Review: The bigger and better Agape Babies + Discount Code

If you don't already know, I am pretty well-known for shopping online. This is especially important for mommies like me who are pretty much stuck at work which has crazy hours or with the kids and have hardly any time to shop at the brick and mortars. For the last couple of months, I have been trying to curb this obsession. Mainly because we were staying with the in-laws and I didn't want to appear to be a spendthrift. However, it was tough. It's tough enough to have 7 people squeezed in a tiny space, and it's tougher to detox from my favourite hobby. I needed my sanity to be in check. Parcels over parcels came and soon, even my mother-in-law was getting me to give her advice on online shopping! She recognised that there were certain items where we could get cheaper online and it is so convenient as it was just a click of the mouse!

So I was browsing for a pair of food scissors for my little ones. It has been bugging me that we couldn't even make a 5minute trip to the nearest mall to get a pair of scissors due to our tight working schedules. A quick search and I realised that Agape Babies now carry my favourite brand 3M! And , they had the 3M Scotch portable food scissors which I had been wanting to get! This was my first pair of scissors which unfortunately got confiscated during one of our trips as the husband had forgotten to take it out from our handcarry and it was taken away from us during customs check. Since then, I had purchased some other brands which unfortunately rusted after a few months. I was reluctant to get 3M again. Firstly because I couldn't quite find it in the malls nearby and secondly, when I do find it, it is expensive -- Approximately $15! So when I found that it was going for only $12.50 on Agape Babies, I had to grab!

A quick browse and I realised that Agape has increased its product range. Namely, it has included the current IT bag for mommies -- Jujube! If you haven't check that out, please do as they are having a promotion currently. They have over 200 items under Jujube! Totally exhilarating when you browse the catalogue! The designs are so attractive, I am trying to find an excuse to add it to my collection! It makes diaper bags a whole lot more sleek and organised. 

They have approximately 296 items under Jujube

Their product selection has increased and apart from hot brands like Jujube and 3M, they now carry over 250 brands and 6000 products over 10 categories! Plus, look out for their weekly deals every Wednesday! 

Now, if you are a first time customer, you can choose between two free gifts - Mustela Trial Kit (worth $10) or Bellamy Milk Tin ($25.95)!  And these together with all your other purchases will be delivered to your abode in a jiffy! Speaking of delivery, I had excellent experience with Agape. I ordered some items in the wee hours of the night, and the next day, an email was sent to me informing me that items are being prepared for shipping! Before I knew it, the parcel was right by my door step within 3 working days! This could be a life saver if you need that tin of Bellamy's pronto! I knew I had to rely on such efficiency when Big K was on Bellamy's when she was below 2yo. Being an advocate of breastfeeding, I am also very happy to see Agape Babies house brands like Freemies, Medela, Spectra and Unimom. In addition, they also sell Feenugreek (a supplement which was a lifesaver during my breastfeeding days) and is priced reasonably cheaper than at retail outlets. 

And before you think that it is a site only for moms, hang on! The kids are in for a treat too under their Toys section! They house over 500 items under their Toys category. Amongst them are popular brands like Disney, Skiphop, Melissa & Doug, Y-volution, Parklon, Trunki and many more. I couldn't resist but to pick up a couple of items for the kids. If you need to get that last minute birthday present for a little one, this is the site to go! And if you can't wait, there is self-collection option at 3 convenient locations -- Newton, Sengkang and Old Airport Road. Smaller parcels enjoy 72 pickup locations! Details here.

The entire shopping experience was great as it was smooth and more importantly I was browsing everything via mobile. It is now mobile optimised such that it feels like an app. One can also enjoy the one-step checkout and one-click sign! I love that! I detest it when you are near the finishing line and trying to checkout but the site needs you to fill in a 101 pages before transporting you to the payment page!

PROMOTION FOR READERS

Right now, I have a great deal for you! For my readers only, you are entitled a 5% discount! Just quote: mmm5%. This promo is valid for only 3 weeks (10 Aug - 31 Aug) and excludes Jujube items, milk, diapers, wipes, medela breast pumps, sale and clearance categories.

Don't forget to follow Agape Babies on Facebook or on Instagram (@agapebabies) for giveaways and updates on promotions!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Disclaimer*I was gifted shopping credits from Agape Babies to purchase some of the items featured. Any excess sum was paid out of my own pocket. No additional monetary compensation has been received and I do not stand to gain any commission arising from sales using the discount code given to my readers. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and written according to my experience in using the products/services. 

Review: The little ones in my life

I have a confession. I am an addict. Quite a bad one actually. I prowl the Internet every night for good deals. Motherhood has given me the license to shop in my pyjamas. Many a times, new mommies (and seasoned ones too) would love a bit of retail therapy. However, more often than now, we don't have the luxury of time to zip off to the loo let alone to the brick and mortar shop to make our purchases. As such, I'm always on the look out for good sites to shop. 

I got to know thelittleonesinmylife since the birth of Big K. Through the years, I have seen how the woman behind this company, Audrey, grew. In terms of family size as well as her business and product range. The tenacity this woman has is amazing! I really wonder sometimes how she juggles between her family, her business, her travels and her Korean dramas. She is an avid Kpop, Kdrama fan in case you would like to know. 

Ok, back to the focus of my review. The website. Its online presence is one that is no frills. You can shop for the item you want base on brands or categories. Their best selling products are also featured right on top hence you couldn't miss it. Also, if you would like to get a fellow mommy a gift and are not sure what exactly to get, simply click on a gift voucher over at TLO and surprise that mommy. Shipping is also very straightforward. Apart from the usual normal post/ courier, you may also wish to pick up your stuff at their retail outlet at Hougang which is conveniently located near Kovan MRT station. 

thelittleonesinmylife is dedicated to bringing great products from Korea to Singapore. Audrey believes that Korean quality is superior as they have strict laws on baby products and they go through rigorous product testing. 

Below are some of the stuff which I had purchased:

Happy Blossom Premium Pants Diapers

Now, I know that the Korean and Japanese have always been great at producing diapers. Hence I decided to give this a try. It is said that it has ultra absorption features and great breathability. I particularly love the tape behind which aids rolling up the diaper during disposal. There is also a urine indicator which tells you when to change! How cool is that! I have been buying diapers online for a while now simply because, they are so heavy to lug home! So when i saw that TLO stocks up on diapers as well, I was thrilled!

Stick on Fever indicator

Choy Choy choy!!! We certainly hope that we do not need to use this! However, having it around is indeed a useful tool. When your little one is ill, the last thing you want is for the cranky little one to be awoken and wailing in the middle of the night, just because you have to take his temperature with a thermometer! This stick-on is safe and effective and allows you to monitor your child's temperature up to 48 hours! With such a cute design, which kid can resist?

Baby One Milk Bags

This is one product which I have been using for a while. Instead of storing powdered milk in bulky containers, why not use these instead. It is safe for the baby and is great for travelling! Cheers to a flatter diaper bag!

You can follow them on Facebook for their latest updates: https://www.facebook.com/tlo.com.sg/

Or hop on to their website: http://tlo.com.sg

Here's some goodies for my readers. Get 15% off with a minimum purchase of $88 simply by keying in the discount code: TheMMM. Code expires on 31 May 2016, So what are you waiting for?

Have fun shopping!

*I was gifted with shopping credits from TLO

 to purchase the above products. Any excess was paid through my own pocket. No additional monetary compensation has been received and I do not stand to gain any commission from sales using the discount code given to my readers. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sponsored post: Agapebabies, one-stop multi-store

If you haven’t already know, I’m an online buff.  Shopping online is such a joy especially when you are basically trapped at home with two very young kids or stuck at work with hardly any breather in between except to zip from destination A to B. The husband is always ticking me off for clicking away at midnight instead of sleeping. Sleep? What’s that? Especially when Lil K’s sleep these days are so shitty!

So when Agapebabies.com invited me to be their brand ambassador, I was delighted. Agape has been one of the sites I have been visiting for my needs ever since Big K was born. It all happened when we came back from Australia and started Big K on organic formula whilst overseas. Yes, I know, Genius right? Bellamy’s was what we used as it was cheaper over in Aussie. But Alas! It’s not that readily available in Singapore! Well, not in NTUC at least. And I for one, had no time to go on a search round Singapore. Hence when I found out that Agape stocks up a variety of Bellamy items, I was thrilled! Not only did I find the formula we wanted, I didn’t have to leave the comfort of my home! Yay!

 

It is such a breeze to shop at Agape. Everything is so well categorized.

They specialize in baby essentials such as diapers, milk, skincare, organic food, books, toys, carriers, hugeass playmats and others! Reputable diaper and milk formula brands such as Pampers, Huggies, Mamypoko, GOO.N, Bellamy, Pediasure, Isomil and more are on their list so, really, you can simply be in your pyjamas whilst attending to your little ones and cart some of these items into your bag! 

See all the logos? They are currently partnered with over 150 premium brands and retail over 3000 products in store. That is seriously a huge array of items if you ask me! With all these conveniences, Agape is still able to price their products attractively. In fact, several items are cheaper than retail outlets and they have heaps of bundled deals and sale items! As a mother, I am always on lookout for the best deals and this definitely is a welcome to my pocket.

I  couldn't resist buying the above. Small K is starting on solids and it's perfect that Agape stocks up brands like Holle, Bellamy, Healthy Times, Organix, just to name a few. Also, I couldn't resist getting a book or two too. Have such a soft spot for those and was over the moon when I spotted something suitable for Big and Small K. Plus, they were on SALE!

 

 

Recently, they have tied up with The Sunshine Kids, dedicated to kids apparel, bags and accessories. They've got such a pretty collection of dresses which are so flower girl/ wedding worthy that I'm gonna get a piece for Big K the next time we've got a wedding to attend!

You could also find several familiar brands like Skiphop and Pediped all under one roof. This means their customers can shop between both stores and check out in 1 shopping cart! How convenient! With more stores & products to be added soon, they aim to become a one-stop multi-store for all mummies out there so that shopping can be easy. Psst, I heard more stores will be added real soon!

Additionally, they have incorporated a parenting and lifestyle blog titled The Agape Lifestyle. Want to learn how to cook spaghetti bolognese? You'll be able to find several recipes to whip up for your little ones or tips like how to get your baby to sleep. All these clearly shows how dedicated Agape is towards helping new and experienced mommies alike. It’s no wonder why they have been nominated for the SG Mumpreneur Awards.

To top it off, Agape has a couple of promotions going on:

• First time customers get to enjoy a $10 off their first order when they sign up for an account and newsletter here!
• They currently offer free courier delivery with $80 spend and a free gift given with every $120 purchase. Call me a cheapskate but I think free delivery is a must otherwise, I might as well pop by the nearest mall to get my supplies.
• 15% off playmats
• 10% off Four Cow Farm series
• UOB card members get $10 off when you spent $200 or more

PROMOTION FOR MY READERS:

Now, for another good deal. Agape Babies is offering 5% off all purchases (except breast pumps, diapers, milk and sale items) for the readers of TheMishMashMess. Simply enter the promotional code mishmashmess (valid for 4 weeks from 23 Nov - 21Dec) when you check out. 

So what are you waiting for? Hope on to http://www.agapebabies.com/ now!

Happy shopping!

Don't forget to like Agape Babies on Facebook, or on Instagram (@agapebabies)  and sign up for the newsletter for updates on promotions, contests and giveaways!

*I was gifted shopping credits from Agape Babies to purchase some of the items featured. Any excess sum was paid out of my own pocket. No additional monetary compensation has been received and I do not stand to gain any commission arising from sales using the discount code given to my readers. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and written according to my experience in using the products/services. 

travelogue: bangkok jam

This post is wayyyy overdue. Blame it on the man duties I have to multi-task. Blame it on jam-packed agendas. Or simply, blame i on laziness.

After two weeks of rest, I decided to give myself a break. Or rather, the hub decided that I needed a break. An overseas one that is. So that broke my cardinal rule of not bringing the baby along on trips! We decided to go to the land of smiles and within the week, our airtix and hotel was booked. It has been 3 years since the hub and I travelled together ALONE. Don't get me wrong. I love that the lil one is with us on our trips but i suppose, time off is good in a time like this. Prior to leaving, i prepped lil k but unknown to me, the separation anxiety was more on me. How was i going to get my daily fix when i m a million miles away? There will not be any rolls to munch on when i m back! True enough my withdrawal syndrom started even as i arrived at the airport.

Upon arrival at bkk however,i caved in to the sights and embraced myself in the frenzy of escalating chaos. Yup, the jams were amazing. Thus we decided to tk the airport express to our hotel located near Asok BTS instead. It took us a total of half an hour to arrive. We first took a direct train to Makasan station and from there made a transfer to the MRT and alighted at Sukhumvit station. Exited entrance number 1 and viola, we arrived at the FX furama exclusive hotel.

 

 

I was pleasantly surprised by the room. Spacious, clean and bright. Only complaint i had -- the bed was too hard.

Don't expect too much from the daily buffet spread too. The photo may look pretty decent but the variety sux.

That night, we feasted at Tawangdang. It's a German Brewery and is actually a stand-alone huge ass bunglow. They have a branch in Singapore but of in bkk, it's way cheaper n  nicer! There were performances too to entertain us. The vibrant colours and multitude of dishes made me momentarily forget my woes.

 

I absolutely adore Thai food!! Can't believe it's been this long since I've been to the land of smiles.

Day 2: Took the train to Citlom and Went to Central World coz I heard there's a host of Plan Wooden Toys over at the Toys R Us. However, I reckon we probably have half of the shop at home, thus we went home empty handed. Talk about self-control! I was impressed. We then headed over to Platinum Wholesale mkt where the galore of stuff was amazing. 6 levels (i think) of shopping! Platinum Fashion Mall is located smack in the centre of Pratunam, a 10-minute walk from either Ratchathewi or Chidlom BTS Skytrain. At the end of the spree, i was merely zipping through the lanes. Stamina didn't seem to be as good as before. I used to be able to shop the entire plaza for 6 hours non-stop without stopping even for lunch, but now, it's a whole new story. I was done in a mere 2-3hours. The hub was pleasantly surprised. :)

 

Had this for lunch -- Pork Rice. For only 65bht

 

Day 3: Chatuchak market. A weekend market which all tourists should go. For first-timers, conquering Chatuchak may seem like an impossible task, but worry not.  Inside, one main walkway encircles the entire market, and it branches off into a series of numbered alleyways called Soi 1, Soi 2, Soi 3, and so on.

These alleys are grouped into sections, with 27 sections in all. You will find more than one category of goods contained in one section, and the same category of goods will appear again in the other sections. In terms of locating your category of goods, this system is rather useless; but it will come in handy when you try to locate your particular stall or where your exact location is on the Chatuchak map. I was actually not as enthusiastic as before. Perhaps age has caught up and thus the novelty has worn off. However, I was still keen to go try the highly acclaimed coconut ice-cream. A definite treat on a hot hot day!
 

 

 YUMS!

 

How to get there:

Hop on the skytrain (BTS) to Mo Chit station, take exit no. 1 and follow the crowd until you see rows of canvas stalls selling clothes.

Another option is to take the subway (MRT) to Chatuchak Park station (exit no.1), then follow the crowd until you arrive at the small entrance that leads into the market (clothing section). For the plant and flower section, get off at Kampheng Phet MRT station (exit no. 1).

The weekend market is open on Saturdays and Sundays, 09:00 - 18:00 (strangely I was there at 10am and several stalls were still not opend), and Fridays 18:00 - 24:00. Plant sections are also open on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 07:00 - 18:00

 

 After a long day of dehydration under the sun, we needed a good massage to rejuvenate. So off we went to Healthland which was located within walking distance from our hotel. That was one reason why we wanted to stay at Furama. For the proximity to this spa haven. Without fail, everyday we visited it for our daily dosage of massage.

 

 

 

On our last day, just before heading to the airport (yes, we are that hardcore), we decided to give ourselves one last treat -- Aroma massage for 1000bht for 1.5hrs. Used to be 800bht. hmmm..the works of inflation. If you are opting for a less pricey deal, the typcal thai massage is abut 500bht. that's for 2 hour of pamper.

 

One of the places which we dined at was the highly talked about Ban Khun Mae. I shall let the photos tell you the level of satisfaction:

 

 BBQ Pig's neck

 

 

 

A must have at every meal: Yum Woon Sen. It's really quite easy to prepare. I wasn't quite over this whole Thai fiasco thus went back and tried replicating this dish. The hubs gave me at 88%. Below is the recipe if you are keen to try out:

Serves 2 | Prep Time: 20 Minutes | Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

4 oz pre-soaked mung bean noodles (glass noodles, cellophane noodles)

8-12 medium-sized shrimp, shelled and deveined

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1/2 small tomato, diced

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

Dressing Ingredients:

1 garlic, finely minced

1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons warm water

1 tablespoon lime juice, or to taste

1/2 tablespoon chili garlic paste

Method:

Dry mung bean noodles are very light. Soak the dry mung beans noodles with warm water for about 10 minutes (until soft). Discard the water, drain dry and set aside (use 4 oz of them for this recipe). Boil some water and add in the noodles and cook according to the package instruction (a couple of minutes or until the noodles are just cooked through but not mushy). Remove the noodles and drained. Using the same water, boil the shrimp until they are completely cooked. Remove and set aside.

Mix all the ingredients in the Dressing well (make sure the sugar is completely dissolved), set aside.

In a salad bowl, mix the mung bean noodles, shrimp, shallots, tomato, cilantro, mint with the Dressing. Toss to blend well. Add the roasted cashew nuts, stir to combine well. Serve immediately at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

 

 Another Must have in Thailand! Succulent BBQ Big headed prawns!

 

 

 There was a shop right across the street selling all mango desserts called Mango Tango. One of the famous Thai dessert is Mango Sticky Rice. Another must try!
The 4D3N was basically just eat, massage and be merry. Other worth mentioning places we visited was Somboon Seafood. Be warned that this place only accept cash.

 

The land of smiles is not only known for their food, pretty erm girls but also their creativity:

 

We chanced upon his Magnum cafe at Siam Paragon. Was tempted to  head in if not for the very filling dinner we had.

 

 

On the last day of our escapade, we had almost 5hours between checking out and departure, thus we decided to visit the mall nearby -- Terminal 21. Once again, it was within walking distance! It is located at the BTS and MRT intersection thus very accessible. This cutting edge mall is called Terminal 21 aparently because it is located at Asok Soi 21. If I'm wrong don't blame me! The hubs was my informer and he has the tendency to over-exaggerate his knowledge. I was impressed with the design of the place. Every level had a country theme. London, Istanbul, Paris, America, Rome etc. What blew me away was that the interesting concept extended to even the toilets! The small little shops on every floor also make it a good place to hunt for gems.

 

Was really glad I went on this trip. Did me good. Hope that you found the above information useful! Till next time XOXO

 

 Directory:
FX Hotel Makkasan
1643 / 5 New Phetchaburi Road | Makkasan Ratchathevi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand

Terminal 21

 2,88 Sukhumvit Soi 19(Wattana) Sukhumvit Rd., Bangkok 10110, Thailand

 

Mango Tango

Siam Square Soi 5

(https://maps.google.com/maps?q=13.744312,100.534454&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&hl=en)

 

Ban KhunMae Restaurant

458/6-9 Siam Square Soi 8, Rama 1 Road,

Patumwan District, Bangkok 1033

Tel: (662)250-1952-3 (best to call for reservations. the place can get pretty crowded)

 

Tawandang Bangkok

Rama III, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

+66 02 678 114 6

 

Pratunam Shopping Mall

Opening hours: 10am-10pm
Location: Petchburi, Ratcathewi

BTS: The nearest Skytrain station is Chitlom (quite a walk if you ask me)

 

MBK Shopping Mall

444 Phayathai Road | Patumwan, Bangkok, Thailand (Old City)

 

Somboon Seafood

The one we went to was their Ratchada branch

167/9-12 Huay-Kwang Intersection,
Ratchadapisek Rd., DinDeang, Bangkok 10320
Tel. 02-692-6850-3 (best to make reservations)

 

Chatuhak Weekend Market

Chatuchak Market is adjacent to the Kamphaengpecth Station (MRT) about 5 minute walk from Mochit Skytrain (BTS) Station and Suan Chatuchak (Chatuchak Park) Station (MRT)

SpreeOholic

It's official! we have launched! F21, Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade, Bloomingdales, Victoria Secrets, Steve Madden, Charlotte Russe, Tory Burch, Bath & body works, OPI, Coach etc. Whatever brands you have your eyes on, let us assist you in getting them. Have an eye candy in mind? Ask SpreeOholic today!

Weekend delights

A weekend's gratification lies therein spending time with family and friends =)
Indeed, this wkend has been the best thus far this year. Starting with knocking off early on a Friday night (730pm's considered early!) and meeting the hubs for comedy flick. Typical high school bully kindof plot, but strangely it tickled our laughing bones.

Saturday was just as good. Despite the rain, it was certainly a welcoming respite from the blazing heat. Enjoyed a heart-warming evening with the hubs over a homecooked meal. The hubs, a morton's wannabe, whipped up a mean steak, which he claimed to be just as good as the exorbitant steak he had, just last month.



I'm quite fine living vicariously through you......

Sunday
The hubs went golfing with cousins, leaving me in a .........EUPHORIC mood! Not that I do not enjoy your company my dear, on the contrary, I yearn for more, but you aren't that accommodating when it comes to SHOPPING! Something I badly need. I've been curbing an addiction for months -- Going to the shopping malls. The withdrawal symptoms were severe and I was hallucinating. Thus i had a great time with H scowling the streets of Haji Lane

Haji lane still retains it's unique look. With grafitti sprawling all over the walls and each individual shop tastefully decorated. Inspiration for me to re-deco my place! But hmm, that can wait.

Took a break and chilled at The Ice-Cream man which accordin to H, was featured in Business Times. Over-rated. Ice-cream wasn't good at all. Apart from all the "safe" flavours like Bandung, Chocolate and Mint Choco, all the rest were a disappointing failure. Harsh I may be, sorry, it's for your own good. They were obviously experimenting with flavours at the customer's cost. Quality control and market survey is probably what's lacking. Like in the case of H's Lychee sorbet, she commented that it tasted more like sour plum! hmm..n for my Strawberry & Banana Tofu, I seriously can't taste any Strawberries in it. Prolly another Udder-wannabe which is riding on the wave of homemade ice-cream but the gap is apparent. Doesn't exactly come cheap too. A double scoop set me off by $4.50 and if i opt for their premium flavours like Squid Ink (which was really an acquired taste...i mean imagine, using pasta squid ink on ice cream? errrrm..need I say more?), it would have cost me $6.50! Place was also painfully small.




The progress and repercussion of age is clearly visible. After an hour more of shopping, our feet were killing us thus it was time for TEA @ Fikka.



Headed for Orchard as we wanted to check out Avana Loft which has the most gorgeous gowns but I can't seem to convince myself that there's an occasion for me to dress to my nines and splurge on those numbers. Thereafter, we checked out the highly raved -- Marmalade Pantry. In a food-fixated Singapore, it was actually pretty tough to decide where to dine. Saw Jean Danker and Glenn Ong sitting not too subtly in a corner. I didn't expect Jean to look so slim! She was wearing 4-inch heels and had a mean physique. Glenn on the other hand seemed to be carrying a paunch and the butt crevice was peeking out when he was sitting down. Hmmm. Unglam much. Anyway, back to Marmalade Pantry. The soup was not hot, pasta was so-so. Staff weren't very friendly. No smiles. Overall take on this place -- Not really worth visiting unless you are just there for a drink.


I absolutely adore this picture! The lighting is oh-so-perfect. Not wanting to spoil my mood, I headed off to the CD shop and grabbed myself some Thai and Acoustic music....ahhh...this is life. Presenting MY LOOTS for the day:



My new Bovine Leather Couch. LOVEzzzzzz!


Uninterrupted hour of solitude before the hub (who was trapped unproductively in traffic) came home. In a relaxed, highly euphoric mood (albeit the slight migraine) coz it's Sunday sans the Monday Blues.

"To stay stuck or to not stay stuck? That is the question. Inertia is in the eye of the beholder. What looks to you like paralysis looks perhaps to another like passion. What looks to you like a rut, others might say is commitment, true absorption in a topic, a relationship, a career, a pursuit, a place. What looks to you like boredom, others call commitment. And even contentment. "