Friday, September 30, 2011

Fabreze Fabreze

What do you do if your plush or soft toy is dirty? Use Fabreze Fabreze to clean them up!

Fabreze is a very effective fabric refresher. If you're watching Singapore tv, you ought to have seen the Fabreze commercial thousands of times that its starting to annoy you.

Today we are going to use this Fabreze extra strength on our NICI Panda who has gone out for an outdoor photography session for a whole day.

So how do we use Fabreze? Well, its easy!

Just point Fabreze at your soft toy..

and start spraying Fabreze relentlessly on your victim until it is all wet and damp.

Then leave your soft toy to dry. You may also point a small fan directly like this to dry up faster. There you go, NICI Panda is fragrant and refreshing!

Please note: Fabreze is not a substitute for washing, you are required to wash your nici plush if it gets really dirty. How to wash your plush, soft toy, stuffed animals coming up!

Disclaimer: We do not endorse Fabreze products and we shall not hold any responsibility if any discomfort happens to your plush while using Fabreze. But we do not mind if Fabreze wants to engage us for an advertisement (^_^)

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Cutest NICI Crocodile Plush

Once upon a time, minily NICI crocodile plush who thinks he is the cutest crocodile plush in the world looks into the magic mirror one day and begins to ask..

Mirror mirror on the wall *ahem* table..who is the cutest crocodile plush of them all?!

- snow white cliché -

Image of another crocodile plush appears in the magic mirror and stuns our minily NICI crocodile plush.

Disgruntled in agony, our NICI crocodile plush exclaimed, "Who are you! How dare you spout nonsense!" Distant voice closing in, "I am the cutest crocodile plush, you heard me"

NICI crocodile plush with his bewildered eyes looks deeply into the mirror in disbelief. The other NICI crocodile plush continued, "You asked for the cutest crocodile plush of them all, so the magic mirror's reply is ME, not you!"

No, I am cutest crocodile plush! Not you, you imitation!

I...am the cutest crocodile plush, YOU ARE THE IMITATION!

Two NICI crocodile plush continues their argument.

So which one do you think is cuter? YOU BE THE JUDGE!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Braised Pork Belly Recipe

Today we are sharing with your our braised pork belly recipe with NICI Monkey. Braised pork belly is a very traditional dish that every Chinese family cooks and eats.


Braised pork belly recipe ingredients for 3 to 4 pax
• Pork Belly - 1 slab (about 600-700grams) chopped into half inch thickness
• Garlic  - 1 bulb separated into cloves but keep the skin on
• Spices - cinnamon stick, star anise, peppercorns, cloves and cardamom
• Coriander Leaves - 1 stalk, fresh and green

Braised pork belly optional ingredients
• Bean Curd - 2 pieces or any amount you desire
• Hard Boiled Egg - 2 but if there are more kids in the house, 4 to 6 eggs, kids love them
• Fried Bean Curd Skin - 1 whole packet or any amount if you like more

Braised pork belly recipe condiments
• Light soy sauce
• Dark soy sauce

The spices are very important in our braised pork belly recipe today. These 5 spices - cinnamon stick, star anise, peppercorns, cloves and cardamom can be easily obtained especially in Malaysia as the Malays use them a lot for cooking soup and curry.

The spices usually comes in one packet like this that cost only 50 cents. This amount is just nice for our portion of braised pork belly recipe today, any more will be overwhelming.

Let's start cooking our braised pork belly. First we heat up a pan and start frying the pork belly meat without oil in high heat to release its own pig oil.

Once the pork belly meat is slightly browned, you can start adding the garlic and all the spices. Do not fry the spices for too long over high heat, it will turn bitter.

Next we add in copious amount of light soy sauce into the pan. After cooking braised pork belly for so many years, it was never once calculated how much soy sauce was added. Just put more, not less, because if its too salty you can add more water later on. If its not enough, adding soy sauce at the later stage will be pointless.

Immediately after, we add in the dark soy sauce, also in copious amount. The light soy sauce is salty and the dark soy sauce is sweet, add them up you get the taste of the braised pork belly. Continue frying in the hot pan for a few minutes to let both the soy sauce release its true taste.

Next you can add in the bean curd and hard boiled egg and enough water to cover all the ingredient. Let it simmer for 1.5 hours and the braised pork belly is done. As simple as that!

This is the stalk of coriander leaves, wash it well and add it into the braised pork belly. You can add this into any other stew or soup too as it is the most flavorful part of the coriander leaves. Traditional cooking secret.

As the braised pork belly is slowly stewing, prepare the fried bean curd skin.

There are many types of fried bean curd skin, please don't get the one used for deserts. This fried bean curd skin is thin and crispy. It adds a lot of flavor to the braised pork belly.

You can add the fried bean curd skin into the braised pork belly anytime after you cut it up into any-shape pieces. They won't overcook or under-cook.

After 1.5 hours of stewing, your braised pork belly is done. Garnish with the coriander leaves when served. Notice the gravy has dried up a lot and if you have used good quality soy sauce, there is no need to add any additional flavorings.

If you find your braised pork belly stew is not tasty enough, add some chicken stock powder and you'll be surprised by what it can do. Adding more soy sauce now is futile. Hope you have enjoyed our braised pork belly recipe today.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Chijmes Chijmes Chijmes

Today we brought Hugo Wolf to Chijmes (pronounced as chimes). Chijmes is a historical building in Singapore which previously served as a catholic convent called the Convent of Holy Infant Jesus.

Chijmes has since been restored to a commercial building for restaurants, bars and shops. Located at the central area near City Hall MRT, Chijmes is a great place for food and drinks with a unique entourage.

On the entrance of Chijmes, there is a beautiful Gothic style chapel which Hugo Wolf is right in front of.

 A good view of the chapel in Chijmes without Hugo. Gothic design is absolutely gorgeous.

 Inside the Chijmes building, you will instantly be greeted with lots of restaurants and bars.

Restaurants and bars in Chijmes mostly cater for business at night so its without a soul now.

We will head upstairs and have a look around Chijmes..What is Hugo Wolf doing at the staircase..

 As we ascend upstairs, we see some old pictures hanging on the wall of how the Chijmes building looked like in the olden days.

Hugo Wolf at a nice long corridor at the 2nd level of Chijmes

Hugo Wolf at Chijmes. Anyone needs a professional model for photography, please dial 1900-112-HUGO-WOLF, toll free

Hugo Wolf found something interesting! The gents at the 2nd level of Chijmes is a complete see through! If you're wondering whether the ladies look like this too, the answer is.....Nope

As we descend the staircase in Chijmes..

Hugo Wolf came across another old picture of Chijmes, the entrance and the chapel looks exactly the same isn't it?

Hugo Wolf at Chijmes with the view of the chapel from the side..

Hugo Wolf at Chijmes and another view of the chapel from the back..

The chapel of Chijmes is on the left and the other building with a cross is the Cathedral Of The Good Shepherd. We will pay a visit there one day.

A better view of both the chapel in Chijmes and Cathedral Of The Good Shepherd without the big chubby Hugo Wolf blocking most of the scenery (^_^)

There's an escalator in Chijmes! An old building with modern infrastructure.

Look at the lobsters! Alright we will leave you with one last picture for Chijmes..



There is an urban legend recently reporting a wolfy figure sighted at Chijmes, but no one can confirm "its" existence or what exactly it is. Some say its a werewolf, some say its the superhero wolverine. NICI-Mania sets out to Chijmes to find out the truth...


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