Reason #429 to get an iPod

Even iPods have to look smart. It's all about the accessories dah-ling.

Spotted these yummy cases from www.colette.fr. But they are hideously expensive, at 120 euros (translation: SGD$263) or slightly better on the original site, at 11,500 yen (translation: SGD$179). Only can look at and admire from afar.

Oh well, since we're just admiring, here are more to ogle: designer ones. Some of them are surprisingly...cheap, considering the brand.

ShooStories: The Introduction

There was a girl who had many shoes
She had so many, she didn't know what to do
So she decided to photograph them, one at a time,
And tell their stories, every Wed at nine.

OK ok, it's not going to be at nine every wed. I needed something to rhyme with time. As you can see, I'm no poet. But yeah, this just gives me an excuse to talk about my shoos. So there.

#1

The Shoo: Pink Aviator (don't ask me why, that plastic covering reminds me of aviator sunglasses)
Circa: March 2004
Where: Some ah-lian looking shop in Hong Kong. One side of the shop sold a huge amount of clothes largely featuring an alarming amount of lace and ruffles, and the other side lots of neon-coloured shoes.

The Story: I was in HK accompanying my dad on a semi-business trip for a few days. It was my first time in HK and I was naturally very excited. After all, I had heard all those stories about the fabulous SHOPPING. My mother had told me before I left, "You'll love the shoes and the vegetables." So, I had tried the veggies and yes, they were gooood. But I was so disappointed. Where were all those famed fabbo shoes? I hadn't found anything I liked. They were either hideously expensive or hideously blah. Was I not going to the right places? Was I missing out on some secret golden mecca of shoe shops?

And then, in a garish shop in the middle of Central, I saw them. Pink and pointy. They sat on a rack in between a highlighter-yellow pair of patent pumps and a polka-dotted red and white pair. And right there, my faith in Hong Kong shoes was restored.

Naughty girl

I just had a two hour lunch with my dad. He's in town for a day but I can't meet him for dinner as I have to be in church tonight. We went to Original Sin at Holland Village, and I got to see what kind of people go for lunch on a weekday afternoon. Every single table was filled with expat tai-tais dressed in designer outfits and glittering jewellery and important business-looking people in important-looking work wear. We shared a Principessa salad and for mains, I had a very beany tasting moussaka, while my dad had some kind of ragout, far tastier than mine. For dessert, we moseyed down to the Da Paolo Gastronomia and bought a jivara chocolate mousse and pistachio nut bread and a marble cake. Quite the change from canteen food.

And quite by coincidence, my boss is on leave today. I swear I didn't know about it until this morning. Hurhurhur. Now need to hunt around for a fork to eat my cake.

This March, I am into...

Ooh how I love the rainy days, and the happy way I feel...only when I'm safe and dry inside.

...the return of the rain, spending three days a week at church, Lent, figuring out dates for my May Oz trip, Ryu Murakami, more Champloo, my new Polo Club membership, catching up on Oscar movies, Gold 90.5FM, char siew rice, musing on becoming a pod person, deciding if I really can do with another pair of shoes.

How about you?

Goodbye wisdom

The time has come for us to part. Even though I had been told as far back as 5 years ago that you would have to leave me someday, I didn't want to think about it. The thought of going through all that pain made me push any thought away, saying, "Later, later" or even deluding myself into thinking, "Nah, it won't happen."

But alas, that day is here for you have grown to be quite a pain. Yesterday was the worst. I couldn't eat all day, was in constant pain, and spent the day completely bummed out. I knew action had to be taken fast. No point procrastinating any longer.

So this morning, I did it. I called the dentist and have made an appointment for 11am tomorrow where I will climb into the chair, no doubt with much trepidation and heart afluttering, and I will finally say goodbye to you, my (not so) little wisdom tooth.

Haha that was fun writing!

UPDATE (7/3/05): In case you were wondering, I didn't go for an operation. Mine was just a simple tooth extraction and it was over in about 20 min. Yes there were some injections but as my dentist put numbing gel first, I hardly felt a thing. And when he was fiddling away with his pliers and whatnot instruments, I couldn't figure out what he was doing in there. Total bliss to be unable to see and feel what was going on in my mouth, and before I knew it, my dentist showed me a very big and rather bloodied tooth, saying, "It's over."

Indeed. I was given some antibiotics to prevent infections and some painkillers "just in case", said the nurse, and injunctions to gargle after every meal. Turns out I didn't need to use the painkillers at all. When the anaethestic wore off, I did feel some discomfort and soreness but nothing so unbearable. By night, I was having solid food, although careful not to chew on the left side of my mouth. And most importantly, I'm not in pain anymore! Yay!

Diary of a Saturday

The Oscars got me in such a tizzy I forgot to post about my weekend. Here, I present to you, in Bridget Jones style with timings as well, what I did last weekend:

8.00am
Alarm rings. Lift head up from bed and peer at sky. Looks overcast. Hmm looks like plans to go roller-blading are dashed. Oh well. Roll over and go back to sleep.

12.45pm
Emerge from bed in haze and recall that as have not bought friend a birthday present for his party tonight, will bake him a cake. Harhar. Cheap and heartfelt. Triumph at own cleverness and creativity.

1pm
Have lunch consisting of leftover chicken from dinner two nights ago. Eat it standing up over kitchen counter. Consult recipe book for ingredients list, followed by digging around fridge to discover if do have said ingredients. Realise that need: caster sugar, strawberries and cream.

1.45pm
After a shower, it's off to NTUC! Mother is coming along too, as she says she wants to get her Moccona coffee which can ONLY be gotten from that particular outlet. Sister is jogging there to meet us. Conclude that sister is mad.

2.15pm
Freezing in the dairy section. Trying to decide between Thickened Cream and Pure Cream. Which is thicker and more spreadable? Recall that last time made cake, bought wrong cream and the cream part turned out a disaster. After some thought (and shaking of cartons), decide to get Pure Cream as it contains more milk fat.

3.15pm
Back home and potter around kitchen gathering and washing items needed.

3.30pm
Make mess of kitchen sink as have sifted half of self-raising flour onto kitchen countertop instead of bowl. Oops. Look around and discover in relief that mother did not see what happened. Wipe everything up quickly with paper towel and throw away evidence.

3.32pm
Curse self at deciding to make cake on hottest afternoon of the year. How does Nigella Lawson cook and look like goddess at the same time?

3.40pm
Curses! Is the cocoa supposed to congeal like that?

3.45pm
Gak, dropped bits of eggshell into yolk.

3.50pm
Mixer is whirring away. Everything looks good. Breathe sigh of relief. Hang on, how did some of the batter end up on the wall?

4.10pm
Cake in oven! Hurrah!

4.35pm
Remove cake from oven and leave to cool. Get ready quickly and zip off to church.

7pm
Pick mother up and have dinner at Komala's. Onion masala meal...mmm.

7.45pm
Return home and admire finished cake. Next step, garnishing! Cut strawberries and blueberries, open cream tub and discover to much joy that have chosen the right cream. Spread cream over cake and glory over how thick and spreadable it is! After decorating is done, decide to take picture of cake for posterity:


Party Cake, recipe Jamie Oliver, wonder-goddess me

9pm
Off to party, of course not forgetting to take cake along.

9.30pm
Walk in and discover am only one of two girls in party. Consider scolding friend for not inviting more straight (hot) men to his party, but decide against as is his birthday.

9.40pm
Much playing of Taboo.

10.40pm
Still playing Taboo.

11.30pm
Birthday cake and song time! Friend has 3 birthday cakes, including mine. All chocolate. Wow. Everyone is going to get fatass. Finally get to taste my cake. Not bad! I can bake after all!

After eating cake, settle down for Round 2 of Taboo and intermittent viewing of Britney Spears video extravaganza. Admire her sparkly eyeshadow, hot bod and amazing photoshopped skin.

1.40am
Leave party for Caprice at Amoy Street. They are playing 80s music, whee! Walk in and discover two drag queens - one in very, very bad Diana Ross gold lame dress with puffed sleeves. Ask waiter for a sweet drink, and get a Spanish Fly. Tastes like cough medicine. Yuk! Note to self: never order Spanish Fly again.


Outside Caprice, 3am.

3am
Feeling hungry. Off to River Valley for supper. Park at the kerb and sit next to 18 year olds who have just crawled out of Zouk. Order prata, soup kambing, satay washed down with lime juice. Bliss.

4am
Beddy-bye calls.