Walking through the Four Seasons

February must be the cruellest month of the year. First it was the infamous hallmark festival, thanks to T.S Eliot -- Valentine's Day. A day where every teen and adult is in a state of ecstasy. You must have noticed that this year, I chose the low key approach and did not even have a post dedicated to the wretched date. Next up in February is a day when I gracefully age. Lest you think I'm cynic, I'm happily married and am graciously accepting the fact that age is catching up (though mostly I still try to live in denial!) This year, the excitement seems mellow. Probably because we can't afford to be financially extravagant. Have to seriously manage my expectations for I believe this year he'll be an ultimate cheapskate. Cards, flowers and possibly cakes are not quite his thing, thus I shan't expect any form of declaration from him. He doesn't believe in being pretentious and insubstantial. Thanks to his unsentimental bent, I've learnt to breeze the day away as if it's an ordinary day ever since my 21st birthday. erm, well at least I try not to whine about it. it would be nice though, if in the years to come, there'd be a bag of my choice glitter or some girly gadget presented to me on the special day. Ok, materialism has set in, but from time immemorial, which woman wouldn't yearn for such simple pleasures in life? Grappling with the rigours and expectations of a relationship is certainly not easy. Friends J & W however have brought their love to the next level and decided to cement it last Sunday:


Singapore's ang baos are plain boring. Specially bought ang bao envelopes from HongKong. Nice :)

The lovebirds -- A matchmade in heaven. They have the same radiant smile! I was just commenting to sweetie that we smile differently. I can't smile with my lips closed while he on the other hand, often gives a purse-lip smile.

Are they not like two volumes of one book?

Food was pretty good. On a scale of 10, it would garner an 8 from me. In particular the soup which many of the boys thought was a tad sourish. The herbal chicken was however a slight disappointment. Couldn't taste any herbal ingredients. I would like to think that my version of herbal chicken's far better. In the midst of the banquet, friend J ordered his infamous bowl of rice. Lousy according to him as it was microwaved. Dessert was a generous portion. Pity I had to restrain myself and share it with the hub coz all were "cooling" stuff. sigh.

Unlike most other weddings attended, what was different here was that the bride had prepared a surprise. A song with exceptionally meaningful lyrics. I could have swore I had a tear rolling in my eye. It certainly takes courage to finally decide your man is the right one for you and to share the rest of your life with him.

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."

~ Germaine Greer~

Late Start but great start

16 days has passed since 1.1.2011 and yes, I'm late again, a problem I'm trying to be mindful of. Afterall, the theme of 2011 is to be mindful. When mindful, I probably won't indulge in unnecessary shopping (still working on that...not seeing the light yet), and am apt to be less idle. When I'm mindful, I'm better able to regulate my emotions (a personal challenge); most importantly, being mindful will also lead me to a calmer frame of mind.

So far, 2011 has been great. letting go of bad feelings and focusing on the positive. Though today the hub sprang a surprise on me to mess up my mood -- he expressed his intentions of golfing in BKK on Day 3 of CNY just because cousin's going. Am trying to keep calm but who likes being "abandoned" during a long break? Being retaliated with the words "it's my hobby and you can come if you want" didn't sound all that right too. Trust me, the latter was purely lip service. I'm made to feel like some excess baggage being dumped in the gully. Marriage can be exhilarating as couples experience new "first". Such is not aplenty in mine. In fact, those episodes were short-lived. I'm befuddled. Things in life, no matter how small, ordinary, humble, mundane or insignificant can bring the most enduring pleasure if only we become aware of them. It takes two to clap and the booms are not permeating on this end. A character flaw which I can't reconcile. Am insanely jealous when I see how others are. I know. It's unhealthy, but it's human nature. Blame it on my obsessive over-thinking. But I promise myself to focus on looking forward as if we are intent on driving in reverse, we'll miss all the scenery. Life is too short to be lived on auto-pilot. I hope I can find my delectable moments elsewhere.


One of my delectable moments! Met up with the gals last Sunday to trade idle banter and juicy gossip. It's amazing how gals can chat. From 4pm we chatted and ate all the way till about 930pm!


The place is nicely done up and nestled away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Delectable cakes come at a price

Strawberry Shortcake with a twist -- Thumbs up!


This cup of hot chocolate was melted literally from PURE imported chocolate! Hardcore! Was nice at first sip but after a while, it got a little overwhelming.

Signage to my favourite part of the cafe

I'm never a pink person but this is so inspiring! The flowers really brighten up the whole place.



Attended Mz's wedding at Grand Park City Hall yesterday. It's amazing that it's been 1X years since we left school. Thankfully, everyone's still looking more or less the same. Time sure flew like a speeding bullet!

Absolutely love my outfit of the day. H says it's my colour. Couldn't resist taking a narcissistic picture of my back! I almost died in those 4.5" killer heels though.


The food was nothing to shout about. This was the only photo-worthy dish. They were mostly stuff you could find at your local coffeeshop, except they were of slightly higher quality. Service was not up to standard too. J who had vegetarian, was served with a plate of mock squid only to be taken away from her later (after we nibbled) as the waiter informed that the plate was actually meant for all the vegetarians at the banquet! Imagine our shock! On top of that, whilst we were away at the ladies, the noodles was served. We came back and discovered a strand on J's chair! hmm...

Sunday's coming to an end. It had been good. With Kenny G and Yanni in the background, Sunday Times in one hand and sipping a cup of rosebud tea, I hope there'd be more delectable moments and I'll have the presence of mind to enjoy every one of them! :)

Today you are joined in marriage -- E&C

He + She grinned from ear to ear, displaying the gorgeous, melting smile and revealing a row of gleaming teeth. The rush of joy robbed them of their speech. I know, they have never felt such ecstasy coz I myself was influenced by the love that was so apparent.

19 November marked the big day of friends E & C. They met through a mutual friend, A , and after a whirlwind romance, they decided to bind in matrimony. hmm..a big ang bao should prolly be given to A who made "Lunch Actually" possible between these two lovebirds whose paths crossed. It's weird how love works. It's so magical and unexpected. I call it FATE. It was quite a hush hush affair and despite the fact that none of us friends were invited (the solemnization was witnessed only by an intimate group of family), we were all very happy and could feel the frission of excitement which went through. It really reminded me of the day I got married. I was alive in every fiber and shouting with laughter inside.


The radiant bride.
An absolutely gorgeous and unique gown. Talk about being at the edge of fashion.


When I showed my wedding shots to friends, some commented that they were raunchy and suggestive. Looks like I was not the only one who thought that it was art. :)

My favourite!

Love is patient, Love is kind,
It does not envy, it does not boast,
It is not proud, it is not rude,
It is not self-seeking,
It is not easily angered,
It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil,
but rejoices with the truth.

Love always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.

Love bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends.

Lover never fails

(Corinthians 13:4-8)

A flash of merriment showed in her brown eyes whilst his eyes shone in triumph and pride.
With warmest wishes
for the best in life
as you both look forward
to a shared future
of love, friendship,
and the wonderful closeness
that is marriage.

Congratulations

A day as a Star

Had a funfilled day @ One Fullerton today as a star. Well, not quite. An extra was more like it! haha Friend W & J were having their pre-wedding shots taken and some of us were roped in as extras. I must say, I'm rather bemused at how pre-wedding shots are these days. Loads of brainstorming and expensive overseas trips. Thank goodness I had mine way early, I don't think the hub and I can undergo such tedious episodes. What eludes me is how the bride is able to smile so radiantly at the end of the day. My evening shots were pretty stiff and the smile seemed plastered on my face. Rants aside, here's a peek at what happened behind the camera:

Chanced upon this structure whilst waiting for the happy couple. interesting concept. It's made of plastic Starbucks cups. Some parts even spin when the wind blows.


Looks pweety isnt it?


Look @ how professional the photograher was!



Hub and I were fooling around whilst they were doing the shoot. B had a pack of China Cigs, thus I used it as a prop for a shot. MISTAKE. The hub pursed his lips on the tip and B insisted that he take it. URGH! It's been a long while (at least to my knowledge) that he has picked up that nasty stick. Killing the bad habit for the sake of love and health has made me tremendously proud of him. Please don't go back to your old ways baby, I want you to grow old with me!


Presenting, the future Mr & Mrs L :) Ok we should probably wait for the professionally taken photos. Mine are so sub-standard! time to buy a DSLR? hmmm

Weddings, Weddings, more weddings!

I'm back! From Angsty to Jubilant. There are many things one can try to control in one's life. Unfortunately time is what really controls your choices and decisions. I've set my target to blog about several stuff, but somehow, time's not cooperating. WEll I think I need to stop begrudging and move on. Look at those working moms who blog! If they can do it, I can too! Just need more discipline.

First up, last week....or perhaps weeks ago..hmm...seems so far away now that we are progressing into mid-May. It's the season to get married. Countless weddings had been happening over a span of 3 weeks:

Wedding number 1: It's be so long, I can't remember when!
The lovely Couple: J & R
Venue: OOSH @ Dempsey

First up, yet another blissful match made in CCHS. Well, it didn't all start there, but their paths sure crossed when they met in school. I think CCHS teachers wouldn't be too proud, coz we were probably oogling at boys/ girls, rather than studying! Just look at the number of CCHS couples getting hitched! Sorry for the lack of photos (who am I apologising to? Sheez)...Silly me, did not charge up my camera and ended up with very few nice pics to show. All these little nitty gritties I feel are a deliberate ploy to spite me! Anyway, back to the topic. The wedding was held at OOSH @ Dempsey. Nice place but somehow I got the feeling that staff there weren't well acquainted with weddings. The chair I was sitting on was apparently falling apart. literally as the nails were coming out! How dangerous is that! Then, friend G's glass had some debris in his cup of 7up. It looked like mould, probably because they hardly have such a big event, thus their cups had all turned mouldy. We highlighted the problem to the manager in charge who had the audacity to ask: What's wrong? My goodness! What's wrong? Open your eyes dude! Story cut short, the glass was changed but 7up was not given, instead, plain water was replaced. Food was was Bland too. Nothing fantastic, in fact, the fish I was having was a tad too hard, not to mention cold. It was perhaps overwhelming for the restaurant to serve up so many dishes all at once. Ambiance wise, thankfully for the cool albeit rainy weather, sitting under a marquee was quite a nice experience. Overall, I wouldn't recommend the place for such an important day of your lifetime.
Wedding number 2. Date: 8 May.
The lovely couple: B & J
Venue: Pan Pacific Hotel Singapore

Almost forgotten that I had a wedding to attend. Can't blame as there was a flurry of activities within the week. It clashed with the day I was supposed to join sweetie and colleagues to Malacca. THe choice was tough. The decision -- Friends were more important! Malacca can wait! Went to Spa Scene @ Raffles City for a quick Haircut. My regular stylist is in the States for upgrading else I'd certainly wouldn't want any strange hands touching my gorgeous locks (ok, not very gorgeous and they aren't exactly locks! haha) Recommended by a friend, the place is filled with Korean stylist. I requested for a local as I didn't want any miscommunication. Was served by a flamboyant little guy ala David Gan. He really had an uncanny resemblance to the "God" of hairstyling! The experience there was pretty nice. Starting off with a great relaxing massage whilst having my hair washed. Trouble arose later when another customer was pissed with this Korean stylist for not being able to deliver the service on time. Hmm...happens so very often I guess. The stylist very patiently tried to explain what he was doing but to no avail. The lady was simply raging, with nostrils flaring wide! Ended off with my stylist going forward to blow dry her hair and save the day.

Ops...sidetracking! Terrible habit of mine. Thereafter the haircut (which I was pleasantly pleased), I headed home, rested a bit, did DIY manicure and headed to Pan Pac. The wait for a carpark lot was horrendous. It's always a nightmare to be attending a wedding in the Marina area. Parking is such a killer! After an arduous 20mins, I found myself a lot. A legal one no less :)
The bride was standing by the door, waitin for her march in, by the time i arrived! PHEW. The gastronomic culture was excellent. Pan pac sure live up to their name. Service wise-- no screw ups :) I just somehow didn't like the low ceiling...sigh..miss the Oriental. Wonderful memories.

Wedding/ Solemnisation number 3: 16 May 2010
The lovely Couple: S & A
Venue: Shin Yeh restaurant @ Liang Court

Probably due to inexperience, the groom was all over the place, trying to coordinate his big day. The JP was talking to himself most of the time. I could barely hear though I was seated on the front row. THe mic was faulty and all I heard was "I Do", "I will". Then again, the vows were all said by the JP. I only managed to hear S reciting a mono sentence as a vow. His bride didn't say anything! JP didn't even say "U may kiss the bride!" Guess he is Mr Conservative. I'm usually very touched during the exchange of vows, but somehow, this one irked me. THe moment wasn't all that special anymore. Perhaps to the couple it still is.

The couple had interesting wedding favours -- Polaroid album. Only problem, none of us had the polaroid camera! Fortunately, the meticulous couple brought along two, with ample film. We were all desperately trying to take pictures with one another in order to fill up the album. However, there's more than 10 pages to fill!

My Favourite shot with sweetie! Love it to the max, albeit my fat arms!Guests were all dressed in vibrant colours!
Food wise: Healthy choice. In fact, too healthy for some people's palate. Heaps of vegetables as this restaurant's inspiration is somewhat from Taiwan. By the time we hit the 3-4th dish, most of us were full. Loved the dessert though-- Bobo Cha cha with red beans. There was also muar chee (sticky glutinous rice balls with crushed peanuts).

At this junction, I'm immensely tired from posting and putting the photos together! It's been almost an hour! Wonder if all bloggers have that problem. I will push on (probably tonight or another day), to complete other posts that are outstanding.

Ideas are everywhere. They are a dime a dozen. Passion is good but at the end of the day, it's the sheer work that matters.

He's the MAN and she's the woman behind him?

The wedding of the decade unfolded on 10 January 2010. A beautiful start to a new endeavor between Romeo and Juliet. Perfect Chemistry.

THE story unfolded 13 yrs ago when he was an ordinary 13-yr-old, scrawny, sun- bronzed Ah beng who often spotted a razor haircut, stiff with spray whilst she was a petite girl with lustrous hair drawn in thick shiny braids. It was almost love at first sight. There was a look of enthrallment each time he saw her walk pass. However, she was in genius class, while he didn't really make the mark. Being in the same school added to the agony. After what seemed like eternity, he finally won her heart during his Poly days, when they were 19yrs of age. His devotion for her grew together with his waistline! This ordinary boy has turned into a sloppy, corpulent paunchy man with a great mass of curly hair. On the other hand, her porcelain complexion is still prominently enhanced by her long black tresses straddling her shoulders and she's still the petite girl he knew years ago. Though his physique changed, the love's still strong. I guess love is blind because love is unconditional.

After years of courtship, they finally decided to tie the knot, albeit the very poor proposal if there's any at all! A ring was bought and she was expected to put it on, on the auspicious day. Typical Singaporean. To give him credit however, he was sweet enough to apply for a HDB flat secretly. Unfortunately, it didn't go through as they were earning heaps. (Under Singapore's law, a couple will not be able to obtain a housing loan from the government should their joint salary be more than $8000).

Preparation for the big day took months and the big day finally came:


The smirk hasn't changed after so many years! It has become his trademark!

GATECRASHING...shake your bon bon....

Gatecrashing. It gets tougher each time as the sisters try to outdo their attacks. THis time, the boys were given a task of dancing to the tune of "Nobody" by the Wonder Girls. A hilarious moment!
Bros and Sis clad in customized pink tees! A welcome concept by all. Finally! No more little cocktail dresses and ties at gatecrashing! It must have been the best moment for the bride for after 31 yrs, she has waited for this day -- To STEP ON HER HUBBY!!
After 31 yrs, our dear A is no longer THE man. Now SHE's the Man and HE's the woman behind HER! (PS: for the record, he "graciously" allowed her to step on him after failing to step her her feet...orhhhh...so sweet!)

Helpers arrived for rehearsals at 430pm. Most of us needed a drink before the event to get us into the mood!

Doesn't she look adorable in that dress?? Coupled with those luminous jet-black eyes, she definitely outshone Fann Wong!!




The groom A was perspiring copiously when he heard that the vow would be made in two languages! haha...It was probably worse than taking an oral examination as beads of perspiration rolled down his cheeks. Listen carefully to the fumble. Nevertheless, it was a touching moment. We could have sworn a teardrop was rolling at the brim of his eyes!



It was one of the most entertaining weddings! Even the hotel commented that they have not seen such a spectacular stint pulled off so well in a long while. Friends of over 10yrs were pulled together for a dance entry, a prelude to the happy couple's first march in. We danced to the tune of Jolin Cai. It was great fun! This was followed by a spectacular display of poppers as the couple made their grand entrance, with the groom crooning to a love ballade by heavenly king, Jacky Cheung. With friends like these, who needs enemies?



The second march-in's entertainment level was just as high. With many being educated in a Chinese-ed environment, the song 甜蜜蜜 seemed to strike a cord with the audience.
It felt like a massive alumni gathering for CCHS. Out of 50 tables, there must be at least 7 tables filled with seniors and juniors!



An emotional moment when the mask was taken off. It's times like these that I feel he's not as irritating or MCP as he seems.

The Star of the night. 个人演唱会!

A few songs and drinks later........


He was a goner even before the night was over! A few songs and drinks at the KTV (part two of our celebration) and the groom staggered back to his room, leaving the bride speechless and all alone to fend for herself against monstrous bunch of liquor attackers!

Revenge is Sweet!


4 yrs ago, sweetie was "violated" by the monstrous A!

Love is the beauty of the soul. In love, there are no impossibilities. The best things in the world cannot be seen or touch. It must be felt with the heart. I wish my endearing friends A & L everlasting love and a blissful life ahead! :)