Birthday Wishlist

Just for fun, I am creating a wish list for my birthday :)

WISH LIST
1. world peace (hahahaha...Miss Congeniality all over again :p)
2. trip to Maldives Banyan Tree (still waiting for the long overdue birthday pressie *hint hint*)
3. Cacharel Amor Amor
4. Escada Magnetic Beat (I love this fragrance. Have finished 1 bottle already)
5. Stila All Over Shimmer Eyes *5 (deep plum shade)
6. Marc Jacobs gold oval watch (vintage look and it costs a whopping S$1,650!)
7. Nice mini ipod case which can house the earpiece
8. A job in the lifestyle industry (fashion, cosmetics, beauty, spa, food)
9. Cash?
10. Bath products - body scrubs, shower gels, body lotions (prefer Crabtree & Evelyn lotion)
11. Spa packages ( don't mind True Spa facial package)
12. trip back to Canada
13. Burberry Touch
14. Gucci Envy Me (finished my bottle, don't mind another replacement)
15. Entire OPI Mexico Collection (Spring 2006)

Brands I like:
Skincare - Phytomer, Biotherm, Peter Thomas Roth, H2O, Neutrogena
Bodycare - Crabtree & Evelyn, Bath & Body Works, Victoria Secrets
Cosmetics - MAC, Stila, Paul & Joe, Ettusais, Bobbi Brown
Fragrances - Calvin Klein (Escape, Euphoria), Escada (Magnetic Beat, Spring LE scent), Ralph Lauren (Style, Blue, Glamourous), Anna Sui (Secret Wish), Chopard (Pure Wish, Wish Pink Diamond)

Wow, it is quite tough coming up with some of the things. Hehe, so used to getting things on my own.


*Marc Jacobs watch*

Brazil Churrascaria - 9 Feb 2006

I have been wanting to try the food at Brazil Churrascaria but the location is a bit inconvenient for me as it is in the Bukit Timah area (read = far from me). There are many nice restaurants along that stretch now but I guess those other eateries will have to wait till there are special occasions or if someone else is driving me there :p

I finally went to Brazil Churrascaria with Sheryn to celebrate my birthday (early celebration). It is definitely not what I had expected. The place is much bigger than thought as it can actually accommodate many tables (yet it is full house every night; reservations is a must). The menu is simple: full dinner (salad bar and BBQ meat) or light dinner (salad bar only). Of course we had the full dinner as the whole point of going there was to try the bbq meat - all you can eat.

The salad bar is round and holds many items from sauteed eggplants, steamed corn, tomatoes, broccoli, potato salad, egg salad, pasta to couscous, beans, cauliflower, spinach etc. Passadors (servers with skewers of meat) will walk from table to table, offering diners slices of the bbq meat. The staff is attentive and will top up the water glass without being prompted, likewise with the meat.

BBQ meat include lamb, fish (my fave as it is tangy and refreshing), beef (many cuts - topside, rump, hump, errr...can't remember the rest), chicken (thigh, breast, heart, liver) and pork (ham, sausage). I only tried the fish, chicken thigh and breast, garlic steak, and some beef (very thinly sliced). Oh right, there was also bbq (?) pineapple, it was cooked and very sweet. For a non-pineapple person, it sure tasted good.

I had a caipirinha with lime and it was absolutely yummy. Strong and sweet. I like it :)

The best part of the night was when the staff came out with a birthday cake and burst into song - Happy Birthday in Portuguese. I didn't expect that at all. Thank you Sheryn for arranging that :) Excellent chocolate cake, not too sweet, dark - the way I like it - topped with strawberry and the sour fruit thing (can't remember the proper name now).

Brazil Churrascaria is definitely a place to visit again and again, but only when you have an empty stomach. Hehe.




Location:
14/16 Sixth Avenue Singapore 276476
Tel: +65 6463 1923
Monday to Sunday: 6pm - 1030pm

The Garlic Restaurant

Finally got to try the famous Chili Crab Noodles from The Garlic Restaurant at the Esplanade today. The chili crab noodles has won awards and accolades from others and I was keen to try.

The Esplanade has this interesting dining concept with Colors of the Bay. It houses several restaurants, and diners can choose dishes from any of the restaurants even when seated at a specific restaurant. Besides the garlic restaurant (where every dish has garlic in it, including a garlic ice cream!), there are a halal restaurant, thai, japanese, italian and chinese.

http://www.colours.com.sg/garlic_rest.htm

The chili crab noodles is tasty but I can't really find the crabmeat inside the gravy-laden noodles. The soft shell crab is crispy and warm, the gravy is just a tad spicy and absolutely delicious that I just want to order a man tou (chinese bun) to soak it.

We also ordered the garlic lemon butter prawns as appetizer. That wasn't done very well. The prawns were not succulent and did not seem fresh as the meat was a bit on the soft side. Maybe overcooked or something, but I like the buttery taste.

MOS Burger

I wrote about the Fan-tastic Burger from MacDonalds, and now here is a post on MOS Burger. It is a franchaise from Japan, and their specialty is in rice burger. Instead of buns, the burgers are made with rice patties.

My usual favorite is the Yakiniku rice burger as the beef is very tender and soft. But recently MOS Burger has this organic scallop rice burger and I tried that. Boy, am I hooked on it now! Maybe I got lucky and the burger was freshly made. There were so many scallops in the patty, all stuck together and breaded and fried. It was topped with 3 beans (not sure if it is french bean or the japanese bean) which were fried ala tempura style.

The warm crispy scallop patty made all the difference. The sauce is a bit salty but I can live with it as it goes very well with the rice patties.

The fries are a favorite too. Thick and chunky and especially delicious when freshly made.

Amrita Spa, Raffles the Plaza (Dec 2003)

SPA REVIEW

I got to try out Amrita Spa as part of the Body & Soul Room package provided by Raffles The Plaza. A 1 night stay in the Grand Premier Room and a spa treatment. Obviously, being a massage junkie, I chose a 60min Aromatherapy massage over a facial.

Amrita Spa is huge (50,000 square feet), spanning over 3 levels of Raffles The Plaza Singapore. It has 35 treatment rooms (attached showers), dedicated pedicure and manicure stations, hot and cold plunge pools, meditation alcoves and a relaxation lounge. Besides that, it fitness facilities include 6 tennis courts, 2 outdoor swimming pools, aerobics and yoga studios and a gym.

My appointment was pretty late, 8pm I think, so I didn't really utilize the facilities. I like the huge ladies changing room. The cold plunge pool and 2 warm jacuzzis are in there too. So you can actually just remain inside and never come out of the changing room. I was asked to change into a bathrobe in the changing room, and then I was brought out to the relaxation lounge.

The relaxation room was really nice. It has rows of beds with its individual curtains for privacy, as well as a CD player to listen to. You can request for CDs from the attendant. Floral tea is also served inside the room.

The treatment room has dim lighting, can't remember much of it now. The therapist was pretty good, managed to get rid of the kinks on my back and shoulders. It was a wonderful 1 hr treatment. After the treatment, I tried out the jacuzzi. As it was late, there were not many people using it. It was relaxing amidst the bubbles created by the jets.

Overall, I like it. I like the spaciousness of the spa. As with all hotel spas, they do not try to hardsell you into buying packages which makes the experience even better.

Contact:
Amrita Spa, Raffles City
Address: 2 Stamford Road Levels 6 to 8 Raffles The Plaza Singapore 178882
Phone: +65.63364477

Asian Spa, Fullerton Hotel (January 2004)

SPA REVIEW

Asian Spa, located at Fullerton Hotel in Singapore, belongs to the Aspara Group. This is the 3rd Aspara Group spa which I tried. The other two were Aspara at Goodwood Park Hotel and Amara Hotel.

I finally had the opportunity to try Asian Spa when I was searching for spas which catered to couples in January 2004. I like the spacious treatment room for couple. Asian Spa has a mix of the Asian ethnic decorations combined with the sleek modern look of Fullerton Hotel.

The staff is polite and very helpful. The ladies changing room is quite the norm. It is a brightly lit room with lockers, steambath, shower cubicles and commodes. Lots of metal and glass and a very clean look, which is great as I dislike changing room with dim lightings. You can't see your reflection or things clearly.

In the locker, it is filled with the customary spa slippers, paper panty, bathrobe, towel and hangers. Very important, as some places do not check if hangers have been removed from the lockers. After changing into the bathrobe, paper panty and slippers, I went out to the small waiting lounge.
At the lounge, there were a few comfortable sofas and chairs and 2 tables. Nothing fantastic, just a place to wait for the therapists and your partner. It's also the place where they will serve tea to you after your treatment.

I have selected the package "Me & My Valentine" from the various couple's spa package available. It is supposed to last 2hrs 25mins with 5 treatments for S$400.

The 5 treatments are: Body Glow (body scrub with sea salt), Minty Foot Massage, Aroma Body Massage, Replenishing Hand Treatment (hand paraffin wax) and Dream Bath of Flower Petals.

The treatment room is dimly lit for conducive relaxtion. It is roomy with 2 massage beds, covered in Asian-inspired sheets and towels. At one end of the room, nearer to the door is a small round jacuzzi. There is a sliding door separating the treatment area and the bathroom. There are 2 small cubicles in the bathroom. One is the toilet, the other is the shower. There is also a long countertop for the sink and shelves where extra shorts and towels are kept.

We had two therapists, one for each of us. We were asked to remove the bathrobes and lie face down on the massage beds. They started with the body scrub. Our bodies were given a thorough scrubbing all the way to the neck. I felt the sea salt is a bit too rough to be used on the neck and body, so I didn't really like it.

After the scrub, we were asked to take a shower. In the meantime, the therapists prepared the flower bath. After the shower we were invited to take our flower bath in the tiny jacuzzi. I had my reservations about fitting 2 persons into such a tiny space. The jacuzzi was filled with orchids and was bubbling away. My worries were unfounded, and we could sit in it quite comfortably. The only gripe is that you can't stretch out your legs. It is a deep round tub. We were served tea, which were placed on a tray next to the tub. The jets were strong, creating many bubbles that I can't find the holes where it came from. My partner told me they were right at the bottom as he could feel them.

After a 20mins soak, the therapists came back into the room and asked us to change into dry paper panty for me and shorts for him. My legs were like jelly while getting out of the jacuzzi and walking into the bath area. I was amazed, never had I felt so relaxed from a jacuzzi before. My conclusion is that the tub, while small, is filled with many powerful strong jets which really works your body. Very unlike the bigger jacuzzi which contained a few big jets and seldoms hit the right spots on the body.
We got back onto the massage bed. We were asked to dip our hands into the hot paraffin wax. They were then wrapped in plastic bags. Lying on our backs, the therapists started working on our tired feet using minty oils.

After which we were asked to lie face down again for the body massage. By then it was time to remove the hand paraffin wax. We were left with baby soft and smooth as silk hands. The body massage was good as the therapist was firm and not too hard. I was floating in and out of dreamland while my body was being kneaded to sublime bliss.

It was with great reluctance that I got up when the treatment ended. We were wrapped back in our bathrobes, and we shuffled back to the changing room.

After changing, I went back to the small waiting lounge. Tea was served over there. This time, it was greatly appreciated to just sit and lean back against the sofa. At the reception, the staff told me that they had tried to shorten the treatment time by doing both the foot massage and hand paraffin together since I had told her that we had a plane to catch when I made the appointment. It is certainly very thoughtful of her to make the efforts so that we won't miss the flight. It is indeed a wonderful experience at Asian Spa. I will definitely go back there again.

Contact:
The Asian Spa at The Fullerton Hotel
Address: 1 Fullerton Square, Singapore 049178
Phone: +65.68778183

Spa Esprit, Holland Village (May 2004)

SPA REVIEW

I have heard so much about Spa Esprit and have wanted to try their services for some time but just never got around to doing it. Main reason is the location, it's not very convenient for me to travel to Holland Village.

I went there a couple of weeks ago and tried their new item, Mud Stones Massage. It is essentially a hot stones massage coupled with the detoxifying mud treatment.

They have renovated the premises, and it is painted blue. I didn't like the colour, it is not a soothing sky blue or marine sea water blue. It just looks like a tired blue. It is located on the 2nd and 3rd level of a shophouse. Once you entered, you are greeted with the scent of essential oils burning. Pepperminty fresh.

At the reception, I was served a cup of cold honey lemon tea. Very refreshing, I like that. While the room was being prepared, I was ushered into a bigger waiting lounge. I was asked to select my own blend of essential oils. That was a nice touch. There were more than 10 blends available. As I was wavering between the blend containing the grapefruit and the other containing geranium (relaxing), the staff kindly offered to add geranium to the grapefruit blend (detoxifying, I believe).

I was then shown into the treatment room. It is very dimly lit. After changing out of my clothes and putting on the paper g-string, I lie face down on the massage bed. The therapist came in shortly.
She started with massaging my back using mud. The strength is good, however she has rough thumb and fingers. So the experience was not very good as you can feel the roughness when she massaged the neck and other sensitive areas. That is the only gripe I have with the treatment.

She spent quite some time massaging with the mud, and I was waiting for the hot stones. The stones were nicely warm and not burning hot. Overall, the treatment was quite alright.

After the treatment, I was ushered back into the bathroom, which is located at the end of the hall. The bathroom area is pretty small. Part of the area has been converted into a desert garden, with stones and small palms. I like that it has a the heavenly rain shower head. That was great for showering and feeling the tension melts away.

I went back to the treatment room to change back into my clothes after the shower. The lights were too dim that I had a hard time putting my jewelry back on. At the reception, I was given ginger tea. Very nice.

I like the services provided by the staff. They are not very pushy in getting you to sign packages though they do inform you of whatever promotions they currently have.

The Retreat at Grand Hyatt (2004)

SPA REVIEW

As part of the Great Singapore Sale 2004, The Retreat at both Grand Hyatt and Marriott were having some promotions.

I made an appointment for the special promotion at The Grand Hyatt. It includes a floral body scrub, cooling leg wrap and a deep tissue massage, plus the use of the spa facilities (sauna, steamroom and jacuzzi). The whole thing is to take about 90mins.

The Retreat is at the Grand Hyatt's Club Oasis, which is where the swimming pool and gym facilities are. The place is quite standard, nothing outstanding.

The women changing/locker room is much better. It is spacious and has lots of mirrors. There is a vanity area with countertops, chairs and hairdryers plus complimentary use of Crabtree & Evelyn skincare products. I like that there are 3 loungers at the spa facilities area. It is a good place to relax after the treatment and have a cup of hot tea. The jacuzzi is on a spilt-level, thus ensuring a little privacy from others. It is warm and cosy.

The treatment room is modern, lots of mirror to give the illusion of a bigger room. It has an ensuite bathroom with a bathtub. That is a minus point as it is not very convenient to shower off the body scrub grains.

The treatment itself is ok. The therapist could be better. She has the strength, but she doesn't listen to the client's body. And the whole treatment took only 70mins (including shower time). That is a real negative because you are paying for 90mins.

The scrub is not floral, instead she used sea salts. She combined the cooling leg wrap with the massage. Hence she used massage oil on the body, and the cooling gel on the legs. She didn't wrap the legs at all.

In the end, I felt the treatment was very short and ineffective. She is polite though.

Conclusion, the changing/locker room is nice, but it is not enough for me to want to go back there again.

The Retreat at Marriott (August 2004)

SPA REVIEW

I went to The Retreat at the Marriott. The service was not very good. I was there early, and was told to have a shower and change into the bathrobe. The receptionist said she will come and get me at my appointment time. After waiting for 5 to 10 mins, I went out to check if the therapist is ready. The receptionist had forgotten about my appointment!

I was brought into the treatment room and told to wait. I had booked for the Body Massage & Relaxing feet wrap, which will take about an hour.

The therapist came into the room after a 5-10 mins wait. She is polite and apologized for her lateness. I am not certain if she got my treatment wrong or what as she started off with a body scrub.

The room is small and has no ensuite shower or bathroom. I was told to go to the changing room to take a quick shower. After that, she started on the body massage. The massage was good, different from the usual style. And she ended it with a cooling leg wrap. The whole thing took about an hour (including the shower time).

The changing/locker room is very basic, a bit small. The vanity area is tiny, but it also comes with complimentary use of Crabtree & Evelyn skincare. The spa facilities include the steamroom, sauna, warm jacuzzi and a cold plunge pool. Unfortunately there is no loungers or areas to sit and relax after the treatments. And the therapist did not serve tea or warm face towel unlike its sister outlet at The Grand Hyatt.

Overall, it is alright, nothing to really recommend. Based on the facilities, it loses out to The Grand Hyatt. Service wise, it is mediocre. Therapist is ok.

The Red Peach (May 2004)

SPA REVIEW

The Red Peach is set in the middle of Chinatown, amid one of the numerous shophouses around. The concept is interesting, have a spa treatment after browsing the gallery of antique furniture and accessories.

The Red Peach has a Chinese influence in its decor, heavy with warm mahagony furniture. It is very woodsy, its monotone broken by the trickle of small stone water fountain found in each
treatment room.

I like that each treatment room has its own shower/steam area and wooden bathtub as well as the commode. The commode area has a square hole which serves as an open window. The starkness is soften with a pot of plant.

The shower/steam area is all modern, with the latest shower nozzle and a heavenly showerhead. The heavenly showerhead seemed to be a "in" thing now. There is a small bench to rest while using the steam. It has an inhouse shower gel and shampoo (red peach and apple), which is stored in a ceramic jar. Very nice.

The wooden bathtub is huge and deeply relaxing. The jets get to the sore muscles at the right spots.

I love the Ancient Chinese Massage, which is done by a male. You will wear a kimono, lie face down on the massage bed, and he will cover you with a sheet and then a towel. The Ancient Chinese Massage uses lots of finger pressure in circular motion. It is definitely for those who required therapeutic work on their body. Surprisingly I tend to fall asleep while he massaged one part of the back.

Tea is served at the end of the session.

Fire Dragon

FIRE DRAGON Horoscope Feb 3, 1916 to Jan 22, 1917 Jan 31, 1976 to Feb 17, 1977 Dragon people are the most eccentric in the Chinese Zodiac. Soaring high into the serene heavens, they can be stubborn, passionate, excitable, honest, and brave, wear purple and walk barefoot in public fountains. They listen to their own drummer, thank you very much, while the rest of the world stands in amazement. People always admire their individuality and feisty personality. Dragons are capable of doing great work for mankind and they inspire trust in almost everyone. The Dragon symbolizes life and growth and is said to bring the five blessings: harmony, virtue, riches, fulfillment and longevity. Chicken Soup and Bamboo Shoots are among keys to even greater good health!

Downright electrifying, Fire Dragons breathe vigor and power. These natural leaders smile at adversity, turn complainers into optimists, and lead lives as inspired as a Beethoven Sonata. They are square shooters in dealing with individuals and are often called upon to mediate disputes. Because they care so much about people, Fire Dragons like to support charitable causes and bring friends together for elegant evening soirees. These Dragons are fired with ambition, unflagging enthusiasm, and intelligence and enjoy most impressive careers as a result. Despite all the money they make, Finance is a big question mark. Money is easy come easy go. Until they control their spending habits, money will just go flying in the wind. Romantics at heart, Fire Dragons can't help playing Matchmaker. They're pretty lucky, too! As for themselves, they ooze charisma and never need anyone to fix them up. Successful in love, often placed on pedestals, Fire Dragons are attractive and have fire in the belly. The opposite sex feels very secure. Check your horoscope here. http://www.tuvy.com/entertainment/chinese_horoscope.htm

OPI Bottles

Self-explanatory.

OPI Mexico Collection 2006

I am so lemming the entire OPI Mexico Collection! It is a rarity since I have never like a whole collection before. But the Mexican Collection colors are so pretty! The reds, pinks and lilacs. I like! These are colors I will and can wear. Someone please talk some sense into me before I do something rash and buy the entire set. Or someone could be a kind angel and buy them for me as a birthday present. I promise to be good for the rest of the year...errr...month? Hehe.

The only hesitation I have is that some (about half of the collection) are creme, and I prefer shimmer or frost as mistakes are easier to hide. Creme is not very forgiving in smudges.

Order of choice:
1. You Rock-apulco Red! A glimmery crimson that totally rocks. (it looked like other reds I have, but I still love red!)
2. Cozu-melted in the Sun A shimmery beige-pink that's hot!
3. Strawberry Margarita (just because of the name :p) Sip into this bright pinkand enjoy!
4. Puerto Vallarta Violeta You'll really "lilac" this paradise purple.

Then the others:
A Dozen Rosas A rose-pink bouquet that deserves an olé!
Magnífico México A rich terra cotta you'll wear a-lotta!
Will You Mari-achi Me? A romantic opal you'll truly love.
My Chihuahua Bites! Bright orange-red that can't help but be noticed!
Pink-o de Gallo Light pink with a hint of nice spice.
Los Cabos Coral Like a day at the "peach".
OPI Por Favor A pretty lavender that's sure to "please"!
Tijuana Dance? A pale lilac-pink youcan't resist.

*Descriptions of colors taken from OPI website.

P.S. Do let me know if I have also created lemmings in you. All good things must be shared, agree? Hehe :P

Dum de Dum

Grrrr....I have been trying to create links in my blog and failing miserably. Now that I finally got them in the blog, the size of the sites kept decreasing and I have no idea why. Maybe this is payback time for not paying much attention in class for Computing Science 001 where we actually learnt HTML coding (before all the softwares came out - Dreamweaver, Frontpage, etc).

While I still remember the very basics (e.g. bolding, italizing, paragraph break...), adding audio or even adding these external links are driving me nuts.

I wish there is a more easily understood help manual for blogspot or all other html-related stuff.

*Help*

ETA: I finally fixed it. I think the problem lies in the <> I had in every line, and I forgot to input < /ul > to close the code. Can't remember what "ul" means, underline?

Deep Fried Mars Bar

Have anyone tried the deep fried mars bar? I read about it, I saw it being sold at this little stall in Level One of Far East Plaza, but I didn't try it until a few days ago. Unfortunately I didn't have the chance to take a picture.

I always wondered how it would taste like? Deep fried candy??? Almost as weird as deep fried ice cream (which I first tried in Jakarta in 1989). It is probably the same concept. Coat the mars bar in a batter, and quickly dipped it into the deep fryer for a couple of minutes or few seconds, enough for the batter to be fried, before draining off the oil and ready to be served.

Over here, the mars bar is chopped into chunks before coating in the batter and then deep-fried. Once drained, it is served with a scoop of either chocolate or vanilla ice cream.

Verdict: It is undeniably sweet, but I am not that into it. I probably will not have it again. It is probably fantastic for caramel lover or those with a very sweet tooth. The contrast of the warm battered mars bar and the cold ice cream is lovely, but I think I just do not like my sweets to be oily. You have to try it to make your own judgement.

British Chippy
#01-16C Far East Plaza
Open noon to 9.30pm daily

Capoeira

Ok, so I often try things without realizing the history or what it actually is, or even what it looks like. E.g. bellydancing, curling, sensual dancing... I have heard about Capoeira from Neka a few years back when I was telling him about my dances I think. He told me he was learning it in NZ and he took to it like duck to water and became very good at it. When we last met last year when he was in Singapore (he asked some church friends where I was as he didn't see me in church), he told me he was actually teaching it at the university in Hawaii. Cool eh. I doubt I can ever teach bellydancing as I am just not focused and disciplined enough to practise everyday, plus I am really bad with remembering choreography.

Well, back to capoeira. I have always wanted to try it after Neka told me about it. I think he told me it was like a dance, so of course I was keen. I am always interested in all forms of dance. California Fitness is finally going to offer it as a class in end February or early March. There was a preview of Capoeira on Monday, so I decided to go try it out.

It was fun. Lots of bending/crouching positions (I guess that is the attack or defense mode) with arms in front of your face. The sway/beat of the stance is similar to kickboxing. There were even kicks involved, twirling on the floor, supporting on your hands and lifting your legs in the air (that of course, I can't do). It worked up a sweat, but it was good. Time flew by and before you knew it, the 1 hr is up.

Now I am paying for that workout. The instructors did warn us our thighs will ache the next day, but they never mentioned how much. The back of my thighs and butt are still aching 2 days later. It is quite bad, I can barely sit or lie down without grimacing in pain. Not sure if a sports remedial massage will work.

Anyway, here is the history of Capoeira (taken from http://www.adoclife.com/history.htm)
The Origins of Capoeira
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form, which merges physical activity with music, rhythm and dance. It is an activity whose essential character has been preserved over the years by virtue of its intimate connection with popular culture. It was the negro slaves that arrived in Brazil who, through the practice of capoeira as a form of amusement, attempted to forget the burden of their lives. Entertaining themselves thus, they developed, in camouflaged form, and instrument of combat, which they could employ without need for weapons, to confront the supervisors and owners of the plantations.

After the abolition of slavery, a new struggle for survival began against economic and social marginalization, as well as against racial discrimination. Many former slaves left the plantation and contributed to the growth of the urban centres such as Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. Under the difficult circumstances of their new life in freedom, many capoeiristas saw no alternative other than to take jobs as hired gunmen and bodyguards for those holding power.

The practice of Capoeira, which had already been forbidden and persecuted under slavery, continued to be the object of State repression.Hundreds of Capoeiristas were exiled to the distant island of Fernando de Noronha in the 1890s. Despite this regression, Capoeira managed to survive and retain all of its vigour and beauty, enchanting all those who attend the displays in the big cities such as Recife, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro.

In the 1930s the first official Capoeira gymnasium was founded by Master Bimba, who managed to obtain official recognition. Capoeira academies have multiplied in Brazil since then, and Capoeira has become established in all the states of Brazil. It is even practiced in schools and has become part of the official curriculum. This growth has continued, spreading as far away from Brazil as Autralia.

In essence, capoeira is a form of martial arts with acrobatics, dance and music involved. There are 2 types of it. Capoeira Angola (more graceful) and Capoeira Regional (has more street fighting elements). I think I am learning Capoeira Angola which is the traditional and more graceful type.

Yu Sheng

My family has never been big on having Yu Sheng during Chinese New Year, but in recent years, it seemed to be a "must-have" everywhere now.

Last year, I must have tossed so many yushengs that I don't even remember the quantity. Besides doing it with family, we were doing it at work too. That is, during the business luncheons that we had with business partners.

This year, I have tossed it 3 times so far. At Hock's place on the first day.

Look at the beautiful picture it made, with the colorful shredded veggies and the condiments and raw salmon to accompany it. That is home-made, shredded by my niece Charmaine and helped by others too.

There is a meaning to having yu sheng. Basically one has to toss the ingredients to mix them all up, and the higher you tossed, the better luck it will bring in the new year. Also, while tossing, you are supposed to say all the good things or fortune you would like to happen in the new year.

It is a salad of thinly sliced raw fish, finely grated vegetables, red and white pickled ginger, pepper, pomelo sacs, sesame seeds, peanuts, plum sauce, crackers, all tossed in a dressing. I can't remember all the specific meanings for each items, but this is what I recalled.

The fish is to represent abundance in the new year
Plum sauce - sweetness in the new year
Crackers - gold in the new year as it looked like the taels (money) in old China.


It is a pretty sweet salad filled with crunchy veggies and nuts and fish. I like it, makes me feel healthy having that. Hehe.

Online Shopping

I just ordered this top today from GoJane. The marvel of internet and credit cards have made online shopping so easy. Add a group of shopaholics and makeup junkies and you can have sprees everyday. Great of sharing the shipping cost.

From only ordering from La Senza and Cows on my own previously, now I am ordering from GoJane, Girlactik, Benefit Cosmetics, Victora's Secrets, ASOS, Gap, Old Navy, etc. Not sure if this is really good or bad. You decide.

CNY Eve

I had 2 rounds of reunion dinner for Chinese New Year as I also went to my cousin's place for dinner. This year it was slightly different. We are definitely moving away from the roasted duck, roasted chicken and roasted pork and the various cooked dishes. Usually there will be a mixture of those with steamboat.

However, it was steamboat and BBQ (we have an indoor hotplate for grilling/bbqing). And we didn't even have the usual bee hoon/noodles to cook. So there were abalone, scallops, prawns, chicken breast, beef slices, pork slices, fish slices, veggies, mushrooms (enoki and another Japanese mushroom which is smaller than a portobello) and sausages. We can't totally do away with the cooked stuff as my dad and uncle like that, so there was a dish of sea cucumber with pork and chicken curry. For dessert, there is home made dumplings with black sesame or peanuts stuffing cooked in peanut soup. The black sesame is much better as the peanut stuffing dumpling is too thick.

I didn't really eat much as my cousin and I were the designated grillers for the family. We were too busy cooking for the rest to really eat. Oh, and the soup is so tasty this year. Instead of the usual pork ribs/bones soup base, we used ikan bilis (anchovies) and fish bones to make the soup. The end result is so sweet and delicious.

I went over to my other cousin's place for the reunion dinner after the session at home. I am not sure when I started this, but I think it was after I came back from Canada, and I could finally drive. Reason for going over is cos they are like my family since I grew up with them and we considered each other more like brothers and sisters rather than cousins.

So onto round 2. My niece waited for me to start round 2 with her too. In the end, the boys also joined in, plus some of my other cousins. It was steamboat too. I just had a bowl of soup with mee tai mak (mouse tails) and some slices of fish, beef, fishball, crabmeat and veggies. Besides that, I also shared a slice of butter cake with fresh cream with my niece and had some of the new year goodies (e.g. pineapple tart, loveletter, sugee cookie...) The ultimate dessert was this chocolate fudge caramel chocolate shortcake. It is just so sweet and sticky and chewy. Absolutely sinful. Took a lot of willpower to say no to take some back. Hehe.

And now I am wearing my new Victoria's Secret chemise, all ready for bed. This is really comfy and feels so girly. Maybe it is because of the cotton material. Feeling so full and sleepy.

And it is 12midnight now, so Happy Lunar New Year to one and all. May the year of the Doggie bring lots of good fortune and prosperity and all good things.

Crazy Horse Paris in Singapore

Singapore was all aflutter late last year when it was revealed that Crazy Horse will be coming to Singapore shores - the first to be staged in Asia. Being "straitlaced" Singapore, the reporters and public had a field day. Not that topless dancers are new here, in fact there is the Neptune Theatre here which features topless dancers, cabaret style (have not been there before, so I have no idea what it is like exactly except that there are plenty of old men ogling the girls).

For the uninitiated, Crazy Horse Paris celebrates “l’art du nu” (the art of the nude). It is a dazzling cabaret show of highlighting the female form through the use of sound, dance and lighting. Tickets to the show is not cheap, starting at $65 + charges (includes 1 drink). I was fortunate enough to get a teaser of the performance when I attended the Life! party on Monday.

The place reeks of opulence and grandeur, with scarlet and gold all throughout. Plush carpet, chandeliers, English-styled boudoir, velvet chairs which swivel 360 degrees, silk drapes and lamps all over. It certainly did a good job of transporting one to a grand opera house. It was full house during the event with over 700 guests, and the theatre is meant to hold 450 people. But I guess the free flow of champagne, sparkling rose wine, regular wine, beer and sweets did well to soothe any ruffled feathers.

We were treated to a 15 minutes performance by the Crazy Horse Paris dancers, who did 3 acts:
God Save Our Bareskin (see right picture)
But I Am A Good Girl
Va Va Voom (finale)

The performance was breathtaking. The clever use of lighting and colors on the dancers lent artistry to the show. The sound system could be better though, in one segment, the sound was cut off and you could see the dancer lip-synching to it. To give her credit, she continued as if nothing was out of the ordinary. What amazed me was how "perfect" their breasts looked (Ok, yes I know I'm a female, but I was seated at the first row, so I could see everything :p), and no I do not think all had implants as they were of all sizes. The skin was just so smooth that I thought maybe they did wear body stocking or something. But apparently not. Someone told me it could be the play of lighting which created that illusion. Certainly it was very professional, impersonal even. Pure dancing and performance throughout the 15 minutes. No "come-hither" looks or winks at the audience, very different from what I expect (a la Show Girls).

The usual performance is actually 100 minutes and consist of 16 acts. I am not sure how long this will last or if it will make it. But everyone should at least see it once to experience it.

Operating Hours:
Tuesdays to Sundays 1st show: 7.30pm, 2nd show: 10.00pm
Additional show on Saturdays at 12.30am

Address:
Crazy Horse Paris
3B River Valley Road, #01-01
Clarke Quay
Singapore 179021

Telephone:+65-6336 1800

Website:www.crazyhorseparis.com.sg

DURATION OF SHOW: 100 minutes
Restricted to audiences aged 21 years and above

Dress code: Smart Casual