We may be a small nation, but food seems to be Singaporean’s favourite passion. It does not matter whether we choose to cook, eat out or call for delivery. We love food, and we revel in the plethora of options that we have. Add that to Singapore’s fast pace of life, it’s no surprise that we’re no stranger to food delivery services such as Foodpanda. Here are 8 reason why we Singaporeans need food delivery:

1) When the only thing you can cook are instant noodles

And perhaps a sunny side up too. But that’s okay! With a plethora of food options for food delivery alone,  we can probably find a meal we enjoy more than the one we whip up ourselves. Plus, the added upside is that we don’t have to clean up the kitchen after! All we need to do is order, eat and bin the trash!

2) When you’re too busy/tired to cook 

After the end of a work day, all we want to do is rest and recharge before yet another work day begins. How many of us would still have the energy to cook (instant noodles are not counted!) Also, you could most likely get your food delivered to you the same time it takes you to prepare and cook. So why not take a shower and relax while you wait?

3) When you’re just too lazy to walk/cycle/take a bus to get food

Somedays we just don’t feel like “working” (or moving) for food. That’s okay, because food can come to you instead. All you need to do is move a few fingers and walk a few steps to your door., that we’re sure you can definitely do.

4) When it’s pouring so heavily that even the umbrella won’t keep you dry

Making it back home drenched after braving the rain to get food doesn’t sound like a very worthy quest. With food delivery, your food will be delivered to your doorstep no matter rain, shine or haze.

5) When the sun doesn’t give you a chance

We all know days like that, when it’s so hot out there, we joke that we can cook an egg on the pavement (which actually may not be a joke with the temperatures these days). We would love a roasted chicken for a meal, but we definitely wouldn’t love feeling like we’re getting roasted by the sun, that’s for sure!

6) When you’re tired of the food at the nearby coffeeshop/food court

And you may only eat from the same few stalls, which also means less choices to choose from. With food delivery, the only thing you’ll fret about is: which one should I get?

7) When you just want to snuggle up with your favourite box of pizza and watch your favourite show 

This is almost like therapy for the heart and soul because who doesn’t love the feeling of a warm pizza box sitting on your lap? And this can only be done when you have pizza delivered to you!

8) When you have a huge group of friends over for a party/gathering

One of the biggest problems when dining with a huge group of friends would definitely be the difficulty in finding seats for the entire group, especially when reservations are not allowed. With food delivery, that wouldn’t be a problem, the only thing you need to worry about is agreeing on what to order.

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One of the most popular food delivery choice among Singaporeans is the pizza! Because they are great to share with family and friends! And our favourite is Pezzo pizzas because they use quality ingredients to make their pizza. We love that they use only freshly made dough that’s made daily, no frozen dough! Not only that, they also use extra virgin olive oil, which is one of the best oils! Plus, they are super generous with their toppings! We counted (yup we did) 72 pieces of pepperoni on our pepperoni pizza! (which is a great party choice, by the way) This is why we are so happy that they now deliver islandwide from https://pezzo.foodpanda.sg/!

Pssst! Did you know that you can order lasagna from Pezzo’s food delivery menu too? And here’s a promo code (THANKYOU!) for you to get $5 off your Foodpanda order! (Min. order $15, and for first-time orders only)

The post 8 Reasons Why Singaporeans Need Food Delivery appeared first on Digital Influenza.

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Pizza Type: Hola Hawaiian, Chicken Delight

Your personality: Down to earth, Compassionate, Easy-going

Ah the classics. You tend to be more of a “better-be-safe-than-sorry” kind of person instead of a risk taker. But hey, there’s nothing wrong with that! You know what works and you stick with it, after all, why change something that isn’t spoilt in the first place? Honest, compassionate and easy going, your friends know they can definitely count on you if they need a listening ear or an extra pair of arms. 

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Pizza Type: BBQ Bonanza, Pepperoni Party

Your personality: Sociable, Outgoing, Affectionate

Our party favourites, these get a party going. You definitely know how to have fun! Extroverted, social and outgoing, you’re fun to be around. You’re also likely to be someone who cares deeply about your loved ones. You believe that “good things must share”. After all, what’s the point in enjoying something (or some place) when you can’t share that experience together with at least one other person?

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Pizza Type: Cheesy Cheese

Your personality: Laid back, Trustworthy, Kind

Nahhh, you’re far from cheesy despite your love for cheese. But how could we blame you when our Cheesy Cheese pizza checks off all the winning elements of a feel good rom-com with our union of mozzarella, cheddar, edam, parmesan and feta cheese? Like a feel good rom-com, you’re a mix of a few things: laid back, trustworthy, empathetic and at times, an unexpected daredevil who knows how to have fun. So it’s no surprise that your friends love being around you. 

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Pizza Type: Singa Laksa, Chicken Rendang, Sambal Ikan Bilis

Your personality: Creative, Adventurous, Open-minded

Like these three pizzas that give you both local and western flavours, you believe in the best of both worlds. You’re flexible open to trying new things, creative, adventurous and easy going. You see life and in extension, food as an adventure.

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Pizza Type: Big Daddy, Meat Munchers, Supremo

Your personality: Outspoken, Brave, Ambitious

Love Pezzo’s “heavyweights”? Well, nothing makes a statement quite like a pizza loaded up with as much meat as humanly possible to stomach. You are very vocal about your feelings and your opinions. After all, you have nothing to hide (like your humongous appetite). You possess a strong sense of pride in the people you love and things you do.

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Pizza Type: Hot Chick, Mexican Mania

Your personality: Driven, Go-getter, Sassy

What is life without a little ups and downs? You love things with a little kick, the adrenaline rush is what gets you going. Challenges? Meh, you don’t bow down to them, you love the thrill. You’re a risk taker, competitive and driven; you know what you want and you have your eye on the prize.  

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Fisherman’s Favourite

Your Personality: Principled, Intelligent and Critical

Fisherman’s favourite indeed, because like a fisherman, you’re principled, intelligent and critical. You don’t make choices without considering them wisely. You also enjoy appreciating the finer things in life. Hence, it’s no surprise that your friends and family often flock to you for opinions and advice. 

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So what is your pizza personality?

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Facebook LIKE, SHARE, COMMENT Contest – Pezzo Pizza Personality

We want to give 3 lucky fans a treat! Each winner will win a free pan of pizza on us! Join our Facebook page and tell us what’s your pizza personality by leaving a comment at our contest post (pinned to the top of the page). Remember to like and share the post! 3 lucky fans will stand to win a pan of favourite pizza each! Good luck!

Note: Contest closes 31 May 2016, 2359hrs. Only open to fans currently residing in Singapore

The post Your Pezzo Pizza Personality + Giveaway Contest appeared first on Digital Influenza.

In conjunction with possibly the hottest MediaCorp Chinese drama of the year, “The Dream Makers 2”, we want to redefine the best of Melbourne so that you’re set for the ultimate dream vacation experience of your life!

Here’s 8 defining reasons why Melbourne is everything you want it to be. And more.

1. Food, Food, Everywhere

If you haven’t heard of Melbourne being a culinary capital, it’s time to venture out of your cave, pack your bags and catch that 8-hour flight to the gastronomic heaven! Whether you’re up for Greek, Peruvian, African, Vietnamese, Thai, or other world cuisines, Melbourne’s eclectic dining scene has much to offer in its myriad of restaurants, cafes, bistros and bars.

Brunch on the mouthwatering bagels at Manchester Press (the smoked salmon is to die for!), drop by Mekong Vietnam for a bowl of tasty Vietnamese pho, or shop for fresh produce and feast on fresh oysters at Queens Victoria Market or South Melbourne Market!

Now, you can’t forget about the drinks when you talk about food. Enjoy Melbourne’s best coffee in the self-proclaimed coffee capital, and for those who enjoy their wine, the beautiful vineyards of Yarra Valley are a must-go for great wines and fresh local produce.

Food and drinks aside, don’t forget to go on a hot air balloon ride over the scenic Yarra Valley!

2. Free Tram Zone

There’s nothing more satisfying than being able to save up on your transport fares when you are overseas, don’t you think so? If you are traveling within the CBD (which of course you will), you can hop on to any of the city trams without tapping in and out with your myki card (also known as ez-Link card in Singapore and Touch ‘n Go card in Malaysia) unless you plan to travel outside of the central area.

With plenty of transport options like trains, trams, buses and bikes, it’s so easy to get around in Melbourne. The clear and interconnected grid layout makes it hard for you to get lost too!

3. Meet The “Locals”

Now, don’t just stay cooped up in the city. Did you know? The state of Victoria is home to over 4,300 native plants and 950 animal species!

Take a short drive from the city to one of the numerous national and nature parks and experience the wonders of the natural world. Try spotting your favorite mammal species like the ever-adorable wallabies, sleepy koalas, puffy wombats and echidnas!

P.S. The highly popular Phillip Island Nature Parks has just opened its new Penguins Plus Viewing Experience last November! Featuring an underground viewing area for visitors to come face to face with their favorite wildlife, it’s a reason why every one should go whether or not they have already been to Phillip Island.

4. An Iconic Beach

Scroll through your Facebook friends’ profile photos now and chances are, you are able to find at least one friend with Melbourne’s iconic colorful bathing boxes as his or her photo’s backdrop.

About an hour’s drive south from Melbourne, the Brighton Beach is one of the popular beaches, and rightly so. No two boxes are identical and each has its own design, shape and character. Set against the spectacular Melbourne city skyline, Brighton Beach is also a sought-after destination for wedding photo shoots (hint, hint!) and a dream destination for photographers and holiday-makers alike.

Did you know? The bathing boxes were originally erected from the 1890s to protect ladies’ modesty when they change into their swimwear. Today, they are used for changing and storage of beach necessities like surf boards. Sadly, there are only 90 boxes left as many were washed away or have been destroyed by rough weather. Bathing boxes are rarely put up for sale, but last year, the historic box #6 on Brighton’s Dendy Street Beach was sold at a weekend auction for a whopping $276,000!

5. Street Art Capital

Forget the ugly graffiti. Take a wander down Hosier Lane, Melbourne’s iconic bluestone laneway and you’ll understand why its urban art scene is well recognized around the world. In the recent years, the street art‐covered walls have become a popular backdrop for fashion and wedding photography too!

Designed by local and international artists, the walls and grounds of Hosier Lane are constantly being updated with new, mind-blowing art pieces in a dazzling array of colors, characters and shapes every few weeks! There’s always something new to admire. Photo-taking is free so don’t forget to stop for one and strut your coolest pose in front of your favorite street art! If you are lucky, you might even be able to catch the street artists at work. And if you have been wondering… with proper permission, yes, street art is legal.

Keen to explore the fascinating urban art scene and immerse yourself in the local culture? Join a walking tour and discover not just of the city’s best laneways and artists, but the hidden shops and laneway cafes as well!

6. Amazing Coastal Drives

How can we forget about the spectacular Great Ocean Road, one of Australia’s most scenic drives?

If you are planning on a self-guided drive, we’ll recommend a 3-day touring route from the surf capital Torquay to the famous 12 Apostles, and end at the historic fishing village Port Fairy.

Now, there are plenty of things you can do as you make your way to your destination. The drive is some 420km in entirety and definitely warrants a 1-3 nights stay along the spectacular coastal drive to be able to soak in the sights and venture off touristy attractions for awesome photography! Spot koalas, kangaroos and other native wildlife, explore surf towns and seaside villages, enjoy seasonal local produce and seafood along the coast, and admire the stunning coastline on the Great Ocean Walk. For the more adventurous souls, there are also a great range of outdoor activities you can do like horse rides along the beach, soar up high at Otway Fly zip line, go on walks and hikes, mountain biking, fishing charters and open sea kayaking!

7. A Global Metropolis

Those who have been here will tell you that Melbourne is a city that takes great pride in being a giant melting pot — a city with different cultures, different nationalities from around the world, and one that straddles history, modernity, technology and tradition. It’s no wonder Melbourne was named the World’s Most Liveable City for the fifth year running recently.

8. Australia’s Capital For Events & Festivals

On the topic of arts and culture, the city is abuzz with fantastic festivals and events all year round. In fact, in 2016, Melbourne will see six major events in the first quarter alone! Tell us if that doesn’t already convince you!

Now, anticipation is already running high for the Australian Open Tennis (18 – 31 Jan), White Night Melbourne (20 Feb) Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (4 – 13 Mar), Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival (7 – 13 Mar), and Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (16 – 20 Mar), and they are just the beginning of a long list of happening events in the new year!

Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. Photo: Ben King

Australian Open Tennis

What are you waiting for? Don’t dream your life. Live your dreams.

Plan your trip, pack your bags, and to Melbourne, let’s go!

For Singapore residents only:  Keen to trail “The Dream Makers 2’s” filming locations? Don’t miss out on Chan Brothers Travel’s 7D Melbourne & Surrounds Self-Drive Package Tour here. For more resources and reasons to choose Melbourne as your next dream vacation, see visitmelbourne.com.

More related articles on Melbourne & Surrounds:

- 48-Hour Itinerary: Food
- 48-Hour Itinerary: Family
- 48-Hour Itinerary: Fashion
- 48-Hour Itinerary: Art and Design
- Adventure, Explore, Experience Itinerary
- Mind, Body, Soul Itinerary
- Adventure, Explore, Experience Itinerary

About Dream Makers 2

Dream Makers 2 (DM2) is a sequel to the highly popular 30-episode TV series Dream Makers (DM) that aired on Singapore’s MediaCorp Channel 8 from late June to early August 2013. DM featured a heavy-weight cast of top billing actors and actresses.

DM2 continues to follow the lives of those working in the front and behind the cameras of a TV station where temptations of fame can change one’s character and outlook in life. The lead role is played veteran actress Zoe Tay who headed the variety channel in the first series. In DM2, she is now one of the VPs of the drama channel and her outlook in life has dramatically changed since the death of her boyfriend in DM. Because of declining advertising sales, the TV station hires another VP for the drama department to put pressure on the lead actress. This coupled with a new TV station entering the market creates friction among colleagues who are both friends and foe at the same time. Faced with competition and pressure, will the central characters overcome adversity to rise up the ranks?

DM garnered 21 nominations for 12 awards in the Star Awards, winning 9 gongs including Best Drama Serial. The series was sold to Malaysia (2 week delayed telecast), Thailand, Cambodia and China.

DM2 will be broadcasted in Singapore from 4 December 2015 to 15 January 2016 on MediaCorp TV Channel 8, weekdays, at 9pm, and in Malaysia on ASTRO Shuang Xing Channel, weekdays, at 5pm. An estimated 42 scenes were filmed in Melbourne and Surrounds. For more information on “The Dream Makers 2″, visit Toggle, iWeekly and MediaCorp.

This article is created on behalf of VisitMelbourne and powered by Digital Influenza. 

The post 8 Reasons Why Sweet Dreams Are “Made in Melbourne” appeared first on Digital Influenza.

Finally it’s my turn to visit Wheeler’s Yard! I’ve been seeing pictures about this bicycle garage cum cafe on instagram and facebook. Located at Balestier area, this cafe isn’t that difficult to find but it is definitely kinda far from my place. I’m keen to explore this area since I’m currently in the #YOLO mode in Singapore. I didn’t travel this June holiday so I thought the only way to make my holiday worthwhile in Singapore is to spend more time exploring places that I would otherwise not. In fact, these few days I’ve been making my way to a few asethetic places located at Thomson area for facial and waxing. And you know what? I think I am getting better at map reading!

They say you have to try travelling once in your life time but at this moment, I don’t think I am capable to do that. I will just take baby steps by exploring places in Singapore alone first! Even though I went to Wheeler’s Yard with J, I am the one who recee the direction on how to go! #soproudofmyself

Upon reaching the cafe, we were greeted by the huge bicycles garage. Apparently they sell the bicycles too!

As we move on inside, this is what we saw. A huge eatery with bicycles as decoration on the table. Who would have thought of the brilliant idea? The bicycles on the table also serve as a divider so that you can share table with strangers comfortably.

Now it’s #foodporn time.
It was with a little research that we decided to order their grilled chicken and their pan smeared salmon. The mains were great! We also ordered truffle fries to share but it was too much! I wouldn’t order again unless we are just there for tea and not eating anything else. Of course, these were too much for two girls to handle.

Pan-smeared (thick and juicy) salmon

Grilled (tender) chicken

Their drinks were a little let down though. I ordered flat white and J ordered Machiato. I find my drink not warm enough for my liking. It isn’t extremely tasty as well.

Underneath the grilled chicken was asparagus and mash potato! There’s lots of mushroom too!

Nom …. so good!
PS: Have you noticed my accessories? I don’t know why but I’ve been wearing a lot of black and white outfits. You know me, I love colours a lot! And that’s the reason why I wore accessories. It is to brighten up my otherwise boring black and white outfit.

I used to love loud chunky accessories but in the recent years, I love dainty looking accessories more! It makes me look a little more girly and sweet.

This personalized necklace was given to me by boyfriend on my birthday cum 7th anniversary. I love anything personalized and I’ve been wearing this necklace everyday ever since. It simply matches with a lot of my outfits! My bright pink nails from Nars also brighten up the entire outfit.

Check out my musical note earrings! Isn’t it cute? I love the blings! Come to think of it, most of my earrings are dainty looking but bling enough!

Bag from Charles & Keith and wearing my favourite bracelet.

Love the sweet pastel colours and the blings of this bracelet!

Wearing a vintage watch that my dad gave my mum some 20 years back. My mum has since then passed down this watch to me. It’s dainty, vintage and I love it so much!

Decided to do some twirling shot!

Classic black and white outfit will never be boring if you know how to choose your fashion accessories.
Accessories can spice up any outfit!

Tell you a secret, I often go to Zalora‘s webpage just to look at their accessories. Above are my picks from Zalora! Who wants to buy for me? (:

Ending off with this picture cos my legs look long!

*This is an advertorial.  I have no affiliation with Zalora. 

The post My #OOTD to Wheeler’s Yard appeared first on Digital Influenza.

As you might have already guess (if you are following me on Instagram @renzze), I’m currently in Osaka, Japan for a quick business trip. My dearest friend, Sushi, wanted to join me for a quick getaway but having the responsibility as a mother to 2 children made it quite impossible.

It’s quite strange how our lives can take on different directions and meanings without us realising it. In the spirit of reminiscing my past girly holidays with Sushi, I’m dedicating today’s {Travelling Tuesdays} post to a shopping trip Sushi and I took in 2011 to Tokyo. These photos taken barely 3 years ago somehow feels like it was a lifetime ago.

We spent 3 days and 2 nights doing nothing but shopping non-stop and enjoying girly chats throughout. Our hotel was right smack in the middle of the shopping districts which meant easy access to our favourite shopping malls without needing to travel far.

It’s always a lovely feeling to wake up and realise that you are in the heart of a shopping paradise with one of your best friends and shopping partners.

In fact, we didn’t take that much photos on this trip except when we stopped for food because we were too busy shopping. All the photos in this one post is everything I have from the trip. We’ll shop all day till the stores closed and start hunting for food in the streets late at night.

And if dinner wasn’t enough, we’ll head to the nearest convenience mart to stock up on all sorts of snacks to munch in our hotel room!

I still remember us camping outside Liz Lisa at Shinjuku cause we got up too early to shop and the stores weren’t open yet. And that was our second day returning back to the same store cause we were told that there was going to be some new arrivals. We ended up next door for a drink and some desserts while waiting.

Shopping trips like these requires a whole lot of stamina and I guess that’s probably why I didn’t get too fat even though I never exercised much back then. In between sprees we’ll hop into ramen stalls to fuel up before heading to our next destination.

Literally shopping till we both went completely broke. I can never resist hoarding up on all the ‘kawaii’ items when in Japan!

Just to give you an idea of how crazy our shopping was, here’s some photos of what we amassed in just 2 days of non-stop shopping!

I’m posing with my loot (Sushi’s loot wasn’t even in this photo!) and on hindsight, I’m actually amazed that I manage to lug all of that back!

The “S” side of the bed belongs to Sushi and the “K” side of the be belongs to me! We were two completely blissful and happy shoppers!

It took us forever to pack everything up and stuff it into our suitcases on the last day.

We tried squeezed in little pockets of time to chit chat and chill and even managed to take a long enough break from shopping to get our hair dyed and cut at a Japanese salon. A little pampering goes a long way in shopping frenzy trips like this one and our stylist was so pretty and cute!

I’ve been to Japan countless of times and it’s always left me with pleasant memories to take home. Thanks for reading!

The post Shopping Trip to Tokyo With Sushi appeared first on Digital Influenza.

Ying Jie, a digital opinion leader did a nice review during a digital engagement event held in KaKis Bistro and Bar
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By Ying Jie – Was invited for a food tasting event at Kakis Bistro and Bar a few weekends ago and I brought William along..

Kakis Bistro and Bar is a open air bar, tucked away from the city, in a corner of Changi, beside the greenery. They serve both food and (alcoholic) drinks, and there is a live band too. Their service was great, all the staffs were really polite and helpful, making our meal an enjoyable one!

I don’t take alcohol so I was there for the food hahaha, and this post will be mostly about the food.. I liked the food there! Their food are all prepared from fresh ingredients, and the herbs used are all home-grown, imagine the freshness!

We also had a DIY Mojito making session! I made a non-alcoholic one with ginger ale, and it was super nice! So I made a second one and drank it all hahaha… (ok more photos of this session at the end of the post)

If only they are indoors and located nearer to town, I’ll love to head there often!

High tables and chairs (in which I had a little difficulty with lol)..

The menu..

Pretty table decor!

This was our menu for that day!

First few days with this hair, so I was feeling awkward in photos.. Pardon my weird face..

Live band as we had our dinner~

Food

My favourite dishes would be the prawn alioli with homegrown lemongrass & coriander, stir fry button mushroom with homegrown kaffir leaf, shallots and white wine chicken quesadilla with homemade salsa as well as the aglio olio! The prawn alioli and aglio olio taste pretty similar, the normal garlic flavour with a hint of lemon grass (I think it is lemon grass la haha).

prawn alioli with homegrown lemongrass & coriander

stir fry button mushroom with homegrown kaffir leaf, shallots and white wine

chicken quesadilla with homemade salsa

fries addiction (in-house special seasoning)

aglio olio (with a fusion taste of home grown kaffir leaf)

fish & chips (made everything from scratch)

red velvet vake (signature cake customer love)

 DIY Mojito Making Session

Some of the stuffs you may need..

Stirring my stuff..

Happy us with our DIY mojitos!!!

I love my non-alcoholic mojito so much that I’m gonna try making it at home soon hehe!

Okay that’s all for this post! I hope you all are feeling hungry now because I am :O

Kakis Bistro & Bar

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kakisbistro
Website: http://kakis.sg/

289 Farnborough Road
Singapore 509747
Mon: 4:00 pm – 12:00 am
Wed – Sun: 4:00 pm – 12:00 am
Tel: +65 6214 2956

The post Recommended Chill Place – Kakis Bistro & Bar appeared first on Digital Influenza.