Malaysia in Singapore

A friend once commented that coming to my house is like an excursion to Malaysia. I kind of agree to what she said. Marcel and I have always felt that our street has significant resemblance to Jalan Concord 9, Penang where my parents’ house is.
If you stand on the street and look around, it really feels like being in Malaysia. Old houses, trees, no flats within the horizon and you get this laid-back undeveloped ‘kampung’ feel.

I know I know, apart from the irritatingly famous Roti Prata, (which attracts loads of traffic on weekends) Jalan Kayu probably has not much to offer. But look closely, there is abundance of greenery, sense of tranquility and if you’re lucky you can see a few roosters running around in the morning (God knows where they come from!).

So if it’s too far to drive to JB and you need a getaway, just drive round my house at Jalan Tari Piring, off Jalan Kayu for your half-day excursion :)

Goodness in a box

I wish I can do this more often- bring my own lunch. I brought some left-over chicken stew to work during the week . We have a little lunch box, a gift from Shih Erh. It was for me to pack lunch for Marcel since his office is in the whoopee whoop (Science Park). BUT the lunch box is way too cute for his appetite. Usually the food overflows into another bigger container :)

It comes with 2 rectangular containers (3”x 2”x 2”) and a jar (4”x 2”)– more suitable for children below 12 or me when I feel fat. Anyways, I love my chicken stew! It's THE dish that made Marcel marry me haha.

Menu for the day: SK chicken stew

To marinate (at least 30min):
Chicken drumsticks, fillet, thigh
Soy sauce
Salt
Oyster sauce

Ingredients (A):
Garlic, chopped
Dried shrimps
Dried scallops
Onion, cut
Cabbage, cut
Carrot, cut
Chili, for taste
Parsley

Ingredients (B)
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Fresh mushrooms
Enoki mushrooms
1 or 2 full cloves of garlic
Asparagus (optional)

Sautee ingredients (A) with butter, add chicken. Add water as needed to cover the ingredients. Simmer for 30minutes and add ingredients (B). Continue simmer for 30min or more. Serve with rice. Oh ya ! A must have to go with SK stew --> cut chili + soy sauce + calamansi.

Beautiful wedding

Venue -check

Invites- check

Flowers -check

Gown/suite - check
Make up -check
Music -check
Photography -check
Bridesmaid dresses -check
Cake- check
Favours- check

Hen night- check

Program -check

Guest book- check
Honeymoon- check

Ok.. all look good! Just a few more things to tidy up.. Talk to me about wedding planning and perk me up anytime of the day. It's my backup career!

My dear friend – Wan Ling is getting married! Who says we need 1 year to plan a wedding? She is doing it in 4 months! And NO, she is not pregnant! Juggling work, business and wedding in such a short time coupled with gloomy mood clouding the economy is not easy.. BUT I’m seeing a beautiful wedding coming up! 6 December- I look forward to it.

*photo from Perfect Bound*

Becoming bimbo again

Marcel left for Pune, India at the wee hour this morning. I went back to dreamland after seeing him off blurry. As expected, I overslept. It happens all the time when he travels. I automatically become a slack - I’ll be late for work, the bed is not made, the lights are on, sometimes i forget to lock the door!

Now, where on earth is Pune? It’s around 160 km southeast of Mumbai (see map) and pronounced as “Poooneh”. I laughed my head off when Marcel first mentioned the name as I thought it sounded abit vulgar/ racist.

So what’s life like for me when marcel travels?
- Snooze and snooze and snooze in the morning.
- Go for beauty fixes that take up time - hair cut, dermatologist.
- Become a workoholic- I would leave work later than usual even though there is no urgency / need to.
- Enjoy the solitaire of what he enjoys best – stay at home and soak myself with English / Cantonese series with my favourite authentic Penang Prawn Mee (AMK S11). I can do this over and over , the last time he travelled I had this three nights within a week.
- Catch up with girlfriends.
- 6552 1111 is on my speed-dial.
- Figuring out how to use the washing machine - yes one of the key benefits of marrying him is he loves to do laundry.
- Lost my way driving (only on weekends) and call him in overseas for directions!
- Become a bimbo (more so when he is not around).

Oh well.. I am hoping to make some changes this round though, I promise not to be late for work and remember to LOCK THE DOOR!

I miss my mijo.

*map from IndoGlobal Knowledge

Worry-free long weekend

Sunday:
Key take away from this Sunday's service -- DON'T WORRY (Mathew:6-25-34). It's not a new revelation, it's not a new verse but it's a good reminder and applicable!
If God feeds the birds in the air and beautifully clothes the lilies in the field, how much more can He bless us? Are we not worth more than the birds and the flowers? So why worry? We're not going to grow taller /prettier/ smarter/ happier / richer/ live longer by worrying for tomorrow. Plan for tomorrow but not worry for tomorrow – thin line I must say. Live one day at a time. When the event comes, there will be grace.. I think I'm happy staying as a five-footer!

Monday:
Our usual massage outlet, Wu You never fails. Wu you (in Chinese), direct translates as “no worries”. It's a place that hardly disappoints. The masseurs are English speaking aunties with strong hands... Admit that Wu You is not the sexiest name for a spa but it's value for money and gets the job done effectively. I don't really need a breath-taking landscape to feel ‘relaxed’ neither do I need to be treated gingerly like a baby in high-end spas. But this unnoticed shop in Upper Thomson always comes in time for a quick fix for exhaustion.

Hey hey it's hot pot day!

Lunch out of Raffles Place is always refreshing. Found this place called Hey Hey Hot Pot Restaurant. It’s deserted at the end of a dark corridor of Paradiz Centre basement. Corny name and "Cheeena" décor BUT this place is a hidden gem with unique menu.

The broth: We chose the winter melon double boiled stock. They’ve got other funky selection like fish and coconut, shark bone or herbal chicken.

The gem: Apart from the usual steamboat ingredients, the highlights are their little dumplings in marble size. Very cute!!! My top picks: custard dumplings (nai wong pao) and the char siew pao. Yes you’re reading it right. Char Siew Pao! It’s Dim Sum in a hot pot!! Sounds weird but you gotta try!

The price: Reasonable for buffet. S$25+ /pax for lunch and $35+/pax for dinner.

Conclusion: Happified.

Hey Hey Hot Pot 1 Selegie Road #B1-20 Paradiz Centre Tel: 6333 5166

Are you in the novelty camp?

I was once told that Singapore has the highest number of photographer per capita. Indeed, 5 out of 10 friends own a gigantic heavy SLR camera. Everyone is turning “pro” one after another. People beyond my wildest guess are joining the novelty camp.

I think I'm a mini-photographer (wannabe) too. I've got the passion, but the enthusiasm is periodical and intensive only during holidays. I've got cameras too- whatever belongs to Marcel is mine. We have a Nikon or Canon SLR something something model and a compact Samsung (errr XYZ model). See, that explains why I'm a perfect candidate for mini-photographer wannabe.

Out of the 800+ shots that I took during my recent holiday, Marcel (the official photographer for the household) only picked 2 or 3 magical shots that got his approval, but since I'm an amateur , I think I fared better.