Flight Camera Action

Closet Space

2012-02-10T16:36:00.003+08:00

He doesn't know it, but I have my sights on the The Closet.

It started out 50/50 between me and the boy, but clearly I'm taking claim to about 66% now. Hey, those winter clothes take up way more space! This doesn't included another closet about half the size that holds my coats and his work shirts. Did I mention I'm shopping for a dresser (with a mirror on top for maximum makeup/jewelry accessibility, please), too?

Something like this would be ideal. Of course, it doesn't seem to exist in Japan. Just like crockpots.

Honestly, I don't know how people in Japan store everything they need in the tiny apartments. Jackets and sweaters themselves take up too much space! I wish I could observe people and learn their ways (in the most uncreepy way possible).

Drinking on the Job and Staying Warm

2012-02-10T16:31:00.001+08:00

Well, not exactly...is it really on the job if I haven't officially started? I'm drinking English tea at the moment, bytheway...

...but I did just come back from having work drinks with my soon-to-be colleagues. Apparently, it's the "British thing" to have work drinks at...2PM. Is it? English Boyfriend = useless. Just kidding, I've learned lots from him...mostly about why everyone mocks Americans, that we're fat, have poor taste in style, and terrible footwear.

Anywho, very excited for my first weekend back in Tokyo, my first week of work and my first cup of tea. I've been eating up a storm as well (on my second lunch and counting; I feel like a Hobbit) and I think that's due to my fast metabolism and the cold weather. Brr!

This weekend, I'll be on the hunt for some gloves and a coat (of all things, I know). The girls here are killer with their style and I have a sudden longing for a lovely wool coat with a fur collar. I'm very particular about [faux] fur and I prefer fox, mink or rabbit...a sort of even, soft texture rather than the very long, scraggly-looking kind.

This one is just lovely...the huge price tag makes me want it even more. It's sick.

And being female, of course I'm not satisfied with just one color, I "need" black, beige, navy and then something unpredictable...like aqua or fuschia. In that order.

P.S. Just realized that I forgot to take the price tag off my new sweater (pictured). Nice one. Apparently I'm worth $59.90 from Ann Taylor Loft (but it's now on sale for $12.88!).

I'm an Alien

2012-02-09T20:11:00.000+08:00

It's my 2nd full day back in Tokyo and I'm feeling a bit tired! I'm glad I bumped up my flight by one day because it's made a big difference in my settling-in. I remember how to get to the train station and how to buy tickets, etc., however I've found that I've forgotten how to use the electric appliances in our apartment! Other things I've noticed:

1. Slow cookers/crockpots do not exist in Japan. They cook rice, rice only and do a darn good job of it by the price of some of them!

2. Girls still look chic and amazing in the freezing winter.

3. Fur really does make you warmer; it especially cuts down on the wind chill.

4. I've forgotten what little Japanese I had so intensively studied.

5. Adam's negligence of the refrigerator lead to a horrifying discovery. The eggplant I found had it's own colony developing.

6. I want to buy everything.

But most notable for today: I applied for my Alien Registration Card! It's just the first step to becoming a permanent resident here...O_o

Otherwise, I've mostly been adjusting the recent bachelor pad into it's previous decency. Lots of cleaning, organizing, laundry (4 loads so far!), grocery shopping, unpacking, furniture/home shopping, and did I mention cleaning?

I needed to take a bit of a break so I made myself a delicious dinner of chicken, soup and roast spare ribs. The chicken came out so much better than anticipated! Mom would be proud. I even made the sauce to go with it.

I'm not sure what to call this chicken...it's not Hainan chicken but it's similar. Boiled and served with brown rice, bok choy, and the homemade ginger sauce. No photo but I also made a pretty good soup after with the chicken stock, carrots, onions, dried dates and berries and salted turnip.

Grilled pork spare ribs with garlic salt, pepper and fresh thyme. I'm not sure if its the oven in Japan but I haven't quite got it down perfectly like Mom and Amah's.

I feel that sort of limp exhaustion now that I've laid down. I'm just going to blame it on the weather, the walking, or the jetlag. Or all of the above.

Tokyo, Here I (and a Vitamix) Come!

2012-02-03T07:57:00.000+08:00

I decided to take the job offer in Tokyo! What a relief it is to make the decision and stick with it. I know a lot of people think I'm crazy, but I guess I've always imagined life abroad. Maybe it's because I know I'll always come back to California.

In all honesty, I am really looking forward to feeling a bit settled for a while. This is the first time I've made a solid decision to actually move abroad with the intention of staying for a bit. So now I'm frantically stocking up on things I feel I can't get (especially) in Japan and being a bit ridiculous about it.

For example, it started out with the idea that everything in the States is cheaper than in Japan (it's true), so I figured I should buy my work clothes here since the sales are ridiculously amazing post winter season. Then I was reminded about how I can't read anything in Japanese and how I struggled to find cold/flu medicine while I was over there a few months ago. So I stocked up on common meds and remedies. Then came Costco food: dried nuts, berries, chocolate chips (seriously, I found a tiny bag for too much money in Japan), and I even contemplated a bag of radiation-free brown rice before my mom chastised me with an AI-YAHH!

While I was in Costco, I saw that the Vitamix people were blending together tortilla soup and talking about pulverizing avocado pits - it was amazing. Because it's healthy and don't I want to be healthy, too?

So here I am with 3 massive suitcases (1 extra baggage already) full of clothes, shoes, meds, food and a 16-pound Vitamix box that will be my travel buddy and carry-on to Tokyo.

Have I mentioned I need to figure out how to carry my laptop and SLR camera?

Packing in a hurricane.

Blur

2011-12-12T13:52:00.000+08:00

What a terrible blogger I am. I'm trying to get myself back into it but I feel either too busy to blog or too boring to blog (alliteration yay!).

A quick summary to no one but myself:

I left Singapore in August and was in Tokyo for 2 months learning how to speak Japanese and be domesticated. It was aiite.

I'm currently in California and figuring out a lot of things. How is time passing so quickly?

5 Weeks of Awesome to Come

2011-02-12T20:17:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow is my last day of work before:

I jet off to Koh Lanta, Thailand for a 5-day tropical vacation. Beach, Thai food, massages, diving/snorkling and a bit of tanning. What more could I ask for?

Oh yeah, a trip to CALIFORNIA! I finally get to visit my beloved home! Family, Friends and Food. That's the best alliteration ever.

Chibi Girl

Amazing Mom

Best Friends

Oh wait, I'm not finished? Then I want to do a quick trip to Korea on my way back to Singapore. Umm, hello shopping and beautiful people??

Not to mention, I return to Singapore the week of my birthday where I've been granted that Friday night and Saturday off. And the cherry on top? I have friends visiting Singapore that weekend! Friends from Bigfoot days and college which just adds to the already wonderful Singapore crew.

March is going to be amazing, I can barely contain myself!

15 Reasons to Visit Singapore

2011-01-13T08:17:00.002+08:00

I found this article writing about 15 reasons to visit Singapore and thought it was a nice read! I'll definitely be looking into some of these! =)

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011!

2011-01-04T09:12:00.000+08:00

What a major lag in updates!

Christmas was as nice as it could have been...as in, it finally felt a bit like Christmas the days of! Christmas Eve was spent cooking and hanging out with friends; I went to a potluck on Christmas Day. As for my attempt at cooking dinner, I made:

Roast Chicken stuffed with sauteed mushrooms and onions. Everything was fine until I had to stick it in the oven. The ovens in Singapore are apparently way too high tech for me...there were 8 different settings with simplified images that apparently mean something! Also, the conversion of Farenheit to Celcius might have made a difference. -_- I ended up cooking it too slowly so I had to repeatedly stab it to see if it was still bleeding. By the time it was done it looked like a massacre!

Garlic Bread: thin slices of a baguette with butter, garlic salt and pepper...I left them in the oven too long and they became croutons for my salad haha.

Salad: ready made!

Mashed Potatoes: instant (we had no time!)

Gravy: Made from the drippings of the chicken

Snickerdoodle Cookies: My sister sent me a recipe but I think I also messed it up, lol. They tasted ok though!

So my first attempt at a Christmas dinner wasn't perfect, but it was fun and memorable. A lot of people actually go out and party on Christmas Eve and Christmas (esp since it fell on a Friday/Saturday) but I just couldn't wrap my head around it. It just didn't feel right! So I ate and ate and ate instead =). I should have taken photos but I was too lazy.

New Years Eve was pretty mellow compared to everyone else's stories. I wore a sparkly dress, had dinner at a friend's, then went to New Asia Bar, which is a bar on the 71st floor. I thought we'd be able to see the fireworks over the marina, but apparently we were on the other side of the building, lol. Foiled again!

What a boring post! I just wanted to feel like I'm somewhat productive this morning. I'm still thinking about my New Years Resolutions...hmm, working on it!

Staying Connected

2010-12-15T15:42:00.000+08:00

I think one of the most difficult things about moving abroad is feeling completely disconnected from my "real" life. I feel like I'm missing out on friends, memories and experiences, especially when it seems like they need me. I wish I could be there for my friends when they are having an amazing day, want to go shopping, ask which shoes to buy or vent about whoever they're dating. Thank goodness for the internet, because without it, I would be miserable!

However, now is one of those times I wish I could be more easily accessible...I have a friend who will be going in for an operation tomorrow and while I have high hopes and great optimism, there is always a bit of nervousness behind it all. Please have warm thoughts!

Speaking of friends and my life back home, I ran into someone this past weekend! Yes, a totally random run-in in Singapore! It was like one of those movie moments. I was sitting around the pool on Sentosa at Tanjong Beach Club when I see this guy walking past me. I think to myself, "There is no way that is Jordan...there is nooooo efffing wayyyy..." But as he made eye contact, he did a double take and that, to me, was the signal to freak out, jump up and give him the biggest hug ever! Imagine, running into an old friend you haven't seen in over 2 years in another country without even planning it?! Those are slim odds, my friend!

Anyways, if you're like me, so far I find the internet essential in keeping in touch with friends. Facebook, Gchat, calling on gchat and skype...you name it! I wish I had a Blackberry so that I could use BBM, too!

California RSVP Me

2010-12-08T15:27:00.000+08:00

I've mentally decided to make my visit to California in March! Please reserve the weekends of March 18th and March 25th as one of those will be a trip to Vegas and the other is undecided. Is anyone even left in San Diego or has everyone migrated up North? I can't wait!

Retail Therapy

2010-11-29T21:41:00.000+08:00

I forgot to mention that I got my first paycheck this week (woo!) and along with paying for my room I splurged yesterday and today. I bought myself:

1. A pink jersey dress
2. A grey jersey cardigan
3. A shirt (for work...had to justify a third item lol)
4. A new fragrance: Versace Bright Crystal
5. Concealer: Diorskin Sculpt

I know, it doesn't seem like much but I've been holding off and I just had to celebrate a bit. I was pretty upset this morning because it seems that Singapore's post lost my package that my mom lovingly sent to me. I was/am seriously bummed out about it. My go-to red dress, my trusty curler, new and expensive makeup...and so much more! It hurts! Sigh.

Anyways, as a review, I'm really loving the perfume. I've always wanted to try and find a new scent, but it's just so overwhelming with all the different options competing against each other. The fact that they have a limited selection and that they're so overpriced compared to that in the States just makes me want to cringe. However, I had a day off and lots of time to kill today so I went to Sephora (which does NOT have the same return policy) and literally smelled every perfume they had until the very patient guy, Louise, help me decide on Versace Bright Crystal. There was this other perfume that smelled perfect, exactly what I wanted, but it was something ridiculous like $388 SGD, which is almost $300 USD. God. I have expensive taste I guess. But Versace is nice; I wanted something everyday, clean, soft, and non-offensive. It smells like roses, to me, but not overbearingly floral. The bottle is also sweet...I can't decide if its cute and simple or a bit tacky. Hm.

Dior Skin Sculpt is a pretty good concealer from what I've seen so far. It matches me perfectly (I dislike having to figure out my match) and comes in a wand-format...while convenient, I prefer something more sanitary like a tube. I think its a bit drier as a formula and am actually thinking about extending my splurge and getting Shu Uemura's tube of creamy somethingness (good one, right?). It felt too thick on me at the time but maybe that was because I applied it in the middle of the day.

Okay, what a dull post, but it's my day off, gimme a break. And really, boys just don't understand: retail therapy works. It makes us feel spoiled, accomplished, and above all: happy! I'm going to end the day with a glass of wine because I can't imagine anything more perfect.

The Weekend Report

2010-11-28T22:10:00.000+08:00

I decided that despite my weak attempts to avoid mundane posts, I do miss blogging on a meandering basis. I feel like I have to justify blogging by making it a quality post, which is pressure I avoid by not blogging at all. I don't blog to impress people (though I do want to avoid any sort of negative impressions) as much as I do to mainly have an outlet that is quick, easy, accessible, while proving to my family back home that I'm still alive. So with that, I decided that I would try and condense my personal updates and reports into weekly posts so that its easier to skip if you're bored. =)

With that, I'm excited to update with the fact that I will officially be renting out my own room starting December 1st! Until now, I've never had to sign any contracts or feel legally bound in any way, even in college. I definitely felt a lot of doubt and apprehension as I feel it's such a big commitment, but at the same time felt that it was time I bit the bullet and finally did what so many others have already done by now: start being a grown-up. (ew)

Work has been good...I like teaching and it's flexible, though it's a bit tricky with scheduling; FYI, I don't know my day's work schedule until the evening before. I know, it's weird, you may not understand, but I can't schedule or plan ahead really...oh, and I work on weekends. =/ It's tricky to organize any of my social activities, but I'm still in it, so text me. =)

I had a really frustrating week of Thanksgiving apprehension only to have all my (hopeful) Thanksgiving plans fall through (as I can't plan ahead due to work, remember?). However, I was able to eat a great steak on Saturday with mashed potatoes and even ordered grilled onions. YES. It actually satiated my Thanksgiving meal craving. That's all I really wanted! A good steak, mashed potatoes and grilled onions. It was funny because when I asked for grilled onions, they were puzzled but brought out a big dish of grilled onions. And I ate them ALL! Muahahahaaa...I felt a bit ill afterwards, actually, but can you blame me? It was my first steak in over 7 months!

Anyways, I'm sleepy now, so I'll cease typing. Good night!

Thankful

2010-11-25T23:05:00.001+08:00

Happy Thanksgiving, to fellow Americans!

Embarassingly enough, it took me all day to remind myself what to be thankful for. I was in a pretty down mood as several attempts to make Thanksgiving dinner plans Thursday (today), Friday or Sunday all fell through due to work scheduling and conflicts. Along with a terrible work schedule this week, the sky decided to dump buckets of water and get me uncomfortably damp for work. Just little things that accumulated throughout the day made me bummed out and I felt like I had no one to support me or vent to, especially when it is a holiday you're supposed to be with family and friends.

Anyways, I gotta snap out of it. Today was just "one of those days."

So, my list of what I'm thankful for:

1. Health. I still have the immune system like I'm the runt of the litter, but I'm still here!
2. Family and Friends. They may be thousands of miles away, but regardless, I have them in the first place. I also have some wonderful friends in Singapore.
3. I'm in Singapore. How many people can say they are taking a risk and staying abroad?
4. I've been able to travel.

I'll try to focus on the good right now. The holidays seem to be a rough time for me being away from home. I think I might just have to accept that I won't have a festive holiday season this year.

Thanksgiving in Singapore 2010

2010-11-24T08:33:00.002+08:00

I've been doing research on where to find Thanksgiving dinners in Singapore and thought I'd just do a quick post on my findings for those who are also craving some holiday zest:

Marriott Hotel
4 Seasons Hotel
($75 per person, only on the 25th)
Dan Ryan's Chicago Grill
($52 per person for a 4-course meal, only on the 25th)
Fullerton Hotel
($58 per person, on the 25th. $158 per person with alcohol for Sunday Brunch)
Brewerkz

And that's as far as I've gotten on my search! Does anyone else have more tips?? I know some of these places have Sunday Brunch as well...you'll have to call to check it out!

Bali Bound

2010-11-15T11:13:00.001+08:00

I went to Bali for the first time in November 2006 and wasn't impressed. I was on Kuta Beach, a this nice little place (I say "place" because it wasn't a hotel, motel, inn or villa...what are they called?) but was generally uninspired by the griminess of Bali.

However, I had no idea how amazing Bali could be until I went this past weekend. We stayed at this amazing villa called Saba Villa, which had different options in regards to how large your party was (you could link up several villas together...cool!).

We were picked up from the airport, driven to the villas, and given these lovely lei's the moment we got out...they smelled so amazing! The welcome drink they gave us was lovely, as well. It was some concoction of honeydew, lemon juice and...honey? I forget, but it was rimmed with pink sugar! I was already smitten!

The following photos are of the general villa, though I didn't take any photos of the bedroom. Isn't it beautiful? We had a private pool, an open-air living room and bathroom, and an ipod deck that was perfect to play our music. They actually had fully loaded ipods for us to use but I used my own.

Friday night we went to this restaurant called Metis. It's pretty new, I hear, and completely romantic. I felt like a peasant being treated like a princess this weekend! The photos don't do it justice, I was just too embarrassed to go all out with my giant SLR.

We had the steak tartare, some sort of deep fried flower stuffed with goat cheese, crispy pork, shrimp and scallops, and lots of wine. The food was delicious! How could it not be? We didn't even have room for dessert.

During the day, Saturday, we had a great breakfast at the villa (omlette, pancakes, sausage and eggs...I haven't really had a proper breakfast like this since I left the States!). The customer service here is absolutely perfect, everyone was super nice. We lounged around the pool swimming, tanning, napping, watching movies, more swimming, etc. until dinnertime. Here are a few more photos of the villa during the day.

You can see the ipod deck here! Super nice to have, I'll consider getting one one day.

This statue is so quirky on its own, but with the whole decor, it's really nice! I would never think of putting it all together like this.

I'd love to have my own place like this one day...

We were so lucky to have sun this weekend, especially with it being rainy season and all. Last time we went to Railay Beach it was, unfortunately, rainy and overcast for most of the weekend. This time we traded the rain in Singapore for the sun in Bali!

In the evening, we went to the famous restaurant, Ku De Ta. If you remember, the Marina Bay Sands Hotel opened up a Ku De Ta at the top of their hotel right next to the infinity pool.

This year is their 10 year anniversary, so they had these adorable red lanterns hanging outside of the place with the theme of "Celebrating 10 Years of Love."

Compared to Metis, Ku De Ta is much more trendy and upbeat. It's an amazing place and totally blows the KDT at the Sands Hotel out of the water. Maybe the food is similar, but the venue itself is incredible. They have several different bars and even a rooftop bar (pictured below).

Again, didn't take great photos but you get the jist. These lounges, actually, are facing the ocean where turtles lay their eggs. I'm not joking when I say this place is impressive! We had drinks on the lounges until our reservation: White Russian for me, Berry Bellinis, and too much white wine.

For dinner we had pork belly (appetizer, omg), duck confit, beef tenderloin and cheek, 4 types of creme brulee and even more wine. It was my first piece of steak since I'd left California so it was just pure heaven for me.

We went to Hu'u Bar after but I didn't take any photos. It was also very pretty with its twinkling lights and mellow music. It was actually pouring in the evening. I swear, I've seen it rain in several parts of Asia, but I've never heard rain pour like it does in Bali. This time and the first time I came 4 years ago both had just straight downpours that soak you in half a second. It was nice to listen to, though. We went back to the villa and swam in the pool while it was raining for a bit, too!

The next morning, we had another great breakfast (eggs benedict this time...yum!), swam and sunned and then had to sadly pack up and head to the airport. I tried taking a few last second photos of the surrounding areas since we never left the villa during the day time prior.

A shot of the entrance through the rear window...good bye Saba!

So I guess the real reason people come to Bali is for the resorts, the villas, the restaurants and lifestyle at a bargain price (I say "bargain" because I still can't afford it, but people with real jobs can). It was seriously one of the best weekends/trips/experiences I've had so far, definitely amongst my Top 3 (the other two include driving through Bohol, Philippines, and going caving in Sagada, Philippines).

Overall, the weekend was surprising, fun, exciting, indulgent, relaxing, and completely romantic. Absolutely perfect.

British-Speak

2010-11-09T18:34:00.000+08:00

As into travel and culture that I am, I am surprised to realize that I know almost nothing about the other English-speaking cultures like the UK, Australia and New Zealand. I love language and the linguistics, and it's been fun and fascinating to learn "new" words that use the same English language. These are my three most notable for different reasons:

"Pants" is apparently underwear in the UK. I sound inappropriately intimate when talking about someone's "pants" when I really intend to focus on their "trousers." #1 spot because it comes up in conversations more often than not and so I actually say "trousers" now.

"Rude Boy." Now I know what Rihanna's song is talking about. Apparently this is a slang name for gangster bad boys in the UK. #2 because it was like a revelation for me. Yes, I focus on the important things in life.

"Bird." I was the most thrown off by this one, actually! It's slang for a female, of all things! As in, "Who's that bird?" I asked if it was meant in a derogatory manner and my British friends gave a negative on that. #3 because I had never, ever heard of this term before and it made me laugh. I'm a bird?!

Can I take your picture?

2010-11-09T17:53:00.000+08:00

As an amateur photographer, I really like macro settings, short focal points and people portraits. My problem is, how do you ask someone to take their photo and then have them look natural again for your photos? Fashion blogs or photoblogs like The Sartorialist take great photos of people who look so natural. Is it just that his targets WANT to be photographed? That they're prepared? Can someone offer advice on how to go about this?

Holiday Cravings

2010-11-09T17:48:00.000+08:00

I'd really like to:

wear a sweater
wear a scarf
wear thigh-high boots (in the most non-hookerish way...ok or maybe just a classy hooker. It's possible, people!)
drink peppermint mochas
take photos of people without looking like a stalker
dance and sing to holiday songs
cook a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner
bake cookies and give them away
figure out how to appreciate wine
have a kitten or puppy I could tie a red ribbon on
wear a red ribbon myself
wear leg warmers
make a snowman
build a snow fort
make snow angels

Yup!

Wish List

2010-11-04T10:30:00.000+08:00

With Christmas coming up and my initiation of gift shopping, I thought about what I want this year. I don't usually have things I want, but this year, I actually want too much! I guess it's just things in general that I want to be able to earn eventually:

A new camera lens. My poor lens has never been the same on my Rebel T2i. It's really discouraging me from wanting to take more photos and improve my skill with its handling if the camera can't focus! I hope it's just the lens and not the actual camera with the problem...

A Kindle. Amazon has apparently released the new Kindle and it looks pretty cool. I really like reading but books are so darn expensive these days that a Kindle just makes more sense. I could read on the MRT, the bus, while waiting...all in my purse. Sounds nice!

Wacom Tablet. Wacom makes the best tablets and I want to learn how to use one! I remember I almost bought one for myself when I had saved up enough but then had to use the money for something else. Bummer.

New Phone. Okay, as much as I love my True Blue, I think it's time for me to upgrade. I've never had a "cool" phone, or even a current one, really. I've always had hand-me-downs, or whatever free phone they gave out. Blackberry, I'm looking at you!

Lynda.com subscription. Okay, with my Wacom tablet, I will need to learn how to use all the various products like Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. Especially since I can't afford to go back to school to learn all this!

Those are my main things...as always, I also want a new bag, shoes, dress, etc. Typical girl, aren't I?

I guess a lot of it stems from being abroad now...I usually wouldn't crave a Kindle or new lense so much except for the fact that I'm often in mid-transit.

Actually, for this Christmas, I would love to be in California with my family. I'd love to be cooking delicious dinners, baking yummy cookies and cakes, eating gluttonous meals, drinking peppermint mochas, seeing my friends, playing with my dogs in the leaves, wearing colorful scarves, and throwing an ugly sweater holiday party. I'd like to be somewhere cooler than 80 degrees Farenheit!

Anyways, I shouldn't complain, I'm in Singapore, living a different life, with different friends, different climate and different travel opportunities. Life is good and I'm thankful for that.

But I still miss California Christmases! =)

T-Minus 10 Days...

2010-11-02T15:16:00.003+08:00

...until Bali, Indonesia. So excited!

Halloweekend

2010-11-01T22:48:00.000+08:00

I do the same thing every year for Halloween: think and ponder about costumes, forget how quickly it comes up, scramble at the last minute, end up with a lame half-assed attempt at my original idea.

Last year, I was Lady Gaga:

Despite having a plan to be her, I didn't really put the necessary effort into replicating one of her notorious outfits because I know it would be cold in San Francisco, and I can't handle the cold at all.

This year was no different despite being in another country.

Apparently, Hello Kitty wears jeggings and a tshirt.

I orginally had a whole other outfit that came complete with a red skirt, red suspenders and big yellow buttons, but due to several reasons, it didn't work out as I wanted to dress up Friday night since I thought I wouldn't be able to do so on Saturday. Apparently, no one dresses up Friday night, only Saturday.

Mostly everyone (ie girls) wear a cute outfit and animal ears of some sort. Yup, creativity goes international.

We went to the popular expat club, Attica, at Clarke Quay and it was massively packed to insanity. Luckily, the guys were able to sneak a table by saying they had reserved it and put their Magnums on the table to claim the spot. Otherwise, I would have left in an instant as it was a big sweaty room.

Hopefully next year I'll find something more creative...!

Workin' it

2010-11-01T22:21:00.000+08:00

I rarely weigh myself because I don't own a scale, but I do know that I generally fluctuate between 108 lbs and 115 lbs. When I left the States in mid-April, I weighed a record low of 105 pounds. I haven't been that light since high school and I blame it on the stress and schedule of working retail management (the ultimate diet: stress). Upon leaving in April, I indulged myself in the amazing and wonderful foods of Hong Kong, the MSG-ridden crap of Manila, the healthy and fresh veggies of Vietnam, the heavy grease of China, and the various yummy items of Singapore (that also have lots and lots of MSG). I weighed myself a couple weeks ago (just because my friend happened to have a scale in her restroom) and saw that I weighed 54.1 kg.

I thought to myself, "Okay, I think you just double the number to get pounds...so that's like 110 lbs, right? That's about right..."

WRONG.

I googled the conversion and thats 119.2 lbs! This may not sound like much, and no, I'm not saying I'm fat, but 10 pounds on my frame makes a big difference! Not that I want to start obsessing about my weight, but I'm determined to get back down to 113 lbs, ideally 110.

I started running. I know, it's hard to believe, but I did! I've gone running at least 3-4 times a week in the past 2 weeks and that's amazing for me because I don't run unless its to save my life.

Today, I weighed myself and I'm ::drumroll:: 115 lbs (after a breakfast). Woo! A small victory for someone who has never really been able to maintain an exercise regimen. In the end, it's not really about how much I weight, but how I fit into my clothes...don't get me wrong, I like that my boobs got an extra layer in fat, but most of it went to my stomach and thighs. Ick!

You're Ma Boy, Blue!

2010-11-01T16:36:00.000+08:00

Oh dear...another phone bites the dust! Going from the snazzy Razr back to ma true blue.

Apparently, I used the screen as leverage when I was trying to hoist myself out of bed. Oh, dear Razr, you lasted me...2 months? This is why I can't get an iPhone...it would just be a wasted investment for me. A Blackberry, however, would be nice...

Extended

2010-10-10T14:27:00.000+08:00

I officially extended my flight back home on Friday and it's a relief to finally come to a decision about it. I was half set on leaving Singapore for Vietnam tomorrow and then fly back to LA on Thursday (with a few days to buffer my travel) but as I got closer to my leave date, the more anxious I got. It's bizarre to think that I am supposed to be leaving tomorrow because I'm sitting here watching my friends play virtual golf after going out for a big bowl of Ramen. Despite my disappointment of not seeing my friends and family in beautiful California, I'm happy with my decision.

Salad in Singapore

2010-10-07T19:22:00.000+08:00

It seems that salad falls on my list of foods that are difficult to find (along with tacos, burritos, In N Out, and good Italian). So when I came across a salad bar today, I got super excited despite the high price tag for veggies. It reminded me of Sixth College at UCSD, where you could mix your own salad and they tossed it for you with dressing. So, my craving combined with nostalgia made me buy a compulsive salad that I ended up carrying around with me for the rest of the day. However, when it came to actually deciding what to put in it, I got a bit overwhelmed and just added everything that I liked:

Edamame
Red Beets
Onions
Mangos
Grapes
Tomatoes
Extra tomatoes
Raisins
Cranberries
Cucumbers

And probably more. Unfortunately, it didnt end up tasting very good. I guess there is such thing as too much of a good thing...or maybe its too many good things (at once) for me.

Questions and Answers

2010-10-07T07:01:00.000+08:00

I hear a lot of the same phrases time and time again:
"You are crazy."
"Your'e so lucky."
"How are you able to travel for so long?"
"How do you have the money?"
"Where do you stay?"
"What do you do?"
"I wish I could do what you're doing."

I'll address a few of these:

"You are crazy."

Maybe. I think, to be more descriptive, I'm being adventurous, risky, and a bit reckless. Why? Because life hasn't been going according to plan, so I can't find justification in trying to stick with it.

"You're so lucky."

Yes, I really am. I am a very lucky lucky girl to be able to have supportive friends, family and amazing opportunities (ie: traveling to Hong Kong, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, China, etc). To be fair, I've also come across some bad luck. Examples would be messing up my knee, being sick more often than normal, chipping my tooth, missing two flights, having cancelled flights, etc etc...it's easy to get caught up in the bad luck, but I have to remember all the good, too!

"How are you able to travel for so long?"

"How do you have the money?"

"Where do you stay?"

I'm just bunching these three together because I can answer all in one go. Unlike some speculations, I actually saved up my own money for the past year. I also had a savings account I never touched but kept for several years and inevitably had to tap into when I made the big decision to stay abroad longer. So savings combined with generous friends who let me stay at their places = stretched budgeting. Yes, it's scary and risky, especially for someone like me who likes having a solid plan, but money is money and it's something I can make back (I hope).

"What do you do?"

These days, a lot of job hunting. I also like to aggressively keep in touch with friends back home aka Facebook stalk people. I also like to eat a lot; I gained weight in Asia. I take photos, though not enough. I go out on weekends mostly and try to recruit girls for our group. I should really do more.

"I wish I could do what you're doing."

You know, I hear this allll the time...and the annoying truth is, you CAN. I did it; I am doing it, so can anyone else. However, I understand that unlike me, most people have jobs and responsibilities. I'm just saying that many of these responsible adults hate their jobs and live with a slight regret of never traveling. If you really wanted to, you could. As for accommodation, check out www.couchsurfing.org. It's a great site that is dedicated to connecting people all over the world and safe about it.

I'm trying to stay young and grow up at the same time.

Anyways, the real purpose of this post was to cover this past weekend. Saturday was pretty important to me because I wanted to take my generous and gracious hosts out as a small thank you for letting me stay with them for so long. Singapore was actually more of a last minute escape plan, but they have been so good to me to let me stay for such a ridiculous amount of time and help me get back on my feet.

As a quick recap, we went to Lantern, which is this lovely lounge bar a the top of the Fullerton Bay Hotel that has a great view of Marina Bay. Of course, I didn't take any photos of the actual lounge itself, so I'll have to do that next time. I reserved a couple bay couches for us and ordered a Rose to chill out before heading to Ku De Ta (again). Adam has been awesome at getting us in and so I really wanted to take my friends up there before I left Singapore since it's so difficult otherwise.

A different angle of the Sands.

After, we headed to Stereolab and supper at Netwon Hawker Center. Aaand now I'm too tired to keep typing. The end. For now.

F1 Weekend

2010-10-07T06:17:00.000+08:00

I've been procrastinating my post on the Grand Prix weekend because...well, I didn't really partake much in it. I think know why its done at night though; it would be way too hot if done during the day!

There were just massive amounts of people walking around. It was actually a very pleasant night...probably equal to a warm summer's night in California, but all the bodies created this gross too-close-for-comfort heat. So we decided to escape to a hotel bar for a couple hours before the preliminaries began.

Passed a very enthusiastic dude along the way...

We ended up at the Mandarin Oriental...or was it the Mandarin Hotel? Something like that, there are 3 Mandarin hotels in Singapore. Turns out there is a sweet lounge that is located right above one of the race track's turns:

So we didn't see Adam Lambert perform (not a huge loss on my end) and ended up watching F1 from an air conditioned lounge with wine, music and soft couches. Why did we even bother to buy tickets?

We were given these beautiful complimentary h'orderves but I was disappointed to say that they were downright awful! =(

Leaving the hotel to catch a taxi to the Sands Hotel was the challenging part. Since the weekend attracted a huge influx of tourists and most of the area was blocked off and rerouted, finding a taxi to get to where you wanted to go was a hassle. We waited over a half hour for a taxi at the hotel and even then, it took us ages to get to the Sands (which we could see in plain sight from where we stood!).

BUT, it was totally worth it because while we were waiting, guess who came out of the hotel and strolled into a waiting taxi that was right in front of me? Ron Weasley! Okay, I forget his actual name (I'm awful, I know) but the actor from the Harry Potter movies walked by and I was like, "Hey, it's Ron Weasley!" I'm not that smooth, what can I say. At least I didn't ask for a photo. I have a little bit of pride, somewhat. The other guys didn't believe me at first but they looked and were like, "Oh hey, it is..." Obviously, I was the only one impressed. What can I say, I'm a big fan.

Afterwards, we were able to get up to Ku De Ta (the new venue on top of the Sands Hotel) and see the racetracks from there as well...we probably should have watched it from there if we had known we could have gotten in!

I have to say that I've been pretty lucky to be able to go up to the top of Sands so many times already.

Valentine - Kina Grannis

2010-09-30T09:16:00.000+08:00

I still adore this song and I'm sure you will, too, if you're a bit of a romantic like me.

So won't you be my honey bee?

Giving me sweet kisses all the time

Be mine, be my Valentine

31 Pieces of Advice

2010-09-30T09:02:00.001+08:00

This is a great link to some cool advice from a newly-turned 31-year-old. All of it makes total sense!

My among my favorites are 6, 23, 28 and working on 10.

6. Uncomfortable underwear can ruin your day.
At least they can ruin mine. So don't wear your sexy-times underwear on the day you have to walk ten blocks to work.

I'm working on a post for my Formula One weekend...I'm just procrastinating!

Did you get yours?

2010-09-23T18:38:00.000+08:00

Yeee, we picked up our F1 tickets today! In its own case and err-thang! I love how it's one of those tickets you can keep as a souvenir, too!

Life by Weekends

2010-09-19T23:16:00.000+08:00

Like everyone else, I feel like I've been living life by the weekends. As I've been living in Singapore (for the most part) for over 3 months, I've been getting into a routine while still discovering new things.

Friday was fun because we got to go up to the top of the new Sands Hotel and check out the new (and only) bar/lounge up there, Ku De Ta. Apparently there is a Ku De Ta in Bali, Indonesia that is just absolutely stunning, so we got to check out this new one that had its soft opening this past week.

View of the infinity pool and Ku De Ta.

Interior of Ku De Ta.

View of the pool and city from Ku De Ta.

It was slightly drizzly, hence the clouds and interesting lighting in the photos (and why no one is sitting on those comfy looking couches on the terrace). It was really amazing to see the top without all the tourists and hotel guests in the pool. It's the best view of the city, by far.

Continuing my taste for new things, I've concluded that I've seriously lived through life as the worst excuse for a Japanese person. I've never had this dish, photographed below, which seemed to consist of various vegetables, fish eggs, mochi, etc. You poured it onto the hot plate and mashed it up until it was cooked and soaked in with the juices. It was really tasty along with some of the other dishes we had. Pretty cool, it was owned by Japanese and obviously had great food. I will get back to what this dish was called as well as the restaurant.

Saturday was with a more familiar feel: China One. It's a bar in Clarke Quay that has a bunch of pool tables, a dance floor and good music that makes it easy to just stay in the whole night. It kind of reminds me of Busby's in LA where it has a bit of everything for everyone, has a good location and is just an overall good bet for the night.

If you can't tell, I made the extra effort this weekend to lug around my SLR so that I can practice my photography. Low light photography is something I want to master because it's usually my favorite setting.

Despite everyone's doubts, I woke up Sunday (today) DETERMINED to go kayaking. I think I've been craving to go for over a month now and so me and Ky went out in search of this fabled activity at the MacRitchie Reservoir, which is this huge piece of beautiful jungle right in the middle of Singapore that I was never aware of! We went kayaking and I did a short hike before my body started shutting down (4 hours of sleep, that's a little impressive, right?). They have all these really cool (and intense) hiking trails that you can go on including the Treetop Hike, which is this huge suspended bridge that goes over the tops of all the trees. It looks incredible! Definitely on my to-do list before leaving Singapore.

Yes, monkeys! In the middle of the city, there are monkeys! They are really used to humans, naturally, so they just ignored me as I snapped away at them.

So that's a recap of most of my weekend, which felt good-tired in the end. I'll reiterate, again, how people claim that there is nothing to do in Singapore just aren't looking in the right places. The country is changing so fast, there is always something new or different to check out. I'm not saying that you're going to like all of it (I'm not a fan of intense hiking or jogging) but I think you can gain an appreciation for trying new things as well as the familiar (Hello, Ku De Ta and China One.).

Overall, it's come to the point where I'll be pretty disappointed if I leave Singapore next month. I'm emotionally attached and feel like I've put a lot in. Returning to California is definitely not a depressing idea, I love the place (duh) and the people; I have everything to gain going back. But I definitely feel like I've passed a point where I'll be broken hearted if I have to leave this place. I never expected to find myself in this situation, but then again, who ever does?

Jia You

2010-09-17T17:51:00.000+08:00

I'm having a hard time feeling accomplished these days. It's getting tougher and tougher to stay motivated and positive when nothing seems to go to plan or make change to my current situation. I especially miss feeling grounded and having emotional support. I can't seem to find that in anyone anymore, especially when most are so far away.

I'm trying to remind myself to feel grateful for what I have:

Good health (except for my knee, which could always be worse)
Family
Friends
Being abroad
Being young

I shouldn't complain, I know, but I want more.

Singapore Grand Prix 2010

2010-09-16T10:59:00.001+08:00

Just moments ago did I find out that:

I'M GOING TO THE FORMULA ONE RACE!

I had really wanted to purchase tickets earlier, but when I saw the prices, I just accepted that I would have to make the sacrifice so that I could stretch my funds a bit longer. However, this morning I was surprised with my very own ticket! I am so excited!

The Singapore Grand Prix is Formula One's first night race...and yes, it's in Singapore of all places! I saw the lineup for music performances and it looks sick. I have a Saturday ticket so I'll see Adam Lambert, but Missy Elliot (love her) is performing Friday and Mariah Carey and Sean Kingston are performing Sunday (LOVE THEM). I heard it's super loud and festive throughout all of Singapore during this time so I'm PUMPED.

Festive Weekend

2010-09-14T19:18:00.002+08:00

Singapore is a host to a very diverse population that actually caters to mainly Chinese, Malays and Indians; they officially recognize three languages, three religions and therefore have...several public holidays!

This past Friday was actually the start of Hari Raya, the end of Ramadan for Muslims. I loved seeing all family together; apparently, the entire family will dress in the same color scheme together. I had no idea this was popular and so I asked a vibrant family if I could take their photo. As usual, I was a bit afraid they would think I was some crazy tourist, but they were actually super enthusiastic by gathering and posing their family, "No, no! This is the second time we've been asked!" They also said that since the first day fell on a Friday, they would also dress in different colors on Saturday and Sunday, "Maybe pink tomorrow and then green the day after."

I'm bummed that I didn't have my big camera around to take a better photo, but you get the idea...

I snuck this photo because I felt too embarrassed to ask yet another family.

It is/was also the Mid-Autumn Festival (AKA Moon Festival, Mooncake Festival, Lantern Festival), which is just such a whimsical holiday to me. I always imagine the holiday how I read about it in a childhood story which was filled with sticky mooncakes, glittering dragonflies, amazing food and charming dance performances. Instead, Clarke Quay set up all these brightly colored shapes and figures that make references to stories or figures. One of my favorites was a display of the Monkey King along with the Monk, the Pig, etc. They're made of soldered, wiry, metal frames and covered in some sort of opaque material that is very waterproof.

They has these huge floats all along the river and the bridge (which was also swarmed over with a Taiwanese food festival!). Again, I apologize for the terrible photos but I've been too lazy to lug around the SLR. Also, I think my lens is acting a bit wonky...

Anyways, there is always something to do here...I often hear people complain that there is "nothing to do in Singapore...it's boring..." Well, I say that you're not looking hard enough! I think it's key to have a great group of friends, though. That, I will admit. We should always aim to maintain our child-like curiosity in experiencing life. Otherwise, we'll just end up as old and boring as we fear.

I love Love

2010-09-11T14:50:00.005+08:00

And really, who doesn't?

Call me naive, foolish, or even reckless, but I don't seem to have the capacity to go half-way with people and relationships. I either love my friends to death or I just don't understand why not. I'm sure everyone has has their fall-outs and breakups with friends and boyfriends/girlfriends, but despite traumatizing experiences, I can't help but love fully when I have new friends or relationships. Baggage and hurt feelings melt away when you love fully and that's how I'm going to keep living my life.

DANCE

as though no one is watching you.

LOVE

as though you have never been hurt before.

SING

as though no one can hear you.

LIVE

as though heaven is on earth

Mads Langer - You're Not Alone

2010-09-11T12:24:00.000+08:00

11:56AM

"You're not alone, ill wait till the end of time, open your eyes, and see that you're meant to be with me"

Railay Beach, Thailand

2010-09-08T09:12:00.000+08:00

I just spent the weekend on Railay Beach, Thailand, which is very near Krabi. It was my first time there and despite the clouds and rain, it was a nice escape from the daily routine!

Getting there is a bit of an ordeal. I flew from Singapore to Krabi, got driven about 40 minutes to the port, then another 20-25 minutes of transport via longboat. It was a spashy ride!

There are two parts to Railay: East vs. West and the better side is (of course) the West Siiiiide! Actually, they are very near each other, like a 5-10 minute walk, but West Side definitely has the prettier beach and scenic shots.

This is the West Side. It's incredible, isn't it? The cliffs look like they're out of a movie...I really wanted to go rock climbing but my knee was just out of commission still. I was really bummed about that. I also wanted to go kayaking through the mangroves, but the cloudy weather prevented me from taking that on. The water was really choppy and the current was quite strong so I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have made it very far even if I tried my best!

Isn't this cute? Someone made this and sadly, someone kicked its head off the day after. =(

This was at a cool shack called Skunk Bar. I'm pretty sure you can guess why, but it was nice and low key on the East Side. I had White Russians! They were super tasty and I think I might have found my new default drink.

I stayed at Railay Villiage Resort on the West Side, which was super nice.

Some room service and a view from the doorway...it was super lush and private. The ponds around each room were pretty with their Laker-colored lilies but was inevitably a breeding ground for mosquitos. O_o

Railay in the evening...of course, the trip would not be complete without trying some food!

I think pretty much anything with Basil is an automatic win for me.

Unfortunately, we didn't get much sun until the last day but we had a couple hours of beautiful, beautiful sun!

When we left it was storming! It still made for some interesting photography, though.

Anyways, it was an awesome weekend and I can't wait to go back another time. =)

I think this is one of the main reasons why I am so keen in living out here; travel to places like these is actually possible for just the weekend! So friends, consider moving out here! We can be roomies! =D

Motherly Advice...a bit biased, I believe.

2010-09-07T12:46:00.000+08:00

Mom

if u keep picking yu will end up no husband

12:44pmMe

huh?

12:44pmMom

don't be so picky

i need my grandkids

12:44pmMe

i'm only 24!

12:44pmMom

I had u when I was 24

12:44pmMe

i was an accident

12:45pmMom

still a good accident

Timestamp

2010-09-07T08:59:00.000+08:00

I feel like I'm finally aligning myself with actually staying in Asia (fingers crossed that I land a job). Of course, the whole job hunting ordeal has been an obvious indication, but I think this morning was pivotal in the fact that I spent a good 20 minutes trying to figure out how to change my Gmail time stamp. I even tried yesterday, and when it still persisted, I googled it again and again. I don't usually bother with such a trivial aspect of technology, and I even liked having my California timestamp because it made me feel a bit like home. Well, I guess I'm feeling more at home here!

You see this face?

2010-09-06T16:51:00.000+08:00

I honestly think that insufficient internet will be my sad, sad demise. Right now, my internet is so modem its painful for me to sit and watch my browser strain to load its page.

Anyways, I'm currently sitting in a Starbucks feeling like I paid too much for a Java Chip Frapp yet feeling very much at home (as in, the States). The company often has the media image of a villain yet makes me feel very comforted with its stringent guides in customer service and and upbeat attitude. For the first time, thank you, Starbucks, for providing comforting smiles and free wifi.

I also found it interesting how McDonald's and Starbucks are located adjacent to each other (as pictured). I know they say that placing niche markets together ends up stabilizing a consistent sales flow rather than beating each other out in competition (hence, why fast food chains, being located near each other, manage to survive amongst competition), but even so, I guess I'm surprised that these two tolerate each other. Perhaps Singapore's compactness is what allows this sort of harmony. If it were a McCafe, however, I don't think it would be quite the same situation.

In other thoughts, I realized I need to brush up on some studying and refresh my math skills. Things are a bit more exciting as of late, but I don't want to jinx myself by speaking too soon. Once my anxiety clears and there are actual results, I'll be less cryptic and cease my stream-of-thought entries. Well, I mean, I'll never quit stream-of-thought, but I'll try to make them more cohesive to include interesting events that are happening. A post on my recent trip to Thailand will be coming up!

Bubbling Over

2010-09-02T23:27:00.000+08:00

I feel like I have so much I want to say yet nothing to update on. I can't wait for the next twelve hours to pass! I hope the weekend feels longer than the weekdays it took to get here. The next ten days are going to be pivotal, I feel like. This next week is going to be so clutch; it's go big or go home; make it or break it; whatever you want to call it, the time is now!

Okay, the sooner I sleep, the sooner tomorrow comes. Paradise, here I come!

I Miss My AdamCat!

2010-09-01T23:41:00.000+08:00

Adam: when i talk to you on gchat i always read your words in your voice haha

8:37 AM me: yeah same here

haha

i read yours in your voice

Adam: roflmao do you read my words really really loud too hahah

me: and i imagine you in a poncho, sombraro and a fake stache

yeah you're like yelling at me

drunk half the time

Adam: hahaha

sounds about right

Adam is one of my best friends in the whole world. Not only does he say the most ridiculous and hilarious combination of words and phrases, he always know what to say at the right time. I miss him.

A Fork and My Travels (but unrelated)

2010-09-01T01:20:00.000+08:00

I believe I've come to a point to where I've decided: I want to stay in Singapore. Don't get me wrong; I still miss California and my wonderful, amazing friends, but I know if I go back, I will regret not staying and giving it my best shot. I've gotten much more comfortable with life here (despite my ongoing frustration with the job hunt...it's the same story no matter where I am in the world, it seems.) and I'm liking the people I'm meeting. It's definitely been surprising, and to my luck, healing. I am exponentially happier now than I was 3 months ago, and for that I am grateful. I'm moving forward with an open heart and bright eyes...though a bit chubbier and with hair that I cannot seem to tame (darn humidity).

My knee is still healing...I have ice on it at this moment. I have been trying to find low-impact activities/sports to do since I'm gaining weight in less than ideal places. So I've been taking up swimming lately while getting a much needed dose of Vitamin D, which makes me feel much better. I still think it's a bit strenuous on my knee, though, as it was a bit swollen and weak by the end of the day. I am super bummed that I won't be able to go rock climbing this weekend...it's supposed to be amazing! I do feel comforted in the fact that I can makeup for it in the form of kayaking and snorkeling. I wish I could go diving, but I don't think I have the time.

Speaking of casualties, I also chipped my front tooth! God, it was awful. Another lame story that is almost as bad as how I injured my knee. This time, it was because I bit down too hard on a fork. Yup. I was eating too fast and chipped my front tooth biting down on a fork. Who does that?? Sigh!

On a more exciting note, I think the next ~~two weeks~~ week will be much more interesting. I know I haven't been updating, but I've been unmotivated to share how I haven't accomplished much adventuring. Sorry to disappoint! However, I'll be traveling ~~the next two weekends~~ this weekend so I should have some new material and new photos. I'm also keeping my hopes up for the job scene!

So cross your fingers and blow me a kiss, I could use all the luck I can get!

P.S. I thought it would be notable to mention that this past weekend, we had the highest girl-to-guy ratio. 5 to 2! Lucky boys, eh?

Time for Adventure

2010-08-31T07:40:00.000+08:00

Here's a great article I would love to reference if I were still in the States: 161 Road Trips to do in the West

In other news, I cannot WAIT for Friday! I'll leave up yet another Katy Perry video that seems to embody my happy feelings as of late.

I might get your heart racing
In my skin-tight jeans
Be your teenage dream tonight

California Girl

2010-08-26T08:34:00.000+08:00

Yesterday was a good day...for some reason, it felt so Californian. I was wired in for most of the morning and early afternoon, of course, but I finally pushed myself out to look for the local community pool I had heard about. I found success in this awesome pool set up, seriously, I should take photos. I swam a bit, laid out a bit, texted by the poolside...I felt so Californian.

I let myself airdry a bit before heading back to meet a friend and I felt a bit of that familiar dampness and smell of chlorine that is just a characteristic of summers in California. Yup, I definitely felt Californian.

The weather was warm, of course, but towards the later afternoon, it had that temperature of a really warm summer's evening. You know the kind; the kind that everyone lives for, where the day may be blazing but by evening it feels amazing. Like the day hasn't ended because its warm enough to wear a bikini out and despite being at the beach all day, you're still hanging with your favorite friends, not yet sick of each other. That amazing feeling that we're timeless and that summer is never going to end. It was one of those feelings yesterday, and yes, that's what it feels like to be Californian in the summer.

Food Cravings: Japanese

2010-08-24T19:53:00.000+08:00

I know my Californian cravings for In N Out and Mexican foods are normal, but today I had cravings for my Japanese side: Spam Musubi, Ochazuke, Natto and Japanese Egg. T_T Some good ramen wouldn't hurt either! Or salmon sashimi...mmm!

Driving Me NUTS

2010-08-18T10:41:00.000+08:00

There is a man who walks by, I feel like every day (even several times a day), honking this irritating bike horn. It literally infuriates me because it drives me mad and I don't know what to do with myself. And yet, I fight every urge to yell at him like an crass American because I think he's collecting old newspapers or something. I think that means he's the recycling dude that I can't hate despite his horn. I don't hate the man, I hate the horn!

7 Month Festival

2010-08-18T10:29:00.000+08:00

Out in the "Heartlands" (basically, not the center of Singapore but where most locals live out in), there has been a noticeable bustling-about that even foreigners like myself would be curious about. Loud, abrasive music and people shouting along with strung lights and candles being bit around...

Apparently, it's that time of year when the ghosts come out. Grace has this slight "thing" where she can see ghosts and, to be honest, I'm not sure if I want to know if they're around! I've been wanting to take some photos lately just to mention it but I am very intimidated to do so...is it allowed? Is it disrespectful? Why are people staring at me?

I think part of my apprehension is due to the fact that there's also been a funeral being conducted downstairs of my building. Funerals here are a week long process where they set up tables and alters with photos of the deceased. They put up banners and decorations while serving food for people who come and go. It confused me because to my blind eyes, it seemed like a more jovial, colorful celebration rather than the somber ones (in all black) I'm used to in the States.

Anyways, Grace and Ky were pretty appalled when I tried explaining my confusion of whether I could take photos, so I waited until I was walking home with them last night to take the "correct" photos of the 7 Months celebration, which consisted of traditional opera shows and even modern performances of song and dance.

Look at that audience! I hope I don't see any ghosts!

Sentosa Weekend

2010-08-18T10:18:00.000+08:00

This past weekend, we went to Sentosa again. The weather was absolutely. Perfect. It's quite an ordeal to get to where we want to go, but once you're there: tropical drinks, loud music, pretty sunsets, and lounge chairs.

Grace being graceful. And photogenic!

I'd also like to point out: proof that I've gained weight (see: belly fat). Insert dismay.

Also, for those who have seen the old Sentosa laser show (EAP 2006, do you remember?): they redid it, as you can see in this terrible photo, but it's still the same cheesy laser animations. I thought Sentosa was being rebuilt as a classy sort of joint, but it's still a bit gaudy with Resort World. Am I the only one who thinks this?

Chijmes

2010-08-18T10:08:00.000+08:00

I'm not sure if that was spelled correctly, but I do know there is a random "J" in the midsts of that word. I haven't been back to Chijmes since 2006 for Alva's birthday so I thought I'd stop by again. I had drinks in the courtyard at first, in the late afternoon, but did not realize that there was a whole other section I had completely forgotten about through a corridor. It was quite pretty in the evening (as are most things in life, right?).

Tough Guy on the MRT

2010-08-18T09:58:00.000+08:00

I saw this man on the MRT and was immediately intimidated. Wouldn't you be? All the details of his outfit seemed so big and heavy: large chains, large watch, heavy boots...and I love those round sunglasses! I timidly asked him if I could take his picture and, to my surprise, he broke into an almost shy smile! "Me?" he said, "Is it for a magazine?" I laughed and said no...just for my blog!

Everyday

2010-08-12T01:42:00.000+08:00

I'm not sure if there is holiday that is associated with her outfit (correct me if I'm wrong...it seemed a bit more "dressy" than most saris)...is it Ramadan? I took this photo on Friday, August 6th, I believe. She was buying these really pretty flowers that were all strung together. Maybe someone can explain it all to me? I just loved the colors and fabrics of her outfit along with the flowers in her hair.

Gritty, yo

2010-08-12T01:38:00.000+08:00

So while I was staying in Shanghai, I was crashing at my girlfriend's place near the center of town. It was a really good location, actually, I think. What was challenging, however, was getting from the ground floor to her actual room without tripping, falling or dying. You had to go up these immensely steep, concrete stairs, then up some brick ones, then up wooden ones, through another family's house, then up another steep set of wooden stairs and creaked and announced your arrival.

Yes, you read correctly, THROUGH another home. You can see their kitchen in the hallway in the bottom left photo, which consisted of a few stoves. It was kind of strange as I felt like I was always intruding, but they would barely glance at me as they busied themselves with their daily chores and equal attempts to ignore me.

Old Shanghai Jazz Club

2010-08-12T01:29:00.000+08:00

I thought I'd start sharing some of my photo captures from my China trip in July. I have so many photos that I've been dragging my feet on sifting through all of them.

Here's a few from a really cool jazz club Henry took me to one evening. It was called JZ Club and it's supposed to embody Old Shanghai. It was beautiful and one of my favorite experiences while I was out there. The band was great; the female singer had the most crystal clear and beautiful voice you could hope for and there was even this Santana-esque Japanese guitar player who would really rock it.

Unfortunately, my camera skin got stolen right from under my nose while I was snapping away!

Singapore's Sands Hotel

2010-08-12T01:14:00.000+08:00

When Alva and Crystal were here, I was super excited because it gave me a great reason to take them to the new Sands Hotel. It's this surreal looking hotel that has this giant boat/surfboard sitting on top of three sleek buildings. It looks photoshopped into the scenery, really.

(Photo not by me)

It was built by the same Sands in Las Vegas and is apparently the world's most expensive casino (another "World's Most/Greatest/etc." for Singapore to add to its list*).

It's pretty cool, seriously, and it finally opened up to the public in the past few weeks. It costs $20 to go up to the top, but for a one time thing, I guess it's worth it just to say I've gone...so here's what my $20 got me a view of:

The Esplanade are those two shiny, spikey looking mounds in the upper right. We also call them "The Durians."

Overlooking the ships and sea...lots of construction always going on in Singapore.

The incredible view from the infinity pool (that is only allowed for guests). The photo doesn't do it justice; it really is a sight to behold!

The walkway between the Skypark and the Pool Area.

Nighttime view. I really wonder what they are building down there?! That blossom-looking thing...

All the tourists...

The Singapore Flyer is that giant, massive ferris wheel on the left. It takes probably an hour to make one full circle. They advertise it as a sort of location to throw birthdays and proposals...that sort of thing.

Welcome to the family of Singapore Sights, Sands!

Duck Face (OFFICIAL Support GAMBLE edition)(with lyrics)

2010-08-09T13:04:00.000+08:00

I thought this was really funny...and catchy! I kept wondering what a duck face was...apparently I do this face as well...how did it start?! No idea.

I LOL

2010-08-09T12:42:00.000+08:00

HAHA! This vertical made me laugh out loud and I'm still chuckling to myself. Stuff like this is what makes me miss bits of Tumblr...much easier to "repost"...maybe I will keep Tumblr around for this sort of thing. Ah, can't we have the best of both worlds??

Sentosa Weekend

2010-08-09T12:28:00.000+08:00

This past weekend has been a great highlight for me…a couple visiting friends made it memorable and I’m sad that the girls are already gone!

I also visited Sentosa (the commercialized island resort of Singapore), finally, and wish I could have stayed longer! It’s quite an ordeal to get there if you’re not taking taxi…but it’s a worth-while change from the usual city. Despite the coarse sand and my reluctance to go into those import/export waters, it was still wonderful to walk on a beach, see people playing volleyball and lay out with a few girl friends. As with many things, it looked even better at night. Many of the bars have pools, so you dont have to go into the ocean if you want to cool off, which is a nice touch, I think.

I actually went to the new KM8, which was a fun beach bar I used to go to when I was studying abroad 4 years ago. It’s now been completely redone and renamed as Tanjong Beach Club. It’s beautiful, but definitely lost its old charm as being that low-key, fun, party beach bar.

Happy National Day!

2010-08-09T12:24:00.001+08:00

I snapped this photo when I was on the MRT this past weekend. If you can’t read it, her paper visor says, “Singapore is my home. I love Singapore”, in spirit of National Day weekend. I thought it was cuter than a red and white flag!

Today is Singapore’s actual National Day so I’m going to venture out with my camera later. I hope it’s not too crazy…I heard there is a spectacular fireworks show over the marina but it must be packed with people.

Chili Crab Subway

2010-08-09T12:22:00.000+08:00

I want to try this!

One of Singapore’s famous dishes, Chili Crab, has apparently made its way onto Subway’s sandwich menu! I’m always fascinated by the hybridization of cultures and having food as a medium makes me an enthusiastic volunteer. I’ll report back on this!

Food Cravings

2010-08-09T12:20:00.000+08:00

I’ve been having mad cravings for American food lately. And Mexican food. I suppose just food that is, what I consider, Californian. Don’t get me wrong, the food in Singapore is still bomb, but sometimes you just want something like a delicious burger.

In fact, I recently went through the effort of making my best attempt at a bacon-wrapped hotdog here in Singapore. It was a pretty satisfactory considering it wasn’t a real hotdog (Singapore is very halal-friendly…meaning no pork products for the large Muslim population here). I think the key was the grilled onions. Grace did this thing where she added oil and sugar to them…they were delicious! Topped with ketchup, mustard and even mayo, I was in heaven.

Here are some other foods I’m craving lately:

In N Out burger with extra lettuce, tomato, a whole grilled onion and light sauce. With french fries and a chocolate strawberry shake.

Steak. Medium rare! With garlic mashed potatoes and grilled onions.

Soft-shelled fish tacos with homemade salsa.

Fajita Burrito from Coxihan’s. So greasy you can’t even eat the last 20% of it since all the oil collects at the bottom.

Fresh oysters with lemon and red sauce.

Lamb riblets.

Bacon wrapped hot dogs. With grilled onions, ketchup, mayo, mustard, avocado salsa and a grilled pepper.

A decent salad! Ranch dressing, hello?

Great. Now I’m just sitting on my bed torturing myself with all these images of food.

Homeless in Singapore

2010-08-09T11:34:00.000+08:00

Singapore is very stringent on rules, regulations, and above all, retaining control. It is, how I say, a very efficient country. One mystery, for me, is: where do all the homeless people go? I forget that there even are homeless because, for the most part, I never see any. I’m pretty sure this man was, however. He didn’t speak any English and seemed to have all his belongings with him when I saw him.

Is it strange that despite his minimal clothing and personal items laid out, I found him to be quite dignified? He had no shame, his items neatly laid out on a piece of fabric, and he really seemed to be enjoying his smoke on a beautiful day in Chinatown.

Brief Affair

2010-08-09T11:30:00.001+08:00

Okay, I had a brief affair with Tumblr and I think I'm over it. I regret posting so much with no ability to transfer it back over. That's what I deserve in being fickle, I suppose!

Commitment Phobe

2010-05-06T21:51:00.000+08:00

I have this problem of wanting to always switch between blogs. It's always been a battle of Xanga vs. Blogger, and while it's taken me almost 8 years to leave Xanga, I'm stumbled upon tumblr and have fallen in like.

hybiscus.tumblr.com

Lost in Hong Kong

2010-05-01T12:27:00.000+08:00

Cordless

2010-04-30T22:59:00.001+08:00

Of course of all things to leave in hong kong (besides my heart), I left my laptop cord. I was able to upload an hk video but forgot to post it here. Until I get to an actual laptop it's under my YouTube account (mshybiscus).

I've been feeling worse this past week, probably because i haven't had much opportunity to rest (and when i did sleep, my coughing kept waking up all night). Having completely lost my voice for a good 4 days was really frustrating. The dealbreaker that really made me go see a doctor today was how my throat really started to close up in a painful way.

Cuteness is International

2010-04-29T15:55:00.001+08:00

I saw this puppy in HK and wanted to cuddle him so bad! I apologize for all the squealing in the video, by the way.

Top Style Blogs

2010-04-29T15:01:00.000+08:00

I thought this was pretty cool...for someone who loves to look at pretty clothes and interesting textures, I don't really visit style blogs...but wish I did. I just get impatient with all the loading of images. I guess I'm a die-hard online chatter. What can I say, I like to keep in touch with friends, no matter where I am!

Top Style Blogs

Obviously, we're not the cool kids

2010-04-29T11:26:00.000+08:00

Above is a photo of the airport lines for Phuket departing to Singapore.

And here is a photo of the departure line from Phuket to Vietnam. Obviously, no one likes the Commies.

Finally, Phuket

2010-04-29T11:20:00.000+08:00

Ever since I studied abroad I've been wanting to go to Phuket (everyone and their mom went...except me. I went to Tioman, Malaysia instead which was also extremely beautiful). Irvin and his team happened to be going this weekend and so I had to jump on an immediate flight over when I landed in Vietnam. I only got to stay a day and a half, but I was able to capture a few beautiful photos. I think the one above is my best one.

If you go to Phuket, definitely eat seafood. I swear to god if you eat Italian while you're in Phuket, you will be eating alone.

A few people have been asking me which was "better": Phuket vs. Boracay.

Naturally, I was comparing Phuket to the other tropical places I've been to (Hawaii, Boracay, Tioman) since I've always had Phuket on this imaginary pedestal. I've come to the conclusion that Phuket is extremely beautiful, but extremely touristy and a bit cumbersome to have to hire a boat to go to the various locations like above. If you want a beautiful, picturesque beach with easy access to food and nightlife, Boracay is the way to go. It probably has the clearest waters I've ever seen in my life but is very tourist-catered as well. However, during low season it is very relaxing and the beach is quite long. Phuket, while not as "crystal", definitely has a beautiful color to it, as well as prettier landscape with the jutting rocks. Phuket has a bit more break to its beaches whereas Boracay is EXTREMELY calm. It's really up to your preference but either way is a winning situation.

Travel Notes:
We stayed at the Sugar Palm Karon Hotel and I was super happy with it. They were reasonably priced and had great service. The tour we booked picked us up from our hotel and there was plenty of food, massage and shopping around the area for the tourists.

It was super clean, modern and simple. Just the way I like it. It also had this cool thing where the bathroom was transparent...I guess it's made for couples. So if you're in a group of friends, umm, might have to rethink this hotel.

I got to take a bubble bath like The Little Mermaid! My favorite scene where she's blowing bubbles everywhere!

And then Irvin ruined it.

Intermission

2010-04-28T14:29:00.000+08:00

I'm sorry, I know my posts are really mundane and extremely uninteresting right now. I'm in a pretty down mood, which I know is inexcusable since I'm traveling abroad, but it's been affecting my sense of humor. Please just look at the pictures and ignore any of my writing commentary.

Shout Outs

2010-04-28T14:27:00.000+08:00

I wanted to give a holler to my awesome hosts who made Hong Kong an amazing experience. I honestly had the best possible time!

Sam, for picking me up, housing me, training me the way of HK's transit system, exchanging my money, taking me places to eat, having his friends take me around...just everything everything, Sam was there to help me out and then some. Did I mention that he was working in China at the same time?? The guy is a life-saver as well as his friends Mandy and Kary.

I thought this photo was funny because I've never seen someone with a drink in the back of a taxi. That's what happens when drinking in a car is illegal, I guess. Anyways, David took me around to a few different places that I had never heard about along with a few historical anecdotes. He also took me back to the airport, thank goodness! I don't think I would have figured it out in time with public transport.

I found Spencer online one night and was like umm aren't you in HK and he was like uhhh yeah are you?! And thus a happy story followed. He gave me an intro to the expat life and so far, I'm liking it.

So to everyone I met in HK, SPANKS! I will be back!

Expats and Foreigners

2010-04-28T14:23:00.000+08:00

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence. (via my bible)

One of the aspects that I love is that Expats are so open to meeting each other here. Sure the alcohol and music lend itself to facilitating that, but I find it to be even more so when you put a bunch of foreigners together.

Denny's in HK

2010-04-28T14:15:00.000+08:00

Again, I need to clarify what this place was called, but it was compared to being like "the Denny's of Hong Kong." Everyone goes there to eat late at night after being out. What I had were instant noodles (?) with some sort of beef, I believe. Not bad! We also ordered French Toast (I think) and some milk tea. And who can say no to Milk Tea??

Yummers

2010-04-28T14:11:00.000+08:00

On my last night in Hong Kong, a friend took me around some new areas that I never heard or knew of. Among the most interesting were, of course, food items!

Pidgeon. Apparently, they are very well-known for their dark meat. It was super delicious. Nom nom nom!

I don't remember what this was...crab? Dang, I need to ask him.

And a GIANT soufflé! I've never had souffle, but it was like a big fluffy cloud that had been lightly baked! So interesting! David is in the background to show you how big it is in comparison to everything else.

Bedazzled FTW

2010-04-28T13:48:00.000+08:00

Obviously, HK bedazzles everything from cell phone cases, to nails, to alarm clocks, to hello kitty calculators, but I think this one takes the cake. It was just being displayed in a mall, I think, as marketing. Not gonna lie, I like Mercedes even better now.

Good Morning, Vietnam

2010-04-28T13:38:00.000+08:00

I'm currently in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It's my first day after a couple days in Phuket, Thailand. I have a lot to catch up on with my posts and pictures so here we go.

Of course I would be

2010-04-26T01:45:00.001+08:00

Sick as a dog. My body has decided to shut down on the one day I'm in Phuket, Thailand. I've been wanting to come here for the past 4 years and now that I finally am, I just want to curl up in my beautiful hotel room and sleep. Wah, right? Alright I'll stop complaining.

Brr it's cold in here

2010-04-26T01:42:00.003+08:00

I went to my first ice bar! It was at "the Russian bar" on Lang kwai feng, the strip that is infamous as an expat watering hole and its night life. You got to pick your faux fur coat of choice and literally "chill," a mr. Freeze would say. Understandably, it's a popular spot in the summer.

In transit

2010-04-26T01:42:00.001+08:00

I'm currently waiting in the Vietnam airport for an outgoing flight to Phuket. I think I like traveling but not flying.

Lit Up

2010-04-24T12:14:00.000+08:00

Sadly, I didn't have my SLR camera when I finally went to see this view....instead I was trekking in 4" heeled boots so I'm thankful I made it to the spot at all. It really is an amazing sight. I wonder how much companies pay to have these locations. You can see their names peppered among the skyline with all the lit up buildings.

LKF

2010-04-24T05:55:00.000+08:00

Lang Kwai Feng is definitely the hotspot for partying here in HK. All the foreigners, expats, and gold diggers come here to party and have a good time. And while I love everything about it, the place is absolutely crawling with ibankers. Sorry, but as a stereotype, ibankers are creepy, crawly creatures. They believe they can buy anything and anyone. And as of right now, I'm cutting off ibankers. Never again.

A Mom's Priorities

2010-04-23T12:49:00.000+08:00

Facebook chatting with my mom. I'm sure some of her fans will enjoy this one.

Me
hi mom!
i tried to upload a video but internet is too weak here
I will update more next week with video!
9:45pmMeiling
wow! be careful! there are people out there drug girls and harvest their kidneys in china
9:46pmMe
uhh
ok
9:46pmMeiling
love you!
when are you going to vietnam?
9:47pmMe
lol
sunday
but i will go to phuket for2 dys
and be back in vietnam on tuesday
9:47pmMeiling
when you have a chance next time. go to RC and okay my food trade
9:47pmMe
9:47pmMeiling
good! have fun n take lots of picture i bucket
9:47pmMe
lol ok
ok i will
9:49pmMeiling
I enjoy reading your blog. it made me happy and you are so good at that with a great sese of humor your mom gave you
9:50pmMe
hahaha
yeahh
I guess thats a side affect of having you as my mom
9:50pmMeiling
u are awesome
9:50pmMe
no YOU'RE awesome
9:50pmMeiling
side effect? I beg your pardon!
9:50pmMe
haha
9:51pmMeiling
that is a great trait!
9:51pmMe
haha
I knoww I love you!

Bigfoot Boys

2010-04-23T12:01:00.000+08:00

Over a year later and I see a couple of my favorites from Bigfoot. Mama Ken and Mighty Dwighty! These guys were my rocks while I was in Cebu.

Of course, I wore sandels today

2010-04-22T17:36:00.000+08:00

Even though I'm in Hong Kong, I'm still loyal to my roots as a Californian; I don't do rain. I was all set to go on my tourist excursion today with my backpack, map and giant camera...only to be foiled by the pouring rain. Every time I wear sandels it rains. Meaning, combined with the streets of HK, I'm pretty sure I'm going to catch a parasite on my foot. Good times.

So instead, I lingered around the MTR station and Starbucks for internet. Don't judge! I know you're all thinking I should be out there exploring but I have been for the past several days now! Instead, I'm hanging out in a friend's office space while borrowing his computer. I'm going to meet up with Dwight soon, though, so that will force me to leave this comfy chair I'm relaxing in.

I've also like to mention how I've given up on wearing makeup. I tried to come prepared with some powder to fend off the shine, but its just futile in this humidity. With all the Bonjour and Sasa stores around here (they are popular cosmetic stores that are, literally, on almost every block) you would think that the women would be wearing makeup to some degree. However, for the most part, most women don't bother. And I can see why.

Also, reading back on my typos and subject-verb (dis)agreements is driving me nuts. The iPod tries to "correct" my spellings but then doesn't correct it when I need it to. Oh well, this blog just makes my IQ look even lower.

Halfway Point

2010-04-22T17:23:00.000+08:00

Holy eff, I'm getting some signal this morning!

Today I'm venturing out on my own again. This time I'll be attempting to take the ferry and go up to The Peak with my SLR camera. Three cheers for being a tourist! I'm not going to lie, I'm falling in love with the city and I wouldn't mind living and working here.

Yesterday consisted of a lot of eating and shopping...I won't tell you the damages but I will say that I ordered 4 pairs of custom heels. I really needed my mom or Kristy to guide me through the designs because too many options make me overwhelmed if I don't have a plan in place. In the end, I got mainly the basics:

1 pair of soft black leather heels (4")
1 pair of soft beige leather heels (4")
1 pair of black patent heels (4")
1 pair of soft pink leather heels (3")

I know they sound boring, but it's impossible for me to find heels that are comfortable for my narrow feet back home. So I justify these shoes with the classic argument: "They're an investment!"

I'm also eating my way to my stomach's demise. It started out with lovely items like Hainan Chicken and Doufu Fa (a tofu dessert), to being more adventurous with street food like grilled chicken wings and "lo lo lo" (which are cold noodles mixed with sauces and items like jellyfish, squid, cucumbers, etc), to just downright brash with grilled pig intestines. I am very much regretting the last bowl of noodles I had last night which, while delicious, consisted of pork stomach, pork skin, fish balls, and pork's blood. Again, tastey, but too rich or something awful for my body because it's wreaking havoc.

Ok, I will update with more photos when I get down to the city. For those who are unaware, I have to hover by a 7-11 or some place that has my wireless server in order to post blogs or email. Creeper status to the max. Or maybe just jailbait for legit creepers. Mom, I'm kidding. Seriously.

Bowl of misery

2010-04-22T13:25:00.001+08:00

This was that bowl of regrettable noodles I had last night. To reiterate, it had pig stomach, pig skin, fish ball, and porks blood. I'm definitely paying for it today.

Sexy meat market?

2010-04-22T13:07:00.001+08:00

There was one street that consisted of all butcher shops. Having a barbeque would be awesome. You would think they would have a few little grills around selling cooked meat as well but instead we got eye candy...har har har...

For the multitaskeri

2010-04-22T13:06:00.007+08:00

I don't know which ones are cooler; this number or the ones I posted just previously. I mean, this doesn't have the face of a cartoon sheep but it does have:

A visor.
A sunglass shield that slides up into the visor (for when it's not so sunny).
A fan built into the visor for when it's too hot.

Which do you prefer?

Around the world

2010-04-22T13:06:00.005+08:00

It's pretty amazing how you connct with people from around the world. But what I think is also amazing is kind of "running into" acquaintances from home abroad. Or just people who have mutual friends and acquaintances as you. Facebook has only made that so much more apparent. Typical cliche but The world can be such a small effing place.

Night at the racetrack

2010-04-22T13:06:00.003+08:00

I haven't seen as many foreigners (ie. White people) as I thought I would have by now but it's apparently because they all go to the racetrack! I thought Delmars race track was fun but the nighttime experience was totally different. I mean, yes, you still make bets you don't fully understand and yes you still grab beers but really, the place was melting pot of every country. If I were to look for a rich husband, this would be the first place I'd go.

In other news, I totally had some beginners luck with my first bet. Basically won my money back (and Spencer a first place win) but my luck was only good for one round because I ended up being down by 60 (which is less than 10 usd). It's all fun and games until I realize I could buy another pair of shoes. Jk, shoes are still more expensive.

I is in disguise

2010-04-22T13:06:00.001+08:00

You know how notorious those Asian moms are (I'm looking you, Monterey park) with their affinity for those visors. I get it. Dual purposes since they also snap down to be sunglasses for your whole face. Well now I've found the perfect blend of having shade and hiding from the paparazzi. Because these babies are both a visor and a boost to my self-esteem.

Tiny toilet

2010-04-21T23:55:00.005+08:00

Self explanitory. I'm actually not sure if this was for children or little people...seriously. I know I'm not being pc but I've seen quite a few already.

Hectic awesomeness

2010-04-21T23:55:00.003+08:00

I can't get over how many ppl there are swarming the streets every night... During the weekdays! The food, the energy...it's always bustling, always poppin'. People here don't waste time because time is money. And to live in hong kong you need a lot if it.

Happy feet

2010-04-21T23:55:00.001+08:00

Dude, this is just unfair marketing becuase I'm a sucker for anything hello kitty. Beezy is such a sellout! I swear, crocs are trying to turn me.

Crocs are really working me

2010-04-21T23:54:00.003+08:00

No joke. These are both the ugliest and most comfortable wedges I've ever worn. Dare I say...I want a pair??? In black, of course. I hate myself.

Perm?

2010-04-21T23:54:00.001+08:00

Jk. He just curled it but my hair was nice for a day. Usually, the humidity just renders any hope for physical decency a complete waste of effort. Like today; no makeup. It was a bad day for both the mirror and the public.

iPod Blogging Glitch

2010-04-21T00:37:00.000+08:00

If you can't tell by my poor typing skills, the excessively large photos and short posts, I've been updating my blog mostly from my iPod through an app. So far, I have a few bones to pick with the app BlogWriter:

1. Can't post more than one photo.
2. Sometimes it doesn't even post the photo! What gives?? I already had to take down 6 posts because it doesn't make sense without the photo.
3. When it doesn't post a photo, you can't go back and edit the post with an attached photo. You have to do it on the first shot.
4. Doesn't support more than one blog. Doesn't affect me, but I know if I kept up my Xanga that would be an issue.

Irony of shopping

2010-04-20T20:28:00.001+08:00

...is that it can outshop me. Me of all people! There's always more and then more and then too much and then it's like get. Me. Outta here! It's a madness that is contageous for hk though. These corridors get swarmed with too many bodies!

View from my room

2010-04-20T20:26:00.001+08:00

I was messing around my new t2i last night and was able to grab a relatively accurate shot of the view. And no, it was not on auto settings. I said accurate not amazing lol.