WinterFairy's Kitchen

The chronicles of Shena Heng 1 - 6 months old...

2010-10-12T02:15:00.001+08:00

I haven't been diligent in updating my blog lately. I've been busy with Shena and when I do have time, Facebook & online gaming.

Spending time with Shena is such a joy and I'm so blessed to have such a cute little baby girl. I still shop a lot though. However, it wasn't for me. Shena's closet is bursting soon and I realised that I am overdoing it cos there are clothes that she has already outgrown before I even get the chance to put it on her.

So... below are just some random photos that I pick out of her since birth till now. Enjoy!~ =)

Regan Reading Story To Baby Shena

2010-08-20T04:37:00.000+08:00

Shena Heng is now 3 months old!

2010-07-09T17:34:00.000+08:00

Shena playing "kick about" piano

2010-06-30T23:41:00.000+08:00

"Hello world!"

2010-04-11T15:49:00.001+08:00

My baby girl was born on April 9th, 2010 at 3:17am. Here are some photos of her when she was only 10 minutes old =)

Does she look like her mommy?

The baby inside me...

2010-03-30T22:02:00.000+08:00

Yes, I'm gonna be a mom soon. How soon? 1 week's time? 2 week's time or even longer depending on the little girl. You see, this hasn't been a smooth pregnancy for me right from the start. Somehow I've managed 9 months of it.

There were times I resented her for all the miseries she had caused me. My first trimester I couldn't swallow anything. Finally when into my 2nd trimester I could start to eat, I ended up vomitting everything. Even when in car or taxi I needed to standby a plastic bag. Middle of 2nd trimester, I had more problems arising. I couldn't drink or eat any diary products, not even soy. I was tested positive for gestation diabetics and therefore, till today I am not allowed to take in any drinks or food that has sugar content. 3rd trimester I am being ordered by my gynae to bed rest.

I started to have early contractions too and have been on extra medication to make sure this baby won't join the world too early. I was even admitted to hospital because of this. I was on drip and 2 painful injections to mature her lungs in case of early labour.

Thankfully, after all these ordeals, I have managed to survive for 36 weeks with her inside me. I do not know how to describe my feelings at this moment. I realise that I won't have many days left with her inside me, how I feel weird whenever she hiccups inside me or make a slight movement. I know that I'll miss having her inside me, but at the same time I'm looking forward to how she looks like and how her small body feels in my arms.

My little angel will be called Shena. It means "God's grace". Nice meaning right? Truth is, she is indeed god's grace. After 2 miscarriages, this tough pregnancy really makes me cherish her even more. It hasn't been an easy journey for both of us, especially to my husband. He has to endure my emotional trashhold and at the same time, taking care of both mommy and baby.

Well, let's have a glimpse of her chubby face first. It's not very clear but still can see her chubby face. Shena, say hi to the world of bloggers =)

Mix a Cup of Happiness

2009-11-11T12:41:00.000+08:00

You need to concoct a mixture for your mood. When you wish to be happy, then you’ll be happy.

Are you feeling great today? Early in the morning when you wake up, take a good look at the mirror and read the letter ‘m’. Now, give yourself one minute to think when you read the letter ‘m’. What do you think of?

‘McDonalds’, ‘Man’, ‘Myself’ and ‘Mind’.

When you think of the word ‘McDonalds’, it shows that you still have the innocence of a child.

When you think of the word ‘Man’, perhaps right now what your heart desires for is a relationship.

When you think of the word ‘Myself’, maybe there will be changes in your life.

If you think of the word ‘Mind’, which consists of thoughts, feelings and determination, it represents that you are in the same mood as I am while reading this.

Why do we have to talk about ‘mind’?

The reason is very simple. It is inseparable from our daily lives, and yet most of the time we are too blind to notice it and neglect its existence. Therefore, start off your day with a positive ‘mind’, and it will make a good mixture for your mood.

When you read the letter ‘m’, try and take a look at the mirror. You will discover that at the corner of your lips are tilted up, and it seems like you are smiling at yourself. Perhaps when you read this letter, at the same time you have already started off your day with a happy feeling.

When you wake up in the morning, the first thought that comes into your mind is very important. It will determine your mood and how you feel for the rest of your day. Early in the morning when you are about to brush your teeth and wash your face to start off your day, try putting on a smiling face and a happy feeling.

Many times in our lives, we need to practise over and over again in order to do well at something. Being happy needs practises too. If you want to lead a happy life, you have to start from the little issues in your life.

Now, read the letter ‘m’ out loud. How is it? You can feel the difference already, can’t you?

Yasmin Ahmad

2009-04-13T00:00:00.001+08:00

Yasmin began her career in advertising as a copywriter at Ogilvy & Mather, eventually rising to creative director at Leo Burnett Kuala Lumpur. Her television commercials are well-known in Malaysia -- particularly her ads for PETRONAS "Tan Hong Ming in Love".

My favourite would definitely have to be "Tan Hong Ming in Love". So cute!

Truffle's "Best" Friend

2009-04-06T00:00:00.004+08:00

Truffle : Hey Mr Mouse.
Roro : G'day Miss Cat.
Truffle : I'll get you one day...
Roro : You can try but you'll never get me. Bleah!~
Truffle : Zzz...

3 Injections & 3 Stitches

2009-03-27T12:00:00.005+08:00

It all started with Regan wanted to eat Mango. Clumsy me accidentally cut my right hand middle finger instead of the mango. The cut was so deep that I cut my middle finger's tendon? Eew...

Initially I thought it was just a very bad cut, but Shen insisted that I should see a doctor. And luckily we did. I had 2 injections for general anaesthetic to numb my middle finger in order to stitch up the wound. The last injection for tetanus. My finger had 3 stitches to close up the wound and I need to go back to the clinic to change dressing on Saturday. 2 weeks later again to remove the stitches. The doctor said I would need physiotherapy for my finger so that it would not be "rusty".

I'm now on antibiotics and painkiller to reduce the pain. Who would have thought that this would happen for just wanting to eat some mango?

Typical Singaporean Couple

2009-03-21T00:00:00.001+08:00

Phoebe's Kitchen Is Back In Action!

2009-03-14T00:00:00.000+08:00

I haven't been pushing for any cooking classes ever since I started helping my sis to look after Regan. Lately, I have been receiving calls from people making enquiries on my cooking class. Hence, I started to teach again.

What makes my cooking class different from the rest is that I don't conduct big group classes. Maximum attendance per class is 4 students. I also conduct 1 to 1 classes, something like a private tutor. Not everyone likes big group classes, and in fact there aren't any 1 to 1 cooking class in the market and I realise there's a niche in this area.

I randomly picked some photos on what I taught for the past few classes and also what I cooked for my friends when they came over for dinner during Chinese New Year period.

Pickled cucumber and Chicken Legs Soup

Deep Fried Red Snapper with Special Bean Sauce

Shredded Chicken & Japanese Cucumber in Vinegar

Chicken Katsu with Tonkatsu Sauce

Stewed Lamb with Vegetables in Red Wine & Tomato Sauce

Stir-fry Kimchi with Pork Belly

Non-spicy version Seafood Tom Yam Soup

Guests helping themselves to the food.

At Work

2009-03-04T00:00:00.000+08:00

When the economy makes big news, many photographs of people at work come across the wires, usually to help illustrate a particular story or event. By collecting these disparate photos over the past few months, I found that a global portrait emerged of we humans producing things. People assembling, generating, and building items small and large, mundane and expensive, trivial and important. I hope you enjoy this look into some people's work lives around the world. (45 photos total)

*Taken from "The Big Picture - News stories in photographs by Alan Taylor.

1. Electric Time Co. employee Walter Rodriguez cleans the face of an 84-inch Wegman clock at the plant in Medfield, Mass. Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

2. An aerial view of the snow covered Ruhr district, with the steel company ThyssenKrupp in Duisburg, western Germany, is seen. ThyssenKrupp AG, Germany's largest steelmaker, said Friday Feb. 13, 2009 company profits dropped sharply in the fiscal first quarter and that it would cut jobs as the world economic crisis caused a sharp fall in demand for steel. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

3. A worker walks past chicken eggs stored at a major eggs production factory in suburban Beijing, China, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. Three more Chinese brands of eggs containing melamine were identified and a local government has acknowledged that officials knew about the contamination for a month before it was publicly disclosed. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

4. Miller Brady Hageman checks roller mills as wheat is ground into flour to make pasta at the American Italian Pasta Co. plant in Excelsior Springs, Mo. Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2008. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

5. A worker walks over steel bars at an iron and steel plant in Wuhan, Hubei province, China on November 1, 2008. Moves by China to restrict steel exports may push trade distortion problems into other industries down the line and run counter to world rules, a U.S. trade official said. (REUTERS/Stringer)

6. Workers perform a quality check for newly made toys at the production line of a toy factory in the suburbs of Shanghai October 31, 2008. According to the owner of the factory, where most of the production is for export to the U.S and Japan, the slowdown of about 30% in client's orders can be mainly attributed to the global financial crisis. The number of Chinese firms exporting toys overseas halved in the first seven months of 2008, compared to the year before, the General Administration of Customs said on Monday.

7. An operator walks in the control room of the closed third unit of the nuclear power plant of Kozlodui north east of the Bulgarian capital Sofia, Friday, Jan. 23, 2009. Bulgaria's parliament has approved plans to seek European Union permission to re-launch two old nuclear reactors mothballed when it joined the EU two years ago. The two aging 440-megawatt reactors at the Kozlodui plant were shut down in 2007. The government says Bulgarian businesses lost euro100 million (US$129 million) when Russian natural gas supplies were suspended for nearly two weeks. (AP Photo/Petar Petrov)

8. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il visits the Pyongyang Gum Factory in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this undated picture released by North Korea's official news agency KCNA on January 16, 2009.

9. An employee works at a workshop of Changning Steel and Iron Factory in Changzhi, Shanxi province, China on January 15, 2009. European Union trade officials will vote on Thursday in favor of imposing temporary antidumping duties of 25 percent on imports of Chinese-made steel wire rods, diplomats said. (REUTERS/Stringer)

10. A woman spins raw silk yarn in a factory owned by Rwandan textile firm Utexwra in Rwanda's capital city, Kigali on January 19, 2009. Rwandan textile firm Utexrwa will launch the central African country's first range of silk products in February, as part of a strategy to more than triple turnover, the company said on Monday. The central African country's soil and climate are ideal for growing mulberry trees which silk-worms eat. The company said silk-worm rearers can earn three times more than coffee growers per hectare per year. (REUTERS/Hereward Holland)

11. People work on an assembly line of shoes at Thuong Dinh Shoe factory in Hanoi, Vietnam, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008. Thuong Dinh Shoe factory produces shoes for domestic markets and for exports. Shoe exports are among top of Vietnam's export earners, earning $4 billion last year.(AP Photo/Chitose Suzuki)

12. Labourers work at a brick factory in Takarjul village in India - about 60 km (37 miles) south of the city of Agartala on February 3, 2009. (REUTERS/Jayanta Dey)

13. A laborer's hands are covered with paraffin wax inside a candle making factory in the northeastern Indian city of Siliguri October 24, 2008. Candles are sold in large numbers during Diwali, the annual Hindu festival of lights, when people buy candles to decorate their homes. The Diwali festival was celebrated across the country on October 28. (REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri)

14. Eladio Gonzalez sands and buffs Oscar #3453 at R.S. Owens & Company Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009, in Chicago. Oscar 3453 began its life with the transformation of a chunk of metal alloy into a 13 1/2-inch-tall statue at the factory where the statuettes have been made since 1983. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

15. Pralines pass by on a conveyor belt at the Halloren Schokoladenfabrik AG chocolate factory in Halle, Germany, on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009. Halloren is one of the few eastern German companies that has not been bought by a competitor after the country's reunification. (Adam Berry/Bloomberg News)

16. The Boeing 787 line is shown at Boeing Co.'s airplane assembly plant in Everett, Wash., Friday, Jan. 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

17. A worker assembles a miniature locomotive at the Maerklin model train factory March 30, 2006 in Goeppingen, Germany. Maerklin is one of many German smaller manufacturing companies with rich traditions who have suffered under falling demand for their high-priced products. (Thomas Niedermueller/Getty Images)

18. An employee works at a mobile phone assembly line at a LG Electronics plant in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, South Korea in this picture released on January 22, 2009. (REUTERS/LG Electronics/Handout)

19. A coal worker stacks wood in the Cienega de Zapata, Cuba on February 5, 2009. (REUTERS/Enrique De La Osa)

20. A worker inspects newly-made gloves at Top Glove factory in Klang outside Kuala Lumpur on January 13, 2009. Malaysia's Top Glove Corp is the world's largest producer of rubber gloves. (REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad)

21. An employee works at a Changning Steel and Iron Factory in Changzhi, Shanxi province, China on January 15, 2009. (REUTERS/Stringer)

22. A worker at the Elite Thai Leather factory inspects a dyed crocodile skin in Bangkok, Thailand on October 27, 2008. Craftsman whip tough Thai crocodile hides into any style of luxury handbag a fashion designer desires. (CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/Getty Images)

23. In this Nov. 28, 2007 file photo, mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles (MRAP) are assembled at the Force Protection factory in North Charleston, S.C. (AP Photos/Alice Keeney, File)

24. A person works in a facility at Arura Tibetan Medicine Group, a Tibetan medicine enterprise ranked number one in China, on November 21, 2008 in Xining of Qinghai Province, China. (China Photos/Getty Images)

25. A man picks a bottle at an assembly line inside the Taiwan Beer factory in Jhunan, Miaoli County February 13, 2008. Taiwan Beer, made by the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp, will be sold in mainland China from May, amid warming ties between the two cross-strait rivals, according to local media. (REUTERS/Nicky Loh)

26. Obama cigars ready to be packed in boxes are placed on a table at the Segovia Cigars Factory in the Nicaragua's northern province of Esteli February 4, 2009. While U.S. President Barack Obama tries to kick an old smoking habit, a Nicaraguan company has produced the latest in a flood of merchandise trying to cash in on his popularity -- "Obama" cigars.

27. A woman works in a textile factory in Suining in southwest China's Sichuan province, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009.

28. A Belarussian man works in a felt boot factory in Smilovichi, some 35 km east of Minsk on February 5, 2009. Felt boots for cold winter conditions called "valenky" are common throughout Russia, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Latvia. (VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images)

29. An employee works at the Ferronikeli smelting complex in Glogovac, central Kosovo February 12, 2009. The Ferronikeli ore mining and metallurgical complex, set up in 1984, was badly damaged during the 1999 NATO air strikes against Serbia. It was bought by a consortium of international investors in 2006. (REUTERS/Hazir Reka)

30. A worker at Iraqi's Iskandariyah power plant works on a broken electricity-generating turbine shaft February 11, 2009 in Iskandariyah, Iraq. Built in the early 1980s, the Iskandariyha plant is Iraq's largest and most important, providing a significant percentage of the country's total electrical power. Years of neglect by Saddam's government, as well as a 1991 aerial strike by the US during the Persian Gulf War, have left the plant hobbled and sometimes only operating at half capacity. The plant burns Iraq's plentiful crude oil to generate power with almost no modern environmental regulations while its employees, numbering over 1000, work on dirty, oil-slicked floors with little safety equipment. (Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

31. A worker keeps track of finished cars at the assembly line for the VW Golf at the Volkswagen car factory on November 14, 2008 in Wolfsburg, Germany. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

32. Workers ignite a kiln at a brick factory in Guruwali village on the outskirts of Amritsar, India on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008. Brick making is an unorganized industry, generally confined to rural and semi-urban areas and is one of the largest employment-generating industries in India. The laborers usually work for 12-14 hours a day to reach a target of 1,000 bricks a day, earning between US$ 60 to 100 a month. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

33. Chinese workers labor in a factory making zippers in Jinjiang, China's Fujian province Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008.

34. A laborer works on a toilet bowl for export, at a ceramic factory in Tangshan, Hebei province, China on October 15, 2008.

35. A worker walks over hot steel plates at the factory of Swiss Steel AG which is partly owned by the Schmolz + Bickenbach group in Emmenbruecke, outside Lucerne, Switzerland on October 15, 2008. (REUTERS/Michael Buholzer)

36. An employee works in a textile factory in Suining, Sichuan province, China October 22, 2008.

37. Child laborers sit at a police station after they were removed from a factory during a raid by policemen and activists of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, or "save childhood" movement, in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008. 34 child laborers were rescued from a local embroidery factory. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

38. Workers operate product lines in a dairy factory of Mengniu Dairy Group Co., one of China's largest dairy producers, in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia region, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008. China's dairy giants are trying to revive their brands and win back consumer confidence, saying melamine contamination problems that have tarnished the industry won't resurface. Nearly 6,000 Chinese babies remain hospitalized with kidney problems caused by contaminated milk powder, the Health Ministry said. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)

39. Chinese workers make umbrellas at a factory in Jinjiang, southeastern China's Fujian province on November 11, 2008.

40. A person works with a gunpowder mixture inside a firecracker factory on the outskirts of the northeastern Indian city of Siliguri October 21, 2008. (REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri (INDIA)

41. A technical expert inspects a still in the distillery of the Hennessy factory in Cognac, southwestern France, January 22, 2009. (REUTERS/Regis Duvignau)

42. An employee prepares gold bars for transport at a plant owned by Argor-Heraeus SA in the southern Swiss town of Mendrisio November 13, 2008. (REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann)

43. A worker inspects machinery at a zipper factory in Jinjiang, southeast China's Fujian province on October 18, 2008. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

44. A laborer walks over newly-made pipes at a cement plant in Yingtan, Jiangxi province, China on October 28, 2008. (REUTERS/Stringer)

45. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and a group of city officials, (bottom right), watch as the cutter head of a tunnel boring machine is lifted by crane before being lowered into an underground assembly chamber beneath 11th Avenue at 25th Street for use in the Number 7 subway line extension project Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009 in New York. The cutter head, 22 feet in diameter and weighing 100 tons, is the first piece of two massive tunnel boring machines that will slice through Manhattan bedrock as they bore underneath 11th Avenue from 25th Street to 41st Street, and then east to the existing Number 7 line's terminus at Times Square. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Super Funny Black Comedy

2009-02-28T10:36:00.003+08:00

Louis CK is so damn funny here, how he rage on the people's attitude on technology.

On the differences between girls and women.

New Pixar Movie - Up

2009-02-24T00:00:00.003+08:00

This summer, Pixar will have a new movie called Up. It's about a 78-year-old man named Carl Fredricksen who travels the world via his house and a bunch of balloons. Pixar's track record is pretty good till to-date, so I guess this will be another success? We shall see ^_^

E*Trade Baby Outtage

2009-02-16T00:00:00.003+08:00

I've a trading account with E*Trade for years and only till recently that I got to know that they have this in their website. If you're interested, http://www.etrade.com/baby

Movies To Look Forward To In 2009

2009-02-09T00:23:00.001+08:00

Below are a list of movies to be released this year and to look out for. I personally can't wait to watch Transformers 2, Avatar, Confessions of a Shopaholic, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Astro Boy. There are a few more great movies that are not mentioned here for the trailers are not out yet.

At the same time, I would like to wish everyone in a HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

X-Men origins: Wolverine

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Fast and Furious 4

Star Trek (2009)

The Watchman

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Dragonball Evolution

Street Fighter: The Legen of Chun Li

Tekken (No movie trailer out yet. Click to view cast)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Confessions of a Shopaholic

The Pink Panther 2

Friday the 13th (2009)

Astro Boy (2009)

Ice Age 3 - Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Ain't She Cute My Cute Lil' Kitty?

2009-01-29T23:00:00.012+08:00

Yes! After so many years, I'd finally bought a kitten as a pet again. My previous cat was forced to be given away by my parents cos of my niece and I was devastated. Their reason was "Cats' fur is bad for babies". I had that Persian cat for 5 years, and her name was "Tammie".

I had been thinking of buying another cat as a pet since Tammie was gone. Many times I held back from buying a cute kitty. Why? I want to be sure that I am ready for it and will give it all the care and love that it needs.

I bought her home this evening and her breed is called Exotic Shorthair. She was born on September 14, 2008 and she's super duper cute to the max!!! Her fur color is grey and white, and I decided to name her Truffle. She is named after the truffles mushrooms (thanks to my di who gave me this idea). Truffle is a kind of mushroom that it is so expensive people don't eat it as a whole. Simply shaves off a few shavings of the truffle mushroom over your pasta, steak, or even salad.

Click here to read everything you need to know about truffle mushrooms
Click here to read the price of truffles mushrooms for YR2009

The first image is my previous cat, Tammie. As for the rest? My super duper cutie pie!!!

Sail Away With Royal Caribbean

2009-01-24T00:00:00.004+08:00

5 day 4 night cruise with Royal Caribbean and at the end of the cruise, my conclusion? It was indeed "royal". The service was excellent and food was excellent too.

Day 2 and 3 the ship stopped over at Port Klang (Malaysia) and Phuket (Thailand). We had been to Kuala Lumpur so many times, therefore we ended up staying onboard that day. Although we had been to Phuket before, but the last time round we were practically at the villa sunbathing most of the time and didn't get to see much of the island. We signed up for a 5 hour tour : Phuket City and Cultural Tour. 70% of our time was eating and sleeping since there were not that many activities for us. The balance 30%? Sunbathing, reading my book, shopping and watching performances by Royal Caribbean dancers and singers.

Though now that I'm back in Singapore, I still have the feeling that I am onboard a ship. I keep having this "choppy" feeling..

Before Chinese New Year...

2009-01-19T00:00:00.002+08:00

I have so many things to do!!! I just got back from Lombok, and here I am busy preparing for Chinese New Year before going away again.

Since Chinese New Year is coming, I was thinking to myself it would be nice to have a new look. So, I went to get my hair done at J Salon. Highlight, haircut plus treatment cost me $268.

Yesterday I had my 2nd cooking class for this year. I'm the one conducting the class, not the student ok =p I thought her how to make honey mustard salad dressing, roast chicken leg with rosemarry and bacon, and a dessert.

Later in the afternoon, I'll be on a 4 night cruise with Royal Caribbean, Jan 19 - 23. The ship will stop over at Port Klang, Malaysia and Phuket, Thailand. I'll report about my experience after I'm back from the cruise.

Click to view Royal Caribbean website

I wish everyone a Happy Chinese New Year in advance!~

Sunburn & Lombok

2009-01-13T15:00:00.005+08:00

Date : January 8 - 12
Venue : Imaj Villas (Lombok, Indonesia)

My 2nd visit to Imaj since last year March 2008 with my family and friends. I was at their 3-bedroom villa again since the package was purchased a year ago and expiring in February this year. I bought it for US$600 for 5 days last year. Recently, Imaj had this promotion and their 3-bedroom villas was selling at US$40 per night only!!! @#$@#$@#@#$@@$#@#

Anywa, since I'm just back from my retreat, I'll briefly summarize on what I did. The photos below are the villa I was staying (forgotten to take a photo of the bedroom I was sleeping in). And not forgettig me sunbathing... and came back with sunburn. OUCH!!!

1 of my dinner, I invited the chef to cook at my villa. While they were busy preparing my dinner, I went to peep on how they prepared the food and penned it on my notebook. I will use it for one of my cooking class ho ho ho...

I took some photos of the place as well. Not a thorough photo tour, but at least better than nothing?

Due to me and my sunburn, I couldn't have a body scrub at the spa. I ended up with a full body massage, strawberry mask and milk (body), anti-agiing facial and pedicure. I took their Christmas & New Year special package which included 3 course dinner and a bottle of red wine. All these for only Rp960, 000!!! SO CHEAP!!!

On my last night in Lombok, I went to this seafood restaurant recommended by the staff at Imaj. They said the seafood there is not only fresh, but cheap as well. Verdict: GREAT GOOD, NICE AMBIENT AND SUPER CHEAP!!! 1 Lobster, 4 King Prawn, 6 sticks of Calamari, 1 whole Red Snapper, a plate of vegetables and rice and beer : Rp291, 000.

Some of the food I had while in Lombok, too layz to take picture for all my meals there =p

Not forgetting my cute pinkystreet doll. I was so lazy that only took a few photos for Yoshiko.

I was kind of unlucky. My 3rd night there I got sting by a bee on my nose, 4th night by an unknown insect on my right foot and ended up still swollen till now.

I didn't buy anything when in Lombok since the place isn't a shopping paradise. It is more for relaxation, spa, watersport, scuba diving and cheap and good seafood. I ended up spending quite a fair amount on tipping the staff at Imaj.

This will be a busy week for me for I'll be away again next week for cruise from Monday - Thursday. And after that will be Chinese New Year. Gosh! So many things to be done by this week!!!

Just Before My Trip...

2009-01-07T21:00:00.001+08:00

I need to pack my luggage right? I'm going to Lombok for a spa retreat. I had been there last year March and am going back again. It's a nice 2-storey villa with private pool. The villa is situated on a mountain, overlooking the sea. I am thinking should I take a boat ride of 3 hours to Bali since it's nearby. Anyway, I'm packing my La Mer Whitening Mask to bring along to sooth my sunburn face. I'm not sure how much it cost now since this box I bought it last year. Retail price for a box containing 8 sheets of mask cost S$600. This isn't the first time I'm using this mask. Before I bought this box, I had bought a smaller box set of 2 sheets of mask at S$180. After using it, I find it over-rated by the reviews and regretted buying that bigger box. I mean, I'm paying so much and yet the so called wonder isn't that wonderful to me. Lucky me, this box I managed to get a heavy discount from my sister's friend.

Below are some photos of what I'd been cooking lately. The fish was my new creation. The sauce was a combination of dark vinegar, sugar, and so on.

I shall take a break from blogging till my return from the trip and will definitely post up photos of the nice villa. The last trip I didn't manage to take good photos for I forgotten to bring my camera? Zzz...

My New Year's Resolutions - 2009

2009-01-01T00:00:00.000+08:00

It's that time of the year again. Time to renew, refresh, recommit, re-everything we can come the turn of the new year. Few will actually commit to making any real changes, and of those who do, even fewer will actually succeed.

For myself, I start thinking about my resolutions just today on another insomnia night. My goals are simple. I want resolutions that will either make me happy or resolutions that are truly aspirational. I don't want to feel bad missing them and I can continue tossing them into the mix for years to come.

For Year 2009, I will work to:

go out of my way to help others and not feeling disappointed if it's not being returned.
reduce, reuse, recycle. It's the right thing to do.
try new foods and come up with more new recipes for my cooking class (Which I need to planning new schedules for cooking class as well grrr... )
take photos and sell stuff on Ebay. I have tons of junk I can get rid of.
buy more stuff on Ebay. A cheaper way to spend than going to the malls.
start exercising at least once a week.
clear the food in my refridgerator before buying anything else.

That's all for this year. Have a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Merry Christmas To Myself And To Everyone Out There

2008-12-23T21:00:00.006+08:00

Yes! Christmas is finally here the day after tomorrow. Don't need to explain further, the chef for Christmas eve dinner will be none other than myself. Instead of Western, I'll be dishing out a few Taiwanese cusines. Look out for my photos update in my future blog posting =p

Last Saturday met up with Kie Ian and Benny for karaoke at KBox. Benny brought along his girlfriend. We headed to HMV after karaoke and it was a mistake. I bought yet another 3 new albums. Original soundtrack of the movie "Mamma Mia", Best of Kenji Wu and lastly, Rain's 5th album "Rainism".

That day, I bought a new pair of ankle boots for myself from On Pedder. After discount, it costs me S$104 only. Original price was S$260. Purchase of 2 - 3 pairs, further discount of 20%. I managed to get this lady to share purchase with me, win win situation for both of us. Also, got 2 recipe books to give me some ideas on new creations. Dinner was sinful. I went to my favourite Yaki Tori restaurant and when the bill came I almost choked. Freaking S$145!!! T____T

Sunday was "Dong Zhi". I didn't even know about it till Xueer told me. She kept telling me this, "Must eat 'tang yuan' ah" hahaha... In the end, the supermarkets at my area either sold out or left the red bean flavour which I hate. I managed to get the peanut flavour ones at Vivo City's Cold Storage supermarket though. Here are some nice shots taken by Regan.

Yesterday, Regan wanted meatballs soup for dinner. I taught her how to made the meatballs. She had fun learning and making the meatballs. Some photos on our little chef, the future Kylie Kwong? hehehe...

Last night's dinner (clockwise) : Chicken gizzards (Taiwanese style), Century Eggs, Meatballs in Chinese cabbage soup, Chicken Curry (contributed by my ex-landlady).

I shall end this posting with... MERRY CHRISTMAS AND MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE!

The Crush Incident

2008-12-19T15:00:00.002+08:00

Every morning, I could see the same boy and girl waiting at the same bus stop as I do when I go to work. From their body language, I could tell that they do not know each other, and yet there is something about them that you can sense that they seem to know each other fairly well. It must be opposite attraction. Although I am not very good at having a crush, but I was once their age and did have a few crushes here and there, therefore I am positive that they are having a crush. And it is also because of them, that I remember the crush I had when I was only seventeen.

I didn’t know why but a girl who was seventeen years old should be vibrant and full spirited, but somehow I found it difficult to wake up early in the morning to attend Sunday church service. Until one fine day, I noticed him around.

The first time I saw him was the day he was one of the ushers. How should I describe him? He was wearing a pair of khaki pants with a white shirt and a black tie. He wasn’t very good looking but he had a certain charm that mesmerised me. To others I wouldn’t know if he’s considered good looking or not, but I just couldn’t seem to get my eyes away from him. I wasn’t worried that others would catch me staring at him. I was worried that he’d be scorched by my stares. I only knew that he looked so cool.

Ever since that Sunday, I was never late or skipped any of the Sunday service. In fact, he noticed me too for I was always bumming around. During this period, I’d learnt many things. I learnt more about God, I learnt the importance of fellowshipping with other Christians, I even volunteered to sing in the choir. People who didn’t know the reason behind would think that I was being spiritual. I thought, haleluyah.

Being imaginative wasn’t that good after all. There were a few times when he was walking towards my direction with a slip in his hand, I thought that he was going to drop me a love note. My heart was beating very fast and my hands were trembling. When he walked past me, only then did I realise that I was over reacting. He was actually preparing his speech for sharing with the church during the service.

It didn’t take me long to finally be able to get to know him. The church wasn’t that big and it wasn’t that difficult to find chances to talk to him. So for a year, I was like taking a ride on the merry-go-round, going round and round after him from a distance, never seemed to be able to get any nearer to him.

Finally words got into his ears that I was having a crush on him. He started not to show up at the church. I continued attending the service as usual, hoping that he’d turn up. For a year and a half, my crush for him had never faltered. It stopped when the day I started not to show up at the church.

* After I left church, we met again a few years later when we were in our early 20s. We were coupled for almost a year, almost got married but I ended up walking out on him. Fairy tale and reality are such a big difference.

Christmas Shopping Spree

2008-12-10T12:00:00.006+08:00

With Christmas round the corner, how can I not do some Christmas shopping? Yeah, I know... Excuses to indulge myself again, me and my shopping spree. But hey, I'm after all a living thing call, Woman.

I had been out everyday of last week till yesterday. From hair spa to sales, cafes to movie. Trust me, it's not that I didn't make any effort to tighten my belt with economy looking bleak. Somehow, each shopping spree I would still end up spending at least a certain figure. Sigh... Anyone of you would like to volunteer to be my financial advisor/planner?

Few things that I would like to mention that I had purchased for myself. I bought myself a new Antiprima's Plastiq Bag!!! Who would have imagined this plastiq thingy costs S$695? Jaw dropping price huh... but I bought it at a discount and had paid S$500 for it. Never before they have 20% discount, so it's considered a pretty good deal to me and a further 10% discount for Takashimaya cardholder. I have a silver one, and now I bought this latest design in black color. I simply love the fluffy ribbon in front. KAWAII!!

I must also mentioned the 2 dresses I bought from Miss Selfridge, especially the outercoat!!! So stylish!!! I can wear it on it's own or with a dress underneath, or match it with a pair of jeans and a nice tank top/tee and a pair of long boots. They were having sale, purchase 2nd item at a discount of 50%. The coat cost me S$119 and therefore I only paid $58 for the dress after discount. Total damage at Miss Selfridge : S$177.

Spent a lot at my favourite lingerie boutique "La Senza" as well, damage there is about S$200? Lost track... A polo tee from Lacoste and also 1 for Shen since his birthday is coming : $158, Crabtree & Evelyn as Christmas presents from friends and handcream for myself : about S$250, and some other miscellaneous gifts and stuff. I dare not even look at the receipts and do a proper sums up on my shopping. Gulp!~

Last Sunday, I went to the National Museum for 2 exhibitions. I brought along my pinkystreet dolls, Maki and Yoshiko.

After the museum, I did a bit of shopping at Raffles City. I haven't been there since it was revamped. So many new shops!!! I bought myself a new hat and a nice tank top from River Island. After all the walking, I had a pretty late dinner at Canele. See how Maki and Yoshiko were enjoying the food and dessert as well hehe...

Oh by the way, if you haven't watched the animation "Bolt", do watch it. Opt for the 3D version cos it was awesome! Regan kept giggling and laughing throughout the movie, so was I haha...

After the movie, just before our dinner, I went to Gramophone and bought myself another 3 albums - 2 Japanese and 1 Chinese. Mika Nakashima Best, Decimo Aniversario De Misia and JS. Mika Nakashima's album is not a new release. Lately I have been listening to her songs and starting to like her, hence I bought her compilations. I will be uploading all 3 albums to my imeem account and create a playlist. I might change my Juke Box playlist here to Mika's album =p

Family Drama

2008-12-02T00:00:00.001+08:00

Another quarrel again.

Last night, dad and mom had a quarrel over washing dishes. Poor brother and I, we did not even have a wink of sleep at all. They were yelling and shouting, and mom even brought up the issue, divorce.

I feel that divorce is like a flu. It comes and goes at a certain stage for the adults. In this century that we are living in whereby scientific research is so advanced, but why can’t they come up with a cure for treating divorce?

It was granny’s birthday. Dad ordered all of us to attend her birthday celebration. All my uncles and aunties were there as well yesterday. Granny's place was crowded and noisy.

After dinner, dad told mom to wash the dishes. Mom, who was obviously not very happy about it, sulked throughout the night. On our way home, dad told mom that she was not giving him any “face” at all and had disgraced him in front of his siblings.

“You care so much about what they think of you, then what about me? Your sisters need to rest on Sunday, how about me? Every time after cooking the meals, I still have to clean up and wash the dishes. I'm not a maid. I am in no obligation to serve those sisters of yours,” said mom.

Dad felt that mom was being petty, calculative and narrow-minded. Dad said that that was the reason why the Ching dynasty was destroyed. But mom said that if every man was to behave like dad, then Sun Yet Sin would not be able to overthrow the Ching dynasty. I thought, a communist revolution was about to erupt.

Not only could dad and mom quarrel over a minor issue like washing dishes, they quarrelled on other little issues like whose turn to wash the toilet bowl, how much pocket money three of us brothers and sisters should be taking, or even over our education. I thought, luckily every Chinese New Year we still have our red packets, if not I really can't think of any other big issues.

I remembered there was once when I was in the toilet, my younger brother had the need to pee. Dad told my brother to pee at the basin. Mom found out about it and kept scolding dad. Dad explained to mom as though he was a teacher to a student, saying, “You feel that it’s dirty because you know about it. If you don’t even know about it, you won’t feel disgusted at all.”

“Nonsense! Are you trying to say that if we’re not living a good life, the reason is not because that the environment isn’t good, but that of the fact that we know too much?” said mom in a defiant way.

“You can put it that way. In this world, be it human or things, almost every truth and lie, dirty or not dirty, even being afraid or not afraid, the main point is whether you know the differences between knowing and not knowing the truth. It may be a blessing in disguise if you don’t know that much. The lesser you know, the happier you are.”

Though at that time I was only eight years old, I felt that what dad had said was pretty profound. I thought, if only dad and mom didn’t have to know about our examinations’ result, they wouldn’t be so upset after looking at it.

If only parents didn’t know that in this world there are so many successful people around, we being their children, didn’t have to compete with other children for better grades, or to even take up extra lessons on piano, drawing, singing, etc. How tiring!

But mom didn’t seem to agree with this kind of explanation. She said, “Are you referring to the fling that you had with that vixen? It’s not too long ago, surely you can still remember, can’t you? Luckily I found out early, if not right now both of you might be having a rendezvous out on the Caribbean Sea.”

Dad’s expression was scary, his eyes were really wide and big. “Don’t say such things in front of the kids,” he said.

That didn’t stop my mom. In fact, her voice was even louder than before. “Didn’t you call yourself a man who can do something great like Sun Yet Sin? How come now you don’t even dare to admit the mistake that you’ve made?” said mom.

Almost everyone who lived in the same block as us could hear dad and mom’s quarrelling. How could not anyone hear it when they were louder than that of the ice cream man, who sold ice cream pushing his cart?

Dad couldn’t be bothered to quarrel with mom anymore, slammed the door and left the house. Mom locked herself up in the room for the whole day. She didn’t even come out when her favourite drama was aired.

In a few days time would be my nine years old birthday. I wondered would I still be able to have a happy birthday. Every year on my birthday, mom would say to me, “The older you are, the more sensible you should become. In this democratic society that we’re living in, not everything depends on whether you’re doing the right or wrong thing. The truth is whether are you popular and welcome by others or not. If you are, you’ve already succeeded at being a successful person.” I thought, Were dad and mom considered sensible or not?

The problem was, dad and mom were definitely more sensible than I was, and yet they didn’t seem to be much happier. I was much sensible than my younger brother and sister, but they seemed to be much happier than I was. Perhaps like what dad had said, the lesser you know, the happier you are.

Dad said, “In this world, the most irritating people will be women.”

Mom said, “If that’s the case, those men who like women must be idiots.”

Dad said, “Confucius couldn’t stand the most are women and children.”

Mom said, “Women and children can’t stand the most are guys who call themselves as the father of Confucius.”

I said, “I wish Confucius could tell dad and mom that children can’t stand the most are parents who quarrel almost every other day.”

*I grew up listening to parents quarrelled over small little things almost every other day. Now my parents no longer quarrel like in the past and I'm happy to see them doing fine now.

DBSK - Wrong Number [MTV]

2008-11-25T15:00:00.001+08:00

This MV is so good! It’s a brilliant follow-up to Mirotic. The choreography is excellent, as are their outfits and the concept in the MV. Changmin’s part in the song is my total favourite. I love listening to him sing and watching him in MV’s. He’s just so handsome! wish I could jump through the screen and jump on him hahaha... Anyway, excellent song and excellent MV.

Changing Partners

2008-11-20T15:00:00.007+08:00

I knew that my younger sister and her boyfriend, who was in States, had broken up. But I thought maybe they’d get back together.

The signs. She started to have more phone calls from guys. She hardly talked to him on the phone. She wrote him emails, from a daily routine to once a week affair.

One night, Lizzie brought him home, her new boyfriend. She said that when she first met him, she didn’t even like him at all. I thought, Yeah, but I was horny for him.

Alone together at last, I said, “I thought you really loved him.”
“I did,” she said. “Craig’s great.”
“I liked him,” I said.
She nodded. Then she said, “There were too many of differences in value between us.”

It sounded to me more like a “better course selection”, and I gave her a look to say so. She pretended not to see and went to join her new boyfriend.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I looked out of the window, only one house had lights on, and the light was just the blue of a television set.

I tried to understand how Lizzie could give up on someone who loved her so much, whereas I was the one who was given up by the other someone. The whole situation was ironic. She could have gotten what she wants, but she threw it away. I wanted so much to be loved wholeheartedly by my ex-boyfriend, but I wasn’t given that chance. It scares me to think that my sister had failed at loving someone. I had no idea what I should expect from a guy, if I could ever fall in love again someday.

*I wrote this many years back. This incident did happen. All names have been changed to protect the people involved.

Sunday Brunch @1.Rochester

2008-11-11T15:00:00.001+08:00

This happened 2 weekends ago. I've been so caught up with designing wallpaper lately that I totally forgotten about my blog.

The food was pretty good, but it was kind of pricey for a brunch. If not for the discount voucher, this simple breakfast - 2 mains, 1 kid size pasta, 2 cups of cafe latte and 1 cup of cuppucino, the damage would easily be about S$100.

I brought along my SLR camera and took some photos of what we had. You are in for some pinkystreet treats if you're as crazy about them as I do. I brought Maki and Yoshiko out, and Regan (my 6-year old niece) managed to take some great photos of them using my SLR camera.

Rating : 3.5/5

What were being served

2008-11-05T00:00:00.000+08:00

Some of the stuff I dished out lately...

What Is Online Friendship?

2008-10-25T00:00:00.001+08:00

I learned a lot about online friends when I started playing Audition. In this virtual world of friendship, who can you truly call your friend? Who is genuine and sincere? Who is a poser and just pretending to be your friend?

I learned that a friend is someone I trust to be with me when I am at my weakest and most vulnerable. And they are people who, no matter how painful it is to see, are willing to be with me when I am so helpless and weak. It’s not about whether you are trustworthy, or whether you are friendly, it’s the actual act of trust that is the basis of friendship. If I trust you to be truthful, then you’re a friend. If I find I must be careful on how I say things, then it’s something other than friendship.

Friendship is not a state of mind, it’s an act. It’s something you do. It's not about whether you’re good or not and it’s not a reflection of you. It is a balanced relationship between people. That doesn’t mean it’s always balanced at every moment. Sometimes you “need a friend” and other times it’s the other way. It’s a trust that is being returned.

There’s a world of difference between being a friend and being a fan. I’ve heard from people who I’ve never met say we’re friends. And then of course when I do something they don’t like, I’ve betrayed the supposed friendship. They’re living in a dreamworld. The more popular my character in Audition has become, the more people have this dream. Of course that’s not friendship, that’s torture.

“When a friend changes you can find the bond that’s connecting you at a deeper level. The surface stuff isn’t a good thing to depend on. Physical bodies change as they grow. So do emotional bodies and intellectual ones. Take a deep breath. People move, life is more like a wild dance than a ceremony. You just can’t tell what’s coming next.” - Dave Winer

So if you find yourself trying to coerce someone into not changing, that is not friendship. That is coercion.

One of the hallmarks of a person who is more likely to be a friend-that-was than a friend-for-life, is that person quotes anonymous people who say they were my friends but I betrayed them. That’s such a huge turnoff, that usually wakes me up in an instant. A friend would never even consider saying something like that, because it’s so objectifying, so impersonal, so unfair, so un-friendly. In a court of law you’re entitled to cross-examine your accusers. Same in the court of friendship.

I want to thank those who have been giving me their support, and been there for me even at my lowest and weakest time. You have been understanding to the real me, accept the whole me (the few of you should know who you are in my heart).

As for those who are a huge turnoff to me, thank you too for leaving a chapter in my life, and are history now.

The Inner Journey

2008-10-20T00:00:00.002+08:00

I'm not really a writer or a poet. I started writing poems, philosophies about life, and short stories about 10 years ago. No doubt that I'd written quite a number of articles, but it just didn't seem right. What I wanted to write was something that would show me how to reconcile my deepest spiritual, authentic, and creative longings with often-overwhelming and conflicting commitments - to my parents, siblings, invalid boyfriend, work at office, work in the world, friends, and community. I knew I wasn't the only one in this world to feel this frazzled, depressed, and worn to a ravelling. I also certainly knew that I wasn't the only one in this world with the answers. And the ironic truth was, I didn't even know the questions.

For the past few years, I wanted so much - money, success, recognition, genuine creative expression - but had absolute no clue as to what I truly needed. At times my passionate hungers were so voracious I could deal with them only through denial. Was I ever kind to myself? More often than to feel comfortable to admit, I was an angry, envious woman, constantly comparing myself to others only to become resentful because of what seemed to be missing from my life, although couldn't have told you what it was. Frustrated and unable to fathom why some people appeared to lead much more fulfilling lives - I careened between feelings that I was frittering my life away to feeling that I was sacrificing it on the altar of my own ambitions.

One day, I had a good look of myself at the mirror. Perhaps for the first time, I had to be ruthlessly honest both inwardly and outwardly. I came to the realization that, almost imperceptibly, I'd become a happy woman, and because I finally found myself, I could barely recognize the woman I once was. I've made the unexpected but thrilling discovery that everything in my life is significant enough to be a continuous source of reflections, revelation, and reconnection: bad hair, mood swings, pimples, excruciating deadlines, overdrawn bank account, exhaustion and don't know what to wear. Everyday, I learn to appreciate the beauty of nature, living with a gratitude feeling, and through that it leads me to simplicity. And through simplicity, it gives me order, both internally and externally. And because of this order in me, it brings harmony into my life. Harmony provides me with the inner peace I need to appreciate the beauty that surrounds me each day, and beauty opens me to joy. All these open teh eyes of my inner awareness.

Always we ignore what our hearts are telling us. Our authentic self has not abandoned us. Instead it has been waiting patiently for you to recognize and reconnect. Turn away from the world that is churning around you. Listen to the whispers of your heart. Look within. At long last, the journey you were destined to take has begun, just like mine, which has taken flight.

Let's Cook - Comforto Chicken

2008-10-16T00:00:00.003+08:00

I came up with this easy and simple recipe when I was sick to make myself feel better.

::: INGREDIENTS :::
1 can of diced tomatoes in tomato juice
4 whole chicken legs
2 stalks of celery, slice
2 carrots, chop into cubes
2 potatoes, cut into quarters
1 onion, cut into quarters
1 stalk of leek, slice
2 stalks of rosemarry, remove leaves from stalk
2 tbs of olive oil
1/2 cup of white wine
salt & pepper to taste

Wash the chicken legs. Use kitchen towel to absorb the water from the chicken legs. Marinate the chicken legs with ground black pepper, olive oil, rosemarry and salt for 30 minutes. Leave the chicken at room temperature.
Pre-heat the oven for 10 minutes at 190°c.
Place all the ingredients in a baking tray. Pour the diced tomatoes and sauce and white wine. Add salt and ground black pepper. Cover with foil and let it roast for 2 hours.
Ready to serve.

ラーメン! 大すき!!!

2008-10-12T00:00:00.001+08:00

Decided to cook something not so heaty since I was sick. This was my dinner 5 nights ago, Japanese theme.

::: What's on menu :::
Seasoned koonago
Japanese salad with tako
Char siew ramen in shoyu
Spinach with my special miso sauce

Monthly Affair

2008-10-09T12:00:00.003+08:00

That would be my beauty regime. It is a MUST do/have every month for the following treatments:

back treatment
facial
foot reflexology
hair spa
pedicure
massage (optional)

Last Saturday, went to my usual hair salon for my haircut and hair spa. Prior to that, I had my facial at the one and only Lancome Institute which is under J's Salon (yup, my regular hair salon). After the facial, I ended up signing up for the package. My total damage for that day as follow:

Lancome Facial Package (6 visits) - S$1,092
Hair Spa - S$212
Hair Cut - S$62
Foot Reflexology - S$53
Total : S$1,419

I have been a regular at J's Salon since 2 years ago and will continue to be their customer. I like their services and the people there are not plastic, unlike most salons.

J's Salon Official Site

At the rate that I'm spending, sooner or later whatever reserve in my bank account will run dry. I better start looking for a job and stop slacking? Hmm...

Hairy Crabs Season Is Here!!!

2008-10-06T15:00:00.005+08:00

Gourmands are salivating as the season for eating legendary hairy crab is upon us. It's that time of the year again. Time for hairy crab gourmands who have waited longingly for 10 long months to finally dig in, crack, suck, slurp and savor the delicate meat, the roe and the gao of the celebrated crustaceans.

The best known and marketed are the Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs, the Rolls Royce and the Vidalia onion of the freshwater crab world. They mature between October and November and are harvested from the lake northeast of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province. Crabs from the eastern part of the lake are said to be the best.

Other lakes in the area also produce delicious hairy crabs because they have geological and ecological characteristics similar to Yangcheng Lake, but the crab growers of Yangcheng Lake win the gold medal for marketing. Genuine Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs cost more than other tasty hairy crabs.

How to cook and serve

Authentic or not, a hairy crab has no way to escape its destiny: to end up on the dinner or banquet table, and then in your stomach.

There are dozens of ways to cook a crab. It can be boiled, fried, braised and sauted with pork, mushrooms, tea leaves or seafood. But the most famous and favored cooking method is simple: just steam the crab with ginger and herbs. Serve with dark rice vinegar, a trace of sugar and minced ginger.

The crab's legs should be tied with strong twine. It should be flipped on its back for a while so that its shell collects the delicious roe and the gao of the males, a glutinous whitish substance. Then it should be tossed into a pot of boiling water, steamed alive.

After about 20 minutes in boiling water, the crab turns to a gorgeous shade of tangerine, then it's time to roll up your sleeves to savor the delicacy.

And now, dig in

Many people find it quite complicated, tedious and messy to eat a crab: Sometimes little hammers and special implements are used to crack the large claws and withdraw the tasty flesh.

However, 10 fingers and a pair of chopsticks are the best crab-eating tools.

First, take off the shell. The yellow fat and thick reddish roe of female crabs is underneath. October is the best month to eat female crab for its extra roe that makes the crab so tasty - and that gourmands live and die for. Crabs are harvested before they swim out to the ocean to mate. November is the time to eat males for their gao, which is under the "lid" or shell.

Then pull the crab apart. After eating the roe, gao and the yellow fat, pull off the legs. Replace the shell to keep the body warm.

Eat the legs first. You can either use a chopstick to push out the white, sweet and fragrant meat or suck it out, as most locals do. The leg shells may need to be cracked. The process can be laborious but it's rewarding.

Then, eat the body, after removing the inedible parts, the cellulose-like gills. The body is segmented with very thin shells, so you need to patiently dig out the meat with chopsticks, or other implements.

Note: The meat is delicious, but don't eat too much. According to traditional Chinese medicine, crab is "cold" or yin, so when eating crab, it's best to drink rice wine, which is "hot" or yang, to balance the energy in the body.

Since it's the hairy crab season, how can I not have some right? WinterFairy's way to cook hairy crabs...

::: INGREDIENTS :::
4 hairy crabs
1 stalk of spring onions (shredded finely)
4 Slices of ginger (chopped finely)
Chinese parsley for garnish

::: SEASONING :::
1tbs Light Soy Sauce
1tbs Sesame Oil
1tbs Shouxing Jiu (Chinese Wine)

Wash the hairy crabs and place it on a plate.
Mix all the seasoning in a bowl. Sprinkle the ginger, spring onion and seasoning over the hair crabs.
Steam the hair crabs in a wok on medium heat for 5 minutes. Just before serving, add some Chinese parsley for garnishing.
Ready to serve.

A Crabby Feast at Master Crab

2008-10-04T15:00:00.002+08:00

Sis had this strong craving for crabs, therefore we ended up at a seafood restaurant which is only 3 minutes drive from where I live.

I had no idea that there is a crab specialty restaurant near my neighbourhood even though I have lived here for 8 years.They have Black Pepper Crab, Honey Crab, Crab Noodle Soup, Butter Crab, etc. Their specialty dish is Salted Egg Crab.

Luckily sis called to make advance reservation. When we arrived, the place was almost full house. We ordered a plate of Xing Zhou Fried Bee Hoon, Crispy Prawn Roll, Black Pepper Crab and Salted Egg Crab. Regan felt the salted egg crab a bit hot for her, ended up both my sis and myself devoured almost 2 medium size crabs by ourselves zzz...

Ratings : 3.5/5

Let's Cook - Mince Pork with Tofu and Mixed Veges

2008-10-02T15:00:00.002+08:00

::: INGREDIENTS :::
1 Silken Tofu
100g Mince Pork
50g Mixed Veges
2 Cloves Garlic (chopped finely)
1tbs Mirin
1tbs Riyorishu (Japanese Cooking Wine)
1tbs Light Soy Sauce
1/2tbs Oyster Sauce
1tbs Corn Starch
1/4cup Water
2tbs Oil

::: SEASONING FOR MINCE PORK :::
1tbs Sesame Oil
1tbs Hua Diao Jiu (Chinese Cooking Wine)
1tsp Sugar
1tbs Light Soy Sauce
1/2tsp Salt
1/4tsp Ground Black Pepper

Marinate the mince pork with all the seasoning for 1 hour before cooking.
Heat the pan. Add in the oil. Add the garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add in the mince pork and stir fry for 1 minute. Add in mixed veges and silken tofu and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add in mirin, riyorishu, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and water and leave it to cook for another 4 minutes. Add in corn starch to thicken the gravy.
Ready to serve.

Singapore F1 Grand Prix

2008-09-29T15:00:00.005+08:00

The first night race in history for F1 Grand Prix and it was held in Singapore! I couldn't be any more proud than being a Singaporean. From internet to newspaper, so many positive reviews on the way we organized the event. Even myself overhead some tourists giving thumbs up on how organize and smooth the way Singapore hosted the event.

I arrived pretty late (about 4pm), to avoid being under the sun the whole day. It was a night of excitement for me, with adrenalin pumping through my veins.

Last night's race had so many accidents. The joker of the night, Felipe Massa who was ahead of rival Lewis Hamilton at the time after 15 laps, was given the green light to leave the pits but the fuel hose was still attached as he accelerated away, spraying petrol and knocking over one of the pit crew. This comical error had him dearly, who had to settle being 13th after the race.

It was a miserable night for Ferrari with defending world champion Kimi Raikkonen ramming his car into the barriers with just four laps left. At the grand prix itself, I saw so many Ferrari fans wearing the red color Ferrari Polo tee. I could imagine their disappointment.

I'm a fan of little Lewis Hamilton. Last night wasn't his best performance. He started off from 2nd place, after the the first accident, came in 8th place and from there slowly climbed back up to 6th, 4th and finally finished off the race coming in the 3rd place.

And who would have thought that Spain's Fernando Alonso, who started 15th on the grid after a mechanical problem in qualifying, won his first race in a year at the Singapore Grand Prix last night.

Managed to take some pictures and made it into a slide show. Enjoy!~

What a difference a day make
"The race is lost. You can't overtake here and I'm starting from 15th, so I will be going out just to lap the track, but it's over already."
Race winner Fernando Alonso, after his car developed mechanical problems during qualifying on Saturday night.

"Fantastic. The first podium of the season and the first victory. I can't believe it right now, I need a couple of days to realise that we could win a race this year..."
Alonso, after claiming his first win of the seaon last night.

Reports from today's newspaper
Foreigners vowed to return next year, charmed by what they had seen. Said Briton Simon Crosse, 44: "This is my first visit, and I've been overwhelmed. I've been to about 15 other Grands Prix, and this is the best. The night atmosphere, the organisation, it was just fantastic."

The sport's supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, called Singapore the "jewel in the crown of F1".

Writing in London's Sunday Times yesterday, columnist and former race driver Martin Brundle called the Republic a "world-class venue". Of night racing, he added, "all of the senses are heightened, and the atmosphere...was electrifying".

Said championship leader Lewis Hamilton: "The most impressive thing for me is what an amazing job they have done here in Singapore to prepare the circuit. I think they did a tremendous job."

DBSK 4th Korean Album

2008-09-27T20:00:00.006+08:00

Click to view "Mirotic" music video

Voted as 2008’s most anticipated group, Dong Bang Shin Ki (DBSK) has made a comeback with their 4th Korean album, after a 2-year break from "O" album! Successfully entering the Japanese market, after a year of extreme hardwork to top the Oricon charts, the boys had finally returned home to Korea. Over 300,000 copies of DBSK's new 4th album have been pre-ordered causing the official release date to be pushed back for two days to Sept 26, 2008.

“Mirotic” is the title track for DBSK from their new 4th album. Origins of the song are international. Danish songwriting team, Remee/Troelsen helped to write. The duo incidentially also had a hand in Boa’s new salaciously titled track, “Eat you up”. And Kenny Wormald, who has worked with Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Chris Brown will do the choreography.

The title is actually derived from the Chinese character or Hanja, “miro’ which means labyrinth and the English suffix “tic.”

I am totally in love with their new image. So drop dead gorgeous and handsome!!! Watch the music video and you'll know what I mean. *Drooling... ...

Erotic - English Lyrics
From the start
You were sweet & simply attracted to me
You'd stay always like that
You said when you first walked up to me
All the possibilities opened up
Oh~
What is love? What!
Right now it is red ocean
I'm breaking my rules again
You know it's getting boring?
You do get hurt a little bit
It's all right oh~

Chorus
You want me, you've fallen for me
You're crazy for me
You can't break out, I got you~
Under my skin
You want me, you've fallen for me
You're crazy for me
You are my slave
I got you~
Under my skin
*Repeat chorus

It nests in your head
The sharp stare it's not me
My unmoving chrome heart
This is your choice
Oh~
Flowing through your veins running
Through you are millions of my crystal
Finally the end of the transformation
This must be love?
Oh~

*Repeat chorus 2x

Rap
With a single kiss
The day revitalizing
A powerful pull
The second kiss
It sent a blow to your heart and it feels hot
Yeah~ I have you
You know you got it
Yeah~

Come on! Come on!
I got you~
Under my skin
In your dreams
I order you under my magic spell
You want to do it again
I got you~
Under my skin
My devils ride
You now don't have a place to breathe
Let's have fun now that
I have you~
Under my skin

*Repeat chorus 2x

Isetan Sale - September 25, 2008 (Thursday)

2008-09-25T15:00:00.012+08:00

Despite the fact that I went to bed at almost 3am last night, I woke up at 9am this morning and by 11am I was already at Isetan Departmental Store. Today is the start of Isetan 3-day sale and for today only, members get to enjoy another 10% discount on all items except branded goods which is only 3%.

Since I was back from a shopping trip in Kuala Lumpur 2 weeks ago, I dare not spend too much today. Trust me, the amount I spent today as compared to previous Isetan sales are peanuts. I bought a pair of Fendi ballet pumps : S$266 (the pink is so lovely, really can't resist not buying it especially since it's on sale), Lancome cosmetics and skincare : S$176 (even gave me a free red color shoulder bag and mini travel size skincare products when you spend S$160), Aurora Superlight Umbrella : S$19 (cos the one I'm currently using is pretty old).

At the same time, not forgetting to visit Isetan's supermarket and spent a total of S$200 on groceries, all on imported Japanese food. So it's not surprising that tonight's dinner theme is Japanese cuisine.

What's On Menu Today

Ochasuke (seasoned konbu, dried mentaiko and seaweed)

Japanese salad (seaweed with Washoku dressing)

Sashimi (Aji, Ama ebi, Hotate)

Let's Cook - Terriyaki Salmon

2008-09-25T00:00:00.003+08:00

::: INGREDIENTS :::
Salmon 260g
Oil 1tbs

::: TERRIYAKI SAUCE :::
Light Soy Sauce 2 tbs
Mirin 2 tbs
Riyorishyu 2 tbs (Japanese Cooking Wine)
Brown Sugar 1 tsp

Mix all the seasoning in a bowl and marinate the salmon for 30 minutes before cooking.
Heat the pan. Add in the oil. Pan fry the salmon for 2 minutes on each side (Do not throw away the sauce).
Add in the terriyaki sauce and let the salmon simmer till the sauce is thickened.
Ready to serve.

*Tips : You can substitute salmon with beef, chicken or pork.

September 23, 2008 - Tuesday

2008-09-24T00:00:00.005+08:00

Kind of lazy to dish out something grand, a simple lunch and dinner for Regan today. Everyday is a challenge for me to cook something that will increase her appetite. I wonder is it because she is under my care that she is getting skinnier like me. I better do something before my sis starts to complain that I am not taking good care of her daughter.

::: Today's Menu :::
Lunch : Salted egg, Chilled Tofu with Dark Soy Sauce, Kailan with Braised Pork
Dinner : Bak Kut Teh (pork ribs in Hokkien styel herbal soup)

Asylum @ Clark Quay

2008-09-22T19:00:00.004+08:00

As part of the Grand Prix event, which will be starting next weekend in Singapore, the Singapore River is having "The Singapore River Festival 2008, 19 - 28 September".

Spanning a range of jazz notations and set amid the backdrop of the stunning skyline of Clark Quay, Urban Jazz Crossover promises soulful orchestration of artists, and features one of Japan's most talented jazz connoisseurs, quasimode.

We ended up having dinner at Asylum, due to the fact that from where we were sitting, we could see the performance clearly. The food was not fantastic, but the ambience and environment somehow made up for it.

Rating : 2.5/5

Kim Gary's Hongkong Cafe

2008-09-21T15:00:00.005+08:00

I went to the one located at Vivo City. I prefer Kim Gary than many other Hongkong cafes here in Singapore. The food are not bad, and prices are pretty reasonable.

Here are some photos on what we had that day. Look at how Regan enjoyed her food and drink.

Rating : 3/5

ABC Market At Alexandra Road

2008-09-20T00:00:00.003+08:00

For the whole day, I had only 2 pieces of biscuits and a cup of coffee. By the time I reached ABC Market for my dinner, I was famished!

There were so many things that I wanted to eat, and I ended up ordered way too much food for just the four of us. There were BBQ stingray, raw slice fish, raw cockles with black sauce, fermented black bean with whole pomfret, half Hainanese chicken, fishball soup, fried egg with radish, preserved vegetables with pork belly, and popiah.

Somehow, we managed to finish up everything. All these food cost about S$55. Reasonable right?

Nectarie - A Dessert Affair

2008-09-19T00:36:00.009+08:00

Nectarie, located at Clark Quay, is my favourite place for having desserts. The prices are surprisingly reasonable for the kind of ambience and quality.

I have tried almost everything in their menu and my favourites will be their Caramelized Banana Cake, Apple Crumble & Chocolate Raspberry Gateaux. Their cakes selection are not restricted to those listed in their menu. They do have new creations every now and then. The best way to not miss these creations would mean... going back regularly =]

I will definitely be going back REGULARLY!!!

Rating : 4/5

View Nectarie's Homepage

Traditional Charcoal Porridge

2008-09-18T18:23:00.009+08:00

"Hey! I have free movie ticket passes which will be expiring tomorrow. I'll pick you up an hour later," sis said to me over the phone. After watching the movie "My Sassy Girlfriend", both my niece and sis watched "Wall-E" since I had already watched it, we had a late dinner at Ah Chang's Porridge. It is located next to Tiong Bahru market.

Sis kept on saying that the porridge was really good since they use charcoal and claypot to cook the porridge, giving it a slightly "burnt" taste. However, it was a disappointment that night since the main chef was not around and the apprentice was far from his standard.

Rating : 3.5/5

4 Days 3 Nights In Kuala Lumpur. SINFUL!!!

2008-09-10T15:00:00.009+08:00

I'd been to KL for many times, this was my fifth time to KL. We travelled by Aeroline, a luxury coach carrier. Upper deck is where the seatings are, and lower deck is like a rest area for you to stretch yourself, and it even has a toilet. Once you onboard, they serve you food and drinks exactly the way as when you travel via airplane. I prefer to travel in this than airplane. It is much more of a hassle to board a plane etc etc...

2 days before we departed, I changed the hotel that we would be staying in KL. Instead of Mandarin Oriental, I picked a new hotel right smack in the shopping area, Bukit Bintang. The hotel opened in April this year. New isn't it? If you do plan to travel to KL, stay here. Price is reasonable, excellent location and most importantly, NEW! It is called The Piccolo Hotel. I requested for connectiong rooms, so that I could access to my parents' room easily.

This trip I also managed to meeet up with my ex-colleague who lives and works in KL, and not forgetting my god-bro who is currently studying in KL. During our 4 days stay, everyday was eating and shopping and nothing else. My damage is scary. I bought total of 3 pairs of shoes, 1 pair from Vincci (this is my cheapest purchase among all) and 2 pairs from Aldo. I also bought a tee from Mango, and not forgetting one from Mooks which is one of my favourite brands of tees. AND I FOUND A JUICY COUTURE BOUTIQUE AT PAVILION!!! I was so happy that I bought 2 tees from Juicy. Please do not ask me how much they cost. You will find me stupid to pay so much for just a tee. *Phoebe trying to justify herself in a weak voice... "But it's Juicy Couture you know and the flagship store in Singapore will only be opened early next year, 2009." >.<

Oh, and I bought a pair of Tiffany earrings too to add on to my collection of Tiffany accessories. I did not know that sending in for polishing is FOC in KL for in Singapore, they charge you S$10 for every silver item you send in for polishing. Those blood suckers!~ Anway, when I found out this piece of good news it wasn't any good news to me anymore for it was my last night in KL. I happened to be wearing a pair of earrings, necklace and bracelet from Tiffany for this trip but oh well... I guess just my luck.

The best has yet to come. The biggest and worst damage is none other than... ... um... ... my Cartier watch. Yup! You didn't read wrongly. Cartier!!! I have already owned one but greedy me not contented to own just 1 Cartier watch but must own 2? That watch costs me about S$6800. Gulp!~

Fickle Minded Me

2008-09-01T15:00:00.000+08:00

Remember I mentioned about my new Crumpler camera bag which I bought yesterday? Well, I changed my mind on the one I bought. I managed to change for a bigger size one by paying additional $10. This one is called "5 Million Dollar Home". I wonder why they name these bags starting from the smallest camera bag "3 Million Dollar Home", "4 Million Dollar Home" and the one that I just changed to.

Comparing the the images in yesterday blog and today's, you can see that this is slightly bigger than the other one. Not much of a big difference, except more storage space both sides. This will allow me to have a slot for my extra lens, and the other for my camera cleaning kit.

Anyway, I haven't even started packing my stuff yet. I am feeling so lazy right now that I just feel like taking a lazy afternoon nap hehe... I will do so later tonight.Right now? Nap time!!!

Lazy Sunday...

2008-08-31T23:50:00.001+08:00

This will be a super short one. I had received numerous complains from some of my friends (Well, those who are lazy!!!) that I write too much and there are too many words in my blog. Fine! I WILL GO CHOP CHOP INTO THE DETAILS AND MAKE IT FAST!!!

Insomnia again last night, ended up not going to church with my niece and sister this morning. They came to meet me for brunch at Holland Drive market after their church service . Before I headed to Orchard, I went to Paris Silk at Holland Village and bought a filter and screen protector for my camera. I went to the Crumpler boutique at Wheelock Place and bought a Crumpler camera bag for my Nikon D60 which cost me $107. Sat and ate some snack and did not miss the opportunity to take some lovely photos of my pinkyst. dolls since I had both the camera and the dolls with me. Next I went to Kinokuniya and bought myself a novel and 2 comic books. By 6pm, I was already home.

Ok, I am so sleepy now that I can barely open my eyes. Short enough? *Phoebe dozing off in front of the monitor... Zzz...

Final Selection!

2008-08-30T12:00:00.004+08:00

Yup, I have finally decided which are the ones that I will be bringing along with me to KL. I am referring to my cute dolls, pinkystreet. I'm bringing Yoshiko, Moe and Maki (From left to right according to the images below).

Trust me, it is not an easy job on deciding these cute little dolls the ones I want to bring with me. I ended up bringing 2 new ones, and the same one that I brought with me to Scotland. That is my favourite, and is the first pinkyst. that I own.

I will be bringing along extra 2 sets of clothings to mix and match. Refer to the image below as in what I mean by mix and match. Also the girls in their outfits haha... Aren't they adorable?

Sillyporeans?

2008-08-30T12:00:00.002+08:00

"Alvin, I'll meet you guys at the cafe instead of MRT station. I'm still at home," I said. "I'll take a bus down instead since I have direct bus".
"They are so right about you being late again. And where the hell is that place? I don't even know how to get there," Alvin grumbled to me.
"Are you a Singaporean? Gosh! How can you not know where the hell Clark Quay is?" I said in disbelief.

Anway, when I reached Necterie (Yes! Necterie again since my last visit which was barely a month ago ^^) all three of them were already there, Alvin, Daniel and Jo. "Are you sure these are enough for us?" Daniel complained. They were looking at the menu and the most filling thing that they served were sandwiches. I told them, people went there mainly for their cakes, not for meals. I also assured them that after a glass of drink, a bowl of soup, sandwiches and desserts, they would walk away feeling bloated. True to my words, by the time all four of us started to dig in at our cakes, we were kind of full already. The dinner was considered free since I had $100 voucher from American Express and the total bill came up to $99 only.

For the three of them, it was their first time to Clark Quay after it had its revamped many years back? I still could not believe when I first heard from them. I mean, HELLO, this is Clark Quay that we are talking about!!! Since that was the case, we toured the place a bit before heading to Mac for a drink and more chatting. We ended the night by agreeing to come out again soon, and me the one to suggest our next venue again haha... My pleasure folks!~

By the way, I did not realise that the chemistry between Alvin and Daniel is so strong? Look at the photos and you will know what I mean wahahaha... =D

A New Toy...

2008-08-29T12:00:00.000+08:00

... for me. MY VERY FIRST SLR DIGITAL CAMERA!!! I have always been wanting one (what other things have you not been wanting as well Phoebe??? tsk tsk...), just that I could never bring myself to buy one since it isn't cheap. It is not about being able to afford it or not, it is about the pinch of buying such an expensive toy. Devil side of Fairy says, "Oh, then what about your Chanel, Gucci or even LV bags which are far more expensive than your camera? LAME!!!" OH SHUT UP!!!

Before heading down to Suntec City where the COMEX is held at, I did my research on which are the better models. I narrowed down to 2: Nikon D60 and Sony A200. Price wise Sony is $100 cheaper than Nikon, but both are within my budget.

My first stop was at Sony. I tested out the camera and I loved the zoom, 15mm - 70mm. And fuction wise, it is pretty user friendly. The cons will be that after all it is not known as a camera maker brand and that the lens are just normal lens unless you buy the Carl Zeiss series which the cheapest will cost you $1100? Zzz... And also the grip that is kind of tough for my small little fingers to grip on. After a few shots, my fingers were aching.

Headed to Nikon's booth next and the minute I was there, I was like "Can I take a look at the model D60?". The images was obviously clearer and nicer colors and the lens itself definitely a much better lens than Sony. Also, it was pretty easy for me to grip on for my small hands. But the cons are: $100 more than Sony, zoom is only 15mm - 55mm and less user friendly.

After going back and forth both booths for two times, I ended up walking home with a Nikon D60 which cost me S$988. Tomorrow I will bring it along and try to take some pictures with it since I will be meeting my friends for dinner. . Below are some pictures I took of my camera and the freebies. Nice huh =p

A Last Minute Decision

2008-08-28T12:00:00.000+08:00

2 days ago, I had decided to go for a short trip. Not knowing that my niece's term break starts the following week, hence the last minute decision. By the way, I am a part-time nanny to my niece since currently I am not working. That is why my travel plan is very much revolved around her school holidays.

Places like Hokkaido, Taiwan, Hongkong and even Canada were in my list. Canada was because my buddy is a Canadian and I have been wanting to visit him. However, he did not reply to my email as of today, so strike out!

Realising that my mom's birthday is on September 7th, I decided to sacrifice my holiday plans and ended up choosing a cheaper destination. Why? For I am paying for my parents and niece. Yes, fully paid for by me! It will consider as a birthday present from me to my mom. I cannot afford to bring them to Greece (That's where I wanted to go and had planned) for each person will cost about S$4500. Multiply that amount by 4? Zzz... Plus, it is so last minute that many of the tours are fully booked by now (Peak season due to school holidays). Most importantly, not forgetting I have no income for more than a year already. Figures in my bank account are getting lesser and lesser. Sob...

In the end, I decided to bring them to Kuala Lumpur for a dining and shopping trip. I had been to KL a few times so it is kind of easy for me to move around the city, knowing where to bring them. I suggested Bangkok but parents rejected that idea saying there are strikes going on and it is not safe to travel there now. We will travel by the most luxury coach ride, and accommodation will be at the Oriental Mandarin Hotel (Mind you it's a 5-stars hotel) which is located right next to KLCC. Let's just say, it adds up not that cheap anymore for travelling in luxury haha...

So friends, September 2nd - 5th I won't be in Singapore. When back, I will definitely update everything about the trip. Not forgetting photos of my cute pinkystreet. Yes, I am bringing them along for a photoshoot! Singapore Next Top Model? =D

Il Mare

2008-08-27T12:00:00.000+08:00

I've never watched the other version covered by Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Those who had watched "The Lake House" said that it was a fantastic romance movie. However, it was just a remake from the Korean movie "Il Mare" (Italian for "the sea").

Recently, I had watched it again online with a friend of mine who lives in Philippines. That was also my 2nd online movie date with the same friend haha... I was the one who came up with the idea of watching it together.

On the night itsef, we started watching it together by... "Ok, 54321 GO!" from the same website. He had watched "The Lake House" and it was one of his favourite movies. I told him that "Il Mare" is a fantastic movie. Awesome music score, nice scenery (Especially the house by the sea. The original version isn't by the lake.) and cinematography.

The story begins at the tail end of 1999, as voiceover actress Eun-joo (Jun Ji-hyun) moves out of a seaside home named 'Il Mare'. Before leaving, Eun-joo leaves a Christmas card in the mailbox, with a message asking the eventual new owner to forward any mail of hers to her new address in the city. Meanwhile, exactly two years prior in 1997, Il Mare's first owner, architect Sung-hyun (Lee Jung-jae, who recently co-starred opposite Shim Eun-ha in "The Interview"), receives Eun-joo's card. Thinking it to be a joke, he writes back to Eun-joo and asks her not to tamper with his mailbox anymore, while pointing out that the 'current year' is 1997.

However, after a bit of back-and-forth banter, all doubt about the magical properties of the mailbox are soon erased, and Eun-joo and Sung-hyun begin sending regular correspondence to each other. In addition to finding out that they are both kindred spirits, they come up with new uses for their unique connection: Sung-hyun is able to return a tape recorder that Eun-joo lost two years ago, while Eun-joo is able to send back a still-unpublished book by Sung-hyun's estranged father. Eventually, they agree to meet in person-- an uneasy task given their separate time periods. Though the agreed-upon day is only a week away from Eun-joo's perspective, it is still a full two years from where Sung-hyun stands. Will these two lovelorn pen pals meet?

The most obvious standout aspect of "Il Mare" are the time-constrained interactions between Eun-joo and Sung-hyun's, which result in a number of gee-whiz moments and thought-provoking scenes, such as the film's ending, which is heart-wrenching, uplifting, and mind-blowing at the same time. However, what makes "Il Mare" so memorable is the well-told love story at its core. Without resorting to overt melodrama, director Lee Hyun-seung chronicles the blossoming romance between his two protagonists and how their regrets of the past threaten to tear them apart, brought to life by the natural performances of the two leads.

Instead of heading down to the cinema this weekend, how about having a date at home with your family, friends or lover. Or you can also do the same as I did, watch it with an overseas friend (or if your partner is currently overseas) and have an online date. So, what are you waiting for?

Forget about the people in your past. They didn't make it to your future for a reason.

2008-08-25T12:00:00.001+08:00

Friends and lovers come and go in our lives. Like vagabonds, some keep moving on from one place to another, whereas others will eventually find a place and settle down forever.

I am not one who has many friends. Ok, let me rephrase it. In my life, I have many friends but only 2 I can truly consider as my friend. The rest? Like the weather; rainy days they'll remember me and sunny days? Poof!~

Recently, a friend of mine misunderstood about me and we ended up not talking anymore. I've known her since end 2007. I naively thought that she would understand my personalities and what kind of person I am. I guess I was wrong about it. Due to something I had said to a third party, she thought the wrong way of me. Initially I was affected by the whole incident. Such incident wasn't new to me. Similar cases as in friends misunderstood me had happened many times.

After a few days, I told myself that I should not let such a trivial matter affects my emotions. In life, there are bigger challenges ahead waiting for me to confront them. I realised that these are the people I should not consider as my friends for true friends will not give you bad attitude forever. True friends will sit down, think over the situation and confront it maturedly. After the confrontation, moves on and the friendship will be stronger than before for it has passed another trial. After thinking it this way, I felt much better and moved on my life without this girl in my life. I can't say that I am a fantastic person or the perfect friend. But at least I know that when I decided to befriend someone, I'll give in 100% of myself to that friend.

"Nothing is predestined: The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings." - Ralph Blum

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

2008-08-24T12:00:00.000+08:00

Ever wonder why your life is such and that things don't seem to work out as you had planned? Some of us would think that going for a holiday, taking a break or doing something will help us to find ourselves. We thought that by doing so we will know who we are or what we are. We are too caught up by that idea that we try so hard to chase after that someone whom we think we are.

For this very reason, I have lost myself many years ago. I have forgotten who I am and I don't even know myself anymore. Everyday, I'm trying to find a reason for my existence. Everyday, I'm trying to find myself. I was wrong. I only ended up falling deeper and deeper in the dark abyss, lost.

It is all about how you mould yourself. It is all about creating yourself. Everyday I simply just chasing after clouds that I could never grasp in my hands. I want to create a different me. How do I go about doing it? I don't know. I only know that I can't do this alone. I need to seek God for help. He will guide me and give me the strength and perseverance in doing so. Amen!~

Greece, Italy, Japan or Spain???

2008-08-20T15:00:00.000+08:00

I'm so freaking bored!!! Yeap, still jobless after a year and I still don't intend to find one yet. I'm still slacking at home doing nothing except going online and being part-time nanny to my niece. HOW DULL CAN MY LIFE BE??? *Fairy on the verge of going cranky again... oopsie!~

This year hasn't been doing much travelling. I'd only been to Lombok, Indonesia early this year for few days at a private spa villa. Right now, I'm planning where shall my next destination be. The thing is, being a slacker for a year & still spend like there is no tomorrow has been rather damaging to my financial status. Going to these countries will gonna cost me a bomb. Should I choose a cheaper destination or just follow my heart?
I wanna go to Greece badly, mainly because of this island called Santorini. It is absolutely beautiful!!! I first saw this island from a movie and instantly fell in love with it. I told myself that I must definitely visit Santorini in my living years.

As for Italy and Spain, more for the historical architectures and not forgetting, SHOPPING!!! *Phoebe getting all excited over the word "shopping" Gucci, Prada, Ferragamo, Zara, Mango, & the list goes on... Not only the travel expenses will cost me a bomb, the shopping is definitely gonna be a killer too to my bank account. Oh man! If only I have 1/10 of Bill Gate's wealth hahaha...

Japan will be mainly to visit my brother who is residing in Tokyo. Due to his business, he lives in both Japan and Singapore. I'm so jealous at him, being able to to something that he likes as his career. I'm not very keen in Tokyo though, cos it's just another city. Too cosmopolitan. I would prefer to visit places like Hokkaido and Kyushu.

Maybe I should just simply toss a coin and decide on it... Wanting to go on a holiday can be such a dilemma as well. Oh bother!~

The Chef In Action

2008-08-12T12:00:00.004+08:00

Lately I've been cooking quite a lot at home. I love eating, & definitely love to cook as well.

Back when I was much younger, it had always been a disaster if I stepped into the kitchen. Food served by me was awefully disgusting! Trust me, you wouldn't want to be one of my guinea pigs >.<

My family would always complain about me cooking and them having to digest on my failed experiment. But hey! Now I can cook! Who would have thought that the gal who used to fail badly in cooking, now has become such a terrific cook? *tsk tsk... humble Fairy!!! =p

I don't really follow recipes or cook books. Those are just for my reference to give me ideas to create my own recipes. I enjoy creating something new, something different. Or at least try to cook something similar to what I'd eaten at a restaurant. With my new talent, I end up throwing dinners and parties pretty often. Friends would bug me to invite them over for a meal.

Been receiving emails from strangers enquiring about my cooking class. Talk about cooking lesson, I haven't been getting to sit down and plan out a schedule on what to teach or when to conduct the lessons. I'm so lazy and have been procrastinating for months. Afterall, this isn't my dream. My dream is to have my very own cafe or restuarant. Somehow, I dare not take that big step. I know I can cook well, but am not confident enough to be a real big chef yet. I mean, afterall, I have never been to any cooking academy or any sort to have a proper training. I just happened to be so called "enlighten" and can cook out of the blue many years back then. Ask me why? I can't explain it either.

For the time being, I'm just happy cooking for my family and friends and happy to see their smiling face munching on whatever I served on the table. So just let me slack more and decide what to do next...