Frank Gehry® Torque Ring, wide. Sterling silver. Brush finish
...my oh my...
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Project CR Part 2 is underway!
just got back from ikea! GREAT BUYS! *big grin*
1) 2 shelves for our computer room
2) 1 shelf for our upcoming chillout room
3) 1 low table for our upcoming chillout room
4) 1 shelf for our master room (for me :D)
5) 1 sofa bed for our computer room
~ still cant believe zack let me get this.. muaaaks! :P
6) 1 canvas artpiece
~it was love at first sight for us both.. i spotted it!!
total damage: WRECKAGE (still triple digits.. not too bad) - thank God for year-end bonus!
with these in place, our home would be more or less complete *beams* it's just so exciting finding and slowly piecing the pieces together to complete the final picture. All i need to do now is work on the common toilet - i really do not like it..
and....
We bought our Blinds and Blackcord Draperies!!
after getting quotations from 2 places; Golden Leaf and Jimmy Textiles, we finally decided on Jimmy Textiles. The former's quotation was ridiculous.. 1K for the draperies! and $570 for the rooms, total $1,570. When we visited Jimmy few mths back in April, the quote was 1.2K. So we decided to go back there again.
1) 2 shelves for our computer room
2) 1 shelf for our upcoming chillout room
3) 1 low table for our upcoming chillout room
4) 1 shelf for our master room (for me :D)
5) 1 sofa bed for our computer room
~ still cant believe zack let me get this.. muaaaks! :P
6) 1 canvas artpiece
~it was love at first sight for us both.. i spotted it!!
total damage: WRECKAGE (still triple digits.. not too bad) - thank God for year-end bonus!
with these in place, our home would be more or less complete *beams* it's just so exciting finding and slowly piecing the pieces together to complete the final picture. All i need to do now is work on the common toilet - i really do not like it..
and....
We bought our Blinds and Blackcord Draperies!!
after getting quotations from 2 places; Golden Leaf and Jimmy Textiles, we finally decided on Jimmy Textiles. The former's quotation was ridiculous.. 1K for the draperies! and $570 for the rooms, total $1,570. When we visited Jimmy few mths back in April, the quote was 1.2K. So we decided to go back there again.
guess what's the total estimated quotation? $890! *gasps* almost half the price.. and their designs for blinds are nicer (nothing at GL caught my eye). Well, i like something with a sheen while zack likes them plain so after poring thru 4 catalouges, we agreed on a nice silver piece.. blackout material - means 0% penetration. We are pleasantly surprised at the low pricetag cos blackout material is more costly and blackcord draperies are usually pretty expensive as well.
Blackcord draperies, more commonly known as string curtains, are more widely used as partitions.. so i have got ppl asking me if i'm sure i wanna use them as the living room curtains. My usual answer, "Just bcos ppl uses them as partitions doesnt mean i cant use them for something else.." hahaha.. (and i just recalled saying something similar to my parents when i was 13 and wanted a garden table set for a desk.. LOL.. i was really a handful back then) c'mon.. why conform? dare to be different! even if it turns out to be a mistake.. it's ok :) (ok, sometimes its not!)
everything seems to be moving along as scheduled and hopefully our humble home will be ready in time for our Christmas / Housewarming / Zack's bday PARTY! Date is no longer 23rd, will update on the new date.. stay tune!
k.. i'm gonna hit the sack.. tired already.. night night~
got back from lunch at TOP OF THE M an invitation from SIA.. the first corporate lunch i went ALONE.. was fun. Had a dinner there a few years back and the lobster bisque was magnifique, lobster meat aplenty. Had the lobster bisque again but there's not a single meat! Well, food was more like a decoration, portion was small.. french cuisine, wat can u expect? We had a great time chatting and 2 advice i left the lunch with:
1) Start a family while i'm young
2) Continue with my french lessons
1) Start a family while i'm young
2) Continue with my french lessons
Yeah, i studied french before.. surprise surprise! It was fun and the guys were cute.. LOL. One amusing incident was during our oral test, and we had to converse with our lecturer in french. It was my turn and with my tongue all in knots, i searched every corner of my head for all the french words i know. Back and forth we went then it came to one question.. and i was stumped, thinking.. "shyte, i dunno a single word of that! seems like she's asking about addresses or something.. is it?" I gave up and said defeatedly.. "Je'ne comprends pas" - meaning i do not understand. Imagine my utter shock when she said.."BRAVO!" and gave me a straight A! Well, she was impressed because i was able to converse in french, not necessarily giving the right answers but being able to hold my own. Oh boy, it was hilarious.. i pulled a fast one and got an A for that. And please, dun try talking to me in french, thats about the only line i can throw back.. ahahahaaha...! oh no no.. i can count in french too!
but.. yeah, perhaps i'd continue my lessons.. something to think about..
Monday, November 27, 2006
Posh Punggol v 'Ulu' Sengkang
Punggol home owners enjoy higher demand and prices for their flats than their counterparts in nearby Sengkang, which suffers from a poor image
By Sarah Ng
MARKETING manager Joyce Ong moved into her Sengkang Housing Board executive flat in 2000.
In the same year, teacher Marlina Ahmad bought her five-room flat in neighbouring Punggol.
Little did they know that their fates would turn out so differently even though their flats are separated by just the Tampines Expressway (TPE).
Both newly married and first-time home owners, Ms Ong paid $390,000 for her Sengkang executive flat while Ms Marlina's Punggol five-roomer cost $218,000.
Earlier this year, Ms Ong sold her flat for $327,000 - $63,000 less than what she had paid for it. Ms Marlina made $77,000 after selling her flat for $295,000.
A rueful Ms Ong, 32, said: 'I think I'm one of those rare few in Singapore history to lose so much money from buying a new flat from HDB.'
Going by resale prices and interviews with 15 housing agents, flats in Punggol have acquired a cache which their Sengkang cousins lack.
This is despite the fact that Sengkang has more amenities such as coffee shops, shopping malls, bus services and schools.
They say that in real estate, it is all about location. But in this case, it is all about image, said residents and housing agents.
Walk around Punggol and one would be forgiven for mistaking the estate for a condominium. The flats are painted in colour-coordinated shades of sand, mustard or grey. The blocks boast 'lobbies'' with granite cladding and colourful mosaic murals.
Bright flowering plants such as heliconia and canna bloom in the lush, landscaped gardens.
Look up and you see 'condominium' features such as bay windows in the living rooms of the flats. Inside, residents like the 'condo layout', meaning the bedrooms are grouped in a corner away from the living room, providing more privacy.
Even the street names, such as Edgefield Plains and Edgedale Plains, sound posh.
Housewife Mabel Kiew, 34, was so smitten by the 'condo look' of the estate that she waited two extra years for a Punggol flat to be built rather than move into Sengkang. She got her keys to her four-room flat in April.
Others, such as newlyweds Susan Goh and Eric Lim, both 28, like the estate because it 'feels young and new'.
But the 'exclusive' ambience of a private estate does not extend across the TPE. In Sengkang, some blocks are dressed in garish colour combinations - maroon and pink, blue and white, and peach and orange. Only a few blocks have bay windows or the 'condo layout' that Punggol flat owners boast about.
It does not help that there are 1,200 vacant flats in Sengkang - compared to 70 in Punggol. This gives Sengkang the stigma of being an 'ulu' town where nobody wants to live in.
Aircraft engineer Desmond Wong and his wife moved into Block 306B, Anchorvale Link in January, only to find that their block was half empty. Apart from one other neighbour, they were the only ones on the eighth floor.
'We try to be home by about 11pm. And if my wife comes home late, I'll pick her up so she won't have to walk home alone,' said Mr Wong, 28.
The negative perception of Sengkang has certainly driven down the resale value of flats there.
According to HDB's resale transaction records, half of the 12 four-room flats sold in Punggol last month fetched at least $250,000. In Sengkang, only 18 per cent of the 51 flats were sold at $250,000 and above.
MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Charles Chong said this could be because residents had bought the Punggol flats at higher HDB selling prices.
'Punggol is a newer estate and, most likely, it has better finishes and more expensive materials. So maybe that's why the flats are priced higher,' he said.
Sengkang's relative maturity is a double-edged sword. With more flats reaching the five-year minimum occupation period, more are being put on the market for sale.
A check in the past month's Saturday classified ads in The Straits Times shows an average of 360 units for sale in Sengkang. In Choa Chu Kang, another young estate with a similar number of flats, there were 295 flats on sale. Ang Mo Kio, also equivalent in size, had just 99 flats advertised.
A big supply of flats and lukewarm demand mean that Sengkang flats generally take a longer time to sell - about six months, with some flats remaining unsold even after a year, said agents interviewed.
Realtor ERA's division director S. Abdullah Al Hamid said Sengkang flats, by far, are the most difficult to sell, especially the larger units.
He said: 'I can sell a flat in Woodlands, Tampines and Jurong in a month, sometimes even weeks. But in Sengkang, even after six months, there's no guarantee your flat can be sold.'
Some owners had such a hard time finding buyers that they gave up.
Technician K. H. Goh, 34, has been trying to sell his five-roomer for the past year but still had no luck.
'I've changed agents twice and even tried marketing the flat on my own. I really regret buying a flat in Sengkang,' he said.
In Punggol, the small number of flats eligible for resale means they are snapped up fairly quickly - within one to three months, depending on whether they are near amenities such as the LRT station, said the marketing director of ERA Realty Network, Mr Derek Cheng.
But for fitness trainer Tsoi Man Wah, 32, his Sengkang executive flat is a haven, never mind the lack of neighbours.
'My wife and I love the quiet and peace here, and the flat is spacious and nice,' he said.
By Sarah Ng
MARKETING manager Joyce Ong moved into her Sengkang Housing Board executive flat in 2000.
In the same year, teacher Marlina Ahmad bought her five-room flat in neighbouring Punggol.
Little did they know that their fates would turn out so differently even though their flats are separated by just the Tampines Expressway (TPE).
Both newly married and first-time home owners, Ms Ong paid $390,000 for her Sengkang executive flat while Ms Marlina's Punggol five-roomer cost $218,000.
Earlier this year, Ms Ong sold her flat for $327,000 - $63,000 less than what she had paid for it. Ms Marlina made $77,000 after selling her flat for $295,000.
A rueful Ms Ong, 32, said: 'I think I'm one of those rare few in Singapore history to lose so much money from buying a new flat from HDB.'
Going by resale prices and interviews with 15 housing agents, flats in Punggol have acquired a cache which their Sengkang cousins lack.
This is despite the fact that Sengkang has more amenities such as coffee shops, shopping malls, bus services and schools.
They say that in real estate, it is all about location. But in this case, it is all about image, said residents and housing agents.
Walk around Punggol and one would be forgiven for mistaking the estate for a condominium. The flats are painted in colour-coordinated shades of sand, mustard or grey. The blocks boast 'lobbies'' with granite cladding and colourful mosaic murals.
Bright flowering plants such as heliconia and canna bloom in the lush, landscaped gardens.
Look up and you see 'condominium' features such as bay windows in the living rooms of the flats. Inside, residents like the 'condo layout', meaning the bedrooms are grouped in a corner away from the living room, providing more privacy.
Even the street names, such as Edgefield Plains and Edgedale Plains, sound posh.
Housewife Mabel Kiew, 34, was so smitten by the 'condo look' of the estate that she waited two extra years for a Punggol flat to be built rather than move into Sengkang. She got her keys to her four-room flat in April.
Others, such as newlyweds Susan Goh and Eric Lim, both 28, like the estate because it 'feels young and new'.
But the 'exclusive' ambience of a private estate does not extend across the TPE. In Sengkang, some blocks are dressed in garish colour combinations - maroon and pink, blue and white, and peach and orange. Only a few blocks have bay windows or the 'condo layout' that Punggol flat owners boast about.
It does not help that there are 1,200 vacant flats in Sengkang - compared to 70 in Punggol. This gives Sengkang the stigma of being an 'ulu' town where nobody wants to live in.
Aircraft engineer Desmond Wong and his wife moved into Block 306B, Anchorvale Link in January, only to find that their block was half empty. Apart from one other neighbour, they were the only ones on the eighth floor.
'We try to be home by about 11pm. And if my wife comes home late, I'll pick her up so she won't have to walk home alone,' said Mr Wong, 28.
The negative perception of Sengkang has certainly driven down the resale value of flats there.
According to HDB's resale transaction records, half of the 12 four-room flats sold in Punggol last month fetched at least $250,000. In Sengkang, only 18 per cent of the 51 flats were sold at $250,000 and above.
MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Charles Chong said this could be because residents had bought the Punggol flats at higher HDB selling prices.
'Punggol is a newer estate and, most likely, it has better finishes and more expensive materials. So maybe that's why the flats are priced higher,' he said.
Sengkang's relative maturity is a double-edged sword. With more flats reaching the five-year minimum occupation period, more are being put on the market for sale.
A check in the past month's Saturday classified ads in The Straits Times shows an average of 360 units for sale in Sengkang. In Choa Chu Kang, another young estate with a similar number of flats, there were 295 flats on sale. Ang Mo Kio, also equivalent in size, had just 99 flats advertised.
A big supply of flats and lukewarm demand mean that Sengkang flats generally take a longer time to sell - about six months, with some flats remaining unsold even after a year, said agents interviewed.
Realtor ERA's division director S. Abdullah Al Hamid said Sengkang flats, by far, are the most difficult to sell, especially the larger units.
He said: 'I can sell a flat in Woodlands, Tampines and Jurong in a month, sometimes even weeks. But in Sengkang, even after six months, there's no guarantee your flat can be sold.'
Some owners had such a hard time finding buyers that they gave up.
Technician K. H. Goh, 34, has been trying to sell his five-roomer for the past year but still had no luck.
'I've changed agents twice and even tried marketing the flat on my own. I really regret buying a flat in Sengkang,' he said.
In Punggol, the small number of flats eligible for resale means they are snapped up fairly quickly - within one to three months, depending on whether they are near amenities such as the LRT station, said the marketing director of ERA Realty Network, Mr Derek Cheng.
But for fitness trainer Tsoi Man Wah, 32, his Sengkang executive flat is a haven, never mind the lack of neighbours.
'My wife and I love the quiet and peace here, and the flat is spacious and nice,' he said.
*thumbs nose to those who went.."you're staying at where the chickens and ducks used to live?!!!"*
Saturday, November 25, 2006
rested.. *sleepy smile*
after being up and about for a solid 21hours.. with a long tough week behind me, i totally crashed. Now after 14 hours of sleep, (though i was up for 2 hrs when zack came home and fed me breakfast, we put up Christmas Tree and.....) i feel rejuvenated! well almost..
met up with the gals last evening.. Accompanied Jo for her final fitting at Silverlining.. Our dear gal is getting married in 8 days!!!! *beams* She rescheduled her appt just so i could make it.. thanks sweetie! Jit was nice and funny.. makes u feel totally comfortable with him.. and he let me try on some of his gowns so i did, just for the fun of it. They were really sexy.. barebacked and i could almost see my buttcrack in one of them! But the gals said THE GOWN is still the one.. i think so too :) Jo's gowns are really lovely, her evening gown is gorgeous! absolutely princessy.. she should put on a tiara!
we then adjourned to her newly renovated pad. I must say Frank (we engaged the same designer) did a great job! Her kitchen is huge.. sleek black cabinets.. and i simply love the modern contemporary look of it. Jo looked terribly tired so we left at 10.30pm.. were teasing Meng.. "she got maid one u noe.." just so to set the expectations.. haha. Yeah, guys must be trained to be domesticated! well, mine WAS ... hahahaaa...! (he needs refresher course now :P)
we're getting our blinds and blackcord draperies tomorrow!!!!
Friday, November 24, 2006
adieu~
barely half pass 8 and i'm in the office.. been up since 4am.. *yawns* zack and i went to send Andy and Leanna off at the airport - their flight was at 7am. So they are currently enroute to the States and wouldnt be back til June next year. Been a long while since i'd been at the airport at such an unearthly hour - 5.45am!. But i love the airport.. the excitement in the air is so tangible.
We were the only friends there, the rest were family members. Apparently the security is tighter for UA flights - for obvious reasons.. they had to go through an additional security check before checking in. Then they were told instead of going via Hong Kong, they will be transitting at Tokyo instead.. screwups.. tsk tsk. Well, as long as it get them to their final destination. Must be the atmosphere cos i always feel this pang at the Departure Hall. Leanna was in tears.. and i'm the kind who cant stand watching someone cry cos it makes me wanna cry too. Had to blink away the dampness gathering at the back of my eyes.. While waiting for them to board, Andy was reminiscing the first time he and zack met in school which was some 17 (am i right?) years back.. funny, those rascals!.. sweet memories :)
We were the only friends there, the rest were family members. Apparently the security is tighter for UA flights - for obvious reasons.. they had to go through an additional security check before checking in. Then they were told instead of going via Hong Kong, they will be transitting at Tokyo instead.. screwups.. tsk tsk. Well, as long as it get them to their final destination. Must be the atmosphere cos i always feel this pang at the Departure Hall. Leanna was in tears.. and i'm the kind who cant stand watching someone cry cos it makes me wanna cry too. Had to blink away the dampness gathering at the back of my eyes.. While waiting for them to board, Andy was reminiscing the first time he and zack met in school which was some 17 (am i right?) years back.. funny, those rascals!.. sweet memories :)
Godspeed to u guys! *hugs* Take care and all the best :)
zack and i then went for a nice long BK breakfast.. it's probably our first time having breakfast at BK. Feeling like little kids and the excitement of waking up early.. going to the airport followed by a nice hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, ham and hashbrowns *grin* Of crse the next best thing would be going home to sleep but no.. i gotta come to work while someone is at home snoozing just as i'm typing this.. humph! But zack's sweet.. he insisted on sending me to work (imagine from changi - shenton way - punggol: one big loop and exorbitant ERP charges!) though i didnt mind taking the train from the airport *smile*
we were talking on the possibility of living overseas (airport does this to you somehow) and the possibility aint that far-fetched. In fact, we are pretty receptive to the idea. Being in the medical line, zack wouldnt have much problem finding a job. There's nothing to hold me back here in Singapore too, save for my sis and godma who are both doing well. Of crse the 2 imps goes anywhere with us.. no questions about that. Well, just looking at all possibilities and yeah, who knows what might come up. We are happy with what we have now but really.. who knows! :)
*wanderlust is kicking in!*
Thursday, November 23, 2006
"I think.. i think this is the way love feels to people like you and me. Threatening and dangerous. We have to be in control, and love takes that away. People like us... We can't tolerate vulnerability. But despite our best efforts, sooner or later love seems to catch up with us. And then..." She drew a jagged breath. "And then we fall apart."
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
payroll is done.. finally. Didnt take me long this month cos getting more familiar with the software (i still think it sucks). No more panic attacks that everyone wouldnt get their pay on time. So yeah.. 2 more days to payday... yayyyyy!
and our Christmas tree arrived last night!!! earlier than scheduled but who's complaining :D the fibre optics are like little fireflies, twinkling in the dark.. its ssoooo pwetty. Not putting the ornaments up as yet.. just wanna admire our tree for a longer time. That Chile had better not chew anything.. if not i'd string her up, hang her by her tail and bbq her and we'd have roasted sausage.. yummy.. Pappe too.. caught her chewing our mouse doorstopper last night.. these 2 imps.. *shake head* cute as buttons but they suck my blood dry!
Sunday, November 19, 2006
a night of decadence
having a golfball down my throat and feeling the aches
sheesh, i cant fall ill at this time.. cos its payroll time *sigh*
didnt wake up til 4pm.. then we're off to Beach rd for some food.. Ah Balling!
Concourse is our next stop..
WE BOUGHT OUR CHRISTMAS TREE! *big grin*
it's a 7ft fibre-optic needle pine tree!
and we've decided on gold and bronze for the deco scheme
was such fun picking the ornaments but i'm not allowed to put berries on the tree! *humph*
but its ok.. i'm still happy :)
and we just fixed a garland on our front gate
the Chan Family is getting ready for Christmas! woohoooo..!
had a blast on Sat - night of decadence
Attended zack's colleague's wedding dinner at this teochew restaurant at Centrepoint. Primped ourselves up.. zack looked absolutely dashing in a striped shirt, jeans and jacket and i donned my new pretty shoes (see right pic).. the most expensive pair i've bought by far!
was my first time meeting some of zack's colleagues.. and zack was the only one who brought his wife.. the rest didnt cos they were planning some guys night out. But zack wanted me along *beams* muaaakkksss! so yeah.. finally met most of them and what i call the scandal gang he goes on JB trips with. They are funny, i like them :) so i told zack he can invite them over to our home for some chilling out :D
so after the dinner, we went to Arab St (we = zack, me and his scandal gang)
sheesh, i cant fall ill at this time.. cos its payroll time *sigh*
didnt wake up til 4pm.. then we're off to Beach rd for some food.. Ah Balling!
Concourse is our next stop..
WE BOUGHT OUR CHRISTMAS TREE! *big grin*
it's a 7ft fibre-optic needle pine tree!
and we've decided on gold and bronze for the deco scheme
was such fun picking the ornaments but i'm not allowed to put berries on the tree! *humph*
but its ok.. i'm still happy :)
and we just fixed a garland on our front gate
the Chan Family is getting ready for Christmas! woohoooo..!
had a blast on Sat - night of decadence
Attended zack's colleague's wedding dinner at this teochew restaurant at Centrepoint. Primped ourselves up.. zack looked absolutely dashing in a striped shirt, jeans and jacket and i donned my new pretty shoes (see right pic).. the most expensive pair i've bought by far!
was my first time meeting some of zack's colleagues.. and zack was the only one who brought his wife.. the rest didnt cos they were planning some guys night out. But zack wanted me along *beams* muaaakkksss! so yeah.. finally met most of them and what i call the scandal gang he goes on JB trips with. They are funny, i like them :) so i told zack he can invite them over to our home for some chilling out :D
so after the dinner, we went to Arab St (we = zack, me and his scandal gang)
so this is how a hookah lounge looks like.. there are couches where u can just relax, watch soccer, munch on fingerfood, drinks.. and needless to say, shisha.i had a refreshing peppermint tea, perfect for a hot humid night.. we spent like over an hour there just chilling.. wasnt til past 1am did we get our butts off and proceeded to Q Bar.
paid the cover and went up to Q Bar.. "where did all the people go?!!!" had our drinks then left.. good thing i got in free so we only wasted 15bucks.. sheesh.
The rest of zack's colleagues were at Butter Factory so we headed up. Better crowd.. drank abit then we hit the floor. With all alcohol i had.. wine, vodka etc.. got wasted.. was holding on to my sanity with a tight fist.. only zack got my number.. hahaha.. and he drowned me with more vodka.. he enjoys watching me get high.. he finds me amusing (see wat kinda husband i got!)
what a night we had.. if this keeps up, we're gonna die young! hahah.. i feel so unhealthy, gonna drink plenty of green tea tomorrow.
here's a shot of us all primped up, not that you can see lah.. duh.. zack looks so yandao right?! a guy in suit riding a bike is so frigging cool!Friday, November 17, 2006
so this is how carpets are weaved.. interesting.
there are rows of shisha cafes, lounges along Arab Street for chilling out with friends.. drink peppermint tea while smoking shisha (ahhh.. this is life) wanna plan something there soon! who is up for it?! the shops along the street selling all the knick knacks are really interesting too.. necklaces.. earrings.. shawls.. clothes.. the jewel-toned colors.. exotic clothes.. makes u feel like u've stepped into Aladdin's cave. I wanna go back there again and browse at my own leisure :D
so zack picked me up from work on wed and we went to Arab St. Was on our way to Concourse when we passed this shop selling carpets from Iran. What actually caught zack's eyes were these:-
more correctly called 'Hookah'
shisha
n : an oriental tobacco pipe with a long flexible tube connected to a container where the smoke is cooled by passing through water.
these beautiful glass water pipe's original design came from India or Persia, but it was rather primitively made from a coconut shell. Its popularity spread to Iran and then the rest of the Arab world. But it was in Turkey that the water pipe completed its revolution and has hardly changed its style for the last few hundred years.
the shisha, which is the substance used in smoking a hookah, is a special blend of fresh, dark leaves, fruit pulp, honey or molasses, and glycerine. The shisha is available in a wide variety of flavors including double apple, strawberry, melon, pineapple, vanilla, pistachio, and rose. This blend contains only 0.5% nicotine and no tar. Ice, fruit juice, milk or wine can be added to water in the glass vase to change the taste, texture, or effect of the smoke.
n : an oriental tobacco pipe with a long flexible tube connected to a container where the smoke is cooled by passing through water.
these beautiful glass water pipe's original design came from India or Persia, but it was rather primitively made from a coconut shell. Its popularity spread to Iran and then the rest of the Arab world. But it was in Turkey that the water pipe completed its revolution and has hardly changed its style for the last few hundred years.
the shisha, which is the substance used in smoking a hookah, is a special blend of fresh, dark leaves, fruit pulp, honey or molasses, and glycerine. The shisha is available in a wide variety of flavors including double apple, strawberry, melon, pineapple, vanilla, pistachio, and rose. This blend contains only 0.5% nicotine and no tar. Ice, fruit juice, milk or wine can be added to water in the glass vase to change the taste, texture, or effect of the smoke.
there are rows of shisha cafes, lounges along Arab Street for chilling out with friends.. drink peppermint tea while smoking shisha (ahhh.. this is life) wanna plan something there soon! who is up for it?! the shops along the street selling all the knick knacks are really interesting too.. necklaces.. earrings.. shawls.. clothes.. the jewel-toned colors.. exotic clothes.. makes u feel like u've stepped into Aladdin's cave. I wanna go back there again and browse at my own leisure :D
This is the biggest shisha in the shop. The owner bought it for $450 in Iran.. see the little blue shisha on the right? thats ours :) Zack managed to bargain from $120 to $80.. very good buy. The shop owner was really nice.. he gave us some tobacco and charcoal free of charge and tobacco aint cheap at all!
it makes a lovely deco piece as well (might be the start of our new collection :P)... its just so pretty and exotic! oh.. and i wanna take up belly dancing! there's this place at Arab St which teaches belly dancing.. would be fun! anybody interested?
these are actually flaming red charcoal.. have no idea how it turned out purple in this shot.. ahaha. Basically, u put the tobacco in the plate (at the top of the shisha), cover it with aluminium foil (poke holes ard) and place the charcoals on top - it must be flaming red. The smoke will then pass through the water and out through the pipe.
so yeah, we did managed to reach Concourse but the stalls were all closed by then. But its alright cos we're going back there this weekend to buy our Christmas tree!!!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
the puffy, tired-eyed gal.. needs her fix
*shoving my resolution to cut down on caffeine down the bin* i figured since i'm not feeling on top of the world, i'm entitled to that little indulgence.. i so need my comfort food.. but the cinnamon coffee was horrid, it didnt even have an aroma (sorry it did, a pungent one).. all i took was a sip. So it has been half past morning and i've still not gotten my fix.. *stay away*
was at vivo last evening to take the train home.. popped over to Sans cos i desperately needed a book. Goodness, i sound like those american women on those forums who cant live without coffee and books! no no.. i'm NOT addicted to coffee (yeah, thats what drunks say to alcohol too) Just realised i've been blogging 3 days in a row which only goes to show.. i dun have a life! oh yeah i do.. just a miserable pathetic one.. what to do? call police.
c'mon, let's indulge... IN CANDY....!!!!!!!!! *sings* i want candy.. i want candy..
$3.80 for 100g
some interesting finds..
i have no idea how music and chocolate ties *chuckles*$4.95 for 2.. from Austria
this reminds me of The Chronicles of Narnia
*QUIZ QUIZ*
*shoving my resolution to cut down on caffeine down the bin* i figured since i'm not feeling on top of the world, i'm entitled to that little indulgence.. i so need my comfort food.. but the cinnamon coffee was horrid, it didnt even have an aroma (sorry it did, a pungent one).. all i took was a sip. So it has been half past morning and i've still not gotten my fix.. *stay away*
was at vivo last evening to take the train home.. popped over to Sans cos i desperately needed a book. Goodness, i sound like those american women on those forums who cant live without coffee and books! no no.. i'm NOT addicted to coffee (yeah, thats what drunks say to alcohol too) Just realised i've been blogging 3 days in a row which only goes to show.. i dun have a life! oh yeah i do.. just a miserable pathetic one.. what to do? call police.
c'mon, let's indulge... IN CANDY....!!!!!!!!! *sings* i want candy.. i want candy..
$3.80 for 100g
some interesting finds..
i have no idea how music and chocolate ties *chuckles*
this reminds me of The Chronicles of Narnia
those who have read the books *looks pointedly at SY* would know when this bit comes in
*QUIZ QUIZ*
Monday, November 13, 2006
the blue-eyed gal
been a sucky monday morning.. nothing happened, just feeling the blues.. and PMSing big time. It's days like this when i find it best to stay away from civilisation and do my pouting and sulking alone. Spoiling for a spat but he didnt take my bait.. so there's nothing left to do but sleep.. feeling; unsatisfied.. unloved.. fat.. demanding.. upset.. fat.. lethergic.. and i have totally no basis for these emotions. Its plain hormones jumping all over the place.
and Santa is early this year! though i havent been a good gal of late.. *sheepish* found a crisp blue note in my wallet this morning :) Muakssss...!
Sunday, November 12, 2006
i've been punk'd!
the phone just rang and i answered.. it was the guy from Ikea! informing me that the shelves we reserved are ready and said we got to collect it tomorrow. I was excited (cos the shelves finally arrived!) and was trying to arrange it next weekend when the guy burst out laughing... ARGHHHH!!!!! IT WAS THAT MONKEY ZACK! ahahahahaha.!!! he faked a voice and i fell for it! and thats how he found out i've been lazing and havent called ikea to enquire about the shelves.. its one of my tasks for today... what a sly, cunning, scheming way to trick your wife!!!
u are only having mushrooms in your pasta tonight! i'm having all the chicken! *humph*
my 3 seconds of fame
so zack and i went to catch Des's final round of 98.7 Control DJ Championship at Nokia Playground - Scotts shopping centre.. she was in the finals!!! After about 3 months of eliminations (32 contestants), she climbed up to the top 2! so so proud of her! then again, i've always thought she's got wat it takes.. the whole DJ package.. u noe that 'say'? We were about to leave home when it started pouring.. waited out for another 30mins then decided to brave the rain (we were already late!). Got there at 3.45pm and they were doing the runs. oh oh.. and i got my 3 secs of fame! one of the Muttons was walking ard, asking the audience for 3 words, any word and the final 2 had to come up with something creative using those 3 words. So i was standing there between Rayner and Zack when he started coming towards me.. and i was like.. "uh oh.." hahahaa.. So if u thought u heard my voice on radio.. yes! thats me!! LOL.. ok ok, enough about me.. back to DJ Des! opps, did i say DJ? YES YES YES!!! cos DES WON!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wooohooooooo!
zack and i were like clutching hands when they were about to announce the winner.. there was a second of silence after it was announced then like a cork that has been popped... yells and screams erupted.. we were all so so happy for her cos she totally deserves it! she's really got what it takes.. and thats saying alot cos we're talking Perfect 10 here! you have to make the cut and the cut must be prime.. ok, i'm being corny here.. :P
tada.. our latest celebrity in town.. DESIREE! *applause* did i mention zack won a Nokia phone by voting for Des on sms?! yeah he did! *big grin* our faith in such contests not being rigged was restored! we then went off, leaving Des with her fawning fans.. *LOL* (crap, i look so fat in this pic)
next went to Far East to check out Sunny bookstore but the latest In Death book wasnt in yet. Then to Taka to see their Christmas Trees.. not a wide selection, disappointing but at least we have an idea of what kinda tree we'd like :)
With the horrid drizzling rain beating down our backs (we're in our raincoats), we went off to Geylang to meet Godma, Rachel and Andrew for dinner. The frogleg porridge was great! but the little froggies looked so sad.. all caged up in tanks with plastic wrapped over them.. it was so cruel.. i dun think i wanna have frogleg porridge anymore.. i mean it.
popped over to Jason nah's bday chalet at Coasta Sands.. dead beat by then.. All the travelling (in the rain!) our damp jeans and our cold clammy feet.. Felt bad we didnt bring a gift cos going there wasnt on our cards.. but dinner ended early so popped over for abit. Didnt eat anything cos we were stuffed but the bday cake was nice! its chocolate.. need i say more? looking at his bday cake, i cant begin to say what a hardcore liverpool fan he is.. hahaha.. i was amused as i've never seen a liverpool bday cake before!
Thursday, November 09, 2006
*chomp chomp*
2 days of celebration..!
in fact, started on Sat when i was out with the gals.. Fish&Co.! Sun was home-cooked food: Bak Kut Teh, Long-beans omelette and Black pepper stir-fried beef with capsicum. I'd usually cook dinners on weekends and when zack is working day shifts, cos i like having my hubby come home to a nice hot home-cooked dinner. Well, I LIKE coming home to a hot home-cooked dinner.. its something i'd taken for granted, how mummy used to ask what i'd like for dinner and she'd cook it for me. You come home after a long day of work and there is a table of hot food waiting for you. You dun really give much thought of how that dish of tender chicken with nicely sliced mushrooms came about, you just stuff it into your gap and chomp away.. I guess one dunno how fortunate one is when there's someone who will bother to slave over the hot stove to prepare something you like.. until it's gone.
*snaps back to reality* so Mr Chan, have u any idea how fortunate u are?!!
6 November: so there's this exam all paramedics have to sit for (once or twice a year?) and zack passed! and his examiner said he's very good for a new paramedic! (of crse lah.. my laogong u noe). Haha.. so we went out to celebrate.. Vivo City - Sushi Teh!
check out this dish: Ikura Chawanmushi (fish roe egg custard)
i really didnt wanna eat this cos its akin to eating baby fishes.. so cruel! but zack forced a spoonful down my throat *grimace*.. but.. oh my.. itss.. its awesome! the juice from the roe just bursts in your mouth and it compliments the egg custard so well.. it'll be one of my fav dishes once i get pass the little babies.. oh, and its 7 bucks for that little cup..
we also had the Salmon Sashimi, a dish thats always on our list when we dine at a japs. Zack said its not that great.. well, it all taste good to me.. hah.
check out the view from the restaurant.. nice ya! most restaurants, cafes at Vivo City has a section overlooking the Sentosa skyline.
i was tempted to suggest chilling out at one of the cafes but it was getting late plus we were stuffed.. so its home we went next. i love VIVO! zack calls me a VCK.. hahaha.. go figure.
7 November: Our 2 yrs 4 mths anniversary!
we went back in time.. to 2yrs 4mths 5days ago.. to where it all started: TM - Cafe Cartel. Can't believe it has only been 2yrs 4mths.. seems longer probably cos so many things happened within this period. Lets see, wat do we have.. engagement, bought a house, house reno, ROM, 6 holidays (1 mini honeymoon) gosh.. amazing ya..
well, food was good.. though i wasnt really satisfied cos they didnt have Philedelphia Cheese Steak and i got my mind set on that.. hai.. Had to make do with seafood macaroni.. and i love lingering over dessert.. the banana split was sweet! in more ways than one..
more makan in the pipeline: Geylang froglegs porridge this Sat with Godma, Andrew and Rachel.. *slurps*
in fact, started on Sat when i was out with the gals.. Fish&Co.! Sun was home-cooked food: Bak Kut Teh, Long-beans omelette and Black pepper stir-fried beef with capsicum. I'd usually cook dinners on weekends and when zack is working day shifts, cos i like having my hubby come home to a nice hot home-cooked dinner. Well, I LIKE coming home to a hot home-cooked dinner.. its something i'd taken for granted, how mummy used to ask what i'd like for dinner and she'd cook it for me. You come home after a long day of work and there is a table of hot food waiting for you. You dun really give much thought of how that dish of tender chicken with nicely sliced mushrooms came about, you just stuff it into your gap and chomp away.. I guess one dunno how fortunate one is when there's someone who will bother to slave over the hot stove to prepare something you like.. until it's gone.
*snaps back to reality* so Mr Chan, have u any idea how fortunate u are?!!
6 November: so there's this exam all paramedics have to sit for (once or twice a year?) and zack passed! and his examiner said he's very good for a new paramedic! (of crse lah.. my laogong u noe). Haha.. so we went out to celebrate.. Vivo City - Sushi Teh!
check out this dish: Ikura Chawanmushi (fish roe egg custard)i really didnt wanna eat this cos its akin to eating baby fishes.. so cruel! but zack forced a spoonful down my throat *grimace*.. but.. oh my.. itss.. its awesome! the juice from the roe just bursts in your mouth and it compliments the egg custard so well.. it'll be one of my fav dishes once i get pass the little babies.. oh, and its 7 bucks for that little cup..
we also had the Salmon Sashimi, a dish thats always on our list when we dine at a japs. Zack said its not that great.. well, it all taste good to me.. hah.
check out the view from the restaurant.. nice ya! most restaurants, cafes at Vivo City has a section overlooking the Sentosa skyline.i was tempted to suggest chilling out at one of the cafes but it was getting late plus we were stuffed.. so its home we went next. i love VIVO! zack calls me a VCK.. hahaha.. go figure.
7 November: Our 2 yrs 4 mths anniversary!
we went back in time.. to 2yrs 4mths 5days ago.. to where it all started: TM - Cafe Cartel. Can't believe it has only been 2yrs 4mths.. seems longer probably cos so many things happened within this period. Lets see, wat do we have.. engagement, bought a house, house reno, ROM, 6 holidays (1 mini honeymoon) gosh.. amazing ya..
well, food was good.. though i wasnt really satisfied cos they didnt have Philedelphia Cheese Steak and i got my mind set on that.. hai.. Had to make do with seafood macaroni.. and i love lingering over dessert.. the banana split was sweet! in more ways than one..
more makan in the pipeline: Geylang froglegs porridge this Sat with Godma, Andrew and Rachel.. *slurps*
somehow i feel like taokee's hotplate toufu.. prawn paste chicken.. ahhhhh.. i'm such a glutton
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
wide eyes and gaping mouth..
so i was at this disciplinary meeting this morning. Been having problems with the company despatch guy, so Theresa (my boss) and i sat him down and have a talk with him and review his jobscope. Basically he has work performance issues, tendencies to go on medical leave on fridays and mondays (must be the air on those days), and serious attitude problems - he complains over the slightest things.. above all, he skives. Then, in the middle of the meeting when Theresa asked him if he has any feedback, he buried his face in his hands and starting weeping! *horrified* (imagine: he is this tall, big build man in his early 40s) Theresa and i were completely stunned, looked at each other with wide eyes and gaping mouths.. time froze for 10 secs while we watched this big man finished his weeping. That whole situation was really comical and i couldnt quite smother my chuckle i had to turn it into a cough... sorry, i really couldnt help it.. hahahaha..!
Saturday, November 04, 2006
i love my home :)
nothing much has been happening
work.. home.. work.. movies.. home..
got my nose buried in a book
nora roberts's VALLEY OF SILENCE IS OUT!!!!!
cant believe its out earlier in Spore than in the States
well, i couldnt adhere to my 5-pages-a-night rule
gobbled that book up.. and now i'm done *wails*
the final book of the Circle Trilogy is great!
this trilogy makes an excellent movie(s)
the last battle was written beautifully
i feel like i'm watching it unfold right before my eyes
i'm gonna read that book again!
with all the excitement of the bridal shopping and the gown etc..
i totally forgot to mention the latest addition to our lovenest!
i look at it everyday and get so mesmerized
i'd lie on the sofa and admire it til my eyes start to droop
it fits perfectly in our home concept - stylishly rustic
thumb of rule of home deco:
u dun need plenty of beautiful items
just one outstanding one to pull it all together
so presenting... *drumroll*... THE CHANDELIER!
bottoms up
zack enjoying our new chandelier
its a whole lot brighter than it looks here
its like dripping diamonds..
i really love its gothic look.. its charming
i gathered even if i dun clean it and cobwebs form,
it'll still look good.. even better! mysterious.. hahaha
i love it soooo muchie!
so pardon me from flooding this post with all these beautiful shots
i know u guys cant get enuf of it too.. *chuckles*
CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!!
work.. home.. work.. movies.. home..
got my nose buried in a book
nora roberts's VALLEY OF SILENCE IS OUT!!!!!
cant believe its out earlier in Spore than in the States
well, i couldnt adhere to my 5-pages-a-night rule
gobbled that book up.. and now i'm done *wails*
the final book of the Circle Trilogy is great!
this trilogy makes an excellent movie(s)
the last battle was written beautifully
i feel like i'm watching it unfold right before my eyes
i'm gonna read that book again!
with all the excitement of the bridal shopping and the gown etc..
i totally forgot to mention the latest addition to our lovenest!
i look at it everyday and get so mesmerized
i'd lie on the sofa and admire it til my eyes start to droop
it fits perfectly in our home concept - stylishly rustic
thumb of rule of home deco:
u dun need plenty of beautiful items
just one outstanding one to pull it all together
so presenting... *drumroll*... THE CHANDELIER!
bottoms up
zack enjoying our new chandelier
its a whole lot brighter than it looks here
its like dripping diamonds..
i really love its gothic look.. its charming
i gathered even if i dun clean it and cobwebs form,
it'll still look good.. even better! mysterious.. hahaha
i love it soooo muchie!
so pardon me from flooding this post with all these beautiful shots
i know u guys cant get enuf of it too.. *chuckles*
our initial plan was to put it in our dining area but the dining area light was attached to a false ceiling and that false ceiling is not conditioned to take the weight of the chandelier which is 10kg. So we switched our beautiful balls light from the living over to the dining area (we now dine with romantic twinkling lights overhead.. the food taste better somehow.. hahaha..) and fixed the chandelier in the living area which has the original ceiling.
so all we need now in our living room is blackcord draperies (in place of the usual curtains), which we will be getting sometime this month, some nice cushions and an LCD TV which we're only getting in the distant future. And of course.. a CHRISTMAS TREE!!!! our very first Christmas tree *big grin* and a Christmas party is in the works! stay tune for more deets as the Chan residence prepare for their first Christmas.. woohooo!
CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!!
Friday, November 03, 2006
i'm attractive! :)
hahahaha... just got this email from a colleague..
: ) Have a good weekend!
reza"
thing is, i dunno anyone from Aon! anyways, that sure made my day! :)
i'm shameless i know... hahaha!
c'mon.. let me indulge
"You may be amused to know that my ex-colleagues from Aon asked me about an attractive HR person in Willis at an AXA event last night.... !
: ) Have a good weekend!
reza"
thing is, i dunno anyone from Aon! anyways, that sure made my day! :)
Theresa then told me of a similar situation/feedback after we both attended the musical "Carbaret" organized by our vendor.. she had to tell the guy, "too bad.. she's married" *LOL*
i'm shameless i know... hahaha!
c'mon.. let me indulge
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