My Night Shoot

The alluring darkness versus...

...the seductiveness of light.

So this is my side profile :) I don't have much opportunity to see it everyday.

The front's being dreamy, the back's just being morbid.

My night is made perfect with a very fun, outdoor shoot with my talented buddy, Alex. It's funny how just two year's back, when we were fresh out from university, we hung out to play frisbee or to flip the Recruit section of the newspaper. Today, I'm exhibiting all knowledge I can garner from America's Next Top Model in an awkward fashion, and he's snapping away with his DSLR like (insert name of a famous photographer). The stuff you do with your friends keep evolving, but your friendship stays consistent. Capturing memories (and fleeting youth), is really the best birthday gift a friend can give.

Birthday Surprise #3: The Book Of Ralph Wiggum

I think Bryan knows me too damn well, cos this is what he got for me. It's perfect! I can't put it down at all... Here's some excerpts from Ralphie's Grade 2 Progress Report -

On listening/speaking

Needs improvement. Ralph answers math questions with information about his pets and/or pants. He refuses to make anything but buzzing noises during spelling bees. He of ten calls me "Mom", "school Mom," or "glasses lady".

On mathematics - understands the value of whole numbers up to 10,000

Needs improvement. Ralph attempted to cut off a couple of his fingers (thankfully using safety scissors) while trying to subtract 2 from 5 during a math quiz.

Birthday Surprise #2: Sentosa & Hort Park

On the day of my birthday, Bryan took me to Sentosa. We walked around the island, spent some time choosing a beach pub (there's a few new ones at Siloso Beach), had some mango magaritas...then he took me to KHA at Hort Park for dinner.

We had olive rice, green curry chicken and some tom yum goong. The food is really awesome, especially to us, since we like spicy stuff. I told Bryan that olive rice is very similar to giam he fried rice. He kept insisting no but I think he got deluded by price. KHA is a really fantastic place for dates. I think it's got a much more romantic ambience than The Queen & Mangosteen. Probably cos we were seated on the outside, facing the infinity pool.

There's soft music, candles and the view is breathtaking. There was a wedding going on at the infinity pool as well. Great choice for wedding dinner. Though, there was a kid who kept stomping up and down the venue, sometimes to our table. So as we held hands and smile giddily to each other, this kid just stomped right to us, made a grand U-turn and stomped back to his own place. I secretly felt like shoving him down the pool, but felt mildly guilty when the bride wished me happy birthday as she passed by our table. Best part was, Bryan planned for the waiters to appear, singing the birthday song, with this cute cake and its wishes.

I'm a happy, happy girl.

Birthday Surprise #1: The Queen & Mangosteen

On the eve of my birthday, Bryan whisked me away for dinner. He led me to The Queen & Mangosteen, sat me down and ordered two pints of beer. The fish & chips is one of the best I've tried in S'pore (I don't quite like fried food usually). We also tried their roasted rack of lamb and had two scopes of kapiti ice-cream (rum & rasin plus cafe expresso, both damn yums). We sat on the outside, next to a fountain that looks like a giantic ashtray. The ambience was quite pleasant, although you get the occassional shrieking 5-year-old running down the pavement next to the sea. But I'd definately return to have beer with fish next time. Million thanks to Bryan for the wonderful dinner date!

p/s I suck at taking photos so these food images are taken from ladyironchef, one of my fav food blogs. He's got more reviews posted on his site. If you're interested, please read it here.

p/p/s I'll write more about Bryan's elaborate birthday surprises and pressie tomorrow.

Vote For Pedro, Napoleon Rocks My Socks

I thought I'd share with you one of my favourite movies of all time, Napoleon Dynamite. It's one of those awesome shows that have the ultimate WTF effect right after watching. People either hate it, or loathe it. But it's a movie you got to see once in your life. Napoleon does a very mean dance towards the end, to garner votes for Pedro (see video!). Since it's my birthday, I'd demand for Bryan to make me a Vote For Pedro t-shirt, just for the fun of it cos I love it so much. If you'd like a Vote For Pedro tee too at $22, feel free to drop me a note at hallokittylo@gmail.com!

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My Fave Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things...

Ah, no point sitting around the sulk when you've a bad day. I was imagining what I'd like to cheer myself right here and right now.

1) A warm cosy house filled with scents of cookies, and not to mention a wonderful view of greens (I really should migrate to Thailand).

2) A little peck on the lips by Bryan

3) Running around. I like doing that at Southern Ridges.

4) Going on holidays, and exploring the nooks and corners of the world with Bryan.

I can do (2) and (3) today ;) It's Wednesday, and I hope you're having a good mid-week!

{images from weheartit}

Horrid Day

I'm feeling a bit down, a bit angry and a bit melancholic - angry bits mostly at myself. Do you have those days you feel the day is just not right from the start? You can't talk about it 'cos you can't pinpoint, but the pent up frustration is there. I think I'm having one of those today. Day, day, go away. I'll spin it all away come the next day...

p/s I'm another year older and wiser come this Thursday. Bryan said he'll take me on a surprise date. I'm looking forward to it very, very much :)

{image from ffffound}

Happiness for City Dwellers

I like this article on 50 Steps to Simple Happiness very much, which is featured on New York Magazine. City dwellers are highly strung up people and bits of happiness. Here's for us, urban peeps! Some good tips that I like -

Work out while you work. “At your desk, take five minutes to do back exercises—scapula retractions. Put your arms straight out in front of you and pull your shoulder blades together to get blood flowing and reduce tightness. Do shoulder rolls back and forth to increase circulation.”

Collect visual memories of moments when you were incredibly happy, and close your eyes and picture them when you need a boost. The mind needs images to access feelings.

Diversify your cognitive portfolio: Museum Mondays, Tennis Tuesdays, Writing Wednesdays, Tango Thursdays, Learn-to-Frittata Fridays, Socializing Saturdays, Socrates Sundays. We need to rotate activities weekly to fire up different brain regions.

{images from ffffound; article via A Cup of Jo}

Living Room

These living rooms are very vibrant and cosy eh? I like 'em a lot too!

Bathroom

I dig this toilet very much.

42 Below Vodka

There was a 42Below Vodka Contest organized by Kult magazine last year. You've to write a 100-word (or 150, I think) short story that starts with 42 and ends with below. So Bryan and I submitted, and guess what? We've won 2 bottles of vodka! Which one do you prefer and guess the winning entry?

Story one -

42 pairs of eyes stare at him. He splutters, still holding onto his vodka. He is standing behind the sofa. 42 pairs of eyes turn to her. They see the top of her head and the vague shadow of her (on her knees) on the wall. Her head moves back and forth, eyes close. "Er, surprise?" someone calls from the crowd. The awkward silence still dominates the room ever since the light comes on. He gulps his shot of vodka. He sighs wearily, pushes her head down and orders, “Stay still and stay below”.

Story two -

42 roses for her 42nd birthday. Check. 1 bottle of vodka because she loves having Cosmopolitan on Friday nights. “May I have your ID please?” the man behind the counter asked gruffly. He forked out his ID, eyes cast down. “Just turned 18 a week ago and partying hard already eh?” he winked. He thought of her breathing sweet thank-yous into his ears, fingers caressing his neck. He blushed and stumbled out of the shop. For her, nothing matters. She opened the door after 4 rings. “Tonight,” she breathed, “I want you to go below.”

Adorable Rabbit

I was randomly surfing Facebook and I am so happy to see photos of pet rabbit, Nasi Briyani, that belongs to my friend Amy. It's so damn adorable. I wonder what's the jail terms for kidnapping someone's pet...

Initial D Nostalgia

I just saw Initial D on television (my third time watching). Has it been 5 years since the movie was released already?! It doesn't seem that long to me. I think I was a 2nd or 3rd year undergrad when the movie was released? Geeesh. Felt like yesterday. I was weighing whom I'd love to ride in a car with during the movie - Edison vs Paul Walker. Jay Chou vs Vin Diesel. Edison vs Vin Diesel. Jay Chou vs Paul Walker. I know, what a freakshow.

Girl Crush - Janice Man

I'm not a fan of teenybopper idols in Hong Kong (they are clones of each other), but I really think Janice Man is quite cute. She's one of the teenybopper models that burst into scene some time back.

Anne Hathaway

This is Hathaway in a Sept '08 Vouge looking classy and fabulous. Love the one of her smoking in the bra top.

Home Offices

More home offices or study that I like, from Made by Girl.

p/s I've just added 3 pieces of art on my wall. Don't know what they are. Just random graphics and photos that I like.