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Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

Friday, January 27, 2012

When I Turn 22 Last December...

There are no more elaborate parties nor celebrations, just a quiet cake-cutting ritual that took place at night.


Cake from The Icing Room failed to impress my taste buds.


Only that greedy girl seem to enjoy it much.


Sis had to go off straight after, she had a date elsewhere.


In the day, we just roamed around a mall.  Not knowing what to get me, he eventually got me a pair of handy earphones.  I like his confidence, knowing that I would use it often.

The night before, the sleepover was fun.  He presented me with a video, inspired by HIMYM:



A video he started compiling just a few days before.  +1 for effort, -1 for the last minute effort.  Hur.  

I've finally completed my Thank You messages here, to the 71 people who cared :)









I'm sorry I took so long to just say thank you! And I know it looks super amateurish. Heh.

Last but not least, special love to B for spending the day and night with me.  Thank you for your effort trying to make me happy. :)


Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Shiraoi Ainu Village

Sakura in late Spring

Our family decided to go to Japan a month after the earthquake and tsunami. If anything, by visiting Japan helps boost their economy, a lot.

Sis and I at a convenience store, picking up fash mags.

So the first stop was an aboriginal habitat in Hokkaido. Situated next to the forest of kotan is Porotokotan, which means the village beside the big lake (Lake Poroto).

Ainu Village

We were introduced to their houses, such that in most cases, all the huts in the olden days are built in the exact same manner, where both the exterior and interior (called Qi-sei) design are identical. In fact, even the positioning of the furniture is the same too. Everything is placed in one direction.




Part of the Ainu's lifestyle include barter trading. Villagers trade bear skin in exchange for salmon.


Real salmon hung above our heads as we listen to the stories.

These salmon were caught in fall and dried in Summer. The hut do smell like fish. But not that kind of fishy. Hur.

Our very cute and lively host




The wood shavings are used as decorations to chase away the evil spirits.

Hi dad.

The Ainu museum showcases some of the past tools.

Before exploring the vicinity, we watched the traditional Ainu folk dance that feature songs and dances that evoke the natural splendor of the North, such as iyomante rimse (a ceremonial dance for sending bears' spirits back to heaven), saroruncikap rimse (a crane dance), and an Ainu musical instrument mukkari (mouth harp).



 Saroruncikap rimse - the crane dance



Picture with the Ainu





Thursday, February 3, 2011

Happy Rabbit New Year!


Another year has passed and as we enter the Year of the Rabbit, it's also the time for gluttony too! The perfect excuse to indulge in excess hongbaos, bakkwa, makeup and clothes.

I used to dislike Chinese New Year (CNY), but I think as I grow older, it kinda grows on me as well. But did you notice? With the increment in your age, the lesser hongbaos you receive. :/

Anyway, I've been busy eating my heart out at two reunion dinners - one at 和平饭店 along Macpherson Road, the other at a coffee house in Elias Mall.

My favourite dish is not abalone nor shark's fin, but Yu Sheng:


We put all the healthy ingredients into a huge plate, topped with salmon slices, sweet sauce and crackers, and we toss them all together while shouting words of good luck. Recently, "HUAT AH" is more popular since it's of a lesser syllable and fun to say.


I didn't realise that most of the pictures I took are all of Yu Sheng. :/ Guess I must really like it  then. :P


Dinner at 和平饭店 was so good, I only took a shot of the sharks' fin soup, and for the rest of it I just focused on eating.

Meeting the relatives on the paternal side always make me feel funny, since we only meet once a year. The atmosphere was awkward, and the siblings will always giggle among themselves (I'm guilty of that!). For most of it, we were just typing furiously away on our phones. However, I tried to break the ice by asking if they have a Facebook account. Yes, we aren't even friends on FB. How can?!

People who meet on Twitter, blog events, clubbing...are already friends on FB, and we're not! Odd phenomenon if you ask me.

Sometimes I wonder if reunion dinners are obligatory.
-

Because of the dinner at 和平饭店, last night's dinner at Elias Mall seemed sub-standard. No idea why the Yu Sheng tastes so sour. :(


Still, the coffee house was mad packed and workers buzzing around. Their staff were as young as primary 4 kids!


That's me, caught slipping a strand of radish while the others while happily tossing.


For some strange reason, ah gong heard that rubbing the orange skin on his bald head will help his hair growth. -,- Nevermind because we all had a good time laughing at it! Nothing beats a happy family dinner. :3

The television set at home has decided to break down a few days before CNY and so it was a very quiet countdown last night. Dad was streaming China's celebration programme in his room, while Sis and I were busy doing our nails.

Cute or not? Bunny and carrots, geddit?

And this morning, I woke up early in the hope of heading out early to play Mahjong, but Sis and Momster took 2 hours to get ready. I ended up entertaining myself with shots of QQ and decoration in the house.

Love the flowers I picked last night from SinFlora. It has becoming an annual tradition that we will pick up pussy willow and flowers after reunion dinner, then I'll arrange them and complete the rest of the set up.

QQ celebrates CNY too!

Outfit for CNY Day 1:
Sis (right) received lots of compliments today from the elderly.

I did not intend to wear this initially, this teal dress has been sitting in my wardrobe for three years now. I wanted to wear the disgusting cheongsam from Far East Plaza since I already paid so much for it, but it was really awful. Even the parents were teasing me. I look like a manager/waitress from the Chinese restaurant featured in those stupid US comedies. -,-


So yeah, the elderly liked this outfit. Conservative, sweet, mature... right. I made it better by pairing the long dress (I have a short body) with my stilettos. Hehehe. 

During lunch at Aunt's house, there's a family staying opposite her with a large collection of shoes. Out of curiosity and amazement, I asked. They have five children, that explains it. They have enough shoes to open a shop!


Last stop of the day is my favourite hideout at Gujie's.


That's my family friend-sister, the strong career woman.


And little Rachel who seems to be a little under the weather. :/


With Gujie!


All together, plus my messed up hair.

Looking forward to more visiting tomorrow! ^^ Just eat don't think! Laugh out loud! Happy Lunar New Year! 



Saturday, January 3, 2009

Birthday Gratitude

I hope you didn't miss the Christmas countdown like I did, nor how I missed my New Year's countdown as well. No, this is not an unhappy thing. In fact, it was the exact opposite. Over the past weekend I had so much fun and intoxication, I have neglected my virtual "daily" log, dammit.



Knowing that my 19th birthday has since passed 6 days ago and I have yet to express my gratitude, I feel guilty.

Firstly, on the 27th and 28th when I looked at my gmail, I got a shock:



I think it's the first time ever in a single night I received so many emails (with no spam) and they are filled with well wishes! But, it didn't feel very nice because many who wished me were either acquaintances (hello, I don't think you really bother about my happiness and my birthday) or strangers (worse). Nevertheless, those friends whom I haven't been able to catch up with, thank you all. :)

No really, I don't think my sis look awful here, shows that we're homely people what!

Secondly, I wanna thank these people mentioned for the text messages (albeit some were two days late):
  • Dwayne 
  • Wai 
  • Eil
  • Kimmo
  • Emerson
  • Zhen Han
  • Don
  • Jia Ling
  • Kai Yuan
  • Luther
  • Zhao Rong
  • Jun Ji
  • Liang Yu
  • Alvin Ee
  • Anonymous "Happy Birthday! Hope you haven lost your phone again n dunno who i am ah. Heh heh" - Who are you??! Hahaha. 
  • Gibbie
  • Ruok aka Vincent aka Rapist
  • Onion
  • Sebastian
  • Kien Hoe
  • TK
  • Dishan 
  • James O'Brien
  • Jian Wei
  • Victor Ho
  • Kumz
  • Yong Xuan
  • Samuel
You all make a gleeful Thiang on the 28th, while I was frolicking at the beach.


Thirdly, thank you to those who greeted me, shook hands with me and wished me happiness face-to-face. These include:
  • VK
  • Derrick
  • Bjorn
As you can see, I am very good at remembering these types of details. Muahaha.


Fourthly, to those who presented me with presents!
  • Kam Fung
  • Cai Ying
  • Kimmo/Shy/Marvin
  • TK
  • Sis
  • Dad
  • Mom
Big hugs!



Fifth, I wanna give a shout out to Dwayne, and thank him for clearing one of the toughest wish on my list.



In my final list, he cleared the cantonese birthday song. He called shortly after the clock strikes twelve and over the phone and gathered loads of courage to do that. I must admit I was deeply impressed and touched. Thank you! I hope you find peace and happiness soon (you know what I mean).



I have found a shop that sells dog carriers that seems pretty promising to me! And I think I will get it, when I feel "rich" once in a while. Heh. 



Point number 10 seems a little awkward. That's because I did receive something "handmade" from my dearest, as well as a card from my best friend from secondary school! I love these awesome people! Thank you Ming Le, I like your present!



In order to uh, spread my joy, I've decided to bombard this post with loads of photos of myself and each of them named "Rapturous!". Heh heh. Let me off the hook this time okay?




Despite the fact that the number of presents decrease, I have this strong incling that those who gave them to me this year, mean so much more.



This year, my birthday was a quiet affair, no deliberate "oi, today is my birthday leh!" kind of announcements, nor "buy me presents leh" proclamations. I just smiled while enjoying the fantastic weather at Tanjong beach.

 This little brat probably enjoyed herself a lot more than I did! ^^

What surprise me though, was the fact that I actually agreed to go to the beach, when I dislike the beach (generally).



Perhaps due to my Sept trip to the island that made me gradually fall in love with the sand and water (still no sun please thank you). Which reminds me that I haven't blogged about it... ... *avoids*



What's new to me was that I actually spent my day with a few other people whom I do not know, and helped them take photos (I did not appear in any of it afterwards either).



I don't have any negative feelings, but felt serene, calm and contented. No doubt I'm a sore loser (generally).



If I told you every year during my cake-cutting moment I  am very nervous, so much so I just wanna get it over and done with quickly and at the same time my mind is a blank piece of paper so whenever they ask me to a make a wish I actually didn't make any even if I've already tried to force my brain to come up with one so I told a white lie and said I've "made a wish", would you believe me?



Last but not least, wishing all a very fruitful year 2009 ahead!
*skips off to examine my new scheduler, squeals in elation*

UPDATED : Thank you to the great barflies at CBB too!
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