically rolled into the packing area.

In case you are wondering whether you need to “rush” to the collection point after checking out your trolley, there is no need to. You can still dine or shop additional items and when ready, just proceed to the collection point to collect your honest purchase.

At the collection point, served by robot courier!

Shuttle bus is also available between Harbourfront to Habitat at Honestbee.

Address: 34 Boon Leat Terrace S(119866)

Bus: 10, 30, 30E, 51, 143, 175, 176, 188, 188E

MRT: Labrador Park, Pasir Panjang

We love travel and food! Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next post.

All photos, information and opinions, unless otherwise stated, in this post belong to Katong Kids Inc. Reproducing or copying them for use on third party sites without our written permission are strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Asia, Cafe, Diary of a Foodster, Eat, Food, Growing Up, Katong Kids Inc, Kids Activities, Photography, Products, Review, Singapore, Thai-licious, Travel, Vacation

Family Friendly Restaurant: Thai-licious Boat Noodles @ Liang Seah Street, Simply Delicious!

Thai cuisines are undeniably one of the best cuisines in the world. Very often, we would think that tasting such heavenly dishes would require us to be whisked off to the Land of Smiles to experience it. Not really.

In fact, it didn’t take too long by word of mouth for us to try out the mouth-watering array of dishes brimming with the exicting flavours of Thailand at Thai-licious Boat Noodles, newly-opened and conveniently located at #01-01, 8 Liang Seah Street.

The ethos at Thai-licious Boat Noodles is all about woking up the best and authentic Thai food in Singapore at reasonable prices to boot.

Free Wi-Fi is a bonus to the ever data-hungry geeks for them to share Instagram worthy pictures of Thai-licious’ dishes to whet your appetite.

Good Old Thai Food

It’s time for our taste buds to fall in love with Thai food. Thai Boat Noodles are notably the restaurant’s core cuisine. We were at a lost on what to order simply because there are too many incredibly good cuisines to choose from! But still, we manage to savour some of their best dishes and just one trip here might not do justice to the allure of this restaurant.

These are our humble orders..

Strong flavoured Thai Boat Noodles (pork/beef) are notably the restaurant’s core cuisine. Served in either small ($1.90) or large bowls ($7.50) and packed with such awesomeness, it would be hard to resist and give it a miss.

Seafood Tom Yum Soup ($12), hot and sour soup base that is aromatic. It comes with fresh mussels, crunchy tiger prawns, thick cuts of fish and squid. We tasted and it was really spicy!

The Braised Pork ($15) brings out the flavour of tender cuts and it is served with blanched bean sprouts and crispy garlic sprinkles. A big favourite by Big & Small M 🙂

The Thai Papaya Salad ($10) comes with a generous portion of shredded ingredients consisting of thick, crunchy unripen papaya shreds, long beans and cherry tomatoes flavoured with the right amount of sweetness and tang.

Phad Thai Wrapped in Omelette ($10.50). Widely recognised as one of the best Thai street food, our insatiable craving for Phad Thai has become the must-try food in the bucket list during our visit to this restaurant. The picture says it all – you will only understand why after tasting a mouthful of Phad Thai, with the sauce flavour, bean sprouts, crunchy prawns and ingredients blending together in such harmony.

Braised Beef Tendon Rice ($8.90), with tender pieces of beef slow-cooked in a flavorful sauce of soy sauce.

Spicing up our evening with galore of these Thai food!

We ordered these desserts which tasted super chewy but not sticky to the teeth. The Thai Mochi ($7) which comes in 3 flavours such as Mango, Thai Milk Tea and Taro, is a treat for the sweet toothed. Expect delightful ice-cream fillings enveloped in a smooth skin of glutinous rice-flour.

Topping up with the ever popular Mango Sticky Rice ($10).

Thai-licious has a rather extensive menu with over 50 items for a small sized eatery, hence customers can return to savour dishes they have yet to try whenever the Thai hankerings kick in. Did we mention that Thai-licious has no 7% GST charge and their dishes are specially prepared by chefs from Thailand? 🙂 

Thai-licious Address & Opening Hours
8 Liang Seah Street, #01-01, Singapore 189029
Mon –Thur: 1100 to 2200
Fri – Sun: 1100 to 2400

Social Media
Facebook: fb.me/thailiciousboatnoodles
Instagram: Thai-licious Boat Noodles

Restaurant & General Inquiries
Email: contactus@thailicious.com.sg
Tel: 69179857

We love travel and food! Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next post.

All photos, information and opinions, unless otherwise stated, in this post belong to Katong Kids Inc. Reproducing or copying them for use on third party sites without our written permission are strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Growing Up, Home Loan, Life Hacks, Moneysmart, Products, Review, Shopping, Singapore, Singapore Products

What you need to know before taking a home loan

Taking out a home loan can be a nerve wracking experience, and a big deal for everyone. It is often said that home purchase involves the biggest capital outlay in a person’s life and especially in Singapore where home assets do not seem to stop appreciating, this is the hard truth that everyone has to come to terms with. However, taking on a debt in the form of a home loan, when researched carefully, can be your friend.

Before settling down in your dream home, here are the questions you should know the answer to before getting your home loan.

#1 Deciding between Fixed Rate vs. Floating Rate Home Loans

Unless you are paying in full for the property, you will be affected by changes to the interest rate. Home loans are typically offered in 2 categories:

a. Fixed Rate

Fixed rate packages maintain the same interest rate during a lock-in period of 1 to 5 years, regardless of market conditions, after which the interest rate converts into a floating rate. Should customers decide to refinance during the lock-in period, banks may impose penalties. Nonetheless, fixed-rate mortgage packages are favoured by many home buyers in view of their expectations of further interest-rate hikes and protects you from any upward interest rate movement.

b. Floating Rate

Floating rate packages have interest rates that fluctuate daily, usually pegged to the SIBOR and SOR indices. They can come with or without lock-in periods. Home buyers who opt for floating rates usually take advantage of the low interest rate environment and monthly instalment amounts. This is particularly usefil in a flat-to-declining interest rate environment.

To this end, home buyers should be mindful to choose home loan packages based on their needs instead of trying to take advantage of short-term interest rate movements.

#2 Affordability

Your current financial commitments affect your affordability. Here are some useful pointers to consider:

a. TDSR

Under the latest Government regulations in Singapore, your Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) cannot exceed 60% of your income. If you are already taking on a car loan, personal loans or credit card debts, it may affect Approval in Principle (AIP) from your bank of choice. The trick to increase your loan application chance is to maintain zero to low debt ratio.

#3 Fees and Charges

When it comes to home loans, you may be inclined to settled on the cheapest home loan rate, but do remember to compare the fees and charges applicable to the loan. Fees and charges are levied under these circumstances:

– Processing the loan application

– Withdrawl after accepting loan offer

– Late payment

– Amending the loan tenor

– Restructuring the loan

– Processing the loan application

Those fees could add up to a few thousand dollars, so it’s worth knowing how much your banks in Singapore might charge you. The amount you can borrow will typically be the same across banks. So, you are not obligated to go with a bank just because it has pre-approved your loan. It is smart to seek pre-approval from multiple banks so you have options before making a conscious decision on a loan to take.

Regardless of whether you are planning to buy a hdb or private property, a great home loan deal always come with making smart decisions by comparing home loans and mortgage interest rates online. A good place to start is Moneysmart which serves as an effective tool for online loan comparison which you can surf at the comfort of your home or anywhere you prefer, so long as you have your smart device with you. Moneysmart has come as a good choice for loan comparison. The browsing experience has been intuitive, with the website creating user experience at the forefront of their thoughts. I find the site easy to navigate, stored with current and useful information and it is definitely a breeze when comparing the latest home loan deals. You would know which site to bookmark and make a visit the next time you need information on home loan packages to assist you.

Just lifestyle and such. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.

All photos, information and opinions, unless otherwise stated, in this post belong to Katong Kids Inc. Reproducing or copying them for use on third party sites without our written permission are strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.