The Ultimate Family Staycation at Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Singapore

January 2020. That is when we saw our family in India last. It has been more than one and a half years since we hugged them with the promise of visiting them again soon, completely unaware of the fact that in a short span of time, a raging global pandemic would prevent us from keeping our word. The sights, smells, sounds and warmth of home have begun to feel like a distant dream. 

Since that time, our children have grown a few inches vertically (but not horizontally 😆), graduated from kindergarten, acquired new developmental milestones and amassed countless new experiences to share. They constantly ask us when they will get to meet their grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins and this has turned into a source of niggling heartache. The biggest regret for us is not being able to spend time with our parents at the age when they are vulnerable but also the constant thoughts of them missing out on seeing their beloved grandchildren growing up. 

But when things have gone horribly wrong for so many families during this pandemic, we can only remain grateful that our loved ones back home are safe and in good health. Then again, we have witnessed that nothing can be taken for granted so our daily thoughts and prayers are filled with fervent hope that it stays the same way. With nowhere to escape the burden of simmering anxiety and frustration, the only thing we can do is try to give our best to each day and make do with what we have. And truth be told, living in Singapore means that we are relatively better off in the face of this pandemic. 

During November last year, we booked a staycation at Sentosa around the time of the twins 6th birthday. There were some restrictions and of course, plenty of safety measures but we did manage to have an amazing time and it was a much-needed break for all of us. 

This year, we booked a family staycation at Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Resort during the second week of May. The Shangri-La at Sentosa has been hailed as one of Singapore's most family-friendly resorts so we were keen to check it out for ourselves. We were looking forward to the stay as a way to escape from the monotonous routine and gloomy Covid-19 news. But just as we were starting to daydream about the sand and sea, Covid-19 cases in the community started increasing and additional restrictions under Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) came into force. With a heavy heart, we postponed our reservation. 

A month later, restrictions finally did ease a little but much to our dismay, dining-in was still suspended. We still decided to go ahead with the staycation because cabin fever had started to kick in and we were desperate for a change of scene. Adding a little joy to what was left of the girls mid-term school holidays seemed logical and so we started packing our bags. 

Staycation Begins

We checked-in on a Thursday afternoon. The weather was glorious for a change. There weren’t many people checking in at the same time as us so things progressed swiftly. I had the good sense to pre-register for all the activities that the resort offered. The outdoor activities had a booking time limit of 2 hours with the need for wrist bands to be worn. I collected all our beach and pool bands during check-in (note that the indoor activities did not require tags). 

My first impression was the size of the property. It is massive. The resort has 454 rooms overlooking the sea, pools, hills or gardens and 6 restaurants and bars serving a range of cuisines. And did you know that Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa is the only beachfront resort in the whole of Singapore? I didn’t!

I discovered that gazing out at the pool area and the beach was an instant happiness booster.

I'm sharing a few more pictures of the stunning resort. With beautifully landscaped gardens, lush greenery, swaying palm trees, vibrant flowering plants, cascading waterfalls, meandering paths and fish ponds, they totally nailed the tropical retreat vibe, don't you think?

The resort's mascot is Toots the frog so don't be surprised to see frog statues all around the resort. This was one of the first questions my daughters asked me so I had to find out.

Book Review: Jake Brigance Series (A Time to Kill, Sycamore Row and A Time for Mercy) by John Grisham

In my mid-teens, I graduated from Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys to John Grisham novels completely bypassing the Mills & Boon phase that most of my friends were into at the time. There was a tiny library near my house and I'd walk over there pretty much whenever I had free time to spare to check out the fiction section (still remains my favorite genre of books). I clearly remember the first adult fiction novel that I read which was 'The Client' by John Grisham. I recall being captivated by the suspense, intensity and plot twists which I soon recognized to be the hallmark of one of America's favourite storytellers. After reading a couple of his legal thrillers such as The Firm and The Pelican Brief, I moved on to other authors like Sidney Sheldon, Danielle Steele and Michael Crichton whose novels took up the remainder of my teenage years. 

I hadn't read John Grisham in many years. Recently, I received a recommendation for the Jake Brigance Series by John Grisham which consisted of three novels - A Time to Kill (1989), Sycamore Row (2013) and A Time for Mercy (2020). I finished all three books in a span of 10 days which only happens when I willingly devote every single second of my spare time towards reading (always a good sign for the imminent review). I was filled with nostalgia after reading Grisham after such a long spell. Although legal thrillers are not my most favourite category of fiction, I do enjoy reading them once in a while. 

John Grisham is no stranger to bibliophiles. He was a practicing lawyer for over a decade but went on to achieve worldwide recognition as an author by carving out his own niche of gripping legal thrillers. Having spent considerable time in the field of law, writing about courtrooms, juries and legal tussles come naturally to him and when he bases his stories on his native turf, the obvious personal touches make them that much more appealing. It is no wonder John Grisham is considered one of the best thriller writers alive.

This series features main protagonist Jake Brigance a 'street lawyer' in the fictional town of Clanton in the equally fictional Ford County, Mississippi. All three novels are courtroom dramas and in-keeping with the time and location they are set in, tackle sensitive subjects like racism, segregation, sexism as well as bigotry, classism and domestic violence. 

I've tried to keep this review free of any major spoilers.

Recipe of the month: Orzo Risotto with Roasted Garlic, Asparagus & Spinach

Lately, I find myself obsessed with orzo pasta. So much so that I think it may just be my current favourite pasta 😊

In our kitchen, we tend to use different types of pasta for specific pasta dishes based on our liking. For example, we use fusilli for our signature Cajun and vegetable stir-fried pasta, rigatoni or macaroni for baked cheese dishes, spaghetti for aglio olio, fettuccine or linguine for mushroom-cream sauce, penne or farfalle for pesto sauce and ravioli for butter or oil based sauces. Although this is not set in stone (sometimes we do switch up the type of pasta), this is generally the trend we have been following for many years. 

Orzo is a type of pasta that is shaped like a large grain of rice. Orzo is easy to cook and works well in soups, stews, salads, sides and even as an entrée paired with simple pasta sauces. We started using orzo only since last year. The first dish we made was orzo in pesto sauce which went down very well, especially with the kids. Then my husband used orzo in a baked cheesy casserole dish which turned out so great that it has made an appearance on our dinner table a few times since then. 

Recently, while browsing Instagram, I saw a delightful spring recipe using orzo, asparagus, rocket, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted garlic on one of the feeds I follow. In the recipe, the orzo is toasted in butter to give off a nutty and buttery aroma and then cooked in a watery broth. Then fresh greens, asparagus and sun-dried tomatoes are added in, Italian cheese is added for creaminess, black pepper for heat and roasted garlic for that amazing flavour. I thought it looked really good so I saved the recipe immediately and tried it within the next few days. 

I made the orzo in the style of a risotto (with the consistency of thick porridge) and it was a super hit at home. I made a few substitutions - I used baby spinach instead of arugula/rocket since my kids are not too gung-ho about the latter and parmesan instead of pecorino romano cheese because that was what I had. I also scaled-up the recipe since I needed it to serve 5 people. Since I had deviated a little from the original recipe, I felt I needed to make it one more time to get the recipe proportions right. I made it again this weekend and the recipe turned out perfect.

This recipe doesn't have a whole lot of ingredients and comes together fairly easily. It is ideal for busy weeknight dinners and elegant enough for entertaining. You don't have any of that tedious stirring that comes with a risotto! The orzo risotto with roasted garlic, asparagus & spinach both looks and tastes wonderful. And the best part is that unlike leftover risotto that thickens and isn't very nice to eat the next day, this orzo still tastes nice after a night in the fridge (it tastes more like a pasta dish rather than risotto though). Refer the notes at the end of the recipe for tips, substitutions and suggestions. 

I hope you try this recipe and love it as much as we did.

Restaurant review: Artichoke, Singapore

This is a restaurant I have been meaning to check out for the longest time. I'm so glad I finally managed to cross it off my list (which I obviously did before the Phase 2 Heightened Alert Covid-19 restrictions kicked in). 

In our household, we love Middle Eastern food. We rustle up Mezze-style grazing platters pretty often and not just while entertaining but also as part of our regular weekend or sometimes even weekday menu. It is something our children look forward to as well. I am yet to feature Middle Eastern recipes on the blog and it is something that I fully intend to do in the near future. 

Rich, fragrant, vibrant and comforting are all words that can describe the wonderful creations of the Middle East. Bread has been the primary food staple in the Arab-Muslim world but others include rice, barley, lentils, rye and wheat. The flatbreads are made with flour, softened with olive oil and can entirely replace the need for cutlery. Freshly baked pita bread is an integral component of this cuisine. Middle Easterners also eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, meat, nuts, dairy products and rice. Religion has impacted the cuisine by making lamb the primary meat. Traditional spices include cumin, caraway, nutmeg, cinnamon, saffron, sumac, isot, oregano, mint, nigella seeds and spice blends, including za’atar, ras el hanout and baharat. If you are familiar with this cuisine you will recognize the commonly featured ingredients like olives and olive oil, honey, rose water, orange blossom water, pistachios, sesame seeds, dates, chickpeas, mint and parsley. Popular dishes include hummus, moutabel, labneh, falafel, grilled halloumi, tabbouleh, foul medammas, fattoush, kebabs, dolma, doner kebab, shish tawook, shawarma, manakeesh, mulukhiyah and baklava. 

Located in the heart of Singapore's Arts and Heritage district, Artichoke offers non-traditional Middle Eastern food and unapologetically so! At the helm of Artichoke is chef-owner Bjorn Shen, who has been tickling the Singapore palate with fun and creative dishes inspired from the Middle East. Artichoke is said to be an extension of the chef's eccentric personality. 

Expect the unexpected at Artichoke so go with an open mind and empty belly. For more traditional and standard Middle-Eastern fare, you can always head over to Arab street. At Artichoke, imagine funky grub like the 'Thicc'-kest hashbrown you have ever seen, green harissa prawns, chipotle baba ganoush, an unconventional date pudding, all served to a backdrop of 60’s soul and 90’s hip-hop.

We had reserved a table for four on a Saturday afternoon. We parked the car a few blocks away from our destination. While walking towards the restaurant, we caught sight of charming shophouses and street art, the latter of which grabbed our attention as it is not a commonly sighted feature of Singapore. 

You can completely miss the restaurant if you aren't looking for it. Artichoke is hidden in an enclave between a brightly colored art gallery and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). If you were expecting a large or posh food establishment, you will be in for a surprise. Instead, Artichoke has an enigmatic, quirky and cosy vibe.