Singapore Consumer Interest Group

Need new cocktail recipes to impress your friends? Try these delicious concoctions on your next get-together.

Sunrise Margarita

• Ingredients: ¾ cup tequila, ½ cup frozen orange juice concentrate, 1 ½ cups orange juice, 2 tablespoons Cointreau (or triple sec), 3 cups crushed ice, 2 tablespoons lime juice, ¼ cup grenadine, 1 lime wedge, coarse sea salt, and 4 orange slices or maraschino cherries
• Preparation: Run the lime wedge on the rims of glasses then dip in salt. Then combine orange juice, orange juice concentrate, Cointreau, tequila, and lime juice in a blender. Next, add ice and pulse until mixture looks smooth. Divide the margarita, tilt the glasses to add 1 tablespoon of grenadine on the side to let it sink at the bottom of the glass. Serve with orange slices or cherries.

Lime Daiquiri

• Ingredients: 1 ½ ounces fresh lime juice, 1 ounce simple syrup, 2 ounces gold or aged rum, ¾ cup ice, and lime wedges
• Preparation: Combine all the ingredients in the blender. Once the desired thickness is achieved, pour into a chilled glass then garnish with the lime wedges.

Melon and Lime Slushy

• Ingredients: ¼ cup fresh lime juice, 6 cups diced cantaloupe/watermelon/honeydew, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup mezcal or silver tequila, ½ cup water, and 1 teaspoons thyme leaves and sprigs
• Preparation: Freeze melon for at least an hour. In a food processor, combine melon, sugar, thyme, lime juice, and tequila until smooth. Then, add lime juice and sugar. Serve slush with thyme sprigs.

Sicilian Slush

• Ingredients: ¼ cup orange juice, ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ cup Campari, ¼ cup gin, ¼ cup simple syrup, 6 cups ice, and 4 orange wheels
• Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve with orange wheels.

Strawberry Frosѐ

• Ingredients: 2 cups strawberries, ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ cup vodka, 750 mL chilled rose, and ice
• Preparation: Combine half the ingredients each in the blender, then do the same for the remaining half. Serve with strawberries.

Chi-Chi

• Ingredients: ½ ounce blue curacao, ½ ounce cream of coconut, 2 ounces vodka (or coconut vodka), 1 scoop vanilla ice cream, ½ cup pineapples, ½ cup ice, and pineapple slice
• Preparation: Combine all the ingredients in a blender until the mixture looks smooth. Add more ice or ice cream if the mixture is either too thin or thick. Pour into a chilled glass then garnish with pineapple slice.

Peach Cocktail

• Ingredients: 3 cups frozen peaches, 1 ounce water, 6 ounces whiskey, 2 ounces honey, 1 ounce fresh lime juice, 1 ounce fresh lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 2 cups ice
• Preparation: Combine all the ingredients in a blender until the mixture looks smooth. This recipe makes four servings.

Mango Castaway

• Ingredients: 2 cups frozen mango, 4 ounces coconut rum, 6 ounces aged rum, 5 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, 4 cups ice, and sliced fruit or maraschino cherries
• Preparation: Combine all the ingredients in a blender until mixture looks smooth. Garnish with fruits when serving.

Watermelon Slush

• Ingredients: 3 cups seedless watermelon, 2 scoops lemon sorbet, 1 cup frozen strawberries, ¼ cup pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons lime juice
• Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. This recipe makes four servings.

Most anime protagonists are teenagers who are either trying to overcome new challenges or are searching for that one thing that can make them happy. Once in a while, however, a series with an adult protagonist delivers an even better story than the fast-paced action series for the younger audience.

Here are 10 of the best anime with adult protagonists.

Inuyashiki (2017)

When a middle-aged man was struck dead by a mysterious craft at a park one night after learning he was going to die from cancer, Inuyashiki Ichiro found new meaning in life by using his strange powers. Unfortunately, he was not the only person who was changed that night. But how could a seemingly invincible machine beat another of his kind?

Monster (2004)

When Doctor Kenzo Tenma learned that one of the patients he saved turned out into a serial killer, he was forced to follow a trail of horror about the origins of a “monster.” However, he felt responsible for having saved the serial killer as an infant, who also cost him his career.

Tiger & Bunny (2011)

Kotetsu Kaburagi was a pro hero, but he wasn’t very successful. When an opportunity came to team him up with an upcoming hero Barnaby Brooks Jr., the situation seems to have taken a turn for the worse.

Coyote Ragtime (2006)

When a well-known pirate king died and left his wealth to his daughter, a civil war prevented the young Franca from granting his father’s request. But with the help of a ragtag of space pirates, Franca just might be able to make it before civil war destroys the planet.

Usagi Drop (2011)

Daikichi Kawachi was in for a surprise when he learned that his recently-deceased grandfather fathered an illegitimate daughter. Daikichi took pity for the girl after seeing how she was treated by the rest of the family and decides to become her father.

Psycho-Pass (2012)

Akane Tsunemori and Shinya Kogami, members of a criminal investigation department are chasing after a mysterious criminal mastermind who seems to be out of grasp of the authorities. To the horror of Akane, however, she learns that Makishima cannot be classified as a criminal by the system.

Cowboy Bebop (1998)

Aboard the spaceship Bebop, bounty hunters Spike Spiegel and Jet Black are joined by new companions Faye, Edward, and Ein. While chasing criminals and having a few mishaps along the way, Spike is haunted by the rival Red Dragon Syndicate.

One-Punch Man (2015)

Saitama was getting bored of his super-human powers because he could defeat enemies with just one punch. It didn’t matter who challenged him, and it was only a matter of time until another hero wannabe noticed his amazing strength.

Gangsta (2015)

Worick Arcangelo and Nicolas Brown take on the most dangerous jobs that even the police cannot handle. Ergastulum, however, is more than just a town full of criminals and mafia.

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo (2016)

Yotarou is finally free and now that he has a chance to start a new life, he decides to study Rakugo or comedic storytelling.

It’s easy to stick to a single layout and arrangement when you don’t have the time or money to do so. However, changing your bedroom’s appearance doesn’t have to be really expensive or time-consuming. In fact, a renovation could be as simple as a remodel using items that you already have or are easy to get. Here are five amazing renovating ideas for your bedroom that won’t break your bank:

1. Change up your paint scheme
Color trends won’t always follow the color schemes you want for your bedroom, so if just moved into your new HDB flat or condo unit, you might feel the urge to repaint your bedroom to suit your tastes. If you’re not sure what colors to paint you bedroom with, some safe color options to choose from would usually depend on the size of the room. For instance, larger bedrooms would benefit from having a darker, more relaxing color scheme, while smaller bedrooms would look amazing in neutrals, grays, or even pastels.

Having a minimalist approach to renovation will work wonders for your bedroom as well. Your furniture’s colors can also be a point of reference when you want to make any changes, as this would allow you to coordinate your bedroom’s colors better and make a theme.

2. Moving furniture around
If you want to change your bedroom’s ambiance, you can try moving the furniture around and changing their positions to find a new configuration that feels more welcoming to you. Wall decorations are also a safe bet – you can make it yourself and use them to improve the furniture that you have over a single afternoon.

3. Remake for more storage
You can never go wrong with adding a few more cabinets or storage areas in your room. While it can take a little more time, giving your things a designated place will do a lot to make any area feel less cramped. For instance, you can remake your bed in order to accommodate cabinets with the right tools and by making the right estimates on the cabinet sizes.

4. Add a reading corner
If you’ve always wanted to have a dedicated area for reading, all you need to do is take a specific area of your bedroom and take your favorite chair there. Be sure to add a decent light source for reading as well as a small table for the books you’re reading. Even if you don’t read a lot of books, this can still work for you because you now have a cozy chair and a standing lamp in the corner of your room that you can lounge about in whenever you feel like it.

Part of a DIY project, such as a table, is the finishing. Doing this not only protects your table, but also brings out its natural colors and makes it much more appealing to have in any area in your home, whether it’s your living room or your dining area.

Here’s how you can stain your table in five easy steps:

1. Fill any exposed holes with plaster or putty. Part of preparing wood furniture is by sanding it first with coarse sandpaper, and then moving on to finer grit until the wood is smooth to the touch.

2. Allow the plaster dry before staining. Once the plaster or putty has fully dried, apply your wood stain of choice using a tack cloth and sweep it in one direction along the grain for smoother results.

Keep in mind that stain can either be water- or oil-based, though there are hybrid products that are available in your local hardware store.

On one hand, water stains are safer and don’t give off any dangerous fumes, but they tend to cause streaking if you’re not careful. On the other hand, oil stains are more user-friendly but they tend to be more difficult to clean and produce stronger fumes.

3. Wipe off the stain. Before the stain has fully dried, wipe off any excess and wait for five minutes. Wipe off in a circular motion using a line-free rag.

Repeat this with the other sections of the table to ensure a consistent color throughout your table and let it dry for eight hours of so. Once this is done, proceed to apply the first coat.

4. Apply the first clear coat. Once the stain has fully dried, it’s important to apply your finish in order to protect both the wood and the stain. There are different types of finish that you can use.

Two of the most commonly used finishes are polyurethane and tung oil because of their durability.

Apply the first clear coat using a brush and follow along the direction of the wood grain for even results. Wait for it to dry completely before proceeding to apply the second coat.

5. Wait to dry before applying the second coat. Apply the second coat in the same way as the previous coat – go along the grain in order to achieve a more even finish.

Having two coats not only protects the timber, but also allows the natural grain to shine better.

However, before applying the second coat, lightly sand every surface a fine-grit sand paper. Once done, proceed to apply the second coat for a greater luster and leave it to dry for six hours.

You have been doing the same thing for the past several years and feel like you have hit the dead-end of your career. Things have become stagnant, and you are stuck in a place that has taught you everything you need to know about the field. But here’s the catch: there is always something new to learn, and you are just probably having a hard time seeing the good things that your job can still offer because you are feeling burnt out.

So, unless you are being bullied or getting eaten up by workplace politics, getting caught up in a career rut is something you can escape with a change of perspective. How do you do that? Here are some scientific and proven ways to do it.

1. Shift Your Mindset
If you feel like you’re stuck at a job you used to love, it is you—not your job—who needs a revamp. The job you were hired for is probably the same job and position you have now. So, if you start dreading the job you do every single day, you are going to focus on the negative side. to shift your mindset, recall why you applied for the job for the first place—why that job and not other jobs. Keep remembering these reasons every day and hopefully you’ll feel more inspired of your job again.

2. Ask Yourself “Where Can I Go Deeper?”
When you start to get feeling bored at your job, do not immediately think about exiting—this isn’t going to solve the problem. Unless you have another job waiting for you, you’ll likely be left with overdue bills and a life with no direction. To help get yourself back on track, think of ways you can do to go deeper in your understanding of your job. Have you really acquainted with everyone in the office? Do you often skim memos that would improve your understanding of the company? Make good use of all the resources around you.

3. Focus Your Energy on Things You Can Control
Rather than concentrating your energy on situations that are beyond your power, think of those ones you can work on. This helps lessen the feeling of anxiety. Plus, you know you can always accomplish something that is within your control.

4. Practice Enjoyment in Everything You Do
The saying “fake it ‘til you make it” stands true during this time of your career life. Other than depending your sense of enjoyment on the things you accomplish, master it and make it a skill. Push yourself to be better and find joy along the process, and feeling happy will naturally come out of you.

When you have been working in the same company for years, it is indeed bound to get boring. But just like any relationship, this is just a phase and you are not doomed to be in this phase forever. It is just a matter of finding a new perspective and the drive to get you going.

How you spend, manage and invest your money will have a huge impact on your life. Learning to be financially savvy takes a while, but the basics never change and are fairly simple. Here’s how to get started.

1. Maintain the same lifestyle even when your salary increases
Once the prospect of salary increase comes to picture, some of the first things we think about are “I need a new phone” or “I can now go out more often.” However, the trick is to maintain the current lifestyle you have without depriving yourself. How do you do that? It’s like a matter of choosing one reward at a time—you reward yourself with a Korean trip for the holidays but that means foregoing a new iPhone.

2. Avoid thinking saving more
Instead of saving more, focus on saving—period. Financial articles and books often say to set aside 20 percent of your salary to your saving, but for many of us, that’s just unrealistic especially if you have bills to pay and a family to support, not to mention emergencies and unexpected expenses. Try saving five to 10 dollars a day or any amount you’d barely notice. The purpose is to be consistent and develop a habit of putting away money no matter how little.

3. Pretend you earn less than you actually do
Have you ever had rich friends who are super tight with their expenses? Hilarious as it may be, it is how rich people stay rich. Although you don’t have to split with your friends every time you have fries, it would be financially smart to always go Dutch.

4. Stop spending just because you are bored
Have you ever have moments with friends where you just had a good dinner and feel very full, but you decide to get some expensive coffee just so you have a place to chill out? Do you often catch yourself going to Walmart or Target because you have nothing to do, so you might as well go look for a snack or a new makeup to buy? Keep your wits at all times. Ask yourself: Do you really need to go out and buy something or you’re just bored? Are you really hungry or you just want to try that new snack because you have nothing else to do?

5. Focus on big purchases instead of several tiny ones
This may sound counter-intuitive to the previous tips, but think about it: a much-anticipated-purchase (such as branded shoes or a bag) is much more satisfying than weekly small purchases of cheap clothing items. Allowing yourself to spend big once in a while won’t make you feel deprived, while also not breaking the bank.

Managing your money is not just about how much you have in your savings account; it is more about how you make your income work for you to live comfortably with enough money to spend and save.

It is always important for us to remember that Singapore is safe, but not entirely crime-free. With pickpocketing being one of the common crimes, it is important for us to stay alert. So, let’s just cut to the chase! Here’s how to become more street smart in Singapore and basically everywhere!

Stay alert
If you want to stay alert wherever you go, it is important that your eyes and your ears are not distracted. That is why you should:

Avoid using your phone
As a simple experiment, try to count how many people are looking at their phones while walking, while sitting down on the MRT, or while eating. You will observe that so many people are doing this and their attention is badly cut. Think about it, if you were one of those people, you wouldn’t immediately notice that danger is coming your way.

Down drown out the outside noise
If you like to wear earphones or headphones outside, don’t turn the volume up too much. Next to your eyes, your ears also play an important role in helping you stay alert of the surroundings. Usually, what you can’t see, you can pick up with your hearing. You’ll notice someone following you typically when you hear them. You don’t directly see them, but because you heard them, you know someone’s there.

Avoid isolated places
It’s probably obvious that you should avoid taking dark and isolated pathways, especially if you’re still not familiar with the whole place. Again, remember that Singapore is not crime-free and you should still stay vigilant.

Get to know the place
Whether you’re going to a different part of Singapore or to another country, try to get to know the place by researching about it. Being street smart doesn’t only mean you’re guaranteeing your safety. It also means that you’re respecting the ways of the locals in a certain place. If you’re going to another country, for example, knowing the do’s and don’ts helps you blend in with others. You’ll be able to do the right things according to the country’s customs and you’re less likely to be a target.

Travel as a group
If possible, don’t travel alone. If it’s your first time going somewhere, bring a friend or a relative no matter if they’ve gone there or not. At the very least, you’ll have someone near enough to call when something goes wrong. Plus, you’ll have a more fun time if you’re with someone you already know. If you decide to go alone though, you should still tell someone where you’ll be.

Listen to your gut
Always trust your instincts. If you start feeling uncomfortable about a place, don’t hesitate to leave quickly. If you leave the place and later find out that it was safe, that’s perfectly fine. You won’t regret anything and at least you’re safe.

Sometimes, you can just thank the heavens for the variety and richness of dishes in Singapore. There are seafood dishes, pork dishes, beef dishes and a lot more. But today, we’re talking about beef noodles! Whether it’s dry or with soup, sometimes you just won’t be able to resist the craving some beef noodles. So, here are some of the best places around Singapore where you can get your fill.

Yi Zun Noodle
The noodles they serve at Yi Zun Noodle are actually hand pulled by a Chinese-Muslim couple. This means that they offer halal dishes all in all. What’s great about their beef noodle is that the price is a bargain considering how big the serving is. They are generous with the serving of noodles and the slices of beef are really tender as well. They also have another dish which is the Hand-Pulled Noodle with Minced Meat. This one is not soaked in broth, which is always a pleasant way to eat your noodles.

Kheng Fatt Hainanese Beef Noodle
If you’re looking for some Hainanese beef noodles, this is the place to be. Many people frequent Kheng Fatt because of the Hainan authenticity in their dish. Their Sliced/Stewed Beef Noodles comes with either a sweet clear soup or their luscious gravy, along with generous slices of beef. One thing you should never miss, though, is adding their chilli sauce to spice up your noodles! Another dish you can have if you’re looking for a balanced combination of flavors is their Beef Balls and Tendon Noodles.

Joo Chiat Beef King
First of all, don’t be misled by the name. Joo Chiat Beef King is in Toa Payoh and not Joo Chiat. This is only because it got the name from the previous tenants and the current chef didn’t see any reason to change it. Anyway, this establishment is famous for having flavorful beef noodles even with fresh and simple ingredients. Their Dry Beef Noodles comes with a thick, dark sauce that has a certain sweetness to it. The noodles are heavy and springy and the beef slices are tender enough that it’s easy to chew.

The Beef Station
We’re gonna start with this; Beef Station has an open-kitchen, basically teasing you with the aroma before the dish even reaches your table. They serve Hainanese-style beef noodles to which you can choose from 4 types of noodle: Thick Egg Noodle, Thick Bee Hoon, Kway Tiao, and Yellow Noodle. The broth is considerably light and warm and the aroma is to die for. They also serve a generous amount of soft and chewy beef slices. One subtle detail that makes much difference with the beef is that when you take a bite, some broth oozes out and provides a small addition of texture and flavor.

Oftentimes, we focus learning only the skills that are relevant to our everyday jobs. Successful individuals, on the other hand, do not stop reaching better heights, even if their mentor, boss or teacher is not telling them to. They know pretty well that there are many other skills outside of their job that can immensely improve their lives.

The following are some of the life skills that are rarely taught in school. However, if you learn and master them yourself, you will not only end up successful, but also live a much happier in life.

1. Optimism
Optimistic people always believe that positivity will prevail, but that doesn’t mean they are unrealistic. It simply means that they always see the good side in everything. This skill, when combined with other life skills in this list will create huge positive impact on your ability to take care of yourself and your life in general. Even if you do not always see the brighter side, it’s attainable for anyone to develop a sense of positivity.

2. Control
Our willpower and attention are limited. So, if you have the tendency to micromanage every aspect of your life, you will end up with limited attention on the more important stuff. However, this doesn’t give you the excuse to do a sloppy job. And although it’s true that you can’t control everything, you can certainly control yourself and our actions.

3. Conscientiousness
Conscientious, by definition, means that a person is concern of doing things the right way. These individuals are usually very organized, has close attention to details and are responsible. These are also the people who like to stick to the rules and achieve their goals. You can improve this life skill by surrounding yourself with conscientious people and by making a schedule and sticking to it every day. If you need to set a reminder on your phone, do it to help you stick to your plan.

4. Emotional Stability
To be successful, start nurturing your mental health. Your ability to keep your mental health ‘in check’ is one of the best life skills to learn. Emotional stability serves as a regulator on your skill set. It helps you not to be overly optimistic, too determined or too controlling. It lets you decide and experience life smartly.

5. Determination
It is easy for anyone to say that they are determined to attain their goals, but they only get tested once faced with difficult circumstances. Determination is your will and courage to push forward despite the failures and setbacks. How do you move on and be determined once again when you’re at your lowest? Acceptance. You need to accept that in life, there will always be highs and certainly, there will be lows.

Learning these skills may require sacrifice today, but mastering all these will reward you with amazing benefits in the future.