[backdated post] NYE @ Arteastiq

Mr Bär and I came across Arteastiq a few times before on our way to Jones the Grocer or somewhere else in Mandarin Gallery. We were always attracted to the art room where people would be painstakingly drawing or applying paint to blank canvases, and swore to go there at least once, but always forgot... 

Anyway Mr Bär and I went to a nearby cafe for breakfast (name escapes me now, but it wasn't great). But we again passed by Arteastiq, and this time we swore we would be back in a few days time, for this year's NYE celebration.

On the actual day, we went to Arteastiq for brunch, only to find out that they only cater brunch on weekends. On weekdays, it was breakfast. haha.

Ante Meridiem

We arrived really early because we were the only table there, and ordered drinks first before we had our munchies. I couldn't remember what we ordered but what was great about the tea sets were that they all came with a little cookie on the side. I didn't like my cookie, but I liked my drink which was a floral tea served with a dollop of ice-cream.

Ordered by our little Miss Bear

Ordered by yours truly. I remembered it was floral tea with a dollop of ice-cream

Hot chocolate

Think it was tea latte

The younger bears ordered the Ante Meridiem which essentially comprised of a generous slab of pan-fried salmon lying across potato salad. I ordered First Blush which was a mix of savory and sweet with pancakes and smoked salmon, while Mr Bär ordered, Prime Dawn (sausage, egg and bacon - strange because he doesn't eat bacon, and sausage - no worries he has me to help him polish them off).

First Blush

Prime Dawn

The portions for all the food were pretty good, and filling. I liked my eclectic mix of savory and sweet like the cheesy tomato with the sweet pancakes. Miss Bear wanted to try the desserts so we ordered two to share. An orange cake and a ATAS prata. Both dishes came with ice-cream. I remembered two of the dollops were durian (YUMMY). Another was Earl Grey (ok), the last one was coconut or something...

Perhaps I was already too stuffed but I didn't enjoy the rest of the desserts as much. The prata was obviously from a ready-made packet, and the cake was a bit heavy. Nonetheless the ice-cream provided an ambrosial after note for the celebratory meal. I would definitely come back again.

Ready made prata served upmarket

Shawn, get it together

This little girl tells it like it is, and is probably much wiser than many grown women today when it comes to matters of the heart. :D

Blood Group Compatibility (according to the Japanese)

Blood Group A
Perfectionist, punctual, shy, intellectual, patient, pigheaded

Blood Group B
Does everything in a practical way, great capacity for concentration , individualist, thoughts above feelings

Blood Group O
Energetic, social, extroverted, leader, arrogant

Blood Group AB
Mixes characteristics from all groups, plus a cool person

Compatibilities
A is compatible with another A and with AB.
B is compatible with B and AB
AB is compatible with AB, B, A and O
O is compatible with O and AB.

Tee mit Misses Bären

[Book Review] The Perfect Retreat

The Perfect Retreat was a pretty good chick lit. I liked all the characters in that they were not all totally cookie-cutter stereotypes, other than the raging bitch ex-wife. 

There were one or two GLARING booboos though, and I personally feel that the editor needs a swift kick to the butt for them. E.g. page 125. Small, large breasts...????? I envisoned a lop sided Kitty. Hahaha.

Second case was that Ivo's dad was the Earl of Casselton on Page 360, then on page 382 when Evelyn, Ivo's mother explained that when Ivo's dad Perry "pops his clogs then Ivo inherits" as the future Marquess and Marchioness of Casselton.

I may not be well-versed in the English aristocracy and their lineage, but from what I read of historical novels I formed the impression that Earls are not the same as Marquesses. When eldest sons of Earls inherit, they become Earls. And Marquesses will inherit from Dukes. So if Ivo's dad is Duke of Casselton, it makes sense if Ivo is Marquess of Casselton. YKWIM?

Back to the characters. Like I said earlier, I liked the characters in that the author put in some effort for forming their personalities. However I found that the adults are a bit strange and unbelievable. As in why would a renowned director treat a dyslexic young woman as a daughter after hearing her practise reading? A bit too whimsical. The author expedited the last part of the story very quickly with the husband being an arschloch through almost 3/4 of the book and suddenly becoming very conciliatory and apologetic. The author did explain the reason for the transition, but I found the transition a bit too fast and somewhat miraculous. I mean the wife couldn't change him, parenthood couldn't change him but a girlfriend of some months could change his thinking overnight?

Ivo is a very delicious character of course. I think he is probably the reason to read the book. Merritt and Willow are flawed but nice and believable. Kitty falls under the unbelievable category. She is supposed to be retiring and shy but she goes ballistic on a guy who she loves and makes his life totally miserable when he rescued her? And yet she could forgive her boss so readily. I mean yes, it was her fault for losing the kid, but to forgive her so readily and then blaming it all on Ivo is like very bipolar behavior. Lucy is a good character but doesn't do much other than perform a secondary supporting role. 

I loved the bromance between the dudes in the later part of the story, and I enjoyed the part about the paintings hiding in plain sight. This plot was also done in the first season of Motive (Canadian drama).