A Mega Hunt

Decided to go to Megamall to check out F21 and the newly-opened Payless.
Since F21 has an astonishingly quick turn-over of stocks, we thought we'd take snapshots of some of the things that caught our eye.

FASHION

Pretty hats for around P900

Two pairs from their extensive accessory selection

Cozy cardigan with an adorable bow print

Their jeans fit like a dream!

I love this oatmeal knit cardigan with extended panels and this gorgeous grandpa sweater with a primary color motif! Perfect for the the gloomy weather we've been having.

Nifty perforated lace-ups

Love the shape and razzle dazzle of this top!

Swingy skirt with a gritty print

Shoe Saga
When I saw these pretty little copycats on the F21 website, I knew I had to check out the local branch asap. Upon entering the store, I made a beeline towards the shoe section and was excited to see that they had stocked it. I originally wanted the polka dot print but these would have to do. In a frenzy, I turned over each pair looking for a 6. Unfortunately, they only had two 7's and whole bunch of 8's and 9's! I begged the sales people to scour the store but they said that this style had just arrived on that very same day and they only stocked one pair of 6's!
I had pretty much given up and was waiting while P paid for his purchase. On our way out, I saw a girl pick up and then put down a pair on the platform where the mannequins were mounted. They seemed pretty small so I asked P to check them out. He picked them up, looked at the label, and gave me a grin. I was in luck! I found my pair! I didn't even try them on and just went straight to the till to pay.

They're terribly high and not very practical but for now, just looking at them makes me smile.
Hurray for minor victories!

While the men's section remains terribly small, they do have some good finds. Check out this varsity jacket and this light stretchy blazer with preppy piping. They have a good assortment of outerwear on the cheap!

There's a white version with black stitching but I decided to go for this navy knit number so I can use it for both work and play. P600 was not a bad deal for this one!

Payless was only a minute away from F21 and it was pretty crowded with curious shoppers when we got there. The store itself isn't big but the layout really maximizes the space.

Walls of shoes arranged by size and in their containers in true Payless fashion
They carry big sizes (10, 11) for ladies and we overheard a saleswoman saying that they were working on bringing in 13 and 14 for men!

Bag wall

Sunglasses rack

Cute cherry framed wallets that I was contemplating on getting

They carried some of the alice + olivia x Payless designs.
The first design was being sold for P3,250 if I'm not mistaken.

Some standard issue flats for around P800-900


FOOD
We went to the nearby Orchard Road to have a go at their Singaporean fare. It was our second time around and we wanted to try out some of the other dishes offered. 

Their take-out menu (click to enlarge)

Cold barley drink
P: I was about to order my favorite teh tarik but decided to give this one a try since it's a popular choice. It's a refreshing beverage flavored with syrup (i think). It's got a load of chewy barley at the bottom that lends it a subtle flavor. Not sure how to describe it well. It's just different. The barley bits tend to annoyingly get stuck in the straw though.

Teh Tarik (tea with condensed milk)
D: Loved this when I first tried it in Malaysia and this tastes just like the real deal. I think they pour the milk from a height, creating the froth at the top of the glass. They prepare this hot and just add ice upon request so wait for it to get cold before sipping.

Laksa
P: I was craving noodles with either soup or curry so laksa seemed like a good choice. Make sure to order it mild if you can't handle spicy food though. The laksa was shockingly spicy and left my throat burning, my nose runny, and my forehead sweaty. Don't get me wrong though, it was pretty good with the shrimp and squid/fish ball slices. Not for the delicate tongue.

Sweet and sour pork with fried egg and rice
D: Originally, this came with plain rice (which I don't eat) so I asked the server to give me an alternative. She said we could only change it to Hainanese rice so I agreed. Bad idea though because their Hainan rice is super sticky which I absolutely cannot stand. The pork was very good though, if a little too few.

Oyster omelette
P: This dish may not look like much as presented but the flavor is fantastic. It's unlike the oyster cakes usually found in chinese restaurants, more like scrambled egg with fish sauce and oysters. Each bite was scrumptious! A++!

Sago gula melaka
This is a popular dessert (or so we're told) and for good reason! We couldn't wait to have at it so we forgot to take a pre-decimation picture of it. Basically, it's sago and gulaman on crushed ice with condensed milk and muscovado. A tasty refreshing treat to wrap up the meal with!


* D: Just wanted to give a shout-out to Kate Paras, Seven Barretto, and Elaine Carag of CHALK magazine. Do grab a copy of their September issue. Their team was kind enough to include me in the Closet Raiders feature along with three other ladies. Thanks guys!