2013 – A Great Year for Wine

Sommeliers and wine connoisseurs in Singapore can expect great things to come as more vintage bottles continue to arrive to shops and restaurants. The great wines are courtesy of the harvest and production in 2011 which has been resoundingly declared as vintage by major port houses.

Celebrating 2011

While winemakers did not initially expect 2011 a great year, considering that it was a difficult growing season, its harvest became one of the best in years. Experts in the wine-making business attribute this to excellent rains at the start of the season that continued to nourish vineyards despite tough conditions during the middle of the year. This resulted in the excellent crop of wines it produced, which are slated to be released throughout this year.

Declaration of Vintage

For the past 20 years, there has only been six years that were congruously declared as vintage by the wine-making industry: 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2011. How the wines will fare is actually not known – though some winemakers already had optimistic predictions by the end 2011’s harvest – until it is tested after two years. This process started at the beginning of this year and will continue until next month. Even so, large port houses have declared better-than-expected results and promised to deliver excellent vintage wines.

Symington, Fladgate, Sogrape

Habitués of the Symington line should keep a lookout for the port’s top makes: Graham, Dow, Cockburn and Warre. For fans of Fladgate can keep a lookout for the Fonseca and Croft brands, as well as 310 cases of the Estate’s flagship line, the Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha. Meanwhile, Sogrape has already started the release of their top brands Ferreira, Offley and Sandeman. Wine sellers can expect the prices for all houses to be similar to those in 2009.

Where to Eat the Best Yu Sheng in SG

Yu Sheng is a popular dish prepared during the Chinese New Year, particularly on the 7th day of the year. Chinese families believe that Yu Sheng can increase their abundance, prosperity and longevity. It is made of salad dishes with lean cuts of raw fish and spices. If you want to eat Yu Sheng anytime, you should head to:

Golden Peony

Golden Peony is located in Conrad Centennial Singapore. They serve two types of Yu Sheng dishes to include Ama Ebi and Hoy Sum Lo Hei. Their Yu Sheng is served with coral weed, US scallops and sauce (plum or sweet spiced). They are open from Monday-Saturday (11:30am to 2:30pm and 6:30pm-10:30pm) and Sunday (10:30am-2:30pm and 6:30pm-10:30pm).

Lai Wah

Lai Wah is located in Bendemeer Road. The restaurant was established in 1964 and from thereon has supplied the world with the best Yu Sheng. Their special sauce makes the restaurant famous. They are open from Monday to Friday (11am-2:30pm and 6pm-9:30pm) and Saturday to Sunday (11am-2:30pm and 6pm-10pm).

Tung Lok

Tung Lok is located in The Central, Vivo City and Changi City Point. Their Yu Sheng is served with fresh vegetables, mushrooms, sweet potato, yam, salmon, plum sauce and a squeeze of lime. They are open from 11:30am to 3pm and 6pm to 10:30pm daily.

Min Jiang

Min Jiang is located in Rochester Park and Goodwood Park Hotel. The restaurant serves fish roe, prawn row, sweet potato, French chives, yam strips and many more. Their Yu Sheng will tickle your tongue with their special sauce and lime juice. They are open from 11am to 2:30pm and 6pm to 10:30pm daily.

Jiang-Nan Chun

Jiang-Nan is located in Four Seasons Hotel. It is notable for its authentic Cantonese cuisines. They serve their Yu Sheng in Cantonese style with lobster, clam, potato, salmon, abalone, vermicelli and yam. They are open from Monday to Friday (11:30am-2:30pm and 6pm-10:30pm) and Saturday to Sunday (11am-1pm and 1:30pm-3pm).

A Guide to Treating Leg Cramps

Leg cramps are common for older people and people with active lifestyle. Leg cramps are caused by muscle contractions in the calf, behind and below the knee and the feet. The pain will lasts for a few seconds. For severe cramps, it will last for a few minutes but sometimes it can go on for hours. It will ease as time goes by but there are others that go through with the pain every day. If we are suffering from this, it is crucial that we know basic treatments and make sure to properly execute it to be effective. Here’s a guide:

Consult your doctor

Recurring cramps is not a good sign. We should consult our doctor right away. If we are taking medications (such as Chlorpromazine, Lithium, Statins, Salbutamol, Cimetidine, Diuretics, etc.) that we feel contributed to the occurrence of cramps, let’s mention it so doctors can suggest other alternatives.

The main treatment is Quinine but a trial period should be observed first because it can cause serious harm.

Stretching exercises

Stretching can help alleviate pain. There are studies that recommend stretching exercises but there are others that do not support it. Regardless, we should try stretching and if it makes a difference, we should do it as often as thrice a day (for about five minutes).

Consider compress or massage

Cold compress generally relaxes the muscle. We should look for a cloth, put in ice and apply it directly to the leg. If we want to further relax leg cramps, we are free to consider massages. After the massage, we will feel better and lighter but of course there’s still pain.

Get plenty of rest and liquid

If we sleep, our muscles will relax and they will heal. When we experience cramps, our electrolytes are depleted. We need to restore it so we have to hydrate by drinking fluids especially those containing electrolytes.

Tips in Buying a Wedding Ring

You’ve given all the thought in picking the best engagement ring for your fiancé, but how about the one you will wear all throughout your life, your wedding ring? While the engagement ring symbolizes the promise of the man to marry the woman he loves, the wedding ring symbolizes an everlasting love under the sacrament of marriage. In Singapore, couples and the family of the couples are very particular with gift giving as a part of their wedding tradition. That’s why soon-to-be grooms has to show to the bride’s family how worthy he is to be their future son-in-law.

But how are you going to choose the best wedding bands? It should be easier now since you’ve already experienced buying a proposal ring. To help you further, here are some simple tips in buying your wedding ring.

Set a Budget

Before heading out and go shopping for your wedding bands, define first how much you are willing to spend. The general rule is to reserve 3% of the overall wedding budget for the wedding bands. But because every couple has different budget, you can have your own standard percentage according to how much you can afford. It is also advisable to pre-set a budget to make shopping easier. Also, keep in mind that prices vary according to what type of metal and stones used on the ring.

Know the Metals

Rings are made up of different metals, like white gold, gold, titanium, and platinum. White gold, gold and platinum are the traditional materials for wedding rings. But if you’re looking for cheaper alternatives in engagement ring from Singapore titanium can be your best choice. Aside from the varying prices, different metals also compliment different skin tones. Try on several rings made of different materials so you can evaluate which one looks good on you.

Shop Around

There are so many jewellery shops in Singapore that offer wide variety of rings. Shop and look around for the best wedding or proposal ring before you decide. Take note, ask for brochures, and compare prices when you go hunting for the right ring. And because you and your other half both need to have wedding rings, jewellery shops may give you reasonable discounts if you will buy both of the wedding rings at the same shop. But, if you and your partner have settled your hearts on the rings you found in different jewellery stores, go ahead and spoil yourselves. Your happiness with your chosen ring is more important than the money you can save for a ring that you might not wish to have.

A Guide to Coping with Depression

Depression is not an exclusive thing because all people at some point in time will feel it. We feel it when we lose someone or something we love and care about. There are many people that effectively deal with depression but there are others that find it hard to cope. If we know how to deal with depression, it is better but what if we are stuck? Depression is a state of mind but it can affect our body in the long run. Let us pause for a while and consider this guide:

Get support from family and friends

If we feel unpleasant thoughts (such as persistent sadness, fatigue, lack of self esteem, feeling of worthlessness, exhaustion, suicidal thoughts etc.), we are treading on difficult grounds. If we notice unpleasant thoughts, we should talk about it. Talking about our feelings will not make us look weak and vulnerable. Talking about our feelings and innermost thoughts is an act of bravery.

Let us not forget that we have a family and set of friends that we can turn to.

Think of happy thoughts instead of negative things

When we are depressed, thinking of negative things seem easy. If we let negative thoughts dominate our mind, we will never feel better. Let us do our best to transform sad and negative things into happy and positive things. It is hard but it is worth the try. Let’s begin by surrounding ourselves with positive and happy people. It can help in the process.

More importantly, we should do the things we enjoy to do or used to do. We can restore our old self if we are willing to change.

Follow a healthy lifestyle

Sleep, exercise and diet can make a difference. We should never let depression take over our body.