The 10 10 10 ROM

On a special day like today ...







Congrats to the loving couple.. i can't wait for the wedding next year ! :)

Beautiful Day .. .Another one Bites the Dust

The morning preparation of (Bitter Gourd, Sore Throat Medicine with Crackers, Lemon Concentrate Jelly, Lime Wedges, Whipped Cream, Capsicums stuffed with Wasabi / Chili Padi)

One Pinata with keys ..









It was a beautiful day, from the early morning at the house to the church wedding to the gorgeous banquet at Carlton Hotel. Here's to a happy ending of forever and ever..

Spotted ...

Spotted ...... at a Macdonalds Dessert Bar somewhere in Singapore.

Simple to follow instructions for full dollar impact. Classic case of up-selling to your consumers. Clear and concise for the basic teller to use. My only issue with this was your customer shouldn't be seeing this >.<


Attended ... National Ballet of China at the University Cultural Centre

It was my first ballet. But even a novice like myself can say that they were amazing. Showcasing their talents in various segments from classic ballet, modern dance to even a dance segment from a communist classic. It was something to remember for a long long time.

The Misadventures of Marina Sands

In the world's 2nd most expensive construction site cum casino, we decided to go explore the newly opened Marina Sands. Walking across the Helix Bridge from the Singapore Flyer, we found ourselves walking through construction site after construction site.

Thanks to our luck .. or not so good luck in exploring the Marina Sands, we somehow found ourselves being led within the casino by the casino staff. Then faced, hell of a time, trying to get out of the casino, without paying the $100 levy. All in all, an interesting experience. Not being much of a gambler, the casino felt the same like everywhere else like Crown or the ones in Macau. The only surprising portion was the huge amounts of jackpot machines that just wasn't functioning yet.



Us - trying to take a photo on the roof..



The Marina Sands - Hotel Portion

Helix Bridge

In a Corner of Tiong Bahru ...

It was one of those occasions where there was flowers... then a cool trip down to a corner in Tiong Bahru where a modern and unique looking boutique hotel called Wangz Hotel was located.

Newly decorated, with a nice not-trying too hard kind of chic. On top of the hotel, lies Halo, the hotel bar with an amazing view of the Singapore skyline.



A small cozy bar, limited tables, amazing views. Do Dress casually, have a martini and chill the night away.

Wangz Hotel
231 Outram Road
Singapore 169040
Tel: (65) 6595 1388
Fax: (65) 6595 1399

Red Dot Museum - Weekend Flea

If there's a place that I love to head to religiously, it would be the regular, monthly Red Dot Museum flea market, MAAD for the locally made crafts...

I noticed for a while, that there was always a group of artists sitting around sketching people during the monthly flea market. But I never had the courage, until the one rainy day with my beloved. The group was actually the OIC - Organization of Illustration Council . Essentially, any interested parties can put their name in for a 20 min sketching session by a group of artists. The sketches will be put up once the 20 mins is over and can be purchased at $10 per piece..


Kawaii ! Did not really look like the both of us at all, but awww.. all so cute.

This one was an instant hit, we noted that the illustrator was Miel - the Straits Times cartoonist

Sitting down there for 20 minutes, without moving, in front of a group of people we didn't know, was a tad strange. We kept trading jokes and remarks and time just flew by fast.

It was a good day, exploring Duxton Hill, finding Pasta Brava, lazing at a cafe waiting for the rain to stop.

Meeting Up using Meetup.com

When I was in London, I was introduced to a great website called Meetup.com. A place for people with similar interests to just meet up, network and simply have a good time.

Joining the Singapore Wine Meetup Group today, a free wine tasting event was conducted at WineBos just located opposite Clarke Quay. We had 6 glasses of wine, free flow of canapes and a good time meeting up with people.

Personally, I would head back to Winebos with my friends and order 2-3 bottles of the wines that we tasted today. The prices weren't over the top, the whites especially were fruity and easy on the palate.

The wines that were for tasting today:-
Kara Bay - New Zealand
- Kara Bay Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough
- Kara Bay Pinot Gris - Waipara
- Kara Bay Pinot Noir - Central Otago
Lilly Pilly - Riverina Australia
- Lilly Pilly Sauvingon Blanc
- Lilly Pilly Cabernet Shiraz
- Lilly Pilly Sweet Harvest (dessert wine)

Life is good !

Oh My Crap

I love my friends dearly and I would not trade them for anything in the world. In my sometimes crazy life, they are a rock to hang on to for dear sanity. Right now, my sun fearing friends, T, S and H are risking tooth and nail to help me get back my figure pre-Shanghai.


So we headed for another day at the beach for some blading and cycling. Tomorrow, we are going for rock climbing and a canopy walk. Burn Fats Burn ! (Just stop burning them at my boobs, DAMN IT!)

During the evening, after the gang has left. I headed off for a BBQ organized by my ex-colleagues.

Preordering the food from a BBQ vendor, the items were delivered in a neat set with the much required charcoal, appetizers and BBQ items.

While waiting for the fire to be set up, we were sitting around and catching up on old times when ...

At this fateful pit ......

At this fateful spot.....

I was chatting happily then I felt something on my head. I looked back and thought that someone threw something at me. I was about to snap back when I touched my head.

-l-

.......... Bird flu ? ......... I'm bbqing all those damn birds at ECP !!!!!!!!!!! It did the dirty thing and landed SMACK on my head.

Haiz..........................................................

Bowled Over

Decided to go for a game of bowling spontaneously after dinner with my friends. We were bored, we were stuffed and we wanted to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING.

So off we went to play bowling, after playing 4 games, I couldn't feel my arm or thighs anymore. One of my friends played a truly mindblowing game during the last round. Mind you, he doesn't bowl regularly, he didn't use his own ball or gear. HE JUST DID IT.

Presenting to you..

Charles, 6 strikes in a row, 1 spare, in the same game.



Beer, Ciggies, good friends just hanging out. It was a good farewell to Charles in his last night in Shanghai before leaving tomorrow.

Where is the Real China ?

"Shanghai ? People would tell me 'No..no..no.. Shanghai is not the real China.' Beijing ? 'No..no..no.. Beijing is not the real China.' Neither is Hangzhou, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Xian. After being in China for 10 years, I still don't know where the real China is" - Professor in Marketing Class

Coming to Shanghai for my MBA program, of course, I was one of those people here in search of the elusive "real China". After traveling to Beijing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Xian, Hohhot, Nanjing, I was just being a tourist and did not manage to see the "real China".

I remembered when I first arrived, one of my classmates told me that only a true Chinese could understand Feng Xiaogang's works fully. Almost immediately, I started to hunt high and low for his movies. I appreciate the dry humor in his movies and in fact, he is one of my favorite directors now. Yet, there is always a nagging thought at the back of my mind when I watch one of his movies, "Was I supposed to have laughed at that last line? Am I not Chinese enough to understand him?"

Other attempts to understand the real China included watching the CCTV - 1990 version of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It was long, painful, and I had to use English subtitles. Haiz.. Jinyong? Is Jinyong Chinese enough? Going to visit my ancestral village in Guangzhou in end Feb, contemplating learning Chinese art history. Considering that here I was a native Chinese speaker with grandparents from Guangzhou and Fujian, I would think that I was as Chinese as they go. But here lies the irony, I was only Chinese in Singapore and only Singaporean in China.

If I could just make a humble suggestion, there is no Real China. There is a Real China like there is a unicorn, Santa Claus or a real Singaporean. For many people, their version of real china are girls in cheongsams working in the fields, rugged farmers smiling up at them and toilets that are only pits with no doors. A real Singaporean would be Mr Kiasu? Phua Chu Kang ?

In fact, I am sharing to you the most valuable lesson that I have received here. There is no Real China. This is a country so big and varying, filled with people and various extremes. This is something to be experienced on a day to day basis, to see for yourself how diverse all these people are. China, a country that is still evolving and defining itself, and I am glad to have spent the last year being here.

Meeting Up with An Old Boyfriend

After being celibate for close to one and a half year, I thought that catching with my old flame would be hot, sweaty and lusty. We would rekindle that passion that we had for each other in the dawn of our romance. There were good moments and some of the truly bad, but in the end, we had ended on a bittersweet note and I have nothing but affection for him.

I guess the ending of the story is predictable, about false expectations and why things come to an end as they do. What I discovered was that nothing has changed, the reasons why I left was evident and glaring in my face the moment I saw him. Nothing has changed, or in fact, might have changed for the worse. We said our polite hellos, caught up, and waved goodbye. He was still that rich, smart, overweight bloke with the mood swings once every couple of months. I wasn't that wide-eye idealistic girl anymore.

Before you get me wrong here, "he" was my former company that I worked for before I left for my MBA studies. I like to tell my friends that a former company that one used to work for is very much like a ex-boyfriend or husband. It can be a life long romance or a very short fling. It could end in a bitter divorce or a sad, sweet parting.

Coming here to London, the hub and base of the old company that I used to work for. Walking through the familiar trading floors, pantries and talking to the same people, I cannot help but feel a tinge of nostalgia, knowing how much this place and culture had changed me for the better or for the worse as time will tell. As I took my last glances to the place, and the weary eye colleague who led me around. She was in her last week after being made redundant. I guess i was not the only one saying goodbye today.