Was invited by the awesome folks at Irvin's Live Seafood House for a tasting so i rounded up the foodies Sgfoodonfoot, CelestialDelish, Melicacy and Alexis to join me on a tasting tour. I love eating with friends because there would be a greater variety and there're always people to finish the food! ;)

Some of you will know about Irvin's Live Seafood House. It was formerly known as Irvin's Seafood Cze Char and was located at River Valley Road. You may recognize it as the restaurant with the HUGE crab signage. Sounds familiar now? If you were wondering where they have moved to, they are now at the Upper Thomson area, 4 Jalan Leban (since Dec 2011). This is the bigger and better version with air-conditioning and 2 VIP Rooms for private dinners (reservation required, no additional cost. 8pax or more). They have also gone into the HK cafe business with the opening of LeBan HK Cafe (just next door) in June 2012. More on that later.

Chef Yap Kim Fatt was in charge of our meal for the night. He's the mastermind behind many awesome dishes we had and the most delicious of all had to be the Salted Egg Crab!

This is an OMG awesome special recipe by Chef Yap That golden custardy liquid is packed with a generous amount of salted egg. It's even yummy when it's cold! I was just drinking the gravy. Love the creamy and buttery viscous sauce. Irvin sells the sauce for $12/box that is made fresh upon order. This is a MUST BUY. Just imagine cooking any ingredient in this. -Melts- 

We also had the Belachan Crab which was stir fried with a fragrant blend of shallots, shrimps, chili and curry leaves. I liked the crunchy bits but the crab didn't absorb much of the taste and the meat was a tad dry. Definitely pales in comparison to the Salted Egg Crab!

Salted Egg Crab - $23.90 (S), $33.90 (M), $48 (per 1kg)
Balachan Crab - $19.90 (S), $29.90 (M), $48 (Per 1kg)
Small and medium size crabs are charge fixed prices while large crabs are charged by weight. Irvin offers both Indonesian and Sri Lankan crabs. I find that the crabs are skinnier as compared to the typical Sri Lankan ones that i absolutely adore.

We were all swooning over the Salted Egg Yam Chips (S$9.80). This is a crowd pleaser and way better than cheese nachos! The sliced yam chips are of the right thickness and when coated with the rich salted egg sauce, it's just heavenly! Chili padi is added to add but i hardly tasted the spice. Warning: this is very addictive.

Another highly recommended dish is the Red Tilapia with Special Sauce (S$32). 

This is on their Special menu; it's not listed! But yes, you can order this! I am not a fish fan but this has wowed me over. I love the light and refreshing bean paste with chili sauce which is very similar to the Thai chili sauce. There are plenty of crunchy bits in the red sticky sweet gravy, which i suspect to be minced fruits and garlic. I could not expect the refreshing and juicy taste otherwise.

Another favorite is the Damn Good Pork [$12.80 (S) $18.80 (L)] 

It is really DAMN GOOD. The crispy battered pork ribs was well marinated and the centre was tender and juicy. Accompanied with the savory butter sauce and some chili padi and curry leaves to lift the taste, all we could say was 'damn good' again and again. This is Irvin's favorite dish too! There is the Chicken alternative, the plain ol Butter Chicken [S$15.80 (S), S$20.80 (L)] which was equally good.

We also had the Claypot Pumpkin Prawns [S$13.80 (S), $22.80 (L)]

Prawns coated with a generous amount of pumpkin sauce, served in claypot. This is slightly sweeter and starchier. Didn't really like this. The prawns were dry and a little shriveled in their shells. 

Anyway by then, our taste buds were a little confused. Everything tasted pretty much of salted egg yolk. They even look like the same sauce! I suppose that's because the base sauce is the butter sauce and then the other variants like salted egg or pumpkin and cream is added in for differentiation. It got a bit boring after a while since everything tasted pretty much the same. :/

The Hot Plate Tofu with Special Minced Pork (S$12.80) wasn't anything fantastic. The tofu is the supermarket white tofu which is fried on the outside. I think this is passable.

Irvin's also does a lunch and dinner buffet too with a DIY steamboat section for dinner but personally i would just go for the seafood dishes. :)

Food: 4/5 Stick with my recommendations and order some staples to fill you up. Can't go wrong with that. 

Atmosphere: 3.5/5 The main dining area is simply furnished and functional. If you want more comfort, i highly recommend the VIP rooms.

Special offer for my dear readers!
From now till the end of July 2012, simply quote "Singapore's Most Handsome Restaurant" at the cashier and be entitled to 10% discount at Irvin's! Enjoy!!

Irvin's Live Seafood House
4 Jalan Leban, Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 577548
Tel: +65 6836 5020
Daily: 11am - 11pm

What is your memory of Singapore say 20 years ago? I remember things were a lot simpler then. Happiness was eating 10 cents (SERIOUSLY??) curry potatoes in a plastic bag from my Primary school canteen. Eating the rainbow Paddlepop change colours with my sis and watching our popsicle change colours. Trading stickers with my girlfriends and silently comparing whose stickers are prettier. I think i still keep them somewhere. Kinda miss the carefree days as a kid. 

Why the sudden recollection of the old days? Well, i was prompted by the Singapore Memory Food Trail Project in which Mr Brown, Mr Miyagi and ieatishootipost participated in. The 3 heavyweight in the Singapore blogosphere went around on a 24h eatscapade and at the same time interviewed the hawkers and people to 'collect' their memories of Singapore in the past. Was following them on twitter #sgMemory and hence that got me thinking about my best memories of Singapore.

I contributed some of my memories of Singapore and of course lotsa food memories using the #sgfoodmemory hashtag. The guys actually took my Rice Dumpling suggestion (Kim Choo Ba Zhang) and went there for lunch! Was then invited for the durian feast with these 3 cool dudes at the end of the night. Whee!

We had the D24, Mao Shan Wang, XO durian, D2(not nice) and 666 'flavors'. I think i still love D24. The other tweeters said that 666 was good too but i didn't get a chance to try it. Highlight of the night was of course eating durians and chatting with Singapore's favorite bloggers. Didn't get a chance to interact with Dr Leslie Tay or Mr Miyagi but Mr Brown was hilarious. He eats durians with spoon and chopsticks.

@mrbrown: i'm very good at my chopsticks skills

@mrbrown happily posing for his durian shot

This has got to be one of my best #sgfoodmemory. First time eating durians at an open air stall (i usually have them at home. It's not so unglam. :P) and what more with awesome company! Thanks once again to the Singapore Memory Project for having me!

While looking through the tweets, i wondered if there's more to Singapore than just the food (since most of the people were tweeting about food). We are indeed a food nation but i'm sure there's more right.. How about real relationships with people around us? It just seems that we have lost the real connection. Anyway, my coursemates Justin Zhuang, Sam Kang Li and Samuel He are so inspiring. The 3 of them have been contributing to/creating the Singapore Story in their own ways. Check out their works yea?

Justin Zhuang on the lost playrounds of Sg

What is Singapore to you? What are your memories? The Singapore Memory Project (SMP), wants to collect your story. All these memories would be used to tell the Singapore Story to our future generation in 2015. which was started in 2011 to collect, preserve and provide access to Singapore’s knowledge materials, so as to tell the Singapore Story to our future generation. I think it's the coolest thing ever. Head on over to their Facebook page for updates on new events as well.

Putien is a chain restaurant that specializes in the Hing Wa cuisine in Singapore. Prior to their beginning, i have never heard of the Hing Wa people, despite them residing in my "hometown" Fujian and around in the Putian and Xianyou area. I would say it's a refreshing concept in our Chinese food dining culture here in Singapore since when we talk about Cze Char (hawker food), it's usually Cantonese.

Chinese food to me is well.. Chinese food. I am really clueless about the specific cuisines. Can you blame me really? Singapore's food establishments have this habit of incorporating a few dishes from each cuisine despite them claiming themselves to be a specialist in a particular cuisine. Brings me to the point of how unaware we are of our forefather's history (i'm absolutely guilty of that). Anyway..

So what is the Hing Wa cuisine? Well, this tongue thinks it's home cooked food that employs simple ingredients with very light seasoning. Most of the dishes that i have tasted are more towards the bland side but it kinda feels like a healthy meal?

Drunken Cockles (S$5.90). I'm not a cockles fan because i think they are unhealthy but these are perfectly cooked and the simple garnish of chili padi, minced garlic, spring onion and light soy makes this a very appetizing starter. Only pity is that it's very small!

Braised Homemade Beancurd (S$5.90). Mum thought it was going to be that sort beancurd toufu but it turned out to be tau pok. I believe i can easily get this at the Teochew Porridge stalls at a lower price. Tiny portion again.

Deep Fried Tenggiri Fish (S$4.90/pc) aka mackerel. Deep fried till it's crispy but the meat remained moist and firm. This is served with a home made dip which is like a fish sauce. MEH. Just stick to their chili (2nd pic from top), it really packs a punch. Lovely. This is more like a home cooked dish. My mama does her with a ginger Maggi sauce. Yums.

Pu Tien is famous for the Hing Wa Bee Hoon and other noodle staples. The Pu Tien Mee Sua (S$6.90 for small, good for 1 or 2pax) is made using Longevity noodles which are handmade using traditional methods. As a result, the thin vermicelli doesn't turn soggy when cooked. The recipe is supposedly unique to Pu Tien but i think it's not that hard to recreate. The hardest part would probably be the milky broth, which is cooked from pork ribs and bones.   

Pu Tien Lor Mee (S$7.90 for small, good for 1 or 2pax) is as shown. This is my individual portion. Mum thinks that this dish is nothing special. Definitely doesn't resemble the black lor mee. Chewy noodles cooked with pork belly, prawn and clam braised in a luscious seafood and pork gravy. Again, this is a homey dish. 

Spinach with Salted Egg and Century in Supreme stock (S$12.90) is one of my favorites. The Chinese spinach is stir-fried on high heat then stewed in stock of century egg and salted egg. Very rich and tasty gravy which is not overpowered by the salted egg yolk. It's almost like a light broth. I sure did spoon up the sauce like it's soup.

Deep Fried Duck with Yam (S$15.90) was quite a delight. I love yam and this is the first time i've seen it done with duck. The light and crispy crust gives way to a smooth yam paste that envelops the duck meat on the interior. I thought it would be nicer to have some chunks of yam though. The meat however, was on the bland side. 

Pu Tien Sweet and Sour Pork with Lychees (S$11.90) is one of my all time favorites here. Deep fried pork in a crispy light batter. The sauce that coats the meat is of the right level of sweetness and the Lychee lightens up the dish with its refreshing juices. 

Food: 4/5 I think the food is perfect for people who want a quality home cooked meal and something different from the typical Cantonese Cze Char. "Putien is awesome for me because they somehow can make things i hate, to be nice," says my colleague. I have to agree with that. 

Ambience: 3.5/5 Comfortable dining. This is more heartland comfort rather than high end restaurant. 

Service: 3.5/5 Service is a little slow because it really gets crowded. It was weird that our mains were served last and we had to wait a long time for the lor mee to arrive (and that was the last dish). 

Would i return? Maybe i would for a simple lunch. The elders in my family weren't impressed with the food though. They thought it to be too simple for restaurant standards and definitely expensive for the portions served. We still prefer the hawker Cze Char. I can't help but think that my mama can cook better than this. I'm biased. :P

There is currently a Summer Menu that Pu Tien has just rolled out. A variety of in season fruits and produce, as well as "cool" ingredients are used to chase away the summer heat. There is a DBS/POSB 10% discount off any Summer menu dishes till 31 July 2012. 

Pu Tien
23 Serangoon Central, #02-18/19
Nex Shopping Centre
Tel: +65 6634 7833
Daily: 11.30am-3pm, 5.30pm-10pm
High-Tea: 2.30pm-5pm (Fri-Sun & PH)

Other Outlets
City Square Mall
Jurong Point
Kitchener Road
Marina Square
Parkway Parade
Resorts World Sentosa
Tampines Mall
VivoCity

What is the number 1 thing to do in Zagreb, Croatia? Is it visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art or The Cathedral of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary? Could it be checking out the sculptures at the Mirogoj cemetery? Or perhaps having a picnic in Maksimir Park? Well well.. You could do all of that and end up rushing from one end of the city to the other on public transport and foot and end up killing yourself at the end of the day.

I'm an easily bored traveler with ADHD. Churches, old buildings and museums kinda look the same after a while (I call this the European traveler fatigue). The only things that get me going through them is 1. the entrance fee and 2. the effort it took me to get there. Of course there are certain attractions that i MUST SEE but i'd rather spend the time chilling out and exploring back alleys than running around taking pictures just to show that i've been to a particular city/country. That kinda takes the joy away from traveling don't you think? 

So here is my recommendation! Number 1 thing to do in Zagreb is..... (drumroll...)

Segway City Tour! 

I used to think that it's super uncool to ride on a Segway and it's meant for old foggies but this is SO FUN. This is probably the fastest and breeziest way to visit most of the attractions in the city. It's not boring because you only spend a couple of minutes at each site and there is a local guide to transfer bite size bits of history (the more interesting parts). Absolutely effortless. I highly recommend this if you visit Zagreb. Heck. I'd do this at every city i visit. 

If you are interested, read on. Here is how you get your tickets. 

Central and Eastern Europe is pretty much misunderstood by the typical Singaporean. When people heard that I was going to Croatia, questions that inevitably popped up were - “Is it safe?” “Do they have proper roads?” “What are you gonna eat? Peasant food?” “Is the water drinkable?” "Don't die there please."

Well... I came back in one piece. In fact, I came back a bigger piece because the food was awesome and I had a ball of a time. 

One of the best meals in my life. That's me mopping up the last bits of my shrimps dish.

S marveled at how this is one of the rare times that i actually finished all of my food without being forced to. 

And seriously people, Croatia is a developed country just without all that huge commercial brands and overly touristy stuff. AND we felt much safer here than in the typical crime ridden European countries like Spain, Paris, Greece and Italy or London. We walked around late at night and had no issues at all.

I suppose that is just the “Paranoid Singaporean” syndrome kicking in. The distrust and wariness we have of all things foreign and strange. I’m not saying it’s not good; we have only our upbringing and artificially safe environment to blame for that. But sometimes you just got to live a little, be a little trusting even when gut reaction tells you to pick up your slippers and run in the opposite direction. 

So anyway, it was 1 awesome trip to Croatia. 11 days. Left footprints in 6 countries. Transited in 2 countries, Qatar (Doha) and Hungary (Budapest), visited 3 countries, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and threw in a pit stop in Bosnia. 

View from Dubrovnik Old Town.

The stops went like this. Singapore-Doha-Budapest- [Croatia] Zagreb- [Slovenia] Ljubijana (day trip)- [Croatia] Plitvice National Parks- Zadar- Sibenik(day trip)- Split- Hvar & Pakleni Island (day trip)- [Bosnia] (beach stop)- Dubrovnik- [Montenegro] Sveti Stefan & Kotor- [Croatia] Lokrum Island- Zagreb- [Singapore]. It seems like a crazy packed to the brim kinda holiday but it wasn't. We had lots of time to chill out at caffe bars, chase waterfalls, sunbathe with a bunch of naturalists, catch sunsets, do nothing at all. 

Chilling out at Buza- Bar on a Cliff in Dubrovnik 

What's cool is that we didn't break the bank for the trip. Well i never break the bank unless there's shopping involved. Here's a breakdown of how much we spent.

Air ticket-approx SGD1.7k (Qatar Airways)

Travel expenses (food, accommodation, car rental, sights)- 1000 Euros each. We had a range of meals from budget to high end but 1 good meal a day is guaranteed (by good i don't mean it has to be expensive). 40-50Euros would get you 2 mains, 2 starters and drinks. 

Accommodation- Mid range apartments and 1 4* Hotel (which wasn't fantastic). 70-100Euros/night

Currency- Croatian Kunas. Bring Euros for currency exchange in Croatia (that's if Euro is still in use then). Current exchange rate 1Euro:1.613SGD. S$1: 4.5KN approx. You do the math.

Our lovely apartment in Zadar. Huge and rustic with Wifi, AC, Satellite TV and Jacuzzi shower.

The best time to visit Croatia is probably early to mid June. Get a golden tan. Swim in the cool sapphire Adriatic sea. Party hard at cross country festivals. Trek under the shade of vast green canopies. Hop on and off ferries with efficient summer schedules. Avoid high season prices and 3am parties at overbooked hotels.

My very own swimming pool in Bosnia.

I'm really glad that we went on this trip before too many Asians and Singaporeans hit the beautiful Adriatic coast and before it's marred by all the cut throat tourism and scams. We were practically the only Asians/Singaporeans in some towns.

Sunset at the top of Dubrovnik at our secret spot

Croatia has got to be one of my favorite countries at the moment (because i will never stop exploring cool places). Travel to Croatia, will you?

Mikuni at Fairmont Hotel currently is in the top 3 spot of my list of awesome Japanese restaurants in Singapore. The classy and uber luxe establishment puts a modern spin on traditional Japanese dishes and offers diners a mix of Japanese cuisine such as robatayaki, sushi, sashimi, teppanyaki, as well as gourmet preparation of several degustation menu carefully thought of by the chefs.

The black and white themed restaurant with cool blue lights, along with the Japanese instrumental music gives off a very Zen vibe. I was totally in harmony just sitting there, drinking my ocha and waiting for the food to be served. I've never felt so at home in a restaurant before.

Onto the food, we decided to go for the 8 Course Grand Tasting Tour Menu (S$220) and added on another main dish and sushi. This was more than enough for 2 person. There is a 6 Course "Season 1" Dinner Course for S$138 if you have a smaller appetite. Our server recommends that for individual portions.

Our meal started with the Crispy Ebi Cracker and then the Egg Custard with Sukiyaki Foam. This is a smooth and silky Chawanmushi steamed in eggshell, absolutely deserving of the egg custard name. I'm not a Sukiyaki fan and this is the first time I thought that sweet sauce is actually nice. Such a cute presentation by the way. Easter eggs much!

Dobin Mushi, Conger Eels with Prawns and Black Truffle Mushroom
This soup has a wonderful smoky aroma and taste to it, all thanks to the silver of Black Truffle (oh decadence). Just a tiny slice and I could smell the dish 3m away. The truffle doesn't have much taste when eaten on its own but the soup was infused with the flavor of the truffle. It's either you like it or you don't. Some people think that it's like petroleum. This is a light savory seafood and mushroom soup. Love it.

The Anago Sushi (S$23/pc) was a disappointment. I was kinda expecting the melt in your mouth cottony texture but this was fried instead! :( What a waste! It was pretty bland as well. I miss the one at Sushi Dai at Tsukiji.

Toro, Salmon and Southern Yellowtail sashimi
The Sashimi were fresh but after having it straight at the source, I'm thinking that it's way overpriced in Singapore. How do you justify a 100+sgd Sashimi platter? It doesn't even require cooking or effort on the chef's part. Hmm..

On a side note, Yuzu vinegar was an interesting departure from the usual soy. We were told to dip the hamachi in this sauce instead. I like the subtle tartness in it, which is great for something that is a little fishy. I happily soaked my toro in this one. Obviously i'm not a toro fan. Freshly grated wasabi is my new favorite and this one has a slight spiciness which numbs your tongue momentarily and then the tingling sensation disappears and leave your palate refreshed. Really good with the fish.

Miso Marinated Grilled Cod and Crispy Scales

The apple wood smoked cod fish in miso was delightful. Our server was very cute! She told me to get my camera ready so that i could capture the smoke when she releases the cover. :) 

The firm meat was bouncy and succulent. The miso was sweet rather than outrightly salty. The interesting part is the fried edible scales. Apparently there are only 3 fishes whose scales could be eaten. I'm not sure which fish they are. The deep fried scales were crunchy and goes well with the meat. I tried not to think about the scales when i ate them. I always felt that fish scales are icky. Maybe it's the myth that if a fish scale lands on you and you don't remove it, you'll end up growing scales. I think it's something my mama made up because we were playing with fishes at the wet market? Be careful what you tell your kids/grandkids. They are very impressionable and you don't wanna scar them for life.

S ordered a Sukiyaki Konabe (S$62) which came with large tender slices of marbled red meats from Japan. I love Wagyu. It's my guilt free way of eating fats because i cant remove them! Anyway, the sweet caramelized onion sweet broth was flavored with the creamy fats to give the soup a slight foamy texture. I still think Sukiyaki is too sweet but I'm liking this one a little more.

Sakura Ebi Kakiage and Shishitou with 4 Kinds of Mikuni Salt (Sakura, Lemon, Green Tea and Bonito) 
The kakiage looks pleasing to the eyes but the taste was just mediocre. The tiny sakuru shrimps hardly tasted of anything but oil and batter after being deep fried. The flavored sea salt were more of a gimmick and there is hardly any differentiation in taste.

Sagoshima Wagyu with Sakura Leaf and Seasonal Bamboo Shoots
The grilled Wagyu beef on the other hand was heavenly. The light and minty scent gave off by the Sakura leaf and flower transported me back to spring time under the canopy of Cherry Blossoms. The meat was infused with the light fragrance as well. Great choice of a simple black pepper and salt crust to bring out the aroma of the Sakura. The choice of a sweet light garlic soy could not be more perfect though the presentation of it in a syringe was questionable. I ended up jabbing the poor cow just to see if I can make it absorb the sauce better. Sadistic I know but it was great meal entertainment.

Tai Chazuke with Sesame and Signature Soup
This rice dish was pure indulgent yet comfort food. I've had this rice porridge on my first trip to Tokyo. C brought us to this hidden place which served a really homey rice porridge with a broth served in a teapot. This particular soup base is made from Kunbu, the best quality seaweed/kelp. A small 30cm x 10cm piece costs S$100 apparently. The whole set up is resembles a chemistry experiment. The soup is set to boil in a round bottomed flask which is connected to a container that holds the Bonito flakes.

The boiling broth would soak up the fish flakes briefly for that additional smokiness and then the essence is poured over the rice and raw fish and soaked for a quick 10s before you get a light and tasty fish rice porridge. The Shiso leaves adds a citrusy lemon grass flavor to the dish which is refreshing. Could also taste a hint of sesame oil in the fish. I call this the atas fish porridge.

For desserts, we had the Green tea ice cream with Pistachio soup. While the concept is interesting, the taste was confusing. I'm not sure why the Hot Pistachio soup tastes like the old school lemon biscuit filling. I don't taste any pistachio in it. The green tea ice cream was generally smooth and had an intense flavor but it was just a little icy in the centre.

Complimentary sweets from the Chef- White chocolate with green tea paste and cold solidified red bean paste (it was a jelly like paste made without the use of gelatin). Quite a perfect ending to the meal.

Verdict- Recommended
Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5 Attentive and knowledgeable staff. Each dish was carefully explained. Our server was also extremely accommodating and helpful. She even arranged the dishes just so i can get a better picture. Everyone was polite and friendly.
Ambience: 5/5 Though there is Sea view to boast of or spectacular furnishing, I like the calmness and serenity of the place. This is where I would go to restore some balance (the food way instead of the yoga way). Absolutely lovely.

With the Feed at Raffles card, you will get a 50% discount off meals at any restaurants under the hotel group which includes Jaan, Prego etc. It's quite a great deal. Our meal came to S$190 after the discount. :))

Mikuni
80 Bras Basah Road

Level 3 Fairmont Singapore
Tel: +65 6431 6156
Daily: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10:30pm

I hate packing for a trip. It's so much trouble really. I'm not sure how many share my sentiments on this but S surely doesn't. He just grabs a couple of tee and shorts and jeans and he's done. "It's ok to wear the same thing again", he says. Me? It's a lot more complicated than that.

So how do I pack? Well.. First, make a mental list of the places we'll go and the activities we'll participate in. Also, check for dress code for restaurants. Then begins the whole fashion parade in my room which involves changing in and out of various permutation and combination of tee, blouses, jeans, pants, shorts, skirts, dresses, jumpers... I'm not even being specific here with the rompers, jumpsuits, midi, maxi etc.. Accessorizing is another ballpark altogether. This is why packing is torture for me.
As you can tell, I'm not one of those people who think that it's absolutely okay to wear your lousiest clothes on holidays just because people don't recognize you. It is a matter of aesthetics! Some people just don't get it, even at home where they'd be recognized. These people should not be let out of their houses really. Oh my burning retinas. It's one thing to have confidence but another to be delusional about what clothes fit you. I do not claim to be a fashionista but at least I dress to hide my flaws and I look decent in public.

I digress. Back to the topic of packing. I've tried various methods over the years in order to maximize my luggage space just so that I can look well coordinated and presentable and yet have space to bring home more shopping.

Tip 1: Never fold your clothes individually
They take up way too much space. There are air pockets that are hard to eliminate when you pack this way. I only use this methods for bulky items like jeans. Then again, i'd wear jeans on board just so that I can save precious space in the luggage. ;)

Tip 2: Roll up clothes that don't crinkle
In my earlier years I would simply roll each piece and store them neatly. It's easy to identify which one I wanna wear as well. The prob is that everything ends up being quite crumpled and I would have to hang everything up once I get to the hotel and even iron them sometimes. Not something you can do if you're gonna be on the road the whole time.

Tip 3: Lay them, Stack them, fold into half
This is my current preferred method. Since my clothes aren't bulky, it's easier to just lay them on top of another. I would categorize them by types as well so that it'll easier to find what I wanna wear. Once done, fold them into half and store. This reduces wrinkles too!

Tip 4: Vacuum Bag Everything
This is the trick to getting extra space. Air is useless and you don't wanna be carrying them. Get these vacuum bags from Daiso (only S$2 each, various sizes). I'll put all my clothes in and proceed to squeeze all the air out. You can even do it manually! I've managed to bag a ski suit, 1 long and 1 short wool coat into a Vbag and it didn't even take up much of my luggage space!

Tip 5: Go For Basics
I'm obviously not one who packs light, as hard as I try. This Croatia trip alone I have with me 5 pairs of footwear, 1 outfit for each day, gym wear, 2 sets of swimwear and sleepwear as well. Not the best person to give advice but here is my wardrobe's worth. The above picture is only missing 1 shoebag, and my Longchamp travel bag. Not bad for a heavy packer like me!

For Her: A pair of dark colored shorts and jeans, tank tops, a girly blouse, a pair of heels/pumps for party, a versatile dress that brings you from day to night. To change the look of your outfit, simply accessorize.

For Him: A combination of tees/polo, shorts, slippers, loafers, a proper shirt could bring you anywhere you need to be. Suit up if you must. You have plenty of room in your trunk anyway. Guys have it much easier. Some people say that a man's best accessory is his partner. Apart from his watch and ride. ;)

Ok. Hope this helps if you are packing for your trip! Oh all these don't apply if you have a huge 29" luggage (which i do, coincidentally) Just throw everything in and go! I like mine organized though. :P Or if you have plenty of dough to spare, just buy everything overseas. At least people won't be wearing the same stuff as you back home.

Tata people. My holiday beckons.

XOXO,
C.