Aftertot...

iPhone: Siege Hero

2012-02-08T01:18:00.000+08:00

I've been pretty occupied lately that this blog had practically gone into hibernation hence I think it's time to do something about it - right on the last night of a long festive weekend...

In truth, I am kinda in the iPhone games mood and had been checking out the top free games on App Store. Most are still in their many stages of completion - halfway here, a quarter there - but I actually completed playing the game that at the beginning I thought I would most unlikely be hooked, in just 2 days.

Siege Hero: The Cover
(click image to enlarge)

At the first glance, most would say Siege Hero is just probably a rip-off of Angry Birds. Indeed the concept is similar; throwing weapons at a fortress of soldiers (or green pigs in AB's case) to bring them down, scoring more points the less tries needed. However, while I never did warm up to AB - of which I still don't - it took me no time to get all determine to finish Siege Hero.

Somehow the little cute, evil ninjas/soldiers/vikings/red indians/cannibals (depending on which level you are at) standing there on the fortresses, wickedly inviting you to take them down work so well. And to hear their sinister chuckling-s when you fail to do so just fires you up to try harder and harder and harder still, not stopping until the blocks of woods/bricks/steels are in ruins. [Yup, that was how "obsessed" I got..]

Siege Hero: The Storylines
(click image to enlarge)

The game consists of 3 major levels, cleverly called 'Ages'; the Fortress Age, the Age of Discovery, and the Age of Pirates. Each 'Age' is made up of 3 storylines with 21 stages each i.e 63 stages/Age i.e 189 scenes and hours and hours of gameplay. The storylines are similar and differs only in the settings. They start with a prologue of evil conquerors closing in on peaceful dwellers (portrayed as adorable girls) and take them as hostages. The backgrounds are nicely drawn (there's day/night, sun/rain/snow, etc) and the characters all cutesy - even the bad minions.

As you play on, new weapons are introduced. You start with the basic rock throwing and then you have a 3-rocks-in-one-go, bomb, fire jar, oil barrel, and a grappling hook to pull things apart. What you don't have however, is a choice. You don't get to choose which weapon to use, no sir, you don't. Instead, they are given to you in arranged sequences. That is where the game gets interesting. Siege Hero is not a throw-and-hope-you-hit game, it actually requires you to strategize, however little it may be, and in some cases making use of whatever physics knowledge you may possess. The lineup could be a hook, rock, fire but if you don't target them at the correct points, the fortress ain't gonna come tumbling down, and "Siege Failed" is all that awaits. If you are lucky, you get 4 rocks in some stages but others might only have 2 fires in store for you. So use your weapons wisely....

Siege Hero: The Gameplays
(click image to enlarge)

And if you think that is all, these game developers bring the game up another notch. They place the captives within the fortresses and being the hero that you are, you are suppose to ensure that your hits do not kill them or *poof you'll be seeing angel wings. But well, I have to admit, sometimes collateral damage happens *whistles

Overall, Siege Hero is an addictive, fun game that works your brains at the same time. And frankly, I was frustrated at times when I was stuck at some crazily difficult stage and just couldn't proceed. But the euphoria of seeing the walls coming down when you got it all right......

P/S: There is an Age of Cowboy in the making and let's hope to see that out soon *fingers crossed

My Rating:

2011 was the year

2012-01-01T15:05:00.000+08:00

polka-dotted by many goods to the not-so-goods to the not-good-at-alls..
I co-authored a second advertorial that was again published in The Star.
cafes and restaurants became regular features in the quest to enjoy the perfect cuppa and delicacies, especially a particular mushroom quiche, salmon tartare as well as a certain "Taurus"..
I was ecstatic over my first Victoria Beckham sunglasses that I dedicated a post just for it ☺
with sporadic recipes and cooking sessions.
I found the bottled chili flakes for my spicy olio pasta so I no longer needed to rely on Domino's Pizza.
of iPhone games craze no thanks to super adorable OmNom of "Cut The Rope" fame; with a new category added to the blog for it.
yours truly got her Green Belt after sweating over the many measurements, charts, and tools that came prior to it.
of the Penang heritage trail with the girls so I could now proudly say, "Been there, done that!"
I attended the first George Town Literary Festival, and even got my "The Gift of Rain" book autographed by the author himself.
I managed 10 books + 5 comics, registering a rise in my book-reading graph from 2009 & 2010.
where there were so many new TV series incoming that I almost had a hard time allocating time for each yet somehow managed quite nicely..
of a number of weddings, including my only brother, cousins, and even one all the way in Phuket which was a definite first.
I looked back at the many good times we had as kids and realized how we'd all grown up in our own ways and the memories left bittersweet aftertaste..
I was caught by surprise at the occurrence of certain events that changed my perspectives and resulting in me threading ever so cautiously after..
I had to finally admit that some things or people were just not what they were portrayed to be, and that perhaps we had reached the junctions where we must part ways..
iPhone became a serious photography tool with albums for each day of the week, plus a new wide/macro lens to capture the small details in the big pictures ☺
with a couple of new found hobbies that I never would have thought about indulging in but was glad that I did.
a little bee decided to land on my neck and yes, it was better than her rabbit ☺
a few items were finally under my name for good.
I made some online purchases and I think I am a little hooked!
I had high teas at high places.
Damon and I were still misunderstood beings LOL

2012 is a year with much changes and blank pages...but while we are at it - perhaps throw in an Acacia as well as a pair of new shoes - let's take our strides to meet the new year ahead. C'est La Vie ~

HaPpY NeW YeAr 2012!

Christmas Greetings 2011

2011-12-24T21:43:00.000+08:00

Faith makes all things possible,
Hope makes all things work,
Love makes all things beautiful,
May you have all the three for this Christmas.
Merry Christmas!

George Town Literary Festival 2011

2011-12-06T16:19:00.001+08:00

So it seems my love affair with China House has yet to end as I found myself there again 2 Sundays in a row. Where prior visits were mostly for meals with friends, the latest was actually a first such event that I'd ever attended in my life - a meetup with authors in conjunction with the George Town Literary Festival 2011.

Call it fate or coincidence, the reason I decided to attend in the first place was because it featured Tan Twan Eng, the author of "The Gift of Rain", a book I was eagerly reading (and had since completed) then and I was actually excited to attend a reading cum discussion session to hear what the author had to say. Plus I kinda had a few questions lingering in my mind, one particularly being "Is the island, the island I think it is??"

Not wanting to jump straight to the end but I did ended up buying 2 books by the other 2 authors who were also present that day, hah not so sure if such events are good for my pockets..

Autographed by the author himself :)

Anyway, the event was held upstairs at the Kopi Cine side of the building (facing Victoria Street), away from the hustle bustle of the very-familiar-by-now China House, and of which was quite a breath of fresh air to be honest. To add in to our delights, coffee/tea and cakes were complimentary i.e no worries about what to eat for breakfast. It wasn't a full house event but the crowd that day was a pretty decent number with a well mixture of the young and the old, locals and foreigners, as well as guys and gals. "Penangites, expatriates and tourists alike do read local books, how nice!" was my thought ☺

Tan Twan Eng was clearly the main draw, seeing that there was even a "An Evening with Tan Twan Eng" dinner/reading/conversation hosted at the E&O Hotel (and which cost RM50/pax) the night before but the other 2 authors, Iskandar Al-Bakri and Shih-Li Kow, had charming tales to tell as well. How could a tale of conspiracy, sorcery and black magic not be appealing, right? What more, Iskandar even had "props" to share with the audience; a "kayu hujan panas" which he claimed if used to hit a person, he/she will gradually go crazy. Bizarre? Curious to know more? Right, buy that book!

The authors each took turns to read excerpts from their books followed by a series of questions from the audience before the floor was opened for Q&A directed to individual authors or together as a whole. An interesting experience I must say and it exposed me to different genres, perceptions and views. For example, did you know that The Gift of Rain was written entirely in Cape Town, South Africa even though the story takes place right here in the Pearl of the Orient, almost a quarter of the earth away? And that it took 4 rewrites before he was satisfied with the final copy? Did you know that Shih-Li Kow is only a part-time writer and actually works at a shopping mall (to pay the bills she said) in Kuala Lumpur?

Overall, I am glad that a Literary Festival was held in Penang and I look forward to attending such events in the future. That is coming from a certified bookworm who is hoping for more bookworms to be nurtured.

Oh, and if you were wondering if I managed to ask that question....well, it was asked but not by yours truly. A lady said she was dying to know where the island was and was the island that island where her balcony at The Cove overlooked? Unfortunately, Mr Tan only gave a cryptic answer and insisted the island was whichever island you wanted it to be...

My take on that?

I'll cover it when I review the book in a coming post *winks

China House

2011-11-08T11:26:00.000+08:00

Blogging on the scene...now that sounds kinda interesting to me. Shuey gave me the idea when she asked if I was doing just that when we first reached. Ok in truth, I might not have actually completed the entire post in China House itself but not too bad for a first try, right? *winks

So here I am on a rainy Monday evening inside China House, with English Breakfast (they ran out of camomile and earl grey, can you believe that?), a tiramisu and a Vietnamese tart to keep me company. Oh and Shuey too of coz, though mostly we are keeping each other company only by our physical presence with minds in our own worlds.

a section for just about everyone

It's actually my 3rd visit here already; the most to any of the cafes around Penang. I think China House kinda has it all. From casual breakfasts to quick lunches to cozy teas to fine-dining dinners, you can do all that here. There are even different sections in this pre-war house that cater for the different needs. Not to mention rooms for private functions and a lounge area surrounded by all types of wine. And if you are the bookworm type like me, you'll like the back area where there are shelves filled with books and magazines for you to browse as you enjoy a cuppa and a dessert or two.

Did I mention that they are quite famous for their desserts with an unusual tiramisu cake made with kahlua topping the list? I was here for lunch once and sitting right across the cake counter and my-oh-my, the tiramisu was down to the last piece in no time (there were like 4-5 pieces when I first sat down).

breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between

Even though the place is called China House, don't expect the menu to be Chinese Chinese, if you know what I mean. They are more leaning towards western fusion. While there is not a long list of dishes to choose from, their breakfast/lunch menu does served up till 6pm. For dinner apparently there are 2 options; either the fine-dining way where you will be seated in the more posh-ly decorated area with nice china, drinking glasses and cutlery, or the common area where the all-day dining are served. I've not personally tried the fine-dining menu yet but I'll keep you updated if and when I have the opportunity to check that out ;)

For myself, I've tried their brunch of beans & lamb sausage with egg, toasts, and caramelized onion (very filling!), their lunch of roasted chicken with vinaigrette salad (tasty), and their dinner of vegetarian spaghetti (done in a nyonya-ish way with bunga kantan or ginger flower; an interesting recipe) and chicken mushroom pie (what you'd expect of a pie except it was on the house *yay).

for the art lovers

There is also an upstairs gallery where artworks of local artists are on display for sale so one can have a quick look-around after their meals before they leave. Interestingly, China House has two entrances, each facing a different road so the building is actually a combination of 3 heritage buildings. I've yet to explore till the other ~~end~~ entrance but right in between is an open-air courtyard with greenery but also an empty pool. My thoughts, if they spruce the place up with better landscaping, it could do wonders.

Lastly, China House reminds me of Kopi Cine and if my observations are correct, they are sister cafes. The tables at both cafes have clipped-on mahjong papers, each with a glass of crayons for the diners to draw on, and the teapots used are similar stainless steel pots. And if those aren't enough, the China House menu even has "Kopi C" as a header. But you decide...☺

Updated Nov 10th, 2011: Apparently China House is the new Kopi Cine relocated from the old place at Stewart Lane.

Address:

153 & 155 Beach Street,

Georgetown, Penang.

The other entrance:

183B Victoria Street,

Georgetown, Penang.

Tel: +604-2637299

Real Steel

2011-10-28T00:58:00.000+08:00

I know it has been showing for a while now and most of you would have probably watched it anyway but I really wanted to blog about it (But stop reading this moment if you haven't and if you do not want spoilers.)

It's been a while since my last trip to the cinema (I think it was Insidious?) and it's just good that it was Real Steel that I watched.

Because I kinda love it, robot boxing violence and all.

A quick run on the synopsis; Real Steel takes place somewhere in the near future, year 2020 or so, where robots have replaced humans in the boxing ring. Yup, humans don't have to get hurt no more, instead they just control the robots with high-tech looking consoles or hand-held controllers. Some robots (a.k.a Noisy Boy) could even take in voice commands. Just speak into a bluetooth-like headset and instruct the robot; "upper-cut! dodge! swing left! swing right!" - well, you get the drill.

So we have Hugh Jackman playing the lead role as Charlie Kenton, a former boxer but who is now kinda in a deep debt which he trying to pay off by earning big money in robot boxing. Unfortunately things aren't going too well for him at all due to his hastiness and over-confidence. His first robot, Ambush, got totally mauled by a real-life bull and Charlie finds himself in hot soup which he could only try to run away from (but you know soon the bad stuff catches back up on you). He also finds himself having to take care of his preteen son, Max, whom he couldn't care-less (at first) and only agreed to the baby-sitting for the money (to buy a new robot so that he can earn back his cash asap). Then there's Bailey (played by the beautiful Evangeline Lily of Lost fame), childhood friend of Charlie, who is in love with him but had to ask him to leave as she could no longer support his debts while maintaining her deceased father's boxing gym. And the movie goes about detailing more fights while focusing on the father-son relationship.

So what made the movie stand out? You might think it's just robot boxing and that's that. Or perhaps it would only appeal to the guys with all the actions and fighting. Truth is Real Steel is more than that. In fact, it's so good that for once the girls wouldn't mind watching robots fighting.

Seriously.

The movie has such passion in it that it simply moves the viewer. It sure moved me at least. I enjoyed the movie from start to end and there wasn't really any moments/scenes that I disliked. It was exciting watching all the fights and the moves as if they were real and I was standing by the ringside. I grimaced at the violence but I also had a good laugh at all the antics. From the great Midas stroking his red Trojan hair after thrashing Noisy Boy, from the mighty Zeus flattening some unknown robot's head with just a clap of the hands, and definitely the dancing moves of Atom, the sparring robot that Max had to dug up on his own at some junkyard, no thanks to his dad who refused to help him!

And of course, the father and the son. Max is adorable and smart (or genius, so he says) and in actual, looks up to his dad and just wants Charlie to fight for him. The scenes between them are realistic, humorous and personal that it touches me as well as tickles me. It is only because they are so alike that they are always at loggerheads with each other but it sure keeps the audience entertained.

But what makes the movie stand out is really the cinematography. Kudos to director Shawn Levy for his visions. The angles, the lightings, the settings are just beautiful and very well captured. Even Charlie's pose while pumping gas was hilarious but way COOL. Levy is great at catching those moments; the frustration here, the anger there, the triumphs and the tears.

Overall, the movie is about how you gotta have hope and how when you have been beaten down, you have to stand up and fight somemore. You know what the ending is going to be like but you don't mind. You are in it for the feel good factor and coming out of the cinema at the end of the day with a happiness jab in the arm ☺

My Rating:

The Science of Deduction

2011-10-11T23:10:00.000+08:00

Blogging had taken a step back lately due to a sudden series tsunami.And the influx was so overwhelming, my days and nights were practically swarmed. Thus, it comes as no surprise what my blog post's going to be about...afterall it's TV Tuesday!

When it comes to solving mysteries, the name Sherlock Holmes is never far off. What with Warner Bros. even bringing the character to life with a face that strikingly resembles a certain Robert Downey Jr. There's even an Iphone game bearing the same face - which I would probably cover in some other post. Sir Authur Conan Doyle created the character a few centuries back thus the stories always take place in late 1800s London with cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, Pea Soupers and what-nots. And I certainly do not have any complains about the settings, being a fan of the Renaissance and the Victorian eras.

So when I was introduced to Sherlock, the TV series, I was expecting a similar setting and eagerly looking forward to it. (Coincidentally, I am halfway through a Sherlock Holmes novel myself - check out "Aftertot is Reading" at the side.) You bet I was surprised to see a modern London setting to begin with. The thought of "Did I copy the wrong files?" flashed across momentarily but was quickly overwritten by "Wow, a modern Sherlock Holmes! Now, how are they gonna portray this?!" with the first appearance of Dr. Watson, Holmes' trusted sidekick.

And I must say, the guys who created this series are just brilliant. They managed to put a modern twist to the stories so well that one would believe the stories are written in the 21st century themselves. Obvious example; Dr. Watson no longer jots down his adventures with Holmes in a journal. Instead he is now a techie guy who owns a blog, aptly named The Personal Blog of Dr. John H. Watson - and yes, it really exists!

And Holmes in the show is a genius with a wit that makes you laugh out loud, as long as you are not at the receiving end of his remarks. He is arrogant and funny at the same time. And one would say he is really sly and manipulative. But in a good way i.e. in the name of solving mysteries and murders. Benedict Cumberbatch, the actor who plays Holmes, is superb in the role and plays it to a T. Martin Freeman is great as Watson with funny antics almost always befalling him. Dialogues, plots, places and characters are wonderful all around.At the end of the day, it makes you wanna visit London and speak like an English...

The only downside is the first season is too short with just three 90-minute episodes, each a case of its own. The cases are adapted from Doyle's works - A Study in Pink (based on A Study in Scarlet), The Banker (based on The Valley of Fear and The Dancing Men). Thankfully though, the show has been picked up for a 2nd season schedule to be broadcast in early 2012, seeing that it won the 2011 BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series..yay! (BAFTA is the UK-equivalent of the Emmy Awards.)

Looking forward to more Sherlock but am glad for the hiatus. Now my other series can fill in that gap *winks

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth - Sherlock Holmes

My Rating:

And In Another Life

2011-10-01T15:30:00.000+08:00

Do you sometimes dream how life would have been, had you taken another path when you were at certain crossroads? Or how different where you are now from where you thought you would be? Childhood dreams...do they come true?

Image Source: nadivondi.tumblr.com

The One That Got Away, a great new song by Katy Perry. Love the rhythm, the lyrics..☺

Summer after high school when we first met
We make out in your Mustang to Radiohead
And on my 18th birthday we got matching tattoos

Used to steal your parents' liquor and climb to the roof
Talk about our future like we had a clue
Never planned that one day I'd be losing you

And in another life I would be your girl
We keep all our promises, be us against the world
And in another life I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you were the one that got away
The one that got away

I was June and you were my Johnny Cash
Never one without the other, we made a pact
Sometimes when I miss you, I put those records on, whoa

Someone said you had your tattoo removed
Saw you downtown singing the blues
It's time to face the music, I'm no longer your muse

But in another life I would be your girl
We keep all our promises, be us against the world
And in another life I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you were the one that got away
The one that got away

The one, the one, the one
The one that got away

All this money can't buy me a time machine, no
Can't replace you with a million rings, no
I should've told you what you meant to me, whoa
'Cause now I pay the price

And in another life I would be your girl
We keep all our promises, be us against the world
And in another life I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you were the one that got away
The one that got away

The one, the one, the one

And in another life I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you were the one that got away
The one that got away

Prayer

2011-09-26T00:37:00.001+08:00

Romeo X Juliet

...a tale of forbidden love with a magical/fantasy twist, and a great song - Inori by Lena Park; a Japanese version of the famous You Raise Me Up (which according to Wikipedia, has been covered more than 125 times including the likes of Josh Groban and Westlife)

urunda hitomi no oku ni [In the depths of my tear-filled eyes]
kawaranu kimi no sugata [Is your everlasting beauty]
"doko made sekai wa tsudzuku no" ["How far does the world go?"]
todaeta hibi no kotoba [Those words from our bygone days]

kogoeru arashi no yoru mo [Even on those freezing, stormy nights]
mada minu kimi e tsudzuku [Though you are still out of sight, I continue on]
oshiete umi wataru kaze [Please tell me, ocean-crossing winds]
inori wa toki wo koeru [That my prayers will pass through time]

kasunda chihei no mukou ni [Beyond the misty horizons]
nemureru hoshi no souwa [Stars are fabled to lie]
"akenai yoru wa nai yo" to ["Dawn will surely follow every night"]
ano hi no tsumi ga warau [The sins of my past laughs]

furueru kimi wo dakiyose [I try to embrace you trembling with uncertainty]
todokanu kokuu wo aogu [But I look up at the empty sky beyond reach]
kikoeru yami terasu kane [I hear the chime that illuminates darkness]
kimi eto michi wa tooku [Showing me that the path to you is still far]

Note: Lyrics courtesy of www.animelyrics.com

Mid-Autumn 2011

2011-09-11T14:37:00.000+08:00

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!!

4th year and still keeping the tradition alive ☺

Häagen-Dazs ice-cream mooncakes...goes well with a cuppa coffee/tea under the moonlit sky (or a rainy afternoon) ;)

La Boheme

2011-08-31T18:19:00.001+08:00

A touch of French in the heart of heritage George Town...

Which I did not even know existed until yesterday. And lo and behold, it was so obvious yet hidden at the same time; just along Sri Bahari road and it looked like any ordinary pre-war house occupied by normal Penangites, down to the motorcycles in the front porch covered by canvases to hide from the rain. And yes, we walked right past it without even bothering to take a glance inside until SHuey called out to us [which is another funny story altogether no thanks to our declining hearing..] and we were suprised beyond words.

How in the world could anyone find this place?! There was no signboard, save for a mini wooden chopping board hanging on the gates with "42 La Boheme" written in marker.

The place is sparsely decorated and you don't actually feel you are inside a French cafe at all except for that black and white photograph of ground level Eiffel Tower. And also of course the food. The food served were at least mostly French☺. There were ready-baked pies on display at the counter, a fridge full of mouth-watering desserts, and tables decorated with mini glasses of water with fresh blooms of chrysanthemums. The owner is a European-looking man, my guess French, who prepares the food in the kitchen behind and whose wife was not in at that time thus no coffee could be served (he said his wife makes the coffee..haha).

Anyway, tea was fine with us and there were the usual selection (earl grey, english breakfast and the likes) as well as a list of scented teas. I decided to go the apple flower tea which I found to be not much different from chamomile. All the teas were not off-the-shelf tea bags, and they came in individual pots with Japanese-like tea cups.

Food wise, we decided to share so we could have space for desserts as well as opportunity to sample a wider variety. We had the almond croissant (served on a mini chopping board), the chicken salad (colorfully displayed on a wide plate), the quiche Lorraine which came with a side salad as well, and the crème brûlée, which they caramelized immediately only before serving.

(They serve pizzas too which we were lucky we did not order for it was huge and definitely not a 1-person share, not even for 2 or 3 small eaters if you get what I mean.)

No complains really on the food. The croissant had chocolate fillings and tasted pretty good. The salad - drizzled with balsamic vinegar, if not mistaken - was appetizing. The crème brûlée's custard base was smooth while the caramel disc was crispy although CPeng find it to be a tad over-burnt for her liking. And lastly, the quiche.

Well, if you have been following my posts, quiches have been quite under the spotlight lately thus that dish was one I was more eager to try out the moment I saw it scribbled on the menu blackboard. So drum rolls please, here's my verdict:

That Little Wine Bar's quiche still reigned supreme! But La Boheme's quiche is definitely better than Delicious's *pins the silver ribbon on La Boheme's quiche Lorraine.

Also, while we were the first customers but as the day progressed, all the tables were occupied. I guess we were probably one of those few who never heard of the place until that day. Overall, La Boheme is worth going back to; both for its food as well as for it's "invisibility" for as I watched the cars and passersby strolled past, for a moment there it was as though I'd escaped the hecticness of life.

Muntri Mews

2011-08-29T19:20:00.003+08:00

So it was my birthday and I had a bad cough thus Soo Huey was supposed to bring me out for "Khor Teh" or Bitter Tea, a chinese tea remedy for those feeling under the weather, having a sore-throat or a cough. We decided to have brunch first at Moon Tree; which I will hopefully cover in a future post for the lack of pictures. I was too busy enjoying my bacon sandwich, bruschetta, and honey lemon tea as well as the relaxing, quiet environment that is Moon Tree.

We ended up only having the tea some other night but we did discover a cozy, grand place for desserts that cloudy afternoon. Conveniently, it was just a few pre-war buildings away from Moon Tree.

Muntri Mews cafe is a lovely place for a peaceful and cooling afternoon - it's air conditioned - where one can sit sipping tea, snacking on nyonya kuih-s while admiring the beautifully landscaped surroundings with shady tropical plants dancing in the breeze. Not to forget the heritage picture books of Penang and portraits of her people in a basket to be perused at the pleasure of customers.

Some pictures of the Mews' special tiramisu and some jaw-dropping cum funny moments later, we noticed that Muntri Mews was not just only a cafe. In fact, the cafe is actually part of a boutique hotel with a gated area only for in-house guests. Checking out the rooms was a great idea because it really was pretty sight. The rooms were spacious and very elegantly decorated with local antiques and paraphernalia. I managed to grab the pamphlet on my way out which not only introduced Muntri Mews, it was also a map of Penang with a list of interesting places to visit and recommended eateries.

And according to the pamphlet, Muntri Mews only comes with 9 suites thus "creating a feeling of intimate conviviality but also allowing for the privacy when desired." No wonder the price per night is a bit steep (~RM300++) but for a tourist with a stronger currency, I would certainly recommend to give the place a try. I like the thoughts and details put into restoring the place (it was formerly a dilapidated row of Peranakan townhouse) making it into one of the more upscale and classy locations in the heart of George Town.

Would definitely revisit the place. Still have the unfinished picture books to flip through...☺

P/S: Mews apparently were private stables for horse carriages, with staff quarters upstairs, which then became garages for motor cars during the Edwardian era. --courtesy of the Muntri Mews pamphlet

Delicious

2011-08-17T17:28:00.001+08:00

I've heard and seen so many pictures of this place when it was first opened and to think I never could find time to go. I've heard of how popular they were in Kuala Lumpur and how Penangites were rejoiced that it finally opened its doors at the beautiful Straits Quay. So needless to say, I just had to find an opportunity to see the place for myself.

And the first impression of the place was really good. I love the ambience, the decorations made up of bird cages, the cozy color combinations of mostly white and blue, the layout with ceiling-to-floor glass windows that overlooked the sea with warm sunny rays streaming in. On my first visit, I was seated at one of the desserts table by the window - I only had time for desserts then - and it was a nice experience like I was without a care in the world, just enjoying the "yuppie-ness" (definitely thanks to a glass of St. Claire "bubbles" sparkling wine).

Delicious is supposed to be famous for its desserts if I'm not mistaken. However, truth be told I've yet to discover that. Thus far, I've tried the Tiramisu in a glass, Macadamia Cheesecake topped with crunchy macadamia nut brittle & caramel, Strawberry Shortcake, and the Peach & Banana Crumble with vanilla ice cream. None made me crave to go back for more with the peach & banana crumble not even making it into my 2nd-try list. Yup, I didn't like that one at all.

Besides desserts, I've also heard of the pies, mains and pasta. A friend of mine told me the quiche is really good, definitely a must-try. If you've been following my blog you would know how I've sang praises of That Little Wine Bar's quiche, so my ears definitely pricked up when I heard there's a better quiche in town. Okayyy, I gotta find another time to go for a proper meal then. And find time I did.

As usual, mushroom soup was a must so the Wild mushroom soup with garlic bread got a tick. Aglio olio is another favourite so on the order list the Aglio Olio Spaghettini went as well. Lastly, the oh-so-famous quiche. I had the Smoked Salmon Quiche although the Quiche Lorraine with beef bacon caught my eye but too bad I don't really take beef. Then comes the afterthought (pun intended).

Maybe I had such high hopes for the quiche, you know, so I was a tad disappointed by it. Somehow the smoked salmon, cheese and crust just did not go well together. I hereby declare, the numero uno quiche in town is still the one at That Little Wine Bar, hah. Nothing to complain about the soup and pasta though as I ended up eating more of the pasta than the quiche☺.

Well, there's still a lot to try so it's not my last visit for sure. I do, however, feel that it gets pretty noisy in there. There's always a buzzing of people's voices and the clink-clanking of cutleries. Tone that down a notch and it would be perfect.

Also, one important thing on the menu caught my eye; Traditional English Afternoon Tea for Two (RM59.90):

Served in a Triple-Tier:
Warm scones with preserves & fresh cream

Assortment of finger sandwiches & duck confit in filo pastry

Strawberry chocolate dip & hand-rolled chocolate truffles

Rosemary & cheese cookies

Choice of any one cake on display

Choice of any two cups of tea

Yay, another mission for me!

Life is like a boat

2011-08-06T22:09:00.001+08:00

Nobody knows who I really am

I never felt this empty before
And if I ever need someone to come along
Who's gonna comfort me, and keep me strong?

We are all rowing a boat of fate
The waves keep on comin' and we can't escape
But if we ever get lost on our way
The waves would guide you through another day

Tooku de iki o shiteru [Far away, I'm breathing]
Toumei ni natta mitai [As if I were transparent]
Kurayami ni omoeta kedo [It would seem I was in the dark]
Mekakushi sareteta dake [But I was only blindfolded]

Inori o sasagete [I give a prayer]
Atarashii hi o matsu [As I wait for the new day]
Azayaka ni hikaru umi [Shining vividly]
Sono hate made [Up to the edge of that sea]

Nobody knows who I really am
Maybe they just don't give a damn
But if I ever need someone to come along
I know you would follow me, and keep me strong

Hito no kokoro wa utsuriyuku [People's hearts change]
Mukedashitaku naru [And sneak away from them]
Tsuki wa mata atarashii shuuki de [The moon in its new cycle]
Fune o tsureteku [Leads the boat again]

And every time I see your face, the oceans heave up to my heart
You make me wanna strain at the oars
and soon I can see the shore

Oh, I can see the shore
When will I see the shore?

I want you to know who I really am
I never thought I'd feel this way towards you
And if you ever need someone to come along
I will follow you, and keep you strong

Tabi wa mada tsuzuiteku [And still the journey continues]
Odayaka na hi mo [On quiet days as well]
Tsuki wa mata atarashii shuuki de [The moon in its new cycle]
Fune o terashi dasu [Shines on the boats again]

Inori o sasagete [I give a prayer]
Atarashii hi o matsu [As I wait for the new day]
Azayaka ni hikaru umi [Shining vividly]
Sono hate made [Up to the edge of that sea]

And every time I see your face, the oceans heave up to my heart
You make me wanna strain at the oars
and soon I can see the shore

Unmei no fune o kogi [We are rowing the boat of fate]
Nami wa tsugi kara tsugi e to watashitachi o osou kedo [But the waves keep attacking us]
Sore mo suteki na tabi ne [But isn't that still a wonderful journey?]
Dore mo suteki na tabi ne [Aren't any of them a wonderful journey?]

Note: Lyrics courtesy of www.animelyrics.com

Falling Leaves

2011-07-31T19:46:00.002+08:00

Falling Leaves

There is just so much I want to say about this book that I risk spilling the entire memoir out here.

I remember I couldn't helped but to relate the story to a friend even though I was only midway through the book then. Couldn't helped gushing about how it was so captivating, how the usage of Chinese proverbs in every chapter header perfectly described that particular chapter in Adeline's life, how life in Shanghai was exactly how it was always portrayed in Chinese drama series and many more.

However, do not mistaken my excitement for all things bright and sunny. In fact, it's the exact opposite.Adeline Yen Mah's childhood was one filled with more frowns than smiles. Being born to a mother who died shortly after labor, she was destined to grow up under abuse, both physically and emotionally, not only at the hands of a cruel stepmother but also at the hands of her own siblings, an elder sister and 3 older brothers. Their household may be one that was wealthy and influential but the pain that Adeline went through did not reflect those privileges. She was not even allowed to have friends to come by her house. Her excellent academic achievements was deemed as showing off and being boastful. Her little pet chick was the weakest and smallest yet was the one chosen to be mauled by the parent's pet dog. She was later sent off to a boarding school in Tianjin, right at the height of China's Civil War, where according to her, "Most people were fleeing in the opposite direction".

Adeline weathered the storm and eventually fate dealt a gentler hand and she managed to come out triumphant, becoming a physician in the United States, and then a writer. Her passion had always been in writing which came out top in a prestigious writing competition that managed to catch her father's eyes for once in her life. Even in adulthood, filial piety is in her blood and she did whatever she could to help out her family. She definitely deserved better than the ugliness that reared its head after the death of her father and later the stepmother.

Overall, it is an engaging read. Adeline certainly has a prowess for writing. The memoir is not only about her sad childhood. It is also about her ancestors and their glorious past, her aunt's life in the middle of the China Cultural Revolution, and her own struggles in a foreign land where racial prejudice were rife back in 1950s. Most of all, it's about her root, her culture, her growing up, her voice.

Just like the proverb, Luo Ye Gui Gen (Falling leaves return to their roots), this is her journey.

My Rating:

Edo Ichi

2011-07-16T17:45:00.001+08:00

Been to the place more than a couple of times now. Located at the once lively Island Plaza (I just noticed even Dome had vanished..), Edo Ichi is still pretty abuzz with activities and most tables are occupied. The interior is nicely done with well-placed aquariums, booths for small groups, and larger sections to accommodate a bigger crowd. There is also a sushi bar adorned with huge sake bottles but set lower so you can't actually watch the chefs at work ala real sushi restaurants in Japan as seen in Japanese dramas.

The few times I've been there I'd ordered different dishes (maki-s, hand rolls, etc) and bento sets. The salmon sashimi is presented beautifully in a bowl of decorated ice. The flesh is fresh and I must say...thick! Others were merely average in taste and not really worth the price printed on the menu.

Until we decided to order some greens during a particular visit and went for the soft shell crab & salmon skin salad with special sauce. Say no more. The salad has since been a must-order item at every visit. The mixed lettuces are fresh, crunchy and sweet. The cucumber and cherry tomatoes, juicy. The soft shell crabs and salmon skins delicious to the bite. Most important of all is really the special sauce. It just brings the entire bowl of salad up a notch.

And I would go back to Edo Ichi just for that. Overall, it's a quiet place with pretty good service (they are fast in ensuring empty plates are promptly cleared off!) and that yummy salad☺

By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead

2011-07-03T12:40:00.009+08:00

Now before you go all panicky, it's just the title of the book by Julie Ann Peters...

By The Time You Read
This, I'll Be Dead

Which was an intriguing read with a well-written flow. Got me turning pages and I even caught myself smiling even though the story line is about a girl contemplating suicide. Daelyn had had many failed attempts - her last attempt left her with damaged vocal cords - until she found this website, Through-the-Light, that thinks it is your right to take your own life if you must. Each member is assigned an ID and the "Date of Determination" is always 23 days from the day you signed up. Thus each chapter of the book is headed with a countdown; X days to D-Day.

Felt shudders at times especially when reading about the "Ways To Go". Each of the methods and means are rated to indicate the level of pain, availability and effectiveness. Did you know it would be better to use a razor-sharp knife rather than a razor-sharp blade? "Because it is difficult to hold when covered in blood...."

[Guess readers would have some options if ever a need arise? *touch wood!]

There's also the Final Forum section where the Jane and John Does share their pain and experiences. Above all, it threw a light on why some of us would go for a premature way out.

And bullying kills. I must say that well-known phrase "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" is kinda crap now. Because words can often be sharper than swords and they seriously cut DEEP.

When one has suicidal thoughts and somehow someone appears in their lives right at that moment, will it save them and help them see things in a different perspective? That there might actually be hope afterall? Daelyn met Santana. But is it too late?

So in the end, did she or did she not?

For you to find out...

My Rating:

iPhone: Bonnie's Brunch

2011-06-26T21:01:00.004+08:00

Anyone who is a fan of time management games would be familiar with the Diner Dash franchise as well as all the "tycoon" games out there. But we are not going there today. Instead I am talking about the new game in the iPhone world: Bonnie's Brunch.

Here we play Bonnie, an aspiring baker who also loves to travel. And what could be better than receiving a food truck on her birthday. Now, she can do both; travelling while serving delicious brunches to her customers along the way. Did I mention her chosen destination is none other that Paris, the City of Lights? [that alone had me adding double points to the game *winks]

At each level, there will be customers (young & old) queuing and placing their orders. You then tap the ordered food item on to a plate and drag it to the said customer. As the level increases so does the difficulties. The range of food items expands; from mere plain croissants and bagels, you now have to topped it with honey/cream/ketchup depending on the customers' preferences. Soon pancakes (of 2 different shapes) are added on, with drinks included, and ultimately we have sandwiches made of different type of breads [we sure have some fussy customers] and fillings (eggs, hams, cheese, lettuce, etc). Not only are the number of food items increasing, the speed and number of customers are too, with rush hours thrown in for good measure...until your fingers are a moving blur, just trying to keep up with the order and within the given time limit. Mind you, there are impatient customers who can't wait to throw tantrums when their orders are not met in time. There are also "customers" who might influence other customers' moods so you would want to attend to them first.

So what happens if you tap on the wrong combination of order? No worries, they can go into the recycle bin though it might waste a few precious seconds of your time to do that. Then, there are the bonus levels where you have an unending line of customers and you have to serve as many as you can in 60 80 seconds to hit the master (3 stars) level. More finger-a-moving-blur moments.

Bonnie's Brunch has lovely artworks, all colorful and cute, that goes down well with me. It also comes with cute sound effects and voice greetings. Gameplay wise it's not extremely challenging. You just need to be real quick on the fingers. There are similar games that are tougher; think Facebook's Sushi no Suki, which actually requires you to memorize exact ingredients to make the correct sushi (e.g 2 balls of rice and 1 piece of salmon to come out with a nigiri salmon.) Now that was crazy frenzy!

Also since Bonnie's Brunch was just released in early June 2011, it only came with 4 chapters with 10 stages each, which is considerably short for addicts like me who covered ~3 chapters in 1 morning. I really do look forward to more chapters coming our way. Oh, and just so you know, I don't play for the sake of playing. Just like Cut the Rope, I play for 3 stars all the way..LOL!

My Rating:

Testimony

2011-06-23T22:33:00.001+08:00

Three guys. One underage girl. One video.

Location - Exclusive private school.

So what did the headmaster do but to try and keep the sex scandal contained internally. Though with the Internet, can anything of such proportion be kept?

And when the entire thing blew up, it affected more than just the students. In fact, it affected almost every single person in that town. Scandal in a private school equaled huge news. Reporters swarmed the place like moths to light. Worse when the school was portrayed as trying to sweep the whole thing under the carpet. Charges were pressed. Later on it was revealed even the parents who were supposed to be role models have their own skeletons in the closets. And in the end, it weren't just images and credibility that were lost. It was much, much more.

The book is written in such a way that each chapter is an account or a perspective of each of the characters - starting with the headmaster, Mike, discovering the tape - hence the title. Through their eyes, readers are brought into their world, their thoughts, their struggles, their shame. It started slow but picked up toward the epilogue when all hell sorta broke loose, if I may put it that way. And I could not have had imagined the impact and repercussions of the one single action at the start of the book.

In the end, we wonder who should be blamed? The headmaster? The parents? The culture? The upbringing? The Internet? Us, humans, for being wired that way?

Three guys. One underage girl. One video.

Luckily Anita Shreve answered the one question boggling my mind throughout..

Who was holding the camera?

My Rating:

Haunting Monologue

2011-06-19T13:08:00.004+08:00

shi shui dao yan zhe chang xi [Who directed this play?]
zai zhe gu dan jiao se li [In this lonely role]
dui bai zong shi zi yan zi yu [Dialogue is only between self]
dui shou du shi hui yi [Memories being the only opponents]
kan bu chu she me jie ju [Unable to see what could be the ending]

zi shi zhi zhong quan shi ni [It's all you throughout]
rang wo tou ru tai che di [whom I am so completely into]
gu shi ru guo zhu ding bei ju [But if the story is fated to be tragic]
he ku gei wo mei li [why bother giving me the beauty]
yan chu xiang ju ge bie li [of coming together and parting after]

mei you xing xing de ye li [In a star-less night]
wo yong lei guang xi yin ni [I appeal to you with tears]
ji ran ai ni bu neng yan yu [Since can't express my love]
zhi neng wei xiao ku qi [I can only smile and cry]
rang wo cong ci wang le ni [Let me forget you from now on]

mei you xing xing de ye li [In a star-less night]
wo ba wang shi liu gei ni [I'll leave you with memories]
ru guo yi qie zhi shi yan xi [If everything is just an act]
yao ni hao hao kan xi [I will let you enjoy the show]
xin sui zhi shi wo zi ji [and endure the heartbreak alone]

An Hour to Live, An Hour to Love

2011-06-16T21:31:00.007+08:00

If you had one hour to live and could make just one phone call, who would you call? What would you say? And why are you waiting? - To Kris, the love of my life, on our eighteen wedding anniversary. Love, Richard.

This is a true love story that serves as a reminder and a wake up call. It is written by Kristine Carlson, in loving memory of Richard Carlson, her husband of more than 25 years. His sudden departure from the world hit her hard but she has chosen to live and carry on his legacy. The book is focused on answering a letter Richard wrote to her on their eighteen wedding anniversary. And with it, also provides us insights, inspire us, and remind us what it is that really matters in life.

Richard Carlson was himself an inspirational author though I've never read his works.And while death may have now do them part, Kristine carries him in her heart always. In this way, she believes that love does last forever. The loss is painful but carrying on needs courage and I salute her for that. As she put it, "..as I vow never to sleepwalk through life again. When it is said that life goes on for the living, we should correct this statement by saying life goes on for the living who are fully awake."

Overall the entire book can be summarized in one of Richard's favorite poem, Tomorrow Never Comes, by Norma Cornett Marek.

Tomorrow Never Comes

If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep,

I would tuck you in more tightly, and pray the Lord your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you walk out the door,

I would give you a hug and kiss, and call you back for just one more.

If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,

I would tape each word and action, and play them back throughout my days.

If I knew it would be the last time, I would spare an extra minute or two,

To stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming you know I do.

So just in case tomorrow never comes, and today is all I get,

I'd like to say how much I love you, and I hope we never will forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike,

And today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today?

For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day

That you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss,

And you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today, and whisper in their ear,

That you love them very much, and you'll always hold them dear.

Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "thank you" or "it's okay."

And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today.

My Rating:

Angels

2011-06-14T22:26:00.002+08:00

I sit and wait
Does an angel contemplate my fate
And do they know
The places where we go
When we're grey and old
cos I've been told
That salvation lets their wings unfold
So when I'm lying in my bed
Thoughts running through my head
And I feel the love is dead
I'm loving angels instead

And through it all she offers me protection
A lot of love and affection
Whether I'm right or wrong
And down the waterfall
Wherever it may take me
I know that life wont break me
When I come to call she won't forsake me
I'm loving angels instead

When I'm feeling weak
And my pain walks down a one way street
I look above
And I know I'll always be blessed with love
And as the feeling grows
She breathes flesh to my bones
And when love is dead
I'm loving angels instead

The French Ripper

2011-06-11T22:33:00.010+08:00

Being a fan of Bones and also a follower of shows like CSI once, The Killer of Little Shepherds is a great read. As written on the cover, it is a story about how forensic science came to be. Intriguingly enough, it is also a true crime story that took place in France somewhere in the late 19th century, where technologies were almost non-existence, and no one had heard of DNA, fingerprints, and whatever high-tech forensic stuff we see on TV today.

So how were crimes particularly murders were solved then? Mostly they would bring in a suspect and force the person to admit to the crime via torture. Worse was when rumors spread, especially within rural communities, it was hard life after even if the police let you off for lack of evidence. Most of the time, these poor "suspects" had to move away and start life elsewhere.

But thanks to great minds who saw how science and medicine could help in solving crimes. How autopsies, when correctly done, could determine the actual time and cause of deaths. How thorough crime scene analysis could help uncover evidences not seen by the human eye at the first glance. How a certain chemical would react and turn blue if blood existed, even after the spot had been cleaned and bleached. How profiling could help when it came to decomposed bodies beyond recognition.

All these actually helped in capturing the serial killer, Joseph Vacher, nicknamed The French Ripper. He is thought to have raped, killed and mutilated at least 25 people, though he only confessed to 11 murders. And yes, the book covered the horrific details of the killings and mutilations that I gasped in horror when reading those chapters. He even tried to claim insanity to escape justice. And really, how can one who were capable of such despicable acts not be mad? However, does that mean he can thus escape punishment?

We wonder why such crimes exist in humanity and what pushed them to be such "monsters". There are many theories; one of which is that these people were born to be criminals. Another being the environment and living situations that made them who they are. But will we ever really know the real why?

Overall, it is very well-written and keeps the reader turning pages. Definitely one of the most thrilling lesson in history that won't have you dozing off.

My Rating:

Wayward Charade

2011-06-05T17:04:00.000+08:00

Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher
But I flew too high

Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I am dreaming
I can hear them say

Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man, well
It surely means that I don't know

On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune
But I hear the voices say

218

2011-05-14T02:18:00.009+08:00

That Little Wine Bar

2011-04-09T13:38:00.004+08:00

Tucked in a quiet street lined with trees, just mere distance from the busy Burmah Road, is a restaurant with a nice ambience that with a little bit of imagination, can transport you to some place in Europe...

The owners are Europeans and they themselves are good enough models for the place; sitting at the veranda, enjoying a glass or two. Sure know how to give passers-by a good first impression.

This was also the place that gave me quite an eye-opening experience during my first visit. It's like a ritual of mine to try all the mushroom soups of different restaurants so it was no surprise I ordered the wild mushroom soup then. My expectation was of course, the usual creamy mushroom soup that we have come to expect from restaurants like this. What was served was a bowl of clear broth with mixed mushrooms thrown in and pieces of parmesan cheese, a dish that I would associate more with Chinese restaurants. I guess it was only due to my limited knowledge of European dishes but I knew I wasn't going to be ordering the mushroom soup the 2nd time around. It did came in an interesting-looking bowl though...

Didn't make any reservations but were lucky to get a table in an almost-hidden corner; perfect for privacy, photo-taking, and checking the place out ☺

The seared foie gras as appertizer was good (I know, I know I'm not supposed to eat foei gras and support the force-fed campaign but my friend had never tried foie gras before so...) Anyway for comparison, I would prefer chilled foie gras served with baguette - which I had in Paris - over seared.

What I would truly recommend is the mushroom quiche. Put aside the fact that anything with mushroom goes well with me 99% of the time, the mushroom quiche was simply delicious. The softness, airy texture combined with the savory taste of mushrooms....ahh, it's no wonder I ate quite a portion..

For dessert, it was apple pillow with cream and vanilla ice-cream. Oh, and it came with a generous dusting of icing sugar. Not too bad but not as memorable as the quiche though. (Yes, read between the lines; try-the-quiche!)

And I must say, they do have quite a selection of wine. From where we sat, we had a direct view of their wine closet. The house wine, Chilean merlot, was smooth yet not too strong. Okay, not an expert when it comes to wine but it did go well with the meal..

Overall, a great place for a quiet evening ♥

iPhone: Cut the Rope

2011-04-02T13:51:00.004+08:00

It's been ages since my last game review. I used to play a lot of PC games but then it dwindled. There are just so much going on that games were sorta pushed down the priority ranks.

But not anymore. Not when I got an iPhone. You cannot begin to imagine the hundreds and thousands of games out there that you can play on-the-go and at any time of your convenience! I have even found myself playing games in the mornings while eating my breakfast *sheepish smile

The genre of games are massive. But if you are into iPhone games, I'm sure by now games like Angry Bird and Cut the Rope are household names.

I am not so sure about Angry Bird - not really my kinda game. On the other hand, I am a fan of Cut the Rope. It is an amazing, brain-tingling, patience-testing game with a totally cute interface. And cute is just not enough to describe Om Nom, the adorable monster thingy that appears in a box one day at your doorstep. It feeds on candy which you must, yes, "cut the rope" where it is hung on so that it drops into Om Nom's wide gaping mouth. Of coz to make it harder, you have to swing/cut the candy to get 3 bobbling stars in each level before dropping it to Om Nom to qualify for a 3-star expertise.

The main game comes with 6 boxes, each with its own theme and 25 levels. Naturally, moi's aim is not just giving the candy to Om Nom - its the 3 stars I'm aiming for (unlike a friend of mine who only played to go through the motions until I incepted her with the power of 3 stars!).

And since Thursday, I could proudly say I am an all rounder 3-star achiever *grins

Oh, and there's this free add-on where you get a holiday gift box with another 25 levels to complete. Also, did I mention how cute Om Nom is? Super duper adorable. Every single action/antics/emotions by Om Nom makes me go "awww.." I wouldn't mind such a pet..hey, just feed it candy only, rite? *winks

My Rating:

Your Song

2011-03-26T19:25:00.002+08:00

Been at the top of my playlist for weeks - actually it was the only song I repeated...

It's a little bit funny
this feeling inside
I'm not one of those who can easily hide
I don't have much money
but boy if I did
I'd buy a big house where
we both could live

So excuse me forgetting
but these things I do
see I've forgotten if
they're green or they're blue
Anyway the thing is
what I really mean
yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen

And you can tell everybody,
this is your song
It may be quite simple but
now that it's done
I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind
that I put down in words
how wonderful life is now you're in the world

If I was a sculptor
but then again no
or a girl who makes potions in a travelling show
I know it's not much but
it's the best I can do
My gift is my song and
this one's for you

And you can tell everybody,
this is your song
It may be quite simple but
now that it's done
I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind
that I put down in words
how wonderful life is now you're in the world

ReC!Pe: Rye Noodle with Smoked Salmon

2011-03-12T15:11:00.006+08:00

Another easy-peasy recipe with little over-the-fire cooking except to boil the noodles but can be pretty filling.. suitable as brunch on the go *winks

What You Need:

Half packet of Rye Noodle (I used organic; can also be substituted with soba noodles)
Smoked salmon (cut into tiny strips)
Chives (snipped into thin, shorts strips)
Dressing:

1 tbsp oyster sauce
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Lemon juice (1-2 slices)
Ground black pepper, to taste

What To Do:

Put water to boil and when ready, boil the rye noodles according to instructions on the pack.
Drain noodles and tip them into a large bowl.
Pour the dressing into the bowl, add the smoked salmon and chives. Mix well.
Serve immediately while warm. [I had it after it was cool and it still tasted pretty good☺]

Life of Pi

2011-02-26T01:09:00.003+08:00

After months of struggle, I am finally done with Life of Pi. And yes, I am actually relieved.

This book comes with big words, mind you. I had to reread some paragraphs to let them sink in and at times I had to rely on Dictionary.com to give me a clearer picture - can't imagine it out if I don't get the meaning in the first place, right?

The start was pretty slow. I'd expected it to jump right into the middle of things straight up and have me in its tight grip from the beginning till the end. But nope.

Things only picked up somewhere in the middle when religions, a boat, a Bengal tiger, a hyena, a zebra, and an orang utan got involved. I was horrified reading some of the events that occurred. The words weaved good but often gruesome and tough images of life as a survivor on a boat.

What I really liked about the book is all the zoology terms and animal behaviors explained. How animals have no problems living their lives out in enclosed places as opposed to living wild and carefree in the jungles. Interesting points and perspectives indeed. And if you ever wonder how a ringmaster is able to tame those animals on show and made them do stunts like jumping over rings of fire, the book kinda touched about that too (A little along the lines of Freud & Pavlov...)

However I did not quite like the ending. Somehow things seemed a tad too bizarre and odd. I felt they didn't really make sense. Perhaps my logical mind was what caused the downfall. But come on, [spoiler alert] another castaway (what are the odds?)? A carnivorous island? I guess as a fiction-fantasy, anything can happen.

So it's down to a case of science vs faith. If you are the person interviewing Pi, would you choose to believe a fantastical but seemingly irrational story (according to the book, Pi is afterall an irrational number) or an alternative, far more rational version? For me, yes, Pi may be an irrational number but well, Pi is one of the mathematical constants that plays an important part in science...

Confuse yet?

Well, I guess sometimes faith and science go hand-in-hand...

At the end of the day, Life of Pi is one of those famous books - with a movie in-the-making - that grabs your attention with a neon-sign that says "YOU HAVE GOTTA READ ME!". But perhaps don't set too high an expectation when reading it. Anyway, I am glad I've read it and that's that. ☺

My Rating:

ReC!Pe: Potato-Egg Salad

2011-02-25T00:28:00.005+08:00

It has been a really long while since I did a food/recipe post. And thanx to Australia's Jr Master Chef on AXN, I had this urge to cook (although sadly I am a gazillion light years from their level of skills - not to mention they are like only 8-12 yrs old!)

So to avoid any embarrassment, I'll stick to simple food that I can whip up in an hour or so in the morning before I rush off to work. First up, easy-peasy Potato-Egg Salad; good to go on its own or as sides. I had them as brunch to go with tuna sandwiches ☺

What You Need:

2-3 large potatoes
2 Eggs (hard-boiled)
Onions (chopped)
Spring onions (finely chopped to garnish)
Lemon juice (depending on how sour you want your salad to be, add and taste accordingly)
Mayonnaise

What To Do:

Boil potatoes until tender and cut them into cubes.
Shell the hard-boiled eggs and mash/grate them into a bowl. Add the chopped onions, lemon juice and mayonnaise. Mix well.
Pour the mayonnaise mixture thoroughly into the potatoes, then fold in the chopped spring onions. Serve warm or cold (I prefer to put them in the fridge and enjoy them cold)

Innocence

2011-02-19T19:04:00.000+08:00

Ecstatic

2011-02-07T17:59:00.000+08:00

♥ the packaging!

Comes with a complimentary measuring tape (so that you'll buy dresses from them next?)

But most important of all, ♥♥♥ the brand!

My very first Victoria Beckham (and its all mine, mine, mine!)
...yes, it's enough to make depresso day go away

The Sire

2011-01-19T22:50:00.001+08:00

Having heard of the place for a while now (probably years), we decided to walk in one night out of the blue to discover...

A nice place for quiet evenings; surrounded by eastern-western mix & match decorations and paintings. There's suppose to be a mini museum too somewhere on the 2nd floor but was too lazy to snoop around.

Appealing food; but it wasn't the best best mushroom soup for me (high marks on the presentations definitely). The lamb turned out quite rare - almost like "lamb-sashimi" - but lucky thing it did not have that pungent smell/taste that comes with lamb/mutton. Indeed the meat was actually pretty juicy and tender. Oh, and each meal came with in-house complimentary toasted cheese baguettes too which were crunchy and tasted good (but I guess cheese-haters would agree to disagree - and yes, I do mean you, miss-pretty-busy *lol).

So there you go...The Sire - checked! :)

P/S: Actually make that a double check....french onion soup is tasty and while the lemon grass chicken was palatable, it isn't a dish that will make me go back.

I hope

2011-01-08T13:40:00.000+08:00

~ even if one of them happens to be an active volcano still

2010 was the year

2011-01-02T03:31:00.000+08:00

with many changes; some doors were closed, other windows were opened, a blog layout was revamped, Lost was no more ...
olio pasta officially became a favourite - though mushroom soup still unbeatable at #1 - with home-made attempts too
where series & movies continued to be a big part of my rot-at-home routine. Not forgetting the lovely, lovely animes that had me repeating their soundtracks over and over and over..
I thought I'd read too little too few for the bookworm that I am but hey, I managed 12 (better than the 10 in 2009!)
I did a number of crazy stuff like

going back to Europe & felling in love with it all over again,
covered almost the entire of Rome on foot, tracing the Path of Illuminati (kinda limping toward the end), and
finally fulfilling my lifetime dream of watching a Champions League match featuring Manchester United and David Beckham

I experienced SNOW for the first time in my life and would love snow until the day I find myself stuck in a blizzard or something so that I might be able to understand why my friend in Chicago hates winter so much ☺
my sleeping program went a little bonkers; from waking up early in the morning on weekends to needing naps right after dinner to can't-keep-my-eyes-open-nights..
I won something from a radio station for the first time (and had to sing on air even though it wasn't part of the rules) but waited till the cows had all gone home before I finally had that Boyzone album in my hands
I wished that some things were simpler, were different, were better, or that some things could be rewind (On that account, RIP my VCR. You have served me well)
where pictures spoke a thousand words and quotes drew a hundred pictures
INCEPTION became a household word
I had an advertorial published in The Star newspaper with a frame and an empty magic dust pouch to go with it.

my collection of "Beckham" jerseys were completed. [And no, no Chelski please ~!]
I enjoyed many tea-drinking & macchiato sessions, just taking in the views and savoring the moments
my iPhone became the camera-that-I-never-brought-out
my car decided to die on me to earn a night in a deserted parking lot. "You should be thankful your tyres were still intact!" *shaking index finger with disapproved frown
I learnt that if Plan A fails, there's always Plan B, C, D, E...well, you know how the alphabets go LOL

2011 is the year with much more to come; the good, the bad, the start, the end. So let's inhale and life goes on. C'est La Vie ~

HaPpY NeW yEaR 2011!

Kopi Cine

2010-12-31T21:41:00.003+08:00

Always read about the little restaurants/cafes in the heart of Georgetown, Penang but have never visited any myself. Never was the food explorer really.

Until. Recently.

Sri Malaya was the first. Kinda liked the olio pasta they served (though my fren Anata felt it was not spicy enough and went on to "improve" the recipe herself...) but the mushroom soup tasted weird.

[Oh, and Dome still serves the best spicy olio pasta to me.]

Kopi Cine is #2 on the Done list. Quite a cozy spot situated at the corner where Stewart Lane meets Chulia Lane (Ok, I googled that as I have zilch ideas when it comes to the street names and lorongs of Georgetown) that serves lunch, dinner and have a longer list of wines than it does with coffee.

I think what makes the place unique is the big mahjong paper clipped to every table and a glass of crayons for you to start drawing while waiting for your food to be served. Actually we kept on drawing even after our food was already on the table...to the extend of moving the plates and tea cups around so as not to blocked the way. Next of course would be the picture-takings. Can't really leave without first taking shots of our work of art now, can we?

Had the homemade chicken pie & mashed potatoes with caramelized onions on top. Perhaps because it was neglected in the cold for a while, the chicken pie only tasted so-so to me. Mashed potatoes was not too bad. And since its called Kopi Cine, we downed a single shot of espresso to mark that :)

Wouldn't mind visiting the place again to try other stuff on the menu (not aplenty but not too sparse either). Maybe in the evenings to capture a different ambiance.

Updated Nov 10th, 2011: Kopi Cine has since been relocated to Beach Street and renamed to China House.

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-24T23:11:00.000+08:00

The best of joy, the best of cheer
For Christmas and the coming year ~

Here to help you notice the Rainbow

2010-12-19T22:30:00.001+08:00

Greyson Chance - Waiting Outside The Lines

You’ll never enjoy your life,
living inside the box
You’re so afraid of taking chances,
how you gonna reach the top?

Rules and regulations,
force you to play it safe
Get rid of all the hesitation,
it’s time for you to seize the day

Instead of just sitting around
and looking down on tomorrow
You gotta let your feet off the ground,
the time is now

I’m waiting, waiting, just waiting,
I’m waiting, waiting outside the lines
Waiting outside the lines
Waiting outside the lines

Try to have no regrets
even if it’s just tonight
How you gonna walk ahead
if you keep living blind?

Stuck in my same position,
you deserve so much more
There’s a whole world around us,
just waiting to be explored

Instead of just sitting around
and looking down on tomorrow
You gotta let your feet off the ground,
the time is now, just let it go

The world will force you to smile
I’m here to help you notice the rainbow
Cause I know,
What’s in you is out there

I’m waiting, waiting, just waiting,
I’m waiting, waiting outside the lines
Waiting outside the lines
Waiting outside the lines

I’m trying to be patient (I’m trying to be patient)
the first step is the hardest (the hardest)
I know you can make it,
go ahead and take it

I’m Waiting, waiting, just waiting I’m waiting
I’m waiting, waiting, just waiting
I’m waiting, waiting outside the lines
Waiting outside the lines
Waiting outside the lines

You’ll never enjoy your life
Living inside the box
You’re so afraid of taking chances,
How you gonna reach the top?

101128 - Pic of the Day

2010-11-28T17:30:00.001+08:00

Pic from Newcastle vs Galaxy [source: dbeckham.cz]

Galaxy might have lost but I'm sure everyone went home happy especially those by that particular exit ;)

The Book Thief

2010-11-17T19:41:00.005+08:00

How I found out about The Book Thief probably deserves a post of its own, which involves a Taiwanese TV programme, a magic show session that saw a bell moved on its own while in a glass box preventing any interference, in what we are led to believe was swayed by the spirit of the protagonist of the book. (I use "led to believe" because the book is a fiction but the part about a spirit's doing..erm that I have no comment.)

Anyways, the book caught my attention and before I know it, I was done reading it.

The story is kinda sad and gripping, set in Nazi Germany, with the narrator being the infamous man (or thing) underneath that robe, holding a scythe. Though he did clear that up for us in a later chapter:

*** A SMALL PIECE OF TRUTH ***
I do not carry a sickle or scythe.
I only wear a hooded black robe when it's cold.
And I don't have that skull-like facial features
you seem to enjoy pinning on me from a distance....

The story opened up my eyes to how bad life was during the war, under a regime that believed they were the most superior nation in the world. But nothing could be worse than if you happen to be a Jew during that period of time. Hiding a Jew would be next in line. Halfway through, I was googling to read more about the Holocaust, the Final Solution and related topics. What I read shocked me beyond words actually. I'm not much of a historical buff [if you read this, you know who you are :P] though I've heard of the fearsome H-word and knew it was bad. But reading it (as well as the numbers) totally shook me to the core. It was not just bad, it was a million times worse. How could these things ever happened? What an ideology!

It's not all sad though in the book. There are funny moments as we read about how Liesel became a book (and food) thief, her friendship with Rudy (the boy who keep wanting to kiss her), her relationships with her foster family (who are really good people even though they used words like "Saurkerl", "Saumensch" and "Arschloch" as terms of endearment), her relationship with Max (a Jewish fist-fighter), as well as the neighbourhood residents, and we get to look at Max's drawings too, like some kind of graphic-novel of that era..

Also, I didn't know Death could be such a good storyteller. The way he moved from one event to the next, sometimes to some past/future events as he deemed necessary, dropping interesting info here and there. Plus he really couldn't care less about spoilers. He would be telling you XXX died out of nowhere and only then reverse-engineer his way back to how it happened. Yet still have us turning the pages. For that, kudos to Markus Zusak for such great writing prowess.

Lastly it's not always that a book had me wiping tears off my eyes. The Kite Runner was one. Now we welcome The Book Thief to that list.

My Rating:

If I Have a Yacht

2010-11-14T20:16:00.002+08:00

~spotted in Cannes back in Feb '10

Masquerade

2010-10-31T00:01:00.001+08:00

Happy Halloween, I guess?

Buried

2010-10-30T22:58:00.002+08:00

One-man show.

But Ryan Reynolds manages to pull it through with a convincing performance and have the audiences (or was it just me?) in there with him in that ill-fated wooden coffin, sands, glow sticks, and all.

It is shows like this that brings the cynics out of us, or maybe it just reinforces it into us since most are probably somewhat cynical already. And you wonder if such cases are indeed happening. (Not to forget the very real head-sawing clip I'd seen once...) Totally sends shivers down the spine.

Recommended to watch. Storyline is pretty good, though not a pretty sight. Dialogues aren't bad and there are some actions too, involving a certain rattlesnake and mutilation. Plus a twist ending - which I'm a sucker of...

My Ratings:

"Peace not War"

Charlie St. Cloud

2010-10-23T13:48:00.001+08:00

Everything was going pretty well for Charlie; a sailing scholarship to Stanford, a bright future, and a very close bond with his younger brother, Sam. But all these changed overnight; a car accident and the death of Sam. Fast forward to five years later and we see Charlie as the caretaker of the cemetery where Sam now lies. Everyone seems to think he is a little cuckoo-ed; talking to dead people, playing catch every night with Sam like nothing has changed.

Then a girl (it's always a girl, eh?) and Charlie is torn between honoring his promise or letting go.

The storyline is kinda predictable and no prizes for guessing which option he chose. But this does not mean the story is bad. Rather, the story makes us realize our own mortality and how painful it can be to lose someone. And that you'll just have to learn to trudge along alone (or unless a girl/boy comes along :þ). However, there's practically zero character development and other than Charlie, Sam, and Tess, other characters are pretty much forgettable. Especially the mum (Kim Bassinger), completely dismissible.

Other plus points though:

The seaside town where the movie is set is simply gorgeous (even the cemetery is beautiful somewhat), and
Zac Efron's good looks *winks

My Rating:

Dive for Dreams

2010-10-17T19:37:00.000+08:00

Quoted from E.E. Cummings "Dive for Dreams" poem ~~

Chance Encounter - Not

2010-10-05T23:23:00.000+08:00

"Be sober, be vigilante; because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour."
1 Peter 5:8

I think I am a sucker for movies with twist endings. So obviously I found the movie to be intriguing and interesting. I had a thought who might the Devil be amongst the five trapped in the elevator at the start (turned out I wasn't quite wrong) and I liked how the story unfolded which made me doubted if I'd picked the correct one at a certain point in the movie... [If you still haven't heard of Devil by now, check out the trailer here]

And the cinematography was nicely done - even when 80% of the film was inside a standard elevator. It provided the necessary thrill and scare though far too gentle compared to, say, Asian horror films.

I couldn't believe though that the electrocution scene was censored! It wasn't even scary from the few seconds I glimpsed on some alternate trailer clip....

Anyways, when I reached home after the movie, I experienced some things; I was checking my side view mirror while reversing my car into the parking slot and when I turned back to the front, I saw a person walked pass - almost out of nowhere, mind you - heading for guess what, the ELEVATOR. Instantly, the idea crossed my mind, however ridiculous it may be haha.. but I did not take the same elevator up (not deliberately of course). That night in my bedroom, the lights dimmed and flickered; a bulb decided it was time to burn out. Such timing, eh?

Still, I'll be looking forward to seeing the remaining installments of Shyamalan's The Night Chronicles.

My Rating:

Me! MiNdBOx - What Do You Got?

2010-09-23T18:27:00.003+08:00

What Do You Got? is the latest song by Bon Jovi from their upcoming Greatest Hits album. I like the song, tempo and lyrics but you ain't gonna be jumping around ala "It's My Life". Still, this rock ballad has been repeating in my playlist the whole day ☺

Check out the mv below.

"Everybody wants something, just a little more
We're makin' a living and what we're living for
Rich man or a poor man, a pawn or a king
You can live on the street, you can rule the whole world
But it don't mean one damn thing

What do you got if you ain't got love?
Whatever you got just ain't enough
You're walkin' a road but you're goin' nowhere
Tryin' to find your way home but there's no one there
Who do you hold in the dark of night?
You wanna give up but it's worth the fight
You can have all the things that you've been dreaming of

If you ain't got someone you're afraid to lose
Everybody needs just one someone to tell them the truth
Maybe I'm a dreamer but I still believe
I believe in hope, I believe that change can get us off of our knees

Chorus:
What do you got if you ain't got love?
Whatever you got just ain't enough
You're walkin' a road but you're goin' nowhere
Tryin' to find your way home but there's no one there
Who do you hold in the dark of night?
You wanna give up but it's worth the fight
You can have all the things that you've been dreaming of
If you ain't got love, it's all just keepin' score
If you ain't got love, what the hell we doin' it for?

I don't wanna have to talk about it
How many songs I gotta sing about it?
How long you gonna live without it?
Why does someone somewhere have to doubt it?
Someday you'll figure it out

[Repeat Chorus]

(Whoa oh oh oh) Ohh, what do you got if you ain't got love?
(Whoa oh oh oh) Ohh, what do you got if you ain't got love?
(Whoa oh oh oh) Ohh, what do you got if you ain't got love?
(Whoa oh oh oh) "

Mid-Autumn 2010

2010-09-22T08:18:00.000+08:00

3rd year in a row now..I see this becoming a yearly tradition ☺

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!!

Enjoy your mooncake with a cuppa tea under the moonlit sky!

P/S: This is BC's newest 2010 addition - Grand Ruby. Haven't tried it yet though but I like the mould featuring lotus and the moon..afterall its contents are red yeast, lily bulbs and olives.

What's around the corner?

2010-09-18T01:47:00.001+08:00

Sept 22nd 2010

When You Can't Pay

2010-09-13T23:00:00.007+08:00

Artificial limbs, and ventricular assist devices (VADs); these are already available today. Now what if, in the near future, every organ in the human body has its artificial counterpart? Knee caps, corneas, ears, you name it, they've got it. And they not only come in different types, they are better enhanced too. There's the different colored-eyes,or the ears that are more sound-sensitive. Heck, you can even plug in a headphone so your friend can join in the listening fun...

All these are made possible in Repo Men which takes place in 2025 where everybody can go on living their lives like normal by just replacing worn-out/problematic parts/organs with bio-mechanical ones. Come on, "You owe it to yourself. You owe it to your family", right? That's the sales pitch..

But what they don't tell you is what's written in the fine print - payment. If you fall behind in your payments (most people do because mind you, the interest sky rockets year after year), a "repo-man" is sent after you to reclaim the organ. Just like if you fail to pay your car installments, you can bet it'll be towed away. Only in the former, its the organ they are repossessing and to get to it means they'll have to CUT you open. In most cases these results in d-e-a-t-h.

So what makes the movie an action-thriller? The action begins when one highly-skilled repo-man (Jude Law) gets fitted with an artificial heart (after what seemed like a malfunction accident) and suddenly finds himself unable to cut people open anymore. Not able to perform his job equals zero income equals overdue payments equals running away and hiding from other repo-men, one of which happens to be his best friend (Forest Whitaker), who takes his job rather seriously (so serious that he'll not think twice about cutting his own grandpa up if he needs to. His philosophy - "A job's a job." And....

...you'll have to watch the movie to find out what happens after.

Well, I'll tell you this much. It's 2 hours of adrenaline rush and blood and gore. It'll also have you in stitches. Can you imagine, I was laughing away at a bloody fight scene? You must think I'm psycho to lol when people are getting killed but you gotta watch it to be in my shoes. The gore and humor manages to go hand-in-hand really well. The ending also elevated the movie to another level and honestly it kinda caught me off-guard too.

A must-watch, I'd say. My 2 friends, who are no fans of horror/blood, clearly enjoyed the movie as well. Or perhaps their gore-acceptance level have gone up? Time to ask them to watch Devil next then *teehee

My Rating:

You Win (or You Die!)

2010-09-06T23:24:00.003+08:00

I just had to blog about this. I'm not sure if it's new but it sure was my first time watching an interactive movie on YouTube..And it's way cool and crazily funny!

Some of you might already know what I'm talking about ~because I sent you them links~ but if you don't, then let me enlighten you..

There's this short zombie movie on YouTube by HellPizzaNZ. The movie started out with some zombie/human killing scene and a lady managed to escaped by climbing up onto a container. Safe for the moment, what did she decided to do? She ordered pizza - delivery.. LOL

The scene cut to the pizza parlor where the dude who received the order had no choice but to deliver. On his drive there he was stopped by a guy surrounded by zombies in a shirt covered with blood. The guy pleaded "Please let me in!"

That's where the interactive part comes in..you get to decide to either "Let Him In" or "Leave Him To Die" (most of my friends - actually all of them - chose to let him die..talk about saving yourself in threatening situations hah!) So you make a choice by clicking on the screen and you will then be linked to a different clip. Depending on the option, you either survive i.e continue on with your journey, or you die - HORRIBLY.

No worries though if you end up dead as the clip will rewind back to the decision making point and you can then choose the other route. There are 5 decision points throughout. Just out of curiosity, yours truly had tried all possible options to see what happened :P And I must say the last decision is the most hilarious of all. Choose wisely or it'll be the worst decision ever made!

To get you started, I'll post the first clip here...have fun and hopefully you'll survive to tell me about your experience XD

(Oh and it's gory and bloody but definitely B-Grade)

A final note, kudos to HellPizzaNZ for such a brilliant advert. It really does make you wanna try out their pizza the next time you are in NZ/UK/Ireland/Australia..apparently its the "best damned pizza you are likely to eat in this lifetime."

The Floating Order

2010-08-31T22:54:00.003+08:00

I was overjoyed when I found out I'd won a hard-copy book from LibraryThing's Member Giveaway. Erin, the author was gracious enough to send me a signed copy together with a personal message in a card too. ☺

The stories in the book however are far from cheery. But not in a bad way. In fact, the stories are well-written that I needed moments to digest at times at the horror that befell some of the characters in there.

The Floating Order is a collection of 19 short stories that revolves around children and the stuff they face; there's the mom who drowned her babies (which reminded me of the scene from Shutter Island; no wonder Leonardo's character went nuts!), a choir practice gone wrong, a dead girl inside a piano, a film camp that wasn't, and many more.

The stories start out almost harmless and you're pulled in by the magic weaved by Erin with her words and out of nowhere you realize "Oh, gosh!" I like Drift and how an earlier story, Park, is creatively mention in it as a scary bedtime story about why kids should not talk to strangers. Digging made me thought of Hansel & Gretel and I would love to read on on why the mother did what she did and what happen to the children after.

An interesting read but don't expect happy endings. Some of the stories might even haunt you long after you're done with them.

My Rating:

Snail's Pace

2010-08-30T18:29:00.001+08:00

It's the long weekend afterall... ☺

Xuan

2010-08-25T23:28:00.004+08:00

My first graphic novel and I finished it in 2 days - although it meant pushing back the books in queue to make way *guilty as charged

Forget Sorrow is really an impulse buy i.e. read an article about it in the papers in the morning and got it that same evening @ Borders.

Fortunately, it isn't something I regretted buying.

Forget Sorrow is a true-life tale of the author's life (an American-Chinese) that mostly focus on her father's recollection of growing up in China through WWII and the Communist revolution. And yes, all in drawings, sketches, comical/heartfelt dialogues and all. Very creative I must say.

It opened up my eyes to how bad life was back then in China where many of the people lived in poverty. And also how even your own family members could turn their backs at the first sign of a disappearing wealth.

It was the bleakest Spring Festival in memory. In the previous year we were worried that there were no New Year Eve's dumplings. This year, we were fighting with the mice for the grain fallen beneath the floorboards.

A refreshing way of reading a memoir rather than the usual hundreds of word-filled pages to burrow through. The only thing I am not too keen is the few not-too-clear writings in the speech bubbles. I think I squinted a bit trying to read those. Overall though the story is good. Engaging and fascinating.

By the way, Xuan is the author's Chinese name which translates as "Forget Sorrow".

My Rating:

Freedom

2010-08-15T23:20:00.000+08:00

Pompeii Revisit

2010-08-07T22:42:00.001+08:00

Six months on....

...and I am still as fascinated as the day I stood there ☺

An Idea

2010-07-22T21:33:00.002+08:00

One word to describe Inception.
Exceptional.

Exceptionally good that is. I can't say more. I won't say more. Seriously you've gotta watch it for yourself.

But if you're done with it or if you don't mind spoilers, I'll share with you this much. In the end I say the top kept spinning i.e. you-know-what. Why?

Click for spoilers [+/-]

Because what are the odds the children are squatting at the exact same positions as in his memories of them? And wearing the same clothes? Both of them? And no signs that they have aged (or grown) since the last time Dom saw them which was probably months ago. Only explanation - they are just his memories. And the faces you might ask since Dom insisted he never got to see their faces when he left? Well, afterall they are his kids. Which dad don't remember the faces of his children? So that part of "reality" can easily be created by Dom, the architect-pro.

thinkb4aftertot.blogspot.com

Good or bad? I guess he no longer cares as long as he got his happy ending. If not in the real world then in la-la-land. It's kinda sad actually. Which makes this movie even more impressive overall.

thinkb4aftertot.blogspot.com

So much so that the movie was still swirling in my mind as I drove home and prepared to go to bed. Then it popped into my mind. They never really explained how the rest of them appear in someone else's dreams? Sure they are connected to the same machine that sedates them but how does one determine whose dream to enter? Somewhat impossible to me. Maybe that's why they chose not to dwell on it aka minority report. Though not so cool anymore, huh? *minus half a star ~ lol

thinkb4aftertot.blogspot.com

Still,

one wonders if sometimes the only way is to dream away...

My Rating:

A-Team

2010-07-19T13:20:00.000+08:00

Nurse: Mr Murdock, why are you out of your ward?
Murdock: I smell gas..is that gas on you? [sniffs at Faceman's sleeve]
Faceman: Ward? What do you mean ward?
[Takes a look at Baracus' arm - featuring a lighting bolt-stitch]
Faceman: Did you ask him to stitch a lighting bolt?
Baracus: No, I din...Is your arm on fire?
[Faceman checks arm and immediately starts beating out the fire on his arm before shouting at Murdock]
Faceman: ARE YOU CRAZY??!!!!

Most hilarious scene on A-Team.
On the other hand, Jessica Biel is just there to look good holding a gun in sky-high stilettos and trench-coat dress...

My Rating:

Blurred By The Mind

2010-07-17T19:34:00.000+08:00

Paranormal Activity

2010-07-13T23:29:00.003+08:00

So I decided to watch Paranormal Activity after in possession of the film for >1/2 a year (I first heard it in Oct '09). Actually I only thought about watching it after the trailer for Paranormal Activity 2 came out. Ppl whom I'd mentioned the film to, well, I think most of them had already watched it and their feedbacks were...

..they fast forwarded through the boring bits and just looked out for the scary scenes ~duh

Because it was meant to be home video aka documentary style, there were indeed some boring dialogue parts. Anyway I was determined not to do any fast forwarding so I could actually listen to them talking and better understand the whole movie. I wasn't looking for some cheap scare, no sir, I wasn't. Not went I was sitting about 2-3 feet away from the screen just to be safe.

[spoilers beware]

In truth the film isn't really that frightening. First, you don't actually see the "thing", its just the happenings that convinces you there is a "thing" there. Slamming doors, blinking lights, swaying chandelier..you get the drift. But of course if I had had experienced any one of the above, trust me I would not be staying there for 2 weeks trying to capture it on camera! And just 2 person in an entire house...BIG mistake.

The most creepy for me would be the leg-pulling scene. Totally unnerving.

Also I din particularly like the part Micah showed Katie something he found about some Dianne who was possessed in the 60s. How on earth was he able to find a clip of the girl chewing her own arm off? An no one to stop her but just continued recording away? Disturbing yes but didn't really make sense.

When I was done, a friend asked me how it was and mentioned something that I had no idea at all. I was like "Uh, no I never saw that scene..maybe you saw something "extra"?" *nervous laughter

Turns out there are actually 3 different endings to the same movie! There's the original ending (which I watched), the theatrical ending (by Spielberg), and then there's another with some throat-slitting. If you'd only watched one, I recommend watching all 3 just for the fun of it *winks

How this low budget film is one of the biggest scare in America beats me. They should watch more Asian horror films and I don't mean those American-remakes. Perhaps Paranormal Activity 2 might overcome that since I saw something in there.

Still, you won't catch me filming anything at night anytime soon....

My Rating:

Wish

2010-07-04T14:26:00.000+08:00

Toy Story 3

2010-06-30T12:51:00.000+08:00

certainly does not fail to entertain. Plus there's a little Spanish number to spice things up.

And at the end of it all, it makes you wanna go home and give your toys a pat on the heads, your teddies a hug and a squeeze, your barbie(s) a stroke or 2 of her long silky hair...

Oh, but wait.

You recall most if not all of them are already in the incinerator...

C'est la vie.

My Rating:

Byousoku 5 centimeter

2010-06-20T20:48:00.002+08:00

"It's the speed cherry blossom petals fall at. They fall at five centimeters per second.
Rain falls at five centimeters per second. Clouds fall at one centimeter per second."

One of the best anime movie I have ever seen. A favorite.

Some doors are not meant to be opened

2010-06-09T00:22:00.006+08:00

Watched Coraline over the weekend and I loved it!

It's a stop-motion horror-fantasy film based on Neil Gaiman's novel. I can't recall where I first read about it but I knew right away I wanted to watch it. I even had the urge to buy the book beforehand but refrained myself as it was a pretty slim book but not with a "slim" price tag.

(Did I mention I'm quite a fan of Neil Gaiman's works and already own 4 of his books? I've also read the 1st volume of his famous Sandman series and would love to read more. No to forget liking his novel-turned-movie aka Stardust too.)

At first I thought Coraline would be somewhat the imagination of Coraline herself ala Pan's Labyrinth (which I also find very interesting) as they both shared similar secret-door-plots. Turned out it was all very real for Coraline. Refreshing indeed.

The stop-motion work looked super complicated but the outcome awesome; so much so that Coraline was a nominee of the Best Animated Feature in the 2009 Oscar. The story is well woven and you can totally feel the excitement, the awe, the funnies, and definitely the creepiness. I don't think I can look at rag dolls with buttons for eyes the same way again!

They even made the film in 3D but too bad I don't remember where I chucked my cardboard 3D glasses from some Bug-Magazine heydays (Can anyone remember what the magazine was called? Came with pieces of fluorescent spider parts with each volume and you'd build yourself a giant fluorescent spider...) Anyways, what I wanted to say was I wouldn't mind re-watching it in 3D ☺

Lastly may this film be a warning to all; don't go opening secret, sealed doors -- if there were nothing to hide, they wouldn't have been sealed off in the first place!

And here's the trailer for you:

My Rating:

Thanks For The Tip

2010-06-06T12:33:00.004+08:00

We've all heard of horror stories of what might go into your food - or where your food might have been to before ending on your table - if you so much as irked the person who served you...

Let me tell you; they are TRUE!

So don't ever be nasty to them, just sit at the designated tables rather than insisting on some "feng-shui" table with a big RESERVED sign on it already.

I've never worked in the service line but apparently according to Dublanica, each server even the kitchen staff have their life-stories. No one in their mind would have imagined themselves working as a permanent waiter/waitress in their late-thirties to begin with.

Even the customers have theirs too. Don't think for a second there's no one else hearing in on your conversations in a restaurant. Of course, they're probably unintentional. Still don't be mentioning about killing someone either *winks

Oh, if you think you have some tricks up your sleeves to earn a free meal or some compensations by feigning food poisoning, think again.

If you're sure you're not being ripped off during special occasions like Valentine's Day, then just recall if you'd ever had a special Valentine's Day meal that tasted superbly delicious? No? Then you'd been ripped off!

The food many kitchens prepare on that holiday are often items they make only a couple of times a year. If your chef hasn't had the practice of making the same dish day in and day out, your entree's probably going to taste like...

And the biggest myth of all; you know how we always joked that we'll just wash the dishes if we do not have money to pay the bill, haha it will never happen!

P/S: The book comes with tips on how to be a good customer, ways to tell if you're working in a good restaurant, details to spot to raise an alarm about the cleanliness of a restaurant, and etc.

My Rating:

1 day to Eat, 3 days to Pray, 5 days to Love

2010-06-03T13:21:00.004+08:00

That's the time I took to finish reading each part. It started out really exciting with lot's of fun and humor but somehow it ended sounding a tad too good to be true and too "self-help-y" (hence the slowed down in the page turning rate)

I loved her days spent in Italy without a care and just enjoying the moments, eating good food and discovering the place. The descriptions of Piazza Barberini (been there), the passionate albeit cursing crowd at a football match (done that - twice), the beauty of Italian language and the humor she injected in her sentences made life sounded so wonderful that anyone would want to pack their bags and fly off immediately to join her (provided they have the $$ of course).

Okay, I might be a little over-excited since I'd been to Rome and absolutely loved the place. So it's not wonder I gobbled up the pages in a day. Perhaps the expectation was what caused the downfall.

Off she flew to India next where she spent her days meditating and practicing yoga. All the peace and quiet and serenity went down well with me though somehow it was not as gripping. Call me cynical but I wonder if one can really encounter all the goodness of being found, of feeling nirvana and achieving enlightenment in a short span of 3-4 months. And the way she told it, seemed like she was the chosen one to begin with.

Her days in Bali were kinda draggy, living the high life similar to an expat retiree. Yet something was missing. Everything in life was just falling perfectly in place for her. Too perfect. And yes, she found love....

Still it's a pretty decent read. Who doesn't want to imagine taking a year off just for self-discovery, right? If you can't do it, then read about it. It has also been made into a movie, starring Julia Roberts...

*detours to check out trailer

Looks interesting - which trailer doesn't - but even though I started out looking forward to watching it the cinema, I guess I will have to see what happens when it happens ☺

My Rating:

Lost No More

2010-05-27T00:12:00.003+08:00

The curtain has finally fallen after 6 roller-coaster years. But not before giving the chance for almost all the characters to take a final bow with many-a-bittersweet moments.

Things weren't always how they were perceived to be. Not everything made perfect sense.

There was drama, there were surprises, shocks. Mostly there were a lot of tears.

And I'm glad it ended the way it did. Because if this is where we all are headed, then The End might not be so bad afterall...

P/S: Now just let The Vampire Diaries, etc start back already!

Playlist on a rainy Saturday morning

2010-05-22T12:06:00.002+08:00

Dong Yu Zhe - Ai Yu Bu Ai
Zhang Hao - qi shi wo ye bu zhi dao (xing guang da dao)
Timbaland (feat. Katy Perry) - If We Ever Meet Again
Sam Tsui - Run
Glee - Total Eclipse of the Heart
Lee Shen Jie - Bu Wan Mei
Zhou Hua Jian - Rang Wo Huan Xi Rang Wo Yu
lee shen jie - yan di xin kung
Su Da Lv - xiao qing ge
Lisa Wang - man sui qin shan zhong shi cheng
Jay Chou - Pu Gong Ying De Yue Ding
Fish Leong - hui hu xi de tong
lee shen jie - zhui jin
Boyzone - Love Is A Hurricane

A white lie a day, takes you a long way

2010-05-21T01:11:00.003+08:00

Read an article in the papers this morning and found it rather interesting :)

Folks are divided when it comes to white lies. Some say it is still a lie, and lying is never good. Others said it's called a white lie (instead of blue/red) in the first place because of its purity - to benefit others. To avoid upsetting people or hurting someone's feelings.

Now who hasn't told a white lie before? I would be lying (and mind you, it will not be white) if I said I've never told one. Sometimes the circumstances call for it. To avoid any unpleasant/awkward situations. To be polite especially when the other party is a not-so-close acquaintance. As long as it not some life or death thingy or could lead to something reckless and utterly dangerous, right?

During the festive season, people tend to ask: "Do I look pretty in my new dress?" or "Like my new shirt?" Some people might not look good in certain clothes, but because everyone is in a joyous mood, why spoil it by saying something nasty. Naturally, we'll say: "It looks nice on you."

What about to friends? Are you not a true friend if you tell a white lie to a close friend? I've read a lot about how a real friend is someone who is honest with you. and who will not hesitate to correct you. But I believe you can't just go blaring your opinion especially not in the presence of others. So if you happen to be in a situation in a public place, you might just have to resort to a little white lie, don't you think?

I'd rather tell white lies than end up having more enemies than friends with my brutal honesty about everything under the sun.

What if it happens to you? Would you rather hear a white lie or get the uncut/uncensored honesty regardless how bad it might be? Remember not everyone are good with words so they can't be giving you constructive criticism i.e. give you a less-stingy version all the time. I don't have a definite side for this. I guess for me it'll have to be case by case basis.

And my personal belief: Don't ever go asking people whether your outfit looks good or not. (lol!)

So the question is, would you lie if it can do more good than harm?

I see light

2010-05-17T00:39:00.000+08:00

It's sights like these that made walking on foot across Rome oh-so-worthy..

The Pantheon - The temple to all the gods of ancient Rome, and one of the best preserved of all Roman buildings

Ip Man 2

2010-05-10T23:04:00.009+08:00

I reviewed the first (recap here) so how can I not review the second. Truth be told, I'd become a fan after the first hence I do not need to think twice about watching the sequel in the cinema. And indeed, Ip Man does not disappoint.

The 2nd installment picks up where the first left off i.e Ip Man escaped the Japanese occupation and fled to Hong Kong. Still believing in his passion to spread the awareness for Chinese culture through the art of Wing Chun, Ip Man decides to open up a martial art school there. However in a mostly poverty-stricken Hong Kong back in the days under the ruling of the British empire, everything goes smoothly only when there are money exchanging hands. Being a man of principles, you can bet Ip Man does not bow to such intimidations (also because he's broke to the core, practically giving free lessons to his disciples!)

It's not an action movie if there are no fight scenes involved. Once again the fight scenes are great, the humors are not out of place, the plot engaging, the scenes - happiness, sadness, laughter, tears, loss, triumph - moving and well captured. Best of all the final fight is so much more satisfying this time around. The soundtrack is mesmerizing and goes well with the story too.

Also Donnie Yen brings so much into the character. His expressionless face portrays the hidden pain that his humble character suffers and he lets his actions speak for him. Honestly, I cannot think of any other actor out there who can fill in that shoes. However I just read that Tony Leung is working on a film "The Grand Master" and guess what, he will be playing Ip Man too. For someone without martial arts background but nonetheless a talented/hardworking actor (he broke his arm learning Wing Chun!) I wonder if he will be able to meet the high expectation already set by Yen. We shall have to wait and see...

But Jay Chou playing Bruce Lee in Ip Man 3? That I don't want to be seeing. Regardless how I look forward to an Ip Man trilogy, I would rather they end it right here and now rather than spoiling it by bringing in Jay Chou just to churn more money. What do you think?

Lastly, compare to the first movie Ip Man 2 is a bit more unrealistic with some gravity-defying stunts though it still manages to have the audience gripping the edge of their seats.

My Rating:

Twenty-Five Years Ago Today

2010-05-05T22:28:00.002+08:00

Won this from LibraryThing's Member Giveaways about a month or two back and it was an e-book. Honestly, I hardly read e-books as I prefer the old conventional of holding on to a paperback or hardcover and flipping the pages. Don't even get me started on the joy of getting lost in bookstores..

Anyway, I realize e-book has its advantages too. Now I can read during lunch breaks without the hassle of bringing a book around. Thanks to smartphone apps, I can even save and read it on the go if the storyline ever gets too good to put down. And there you go, finished the book in no time ☺

In Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, an unsolved murder case caught Kris Langley's attention and she felt the need to investigate due to some past guilt of her own. The plot is interesting, the characters believable and the settings realistic. And creatively, Stacy Juba manage to weave Greek myths into the story which was a suprise when I came to it. A pleasant one nonetheless seeing that I am a fan of Greek mythology myself. I like how she relate the discovery of the murderer in the end to the myth. I'm not too fond of the romance part though as it felt too sudden but no major harm done. An enjoyable read throughout.

My Rating:

"Edward Sebenarnya Pontianak"

2010-05-04T21:22:00.008+08:00

Stumbled on the article a week ago and I immediately laughed out loud at that sentence. Apparently, Edward-the-sparkly-vampire novels had been translated into the Malay language. Senjakala; that's Twilight for you (New Moon is Cinta Baru.)

In case you don't know, pontianak means a female vampire. In Malay lore, pontianak is a woman who died during childbirth and all the Malay horror movies portray a pontianak as a pretty woman in a kebaya during the day and a creature with long black hair in a long white dress with a hideous face by night.

Bella did not fare any better. Her reference to the Indian reservation was translated as "penempatan masyarakat Red Indian." Sounds so lame, don't you think?

These remind me of the Malay title translations or subtitles for non-Malay movies in the cinema. Some of the title translations are downright hilarious! Sometimes I wonder if they put the text into some translation software and just reuse the results without even a second look. Imagine if you were to hear a handsome character confessing his love to the female protagonist; "I love you with all my heart" being translated into "Saya cinta kamu dengan sepenuh jantungku" ! True , heart literally means jantung but most of the time hati is used to represent the heart (Though this brings us to a similar case of translating from Malay to English - hati means LIVER in English!)

According to the article, Harry Potter series too have been translated into Malay. However at least instead of coming up with some word that did not make sense, a new word was added. An example given was centaur (English) and sentora (Malay).

Ever encounter such funny translations? Share them ;)

Stalked

2010-05-03T21:36:00.006+08:00

Lieutenant Jonathan Stride knows his partner Maggie Bei is in trouble when she reports a deadly crime on a bitter winter night.
Maggie's obviously hiding a terrible secret, but she isn't the only one. A seductive young woman has disappeared, leaving behind a trail of lurid fantasies and a cryptic message.

With his lover Serena Dial - a homicide cop turned private investigator - Stride uncovers a sordid web of violence and voyeurism that someone is willing to kill to keep hidden.

But as they hunt for a killer, a predator with a vicious past is hunting them. Now every step they take brings them closer to a showdown amid howling winds and blinding snow. Where survival is measured in seconds. Where crimes can be buried for ever.

Finished reading the book over the long weekend and it did take quite a chunk of time off from my series chasing. When I bought the book, I didn't know it was the 3rd book in his series of Jonathan Stride but good thing was you can read the book like a standalone without knowing the history. A fast-pace page turner. Found myself covering more chapters in a seating than intended.

Overall interesting plot and twists but not so much character development. I didn't find myself attached to the characters perhaps because I did not start from book1. Reading it somehow made me thought of The Lovely Bones - it involves a similar crime. The people you know could be wearing masks and you're horrified when the unthinkable happens.

Kids, be aware of strangers. But when you're an adult, who should you be wary of?

My Ratings:

Ice Kacang Puppy Love

2010-04-22T17:28:00.015+08:00

I watched Ice Kacang Puppy Love last Wednesday. It's probably my first time ever watching a locally produced movie in the cinema. And honestly it didn't do badly at all.

When I first heard of the movie, it was the cast that caught my attention. The cast was sorta made up of the Who's Who of Malaysian Chinese Entertainment Royalty. If you are familiar with them, we have Lee Sinje (famous actress for The Eye horror film), Victor Wong (one half of the once oh-so-famous Michael&Victor duo), Fish Leong (Taiwan-based Malaysian singer famous for her love songs), Gary Chaw Ge (also a Taiwan-based Malaysian singer who had an infamous brawl with Justin, a HK singer), Nicholas Teo (another Taiwan-based M'sia singer) and Penny Tai (yes, yet another Taiwan-based M'sia singer) [We sure do have a lot of talents based overseas huh] Not to mention the movie was a directorial debut for Ah Niu, a M'sia singer-songwriter. I was intrigued that he managed to bring together so many artistes for the film, what more when most of them are actually noted for their singing not their acting. And when the film began showing in cinemas, I started hearing whispers of how good the movie was. That was when I decided to give it a go :)

The sypnosis:-

“Ice Kacang Puppy Love” is loosely based on Malaysian Ah Niu's own growing up in Penang. In this directorial debut, he also stars as the boy who is a little shy. It’s love at first sight when a girl moves to his forsaken village and he grows up with her through primary and secondary school. However, she’s a bit of a tomboy who can fight off bullies while he’s so timid that he can’t even make coffee at his father’s shop.

Set in the late 80s-early 90s where there are no such things as mobile phones, computers, PSPs, or high-tech electronic gadgets. Where children run around in the villages, playing guli (marble), challenging each other with their pet fighting fishes, and where villagers spend their mornings/afternoons/evenings at the main coffee shop chit-chatting and gossiping away. It does rekindles the childhood memories especially for those who grew up exactly in such a setting (I was one of them!)

And seeing those scenes kinda gives you a feel-good feeling. The Indian bread seller on his motorcycle, retro fans, radio-cassette player, the Indian barber that mothers usually take their little boys to to shave their heads, the pre-war shophouses, the traditional way of making coffee, and a kid drinking coffee from the saucer.... Ahh it breathes a certain air of peacefulness and nostalgia. The film even brings us to Penang specifically to the Chew Jetty; even closer to home :)

I like the overall plot and had quite a many good laughs watching some of the antics. Certain scenes were pretty touching while the ending manages to hit a point on the reality when it comes to love. I love how they captured some of the scenes and translated them into paintings. Nice. Not to forget also the score and theme song of the movie. It's a lovely remake of an 80s song by Ah Niu. I prefer the new version for its slower tempo and rhythm. And the lyrics are meaningful too. It talks about a cherished memory of a puppy love that once was...

Listen to it while enjoying a bowl of ice kacang (no kacang for me) and you might just love it *winks

My Rating:

Revamp.Enter

2010-04-18T17:47:00.009+08:00

Had such fun revamping my blog these past 2 days that I just wanna blog about it. There are so, so, so many awesome tutorials out there and it's really satisfying when you try them out and you see your ideas materializing. On the other hand, it can be pretty frustrating when you thought you'd done everything right but nothing would appear as expected. If only it is as easy as hitting a revamp key.

Until I get in the revamping mood again, it's time to sit back and enjoy the rest of my Sunday :)

It's the little things that keep you going

2010-04-12T23:34:00.004+08:00

If you think waking up with a stiff neck wasn't bad enough, try working 12hours straight with that neck.

You don't have to remember to keep your head as still as possible nor to not make sudden/fast movements (such as walking) that could cause the slightest jerk in your neck. Because the pain will make sure of that for you.

And only leaving after everyone had all but left.

With 20mins drive ahead, thank you for the existence of radio. Better still, thank you for having free CD-SMS contest at just the right time.

Because yes I WON!!

Hahahah my day was changed in a mere 200m stretch of road maybe; at one traffic light I managed to touch the send button "red[space]boyzone" and just the next traffic light I got THE call. I thought it was my mum but the number on screen was outstation and turns out it was Jeremy of RedFM *grins [I had to sing "Words" on live radio too but I only managed 2 lines before giggling out loud LOL Ironically, Words would not be able to describe my suprise winning]

Yup, won myself a Boyzone latest album "Brother" which by the way is named in memory of Stephen Gately. Makes the album extra special...

It's really the little things that keep ME going :)
[Oh and Thank You for RedFM & Thank you Jeremy for picking my number *winks]

"I will learn to live before I die."

Confessions of a "slacking" Bookworm

2010-04-05T23:34:00.015+08:00

I felt the urge to read tonight.
I stared at the books lined up on the shelves. Which one should I pick?

I.had.no.idea.

Somehow it felt good staring at them books..my fingers running through the titles - some still in their plastic wrappings.

Must be the effect of reading about the book by Susan Hill; Howards End Is On The Landing: A Year of Reading From Home.

"Susan Hill had been looking for her copy of Howard's End and as she struggled to locate it she realised that amongst the books on the landing there were at least a dozen that she had never read; this made her re-evaluate how she read and she decided to spend a year reading only books that were on her shelves.." - Allan Gordon

"..to explore her collection and find new books to read in it, to re-discover lost gems and re-read favourites.." - Annabel Gaskell

I kinda am in the same situation. I have books unread, books long forgotten, books that might never see the light of day again..guess I have a lot of catching up to do huh.

Well, I certainly wouldn't mind having the luxury to take a year off to read tho! But I'll have to continue adding to my book collection; I Need that tax rebate ;)

Good Morning

2010-04-03T09:04:00.007+08:00

It's 9am and I'm up. That can't be. I am not programmed to wake up at 9 on weekends... :/

Yeah, I'm in that accidental mode again..

Probably gotta start learning this *Om, Om, Om

A little awareness might go a long way

2010-03-28T22:54:00.007+08:00

March 27th 2010. Earth Hour. I supported.

Peace be on Earth :)

One morning in Rome

2010-03-18T18:09:00.013+08:00

I woke up to specks of white raining down from the sky and it actually did not register in my mind immediately (blame it on lack of sleep maybe). A few seconds later, it dawned on me;

"It's snowing! It's Snowing! It's S-N-O-W-I-N-G!!"

Yes, I'd never seen snow before and I had not expected it to come so suddenly. Pretty heavy snow too in fact. The evening news was all about it. Apparently it was extremely unusual for snow to fall in Rome - in fact, the last time the capital saw any significant snowfall was back in 1986! - livinginrome

Was I lucky or what?

Mind you, it was freakingly COLD that day. But we had no time to waste as it was our last day in the capital with a lot to cover still; Path of Illuminati being the mission.

So with our teeth clenched, we bravely ventured onward...

P/S: Oh and you cannot believe how umbrella sellers just popped up everywhere. A small umbrella could cost you €5! That's when your bargaining skills is put to test and you might just get it for €3. Not much difference it seems but multiply that by 5 and you'll see the significance.

The Time Traveler's Wife - A Novel

2010-02-28T02:22:00.012+08:00

It took me almost 3 mths to complete The Time Traveler's Wife - the novel. I watched the movie in Dec '09 and I knew how I said I'd moved the book up the queue to be read first. I even brought the book to work as my lunch read (my colleagues should be able to vouch for that) but I guessed things such as climbing up the Geo Challenge ladder (I'm still on top, right?) and the season-continuation of my oh-so-awesome-tv-series got in the way..

Or could it be for the first time a book failed to capture my attention?

I must admit progress was slow and a few times the corner of my eye even caught other books on the bookshelves beckoning me to pick them up and read them instead. Sadly I did strayed as well.

Perhaps my expectations had been set a little too high after watching the movie. Somehow the way the book went on and on being narrated by Henry and Clare alternately felt kinda draggy toward mid-span. The reason I finally finished the book was only because I purposely brought the book with me to Europe so it was the only reading material to pass the time in-flight/on-train.

And I so could not believe what happened between Clare and Gomez! Thank you for removing those scenes from the movie.

Oh btw Mindy, the ending in the book was interesting and creative but yeah, the one in the movie felt more romantic :P

-------------------------------------Spoiler alert!-------------------------------------------

The one major detail in the book that I felt surpassed the movie was the extend of Henry's injury that confined him to a wheelchair. To not be able to walk because you couldn't feel your legs can never be worse than losing the ability to walk because your feet were amputated! Such was how the book made it to be..shockingly horrible.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Overall, the book was enjoyable at the beginning but became less so toward the middle, and didn't quite went out with the big bang that I might had been anticipating.

My Rating:

Of Mornings Gone, Afternoon-Rots & Late Nites

2010-02-01T21:34:00.014+08:00

Digested an entire 16-ep Korean series this week among others. Korean series/films have never been a favorite actually. Come to think of it maybe it was because there were no sources previously. Provide them and I'll most likely watch every series there is out there..

My Girl turned out to be quite nice although at the start, the girl seemed annoying. The guy was the cool type common in love dramas from Taiwan, Korea and Japan. Then there was this other girl and that other guy. The love triangle/square. But the chemistry between the main 2 casts was there making it an enjoyable series overall. Ooh, I'll love to experience snowy winters someday :)

The hermit crab in me finally crawled out of her shell this afternoon. Made use of the replacement holiday to take care of banking matters and as usual bill payments. I wonder why they don't make it a linked system at chim-bank. Imagine if you wanna cancel your credit card and activate another, they will need to call the KL HQ and have them do it for you. Or you can always call them yourselves. So it's kinda irrelevant to setup customer service counters, don't you think? Well guess what, there was no one at the end of line today.

Next, brunch @ Edo Ichi. Rainbow roll was nice. Complimentary scoop of green tea ice-cream too. Last day for the offer tho, the waiter informed. "Tomorrow they will be charged."

Lastly, or rather 2nd lastly, Fettes Residence is not your next upscale address for nothing. The units are HUGE (min 2k sqft). From the huge double main door right up to the 4+1 bedrooms and walk-in-wardrobe, impressive's the word. Equally impressive was the price. Starting at 875k with an additional 5k per floor, 35 floors in total. But unobstructed sea view only begins from 18th storey onwards. Surprisingly they have studio units too. 1 bedroom, 1k sqft. No surprise those units were all sold out.

Lastly, Gunners got thrashed by MU this morning. Oh yes, We are back! *grins

East Meets West

2010-01-17T22:33:00.007+08:00

One fine Sat morning @ Pavilion, east sat beside west...

... nibbling scones and sipping tea...

...while soothing flute tunes filled the air...

...and danced around the trees.

My TV Dinner

2010-01-12T23:16:00.004+08:00

Spicy Olio Pasta [though it ain't spicy]

Inhale

2010-01-02T23:02:00.004+08:00

2009 was the year

2010-01-01T02:18:00.006+08:00

storms came and went. When it felt like darkness was descending, the skies cleared and light was seen at the end of the tunnel.
I watched movies that touched me, tickled me, teared me, thrilled me. Not to mention the countless series that literally got me eating out of the palm of their hands
that kicked off the smoothie craze and the breakfast-brunch project.
I saw 2 football matches - live! Though the intended person I was so looking forward to watch ended up just warming the bench.
I fell in love with Paris and Rome (and all place Europe). And spent a lot in the process too.
I felt more thankful than ever for being blessed with sights in order to be able to see the world & all her perfections and imperfections.
that I could cross out Ipoh from my places-to-visit list. Plus Penang truly has it all *winks
I paused and took a walk down memory lane via the emails in my Yahoo! inbox. And I realized life is a bunch of crossroads and we are different after each of them.
I had a taste of life on the business class
I had the opportunity to experience autumn in the States :)

I drove on the left side for the first time, messed up the wipers and the signal light switches along the way, but still survived going places without GPS
I met some great people that helped made life's journey a more pleasurable one
I spent Xmas night enjoying a cuppa @ Pavilion KL
I sorta made my 1st resolution ever ie to read all the books in queue. I managed only 10.
I played Guesstures with a bunch of friends right into 2010!

2010 is the year where there will be new discoveries, new experiences and perhaps even a few surprises in store. So let's put on our seat-belts and hold on tight as the show continues.

HaPpY NeW YeAR 2010!!

It's a CAKE christmas!

2009-12-25T00:49:00.007+08:00

I've had log cake, fruit cake, Chicago cheesecake, Tiramisu, "almost" blueberry cheese cake (which got overruled) ...

Merry Christmas, everybody!

Feva

2009-12-07T22:33:00.015+08:00

The countdown to the world's most beautiful game June 2010 has officially begun. And that means we're gonna be surrounded by news, articles, advertisements, promotions..you name it, they've got it.

Mine comes in the form of an email from Emirates airline. Have you booked your package for the 2010 FIFA World Cup? Apparently they are offering an all-inclusive package ie flights, match tickets, accommodations and transfers to and from the stadium. All you need to do is sign up, select your package and let them worry about the rest. No hassle, no fuss, just need your Visa or MasterCard.

Curious how much a trip will cost, I tried booking...

Page 1: Package search
You get to select your base camp ie the city where you will stay and it doesn't have to be some "ulu" place just because your selected match is gonna be conducted there. Uh-uh, you can stay wherever you want in S. Africa and you will be transferred (by road or by AIR) to and from your matches. Very convenient I must say..

Which team? England (if it wasn't already obvious)
Which match? England vs USA
Base camp? Cape Town (where all 2012 survivors will head and it's not called cape of good hope for nothing)
Class of travel? Okla just economy will do.
Hotel? 2 star or more (cheapest choice avail.)

A Please wait, we're searching to find you the best deals later...

Page 2: Hotel selection
5 choices of hotels ranging from 2stars to 5stars:

I din go further. There isn't a need, not after a look at the starting prices!

Suddenly it hit me. How much am I actually paying for the match tix alone? And what feng-shui seat will I be getting? What if they just assign me some crappy-nobody-wants-to-buy seat (though I believe it's gonna be packed), 3 stories high from the field and players look like dots scurrying around but charge me with a crazy amount? I want my money's worth!

Turns out there was nothing to be concerned about. The FAQ states

Q. What type of match tickets are on offer? Are they premium seats
within the stadium?
A. The Emirates 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa packages provide CAT01 tickets for all matches, at any of the participating stadiums. Please see diagram below depicting CAT01 seating in blue.

Premium seats they are indeed.

And right below that, a question catches my eye:

Q. I want to watch the game but my wife doesn't. Can I buy part of the ticket?

*chuckles

The Time Traveler's Wife

2009-12-06T21:41:00.010+08:00

Went to watch this a few weeks back and I found it pretty touching. A genetic disorder caused Henry to time travel randomly. He cannot control the place or the time period. It could be the future or it could be the past. He met his future wife one day who already loved him all her life as Clare first met Henry as a child. And the film is about how they both tried their best to lead normal lives and the challenges they faced.

The ending was kinda sad which was what made the movie so moving. And they told me the ending's different in the book and that it was better than the movie's. I've not read the book yet although I'm not sure if a happy ending is what I would prefer. Cause well in life, not everything gets a happily ever after. And they serve to remind us to never take anything for granted.

Oh, and did I say that the film took place in Chicago? Ahh..the skyline brought on a sense of familiarity and it felt good :)

My Ratings:

This One's For You

2009-11-22T21:23:00.010+08:00

I was told Chicago was famous for deep dish pizza. I was reminded a few times to go try it. "A MUST TRY!" she said. Even went as far as to prepare a map with the restaurant marked in a big red X for me.

So I took a train to Chicago one Saturday, asked around for the location of the famous Giordano's and waited 35 minutes (dat's rite thirty-five minutes) for 1 personal stuffed pizza.

35 mins later....

1 stuffed pizza arrived, cut into 6 humongous slices, each slice as thick as the width of 3 fingers put together.

I only managed 1 slice. When I asked for the bill and a box, the waiter was shocked by the leftovers. "ONLY 1 SLICE??!" I smiled an embarrassed smile and mumbled that I had a train to catch. In truth, I was so full and even that first slice was hard work! Plus it wasn't as good as I thought it would be after all the praises she sang about it.

Anyway this one's for you, Soo Huey :P

Updated: My SD card corrupted on me so I dun have a cloud gate picture of my own. Anyway here's one from the web (I purposely chose the best angle and view so it'll look fascinating..must give face shuey ma lol). Image courtesy of dabonbb. And as you can see, it is just a blob of bean-shape liquid-like mirror :P

Once upon a time in Nazi occupied France...

2009-11-05T23:37:00.006+08:00

It's been ages since I reviewed a movie. So here's one I watched recently, my first in a cinema in weeks!

Inglourious Basterds is a war film set in WWII during the Nazi occupation in France but with an alternate historical universe. It covers two plots to assassinate the Nazi political leadership (Hitler and gang), one by a French Jewish woman (whose family was killed when she was young) and another by a group of American soldiers known as the Basterds (led by Brad Pitt). The film is shown in chapters, each chapter bringing the viewers closer to the planned D-Day.

At the start, the film was serious, tense and sad even. I mean how could war be a joyous occasion, right? However, the film got hilarious toward the end which I thought was a perfect way to end things. I had a good laugh watching the characters and listening to their dialogues (yes, it was a more dialog less action type of movie but sit through it and you will be well-rewarded). I also loved how they made use of different languages in 1 film - French, German, English. Reading English subtitles was never this fun before :)

But the most outstanding of all was Christopher Waltz's character - Standartenführer Hans Landa aka "The Jew Hunter" (yup, even Brad Pitt was overshadowed!) He was nicknamed so due to his keen ability to think like a Jew and therefore never failed to locate them.

"I love my unofficial title, precisely because I have earned it." - Landa

Landa was the bad guy and you honestly wanted to hate him but you just couldn't help yourself to like and laugh with him. Waltz played Landa to perfection and the film would not be the same without him. Even Quentin Tarantino, the director of the film acknowledged so;

"I think that Landa is one of the best characters I've ever written and ever will write, and Christoph played it to a tee… It's true that if I couldn't have found someone as good as Christoph I might not have made Inglourious Basterds." [taken from Inglourious Basterds feature]

And for that delightful character, Waltz won the best actor award at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. Recommended to watch :)

My Ratings:

My Sleeping Chronicles

2009-10-29T21:32:00.007+08:00

My sleep pattern is programmed. Most of the time I don't need the alarm clock to wake me up unless on really tired days/nites..I usually find myself up ahead of the alarm clock on weekdays. On weekends, I used to wake up at 9.30am until I moved last year. Then my time readjusted and I can finally tell me ppl I sleep till almost noon now :P (Everyone was always asking y did I wake up so early during the weekends?)

At first I was worried about jetlag during my trip to the US. Luckily for me, I din have any..I was awake when it was light outside and slept when it was dark. Only one funny change happened to me.

I went to outlet stores on my first day and only got back to the hotel around 8/9in the evening. I guess after the long-haul flight, I was exhausted so I took a nap before waking up again at 10pm. Lo and behold that pattern stuck with me for the next 2wks! Every nite without fail, I needed to nap at around 8/9. When I thought it was ok to just rest my eyes for 10seconds, it was 10pm the nxt minute...Nap place? Always the sofa.

And I so wanted to watch all the primetime shows - BigBangTheory, HIMYM, SUPERNATURAL but guess what, primetime TV was between 8-9pm every night! Supernatural was on Thursday and that ep had Paris Hilton as guest star. I made sure I was back at the hotel in front of the TV by then and ooh Dean and Sam appeared on screen..what better way to spend one's evening, eh?

I only lasted until the first commercial break....

Greetings from -15hrs Once More

2009-10-19T10:58:00.007+08:00

Wondering why the same old picture? Yup, coz I'm stuck at the same old place - yet again. Different lounge but still as boring....no free wifi, stuck with using public PCs. Lucky thing, there's a row of them around so nobody has to wait for their turn. Also, no view in this supposedly international lounge hmmph :/ ..At least the AA lounge had a view.

Food wise..jst snacks. Finger food, soup, salad, cakes, cookies...and a whole lot of beverages. Chardonnay or champagne, anyone? :P

Oh and when I touched down @ LAX earlier, I think I saw Leann Rimes and beau. I was on the way to the restroom when I saw a couple coming out from a side entrance, an airline employee showing them the way plus a man that looked like a bodyguard escorting them. I wasn't sure if it was her until I went to google her pix later as well as the bf's pic, just to be sure LOL

Too bad it wasn't the Beckhams, I'm sure I would have been able to recognize them from a mile away XD

5hrs to go.....

Updated: And for anyone who might be interested, the Houston Dynamo vs LA Galaxy match ended 0-0. Becks PLAYED full 90mins and got a yellow card toward the end. So it might not have been a very exciting match but I could have had the chance to see becks live in action for 1.5hrs of my life :P Oh well....

back to reality, I am sweating in the heat that is Hong Kong. 6hrs to go....

Greetings from -15hrs

2009-10-05T12:36:00.007+08:00

I am finally settled in the hotel and all ready to go to bed...once I'm done scribbling here :)

The entire trip here had all mainly been about 1 thing - WAITING; waiting to transit, waiting for a room to become available, waiting for this and waiting for that. Even finished the 1 book i brought along. Guess gotta buy another 1 for the trip back :P

Also got my car, Chevy. Never driven one before but so far so good. No probs driving on the left side either [though when i first got the car, my left hand automatically wanted to shift the gears and my right hand automatically went to the signaling switch which was actually the wiper switch XD]

And their speed limit is a bit weird.. I see signs saying Speed Limit 55 but those cars that overtook me on the left was definitely wayyy faster than that. Apparently you'll have to at least follow the flow of the traffic otherwise you are considered as obstructing traffic o_O

That's it for now.

Mooncake & Ipoh Pigi Recap

2009-09-24T19:23:00.007+08:00

It’s almost that moon-admiring time of the year again :)

And BC’s Precious Black is a little over-rated I must say. Sold out almost everywhere. A bite and “OK-OK nia”. Yet to try the other flavors though namely blueberry cheese, tiramisu, chestnut japanese jingsa (don’t even know what’s that) and chocolate peanut.

LOL btw this phrase was also over-used during the Ipoh yat yat yau (one day tour).

Foh San Dim Sum? Not worth it if you had to be waiting for tables and pressuring ppl to leave their tables or a possible sitting war with the lady who insisted she was there first…Char Koay Kak thumbsdwn, Chee Cheong Fun thumbsdwn, Por Lor Pao thumbsdwn, Char Siew Pao thumbsdwn (rating from Pao King himself), Siew Mai, Loh Mai Kai etc etc, common and nothing special.

Funny Mountain Tau Fu Fah? Only served with sugar syrup. I usually have mine with gula melaka syrup. After the tau fu fah, the soya bean drink felt tasteless..

Nam Heong Kopi? The white kopi peng tasted like well kopi peng. Never been a fan of Old Town anyway.

Yong Tao Fu Under Tree? Dried Yong Tau Fu ie. all the items were deep-fried. Since all deep-fried items are delicious regardless :P this was the only one we felt were great. Cheap price helped too! However I find dipping it with laksa soup only without any other sauce a bit weird so I took mine dry. And the laksa, more hei-koh (black prawn paste) needed.

Overall?

“OK-OK nia” :P

Looks like somebody is in a bad mood

2009-09-19T11:07:00.002+08:00

-View from home @ 090919 ~1022

Crossroads

2009-09-19T00:30:00.006+08:00

I realized I had a bunch of emails in my inbox/sent items that I never deleted, some dating back to year 2004 (Subject: Welcome to Yahoo!) Looking through them sent a wave of nostalgia over me..I din even remember receiving/replying to some of those emails! A nice way to walk down memory lane though. And nop, not deleting most of them yet; not unless my mailbox is over-limit (very unlikely…)

P/S: Blogging from Windows Live Writer..seem kinda cool :)

I am dreaming of

2009-09-11T23:54:00.006+08:00

(Oh & that barcode...serial number overload this week.)