The Cross I Bear

I chanced upon this pic and saw my cross. My precious silver cross - a plain creation, unadorned with diamantes or crystals or other stones. It is just pure silver, slightly tarnished at the sides - I tend to clean it once every few months. Next to it is the star - a blue silver star which paint has since peeled off - my baptism gift in 2000.

The simple cross has a weight which is hardly found in others. The pendants sold in the shops tend to be lightweight and filmsy. I am sentimental, I hardly throw away my things, especially those close to my heart.

This cross was with me when I first accepted Christ formally in 1990. It was with me when I went to Canada to study. It was with me when I first started working and all the way till now. I rarely took it off, unless necessary e.g. at the spa. I seldom buy necklaces as accessories as the cross was all I needed.

I have changed the clasp on the chain several times as it kept breaking. I never thought of buying a new chain either as I still love the current one. The last time I changed the clasp was just a few months ago. I went to many jewelry shops trying to change the clasp but it seemed like most do not use silver now. Finally I found one which could change it, and it was white gold. I would rather repair it than to buy a new one.

That is how much I treasure my necklace and cross, and how much the cross meant to me.

Bad bad day

Today is absolutely the worst day of my life - or at least in 2007. It started off average but took the turn for the worse after my session at Decleor at Raffles Hotel.

I finally bought the Microsoft Office 2007 today, and the SA told me there is a promotion running and I could redeem some departmental store vouchers for buying that. The redemption office is at Burlington Square and is opened till 6pm on weekends. He gave me the flyer with the contact details and opening hours.

As it was around 520pm when I left Raffles Hotel, I thought I would go to Burlington Square to redeem the vouchers as it was fairly nearby. And it is quite an inconvenient location so I didn't want to make a trip down purposely just for that another day.

I walked towards Bras Basah Complex and hopped onto a taxi. I realized I lost my cross and star pendants after I alighted from the cab. The necklace was hanging loose. I went back to the driveway to search and there was nothing on the ground. Felt real upset and sad about losing that, especially so since I didn't get a receipt, and so didn't have the cab license plate number. But I wasn't sure if I lost them in the cab or when walking out of Raffles Hotel.

I called Decleor and asked them to check if they were there, but nada. So sigh...really down about it as I had been wearing the cross pendant for close to 20 yrs now. I have resisted buying a new cross pendant as nothing can replace that, there is a bond for me. I always hold it, twiddle with it, and it brings me comfort in times of stress. I am grateful I didn't lose the chain too, that will be another blow to me. The star pendant was a baptism gift but the significance paled to the cross.

I will be calling the Lost and Found department of the cab company tomorrow as they are only opened from Monday to Friday. Keeping fingers crossed that I could get them but I know the chances are highly unlikely.

So that is 1 part of the bad day. It continued.

Finally found the unit of the redemption store for the vouchers and it was closed! WTH?! On the glass doors, it said opened till 430pm on weekends. The information on the flyer does not tally. Before reaching the destination, I called the store but no one picked up the phone at all. And there was no answering machine saying they are closed.

There were still people in the store and one guy came over to say they are closed and they can't give me the vouchers. With me losing the pendants, I was not in the best of mood and now I get this answer - sorry, no can do. come back another day. I was majorly pissed off with the standard spiel. I don't want that, give me some solutions, people.

I already wasted my time and cab fare coming down and you tell me sorry come back another day. Don't they make exceptions? Don't they offer other alternatives? The best they can do is the come back another day. I asked to speak to the person in charge. She was ineffective too. First we were having a conversation through the locked glass doors, plus there were some construction work going on. I could barely hear her. She said the same thing. Can't open the door, or get the vouchers cos they have done the closing and did not have the vouchers. Asked where they were, said in the safe and they can't open it. {not sure how true that is - i worked in retail before}

Basically I could barely hear her, and the guy came over again. I asked to speak to someone else, he said no one else. I asked for contact details of someone I can talk to. They dilly dally and deliberated before finally giving me a slip of paper with the company's name and same tel number (which I called and no one picked up).

Hello? That is the best they can do? I requested for an email address and someone to attention to. Then another girl came over and said to attention to her. I told her no point since she is standing there and doing nothing. She was so belligerent in her attitude and made it seemed like it is MY fault for going down to her office when it was already closed and not HER fault I wasted my time going down. And also MY fault for calling after office hours. I told her I called the office first before going down but no one picked up the phone. First she said oh they only have 1 line and that was why it was engaged. I said it rang and rang and no one picked up. Then she said oh, they turned off the ringer after 430pm. And again MADE it my fault that the phone was not answered at all.

Her attitude just infuriated me. The condescending tone and why bother me attitude was terrible. She just refused to empathized with the customers. Said it is the fault of the retailers for not informing customers of the change in operating hours. [blame shifter] And that many other people came down too, and they told them the same thing - come back another day.

So I asked her for the boss's name so that I can attention to him. I am not even sure if she gave me the right name cos she hem and haw before spitting out a name, and when I asked for a last name, she had to ask her colleagues. Errr.....wouldn't you know the name right off the top of your head? And the email she gave was a generic email - according to her it is the email for complaints.

So she knows I will be making a complaint. She wants me to blame the retailer too.

I am going to do research on the company and then I will be writing a formal letter of complaint to the company and to Microsoft and Ingram Micro (name on the flyer) on the promotion, as well as the customer service rendered.

Points to note:
1. Change of promotion informtion not communicated to customers or updated on the flyers.
2. Flyers still displayed prominently in the store.
3. If to blame, retailers...the advertising/promotion department should have brief all retailers and to provide stickers with correct information to paste over existing flyers or at least re-print new flyers.
4. Promotion only started from 19 April and is to run till 30 June. Where is the QC for promotional copy text? Microsoft has a huge marcom/pr department. What happened?
5. Attitude of staff from the redemption store. Can't even offer alternatives or solutions.

What made me mad was that I am in this line. I was in retail before. I ran promotions. I gave away store vouchers before. I briefed all staff on all promotions. I handled complaints from tough customers when they called the hotline when my staff couldn't handle it. I KNOW what it is like. It just galled me when someone tried to pull a fast one on me.

Plus now I am even closer to the media. I know what works. I know if I could, I could write in to the Forum page, to CASE. And I know people who work in Microsoft. Microsoft is very pro-customer service.

I spoke to them before regarding some other matters and they troubleshoot my problem and did not rest until it was resolved. They even called me back a few days later to check on my satisfaction on their service. Now that is what I called delighting the customer.

I just wanted the staff to empathize about my situation, not made it seemed like my fault for not knowing they are closed. If possible, they should have the empowerment to release the vouchers on the spot. If not, they should have the initiative to mail the vouchers over. I used to do that when I was in retail. We would either mail out to their home or leave it somewhere convenient for them to pick up. Or we would give some other vouchers for the hassle/trouble they encountered.

Instead I just got the come back another day. You are not the only one who came down and we told them to come back again. There is nothing we can do. No point complaining. I wonder what they would be if I do belong to THE "Lee" family of Singapore. And it was so damn rude to have the entire conversation through the glass doors.

Thai Accent @ Vivocity

I like the tagline - Hospitality with a Heart.

Davis recommended this Thai restaurant at Vivocity - Thai Accent. She raved about the iced tea. Bearing that in mind, while looking for a place for dinner today, we decided to try it. We thought of Kim Gary (long line as usual) and White Dog Cafe (menu is boring - pasta, mains and sandwiches) but decided to check out Thai Accent.

The place is surprisingly big inside, which explained the lack of queue. We were seated somewhere in the middle, and could still look out the glass windows and enjoy the waterfront view.

We ordered lots of food and it was only 2 of us. Lol. We must have been hungry - I only had cereal and 2 sticks of chicken the entire day. Or it could be after a few hours of shopping, so we needed sustenance.

Decided to try the pineapple fried rice with shrimps, stir-fried chicken with basil leaves, green curry chicken and kailan with salted fish, plus a plate of steamed rice. Yes, all that for 2 of us. But we didn't finish them all, too much. We also ordered the famed Thai iced tea. We found out there will be a 30 cents charge for a glass of refillable water (hot/cold), but that will be waived if you order drinks from the menu.
The green curry chicken was very spicy, generous serving of eggplants and chicken and some bits of string beans. Nice. The kailan was usual, not much pieces of salted fish at all. The portion was small for the veggies though.

The chicken basil was pretty good, but nothing can beat the one I had from the roadside stall in Bangkok. That was the ultimate.

The pineapple fried rice with prawns was a disappointment. Slightly below average. I think Thai Express does a better job.
The Thai iced tea was really good, as raved by Davis. Fresh tea, and I liked that you get to mix it yourself, with the different layers.

I will like to go back again to try other dishes. Very good service though, with waiters coming around to ask if you needed refill for the rice or water. Friendly staff.

Location

Thai Accent

#02-145/146, VivoCity

Tel: +65 6376 9282

www.seacuisine.com.my

Down Memory Lane

Saw this from a forum. I think I read this before from elsewhere and thought I'd re-post this again. Kudos to the creator who actually remembered all these.

To those born in the 1970s and 1980s (in Singapore):

You grew up watching He-man, MASK, Transformers, Silver Hawk and Mickey Mouse.
Not to forget Ninja Turtles, Care bears, My Little Pony and Smurfs too...
You grew up brushing your teeth with a mug in Primary school during recess time.
You will squat by a drain with all your classmates beside you, and brush yourteeth with a coloured mug. The teachers said you must brush each side 10 times too.
You know what SBC stands for.
You pay 40 cents for Chocolate or Strawberry MILK every week in class.
You watch a very popular Malay dubbed Japanese drama on RTM1 about schoolgirls who possess powerful skills in volleyball called Meoro Attack.
You find your friends with pagers and handphones cool in Secondary school.
SBS buses used to be non-airconditioned. The bus seats are made of wood and the cushion is red. The big red bell gives a loud "BEEP!" when pressed...
Bus fares barely reached 50 cents.
There are colourful tickets for TIBS buses.
The conductor will check for tickets by using a machine which punches a hole in the ticket. Envelopes were given to us to donate to Sharity Elephant every Children's Day.
You've probably read Young Generation magazine.
You know who's Vinny the little vampire and Acai the constable.
You were there when they first introduced MRT here. You went for the first ride with your parents and you would kneel on the seat to catch the scenery.
Movie tickets used to cost only $3.50. (if we did watch movies then.)
Gals are fascinated by Strawberry Short Cake and Barbie Dolls.
You learn to laugh like The Count in Sesame Street .
You longed to buy tibits called Kaka (20 cents perpack), and Ding Dang / Tora (50 cents per box), that had a toy in it and it changes every week.
Not forgetting the 15 cents animal crackers and the ring pop, where the lollipop is the diamond on the ring.
You watched TV2 (also known as Channel 10) cartoons because Channel 5 never had enough cartoons for you.
Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, The Three Investigators, Famous Five and Secret Seven are probably the thickest story books you ever thought you have read.
Even Sweet Valley High, Malory Towers. And R.S.Stine andGoosebump series were probably the scariest story you ever read.
KFC used to be a high class restaurant that served food in plates and lets you use metal forks and knives.
The most vulgar thing you said was asshole and idiot and THE MOST EXTREME WAS 'super white'...
you just couldn't bring yourself to say the Hokkien relative.
Catching was the IN thing and twist as the magic word.
Your English workbooks was made of some damn poor quality paper that was smooth and yellow. There was once the craze over Tamiya cars and toy dispensers where you had to slot in a coin and twist the knob, while your other hand anticipated the toy to appear.
20 cents for colourful rubber balls and 50 cents / 1 dollar for toys in plastic egg shells.
The only computer lessons in school involved funny pixellised characters in 16 colours walking about trying to teach you maths.
Waterbottles were slinged around your neck and a must everywhere you go.
Boys loved to play soccer with small plastic balls in the basketball court.
Teng-teng, five stones, chapteh, hentam bola and zero point were all the rage with the girls and boys too...
Science was fun with the balsam and the angsana being the most important plants of our lives, guppies and swordtail being the most important fish.
Who can forget Ahmad, Bala, Sumei and John, eternalized in our minds from the textbooks. Even Mr Wally & Mr. Yakki. What abt Miss Lala???
And Zaki and Tini in Malay Textbooks?
We carry out experiments of our own to get yourself badges for being a Young Zoologist/Botanist etc.
Every Children's day and National day you either get pins or pens with 'Happy Children's Day 1993' or dumbfiles with 'Happy National Day 1994'.
In Primary six you had to play buddy for the younger kids like big sister and brother.
We wear BM2000, BATA, or Pallas shoes.
Your form teacher taught you Maths, Science and English.
The worksheets were made of brown rough paper of poor quality.
You went to school in slippers and a raincoat when it rained, and you find a dry spot in the school to sit down, dry your feet, and wear your dry and warm socks and shoes.
School dismissal time was normally around 1 pm.
There would be spelling tests and mental sums to do almost everyday.
Your friends considered you lucky and rich if your parents gave you $3 or more for pocket money everyday.
You see Wee Kim Wee's face in the school hall.
You freak out when the teacher tells you to line up according to height and hold hands with the corresponding boy or girl.
Boys like to catch fighting spiders.
Collecting and battling erasers was a pastime for boys.
Autograph books were loaded with "Best Wishes","Forget Me Not", and small poems like"Birds fly high, hard to catch. Friend like you, hard to forget".
Class monitors and prefects loved to say "You talk somemore, I write your name ah!"
There were at least 40 people in one class.
Large, colourful schoolbags were carried.
You brought every single book to school, even thoughthere was one thing called the timetable.

Sure bring back memories of schooldays. Adding a few:
~You dread the time when schoolmates/classmates came into the classroom holding the dental cards and calling your name.
~You were a member of the Bookworm Club.
~One-leg was also a popular game during recess.
~Besides Sweet Valley High, Sweet Dreams series was also the rage.
~You had to bring a book for "Silent Reading" period before school started.
~You know all the "National Day" songs like "Stand Up for Singapore", "We Are Singapore", "Count On Me, Singapore" etc

N.Y.D.C

Raspberry lemonade (I think)

I have not been to NYDC in ages. Was at Holland Village with Sheryn to celebrate her belated birthday a few weeks back and decided to just go there for some drinks or snacks.

We shared the Spud-nik potato skins and Fowl Play - fried chicken wings.


I quite like the potato skins, which is full of bacon bits and topped with cheese. The chicken wings were not bad, run-of-the-mill. The appetitizer I like from NYDC was the baked mushrooms but it is no longer on the menu. Darn it. Reason given was the huge mushrooms were not easily available in Singapore now.



LOCATION:
30 Lorong Mamong
Tel:6469 2998
Operating Hours:11:30 am - 12 am (Daily)11:30 am - 2 am (Friday & Saturday)
http://www.nydc.com.sg/index.html (for other outlets)

Olive Bistro @ IBP

I think Olive Bistro probably sees more customers who are working in the International Business Park buildings rather than drop-in customers. Tucked away in a corner of the Nordic European Centre, Olive Bistro serves the usual western food fare.

I like the full-length glass windows with the greenery outside. It is relaxing to be there after a hard day at work or even during coffee breaks. I had a late lunch over there, around 4pm (yes, it is tea-time) and not much was left.

Ordered the tex-mex wrap (I think that was the name) and a mango roulade for dessert. I was not much impressed with the food. Pretty average, nothing to raved about. I will probably only eat there again if I am hungry after meeting with client. Maybe I should try the pies next time since it seemed like they are part of the Pie Shoppe.

Location

Olive Bistro @ IBP :
3 International Business Park, #01-20 Nordic European Centre, Singapore 609927
Tel: 6890 6698 Fax: 6890 6697
Email: enquiry@thepieshoppe.com

Of Bags and Shoes

It must be a full moon or what. Cos I have been spending and spending. It is crazy. Or it is all the pent-up "want" for shopping. Lol. But it is specific shopping. Only on shoes and bags.


I have been searching for flats or low-heeled sandals/shoes for the longest time. I realized I am not that keen to wear my heels now especially since I have to walk up and down at least 4 flights of stairs at the underpass to work. Plus after spraining my ankle, I found myself loving my Birkies. I wish I can wear them everyday to work. Lol.


So yeah, I managed to buy 1 pair of low heeled shoes a couple of months back, but barely 4 wears, the rubber sole came off and I have yet to get it fixed. Hence the search continues...until Monday. Went to Substance with colleagues and saw some gorgeous shoes. So cute. Bought 3 pairs - 2 flats (pink glitters and teal green ribboned) and 1 polka dot heels. Before that, I already bought 1 pair at Tangs the Friday before.


So I should be contented, and I am. But somehow shoes and bags always go together. It is like buying eyeshadows with blushers and lipglosses or moisturizer with eye-gel. Received an sms about the Bebe sale and Denise Lassler (some brand from NY which I never heard of) at Isetan Scotts and the promo of additional 10% off with Citibank cards. Didn't think much of it until I saw the email from Citibank about the promotion. The bag featured looked not bad, like a Birkin.


Popped by Isetan Scotts last night to check it out. It was 910pm by then, so it was not crowded at all. 2 bags caught my eye. The fushcia bag and the teal green bag. Not sure why I am so into colors lately, then saw the light tan bag. It kinda grow on you and I quite like it too. Decided to buy a dirty beige bag too for my mom. It looked nice on the owner when she modeled it for me. That was apparently the bestseller in NY. It was quite a good bargain as they were clearing the stocks to make space for new collection when they opened their own boutique.


Not posting the prices else my sister will nag at me ;p

IPL for underarm

After my favorite therapist has left Lifespa, I am trying to finish up my package there and so made an appointment for IPL (intense pulse light) for the underarms. I thought that would be a safe spot to try since the area is smaller and not in an obvious place.

It was with great trepidation that I entered the treatment room. I had no idea what to expect and had always thought it to be painful, something akin to ant bites. The therapist assured me it would not take long and would be painless.

She started off with dry shaving the area, before cleaning it and then applying a cooling gel. The gel was so cold it numbed the entire area. Maybe that was why I didn't feel any pain at all when the zapping started.

Now I am quite tempted to sign up for an IPL package. She said it might take 8-12 sessions for the hair follicles to be dormant. It is not a permanent treatment, a common perception due to uninformed sales consultants at various places, and the hair could grow back again after 2-3 years or later (depends on individual). It is so convenient, just zap and go. Waxing is much more painful and there is the redness to deal with. I also like that IPL will lighten the skin too.

Let's see if my negotiation skills will be good enough to get to a price I am comfortable with ;)

Cute Cupcakes Stuff

I was surfing the web when I chanced upon these cuties. Sili-Feet Reusable Silicone baking cups. How cute is that?

Then also saw this cupcake wristlet from Barry's Farm. Quite cute though a bit plain.

Oh, how smart is this? A Cup-a-cake container. I wonder if the frosting will still be smudged though.

And finally, someone got it right. Make cupcake, not war. Available from Johnny Cupcakes.

Santa Fe Tex-Mex Grill on board Stewords Riverboat

The Stewords Riverboat has moved from Sentosa to Marina South Pier. For those who like the rocking sensation of a boat, this will be a perfect venue for dining out. There are 2 restaurants on the boat - Santa Fe and Breaking Bread (opening late May 2007) - and a private dining area, inclusive of a cabin with attached bathroom and outdoor jacuzzi.

I am not an expert on Tex-Mex food and frankly, I can't really tell the difference between it and Mexican food. I like my quesadillas, burritos, fajitas and chips with cheese dip or salsa.

There was a media event last week and I got to try some of the dishes. I like the quesadillas, delicious with the guacamole and sour cream. The mushroom soup is creamy with real shiitake mushrooms. The bbq babyback ribs really slipped off the bones. Very tender and no-porky taste/smell at all.

The fajitas is good, the beef is made from striploin cuts. Soft, not hard at all. The tex-mex chicken is also tender, I can cut it using my fork. The enchilada is a bit too sour for my liking. The chocolate truffle cake is really nice!

As I am prone to motion sickness, I think I will stick to eating at the Santa Fe outside Far East Plaza. But the Riverboat is great for a different dining location and has excellent view of the clear sea and lush greenery and beautiful sunset. Plus there is the private dining area, perfect for private parties with friends.

The CaffeBar - Parkway Parade

I chanced upon this cafe while in Parkway today and decided to try it after I saw a review by Ah Yoke from ST. He has been known to be an elusive food critic and is extremely hard to invite him for a food tasting session.

I didn't read the article but just walked in to try. The place is right in the middle of an atrium, so you get to watch shoppers going about their business. I ordered the seafood spaghetti alio olio as I was not in the mood for tomato or cream based sauce.

I always think it is the mark of a great chef if the food is still nice without much seasoning or gravy or sauce to cover up the freshness of the ingredients. I liked the pasta - the spaghetti was al dente and it was infused with the subtle flavors of olive oil, herbs and garlic. There was a generous serving of seafood - crayfish, 2 prawns (shelled body with head intact), sliced squids (nicely done, not rubbery, almost like having it raw) and baby clams and whole chillies (spicy!).

The dessert I ordered was not that fantastic. Maybe it was too big for one person. I had the creme brulee lightly fused with earl grey tea. The creme brulee was thick and smooth. I loved breaking the burnt sugar and digging into the custard. Also ordered a viennese cappuccino which was topped with whipped cream and dusted with cocoa powder. That was nice though the coffee could be better?

The Performer

You Are An ESFP

The Performer You are a natural performer and happiest when you're entertaining others. A great friend, you are generous, fun-loving and optimistic. You love to laugh - and you like almost all people equally. You accept life as it is, and you do your best to make each day fantastic. You would make a good actor, designer, or counselor.

What's Your Personality Type?

New Lingerie from La Senza

I finally got my stuff from La Senza today. Yay! I ordered a babydoll, a slip and a kimono wrap. I don't know why, but somehow satin always attracted me. I love the feel of slippery and cool satin against bare skin.

Que Seurat Mesh Babydoll

Sexy but this is a bit scratchy due to the mesh material. It is tough too and not that elastic. Time to lose weight again.

Allure Modal Slip

This is stretchy and very comfortable. The material is similar to terry cloth. Nice!

Serenity Satin Kimono

This is delicious! I love it. Now I have 5 satin wraps thing. 2 black, 1 red, 1 deep plum and now lilac. Not that I wear them all the time, but it is nice to know I have them

There was a sale online and I got all these 3 for only S$60 or so. Good deal since it is retailing for S$55 each.

Cars - or lack of

I am never really that into cars. To me, they are just a mode of transport and as long as it can get me to my destination and not break down on me, I am happy.

Recently I was lemming to get my own car. That stemmed from knowing my friend just bought her own car, and she only got her driving license last year (I think). So I was curious to see what is actually available on the market and the price range.

I typically don't bother reading the car pages in the papers nor do I check out the prices in the classified. The only time I read that was way back in SFU when again, I was tempted to get a car then. Lol.

So I was checking out the small cars, I much prefer those than typical sedans. And I would love to get a 2-door car too. My dream car would be the Mazda Miata - I always saw it parked outside my apartment in Canada. So cute, tiny car zipping around. Searched more online and found out the 2nd generation is now known as Mazda RX5 or something. In Singapore the cost is exorbitant and so way out of my budget. I am not that keen on other Japanese cars, maybe I am influenced by others or what I am currently driving (Dad's car) - but continental or American is much better. Heavier and with weight.

But the thought of buying cars totally got dropped when I was confronted with the reality of rush hour traffic. It absolutely sucks! I can't believe it took me close to an hour to get to the airport from Novena. Maybe my fault for not knowing the best route (CTE to TPE to airport), but the line of cars on the CTE, waiting to get onto PIE was horrendous!

Anyway, the marking of the roads / signs was not clear and I somehow got off the line for the PIE and went onto Upper Serangoon road instead. And over there it was not much better. Long line of cars again. So yeah, that was strike 1 against buying a car.

Strike 2 was the next day when I took taxi from home to International Business Park to visit a client. Again, the traffic was bad and the charges on the ERP was astronomically crazy! $3.50 to use the CTE past Braddell I think.

Strike 3 was when I did my math. Even if I take taxis home from work everyday and from town, I doubt my total cost on transport will exceed $300/$400 per month. Currently I think my transport cost is between $180 to $300 per month.

If I buy a car, I will be paying around $800 - $1k per month (instalment plus gas, parking and other charges). Errr.....I really think I would derive much enjoyment using that on spa massages and travel :p

Plus I think I much prefer off-peak driving, and if I really need to go somewhere inaccessible, I could always use my Dad's car :)

But if someone wants to surprise me with a Miata, I would gladly accept too ;p

An Amazing Sight

It is a pity I couldn't snap a picture when I saw this. So I was driving away from the airport after dropping my parents off on Saturday, when there loomed a SIA jet.

I only noticed it when I was pretty close to the flyover. I never expect that flyover to be a runway above the regular road.

It was amazing, seeing the jumbo jet (or whatever it is) seemingly gliding on the runway flyover right above the road I was driving on. It was huge and yet small. The width of the flyover runway is not that wide, in my opinion, yet it could contain the wings of the plane.

I slowed down and when out of under the flyover, I sneaked peeks at the plane via the rearview mirror. Absolutely breathtaking. And I am not even a fan of planes!

King of Pentacles

King of Pentacles
On this card we see a man seated on a throne. He looks regal and sophisticated. He holds a scepter in his left hand and a Pentacle in his right hand. This man is very serious about financial security and has made the accumulation of funds his main preoccupation in life. He is very proud of his achievements and willing to show others his prized possessions. At this time in his life he is probably aged around late thirties to early forties. His work may involve him in the field of banking or the stock-market. The main aim of his life is to be financially secure and then he can relax in his later years in luxury and comfort. Appearances are important to him and to this end he dresses very conservatively and smartly. Comfort is also a factor in his well made and expensive attire. The aim is to appear wealthy, which is his ultimate goal. Usually he rides the wave of success in mid life and is therefore able to display an air of authority and confidence in his position. Others respect him for his determination and passion to succeed. He has mastered his life successfully and is usually married with a few children. His wife is conscious of his material desires and needs and accepts her role as the caretaker of all he owns.

10 of Cups

Ten of Cups
This card shows a cup, held in a man’s hand, and joined by a woman’s hand, as they appear to be about to sip together from the liquid in the cup, as if sharing in a celebration of some wonderful event. There is a rainbow in the background and several tall, green trees, some shrubs, beside a river and with mountains in the far distance. The sky is blue and the day looks warm as in Springtime. There are 9 cups across the sky in front of the rainbow. This card symbolises great happiness and contentment. Two people are brought together in unison and peace to share a special time in their lives. A joint project has obviously reached fruition and they are proud of their achievements and wish to celebrate in grand style. If you draw this card you may rest assured, that even though it took a long time to get where you are, it has all been worth the effort and the energy expended. You can relax in your new found comfort zone and pursue your other objectives with peace of mind, knowing that your life is now more secure than it has ever been.

Carrot Cake

I learnt to like carrot cake when in Canada. I love the way the different textures meld in the mouth. The soft sponginess of the cake mixed with the crunchiness of the nuts and grated carrots and fruits. But the best part is the frosting! The cream cheese frosting somehow just complements the cake.

I don't remember where this carrot cake was from. But could be from Toast at Ngee Ann City. Look at the thick cream cheese frosting and generous nuts and fruits in there. Simply divine! Perfect with a cup of tea (unsweetened).

Tea, anyone?

Rows of Tulips

My favorite flower is the tulip. I love to see them swaying in the breeze in the fields or gardens. You know when Spring is here - flowers will start peeking out. It is always a startling sight on the roads in Canada to see the flowers (usually scattered areas) growing.



I quite like this picture, taken at Skagit Valley, WA, about 10 years ago. I didn't realize how much I blend in till the picture was printed. Lol. There is a garden nearby with all varieties of tulips in different colors.

SB Thos @ Raffles City

I always walked past SB Thos but the little cafe in the corner of Raffles City / Raffles the Plaza area just never really screamed out "we are open for meals". One would usually see the counter with cakes and cookies that you thought they only sell baked goods.

Then I read about it serving sandwiches and light snacks like pies, quiches, muffins etc, so I always wanted to try but never got the opportunity until recently.

We were there early, just slightly after 1130am so the place was not crowded at all. We got a table by the side of the glass railing, so it overlooked the foyer of the escalators coming up to Raffles City Convention Centre via Swissotel the Stamford.

I originally ordered Busy Ben which has tandoori chicken, apple ratia and mint chutney, but they ran out of it. So I changed it to S B Club. That includes roasted chicken, smoked ham, bacon and fried egg. The sandwich came a side of potato salad and some greens. I think the bread (I think I asked for sourdough) was toasted for too long that it was very hard and crispy and it just scraped the roof of the mouth, making it very hard to eat.

I would say the food is average, but it is a nice place to be if you want some place quiet or just for simple food.

Decision Cube

For the days when you do not know what you want to do. Throw the Jeffrey Parker Decision Cube and let it decide your plans.

* Lunch with the girls
* Shop till you drop
* Me, me, me day
* Romantic dinner
* Chick flick
* Out on the town

Nice things to do and great to have it decided for you. They should have another one - day at the spa. Now that will be heaven.

Laptop Sleeve

This is a neat idea. I should have seen this earlier before I went off to Phuket. I don't carry a proper laptop case as it is usually so bulky and ugly. I prefer something which looks like a normal bag which is sleek and slim.

Since the only bag I have which has a bit of cushion is my backpack, I carried my laptop using that. At times I was still concerned about the laptop as the sides were not cushioned much.

But with Chelsey Henry Laptop Sleeve, I can just dump my laptop inside and put it in any of my regular bags. Wonder if something similar is sold in Singapore.

Paul Frank Bicycle

This is just so retro-cute! The aqua blue and pink and flowers print are so pretty! It makes me want to ride a bicycle again, and I have not cycled in a long while. Not since 1994 when the bicylce was my mode of transportation in Oakville. Getting around was only by bike. Peer pressure then. Lol. If you drive or take the bus, you will not get to hang out with those who biked around. Hahaha. But it made one more fit and toned, so there are pluses to cycling daily.

The Surfin' Party Bicycle by Nirve retails for US$340 (woah!) and featured Julius & Friends graphics by Paul Frank. The front basket certainly brings back memories of childhood. Hehe.

Cycling, anyone?

EQ - 147 (Woah!)

Your EQ is 147

50 or less: Thanks for answering honestly. Now get yourself a shrink, quick! 51-70: When it comes to understanding human emotions, you'd have better luck understanding Chinese. 71-90: You've got more emotional intelligence than the average frat boy. Barely. 91-110: You're average. It's easy to predict how you'll react to things. But anyone could have guessed that. 111-130: You usually have it going on emotionally, but roadblocks tend to land you on your butt. 131-150: You are remarkable when it comes to relating with others. Only the biggest losers get under your skin. 150+: Two possibilities - you've either out "Dr. Phil-ed" Dr. Phil... or you're a dirty liar.

What's Your EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient)?

MAC Pret-a-Porter Brush Set

Sometimes it is a case of follow the crowd, monkey sees, monkey does thing, and sometimes it works and other times, it doesn't. So I bought the MAC Pret-a-Porter brush set without any knowledge of what it is and why it is good. All I know was it came highly recommended by my friend as well as the MA at the counter. I am not really into brushes as I am quite happy with my current EL brush set (fit to be retired as they are going to be 10 years old soon), plus I really prefer to use my fingers for eyeshadow application.

Doing some research online now, it seemed like the brush set was released last Christmas and was an online exclusive thing retailing at US$217.

The set is a black satin brush roll appliquéd with black beads and a velvet fasten. It contained 8 essential brushes. For the face: the 129 Powder/Blush, 187 Duo-Fibre Face and 190 Foundation. For the eyes: the 213 Fluff, 219 Pencil, 224 Tapered Blending and 266 Small Angle. For the lips: the 318 retractable Lip Brush.

I am not sure how soon I will be trying them out but likely when I have more time to play with the makeup I have.

P.S. I tried the Zandra Rhodes eye palette and I love it! The colors are gorgeous. Only drawback is the layout of strips instead of squares. I always find it harder to get the colors when they are in strips.

MAC Balloonacy

I read about the Balloonacy collection from MAC, but it didn't really grab my attention as much as Barbie did.

Well, while surfing MAC website for the MAC Couture information, I chanced upon the Balloonacy collection and the eye quad drew my interest. PURPLE! Yes, I am back into purple again. After flirting with the greens, aquas and turquoise, I am finally making my way back to my first love - PURPLE!

The pandamonium eye quad looks really nice! Deeper tones of purples and more intense.

Shades include: Cloudbound, an off-white with gold pearlized pigments (Frost); Up at Dawn, a soft lilac (Veluxe pearl); Violet Trance, a rich intense purple (Matte); Pandamonium, a smokey grey with silver pearlized pigments (Velvet). Limited edition.

Lemming again? We shall see how it works on my eyes first :D

Even the pigments are in purples. I'm so dead meat.

Viz-A-Violet Shade description: Mid-tone violet with blue & red pearl

Helium Shade description: Light pink with red duochrome

Loot from EL Private Sale (28 April 2007)

Here it is. The annual event eagerly awaited by many, who wants to pick up a good bargain. I first learnt of the annual private sale conducted by the Estee Lauder group in Singapore back in 2005 when we did some promotional tie-up with MAC. As a business partner, we were given some complimentary tickets for the preview (usually there are 2 sessions - 1 for business partners, vips etc; the other for guests of the EL staff, usually friends or family members, etc - staff get to enter even earlier by flashing their staffcards).

It was a timely introduction into the world of makeup as it was a few months before that I got more interested in beauty products. And so I went with few (several?) friends in 2005. It was like being a kid in a candy store. Everything looked "cheap" when compared to retail prices and I easily spent close to $500 then. Came back and divested some goodies to cousins.

I was more controlled in 2006 EL Sale and spent less than in 2005. More experienced and more focused in what to buy. This year, I managed to get tickets at the very last minute (thanks again to all angels) and even luckier to be offered tickets for the preview on the actual day. It is good to be kind :)

So yeah, my target this year is the MAC mini-pigments sets (cool and warm) released Christmas 2006. But somehow I managed to amass way more than expected. I bought lots of stuff from MAC, Origins and just 2 lipglosses from Bobbi Brown and a teddy bear from Aramis.

The teddy bear is for my nephew who has been hugging my bear which I got last year from the sale. So this will be perfect for him! His very own bear to hug :)


This is what I bought. I just found out today I didn't have MAC entremauve pigment. I thought I bought it previously but I didn't. Darn! I would have grab it at the sale. I am still searching for the shower gel trio from Origins which I thought I bought during Christmas last year at Metro. I didn't get 3 sets at the sale as the girls were dissuading me from getting them all since I already have so many bath items at home and so I got 1 set. It is great shopping with the girls - we play devil's advocate to each other, preventing each other from overspending and impulse buys.

From MAC, I bought the pret-a-porter brush set which was highly raved by my MA and also at the sale counter MA. It costs a bomb at $150, but it includes 8 full sized pony hair brushes in a satin roll-up pouch. I believe it was retailing for around $400 or so. Other items are the cool and warm mini pigments, Zandra Rhodes eye palette, blusher from patternmaker collection, 3 eyeshadows and from the MAC luxe Couture collection - 1 lipstick, 1 lipgloss, 1 mystery powder and 1 highlighter/eye shadow. So yeah, just from MAC, it came to over $350.

From Origins, I was very controlled already but I still bought the Perfect World body set (sponge, body cleanser and body cream) as it was a very good deal. But I still have 2 sets of that at home. Also got the peace of mind diffuser to relieve stress, the bali paradise set (cleanser, lotion and scrub) and the shower gels trio - only 1 set as I released 2 other sets *sniff* :(

So I busted my budget of $200 for this sale as MAC totally killed me (unexpectedly). But I think for once I will actually be using all the items bought this time round, so I am a happy girl. Surprisingly I didn't get any fragrances this year at all.

Kid's Meal - Island Cafe

I am so tickled pink with the kid's meal from Island Cafe. Met the girls for midnight shopping on Friday but I met them late as I had a massage appointment (more like torture as my whole body is sore and achy even till now) earlier.

It was close to 930pm when we scoured for eateries which were still opened for the late night shopping (Singapore Tourism Board initiative with ORBA to bring life to Orchard Road at night) which happens every last Friday of the month now. Obviously not all shops participated in this drive.

After walking up and down Paragon and racking our brains on where to go, I remembered I took the proffered postcard inidicating the participating outlets. Checked it out and realized Island Cafe was opened. So off we trooped to Tangs for a bite.

I wanted something soupy and light. Saw the chicken macaroni in the kid's menu and asked if I could order that. Some places are sticky about only kids being allowed to order from the menu. I guessed it helped it was already close to 10pm by then, so the server was fine with it.

The chicken macaroni came with juice and a mini sundae. I love that everything was served in plastic - bright orange mug and bowl - and on a colorful striped tray. That is so cute!

The chicken macaroni itself was pretty awful. The pasta was too tough, not al dente at all. The chicken was usual and the soup was not too bad. So I didn't finish it. The pineapple juice was obviously out of the can or box. The scoop of chocolate ice cream was tiny but that was not too bad.

The girls ordered dessert since they already had their dinner. So it was a night of chatting and eating instead of full-blown shopping. Saving that for Saturday ;p

Conclusion: Order from the main menu in future as Island Cafe has some very good local dishes.

Tocca Candles!

I am in love with Tocca candles and I blame it on my influencer, Davis :p She is the queen of candles, expert in the various cult and high end brands. I don't burn much candles as I prefer to burn essential oils instead when I want to relax.

Tarts were highly raved and I bought some, but the home-made tarts made me sick, probably because of the artificial scent. Then I tried Tocca candle in Florence - candelina size - and it was good. Lightly scented and not overpowering that I get a headache.

Since Tocca is not easily available in Singapore, I ordered mine through Sephora via Amazon and that was through Vpost. Complicated way of shipping which a friend did for us. I tried swapping for the candles but not many people listed them on their list. Then somehow I got to know of Beauty Habit.

Surfing one day, I discovered it does ship internally. Yay! Got a few friends who wanted to order from BH too, and so a mini spree was on. I must rave about BH shipping and customer service. Really fantastic! They will email you the shipping cost and once approved, they will ship out immediately. On the website, it said it will take 2-6 weeks, but for my order, it was approved on 20 April and arrived in Singapore on 24 April (registered mail, so I only got the package today as no one was home to sign for it on 24 April). Amazing!

So I ordered 4 Tocca candelinas. Maybe it is time for me to move on to the actual candles soon.

Stella (Blood Orange)
Stella is the slightly sweet, never bitter and always fresh scent of blood orange, widely recognized as one of the finest gifts of nature. With its origins coming from 17th century Sicily, the blood orange is harmonious with Tocca Beauty's philosophy of combining the best of old world traditions with modern influences

Rodolfo (Tuberose)
The potent tuberose emits a soft spicy fragrance intended to fill the bedroom with romance and gently rekindle the sensuality of the great 1920's lover, Rodolfo

Isabella (Fresh Watermelon)
Isabella's fresh aroma of watermelon hits you unexpectedly. Mysterious and intriguing like a young Sicilian beauty, Isabella evokes legends of lost sailors in the Southern Mediterranean seas.

Cleopatra (Grapefruit and Cucumber)
A blend of cucumber and grapefruit emits a light and clean, yet luxuriously exotic scent for the bathroom, underscoring Cleopatra's indulgence for her milk baths

Florence (Orris Rose)
Florence is the sophisticated essence of the old European garden rose known as Centifolias or "cabbage" rose. Bred in the 16th and 17th centuries by the Dutch, Centifolias are noted for their highly fragrant blooms as well as their one hundred (cento) petals. Tocca Beauty combines the character of the rose with the root of the iris, also known as orris root, to anchor the scent.

Pictures of Phuket - Burasari

This is the stone lounger with jets

Ok here are the pictures to go along. Still didn't have time to pretty them up.



Video says it better. Enjoy :)

Phuket - Day 5

Guess what? The hotel staff didn't collect the DVD player so I could watch DVD on my last day. Mentally planning the activities, I decided to just take it slow. With a late check-out of 2pm (the latest they allowed) and having to be back in hotel for a shower and airport pick up at 4pm, I essentially had only 2 hours to kill, not 3 as I initially thought.

Woke up later than usual and had a late breakfast, though it was probably not considered that late at 830am. Someone was at my favorite table, so I took a table in the secluded air-conditioned room. It was dim as there was no light at all. A guy wearing a fisherman hat walked past and stopped and stared - for a moment, I thought it was MS. But nah, don't think so at all.

After breakfast, I decided to laze by the pool for a short while as it was pretty empty. Read, floated, swam and tanned. Time almost stood still? It felt like I was there for some time when it was only an hour when I went back to the room.

Had a bath while watching The Devil Wears Prada. Anne Hathaway with red lipstick is so gorgeous! I want red lipstick too! It is very common in most hotels to have partition between the bath and bedroom to open up so you can watch the TV or have the TV hooked above the bath.

So that was what I did, watched DVD and chatted online after that while waiting for my bikini to dry, and packing at the same time. Multi-tasking. After check-out, I walked down Beach Road, still searching for nice Thai restaurant. I found one in a side road. Outside the restaurant said food was cooked by authentic Thai chef. It looked not too bad, not flashy. I prefer non-flashy restaurants when it comes to Thai food in tourist town.

I ordered the tom yum goong, chicken in basil leaves with rice and iced milk tea. The place is still obviously catered to the tourists based on the price. 120THB for the tom yum goong, the other place was around 70-80THB. But I seriously didn't mind one bit when the one sip of the soup was seriously good! I finally found a restaurant which served decent tom yum soup. It was a bit red and lemaky though. Not the clear spicy sour soup of the 1st restaurant I went to.

The prawns were huge and fresh, so yeah for 120THB, it is alright. The chicken with basil leaves could be better. I think I still prefer the one in BBK. The thai iced milk tea was good too. My most expensive meal in Phuket - 250THB total. At the other restaurant or places, it usually came to 150-200THB, or even just 100THB at the open air hawker center thing.

After that I went to the massage place across the road (Wanida). It was so eye-popping with the bright hot pink cushion covers on the wicker lounge chairs. My last foot massage in Thailand. The service was good, the therapist offered me an icy cold towel and water to freshen up, and with the heat, icy cold was greatly appreciated. There was a black dog on the premise, just dozing on the chair. He looked like a cockapoo - cross between cocker spaniel and poodle. Similar to Connie's dog, Prince. Very cute.

Had a quick shower in the toilet of all places, I would have expected a hospitality room like in Katathani. The restroom was not often used and in a quiet area so I had the whole place to myself. The staff was good, and handed me a L'occitane shampoo and conditioner in lavender for me to use. I like it! Going to look for L'occitane stuff soon. Lol. Laze by the daybed at the poolside bar after that to chill and had a coke for 100THB (hotel price). Also got bitten by mozzies in the process.

Soon it was time to leave. Got to the airport at 610pm. The airport bus came for me at 5pm. The driver stopped twice, not sure what for since no one got onto the bus. There was only 1 other guy in the bus. He is from Sweden and on his way back. He lives in Phuket for 7 months annually, and has been doing that for about 5-6 years now.

At the airport, I was good. Didn't buy more donuts. Lol. I also didn't buy the Lay's chips in seaweed. I think I was all chipped and donutted out. Arrived in Singapore around 1110pm and home at 1150pm.

I found that I have more foot massage on this trip more than Thai massage. Maybe it was because I did not found anyone who did a great job. I also realized I didn't spend as much during this trip compared to previously. I didn't spend a lot, but my hotel took up a huge chunk of the budget. I only spent on food and massages, no major expenses of traveling out and exploring.

Airfare: $127
Hotel: $504
Spending money: $250 (with leftovers)
Taxi: $30
Total cost of Holiday: $911

5 days of bliss: Priceless

Phuket - Day 4

I can't believe it. I only have 1 more night and afternoon before I leave for Singapore. Where have the days gone?

Today continued on eating less. Lol. Starting from breakfast, I had a slice of toast with grilled tomatoes, cheese and fried egg. Had a small bowl of fishball noodles (not very nice, SG version is better) and boiled rice (porridge) which was not too bad. So yeah that was it.

Checked with reception on whether there is any relations between the tent with hotel name on it on the beach and the hotel. A bit disappointed to learn it was not related and the tent was for advertising purposes. When I asked about the cost of renting the lounger/umbrella, she told me it was 500THB!!! That worked out to around S$25? Daylight robbery! So that scraped the idea of sunbathing on beach. Anyway I am not really sand/beach person. Lol, I like watching the waves, but I do not fancy sand on my body.

So it was the pool again. Surprisingly it was not that crowded today. I must be bad in picking the lounger cos I got the sun again. So now I am nicely tanned. Healthy.

Had a bubble bath after that and it was slippery and I slid down into the water and did a 180 degrees turn. Lucky I didn't knock into anything and the bubbles got into my ear. I felt like one of those pic of girl in bubble bath. Candle burning. Decadent.

I still wanted my tom yum soup, so got out to hunt. Didn't see any Thai restaurant and before I knew it, I was at Jungceylon again. So I decided to try the street food fair. The noodles place looked nice. I saw the dry version of meat with noodles and wanted that. Somehow my pointing didn't work, so I got the regular meat noodles in soup. Sigh. It was ok, better than breakfast but the dry noodles looked really good with the different seasoning.

I really dislike the heat though, cos I get totally drenched as if I was in the shower minutes after I walked out into the heat. So yucky. Another reason to cool off in the mall. Walked around Carrefour and checked out the frozen section. They actually sell black sesame dumplings in ginger soup. Nice! Too bad I don't have a microwave here. And also meringue in the bakery section. Cool.

Went to Pinnacle Massage place for a foot massage. It was really good. Almost fell asleep. Either it is the heat or I am really tired. Rarely do I doze off during foot massages. Pinnacle Massage is a pretty good place for massages, I always go there when in Phuket. Just that the therapists I had are no longer working there.

Walked over to the beach and just spent a few moments to myself, listening to ipod and watching the activities on the beach and sea. It was great. A bit breezey, and not as hot or humid. Decided to continue hunt for tom yum soup and popped into this family restaurant which was established in 1985.

Unfortunately the tom yum and pad thai were not that great. Not spicy enough for the soup and the noodles were too salty from the fish sauce. Not nice at all. Even the thai iced milk tea was weak and not sweet. I didn't finish the food at all. Really disappointed, as the restaurant looked so promising. It is opposite a pizza place, Nepoli or something.

The good thing is, I met someone during dinner. Lol. Yes, I met a Canadian girl. She is also traveling on her own and is with the army. So this is her break time. We had a good natter and had a walk together after dinner as it was still early and it was nice to speak to someone who understand and can communicate in English. Otherwise it will be 4 days of not much talking for me. I took her to Baskin Robbins and recommended places and things for her to do during her stay.

Back in hotel and discovered the hotel staff didn't remove my dvd player. It is now over 3 days, hope they won't charge me extra since I didn't even watch any dvd today.

Phuket - day 3

I finally got to sleep in today and went for breakfast at 930am. Good to note that after yesterday's feast, I didn't have much today. Just about the usual of fruits, yoghurt, omelette and sausage/bacon.

Initially wanted to go to Paradise Beach which was mentioned in the hotel's website as its own private beach. Sad to say, that was a false information on the website. The reception said it is not owned by the hotel, and I would need to make my own way there. Getting there is no problem, but not sure how I would get back, so I didn't bother about it.

Tried out the new swimming pool instead in the new wing. It is quite nice, to meander around the sunbathing area in the center. It is like a T-shaped, with the loungers in the center of one strip. On the top end, there is the pool bar and on the other side is a stone lounger area. I discovered that is also a jacuzzi thing with jets bubbling when you pressed a button. Neat!

Again, the sun was very strong, so I left at 2ish pm. Just rested in the room and then went out to have a late lunch/early dinner. I finally went to Subway to get a steak and cheese sub on honey oat bread. It was very nicely toasted with more varieties of veggies. However the steak could be more tender. The cookie was not as good as in Singapore. It was less chewy and soft. Just different.

Had a foot massage at this place, near Subway, next to a photo shop. The place was really nice, with glass windows all around. Thai silk draped from the ceiling to afford privacy (if needed) and for decoration purposes. I liked the attention to detail. The therapist washed the feet in a wooden tub basin, complete with natural grains and powder to scrub. And tea was served complete with a cool towel to freshen up. You got to relax in the laz-y boy style arm chair and the therapist used alcohol to clean the feet again. The only minus point about the place was the strong scent of camphor. It was a good massage, well worth the 300THB.

Dropped by Starbucks for an iced caramel machiato as it started to drizzle. Spent about an hour there just watching the people and beach activities and also reading my book. Walked back to the hotel and managed to get some dvds. It was weird, I stopped by 2 places and both wanted me to go to a room in an alley. No way, Jose. I followed one and he led me to a small doorway, next to the tailor shop and I could see through the open door the rows of dvds. But errr....no way would I enter. Bad enough it was not on the main road. I insisted on buying from the stall. Anyway, he didn't have what I wanted. The 2nd stall I went to also wanted me to go to the room. But anyway, he managed to get what I wanted. Weird cos this was the first time I was asked by them. Usually we would tell them what we want and they would go find.

But because of this, I didn't get to have my tom yum soup. I had already passed by the other side roads with restaurants and the remaining ones (not that many) didn't look decent or appetizing. In the end, I bought a corn on cob. Seemed to be the season for corns as they are everywhere. Didn't realize the hawker rubbed copious amount of salt on it, I thought it was butter. So salty. 30THB for that. Pricey? So yeah that was my dinner. Will hunt for tom yum soup tomorrow.

Watched bits and pieces of my dvds - Music and Lyrics and Love Actually. Just coincidence that Hugh Grant was in them. Music and Lyrics quality was bad....very fuzzy. Love Actually was better, but the audio on dialogue was so soft, yet the music was loud. I think I will get the real Music and Lyrics as the last bit was cut. Amelie is showing now, but not really in the mood to watch. I have seen that several times now.

Day 3 was just a total chilling day with not much exploration. I totally dislike the heat, I get drenched after a couple of minutes of walking under the sun. And it stormed earlier. Stopped now. But there were a few loud bangs that I was not sure if that were fireworks or others.

Phuket - Day 2

I woke up super early today at 630 am Phuket time. Didn't really sleep much as I woke up a few times during the night. Not sure why as I usually have no problem sleeping in a new place. But that means I went to have breakfast early too.

Freshened up with a quick shower and decided to be kiasu. Lol. Packed all my barang barang for a morning of tanning/lazing by the pool after breakfast. Since I left the room at 710am, it was virtually empty at the pool and so I didn't bother doing a "German" and reserve a lounger with my towels.

I like that the restaurant has different settings in the various areas. Yesterday I was seated near the entrance and that had a lazy loungey feel to it with a daybed dangling in the air, supported by chains. Across from it was a mediterranean theme with marine mosiac tiles on the table top and iron-wrought chairs. So today, I sat near the aircon area, with wicker chairs and a cushion to support. Nice.

I totally pigged out today. At breakfast, I tried the new station - noodle station. Pick your own ingredients and inform the chef what you want. I had some meat balls and meat slices (not sure if chicken or pork) with beansprouts and veggies cooked with kway teow in soup. Pretty good.

Also had my usual pomelo and papaya with strawberry yoghurt. Seemed to be the day for sweets as I had a croissant (almost set it on fire when I put it through the grill) and french toast with butter, strawberry jam, honey and maple syrup. Yes, I know. Sweetness overdose. To counteract the sweetness, I went back to savory with an omelette with bits of pineapple rice and fried bee hoon. How's that for really pigging out?

Went to the pool after that. I decided to tan by the old wing pool as it is bigger and more suitable for swimming. I was the first one there at around 8am. Took advantage of that to swim. Somehow the pool was amazingly cool, not cold. Swimming and playing in water, I heard the birds chirping and watched a pair of sparrows (or some other small birds) played with each other, chased each other from tree to tree. It was really nice, just to relax and watch the birds and having the entire pool to myself.

Slowly more people came over to do a "German" and no, they are not Asians. Lol. In fact I was the only Asian at the pool by late morning. Yeah, they just dropped their towels and books to reserve the loungers and then went off to do their thing, so I still had the pool to myself for about 30-45 mins. By then the sun was showing its full force and beaming its rays onto us. Unbearably hot. I had a few dips in the pool to cool off, surprisingly the water was cold. It felt colder than earlier in the morning, maybe it was because I was so hot.

It was close to 11am when I surrendered. Had wanted to hang by pool till noon or 1pm, but it was just too much. And I didn't want to get burnt. Back to the room to take a bubble bath and chill. It was just so nice to stay in the room, in the comfort of the aircon as it was really hot outside.

Ventured out on the other road parallel to beach road to find some lunch at around 2pm. Went to the outdoor food center thing. Noticed many stalls were closed, not sure if for renovations or forever. Darn! There went my beef noodles ala Vietnamese style of pho. The remaining stalls did not have that. So I tried a spicy chicken noodle soup. They just added chili paste to make it spicy. It still was not that spicy and a bit tasteless, so I added some sugar, chili flakes and the sliced chili with sour sauce. Much more palatable. But I had my first Thai iced milk tea. That so hit the spot. Quite expensive lunch. 70THB for the noodles. It used to be 40THB for the pho like thing. Total came to 95THB.

Guessed it is still high season here with more tourists and hence more expensive. Decided to check out the new shopping mall Jungceylon, near Bang La. Jungceylon was delayed in opening as it was supposed to open last year. The place is huge! I just walked the basement and level 1. It sprawled over and had a promenade in the center and a junk ship at one side and kinda with 3 pavilions thing?

Not all shops are opened yet, and the food court is still under renovation. There are VNC, Giordano, Carrefour, Geox, Starbucks, Haagen Dazs, Au Bon Pain, Swensens, Boots and others. In the basement, I had a foot massage at Mantra by the Spa. The place was quite nice, and I liked the chair. Not the typical armchair. Instead it was like a lounger. The therapist was so gentle I almost fell asleep. I didn't like that she didn't do the full 1hr treatment. She only did 45mins. I didn't quibble nor did I tip her. I have been tipping left, right center on this trip. Business must be bad cos it has been in operation for 2 months and I noticed they reduced the price of the foot massage from 350THB to 250THB.

I went around searching for Dunkin Donuts cos I saw someone carrying a box of donuts on my way to Jungceylon. Lol. Finally found it at the Carrefour wing. I didn't like that all the sections were not connected underground or above ground. You have to walk through the promenade in the hot weather. But in the promenade there was a food street with local Thai food. The seafood was amazing - huge cockles, tiger prawns, clams etc. I didn't try any.

I bought a Siam Square donut (square shaped donut with 2 fillings - bavarian and blueberry) which was really soft and good. The iced coffee was great too. Walked around Carrefour and I loved shopping there. It is huge and not so crowded. I bought Lays chips in seaweed flavor. Delish. Went out and admire the junk ship, there is a daily lights show at 7 and 9pm. Indochine will be there too, not opened yet. Plus a new hotel under the Millenium group. I think the mall is really going to change the face of Patong Beach. It is no longer rustic (not that it ever really was) but with mall right in the beach, is really having the typical city world in a beach resort area. Convenient but different.

Wanted to have more sweets and had a chocolate ice cream with roasted almond in a waffle cup from Fudge and Creamery (or something like that). They will place the ice cream on the marble slab and mix in the almonds. The ice cream is creamy, fudgey and chewy. Really nice. Sharing space is a coffee place, new york deli and pizza place. How American is that? You could be in a typical mall in Florida.

Decided to walk down Bang La and back to hotel via Beach road. There were already people at the bars, and I could feel the guys checking out the girls, not that there were many at that hour. And there were definitely more shops now compared to 2 years back. I totally walked past Subway and I wanted to have a sub for dinner as I had overdosed on the sweets and was feeling a bit queasy. So no more fried or heavy meal. Also checked out the tube dresses as friends have asked me to help them buy some. Saw a lady selling and asked her for the price. She quoted THB 550! Crazy. Managed to bargain down to something more decent but I still feel it is ex. Lol.

Next thing to buy will be dvds. Hehe. So I kept walking and finally walked to the end of Patong. Decided to have a Thai massage in those roadside place. Bad mistake, the place is dodgey. I didn't even get a change of clothes, so that will be my first and last time there. I missed Faye - the therapist who did Thai massage for me daily on my previous trip. She has left the shop when I went to look for her last year :( So hard to find a good therapist. So well, the search continues.

As I was too lazy to go back to Subway, I went to this other shop where I thought it served chicken basil on my last trip. It was not on the menu so I had chicken with cashew nuts. It was not too bad after I added more chili to it. At least it helped settle the stomach somewhat. But I think I will lay off the sweets for the next 2 days. Darn.

Back in the room, I watched the 2nd DVD - Aquamarine. Quite a cheesey movie but at least it is light-hearted and not scary. So CNA is still in black and white. Not sure how long it will remain that way.

And so ends my 2nd day in Phuket. 2 massages and lots of sweets.

Phuket: Day 1

Didn't do much on the first day. Got up super early at 5am, so that I can leave home at 530am to get to the airport around 6am. The taxi driver was slow, and there weren't much traffic on the road. It was surprisingly to see so many people in the airport at 6am, I guess it is usual and not so abnormal after all.

Not sure what Games are coming up, but I cleared immigration with a group of Team Singapore athletes. Don't recognize any of them at all, except for the jacket identifying them.

Besides checking out DFS, also went to the bookstore to get some magazines and the morning papers. Had kaya toast and iced coffee for breakfast, albeit hurriedly gulped down since it was close to the gate being closed. I am bad, I am usually one of the last few to board the plane, and many a times, my name was announced over the PA system for boarding.

So yeah, I am here alone, doing my own things, in Phuket. A time for reflection, to just chill by myself instead of surrounding myself with activities that I don't have time to think at all. And I know I always do that, which is why I am always busy and out and about. So this is an opportunity to slow down and take a breather.

Got to the hotel at 930am local time and luckily there was a room available so I could do an early check-in. I was even asked to go have my buffet breakfast though technically it was not included. That was a nice gesture on their part.

Stayed at my usual hotel, except the renovation is complete. It is much bigger now and more confusing. The new wing (where I am staying in) has so many walkways it is like a labyrinth. So what did I do today?

Breakfast (again), went back to room to unpack, relax and got online. Made an appointment for a lomi lomi massage at the spa in the afternoon. Ran a bath. Had the massage, it was so good I almost fell asleep. Instead I came back to room and had a nap. Went to the pool to tan, but it was crowded :( So no pool for me. Will do that tomorrow. Back to the room again. Went to the reception to rent the DVD player (comes with 3 DVDs to watch) for 3 days. Got online again, then went out to the beach. It is definitely more crowded now than the last 3 times I was in Phuket. Nice to be out there walking on the sand, smelling the seawater, watching people parasailing and sunbathing.

Walked along beach road and then popped into a small street and hunt for Thai food. Decided to try this place Lek's Thai food or something. Ordered the tom yum goong and chicken basil with rice. Service was good, the tom yum was excellent! Prawns were not that fresh though. I still think the best chicken basil dish I had was in the street hawker in Bangkok. Bangkok has more roadside stalls than Phuket. They also served a complimentary dessert of watermelon and banana.

After the early dinner/late lunch, I walked all the way to Baskins Robbins for my Jamoca Almond Fudge fix. I can only have it in Thailand or elsewhere since Baskins Robbins is not available in Singapore. Walked back, checked out Boots, bought sachets of mask and scrub. Tried them back in the hotel, not that fantastic. Watched the 1st DVD - Cheaper by the Dozen. Quite funny. And now typing this entry and going to bed after this.

The other 2 DVDs are Amelie and something not that great. The selection was pitiful, think most have been taken out. Oh well.

So yeah, a relaxing first day of not really doing anything.

Absolutely Givenchy

I am in Phuket now and even before I stepped on the plane from Singapore, I already spent. Lol. I bought the limited edition Givenchy fragrance - Absolutely Givenchy.

I was checking out dfs at the ungodly hour of 620am (that is the time I cleared immigration after checking in). Stopped by Bobbi Brown to test out the highly-raved Coral blush. I love the sparkles unfortunately (or fortunately) I didn't like the color on my cheeks - too orangey. Never a fan of Nars Orgasm either, which it is said to resemble. There are 2 eyeshadow palettes from MAC which is Trip (?), meant to be sold in airport, I think. Colors are nice but I passed. Stila collection is really pathetic. Sad. Left the undesirables.

So ventured onto the fragrances section. Tried out Vera Wang Truly Pink - I quite like it. Light, slightly sweet floral scent. Not saccharine sweet like Princess. And it comes in 2 sizes (50ml, 100ml). Refrained from buying since I still have Sheer Veil. Saw Absolutely Givenchy - the bottle is so pretty. Pink and Green. I noticed many bottles in square-shaped now.

Absolutely Givenchy is a bit fruity and fresh and sweet. Lighter than my usual scents, similar to Anna Sui Secret Wish. It has green apple, sweet pea and crystal musk. I love it! There is even a gwp of a miniature. Neat!

Sidenote: I wish google/blogspot is not so intelligent! Everything is in Thai, just because I am in Thailand now. I can't read the damn instructions. Just trying to remember what each buttons mean.