District Sixty Five | D65

I'm so excited to share about the recent project I have started with my brother - District Sixty Five! It was initially just a brief idea about switching his previous blog to a more professional one. But in the end, we've decided to co-own the website as it would be tough for just one person to manage it. And we just spontaneously jumped into it. I mean, what could go wrong right? We're still sort of "blogging" but on a better platform instead.

The first thing we did is to brainstorm for a name. We actually almost settled for Citywanders or Citywanderers in the beginning. I thought it had a whismical feel and it suited our theme. But after several rounds of consideration and a suggested word (District) from him, I decided to add a 65 to it (Inspired by Hunger Games). The domain was not available so we changed it to District Sixty Five instead.

In case you were wondering (although I feel that it's pretty obvious), District Sixty Five because +65. Get it? Get it?

So glad that we've got the logo and website sorted out now and we're starting on creating more content weekly! 

Do support us by giving us a like on our Facebook and follow our page on Instagram!

THANK YOU!!!

www.districtsixtyfive.com

Forbidden Durian Review | D24 Durian Cigar and Mao Shan Wang Durian Roulade

I haven't been too adventurous in trying really wild Durian creations, but Durian snacks and desserts will always be my top choices. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't excited about Forbidden's Durian Treats.

Are you familiar with Sunnyhills, a Taiwanese Pineapple Cakes brand that was popular among many? Forbidden Durian is a subsidiary of Sunnyhills, and they aim to produce world-class durian specialties.

Forbidden, yet too tantalising to resist.

The D24 Durian Cigar ($12.50/ 8pcs) reminds me of the Chinese flaky egg rolls 鸡蛋卷 that I used to eat, but this is a premium version instead. The light buttery and flaky texture just ticked all the right boxes of a perfect biscuit roll.

The best part is no other than the aromatic Durian filling which is also the star of this treat!

As they are all packed individually, you could sneak out a treat just in case you have a sudden craving for Durian! (Well, that is if you aren't concerned about the Durian breath after!)

The Durian Roulade ($47) is something Durian fanatics will swoon over because of its fragrance and creamy texture. The filling is also made with 100% premium durian. With 4 decadent layers of pandan, kaya, cake and durian, the flavours blend perfectly with one another.

The roulade can be portioned into about 10-12 decent slices. 

It's a slight pity that the cake has to be consumed within 3 days of opening, otherwise I could have enjoyed this for the entire week.

Tip: Remember to thaw the cake long enough for a softer texture

Packed in a luxurious-looking "cigar box", this could be just the perfect gift for your friend who is also a durian lover! And there is no age limit! 

For more information:

https://www.forbidden.com

This post is written in collaboration with Forbidden, based on my honest opinions.

#5 Journey to getting our new home | Our house is ready!

Our house is finally ready! The renovation was actually completed in end April, but we took some time for furniture delivery and also moved our stuff over bit by bit.  My dad laughed at us and said that it's called 蚂蚁搬家. Since 99% of our stuff (other than essentials) have been shifted, I wanted to share about the different vendors we have engaged, with special mention to some really good ones. 

As mentioned in my previous post, we have selected Jeremy from Urban Design House to be our ID.

URBAN DESIGN HOUSE 

ID: Jeremy

Jeremy gave us a very good impression even before we confirmed him as our ID, he was always very helpful and prompt in his replies even at night, never once I felt that he was reluctant to reply or explain things to me. The workmanship turned out great, according to my parents since I'm not really good at judging this.

But one thing for sure, Jeremy is very non-calculative and really puts our best interests at heart. To be honest, our project was not big, yet he really goes an extra mile for us even when some things are not under his direct responsibility. He also offered to be at our place to receive our delivery items if we are really busy.

Check out the final works below! We're super happy with how the colour turned out (with Jeremy's suggestions). He also taught us how to mix and match colours based on our preferences. 

The kitchen looks perfect! Actually I don't even know why we're spending so much on the kitchen when we don't really cook at home. And nope, I'm not baking here too. Probably only preparing icing. But it's for the sake of our dream house! Btw these are not 3d drawing, they are just edited really well. 

The master toilet is absolutely gorgeous, especially with a touch of marble design. Unfortunately, one of the tile designs were out of stock so we had to settle with the dark grey instead. Thankfully, it still matches the overall monochrome look.

I won't be showing a photo of our study room because there is no built-in stuff in there, and it's still a little messy.

And we chose a cleaner white/ brown colour tone for the wardrobe to match the pastel sweet pink theme in my dressing room. It's not really a "walk-in wardrobe" as it's not connected to the bedroom. We just didn't want to hack the walls to save the cost/ trouble (or in case we regret in the future).

I'm just really glad to have a dressing room by itself!

SPACE LUXURY 

Vinyl Flooring

Our original tiles were the white plain ones from HDB, which is still acceptable. But I really like the design/ texture/ colours of how Vinyl flooring is like. Somehow or rather, it makes the house feels cosier. I'm not exaggerating but it really feels that way to me.

Lawrence from Space Luxury was a really friendly and down to earth guy. I voiced out my concern about VOC and he was able to take out legit test reports to prove that the materials are safe. He was not pushy at all, in fact payment terms were very flexible. (We were actually surprised!)

He gave really good suggestions on colours as well. We decided on Ash Fir for living room + corridor and Avorio Birch for the bedrooms.

My parents thought that the vinyl was quite unnecessary at the start as the previous tiles were good enough. After the renovation, they were really impressed by the difference. 

Lawrence was also super nice to help me replace some of the pieces when there was unremovable stain (caused by door paint). THANK YOU!!!

DIVINO DIVANI

Dining Table

I actually chanced upon this brand on a Facebook Ad, and they were having some ongoing sale. I can't remember exactly but it was about 60% off for the featured item, we paid about $749 for the whole set. 

The design is really simple and clean which matches the overall theme. The table top is also firestone, which makes it heat resistant. It's also probably going to be more durable due to the rough texture and material. 

I like the greyish tones of the chair too!

TREND CREATOR

Sofa + Curtains/ Blinds

I still can't get over how much I love our customised sofa. Nothing beats a product which you are able to customise on almost every aspect. No doubt it will surely be more expensive than a regular budget sofa, but it's worth it for the comfort and overall outlook! 

I've mentioned about them in my other post, click here to read more!

WAREHAUS.SG

Swinging Egg Chair

Most of the swinging egg chairs range from $300 and above. I found this on Carousell for just $190! What a steal! And it's only $170 if you select their default cushion colour. No regrets because it fills up the empty space, and R loves that spot. It makes me giddy after a while though!That's really strange because I'm actually the one that loves thrilling rides.   

FORTYTWO
Coffee Table 

If you have heard of Fortytwo before, you should know how affordable their products are! Some are unbelievably cheap. This coffee table only cost $149.90. The material is quite decent. I only have a small issue that the table legs are glossy, as I prefer it to look matte.

One downside is that you won't be able to view the products at their warehouse, everything is 100% online. But there's free return policy if you're not satisfied with the goods (with T&C). We bought another desk at $51.90 to be placed at the study room corner as well.

The study room roller chair was also quite comfortable given that it's only $140.

Most of our other furniture are mostly bought at IKEA. I just didn't really have the time nor energy to shop at other places. 

PREMIER LIGHTING CENTRE

Lighting 

Most of my lightings are all basic, the only fancy ones in my house are the white track lights with a rose gold rim. The prices are relatively affordable and service is great too!

DECOR FAN SINGAPORE

Ceiling Fan

I bought the fans with their ongoing promotion, they seem to always have 1-for-1 deals! They have really nice designs that can suit Minimalistic, Industrial or Scandinavian theme. 

That's all for my house tour! Hope you find the information that you need :) 

Review: 5-in-1 airMIGO Mini Air Purifier Singapore | Ette Bright

It's not surprising that Singaporeans are trying to pursue a healthier lifestyle nowadays - filtered water, organic products, and even cleaner air! If you're wondering where to purchase a multifunctional air purifier in Singapore, read on to find out more! 

I never thought that I would appreciate one this much till I've gotten my hands on the 5-in-1 airMIGO air purifier as it works more than merely providing a solution to sensitive noses. You might not have thought about it before, but it is also a useful gadget if you have pets at home! And your furry pals get to enjoy the benefits too!

Look at Muffin & Cookie curiously exploring their new air cooler. 

Before even getting to the 5 detailed functions, let's just say that I'm already in love with the design and colour! With an option of two colours, this rectangular shaped purifier has a clean and minimalistic look. It also comes with a sliding handle to carry it around the house or office for convenience. Whether you prefer the sweet feminine pink or modern grey, both designs can easily match any interior designs. 

Since my house has a monotone theme, the grey would be a perfect fit. 

NANO FILTER

Don't get me started on how easy it is to use this purifier. Simply plug the USB cable to a power source (even a portable charger works!) and it will work straightaway. The nano filter can also be easily removed and is washable. It can be used for 6-10 months before it requires replacement.

Besides home usage, I also place a machine at my office as the environment may get a little too dusty sometimes. Better be safe than sorry to my skin! (My skin is rather sensitive so I tend to get clogged pores easily when the surrounding is not very clean)

AIR COOLING EFFECT

With dimensions of 13.1 x 13.1 x 17cm, this mini air purifier might seem small, but don't underestimate its power. On days where the weather is hotter, you can actually pour water through the funnel into the 460ml water tank. (Trust me, iced water works a lot better!) The cooling effect takes place through evaporation of water in a natural and cost-effective way!

My room ceiling fan somehow stopped working for a period of time, and thankfully I had the airMIGO purifier during this period. It's a life safer! I didn't expect it but it was a rather decent temporary solution till I got my fan fixed.

The air purifier also doubles up as a cooling fan for my piggies as the weather might be a little hot in the afternoon. 

PHOTOCATALYSIS TECHNOLOGY

And if you have furry babies at home just like I do, the photocatalysis technology is effective in purifying the air by removing odours and inhibiting microbial growth through the inbuilt UV-LED light. 

Spray 2-3 pumps of the photocatalyst solution on both sides of the removable filter and switch on the UV-LED light. Reapply every 1-2 weeks. 

You see the blue light on the machine? That's when the photocatalysis function is activated. 

AIR HUMIDIFIER

Moisture is also added to the air simultaneously and is especially useful if the surrounding air is dry, like in an air-conditioned room. Did you know that a humidifier can improve your skin problems like drying, flaking and dullness? With the humidifier function, you can achieve smoother and softer skin. And you can wave a temporary goodbye to your sinus issues (if any). 

AROMATHERAPY

As I have pets at home, this function is not really applicable for my home use. But if you enjoy aromatherapy, you can enjoy the therapeutic aroma of essential oils (not included) for calming or relaxation. Simply add 2-3 drops of your essential oil through the water funnel into the tank and the scent will be diffused into the surrounding air. 

With a price of $99, you get to enjoy 5 benefits in one machine that can improve your health, well-being and the environment of your home. Is it worth it? You decide for yourself! 

For more information on the airMIGO Air Purifier:

https://www.ettebright.com/product-page/airmigo-mini-air-purifier-with-photocatalytic-filter

Trend Creator Furniture Store Singapore - Custom Made Sofa & Curtains

Furniture shopping is surely a fun but tedious task for me, especially when I have huge dilemma issues. "I like this design, but the size is not right.." "Ooo this colour is gorgeous! But it's so not so comfortable.." "The material isn't worth the price.." and the list goes on.. Definitely not easy to find the perfect sofa for our living room.

What's better than to custom made the sofa to our own liking? We chanced upon Trend Creator during a renovation fair and it was a timely opportunity. We were intrigued to find out that the sofa is customisable to every aspect, and that includes fabric material, design, shape, size, colours, sofa legs, firmness. That's pretty much everything!

CUSTOM MADE SOFA

I feel like the sofa is a center-piece in the living room, and comfort is also our priority, that is why we're willing to spend a little bit more as compared to other furniture in the house.

We picked Le Mono Fabric (Polyester Fabric) as I like the texture and look of it. I felt that it match our interior theme better than the rest. There are other choices like half leather, genuine full cow leather, and premium water resistant fabric as well. 

If you are more adventurous, you can also do colour blocking - different colours for the base and sofa. I prefer more neutral colours and grey was the one and only colour I wanted. At least one less dilemma on that!

I think we're pretty lucky in the sense that the design and material we picked is somehow on the cheaper range.

I chose firm density foam cushion (love how it can be customised), as it really determines the comfort level. Guess who fell asleep on the sofa after a satisfying dinner. #foodcoma. Their foam is also brand new, and I was really particular about this as I'm afraid that some companies use recycled foam. 

Cynthia was really nice and super patient in answering our enquiries. You can tell that she's a sincere lady, definitely trustable too! I like how she explained everything in full detail including the source and how the sofa is made.

CURTAINS AND BLINDS

I got curtains/blinds from them as well as I was lazy to source for another vendor and her service was really good anyway. The prices seem reasonable enough even though I didn't really make a proper comparison.

For our dressing room, I actually made a mistake with my colour choice. I wanted something more cool tone (closer to white), but got beige instead. The sample pieces are usually small, and may cause some colour discrepancy to your eyes, so this is something to take note! But after a week or so, my eyes have kind of adjusted to the lighting and I think it actually matches the room pretty well. 

During curtain measurements, the person actually suggested to us to do high ceiling curtains for our master bedroom to create the illusion that the ceiling is higher (which makes the room more spacious). I wouldn't have thought of it until they mentioned it to me! It turned out really nice and we like how the walls reflect some blue hues onto the curtains.

We definitely have no regrets purchasing from Trend Creator, especially the custom made sofa. The only thing we regretted is the size as a longer sofa would actually fit better. I guess this works too! Btw, we paid everything ourselves and this is not a sponsored post! But good things of course must share!

Thanks Trend Creator for the awesome service!! 

https://www.trendcreator.sg/

Customised C&C Cage for my Guinea Pigs | Guineathebuilder

Following up on my previous post about getting a "Guinea pig ID" to build a C&C cage for me, I'm so excited to share that it has been completed! My piggies are growing up too fast and the cage is no longer sufficient for them. It was already small to begin with, but I bought the cage from a pet shop and had no idea that it was too small.

Now that I am about to move over to my new house, I can finally provide them with a much bigger space to popcorn and zoom around as they wish! (The cage is 5x their current cage size!)

Like I've mentioned in my previous post, I chanced upon a GP owner who builds super nice cages for his piggies and he posted the pics on POGS (Fb group). I tried my luck and asked if he could do it for a fee. I'm guessing he must have gotten quite a few requests and not long after, he actually created a page (Guinea the Builder) to start his side business on this. It came in so timely because I was honestly troubled over the cage for quite some time.

I submitted a Google form with my requirements and budget, and he came up with a quotation. I won't be sharing the details here but basically I paid about $170 (cost of materials) + $200 (fee). $200 for clothes sounds like a lot to me, but when it is for their beautiful cage, I'm like YASSS JUST TAKE MY MONEY. 

It was a rather simple and fuss-free discussion. I showed Kenneth photos of how I would like the cage to be and we met up to have a final discussion on the design before paying the deposit. I initially wanted darker colours but after browsing for ideas online, I decided to go for white for a cleaner and minimalistic look to match my living room theme. 

BACK TO THE CAGE...

I AM LOVING IT SO MUCH!!!

Trust me when I said that this cage was my most exciting piece of furniture to be delivered. I guess the decision of not doing the platform near the window also gave us the idea to replace it with this masterpiece. The artificial leaves also made it look like a mini garden. And I personalised the cage with their polaroid prints as well.

A 2x4 C&C cage is actually sufficient for 2 piggies, but I wanted to give them something more adventurous, which is why I added the ramp to the 2nd level. (Feels like a mini penthouse) The bottom area beneath the 2nd level also acts as an extra shelter for them. 

In case you're wondering how big is this, a 2x4 C&C cage is about 27" x 54".

Thank god I switched to guineadad liners, I can't imagine the horror of having to spot clean their cage with disposable bedding, and note forgetting the expenses that come along with it! Right now I just have to dump the whole liner into my other washing machine and it's all done! And based on other GP owners' experiences, the liners can last from 4 days to a week before it requires washing. 

And I included 2 water bottles so that they don't "fight" for it. 

Hi there Muffin! Looking for me?

As of now, Muffin & Cookie are still adapting to their new cage. I haven't officially move in yet, which explains why the cage is rather empty without their hideys, hay area, etc.

So glad that they have a cosy home and big space to run around!

One of the best decisions made! 

Little Flower Hut | Online Florist Singapore | Mother's Day Gift

Florists in Singapore are really getting creative nowadays. Bouquets alone may not be able to work the magic anymore. While many would still love to receive a bouquet of fresh roses on special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and Valentine's Day, what if you could do something more? Just imagine the reaction from your loved one when she receives this sweet-looking flower teddy bear from Little Flower Hut. 

Since it was Mother's Day, I wanted to bless this gift to one of Monice Bakes' lucky followers, together with a set of 3d floral cupcakes. Giveaway has already ended but you can always shop at Little Flower Hut if you are interested in their flower products!

I sent one of the same bears to my MIL's office for a Mother's Day Flower gift surprise and she was thrilled! Who wouldn't be? It's so lovely! 

Little Flower Hut offers a wide range of Flower Teddy Bear Series including Christmas and Graduation designs, and Ms Princess is just one of the many choices! 

The bear is actually quite heavy and big (30cm), adding to the WOW factor for whoever receiving it. They even have options of a life-sized one (1m) if you're up for it! The bear is entirely made of fresh flowers (pom-pom chrysanthemum), and it was impressive how realistic it looks as compared to a stuffed toy bear. 

Some of my other favourite picks are Mr Dedication, Mr Devotion and Mr Appreciation!

The Flower Teddy Bear is not their only creative pick, I was surprised to find other special creations that resembles the looks of a cake! So if you're in a dilemma between cake and flowers, you know what to do ;)

Perfect for Mother's Day Flower! 

Little Flower Hut is no doubt one of my preferred choices of online florists in Singapore as you can find the finest range of Flower Arrangement, Hand Bouquet, Baby Hamper, Gifts and many more for different occasions such as Birthday, Anniversary, Baby Shower, and Get Well Soon etc! I love how they have really impressive and luxurious designs as well as the classic and more affordable gifts to fit your budget.

If you're urgently looking for flower delivery services, they also offer same day delivery services for your last minute shopping plans!

Thank you Little Flower Hut!

https://www.littleflowerhut.com.sg/