The Random Lifestyle

Egg Mayo Sandwich

2011-10-23T12:06:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

Like most busy working adults, we're kind of used to having breakfast in the office on workdays, be it bread from the neighbourhood bakery, museli bars, or just a mug of instant cereal. But can breakfast get any better than that? Sure thing!

Sis and I decided to prepare egg mayo sandwich for breakfast for the whole family, something that can be accomplished in just under 30 minutes, and can be made the night before - Perfect for busy people!

Stuff we need (Makes 5x sandwiches):
1 tablespoon mayonaise
5 eggs
2 whole baby butterhead lettuces
10 slices of white/wholegrain bread, or 5 croissants
some bacon bits
some ground black pepper

We start off by making hard-boiled eggs first:

Add some vinegar to the water so as to ensure the egg's contents stay together even if the egg shell cracks while boiling.

While the eggs are being boiled, peel the butterhead lettuce and wash the leaves:

Baby butterhead lettuces are crunchy and sweet, and the leaves are just the right size for the bread slices.

Once the eggs are cooked, peel the eggshells and allow them to cool before dicing them using a butter knife:

To still be able to enjoy the springy texture of the eggs, avoid dicing them too finely.

Pop the mayonaise in and mix well. Don't overdo the mayonaise as too much of it will make the spread 'watery' and we don't want to end up with soggy bread the next morning. Add ground black pepper to taste!

Ground black pepper adds a bit of zest to your sandwich!

And we have all the ingredients required to assemble our sandwich!

The bacon bits add a lil' crunchy surprise to the egg mayo sandwich!

Place a leaf of lettuce on a slice of bread before spreading the egg mayo over. This helps to prevent the bread from absorbing the moisture from the spread and becoming soggy. Sprinkle some bacon bits (The ones you usually find in caesar salad) and place another leaf of lettuce on top.

Top it all with another slice of bread, and package the masterpiece in shrink wrap:

Ta-dah! Mission accomplished! For a slight variation, toast the bread lightly or use croissants instead.

Pop the sandwiches in the fridge and they're ready to go the next morning! The low temperatures will help keep the toasted bread crisp and also keeps the crunchiness of the lettuce.

National Day Barbecue

2011-08-14T18:39:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Price Tag - Jessi J

The homies got together for another gathering on the weekend before National Day, and this time, we all chipped in on the prep-work leading up to the barbecue, girlfriends included. One of them was even sweet enough to make us all chilled barley with gingko nuts and tofu skin, which we helped prepare with lots of nut cracking action! *pun intended*

The food was back to the basics this time, nothing fancy, but then again with the "secret-receipe" home brewed barbecue marinate, they're still not quite your regular barbecue fare:

Succulent tiger prawns, grilled to perfection.

We also had assorted oh-so-sinful bratwurst that sizzled and popped in their own fats:

Dogs on fire!

Served the above with some fungi, and we were ready for more:

And what's a barbecue without booze?

Beer shootout - Expensive Belgium lager, or cheap Texas beer?

The Stella Artois won hands down in my opinion. Like they say, "She's a thing of beauty". =)

We rolled on with the stingray marinated by yours truly with guidance from The Chef:

The level of hotness was too tame, they said. But I actually used up half a bottle of the chilli!

Otah-Otah and home marinated wings.

The tandoori chicken was a first!

These looked deadly hot but were pleasantly mild to the tastebuds!

At the end of the night, we were left with a trail of these:

Infinite booze!

Oh Chin Huat Hydroponic Farm

2011-08-03T21:34:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 28 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 Feat. Christina Aguilera

Ever wake up on some days to the idea of having a go at growing your own herbs at home, but have no idea where to get them? The answer is up north, at the green corridor just a walking distance away from train station at Khatib.

Oh Chin Huat Hydroponic Farm is one of the establishments located along Bah Soon Pah Road that runs through an area designated as an agrotechnology park by the AVA, and generates a healthy supply of hydroponic vegetables as well as potted herbs:

Neat rows of greenhouses that provide shelter for the hydroponic vegetables line the farm.

A peek at the green leafly vegetables in one of the shelters!

The herbs are grow on-location at the farm and transplanted to pots by hand as they grow:

My lovely friend complete with sun hat, scouting for some culinary herbs she could grow at home.

She got this in the end, and this picture could very well be what's left of it by the end of the day. Time to start painting her fingers green perhaps? Tsk tsk!

This one says "Not for sale"!

Such pretty mint leaves!

Delicate and beautiful wild flora can be found growing about corners of the farm.

And here's how to get there:

Energizer Singapore Night Trail 2011

2011-05-02T22:52:00.007+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Rainy
Currently Playing: 21 Guns - Green Day

Fancy running off-road in the wilderness of Mandai at night? The first iteration of the Energizer Singapore Night Trail provided that thrill and much more, with an obstacle course race for parent-child teams, treasure hunt, laser-tag and more, in addition to the competitive 6 KM and 12 KM trail run categories.

The race was one of novelty, meaning and exclusivity all rolled into one:

1) It's the first trail run to be held in an army training ground at night, in which access is otherwise restricted.

2) Part of the entry fee is donated to the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) Live That Dream fund, to groom atheletes for the paralympic games.

3) There were only about 1500 of us passionate runners in the 12 KM category.

And here are the contents of the race pack:

The race pack consisted of a Men's Health magazine, Schick razor (I wonder if the ladies' race pack contains this too?!), Jacob's crackers (Great for that boost before the run)...

A Newton dri-fit tee and a race bib that comes with an integrated timing chip (We had to run under ERP-like gantries to get the timings registered!)

And lastly, a headlamp that helps runners find their way in the dark.

Runners who complete their categories under the cut-off timing (4 hours for 12 KM) are awarded a finisher's medal:

The free-flow Walls Cornettos at the finishing line was just icing on the cake! We absolutely have to do this again next year!

Chin Chin Chicken Rice

2011-03-23T21:01:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Use Somebody - Kings Of Leon

Say where can you find awesome tasting chicken rice right in the heart of the city? We head to Purvis Street to find out!

Located just a stone's throw away from Raffles Hotel and Bras Brasah Complex, Chin Chin serves up one of the best Hainanese chicken rice I've tried, amongst other traditional Tze Cha dishes:

We ordered the Yuan Yang, which is a Chinese term for a good mix of roasted and steamed chicken.

The roasted meat is flavourful, while the steamed chicken is just succulent!

The chilli, when mixed with mashed garlic, is simply irresistible! However, the rice was not the most fragrant that I've come across.

We also tried the kambing (Mutton) soup, Chinese-style:

A good dose of wolfberries makes the soup sweet and the mutton is tender as well.

Here's where to find Chin Chin Hainanese Chicken Rice:

Rider's Cafe

2011-02-14T22:31:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Buses And Trains - Bachelor Girl

Located within the depths of Fairways Drive, Rider's Cafe is where one would go for a long, deliberate, and distinctively french breakfast, minus the hustle and bustle of city living.

The quaint restaurant with a black-and-white colonial architecture is located at 51 Fairways Drive.

This is probably one of the rarer road signs found locally. And yes, horses really trot about the area so drivers please pay extra attention to them! =)

And here's presenting what is known as 'The Usual' on the menu:

'The Usual' is what most people think should be included for breakfast - Banger, bacon, grilled tomato, marinated button mushrooms, soft and fluffy sourdough topped with scrambled egg. (Or Egg Benedict, if you wished!)

The only thing that makes 'The Usual' not so usual after all? Arugula (Rocket) leaves that are like icing on the cake.

There's also the super sinful french toast with baked bananas and strawberries, and it comes with maple syrup dip!

And how can breakfast be complete without a pick-me-up? They have espresso for the die-hards, cafe latte for the mellow, and cappuccino for the sentimental.

This is not the best latte heart I've seen, but it's definitely not shabby either.

All weekends should start like this - A long, light-hearted chat with friends over quality breakfast, topped with the chance to see fine stallions at close proximity in a surreal, quiet environment. Make reservations early for seats are extremely limited! =)

Here's how to get to Rider's Cafe:

Tiananmen and Forbidden City

2010-12-27T23:23:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 28 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Fireflies - Owl City

Right in the heart of Beijing lies the Tiananmen and Forbidden City (Gugong, as the locals call it). The whole city is practically built around the two landmarks, with the main roads forming concentric circles starting from the 1st Ring Road (Yihuan) to the 6th Ring Road (Liuhuan).

The huge portrait of chairman Mao is signature to the Tiananmen.

View of Tiananmen Square - Elaborate military flag raising and lowering ceremonies that literally stop traffic take place each day with respect to the time at which the sun rises and sets.

Intricate beams of the roof supports inside the Tiananmen.

The Duanmen (Upright Gate) is one of the main gates leading into the palace:

The Hall of Supreme Harmony is where the emperor handles the day to day affairs of the imperial court, and is what most people would remember from Chinese dramas such as Huanzhu Gege:

The huge opening between the Gate of Supreme Harmony and Hall of Supreme Harmony is stone paved, and it appears that a part of it has been restored to ease of walking for visitors:

The old and new stone pavement.

Other similarly designed halls surround the main hall.

The interior of the hall is actually much smaller than what the hall appears to be on the outside. It certainly didn't look like it could fit the many ministers and officials that the TV dramas depict.

The writings above the throne (Zheng Da Guang Ming) are by emperor Qianlong, and it is said that the heir to next ascend the throne will be written down and hidden in a concealed space behind the writings by the currently reigning emperor. Only when he passes away will the next emperor be named.

The Hall of Complete Harmony is situated right behind the main hall - It's the place where the emperor prepares himself for appearing in the main hall:

This pavilion may be small on the outside...

... But it really feels more welcoming and spacious than the main hall!

It's interesting to note that the roofs of the halls in the palace have carvings of creatures at each corner - They are said to be able to fend off evil:

Besides taking in all of the rich history presented in the form of the grand structures, there were also a couple of things we made up through direct inference from what we saw, just for laughs!

... That the imperial palace basically contained a cashless society where its occupants withdrew ingots from ATMs...

... And the imperial palace was made possible with loans granted from the American Express bank?! =O

Time flew, and soon it was sunset.

Last capture of the majestic Hall of Supreme Harmony before we leave:

And a 'We were here' shot!

There's nothing like comfort food back at a Malaysian eatery at Huixinxijie Nankou, a few streets away from our hotel:

Curry chicken and vegetables rice with blachan chilli!

And the very tender mutton curry with rice!

Beijing Olympic Stadium

2010-12-11T16:16:00.006+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 33 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Nothing But The Radio On - Dave Koz

The Beijing Olympic Stadium sure looks like a stone's throw away from our hotel on the tourists' guide - But it's really not. The map showed that the stadium was 5 streets away from where we are - But I guess the scale isn't large enough to show the many smaller streets we would be crossing in order to reach the Olympic Square! =(

We reached after an hour's walk (Thank goodness for the cool weather!):

The stadium, set against the sky that is so blue it seems artificial. Breath-taking!

Roads at the Olympic Square are lined with beautiful flowers.

A closer look at the interesting IBM building in the distance.

Entry to the stadium requires a ticket - Security's pretty tight at the entrance, even 2 years after the Beijing Olympics:

Inside the stadium, at-a-glance:

For the architectural or civil engineering buffs, it's interesting to note that PTFE and ETFE polymers (Plastics!) are the materials used for its roof. And the external mesh structure that gives the stadium the characteristic look of a bird's nest, is actually concrete, and not steel!

The mobile gong used in the opening ceremony performance of the 2008 Olympics.

Huge fans like this were used to create the visual effect seen in the backdrop for the opening ceremony. Wonder how heavy is it to wave this thing around?

A bird's eye view of the soccer field and tracks:

The external structure of the stadium looks as if it had sprouted out of the ground with great vigour to reach towards the sun:

'Huge' is an understatement when it comes to describing the size of the Olympic Square. It seems to stretch forever!

The Olympic swimming complex where many world records were broken is just around the corner:

The swimming complex uses the same plastic material of the stadium roof for its exterior and promises to look as good as Day One for years to come.

Just can't help but just sit and stare at that blue sky...

A huge block of jade that is known as the 'First Rate Jade of China' can be found at the Olympic Square:

More views of the stadium from the square:

And what better way to celebrate the weekend with beer and a meat fest? =)

The Hans restaurant is kinda like Brewerks - They have their own brews! Mild barley for me, please!

The servers simply strut around with grilled meats and seafood and pile them up on our plates!

Working In Beijing

2010-12-08T22:54:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 28 C, Clear
Currently Playing: You Found Me - The Fray

Clear blue skies greeted us when we touched down at the Beijing Capital Airport at a time when Singapore is, unfortunately, plaqued by the haze. It is definitely a pleasant surprise as my prior impression of China's capital city was one that has a perpetual cloud of smog hanging over the sky, much like other major developed cities of the world.

Look Ma, No smog! =)

It sure seems like the environment has improved by leaps and bounds since the Olympic games in 2008!

We reside at the 4th Loop of Beijing city, in an area known as Jiamingtongcheng - A quiet little town in the outskirts, which is just a stone's throw away from work.

Supermarkets and restaurants are very accessible where we live.

There's also a serene park lined with maple trees - It's autumn but the leaves have not turn brown and fall. Some of the maple leaves are as large as our faces!

It's about 15 degrees Celsius in the day, and 7 degrees at night. The autumn has just set in...

The workplace is a modern, spartan building that's located along Xiaoying Road:

The Beijing Traffic Control Centre (BTCC) is the central nervous system of the Beijing metro system that moves about 5.3 million people each day.

The lovely weather and scenery outside takes my mind off work once in a while:

And soon it is time to load up at one of our favourite places:

Fastfood - Chinese style. Braised pork belly with a cuppa orange juice with lots of pulp. =)

Sometimes, we take a lil' stroll about the workplace after meals.

Love the dedicated cycling lanes! =)

The wide footpath around the TCC.

Can't help but notice that recycling is serious business in China:

From the front, this truck actually looks like it's wearing a wig of white plastic containers!

Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2010 Finisher

2010-12-07T21:05:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Drizzling
Currently Playing: Power Of The Dream - Celine Dion

Congratulations to all marathon heros (And heroines)! This year's race has been tough, the weather harsh, the route was long, but just by making it past the finish line, you guys proved yourselves to be made of tougher stuff than all of that! =)

SCMS 2010 Logo and Full Marathon Finisher's Medal

In any other kind of race, there would only be one champ, but hey, for a marathon, everyone of you who made it to the end is a champ in your own right!

Not that the ones who fell out mid-way are any lesser of a champ... The courage to participate in the event itself is commendable, and having the discipline to listen to your own body and fall out of the race only to come back stronger next year deserves utmost respect. =)

Finishers of the full marathon receive an Asics finisher's tee with the new SCMS logo that features a stylised runner with the Esplanade and Marina Bay Sands in the background:

Can't help but feel that the runner in the new logo looks more slender and more feminine than the previous years' - Maybe it is to celebrate the fact that we have more ladies who really enjoy the challenge in long distance running? Sublimal message signalling the dawn of the modern-day superwomen!

The finisher's medal this year is one cool rectangular slab of alloy:

The rear of the medal features landmarks specific to this year's routes - Orchard Road and Marina Barrage (Full marathon), Sentosa (Half marathon), and the Marina Bay Sands and Singapore Flyer (All categories):

Being part of the largest annual sporting event in Singapore was a great way to mark the end of 2010 for me - And for those who are still hesitating whether to take up the challenge, I'd say go for it! Live the dream, like what Celine Dion croons in 'Power Of The Dream', which is the theme song for the 1996 Olympics.

Let's do this again in SCMS 2011! =)

Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2010 Race Pack

2010-11-21T23:28:00.007+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Waking Up In Vegas - Katy Perry

Kudos to the SCMS 2010 organising committee and energetic youths on the ground for making the race pack collection process smooth as butter!

This year, the apparel sponsor is Asics:

Notice that the SCMS logo has been updated to include the Esplanade and Marina Bay Sands as the backdrop.

And the contents:

Finally, an 8 in my running 4D number! Huat ah! =)

The race pack is loaded with the usual discount coupons from sponsors, but there's something a lil' different:

A limited edition CEPAS card specially designed for SCMS 2010!

The running jersey comes in a colour scheme similar to the one from New Balance in last year's event:

This Asics running jersey feels more comfortable than the one from New Balance. Not sure about its performance on the go though. Will report back after the event!

Both PowerBar and SIS booths are present at the Expo, but I got the SIS energy gels again after positive experience with them during the Adidas Sundown Marathon earlier this year:

The SIS GO gels are really smooth and can be taken without the need to go with fluids. They also come with more volume than the PowerBar gels.

In other news, this vertical-mount bike pole really saves a heck lot of space in the room:

Sheer Driving Pleasure

2010-11-13T23:30:00.000+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas

It's hard not to notice that a lot of love and attention to details have been put into designing these pieces of art... How could anyone not fall in love with one?

It's a cloudy and humid day at Marina Bay, but that didn't deter us from heading to the iconic Marina Bay Sands integrated resort via the DNA-inspired Helix Bridge:

Then we chanced upon this huge inverted dome where people crowded around - It turned out that they were popping coins towards a small hollow in the centre:

A wishing well? Perhaps, perhaps!

We (literally) had to get to the bottom of this!

It IS kinda like a wishing well!

The coins that manage to travel through the hollow from the inverted dome at the ground level goes through a few metres of freefall and land right in the middle of a pool. Interesting!

One can really mistake the shopping mall of Marina Bay Sands for an airport terminal. Just look at the vast expanse of glass that allows for clever use of natural light:

Anyone realised how disturbing is the positioning of the two dome roofs of the Esplanade in relation to the Swissotel main tower in the distance? Rated M18! =P

There's an indoor waterway with boat rides, too.

And the icing on the cake? An exhibition showcasing art in motion - Visiting the BMW World Singapore held right in the heart of Marina Bay Sands!

A vintage BMW welcomes us at the entrance to the convention. Notice the twin air intake vents on the bonnet of the car that is so specific to each and every BMW in production to date?

Registration is required although admission is free:

Visitors get this commemorative entry pass with a lanyard, and a brochure showing the layout of the showfloor.

And let the show begin! =)

The showfloor is circular in presentation, and ambience is better than many of the local motorshows that I've been to, with lots of motion pictures, strobe lights, and scrolling text displays compared to just traditional print media.

The BMW Concept Car and the handsome M3 GTS (In orange) takes centrestage of the show.

BMW's M-series of sedans and X-series SUVs are showcased on the left...

... While the Z-series of roadsters and coupes go to the right.

Guests can go to the bar in the center of the showfloor to get their wine fix if they so desire.

We're suckers for open-top roadsters so off we went to the timeline showing the brief history of the development of BWM roadsters:

The Z1 has doors that slides downwards into the chassis - Perfect for those tight parking lots!

The Z8 is a production car that was designed to embody details found in earlier BMW roadsters.

And how could we miss out one of BMW's most popular roadsters ever, the Z4?

This is also the first time in asia that the new BMW X-3 is unveiled:

The hightlight of the show is undeniably the BMW Concept Car that is able to change its shape at the touch of a button:

This thing looks as if it time-travelled to Singapore. =)

The very spartan Concept Car comes with a carbon fibre chassis and is clad in a flexible skin.

The M3 GTS however, stands better chance of being street-legal and winning the approval of your motor insurance company. =P

Smooth as it may look, the M3 GTS doesn't perform like your average continental car.

Bright colours in nature are signs of impending danger. This one is no exception. It eats Ferraris and Porsches for lunch.

There, eat your hearts out, street racer wannabes. =P

Surprise From The Land Of The Rising Sun

2010-10-02T23:01:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: The Climb - Miley Cyrus

Got a pleasant surprise when I dragged myself (And the luggage) into my room after touching down late Friday night:

It's a parcel from Japan! =)

And so I ripped the brown postal packaging open like a child opening his Christmas (Yes! X'mas is coming again!) present from under the tree:

Comes with a cute lil' note with lovely handwriting. Contents for my eyes only! xD

A clue to what's within the green, crisp wrapper.

Man, you bet I was praying that it'll better not be some foodstuff that expires real quick, like in a week, 'cause the parcel arrived the day after I left for Beijing - And I was there for 2 whole weeks!

It turned out to be cookies, COOKIES! ARGH NOM NOM NOM~! (Mimics the Cookie Monster):

Sweet! Love cookies!

Comes in 3 flavours - Macademia, Amande, and Noisette.

Fortunately, they don't expire that quickly. =]

Thank you J, though I really didn't expect this. Suddenly, the world feels like a better place. =)

*Goes make some coffee*

Peace out.

Timbre Night Out

2010-07-25T16:01:00.007+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 32 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Bad Romance - Lady Gaga

Chill-out Saturday was all about dazzling lights by the river, booze and good music on our night out to Timbre at the Asian Civilisations Museum. =)

Heineken as the booze of the night...?

No way... It's German over Dutch this time, so make way for Erdingers! =P

Liza and team were the Timbre musicians of the night - Totally love the awesome, smooth rendition of Lady Gaga's Bad Romance:

The band doing their thing!

We were pretty lucky to get a seat right in front of the stage!

The talented group performed the classic, soothing Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House as a finale, which was awwwwesome. =)

And what better way to end the night with a little walk by the Esplanade waterfront?

Singapore's financial hub at night. Dazzling!

The iconic Marina Bay Sands integrated resort.

Leaving Again

2010-07-24T15:16:00.009+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Crazy - Alanis Morrisette

Parting gifts from the good people of RSS Endurance (Left) and RSS Persistence (Right), Republic of Singapore Navy

It sure felt great to see the many familiar faces of the big family of RSS Persistence, all dressed up to the nines, at the ship's anniversary dinner held at Zes Disco, The Chevrons. =)

To summarise the night, the Commanding Officer was definitely the usual beng-ish self with his memorable "Kilo-November-November" exclamation upon finding out that the games involved the use of baking flour.

The Assistant Navigation Officer was a 180-degree departure from her usual self in uniform and walked right outta the closet looking absolutely stunning - Needless to say, she was the talk of the night!

Chief Comms too underwent a major makeover and became a Hebe look-alike for the night, while the Comms Petty Officer dolled up as a maid and probably would make many otakus swoon.

The soft-spoken Navigation Officer ditched her specs and was made to do a forfeit during the games that probably left her sleepless that night! =P

The Coxswain was very sporting during the games and took the honour of pecking the CO on his cheeks!

Overall, it was an enjoyable night of many firsts, and it was great to catch up with fellow cabin mates and the rest of the ship's crew.

Here's wishing RSS Persistence smooth seas and following winds always!

Weekend Ride to Town

2010-07-18T03:50:00.006+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Rainy
Currently Playing: Song For Singapore - Corrinne May

You might have caught us decked out in full gear - visors, sexay tights and all with our mountain bikes on Saturday noon at the intersection between Wheelock Place and Ion Orchard:

When the bling bikes hit town! =D

The long ride is a welcoming one, especially after some pretty intense partying at the graduation bash the night before. =P

Coincidentally, we reached City Hall at just about the same time when the drive-past by the Armed Forces convoy for the National Day Parade Preview started - This time, we managed to capture the entire convoy onto film! =)

So here are the Youtube videos that bring you up close and personal with the diverse military hardware we have:

The Army and Naval arsenal are featured here...

... Followed by the Civil Defence and Police assets. Don't you just love the very obedient rescue dog appearing at 1:45 into the video? =)

And then we were off to East Coast Park to refuel for the ride back up north. What else is more satisfying than a Quarter Pounder meal from McDonald's, upsized? =P

The shaker fries now come with the chipotle powder that is pretty deadly...

The chipotle seasoning totally owned us when we accidentally snorted some while emptying it into the shaker fries paper bag. The eyes teared and the nose felt like it was on fire.. Really wicked stuff! x_x

So here's a word of advice - Hold your breath when you empty the powder into the paper bag, and keep the bag well sealed when preparing your shaker fries!

For the record, total energy intake for the meal was about 1100 kilocalories, while total energy expended was about 870 kilocalories for our 68-kilometre ride. So really, it can be easy to gain, and it takes some serious workout to lose! =O

On another note, this year's national day theme song is good stuff!

Strong, clear vocals in Song for Singapore by local artiste Corrinne May

My Island Home by Kaira Gong (2006), and One United People by Stefanie Sun (2007) are also my personal favourites:

My Island Home, by Kaira Gong.

One United People, by Stefanie Sun

TWG Tea Salon

2010-07-16T20:04:00.009+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Seven Days In Sunny June - Jamiroquai

Fancy chilling out to exquisite tea blends and handcrafted pastries away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Orchard on a hot weekend afternoon? =)

Look no further, for right in the heart of Ion Orchard, the TWG Tea Salon beckons:

Now you see it, now you don't - One of the TWG motifs repeated all over the clear glass wall.

Since floor space is limited, the tea shelves have to grow upwards!

The franchise has a surprisingly small and oval-shaped floor space, surrounded by clear glass that has the signature TWG motifs plastered all over, providing for adequate privacy yet still allowing one to go gaga over the major labels in Ion. =P

We found out first hand that it could be quite packed during the peak tea-time period at around 3 to 4 pm - But waiting for 20 minutes in the queue wasn't that bad really, at least for what's about to be served. =)

Chic and Celebration sets from the tea-time menu were orders of the day, accompanied by the Christmas Lights (Hers) and Geisha Blossom (His) tea blends:

Teapot-with-a-shell. =P

The teapot is raised off the table surface in a metallic case with insulating material between the ceramic and inner parts of the case, helping to reduce heat loss - Simple science for us to hang around longer... =)

We also tried all flavours of the sandwiches in the menu. Yes, everything. =P

Lovely colours adorn the finger-sandwiches' presentation. Really whets the appetite!

Oh, and we have pastry from the patissier's trolley as well. Wild berry cake and scones with tea jelly. =D

The slice of wicked wild berry cake, when accompanied with finely brewed tea, really brought me on a palate-rollercoaster ride - The pastry is rich and tangy, full of wild berry flavours ready to excite the palate, yet easily neutralised by a sip of tea - If I had to sum up what would probably keep me coming back for more, this would be it!

But of course, what could I do with all these without a sweet partner-in-crime? ;)

Belated birthday gift for Him! =P Ehh.. No, they're not stuff from Bobbi Brown.

Surprise! Goodies from Origins! The Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash is a 5-star buy!

Gift from yersteryear - The YSL Rive Gauche Pour Homme. =]

Just in time to make up for the bottle of Yves Saint Laurent fragrance I received from her last year, too. Like I've said many times before, the general well-being of my outlook is all in the hands of that one particular (And peculiar =X) Auntie. =P

P.S. Remember my 1.5-grand telescope, Auntie! =P

Of Burgers and Tanks

2010-06-26T23:24:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: I'm Sorry (I Don't Love You No More) - Craig David

Met up with fellow classmates this morning in campus to collect our academic dress for the upcoming commencement ceremony next week. =)

Every part of the collection process was systematic and solemn - At least it seemed like that, until one of us commented that the dress looked like a curtain and the other, with the plain academic dress on, decided to act like some surgeon at a hospital. =_= You guys know who you are! =P

Curtain or not, I'll let you guys decide with the pictures:

I'm sure not many of us know that the 'cap' we wear is called a mortarboard. At least I didn't. =X

Presenting 'The Curtain', with the hood carrying the universal colour of Engineering - glam gold!

The rear of the academic dress. That's one huge hoodie! xD

All of us agreed that it was also a good opportunity to catch up, and what better way to do so over a hearty meal? So off we were to Burger Shack by Island Creamery! =D

Close proximity to several prestigious schools and a cosy setting makes it a popular hangout for students

Freshly baked sesame seed buns, 2x huge beef patties and a secret-recipe sauce - That's the Double Beef. =P

The sesame seed buns used for the burgers are baked freshly everyday, and they're so soft, one might mistake them for the skin of chinese steamed buns! The beef patties are a lil' overcooked in my opinion, and thus drier, but the special homemade sauce made up for it. The beef patties of the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese by McDonald's are juicier by comparison.

The fries are fantastic - Easily the best I've tried. If you think McDonald's french fries are good, imagine fries crispier than McDonald's PLUS a lil' spice seasonings like that of Botak Jones. Absolutely delicious!

Met up with an old pal for lunch later in the afternoon, and we were curious as to why there was this crowd in front of the junction between Suntec City and Marina Square:

What are they looking at? =/

Most were craning their necks up towards the sky. A careful scan revealed the mystery:

Turned out that the rehearsal for National Day Parade 2010 was on! Can you spot the Commandos with their oh-so-red parachutes? =)

Actually, I was more interested in this:

The army's newest acquisition - The fearsome Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tank! This is the first time that these beasts are on display for the parade I believe. O_O

These tanks are so huge and wide, only two of them could be accomodated side by side on a 5-lane road! They almost make the BIONIX II Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) and BRONCO All-Terrain Tracked Vehicle (ATTC) following behind look like toys. =D

The Leapord 2A4s performing a gun-salute in the direction of the Padang.

Crew piloting the Leopard 2A4 with camo cream on their faces screams 'garang'!

Here's a Youtube video filmed on-location showing how huge and loud these beasts are:

Following close behind are the Combat Engineers, with their modified BIONIX that could launch bridges...

The Combat Engineers - In the background is the BIONIX Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB).

... And hey, what's this?

Mystery new combat engineering arsenal from the SAF.. Anyone could help identify this one?

Seems like this thing could swim, judging from the shape of it's hull. It sure looks like the LARC-V that the Navy operates, but only twice as long! And it's left-hand driven. Interesting!

G-Shocks

2010-06-19T21:34:00.006+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Perfect - Simple Plan

The Casio G-Shock series is a household name when one needs a wrist watch capable of withstanding drops, knocks and still remain water resistant.

So no prizes for guessing what I'll be getting as a gift for father's day, since dad isn't the most careful guy with his watch (amongst his other personal belongings =_=).

Coincidentally, a pal wanted to get a new G-Shock to replace an older model - And this is the gem he got:

Lovely white G-Shock that just screams for attention! =)

This loud baby can withstand very harsh temperatures of up to -20 degrees celsius, and shows both tidal height and moon phase information! Perfect for a sailor still serving his term with the Navy. =P

Presenting the Mud-resistant G-Shock 'MudMan' series

The 'MudMan' series has an understated, timeless design with it's all-black facade with red details for the buttons, and has a smaller bezel that doesn't require a thick wrist to carry it off - Perfect for dad. =)

P.S. Do check out the song 'Perfect' by Simple Plan. Super meaningful for father's day I feel - And here's wishing every dad a happy father's day. =)

Adidas Sundown Marathon 2010

2010-05-31T20:48:00.007+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: It's A New Day - Will.i.am

Gotta admit that this year's Sundown Marathon is the toughest race I've ran so far from serious lack of training due to the hectic final semester in college. Thankfully, the grades made up for the lackluster performance of the run. =)

Unable to find the running tempo back after a month's break from training, I suffered from a strained right knee late into the race, which resulted in a several-kilometre walk back to the finish line. =( True, I eventually managed to better the last year's timing, but it sure felt tougher both mentally and physically.

The walk along Changi Coast Road back to completing the 42 KM battle after busting my knee made me think. A lot.

A couple of jet liners landed during that time, and at some point, I wondered what people a hundred years ago would think of this huge, loud, metallic bird that could swallow a couple of hundred of humans at a go and cruise at several thousand feet in the air - What would the Wright Brothers feel to see their dreams of air travel becoming reality, that their invention made a difference?

The almost periodic sounds of waves crashing onto the beach made me recall a documentary about vast expanse of non-biodegradable plastics and other trash collecting within the North Pacific Gyre as well as the recent oil spills both locally and at the Gulf of Mexico. Would our children get to enjoy the sights and sounds of clean, blue oceans and the diverse marine life they offer at the rate we are violating the Earth?

The long walk also allowed me to experience the plights of children in poorer parts of the world who have to walk several kilometres to and from school daily - I now cringe whenever one complains about the 10-minute walk to the nearest MRT station.

Oh well. Enough of the rant and let's move to the loot finishers of the race get:

The front of the finisher's tee bears the same simple design as the official running jersey

The rear features a race tag design with the race category and this year's slogan - Beat the Sunrise. Lovely. =)

This year's medal design is pretty unique:

The swirling arms extending along the bottom of the medal makes it pretty stylish. =)

Once again, a big thank-you to everyone who made the race happen, and three cheers to all finishers! See you guys next year at the Adidas Sundown Marathon 2011! 'Cause you know, the discount for returning runners is simply too good to be missed! =P

Oh, argh, by the way, the pink coloured SiS energy gel which happens to contain the most caffeine (And thus the most mental boost) tasted like the pinkish syrup-based medicine we had to curb fever when we were younger. x_x So the pink ones are for people with acquired tastes. =P

The Pink Medicine. Urgh. Image Credits: MedlinePlus

The grape flavoured one was fantastic though. Refreshing. The larger quantity of goo in the SiS gels proved to be more filling and provided a greater energy boost than the PowerBar gels.

Adidas Sundown Marathon 2010 Race Pack

2010-05-22T23:57:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas

Collected the race pack for this year's Adidas Sundown Marathon over the weekend:

They're using the same huge, useful canvas bag as last year's that my sis loves to do grocery-shopping with! =)

This year, the slogan is updated to read "Beat the sunrise, race the night", which is all very apt, as the full-marathon event starts right smack at midnight. That said, the time between darkness and sunrise is only about 7 hours for all you marathon heros out there. =)

So what's in the race pack? Let's find out:

No number '8' in my running 4D number again. =_=

Besides the usual lot of flyers and discount coupons, this time round, they decided to give you the energy gel first instead of along the route of the run, as there have been grouses that by the time the slower runners reached the gel distribution point, they have already been depleted. Apparently, some runners take more than their fair share of the energy gels. =(

We also have a change in the featured energy gel:

How does the taste of these SiS energy gels compare to that of PowerBar gels? Will report back after the race!

The main highlight of the race pack is still the running vest:

This year's vest is a lot less elaborate than last year's, with no bling-bling. =/ Hope the finisher's tee will not disappoint!

Back After a Break

2010-05-14T23:43:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 28 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield

Looking back, the past week was pretty crazy - Finished up the last exam as an undergraduate on Saturday, and then reported to work onboard the following Monday without much of a breather!

Being back onboard a different vessel after a 3-year hiatus is refreshing, more so with the ever friendly officers and crew that double up as colleagues, friends and even advisors, helping me get up to speed with life onboard briskly. =)

And of course, the fantastic lunches prepared by the chefs daily helps heaps too!

The ship's cohesion at East Coast Park today didn't disappoint with cycling, good food at C.Nai Hong Kong Cafe and surprises! New crew members received their ship's badge and ball cap, while us, the May babies, were surprised with an awesome Oreo cheese cake from Coffee Club and cards with personalised messages from the officers and organisers!

Ship's badge, ball cap and a birthday card!

It turns out that the majority of the May babies come from my department, and I actually share the same birthday as my superior! How cool is that?

With the Navy Open House 2010 coming up soon, I'm sure looking forward to catching up with the crew of the ship that I previously served on! For those interested to see what the Navy has to offer, do come visit us!

Ship's badge and ball cap from my previous posting

Specialized Trio

2010-01-18T00:59:00.006+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: If You're Gone - Matchbox Twenty

Finally got the opportunity to photograph Weihong's spanking new ride today:

Of course, his weapon of choice HAS to be a Specialized... =)

And it's pretty hard to find a Specialized bike in any colour other than the trademark flo-red paint job!

Yup, it's a Specialized Epic in a striking white-black-red colour scheme!

The patented FSR rear suspension design is exclusive to the Epic, which is the top-of-the-line competitive XC offering from Specialized. The Fox air shock with Brain Fade technology on the rear allows the bike to stay stiff over the flats, while soaking up and allowing the bike to float over bumps once you hit the trail.

The rear shock also allows for quick, tool-less adjustment of the plushiness on-the-fly by just turning on the blue-adonized knob towards the 'soft' or 'firm' settings.

And here's presenting Kenny's bling-bling Epic in the classic flo-red paint job:

Red, blue and gold adonized parts galore for the bling-bike! =P

The S-Works logo represents the finest in bike engineering from the team at Specialized.

And not forgetting the StumpJumper HT:

Sexy curves all-round! =P

And here's a picture of the trio:

We also have a gate-crasher today! A sweet, white Polygon city bike with a quaint rattan basket lined with checkered cloth - A classic!

An iPod Touch hooked up to a pair of portable speakers provided us hours of audio entertainment! =)

Lastly, I must say that the pay for full-time national servicemen must be sooo darn good these days, for Weihong also got this recently:

It's a handsome Luminox timepiece that promises unparalleled visibility even in total darkness, without the need to charge the paint up using external light sources! It's used by the U.S. Navy and Air Force. =_=

Cookies and Chocs

2010-01-10T22:45:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Wherever You Will Go - The Calling

It started with cookies, then cupcakes, followed by delicate crafts such as the Christmas Clock and Make-Up Brush Holder - Gift exchanges with a personal touch really came a long way, and this time, we're back to the basics. =)

These chocolate chip cookies with walnut bits turned out pretty well!

Absolutely adore the timeless golden ribbons used to secure the bags of goodies. =)

Okay, even though I enlisted the help from an electric beater this time (No more aching arms, HAHA!), it still took me quite some time since my humble, puny oven could only bake 4 cookies at any one time! >_<

The crazy one who gave me a pair of sexy trunks last year decided to stick to something safe this year:

Chocs, chocs and more chocs! I see that my new year resolution of putting on some weight will be accelerated with these treats! =D

I'm glad one thing didn't change after all these years - The inclusion of a sweet hand-written card with her signature funky fonts! =) Appreciate it lots!

Back to School Gift

2010-01-10T02:50:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 25 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: All Night Long - Lionel Richie

After 2 years of abuse, it's time to replace the worn, boring, black-grey grips that came with the bike. Poisoned by Weihong and Kenny, and decided to get myself a pair of these as a back-to-school gift:

Ta-dah! Bling-bling Token lock-on grips with red-coloured adonized locks that matches the bike's paint job! =D

Eh, did I mention that I don't actually ride much when school opens? =X Heheh.

White Christmas

2009-12-20T01:03:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 25 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: I Will Be - Leona Lewis

Christmas came early this year - Thank you Singtel! =)

Singtel gave away the all-new late-2009 Apple MacBook with their weekend-only 10 Mbps broadband offer in conjunction with a local computer show!

Apple claims to have reduced their carbon footprint producing the latest incarnation of the MacBook, with reduced packaging size so that they ship more units than before given the same logistic equipment, and it sure looks like it:

With a no-frills packaging design, Apple now ships more of the goodies and less of the air. =P

I still remember that thick printed manuals came with the Titanium PowerBook G4 when I first got it years back - Much of these have been digitized to reduce usage of paper - Looks like Apple is determined to go green:

This cardboard sleeve basically contains all of the Apple Install CDs and manuals. Again, more of the product, and less of everything else!

The late-2009 MacBook comes with a revised MagSafe adapter that is more compact, and less obstrusive:

The MagSafe header now mates with the MacBook in a right-angled manner, reducing cable clutter. The build and construction of the header seems to be sturdier than the previous design.

Yes, Singtel gave away the latest and greatest, the late-2009 MacBook model that's beefed up with a slightly faster Intel Core 2 Duo processor at 2.16 GHz, 2 GB of faster DDR-3 memory, a 250 GB hard drive and Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics. The LCD is now of the LED-backlit kind, which reduces power consumption and increases battery life.

Geeky stuff aside, it also looks sexier with all the curves, is slimmer, lighter, and sports a built-in 7-hour battery. Plus, it is also now blessed with the glass multi-touch trackpad that the MacBook Pro has!

It still amazes me as to how Apple manages to pack a stunning 13.3-inch widescreen display, full-sized keyboard, and an optical drive into such a compact package. O_O

Of course, how the broadband performs is still of paramount importance! For the geeky ones, here are the SpeedTest results, before and after:

Bye bye Green Camp, hello Red Camp! =D

Singapore Marathon 2009 Finisher

2009-12-07T11:33:00.006+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 28 C, Clear
Currently Playing: If Today Was Your Last Day - Nickelback

Once again, Singapore's annual largest marathon event took place successfully with over 50,000 participants this year - Congratulations to all marathon heros who ran and finished their own race!

Kudos to the job well done for many who were 1st-timers to running a full marathon - The act of putting your name down on the registration form and actually being there on race day is commendable to say the least! Give yourselves a pat on the back for that! =)

This year, participants are given a blank tag on top of their running IDs for writing inspirational quotes, and then attaching the tag with their personalized words of encouragement onto the back of their running jerseys - Neat idea! Some of the more memorable ones I've seen:

"Running for free bananas and 100-Plus!"

"This sounded like a good idea 3 months ago!"

"I thought last year's marathon was my last... But the Early Bird pricing was just too tempting!"

"Whose idea was this anyway?"

"Got mountain... Climb. Got road... Run. Got food... CHIONG AH!!!"

I had a good chuckle while hot on the heels of these jokers! xD

The weather was cooling in the early morning, but turned nasty towards the last leg of the race - The sun was scorching by the time we hit the F1 grandstand and marina floating platform and most of us just got toasted. =_=

Unlike the previous years, New Balance replaces Adidas as the apparel sponsor for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2009. The comfort and fit of the running jersey isn't as good as the Adidas ClimaCool series, the material being tougher and causing some abrasions.

The official running jersey that many said fitted like it was for basketball instead of for runs!

However, the finisher's tee design is pretty refreshing, with a body-hugging fit:

Front view of the full marathon finisher's tee - Love how the blue and black colours come together! =)

New design for rear this year, with larger prints. The stylised runners in white are pretty cool.

The front of the finisher's medal remains largely unchanged, but the rear now features the iconic Marina Bay Sands integrated resort:

Front view of the finisher's medal, which is the same design as the previous year's.

Rear of the medal etched with the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort.

Once again, my running 4D number contains no '8's in it. =( A disposable timing chip is used this year instead of the champion chip. It's a good thing, really, 'cause we'll have an additional item for keepsake! =)

Running 4D number tag and timing chip.

Special thanks to the organisers and tons of ethusiastic helpers who cheered us on along the length of the route - The run was tough, but you guys made it easier! =)

See you guys again at SCSM 2010!

NUS Singapore Marathon Race Pack

2009-12-04T22:22:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 25 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Reach Out - Hilary Duff

Didn't manage to collect the official Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon race pack from the expo personally 'cause I had exams right up till today. =(

But hey, the NUS Singapore Marathon race pack is pretty cool too. It comes with a running jersey in loud orange-and-blue school colours and a nifty bottle:

Front of the running jersey, in really loud orange!

And here's the rear. The design didn't change much from last year's.

Lastly, the bottle with a metallic base and cap that looks like it could withstand a fair bit of knocks and drops. I'm a careless user I know! =x

Weight Loss

2009-11-14T22:33:00.000+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: I Will Be - Leona Lewis

Early Christmas present for me, from me. =P

This wheelset upgrade brings the bike's weight down by 500 grams to 11 Kilograms flat. Still have to lose some more to hit the magical 10 Kilograms. Sponsors, anyone? =P

Competition proven for over 25 years, the Shimano Deore XT range of bike components is the de-facto standard for XC riding. Wonder why did I put up with my old Deore wheelset for so long. =/

The hubs are coupled with Sun DS2-XC rims and laced with DT Swiss Competition spokes - Lightweight and relatively stiff, at least for my weight. =)

More upgrades come come! =D

Another Specialized

2009-11-01T22:52:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 28 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Best I Ever Had - Vertical Horizon

Kenny finally got converted to the Red Camp with his new Specialized S-Works FSR:

Gold anodized brakes and blue hubs surprisingly look good on this bike! =)

So that makes 3 racy red Specialized bikes in the neighbourhood now! Apparently, this bugger floats over the trails like a dream, and at the end of breaking the bike in on the Bukit Timah trails, Kenny was grinning from ear to ear despite the wet weather and very dirty bike.

Here's the aftermath:

Looks like he went for a swim in mud with the bike! =P

Mine wasn't spared either. Francis piloted my bike this time round as his bike was sent in for servicing, and I don't ride during the hectic semester anyway. =/

But what's more satisfying after a trail ride than good food? Ta-dah! Pork trotters and Hainanese Chicken Rice for the win! =D

Super sinful braised pork trotters. But they're nice! =)

Chicken Rice with offals and chicken feet - Francis' favourites!

EDMW October Spook Ride

2009-10-04T02:35:00.002+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Torn - Natalie Imbruglia

It's one of those super rare occasions where the EDMW riders actually come all the way up north! So I really, really couldn't miss the chance of hanging out with the guys on my turf! =P

Halloween's just around the corner, and this calls for a spook-themed ride!

We visited the abandoned Neo Tiew Estate located in the depths of Lim Chu Kang:

The Neo Tiew Estate - An abandoned HDB town right smack in the middle of nowhere. Photo credits: koshiro@EDMW

After that, we headed to the very haunted Kranji Beach, where the Japanese soldiers perished while attempting to make their landing onto Singapore from Malaysia.

Mozzies galore at the Kranji Dam. Photo credits: koshiro@EDMW

Thankfully, what haunted us for most of the night were merely the mozzies. =_=

The ride ended with late night supper at Al Ameen!

Satisfying prata supper after the ride! =) Photo credits: koshiro@EDMW

Late Dinner at Cafe Cartel

2009-08-15T23:41:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: I'm Sorry (I Don't Love You No More) - Craig David

Project teammates and I decided to hit the nearest Cafe Cartel for a good dinner after working our butts off at the "Teck Whye Concentration Camp" for most part of the day. =_=

Why was the set lunch menu provided when we arrived at 8 plus for dinner? =/

The badly starved ones went for the St. Louis Pork Ribs right away, while the rest opted for the chicken chops with a smaller serving size:

The St. Louis Pork Ribs in the background is just huge compared to the puny chicken chops.

A close-up of the pork ribs - This isn't the largest portion I've seen though. Sinful!

We're keeping things realy healthy here for the chops - Swapped the fries for mashed potatoes, and black pepper sauce to mushroom sauce, 'cause I felt like I was gonna fall sick soon. =(

We were literally gorging ourselves with the food, when 9 PM struck! It's when the frappes and cakes start going for 1/2 the usual price, everyday! =D

Cakes and frappes frenzy starts now!

And here are the frappes we got, 2 for the price of 1!

Whipped cream comes standard! Frappes just don't taste like they should without cream! =)

And our hefty bill:

Dinner left us with much lighter wallets. =_=

A Little Surprise

2009-08-13T23:52:00.007+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Rainy
Currently Playing: It's a New Day - Will.i.am

Picked up a yummilicious Belgium chocolate cake from Prima Deli in preparation for a lil' surprise for sis!

Jodan knows it's mummy's birthday today! So he's watching over the cake and making sure no one touches it before mummy comes home! =)

And there's booze, too. =P

Peach Bacardi yum seng! =D

Sis was super touched, and showered her pride and joy with lotsa kisses!

It seems like Jodan's pretty shy about the affection mummy's showing!

Ride Before The Crunch

2009-08-09T23:48:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Save You - Simple Plan

I don't usually hit the trails when school starts, but I can't help it this time, since the weather's been truly great lately - Hot and dry makes for fast runs and clean bikes! =)

My beloved Stumpy, unbelievably clean!

Taking a breather at T15 - The dry, hard packed trails are just begging to be ridden!

Kenny's feather-weight SuperLite.

Really can't wait to tame the different kind of monster of a trail when I get back on the saddle towards the end of the year... Wet wet wet! ^^

Tampopo Ramen

2009-08-08T15:32:00.007+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Clear
Currently Playing: It's Like That - Jermaine Dupri Feat. Mariah Carey

Tampopo's menu had us spoilt for choice!

This time, we throng Liang Court for the acclaimed Tampopo Ramen. They're famous for their black pig soup base and black pig cutlet sets:

The Original Soup Base made from Black Pig's Bones is a little to the salty side, but tastes great when you add chilli powder to it! *slurp*

And there's something special about the hard boiled eggs that come with the ramen:

The yolk centres are not completely cooked, giving them a very nice texture when you pop the egg into your mouth! =)

The Spicy Black Pig Ramen adds chilli flakes to the already outstanding soup base and turns the Tampopo Ramen experience up a notch! Hawwt!

And not forgetting the Black Pig Cutlet set:

This one is for rice lovers. ^^

Overall, the ramen is comparable with that from Marutama, springy and smooth. However, the signature soup base for the Tampopo ramen is slightly more salty. The black pig pork slices of Tampopo ramen is super sinful with generous amounts of chewy fats, and in my opinion is the main selling point of the ramen, with the unique, hard on the outside, soft on the inside boiled eggs as a welcoming addition.

Here's how to get to Tampopo Ramen:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg

Aim Before You Fire

2009-08-07T23:29:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 28 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Gives You Hell - The All-American Rejects

Guys, aim before you fire. Please?

This is a public service announcement for the guys who shoot everywhere BUT into the toilet bowl. Guys, please check if your rifle needs, erm, zero-ing? =D

KFC Website Hacked

2009-08-01T04:47:00.002+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Heaven Is A Place On Earth - Belinda Carlisle

Found out that KFC's website was defaced while most of us were asleep. Here's a screenie if you missed it:

Apparently, the hacker originated from Turkey, or is part of a Turkish hacking organization. =_=

EDMW Friday Night Ride

2009-07-25T07:36:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: You Found Me - The Fray

This time, we hit the East Coast Park, Esplanade and the Southern Ridges with fellow EDMWers! =D

Kudos to the Northern Ryders (dxboy and crew) who made to ECP McDonald's on time, despite having to clock a distance of nearly 30 KM even before the actual ride begins! >_<

Taking a break just beside the Singapore Flyer - Legs are aching already~! T^T Original photo credits: koshiro@EDMW.

And then we headed over to the Esplanade, where we had more stretching and cam-whoring:

Here's presenting the EDMW Frydae Nite Road Warriors! As usual, the very shy people have their faces concealed with EDMW emoticons! Original photo credits: koshiro@EDMW.

Finally, we hit the Southern Ridges!

Long-exposure shot with dxboy 'drawing' the word 'EDMW' using his torch! Pretty! ^^ Original photo credits: koshiro@EDMW.

It was a terribly long ride back up north, and by the time we got to Yishun, the Northern Ryders were famished! So it was breakfast at Chong Pang wet market! ^^ Fried carrot cake, ice-cold soya bean milk and tau huay (Soya beancurd) were orders of the day~!

Got no peektures of the foods though - We were waaaay too hungry! >_< You can check out the spread yourself here:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg.

Night At The Museum

2009-07-12T05:11:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Better Man - Robbie Williams

It's that time of the year again where the Singapore Art Museum keeps its doors open till the wee hours of the morning for the Singapore Night Festival! ^^

The museum at night is simply enchanting...

We were a little worried that the outdoor performances were gonna be cancelled as it started to rain as we made our way to the museum, but thankfully, it stopped soon after and the show was just nudged back a bit! *glad*

The best thing is, we managed to get a pretty good position to view the show! =)

The Loop of Fortune portrays the trials and tribulations of 'a man's journey through life's trials and tribulations as he fulfils his destiny', with the 'stage' spanning a vast area of space from the SMU greens to the grass patch right in front of the museum with the facade as its backdrop!

The 'Loop of Fortune' outdoor show starts with interesting projections onto the museum's exterior.

Choreographer weaves the show with 3 performers attached to the rotating metal wheel...

And they turned up the 'wow' factor with more pyrotechnics! *excited*

At the climax of the show, pyrotechnics were propelled rapidly into the night sky like laser!

After the outdoor display ended, we proceeded indoors for the many interesting exhibits awaiting us, and also for some air-condition~ Heheh. =P

First exhibit that greeted us right at the entrance: Love Tank (The Temple).

I thought the Love Tank sent a very nice message of 'Make love, not war', although it isn't really the intended message that the creator was trying to convey. =P

The next thing that caught our eyes were these:

A row of rather 'normal' decorative lights, you might say...

But they actually swing like pendulums! Interesting! ^^

We were actually awed at the swinging lights for spent quite a bit of time trying to take proper shots of them! >_<

And then there was this exhibit that was made up of many towers of glasses, kinda like a transparent cityscape to me:

Almost died while trying to take this shot on an escalator~! =_=

And to end the evening, we experienced this interesting exhibit that brought us through the important historical events of Singapore. We had to queue for like eons for this! *crazy*

We were assigned this electronic companion with a pair of headphones that'll serve as our personal guide...

And all we had to do is just to punch the numbers shown by these labels stuck to the floor into the electronic companion and there'll be audio descriptions of the showcases. Sweet! =)

And here are random shots of the showcases (Took too many pictures, and then there are some that didn't work out 'cause of the low lighting T_T):

Part of the Singapore Stone that forms an early part of Singapore's history as a small fishing village...

An early map of Singapore. I thought the shape of the island was pretty weird.

The two flags that were once flew in Singapore...

Before we proclaimed independence and proudly fly our own flag!

And lastly, we have some propaganda posters from the World War:

And after that we got chased out of the museum 'cause they had to close for the night! >_<

Quarantined

2009-07-09T11:28:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Tears - X Japan

Was greeted by this notice at the door to the lecture theatre 7 days ago:

Gosh, I feel sick already. =(

And so the past week was spent facing 4 walls, sucking on the thermometer every other hour or so, and essentially leading The Otaku lifestyle. =_=

Thank goodness the virus doesn't spread over the Internet!

Understanding the Universe

2009-07-02T22:44:00.008+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 28 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Born For You - David Pomeranz

Sure, a 4-day work-week for this summer holiday class isn't exactly easy, but learning about Astronomy, the stories behind, and star-gazing make all the work worthwhile!

Taking advantage of a clear sky on one evening, Professor Strom decided to organize a star-gazing session for a small group of about 40 students on the roof of Science Block 13! =)

The tutor sets up a Meade optical telescope for our star-gazing session, while Prof. Strom scans the sky.

The powerful optical telescope offers magnification of up to 200x, and has a primary mirror (The huge black cylinder) with large aperture to offer clear view of the stars. Mounted on an equatorial mount, a multitude of adjustments are possible and there's even an onboard motor that can be set to rotate the telescope orientation so as to track the stars as they move across the night sky - Neat!

Thankfully, the sky was very much clear of clouds, enabling a good view of the new moon even when the sun has not set...

After setting up 2 telescopes, we waited patiently for the sun to set:

Last light before darkness falls and the show begins! ^^

The star-gazing session kicked off with observation of the Moon and its impact craters:

The 2-day old Moon, as seen through the telescope - The impact craters can be seen clearly at the border between the lit and dark regions. Photo credits: Willy's Omnia

We were lucky to be able to be able to observe a feature known as Earth Shine, in which the dark part of the Moon is not completely dark - An outline of the entire Moon is visible due to it reflecting light that is refracted off the Earth! This feature can only be seen during the first 2 days of a New Moon.

Next, we observed Saturn and its iconic ring:

Saturn is the 6th planet in our Solar System - Picture taken by the Cassini space craft. Photo credits: Michael Richmond

It's really amazing how Saturn can be seen quite clearly through the telescope, even though it's 9.6 Astronomical Units (AU) away, and 1 AU is approximately 150 Million KM! >_<

Saturn through a telescope!

During the session, we also identified some constellations that could actually be viewed without the aid of the scope - To the east, we see the Scorpius constellation:

The Scorpius constellation, with the brightest star Antares a.k.a. the "Heart of the Scorpion" (In red) and the Scorpion's tail trailing behind. Photo credits: EESA Hubble Information Centre

The Scorpion zodiac sign is derived from the Scorpius constellation which the Sun enters from 23rd October to 22nd November.

To the south-east, we can see Alpha Centauri, the closest star to our Solar System:

Alpha Centauri is the 3rd brightest star in the night sky, located just 4.37 Light-Years away from our Sun. Photo credits: flawedperfect@picasaweb

Following Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri, which together are known as The Southern Pointers, we can then locate the Southern Cross, or the Crux:

The Southern Cross centred, with Alpha and Beta Centauri to the left in a slanted position that leads up to the 'head' of the cross. Photo credits: Starfield Observatory

Lastly, located near the Crux is a bunch of stars known as the Jewel Box:

The Jewel Box can be seen on the clear southern night sky of Singapore. Photo credits: Southern Cross Constellation

Unexpected Visitor

2009-06-28T00:41:00.006+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Heal The World - Michael Jackson

Chanced upon this lil' fella at the doorway to my room while I was heading for a shower:

A unique green beetle! Decided to try taking macro shots of it. =)

Watched it for a while, and it's still where it was, sitting very still. And so I took more liberties with it:

This time, a shot from the front! =P

And... It's still very much stationary after 30 minutes. =_=

EDMW Friday Night Ride

2009-06-27T05:41:00.002+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Burn - Usher

This time, we joined the fun-loving peeps from Hardwarezone's EDMW (Eat-Drink-Man-Woman) online forum for a ride in search for supper! =D

Met up with central and eastern riders at ECP McDonalds, before proceeding along the park connectors to Changi Village:

Can you count the number of bikes here? =P Photo credits: dxboy@EDMW

And here are the orders of the day *slurp*:

Really, really sinful Fried Carrot Cake! Photo credits: dxboy@EDMW

Mouth-watering Roti John with Bandung drink... Photo credits: dxboy@EDMW

And how could we forget the famous Changi Village Nasi Lemak?! ^^

Thanks to the lady who allowed me to take a picture of her untouched Nasi Lemak, 'cause I was soooo very hungry by the time we reached, I gobbled mine all up without taking a shot of it! >_<

We caught someone taking a catnap too:

Lovely kitty dozing off near our tables~ Photo credits: dxboy@EDMW

Took a group shot along Old Tampines Road before we head home:

Faces are concealed with emoticons unique to EDMW to protect the identities of the forumers! =P Original photo by koshiro@EDMW.

Had too much drinks, thus the toilet break at Hougang before we hit home. >_<

Toilet break and more drinks!

Kim Gary Hong Kong Restaurant

2009-06-20T23:26:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Clear
Currently Playing: High - Lighthouse Family

Finally done with the Econs and Database Systems papers today, yays! =D

To celebrate, we went to the Kim Gary Hong Kong Restaurant at Vivocity. *drools*

Had to wait quite a bit in the lunch-time queue before we got ourselves seats, but it was all very well worth it! The set lunchies are reasonably priced, tasty, and very, very filling~ >_<

We started with Cream of Mushroom followed by the mains:

The Mark Six Curry, which consists of chicken wings, sausages and potatoes in potent curry baked with swiss cheese - Sinful! Photo credits: Gavin's Omnia.

The Mark Six Curry is quite a departure from the usual cheese-baked dishes you'll find in places like Swensens and Fish & Co. - The rice is served separate from the dish itself, and it has heaps more sinful swiss cheese! *loves* It's also baked in spicy curry *ooh la la~* that goes very well with the white fluffy rice. =)

Beef Steak with Spaghetti is not really a Hong Kong crusine, but scores with the peppery sauce. Photo credits: Gavin's Omnia.

The Beef Steak with Spaghetti was okay, and we particularly like it because of the sauce. The beef is more marble (More fats! >_<) than what one would expect, which made it more tender. I kinda like my beef to be chunkier and leaner though.

How to get to Vivocity:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg

Mountain Biking At Bukit Timah

2009-06-14T22:28:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Untouched - The Veronicas

Had been resting lots and eating a lot more (And I really mean loads!) since the marathon 2 weeks ago, and I realised it's time to get back on the saddle again before whatever teeeny bit of fitness left in me is all lost~ >_<

Though Kenny wasn't with us, his bike certainly was, with Wei Hong piloting it this time. =)

We entered T15 via Mandai Road and stopped at the end of it for a lil' break before tackling the official Bukit Timah trails:

The landmark that indicates the start of Bukit Timah biking trails.

The weather has been scorching hot lately, but it's all good, for it meant that the trails are going to be dry, translating to more speed, and cleaner bikes! =D

My trusty steed after doing the length of T15 - Spotless! ^^

Francis' Epic and Kenny's SuperLite. Squeaky clean!

We wasted no time in hitting the trails after a drink - And here's the iconic stairway that daunts most mountain bikers who are new to the trail:

No worries, with the right technique (Saddle-on-shoulder), the stairway is actually quite easy to navigate.

After the stairway is the fast section of the track that leads all the way to the entrance of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve:

Back at the entrance where lotsa bikers gather during the weekends.

Cleanliness check - Outstanding! Don't you just love dry trails? =P

After topping up our bottles, it's time to hit the trails leading back to Mandai. A notable section on the return leg is one that suddenly brings you to a clearing in the middle of the reserve, where weathered quarry cliff faces and greenery paint a serene picture - Ahh... The joys of mountain biking! =)

The open space starts abruptly in the middle of the trail, like an entrance to a 'secret garden'. =)

Weathered cliff face surrounded by greenery... Beautiful!

One last shot of the cliffs before we hit home~

It's been an awesome come-back ride after a rough semester in skool, am sooo looking forward to doing it again soon!

Ah Chew's Desserts

2009-06-13T23:25:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Gee! - SNSD

Have a sweet tooth and a soft spot for Chinese and fusion desserts? Then you definitely must check out this quaint and cosy place called Ah Chew's Desserts. =D

Located along Liang Seah Street, just opposite Parco Bugis Junction, this small dessert house serves a large variety of Chinese desserts such as fruit-sago, tang yuan (Glutinous Rice Balls with Sesame or Peanut Fillings) and black sesame paste.

Items could be mixed and matched to form your own unqiue dessert - You can have the smooth black sesame paste go with chewy tang yuan or add a scoop or two of ice-cream to the fruit-sago to create a fusion dessert of sorts! ^^

Chilled Honey Dew Sago with Vanilla Ice-Cream is such a treat with the crazily hot weather we have these days! =_=

The Mango Sago with Vanilla Ice-Cream comes with generous chunks of fresh mango, and the sago tasted mild and smooth. It could've been served colder with shaved ice instead of crushed ice though.

The Black Sesame Paste with Tang Yuan is thick and smooth, and doesn't turn watery over time. =)

And lastly, here's how to get there:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg

Gee!

2009-06-12T23:35:00.002+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 28 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Gee! - SNSD

Okay, I know that it might just be too early to proclaim this, but I think this K-Pop hit qualifies as a strong contender for the "Most Annoying Song" of the year, if there was such an award to begin with! =P

Here's presenting "Gee!" by SNSD, also known as Girls' Generation. =)

And you know what's the funny thing about this song? I think it actually grows on you after a while. Seriously. ^^ It's sooo annoying, you'll want to start turning up the volume and putting it on repeat to annoy the heck outta others - And then it grows on you.

Try it! =P

Gee Gee Gee Gee Baby Baby Baby~~ (Sorry I couldn't help it! >_<)

Astons Specialties

2009-06-11T23:05:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Crazy - Alanis Morissette

Somehow, all seemed to develop a lust for beef after a hard day's work hiding away in a corner in the SoC - And we decided that we'll do whatever it takes to get some good beef, even if it meant travelling all the way down to the Astons Specialties branch in Suntec City! =D

We were dead hungry by the time we got past the queue, and we want our beef! *rawr*

All 250 grams of it, the Ribeye Steak Xtra Cut:

Cooked to medium rare perfection, this thick slab of beef was satisfying to say the least! ^^ Photo credits: Gavin's Omnia.

The Ribeye Steak Xtra Cut is highly recommended for it being tender and having just the right amount of fat trimmings in it! The portions of the sides are reasonable too, with a variety of choices. We went for pasta salad, coleslaw and mashed potatoes. *slurp slurp*

We also tried the pork chop:

The Pork Chop's good too, but still, nothing beats beeeeeef~! =P Photo credits: Gavin's Omnia

It's really interesting to find establishments serving up the western genre in this part of town that actually serves pork, so kudos to Astons for being different!

What's a good meal without some beer?

Root beer, to be exact. =P

The IBC Root Beer - Gan Bei! ^^

How to get to Astons Specialties @ Suntec City:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg

Stuffed Birthday Cake

2009-06-07T23:16:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Kimi To Iu Na No Tsubasa - Kobukuro

Received a pleasant surprise today:

Whoah, the surprise comes in a really sweet checkered packaging! ^^

I see stuffed strawberries!

Really beautiful stuffed cake!

Gosh, if I were to make one myself, it would've took me years as I'm not very good with needle and thread! >_<

Thanks very muchie for the gift! And to think I couldn't even remember what I wished for last year, which you did! =_="

Adidas Sundown Full Marathon Finisher

2009-05-31T20:22:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: I Don't Wanna Know - P. Diddy Feat. Mario Winans

The Adidas Sundown Marathon was a gruelling race indeed - Participants were pushed to the limits mentally, being deprieved of sleep, as well as physically, due to the changing terrain from asphalt to packed concrete to gravel, plus the requirement to navigate the multiple overhead bridges along the route that employ the use of different muscle groups! >_<

The last leg of the race was pure torture, with multiple uphills before the dash to the finishing line~ x_x

They say that when the going gets tough, the tough gets going - Congrats to all Marathon Heros who completed the race! ^^

And here are the pictures of the coveted finisher's tee and medal:

Full Marathon (42 KM) Finisher's Tee (Front)

Rear of the Finisher's Tee - I like how the silver portions of the design are actually reflective! ^^

Close-up shot of the design on the rear of the tee - The silver lines depict mappings of the race route.

The front of the medal is nice and sleek...

The rear of the medal features the iconic Changi Airport control tower, which was in sight for 15 KM or so for the first leg of the race, named "String of Lights", which stretched from Changi Point to ECP.

Tenya Tempura

2009-05-25T23:22:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce

Tempura was introduced to Japan by the Portuguese, and it stuck as a favourite Japanese fast food ever since~ ^^

The TV presenters had nothing but praises for the authentic tempura from Tenya on Mediacorp food show (Forgot the name! >_<) a while back, and it was tempting to try when we popped by The Food Place at Raffles City Mall.

This outlet claims to be the first Tempura bar to hit our shores, and Tenya is not new in the business - It's already a household name back in Japan for fast food.

Value-for-money set meals to go with the tempura.

Besides offering an array of set meals to go with it's signature dish, the tempura, there is also the a-la-carte option of choosing from a variety of fresh vegetables and seafood (prawns) to create your very own tempura feast! =)

Udon and Tempura set for $7.20 - Reasonable pricing considering prices start from about $4 at The Food Place.

Was afraid that the tempura might be a tad too oily, so I ordered something light - Udon in clear soup, to go with it. However, I was pleasantly surprised when the tempura turned out to be very light and crispy, and not greasy at all!

The sauce that goes with it is also not too salty, and does not try to steal the limelight from the tempura.

Close-up of the crisp and light Tempura... These make you come back for more!

The batter is made from ingredients specially imported from Japan that makes the exterior of the tempura crispy, while locks in the flavour and juices of the vegetable/seafood inside. That said, the mushroom tempura is a must-try! =D

How to get to Raffles City Mall:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg

Sundown Marathon 2009 Race Pack

2009-05-24T21:08:00.007+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: How Do I Breathe - Mario

Collected the Adidas Sundown Marathon 2009 race pack over the weekend, and was surprised that there wasn't much of a queue at Millenia Walk.

Here's an overview of what's in the race pack:

No lucky number '8' in my 4D number again~~ T^T

It's quite weird how they included a Schick razor in the race pack. It's one of those male-specific sponsor items, but I guess the ladies could do with shaved arms and legs to reduce that few micro-seconds off their finishing times! =P

Like most major marathon events, the Adidas Sundown Marathon committee uses a tagging system to allow runners to view their timings for the different legs of the route in addition to the total time taken to complete. Instead of a Champion Chip transponder like the one used in the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM), an inexpensive, disposable one is used:

Like the Champion Chip, the disposable tag is secured by looping the shoe laces through it.

The running jersey comes in 2 different colour schemes - White and Black. I got the white version:

The grey wordings and grey portions of the jersey design are actually reflective material! And I like how the red stripes actually matches the colour scheme of my shoes! =D

Also popped by the Athlete's Circle booth to stock up on some energy gels for rapid refuelling along the length of the run:

Only Chocolate, Tangerine and Strawberry-and-Banana flavours were available, and I took 3 tangerine ones 'cause they taste better! =P Avoid Chocolate at all costs! >_<

And now, looking forward to race day... Happy carbo-loading and recuperation before the run, and see you guys at the starting line! ^^

Celebrating 24 Years

2009-05-21T23:04:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Life Is Beautiful - DBS Advertisement

Econs lecture is becoming more like a train steaming along at full speed these days, and after a mentally draining day at skool, it was nice to come home to a huge surprise! ^^

Normally, it would've been too darn difficult to get the whole family together for dinner 'cause everyone knocks off at different times, but today, it happened just for yours truly... Nothing beats dining with family, birthday or not!

So... What was on the menu?

We had these:

Spicy and crispy, just the way I like it! ^^

And as if those weren't sinful enough, we had this coming up:

2 Sri-Lankan Chilli Crabs weighing 1.8 kilogrammes each! *faints*

What's a celebration without a drink or two?

Ice Wine with a lovely, mellow, taste. I had loads of it 'cause I kept losing in the five-ten finger guessing game to my 2 sisters! I suspect a conspiracy... *burp* >_<

Just when I thought that was the end of it all, came the finale:

The one cake I'm secretly in love with! =D

Seriously, birthdays had been silently slipping by since the big 21st celebrations, and one of such a scale brings me back to childhood days, when birthdays were just not complete without a feast and blowing of candles... *nostalgic*

Here's wishing the Birthday Boys of May (You guys know who you are! =P) a wonderful one, and may all your wishes come true!

Confusing Signs

2009-05-20T23:38:00.002+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: You Give Me Something - James Morrison

We encountered a bunch of confusing road signs along Perak Street (Behind Tekka Mall) when we decided to save a little on parking and ERP charges on our visit to Sim Lim Square today. =P

One says the road ahead is a one-way, the other says exactly the opposite - A dual carriage-way! =_= And yet another one says 'No Entry'. The catch? We're entering from a one-way street as well and there's no way we could turn back! *faints*

Apparently, the mix-up was due to some sewer works going on in the area, which required some diversion of traffic along the affected streets.

Some very confused driver must've lodged a complaint, for when we returned an hour later after, the signs were corrected:

But... The 'No Entry' sign is still as confusing as ever. =_=

Okay, at least they made the road diversion due to the sewer works more comprehensible now, but it would've been perfect if the 'No Entry' sign was removed as well.

Xmas 2008 Giveaway #4

2009-05-20T00:25:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Jenny - The Click Five

I know this post is ridiculously late but I couldn't help it 'cause the computer crashed and I managed to recover the pictures only recently~ T^T

Okay, this would be the last of the Xmas 2008 Giveaway series - The Xmas Clock! ^^

Modelled using my favourite medium, the paper clay and then hand-painted and glossed over, inspiration for this nifty gift popped into my head while we were out shopping for pressies for the gift exchange at work.

Was wondering why she was buying watches of all sorts, including a sweet pendant watch with chain, as gifts. And so I asked:

Me: "Eh, why are you getting all watches for the gifts? Not pantang (superstitious) huh?"

Her: "I don't have much time of my own these days due to work, and would like to give the gift of time to others who might feel the same way..."

*ting ting!* Idea!

And to think before this I had no idea what to give her for Christmas, and time was really running out!

So tadah! Here's presenting the limited edition Xmas clock!

The complex and delicate shapes of the clock was painstakingly hand-painted...

Painting done and a coat of gloss applied, plus the receipient's name written with glittery style! ^^

Clock mechanism installed... Done and ready to be delivered! =D

The face of the clock is meant to be without numerical readouts to determine the actual time, as with this gift, I wanted to convey the message that while time is a finite resource, sometimes, we should all just slow down and take a breather to prep for the long run ahead in life.

I guess you can call it a gift of time, with a catch. =)

Wow Wow West

2009-05-13T22:27:00.002+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: King Of Wishful Thinking - Lionel Richie

Visited the one hawker centre that is well-known by many locals today - One affectionately known as the 'ABC Market', and tried the pork chop by Wow Wow West:

The Wow Wow West hawker stall known for its no-frills, tasty and satisfying western meals. ^^

Besides serving affordable and delicious western meals with prices ranging from 5 to 7 bucks, Wow Wow West is also an active supporter of the Yellow Ribbon Project, and features a crew of ex-convicts who are geniune and determined to walk out of their past for their loved ones, and more importantly, for themselves.

The pork chop meal features crunchy, refreshing colslaw prepared from fresh cabbage, and a generous serving of 2 tender pork fillets grilled to perfection! =)

One cannot help but feel that a lot of love and care has been put into preparing the meals at Wow Wow West... Definitely a must-try for anyone visiting ABC Market!

Here's how to get there:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg

Up In Smoke

2009-05-04T23:52:00.002+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Insomnia - Craig David

Almost didn't make it back home after my last paper today. And no, I'm not kidding! >_<

The bus we took outta campus for a nice celebration lunchie suddenly spewed lots of smoke along Clementi Road~ T^T

Pungent smoke started filling the cabin and this called for an emergency evacuation of all passengers onboard...

Smoke still coming out of the engine bay after the evacuation~ =_=

Actually, it could've been worse. *phew* ^^

And dear STOMPers, if you ever decide to use my pictures, please credit appropriately. =P

Burmese Delights

2009-03-15T00:57:00.002+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Clear
Currently Playing: My Life Would Suck Without You - Kelly Clarkson

Went on a lil' field trip today:

Guess where this is? ^^

If you guessed Peninsula Plaza, you're right on! =D

Besides being the place to go for dirt cheap shoes and a favourite haunt for photography enthusiasts, it's also known as Little Burma to our Burmese friends here. Just like how Golden Mile Tower is Little Thailand to the Thais!

And yup, how else can one try to understand a foreign culture better than by trying out the delicacies? =)

My buddy's girl recommended the Inle Myanmar Restaurant located at the basement:

Inle is a cosy restaurant tucked away in a corner that serves authentic Burmese food.

Huge mirrors and murals of Inle, Myanmar adorn the walls, and the pretty lamps cast a soft glow...

The lamp shades are woven from cane, and look like baskets used to hold a fisherman's catch. *lovely*

According to my Burmese friend, the Mohinga (Rice Noodles in Fish Broth) and the Shan Khau Hswe (The Burmese equivalent of spaghetti) are the must-trys. And being the gluttons we are, we ordered sides like the Shan Toe Hu Kyaw (Crispy Tofu) and Pork Sausage too! ^^

Patrons will be spoiled for choice with the array of menus! They simply took up the entire surface of our table~ >_<

The Monhinga may not look that appetizing, but I'm sure I'll be going back for this again!

The Mohinga looks very much like the Mee Rubus we have locally, with a thick broth. And it's absolutely delicious, with a nutty taste for the broth and the fragrance brought about by the generous amounts of fried baby onions!

Here's a picture of the Crispy Tofu before my *ahem* extremely hungry dining partner starts attacking it! >_<

The Shan Khau Hswe, as my friend puts it, lacked a "central theme" to its taste. Maybe its because it had a generous array of spices and nuts that went along with it.

See the small dish of lime halves beside the Cripsy Tofu above? We had no idea what to do with it. =_=

And it seems that the Burmese use the chilli as their primary choice of condiments. We had dried chilli flakes, chilli with vinegar and chilli paste on our table. >_<

This has got to be the best side I've ever tried - Presenting the Pork Sausage. ^^

The Thai-style chilli sauce went extremely well with the Pork Sausage, which was crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside! Two thumbs up for this one!

The Fried Tofu was disappointing though. It's practically tasteless. I guess we were supposed to have it with losta chilli? =/

How about a glass of ice-cold Myanmar coffee for that much needed caffeine boost?

The Myanmar coffee really left an impression, with the taste of coffee being mild and aromatic, and a strong after-taste of fresh milk lingers in the mouth after each sip! It's like nothing I've tried before, but not compelling enough to make me ditch Starbucks for it. Heh. =P

Overall, the meal was thoroughly enjoyable, and I could understand how local food might be too oily and having too much of a "central theme" in terms of taste for our Burmese friends to get used to them in a short period of time. I guess that's why my friends prefer to cook at home if they could afford the time.

How to get to Little Burma:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg.

Midnight Bites

2009-03-14T02:34:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 25 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Just Dance - Lady Gaga Feat. Akon

Spent the whole afternoon in skool filming with my dedicated and talented teammates for our Management and Organisation project today. T^T

It was super tiring, but we pulled through and made some tremendous progress there! Yays! =)

Oh, and I discovered that I'm not cut out being an actor. =_= I did sooo badly that my teammates were laughing their asses off while filming! T^T

I'll spare you guys the details. =P

Had last minute change of plan for dinner after the shoot, which turned out to be a blessing! Got to do what I enjoy most - Cycling for food! =x

Here's presenting the usual suspects. =D

We went to this place called Wong Chiew Eating House, which we also visited during the NUS CAC ride a while back:

You'll find lotsa nice food under one roof here! ^^

Don't know how to get there? Use gothere.sg.

Oh and we have another new kid on the block here:

Here's introducing Brandon's new toy, the Specialized S-Works M5! *clap clap* We've got ourselves another Specialized convert!

Now back to the food:

Some of the mouth-watering goodies there are Hakka Yong Toufu, Char Siew/Duck/Roast Pork rice, Dim Sum and Zhi Char! The Dumpling Noodles is a must-try, and so is the Yong Toufu! For the Zhi Char, try the Xin Zhou Fried Mee Hoon, Hor Fun and Fried Rice! *drools*

The home-made honey lemon tea is really good too~ ^^

Some of the stuffs they have are great value too, with coffee/tea going for 60 cents a cuppa and $2 breakfast set in the mornings!

My very late dinner~ T^T Yummilicious!

And after the "main course", we had Dim Sum! =D

Had a nice looong dinner and chat before we decided to rush back to Yishun 'cause it was starting to rain! >_<

We couldn't help ourselves but to stop by a 7-Eleven outlet to get ourselves a bottle of this:

Authentic Taiwanese Mineshine Milk Tea from Uni-President! *loves*

They're going for like $2.50 for two bottles now! Super value! *gaga*

Strangely, these new batch taste pretty diluted. A bit disappointed lahh. =_=

And I couldn't help taking more shots of the new bike:

Twin bling-blings up front! *squint*

Another shot during a toilet break before we headed home:

We just love our racy red Specialized! ^^

How to get there:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg

Virgin Ride

2009-03-08T23:28:00.008+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Reach Out - Hilary Duff

Hit the trails at Bukit Timah today, and it was my first time riding clipless off-road! ^^

Felt that there are considerable differences between riding on platform pedals and clipless ones.

For one, I realized that a different muscle group is used - On platform pedals, it's basically "stomping" down on the pedals with each stroke, but on clipless, it's more of a pushing motion on the down-stroke, and pulling motion on the up-stroke of each revolution on the crank. As a result, the thigh muscles are used even when one is not pedaling standing up.

Mine started aching a short while into the ride. So I'd better not be lazy and start training up them up soon. >_<

Downhills are faster on clipless as you won't have to make a conscious effort to keep your feet firmly planted on the pedals, allowing you to take the good lines most of the time! =D

Technicalities aside, disaster struck soon after we entered the T15 trail. =_=

Nice, smooth section of the trail at T15. But why are we waiting...? =P

'Cause Kenny blew his tire again! Arghh... Hahahah! >_<

Suay-ness lah! The same thing happened on our other ride not so long ago!

A close-up of Francis' new Fox fork, while Kenny works on his bike. *lovely*

Think I broke my personal record for the most number of falls in the trails today. The cause of them all? Forgetting to unclip when slowing to a stop. *faints*

Overall, I have mixed feelings about riding clipless. I like the control on the downhills, but even though I had managed to conquer all of the climbs today, the process felt weird. It felt as if I had been riding on my toes all day. =/

Like both Kenny and Francis said, maybe the cleats are a lil' too much forward:

Will be shifting the cleats back towards the heel by a notch or two for the next ride.

Getting a Burmese Wife

2009-03-07T23:40:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Clear
Currently Playing: I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

No pain, no gain.

That's what I've been telling myself while crunching on these:

Doing your homework is important in whatever you do - Even when looking for a wifey.

Now don't get me wrong here, these materials are actually pretty interesting! Just that I've got quite a bit to read, with limited time. T^T

Getting a prospective Burmese wife isn't easy. =) But given that they are mostly demure, humble, great home-makers and well-qualified (Burma, or Myanmar, has a literacy rate of 82% with majority of the modern Burmese being university graduates), I guess it wouldn't hurt doing a lil' reading as homework. =P

Oh, and how can I communicate with a charming Burmese lady if I happen to walk by one, you ask?

That's why I have this:

This little handbook comes in really useful when you need to think of that pick-up line - In Burmese. =P

It's essentially a life-saver, and it comes in a very handy size as well. =)

And for the record, I'm also planning to visit Peninsular Plaza (a.k.a. Little Burma) next weekend for some ngapi (Fermented fish or shrimp paste) and mohinga (Soup with fish and rice noodles). *slurp*

If all else fails, I still have my buddy's girl to turn to - For she's Burmese too! ^^

Starting from Scratch

2009-03-06T23:15:00.000+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: It's A New Day - Will.i.am

In light of the upcoming trail ride over the weekend, the platform pedals that provided me with over a year of reliable performance were swapped for the Egg Beater.

Hello Egg Beater! ^^ Ehh. And note my name on the top tube! Remember to say hi if any of you guys happen to see me riding around! =P

And then I ran out with the SIDIs on to try riding clipless:

The shoes provided a nice, snug fit, and they look good as well!

Practiced engaging and disengaging the pedals by riding up and down in a straight line (Or at least I attempted to =_=)

And then I fell on my bums *ouch* when I managed to only unclip my right foot and not my left! >_< Super embarrasing can~?! I was like, lying on the ground struggling to free my left foot, with the bike still stuck to me. T^T

Oh, and my buddy got a slick new Fox fork:

Whoah~! *drools* The white colour of the fork actually matches the race-red frame really well!

Super envious, man! What can I say? The poison just got stronger. =P

I Got Poisoned

2009-03-05T23:51:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 25 C, Thunderstorm
Currently Playing: Gives You Hell - The All-American Rejects

After like months of hemming, and with my riding kakis' regular dosages of 'poison', PLUS the fact that the pedal nicked my shin last week *ouch*, I'm finally going clipless!

Yays! No more 50-cent sized scars on the shin! (Hopefully, lah!)

Broke the piggy bank to get these:

Lovely SIDI shoes and Crank Brothers Egg Beater that left me with a much lighter wallet! >_<

Decided to go for the SIDI cycling shoes, which are the only ones that are handmade in Italy for their proven quality. Heard from fellow riders that they had a hard time trying to break the shoes so they could get the latest models! ^^

The SIDIs come in really cool black! *drools*

This has gotta be the best view of the shoes - The red SIDI logo and reflective wordings are sweet!

Comes with lotsa decals too!

When it comes to the perfect pair of clipless pedals to match, there was no doubt - I trust only the Egg Beater!

Ehh... Not THIS egg beater! >_<

These pedals sure look very much like their counterparts for baking! =P Really light too, 266g for a pair! *adores*

The Crank Brothers Egg Beater allows for 4 different positions for clipping in, making them the most versatile clipless pedals on the market. It's one of the lightest too. And it sheds mud really well! =)

Can't wait to hit the trails and try them out man! But first, I think I'll have to get used to engaging and disengaging the pedals. Hope I don't fall! =X

Xmas 2008 Giveaway #3

2009-02-28T21:30:00.002+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 25 C, Thunderstorm
Currently Playing: Untouched - The Veronicas

Okay, so I'm Mr. Forgetful. I'll clean forget where I left my keys, watches and spare change if I don't have them placed altogether at a specific location in my room.

Heck, I sometimes forget even if they are! =_=

So I have this nifty watch case which I reuse as a cradle for my barang-barang:

Holds keys, watches and lotsa coins! $_$

I found it really useful, and decided to create a couple of delicate dishes with a Christmas theme as gifts! ^^

Motifs on the dishes include candle-and-mistletoe, Xmas tree, Mr. Snowman and Wishing Star~!

Packed with goodies and ready to go!

The dishes are moulded from paper clay, hand-painted, and then sprayed with clear acrylic paint to give them that glossy look.

And yes, they double up as really nice paperweights too. ^^

A German Birthday Bash

2009-02-19T01:16:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Mad - Ne-Yo

Caught a bus outta skool with a Burmese course-mate today, and got stuck in a pretty nasty jam. It took almost twice longer than usual to get from Kent Ridge to Clementi, argh! =_=

But I guess she was more pissed though. The apple juice takeaway for her bro got diluted as the ice melted almost completely. T^T

Made a lil' small talk about all things mundane like skool work and stuff as the bus pottered along, but this one really got to me:

Her: Where are you heading to?

Me: Off to town, attending a friend's birthday bash. He's flying back to Ozzie soon.

Her: Oh, why do you guys like to celebrate birthdays with your friends...?

Me: Well, it's a way to show how much the friend actually means to us...

Just then, she arrived at her stop and we bade farewell.

It was after she left then I thought to myself. Wow, did I actually say all that?

Hahah.. I guess that's just how the guys whom I hang out with and I are - We really care about one another, even though we don't say it.

And even though it was a weekday, and we were either working, studying or serving NS, everyone made it a point to attend the event. =)

We went to Brotzeit, the German makan place at Raffles City:

This Grilled Dory Fillet with Wild Mushroom Sauce is called Petersfisch on the menu

The Germans are well-known for their biere (Beer), up-sized sausages and gigantic pork knuckles:

Huge pork knuckle that had to be shared by 4 of us. >_< It's a lil' dry to my liking though.

And how can a German dinner be complete without the beer? =)

Here's how to get there:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg

Heard from a buddy that the pork knuckles at Wearnes Oven (Spelling?) rock. Gotta go there sometime! ^^

Brownie with Love

2009-02-16T23:05:00.000+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Lucky - Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat

What's with the cliched chocolates and roses for Valentine's? Nothing beats something that's handmade, for sure!

Yea, I know, I'm a romantic hopeless. (Pun intended!) >_<

Just picked this up today:

Hmm... Very unique packaging made from crisp, baby blue *fav* paper towel held together by staples! We should really take gift wrapping classes together sometime~ =P

She said it'll melt, but I reckon it had more or less already, after half a day outta the fridge. >_<

Hey... It comes wrapped in another layer of foil?

Wonder what it is this time...

Omg~! *loves* It's a homemade brownie with a layer of cheese and heart-shaped icings!

Man, I almost didn't have the heart to eat it! Hahah! Really appreciate the time and effort put into this...

Seems like her baking skills improving a lot! The brownie was sooo good, it was sinful~ ^^

P.S. Oh, and St. Valentine's Day should be St. Raphael's Day instead, according to the Catholics. We've been looking up to the wrong cupid all along!

Family Buffet at Sakura

2009-02-12T23:25:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Save You - Simple Plan

Elder sis and family decided to take us out for dinner today, and it's buffet at Sakura RP branch! =D

And it's lovely to know that Dad and Mum actually took a day off to go on their own Valentine's movie date! *sweet* They caught All's Well Ends Well, the Hong Kong-based comedy. ^^ Almost 30 years and 3 kids down the road, and sometimes, they still banter like a teenage couple~ =_=

They have really nice seating at the restaurant:

The full-length glass panels give a clear view of the serene Admiralty Park... There's a mini pond right outside too! Looks and feels like some spa in Bali~ ^^

I started off with some light salad...

Was tired after a day in skool, but the bright and lovely colours of the salad really cheers me up!

... And got a shock at what's on the table after just 5 minutes!

Omg... I hadn't even had the time to finish my salad, and the main courses are already up! >_< Poor Jodan, he was still a lil' feverish then... T^T

All these pegs required to redeem our cooked food actually went for 3 round-trips! =D

The crayfish laksa is a must-try! Each serving comes with a whole crayfish! *drools*

The laksa soup-base is simply delicious and coupled with the tender, white flesh of the crayfish, makes it the highlight of the meal.

And how can we forget about the dessert? We gave the black forest cake and oreo cheese cake the thumbs up~ =)

The black forest, oreo cheese, strawberry dream cakes and fabulous durian puff. (Clockwise from left)

Lil's sis and I are the big eaters in the family - We went for seconds (And thirds!) of desserts, heh.

We DIY-ed our own brownies with ice-cream, complete with rainbow rice and crushed nuts for toppings!

After such a heavy dinner, we cabbed home! Haha, no wonder I'm putting on some weight already! =)

Coffee in a Soup Mug

2009-02-12T00:39:00.000+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Clear
Currently Playing: You Found Me - The Fray

I seriously didn't know that the Banquet food court operator actually owns a coffee joint called Ah Mei ('Sister' when loosely translated from Mandarin).

The Ah Mei signboard with very elaborate flower motifs. *likes*

What they serve on the menu is more or less the same as chains touting kaya toast, soft-boiled egg and the usual coffee and tea, like Ya Kun and Toast Box, except Ah Mei has roti prata too! A pity that the prata was only so-so. =/

Got a shock when they served up the drinks:

Coffee and tea are served in soup mugs. Or do you actually classify them as bowls? Talk about perking you up in the morning! >_<

They were huuuuge! Oh, and the toast is made up of really thin and crispy bread! *loves* But it certainly could do with more kaya. And the coffee and tea is a bit on the bland side. Prices are about the same as the other joints, except for the drinks at $1.40 and above, perhaps because they're like, up-sized, heh.

Would still prefer Ya Kun, Toast Box or Killiney any day, though.

Really Expensive Eggs

2009-01-28T23:53:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Get Up - Ciara Feat. Chamillionaire

Placed a special order with McDonalds today for breakfast:

Hotcakes with Sausage! *loves*

So, how special can Hotcakes with Sausage be? Well, it turned out that I ordered it with the most expensive serving of scrambled eggs, ever:

Hotcakes with Sausages and Scrambled Eggs? Coool. An additional 2 bucks for the eggs? Not cool. =(

You guys realised that throwing in another couple of cents to that additional 2 bucks could buy you a dozen of house-brand fresh eggs at the supermarket, right? *crazy*

Now, I seriously doubt what this source reports:

"US fast-food giant McDonald's said its 2008 net profit soared 80% from a year ago, lifted by growing demand from consumers seeking low-cost meals in a deepening global recession."

Low-cost meals? Stuffs from McDonalds must be helluva cheap in the U.S. =_=

Xmas 2008 Giveaway #2

2009-01-25T02:01:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Not A Day Goes By - Lonestar

It took me helluva long time to give away this one man! To be exact, Xmas giveaway #2 was finally delivered to its owner one month after Christmas. =_=

Better late than never I guess, especially since I was treated to lunchie at Sushi Tei! Haha! =)

The gift in question is a personalised stationery holder moulded from paper-clay, and hand painted using the recipient's favourite colours - Luxurious purple, and glamourous gold.

Finishing touches include glossy overcoat, and her name in stylised characters using gold glitter with glue~! ^^

And here are the pictures:

Stationery holder with Xmas motifs, including the Christmas tree and candy cane, being left to dry. =)

A generous coat of purple is applied...

... And finally the motifs in gold, and all wrapped up with lotsa Xmas goodies! *lovely*

Update:

It turned out that she had sooo many pens and stuffs that the holder couldn't handle them all! >_<

Instead, she's using it as a make-up brushes holder...

Well, at least its still of good use! ^^

Gosh, she has sooo many brushes! >_<

Old Skool Canvas Shoes

2009-01-22T23:43:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Clear
Currently Playing: The Reason - Hoobastank

Yays! Finally managed to get my shoes for the new year, and its a steal - Usual price was 19.95, but the nice auntie dropped it to 18.50~! *cheapo*

Looks as good as, if not similar to the ones by Converse! ^^

Tadah! It's a pair of North Star shoes! =D

For those of us who has previously had one of these during their secondary school days (Crap, I realised I'm like, revealing my age here >_<) would probably remember that:

1) These white canvas shoes need to be scrubbed weekly to get them clean.

2) After washing, you had to apply coats of shoe-white solution to restore its whiteness. In times of emergency, such as when you forgot to apply the solution and the discipline master's conducting a check, a piece of white chalk is all it takes for a quick fix. =P

3) These are the next best thing to sponges in terms of water absorption. =_= During rainy days, we had to wear slippers to skool, and then switch to these, in order to avoid the wearing of wet shoes for the rest of the day.

Laksa at Queensway

2009-01-21T23:31:00.002+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day

I've heard many rave about the "spoon-laksa" in the depths of Queensway Shopping Centre, but have never tried it - until today. =)

Actually, I was gonna get this to complete my Lunar New Year look:

The Converse Classic in white canvas, very beautiful, and very expensive as well. =/

And where else would someone look for super cheap shoes but Queensway? Okay, Peninsula Plaza's the next best place, but it's too far from campus. >_<

Know what? I didn't get it in the end. It's too freaking expensive at 59.90! Argh! Really wished I had a fatter wallet! =(

So I think I'm going for the cheapo North Star shoes instead. Same design at less than 1/2 the price. 19.90! ^^

Oh yea, back to the laksa!

Here's a peekture:

The signature "spoon-laksa" and refreshing lime juice drink! *slurrrp*

It was superb I tell ya~! =) Very very tasty and not too hot, and the bee hoon is cut to bite-sized lengths so you can actually eat with just a soup spoon, and hence the name is coined "spoon-laksa".

The lime juice drink is pretty good too. A total of 5 whole limes per cup! We were like, wow! ^^

The stall's located on the 1st floor of Queensway Shopping Centre, but don't go to the wrong one - There's another Katong Laksa stall somewhere, also on the 1st floor. =/

Just watch out for this signboard:

Want good laksa? Here's the hint to it! =D

According to my friend, this is one of the better stalls there. So go try it the next time you're there hunting for your next pair of shoes!

Oh, and for Mua Chee, go to the stall at the 2nd floor. You get more for just 1 buck, compared to the stalls on the 1st floor. =P *cheapo*

How to get to Queensway Shopping Centre:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg

Kinky Xmas Gift

2009-01-18T01:14:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Say It Right - Nelly Furtado

Just received my seriously overdue Christmas gift today, and when I unwrapped it, I was like, omg! >_<

The gift is super kinky mann!

And the nice thing about it is, it fits to a T! Ooooh my, how did you know?! >_<

Maybe I should send her a peekture of me in it?! Omg, sounds soooo wrong! Hahahah!

Oh, you mean I haven't revealed what's the gift? *digs for picture*

Tadah!

A super sexay pair of TYR swimming trunks! Sooo kinky!

And it's from TYR~! ^^ Quality stuff mann!

So now I have no reason not to hit the pool eh? =)

Safari Zoo Run Race Pack Collection

2009-01-18T00:28:00.000+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 28 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Crazy - Alanis Morissette

The Safari Zoo Run is the first running event to take place both in the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari in remembrance of the Orang-Utan named Ah Meng, which was the ambassador of the zoo and passed on in 8th February 2008.

Its the only chance in the year that one can run in the zoo, and it takes upon a greater meaning when part of the registration fee is used to support programmes for wildlife! =)

Some pictures of the race pack:

One side of the reusable shopping bag shows an Orang-Utan...

... While the other side shows an elephant.

And here's my second running 4D number for the year:

A lot of the registration fee better be headed for the wildlife fund, mann =/

There's a commemorative polo for the event too, but I wished it was black in colour with white wordings instead:

Front view of the polo...

... And the rear view.

A close-up shot of the event logo printed on the back of the polo.

Banana Relay 2009

2009-01-18T00:11:00.006+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Jenny - The Click Five

Here it is again, the Banana Relay, a flagship event by the runners, for the runners, proudly brought to you by the fanatics at SGRunners.com.

Banana Relay 2009, a production of SGRunners.com.

Group-shot before the race! ^^ Photo by Renohtaram, SGRunners.com

Kudos to the organising committee for making this event a successful and enjoyable one, and the many volunteers from Nanyang Polytechnic for the excellent logistics support and more importantly, for cheering us every bit of the way to the completion of the race! ^^ The emcee did a great job keeping the event light-hearted and running smoothly.

Three cheers for all!

Seriously, I'd probably never had as much fun running until today - It was really interesting to have bananas in place of the conventional baton for the relay~! =D

You peeps should've seen the astonished faces of the public as they see the participants run past with that intense look in their eyes, and holding two large bananas!

The contents of the goodies bags are quite impressive too, considering the nominal sum we paid to register for the race:

A neat reusable shopping bag is used to hold the goodies...

... And look at what they have in there! ^^

Oh yes, there's something else that's just as impressive too - My fellow teammates! =) Kudos to Shyam and Stanley for completing the race, and you guys are peeps whom I look up to, with your discipline and determination to keep running amidst your hectic schedules. =) I look forward to running with you guys again someday!

And last but not least, my running 4D number and finisher's medal:

Banana Relay 2010, here we come! =D

How to Starbucks

2009-01-11T14:02:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Sunny
Currently Playing: We Belong Together - Mariah Carey

So you like your Frappuccino, but hate getting your hands cold and wet from the teeny water droplets on the exterior of the cup?

No sweat! Here's how you can avoid that, with just a Starbucks paper towel~ ^^

Step 1: Grab a Starbucks paper towel

Step 2: Open it up...

Step 3: Fold in half along the breadth...

Step 4: And finally, wrap it around your cuppa.

Tadah! A snug fit for a Tall cup. For Grande and Venti sizes, wrap around the lower portion of the cups for easy handling. =)

After the paper towel jacket is applied for a while, it just sticks to the cup as it absorbs the water droplets! And the nice thing is, the paper towel never becomes too soggy, so you won't need to change it halfway while enjoying your dose of Frappe. =)

Now you peeps can chill for as long as you want without your hands getting all cold and clammy and if you have a book with you, no more wet pages! Yays! ^^

NUS CAC Night Cycling

2009-01-08T22:52:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: One Two Step - Ciara Feat. Missy Elliot

Wow, wow, wow! The peeps from the NUS Cultural Activities Club (CAC) didn't let us down Tuesday night, even though the distance was long, and filled with lotsa climbs up Upper Thomson Road and Mandai Road~! ^^ Hurrays! You guys deserve a cheer!

First stop after setting off from Bishan Park was the Upper Thomson Road Hong Kong Dim Sum/Wanton Mee makan place! =P

Bikes galore! *faints* We had an easier time finding seats than places to 'park' our bikes! >_<

Lai lai~ Join tables, join tables~! =P

Finally ordering food! *hungry* Omg... Can you spot the escaping crabby in this picture?! >_<

Time to dig in! Dim Sum + Wanton Mee were the orders of the day... The Char Siew Baos are handmade kinds! Very soft and fluffy flour skins! *loves*

The Wanton Mee made an impression... The sauce tastes special and the Mee Kia are super springy~ ^^ Will definitely come back for it again!

After makan, next stop was the Mandai Viewing Tower. We found that it's a really nice place to pak-tor (Go dating)! Really serene place with a view to boot! =)

Sea of rear blinkers beneath the tower...

... And what is everyone looking out at? =P

Sighs, that's for the pictures, as K and I had to leave halfway through the route due to unforeseen circumstances - We're terribly sorry about that~ T^T Hope you guys enjoyed the ride! I did! =)

Xmas 2008 Giveaway #1

2009-01-07T22:24:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 28 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Jumpin' Jumpin' - Destiny's Child

I hope I haven't kept you guys waiting for too long to reveal the Xmas giveaways for 2008~! >_<

Okay, so this time, I went back to the basics, with paper clay (My favourite medium), paints, and lacquer to create a personalised letter holder with a Christmassy touch to it. ^^

Here, the letter holder is being air-dried. Note the embossed mistletoe berries design and the grains that are cut to give a wood-like texture~ =)

Top view of the holder - It allows for quite a stash of letters, and can also double up as a neat paperweight!

The pressie is wrapped up with lotsa Xmas goodies (Love that cane candy! ^^), ready to be given away~ Note the glossy coat provided by the lacquer, and the personalised name using glitter glue. =)

Watch out for more Xmas giveaways! *Digs for peektures*

Living to Ride Another Day =)

2009-01-06T15:43:00.002+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 31 C, Sunny
Currently Playing: Hot In Heree - Nelly

Was just readying all the stuffs needed for tonight's ride, and decided to do a short post on personal safety for cyclists. ^^

There are some things that I personally won't leave home without when cycling, ever:

The helmet, protective visor, and gloves are a must for both on and off-road rides.

The use of a helmet is self-explanatory. =_= Check for any cracks before riding - Replace helmet if physical damage is found, or after a hard crash.

The visor helps to prevent injuries due to flying road particles such as stones and grits that might be churned up by regular road traffic, and also improves visibility by reducing the problem of tearing when sharp winds cut your eyes. Check for pitting and deep scratches on the lenses before wearing, and replace visors if they occur, as that will drastically reduce the impact resistance and compromise eye protection.

And the gloves? They help when you try to break your fall using your hands (Which you really shouldn't) in the case of an accident, so you don't end up any more lines than your life line, fortune line, etc on your palms. (A palmistry joke =D)

More about the visor - You really don't need to put down hundreds of bucks to get an Oakley or Adidas. Just get one of these from your favourite local hardware shop:

For those who think safety glasses still look like scuba goggles, think again. =P

Lightweight and offering impact resistance from particles such as metal chips and sparks as well as 99.9% UV protection, the new range of King's safety visors look good and work well. And they're really inexpensive at under 10 bucks each. I would recommend clear lenses or clear lenses with slight tints for maximum visibility, day or night.

So yup, I'm about all ready to go. Till then, ride fast, ride safe. =)

Better Than Famous Amos! =D

2009-01-05T03:35:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 24 C, Half-Moon
Currently Playing: Family Affairs - Mary J. Blige

Received this lovely lil' package from a friend as an Xmas gift today~ ^^

Sweet pink package - But what surprise does it hold? =)

It turned out that she baked cookies to give away for Xmas! Sooo sweet! ^^

Delicious double-chocs, she baked. My fault for crumbling the contents, since I popped the package inside my sling and walked around ALOT today T^T

And yes, it's better than Famous Amos. Why so? Because Famous Amos choc chips lack an important ingredient called 'TLC', which is added in abundance to the ones she baked! =)

Back to Skool, Old Skool

2009-01-04T14:04:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Raining
Currently Playing: Yeah! - Usher

Sooo... Skool's started, assignments are gonna pile up, you meet the classmates you hate... The list goes on. But so what?

Chillax~! =D

Have a dose of sexay old skool R&B loved and grooved to by millions around the world!

And here's presenting:

Always On Time - Ja Rule Feat. Ashanti

This evergreen piece is played from the glorious days of China Black/China Jump, both of which the most popular R&B-based clubs during our time, and still can be heard playing from time to time at DBL-O these days! Ladies will love this one, slow, but sensual and sexay at the same time~ ^^

Family Affair - Mary J. Blige

A classic piece by who else, but the R&B queen Mary J. Blige! Though it's seldom played at the clubs these days, it's still good to appreciate the humble roots of the genre from someone who's been there, done that, and is still here living the moment.

Hot In Here - Nelly

This one's what really heats up the dance floor in the early 2000s, frequent party-goers will know this for sure! Haaaail Nelly! =)

One Two Step - Ciara Feat. Missy Elliot

Popular even years after its release, this song is all about confidence on the dance floor. So come on party people, groove it!

Jumpin' Jumpin' - Destiny's Child

Saying that this piece is very, very popular with the ladies is an understatement, really. Destiny's Child shows what girl power is truly all about at every opportunity, including this one. Ladies, keep your men at home and hit the clubs!

Yeah! - Usher

How can we leave out the very song that even the man-on-the-street associates with party peeps?! Yes, Usher's the man! Relive the good old days with this one! =)

NUS CAC Cycling Retreat 2009 Brief

2009-01-04T00:29:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Thank You For Saving My Life - Brian McKnight

Okay, so we were just briefed on the rover duties for the upcoming NUS Cultural Activities Club night cycling this coming Tuesday.

Basically, the main duty as a rover is to keep the pack going in the right direction, kinda like herding sheeps. 50 sheeps. T^T

And oh, here's the planned route:

In a nutshell, we're gonna start at Bishan, and end at Pasir Ris.

Bishan Park Car Park → Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 → Old Upper Thomson Rd → Upper Thomson Rd → Dim Sum Break (7.9 KM) → Mandai Rd → Track 7 → The Viewing Tower (9.3 KM) → Mandai Rd → Mandai Ave → Yishun Ave 1 → Seletar Dam (18.2 KM) → Seletar Club Rd → West Camp Rd → Edgware Rd → Piccadilly Circus → Jln Kayu → Sengkang West Ave → Fernvale LRT (24 KM) → Sengkang East Ave → Upper Serangoon Rd →Hougang Ave 3 → 50-Cents Prata Shop (31.4 KM) → Hougang Ave 3 → Tampines Rd → Old Tampines Rd → Tampines Ave 10 → Pasir Ris Drive 12 → Pasir Ris Drive 3 → Pasir Ris Green → Pasir Ris Park Car Park ‘C’

Total Distance: 43.1 KM (Eh, kinda like doing a full marathon on bike? ^^)

*Looks at route again* Did I see Upper Thomson and Mandai?! Omg, this is gonna be helluva ride. T^T

But am looking forward to it! =D

Goodbye 2008, with Lovely Memories

2008-12-31T23:41:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: If I Let You Go - Westlife

Presenting the last sunset of 2008, shot on-location on Palawan Beach, Sentosa *lovely*:

The sun seemed to linger a little longer than usual in the sky, as if to allow us to take in all of that beauty, before it finally dips beyond the horizon...

黄昏的西阳虽然明亮，但对我而言，她比它更耀眼，使我无法直视。。。

Sighs. I need more sleep~! And skool's starting real soon >_<

A Gift That Gives

2008-12-31T17:35:00.000+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 29 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Run It - Chris Brown Feat. Juelz Santana

Got this simple, understated, limited-edition Pedro keychain as an Xmas gift today~ ^^

Though it may not cost much and is not really practical (It weighs like a bunch of keys alone! T^T), it carries with it the spirit of giving to the less fortunate, as 60 % of the proceeds from the sale of the keychain is donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation to help children with terminal diseases realise their dreams~! ^^

The keychain comes with a box that has a simple yet classy design~

And here's how the keychain looks like. A simple block with a solidly designed key ring that could hold quite a number of keys, but the heavy weight of the keychain alone reduces its practicality.

So people, the next time you need to get something for a gift, do consider Product RED items, as well as stuff from The Body Shop so that you could help HIV patients and their families and protect the livelihood of rural people from exploitation by unethical trade practices of large corporations.

We can make a difference by doing little... It's your choice that counts. =)

Celebration @ Streets Cafe

2008-12-30T23:53:00.006+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Say It Right - Nelly Furtado

Celebrated Da Jie's birthday (What a late baby~! =P) at Streets Cafe, Basement 1, Raffles City:

Don't be mistaken by the Hong Kong-style cafe name - This restaurant doesn't really serve authentic Hong Kong set meals! *weird*

They have really nice decor for the eating place, down to the ball-like lamps, colourful paint schemes that cheer you up, and huuuge mirrors that are perfect for the vain-pots. =X The mirrors make the place appear much bigger than it actually is.

Orders are done Cafe Cartel style, using a slip and a pencil~

The selection of drinks are really unusual. One of us ordered this hot ginger coke. Looks like teh-oh, and it fizzles and tastes like gingerbeer! Best thing is, it's served warm. >_<

Doesn't the drinks-in-a-jar remind you of NYDC? Yup, that's the ginger coke in the middle there. ^^

And we all went for western today:

We had the Cheese Baked Rice with Pork Chop...

... And the Cheese Baked Rice with Chicken Chop~ Okay, so they look the same. =_= But they taste yummy in their own right!

The birthday girl had this mouth-watering Black Pepper Chicken Chop~! ^^

How can we forget about the oh-so-classic Fish n' Chips?

After dinner, we had a "birthday cake" from Emicakes that doubles as dessert - Sweet! =)

Birthday "cake" made up of an array of tiramisu cups! ^^

How to get to Streets Cafe:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg

A Sad Find T^T

2008-12-30T23:07:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Tears - X-Japan

We had a helluva ride today hitting the Bukit Timah trails, K and I. I nearly got killed and became a permanent resident there, thanks to the evening hikers who live their lives recklessly, taking their strolls on the official mountain bike trail instead of the one meant for peeps! *mad*

I mean, its not like there aren't signs warning people not to use the mountain bike trail for hiking. =_= Can't they read?!

K and I had to avoid ramming down a hiker during a really fast descent section of the trail, coupled with an S-bend~ >_< K escaped narrowly while my bike almost took me down with it over the steep sides of the narrow track T^T

So please, please, please, dear hikers, use the official walking trail instead of the one for mountain biking to avoid getting either of us killed >_<

Oh, and on the way back near Mandai, K suddenly jammed his brakes. Reaaally hard and fast. I was like, O_o?

And he exclaimed, "Hey, there's a snake leh~!"

I was half expecting something alive and slithering. But alas, we found this:

Warning: The following picture might cause discomfort in some wussies. Opps. I mean, readers. =P

The pretty bright-green tree snake was squashed~ T^T

It seemed to have been rolled over by a vehicle =( *sad* It would've been reaaally nice to see a tree snake alive and kicking~ Sighs.

Home-Baked Xmas Pressie lovely

2008-12-29T23:54:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Party People - Nelly Feat. Fergie

The sender of this lovely gift claimed that we've known each other and exchanged gifts on Xmas for like the 482587th time - Opps. Hey, we're not supposed to let people know we've attained immortality! >_< *gives the disturbing Edward Cullen stare as in Twilight* =P

Okay that was lame. =_=

But yes, it really feels like its been sooo long already! I can't even remember how many of those mini-cards of hers I have! This year, it's no different - I got another sweet mini-card and a hand-made gift:

The wooden peg with a lion ish sooo kawaaiii~! ^^

Another Xmas, another mini-card~ ^^

I wonder what's inside? "Keep it chilled - It won't melt or anything like that even if you didn't, but it tastes better when chilled..." was what she said. =/ Hmm.. Let's unwrap it and find out! Yays! *clap-clap*

Omg, lovely home-baked cheesecake cubes, and they're bite-sized! =D

A close-up of the lovely gems~ =)

I had them chilled before serving, and they're absolutely yummy~! ^^ Geez, having them makes me feel like getting up and doing some baking too, hahah!

P.S. I know we need to meet up more, and soon we will! I can see it coming - And we're meeting where it all started~! ^^ *nostalgic*

Security Guard for a Day

2008-12-27T23:08:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 26 C, Clear
Currently Playing: Tonight I Celebrate My Love - Robert Flack & Peabo Bryson

Congratulations to Max and Esther on their holy matrimony today~! ^^

And as for me, I alternated between the roles of a guest as well as a security guard >_< My naval colleague was not as fortunate - He got arrowed as the emcee for the day! Haha! Great job on his part nevertheless. =)

Why would they need a security guard? Well, well, I was taking care of these, you see:

They've got lovely wedding bands... And they were entrusted to me, together with the wedding certificate. ^^

Santa's Workshop Now Open...

2008-12-24T20:27:00.004+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Full Moon
Currently Playing: Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays - N'Sync

Just finished wrapping up all the stuffs today~! >_< Sorry guys, the gifts can't be revealed until they are given away! =x

Meanwhile, check out some of the gifts done up from yesteryear here

Fusion Xmas Decorations~! =P

2008-12-24T13:43:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: Just Stand Up - Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Natasha Beddingfield, Miley Cyrus, Leona Lewis, Carrie Underwood, Keyshia Cole, Leann Rimes, Ashanti & Ciara

Here's presenting an 'east meets west' fusion Christmas decoration at home~! *proud*

Chinese New Year's pretty close to Xmas coming 2009, thus the new year stuffs are put up too~ ^^

Okay, so it's not as glam as this:

Huuuuge Xmas tree outside Paragon, Orchard Road >_<

But, but, but... I have a nifty train running round my tree~! =)

And it carries with it lotsa happy Legoland folks spreading the good cheer *nostalgic*

Legoland folks having their once-a-year ride round the Xmas tree, heh.

Legoland postman busy delivering wishlists... And we have Robin Hood and a pirate! Come on, stop fighting for its Xmas! ^^

Evening Ride @ RP Trail

2008-12-23T23:44:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Cloudy
Currently Playing: The Christmas Song - BoA

I've never knew an off-road trail actually existed in Woodlands! Okay, so it's not officially a mountain biking trail, but it sure was tempting to ride, with its wide gravel paths and greenery all around~ ^^

The trail is located at the far end of the Admiralty Park beside Republic Polytechnic, and hence the name, 'RP Trail'.

Lotsa monkeys make the forested area their home - Just look at the sheer number of them! >_<

Omg, and we caught two of them engaging in hanky-panky~ =_=!

K says that one will be able to see fireflies at night too - But do bring along torches, as the trail is unlit. At only about 2 KM in length, the trail is beginner-friendly. Just watch out when taking corners though - The loose gravel reduces traction to a minimum.

Where the trail is located:

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg

Mountain Biking @ Ubin

2008-12-19T22:27:00.000+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C , Clear
Currently Playing: Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day

After much planning, we finally decided to ride the Ketam Trail on Pulau Ubin for real this time! ^^

It all started with the booking of a Toyota Hilux truck-cab that could easily swallow 4 passengers plus their bikes from the Yellow-Top Taxi company:

A single trip on one of these from our place in Woodlands to the Changi Point jetty costs 40 bucks. >_< Photo credits: The Straits Times

And then, a short bum-boat ride to Ubin:

The bum-boat slowly chugged away from Changi Point jetty towards what is probably among the last of the islands that is largely untouched and open to public...

The bike loading process was fuss-free to say the least, and a single trip for a rider + bike costs $4.50.

The water was slightly choppy in the middle of the strait, and K had a blank sea-sick-ish look on his face~! =_= And he's gonna serve in the Navy. We wish him good luck! *faints*

And after what was like eternity (For K =P), we arrived at Ubin, yays! ^^

We hit the trails straight, riding carefully on the unfamiliar terrain at first, and I caught a big wash-out when going downhill and hitting a stray log in the process~ >_< What a 'welcome gift' from Ubin! T^T That left me with a grazed left knee and some bruises on the right. Thank goodness for the helmet that my head was okay, and gloves that prevented more grazes on the palms that could've permanently put me outta the ride. ^^

So guys, as always, safety first, and never, ever ride off-road without your helmet and gloves. =)

After the first lap, we went for a drink at a zinc-roofed village house run by a friendly uncle:

Nice and catchy advertisement there, and in Singlish too! ^^

The village house, with its natural ventilation, provided a shade of relief from the hot and dry morning~ =)

And then its round 2 of the Ketam Trail, but this time, with some pictures of the nice scenery that riders tend to neglect when they are too "into the ride":

A fantastic view of the quarry awaits riders when you take on the Quarry View section of the trail!

Picture taken to illustrate the conditions of the trail - Do note that it is very much a single-track throughout, so do ride in only the direction specified!

For anyone interested to ride the Ketam Trail, do at least take your time to ride the trail slowly, or even dismount to walk the trail for the 1st time round, mainly for safety purposes and to note difficult sections. Also, do watch out for interesting inhabitants such as the spiders, monitor lizards and the beautiful scenery! You'll never know what you might discover on what seems like just another challenging off-road ride! ^^

Year End Retreat - Mt. Ophir

2008-12-15T18:42:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Full Moon
Currently Playing: Life Is Beautiful - DBS Advertisement OST

We got reactions from the classic "Are you crazy?!" to the "Jaw-drop-stare" from both family and friends when we announced the plans to scale Gunung Ledang (Mt. Ophir), just a week after the taxing 42-KM Standard Chartered full marathon~ >_<

Just as well, since the gruelling race would already have conditioned our legs for the climb. ^^

And so we packed our bags, and embarked on a 6-hour journey up north to Segamat, Malaysia.

The speedy coach that brought us to Segamat from Larkin bus terminal in Johor Baru

It was already nightfall by the time we arrived at the Segamat bus terminal, and we transferred to a cab to get to Hotel Sri Pelangi, one of the few major hotels in the town. And omg, the taxi make and model is the one my parents used when they got married, and it could do at most 60 KPH! *faints*

Service provided by the cabbies there is pretty impressive compared to Singapore, honestly. All of them would get off the taxi and help us load our barang-barang, before opening doors for us. They would wait for us to get properly seated, and then close the doors for us, before getting back in their seat! Kudos to the cabbies in Segamat! ^^ And shame on you, the Singaporean cabbie who left me to load my stuff on my own when I paid bloody airport surcharge when I came back from my Taipei trip! *mad*

The very, very classic Mercedes taxi we took to the hotel

Bunking in a deluxe suite in the hotel costs RM 105 per night, including daily breakfast.

This was our home away from home for the 3 days at Segamat~ =)

Interestingly, the hotel uses a mechanical thermostat for the air-conditioners!

Something that should be common to most, if not all hotels in Malaysia - A pointer to indicate the direction in which to pray for Muslims...

The next day, we went to make arrangements for the climb at the visitor centre of the Johor National Parks Corporation, which was a 45-minute drive from the hotel:

On the way to the visitor centre, with Mt. Ophir in the distance...

We had to transfer to a mini-van at the entrance of Pintu A near the foot of Mt. Ohir, which would take us to Pintu B, where the visitor centre is located. For those interested to scale the mountain sometime in the future, note that this is a must as not all vehicles can enter deep in the palm plantation that leads to the visitor centre.

The van was shaking like crazy as we travelled along the rough terrain in the palm plantation~ T^T

Note that an official trail guide accompanying the group is a must due to the new regulations enforced by the authorities, and this is arranged at the visitor centre. Climbs will start every morning at 7 AM to ensure that visitors have sufficient time to come back down the mountain - The average time taken is 6 hours to scale, and 4 hours to head back to the foot.

The visitor centre offers both dormitory-style lodging with minimal facilities at RM 10 per head per night, as well as chalets for rent at RM 100 per night, so if you're here solely for the climb, staying here might be a better option as one could cut down the long drive from the town area of Segamat.

The main hall of the visitor centre, nicely built of timber, and showcases a host of preserved creatures found in Gunung Ledang

The huge rubber-band rifle clearly beats the ones we played with when we were young~ *nostalgic*

After all the admin stuff, we headed back to town for some shopping and makan:

Segamat actually reminds me of the streets of Taipei ^^ *loves*

Bought apples and pears here for consumption up in the mountain =P

Had a nice dinner before we "suffer" at the climb the next day >_< Eh, didn't take the rest of the dishes 'cause we were all too hungry! =X But the drunken prawns were seriously sedap!

Watched a seriously lame reality TV show named Who Wants to be a Superhero before snoozing and waking up at 3 AM the next day for big time suffering T^T

Soothing sights near the foot of Mt. Ophir~ ^^

The water flows with greater urgency as we move up the mountain...

The first section of the climb consists of 600+ steps =_= If it was not for the breath-taking sights and sounds, we would've given up already~ T^T

Higher up, the air is fresh and cool, and it gets really misty in the mornings

And here's where the fruits we got come in useful! With the spring water at about 18 degrees celsius, dipping apples and pears in it makes them real crunchy~! Satisfying! ^^

There's a section of the trail near the summit dubbed "KFC", which stands for "Killer For Climbers", which consist of a 10-metre near-vertical rock wall climb using just ropes. No helmets, no safety lines. *gulp* >_<

View from top of the rock wall - Can't see the bottom! >_<

Further up near the submit, one will be able to see bonsai that are at least a hundred years old, at the checkpoint called Taman Bonsai. After that, it's sweet victory at the summit! ^^

Yays! The summit stone marker, at 1,276 metres above sea-level! ^^

Another stone marker in the vicinity with Chinese characters inscribed on it. Can't make out what it says though =/

A plaque laid down on the summit by the officials, which was quite badly vandalised =(

It was really nice to lunch on the summit with the awesome view of the tree tops. For those who are afraid of the cold, do bring your wind-breakers along as chilling winds blow constantly at the summit... *brrr*

The climb was achieved in a faster-than-average 4.5 hours, and we descended in just 3.5 hours, which made us one of the fastest groups to scale the mountain, as commented by the trail guide! ^^ Woots!

And the reward for completing the climb:

An official climber's certificate! *loves*

Early Xmas Gift... With a Heart! <3

2008-12-10T23:40:00.005+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Raining
Currently Playing: Where Is The Love - Black Eyed Peas

Just received this lovely (And possibly delicious) Xmas gift that looks like it needs to shed some weight =X

Gingerbread man from the Atrium Deli, Pan Pacific Singapore

Underneath this seemingly easy-to-make festive cookie lies a more important purpose, one that is the true spirit of Christmas - The Atrium Deli has been donating part of the sales of gingerbread men to the Assisi Hospice since 2004:

Charity cookie with love~! ^^

Christmas is about giving, and even more so, giving to the less fortunate and showing compassion - So spread some love and warmth this festive season today, get a gingerbread man with a heart! =)

Directions credits: Google Maps and gothere.sg

42.195 KM Finisher~! ^^

2008-12-07T23:31:00.001+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, Half Moon
Currently Playing: Survivor - Destiny's Child

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon drew to a close as quickly as it started. Just this morning, we were pacing through the CBD and a good part of East Coast Park, and now, I have to do laundry and get the mud of Padang off my shoes *grumbles* >_<

Overall, the run was okay, and the weather was fantastic, being cool in the early morning, and not too hot near the afternoon. And no rain! =)

Here are the barang-barang the finishers of the full marathon get:

The coveted Full Marathon Finisher's tee and medal~ ^^

The front face of the finisher's medal

The back of the medal, showing the Marina Bay cityscape with the iconic Singapore Flyer - Something different from the medal of previous years' SCSM

It was really great to run with supporters cheering you on along the length of the seemingly endless route, so a big thank you and hug to all for being there for us! =)

And all of you heros who finished the race out there, give yourselves a pat on the back for a job well done~! ^^ See you guys next year!

SCSM '08 Race Pack Collection

2008-12-04T20:40:00.003+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 25 C, Raining
Currently Playing: Yeah! - Usher

Yays~! Finally collected the race pack for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon today at the Expo. ^^ Hell, the queue was horrible! It stretched all the way to the MRT station! >_< I would rather be running than standing for two hours straight, seriously~

A sling bag with the Standard Chartered corporate colours and it comes with a separate shoe compartment too - Sweet!

Ta-dah! The contents of the race pack. I think the bulk of the registration fee went to the Adidas Clima365 running jersey~ T^T

And a close-up shot of my running "4D number":

Not a single digit '8' in my 4D number =( Nevertheless, huat ah~! ^^

Transponder is secured to my master (right) shoe

Ohaiyo~! ^^

2008-12-03T10:02:00.000+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 30 C, Sunny
Currently Playing: All You Wanted - Michelle Branch

Just wanted to show the breakfast I DIY-ed off, heh. =P

Yummi-licious oatmeal with milk and bananaaaas~! =D *slurp*

Yea, looking forward, race day is just 4 days away, and counting down >_< So I guess I'll have to start having energy foods to counter the inevitable weight loss thru the run..

And ouch! Think I hurt my right wing when working out earlier.. Gotta scale down my push-up regime to 3 reps of 10 instead of the usual 50 one-shot. T^T Sighs.

Tarmac, Eat This~! =D

2008-12-01T23:44:00.002+08:00

Weather Widget Says: 27 C, New Moon
Currently Playing: One Two Step - Ciara Feat. Missy Elliot

Okay, so I busted my wallet again. =_=

But I really had to get new running shoes 'cause the pair I was using gives me knee aches when it runs out of cushion at around the 15 KM mark. T^T

So I did a lil' research, scout around, and finally settled on this:

Lo and behold~! The Mizuno Wave Precision 9! *loves*

Suave looks aside, this baby carves up the tarmac like nothing I've owned in the same price range. It certainly did better than my old Mizuno S-Wave series that I've been using a few years back! Breaking it in and putting it to the road for the same 15 KM distance gave no problem at all~ ^^

I was really keen on clocking a longer mileage this time round, had it not been for my rumbling tummy =_=! I had only an IKEA hotdog for lunchie, mind you! =X The cushioning provided really made running on tarmac felt like running on sponge! Heh.

Ventilation provided is good, as my feet didn't heat up as much when compared to the Brooks I was using before it.

X-massy looks, and would probably look great for the upcoming Chinese New Year too! =P

I really, really, really hope to break the 20 KM mark on this baby before the big day this weekend. Gogogo~! ^^