After being blessed with 5 sets of LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS and visiting the roadshow during the June hols, L was even more excited about this series.

What do the kids like about the NEXO KNIGHTS sets? 

I'll leave them to tell you more about Macy's Thunder Mace (70319) and Ultimate Axl (70336). Thank you, Ch, for writing the script and editing the video!

"There is a TV show that shows on Friday at 6pm on Okto based on these Lego sets. There’s also an app game that you can download for free on iTunes and Google Play and it’s called Merlok 2.0. When you have the Nexo Knights set, you can scan the shields that come with the set and use them to defeat villains in the game. - L"

There is certainly a lot of "coolness" in this theme as the LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS sets can be played in both the physical and digital forms. The two sets reviewed are recommended for children ages 8 to 14 and L completed them fairly quickly by following the instruction manuals. The creative play then continues just as with all other great LEGO themes.


In its digital form, the shield from every set can be scanned on the MERLOK 2.0 app game which can be downloaded to your smartphone or tablet to give an immersive playing experience. Using the power scanner in the app, the power from each type of shield can be collected to build stronger and more powerful knights and to defeat Jestro and his monsters in the game.

Photo credit

However, I have not permitted them to download the game till now. Main reason is the addictive lure to have more shields in order to power up their knights in the app game. The kids know my stand for now, but they are still "trying their luck" to ask once a while. I agreed to read up more about the app game and L has also promised he won't go overboard with playing on the app.

I guess if you exercise strong parental control and restrict the number of minutes your child gets to play on the app, this app game definitely sounds like a very fun one not just for your child, but maybe one that bonds the parent and child too!
**LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS are available at LEGO Certified Stores (LCS), Toys'R'Us, LEGO Mono Brand Stores, departmental stores and select toys stores, ranging in price from SGD $19.90 to SGD $229.90. More information about the products in this theme can be found here.

Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was given for this review and all opinions are ours. We were given Macy's Thunder Mace and Ultimate Axl for the purpose of this review. Photos were taken by Ch on the Canon Powershot SX60 HS.

Dining with a sea view in the distance, away from the city crowd, is especially relaxing on a weekday afternoon. And you can do that now at Sandbank with their new All-You-Can-Eat International Lunch Buffet. 

Like their weekend Breakfast Buffet, there is always something for everyone. The buffet spread includes roast meat platter, freshly cooked pasta, thin-crusted pizza, an assortment of finger food, herbal prawns, and a selection of desserts to name a few. 

And for a limited time only, Sandbank is having a promotion for their All-You-Can-Eat International Lunch Buffet where 1 person dines free (inclusive of kids) with every 3 paying adults. 

And, and .. You only need to half the price for children between 4 to 12 years old! 

Here's a sneak preview of Sandbank's International Lunch Buffet. The pictures might cause hunger pangs and an irresistible urge to eat. 

Be warned.

Pasta and Salad section

The pasta can be customised to suit your taste and it is freshly prepared upon request. You can choose between Aglio Olio, carbonara, bolognaise or penne and cheese. The creamy cauliflower soup is flavorful and not to be missed.

The salad section has a good variety of greens, green mango salad (yummy!), chicken mushroom with pesto and an assortment of salad dressing.

My friends and I love the pizza with artichokes toppings! The crust is thin with a crunchy perfection.


Their fried chicken wings are worth the extra calories. Grab them quickly else they will be gone too soon. The spring rolls and rings are just so-so though.

Other Asian dishes include Steamed Pork in Black Bean Sauce, Teriyaki Chicken, Nasi Lemak, and Tandoori Fish Fillet.

Stir Fried Nai Bai & Teriyaki Chicken

This is the other one of my favorites. Succulent prawns that are cooked just right in a delicious herbal broth. Even my friend, who is allergic to seafood, couldn't resist taking a sip of the broth and she gave a thumbs-up. Just look at all the herbs that go into the broth!

Herbal prawns

I usually try to control myself at buffets but with good food and company, it was difficult to stop. I took more than one helping for the clams in wine, and the herbal prawns... and the pizza... and the pasta... I think you get my point.

Clams in Wine

The dessert and fruits selection is small but of good quality. There wasn't anything I didn't like on my plate. The lunch buffet also comes with free flow hot tea and coffee, as well as apple juice and orange juice.

Cakes, tarts, and pudding

Of all my three visits to Sandbank, I observe that the staff is very attentive to their customers. Their service is prompt - plates are cleared off the table quickly, a utensil that a child accidentally drops is replaced even before the mommy notices it. Color pencils are available upon request, and they are very helpful with any special request you have for your coffee or tea.

So, if you would like a place to be near the sea but still enjoy the comfort of an air-conditioned dining area on a weekday afternoon, Sandbank is a good choice!

More information about Sandbank

Address: 920 East Coast Parkway, #01-28/32 Parkland Green, Singapore 449875 (opposite Parkway Parade when looking across from East Coast Park)

Telephone: +65 6247 7988

Being greeted with such a glorious sight when we open our eyes in the morning is something my family hardly gets in Singapore. This photo was taken in June 2016 when we slept over at Pasir Ris Park.

I'm glad I have a group of friends who love camping. Their photos and chattering about past camping experiences excite us and we have been longing to join them too. Since K's medical conditions have improved over the past few months (she has been disconnected from the feeding pump and oxygen concentrator), we decided to try out a 3D2N camping trip with them.

I have fond memories of my university days where I camped out at Pulau Hantu (a southern island of Singapore) to help my lecturer collect data for her research study. Now that Ch and L are older, I want them to experience what I had enjoyed back at Pulau Hantu - to have fun under the sun, to get used to the lack of comfort items like the fan and air-con, to disconnect from the TV and iPad and to enjoy time with friends. 

A few of our friends were curious about our camping trip and wanted to know if our younger ones adapted well to a change of environment. To be honest, I didn't even expect myself to stay on for the second night. L gets very fussy when he is hot and he will have heat rashes. 

But my biggest concern was K - I was worried that she could not get used to the heat and the unfamiliar surrounding, especially during the night. The paranoid Me even wanted to bring along her portable oxygen tank just in case she develops breathing difficulties. Turns out, K was an amazingly easy kid camper and she slept well on both nights!

Learning from our more seasoned camper friends, we adapted some of their "best practices" to make our camping trip an enjoyable one for our kids. Here's sharing what we did:

We own a four-man dome tent, but it gets a little squeezy inside if all of us lie down together. Hence, hubby "upgraded" us to an eight-man tent (we only have 5 "men" in our family) which a friend helped to buy from the Winning website. It was spacious with plenty of room to spare even with all our bags in. 

:: Give the kids opportunities to help.

Pitching the tent is hard work but fun and Ch and L gladly took on the task to help ZY. They looked so proud after the tent was up and ready.

A friend also round up all the kids and gave a "Camping 101" on how to wash their own plates and utensils after eating. Being able to help with more "adult tasks" gave the kids some responsibilities and ownership of the camping experience. 

:: Make outdoor sleeping a comfortable experience for the kids.

Else they will never want to go camping again!

I know ... camping is supposed to be a rough-it-out experience but we wanted the kids to sleep well so that they will not be too grouchy in the day. 

The fan is L's sleeping essential and K usually sleeps with the air-con, so I was quite worried about the night as we could have two fusspots to handle. To make matters worse, the first night was extremely hot and humid. There was hardly any breeze even though we were next to the sea! The weather forecast showed a wind speed of only 4 km/h for that night. Fortunately, we brought along handheld fans (the kind that is not battery-powered) and we took turns to fan L and K for the whole night. 

We also brought along inflatable mattresses as advised by our camping friends. Initially, I scorned at the idea of bringing mattresses but it turned out to be a wise choice as sleeping on hard grounds is not something I'll look forward to. The kids took a soft toy each to cuddle at night.

Because the first night was so hot, everyone decided to abandon the tents and slept at the pavilion for the second night. I forgot that the night might get too cold and didn't pack any jackets. As a result, we had to make do with towels as our blankets. 

We had bad encounters with sandfly bites when we were at the Pasir Ris Park last December. The bites were so potent the itch lasted at least one week. 

Hence, a bug repellent is an essential item especially since we are good mosquito feeders. I go for repellents that contain natural ingredients (for nature's sake) and no DEET (for our safety's sake). They are pretty effective against mozzie bites, but the downside to natural repellents is that re-spraying every few hours is necessary to stay bites-free.

For this camping trip, I used Cottoncubs' Kids' Insect Repellent, which is made with certified organic ingredients (approved by Australian Certified Organic Standard) and pure essential oils. It comes in a 125 ml spray bottle and makes applying and re-applying very easy. I also like that it has a mild natural smell, and we didn't have sticky skin after applying.

For the record, we didn't get any mozzie bites and had fewer sandfly bites than what we got in December. Somehow, K was spared from the bites! ZY had the most bites probably because he didn't re-apply the repellent diligently. 

Oh yes, if you know of any natural repellents that can ward off sandflies, please bring it along. And please let me know. 

:: Make bonding time a priority.

:: Bring only camping essentials