Hello, my name is Rachel. I was born and raised in Singapore until I was on the wrong side of 25, before I moved to London for 5 years, lived in Boston very briefly…and returned to Singapore for good. That is, until we decide to move again.
In the time I was away from home, I fell in love, did a PhD, got married to my best friend M, worked in London for a year, travelled, cooked and baked LOTS, ate very well, and found time to have a baby. Our little potato of a daughter arrived last year.
I started this blog to chronicle the big and small moments in our lives. I still write about the big and small moments in our lives. Some of my bigger moments have been featured on a couple of websites and platforms. I like to dress my food up a little and take pretty pictures of them; a few of my better food photos have been featured on Tastespotting and Foodgawker. I have also grown to love photography after blogging all these years and am slightly obsessed with composition, colours and stories. I met lots of lovely people in the blogosphere who are inspiring, talented and tenacious and I am thankful for friends like them.
I have a very loving family who supports me in everything I do and I cannot ask for more. I am inspired by my parents and siblings to love my husband and beautiful daughter in every way I can, and to carve out new traditions, such as cooking, baking, crafting, travelling and going on Sunday picnics with my little family.
The tiniest dreams in the biggest ways, yes, I have some of those even though I am a stay-at-home-mother now. I’m tucking them away in my private corner, and slowly paving way for them to come true. So, watch this space!
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To learn more about why I started writing at The Pleasure Monger, please check out my first entry.
To return to the blog, please click here.
Also, you can explore potential collaborative, advertising and charitable opportunities with me here. Please note that all sponsored opportunities are clearly stated at the bottom of the respective posts. Invitations to review relevant products and services are welcome; however, I reserve the right to decline invitations which may be unsuitable. I only recommend products and services that I would personally use, and I appreciate that one does not insist that I write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Hey Demoee!!!!!
lol! at least your hubby dragged u to a nice location…..unlike where Simin and I are…….
and we both share the same sentiments as u lar……doing my PhD somehow makes me wanna do other things other than the PhD itself…., she doing her MSc……well….the crappy environment here really makes us both sick of the work we’re doing……and this is an irritating keyboard!!!!! because the Germans, for whatever illogical reasons, decide to change some positions of the keys………
Anyhows, I hope we’ll to be able to work one day…..its where i’d take my fashion photography to the next level..
Stay in touch!
PL & Simin
Demo-er!!! Er…I mean demonstrator….lol. I think we should start a ‘Say No TO PhD’ campaign, and knock potential PhD-wannabes into senses. GAH. Less like researching, and more like character-building years, really. Hey, the keyboard in UK is sightly different too ok, though not as bad as the German and Belgium ones….
Ooh you planning to dabble in fashion photography full-time in future? Simin can be your full-time model!!
your blog looks really pretty and interesting…..I must check it out slowly to savour each post
thanks for stumbling onto mine earlier.
thank you for stopping by, bookjunkie!
Glad to say that I’ve finished mine! Submitted my thesis yesterday!!! Having said that, I’m in on the ‘Say No TO PhD’ campaign…arghhh
All the best though =)
CONGRATULATIONS!!! I’m still struggling with Introduction and Discussion, and already I’m on the Say No To PhD campaign…can’t wait to submit mine, thanks for the well wishes, I’ll need ‘All the best’ I can get to get through this wretched thing.
Your blog is very lovely! I love how you write it and secretly envy your globetrotting *not a secret anymore*
Thanks Hellen for your compliment, glad you like my writing style!
How’s the laksa where you are? I’m also an expat wife. Lived in so many cities that I actually published a story called My Life As Luggage. You’re in a great city and looks like you’re making the best of where you are! Here’s to the adventures of life!
Cheryl
The laksa ain’t fab, but we make our own at home! I am partial to the tangy Penang laksa as my mum is from Penang. Awesome! Wow, you’re a true globetrotter, looking forward to your posts! Yes, cheers to adventures of life! =)
my current obsession is London so I think it’s amazing that that is where you were “dragged” too. I would lovee to go to London someday (soon). =)
good luck on your PHD!
Hi antiqueshoes, lol, I don’t feel that dragged anymore, but I really did feel this way when I arrived, the culture is completely different and I missed being away from my family! I still miss them, but it has become more bearable =) Come visit London, lots of things to do here! And thanks for your well wishes!
Nice meeting you Rachel! This is my first time visiting. Like your blog and style. For me baking is something I dont get enough of.
Fragolina: Thank you for dropping by and for your kind compliments!
Stumbled on your blog after reading a comment that you posted on bookjunkie’s blog. Enjoyed reading your posts and looks like I will be coming here more often
Lady J: Thank you so much for dropping by! I’m glad that you like what you see here, it encourages me to write even more!
Oh and I like to add that I enjoyed looking at your photos. You have a great eye for details when it comes to photography. I use the Lumix LX 3 camera too but somehow I’m not able to fully utilise the potential of the camera. Keep blogging, cooking and those lovely pictures coming in 2011.
Lady J: For my more recent cooking and baking posts, I used a DSLR. I only use the Lumix LX 3 for my older posts, and for my recent eating out and travel write-ups. Lumix is pretty good, but to get the quality of recipe-book-esque photos of food, you’ll have to use DSLR. I’ll keep blogging for as long as I’m inspired! Thank you so much for reading!
I am quite confident you will own a baking business soon
You are truly talented and I mean it. Your photos always make me go weak at the knees.
bookjunkie: Thank you dear, this makes me feel very encouraged. I’m still in infancy stages of learning the whole baking thing, so I’m not too ambitious right now. Just hope to keep baking and writing about what I love most.
I’ve got to tell you something – you are quite a photographer! Nice close up shots – is that a F1.8 or F1.4?
doris: Thanks! It’s an F1.4 – only started using it recently (if you notice, my older shots are a little inferior).
Your food looks delicious! Great work, and hope you are able to fulfill your professional cooking dream.
The SImple Life: Thank you so much! I hope to live that dream too, one day!
I just found your blog…wow is all I have to say! I went through a few recipes and am amazed! I hope one day my baked goods come out as beautiful as yours because they are truly masterpieces!!
Newzealandbakerdreamer: Thank you!! You really make me blush. I’m happy that my food amazes you, your comment really made my day!
Oh my, I have fallen for your blog, a lot! Love it!
Holly: Thank you, thank you, thank you!
somehow, my days are hungrier since I have been following you in Twitter
keep up the good work!
Chooi: Lol, glad I’m making you hungry!
i have to say, there are a lot of sweet, delicious looking delicacies on the side pictures of your blog.. very distracting for someone with such a sweet tooth like mine..:-D
abichica: Lol, I’m glad that it’s a good kind of distraction! =p
Hi Rachel
|Thanks for your recent advice on snowsDSLR F1.4. what kind of budget DSLR camera would u suggest for beginners? I can sling my kodak digital camera to the british museum as the click button has kaput…
take care
Ellen
Ellen: I’m not too sure which are the budget ones, I got mine off a friend for a very low price, but I think it is an entry level one Nikon D5000. Perhaps you could swing by the stores and ask, or browse through photography magazines for a better idea? I don’t want to mislead you…Anyway, if you want to get a good lens, make sure it works with your camera body! You might want to buy the body first, before you get the lens.
Wow first time here, linked here from goz’s. really impressed by what you’ve done and hope i can one day be lucky enough to do what you’ve managed to do. will keep checkign back! x
Shu Han: I hope you get to live your dream!
Just wanted to let you know that we’ve been thoroughly enjoying your blog, the wonderful recipes and beautiful photos. We’ve nominated you for Versatile Blogger, details can be found here:
http://sandraandkathyscorners.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/versatile-blogger-award/
Looking forward to reading much much more!
Sandra and Kathy: Thank you very much for dropping by, I’m glad that you’ve enjoyed the posts!
Hi, Rachel! Stumbled by from the Singapore Brides forum (BV thread) during my wedding planning and have been stopping by occasionally since! I enjoy your writing and am very inspire by your good photography.
Also, thank you for sharing so much in your wedding planning series – Bridal Veil was indeed a dream wedding vendor, and I had customized M&Ms at my reception too!
I will keep reading so I hope you keep writing
Hi Mag! Thank you so much for your kind words. I am glad you enjoyed the series!! BV is just awesome, huh? And yay to getting your M&Ms! Was it difficult to get hold of them? I have a few brides who emailed me to say that the company doesn’t ship them to Singapore anymore?
And yes! I will keep writing
(Sorry for the typo, I meant – inspired by your food photography.)
Yes! Michelle is amazing, she gifted me the gown cos I liked it so much!
For the M&Ms, I used a freight-forwarding service which gave me a virtual US address, and paid them to forward my M&Ms back here (we have a few such services – vPOST, comGateway amongst other smaller players). I used comGateway and got a shipping discount with my DBS Card so if anyone faces such a constraint you can let them know, it’s a super useful service
Lucky bride you are!!!
Thanks for the tip on the M&Ms, Mag!