Crap & Such

2010-07-01T10:33:00.000+08:00

in a course about blog and suddenly remember i have one!

hello! how's everyone? any plans ahead? :)

If your eyeshadow becomes blusher before you walk out the door...

2010-03-15T23:36:00.002+08:00

I seldom plug products but every once in a while, I come across something fantastic (like nando's).

Today, it's not about food. If your eyeshadow seems to have the amazing power of converging into a thin, oily line before lunch, this is the product for you.

Urban Decay's Primer Potion, S$32 from Sephora.

At first, it doesn't seem possible that a smear of this on your lids will make your eyeshadow stay. In fact, the thing practically disappear when you blend it into your lids. So never mind, I continued slapping on the shadow, prepared to be disappointed by yet another product touting A but giving Z.

Do not be surprised when your eyeshadow turns out a lot more vibrant that you're used to. I think this is what the primer is meant to do. Most amazingly, my eyeshadow actually stayed on the lids and did not initiate its usual trek down to my cheeks. How COOL is that?

If you're like me who have tonnes of eyeshadow pots in the drawer that you can never use (unless you like green/blue/purple blusher), this is your lifesaver. GRAB IT!

Is this angelina?

2010-03-15T23:33:00.003+08:00

Nope! it's her

what do u think

2010-02-16T21:55:00.002+08:00

of the new blog layout?

2010-02-16T14:13:00.003+08:00

adore the bardot look

2010-02-16T14:09:00.001+08:00

"now what" and "what now" are actually very different!

on another note, check out knighttcat's post

it's all the about the latest colours...

2010-02-16T12:54:00.000+08:00

OMG! WHO IS THIS?

Source

how much time do u think u have for urself?

2010-01-23T00:12:00.001+08:00

the calculation:

one day = 24 hours

one meal = 1 hour
three meals = 3 hours

one-way to work = 1 hour
two-ways to/from work = 2 hours

regular work hours = 9 hours
regular OT hours = 2 hours
total work hours = 11 hours

you should sleep = 8 hours

what you're left with = 24 - 3 - 2 - 11 - 8 = ???

2010-01-23T00:11:00.001+08:00

a person who does not embrace a sunny day does not deserve its warmth

He's back!

2010-01-01T14:15:00.002+08:00

let's shop!

2009-12-19T13:16:00.002+08:00

sometimes.. we need a little retail therapy

2009-10-25T23:34:00.003+08:00

It wasn't love at first sight.

When I first saw you, I never thought you could make my heart go faster. It has been a long time since I last felt this way.

Grudgingly, I decided to give you a try because I was bored and wanted something different.

The first time we got together, I thought it was just a fleeting liking, a touch, a caress, no more. I didn't know what made me do it but I felt maybe I should give you a chance. Who knows, we may really be meant for each other.

As we told ginger steps together, I fell more and more for you. I could not help it. Being with you was like floating on a cloud. You made me stand tall and I felt proud to have you with me.

My heart began to beat faster and my lungs could not seemed to get enough air. It was then when I began to think that we could really work.

Alas! You were not what I was used to. You needed me to invest more in you than what I was used to. We soon parted ways.

I could not stop thinking of you. My heart was still racing, my mind running wild with the things I will give up just to have you. I made my choice.

And we are together now.

My new 5 inch heels. Yes. FIVE! F.I.V.E!

his pain

2009-10-07T00:18:00.001+08:00

it started with a backache.

he thought yoga would help. so he asked his friends for some moves that he could do. it didn't help.

he was overseas. he went to the doctor when the pain got too bad. i msn him because his status was about losing 7kg in a week. he told me the doctor made a hole in him to drain out the pus and it was 'very very very' painful. medication didn't help. it was supposed to be appendicitis. i asked him why he didn't come back to singapore since it was so bad. he said he couldnt travel then. we were still thankful that insurance covered the bills.

but it didn't cover his life. he passed away yesterday. doctors had misdiagnosed. in the one month that he was asked to wait for his surgery, the cancer might have raged on. it was colon cancer. and stage 2.

they told me all the treatments were too late. we were supposed to have gathering when u came back.

goodbye my friend. i hope there's no more pain now.

please take care of your health. pain is the sign that something is wrong.

2009-10-06T01:17:00.002+08:00

Good bye Mr Ng. I hope you are no longer in pain. Take care my friend.

blah blah blah

2009-09-30T23:49:00.001+08:00

it's been so long! i've changed job, went to perth (and back) and going to hong kong soon..

ahhh.. time flies... do u know in another 3 months, another year would have passed? zzz

ah well.. that's all for my 'im still alive' post :)

2009-08-27T00:02:00.000+08:00

OMG! Photobucket messed up my blog! WTF!

Birthday 2009

2009-06-10T22:41:00.003+08:00

Oh man! Older by another year. I think there is a formula in this universe:

Excitement at planning for birthday celebration(s) is inversely proportional to age to be celebrated

The "more matured" I get, the less I feel like celebrating. Be happy about the wrinkles on my face or the sagginess of my cheeks? Bah!

But a birthday is a good reason to receive gifts and get together with friends! Let me get the "thank yous" out first:

Thank you for your well wishes and presents, SBZ, JT, SJ, PY, Debbie, Wailing, Andre, Helen, Mary, Colleen, Eunice, Lyndy, Colin, Magdeline, Lidan, Terence, Beishan, Huimin, Lika, Ivan, Celine, Serene, Liping, Meixin, Joanne, James, Raymond, Hoilan, Dean, Gerald, Meiru, Nhu, Tji Hun, and Edgar! Of course, my family as well! :)

It is not everyday I get sms from people all over the world. :) Thanks for the thought.

He also made the effort to plan a trip. Although it didn't materialise in the end, we still spent a great night here:

And had dinner at Fish & Co, which, by the way, still serves the best grilled calamari I've ever had:

"Deliciousness of calamari is directly proportional to width of smile"

Not to mentioned my friends who had to plan my birthday dinner to suit my on-off-on-maybe-on-off-on sorta birthday "trip":

The girls from waaaaaaaayyyyy back! The guys were too shy? :)

"Can you tell I'm happy?"

Really happy! Yes, I'm 22 by the way. ;)

Girls at the office also planned a 'surprise' for me. Come on, I'm the Queen of Surprises! Who can top me! :) I was in the toilet when they came back, carrying the cake. They sent Celine to stall me but alas! She was ~~disgusted~~ distracted by the "fragrant" toilet that she hurried me back, only to find Lyndy squatting at the table, lighting the candle. Lol... But A+ for the effort!

Best of all! My friends gave me the gift of happiness, health, and beauty! I'm over the moon with all the well-wishes and the effort in planning the "trip", the dinner, and the "surprise". I'm going to be healthy because I'll be getting the cervical cancer vaccine and contact lenses using the ang bao money. Now, how many people on earth can claim they gave their friends "happiness, health, and beauty" as presents?

Ps: One more celebration coming up! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Songs that mean something

2009-05-09T00:46:00.003+08:00

I've been listening to Launchcast Radio by Yahoo at work recently. I introduced it to my boss, who loves to blast his favourite 80s rock bands.

Now, I am listening to the 1990s pop station. For the uninitiated, this radio station allows you to play songs by decades so you can be an old woman and go back to the good old days when the songs were hits, not classics. I asked boss what he felt when he listened to the songs.

"Do you feel sad because the time has passed? Or do you feel happy because it brings back memories? Or is it bittersweet because it is a bit of both?"

"I feel steam lor!"

That was his reply to me. By that, I assume it means that he really enjoys the songs and the memories they evoke. When I listen to the 90s channel, I don't know if there is a word to describe what I felt. Let me attempt to illustrate what I mean.

I know the song by listening to its opening.
I know the lyrics without consciously remembering them.
I know when the singer is going to 'style' their voices to give the song something special.
I know the 'hoooooo's, 'haaaaaaaa's, 'laaaaaaaaaa's and 'mmmmmmmm's.
I know when to breathe in the songs.
I know because I grew up with them.

If you ask me what I feel for songs I have heard the past 5 years, I will say 'nothing'. Is it because they are not old enough? Or perhaps they do not mean much to me? I am not sure why but it seems that every song I hear on the channel can be related to a particular incident.

En Vogue - Don't Let Go
The first time I heard this, I was playing uncle's CD at grandma's. It quickly (temporarily) took over "Free Your Mind" as my favourite En Vogue song.

Jewel - You Were Meant for Me
I didn't like this song the first time I heard it. Too 'raw', too many twists and turns to her voice. I started appreciating this when he told me he liked it. Or maybe I started appreciating it because I was slowly realising what she was singing about. For the first time.

Savage Garden - Truly, Deeply, Madly
Ah! The days where guys would ask girls out to the skating rink and hold their gloved hands under the pretense of teaching them how to skate when they were wobbling around. The jukebox loved this song; or rather, we always dedicated this song with our $1 coin. The guys would move in for the kill. After the song ended, we headed for the small kiosk for our instant noodles with an egg cracked in. $2 frikking bucks!

Of course, there are many more songs, with many more memories. I will continue basking in the nostalgia. :)

Ramblings after a long day's work

2009-04-24T00:03:00.004+08:00

I'm scared. I think I'm getting to the stage where I have to wear something new each time I go out. That's not healthy. My wardrobe is filled with things I have only worn once and I think it's hanging on by a single screw on the hinge.

***

I got home from work at 10.30pm. That's not life. Think about it. You wake up in the morning, spend 30 minutes getting reading for work. The trip to office takes 1 hour. You settle down and work for the next 3 hours. You head for lunch that has to be completed within the hour. You come back to office and work at least for the next 5 hours. You take 1 hour to travel back home. You shower in 30 minutes and have your dinner with another 30. That's 12 hours and 30 minutes. If you want to have your 8 hour beauty sleep, you're only left with 3 hours and 30 minutes of free time. No wonder you compromise on your sleep. What a life.

***

As it was late and I wanted to be home asap, I took a cab. Cabbie started telling me about his life. I listened with semi-interest. Then he spoke about his kids and divorced wife. I wasn't that interested but okaaaay. He went on to elaborate the kind of woman he wants in his life now. "Tall like you, your kind of look..." Wait a minute! Was that a proposition I'm hearing? Ermm... You're 52?!?! Like my dad's era? You know what he ended the conversation with?

"我很会玩老婆的。" (I know how to play my wife very well.)

Juices

2009-02-28T13:29:00.003+08:00

Whenever I drink juices, I feel healthy. I head for the loo within 30 minutes of downing the concoction.

I didn't know there are skills required to operate a juice extractor! You know the thing you use to push the fruit down to the blades? Apparently, after you throw the piece of fruit towards its inevitable doom, you have to ram that thing straight in without a moment's hesitation. After ramming the thing in, you have to moderate your speed so that you get your maximum juice from the fruit.

Ok, my description sounds weird.

The definition of a housewife's nightmare

2009-02-28T13:26:00.001+08:00

Digging

2009-02-16T23:44:00.002+08:00

Fashion Toast - Girl who will be inspiring for those teens at Far East
Karla's Closet - Girl who's into studs and oversized jackets
Styleclicker - We all want to know where she got that

Skool is so cool. Likely totally.

2009-02-14T00:44:00.001+08:00

Would you let your child go to school at "My First Skool"?

Operation Ants Eradication II

2009-02-10T22:43:00.002+08:00

Ok! Ant count!

Kitchen counter: None visible
Down from 10

Door frame: 01
Down from 5

Yay! Share your food my dear ants! DIE DIE DIE!!!

My bro said they seemed to have stopped eating after some of their counterparts kaput. I am still observing them. More updates!

Operation Ants Eradication I

2009-02-07T00:36:00.004+08:00

WARNING: THIS POST IS NOT FOR ANT LOVERS AND MAY CAUSE HALLUCINATIONS OF ANTS CRAWLING ALL OVER YOU

Back in the days when I had to count my coins, I finally chose the soft, fluffy Breadtalk bun for tomorrow's breakfast. It was going to be a 4-hour lecture with little hope of getting a break. Carefully, I tied the transparent plastic bag the bun was placed in and told it I was looking forward to eating it tomorrow. Next, I tied the hand-carry plastic bag as tightly as I could. The precious bundle was then securely brought to the microwave and with tender hands, I put it in, right in the middle.

After a hurried shower, I skipped joyfully to the microwave, rubbing my hands in glee. Yes! I'm finally going to sink my teeth into the soft, fluffy Breaktalk bun. I gently removed the two intricate knots. Holding the baked dough in both hands, I opened my mouth. Wait! What's that? As I was closing my eyes in anticipation of the ecstatic bread-biting moment, I spied a moving creature on my bun. WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?! It was an ant. Never mind, an ant doesn't kill anyone. I flicked off the ant, and peeled the bun into half for my inaugural bite. WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK?!

WHAT THE FUCK?!!!!!!!!!!

A WHOLE ARMY OF ANTS HAD INVADED MY BUN!!!

I rushed to throw the bun in the dustbin. WAIT A MINUTE! The ants should not be let off so lightly! Even though I was running late for class, I threw the ant-infested bun into the sink and poured boiling water over the bun. There! SCREW YOU!

I live in an old flat, more than 30 year-old to be precise. With cracks in the walls, you will be very naive if you think that ants do not live side-by-side with us. From the white chalk ant bait, to the nth bottle of insecticide, nothing has worked against the 6-legged pests. Today, I was talking to my colleagues about pests and I brought up the ant situation at my house.

Me: My house has sooooooooooo many ants, it's disgraceful!
Eunice: Just buy the ant bait and use lor! So simple.
Colleen: Ya! That one so useful, all the ants will die.
Me: Where got? Don't lie la. I use that one the ants will detour around it lor.
Eunice: Which one you used?
Me: You all not talking about the white white one meh? Like chalk that one?
Eunice: No la! The one we saying like biscuit crumbs.
Me: Got such a thing meh?
Eunice: Ya la! That time my father bought I thought how come the ant bait attracted more ants. But after a while, you see the ants all lying there, dead liao. Super useful!
Me (excitedly): Really?!?! Where to get??
Colleen: Anywhere can buy what.
Eunice: Ya. You go the medical hall also have. If not the cheapskate place can get. (Ed note: Cheapskate place is what we call the shop that sells hardware, cutlery, and utensils.)

So, after lunch, I rushed to get the deadly ant biscuits:

Only $1.80? Sure or not?

Remember to read the instructions before use!

Really look like biscuit crumbs wor!

After eagerly breaking opened a pellet, I liberally sprinkled it at Ants HQ. One pellet was not enough, so I went for the second.

1 minute gone... *tap tap tap*

2 minute gone... *tap tap tap*

5 minute gone... *tap tap... WOAH!!!! THE ANTS HAVE ARRIVED!!!

Eunice and Colleen said the ants will come and bring back the 'food'. Do not worry at this point because the ants are bringing the sweet biscuits back to its colony to share with its mates. When they ingest the poison-filled crumbs, they will crumble and die! Muahahahaha!!! Call in your logistic company then!

Bring them all home! COME ON!!!

It's late now and I think I should read a bit and turn in for the night. I'll update you Operation Ants Eradication on the morrow! Muahahahahahahahaha!!!

Burning sensation when urinating? Get yourself checked!

2009-01-26T12:00:00.004+08:00

I was reading the tragic news on Mariana Bridi da Costa, a 20-year-old Brazilian model who died after contracting urinary tract infection.

Mariana Bridi da Costa, a two-time finalist in Miss World Brazil

Source: The Australian

A 20-YEAR-OLD model who was a finalist to represent Brazil in the Miss World contest has died after having her hands and feet amputated because she had contracted a severe urinary infection.

Doctors had been forced to amputate her hands and feet after she developed septicaemia.

Health officials said in a statement that Mariana Bridi's condition deteriorated overnight and she died early this morning.

The Espirito Santo State Health Secretariat said in the statement she died from complications related to a generalised infection, Associated Press has reported.

It was caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is known to be resistant to several kinds of antibiotics.

Bridi had been in the hospital in the city of Serra in south-eastern Brazil since January 3.

She became ill in December and doctors originally diagnosed her with kidney stones, local media said.

Mariana Bridi da Costa had been in a hospital in Serra, in the south-eastern state of Espirito Santo, and on artificial respiration following the procedures, according to several newspapers.

Her boyfriend, Thiago Simoes, told the G1 news website that Bridi fell ill on December 30, but was initially misdiagnosed with kidney stones.

The infection quickly spread, causing her to go back to hospital for tests that revealed her condition.

Surgeons had to act to remove her damaged hands and feet.

Bridi was twice a finalist in the Brazilian stage of the Miss World pageant.

I never knew that having UTI may cause you the loss of your hands and feet and even result in death. So the next time you feel a burning sensation when you head for the loo, get yourself checked. It may just save your life.

Some advice on UTI prevention (Source: limelife.com):

1. Drink lots of water. Water flushes bacteria and other icky things from your urinary tract.

2. Never hold it! If you have to go to the bathroom, make a beeline for it. Holding it in gives bacteria the chance to flourish instead of being flushed.

3. We all know this, but let's say it again: Wipe front to back.

4. Baths and hot tubs are soothing, but they give a place for bacteria to thrive. Minimize the amount of soaking you do in hot water.

5. Sexually active? Make sure you're washing after (and before if you can!). And make sure that you're always practicing safe sex.

6. Wear panties with cotton where it counts. Nylon and poly-fibers don't breathe, and that's where nasty little bacteria can breed.

7. Vitamin C supplements have been shown to strengthen your body's immunity to bacteria that cause UTIs, as well as a whole other host of benefits. Stock up on C!

8. Finally, guzzle down some cranberry juice. Even if you have one, 4oz serving of the red juice a day, you give your body the weapons to fight this infection, and kill it if you happen to contract it.

This, that, and those

2009-01-25T15:31:00.008+08:00

You know there's this page in My Paper where people like to take photographs of rude/unpleasant/bizarre stuff and post it in? Somehow, it always about this person not giving up the 'priority' seats in bus and mrt. Let me ask you a question. If you are sitting in one of those 'non-priority' seats and a pregnant woman boards the train, wouldn't you (assuming you are a nice kind person and all) give up your seat too? I have friends who always opt NOT to sit in those 'elderly' seats in buses because they say those are meant for old people. Well, if I feel that someone needs the seat more than me, I will gladly stand up no matter which seat I am on.

***

Recently, I went to Bintan for a short getaway. I had no idea that ferries can get tossed around like sampans in the sea. Suffice to say that retching sounds were the music of choice in the small, cramped ferry. Thank goodness for 'Little Nonya' on the TV Mobile for diverting your attention away from the Viking-ride motion of the ferry.

Welcome drink with some citrusy stuff inside. Yummy after the terrible ferry ride. Now I know why Bintan is a spa destination. You need to calm your nerves. +_+

The pseudo-arty look. Yes, as with most of my island trips, it was cloudy.

The lobby. Those sea creatures glow at night.

One of the 2 pools. By the way, this is Bintan Lagoon. We got the lead-in room for S$132/night via Wotif, which included welcome drinks and breakfasts. The meals there are pretty expensive, starting from about S$40/pax. It's a good idea to bring some instant food along. If you want to save, be like us and pig out at breakfasts, so you only need another dinner to get you through till the next breakfast. Of course, there's no need to prepare Indonesian Rupiah because everything is in SGD. Ferry took another S$60 or so. Another advice on the ferry: do not go for the upgraded category. They cramp you into a tiny tiny cabin (with some seats facing the back of the ferry!!!) where you have to turn your head to watch telly. Yeah, they give you food, but who needs a Coke and an oily chicken pie when your lunch is coming up your throat anyway?

The room was pretty decent. The raised platform is a good place to play games. I lost about $30 here learning Texas Hold 'Em. ): I don't really get the whole idea of putting cushions on the bed. You throw them on the floor when you're about to sleep anyway.

The rough rough sea. It was windy.

The lobby at 3am. Tip: Go outside when it gets dark. The sky is filled with stars! Beautiful! It would be good to read up on the stars (not the horoscope variety) before going so you can have fun trying to identify them. I only know Orion Belt. ):

The hotel's club - Silk. Decent live band but DJ spins House/Dance/Trance. Not my tunes.

All in all, it was a great trip to zou bo (do nothing). I was saying that I want to save up and go traveling this year. He felt that travel was a luxury which should come when you have the excess to do so. Other things have to come first. While I do see where he's coming from, I wonder whether we can live in a sequential way. Traveling at 25 and traveling at 35 will make a vast difference. When Mum and Dad were in Australia, they rented a car and were going to drive back to their accommodation in the middle of the night. When they got lost, they tried reading the street directory but couldn't because of their long-sightedness. There's the whole cliche but true notion that you do not know what will happen tomorrow. Carpe Diam amigo! (Yes, I know one is Latin and the other is Spanish. Sue me!)

***

The last time we met, it was half a year ago. When the secondary school gang turned up at the reunion, it felt like we were back in school again. Old but still funny banters kept going back and forth. Anecdotes flew out like missiles. Huizhong's Three Bad Things and Three Retributions at Sentosa were mentioned again and again. Kelvin's knack for handling hot objects came into the topic as well.

All too soon, it was midnight and the cake was brought out.

Tip for potluck: Please bring some 'cooling' stuff to balance the finger food, curry chicken, and pizzas.

Amidst Texas Hold 'Em with leftovers as forfeit, sipping champagne with curry chicken, we spoke of the past and how we do not feel our age. The night flew by in a flash, and soon it was 3am. Tired but happy, the old bones started to protest the close contact with the cold floor after 5 hours. We all got ready to leave and started planning for the next reunion. If you asked me what exactly we had talked about in those 5 hours, I will tell you the topics were Huizhong's Three Bad Things and Three Retributions at Sentosa and Kelvin's knack for handling hot objects. :)

***

All my colleagues have never heard of "force field" and deemed me an ancient tortoise because of that. Better to be an old, wise tortoise than a mountain one right? :)

Very nice

2009-01-03T14:56:00.000+08:00

Love it!

Taiwan 2008

2008-12-22T16:01:00.007+08:00

I have always wondered what the real Shilin Taiwan XXL Crispy Chicken taste like. Now I know!!!

A month ago, I visited the country of Jacky Wu, numerous mountains, and the famous Ah Li Shan. Here's a pictorial summary:

Lover's Bridge from the famous Meteor Shower. So many people how to love love?!

Sotong at Dan Shui Lao Jie. Super nice! Fresh from the sea and popped into a pot of boiling water! Yum!

Spent a night here, Taoyuan Tessa Resort. We were the only people I saw. I wonder how they make money.

Yeliu's funny rocks. 'Yeliu' derived from the Japanese words which means 'weird-looking stones'. There is supposed to be an elephant here.

Spot the giant clog?

We went to Jiufen for lunch. Jiufen was once a gold-mining town and was occupied by the Japanese during war. Hence, the Japanese influence in architecture. This is a typical Taiwanese meal with noodles, fishballs, and stewed pork rice.

The results of typhoon.

We bought these sweet potato tempura in Jiufen. Very nice even when cold!

At night at Shangri-la Leisure Farm. It wasn't that cold but I want to wear all the wintery stuff I brought!

Amos's wishes for the Kong Ming Deng (Heavenly Lantern). So cute right! He's 5 by the way.

Amos made the breadman for me.

Marble formation in Hualien. Do you see a face?

One of the best instant noodle! Not that cheap though, about S$2.50.

Many motorcycles in Taiwan, otherwise known as "ji che". There even have designated areas for them!

There were two toilets in 1 cubicle! Exact same size so it's not for parent and child. Two girlfriends talking about their purchases over peeing? There's not much to buy in Taiwan. But certain cosmetics brands in their department stores are cheaper than in Singapore. A Kose set for example will cost around $120 in Singapore but is only selling at $65 there. Woohoo!!

Sanrio Ferris Wheel in Dream Mall, Kaoshiung.

We tried the Taiwanese noodles at the night market. Taiwan has many night markets, usually opened till 2am. Everything is in very small portions!

Jianfushan Amusement Park at night. Beautiful but essentially for kids only.

The scenic Sun Moon Lake.

The cable car at Jiu Zu, an abbreviated version of all the tribes in Taiwan.

Betel nut! You should try this when you're there! Pretty interesting.

So, chew the nut for 1 minute without swallowing. Spit out your saliva and continue chewing. Some interesting reaction will happen.

I put this on Amos's plate and it toppled. He said his butt had fallen. So I made a butt completed with shit for him.

Taipei 101. Full of branded goods and officially the coldest day of the trip!

Change of guards at 'Freedom Square' (literally and, most probably, wrongly translated from 自由广场)

Night market at Taipei, near the hotel. We stayed at Imperial Hotel, which is quite good but small.

There are 4,000 7-11 in Taiwan. The 4,000th outlet is on Ah Li Shan. So, do not be like my brother and use 7-11 as a landmark. Not going to work. :)

Don't forget Ximending! Full of young people and clothes selling the same things! Oh yes! You can bargain when you shop in Taiwan. :))))

Many of my friends like Taiwanese food. For me, I found many of its dishes are deep-fried, which I am not exactly a fan of. Shopping-wise, there's little to buy, probably because their trends are quite different from Singapore's. Nevertheless, looking at the scenic mountains, enjoying the cool weather, and really, just the company of your family more than make up for any shortfall. :D

Sparry sparry spa

2008-12-11T22:43:00.003+08:00

Went to a spa recently. Saw that there are packages for couples. Funnily, this is what we are asked to change into at the spa...

How's that for sexy eh?

My spa started with a little scrub a scrub. I prefer scrub to massage because you feel the effects of a good scrub immediately!

"Die you dead skin cells die!"

I did the mineral salt scrub which supposedly helps to break down fatty deposits and allows you to detox. Should have weigh myself before and after the scrub to test this hor... Anyway, the poo did have some floaty bits, possibly 'fats'??? I wish!

The 30 min scrub was followed by an hour massage. I've been to a couple of spas and I think a good spa is one where the attention is paid to the customer DURING the treatment. In one, the good lady knew which areas of the body are most likely neglected during the daily washing (eg. elbows, back of knees etc) and concentrated her scrubbing powers on those. Others just do through the motion. ("Ok, 5 strokes down the left 5 strokes down the right. Back, arms, shoulders, ass. DONE!)

I cannot stand a hard massage. Things like Thai and Javanese massages will kill me. I went for Swedish massage that was supposedly less painful. WRONG! I normally have a high threshold for pain but somehow massages and I don't rub well together. Oh well... I do give good massage though; many can vouch for that! :D

The massage bed looks like a surgery table somehow. A reflection of my pain?

The couple's bath. Imagine seeing massage oil floating on the surface of the water. Sexy?

Theme party! Yay!

2008-11-30T00:08:00.002+08:00

Went to yet another theme party! Only this time, everyone had to dress up as it was for a company event! What to guess the theme?

The 'downstairs' people.

Love it! :) We even went clubbing after the event! :)

Halloween 2008

2008-11-29T23:41:00.004+08:00

Oh yeah. A whole month late! Hahaha... Halloween was a blast! At least the dressing-up part was as awesome as ever. I made many parts of my outfit myself! Here's one:

Guess?

Why make your own outfit? Cos it cost $80 to rent a friking outfit which you have to return! Peiying bought her outfit from Spotlight for $54 only! And you can sell the outfit online when you're done with it. Problem with that is I had already decided on a character I wanted and it was not available in stores. Yet another reason to make my own. Here's the grand total:

Good price right?

This was my final outfit:

Can you guess my character? Borrowed the basket from boss and all other clothing found in my cupboard! :)

I also found more of my (better-looking) counterparts:

Some of my friends also made their "virgin" Halloween appearances and had asked me what the theme will be for next year! I guess dressing up is fun! Anyway, this year's theme was "Fairytales". Any suggestions for next year's?

I think the best part about Halloween is to put on the make up! This is the one time you can mess up your eyeliner and be cool about it! Foundation too pale? All the better for the dead look! If you're lucky like me, maybe you will get to meet Saddam, Hitler and Osama!

THE bird nest in Singapore

2008-10-12T21:16:00.003+08:00

Many of us will be familiar with THE bird nest in Beijing. But most of us probably would have never seen this:

This, ladies and gentlemen, is one of the coolest KTV rooms I have ever seen! However, there is a rather hefty price tag attached to it. The room with the pool table is the biggest. Besides the three TV screen and the pool table, there are also two cocktail tables and enough space to dance. The area can comfortably hold 30 pax. The best part, of course, is the KTV!

Where is this? Guess!

Where do you need these?

2008-09-28T02:05:00.001+08:00

Did you play with these when you were young?

2008-09-26T23:18:00.002+08:00

Clockwise from top left

Paper ball. When you deflate these and fold it into half, you get your enunch hat. Though why people want an enunch hat is beyond me. Getting your flesh sliced/chopped off is not the definition of fun to me.

Top a.k.a gasing. Not my era and super hard to play.

Air balloons. Mum used to say blowing too much of these will make you retarded. x_x I not stupid hor.

Kuti kuti. Mum and Dad thumbed their noses at these because they don't come with the loops (that will make them look like pendants). Hence, these 'bo ba keh' (don't count) and in kuti kuti terms, are of absolutely no value.

Marbles a.k.a goli. Boys toys. Pah!

Five stones. I love the ones with seeds, but these, sadly, are filled with rice. Bouncy!

Chapteh. This is apparently the 'fake' one as the weight distribution is not very good.

Of course, we still have our hopscotch, zero point, and tok kah (one leg). Ah! How old this makes me feel... +_+

Costumes

2008-08-16T10:22:00.004+08:00

I went clubbing recently. There was supposed to be a dress-up theme. Excited, I called up the girls and commanded that they dressed to the theme. What's the theme? Some hints:

Hint 1: The most 'full-length' image I could find. Look at the clothes!

Hint 2: It's in the eyes!

Hint 3: I got lots of help from mama!

Okay, okay. I know our dressing didn't come off quite as obvious in the images than up close. And I know the eye make-up is what many girls would use today.

Did you guess it? Does bell bottoms, big hairband, mod, hippy, heavy eye make-up connote anything to you? Drum roll please... *drrrrrrrrr... drrrrrrr..drrrr*

Balik Kampung! Dress like your parents when they were young!

Luckily I got the girls to dress like they did. Otherwise, I'll look like a goon because pretty much no one else did! Sad right? What's a themed party when no one makes the effort to dress up for it! Haiz...

SJ channelled the retro look (think Chen Mei Guang), JT did the 50s look (think Pleasantville or Ah Ma look :P), Serene had her retro gear going on (plastic earrings, white heels etc...), and Dora put in her half-hearted mod look (Twiggy? +_+). Me? I went for hippy! I even did the center-parting ok!

The club did try (somewhat) to adhere to the theme. There were traditional games (hopscotch anyone?), food (ding ding candy, ice balls), some setup within the club, a trishaw outside, and some staff dressed very kampung-like. But that was it! Besides us, I did not spot anyone who dressed up at all! It was the conventional clubbing gear. You know, dresses/spag tops/demin bottoms for the girls, and tees/jeans for the males.

Recently, after the fact that I will turn 26 next year smacked me while I was writing the date, I realised you are only young once (cue Alphaville's Forever Young). If we don't dress up like a goon now, when will we do it?

Embrace your youth! Take lots of pictures! Have a laugh!

Let your creativity run free! Wear things you normally wouldn't wear! Try looks that you feel are not you at all!

Make a mosaic! Print it out! Frame it up!

Despite the lack of thematic dressing from everyone else, I had lots of fun! Drsesing up was a plus. Mum seemed more excited than me, digging out her old stuff and grandma's! I wasn't going to wear no heirloom clubbing so I'm glad to say grandma's watch is still safely tucked away. Somewhere. (:

So, what are you going to wear for Halloween?

A joke

2008-06-29T01:26:00.005+08:00

4 men were
playing mahjong.

Being old men, they had quite a bit of phlegm. So they used

the spittoon

and all contributed to its sticky contents.

One men was sick of playing with cash, so he announced, "Let's have some variety today! The loser shall take a sip from the spittoon."

And so it was agreed upon; the loser shall have

a drink of gunk.

In an hour, the loser was decided. Plucking his courage, he took up

the spittoon

and opened his mouth. The others watched with morbid fascination as his throat moved up and down. It was only until he had tipped the entire contents into his mouth was Lao Lin able to exclaimed,"A sip man! A sip! Why did you finish everything?"

"It just kept coming."

Definition of delegation

2008-06-27T16:59:00.002+08:00

This is Ivan's cake:

Idea partially by me + work done by Eunice = Delegate

We are a great team!

My childhood favourite

2008-06-26T21:07:00.002+08:00

Hello! You remember what is your favourite childhood tidbit? This is mine:

This Collon and the body's colon are not too different! Both with fattening stuff inside. :P

According to Eunice, you have to bite the biscuit first, then lick the cream. But to-may-to and to-mat-to, I say you pop the nasty fattening creamy roll into your mouth and bite down!

Oh yes! For this tidbit, only the original flavour will do. No chocolate or strawberry. Just like only original Oreos, Coke's cola, Nutella hazelnut spread, Mama's tomyam noodles. Only one flavour needs apply.

When I was young, my elder brother always told me that chocolate are for boys only. Girls can only take vanilla or strawberry because white and pink are girl's colours. Do you remember watching period drama from TVB? We used to glue to the screen wondering why some "heroes" wear black boots and others are dressed in white ones. Our conclusion? Black boots-wearing heroes are more powerful than whities.

Makes sense? :)

Sticky!

2008-06-22T14:44:00.004+08:00

I don't think many places sell traditional food nowadays. Those like the "Abacus Yam balls" or "Pig trotters with vinegar and ginger" or "Mee sua in Chinese red wine". I'm lucky. Except for the yam thingies, I have relatives who know how to make the others. Not too long ago, Dad made a hokkien dish that is hard to swallow. Literally.

Here's the steps:

1. Make the mixture of water, corn flour, fried dried shrimps, roasted peanuts, fried shallots and garlic, cooked minced meat. Stir just before cooking to make sure the flour don't settle at the bottom.

2. Pour mixture into large wok that has heated oil.

3. Whip it with lightning fast hands. Wooden spatula please. I think Dad broke one while whipping.

4. Whip it!

5. Whip it! Notice parts turning transluscent.

6. When the dough is cooked, it will turn transluscent. Transfer to a bowl.

Tada! The final product!

This is a chewy, gooey dough. Remember to chew before u swallow!

Bday 2: Many celebrations = much fun? Yes!

2008-06-15T23:06:00.002+08:00

Let's count the ways to celebrate a birthday:

1. Shop for birthday presents for me.
2. Sing KTV and play with the smoke machine inside.
3. Cut an apple strudel "cake".
4. Eat duck's tongue with bossman.
5. Go gossip in a noisy club with friends.
6. Pay for my own slice of "birthday cake" at TCC.
7. Hold an opening ceremony for the red clutch.
8. Head to Batam to kayak in the rain.
9. Club with only one other person in the club.
10. Meet ex-colleague to gossip.
11. Buy shoes. Shoes. And shoes. And bags of course.
12. Meet another clique and drool over NYDC's mudpie.
13. Meet Aussie schoolmate and eat.
14. Be the proud recipient of Aussie products.

I think I still have one group of friends to meet up with. Oh yeah! The longest-running birthday celebrations eva!

Gracie's hubby is really cute. He wrapped my birthday present and decided to add his own touch of creativity:

Gracie remarked she thought they were matches. Haha...

With the JC-Uni bruch, we headed for Sakae at Wheelock and sat in holes. The "tatami" area are actually on raised platform with holes for you to slot your feet in. That's better. Otherwise, when we remove our shoes, I think the restuarant will be emptied in seconds.

Draw, draw, draw a face in the melting mudpie.

Do you know why they call a mudpie a mudpie? It looks disgusting but tastes heavenly. Top choices included The Coffee Club's muddy mudpie and NYDC Cookies version. If you're talking about cheesecake, I like Coffee Bean's and Big O's. I've tried Hilton's but I think it's a tad too strong for me. x:

When I met Joey, we will always discuss when we will go back to Australia together. I met her in my first semester there. Sadly for her, it was her last semester and she could not enjoy my company more. x: Haha... I supposed not everyone as enthu as me to take public transport and travel all over Brisbane on a whim. I think she only clubbed trice while in Australia for 2 years. All three times with moi. (^-*) OK. I'm getting irritating.

Anyway, on behalf of those who have studied in Australia, we are not hao lians. Some of us truly wanted to share our experiences there. You may exclaim "No big deal what! Study overseas dai sai meh!" It's no biggie, but remember we spend at least a year there, by ourselves, where everyday is like a giant chalet with housemates/classmates/neighbours bunking in, knocking your house down to get out of the winter cold, watching telly and bitching about celebrities, cooking a storm in the kitchen, pigging on pizzas, dyeing each other's hair, trying new recipes, planning mini road trips. With so many activities that we managed to squeeze within our time there, naturally there are many memories.

I supposed it's not interesting to those who did not go through the same experiences. Just bear with us and realise that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience where you learn that you are actually not a good navigator (MRT stations notwithstanding), that you can actually eat alone, that shopping by yourself can be quite fun. Anyway, I try to stick to "Aussie talk" with fellow "Aussie students". If I happen to start a sentence with "When I was in Australia...", please spare me some seconds to complete my sentence before interrupting with "there she goes again...". Except, except, if it happens within 2 minutes of the previous "Aussie experience statement." x:

So, Joey wanted to remind me of the great dry continent, and she bought me these:

Malteasers, Vinegar chips, Arnotts Pizza biscuits, Cadbury's Freddo, and Dip Stix. Luckily, no Marmite in sight. x:

If you have the chance, try the Vinegar chips. They are a wonderful experience. On first bite, you have no idea what hit you. WHAT WAS THAT?!?!?! Slowly, your tastebuds will come to life, and dissect the burst of flavours in your mouth.

Wait a minute, that was not the salt... *smack smack* Yes... there's a bit of salt... but hold on... there's that gorgeous vinegar... Mmmm...

That should be all for my birthday. Thank you everyone who celebrated with me or dropped me messages here, there, and everywhere!

You love me, you really love me!!! *sobs*

The perfect bag for accessorising

2008-06-09T16:24:00.004+08:00

Colleen bought an amazing bag:

From M)phosis. $38.60. Available in white.

Once I saw her bag, I have many ideas!

The country girl

The director of Sales & Marketing

The Marketing Executive

The Sarah Jessica Parker wannabe

The present look

The extra ribbon around look

It's scary how I found all the accessories on my table. x:

2008-06-08T23:31:00.003+08:00

You know how Orchard is a mad, mad place now? With GSS and tonnes of renovations, the last thing you need is this woman staring at you while you are waiting to cross the road:

She's one of the 4 "fashionistas" crossing the road (Ala Beatles style) in the huge posters plastered all over town . I don't see any of the Fab 4 looking sideways. Why is she the only one to turn her head to look straight through us, with her cheekbones protruding out, too much blusher & eye liner, and a poorly fitted dress?

Oh, and it just so happened that she's not the prettiest of the lot. +_+

Bday 1: A year older, a year wiser? Nah!

2008-06-05T22:59:00.006+08:00

I'm in the midst of celebrating my birthday. Yes, you read right. Midst. Technically speaking, it is a week after my birthday, but I still have friends I haven't met yet. So far, there has been 6 "celebrations"? And maybe 3 more to go? :)

Ok, ok. So maybe we just met for dinner. Gimmi a chance can? I want it to be my birthday, my party!! Why so many? When I was 21, I had a BBQ where everyone was invited. It was taxing for me to be the social butterfly, making sure the sec. school group had enough stingray, the JC group had full plates, and the family did not feel too used (they were the ones fanning the fire afterall). What's more, I missed out on serious gossips (OMGOMGOMGOMG!!!) and meaningful discussions ("Do you think xxx looks worse after leaving sec school?"). Now, I have mini-celebrations with people from different phases of my life!

28 May
Two bags are courtesy of Papa! Yay!!!!!!!!!

Colleagues asked a week ago how I was going to celebrate my birthday. I thought I was going to go somewhere so I did not commit. In the end, I did go somewhere but just not on this day.

Ivan thought today was my actual birthday (don't kk... I know you didn't know it wasn't) and handed me the present from the sales team:

Some of the presents. Guess who gave what? :)

I think they know me well lor. Look at the items. Most are bags! I adore bags! I have over a hundred! x: Don't tell mama... I wanted to use the brown bag they got me to bring to TopOne KTV but it was too small to contain my brolly, wallet, mp3 player... Yada, yada, yada. Ya, I'm an auntie.

Dearest Eunice got me the Lipglass in a colour that was the same as the top I was going to wear on my birthday! Psychic power! She also included a smashing card with the heart-shaped nose monkey. :)

29 May, lunch
This was the day I received many SMSes and Friendster messages. From people I have not seen in ages! Thanks Debbie, Dre, Lifen, Raymond, and Meiru! Some people say Friendster is not sincere. People add you as friends when they are not. Or they message you even though they have not seen you in ages. I rather think the thought is good enough. You don't have to keep seeing someone to be their friend.

Bossman treated me to birthday lunch at the beautiful Grand Shanghai:

I heard they clear the tables in the middle in the evening to make way for dancing!

I'm usually quite game to try exotic food. Ended up only bossman and I ate the duck's tongue:

Chewey + Springy = Yummy!

Maddy gave me the red clutch (love it! immediate opening ceremony I tell you) and bossman ended the meal with a sweet note.

29 May,night
After rushing home to pack for next day, I headed out with my girlies for Dblo. We were the most unhappening people because we are working people? Everyone else was shaking like mad, but there we were, sitting in the middle of nowhere screaming to be heard. Because we were gossiping. Haha...

When SJ asked me what I wanted as present, I was thinking hard. Forget it la! Friends for more than a decade, just say lor. I ended up with a bigger "Travel fund". :)

30 May - 1 June
Batam! The Don and I stayed at Batam View resort. I knew it would rain and it did. Day 1 was a slight drizzle. Day 2 was a power downpour. While we were kayaking in the lagoon. And you know what? After we shortened our kayaking trip and showered, the sun was out in its full glory. Shit.

Runty decided to join us:

"Super Runty"

Sunrise from the balcony

Relaxing the feet on the balcony can cause cramps. +_+

Mad porridge concoction. Nice leh.

Nice villas there. The storm clouds were stupid though.

The most interesting part of the stay was clubbing in the hotel. With just us two in the club. Lol...

More to come in Part 2! When the mini-celebrations over ok! :)

A World of Difference. The Difference is Macau.

2008-05-22T15:19:00.017+08:00

Tourists from Singapore is one of the fastest growing markets in Macau. I must jump on the flight and rush down of course! :)

In 4 days, I travelled to 3 countries. Technically, they are all under PRC, but they are quite different from one another. For those of us who tried to fly directly to Macau, we know our only option is budget. It's a tie between Tiger Airways or Jet Star. The latter flies from T1 and has a covered runaway leading to the plane. You can also choose seats online. Cool? But I took Tiger. Don't know whether there is any difference in price though.

Tiger Airways. One of the two airlines that flies directly to Macau.

I thought it would take like 2+ hour max to reach Macau from Singapore. Wrong! It was quite a long flight, just slightly shorter than flying to Perth. 3.5 hr in all! The flight itself was ok, if you have no high expectations for food and drinks. Everything you buy from them will be instant. Instant coffee/noodles etc.

Macau is not big. When we landed at the airport, it was quite scary. Their runway is mounted above the sea lor, with just a very narrow narrow strip of land. Near the airport was a ferris wheel, but I don't know if people will take it.

Along the way to our hotel, we saw the cemetary. It's huge! Tombstones on the hill, facing the sea. Just like the rich and famous of Beverly Hills. Haha...

We stayed in Presidente Hotel. From the outside, it doesn't look like much. But the rooms were recently refurbished so the interior is quite different. What's more is that it offers a view of the surrounding casinos if you stay on the 16 floor like we did. I suspect the aircon in this hotel is a scam. Because it was freaking cold! The only thing that we are sure was working is the "Off" switch. The thermostat was useless. Zzzzz...

Camwhoring in the hotel. I like the room's colour scheme.

Our first meal was recommended by our Receptionist. The hotel's restaurant. Where else? +_+ Surprisingly, the dim sum was fantastic and quite affordable compared to Singapore's standard. About SGD10+ per pax. Now I know why my Hong Konger suppliers always lament at the lack of good dim sum in Singapore. If Macau is like that, Hong Kong would be even better right?

Dad and friends were in a hurry to go to the casinos. Mum and I went SHOPPING! But Macau is not exactly a shopping paradise. There were only luxury brands. Definitely not for the poor. We shopped at the supermarket instead.

Snacks from the mart. See the water bottle? All major casinos have their own bottled water. The "旺旺" biscuits are my souvenirs to my colleagues. :)

On Day 3, when we drove along the streets of Macau, I caught this sign. Ba gua from Singapore. I never knew it's a national produce. Hmm...

I don't know why many Hong Kong shows write "星" instead of "新". Apparently, Singapore ba gua quite famous. There were people hawking on the street, offering me, a true blue Singaporean, ba gua samples. Don't they know it's only eaten during Chinese New Year? :x

After our breakfast at "陶陶居", a famous Dim Sum restaurant in Macau where you had to wait for tables, we waited for a cab to go to the harbour for the ferry to Hong Kong. That's where I snapped this image:

I love old buildings like these that seem to have strong history. Hygiene issues though.

Day 2 was Zhu Hai day. I don't know where the famous spots are. I only know Dad and friends are going golfing so left us women "shopping" at a huge underground mall near the customs.

Zhu hai, mainland China. My first glimpse.

The things there are also not dirt cheap. Clothing are about SGD40 per item. The widest variety of goods was fake branded stuff!!! Amazing. Most shops were selling those, in one form or another. LV, Prada, and Chanel would cry if they see it.

Ended up with one umbrella which I know can be found in Singapore. +_+ I had an excellent pork chop rice in one of the shops there. With 6 hours to spare, there was not much to do at the mall. One shop seemed like the next. Luckily, we went to do our manicure, pedicure and message. That spent about 2 hours. Very cheap ok! Like SGD12 for a mani and pedi. However, they seemed to expect to be tipped. So get some change ready. As we walked down one stretch of shops in search of the elusive nail and massage palour, we were pulled from all sides. Finally, we settled for one shop because it offered OPI nail polish. If you choose "branded" nail polish, expect to pay RMB$10 more.

It was really tiring to walk on and on, knowing that there was limited shopping to be done. In the end, we were so tired that despite being full from lunch, we hopped into a shop to eat a fruit platter. Just for the seats.

Fruits to move the bowel along. Not cheap ok. I think about SGD6.

I think at Zhu Hai, I finally realised why sometimes Mainland Chinese seem very pushy to us. When you know you are in a country with hordes of people, you will feel the need to compete to get to places on time. A missed train may mean a difference between reaching on time, and being late for an hour. Many people seemed to cross the custom in a group, leading to the inevitable shouting at the customs while searching for missing/lost kaki. If only I managed to snap the sign that requested for no shouting within the arrival hall.

With the billion of people around you, most likely, you will also dispair at getting ahead of the rat race unless you are borned with a silver spoon in your mouth. I guess the descendents of the casino owners are those with platinum spoons in their mouths. When you see the architecture of the casinos, you cannot even begin to imagine how rich the owners are.

The lion of MGM that sucks your money. x:

The Guan Gong of Grand Lisboa.

Stanley Ho's Grand Lisboa

The curvy Grand Lisbao structure was a marvel for Dad and his construction friends. Erm... right... Too many lights for my liking. x:

Interior of Grand Lisboa. The colour gold seems to be a favourite for many casinos.

The cold cold foyer of MGM Grand.

Gosh! I'm a giant! ):

Wynn has a fantastic show using its Zodiac structure and its hidden money tree.

The fabulous Chinese Zodiac of Wynn.

Money tree of Wynn. Their's, not ours. ):

Since I'm so nice, I took a video of the closing of the show. Which. Which I will upload when I have time. x:

The Venetian, Ceiling.

The Venetian, more Ceiling.

The Canal.

What's in the Canal, can you guess? Hint: It's something the casino owners have in abundance.

The Venetian, Toilet. I'm not the only one taking photo here ok.

Day 3, we went to Hong Kong via the ferry. It costs HK$150 one way. Not cheap hor? About SGD$30. By the way, we were very puzzled about the currency. Apparently, currencies accepted in Macau include those from Hong Kong, PRC, and Macau. But some shops accept one but not the others. Very blur.

The ferry took 50 mins to 1 hour. The trip there was very cold. You will alight at "上环" where you can take the very convenient MTR to everywhere. One word of caution though. If you buy the single trip fare, you will get a card like this:

The MTR ticket. Machiam old skool MRT transitlink card.

While others with their "EZ-Link" cards get to tap their cards against the sensor, you have to find a gate that allows you to enter by inserting this card into a red slot. Just like the good old days to transitlink card. Remember how you used to scratch the card until it becomes white and you can draw on it? Also, remember to take the card as you cross the gate. Subsequently, when you exit, remember there will be no card to take. Understand??

The Hong Kong MTR tells you where the train at the opposite platform goes by using blinking lights.

CC mentioned she likes the way Hong Kong's MTR announces each stop in Mandarin, English, and Cantonese, and proposes that Singapore's MRT should have the same. I wonder if every stop will have its Hokkien/Cantonese/Teochew equivalent? What is Somerset called in Cantonese then? The cool thing about the MTR system is the blinking lights that indicate the train's direction if you cross to the opposite platform. The not-so-cool part is the fact that at some stops (I think it was at "Causeway Bay"), you have to walk underground for quite long before reaching the train platform. Not for those who don't like to be trapped underground.

Wan Chai MTR station.

If you see the housing at Hong Kong and Macau, you will be thankful for HDB flats. True, our flats are small and can be liken to matchboxes, but at least they are clean. I wonder what it is like to live in flats in Hong Kong and Macau, which often look like this:

The very crowded housing of Hong Kong. Near 女人街.

Strangely, (to me at least) most of these flats have a security guard, just like in Hong Kong serials. Not only for those fancy looking ones leh. In Singapore, only the condo dwellers get such treatment. The famous 女人街 is like our Pasar Malam. Empty your bladder before you go or come home with a pair of wet bottoms.

If you think there are many people in Singapore, go to Hong Kong. People come to you from ALL directions. Traffic was a nightmare too. Maybe it was Saturday and it was the Vesak weekend, but people were stacked against people. Scary!

Definition of dense population

When travelling, you must always talk about food! I really wanted to try Portuguese food while in Macau, but the closest thing I got was the egg tarts. ): Too bad. Next time maybe.

Last time, when I watched Hong Kong serials, they always eat Por Lor Bao (Pineapple bun). Having wondered all my life what was so nice about it, I die die also wanted to eat. On the last day, I dragged mum to one of the cafes and ordered it:

The famous Po Lor Bao, HK$8. Pineapple bun? Don't taste it though. Rating: 3/5

Again, I realised food in Macau is not cheap. A set breakfast with 2 sausages, 2 eggs, some corn, and half a slice of bread with a mug of milk tea cost SGD4. Is Macau only for the rich???

I ordered this despite ordering a set breakfast with Pineapple Bun because it was a thick slice of bread. MMmmm... Carbs... It came with maple syrup for you to add but the butter was too much though. French toast with peanut butter inside, HK$8. Rating: 3.5/5

From MGM Grand. Funny ingredient in this one - Sour Cream and Cheese Cake, HK$32. But it works!!! Yum! Rating: 4.5/5

More MGM Grand goodness. The good old fattening Caesar's, HK$100. Rating: 4/5

From the pretty cafe/restaurant of Wynn. Very normal cheesecake though. Berry Cheesecake, HK$32. Rating: 3.5/5

Some sightseeing around Macau. At least we got to see more than the insides of its 27 major casinos.

Street stall of Macau.

Many people were taking photo of this Starbucks. Looks run down from the outside right? Interior is just like other outlets here. That's globalisation.

Talking of gloablisation, I found it very sad that I could not find any brands that is not available in Singapore. Many are international labels, such as LV, Prada, Gucci. The Hong Kong brands may be Bossini, Giordano etc. But we can get those here too! ): The funniest thing was that I bought only one umbrella. Amazing. In fact, I bought more for the Don than for myself. Haha... Maybe if I enjoy HK serials, I would have gotten more things. Even mum bought more than me, with her Cantonese operas, clothes, and bags.

Ruins of St Paul, funnily named "大三八". A heritage site of the Portuguese.

Leal Senado Square. Beautiful architecture but reeks of tourist mobs.

We experienced some pretty lousy service at Macau airport. One woman these, at the cafe, was simply unpleasant. She could not bother to understand what Mum was saying (the mum speaks excellent Cantonese by the way), and started arguing with her about "one" and "one box". For those of you who understand Cantonese, here was how the incident unfolded:

Mum: How many egg tarts in one box?
Woman: 6
Mum: "Beh ngor yiak gor" (Give me one)
Woman: "Mo mai yiak gor, hai yiak hup. Lei you yiak gor ji gei huy lor" (We don't sell one, we sell one box. You want one, you go get it yourself")

That was disgusting. When mum was paying, she handed the cashier a note in RMB$100. The woman pointed to another cleaner note in mum's hand and said, "Give me that." Excuse me? A slightly dirtier note is not a real note? Pui! If anyone from Macau Tourism Board is reading this, contact me for her name. Spoil everyone's impression of Macau. Utter rubbish.

On a happier note, we managed to see the sun setting while on board the Tiger. Ah... Home sweet home.

Evening sky on the way back.

Setting sun...

Neh Neh

2008-05-11T23:34:00.003+08:00

I finally went to Haji Lane a few weeks back. I know it has been THE place to go for some time now, but I don't like to follow fashion ok? (Riiiggghhht)

I realise Haji Lane is a place with very few but interesting shops. I love vintage but I won't wear it because I kept wondering what happened to the owner of the items. Too many horror movies in childhood I suspect.

Anyway, at one of the shops, I saw this wristlet in the traditional triangular milk packaging. I picked it up and exclaimed happily to shopping buddy that this was the milk from OUR childhood. She looked at me like I was mad.

"Where got? You don't anyhow say la. See the thing and project it into your past meh?"

I shut my trap and scratched my head abit. Was I really remembering the wrong memories? Not to be defeated, I cast my mind back down memory lane. I remembered bringing up the milk in several instances, asking friends from my generation whether they remembered the milk with the triangular packaging. Each time, they had stopped their conversations, looked at me like I was babbling nonsense and gone straight back to discussing where to go, what to eat.

While waiting for the bus one day, I ask JT whether she recalled the milk. She rolled her eyes a bit, and tapped her lips with a finger. A spark, a flash, a blink! Poof! "Yes, I think so..."

FINALLY! Someone with some memory! There you go folks, I'm not senile, I'm not delusional. I just have a better memory than you.

The sales pitch

2008-05-10T12:31:00.006+08:00

Was pondering whether to join the gym. Headed to one of the most popular gyms to find out about its facilities and rates.

Prior to the tour, I was given the impression that I was obliged to step onto the weighing machine that would also analyse your fat and muscle percentages. I declined because I felt that they would then use my fat/muscle percentage to harp on the "fact" that gym is for me. Then, snide comment no. 1:

"Why? Getting cold feet?"

Why? Just because I am giving you one less tool to aid you in your sales pitch you have to make sarcastic remarks? Furthermore, an additional guy came over and kept rubbing the cold feet thing in.

Next, we went to take a look at the gym. After explaining this and that, he brought us to the machines areas. From time to time, he would step on a machine and demostrate how it's used. Then he would offer to let us try it. We declined everytime.

"Shy?", he snickered.

Why? I don't think pencil skirts and 4" heels are compatible with machines, do you?

We sat down for The Sales Pitch. After explaining the rates, which were extorbitant (I know, because one friend had joined the gym and has friends who joined at various other times), he asked me what I felt so far. I said I thought that it was better than 5 years ago, when I first visited the gym and didn't like it. Snide comment no. 2:

"Well, you were a lot younger 5 years ago."

Well, wasn't EVERYONE? So he droned on and on about the benefits of gym, finally pausing to ask me why I was interested to see it in the first place.

"I want to be healthy."

He pressed on for more reasons. I added "feeling better". Apparently, my reasons were not the right ones. Snide comment no. 3:

"You are here to lost weight and look good of course."

Excuse me, I don't think there is an "of course" about other people's reasons. Can't my main motivation be to stay healthy because I'm afraid to die young? Can't I want to build up stamina to not huff and puff after climbing a flight of stairs?

Since I knew he was a cutthroat, I naturally didn't want to commit. Snide comment no. 4:

"Why put off what you can do today?"

Hello? It's my money. For a membership that cost a 4-digit figure, I have to consider. I told him budget is always a constraint. He replied that it wasn't expensive at all. This was how he broke it down:

$1000+++ = 365 days of gym + 800 classes per year

Effectively, each class is about 20cents and each entry less than a dollar. I remarked dryly that I am not likely to go to gym daily, let alone attend all 800 classes. He looked at me and laughed indulgently like I am a stupid child and replied," Of course not! Not even I would go to the gym that often." So WHAT was he breaking down to me with the full year entrance and the sum of all classes? No logic.

When I told him that I was looking at other options, he went to add snide comment no. 5:

"There are no other options. I'm sure all the others are charging higher."

Please consider that "other options" are not limited to gyms. I can go for classes in community centre. Sport complexes offer a fairly good gym too. I followed the statement with another fact. "I would rather play sport games than go to the gym. Games like badminton or netball."

He laughed and pointed out that it's very hard to do that because of the lack of players around. I'm sure Netball Association would disagree.

***** Updated: 20 May 2008 *****
He also asked me what I usually eat in a day. I told him bread for breakfast, usually a soup dish for lunch, and home for dinner. Snide comment no. 6:

"Soup dish? Everyday??? What about dinner? At home? Do you eat skin??? No chicken skin, pork skin for you???"

I think I know my diet better than you.

Mmmm... Curi...

2008-03-25T00:47:00.002+08:00

Don't say I never share the good stuff. Check this out!

Probably the best chicken katsu curry around! :P

So the rice may be on the soft side but the curry is damn power can? Don't be fooled by its appearance. Behind the mild looking farting goodness lies a kick of spice!

$10++ at Beppu Japanese Noodles

Let's climb the bus to nowhere

2008-03-23T12:17:00.004+08:00

What is wrong with this photo?

Hint: It has to do with heights

That's right! Welcome to the new breed of SBS buses! The one where your climb two steps to get to your seats. The one where you have to watch your head when you alight for the back row of seats. The one where you can forget about sitting if you are the 25th or so to get up the bus. The one where if you're in a wheelchair, you can forget about getting smooth entrance because there is a barrier in between the two doors at the front. The one where you will get blocked if you park your wheelchair where it's supposed to go because there is a pole that will definitely obstruct your exit when you slot yourself into the oh-so-comfy yellow cushion that is supposed to support your back. And oh! The one where you find your first seatbelt in a public bus.

Work

2008-03-21T13:33:00.001+08:00

"At some workplaces it's not just about what you do;

it's also about how loudly you do it."

In the moment

2008-03-17T02:44:00.002+08:00

As usual with me, when I like a track, I will keep playing it until those around me have bleeding ears.

I ran a search on Nelly Furtado and found this amazing image:

Click to view image in original article.

It feels very much like an artist preparing to sing live, getting into the thick of things doesn't it? A very powerful scene.

2008-03-17T01:06:00.000+08:00

We are so hooked on this:

Fruitless fruity fruits

2008-03-16T13:48:00.003+08:00

Since young, I have always wanted to visit Goodwood Park Hotel. Don't you think it looks like a castle? When Christmas rolls around, the giant christmas tree outside the hotel makes the place looks even more magical.

Last weekend, I finally brought mama there for its English high tea. At $37, it's not exactly the cheapest tea in the world.

Anyway, this is not about the tea itself. It's about fruits.

I seem to have very bad luck with fruits. I am this ability to pick up marvellous pieces of fruits everytime. EXCEPT the last piece. Everyone knows how important the last piece of fruit is for the grand finale of the meal, don't we?

So, at the buffet, I bit into the sweetest, juiciest strawberries throughout the tea. I nibbled at the red, fat berries from the start to end of the meal. When it boiled down to the final two, knowing my amazing luck with fruits, I decided to save the bigger, redder berry for the last.

Of course, it just had to be the one that is the most tastless, most bland of all. Leaving me with the sour aftertaste at the end of the fantastic tea. +_+

Working

2008-03-14T22:03:00.002+08:00

I like to wear slippers en route to work. I wear them during lunch and after work too. Why?

1. Because I am getting achy knees from heels that I have to wear
2. Because I want to be able to run after buses without flying over cars
3. Because heels are just plain painful and gives you smelly feet

However, I wonder if I will meet clients/suppliers during the before/after work and during-lunch periods. What will they think? In fact, should they be judging me during MY time?

It is difficult to separate the working me and the after-work me. My time (dressing) should be my own post work but it does not seem that way. We may think celebrities have it bad, having to put on make-up and dress up while going for groceries, but in a way, we are trapped in our own Hollywood too.

I will still wear slippers.

Totally useless

2008-03-14T22:00:00.000+08:00

I hate extremely-sticky-until-you-cannot-totally-remove-it-without-spoiling-the-newly-bought-shoes price tag.

Crap.

Beggars cannot be choosers

2008-03-11T22:53:00.003+08:00

Recently, I received a request from a student at work. She was interested to ask some questions. After speaking to the bossman, I was told to answer her questions.

Knowing that the answers were important to her assignment, I churned it out for her within 2 days. You know the thanks I received?

"How come not the management answering my questions?"

Excuse me. You came to us at the 11th hour and expect "management" to be sitting around waiting to answer your questions? In her OWN words, she initially expressed that she was grateful we bothered to answer her because she is a student. In the next breath, she was asking for management. Has she ever considered that someone was trying to help when a direct rejection could be given? Ever heard of "give an inch, want a foot"? Even big publications seeking interviews will write at least a week prior to finalising the article. Time management dear. Besides, your questions were poorly phrased with abundant grammatical errors.

When I answered her thankful question, she replied,

"Ok. Hope I will get a chance to speak to management next time."

I don't think so sweetheart.

Self-explanatory

2008-01-12T00:23:00.001+08:00

Pity kids holding pole at butt height.

Facebook Idiot x 99999998 stage

2007-12-03T00:00:00.000+08:00

I know that I'm the last person on this earth jumping onto the Facebook bandwagon. I still want to recommend you to this application: The Room.

I spent the whole afternoon designing my rooms, only to realise I did not save it. !)*&)%@*^#. Anyway, I finally got out of the Facebook Idiot x 99999999 stage and managed to save some rooms before I realised my credits ran out.

Remember the "Friends" show? I read before that they had psychiatrists and such planning Monica's house, such that the layout will show the personality of the characters.

What do you think my rooms tell you about me?

Bedroom. Should be free of clutter according to fengshui master.

Kitchen. Many more appliances I want but no more space. ):

Living room. Guess my favourite colour? +_+

Of course, there are other designs I love but I'm restricted by the application. Nevertheless, I think it's a good place to fantasize and know what kind of interior designs you dig. Good for planning your future house eh?

My first Halloween

2007-11-15T00:09:00.000+08:00

I finally got to go! Yay!

I think the best part of Halloween is in the dressing up. No? The partying is nothing much considering you have to beware of the sweat ruining your facial lumps, the drinks removing your carefully painted blood or people rubbing against you spoiling the rented outfit. Yes, dressing up is the best part.

We headed to Huimin's house to dress up. Better leave for the club as a trio of ghosts than as one ghost. If there is anything I dislike about Halloween, it is the lack of scary-looking ghosts. Most people only playing dressing up, with their normal faces. Come on! By the time you are done ruining your faces beyond recognition, no one will know who you are! I guess to look ugly and disgusting is not for everyone.

I didn't know Halloween celebration is more popular on the weekend prior to the 31st itself, so my costume and make-up were hastily put together. I blew $50 on the rented items - a "corset", a wig, and a skirt. Can you guess what I was going to be?

Neither can many after I considered myself fully dressed up. ): Sad. Anyway, starting on the makeup. Before you can ruin your face, you need to protect it. A contradiction? Not really. I want to temporarily ruin it, not give myself the spots for years to come. On went the thick layer of foundation and moisturiser.

Next I slapped on 'normal' makeup on one side of my face, like so:

Hint: See the "heavy" eyeliner?

Looking at the other side of my face which I was supposed to mess up. I wanted a ying yang look? I think the feel is for people to look at one profile and think I look normal and when I turn and they see the other side, they will be woah! Something like the kid in Six Sense when he was walking around the house and saw this teenage guy dressed in the 60s, looking normal. When he turned around, BAM! There's the exit wound of the bullet. Totally cool! Anyway, I digress.

One of the scariest daily look is to have no eyebrows. I admire girls with the courage to remove their brows so they can draw them everyday. Even if my brows are mostly shapeless, I cannot bring myself to pluck them off. I digress. Again. I tried to cover the hairy lines with a dusting of powder. No hope. I added liquid foundation. No change. I slapped on thick concealer. Ah! Finally, we are getting somewhere. Now, I have no brows.

Next, I tried to think of how to make myself look bashed up, short of getting into a real bashing. Still no idea. I dug through my skinny makeup pouch and voila! Liquid eyeliner! Unscrewing the cap, I randomly drew a line on where my eyebrow is supposed to be. Not bad. I started extending the line haphazardly. A little crooked here, a little crooked there. I know! I shall have veins "popping" out! But black is not a convincing colour for vein. For some strange reason, I have a blue liquid eyeliner. So blue veins it shall be! It's very gratifying to not care about whether the lines are straight, because they are not supposed to be. Doodling on your face is something you should not knock. The cooling liquid liner floating on your skin is fun!

After Operation Veins was completed, I turned to my friends ans asked, 'How do I look?'. For the first time, I was not happy to hear the words: you look good! But I don't want to look good! I decided I needed lumps. Here's how you can make your facial lumps:

Lumps 101
1. On your forearm, put a dollop of liquid foundation.
2. Add powder to the foundation.
3. Using your finger, mix the two until you get balls of lumps. Ta da!

Now that you have your lumps, the question is how to put them on your face. Stupidly, you realised too late that you should have began Lumps 101 on your face instead of your forearm. Happily, you are glad your friend has that eyelining glue you can borrow to stick your lumps up.

With the skin toned lumps, I look like the Ah Pek with the mole, except no hair growing out. I want scary, not androgynous. I added fake blood to it and realised, too late again, the following formula I forgot to memorise:

Liquid fake blood + Waterproof liquid foundation (that's a weird phrase) = Stained clothing

Because the frikking blood doesn't mix with the lumps! Happily again, you are glad friend has another bottle of blood you can borrow to mix and yes, it does mix. Yay!

Some black eyeliner smear onto the lumps, lips and under the eye later and you get:

Scary not? Say yes leh. Prease?

For the first time again, I lamented that my skin a bit too smooth to look scary. But my liquid foundation cost $50+ and it's too expensive a lump to have on my face when it can fall off anytime. Final make up was done.

Can I suggest that you leave the bunny/nurse/sexy devil outfit for Valentine's Day? Because there were so many of them at Zouk! On Halloween? Maybe it's just me, but I thought Halloween was supposed to be full of scary looking people rather than sexy ones? I don't understand it.

Oh ya! I still haven't revealed what I was right. There you go:

Pirate with Hamburglar?! Haha... Please don't kill me Beishan. X:

Huimin's friend turned to me and asked the saddest thing of the night, "What are you supposed to be?"

I started screaming and shouting "ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT, GENTLY DOWN THE STREAM!!!!" I think that was my scariest moment of the night. :D We also got in to Zouk for free because we put Ms Scary in front of our groups. She was chosen to be nominated for Most Scary Costume or something. Cool... I'll dig out a pic and upload k?

Phuture was way uncool. Too crowded! And this bitch of a woman kept gyrating wildly and knocking into me and petite Beishan. Shit is the word. Anyway, as I said, clubbing is secondary to dressing up. We sat outside the toilet to cool down and a troop of Chinese vampires came over. One of them hurriedly sat down. Apparently, because of the stiffness and thickness of the costume, and the overwhelming crowd, and the fact that she was interesting enough to wear BLACK underneath her costume, she nearly fainted from the heat. As she sat, her fellow vampires crowded around her. Give her air man! Her eyes were rolling back. Finally, they stripped her costume and she was brought back to life. Imagine the headlines otherwise: Real vampire attacked clubbers at Zouk. So girls and boys, do not wear costumes that are too thick. Big furry animal mascots are no no too. How will you dance? How can you drink? How can you say no to people who wanted to take photograph with you when you are rushing to creating a Merlion fountain of puke in the bathroom? Think about it huh?

Before the end of the night was over, I thought my normal side of the face started to look scary too:

DAMN YOU! OILY EYELIDS!!! PUI!

Pre-Halloween

2007-10-27T10:57:00.000+08:00

Hello! When is Halloween? 31st Oct right?

How come my friends say people celebrate it today? 27 Oct. Just because it's a Saturday!

I've been wanting to go to Halloween since I was in secondary school. When I looked around, I did not see many people dressing up. I was sad. The one day when you can really go ALL OUT to do something crazy, assume a new identity and NOT get stared at (not too much anyway). But I always read in the papers that there was not much of an ambience then.

This year, I was happily thinking to myself: Never mind! I still have Saturday to go get costume because Wednesday is the big day. Finally! For once, during Halloween, I will not have exams/test/CA/SA/practical/study break, yada, yada, yada. Not that these stopped me from dressing up at home.

So imagine my shock when Friend casually announced to me that we are going Zouk this Saturday (aka today). Huh? For what? I asked. Halloween la! Came the answer. Huh??!!??!!! I'm going to miss Halloween again?!

No way! So off I ambled over to costume shops, which strangely, are located rather near one another. Masquerade (26A Bali Lane Tel : 6292 4889) is the bright pink shop opposite Raffles Hospital. Beware when you drop by here though. To make your way up the stairs will be a neck-breaking activity if you have size 9 feet and are wearing 3" heels. The stairs are at 60 degree incline! Nevertheless, what hit me first was the clothing on the floor! I think the mad rush for costume revealed the ugly side of last-minute shoppers. Many things are carelessly thrown on the floor, which is such a sin really, because they are good clothing and props! This, of course, makes for a longer time to find what you want.

I started digging into the pile for things to get. I think the rate is $50 (non-students; students get special rate of $35) for a whole outfit, including the prop. One advice though, before you go digging, think of what you want. Otherwise you will get distracted by the Roman Soldier Pecs rubber outfit, the kinky salsa dancer's shimmery fringed skirt, or the tribal chief's walking stick, complete with a skull.

By a stroke of luck, I found something I like and continued digging for props. While at Masquerade, I was amazed to see girls who looked like they are in JC or University. Because it's frikking exam times! Don't they have to study?! And what's sad is that, to me, Halloween should be about looking scary or disgusting. Many girls were tearing each other's hair over angel wings, scratching eyeballs over fairy wands, or baring craws to lay paws on nurses outfit. What happened? Was Victoria's Secret coming to stage a show using passerby models?

Anyhoo, Masquerade closes at 8pm (slightly extended for Halloween) so I had to hurry to another costume shop because my head is too big for all the headwear! ): Not empty inside hor!

Next up was No. 1 Costume (32 Aliwal St Singapore 199922 Tel: 6333 9440). This is supposedly the largest costume shop in Singapore. It is quite big, with an area outside that sells props and some outfits. Inside the shop, there are a number of big mascot outfits. Fitting rooms are huge too, with a large selection of clothing. I was told that my friend rented an outfit for $80, so it might be slightly more expensive compared to Masquerade. Nevertheless, there is more walking space and more options. There is also a section with Exclusive clothing aka more well-made clothing. Nice, but still my head is too big.

Alas! No fanciful hats for me. Finally, tonight I am going to dress up for Halloween after spending a grand total of $63.80.

I suspect the getting ready part will be more fun than the clubbing part though. +_+

To save money

2007-09-26T22:26:00.000+08:00

I had two Ikea vouchers worth $10 each. Expiring on 22 September 2007.

I went to Ikea and spent 2 hours figuring out what to get.

Not that there's nothing I like in Ikea. On the contrary, I like many things but they are not suitable for me. I mean, where can I put a red couch when the floor in my room is made of bags and more bags?

Plan: Make full use of the vouchers and spent as little excess as possible.

After much to-ing and fro-ing, I finally got these:

To appreciate how well I stuck to my plan, look at this:

For the non-food items. $10.10!

You must be thinking: Ah ha! She didn't consider the 'No Plastic Bags' policy in Ikea! Wrong! I did. What I did not know for that the Pappis Magaz Files that were selling in 2pcs for 10c was in fact already packed as 2pcs. So I took up 2 individual packs = 2 x 2 = 4. Incidentally, the boxes are all folded and sitting on top of my bag-floor.

That's doing pretty good I would say. Now to the food items. The Daim chocolates (fantastic things I tell you) are $7.40. The Ballerina (I don't think you will be shaped like one after eating them) costs $2.90. Not too bad I think. That's $10.30 right?

Here's the number crunch:

Value of vouchers = Absolute voucher value - trip to Ikea - excess paid - things you don't actually need - cost of lunch you 'happened' to miss - return fare when you forgot your Ez-Link has no more value (see below image for rare glimpse at the humble bus ticket)

Value of vouchers = $20 - $1.10 - $0.40 - $20.40 - $1.70 - $1.30 = -$4.90

A whole lotta muttering

2007-09-19T09:05:00.000+08:00

Recently, I longed for the days in Brisbane. Ah! The joys of discovering different cuisines, the fun in walking along Brisbane river (although, technically speaking, it is exercise), the gorgeous AND cheap decorative items selling at K-mart and Target.

So, when I walked past a Turkish restaurant at Robertson Quay, I knew I had to go there one day!

Armed with a fellow lady who has a certain fondness for Turkish and a guy who recently convert to an ardent fan of my blog, we visited Cappadocia Cafe Restaurant.

The decor was much simpler than Ahmet's but it still has a Turkish feel. Alas! We went on a Thursday so little chance of seeing any belly dancer. I'm not sure whether they have belly dancing performance in the first place. At Ahmet's they actually have male belly dancer too! Interesting huh!

After much indecisive muttering to ourselves while pouring over the menu,I settled for Doner Iskender, that is grilled chicken with yogurt.

I didn't eat both! Only the one with the white stuff!

At $16(?), the serving was quite large! There's pieces of freshly baked bread included to soak in the fragrant sauce that has a tomato base. I love my mian bao!

After the meal, we could not resist a visit to Chocolate Factory. I have been searching for Italian Hot Chocolate for so long! Too bad, they don't have it there. The first time I went into the shop to check whether it's on the menu, I was greeted with some rude service. "Everything we have is on the menu!" Bah! I can read you know? I just want to see if they occasionally serve up some specials. However, the second time I went, which was after the Turkish meal, the service was ok. What I don't understand was why there is to be no photography inside the cafe. I mean, if you don't allow us to take photograph of the chocolates, I can understand. But if you decorated the cafe so nicely, what's the issue with a few images here and there? Free publicity somemore.Weird.

In the end, I had Chocolate Espresso Con Panna. Since I don't have the luxury of the picture painting a thousand words for me, I shall have to describe. It was really like an espresso, everything in tiny cup. Not too cheap at $5! It was topped with whipped cream and accompanied by a piece of chocolatey sin. The taste was good but I prefer my Italian hot chocolate. Give me my Italian hot chocolate at Paris-wannabe-in-Brisbane!

I also attended a wedding recently. Having never attended any weddings of a peer, I was at a loss with regards to the "market rate" for the ang bao. I found the amount is directly proportional to the number of stars of the hotel or restaurant and inversely proportional to the degree of separation from the newly wed. That means, a dinner of a direct friend at a 5 star hotel will be more expensive than a dinner for a friend's friend at a 5 star hotel which will be more expensive than a dinner for a friend's friend at a 4 star hotel. Yes?

The wedding favours were nice!

A photo frame, a ball of rose soap. Menu was stolen. :x

As usual, the job hazard kicked in. I started observing the decorations, the writing, and the layout of the place. I "kop" the menu because it is nice. The Don man asked me if, after seeing a wedding, I feel inspired to get married too. I told him I'm more excited about planning one. He said I'm weird. Am I? Huh? Huh? HUH?!?!?!

I also attended a friend's birthday. Technically speaking, it was a dinner and dessert thing. Followed by mahjong!!! I saw how Ms Bday Girl was staggering under the weight of her bag and got the smashing idea! Yeah! Copy other people and feature what's in other's handbags! How original! +_+

Here we are, the handbags of 3 ladies with very different lifestyles:

1. The gym nut postgraduate

2. The cosmetics fanatic sales coordinator

3. The busy, hectic television station assistant producer

Guess who's bag is the heaviest! +_+

Making the coffee froth

2007-09-02T23:59:00.000+08:00

I once had a chance to learn to make coffee using the coffee machine. Not the put water and coffee powder then watch the drip drip drip kind. But the kind where you make a lot of noise. Where you put coffee powder into the holder, press it down real hard, and put into the machine and this and that kind.

So friend was teaching me how to make the froth for my cuppacino. Here's her instructions:

"You take it (the metal cup holding the cold milk) by the handle."

"Then put it here (at the sprout on the machine that makes the froth)."

"Move it up and down slowly."

"You will fill it (the base of the cup) getting hotter."

"Then you have to be careful."

"Because it will rise to the top very fast."

"But you still have to continue the up and down movement."

"If you not careful..."

"The white stuff may spurt out very fast and hurt you."

New releases

2007-09-01T03:53:00.000+08:00

Recently, there has been a lot of hoo-ha over Britney Spears. Here's her new single. Thumbs up or down?

The phone conversation sound seems familiar? Yes! Ex Justin Timberland did that in Sexyback.

And Her Booty Highness, Ms JLo has already released a new single. Yes or no?

Not doing it for me. Sorry.

Finally, here's Ms Flexible, Nicole S-unpronouncable name in her latest video. Hmm or yeah baby?

Many yoga moves in this one.

The story of Bluey

2007-08-31T15:03:00.000+08:00

There was once lived a very haolian blue ball named Bluey. He always walked all over his keyboard kingdom proclaiming to the alphabets that he has the biggest flower in the entire kingdom.

He was so happy that he raised his legs and laughed so much until his eyes became wild and his legs were permanently spread.

One day, Bluey was on his daily walk around his keyboard kingdom, haolian-ning as usual. Suddenly, he saw something that made his wild eyes pop...

He even dropped his own flower.

From that day on Bluey the blue ball learnt not to walk all over his alphabets. Not literally of course.

All hail the invasion

2007-08-26T17:52:00.000+08:00

Recently, if you have been to Wisma Atria (isn't it a bitch that you have to get out of the MRT station, walk a distance amidst pushy, sweaty bodies, up a flight of stairs, and down a packed escalator to get into the mall), you will notice the new kid on the block - Cotton On.

Having studied in Australia for more than a year, I don't recall buying anything from the label that originated from Down Under. I bravely ventured into the crowded outlet at Wisma. The first time I went in, I was just checking out the prices. Lower than in Australia if I recalled correctly. I vaguely remember hearing an Aussie bloke at the cashier but dismissed it as a hallucination. After all, I had just ended work. The next day I went back to the outlet to check out the hallucination. Much to my amusement, it was reality. Besides importing the label, the salespeople are from Australia too! Not all of them, but the cashiers were. There was the "How are you today?" greeting together with the "See you later" conclusion. Wow! A real Aussie flavour for the brand!

May I just point out that "How are you today" is a funny greeting to me? Does it mean that you are only concerned with how I am today and not yesterday, let alone tomorrow? Only today is of importance? "See you later" is also amusing to me because if you break it down, you are expecting the person to return on pretty much the same day. How likely is that? Not that I have anything against anyone using these phrases. Technically, I guess they are not as wrong as saying "irregardless" and "double confirm". +_+

I really hope some big shot from the local fashion industry is looking at this blog because I can then implore them to import Aussie labels such as Temt, Valleygirl, and Sportsgirl. Would you resist fashion like these at knockout prices?

I understand that Sportsgirl was available in Singapore. The outlet at Specialist Center closed down quite long ago. Now, however, I feel that Singapore is ready for Sportsgirl to make its appearance again. For one, many Singaporeans studied in Australia and have come to know the brands (I'm talking about the ladies here of course). Secondly, labels in the same price range such as Topshop, Zara, and Mango are well-received in Singapore. If this isn't the time to import the brands, when would you do so?
The most important part? They have new stocks weekly! So if their marketing strategy is the same as in Australia, there is something on sale nearly every week in order to make way for new goods! Smashing! So hurry and import them now!

For your stomach

2007-08-26T01:48:00.000+08:00

Recently, I discovered a nice cafe. Big O cafe is apparently the sister of NYDC. Although why they decided that it is female defeats me. I would seriously recommend their signature Big O Cheesecake and Affogato.

Click on image for menu

Their Affogato is a delicious blend of rich, bitter-sweet coffee, and ice-cream topped with whipped cream. While it doesn't come cheap at $8.90 per glass, it is so deliciouly aromatic that it's worth every single drop, which no doubt heads straight for your hips. This little item is hard to find on the menu so just scream its name out.

As for the Cheesecake, it is a decadent serving of chocolate (hazelnut I suspect) and cheese, with an Oreo [?] crust. Even my dad who has an unnatural dislike of most things chocolate finished half the slice that was supposed to have been shared among him, mum, and I. Tsk tsk.

The Affogato brings me back to the time when I was in Australia, heading out for coffee with a buddy. It was smashing to just chill at cafes, reading trashy tabloid magazines, and bitching about this and that. I found myself forgetting names of many places I frequently went. It's time to re-start my Australia posts.

As soon as I get my laptop fixed that is.

The mystery of Orchard

2007-08-26T01:44:00.000+08:00

You know this place?

That's right! Cineleisure Orchard.

What I've been wondering is why it is such a magnet for young people towards the night. If you are there on any weekends, you will notice the mountains of people hanging out, with age averaging at 18 years.

What's inside the mall that is so strangely attractive to them? Cinema? Karaoke joint? Food? Retail?

I don't understand this. The place scares me. I feel old. ):

Mr OYN

2007-08-19T15:41:00.000+08:00

Sometimes I am very sway. I have to squeeze into the MRT with others at peak hours.

Sometimes I am even more lagi sway. I sat opposite Mr Obscene Yellow Nail.

Ala PCK, Mr OYN had a very long yellow nail. Unlike PCK however, Mr OYN had his on his thumb. So sat Mr OYN opposite me at Marina Bay interchange (I was wearing 3 inch heels that day ok! Need to sit).

When he sat down, I noticed his yellow nail. Ok, maybe he really need that nail to open the Milo tin or to dig his ears (but thumb?!).

But oh gosh! Save my EYES!!! He started playing with the darn thing! In a thoroughly disgusting move, he stroked his nail! I cannot continue anymore. Please see illustration below for clarity. *gag*

Randomly

2007-08-09T23:39:00.000+08:00

1. When I have flu, I eat all the time.

2. I saw on TV Mobile the other that some feel that our GSS is way too long. Must be the males who are feeling the pinch on their credit cards with the girlfriend's crazy spending. Leave your cards in your own wallets, dudes! Sales rock!

3. I have to wear suits for work. I have often wondered why people have to wear suits. In Singapore no less. What kind of weather and how powerful can the air-con be that you NEED to wear suits? They constrict your movements and are not exactly the cheapest clothing in the world. No thanks.

4. Bird cages are the decoration de jour. I wonder why. What is the significance behind that? I mean are you trying to keep your customers caged up?

5. Many places in Singapore have changed. Not that I have been away for a long time. That's my point exactly. I went to Australia for about 10 months and when I'm back. Poof! Many things are no longer the same. Say, Sentosa. It has this lugging thing you can play together with the new "monorail". Frankly, I like Images of Singapore. Also, when I went to ECP, I notice it has enhanced its hip factor. Near the seafood area (UDMC, they used to call it?), there's a place that blasts loud music. Cool thing to do at a place where you head to chill and listen to the sea? Hmm...

Perhaps the most disappointing change is Newton Circus. When I went there, you can see the ugly competition from the vendors. I don't deny that it is a great convenience for customers. You approach, or rather you get approached, one of these vendors who can organise your whole eating experience for you. First, they help you chope place. Then you can order any food from them. Of course, they will go to stalls under their "territory". Later, when you're done, you can choose to pay the individual stalls when they deliver the food, or you can just give the lump sum to the vendor. Why is this disappointing? I think the whole experience of eating at hawker centres is the walking around. When you see things that tempts you, you buy. If you just sit on your ass and order food you already know, you will not know what kinds of food there are out there, food that you haven't tried. What is the point in this? Especially if you are a tourist, all the more you should stroll around instead to listening blindly to the recommendations from the vendors. That said, their services is not totally useless. For those who are not adventurous with food, these vendors will the guys for you.

I just hope they don't start fighting with one another in front of tourists. Tak glam, my friends.

Mystery of the disappearing taxi

2007-07-29T23:07:00.000+08:00

Ask any driver which vehicles are the most irritating on the road of Singapore and they would most likely reply, "Taxi lor!". With the abundance of taxis in Singapore, making illegal stops and last minute turns, why is it simply impossible to hail one when it's raining or during peak hours?

Dear all, please don't spoil market and order a cab everything it rains or during peak hours ok?

My old skool Singapore

2007-07-20T23:59:00.000+08:00

For the purpose of work, I sometimes need to hunt for images of the old Singapore. With the nation's birthday coming soon, it is time to show my patriotic side (not that I have any other sides for my country :P) and introduce everyone to a fantastic website for you to reminise or simply pass time while waiting for the clock to strike 6.

Ladies and gentlemen, at the National Archive search portal, you can find many a gems like these (WARNING! Those not from my generation will be scratching heads in bewilderment):

Toa Payoh MRT was once sparkling new

You know her occupation from her clothing*

This is what comes to mind when you think of monorail and "cable-ru car"

Enjoy your random searches for this and that of Singapore!

*Missy lor!

Housemates from Hell

2007-06-09T22:01:00.000+08:00

I thought I'll blog about my birthday. I thought I'll blog about my work. But you are not interested, right?

Let's get to something juicier, shall we? We all love to cringe and laugh as the (mis)fortunes of others. Here, I have compiled some of the most horrible of horrible housemates my friends met while they were studying overseas.

The Dowager
Friend A was staying with a Chinese family. For one of the holidays, she had invited her friend over to have dinner with her. So there she was, merrily cutting up cold meats and preparing a scrumptious feast to share with her friend.

Now, you must understand there is like old lady in the Chinese family. Much like the dowager we see in old Hong Kong dramas, this lady commands respect. AND has an irrational dislike of someone else living in her palace, namely my friend. Friend was cutting meat. Cut, cut, cut. Dowager was mumbling in the background about this and that. Mumble, mumble, mumble. Dowager suddenly reached out from behind her to grab something. Spurt, spurt, spurt.

Friend stared in stupor at the blood spurting out of her forefinger from the cut wound. Dowager had pushed her aside without caring that she was holding a sharp object. And Friend cut her finger. Deep.

To make a long story short. Friend called her friend. Her friend came to send her to hospital where the doctor promptly went white at the blood. Before they close the door while leaving for the hospital, Dowager could be heard mumbling in the background about "somebody" not cleaning up before she left the house.

The Cheapo
Friend likes her new place. She has plenty of room and sunshine. What more could she ask for? On numerous occasions however, she realised Cheapo likes to come home just when she was cooking dinner. Strange that. Because Cheapo loves to drop into the kitchen, peep around, and wonder aloud what Friend was cooking. Naturally, for the first few times at least, Friend bothered to reply, telling her what was on the stove. Cheapo would "WAH!" multiple times, exclaiming her delights at the simplest of meals, say, white rice.

Friend, being nice, would offer her some. Cheapo will NEVER, EVER, EVER reject. In fact, she would do one better. She would go to the larder, search around, and suggest opening Friend's canned food for dinner too! Why not eat her poor? Cheapo wondered to herself.

Friend would be left, at the end of the meal, with the pots and pans to clean because Cheapo would have to "rush" for her next appointment. *Blurp*

The Madness
First mistake: Friend moved in with then-boyfriend. Second mistake: Friend broke up. All hell broke loose. The Madness went on a well, mad, rampage to take her things and vehemently denied doing so. So, there could have been a break-in where all of The Madness's stuff were left untouched while the burglar just went for Friend's $10 wallet? And leave her laptop on her table? Wow! Kind burglar.

Friend felt she had to move out. So she did. Once, she went back for her stuff with two guy friends waiting outside the house. The Madness began a screaming match with her, which forced the 2 guy friends to check out what was happening. When The Madness saw the guys, he grabbed and knife and started threatening them.

Luckily, no one was hurt. But Friend lost many of her prized possessions forever.

***

Morale of all stories: Choose your housemates wisely. If you don't know them before moving in, make sure your room has a strong, sturdy lock.

Get going already!

2007-05-01T00:23:00.000+08:00

I need to take the train and bus to and from work daily. Public transport in Singapore is great, ain’t it? Gets you to almost every corner of the island. But I suspect, like me, there are fellow passengers whom you rather see driving their own cars. Who are they? Let me enlighten you, so you will nod your head in vehement agreement with me.

The one who blocks
Usually one of the ladies who love to put their EZ-Link cards in some obscured corner of their very packed bags. When repeated slamming against the card reader at the exit is met with the gates stubbornly refusing to open or the reader emitting loud, unpleasant “tee tee tee” sounds, which you most definitely do not want to hear early in the morning, they will stand right where they are while they delve into the depths of their abyss of a bag to hunt for the elusive card. Which they will find, of course. After wasting 10 minutes of your time.

The one who plays music aloud
Mobile phones are a bane, seriously. It has our hearts palpitating when we realize we have left it at home. The watch is rendered useless as is the alarm clock because it’s all taken care of by trusty old handphone. We no longer memorise any phone no. because there is simply no need to unless the battery goes flat. Enough about cells already!

These days, they have become music players! Some irritating buggers treat public transport as their musical playgrounds, often playing awful songs aloud to disturb everyone. What’s more is that the quality of the sound system does not even come close to having earphones. Please, just save up some dough, get the correct gear, and plug in the earphones.

The one who parks their asses on the railings
Railing are for hands, geddit? In the peak morning human traffic of public transport, asses and their cracks are not supposed to be anywhere near railings, dear. Beg for a seat if your lovely bum bum simply can’t stand standing.

The one whose bag needs a seat
More often than not, they are also the ones who feign sleep when people who need the seat more board the transport. Suddenly preoccupied with studying their nails or spilt ends, they refuse to move their bags out of the way. Sometimes, I wish to question whether their bags have also paid the full fare.

The one who looks
Looking is fine. Admiring others is fine. But no to craning your neck to read my newspapers or to spy on my sms. Rude, rude, rude!

Have you met more people on public transport who pisses you off? Pray share so I know I’m not alone in my disgust.

No time to shit

2007-04-22T14:09:00.000+08:00

If you are wondering about the lack of updates, it's because during the past two weeks, I was

- working till 9pm on most days; 3am on one
- invited to (and attended) 3 KTV sessions
- visiting bars, pubs, hotels, and clubs
- given a chance to work in Macau
- running all over the place, trying to complete tasks given during the last second
- cancelling appointments and making promises to meet up with long-time-no-see friends
- trying to schedule shitting time in between sleep and work
- thoroughly enjoying my work and colleagues

Yes, working for long hours is bad for your sleep, skin, mentality, and bowel movements. Luckily, I'm doing what I love.

Time to take a crap

I'm alive and busy, yes

2007-04-22T13:05:00.000+08:00

李玟-我依然是你的情人

忘了昨夜我的泪
过了今天我是谁
镜子里的那张脸
会不会拥有明天
你的心总是善变
爱上你始终危险
一成不变的谎言
愿不愿给我明天

真假的瞬间
梦幻的边缘
再多痴心也不能画成一个圆

我依然是你的情人
我依然爱你最深
别再紧闭你的唇
不哭不笑也不问

我依然是你的情人
我依然爱你最深
你的眼神太伤人
不看不听也不问
我的真

I love them, and they love me back

2007-03-31T23:51:00.000+08:00

I mean, I have never really gotten anything from this blog, have I? Sure, there's the occasional high when I get "Tomorrow-ed" or when someone refers to my blog. But blogging for an audience is certainly no easy matter. 'What topics are they interested in? How to be interesting and original?' Yada, yada, yada.

So I blog about myself.

Remember how 黄熊熊 wanted to hand himself on a plate to 美狗狗 and saw a weird chicken at Harbourtown? And how I raved about Nando's and wondered why they are not available in Singapore? And how we had the Nando's sauces for reunion dinner? Payback time because I received this today!

My very first parcel from USA!

Cost $5.60! That's USD for you, mister!

Yes! Yes! Yes! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! The kind people at Nando's picked up on my post about Nando's reunion dinner and gave me a shoutout on their site! Click, click, click!!!

The goodies!

A smashing, personally signed letter from Nando's David! I mean, how many people actually sign letters or even write letters nowadays? Great marketing tactic, David! I am sold!

Oh yes! I love it hot and wild. But I can be sweet and mild too! (^o*)/")

Tell David (david@nandosusa.com) your misery when your sauces run low and you cannot replenish them here in Singapore. Maybe he will be kind enough to send you some! I certainly don't mind for my brain has stopped functioning since CNY eve. (+_+")

The last burst

2007-03-25T13:59:00.000+08:00

I am a suaku. Ever since I returned to my motherland, I had only hit the clubs once. I haven't even seen St James. The Cannery? Sure, but only en route to Coffee Bean at Boat Quay. So what do you think about The Cannery? I'm not sure where the bird cage is, but it sure looked crowded during the weekends.

What kind of music do you like when you go clubbing? I don't understand the House/Trance variety. At MOS yesterday, it was the music of choice. Judging from the people around me, I was the only one who did not appreciate its appeal.

I also don't understand the appeal of alcohol. It tastes vile, costs the skies, and doesn't exactly screw your head to your neck the next day. It also causes your liver to harden and translates to various kinds of output in the loo (if you're lucky).

But still, I like to go to the clubs now and then. It's loud enough for you to be screaming without getting embarrassed. It's smoky and dimmed enough to make everyone seem reasonably good-looking. It gives you the perfect reason to cosy up with your friends without coming across as too desperate. After all, it's all for fun!

The pseudo kisses

The real kisses

The tongue-outs

And bringing gingerbread girl out for some drinks.

I wonder when the next trip will come.

They have more

2007-03-24T01:14:00.000+08:00

Is it me or do you also think that secondary school students today are much richer than you were in your time?

A walk around the neighbourhood mall today revealed that students have more pocket money than I did when I was in uniform. Why, they nary bat an eyelash when heaping up those "by weight" candy, kilogram by kilogram. When I craved for strawberry rope, I had to carefully measure each gram to make certain that I bought the bare minimum.

If we did shop, it was at Giordano or Hang Ten. I notice the uniformed crowd at Mango, Zara, and Armani Exchange now. During Valentine's, they don't just gather around the sweet aisle in supermarkets. No m'dm! The buzz is at Sins, Godiva, or Royce.

It's not fair. I only want one cup of chocolate shake from Godiva. ):

Well, I bought 4 pairs of shoes today. So there!

Of shoes, manshirts, suspenders, and the quirks of Japanese magazines

2007-03-22T23:31:00.000+08:00

I suppose I have more than 50 pairs of shoes. If not for the restriction of my shoe rack, I think I will have more. Thankfully, the irritating shoe rack saved my wallet.

Of the 50 pairs, I keep wearing one pair to death. If you have never witness my footwear purchases, you will not be faulted for thinking I only have a pair of heels. Alas! All good things come to an end. After 6 years of slavery; of trips to Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Gold Coast; of numerous shopping trips; of countless runs for buses; it is finally time to bid farewell to my faithful black heels.

You are so comfortable on my feet!

You carry your battle scars well!

Why did you get fatally wounded?

It was repaired about a year ago. I was surprised that it didn't fall to bits at the hammering of the cobbler. On my trips to various states in Australia, it was the one footwear I never failed to bring along. It braved many-a-walks in the rain, and could stand up to the toughest shopping route. Bravo, my dear! When you showed me your last and final scar, I decided that it would be an insult to your courage if I put you in the hands of Mr. Cobbler again. Rest in peace, my friend, rest in peace.

Flipping magazines is one of my favourite leisure activities. I subcribed to Cosmopolitan and Cleo in Australia. Over here, I buy Female on a regular basis. My bad habit is to be unable to crap (of the anal kind) if I do not have some kind of reading material. Brochure, instructions, information on the backs of toiletries. Anything! Hmm. Ok. I was introduced to Vivi by a leftover copy at my place in Brisbane. The copy I read was for the Autumn/Winter season. Gorgeous clothes, I tell you!

Recently, I bought the April (Spring?) issue from Kinokuniya. Sadly, Vivi became very cutish, very young. At $14.50 a pop, it's twice the price of most local publication. Neverthless, if you dig fashion, especially Japanese fashion, or if you just plain like to bitch about the unfairness of life, why this model has EVERYTHING, or if you like to marvel at the effort Japanese put into dressing up, or if you want to know how to style you hair in a way that is GUARANTEED to make people in Orchard stare at you (you know how little it takes for that to happen), or if you simply, like me, need something for the toilet trip, try Vivi.

A manshirt was paired with a sweater or cardigan. Throw on some heels and glam it with a glitzy clutch and you got yourself an outstanding outfit!

She makes it look so simple, doesn't she?

Of course, it would work better if you have legs like hers. Make that face like hers. Hmm. Oh. And figure like hers. Put this on someone else, I suspect it will look like a (failed) raid of the boyfriend's wardrobe.

Suspenders is something that was really IN before I left Australia. I did not see many people who could carry off the look however.

Is it a tick or a cross for her?

I saw this look once or twice in Singapore. Once, in a very, very wrong way. The lady in question wore her suspenders outside her boobs, very tightly. The ~~lines~~ were all wrong.

WRONG!

This reminds me of something else I saw. I saw this woman with a cropped, tight vest that was secured beneath her ample bosom. It looked like a outerwearing bra without the cups. WRONG!

Japanese magazines are very interesting. Because they like to use the same models. Not within just the same issue; but in many, many, many issues! I have no idea why. Is this related to the long-term employment characteristic of Japanese firms? Certainly something that is not common in other countries. What's more interesting is that they prefer to use Eurasians. Perhaps that's not new. Local magazines also tend to favour models of mixed ethnicity. I wonder why.

Did I mention that I read Japanese magazine to bitch about the models as well? Here's Lena.

Notice how she has almost symmetrical moles at the corners of her lips?

You can hate her too.

Your wedding organiser

2007-03-12T15:34:00.000+08:00

On Saturday, I went shopping. Not the usual shopping in town. Not the shopping in supermarkets. But the shopping for bridal package! Not mine, of course! The bride-to-be wanted to do some research on the bridal market. I accompanied her and found that doing "research" is not as simple as walking into one shop and getting a brochure. Let me share some tips and observations with you.

1) Get a shopping buddy
Before you embark on the arduous task of finding a suitable wedding package, think about who you want to accompany you on this shopping trip. Be warned that it can take quite long. So wear something comfortable, especially if you are thinking of trying on gowns. Your buddy should also consider bringing something along to keep them occupied in the event that you head for the fitting room. It does take some time to get into a gown.

Some people may like to bring their husbands along. Fair enough. Also take into account how the husband may have no opinion on the chosen gown. Most importantly, someone who is honest and knows you well is an appropriate shopping candidate. Please do not choose someone who will tell you your big behind becomes invisible in a fishtail gown.

2) Come up with a budget
Assuming you are going for the traditional wedding. You will have to pay for wedding dinner, wedding package, and those red packets for the sisterhood and brotherhood. The bill can extend from Singapore to Batam. Budgeting is one important issue to consider. How much are you willing to spend on a wedding package? Most packages start from $3000. However, be wary of hidden costs. Before you sign on the dotted line, be certain everything has been included and you will not be bombarded with bills to pay for transportation to the location for outdoor photography, and other miscellaneous fees.

3) Mark the places to go
At this point, a bridal magazine may be useful. Collect information on where bridal shops are located. Browse through magazines, preferably local ones. Word-of-mouth is another useful avenue to seek out.

In Singapore, the most popular street to go shopping for wedding packages will be Tanjong Pagar Road.

The road filled with happy going-to-wed couples.

There are about 20 or so bridal shops in the area. Looking at the shop windows can give an indication of the styles the shop carries. Nevertheless, if you have the time, visit more shops. More shops = more choices! :D Maybe you can also consider going for wedding exhibitions. I think there is one that is coming soon, end of March.

4) Look at packages
Many bridal shops do not start with showing you the packages they offer. Most will show you their albums. I found that it is a good idea to start by asking how many photographers they have. The average number seems to be three. Different photographers have different styles, so look at all their works. You may also want to consider whether you like to have artwork for your albums, which will be at additional charge. Inquire about the prices though, for they tend to vary.

While browsing the albums, also look at makeup and hair styles. Does the makeup artist favour a particular style? I saw one who seemed to adore blue eye-shadow with tons of blusher. +_+

Gowns are perhaps one of the most important considerations. There is a distinct style for each shop. Some prefer simplicity; others embrace beads and sequins. One bridal shop I found to have beautiful embroidery is Di Gio bridal. Their craftsmanship is amazing. However, it depends on what you’re looking for. I would recommend that you try as many gowns, in as many designs and styles as you can. Choose from halter, sweetheart, scalloped, high necklines; silk, satin, organza, tulle material; and fish-tail, straight, pickup, A-line skirts. Some bridal shops do not allow you to try the gowns until you have paid a deposit. For these, I suggest that you thumb your nose at them and spit on the ground. Pui!

Finally, it’s time to discuss the packages available. Look out for the fine print. Some provide car decorations but not the car. Other differences include photograph sizes, number of gowns provided, styles of makeup and hairstyles allowed, and the addition of actual day photography. One catch though: most shops do not allow you to take down information regarding the packages. You need to have very good memory. I suggest that you take namecards and write down your comments as soon as you leave the shop. A more interesting option would be to buy a diary, recording your thoughts as you go shopping. What's more is you can use the diary to keep other related information such as your wedding dinner reservations. Only once in a lifetime! :D

5) Choose a package
It all depends on what is important for you. Personally, I feel that the gowns and photography are the two most pertinent considerations. Gowns make you feel like the princess you are. Photographs are windows of memories. Budget is an important issue, as is the service. But as I told my friend; money you can earn, service you can bear with, but gowns appear in all photographs, and all photographs is a snapshot of your happiness. Heh heh. Got ink or not! One last tip: negotiate, negotiate, negotiate!

Do not wait for last minute to get a package! You need to alter your gowns and it takes time to fix the album.

Up to 7 or 8 months from what I heard. Start shopping now!

Do you remember?

2007-03-06T23:59:00.000+08:00

Haven't blogged in the longest time. Must have good material then can blog, right? No! Haha...

For CNY, I wanted to scan some photos to put into this nifty digital photo frame my dad brought home. Somehow, my dad is always bringing home things from different places. I think that's the return you get from playing charity golf games. After looking through old photos, I realise I don't have a lot of photos when I was young. Mum said that was because we were at our poorest then. Once, my brother was sick and my mum had to borrow money from my aunt in order to bring him to the doctor. Being the baby I was, I had no recollection. Am I glad that things are better now.

From the photos, I remembered things from childhood. Mainly that I like this top or that dress. Haha... Vain since young. What to do. But I suspect in some photos, you can also recall your own childhood. Unless, we are from different generations.

I think this was the earliest photo of me. Showing off my muscle of course.

My brother was standing behind me, rather unhappily. The rocking thing I was in was around until my youngest brother was born (mum had two more after me). Do you think it was because things in the past tended to last longer? For instance, older models of Nokia phones were said to be more reliable and did not spoil as easily after being dropped. Those 3210 and 8250 models I think. Now, I'm using a Nokia phone and I don't even know the model number. Hahaha... After some point, you don't bother anymore. So long as it rings and you can SMS, all other functions don't matter much.

The cabinet behind us was our childhood toy. In it, there were many fascinating things. I am not sure where they are now; I think most of them are gone. I remember a chess set made from marble, a set of hawaiian dancing dolls, multiple medals and that's about it. Obviously, you can see there are many more barang barang in it but most were on the upper shelf, which we could not reach. When I had only my elder brother for company, we used to look at the lower shelf, especially at the chess set. We longed to play with it (although we did not know how to play English chess). Dad's command was not to be taken lightly though. He forbade us from touching anything in the cabinet. I hope he still believes it was "fated" that one of the chess pieces broke by itself.

A little older but still as adorable.

These walker things are not quite the same now, are they? Many have in-built toys that actually make sounds, rattle, or play a tune. Back in my time, they merely came with four castors and a seat. If you were lucky, the seat would be cushioned. Kids have it good these days. *sniffs*

My arsenal of toys to throw at my brother.

I saw the red doll at my friend's place some 5 years ago. It was her childhood toy. I am sad to say that I do not have anything left from my childhood. The earliest memorabilia I still possess is most likely something from secondary school. That's not too long ago, no matter what you think. I remember biting on the spotted blue ball and thinking it tasted foul. Rubber is not a favourite flavour of mine.

My birthday! Can drink Vitagen! Yay~

Did your parents give you cold drinks whenever you ask for it? Mine didn't. It was a treat to get iced beverages. For that I am now thankful. They are full of sugar only!

I was in one of my favourite dresses. Many, many layers and the innermost one was actually from an eyelet material. Ain't it sweet? (:

Kindergarten zoo excursion.

I remember the ladies standing at the back. On the left is 郭老师, in the middle is the school's principal, and on the right is Mrs. Morris (who later became the principal). I think my school uniform is the best. No other kindergarten, then or now, has a cuter uniform. The frills on the suspenders are absolute joy.

Do you see yourself in the photo? Are you my long lost classmate? I was in Toa Payoh Methodist Church from 1988 to 1989. Kindergarten one and two only. One of the girls I still see around my block and one of the guys turned out to be my secondary school classmate. It was hilarious actually. There was no love lost between me and this guy. In secondary three, after I was streamed to a pure science class, we became classmates. One morning, he suddenly called me bitch. I think my look made many people wondered why I was in pure science; I didn't look like I could study I suppose. What prompted him to call me bitch I could only guess. Neverthless, I confronted him, asking him what right he had to give me names. He looked shocked when I spoke to him in perfect english. Weirdo!

We became Malays.

I think at this age, I looked like a Malay. In fact, some people even addressed me in Malay. This was taken with my youngest brother, who was very fat. He is the skinniest in the house now. I was wearing yet another one of my favourite dresses. This piece had several squares of cloth sewn onto the bodice. They were actually pockets. My mum warned me against putting my hands into the pockets. In fact, she told me not to put anything into the pockets for they were very thin fabric and likely to go out of shape after carrying any weight. Their numbers soon dwindled from three to two and finally the dress was discarded. ):

This set of sofa also held fond memories. Actually, not so fond memories. The cushion covers had to be stripped and washed every so often. We, the two older children, had to do it. Imagine trying to wrestle the lumps of foam into smaller sizes and using your tiny, tiny fingers to unzip the covers. A real workout. Besides, the covers were made of very scratchy materials. Not good at all. ):

Day before CNY

2007-02-17T21:25:00.001+08:00

The car park in my estate has never been so full! Every year, many people flock to my old estate to visit their families for reunion dinner. I like!

What did you have for your dinner? I think for many people, the easiest to prepare is steamboat. But having eaten steamboats at my friends', I have come to realise that steamboats have characters of their own. A trip to Liang Seah St near Bugis Junction will make you realise that. Firstly, there are different kinds of stocks. Fish, herbs, chicken, spicy, tom yam, vegetable, ikan bilis or just plain water! I don't know who will use the last one. Probably someone who is so busy cutting up the ingredients that they forgot to make the soup. I'm not sure what's the stock at my place but I sure like it! I think Dad added the abalone "juice" from the can. Hmm...

Anyhoo! This is the first year that we are having the hot plate version as well. Courtesy of my Australian education, which introduced me (and subsequently, my family) to Nandos! Peri-peri sauces from Nandos cannot be added to the soup. I think it will be like added tobasco sauce to soups. So we had to marinate our chicken and use the hot plate! Also, something special this year is mushroom! Not your usual chinese variety or the Japanese Enoki. Gracing our tables and our stomachs are portobello mushrooms and white button mushrooms! Considering that we are using the BBQ function, we might as well add salmon slices.

Throw in our usual ingredient, and this is the steamboat from heaven:

Click on the picture to see all the stuff we had!

Short interval over. Back to packing. +_+

A little thought goes a long way

2007-02-15T02:16:00.000+08:00

I think many people must be showing off the flowers they had received for Valentine's Day. Surely it must be one of the most commercialised "celebration" in the world. Half a dozen roses for $158, I overheard. Nevertheless, in the spirit of "showing offness", I think my presents win. Hands down.

Anyone with the dough can jump into Google, type in "flowers" and hey pesto! A bunch of soon-to-be-dead plants will be delivered at the doorstep, with a card wishing you a "Happy Valentine's Day!!11! From: Your Darling". How very. Very. Very. R.O.M.A.N.T.I.C. I'm swooning... From disgust that is.

Flower as present on VDay is the most boring and predictable gift you can give someone you proclaim to love. I find it a waste of money. On the other hand, maybe that's why some like it: if you love me enough to get me something useless and expensive, you must really love me. Why! I heard that you cannot even request the florist to write mushy verses. No "hunny pumpkin baby pie", no "yours till London Bridge really falls down". Just "To: XXX. Happy Valentine's Day. From: YYY". Wow!

On the other hand, my first gift is infinitely more thoughtful than thorny roses. And just as sweet as sugary chocolate.

Doughnuts from S.J! You have or not?!

What? Stupid doughnuts, I hear you exclaim? Ladies and gentlemen, you CANNOT get these doughnuts without first queuing 2 hours for them! Heh! These babies will put your 5-minute online order of 6 roses to shame.

Present no. 2 is just as power. Sometimes you casually mention to a friend that you like their stuff. And it just happens that that stuff is not easy to find and is certainly out of the way enough to make you sigh and mutter "it's not that nice. However! Said friend will have taken note of your comment, and, despite the famous fact that all girls hate to have friends who go and buy stuff they had bought first (otherwise known as the "me first" syndrome), they will buy you the exact stuff just because they are what they are: friends.

J.T got me these darling earrings when I mentioned that I love them to death and would perish without getting my grubby paws on them. And that I am too lazy to brave the crowds at the busy stall.

Surely a winner over standard off-the-shelves Valentine's Day cards. Pui!

Something rare is something treasured, no? Although no. 3 is nothing terribly expensive (actually, it's almost free), the fact that an anti-Valentine's day-er bothered to give you something because he believes it would make you happy is worth many times more than $6000-a-night hotel rooms. Anyway, I don't mind if you want to sponsor me such a room. Or two. Or three. Or as many as you can afford.

S.K cared enough to move his mouse over the (f) icon in MSN to send me an e-rose.

Something that won't die like real flowers and does not take up any space shall emerge triumphant over your readily-purchased "branded" chocolate that tastes just like generic brands.

Even more amazing is how someone took care to give you a present despite being from a generation that hardly celebrates VDay. If you want love, this is it. Someone who does not want you to feel left out (even if you don't care one way or the other whether a bouquet drops on your lap), and is ever ready to seek out what you like and offer to buy it at the drop of a pin.

Dried mango from Mama. Not cheap ok. $40/kg. You go imagine how heavy one piece is already. I just mentioned that it's nice and she got it.

Mummy dearest heard me exclaim over a stuffed toy at a shop and picked it up immediately, telling me she was going to get it for me. Very touching.

Some days, I had to remind her that I'm over 2 decades old. In spite of my outwards childishness and liking for cute things, I rather just appreciate the thought that comes with the offer. You cannot have any present greater in value than that.

I wish

2007-02-07T01:44:00.001+08:00

I wish I am a simple kind of girl
Someone who smiles at strangers
Never suspecting their motives

I wish I can embrace hot drinks
Something to warm cold nights and heart
Never complaining the lack of ice

I wish I laugh more often
Sometimes at everything and anything
Never at everyone and anyone

I wish I can stop wishing
Somewhere out there is a joy
A joy so deep that makes me embrace me

For I am not sorry
That I am me

What's on your list?

2007-02-06T01:56:00.000+08:00

Since I returned to my dearest motherland, I have been singing. Look ma! I got a membership to KBox! That's right. I dragged my mum along (and my aunt, on another occasion) to karaoke! Then I marvelled at the linguistic ability of my mum because she can sing in Taiwanese/Hokkien, Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. How many people you know can see the same Chinese characters and be able to sing in dialect? I think I went no less than 7 times. So, so enjoyable to scream.

Someone complained that we always sing the same songs. But some songs are just suitable for our vocal ranges what! Here's a list of the most commonly sang songs. Please remember that we are old ladies. Here goes:

- Jolin Tsai: 倒带 (can act cutie pie)
- Wan Fang: 新不了情 (nice mtv!)
- Jay Chou: 安静, 借口, 简单爱 (the only ones we can keep up with the lyrics)
- Coco Lee: 真情人 (shake, shake, shake)
- Phantom of the Opera (challenge, man)
- Faye Wong: 百年孤寡, 我愿意 (to pretend)
- A-mei: 听海, 解脱 (more challenges)
- Harlem Yu: 戒不掉, 情非得意[?] (happy, happy)
- Dream a Little Dream (a little jazzy, a little husky, a lot performing)
- Stefanie Sun: 遇见 (almost monotonous)
- Chen Jie Yi: 喜欢你 (just for nostalgia)
- Sandy Lam: 伤痕 (old lady song)
- 信乐团: 死了都要爱 (this is power!)
- F.I.R: 把爱放开, 我们的爱
- 五佰: 浪人情歌, 痛哭的人
- 动力火车: 无情的情书

I think there's a lot more but I cannot remember. Haha!

Even if don't sing, also have other things to do. For instance:

Camwhoring!

A love affair

2007-02-03T01:23:00.000+08:00

I am happy. It has been a long time since I feel this way. The moment I saw you, I didn't like you much. You weren't even with me. In fact, she got to you first.

The first time we met, I didn't think a lot of you. You were arrogant about your brilliance because those around you paled in comparison. I stood there observing you while you were involved in her. Slowly, I began to see your good side. You were unwavering even in times of peril. She wasn't used to someone like you but you showed her you will always be there to support her and not let her fall. This is what makes you unique, special. I have met no other like you.

Once, I wanted to seek you out but I felt that I would be betraying her, my best friend. Besides, I didn't like you, remember?

On another occasion, I went out with her. I knew she was going to meet you. In fact, I encouraged her to. This would be the only chance for me to get close to you, to see you again. I had been dreaming of you since I last saw you. Although I had someone else on the very day we first met each other, you were never far from my mind. Without much prompting, she said she was going to look for you. I resolved not to be blown away by the glow that surrounds you, by the comfort I feel when we were together.

When I watched you with her, a bolt of jealousy surged through my being. I was willing to risk it all. She and I, we have been friends for over a decade. Would you be worth the risk? Would she allow me to have you? I didn't care anymore.

"Can I buy the same pair of shoes as you?"

We are finally together.

2007-02-02T17:49:00.000+08:00

周杰伦《借口》

翻着我们的照片,想念若隐若现,
去年的冬天,我们笑得很甜,
看着你哭泣的脸,对着我说再见,
来不及听见,你已走得很远,
也许你已经放弃我,也许已经很难回头,
我知道自己错过,请再给我一个理由,说你不爱我,
就算是我不懂,能不能原谅我,
请不要把分手当作你的请求,
我知道坚持要走是你受伤的藉口,
请你回头,我会陪你一直走到最后,
就算没有结果,我也能够随,
我知道你的痛,是我给的承诺,
你说给过我笑容,沉默是因为包容,
如果要走,请你记得我,
如果难过,请你忘了我

2007-02-01T04:22:00.000+08:00

2007-02-01T04:18:00.000+08:00

周杰伦《安静》

只剩下钢琴陪我谈了一天
睡着的大提琴安静的旧旧的
我想你已表现的非常明白
我懂我也知道你没有舍不得
你说你也会难过我不相信
牵着你陪着我也只是曾经
希望他是真的比我还要爱你
我才会逼自己离开
你要我说多难堪我根本不想分开
为什么还要我用微笑来带过
我没有这种天份包容你也接受他
不用担心的太多我会一直好好过
你已经远远离开我也会慢慢走开
为什么我连分开都迁就着你
我真的没有天份安静的没这么快
我会学着放弃你是因为我太爱你....

K 歌必唱

2007-01-30T00:40:00.000+08:00

新不了情 (万芳)

心若倦了泪也干了
这份深情难舍难了
曾经拥有天荒地老
已不见你暮暮与朝朝

这一份情永远难了
愿来生还能再度拥抱
爱一个人如何廝守到老
怎样面对一切我不知道

回忆过去痛苦的相思忘不了
为何你还来拨动我心跳

爱你怎么能了
今夜的你应该明膫
缘难了
情难了

The absolute cutest

2007-01-28T04:17:00.000+08:00

And it sings too! A wonderful, wonderful welcome back gift from my brother. :D

Melbourne 2006 - Day 4 (251106)

2007-01-25T23:23:00.000+08:00

What is synonymous with Melbourne? Good-looking guys? Tick. Good food? Tick (sorta). Cosmopolitan city? Tick. Queen Victoria Market? Tick. Twelve Apostles? Hmm... Wasn't on our list!

Seeing how Chapel Street had shops like anywhere else in Australia, on day 4, the day meant for shopping at Chapel Street, we decided to change plans and go on a day tour to the ~~Twelve, Eleven, Ten, Nine,~~ Eight Apostles instead. Well, before they all fall into ruins.

Despite the brochure claiming that the tour agency have 24-hour service, it was but a miscommunication. What they had meant by 24-hour service was that you get hooked up to a machine where you are to state your business and their 'friendly representatives' will get back to you asap. No good. We thought that since we would have to wake up early if we were to hop onto the tour bus that lumbers all the way on the Great Ocean Road, we might as well make our tour reservation in the morning. I think we were the last pair allowed onto the big, useless (you will see why later) tour bus because it was packed.

We couldn't have chosen a worse day to embark on a sightseeing tour. It was cloudy and gloomy.

Note the fake smile. Witness the lack of emotions in my beady, sleepless eyes.

And it was not a cheap tour. At over $130 per pax, we were mostly kept on the bus, sitting on our asses or nodding our heads violently over the lullaby sang by the bus.

Nevertheless, we managed to do something else besides napping and sitting, such as:

Having a seafood platter where an insect decided to investigate the crack in my ass and luckily I was sensitive enough to know it dropped there and I went to the toilet to investigate its inevitable death;

Noting how poor the artisan of this signboard must be in mathematics for 12 - 4 = 8;

Snatching a photograph with the rocks themselves, all the while cursing the overcast skies;

Trying to calculate when this particular arch will join its demised siblings in The Hell of Collapsed Apostles;

Wondering, along with PY, how long it would take to run across these hills, whilst singing The Sound of Music and getting bitten by the poisonous, poisonous snakes of Down Under;

Exclaiming at the beauty of this gorge when really, the star(s) of the Great Ocean Road should have been the Apostles;

Adding more beauty to the gorge with our presence;

Wowing over this lovely piece of secluded and deadly paradise because it was said to have very, very, very strong undercurrents;

- Waiting over 30 minutes for the bus to get over its tantrum because the driver could not start the engine after we paused for a mini photo session;

- Waddling in the soft sands of the gorge, using all the energy we gained from the seafood platter; and

- Buying raisin biscuits and nuts to eat on the bus despite warnings from our not-too-friendly driver that none is allowed aboard. Pah!

How was the Great Ocean Road/Eight Apostles? At least we've been there, done that. I discovered that I was happier looking at the green hills than at the multiple beaches (which all looked the same) and rock formations. If you cannot stand road trips, it's not for you. The journey took a whole day, I think up to 12 hours. So take that into consideration before signing on the dotted line!

On a happier note, we had our best dinner in Melbourne.

Greek food at Lt Lonsdale Street. Open 24 hours. Simply amazing!!! For the BBQ lovers!

Oh! Did I mention that we stay at one the prettiest hotels?

Hotel Rendezvous!

I hope I can finish blogging about this trip and my Gold Coast trip before I forget everything. x:

Just for fun

2007-01-20T23:43:00.000+08:00

Thought this was quite interesting:

How accurate! Smokin'!

Recommend, recommend!!!

2007-01-18T05:13:00.000+08:00

I'm not usually an "idol" watcher, much less listener. In fact, while I was in Australia, I ran to my room when my friends tuned in to the show. 2006 proved different though. Ladies and gentlemen,

Damien!

He's amazing!!! My heart squeezed when I heard his version of "Hallelujah". +_+ This guy delivers.

Check out his amazing, soulful voice.

Love this song

2007-01-07T02:30:00.000+08:00

倒带

曲：周杰伦词：方文山编：钟佐泓

我受够了等待你所谓的安排说的未来到底多久才来
总是要来不及才知道我可爱我想依赖而你却都不在
应该开心的地带你给的全是空白一个人假日发呆
找不到人陪我看海

我在幸福的门外却一直都进不来你累积给的伤害
我是真的很难释怀

终于看开爱回不来而你总是太晚明白最后才把话说开
哭着求我留下来终于看开爱回不来我们面前太多阻碍
你的手却放不开宁愿没出息求我别离开

你总是要我乖慢慢计划将来我的眼泪却一直掉下来
过去怎么交代你该给的信赖被你亲手缓缓推入悬崖
从我脸上的苍白看到记忆慢下来
过去甜蜜在倒带只是感觉已经不在

而我对你的期待被你一次次摔坏已经碎成太多块
要怎么拼凑跟重来

终于看开爱回不来而你总是太晚明白最后才把话说开
哭着求我留下来终于看开爱回不来我们面前太多阻碍
你的手却放不开宁愿没出息求我别离开

终于看开爱回不来而你总是太晚明白最后才把话说开
哭着求我留下来终于看开爱回不来我们面前太多阻碍
你的手却放不开宁愿没出息求我别离开

Melbourne 2006 - Day 3 (241106)

2007-01-07T01:33:00.000+08:00

Lesson from Day 3: Cabbage ain't my thing, baby.

Today we went to Queen Victoria Market. Actually, it's just a normal market. A lot cleaner than those markets we have in Singapore though. Mostly to get raw ingredients.

Would you like to have a market named after you? Look! Green skirt for the green billboard!

We were told to try the German sausages at the market. Queen Victoria market is located near the city and fairly walkable. When we ordered the sausage, we were asked whether we wanted cabbage to go with it. Why not? Turned out that the cabbage was pickled! Urgh! Eaten pickled cabbage before? It's sweet and sour! Not very me. A while back, S and I were talking about our experiences in Australia. She was telling me she feels that she has to be cautious when relating to others about her trips. Firstly, "relating" may be the wrong word because not everyone has been there and even fewer have spent an extended period there. Secondly, you might come across as trying to show off despite you being only excited at your trips and wanting to share with others. Anyway. I'm not trying to show off ok!

This I have to show off.

Fruits at Victoria Market can be a lot cheaper. Cherries were available at $5 per kilogram. But beware. Cheaper doesn't mean better. So look out for the quality. The 40 cents apples we bought were quite nice though.

We bought a kilogram of cherries (not bad), an apple each (unwaxed, cheap, and delicious), and one mango (oh.my.god!). Eat more fruits baby! With our load, we had to return to the hotel to put them down. Along the way, we spied a cafe with some good-looking people. Need to return there asap!

The iced coffee is good! And I think reasonably priced. Yum!

After the coffee, it was time for a trip to Smith Street. Smith Street is supposed to be filled with factory outlets. Imagine our surprise when we saw that Smith Street was largely filled with old shops selling dunowhats. So we popped into a convenience store to get daily tram tickets (again, we were told that daily tickets were not available on the tram. Wrong information!). As a by-the-way kind of thing, we asked the owners about the phantom factory outlets. Turned out that we were on the right street but the factory outlets were way way way down the other end of the street, further from the city. So if you go now, you know better than us and should take a tram!

It was quite interesting to see the shops on Smith Street. Because they were all the same as those in Harbourtown! Gah! At least I bought a bag, a skirt, and a pair of shorts. After a while, we realised we did not have lunch! We popped into a Thai eatery and was served the worst Thai food ever. I don't get sweet Tom Yam soup. BEWARE!

Tonight was going to be clubbing night. It was Friday after all! We asked the information counter at Melbourne Central for places to go and the guy recommended Chapel Street. Well, we don't. But more on that later.

We were also told that Lygon Street is the so-called Little Italy of Melbourne. Hmm.. It did serve the best green tea ice-cream. Oh. Green tea is from Japan. I guess we were there too late because no one bothered to come and grab us to go into their restaurant. The place was so much different from what I had expected. Go with no expectations is the best.

We thought olive bread would be more interesting than the normal garlic bread we eat. Well, it was. Interestingly salty!

I could not make up my mind about what to eat because I was fast getting a flu. I asked the waitress for recommendations. Something creamy I said. When her recommended pasta came, it was tomato-based. Something else I could not understand was why no meat! I'm a carnivore!

Gnocchi just ain't my thing baby. What was it stuffed with?!

So we could not finish our pasta. The one I had in Adelaide was so much better! Luckily, green tea ice-cream saved the day.

Oh. I was wearing this black butterfly sleeves top, right? I did not know the armholes are so big! Rather airy. Good for summer but awful when you're walking in the middle of the night, holding a green tea ice-cream at about 10 degrees with only that single layer of cotton on your back. Brrr!!!

We waited for more than half hour for a tram to go to Chapel Street. There were very few people on the street! We could not see any clubs!!! Where are they!! In the end, we walked, and walked. And walked into a toilet. There you have it. We took tram all the way to Chapel Street to use the toilet.

In the end, we decided a trip to the casino might be more fruitful. So we waited for the tram again. I think you need good company on trips. Otherwise in between waiting for transport, you will be bored out of your skull.

Finally, we saw Melbourne after the sun had set.

If you look up at some of the taller buildings, you will realise some fireflies-like things flying around the summit. Not sure if they were really fireflies but they were gorgeous. Too bad my camera could not take a good photo. Try to take one and send me ok!

On the other side of the Yarra river is the city. Where our hotel is to be exact.

I think we lost some money at the casino. But never mind! The 24 hour casino and shops meant that we could go see look. We popped into this bar with a live band. Very very good band. I wonder how people can sing so much and sound so good. Tomorrow I'm going k. Yay! But got quantity no quality of course. Haha.. The bar was very hip ok! A more matured crowd with most people around their fourties. But it was amazing!

We saw this aunty with midriff-bearing top, this male half of a couple making a fool of himself on the dance floor just to entertain his girlfriend (aww!), and this guy who danced fabulously with all the ladies around him! Good, good vibe! We just stood there and smiled a lot. Eye-opener!

In the end, we did not club but we did watch! I love the fun crowd! Everyone must have won a lot of money. :D

Melbourne 2006 - Day 2 (231106)

2006-12-30T01:12:00.000+08:00

Just remember that I forgotten all about Melbourne! Need to blog it down before my memory fails me forever. I think I can hear the pages of recollections flying out my brain. Old liao... Haiz...

Day Two was the day when we visited the Puffing Billy. It is one of those old steam trains. Remember steam trains? The ones that started the whole Industrial Revolution? You do? *gasps* You're that old?! Haha...

Took the half day package from one of the tour agencies in the city. Swanston Street is where you find the whole bunch. If you have no transportation or fancy quite a bit of commentary while you cruise along the highway, seek them out. Remember to compare prices of course. First stop was at one of the bird feeding area. Before I elaborate on that, I need to complain!

We were told to reach the agency at 8.20am. We were there at 8.10am. The lady at the counter told us we should wait outside for the green flag that says "Puffing Billy". We did as we were told and saw that it was for the full day tour! We went back in and the lady, with her sour face and not in the least apologetic, told us that we were right to wait there. When we pointed out that we were on the half-day tour, she gave a shrug and told us the tour had already left. What the fuck? Dumb ass couldn't read and pushed us away onto the street to wait for a bus that wasn't meant for us in the first place. We stood there looking at her. She asked if we would like to go on the full day tour instead. NO! Bloody hell. I wanted to either forget about the trip, make it on another day, or look for another agent. Fucking pissed. The more I write about this, the more I remember it. We did as instructed but were delivered a rude slap. ARGH!

In the end, we were told to get onto the full-day tour, which would later join with the half-day tour and we could switch then. Shit organisation. So on the tour we went. First stop was to feed birds and have morning tea. Morning tea was lamington cakes and billy tea. Had those before, in Sydney. But bird feeding is another thing. Where I stayed in Brisbane, one of the breeds of birds that caused a ruckus outside our house was amongst those to be fed at the stop! Shit! Feeding my unwanted alarm clock! But quite fun la. The big, fat, white ones are those you should avoid. They leave scars. +_+

This type quite cute.

We were off to take the steam train next. It's all very touristy actually. But if that's the way to make money, that's the way to go.

火车, 火车, 嘟嘟嘟, 请问你要去哪里?

You only can go one short ride la. We liked it though. Why?

Because you can sit like that!!! Happening hor!

Rest our feet but pain our asses. Bars and asses are not best friends.

In our cabin was an Ah Pek, who's the "Head Conductor". We were given old skool tickets and the Ah Pek was dressed in old skool uniforms. Like the conductor in Noddy? Oh. I heard Noddy is gay? No idea. Haha.. We took photos with the Ah Pek but blurred. Too bad.

In the very hot coal room, where they really burnt coal to keep the train moving.

The ride was fun! Sitting on the side of the train and enjoying the breeze! It was off to the next stop too soon - a small village of the Dandenong Ranges.

Got toy shop! I bought something. Babushka dolls on a pin!

And I made a family.

Half-day tours are actually quite enough. Because they leave you time to explore other places. On the other hand, day tours are not as flexible as traveling by yourself. You cannot stop indefinitely at a place you have fallen in love with. Great to start from day tours and go back to places you would like to visit!

We were dropped back in the city again. Something that is different from the other day tours I went in Sydney and Adelaide is that this day tour was less personal. Largely because it was a big group. But I think the driver/tour guide could have made the effort to stand up and shake hands with everyone while we were alighting. Oh well.

Yesterday we took the free City Circle tram and noted that we wanted to take a closer look (ie. been-there-done-that photos) at the Parliament House.

Oh! What big crowns you have!

Today was on-foot day to the Gardens! If you look at the map of Melbourne, you will notice they have a few gardens. Time to visit them all! But first, we had sushi and a drink at Max Brenner's. Too chocolatey for my liking.

To find Cook's Cottage, we headed for Fitzroy Gardens. I like this garden the most. Because of the beautiful, beautiful elm trees. If you look at the garden from the air, you will see a red cross of Saint George, ala the flag of England. Gorgeous, gorgeous! Perfect for making out! Or simply strolling along, hand-in-hand. Awwww... *weeps tears of cheesiness*

To enter Cook's cottage, you need to pay a fee of $4. Flip through the tourist brochures. Some of them have discounted rates. 20 cents also money right?!

The post pillar outside the cottage. I don't know if it's really in use but it's cute anyway.

Inside Cook's cottage, you will see how people from Captain Cook's era lived. I think it's worth taking a look, trying to imagine how you can fit inside the narrow bed. Or how you can make soap using ashes from the fireplace. Let your imagination run wild!

We walked a super, super lot! Along the way, we asked for directions to Southbank and were greeted with looks of horror. "It's very, very far away!", "You should take tram!". But being the cheapskates we were, we didn't want to go on a paid tram. So we walked and walked and walked. And passed the Olympic Parks and reached the Royal Botanic Gardens. It's huge! Try walking there yourself and you will see how far we walked. Inside the gardens, we saw some families having picnics. That's the difference between Australia and Singapore I think. In Singapore, we seldom embrace the outdoors and brave the sun to have a picnic. Not my family anyway. In Australia, they love the sun and make time for their families.

We walked somemore along the Yarra River. Many schools were training their rowing teams there. The interesting thing was their coaches were on the banks while the students were in the river. The coaches cycled along the banks and used loudspeakers to communicate with their students. Imagine everyone on the river hearing how slowly you row. Gosh! An incentive to do better? Finally we reached Southbank.

There's a Southbank in Brisbane too. It is considered the cultural hub of Brisbane, where convention centres, theatres, and many cafes dot the streets. What's at Southbank, Melbourne then? More and more cafes and the famous Crown Casino!

One of the cafes that came highly recommended was Zampelis Cafe Greco. But we didn't know why because the food was disgusting. Disgustingly overpriced and disgustingly untasty. We ordered a pasta (tasted ok but more like ang moh hokkien mee) and two cakes. Strangely, we were not served iced water. Later we realised you have to pay for water. Stingy, stingy. I don't understand why there was the queue outside the restaurant. The cakes were expensive (about $9 each?); too expensive and too sweet. I don't think we finished them. Besides, the service was horrible. The waiters could not wait to send us on our way. The particular one who brought us to our table was sour-faced through out. BAH! I suspect people were taken in by this:

Remember: Looks are NOT everything!

Storage

2006-12-27T00:52:00.000+08:00

My room is cluttered with many things. I found that I do not have enough space for everything.

Things, for me, carry memories. It is hard to part with them. The round tin with the baby angel is from primary school. The red and blue Roxy wallet is from friends. The black bag with the heart iron-on is more than 10 years old. They symbolise something more than what they are. They are rich with emotions, bursting with images, brimming with words, with many stories to tell.

Perhaps Salvation Army can help them create stories for someone who needs them more.

Back in the rain

2006-12-26T23:54:00.000+08:00

How do you pack 1 year into two suitcases? And make them well under 30kg? You simply use 9 suitcases instead.

Hello Singapore!