Trying..

2012-01-18T23:26:00.000-08:00

I had wished for a good opposition party.. I wished for a party who can offer a BETTER (not just different) opinion.

I was adamant that WP might just be it until the this most recent saga on ministerial pay..
1. U proposing to peg minister's pay to MP's allowance is weak. One's a full time job and the other's not. Even if u prorate the working hours, they are different job scopes. U din know?

2. U propose to peg the pay then to MX9 of civil servants, when u havent done homework on understanding all there is to know about MX9? U know for every min u spend talking on senseless, or ill-thought ideas, u are wasting more than 100 mins of others?

3. U chose to withhold ideas from the committee and then bring up at parliament to share and debate... Apart of adding to point no.2 above, it also shows yr disrespect to the committee (they were the ones in charge and compiling ideas but u think they not up to take your ideas and thoughts) as well as your selfishness to want to show the country what novel and 'great' ideas u have. Please, that love for your party aint love for the country.

Someone once told me that hmm, having a different voice just mean spending so much more time of debate that u just end up wasting time. I was hopeful that time will prove him wrong. As it turns out, it proved me wrong.

Us!

2012-01-05T00:27:00.000-08:00

Took this pic on the 66th floor of swissotel where we celebrated our close friends :Kriss and Shiyi's wedding!

The view up there was awsome and it seems like swissotel is really a very good place to hold wedding dinners as their deal was really really pretty unbeatable (in my opinion).

Siao Char Bo

2012-01-05T00:11:00.000-08:00

Encountered one of the most ill-mannered person i have met on ebay...
I put up an auction selling a bag at $9.90 excluding postage... She haggled to $7 with free postage. I replied that " i bought the item for $28 and its still brand new. Can we take a step back each and close deal at $8 with free postage. Appreciate your understanding." She refused.
Fine. I agree to her proposed price of $7 mailed.. and guess what? She then asked to close the deal at $6 mailed.
I then replied " i dont think its right of u to further lower the price when i agree to her proposed price"...and she replied:' Thanks for your 'valuable' advice."

Siao Char Bo man. User oitooito of Ebay.

Our Second Wedding Anniversary

2011-12-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

Guessed the place?

Its along Clarke Quay, on board of one of the 2 tongkangs procured and renovated into a restaurant..We almost have the entire Tongkang to ourselves! Machiam we reserved the entire boat. Heh.

Chose this place as i got a 1 for 1voucher (u know i am a sucker for all these!) for a 3 course meal here at $58++

Our first course was this salad that comes with a chilled fork. So atas hor? Though i dont think its necessary.

My LadyInRed (No 209 Gin, Ginger Liquer, fresh strawberry and champagne). It sounded so much better that it tastes. I couldnt taste the ginger nor the champagne.. This cocktail was rather disappointing and deterred me from ordering a 2nd cocktail.. Phew..

2nd Course: Mushroom Soup. This was good. Creamy, delicate and yummy.

And then our mains: Oven Roasted Steak, with roasted greens and Yorkshire Pudding.

His: Medium Rare

Mine: Medium (although i think this is medium well. What do u think?)

When our mains came, i was so looking at Hub's one with envy. His really looked and tasted way better than mine. (so readers, if u are hitting this place, order the steak medium rare for your own sake).

The meal costed $100 thereabout. Food was ok, especially the soup and steak. Appreciate the carrots as well. Disappointing bits: Cocktail and Yorkshire Pudding. However, instead of satiated, i got craving for Lawry's! Haha..

Best part of the night wasnt the dinner though. It was the time spent walking to Liang Court and the snacking at Macs. After the meal at TongKang, we were probably 70% full (which is the recommended level of fullness actually) but we couldnt resist buying Macs when we passed by it. My best part of the evening was definitely the time spent in Macs, chitchatting.. It was really great to be talking randomly and not abt housework, what we need to do, what family function are upcoming, which days are we free to have dinners together etc. That evening, we basically people watched and chatted and laughed..

Love these moments!

Another Groupon Review : Just 10 Group

2011-12-11T20:40:00.000-08:00

Visited Just 10's branch at Queensway after work on Thursday to do some repair of my hair.

Had wanted to go to the branch at Orchard Central but i gave up after having no one pick up my calls (like at 5 different timings of their working day). The branch at Just 10 doesnt require appointment and hence, i thought i will just go there. Was quite appalled when i got there. It wasnt even a decent shop front but just half a shop front and the entire place looks messy and dodgy. Worse than those $10 QB shops, to be honest.

Greeted by an auntie and was promptly offered the last (of 4) seat which was a bar seat. U know those with no backing and no cushions? It was so uncomfortable. Then i was given a hair wash before my treatment. The water was cold. Most of the time, the salons i visited use warm water and especially if treatment follows and a amateur like me also understand that with cold water, all cuticles close and hence, how the treatment can be absorbed? Never mind. The couch for hair wash is so uncomfortable and i was asked to move my head so into the sink, my neck wasnt even sitting nicely into the tip of the couch and rather extended out so the part caved in to rest my head was jutting into halfway of my neck. NVM. Then the water started splattering onto my face and specs.. Hmm, really an experience.

After the wash, she started applying the treatment oil and all, as well as check if i am keen to pay another $28 for the steaming machine to help the absorption of the treatment. I was thinking " Oh , u know what? Then how come u still use cold water to close all cuticles before treatment?" I just said its ok and she leave it as that. Thankfully, they did not hardsell.

Then one of the earlier customers finished and left and upon seeing she has no intentions to change me from my very uncomfortable bar seat, i asked for a change and she readily agreed. There is seriously a lack of reading materials (minus dodgy chinese newspapers and 08/09 Vivi Magazines).

As i waited, i saw another customer (one of the earlier ones) who was so angry with the hair blow. She even commented: " can u all do something such that my hair dont look like a mad person's? U do my hair until like that and then everything u all also want to add so much money? What kind of promotion is this etc etc." Well, the other hairdresser took it all in and then use a straightener on her hair to tame the 'siaoness.'

Then my turn..Yes, i know my hair a lot and quite damaged but really, i havent seen a hair blow so bad on my hair. No one could tell i went to a salon lor. And as she was blowing my hair, 2 young gers came with an intention to dye their hair and then she just quickly finish mine and then turn her heads to them. She didnt even tell me i am done, or bye or anything. How weird is that?

I went back to the voucher and saw there was another option to add hair cut ( at a cost) which will be done by acclaimed hairstylist?Heng, i never took that option man. Acclaimed hairstylist? My foot!

Graciousness.. we still have a long long way..

2011-11-13T20:59:00.000-08:00

1. AT the mrt train stop: passengers taking their time to enter the train and then pause once they are in, while looking around to find a seat.. conveniently forgetting that there are people behind them still waiting to get to move into the train before the doors shut themselves..

2. I lost count of the number of times people were denied entry to buses just because the people in the middle refuses to move to the rear of buses..even when its just 2 stops to the terminal and everybody will be getting off (which means u kinda of wont be blocked from getting off the bus when u need. Yes, thats not acceptable for u because u want to be the first to get down and in order to achieve that, u dont feel bad at all that many cant even make it to the terminal because of u.).

3. Was having my lunch at SGH food court on my own on 2 occassions and saw a grand total of 3 person( including me), clearing their plates after the meal.

I could go on but that will be eating into my working hours.. so till the next post. =D

Siri

2011-11-13T18:11:00.000-08:00

Tried switching to US english on Siri and we are like talking different language.
1. i asked "weather today".. Her reply: Sorry, u couldnt fund magda in my contacts.
2. i asked again" weather today". Her reply: sorry, i cant read calender events.
3. i asked: How is the weather today. Her reply: U dont know what you mean by Hollys the webdeath today

WHAT?!

Jurlique Day Spa

2011-11-08T07:31:00.000-08:00

Redeemed the voucher i bought from Groupon yesterday at Jurlique. The place is rather ulu and i ended up waiting for a bus at the wrong bus stop. No choice but to take cab by the time i realise and then, by Murphy's Law, the cab driver dont know the way. Still can ask me what is SCGS (to which i reply a school). Then, i ask if he knows Raffles Town Club, which he says he does but still dont know the way. AND, he doesnt have a street directory in his car! Wah liao... Thanks for my iphone, i got the directions through Singapore Maps.. Ok,i digressed again.

I chose the aromatherapy and loved it. It was so enjoyable, i think i dozed off for most of it and only stirred back to consciousness when the therapist massage my hands. I remember her spraying balancing (smells of roses) before and after the treatment.. and her experience hands moving around my face. There isnt extraction here though. She got the steamer on and then use a scrub to cleanse.... At the end of the session, it really felt good and today, i think my face looks more radiant and brighter. I believe its thanks to her massage technique that helps to drain fluids, to reduce water retention which i suffer from.

After the therapy, i was offered a tea and after that, i went to the counter and ask if thats all. I was expecting them to promote a package if not hardsell but there was none. The girl at the counter said yeaps, thats it and i hope you enjoy the facial. Of course i replied a resounding YES!

The only thing i wish they improve on was less critical of their timing to go home. I was 10 mins late from 5.45 (their last appointment) and they ended my session at 1 hr (6.55pm) instead of 75min. I can understand if there are customers and they cant extend but i was the last appointment and i am not like 30min late. Not even 15 min. I would certainly appreciate if they can go beyond their call of duty to let me enjoy my full session to 7.10pm.

Of course the above is not routine and certainly, i am not 'bashing' them up for it. I wished for it but they are certainly not obliged to do so and hence for what they provided, its another worthwhile Groupon deal! =D

Going through the deal again.. i just realise they did not give me the $10 voucher.. hmm, think they really cant wait to knock off. Oh well.

WS's Bdae Celebration

2011-11-06T21:43:00.000-08:00

For his 35th, i booked him for the entire day of celebrations.. Day started off with him slping in till 12plus pm and then, off we go to Plaza Singapura where i treated him to longevity noodles.. Its also known as one strand noodle.

Comes with abalone too! We tried to eat just one strand and see if its truly one strand noodles.. As far as we tried, its one strand. But we couldnt take the slow speed and after 3-4 min, we gave up and just eat it normally. hehe.. Its a really huge portion but yummy nonetheless!

Then, we moved off to my not-too-surprising surprise...Why i said so? I planned for a stay over and even packed his extra set of clothings, toothbrush etc secretly but he kept asking cause he wans to know.. He doesnt like full surprises and since its his bdae, i decide to tell him we wont be returning home for the night and that we will be going somewhere else for the night.
Anyways, when i first read about this hotel, i know for sure i will bring him here one day... Why?

No. 1: his fav colour is yellow and this entire room is yellow themed!
No.2: His love for submarine... Although the above is about a song from beatles and not really a submarine, this is the closest i found. See hubs so comfortably tugged in and watching tv.

Me likes the nespresso machine and coffee capsules. +D

This deluxe room got a bath tub in the room. Yeah!

Pissaladiere: Nicoise style onion and anchovy tart<- sweet caramelised onion with great texture from the crust underneath. Yummy.

We also shared a soupe du jour: Mushroom Soup with Truffle Oil

Poulet Roti :Whole hormone free chicken, marinated for 2 days and roasted with fresh herb butter. Served with gracy, roast baby potatoes and spring vegetables (onions, green peas and asparagus).

Following that, comes the celebrations with friends..

Our goddaughter with her parents make it despite their busy schedule..

So did his close friends from reservist

Ashleigh helping Ws with the blowing of bdae candles.

Chocolate Banana from Awfully Chocolate

the wife helping with the cutting of cake, while Ashleight awaits her slice with great anticipation.

Night ended about 12 with tea, coffee at the thai zi char right below Wanderlust.

Complimentary breakfast the next day!

Hubs: Scrambled eggs with chicken chipolata and mushrooms

My pancakes with fresh banana slices and almond slices crumble. Yummy but the huge portion gets cloggingly sweet so, i only managed half.

the beers all of us consumed (excluding the empty cans in the bin).

His bdae celebration was a success! Glad my dearest had a good day. =)

2011-10-29T18:40:00.000-07:00

301011:someone that selfish shd have never gotten married.

News..

2011-10-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

1. Bet most of you must have seen the video of the poor yue getting run down by 2 cars. A total of 18 witness walked past and saw her lying in motion/ motionless on the road and no one stopped to help, until witness no. 19.
When i first read the news, i thought it was a very small infant such that perhaps the witnesses pass at high speed and mistook the infant as a animal or something...

Until i saw the actual video footage. It was deplorable beyond words! The toddler was a 5 year old and was walking when she got hit by Van 1. Seriously, i dont know how the driver can pause and then drive over her again. Then, there are the many who have obviously seen the toddler lying in pain (from how their gaze remain transfixed on the toddler and slowed their pace) and just walked on, albeit shifting their path a little to avoid her. There was even a man who was walking by, holding the hands of a toddler who looked just a couple years older than yue yue..

I understand that in 2006, there was a law suit where someone who tried to help but kena sued as the perpetrator and i suppose that could be why people are apprehensive to help but seriously, i wouldnt have believed it had i not seen the actual chain of events on video.

2. On another note, i am glad DPM Teo spent the time in parliament explaining the need for ISA. One might call for demolishment of the Act but i think at the point in time, its still necessary. That said, i always feel that the govt should explain to us why and let us understand instd of just instructing us. Gone is the era where we just believe what you say and abide. This time and age, we need to be shown the rationale. I still believe Singaporeans are not so 'dense' that we want to oppose everything or that we are people who dont listen. Therefore, i really appreciate the sharing of why ISA remains relevant and essential for the peace in Singapore.

3. Jurong West BTO has 6 bidders for every 10 flats. Doesnt that almost guarantee you a flat? Singaporeans, please stop complaining there are not enough flats for you when you are so fussy..

Appalled

2011-10-15T00:15:00.001-07:00

Cant believe that u r 50 over years old and still have no idea what to say and what not to say.my gosh.

Kordel's Women's Multi

2011-10-12T20:31:00.000-07:00

Just an advice: if u looking for multivitamins for woman, u might want to avoid Kordel's if bad-smelling pills put u off. I was taking Ocean's and when it ran out, i just picked up the next convenient one i saw which was Kordel's.
The packaging was different in that for Kordel's, each capsule was indivdually sealed. I shd have taken a while to ponder but i didnt, and after having one (and many more over the weeks), i realise why... It has a very strong smell ..of fish oils, i am guessing. Holding it in my hand, i can still smell it and my body will go into some sort of a spasm when i swallowed it without pausing my breathing. WS agrees that it smells very bad. Then, again, i chose it for the ideal composition of what i required and since i bought 4 mth's supply in one go, i will have a while more to go, before finding another brand of choice.

$$ wastage..

2011-10-11T22:36:00.000-07:00

Hi ya, instead of checking the library for book that i am interested in, i went to promptly check it out at an ebay store..

Then i realise i shd hv checked the lib to see if the book is available for loan. AND there it is.. darn. Wasted my $ again.

2011-10-05T22:57:00.000-07:00

Cant comprehend why my envelop was sent back to Aussie without being sent to her?

I was all along checking the status on Fedex website and the item was stuck at SGP's distribution centre for 2 days before another status update which showed that its back in Australia. Hmm..

2011-10-02T18:54:00.001-07:00

A wrong decision, 3 yrs too late.

2011-09-30T09:07:00.000-07:00

yeah to winning movie tickets, TheFaceShop Eco-therapy set, a refreshing and great detox session at suddenly slender.

No yeahs for the million questions asked, with no purchases on my ebay list.

Great Yummy Deals!

2011-09-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

Friends of mine should already know that i am a food lover, and i totally dig food deals.. Here's 2 which i think are super good deals so that if they occur again, u might want to snap them!

Mad for Garlic

Garlic Steak:Ribete with various types of garlic, included sauteed, fried, chopped, braised.. Minus the slightly too sweet caramelised garlic, this is great! Steak was done as Hubs wanted and the deep fried slices of garlic are soo addictive! The braised garlic cloves were really yummy too!

My mushroom risotto: Risotto cooked with spinach, mushrooms and topped with a grilled chicken leg. This risotto is really yummy. Creamy, savoury and the ckn leg is very tender. hubs and i just keep scooping and scooping it.

Spicy Meat Dipping Pizza:Dipping Pizza topped with rucola, herb garlic and fresh garlic sauce and served with spicy meat sauce. The meat sauce packs a punch man! Spicy enough and very interesting.

The menu is really interesting and both hubs and i welcome our next visit then, given there are so many other dishes i am keen to testing, including their garlic ice-cream!

Deal i got: Paid $0.46 for a 30% voucher and that helps shed $21 off this sumptuous meal. U tell me, worth it or not? Haha.

Good Ol' Cafe

This place is relatively new and i remember walking past a near-empty restaurant when i visited their neighbour, Ju Shin Jung. Hubs and i even wondered if it will last...

This was until i found out that its opened by the owners of Hooha, which is one of my favs for steaks. Saw on Groupon a voucher selling at $30, with a value of $60, i quickly grabbed it as its also near my workplace!

Visited Hungrygowhere before hitting the place (in fact, even before buying the voucher) and so, already know what to order..

Garlic fries @$7- a very popular dish and my hubs LOVES potato. I luv that the fries are thin and crispy. I am not exactly a fan of fries cos they spell fattening and unhealthy in every single way and i dont think they taste worthy of the calories.. But this one is rather addictive and i find myself picking piece after piece.

French Escargot @ $9. Also yummy.

I ordered the hotpot as its very recommended. U can choose miso, ckn or laksa soup and i obviously chose the last cos the other 2, i can whip up in my kitchen so easily. And i think it was a darn good choice. The laksa smells soooo alluring. Totally whet up my appetite before i can eat anything in it.Even hubs drank a bit of th soup thats definitely lemak and not-too-not-spicy.

Hubs obviously got the tenderloin. Or rather, the tenderloin is surely a must have so if hubs did not order that, i would have. He got the 300g at $52. Yeah, its pretty pricey but its really good. I suppose the price must hv increased since the last time i visited Hooha. As i rem it used to be $29.90 for 200g and now, its in the $30+ range.

Heng i got the voucher. Our entire meal, after subtracting the $30 discount, works out to $58.60 only! Yippie for the great deal. I think hubs is keen on this place but without the voucher, i think it is rather overpriced and hence in my opinion, grab any deals for it and if not, save it for special occasions!

Sinned again.... my terrible sins..

2011-09-19T02:56:00.000-07:00

Booked 3 restaurants for the upcoming restaurant week! Started with one that i really want to get, but it sold out for the lunch i was looking for and hence, i booked another.. and then i saw that the one i want was available for one dinner session and so, i booked the second. Come the next day, i was sharing this restaurant week deal with friend/ ex-colleague and that ended up booking one more to go with her and one more friend! hehe... Such pigging.. OMG.

Next.. bought 3 dresses online! Have resisted buying for a long long time until now.. Sharing with u the dresses to explain why i cant resist...

The above 2 are selling at $7.50 each, while the one below at $10, after all the discounts..

Please tell me i wasnt splurging and being a spendthrift. =P

2011-09-13T23:23:00.000-07:00

I am so happy i managed to grab a deal of momiji buffet dinner at $15 nett per pax! Hurray! One unexpected perk of reaching office very early!

The deal was sold out the next time i checked. Just like the other great offer i missed because i hesitated. Hehe!

To endless jap food! Just cant wait!

2011-09-08T02:37:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, i always strive to be nice. I try to put myself in yr shoes. I try to empathise with you. If not for a better reason, its because i remember how helpless i felt back then even to this date and hence, i want to actively make sure others dont feel that way.

Therefore, it blew me away to know that i got stabbed on the back by someone i speak up for and tried to help. I talked to WS about it and even talked about how i still refuse to stop giving her chances, despite her throwing me under the bus. I still talk about how everyone makes mistakes and that she is still young etc etc.. How stupid am I.

Injustice

2011-09-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

Instead of feeling injustice upon myself for kena complained unjustly, i shall focus on counting my blessings for everything else.. For the smoothsailing thus far in interpersonal relationships, for great collaborations/ students that have came my way and for the future ones!

Be positive. Its an active choice to make.

2011-09-02T02:58:00.001-07:00

Students these days just know how to complain and complain. =(

Happy teachers' day to all! Its a tough job and i salute u!

2011-08-22T18:15:00.001-07:00

I agree that disagree doesnt mean confrontational but in yr case, i think its more confrontational than disagree.

Something Good to Share

2011-08-18T01:30:00.000-07:00

Purbasari Body Scrub! Read good reviews of this on forums and googled it to find more ravings of it for exfoliation, lightening scars and stretch marks, as well as whitening. So decide to get a tub to try on the scars and dark body areas like knee caps and elbows.. Been using it once every 2-3 days and hmm, i think its working well! The first time i try on one knee cap, i was amazed by the effect and the stark difference between my 2 knee caps in an instant and i guess that spurs me on to using it conscientiously (something quite hard for me to do, when i dont even use moisturizer and/ or sunscreen everyday).

Obviously, i am not the only fan, as i tried to arrange a spree purchase of it and turned out pretty successful. So, I shall share with you all this product. Do let me know if u would like to participate in my next spree of it by leaving a comment (prob next mth or so). =)

presidential election 2011

2011-08-14T01:01:00.000-07:00

Acknowledgements: This picture was taken from Straits Times on 120811.

Ahh.. so 4 Tans have been given the certificate of eligibility..

Really gonna hv a fight, which is so exciting! Nonetheless, i hope everyone goes through each presidential hopeful carefully. Scrutinise what he has done and his integrity as much as possible.

I was and am still worried when i read how a fellow PhD wrote on his FB; to support anything (policies and so on)/ anyone who is non-PAP. I think thats not a right approach. It is very impt to provide checks on the ruling government but it should not be done in a way that the govt ends up spending so much time explaining and debating that nothing can ever be done, or that the govt gets objected and objected until they can do nothing. Personally, i think many would do that and have done that for instance President Ong Teng Cheong, George Yeo. BUT to want to use our nation's reserve and to call the using of $60billion as peanuts makes one TAN super duper dangerous and i really hope fellow Singaporeans will think carefully. I also dont agree with his speech of how the president shd be independent, non-partisan (and then claim he is the only non-PAP contender). He emphasized that he is not trying to rock the boat but going through what he desires: disband Temasek, drawing 60billion out of reserves and implementing minimum wages.... if thats not rocking the boat, i guess with my limited knowledge, i dont know what is.

I urge fellow Singaporeans : Please do not blindly follow (PAP or non-PAP) nor oppose for the sake of opposing.

Lovely Weekend thus far...

2011-08-13T07:53:00.000-07:00

Had a very belated birthday treat by SH and GY. Very nice of them to remember and arrangefor this after they both got nicely settled into their new homes.

I was looking for a place and toyed with Tao's, Relish and finally decided on Eight Cafe and Bar, located at Bukit Pasoh.
GY and I left office about 5.45 and reached Bukit Pasoh by 6.20pm! As the restaurant wasnt open yet, we took a walk along Bukit Pasoh and Keong Saik, before settling into the restaurant when its not even opened. We got tired of walking and the service crew said we can take a sit first, even though its not opened yet.

They have a very limited selection of food like 4 choices for started, 4 choices for mains and 3 for desserts. Amongst these, one can choose a 2 courses meal at $35 nett, or 3 courses at $40.

All 3 of us chose the 3 courses one( more worth it mah). SH joined us quite a bit later, and i must appreciate the effort she took to make it here.

For our starters:
My crispy tofu salad that sounded better than it taste. Its not bad but i find it just ordinary.

GY's mushroom soup thats really smooth and flavourful. Nice.

SH had the French Onion Soup, which i din take a pic of.

From the limited mains, all 3 of us ended up choosing the same main and the same dessert. The ones we chose sounded way nicer than the rest of the choices that i guess we rather forgo variety. hehe.

This is our steak. I think its awesome. The serving was decent enough and the sauce yummy. The steak was nicely cooked and the potato was really nice, with the layers...

The lava cake, with flowing rich chocolate to end the meal. For this, the lava was truly semi-melted and the chocolate was rich. The icecream was choc chip, hence more texture than ordinary vanilla so really nothing to fault here. After the dinner, Gy had a lychee martini while i had a boston beach party to end the meal. Cliche as it was, the food was great but the company was better! It was great listening to them talking about their new homes and how much they love staying at home, distribution of housework and so on! An awsome gathering after so long (think at least 3 mths)!

Woke up on Sat to do grocery shopping at Giant before returning home to cook the soup. hubs and i den head out to JP for lunch at Jiaxiang Kolo Mee before our movie. I bought a groupon voucher to get 2 of the premium noodles at 50% discount.

Not much of a crowd and food was served super duper fast.

The soup with abalone, shrimps and wontons.
the noodles (one can choose mee pok or mee khia) with some veg, charsiew and minced pork.

We ordered some fried wontons as well. The noodles were really QQ and soup super duper sweet. If u ask me to pay the original price of $9.50 per bowl, i will certainly hesitate but with the Groupon offer, i say go for it! hehe!

We caught Harry Potter after lunch, followed by a short shopping trip at NTUC, before a nice walk back home together. It was really a date like dat! Love every minute of it.

After lazing for a couple of hours at home, we cooked dinner together, finished it, washed up and watch TV as well as played 30mins of Kinect (after leaving it untouched for at least 6 mths). This must be one of the best weekends spent enjoying each other's company, esp since we are usually quite bz on our own, even on weekends. =) Really enjoyed every min of it.

During our walk in the neighbourhood, we noticed this string of NTUC trolleys left at one of the void decks, by a significant number of inconsiderate people. Hai.. I am so tired with the selfish selfish behaviour seen way too abundantly here.

2011-08-10T01:05:00.001-07:00

Has quite a sucky day at work today. =( May it be a better one tmr.

2011-08-07T23:03:00.000-07:00

Since when do wrestlers look this hot?!!

FYI, This is George Clooney's latest squeeze... well, at least till the next one.
If only he is as steadfast as he is suave.

for those who are celebrating their bdaes..

2011-07-18T03:38:00.000-07:00

Dont fret about getting older.. Age is but a number..=P

Acknowledgements: A SPH magazine i was reading..

Inconsiderate neighbours!

2011-07-16T00:30:00.001-07:00

I have really more than my fair share man and its just so annoying!

1. One owes the loan shark (the other corridor) so we have got a couple of vandalism act at the lift lobby.

2. with 2 huge dogs (like to my waist while on fours)! and sometimes they are unleashed and totally scared the hell out of me. Granted they are very trained, u never really know when they will go berserk. At least to me after the following 2 experiences.

A. one close friend of mine in JC got her arm bitten by her own dog! Bitten like pretty seriously!
B. i was minding my own business in a park (rose garden) in perth, when a huge dog ran from the other side of the park and pounced on me! like on and on and on, while i desperately try to hold on to my skirt (thats was being lifted) and fending myself from its paws, ending up with a lto of scratches on my arms and thighs..

I m pretty sure those dogs are not allowed in HDB and while i wasnt going to report or anything, at least dont leave them on the loose outside lah..

3. the neighbour above my flat loves to hang dripping wet clothes out, soaking mine! wth. A few times, i kept my eyes closed until once i decided i have enough and went up to look for him. He still dare to bluff and say its not his! (hello, i see the water dripping from yr clothes!) so i recommended him 3 solutions
A. hang in toilet until they stop dripping at least
B. spin dry with machine
C. check that the floors beneath him dont have their clothes hanging out before he hangs out his dripping wet clothes!

This morning, i saw his dripping wet clothes out of the window again. But because i was onlu going to hang mine out, its fine cos at least i know i shdnt. Would be seriously pissed off if it was me who hanged my clothes out first and return to discover that they are damper than before (which happens a number of times before my decision to walk up and tell him that its WRONG) . Is tt inconsiderate or wat?

4. I have this neighbour who uses the NTUC trolley like their own and will push it right to their door step. As if that wasnt enough, they decide to dump it at my floor's rubbish chute (where we are the nearest to), blocking everyone from dumping things. Got the guts to push it back to your place, dont have the guts to show that it was you?! *YP rolling eyes*

5. Then i have another neighbour that burns sacrificial stuff first at the lift lobby and then kena complained by the people staying on the higher floors and u know what they did next? Burn the stuff at our floor's rubbish chute (if i may remind u, we are the closest to the chute). So guess who suffers?! and they will just pour the ashes there, creating a mess that the cleaning auntie has to clear.

6. the stream of furniture/ bulky items left at my floor's rubbish chute.. Wah liao, if its so difficult for u and yr family, imagine how hard it is for the old cleaning auntie lah. SELFISH PIGS.
7. Smoking inside lifts.. Come on! They shd really set up an alarm system and fine those who smoke in lifts.

The only saving grace is my direct neighbour. They are a young family of 3. The couple are nice and friendly and their kid is just sooo soo adorable. And of course they contribute nothing to the above. Thk god for this one neighbour of mine.

Birthday treat!

2011-07-16T00:07:00.000-07:00

Met up with my mei on Thursday for my bdae treat! Really appreciate her effort to arrange this dinner date (2 weeks in advance) and sourcing for my present despite having her hands bz with a 3mth old baby and of course, taking the time to meet up! In an era when time isnt quite enough for everyone, it really goes down to who makes the effort to meet up/ catch up / celebrate bdaes etc.

Mei suggested Shimbashi Soba which i love very much, and hence, all too happy to accept her suggestion! Was pleasantly surprised by 2 things there.
1. there wasnt a queue
2. the cha soba was part of a delectable set which i got to ~~lay my hands on~~ sink my teeth into!

Yummilicious as i remembered.

Then, my bdae present! Saw this bag when i was walking ard (attempt to start my xmas shopping super early, just like last yr) and was thinking of getting for one (as a present) and asked for the size i want (dont have), and even though i chose another size, the outlet i was at also dont have the colour i want. I learned from the sales lady that another outlet has and since

1. i wasnt going to travel down to town to get it

2. my mei was asking me what i would like as a present

3. i realise i like it very much that i might actually want to keep it for myself (yes, another bag! geez!)

I told my mei what i wanted, and the outlet to get it. And my mei got it for me! ehheheee..She said it looked quite auntie though.. hmm,

Well, i like the bright colour (just right for the current fashion) and the versatility ( in that it can be converted into 3 styles). =)

Thanks, mei!

Review of Groupon Deal: $48 for 155 min Beauty Bundle at Face Bistro

2011-07-11T03:44:00.000-07:00

This is worth $306 and through Groupon, i got to enjoy it at $48.

Its located at Holland Village so it was very convenient for me to head down after work.

Process:
1. Started off with a body scrub. The scrub they use was very very good. Right after the scrub, i went to shower and was amazed by the smoothness! It felt like soap and i tried washin and washin, before i realise its not soap.

2.Mud mask for the entire body plus a wrap in thermal blanket for 20min.The entire process took about 2hr and 15min.

3. Moved to another room for facial. The cleansing was thorough and i like the extraction (esp when a lot of such spree deals dont include extraction). The massage was ok, neither was it superb (like Spa Ziwi's) nor was it terrible.

4. The beauty bundle included eye treatment which was eye massage (seriously lacking and i dont even remember having it. Its sorta incorporated in the face massage though i cant remember it at all) and a warm eye mask which was rather soothing.

5. The face massage was followed with the face mask, which felt very different from the usual facial i got. This one is like applying a layer of gel over my face only.

6. Right after that, was a short leg massage, from below the knee. Its comfortable though its odd that one leg (first one) was treated better than the other.

Review:
1. I like that they dont hardsell at all. In fact, they just give you their contacts to call should you want another session.
2. The scrub was amazing; refreshing and truly exfoliates very well.
3. I would much prefer them to be a little more sensitive to our feelings (like place a small towel over our chest area when scrubbing or applying the mask on tummy. At least thats what other places seem to do and let me wrap the towel round me as i go over to the bathroom. Yes, it may be just 5 steps away but erm, cut me some slack instead of taking the towel away from me just as i get up from the bed)
4. I would very much prefer some soft music, esp during the scrub and mask applying. I was already uncomfortable with the exposure, and the awkward silence doesnt help.
5. I would very much prefer if they have a thinner duvet or lower room temperature set. Its ratehr stifling under the blanket and it irks me to think of the possibly similar stifling moments experienced by others, under the same blanket. If they have covered my legs with a towel (thats changed after each client) followed by the duvet, it would be so much better in terms of hygiene but then again, it will probably stifle me further. So, i think just a largeblanket shd suffice, instead of the duvet. Its cosy but not quite practical right?
6. Overall, i think its an enjoyable time (and well worth $48). I would recommend it. Good deal! =)

2011-07-05T20:11:00.001-07:00

Just added my husband's surname into my IC.... So, its going to scream Mrs Chia-Fan on my IC.

Recap of Long Haul Trip..

2011-07-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

Before i forget, decide to put up a short post on the trip to NY.

I think its lucky that ISSCR is held in June and hence, for 2 consecutive years (or 3?), i have had my bdae somewhere else in the world!

The NY leg was soo fun that i cant believe i spent 6 days there! Time just passes so fast! In a serendipitous way, things worked beautifully. Some key points of the trip:

1. Two of my friends are working in NY so, we got to chat up and they helped me receive something i purchase from Amazon. They also gave me the great advice of hitting Coach as early as possible before it gets completely crowded (which was so true!).

2. Our days there coincided with the Solstice which had a huge crowd doing Yoga at Times Square, which we walked by (and did not see), as well as the first day of summer ( so we experience 2 seasons in NY! wahahah. cheap thrill!).

3. Our trip there also coincided with the passing of same-sex marriage in NY, making it the largest state to acknowledge same-sex marriage. The trial of Casey Anthony and and this unbelieveable show called Maury (which does paternity tests for problematic families, whose father doubted if their child(ren) are truly theirs) got me rather hooked to the TV when we are in the hotel room. I wonder in how many countries can the maury show pull off. I was shocked that in one story, the woman has a pair of fraternal twins, each belonging to a different man! Of course, there are some sweet stories (in a slightly twisted manner) whereby the woman cheated on the man, and found on the show that the baby belongs to the guy she cheated with BUT the bf forgave her and take care of the baby like his own. Nice...

4. I heart shopping at Victoria Secret! Their things are usually on the exp side (for me) but their sales are so worth rummaging the buckets of undergarments! I bought like 6 undergarments like $2.99 each (when the usual is like $8.50 or so) and they are mad comfy and cute! Luv them!

5. We read about this 2nd hand book store called strand, with 18 miles of books but doubted we will have time to look for it. Luckily for us, we chanced on it as we were walking along broadway to get to soho. There, i got a book at like 40% off and the book looked brand new! So so happy with this unexpected find.

6. We had a marvellous lunch at a 3 michellin place called Le bernardin. Had initially wanted somewhere else which my JC friend recommended but that place is not available for the entire period that we were in NY ( so so in demand and i tried to book 2 weeks before i visit NY) and hence, i went to check out the must-visit restaurants in NY, where Le Bernardin popped out. It wasnt available for dinners (for the entire period even though i tried to book online 2 weeks before i go over) and so, i settled for lunch where the only available timing for my bdae was 2.15pm. So late! But dats fine cos before that, we visited Heartland Brewery (just round the corner) for their sampling platter of beers, which are so yummy! Anyway, back to lunch... The entire experience was rather unforgettable. The super expensive champagne at $35 per glass was one which tasted nothing like what i ever had (it was like the 2nd cheapest on the drinklist already, while hubs had the cheapest at $25 per glass). This one just bubbles through the entire lunch and not like for 5 mins and just tapers off. In addition, some champagne has this siap siap texture which this one has none of. Very nice (but i doubt i will ever pay so much for a glass of champagne again). They are famous for fresh and perfectly cooked seafood, a reputation that they are indeed worth off. Definitely the best oysters i have ever had and the mains (fishes) are sooo yummy! Okies, pictures will come when i sort them out (obviously, i havent).

7. Obama and Bieber were in NY during this time period too. We were along Hudsons when we saw so many NYPD boats patrolling. Not like i care about Bieber but posted here as they both appear on the front page (i think thats insulting to Obama) of their local news and we took that as a cue to avoid Times Square (Obama at Broadway to catch Sisters Act and Bieber at Macys) that day.

8. Our trip to the UN was on the day Ban Ki Moon was re-elected at Sec Gen. We really had no idea but thought something must be going on when we saw the many reporters and police and the chains of police cars. Further to that, we were discouraged from taking the tour as the rooms are not available/ open for viewing on that day. Af the end of the day, we then realise that many big shots were there voting for Ban Ki Moon, who is there too when we were touring the exhibits in UN. How cool.

9. Oh yah, and this trip is the trip when 6 bottles of beer lasted longest in our hotel room! Due to my tiredness and Hubs' Jetlag, we dozed off pretty much immediately after cleaning up at the end of the day. So the beer we bought with the intention of drinking as we watch tv at night was left in the room, day after day after day for a record 3 or 4 days. Considering it was meant for just one night, this is a record worth jotting down. hah.

My pity was not getting to watch a Broadway show and missing the Gay Parade (by just one day). Then again, the entire trip was so fun already! and i so luv travelling with the man. He has been nothing short of awsome and i cant wait for the next trip with him!

2011-06-28T18:40:00.000-07:00

Its time to update my IC! And am wondering if i should insert my married name.

Tried to go online to find information on it like how it will appear, the pros and cons. Basically, there is hardly any pros except to give my husband the recognition which i think he deserve and that pro is probably all that is required but i dun want it to create trouble for all the legal issues.. still thinking.

Trip to Toronto so far...

2011-06-18T03:59:00.000-07:00

First abt the conference... I like that they put up all posters for a few days, unlike the just 1 day in previous year. I like the selection of presenters (although can always do better) and the morning coffees. Perhaps, even its location where there is no shopping mall near enough (at least as far as i know) so i dun find myself getting distracted and somehow inching towards any malls.

Each of those who won awards took turns for to treat dinner so Z was first and we went to this Irish Embassy Pub, which claimed in an advertorial to have the best pub food in the world. That was what caught our attention.. The food was nice, in particular this bacon and scallop appetizer and the 16 draught beers were much appreciated though hmm, i find them forgettable. The next day, it was my treat at Jack Astors, which i really like much more. Here, they have 23 draught beers and our team of drinkers venture to taste as many as we could. Boss love and stuck to the Sam Adams while M had this exclusive beer to Jack Astors (thats unforgettable and my fav on the trip so far) and the only microcarbonated beer while i has this canadian beer and another hop city squirrel beer. Such a cute name. Food was surprisingly good and i certainly prefer it to Irish Embassy. We had this yummy Nachos capped with cheeses and chili, a lobster crab dip and honey garlic wings for appetizers. Then we had our own mains of which i had this dragon fired chicken (which sounded so funny, dun u think) and finally, we ended the dinner with a night cap of screaming orgasm each (i really think its a privilege for me to be in such a cool team)!

In summary, the trip has been great! The lab people were so much fun! It was great when we visited the steam whistle brewery on one free afternoon together and drank on the 3 cups of the free pilsner. and the dinners and yesterday night (without the boss), where we walked along Lake Ontario, snapping pictures like mad and ending up in an unassuming jap restaurant which had great value food thats yummy and great service! In a whizz, we realise we just had fun till like 12am before we head back to KO.

Visiting St Lawrence Market with J in 2 hrs time. Excited cos today is strawberry festival!

Pasta Inc Disappoints

2011-05-30T21:27:00.000-07:00

Using one of those spree vouchers that i so love, went for a nice dinner session with Hubs as Pasta Inc, located at Keong Saik last week and was very disappointed.

Have forgotten to take pictures until about the mains and so tot its pointless anyway..

1. Starter:PORTOBELLO AL FORNO
Portobello mushrooms baked with mixed cheese, finished with a dash of tomato sauce.

This was at their recommendations and at $18, i was shocked (obviously not in a good way) that it comes with only 2 mushrooms, each of which a diameter of 4-5cm. Its nice but completely forgettable and seriously overpriced.

With that, it necessitates another starter as the food is obviously not going to be enough and hence we order starter no. 2

CARPACCIO DI MANZO
Thin slices of raw beef topped with mustard, rocket and parmesan flakes

Again, we got chopped. For $22, we got very very few small slices of beef. It felt like a joke.

And then, we had our mains. Heard ravings of their squid ink pasta and hence anticipating a good dish out of this.... and u guessed it. Disappointed again. The colour was right but the sauce was bland. The colour is disconcordant with the taste which was rather watered down. Certainly doesnt taste squid-inkish.

Hubs had Ravioli with minced beef and i guessed its passable although we both wished for a larger portion for both mains.

Obviously, there is room for dessert which i ordered the PANNA COTTA ALL’AMARETTO, the only appropriately priced item at $10 a pop.

The service was the only factor i think worthy of a praise and no, i wont visit a eatery just for the great service. The $20 offer i got from the spree was really peanuts compared to the total bill. Verdict: Give me Al Forno anytime (which maybe more expensive but the quality and quantity are tons better).

2011-05-30T21:05:00.000-07:00

Had wanted to donate blood back in feb and after completing the questionaire and healthcheck, i failed at the Hb level and was unable to donate. Waited for abt 3mths (not intentionally but was too bz to think abt going to the donation center, despite it being few steps away only) and decide to go for my 27th last week. Decide to do the Hb check first before any questionaires and woah, was surprised to know my Hb was 14+ ( i was abt 12 the last time i tried to donate blood and the minimum to donate blood is 12.5). While i try to eat slightly more red meat last week, i was surprised to know that my Hb was so high (prob the highest as far as i rem) cos i dont think i ate that much red meat or green leaves (to compensate my abstinence of liver). After a chat with the nurses and looking through the piece of information i got from her, i realise why.. Did u know soy bean is a really really rich source of iron? Even more than liver! I been downing soya bean almost every day due to a craving initiated few weeks back (aggravated by Sheng Shiong's offer of 2L for $2) and i suppose thats y my Hb level were so high, which is cool! No longer do i have to find ways to compensate my avoidance of liver to prevent being slightly anaemic and looking pale like a sheet.

Comes this June, i will be getting the bronze award (for 25 donations) on World Blood Donor Day. Thats a rather sweet gesture from the blood bank and i happily accepted the invitation. Will be going down with Hubs for a complimentary visit to the Science Centre as well. =D

Lovely Sex on the Beach

2011-05-23T20:05:00.001-07:00

Am seriously have a ball of time, participating in those bulk purchases! Just last night, i enjoyed this bottle of fruit wine, a full bottle of 750ml at only $8. Super worth it considering the original price is $19. Told hubs we shall just have one glass each but it tasted so yummy, we polished off the entire bottle. Under the bulk purchase, each person is allowed to buy only 3 bottles (which i obviously did). I still have 2 more flavours to try but already wishing i could buy more!

Today, am having a lunch bento comprising some meat skewers which i bought from Bigdeal. For $4, i got a total of 5 skewers of my choice (which i summed up the ala carte price to be $7.80.). Extra brownie points for the yummy-ness.

Over the weekend, bought food vouchers for a couple more eateries. =P
Faith just digs deals like these..

A well-rested weekend.

2011-05-22T17:34:00.001-07:00

The weekend was great. Started off at Square 2 on Friday night where i met hubs for some therapy at Tri033, only to realise they have moved to Serene Centre and hence called the person up to reschedule our appt. We make the best of the rare times we visit Square 2 by having his fav fried ckn, Popeyes. I lurve lurve the biscuits and the tender juicy ckn, but i prefer KFC's batter, while my hubs prefers popeyes hands down.

Went for some grocery shopping at Cold storage and saw a 1for1 promo for a canned beer (exclusive at Novena's Cold storage till 31st May) and bought 2. keke.

On Sat, waited for repairman to come and repair our water heater and he came at 1.30pm, at which my hubs has no other choice but to wake up.. The repairman was good and helped us with our secondary heater too (of course at a cost). After made $80 poorer, hubs and I went to JP for a late lunch at 3plus and grocery shopping for dinner. Hubs then went off to meet his friend who just returned from overseas while i caught an episode of Iron Chef America, read a couple of journal articles before whipping up dinner. He said he will be back at 8 for dinner and i waited and waited as he said he is on his way at 8.07pm until about 9, when i had enough and have my own share of dinner. U know what time he came back?! 9.30! I really wonder where in the world he met his friend that it take 1.5 hrs to get from on his way to home. I really dont mind him meeting his friend but i certainly appreciate more truth den me being kept waiting and waiting...

On Sun, i woke up to wash clothes and hubs slept from 10pm the night before to 12noon. We had the leftovers from dinner and then, nua in front of the TV. I attempted to read more journal articles but failed miserably. We left for Kino abt 4.15pm and left Taka in less than an hour and headed over to Sengkang for a simple dinner and then came back home to watch some tv and read a few pages of the book i am currently reading. Turned in at 12.

Oh yah, before the start of GSS, i have already sinned cos the allure of sale is just too too great, esp when i managed to sell off quite a number of items. Sold 2 dresses, a book, a mascara, a small bottle of massage oil and waiting for payment for another book, a hair product. The extra money generated was spent on 2 dresses at $40, 2 necklaces at $20 and 2 tops at $20 over the weekend. tsk tsk..Ok lah, i still made a small net gain from selling the stuff i got no use for.

Shall share with u some of my buys.

Nice?
Time to work hard!

2011-05-15T18:27:00.000-07:00

Cant believe the way SDP's members tok about our previous prime ministers..
If the general consensus is that its the young who doesnt appreciate the old and/ or we have forgotten the difficulties Singapore has overcame to be what it is today, the old in the party appears to prove that wrong.

I was still thinking that SDP has changed for the better since 1997 but hmm, seems like it hasnt. Apart from terrible policies like drawing 60 billion out of reserves (which is peanuts to them, by the way), they are now calling for by-elections and calling our top men to quit their other posts etc etc...I seriously think those organisation including our govt need them more than they need the organisations etc.

In my opinion, i think this party probably still rank the rudest. They dont seem to pause even for one second to weigh the options and in failing to do so, saying things that can jeopardise the entire national spirit. Revolting.

Respect..

2011-05-09T23:16:00.000-07:00

From an interview with Connie Eaves by the Journal Stem Cells

"I've always been impatient and in a big rush so I wanted to have children early in my career. I was very strongly advised by my supervisor, who I admired and respected enormously, that it wouldn't be very clever to have children when I was pursuing my doctorate. So I didn't get pregnant until I was a postdoctoral fellow. Still, I think that when I did become pregnant it posed a challenge to my supervisors in their trying to predict how serious I was in becoming a career scientist, and this was exacerbated by my having all four children within 7 years. But I was determined to be very active in my career so I never took time off work. I only took two weeks off when my first child was born and one weekend off for my last. So my supervisors got used to the idea that this was of no real concern to them.”

"Science is like an art in that it's your performance that matters. If you produce a good song today it's not necessarily going to last forever. This is, in part, what attracts people into science; it is that very insecurity that provides the drive to keep creating something new. There are many difficult challenges to face, but this doesn't mean that challenges are a bad thing. People climb mountains because they want to meet the challenge; they don't run away because there's a big mountain. That is why one should try to learn from the best people in the field—to gain the skills and confidence needed to best address the most challenging problems.”

2011-05-09T21:22:00.000-07:00

I like what i read on Foreign Minister George Yeo's Facebook page.

I quote Jerry Lee who wrote this comment that i agree very very much ;"You did not lose Aljunied GRC, Aljunied GRC lost a very good man."

I teared when i know he lost the election. I might agree to a audible alternative voice but not with this stake. I guess having a opposing voice means more to Fellow Singaporeans than a capable minister.

FYI: the contributions by George Yeo for this little red dot (from Wiki):
1. led the team who conceptualised and built the award winning SAFTI Military Institute
2. he liberalised the use of dialects in the local movie industry, which paved the way for a generation of local movie directors and producers
3. oversaw the design and construction of the iconic Esplanade Theatres on the Bay and the new National Library.
4. led his team to successfully negotiate the Free Trade Agreement with the United States, Japan, Australia and other countries, saving hundreds of millions of dollars for Singapore businesses and citizens.
5. His team also reinvented and redeveloped Sentosa Island including waterfront living at Sentosa Cove. Sentosa is now a bustling destination for both locals and visitors.
6. proposed the idea of having gaming Integrated Resorts (IR's) in Singapore, which was intensely debated for a year. (He later shared with a group of university students during a dialogue that his late father had a problem with gambling and the decision to push for the gaming resorts was personally a very difficult one. He said that policy making often involved a choice between 'evils'.)
7. he managed to convince the Myanmar government, during the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, to accept foreign aid which led to many lives being saved from the effects of the disaster.
8. held several portfolios as a Cabinet Minister: MITA, Health, MTI and MFA)

TO reinforce the truths, i would like to paste a letter from his ex-subordinate that was published in the Straits Times (Currently a special advisor to the Institute of Policy Studies at the National University of Singapore )
"One of my hopes for the 2011 General Elections was that those who won would be magnanimous and those who lost would be gracious.

Foreign Minister George Yeo was gracious in defeat. In his concession speech, he congratulated Mr Low Thia Khiang and his Workers' Party team on their victory and wished them success. Of the other defeated candidates, only Mr Desmond Choo of the People's Action Party and Ms Nicole Seah of the National Solidarity Party were just as gracious.

A man's character can be gleaned from his conduct, both in victory and in defeat. Mr Yeo is a gentleman and an honourable man, whatever the conditions.

I have had the pleasure of working under his leadership in three of his ministerial portfolios. He was our first minister of the then Ministry of Information and the Arts, or Mita. During nine years at Mita, he changed Singapore from a so-called cultural desert to a cultural oasis.

He appointed Mr Tan Chin Nam chairman of the newly created National Library Board - and Mr Tan, together with Mr Christopher Chia, revolutionised our library system and made it one of the best in the world. Mr Yeo also appointed Mr Lim Chee Onn chairman of the National Heritage Board, and me, chairman of the National Arts Council.

It was under his leadership that the Esplanade was built, the Asian Civilisations Museum was envisioned, the Arts Festival was made an annual event, the LaSalle College of the Arts took off, and the Government agreed, for the first time, to subsidise arts education. Today, Singaporeans enjoy a rich and varied cultural life. They should not forget the person who planted the seeds that have blossomed.

Mr Yeo brought the same energy, imagination and enthusiasm to the Ministry of Trade and Industry. He realised that because trade is Singapore's life blood, it should play a proactive leadership role in global trade forums like the World Trade Organisation (WTO). He quickly won the admiration and trust of his peers. They asked him to chair the negotiations on agriculture, one of the most contentious issues. WTO director-general Pascal Lamy is an admirer of Mr Yeo.

In order to enlarge Singapore's economic space, Mr Yeo championed the idea of linking Singapore's economy with other economies by way of free trade agreements (FTAs) and comprehensive economic partnership (CEP) agreements. During his watch, he launched more than a dozen FTA and CEP negotiations.

He appointed me chief negotiator in our negotiations with the United States. During the journey of two years, we encountered many difficulties. Throughout, Mr Yeo remained calm, optimistic and creative. He worked relentlessly with the different stakeholders in the US to earn their support and to find acceptable solutions to the difficulties.

In the final stage of the negotiations, there was a shortlist of issues that the two chief negotiators could not resolve. Those issues were finally resolved by Mr Yeo and his American counterpart, Mr Robert Zoellick, in a marathon negotiating session that extended through the night without dinner and ended successfully at dawn. Members of the Singapore delegation were deeply impressed by the cool and masterly way in which Mr Yeo had negotiated with Mr Zoellick.

Mr Yeo has been Singapore's Foreign Minister for nearly seven years now. He inherited a ministry in good order as a result of the legacy of Mr S. Rajaratnam, Mr S. Dhanabalan, Mr Wong Kan Seng and Professor S. Jayakumar. What contributions did Mr Yeo make to that heritage? I would single out three.

First, he taught us to think strategically and to prioritise. He constantly asked his staff to ensure that our most important bilateral relationships were in excellent order. He scanned the horizon for new opportunities - such as in the Middle East and Latin America.

Second, he was the first foreign minister to use history and culture as instruments of diplomacy. He persuaded the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to restore the Sun Yat Sen Villa and to turn it into a historic site linking Singapore, China and Taiwan. He requested that the National Heritage Board restore the memorial to Subhas Chandra Bose, who is celebrated in India as a nationalist and independence fighter. It was due to the leadership of Mr Yeo, a Roman Catholic, and of former Indian president Abdul Kalam, a Muslim, that the ancient Buddhist university at Nalanda, Bihar is being reincarnated.

Third, Mr Yeo believes in the importance of friendship in diplomacy. He often invited his foreign guests to his home to have dinner with him and his family. He went out of his way to show warmth and friendship to his foreign interlocutors. When Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar was Malaysia's foreign minister, Mr Yeo visited him in his constituency in Malaysia to pay his respects during Hari Raya.

Mr Yeo is blessed with high IQ, EQ and CQ - cultural intelligence. He is an exceptionally gifted man. Although an engineer by training and a soldier by profession, he is also a philosopher and historian. Although a devout Roman Catholic, he is a champion of inter-faith dialogue and understanding.

Mr George Yeo is ideally qualified to play a leadership role on the global stage, and I sincerely hope he will do so. "

He is one of the PAP members who doesnt conform and is always thinking of ways to bring the country forward. Tough decisions have to be made and what separates a great man from the rest is the bravery to do so. He probably already knows that the IRs will be strongly debated and he himself has got personal knots in his heart to untie but one cant deny the jobs it brought as well as the revenue. I recall one opposition argues that these jobs have no 'heart' and that they shdnt have be there but rather more schools, hospitals etc, which have more heart. I concur on the later comment but know what, if u want more teachers and more hospitals, nurses, doctors etc.. where are their salaries going to come from? The $ got to come from patients aka us or govt (which will either run the risk of raiding our reserves or tax people more). I think from my limited knowledge that thats y IRs which draws $ and business from overseas investors was introduced. and even a nobody like me can think of that and accept it. I even applaud the effort taken to implement measures to help the others who might suffer from gambling addiction etc.

I have digressed. Going back to George Yeo, one might say its a GRC and he is a sacrifical goat. But team for team including George Yeo as a member and PAP really is worse? One relative of mine said: shd let the WP team in and if 5 yrs later, they dont do good, we can remove them. To which i asked a question: what did George Yeo and his 4 other members do wrong that you decide to remove them? He was dumbfounded. If u say PAP have committed some wrongs, dont u think u shd go for the right people (i must say i am not advocating that but to make a point why George Yeo and team has to be sacrificed)? To go and seek a win at a constituency helmed by such a capable minister does not sound like its for our good but of course, its subjective. Oh well. Its our people's choice and i certainly respect that. On one hand, i wish George Yeo can still contribute to us as he is such a talent BUT on the other hand, i think he shd go seek greener pastures for people like us, just dont deserve this great man.

Hereby, i wish him all the very best!

2011-05-05T21:27:00.001-07:00

I really really hope that George Yeo will remain as one of our MPs on 8th May!

GE 2011 again..

2011-04-25T20:33:00.001-07:00

Vivian Balakrishnan was one of my fav MPs. I was really impressed when he came into the political arena andd more recently, the results of a survey i read on straits times reveals that i am one of the many whom Dr Vivian has connected with. I recall him having the highest score after our MM and PM.

When i heard from the conversations ard me that his team question about Dr V.W. being a gay, i was shocked.. I thought that was a rather below the belt hit, until i find out more. Once again, i realise its a game of pass-the-message turned awry. He and his team did not take a shot at Dr V.W's sexuality (in fact they emphasize that its not abt it), but rather whether this is a topic that the party and Dr V.W. is going to push for change at the parliament. Now after going into specifics, i think its a valid question. There shdnt be hidden agendas and just like how all candidates speak freely about topics that hit close to their heart etc, if this is one topic they wanna cover then they should say it out loud. Gay or not gay is really besides the point and it really doesnt matter at least to me. BUT that question by Dr Vivian and team is valid as its about policies that the opposition party cares to campaign for. For Dr Chee to say that question is a smear tactic is just him doing his usual thing of twisting everything he could (A BONA FIDE SMEAR TACTIC). ditto to his malicious comment of our health minister asking us to send our parent to Johore.. There are comments that say Dr Chee has changed for the better since those days he ran after our SM Goh Chok Tong for clarifications but it appears that if he has improved, there is still a lot of room for improvement sia..

I must say the opposition parties do have a few candidates who have been turning some heads, one of whom is this young Nicole Seah. She is no doubt young, even younger than Tin but she has a mind of her own, and a rather brillant one with a seemingly clear idea of what she is talking about and what policies she wants change in. No wonder she is making fans of her out of so many Singaporeans!
As for Tin Peiling, she must be the weakest link of the PAP and not only does she not help in gathering votes for PAP, she is 'helping' PAP lose votes as having her as an candidate does seem to contradict what PAP says of their highly capable candidates. Oh well, maybe i dont know her enough and i certainly hope to be proven wrong.. Time will tell, i guess.

2011-04-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

A bit heart pain to spend $60 to rent the academic dress for my graduation sia...

YES, i am finally due to graduate with the Harry Potter hat! HAH.

2011-04-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

From what i see, nothing ages u faster than joining politics.. Looking at our politicians, i thank them for their hard work and contributions. Its seriously not an easy job and to rub salt on wounds, its impossible to please everyone and so, despite giving their all, they get criticism after criticism. Eg: if u talk too well, they say u are out of touch with the ground and if you talk in a way to strike a chord with heartlanders, people complain u talk like a beng..

In my opinion, they have done good. Not that i agree with everything. For one, the failure of PRs or foreign workers assimilating into our culture is something that needs to be brought up and given some attention to. Spitting anywhere u like or talking like u are in the market all the time (even in office) is something i wish i dont have to encounter BUT it is trivial compared to asking me to sweep the roads, work at construction site for 6 long days of a week for a meagre salary. So, we have to look at things in perspective.. Then again, this is my point of view.

disclaimer: obviously i dun think the above example of assimilation into our culture is the only or biggest problem. Its just an example that i randomly pulled out. Not intending to write a thesis on this and so, dont shoot me for the sake of it.

Received a kind deed today and was pleasantly surprised. Placed my bag on the floor when seated and the thai ger next to me shifted a bit, away from me and tell me that i can put my bag there instead of the floor, which is dirty. She didnt have to but she did and i thank her for her sweet thought. =D

2011-04-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

Decisions we made can so haunt us.

2011-04-22T02:47:00.001-07:00

Thinks its a great idea to be single and available.

She is not but feeling all alone in the world.

GE is here!

2011-04-19T19:49:00.003-07:00

The excitement brewing in the past few weeks has been intense and i am pretty sure it will continue to brew until May 7.

Personally, i am feeling the excitement too! Everyday, i was reading the news (i do that every day) with the anticipation of more PAP candidates being announced, the points being discussed, the criticisms and some insightful discussions (which really shd hv been more).

I am also excited that after almost 3 decades of being a Singaporean, i finally will get my chance to vote (the last 1 or 2 times since i turned 21 had walkovers). I wish more is being done at West Coast GRC. As far as i know, nothing was really mentioned about its development for the next 5 yrs, quite or rather very different compared to many other constituencies and even those close like Pioneer SMC and Boon Lay GRC. It almost feel like we are the forgotten bunch or maybe take-for-granted bunch.. And i wish its a more capable opposition instead of Reform Party challenging the constituency but oh well..

I must say the Opposition has certainly improved by leaps and bounds over the past few yrs, although whether its enough or not is still contentious. Furthermore, i think their selection of candidates should have been more stringent. Perhaps they face a shortage of candidates (which is not surprising) but we all know sacrificing quality for quantity usually get no one anywhere.. I watch the forums on Channel 5 and/or CNA with great amusement, how the oppositions answer questions or pass comments
1. One speak in 2 syllabus and 2 syllabus only (okay, maybe 3 syllabs occasionally).
2. One cant understand the same questions posed to him/her 3 times!
3. Another one just kept agreeing (first with A and then B).

I cant agree more with fellow Singaporeans that competition is good and for that matter, good opposition is of paramount importance. If otherwise, diversity for the sake of diversity spells horror more than anything for our future and to coin that as insurance is ludicrous. I will almost certainly choose putting all my eyes into 1 basket than to put my eggs into 2 basket of which one has a hole in it.

2011-04-15T23:25:00.001-07:00

i think we are in deep trouble... But what are we to do? Put it at the back of my mind and focus on work.. There is just no time for anything else.

Random Pics from my Phone

2011-04-04T03:37:00.000-07:00

020411:We hit this Korean Restaurant at 38 Tanjong Pagar Road.. The above was Hub's Bimbibab. Hmm, i think they can do better .. We prob wun visit it again. Then again, we wouldnt if not for th fact the famous one across the road was full house and we din want to wait. Took the above pic as that was the one we improvise to cook the sliced garlic which we love love love so much! ehhee...Eating at this eatery only serves to make me crave for better Korean food! When can i hit Ju Shin Jung again? Steamboat cum BBQ buffet at Smokeless Palace. Bought 2 vouchers at a great offer on dunno which spree site. Hmm, it was pretty vacant. Food was adequate although i wish its not just the drinks and meat (beef and pork and only 1 flavour each) thats free-flow. Its a nice place to try out but errr, i think i would rather hit mushroom pot anytime!

Above, one Monday when we were eating at my MIL's place. We were hving jap and i took this pic because i or rather all of us were shocked by the sheer volume! We are certainly very well-fed but this is way too much for 5 pax man.. At the end of the meal, it appears that we barely made a dent. wahaha..Nonetheless, very delicious!

So excited to find these 2 items when roaming around waiting for hubs to finish his haircut at the barber.. The below snack was something i adore eating back in sec sch! And it cost like $0.10-$0.20 a pack! And the colour bread, with butter and peanut costing $2.70 with spread. Not cheap but i was so excited, i just bought and took one straight away despite hubs saying that we are heading back for dinner at my parent's place.. hehe.. Its yummy!

Old times' sake

2011-04-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

Just found this photo from my old laptop... It was a personalised invitation we made for each of our guests for our ROM. We ROMed by the beach and hence, i tot of this idea and put it to fruition with bottles, shells, and sand and all u see here!

I even designed the invitation card, planned the wordings, sourced the paper and printed them myself at Bras Brasah.. =)

Great Deals

2011-03-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

Just bought 2 more vouchers at bigdeal.sg for mushroom pot, my fav steamboat place! Quality food, wide variety and super healthy and flavoursome soup! Was going through the list of vouchers i got from them and so far, am still very impressed with my more recent deals.

Went with hubs to this Izakaya at holland V for a 10 course meal for 2 at only $29.80 (original price: $62.40) and we both loved the place and food and of course the price! Even Hubs is impressed! hehe.

We both had a great feast at Nanxiang Xiaolongbao with the cash voucher that was going at 35% discount

Hehe.. I just cant pass on such great deals and yes, i love to share the love!

Once upon a time..

2011-03-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

In fact, not too long ago ( 27th Feb), i look not too bad at all..

Fast forward 2.5wks when i took pics to renew my passport, i look so terrible tt ws had to comfort me and say its cos i havent been slping nough and blah blah blah... I looked at the 2 pictures and ant help heaving a sigh..Hai.

2011-03-01T06:38:00.000-08:00

My boss has previously asked me how many hours i worked a day.. While i admit it was less than my PhD days (7am to 11pm, 6 days a wk and 10am to 5am on Sun ie 103hrs or 7am to 11pm, 4 days a wk, 20hrs the 5th wkday where i stay over and 10am to 5pm both Sat and Sun ie 98hrs), i think i m still working very hard, for what i m paid.

Just yest and today:
Yest:12hrs
Today: 12+2hrs (at home)

Am xhausted for now.. Tim to hit the sack.

2011-02-28T03:06:00.000-08:00

Kena bullied by another post-doc. Damn it.

2011-02-23T07:18:00.000-08:00

Instd of lamenting that hubs always has to travel overseas for work, i love the excitment i feel the night before his return. Like 小别胜新婚, u know?

I guess this is the lemonade making part. =D Looking forward to tmr's night!

Pics from my phone

2011-02-22T15:21:00.000-08:00

My first attempt of Green Curry Chicken yesterday (130211). Finally, my parent came over for a proper meal cooked by the 2 of us. Forgot to take pictures but this was one of the 3+1 courses.. Well-received so i am happy. Took the leftovers as lunch in office the next day.

Our God-daughter, wearing the Polo Ralph dress we bought for her from San Fran. She is soo adorable now! Just visited her on Sat and boy, is she intelligent.. Will talk to us, mimick us, sing along to the CDs with hand actions, go out of the room to get Kaiye into the room to dance together... SO CUTE!

Random food pics..

This is from the infamous Sin Huat at Geylang.. We ordered because we never heard of Steamed Sting Ray.. Apparently, it showcases the cooking prowess of the chef.. It was interestingly but not worth a re-visit.. Personally, i think the prowess of the chef and eatery is 'chop us like cai tou". Granted the food is interesting, unique and pretty yummy, the service (i lost count of how many times i go in to get someone to take out order and the place is half-empty), the long waits in between the courses (this place serves like restautants, one course after another.. Not sure if its intentional though) and the exorbitant prices.. Can u imagine, steamed gong gong (granted with their special sauce comprising garlic and chilli, NOT TRUFFLE OR CAVIAR) costs $50! Same for prawns, and the sting ray... Very very ex meal. Doubt i will ever return.

Nxt up, a nice find! Patronise Shimbashi soba in Paragon as it was one of the few restaurants without a queue.

WS's

My xmas festive set.

Pleasantly surprisd by the food! They were super yummy! If u ever go there, hv their cold soba! Almost as gd as the ones i had in Gunma.

Next yp: Winnings!

Got a complimentary makeover session by RMK as well as their make up foundation. Have yet to try the foundation yet but the ger used it for my makeover session.

Since free, i booked my session just b4 a wedding dinner and ta-dah..

this was taken after the dinner, when i got home. Looks a little white as my dressing table lights are on. Love how she does my eyes. Guess we do hv to put quite a bit of make up as most of the time, i look like i hv no makeup on and this time, i tot the make up looks really heavy, its actually just right.

Also got a Sunsilk Hamper..

and i realise i never have to buy shampoos, conditioners, facial foams, moisturizers cos i have won enough till now and beyond (like 2 yrs, i think). heh.

2011-02-20T16:40:00.000-08:00

Sold a book, 2 dresses and a bag last week! Hehe..(i must say its such a rare thing to see so much sales!) Am just glad to cut my loss and made a profit on one item which i bought at $4 and sold at $20. hehe..

Booked our 'lomantic' dinner at Garibaldi for restaurant week and looking forward to it!

And we also booked our cebu flights for this yr! Using the 50% offer on cebupacific.com... With sports equipment, plus 15kg luggage, plus seats selection and it cost abt $450 for 2 pax. Happy! Next up would be to finalise our dive package, and then just counting down to bubbles. =D

Live Everyday as if it is Your Last..

2011-02-09T21:11:00.000-08:00

Tasted what seems like a surge of bile in my mouth when i read from a friend's blog that a mother who has contributed BM to my research before, has passed on.

Leaving behind two young kids (3yrs 10mths and less than 1 yr old).

My last contact with her as like 3 yrs bk and i must say i dont know her very well. Nonetheless, having read what my friend wrote abt her and browsing through her blog, i am saddened by the loss of this angel from our world. Taking her away from here at such a tender age of early 30s is so harsh, dont u think?

Well, we cant undo what has happened but this certainly serves as a very timely reminder to

Carpe Diem, everyone!

Dont wait cos time certainly doesnt.

Tired of doing the one man show...

2011-01-25T18:24:00.000-08:00

of planning every single trips we took.
From air tics, to lodgings to planning the trips..

of cleaning the entire house.
The entire house is cleaned by me and the helper. He can settle himself nicely into the pile of clothes sitting on the sofa, without feeling the slightest guilt.

Everytime i go out for alone time with friends, or attend a wedding dinner... when i come bk, the house is usually in a mess...He has done nothing... and has either park himself in front of the tv or the computer with his cans of beer.... which will be left at the sink forever, unless i clear them.

For 2 yrs, i have been asking him to clear the doors in the storeroom and for 2 yrs, he has been procrastinating ( he was the one who dont want the ID to get rid of those doors for us)...

For a mth, i have asked him to change $ and to settle the cebu trip.... none of which has ever been done.

Gosh, am i worn.

2011-01-18T22:59:00.001-08:00

my baby is back!!

2011-01-18T02:52:00.000-08:00

Won a fragrance and make up set from cleo! hehe..

Krung Thep (BKK) 2010

2011-01-17T07:50:00.000-08:00

BKK Dec 2010

First time taking MAI airlines..Both sets here, eaten by me.. haha.. Actually, the man hardly eats plane food but i will always get him to take a different set from mine and then i can pinch a bit here and a bit there.. I quite dislike flying as i am someone who cant really slp easily and never could slp on plane ( flew to US/ barcelona and slp like at most 1 hr before i will wake up). Therefore, abt from movie time (not available in this instance), makan time are my highlights, together with reading time. Food wasnt too bad! Like the ckn one better, although i finish both the ckn and the fish, and the veg, without the carbs. hehe.

First meal there, along the roadside.. and was so annoyed because they missed out our most impt order of the claypot soup! That was why we were the in the first place but after waitin for eternity, i asked them and they say no more... Next thing i know, the tables after us got served that! So annoyed! They also missed our bbq meat and i-cant-recall-what and so, we ended up having like the fish and the salad, which are yummy nonetheless.

Some vespa exhibit next to our hotel.. So pretty, right?! We went pass on our way to pray at Erawan. Thereafter, we went MBK where hubs bought 2 levis from Tokyu, his pen refills and a pair of nice shoes. My loot: 3 bags at $6 each and a pair of shoes at $8 and 2 waistpouches that mum asks me to get.

After MBK, went back to nua in the hotel until 5 before i manage to persuade WS to let me go Platinum for a quick round. Saw this sight on our walk to Platinum Mall (to feed my shopaholic alter-ego)..This river stank like miles away last yr and so, this yr we kinda braved ourselves as we approach it... BUT surprisingly, no smells! What a pleasant surprise! So i went Platinum to shop and met up with hubs like 2 hrs later for dinner!

Our next roadside dinner ( at a different stall of course) left us really satisfied! Prompt service and yummilicious food! On the top row, some really solid chilli sauce, the claypot soup i been wanting to eat forever. On the bottome row: minced beef with basil, Yum Woon Sen and the seafood platter for the claypot soup.. Oh so good!

Of course, we went for thai massage of 2 hrs near our hotel (1hr 400baht, 2 hr 450baht, of course take 2 hrs lah!) before heading back to go thru out or rather my loots. keke.

That sums up our trip as our flight schedule requires us to leave for airport at like 8.30am.

Once again 2 sets for me and me.. The noodles on the left sucks big time. It was really awful and i painstakingly just pick up the prawns and veg to eat. haha.

The complete set of loots, with white wines, beers, cointreau (thats already40% gone as i type this post) and choya (thats already finished as i type this post).

Enjoyed the holiday and looking forward to the next trip!

2011-01-16T08:06:00.000-08:00

Just today, met
1. one car whose crazy driver weaves through AYE . i dont even know how far behind he came up from but he was on our left, and then the right of the car in front and then the left side of the car in front of that... before flying off... MY GOD! Really in such rush?? Such a irresponsible and crazy driver!

2. At least 2 cars and 1 bike that modified their front lights.. The lights were so bright, they definitely affects the driver of the car in front of them (Either thru the back mirror or the side mirror). I dont understand how is this desirable? Its not like that can make their car go faster. Do they see clearer with those lights? Is that really nec on a crowded PIE?

I wish there are more responsible drivers who are not out to prove anything redundant or pointless..

Hard Truths

2011-01-15T20:28:00.000-08:00

Been reading the extracts of our MM Lee's new book and i must say i am enjoying what i read and absolutely cant wait for the book! As usual, the precise, to-the-point answers and accurate retorts just make me yearn for the book.

I think the straits times team's choice to make it in the format of Q and As does make it more interesting and potentially more engaging for the younger generation.

Forsee it to be sold out right on the day of the release but sooner or later, i must lay on my hands on the book! Just cant wait!

2011-01-15T02:41:00.000-08:00

Am so sian of the many people who ask a million question on ebay and then say will buy etc etc and then dont bid nor hear from them. Wah liao.....

2011-01-05T02:17:00.001-08:00

Hi all, have placed a shoutbox (like tag board) on the left side on my blog. Highlighting in this posr as its not obvious due to the similar colour with the background. Do leave a comment or say hi!

Bigdeal.sg

2011-01-04T18:17:00.000-08:00

Sometime back, signed up at this website for some great deals (made possible through collective sale).

Have gained quite a number of good deals.

1. Sourced out Alcova, which turns out to have their ladies night on Wed, the day me, SH and GY were there.. very interesting place to just have a drink and people-watch.. Well, i have my share of bad drama but hmm, thats not the point of this post.

2. Bought a 650ml (abt 1.5times of a Ben & Jerrys) ice-cream for $11 at Galta Gelato. Gotten myself 3 different flavours. Was a bit disappointed that their much-raved pistachio was sold out that day but turns out the other 3 flavours (Lemon and Champagne Sorbet, Black Sesame and one milky one which i cant remember the name) i got were very yummy too! Definitely worth the $11 that i paid after getting a 50% discount via bigdeal.sg.

3. This is the one great deal that inspired this post.Diamond Rejuvenation Facial and Spa 4 in 1 Treatment for $38. I actually have more than 1 facial packages already but when this one sounds so good, its hard to give it a miss. And i am glad i did not. I went there on the last day of the promotion and was treated to almost 2 hrs of pure bliss!. The hydro spa, which was claimed to be very good for us (for detox, relax, tighten muscles, aid digestion etc etc depending on how one position herself in the tub) was relaxing i do felt like i have worked a bit if my abs, and they even appear flushed. After that, it was diamond facial, eye treatments, shoulders and facial massages before a mask to end of the facial. And at every step, i find myself drifting into dreamland and back.. It was sooo comforting and relaxing! My face looks a lot cleaner and fresher after the facial. The sales consultant, wasnt pushy at all and was all warm and sweet. Resisted signing another package as i have decided to not sign any until i cleared off the sessions of my existing package. But seriously, i recommend those who are looking for a facial (be it just one session or package) to consider Lark.

Finally, for all who are keen to pick up deals like such and more, do sign up for bigdeal.sg here.

040111:Banana Bread

2011-01-04T07:36:00.000-08:00

I have 3 extra bananas from the last bread pudding i made and hence, decide to try my hands on a banana cake..

Tadah!

The aroma from the baking oven was so nice!Love the smell of baking. But, after trying it, i think i will increase the number of bananas used (cant taste as much banana as i wish), increase a little sugar and cook 5min shorter (to keep it a little more moist). Will try this improved protocol and see if it improves the banana cake.

Adios, 2010!

2011-01-03T20:17:00.000-08:00

2010 passed in a flash. Would love to do a flashback on the past yr but somehow, i dont recall a lot.

The ones i can remember off-hand..

1. I finally handed up my thesis early this yr, before CNY.. A personal resolution i am so so glad i accomplished.

2. Visited States for the very first time of my life! With the love of my life, and got to shop like i never had a life.. so it was great.

3. Crossed the 3 yr mark with Hubs, which is a very significant point in my opinion (long story short, it removes the voice in me that our marriage might be too soon as 3 yrs into the relationship, i know i would say yes nonetheless).

4. Lived with my MIL for a couple of months when she moved over.. Taught me heaps and much as i din realise or whatsoever, i know i have matured over the years as i reflect on my earlier relationships.

5. A yr living together with my hubs and it seems to get better and better. Although its at an extremely ulu place, the extra time we got to spend and live together makes this decision of ours a much -preferred one than to wait for BTO.

6. Published my first original article, as a first author.. Its not something i am particularly proud of, because it was way overdue but rather i can finally quit being ashamed of myself that i-have-yet-gotten-it.

7. ( Realise i have yet mentioned abt my family in SK. )Maybe for the first mth or so, i have missed my old room that teeny weeny bit and its no longer the case. I still very much love them and look forward to our weekly meet ups over dinners.

8. My friends... This has probably taken a setback as with more work, and responsibilities at home, with 2 families and also the gatherings of both families (which i thoroughly enjoyed myself), it had become a lot harder to meet my friends. I tried to do so whenever i can, esp when WS is travelling but its not really enough. It doesnt help that i am now living pretty far from my friends, making it all the more daunting arrange a time and place to meet up.. Will try to work on this in 2011.

9. Finally, picked up driving again in the last quarter... Still not as independent as i would love to yet, but will certainly work on it.

10. Took up Thai classes! which is really tough, although fun.. Their many vowels, combined with the 5 different intonations can really make me sound so funny but moments where i managed to haggle the prices in thai when i was in Krung Thep (thai for BKK) make up a pretty priceless experience.

the 11th on the list (as i welcome 2011): Been cooking for this yr and am truly loving it! Hope to get to cook more and learn more!

Comes 2011, there are many things i look forward to ranging from personal resolutions to be accomplished, meeting the yet-unborn son of my bestie to experiences that are going to jump at me. I await the challenges with my fingers crossed!

Finally, i shall end this post with all the various status updates i have posted on Facebook for 2010.

p/s: oh yes, hubs made me a proud owner of 3 branded bags this yr! Never someone who bears to spend a few hundreds, let alone thousands on a branded bag (although i like their designs, touch, workmanship etc), i now owns 1 LV, 1 burberry blue and 1 chanel! Never thought that i would do so, all in a yr! haha.. Must thk hubs for the 3 exquisite gifts that i like so much!

Environmentally friendly...

2010-12-28T21:24:00.000-08:00

I aint all that environmentally friendly...

1. cos i refuse to buy most organic products (since they havent quite prove to make a difference as of now, except to swell my spending budget),

2. i still prefer to buy books where i can flip through the pages, even though there is a kindle (albeit it being hub's) sitting around the house,

3. i rely on my washing machine except for those pieces of which the colours run (even just washing those by hands is agonising enough already!)

4. I use a significant amt of electricity by ironing possibly everything: from bedsheets to all clothes (except undergarments) to curtains.

BUT, i do try to reduce my carbon footprint wherever i can:

A. By printing 2 pages on one sheet, using double pages or even forgoing the printing whenever i can,

B. I reduce the use of air-con as much as hubs would allow (although thats not very much. ;P)

C. I bring my own tupperware for takeaways

D. I carry around with me a bring-your-own bag to reduce the number of plastic bags i take from stores and when i do,

E. I recycle the plastic bags, paper bags and even wrappers whenever possible.

F. I reduce food wastages as much as i can..

What about u? The inspiration of this blog entry was the real fir trees people are buying for xmas thats just over.. Hmm, isnt it very unfriendly for the environment? I would like to add one more to my list above: Much as a real fir tree could be really nice to have, i refuse to support such an industry.

Broke broke broke....

2010-12-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

Already pretty broke after all the xmas gifts shopping and then...

HDB parking renewal of $540 for 6 mths,

and NUS season parking of $270 for 6 mths, all in one day...

No more cloth left on my pocket to burn liao sia..

Updates..

2010-12-26T23:19:00.000-08:00

Last 2 weeks just whizzed by! I seriously had no idea where time went?!

1. Went over to BKK for 3D2N but due to the flight arrangements, we i effectively have only one day to shop and boy, did i go all out! Haha.. I manage to get more things than last yr, when i had 3 times the time to shop. Either the protests are affecting them such that they dun mind clearing for a quick buck, or that my half past six haggling in thai amused them so much, or i have just too pampered by my man.. Before u call me a spendthrift, please hear me out.. I was encouraged by a quick sale of a pair of sandals that i bought last yr and sold at a $10 profit that i hope i can replicate that and hence, my lack of hesitation to buy those bags.. We shall see if that hope is practical and not just wishful.

2. We returned from BKK on Sunday and on Mon morning at 6.30am,we left the house for T. Balai. A really rustic place, where our friend, Kriss has some relatives and hence, 3 couples including us decide to pop over for a night to just relax. We had a great time, with the food and beer ....

But i returned with some upper respiratory tract infection.. Realising how little time i had left before CNY to do a thorough spring cleaning... Therefore, the sickly me (on MC) decide to brave it out and washed the curtains, wiped the bedroom windows (so that i can hang newlywashed curtains up for at least our sleep room).. I did that was totally breathless due to the chores and my infection. Then rushed off to MIL's place to have dinner together for Dong Zhi.

On Friday, it was a mad rush.. Despite starting the xmas shopping like months ago... i still have 4 that i havent got a suitable present and hence, right after work, rushed over to Orchard to buy what i deemed best after considering all the potential gifts. Dearest came home and whipped up dinner which i am so appreciative of. After dinner, it was chill time as i wrapped up the various presents and when the clock struck midnight, dearest presented me a present and i was totally surprised! He kept saying that he did not get a present for me and i keep saying nvm and dun get me one for the sake of getting. Its ok and blah blah blah and while i was still writing on his note, he presented me with this huge chanel paper bag... and woah!! Needless to say, i love that classic bag... hehe..

Sat was spent at his mum's place and Sun, at our own humble abode where we hosted some of our vb friends.... Long overdue gathering at my place and really hoped everyone was happy with the food and entertainment... I was telling WS how selfless the present he wants turns out to be!

Hmm, guess i know how the past 2 weeks whizzed by afterall. Anyway, its time for me to return to u... Hope i can share with u all some pictures for the next post. Till then, take care!

2010-12-14T01:04:00.000-08:00

*Updated*
One single day with a relay of last minute notifications to do things plus contamination in my impt cultures make today pretty much a very sucky day.

Now, hubs and i must squeeze out time before our trip to do some praying to tai sui. If only mum told us earlier..

At the end of the day of which hubs and i both worked late, it was nice chatting with him abt the day, about our work, about how thkful we are for our work.... that and the great dinner i had with boss and some overseas guests kinda reverse the sucky day..and once again, i m thkful. =)

Not Sweating the small stuff..+ Panasonic DIY Dazzling Workshop

2010-12-05T19:14:00.000-08:00

Much as i know i shdnt be doing it, i cant get myself to ignore the small stuff.... its bad and this on its own, is such a bad excuse.

For instance,
1. I cant let go of the fact that parking in NUS (without season parking) will cost more then $11 dollars (say for my working hours of 9) and even HDB parking in the area will cost $10.. and i would rather take a bus and train until i find a way to get season parking....

I am aware of this flaw of mine and am trying to look at the bigger picture...

Just yesterday when i went down to Vivocity for a workshop organised by CLEO and Panasonic.. i cant help weighing the pros and cons of driving there as oppose to taking public transport which is:driving down plus parking will cost at least $7, not to mention the 25min of driving there and 25min of driving back aka 50min of attention on the road as compared to spending less than $4 on public transport and 2 hrs of travelling during which i can finish the entire straits times and new paper.. I still cant see the convenience in driving, which hubs say is really weird of me..

Anyway, back to the course.. it taught us how to do a ten minute makeup and i am pretty amazed with the electric eyelash curler from Panasonic, which really makes the lashes curl very naturally!

Can u see the eyelashes that are nicely curled up?
Close up of the eye make up, with 2 different shades of blue, which i added a bit on my lower eyelid as well followed with a black pencil eyeliner and mascara..

We also were taught how to use the mult-styler from Panasonic to add volume to our hair, straighten as well as to curl it.

Despite having a curler (Philips) at home, I used it mainly to straighten my frizzy hair and hence, havent really got the chance to curl using that (I personally find braiding my hair and slping in it more effective and efficient). This Panasonic one which i just tried was extremely easy to use and fast! If it wasnt that i already have a curler, i might really consider it at the discounted price of $79 but rationality got the better of me (and i am thkful for that).

How do these curls look?

The goodie bag for all the participants, with my buy of the electric eyelash curler at $39 , with a complimentary Majolica Majorca Mascara (after using the 10 voucher issued to all participants). A pretty fun and useful experience that i am glad i attended.

After the workshop, I went up to the foodcourt to buy thunder tea rice for both me and hubs.... and the verdict: We still like the versions at Geylang and Boon Lay Place Hawker Centre better.

First Wedding Anniversary..

2010-12-03T22:16:00.000-08:00

We started with the wedding cake that has been frozen for a year...Kinda regretted freezing the entire cake because now i wonder how it taste a year ago.. The flavours are still there but raher dry..

Then again, if we did not freeze the entire cake, cant take this above pic... BUT i already took it a yr ago so it doesnt really matter....

Yummy sticky interior. On the actual day after work, we headed to Forlino for the degustation menu at one for one.. teehee... Celebrations are essentials, and there can be good deals to celebrate in a less costly manner..

Forlino's Degustation Menu

Apertura
Amuse Bouche

Granchio Reale con Insalatina di Rucola Selvatica, Infiorescenze di Piselli e Melone
Crab Salad with Wild Rucola, Sweet Pea Leaves and Cantaloupe

Crabcakes should all be like this... Made of crabmeat and not flour..

Capesante con Fagiolini e Nocciole
Pan Roasted King Scallops with French Beans and Hazelnuts

So perfectly cooked that i wished its more than one.

Tagliatelle con Anatra Candita e Fegato d’Oca
Tagliatelle with Duck Confit and Goose Liver

I dont usually eat Foie Gras but this one is really the best i have ever had...so much that i ate like half instead of the usual one small bite before passing to Hubs... The duck confit was really yummy, together with the al dente Tagliatelle.

Maialino da Latte al Pimento con Rape Novelle, Cavolo Viola e Salsa di Mele Mostardata
Roasted Suckling Pig with ‘Pimento’ Peppers and Spiced Apple Sauce

Creme Broulé alla Liquirizia con Gelato di Lamponi
Liquorice Crème Brûlée with Raspberry Gelato

The wine they recommended were yummy too! The man had a glass of Chianti Classico and a Merlot and me, a glass of Merlot.. He was so happy when i say i drive lor...cos he means he can drink more..

Finally, to end the date night..

Caffe’ e Piccola Pasticceria
Coffee & Petit Fours

The bill for the 2 of us comes up to $250, after the discount of $150... And we were stuffed and satisfied.

I also received my 2nd bouquet after marriage!

A huge bouquet of pink lilies and dark red roses...

Realise this pic doesnt have enough me pictures and decided to camwhore a bit since i have some make up on and am NOT wearing my specs..

the Zi Pai shots..

Hehee.. How time flies! Cant believe its been a year. This day last yr, it was all a hectic and teary day of my life as i entered a new phase with hubs... and in a flash, it has been a year into this new phase!

Hmm, suffice to say that it hasnt been easy as we grappled issues on our different expectations as well as our varied ways in handling issues and so on and so forth. While its not easy, its not all sour lemons. As the saying goes: What doesnt kill u, makes u stronger.. I like to believe its the same in a marriage...Henceforth, bring it on and may there be more anniversaries to come!

2010-12-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

Feels like having some cheese fondue..

News....

2010-11-29T19:38:00.000-08:00

From straits times:
" MOTORISTS visiting the just-opened Nex mall in Serangoon were caught in a bottleneck yesterday because of the design of the carpark.

Drivers heading to the second level and those descending to the first level - as well as those on the way out of the carpark - all got in the way of one another, causing jams inside and outside the carpark.

Motorists also complained about the narrow driveway between two rows of parking spaces, and the narrow ramp between levels that required cars to execute a nearly 90-degree turn.

Others noted the lack of green-light indicators to show the location of available spots among the 400 spaces there.

Housewife Grace Lee, 34, was in a long line of cars and trucks that had formed from the carpark entrance to around a road junction when The Straits Times visited the mall in Serangoon Central at around 1.30pm.

Aetos auxiliary police officers were called in to direct the traffic outside, while the mall's security personnel were managing the vehicle flow inside.

Mrs Lee said later: 'I waited an hour to get into the carpark.'

Bank officer Terence Tan, 47, was sending an SMS to his friend not to park at Nex. He said the turn up the ramp to the next level was too sharp."

MENTAL NOTE TO MYSELF TO NOT DRIVE TO NEX, IF I EVER GO THERE..

From The Scientist.com:
"Almost all professional levels in the life sciences are feeling the recent financial pinch, but there is one demographic group that always feels it—postdoctoral fellows. In some areas around the country, the salary may be sufficient, but in cities at the high end of the cost-of-living spectrum, that’s barely enough for Ramen noodles and coffee."

ITS SERIOUSLY LONG HOURS AND POOR MONEY. HOW TO MAKE A LIVING?=(

Gd Deals this month..

2010-11-29T01:37:00.000-08:00

As promised, this time round i remembered to take photos of the freebies i got when i bought Her World at the Women's Fair..

What u see here are the freebies when u buy 2 mags...

There are toothpaste, full bottle (750ml) dove shampoo and conditioner, gentle fabric detergents, hand sanitizers, more shampoos, facial scrubs, cleanser, deodorants, mouth washes and sanitary pads!! Well, the full bottles of shampoo and conditioner already more than make up for the price of the 2 magazines and hence, why wont i buy, right?

What i love most among the freebies......

I love massage and now, with this massage oil, it feels like a true massage session even at home...Granted me and ws probably cant handle doing an hr massage... 5 min with this, is better than 5 min without and i am so loving the 3 bottles of this... if only, it comes with a masseuse (cos the masseuse at home doesnt always comply to the 'contract' he signed on 29th nov 2009.)

Next up being this 1 for 1 voucher booklet i got from Women's weekly...

Wanted to buy the lychee mousse but was advised against it as it might have melted by the time i travel home.. and hence, i took the carrot cake and this earl grey infused chocolate mousse.. The former was just plain normal.. but the latter was yummy! I had the latter first and right there and then, i was thinking no wonder the price and its really yummy.. smooth with the clear taste of earl grey and then there are some bits within the cake, giving it the texture.....Then, i tried the carrot cake and wondered: how can the same confectionary come up with these 2 cakes? The standards are like a mile apart.
Nonetheless, at 1 for 1 (i paid a total of abt $7), i think its a great opportunity to try this chi-chi place out..

And making use of the 1for1 booklet, hubs and i are going to try the degustation menu of Forlino tonight!! hehe... How time flies, it already a year since we entered this new chapter of our lives..HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, my love!

2010-11-24T05:22:00.000-08:00

He's aslp at 8 and i m all alone again..

Monday....

2010-11-22T02:23:00.001-08:00

As usual, did not manage to do all that i wanted but glad to:
1. Collect a complimentary fruit pack from NUS (A bunch of grapes, a persimmon, a pear and a kiwi).

2. Cleared off 1/4 of my completely filled desktop.

3. Uploaded 3 more items on sale on ebay.

4. Worked on 5 pages of correction of the paper

5. Cooked tmr's lunch bento of Jap Curry.

I still have another 30min before needing to rush off... JIA YOU!

2010-11-21T18:12:00.000-08:00

His car is resisting my taming... =C

Or maybe its just me..

Leisure Readings

2010-11-19T22:10:00.001-08:00

Its usually a little hard to catch up with necessary readings, emails, family life over weekends, and managing to sneak some time for interest....

Am really glad i am able to do that this weekend, when hubs is away for work....
Read about gene therapy....
1. A case of X-linked fatal neurodegenerative disease (Adrenoleukodystrophy) is responding well to a gene therapy, when the normal gene ABCD1 is administered with the use of lentivirus... This prevents further degeneration of myelin, a fatty tissues that protects nerve fibres..

This promising work published in Science, pulls back some faith for gene therapy research which has suffered a considerable amount of negative attention;
1. when Jesse Gelsinger died 4 days after gene therapy treatment targeted to re-introduce healthy copies of the defective gene he possesses.
2. when 2 infants treated for SCD were found to contract leukemia, as a potential side effect of the gene therapy treatment..

This is certainly cool science!

UOB Chef's Creation: Absinthe

2010-11-15T00:11:00.000-08:00

This is the 2nd chef's creation we tried before the promotion ends on 31st. Have intended to try garibaldi but it was full house and hence, decide to try absinthe at Bukit Pasoh after reading the great reviews..

Absolutely love their constant supply of warm bread.... Nothing quite beats tasty warm bread with a generous serving of butter..
We chose yet another pinot noir... Cos hubs know i have such a soft spot for it.

As it has been soooo long, i really cant recall the names of the dishes...

Foie gras, which i passed to hubs who love it..

the mains of duck. First time i see duck being cooked in the same manner as steaks.. Both hubs and i tot poultry must be fully cooked.. Anyway, its still decent tasting.

Wel, my fav for this chef's creation is probably the dessert. It was supposedly apple crumble and then, the waiter came to us and tell us that it has been changed to apple tart. Hmm...I think only this is better than Gordon Grill and everything else...... GG wins hands down..

Last words: To be honest, was a little disappointed as having read all the reviews, expected something more but oh well... its a nice place to try out esp with the chef's creation offer!

And guess what, Chef's Creation has been extended till Jan 2011!! U bet i will try a couple more of this menu and i think u shd too! hee..

Current Tot

2010-11-09T23:12:00.000-08:00

Has never forgotten the wrong i did to u and knowing that you have moved on, and are entering the next phase of yr life..i am truly happy for u, although i havent exactly forgiven myself as yet. Maybe i never will....

Retail Therapy

2010-11-09T22:40:00.000-08:00

Just bought all 3 of these for $51 dollars last night...

Both the top and bottom..

The maxi and belt..

Just the top..

Fuss free in front of my comp, and sent right to my door! Hehe..

2010-11-08T18:30:00.000-08:00

Is it me or is my workplace truly weird? To have
1.colleagues suddenly bursting into a verse of song lyrics? Like really out of nowhere, sing (very legibly through the entire office) and just as suddenly stop after 1-2lines?

2. colleagues who shave in the office, with those automatic ones that gives off a whizzing sound...so the entire office knows he shaves here or that he is well-groomed?

2010-11-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

1. One aspect of my life is going all haywire..

2. The little respite to my depression was the sale of 4 items on ebay. Granted i did not make any profit, i am just glad i reduce some loss.

3. Attended a wedding last night at verve, located at Gillman Village. Prob the coolest wedding i attended with the groom preparing a large trailer truck that opens up to a mini rock band (complete with a ginormous background poster title "The 'insert wife's name' and 2 other band members). From what i know, he doesnt actually belong to a band and hence, all these prob takes a considerable amount of effort, which touched almost everyone present.

2010-11-02T20:07:00.000-07:00

Updates:
1. We have decided to take Thai classes together, starting from tmr! Our first attempt at picking something up together, apart from the common ones we share like pigging out, drinking, diving and maybe vb.

2. Have finished the book "The Tears of My Soul" which i talked about previously and loved it! Its written in an extremely simple way but, more engaging than many other books sitting on our wall of books. No wonder it has a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5!

3. Watched Team America last night and its pretty funny! The Song by Kim Jong in the song is such a cute song!! Catch u on Youtube here!

4. Pop over to Woman's fair at Marina over the weekend to get Magazines with a whole load of freebies! hehe... Shall post the pic of the freebies later.. Super worth it! haha

5. After 11 months of marriage, i finally went back to niang jia for one night stayover when hubs is on a work trip. My mum was so happy! Kept saying "u shd hv done this earlier"... To be honest, i would love to but over weekends, i usually have to work, or do housework and so, its extremely difficult. But as i dont really have a lot of time with my folks, decide to do so last week and am glad i did.. Spent enough time with my mum from evening to night, and then to the wee hours, watching tv with my dad , and breakfast with him before i head home...so its good...

BUT, ah juan then called and said she cant come by this weekend as supposed to and so, it was a mad dash to clean up the house.. Thats the problem when we engage helpers... Our plans can sometime get upsetted like this. I mean, if we didnt engage her, i would hv spread the house hold chores over the week or at least make time for it... Having to squeeze time out from planned schedules are tough.. but anyway, got the chores done and we will still get the helper to come every fortnight, when she can...

Lastly, i shall leave you with some fashion tips i got from www.shoppinglifestyle.com.
8 Jeans Dos and Donts

Gd deals are meant to be shared.

2010-10-30T01:15:00.000-07:00

Just signed up at the sample store for freebies!

http://www.thesamplestore.sg/r/65843

Saw the success story of this woman's business in a magazine some time back and made a note to sign up for it then... Once you register, you can redeem 3 free samples of yr choice, from their 10+ pages of selection..Do click on the above and start yr redemption!

2010-10-25T01:06:00.000-07:00

Read this online and find it rather true:

"Science has nothing to do with common sense. Common sense is a set of prejudices. That’s what we’re fighting against.

—Simon Singh"

Unethical Spa Owners..

2010-10-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

There have been just so many! My personal 2 encounters:

1. I signed up for Aivonda to be passed over to Inahamani and while i still have sessions, they claimed they dont have my records (which doesnt quite make sense as i went over for at least 2 sessions)... and while they promised to call me back after searching through the records, the calls never come.

2. Subtle Senses
I just went over last mth and they were still tryin to sell packages and just this month, news had it that they are closed indefinitely. The thing is its not possible that they only realise they are in the red just this month. Therefore, it is obvious that while they know that they are closing very very soon, they are still trying to sell packages (the boss and not the beauticians who might just be in the same shoes as the customers)..Is this any different from conning? I think not.

While i am disappointed and helpless about my remaining sessons with Inahamani, i guess i am thkful i wasnt hit that badly (thats of course if the remaining places that i still hv packages with still hv healthy accounts). Nonetheless, there are just too many of these unethical spa places around!

2010-10-18T07:47:00.003-07:00

I think i might be shopping a tad too much... oh oh..

2010-10-12T06:07:00.000-07:00

Came back, exhausted from a very tiring day..to an empty house..

prepared my dinner of Hong Zao Chicken Mee Sua

have my dinner

prepared our bentos sets comprising Deep Fried Tom Yum Chicken and Wonton and Sambal Kang Kong with rice

House is still empty, and i am still feeling exhausted.

011010:Gordon Grill

2010-10-10T18:48:00.000-07:00

Decide to go try out Gordon Grill(GG) on our 38th anniversary. They are having this UOB chef's creation whch seems like an excellent time to try out GG.

By Executive Chef Gan Swee Lai

The first of the 3 appetizers..
Japanese Noodles with Caviar, which is nice though not remarkable. The second :Quail and Foie Gras

Passed the huge piece of foie gras to Hubs. who enjoyed the extra piece. The quail.. juicy and yummy.=D

This soup is certainly what i find to be the best of the 3 appetizers. ts rich, frothy and ...

even comes with a complete egg. that is half cooked perfectly..This is really really good.

At Gordon Grill, it seems almost silly not to take the steak. Therefore, although there is an option of each of us to take one type of main to taste a wider variety, we both decide to go for the braised wagyu beef short ribs with vegetables, mushroom puree and red wine jus.

Cant possibly go wrong with this at GG, can it? It was perfectly done the way we want our personal plate to be.. Medium rare for hubs and medium for me.

We spent $50+ extra for wine pairing and got 2 pathetic glasses (that has abt 2 sips per glass). While the white wine is nice, the red was too woody for my preference. Most importantly, its not enough and so, we ordered one more bottle.... I was pleasantly surprised to find shingle peak on the list.

the very first pinot noir that makes me declare pinot noir my favorite variety of grape.

Still recall paying $37 at DFS for this and this time round, $115.. Wah sei.

As for the desserts, we took the 2 different types available. Actually, i took the 2 types available, since Hubs is not a fan of desserts.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Tart with a light orange ice cream <--this tart is a tart too rich for me, and so, i could only finish half of this.

Artic Roll of Vanilla Bean Ice-cream with Marinated Red Berries<<-Not remarkable and almost taste mass-produced...

Coffee to end the day...

Verdict:The Chef's Creation Menu for 2 (without drinks) cost $128++ (dinner) for 2 and comes with complimentary very tasty bread... Very worth it if you ask me.

2010-09-15T06:56:00.001-07:00

Ok. Here it is.

Marriage is hard.

9-11

2010-09-12T22:18:00.000-07:00

Boy, time seriously flies.

I realise with some disbelief that 911 occurred like close to a decade ago?!!
As i watched the documentary on National Geo on Sat, a couple of thoughts came to my mind..

1. the damage, both physical and emotional is still very much in existence... The world as a whole is still suffering from the aftershocks of it.

2. the show also wavered my thoughts of that mosque near Ground Zero. Of course its not my business and if there is any re-voting etc, i have close to zero chance of getting involved. But if i am granted an opinion, at least on my own blog... i am reminded of how sensitive the issue is for all who have lost a loved one on 11-sep-2001 at WTC. For those who insist on having a mosque there, perhaps you would like to spare a thought for them? It certainly doesnt mean religion-intolerant (which i would intepret as not even tolerating the building of religious institutions) but just empathy for those who, to date are still bleeding from those wounds.

3. The memorial services and tv screenings of 9-11 should not only allow us to pay tribute to those who lost their lives there, or just to remind us about the potential acts of terrorism, BUT also, to cherish our loved ones every single moment.
In fact, as i watch the show from my usual spot on the sofa, i walked over to my hubs' side ever so often to give him a cuddle, a kiss and/or to whisper iloveyou. =)

P/S: am so glad that the i-reckon-crazy pastor finally got his sanity back and cancel the burning of the Quran. That was such an atrocious thought!