Guidelines for life, yo

New Year's Resolutions Guidelines - Things to do before turning 30

1. Enrich Myself

• Sleep at least 8 hours a day
• Drink lots and lots of water
• Eat well; less oily and unhealthy food, more vegetables and fruits
• Take my vits regularly
• Exercise 20-30 mins at least 3x a week
• Leave work on time
• Invest more in skincare

DO:

• Complete the DIY cross stitch I got for my birthday
• Read more books; finish reading How to Build a Billion Dollar App
• Attend art exhibitions, do more cultural things
• Paint / draw, express myself more creatively in my free time
• Learn a new language - Spanish? Improve Mandarin?
• Attend a workshop on Economics and/or Excel
• Attend floral arrangement classes
• Plant flowers, fruits or vegetables 
• Do volunteer work; mentor troubled youth, organize a beach/street clean-up
• Reuse, reduce, recycle

2. Enrich Relationships (Family & Friends)

• Try out new recipes; cook my family a meal once a month
• Organize dinners / drinks, host art jams / game nights 
• Plan a family trip to Korea, friends trip to Bali / Taiwan?

3. Enrich Love Life (Partner)

• Go on dates (do things together) once a month - no matter how casual or small - love isn't always about the big gestures, intimacy is in the little details
• Make plans in advance for travel & adventures! 
• Spend quality time together and apart (refer to section 'Enrich Myself')
• Be kind to each other and to ourselves

I haven't had the urge to write/blog in ages; 'studying' journalism at university and working as a media & marketing reporter for a year in London somehow tainted the experience for me. I type away on the laptop all day every day for work, yet writing for pleasure feels almost foreign now. It's as if I've forgotten how to express myself through the written word. I pray it's like playing the piano; hopefully my fingers will remember the keys even if my eyes no longer recognize the score.

Funnily enough, the day before 1 Jan 2016, I had the rather shocking realization that this would be THE year I turn 30. I felt the sudden and in-explainable desire to pen every single thought in my head. What is that feeling? PANIC. How did I get to become 29 (on the cusp of 30) in the blink of an eye? Why am I so unaccomplished? Endless items on the checklist of life to be ticked off, so many experiences yet to experience, places to explore, dreams and ambitions to be realized... (bad habits to kick, ahem) and so on...

I couldn't quench that urgent desire to write, and it increasingly reeked of desperation. Why the panic to write a few bloody resolutions? I felt pressured to tick items off a list, things I assumed a 30-year old should've accomplished and more importantly, should be. A ticking time bomb (deadline: x December 2016) in the form of a to-do list. How ridiculous.

Halfway through writing this, I realized how silly I was being.

We live in a society where everybody (literally) has something to say about you, to you. From your 95 year old grand-aunt who claims she has one year left and pressures your elder sister/you to be married by June; to your overly conservative and borderline sexist co-worker who tells you you have a 'Fuck You Face' and randomly (read: cryptically) texts you a URL to an article about 'The science of the Resting Bitch Face' (in what one can only assume is a passive-aggressive manner) to your mother who constantly reminds you that you are 'difficult'; and acquaintances who say "no offence" then proceed to tell you what THEY think you are good/bad at, in a backhanded kind of way (based on no real evidence) and what you should do with your life.

You know what? I don't need another person placing unnecessary pressure on me to live up to some imaginary standard and definition of what a 30 year old should be. Even and especially if that person is myself. At the end of the day, all that matters is that I try my best. And so, I shall think of my New Year's Resolutions as Guidelines, after all, isn't life a Work In Progress meant to be tweaked as we go along?

And with that, enough for tonight. Adios amigos x

twenty-eleven

I'm liking 2011 so far; it smells of change - and good change at that! Kicked off the new year with a unexpectedly fabulous/fabulously unexpected new year's eve party that was, if anything, an indication of the fantastic year that lies head. And I quote myself (via facebook updates, starting with my most recent escapades)...

from berlin:

"after a long night of BAR-HOPPING, we find ourselves at a dance party in an abandoned warehouse at 8am on a sunday morning, oh yeah.. and my cheek is somehow smeared with gold glitter. you gotta ♥ berlin! the city that never sleeps... "

"Berlin is the kind of city that makes you want to have SEX on the streets or pressed up in the corner of a crowded bar. "

"Dining in SOLAR, a sky lounge/restaurant with a panoramic view of berlin. "

ljubljana:

"Dining on Champagne Risotto with Scallops in a castle overlooking LAKE BLED. "

london:

"Evidence that you had a good night is when you get flashbacks of toasting strangers on rooftops, dancing on chairs, screaming LIKE A G6! like your life depended on it and not remembering how you ended up in bed or why there are boys wrapped up in blankets sleeping on your living room floor... And FINALLY feeling sober two days later. "

on easyjet
"Just lost my V-plate on Easyjet. HAPPY NEW YEAR! "

 

And lastly, ONE resolution to sum up this year:

 

"BE FEARLESS"

2010: dubai, milan, hongkong/macau, london/singapore, bologna (italy), missed out on madrid, ljubljana (slovenia), nassjo (sweden).

2011: first stop, berlin....... and then who knows where else the wind will take me?

 

*sniffs the air* I have a good feeling about 2011.....

one night in dubai

reporting from dubai... the night, in brief

glittery saris and indian-inspired embroidery in all colours of the rainbow - never in my life have i felt more dull - knew i should've worn my sequinned indian skirt!

alcohol on free flow; surprisingly, i did NOT get tipsy at all

scored some henna on my hands, palms and back - beautiful, B-E-A-UTIFUL. these women have been doing it for 15 to 30 years! that's even longer than i've been alive!

waiting for henna to dry; unable to go to the loo, wash my hands or eat,

dancing with hyperactive old men to the sounds of techno bollywood-esque beats, hands up in the air. feet hurt, took off my shoes and danced barefoot onstage

bollywood films projected against the white wall - aishwarya rai, hrithik roshan

gorgeous women in gorgeous clothes, envy.

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD! a range of different curries, <3


one day i will have a villa like this...

"what happens in barcelona stays in barcelona."

almost every single day for the past few weeks, months even, has been spent reading seemingly endless stacks of literature; all those sleepless nights agonizing over this pilot dissertation. i grow more and more weary with each day, surviving on 4 and a half hours of sleep or less. with assignments piled on daily at amfi; concepting, mindmaps, powerpoint presentations and this pilot due back at uca, my spirit is slowly but surely being worn down to nothingness.

(fyi: the pilot, brand manual and marketing strategy are due ON THE SAME DAY)

i find that these days, i don't have much to say, i'm my very own personal zombie. i am even beginning to find comfort in solitude - shocking! - lest i infect others with my flagging spirit.

every morning i wake up, therein lies the problem; an internal tug-of-war - the struggle to get up, get dressed and drag my unwilling body out of the flat, onto a tram and to school. i find no solace in mindnumbingly long lectures, writing notes until my brain goes blank and fails to absorb anything else. i just want to be alone.

i can't help but wish for the days of barcelona; where we had absolutely no cares in the world. perfect weather; the sun, sand, sea, perfect food; eating delicious tapas, paella and drinking wine everyday, being madly spontaneous (how unlike me); let this be known, i was in excellent company. 4 of us, 4 bottles of wine, drinking ourselves silly by the beach, CRASHING BARCELONA FASHION WEEK AND ACTUALLY GETTING ESCORTED INTO THE TENT/FASHION SHOW - LIKE VIPS.

summary: got word that BFW coincided with our study trip. spontaneity struck! got dressed to kill. cabbed to the location. upon arrival, noticed beefy security guards and everyone with VIP/PRESS tags. so screwed. were about to give up and go home. walked to the opp side, it looked like the admin/logistics tent. IL talked her/our way into the fashion show. apparently folks, all it takes is the truth. and maybe a little exaggeration.

:)

endless shopping; for some reason, shopping in barca was a completely different experience to shopping elsewhere, for once i was in the right mood to try & buy. i bought this assymetrical jersey summer dress from mango, in the most shocking tangerine. i made the executive decision after the sad realization that my wardrobe is utterly drab and lacking in colour. other purchases include a navy military/marching band-esque blazer with rows of rusty coloured buttons along the lapels, the prettiest lingerie i've ever laid my hands on and a box of HAPPY PILLS (yes, that's actually the name of the shop) for V1.

i have the sweetest memories of barca. ALL of us waking up with hangovers every. single. morning, holding animated discussions based on the foggy remnants of our previous night's escapades. (in my case, completely forgetten chunks resurfacing at the breakfast table, and being kindly informed by F that i actually HUGGED F/P in my inebriated state. apparently i become extremely friendly/touchy/flirtatious under the influence - so i've been told.)

no comment. at least i had SOME sense left in me not to extend a hug to BP. thank god for self-control. he's just the most beautiful boy everrr. double sigh.

most of this talk took place in the boy's bathroom, where we promptly claimed territory soon after arriving at the lovely hostel. never in my wildest dreams did i envision getting drunk and peeing on the beach. HAHA! if it's any consolation, i doubt any of us did. i vaguely recall lying on our 'borrowed' (otherwise known as stolen) blankets from the hostel, listening to music on F's iphone? and gazing at the stars in the sky. then the sudden urge to whip off my boots - it simply didn't feel right wearing shoes on the beach, and not feeling the sand between your toes - and run into the ocean. the rest of them were wise not to follow suit, it was FREEEEEZING as i learnt in due time, but worth every second.

listening to groove armada's "at the river" as i write this passage and it is the perfect song of choice. that's exactly how i felt; IL had her camera on hand the instant i ran into the water. my red floral dress emerged looking like a blaze of fiery flames amidst the blur of waves. i can't help but smile at the thought of that particular moment in time, captured in a photograph.

it was delightful. even in my drunken state, i remember telling them that the water felt like 'champagne and strawberries'. don't ask me when/how i got so poetic. not a clue.

oh right, how can i forget to mention this? gaudi architecture, sagrada familia yada yada. it's not that i didn't enjoy it, i did. it was gorgeous, but not really my cup of tea. i much preferred the museum of contemporary art. ah, that i truly enjoyed. and our last night in barca; the fashion show afterparty followed by a wild night which i will not elaborate on. lest my boyfriend reads this entry. nothing he doesn't already know though.

i held back on blogging about barca, because i felt that unless i was in the right frame of mind, my words wouldn't do it justice. it was by far, the most amazing experience i've had. travel, or otherwise. great company, great conversations. note: i saw the most undescribable sunset atop one of the gaudi buildings, as well as on the flight back to amsterdam. they were beautiful in different ways. the former was in shades of dusty pink and blue; its beauty caught me by surprise. i couldn't stop myself from taking one photo after the other, right up till the moment my camera decided to die on me. which was a blessing in disguise, because it allowed me to truly take in the moment, and experience it firsthand.

maybe if i close my eyes and still my mind, i can recreate that moment in my head...

"What happens in Barcelona stays in Barcelona."

that's all i'm saying... for now.

one weekend in amsterdam.

new country, language, city, 'home', room, flatmate(s), university, classes, classmates, teachers, assignments, subject matter, cafes/hangouts, types of food, daily routine, habits, modes of transportation, grocery stores, shops, phone (now lost), restaurants, clubs, museums...

you get that, everything's new.

not so great with the concept of 'new', but i think i'm slowly getting used to it or hopefully i will. not a fan of the unfamiliar either, but all things become familiar in due time. you never know *shrugs* by the end of 6 months, i might actually be sad to leave?

i had the greatest time the weekend just past, perhaps because for the very first time, my eyes were opened to the possibility that i could actually enjoy the city and the experiences it holds in store for me - if only i would let it.

V, B and Y (virgi's friends) were said partners in crime. i joined B and Y for dinner on friday night, with every intention of going home that night and picking virgi up at central station the next morning. had super yum indonesian food! best meal since i've been here. however as the night wore on, i got the feeling it wasn't about to end anytime soon. i was right. we met another of V's friends, J, and her friends - travelling around europe together, went to a coffee shop at the boys' request (watched them smoke some questionable but legal substances) followed by drinks at a quiet longue-y place. post-multiple rounds of drinking games, we finally called it a night.


made the trek to their hotel and watched B pass out before our eyes. i kinda didn't want to sleep in the same bed as him - acc. to the prior arrangement - lest he beat me in his violent sleep! i washed up and sat nicely tucked in Y's bed, chatting away.. till 4plus, when i fell asleep in his bed. he v. kindly offered to sleep half on a chair and half on the bed, at my feet.

unsurprisingly, acc. to him, i kicked him twice in my sleep. oops! (though i don't completely buy that story, but hey! it's possible)

picked virgi up. sooo glad to see my big sis *grin*. had breakfast and talked for AGES in a little cafe, whilst B was snoozing like a little piggy. met up with B, had more food. wasn't supposed to be hungry after that breakfast but i was, correction: we were. discovered a quiet japanese restaurant and ordered enough sushi to feed... well, us. yumyum. i must make it a point to return someday. made our way (by foot) to the van gogh museum, where we promptly parted ways - virgi and i headed to the bond street of amsterdam, not that we bought anything of course and the boys got tics for van gogh. v and i walked around for a bit then settled in a lovely underground cafe to chat and share a slice of tiramisu + i had hot chocolate - fast becoming a staple in my life.

rushed back to meet the boys at the appointed time, then onto the heineken brewery, by which time it was too late. i can't remember what we did next.. i think we had dinner? we searched for HOURS (well maybe not hours, but it sure felt like it), trying to find this cafe by the water, with a SUPERLOVELY view. we came across it purely by chance, while on the prowl for the red light district - not for my viewing pleasure, in case you were wondering - it was all lit up and you could see the pretty interior. after walking back and forth endlessly, Y (official mapbearer) found it. once again, delightful meal - virgi and i shared a main - salmon, a salad and tomato soup.

one thing i've realised about that weekend is that; it's being with the right company (i can't stress this word enough) that makes the experience. i was surrounded by fellow singaporeans + family, on the same wavelength, speaking the same lingo, getting the same jokes. ahh.. familiarity. at last *beams*

some people have been rude/unkind/unhelpful to me since i've arrived. call me weak or whatever for not standing up to them, but seriously, what's the point? i just let it pass, i think it's a waste of my time/energy taking offence, plus it's draining. that's my mentality. 75% of the time, i let it pass, then maybe i secretly curse and swear and stick pins in voodoo dolls behind their back - heh. just kidding, about the cursing and swearing of course :) immigrations anyone? 25% of the time, when i've had just about enough crap, i will go crazy and scream - which thankfully, hasn't happened. yet. i have quite a high tolerance level, about certain things, in certain situations and with certain people. or maybe 50-50? hmm, i don't know..


basically it comes down to rights. having rights and knowing them. i don't know my rights as well as virgi of course, which results in me being bullied by strangers ie: crazy english cab driver.

i've gone off on a tangent again. what was i saying?

anyway the night is no longer young and i need some sleep. i hardly have time for myself these days. no time to think, no time to write. just work work work. sigh..

'one weekend in amsterdam' to be continued...

dorothy's return to oz.

dorothy is back in oz, yet somehow it doesn't feel like home anymore.

i can't sleep, i should be asleep but instead, here i am - back at my once-favourite place. my fingers feel so at ease, like i never left. i've been plenty absent, busy you know, living. or trying to have a life - there's a difference.

i wrote a couple of paragraphs and stopped. then deleted every word. because as of now, i am at a lost for words (again); there are simply too many things i want to say but no idea how to say them. coming home, i don't want to think. i don't want to have to contemplate anything. not the past present or future. things are as they are... because. everything changes, nothing stays the same. to expect things to be as they were when i left would be selfish and unrealistic.

so their lives now revolve around other people and other things, i am no longer the center of the universe. is it too much to request a second to grieve? for the things that once were.. while i was away, the plastic wrapping was removed, the dust has settled.

right now, i just want to be with the ones that matter, and have a good time at it. all that stuff about being in limbo? screw it.

......

the past 36 hours felt like the longest journey of my life.. did it really happen? bonding with my 3-girl-clique (complete strangers) whilst stranded in heathrow at some god forsaken hour, due to the flight cancellation. when we finally boarded that plane, we went our separate ways. it was clean, detached. having spent a good 12 hours or so in each other's company, revealing semi-intimate details about our lives, only to have that magical spell broken once we went to our respective seats was... surreal.

the entire experience was surreal.

we disembarked the plane,
as strangers once again.

fret not! i wrote down their facebook email addresses, so it isn't the end.

Status: Victoria is currently away.

gay ole paris!

off to paris later tonight for a quick weekend getaway. no fixed itinerary so far - which is exactly how we like it - just the hopes of exploring the city whilst scouring our way through the flea markets scattered throughout plus a serious intention to party-hearty, something we ALL haven't done in awhile.

i am in DIRE NEED of a party. hmm.. i'm no party animal, but clubbing in paris, that should be fun, yes? *fingers crossed* i do hope paris leaves a better impression this time around. the last time we went, the people were absolutely horrid and the lourve was on strike. fun fun fun.

i am writing a to-do-list as we speak; things to pack etc etc. as is typical of my pre-travel behaviour, i have yet to pack my bags (though it's only for a couple of days so that shouldn't take too long) but still... i'd better get to it. (god. how english did that sound?) we leave in 3 hours.

AHH.

xoxo

p/s: wishing mandili were here (ref. to paris)

p/p/s: LILI IF YOU READ THIS, PLEASE. COME. TO. SINGAPORE. IN. DECEMBER.

today, i slept.

i literally, lay in bed the entire day; feeling too sick to even drag myself out of bed to get to class. i managed to pull it together enough to wash my face, brush my teeth and make instant noodles for lunch (followed by 2 bowls of frosties) after which i drowsily climbed back into bed, trying to keep warm under the covers, and slept again, only waking up around dinnertime (instant porridge) - somehow managing to ignore the incessant beeps of my phone throughout the span of the day.

i think the crazy mad rush of travelling has taken its toll; us three are all down with the flu, to varying degrees. travelling used to be such a relaxing enjoyable activity; now getting through airport customs is traumatic enough to keep you off flying for good. we were treated like criminals; i had to remove my coat, belt and boots plus i got bodysearched by a woman officer - i felt so violated!

ugh. prior to that; the bus ride to ciampino airport that took excruciatingly long (over an hour due to bad traffic). followed by the 2 hour wait for our gate to open and to board the plane. upon touching down at gatwick, we ran helter skelter to get to arrivals, then to buy tickets and hop onboard the gatwick express. after the half hour journey to victoria, we rushed off yet again to buy tickets and catch the train home, not wanting to miss the last one and get stranded at vic, having to sleep in the station - possibly freezing to death. close to an hour later, we finally reached rochester after midnight, making the slow long walk home in the freezing cold.

so us, feeling sick, is quite understandable really.

rome part I

best 21st birthday week ever. (if you think about it, only 21st birthday week.) 21 only comes once [in a lifetime]. the celebrations started on tuesday, with the surprise cupcake birthday party followed by pre-party drinks and proper clubbing on friday night in london. lastly, the weekend in rome.. ending with our flight back to uk last night. 7 days in total, 7 days well spent.

rome was... an experience.


i recall getting off the bus at the train station; at the sight of all the roman gods milling around, mandi and i simultaneously turned to each other. i exclaimed "ooh my day is improving already.." cue: the look. grin. more laughter.


there is nothing quite like being in rome; walking down the cobble-stoned city, brisk winds whipping your hair back, stylish fur-clad ladies strolling past, men calling out "ciao bella!" at every corner, vespas lining the street just begging to be ridden (under the tuscan sun anyone?), dogs/horses and dog/horse poo littering the streets/roads, consuming gigantic portions of genuine sicilian ice cream with the same frequency as our meals (twice a day.. or more), eating PROPER pizza & pasta out on the streets like the italians do, ohmygod espresso shots & cappuccino, hot chocolate (as in real chocolate, melted) done right...

i'm convinced the entire city is shrouded by a cloud of smoke; be it exhaust or cigarette. every breath you take feels like you're lighting up yourself, so much so that one night in libreria - quaintly charming little over-underground tea room/wine bar near our hostel - watching leatherjacket man (our nickname for him) smoking sexily, i was suddenly overcome with the overwhelming urge to grab his cigarette and inhale deeply. SHOCKING, tell me about it!

yet somehow being in rome... it even explained the smoke.

quote of the week,

"WHEN IN ROME, DO THE ROMANS."

to be continued...

yellow.

17 days to my 21st.
18 days till rome.
25 days till home.

i'm feeling... odd.
not odd good, or odd bad. just... odd.

there is a strange feeling of displacement hovering around me. the sensation of being detached from the rest of the world; like i'm on a constant see-saw, flitting between this strange new place i call home, and home.

i belong neither here nor there. i mean, my heart will always belong to singapore. but, my body has been stranded here. of all places. and yet, when i take voyeuristic (who doesn't?) peeks into the lives of people from my old life, i find that i no longer have the urge to know, or care. instead, i feel disinterested. bored. same old. the same people at the same places doing the exact same thing they were doing before i left, and probably will still be doing when i come back.

nowadays, i find my thrills elsewhere.

my need to explore places, to travel far and wide. to learn about life beyond anything i've ever known or been taught. a refresher course in history, culture and geography - we learn as we go along, right? to meet people from all over the world. to bond with strangers over the most unexpected of circumstances. resulting in: priceless memories that are often irreplaceable.

above all, living life.
exactly the way i want to.

currently listening to: kids with guns, the gorillaz in amanda/lili's kitchen. my bum parked on their cozy couch. as it always is. heh

i can't wait for my 21st. me being typically me, i usually make a big fuss over birthdays anyway. but this time, there's something different (in the air). honestly speaking, i can't quite put my finger on it but there's this crazy excitement/thrilling anticipation, of what's to come.

maybe it's just the... validification of self. turning 21, is like my 18th birthday all over again, but wayy better. it's supposed to signify adulthood good and proper, becoming a 'woman' in every sense of the word.

ha ha. my mother would choke if she could hear me right now.

and then there's rome.. rome rome rome. "when in rome, do as the romans do." you bet your sweet ass we will! the other night, um one of many, (spent) sitting on the very couch i'm currently on, we finally booked our accommodations for rome. and it hit me. we're really doing this. we're going to rome; just the three of us. i couldn't think of better travelling companions than these two nuts. haha. the hostel we're going to be staying at sounds amazing. i'm looking forward to meeting all these imaginary new people already, and we haven't even left - yet.

after our return, 3 excruciatingly long days will have to pass before i get to pack up and LEAVE. coming home. ahh.. i'm experiencing a mixture of feelings at the thought alone. eventually she breathes a sigh of relief. it's been too long. she misses her creature comforts.

lying curled up in bed with my bolbol, reading a book, watching tv - i forgot what a privilege it was to have a tv - msning/blogging on my laptop. creeping downstairs in the middle of the night/wee hours of the morning, to make toast+butter+sugar and milo dinosaur. watching korean drama serials over dinner - sitting on the cool floor, leaning against the sofa - in the living room with carol, grandma and verrell. hugging my baby tight, hoisting him onto my lap or just laying down beside him. having someone in the house to talk to, at any time of day. my handphone ringing/beeping from smses all the time, with friends making plans to go out/for the weekend/to grab dinner.

i miss all of that, too damn much.

i have that here too, but in a different way.
not different good, or different bad. just... different.

greenwich groupies.

we were in greenwich today (sunday).

pronounced: green-itch, not green-witch - that's such a dead giveaway (that you're a tourist).

the gang of four: amanda dervin lili me

it's a really quaint town, a good mix of new and old. the architecture is stunning, so are the parks - the one we went to was utterly breathtaking, photos didn't do it justice - and the roadside cafes/restaurants were just begging to be explored. pity it was so cold, or else i'm sure i would've enjoyed it heaps more.

it's historical but not like rochester - boring historical. it's very.. charming.

not chavvy, charming!



this is my bright idea *rolls eyes* to primp and pose in front of a mirror at the entrance of greenwich market. yes, people were staring. and no, not in a good way. more like a "have these people never seen a mirror before?" kinda way.



remember how i said that if i wanted to go to starbucks, i'd have to leave my town? well, in greenwich, there seem to be cafes aplenty, there's even starbucks! (bonus ponts) it was too early in the morning (we're talking 9ish here) to get in the mood for being touristy, so we trooped our way from the train station straight to the nearest source of caffeine.

isn't the cafe absolutely amazing? for one, every inch of the wall(s) is/are practically covered in frames - very victorian, said manda. for two, it's exactly the kind of place rochester lacks. one where you can sink into an armchair, sip on a cup of hot chocolate and watch the world go by. for three, there was a greek god of a waiter (curly hair inclusive *beams*) who kindly directed me to the ladies. for a millisecond, my brain froze. i just stood there, gaping. at him.



i have to admit i was disappointed with the selection of shops/food stalls in the market place. it was nowhere near as yellowmellow as portobello or as artsyfartsy as brick lane. the stuff for sale was boring and unimpressive. if you're looking for vintage - give it a miss. it's a peaceful and scenic place to chill, other than that.. nah.

foodwise: i bought an energy box with 4 different dishes [all organic] for 5 pounds and as you can see (on facebook/flickr) i pretty much carried it around for the duration of the day. it appeared in so many of my photos that i gave it a tag all on its own. (the brown box) haha

ooh, and that's us in a candy shop. you know me right, i feel overwhelmed by too many things at the same time (spoilt for choice), i end up getting confused and not buying anything at all, even though i'm sure i want to buy something.

everytime i venture out into a new place - portobello/brick lane, i try to capture at least one good shot, which usually ends up being my favourite photo to remember that place by. for greenwich, this is it.

it was SO COLD - i checked the weather report yesterday, apparently it was 3 degrees - in this photo, i'm squatting to keep warm. though that theory is severely flawed; hot air rises and cold air sinks. you really can't tell just by looking at the photos, can you? - we mask it well. whoever said fashion was about comfort, obviously lied.

here again, behind our casual relaxed poses lies a mind thinking: why the hell didn't i wear jeans instead of tights? so cold so cold. *shivers*

but by the time we were cracking ourselves up (and the other guy taking proper photographs - if you look carefully, you can see him at the back of our photos) posing as charlie's angels, the cold was long forgotten, pushed to the back of our minds.

the answer to your question is: yes, this is what NORMAL people do when they visit deeply historical sites. our parents would be proud. *smirk*

it got sooo tiresome uploading photos (granted, i haven't done this in awhile and perhaps got accustomed to the quickie way of blogging - by writing alone) so i didn't upload them all.

when in rome..

*edit

Lesson #1 in Spontaneity:

Be Spontaneous.

For example, book a trip to Rome?

Done, and done!



.....



nowhere to stay in london, on the night of my 21st? meh! we'll party all night long then head to gatwick at the break of dawn.

nowhere to stay in rome? oh well, we'll figure it out as we go along.

nowhere to stay in london, when we return from rome? no worries, there'll definitely be someone's place we can crash at.

nothing fun ever comes out of planning; half the fun is not planning and being spontaneous, so we've heard.

time to put that to the test, i guess.


WHEE!

look at me; miss goody-two-shoes - never skipped class a day in her life, now she's traipsing off on a wild spur-of-the-moment adventure in rome during the last week of the school term, with two equally crazy travel companions *naughty grin*

(cross my heart, they are the most utterly amazing people you could ever dream of meeting and befriending) i realise 'the most' and 'utterly' sorta cancel each other out because they have the same meaning but that just goes to show how amazing they are.

in the wise words of lisa simpson

(identity to be protected)

lisa simpson says:
well you have to start somewhere....
lisa simpson says:
hahahaha
lisa simpson says:
and rome sounds like the perfect reason to skip

my london hangover.

one night in london, part 3 continued...

sunday morning/afternoon
alex had to leave early-ish [given we only managed to catch some z's around 5 or 6am?] and head back to rochester for a group project, so the rest of us poor souls had to drag our asses out of bed(s like marshmallows. god, it was so soft the second i sunk into it i never wanted to leave) and onto the streets.

miraculously, we succeeded in getting dressed/packed and outta there in a record-breaking 15 minutes, give or take, and promptly poured ourselves into the nearest starbucks down the street.

we were such a funny sight to behold; sitting around a table at starbucks clutching our coffees (in my case, classic hot cocoa) for dear life, nursing not-quite-so-dreadful hangovers but hangovers nonetheless, sunnies perched atop our noses and looking at each other straight on. i found it thoroughly amusing, hence captured the moment on camera - for the world to see!

(if you're on facebook, all evidence has been uploaded)

we spent the longest time sipping our caffeine, and just talking. ahh.. don't you just love sundays?

once the lot of us had sobered up, we made our way to the tube. next stop, brick lane!

we went understandably crazy in brick lane, what with vintage shop upon vintage shop laid out before us. it was manda's and my idea of heaven; especially if heaven involves colour-coordinated rows of vintage shoes, clothes and bags not to mention a live DJ spinning a set in the shop entrance as you walk in. how fer-rickin cool is that. brand me a suaku singaporean, but i've never seen anything like that before, which explains the photo. i took. of him.

the atmosphere at brick lane is vastly different from that of portobello; it's artsy and funky and colourful and cool (as compared to the free-spirit-boho vibe of P). it's so many things at once, but boring and dull it is not. i call it a breath of fresh air, the kind of place which provides much-needed inspiration a fashion student requires to sustain oneself. taking in the sights and sounds, one inexplicably feels the urge to do something wild and impulsive, to be yourself or be someone else - smear on that hot pink lipstick you've had for months but feared wearing in public. *shrugs* that kinda thing, and so much more..

i can't even begin to describe it - so i shan't - all i know is that i have to go back. again, and again. i doubt i'll ever get my fill. to me, london is still a novelty, a treat.. a reward for good behaviour if you may, and i hope it stays that way.

"the secret to partying is to deserve it. when you go out every night the whole thing becomes a big boring chore but when you just finished a huge project and everyone else is happy to be there the night is so fun you wish your brain recorded video." - VICE

touche.

by the way, that's exactly how it happened; project submission on friday morning, friday afternoon: sleep, by saturday we had packed our bags and hopped on a train outta here.

note: remember, london - small, bumping into people? case #2: as we're leaving another fabulous vintage store (warehouse, more like) i spot a familiar head to my left. it's steph!, girl who helped get us the LFW dresser jobs. cute poncho! i call out her name and we chat for a bit before she makes her escape via a bicycle conveniently parked nearby. haha kidding. not about the bicycle, but the escape.

another thing, at the upmarket, i spotted a boy with the sexiest curls in the entire archive of curly hair my brain has ever registered in this lifetime spanning 20 years. seriously. it literally screamed out "take me, take me now!" ... right up till the moment he turned to kiss some girl.

*brushes it aside* point being, BL is ... i've run out of words to describe it, that's how _____ it is. if you don't believe me, come see for yourself.

fyi, i'm still hanging over from london. occasionally, you can catch me drifting off into space; that's me concocting plans/mad schemes for our next adventure.

anyway, time for my beddybyes.

xoxo.

p/s: as you can tell, i haven't gotten sick of xoxo-ing just yet. give me a week or so, i'll outgrow it sooner or later :)

p/p/s: did you know there is a 'fashion street' at BL? an actual street by that name, holy cow. and i've got pictures to prove it.

one night in london, part 3

looks like 'one night in london' is going to spawn a couple more sequels. as it is, we're already on part 3 *grin* going on 4 - if we're not careful - which we fully intend on doing/being.

oh oh oh, remember when i said london was small? i shall prove my point. manda & lili left at 8 sharp, i woke up late (actually i got up when the alarm rang at 7 but i promptly pressed snooze and snuck back under the covers) - typical eh - so i thought: perhaps i'll join love & jo after 8.. as it turns out they left pretty early too. hence this little piggy boarded the 1005 express train. guess who i bump into at victoria? jo & love - and they left hours ago! *singsong voice* told cha.

in the end, we all managed to converge paths at portobello :) YAY FOR US.

let me introduce you to portobello & brick lane; my new favourite places.

two words: VIN and TAGE.

portobello
given it was my second (technically, third) time in portobello since i moved over, i was noticeably less enthusiastic with the whipping out of the camera. even so, i reckon i got some good shots somewhere in there.

one thing's for sure; the 'hawker food' sold along the streets is amazing. lili munched on crab claws/prawns while i gobbled down pizza/brownies, manda had a salmon&capers pastry. food galore much? it was almost too good to be true, and tons cheaper than eating at a fancy restaurant.

i was totally feelin' the free-spirit-boho vibe in the air, especially with bob marley and fat freddy's drop (nz music) playing all around - very reggaeesque - we spontaneously started dancing in the streets, twirling each other round and round.

yup, in the streets baby.

right after, we ventured into this mini market-within-a-market under a tent, with stalls set up all around. lili was quite enamoured with a neon silkscreened tee and a gold chair pendant on a chain, methinks. i stopped to mosey poke around too, when i caught sight of metal cutout necklaces laid out on the table - very much like my own ipod/3ballerinas (if you know me, you've probably seen them) - at a glance, i instantly knew they were from bkk. come on, it's common knowledge they're produced in bkk regardless of where they're being sold.

i started talking to the lady selling them aka linda, and somehow found myself deep in conversation; chatting about the markets (chatuchak, suan lum, platinum), my recent trip to krabi/ko lanta/bkk and all sorts of random stuff. apparently, she's a stylist in london/bkk and fyi was wearing the most divine navy dress with ruffles along and above the hem (from what i could see). her friend - who was downing redbull in an effort to rid herself of her hangover ha ha - revealed that occasionally, she gets to keep the stuff she styles.

that, was a chloe dress folks.

i screamed. for real.
and jumped a few feet into the air.

it was cute though. she wrote down the names/numbers of other outlets in bkk - for when i go on my self-proclaimed annual shopping trips - and her myspace address. later on i discovered that manda actually asked lili if i knew those 2 ladies prior to that, cause judging from our highly animated conversation, it looked as if i did. haha.

note: i've taken a liking to chatting up perfect strangers - ONLY APPLICABLE in foreign countries it seems. i warm up super quickly to people who are equally nice back.

a few stalls away, i bought a chiffon scarf for a pound! note: when i got home on sunday, i realised it matches my vintage dress perfectly. shade for shade, hue for hue, tone for tone. anyway, alex tied it around my head (cause i didn't know how to) and i wore it like that for the remainder of the day, and night. you'll see.. (on facebook) i felt pretty; a gypsy look made complete with large gold hoop earrings.

as we walked along, there were countless things i wanted to buy. "i was dying inside to hold you.." - timmy thomas. umm, irrelevant. right.

we came across this lady selling the most delightful cupcakes; alex and i had such a ridiculously difficult time picking two measly cupcakes to buy - as if it were a matter of utmost importance - it was honestly, ridiculous. we stood there eeny meeny miney moe-ing for the longest time *naughty grin* kay, fine! it was i who suggested the eenymeeny etc, that's how we settle disputes back home.

in the end i selected: carrot cake cupcake with pink frosting & white hearts. alex: vanilla flavoured cupcake with blue frosting & pink sprinkles. delish. the lady asked if we could write our names down in her little address book so she could mail us recipes to test and send her feedback. she was about to be published by randomhouse you see, isn't that cool?

alex + victoria = cupcake buddies!

hmm.. there's not much else i can write of portobello because we left soon after and headed back to alex's flat to primp for our long awaited night out.

alex's flat
our girl extraordinaire(s) [to be fair], manda (and alex) whipped up pasta for dinner, and concocted strawberry fizz + vodka pre-clubbing drinks, to sip whilst getting dolled up. having abstained from proper alcohol for a bit, i got lightheaded relatively fast. haha. lili/manda/alex can bear witness to that; it didn't take long for me to start dancing along to the imaginary music in my head. i vaguely recall humming and twirling around the living room, much to the amusement of everyone else. someone took photos as evidence. cue: lotsa posing & pouting.

i love getting dressed up/made up together, i hardly ever get to do that back home *pout* tragic, it's such a typically girly-sleepover-type activity! manda: black&white (she has a thing for monochrome) vintage dress, black leather jacket, liquorice necklace, boots? lili: black top with gold sequins, black bottoms and jacket, gorgeous beige heels. alex: white tank, black vest, brown pencil skirt, black heels. myself: white tank, black high waisted skirt, gold belt, lime&gold wedges, black peacoat. ooh, scarf around head :)

ready? here we go. i recall traipsing around king's cross, soho for sure, covent garden? in search of a cool club/chilled out pub to party at. i can't list them all; for the most of it, i was stumbling around half-high and very happy. it got to the point where we were randomly asking fellow partygoers milling around on the streets for suggestions, because it was getting a tad frustrating - right smack in the land of clubs yet not one seemed to beckon us in.

*grin* out of the blue, we bumped into 3 guys on the streets, or was it a junction? at a crossing? can't remember. all i know was that it was literally in the middle of nowhere. some dude stumbled up to manda and said "you're hot" or something to that effect. his friends ran up and held him back, telling us to ignore him, being drunk and all.

making full use of their sudden appearance, we asked them to recommend a place, any place. they kindly informed us they had 3 unoccupied female places on the guestlist of chinawhite *squeal* (v. posh club) and that they were off to meet some friends for roughly an hour, after which we could arrange to meet up and set off together. i exchanged numbers with one of the dudes and that was that.

you see, being in london does things to you.

AND i got asked out on a date by some dude. at a pub. while fixing my hair in a mirror at the entrance - the girls were using the loo upstairs. "you're beautiful" said he, then he did the deed. i shook my head and said "no" repeatedly. he asked if i was out on a date, i told him i was with friends but he didn't seem to get the message. weirdly enough, the girls asked him for directions when he went up the stairs afterwards - obviously they had no idea what had taken place. it's odd, back home i would never have been asked out this way, or at all. you know, man drought ring a bell? how random.

oh, i forgot to mention it was dervin's birthday on sat. heh by my standards, the b'day card we bought/customised was pre.tty cheeky. it had our lipstick imprints all over! *grin* we eventually found our way to a club called on anon, on d's recommendation. rockin! i actually had a fantastic time, despite the countless weird guys calling out "OI!" and some dude grabbing me from behind *shudders* i practically had to fight him off. i have to admit, i was more than a little shaken up by that, but i decided not to let it ruin my night.

pity, we never made it to chinawhite. the reception was so bad, i didn't get his text till it was too late. however we made plans to meet up another time. part 4 awaits.. *smiling like a cheshire cat*

i have to continue with sunday's activities another time, this post is getting wayy too long. *yawn*

xoxo

lick, drink, bite.

oh god. watching shanee's video of us umbrella-fighting along the shores of ko lanta makes me miss them so damn much. that and reminiscing of the time we spent together in thailand. i can't believe we were just there slightly over a month ago. our thailand trip will always remain close to my heart, deeply personal that it was.

being there with you was like a breath of fresh air; our little sanctuary for rest/relaxation/recuperation. it was no holds barred in every way possible - testing our endurance and strength climbing bloody mountains and trekking in caves as well as our friendship in those quiet moments between.

i can't explain it; on one hand it feels like i've been here forever yet it's only been a month. but somehow mouthing out the words "a month" feels too fast too. in a couple more months, i'll be home again.

ahem.

i'm already thinking up my dec itinerary:
- zouk/phuture with gen, cot/topshoppers, hazel, min/makeupgroup/jacky, roy
- supper at jalan kayu with jacky, roy/car
- thomson prata with jpoh
- nice sit down dinner with gen, drea, owen?
- chilling with vicanda, babylamb, sweetie?
- breakfast picnic at the botanical gardens with gen, cot
- villa bali with stace & co.
- breakfast/butter factory with jon, vishal
- a little reunion with the ats folks?
- reunion with ballet peeps?

DEFINITELY something big with the family. i'm going all the way with christmas this year. ALL. THE. WAY. i'm talkin tinsel/glitter/foil, angels, santas, fat elves, candycanes, stockings, martinis, tequila shots (lemon slices and salt shaker inclusive - the only proper way to drink tequila - to do it any other way would just be plain lazy), champagne - you name it, we're doin it. goddammit. we have a bar in our house - right in front of the main door, as a matter of fact - we sure as hell should be using it!

plus our usual rojak mix of food from all cultures of course. umm.. i guess what i'm saying is, there will be no turkey. but there'll always be the alternative, laksa?

you better turn up with presents in hand or else, NO ENTRY! uncle cyril... abide by the DRESSCODE! and no, i do not mean t-shirt, shorts and a tie *stern face*

anything else to add to the list?
hmm.. i'll mull it over and get back to ya.

p/s: new development - i've been poring over my cookbook, bookmarking pages with easy i-think-i-can-do-this receipes. yep, the day has arrived, better late than never right? - victoria actually looks forward to cooking.

simon says:

i'm amazed - partly at myself,
the other part, just plain amazed.

i've never felt this way before: being here makes me want to be everywhere else.

BUT,

there's a clear distinction between going places and feeling the pressing urge to escape your surroundings once they start to show signs of routine. i've never been my sister; she with her endless crusades to save the world, traipsing off to as many countries as possible, seeking refuge from i'm-not-sure-what, it's almost as if she feels time is waving at her as it passes her by.

i don't need to be 'a comet, blinding in its brilliance.. etc' an original quote by her. i've never felt the desire to run away, or ever had reason to. soon she'll run out of places to escape to. but that's her, and i doubt she'll ever run out of places anyway - as long as it's not singapore, right? heh - besides, you only live once so i say, to hell with it!

interruption: darling alexa popped by to visit and say hi, one of the handful - besides my sweetheart love - to do so. aww, isn't she the sweetest? i love her. she's so cute it's not even funny.

i want to see the world. i want to open my eyes and bear witness to life beyond my own. i want to, more importantly, need to know the world as it truly is, which is everything that my world isn't.

just yesterday, i was telling love, "i haven't been in the library this whole week, i was wrought with guilt. now i'm here, and it feels like home." weird huh.

being in the library, surrounded by all these books, makes me see. i was flipping through a pictorial by david bailey for bandaid. it evoked such strong feelings within me that i felt goosebumps rise up on my skin and tears in my eyes. the injustice of it all. it's beyond unfair; it's inhuman. i want to go to africa and do something. i don't want to just sit at home and think about it, or be one those people on the streets blindly donating to charities without knowing what cause it's for. i want to DO SOMETHING, MAKE A DIFFERENCE in someone's life.

do i sound very naive? i hope not. i genuinely want to help. my first day in class; they mentioned some programme to help aids victims in africa, by teaching them how to sew. when i heard that, i wanted to sign up immediately, to be a part of it.

note: manda and lili just popped by - unannounced - in a bid to try and get me to hurry up with the dressing up already! (i think) *grin* i love surprise visits, it's so lovely entertaining people in your flat. correction: it's so lovely having people to entertain. period.

anyway, that and greece in summer, new york, paris. so many places so little time (and money). last year our whirlwind escapade in vienna, budapest prague was just for starters - a little taste of culture. i didn't really have the opportunity or time to explore. plus i want to learn french! just enough to get me by, say being able to order a cup of coffee at a cafe in france? that'll suffice.

ahh.. this is life, yes? the desire to do more learn more be more.

as i was accumulating a stack of books at the photography section, i chanced upon a book on ken done's artworks - which brings to mind, where on earth is the KD diary uncle brian bought me? damn. when i go home in dec, i better hunt for it - and subsequently this quote "sometimes, in the winter, the water and the sky become the same and it's like turner or rees." which accompanied a gorgeous painting, where the water and the sky were merged as one.

i'm not making sense anymore, just got back to my flat from celebrating alexa's 19th at tap 'n' tin. the music tonight was really really good. i don't remember having this much fun in ages. YAY HOORAY.

p/s: i adore that naughty sounding song from charlie's angels; the scene in which sam rockwell does a sexy little dance and split to the floor, love love love it! it keeps playing in the clubs here. simon says...

WHAT HAPPENS IN THAILAND STAYS IN THAILAND.

krabi

wong kar wai-pantene hair advertisement moments on the tarmac. the flight with no rules. 'casually' necking breezers on a frighteningly windy tuk tuk ride. dinner at an italian restaurant, leaving love notes for the owner. slipping on the super slippery rugs in the room. freaky toilets and creaky beds. the crazy WILDBOY on man vs. wild. leaving the *** in the **** (shh. don't tell) lovely american breakfast at an artsy cafe down the stretch. watching the last samurai dvd in our private minivan: no mind.

koh lanta

long walks by the neverending beach. sieving through and picking washed up seashells. photographs of me jumping in the air. fighting like samurais with umbrellas and racing along the shore - whilst giggling like silly schoolgirls - back to the resort. sitting and freezing our asses off in the un-warm jacuzzi. ordering/eating in in the on-off rain, the wonderfully in-depth conversation in our villa. whiny noises in my sleep.

our hour long elephant ride on jumbo and lucy. the video about following the trail of shit, hansel & gretel-esque. hobbit man's (HB) overly enthusiastic photography (he took videos instead of photos). the old school torch hanging from our necks (you gotta twist the wires to get light). climbing up a mountain with gushing fresh water fountains and steep algae-covered rocks IN MY FLIP FLOPS! clinging onto anything and everything. MR MAN, posing with an iguana in our hands. eek.


climbing up & down scarily shaky ladders in the caves. slipping & sliding on the muddy floor, making my way down titanic slopes spiderman-style: but backwards, on all fours.

"just swing your leg across this rock to the next! just do it, don't think!" - shanee!!

precariously inching our way across a two-pole bridge (flimsy rope inclusive) with a drop that would most certainly ensure death. shimmying our way through impossibly tight spots

"do you think i'm pamela anderson!!?" - quek.

crawling through a claustrophobically tiny hole ("OH. MY. GOD. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING." - quek.) to exit the cave [which fyi is filled with bats]. mr man smashing the torch into my eye, my lens popping out. trekking down the mountain half-blind, completely mudcaked and covered in mozzie bites.

note: sorry for the elaborate attention to details. this is by far the craziest thing i've done in my 20 years of existence, with the exception of hk. (trust me, it takes the cake)


yelling like lunatics and running helter skelter into the ocean fully clothed, washing the mud off ourselves. lying on the shore in various states of undress, letting the waves gently wash over us. scrubbing our bodies with sand. read: natural exfolient.


bangkok

snap twisting (quek cheats!) a thai massage and our screams bourne of agony. our extravagant steamboat feast and guessing the price (whoever loses buys ice cream). girly girl shopping. my panic-attack; getting lost in suan lum market resulting in the aunty way of bargaining for shoes. making friends/exchanging contacts with the stall owners--

"we're students, no money!"
"i'm a student too, and i have two children!"
*pause then shove* "you're lying! you don't have two children!!"

--who fell in love while studying a summer course at st martins/working as a waiter in uk. falling asleep with the blinds undrawn. unaffordable shopping at siam-something: "let's leave before i get depressed." - me. watching "the invasion" and our subsequent 'invasion' faces: "if there's ever an invasion, you (two) will be the first to die!" - me.

creating the coolest diy salad, ditching bed supper club (all for one, one for all) for a night in with delish roadside noodles and ultra-gory "apocalypto" for company.

chatuchak. "mummy i want an ice lolly!" x3. falling in love with adorable attention-seeking puppies. mbk bra madness. platinum mall-mr handbag shop navigation - i'm SO bad with directions it's unbelievable (the other two were afraid to let me out of their sight). the gorgeous german restaurant with it's own little like, country - very marches. "because i said so" whilst binge-eating on salad and chips.

and so, that concludes our one week of complete and utter madness in thailand. if i remember any other juicy tidbits, i will edit this. sweetie/babylamb: if you have anything to add, let me know!

(fyi: only you two can call me cupcake!)

this took an inordinate amount of time to churn out, mostly because i truly didn't know where or how to start. there were simply too many wonderful memories to attempt putting into words. this is the best that i could do, i even skipped the little black book and came straight to blog, typing's easier.

p/s: you two rock my socks! (waking up was never this much fun, or insanely chirpy!) you made this holiday one of the greatest experiences, ever. i couldn't have asked for better travelling companions on my virgin (no-mother-around) journey. thanks for all the laughs, late night conversations in which i feel we truly got to understand each other, the comfort and empathy you offered freely to aid my healing process and just, everything. i love you.

love me.