Tiger 2000-2012 - My Best Friend

It was a difficult decision but I knew in my heart, that was the right and rational decision.

Tiger was my first pet. Mom bought it for us during Fathers' Day in 2000. I was advised to pick the most energetic puppy of the litter but the mild one caught my eye. He went home with me and what I didn't expect, our interesting jouney began.

I named him Tiger after Woods won his US Masters green jacket. He accompanied me through college and law school. All the nights I spent with my books, he was on my bed, accompanying me through the trying periods. He believed in me.

Tiger was a difficult pet to train. He wasn't the smartest dog but he was the most loyal. Despite my anger when he chewed up my heels, he still loved me. I gave him a hard time when he didn't want to finish his food. He was a picky eater and even with snacks, he was extremely selective. Like me, he only wanted the best. So, we all tried to give him our best.

He was the only dog my cousin, XMR, was willing to touch as though he dispelled all her fears for dogs. My younger cousins started to point towards other dogs and called them "Tiger!" He was good with the kids and the kids adored him. He became their favourite playmate and they always look forward to meeting Tiger. No matter how they squashed him and chased him, Tiger never bit nor barked at them.

On one occasion, Tiger began barking at the door but we refused to open it for him because we were all too busy. When we finally got to opening the door, our bikes outside were stolen. Then on, we will always open the door for him to have a peep whenever he barks at the door.

My late Grandma who never liked pets, seemed to have a soft spot for Tiger. She would call Tiger to go to her, in her Teochew laced English, and pet him to sleep. More often, she would doze off before Tiger did. But Tiger would always pretend to be sleeping just to please Grandma.

When I was going through food poisoning in Shanghai, all I wanted was to have Tiger with me. I thought of him over my parents or friends. He was THE friend. If only he was there with me, I could brave all the drips and injections without much fear. All I had was a picture of him with me.

When he was 7, the vet told us we needed to put him down. He had stones in his urinary tract and with small animals like these, it would be almost impossible to remove those stones. Dr Jean-Paul Ly then recommended an operation that would remove his entire urinary tract and in the process, Tiger was be transformed to a girl. But we still called him our good boy. Tiger lived happily for a few more good years. Even though it meant I couldn't buy a car for the time being then, it was all well worth it.

Earlier this year, his skin was giving problems and he could barely function. We later found out that the skin problems were due to a heart problem. His bloated belly was a cause for worry so we had to seek medical attention. We were told that he may not have much longer to live as his weak heart is unable to pump out the fluid from his stomach. Every few weeks, we had to bring him back to the vet to get the fluid removed. He will return to his active (well, not THAT active) self until the fluid builds up again. In recent months, the frequency of our visits to the vet became shorter and his suffering became more visible and audible. But being the brave dog that he was, he didn't winge or whine much. He could barely sleep because lying down would be pressing the fluid in his stomach to his lungs causing breathing difficulties. Mom and Dad brought him back from the vet week after another in hope that he will get better.

The vet's diagnosis was grim. We were very grateful to have an experienced and caring vet, Dr Francis Tay, to guide us along the way. We knew it was terminal and there was nothing we could do. But we were never prepared to put him to sleep hoping that one day, a heart attack will take him away really quick during his sleep. That never happened and his conditions got worse.

On Sunday night when I moved back to my parents', I sat down with Tiger. Sharing my problems with him, just like the old times. He snuggled up against me but he could barely walk. When I carried him, he felt so heavy with all the fluid in him. Then I knew it was time... But I didn't say much.

Weirdly enough, on Monday morning, Mom called and said she wanted to make an appointment for Tiger to see the vet, perhaps to take the fluid out of his stomach yet again. The only appointment she could get was the last appointment of the day at 6pm. Financially we all knew it was straining us but we all refused to let his life be determined by money. But rationally, I had to tell my parents that maybe it is best that we let him drift into deep sleep. My parents reasoned out within themselves and I believe it's a battle going on inside their hearts. They concluded that putting him to perpetual sleep was the best for him as well. They were the ones watching him suffer on a daily basis. When we got there, they couldn't do it and I didn't want to especially when I saw Tiger staring right at me. Dad was hoping to get a positive answer from the vet when he asked if he'd get better if we try to remove the fluid from his stomach yet again. It would have been yet another trip of trying to prolong his life.

Then I took a very close look at Tiger. I took some pictures of him. It was in the sunset. He looked out of the clinic and his face showed resignation. He was probably telling me, "I love you but I'm sorry. I'm old and I have to go." I knew I had to make a rational decision.

I will always have a photo to remind me that you have once loved me this unconditionally and if you could, you would take every step of my life with me.

I called Attituder who lost her dogs not very long ago. She gave me some encouragement and made me look past my emotions. By then, I have lost all the ability to speak as I was choking on my own tears.

After 12.5 years, it's finally the time. My parents left the decision to me and left the room as they didn't have the courage to watch him go. I stayed to watch. I gave him a last kiss and bade my last farewell. I stroked his fur for a final time and thanked him for all the time and the unconditional love.

I hope he is now in a better place without pain and suffering. My pain will slowly go away but my love for him will forever remain. There will never be another dog like him.

The process was very quick and peaceful. He didn't fight. I think he knew. I knew but he was still loving me although I'm deciding to put him to sleep. He never gave up on me.

Special thanks to Animal Recovery Centre for all the dedication and patience.

Tiger, you were my best friend. I love you but I know my love for you is nothing compared to your unconditional love for me. All the times that you have accompanied Mom and Dad when I wasn't there for them, thank you. All the tears I have shed, you were right there consoling me. Thank you. You have never given up on me. Thank you for the wonderful 12 years. You're irreplaceable.

You will be missed.
Rest in peace.
Tiger 2000 - 2012

Ruth's Chris Steak House

Finally our very own Ruth's Chris Steak House, a new haven for beef lovers like me?

I've decided to surprise Watziznehm by bringing him for an unexpected treat. To cheer him up on a lousy day, I made reservations at Ruth's Chris. The phone call should have been an indication of the service I was going to get. The girl was definitely polite but she couldn't make out what she was trying to say and I could barely understand her. She couldn't even get numbers right when I was trying to recite my phone number out to her! I wanted to make reservations for 7pm but I was told they only have spots for 6.30pm or 7.30pm. And so, I settled for 7.30pm thinking I won't be able to make it in time for 6.30pm. She also asked if it was for any special occasion like an anniversary, I just replied yes because it was... Just a couple of days late.

Expecting a full house at 7.15pm, I was made to wait at the door for 10 mins while they sorted out the seating. When I was finally led through the restaurant... Surprise! It was almost empty. Clearly, a well-suited manager seemed to be waiting on a table of food bloggers armed with flashing cameras and paying customers like us are left waiting for service? Besides, the slew of inconsiderate strong flashes continued interrupting our dinner. To be fair, our server was really attentive and during times when we understood what he was trying to say, he was marvellous. But I just couldn't figure out, why wasn't I able to start my meal at 7pm?

First to serve up was the blue crab cake. It was served on these incredibly hot plates which sizzles when you squeeze the beautifully wrapped lemon on it. The taste was beautifully sweet and every mouthful was tender, fresh, real crab meat. One little "but" though, it appears as if the entire dish was supposed to be served hot. Crabs are naturally cold so I wasn't afraid it was uncooked since they would have blanched it. But the inside of the dome shaped crab cake was significantly cooler than the exterior of the cake. I suspect it was quickly heated up before it was served but the time in the oven was perhaps a tad short. Nonetheless, it was still our favourite dish of the day. I will give it a 8.5 out of 10.

And because the crab cake wasn't as ginormous as how some bloggers described it to be, we had to add the BBQ shrimps to our order. I can only say the dish is overpriced and taste wise, it belongs to one with an acquired tongue. It was definitely a little better than average but it's a feeling that leaves one wanting. The spices were incredible so maybe I'm just unappreciative. 6 out of 10

Now comes the main part although in other circumstances, I would have labelled it as "the best part". Similarly, the plate was sizzling hot but only the part of the steak that was in contact with the plate was hot! The rest of the meat was cool-ish. Well, I understand as a medium rare steak, I shouldn't be asking for a full hot steak but c'mon, it's at least hot on the outside! It was so disappointing because it was supposed to be our highlight! The beef was a good quality USDA ribeye with the right amount of marbling but I couldn't decide if the kitchen murdered the steak or if it was meant to be served this way. The steak was served perfectly medium rare as per my request but unexpectedly, cooler than Charlie Brown. It was very reasonable priced though. 6.5 out of 10

As for the au gratin, which I ordered as accompaniment to the steak, was a complete waste of time. It was the only dish that was piping hot but the taste was ordinary and cheese didn't felt like it was of superior quality. I couldn't rate this dish... I gave up after 2 mouthfuls.

At the end of the dinner, I was too stuffed and didn't want to try the cheesecake. Besides, I couldn't take anymore disappointment. That's said, it's probably a very reasonably priced steakhouse for decent quality beef. Just pray that you turn up on a day which they're not preoccupied in their marketing attempts. I left the restaurant thinking why did she ask if it was a special occasion because they did nothing special for us. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

For me, Bedrock is still right up there with the crown.

National Day Rally

This will be an extremely short post and in fact, I could pass off as a tweet but I will attempt to use the least amount of words to get my message across. I've always maintained a WIP, personal letter to the head of state and it contains my views and visions for this nation. But as social media repeatedly brings out the ugly side of Singaporeans, I have learnt to keep my comments in and my hopes out.

There were several occasions during last night's live telecast of the National Day Rally delivered by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and some members of his team. Lee Hsien Loong spoke of all Singaporeans like his children. The very sincere messages were close to our hearts and his words hit it right home.

As far as my memory serves me, when LHL took over, many criticised that senior Mr Lee had Goh Chok Tong warm the "throne" for his eldest son in the "Lee empire". As of last night, I had an epiphany - Goh Chok Tong, whether he was a seat warmer or not, he was an impressive Prime Minister and during his "reign", the nation prospered. Though I may not be entirely happy with some choices I had to made just because I'm just born a Singaporean, I grew up a happy child and a satisfied citizen. As I watched our current Prime Minister carefully picked his words as not to offend prickly Singaporeans, his sincerity and messages touched me. I came to realise that senior Mr Lee didn't just pick his son out of selfish intentions. Instead, he picked a trusted and impressive successor who is radically different but incredibly fitting in current context. Today, with overwhelming emotions, I'm glad to announce that I'm a proud Singaporean. We have so much room to improve but we need each other to do that.

Even with so much issues internally, I'm beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel. As long as we remember what he said...

Hope. Heart. Home.

I read an article this morning and it touched on my pet subject.

#silencethehate

Let's just try this today - Give way to someone, whether you are on the road or a mere commuter on the train. When someone extends their kindness, say thanks or a simple wave while you're on the wheel. Let the grace start from you...

Ok, this is why I couldn't fit the message on Twitter...

Peter Sagan - The Tourminator

Let me first qualify, I'm not a super cyclist and in fact, I only started this year and well, I have to admit that I haven't been riding enough. I complain non-stop trying to finish a 30-40 km ride and the pain in my tailbone is putting off anymore rides until I can find a better saddle. The search continues... But to be sitting in front of the telly armed with chips and soda, I was right in my element.

When Tour de France started this year, I was glued to the gorgeous looking Mark Cavendish in his rainbow jersey that marks the world champion. With Team Sky all decked out in Kask helmets complete with team colours which I almost bought if not for the weight (My weird head shape meant only the Kask and OGK fits me), paired with the legendary Pinarello Dogma 2s and complete with the way the team rides almost like they're dancing in some arranged formation, I was a fan! At this point, I was quite comfortable with the impending fact that Team Sky is going to take home both the yellow and green jersey (I didn't even know what the yellow and green jersey meant before this!).

For one Slovak prodigy, Peter Sagan, this Tour de France is his debut. He couldn't have made his presence with more impact. At a mere 22 years of age, I think we're about to see the cycling scene change (not that I have seen much before). All I know is how cute and amazing Mark Cavendish is... That said, my focus was starting to slowly shift when Sagan won Stage 1 beating Fabian Cancellara, the yellow jersey favourite. The shift has also got to do with the fact that I'm a Cannondale rider (I can't afford a Pinarello!) and more importantly, Watziznehm has one of those SuperSix Evo frames that Team Liquigas is on.

I know this is rather anti-climax but here's how my frame looks like but I have the Ultegra groupset on with some swanky SLK cranks, which in pro terms, it's peanuts. But I love my bike and I call it, Sky Sully. The above mentioned Evo is called Bike Wazowski!

On with Peter Sagan...

With his hands on his hips, he took the green jersey and never once gave it up. He will slowly earn his new nickname, The Tourminator, in the coming days. According to other sources, Sagan was first tagged the Terminator from his mountain biking days because he was destroying wheels and tires! Anyway, his first win but I've yet to figure out what movie his winning move was after...

Video Link's Broken - Sourcing for better ones...

If the above win gave you an idea of how much power this looker has packed in him, check out his Stage 3 win a.k.a the Forrest Gump win. He's looking really cute. "Win, Peter, Win!" How amazing!

Video Link's Broken - Sourcing for better ones...

At Stage 6, it may seem like Andre Greipel was slowly eroding Sagan's glory but the Hulk is not about to let it go. With a fabulously powerful late dash, the green jersey was once again in the safe hands of Peter Sagan.

No video of the win but here's a summary...

Video Link's Broken - Sourcing for better ones...

Here's something I found on road.cc

Stage winner Peter Sagan, Liquigas-Cannondale
“I'm very happy when I can win a stage like today. Yesterday I was unlucky with the crash but also content that nothing was broken and that I didn't have any injuries. I don't want to be compared with other riders, I want to be Peter Sagan. 

“I was near the front when the crash happened but the two riders who were ahead were pushed and this forced me to brake; behind me was Vincenzo Nibali who also had to brake and behind us was the crash. This is the race, this is the Tour de France and it's very nervous. The accident was on a downhill and we were going very fast and it's very dangerous. 

“Another win and I called this one ‘The Hulk'. I want the green jersey and I think I can hold on to it all the way to Paris. 

“This is already more than I ever expected. It's surprised me too. I wanted to do well but I need to say that this is only the start of the Tour de France and tomorrow is when the race really begins because it's the climbs and I think that after two weeks, by the start of the third week, it's going to be really hard. 

“I think I did well today because the other sprinters are a little tired and maybe that's the key to this win.”

Well, the above marks the 3 wins he totalled within 2012's Tour de France but the glory didn't stop there. He's now better known as the youngest winner of the green jersey with 141 points ahead of Greipel. Although in Paris, he failed to overtake Cavendish in the final dash, you would be so proud of him even coming in at number 2. Sagan may have Liquigas' support but what Cavendish got was way more substantial. If there were the exact support that Cavendish received from Team Sky for Sagan, he would have eaten Cavendish for dinner, no doubt. Then again, Liquigas has too, done alot for Sagan. That's another story for a better day...

The way he was sprinting up to the finishing line was just a sign of a super human. Still, Cavendish packed in a glorious win but what Peter Sagan did, was to get the world to sit up and anticipate what's up and coming. I'm now officially a fan of the cycling spectator spot.

Double Boiled Chicken & Abalone Soup

Soups have always been a form of comfort food to the Chinese person in me despite my love for steaks and potatoes. Much credit must be given to my Mom who is a typical Cantonese Mom who loves her double boiled soups. Even then, I have never double boiled soups in my life... Ever. All I did was to throw an array of ingredients into one big pot and boil them down until I have extracted the essence of the ingredients. Double boiling can be a little tricky for a newbie like me. Here's a new recipe I have planned to embark on. The aim is to replicate that savoury clear chicken and abalone soup I had at Capella over a wedding banquet. This soup was first designed to be a base soup for many different confinement soups. So for new mothers, you might find this uncomplicated soup great for consumption as you won't be worried about the elements of Chinese herbs that you're unsure of.


The Double Boiling

There are several variations to this. My Mom used to have this white ceramic jar with some blue fishes painted on it. You should be able to get such wares from a Chinatown near you. You place this jar loaded with all your ingredients and top the jar up with water or stock. Place this jar in a pot of water with a stand to hold your jar. This is similar to "steaming" your soup. In fact, some traditional restaurants use their commercial steamer to boil these soups in individual ceramic jars. I found some jars made for double boiling that are quite new age (still very traditional looking), yet slightly fancy. See picture on the right. (Note: I found this picture on the internet so it belongs to someone else) I'm quite determined to find a similar device.




Otherwise, you can invest in a double boiler (Planning to do that when my house is ready to move in). There is such a thing! I took this picture from Hospitality Products and I suppose you can also order it directly from them. They are an Australian wholesale company so they do not provide worldwide delivery. If you happen to be living Down Under, there's where you can go to for all your culinary wares. Some departmental stores carry them too. I understand WMF has this in their ranges too but the capacity is a tad small.




Ingredients:
1 fresh whole chicken (skin removed)
1-2 fresh/dried large abalone (If you're using smaller abalones, gauge the quantity depending on its size)
5-6 dried scallops (Yew Chyu) - The most amazing ingredient of all and I add it in all my soup recipes 
5-6 dried mushrooms
4 pieces of spare ribs
1 handful of wolfberries (Only to be added towards the end. Throw in towards the last 15 mins of boiling) 
3 sticks of Huai Shan "淮山" (Dried Chinese Yam) 


This soup will require a good 4-5 hours of boiling so get yourself a good book. Prior to the double boiling, I will pre-boil the meats in a separate put to remove as much scum as possible, making it easier to reach the consommé state that I would like to achieve. You will also need to soak the abalone (if it's dried), dried scallops, dried mushrooms and wolf berries prior to adding them to the ceramic jar.


My Mom loves to check on the soup and the water level often so that she can remove the scum that floats to the top but I will refrain from doing that as it greatly affects the temperature of the soup. Avoid seasoning the soup until the very end, just before serving.  


So bring the water to boil on high then turn the heat down and let it steam. The end result - You should get this wonderful clear soup that's absolutely comforting.


Some of you might think that the abalone, now tender and pretty much tasteless will go to waste. Here's a way to whip up another great dish. Using some ginger and spring onion, fry it until it's at the legendary "golden brown" state, remove the ginger and spring from the oil. Add some stock, oyster sauce, a dash of dark soya sauce and some rock sugar. Add in the abalone and cook for about 45 minutes until the sauce is reduced.

50 Shades Too Much

For the first time in my life, I finished a set of trilogy in 1 week, twice! It has become an addiction and I know I need to start distracting myself with other books. The second and third book is still on its way and I'm already done with them, not just once. My mind is always revolving around Christian Grey and wondering if such a person exist. Then again, I doubt I can deal with such a person in real life as I continue to live in my fantasy with weird affection for a fictional personality. It's about time I get started on some normal trash. As for now, I find myself yearning to drive the white R8.

Have you read it?

50 Shades of Rainbow

The first time Watziznehm spent 6 entire weeks in Dubai, it was novel and very quickly, I was planning a visit to this amazing city within the emirate. It was one of the best weeks I've spent away from home, second to my time in New York. Time became a decadance which I could afford and space was the feast my eye desperately longed for. As with every other holiday, it was way too short. It was so only because I had to return due to work commitments. The weather has since heated up and Dubai is right smack in their infamous summer. Of course, I have seen what I wanted to and there was no compelling reason for me to visit yet again.

This time around, it's been 4 solid weeks. My weekends were filled with sleepless nights of excessive mahjong and the seductive company of books. People around me have concluded that I'm addicted to the world of mummy-porn, 50 Shades of Grey... Yet with all the hype, my dinners were mostly spent alone (with my book of course and occasionally, there's the iPad). I never liked dinner alone because it reminds me painfully that I'm too far away from a warm hug and a comforting kiss on my forehead. I came to realise that it is with someone you love, your enjoyment for simple things is life is taken to a different height and easily multiplied. While I'm thinking that I will never land myself with a man like Christian Grey, I'm actually basking in excessive contentment. I have a good man who tolerates all my nonsense. Besides, I'm no Ana Steele.

Back to reality, I know in a a world where I take too much, things may crumble. I find myself being compensated with an abundance of patience and a generous portion of love. Life may not bring me to continents that I long to visit but it has already brought me to the land where life is.

I may grumble that my weekends of mahjong and my secret dates with some fictional character is coming to an end but I know reality isn't that harsh to jump back to. All I greedily need now is that stretch of the already lavish patience coupled with love and whose arms I will readily throw myself right into.

My lesson now is to come to realisation that my life is made of 50 shades of rainbow happiness.

Review: 50 Shades of Grey

In the past few weeks, I've been occupied with many good reads. Mainly, I embarked on the latest Sophie Kinsella's I've Got Your Number and I fell deeply in love with Sam Roxton. A charming and powerful man melted me beyond recognition but somehow, it didn't bring me to write a post-mortem analysis on it unlike my weird affection for Christian Grey.

This is the first book that got me bothered to find out what PNR actually means: ParaNormal Romance.

50 Shades of Grey...

Before I flipped open the first page, I was insistent that I was going to hate it because the storyline dealt with BDSM. But once I started, it was juggling the weekend full of activities and finding small pockets of time for the book and the result, sleepless Saturday night and finally, I'm done with the book. Now that I'm finished with the book, I can't wait for 50 Shades of Darker to arrive. But the disappointment when I went on BookDepository and all I saw was "Processing". Painful wait means I kept going back to reread the book because I was missing Christian Grey and I cannot deal with not-so-happy endings.

I must say the book could be better written. I hated over usage of some words and phrases and I don't see why Anastasia must have an issue with eating. Eat! And nothing much in the book said much about her intelligence except for her GPA score. I began to wonder who is the one with the problem, Grey or Steele?

Now, here's a wealthy, charming, good-looking, gentlemanly, caring, sensitive, understanding man. What not to love about him? But there's are 50 shades of the unknown behind this man and I can't tell you more because of the NDA. You will need to read this book and once you pop, you can't stop. It answers most girls' question that no man is perfect and there's always something about him that makes you wonder and frustrates you even further. But it's the very fact that this is one man who loves so much, so deep that he's willing to change despite him being the Bill Gates and Steve Jobs combined with the face of Leonardo DiCaprio or Brad Pitt. Learn: compromise! He's 50 shades of awesomeness after we can find a way to eject the 50 shades of fucked up inside him. The flow of the book is smooth and the unexpected reaction of Anastasia moved things along pretty interestingly.

I would read this book again, not wanting to miss out any details. If you have an open mind about PNR or BDSM, here's an interesting MUST-read.

PS. When I was reading this book, during the times when I couldn't read, I was listening to this and my eyes welled. It's so apt.




And the best person who has my vote to play Christian Grey in the movie as got to be... Non other than... Matt Bomer! Check out this picture, he's just sizzling HOT! That's how I pictured MY Christian Grey!




I want him! Well, but he's gay! Bugger! SLURP!

To the haters out there, stop being such a prude. It's got sub standard English... Yes. It's not proper... Yes. It's trashy... Yes. Good trash. It's not real... Yes. It's a book dammit!

I'm so in love with Christian Grey, I kept going back to re-read the book. I'm hopeless...

Beautiful People

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.

Fragility of Life

I know God is taking you sooner because he wants to bring the best to him sooner. You have reminded me that life is just too fragile and the difference between life and death is a mere split second. The lesson that your departure has reminded us is to keep my dear ones even dearer and to give more than I would ever do. The number of friends who are spilling their condolences, being there at the wake is a clear testimony of how great you were as a friend and mentor. Your smile was contagious and I hate myself for missing you during the ride last week. I know, my friend, that you're in His good hands.

Camera Gibberish

Gone are the 50mm f1.8 and the kit 18-200mm. All in an attempt to fund the new lens. Of course, the stronger brother 50mm f1.4 is still being loved and used but in addition, I have introduced this to the whole set up...

Ladies & Gentleman...

The Canon 17-55mm f2.8, one of the best lens you can have for the Canon crop cameras.

Picture taken from Camera Labs


I brought it to the deserts of Dubai and now I can hear some puny bits of sand when I turn the lens but it's in perfect working condition. I'm sending it for overhaul and it'll be good as new. I'm glad I brought this lens along because with the range, it was enough. The pictures were as sharp as the stability of my hands. Colours turned out beautiful sans the cloudy sky fogged up by sand and dust. When I have the time, I will put up some of the pictures I took. Meanwhile, if you're ever considering the lens, don't hesitate. Unless, of course, if you're moving onto FF in the near future.

As for the recently added, 580EXII, it will take me a long while to master. Any expert strobist can share their experiences?

To Do. To Buy. Dubai.

Dubai, also known as City of Gold, is indeed a land of endless "gold" blown all over Dubai. If there's a breeze across Dubai, it's a sandstorm and they are incredibly common. Weather was perfect in the past week apart from the sand that exfoliated my face as I went on my tour on the Big Bus Tour.

Dubai is an incredibly expensive place for shopping although it is tax free. However, they have all the shops imagine-able congregated there from all over the world. Just to name a few, Dubai Mall alone has Dean & Deluca, Victoria's Secret, Tory Burch, Bloomingdales, Pottery Barn, Alexander McQueen, Reiss and even Oscar De La Renta! The mall itself also boasts a giant aquarium. Other brands like Repetto and LK Bennett are also setting up shop there. I was hoping for LK Bennett to reach our shores! It is not entirely fair for me to comment on the prices since I didn't buy much. I managed to keep myself away from Chanel, Prada and Bottega, which to me, is quite an achievement.

Taxis are easily accessible and cost relatively little to get from point A to point B within Dubai itself. Distance on the map may be deceiving as the roads are quite interestingly and intricately weaved. If you're going to somewhere perhaps less than 2-3km away, please be warned the minimum cab fare if AED 10 even if your fare only comes up to AED 6-7. Don't be like me - A fool sitting in a cab waiting for change...

Cab rides will be an adventure on its own. Knowledge of road names are redundant. So are any maps that you may have on hand. If you have a famous landmark, things will be waaaay easier.

Dubai being a religious Muslim city also translate into its low crime rates. I felt very safe in Dubai which is in stark contrast to my impression of Dubai before my trip. As long as you arm yourself with enough common sense and not dress too lightly (i.e. keep your knees and shoulders covered), a single female traveller will face little to no danger in Dubai.

Dubai is all about shopping, given the fact that it is an incredibly new city built right smack in the desert. Honestly, it has little to offer in terms of history but if you look at the beautiful architecture of this city, they have their very own story to tell.

A must do in Dubai is to go on to the Desert Safari. I went for the Sundowner by Arabian Adventures. The 4x4 will begin your adventure via a roller coaster ride except, it's without the rails. You can to feel the fine sand under your feet, in your nose and ears, between strands of hair and watch the beautiful sunset. You will also get to ride the camel, have a feel of smoking the shisha and enjoy a delectable Arabian meal. Belly dancing kept us entertained during dinner and star gazing in pitch dark desert became the highlight at the end of the tour.

European style afternoon tea became a staple rest break. I picked Paul for a few days running. We may have this back home but to be able to sit by the beautiful fountain overlooking the Burj Khalifa in the cool Dubai breeze, this was something I couldn't replicate here.

The luxury of space is felt in most places and it is what I feel that is lacking in our daily lives. My opinion for Dubai has drastically changed and I do think it is a highly liveable city. The rulers of Dubai must be doing an excellent job because we all forget, this was just a desert not that long ago.

Singapore Airlines Business Class

Awesome!

AWESOMEST!!!

It was a week long trip for me to Hong Kong and what I was looking forward to this time around wasn't so much the food and the shopping (although those were really high up in the priority list) but the opportunity to get on the much raved-about business class on the A380. As I was too busy lazing in the seat and being fed throughout the trip, I didn't exactly take much pictures. Not to mention I was too lazy to lug my DSLR up to Hong Kong.

First, you book your chef i.e. your meal before you board. I had some crayfish with rice/risotto thingy which was decent. But food wasn't the main part of the experience. The service was! The undivided attention and the smiles of the cabin crew, makes me fall in love with Singapore Airlines all over again. In the last few years, I was getting rather disappointed with the old and lousy cabin at the extorbitant cost.

A short anecdote on the service standard - My butter fingers couldn't deal with super luxurious lifestyle hence I dropped my hand cream into this little hole behind my seat which wasn't exactly accessible. I wasn't about to lose my hand cream which was worth a bottle of decent champers. All I had to do was to ring the bell and came the ever smiling steward. He tried ways and means including using his bag trolley. After 10 minutes, he finally got it out and trust me, I made sure he broke into a huge bead of sweat! If I haven't got a better business venture in mind, I would like to hire all these people to run service revamp camps for all the rude staffs at Singapore's high end boutiques.

Did I mention that they didn't stop feeding me and the feeding began in the LOUNGGGGEEEE? Food, more food and uppity class tea bags. Before I sound like a country bumpkin, I absolutely hate teas that are stewed, hence uncomfortable for consumption. Tea to me is a delicate form of food art. I would lift my fingers (trying to act like a spoilt brat here...) to make tea for myself anytime over having someone, ANYONE, to help me with it. Needless to say, I made my perfect tea to go with the wide selection of food in the lounge. I wish I was staying there for much longer than I did...

I don't have long legs so leg room is all a waste no me but the seats were soooo wide, I was just curled up comfortably and I was wishing hard that it was a flight to New York instead of a 4 hour flight to Hong Kong.

On my flight back on the 777, the seats were a tad smaller and not as comfortable but I have to say, I experienced equally great service on that flight back. Not wanting to sound racist, I really wanted a change of seats and they did. Apologies but I'm unable to elaborate further on this issue but I can only say, well done Singapore Airlines!

First Class Bulldozer

On my way to work this morning on our glorious MRT, I was squashed beyond recognition. But I am not about to fire my salvo at the current government. Not even with the recent hike in taxi fares. It was the people!

Let's not talk about the commuters who refused to move into the middle of the train, rendering the rest of the helpless commuters standing by the train doors not being able to get into the train.

While waiting to get on the escalator at the legendary Raffles Place stop, some lady was trying to bulldoze her way through and was pushing me. As you can imagine, I could barely move then. I was very close to asking if her middle name is "Lawn Mower". A minute earlier in the office is not going to make her a better employee. She can try to be one if she makes an effort to come way earlier and show more graciousness. You can tell the type of person this is and I wouldn't wish to deal with her at a workplace. When you spare zero consideration for others and want things done your way, it's just a pity that you'll get nowhere in life. At that juncture, the best solution was to be a bigger person and not deal with her directly. Besides, it will only serve to be a huge waste of my time.

I would urge all my fellow Singaporeans to stop complaining about the foreign talents nor what the government can or should do for you. You should first learn to reflect and ask if you are of first class citizen quality to deserve first class treatment.

Christmas Came Early

It's been too long and I'm sure my friends including A&E Quack would agree. Too much procrastination for such a commitment.

Buying Christmas gift for Watziznehm was easy this year. He got so poisoned by his latest road bike, all I had to do is to pay for the accessories which includes the funny shoes, the special pedal for the shoes, a professional looking pump, the bicycle stand etc. It is still a rather big gift considering his birthday that was over not too long ago was "enhanced" by the iPad 2.

We went shopping for watches because I had wanted the big ass Tag Hauer's Aquaracer.

Meanwhile, I was tempted by this awesome watch - Cartier Tank Francaise.

The temptation didn't stop there. Over at Hour Glass in Ngee Ann City, I was torn between 2 incredible looking Rolexes. One of those evergreen brands which I have never expected myself to be caught wearing one.

While I was caught with the dilemma, he asked me one question that made me dropped the idea of buying an expensive watch completely. Essentially, if I had gotten any of the Rolexes, I can forget about "The Ring" because it ain't gonna happen. It didn't take too long and I went... Diamond!

So I came to a conclusion - For the coming Christmas and my coming 31st birthday, I will be happy with a 60D. Almost without any hesitation, he told me he will be getting me one. That very weekend, we went camera shopping and I walked out of Parisilk with a smile that stretched from end to end of my face while he holds on to the bag containing my latest love and it's mate, the 18-200mm.

Since the 18-200mm is more for my travels and walk about, I needed to have something that satisfies the portraits-shooting me. He drove me straight to Funan and the next thing I knew, I was lost in the g'zillion shops there. I knew this is a gift that would empty my very own pockets as well. Apart from the usual screen protector, blower, I actually walked away from TK Photo with a Canon 50mm F1.4. Many would think I'm crazy to head straight to the F1.4 and not work from the F1.8 first but I'm a girl who knows what I want.

Now, don't hide away from me whenever I point my camera at you!

Christmas Exchange Game for Recruitment Consultants

My email to the rest of the office and yes, it's an all girls office...

*Those words in italics are replaced as the original email contains intimate information.

Hello all you beautiful ladies,

It’s the end of the year and we’re gonna have some fun… As the self-nominated chief entertainment officer for whatever that is left of 2011, we will be having the Company Gift Exchange Extravaganza!

The Job Description as follows:
• Each of you will equip yourself with 2 gifts with value ranging from S$9.99-S$14.99 each.
• The gifts cannot be the following:
o From The Body Shop
o Soft Toys
o Edible
• You must bring it in on the 22nd Dec 2011 (Thursday) and place it under (or around) the grand Company Christmas Tree.

The official start date is on 23rd Dec 2011 (Friday) at lunchtime 12.30pm – 1pm (just in case you’re on the phone with any client/candidate at 12.30pm)

The Company “Offer” Exchange
o You will pick a number from a bowl. The number will be reflected on a gift.
o Our special girl, AJD will pick the first gift, opens it and shows it to the rest of you demanding consultants.
o Then the fun begins…
o AJD will have the honour of picking out the next person who will be choosing the gift from the pile. This person can 1. Choose to negotiate your package and swop your “offer” OR 2. Keep your “offer” and open it
o The game continues where “candidates” can pick their “offer” and exchange it with their potential client for a new “offer”.
o The game continues in this fashion through until all “offers” are offered and accepted.

Rules of Engagement
o A gift cannot be immediately stolen back from the guest who just stole it.
o A gift can only be stolen twice. The third guest to own the gift gets to keep it.
o All gifts that are eligible to be stolen must be in sight at all times.
o After the last wrapped gift is opened and kept, then AJD has the last turn. She can decide to keep their gift or trade it for an eligible gift (one that has not been stolen twice) and the game is over.

Please try to participate and I promise it will be fun.

Best consultant… I mean regards,
Snugloft

Home Acquisition

Perhaps it's part of getting older, I'm feeling more inertia to post details of my life and to share it with absolute strangers. But at the same time, it's all useless if I decide to limit access. That's what blogs are for... So...

In an effort to record the journey of our home ownership...

Some time in May this year, we participated in the balloting of a development. And given the crappy luck that we both have at ironically named lucky draws, we thought we were never gonna get what we want so we plotted out our 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th choices etc. While having taken time away from work, I was in the midst of closing a transaction so my inbox needed my undivided attention.

The ballot started with a total of 3 VIPs, drawing 5 numbers each. I wasn't quite bothered because I was working on my laptop and considering my luck, it wasn't gonna happen soon anyway. The first VIP started drawing the numbers and they weren't even close to our number. We saw ecstatic future homeowners of this development whose enthusiasm we couldn't relate.

When the second VIP went up, she decided to shake the box of ballot tickets. Softly, I nudged Watziznehm to stop all the Facebooking and I was all prepared to shut my laptop. As I was shifting focus from my laptop to my Blackberry, I heard a familiar number being called out. It didn't quite register that my number could actually be called out. So I turned to my better half and asked in disbelief, "is that our number?" Together, we decided to uncover the truth by stomping to the front and checking out if we indeed brought Lady Luck with us that morning. As it turned out, she was there when we needed her the most. And hey, that just meant that we could pick almost ANY unit in that development. While being overwhelmed by the choices, we needed to make a practical choice. Watziznehm really wanted the penthouse unit but I wasn't too keen on the idea. I love the higher ceiling and the space and given the 10% premuim, it was still affordable and a darn good deal. But we knew it wasn't a practical choice because as bare top floor would mean alot more work required and that the house itself would be alot warmer from the evening sun. And if I'm to go on regarding the maintenance and cleaning up, you will hear no end from me although I doubt I'll be the one cleaning up the place. Clearly, having a green, cool chillout spot would be great. But we needed a sound decision quickly so...

We settled for the 4 bedroom unit that is just below the penthouse unit. At a grand total of 1335 sqft, we will have the VAST space that Watziznehm needed and for any future needs. Ok, it's not huge but considering the size of the houses now, I'm more than thankful. For now, my brain is lost in the abyst of having a WALK IN WARDROBE that is the size of a full bedroom. Location wise, this isn't the best spot but given our currently financial status, this is a fantastic compromise.

Option completed in May/June and we're now proud owners of this house!

Tentatively,

Bedroom 2 will be converted to be part of the Master bedroom, encompassing the WIW.
Bedroom 3 is our junior master bedroom that will be kept for future use and before the actual use for the room comes into play, it will be the mahjong room.
Bedroom 4 will be the study for him.

The HUGE balcony will be the designated oxygen spot. Standing on such high floor, the air has gotta be decent.

I have some concerns regarding the space constraints within linen room/dining room and unlike a flat, we can't possibly hang the clothes out.

But well, that's something to worry in 2014. Now, I'll just bask in the shiokness of anticipation and I'd better start making some decent money to pimp up the place when it's being delivered.

Arren Quek, you rock!

SEA Games Singapore hauls 4 more gold from pool - Channel NewsAsia

To me, you're the cute little nephew who never fails to make me laugh.

To swimming, you're a true contributor with your body and soul.

To Singapore, you're a hero and a star.

I am so proud of you as an aunt, a spectator and a true Singaporean. We love you!

Lao Ban Soya Beancurd @ Old Airport Road Food Centre

I rarely write food reviews but here's one...

After an incredibly satisfying dinner at Akashabu @ Kallang Leisure Dome, we proceeded to Old Airport Road Food Centre to pack food for BluePotatoes' parents. When we got there, I remembered someone mentioned some famous beancurd there but we didn't know which one it was. Then I saw a lady with 10 boxes of this Lao Ban Soya Beancurd and then I saw bags and bags of them carried by everyone around me. I was thinking, "it's gotta be quite good then..."

The queue was not very long with about 4-5 people before us and we got the loot quite easily. Within the queue, there were these teenagers (years of faint memory to me...) and you would bet your last dollar that they will not allow themselves to suffer to eat bad food, let alone queue for it.

If you're looking for HOT tau huey, you've come to the wrong place. It's all cold and after eating it, I knew why.

The Taste


Texture was awesome, really smooth but to be fair, there are some tao huey that are even softer and smoother as I slide my spoon in. The moment the tao huey went into my mouth, I was thrown off. It tasted so rich in soya bean milk, almost like I'm drinking from a box of Vitasoy. It wasn't too sweet. The surprise is in the state of the tao huey. It was jelly/pudding-like with that familiar hardened top look from any dessert with gelatin in it. But the very moment the blob of tao huey settles in your mouth, it disintegrates into soya bean milk instead. I needed to eat mouthful after mouthful of tao huey to just be able to vaguely describe the feeling. It was a rather pleasant experience.

However, it was not something I want to particularly shout about. I would recommend anyone to try it if they are at Old Airport Road for dinner but personally, I wouldn't go out of the way to get it. I'm also being unfair as I have special preference for hot hot tao huey.

I would say... Give it a try, you'll never know if you might fall in love with it.

Location: Picture taken from Google Maps

Financial Planning

I'm not selling you insurance so there's no need to runaway or close this window immediately like you have seen an apparition. I have, however, bought some for myself considering that I have dropped all of them when I lost my job a while ago. Now that everything is starting to fall in place, it's time to safeguard my own interest and of those who are dear to me. It is through bad planning of those who are extremely close to me that made me see the importance of it. At this point in time, I probably can't afford much and neither do I think it will be sufficient for my retirement but some planning is better than none. And with this, I have a little more control over my expenditure which has proved to be haywire.

As of now, I am the "insurance" to some people and I don't want to burden my children (if I even decide to have any) this way. In a place like Singapore, we're probably more afraid to be a financial burden to our dear ones than facing impending death.

The actual disappointment is beyond what words can describe but I can only say, I have never felt so upset before in my life. The pain is very acute and real. The saving grace is having Blue Potato with me, being the sound mind, injecting the rational sense into me.

2 more months to prove my worth... March On!

The Journey of Losing Some Wisdom

Guess I've been away for too long but I've been kept happy by work albeit rather busy. Nothing much has happened to me apart from a "major" surgery.

A couple of weeks back, I felt this excruciating ache at the back of my right cheek. The pain was familiar because it reminded me of my wisdom tooth. A trip to the dentist affirmed the lingering suspicion and this time round, my bottom wisdom tooth was impacted and made worse by the overgrown wisdom tooth growing out from the top. Inflammation was slowly eating its way into my threshold for pain. A dental surgeon was summoned due to the position of the tooth that was pressing precariously on the nerves, which I was warned as a matter of formality, that surgery might cause some form of permanent numbness on my lips. I pressed ahead and got myself on the schedule of the dental surgeon.

The dental surgeon isn't my usual dentist so I'm terribly unfamiliar with this character. As it turns out, he wasn't as gentle as my dentist. All the yanking, drilling and pulling in a normal dental surgery was amplified by the raw sense of unfamiliarity. Before the anesthetic jab did its job, the surgeon started tugging and I was put on the edge of cliff faint.

Within the longest 10 minutes of my life, I walked out of the operating theatre with the look of a miserable chipmunk. As Blue Potato was unable to take time off work, I made my way back feeling numb. Fortunately, Synflex knocked me out the entire afternoon. But the very moment I woke up, I could feel the pain slowly creeping in. Sitting in the living room all by myself while waiting for my liquid dinner to make its way to me, a rush of emotional engulfed me. I started crying and thinking to myself that I wish my Mom was there so that she could cook me a pot of yummy congee. It's been a long while since I felt so vulnerable. The last time was when I was in thousands of miles away in Shanghai and I was down with food poisoning.

The next couple of days became the best opportunity to catch up on my beauty sleep, knocking myself out with every fresh dose of painkillers. Work haunted me in sporadic bursts during the little pockets of time that I was actually awake or coherent. By Day 03, I was dying to be back in the office. Under the illusion that I was well, I hobbled my way into work the next day. Terrible mistake as the recovery wasn't as smooth as I assumed it to be. Paralysed by nagging pain, I could only be in the office a little more than half a day.

A week after the surgery, my pain did not subside and if anything, it became worse. I was hugging my right cheek as I tried my best to concentrate on the exciting Singapore F1 race shown on TV. The pain warranted an early night but pain isn't exactly sleep's best friend. The constant moaning of horny cats in the neighbourhood only frustrates a very sleepy me further. It doesn't take a genius to guess the next work day had to end early. Returning to the dentist was imperative. A quick inspection by the dentist concludes that I'm suffering from bone infection which is affecting the recovery process. Stitches will not come off until another round of antibiotics is completed and provided the swelling has gone down. So that's another week of suffering ahead of me. Meanwhile, I can only try to hit the sack early tonight and pray hard that the cats were exhausted from their vigorous activities last night.

Some Etiquettes to Note

Taken from AsiaOne.

GOSSIP is normally viral in an office elevator, so be sensitive and careful.

These are simple rules to follow. Some may laugh and relate to them, others may find them useless, but bear in mind that when other people are using the same services, it is very important to be considerate of others. After all, that is what etiquette is all about—making others comfortable.

1. Let everyone out of the elevator before you enter. In office buildings, I see people scampering for the elevator without letting those already inside come out first. Wait for them to get out—not only is this the polite thing to do; it is also the safe thing.

2. Try to fall in line. This may be a truly idealistic request. On a recent trip to Japan, I was so happy to see people falling in line to enter the elevator. Correctly so, if you were there first, you should be the first to get in. Pushing and shoving are regular occurrences in busy office buildings and yes, even hospitals.

If building administrators can implement this, things would go much smoother. The line is formed on the right side facing the elevator so that the left side is free to allow those inside the elevator to step out.

3. Enter towards the back of the elevator, allow the others to enter, then press the floor. People tend to crowd around the console when they enter elevators. You can simply ask the person nearest the console to press the desired floor.

4. If the person behind you is about to exit the elevator, move out, hold the door open and allow the person out. Usually there is this person in the back who cannot even step out because people do not move, much less allow the person behind to get out.

5. As much as possible, keep the conversation to a minimum. There are other people in the elevator with you, so keep the conversations down. Gossip is normally viral in an office elevator, so be sensitive to this.

6. Do not sneeze or cough in this very contained environment.

7. If you are going up or down just one floor, try to take the stairs if possible.

8. Gentlemen, where are you? Have the days of gentlemanly behavior passed? Hold the door open and let the ladies in or out of the elevator. I actually saw a man shove past a girl just to get out of the elevator. Remember, each action is always a reflection of who you are.


Escalators

1. Children should be kept away from escalators. This is not a play area, yet in malls you see kids playing around the escalator area, either trying to go up downward escalators or playing with moving handles.

2. When riding the escalator, allow the person in front of you to step onto the escalator first. This sounds amusing, but I have been pushed from behind so many times because I admittedly get on an escalator rather slowly. Still, this does not give people license to push you from behind. Cutting someone who is about to go on an escalator is not only rude, but also very dangerous.

3. Stay on the right hand side. This is to give space to people who wish to climb up or down. The same goes for walkalators in airports. Stay on the right side so people can walk on the left hand side. Although in some countries it is the opposite, just bear that in mind.

4. If you are on the escalator with a friend or friends, do not congregate at the foot or at the entry point of the escalators. This happens a lot in malls, where people wait for family members and friends to get off at the foot of the escalator, leaving the others with no place to move forward.

Cooling Off

It's been overhyped with anger and discontentment. I have to admit I've been in those emotions. I felt the need to have my voice heard and for someone to represent my needs. I looked back and I saw stability. I make mistakes, everybody does. We need to learn to look at the bigger picture. Vote wisely and do not be blinded by your anger.

It is very disappointing to see educated lot of people go bashing without a reason. If you genuinely believe something, and someone has shown their capability to materialise it, by all means, cast your voice in this democracy.

I need to ensure my future and those of my children are secured and stable. We need leaders who empathise and more importantly, they need to be sound. How many out there are sound?

I fear for the worst. While we need majority to become a smaller majority, we cannot let the majority become the minority. I cannot have someone who wants to throw billions of our reserves into relocating the manufacturing sector. Do you know how many people will lose their jobs? Why do we need 60bln to remove thousands of jobs from Singapore? Somethings are easier said than done. To transform an economy doesn't happen overnight and it has slowly morphed over the past few years. Give it some confidence and another few good years and I believe we will get there.

I'm not one of those all time supporter of any particular party. We vote for what we believe in and in what we need. We vote for the person whom we believe will look after our needs.

Political stability is undoubtedly one of the key reasons why many MNCs have moved into Singapore. I need stability in my job, in my company. Don't you?

Mini Voice, Mega Life

Politics is usally avoided at all cost here. Today, I will veer away from the general rule and be brave, standing up for my Pink I/C.

With all the unpleasantries lingering, I need to regain some visual on the whole situation and to try to be as objective as I can. This is not fair to dig out her photos and comment on how she could have been leading her life, be it the swanky birthday dinners or luxurious bags. Coming from girl, I can totally understand that you don't need to be living on your last cent to be a politician and having an extra bag wouldn't make you any less of good one. However, when you are a public figure, "clear the cache" before you "publish" on stage. It is what is seen that will bring in the votes and in this case, not bring in the votes.

For as far as I can remember, MM Lee has always been like a disciplinarian and SM Goh, on the other hand, always comes across as very fatherly. Whether they are actually such a personality, we will not know but it does appear so. No matter how you present yourself, you need to know what effect it has on your supporters. Having a video of someone stomping their feet and with absolutely no clue of what to say, is fast becoming a "household" image. Tin Pei Ling may not be such an immature young lady nor is it fair to think she is unnecessarily extravagent according to her infamous picture with her Kate Spade gift. But all these together has definitely eroded my confidence of her in the coming elections. Did I mention that she's representing a party now? I would at least need someone whom I think is capable of hearing my voice and relaying my needs. I do not need someone who:

- doesn't seem to have strong views on how changes can be made
- have no ideas how or why certain policies should be created or monitored
- doesn't have any concrete plans to better my life
... (there are of course more but I'm sure you can form your own views)

Now, it is all too familiar that the general public aren't very pleased with the high salaries the minsters are drawing. Then comes the argument of paying for talent. If one is willing to serve his nation because of his love for his country, wouldn't using money to "buy" this person be a total insult? And if you're paying for top talent, do we (as taxpayers) think Tin Pei Ling is worth the $15,000/month paycheck she is being swiftly ushered into? Clearly, no.

If putting a young person brings in a younger perspective, there MUST be someone else (OH please do!) worth my consideration. Although she is not contesting in my area, her presence in the party will undoubtedly affect my vote's directly. Will my voice be heard?

鼎泰豐 [Din Tai Fung] in Singapore

When 鼎泰豐 first came to Singapore, I was very disappointed as I held very high standard from the original Nanxiang in Shanghai. However, the variety and the price range kept me going back for satisfying meals. Lunch today was at 鼎泰豐 and the queue was horrible as usual. But they did fulfill the promise of the 15 mins wait unlike Putien (was at Putien over the weekend and they told us the wait was 30 mins but no tables even after an hour) which was utterly disappointly. As you can imagine, the restaurant was packed with people. I will not be talking about the quality of food but the service level at this Raffles City branch of 鼎泰豐.

Service was top notch. Little anecdotes to describe why I'd say so.

1. Orders were correct. Easily taken for granted but trust me, with a full house behind you, it's definitely commendable.

2. I was sharing my seat with my bag and the very moment the waitress saw that, she brought me this "barang holder" container to put my bag in it and not to mention, they also used a clean sheet to cover the top of it to protect your privacy and also to prevent any accidental spills damaging your belongings.

3. The tea cups were never empty and we never needed to ask for service.

4. There's always a waiting staff available to respond to your needs and not merely people who avoid eye contact so they wouldn't need to serve you.

5. Most importantly, throughout my time there, they always serves me with a smile no matter how chaotic the restaurant gets.

Just on the service level alone, which is extremely rare in Singapore nowadays, they will always get my vote (and money of course).

Universal Studios, Singapore

For those of you people who have yet to visit the Universal Studios in Singapore and might be planning a trip there in the near future, let me share my 2 cents worth. According to a disclaimer that I have read somewhere on their website, they may open on different hours on some days but given that Singapore is summer all year round, I'm guessing that if it doesn't rain like the last Saturday that I was there, it will be opened from 10am to 7pm. I would advise that if you're not willing to take the gamble, please buy the tickets online since there is no difference in the pricing. Given the weekend crowd that I experienced, if financially it's not too much of a consideration, do pay for the Universal Express as it will save you hours (of standing, perspiring and lamenting all at the same time) from queuing in the rides. I spent more than half my time there queuing so do be warned.

The architectures in Hollywood/New York were captivating albeit it still looks a little too new. Stars spotting was part of the fun ranging from Frankenstein to Marilyn Monroe but it's more of a hit or miss thing. For one, I didn't manage to catch Po of Kungfu Panda which was a tad disappointing but not enough to ruin my day. "Lights, Camera, Action" by Steven Spielberg in New York was intriguing but definitely not a must watch if you're strapped for time.

While walking past Madagascar where the ride wasn't quite ready yet, we managed to catch some of the stars from Madagascar and even sneaked a shot with Alex the Lion when everyone else were all over the penguins i.e. Skipper & Friends. Parents with young children can bring them on the carousel which we obviously skipped so not much reviews we can achieve here.

It wasn't long before we found ourselves queuing in Far Far Away for our first ride of the day on Enchanted Airways. While queuing, we were kept amused by Puss in Boots entertaining the crowds with its antics. What we didn't know was that Enchanted Airways was really but a junior roller coaster. I suppose for a 10 year old kid, it could have been exhilarating but the ride that lasted for less than a minute was a little close to boring for senior people like us. To be fair, we were silly as to not find out more before we went for the ride AND the other little bits set along the queue line eg. Gingy in the ticketing booth and other interesting signs kept us entertained while we were in the snaking queue. The main not-to-be missed attraction in Far Far Away has got to be the Shrek 4D Adventure. To avoid being a total spoiler, let's just say, the timely hisses, tickles and sprays sent natural screams which made us feel rather silly thereafter. Right after the show, we were "ushered" into watching Donkey Live with the 2 shows one after another. It wasn't as good as the 4D one but the interactive element did squeeze a few good laughs out of us.

If there's one ride you must get on apart from the Battlestar Galactica, it would be the Revenge of the Mummy in Ancient Egypt. For this ride, you will need to store your bags in the locker which you can use almost for free if it's within the duration of the ride (including the queuing time) and for a nominal sum thereafter. There's a good reason why you're not allow to carry your belongings with you! The thrills from the high speed were unforgettable. Robotic Imhotep didn't manage to scare me but I was incredibly impressed by the intricacies of the props.

Now comes the climax of the entire outing - Battlestar Galactica. There are a total of 2 rides, Human (Red) and Cylon (Blue), taking off in tandem. The Red ride is a seated roller coaster with steeper and faster drops whereas the blue ride turns you in succession of loops and cockscrews. The adrenaline rush was enough reason to keep me going back for more! I was a scaredy cat so I went for 1 of the 2, no prizes for making the right guess but I know I will be heading back for more.

For 4 shows a day, the Water World was in business and we caught the last one of the day. Performers were getting some "participation" by getting some spectators all soaked from the pre-show entertainment. To be fair, the seatings were coded by whether you're ready to get a little wet or totally soaked. But if you prefer to stay dry, there were colour coded seats to prepare you for what you can expect. You were warned! Queues started as early as 30 minutes before the show so if you haven't got the universal express, good luck!

And since we were already wet, it didn't take much for us to head directly back to The Lost World for The Rapids Adventure. We were there earlier for the Canopy Flyer. We thought it was interesting as we heard screams hovering everywhere above us when we were having lunch at the "hotdog place" which obviously wasn't memorable. It was a pleasant ride but a tad too short. Before you know it, you're at the end of the ride. I was wondering almost aloud, "is that it?" The Rapids Adventure however shouldn't be on your list of must-do or in fact can-do if you can get sick from motion. It's like tea-cups but random and with absolutely zero control. I tried very hard to focus on points along the way so that I wouldn't throw up. Towards the last leg of the attraction when the raft came to a halt, I was fortunately well-placed to see a ray of light coming from metres below us whereas my fellow passengers were left wondering... "Hmmm... Why the pause?" Before we knew it, we heard a really loud splash.

Food wise, prices were acceptable but definitely on the high side. If the alternatively is to lug water, I'd gladly pay $3 for a bottled drink. The only full meal I had was at Goldilocks which reminds me a cross between Marrybrown and Popeyes. Just alot more herbs (read: MSG) and a little less yummy. I will not complain on the quality of food because it's a little better than mere acceptable but the waiting time was horrible. It was about 4pm, restaurant wasn't full but I waited for at least 30 mins (probably close to 45 mins) for 2 pieces of chicken. This took time out from my limited time for queuing up for the rides and now even to have a meal, I have to queue the same amount of time just to be fed! Totally ridiculous!

If you have been or are planning to go to the Universal Studios in Singapore, do let me know what else I should really look out for during my next trip there. Enjoy!

Japan Earthquake & Tsunami 2011

When we first heard of the earthquake, many things went through my mind, including "maybe it's not that serious and people will come round this soon". With the progression of the blasts at the nuclear plants and news of "insufficient body bags around", this is getting worrying although I have heard that the Japanese people are very calm and are taking this in stride. Their unity in building up their nation at a pleasantly alarming rate got my fist clenched up and you may have heard me cheering on if you're within a mile. We know their road to recovery would be much easier and faster than any other economy but even then, my heart goes out to those who have lost their loved ones in the episode. The stoic Japanese with their calmness handling this turmoil gained my utmost respect.

For people around me, I haven't been specifically advocating nuclear energy but before you start ranting on, please read this article taken from Reuters. Of the entire article, I would like you to pay special attention to this part of the article:


Atomic power causes significantly less harm than fossil fuel.
In 2010, 11 people were killed in the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling explosion while 29 people died in a coal mine in West Virginia. Nothing so bad has ever happened at an atomic power plant in the United States or European Union. Annually, coal mining and oil refining accidents kill several hundred people: annual worker deaths at atomic power plants, and in uranium mining, are much lower. Fossil fuel generates greenhouse gases that are causing climate change: atomic power production is just shy of zero-emission for greenhouse gases. Smog from coal burning in the developing world causes respiratory diseases and tens of thousands of premature deaths each year: no similar problem is associated with atomic power.

This morning, Reuters said the Fukushima situation is “the world’s most serious nuclear accident since the Chernobyl meltdown in Ukraine in 1986”. That statement surely is true, but think what it means — a quarter century of atomic power did no harm at all, and now the major problem in Japan may be resolved with only minor public harm. In the same 25 years, oil and coal use worldwide have killed many thousands of people while triggering global warming.


I do admit that this disaster could be prevented if more care have been taken during the construction of the plant. But do not deny that nuclear energy is much cleaner than other forms of energy given the current technology to extract reasonable amount of energy. If we can commercially utilise solar energy without manufacturing solar panels which are actually harmful to the environment and be all over our heads just to light up a room, I will support it fully with all of my means.

My message across if to urge all of you people not to be narrow minded and judgemental before you know the entire story or if you're not an expert in a certain area. Of course, you will have the right to your own opinion (Read: The ignorant Chinese citizens who thinks this entire earthquake is karma for the Japanese for the atrocities the Japanese have done during the WWII) but please, every life is innocent until the day that specific being have killed or destroyed someone who meant anything to you. And if you truly believe in karma, your words will hit you one day. What irony!

My heart goes out to those who are in distress (and not despair) over the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Lastly, please go your part and donate what you can. Please click here or the World Vision logo on the right and do what your part as a world citizen.

Up The Valley

I've been meaning to post on so many issues ranging from my latest trip to Hong Kong to the property shopping recently but there's this inertia holding me back which I'm blaming stress from work. Having said that, I've never been happier. That could also be the reason why I don't find it imperative to offload via the blog anymore.

Working with a bunch of helpful people which includes my boss made money making alot easier. It's only the beginning but the pressure is on. The pressure I've created by myself, for myself. All the exercises on viewing properties are playing its part edging me on to build my career which has faced its fair share of peaks and valleys over the past few years. I'm more than ready to put the moves behind me.

Lesson #1 - Keep walking and not let small setbacks tie me down.

Lesson #2 - Be focused.

Meanwhile, just to share a quote from Good Will Hunting "The bad things in life open your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before."

The Time Machine

After several years of going my own way, learning about the world the hard of real way, I'm back to the melting pot. You might think it would be seeing the same people again in the same environment, different setting. Fortunately for me, none of the discomfort and I felt right at home. I would describe it as taking the time machine and place me right where I should have been. The same wordplay, the same corniness, the same hard work, the same simplicity of happiness. Now the pressure is on to build and bill. The laughters will make it easier...

It is REAL!

Began my year with a trip to Hong Kong and back and before I could close my eyes, the bells for the big three zero rang before my eyes. No big celebrations were lined up. Just an over-priced dinner with the one person whom I'm totally comfortable with in my life. Simple cake cutting with people who are now family. The biggest surprise were the flowers from an extremely sweet boyfriend whom I've always categorised for being unromantic (Not that I have in any way risen him from those ranks though).

Do I feel older?

Staring into the mirror, looking at the lines around my eyes, I can't help feeling older. I wish I could turn the clock but I also know that if I could try to age more graciously, I will stay beautiful right inside. The key things for me in the new decade is to be able to establish myself in my field of work and at the same time, juggle some heavy family responsibilities. Trying not to be too ambitious, doing what is potentially beyond my means, I didn't dare plan too far ahead. The general blueprint of life is definitely present, waiting for interesting anecdotes in life to give it what it means to be my life.

People come and go. Friends fall in and out of the definition. But true relationships are closer to heart and there's no need to quantity. Just quality...

Dazzling Big 30 Gift To Myself

It's been years that I've always yearned for a beautiful smile. A chipped tooth and another badly decayed has kept that sparkle at bay. Before this were years of discussions with my dentist and the only issue that has kept me from pursuing the smile was the bank account. Having gone through the braces with little success, the crown was inevitable. I could have just filled it up nicely but that's not going to change the lousy orientation of the teeth.

Running the risk of emptying the bank account after months of hard work, topped with sufficient courage, I told my dentist one day that he can finally go ahead to better the aesthetics. In order to alter the orientation, the veneer was out so the only option was a crown. About a week ago, the dentist shaved off my 4 front teeth. Seeing my reflection on the little LCD screen, I thought I looked horrendous. However, regret was a little late. Now I have got 4 temporary cap over the shaved tooth, giving me an awkward smile over the entire Christmas period. I am now extremely looking forward to next week when my crown would be officially on. Practising the new smile will keep me busy during my Hong Kong trip in January.

Next on, the lasik. Time to beef up the bank account again...

This Christmas

Departing from the previous years of drinking, maybe it's part of aging, the fun is completely different. Some little things have warmed me like never before. Things are beginning to look different and I'm quite confident that the coming year would be better. In a nutshell, I didn't spend the entire Christmas Day nursing a hangover.

Bidding farewell to the place I called second home for the past months, I am forced to take a month off work and rest. Considering it's very much a festive month, this break was welcomed with open arms. I was kept busy running errands and being the man's chauffeur. Simple day usually ending with simple dinners and excessive time on the iPhone.

The plan for my big 30 gift hasn't quite gone down the drain. Working within necessary budget, no extravagent trips were planned but instead, it was one giving me a dazzling smile. More to come in my next post.

2 days in a row, dinners with friends and family kept me running around. Friends and family who weren't mine until some months ago. I was overwhelmed by warmth and contentment. Of all the pursuits in life, isn't this all what we have ever wanted. A smile at the end of the day...

Regular Musings, Not So Regular Lifestyle

My life is far busier when I'm not working, believe it or not. My schedule (Yes, i do have one enough though I'm on garden leave) is filled with facials, manicures, haircuts which are all long overdue. Waking up early isn't an option as I would need to send the man to work just so I can use the car for the rest of the day. Afternoon naps are possible only IF I'm home at that time. More often, I'll be out buying or doing some stuffs. This only means the bank account is depreciating on a higher rate than a normal work day.

The change was unexpected, almost a surprise to many people and even to myself. It was a change that I know I'd be happy or at the very least, the one last change you would expect to happen until the next World War. The familiar faces and voices will probably ease the day to day drag and for that matter, no more drag. And for prepare for the new start, I needed a gift for myself. Well, that's just an excuse.

My big 3-0 is just round the corner and and my plans for a big Safari trip is looking bleak. Hence, the decision to dump some months' effort into changing the look of my 4 front teeth is underway. More details will be up by next week. I will get through Christmas with some ugly replacement and hopefully, by my birthday, the smile will look entirely different. Can't wait...

My Vision, World Vision

As some of you may know that I have my adopted charity. What happens is that I do not make random donation but instead, I will channel my funds to either sponsoring children in less fortunate places and to make a year end Christmas donation. My adopted charity is the World Vision and on an annual basis near to Christmas, I will receive this brochure for a one time donation. Such gifts are really special and interesting. A couple of examples that you can donate (cost in brackets):

- Blanket to be send to Myanmar ($12)
- Goat or sheep for orphans in Ethiopia ($94/$155)
- 2 peach trees + 3 apple trees for the people in Lesotho ($11)

At different price ranges, you can donate what you can afford. A little goes a long way and to be absolutely honestly, the extra $50 more a month is not even going to be pinching you but it helps to build a community behind the beautiful faces of the under-privileged children.

Do what you can. Simply click on the World Vision banner on your right.

Zapatos-mania

Ever since I started to indulge in the better things in life, my passion has revolved around cars and girly stuffs like bags and shoes. The ownership of a car took me away from the more feminine side over the past few years. As much as the petrolhead in me continues to live, part of my self fulfillment now lies in the purchasing of bags and shoes.

When it comes to bags, I tend to be a tad more conservative because my taste in bags tend to be a little exquisite. To counter the problem, my investments never tailed too far from classic and "amortisable" purchases. The rational mind will have their conversations and logic always prevail. It can be seen from my daily recycling habits of my bags. At some point in time, I would love to have a slightly more varied wardrobe of bags but before that day arrives, I will stick to my staples.

What retail therapy means to me apart from doing insane online shopping on Victoria's Secret and ASOS, would be my regular visits to Alegra. Alegra is jointly run by 2 ladies with incredible taste for shoes. At times they do some nice knockoffs which are slight variations from the runway. The designs are more practical and definitely wearable. If comfort is one of your worries, you can rest assured that although I indulged in killer heels and I do admit that they are not the most comfortable creatures in the world, the shoes that Alegra carries is definitely more comfortable than other shoes in the same price range. Over the past few months, I have bought more than enough shoes than what the excuse "I need this shoe to match this dress" can justify. On a day to day basis, I switch between about 10 pairs of shoes left in the office for convenience sake. The stamp card that Alegra gave me is now almost full and that means I can buy another 3 pairs at 20% discount. But according to Blue Potato, I do not need or should not need to buy any more shoes until the end of the this year. I don't disagree but I have to really peel myself away from Alegra whenever I walk past. Thankfully, the stuffs that really appeal to me are not normally on display. The best items are always hidden and tucked away in the store. Apart from Alegra, I have always bought countless pairs from Vincci whenever we have a drive trip to Malaysia.

Recently, Ferragamo was having this delicious sale but I have successfully convinced myself that the money could be spent more wisely. Considering that I have found a new "target", I should not just squander the littler-er money away and make myself feel miserable when I can't afford the more big ticket item.

Talking about big ticket, my teeth needs some fixing and I will have to decide in a week's time if I want to complete the project which I've always wanted to embark on.

The Adventures of The Misadventures

Getting my wallet nicked at Platinum Mall wasn't the most pleasant experience. It was a girls' trip together with 7 others from the office. Great food and endless shopping marked most of the trip. However, just several hours into the shopping, I ran out of all money and it wasn't because I spent it all. Having seen the others in despair and reporting their losses, it was a funny sense of relief that I wasn't the only one. The floods in the country have brought the poor up into the city seeking money and definitely not the most of the legal ways. Fortunately for me, I have got friends who could financially help my through the rest of the shopping frenzy and someone at home who efficiently assisted me with cancelling the cards. The trip to the local police station was at adventure in itself. While trying my best to be understood so as to get my statement taken, I was wondering if I'm ever gonna get the massage that I was anticipating.

The trip ended with much regrets, not having the foods I was craving for and insufficient shopping that I had hoped I completed. It was still a trip I will always remember not because of the misadventure, but the company that kept me going. So looking forward to the next one. This time, I'll strap the money close to me with masking tape.