The Moment I Turned 26

I was in the toilet,releasing myself, about to cleanse my face and brush my teeth when there was a bang on the door. Must be Hyin, in desperate to set her bladder free. :p
"Alrite." I yelled back. Wait, did I yell? No, no i didn't, just raised my voice slightly higher so that she could hear me.
And the minute I opened the door,.......................Ta-Da....

Oh my gawd!!! I wasn't prepared and I wasn't in a presentable form either! Well...helloooooo... it has already past midnight and it was time for bed. It made sense rite? With my auntie look,and a b'day cake rite in front of me,this was the best b'day bash I've ever had! And the theme for this year was PYJAMAS. Wakeke~

Nevertheless I was sooooooooo touched.Thanks guyz. I was actually browsing through simple cupcake recipes online, thinking that I could bake myself some the next day.Well, it's quite meaningful, isn't it? To bake yourself a cake on your very own b'day?Better still, decorate it with "Happy B'day to ME!!!" on top. OR it would appear to be rather pathetic, from a different perspective coz no one seems to remember to buy you a cake, or worse, even your b'day?!

Anyway anyhow,I am the lucky few for I have a b'day cake and even luckier to have friends celebrating it with me!!!! So cupcakes?? Nah..just forget about it.... :p

Thanks WeiC and Ah Heng for the perfume!!!! Now that I have all my three favourite collections with me.. Hehe~
For those who sent me greeting via sms, on friendster or Facebook: A big THANKS to y'all.... Luv you guyz. :)

To Hao Po Tin and Sayang: You two owe me a celebration. I don't care if it's belated :p.
To my mom: Mom, where is my present??!! Hehe~

Travel Journal: London Revisited Day 2

08:35am
I swear that I must have put on a few pounds over the night! :p
Okay, everyone's basically done. Hyin is tying her shoe lace, me drinking my coffee, already done with the packing coz we are checking out today.
We are supposed to be out of the room 5 minutes ago and here we are still in the room, with me sipping my coffee. :p
Today's itinerary: Buckingham Palace then the Madame Tussauds.
We are hoping that we will be able to witness the Changing Guards Ceremony at the Buckingham Palace.
But now,everything asides, breakie comes first!

09:10am
Yippee! Ordered mine: Renoir Breakfast at the Art Cafe. Hyin even suggested to go for roasted duck for breakie if Four Seasons is open by any chance and fortunately it's not. *Phew*

10:00am-02:00pm
Went to Buckingham Palace as planned. The first time ever I came across seeing quite a number of Asians communities in London.Let's just forget about Indians, Chinese and Middle East origins for they are simply everywhere.What I meant here are Koreans and Japanese, be it residents or tourists.

Anyway, we were unfortunate enough for we did not get to see the Guards Change Ceremony as it is scheduled for tomorrow. :(
No luck, we then headed to Madame Tussauds thinking that with our fast track entry tickets,we could skip the long queue. And we were wrong AGAIN! I showed the girl our tickets and her answer was: You need to go to the back of the line. Wtf??!! It was like few blocks long??!! So??!!
So the three of us walked to the back of the line, reluctantly. Was there any other way? No,of course.
But it was worth the queue.I enjoyed Madame Tussauds as much as I enjoyed my dinner last night. :) In there,not only we got to see hundreds of wax figurines of the stars (of all sort), royal families,world leaders,cultural figures etc;


but also got to enter the Chambers of Horror whereby there would be real actors trying to scare the shit out of us and they have really done a good job. I, for one, was screaming like hell. Shame on me. :p
The tour did not end here, there was this Spirit of London in which the history of London was told in a very colourful and fun way. Never knew that history could be so interesting. Unfortunately photos and videos were prohibited.

02:30pm
Woo....it's windy and chilly. We are now taking a break in a park in Bloomsbury Square. Too tired to move an inch.
The British Museum is just a stone's throw away.

03:00pm-04:00pm
The admission was free which was fantastic. I've been to the Louvre before,so British Museum was no big deal.Didn't take us long to lose our enthusiasm. Well probably we were so drained of strength, after having to catch the tubes from station to station and the LONG walking journey.

Next we dragged our asses from the British Museum all the way to China Town again coz our friend here, Hyin was craving for roasted duck. :p I know it sounds ridiculous but we just can;t get any back in Liverpool. Since we were in London, we never should have let our chances slip away.
We walked into the Four Seasons Restaurant and ordered a half roasted duck, a big portion of char siu, stir-fry kai lan (it seemed we couldn't get enough of it) and aubergine 'n' salted fish in claypot. All these cost us GBP45 (including the tips).

05:30pm
We managed to get onto the 05:17pm train. Thank gawd. Alrite, in 2 and 1/2 hr, I'll be back in Liverpool . :)
At the end of the day, I am glad that I do not live in London. The city itself is very much vibrant and rich in culture, and yet its hectic lifestyle is simply a put off.

Travel Journal: London Revisited Day 1

07:25am

Whoah…we are early! In fact an hour early :D! The departure time for our train to London Euston is at 08:15am. See, told ya we are EARLY. Perhaps it can be explained by once bitten, twice shy. We learn from mistakes and experiences, previous encounters have taught us well that it’s far better to be early than sorry after having to miss the train.

Was raining when I woke up this morning, it was all wet and gloomy when we got out. Not quite a day, eh? Let’s just hope that everything will turn out fine when we get to London *Fingers crossed*.

08:05am

We are now on board. Everyone’s occupied. LJ can’t take his eyes off his PSP, HYin’s listening to her iPod while cracking her head, solving the Sudoku found in Metro daily;

whereas me, as you can see here, scribbling on my travel journal after toying my new Moto V8. And oh, listening to my Sony Ericsson.

11:50am

Yes!! Our room’s ready. I was expecting the receptionist to tell us to come back again after 2pm. But I was wrong. Hehe~ A nice and cozy room it is, with a double decker and a single bed. I’m gonna take the top!

12:00pm – 12.00am

After our lunch we took the tube to Embankment where the London Eye could be seen from afar. I’ve never got to do the eye in my previous visit, so I made sure that I’d made it this time, by all means. :p The whole process from queuing to purchase the tickets to another long queue ahead to get into the capsule actually took us 1 hr. Well come to think of it, it wasn’t that bad after all. And the rotation took us another 30 mins.

After the eye, we headed to Tower Hill where the London Tower is. Been there before so we made the stroll short and quick. Before I knew it, we were already out of here, making our way to the tube station to get to Oxford Street, a shopping heaven. After having to be in and out the tube stations, I could feel my face was getting greasy and dusty, my scalp was oily and it was simply not the best moment to go for a shopping spree. All I knew was I’d been ushered to move along the street by throngs of shoppers and commuters. I needed some fresh air!!

So for our own good, we decided to go straight to China Town and met up with LJ’s friend, Jimmy for dinner.

Oh my, Jimmy has been really really really generous to buy us dinner. And it was not just a simple dinner, mind you, but a luxurious treat!

For starters, there were lobster noodle, crispy duck and scallops with rice noodle. Followed by main: Steamed eel in black bean sauce, stir-fry kai lan, honey braised pork and a yong tau foo look-alike dish. Then there was dessert: Iced red bean soup.

My goodness, I was too loaded to utter a word! Man, it was finger-licking good!

We then went for a leisure walk-around after the hefty dinner.

Before we parted with Jimmy and his gf,Cherry, they managed to talk us into having ice cream at Haagen Dazs. These guys have 5 stomachs I suspect! And we have to queue for 15-20 minutes just for a table! Excuse me, it was freaking chilling....

Minutes after 12:00am

At this hour,one could have the whole coach to himself. :p

12:43am

Finally we called it a day and are back in our room. I can hardly lift my eyelids… Imagine being out for more than 15hours without a break…my feet are protesting. I need to crash now.

G’nite.

B'day Pressie

This is my b'day pressie from the couple: MotoRAZR2 V8!!


Thanks guys! :D
Lots of hugz and kisses. Mmmmmmuackssssssssssss........
And folks, if you are reading this post by any chance, it's my b'day this week.So....you know what to do... Lately my laptop's not working, my purse is soooo old and worn, my watch has been 5 or 6 years old and a bit out of style, I could use some cosmetics like mascara, lipsticks or lipgloss or even eye shadow, I haven't got enough shoulder bag, if possible I need a clutch as well (you know, to attend dinner :p), oh yeah I do not own any MP3 either, and my fav is iPod...my gawd...my life's so empty! *hehe..*
And I shall be waiting.

In the Pink

How long has it been since I last penned?! 2 weeks, or maybe more, I can’t really tell. :p I have been.. err…. pretty occupied lately…with uh…Taiwan drama series Fated to Love You. Hehe~

That’s so not me right? For someone who is turning 26 in a few days’ time, and yet is still so much into 'ou xiang ju'. There was a day when the internet connectivity was so low that we actually watched it on Hyin's iPod (a different line). :p

Guess the experts are right about one thing: in order to look young, one ought to start with the heart. :p That was what I have been practicing lately. Hahaha… But trust me, this drama series is hell a good one, if not the best. Lots of story twisting when you least expect it, tears flooding and at some point the story vividly portrayed the stark realities of life which is the reason why I love it so much.

Okay, enough rambling of that. The main purpose of this post is to let y’all know that I’ve been well, counting down the days and that I am heading to LONDON tomorrow! I have been to London once, on a very tight schedule. In less than 20 hours upon touched down (in London), I was on my way heading to Munich the next morning. So I have never really had a closer look at the megacity and its beauty. But fear not for I am gonna do it tomorrow. :)

Will upload more photos when I get back.

BeautyLicious: My Top Picks for Cosmetics Range

P/S: This entry is all about cosmetics, so if you happened to be a babe, do read on, if you are a dude, then might as well ignore this OR read on, so that you have a better idea of what to get for your spouse when cosmetic is concerned. Remember, babes like to be pampered, dude. :)

Let’s start with the basic shall we?

Facial Skincare

Over the years I’ve tried on countless salon brands, and not to mention how much I’ve spent solely on my face. My first ever cleanser and toner brand was called Meero which is an obsolete brand now I guess. Never seen it on the shelves since…like more than 10 years ago? All through my adolescence, I’ve developed a hyper-sensitive skin type which means getting a suitable facial skincare has become a challenging job. There was a point where I nearly gave up and let it be. I don’t know about guys but for ladies, it is very much frustrating for not being able to find a suitable facial skincare, especially for a hyper-sensitive skin type like myself!

Thank gawd I’ve eventually found myself one! It’s known as Drs Seager.

The range is exceptionally good for acne-prone skin (I have a sudden acne outbreak 3 years ago).

I am not saying that my skin is now as smooth as baby’s bottom but at least it has stopped the acne, for the time being (fingers crossed!).

Foundation

I used to be very anti-foundation coz one: I have very sensitive skin, do not wish to have any irritation that might leave ugly scars, a risk that I dare not to take; second: I don’t fancy looking like ICI paint.

But then there are some occasions that call for it. So I turned to my personal skincare advisor: Mommy the Expert. Hehe~

She recommended me DiorSkin Pure Light. And it was the best choice ever.

This liquid foundation doesn’t leave me a cakey feeling, instead it feels light on my skin and above all it looks super natural (literally) as if I wear nothing at all (on my face, duh…where else do you think I am talking about??!!). Plus it’s oil free which is perfect for my skin!

Eyebrow

Due to my not-so-dense eyebrows, I prefer brown shade to black. And the winner goes to………Lancôme’s Crayon Sourcils in Brun 012. It has got a small brush attached to one of its end which makes blending and shaping effortless.

Eyeliner

I’ve tried Kanebo and Shiseido before but my heart goes to Dior Liquid Eyeliner. The main criteria I am looking for is smudge-free and DiorLiner happened to do the wonder. :) It has been one of my must-have items for years.

It glides easily on the lids and does not irritate the eyes. The best part is: it can be removed by water!

So uhm….if it rains…try not to look up to the sky :p

Mascara

Again I heart Dior’s DiorShow waterproof mascara (both black and blue colour). It makes my eyelashes looking fuller and longer, not forgetting sexier. Hehe~

Or the second option would be Maybelline’s Micro-Fibre mascara. The only drawback for Maybelline is that it’s very hard to remove, you risk losing one or two lashes at the end of the day.

Eyeshadow

You would have guessed what my best choice is. Yup, it’s CD too.

And why is that so? Coz it’s long lasting even I am out the whole day and my face is getting greasy. A newly emerged best-liked is Kanebo T’estimo. Why is that so? Coz they have got very cool and shimmery shades, very Japanese. The main point is they are inexpensive.

Blush

Unfortunately I don’t use blush. :) Can’t provide any advice. Soree. ^_^

Perfume

Hmm…let me see…My favourites are Versace Bright Crystal and Burberry’s Weekend. They are absolutely gorgeous! Versace Crystal is very sweet, floral and cheerful; whereas Burberry Weekend is a floral feminine scent that lasts forever. Both can be worn casually during the day or elegantly into the night.

Another favourite of mine, Chanel Chance, it gives a stronger scent that spells sexy and is perfect for a romantic date. :) However I do not own any at the moment.

Bon Apetite: Thai Green Chix Curry

On the menu for today’s lunch was Thai green chicken curry served with hot rice.

I am not a big fan of curry (of any type) honestly, but when I tried the green curry once few months back, I loved it instantly, and that has made me coming back for more!

Ingredients:

Chicken (just enough for three)
Thai green curry paste
Onion
Cherry tomatoes
Ladyfingers
Dried chillies (optional)
Approximately a cup of coconut milk

Although I am not fond of curry, that doesn’t mean that I do not like spicy food. Due to my extremely health conscious attitude back then, I try to avoid chilli or spicy food as much as I could. I was a health conscious freak and I’d gone a bit too far, I have to admit. :) Maybe I shall write about it next time.

Anyway back to my green curry. Thinking that the curry paste might not be spicy enough, I chucked in 4 dried chillies to add on the kicks. (I did not add in any dried chillies the first time I cooked it.)

And oh my… it was a terrible mistake…

Just the first spoonful was lethal enough to numb my tongue and set my lips on fire! Next were the teary eyes and runny nose episodes. Unlike wasabi which can be described by “easy come easy go”, this burning sensation lingered on for ages. The curry was exceptionally HOT, so hot that the witness of two life-size volcanoes eruption was made possible before my very own eyes. The couple has literally gone from yellow to orangie to alarming RED then to…*BOOOOOM*, exploded.

The only words that HYin managed to say were: “Wah, this is really HOT!” and she has to stop for a few times to catch her breath before continuing; whereas LJ…my my…poor him… pearls of sweat kept rolling down his forehead and yet he never gave up. I couldn’t help but to laugh hysterically at the sight of them.

So by the end of the meal, everyone has got 2 extra sexy HotDogs in return.

I am so soree guys, it was my fault to add in 4 dried chillies, never thought that ‘4’ is the number to kill. I will be more considerate next time. :)