2023 Story





The year 2023 was full of the highest highs and the lowest lows. Thank God for all his favour, protection, mercy, grace, and blessings. To God be the glory, great things he has done!

A resolution I'd fulfilled this year was to revisit or 'properly visit' several cities and places, some of which I'd previously visited for work but for leisure instead this time, and some new places. This included Hanoi in Vietnam, Jeju & Seogwipo in South Korea, and Manchester in England. Curated several food trails as well.

Hanoi, Vietnam — Hat Vendor On The Streets

Hanoi, Vietnam — Food Trail, Bún Chả / Grilled Pork Noodles @ Bún Chả Hương Liên

Jeju & Seogwipo, South Korea — Rolling Green Hills, Clear Blue Skies, Fluffy White Clouds

Jeju & Seogwipo, South Korea — Food Trail, Haemultang / Seafood Stew Hot Pot @ Samseonghyeol Haemultang (원조 삼성혈해물탕 본점)

Manchester, England — Atmosphere Of Football / Soccer

Manchester, England — Food Trail, Apple And Blackberry Crumble @ The Old Wellington

Made the effort to catch up regularly with friends, and will continue to do so.














On 31-Dec-2023, I completed One Piece episode 1,088. Also completed watching the One Piece Live Action series (2023 Season 1) on Netflix, which I felt captured the spirit of the characters while making the story more accessible and streamlined.

One Piece Live Action (2023 Season 1), Source Credits

For the life project where I'm eating my way through famous Singaporean hawker and casual dining food, I managed to complete those dishes starting with 'F', 'G', and 'H' in 2023. As before, this isn't exactly comprehensive, but it's a journey.

Fish And Chips

Fish Ball Noodles

Fish Kadai

Fish Soup And Fish Porridge

Fish Tikka

Fried Oyster Omelette

Gajar Ka Halwa

Ginger And Egg Custard Pudding

Gulab Jamun

Hokkien Mee

Honey Sea Coconut And Nata De Coco

Hot Chocolate / Drinking Chocolate

Hot Dog

Attained several milestones in my professional capacity, the highlight of which is the normalisation of work volume thanks to additional manpower support, being recognised for more than a decade of service, leading a sucessful learning festival, and the craziness of being thrown in to save a high-profile project at the last minute.




Also had several milestones in my personal capacity, from learning and networking at the Human Capital Leadership Institute HR Leaders Programme, upskilling in prompt engineering for generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI), moving to a new place, dealing with scams and hospitalisations, investing into the future, and giving back to the community and society.




Looking forward to 2024, and better things ahead!


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Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: Hot Dog

Hot Dog

Christmas 2023

Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate

Top 5 Manchester Attractions

City: Manchester
State: Greater Manchester
Country: England

A major city in England and the United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland, Manchester is notable for its architecture, scientific and engineering output, social impact, music, literature, and sports clubs. A cultural behemoth, Manchester is often cited as being the world's first industrialised city, thanks to its textile manufacturing and cotton processing centres.

Here are the Top 5 Tourist Attractions to visit in Manchester, all of which hold important cultural or historical significance. All these are permanent locations which can be visited and viewed at any time throughout the year.


1. Manchester Art Gallery

Source

Manchester Art Gallery (Purchased Stock Image)

The Manchester Art Gallery in the city centre of Manchester, England, began its collection in 1827, and today houses some 25,000 objects. Galleries span paintings, sculptures, miniatures, drawings, photographs, furniture, glass, and fashion. Featured works include those by famed British English artists such as Laurence Stephen Lowry, Thomas Gainsborough, and Joshua Reynolds.



2. Imperial War Museum North (IWM North)

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Imperial War Museum North (IWM North) (Purchased Stock Image)

The Imperial War Museum North (IWM North) in Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, is 1 of 5 branches spread across the country. The 3,500 square metres of exhibition hall runs chronologically across 6 thematic zones, and is designed to be cavernous, dramatic, and sobering. Highlights include a T-34 tank, a T-55 tank, a McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II fighter jet, a Ordnance QF 13-pounder field gun, a barrage balloon, a Mark XVII naval contact mine, and a WE.177 nuclear bomb training round.



3. National Football Museum

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National Football Museum (Purchased Stock Image)

The Manchester National Football Museum in England is the world's largest gathering of football / soccer memorabilia, with some 140,000 items in its collection. Notable artefacts include the football used in the 1966 World Cup final which England won, the original 'Rules of the Game' from 1863, and Diego Armando Maradona's jersey from the 1986 World Cup 'Hand of God' and 'Goal of the Century' quarter-finals match.



4. Science And Industry Museum

Source

Science And Industry Museum (Purchased Stock Image)

The Science And Industry Museum traces the development of the city of Manchester, England, in the fields of science, technology, and industry. With over 250,000 objects in its collection, the galleries focus on transportation, engineering, infrastructure, computing, and textiles. Highlights include the Textiles & Cotton story, the revolutionary 'Baby' computer, and Steven Hawking's office. There's a good number of interactive science exhibits in the Experiment interactive gallery, from heat vision to magnetic art. Each weekend during the school holidays, they host the Power Up gaming history experience featuring popular video games from across 5 decades (1970 - 2020), from Pong to Pacman, Street Fighter to Mario Bros, Legend Of Zelda to X-Men, Minecraft to Halo, LEGO to Fortnite, and more.



5. John Rylands Research Institute And Library

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John Rylands Research Institute And Library (Purchased Stock Image)

Stepping into the John Rylands Research Institute And Library feels straight out of a fantasy / horror / dungeons & dragons / warhammer 40k lore. Constructed of Cumbrian sandstone, shaded 'Shawk' stone and Barbary stone, the late-Victorian neo-Gothic building architecture of this building evokes a sense of awe on sight in Manchester, England. Known for its reading rooms (yes, university students study here), the stained glass windows, and the collection of sculptures and rare manuscripts, including papyrus fragments.





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Manchester Street Food

Manchester Street Food is an integral part of British English cuisine, otherwise known in England as 'Pub Grub'.

Apple And Blackberry Crumble

Manchester Food Trail 2023, Days 3 & 4

Manchester Food Trail 2023, Days 1 & 2

Ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel
3 - 5 Portland Street
Manchester M1 6DP
England

https://all.accor.com/hotel/A0H5/index.en.shtml


Beautiful Boutique Hotel

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Visited: Nov-2023
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 5
Service: 7
Value for Money: 7
Budget about GBP £610 / SGD $1,040 per person.
- SGD $1,040 Accommodation 4D3N


Nearby Attractions: Manchester Museum, John Rylands Research Institute And Library, Manchester Art Gallery, Whitworth Park & The Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester Cathedral, People's History Museum, Science And Industry Museum, Imperial War Museum North, Museum Of Transport Greater Manchester, National Football Museum, Old Trafford Football Stadium, City Of Manchester Stadium (Etihad Stadium), Manchester Opera House, Royal Exchange Theatre, HOME Theatre Manchester, Heaton Park, SEA LIFE Manchester, Greater Manchester Police Museum & Archives, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Victoria Baths, Chetham's Library, Hat Works Museum


Hotel Facilities: Free Wi-Fi, 1 Restaurant (Jamboree Foodfest & Bar), Lobby Lounge, Smart Cable Television, Vending Machines, Foosball Table, Snooker / Pool Table, Currency Exchange Service


Hotel Activities: Internet Surfing, Foosball, Snooker / Pool Games, Relaxing


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Introduction
Located about 20 minutes drive away from the Manchester international airport in Manchester, England, the Ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel is a 3-star economy boutique hotel that offers a fantastic location right in the heart of the city. While it has nearly no common facilities, this is offset as the Ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel has good proximity to nearby options, and is among the more affordable stays in town.


Ambience
Ambience at Ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel draws inspiration from weather patterns, the most prominent bring the rainy environment. The result is a quirky yet appealing design choice, with umbrellas and cloudy skies as a central design theme, from the decor to the finishes. Likewise, bedroom artwork follows this choice, and the overall look is highly appealing and appropriate, the reason why it's so eye-catching.


Room
Rooms at Ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel are design-forward and clean. I stayed at The Queen Large Double Room, which was cozy with a working desk, leaf-shaped ottoman stool, good high speed wifi, and a flat screen smart cable television. The bathroom is small but practical, with minimal toiletries and lovely wallpaper. Was slightly miffed that the shower area is only partially enclosed, which led to wet bathroom floors.


Food
Food at Ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel is served at the Jamboree Foodfest & Bar, which is a 3rd-party restaurant and gastrobar. Honestly, the fact that this place isn't crowded even on weekends (when everywhere else is packed), should have been an indication... and after dining here, I know for sure. Save your calories and dine elsewhere.


Service
Service at Ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel is above average. Staff are responsive and helpful, mindful of guests and remember preferences. Housekeeping is thorough if a little slow, but polite and checks on quality. Vending machines allow for purchase of some essentials. The restaurant staff are friendly and demonstrate good product knowledge, they also clean up efficiently when diners leave.


Facilities & Activities
The facilities and activities at Ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel are minimal, as its convenient location means there's little need to offer in-house. The only 2 points of note, is the spacious and comfortable lobby lounge that's equipped with power outlets to charge your devices, while the bar has a foosball table and a snooker / pool table for games. For all other types of activities, you'll have to search the surrounding area. That said, Ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel is a good place to stay overall.


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