Packed Weekend

We had a fun-filled learning journey at work on friday. The theme was "Style & Glamour" and moi was roped in for the bags portion despite the fact that I'm no bag expert. Phewz, managed to hoodwink my way thru. We went to Vivo City for lunch and the practical part of the learning journey! It was kinda fun lunching out with the chaps at work. We had great fun walking round the place.

Met up with the sec school fres thereafter. We had seafood dinner at Marina Square followed by drinks at the lounge of Marina Mandarin. I so luv the place and ambiance, despite the pricey drinks. Eeeps..we even had 2 rounds of drinks. The company was great as well. We had interesting conversation, despite not meeting up often. This is representative of friendship through the years. Got home around 12.30 am. Glurp, so unused to late nites out..... :)

Had the last steamboat dinner of this CNY with the babes at the homeland on Saturday. Of course, cute Baby Kayson was present! The Mother-In-Law was wonderful. She helped moi prepare the items for the dinner, so it was a breeze. There was even yums lychee martini cake from Pine Garden which Jinny brought and a Cienna 2008 ,which was a gift from Hui for Christmas. I enjoy the sparking sweetness of the wine, although it was too sweet for Jinny and Noven. Its been a great weekend thus far. Meeting up with the fres. Something that should be done more often.

Lychee Martini Cake

A familar route

The bus service which I have not taken in years. The bro says its been 16 years since. Time flies. The feeder service i used to know so well in my teens. The route from school to home and home to school. The childhood home. We've always travelled by car to his place in the past 1-2 years we've visited. So it felt nostalgic, seating on the bus with the bro. Taking the once familiar route of my childhood. Sometimes life passes you by so fast, that you dun often remember the past. Yesterday's bus trip was one of those days where nostalgia sweeps over in waves.

The neighbourhood has changed, the buildings tinted white brown with the dust particles in the wind. The area now looks shabby, in need of refurbishing; so unlike the home from yesteryear. Just like how he's aged in the intertwining years. The greatest enemy of one? Its the passage of time.

Lunar New Year Meet Up

Met the JC folks today. A potluck gathering at Kris's place in Ang Mo Kio. I got sushi takeaway from Sakae Sushi and took a cab to his place. Most of the folks were already there when i reached. Fen was sick so she passed on the gathering.

There were loads of food, although I din manage to whip out the camera for photos. We had abalone porridge and durian puffs (from colin), fried bee hoon and curry (from Kris), prawns and tiramisu (from cecilia), my sushi, mc's nuggets, chix wings, satay, ice cream, jelly pudding, yu sheng etc. Loads of food again.

Of course we had a good time doing the "lo hei". My second time this new year. We chatted a bit and played some games. Its great to meet up with the friends. Ha ha, coz i dun have much of a social life to begin with.. ;p

2nd Day of this New Year

The dearie's up bright and early to start work today. So moi kinda slack the day away, while waiting for him to return home. Cooked some noodles for lunch with the leftover hotpot ingredients and watch tons of tv.. including 2 episodes of gossip girl season 2. Had wanted to do some work and check some office mails with the spare time, but was too lazy ah.

The dearie managed to get off work at about 4 plus and we had time to catch a movie. Yup, a no brainer feel good valentine's day move called "Valentine's Day". A show about couples dating and breaking up and patching back. Featuring an ensemble of big hollywood names like Jessica Alba, Julia Roberts, and the 2 Taylors. Delighted that we actually caught a movie, and a feel-good one at that. We din celebrate Valentine's Day this year, with all the Chinese New Year hoo ha.. and the depleting coffers.. so its great to be able to watch a show on luv for some romantic trappings :)

This Chinese New Year

Table of food at the In-Law's
Yummy veg

Chicken, Duck, and fried Veg

Golly, have finally heralded in the year of the Tiger. The frenzy last minute shopping for clothes and cleaning of the house. And the 2 steamboat reunion dinners on friday and saturday (the day before the eve of CNY and the eve). Its because the dearie's family eats a day earlier. Its the same type of hotpot ingredients which the mother-in-law prepares. Homemade fishballs, cut fish,pork,beef slices, prawns and other wat nots. The dearie's grandma and little uncle joins us for this meal. So much food huh.

This is followed a reunion dinner at my place on the actual CNY eve itself. With my folks and the in-laws. There's only the brother and mommie at my side, while the in-laws are alone if the dearie eats with my family. The win-win situation, is to have both families together. My mother-in-law prepares the bulk of the steamboat items (almost same items as the day before) while I got some extra vegs. This year, the mommie got some mini lobsters and a plate of homemade yummy yu sheng which her friend made for her. I really luv auntie Pat's yu sheng. She adds in mango slices and fried yum sticks which gave the yu sheng an extra 'something' which is missing from store brought ones. So we did a lo hei that day, the first lo hei of the year. So much food again.

The CNY feast

fishballs, roast duck, chicken, vegs,prawns

mini boiled lobsters

Adding lime to the Yu Sheng

Yu Sheng-'Huat" ah!!

On the first day,or chu yi, we went to visit the dearie's relatives. The tradition of the dearie's family is to have a vegetarian breakfast ( while mine is to have mee sua), so we gathered at the in-law's place and hopped to the other aunties and uncle place as the day progresses. We managed to visit my mommie's place in the late afternoon. I think we had like four meals that day.. breakie at the in-laws, noodles at the third auntie's place, mee sua at mommie's place and dinner at the third uncle's place. *Glup* I cannot even bear to think of all the food and tibits I've eaten the past few days. Yup, we're done with the CNY visiting after the first day.

Strangly, I don't feel as much for this festival as I do for Christmas season but I so enjoy the free days before work starts again, Opps.

Happy Chinese New Year........ :)

New Year Goodies

I've been rather slack in the preparations for the new year. Din really clean the homeland much, except send the curtains and carpet for dry cleaning. The cleaning lady is coming on Friday, I sure hope the homeland is decent enough with her helping with the cleaning. Wanted to take leave to spring clean, but.. with so little leave left, guess i wanna save the precious off days.

I wonder how the little containers start piling up. Most of erm are contributed by the dear MIL. She's been a dear, frying the prawn crackers, cashew nuts and floss rolls. She also helped us to order the other tarts and wat nots. Add the items from the dear mummie.. its food galore for the festive season. My contributions? Only a bottle of almond cookies I got from a colleague and maybe some peanut thingy. Looks like not much left to get huh..except for Bak Kwa for the dearie's family Oops..

Yums Discovery

I know I am a late bloomer. Yah, I've just discovered the yummy goodness of Tim Tams. The colleague had given moi a small packet for Christmas and I was feeling hungry one day. So I gobbled up the 2 pieces. The chocolate malt biscuit is rather addictive in a comfort food kind of way. When i told the colleague I just discovered the goodness of the biscuits. she said" Oh my, I must have consume loads and loads of Tim Tams growing up". Well, its not too late to play catch up.. :)