Thursday, March 29, 2007
Don't Write Me Off - Music and Lyrics
I would melt into a puddle if a guy I like sing this to me. It is just so romantic and touching and funny.
Here is the lyrics for "Don't Write Me Off" by Hugh Grant
It’s never been easy for me to find the words to go along with the melody
But this time there’s actually something on my mind
so please forgive these few brave awkward lines
since I met you my whole life has changed
It’s not just my furniture you’ve rearranged
I was living in the past but somehow you’ve brought me back
and I haven’t felt like this since before Frankie said “Relax”
And Now I know based on my track record
I might not seem like the safest bet
All I’m asking you is don’t write me off just yet
For years I’ve been telling myself the same old story
that I’m happy to live off my so-called full of glories
But you’ve given me a reason to take another chance
now I need you despite the fact that you’ve killed all my plants
And Now I know I’ve already blown more chances than anyone should ever get
All I’m asking you is don’t write me off just yet
Don’t write me off just yet
Way Back Into Love - Music and Lyrics
I so love the song "Way Back Into Love", especially the version by Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. The slicker version playing over the airwaves currently are by Hugh Grant and Haley Bennett.
Totally recommended Music and Lyrics for a light-hearted romantic comedy movie. Just a simple feel-good show, with many witty dialogues.
Hugh Grant & Drew Barrymore (Demo Version)
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Peramakan - 26 March 2007
I suggested Peranakan food since it is something local and not widely available back in Canada.
After reading rave reviews about Peramakan at Joo Chiat, we decided to try it out.
Hmmm...the place is tiny, probably only able to seat between 25 and 40 people, with nondescript tables and chairs. The centerpiece to denote its peranakan roots is the display cabinet filled with traditional designs of crockery.
1st row: assam sotong, ayam buah keluak, beef rendang2nd row: chap chye, fish maw soup, sambal kangkong
3rd row: garlic kailan, meatball soup, ngoh hiang
4th row: oxtail stew, sambal brinjals, satay ayam panggang
Food-wise, it is pretty good. We ordered quite a lot of dishes to share. Beef rendang, ayam buah keluak, assam sotong, sambal kangkong, satay ayam panggang, fish maw soup, meatball soup, oxtail stew, sambal brinjals, ngoh hiang garlic kailan and chap chye.
The highlights for me were:
*Beef rendang - spicy and tender meat
*Ayam buah keluak - it is black, so black it looks scary. It is very different from the usual style of cooking which has more tangy gravy in the yellow/orange color. The chicken is very tender and could just melt in your mouth. The black gravy is actually thick with the buah keluak paste. The dish comes with 2 nuts, additional nuts at $1.50 each. Heaven for those who loves the nutty taste of the buah keluak
*Assam Sotong - nice tangy assam gravy with squids which are not rubbery
*Satay Ayam Panggang - grilled chicken with satay peanut sauce. Tender soft chicken with a rich peanuty sauce
The rest of the dishes were quite normal. The oxtail stew was not too bad. All the meat were done nicely, very tender and not too hard and chewy at all.
Location:
Peramakan 92 Joo Chiat Road (near Joo Chiat Complex)
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Harry's Burger

Barbie Loves MAC - The Pictures

Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Corduroy Cafe @ VivoCity
I quite like Corduroy Cafe at VivoCity. Cosy place with a very European feel to it. The chandelier, pillar of pictures, wall of clocks and mural, plus plush chairs made it a nice place to chill. For a natter with girlfriends, whiling the afternoon away, watching the world pass by.
Beef pie, beef stew, chocolate rum tart and panna cotta with berries
Celest and I had a late dinner on Saturday. I was not that hungry so I just had the beef stroganaff pie while Celest had the beef stew. I also had a caramel latte to go with dessert of chocolate rum tart and panna cotta with berries.
The beef pie was excellent. Not too salty. The crust was crispy and the filling was wet but not too much liquid to make it soggy. It was filled with chunky tender beef cubes which could melt in your mouth.
I tried the beef stew and it was good, but the beef was slightly tougher than in the pie.
The desserts - 3 words - to die for. The chocolate rum tart looked deceptively small but it sure packed a punch. I thought the 3 ovals on the tart were some chocolate covered fruits though I didn't recall it being in the description. Turned out they were rum filled chocolate ganache. The entire tart was rum chocolate. I could feel the heat of the alcohol though Celest said she couldn't really taste it except in the center of the tart. Maybe I got the alcohol end :p I would recommend to share it as it might be too much/rich for 1 person.
The panna cotta was a darling. I was never a big fan of vanilla custard type of dessert but the panna cotta was just very smooth. It can slide down the throat easily. Creamy silky sweet with the tart berries as a perfect foil to balance the taste. I like it!
Monday, March 19, 2007
Designer-clad Barbie Dolls!
Besides a Barbie Doll House at the Atrium of VivoCity, there is a small gallery of limited edition Barbie Dolls, wearing designer clothes.
Barbie Dolls - almost every girl has owned a doll before. Dressing her up and down, wearing the gorgeous outfits and shoes, accessories, etc. Fodder to fuel a child's imagination. I remembered making simple dresses for my barbie dolls (I had two - and they were my precious then), making pillows for them to sleep on. I even had a bedroom suite which could be changed into an office space for my career barbie doll, in her pink suit. Now that I think about it, it looked like Legally Blonde. Lol.
Well, I was down on Saturday (17 March 2007) to catch the real-life barbie dolls and I took some pictures of the actual dolls.
Top (L-R): Burberry Barbie, Juicy Couture BarbieBottom (L-R): Givenchy Barbie, don't remember who the designer is, MAC Barbie
I love the Juicy Couture Barbie Doll. I think I love the color combi more than anything. Lime green with hot pink. Yummy!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Vienna Again

Oyster au gratin, crabmeat with tang hoon stuffed in a tiny crabshell, seasons octopus, spicy conches, bbq eel and the tang hoon.

Shark fin soup with crabmeat
I ate more this time or at least I tried more stuff on the dessert front. I was pleasantly surprised to find the cakes were changed. So I got to try an awesome chocolate mousse cake. There was a pretty bland cream cake. The yam paste was a bit lumpy. Also tried the black seasame ice cream and milk tea.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Home-made Tiramisu!

The girls day/night in finally happened last weekend. Sherie baked tiramisu for all of us. It was so amazingly good! Once you have tasted home-made tiramisu, you know most of the restaurants out there stinted on the good stuff.
You can taste the creamy mascapone (which is usually undetectable in other places) and the thick dusting of cocoa powder and entire ladies fingers soaked in baileys. While some places may have alcohol drenched sponges, the mascapone is usually miniscule.
Feast your eyes on the tiramisu and drool.Thank you, Sherie :)
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Vienna International Seafood Buffet - United Square
It has a decent variety of sashimi and lots of seafood. I think they have more seafood than meat
Cooked seafood - crab tang hoon, chili crabs, black pepper crabs, cereal prawns, scallops on shell, baked oysters au gratin, bbq eel, tempura prawns, teppanyaki prawns
Didn't try all the food, but I just don't recall being at a buffet where there were so much seafood before. Even more than at The Line or Melt or elsewhere.
They replenished the food very frequently too. For teppanyaki, the steak and lamb chops were nicely done. Lots of different types of soups too. Dessert is not that fantastic but not too bad. Average. Only 3 types of cakes - chocolate, blueberry cheesecake and durian mousse cake. There is a chocolate fountain and some local kuehs.
Value for money place if you are into seafood. Go somewhere else if you prefer a better dessert spread and salad bar or western food.
**What I tried -
oysters: amazingly huge and very fresh, none of the "fishy" smell or taste
yabbie and crayfish: tenderly sweet
half of crab: a bit tough to dig out the meat, but it was sweet too
sashimi - salmon, maguro, and 2 other types of white fish: fresh, I can just eat salmon sashimi whole day
2 pieces of sushi: dry and tough
BBQ eel: can't go wrong with it
peking duck wrapped in crepe: not bad
crab tang hoon: just took the tang hoon, very nice
cereal prawns: nice! like the cereal
egg tofu: can't go wrong too
beef steak/lamb chop: well done but still very tender soft
tempura prawn: nicely done, not soggy
some soup filled with chicken, wolfberries, mushroom, abalone?, and others - very good
dragonfruit dipped in chocolates, chocolate cake, blueberry cheesecake, vienna cheesecake, durian mousse, fried durian pastry
**Disclaimer: I didn't finish the whole thing, but I had bites from the list :P
Decleor Institut, Raffles Hotel
I love the ambience at Decleor Institut. The staff is really professional. Drink will be served when you enter. After filling in all the necessary forms, you will be led into a room. The room is spacious with piped in music and dimmer. The therapist will explain the procedure to you and ask you to change and then lie on the bed while waiting.
Decleor signature facial treatment includes a upper back massage, hand massage and acupressure, drainage and facial massage, plus masking and exfoliation.
My treatment for that day was a promotion - radiance facial and vitalizing eye treatment. It didn't include the facial or hand massage. I topped up the amount and got the full works.
I like that the bed is heated, so you are warm lying face down, while waiting for the upper back massage. The only gripe I have is the attach-able face cushion for the head to rest on. There is a bowl of water with fake flowers floating on it to relax your vision and take you away from the worries of the world. I also like that the therapist will place a hot water bottle on your back while massaging. The hot water bottle will also be placed on your tummy during the facial.
For the facial treatment, the face cushion will be detached and head will be rested on the bed itself. The bed is those flexible type where the end will be raised so that your legs are rested at an angle. The head/upper body will be slightly raised too, almost creating a wide "V-shaped" of the bed.
Besides the usual cleansing, the exfoliation of skin was gentle rubbing of the "leave-on" mask. Enzymes infused exfoliator left on face for a while before the rubbing off. There was lots of massages on the face and eye area (the eye treatment includes back massage, drainage and massaging of eye area). The facial ended off with 2 masks. They do not use the usual steamer or extraction. (I requested for no extraction). The therapist will use hot towels to clean the face and hold it above the face to lightly "steam" it too. Similar to the Peter Thomas Roth style.
The therapist then applied the instant radiance serum/lotion on the face. That is supposed to last for 3 weeks. Decleor is well known for its essential oil, and the massaging was done using the aromessence and balm.
I am not so sure about the products as I am perfectly happy with what I am using now. But to get radiant skin....hmmm....can consider going there once in a while, especially for the eye treatment.
Monday, March 05, 2007
See's Candies

See's Candies seemed to be be synonymous with the Bay Area. Everytime I see See's Candies, I know someone has just visited or came back from SF.
I returned to the office after CNY hols and found a chocolate lolly from See's Candies.
This is really hard candy. I tried biting it (too hard), licking it (too slow), sucking it (too big). So in the end, I decide to use it as a stirrer for the coffee, thus making mocha! Marvelous idea, no? Lol.
The coffee/mocha turned out too sweet after the lolly melted. At least it is dark chocolate.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Birthday Pics - February 14
As promised, here are some pictures taken on my birthday. Thanks for the pictures, Regina :)

The birthday cake - oreo cheesecake from errr....I don't remember now. The cake is really good. I love the candles they bought!
Lovely pressies from my lovely girlfriends - thank you for the perfume, candle, chocolate coated strawberry and heart-shaped balloon.I feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends. *smile*
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Ankle Still Swollen
The younger kids (10 and below) were all playing with each other, chasing one another in, out, up, down and all around the house/compound. Good thing our place is big enough to accommodate that. The older ones (aunts/uncles - 50 and above) chatted quietly among themselves and helped themselves to the wine which made most of them red in the face and more "relaxed" *hehe*. (Surprisingly only that group drank alcohol - I forgot to open my store of hard liqour :p - maybe the younger ones will drink then ) Those from late teens to the 30s/40s were in another group. Those with babies/toddlers were in another corner, and the domestic helpers socialized among themselves too.
So yeah, when my cousins/aunts and nieces/nephews saw me and my ankle, they said it was still swollen and purple. Maybe I was used to seeing the BIG bump and deep purple ankle a couple of days after I twisted it, I thought the swelling has gone down considerably and color has faded. But no, it was still swollen and (light) purple.
I was duly told to rub it with any deep heat or medicated oil which is against what the doc told me. I was also told to ice it and elevate the foot all the time, which I tried to elevate already as much as possible. But icing - I only did it once cos I thought that was enough. Lol, guess I am just not that experienced in treating sprained ankle.
But I noticed there is an ache in the calf, maybe cos I strained the muscles which were trying to compensate for the ankle weight? Who knows?
My niece was really sweet to help massage and rub my ankle and calf, which helped a great deal. Especially the calf. My cousin said the ankle was not as swollen after that but I still couldn't really see. Thanks Charm :)
Went back to work on Friday as the doc only gave 2 days MC, and that was quite torturous. Not the work, of course. But the strain on my leg/ankle and back. Maybe I was so used to being bed-ridden for the last few days that it ached to sit for long hours. I had a stool at work to elevate my leg but it didn't help much.
Really hope it will be much better very soon as it is annoying not being able to walk fast or run or exercise. And I wanna go dancing too!
So far, people have told me it will take from 2 days to a few weeks for the ankle to heal. That it really depends on how much I rest my foot. Plus I certainly do not want to end up with an arthritic foot when I am in my 40s, 50s or 60s.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
This is Me!
This is Me - take it or leave it!
Your view on yourself:
You are down-to-earth and people like you because you are so straightforward. You are an efficient problem solver because you will listen to both sides of an argument before making a decision that usually appeals to both parties.
The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:
You are not looking merely for a girl/boyfriend - you are looking for your life partner. Perhaps you should be more open-minded about who you spend time with. The person you are looking for might hide their charm under their exterior.
Your readiness to commit to a relationship:
You prefer to get to know a person very well before deciding whether you will commit to the relationship.
The seriousness of your love:
You like to flirt and behave seductively. The opposite sex finds this very attractive, and that's why you'll always have admirers hanging off your arms. But how serious are you about choosing someone to be in a relationship with?
Your views on education:
Education is very important in life. You want to study hard and learn as much as you can.
The right job for you:
You have plenty of dream jobs but have little chance of doing any of them if you don't focus on something in particular. You need to choose something and go for it to be happy and achieve success.
How do you view success:
You are confident that you will be successful in your chosen career and nothing will stop you from trying.
What are you most afraid of:
You are afraid of things that you cannot control. Sometimes you show your anger to cover up how you feel.
Who is your true self:
You are mature, reasonable, honest and give good advice. People ask for your comments on all sorts of different issues. Sometimes you might find yourself in a dilemma when trapped with a problem, which your heart rather than your head needs to solve.
The Real You
Here is the analysis:
You've got great self-confidence and you're full of charm. Most guys who get to know you will be attracted to you. You are far from sweet and proper; your intriguing personality fascinates them. Most guys find it easy to fall for a girl like you.
You really care about other people's feelings and are quite serious about the issues that affect your life. You are sincere, and your concern for the well-being of others makes many people want to be your friend.
You are a bright, cheerful and bubbly person. You are thoughtful and considerate, and like to have fun. Everybody feels comfortable around you because of your pleasant nature. When you walk into a room, people's eyes are likely to be drawn to you because of your charm.
Guys see you as being a thinker and a careful person. They will be really attracted to this quality in you, but you need to learn to speak your mind, otherwise people will find you too shy and quiet. Learn to relax and lighten up--it's okay to have fun sometimes. When you learn to develop your fun-loving side, guys are going to flock to your side.
Your boyfriend believes that you are a strong and independent person. Your confidence and cheerfulness make you an attractive person to be around, but sometimes you need to pay more attention to what other people, including your boyfriend, are thinking.
http://www.quizbox.com/personality/test
What's your personality love style?
Here is the analysis:
You desire a love that will last forever. You are quite serious about finding this type of love, and that's why you think carefully about the men that you meet before deciding whether you could really love them. You don't just develop a crush on someone overnight: you look at a person's personality and other aspects of their life before deciding to form an attachment. If a guy doesn't meet your expectations, you would rather be alone. Your love has to be perfect. Be careful though, you could be missing out on some worthy relationships because your standards are so high.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Make My Day - Sarah Connor
Make My Day lyrics
Verse 1
Found a note layin' on the bedroom floor
Read it and felt my emotions start to soar
It said, „Follow all the signs that lead ya down the hall
Be ready for a sweet surprise“
Excitement was risin' up with every stride
Couldn't help smilin', I felt joy inside
You always find a way to take my spirits high
Could not believe my eyes
Cause I saw - you
In the doorway
Breakfast - burnt
What could I say
It was - like
In the Movies
Chorus
Boy
You make my day
(With every little thing you do)
Make my day
(With every loving word from you)
Make my day
(You always seem to find a way)
Make my day
(Every moments like a holiday)
Make my day
(Every time that you walk in the room)
Make my day
(Every night I'm lyin' next to you)
Make my day
(Every morning when you're by my side)
Boy you make my day
Verse 2
One of those days nothing goin' right
Workin' my butt until late at night
Bout to tell my boss he can take a hike
When I got a call from you
Short time later all my work is done
Packed my things up and I was on the run
Straight to you like a shot from a gun
I unlocked the door and
I saw - you
With red roses
Iced Champagne
Candelabras
Bubble Bath
I'm T.K.O.
Boy you make my day
So listen girls
If U got some one who will treat you right
Won't run around all night
You need to hold on tight don't let him go
Better yet girls let him know, he is worth gold
Boys don't come like that on every corner
Chorus
Monday, February 19, 2007
Present from Golden Pig - Sprained Ankle
That was a bad experience. I could not walk at all then. I could barely get up. I called my ex then and he came over from work to look after me. His workplace was near my place. I was fretting over my ankle, if it was broken or just sprained or fractured or what. After a few days of icing the ankle and there was no improvement (I still could not walk or even limp) - I had to be on crutches, I had to look at alternatives.
Ling told me of a Chinese doctor in the East Coast who cured her sprained ankle, so I called him. The receptionist said I had to wait for a week before there was a slot for an appointment. Who could wait that long. Luckily she recommended me to see his disciple, another doctor who practices in Tampines. I got my sister to drive me there. I got there on crutches, and the doc said I didn't sprain my ankle at all. Apparently I landed on my hip when I fell, so it was my hip which was affected. He re-aligned my body, like a chiropractor, and applied some foul smelling paste/medicine on the ankle and told me to keep it on for a couple of days.
The amazing thing was that I could limp out of his room after that. From being on crutches to being able to limp out. That was a miracle, and there after, I called him my miracle doctor.
So yeah, today. Of all things to happen, my ankle had to turn in/out when I was walking along the bridge from Asian Civilisations Museum to the Fullerton Hotel. And I was not even wearing heels at all. I was wearing my birkies. My flat birkies. I did not know how, but somehow I just twisted the ankle.
Lucky I didn't crumple and fall. But the pain was excruciating. I could limp, so I told Chris I was fine, we could still walk to our destination, which was the esplanade. It was not swollen then. But now, after several hours of inactivity, my ankle has swelled and my leg is aching.
I hate the pain. I hope it will go away soon and that Doctor Lee is opened tomorrow, that he didn't go back to China. Else I would have to go to the hospital for an x-ray. My godma told me to get it x-rayed. It could be torn ligaments. Sounds horrible.
Why me? Why now? What a way to start the CNY.
Happy CNY!
Pictures to follow later - lots of dinners scheduled for this year, besides the reunion dinner.
1st day - oldest aunt's son's place
2nd day - possibly at godma's sister's place
3rd day - hosted by 3rd uncle
5th day - lunch by sister's colleague (can't make it)
7th day - dinner at our place
15th day - possibly dinner at cousin's place
A 2-week feasting activity.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
1st Birthday Dinner of 2007 - 10 Feb 07

It was Japanese food for the first birthday dinner of the year with Sheryn. I think she is always the one to ask me way in advance what I want. I told her a man. Haha. She has not fulfilled that yet but she got me a purple nightie instead :p
I really had no idea what I wanted to try this year, so based on the few choices she gave me, I selected Sun with Moon Dining at Wheelock Place. Last year, we went to Brazil Churrascaria. The year before, it was at Coffee Club outside California Fitness Orchard. In 2004, it was afternoon tea at Scotts Lounge. We met in 2003.
Anyway, we were famished as I only had brunch of "brek of day" from Coffee Bean that day, and I didn't even finish the entire plate. Only had the toast and some scrambled eggs and sausages.

We ordered lots for the two of us. I didn't take picture of everything as I was tired. Lol. So we started with sushi. We had the rolls - avocado or mango wrapped sushi with some crab meat or tuna inside. Also tried the rice paper rolls of avocado and eel.
There were also the beef wrapped around scallops and mushrooms with asparagus. I like that. The gratin thing of chicken with cheese and curry on a hot pot was a bit too salty, quite disappointed. The softshelled crab was salty too. The rice pot thing of eel is good. Very flavorful rice.
So we had all that between the two of us. Hehe. Good thing the portions came in European style of just a few pieces - not huge quantity.



