Hoshino Coffee's pancakes

are the best way to pass a quiet afternoon by yourself. 

I've been so busy meeting up with friends and settling family matters that these few weeks literally flew by! 

I return to Paris next week and summer would have gone just like that. 

Snapshots of Singapore

Duxton hill //

Coffee at Group Therapy //

Delicious dim sum - fried carrot cake, char siew pastry, lotus leaf glutinous rice & many more //

Colorful tropical fruits //

Song Fa bak kut teh (pork rib soup) //

Yes, a Singaporean's heart is never too far from food and we are spoilt for choice here!

My summer loves - music, films, books, food!

On replay everyday... We love this track, with the windows down & the wind in our hair. What an excellent album!

French cinema really does have some great gems, especially in the form of actor Gerard Lanvin. One of my favorite French actors, he shines again in Amitiés Sincères. I love this film, it's right up there with Les Petits Mouchoirs and Le Prénom, both my favorite french films.

I realise that French films in general may lack a 'climax' or action or even romance often found in Hollywood movies but the acting is serious and so natural... They sound just like people I know! The actors here really carried the film through. On top of that, a good part of the film was filmed in L'Île du Ré, a beautiful island off the western coast of France. I have been dreaming to go there ever since I watched this film.

We also caught the avant-première of Jeune et Jolie last month which takes us through teenage prostitution with the beautiful Marine Vacth.. A must-see when it opens later this month.. Marine Vacth is so sensual inside.

And for reading... the latest issue of Kinfolk as well as old favorites and new discoveries.

And the perfect food to accompany it all: Fresh strawberries & cream from the market.

And the scorching weather has made it almost compulsory to eat cold food everyday. When I can't be bothered to cook, I boil soba noodles and add easy condiments.

Tokyo Eat

One of our top favorite restaurants in Paris, this is also where my husband and I had our first date 4 years ago. For him, it was une valeur sûre, an address where he felt the most comfortable with friends.

Nestled in the open terraces of the Palais de Tokyo museum, the café and restaurant are well-placed with a great view of the Eiffel without the price tag and frills of other restaurants boasting a similar view.

It is especially popular in summer, when Parisians flock here for dinner and drinks. The clientèle consists mainly of executives & young couples. 

One thing I love about this restaurant is the red plastic chairs! How cool are they? You immediately feel right at home because the vibe is laidback and relaxed.

To start, mojitos for us!

We normally take the melon and goat cheese salad but I wanted to try the mozzarella with marinated zucchini.

Fried fish with rice and Thai sauce!

And to end it off, always the cheesecake. Tokyo Eat has a in-house chef-patissier, whose only job is to make desserts. This is quite rare in Paris so their desserts are a must-try!

And to accompany the delicious food, a glittering tower & an in-house DJ. 

summer days

Summer is truly here when I need iced coffee for breakfast!

Too hot to eat anything else!

My favorite skort for 2013. 

I know, my legs badly need a tan.

Aki Boulangerie

My fave Japanese canteen in Paris for a quick & hearty bite... I'm here a few times a week.

Plus they have iced matcha latte which is hard to find in Paris!

Chouquettes

I can never say no to fresh warm chouquettes from the bakery... Sometimes I can eat 10 at a go!!! 

They are so soft and buttery.. it's easy to eat one after another :)

purple

fresh lavender // recipe notes // the Celeste cake from Eric Kayser // artichokes for a warm summer day

Matcha yoghurt cake

These days we have been busy with clearing & moving stuff, meeting interior designers & the whole house is a mess. But I did find some time to bake my very first cake, a matcha yoghurt cake. It turned out moist & delicious!

The recipe was randomly googled and it was a good one: 

http://kirbiecravings.com/2009/07/easy-tasty-matcha-green-tea-yogurt-cakes.html

the Mini Palais

The Mini Palais is always a great place to meet friends for lunch... When the weather is good, the terrasse with its tall pillars is a must!

Pork belly which was frighteningly fatty.

With my dear friend Lula who lives in Aix but comes to Paris once a month.

Madrid part II

Sunday was for little Charlotte who has grown up so much since the last time I saw her in Singapore.

And she had her sweet little friends Nolwenn and Alba... They are the cutest girls I ever met!

And our friends prepared a feast for us!

But merely a few hours after polishing off all these, we headed to Mercado San Miguel where we ate the biggest olives we ever saw.

These got us all excited as we eat olives almost everyday back home and have yet to come across such big juicy ones.

Our favorites were the ones stuffed with spanish ham, anchovies and tuna. Together with Spanish beer, our stomachs were happy and prepped for dinner.

Padron peppers are THE thing to eat when in Spain.. Juicy and fried with a sprinkling of sea salt, they are amazing.

Brunch

Italian-style.

A very old tree...

And a most divine lemon tart!

At Sun with Moon

Panfried foie gras to rival any restaurant in Paris.

The most delicious Aburi Bara chirashi don

Waiting for the kamameshi rice to be ready. 

Love the hour glass they put on top!

And it's ready. Salmon, teriyaki chicken and fish roe goodness with chestnut flavored rice.

Dessert was the signature tofu cheesecake whose presentation was beautiful. One could imagine the crane flying off once the cage was lifted.

With mummy dearest for some coffee to round off a perfect Saturday evening x

french delights

Fresh roses.. white ones are always my favorite..

Tea at Ladurée is a must whenever I'm in Paris... not so much for their macarons as I'm not a big fan, but the rose religieuse which is amazing.

An old mirror.

Little surprise gifts from my friends

Repettos are so comfortable and the service is always excellent.
Love this satin version which was sold out everywhere but thanks to a special angel I managed to find it.

Can never say no to a creamy camembert with fresh bread and Comté cheese.