G for Grace

Big Dolly Eyes - Lens-intheHouse

2012-02-02T11:24:00.000-08:00

[Advertorial]

After a very very long hiatus...

I'm BACK!

(a huge kick-ass photo of myself in case anyone missed me!)

Notice any difference? Well, this time round, i'm back with BIGGER-looking and DOLLY eyes! Yea, it is actually my FIRST time wearing big-eye lens! Those colored lens with diameter of 16mm and above and of various designs etc...

Ever since my eye operation in year 2007 (and nope, it wasn't plastic surgery =.=), i've been quite cautious about what kind of contact lens i use. The most cosmetic-enhancing lens i've been wearing since then is this pair of colored contact lens called Encore, bought from optical shops. And the diameter was only 14mm - sucks hur.

Recently, I got to know about this Super Barbie Eyes brand through my hubby's family, and all gave positive feedback about it, so I mustered my courage and ordered 2 pairs from Lens-inthe House.

Check out the lovely packaging! Safely sealed in sterile glass bottles.

Here's a close-up shot of me wearing Super Barbie Stone in Brown.

Love this pair because it actually looks VERY natural while giving your eyes the extra pop. The special designs around the edges of the lens helps to reflect light and make your eyes seem like its gleaming most of the time!

Very natural right?!

Hurry up and order yours today! Lens-inthehouse will submit your order once they reach a min cap of 10 orders or more.

1 Pair - 17.50SGD each (Applies to all Contact lenses)
5 Pair - 16.50SGD each (Applies to all Contact lenses)

Join their Facebook page right now for the latest promotion deals and spree!

It's Valentine Everyday, with Him

2011-02-15T12:38:00.000-08:00

My blog is in neglect again. Have been so busy with work these days, I barely have more than 5-6 hours of sleep. But no matter what, I'll never be too busy to spend some alone time with my dearest bf of 7 years. =)

How was your Valentine?

I didn't think that we were gonna celebrate since we had talked about celebrating it together with our anniversary. He was also busy and distracted with work, so I scheduled to work that day at Marina Bay Sands. But as you know, us girls, even though we may claim that we don't need anything special or any gifts whatsoever. A part of us will always be hoping that our partner remember this day and do something special for us - be it a card, flowers, gift or even a simple text message.

So I was tweeting the night before Valentine that I thought he must have forgotten about Vday or our anniversary celebrations. But, I was so wrong, and damn, i am so happy to be wrong, for the first time!

He came to pick me up from work and the first thing I saw in his car, were 2 cups of my favourite BB tea - KOI's peach red tea. So I started to scan the backseats, to see if he might be hiding anything else there. Heheh. Next thing I knew, he took out bouquet of flowers and minature teddy bears from the side of his seat!

Tadah!

I was super happy and touched. Cause he actually remembered that it was Valentine's Day, and even made a special effort to get something for me. He had also purchased movie tickets to my favourite Hollywood comedian actor, Adam Sandlers' new film - Just Go with It.

I was so super touched that I couldn't help tearing. I know its not a gigantic bouquet of real roses or a candlelight dinner in a fancy restaurant, but all these little actions of his mean so much to me. I understand him well and I know he feels shy or awkward when buying flowers or soft toys for girls. So it always feel especially special whenever he does that for me. =)

While waiting for movies, we popped into a restaurant that didn't need us to queue - Asian Kitchen. And the food is actually quite good!

Poor boy haven't had his dinner and still had to rush about from the West to Iluma, den to Marina Bay Sands to fetch me, and then back to Iluma again.

Doesn't he look so ADORABLE here?!!! I forced him to make this expression. Haha!

I had a very very pleasant Valentine,thanks to him. In fact, every single day with him feels like Valentine. =)

LOVE Yourself MORE

2011-02-03T09:11:00.000-08:00

[Sponsored Advertorial]

Have you guys noticed that most of the beauty talk shows in Asia are now focusing on having a SMALL V-shaped and fair, translucent skin?

Yes, I've been watching quite a fair bit of beauty variety shows and Korean dramas lately. Which leave me staring at my face in despair everytime at the end of the shows. Why?? Cause I have a squarish face and skin that is far from being fair. Boohoo!

And yet, I dread the thought of going under the knife or having needles poke through my skin every 4-6 months - E.g. Botox, whitening injections! Plus they are gonna burn a hole in my pockets!!

Thus, I was very happy when TheSampleStore & Lush Beauty sent me 3 boxes of LoveMore masks to try out. Now I can Love Myself More!!

Love More is one of the best-selling mask brand in Taiwan and uses imported ingredients from Japan, Australia, Brazil, France, Swiss & Scotland. There are 6 types of masks with different benefits and 3 types of 3D masks with ear-hooks. Each type of mask has its own unique packaging and design, which I must say, are really so cute that I can't bear to open them!

Check out what I've got below!

Lovemore Taiwan Endorser, Tiffany Hsu (许玮宁) uses Love More and she has such a defined jawline and fair skin! So envious!!

In case you don't know who this gorgeous babe is, she's the main actress in 《下一站幸福》 and also heart-throb Ethan Ruan's girlfriend.

Check out what Kary Wu (LoveMore HongKong Endorser) has to say about the masks!

Extract of Kary’s raving:
“I finally finished my work, and the first thing that I do when I reached home is to pamper my skin! I want to recommend "LOVE MORE MASK" which I use daily to everyone! Other than pampering my face, I think it is important to take good care of my neck too! This 3D mask fits perfectly to my face, and the ear-hooks wraps my face and neck~ you will turn beautiful and fair with just 20 minutes a day! To babes who want to become prettier, let us enjoy "LOVE MORE MASK's" Magic!!”

And your very own "Endorser" from Singapore, ehhem, MOI..!!! What I can't even imagine issit?

I LURVVEEE ALL OF THEM!

But but but if you really want me to pick a favourite...

3D White Crystal & Platinum Peptide Whitening Duo Lifting Mask (with ear-hooks)

Such cute 3-D design!

Even the box is a piece of artwork itself!

Taking out one sheet reluctantly... Haha!

This mask is 3D because it comes with ear-hooks that further enhances the lifting & firming of the skin at your NECK, mouth, cheek and EYE area. So innovative! Now you can whiten & lift your face all at one time! Save the time, hassle & cost!

I really adore the idea of using ear-hooks! Besides enhancing firming of the skin, the ear-hooks help to secure the mask (you know, some masks just keep on dropping off at the sides, so irritating!) and also make sure that the mask adheres closely to your skin so that the essence is absorbed better.

This 3D mask is very user-friendly and there's illustrated instructions at the back of each sheet mask to teach you how to put it on, so don't worry!

The mask essence is neither thick nor sticky and feels refreshing on my skin when I'm wearing the mask. My face also feels tighter & smaller while looking brighter after only ONE usage.

Tadah! Brighter-looking & firmer skin!!

Camellia & Tourmaline Whitening Mask
Sheet masks in PINK envelop-like packets!! Valentine's Day coming right? Just attached a love-note with this mask and give them to your besties or girlfriends! Makes such a perfect girlie gift!

Benefit: Tightening and Firming, Anti-aging, Supple + Whitening of course!

I would recommend this mask for regular usage as it combines many benefits in one without being too harsh on the skin. However, due to its tightening and firming effects, I wouldn't recommend people with dry skin to use it as you might feel that your skin is too dry thereafter (although its just the effects of tightened and firmer pores).

Diamond Super White Mask
In your regular envelop packaging!

Benefit:Lustrous and Radiance skin, Whitening, Supple

Small molecules of diamond and rose tourmaline allows the whitening ability of the mask to penetrate deeply into the skin. Herba Saussureae Involucratae and m-Tranexamic Acid improves the skin’s ability to regenerate and removes dead cells.

This is what beauty experts on Taiwan variety talk shows usually call a 深层清洁/去角质 (deep cleansing & exfoliating/regenerating) mask. Due to its ability to remove dead skin cells, it is more advisable to only use this mask ONCE per week. Your skin needs time to regenerate & stabilise too! Over-cleansing or regeneration may cause hyper-sensitivity and even adverse skin reactions.

And the good news! LoveMore masks are available for redemption on TheSampleStore! Grab yours before they run out of stock!!!

You can also purchase LoveMore masks at your local Watsons stores!
•3D Mask 5 pcs @ $8.90
•Mask 5pcs @ $7.90

ElishaCoy Tea Party + Giveaway!!

2011-01-25T06:52:00.000-08:00

* Stay tuned to the end of this post for Giveaway's details!! *

Towards the end of 2010, I was very lucky and fortunate to receive an invitation from Lush Beauty to attend their first ever Tea Party for an European styled ORGANIC skincare cosmetics brand, Elishacoy!

Tea Party??! Korean brand?! Makeup?! How could I say no to such a tempting invite...?!!

Being fairly new in our local beauty market, you might or might not have heard much about it, so just a short intro for your understanding.

As Elishacoy encourages a healthy lifestyle, spiritual abundance, and modern sense, major ingredients include herb extracts - known to be the ‘essence of botanical healing’ with a natural aroma extracted from 100% of natural essential oil. Some of her products include the essence cream, BB cream, mineral powder, mask sheets, scrub masks and more.

It was held at the dressing area in ALT@Heeren. For exclusivity, Lush Beauty held 2 separate sessions to accomodate the bloggers invited. No squeezing about to try the products + full attention from the host of the day, Kiyora!

What's a tea party without some snacks? Of course, Lush Beauty had it all thought out and prepared pretty little cupcakes, finger food and drinks for us.

And the main STAR of this party is....

*drumrolls*

*Elishacoy Diamond Shiny Pearl BB Cream

As the name says, this is a BB cream that will turn you into the most alluring shining star of the night (or whichever occasion/event you are at).

Enriched with 7 Jewelry Powder extracted from 7 natural precious gemstones and further enhanced with Natural Phyto Therapy (a complex of 6 fruit flowers), it really sounds like a most precious makeup product!

So what's the 7 Precious Gemstones??? We played a game to learn more.

Teamed up with the ever so youthful-looking June and we won!! Yippee!! Our prizes were a complimentary gift set consisting of travel-sized Elishacoy skincare products.

Tested the Diamond Shiny Pearl BB cream on my hand...

Look at the lovely shimmers on my skin! I love how this BB cream blends smoothly upon application and the lustrous, 3D effect it gives.

I know some of you might be worried that applying this BB cream all over your face will make you look like you have oily skin, fret not! Just dab Elishacoy Soft Finish Mineral Powder sparingly and you'll have subtely glowing and voluminous skin.

We had the chance to try the powder too. Look at how fine the powder is. It felt very smooth and immediately adhere to my skin when i dabbed it on top of the BB cream.

Elishacoy's wide range of BB Creams

We were introduced to the rest of Elishacoy BB creams (above), including a Platinum BB cream for MEN.

Such masculine packaging!! Going for only SGD20.93 (after 30% discount) on http://www.secretive.sg/!

Yes, now you guys get to enjoy the awesome benefits of BB cream without having to endure the embarassing procedure of sneaking a bb cream purchase. Being the new-age well-groomed guy you are, you can now proudly walk up to the deparmental stores, grab your Platinum BB cream for MEN while holding your head up high.

There's no need to be embarassed at all, all the K-pop guys are wearing BB creams and we don't hear any complains do we??

Due to the genorisity of Lush Beauty, we were all given a travel-sized pack of Elishacoy BB creams, namely the Diamond Shiny BB cream, Always Nuddy BB24 Cream and Always Triple BB Cream.

And they have been my staple makeup item ever since! I use Always Nuddy whenever I want to go for a natural, fuss-free look and Always Triple BB Cream if i want more coverage for special occasions and events. The best thing is, due to their natural botanical components, break-outs on my skin is kept to a minimum. Even when I'm applying makeup everday!

What's more, I got a chance to catch-up and get beauty tips from beauty bloggers, Sharon & June!

3 of us with Elishacoy door gifts!

With Kiyora, the hospitable and ever-so-patient host of the day!

Stash of Elishacoy's makeup and skincare products from the tea party!

Don't be envious though, because I'll be sharing my loots wth you, my readers!!!

3 sets of 8-pc Elishacoy BB Creams & Skincare samples to be won!! And they consist of:

- Elishacoy Always Nuddy24 BB Cream
- Elishacoy Always Triple BB Cream
- Elishacoy Shiny Diamond BB Cream
- Elishacoy Gold Mineral BB Cream
- Elishacoy Platinum BB Cream for Men
- Elishacoy BB All-in-One Cleanser
- Elishacoy Aqua Whitening BB Cream
- Wrinkle-out Collagen Essence

To win your 8-pc Elishacoy sample set above, just follow these 2 simple steps:

1. "LIKE" Lush Beauty's Facebook fanpage
2. Post your reason for wanting to try any of Elishacoy's products & mention my blog URL (http://alescere.blogspot.com).

First 3 posts on Lush Beauty's fanpage will get a Elishacoy Sample Set! So hurry!!

Once again, BIG thank you to Kiyora & Secretive for the awesome tea party! Do check out their Facebook fan page & website for promotions & updates! Last I checked, most Elishacoy's products were having discounts!

formspring.me

2011-01-12T10:49:00.000-08:00

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/Alescere

Redeem Bio-essence BB Cream for Free

2010-12-16T06:54:00.000-08:00

Already read the amazing benefits of Bio-essence BB creams and can't wait to try it out? Well, here's your chance! Hurry whilst stocks last!

Redeem your Bio-essence BB Cream set for FREE (normal postage fee waived)! It's easy and only take a few minutes.

1. Click on my link in the yellow highlighted box below.
You'll be directed to TheSampleStore website. Register an account if you're not a member yet!
2. Click on "Click to continue your sample redemption".
3. Click on "Grab Sample".
4. Check out and verify your mailing address.

And voila! Sample will be sent to you within 2-4 working days!

Bio-Essence (II): Younger, Flawless & Glowing Skin

2010-12-16T05:42:00.000-08:00

Sponsored Review Part II - Bio Platinum BB Cream

Besides having 10-in-1 benefits, this BB Cream is enriched with Platinum AND Tanaka Extract.

Platinum is a very rare ingredient which boosts the skin's ability to protect itself against free radicals. We don't want pre-mature aging, do we?

Tanaka Extract is a widely used natural skin-care in Myanmar and faciliates whitening of the skin.

Sounds cool yea? Let's take a look at the effects it promises!

Talk is cheap, so here's pictures for review!

Here's me without any cosmetics except for the falsies, which I put on in a desperate attempt to look fresher. =.=
Skin is slightly better here, as compared to the "Before" picture in the previous Bio-essence entry. You can still see my acne marks, dark eye circles and a few zits here and there.

Squeeze the Bio Platinum BB Cream on your hand first to warm it up so application will be easier. This BB Cream is slightly lighter and more liquidified than the Bio Multi-Effect BB cream.

For a better and even coverage with a dewy look, apply the BB cream by gently patting all over your face using your fingers.

Applied it only on half of my face so you can see the difference for yourself. My skin is fairer, more radiant and pores are less visible already. Note that I only applied 1 thin layer of the BB Cream, no base or anything else applied.

Do the same thing to the other half of the face. We are almost there, but not yet, you can still see my dark eye circles & zits. Now, let me show you how I conceal them using just the same BB Cream. It's a technique I picked up from 女人我最大.

1. For dark eye circles.

Use any small brush you can find and dot the BB Cream along your dark eye area. Gently pat your brush and blend the cream.

Concealed my right eye first. Spot the difference?!

Repeat the same steps on the other eye and TADAH!

Dark eye circles NO MORE!

2. For pimples

Finish with a light brush of loose powder to set the bb cream and you're all ready to head out!

Who says you need dozens of steps to achieve a flawless look?
Now, I can has flawless, nude and natural makeup with Bio Platinum BB Cream! It's so easy!

And I so love this BB Cream! Why is that so? During important occasions like dinners or events, I usually have to resort to applying layers of makeup base such as sunscreen, moisturiser, liquid foundation, concealor and loose powder to cover my flaws. But guess what? My sensitive oily skin won't be able to take in all the amount of junk and I will end up with a messy cakey face by mid-day. It's not glamourous at all, trust me.

With Bio Platinum BB Cream, I can now skip those steps yet at the same time, achieve a flawless natural look. Just like Beatrice in the TVC below! Haha.

Bio-Essence (I): Flawless, Natural & Nude Makeup

2010-12-15T05:08:00.000-08:00

Sponsored Review Part I - Bio Multi-Effect BB Cream

Received this package from TheSampleStore, generously sponsored by Bio-essence a week ago!

It consists of 3 kinds of BB Creams:
(i) Aqua BB Cream - for Moisture
(ii) Bio Multi-Effect BB Cream - for Coverage
(iii) Bio Platinum BB Cream - for Whitening

For the probably very minor group out there who have no idea what BB Cream is.

Firstly, introducing Bio-essence's Bio Multi-Effect BB Cream. As the name says it, this BB Cream has 8-in-1 effects with SPF protection and they are:

1. concealing
2. sun protection
3. skin repair
4. moisturizing
5. oil control
6. nourishment
7. reduction of wrinkles & fine lines
8. whitening

One tube of BB Cream with EIGHT awesome benefits!

Comes in a pretty shiny purple tube and a nozzle for easy dispensing.

Texture is quite creamy, but not too thick. Although it comes in one shade, it is supposed to blend well with most skin tones.

My bare-face with lots of flaws. Urghhh!!
As you can very well see, I have blemish-prone skin, with random zits here and there, acne scars, enlarged pores & uneven skin. And oh, not forgetting dark eye circles too!

Directions: Squeeze an adequate amount of cream and apply evenly on your face, using light patting motions so the cream will be evenly spread out.

Applied the BB cream on half of my face so you can see the difference. The BB cream goes on smoothly and is relatively easy to blend. My pores/zits are less visible with a radiant, fairer and even skin tone. The coverage is comparably good compared to other BB creams I've used and I only need a little more concealor for my remaining visible blemishes.

Another up-close shot of my face with the Bio Multi-Effect BB cream. Okay, you can still see my pimples but comparing to the first nude face photo, I am satisfied with the result.

A survey done by HK Fashion and Beauty Magazine revealed that the Bio Multi-Effect BB Cream offers the best flawless coverage among other 6 compeititive BB creams.

Bio-essence has decided to extend the referral program to everyone! So if you manage to refer 20 friends and above, you get to receive a Bio-essence product!

Come on, redeem and refer your friends now!

Rub & Roll your Woes Away

2010-12-13T06:12:00.000-08:00

Sponsored Review - Ginvera Green Tea Marvel Gel & Jade Eye Roll

One of the above sponsored products, Ginvera Green Tea Marvel Gel, is not foreign to me. In fact, it has always been one of my skincare regime essential. And all thanks to TheSampleStore & Ginvera, I've been sent a brand-new tube along with their Ginvera Dark Eye Circles Roll Away!

1. Ginvera Green Tea Marvel Gel
一步骤零黑头 Zero Blackheads in 1 Step

RSP $16.80

One green little tube containing all sorts of goodness within!
And they are:
1) Rubs away deep layers of dead skin cells
2) Rubs away blackheads painlessly
3) Contracts pores for refined skin (as dead skin cells have been cleared from pores)
4) Lightens black spots, freckles and scars
5) Removes oil seeds
6) Regulates sebum secretion to prevent pimples
7) Brightens dull complexion
8) Changes dark, rough skin to smooth skin
9) Whitens skin as it gives way to new born skin
10) Enhances quick absorption of skin care products

And we squeeze a dollap of it out to try...

A light-green gel with a whiff of green tea scent.

Using your fingers, gently massage in circular motions and let the gel reach beneath your skin to remove the dead skin cells that's clogging your pores.

Eventually, you get little clutters of residue as shown above, which I presume are my dead skin cells mixed with the gel. I've been using this marvel gel as a daily exfoliator for 1 week on my nose. Check out the results!

Warning! Puke-inducing images below!

Do pardon the inconsistent lighting & yucky images. Yes I've terribly clogged skin. =((

As you can tell, there's lesser blackheads and my pores are less noticeable. This marvel gel is definitely a keeper. Gentle enough for daily usage yet effective in exfoliating.

2. Ginvera Green Tea Jade Dark Eye Circles Roll Away

RSP $18.90

1) Blended with Bio energy ingredients such as Bio Energy Fluid, Bio Rice Fermentation Essence, water soluble Olive Oil, Ginseng, various whitening herb extracts, Pomelo and Royal Jelly
2) Helps to roll away dark eye circles and brightens eye contours effectively
3) Prevents eye bags, crows feet and fine lines
4) Allows easy makeup application and lets eye makeup last longer

A roller eye tube I've heard of, but a JADE roller eye tube is awesome-max. Jade is an exceptional massaging medium as it contains trace minerals that benefit the human body. Through massaging with this jade ball, energy will be emitted and penetrated into the skin to nourish it.

Can I say WOW?!!!

Directions for usage:

Till roller upwards to 95 degrees to allow contents to flow out.

Tilt roller to 80 degrees and use roller to GENTLY massage eye contour area.

Follow what I'm doing below!

My dark eye circles are too horrible to witness any vast improvements, but I love the cooling effect as I massage my eye contour. For a heightened refreshing feel, keep the roller in your fridge! The chilled jade roller will help to reduce morning puffy eyes.

Another thing I like about this is its packaging. Slightly thicker than your average pen, it is a handy skincare product which you can bring along anywhere.

In your handbag. Perfect for shopping trips, mid-day office perk-me-ups & stayovers.

In your pencil case or make-up pouch!

What are you waiting for?

Redeem your FREE Sample of Ginvera Marvel Gel, Review & Win!

Or better, simply purchase your Ginvera Green Tea Marvel gel & Jade Eye Roll Away at any Watsons, Guardians, Cold Storage outlets or selected hypermarkets!

Redeem & Review at TheSampleStore

2010-12-04T07:45:00.000-08:00

I love TheSampleStore (TSS)!

If only there was such an awesome site in my younger days, I need not have spent unnecessary pocket money on products which didn't work for me. =(

If you don't know what TSS is, well, it is a site full of a wide variety skincare & cosmetics (both drugstores & counter types) where members REDEEM FREE samples & review on products tried. So yes, we are finally spared of the ardous decision-making process in drugstores!

Standing in front of the shelves, reading the product descriptions & claims again and again, trying to convince ourselves that the product would work, that the $20 - $50 spent will be well worth it, and then reaching home, prying open the product excitedly, hoping that this time, this product won't cause breakouts/allergies/redness.

Anyone, and everyone has a fair chance to try out the product(s) first before deciding whether to purchase them or not. It's that simple, just redeem a sample of the product & ta-dah, it will be sent to your house! =)

Some parcels were delivered to my house recently, which I'll be reviewing on soon in separate posts.

I'm using Ginvera Marvel Gel right now and very pleased with it! Meanwhile, you can redeem your FREE sample of it at TSS! Their samples are very popular and run out fast! So grab yours before its OOS!

Get them Envious with Eucerin

2010-11-27T13:48:00.000-08:00

Sponsored Review - Eucerin® DermoPURIFYER range

One of the few drugstore skincare brands which always get me browsing through the products for a good 15 minutes, have got to be Eucerin. The first thing being, it's a dermatological skincare brand suitable for even sensitive skin. So imagine my excitement to be sponsored Eucerin® DermoPURIFYER range to try and review on!

All thanks to TheSampleStore & Eucerin!

A lovely surprise, in the form of a brown-papered box.

The sponsored products consists of:
Eucerin® DermoPURIFYER Cleanser (200ml): RRP $21.20
Eucerin® DermoPURIFYER Scrub (100ml): RRP $18.60
Eucerin® DermoPURIFYER Crème Gel (50ml: RRP $25.70

THREE golden words to look out for when buying skin-care products:
- oil-free
- anti-bacterial properties
- non-comedogenic

And this range has all the above!

It is also said to help prevent skin irritation and is compatible with most acne medication. Good for those on prescribed oral/topical skin medication! I'm on Differin and didn't experience any conflict while using this range.

The key magic ingredient in this range is Lactic Acid (2%), a naturally-occuring acid found on our skin. If you have no idea what it is, well, it is exactly the same thing that got Cleopatra famous for her beautiful skin!

Skeptical? Well, let's find out!

First, cleanse your face with Eucerin® DermoPURIFYER Cleanser. It cleanses gently and eliminates excess sebum without drying out the skin. Make sure you use a proper make-up remover prior to this! Double-cleansing is ESSENTIAL, i swear!

And I FINALLY FOUND MY HOLY-GRAIL CLEANSER!

Besides being soap-free, it cleanses my skin without making it feel dry or tight, unlike other cleansers I've tried, some of which claim to be gentle/mild even. Trust me, I've been battling acne lonnngg enough to have my own fair share of cleansers.

My skin feels refreshed, clean and even supple after! I would prefer this to Avene or Cetaphil as it also helps to combat blemishes.

Next, scrub off those dead skin cells!

This mild daily scrub comes with Lactic acid beads for gentle, effective deep cleansing that removes blackheads and refines pores.

I prefer dampenning my fingers before applying a dollap of the scrub onto the face. Massage in circular outwards motion, starting from your nose, to your foreheads, cheeks and chin.

The beads are quite tiny and I haven't experience any stinging sensation or redness after this. Can't really give a judgement on blackheads reduction/pore refining as I've only been using this once every 3 days, for the past 1.5 weeks.

Contrary to popular belief, moisturizing oily skin is key in regulating excess sebum production in the skin. The water-based crème gel helps reduces acne within three weeks while keeping skin hydrated and oil-free.

Ok, I admit it. I usually skip moisturizing. Because my oil glands are so active, it only takes 30 mins for my face to get oily. And because moisturises always feel too rich/oily/heavy on my skin.

BUT, this creme-gel is DIFFERENT.

Unlike normal moisturisers, it gets absorbed into my skin really fast and doesn't leave a sticky/oily film on my face at all. In fact, it mattifies my face. I tried applying this before my usual make-up regime, and realise I could go for some hours without looking like an oil-slick. And that's a record, for someone who relies heavily on oil-blotters.

And the good news...!!

You can now redeem your Eucerin 3-in-1 DermoPurifyer sample kit for FREE!

Ending off with a final picture with Eucerin® DermoPURIFYER range & my favourite cleanser!

P.S: Different outfits in the photos 'coz photos were taken on different days!

"Rapunzel, let down your hair!"

2010-11-24T08:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Nuffnang, we got premiere tickets to catch one of my favourite childhood stories.

Saw some familiar faces there, but because things were pretty tensed between me and him, I wasn't in the mood to be friendly. Please don't take offense with my solemn look. I'm friendly! I swear.

Not gonna reveal any spoilers. It was a thrill watching my favourite Disney princess come to 'life', with her 70 feet silky-smooth blonde hair swishing here and there. Never love chameleons as much as Pascal, and Maximus, the cop-horse was just so adorable.

This was the only picture taken IN the cineplex because Cathey don't allow any recording devices including handphones during premieres. You know, to avoid any leakages.

Kids will definitely love it, so parents, bring your children along! It's an animated film, yes, by Walt Disney. But there's no reason for us adults to feel shy about watching it too. Majority of the audience in the cinema were grown-ups!

If only we were watching it 3D, that would be the icing on top of the cake. Perfect.

We got the special Rapunzel popcorn combo which came with Rapunzel cups and minature figurines. I got Rapunzel & Maximus! Reminds me of when I used to collect minature barbie figurines from Mcdonald's Happy Meals in my younger days.

Took this at Mandarin Gallery cause we missed Cineleisure's carpark and went into the hotel one instead. Such noobs we are!

Do catch Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale when it airs on 25th November 2010!

After the show, he brought me to this hawker centre at East Coast, which looks like Newton's for some BBQ. I prefer this one though, it wasn't as crowded or cramped as Newton's.

Fat juicy BBQ wings!

Otah, his favourite.

And BBQ Stingray, our all-time favourite dish!

Him eating with zest.

There was some kind of artwork mounted randomly. Here's me sitting on some hand-made glass stand. Took off outer clothing cause it was a warm night.

What I wore:

A really old F21 knitted throwover and laced camisole. Been eating too much supper and tummy's bulging out! Uh-oh!

Eucerin 3-in-1 DermoPurifyer Sample Kit

2010-11-18T01:50:00.000-08:00

Get your FREE Eucerin DermoPurifyer Samples NOW!

This sample kit consist of:
- 1 sachet of Eucerin Dermopurfiyer Scrub
- 1 sachet of Eucerin Dermopurfiyer Cleanser
- 1 sachet of Eucerin Dermopurfiyer Crème Gel

Ever dread wasting your money buying skin-care products which doesn't suit your skin? Fear not! Redeem your sample to try first for FREE!

Limited to first 1500 redemptions! Grab yours before its gone!

Bring Your Hair to Life

2010-11-17T01:18:00.000-08:00

How does one bring one's hair to life exactly? Well, it's easy! You just need 2 things.

WIND & WAVES

WIND - a naturally-occuring weather element.

WAVES - not the sea kind of waves, but waves in your hair! That's right, just create some waves in your hair by
(i) Tonging your hair
(ii) Blow-drying your hair with a diffuser
0r
(iii) Tying your hair into braids or buns when its damp and letting loose after a couple of hours

So here's how I brought my jet-black Asian hair to life!

LIKE my photo HERE!!

Ok, I know its nothing like Rapunzel's hair (which is blonde and outrageously long!)but you gotta admit its full of life!

What about you? Bring your hair to life now at http://www.magicalhair.com.sg/ !

Picture credits to Disney.

Catch Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale Movie starting from 25th November (3D only) & 2 December island wide and join the official Disney Studios Singapore Facebook & Twitter page!!

Getting Personal

2010-11-17T00:28:00.000-08:00

I was browsing through my archives and felt something odd in my blogging pattern. Something seemed to be missing in this online journal of mine. And then, it hit me.

This blog has lost its personal touch.

What used to be blogging for me in my earlier years, has changed from a blog of my personal thoughts & experiences to mere narrations of my doings. Of only short captions & images.

Where were my own personal thoughts?

So this is going to be quite a personal entry. I hope. I was tossing and turning in bed one night at 3am, unable to get to sleep cause many thoughts were running through my mind. So I told myself, I've to write them down.

Everyone, or at least the people around me, must have been puzzled at the disappearance of my online persona for the upper half of the year, and then a sudden emergence of my pictures with the 'ex-bf' whom everyone thought I had broke up with.

Not that I need to account to anyone that's un-related to me, at all about my personal life, but its time I start taking responsibilities.

Of all the many errs I've made in my life, the biggest one was to left him for that period of 6months. And I regret it til this day. It was nobody's else fault but my own. I regret for having him experienced the pain and torment, regret for creating this rift between us which perhaps could never been filled, regret for changing his trusting nature, regret for causing those sleepless nights and nightmares of him.

Many nights I stay up, imagining what it was like for him, how he got by without me by his side, and wishing I could turn back time, so he could never been hurt by me.

Part of the reason why I could ever move on so fast from that period of hell, was because of his love. And constant reminders to myself that it was my deserved punishment. The day I decided to return to his side was the day I made a promise to never break his heart again. I knew the path was going to be hard and damn it was. Quarrels and fights we had many. We perserved and we are going to continue doing so. Against all odds.

If there is any hate, I hate myself for the sin I made. If there is regret, my sole regret was putting him through all the emotional torture.

And I am thankful and fortunate, for this second chance. And cherish it I would.

Updates on QQ!

2010-11-12T03:44:00.000-08:00

QQ!! (short for Xiao Q)

It's been a long while since I blogged about this michevious kid! She's already 2 years and 3 months old! As she grew bigger, we changed from calling her Xiao Q to QQ. It's really amusing when we bring her to the vet and the nurse calls out her registered name (Xiao Q), and people are expecting some sort of a small furry kid, and instead sees her trotting forward. It's worse when we bring her for walks, and being the timid one she is, raises her shackles and barks non-stop at passerbys.

She's getting fatt. I mean, look at the folds around her neck!

That's her playing with a TOOTHBRUSH. Entertaining herself. She's good at it, flinging the brush into mid-air and then jumping around to catch it in her mouth.

Doesn't this position reminds you of our Chinese roasted suckling pig?!? Haha.

Ending off with yet another lovely sleeping pose of her!

Exploring Iluma!

2010-11-10T04:04:00.000-08:00

Don't you love going town on weekdays?

Seats widely available on any modes of public transport, sparse or zero shopping crowds, almost empty restaurants or cafes and best of all, shorter KOI queues!!

Haha yes you saw that right! KOI again! What other better way to kick-off a day in Bugis other than getting a cup of this thirst-quenching drink! Whee! Very happy to finally suck and chew on my Peach Green Tea with pearls.

Cam-whore while waiting.

Qx got distracted by its neighbour and got himelf a Japan Boat Takoyaki.

Never paid much attention to it the past few times I walked by (very focused on getting my KOI haha!) and was much enchanted when I sank my teeth into it, albeit reluctantly, upon Qx's coaxing. First bite met a crispy outer layer, followed by the fragrant taste of inner fillings. Lightly drizzled with their special sauce and fish flakes, it was really nice!

Qx with a mouthful of his tako looking ever so greedy!

It started raining so we decided to spend the rest of the day in Iluma. Here's the view from the cineplex level after buying our movie tickets. Interesting architecture.

We were starving and there was still an hour or so before our showtime so we settled for lunch at Waraku de Pasta. They are having 25% discount for students at Iluma's branch on all days if I'm not wrong. Restaurant is tucked away in one corner, right at the back of Iluma, not a very strategic location, I must say.

Display of their pastas and pizzas

Interior

Bright cheery menu. Their pasta is healthy k! Or so it says on its menu cover! Heh.

What should I have....??

Here's a candid shot of me snapped by Qx while I was excitedly pointing out the stuff I was tempted to try. The pictures of the food all look so good!

My Curry Rice & Pasta set came with salad, soup and an iced tea. The staff gave us a complimentary extra salad bowl for Qx. Lovely peeps!

Our scallops & prawn pizza & curry rice.

Qx's seafood miso pasta.

My egg cabonara pasta.

Tried to take a picture of me eating the pasta while looking divinely gorgeous, but failing! It's not an easy job afterall!

Our food & drinks, with Qx busying talking to clients. Poor boy gotta work even on his off-days!

I ordered too much and stuffed myself crazy with the curry rice set AND pasta AND 2 slices of pizza. Total bill came up to about $50 plus after the student promo discount.

I took this picture myself! Can't really tell right! I realised its very hard to cam-whore with DSLR, its so bulky.

Iluma was holding some sort of a Harry Potter exhibition of its past series and being the HP fan I am, we popped in to take a lookie.

Hmm... Hogsmeade for a flagon of Three Broomsticks' butterbeer or Diagon Alley for Books and Flourishes? LOL

The films are already at JK Rowling's last injection, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. Must pose with any poster available for memory's sake!

Time for our show to start. Watched Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole in 3D. My first 3D show!

I had reservations about this show at first, wondering what kind of a show could they make with a bunch of owls. But again, I was proven wrong and the show turned out quite an interesting one. The owls in it were so cute, that even the fighting scene had us chuckling in amusement. The lead owl, Soren, is so adorable!

I WANT AN OWL too!! Haha. By the way, do you know that sales of owls sky-rocketed in England after the first Harry Potter movie?

It was my first 3D show and yes, I'm lagging very behind la. But still, it was cool to watch the show in 3D cause you feel as if the characters are just in front of you, especially in the motion scenes.

The day ended off with me accompanying him to meet two clients to close 2 deals. Double-happiness! Flagged a cab from Shunfu Road to a 24-hour McCafe near his place just to satisfy my sweet tooth cravings. Sweet of him!

나는 한국을 사랑

2010-11-06T03:25:00.000-07:00

Alright, hands down, I've been infected with the K-Pop Craze! So infactuated that I've given QQ (my lovely pet dog) a Korean name; Qu-ri! And she responses to her new Korean name too!

Their music videos are super good, with catchy addictive songs, customized state-of-the-art outfits , variety of hairstyles & amazing dance chereography.

For your hearing & looking pleasure:

SNSD - Girls Generation. Live Performance of their latest release Hoot & their claim-to-fame song Oh!

Super Junior - No Other

Shinee - Ring Ding Dong.

I'm quite biased, in such a way that when I like this group, I'll be quite exclusive and tend to neglect the others. SUJU was the first Kpop group to win me over, followed by SNSD and then latest group will be Shinee. And that's more than enough for me now!

I always thought they were just a plastic bunch of people, but after watching a few MVs, I was won over. They are really talented and passionate about what they do, be it music or dancing. It's of little wonder that the world is crazy over them now.

Damn, looking at their perfectly sculptured bone structures makes me wanna go under the knife too. Wouldn't mind a smaller/higher nose, wider eyes, and an egg-shaped face!

Last of Oct '10

2010-11-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

Smokey eye makeup for Halloween, inspired by Michelle Phan's Seductive Smokey Eyes Tutorial. Damn she's good man! I had such a hard time trying to blend all the colors together, wonder how she does it?! So yay or nay?

How was your Halloween like?

Endless party-ing? Spooky? Exciting? Mine was all work and no (well almost!) play. But luckily I had company of a gorgeous babe, Janice.

Worked on both Friday & Saturday nights for a private corporate event at Studio M Hotel and a Halloween event at Peranakan Place respectively. Jobscope was pretty simple with nice management/colleagues.

While waiting to get changed into working gear at Studio M. The restroom is quite spacious!

Wore HVV's embellished mini-dress with nude wedges!

Changed into a simple polo shirt & khaki shorts with sneakers. Very comfy!

Woke up on Saturday to receive a very pleasant surprise from Aunt Chloe Zann - a Clinique gift set she carefully picked out & wrapped!

Elatedly opening the wrapper... What goodies are there?

Tadah! A Clinique Facial Bar, 2 Eestee Lauder's lipsticks and a Clinique mascara!

It's from Clinique's DermaWhite Range which I love so much but can't afford to buy the whole set!

Eestee Lauder's Lip Balm with SPF 15 and Lip Rouge in Crystal Pink.

I love the shade of pink so much I couldn't resist creating a 'Natural' look with it the next day.

Once again, THANK YOU Aunt Chloe Zann, if you are reading this!

On a separate note, dear & I managed to get our big fat lazy ass(s) up for a swimming session. Both of us have been leading such unhealthy lifestyles. Time to make some changes!

Although this wasn't our first time, we still had so much fun in the Lazy River and Wave Pool! Spent a good frolicking 2 hours swimming/wading about. Only downside was we had a few abrasions from all the excitement.

And this is me, barefaced with only sunscreen. =(

Post-swimming, we followed our usual traditions and had dinner at the KFC/Pizza Hut fastfood upstairs. Sinful but yummy!

Baby attacking his chicken with relish.

Ordered our all-time favourite Hawaiian pizza and sweet & spicy drumlets!

Look at all the amount of cheese! I feel hungry just by looking at this picture!

So that's how I spent my last weekend of October. Highlight of it was getting to spend quality time with dear and watching him de-stress from work. Alright, I gotta go before more pimples pop out!

Sweet & Scrumptious Memories

2010-10-31T13:13:00.000-07:00

Found these photos in my drive which I haven't uploaded. I miss those times when we would go out and eat all my favourite food without worrying about anything.

New York New York

He's looking so macho & cute here!

Our food.

Ding Tai Feng

Our all-time favourite - Xiao Long Baos, Fried Rice with Pork Chop & Brewed Chicken Soup!

Häagen-Dazs

The Coffee Connoisseur

Prawn Aglio Olio with some of their signature drinks.

Mouth-watering Tiramisu!

Backdates!

2010-10-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

My blogging frequency is becoming more haphazard as I age. Used to blog every now and then, but now, even one entry per week is considered quite good already. Well, I shall update whenever I've the inspiration (and energy!). I bet the remaining little number of readers have long given up on me.

Enough of lamenting, here's what you've missed!

Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节

Qx & I cleverly waited til the day before mid-autumn festival, went to the mooncakes fair and grabbed those on sale. We got these Bakerzin Assorted Truffle Mini Snow Skin mooncakes at 1-for-1! That's about $50plus for 2 boxes. One for his grandma and one for my family. Even though the mooncakes already weighed a ton, Qx still insisted on searching and buying a huge sweet pomelo for my parents, because he heard that giving pomelos is a gesture of wishing prosperity to the receivers! So sweet right! And he refused to let me help him carry anything. =(

Here's the exquisite mini snowskin mooncakes of 4 different flavours - Brandied Cherry, Rum & Raisin, Pink Champagne, Single Malt Whisky. I look so haggard here after work.

Shayna's 22nd Brunch at Choupinette on a breezy lazy Sunday

Juices to kick-start the brunch.

Me with the pretty Birthday Girl!

Liming & Shayna.

Freshly baked patissiere! Aim to try each and every one one day!

And our brunch arrives!

Liming in her lovely jade dress which I love so much.

And Rachel, the ever bubbly girl!

My poached eggs, which doesn't work for me. Sausage & sauteed mushrooms were delicious though!

Ordered a Raspberry Chocolate for Shayna! Again, it was heavenly. The cake just melts in your mouth.

And of course, group photos!

Liming and Rachel had to go off earlier so Shayna & I went into this cute little yoghurt shop, Sogurt!

If you haven't heard about them, they import special low-fat yoghurt (which tastes just like ice-cream) in many fruity & unique flavours! Check out their dispensing machines! Makes one feel like they've entered a candy land!

It's really simple, just choose a cup of your desired size, dispense your choice(s) of yoghurt flavours (you can mix & match!), add your favourite toppings and pass the cup to the pretty young ladies tending to the shop! Their yoghurt is priced based on the weight.

Here's Shayna with our Sogurt! Yummy!

What I wore: A light maxi dress with cheery striped prints! It came with an attached denim vest but I hate vests, so I snipped the vest off, and voila!

Venues:

Choupinette(to the right of Coronation Plaza)

607 Bukit Timah Road

#01-01

Tel: 6466 0613

Sogurt

617 Bukit Timah Road

S(269718)

Tel: 6468 6940

http://sogurt.com.sg/

From Me to Him

2010-09-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

After a month of research, planning and arrangement with the respective service officers, I finally pulled it off. 2 Days & 1 Night of itinenary for him. I'm glad it was a memorable 24th for him. He deserves it. No, he deserves more actually. Alright, shan't say much, here's some of the pictures (a quarter of what we took).

The luxury boutique hotel I chose, after having painstakingly combed the web for reviews and comparisons. Naumi Hotel.

What surprises lie behind this door...?

Suite includes a fully-equipped Kitchenette, Working desk & Lounge area.

Made special arrangments to decorate the room for him!

Very spacious and luxurious marble bathroom with complimentary Khiel's toiletries. <3<3<3!! href="http://s916.photobucket.com/albums/ad10/DevonP87/Blog%20Photos/?action=view&current=IMG_1172-1-tile.jpg" target="_blank">

Birthday boy had to 'hunt' for his present with the help of hand-written card clues.

Still searching...

And found it!

Garibaldi Italian Restaurant & Bar.

Highly-raved and recommended for their authentic Italian food and impeccable service.

Awesome Focaccia bread with olive & balsimic vinegar dipping.

Some crab-cheese starter tasting complimentary from the kitchen.

Parma Ham with Rock Melon! Our all-time favourite starter.

Roasted Veal with Tuna and Anchovies Sauce

Vegetable Minestrone with Basil Pesto

Our Entrees.

Shell Pasta with Asparagus and Gorgonzola Cheese Sauce

We had the UOB Chef's Special Creation Set for 2, and boy were we full when we reached our Shell Pasta. Pasta, although quite plain, was al-dente with just the right amount of creamy base.

Pork Scaloppini with Tomato Oregano and Capers. Scraped the whole dish even though I was quite full already.

Tiramisu with Homemade Lady-Finger Biscuits, Licorice Scented Mascarpone Cream

Specially designed hazelnut & chocolate gelato dessert, complimentary from the chef for his birthday. Aren't they sweet?!

After some late-night roaming and sight-seeing, we retreated back to our lovely room.

Late-night soak before turning in.

Next morning

Making espresso on the designer-brand Nespresso coffe-maker.

Breakfast was buffet style at the lobby.

More photos of Naumi...

Roof-top bar & Infinity Pool

Elated birthday boy. He said it was one of his most enjoyable and memorable birthday ever. I'm glad.

una cena magnifica

2010-09-13T10:09:00.000-07:00

One of the top 50 Restaurants 2009, il Lido (name inspired from Venice's Lido Island), is renowned for its offer of a paranomic view of Singapore's straits. Adhering by that, we requested for al-fresco dining at their viewing outdoor terrace. And boy, this Italian restaurant does live up to its name.

We were there for a dinner a year ago, so yes, this post is a very back-dated one. Everything was perfect; location, food, service, scenery except for one thing, which I shall not be elaborating on. So fast forwarding to the food.

Every table is served with a complimentary basket which consist of thinly sliced crispy toasted bread. One bite, and we knew this was just going to be the beginning of a gastronomical dining experience. I still think about their bread and lament about not having the courage to request for refills. Oh well.

For starters, we had Lobster Bisque Soup and Parma Ham with Rock Melon (no pictures sadly). The saltish ham contrasted by the sweetness of rock melon is a match made in heaven. Love it, not liking the Lobster Bisque soup though.

Andt then we had one of their gourmet pasta and a fish dish. Pictures finally!

Spaghetti with Seafood and White Wine
Never had another plate of better pasta, the linguine was al-dente, not under-cooked (a certain ahh.. Pasta..F..hemmm) nor soggy. Served with limited but precious portions of succulent prawns, scallops, fish and a mussel, we were practically savouring every mouthful.

For fish, we had Pan Roasted Seabass with Broccoli Sprouts and Beetroot Sabayon. Another good choice. Nicely roasted to a crisp, the fish was tender and juicy. I don't usually eat beetroot or any veggies with elaborate foreign names, but this one, I cleaned the whole dish empty.

And an Italian meal isn't one without having their traditional dessert. Yes, tiramisu! I've high expectations of it as they were after-all an Italian restaurant and they didn't fail me, well almost, i could do with a bigger portion. Ha.

We also had a glass of wine each, red for him and sweet white for me. I gave up after a few sips, not because their wine sucked, but because I just cannot appreciate any wines other than Moscato. I know, what a loser.

Total bill came up to about $200 if I remember correctly, for 2 starters, 2 entrees, 1 dessert & 2 wines. If you're thinking about going, I say skip the wine or beverages, and spend the 40 plus bucks on their appetisers or entrees.

il Lido Italian Dining & Lounge Bar is located at:
27 Bukit Manis Road
#02-00 Sentosa Golf Club
Tel: 6866 1977

A Night Worthy of a Thousand Blog Posts!

2010-08-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

It is with much euphoria as I type out this entry. I try to recollect every single detail and emotion but everything is just woozy flashes of scenes. My mind is in an exhilariated state.

It was no ordinary Tuesday evening. We were to celebrate daddy's birthday over dinner at Long Beach Seafood Restaurant. The table was reserved for 8 pax - we were expecting a special 'guest'. *winks*

After what seems like an eternity of steadfast resilience and endurance, my parents were finally ready to welcome this 'guest' with open arms. Of course, their mentality did not change overnight. It was through his hard work, endless brainstorming and help from my beloved siblings which made the evening possible. And yes, who else could the special 'guest' be, but Mr QX! Tadah!

He managed to take some early time-off and drove to my workplace to fetch me from work, then fetching my sister & her boy at CCK, before heading off to IMM.

Poor Qx was so nervous at the thought of meeting my parents officially for the first time that he was in a frenzy state. You could tell how important this dinner was to him. When my parents arrived, things were slightly awkward at first but we were delighted when my parents acknowledged him as he greeted them. It was yet another good sign when my dad accepted the present - a ginseng tonic drink from Eu Yan Seng with smiles. I remember us exchanging smiles of relief and squeezing each other's hands under the table.

Us, much more relaxed later during the dinner.

Moving on to light-hearted stuff - FOOD!

First up was stir-fried mee sua with egg, bean sprouts, vegetables. Didn't manage to capture a photo of it as the mee sua was divided into 8 portions and served individually. It wasn't too bad, not oily nor bland, though I'd prefer Ee Mian as I'm much more used to the soup version of mee sua.

For the cold dish/ starter, we had this Seafood Combination Plattter consisting of salad prawns, sharkfin salad, calamari, spring rolls and seafood cake.
Like an island come to life, the dish was a feast for our eyes. A glass of bubbling green liquid from which dry ice smoke was spewing out, formed pretty dancing clouds around the 5 different seafood appetisers laid out artistically.

The dish was such a terrific performance we couldn't stop snapping pictures of it.

Since Daddy loves shellfish and as all of us were craving for some Bamboo Clams after the gastronomical experience at Tung Lok's (magnificent!), we ordered Steamed Bamboo Clams with Garlic.

Sadly, the Bamboo Clams were a disappointment. A far-cry from Tung Lok's. The clams were bigger, but alas, they were over-cooked! It was quite a chore chewing the tough flesh before I could swallow it down my throat. Taste-wise, there was a slight fishy after-taste, which is what deter me from eating the typical shellfish.

We also had Peking Roasted Duck, the crispy thin slices of roasted skin served separately with crepes and cucumbers. There was a sweet dip to go along with it.

The rest of the duck was minced and stir-fried topped with generous dashings of peanut bits. Quite a savoury dish and would go very well with porridge.

And of course, what's a Long Beach Dinner without their Signature Chilli Crabs with mantou.

My infactuation for Chilli Crab is absolutely dependant on 2 factors: 1) aromatic thick and sweet-spicy gravy, 2) deep-fried mantou. I wouldn't say it wasn't good. It was not bad, but I was expecting better standards since it was their signature dish and having had been raved repeatedly on HGW. Qx and I will still stick to our favourite zhi-char place to satiate our monthly Chilli Crab cravings.

Tuck in!

Rounded off dinner with dessert - almond beancurd with longans. No pictures as we were all too bloated by then.

Group photos during and after dinner:

Baby's attempt at a DSLR shot. Not too bad!

And yes, we are back together. I am thankful for this second shot at our relationship. I had wandered off path, causing him hurt and pain, and yet, instead of holding it against me, he worked even harder, holding on to his moral beliefs, proving himself a worthy man, so much so that I'm ashamed of myself.

The only guy in the world who knows me inside out, upside down, seen me in my ugliest moments, and yet loves me even more.

And yet, he's spoiling me so much that I'm on the verge of turning into a bratty princess. Just when I thought the SK diamond ring will mark the end of his splurges on me, the dear boy dragged me into Takashimaya one night and made me choose 2 make-up items I badly needed. So I very 'reluctantly' chose the highly raved Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealor which everyone on cyberspace is raving about its superb smooth coverage and Dior Crayon Eyeliner which is my top staple makeup must-have.

They are quite right about the coverage and non-drying formula. Unlike other eye concealors I've tried, BB concealor does'nt flake nor give me dry lines. However, due to the wrong shade perhaps (i'm using Warm Ivory), the concealor left a grayish cast on my undereyes, which I manage to correct by applying a thin layer of Loreal Touche Magique in a darker yellow shade. Besides concealing eye circles, BB Creamy Concealor can be used on the rest of the face itself too. I tried it on my acne scars and found that it conceals them really well, without flaking or drying my face. And it still stayed on well after a couple of hours.

The DIOR Crayon Eyeliner comes with a smudge-brush which is good for creating soft lines or extending your lined eyes. I got it in a dark shade of brown which doesn't make my eyes look as harsh or as made-up as the normal black eyeliner shades.

Two weeks after, this sweet-heart further indulged me with the latest talk-of-the-town gadget, Iphone 4G! Just right for taking pictures of outfits worn. Here's a couple:

Pastel Pink Laced top with waisted tapered pants. I'm in half a mind about the tapered/harem pants trend. Don't think they suit my 1.69m lanky frame and adds unflattering excess bulk to my frame. May be selling off these pants, which I got at about $60. =(

Floral Dress with nudge wedges. This one is a treasure I discovered in a thrift store, got it for only $10!

Blogging is become quite a drag nowadays, what with the uploading, resizing of photos and arranging them. Am usually knocked-out at the end of the day after work & giving tuition so pardon my inconsistent blog entries.

2010-08-15T00:08:00.000-07:00

Been too busy (and lazy) to update this space. So here's some random peeks from yesterday in town.

Our favourite Chinese Cuisine - Ding Tai Fung!

Ding Tai Fung was still packed at 9pm! While waiting for our Q number.

Waiting impatiently for our food to be served- Xiao Long Bao, La mian, Marinated Fried Pork Chop, Red Date Longan cooling drinks! So hungry after the 3-hour wait for handset replacement at M1.

Food glorious Food. Taken with a Canon DSLR by a GWC. Haha.

Taken with Iphone 4G's 5 megapixel camera, not bad at all!

What I wore, which was also the same combination as what I wore for NDP celebrations with my besties - $10 floral chiffon top, leather braided belt, white shorts & nude wedges.

And and and, my brother was one of the torch-bearers for the Youth Olympic Games! Our family was so ecstatic and went down to support him, except for me cause I had to work. =(

We are so proud of Ivan for participating in the Journey of the Youth Olympic Games we bought a pair of the YOG mascots, Lyo & Merly! Lyo's a baby lion cub, while Merly's a baby merlion cub. They are sooo adorable.

2010-07-06T08:16:00.000-07:00

After going for interviews last week and having to decide within the same day, tomorrow's first day of work in the marketing department. Urgently reading up on product knowledge in case they ask me about the company's products. Wish me luck!

Went for a hair trim and O3 treatment today at a home salon, recommended by forum members. Don't wanna turn up for work with frizzy hair on the first day. The salon owner, Ivy, was friendly, customer-orientated and most important of all, not pushy. Her place is air-conditioned, clean, tidy, and well-equipped with soft radio music at the background.

O3 treatment is at a fixed price of $30 for all hair lengths, which makes it super worthwhile for my waist-length hair. Did a little trimming of my dried out permed hair ends and they look a little choppy now cause I refuse to layer them.

As described by the forum members, Ivy's hair massage was marvelous. The hair wash was the best I ever had. My hair scalp is sensitive and gets irritated easily, so any slightly more pressure applied on it will cause pain. But the entire wash was virtually painless, with zero discomfort, and was so comfortable. Love the shampoo Ivy uses as well as it feels refreshingly minty.

After the hair wash, Ivy started applying 2 products on my hair - a minty cream on my scalp and another one for moisturizing purposes on the rest of my hair. She then wrapped my hair in this silvery foil-like bubble wrap, which is attached to the O3 machine. The whole procedure is exactly like the O3 treatment which I did at Jean Yip's years ago, and everything feels the same. But I paid $80+ for shoulder-length hair then and its only a fraction of the price at Ivy's. I was the only customer and felt really pampered as Ivy paid full attention to my hair woes. From what I observe, Ivy is quite organised and schedules appointments to avoid over-crowding. She even keeps a log-book of customers who went for the O3 treatment as we are entitled to a free treatment after every 6 treatments. No need to sign packages or pay full price beforehand.

Here's the end result. I look so haggard without makeup and skin is in a mess from insufficient rest. My dark eye circles are so bad now, boohoo.

On a side note, I had the most delicious bbq on Monday! It was Korean bbq, $19.90++ per pax. There's plenty of meat options from beef, mutton, chicken, pork to fish. We couldn't get enough of the spicy chicken and fish, mad tasty man. There's also Korean appetizers, stonepot rice and many kinds of soups. Love the Korean Chicken Ginseng soup, but it was limited to 1 bowl per pax. We also ordered Scallops ala-carte, and boy, those were the largest scallops I've ever seen! Very Q and fresh too. Yummy.

Ok, gotta start preparing for sleep. Wish me luck!

Luncheons & Dinners

2010-06-29T05:19:00.000-07:00

It was Liming's birthday lunch at Shodoku. Unfortunately, birthday girl wasn't feeling well. =(

Liming & Rach.

Group pictures!

Pictures courtesy of Yinsing & Liming!

Back to old self!

2010-06-27T05:49:00.000-07:00

Finally chased the tonsils infection away, well almost! Gone are the aching muscles, fever, sore throat, phlegm, blocked nose plaguing me for the past 5 days. Hoorayy! I can kiss my porridge + preserved lettuce diet goodbye. Craving for all kinds of heaty oily fried food now, which I'm hoping to gobble lots of them coming week.

Yesterday, I came across this love-able Kimono-inspired frock in MDS selling at $52 which happens to be so similar to a dress I purchased not long ago which I've yet got the chance to wear out.

Here's a charade of pictures of moi playing around with the dress which is sadly, a tad too cute to be worn out in my 1.68m frame. Anyone interested feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me! I'm only letting go at a mere $25! I've also managed to kick off my eyeliner addiction and just stick to falsies alone. Looks more natural.

That's all! Justta short post!

2010-06-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

His Ride ;)

Spurred me on to get my license ASAP

Of Burgers & Yoghurt

2010-06-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

Catch-up with Kaiwan over dinner after she got back from her graduation trip. We stumbled across this 'new' burger joint called Burger Shack and decided to give it a try.

Very cosy eh?

I ordered their signature Fried Pork Burger with Fries meal. You can substitute the bread for garlic butter rice.

Kaiwan had Ramli burger I think.

Oooh... awesome sinful food!

Yoghurt for after-dinners at this cheerful yoghurt bar. The bubbly colors and yoghurt dispensing machines made it seem like a scene out of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

Guess what these are...?

Mix & Match your own yoghurt! Their concept was adopted from US, where you pay according to the weight of your yoghurt, including the toppings. $3.30/100g. They have about 10 different flavours - Irish Mint, Chocolate, Blueberry, Peach Mango and Original etc.

Our yoghurt which I loved so much,I went back the next night for another round.

It was great meeting up with Kaiwan after such a long time, updating each other and listening to her Nepal adventures.

We're gonna meet again next week, with the rest of the girls. So looking forward to it!

Major Photo-heavy Post

2010-05-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

So I've grown a year older, but it feels like i've aged ten years since last May. Yes, the dreaded aging syndrome has finally hit me. And its taking a toil on my skin - acne scars, eye bags and wrinkles popping up. I'm desperate for an immediate solution.

Birthday was spent with my loved ones - family & friends. Truly appreciate their efforts, thank you. =)

Qx took time out to celebrate birthday with me over lunch.

We went for my favourite cuisine - Italian food. Had a hard time deciding on the restaurant after reading mixed reviews, chose Pasta Fresca in the end cause they sent me a $10 voucher for my birthday. Haha, save some money.

After an ardous hour of maneouvring among the confusing roads along East Coast, we finally found the place. Poor Qx had to make many U-turns due to my wrong directions.

Ambience was good with warm teak furnishing and cosy lightings. We felt like we were dining at Italy itself.

We decided on a set lunch with soup, main and desserts and added on some sides.

Broccoli soup & garlic bread. Not a fan of veggie soup but this one surprised me. Didn't have any overbearing veggie taste.

Freshly home-made plain breadsticks served wrapped in parma ham slices. We wanted Parma Ham with Rock Melon but the restaurant didn't have rock melon on that day! What luck.

For mains, we ordered pasta, thinking that pasta must be their forte since they are named "Pasta Fresca", but oh well, it was disappointing. He had seafood pasta consisting of prawns, squids, clams and mussels cooked in tomato sauce. I had crab meat, fried garlic flambe in white wine in tomato sauce. The pasta was under-cooked and it was torturous chewing the spaghetti. They were generous with the portions though and the sauce was quite tasty. But well, I'd rather have a Pastamania. =(

Nomming.

Since we were at the East side, I took the opportunity to get my favourite KOI bubble milk tea. Ordered large size to share and it was gigantic.

************************************

Met the OS girls on Sunday the same week for another lunch. This time at Everything with Fries, Holland Village. The food was real delicious and portions were big. We were already stuffed halfway through.

Ice cream for dessert at a cute little ice-cream parlour along Chip Bee gardens. Yummy.

Pictures pictures....

Liming who is turning prettier everytime I see her. ;)

Lovable Rachel.

And thanks to Shayna for always taking the effort to organise our outings! =D

*******************************************

Saw this advertisement on tv recently and it got me lemming for this fitness equipment - Ab Circle Pro! Seems really good and I wouldn't mind flatter, tonned abs & thighs myself. So this guy (who is very special to me and not yet mentioned in this entire entry) offered to make a trip down to OG which was having a super sales and I managed to get it at a special price. Can't wait for it to arrive at my doorsteps next week!

Lunch with him at V8 after.

After a satiating lunch, went to Zara to choose a basic v-neck tee for him to match his blazer for an upcoming dinner. Then popped over to New York Skin Solutions for a trial facial treatment, which sucked. My face had an allery reaction from their intensive 'rich' products used. They are the worst out of all the facial places I've been to. Not going back there again!

Backlog photos:

Hotel Re! - a boutique hotel with chic modernistic layouts. Not really my type though. Prefer warm cosy rooms.

A lil update

2010-05-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

Having been to the forums, blogs etc, I've nothing else left to do while waiting for my facial mask to dry, so why not update my dead blog?

Exams are finally over! Ended last Thursday in fact. Yay!

My 2-week examination buddy who kept making me travel around SG to satiate her post-papers food cravings. One moment it was Popeye Chicken at Changi Airpot and the next, KOI bubble tea at Marine Parade. Never had explored so much of the east side like the last 2 weeks.

Caught while busy updating friends on how terribly I fared for my papers. =(

And I pampered myself to a Classic Mani & Pedicure, using the time to silence my growling stomach by munching on some bites and drink. Unfortunately, I chose the wrong color for my feet and it turned out a tad too bright for my liking.

Couldn't resist making use of the flattering lighting in the changing rooms to take a cam-whorish picture. Ha!

Will be updating this blog soon I hope! Stay tuned. =)

2010-05-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

6th May 2010

Marks the day of my liberalisation, from his mind games, deception, pretense and trickery.

I'm finally freed. And strangely, I'm feeling relieved instead of sad. Maybe my capacity for grief has already reached its max.

His loss, my gain. =)

Watch this space for my updates.

Au revoir.

2010-04-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

Its 3.31am on Sat morning and I'm supposed to be working for an event later in about 12hours or so but not even close to falling asleep. Kinda regretting taking up the assignment. Sucky complexion gets me feeling so low-self esteem. Even concealors don't work. But well, need the money, so I'm pretty bent on enduring the 4 hours with a thick skin among other gorgeous babes and make a quick getaway.

This was taken by my sis on our way to school one unlucky morning. Wearing her puff-sleeved Topshop top which I(we) love ttm. We decided to cab down but ended up being caught in a traffic jam and paying extra cab fare with peak period surcharges. This picture has been processed by this cool Iphone application which makes ur face looks flawless, so you can't really see my acne scars.

Its been months My life seemed to have undergone a complete transformation - not sure whether its for the best or not, we shall see. I miss QQ.

2010-01-24T09:11:00.000-08:00

She reminded me of how much I love him.

2010-01-13T11:49:00.000-08:00

=(

Something alarmingly foreign happenned to my body mechanism freaked me out so terribly on Tuesday morning. Felt really helpless and scared, which was not only allayed after talking to my mom, but worsened. Thought she could give me some words of advice but i got naggings instead on how I haven't been taking care of my health properly - sleeping late, not drinking enough water etc. I was so worried I took half-day leave from work, making sure that I finished and accounted for my entire workload, and rushed to see my family doctor.

Doctor diagnosed I had an infection and I'm now on a week's course of antibiotics. I hate taking medicine cause I've always had difficulty swallowing pills since young. But I have to complete this course, don't want the infection to come back again, though doctor says it would definitely, at some point of time later in my life. Gosh. I really don't want to go through that painful ordeal again. I've probably not been giving my body enough pampering and rest, so from now on, i'm gonna cut down my intake on fried food, drink lots and lots of fluid, exercise and sleep earlier. Basicially, just loving myself more.

Was feeling better yesterday and went to Janet's for my bi-weekly Shiseido hair treatment. Only $40 for my hair length, i think its super worth it, considering the instant effect it does for my frizzy hair. Have tried various treatments at other high-end salons which charges ridiculous high prices and their effect can only stay for a day or two?

2010-01-11T08:52:00.000-08:00

Its such a bad night.
Negative thoughts and past scenes just can't stop flashing through my pounding head.
I wish I was smarter. Braver. Less naive. Less trusting. More selfless. Loved myself more.

That's all. Not gonna say "Good night". It hasn't been a good one. Bed.

Rach's Fairytale

2009-12-19T23:34:00.000-08:00

19th December 2009, 2000 hours.

A cool breezy Saturday night, in a cosy cafe camouflaged among red-bricked buildings. Waiters dressed in red vests and black pants welcomed guests docked in light colors at the entrance. SLRs and digicams snapped away while a mixture of leisure chatter and laughter filled the air. Jugs of fruit punch poured into glasses and refilled. A sumptous spread of chinese asian cuisine satiated the hungry guests who had gathered to celebrate Rach's coming of age. Her 21st.

Happy Birthday my dear girl!

Let pictures do the talk from here.

The O.S. !

Group pictures:

Before the cake-cutting ceremony

What goes on in the washrooms while the gentlemen waits...

And individual shots with my girls

Already Gone

2009-12-18T02:42:00.000-08:00

Credits to Matt.

Remember all the things we wanted
Now all our memories they're haunted
We were always meant to say goodbye
I want you to know that it doesn't matter
Where we take this road someone's gotta go

And I want you to know
you couldn't have loved me better
But I want you to move on so I'm already gone
I'm already gone, already gone
You can't make it feel right when you know that it's wrong
I'm already gone, already gone
There's no moving on so I'm already gone

From LYRICSMODE.COM lyrics archive

Lyrics | Kelly Clarkson lyrics - Already Gone lyrics

Replaying

2009-12-12T00:57:00.000-08:00

My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window
and I can't see at all
And even if I could it'd all be grey,
but your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad,
it's not so bad

I drank too much last night, got bills to pay,
my head just feels in pain
I missed the bus and there'll be hell today,
I'm late for work again
And even if I'm there, they'll all imply
that I might not last the day
And then you call me and it's not so bad,
it's not so bad

So much disappointment and revelations - that was just the last straw - it feels like I'm finally waking up from a 14-day nightmare.

"When you've been to the bottom, nothing else hurts any further."

Thank you (you al' know who you are!) for being here with me through these doldrums. With your lovely accompaniment, listening ears and encouragements, I'm picking myself up. Will be getting out of Singapore this Christmas, desperately need a breather and break from this concrete jungle city and most of all, the complicated human minds!

Now I just need to find my passport...

Forgotten What It's like to Smile

2009-12-09T22:03:00.000-08:00

I was striken by a sudden fear of losing my parents one day. I've always expected them to be here, supporting the family and household. Expecting them to be home in the evenings, in their bedroom watching teevee. But what if one day, something happens which breaks this blissful monotony? Age is catching up on them and illness will be inevitable. Just a matter of time. I hope I'll be ready by then, to rise up to the situation and be able to take charge. But can I?

Have not felt truly happy for sometime. I have been so immersed in playing sherlock holmes that I forgot what its like to think simply.

Emo stuff aside, I came across another one of Michelle Phan (aka ricebunny)'s tutorial - Easy Autumn and was so inspired I attempted to re-create the look on myself.

Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69w6io4j_gM

And this is my own version. Colors have been adjusted here. I love this picture cause its so melancholic. But some been telling me that I look frail and sunken here. =(

2009-11-10T23:48:00.000-08:00

Credits to Chester Tan.

Last night was the most horrible night I've ever had for as long as I can remember. Was already mentally exhausted but I kept waking up in between intervals of light dozes, hoping to see a message alert on my display screen. But I was disappointed.
When I decided that no message was gonna come and managed to fall asleep, I found myself drifting in and out of different dreams, which were all related to what I was worrying about, just maybe different characters. I remember waking up and heaving a sigh of relief that it was just a dream, only to realise that it's much worse in reality. I wanted to escape and return to my slumber, yet I could not sleep.

So tired now.

2009-11-04T09:17:00.000-08:00

Lost for words to write. My mind is in a whir.
Things have changed so much over the past 3 weeks, I don't know what to fathom of it or what I should expect. I can be feeling ecstatic, troubled, happy, worried, scared, sad and disappointed at the same time, almost everyday. So many emotions but I am only human. Please have mercy on me and show me the light.

2009-10-11T03:11:00.000-07:00

Give it another 6 hours and the weekend is almost over. This has got to be one of the most tranquil Sunday(s) ever. QQ is lying next to me, with her back against my lap, and I can practically feel her body heave up and down in a rythemic breathing motion. Just had a bathing session with her and she smells real good. I think bathing makes a good bonding activity (yes even between human beings and canines) - something that many of us perhaps have grown accustomed to doing it alone. Yet, it does not have to be a solitary activity. Think about it, we weren't even bathing alone before our hormones started raging. It does take alot of intimacy, love and probably trust to have an enjoyable bathing session with a loved one. That is because you have to feel comfortable in your birthday suit in front of the other person (yes even your own mom!) but you will be rewarded when you see your special someone's tenderest side unveiled during this 15-minute steamy session.

And speaking of birthday suits, I can't decide which waxing parlour to go to - the highly commercialised hollywood-ish HoneyPot, hard-selling uni-sex Strip or the home-based but highy-raved Golddust? I don't care about price, as long as they are professional and hygenic! Do share with me your comparisions if you've been to the above.

2009-10-09T00:10:00.000-07:00

Here's proof that I've been eating people. Don't worry. Not anaeroxic, bulimic or anything. Quick lunch after classes at the newly opened Xin Wang Taiwan Cafe at my place. Bubble Milk Tea is nice. But main courses and side dishes didn't quite make the mark. =((

Tea with Brother at White Dog's after class.

One good thing about not working - finally getting to spend time with my family. The downside? No more wild shopping sprees.

Alright, back to my Gossip Girl. xoxo.

2009-10-06T02:57:00.000-07:00

Whatever happenned to my immunity system. It's been a week and still not even close to full recovery. Despite having eaten the most number of pills I've had for as long as I can remember. Had fusilli for brunch and just vommited them out. Sickenning.

M. I. A.

2009-10-05T12:03:00.000-07:00

Some people just don't get it.

IF you haven't been seeing me "online" for much longer than usual, and I don't return your calls/text messages, please get the (not-so) subtle hint and step on the reverse peddle. I am most likely already physically and mentally drained, by you and need a break.

From you.

T.T.Y.N.

2009-10-01T20:26:00.000-07:00

Friday morning. And I'm not at work. Still not used to being free with nothing urgent to tend to for a change. Yes, I've school work but they aren't urgent. Last day of work passed like a whirlwind. Had a sorethroat and didn't get to eat what I liked for lunch. Then rushed off on the dot for a make-up night lecture and started feeling terribly ill during class. My head felt like there was a hammer constantly pounding on it, throat was dry and painful and body started shivering. Had to chug 3 sets of thick lecture notes home and almost fainted on the public bus. Luckily, brother met me downstairs to help me carry my load home. Popped pills and that was it for Wednesday.

Come to think of it, tts been a great learning experience working at BCA. I've come to understand how government stagboards work and know more about the construction industry in Singapore. People have this perception that contractors must be a rough, un-ruly unreasonable bunch. But they aren't, at least not the majority of them. In fact, most I've met and interacted with are quite amiable, polite, nice and understanding. Even when they do not get what they want in the end. Some of them are very appreciative and it feels good when they thank you profusely over the phone or even drop you an e-mail to express their gratitude. It was these little things that kept us going on each day.

Not forgetting the generous bosses, who brought us to lunch and dinner treats. I can't even count the number of times we've received treats from them. So thank you bosses, if you're reading this!

Alright, its noon. Tummy's rumbling but I can't eat what I want. Great.

2009-09-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

Love is not “sometimes, under certain conditions.” Love is “always, no matter what.” You can’t love somebody one day and then not love them the next.

That’s not love. That’s attraction. And it’s important to realize the difference between an attraction and distraction. We say “I love you” but sometimes it means “I love you when you look good and dress nice and don’t make mistakes.”

- Leighton

Thank you for highlighting the difference between blatant attraction and love. I think people feel empty when they aren't loved. And in desperation, they go for makeovers, workouts, manicures, plastic surgeries, wanting to be loved, but they don’t realize that what they would get after that is not love, its just attraction, its just lust. Its “I love you because you look good, dress nice and don’t make mistakes”. Never love. Yet what they actually wanted was just love, being loved when they wake up groggy-eyed with bad morning breath, dress in dowdy old shirt and pants and make a few stumbles in life.

Considered yourself blessed and lucky if you know you are being loved, always, no mater what.

Shayna's 21st & Villa Bali

2009-09-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

Finally an entry of pictures instead of words! =D
Realised that my recent entries have been pretty 'wordy' with a serious lack of pictures so I shall let pictures do the work for this one, its 2plus am in the morning and I'm dead tired.

Last weekend was Shayna's 21st birthday bash! As I was busy clocking OT for work and couldn't help to choose the present, I make the birthday card. Haven't done any art and craft for goodness how long and my skills were rusty. Only managed to complete the card in the end after 6 hours of non-stop trial and error.

Rest of the guys penning down their birthday wishes on my ahhem 'masterpiece'.

And what other better way to spend our time while waiting for the card to be ready beside cam-whoring..? Haha!

Shayna, the birthday girl looking drop-dead gorgeous on her big day. Having only slept an hour for the past 40hours,I looked like crap in contrast.

We loved the backdrop that Shayna and Calverk artistically decorated.

Oh, Guess what?! Chongtat brought along his new polaroid camera and it rawks! My first time taking such photos and they are so cute! Credits to Liming for the photos!

More pictures from the night. Ripped them from Liming's FB cause no surprise, my camera screwed up again. Its definitely time for a new cammie!!

It was a great night with the s24 gang as always. Always nice catching up on each other's school lives and discussing future career prospects with the guys. Looking forward to our October babies' 21st parties!

==========================

Met the girls for dinner at Villa Bali on Wednesday and had a good time. Shared the chef's platter with beer. Not a fan of beer myself and couldn't finish even 1 glass, but well, it was 1-for-1 promo! Haha.

Missing Chunrui and Beverly's pictures. Would have to wait for the rest to upload before I can get theirs. Heh, I've been 'stealing' photos from FB.

Kaiwan's looking uber-adorable in her new braces, makes me so wanna get mine done asap too!

That's all for now. Its 3am. Waking up at 6 later. Gawd.

Busy like a Bee

2009-09-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

Like all happy times, the long weekend passed much faster than I expected.
It is a quiet day at work today. Everyone seems to be tied up at their desks, trying to clear a weekend’s load of work I’m missing my buddy who so happens to be my colleague and shares the desk with me. Guess we won’t be seeing much of each other with the start of our new school semester and other personal obligations to fulfill. I predict a short one this week.

Lessons officially start tomorrow and I would be tied down by tutorials and revisions, on top of my 5-day job at MND. Meanwhile, coming weekday nights would be occupied catching up with old friends and discussions for collaborations. Things seem to be picking up for me, finally, especially in October and November. Would be going back to my first and foremost passion (guess which!) and possibly a job in the industry related to my pursuing degree. Shan't say too much here lest I change my mind. ;)

So people, do pardon me if I may seem out of reach meanwhile.

Of Geeks in Rompers

2009-09-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

Do pardon me and allow some narcisism. For I'm crazy over rompers and oversized glasses. Last weekend has been a great one, albeit a tad damaging on my figure (and his pockets!). Was eating non-stop, and I really mean it, tummy's disgustingly bulging now and I would have to abstain from wearing body-hugging clothes. That means no bodycon dresses. =( And I just bought a couple of new ones. Superficial stuff aside, its gonna be a looong weekend! Looking forward to it with a 21st birthday bash to attend and planning a night's rendezvous with my love.

But before happy times, September 18th is gonna mark an epoch in 22 years of my life. And hopefully, I'll have the courage to see it through and get what's got to be done, completed, even though I awfully dread it.

And oh yea! The Kushinbo buffet got us planning on a trip to Hokkaido. Gonna do more research on Japan and travel deals. Konichiwa, Japan!

Tumblr Addiction

2009-09-08T23:13:00.000-07:00

I look forward to my daily A.M. dosage of Tumblr each day. The one thing which never fail to push away any negative thoughts on my mind, ease the frown lines from my face or stretch my lips to a smile. It feels like a drug addiction. A good one though because it is where I'm getting a big part of my inspiration and motivation. Does the author know this? That his writing is making an impact on someone else's outlook in life. He may never know, for we are continents apart, living opposite time zones and speak different native tongues. Each day, the weather varies. So does the environment and its people. There is no constant. Except it. It is always there, everyday, every minute. And accessible anytime, just a click away. And this is the key to its attraction. It provides relief. And with relief comes security. No contemplation nor hesistation. Thoughts and motives stated down in black and white or represented by clear images. Slate-clean. No ambiguity. Which probably explains why I'm so deeply infactuated.

The Eight-Hour Apart

2009-09-06T22:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was rainy and cold. So is today.
But why does the chill feel especially so? Probably because the warmth from your embrace is long gone.
Since 8 hours ago.

L O V E

2009-09-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

"Everyone says that love hurts, but that's not true. Loneliness hurts. Rejection hurts. Losing someone hurts. envy hurts. Everyone gets these things confused with love, but in reality, love is the only thing in this world that covers up all the pain and makes someone feel wonderful again."

And I would love, to love. =)

The Simple Life

2009-09-01T21:04:00.000-07:00

Some tell me this world we live in is actually pretty simple and not to think too much. Yea, this place we live in may be simple, but the habitants are not. We, being the only living thing on Earth who has the ability to think, rationalise and exercise control over our innate instincts. But instead of using this nature's gift to simplify our lives, we complicate it.

We fill our simple lives with wrath, greed, envy, lust, pride and many other contaminants. Don't tell me it is human's nature to err. Who said so? Who made it such? We humans or another higher-being up-there? We manipulate and deceive to get what we want, or rather, what we think we want, which more often than not, can be quite alot. Who cares who might get hurt in the process as long as we get what we want. Noone. Sincerity and honesty are long-forsaken. We have forgotten that what we can achieve with these can be so much more rewarding. Perhaps most of us are scared. Schemes cunningly devised and traps laid. Lies buried by more lies. We continue to plough on in this never-ending vicious cycle we trap ourselves in.

But things are actually quite quite simple. Just us, who aren't. So let's start living our lives simple, just be sincere, and honest. Wouldn't it be nice, you think?

The Sweetest Thing

2009-08-30T19:43:00.000-07:00

Thank you, my dearest, for getting me the healing foot pads for my stressed, tired feet. It may not cost a diamond ring, but the sincerity of it way beats getting me a gem-crusted silver band. I wasn't expecting you to take my complaints of recurring leg cramps so seriously that you would think of me in the middle of your packed work schedule to look for a remedy. Thank you, it means so much to me. This gift is the sweetest thing I've had in my lifetime. I believe the cramps won't be visiting tonight. =)

Why, What, Where, Who, When ?

2009-08-26T23:20:00.000-07:00

It's a thin line between being concerned (for someone) and just being inquisitive. Both ask questions, the only difference being the intention. We are asking questions everyday, verbally and in our heads. We need to make enquiries when we are unsure, so we can learn. It is supposed to be good, I guess. I like to ask questions, to the subject itself or to others regarding a certain subject. People tell me I shouldn't know too much for my own good. I don't agree. Maybe cause I like humanities, like Geography and History. Past and Cause and Consequences. But not everyone or everything is like an openbook, that you can flip through and find your answers. Some answers can never be found, like lost traditions and cultures which will never surface again. Others are deliberately hidden from you, so you may never find them and you never will. Sometimes, you manage to find your answers. But they are disappointing, perhaps even to the point of perturbing. That's when you stop asking questions and take a step back until the final judgement is passed.

2009-08-26T01:05:00.000-07:00

"I miss you"

These three words are probably being uttered, everyday, every hour, every minute, everywhere by everyone to anyone. But when as you're saying it, have you wondered what you are missing? Someone's companionship? His voice or her laughter? His smell or her eyes? His hugs or her kisses? How the person makes you feel? Or simply, how much you like to be around her?

These three words can be so ambiguous. And ambiguity is a jittery state which only constant validation and clarification can relieve.

When I miss you, it is not because I am lonely. I merely wish to spend a twilight with you.
When I miss you, please know that it is your presence that I miss, not your companionship.
When I miss you, I am thinking about about how your eyes crinkle up when you laugh.
When I miss you, it is not because I need to feel loved and special. I just want to make you feel so.
When I miss you, its your embrace that I want to be in, and not blatant attention that I yearn for.

And it is as simple as that.

Monday 'Blues' & Macs!!

2009-08-24T08:29:00.000-07:00

Today marks the best Monday I've had in months. Why, you might ask. The weather was great (No rain!). I wasn't late for work (well, earlier than usual!). Skin wasn't SO bad. The contractors were all very nice. My boss was in a good mood, I managed to clear a handful of cases. Lunch cost only $2.50. Repaired the soles of my mary-janes. My boobs felt bigger than usual. (Hooray!) Got many text messages from my love. People smiled at me. (I smiled at them back)

Basically, everything about today was just great!

To round off this awesome day, I feasted on an Oreo McFlurry's. No pictures cause I was slurping it like a glutton as I strolled home. Plus a Coke and Large Fries. Who cares about fat and diet and cholesterol. Not me!!

But only for this special Monday...

Found

2009-08-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

I had the most bizarre dream ever. In the dream, I was a small girl, trapped in a massive multi-storey carpark. The kind of carparks u find next to commercial buildings in Singapore. Only, in place of parking lots were sections of chlorine-filled pools separated by thin rocky planks of slippery tiled ledges. My sole purpose was to retrieve a cellphone I left by one of the pools, and to get to them, I had to cross the planks. I had to get the cellphone, no matter what. It held the answer to my dubiety. But I did not manage to get it in the end. I remember watching helplessly, as the cell dropped into the deep waters below. I could dive in but I did not. This risk was not worth taking. I told myself.

And then, I was woken by a familiar waft of scent. Breathing more calmly, I snuggled closer to its source as his arms closed in around me.

Time to stop dreaming. Why the chimerical pursuit when I already had my answers.

Beams of Sunshine

2009-08-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

Caught a local film at a heartland mall today - think its called Where are you Ghost or somesort. Was quite apprehensive about the show at first after hearing critical newspapers' reviews on it but I was delightfully surprised (as usual). This show is so true to its Chinese title (Xia Dao Ni Xiao). Direct translation to English - scare you till you laugh. Haha. I was spooked, tickled, touched, on top of many other emotions, throughout the whole show. Seems like another one of Jack Neo's feat again.

The third story in the movie got me thinking of my Mom. Yes, I almost always relate what I see/hear to what's happenning around me. Our relationship has been kinda strained lately. It feels like we're drifting apart as I've not been spending much time with her due to work and everything else. Actually, I know work is just an excuse. If i can find the time to hang out with my friends, why not my own Mommy?

Perhaps, I am ashamed to face her. Now 22 years old and no longer the wholesome innocent daughter she painstakingly gave birth to and brought up. Cause deep down, I know I'm not fulfilling my rightful duties of a daughter or the eldest child. Cause of a long long list of things I regret ever doing or not doing.

Thus, I'm making a mental note to myself.
To start being more sensitive to the needs of my loved ones. To put in more effort to make their day(s). To let them know how much I truly love them.

And I'll stop trying to please people who probably do not care tuppence about me. Nor am I gonna make any compromises against my better judgment and conscience, for the momentary volatile droplet of satisfaction which usually leaves me feeling emptier and less worthy after the droplet dissipates.

So I hereby apologise to those whom I shouldn't but neglected. And those whom I've been trying to please behind a facade of indifference but am going to stop trying.

For the sake of me, myself and I this time. I am taking this turn.

'Goodbye' Seems to be the Hardest Word

2009-08-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

BACK again! Cause I've so much stuff that I wanna shout about. Just had a date with my dearest boy at ION where we confided in each other our heart-felt thoughts. How cool is that. ;P

And I'm so happpppieee, cause we had a rockin' good time! Haven't had a date like this for I can't remember how long. Miss the StarHub days when I was loaded, alright relatively richer, and we would head to our favourite hang-out places and chill (and shop!) like there's no tomorrow.

Dinner was at all-time favourite restaurant (my treat of course!) but we couldn't finish the food we ordered. Surprisingly. Got him a Zara printed Tee cause he seemed to really like it. Gosh, only 16 year old and his wardrobe is filled with Topman, GAP and Zara apparels. And I was going to thrift stores and BV to get my clothes when I was that age. Life's that unfair hur.

My dear badminton captain. Who is about 10 cm taller than me... boohoo. Can't bully him anymore!

And oh, guess how much I've spent in a short span of 48hours...?! 500 SGD! Gawd, I'm seriously sick. A mental illness called Compulsive-Spending-Whenyouhavemoney syndrome. And I still have a long list of essentials to stock up on, its crazy! Money's never enough!

Tuesday night was awfully sinful!

The gang decided to try the dessert buffet at Orchard's Swensons and it was really.... sickenning. So much so that I made them share the US Fries and Fried Mushrooms with me cause all the sweet food were driving my tastebuds craving for some sodium.

We always get damn professional waiter-photographers! X-D

What's a gathering without a little drama...

Ripped these photos off Beverly's FB! I'm too lazy to upload my own.

Anyway...

I'm so gonna make another trip to town again. For the tiered mini-dress, harem pants, boyfriend blazer, denim jumpsuit and skinfood supplements. Someone stop me please!

2009-08-11T00:43:00.000-07:00

“So do your heart a favor, sweetie. Just turn around and leave. It may not be what you think you want, but it’s what you need”

- Leighton Fitzpatrick

Bitter-sweet. Got me thinking...

Properly.

Something which I haven't done for the longest time.

2009-07-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

In front of my work desk right now (as if I'm not here every single day).
Just had a good chat with a friendly Techinical Officer from next cubicle.
Shared her children's experiences on orthodontic braces.
I am determined, again, to fix my first appointment.
Hearing people talk about their experiences always prompt me, but I lack perserverance to see them through. Not good.
Should put pictures of Alba with her mega-watt smile all around me so I get reminded of what I should be doing daily.
Being human sucks.
Being born with estrogens and ovaries makes it worse.
You can't afford to be lazy and timid if you want to look good. I am both, unfortunately.
But i'm trying my best. To follow my daily regime. This week's flopped cause Im reaching home after midnight almost everyday and could'nt be bothered to go beyond the Kanaebo toner.
Today's the first day of Vichy. So far so good. No miracles yet but I think my T-zone is slightly mattier. Wanna justify the 50bucks spent on a tiny bottle.

Gotta head back to work. 300 files waiting for me and I'm not even halfway through them. Gonna be loaded with more work after July when the rest leave. I predict myself clocking OT everyday. Goodbye people.

2009-06-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

Just a mini-post before I head to bed. Been having less than 4 hours of sleep each day since last week and am dead tired.

Have been trying to pack my own lunchbox to work (credits to Huiyu!) if I can afford the time to prepare the ingredients and its really quite fun! I personally feel that having home-cooked food at work is a luxury! Haha..

Today's Lunchbox:

Oven-toasted chicken thigh meat marinated in tomato paste, lemon and sesame oil with boiled potato, carrots and an egg. Wanted to melt the cheese on the chicken thigh meat but didn't turn out the way I wanted.. =X Grapes for tea-break!

Tuesday's lunchbox was a very easy-to-make, nutritious, healthy and delicious porridge.

Ikan bilis were boiled in water for the broth. Ingredients used were dried oysters, dried scallops, taukwa, carrot and minced meat.

Monday's lunchbox:

Pasta in tomato sauce with ham, button mushrooms and minced meat. Very yummy..!

Its amazing how some people manage to pack their own lunchboxes to work daily without fail. Lots of perseverance, self-discipline and creativity are required for such a seemingly-easy-but-damn-hard task! I'm already running out of ideas for what to pack tomorrow..!

Do share with me if you have any fuss-free and tasty lunchboxes ya? Preferably non-deep fried food! =P

2009-06-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

Weekend has been a jolly good time, with a minor annoyance - i forgot to bring my fully charged camera for Liming's 21st at ECP yesterday. The party was great, with delicious home-cooked food and an enormous exquisite chocolate cake from Sweet Secrets. Finally saw Liming's Coggie, Cookie. It was a funny sight seeing her bouncing up and down the stairs.

And not forgetting, special thanks to Chong Tat for being the gentleman of the night and driving us to and fro. =D

Sneaking into my brother's room to upload ONE picture from yesterday's party:

Had a mini catch-up teh tarik session with s23 gang at Rail Mall after the party followed by Mahjong at QX's cousins' place. I manage to win a few rounds despite being the newest player there. ;)

Just left his place after helping to doll up his mommy for a wedding dinner. She already has a nice facial structure to start with, so it was an easy task even though I had limited resources. Just a makeup base from Loreal's, Chanel's Matt Lumiere and Kanaebo's eyeshadow and lippie palette did the trick of transforming her. I can't wait to hear from QX his relatives' comments when they see her!

P.S.: Tomorrow's my first day of work after a very long hiatus. My nerves are wrecked. Wish me luck!

An 'Old' Lady Now

2009-05-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

Time flies once you're past adolescence. It seems only yesterday when I was celebrating my 18th birthday. Today, I'm already FOUR years older. Freaking FOUR years. You do the math and see how old I am now.

Birthdays are not much of a novelty now, having spent the last 5 or 6 years planning and getting surprised. The creative juices have already been used up. Nevertheless, 22nd was a great one, thanks to my darling Qx, loved ones & besties.
Thank you guys!

So Mr Ng brought me to one of my favourite restaurants, Thai Village. We had dined here once during our 1st Valentine and couldn't forget our mind-blowing gastronomic experience. Being the ever-doting boyfriend and knowing I love seafood, he worked and saved hard just to give me this awesome dinner.

We went to the branch which was conveniently located at Taman Jurong.

Our drinks; Coconut Juice & Soursop. There was china tea as well.

Him already munching on something - the appetisers. The a-zhar is one of the best we ever had.

Cam-whoring while waiting for the food to arrive.

And here comes the main dishes!

Braised Superior Shark's Fin with Crab Meat in Medium size

Everyone orders this when they dine here. Huge chunks of tangy Shark's Fin in boiling thick gravy with generous amounts of freshly plucked crabmeat. It comes with bean sprouts and veggies.

Baked Crab with Vermicelli
This is their signature dish. The vermicelli tastes fragrantly sweet after absorbing the crab's juices. After having tried this, we still prefer their Baked King Prawns with Vermicelli though.

He loves it!

Us very happy!

The desserts:

Original Chinese Herbal Jelly for me.

Ordered this not because I'm a fan of herbal jelly but because its known to be good for the skin.

He had Sea coconut with Longan.

I felt a tinge of guilt when the bill came, it was a hefty $170! Besides that, he further indulged me with 3 lovely dresses from BonitoChico. one of which I wore for the dinner. Hiakhiak.

After the sumptious dinner, we headed to one of our secret hangouts to chill and relax. It was a lovely lovely weekend with him by my side 24/7. =)

Love you to pieces dear!

*****************

Dinner with the O.S.! >3

Our food - loving their roasted spring chicken and cream pasta!

Yinsing - the ever bubbly girl who never fails to charm with her infectious smile.

Liming - the ever-funky babe with awesome new highlights! Love her hair!

Last but not least, our dearest nurse-in-the-making, Rachel who always make our day with her cute actions and words.

Always loads of fun with them around!

Thank you for your thoughtful and sweet presents, especially the falsies! Haha.

2009-04-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

My Secret to Slim-Looking Legs

Every girl wants to look their best! Especially so on important occasions like parties, boy-dates, photoshoots, weddings and the list goes on. Legs are one of girls' major assets and one which I value the most.

Having a leg-obsession myself, I would not hesistate to do whatever it takes for them to look their best. Besides strenuous cardiac activities, what else can we do? I show you my short-cut route which wouldn't burn a hole in your pocket. ;P

You only require 4 drugstore products, that can easily be found at Watsons/Guardians, do not cost more than SGD 20 each and probably take about 30 minutes (longest)to achieve desirable results.

1. Exfoliate your legs
Exfoliation is the key to all skincare regimes. You need to get rid of the dead skin cells to allow for maximum absorption of whatever skincare products you are going to slap on your skin. And this applies for legs as well. I use St Ives' Apricot Scrub for Gentle Skin.

This is the #1 selling scrub on St Ives website. The Apricot Extract deep cleans pores while gently removing dull, dead skin cells to reveal smoother skin.

Very simple, just squeeze out a dollap of it onto your palm and massage it onto cleansed legs (from thighs to your heel) for a few minutes and rinse away thoroughly. Dry your legs with towel.

Alternatively, a body sponge does the work as well. =)

2. Shave or Wax your Legs (if you haven't!)
You will get smoother skin if you exfoliate before shaving/waxing. I prefer waxing as hair does not grow back as quickly but when time is running out, I will use Veet's Hair Removal Gel Cream for Sensitive Skin.

It has everything I need - a dispenser pump and a spatula. Just apply it evenly onto your legs, wait for 3 minutes and 'shave' away! This can last me up to 1.5 weeks before I shave/wax again.

3. Moisturise your Legs
Although all the above products are gentle and cater to sensitive dry skin, the chemicals involved might still be a tad too harsh for your poor legs, so do remember to hydrate your skin!

Nivea [Body]'s Intensive Milk for Dry Skin provides long-term moistuisation for me. This lotion is quickly absorbed into the skin and leaves it feeling, satin smooth! Cost about SGD 10 for such a large bottle, it is definitely value for money. On the downside, it does not have SPF. So do remember to apply sunscreen too if you are a fair-freak.

And the final crucial step:

4. Air-brush your legs!

So far, Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs is the only drugstore product which provides spray-on for legs I can find in Singapore. I will spray this on my legs and use a triangular facial sponge to spread it out evenly. Please apply at least 20 minutes before you change into your outfit.

There are four shades for different skin types (I'm using Light Glow). Besides, it is also enriched with Vitamin K to help cover and fade freckles, veins and imperfections. Hope it works for mine though I've not seen a significant improvement on my pigmentations. =(

My boy always comment that my legs looks smoother and slimmer when I use this. So try it out!

And there goes my biggest secret.

2009-04-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

An update on my dying blog. I haven't been blogging much about my baobei (QQ that is) cause most of her pictures are in QX's handphone and there's a SLA of 1 month before photos are uploaded. HAHA. =.-

QQ, you may not have unique markings or features binding you to a pureblood ancestry. But you are no less of a canine as the other pedigree canines are. You are unique as there's no other dog in the world that bears the same characteristics as you. Being a mongrel/local mixed/mutt does not mean you shouldn't be treated as well as the others. We promise to give you the best that we can.

xoxo
Daddy & Mummy

She's getting fatter now as you can tell from the pictures cause she's purely on HCF for a month already. There's not much of a doggy scent from her and she can last for a week without bathing. We feel so proud now, comparing her to last November when she had skin problems all over her underside. All solved thanks to Oatmeal shampoo, HCF and Oscar cream. And and and I got her a Name Tag! With her name, address and our home number on engraved on it. It cost $18 plus for the tag alone and $9 for a brand-new collar to match the tag. I wanted red, but there wasn't any red tags anymore so I compromised to blue cause I have been wanting to get a tag for her. Stupid petshop. =.=

We make it a point to try to capture her various sleeping positions cause puppyhood passes by so fast, and she would be 1 year old in 2 months' time. It is so heartening when she snuggles up next to my lap as I'm sitting on his bed, surfing the net.

We brought her to the nearby park on Monday and boy, she did us proud man. Her shackles were NOT raised at all during the trip there even though we passed by numerous strangers and moving vehicles. I hope this signifies an improvement. It's mentally stressing everytime we bring her out cause she gets anxiety attacks so strong that she can even struggle out of 2 secured harnesses and dash across the roads.

On to superficial things and what's not, here's my online haul again.

Credits to HerVelvetVase
I never thought I would buy pink stuffs but here you go.

The above LJ was selling at $30 but I manage to get the dark blue chiffon dress from another LJ at $26, loads cheaper!

I fell in love with this piece as soon as I saw it. It's so dainty and girly. I hope i won't get disappointed when I see it in real life though. Anyway I got pretty bummed out when I saw another LJ selling the white one at $20.

My first purchase from BonitoChico's exclusive range! Yay! This dress is so lovely. I love chiffon, I love low-backs. And its so Paris Hilton. I've been watching Paris Hilton's my New BFF show which is so bimbotic, but highly entertaining and awe-inspiring (in the dressing way).

Instead of being star-struck and envious after getting some glimpses of what Paris' life is like, reality just sink in as I sit in front of my IBM dull black boring laptop in a tiny HDB bedroom (which I'm sharing with my sister) and I realise how average I am. I used to hear people preach that our lives are in our hands and that we are the ones moulding our lives, not the other way round. But it seems like vice holds true for people whom was born much more fortunate than the majority. People like Paris Hilton. For normal people like me, we can only watch her shows and dream. On. Don't get me wrong though, because I'm happy with what I have and love the people around me.

That's the pink version but I chose black cause I thought this shade of pink would look pretty washed out on me.

Collected Arrissa in White from the Post Office today and tried it on. Very satisfied with the material and cutting, as reviewed by fellow cotters. And it matches the pencil bandage skirt from LollyRouge well!

That's it for my shopping. No more.
I Promise!!!

2009-04-15T04:01:00.000-07:00

On Cloud 9... Guess why...?

We discovered a new Xin Wang HK Cafe branch near my house. Hooray! More late night suppers without worrying about transport!

Being their steadfast fans, we were there in a twinkling of an eye.

The gleeful looks should prove our undying passion.

Anyway its really coincidental that I happenned to come across the blog of one of our neighbouring diners and surprise surprise, the diner blogged about her meal too. I've no problem with that except that it was stated that she ATE ALOT AGAIN.

Now this I have a problem with. Why is there an increasing number of people proclaiming how much they can eat and how BIG their appetite is, alongside pictures of their own skinny slim figures. It feels like they are trying to tell others that "Hey I eat damn alot but I'm still so skinny! Don't you envy me?"

I've always been cynical of such people and I bet that the pictures of the supposedly gigantic sumptous meal they post on their blog is their ONLY meal of the day. 85% of the time. That does not count, people. Eating one BIG meal ONLY does not mean you eat alot but don't put on weight.

Even I, who seem skinny, can't eat on and on without putting on weight! I do curb my carbohydrates intake, although not successful everytime cause I'm a carb-lover and I try to substitute oily/fatty food with healthier ones. And I do try to workout every now and then. And when I have a heavy meal, I will reduce my next meal's portion by half or simply skip the entire meal.

So, this diner/blogger mentioned that she ate alot. But too bad I was there to see it all for myself. Hoho. She only ordered a main course for herself, not sure if there was drinks, but I remembered that her table was very empty. That's an extremely NORMAL portion what. Where got ALOT???

Wanna see what's alot like? I show you what we ordered for 4 pax.

Snack dishes:

Chee Chong Fun - I rate it average only if you like thick gravys.

Pan-fried Dumplings x 2 - this is very nice!! We could not resist ordering one more serving.

Black Pepper Chicken Chop Rice - my brother's.

Xin Wang's signature Papaya Soup noodles x 3 - 1 each for QX, my sister and I. Comes with pork chop, but I was too hungry to picture that as well.

Desserts:

Muah Chee! The rice balls were warm when served and taste heavenly with the crunchy peanut dipping.

Peanut riceballs in Ginger Soup - the ginger soup is quite tangy I would say.

And not forgetting one drink each (no pictures). Actually, I don't think its alot too, but definitely more than what they eat. ;D

It was a good hair day yesterday so must take pictures! Looks like Ascience and Yamano's hair masks are working for me. No need to go for hair treatments anymore. Side & Back view:

Okay I know Chinese New Year is wayyy over but we keep the banners hanging there for luck. =D

Because I love how you smell

2009-04-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

Stayed over at his house for the long weekend because I enjoy the relaxing atmosphere over there. No grouses, no squabbles, no ill-feelings or hot-tempered daddy-s. Yay.

Its amazing how strongly both of us feel for each other, after 5 long years. Despite knowing each other upside-down, inside-out, the mutual attraction has never ceased. It was a great weekend. I dog-sat QQ while they went for their cousin's wedding dinner and tidied up the house. His family was overjoyed when they returned to see the house spick and span, well almost..! As a reward, he brought me to satisfy my then-craving - chilli crab from the famous seafood zhi-char at the central. Woots.. I'm a happy girl. =D

It's a mystery but I can only fall asleep easily when I'm with him, cuddled in his embrace. I'm quite sure its his smell, which is so therapeutic. I would snuff my face in his chest, him caressing my forehead and take a whiff of his ever-addictive smell. Anyway, I found out that most often, couples in love are attracted to each other's scents. Not perfumes or after-shaves, but how we smell in our natural state. It's gotta do with Pheromones. =)

Let's hope we stay forever like this. I can't wait to be Mrs Ng. =P

Of Online Shops and Makan!!!

2009-04-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

There was one night when so many things came to my mind, which made me wanted to write here so bad, but I was lazy to turn my computer on. So here I am, with some energy left to come online but yet, I can't recall what I wanted to blog. Oh well.

Been doing some online shopping lately. I absolutely adore blogshops with pretty models! Good things must share so here's a few of my favourites and some recent loots I got. XD

Pictures credit to the respective blogshops (links provided!).

Lollyrouge

I'm thinking of letting this go cause its just a tad too cute for me. Don't you think so?

Agneselle

Received this on Friday morning and I love it!

RunwayDiva

I'm a sucker for lace, mesh, chiffons and satins. This is a must-have! Still waiting for my BO to arrive...

CatWalkClose

Dinner at Xin Wang HK Cafe with who else, my brother, whom has somehow become my dinner companion.

The curry is a must-try!!!

Wore my Agneselle top out:

AND Last but not least, Here's ME:

A Decade of Friendship

2009-03-12T00:22:00.000-07:00

iI realise I haven't blogged about the people dearest to me here before (with the exception of my family and Qx).

Not because we are drifting apart or replacing each other in our hearts with new friends. A decade has passed but we're still as strong as ever, if not even stronger despite going our separate paths after Olevels. Now this is a true example of how pictures do not always speak a thousand words.

Fortunately, we finally remembered to take pictures during our previous meetups. We have too little photos for goodness sake!

Kaiwan's 22nd

Not our intended destination but we stumbled across this quaint cosy little pub/restaurant while seeking for shelter from the pending storm.

The Birthday Girl!

Chunrui, the ever good-natured dolly.

Our future accountant babe, Sharon.

Missing Beverly who couldn't make it due to her tremendous amount of schoolwork. We missed you!

Snapping pictures before the food arrives.

Me with the cheerful bubbly Kaiwan.

Another reason I think, that we have little pictures is cause our meetup times are so precious, for us to catch up with each other, share laughters and heart-to-heart talks that we can't spare much time for cam-whoring.

Candid shots:

And of course we must take group pictures, like how all the other bffs do. Lol.

At Kaiwan's house before the cake-cutting ceremony.

A tea session at Rail Mall 1 month ago.

Sharon just got back from China and Kaiwan from Japan. Lucky girls!

Full attendance with Beverly!!

I so love them... >3

Family Day >3

2009-03-08T06:27:00.000-07:00

I still cant get over the sumptious brunch we just had at New York New York's. Smashing it was!

Our main courses:

Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken

Their signature Roast Chicken - the gravy is to-die-for!

Aglio Olio Mushroom Penne - my all-time favourite pasta. It's stir-fried and does not have the overpowering mushroomy taste.

Spicy Buffalo Chicken pizza - Not spicy AT ALL. I would give this a miss. =(

Dessert:

Banana Island - Heavenly sinfully awesome man! There's chunks of banana fritters and strawberries swimming in hot chocolate, topped off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The combination is just right.

My brunch companions whom all share the same sir-name.

Me with the "Organiser" of the day haha!

And of course, what's a family day without pictures of me and my soul/squabbling-mate.

There's what you end up with when you have nosey brother(s).

P.s.: My bangs are growing into my eyes and I tried to sweep it aside. I won't be trimming them till they are long enough again.

And because of my terrible skin condition, I decided to forgo makeup for a week and the result is better skin! Less pimples and blackheads and makeup goes on skin better. I've decided to use as minimal makeup as I can, just blemish balm, concealor, lip gloss and eyeliner. This might sound alot but its really very little compared to my usual makeup regime. Haha.

Okay, back to studying!! Wish me tonnes of luck.. =X

Think before you Speak

2009-02-22T17:34:00.000-08:00

I am suffering from a lack of sleep now and hence am very cranky, so please pardon my somewhat irritated tone as I type this.

So ever since I cut my hair, I've been getting a few comments like, " Wow, what happenned to your hair sia",like an alien has taken over me or I've suddenly sprout tentacles on my head. Goodness me! Don't you all think before you speak or even try to process your thoughts logically and systematically before verbalizing them??? What the hell do you mean by what happenned? How should I answer you?

"Oh, I don't know. Woke up one morning and it was like this. Damn ugly right?"

Well, obviously I had it cut, at a hair salon, by a professional hairstylist with industrial-standard stainless steel scissors. How explicit do you what me to get man.

You may find it hard to accept this change and think what a pity it is that I made this life-changing decision. But please, can't you be at least polite enough to keep the shock/horror out of your tone. Do you find me saying things to you like, "Wow, what happenned to your face/thighs/waist?" cause it is bulging with fats. I don't, because I spare a thought for people's feelings. Period. Take a leaf out of your CME book and it stands for Civics Moral Education in case you've forgotten.

And I am seriously SICK of people (a MINORITY) telling me that these bangs don't suit my face or my old hair looks better, yada yada. Hey dearies, people already cut her beloved tresses off, how constructive can your comments get? They would be useful, IF i have a time-reverse machine or amazing products that can promise to make my bangs grow 5cm overnight.

What's more, 80% of the people around me has been telling me that I look GOOD in bangs. Even if I don't, I believe I look good enough with or without bangs. Anyway, my hair is still hediously long and smooth and lustrous, so thanks but no, mindless comments not appreciated.

2009-02-19T11:12:00.000-08:00

No more meetups from now on, unless its within Bukit Panjang AT MY CONVENIENCE.
==========================
I received an update that QQ was scratching non-stop near her operated area till it dry blood crusts appeared. I'm so worried! Dunnoe why she scratches so much, we check her constantly for fleas/ticks but have never find one before. Guess will just have to monitor her condition and see how it goes.

And has anyone of you bought fresh fish from the wet markets or PRIME/NTUC etc before? I was at PRIME one early morning and decide to buy a piece of salmon back for QQ upon seeing the array of fresh fishes lying on the counters. Thus I told the fishmonger(?) the size I wanted, which I thought was the serving I usually buy at around $5, but guess what, when he weighed the slab of salmon, the amount I had to pay was $12.70!! My eyes nearly popped out man. I couldn't reject the salmon either cause it was me whom had asked him to cut that size. Thus one important lesson learnt: No refunds for fresh fish!

And okay, I found this floral waisted top which only cost $17; 2 f0r $30 - bargain! Love this kinda waisted tops cause they can go well with almost anything, shorts, jeans, high-waist skirts. You name it.

This picture is kinda retarded but I still like it!

Anyway, I saw this lovely dress which was already sold out. You can imagine my utter disappointment. But it turned to pure relief when I went to Causeway Point today cause I saw a truckload of the same dress on the racks and gave it a try. Not as nice or fitting as it looks. So its not a huge loss actually. =)

Testing my camera functions; left one using Automatic and right one using My Colors. Quite different effects eh. But lousy digital camera I have. Praying I strike 4D soon so I can get a new one haha.

And and and, I just got myself a TAGBOARD!! =D So my dear friends and passer-bys, feel free to leave your comments! Nice ones please haha.

2009-02-14T10:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!!

How was 14th February for ya'all?
Sweet? Romantic? Disappointing?
Mine was especially unique and memorable. Know why? You'll find out soon enough if you read on. =P

We went town on Thursday and I seized the chance to wear my one and only maxi dress out. As FEMALE (magazine) says:
(i) Maxi dresses of floral hues is purrrfecct for Spring! -check
(ii) Keep the look simple with minimal accessories - check.
(iii) No heels and ground the look with a pair of flat sandals - check.

Footwear:

Then, we spotted this really cool larger-than-life advertisement at City Hall MRT and could not resist the urge to flip out our phone for a quick snap.

Take 1:

Take 2:

And we got it! Doesn't this look like we're at Egypt itself? (Just say it does!)

And the biggest surprises of all was when we bumped into dearest Kaiwan selling hand-made lovely roses for charity! How cool is that?! Of course he must get one for me. Its really cheap and super nice plus durable too! Why spend tens of dollars on those silly roses which values are super jacked up during this Valentine period for like 2-3 days of glory??!

Love you dear!! Thanks for the rose! Haha

Anyway, on 14th February 2009 itself, we did not join the rest of the couples dressing up and hitting posh restaurants or the movies. That's cause it was QQ's long-awaited appointment for sterilisation. It might seem stupid or cruel to have it arranged on Valentine, but you've gotto know that QQ's reaching 8 months (yes, first wave of heat arriving anytime soon!) and the vet's so popular that this was the nearest available date!

Look at the baby frolicking around the house with her never-depleting energy. We think she's got some cat genes in her! Have you seen dogs which love threading on ledges???

So we've been marking off the days on the calender till this date and trying to spend as much quality time with our baby before she undergoes the operation and would'nt be able to play as much for 2 weeks. That includes bringing her to Club4Paws for a dip in the pool and endless tiring walks/runs around the park.

We also tried to take more pictures with her, but its hard cause she's forever moving! You observe the pictures below and tell me what you noticed.

That's us before I went for my haircut sans makeup.

That's us on Thursday.

So what did you notice? QQ always poses nicer with HIM in the pictures!! Grrr...

And so, we've been to the vet to find her safely in one piece (whew), albeit a little dazed and groggy still as the effects of the GA slowly wears out. She was so happy to see us she even attempted to jump on me. But only ONCE, cause she was apparently too weak to attempt any major movement. When we got down from the cab and made our way back, she hesistated in front of the stairs and feebly tried climbing up which of course, we had to spare her the ordeal of it. Poor little baby didn't have much energy except for the rythemic wagging of her tail upon seeing the rest of the family and was soon resting among the nest of bedsheets and blankets laid out for her.

The sight of her in this state is really heart-rendering. We didn't even dare to apply too much pressure on her for fear of hurting her. I pray that she would be well soon and climbing up and down again in 2 weeks' time. Meanwhile, she's gonna be on a well-planned special diet which includes baby vegetable puree, pork liver, salmon and lotsa vitamins. Alright, time for me to hog petschannel for more information on nutrition, diet and supplements!

QQ & Me

2009-02-14T03:10:00.000-08:00

I can't think straight nor be at ease.

We just left QQ inside the cold metal cages of the hospitalisation room at the vet. She's getting spayed and tested for heartworm. Update from the vet: Heartworm results are negative, hooray!

QQ weighs 13.6kg now, not the figure which I was aiming for, but well, what do you expect from a furball who's always rolling about the house looking for a new playtoy. Can anyone recommend me any good supplements which can help to strengthen dogs' bones? I wanna keep her limbs flexible and healthy so she can continue to jump around happily.

Look at her various sleeping patterns. We placed a blanket over her and after much fidgeting, it became like this.

Just finished reading Marley and Me and I can't wait for the movie to be up on the big screens, 26th Feb!!!

East Meet West

2009-02-09T11:07:00.000-08:00

East: CNY is OVER, Boohoo!

Can't possibly miss out on our annual lo-hei! This year we got ours from Crystal Jade but I think Sakae Sushi one tastes better.

West: Pizza with the Boyfriend

Wore my new haul from Bugis street. This kinda top aint really my usual style but I thought the sleeves look cute.

Sometimes, all the interaction and role-playing in the real world I do gives me a blasé attitude towards human nature. So much goes on behind a glance, a smile, a sneer, a frown or an eye contact. The human mind whirs non-stop and judgments are inevitably formed without realisation of what's happenning. I'm sick of humans.

Now it is a true reward living with a canine. The bliss, the laughter, the memories are irreplaceable. Someone who trusts you without question, welcome you like he's never seen you in years even though you only left for a mere hour, someone who gives you love without expecting any in return. Dogs are truly marvellous.

And QQ was so excited to see me after 1 whole week, and no, I did not feed her the new year goodies laa. That's to make her stay there for the photo.

And yeah yeah yesh, I've cut my hair, and chopped off my fringe into bangs. Been 2 year since I've stepped into a salon to get a haircut. And guess what, turns out that the hairstyle of the model which I wanted was done by the same hairstylist I booked! Tell me if that's fate or no. Did a hair treatment called Glacier Mud something which's pretty good! My hair felt smoother and not so frizzy after the treatment. The service there is so good that I couldnt resist buying their hair treatment package which comes with free perming/additional 4 hair treatments + hair trimming.

Dim Sum & Dogs

2009-02-05T05:28:00.000-08:00

Dim Sum Time!

What a horrible start of the day it was when Peach Garden turned out to be fully booked. We had no choice but to head to Fortune Restaurant at my less preferred branch, TPY.

Some of the dishes we ordered.

And my favourite one of all, Roasted duck! The skin's really crispy and meat very very tasty. Not like those mediocre coffee-shop kind.

Total bill came up to $70 plus plus for 3 pax. Have never exceeded $50 for dim sum lunch before, must be the roast duck. Overall I like the food, but I don't like the ambience, too noisy and dark for me. Prefer the one at Orchard, bright and quiet.

Wore my new dress from MDS, which I really love to bits.

I've been in love with flower accessories ever since CNY day one.

Back-dating to Monday, dear & I brought our baby to Club4Paws for some playtime. Never did we expect some drama upon alighting the cab, but I shan't say it here, don't wanna harm their reputation. Anyway, we were just glad we got 1 full hour of 'personal' use of their facilities, including the swimming pool. QQ's first time! She did marvellously well. I'm so proud of her.

Snapping pictures on the way there cause there would be no chance to later at Club4Paws. Gotta look after her consistently outside.

2009-01-23T22:43:00.000-08:00

This week has been a busy one with lotsa ups and downs. I cut my fringe myself in a desperate attempt to have them out of the way (they are always flying into my face and glossed lips, yucks). End result was heavy choppy short ear-lenght fringe which pretty much sucks.

Before:

After:

Damn, can't even book a decent hairstylist during this pre-cny period. Hate festive seasons.

2009-01-03T10:07:00.000-08:00

This is way back-dated, but I so wanna talk about it.

Christmas 2008 started with a novelty. We brought our 7-month old baby to a doggies' gathering at mydogateitcafe/Club4Paws. Poor baby was surrounded by friendly huskies the moment she stepped in and was too intidimated, which resulted in a defensive timid behaviour. Poor girl. We were kinda strained seeing her reacting that way, instead of being the brave happy dog she should be, but we were encouraged when she slowly adjusted and opened up to a few of the other dogs. The outing, although lasted only a couple of hours, was more than enough for me and my dear. We were both dead-tired from the activity and soon gave way to slumber when we reached home.

There wasn't time to take picture even though I brought my camera cause we were fully occupied looking after QQ. Here's one picture I managed to find from another owner's blog (thank you!).

QQ in the background here with 2 beautiful huskies!!

And then, about 1 week before Christmas, the OS met up for our yearly X'mas exchange+ Rach's b'day celebration.

The pretty Birthday girl!!

Last but not least, I finally got my first head-band! Yeayea, I'm so fashionably behind times right! I wore it the Grecian style at first but was attracting too much un-wanted stares so I changed it to the usual hairband way.

So nice! Love it!

Kampong Kampong (II)

2008-12-26T08:19:00.000-08:00

And so we're tieing the red knot and these are some of our test shoots for our wedding album. Enjoy!

Kampong Kampong

2008-12-23T22:43:00.000-08:00

A Sunday spent in Pulau Ubin. It was an eye-refresher with the rustic wooden houses and un-touched dusty roads with numerous mongrels running around.

Taking some pictures by the beach. The quality's bad though cause it was against sunlight and my cranky phone camera was set to VGA.

We had dinner at one of the traditional coffeeshops there and I must say, really fantastic food they have!

ka-chng!

2008-12-22T10:10:00.000-08:00

Been using quite alot of facial masks recently due to the sudden hike of gatherings and special occasions. *smiles dreamily* Must be due to the festive season though there aren't any happening parties or programs lined up for me. The only thing worth looking forward to would be bringing QQ to the long awaited doggies' gathering on boxing day when I'll finally be able to meet a lovely white-apricot husky, Skylar. And also hoping that QQ will get to socialise during this gathering. What's more, there will also be an X'mas gift exchange for the attending poochies with a reasonable budget of 10bucks. I hope that everyone (mostly) will avoid giving any edibles with chicken cause MOST dogs are actually allergic to chicken, including my QQ. I've thought and thought about what we should get for the gift exchange - probably a kongo toy plus some non-meaty treats to avoid any complications, or dental chewing bones. I just found a cheap kongo toy for QQ but she doesn't seem to be able to master the knack of playing with it. Instead of nudging the toy around the floor, she managed to stretch her jaw to the widest extent and just ran off with the toy in her mouth to her 'hidey-hole'! Gosh! So much for distracting her with an interesting toy. Should have just got yet another, ball for her. QQ's crazy for balls!

Dear and I made our first trip down to Pulau Ubin on Sunday and was pleasantly surprised to find such a rural kampong setting still thriving. We had very tasty seafood with salted fish fried rice in a traditional 80s coffee shop with delightful home-made drinks and it was practically a dog-eye-feast for us cause almost every shop/household owned one mongrel! The dogs there are so tame and friendly of various shapes and sizes. I could'nt help wondering if sterilisation should also be carried out in that area for the mongrels, for even though they are owned, I would'nt call their living conditions ideal or healthy. They are still quite fleas-infested and I pretty much believe that heartworm would be a very common killer there due to the mozzies-saturated environment. Would sterilisation be good or should we let nature takes it course? Our business was finally wrapped up by 7pm when we made our way to the mainland. Was exhausted and feeling queasy due to my infrequent meals that I've been having for the past two weeks.

Another random revelation, I used to browse through many other pretty ladies' blogs and was impressed by the amazing photos that they display from their photoshoots and always wondered how/why they are so priviledged. But after some serious thought and listening to seasoned photographers, my perception of such photoshoots has started to take a sharp turn. They don't appear as glamourous or as 'easy' a job to me anymore. This goes to show how amateur I am and how much there is for me to learn.

Sighs, 2008 is coming to an end yet I have'nt been able to accomplish much. Let's hope there will be a better ending for me to reminisce for.

Goddess of Mercy

2008-12-09T11:42:00.000-08:00

Today's weather was good - sun shone bright with a clear-blue sky. This seemed to be a good sign sent from above and before we knew it, we were walking along Bugis' streets.

Not missing out a stalk of lotus each on this special day.

After praying, we decided to check out this cafe that Kaiwan had introduced me to the week before. It was a good long hour before we managed to locate the cafe due to my inadequate memory. Poor baby had to endure terrible pangs of hunger. =(

I'm not gonna reveal here where or what the cafe is. I love it for its cosiness and quiet ambience.

And we finally found the place! Hooray!

Looking through the menu. They offer two selections namely, Asian and Western main courses. This cafe was set up primarily to showcase the chef's baking skills with their mouth-watering choices of cakes.

Set meal consists of a drink, main course and a cake of your choice!

His order: Roast Chicken with potato & greens.

Quite tasty, as you can very well see from the fervor as he tried the dish.

And mine: Spicy Shrimp Pasta. And they really mean it when they say spicy! I was practically gurgling cold water all the way.

It would have been better if they added less chilli flakes.

Mango Mambo and Minty something (can't remember the name!).

A mother and her child enjoying some quiet moments over a slice of the cafe's signature cake. Transient I call it.

Not forgetting to say, a BIG THANK YOU to you for turning an ordinary day into an extraordinary one.

cause you are so beautiful inside, so lovely, and I can't see why

2008-11-30T10:48:00.000-08:00

reaching our quinquennial
yet all I can see of what's to-be are mere blurred images
our journey seems to have come to a standstill
like the red lights whicn won't turn green

sometimes thoughts flutter into my mind
which I can't help but brush aside
sometimes I look at you
hoping to find a trace of hope
to rekindle my faith in this affinity

all these pent-up frustrations with no outlet to go.

A&E

2008-11-25T12:03:00.000-08:00

Whoa, I love civilisation!

Kisses to unlimited telly-channel surfing, full access of Internet, privacy, my luxurious complete facial regime (my face is engulfed with blackheads and big pimples!) and not forgetting, endless supply of (junk) food. Ok sounds like I just returned from Survivor XXXIII (can't remember what's the correct series now), but no, its only a 1-night stay in NUH which seemed to me like 1 week.

Baby was rushed to the Accident & Emergency (A&E) department in an ambulance on Sunday morning (4a.m) because of a severe stomachache and vomitting. Amid all the frantic and chaos, QQ ran out and the siblings had to go after her while I tend to baby. He was experiencing such pain that I've never seen him in before during our 4 years of relationship and all I could do was to prepare for the worst. Have you ever seen those television shows where someone would just faint all of a sudden and the companion would just stare back in shock, not knowing what to do. I used to criticise them cynically, half-muttering to myself what a dumb-ass they are when they should just dial 995. Well, after that night, I can finally understand why they reacted thay way.

We reached A&E around 5 a.m and waited till 8 a.m before the doctor finally came out to update us on his condition. Knowing that admission to the ward takes a darn long time in our government hospitals, we (his brother and I) decided to go back home first to rest and pack his belongings. I fell asleep as soon as I had fed Xiao Q and packed his toiletries cause I had not slept since Saturday. To my dismay, it was only 3 pathetic hours later when I woke up.

First day

Medical Officers came to examine baby and told us that it was most probably mild appendicitis, but they can only conclude after 24hours of observation. If it is indeed appendicitis, he would have to be operated on. Hence, no eating or drinking for him till Tuesday morning at least. I created some commotion when dinner was served and I helped him to finish it. My poor baby had to be on drip constantly which deterred his movements. We had to call the nurse everytime he needed the Gents. Bought some newspapers and magazines to accompany myself throughout the night but gave up after trying to stay awake at 2am.

Second day

Consultants came in to look at baby again during breakfast and told him the good news that he could eat. Baby was overjoyed and looked like he was savouring every mouthful of the porridge served. Should have taken pictures for keepsake's.

After trying the hospital food baby was served, I don't think their food is bad or mediocre at all. Around food-court's standard, I must say. Everything served looked appetising and did not tasted bland or awkward.

Finally, at around 6 p.m, baby was discharged and his parents drove me home first before my mom starts making a police report. This entire incident gave me some rather useful insight and helped answered questions which I had been pondering over for past weeks. Our relationship has definitely grown stronger and another chapter of our life-story passed.

============================================

On a lighter note, here are some pictures of past events.

1. Anthony Hair Boutique Exclusive Opening

I hate my hair. Wasted a freaking $40 to style it and it came out horrendous. I know I'm constantly saying this, but I should have just done it myself.

Pictures credits to Clara (http://dblchin.blogspot.com/)

**********

2. Jing Jing's Solemnisation at Mandai Garden

Wish this young couple ever-lasting love and happiness.

Pictures credits to Jing Jing (http://jingjingdogs.blogspot.com/)

And the kind editor of Cozycot kindly decided to use my photo for their e-newsletter. Weee!

Guess what

2008-11-20T12:23:00.000-08:00

we were doing...

Deflated tyre! We (actually only my boy) had to warn oncoming vehicles to keep to the other lanes. He said I looked more like a female ghost waving to a fateful car on the road, damnnnn...! It was so coincidental that my boy had to report to the headquarters and was donning the smart-fore or whatever you call that.

Breath-taking outline of nature. Taken by fluke with my 3.2 megapixel camera phone.

Bored from the long-wait for the towtruck.

Save Tigger

2008-11-19T18:11:00.000-08:00

http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-11-17T00%3A39%3A00%2B08%3A00&max-results=2

MY CHRISTMAS WISH:
People look at me but what do they see

Yet another mongrel born with no blood of a pedigree

Would you give me a chance to walk by your side?

Could you try and understand what lies inside?

A pure heart bursting to belong and to love

To be the loyal friend you can be proud of

If there really is a Santa, I hope he'll grant my simple wish

I don’t need much, I promise won’t be selfish

I don’t require fancy treats or a special bone

All I want for Christmas is a place to call home.

Please help save these dogs. If you have been looking forward to owning a dog, here's your best alternative. I strongly discourage buying puppies from petshops - you do not know what goes behind the profitting inhumane breeding that many petshops get their seemingly cute adorable puppies from. To stem out unethical businessman from profiteering on poor and helpless animals, please verify that the puppy comes from a reliable source which treats their animals humanely before buying.

If you are intent on getting a best friend, adopt from your nearest dog shelter.

2008-11-19T04:10:00.000-08:00

When I last visited Xiao Q, I found out to my amazement that she had grown again (within a week's time!). Judging by the increase in thickness of the folds around her neck and her height, she must weigh more than 10kilo now.

Xiao Q was more than happy to see me. As she greeted me at the gate, she poked her head in between the grilles in an effort to reach me better and unknowingly, got stuck, unable to move forward or retreat! Just imagine, her tail wagging happily as she whined when she realised that she could not move. In the end, Andrei's brother had to help her manoeuver her way through the metal grilles afterwhich she just took to trotting around the gate, waiting for us to come inside.

When I cam in, she sat down on the floor and then slided into a lying position so that I could rub her belly (her favourite) while I checked her skin condition. Was relived to find that her skin allergy is getting better, with the help of salmon and Oscar cream.

When she saw me going into the kitchen and rummaging through the fridge, she immediately perked up and follow me, looking up at me expectantly.

Like this.

But home-cooked food takes some time to be prepared. In the end, she just sat down on the kitchen floor waiting patiently for me to finish!

This time round, we steamed salmon, a whole potato and minced meat for her. Without seasoning of cause. I still do not dare to use stuff like apple cider vinegar cause I've not read up enough on them. I did not include any veggies this time round though I would have liked to throw in some carrots or leafy veg. I read that raw food is good for canines but as we have to be very careful on the sources of the raw food and storage as well, I decided to stick to HCF for the time being. I chose salmon because of their omega-3 richness which I hope will benefit Xiao Q's skin condition.

I also noticed that she poo-ed less frequently when she's on HCF as compared to kibbles!

As part of her training, I'll make sure she does something for me first before giving her the food bowl. Usually, she'll run towards me as she sees me putting down the food bowl for her. So I will get her to "sit" first and then "stay" while I place the food bowl. She can only move towards the bowl when I say "Go". First few tries were unsuccessful of course, but my clever girl got it soon and she's been doing this ever since before I give her her meals.

I think its time for me to get her a bigger food bowl. Oh my.

My baby lying on the sofa, watching telly with us. (That's not my hairs by the way)

I love this picture of her! Can't help but feel proud as I see her grow everyday.

Dear me, I'm missing her again.

my 10-kilo baby

2008-11-07T16:55:00.000-08:00

Good morning sunshine, daisy, buttercup, all yellow and mellow. I'm wide awake on a Saturday morning. Was woken up by my rumbling tummy which seems more effective than my loudest alarm clock. Got up, made some tea to go along with toast, turned a few pages of Harry Potter and here I am, finally deciding to update my pathetic blog.

I should have blogged about all these weeks back but was too impatient to be bothered with the uploaded photos.

Some Brother-loving
Went to town again with my brother to look for his prom stuff. I lost count of the number of times we walked to and fro between Wisma and Far East, while my indecisive brother made up his mind between a "out-of-sizes" and backdated designs TopMan sales and custom-designed gray blazer. Finally, he settled on the gray blazer, skinny-cut shirt and slim tie within $200, quite reasonable I must say.

Our late lunch at Crystal Jade's. We were both too famished and gobbled up the dishes within minutes.

Another dinner with brother at Swensons. At this rate we're eating, we are gonna end up in the Obesity Club.

And to be consistent with my outfit postings, here's one of the outfits I wore weeks ago to Vivocity with my brother.

Wore my havianas out as comfort presided even though I would have preferred heels or wedges.

Breakfast & Walkies
On one of the days, we managed to detach our sleepy butts from bed and met up early for MacDonald's breakfast near my place followed by walking QQ at the neighbourhood park. Found some interesting games at the arcade and dropped by the pet store to stock up QQ's treats and necessities.

QQ looks very happy in this photo, don't you think?

Going home! QQ loves the overhead bridge, she would walke and pause to look down at the speeding trucks below.

I love her expression here!

QQ's 3rd Visit to the Vet
It was time for QQ's 2nd vaccination. As usual, we packed her favourite treats to calm her down during the experience. QQ is really timid and can get quite intidimated by foreign sounds and scents. Flagging cabs aint easy either as some (many) drivers do not like fetching dogs.

We finally arrived at the vet for our 0730pm appointment. You can see from QQ's downwards tail that she's getting scared, but she got better as she slowly adjusted to the new environment.

A happy (relived) dog after receiving her injection! QQ weighs a whooping 10 KG now!

QQ's prescribed medicine for her skin condition. It actually reads "Chloroamine" on the label, the drug which we, humans, take for our flu!

And of course, to reward her pleasing behaviour, I prepared a home-cooked meal of steamed salmon, pork and mashed potato She loved it and finished it within a minute!

My baby tired out from the day's activites.

Another "nude-face" photo, of course taken under flattering natural lighting so that my acne scars are faded and not that obvious.

just to kill time (II)

2008-11-04T08:02:00.000-08:00

I know I'm a tad lagging behind but this website's gotta be the coolest thing I've ever come across!

Playing with all the effects nearly made my day, its almost like the wildest of my dreams coming true! (Al'right, you've got to be a lil' disillusioned to achieve this euphoria I'm feeling.)

Dream 1: Model of the Moment gracing posters in town!

Dream 2: Me appearing everywhere along London's streets!

Dream 3: My boy, oogled by all women but solely mine. Evil, I know.

Dream 4: Being the subject of analysis and interpretation.

Okay, these do not qualify as dreams, but they still rock!

just to kill time

2008-11-02T23:13:00.000-08:00

This is gonna be my most courageous attempt in this virtual world - displaying my NON-makeup picture. When I say non-makeup, I truly mean it - no makeup base, foundation or concealor, no eyeliner or anything else.

Here's me on a GOOD-skin day. Yea, my skin is pretty bad with pimple scars, millia seeds and uneven skin tone.

Just to show how much difference some (alot) makeup and abit more effort can make.

With light makeup.

Heavier eye-makeup which usually works better for me.

Now, will you, the testerone-driven species still insist that al-naturale is better?

More Peeksures of Xiao Q!

2008-10-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

A few of my baby, QQ's various sleeping patterns and a game of tug-of-war.

Taken on the day QQ arrived at the house, still a stray pup, uncleaned, timid and sleepy.

In her new cot with all her favourite toys.

Tug-of-War

QQ eyeing her toy with full attention.

QQ attempts to catch the ball.

QQ manages to nip it!

And the game commences..

2008-10-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

A list of what I've been doing, just so I can keep track of my progress/regress.

1. Attending lectures, 70% of which I don't understand anything about.
2. Missing deadlines for assignments.
3. Celebrating birthdays.
4. Falling sick.
5. Taking care of Xiao Q (QQ for short).
6. Doing research on puppies.
7. Taking care of Xiao Q.
8. Taking care of Xiao Q.
9. ....

My boy's new puppy has been occupying a huuggge chunk of our time. She's just like our own newborne baby. Three months into keeping this adorable mongrel puppy and she's already managed to turn our lives upside down. Yes, even mine, though I live a whooping 10km from her.

Hidden among the doggie walks, endless patting and laughters are the horrible veterinarian trips, costly cab fares, unexpected bites and canine scratches. Nevertheless, as much as we are frustrated, the joys and rewards of a furkid at home is indeed priceless and unreplaceable. I will elaborate more on Xiao Q at a later time, for my eyelids are fighting a losing war, but here are some pictures of our sweet darling.

Xiao Q at 2 months old.

Xiao Q going on 4 months.

Who says mongrels aren't cute? She's a perfect counter-example. Learn more about the lives of many stray mongrels in SG at http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.com/.

**************************

Meanwhile, here's some snapshots of my past doings lately along with clearer pictures of What I Wore.

YinSing's 20th at TCC

Hari Raya Ramadan with my domestic helper

What I Wore

White ruffled top and yellow crochet skirt with vintage Cloe clutch.

Kbox with my dear at Clementi.

What I Wore

Dress from TF with brown woven belt.

What I Wore To School

Cotton On blue top with A-line batik-printed skirt/tube top.

With my lecture cardi.

And of course, what's a typical Grace's post without some cam-whorical pictures.

Till then!

2008-07-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

I was tearing when I read this blog written by the girlfriend whose boyfriend (just)assed away during Brunei training. [http://memyselfmine.blogspot.com/]

Being the worrywart empowered with an overly-active imagination, I can almost imagine myself in her shoes. Not exactly though. I can't say I can understand how she feels. Noone can understand untill they experience a lost of their loved ones. The idea of losing mine scares me. I'm frightened so much till the point where I think I may lose my grip on reality if I continue to harp on it.

My boy is sleeping after his first day at work. My work was mentally exhausting too. Got pretty irritable whilst guiding a new colleague. His phone call in the evening nevertheless, perked me up immediately. I cannot fathom God's making. How did God create such a being, a being with so much passion, so much life, so much kindness, so much innocence, so much love, in him. I wake up in his arms in the wee hours. I feel the light breeze of his breathe on my neck and snuggle closer to him.

Yet how long can I indulge in his love? I've been so selfish, I realise. What do I care about causing him disappointment? My motives are more important than his hopes to catch The Red Cliff. He's a man. He should give in to me. Or does he? Is ordering a Filet-o-fish meal by hitting a few buttons on my mobile comparable to him making an American Breakfast to surprise me before I go to work.

I argued with him when he expressed his hopes for our marriage, for fear that we would have a tough life after marrying without any financial backing. But heck to all that, he's my love. He is the one I want to hug to sleep to. He is the one I want to wake up with. He is the one I want to cry, fight, argue and laugh with.

Baby, I cant promise that I can change 360degrees. But I shall try to stop thinking about me, myself and I. And more about you.

Sweet dreams Baby. I love you.