The rehearsal is over

My Kryptonite

2010-06-12T22:58:00.003+08:00

On the up side ... the allergy patches on my face are getting much better, less itchy and less angry (my aesthetics doctor always corrects me when I say ‘red’). But my wallet is somewhat smarting from chucking/giving these away!

We heart our costume parties

2010-06-10T21:05:00.000+08:00

OMG we are almost 30! Yet we persist in doing silly stuff like this BUT it is really quite very very fun :) Actually we look quite very decent in this photo. Then again, I won't post it unless we look OK.

Happy Birthday Marilyn! The grass seems to be greener and more tender (hiak hiak) at the other side, yes?

Mixed emotions

2010-04-06T14:55:00.002+08:00

In my art appreciation classes (eeeeons ago), we learnt that the artists often tried to convey certain imageries, moods or messages via the titles of the pieces. This is not an art piece, but it is nevertheless a photo (photography is an art medium, what!) which is somewhat important to me. Since some time has passed since, I shall not dwell too much on explaining the title of this post. Let this just be a reminder of that fateful day :D

Petty grievances

2010-04-05T00:21:00.003+08:00

BTW ‘idiot’ and ‘stupid’ were hardly my choice of words but well, I am just turning the favour. I really wish I had a pen with me this afternoon. Such a downer to an otherwise calm, balmy day.

Alice in Wonderland

2010-02-28T23:01:00.002+08:00

circa Halloween 2008

We are hitting the big screen this week! Can’t wait, heehee. I love Tim Burton!

Seoul highlights

2010-01-18T01:55:00.007+08:00

Super fresh scallops by a sea port, all was good! Till I dropped my piece on the ground ….

Counted down to the new year in -17C, definitely memorable and super spectacular!

Coffee was a good way to wake up our senses and keep warm

Snow fights are more fun for some, than others :(

The only photo of my ear muffs :D

Krispy Kreme! Need I say more? (Maybe that's why I ran out of time to shop!)

In the cable car at the ski resort

Still thawing

2010-01-06T01:13:00.001+08:00

More photos to come :)

Anticipating Arrietty

2009-12-22T01:06:00.003+08:00

Studio Ghibli has a new film! The title is The Borrower Arrietty (I think) and based on a British children's fantasy novel called The Borrowers. Whatever it is, I am sure it will be good!

Summer 2010, can’t wait :)

Graduation

2009-12-22T01:01:00.001+08:00

Compared to the previous ceremony, this was a lot more intimate and relaxed, with kids’ shrieks, laughter and chatter peppering the speeches. I am just glad it was a year well spent, arduous but I made some good friends along the way.

Back to reality!

TADA

2009-12-01T01:17:00.003+08:00

The year just went by like that! Before I get too philosophical or waxing lyrical about my greatest takeaway, some proper celebrations need to be in place! Popped some bubbly (thanks!) but what's next???

PhoneBook?

2009-11-16T22:15:00.001+08:00

I love how a new technology is applied on such an old-school platform. So simple yet so effective and refreshing! In my opinion, it sure beats all the other e-books I have seen!

PANDAmonium!

2009-11-13T00:56:00.003+08:00

Taken at Beijing Olympics, it is the panda mascot headband!

The pandas are coming! As much as I think they are uber cute and cuddly-looking, I am not sure if they will take well to the humidity and travelling. I remember seeing a pair in some zoo in China eons ago, good life these creatures have. Roll, chomp chomp, roll a bit more and snooze.

Snip!

2009-10-07T16:17:00.001+08:00

Off goes 5 inches of my mane! ROAR!

I feel kinda vulnerable right now …

C is for …

2009-09-15T00:50:00.001+08:00

I have gotten so used to the word ‘C-suite’ during my working days that I naturally assume that everyone knows its meaning. Basically it refers to the collective group of C-people, CEO, CFO, CRO, COO etc.

Anyway, there was a doctor next to me in class tonight. I haven’t had the chance to talk to him and he turns out to be this really candid guy, witty and humorous. For some reason, the prof was peppering her lecture with the said word tonight. As class went on, the doctor had a really really puzzled, almost worried look on his face. He turned to me and whispered, “Why she is going on and on about the caesarian suite??”

It was too funny and took a lot of self-control not to burst out laughing. Moments like this make evening classes somewhat more bearable.

Kawaii Kamera

2009-09-12T22:46:00.003+08:00

Came across this super cute stop-motion animation! I love how the ‘cameraman’ had matching legs and feet! The little wave at the end – so endearing! Trust the Japanese. This was created to address the privacy issues on Google Street View, read more here.

Soju and snow

2009-09-04T14:51:00.002+08:00

We went on a recee trip to Korea to plan for our winter holiday in December! (yea right) Anyhow I can’t wait for a proper vacation :)

So near yet so far

2009-08-30T23:23:00.000+08:00

The seats were EXCELLENT this year although they did sound rather tired (two nights in a row for 4 hours! what to do…) I really should plan another trip to Taiwan soon.

My SUPER friends

2009-08-23T23:09:00.003+08:00

Sometimes I wonder when age will finally catch up with us.

Ring ring ...

2009-08-09T00:19:00.000+08:00

Trivia: There isn’t a single pay phone in the entire The Cathay building!
(Not a good day to not bring your phone out to the movies…)

Super flat first lurrrrrve

2009-07-27T21:43:00.004+08:00

Louis Vuitton presents "Super Flat First Love" by Takashi Murakami - HD from Art of Travel by Louis Vuitton on Vimeo.

Ritz boo-boo

2009-07-15T01:23:00.003+08:00

While the HBR case on service value chain waxed lyrical about Ritz-Carlton’s credo and service-oriented culture, we had pretty much the opposite deal this afternoon. The letter below, written by a classmate, pretty much described the stinker. Since I am doing two electives on digital media and risk & reputation this term, it seems super appropriate that I blog about this negative experience. Yeah, it is already on Twitter too.

I am writing with reference to your current lunch promotion at the Greenhouse Cafe.

About a month ago, I booked a table for four at your restaurant for today, the 14th of July, to celebrate a friend's birthday. Per the terms of your promotion, we were to have enjoyed a 50% discount on the total bill, having booked more than five days ahead.

Upon arrival at the restaurant today, however, I was told that my reservation had not been confirmed, and, as such, Greenhouse would not be able to honor my reservation. After clarifying, it emerged that my initial call to you only counted as a tentative reservation, and I needed to produce a printed email confirmation to get my table and the 50% discount offer.

Please note that at no time during the phone reservation was I asked for my email address, nor did the person taking my reservation explain to me that I was only making a 'tentative reservation'. I explained this to the host on duty that day.

I believe that the proper response would have been an apology and an offer to let us enjoy the promotion anyway. After all, the host was able to trace and retrieve my initial phone reservation. As far as I was concerned, I had more than fulfilled the terms of the promotion, which was to make a reservation at least five days in advance.

Instead, he very kindly explained to me that restaurant policy dictated that the terms of the promotion would not be honored sans printout. No apology was even offered, and certainly nothing even approaching some form of compensation for an error that was no fault of mine, but which ultimately resulted in a complete waste of my time that day. I'm sure you'll agree that you, too, would not have been satisfied with a canned response such as the one I got: that he would 'raise this to management and ensure it doesn't happen again.' Quite frankly it did not matter to me whether it happens again, as I'm not likely to return to see that it doesn't.

I'd like to seek some clarification - I'm not sure what it means to your staff when customers make a reservation over the phone - are all your reservations then 'tentative' reservations? I have never in my life been so indecisive as to have to make only a tentative reservation for lunch; I decide on a lunch date and make a booking only when I am sure I can make it.

There are only two conclusions to be derived from this episode - one, that your staff is clearly lacking the training that befits a hotel of your supposed calibre and that they themselves had not been fully informed of the convoluted terms of your promotion; or two, that your establishment was never very sincere about offering this promotion to your customers in the first place, given that you've obviously made it as difficult as possible for customers to take advantage of this. I'm sure you'll agree with me this is bordering on dishonesty.

(As a marketing professional myself, I'm familiar with the need for terms and conditions on special promotions, but I draw the line at deception and dishonesty)

I have to, however, thank you for providing me with an excellent case study on PR and marketing, which I intend to refer to as an example of what not to do in discussions with my clients. Fortunately, my day was not completely wasted, as I was able to salvage the situation by celebrating my friend's birthday at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, where we had an excellent lunch at the MELT World Cafe. Happily, the service there was excellent.

I'm not sure how, if at all possible, this negative experience at your establishment could be remedied. I am doubtful that I will ever set foot there again, and, I think, neither will the many friends I've told this story to.

Black, white, grey

2009-06-26T00:45:00.000+08:00

I love these shots of ink in motion, they are sooo beautiful and poetic. I love the starkness of the shots, and the greys in between. Simple but yet so much depth.

The exams are over! ;)

Got milk (tooth)?

2009-06-20T17:53:00.002+08:00

A clear sign that of idle time in my hands. I just can’t focus on cramming for the exams! Oh well, today’s paper kinda sucked. Anyway, check out the site! It is almost too cute but I like whimsical minds. ickle and Lardee are friends who go on adventures together! Much like Mocmoc and Mermer, if you remember them from the Singapore Biennale some years back.

I should really get back to the books, curse the internet!

Signs of a Hollywood blockbuster

2009-06-17T23:05:00.000+08:00

Two Japanese were caught carrying $134 billion worth of US bonds into Switzerland over the Italian border. US$134 billion!! Read more here, can’t wait for the details to unfold if they even do. Conspiracy theorists rejoice.

Camouflage?

2009-06-13T00:40:00.002+08:00

I like the illustrative works by this Kyoto-based artist.

Federer!!!

2009-06-08T01:36:00.004+08:00

I am SO happy and thrilled that Federer won! I had to take a conference call tonight and was utterly distracted by the ‘live’ score ticker. Not to mention ‘live’ updates from up north on MSN. Damn I missed the psycho intruder scene but really, was the security asleep?? Maybe the baby is bringing him luck! A record 14th major title (I think he will tie with Agassi). Gosh I must really start working on catching a Grand Slam some time soon. I love this man!

Come back soon Stéphane!

2009-06-01T00:48:00.003+08:00

There is a reason why they are called KILLER heels. Unfortunately when I head out for the night, vanity trumps comfort. Always.

Which explains why I have been moving around the house in my swivel chair today. I do wish it was a Herman Miller but that's another story. We need this in Singapore!

I pray Stéphane Pompougnac would be back again real soon. Last night was a tease, since we unwittingly got distracted. BAD IDEA BEARS! Yes, we strayed but it was good fun nevertheless. Different but fun.

Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeetty

2009-05-18T01:12:00.000+08:00

Love has a new name - Sadaharu Aoki!

Sweet dilemma!

2009-05-14T01:59:00.002+08:00

Pierre Herme oh Pierre Herme! You bestow your heavenly macarons on us mere mortals, I am humbled. I love you. I love them as much as I love mahjong. That says a lot really. A LOT. Coming from me, a WHOLE damn lot. Ispahan was a fond memory. Come back for WGS soon, please. Pretty please.

I love little blue boxes, and today I was introduced to a new friend – Laduree. What’s with the French and such delightful morsels? Sheer bliss.

But alas, these pretty little confections do not hold out well our humid weather, much like my crazy hair and smudgy eyeliner. Humidity! I appreciate you keeping my skin supple but why do you toy with my macarons?? I am so SO torn between devouring them all at once while they are still pristine and slowly slowly (but surely) enjoying them. One calorie at a time. Oh woe!

Pardon the gibberish. I think I am on a sugar high :)

One for the road

2009-05-14T01:44:00.004+08:00

Somehow the four of us don’t have many nice photos together. I really liked the one we took at convocation, a candid shot but we looked so happy (and young!) then. Anyway this is evidence of me having somewhat of a social life! I just LOVE the apple and shiso martini at Orgo, it is SUPER yums.

Macaron heaven!

2009-05-12T00:32:00.002+08:00

This week marks the SUPER bo pian term with evening classes for my electives. For starters, I left school at 11+ after a quick discussion with my team mates about Wed’s paper submission. But everything seemed OKAY, blissful and sheer delightful even.

Why? No I haven’t lost my mind.

Look! How pretty. How delectable. How hypnotizing. How luscious. How beckoning. The colours, such a tease. JOY OH JOY!!! Thanks Marilyn, you are a sweetheart! Did I mention she bought THE onion jam back too? It tastes so damn good with foie gras but since I am but a poor student now, I have to just buy some pate and make do for now.

I think I might just survive the week!

May the force be with you

2009-05-09T17:55:00.006+08:00

I am not a huge fan of the series but these posters are good fun. Star Wars Weekends, an annual summer special event at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park in Florida that celebrates George Lucas' classic sci-fi movie series. See more here. I especially like the travel set below.

I suppose the queen does not need to pay for extra baggage.

Missing a "fragile" sticker

It’s fashion week!

2009-05-09T00:53:00.000+08:00

I missed the SIFF this year and almost skipped SFF too! But a good ole friend texted and a pair of Marc by Marc Jacobs tickets magically appeared. *poof* (thanks Steff!!!)

I always like the quirky line, the shoes are absolutely cute this time. A few fun dresses. Maybe some photos soon. I was thrilled that the show opened with Hong Kong Garden by Siouxie And The Banshees, mainly cos I always identify the song with Marie Antoinette. I liked the film a lot, loved the costumes, colours and OST but the acting and plot didn’t quite worked out.

A glimpse of an alternative life before I sink back to the humdrum existence of a student.

And the results ... *drumroll

2009-05-04T01:36:00.005+08:00

We were first! Haha, for a split second on the first day. The game wrapped up 2 hours ago at the stroke of midnight. We were placed 29 out of 104 international teams, not too bad a showing I guess since we had all of 9 ops mgmt classes and considering that the fact that we also have 10 essays due in 22 hours.

OK! Back to those wretched essays ...

Littlefool

2009-05-02T15:26:00.003+08:00

This is my "factory" – a bugger sucking away my social life this long weekend. Not that I have a resemblance of one anymore. Currently we are at No. 25; total of 108 teams this year. Not sure if we bought too many machines but well, it is just a game.

If you see the screen capture, there is a Word document called Nego Exams. 10 essays due on Monday, I am SUCH a happy camper. I know I signed up on my own accord but I feel the intense urge to gripe right now. *growl

Going bananas

2009-04-27T17:20:00.006+08:00

I really like this site about Japanese trends, primarily cos it is English :) Check out the cool banana packaging here.

Almost done with my papers. Can’t wait for my 2-day break!

Smurfette?

2009-04-26T01:33:00.001+08:00

I think I just signed up for trouble. Let’s see how it goes. Bye bye term break!

Epic storm

2009-04-23T21:10:00.000+08:00

Was anyone up last night? I was cramming corporate finance last night (how I hate exams!) and suddenly there was a ROAR outside. I don’t know how else to describe it but imagine one of those Armageddon movies where the world is coming to an end, some epic storm approaching to wipe us all out. The curtains had a life of their own, the trees outside threatened to be uprooted. In fact there were quite a few traffic jams this morning due to fallen logs. There is a whole new meaning to the word HOWLING winds. It was outright freaky and scary! I went back to my room thinking, OMG how sad would I be if the end of the world came and I was in ratty clothes and reading a corporate finance textbook?

But the storm never came, there was some wimpy rain for 5-10 minutes and all was calm again. Talk about freak of nature.

Toxic wasteland

2009-04-23T01:29:00.001+08:00

To keep this post SUPER crisp and short, I am just so appalled by the toxicity this week. A super quick turn of events; somebody is just waiting to capitalise on the situation to push for his own selfish agenda. I am now forced to play the game, something I dread and hate doing. Too unconstructive but tough times call for tough measures.

Wish me luck! I have project deadlines and the exams looming too. Testing waaaay too much this week!

Modelator

2009-04-10T21:15:00.001+08:00

In my archi undergrad days, there were the scale models with cheem details; models which were painstakingly put together, often in the wee hours. Models involving much blood (literally) and strained eyes. UHU yellow was the colour du jour.

While those days are well behind me, models, albeit of another form, have returned to haunt me. These new models are still painstakingly put together, although we can often build upon past works. They still strain my eyes. No blood is involved this time but I run a much higher risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. But these freaking Excel models just won’t behave! Bristol board yield to my cutting blade but these new sheets morph every day as the assumptions change and change and change! With the old models, I know what my end product but these... They are just exasperating! *ugh*

I can’t wait for Singapore Fashion Festival for some real models, specifically eye-candy models who don’t hurt my eyes.

Diva on a dime or …?

2009-04-03T01:28:00.001+08:00

Of late, I have been going through a retail dry spell. Partly (ok maybe primarily) due to my non-existent income (and you thought earning peanuts was bad) and partly due to the general lack of events and/or occasions to warrant new purchases. In my misguided naivety, I had envisioned a much more happening life in the city campus, with lunch-time jaunts to the shops and museums in the vicinity. So far, I made it to Koufu and Watson’s in the basement – not exactly my idea of happening. Well, I did have lunch at 53 some weeks back; while I enjoy a good meal, fine dining doesn’t quite give me the same buzz as when I swipe plastic.

Anyhow I met S for lunch in Raffles City today and in a little act of defiance, I decided not to meet my study group but instead indulge in one of my former erm, pursuits – lunch-time shopping! BUT nothing quite caught my eye in Raffles City. Undeterred, I decided to buy some stationery items since I do need them. Plus pretty, colour-coordinated stuff just generally get me happy. So I visited my old friend BBC, haven of model-making Bristol boards and the like.

I bought these! I decided to stick a grey palette to match the clear files I bought from Muji the last term. Two small ring files and four plastic folders, also made in Japan. BUT THE TOTAL COST IS EQUIVALENT TO ONE MUJI FILE!! OMG it suddenly hit me how I have been getting fleeced (more or less knowingly) all these years! Then the second tidal wave. OMG it is such a nerdy and uncool thing to be getting a kick from buying files (and filing my notes …), albeit pretty ones. Then the final whammy. OMG I was comparing prices of basic items like an auntie in the market! UGH! Is it school and not drawing an income, or the bad economy and spending reticence, OR ME GETTING OLD(er)?? *gulp*

Cranberry nightmare

2009-03-24T00:57:00.006+08:00

When we started the course, the MBA programme director spoke to us about work-life balance, given the intensity of a one-year programme. She said that people around us might not (like, AT ALL) appreciate the finer details of the numerous b-cases which we have to plough through (Nike’s WACC anyone?) and cautioned us not to get too carried away in our day-to-day conversations with family and friends. I routinely dismissed this nugget of advice. Come on, I have a life right? Surely I have better things to chatter about.

And now it has returned to haunt me.

The National Cranberry Cooperative (operations management). Wet-harvested cranberries arrive at the processing plant at 1050 bbls/hour; dry? 450 bbls/hour. Bins 1-16 only hold dry berries; dry berries need to be destoned (capacity: 4500 bbls/hour). Bins 17-27 store the wet berries, but bins 25-27 have a different storage capacity. Wet berries on the other hand need to be dried (600 bbls/hour). Something about dechaffing. They are also colour-graded, sorted and either bulked or bagged. Ditto different capacities. There are two freezing options with again, varying capacities. Blah blah blah blah blah.

OMG they are just freaking berries which I eat once a year with turkey! Ok, sometimes I have a cranberry cooler but that doesn’t even appear in the solid berry form! I had to read 11 pages of data just to distill the above, figure out the process bottleneck and draw some flow diagram. Lovely indeed. (Ok I admit that I got a tiny buzz when I figured it all out). J shared with us how he just kept staring at the cranberry jam at breakfast, wondering if the berries were wet- or dry-harvested. What was the colour grade? His wife thought he was mad, we had a laugh. I guess only those in the same dilemma would be able to commiserate.

People who know me well know that I have a personal vendetta against raisins, so guess what my mom bought for breakfast? Cranberry scones. Thank you berry much :)

Up, up and away?

2009-03-22T23:15:00.002+08:00

Pixar always gets me excited like a kid in a candy store. UP looks promising enough, in fact it is opening this year's Cannes International Film Festival! Check out the trailer.

Dog looks like a hoot already. Well, beats me bawling my eyes out last Friday at Marley. We could all do with some haha in our lives.

Hello Panda!

2009-03-18T00:58:00.002+08:00

The Japanese always have the quirkiest of ideas. Kirin debuted a marketing campaign that mixed the three great Japanese loves: Green tea, cute characters (kawaii), and vending machines. Read more here.

Say hello to Namacha Panda Sensei! It looks wrong but the cuteness is growing on me :) It even has a blog! Although I have NO idea what it is saying. Anyone going to Japan?

Movie event of the year?

2009-03-17T00:13:00.004+08:00

I love Chanel and I heart Tautou, so I should adore this film. Let's hope it makes its way to our little island. For some reason I have added the YouTube link via the poster image. (I can't quite think properly, must the confounding Bloomberg training today. BUT their pantry still rocks)

On all things french, there is the upcoming Christian Lacroix exhibition coming up. Ahhh, the perks of being a student in a city campus! I hope to pop by during one of the lunch breaks next week :)

Rainy day musings

2009-03-10T00:52:00.004+08:00

Term 2 started today. Expectedly, the too-short break (all of 6 days) was well, too short. Still I got my usual haircut, manicure, massage, film, drinks, KTV and MAHJONG sessions sorted out. Old habits die hard :)

Maybe that’s why I am doing my readings right now. Better get used to this again.

The day was cold and a wee bit dreary with the torrent rain. What a way to kickstart the term but my fingers, and toes, are crossed. Wish me luck.

Themination tomorrow

2009-02-22T20:37:00.004+08:00

Sneaking in a super short post in the midst of the exam cramming (yikes). I feel especially luurrvveeeed this week! My all-time fave Tai Chung egg tarts from Hong Kong and mochi from Taiwan (plus an assortment of erm, costume stuff but thanks Mich), and just now, Lulu texted to say that she is back from Tokyo with Pierre Herme macaroons! Who says you can’t buy friendship? :) I have been holed up in my room and the MBA lounge all week but yet it seems I have been globe-trotting vicariously through my peeps.

On the local front, I have brand new shoes awaiting! Thanks Mimi for picking them up! To top it all off, the Prada 姐姐 is in town this week with a belated birthday present for me! I can’t wait for this term to be over.

Spread the lurrve folks! (gosh I can’t believe I am so upbeat whenI have an accounting paper tmr!!! Hopefully good karma begets better karma...)

Carrie in the real world?

2009-02-11T22:59:00.001+08:00

I should get an ECA

2009-02-10T00:45:00.003+08:00

Spotted in the library lift last week

Yes yes in my days, it was still called ECA vs the current CCA or whatever. My group mate must have thought I lost it when I furiously started snapping photos in the lift.

Surrealism in B-school

2009-02-10T00:34:00.002+08:00

There was a guest speaker session in school today and we had the most amazing panel! Joel Stern and Jim Rogers! Whoa, SMU has some mighty connections indeed. The talk was supposed to be on the new Obama administration and its policy but the panel discussion went off in a different trajectory altogether but it didn't really matter. It was an engaging session but the most compelling point Rogers wanted to make seemed to be … quit b-school and be a farmer or miner in India and/or China, and always always make sure your kids learn Chinese! (Stern was kinder, he said to keep the MBA but take a module or two on agriculture)

I am sorry if everything seems out of context but I really don’t want to summarise the talk! I have so much home/project work and backlog that I really should not even be blogging!

Anyhow Stern is like buddy buddy with the legendary (ok more like classic textbooks authors) names like Friedman etc. He name-drops ever so often but in a very candid, familiar way. The list is impressive to say the least. He also promised to take one of our classes this year! If I survive this first semester, I will definitely sign up :S

Some numbers

2009-02-03T00:42:00.003+08:00

7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-2.
I teared when he broke down. I hope he overcomes this defeat, mentally more than physically. I had to skip the match and it was in Australia this time for crying out loud! The least time difference but alas (school) work calls.

28.
That was yesterday. A very simple affair, ok maybe lunch at Jaan was a bit indulgent but how often does a girl turn 28? The class was sweet, quite literally with a chocolate cake and five pints of B&J. A dinner spread at Tampopo, a drink at Pump Room and I had to head home to prepare for tomorrow’s class. When I was a little girl, I NEVER imagined that I would be a student at the ripe old age of 28, in fact I was finishing up my marketing paper at the stroke of midnight, what a way to celebrate huh. I used to plan for elaborate parties to celebrate but a cozy meal with close friends seem like a better idea these days. Perhaps a shift in priorities or maybe it is a sign that I AM GETTING OLD (eeeeps).

The going has been tough but I am sure things will work themselves out (yes peeps, it will help if you help me out with the wretched feedback exercise). Thanks for the well wishes/gifts and for spending the day with me :)

9.5!
We took a risk with the presentation format and the gamble paid off! A highlight no doubt but I also lost my trusty coffee canister on my birthday! Oh well, it wasn’t the prettiest thing anyway. Win some, lose some.

2005 vs 2008

2009-01-18T23:34:00.004+08:00

Talk about a trip down memory lane. Check out my smile on the left, this is possibly one of the last few photos I took with my tooth intact after the harrowing adventure in Sapa, haha. Well, that was my first and last backpacking trip.

Fast forward to 2008, Jan and I making our way to Batam for the NYE countdown. So much has lapsed since but yet so many things still remain the same :)

2 weeks and 10*2.55 later

2009-01-16T01:43:00.007+08:00

I would like to start this post by saying a big fat sorry to you guys whom I have been ‘playing out’ the past couple of weeks. It started with the HBS pre-course tutorials and now it is the escalating mountain of readings and cases, please bear with me! I can't quite believe it is only the first official week in school! What happened to the carefree student life of the yore?

It started deceivingly well enough last week. Registration, lunch at Wah Lok (but the standards have dropped, especially the egg tarts), matriculation, some presentation skills workshop, lunch at Rendezvous (the rendang is still awesome!) and of course OBS as a finishing touch. I love the new city campus and the facilities, the people – faculty and class – seemed friendly enough.

Then this week happened.

First the public commute. At peak hour (I am not even at work this early!). With my textbooks, reading materials and other barang. PLUS a freaking laptop! This is NOT ideal at all. The inevitable course work. The deadlines. The projects blah blah blah. Did I mention there are exams at the end of February?? Argh! Gawd, did I just spend some really good money to do this to myself?

To be fair, it is not unexpected and to be honest, I am enjoying school to some extent. For now at least but I reserve the right to revise my answer later. The learning curve is steep, no doubt about that, but I feel sufficiently challenged and the old mental cogs slowly, but surely, moving again. Sure they need some oiling but at least they are functional. Gosh, it seems ‘cogs’ has already seeped into my lingo (cost of goods sold), I really hope I won’t morph into one of those annoying jargonauts by the end of the year. If you can’t tell, I am sneaking in a blog break in between my accounting case studies right now.

Now for the real reason why SMU is such a cool school.

No I didn't sign up in the end, hee hee.

So please, I beg all of you to be patient with me this year, I know I will cancel and reschedule but don’t give up on me! I will be back with you guys in civilisation on 18 Dec, just in time for Christmas no less.

Ponyo!

2009-01-12T21:59:00.001+08:00

I really can't wait to be done with the wretched HBS tutorials and catch this!!

Batam Out!

2009-01-02T14:26:00.008+08:00

It was too short a getaway but I enjoyed every minute of it :) Check out the super-effort collateral produced just for the trip (beer not included)! The last time I was there, I was possibly half my age, when it wasn’t even legal for me to drink! Good times indeed.

Bad photo but I just had to post it. They are possibly my oldest friends in the world, having known Grace and Jein since I was 8/9!

The worlds collided (so far so good) and my ‘newer’ friends were there to count down to the new year too. The slight mar? What’s the countdown without ch with whom we have started a tradition of sorts (reverse bungee, screaming at the DF line?)?? Anyway a photo of us at Clifford Pier at Christmas to compensate.

Thanks for the invite Jein :) To a fantastic 2009!

Tinsel ramblings

2008-12-25T14:20:00.002+08:00

Christmas tree in the office lift lobby

Yesterday was my last day in the office. While I had much work gripe (who doesn’t?) over the last 4.5 years – working with morons, dealing with unreasonable imbeciles, an unappreciative boss, general craziness etc – but in retrospect, the firm has been kind to me. I had a wonderful bunch of colleagues, people whom I know I will make an effort to keep in touch with; went on a New York secondment; picked up new skills; learnt how to handle myself in front of partners and of course, the intricacies behind ego-management. In fact I started this blog when I just joined the firm in a half-baked attempt to practise my writing skills.

When I first told the partners I worked with that I wanted to take a year off to pursue an MBA, I was really heartened by their support and sharing of experiences. Honestly I was, I mean this isn’t one of those PC farewell emails (which I eventually succumbed to) so take my word for it.

They knew that with this decision, I had wanted to leave and carve something else out for myself, yet they offered a sabbatical (although I tendered my resignation) as a ‘safety net’ (those were the exact words) given the current gloom and doom in the economy. They made me feel valued and I felt that finally my work these years has been given due recognition (a total 180 from my former boss). In a heartbeat, I dare say that I had put in more than my fair share of sweat and toil (no I don’t work in a construction site but you get the idea) during my tenure and while I am not out to seek affirmation, this validation of sorts felt good.

And then there was that farewell card. Danielle, I don’t know if you even read my blog anymore but I was really touched. Thanks.

2009 is daunting and exciting all at once. As much as I hate having the pre-course tutorials and papers, I think I am looking forward to student life once again. Some apprehension yes, but I think I am ready. Bring it on!

Camera HO HO HO (to be continued)

2008-12-23T22:29:00.009+08:00

Who is taking the mickey out of us??

I feel that I should clarify that there were quite a few of us at the party and we ALL took silly photos too but I am not sure how comfortable they are with me posting their photos online (although I am sure it’s all over FB by now) hence you only see the three of us again and again.

At this point, I don't even know what I was trying to be. Just pile the props on please!

Totally bowed over by YXYY

I do know that these are not the most flattering photos of me, but they really crack me up so much so I decided to post them. Today, a conversation between my friends went.

A: So what are the details for the night?
B: Huh, no details, just appear for dinner. Oh and dress up.
A: Ok, but dress up as …?

There must be something fundamentally wrong when the first conclusion you draw when told to DRESS UP for the festivities is a costume of sorts. But oh well, Merry Christmas to you too :)

Camera HO HO HO

2008-12-21T02:06:00.003+08:00

I must admit that I was initially terrified of Mari’s ‘photo booth’ idea but of course it turned out to be so much FUN! What’s Christmas without loads of silly photos, complete with props and poses?

Of course I must add that the food was super yummy too! Thanks for the invite once again :)

Le Platane

2008-12-16T12:00:00.004+08:00

It was my uncle’s birthday and my aunt threw him a surprise dinner party at Le Platane, Justin Quek’s Shanghai offering. While I had lunch there previously, this dinner was something else as we had a private room which had a view of the kitchen. It was pretty cool to check out the kitchen gadgets and wizardry behind the exquisite food. Plus it was the truffle season so we had a truffle degustation menu awaiting :)

It started simple enough, the standard assortment of bread with a choice of butters. But it took A LOT of self control to stop nibbling on carbs (and risk ruining my appetite) cos the truffle butter was so damn good, I wanted to take all the bread and mop it up!

Next up was the ubiquitous item in Shanghainese menus – 小笼包. After an overrated (and overpriced) lunch at 南翔 that same day, I wasn’t exactly ready to face another 小笼包 so soon, although the version looked quite cute as it was served individually in little bamboo steamer. But it is Le Platane, so I had to give it a try right. No regrets though, the skin was thin but held all the juices within. Foie gras was added to the meat filling, while I don’t always approve of such ‘fusion’ touches, it lent the dumpling a velvety touch, and elevated the almost-plebeian snack instantly to luxe.

Mosaic of Seafood

I love the presentation, so pretty! If I had to pick a favourite that night, this might be it. Probably cos I was so stuffed towards the end that I couldn’t even fully appreciate the desserts! (Me, can you imagine??) Anyway it was a palate-cleansing start which slivers of seafood (offhand, I remember salmon, unagi, roe, scallop and uni). It was very simple but the seafood was super fresh, I literally felt like eating pockets of the sea with the uni – sweet and salty all at once.

Demi-tasse of Chestnut Veloute

Fancy name but it was essentially chestnut soup. Ultra smooth and rich in flavour, yums.

Egg Royale with Home-smoked Foie Gras and Autumn Black Truffle

My heart skipped a beat when this was served (notwithstanding the calories/cholesterol involved). It was sheer decadence, the little dish was covered with truffle shavings! It never fails to amaze me how such paper-thin slices of fungi can contain such intense flavours.

Tagliatelline with Shaving of Fresh Alba White Truffle

To me, this is a classic example of a super luxe comfort food. Freshly made pasta with a very very light cream sauce, simplicity at its best and a touch of truffle to make all the difference. Actually as I write this post, I get more and more confused how to quantify ‘truffle’. Unless you are Stanley Ho who bids for the biggest truffle (singular) at charity auctions every year, you only ever get bits and shavings (plural) of the delicacy at restaurants. But yet the plural morsels you get can never measure up the singular noun.

Pan-roasted Black Seabass with Watercress Puree, Sauce Boulangee

The fish had a slight crisp at the edges and remained moist inside. A good sign but truth be told, I think if you clubbed me on the head then, I might not have felt a thing.

Char-grilled Ribeye of Beef, Young Vegetables, Sauce Perigueux

Ok, if you clubbed me on the head then, I know for sure I would not have felt a thing. Ok I lie, I remember the frites having a sprinkle of seaweed salt which was super yummy.

Chef’s Dessert

My downfall. I am sure I had a silly grin plastered on my face by then but we persist in ordering ALL the desserts available, albeit to share. There was truffle in one of the fluffy creations, there was definitely something with chocolate and I think I liked the sherbet too.

Gourmet Coffee or Fine Tea
Petits Fours

There were chocolates to end things off, again there was truffle in the white ones, I recall (vaguely). *bliss* All in all, an extraordinary meal indeed. But honestly, how do those food critics do this on a regular basis??

Maybe it was a good thing that I had that fake-Chikungunya bout which forced me to detox with porridge for a week. Always a silver lining ;)

外滩一号

2008-12-12T13:35:00.002+08:00

The place looks really fancy and chic, more importantly, the food (of whatever little I had) was promisingly good! I shamelessly helped myself to the pear puree dessert, it was simple; while comfortingly familiar in taste, the mix of textures lifted it from the ordinary.

Got a grand tour of the place, interesting project due to the conservation status of Clifford Pier. A clean and modern touch, plus I like how much of the original structure and finishes were respected and kept. However the wide central walkway might be a concern (dead space) when in actual operations but fingers crossed :)

I heart these group photos

2008-12-10T00:00:00.003+08:00

Photos from HX's wedding

You might think that there is nothing particularly special about this set of group shots since we are all such cam whores. In retrospect, they might be the only decent group photos we have taken in recent years. By ‘decent’, I mean in proper, normal attire (we were even dressy chic!) in a proper, normal, public venue, WITHOUT being under the influence of alcohol. This bunch of friends has a nasty habit of throwing weird costume parties (which are really oh-so-much fun) and hamming it up for the camera in the erm most creative poses.

My fave photo from the night ;)

I must add that it is quite a refreshing change to have photos which I can show family and colleagues with no qualms :)

Chiku scare

2008-12-09T18:07:00.001+08:00

After a week of non-activity, it actually feels (slightly) good to be back in the office! It was a bad bad week, I was terribly ill last week with a sore throat, fever and body aches etc. The GP suspected I caught chikungunya, aka the 'Little India disease' from wretched mossies and I had to spend 3 pathetic hours in SGH A&E to get tests done etc. THREE HOURS! How does the ‘emergency' in A&E work? Anyway the good thing was it turned out for be a false alarm, it was just regular viral fever, phew.

Thanks for all the get-well smses peeps :)

Chiku scare (the aftermath)

2008-12-09T09:38:00.005+08:00

On the same topic, I 'celebrated' my recovery with an overpriced brunch at Hediard, just in time for HX's wedding no less! While rather overrated and my throat didn’t allow for the macaroon so I guess I have to make another trip there (hee hee).

夜上海, 无夜城

2008-11-30T19:21:00.010+08:00

I guess the best word to discuss the Shanghai getaway is – DECADENCE! Well not that I’m really complaining. The wine and dine were just awesome, I had the best dessert in my life and the most amazing truffle degustation menu. Admittedly, the shopping was lacklustre and I was mega disappointed that all the good stuff from the H&M/ Comme des Garçons collaboration were all snapped up! I was only 2 days late!!

The brunch at Jean Georges was good but not outstanding. While the warm chocolate cake was quite awesome, the lunch in New York was altogether in a different league.

No Comme des Garçons but I still managed to nail some buys :)

Tea at Lan, beautiful decor. I love the black-and-white chicness of the sky-lit lounge but the coffee and lemon macarons were dismal.

Definitely a highlight of the trip, I am now in love with the signature pavlova at M at the Bund. The heady mix of soft marshmallowy centre and the crisp meringue coat, but it almost tastes healthy with all that fresh fruits. It was just gorgeous, in every sense of the word. *bliss*

We went local too, and I dare say nothing quite beats hearty street food on a cold windy day!

More from Shanghai

2008-11-30T18:02:00.002+08:00

Hamming it up for the camera in Suzhou

Doing the Karen Cheng at Laris and 拙政园

As easy as ABC (not)

2008-11-28T14:16:00.003+08:00

After a week of excessive decadence in Shanghai (hope to find some time this weekend to sort photos and blog!) and another week of OT back here, I had some half-baked idea of having some form of detox, self-cleanse falala during lunch today. Well, not exactly detox detox, since I had a salt beef sandwich at Simply Sandwich. To be more precise, an overpriced (hey, student days ahead ok) concoction of too-dry beef with no vegetables! Granted they were generous with the beef and the server was super helpful, but still.

Anyway. After that uninspiring lunch, I decided that I could perk myself up a bit with an ABC. I normally refrain from ordering juices cos A. I worked at a juice bar before and I know how those cut fruits are prepared! B. Juices are always over-priced plus you are not really getting all the goodness! But since nobody back home is a fan of beetroot, I sort of feel justified ordering myself one.

So, there I was with Kinki at Amoy and asked the fruit store auntie for an ABC, to which she nodded readily and shouted brusquely to a helper. Good sign cos not all fruit stalls sell beetroot here. But oh noooo, the auntie must have an unorthodox ‘recipe’ cos the C in her stall’s ABC was CELERY!! It was such a vile vile vile vile vile blend! Seriously who drinks celery??? WTF?

Screw detox, I got a regular coke on my way back.

Obama the orator

2008-11-06T13:36:00.001+08:00

While I have not been gripped by the election fever, but I did pack lunch yday so that I could follow the poll results online while I tuck into my lousy chicken salad (the wasabi cream thing was yucks!). Well, technically watching SNL spoofs of Palin really doesn’t quite qualify me as an avid follower, but Tina Fey is just hilarious to ignore.

Anyway I made it a point to head home early yesterday so that I could catch Obama’s speech. OMG, it was stirring and I will admit that there was an odd tear or two. He made me want to be an American (but I still maintain that there are too many wassup weirdoes in that land)! I wonder who the speech writer is, I feel ashamed of the feifei ones we have to write for our partners here.

Halloween – The MELTING pot

2008-11-01T02:41:00.010+08:00

It was a GIANT mistake to decide on a long blonde wig for Halloween. An even bigger mistake to join the madness at Zouk. Granted the crowd and their costumes were interesting enough but when you are SWELTERING in a wig, little else matters. In fact, the last time I felt this hot was possibly in LV in the freaking summer. In order not to overheat the engine, we skipped the AC and drove with the windows down. I felt like a buttery pound cake in a convention oven with dead HOT wind blowing in my face, all ready to poof up any minute from the heat. Anyway that’s another story.

I think I was so hot and bothered that I forgot to take more photos, pity. Like of the four chicks in front of us with mega tarty outfits. The general, the nurse, the police officer and the pilot – gosh it sounds like some guy’s ultimate fantasy already. Their dresses are SO short that when the general dropped her cap, they all squealed cos none of them were able to bend down to pick it up. That was quite funny. The all-white politicians with orchid garlands were quite a hoot too.

Kinki and I were such responsible drivers, ie, we didn’t drive at all! But we did cause a little ruckus at my place when flagging a cab with stoopid drivers were slowing down to honk at us, not to mention the occasional high beam as well.

Sadly this is our only photo at Zouk, the blasted heat was just too oppressive to play cam whores.

We gave up after an hour and joined Lulu who was with her colleagues at Tiong Bahru. Very quaint apartment I must add, although I think her colleagues now suspect I run a costume shop on the sly.

So what was your Halloween costume this year?

The ingredients for an awesome long weekend

2008-10-28T12:59:00.002+08:00

* A spattering of tiles – Start early on Thursday with random mahjong in the afternoon. Zen or otherwise, mahjong will always be my idea of the perfect past-time. With scrumptious (and so seemingly easy) muffins and illy coffee on demand, things were off to a good start. Throw in the always-satisfying yakitori lunch bento from Nanbantei. *bliss*

* A healthy dose of late-morning sleeping in. Beauty sleep is a priceless commodity.

* A plate of black pepper crabs from Long Beach!

* A better plate of white pepper crabs from Long Beach!!! Followed by more mahjong on Friday night, the 九番自摸 was an added bonus.

* A smattering of humour in the form of a himbo Brad Pitt and the smorgasbord of A-listers. Extend the film outing with a Picturehouse offering – Tokyo! which is a triptych of three Tokyo-set stories. Michel Gondry’s contribution was whimsically cute.

* Beat some eggs and inflation – Make yourself a breakfast of omelette, sausages and toast. Wash it down with DIY OJ.

* A gushing of thanks to a very kind friend for bringing back the latest CDs from Taiwan!

* Fish some compliments by nailing excellent buys at a sale! “Cute shoes” seems to be today’s morning greeting.

* Dress up a black outfit with a pink feather-and-sequins creation for a girls’ night out. Note to self: Check the ownership of cameras before hamming it up with said head-piece, ensure that the camera belongs to friends and not random strangers in the queue (or line as some prefer to call it).

* The finishing touch – A lazy dinner at Casa Verde with crostinis (almost as good as Buko Nero’s) and a bottle of wine (50% off bottles in October!).

Some treats should be consumed in moderation but I say, just dish out the next long weekend already!

XQ index: 3 (and counting!)

2008-10-15T14:53:00.008+08:00

I caught up with an ex-colleague over lunch today. In the midst of mindless chatter, I brought up my fave idle question of the moment: "Do you think I make a '贤妻' ?"

For those whose Chinese are worse than my friend who got a D7 for her Higher Chinese score (you know who you are), a '贤妻' can be loosely defined as a virtuous wife, it is derived from '贤妻良母'; '良母' being a good mother. Honestly, casting dreamy gazes at the LV diaper bag doesn’t quite equate to brimming with maternal cells, so I have omitted the latter half of that phrase whenever I pop the question.

Anyway it is a fun question to pop-quiz friends as they, well my friends at least, inevitably start hemming and hawing while their faces contort (bleah). Quite amusing to watch and observe. The annoying ones will pun the term, including '嫌弃' (abandoned) or '闲妻' (literally a 'free' wife or lady of leisure, aka taitai).

Sighs, I am like, SO misunderstood!

Anyway, the said ex-colleague said "Yes, of course" in a heart-beat, hence tada! My XQ index rose 150% to 3. 150% increase when stock indexes worldwide are reaching new lows these days! I am blue-chip :)

I heart Pompougnac

2008-10-02T09:09:00.004+08:00

Monsieur Pompougnac is just awesome, I think this is the 3rd or 4th time I caught him spin at Zouk and he has never failed to awe me. This time, he seemed to have really warmed up to the local crowd and he is so so friendly! No airs at all! I super heart!! He hams it up for every camera, which I can only imagine to be quite ANNOYING actually since the flash is kinda blinding. Plus, he waved us goodbye!!! We were such groupies but such fun! I wished we could have stayed longer but my feet were dying (4.5 inches, no joke!)

Welcome back boh, see Singapore isn’t all that staid and boring.

Daddy’s girl gives back!

2008-09-23T12:00:00.001+08:00

Being the only child, I do admit that my parents spoil and indulge me a little sometimes. Being at the receiving end most of my life, I do take some pride/pleasure in having the earning power to ‘return the favour’ now.

But my dad’s super sudden request for F1 tickets late last week totally threw me off guard. Only the crazily expensive seats, as in I-can-buy-my-2.55-with-that-kinda-money expensive, were left (my current earning power is really, really just bearable). I refused to pay black market prices on those bidding websites so I basically gave up hope.

Till yesterday.

Tada! My dad was SUPER thrilled this morning, so thrilled that he didn’t grumble at me when I woke up late (as usual) which caused us to leave the house late(r) for work. Maybe I should make him buy me the Tennis Masters Cup tickets in return (he did offer to pay for the airfare but of course my good sense didn’t allow that!!)

Beware of the flying monkey

2008-09-22T12:29:00.001+08:00

"Look! A flying monkey!!"

There are fibbers out there, don’t be fooled now.

Day 8 and counting

2008-09-16T15:23:00.004+08:00

Wall.e is still sitting pretty, safe and sound! Can't say the same of my pink Cookie Monster RAG cloth (seriously, a piece of rag!) *fingers crossed

Mooncake maniac

2008-09-11T17:50:00.003+08:00

Peony Jade yam mooncakes are awesome!

To cut a long story short, my colleagues and I went on a mooncake rampage during lunch this week. For someone who said she wasn’t going to waste any moolah on these calories-laden treats this year, I ended up buying 2 boxes and some loose pieces to satisfy my inexplicable sugar craving (and cos my mom sneakily ate my stash at home). Thanks KS for picking the lychee ones up!

Anyhow, my very creative colleague suggested that we mimic 孙悟空 and take unglam photos (as usual) of ourselves with the mooncake decorations. Hopefully the prancing around burnt some calories (one can always hope). Happy mid-autumn festival all!

In another era …

2008-09-01T17:20:00.002+08:00

… where my photoshop skills reign supreme, where I’m not BMI-challenged, where I don’t have bad skin or eye bags or wrinkles, basically where I don’t have to keep Woffles on my speed-dial (ahem, not that he is right now). Actually it looks kinda scary after a while but hey, 七月 is over :)

Disclaimer: This is not my handiwork, a colleague was toying around with different looks for this year’s D&D theme – ‘Grand Shanghai’.

Waste Allocation Load Lifter -- Earth-class

2008-08-28T08:28:00.002+08:00

It opens today! I heart the blink-blink peepers!
Pixar always gets me excited like a kid in a candy store :)

Star-gazing at the Games

2008-08-27T17:58:00.011+08:00

Canadian golden boy Alexandre Despatie is HAWT and a silver medalist to boot!
Kudos for maintaining his calm in a Chinese-dominated event.

We crashed a reception for Singaporeans at the hotel,
well not technically since we are Singaporeans and all we had to do was wave our red passport for admission. Li Jiawei (boohoo I'm blocked in the photo!)
and Feng Tianwei were there, as well as Vivan B. swwoooon

I have no idea who this bloke is but he is defiantly an Olympian
and possibly a gold medalist judging by the crowd swamping him at the airport!

Chris Brown from the Bahamas, the team which clinched silver for the 4x400m relay,
seems like a really nice chap with a charming smile.

福娃 are bona fide stars too! They are mega cute and the inflatable ones are simply
too adorable as they bounce, tumble and look outright silly.

Ok maybe these two fake 福娃 are trying a little too hard to look cherubic but I had great fun catching up with Cami. Thanks for playing host!

I heart 北京 2008

2008-08-27T12:01:00.008+08:00

OMG where do I even begin? To begin with, it was a super mega last-minute, spur-of-the-moment trip, way out of the norm since well you know, I’m like SO careful with budgets and all. *snort

Anyway.

The week past has been the most amazing experience ever, being physically there to soak up the atmosphere at the quadrennial Games. The Chinese really outdid themselves, not just in the medal tally, but in showing the world that they have truly arrived, and in great style and fanfare no less. I can’t quite compose all my thoughts yet but what really hit home was the obvious pride the Chinese had in playing host to a global event of such an unparalleled scale. Sure the gleaming new sports venues impressed, but the most memorable takeaway was the warmth (and I don’t mean the hot sweaty bodies pushing against you in those security queues) the local volunteers showered upon strangers who might not even speak the same language as them. Despite the sweltering weather and the somewhat-maddening crowd, the onesI met tried their best to keep their cool and went about their tasks dutifully, mostly with a smile.

It was also particularly heartwarming to see families flocking to the venues and snapping photos outside, well the tickets don’t come cheap or easy. From their glowing faces and beaming smiles, you can immediately sense their pride and desire to capture this iconic moment in their country’s history. I don’t think us Singaporeans will remotely come close to demonstrating such plume when hosting the inaugural Youth Olympics.

Catching the red-eye flight on Air China may not be my preferred form of travel but it was the most economically astute. I was a stoner on Day 1.

Day 1 at the Olympics green, it was blindingly HOT. Hence I got 晶晶 to stand in as the model.

鸟巢 – The Herzog & DeMeuron landmark of this Olympics and backdrop of the iconic scene where Li Ning lit up the torch during the opening ceremony.
What I can’t reconcile is how the toilets in the stadium which accommodates 90,000 are
WAY cleaner than those on my office floor, eeew!

Misty is awesome!

2008-08-21T16:32:00.005+08:00

To be here, 'live' in the thick of action is just AWESOME!! Although rooting for the USA team in a sea of red/yellow (in China itself no less) is paramount to suicide of sorts. It was a close match and Misty was just super awesome! She is super agile and has such a good eye. They took the game in 2 straight sets (very close scores!!) and it really made screaming, jumping in the rain (for 4 freaking hours!) somewhat bearable and well-worth it :) Actually I would call it a DOWNPOUR, but hey, this kinda opportunity doesn't come twice, so really I am not complaining.

Fellow supporters of the US team, GO MISTY!!!
These hardcore fans made the brolly themselves!

Twisted Fairy Tales

2008-08-18T19:27:00.002+08:00

I heart my new wig but no time to blog! More about the annual Aug do when I get back. I fly tonight! It is really happening! I want a photo with Misty May!

北京欢迎我！

2008-08-14T23:58:00.006+08:00

OMG! When I took this photo 2 years back, I never thought that I would actually be able to catch the Games 'live'!

Awesome!!! I can hardly wait :) I hope my leave gets approved though! *fingers crossed*

************************
BRILL! It has been approved! I am SO EXCITED!

Patriotic red (ouch)

2008-08-10T15:12:00.005+08:00

We hopped over to Bintan for a quick getaway over the National Day wkend since Ian was back for the summer. It was literally a quick (an hour by ferry) and dirty (a rodent visitor on the first night!!!) beach holiday destination although we didn’t exactly spend much time on the beach, save for a few games of volleyball. I must say that the beach was actually nice and clean with decent powdery white sand and clear water, but the lure of the pool bar was simply too great :D

One for the camera!
This was on the first day so I still look reasonably FAIR!
I do hope I don’t peel too much from the sunburn though.

By the pool bar, possibly the best place in Bintan
(I would even say

Singapore

, but I don’t beach bum much here).
I love the red flower but it left nasty pollen streaks all over me!
BTW, the giant watermelon cooler RAWKS.

The resident monitor lizard by the pool, yes it takes frequent dips IN THE POOL.
It was probably too freaking hot even for a reptile.
We were sipping drinks in the pool when Gie exclaimed ‘ALLIGATOR!’ (heehee)
We didn’t even flinch as we thought it was her poor attempt
to distract us and steal our drinks.

The cool girls and the ruffle(s)d boy. Bon voyage and see you again next year!!

My ticket out of the corporate world

2008-08-06T16:32:00.003+08:00

To play Toto, choose at least six numbers from 1 to 45 and match them against the winning numbers drawn. You can also let the computer pick the numbers for you. Just ask for QuickPick.

Six numbers plus one additional number will be drawn every Monday and Thursday. If your numbers match at least three numbers and the additional number drawn, you win a prize!

Toto sales start a week before the draw and close at 6pm on draw day. You can choose to place bets for a single draw or two consecutive draws.

It seems so easy, yah? Wish me luck this Friday while I am enjoying the sun, sand and sea in Bintan :) 8,000, 000, yeah!

Ablaze

2008-08-01T16:07:00.004+08:00

The torch makes its way to our office (the real deal!) and for a token sum, we get to take a photo with it with the proceeds going to the quake victims. Too bad I’m not Ziyi (ok I know nowhere close at all!) and I don’t have a 10-carat ring as an accessory to match.

I guess this is about the closest I will get to the Olympics fever, till next time!

C is for cookie

2008-07-29T11:48:00.003+08:00

A fortune cookie from NY days :)

Life as a sitcom rehearsal

2008-07-22T12:57:00.004+08:00

M: I have a confession. There is a new shoe shop near my office and I think I am now a regular there! (so much for my austerity drive)

K: You are every retailer’s dream.

M: But I am my own nightmare!!

K: This is such a sitcom moment *laughs*

Happy 28!

2008-07-20T11:42:00.001+08:00

Last year this time, gawd how I HATE the hair, why oh whyyyyyy...

Hope you have grown wiser and more fabbbuloussss! Hope you had a good one :)

歌王也会走音

2008-07-15T19:19:00.005+08:00

The newly-minted King of Mando-pop indeed boosts of power vocals but Gary’s stage presence needs some developing. He lacks the command and experience I guess but boy can he sing! A rabid fan (not me) added much entertainment with her hysterical screams and we got a free ‘upgrade’. All in all, a pretty decent concert outing but my heart is still wrenching from the realisation that I could have bought a Gucci bag (ok, from the monogram series which I don’t fancy much anyway) from all the concert outings this year (actually I think I can get a Neverful, but then again, do I need another bag)! So perhaps it is a good thing Death Cab sold out! Thanks mari for the photos.

KTV peeps who lucked out as we managed to move quite a number of rows
closer to the stage (for free!), oops this means poor sales for Gary.
mich for once you look like the 鬼！

Tacky, getai-esque costumes are a requisite for a Mando-pop concert,
complete with my kinda heels no less. A for effort!

He sang Sinatra’s My Way as a duet, his falsetto was very impressive indeed.

I went to bed with Karl Lagerfeld …

2008-07-02T09:05:00.001+08:00

… CD playing last night :) OK, so many things wrong with that statement but let’s not dwell on it. I guess this is about as close as I can get to my 2.55 for now.

What's playing on your iTunes today?

The architect and the prostitute

2008-06-19T19:48:00.004+08:00

I have always found Freakonomics a superrrr hilarious read with some pretty acute insights. I have been meaning to pull out the para on the architect and the prostitute for the longest time but well, I procrastinate.

The delicate balance between these factors helps explain why, for instance, the typical prostitute earns more than an architect. It may not seem as though she would. The architect would appear to be more skilled and better educated. But little girls don’t grow up dreaming of becoming prostitutes so the supply of potential prostitutes is relatively small. Their skills, while not necessarily 'specialised' are practised in a very specialised context. The job is unpleasant and forbidding in at least two significant ways: the likelihood of violence and the lost opportunity of having a stable family. As for demand? Let’s just say that an architect is more likely to hire a prostitute than vice versa.

Well for those of you who are still in architorture, that was what they have to say about wages and occupations. The chief argument here is the immutable law of labour: when there are a lot of people willing and able to do a job, that job generally doesn’t pay well. So thank me for being a quitter and contributing in some ways to a better paying industry for you guys. :) The next drink is on you! **muchas gracias**

The nerd and the pirate

2008-06-10T17:50:00.004+08:00

Happy belated birthday Mari! (aka pirate/hello kitty/confused character)

btw, check out the red watering-can bag, love it!

n.e.r.d

2008-06-09T09:15:00.002+08:00

Being a nerd this wkend was a lot more difficult that I thought, in more ways than one.

To YSL

2008-06-02T17:34:00.002+08:00

Another bright flame snuffed. The Le Smoking tuxe, so minimalist yet so luxe, will always be one of the classic silhouettes entrenched in the history of glad rags, in my memory at least.
Goodbye YSL, you will be missed.

Annie Annie quite contrary

2008-06-02T11:13:00.002+08:00

Thanks to SQ, I finally caught Life through a Lens on my return flight (demand movies rock!) after my failed attempt at this year’s SIFF. I have always admired Annie Leibovitz’s works, especially her portraits. They are so stark and raw, so intense and yet so very honest at the same time.

While she started out at Rolling Stones (erm, actually not quite my era) but admittedly it was her works at the fashion/movie shoots which first drew me to her. I mean who can forget that photo of the preggers Demi which countless yummy mommies have since copied. Anyway catch the documentary to hear her discourse on her more iconic works to date.

Now if only my June issue of Vogue with SJP would just hurry along now! Or maybe Santa will drop a copy of A Photographer’s Life in my stocking this year.

Meet the Flintstones @ Cross Street

2008-05-29T11:59:00.002+08:00

In the dinosaur era where I earn my keep, we still do our media monitoring on VHS tape (telly) and cassette tape (radio). I felt my age this morning when my 18yo intern cast me a blank look when I handed her a cassette and tape recorder for obvious reasons (to me at least). Yup, I had to teach her, step-by-step, how to use the freaking machine in the end, gawd. Talk about a generation gap.

That said, I had to teach a peer how to insert an image file in Word (whine: “but I can’t cut and paste”) this morning as well.

There are all kinds out there, beware.

台湾赞！

2008-05-25T20:50:00.019+08:00

A quick respite, well basically a week of non-stop eating and eating (and eating, lots of 小吃！), some shopping (yes only some), some sights, lots of friendly folks, a bit too much rain. Some highlights of the short escape.

Gaawd, I really need to get ps installed in this pc!

At the grand old age of 27, I have morphed into a groupie, eeks! Spotted at 林宥嘉 concert, the producer of 星光, mind you, the PRODUCER, as I was corrected by the man himself when I asked if he was one of the judges. The concert was something else, I think for such a young performer, he has the talent and versatility to go far. Also spotted were SHE, Joanna Wong (this newbie, good vocals), the judges and contestants from 星光, 动力火车, 康康 etc. 吴宗宪 was the guest performer (!!!), super funny as usual.

A short detour to 花莲, hosted by a very amiable and generous Joanne (Sam's friend back from Ohio days). Sam I want your photos!

I am seldom the shortest in a group photo but this trip has been humbling :(

One of my fave shots, very poseur zen hor.

Just as we were chatting about how a celeb spotting will complete the trip, with the likes of 阿信, Mike He, Chang Zhen, Jolin, Elva etc etc etc, we bumped into NoNo while shopping at 东区, a quaint shopping district with niche shops scattered in a residential area.

What’s Taiwan without a pilgrimage to one of the many multi-storey KTV joints? The rooms are super ultra luxe lah! With en-suite bathroom, the most amazing selection machine and power sound system no less! AWESOME, definitely one of the highlights.

More photos in a bit. (Sam are you reading this???) 台湾七日游，任务成功！

Hey Presto, it is clean again!

2008-05-15T10:33:00.000+08:00

This place is AWESOME! After 3 different dry cleaners, including the VERY RUDE lady at the basement of United Square, Pretso managed to remove the wood varnish stain on my white dress (which I have only worn once)!!

Technically the idea should be to be more careful and less of a klutz but well, I can’t alter my DNA.

C8H10N4O2

2008-05-13T08:38:00.001+08:00

Gawd I have never felt a more compelling need for caffeine at this moment in time. A desperate bid to kickstart my system PRONTO. I think I am getting old, early-morning broadcast slots didn’t use to frazzle me this much.

Go speed racer!

2008-05-09T15:51:00.006+08:00

The trailer looked kinda cheesy, very OTT but the movie ROCKS! Love the psychedelic sets, the saturated colours, the anime genre borrowing/tribute. A pretty good cast too (granted Christina Ricci still scares me a little, although even Rain was passable) with a kitschy OST to boot (heart heart)! It seems like an oxymoron to call it a retro CGI-heavy movie but catch it to get my drift. Ah, drift, a word close to my heart :)

The Wachowski brothers are brill!