Singapore Sling

The missus of mine wanted to head to Singapore again after reading about a couple of nice places to visit, pick up a Charles & Keith bag which is unfortunately unavailable in Malaysia, and to hunt for some retro Casio watches. I happily obliged to the road trip as i had intentions to take the Odyssey for a drive and have an autopass card registered for it anyway. Plus i like Singapore, and it would be our last road trip/holiday for the next four months. So, we hopped into the car after clocking in half-days work on Friday and headed to kiasu-land. To those of you Malaysians who constantly complain about Singaporean food, you need to pay attention to this blog post.

First stop was to check-in to our hostel (yes, its not a spelling error). Its a quaint little old house that has been creatively converted into a boutique homestay that is managed by an extremely friendly old lady named Irene. Who by the way thought EmilyT was "very pretty", i couldn't agree more really. One Florence Close as it is aptly named (its house no.1 on Florence Close, duh!) is conveniently located 3-mins walk away from Kovan MRT station and proudly has Singapore's Best Nasi Lemak situated directly opposite! We'll dwell on the nasi-lemak later on. One Florence Close is clean and affordable albeit the small rooms and the shared bathroom. Which isn't bad as the toilets are clean and designer like. I'm the sort that likes to splurge during holidays, and my standards in hotels aren't Burj-Al Arab but i'd like to come back to G-Hotel like type of Ambiance and facilities (G-hotel btw is my regular stay when in Penang nowadays, hehe), but for the money, One Florence Close makes the grade in my books. They could do with a bigger parking area though...it currently fits one.

(sorry as there are more pics of my car than the hotel, i'm a lil' engrossed with it at the moment)

Sleeping arrangements aside and back to Singapore's Best Nasi Lemak. Its called PONGGOL NASI LEMAK CENTRE, which really is only a corner shop lot. The amazing thing about this nasi lemak... is the QUEUE!! yes! the Queue! from 6pm till late, there's literally a Queue! And earlier parts of the evening/night sometimes sees the Queue going round the shop!! amazing.. utterly amazing! The nasi lemak is Chinese-style nasi lemak, with the sambal being a little sweet. They also serve up a smorgasbord of dishes. You can have luncheon meat with your nasi lemak, which is great! I honestly thought it was pretty good. Where's it at? Its located at the corner of Florence Close and Upper Seranggoon Road.

Ponggol Nasi Lemak

The mad Que forming...

Our yummy nasi lemak

The next day we took a one and a half hour trip to The Singapore Zoo, only to decide not to go as we wanted to catch the sunset at Changi (which is the other end of Singapore!!) and we had wasted 2 and a half hours waiting for some friends to arrive (tsk! tsk!). En route to Changi Point Boardwalk, we pit-stopped at Queensway Shopping Centre and another mall (i forgot the name) to pick up the aforementioned Charles & Keith bag and a pair of kicks. There's a food stall near the main foyer of Queensway shopping mall that serves up one of the best packet-nasi lemak and otak-otak combo and awesome curry chicken with bread. It is one of the more popular stalls, as we had to wait around to get a seat. And when we finally did, it was at the very corner of long bench-like table next to the ice dispenser! Must try if you're in Singapore.

A routine for me when visiting Singapore.

yummy!!

Then it was off to Changi Village & Changi Point Boardwalk. The sleepy hollow of Changi Village comes alive on the weekends as it plays host to a flea market and some lively entertainment. I'm a sucker for sunsets, which makes Changi Point Boardwalk a notable mention as it's probably one of the best places to catch the sunset in Singapore. Unfortunately for us (and a host of pro-looking photographers), there was heavy cloud cover and powerful as the sun may be, it's rays could not penetrate the darkside. Fear not! We'll be back!!. Word of advice though, be prepared for a whole lotta walking if you intend to visit. I'll let the pictures below do the talking.

Us in Changi Village

Changi Village Flea Market
En route from Changi Village to Changi Point

The boardwalk, that seems to stretch on forever

Children scurry away as Jwan approachesSights along the boardwalk

EmilyT strikes a pose!

"Don't let the sun go down on me..." (sing it)

After all the walking, and lugging the shopping around, we headed back to the hostel. I was supposed to head to China One in Clarke Quay with the missus and her friends, but my feet were killing me and i just wasn't in any mood to go squeeze with people in that tiny club that i honestly think kinda sucks (i was there during Christmas btw). The thought of going to that club again kinda just dampened my spirits even further. So much to the dismay of the missus, i opted not to go...which created much unwarranted inconvenience for her as she had to travel one and a half hours on the MRT by herself, which naturally resulted in flowing rivers and red eye generation when she got back. My apologies for my insensitivity my dear. Small sacrifices have to be made in the future.

We went to collect some family portrait photos from a studio the following day, then headed to Mustaffa Centre to hunt for some retro CASIO digital watches. For those not in the know, yeah, retro is in. Mustaffa centre is located in the heart of Little India which makes for a very lively and colorful place to be. EmilyT netted a couple of watches and a huge luggage bag, and we were off for some shopping mall hopping before heading back to KL.

BrekfastOne of the reasons we were in Singapore - going retro

Shanghai "small dragon bun" lunch

Pics by: EmilyT & Jwan

Valentine's Day

I truly believe the Valentine's day was created by some sod named "Robert Valentine" or something along those lines...an executive who worked in HALLMARK many years ago, who now has been given a large stake in the company for creating a day that should be aptly called "pay 3 times more for the same shit...just because". Unfortunately, my other half's a romantic, so i'm slowly attempting (i'm delaying it for as long as i can) to plan and surprise her with a typically (boring in other words) V-Day... complete with Flowers, card, candle lit dinner, gifts, yadda yadda... We'll get there eventually baby!

Here's how we spent VDAY over the last couple of years, which to me was PERFECT!

2008 V-Day: Seaside seafood dinner under the stars!
2009 V-Day: Munchhaus with Vince & Pres.

Not too long ago, i received an email from my girlfriend, asking me to complete "The Great Couple Meme" and a link to a site... i opened the mail, and then closed it again, and calmly forgot about it. (Baby, please forgive me if i get some of the responses wrong, we'll sort it out in the bedroom)

Tell us about the first time you met and your first impression of him/her.
During an event... HOT CHIC!!scchhhhwwwweeeeeeeet! That was the initial impression.. then discovered she's a great person to talk to as we spent countless hours...just talking.

What’s a weird habit or quirk that s/he has?
Constantly checking herself out, wondering if there's something wrong with herself. If you look at her feet, she'll panic and continuously question you about her feet.. "is there something with my feet? stop staring!! whats wrong with my feet???! tell me!!". When actual fact is, you were looking at a coin on the floor...

What makes him/her happy?
Chocolates, food, sweet stuffs, pastries... anything hopelessly romantic.

What makes him/her sad?
Unfortunately, first thing that comes to my mind at the moment is ME. Sad but true, i have a feeling i disappoint and upset her more often than i should really. 2nd thing that comes to mind would probably be her parents, who are less open minded than they should be.

What makes him/her angry?
Most frequently, Me. News of snatch thefts & crime and occasionally her parents.

What excites him/her?
Alot actually! she gets overly excited over topics of discussion that are in-sync with her line of thought at that specific moment...usually about romantic movies, something read somewhere, or someone agreeing with her opinions.

Tell us something funny about him/her:
She's really klutzy!!walks into corners of tables, trips on steps, bumps into people... the list goes on.

What’s s/he like at home?
Boring. Stays in her room... stares at the walls, sleeps, bugs her sister, then sleeps again.

What’s s/he like at work/school?
I think she was a mega-nerd in school - straight A's type student. (boring..)

Describe his/her room.
Haven't seen it, but i think its nice and cosy.

What’s his/her best friend like?
I think she's got a collective of good friends... not too sure if there's a specific best friend really.

Do you know who s/he hates the most?
hmm... nope. Doubt she hates anybody.

Have you met his/her exes?
Haven't met any of her exes, but i've met many of the guy's she's dated and who's hearts she's broken.

Do his/her parents like you?
No. Dad's an accountant and i'm in events... so wadddaya think?
Her parents probably think there are only 4 types of good people in the world; Accountants, Doctors, Engineers, and Lawyers. Anyone else is a BAAAAD MAN.. :P Bah!

What’s the first thing s/he would do or say if s/he fell down and scraped their knee?
She'd quickly jump up, check to make sure nobody saw as her face turns red from embarrassment.... scurries off to where no one can see her, then squirm in pain and start crying like a baby (as in really cry!)

What would s/he do in an emergency situation with other people involved?
She'd panic, scream then probably cry.

Which shop would s/he spend the most time at in a shopping mall?
Forever21 & TopShop.

What would s/he have for a typical breakfast?
Sausages, eggs, toast, coffee.

Where would s/he want to go for dinner?
If she had her way... it would be somewhere fancy with nice decor and romantic ambiance.

What kind of movie would s/he choose at the cinema?
soppy romantic stuff.

Describe his/her taste in music.
Most mainstream genres - love songs, boy band stuff, and acoustic music to the likes of Pete Teo.

If s/he wasnt going out with you, who would s/he be going out with?
Hmmm... probably no one really.I've been told she's a real "hard to get" type girl. And treats boys likes toys.

What item in his/her wardrobe would you like to burn?
Her fashion sense is pretty good. No complaints.

What is s/he good at?
Listening. She's super patient when it comes to listening me go on and on about myself!

What is s/he totally horrible at?
Nothing that i've noticed as yet.

What’s something about him/her that is annoying/infuriating?
The fact that she's old-school when it comes to Valentine's Day, a yearly dismay for me.
Her lack of self-confidence and insecurity borders on psychologically disturbing. I.e:

Jwan: "baby..i'm meeting a friend for yum cha."

EmilyT: "WHO!!?!?! WHERE??!?!?!? WHY???? WHAT FOOOOOOORRRRRRR!!!"

even before i finish my sentence.... it usually ends like this: ".....justin and the boys at Sun Hin Loong." weirdo!

What’s something that you two fundamentally disagree on?
My exquisite, up-to-date, stylish, fashion sense.

What’s something that you two agree whole-heartedly on?
i would have to say her response to this question best sums it up.

Is s/he possessive?
Yes and very insecure too!

Why would s/he succeed in life?
She's an honest, sweet, polite, kind hearted soul. If success is measured as a journey and not a destination, she'll excel in everything she does.

What is the coolest gift that s/he has ever given you?
A scrap book that depicts the moments that dotted our relationship.

What is s/he obsessed with?
She's obsessed with ensuring every item of clothing she buys is a perfect fit and a worthwhile buy. Goes in and out of the changing room, visits the store 5-times to look at a top... and ends up buying nothing!

What does s/he avoid at all costs?
Furry animals and soft toys.

What does s/he spend the most money on?
Clothes.

Describe his/her typical Sunday.
Wakes up at noon or later, gets picked up by me, goes for lunch with me in Village Park, sits around and listens to business/share market/investment/spend money discussions, then back to my house where we usually sleep the day away...

Why would s/he be dangerous?
She has a problem processing and filtering information. Doesn't know when to NOT say or disclose something. the Chinese phrase for it would be "Mm Seng Mok".

Tell us about a time s/he looked absolutely gorgeous:
Honestly, i can't pinpoint "A TIME" cause i truly think she looks gorgeous all the time. Save for the few rare occasions where she didn't spend enough time in front of the mirror.

What’s something about him/her that would surprise all of his/her friends?
She's getting married at age 23!!!

What do you love most about him/her?
The way she looks at me and smiles for no reason. Warms me up every time...

The biggest lesson you have learnt from loving your partner.
Appreciating things. Not taking things for granted all the time. and learning to give and take. life's not just about ME...

So finally, to those of you fools that paid 5-times more for your half-dying full bloomed dozen roses, bad service at a fancy named restaurant, followed by sex that you would've gotten anyway without having to spend a cent...my deepest condolences. Though i have a feeling i shall be joining you all next year. Here's me learning that life isn't always just about me.

EmilyT's response to "The Great Couple Meme"

An odyssey

We took the odyssey for its maiden long distance voyage... and boy was it a long drive. We went KL - IPOH - ALOR SETAR - KL in one day. Anyway, this blog post is actually about this restaurant we were introduced to by our client. Forgive my bad memory, cause i forgot the name of the restaurant, but i do remember its located in Simpang Dua. A couple of turns off from the main highway... Its an obscure restaurant located next to a mangrove swamp and a bridge, supposedly famous for its MEE UDANG (Prawn Mee). And the MEE UDANG was good! i wouldn't say its fantastic, but it was good. And you get to pick your prawns fresh outta the ice box. They serve up a host of other dishes, and i'll be sure to try and find my way back there to sample it all. Here's the downside though(which could've been brought about by the sight of a new KL registered vehicle), the meal cost RM88.50!

Gav taking a stroll at Stadium Darul Aman Alor SetarLim & Gav amusedThe Restaurant (name forgotten)Fresh prawns galore!Served

Leap Frogging

I love Malaysian politics. Provides hours of entertainment, like how i used to enjoy playing 'leap frog' with my friends when i was about 5 years old. Gotta love the Perak situation now.

Politics aside, its gonna be a swamped month ahead as work piles up after the CNY hols and the missus leaving back to the land down under at the end of the month. Amidst all this chaos, i'm struggling to squeeze in some time for me to go get some new 19" shoes for the Odyssey. Driving a stock ride around is just not going to kick it. Speaking of the new ride, i'm taking it on a one-day crusade to Ipoh and Alor Setar tomorrow, see how she does on the open highways.
I've also discovered that trying to play with 2 cars at once is major taxing on the bank account - the Putra requiring some minor work for a few oil leaks and new shocks, the Odyssey needing major wheel upgrade and a lowering job. Not forgetting the BMW overheating a couple of days ago and needing a new thermostat... sigh. Thank god i stayed away from playing with european marques.

Truth be told, It is the unexplainable joy and satisfaction of mental modding that drives us enthusiasts to strive for unique distinction and improvement of profit-chasing factory production line vehicles. A passion driven hobby and sport that provides a learning challenge for us all. Stay tuned as i try to share some info on the man who influenced me into buying an odyssey. A mental modder armed with a souped up Saab turbo, a mean green mini cooperS... and a modded Odyssey equipped with the ultimate mod...... a baby seat. To the boring folks who think we should stop modding cars once you grow up or get married ---> STUFF YOU!! :P

have a great week everyone!!

Reebok Ex-O-Fit Hi SG Strap

Sadly, catching the flu bug a day before resulted in my inability to attend the Reebok Strap SG media launch event at SOLE WHAT?. Managed to obtain some info on the uber cool Reebok Strap SG to share with everyone though. It retails for RM429.00, and comes in choice colours of Red, White and Black. You can check them out at Sole What?, located at The Gardens Mid Valley. Extended thanks to Advertlets for the invite, hope to meet up with you all at future events bar the flu bug.

Reebok Strap SG picture courtesy of Sole What?