Forever quirky...

Beginning the new year in unimaginable fashion...again

2011-01-30T21:33:00.000+08:00

This year, we began by involuntarily "painting" our toilet ceiling black. ...effortlessly.Well, that's actually the nice way of putting it. It was a spa experience gone wrong. The soot covered the entire ceiling black with matt finish. The smell of scented candles replaced with burnt potpourri.

Thank Allah, the fire damage was limited within the toilet.

Thank Allah, the neighbor called in the SCDF.

Thank Allah, we are still alive.

Where do I start?

2010-12-24T00:13:00.002+08:00

It was just too painful to start work the next day after reaching home the day before.

We were lucky, there were just too many wonderful memories, memorable conversations and experiences.

In short, do cover Spain & Morocco in tandem D.I.Y for at least 3 weeks before one is above 35 and has kids.Will blog more, in the mean time, enjoy the photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/skazeisk/Spain#

http://picasaweb.google.com/skazeisk/MoroccoTangierChefchaouen#

http://picasaweb.google.com/skazeisk/MoroccoFezMerzouga#

http://picasaweb.google.com/skazeisk/MoroccoDadesValleyIrochaMarrakeshHm#

Love,

Buenos Dias

2010-12-08T13:19:00.001+08:00

Current Time - 5.08am. An update on the trip at this moment.

1. Emirates was good for value. Nothing fantastic but okay. SQ is still the best.

2. Dubai International Airport is expensive and everyone was Filipino.

I doubt that I will one day travel there for leisure.

3. Madrid Barajas Airport has a retro feel to it. I'm sure my sister and BIL would love it. By the way Belt is Cinta here. Met a Haji Mad from Trengganu who is on holiday with 11 others, all family members. Haji Mad reminds me of Ayah. Enough said. You get the picture.

4. Estadio Santiago Bernabeu was huge but somehow we prefer the EPL stadiums better (i.e. cheaper).

5. ZARA is overated in Spore. ZARA is like Giordano in Spore. I don't quite like the ambience of the ZARA stores here aka a big factory outlet, 6-7 levels, semua kes campak-campak. Yes, the price is much, much cheaper than back at home. The exported collection I must say would be the latest. What they have here is not really the latest.My siblings would go crazy here but not for me. Oh by the way the service in Spain is Aaargh. Sometimes I wonder why we insist on service with a smile at home. Desigual, another Spanish brand fare better. Maybe because a bit up than ZARA here. The shop itself is avant garde but too bad, I can't carry such loud and hip label. To my siblings'despair - I did not buy any ZARA for you guys, only for Isya.

6. Madrid is a shopping haven for those who craves Spanish brands.

But London has my vote for better shopping experience, value and brands.

Next year, definitely London. :)

7. The railway experience in Spain is the best for us up to this moment. Bought 2nd class tickets but good enough. Due to the effects of global warming, the weather here is erratic. Our train ride stopped in the middle of the destination due to low visibility. Quite an experience looking out the window seeing thick mist and all you can hear was the downpour. If my mom was with us, she would be saying prayers non stop. Nevertheless, the captain kept assuring us in Spanish.

8. By the way, Spanish people are proud of their language and are generally monolingual. They are proud and are not even apologetic to say that they do not speak English. So my Spanish husband got to practice his Spanish which he took in Uni, like 10 years ago. Moral of the story, take a foreign language.

Is has been mistaken for an Arab guy in Dubai and a Spanish guy in Spain. I think the Spanish guys dig him here, especially the gay ones. Cue, Yan you can sing Katy Perry's latest single. ;)

8. Now we are in Cordoba. For those who enjoy shopping like my sister, just stick to Madrid & Barcelona. The Southern Spain is for those who enjoy deciphering which piece of architecture belongs to the Muslims', Jewish's or Christian's era. Just a note, please visit this part of the world during spring. I think it would be gorgeous - reminded me of when we visit Turkey in 2007. Splendid.

Alcazar

Streets of Cordoba - Quaint.

9. Halal food in Spain is not easy. The places as recommended by Zabihah.com seemed to be closed during the time we were there. A tip, find a mosque first, the eateries will be some where around there. Muslims generally are friendlier to fellow Muslims (provided you are on a trip with your mahram). That was how we met our Lebanese friend who added Is on facebook. Nope, he has no clue who Maher Zain was.

10. Planning for a trip is no easy feat. But even the best laid plans can go haywire. Alhamdulillah, God made it possible. We were supposed to catch a la liga match on the 4th Dec, so of course we wanted to book an earlier flight. But we did not because Sakeenah was getting married on the 4th. Hence, we booked a flight directly after the wedding. If not, we would be stuck in Dubai when the Madrid Airport had to close due to a then strike on the 4th. Would have wasted a Real Madrid match ticket costing a minimum SGD 170 each.

2nd Alhamdulillah, initially we wanted to drive around Spain. But we didn't considering that we are really bad at navigation, even with gps included. Yup, a degree does not equate a good sense of direction. Nonetheless, a good decision. With the bad weather during winter, we would have probably be lost in God knows where.

3rd Alhamdulillah, we wanted to go Seville, solely for Kanoute's mosque, not for the history bit. We didn't because the wifey couldn't fit it into the itinerary even though Is wanted to. Lucky for us, Seville was in a state of emergencia yesterday due to floods.

Only with Allah's grace, any plans will go smoothly without major hiccups. Minor hiccups are normal. Like Is having flu. Rest assured, I'm a walking pharmacy.

Time - 6.20am. Subuh is still another 25 minutes. Is as many would have guessed is snoring away. 5 more hours to go before we depart for Granada, once the last Islamic City in Spain.

Till, the next entry.

Happy

2010-11-26T17:55:00.004+08:00

Someone once said “Love is when the other person's happiness is more important than your own.”

How so true.

Just the way we are

2010-11-15T00:27:00.002+08:00

Us throughout the years since 2006.
Good times & Bad times.
Yes, we do take photos when we're angry at each other.
Hence the reminder to remember Us.
How can Us exist if only one of Us is left?
Till death do us part.
We can only hope.
"Nothing that’s worthwhile is ever easy. Remember that." Nicholas Sparks (Message in a Bottle)

Much ado about Kukup

2010-11-12T17:56:00.002+08:00

Nothing much to say. Rather gloomy.
The company makes up for the place.
It was a school trip.

Still prefer Batam.

All photos courtesy of the iPhone4.

Reminiscing Batam

2010-11-12T17:50:00.001+08:00

Cheap seafood.

A must have - GONGGONG.

The insides of a gonggong...

Cheap and chic curtains - ready in a day.

And of course, a box of Indomie completing a true blue Batam experience.

iLook apps

2010-11-12T17:42:00.002+08:00

Time for a mid career change - a Tailong or R&B artist?

Budget accomodation

2010-11-07T23:07:00.001+08:00

When I was younger, travelling meant sleeping in hostels, cheap motels or guesthouses. My budget then was $SGD8-10 a room, mind you, shared by 3-4 of us travel mates. Lonely planet was my travelling bible aside from my must have, mini Quran.

However, years have passed. I'm no longer a struggling student. But that does not mean my habits have changed. I still do budget accomodation while travelling but my budget has increased accordingly based on my level of comfort. I no longer want to sleep on dubious mattresses and share toilets with other backpackers.

Nonetheless, I still do backpack but with a trolley bag and a higher budget. More like $SGD70-90 a room. I take into consideration that my other half is not like me at all. He needs a comfortable bed and clean room. There is no compromise about that. He has a sensitive nose and back injury. I just need a clean toilet to crap every morning. Period. Free breakfast is really a bonus at those prices.

With that in mind, I scoured reviews after reviews at Tripadvisor. Filtered by ratings and my budget, I managed to secure some places at such prices. Bear in mind, the key to really getting the accomodation you want is to book early. Distance to and fro attractions are also important so that you can save on transportation costs. The accomodation for next month's trip was booked early last month.

Here I give 2 examples of my upcoming accomodation ranked one by travellers under the B&B category at Tripadvisor:

Hostal Rodri @ Granada, Spain. It is a small, family-run hostel, with ten comfortable rooms, a lift, a lounge with TV and Wi-Fi area, terrace and private garage.

A room at 38 Euros, it's definitely a steal.

Next, Casa Perletta @ Chefchaouen, Morocco. At 45 Euros inclusive of breakfast. Charming. We got ourselves a room at the second level. So the view from the terrace will be as follows:

The blue-rinsed walls, typical of most Chefchaouen's houses and buildings, a tradition that comes from the town's former Jewish population.

White and blue hues, hopefully sweeter dreams.

For both accomodation, I liased with the direct owners via the official hotel website. They were prompt and professional. There, I've shared how I booked my accomodation online. Yes, you can definitely go cheaper. It just depends really on what you need. Good night!

Honeymoon ideas

2010-11-07T12:56:00.001+08:00

My brother is planning his honeymoon next year. Hence, this post. The choice of a honeymoon destination is not important. The company is what matters. With that said, I'm just listing places and blogging my thoughts about the following places based on my travels. Just some thoughts. I am not trying to be a smart alecky person. Elo, this post is directed to my brother given his budget constraints, expecially.

For a romantic honeymoon - Try Langkawi, Sabah, Bali, Lombok, Krabi, Phuket & Maldives. Get a nice room upgrade in a resort and you are all set to drown in each other eyes.

For an adventurous honeymoon - Try Morocco, Egypt, New Zealand, Australia to name a few. Get on a plane and drive through the country. Get lost and learn new things about your partner.

For an exotic honeymoon - Try China, India, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Pakistan and the list extends to countries which are not exactly modern by Singaporeans'standards.This will be one honeymoon where one has to be open about other cultures.

For shopaholics on honeymoon - Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Japan, Dubai, London, France, US and the list extends to countries whose goods sold in Singapore are definitely cheaper in the country of origin. Think Louis Vuitton in Europe, Zara in Spain.

For soccer fans on honeymoon - Germany for Bundesliga fans, UK for EPL fans, Spain for La liga & World Cup fans etc. So both of you'll be going from one stadium to another and catching a match in action. just make sure both of you are rooting for the same team.

For a spiritual honeymoon - Umrah / Haj. No comment.

For a staycation honeymoon - Sentosa/ Orchard if you want to splurge or get a HDB flat and stay at home until your leave ends. After all, some have said that some of the most memorable honeymoons have been spent entirely in a hotel room. All the best!

Planning a travel itinerary

2010-11-07T12:32:00.002+08:00

Last week, I shared with my brother my upcoming trip itinerary. He was surprised that I actually plan my itinerary D.I.Y. Seriously, if you loathe travelling with 20 other strangers on a trip and going to shops coerced into buying overpriced things you don't want, please travel on your own. The risks of travelling alone and on a tour are more or less the same - simply no guarantee. Remember the Hongkong tourists whose bus got hijacked. Try it, plus you save more. All one need are the internet connection and a debit mastercard. Here I would like to share some useful websites when planning a trip.

Booking of flights

1. Airasia - good for Asian destinations

2. Zuji.com - fast & reliable, one can book flights for multiple destinations

Booking of hotels

1. hotels.com

2. booking.com

3.latestays.com

Booking of packages

1. Airasiago - booked our Mystery Hotel Package Phuket @ 3 star price for 5 star package

2. Zuji.com - saves more when booking flight & hotels

Most important - Do read reviews

Tripadvisor - Simply the best.

Yup, one can still do budget travelling yet enjoy it.This is one website with unbiased reviews of tours, hotels, things to do and much more. I've booked hotels/B&B based on the reviews. Spot on. Even better, the reviewers also wrote about the ghostly encounters they had, so one can avoid such places.

Like any internet purchases, please exercise caution. Have fun. :)

Tis the mortada season

2010-11-07T12:13:00.001+08:00

I'm no fashionista. I am no model.

I'm not what people would call slim.

It doesn't matter.

But I know I'm dressed nice.

The new Mortada collection had me and my sis head over heels.

See picture below for a sample print.
Lawa kan. Heheh.

Get it online, @ Geylang or Arab street.

Blissfully Batam

2010-11-07T11:59:00.001+08:00

There was no plan for the Deepavali long weekend. Initially, the wifey wanted to go Jogja. Lucky, we didn't book. Airasia cancelled flights due to the eruption of Gunung Merapi. Then, we wanted to make our way to KL (yup, again...it'd be our 4th/5th time if we did, this year). However, Man & Yan suggested going to Batam since their kids will be staycationing at Tuk Wan's place.

So that's how we ended up in Batam. Aside from getting new curtains and eating cheap seafood, there was nothing else on the agenda. Man & Yan managed to get their much wanted massage. The hubby is happily asleep. Even Man's repeated invite to jump into a jacuzzi pool could not drag him out of the bed. There's something about Batam that just induces him to lalaland.

Anyway, with iPhone4, our photos just got snazzy. Have fun, look look...

Diana's secret rendezvous. ;)

Hubby posing with his Gucci specs.

The quintessential Batam drink.

Pake ada kepiting, gonggong, udang dan lain-lain.

Berbaloi sekali.

Some more dishes. Total 7 dishes.

Satisfied customers.

933 Golden Prawn

Snapshot @ Nagoya hill

Roti Coksuke - Coklat + Susu + Keju = Resipi for diabetes

Man & his Coksuke - Enak banget

For more, view our ''There's something about Batam" web album.

Fyi - our 2D1N free & easy Batam cost 110 sgd courtesy of Bik Tonah @ Halijah, Man's friendly aunty (we can confirm that). Includes transport, a day guide, transfers, seafood lunch & iHotel room. A real good deal. Pasti pas!

Colors of Diwali

2010-11-04T17:44:00.000+08:00

Accompanied a friend to custom her bangles for Diwali.

I was impressed by the enchanting array of bangles in the shop.
Nearly wanted to buy something. But yeah, I did not. :)

Her final customed bangles cost $66. Gorgeous.

Suddenly, I feel like tailoring my own churidar

and customizing my bangles. So Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

Anyway, Happy Diwali to all my Hindu friends!

Fifa 11

2010-11-04T17:23:00.005+08:00

On the hubby's 31st birthday, he asked for an Xbox360, kinect ready. So the wifey thought oklah, no harm right. Nope, she was wrong. When Fifa 11 came out, all hells break loose. It became Fifa 11 this, Fifa 11 that. Not enough, Man was invited to come over and play. He got hooked and even went to the extend of confessing to his wife that if he was still single, he would be staying over at our place all night long. No guessing what Yan's reaction was. So to all wives, please do not get Fifa11. It is not marriage-friendly!

Who are these people?

2010-11-04T17:14:00.001+08:00

Random people have been tagging Ska-Tag leaving behind links to advertorials. Hmmm, don't they know that not many people actually read this blog. Sigh. Passerbys, tag else where, please. :)

Journeying through life

2010-11-04T08:39:00.007+08:00

If you want to know someone very well, travel with the person. See if you still like the person after the trip. There is no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them. Trip here is define as anything more than 3 days.

I simply like to travel. Period. To anywhere. Travelers don't really know where they're going. So usually I'll end up lost. This is where the role of one's travel companion is very important. The travel companions need not complement each other. That's a bonus but a rarity. He/She just needs to be willing to be patient and together work to get back on course.Not easy, especially when both of your comfort zones are being tested.Travelling is only glamorous in retrospect.Similarly the case with marriage.

Because of that also, I personally feel that the choice of a life partner should mirror the choice of a travel companion. Like travel, it is an adventure. No guarantee of a destination. There is no way to control it. One just grows and be a better person.

Great Bega buy

2010-11-04T04:57:00.003+08:00

At 3 bucks each, it's a steal!

Classic vintage, simply lovely.

Trial photo upload - it worked!

2010-11-02T21:59:00.004+08:00

Testing

2010-11-02T21:53:00.001+08:00

Blogbooster. Will be blogging via the said apps. :)

Hanyut

2010-11-02T08:39:00.004+08:00

Currently there is no other male singer who sings as good as him. His songs can melt thousands of girls, me inclusive.The hubby felt that he's over the top.But heck, it's just showmanship. If ever he comes to Singapore, rest assured I'll buy a ticket. Hanyut, his latest offering, speaks to many of us. True, we'll only know the value of someone only when he/she leaves us. So, do we really want to wait until the person is gone?

Forgive & make up or you can choose to regret later.

Shukran Allah

2010-11-02T08:30:00.002+08:00

This was the song that brought us to India last year.

& We did pray at the mosque where Saif Ali Khan prayed.

However, the mosque in the clip did not look as gorgeous as depicted, in real life.

See our picture below:

There were just too many bird shits.Nonetheless, it was a humbling experience praying in the courtyard with thousands others.It was also quite a weird experience to see people having a picnik there too. By the way, the movie was not that great, set against the backdrop of terrorism. It makes you wonder if the guy you got married to is the guy you really thought he was. Hope it makes sense. Watch it to drool at Saif Ali & Kareena only. Lastly, fast forward to 2:10, you'll see he's driving a maroon chevy...Awww, I miss my second car. :S

Camwhoring overload

2010-10-31T22:23:00.001+08:00

Bought Iphone4 recently.

So sharing some photos taken.

Fish eye view of Lil India.

Biscuits to go with nespresso coffee.

An indulgence.

Side lamp.

The most gross looking keropok lekor.

Ultimate indulgence - URTV the best!

Elmo, don't ask me why.

My sister after much photo effects.

Another one for the album

2010-10-31T22:11:00.001+08:00

5 years ago, I drove into the yellow beam, the middle one.

Gara-gara terlelap seketika.

Wasn't my first mishap but everyone remembers their every mishaps. :S

Due - Revisiting a love story

2010-10-31T22:04:00.005+08:00

By now, most people would have known
that my parents have moved to Woodlands.

It's been a month plus.
The photos below were taken on the day they moved.

Photos which will always remind us of our love story.

Tempat jatuh lagi dikenang, inikan pula tempat berkasih.

313, forever etched in our hearts.

Romeo was wooing Juliet from across the block.

Pretending to study for exams. Maybe.

Romeo & Juliet took a wedding photo here.

Sometimes, Romeo wrote letters.

Juliet always try to sneek a peek of Romeo from 7 floors above.

Romeo & Juliet exchanged gifts here.

Romeo & Juliet got married here.

Romeo & Juliet will always remember 313.

OMG, It's Nik Irfan...again

2010-10-31T21:47:00.000+08:00

Fastforward to 2:23.

Good looking guy + sing + guitar = Cair.

On the list - Bernabeu Stadium

2010-10-31T21:42:00.000+08:00

The Champions League 2011 finals will be held here.

Will be watching a La Liga Match - Real Madrid vs Valencia. ;)

Eat, Pray, Love

2010-10-31T21:33:00.001+08:00

It'll be Eat in Dubai, Pray in Spain & Love in Morocco.

DIY Insya'Allah.

Bila Adiwira & Tun Teja bertemu jodoh

2010-10-31T21:01:00.001+08:00

Klip video di atas tiada kaitan dengan kami.

Tetapi, mesej-mesej yang ingin disampaikan baik sekali.

1. Suami tidak boleh iri hati dengan kejayaan Isteri dan sebaliknya.

2. Suami mesti support Isteri dan sebaliknya.

3. Isteri jangan lekas cemburu tetapi mesti sentiasa berwaspada.

4. Jangan kerja terlebih masa selalu.

5. Mesti luangkan masa.

6. Mesti cuba komunikasi.

7. Mesti cuba toleransi.

8. Utamakan pasangan masing-masing.

9. Tidak perlu bertengkar dan bermasam muka.

10. Kalau sudah berjanji sehidup semati, jangan mudah putus asa.

50 tahun kemudian, kalau tip-tip tersebut berhasil, kami akan blog k. :)

Kalau berpacaran - satu nasihat

2010-10-31T20:40:00.003+08:00

Macam lagu 70an...

Ana's lyrics - a girl's perspective on love

2010-10-31T20:28:00.005+08:00

Soothing & most can definitely relate to her lyrics.

Every girl wants to be surprised by love, to be loved for who she is and finally settles down with her prince charming who will stand by her forever. It's the ultimate childhood dream. However, along the way, the girl has to meet some people. Unfortunately or fortunately, things do not go as expected. Hence, the girl has to learn to let go. Once in a while the girl happens to remember those people and wonder what went wrong. She'll be full of anger and regret, only to realise evetually that everything happens for the better. Only God knows why life is as it is. Yup, that pretty much sums up the 6 songs. Now where can I get the album?

Hujan Bunga di Kuala Lumpur -

Ramalan kaji cuaca kata

aku kan jatuh cinta

tapi tak pula beritahu dengan siapa.

Cuba Jangan -

aku bukan yang terbaik

tapi ku cuba

ku cuba

hanya satu yang ku pinta

agar kau cuba

kau cuba

Tolong Ingatkan Aku -

Tolong ingatkan aku

Kisah kita

Bentes -

Bagai meteor di ruang angkasa

Jiwaku bebas dibuang olehnya

Ketika Aku Kecil -

ketika aku kecil aku pernah percaya

pada suatu hari putera ku kan tiba

bintang-bintang adalah lampu limpah

bila kami menari

angin membawa kelopak sakura

turun ke bumi

Dan Ku Biarkan Kau Terlepas -

Mungkin kau takkan tahu

apa yang ku ingin katakan padamu

kerana tiap kali ku lakukan sesuatu

pasti marah dan kecewa berpadu

Apa yang telah berlaku?

2010-10-31T19:51:00.002+08:00

Kali terakhir blog ini dikemaskini pada awal bulan.
Itu pun agak ringkas posnya.

Sebab utamanya, sibuk dengan kerja -
biasalah, semua orang sibuk.

Hmmm, itu sahaja.Tiada perkara yang menarik yang telah berlaku.

Nak pos tentang apa yang bermain di minda pula agak peribadi.

Objektif blog ini bukanlah untuk dijadikan wadah melepaskan geram, tension dan sebagainya.

Blog ini sekadar satu paparan positif (diharapkanlah) tentang satu aspek kehidupan pasangan skazeisk.

Just the way you are (Malay Remix)

2010-10-31T19:36:00.001+08:00

Lirik -
Sayang sayang ku tertawan dengan matamu
hati ini berdebar debar oh selalu
senyumanmu yang mencuit jiwaku..yea..

Oh, cinta cinta kita berdua selamanya
kisah kita yang kian indah sentiasa
dunia ini bersamamu kan sempurna yea

Korus:
Oh dan bila, hatiku terbelah dua
hanya kaulah bisa menentukannya
Oh dan bila, kita berdua berpesta
kita-kan menuju ke puncak angkasa

yeahhh yeahhhhh!

One of the better remixes. Awesome. :)

Life is a playground

2010-10-31T19:28:00.000+08:00

We can choose which lens we see the world through.

Fisheye lens tend to distort the original image giving it a characteristic convex appearance.

Yet, one still get to see the real picture. Fun, quirky yet real.

Loved the photo below. Taken at Downtown East on one whimsical Sunday afternoon.

Life is a playground - a place to create, play and have fun.

Life is a playground, with surprises and mood swings.No point rushing, everyone has a queue number. No point comparing. Every joyride is a different experience to everyone.Time passes by quickly as one goes through the different rides.Occasionally, the rides are scary but more often they are enjoyable.

Sepanjang Raya 2010

2010-10-04T21:37:00.002+08:00

Checkout our web albums @ http://picasaweb.google.com/skazeisk for

Raya2010, Universal Studios, F1 as well as some photos taken using a fisheye lens.

Terima kasih daun keladi

2010-08-17T21:54:00.000+08:00

Hadiah daripada Man buat Is.

Tersentuh si abang ipar menerimanya.

Sangat sesuai.

2010 F1

2010-08-17T21:52:00.000+08:00

Looking forward to F1 in Sept 2010. Yeah!

Menjadi Hos

2010-08-17T21:50:00.000+08:00

Pengalaman yang agak mencabar memandangkan ia berlangsung dalam bulan puasa. Pada sebelah pagi, ke sekolah untuk mengajar sebelum ke perkampungan olimpik belia di NIE untuk menjadi hos. Pulang jam lewat malam. Sukarelawan? Bukan, ia merupakan sebahagian daripada tugas.

Pas dan kad ezlink YOG.

Hadiah daripada 3 sekolah buat NOC Slovenia.

Antara para atlet di perkampungan YOG.

Pentas yang menyaksikan konsert hampir setiap malam.

Untuk gambar-gambar selanjutnya: http://picasaweb.google.com/skazeisk/YOV#

Berkenaan kontroversi makanan buat para sukarelawan, mutu makanannya sudah ditingkatkan.

Alhamdulillah.:)

Seminggu berpuasa

2010-08-17T21:39:00.000+08:00

Diam tak diam, sudah seminggu kita berpuasa. Niat di hati ramadhan kali ini, macam-macam nak buat. Namun, kesibukan bertugas menjadi hambatan. Baju raya kali ini, buat pertama kalinya, kami berpakaian sedondon. Nasib baik, kami sempat membelinya semasa kami di Kuala Lumpur sebelum puasa bermula.

Memang dari dulu, warna turquoise atau biru hijau menjadi kegemaran si isteri. Oleh itu, tahun ini padanan warna biru hijau dan fuchsia pink atau merah jambu terang menjadi pilihan kami.

Satu lagi pasang berwarna kuning keemasan.

Baju kurung lelaki dibeli dari kedai Bak di kawasan Masjid India dengan harga berpatutan bersesuaian dengan jenis kain yang menjadi pilihan si suami, SB Line. Kalau ditempah, harga sepasang kurung lelaki lebih kurang sama.

Terakhir sekali, si isteri sempat juga mendapatkan baju kurung pahang sutera Thai bercorak warna-warni pelangi. Unik & sudah semestinya ceria.

Bagi bab membuat kuih-muih pula, insya'allah kalau ada waktu dan kesihatan. =)

Asthma/Semput

2010-08-17T21:38:00.000+08:00

Doktor kata harus rehat dan jaga kesihatan.

Bagaimana?

Tugas sebagai guru bukan suatu tugas yang mudah.

Can we pretend?

2010-07-18T21:09:00.000+08:00

I could use a dream or a genie or a wish

To go back to a place much simpler than this

Trusting God with all our tomorrows

2010-07-18T20:49:00.002+08:00

It's been awhile since the blog was updated. So where to start? No point looking back to what has happened. Everything happens for a reason. From now til whenever, I seek to be happy by focusing on moments instead of goals, accepting things instead of changing them and seeking out imbalance instead of achieving equilibrium. No more planning. Come what may. Every moment counts. Each time we choose something, we inevitably give up something else. By striving for balance, it will only put more pressure on oneself. Letting go is pretty hard because it's not in my nature.

People say we have a choice in life. We deserve to be selfish because it's our lives we're living. However, what is the point of a choice made at the expense of others? So let's leave it to God and trust Him with all our tomorrows.

To joie de vivre.

"Just when you think it can't get any worse, it can. And just when you think it can't get any better, it can." - Nicholas Spark.

Letters to Juliet

2010-06-13T12:47:00.000+08:00

'What' and ‘if’ 2 words as non threatening as words come. But put them together side-by-side & thy have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life: ‘What if?'

I only hope that I have the courage to always follow my heart, because life is really too short.

Bandung - beauty, charm and adventure

2010-06-12T15:46:00.002+08:00

What we like about our time in the Paris Of Java:

The old train station - like taking a trip down memory lane.

Half the fun of travelling is getting lost
and getting on each other's nerves.
Free and easy, most of the time, we didn't know where we're going.
Plus, it's a known fact we're bad with directions.

The weather was cooling at 23 degrees.

Cloudy days has a melancholic feel to it.

We love it.

The decor and ambience - totally surreal.

Learn to discern. Finding beauty in the amidst of chaos.

The shopping was never enough with FOs and the famed Pasar Baru.

Old photos - transporting one to another era of the yesteryear.

Vintage never runs out of fashion.

Food aplenty and there's a variety.

Nasi Timbel - a staple.

Nasi Tutug - an acquired taste.

A typical Sundanese fare.

Sedep di lidah, sedep di hati.

Sweet desserts. Life is short, eat dessert first.

This is Serabi pisang keju, one of the many desserts Bandung has to offer.

Hilton Bandung - spacious and contemporary.

Bandung hospitality at its best.

Baba's business friend of 15 years, Bapak Hermanto, was there throughout making sure we are comfortable and safe.

Terima kasih Bapak sekeluarga.

There are many more memories of Bandung.

One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.
Bandung not only opened our eyes, she has opened our senses. We appreciate that.

Farewell, til we meet again, this we promise you.

Doa

2010-06-12T14:51:00.000+08:00

Living on a prayer.

Something for everyone.

Argo Parahyangan

2010-06-12T14:47:00.000+08:00

@ 50, 000 rupiah one way on weekdays, it's a steal.

3hr 30 min.

A quiet and relaxing ride through the captivating and serene padi fields.

Nonetheless, for those who would want a faster option, one can travel back and forth between the two cities on the Cipularang toll road. Before it was built, people had to drive through the winding, mountain roads of Puncak and Padalarang to reach Bandung from Jakarta. Now, when there are no traffic jams it cuts travel time from Jakarta to Bandung in half to 2 hours.

As result, it brought the economy Jakarta-Bandung rail service to end. Argo Parahyangan came about recently with the closure of the Parahyangan train service, which has been operating for decades, on April 27 2010. Argo Parahyangan is actually Argo Gede, renamed to consist entirely of executive-class carriages, a move to decrease financial losses from low passenger numbers.

There’s something old-fashioned about traveling by train.

Watching the world passes by – snippets of unfamiliar towns, mountains or valleys in the distance.

Capturing blur images. All we ever need is what we have.

Tunggu aku di Jakartamu

2010-06-12T11:05:00.002+08:00

Sheila on 7 (S07) has a special place in our hearts.

We fell in love at the height of S07's popularity.

We both went to S07's concerts but with respective friends.

Anyway, this song romanticizes Jakarta, the city and cemented our love for train rides.

Hence we decided to come to Jakarta together as a couple

before taking the train to Bandung, a charming yet quaint town.

Masih saja ku teringat,

kata iringi kau pergi,

jadikan sore itu satu janji

Kau akan setia untukku,

kembali untuk diriku,

mengingatku, walau aku jauh

Akupun sempat janjikan,

ku kayuh semua mimpiku,

ku labuh tepat di kotamu

Dan kaupun s’lalu janjikan,

kau ‘kan menunggu ku datang,

bersatu kembali seperti dulu

Dan bila akupun rindu,

pada nyamannya kecupmu,

pada hangatnya tawamu

Ku dendangkan dengan gitar,

lagu-lagu kesayangan,

sambil ku ingat, indah wajahmu

Tunggulah aku, di Jakarta mu,

tempat labuhan, semua mimpiku

Tunggulah aku, di kota itu,

tempat labuhan, semua mimpiku

Paris Van Java

2010-06-06T22:02:00.004+08:00

Argo Parahyangan, here we come!

Jakarta Post

2010-06-06T22:01:00.006+08:00

Yesterday was simply a day of blunders.

The hubby realized he forgot his passport at the airport.

We flew in the rain to Jakarta via Airasia.

Think lightning and thunder.

The wifey with the weaker heart nearly vomitted her breakfast.

Bak Mie Goreng @ 27 000 rupiah.

Other than a few drops, it was a smooth flight. The stewardess thought we were natives on the way home, hence we were not given any arrival immigration cards. So upon touching down, we had to get the cards at one of the counters.

Outside the airport, the wifey's turn to blunder - an expensive one.

Baba, a veteran Indonesia commuter, reminded us to take a Bluebird taxi to the hotel.

However, the wifey made a mistake and instead got them a Silverbird executive limo service.

She only realized her mistake when she had to pay a whooping 390k rupiah for the service.

Baba said it should cost less than 100k rupiah.

Seeing the receipt, she went "Ooops, Alamak Sayang, we got ourselves an Alphaard lah."

To be fair, the 1 hour ride was luxurious - we watched Sherlock Holmes, got bottled mineral drinks and read newspapers on the way to the hotel.

Our hotel is Le Grandeur Mangga Dua, purposely chosen so that we could stay in the Mangga Dua bubble. The hotel is 4 star with free wi-fi for booking of deluxe rooms and better. Facilities wise nothing to shout for.

Our Hainanese Chicken Rice - in room dining.

Food was great - room service, buffet dinner and breakfast.

Anyway, the Mangga Dua bubble takes quite some time for us to get use to. Unstructured and unorganised. Chaotic is an understatement. Cheap grosir prices.

Unfortunately, we are not the shopping couple. So we just soaked in the atmosphere. Plus, the wifey is never a fashionista.

We also went to Plaza Senayan, one of the grand malls here.
Very Chic. Foodwise - everything is great.

Once again, we just window shopped.

Wanted to go to other modern malls but practical needs won over unnecessary wants.

We got our usual fix of Jus Alpukat.

Would we come back to Jakarta? Well nope. Pretentious.

An avant garde ghetto at best.

A city of dichotomy where chic and shabby co-exist. Interesting yet disturbing.

For photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/skazeisk/JakartaBandung

the road less travelled - phang nga

2010-06-01T23:57:00.001+08:00

We had enough of island hopping. Plus we've done that when we came to Phuket with our respective friends way before we got married. So we decided to go on an ATV tour this time round. We followed our guides and explored the countryside along natural tracks and paths through Phang Nga's rubber plantations, forests and unknown beaches. We got to know and learn about the environment as well as discover local plants which we never knew existed in this unspoiled environment. The tour consisted of only the 2 of us. Phang Nga is beyond Phuket and on hindsight, not exactly a smart move. The hubby did ask the local tour about safety, the guy answered, " Don't worry, you got your wife with you..." Yup, that's how safe it was.

Airasia Mystery Hotel Package - Uncovered

2010-06-01T23:40:00.000+08:00

Booked way in advance.Paid a 3 star price for a 5 star hotel. Airasia mystery hotel package was within our budget. Gone was our Aleenta dream because we have other plans in mind this coming December. Nonetheless, our dreams of living it up came true. The key is to be positive and ask for the what seems to be impossible.

We paid for a typical superior room but upon reaching the mystery hotel, Movenpick Karon Beach & Spa Resort, we simply asked for any promotional upgrade. We got ourselves upgraded to penthouse villa with a plunge pool at our asking price. Pure indulgence for the next 4D3N.

A bonus, the wifey's tudung caught the eye of the chef, Mr Ameer Ibrahim, who assured us that we could eat with a strong heart. Perfect. Food was a non-issue. The photos have been uploaded at http://picasaweb.google.com/skazeisk/Movenpick#. Stay tune for travel anecdotes.

Nite under the stars

2010-05-22T16:25:00.001+08:00

Menu

Lobster

Crayfish

Fishballs

Fish (Pari & Ayam-ayam)

Cockles

Prawns

Kebab

Sweet Potatoes

Choc Banana

2 cents worth

2010-05-09T22:04:00.003+08:00

It's the last day title fight for the premiership with Chelsea and Manchester United both still able to take the title. Like they say in football, nothing is decided until the final whistle.

Chelsea with one point ahead, will only have to beat Wigan later to secure the title. If they draw, or lose however, and Man U can beat Stoke City, the title will belong to the reds. So reds or blues? Frankly speaking, based on the season performance, the blues deserve it. Nonetheless, Wigan could do it again and beat Chelsea. Anything is possible, anything can happen.

The hubby will be watching the big season finale and obviously he's rooting for Man U. As for me, I’m neutral and will be turning in for the night. Come tomorrow morning, whichever team wins won't surprise me. There will be another EPL title to fight for come next season. Same old. Same old.

A weekly affair

2010-05-09T21:39:00.002+08:00

Tuk Wan's Swimming Pool.

BBQ Party @ NUSA

2010-05-09T21:36:00.004+08:00

A spur of the moment idea.

Menu

Chocolate Bananas

Durians

Butter Garlic Mussels

Lamb Shoulders - BBQ Sauce

Honey Lime Chicken Wings

Crab Sticks

Beef & Chicken frankfurters

Otah

Maggi Mee in Mess Tins
Kuih Tart & Makmur

Carbonated Drinks

Dress Code

Casual / Ehem-ehem B%$#*

Venue

32 Jln Idaman

Time

230-6pm

Alhamdulillah.

Tasbih Cinta

2010-05-09T21:29:00.001+08:00

Now showing @ TV3.

105 episodes.

Pretty cast.

Love triangle.

Typical Indonesian Sinetron.

But, nothing Islami about it.

It seems to be a trend to Islamicize Sinetron.

So no, I will not “live happy"

2010-05-08T12:34:00.005+08:00

Love isn’t all I need.
Stop forcing your inspirational quotes down my throat.
I’ll cry if I want to, I’ll laugh if I want to.
Because life isn’t about being happy all the time and finding the one person to complete you.
It’s about having experiences.
It’s about crying, hating, wishing and being let down.
And yes, I do admit that good things happen.
But one have to experience the worst, to actually feel the best. And nope, don't worry I won't fml.

A Saturday Brunch Menu

2010-05-08T11:49:00.004+08:00

Home Solutions

2010-05-08T11:47:00.001+08:00

When the weather is hot and the air con is leaking, time to be creative in order to get a good night sleep.

This is what the engineer in the house came up with.

Not exactly the best solution but it helped us
weather this hot weather. ;)

Cost - $5.90 for 40 hours of good night sleep. Not bad.

Life lessons

2010-05-03T21:07:00.002+08:00

Patience - Humour - Faith

Life is one one long journey, and many things shall pass.

Have a read.
From the wifey's fav mag - simplyher

Bookmark it!

2010-05-03T21:03:00.000+08:00

a shopaholic's best friend

never miss a great bargain

http://www.merrygo.me/

4D3N weekend getaway

2010-05-03T12:43:00.001+08:00

Cost - emotional bank account built over the years.
The package is what you see is what you get.

Quick fuss free.

Just accomodation & the hospitality of the hosting couple.

No astro, so we had to commute to the other precint for late nights football watching sessions.

No breakfast buffet ala hotel cos the couple usually has bread for breakfast.

Late night check ins & check outs are possible.

Durians are allowed.

Swimming facilities are available at your own discretion.

Wireless is available but rather slow.

Activities - gardening, chilling, car wash, camwhoring (see picture below) and etc.

Time seems to pass very slowly over there.
The hubby is a fan of the package.

@ Nusa

2010-05-02T11:35:00.004+08:00

For a quick look at our weekend @ NUSA.

Yup, banyak punya camping...;p.

Ragam Man & Is

2010-04-27T22:14:00.001+08:00

Man & Is berura-ura ingin berkhemah di laman mertua mereka.

Si Man sudah bersedia dengan peralatan perkhemahannya.

Si Is pula nak buat unggun api yang kecil dan

masak dengan menggunakan mess tin.

Sejauh manakah angan-angan mereka akan jadi kenyataan?

Atau adakah carpet grass si mertua akan terkorban?

Bolehkah dua lelaki yang suka buang angin bertahan dalam khemah yang sama selama 8 jam?

Nantikan jawapannya minggu hadapan...;)

Sepetang di Bourgenvilla

2010-04-25T21:11:00.001+08:00

Teringat lagu Spring - Bourgenvilla

Di villa indah ini

Pernah menjadi saksi
Temasya yang gemilang
Suasana meriah
Termetri di hatiku kau yang memiliki
Kehebatannya di malam itu

Bila villa menyepi
Kenangan pun bertamu
Wajahmu menikam memperlahankan waktu
Aku pun hilang arah
Kerna di sini bermula cinta ku padamu

Akukah yang keseorangan ditimpa percintaan
Janji manisnya yang mendera
Berikan kesempatan bukannya hukuman
Akan ku pastikan
Cinta ini

Andai dibiarkan ia usang
Diterangi malap pula
Akan tinggal bayang kekosongan
Terserahlah kepadamu

Atau kubiarkan ia usang
Ditemani unggas malam
Tinggal tiap kenangan tenggelam
Bersamamu selama-lamanya

Wordling thy blog

2010-04-24T18:17:00.004+08:00

@ http://www.wordle.net/.

Pondering

2010-04-24T00:12:00.001+08:00

Watch your thoughts - for they become words. Watch your words - for they become actions. Watch your actions - for they become habits. Watch your habits - for they become character. Watch your character - for it becomes your destiny.

A lil bit of everything

2010-04-24T00:11:00.001+08:00

Achik the trendstter

2010-04-18T00:08:00.001+08:00

Remember dulu, there were sooo many Achik wannabes.

The hair, shirt, jeans - Achik had character.

Achik was the epitome of sachokness suatu masa dahulu.

I'm a closet Achik fan, bought his album, love and sing his songs during Karaoke sessions even though I'm always confuse between Gurauan, Resepi, Memori and Adat Berkasih. Similar lyrics and melodies aside from the not very the creative song titles.

Sigh. Life is short. He's gone. Leave you with my all time favourite song sung by him and Nana. Al fatihah.

Rising temperature

2010-04-17T14:15:00.001+08:00

can barely open my eyes
dahlah kuyu in the first place, makin kuyu and worse sembab
nose is running like a tap
need to buy mama's birthday gift @ Paragon
got a kenduri to attend
opened email account to realise my services have been volunteered
this is what happen bila disuruh cover, terus kena arrow
and yang tak best must wear yog uniform
aaargh i will look fugly
3 months to start losing weight
countdown starts today - just lost 1kg by being sick
if like that i need to be continuously be sick for 8 days
hmmm...
time for another round of medicine

Addicts Anonymous

2010-04-17T06:28:00.006+08:00

Time check 535am. A Saturday. For once, it's a non-working Saturday. Why can't I sleep in later?! To think that I'm down with fever, flu and seeing stars. Medicine seems not to have an effect on me at all. The metallic aftertaste of medicine only makes me want to puke. Let's not go into flam. I just blew my nose and what colour do I see - green.

Had been awake since 4am. Yup, that's a normal start of the day for the wifey. Took me quite a while to digest that today is a non-working day. Next Saturday is.

Was sick since yesterday. Should have taken mc but then again I did not. Simply because I was mentally ok. For me, being sick is a state of mind. I would only take mc if I'm sad. My kind of job requires me to be in control of kids. If I can't psyched myself, I believe I should not make others worse off. Trust me, when I'm miserable, I'm really evil. Ask my mom. My words could kill. Poor innocent children have cried when I'm normal. What more when I'm miserable. So far, up to today, I've taken 1 day of mc. There were 2 years when I did not take any mc at all.

Work is a drug, occupying a sense of urgency so fully that I would not have any appetite for other stuffs until I complete my list. I sulk if I have to do other stuffs not on the list. Those who have yet to know me can never fathom why I disregard datelines and do things ahead of time. It's just me. I have no intention of spoiling market. Really. However, please do not assume that when I say work is a drug to me, I enjoy it. Nope. One just need a little to get going. Yup, I'm weird. Thank goodness, I married someone like me.

Though the hubby would beg to differ in one area. He thinks I'm his worst vice, a more powerful drug. I'm like heroin to him. He said that years before Edward Cullen popularized the quote "You're like my own personal brand of heroine."

Note:
This post was blogged after consuming
a concoction of so called potent medicine.
Achoo...need to change my stained with flam shirt.
*eeyeeuw*

Waking up in Nusa Idaman

2010-04-11T23:48:00.000+08:00

Complicated

2010-04-10T18:13:00.001+08:00

Eversince I watched It's Complicated, I could not get over a particular scene. It's a food scene when Jane (Meryl Streep) takes Adam(Steve Martin) to her upscale bakery after hours and says she will make him anything he wants on the menu. He chooses the chocolate croissant. Then, Jane rolls out croissant dough, guiding his hands with hers, there and then I went AWWW. The croissant-dough scene made me determine to learn pastry cause it doesn't appear difficult to make. I should have known better.

That was before I learn how to make a pastry dough.

My take - tedious, tiring and boring.

Also, I did not look the least bit gorgeous bathed in flour.

I realized patience is not my virtue.

The pix are my attempts at savoury turnovers.

Til next entry - chocolate croissant.

Wanna sleep

2010-04-10T05:53:00.001+08:00

Tired. Woke up. Need to go to school before 7. All I could think of is to get home asap later to sleep.

Rush

2010-04-09T17:34:00.001+08:00

Everything is in a rush. No breather. Running from place to place.

One way tix

2010-04-09T06:41:00.001+08:00

June is coming. So are camps and immersions. Hence, the need to plan june so as to maximise watever hols the wifey have left and the hubby can afford. One trip was booked. A mystery place we kid you not. It was a mstery package offered by Airasia. Another trip booked was a one way flight ticket. Haha that is so the wifey. Reminiscing uni days when everything was impromptu. The hubby is getting the wifey to secure a ticket home. Where is home really? Isn't it suppose to be where the heart is...

tbc.

Our Indie Version

2010-04-04T22:56:00.003+08:00

Haha. Doubt it we appear cool.
Skazeisk & Ayangz.
Captured by E72.

A start. Pure self indulgence.
Don't say we didn't warn you. ;)

Go fly kite

2010-04-04T20:27:00.001+08:00

Don't be afraid of opposition. Remember that a kite rises against - not with - the wind.

Anonymous

Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, or a new country - Anonymous.

Imagination is the highest kite one can fly - Lauren Bacall.

The Hoppers & Ahli Muzik

2010-04-04T19:40:00.003+08:00

The Hoppers & Ahli Muzik is a travelogue turns reality TV show at 8TV.

Managed to catch it while we were in Malaysia.

A bunch of mamats who can sing and ride in a beat-up Volkswagon Kombi (so retro) heading to 9 states for an adventure, the road less travelled. What we liked - the show featured music from local indie acts as its soundtrack and was tastefully edited. The mamats gatecrashed gigs, met with the locals and lots more. Basically, no storyline, just pure mamats self indulgence. Dialogue wise, nothing witty, 100% Manglish, though at times incoherent. Think mamats who basically tak kerja, no problem, no worries, jalan-jalan with dslr, macbook, videocamera and tangkap indie cool aje. With characters named Fungus, Bobo, Lala loco and Gambit, the music travelogue is packaged to attract the youngsters.

Opening montage of the show.

The Hoppers & Ahli Muzik aka A simple mat's life.

Sigh. The mamats are basically living our dreams. We too had a similar idea of doing such things but we are practical people who actually 'work' plus our parents would scream if we pursue the idea. Remember our 'lost' episodes. Which is why we can only afford to become fans and worship the Hoppers & the Ahli Muzik. Maybe one day. Who knows...

Bintang Kecil

2010-04-04T08:51:00.001+08:00

For Aniq

It could end

2010-03-26T18:15:00.006+08:00

Mr Twilight's V/O
Whatever you do in life will be insignificant but it is very important that you do it because...
You can't know...
You can't ever really know the meaning of your life...
And you don't need to...
Just know that your life has a meaning...
Every life has a meaning...
whether it lasts one hundred years or one hundred seconds...
Every life... And every death... changes the world in its own way...
Gandhi knew this.
He knew his life would mean something to someone, somewhere, somehow.
And he knew with as much certainty that he could never know that meaning...
He understood that enjoying life should be of much greater concern then understanding it.
And so do I.
You can't know...
So don't take it for granted...
But don't take it too seriously...
Don't postpone what you want...
Don't leave anything misunderstood...
Make sure the people you care about know...
Make sure they know how you really feel...
Because just like that...
IT COULD END

I tend to agree with Mr Twilight's words of wisdom. Hey, every chick digs freaky, poetic crap, especially coming from a certain white demon.

Remember me is a typical romantic fare with no fairy tale ending and a forever brooding male lead who dies eventually. *Ooops*. Perpetuating the notion that only unfulfilled love can be romantic. Unfulfilled loved is fleeting, intoxicating and oh-so-impossible…but you forget, you try and remember, yet you forget. Selective memory, erasing the painful memories. Yup, that's about it. Not worth remembering. I'm so sorry. Till Eclipse.

a note

2010-03-26T05:37:00.002+08:00

Cikgu,

You were in our dream

And a light shone on you like a beam

and your skin looked as smooth as cream...

p.s. getting notes/poems during recess,
it's so primary school.
oh well, i'll miss them.

old skool

2010-03-26T05:30:00.003+08:00

thanks deen. =)

kindness begets kindness

The train is leaving...

2010-03-24T21:47:00.005+08:00

Life is like a train ride. We get on. We ride. We get off. We get back on and ride some more. There are accidents and there are delays. At certain stops there are surprises. Some of these will translate into great moments of joy, some will result in profound sorrow. The bigger mystery of our journey is that we don’t know when our last stop will come. Neither do we know when our travel companions will make their last stop. Not even those sitting in the seat next to us. We’re all on this train ride together. Above all, we should all try to strive to make the ride as pleasant and memorable as we can, right up until we each make the final stop and leave the train for the last time. All aboard!

You get the drift,senandung malam, here we come...

there's always something nostalgic about train rides.

Lil Ms Nyonya

2010-03-24T20:44:00.003+08:00

It was a packed 3D2N trip:
CIP + COMPETITION + EXCHANGE + CAMP FIRE.

Came back the day before school was scheduled to resume after the March hols.

5 schools collaborated.

CIP was @ SAH - 2 half days affair

The lighting of the fire was impressive - all girls' effort.

The 2 storey gateway, which we all

went through in full uniform, no less.

The wifey did it in long skirt and heels.;)

All 80 of us.

with lovely company,the trip was kind of enjoyable.:)

life

2010-03-23T18:48:00.000+08:00

Not all scars show, not all wounds heal.
Sometimes you can't always see, the pain someone feels.

HiGoat

2010-03-21T21:27:00.002+08:00

Upon wifey's return, we paid a visit to our fav mamak stall - Al Falah (not the mosque).

Found out they had a new addition to their drinks menu: HiGoat.

What's the goodness of this milk?See the 1st bullet point in the picture.

Obviously, the hubby had to try it!Embeekkk...

Life lessons pick up from movies

2010-03-18T09:29:00.002+08:00

From Paris With Love -
Catch it if you like an action flick movie. Plot wise, Luc Besson wasn't creative at all. Remember Taxi?

Too many loopholes in the plot but got nice cars (Audi & Volvo) and John Travolta is hilarious.

Weird Life lesson 1: Your sexy girlfriend whom you cohabit with is actually a Muslim suicide bomber. Hmmm, Muslim women before they die, they live life to the fullest...sex, booze everything...tsk, tsk.

Up In The Air -

It's a thinking movie, full of heart and emotion, if you allow yourself to be immerse in the subtlety and intricate weaving of plot lines throughout the story. It resonates on so many levels, you can identify with every character in the movie. Life is really no fairytale. Things rarely go according to plan. So what do you do with your life? Just make the best out of it. People will always judge. Welcome to the world of adulthood. Nothing is what it seems. SOPs (standard operating procedures) are just mere guidelines for show, not applicable. Feeling vulnerable? Watch it.

Weird Life lesson 2: We all love athletes, cos we all want to emulate people who follow their dreams and it's a plus, althletes get to screw models too. Athletes are living our dreams. We are all superficial beings (hic actually) who are secretly envious of Tiger Woods. Tsk, tsk.

Green Zone -

Another action flick movie, but this time with better and engaging plot. Based on a book, though you wonder about the story's authenticity. Nonetheless, Matt Damon is as good as he was in his Bourne trilogy.

Weird Life lesson 3: Americans are manipulative lot. They made Saddam seem normal. Wait, is that even weird?!

Dopie

2010-03-17T14:27:00.001+08:00

The hubbby's dopie. He likes them cos they are as comfortable as going barefoot. Plus, they are eco-friendly. Initially, the wifey finds the sandals fugly and the design disturbing. Dopie is an acquired taste, just like crocs. Nope, neither crocs nor dopie for the wifey.

Of sleeping habits

2010-03-16T23:26:00.001+08:00

Just now, my sister said that when we were young, she used to hold my hand whenever she wanted to sleep. I couldn't remember it at all. I then asked her what for. She said it was for reassurance and comfort. Only then, she can sleep peacefully. Awww. I never knew that Yan whom I thought was the more gungho, actually depended on me. Considering that, known to all, I am the cengeng one. But then again, the hubby did mention that one of my better qualities is the fact that I am dependable. I exude calmness, so he said. And similarly to what Yan did when she was younger, the hubby also does that whenever he's scared or needs reassurance.;)

But when that happens, the wifey cannot sleep!!!

Tetamu di kalbu

2010-03-16T23:00:00.002+08:00

The bubble couple remained in their bubble.

They were visited by their ever friendly neighbours who stayed in the same hotel the previous day.
So we dined and entertained ourselves.

Goofing around.

@ GSC Pavilion

Isya at her best behavious.

Favourite pastime - lepak.

Yan and her tudungs loot.

YPs on a high.

They came and left. Will be back there on Thursday. Yup, how we envy them.

Dragging his toy all the way

2010-03-16T22:45:00.000+08:00

Aniq is that cute even when he throws his tantrums.=)

First Class experience

2010-03-16T21:56:00.001+08:00

Movie experience at GSC

2010-03-16T16:13:00.001+08:00

Before blogging about the movies we watched, I would like to blog about the experience watching at GSC Pavilion. We watched 3 different movies at 3 different timings and experienced 3 different types of not so great experienced. Just our luck.

First up was Up In The Air starring George Clooney. Watched it at nine-ish at nite, rather deep and philosophical movie. However, the witty dialogue got lost in the crowd. The only ones who seemed to get the jokes were us. We were the only ones laughing in a three quarter full cinema. Along the way, people started to leave as they couldn't seem to understand the slow paced movie. It was very distracting trying to watch the screen when people stood to leave.

Next day, we watched the Green Zone at noon on a weekday.We got ourselves a couple seat, to which the hubby said those seats were only relevant to non-married couples, unlike us. The show was watched by few people, understandable because, the timing was not normal. We were the only couple seated in the couple seat row in front. The couple seat row behind us were filled with couples whom you know were not married because as the movie progress, you begin to hear noises and the seats started to shake. Not typical of married couple behaviour. Here we were absorbed in Matt Damon pursuit of WMD in war torn Iraq, the couples behind us were absorbed in their pursuit of passion, very disturbing. Melayu boleh, beb. Free show, but not for us. The hubby was more worried about the hygiene conditions of our couple seats.

Last was, From Paris with Love starring the ever charismatic, John Travolta. Once again, I wonder why do people waste money if they don't understand the movie. We had people talking on their mobile phones throughout the movie. The hubby even had to ask the guy next to him to shut up. The hubby as you know is a very fierce person. He stared at the guy much to the wifey's horror. The guys in front of us, put their legs on the chairs in front of them, We had people passing popcorns through us. How inconsiderate. Gosh.

Ok, need to eat lunch on board. *pause*

*continue* Unfortunately, for RM11, we will continue to watch movies in Malaysia. *gulp*

A story of a deleted photo & kelibat...

2010-03-16T15:54:00.005+08:00

Grand Millenium was a so-so experience for us.

The view from our room.

Typical of a five star hotel, the prices are all mencekik darah, but not value for money. The room was spacious. We asked for a double bed but we got twin beds which were pushed together. Pluses included soft pillows and you-dun-want-to-get-out type of bed (as verified by Herman, whose wife also verified the beds vibrated when they slept, haha don't you go imagine my sister and her hubby...:p). Other than that, the breakfast was so-so, local spread. Service was not what you would expect from a 5 star hotel, lack warmth and sincerity. The pool was a family pool and size-wise was not to die for. The hubby spent 10 mins in the pool before coming out of it when he saw a man who is full of ketumbuhan di dadanya went in after that. The gym was great with a variety of equipment and great music. Not crowded at all. Other than that, nothing to shout about. Oh, to make our stay even less favourable, we had a kelibat in our room.

The wifey as you can see from the photo collage above, has a habit of taking photos whenever she enters any hotel room. So as usual, upon entering the designated corner room 1131, she went clicking. Later that evening, as she reviewed her photos with her sister, they chanced upon a digital snap of the room but blocked by a shadow...jeng jeng jeng...refusing to analyze it further and knowing her hubby as a not so brave soul, she then decided to delete the photo against her brave sister suggestion. The sister wanted to view the photo on the computer and analyze it further. Refusing to be spooked, the wifey shrugged the matter off. However, throughout her stay in the room, she kept seeing 'kelibat's in the room whenever the hubby was away. The wifey's suspicion that the hubby too felt a presence was confirmed by his sleeping habits for the past two days. That is another blogpost altogether. Anyway, we won't be coming back to the hotel anymore. Just our luck. :s

Bubble holiday

2010-03-16T15:42:00.003+08:00

The hubby believes in always going for a bubble holiday.
What is a bubble holiday?!

Well, it's like creating your own bubble and living within the bubble created. And nope, no bursting of bubble. Usually a bubble holiday is an impromptu one. Criteria of a bubble holiday is first determining the radius of the bubble, meaning, decide the area of the bubble. The decided area then becomes the area that the bubble couple will be in for the next few days. A bubble holiday can be as short as 2 days or as long as a week. A bubble holiday will also mean a cut from the outside normal world. The bubble couple will not come to you but others are invited to visit the bubble couple in the created bubble.Weird right. No handphones at all but wi-fi is an exception if not the wifey will nag the hubby and this may cause harm to the bubble. So true to a typical bubble holiday, this time round the bubble couple took a bus to Pasar Rakyat, stayed at Grand Millenium in Bukit Bintang and entertained themselves at Pavillion, all within a radius of like 5km for 3 days 2 nights. Up next, a quick review of Grand Millenium, movie marathon and food galore etc.

On board Solitaire

2010-03-16T14:58:00.012+08:00

Blogging, Youtubing, Surfing & Facebooking on board AGG555 en route Singapore. The hubby is in his own cocoon either watching one of the many movies on demand or at times, dozing off.

This short trip was to check out a different mode of transportation up north. And so far, Transtar has converted us.

The hubby likes it for the service, entertainment unit, comfort and the fact that he is able to be in his own world. Hence, Solitaire and First Class were our choices.

We begun our first leg of the KL trip via First Class. Cost us SGD$63 one way. It was a conscious effort to try out First Class, then Solitaire on our way back. Solitaire from Kuala Lumpur cost us SGD$50. It is always cheaper from Kuala Lumpur. The differences between First Class and Solitaire may not be significant to others but enough for the wifey to prefer Solitaire.

The differences include better massage chairs, food and WI-FI.

Snacks this time round, prepared by Delifrance, a sandwich as compared to just biscuits on board First Class, see later post for photos.

Such perks are important to the ADHD wifey who will be ignored by the hubby as he bubbled himself in his own world for the trip.

Anyway, back to the buses, loved it. Co-piloting while driving is tiring because the hubby tends to drift to Lalaland while driving. Yup, it has happened. So the wifey has to be the attendant to attend his needs while driving which includes preparing food, snacks and serving them. In addition, the wifey has to ensure that all the fave radio channels are tuned to the right frequency. Taking the bus, we have our own bus attendant to attend to our needs ala flight stewardess. Although one may snigger and say tak takut ke orang lain layan suami sendiri. My answer, gasaklah, nak tackle, tackle, lu tanggung sendiri beb. ;)

Oh ya, the bus will make a one-time 10 min stop for toilet break. Also enough for those who need to pray. Prayers done in the open, in small huts equipped with sejadahs & kiblat arrow.

Just keep the doa short. Abang-abang driver ni ada schedule to follow. We just got honked. So nope, not exactly a prayer friendly bus.

Anyway, we enjoyed the experience, now too pampered to take normal buses up north. Haha, as Mama would say ngada-ngada...;)

A Gift

2010-03-14T07:40:00.000+08:00

Thank you Mama & Baba for always remembering our anniversary.:)

Makeover

2010-03-14T06:46:00.001+08:00

A fresh start and a new energy.

Life's no fairytale. It's time to wake up.
Life's an adventure. Let's begin...

change

2010-03-13T18:53:00.003+08:00

time to change to a new blogskin, stay tuned.