Tze's special tour of London - revisited

I thought it would be good to revisit Tze's special tour of London and take new pictures of older me. We started out having a quick breakfast at Pret a Manger and then hopped onto the Metropolitan and Jubilee line to head into the city.

Got off at Green Park and head towards Buckingham Palace to see the Queen... or rather just the changing of the guards.

As it was constantly raining, they cancelled the changing of the guards and they marched on back to where they came from. Ah well...

Besides marching around, they also stand around. Poor sods... It must suck to have to stand like that in the rain and cold.

I tried it too... But at least I was smart enough to stand inside the booth and out of the rain! Go me!

Just in case you were wondering, I did NOT get arrested in London. Maybe next time...

This is my typical "British person" pose - equipped with an umbrella, jacket, scarf and stepping out of a phone booth... Actually, who uses the phone booth anymore? Everyone has a mobile phone!

Here's old Big Ben... It is actually the great bell of the clock but people usually extend it to refer to the clock or clock tower itself.

We walked pass Westminster Abbey too and Kevin helpfully pointed out that Princess Diana's funeral was held here.

We ended the tour in Trafalgar Square but this time, I didn't climb on the lions. It was all fenced up anyway in preparations for the NYE celebrations...

So... I don't think I look that much older, do I? Do I???

Renewing my love for scones with clotted cream and jam

I can go on and on about how much I love scones with clotted cream and jam. This is something I really miss about the UK. Ever since I went to the US, I dream about these little things and I finally got to have them again!!! On NYE, we drove up to Burford, The Cotswold and parked the car and head straight to Huffkins Tea Room. I was so excited at this point in time that I would have ordered everything on the menu if there weren't anyone to control me.

In the end, Tze and I shared a triple decker club sandwich that had chicken, bacon, and the works and it tasted so good! Why can't I ever make sandwiches this good? We shared a sandwich because we knew we had to save some space for the pièce de résistance - the scones!

It was a good thing I remembered that I like the fruit scones (with raisins) and not just the plain ones. So we managed to make sure we got the fruit scones. It was "gently warmed" as per advertised in the menu and my heart almost missed a beat when I saw it. Kevin knew he shouldn't get in between us and the scones so he opted for a bakewell tart.

So, step 1. Order the fruit scone with clotted cream and raspberry jam.
Step 2. Slather on the clotted cream generously. You can run 10 miles after this. Then, slather on the jam on top of the cream.
Step 3. EAT!

This is my satisfied face. It was just as good as I remembered it to be.

We ordered a lardy cake too but it didn't arrive and we were too full to have it by that time. We got one to-go so that we could try it. Tze told me it was just like a yummy cinnamon bun. Mmm...

I was on a "scone-high" after that. So satisfying!

My spur-of-the-moment London trip!

I didn't expect to be doing much during Christmas and NYE for 2009 but after an idea was put into my head, I bought a ticket to London to visit friends and family. I am glad I did. It was a refreshing break to just get out of the States for a while and enjoy the Christmas lights on Oxford Street and stroll down Carnaby Lane.

I enjoyed this trip so much because I wasn't in any rush for anything because I have been there before. I was also really happy to have met up with so many people and had lots of good food! As you know, good food = happy me. It rained quite a bit when I was there but then again, what else is new? What a wonderful end to the year....

Hat fetish

I don't usually wear hats because my hair is usually styled beautifully and I don't want to spoil it by having hat hair. Anyway, since I am missing my hair stylist Philip... and I can't find another stylist in Chicago, I have decided to grow out my hair. Yes... shock, horror, I am going to "attempt" to grow it out again. I think it has been about 10-11 years since I have had long hair. Ah well... we'll see how long this will last. I am already thinking about chopping it off again.
Anyway, in order to keep myself warm in frigid Chicago, I went shopping to get a new winter jacket. I found one I really liked but it didn't have a hood. So I "had" to get a hat. This started my new obsessions with hats. Check out my collection so far:

This is a bowling style hat - bought from Ann Taylor. This was the first one I bought but not one of my favourites. Haven't worn it yet. Will have to find a time and place to wear it.

Got this beret from Banana Republic. Loves the fact that it matches my hair colour. Love everything about it. Will wear it everyday if I could. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover my ears so when the wind blows in the Windy city, my ears might drop off.

Simple black hat from J.Crew... bought it because I was desperate for something to cover my ears. Kinda makes my head look like an egg but it is thin and warm. Easy to carry around with me. Convenient but I haven't really put it to the test yet.

Fun and colourful hat from Forever 21. Good for casual wear and if you are having a bad hair day. Clashes with some clothes from my wardrobe though... But then again, who cares?!

I need to stop shopping.

Latest exercise obsessions...

My obsession with yoga began when I had my first class with Vincent Tam. It wasn't the first time I tried yoga but it was the time I really started enjoying it. It is a lifelong practice and even though I may not be the most flexible or the most fit person in the class, the beauty of yoga is that you practice at your own pace and challenge yourself rather than anyone else. What I like about it is that it makes me feel good. Years down the road, I am still enjoying it.

I try to put some variety into my workouts because quite often, the lazy bug hits me and I just feel like lazing around and not doing anything. Only a few months ago, I started to enjoy running. I have always found it hard to run continuously because I think my body is just not used to doing it but I find that doing intervals (running, then walking, then running, repeat) spikes up my heart rate and I work up a good sweat.

This year I have also picked up Stott Pilates using reformers. I have never really liked pilates before because I felt it did not give me a good workout. I think I was probably not doing it correctly because if you do it the right way, it helps... It really does! It is definitely beneficial to strengthen your core and your back.

I found out about Zumba fitness a couple of weeks ago. It is basically an exercise class that incorporates some Latin American dance moves. It was a class offered in the gym close to my current client. I am not a big fan of group classes in the gym. It is just so crowded and people are not focused on technique but just doing anything they want. However, for Zumba, all you need to do is have fun. I guess it is a bit like Body Combat and Body Jam... If you feel that your motivation to exercise is flying out the window, it is good to try this. Put some fun back into your workouts.

Some of my friends have this hula hoop that they claim helps slim down the waist. Frankly, to slim down my waist, I probably need to diet more and exercise more. Anyway, I am always one to jump on the wagon to try something new so I also bought this Health Hoop. To reap the benefits, they say you need to do this for at least 10 minutes continuously every day. I can barely do more than 30 seconds right now. I guess I need to learn how to move my hips a little bit more. The little bumps in the hoop is supposed to massage your stomach and helps to increase blood flow to that area. It gave me bruises. Ouch! Ah well... Try try again I guess!!

New Moon

Ok, even though I was traumatised the last time I watched a movie about the Twilight saga, I gave it another chance and went for another midnight premiere of New Moon. My theory was "If you can't beat them, join them". This time I bought a Team Jacob t-shirt because let's face it... he is wayyyyy hotter than Edward.

Good news: I did not fall asleep this time.
Bad news: I still think it is crap.
Biggest disappointment: No new Harry Potter trailer shown.

The crowd seems a little bit older this time around so I guess the fans are getting older. There was still some screaming but I think it was probably more restrained compared to last year.

Verdict: Only watch it if you are a fan.

My room

Ok, this is a post that has been long due... A lot of people have been asking me how my new place is and what furniture have I bought so far... so this is it! Got the bed frame, chest of drawers, bedside table and computer table and chair from Ikea and got the mattress from Macy's... My duvet was the old one I had back in Connecticut (deja vu!!) but I basically had to get new beddings again. Got the desk lamp from Target and I think I am all set for a while now. A big thank you goes out to Winnie and John for helping me set the stuff up. I know I wouldn't have been able to get it done without your help. I would have died of frustration trying to follow the instructions from Ikea.

I can't believe it is already autumn and the year is ending... I stepped out of my house just the other day and saw all the leaves dropping... Got to prepare myself for the harsh Chicago winters!!!

Free concerts at the Jay Pritzker Pavillion, Millenium Park

Summer in Chicago is supposed to be the best time of the year. I never really appreciate summer because it is hot and humid. How different is that from Malaysia? However, now that I am a Chicago native, I thought it might be good to enjoy the summer before going through 6 months of winter (ok, maybe I exaggerate a little about how long the winter is but it is long and cold).

Winnie and I went for a couple of free concerts at the Jay Pritzker Pavillion at Millenium Park. Pretty good quality if you ask me. We went for the final show of the Grant Park Music Festival and it was on Beethoven's 9th symphony. Since it was just music, it is ideal to get some food and some wine and sit on the grass and eat and drink and be merry. I also taped some of it using my iPhone - just wanted to test the Voice Memos. It works!

A week after that, we went for the Chicago Dance festival and they had 6 dance troupes performing. 3 ballet troupes, 1 contemporary troupe, 1 contemporary solo and 1 step dance troupe. It was pretty amazing how talented these people are. The ballet dancers doing a pas des deux were so spectacular that they were practically flying around on stage. They also had an all male ballet troupe that called themselves the Grand Divas. They were over the top and hilarious in their dresses and tutus.

This time we opted to get proper seats instead of lawn seats because we wanted to see the stage and the people dancing.

Perhaps summer is growing on me now... just as it ends and we go into the next season... My fav - TV SEASON!

Legend of the Seeker

I've been wanting to blog about this for a while now but I have just been too lazy. Legend of the Seeker is based on Terry Goodkind's The Sword of Truth novels and was produced by the same guy who did Hercules and Xena.
I started watching this on www.hulu.com (which is available for free in the US) and I was hooked! The storyline is basically about a farmboy who discovered that he is the Seeker (a hero who arises in times of trouble and suffering and seeks out evil) and goes on a quest to kill an evil tyrant. The Seeker is always accompanied by a Wizard of the first order and a Confessor (who has the power to magnify the love a person has for her and allow her to control them).
Of course there is the attraction between the Seeker and his Confessor but the love is forbidden as her power would take away his soul and he would not be able to fulfill his destiny. With all forbidden love, it gives the series a little more spark!
My favourite character has to be the Wizard - Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander (Zedd) who has loads of witty one-liners and corny comebacks. What I like about the show are all the different types of characters they introduce and the pretty good acting. I think it was filmed in New Zealand and they had some extras who were Kiwis. Occasionally you will hear a Kiwi accent. It amuses me.

I watched 22 episodes in 4 days. I can't wait for Season 2.

Traumatised!

I went for a haircut last Saturday. This is something I absolutely hate to do in the US because they can't do asian hair!

Anyway, I was due for a colour since I haven't coloured my hair for almost a year. So she did the colour first and after 2.5 hours, when she washed it off, my hair was black! I was annoyed and I told her that if I wanted my hair to be black, I would have just let it grow out instead of colouring it. She said she will fix it and she did the colour again. Meanwhile I was starving because this was taking longer than expected and I didn't have lunch. Luckily the colour came out the second time around and she started on the cut.

O-M-G. She was a butcher. She cut and cut and cut. I told her it looked like a boy cut and she said she will fix it and cut even more! I told her that one side was longer and she immediately cut some more of the shorter side! How stupid could she be? I was already getting super irritated when she accidentally snipped my EAR! What the hell!?? From the picture, I guess you can't really see it. It was just a small nick but it wouldn't stop bleeding. I had to rush to the bathroom and wash it off and put a plaster on it. Urgh!

Totally traumatised by then.

Anyway, as per Monty Python, "always look on the bright side of life!". I had a free hair cut and colour as well as a free shampoo and conditioner to take back.

Sigh... I miss getting my hair done in Malaysia....

Where am I? - June update

Since people seem to be wondering where I am now, I thought I better update this blog. I am now on a short project in Monroe, North Carolina. I am supposed to be here for 3 months but it might be until October. Not sure yet. I am flying every week between Chicago and Charlotte. Hate waking up at 4 am in the morning on Monday so I might start flying in on Sunday nights. Here's where I am now:

Macaroni Casserole

When I was in secondary school, Joyce used to make her "mac and cheese" and all of us fell in love with it. That was the first time I have ever eaten macaroni and cheese and I thought it was delicious. Then I found out that the usual mac and cheese would just be pasta in cheese sauce. YUCK. Luckily, Joyce shared her recipe and Winnie and I decided to try making it.

Sauce:

Stirfry onions and then put in the minced meat (chicken or turkey). Stir until cooked. Put in the mushrooms and tomato paste. Stir it all and throw in some salt, oregano, black pepper and sugar.

Pasta:

Boil the elbow shaped pasta until al dente.

Method:

1. Make a first layer of pasta in the baking bowl

2. Lace the sauce over the pasta.

3. Do another layer of pasta on top of it.

4. Pour Campbell cream of mushroom over it to make another layer.

5. Another layer of pasta.

6. Final layer of sauce.

7. Cheese and more cheese.

8. Liberally pour parmesan over it.

9. Bake in the oven. If the cheese don't turn brown, broil it until it does.

Ta-dah!

Slice it up and serve it with a side of salad.
Delicious!!

Where am I?

My earlier plans/expectations didn't turn out the way it was supposed to. I left Dallas around mid-March but spent some time in Chicago and New York and then Chicago again. Looks like I will be going back to Dallas again for a month. Not sure where I'll be after that.

Ta ta!

Moving on...

Looks like this is my first post for 2009. There was just too much going on at work with working through Christmas, working long hours, working night shifts, working working working. Anyway, looks like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. After almost spending 2 years here in Dallas, I am rolling off this project and will be moving. I always have mixed feelings when I finish a project. I will miss the people that I have connected with and would kinda dread starting all over again. However, there is also a sense of accomplishment and new and exciting challenges ahead.

So, this is where I have lived in US and where I will be moving to:

1. Stayed in Connecticut for 1 year.

2. Moved to Dallas and stayed here for 2 years.

3. Will be moving to Columbus, Ohio for 18 weeks.

I don't think I will be getting an apartment in Columbus since it is just a short project so I will be flying in on weekdays and flying to Chicago on weekends.

Wish me luck!

Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009...

It is rather scary how time never stays still... In a blink of an eye, it is the end of the year. It is never beneficial to regret decisions or to be held back by the past. I would like to think that 2008 was a coming-of-age year for me. So many decisions made, so many sleepless nights, so much laughter, so much tears, so much heartache. But it is all part of being me and it is the best part of me. 

In my mind, Malaysia is always my home. I have accepted a post in the US and I guess I have to start thinking of the US as my home now. Many people think that it is an easy decision, since I have been here for 3 years. But I know it took me a long time to even consider the possibility of living here. A lot of my close friends think I am mad to even do this after listening to me gripe over and over again about how I hated it here. I am not at a point where I can say I love it here, but it is acceptable for now. 

The key is to live in the now and be present to life. Be happy. 

Twilight

I have just started reading the books so I have to say I haven't really connected to the characters just yet.

I watched the midnight show of Twilight last night. The cinema was packed with teenage girls. Just shout Edward! and the whole cinema will scream along with you.

They started off with the brand new Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince trailer and this caused the whole cinema to go into a frenzy. I could barely hear anything in the trailer because everyone was screaming.

That was just the start of it.

Throughout the whole show.... screaming again.

When the credits were rolling, screaming again.

I don't think I was ever this annoying when I was a teenager. Hmm, I think I am getting old.

Free internet!

I was actually pleasantly surprised to find free internet at DFW. This being my 3rd year in the US, I have resigned to the fact that you always have to pay for internet at the airport (except Vegas - I love Vegas). So t-mobile, take that! Neptune networks rocks!

I have also came to the conclusion that I am addicted to the Internet and checking my emails.

Help!

Maroon 5 and Counting Crows

I went for the concert in August but I've just been too lazy to blog about it. It was at the Superpages Centre in Dallas and we got lawn seats which are the cheapest but it is on a first come first serve basis. We got there just after 6 pm and we thought we were late but there weren't that many people and we still managed to get a really good spot. All 8 of us squeezed onto one tiny blanket. It was fun but after a while, your back will start aching so it is good to have a beach ball to lean on.
Augustana was the special guest featured and they were pretty good. Everyone was keen for Maroon 5 to start and when they did, the atmosphere was full of excitement. It was fun to sing along and dance and since we weren't restricted to seats, we had the freedom to do just that. Counting Crows were really mellow after Maroon 5. I guess they just have a different style. We were feeling a bit sleepy during their performance and left just as they played their last song. Beat the traffic and even managed to get supper (McDonalds) on the way back.
After the concert I faced a dilemma, should I actually buy Maroon 5's songs on iTunes to show my support or get it from "friends"? Tee hee hee!

What's next?

I have been trying to be more positive and happy but it is really difficult when you are getting beaten down over and over again. I was on the cross-trainer yesterday and when I was dismounting, I stepped on the rail and twisted my ankle. Argh! I was already limping last week because my foot was extremely sore (no idea why!) and I thought that was behind me. Now I have another injury.

But... Will this matter a year from now? I guess not.

Get well soon to me....

Yearbook pictures

Nerdy geek

Cheerleader chic
Fashionista
Party afro
Sweetheart