Happy 2013

Wishing you all a fab new year. 

For the holidays, we spent our time swishing down the slopes, eating copious amounts of cheese, long hours at the table with friends & family (so good to catch up with everyone), teaming up with my favorite Zojora partner, getting tattoos, our holiday favourites - Tattyoo and spending precious last days with Truffe. Truffe, you are dearly missed, rest in peace. 

Jakarta Madness

Accompanied hubby and brother-in-law on business trip to Jakarta at the beginning of the month. Had never been to Jakarta and probably will never go back unless I really have to. Spent 4 hours in a car the first day just to get from the airport to hotel and to lunch. Traffic is hell, no other way to describe it. People seem to live in their cars or in malls - really not my kind of city, no greenery, no sidewalks and lots of pollution. Granted we were there for only 48 hours and their must be more to this city than I saw but where I don't know. Tips? However, major fabric score at the local market, Tanah Abang, and do need to say the people of Jakarta were amazingly kind and welcoming.  Ok so Jakarta is done now tonight we're off to Cochin, India another new place for us and very, very excited to be going to India and to explore Kerala with the Zoros and hubby. Happy Halloween.

Rawa, Perfect Weekend Escape

A little silent over here on zorogoeseast not for lack of doing fun things but have been busy over on the soon to be open zojora.com Feel like I've been saying that forever, but one day it will be online. Have also been working or wasting many hours on social media: Facebook, tumblr, pinterest and haven't even gotten into twitter.  Then there are the Zoros to look after. 3 kids with homework every afternoon is pretty much my new daily nightmare. Besides all that, we did manage to get away to Rawa. Incredible road trip destination from Singapore. 2 1/2 hr drive to Mersing, Malaysia then 1/2 hr boat ride to Rawa island: easy. Once on the island there are only 2 hotels to choose from: Rawa Island Resort & Alang's Rawa. Book ahead. Stayed at the 1st one & it has kind of retro vacation club atmosphere. Rooms are clean, not great food but who cares when you have Rawa's beach at your feet. Oh and the scuba diving is so much fun - saw plenty of clown fish. Loved our wkd escapade but now off to finish more homework.
HAPPY WEEKEND

Summer Recap, Part III

Last part of our very long summer holidays: Provence

Top 5 things we enjoyed most whilst staying in Provence:

1. Reconnecting with friends and family. Thank you to all those who dropped by and hope you'll come back next summer.

2. Provencal food: tapenade, anchoiade, ratatouille, fresh tasty local produce topped off with our very own olive oil pressed at the Moulin du Calanquet and all masterfully executed by our favorite chef Nouna. Oh and let's not forget the rosé. Our favorite rosés of the summer were: Domaine de Valdition, Mas de la Dame and Château La Jeanette

3. Horse back riding for the kids at Le Poney Club le Rouget which included an epic camping experience.

4. Strolling through our favorite Provencal village: Saint Rémy de Provence and stopping off at our favorite haunts: Glacier Roma, La Maison de La Presse and Petit Duc

5. Tending to Lucky our 3 legged bunny who miraculously survived. Go Nurse Zoé!!!

Happy Birthday Rosie

 My sweet baby Rose is 9 today. Luckily we had a fun party for her last week with all her friends because today is mostly about packing, packing and more packing. Haven't quite figured how we're going to bring it all back, but somehow we will. Heading back to Europe for the summer. I can't quite believe that my Rose is 9 already and I also can't believe that we've now been in Singapore for 2 school years. This year has been great, lots of amazing traveling (definitely still my favorite aspect of living her), kids are really settled in, love their school, do a bunch of fun after school activities and I'm loving working on Zojora. Really all good, but sometimes we do miss home and that is why we can't wait to be back. Ok just need to bake some cupcakes, pack some more and we should be ready. 

Happy Summer to all of you.

Happy Birthday Lil' O

5 years old today my lil' boy.

5 lil' friends just spent

5 really fun days together

Come back soon

Lil' O's first mohawk

Grandpa Ic now wonders (or more likely worries) when lil' O will get his first piercing

Should you want the same "do" run on over to 

JasonSally's salon

http://www.facebook.com/jasonsally.hairdressers

Happy Birthday Rosie

My favorite summer child celebrated her birthday with a pool party last week before everyone left for their summer holidays. All her friends had a splash at her party and we hope to have a splashing time in Beijing with our birthday girl. 

My birthday girl - 8 yrs old today

Lazy Soccer/Expat Mom

Oops, 3 months have gone by since my last post. Have been fielding complaints. Apologies for my laziness. Anyway, going to try to be a more regular blogger and keep you up to date on my Zoros and our Singapore adventures. For starters, a recent pic of the Zoros in Duxton Hill last friday. Checked out a fun show at Chan Hampe Gallery, of my favorite galleries here. Like that Cham Hampe shows young emerging Singaporean based artists, including my personal favorite: Izziyana Suhaimi.

http://www.chanhampegalleries.com/

Fresh cuts at the mall

With this kind of heat there was no choice, but to head to the mall and give Oscar a trim to keep him cool and at Junction 8 we found if not the coolest hairdresser for kids the funnest one. 

 Oscar first off got to choose a movie, stickers, and a balloon. Then followed a no wash haircut, so no shampoo in the eyes and at the end of it all he got to choose which color streaks he wanted to add to his new "do." He was feeling green after all this choosing. Needless to say his sisters want to go back to the same place and get a combo of pink & purple highlights, should be interesting. 

Letter to Santa

After the trimmings came the letter to Santa. Oscar has decided (with lots of convincing on our part) that for every pacifier sent to Santa he would receive a present of his choice. We managed to find 7 pacifiers, so if he sticks to his part of the deal (no more "nonos" as he calls them) he'll be getting a lot of presents this year. 

Decking the Halls

...in my dreams. This is what happens when you decide to move to the other side of the world with only your carry on suitcase you start from absolute scratch and in our case start by buying an itsy size Christmas tree at our favorite everything for $2 japanese store Daiso. However later today, I was feeling sorry for the kids for the lack of Christmas spirit at home, so went out to get the wreath and big Z thought it was completely dull. Guess we'll be counting on the grandparents for decorations or then again there's always Orchard Road which in terms of trimmings beats it all.

The kids just off Orchard Road

Mango monster

Ripe mangoes every day of the year - another one of our perks of living in the tropics.

Oscar is a huge fan..."a mango a day keeps the"...wonder if that applies

Speaking of doctors, we took a trip to the dentist the other afternoon. Kids were definitely not happy, but that was before they knew that this dentist had a TV playing "Kung Fu Panda" just above the patient's chair. One movie later, clean teeth & no cavities,  and never once did they complain. Ahh, technology. 

Moma & Appa in Singapore

Moma and Appa came to visit and check up on us on their way back from their cruise. The kids love showing off their new favorite Singapore destinations and it was Zoe that wanted them to try our hawker center in Serangoon Garden. She had them taste her favorite fried dumplings and since Moma was sitting under a fan she didn't even complain too much about the heat!
Later on the same day, Oscar had his grandparents running all around the zoo to check out his favorite animals. Appa even had to go on an elephant ride. Then, our artist Rosie took them the next day to the Affordable Art Fair. No purchases were made, but did manage to get a couple of galleries contact details and hopefully soon we'll have something hanging on our bare walls. Anyway, we loved having Moma & Appa visit and hope they rest up before we all head out together on the ski slopes this Christmas.
www.affordableartfair.sg

Need a day off

Sometimes all this running around, sightseeing, discovering is just too much for my Oscar.

Enjoy your day off and take it easy.

Happy Hari Raya...does one say that?

Aïe

My poor little Rosie broke her wrist last night, result of a bad fall whilst playing with her sister, and now 6 weeks of an inflatable cast. I was sure she was just being her usual drama queen and that it was nothing more than a bruise. I actually tried to talk her out of going to the ER, seems that we drive there once every 10 days, but she was adamant about wanting to see a doctor. She was right. The good thing is that her wrist should be healed in time for skiing at Christmas. However, no swimming for a couple of weeks, big handicap here, as well as the fact that she has trouble holding a pen. As for me, I guess I have to learn to listen to my children, they know.

Happy Birthday Oscar

My favorite Halloween monster turned 4 today