YVANISM: One Crazy Saturday Night!

Every time my friends and I would go out, we would always drink somewhere first before totally "going out". And my room is one of our most favorite spot. Haha! Last night, I decided to call all of them for our "wine night". So my friends were all here. Everyone brought bottles of wine, and me? I cooked dinner.

Mark (one of my closest friend) went to my place earlier than everyone so he could help me cook. So we went to the nearest grocery store first (which in my case, Rustan’s Shopwise) and shopped for what I will cook. Funny how he asked me what I would cook, and all that I said was "bahala na" Haha! Cause I really don't know what we'll see inside the grocery store. So I ended up cooking Roast Beef with baby potatoes, and Farfalle Pesto pasta.

Judging by the left-over, there was none. Ha-ha! So I guess it was a hit then.

Now comes the fun part, the wines! I really don't know the names. I just drank whatever they gave me.

My personal favorites were Natalie and Gossips. Both were sweet, but totally traitors. We had two bottles of each except for Kangaroo Ridge and Primo Amore. We were all crawling afterwards. Oh, I forgot, we finished one GSM blue and one The Bar apple again after all the wines. So can you imagine how f*cked up we all were before headin to Prive? LOL

YVANISM: Dear Crush

Dear crush,

When I saw you at the Preview Ball, I immediately thought of two things: 1) how is it that I've never seen you around before and 2) weeeew ang cute mo.

You don’t know me, and I don’t know you; but the way you grinned through that insanely cute dimpled smile of yours made me care less about how the night was going to turnout.

Thanks for making me squeal like a fanboy inside my head, even if it was just for awhile. Now I’d make this letter longer, but right now, I have to go.

Love (or is this too forward?),

Yvan

COOK IT UP #3: Pasta al Tartufo

I believe that if calories didn't make people fat, we will all be eating tartufo pasta everyday! Haha!

Anyway, I'm happy to report that I discovered a tartufo pasta recipe that is calorie-friendly! Yay! Hope you'll try it out and tell me if it doesn't taste like the real thing!

Pasta al Tartufo

What you need:

Nestle Cream D'Lite, mushrooms 

(you can use any fresh mushrooms you like)

Butter, powdered old-fashion style cheese or parmigiano Regiano

Wheat pasta

EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

Salt

Pepper

Easy peasy:

Step 1: Boil pasta according to the package directions

Step 2: While boiling the pasta, prepare the mushrooms 

and cut them into smaller pieces

Step 3: In a large bowl, add EVOO, salt and peppers to the shrooms

Step 4: Arrange the mushrooms in a baking sheet

Tip: You must not crowd the mushrooms to brown them

Step 5: Grill the shrooms until they brown

Step 6: In separate pan, melt butter 1-2 tbsp. You can use less EVOO for less calories.

Step 7: Add the Nestle Cream D'Lite and stir in low to medium heat

Step 8: Sift the powdered cheese. By doing so, it will prevent the sauce from curdling.

Step 9: Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of powdered cheese to the sauce

Step 10: Stir till it cooks. It take 3-5 minutes to cook. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 11: For a creamier sauce, add 1-2 tbsp of EVOO

Step 12: Add the grilled mushrooms to the sauce

Step 13: Fold the mushrooms in the cream sauce.

Tip: Leave some mushrooms for the garnish.

Step 14: Add 1 tsp. of truffle oil

Garnish the pasta with grilled mushrooms, fresh basil and powdered cheese

Creamy, healthy goodness! ☺

WALK THAT WALK: The Asylum at AS Hill

The most common question I get asked is where to go when in Singapore. Well, the one place I recommend is Ann Siang Hill. Far from the chaos on Orchard Road, the area has a very laid back vibe to it, with quaint boutique hotels, cafes and alternative shops surrounding the area.  One particular store you shouldn't miss is Asylum.

So, last Monday I went to SG to cover their event and man seeing a store you love move is never easy. No matter the number of purchases, the nostalgia of first discovering the spot and going back will always be there. That said, the store is making a transition as joyous it can be. 

I love the storefronts like this. So minimal like they're hiding a secret!

Once a full-fledged design store, it has turned its discerning eye to fashion, carrying pieces from Mark McNairy loafers to Rick Owens sneaks to Surface to Air shirts. 

The first thing that caught my eye - those sweet Mark McNairy tasseled shoes!

A classic, more sophisticated tote from Commune de Paris

They just slashed 50% of ALL ITEMS in store and some even going as high as 70% off. It's the perfect time to get your fix of Mark McNairs, Surface to Air, Commune de Paris, and Want Les Essentials De La Vie for a fraction of the price! A fitting going away present from one of the most well curated shops Singapore has to offer. Ann Siang Hill's loss will be the gain of some lucky location soon. 

Bargains aplenty inside. 

Surface to Air x Kid Cudi Leather Jackets. If only the weather permitted!

Those brown Mark McNairy loafers will be the death of me! 

The Asylum

22 Ann Siang Road, Singapore

T: +65 6325 3019