Altar Of Lilith

Coach Final Sale Now On!

2011-12-22T22:24:00.001-08:00

Jimmy Choo End of Season Sale!

2011-12-20T17:12:00.001-08:00

Check it out!

Longchamp Horsey is in-store now!

2011-12-14T04:46:00.001-08:00

Only 1 piece folks! $1020 retail price at Longchamp ION boutique!

Johor Premium Outlets Promotion

2011-12-09T21:23:00.001-08:00

The Valiram Group is having a promotion for purchases made at the Johor Premium Outlets.

Check it out!

Raoul Sale in Singapore!

2011-12-08T07:10:00.001-08:00

Up to 40% off for Raoul items!

Breastfeeding Herbal Supplements

2011-12-06T22:35:00.001-08:00

It's been quite a while since I last saw 350ml days per pump. So I recalled that my DS' PD told me about a prescriptive drug that I could consider taking.

Stubborn ol' me however wanted to go natural first. So I tried taking Fenugreek. Well, I wouldn't say that it didn't work. But I had to have like 3 capsules 3 times a day and drink like 8 to 16 ounces of water with each batch.

I also took herbal teas like Sacred Tea from www.originsjamu.com and also www.bebeavenue.com.

But ultimately the thing that worked best for me was all the above combined with one domperidone tablet everyday.

Get from your child's PD or your gynae if you need it.

I bought my first Longchamp!

2011-12-01T02:54:00.001-08:00

Yay!!! I am so happy!!

The Longchamp Darshan Collection went on sale at 60% off!!

Bought my very very first Longchamp at the size that I wanted. Of course I would probably have preferred the long handle but since they were all sold out, I got this instead.

Love it!!

Longchamp Le Pliage "Bird Feather" Tote

2011-12-01T02:43:00.001-08:00

For those of you folks still interested in this piece, the medium long handled version in Olive Green is still available at Isetan Scotts Orchard Singapore.

Now at 20% discount! Will cost about S$300+.

Longchamp Le Pliage Noel Tote

2011-12-01T02:36:00.001-08:00

Just popped into the ION Orchard Longchamp boutique today on a whim.

Good grief! I have no idea why anyone would want to buy this awful piece. Not only is it ugly, it appears to be made out of cheap felt with the dingy snowman and horse looking all frayed and old.

S$846 for this? No way!

Fate and the elusive rubbish bin

2009-11-25T07:53:00.000-08:00

The first question that popped into my mind was, "how on earth do the japanese keep their streets so clean with no bin in sight?!" I mean seriously, if after walking for over 200 meters and there's still no bin in sight, that piece of trash would likely already be on the floor by then. But the streets were so absolutely spotless that I would feel insanely guilty if I threw my gum wrapper on the street.

I honestly wonder how they do it. The fabric seats are so spotlessly clean on the public trains that you want to lean your face against the seat and caress the fabric. Even the supposedly stale heated air smells good...

Oh and by the way, the 6 degree of separation rule? It's NOT a rule.. its a LAW~!!! And 6 degrees is way too much... I think 3 should jolly fit the key, some one seriously needs to relook the total number of degrees.

Tell me, how do you go about looking for a friend in the vast city of Tokyo without his contact number, email and when he doesn't respond to facebook messages? Honestly, it's probably easier to just try NOT to meet up.

But ah hah! Here FATE plays a major role. It's incredible and entirely unbelievable even, but as luck may have it, my hubby's Japanese counterpart knows this friend of mine personally~!! Over breakfast at the hotel lobbey, the Japanese lady Yumiko mentioned that she was going to visit a Singapore scholar from a Singapore Uni who is studying at the university. I drew the connection but of course, we are talking like 1 person out of the entire Singapore population of 4.4 million who is a student who happens to study at that same university as my friend. I mean honestly, what are the chances that she knows him right? Probably next to zilch and nada. Still, just trying my luck, I asked if the student happened to be <>.

And guess what? It was~! We all got so excited that we almost all jumped up to hug each other. But in the end, Yumiko san passed the message and we all got to meet up. My friend then told me that he intended to meet Yumiko only in the afternoon of the day I was leaving so if Yumiko did not have breakfast with me that day and if my friend decided not to meet her earlier, we would all not have known that everyone knew everyone and we wouldn't have been able to meet.

And then, dear hubby went on to visit a place. As luck would have it, the no. 2 of that place was my hubby's primary school and secondary school senior. Yikes! We seem to be meeting up with fellow Singaporeans more than we do in Singapore~!

Somehow this year, I feel like celebrating Christmas

2009-11-12T07:36:00.001-08:00

Yes, amazing as it sounds, this person who simply hates to celebrate anything has finally been bitten by the Celebration bug. I think it probably comes with the baby...

Ever since Wally arrived in my life, somehow every single day I am itching to find something to celebrate.. whether it's his first Halloween, first bite of solids, or even the first time he is wearing a new romper! Somehow I wish that Wally was there to celebrate my wedding for me even... If he had been born before I got married, Wally would have been there to see Daddy and Mommy put their signatures down and become lawfully wedded people.

This has got me thinking that maybe I should go and take wedding pictures again. This time with Wally in them. And if sometime later I had another kid, it would be yet another excuse to go take wedding pictures with BOTH of them too~! Haha~ That would be fun wouldn't it? I've already bought Wallace his very first tuxedo.. AH! yet another thing to celebrate.

Soon, Wally will be able to celebrate my 2nd wedding anniversary with me and also our very first Christmas together. I dunno why but really I really really want to celebrate christmas with my dear little boy together with the darling hubby wubby... What present should I buy for Wally?

Fell in love with a Prada

2009-07-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

Yes yes, call me a faithless bitch, but I've actually fallen in love with a bag from Prada for once... Made of soft buck/deer skin, it's part of the latest SS 09 collection and has that fantastic gradient treatment.

I missed out the gorgeous LV Mirage the last round, what with it being limited edition and all, so I am in total anguish at the second chance at this great piece from Prada. Unfortunately the price in S'pore is not so nice... Priced at S$3120, I am thinking whether I should just give up and go. Another thing is, I am such a careless person, I will probably soil and spoil the buck leather within weeks of acquisition.

However, I have just gone onto the official Prada website and it appears that its a lot cheaper when purchased online and delivered to the UK where the Godma of my son resides. Am seriously considering whether I should ask her to help me buy and then get one of our returning friends to bring it over for me. Its GBP950 which makes it about S$2250 at the current exchange rate.

How ah? Should I buy it?

Time heals everything... fate is a wonderous thing

2009-07-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

I have to agree sometimes fate is a weird thing.

Once upon a time, I gazed on photos of someone else with tears of sadness that get swallowed back down into the depths of my heart. Yet years later, I can look at the very same photo and smile knowing that the person who was once so important may have already become a stranger, but yet i remain content knowing that he/she is happy with what they have in their life.

AY said that she must stop being jealous. But as ES said to me, human emotions such as desire, passion and jealousy are innate in all of us. As long as these emotions remain part of human nature, we will never be rid of them.

I look at Wallace and wonder at the miracle of life sometimes. How is it that this Little Boy out of the million of other little souls queuing up in heaven came to me? And I think again about the other hundreds of unwanted babies that are aborted or miscarried and wonder again about fatedness.

Time erases the tides of pain. People always say that time heals all wounds... I cannot agree more... so if any one is hurting out there, be content knowing that one day all will be well and cherish all that you hold now and that will come in time...

It's been 2 years at the Clan!

2009-07-01T22:25:00.001-07:00

Wow... It's been 2 years... 2 short but eventful years at the clan... I got married, my desk got shifted, I got pregnant, I got a kid, I got small bonuses along the 3way, underwent a handful of training courses and I am now on maternity leave.

It seems just yesterday that I first stepped in and sat down at my desk.. yet at the beginning of this month, I was already training an intern to take my place and cover me while I am gone. The intern tells me that he may have to leave even earlier. hey that reminds me!! I should attend the online courses everyday! There are now a myriad of online courses available on my company website/intranet... wahah! At last! Some semblence of meaning and goals in my life.

I am starting to want to go back to something meaningful that can occupy my entire morning and afternoon other than staring at the black box known as the TV. Maybe I should go back to work earlier... Arghh... I never truly understood the pains of being a stay at home mom...

If there's anything I have discovered about myself during this one month, is that I don't like to stay at home and I definitely dislike lying in bed unless its with the man in my life undressed.. wahahah! whoo hoo!

Damn, my heart is straying to the secular world again... new life, new journey... ARGHHHH I miss my old life! Hahaha!!!!!

CATS - not quite what I expected

2009-04-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

I must admit, what with all the rave reviews and high praises, I was expecting a production that was vibrant, full of colour, bright, cheerful, exciting and with a fascinating set that changed with each song.

To sum it up, I was probably expecting a feline version of "Chang and Eng". Needless to say, I was therefore very disappointed.

Firstly, I found the very start of the musical a complete turn off. The music was too loud, the lights too flashy and yet were able to completely mask and obscure the stage in darkness and shadow. I found myself squinting very hard against the dim lighting on stage while the cats came in to prance around and dance. I am not sure if the performers are aware, but when the lights are turned down suddenly, people tend to need at approx 5 mins for their eyes to adjust to the darkness.... the floodlights in the eyes of the audience definitely did not help the temporal night blindness.

It was all highly interactive with the cats dancing on the parapets and coming up close and personal with the audience (I was after all in the Cat A foyer stalls so I did get a rather good view). However, I had at the very least expected some semblence of a story line, considering that Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote such a fantastic musical for Phantom of the Opera.

Unfortunately, CATS can basically be summarised into one sentence: A bunch of cats hoping to be the chosen one.

In between, every one was just taking turns to sing and dance as a way of introducing themselves. Of course, as expected, the underdog or undercat in this case, always wins... thus poor ugly, unwanted and abused Grisabella gets to be chosen... so what's new right?

Unlike 'Chang and Eng' which was presented with many smooth transitions from one scene to another, with a great many touching and tear wrenching moment, not to mention the unforgettable "Mai Pen Rai"... the only thing that came close to being a little bit moving was when Grisabella sang "Memory"...

The thing was, having heard the voice of someone like Susan Boyle.... the performer who played Grisabella was a poor excuse for a singer.... I bet Susan Boyle would have done a much better job playing the said role. This singer had too weak a voice which could hardly stir the emotions, plaintive as she may have tried to sound. I don't know the name of this lady, but she's definitely no Elaine Paige.

To be fair, I did read about CATS online before I decided to attend this evening's performance. I knew from the start not to expect much of a story line and I definitely understood that the story (or rather the lack of) surrounded a bunch of self-important cats hoping to be chosen to be reborn into the Heavyside Layer for a better life.

My question however is, if the Heavyside Layer was so fantastic, why doesn't old Deutronomy go himself instead of choosing someone every year to go? Also, the story doesn't tell us if any of those who previously went did come back to reveal what those wonders in the Heavyside Layer were.

I dunno, but the word "reborn" makes me a little bit skeptical. This Heavyside Layer sounds more like a hell to me than any heavenly wonder.... I bet the Heavyside Layer is probably in fact some Cat slaughter house which explains why no one ever came back to talk about it... Something like "The Island" or the "Pig's Heaven" in Charlotte's Web.

Anyway, if you are someone who just wants to sit in the theatre and not think of anything but just sit down and watch a bunch of humans pretending to be mostly faceless/nameless cats to entertain you with forgettable song after forgettable song and with hardly any conversation in between, then CATS is definitely for you.

Else, if you are like me who needs a story line to captivate you with some intelligent dialog, moving scenery and clear distinctions between the actors punctuated with some unforgettable classic songs, then I suggest to give CATS a miss.

Such a long time since I last blogged

2009-03-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

Ah, such a long time since I last blogged.

Not really blogging about anything in particular today other than maybe erm... Citibank shares? Wahaha.

Yes, I must say I succumbed and bought into the share fever especially when the Citibank shares hit that all time low of less than USD1. I wish I had more cash on hand to buy more though... Now that prices are about USD3, I could have made 3 times the amount of cash to buy my coveted LV pieces... Unfortunately, with a baby boy on the way, I'm afraid the LV niceties have gotta make way for the more important nappies.

Well, having hitched on the bandwagon somewhat late, I guess the only way now is to wait. Colleagues at the Clan indicate that we should all wait for the Q1 profit and loss results to be out. If its bad, buy more shares... if its great, time to sell sell sell...

Hopefully my Citibank shares can sell for a good price... I wanna get a new house... wahaha!!!

I think I must be kinda nuts... hit by a mega Barbie doll/The Sims fever. I've simply had too much fun running around getting the right stuff to decorate the new place but now that its done, I've started to feel bored again.

I realise that staying at home is probably not the thing for me. Much as I love to do nothing and have cash keep rolling in everyday, I honestly find it rather boring to be stuck at home and doing nothing constructive.

It might be a good idea to entertain myself by starting an online business the way AH has done. Unfortunately I am just lazy... Haha!

Recently, I have been thinking about Edinburgh quite a bit. I wonder whether the flowers along Princes have opened again? Or is it still too chilly, I wonder? Sigh, honestly I would very much like to bring a lappy, grab my Gucci and head out to the airport with my passport wrapped in LV. Then, I would get a ticket to go.. I dunno anywhere would be fine... maybe Hong Kong? Doesn't have to be far... but again with bb on the way, DH just doesn't think flying should be my thing.

I haven't visited Italy yet.. I think Milan and maybe Sicily would be nice in Summer. Another cuppa in Laduree in Paris would also be a good fix.... The closest thing I''ve had to that was breakfast at Delifrance on my birthday... wahaha.. somehow that felt very nice.

Ah... miss NC who is currently in Taiwan... I guess she should be headed back to Scots soon... Hmmm the Damier Neverfull is hitting the UK soon... damn... maybe I should ask LT to help me buy and i pay him back.. it should make a fantastic baby diaper bag... LOL

I feel really really down...

2009-03-02T06:33:00.000-08:00

I have to admit it.. I am feeling really really down...

I mean, its not like I don't like my job or that I've got nothing to do or whatever.. it's just a feeling of despair... boredom... and a craving to get out and go on a nice long leave.

Honestly, I don't have to travel to Milan or Paris to go shopping... I just want to get out of Singapore... its terrible the way things are now since its just absolute boredom that attempts to drown me.

It's not that my job isn't challenging but I feel that my life has come to a point whereby I just want to go for a nice long holiday by myself and do nothing but laze in a nice cafe having breakfast, maybe enjoy the fresh morning air and then spend the afternoon at some Parisian style cafe sipping chamomile tea and eating a lemon slice or something.

Even shopping bores me! Can you believe it? I actually find myself not enjoying the spoils of my purchases the way I used to. Maybe its cos' I am using my own money.. maybe it's cos my hubby stopped buying me christmas, birthday and valentine's gifts? Whatever it is, I find myself spending money like water but yet derive little satisfaction from it.

I know its just me. I am not exactly burned out, but I lost motivation and drive somewhere along the way again. I find myself lying awake at night unable to sleep, but also find myself unable to wake in the morning.

I sometimes feel like crying and also like laughing out loud. I find myself shedding tears of depression, but also tears of jubilance. Maybe I am going nuts by going in circles trying to find something that will make me not so bored, but ultimately not succeeding other than to continually bore myself with trying to find ways not to be so bored.

Then again, I think I have found my answer. I hate long drawn out processes because yes, they bore me to death. I hate having to have a single letter vetted by 10 pairs of eyes. I hate having to wait for 9 months before my baby comes out. I dread the prospect of having to stay in Singapore for the next 10 years until my baby grows old enough to understand the world and what it potentially holds. I dread the next 3 months while I wait for baby to grow. I repel the idea of having to stay in Singapore for the next 3 months and not being able to go away for a nice long holiday in Korea or Japan or wherever.

I just hate it. So damn hate it. I want to be able to take leave and fly away for a full month and go appreciate the shopping culture of Milan, bask in the warm subshine of Sicily and maybe spend a week in rainy Scotland visiting my son's Godma.

Oh yes, and I hate the prospect of having to save every single cent and scrimp for my son's education and well-being... I'd honestly rather be saving Singapore's economy by splurging on some branded luxury that I probably don't need.

Arghh I hate this life.. so utterly utterly boring... somebody just kill me... before this drawn out process does

非常讨厌的工人

2009-02-02T04:51:00.000-08:00

他妈的，真让我想破口大骂。没看过这么烂的女佣，真让我心寒。

我终于明白我的家婆为设么不要帮我看我的小孩。原来，她一直都以为我没有尊重他的意见，跟工人已经讲好了。而我却以为他一直没有把我当媳妇看，不重视我未出生的小孩，不把我的小孩当孙子。

原来都是这个可恨的女佣搞的鬼。这个烂女佣还跟我家婆说，等我生了，小孩就给女佣看，女佣也并搬到我的新家和我们一起住。我家婆也就生气了，觉得我这个媳妇不会做人，没有请他老人家驱住，反而叫女佣去。

我真的是又气又恼。首先，我到底有没有搬去我新家住还是一个大问题。第二，这个女佣好吃懒做，凡事粗心大意错了就拼命为自己找借口，讲她多几句她又会顶嘴。这种女佣，我哪里会想要请啊？

上个星期六，我的新家开了过年派对，这个烂女佣竟然指折我，说我浪费钱，一直用纸巾来擦干碗碟，我应该买多些桌布，让他们这些女佣比较方便。我那晚的脚特别的酸痛，女佣的这句话跟让我发了脾气。

“谁说我没有桌布？你有没有问过我？谁叫你用纸巾来擦干碗碟？你觉得我先千多吗？请你别assume!” 说着，我转身就走。

在眼角中，我看见其他的女佣投在暗暗的笑。我也懒得去管，因为几个月前女佣没把妈妈家的地板擦干，害我摔了的事，我还放在心上。我并没有原谅他，因为当我问他为设么不擦干一点，女佣既然怪我说地板一定会湿，干吗没有看清楚就踏进来。

这种女佣，你说，我还会邀请他看我的小孩吗？

I got myself a Gucci... wahaha!!!

2009-01-29T06:42:00.000-08:00

Yes, go ahead... accuse me of wasting my moolahs while the economy is taking a severe beating... Hey.. someone's gotta do it... if everyone stops the C, the GDP outout goes kaput! I am doing my country's economy a favour!

Anyway, went shopping today for something from the Coach Amanda series in purple... but I left Orchard Road with a Gucci instead..

Too bad, the thing about Coach is always that their more popular items will always get sold out really quick... (thank goodness I bought my limited edition pink one early!) needless to say, with all that rich jewelled tones, the Amanda collection was long gone already!

Being the LV lover that I am, I still had to make my pilgrimage to the holy Mecca of Parisian handbags - LV... Haha, I know that I am definitely not going to get myself an0ther LV... i think I am starting to recognise the folly of my ways because that doggone Passy in Ivoire Epi costs 3 times as much as the Gucci I just bought.

Still, I just had to pop in to take a look at the amazing array of candy colours that the Alma now comes in for the Vernis leather. Frankly, after seeing the real thing I am not that enamoured anymore... Amazing... I hail this day that the Alma in Amarante Vernis no longer moves my heart.

Anyway, after having trawled all the hallowed halls of LV, Chanel, Dior and Fendi (I almost took out my credit card for a Celine by the way... gorgeous colour that yellow) I decided to take a final look at Gucci before I walked out to TANGS.

I was almost ready to walk out of the store already when the nice SA Emily took out the bag. It was greyish brown GG plus canvas with white leather straps handstitched to the bag's main body. Big and roomy, it was almost the size of the largest LV Neverfull but comes with a zip which I like.

Took the bag to use today like 2 hours after I bought it and I love it.. hehe! Waterproof because of the GG plus canvas which has been treated and yet secure enough with a zip... dumped my umbrella, drink container, cosmetics blah blah but still got lots of room.

Hehe, love it!

Horrors! Change of priorities!!

2008-12-27T19:07:00.000-08:00

I am amazed... I have actually stopped my daily pilgrimge to www.louisvuitton.com.

No doubt I am still in love very much with LV, but somehow along the way, I have taken a fancy to a multitude of other things relating to motherhood.

Sure, some things haven't changed... I still recognise LV products when they get flashed on the screen via product placement, but I don't get excited about upcoming ones anymore.

Of course, yes, if anyone wants to bequeath me some in their will or as a birthday present, I will more than welcome the act. And yes, there are some things still don't change.. such as please don't buy me flowers for any reason whatsoever... the only type of flowers I appreciate are the flowery bills known as currency notes... Honestly! I rather have jewellery...

Still, LV is likely going to be an indulgence of the past now... sigh.. the sacrifices that people make...

My new home is almost ready!!!!!!!!!!

2008-12-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

Finally!! My kitchen is almost done, the doors varnished, the wall paint is dry and the blinds are up!

I am very excited at seeing my furniture after it enters the house.. wahaha!!! Wish the furniture can all come together in one day but it can't.. damn.. they need time to do up the sofa...

Still, yay!! My house is almost done!! It's a very nice warm yellow with wooden ceiling fans and wooden doors.... white ceramic tile flooring in the living room and warm timber flooring in all of the rooms... best of all, my master bedroom toilet has had a nice rain shower installed! What I have always wanted!!!

This Sat, we will get our dear brothers to help with the drilling for the paintings to be hung while the bed and the wardrobe come in... then we clean clean clean... and I can then finally put up the soft furnishings like the bedsheets, comforter, and shower curtains... HEHE!!

So happy! Now that my house is almost done, I am almost itching to start doing someone else's house... haha!

My mommy went to Bangalore!

2008-11-21T19:10:00.000-08:00

Aiyo.. mommy went to Bangalore but I can't go... too much work amongst other reasons.. sob sob... miss my mommy already

There's something magical about Scottish waters....

2008-10-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

Honestly! I think there's something magical about Scottish air and water that helps erm... shall we say, builds a healthy body?

I'm really not sure if its because of the crisp, fresh air, or the slow pace of life. Then again, maybe its the softness of Scottish water that helps to regulate the acidity of one's body to make it more balanced?

Whatever it is, Scottish waters are great for the mind, soul and especially the body... can someone please bottle some over to sell please?

Getting through the day with my trusty Citi SMRT Platinum Visa!

2008-10-24T04:33:00.000-07:00

This is a blog entry on how one can get through the entire day using only one card... the very trusty Citi SMRT Platinum Visa~! Life IS better...

830am: Bus ride to work
Oops! Late for work! I grab my handphone and my 2-in-1 ez-Link cum Credit Card and only realise that I forgot my wallet after I've tapped my card as I get on the bus. My bus pulls in at the bus stop outside the MRT station.

8.45am: MRT ride to work
Oh no! Only 5 cents left in my ez-Link purse on my credit card as I tap and get off the bus! Never mind, my card is on the Auto Top-up facility so it automatically revalues my card when I enter the MRT gantry. Thank goodness for Auto Top-up! I get to the office without a hitch.

9.15am: Venue change for Team Breakfast
"Ring ring!" My mobile rings... AH tells me the venue has changed from Killiney's to McDonald's. No sweat! I walk over with the team. While they have grabbed their wallets, my Citi SMRT Platinum Visa is tucked into the front of my jeans. Love fridays because its dress-down day!

9.30am: Team Breakfast at McDonald's
"One $2 Breakfast set with tea please!" I say, and swiftly pay with the ez-Link function of my Citi SMRT Platinum Visa. All in a matter of seconds, while the guy in the next queue fumbles for his spare change. Who says McDonald's doesn't accept card payments? It's really all about what type of card you have!

1.30pm: Lunch time!
JL has a dim-sum craving so we head for Crystal Jade. At the end of the meal, again we pay with the Citi SMRT Platinum Visa, only this time, we use the credit card function. A good meal with all the benefits at a Citibank Gourmet Pleasures partner with plus a 2% rebate on your Citi SMRT Platinum Visa. What more are you asking for?

4pm: Tea break
EY calls up. "Let's do coffee! I've got some great stuff to discuss with you!" Again, I grab my Citi SMRT Platinum Visa. "Coffee Bean!" I suggest. We end up having coffee, scones, muffins and more. "Oops, no cash!" exclaims EY. "Don't fret! We'll use my card and get 5% rebate at coffee joints to boot!" I tell EY confidently.

8pm: Dinner
I meet Hubby for dinner. This time, he has his wallet and brought along the vouchers he has redeemed with the rebates earned previously on his Citi SMRT Platinum Visa. We tuck into a Japanese dinner for two at Sakae Sushi and pay using the vouchers. Yay! Dinner is free~

8.45pm: Buy toiletries
Mom calls with a request to help buy some toiletries. On top of the toilet paper she has asked for, we also buy shaving blades, shampoo, soap and other essentials. On the sly, I run to the corner for a pregnancy kit too! SHHH!!!! UOB? No thanks, I've got my Citi SMRT Platinum Visa that also gives me up to 2% rebate for health and beauty purchases.

9pm: Taxi to home sweet home!
The car went for servicing today, so we take the cab home laden with our purchases. This time, we pay with the SMRT Platinum Visa $10 vouchers that Hubby redeemed which can be used for both ez-Link top-up at the station control, or to pay for your taxi fare with SMRT Taxis.

9.30pm: To bath and bed!!!
I kiss my hubby and my Citi SMRT Platinum Visa a very good night... ;p

My plant is drowning in salt!

2008-10-13T07:14:00.000-07:00

I was quite certain that my plant at the office was infested with some disease. The soil was coated with this white crusty layer and the stem near the roots were also coated with the same white crusty nonsense.

Try as I might, I couldn't find any disease that was white and crusty. White and fluffy, cotton looking yes... that's mealy bugs infestation... but white and crusty? There was no such disease...

A search on google brought up the root cause (pardon the pun)... it's pure and simple salt!

Now before you start thinking that I am such a ninny as to water my plants with salt water, I assure you that I don't! However, I don't exactly water my plant with tap water... I use filtered water.. Unfortunately, the filter in the office is probably rather lacking in purpose. My potable water really doesn't taste very good.

I initially figured that if I could drink the water, my plant should too, since filtered water is supposedly good for you. But its only after realising the origin of the salt did I remember why my home filtered water always has a particular taste soon after its first clean... I gather the little brown ceramic beads in the filter has this effect.

Come to think of it, Singapore water being cleansed from our human liquid waste, its little wonder that we need vast amounts of chlorine and fluoride in it to make it good... (My fishes died faster after Singaporeans switched to personal pee consumption for tap water, my fish seller tells me its the excessive cholramide used to treat the water).

So.. I'm going to try and immerse the soil to purge the salts.... will let you know if it works.. else its time to throw out the plant for a new one

If you died tonight...

2008-10-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

If you died tonight, would you gladly take the hand of the Grim Reaper and walk away without looking back? Would you be able to skip along in front of him knowing that you have done all that you have set out to do in this life and met the right people, or would you be going away unwillingly, constantly looking over your shoulder at the things that have been left undone and with many words left unsaid?

If I were to die tonight, I am content in knowing that I have married a good man. I am secure in the knowledge that the Clan will not fall without me, and that I have not worked myself to the bone without spending my time with the family in the bid to forge a career.

If I were to die tonight, I am happy that I have played when I should have and walked the world as I have. I am satisfied knowing that while my death is mourned, I too have made many good friends all around the world who may miss me while I am gone, but with who I have spent many countless nights sharing our happiness and our woes.

If I were to die tonight, I am at peace, knowing that I have enjoyed my share of wealth, health and fortune. I am fortunate to have shared a cup of tea in Paris or a slice of cake in Scotland with my loves ones. I have indulged sufficiently in luxury goods and I have made at least one person's life better with my existence.

If you died tonight, would you be able to say the same or more?

Thank you for being such great friends!

2008-09-28T02:09:00.001-07:00

I am really glad that I actually have such great friends...

Without my prompting, Jo Ho had described my beloved Gucci to Nickie already! Unfortunately, there is just no Gucci in Edinburgh so I have truly missed a great buy! Else I am sure they would have helped me buy it... with my own money left over in Scotland of course.... Wahaha!

Paris once again... 2008

2008-09-27T03:07:00.000-07:00

I've probably done a quick overview of this already, so I am trying hard to delve into my poor memory to give you a better, more in-depth analysis into my recent trip to LV.. Sorry, I mean to Paris. Haha!

This trip was somewhat different from the previous one. For one, I actually managed to get to the bottom of the Effiel Tower and not just admire it from afar from Trocadero. We did, of course get to Trocedero in time for the 9pm "x'mas lighting" display, which was rather enchanting. Dinner was a long baguette stuffed with ham and cheese shared with Jo Ho, romantically under the not so starry Parisian skies with a view of the Grand Dame.

We didn't (again!!!) get to go up the Effiel Tower because the queues were much too long, stretching as far as the eye could see. We did, however, take a romantic scenic trip down the River Seine taking in the warm sunshine while listening to the plaintive sounds of a rich voice singing "La Vie En Rose".

And what trip could be complete without a visit to Madame Mona Lisa with her mystic smile that so bewitched an employee of the Louvre that he took it upon himself to steal her and hold her dear? Unlike the free 1st Sunday that first brought my feet to the Louvre and my eyes on her, this time, Jo Ho and I managed to get close enough to take picture with her... without flash of course!

For meals, we had one of the best Yaki Soba along Rue St Honore, lovely escargo in Cite, a baguette in Trocadero and a huge kilo pot of the finest mussels at Asniere Sur Seine. Not to forget, the fantastic Laduree with her captivating ambience and sinfully tempting desserts.

But most importantly, we shopped!!! From the little shops along Cite to Goyard, Gucci and of course, LV! I am hitting myself over and over again for missing out on the Gucci which was going for a song... Trying to find it in Edinburgh but as Jo has kindly helped me look, there is no Gucci in Edin... so I have missed it... ah.. perhaps this is fate.

The Indian/Pakistani uncle was flirting with us, all left, right and centre. Giving us a discount of 10 euros from the original price of 30 euros. Basically Jo Ho's 3 sets of coasters were like free? Not to mention the free gifts of 2 keyrings and 1 fridge magnet.

It was great excitement from Rue St. Honore to Champs Elysees after a well earned rest at Laduree. However, much as I was excellently served at Champs Elysees, they didn't have what I wanted, so I was shown the way to Rue Montaigne. "Go down this road and enter the lane which starts off at Hermes, a good place as well in addition to LV, "said he.. the very pleasant salesman.

I left LV with 2 bags and a tummy full of jus d'orange courtesy of LV... Jo Ho and I walked out very happy and contented, until we saw an uncle walking towards us with huge bags of LV, Hermes and Dior... I must admit, that deflated our ego somewhat.

Oh and yes... 5 mins too late to go to Gucci which was already closed.. sigh... why do all the stores have to close at 7pm?!! The sun only sets at 830pm!!!!! -grumble-

Trying to blog with missing keys on the keyboard

2008-09-27T03:02:00.000-07:00

You have no idea how tough it can be to be typing on a severely handicapped keyboard. This tatty lappy at hubby's house is missing the "n", "e" and the Up and Down keys.

So how exactly am I typing? By touching the sensors directly under my keyboard! Haha... feels so weird to have like zero resistance to my fingertips. Interesting sensation though.

Laduree? - YES PLEASE!!!!

2008-09-23T02:11:00.000-07:00

The Laduree which I went to was the one on Rue Royale which is perpendicular to the Oblisque at Place de la Concorde. Get off at the Concorde Metro and take a short walk.

I absolutely don't regret going to Laduree when I was in Paris with Jo Ho. Sure, one teapot of Laduree Medley and a slice of cake costs as much as a 3 course-lunch for one in Cite, but boy was it good!!! Think 12.70 euros.

We would have got in sooner if not the commotion at the front door which resulted in 2 different but not very distinct queue. One for take-away and the other for dine-in. With my highly limited kindergarten french, and the very pleasant waiter who spoke fantastic English, we managed to get an order.

The top layer of the cake slice was a crisp, wafer-like biscuit with a light bitterness of cocoa. The second later was a mix of lemon mousse and candied ginger cubes. I can't remember the name of this sweet treat, but one bite was simply pure heaven...

The tea was served in a precious silver pot with the handle holder monogrammed with an "L" for Laduree. In it, was a delicious, delectable blend which made an excellent tea.

My hotel receptionist tells me that there is another Laduree at 75 Champs Elysses. I didn't get to find out. If you have been there, let me know and do holler a rating!

Promise to publish pics soon, once I get home... they are already uploiaded from the cam, just need to get them from hard disk to blogspot.

I am starting to question...

2008-09-23T02:08:00.000-07:00

I am starting to question whether those so-called famous must-try items are all a distractor ploy for tourists.

What do I mean?

Well, when we went to Ireland, there was no such thing as Irish Coffee on or off the menu in any of the Irish pubs and cafes! And when we went to France to get a cup of Vietnamese Coffee in a Vietnamese restaurant, there wasn't one to be found either.

Last but not least, you definitely won't find Singapore Fried Noodle in Singapore but its incredible prevalent in Europe and UK.

So the question is, "HUH?"

I wanna be an LV ambassador!

2008-08-30T05:03:00.000-07:00

I have come to realise that I actually feel highly gratified when people around me slowly but surely fall in love with LV like I have!

Little Boss asked me exactly what on earth I like about LV, and frankly I am unable to put my finger on it.

Maybe its the fact that LV is made of leather or treated canvas. Maybe its the fact that they are so fuss free and easy to clean. Or maybe, it's because it is never on sale so I don't feel so upset as I do with Coach and Gucci when their sales come on. Then again, maybe its because from day 1, I have always felt special at LV, whether in Paris or in Singapore.

Whatever it is, Big Boss did tell me the other day that she is starting to like LV and is considering to ask me help her get the Neverfull.

I cannot help but smile!

Learning about myself...

2008-08-08T20:26:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing good about going for the Negotiation Skills course, it's that I finally get a quantifiable source to tell me what I have always known about myself.

Firstly, as much as I am a "rara" person.. one of the last words to describe me would be "sociable"... I personally think I am more of a social misfit than a anything else. Simply because I tend to offend people often when I am too friendly....

That said, I do realise of course that I am not a partnership person. Coercion and intimidation, it's the way to go baby!!! wahaha!!! Still, I think maybe I should seriously start thinking about my direction in life and consider to change my job if need be.

Actually, I do realise that I can be very good at analytics if I want to. If I have seen a similar problem before, I'll be able to adjust and counter the problem. However, because I am just so damnned left brained, I am very logical and therefore very structured.. out of the box is not easy for me.. gawd and I know it!

The salvation here is that left brained people are easy to change over. It's just a super conscious effort.

Mao Shan Wang - The Butter Durian!

2008-07-20T02:24:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, much as I am not a durian lover, I do like to think that I am a self-styled Durian connoiseur. Basically, that means that I am a damn fussy durian eater who refuses to eat anything that I personally deem as below my threshold of interest.

On a whim, Hubby decided to patronise the very brightly neon signed store which calls itself the "Four Seasons Durian Cafe". I haven't regretted it. Yes, we paid like $20 per kilo for one single 2kg Mao Shan Wang durian, but boy was it good!

Dry to the touch, moist and creamy to the palate, thick fleshy and a vivid yellow, my gawd... it's simply fantastic.. For something as fantastic (and expensive!) as this, 1 durian is more than enough...

Sad to say though, I shortly developed an allergy for this fella... started getting itchy with small bumps here and there... the rash faded rather quickly.. but yups.. it's just a holy sign from above... I have sinned!!!

Colors of wine...

2008-07-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

Different companies call it all a diofferent name..
A luxury car company calls it Black Magenta Onyx... a luxury bag brand calls it Amarante...

Ah.. that deep wine, blackcurrent colour... black on the surface but with the depth and gleam of wine, plum and maroon red...

I call it Gorgeous...

The unattainable always seems more palatable

2008-07-08T07:04:00.000-07:00

Sigh... why is it that things always seem more exciting when they are out of reach?!

My LV Alma MM in Amarante Vernis.... too farking expensive to buy.. that kind of price I can buy 4 Coach bags or 2 other LVs... but yet.. I LIKE!! I LIKE VERY MUCH......

*depressed*

A very stubborn Char Siew Pau uncle

2008-07-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

Ya know? I've never truly appreciated the art of the Char Siew Pau uncle downstairs at Blk 1 until today.

Before the visit to the Bird Park, Hubby and I went to Blk 1 to buy our usual Char Siew Pau fixes... to our surprise, there were none! The steamer was completely empty! Devoid of the usual plump, white paus filled with delicious, succulent, red marinated meat known as Char Siew.

The lady in front of me was carrying a kid, an adorable little boy who seemed t have as big a fixation of the uncle's char siew paus as I. When his mom ordered one and the uncle's reply was "today , don't have..." you should have seen the crestfallen look on his face.

He was brave, that boy, I give it to him. He didn't cry, he didn't make a scene nor throw a tantrum, he just looked really really sad and disappointed.

I guess the uncle gave in, because the uncle kept repeating, "today's paus turned out very bad. they've all got holes in them, too ugly.. cannot sell..." and gave the little boy one for free. I told the uncle I also wanted one, but uncle said, "sorry no more. dunno what's wrong with his paus today but they all turned out terrible, so no char siew paus... that was the last one."

Dunno real or fake, but the uncle.. i have to hand it to him.. he's very stubborn and strict on his QC.. I guess that's why his paus are always perfefct.. plump, moist, white, soft, deliciously stuffed with savory char siew in char siew sauce... hmmmmm!!!

Mega Mango Madness!

2008-06-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

Today is mega mango overload day...

For lunch, I had a Fresh Mango Juice drink coupled with Mango slices wrapped in Mango Crepes smothered with Mango ice cream...

For dinner, I had Mango sago with ice cream as dessert...

Mega Mondo Monster Mango Madness!! All I am missing now is a tee shirt from Mango MNG. Wahaha

A day out at Ubin with my hubby!

2008-06-28T07:59:00.000-07:00

Today is the first time that I have ever felt that riding along a bumpy country road on a bicycle can actually BE fun...

As you would probably have guessed, I am not exactly an avid sports lover, much less a biker. I honestly cannot bike to save my life, else I would probably already have joined the M1 Asia Challenge and slogged it out with my team.

Ed and Ad arranged a nice outing today to Pulau Ubin for a seafood lunch and a day of bike riding. Knowing that I can't ride to save myself, Hubby rented a nice two seater bike. Amazing~ The wind blowing in your face, the bumpy iGallop style riding over pebbles and discarded Kampung Durian seeds with the warm breezes blowing over you as you speed past the wooden huts selling cold drinks... Man! This is the life!

As usual, I arrived late so the others have already gone on and started biking around the island while I was still at Changi Village getting my breakfast. Still, riding with my hubby on the extremely short bumboat ride was still very fun. The day was warm with cooling breezes streaming through the open windows of the bumboat and none of that disgusting diesel smells that often accompany such boats. Ahh.. blue skies with blue seas.. it was lovely...

When we arrived, the first thing we did was to rent a nice two seater bicycle because yups, as I have said numerous times, I can't bike! And off we went on our nice shiny pink biycle with a nice dingaling bell in search of the others.

Halfway through, Ed called to say that they are turning back to have a drink at a "stall with a bright yellow signage"... almost impossible to miss... but which of course, I did miss... so we turned back when we found the first batch of the others who had already started biking back.

After a nice, cold 100plus and a coconut or two, off we went again to look at the Goddess of Mercy stone... As they say in China, 3 分享，7 分靠想象 so, I stood there staring very hard at the grey rock in the distance trying to envision the Goddess. Needless to say, I was not very successful considering that I am a very visual person without much of an imagination.

A very comic incident happened here though. It goes to show that if your Mandarin sucks, please don't try to force it. A Singaporean man was exclaiming very loudly, “有鸵鸟！来，我们大家来看鸵鸟吧！” I knew something was wrong because I was staring at the sign for the longest time trying to decipher where it was that mentioned a black ostrich... but the whole gin-gang of us including that man's friends still went up to the top of a small hilly area to hunt for the ostrich. There wasn't one, of course, because the sign was saying "乌(敏)岛" aka Pulau Ubin instead of "鸵鸟". Maybe he didn't think that the middle word was important.

After lunch, we went back to explore the island a bit more while the rest of the colleagues went on home. Unbeknownst to us, we were being followed! Shortly after we arrived at a lovely private cove, Ju and her hubby and their other 2 friends had followed us and arrived together to enjoy the lovely romantic little windy cove with its gigantic ant and breezes that blow both warm and cool. There we all stood admiring the view and the arrival of the planes coming in at Changi Airport.

Thus ends my nice day at Pulau Ubin with the hubby. Yups! I think I will go again!

LV really IS cheaper in France and UK!

2008-06-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, if you ever wanted concrete proof that LVs ARE cheaper in France and UK, look no further. Here is a quick comparison between Singapore, UK and France.

LV Bellevue GM in Cuir Vernis
Singapore = SGD 1590
UK = GBP 525 = SGD 1425 (difference = 10% before tax rebates for tourists)
UK = GBP 433 = SGD 1175 (difference = 26% after VAT rebate of 17.5% )
France = EUR 650 = SGD 1397 (difference = 12% before tax rebates for tourists)
France = EUR 567 = SGD 1218 (difference = 23% after VAT rebate of 12.75% )

LV Alma MM in Cuir Vernis
Singapore = SGD 3050
UK = GBP 1000 = SGD 2714 (difference = 11% before tax rebates for tourists)
France = EUR 1250 = SGD 2690 (difference = 12% before tax rebates for tourists)

*Disclaimer: I can't quite remember the taxes in UK anymore... but the last time i actually incurred shopping taxes, it was about 17..5% while when I was in France last year, taxes were like 12.75%. Prices and exchange rate as of today 26 June 2008 as per Yahoo! Finance exchange rates!

或许，可能，有机会！

2008-06-26T07:32:00.000-07:00

今天和小老板去谈生意，希望能和某家公司达成协议。

生意好象没有设么谈成，可是，我发现，其实我干吗不融合我对野兽的热爱与我对marketing 的experience 呢？

所以，过多几年吧，可是我绝对想好了，我要当好妈妈和好员工。唯有能量成全的solution 就是去动物园当行政经理！

WAHAHA! 我太聪明了！

---才怪----

我其实开始累了。。。

2008-06-25T07:10:00.000-07:00

不知不觉中，我在这里已经一年了。其实，你要说一年短，也并不是很短。可是说久，也当然不比那些在这里十几年的同事。认识我的人都知道，我是个急性子。怪了，感觉上，我已经奉献了我好多的青春，可是干吗就好像还是原封不动的呢？

今天又有人问我，在这里很久了吧？当我说：“一年”的时候，他们都会用一种很惊讶的眼神看我。奇怪，大家好像就觉得我在这里待了很就似的。。。其实，我也知道，就一年嘛！路还长得很哦！可是，我觉得我很快就觉得有点闷，有点累。

我很喜欢我的新的半个老板。我虽然不是他的人，也不会向他报告，可是，他就让我觉得很舒服，很放心的做我该做的。他不拘小节，好像很放心让我去。

我不是很喜欢看那些小东西。对我来说从一个consumer 的眼光来看，不管你的照片放左还是放右，只要好看，就ok。所以，如果是别人弄好了，要我看我的卡面放得够不够大，我也就满意了。可是，要我看那些小细节好像多一个"s" 或少一个“s", 对我来说不是很重要，除非english 乱七八糟。

我其实有点害怕。我并不想永远都在做我先在做的东西。我并没有想过我要当我这行饭的状元。我只想学很多很多不同的东西和做很多很多不同的事。

上个星期，我老公不在。在他不在的当儿，我一直都在想，我要干吗？没有老公的日子，还真的有些无聊。可是，在这淡淡的无聊时光中，我就想， 3 年后的我，会是谁？是管家的母老虎，是凶巴巴的妈妈，还是一个开开心心的我？

我的邻居在上班的途中告诉我，他换工了。我好好奇，他以前告诉我过我，他是念工程系的，突然间，他说他并不开心，就去念了一年的书，就来到了金融界打拼。Hours are long, 可是他很开心。

我也想开心一下。我想不如去念一下marine biology 好了。不能当医生，那当一当兽医也应该不赖吧？帮一些dugong 接生应该很适合我。反正我跟人类也并不很合得来。可能动物物会跟我比较有缘。

A very complex Hindi movie... NICE!

2008-06-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

I watched a very complex Hindi movie with my mom on Vasanthum Central on Saturday while waiting for Hubby to arrive back in Singapore...

It was basically about an Indian family in London with 2 lovely daughters.. of course right? They ALWAYS have beautiful, single, unwed daughters with their mothers trying to marry all their daughters off to some London based Indian man.

Gorgeous daughter No. 1 is Anu. Anu has a mother and a father who isn't her biological father. Shirani has a father and a mother who isn't her biological mother. Anu's bio mom and Shirani's bio dad are married to each other. That said, Anu is obviously then not Shirani's real sister and vice versa, but in the movie they refer to each other as sisters.

Anu's mom loves Shirani more because Shirani is not her natural daughter while Shirani's dad loves Anu more because she's not his natural daughter. Basically both parents think they owe it to their other half's child to be nicer so that people might not think that they are being mean step-parents to the other's child... if that makes any sense.

Then... Anu has a boyfriend named Danny who she left behind when she went to find herself elsewhere. Danny then fell in love with Shirani and they had a relationship. Shirani later met the man of her dreams named Kunal who asked her to marry him, which she agreed. Shirani's family then invites Danny along to attend the wedding.

Anu tries to spite Danny into jealousy thinking that he still loves her and that she is the reason that he is turning up at all for the wedding. So Anu pays a good looking hunk Aman to come to the wedding as her beau. In the cross of fates, Kunal asks Danny to be his best man.

Aman throughout the staged romance finds himself falling in love with Anu and wants to be with her. She, however, is extremely hurt when she finds out that the whole world knows that Danny came to the wedding for Shirani and not for her. Humiliated, she yells at Aman and tells him off, screaming that he is only in love with money and nothing else.

Aman intends to leave but is stopped by Kunal. Anu then realises that she too is in love with Aman only after he leaves and only after her non-biological dad tells her that she's wrong about denying her feelings because he is really Mr. Right for her.

10 minutes before the wedding ritual starts. Shirani admits to Kunal that she had a relationship with Danny which obviously drives Kunal wild with rage and jealousy. He runs after Danny but is coaxed by Aman to run back to the wedding into the arms of the woman he loves and who loves him in return...

Obviously, all's well that ends well and Kunal married Shirani while Aman is with Anu.

All this entire fiasco in just about 1 hour... phew! No wonder Hindi movies take so long! They've got so much to say in just 1 hour, and that excludes all the song and chereographed dancing!

Hubby knows me best!

2008-06-20T10:04:00.000-07:00

Hubby is now in Vietnam...

Apparently imitation goods are all the rage there right now.
All of Hubby's students are asking him why doesn't he buy some for his wife too?

His trying-to-be-polite response was, "er.. she don't like these brands" i.e. Chanel, Prada, Gucci and of course, LV...

I told him, you should have just told them frankly, "I don't buy fakes cos' she hates them and I can afford to buy her the real thing"...

Celebrating my 1st year work anniversary

2008-06-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

Amazing.. it's already 1 year!!

The same time last year, I was still a blur blur, gong gong sotong trying to fit in and find my way.
Today, I am a one year old fledgling doing the Train and the Thanks.

Frankly, I am quite pleased that I've stayed on and I hope to continue to do so and excel in my work. Still... I hope for a raise....

Sigh, I must say that money is still an issue for me. It sucks when you know things that you shouldn't.. It's not relevant how I found out.. what happens is that I did... Yes, I do wish I were paid more... but I also know that experience and doing well at your job counts too.

I am not letting this affect me adversely in any way, but when I am alone, I must admit that I do think of this. But if we are thinking of equity, I am also thankful for the chances I have gotten and the joy I am getting out of learning something new everyday.

Still, I am now 80% happy.. the remaining 20% can be made up for if I had a raise... I hope very dearly for one and so I look forward to the mid year appraisal. Hopefully, my bosses think that I have earned my stripes or maybe just one stripe, but which is enough to make me 100% happy.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! Alma MM in Amarante!!!!!!!

2008-06-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

What can I say? The pic speaks for itself... it's a dream...

Congrats VernisLover... I envy you....

More points to add on

2008-06-18T01:16:00.000-07:00

Ah, I was just re-reading what I wrote a couple of hours ago.

Yups, God was very kind, I DID get a lenient tester, I DIDN'T get routes 5,6, or 7 and I DID retain a good watchful eye and I DIDN'T meet any deranged drivers rushing back to office from lunch.

What I DID meet however, was rain. Lots and lots and lots of rain. Rain that I absolutely did not count on and failed to pray against, or rather ask Tinkie for help to pray against. This was a totally unforseen circumstance given the amount of sunshine when I awoke this morning.

And yes, I was ill-prepared for the ill weather because I never had any wet weather training that required me to look backwards at the rain splattered rear windscreen and try to decipher the tip of the pole amongst the raindrops.

Ah well... It's a lesson... we can think of everything, but when God decides to tweak, no amount of expectation can cover the unexpected...

No new LV for me...

2008-06-18T01:05:00.000-07:00

Yups.. the results are out.. I have failed... SOB SOB SOB!!!!!!!!!! No new LV for me!!!!!

Okie, that said, I think I could have done better, and to be absolutely fair, I had some great instructors and a very nice/lenient TP tester...

I refuse to blame it on the Cats and Dogs downpour that went on today. Instead, I blame only myself. I was too near when I should be further, and too far when I should be nearer. Deep down, I actually already know. I had had too little time in the circuit which goes to show why I did fantastic on the road (no demerits!) but lost everything in the circuit.

Tim asked me why I didn't come to work today. I SMSed him back to tell him that it wasn't yesterday's shopping that wore me out. Instead, I had a driving exam... which I unfortunately failed. Tim just laughs it off and says that it just gave me another reason to be chauffeured around.

Actually, Hubby is right. If other people of significantly lower IQ than me can get it even if it takes them 10 tries, I can jolly well try again.

The good thing about this entire fiasco is that if I do try a second or third time but still fail again, then I shall give up, offer myself up for a lifetime of being chauffeured around by my hubby and save on all the car instalments/parking costs etc and buy myself a new LV every quarter...

Today I take my practical driving test...

2008-06-17T19:04:00.000-07:00

... all the Netizens online say just to treat this like any other driving lesson. Afterall, we've already had ample practice, so just let loose because you know what to do! And it doesn't matter if you fail, just retake lor!

My stand-in Shifu Anthony tells me that if I perform the same as I did last night, I shouldn't have a problem. He even gave me his handphone number so that I can SMS that I have passed. He's THAT sure...

For me, I just pray really hard that I won't fail, I get a lenient tester, and that I don't forget how to do anything! The Netizens all say that the Traffic Policemen (TP) are not out to fail people because it just means more people to test in future. There is also a funny system of drawing lots. The person in front of you draws what you are supposed to get. Alamak... can die leh like that... I pray that the person in front of me has a lucky hand and draws me the easiest routes... just please.. not routes 5, 6 or 7!

I missed the "Stop" sign last night. Am supposed to stop immediately, check again (even if there are no cars oncoming) and then move off... different from the "Give Way" sign... Also gotta make sure that I don't mount kerb, else its an immediately failure!!!!! Arghhh HORRORS!

It should however, be fine la... The best part of this experience is when I pass.... Ta-Dah! I get a new LV!!! MUAHAHA!!! So if you see me posting a pic of my new LV in the next few days, you'll know for sure that I have passed... Let your congratulations flow!

Frankly, I haven't had this feeling in a long while. In the uni days, its the agony of taking an afternoon exam... the anticipation, the butterflies in the stomach... but when I think back, erm... it was only like 2 hours? All that pain and agonising wait for a mere 120 minutes of paper scribbling.

Today, it's going to be the same... 45 minutes max of driving along familar roads, doing what I have always been doing... If I don't meet any deranged driver rushing back to work after a prolonged lunch, I should definitely be more than fine!

Do please God, please give me a lenient tester, a watchful eye, courteous drivers who will drive slowly and an easy route so that I can pass on my first try.

Good luck to me and God Bless! And as Tinkie winkie often says... Amen!

I miss my hubby...

2008-06-16T03:56:00.000-07:00

People often tell me that I am afraid to be alone.
Personally, I beg to differ.

I am not fearful of being alone, I am fearful of being alone without my hubby....

Sorry to say, but I have grown very accustomed to his presence and solidarity. I have gotten used to the routine of him picking me up to send me to and fro from work. I miss his availability for being there for me just a phone call away...

Frankly, this feeling sucks...

I am not bored. I do have places to go and things to do... But without my hubby, sigh, even abalone seems to have lost its flavour... and that says volumes for me, lover of all abalone..

Sigh.. counting down... 2 more days to my Final Practical Driving Test and 5 more days before my hubby comes home...

I am a fan of Cheng Wen Hsing!!!

2008-06-15T00:48:00.000-07:00

I am so proud to cordially introduce myself as an official member of the Cheng Wen Hsing fan club set up by myself with only me, and I as the other members.

Wahaha! The purpose of this club? Is to gratiate myself and attempt to name drop that I know personally the No. 5 world ranking females doubles badminton player, Miss Cheng.

She may have lost to the China team for this year 2008's finals of the Aviva Cup, but hey! I still love her! Muacks muacks!

3 Cheers for Wen Hsing! In appreciation of her efforts at the Indoor Stadium today, I am off to cook her a delicious meal before we comes over...

PS: We're having crab!

Man! My brain aches!

2008-06-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

Have you ever experienced a really "siong" session at the local gym where after all those weights and BodyCombat sessions, you feel all the free radicals running around your muscles and you ache like hell?

Yea, my brain feels exactly this way at this point in time.

Of course, it is humanly impossible to physically be lifting weights in the celebral muscles up there in my head. However, I assure you... a session or 2 with "Who Has The Biggest Brain" just about does the same job.

If you haven't tried this application in Facebook, please do. It's addictive and bound to give you a headache the size of an asteroid. There are a total of 4 tests which tests your analytical skills, visual observation skills and some other 2 skills that I don't know the name of. I only know analyticals because it is supposedly one of my strengths, while visual observation appears to the that of Nickie's.

Arghh.. my brains hurt... I need a rest!

Warm hello to Nickie's sister

2008-06-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

2008 seems to be a very sisters' year for me. Just this year alone, I have already acquainted myself with 2 pairs of sisters.

Just recently, Peiling asked me to intro her sis a job at Citi. Today, April is my colleague doing problem solving on my behalf. And yesterday, I finally met Nickie's sister Xin after much hearing of her voice and shuttlecock expertise.

Frankly, I was a tad disoriented when I met Peiling's sister. They may share a similar face, but boy are their personalities insanely different! Worlds apart! I had always thought that as sisters, their personalities should at least overlap like sone Venn diagram because in some way I should see some part of the friend I know in the person who shares her life and blood! Noooo.. so wrong...

Nickie and her sister however, are quite similar... This, I can totally orientate. Maybe its precisely because of this that in the same way, I feel the bonding immediately with Xin and can hit it off as if I have known her for years instead of 10 minutes.

Thinking about it just makes me laugh all over again. You should see the way Xin says Nickie's common phrase, "并没有，好不好！" The way they say it, ah! Exactly the same. The tone, the manner, the facial expression, the way the head turns slightly to the side with the eyes and brow slightly furrowed. Haha! Xin just makes me miss Nickie all the more.

Doubtless Nickie and Xin are different people with a dissimilar face, but haha! I just like them both all the more. Ok lah, no fish, prawn also good lah. While Xin is here, I shall transfer my affection for Nickie to Xin for a while until September comes around again.

What I would like to have!

2008-06-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

Today, we are all cracking our brains to find something to buy for THANKS Mama son's 1st month celebrations. Big Boss suggested that when we all get pregnant, we must have a registry so that people can just buy you something that you need instead of something that we don't but ultimately get plenty of.

I have to agree. I am having a bit of trouble trying to find my lunch buddy Pei Chyi's bday pressie. I also dunno what to get as our Work Anniversary pressie for each other. I am at such a loss. Furthermore, Tim's leaving, so I also think I should get him something, but I don't know what!

I do know what I would like to have for my birthday/farewell/congrats etc though....
I am not fussy, whichever suits your budget, as long as its LV... -evil laughter-

Here they are!
1) LV Monogram - Palermo GM
2) LV Red Cuir Epi - Alma
3) LV Amarante Monogram Vernis - Summit Drive

Lilith had 3 LV bags... LV bags... LV bags...

2008-06-10T07:29:00.000-07:00

Lilith had 3 LV bags... LV bags... LV bags...
Lilith had 3 LV bags... LV bags... LV bags...
and that's against the rules!
- sung to the tune of "Mary Had A Little Lamb" -

Why against the rules? Because apparently the rule of my hubby is to have only 2 to match my basic clothing and be done with it. I have broken this rule because I got myself the 3rd brown one some time back and now I can't have anymore!

I have been officially banned by my husband on the purchase of yet another LV bag!
-grumble grumble-

Big Boss just came back from the Big Apple and bought herself an LV Speedy 30 in LV monogram canvas for a song... After doing my math, at the current exchange rate, I gather its approx S$900 or less. Damn! Not that an LV Monogram Speedy is that expensive in the first place. But still, ARGH!!!! S$900 you can only buy a Coach lor in Singapore! -puts on grouchy face-

I do however, want to take this opportunity to showcase my 3 bags for the sake of it. Air them out on the web for some tiny piece of self-satisfaction. Yes, I know these are the same pics shamelessly lifted from the LV website. I didn't take pictures of my own OK?! And relax, if I intend to sell them, I guarantee you the pics will be accurate, down to the tiniest scratch

My very first LV was the LV Speedy 25 in Noir Cuir Epi (Epi Leather in Black). To date, this bag remains my absolute favourite because it goes with everything, is in leather, easy to maintain and most of all, because Hubby bought it for me the first time we went to Paris in March 2007.

My next LV was also bought by my Hubby for Christmas 2007, my birthday and Valentine's Day all rolled into one. This is my LV Ivoire Cuir Epi Passy (Epi Leather in Ivory). Little Boss told me it was nice. I have to agree!

My 3rd and last (as of now) is my LV Toile Damier (Damier Canvas) Ribera MM. I bought this one while I was attempting to shop for the LV Monogram Canvas Palermo GM, which I ultimately to date have not bought. Andrea served me too well, I HAD to buy it!

I admit, I am a crazed LV fanatic. If I could afford it, I would probably deck myself from top to toe in LV. Unfortunately, for the likes of me with low income, I can only sit and drool....

Maxwell Stall No. 5 - Foo Chow Oyster Cake

2008-06-08T06:53:00.000-07:00

If the smells of batter being fried is not reason enough to indulge in this oil steeped delicacy, then the colour photocopy of Anthony's quote highlighted in bright yellow on the glass frontage and the numerous news paper articles pasted here and there should be reason enough. "If this stall has been in the same business selling the same thing for the last 45 years, I figured they should be doing what they are doing very well!"

I have to agree. Despite the usual culinary crappy truths uttered by Anthony Boudain, I must say that in his book "The Nasty Bits" where he wrote the above quote was actually rather inspiring, not to mention true!

I was however, rather unusually irritable on that afternoon when I went over the Maxwell Food Centre. Nothing like a good binge on the Oyster Cake to solve all my troubles, I gather.

So as I was queuing patiently waiting for the auntie to cut up my 2 peices of $1.50 wonder food, I was unceremoniously asked very loudly by the man behind me, "Oei, Ham Chim Pang is it?" Man! I would love to have made Ham Chim Pang out of that guy. How in the world can anyone bastardise this 45 year old historic fritter and call it a Ham Chim Pang?!

So, while I resisted a smart alecky comment, the lady boss calmly looked and him and said, "No, it's an Oyster Cake." From the way she answered the question, seems like she gets this comment quite a bit from those who don't know better.

Then he asked again, "Nice or not, huh? Nice or not?" Being the irritable me, I turned around sharply, rapped my knuckles against the glass wall with Anthony's quote and said loudly, "Not nice then it wouldn't be on the news already, dumb ass! Can't you read?!"

So he bought one. While I bought another on top of the 2 I had already asked for...

**Visual borrowed from hyacinthus.wordpress.com

Sex In The City & Louis Vuitton

2008-06-07T01:55:00.000-07:00

I was surprised by Chubby Hubby actually took me to watch SATC! I am so surprised becuase it totally seems outta sync with his style, but yes, we finally went to catch SATC after all this hype and it was good!

The cast and the story line, I mean well, whaddya expect? It's SATC! It's a movie made from the hit TV series! But what's really fantastic was not the Chanels, Pradas and Manolos in the movie (my gawd! the props here are the stars man! Honestly! The actresses fantastic as they are are really just models for the bags, shoes and clothes!), instead, the star of the movie is the LV Monogram Motard Firebird!

Yes! LV is in SATC!!! Hubby totally hates the bag for its garnishness, but seeing it on the arm of dear Saint Louise? Yes baby! Motard Firebird, come to mama!!

There's something about LV Cuir Epi...

2008-06-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

... That I find simply irresistable, even more so when its in Noir/Black.

Occasionally, I catch myself nodding in appreciation at the Black Epi Leather Passy or Pont Neuf or the Alma as the lady next to me walks by. People may look at me and think I am nuts, or purely just deep in thought, but at the bottom of my mind, I smile inwardly in appreciation of the lady next to me at her inpeccable good taste.

I still remember the scent of the smooth, grained black leather when my hubby bought me my very first LV Cuir Epi Noir Speedy 25 on Champs Elysses. Ah.... I adore the Cuir Epi collection! The pure scent of the tannins in the leather, the addictive satin touch of the fine grain, the almost invisible LV monogram gently caressing the grooves of your fingertips... How else can I describe it except being simply pleasurable?

Admittedly, the LV Cuir Epi is not for everyone. If you are someone who likes being ostenatious and wants the whole world to be aware that you have the money for an LV, then the Cuir collection is not for you. This is just simply because there is almost no indication that the leather bag you are holding is an LV, all except a small discreetly embossed LV logo on the bottom right corner on the front of the bag.

But I love it, and more so everyday. I'm so deeply sorry that I missed the last LV Cuir Epi collection in Mandarin Orange. I had discovered my innate love for LV too late. Still, I shall keep my heart and mind open... until the next season's colour floods the nearest LV store again.

Dejavu

2008-05-23T07:14:00.001-07:00

Last night, I dreamt a male friend came to stand beside me.
I dreamt him whispering in my ear very softly, "Dev, I'm leaving."

I woke up and ignored the feeling because hey, it's just a dream! And I couldn't quite see the face of who came in my dreams to speak to me.

This morning, still groggy from my fever and restless sleep, my neighbour and good friend came to bid me goodbye in my ear, lest those who need not know will know too soon.

"Dev, I'm leaving," he whispers.
I stare at him in utter shock. "Why?!" I exclaim.
He replies, "To study my phD, it's something I have always wanted to do."

It's only after I slowly came out of my shock and drugged induced grogginess that I realised I have heard this conversation before... the night before...

My neighbour tells me he's been waiting for me to come back to tell me face to face because it would have been too cold and heartless to break it to me via SMS. For this, I am grateful... I honestly forsee I would be rather hurt if friends all of a sudden leave and just SMS a goodbye.

Sigh, are the angels in heaven taking pity on me to prevent me from going into shock thereby telling me in advance?

Sigh...

On MC today...

2008-05-20T21:23:00.000-07:00

I am on MC today. Don't ask me why the doctor gave me 2 days, I honestly don't think I am all THAT sick... just maybe the runs, chills, back aches, cough and a fever. That isn't so bad right?

My blog appears a little weird these couple of days. Can't seem to get my blogs up for some reason... anyways, sigh... I miss my hubby, nickie and larry...

scotland scotland!!!!!! arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hurry up September!!

I WANNA GO SHOPPING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-05-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

Honestly, I feel a bit stuck.

While I fully appreciate all the perks that come with the Clan, and I absolutely appreciate the actions of my Little Boss nominating me for MAD, but still, I wish they gave out Takashimayo vouchers instead!!

What am I going to buy at THANKS? There's absolutely nothing to buy!!! Other than cosmestics, which the poor salesgirl after serving me for like half an hour realised that she didn't have the stock in my colour after I am about to take the goods and pay.

Nuts... anyone need to buy anything? Let me know so that I can refrain from spending on myself pls!!

I have found the perfect RED bag!!

2008-05-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

Yes! I have finally found THE ONE!

This summer, I am going straight to LV Edinburgh upon touch down to buy myself the LV Alma in Pomme d' amour Vernis.

Don't stop me! (Unless its to tell me to buy the LV Monogram Palermo GM!)

The hunt for the perfect gym bag

2008-05-04T08:25:00.000-07:00

After much procrastination, I have decided to go with Chubby Hubby to get a gym membership. Of course it absolutely helps when the Clan is right next door to one as well.

For the first time in my lazy, latent life, I stepped into the doors of that atas looking fitness centre. My excuse for always putting it off is because everyone appears so fit and fab in their skimpy sportswear. Outside the door looking in, gawd, feel like such a dump!

Ah, but once you step through the hallowed doors, I realised there were like many other people who were definitely in worse shape than me. And best of all, since the gym provides sports attire (read: gym tee and short shorts) so everyone looks the same!

It's been years since I last had such an aerobic workout but boy was it good! I totally advocate BodyCombat. It's this fantastic workout that is so total body which incorporates all these great kungfu wannabe moves.. almost makes you feel like you are a discipline of Jet Li... well.. almost!

Hee! I am so looking forward to my next round of workout. I swear today isn't the last time. But... think I might have to wait until the free radicals in my calves stop whirling around my muscles and blood.

Until then, I am on the hunt for the perfect gym bag. Yes I know! My DKNY serves me well yes, but I think I may want the LV Keepall 45 or the LV Speedy 40. Haha! Notice the word of sin - "want"?

I shall remain wanting for now because I have already bought a new bag this month!! Gotta wait till my next pay check. Sigh, so cham! When can I strike 4D to satisfy my cravings man?!

Gucci created a RED Mahjong set!

2008-05-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

Today's Zaobao was talking about the rising trend of Mainland Chinese and their love for luxury. But of course I wasn't keen on the copy, I was ogling at the visuals!

You know how the Olympics in Beijing has fueled so much fire everywhere right (pardon the fully intended pun, haha!)? Gucci has obviously also been hit by the euphoria because while on 08-08-08 when the torch returns to the great caldron in Beijing, Gucci is already releasing its bright red 2008 limited collection in Hong Kong and Beijing! From the looks of it, I think its probably already available. -swoons-

OMG! And of course, Hong Kong being the Asian Mecca of shopping is also well known for the love of the Mahjong game. So OF COURSE Gucci would also be producing a limited edition mahjong set encased in that lovely lovely luxurious Mahjong set covered with that auspicious red "La Pelle Guccissima" - makes soooooo much sense doesn't it?

I've got my sights set on the red duffel. THAT is the PURRFECT gym bag that I am waiting for.

Pls God! Let someone happen to be in China to bring one back for me!

I think I want a Canon G7...

2008-05-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

Mrs. T's blog is a total inspiration. From her fantastic pictures, I can even see the Pope's red Pradas! All because she took the pics using her Canon G7. Fantastic!

I think I want a Canon G7 too!

Went to check out the pricing today at Hardly Normal, its about $699, although there is a reputable store selling it somewhat cheaper. I initially considered the G9 but realised later that the RAW format doesn't really work for me because while I like to consider myself a budding photographer enthusiast, I don't think I am ready to be thrown into the semi-deep end of the DSLR avid lovers pool. So JPEG is really OK for me really. I just wanted something that could give me the option of playing around if I really felt the urge to, which I occasionally do.

CnetAsia says, "The bottom line: The Canon PowerShot G7 acts as a good second camera for professionals or for those who want to have manual controls on a relatively compact shooter."

That second portion sounds exactly like me.

I apologise if I seem shallow...

2008-04-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

... But the fact is, I cannot condone the purchase of a fake/imitation.

Yes, I do feel very strongly about this matter and No, I do not take a commission from LV for advocating the real stuff.

If you know me and my mini collection (ok, well, maybe 3 LVs and 2 Coaches don't exactly constitute a collection, but for the want of a better word, pls pardon me k?) , I don't carry imitations and I don't own any LV monogram bags to date. Reason? I don't want people to scrutinise my bag and because of my age think that I am carrying a fake. Age should never have anything to do with the love for the better things in life.

That said, I personally find it terrible when people are actually encouraging the trade of fakes. I really don't care how AAA grade they are. The fact is, fakes are fakes and any good SA or Bag Hag will be able to tell in a split second.

Why do people want designers labels? For the prestige that comes with totting a Gucci handbag or LV cardholder in Orchard Road right? For the dignity it brings to the eyes of others when the ratty shopper presents her Prada wallet right? Then why bring yourself down to the lowest rank of the bag hag hierarchy by being a wannabe?

Does the imitator really think that she/he can rise to become a bag hag just by totting a fake? Do he/she honestly think that no one can tell the real thing from the fake? Does he/she know that behind the crocodile smiles and nodding heads that the society is frowning inwardly at the recognition of the fake?

Honestly! If you don't mind spending $100 to buy a fake, then I suggest that the wannabe just buys a Guess.

I got my first LV Speedy in black epi when hubby bought me one as a souvenir during our trip to Paris. I worked hard to save for my LV Damier Ribera paid out of my own pocket.

True, no doubt a real LV costs about the price of maybe 10 fakes, but does the imitator honestly feel the same self-worth from the real thing? It's all fine if the imitator wants a bag not to last but just to tot around for a while before going on to the next one, or if its just for a frivolous moment. But the branding stays on you! Once a fake, always a fake! Even if the day comes when the imitator really buys the real thing, no one is ever going to believe that its the real thing because the imitator has been faking all along!

OK, let's say that the fake is really a good fake. So good that no one can tell (yea, right.. as if)... the thing is, why spend $100 on a fake? Why not buy say, erm.. Aldo instead? Or Guess? Or even Zara and Mango?

My take is, don't buy it if you can't afford it. Trust me, people can tell. So why fool yourself? You'll only be seen as nothing more as a wannabe...

Don't support fakes, please.... you'll only lower your self-esteem in time and not increase it.

Sick.. Very sick..

2008-04-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

Everyone (and I mean everyone!) around me is down with the flu. From the driving instructor to my mom to my hubby, everyone is sniffling and feverish.

Sigh, I am also very feverish right now. Everytime I visit the LV website I get feverish. I am getting nuts. I practically burn my salary every month on my wants and desires. Good grief... If I didn't set up my salary account to auto transfer to the savings one, I would probably have to eat my socks.

Still, I am so in love with the LV Palermo GM! And it so doesn't help that SA Andrea tells me the Q has shortened and the next one can be mine if I make my deposit today. (Should I sell the Ribera? I've only used it twice!)

Its just plain nuts. My sister in laws would probably all frown with immense disdain at my decadent lifestyle, but I am addicted! I really am! And I think I shall never be cured as long as LV exists somewhere on this globe.

I saw it again on the arm of this lovely tai-tai the other day at Orchard Road. Ran back and front between Coach and LV in Taka for what must have been at least 3 times in 1 hour... *Coach is on sale by the way...

I absolutely dislike the feeling of the LV within Taka though. No doubt they are bigger, but arghh, the way people have to Q, you'd think that LVs are on sale! So reminds me of the fish market style LV boutique in Paris (was it in Layfette? Printemps? I dunno, refuse to remember, cos' the experience was terrible!).

In my 3 times back and forth running and the security at the door looking down his nose at me and remarking, "please Q behind!" Argh! Enough! I am sticking with Andrea at Raffles Hotel for Singapore and the hunks at Champ Elysees for Paris. At least I am treated with proper care there the way an LV customer oughta be!

So now back to the million dollar question, should I sell my Ribera and swop for a Palermo GM? Or keep it and save like mad until I can get the Palermo? Ahhh... my 1st year anniversary at the clan is upcoming... boss, I need a raise!

Wahahaha!!!!!

Spotting LV fakes - 100 metres away!

2008-04-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

Today at the office, my heart almost stopped.

Wow! I thought, there's actually someone with great taste and a fat enough wallet to fork out the $2K plus for a 2007 A/W LV Mirage Speedy in burgundy! Lucky girl!

Just so you know, this bag, I have been drooling over ever since I first saw it, but unfortunately, it was already sold out by the time I actually seriously considered to buy it.

So of course my heart stopped and saliva dripped, until I noticed that something wasn't quite right about that bag. Nonchanlantly I strolled over again to get up close and personal with it. In my heart and mind, I was doing all the mental check offs...

LV monogram logo? Check

One piece of canvas? Check

Burgandy? Check

Mirage printed canvas? Hmm... dubious, where's the gradient?

Exotic leather trim? WAIT! Exotic leather trim?!!

Instantly, I was rummaging through my mind and trying to retrieve that information stored in some deep recess of my slow pea brain. "Something is wrong, " my heart and mind screams. The red trim, it's too red, isn't it? ISN'T IT?!

What on earth did Andrea and Wai (my favourite SAs) say at the LV boutique? Something like only the Griet and Delft has the exotic leather version? Something like that?!!!

So I came back home to do all sort of possible searches on the local search engine. True enough, I can't seem to find any reference to the Mirage Speedy in exotic leather. Other than those claiming to sell AAA replicas, which in my opinion are absolutely so C grade, I wonder how anyone can fall for them.

Needless to say, I am gratified. Thank God I do my homework!

The moral of the story? Please don't get a fake! Even a novice like me can tell that its not the real thing. Trust me, rather than getting an expensive fake Mirage Speedy which the experts and not so experts can tell miles away, invest a little more and get a trusty Neverfull PM or a Speedy 25 in the signature LV monogram and be content! Afterall, no one is going to judge you unless its a bloody bad fake! That simply screams tasteless!

Here are the pics of the real and the fake... Kudos if you can tell which is the real thing.

Did you see it? The one on top is the real deal... Picture taken from http://louisvuittonlover.blogspot.com/2007/09/speedy-mirage-bordeaux.html

Some people just aren't automatic!!

2008-03-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

Some people just aren't automatic!!

I really don't understand some people. I mean, is it just because their skin is too damn thick? Or is it that they like to take advantage of nice people?

On my recent trip to Guilin, my family tour was joined by some other people. In particular, there was this lady who was a loner, but decided to join our tour. Just because she was paying more money by being a loner, she kind of seems to expect the whole world to accomodate to her every whim and fancy.

Frankly, I honestly still think she's a number one faker. Silly Aunty kept boasting to the world that she lived in Mount Tee-Mah and was moving soon to Hole-Land Vilage. All throughout the trip from the hour the in-air duty free started on our onward journey to when it closed on the return trip, she was buying buying non-stop.

I mean like duhz leh, what's so great to buy on the in-flight duty free?! Not like the stuff she was buying is exclusive and its definitely cheaper on the ground!!

But that's not the good part. Like I said, I have never met a more buay hiao bai, buay zi dong person. For those who know my Chubby Hubby, you will know that he's a number one foodie, right? Ah, so he takes keen interest in foreign dishes which are usually out of the menu.. or at the very least, out of the typicaly menu we get as a tourist package meal.

So, Chubby Hubby would order extra dim sum for breakfast and maybe an extra dish or two during meals. All out of his own pocket. Yea lah, ok, its not expensive. But I cannot stand it when Silly Aunty would help herself as if she was the one paying and then taking everything for herself without bothering to share for others.

She made me super pissed off when she kept exclaiming, "Wah! This one very good ah!" while she was stuffing her face away. At least the other couple still offered to pay and reciprocated with treating everyone to some fruit.

You may wish to argue that she was maybe broke? Or that she didn't have cash? But I mean duhz! If she can spend S$2K on top chinese herbs, and a further S$2K on tea which she doesn't even know the name of, how can she not have money?!

Honestly, to me, she is nothing much than a nimcompoop. I mean, she was jolly well aware that she was ill, and definitely taking western medication for her illness, yet she was brainlessly pyscho-ed to buy all the chinese medication without even asking if the medication would mutually discrupt the effectiveness of the herbs! And just because the salesperson told her that that particular tea would benefit the liver, she said very loudly, "Oh help liver ah?! I want! I want! How much ah?!"

And there she was boasting just before we went in that China will always try to cheat people, and that she come so many times to China... If she really has come to China before, then how would she allow herself to get so easily brain-washed? That's why I say, she's nothing more than a Silly Aunty.

Throughout the trip, she was also pressurising my hubby to help her carry her luggage, just because he helped her once. She was also pressurising my sis-in-law to help her buy DVDs because she was a) afraid of dark alleys and b) leg not good, cannot walk fast. So just help her buy anything lah, except this this, this this, that that and that lor...

I was so damn tempted to tell her off and say, "For goodness sake! Buy what you want yourself lah!" Basically, with her antics, she basically just pissed the entire group off. And she kept asking for everyone's phone number so that she could invite us to her house warming. Duhz, dunno how to read expressions right? The fact is, no one wants to go!

Ah hah, so how did I show my displeasure?

During meals, I will often pour tea for my elders and to those I respect. When she raised her cup, I put down the teapot and ignored her. It's obvious, help yourself or you don't drink! After a while of trying to get me to serve her tea, I think she gave up and just kept to her beer instead. And see?! Beer! When she knows she's got a bad liver.

I absolutely detest people who cannot take care of themselves. If you know you are ill, then please eat and drink carefully because I don't want to be saddled with taking care of you when you refuse to care foy yourself. But this Silly Aunty? Simply drink tea, coke and beer all together... Water retention + bad liver + high cholestrol already, still treat her body like shit.

In the words of the Chinese sinseh who was taking her pulse, "Oh, this is serious.... Very very serious...."

Back home from Canton & Guilin!!!!!!!!!

2008-03-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

Finally! I am back home from Canton!

Firstly, before I say all things else, I must commend the Cantonese chefs! The food is really one of the better meals I have had since my very first meal in Shanghai, China.

Ok ok, I admit, I am kinda biased. Reason being, I am Cantonese by blood! wahaha! But honestly, the food was really good, although of course, it also helps when Chubby Hubby was adding dishes on his own bill!

I had a very interesting meal though - Horse Meat Bee Hoon!! Ah.. the things the Travel Channel teaches you. So what did it taste like? I'd say... it tastes like dried beef jerky. Slivers of beef jerky. A tad salty, but still pretty good.

I think you probably can't really see it, but the little grey-brown piece of meat towards the back of the bowl of the bee hoon is the horse.

But was it delicious, I am sure you are wondering? Well, of course! You are talking to the Queen of Extreme Gourmet here! My only remorse? Probably that I didn't get big enough pieces of the Black Beauty.

I am glad my mom-in-law enjoyed herself. She looks very happy in all the pictures.

As for the scenery, erm.... I dunno, maybe I am a Northern Barbarian. I somehow still prefer the rugged wind-torn landscape of Scotland. The rounded, graceful, cloud-veiled mountains of Guilin somehow seem too ladylike for me. Even the rivers seem to flow too gently.

The cormorants seem to like me though. Maybe they will like you too? Its absolutely fascinating when they catch the fish and then swallow like mad, but the fishes simply refuse to go down their throats because of the band around their necks. Even more amazing that the fishes regurgitated by the birds are taken to sell at the markets for human feed! Eww.. gross!

Ok, so here ends my little entry on Guilin. I know.. 8 days in Guilin and I only write a measly few lines and show only these 3 pictures? Honestly lah, you are not missing much,

OMG!! I am an LV fanatic!!!

2008-03-04T03:43:00.000-08:00

Okie, now before you start judging me for the shallow, materialistic woman that I am, I first gotta state this very clearly. I DO NOT advocate brand consciousness if you cannot afford it!

A great fashionista Mrs. T was very wise when she said, "Going broke over luxury is a mortal sin not to anyone else but yourself." There is nothing more true than this. True friends will not judge you by whether your LV is a real or a fake, and will never discriminate you for choosing LV over Gucci.

That said, OMG! I am an LV fanatic!! I bought myself my 3rd LV! Good grief! This has gotta stop. I am going to kill myself, and my hubby's going to kill me if I get myself a 4th, 5th etc.

I swear OK, I had absolutely no intention to buy that new LV Damier Canvas Ribera MM even though the sales supe had called. She asked if I wanted to reserve it, or if I was OK to give up my reserved Duomo as someone else wanted one. I told her, it's OK, I can forgo that one.

Then, itchy backside went to check out the LV webby again and to read Mrs. T's blog. That's when I saw the new LV Aquarell, (it's coming in May!) and then surf somemore, and ended up falling in love with the Trouville.. alas! It was in LV Monogram, which I personally detest, considering that about only 1% of the world's LV monogram is real.

So I went to LV today to look at the Trouville, Palermo and the Triana. Unfortunately, only the Trouville was in stock, the others were for "viewing pleasure" only.

And guess what? I had the fortune to be served by a fantastic salesgirl called Andrea Tong at Raffles Hotel branch. Not only was she fantastically knowledgable about her products and the existing count of available stock, she was also able to pinpoint the fact that I am an Epi lover and even better still, managed to show me implicitly that she was able to connect with my inner preferences by suggesting to me the various designs which I may possibly like - Alma, Jasmin, Ribera.. which were all my previous choices in the first place before I bought my Cuir Epi Ivoire Passy.

But I must say, her service is fantastic. Men and women salespeople? Ah! Definitely different. Where the previous guy just did the expected, Andrea exceeded expectations way much by offering to gift wrap my bag in a box (nicely folded and put into an LV paper bag so that it wouldn't be bulky to carry around), gave me an extra smaller paper bag without being asked and also gave me a copy of the latest LV catalog.

Tell me, how can I not like her?! Not like those Gucci people where they look at you with disdain as if you can't afford to even buy a keychain from them, and asking for another paper bag is like begging for money. Now, you know why I love LV?

Uncomparable.

Pumps just set my heart pumping!

2008-02-17T08:01:00.000-08:00

I have always been a shoe person, but i had always shied away from pumps because well, I didn't think that they were practical for hot and sweaty Singapore.

However, when I saw my sister-in-law's open toe sandals which she ordered for her wedding, I swore to myself that I would never be caught dead in open toe sandals/heels.

Not that her shoes weren't nice. They were afterall made to measure at Leapin' Lizards. But somehow, when I envision a lovely bride walking down the aisle and all of a sudden you see her toes peek out, I don't know.. makes me think of a sexy camisole matched with granny underpants.. even if the toes are nicely pedicured.

This blog entry is basically just a way of expressing my new found enthusiasm for pumps. No doubt working at the Clan has never officially dictated that pumps are a must, but really, I still want to wear them. Never mind that I probably have to soak my sweaty feet in dettol and tea when I am home.

I absolutely adore the shoe shop which was previously at Millenia Walk. It has moved to China Square area, (can't remember shop's name), but the shoes are afforable (think like SGD50) and last a really long time (I've had mine for maybe 4 to 5 months?) without having to reheel. Best of all, they don't chaff or cause blisters 9presuming you are getting the right size). I got my white wedding shoes (as above), my golden evening gown shoes and my working shoes all there!

Now, all I need are the bags to match.

Valentine's Day

2008-02-16T08:38:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day was rather eventful at the Clan.

On top of the usual flustered delivery people at the door waiting anxiously for the intended to come and sign so that they can be on their way, bosses and superiors alike were also giving out mini bouquets and chocolates to their staff.

I even managed to do a good deed and tell belle that her flowers were at the door.

But the thing about roses on V-Day is that, not only are they ruinously expensive, they are actually expected. And worse, when the roses are of the wrong colour, or (gasp! heaven forbid!) the wrong flowers delivered to the wrong person... that's it.. you die and at the same time expect to send another bouquet!!!

Haha, the roses i am looking forward to this year belong to the Brillant kind.. you know? By Soo Kee? That's like maybe 1 carat big? Ah.. now that is what I call everlasting roses... so everlasting that even my great grand children can still expect to see it.

I didn't get one though. Instead, I got my LV!! -dances around- No, its not the Jasmin (too small), nor the Ribera (out of stock, sorry), and neither is it the Alma (too mature). Instead, Chubby Hubby bought me the Passy in Cuir Epi Ivoire.. good gracious.. cost a bomb.. but okie lah, considering that its birthday + v-day + last year's xmas pressie... can lah..

And best of all, its leather! definitely not that silly cotton combi (known as mini lin) that attempts to associate itself with LV's history of long lasting goods.

Ps: the LV monogram and Damier canvas are both CANVAS ok? even if its that stylish Mirage serious, its still canvas.... can't believe I was actually considering the LV Mirage Speedy.. come to think of it, so nuts.. paying more than what I would for Epi leather and yet its CANVAS.. (gasp) wouldn't be able to forgive myself

The world's best husband!

2008-02-11T05:21:00.000-08:00

I just want to say that I truly appreciate my hubby..

I really honestly think that there's probably no better hubby in this world than mine. No doubt we have our share of quarrels, squabbles and what-nots, but there's no one else in this world who treats my mom, my family and me better!

After much delay, my hubby finally got me my birthday present. haha! yay!

Ok, save for being materialistic, just want to shout: I LOVE MY HUBBY!

Wedding Pictures!

2008-01-04T21:48:00.000-08:00

Due to popular demand, I am hereby displaying some of the wedding pics...

Steph, you wanna see more? Come to S'pore!!!!! Haha!!

Here you see my make-up artist Lyndnn pinning my veil.. Meanwhile, my "sisters" are at the door ensuring that the "ang pao" is big enough before they open the door!

Which came first? The haggis or 松仁小肚?

2007-12-22T09:10:00.000-08:00

I came across a remarkably similar food item to the Scottish haggis known as the 松仁小肚 on my honeymoon in Beijing, China.

The first question that popped into my head was, which came first? The haggis or 松仁小肚? If you know me and my hubby well enough, you will know that the first thing we always try to nonsensically do is to link everything to Admiral Cheng Ho.

Now everyone knows that the famed eunuch Cheng Ho went down several times to Asia. But did you know that he was possibly the first human to discover America years before Christopher Columbus? So I am not surprised that he would also have landed on the shores of Scotland and England, so I am pretty certain that he would have introduced 松仁小肚 to the dang ang mohs who have since made haggis their national dish.

NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haha! The truth is, while haggis was already enjoyed by the English prior to the 18th century, 松仁小肚 was a recent invention by some chinese factory and is only 80 years old. So this little invention is not attributible to Cheng Ho.

All the same, the similarities are remarkable... they both use an animal's stomach for a sack and both are round in shape and stuffed with a variety of items. They are even cooked similarly, i.e. boiled and then cut open for enjoyment..

The difference is, no one has ever written a poem for the 松仁小肚 while Sir Robert Burns' Ode to the Haggis is recited every year on January 25th before being split open and enjoyed with a dram (whisky) or two!

Weird.. just plain weird

2007-12-13T04:20:00.000-08:00

I think my in-laws are a bit weird.

They just want to compare.. Maybe cos' Hubby's sister just got married one year ago, so the tendency to compare is there.

First, they compare the make-up and the hair, then they compare the food, and then compare the total ang pao money that they get..

And when they find out that my mom wants me to have the ang pao money as a gift, they find all sorts of things to say to mitigate the perceived "loss" in the previous year's wedding.

Honestly, I don't really care. A wedding is not about making money, or which bride is more beautiful. A wedding is just simply one day out of the rest of your lives.

Please.. just focus.. now that the wedding is over, its time to take a step back and look at the marriage. It takes 2 hands to clap. It's not about how much money you make in a day, but how much you still value each other when you are both old and bent.

Marriage is for eternity - the money spent, please.. it's not worth it to make a fuss over. No point splurging millions and then still end up in a divorce ultimately. Instead, it should really be about how much you love each other.

Love may not exactly be eternal because honestly, to love each other until the day you die in hot heated passion is seriously not likely to happen. Instead, its about the committment to want to remain in love with each other that will last.

So please.. look beyond the financials, the food and the pomp and pizazz.. just enjoy your day if its up and coming because honestly, when it all boils down to the basics, it is really just another day....

My favourite part of the day

2007-12-13T04:06:00.000-08:00

My favourite part of the wedding was actually the post-dinner party with my friends.

My wedding wasn't really particularly memorable because I spent most of the time toasting, taking photos and changing.. so it was great when I had time to chat with my friends, laugh over some ribald jokes and chill over a glass of Scottish mead or 2, specially flown in by Nickie and Larry from Edinburgh.

I'm very glad that Ed, Shiyu and Peiling could sit around and chill, chat and laugh. I am sure there probably won't be many occasions such as these any more, but I am still thankful that there are at least once in my life that had this wonderous event.

This morning was also a very memorable one... Because we didn't have supper or dinner the night before, Hubby asked room service to give us 2 sets of breakfast instead. Which was fine, because we ended up with 4 sets of breakfast shared by the bunch who stayed over.

The kids also had a lot of fun in the jacuzzi splashing away, which I also joined. A nice, relaxing morning.

Ah... still, I don't feel any different.. I am still me!

Thanks for attending my wedding!

2007-12-13T03:59:00.000-08:00

Thanks you every one who have attended my wedding.
Really glad to have everyone's presence at the wedding to make my day extra special.

Unfortunately, my in-laws didn't like my hair and makeup. I think it was OK lah, just that maybe it wasn't my usual style, so maybe people just weren't used to it. My mom-in-law likes my usual style. The Scottish make up style which was completely natural.

I personally liked the morning hair better though the curls didn't stay on long enough. The evening hair, erm.. yea, the front was rather flat, although the curls did stay.

Other than that, the make up I think was rather unique, even though it was rather smokey.

Ah well, it's over lah, so shan't think about it anymore.

How to be a perfect spouse...

2007-12-11T03:37:00.000-08:00

A question posed by my solemiser Edwin was this.
"How exactly do you be a perfect spouse?"

How to be a perfect husband:
1) Financially able
2) Morally supportive
3) Perform tangible acts of support (e.g. change baby's diapers)

How to be a perfect wife:
1) Good Sex
2) Great Sex
3) More fantastic, orgasmic, mind-blowing sex

Honestly! I ain't kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before the wedding, keep both eyes open...

2007-12-11T03:24:00.000-08:00

After the wedding, keep both eyes shut if you have to!

Mom was telling me some stories about this super flirtatious old man whom she knows who has like 1 official wife and at least 3 mistresses.

The official wife has since left the old man because she could not tolerate his flirtatious ways. Even his mistresses are complaining about his roving eye and complain non-stop.

Chubby Hubby once said, "Choosing to marry someone is like a set meal and package deal. Even if you don't like something, you don't really have a choice. So either you learn to love everything, or else you have to reject everything. If you want to pick and choose, then go a la carte"

I agree. The same applies. These mistresses and wife of the man complain like crazy and pick bitch fights amongst theimselves fighting for his attention (and money, I should think). They complain all the time that the man has got the roving eye and is never sex-tified.

The thing is, I don't think he turned Casanova overnight. Chances are, he was already like that when they got to know him.

What? Did they expect that he become a one-woman man just because they are with him? Pur-leeze... A leopard can hardly expect to change its spots. Did they honestly expect that he would give up the forest for a handful of trees? What on earth would even make them entertain the thought? They aren't his first women, so I definitely don't think they're his last.

Same goes. When you are dating, keep your eyes open, date as many as possible until you have fully weighed all that is most important to you. Once you are married, love that person and don't expect to change that person to something else that he/she is not.

And if that person is a Casanova, pauper or whatever that you later find that you cannot tolerate, I advise you to stop and think. Afterall, no one pointed a gun at you to ask you to marry him/her. If something bugs you now, stop and think. If it really matters to you, work it out. Otherwise, break up and move on.

Don't wait. He may be wonderful in many ways, but if there's really something that bugs you now, which you think you have the ability to change because, "if he/she loves me enough, he/she will find the change a good one," then sorry.. snap outta it, because it ain't gonna happen.

But if you can live with it, congratulations!

2 more days to my wedding!

2007-12-09T18:49:00.000-08:00

Last month, I still felt that time was creeping by. Outta the blue, it seems like my wedding day is just around the corner.

I am not really excited or whatever, maybe because all my jie-meis are the ones being excited for me! Even my usually calm, composed and collected Ming Yue managed to squeeze out some excitement.

Tinkie Winkie and the girls actually went to surf the web and do results. Seeing them discuss animately in between singing out lungs out at KBox was actually rather interesting. TW tells me that we simply cannot any ol' how open the door easily because that would mean that the bride is too easy to obtain.. Must play hard to get so that I am valued.

Haha! Nickie's coming to S'pore today! I am so glad she is flying in for this event.

I love my girl pals...

Today is 纳彩 day!!

2007-12-01T17:57:00.000-08:00

Today, 2nd Dec 2o07 (021207) is my 纳彩 day!
Basically, I am about to be officially engaged.. haha!
Cheers to a lifetime with my Chubby Hubby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think I will miss Larry

2007-11-25T08:11:00.000-08:00

After Sept 2008, I think I will miss Larry very much.
Because?
There will be no one to fetch me from Glasgow airport when I want to visit Nickie! WAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nickie is going to become Doctor Nickie!!!!

2007-11-25T07:55:00.000-08:00

My congrats to Nickie..
In 3 years, she will become Doctor Cheng. Yay! haha! .
Then.. I shall go back to Sugarland with the Chubby Hubby and take scottish graduation pics... think it will look great.. haha.. thank god I bought my gown!!
-evil laughter-

It was a terrible week

2007-11-25T07:30:00.000-08:00

This past week was a terrible week.

Firstly, I had a difficult delivery of my precious twins (read: my 2 mailers). I spent many many hours with the gynae and nurses (read: production agency and agents) and finally after many prolonged hours of labour, finally my twins were born.

Then, the doctor (read: publishing house) discovered that there was something mortally wrong with both my twins (read: huge huge gigantic errors) and needed immediate surgery (read: error correction).

To me.. I wished only for a clean death at that point in time. And to top things off, my husband (read: the little boss) was so angry that nothing could be said... I totally felt like a fool.... It was like people around you kept telling you that you must take care of the babies.. don't do stupid things, make sure they are healthy.. and there I was going "yes, I know" and then blaming yourself when your babies are born with a hole in their hearts.

Yes, it's that bad... My little boss wasn't kidding when she said, "this is your baby, take it and own it!"

People around me were rather nice about it. I got phonecalls, all kinds of help, hugs etc.. but still, the pain was mine and mine alone to bear. Because honestly, there is no one else to blame but myself when my babies were discovered to be in mortal danger, simply because I was careless.

Stayed back at work until 12 midnight that day to solve the whole issue. And when it was finally solved, I thought "yay! it's over and done with!!!" and then turns out it was not.. For this, I shall not elaborate.. sensitive issue..

Sigh.. all's well that ends well so people would tell you... Yes it is finally over... but then.. sob sob.. I live forever with the pain that I am the sole person to blame for the misfortune of my twins. I can hardly bear it knowing that I caused them to be handicapped singlehandedly then they could be perfect.

No doubt, when there is an error, it is never 100% the fault of a single person. It is really easy to push the blame around, but it will always take 2 hands to clap.. Why? Because even if one person is careless, if the other was stringent in checking, then the errors would be discovered long ago.. But then, life is like that.. sometimes we get too trusting of others, so when the person you trust betrays that trust, you'd wish you had checked harder.

Little boss tells me that she can hardly go to sleep once she discovers an error... I know she wonders how I manage to even blink over this. But as I have said, this error is mine and mine alone.. I don't blame anyone but myself..

Empress Xiao Zhuang once said...

2007-11-17T03:12:00.000-08:00

Haha.. 3rd blog for today...

Just decided that I should put in a wise phrase...

Empress Xiao Zhuang once said something quite wise.... When you compare a tiger cub to a full grown wild boar... which is more at risk? Of course, it is the tiger cub.. but once the tiger cub grows up.. look at who's doing the running now?

Pathei Mathos - Through suffering, learning

2007-11-16T22:40:00.000-08:00

This has become my motto at the Clan ...

Everything I do... I feel like I am slowly being tested in the fires of the Purgatory... You can all it a baptism of fire or you can just plainly call it suffering.. whatever it is.. it's painful and its hurts like hell... then again... my hubby always tells me.. if I enjoy it.. then it's not a job.. its a hobby...

At the very worse times, Pathei Mathos pulls me back to reality... It's a learning process, they say... the 1st 6 mths will either kill you or make you.. but once you get there... things will become easier..

From the bottom of my heart, I looove my job.. I love the scope, love the learning that I get and my big boss is great...

Anyway, looks like the Clan is undergoing some changes...

I had always assumed that functionality-wise, my Little Boss was already the one-down from Big Boss... turns out the people at the Clan have found some place to slot in another layer of supremacy...

My Little Boss was telling me (rather happily it appears), "ah yes! she's going to be my new boss. That means she's your boss as well!"

Her positivity surprises me... I wonder why she's so cheery these days... maybe struck 4D

My amazingly funny Big Boss

2007-11-16T22:30:00.000-08:00

I am in the midst of rushing a project... the Zoo has decided to make it my baby.. hence... for now I will be in labour for a little while more before I "give birth".

Ok, maybe I am not really the woman in labour.. that would be my Eggy creative director as technically, she is carrying my child.. I think I am more the surrogate mother or maybe the gynae in the medical team..

At least, that's what my boss calls me.. Whilst working on the production of my fraternal twin projects with my creative directors, (think like 10pm on a Friday night), my big boss sent me an SMS..

Boss: "So how's the labour coming along? Are we due to delivery yet?"
Me: "Nope, we are still in labour"
Boss: I admire your threshold, you can do without epidurals! So fantastic! I look forward to the birth of our big and beautiful twin babies!"

I'm glad someone finds this pain funny... because while it did provide us at the agency with some laughter... arghhh the pain the pain....

My dear surrogate is still in the delivery room trying to get the finishing touches together before the big show-down... So.. my greatest moral support goes to her...

Really cannot thank the people at the Hatchery enough... they are really doing their very best to help and get this out.. I am very pleased with them...

男人可以风流，千万别下流！！

2007-10-12T05:34:00.000-07:00

Wah lau, super super super buay tahan x 1 million...

Was having dinner with Hubby today. At the next table arrived an elderly man about 60 years old and with him was a pretty Korean lady..

Of course there's really nothing wrong with an elderly man and a pretty lady having dinner together.. but their dinner conversation was what really irked me.

-Man orders dishes and tells waitress, "serve everything together hor," in Hokkien.. I think purposely so the cha boh cannot understand.

Man: So, are you Korean very liberal?
Lady: What? Oh no, we are very traditional.
Man: Even now? Aren't Japanese and Korean women very liberal these days?
Lady: Oh no, not me, I'm rather shy.
Man: But shy doesn't equate traditional
Lady: - says nothing-
Man: Oh, did you watch the movie by famous director Lee Ang? (Lust: Caution)
Lady: Erm.. no.
Man: Oh, it's about this guy and this girl .. blah blah blah... -launches into full explanation about a woman seducing a man and being seduced in return blah blah blah-
Lady: -keeps quiet all the way-
Man: How do you keep your figure so well? You've kids right?
Lady: I erm.. exercise a little.. but seems like Chinese women can eat a lot and yet can remain slim.
Man: Oh, but you are very slim yourself! Your figure is excellent! You haven't had Durian before, yea? I'll buy you some later when we are headed back...

Did you notice? All that he was talking about was all super suggestive... 1st he asked for the dishes to all come together, (seafood by the way), then he talks about open-mindedness and lust and then excellent figures... I mean, like so duhz...

Why doesn't he just come out and ask to F*** her man... it would have saved us the agony of listening to him talk loudly in a super suggestive manner.. I was so damn tempted to splash my cup of tea at him.. Totally spoil my dinner..

This man needs many lessons in how to hook a cultured girl man.. those kind of talk? Please.. save it for the country bumpkins.. It might work for those working at Geylang side lorongs. Really throwing away the face of Singapore men.. if I didn't know better, I might just be tempted to think that all Singapore men are so shameless and disgusting..

Only 2 words... 下流！！下流！！下流！！下流！！下流！！

Missing Sugarland

2007-10-07T07:53:00.000-07:00

Yay! I am so glad! Starting to get sick of sticky tape, sticky albums and sticky fingerprints over sticky pictures..

haha! Really glad I managed to persevere long enough to complete my 2601 picture insert marathon.. took me the better part of 3 weeks or so.. (start stop and work hours in between, of course) and finally managed to put in all my picts..

I am thus therefore now the proud owner of erm.. about 8 photo albums of Sugarland pictures.. Never stuck so many pictures at one go in my life..

Sigh... the weather in s'pore has been rather crazy.. Hot hot hot hot hot.. then heavy rains and then now haze..

Really tempted to buy an air ticket and fly back to Sugarland.. wahaha.. my very own 避暑山庄 a.k.a. Nickie's house.. wahaha! Sigh... Miss Nickie's Taiwanese Beef Noodles and Larry's Stir-Fried Pig Liver.. nobody makes those stuff like them..

Really miss everybody very much... heard many friends have returned respectively to their homes around the world, so wondering what everyone is doing..

I really not saying that 外国的月亮比较圆, but it really does seem true that the sky is bluer on the other side, although the pastures aren't necessarily greener... then again.. we don't have pastures in S'pore... you get my point..

Stephanie... ah... miss your carrot cake, fruit crumble and fruit tart... Just looking at the pictures brings back such fond memories...

Hmm.. Asia seems to have having quite a bad bout of weather problems... not just S'pore is hazy.. Taiwan and HK are having air pollution issues too.. Coupled with the recent spate of typhoons and hurricanes... ack... I think maybe I should take a plane to Sugarland...

If not for the idiotic immigration officers who like to ask stupid questions, I think I would go back Sugarland more often... Just the thought of them make me quite ill... its times like that that make me really glad I live in an intelligent city like S'pore... then again, maybe our over-efficiency has gotten me way too pampered that living abroad can become quite a pain at times..

It must be autumn close to winter time in Sugarland now... the pink blossoms at Princes Street would probably have begun their transformation to cherries... hmmm.... Weather getting chilly.. heard this summer was quite cold..

Sigh.. Zara's orange coat is so pretty... sickening that there's no chance to wear it.. if I were headed back there.. I definitely would have bought it..

Missing Sugar covered Sugarland..

What do you call a granny smith apple, except a Granny Smith?!

2007-09-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

Working at the Clan, like any other company has its share of ups and downs.
While I enjoy my job most of the time, sometimes, I get so irked that I really cannot tahan.

I was tasked to do something yesterday. I wasn't able to deliver because we simply didn't have the stuff that they wanted. For our product, the people up there wanted to know the trademarked name.

Now considering that our product managers have changed several times over the years since the product was launched, some details would definitely go missing because they are either deemed as irrelevant or not important enough to be handed over etc. I mean, duhz, some of the products have been in the market way before even the product managers came into the Clan!

Now, seriously.. If I held up a green apple in front of you that is immediately recognisable as a Granny Smith, would you call it, say, a Washingtion Red for example? Of course not! You'd probably at the very least say, "Green Apple", which is of course not wrong, right? And if all your advertisements, application forms, website etc etc all call it the Granny Smith Apple, would you call it otherwise?

No lah! Logic mah!

let's now look at the legal aspect...

There are two types of Trade Marks:
1. Common law Trade Mark (commonly designated by ™) occurs where the trade mark has been used either as a brand name or in advertising in relation to certain goods and/or services to such an extent that it has developed a reputation such that any unauthorised use by another trader would amount to a misrepresentation or be misleading or deceptive
2. Registered Trade Mark (commonly designated by ®) is a trade mark registered under the Trade Marks Act.

So, from the above, we know that a common law trademark occurs when the product has developed a certain reputation such that copying it in anyway would be misleading. So, same thing lah right? Our products are so identifiable in the market and our partnerships so strong, that any attempt to copy would be wrong and unlawful. So logically speaking, if you are requested to give the trademark name of a product, wouldn't it be the one which you know it is called by, e.g. Granny Smith apple?

Kenasai.. those people up there called my big boss to ask why I put the trademark name as Granny Smith Apple... they said, "yea.. the apple is known as Granny Smith, but its not registered.. so cannot put".

I mean again, duhz. If they knew that it shouldn't be there, then why did they even leave me the blank to fill and made it a compulsory field? Life would be so much easier if they just simply made just 1 call to confirm the actual trademarked name of our products, instead of sending it to us lock, stock and barrel and then sending it back and forth to say that its wrong..

Obviously these people don't do problem solving... One thing I leant at the Clan is how to solve problems correctly. What do I mean? Well, when problems come in via the online channel, I was taught the 1st thing to do is to check the background and make sure that the phone officers have done their homework properly before logging in the problem. Many times I have found that the answer was right under their noses, but that they were too lazy to even read. Countless of times, I have sent back the cases to the officers by pointing them in the right direction. Then they go, "oh yeah"...

These people up there.. sigh... if they had done their homework through just 1 phonecall, numerous people need not be involved or cc-ed or whatever... and many many more manhours could be saved by...

Corporate Archeology Part II

2007-09-18T07:44:00.000-07:00

Sometime last week, just as I was about preparing for departure to China, I got an email...

"Lill, please help me check whether this voucher has expired..."

Geez man, the problem with issuing vouchers is that there are always always T&Cs to look at.. The problem with this voucher was that there was no expiry date and no issuance date.. The only clue I had was the logo on the voucher..

Thus, again I put on my archeologist's hat and went around asking all the old birds, when this logo was last used... and the answer is... 6 years ago!

Logic of course would dictate that a voucher issued at least 6 years ago can hardly be expected to be valid. Unfortunately, there are no T&Cs and no date of expiry... Technically that meant that the voucher could be valid indefinitely...

So, while emails went flying back and forth, and this customer trying to push his luck in getting a freebie, Little Lill went diving.. Into that dusty cabinet behind me..

I thank my acute intelligence to have changed the lock when I 1st came in which allowed me to open the cabinet whose key has been lost for eons.. I didn't really harbour much hope in finding anything, but I thought, heck, just try lor...

Ta-Dah! Managed to find the accompanying flyer that came with that expiry dateless voucher which clearly had the expiry date printed on each and every date.. and as expected.. the expiry date was 2001...

Yay! I am very proud of myself.. And so... moral of the story? Don't throw anyway anything!! You might need it again, even if its 10 years from now!

Two thousand six hundred and one photos.....

2007-09-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

Two thousand, six hundred and one photos... That's the total number I have printed of my life in Sugarland..

Wow, nuts.. I know... It doesn't look like a lot, but it is.. spent like at least 1.5 hours just sorting into the piles that you see here...

But I have really come to realise, that while digital pictures are good in that you can simply get really shutter happy and just snap snap snap away, it makes it a hell of a chore to try and select the ones you like best simply because... eh.. this one looks good, but that one looks good too!

Spent like several hundred bucks just getting these printed... all 2601 of them... excluding the Paris and London ones... goodness... its a monumental task just trying to fit them into my photo album.. can die... but I know, if I don't do it.. I will forget.. just like I have virtually forgotten my JiuZhaiGou trip...

Looking at the pics again have gotten me missing everyone and my life back in Sugarland again... no doubt the lack of intelligence of the sugarland people is enough to kill me, but I miss Nickie and Larry heaps.. great memories, but even greater friends...

Sigh....

Just realised that Larry is more than just super lame..

2007-08-31T22:15:00.001-07:00

Am going through our Sugarland pictures and just realised that Larry is more than lame..

Just seriously, just realised that a shot of Nickie's butt is actually quite an interesting view.. wahaha!!

Celebrity Look-Alike 2

2007-08-31T21:28:00.000-07:00

Bo Liao went to try again... This time, I look like Ann Kok!!!

http://www.myheritage.com

Nothing much to say.. except...

2007-08-31T20:42:00.000-07:00

Just decided to blog for fun today.

Nothing really much to say, but yet also got everything to chat about.. Oh well, just write free form and see what happens...

Basically, I realise that the Clan is actually rather fun! I had a lot of fun right yesterday.. these Clan members really know how to enjoy whether its in Bangkok or Singapore.. Probably in fact, everywhere around the world!

D&D was a blast.. We were having the Mr. and Miss Clan.. and.. drumroll.. one of the previous official beauty queens won! I mean, go figure.. really.. figure! Her body was dead hot, although well.. we were really wondering in our hearts what would happen if she lost the contest.. But seriously, this is really a popularity contest and not a beauty pageant.. Loved her dress... She still won ultimately because we had some celebrities as judges and well... her pageant training really shows, the way she poses, makes love to the camera.. blah blah...

I really love my job.. I was depressed for a while, but I think things have looked up... Unlikely to be going home at 530 anymore these days, but at least life is fun, doesn't suck and I've found a new friend...

Sending my love to dearest Chyi.. she is just too nice.. reminds me a lot of Yvonne... Maybe that's why i have a lot of feelings for her... not in lesbian way lah.. just like super easy to click.. Because of Chyi, I've actually started to get more excited about my upcoming wedding again..

I am not sure is it because I've always felt that Chubby Hubby and I were just formalising things, or simply because it was much too far in the year earlier on to have any excitement.. But seriously, starting to feel a tad more enthusiastic about it, after Chyi took me to print out the pics taken by Esther..

Finally got around to fixing the London and Paris albums... damn.. just realised that I don't have that many brochures to play with.. regret... Oh well... still not quite done with London and haven't started at all on Paris... But I think I will wanna get the Sugarland pics printed as well now that Nickie has sent me hers...

Okie dokie... Missing my chubby hubby and everyone else...

直奔去曼谷

2007-08-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

下个星期就去曼谷了。如果我老公也能去，那该多好。

My gift to myself!

2007-08-05T06:27:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased and proud! Finally! Finally I have completed my Mandarin Duck cross stitch that I have started working on since the days in Sugarland...

Yay!!!

Put in my final stitch on Saturday and I am so touched that I almost wanted to cry. The fruit of my efforts, the essence of my sweat, blood and tears..

It's done! It's done, it's done, it's done!!!!

Bats in the Bedroom!

2007-08-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Like I told you.

Ang Mohs generally have a complete lack of common sense. Okie, admittedly, I have some ang moh friends who are definitely smarter and better looking than the average ang moh, but still, in general, I still think the Ang Mohs cannot make it..

Today, Larry told me that 1000 and 4000 are having Bat problems in their bedroom.

Apparently, the fake fireplace in their bedroom was originally a real fireplace connected to the chimney, so while the fireplace has been sealed up, the chimney sitll exists.

It is now summertime. The bats have gone into a mating frenzy and decided to make 1000 and 4000's bedroom chimney into their summer vacation home.

Every night, the bats would take a stroll around the bedroom, walk along the edge of the bed and generally make a nuisance of themselves. How they get out of the chimney is a big question. There's probably a hole somewhere and so after their evening stroll, the baby bats would fly in and crawl under the door to get back into the chimney.

I know what you're asking. Why can't we get rid of them or at least get someone to get rid of them?

Because, these dang ang mohs tell Larry, that these bats... are a protected endangered species! And because they are so young, we can't move them because they might die!

And these authorities advised Larry, if you manage to catch any, please hand them to us. Which Larry did. And guess what? These authorities then followed Larry back home and replaced the bats in the chimney!!

Makes one wonder.. what the ****....

So now, 1000 and 4000 have to wait until Autumn comes when these babies stop squeaking, have grown up and can fly away on their own...

sianz...