BACK!

Aaah finally. I kinda just got home from visiting my Godma/Aunt Siew Khim. To think about it, she and Uncle Allan/Godpa were a huge blessing dropped from heaven. I remember asking God how come I can't be like normal Christians and have a Christian Godparent(s). I've had a pair of Godparents since young but they're my parents' damn good friends and tour buddies and they're not Christians. I even ranted to some of my close friends about not having Christian Godparents. And so I praid to God like a small spoilt child, asking what's wrong and tahdah. Approximately a week or two later, Mummy called to tell me Aunt Siew Khim and Uncle Allan wanted to be my Godparents.

I was elated.

I didn't think twice and said "OK!" God loves us. =) There was a reason behind them being my Godparents (I'm gonna have another cousin soon yay!) but I couldn't help but tell them about this miracle. They felt comforted. They agreed. God answers.

ANYWAYS I took a few photos during this spring season. =D

CHERRY BLOSSOMS! I super love them. Outside my house in Perth, just a short walk towards uni, along the way, I will always see a tall beautiful tree of cherry blossoms. Every September (ahem Australia's spring is in September, just like how our summer is in June ahem) the flowers will blossom and I never ever get a good picture of the whole tree. Too big? Too tall? Too wide? I don't know. It just never look as pretty in photos. Only upclose shots of the flowers will look good.

I begged Daddy to get me this from the start (when we enter the flower garden) to the end (when Mummy was going to pay for the other 4 pots she chose). He gave in. YES! I love this pot. Nice and small. EASY TO TAKE A NICE PICTURE OF! But the focus is a bit. Hmmm.

Close up! These flowers obviously don't blossom as well as those in Perth. Weather lar.

The other 4 pots Mummy bought. Which means there are 2 other same pots that I didn't take.

Er. Chinese new year flower/tree. It's called ying liu in chinese but uuuh I don't know what's it called in english heh.

SNACKS! Yumyumyum the big bottle with flower shaped yellow coloured cookies are home made. Somewhere in the background, amongst the taller bottles, the extreme left one, without the red cap, is also home made. Not that you can see but haha I'm proud of it =P.

CNY cards! Some with love, some...er. From companies haha.

So it was CNY eve and one of Daddy's sister came over for reunion dinner.
Taugua? I think. Haha and lap cheong (chinese sausage) and suan (some chinese vegetable).

Oyster and facai (some chinese vege I think haha) with mushrooms. (not very well taken, sorry)

CHICKEN COOKED WITH CHINESE WINE! YUMS!

ABACUS BEEEAAADSSSSSSSS! Nah, Nelson, now you knwo what it is. (picture not well taken again, sorry)

Ever wondered how this dish is made? Well, I'll give you a hint.
.
.
.
.
.
.
TADAH!
You shall figure on your own how that(above) becomes that(below).
^^. Secret recipe, sorry.

Sea cucumber. I hate how outside restaurants cook them till they're jelly soft, like as if they're fats. Mummy cooks it just right. QQ!

And chicken soup! Yums yums yums! Once a year. Makes them best.

And that aunt asked if I learnt the arts of mahjong while I was in Perth. I nearly jumped (no exaggeration no joke) and said no. My parents have had a bad history of mahjong thanks to that aunt and a few other sisters of Dad's and hence I've refused to learn it in Perth but Nelson said he's gonna teach me tomorrow during steamboat at Audrey's place so I might just give it a try.

First day of CNY, Daddy, Mummy and I went over to Grandma's place. I ATE GRANDMA'S MEESUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been THINKING about it since I was in Perth and since CNY eve. Gah. Finally.

Also went over to Granduncle's (Grandma's younger bro) house for lunch. Found out his son (who's obviously my uncle and is only 5 years older than me, which makes him the same age as a cousin of mine from Daddy's side) works in National Australian Bank (NAB)!

After that, home. Sleep.

2nd day of CNY! Daddy's sisters came at about 12-ish. Sit sit chat chat, majority left after a while. Sherman and his family stayed on a bit longer.

In the afternoon, Mummy and I went over to Mishi's house. NICE PLACE! Josh's friends were just leaving and one of his friends worked in a pet shop and had to bring back a puppy because of the public holidays. Super cute little shitzu. =D

We sat and chat for a bit, had a drink and a bowl of really good cheng tng.

Us! Some people say Mishi and I look alike. You think so? =D

Later that evening, Daddy's siblings and Mummy and I gathered again at Daddy's older sister's house for dinner. Honestly, dinner wasn't THAT great like what everyone said. Only the oysters (and facai), mushroom chicken (something which is damn easy to make) and dessert (something similar to cheng tng which even Mummy can make) were great. Lobster over cooked. Vege (which were damn hard, my teeth nearly broke) with oyster sauce was a bit tasteless (I couldn't even taste the oyster sauce). Sea cucumber had sand (WA LAO?!). Shark's fin soup was terrible (I had to pour my rice in to dilute the terrible-ness). How did everyone come to say it was great? Mummy came home agreeing to every single thing I said.

Ok, no more mood spoilers. Family photo! That white dress made me look FAT. Adam saw the pictures on facebook and said I seemed to look chubbier when I'm actually 2-3 kilograms LIGHTER than the last time he saw me. Stupid dress.

Sigh I found so much joy in this CNY. I remember sitting down in one of the houses (can't quite remember which but I think it was Granduncle's) quietly. Solemnly.

"Stop dreaming, De Xin. All these are gonna end. Poof. Gone. In a month's time you'll be back to the land of misery. Don't be too happy."

Sucks.

signing off~DE XIN

LOOK WHAT I'VE FOUND

AAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

signing off~DE XIN

HERE'S WISHING ALL...

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!

signing off~DE XIN

BUSY AR!

REALLY! I woke up at a wicked hour (and a half) of 6.30am. When was the last time I did that...hmmm...oh. My Shanghai trip. ANYWAYS! Yah, went to the market with the parents and realised it was actually a good place to try out photography. Loads of interesting stuff going on. I went through the interesting stuff, like, pushing the trolley and receiving stares from aunties who do not look at where they're going and knock into your (Mummy's) trolley. It was more of a mental battle for me. Really. Was. Quite. PISSED. Not forgetting an old auntie who was behind me shouting "SIO AR SIO AR" (HOT AR HOT AR) when all she was carrying were two plastic bags full of vegetables.

Maybe if you cooked your vegetables on the spot then I'll believe you're carrying something hot and make way for you. If not, DREAM ON.

Don't know if it's just me or what but I realised each time I come back from Perth, Singaporeans seem to have gone ruder and ruder and RUDER. But I still like it here lah. BBQ stingray, rojak, prawn mee, stuff that don't come in pastes at Emma's Seafood. Family. Friends. Gah. It's just so much better here. Seriously. Honestly.

Ok I wasn't meant to complain (like a typical Singaporean) so much in this post (but seriously, looking at the rate Singapore is importing so many China people, I think true blue Singaporeans will be extinct in the next decade or so). I was supposed to be blogging about MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT KAYAKING AND SALSA!

Oh yeah. Thursday. 22nd January 2009. Elena was having her off day so she asked a few of us out and it turned out to be kayaking and I reluctantly agreed because I had never kayaked before. On the way there and walking towards the kayak rental shop, I kept going on about how I can just sun tan on the beach myself. I even said that when Elena had the shock of her life (I think) when she found out the rates were S$25/hr (single) and S$35/hr (double), compared to the S$6/hr she paid about 6 years back.

But anyways. Nelson and Timothy (I only got to know him on that day) came along and we got two double kayaks. Elena and I, Nelson and Timothy. I'd have to say they had some fun splashing water at me =_=. BUT it was fun kayaking. Sun wasn't strong enough for a good tan but it was fun still! Especially the part when the wind was blowing against us and the boys have reached the shore but Elena and I were still struggling to paddle against the wind.

Had dinner at Changi Village (right...?). Shared rojak, BBQ stingray, BBQ chicken wings with Elena. I. Was. Exploding.

Big time.

But all's good when we went over to the salsa club at Amara Hotel (kudos to Nelson for driving us to Tanjong Pagar MRT =]). A few guys asked Elena and I to dance but both of us never learnt salsa before. Especially this guy (whom I believe to be in his late 20s).

Guy: *extends hand, initiating a dance*
Me: "Uuuuh, I don't know how to dance salsa."
Guy: "You're just brushing me off!"
Me: "No I really don't know how to! I've never learnt it before!"

And he walks away disappointed. Seconds later this other guy (probably mid-30s?) asked me for a dance and again, I told him I didn't know how to. He very kindly offered to TEACH me. So as I went up with him, the late 20s guy gave me the I-thought-you-said-you-don't-know-how-to-dance look. MAN.

A few songs later, the late 20s guy came up to Elena and asked her for a dance. Elena told him the same thing.

Guy: "You girls are from the same planet!"
Elena: "No, really!"
Guy: "That's why my mum told me never to trust girls."

OH-KAY. Turn off. BIG turn off. Guys should NEVER use their mums as pick-up lines. Unless they can pull it off but that's very rare. But yah, Elena gave him a try and she said he was very agressive. Good thing I didn't dance with him.

I learnt quite a bit from the mid-30s guy. He was really patient! I obviously couldn't pick up everything at one shot (like the turn and the dancing side-to-side part) but he kept making me try till I got it. Maaan, he teaches me how to dance just like how my uncle (Mummy's youngest brother) teaches me how to cook.

WAIT! I FORGOT TO MENTION! I BUMPED INTO GENEVIEVE AND MARK AT THE SALSA CLUB! Actually before we went I was hoping I'd bump into them but, aiya, I told myself not to think too much. AND I REALLY BUMPED INTO THEM! Gen taught me the very basics of salsa too. Like the stepping (totally idiot-proof if you don't screw up your ankle) and changing of places. OHOH and she danced with the late 20s guy and she said she felt like she was a rag being thrown around the floor. Tsktsktsk.

So the four of us left the club at about 11? Rushed for the 2nd or 3rd last train. They took the train travelling towards the west. I took the train travelling to the east, back to Kembangan. Haha what a blast hey. And I remember Pastor Joyce's question.

When was the last time you learnt something new?

Doesn't have to be stuff like what I did. Can be biblical? Or something you learnt about someone? As long as you learnt something. =)

Anyways, before I go off, here's something from Arcamax again.
I thought this was REALLY funny. HAH!

signing off~DE XIN

WAAAY BACK!

Yeah I'm blogging about looong looong ago before people even countdown to 2009 haha! On my birthday (26/12/2008), Daddy brought me to Raffles Place area to have lunch. I can't remember the name of the place haha too bad =P.

I had fish ball noodles. The noodles were hand made, not sure about the balls. But I dare say the noodles and the balls were both super good. The noodles were (I can't really say al dente 'cos its a total different kind of texture) QQ? Haha and so were the balls. Good =).


Daddy had char siew noodles. The soup was good. Noodles normal lor. Char siew. Hmmm. Not bad but...I still remember Crystal Jade had really good char siew but that was years back (at least 5 years) so I'm not too sure. Haha. Mummy's char siew's still the best la huh =P.

After lunch we waled over to the basement of Raffles Place MRT station and had coffee at Coffee & Toast.
Daddy's kopi-o-kosong-gao (super strong black coffee).


Coffee stains =D.


Daddy!!!

I had kopi-peng. SUPER SHIOK! This place's coffee is not bad. You guys should give it a try =).

After coffee we went over to People's Park Centre (I think) for some dessert. 甜品小屋 if I remember correctly haha.
YAM PASTE WITH GINKO NUTS! My favourite dessert of all times. Not bad. =D But still loses out to the one at Joo Chiat.

So anyways, before I fell sick and all, I met up with Nancy on a Tuesday (06/01/2009) for some movie and food. We watched IP MAN! FWAH! Hahaha I SUPER LOVED THE MOVIE. Ip Man's kid was SO FREAKING CUUUTE!!!!! "妈妈说如果你再不出手的话家里的东西就会全被打烂了" HAHA damn cute right! Maaan it's still out! If you haven't watched it, WATCH IT! It's definitely worth it. You'll enjoy almost every bit of the movie =).

So after the movie, we went over to Paragon to have lunch atPS. Cafe =).


Menu!


Flowers! (And Nancy in the background hahaha)


Cup of white and brown sugar cubes. Reminds me greatly of Tiger Tiger in Perth. A great breakfast place =D.


Utensils holder.


Water! Nancy hates the lemon in the water. She thinks its like Mama Lemon =_=.


What PS Cafe. Even the chairs and tables look almost similar to those of Tiger Tiger. But less random. The cafe also has a bag and wallet shop.

My ginger tea (that came in the metal pot) with Nancy's honey iced lemon tea in the background.


Both of us ordered laksa pasta. Hmmm. The pasta was al dente I think but a bit tasteless. Most of the laksa taste went to the green beans (which were crunchy, I like!) and fish balls. Me doesn't fancy fish balls. Haha. Overall is not bad la. I'll go back for coffee/tea.

signing off~DE XIN

WHILE I'M STILL BUSY

Credits to ArcaMax

Heh I'm not being lazy. I'm really busy. Busy baking.

signing off~DE XIN

WHILE I'M STILL SICK

Credits to ArcaMax

signing off~DE XIN

SICK =(

Last Friday I woke up with very terrible migraine and fever. The next day I had sore throat. On Sunday my nose started to block. Today I'm coughing. Fever's still there. Not very good, huh. That's why I haven't been blogging. I'm too tired to even think straight.

But I do wanna blog about something. I wanna say THANK YOU for those who've made my 19th birthday the best birthday I've ever had. Adam for planning the surprise, Jeremy Low for treating me to lunch and my CG here in Singapore (plus WeiJun and Daniel Gan) who surprised me with a cake one week and one day after my actual birth date hah!

It was really a pleasant surprise. When Yihui and Weijun came in wit the cake, I started singing along "Happy Birthday to youuuu", looking for the birthday person. Then Audrey started pointing at me! !!!!! Damn paiseh!!!

In these 3 years, I've grown tremendously close to my CG in Singapore and I plan to get even closer. Thinking of joining Christ Methodist Church (the classes and all). Should start praying about it.

AS FOR NOW! Please pray for me =_= I'm so sick it's even worse than crying 7 days 7 nights in Perth. I've repeated that sentence 3 times. Ok I'm off. Ta!

signing off~DE XIN

FRIENDS...

Corrinne May - On The Side of Me

I'm not the easiest person to love
I'm often the one who lets things go unresolved

Yet you choose to be
On the side of me
On the side of me
Yet you choose to be on the side of me
On the side of me

I'm not too proud of some things
I've done in my life
The skeletons in my closet
Are too big for me to hide

Yet you choose to be
On the side of me
On the side of me
Blessed Charity
You're on the side of me
On the side of me

Everyone needs a friend to hold
When it's cold outside
And there's no place to go
Everyone needs a friend to hold
All alone I cried
There was no place to go
I remember when nobody cared
But you

I'm not the easiest person to love
But you, you've opened your heart to show me what I'm worth

'Cause you choose to be
On the side of me
On the side of me
What a mystery
You're on the side of me
On the side of me

Everyone needs a friend to hold
When it's cold outside
And there's no place to go
Everyone needs a friend to hold
All alone I cried
There was no place to go

I remember when nobody cared
Nobody cared
But you...

Yeah you choose to be
On the side of me
On the side of me

The lyrics really moved me. I don't know how I'd live without God. He's shown me so much Grace in my life it's far more than I deserve. And He's affirmed a fact in my heart that even when nobody cares, He cares. He always cares.

signing off~DE XIN

FOOOOOOOOOD~

Remember these cakes I baked for Christmas?


I managed to save one for myself! I was trully amazed by the cake. To think I used 80% fat free cream cheese and unsalted butter and the cake actually came out rich (but not too rich) and dense (but not too dense either), it goes to show the cake was meant to be ultra rich+dense, maybe even a little over the top. Kudos to Australian Women's Weekly. Loved how the cheesecake was not a least bit dry. I think. Hah!

Anyways, on the second day of 2009, Daddy brought me to Whompoa area for ROJAK!
The food centre was along Balestier Road I think heh sorry wasn't paying attention.


Unit 01-06! It's facing the road so it should be quite easy to spot, I reckon =).


Here comes the rojak! I thought it was a bit weird to have jellyfish in rojak hmmm. Too much parsley aaaand what's with those cabbage/lettuce (sorry couldn't remember) leaves?! BUT despite all these, they were really generous with the peanuts and sauce AND the sauce was damn thick. Yums.

Overall? Still can't beat the one I used to always have at Bedok (the hawker centre where I found that super duper ultra good bak chor mee soup). But I'll still go back 'cos the sauce was too damn good.

Daddy got a plate of char siew rice.
Can't remember which stall was it but it was actually pretty decent! The char siew was nice and soft and the sauce was not bad. Will want to go back and give it a try again.

So I got thirsty and I bought a mug of sugar cane juice.
SUCKED BIG TIME. Too damn diluted! To think I avoided the stall owned by china men. Didn't think even our locals were that cut cost. SINCE WHEN DO YOU EVEN ADD WATER INTO SUGAR CANE JUICE! Dammit. And I paid S$1.40. WTHECK.


Met up with Mishi and Faith the next day (03/01/2009)! We ate at a coffeeshop opposite Bugis Junction.
Duck! Yuuum! Sauce was good, duck meat was nice, PEANUTS WERE SOFT!


Pig intestines, three layer pork (heh) and tau pok! Oooooh the sauce was shiok!


KWAY CHAP! I'd say the thick noodle thingy was...a bit on the rough side. Room for improvement! But everything else (those mentioned above) were awesome. Maybe I can.....order kway chap without the kway chap?

After lunch we shopped in Bugis. Went almost every floor. Tried some clothes that I didn't like. And while Faith was visiting the m1 and Hello! store, I managed to get some ear rings, necklace and ring. They have this antique touch to them. Nice =).

We had coffee at The Coffee Connois-whatever. Hah!
Mishi and I each ordered a slice of matchazuki dream. Nice! It first has this citrus taste to it, then you'll realise the fluffiness of the sponge layers, then the buttery taste from the cream comes in. And when you've swallowed that bite down, the hint of green tea surfaces. =) Sweet.


I had this...coffee drink. It's milk (I chose the soy version and I think there was a slight hint of coffee), with coffee jelly and ice cream (I chose vanilla). I chose not to have whipped cream.


Faith had this super thick mint chocolate drink. Ice blended. It was so thick and bitter she thought it was coffee =_=.


Mishi's almond latte. Me no fan of almond heh.


Faith on Mishi's iPhone. A game to be exact.


Which test patience.


And perserverence. Hah!

After coffee we went back into Bugis Junction and shopped a bit more. I got a dress while Mishi bought a super expensive bag. Haha.

That's all for now! But before I go, I'll leave you with something.
Credits to ArcaMax.

signing off~DE XIN