blinking perhentian

get life, no style

hola! i had just came back from Pulau Perhentian! i had a lot of fun and a lot of tan for the four days i was there! hehe... managed to get my mind cleared off a bit and relax. it was nothing but eat, sleep, snorkel, eat, games, drinks, eat, sleep, and more snorkelling. totally away from the crazy traffic and chaotic life in the city.

im so glad i was there (not back)

i just saw the firrrst episode of 'life in style', a talk show created and hosted by socilalite Ms Mi-Ki Choong on 8tv. it was appalling! her presentatation was mediocre. her hair was so flat it makes her face looks like 'char siew pao'. an oily one if i must add. the design and concept scream boring!! i was cringing listening to her interviewing Datin Tiara Jacquelina. Tiara must be like, 'Girl, stop bobbing ur head! and ask intelligent questions!'

bad. so bad. whoever wanna come up with a talk show should totally watch it to learn a thing or two. we need not a talk show that not only WOW us but give us that BANG factor! like, i got it! millions will tune it and all yaknw. like 'Simple Life'. man, i hate to admit this but watching paris hilton and nicole richie doin' their thang (not much but acting all stupid and blonde, really) was more fun.

well, tune in and drop out. lay-ta.

we don't need a reason

i am relieved but i am unhappy. it is unclear or unknown to me why is that so.

maybe i was agitated with the car salesman who sorta raised his voice when i questioned his integrity. i have, as a customer, all the rights to question him in any ways i want to because i am givin' him biz. is it wrong to question him if the 2nd hand car dealer is paying me cash or cheque to take over my car? and, if it is cheque, i would prefer to release the car only after the cheque is cleared? what if he took my car and the check was invalid? it is not an uncommon practice in malaysia to do that (wait for the cheque to be cleared) and i was not implying that i do not trust him. i was merely checking with him and am protecting my interest. it is not a small amount we are talking about here eventho he thinks otherwise.

fuck. i knew i will regret it when i've chosen him over the other guy to purchase the car. i hate to feel not trustworthy but i am so fed up of ppl taking advantage of me. so sick.

perhaps, i should get over this and accept the fact that there are simply ppl like him out there and that i should not feel guilty. he, i believe now, is indeed the poorest performer in his company in comparison with his other colleagues and that was a confession he made to me. of cos, everything he said before, i took it with a pinch of salt.

the other thing that is bothering me is that the govt announced that local and imported cars price will be reduced. when? we do not know. and because of this announcement, i had to sit down and contemplate if i should buy this car now or wait. my boss was overjoyed when she picked up the news this mornin' and shared the news with me when i clocked in. but, i was torn.

in fact some 2 years back, they (the govt) said the same thing and nothing concrete followed up after that. perhaps, the increase of petrol price and the obvious economy slowdown and inflation are indication that they should implement the price reduction sooner than they had planned. but this is the govt we're talking about here. they are fickle-minded and unpredictable. i can either wait and be letdown by a mere 5% reduction but a higher bank interest rate or snap up the deal that has been offered to me now.

i did some quick calculation. the difference, even by 10% reduction, is not so significant. unless, perhaps, i'm buying a beemer or an SUV.

fuckedup

fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck

i've never felt so stupid and sworn so much on-line in my life. so bear with me. im very frustrated with a certain someone who took advantage of me and deceived me. bastard. and he is a relative.

time will tell.

holidays / get together

6 more days!

...and im off to Perhentian! i am so lookin' forward to it cos im a beach bum. i love the beaches, the sun and the cold beer. im just gonna plonk myself on da beach and get "toasted"! hehe...

next week would be a darn busy week cos ive got quite a lot to do before i go on leave. on top of that, my dear fren, charo, is hopping over to kay-el from cat city for work. PLUS, cheesy chee seng is back on monday from the states! awesome.

i will attempt to lure them to the brand spanking new, and chic alexis restaurant in bsc for our get-together. it is one of my fav. restaurants in town at the moment because of the modern contemporary design that isnt too minimalist that it is stark. the clever use of space and minimal colours ie grey, white, black and an assortment colours from the products, plants, food, and beverages, retain what alexis is - simple and tasteful. from the clinical white arabescato marble top with grey grains for it's bar counter top to the designer lightings and chairs. very tasteful eventhough it does remind me somehow of a particular cafe/bar in bangkok.

let's hope my frens are game.

it's like drag

"I am prepared and ready to cut off (the friendship)"

i will never forget these words, which were conveyed to me by a fren thru another fren. and these were words uttered by this person whom i've once considered as a good fren and also at one period of time, the mere mentioned of his name will easily ticked me off.

i have, however, come to terms with it - that doesnt mean we are frens again. it is just that i have learned to move on and there are so many things to experience than just look back and get pissed. it's unworthy cos really i cant be bothered by ... well, unnecessary people. good riddance, they said. darn right.

i just have to be careful in trusting frens. i think in life we go thru stuff like this and i have to accept it. for what it's worth, i am happier now.

:: song bits

HAWT! mtvs:

'Black Sweat' from Prince
i love prince and i don care what you say. he's a genius and his music, i dare to say, sexy. especially this hot new single

'Stupid Girl' from Pink
this song cracks me up everytime i watched it. she spoofed so many 'stupid girls' frm hollywood. i like that car wash bit spoofing BOTH jessica 'stupid' simpson and paris 'slut' hilton. and, this is a damn fun song, too!

'Pump it' from BEP
one of the guys from Black Eyed Peas must be darn creative cos their videos are always so cool! this song is not my fav. from their latest album, 'Monkey Business'; however, the mtv is something else albeit too short!

'Life' from Ricky Martin
love the bit where he poured those damn milk on his baw-day! muahahaha....

Dilemma

DILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMA
DILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMA
DILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMA
DILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMA
DILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMADILEMMA

Shenanigan Bits:

1. i recently bought a book from Borders, 'Running with Scissors' by Augusten Burroughfor (RM57.00), which is a pretty damn good read. But, guess what? i have read the book 1/2 year ago. a same fucking book! and it was 2 weeks into reading it that i found out about it. stupido-level: 9.5!
   
   
2. feng-shui, i believe. but, Massage Chair AND feng-shui? That's too damn much, Ms Too. too damn much *grrrrr* stupido-level: 10!
   
   
   
3. my driving's license expired about a month ago, and i only found out yesterday. stupido-level: 6.5!
   
   
4. an article from the newspaper yesterday reported that 'if a person runs alone, especially those who get up early in the morning for their morning jog, they will become stupider. this is because the activity does not generate brain cell.' and quote my boss, 'if you bitch, it sharpens your mind. therefore, i have an excuse to bitch'. stupido-level: to be determined.

'if everybody looked the same'

DILEMMA...



song bits:
currently listenin' to Groove Armada's 'Best of...'. FUCKING GOOD STUFF, i tell ya!

dude, how is this car?

the first time i laid my eyes on a Suzuki Swift, it was love at first like, like all things with great designs. ipod, sony ericsson w810 (walkman phone series), motorola razr & silvr, murano glass chandelier (see picture below), flos range of lightings, Giogali chandelier, and the many funky stuff found here ... Design within Reach.

i'd use everything from this place to decor my house!

but i digress.

yes, Swift. love at first sight. but reality sets in when i saw the price tag of the car. RM84 grand for this little fella? i know it's sexy, sporty and it suits me, but, RM84 grand? no way jose!

and, that was months ago. im now back shopping for cars again cos just last week a Chevrolet car promo at The Curve made me think about getting a new car because the deal is friggin' darn good! They basically are giving the buyer RM4k for any purchase of their car! OR, you could opt for a brand new DELL laptop, SONY video cam etc for each purchase. so, that lured me to look at Aveo5, which isn't too bad except that im quite bothered by the round dashboard, round air-con um, 'window'? hehe... everything is roundish inside the car! nevertheless, the salesperson was very friendly. within 2 days he actually called up and arranged with me to see how much my car is valued at if i were to trade-in with them. very efficient i must say, and they are givin' me a pretty good deal. but i need a 2nd opinion. thus, i started asking around...

the response wasn't very encouraging at all, to say the least, especially from my brother in law who knows a lot about cars. he adviced me about the resell value, the maintenance, particularly the expensive spare parts and worse, the lack of it. i thought to myself, should i be affected with what he had adviced me? i did more research about this car online and asked around my friends. some was clueless, others had given me more than i need - thanks, dan! after much thought, my attention is back on Swift, again! i made an appointment to see the showroom in Aman Suria this evening for a test drive.

THE RESULT: Sssssssmoking! very smooth, very quiet - it's like, driving in a beemer. absolutely comfortable and very stylish and sexy. i feel sexy driving that car! ad was at the rear sit and he totally likes it, too. and the best bit, they are givin' me a darn good deal! it's a 5 star definitely for a compact car. my only and the littlest problem is that the passenger seat (rear seat) is a tad too small. oh wat the hell!

sis adviced me earlier to consider Toyota Vios, which is not a bad sedan, really. chinese r a practical bunch - they buy cars that are big, interior and exterior, high resell value, low maintenance.... basically, they want the best out of the kaching they are paying. [no offence to those who do not fall into this category] i understand her concern and she wants the best for me. but i'm gonna go against the grain.

*taking a deeeeeeeeeep breath*

hair today

i love my new hairstyle. thanks to my sis who finally decided to give it a radical + edgy look after 2 attempts. and this is what you do wen u hv too vainpots in d bathroom :p (very chungking express wat hehee..)

crash, broke, BLAH!

and the best picture goes to... 'CRAP'.

alrite, alrite. i am still hung up over the fact that Brokeback Mountain (BM) did not win the Best Picture in the recent oscar. and i am utterly disappointed with the oscar committees for voting Crash over BM. i knw some of you mite think that i am voting for BM cos im PLU, and therefore, i support BM more than any of the movies nominated. wrong.

aamof, i rooted for BM for this category because ang lee directed a movie on a subject that no one dares to touch - homosexuality. not especially if ur a director who is famed for churning out blockbusters/big hits. no one does a gay movie cos it just doesnt sell! and on top of that, there are just too many bigots and stereotyping honchos out there that do not or will not want to be associated with such a taboo subject.

BM is beautiful love story with great cinematography and screenplay adapted from an equally good writer. The talented young casts were another good reason that this movie deserves the award. and, the director, ang lee, who believes that no subject is not worth an attempt as long as it is for the sake of art. Crash, well, is an intensely emotional story about racism. i cant help but to compare it with Amores Pedros, directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inniaritu, which is my all time favorite movie, but Crash. mmmmm ...

show-gun

recent dinner in shogun, one utama. click on image to enlarge.

i would like to thank the following ppl for allowing me using their image on the blog (muahaha): -

vivian siaw
adrian toh
brennen teo
ethan
caroline (the photographer)

leo ku rawks

leo ku rawks leo ku rawks leo ku rawks leo ku rawks leo ku rawks leo ku rawks leo ku rawks leo ku rawks leo ku rawks leo ku rawks leo ku rawks leo ku rawks leo ku rawks leo ku rawks. and justin, too.

oscar, the amazing race

the rich, the famous, the beautiful, the artistic, the narcistic, the fucked ups the ugly ...

yes, it is the time of the year again. no, im not talking about The American Idol 5 (which is gettin' a tad bit boring esp the friggin' Simon Cowell and his predictable comments) but, The Oscars which will be telecast live via satellite come Monday the 6th. i have just sent out email to some of my friends to fill up the Oscar Ballot and asked them to vote for their favorites or the nominee that is likely to win in the different categories.

1. BEST PICTURE: Brokeback Mountain
   
2. BEST DIRECTOR: Ang Lee for BrokeBack Mountain
   
3. BEST ACTOR: Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote (Heath deserves it, too; but, a flamboyant/psychotic and gay investigator? It's gotta be Phillip Seymour cos he long deserves this recognition)
   
4. BEST ACTRESS: Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line
   
5. BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener
   
6. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: George Clooney for Syriana (Jake was good but George Clooney was believable)
   
7. BEST ART DIRECTION: King Kong!
   
8. BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Brokeback Mountain
   
9. BEST ORIGINAL SONG: Travellin' Thru for Transamerica
   
10. BEST SCORE: Brokeback Mountain
    
11. BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: King Kong!
    
12. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit

And the amazing race is on! Yes, both at the Oscar and The Amazing Race, season 9! i've got some favorite teams and teams that i totally loathe, such as 'The Frosties' and the 'Pink Girls' (they epitomise the 'Stupid Girls' in Pink's latest video...ooo Pink and Stupid Girls and Pink Girls. hmm...uncanny). too bad that the 'girly' boys were eliminated last week cos i tot it would be fun to see them in the race esp. with their hilarious remarks and antics.

tryin'

i am tryin' out somethin' new different.

there should be changes from now till this wknd when i've decided wat's nice. cheers!

black + white, multicolour

dry weather

+ original photo by author. all rights reserved

black + white, blue

izzi blue

+ original photo by author. all rights reserved.

black + white, rainbow

bombay kids

+ original photo by author. all rights reserved

Brokeback Mountain

first up, i (finally!) watched the critically-acclaimed, multiple awards nominee and winner (8 up for oscars & Best Movie in the Golden Globe and The 2005 International Venice Film Award) and the most talk about and controversial movie of last year, 'Brokeback Mountain'.

my brother wants to watch the movie. My friend's conservative mother has shown interest to see it. Ah Beng looking for it at the VCD/DVD stores/vendors. My (current) favourite DVD/VCD shop owner, who happens to look like a Redneck herself, said that the copies they managed to get hold off flew off the shelf like hot cakes. i'm only left with 3 copies. Better decide fast. She said. threats don't work for me, dude. but...

i called my dear fren who had text me earlier to say that she's seen it and that she would pass a *unprintable* for me. hey, you got a copy of BM? Yes, i do and it is quite clear. But the accent is .... so difficult to understand la! This copy hasnt got any subtitle. She lamented. Don't worry. I'll wait for your copy. I told her. promptly after that, i told redneck that i'd give it a pass. she shrugged and, snorted, i think.

every friggin' queer in the queerdom talked about this movie and how much they cried (some balled, mind you) watching it. even the latest season of American Idol mocked a contestant by doing a 15 minute 'trailer' and called it 'Brokenote Mountain'. poor Gareth - the contestant tho that was like, the highlight of the show for that particular episode and so farking funny, too.

so what's the fuss?

ang lee had pulled together a fantastic cast - young and highly talented stars, selected a beautiful script and filmed it so magically that you wish you were herding sheeps on the magnificent and astounding scenic mountains, which Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) calls it the Brokeback Mountain. i never imagined heath ledger could pull off such emotional and strong character, and i applaud him for suceeding it. he reminds me a lot of my past and i can relate what he and jack had to go through. ultimately, it is him that drove jack away. and it is him that caused the tragic end. he, ledger, is the moving force in the entire movie. he deserves a nod in the oscar. on the question of whether he will win it is still highly questionable because he is competing with the very talented philip seymour of 'Copote'. one problem tho. the american (southern) accent is so thick. ad and i were sitting so close to our tv, any noise would've missed what they say.

i saw 'Crash' about 6 months ago. i love the movie. but, it is undeserving to win Best Picture. im all for 'Brokeback'.

"Brokeback Mountain is not quite the period piece that some would like to imagine. America's squeaky closet doors may have swung open far enough for a gay rodeo circuit to flourish. But let's not kid ourselves. In large segments of American society, especially in sports and the military, those doors remain sealed. The murder of Matthew Shepard, after all, took place in Brokeback territory. Another recent film, Jarhead (in which Mr. Gyllenhaal plays a marine), suggests how any kind of male behavior perceived as soft and feminine within certain closed male environments triggers abuse and violence and how that repression of sexual energy is directly channeled into warfare.

Yet Brokeback Mountain is ultimately not about sex (there is very little of it in the film) but about love: love stumbled into, love thwarted, love held sorrowfully in the heart.

Or, as Ms. Proulx writes, "What Jack remembered and craved in a way he could neither help nor understand was the time that distant summer on Brokeback when Ennis had come up behind him and pulled him close, the silent embrace satisfying some shared and sexless hunger." One tender moment's reprieve from loneliness can illuminate a life.

Stephen Holden, THE NEW YORK TIMES.

more reviews:

"Magnificent!" Glenn Kenny, PREMIERE

"Groundbreaking! Played with great imploded passion by Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger" David Ansen, NEWSWEEK

"A Landmark. Moving and majestic! Heath Ledger magically and mysteriously disappears into the skin of his character. It is a great screen performance as good as the best of Marlon Brando and Sean Penn." Stephen Holden, THE NEW YORK TIMES.

"An instant classic. An epic American love story!" A.M Homes, VANITY FAIR

"Heath Ledger's wrenching performance is the stuff of Hollywood history." Mahnola Dargis, THE NEW YORK TIMES

intentional procrastination

i'm currently chattin' with a fren, and from our conversation it inspires me to post (this). i have not chatted with this 'cyber' friend of mine for quite some time now, and we were catchin' up w/ what we've missed out and what not. suddenly, ideas came bursting out while talkin' to him. ideas for a certain somethin' that i have been talkin' & thinkin' about (alot) and havent had the time to sit down and work it out.

have i been intentionally procrastinating?

design. outlet. food. graphic. soar. pink. birds. ipod nano. christmas cd. pictures. furniture. interior design. magazines. trash magazines. times. songs. sugarbabes. william orbit. hello waveforms. golf. duncan sheikh. angels. brokeback mountain. photography. google. investor. funds. nasi lemak. iced lemon tea. events. sme. bank. management. good. sources. biz. inspirations. fly.

new born / new blog / new recipe

a friend of mine had caught the blog's bug recently and i am thrilled cos i've got (more) blog buddies.

razzle, dazzle, puzzle. what's da buzz? well check it out urself ppl

on valentine's day yesterday i played d role of chef for my b. hehe... i knw he must be squirming when i said im gonna take over the pot and skillet and cook him a feast. feast it was not but i managed to buy him his favorite - sushi + sashimi which i presented differently (stylo-mylo lah!). i also prepared my mandarin oranges salad w/ bacon bits and cherry tomatoes (own recipe yo!). lastly, and supposedly the main course, was partially prepared by him - kimchi noodles. haha... totally enjoyed d nite at our own place without the hustle and bustle in restaurants or cafes. i totally loathe d valentine's day gimmicks...

1. send sms to ur love ones
2. buy anything in our shop/mall and u'll get a stalk of rose and red apple (err... ok)
3. love (steam)boat

bla bla blearrrrghhhhh..

yawn.

yay! finally i get to see victor tan's baby boy...and before anyone else! ha! in malaysia that is! hehe...here's the adorable kenneth tan and quote the daddy:















"Baby Ken is growing day by day. Now, he's begining to make baby talk
and yesterday, for the first time, he giggles. It is fun just watching
him do all those things that we all take granted for. I wasn't aware
that it's so fascinating to watch a baby play and giggle."

aww... makes me wanna cry. and damn, i feel old now. anyways, thanks so much for the adorable pictures vic and i wanna see more soon k! and on the question when im goin' to visit new york, hmm, if i work doubly hard this yr perhaps next yr. hehe

serenity is priceless

i love the nature. the sun, the greens, the beaches. i cant farking wait for my perhentian trip come march! whoo hoo!

picture taken in 'sg chilling' circa 1 feb 2006

'chilling' out [pt 1]

our excursion leading to the 'chilling' waterfall which was fun, fun, fun!

thanks so much to our drill sergeant/guide, johnny. the hike was so worth it when we finally reached the waterfall cos it was cooling, tranquil albeit smoky - there were some ppl bbq-ing stuff nearby, and i dare to say therapeudic cos of the sound of the waterfall. we did some bbq, too, and wat came out of it - lamb, chicken, nasi lemak, sausages - was superb! think we can challenge steven's corner lamb chop haha! would love to do it again, really. incidentally, that day was juwene's *unprintable* birthday. serina baked her a cake and we all sang her a birthday song for her in da jungle!

'chilling' out [pt 2]

'chilling' out

clockwise from left:
1. juwene, the birthday girl
2. posing w/ d b'day gal: jasmine, johnny, birthday girl, serina + adrian
3. in the blinking, icy cold water: me, johnny, serina, adrian + juwene
4. starting up the BBQ

"doncha wish your girlfriend is FREAK like me"

from l-r: fiona apple, kanye 'mafia' west, madonna, teri 'not-so-sexy' hatcher & kelly clarkson with her borrring dress & more borrrring performance

hehe..sorry madge. i thought the "leg-warmers" or whatchumitecallit are a bit too much. love the hair tho it is very farah fawcetty. great performance anywho! and the best dressed on that nite has got to go to john legend for his all-white get up and beyonce for her bootylicious dress. best performance in no order: mariah "puff" carey, madonna, john legend & the ensemble payin' tribute to sly stone. love joss stone and ciara.

pictures from eonline

"doncha wish your girlfriend is HOT like me"

from l-r: alicia keys, beyonce, christina aguilera, very pregnant gwen & very flat-tering sheryl crow

pictures from eonline

Mc fab!

'im lovin' it, ba da ba ba baaaa...' that's exactly what im singin' for this super-cool mcDonald's website from down under that i stumbled on this afternoon. it is very informative, colourful (they use very good images with strong vibrant colours against the black bg) & effective. the flash work is darn impressive! best bit, they've got a Nutritional Facts section where you could select from 'the menu', place it on the 'tray' and voila! it'll tell u how much of calories ur eating for a Big Mac or nuggets.

i was, for that half an hr, salivating while browsing through the website. then, reality dawned on me and reminded me that on 'Abs Diet' book, fast food is a no no if u want a flat stomach. sien. anyways, the aussie mcD is much, MUCH better compared to the local ones cos they've got more, should i say, healthy selections on their menu. i especially love the toasts, yogurt, mueslis and salads. if McDonald's of Malaysia is reading this, pls introduce more 'alternative' selections for your menu. pretty pls? cos i betcha, us, gym/work-out/sports enthusiasts will patronise mcD every other day if not everyday!

all pictures by McDonald's, Australia

top 5 curry laksa

yes, our shop's cafe is voted as the top 5 restaurants and/or cafe that serves the best "curry laksa" in the whole of malaysia! by a local english daily, The News Straits Times! i am not sure if it incl. sabah & sarawak but what i am damn blinking sure is that it is a very flattering article for our business.

one problem tho'... it is solely based on the writer's opinion and tastebuds. so it can be quite subjective. nonetheless, that is something we can be proud of for a long time.

here's the top 5 by shannon teoh of nst: -

1. Kuantan: Kedai Kopi Hai Peng.For those in the know, Hai Peng is synonymous with that great brew of coffee from Kemaman but their new branch in Kuantan, run by the original owner’s grandson, serves up a wicked curry laksa as well. The operator, who used to be based in KL, has a concoction that has elements of asam laksa but it doesn’t overload the senses as the entire broth is of a lighter consistency than average. At only RM3.50, this pork-free dish is good value for an enjoyable main course or as a hearty snack.Location: 36, Jalan Haji Abdul Aziz, in the middle of the banking “district”.

2. Ipoh: The Yat Yat Seng Restaurant is a neighbourhood coffeeshop famous for its curry mee and pie tee. People order the latter as a snack or appetiser while waiting for the former. The curry has very little or no santan, and comes with your choice of roast pork, shredded chicken or prawn (or maybe you’d like to have all three?). Open for breakfast and lunch. If you go during the festive season or public holidays, be prepared to wait. A bowl can set you back anything from RM4 to RM6 depending on your specification. Worth every ringgit. Not halal.Location: 83, Jalan Dato Lau Pak Khuan, Ipoh Garden.

3. Penang: Restoran Lorong Seratus Tahun Curry Mee. The gravy is noticeably different from versions in other states, using a lot of stock and less coconut milk, making it more watery. Ingredients include cuttlefish, quail eggs, fish balls and jellied cubes of pork blood, obviously an acquired taste. Apart from the shop at Lorong Seratus Tahun which opens from morning to evening, it has established two branches, one nearby on Jalan Anson and another in SS2, Petaling Jaya.Location: Lorong Seratus Tahun, near Melaka Street and Jalan Anson

4. Segambut: Restoran Yu Ai. The seafood curry laksa is our target but this famous restaurant offers its seafood noodle in clear soup and tom yam as well. No matter the gravy, the seafood includes brown squid, juicy mussels, tiny clam shells that require some work andfour orfive prawns with heads attached. Yu Ai’s curry is deep and complex, with layers of warm spices. Open 8am to 5pm, expect to pay higher-than-average prices due to the bounty of seafood. For urbanites, there are branches in USJ, Subang Jaya and SS2, Petaling Jaya.Location: 42J, Jalan Segambut Utara.

5. Kuala Lumpur: House + Co. Inside this interior decoration store lies a small cafe that serves up a rich nyonya laksa for lunch. Yes, it’s pricey at RM15 a pop but it comes in a serving that’ll put away any thoughts of teatime. As expected from a nyonya laksa, it’s got plenty of santan that sweetens and deflects any overt spiciness and goes down with significance. This halal dish has got the character to match the ambience.Location: Lot 2.15, 2nd Floor, Bangsar Shopping Centre. {picture from House + Co}

con-figure-ass

arghhhhhhhhhh...... im havin' some difficulty in conFIGURING the wireless router i've purchased recently cos we are using mac at home. callin' the support team from netgear didnt do much help cos they sounded a) cranky b) heavily accented ie india c) too much white noise over the telephone and d) "sorry sir we are not very familiar with mac". WTF!

apparently it is toll free so i sure hope my cellphone bill didnt come up to a bomb. sigh

on a slightly happier note, i cant wait to see madonna performing at the grammy's tomorrow with the gorillaz. yay! and and american idol - all selected candidates will be flown to ho ho hollywood for the first round of elimination. cant farking wait

road signs in india

these are some of the road signs in india a fren emailed me recently. totally whack! i like the one that says, 'drive like hell, and you'll be there'

bunga api

so fun to see my nieces + nephew playin' w/ fireworks

life vs mahjong

Life .. and mahjong. Vivien Siaw called out everyone to play 'Life' with her ... but of cos we were drawn to play w/ mahjong, instead

starry starry nite

starry starry nite ? no, it was fireworks that didnt take place ... on time

camaraderie

camaraderie + feast = joy joy

wok with ah siaw!

click to enlarge

wok with teo

click to enlarge

eve of cny

on the eve of cny and what am i doing? im actually sittin' down in starbucks. hehe..

did help out my parents at home earlier and also cleaned my house for one last round before ushering the doggy yr. it has been very tiring day albeit very productive, too. a couple of more hrs will be reunion dinner and i predict that mom will call by 6pm.

i reckon i shud go

have a fantabulous dog yr!

xoxo

cny greeting

wishin' you a rockin' good yr! woof

knackered eye

so friggin' tired. was doin' on-site installation at client's house in damansara heights. what's on site installation? we're like the ID guy in Queer Eye for the Straight Guy except that in reality it is not as quick as it is on tv. glitches here and there & clients are not so susceptible to our recommendations or suggestions as those straight guys on QE. well, it all ends well. they're happy, and so are we cos before the make-over the place is a tad bit bland. like havin' nasi lemak without the sambal, yaknw.

on the other note, one more day to holiday! and, 2 more days to CNY! i used to be not fussed over CNY cos i dread the 10 mil questions my relatives will throw at me. here are some common ones *usual cny greeting - the louder the more "hei" it is* : -

• Wah! so handsome now! where's your girlfriend ah?
• followed by, When is your turn to get married? version one: Look at your poor mom she's been waiting until her hair all white lor (FYI, my mom has got 4 other boys & 1 daughter who've gotten married w/ kids)
• version 2 of the above: Look at your aunty & uncle! All hair white already! Or no hair! fuck, give me a break!
• Wah! You look different nowadays worrr. What you do? Wah, Maayyynager wooor so good. Where's your girlfriend ah? no. i'm gay

duh. and tat was yesterday's news.

channel flippin'

i took a half day leave today cos i've got to attend to something outside of work. i am seeking for new opportunities, let's just put it that way.

at home: slept through the evening after attending to the things i needed to do. it was really a nice nap at our place in kmc with jazz music playing at the playground. man, i totally miss this. i was supposed to b bending my body and all in yoga class and THEN, kick some thin air in combat. i tot, wat the hell! hang all that. i wanna sleep

ha

on astro: watchin' 'fashion tv' on channel v & at the same time, 'pop inc' on mtv. d'squared in milan! my fav. men's couture (is that rite?) & the other channel has got 2 cutie face vjs dissing pop stars. duh.

i'd recently discovered this great modern rock bank from UK, Rooster

i really didn't think much of them when they first appeared on music tvs. but i must admit that his voice and their energy have totally changed my mind and i am hooked with ...You're so right for me (errr... ok) & Come get some (darn catchy!)

on 'fashion tv': reuben toledo. a great artist who is a great illustrator who've recently worked with coco channel's karl lagerfeld. i think his work is insanely good!! very edgy, quirky & sexy. oh on that sexy note, d'squared is totally hot!

holiday ... celebrate

d last time my blog was updated was mths ago, circa oct 2005, i think. (i will disregard madonna's picture as a um, not a post). anyways, it is the brand new yr and many ppl have had made lists of ny's resolutions and still (incl. me) trying hard to stick to it. one of it is to keep my blog more updated (sic). here is a list of what i've achieved from 1st of jan until today: -

1. new layout for my blog, checked
2. real plants for my house, checked
3. vaccuum cleaner for my house, checked
4. 3 x's weekly work out schedule, checked
5. signed up for shout out, checked
6. spring cleaning for our house, checked
7. promised mom i will stay in for 2 nites during cny, checked

damn, that was it huh? i reckon i have like, hundreds more that i need to work on. one of it is to make full use of my creativity in d beginning of da yr. im usually more creative and have lotsa ideas at this time of d yr. the brand spankin Dog year is around the corner and i am totally in the holiday mood altho' there isnt much plans for my 10days leaves except mahjong, mahjong and mahjong. yahuuuu! oh, did i say i wanna make full use of my creative 'chi'?

ok here's my attempt doing a warhol.

the master of ceremony..sophia

the stage

the entrance decor of the lantern festival in TIS

heeeeebat! great recipes frm missy v who was, well, not present during the cooking for the feast. serina and ad cooked up the storm!

rabun

mooncake festival eve @ home

so far..

phuhhh... the sofa finally arrives. we had it customed-made in olive green. i was pretty anxious for the past weeks after we had placed an order cos we really do not know how it would turn out. fyi, they do not have a showroom piece. so, i must admit i am very brave to order a design that is based entirely from a catalogue.

my bravity didnt exactly pay off when the sofa was literally unwrapped from the corrugated boxes, plastic and cling wraps. it turned out to be higher than expected and the throw/loose cushions are missing. i was, of cos, astonished and appalled both at the same time but i din make a big fuss out of the poor delivery men. i let them go and said i will deal with the office people. till monday i will know... more waiting.

tho' i don quite find the sofa va va voom, i realised i could actually adorn it with lotsa stuff such as colorful throws i.e. silk, cotton, pashmina (did i spell that correctly?) and of cos throw cushions in assorted sizes. and what is missing will be replaced with more interesting colour combinations and/or material. i still like the idea of having a shaggy rug...now where do i store the other two lazy chairs, contributed by our dear frens and husband and wife to be, Caroline and Reuby.

on a diff. note, i had been, of cos, bz over the past weeks. not bz at work but bz outside of work. i took up a freelance job to decorate a school for the Mooncake Festival. My fren's mother looked me up and gave me the job. I was really involved with 30% of the entire event. It was friggin stressful and tiring but it is all worth it when you received good feedback. AND, i learned a great deal. I do not mind doing more of such events if there are opportunities.

moving on/up

it has been a pretty busy week cos i had jus moved into a new place in kelana jaya. not an easy feat but i managed to do it... i mean, making the decision and taking the big leap to move out from my family house/s - first was ma n pa, then, sis and now, all on my own.

well, not entirely on my own per se. i moved in to this new place with a good fren of mine, adrian. we also rented out the other room to a very close fren of ours. her/his identity should remain undisclosed. anyways, when i first told ma about moving out from sis place, she didnt take it too well. she was frantic ... fanatic, actually. she went on lecturing me about getting married first and that it is not a good idea to move out cos you can become 'bad'. i was like, "jeez, ma. first of all, i wasnt even talking abt getting married. the subject here is about me moving out and as a courtesy, i feel that i should inform you and not really needing your consent. Second of all, at such ripe age, you actually think i could turn into a criminal? shucks!" she didnt heed. she went on bombarding me about moving out and not getting married which i should and moving out will make me a bad person. shocking, i knw; nonetheless, she toned down much later and actually listened. i got my so called 'green light' eventho i am 28 yo, can u believe that? no matter how old you are, i am still the 'baby' in the family. my sis was a little less dramatic but she offers me to move back if i decided to - that is, when everything didnt work out living outside. i shall prove everyone wrong.

anyhow, all was well. we moved in to this new place on the 27th of august but had it painted red, literally ;) the sunday before. it was very tiring but i must extend a BIG thank you to Missy V (see 5 pics below) for her great help. Thank you so very much and of cos, Adrian for being so patient. the place looks pretty messy still cos we lack storage spaces such as chest of drawers, cabinets, consoles etc. we need furniture and we're targeting to organise a housewarming party sometime early next mth. crossing my fingers that everything goes well by that time. we really hope to impress our guests with whatever furniture we could find/dig in town. trust me, that is not easy at all! Klang Valley lacks 2nd hand furniture shops. it also lacks funky, trendy furniture shop. even if there are, they usually over priced their goodies. sigh...

meantime, i've posted some pics of my room which ive stayed in (with my sis family) for almost 3 years. sad to move on but never regret a single bit.

boxed up

trainspotting...travelling without moving

tags, mags... zapped

naked bed, heavy sack

boxed up belongings

emptied corner

char chan teng in petaling st

siao lee ying enjoyin d delicious dim sum

petaling street @ 8am

the pussycat dolls

i simply love their first single, 'Don cha'. So darn catchy and sexy...

'don cha wish ur gf is hot like me/ don cha wish ur gf is freak like me / don cha...'

so hot! anyways, here are some songs that i really like: -

• 'you're beautiful' - james blunt
• 'wake me up when sept ends' - green day
• 'behind the hazel eyes' - kelly clarkson
• 'lose control' - missy elliot feat. busta rhymes
• 'outta control' - 50 cents feat. mobb deep
• 'perfect' - alanis morrissette (acoustic version)
• 'beverly hills' - weezer
• 'tears & rain' - james blunt

and i love fly fm. so cool cos no commercials!

you're beautiful

My life is brilliant.
My love is pure.
I saw an angel.
Of that I'm sure.
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won't lose no sleep on that,
'Cause I've got a plan.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw you face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.

Yeah, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was,
Fucking high,
And I don't think that I'll see her again,
But we shared a moment that will last till the end.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw you face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.
You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
There must be an angel with a smile on her face,
When she thought up that I should be with you.
But it's time to face the truth,
I will never be with you.

james blunt

ps: i love this song so much so that i could play it till i got sick of it and then play it all over again and get sicker

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

caught the show last wknd with my pal, adrian, and it was an engaging, entertaining and sweet movie! i especially enjoyed watchin' johnny depp playing willy wonka, the owner of the chocolate factory. his potrayal of the character was flawless and if he doesnt deserves a nod at the oscar next yr, he's got us givin' him a standing ovation for his wonderful performance. and not to forget tim burton's direction that's dark, yet it manages to charm the audience with the multi-faceted characters. but the quirky and darn corny characters, such as the oomhpa lam pa and their dance sequences (very bollywoodish) sorta made u go like, 'wat the hell?' then again it is really some of the movie's special moments.

of bluntness and ... sadness

ive recently discovered james blunt. i am not sure he hails frm which part of the world but i do hv a hunch that it's UK; tho' i am darn lazy to google him. i esp love the track, 'tears and rain'. it's full of emotions and his powerful vocal delivers the song with so much impact so much so that you will be sad listening to it.

why do ppl enjoy being sad? hmm... but, sometimes, i do wish i am. ha! funny isnt it?

anyways, on a happier subject, it has been a darn bz month and an exciting one, too. i cant say what it is now cos i do not want to jinx it and also that ppl who read this mite jinx it for me, yaknw? yeah, u could say i am a little ... cautious these days abt whom to trust and wat to say. even to closest of frens.

and of lately, i bumped into some pretty interesting websites. personal website of ppl i knw but not close. not even acquainted. i admire their creativity in designing and maintaining it (their websites) and also the honesty they shared to the world out there. i wish i could do that .. but i simply do not hv the time.


peace out!

Miserably yours,

i think it makes me sick to think that there are actually ppl who spread unhappy vibes to others, even to their closed ones, just so they will be as miserable and unhappy as they are. and then they are the type of ppl who think u shud not be excelling in life or be happy simply because they have a miserable and depressing life. fyi, they are unwell and they will just make ur life miserable, two-folds.

did i try to understand them? u bet.

at the end of the day, they just dont see it. and they want more of you. just like the haze in KL now, they're "clouded and polluted". stay far away.

on a happier note, the wong family has got a new addition in their family tree! ive got a new baby nephew! havent got the time to see him, yet; think i will do it this sunday.

so much for my happy ending

it has been a while since the last time i checked and updated my blog. and to my surprise, i received a comment to my prev post, "Freeloader". it was by an anonymous person and it was short and poignant. he/she said that i shud not defend if i am not a freeloader. right. i take that with positive stride. i did reply to that comment stating that i am not interested in defending myself. in fact, i was merely expressing my feelings about what had taken place and what followed as remarks that was shot at me, point blank. it was hurtful remarks coming out from a fren that you actually think is ur close fren. but i guess since day one, it never was and it just got worse. the ego side of me said, "what the hell! fuck it, man!"

but the softer side of me like to think that ppl say things, sometimes, without thinking. and if i tried to be less sensitive about their remark/s, it is probably harmless. it has been weeks and months already and i had happily moved on. i'd like to put that behind me and start to trust ppl again albeit with extreme caution. it is so hard to be able to trust someone ever again after what had happened between my ex and a certain ex-fren that i'd rather wished he'd disappear frm my life - completely. naive, yes, i knw. but he oughtta get a life. truly.

back to this "freeloader" issue. things hv changed so much over the period frm then till now i no longer feel the need to defend myself cos just so you knw, ms/mr anonymous, i do not get anything from it (by defending myself). did i make you think i am really not a freeloader from my article? am i trying to clear my guilty conscience? and does the world needs to know that i am a petty person for bringing that up? no, no, no and no.

at the end of the day, i live, i learn. i am who i am and i never pretend to be complicated or wish that my frens think i am (complicated).

on a happier note, i think a lot of good things are coming my way. i just have to ensure that i am happy and continue to live life to the fullest.