Random thoughts

Don't let this scare you.


This is a spanish rice dish of squid cooked in its own ink. Yea looks awful, but I could taste the freshness of the squid in each mouthful I had. It was THAT delicious. The squid was done perfectly, no foul taste.

Only the freshest squids could be used for a dish like that. And fresh squids they have over in La Coruna aplenty alright. The rice was nice and fluffy, and squid tasted like they flipped out of the ocean. I miss this dish. Pulpo.







On the way up to Park Guell. Eating Magnum. Mmmm.


A fantastic dish of lightly grilled octopus with onions, paprika and olive oil with lemon sauce. Ooh lala! I had this all to myself that evening.
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I need a holiday.

Journey and Destination

One probably has heard that Life is really about the journey, not the destination. And I completely agree, on the premise that one continuously makes the journey as enjoyable and fruitful as possible.

However, the company one enjoys along the journey makes up for a large part of Life. True that one may choose to be alone than to be in bad company. But apart from this extreme, I think that the companions we have to journey together, experience and discover life together make this journey more meaningful.

2 people I know about have chosen to embark on a new phase of their life together by investing in an MBA in a foreign institution of higher learning. There was anxiety of whether they'd both be chosen for entry into this prestigious school, what'll happen if one gets in and the other does not. Do they choose separate schools in this case , what'll happen to their shared apartment and pets? etc etc

At one point they had considered leaving the family pet in Singapore while they were away. The quarantine period did not justify for the short amount of time they'd spend.

What touched me was that it all broiled down to the fact that they went back to first principles : They decided to embark on this journey TOGETHER in the first place. This put the answer into their heads and hearts, and the rest of what they needed to do with their choice of schools and what to do with their pets just fell into place.

Life really can be quite simple after all isn't it. As long as we have our thoughts sorted out.

===============


My little god daughter is about to embark on her journey into school later today.

I remember the anxiety I felt in my first day at kindergarten, and again at P1. I don't know why, but these feelings and images have stuck with me for so many years.

Maybe that explains why I value the journey more than the destination , and the people more than the place. That's just my postulation of course.

I do remember how I wondered why everyone seemed preoccupied with play during my first day in kindergarten.

I also remember my anxiety attacks during my first day in P1, how I hung on closely to my teacher even though I'd never met her. I thought her skirt reminded me of my mum.

Things that panic attacks do to a kid.

My little god daughter, may you have a wonderful journey filled with love and joy, and some panic attacks. And hopefully you'll enjoy the journey as much as the destination, and the people as much as the place. Remember once your experiences are shared, the memories are doubled.

Have a lovely day at school.

Journey of the mind

When times get tough, I am often the most optimistic of the lot, at times seemingly brinking on being overly naive even as chided by my close friends.

What is the point in looking for darkness in the world of gloom? We are all surrounded by gloom. Or at least the human perception veers us towards the point of gloom whenever we are down. Why look for it when we feel burdened by it already?

Must we still rub salt in our own wounds?

It takes strength to look beyond what appears before us to envision what we hope to achieve. The more we hope for, the greater our risk of disappointment.

Therefore it takes more courage to dare to dream than to wallow in gloom.

No I am not being naive or superficial as I may seem. I dare to hope because I know what may be my cost of disappointment. I want to dream because that is how far I will go.

And it is because I have been into the valley of doom, that steers me clear from the path of self destruction. The human mind is a mighty machine. Tune it so that it steers you towards where you want to go. Master it so that your mind does not control your fears.

I so fear to drown, that I swim furiously to keep myself afloat. Look for the glimmer of hope that keeps the spirit alive. And have the courage to accept what we have been endowed with.

And in the midst of it all, remember that above all, there is Love. Which warms the heart and nourishes the soul, that we may rest to journey the rest of the way.

Old Airport Road Hawker Centre

The Old Airport Road Hawker Centre is back with a bang after relocation and refurbishment.

The last time I was here, hardly a quarter of the current stalls were tenanted and I recall missing the old stalls at the old site.

Made a trip here last night and lo and behold! What a lovely sight of crowds and fully tenanted stalls - some old some new. My eyes shifted quickly to look for familiar faces, while soaking in the sights of the new. Exciting!

3 of us managed CKT, HKM, bbq stingray, thai cuttlefish, porridge, satay, chicken wings and belgian chocolate waffles. And beer of course. I am planning already what I have to eat on my next visit...

Sitting on the fence

I sat on the line on this one for a long time. Wavered to and fro, relooking at the possibilities from all possible angles.

When I made my choice, it chewed me up, and spat me out. And I shifted my decision to the other side.

Whatever it might me, a choice was made and I'll have to move forward from here.

Some part of me is afraid, some part of me is excited. Right now, there is more fear than excitement.

Park Guell

This is Park Guell a huge park located in the city of Barcelona.

Mr Guell was a rich man who lived in Barcelona a long long time ago. As the city of barcelona grew and grew, crowding out the streets from La Rambla and the old city quarters, he realised that people were losing more and more of park spaces and their opportunity to interact with nature.

Mr Guell was a rich man for his time. He envisioned building a park in the city of Barcelona, to give to the people a place where there is much greenery to reside in.

He found a huge piece of land atop of a VERY steep hill just 10 minutes from the city (by 2008 metro). There are escalators built on these roads to help people get to the park. The downward journey is manual gear all the way though. Hope this picture means something to you about angles.

Mr Guell had a good friend Gaudi who was a famous artist. Very famous artist who had a soft spot for lizards and amphibians. You can see the trademark iguana in most of his works.

Gaudi agreed to design a park for Mr Guell who would in turn sell it to residents who can enjoy the park at leisure.

But for some reason the private housing project didnt quite take off and the hill top was converted into a public park instead for the enjoyment of all the residents in Barcelona.

Below I sat in the shade listening to some excellent sax performance from this guy while taking a break fm the 38 degree C heat.

What you see are the whimsical Gaudi designs created more than 100 years ago. I still stand back and look in awe and amazement at Gaudi's creativity and foresight 100 years later in 2008. Timeless and whimsical. His designs have transcended all barriers across time and space.

Isn't it amazing how much can be said without the need for words?

Art Music and Love. Some things that need so little to mean so much.

Isabella

Shanghai is a city of wonders and amazements.


We went to this wonderful little enclave of traditional non-discreet houses. Nestled amongst these little habitats of traditional shanghainese households is Trattoria Isabella. A warm cosy little italian restaurant tucked away in this row of houses.

It preserved the external facade of traditional houses while the interior had been completely revamped to mark the homely feel of an italian eatery.

This is the bread basket, had my fav starter of tomatoes and mozzarella, beef rolls with warm melted cheese, and some fantastic very al dente pasta.

I must have been famished that afternoon for I'd clean forgotten to take a shot of the starter and mains! OMG!


This Italian beer topped off the meal, followed by some wonderfully home brewed espresso.



What more could I say?

Except of course that dinner was about 3 hours away. Burp!

In transit - Madrid

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In transit - Madrid

Couldn’t take a side trip out of Madrid airport as the city is an hour away. With only 4.5 hours transit time, I couldn’t afford to take the risk. 2 hours spent travelling, leaves me only 1.5 hours max in the city for exploration. I decided to just try to get some rest in the airport.

So here I am pounding these entries. No way to get any rest. Too tired to read, yet too uncomfortable to sleep.

I am also thinking if I should get something to eat. I am still very full from all that german stuff I ate earlier, no point trying to stuff myself. Yet I am worried should I get hungry tonight… Oh what to do? Think I’ll just sleep hungry if need be. Maybe at La Coruna later I might just get something to store just in case.

I just dread the periods of malnutrition I get when travelling alone. Too dehydrated most of the time. And irregular meal times.

I sure hope breakfast is provided. And that the hotel is decent too.

It’s 8pm and the sun is still shining so brightly. Looks like 4pm, just cooler. I wonder what time’s sunset nowadays. The weather gets a little chilly towards the evening. It was fiery hot when I arrived at 4 this afternoon.

Looks like this is what I can expect for the next couple of weeks. La coruna is much cooler, so look out for freezing toes and fingers.

I wonder what the people here do with such long summer days. What activities are carried out in summer and are the malls open till late? What time does the sun set and what time is dinner?

I highly suspect lunch is 2-4 and dinner is sometime 8-9pm. Well I’ll sure find out soon enough.

I hope the I find the driver at La Coruna easily enough…. Tired already. And here’s to an early 845am pick up tomorrow.

German Canine Residents

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German canine residents

The city council of Frankfurt makes an effort to incorporate its canine citizens / residents into its town planning. See the traffic light buzzer? These are prevalent throughout the city, and it’s got a picture of adults, children and dogs! So cute!





And I saw residents bringing their canine companion going to the bakery to get their morning breakfast. And a beagle taking the train in the city. It was going sniff sniff here there everywhere at the plat form. No one batted an eyelid. It was as though the beagle had its perfect right to be part of the city. The dog has a resident status, so he should be entitled to public transport don’t you think?

At the train platform I encountered my first gypsy on the trip. Asking for alms with her daughter. Me is easy target so no choice la. She pointed to her daughter, and to an empty milk bottle. After I gave her some money she looked at my weiner and asked to have some. Woa! So I pointed to my tummy and said no. Fortunately she walked away.


At the airport, I saw this poodle at the check in counter. I wonder how he was travelling. Business or economy? As he trotted around the departure hall, no one batted an eyelid either. Canines have earned their resident status in the city of Frankfurt. And I credit their owners for making it possible, and the city’s residents for according such status to the canine community. This is truly an integrated tolerant culture within a beautiful city.

When will Singapore ever achieve this status as a livable city?

Untitled

The journey of life is a long and winding path. At times we tire and need to rest. At times we quicken our pace and chase after last rays of the setting sun.

There is always a time and place for everything. Let's enjoy the moment when we have arrived; taking time to take in the sights and sounds of our destination, for we may never cross this path again.

Sit with me as we journey this path together with you. Walk with me as we uncover new destinations. Drink with me as we celebrate the miracle of love, life and happiness.

Cheers, yum seng, kanpai, tah!

Zen

Had a conversation with my very good old friend. Like vintage wine. We spoke about men and money.

Why are people obsessed with making money or getting anxious over how more others made? Or seemingly make.

Why are people concerned over leaving their men alone for some time? Do all men stray? Why do some people kick up a fuss over an affair, while others choose escapism, while a further subset choose to accept the fact that all men will have their flings and mistresses.

Do we forgive our partners for a one time fling? For an affair that lasted over a period of time? Or for keeping a mistress? Is there a difference - in affairs that are brief or long lasting? Do we handle them differently?

Can we really forgive and accept affairs our partners have had / may have ? Do we accept affairs that our friends may have? Do our views change depending on the geographical location we are in and the social norms?

有谁人是一张白纸 － 只有将来没有过去？

My friend stressed over money and lamented that people are owning more properties, getting more well to do. This had been an on going topic we have been msn-ing over.

And finally she commented that I am like a monk. Very zen.

I guess I am, after all we are all transient on earth. Our time on earth will come to an end one day. When I leave, I will go with no regrets, at peace, in tranquility. And each day I am alive, I endeavour to make this happen.

Wealth is a relative term. We are all wealthy in our own ways. God provides for all. Lets not compare or be envious. For each richer person there is, there will be one that is poorer than oneself.

Let's be grateful for all that we have been endowed with, and not be envious of what we do not have.

Frankfurt

Backdated Post written while in Frankfurt in July


Frankfurt

I’ve been travelling non stop for the past 25 hours non stop. 12 hours from Singapore to Frankfurt. Transit of 8 hours. 2.5 hours from Frankfurt to Madrid. Transit 4.5 hrs. 1 hour flight from Madrid to La Coruna.

Have not slept or eaten well in the past 25 hours. Dehydrated as the flight attendants were slack in handing out water. Could not really sleep either. The Lufthansa plane’s quite an antique to be flying. For business travelling, SQ is definitely needed.

So far I’ve been rushing to wait, and waiting to rush. I left Singapore at 2300hrs on Sat night. It is now Monday morning 0030hrs and I am still waiting in transit.

Fortunately I made a city tour at Frankfurt. It was only a 15 min train ride away from the airport. The city’s excellent to tour by foot.

I discovered the little and large churches, the museums, the opera theatres, the shopping districts. And I also saw how the city apartments are so well integrated into the entire city scape. Age old gothic buildings, majestic churches and modern museums share the land scape with uber chic apartments and quaint eateries.

And the best bit, a nice river runs past the city with many locals enjoying a Sunday jog as I was there. All this I managed to soak in the 3 hours I was there.

The train station was majestic, old preserved exterior yet ultra efficient modern interior. So german!

I especially like the apartments by the river. So scenic and yet just 5 min away from the city centre. I can understand why they say Frankfurt is among the top cities in the world to live in.

There are lots of public squares, large and small. Somewhat I could feel how centuries ago people would gather in these squares and interact much like they still do now. Except of course in the very touristed square where all I saw were touristy kick knacks. The open air cafes were aplenty and welcoming.

Had a very german pretzel.

Then my starbucks coffee. Then went in search of my elusive german weiner. Along the way I stumbled on many quaint pubs, Paulaner Am Bon was one of them. Small cosy pub tucked away alongside an old church sharing a small public square, located just in front of the city river.

As I made my way to the river several swans swam up to me in search of food I guess.

Unfortunately I had given all the crumbs to the horde of fat pigeons in another square as I sat and ate my german pretzel. Wow didn’t realise these swans and pigeons are BIG!

Walked past Kakadu a true blue aussie institution (pub) as I walked back to the train station. Took a photo in honour of my aussie friend.

Back at the station, I found the elusive german weiner. Though I wasn’t hungry from that huge pretzel I ate an hour ago, I knew I just had to try. They looked big long and juicy….. So I made my order. Lo and behold the counter staff too up a 4” roll and started to slice ot open. Wait a minute! My weiner is something like 20” long ok? How does this work out??!

So what if the sausage sticks out 4 times the length of the roll? There you see, my german weiner. Yum! Was a little oily for my liking but overall good. Not the best but good.

And I finally understood why the roll could not be of the same length as the weiner. German breads are crusty on the outside and fluffy dense on the inside. Ie these little buns pack a big punch.

No wonder that pretzel filled me up. No wonder I struggled to finish the little 4” roll. The bread was wonderful, the crust outside was well, warm and crusty. The inside of the roll had a bit of chewiness, slightly denser than Japanese bread or any of those stuff from Breadtalk.

And so ended my sojourne to the city of Frankfurt. It was a little scary at first as I went to the train station. Everything was in German! I had no idea which station to disembark, no map no nothing. Am I glad I went out to explore. It’s an easy city to navigate. Even I can navigate, so can anyone else for that matter!

I started my city walk about 8am in the morning as the sleepy city remained, well, closed. It was Sunday. What did I expect? A friendly old man on a bike waved and said hello. OK so I was the only Asian walking down the city street at 8am on a Sunday morning. He looked as though he’s out to get his morning paper.

Some streets later, another man in a car with open windows drove past and waved too. That’s kinda strange I thought. Are Frankfurters (!!) famed for their friendliness to tourists?? I dunno.

Later the owner of a grill also called and waved to me even though I was on the opposite side of the road.

Was it me or was it because it’s a lonely Sunday morning in Frankfurt they needed someone to wave to, or is it because I am a lone tourist or were they curious to see if asian tourists were as shy/rude/kiasu as everyone has made them to be? I’m curious to know too.

The only signs of life on a Sunday morning were party dwellers still thumping to the music of an underground club early in the morning. There were bouncers guarding the flight of stairs leading to the basement entry. And a long line of taxis waiting in the crisp morning air to take these party goers home.

Just 500 m away, several church bells toll as a different crowd of Sunday worshippers make their way into the chapel.

I love the contrast, the integration, the harmony of the place. Oh I also saw a public park with the wonderful smells of bitter orange and some other plants opposite the opera theatre. In between them are tram lines criss crossing the city. All this some 10 minute walk away from the church and the club.

Maybe the city reminds me of Melbourne. So quaint yet so modern, with a river running by the city. In fact I think Frankfurt is a lot like Melbourne. Maybe that’s why I like it.

Trooper's adventures

Backdated post written in transit from KL to Frankfurt


Trooper’s adventures

Went to fetch Trooper back from camp when I was back from KL. Camp had ended as the campmaster had taken ill and was unable to take care of Trooper.

So I had to find alternative arrangements for poor Trooper due to my erratic travelling schedule these few weeks.

My sis agreed to take him as long as he could fit in and doesn’t cause any problems. So we brought Trooper to her place and could see that he is better behaved than the first time. Trooper had become more socialised, and didn’t snarl and bite like he used to.

He got along swell with Samson and Sassy, and was soon trooping all over the garden with them. He also helped himself to the water bowl of course. We then road tested him to see if he’d dash out once the front gate opened. He passed. After a couple of hours, we all felt safe that Trooper could stay.

As I left the front gate Trooper tried to run after me. Aiyo, this little one is quite a character.

Then my sis called to say that she couldn’t keep Trooper cos he barked all night. I think very likely cos he’s never stayed outdoors before. He’s been an apartment dog all his life and this being his first day outdoor, and also unused to his various campting trips, he got all uptight. Having fussy neighbours I completely understood her situation.

But she was very kind to say that Trooper could stay over in the day time (since he doesn’t bark) and just need to pick him up after work so he doesn’t stay overnight and make noise.

I thought it was a brilliant arrangement. He could run around all day with Samson and Sassy to tire himself out, and then go home to zzzz all night. Man, this is looking at a puppy day care arrangement!

Haha anyhow this starts tomorrow, we’ll see how. Let’s hope Bruno and Murray won’t be jealous that Trooper’s been trooping all over the island.

A little restaurant by the sea

Dinner was a lovely affair. With my extremely limited Spanish I didn´t want to venture far from my hotel to eat at the main promenade where rows and rows of beautiful cafes and restaurants line the beach.

You see, the Spanish here have a limited command of Ingles (engrish la) and ordering food without my spanish speaking colleagues is a challenge.
Excuse number two is that I hate to dine alone in restaurants where there are no other solo diners.

Villanova is a resort town. People come in pairs or families to enjoy the sight. After 2 days here, I have discovered that I am the only Chinese in this town, and probably the only solo diner anywhere possible.

So I decided to dine in the pretty restaurant of my hotel tonight. A balcony built into the garden of the hotel, it was blue and white , with airy linen curtains all over the open air al fresco area. So pretty. Later in the night the lamps were lit and candles were brought in. Very nice.

I was comfortable enough to eat alone, as the staff know me. But you see, dining alone in a beautiful place is a lonely affair.

Fortunately the food and the ambience made up for it.

I had a wonderful salad buffet of Spanish salads with gazpacho and spanish omelette. The tomato and goat cheese, the preserved capsicums in olive oil, the arborio rice, the cous cous, the pinenuts, the walnuts and much much more. The spanish salad is wonderful. And I love the tomatoes in this region. Sweet succulent and juicy. Wonderful with goat cheese. Mmmm.

And I didnt know the cold gazpacho could taste so good. Its a cold tomato soup served with a blend of other stuff and is amazing on a warm summer day with the fresh green salads. Yum Yum. The spanish omelette is also served cold, a bit like a Bt Timah chai tow kway but cold, though hard but nice. Cannot complain about the freshness of the food here.

Then I had the most beautiful baby sotongs for main course. These are baby squids lightly fried and served with a sour tangy sauce. I could almost taste the sea in these little creatures... Wonderful.

If only I had friends to share this meal with.

I think I´ll have more sotongs for dinner tomorrow night.

Stealing time

I am happy that I will be back in spore for a few hours this weekend!!!!

Time to see cheyanne mummy will be short, but i am so looking forward! Woo hoo!!
I hope that eyelicious will be free too so we can all meet up. O how i miss everyone!

Quote ¨¨ Every morning I wake up and dedicate myself to making you happy. Can you feel my love?¨¨

While Spain is wonderful and memorable, there are the people and places that have been with me which formed my perception of Spain the way it is today. I dedicate this post to these people who have been with me along the way. No cobblestones or gothic churches. No Gaudi or Dali. No Jamon iberica or seafood paella.

Got Zion Rd Char Kway Teow, Bt Timah Chai Tow Kway, Joo Chiat Kim Choo Bak Chang, Zion Rd Tang Yuan, Wala wala wings and Hoegaarden. Sometimes Heineken also can. You want? Come eat and drink with me la :)

ps Just so you appreciate these numerous posts, spanish keyboard is not the same as english keyboards. Me is brain-fried.

Villanova

I am now in Villanova, a 30 min or 100 euro cab ride away from barcelona.

It is a seaside resort town facing a beautiful beach. In fact my room window opens into the sea view just metres away from the hotel. Hotel is basic in amenities as it is designed to promote a beach front lifestyle. There is a 24 hr mini buffet of orange juice, water , cereals etc at the top floor which is a all white balcony with free internet access where i am typing this right now.

All the furniture here is white. I could blend into the furniture except for my huge sunglasses.

The view here is beautiful. That is why I prefer to be here than in the room. The best part of the room is the super comfy pillows and the bed.

The hotel´s color scheme is blue and white. So nice!

This tiny town is different from Barcelona in architecture and design. There are no gothic ancient buildings , no tall buildings or towers or cobblestone streets all over. In fact the town has grid like roads which is good for people like me.

I explored the principle rambla this afternoon by foot and took me something like 30 min to explore the busy part of the city. I know where the market is , the major shopping stretch, and of course the beach. It´s this tiny, but quaint.

I had a croissant, a dark chocolate gelato and a packet of olive oil chips for lunch. My limited spanish could not get me too far in terms of food. I shall be more adventurous tonight as I am craving to have some seafood in this city surrounded by the sea.

Story has it that this town was created in the medieval times. A feudal lord decreed that all brides of the town must sleep with him on the first night of marriage. One couple decided to seek help from an opposing warlord who gave them a piece of land to build their house upon in his land. This freed the couple from the sex-craved feudal lord.

Soon other young couples sought help from the opposing warlord and more people started to reside in this town. Villanova was thus created. Villa = village, Nova = new.

As time passed, the land belonging to the 2 feudal lords merged to form villanova the way it is today.

I also read that this place is famous for horse riding, I´d love to try but i think it would not be possible for me as i have so little time left.

This is why I have to come back to BCN again.

BCN

Barcelona is a magical city. The ancient city is made alive by the trade, the people, the lifestyle, the art, the cuisine, the culture and the interactive mix of all the other possible factors that make Barcelona the way it is.

Every corner I turn in the alleyway there are surprises. The Ramblas, the Carrers, the avenues are not in grid lines; they turn and twist leading you to discover a new square, another old church or a new store in this ancient city of cobblestones and amazing amazing gothic architecture. It´s as though all the modernities of this world has been transported back in time to relive in the ancient streets and buildings. It´s beautiful and so different from other major european cities I´ve been to.

Each time I ventured out of the hotel, I´d remember the land mark stores and shops for me to remember the way back- the Decathlon, the korean store at the junction, the paella store selling dark chocolate magnums in a box, the rituals bath store, the iconic newsstand - without these land marks, I´d probably be lost.

Just 30 min by foot from the centre of the city is Barceloneta. A beautiful promenade and beach facing the sea. Incredible, that such a beautiful beach rests just minutes from the Gucci, Zara, Berscha, Oysho, LV, Massimo, Desigual, etc one was browsing in. It´s really amazing. So I see people in bathing suits walking along the promenades, some to the city etc.

It´s been hectic for me in Barcelona. Work is interesting and intensive. Language and Culture added another dimension to the work too but in all everything is good.

Sunset is at 10 pm. I start the day with coffee about 8 with croissant or one of those mini baguettes with jamon (delicious) I could not get enough of. Lunch is at 2pm, and depending on where I am, it could be another jamon sandwich or something from Pans, or a full spanish lunch yummy. More photos when i can upload. Dinner is usually at 9-10pm and lasts till midnight. It could be at a tapas bar or we sit for a proper meal at a restaurant. Then back to the hotel at mindight to prepare for another day ahead.

It´s good that the hotel is located just 2 min from La Rambla in the old city. Near to the shopping district and walking distance to Pl de Gracia, and mins away fm Park Guell and La sacramento familiar and other Gaudi creations. This will be in a diff post.

Had I more time, I´d take better photos of the city and visit more sights. Secretly, I´ve made up my mind to come back to Barcelona.

Box or no box?

Having heard about the Clarkes shoes my god-daughter is accumulating, I browsed the shoe section of the dept store on my way home last night.

Lo and behold! I caught sight of a very comfortable pair of round toe wedges. Tried it on and fell in love with it. Unfortunately they didnt have my size in the turqoise green. I settled for the cream shade.

I wouldn't normally buy cream colored shoes cos I find them difficult to match with my grey and black work clothes. But that was then, and now I get to wear almost anything I fancy!! Yea!! So I brought pair back to the hotel. It's called Champagne Lea. :)

My roving eyes caught sight of another pair of Camper shoes on the way to the cashier. It's got a yellow flower on the mary jane strap, patches of blue/white polka dots, red and yellow patches on a white base. Excellent conversation starter.

So I bought them too. And told myself not to shop anymore before my trip.

And now as I pack my luggage I am contemplating should I bring the shoe boxes back?? They're so colorful and cute!! This would normally not even come across as an issue. Just that these boxes are so fun!

Oh the effort they put into making shopping such a fantastic experience for the consumer.

I know what eyelicious would say if faced with this dilemma... heehee

Teh or Coffee?

Had lunch at a random mamak stall just next to KLCC today. Ooh the rendang and curries had the right amount of OOMPH!

This is where the locals have lunch around this heavily touristed area of overpriced food courts and substandard food quality. True enough mamak stall didnt disappoint. ( mental note : Opposite Ave K )

Another place my colleagues recommended was Nasi Kandar Pelita just a few minutes walk away. Open 24hrs (mental note to self : must try on next road trip)

I thought about the Starbucks here costing some RM 10 for a latte, how do the locals afford this stuff? Even lunch costs rm6-7 in the city area, which is getting more expensive as fuel prices rocket.

What a disparity amongst the latte sipping tourists and the teh tarik drinkers at the mamak stalls. Interesting.

I must take a night shot of the twin towers before I go home.

Jurlique and Aesop

Thank goodness for Jurlique's Rebalancing Mask. It's now sharing my top spot with Aesop's Primrose Facial Mask as top favourites.

The former does a good job of rebalancing moisture needs and deep cleansing, while the latter is an excellent glob cleaner.

I should post a photo of these 2 gems, but I forgot to bring along my cable during this trip.

Why am I blogging abt masks? Cos my skin is in need of rebalancing during this hectic trip. And now the scent is wafting me to sleep gently, relaxing my state of mind, recharging me for another day ahead.

Lonely away fm home

Hey hey - was surprised that someone included a photo of me in his facebook profile shot. But hey, if I'm blogging, what do I expect right? If I have a fb account, what less can I expect duh!

But anyway, short entries for the week. Busy busy busy. All I can say is that what does not kill, can only make one stronger, blisters and all. Ah hahaha!

Each day I soak my tortured feet in my bath tub and wonder how I managed to survive. But hey look, the sun still rises the next day. I'm away from home this week, and how I miss the doggies.

Cheyannemummy is also back home this week, but I am out of town. Sigh, looks like atas drinking session has to wait for a while more.

But anyhow I is HAPPEE!! Happy happy happy!

Camping

Cos of my travelling schedule, we've had to put Trooper back to his previous owner for a couple of days. About 10 days to be exact.

We drove to his previous home and he bounded into the house sniffing the place out, and looking smug and comfy as usual. I'm so happy that he felt comfortable.

I'd told him that he'd be away for a 'camp' for a couple of days, and packed his camping gear. His food bowl, water bowl, collar n leash, his supply of food, vitamins, toy, snacks, and my old towel, in case he missed me. ( haha fat hope! ) He'd be so busy running all over the place I bet!

When he settled in I turned to leave, and he rushed after me, and had to be restrained. That's when I felt the tinge of pain tugging at my heart. I miss Trooper. Wonder if he thinks I'm abandoning him? Oh NO!!

Bruno didn't sleep well last night either. He was looking for Trooper, his bedside buddy. Instead of sleeping in the room, he lingered at the main door, and whined for quite a long while. I wonder if he was waiting for Trooper to come home.

And I hope that these 2 at home don't think that I'll abandon them, ever. But I sure am gonna miss them while I'm away.

Cooks United

Went to Pasir Ris for the Tze Char again. Wasn't in the mood for crabs, so we ordered other stuff.

The Mee Goreng (above, half eaten) was tasty though I thought it's be better with more egg.

The soft shell crab (lots n lot of it) with pork floss. Excellent.

Sea cucumber with Fish Maw. My favourite all in one.

Kang Kong with Cuttlefish. Watery but the cuttlefish was done perfectly.

Overall the food's good, and great value for money.

Its a Cherry tumour

Brought Trooper to the Vet last month to have his 'pimple' checked out. He'd developed a pimple-like boil on his right thigh and it seemed to have taken a life of its own with exponential growth by the day.

The moment I stepped into Vet's office, his cheery "How is the little one?" put me at ease. I pointed to the pimple. "Ah! Cherry tumour. Common in young dogs. How old is he?"

So Trooper's got a benign tumour. Its called a cherry tumour cos it looks like one. Don't know if it tastes anything like it cos the dogs keep licking at it all day.

"They are 99% benign and will go away on its own. 1% will be malignant and is fatal as they develop all over the body and organs." Vet said.

I had the option of cutting it out and sewing the skin back, or let nature run its course.

"It'll be messy with blood, pus and what nots. But it'll go away. If you want a quick fix, and not live with the mess, I can remove it too. So what do you want to do?"

I chose the holistic way to treat the problem as Vet assured me that it'll just run its course and go away though not without some (quite a bit really) mess. Daily cleaning is required of course. And it smells fishy, not unlike rotting flesh.

Its been just over a month and I'm so glad that the boil has gone down substantially.

Cherry tumours grow quickly, plateau for a while at their largest ( they look like HUGE RED boils without the liquid ) and then fizzle out like a deflated balloon.

Now the cherry's flat, though still oozing pus, blood and plasma.

So if you have a young dog under 2 years of age with a similar growth, please have it checked by the vet to confirm if it's indeed a benign tumour or otherwise. Never thought any of my dogs would have cancer, but hey, life's like that.

In the meantime Trooper's enjoying all the attention he's getting from Bruno and Murray though as they go after the cherry on his thigh. Lick lick lick!! Run run run. Lick Lick. Growl bite scramble fight and then truce. Peace. For ten minutes at least.

Get well soon Troop!

Where have all the V5s gone?

Had a panic attack a week ago when I could not find my favourite Pilot V5 pen at Popular Bookstores or Kinokuniya or Takashimaya's stationery section.

How to write without V5???!!

Fortunately found it at one of the old shops in Chinatown tonight. Phew.

It appears that they still can be found at selected Evergreen shops too. They are phasing out the old models it seems in favour of the refillable, retractable type. The design of the new V7 - er, cannot make it. Couldn't find the new models in V5 either.

No V5, no work.

I like what I see

Took the 3 of them for a walk this morning. It was awfully awfully warm. You know the kind of oppresive heat that hits you just before a storm.

Came home, and hit the gym. Somehow I am not getting past 3km, though I am running a lot faster than last week. Phew. Self consolation.

And I am energised!! Yay! It's amazing what exercise does to me, really! As I hit the speed button upwards on the treadmill, I could feel my adenaline pump faster and faster, and my ipod pounding in beat to my feet, and woa! Before I know it, I hit my magic mark 3km, and stop.

I must get past this mental barrier and go further. I hope I can sprint like that for 5km. Then there is hope yet for the end of the year.

After the run, I came back, mopped the floor did the laundry and still I am bouncing like duracell bunny.

Isn't it amazing what a run can do for me?

Secretly secretly I adore the aches and pains as I feel my muscles ache. And when I do my stretches I hear my shoulder blades creak out of the joints, pain pain pain and ree.ee...lieee.eeeve. Then I like what I see in the huge mirror :)

Maybe that's why I so adore the Hot Room at Bikram. When when when can I go back there again??

Cleaning Dog Poo

Cheyanne Mummy recounted a conversation she heard while in a cubicle.

A : You can't do that here. You cannot allow her to do it here.
M : Why not? She needs to go, she needs to go.
A : No no do it inside, not here.
M : I'll carry her, what's wrong??
A : Do it inside, not here!
M : But she doesn't want to sit on the toilet!!
A : You cannot let her do it here!

*Image flash*
Mother carries kid to wee wee into the sink. Janitor is upset and tells the mother off.

*Reality flash*
Mother carries kid who is peeing onto the floor of the toilet. Janitor is mopping up the urine to prevent it from flowing all over, at the same time telling the indignant mother off.

*Special Effects*

The wee wee was yellow, probably from the lack of water in the girl's diet.

• She's 3 yrs old, not 3 months old. If my kid cannot sit on a toilet bowl to pee, I'd leave her at home. Until she gets it right, she stays home. Its morally wrong to expect anyone to clean up my kid's pee and poo if I cannot manage to get her to use a toilet properly.

• Just because my kid doesn't want to pee into the toilet, does not give me the right to let her do her business anywhere she fancies. Unless of course I clean up after my kid personally, and there is no damage or negative impact on the surrounds and its users.

• To look at some cleaner mop up my kid's urine as it flows and remain indignant about it, makes this mother socially impaired. I hope her kid does not grow up to be anything like her.

• And yes I am making a moral judgement on the mother. If I clean up after my dog's poo, so should you, after your kids urine, aunty!

For all we know, that pile of poo on the public toilet floor could have been from kids with parents like her.

And if I ever find out that mothers like that complain to the world about pet owners not cleaning up after their dogs, and whine about how detrimental dog poo is to kid's health, I'll shove some into her face.

My Very Own!

I was given my personalised cash card today - such a wonderful surprise! Yay! XMS thoughtfully selected one of my fav photos in my fav city in the world during one of our memorable trips for the cash card. Thanks!! ( sidenote : thank you for not choosing the Raffles photo. Phew! )

Didn't know that Singapore Mint had sich a service. Me is happeee! Yay! My very own!

Les Bouchons

Went to Les Bouchons at Ann Siang Rd for a birthday dinner.

Its a tiny french steak place which seats approx 20 or so pax, so reservations are recommended.
Specialties are steak frites or steak with fries on its one page menu. Some seafood also included in the menu for good measure.

The food didn't disappoint. We had escargot and smoked salmon for starters (which we devoured before I remembered about my camera ).

The ribeye was great! Each main order came with a free flow order of wonderful thick cut fries and a fresh serving of salad. Great value for approx $30. Given the portions served, there was little chance of stuffing myself with another serving of fries though.

The salmon was great too, though the lamb skewer cum lamb sausage wasn't too great. Thought the sausage tasted a little on the salty and tough side, similar to chinese 'lup cheong' heh heh.

The accompanying condiments of mustard and horseradish added flavour to the steak though it wasn't necessary given how tasty the steak was.

Definitely will come back for great steaks.

Les Bouchons

Ann Siang Rd

+65 64230737