snaps and bites

incredible india - encore.

2012-02-11T23:09:00.001+08:00

back from a super awesome trip across rajasthan, with over a thousand photographs as memories. it's been really fun reliving the trip as i spent the past week scouring through the pictures to compile into a more concise album. the not-so-fun part, trying to decide which pictures to ditch so that you get to see a hundred shots instead of a thousand!

i'm excited and can't wait to share them when they're ready! =)

Jesus>Religion

2012-01-14T12:55:00.001+08:00

for all the times i struggled to explain what is this gospel of grace that we believe in, i found this youtube clip yesterday which pretty much sums it up beautifully. it's not about religiosity, it's all about Jesus.

every year, pastor prince would share a theme of the year with the church.

2012 will be the year of unceasing fruitfulness, and it's going to be my best year yet! =)

For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
      Which spreads out its roots by the river,
      And will not fear when heat comes;
      But its leaf will be green,
      And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
      Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

- jeremiah 17:8

wouter hamel

2011-12-18T22:06:00.001+08:00

discovered a brilliant artist while checking out monocle live: volume 3. beautiful voice, great lyrics, plus points for looking so cute and a dutch to top it all off. what's there not to like?

i think wouter hamel's going to be a big name soon. gotta get him to singapore somehow!

what to do with your ex's shirt...

2011-12-03T00:14:00.000+08:00

this video's brilliant, and the designs actually look really good!

incredible india.

2011-11-05T23:54:00.000+08:00

sugar cane stall indian style

it sucks you in, churns you around and turns you upside down before spitting you out. that's how i felt about my first trip to india. it was a short solo work trip of 3 days, and every single second was an adventure in itself.

slums and poverty intermingling with luxury and wealth. waves upon waves of funky smells. beautiful yet derelict looking colonial buildings as a reminder of the british rule. being stared at by every single person who walks past. swarmed by a never ending sea of people. tuning out to the cacophony of car horns.

the excitement and yet at the same time, fear of walking around alone - i never stopped walking and only paused for the slightest click of my camera.

i feel as if the country has won this time, leaving me a battered little soldier girl. which makes me even more determined to go back again to conquer the rest of the country.

this set of photos come unedited, as raw as the city is. enjoy!

home.

2011-11-02T23:32:00.000+08:00

back from a whirlwind work trip to tokyo, hong kong and mumbai. was great to be back in tokyo and hong kong, but mumbai really overwhelmed me on all accounts. absolute definition of culture shock. that's another story for another day.

it's been some time since i've seen such refreshing shots of singapore, really impressed by singaporean photographer nguan!

find out more about nguan here and here.

a piece of real history.

2011-09-11T23:33:00.001+08:00

relatives found a really old family photo of my very young grandmother and her foster parents! gosh that must have been taken way back in the 1920s.

how cool is that?

my grandma's on the extreme right!

i still miss my grandmother quite a fair bit, but it helps that my mum and i share openly about it. we're always joking that she's probably happily chillin' with my grandfather, so that's good. =)

10,422.72 kilometres away.

2011-08-30T00:27:00.003+08:00

my prized find from portobello market in london -

a 1903 map of the netherlands, taken from the encyclopedia britannica.
(large photos to showcase the font details)

it's a beauty, i'm in love with it.

when the week ends, the real weekend begins.

2011-08-21T20:12:00.006+08:00

i've always dreamt about having a picnic at the botanic gardens with the full works sunday brunch style. finally managed to convince my canoeing mates that something like this was worth waking up at 7.30am on a sunday for. i offered to bring all the food just to persuade them that it wasn't such a bad idea after all and so the past two days were spent planning, grocery shopping, prepping and finally cooking!

el menú

i might have been over ambitious to think that i could pull all of that off on my own, so thank god my elf chef (aka sister's bf) and loving mother offered to help cook and clean respectively.

note to self: grocery shopping needs serious muscle strength. transporting everything from home to botanics also needs serious muscle strength.

it was great fun nonetheless and save for the very small picnic mat situation, everything fell into place perfectly. good weather, great food (i would like to believe!) & fantastic company! =)

from left to right:
pancakes with vanilla poached peaches and caramelized bananas,
baked eggs with mushroom, bacon & cucumbers
elf chef's balsamic cream mushrooms and home-made salsa
smoked salmon and cream cheese with crackers
roasted pumpkin and spinach salad

the grand finale - bread & butter-less pudding
(lovingly assembled by elf chef!)

missing in the pictures was the ultimate sunday brunch tipple - mimosa! the champagne and orange juice combination completed the picture.

if you're interested, here are some of the recipes i used as reference:

Pumpkin and Spinach Salad

(Fantastic salad combination, I also added feta cheese)

Vanilla Poached Peaches

(Unbelievably easy yet delicious)

Jamie Oliver's Bun & Butter Pudding

(Made a few adaptations by soaking the raisins in Cointreau, using French baguette, omitting the butter, cognac and zest. It was so yummy I'm still thinking about it now)

I hope you had a great weekend too, have a blessed week ahead! =)

have a blessed week ahead!

2011-08-14T23:36:00.001+08:00

if work gets overwhelming, don't forget to

from workisnotajob

some kind of wonderful.

2011-08-13T22:42:00.000+08:00

heard a song over the radio today which somehow reminded me that life has been pretty wonderful life despite the crazy work schedule. i'm very blessed indeed.

and so i went home to google the song and found a couple of versions, from the drifters who sang the original version to michael buble who did a chirpy cover, but the best was still the one by peter cincotti, which i heard over the radio:

the volume's very low, you need to blast your speakers a little

have never heard of peter cincotti until today but oh boy, that voice and boyish looks made me swoon like a little girl.

check out these other two great songs too:

goodbye philadelphia

rainbow connection

sunshine.

2011-08-09T14:58:00.000+08:00

couldn't peel my eyes of this great shot.

the girl's smile spells sunshine a thousand times over. =)

from carolines mode.

have a slice of the world.

2011-08-08T00:03:00.000+08:00

3 guys
44 days
11 countries
18 flights
38,000 miles

i'm pretty damn sure it was a trip of a lifetime alright!

EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

i like the jalepeno shot!

also check out move and learn here.

first seen on black eiffel!

qarah moment.

2011-08-02T00:24:00.000+08:00

was extremely blessed to be given the opportunity to host claus meyer, the co-founder of critically acclaimed restaurant Noma, when he was in town recently. a great, great visionary man and loving father indeed. this was one of the biggest highlights of my job yet!

read more here and here.

in memory of.

2011-07-11T00:52:00.001+08:00

none of my friends knew very much about my grandma, or "ah ma" as i call her, except that she had been ill and battling colorectal cancer for the past year. when she passed away last week, i specified that none of them needed to come to the wake, because i've never been comfortable with the idea of people coming together to mourn. people should always come together to celebrate - for happy reasons. nevertheless, unknowingly even to myself, she had played such an integral part in my life that i have been aching to pen these thoughts down, aching to share how great a person my ah ma had been.

i spent part of my teens staying over at her place on days when i had to train at the swimming pool near her home. the image of a sunny side up with bread - my breakfast whenever i stay over, has been deeply etched in my mind and that's the one memory that kept floating back into my mind. i visited her every couple of days in the past year that she's was unwell and it has became sort of a routine which i now have to undo. it's an overwhelming feeling that strikes when it finally sinks in that this time it's really goodbye forever.

bits and pieces of my daily life reminded me of her and i can only imagine how much more difficult it must be for my mother. my mum had been her closest kin, never failing to give her a at least a phone call every single day for as long as i can remember.

during the wake, my mum commented that ah ma was her iron lady, encouraging her to continue working after her pregnancy, stressing the need to be financially independent. my mum was an adopted child, but she grew up a mighty fine lady indeed. and now, my mum is no doubt my iron lady through and through.

i never understood why people liked video recordings (who actually sits down to watch a video clip of their last holiday anyway?), but i now realise that the impromptu video i'd made of my grandma and her sewing machine is probably the closest i can ever get to seeing her in person again. it's a funny 2min video of her animatedly comparing the prices of altering her own pants versus sending them to the tailor (we're talking about S$3 here), and i can't help but chuckle every time i watch it. a great way to remember her by!

the last few months of her life had been painful for her, and it was heartbreaking in the last days to see her suffering and yet could do nothing to help. in a way we're glad she's relieved of her pain and is now in a much better place.

ah ma, i love you and you are dearly missed.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. - revelation 21:4

just shoot me.

2011-06-25T23:55:00.000+08:00

spotted these beautiful iphone covers offered by our local design store pomelo:

too bad i haven't turned over to the dark side (someone has to support nokia the underdog), otherwise i'd definitely get my hands on one of these beauties!

when there's a burning in your heart.

2011-06-13T23:51:00.000+08:00

death cab's latest single - you are a tourist.

a one-take music video that's super old school psychedelic. i like! =)

something to shout about

2011-06-10T16:55:00.000+08:00

after all the cheesy postcards and merlion chocolates, we finally have tastefully designed souvenirs worth showing off to the world. i would proudly wear one of these shirts and carry one of these notesbooks! =)

to the people behind LOVE SG, you're doing a great job so keep going! =)

You've Got the Love I Need.

2011-05-02T23:57:00.002+08:00

I heart Florence and the Machine

Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air

I know I can count on you

Sometimes I feel like saying "Lord I just don't care"

But you've got the love I need To see me through
Sometimes it seems that the going is just too rough

And things go wrong no matter what I do

Now and then it seems that life is just too much

But you've got the love I need to see me through
When food is gone you are my daily meal

When friends are gone I know my savior's love is real

Your love is real
You got the love

sent into a state of trance.

2011-04-15T23:51:00.005+08:00

it was a thursday, it was 3 hours of sleep, but it was all worth it, because it was armin van buuren at zouk last night! known by many as the world's no. 1 DJ, i knew i had to go. not to mention he's from the netherlands and from leiden! (i can already feel pete's sense of pride for his countryman =p)

it's a date!

and boy did he rock, he was so a.w.e.s.o.m.e.

more more more

with timbre rock & roots tomorrow as well, it's turning out to be quite a music filled week. can't wait to see imogen heap perform live! =)

have a great weekend everyone!

a week of His crowned goodness!

2011-04-03T21:35:00.000+08:00

such an awesome sunday! back to the waters paddling in a k2 for the first time in years, followed by a fantastic brunch at the plain with the canoe babes and fed my soul with a great sunday service. it's great to have a colleague, friend and fellow sister-in-christ all in one pretty package called ms. liew. =)

humpty dumpty and vegemite soldiers

dippy eggs with vegemite on buttered toast sticks

(ermm.. we borrowed a marker and drew the eggs ourselves so please don't be disappointed when yours doesn't look this cool.) photo courtesy of shoe.

darling's eggs

poached eggs with ham, cheese, & roma tomatoes on sourdough toast

iced coffee with milk and honey

skinny cuppacino

photo courtesy of woon

chanced upon this funky french/finnish indie pop band called the do, and this must be one of the weirdest funky song and video, caught myself bobbing along to its bollywood-like tune!

slippery slope - the do

another of their song with a beautiful video:

dust it off - the do (live at aquarium de paris)

have a fantastic week ahead everyone! =)

updates.

2011-03-19T17:49:00.003+08:00

so much to do so little time! it's been a crazy busy two months but fulfilling nonetheless. there are many things i'd like to share but the inertia to start writing during a non-work day is just too strong. i will get down to it someday, but in the meantime, here's sharing a track by villagers from the album becoming a jackal - perfect for a rainy chillout saturday. have a great weekend everyone! =)

"I'm leaving for the great wide open plains
Leaving while this holy spark remains

I see you've written promises to make me stay
But it really doesn't matter now anyway
I'm leaving

True love feeds on absences like pleasure feeds on pain
So no matter where I'm standing I still love you all the same
And I hope you feel the same way when its your turn to disappear
I'll be cheering from the sidelines with a sandwich and a beer
"
- set the tigers free by villagers

phil 4:6

2011-02-05T17:15:00.001+08:00

i really like this design from olly moss.

the world calls it optimism, i call it bible hope.

it's a hope that never disappoints.

blame it on the weather man.

2011-01-30T22:02:00.001+08:00

inspired by the non-stop rain and freezing weather, i posted a message on facebook:

"dear God, when I wished for winter in Singapore, i wasn't expecting so much rain."

well, there ain't no rainbows without rain buddy

then in a span of 15 mins my brain kept churning out cheesy sentences like:

"heaven ran out of cats and dogs, so it decided to rain giraffes and elephants instead."

"too many people must have sang the song "rain, rain, go away" the past year and God decided to clear the backlog of rain debt before this FY(financial year) ends."

oh man... sometimes i'm so lame i can't stand myself... i have to sit down instead.

hooked on 6:04 minutes of awesomeness.

2011-01-04T22:59:00.001+08:00

I LOVE MAGNETIC MAN.

(yup.. in caps+bold+underline for emphasis)

goodbye and hello

2011-01-01T11:34:00.003+08:00

good morning world and blessed new year to everyone!

it feels surreal to be back in january again and all i could think about at the stroke of midnight was "oh my god, is it really january 2011 already?!?" nevertheless, i'm psyched up for the year ahead, because i know that it's going to be my best year yet. amen! =)

2010 has been an incredible year with unbelievable blessings and experiences. i've been having this strong urge to pen them down just so that i can look back 10 years down the road and smile at what life was like a decade ago.

so, before i kickstart the new (and awesome) year, i'll take some time to be thankful for the experiences which i have been blessed with the past year:

- visited korea for the first time on a whirlwind work trip and didn't see much
- had a Before Sunrise episode which was drama until the end but absolutely no regrets
- visited the land of the rising sun for the first time

- joined the F1 team, had a fantastic F1 experience and took away with great friendships

- finally picked up spanish

- got my first performance bonus (wee!)

- marked my first year of work and still feeling thankful everyday for being able to enjoy what i do

- got posted to the department of my dreams

- went back to holland, revisited old friends and made plenty of new ones
- travelled alone for the first time to scotland
- got blown away by the beauty of the highlands, scotland
- ran another half marathon and spent half the journey swearing i'll never do it again
- finally stepped into zouk after a couple of failed attempts, and on mambo night too!
- finally repainted my room and got rid of my gaudy blue

sometimes we get so absorbed in our challenges and all we think about is the bugging problem that we forget the many other blessings to be thankful for. i'll be the first to say that it hasn't been all clear skies and rainbows the past year, but on hindsight, i'm grateful for each moment and wouldn't change it a single bit.

now, i wonder what richer blessings 2011 will bring. =)

lightbulb moments.

2010-12-20T21:58:00.002+08:00

it's inspiring to see how art and science can be incorporated into product design for everyday life. bonus points for still looking so good while achieving all of the above too! check out this living kitchen and read more about it here.

flow 2

this is but one of the many uber cool products from studio gorm, a collaboration between john arndt and wonhee jeong. the designers met while studying in the netherlands (yay!) but are now based in oregon. a few other products which i really like are the laptop bag, bicycle bag and construction quilt.

on the same note, my dear friend R has embarked on SUPRSCH, creating a range of brilliant paper card cases out of recycled advertising material. that's just the first of many other awesome ideas to come, so stay tuned and keep a lookout for this hidden talent! =)

the best scone in my world.

2010-12-02T00:00:00.001+08:00

i had drawn up a long list of cafes and restaurants to check out when i was in scotland, turned out i didn't even have the chance to try any! i spent the first day finding my bearings around edinburgh city and was on the road most of the time while in the highlands, eating only at random pit stops.

fortunately, the friendly hostel receptionist recommended a supposedly good cafe called the Edinburgh Larder right opposite where i stayed. feeling mildly depressed that my foodie escapade in edinburgh didn't quite turn out the way i wanted to, i swore to have breakfast at the cafe on my last morning there.

the edinburgh larder, stocked full of goodness

warm and cosy interiors of the cafe

and so i did. and had the.most.awesome.scone.ever.

freshly baked scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam

fresh out of the oven, it was warm and crusty on the outside, yet soft and fluffy on the inside. together with some jam and clotted cream, i felt like i'd just gone straight to heaven.

ok... granted i barely got to try the other scones around and didn't quite have a fair comparison, still it was the best i've ever eaten at least. it made those which i've tried in singapore taste really bad.

i spent nearly 2 hours in the cafe that morning, sitting alone by the window with my scone, tea and magazine in hand. it was one of the best experiences ever. guess what, thousands of miles away from home and i still managed to bump into 2 singaporean dudes on exchange! one of them also ordered the scone and he couldn't help but to exclaim that it was awesome too. so there you go, i swear i wasn't exaggerating.

this is how every morning should begin

i shall go to bed tonight dreaming of all the sandwiches, salads, soup, pasta, brownies, scones, cookies and muffins i could have tried in scotland, and wake up hungry for a perfect scone. =)

the edinburgh larder
15 blackfriars street
edinburgh
http://www.edinburghlarder.co.uk/

when everything else in the world can wait.

2010-11-21T00:50:00.000+08:00

wish i could be back again!

farewell.

2010-10-22T22:35:00.002+08:00

it's been a week of goodbyes on many levels.

1) i bade goodbye to my grandma who lived to a ripe old age of 97. for all the love you've given in your own ways, thank you.

2) my stint with the F1 team came to a close. it's been such a great experience, with every one in the team being no less than wonderful. i will never exchange the past few months for anything else.

3) it was a short but sweet story with J as the few more minutes finally expired. absolutely no regrets.

overwhelming, but comforted by Your love.

i know everything will work for my good. =)

hauntingly beautiful, this is one of my all time favourite song which never fails to lift me up each time.

a leap of faith. =)

2010-09-30T23:24:00.000+08:00

same place, different reasons.

je ne sais quoi.

2010-09-07T22:31:00.000+08:00

went for a french cooking class with jols a few weeks back and it was really fun! we've been looking around for classes to attend for the longest time and finally decided on the french menu by cookyn with mervyn, a husband and wife outfit at novena gardens. definitely money well spent, can't wait to do it again!

le menu

mini hotcakes with smoked salmon and sourcream

seafood bouillabaise

roasted duck breast with tangerine wedges

pistachio and cointreau cake with stewed strawberries

fashionably geeky!

2010-08-21T13:52:00.000+08:00

kate spade has introduced with a series of clutches inspired by classic penguin covers... totally cool stuff!

would be a nice luxury to have one! =)

when upsizing is a good thing. =p

2010-08-19T10:05:00.002+08:00

a power packed daily devotional for today, i hope it blesses you as much as it blesses me!

have an awesome day ahead everyone! =)

Much Better Than Before

Isaiah 61:7
7Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be theirs.

God says in His Word that you will receive double for your trouble. If the devil has given you one trouble, then for that one trouble you can expect to receive a double-portion blessing! And if that trouble has caused you to experience shame, God’s promise to you is this: “Instead of your shame you shall have double honor”. God wants to give you a double-portionblessing for every trouble you go through!

And don’t think that God is behind your troubles. The devil is the real culprit. Sometimes, it could be the one you see in the mirror every morning! But the moment you respond to God in faith, He gets involved in your restoration. And He does not restore to you the same amount that you have lost. You always get more than before, if not in quantity, then in quality. You will be at a higher place than before. You will be stronger, healthier, wealthier, wiser or more at peace!

This was the case with Job. Satan was behind Job’s troubles, but when Job responded in faith, God took it upon Himself to restore to Job all that he had lost. The Bible tells us that Job received double in terms of quantity — from 7,000 sheep to 14,000 sheep, 3,000 camels to 6,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen to 1,000 yoke of oxen and 500 female donkeys to 1,000 female donkeys. And for the children he had lost, God restored in terms of quality — his daughters were the fairest in all the land. (Job 1:2–3, 13–19; 42:12–15)

If Job, who was not under the new covenant, could be blessed with double for his troubles, how much more we who are under the new covenant! In fact, God will not only restore double but triple, fivefold or even sevenfold! Such was the restoration experienced by one of our pastors, who was cheated of some money. In the end, he received a sevenfold restoration!

My friend, for everything that you have lost, get ready for God’s restoration. Expect to receive double and even more for every trouble!

© Copyright Joseph Prince, 2006. All rights reserved.
No part of this document or any related files may be modified, adapted, reproduced,
distributed and/or converted in any form and by any means (electronic, photocopying or otherwise)
without express written consent of the copyright holder.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®.
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Source

constantly amazed at God's love.

2010-08-01T23:51:00.001+08:00

He seems to derive great pleasure at outdoing Himself each time He pours forth blessing after blessing, each greater than the previous. went to universal studios yesterday and had my sister's 21st birthday brunch today, and for both days the weather couldn't have been more perfect. having rained for almost the whole of last week, the sun shone crazily yesterday! as if that wasn't good enough, today's super cool and windy weather made the outdoorsy brunch extremely enjoyable. swap the two days around and it could have been a total disaster. tell me, how not to feel Loved? =)

temporary perfection.

2010-07-30T00:18:00.000+08:00

jim denevan uses sand, earth and ice as his canvas to create some amazing art pieces! seems like a big pity that they get erased with the weather, though that "fleeting moment" idea does seem to add to its beauty!

from black eiffel

art food, food art.

2010-07-25T21:45:00.000+08:00

we've got tons of ice cream shops in singapore, from the $1 ice cream bread sold by uncles on their motorbikes to the more expensive gelato shops. however, we've yet to see ice cream shops selling only popsicles! popbar in new york has taken the old-school popsicle to a whole new level.

pistachio

vanilla splash

coconut chocolate

they look tooooo good to be eaten, i just want to stand in front of the shop and stare at the rows of popbars all day!

cute!

2010-07-18T23:47:00.001+08:00

had a fantastic weekend with the loveliest people, hope yours was great too! here's something sweet to end this week and to welcome another blessed week ahead. =)

Graffiti Proposal from PR!MO on Vimeo.

a merry heart does good like medicine.

2010-07-10T13:43:00.001+08:00

hi everyone,

here's a funny yet meaningful read to start the weekend!

Christian funnyman Michael Jr. has performed on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the Comedy Central network. Inspired by God to not just "go out there to get laughter from people, (but to) go out there and give them an opportunity to laugh", he took his jokes to unlikely venues - prisons, homeless shelters and safehouses for the abused and HIV patients. During his interview with charisma magazine, he recounted:

In an adult prison, I'm sitting there praying: "(God), I need a joke right up front, so I can be funny - immediately." I was going to say, "You guys are a captive audience!" But because I was afraid, I didn't do that one.

But there was an old white guy right up front (in the audience) named Moses. He had a white beard, so I looked at him and said, "Moses, when I read about you in the Bible, you were doing better than this. What happened?"

I said, "Moses, this is what I want you to say, 'Let my people go.'"
The whole room burst out laughing, and we had a fabulous time from that point on...

... In the Samaritan House a guy approached me and said, "I want you to know I haven't laughed like this in over 20 years, since I was diagnosed with AIDs." It was at that moment that I knew this thing was bigger than just going and telling jokes to people.

(adapted from "laughter in the dark", charisma, june 2010 magazine, read the full interview here)

have an awesome blessed weekend everyone! =)

a smile for the road! =)

2010-06-29T18:57:00.001+08:00

from swissmiss.

take my breath away.

2010-06-15T18:17:00.003+08:00

an absolutely breath-taking house to live in!

from seesaw, read more on buzz-beast.

guess who i'll be supporting this world cup!

2010-06-09T21:43:00.000+08:00

hmm...

2010-05-23T22:49:00.000+08:00

not sure if i'm ready to catch shrek 4 on the big screen.

happiness is...

2010-05-17T17:08:00.000+08:00

i love this shot, it spells h-a-p-p-i-n-e-s-s in my dictionary. =)

from a cup of jo

great tea + great design.

2010-05-11T23:19:00.000+08:00

the guys from gryphon tea launched an initiative to promote singapore's history and provide a platform for our local artists to showcase their talents. the artists were commissioned to provide their own interpretation of singapore's heritage, and their art work was transformed into gryphon's tea packages. yeah i know it's a marketing thing, but i think it's a great idea nonetheless, and the designs are really beautiful! =)

see camemberu's blog post on it here.

have a break, have some soul food.

2010-05-10T15:18:00.001+08:00

i returned and saw under the sun that -

the race is not to the swift,

nor the battle to the strong,

nor bread to the wise,

nor riches to men of understanding.

nor favour to men of skill;

but time and chance happen to them all.

-ecclesiastes 9:11

saw this verse scribbled on one of the papers i pinned up against my desk wall. it's been there for so long i kind of forgot it exists, but it sure serves as a great form of encouragement each time i notice it again.

it's never about how hard i should work, how smart i am, or whose good boots i should get into - it's simply about working restfully through His grace, wisdom and favour to find myself being placed at the right place at the right time, to say the right things to the right people and be blessed as a result! =)

what's for lunch?

2010-05-06T11:17:00.001+08:00

ultra cool lunch box by dutch designers van eijk and van der lubbe, love the wooden finish and leather strap combination! (from blackeiffel)

big in japan.

2010-04-27T01:43:00.000+08:00

it's an amazing city, don't wanna leave just yet! =)

hummus love. =)

2010-04-12T23:17:00.000+08:00

and heineken does it yet again!

2010-04-09T10:26:00.000+08:00

gotta love the dutch. =)

happily ever after... maybe not.

2010-03-27T14:44:00.001+08:00

a brilliant take on a parody of fairy tales combined with current day issues, you have to check out this series of photographs by dina goldstein. thanks for the link rama! =)

dina goldstein's fallen princesses

restaurant week 2010: lunch at garibaldi italian resturant & bar

2010-03-25T14:22:00.001+08:00

and so.. the much anticipated lunch date at garibaldi came and went. thanks to restaurant week, jols and i had the opportunity of dining at one of the top italian restaurants in singapore yesterday!

lunch menu

insalata di gamberi, avocado e aranicia

poached prawns salad with avocado & orange

-----

tagliolini neri al granchio

homemade black in thin noodle with crab meat in vodka sauce

saltinbocca alla romana

veal "scaloppini" with parma ham, sage & marsala wine sauce

-----

tiramisu all 'amaretto e scaglie di cioccolato

homemade tiramisu with amaretto flavor and shaved chocolate

-----

coffee/tea

the restaurant had a minimalistic design, with a bar area and a large wine cellar upon entering. the main dining area was further in, and the tables were spaced out far enough from one another such that there was sufficient privacy, yet you'd still be able to catch bits and pieces of the other tables' conversations. it might sound weird, but i really liked the toilet, which was very nicely done up with marble tiles and fresh hand towels by the basin.

the dishes were well executed, of which the veal with parma ham and tiramisu were winners. the bread served throughout the meal was the most perfectly warmed bread i've ever, ever had, and should be the benchmark for any excellent restaurant.

a portion of my noodles were clumped together, perhaps due to the production process of the noodles, so i had it sent back. the service staff took it back with no questions asked. he had a disturbed look on his face, obviously annoyed that i had been served food that was not up to their usual quality. a fresh batch of noodles came back the second time around, with a significantly larger portion, and our next course was personally served by the manager of the restaurant. it was quite amusing to be given that much attention because i was obviously too happy to be bothered by that little glitch in the meal.

food wise, the dishes were definitely top quality and well executed, though i personally feel that the "wow" factor seems to be somewhat missing in the meal.

nevertheless, the service at garibaldi's was absolutely excellent! the service staff were attentive but not intrusive, though they were a little slow in refilling our glasses once the lunch crowd came in. knowing that jols and i wanted to share both the mains, the service staff offered to divide them into two individual portions. they also enquired if we were doing alright throughout the courses, which was a nice touch to the already exceptional service provided.

on the overall, it was a fantastic experience being able to finally dine in one of the finest restaurants around. excellent food, service and setting, not to forget awesome company, it was one of the best lunches i've had in a long while.

can't wait for restaurant week 2011! =)

today's devotional.

2010-03-24T10:11:00.000+08:00

the daily devotional's always a great way to start the morning. =)

See God As A Good Father

Luke 15:31
31“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

Faith is believing that we have a good God, and that He protects and provides for those who trust in Him. Remember the parable of the prodigal son? (Luke 15:11–32) Jesus shared it to illustrate how good our heavenly Father is. The wayward son had squandered his father’s inheritance before he decided to go home to ask his father to make him a hired servant.

But before he could reach home, his father saw him from afar, ran toward him and embraced him. And instead of making him a hired servant, the father turned to his servants and said, “Bring out the best robe! Get a ring and sandals for my son! Let’s kill the fatted calf and celebrate!”

Now, when the older son returned from work and heard about the celebration, he became angry and refused to enter the house. When his father came out to ask him what was wrong, the older son complained, “Look, I’ve served you all these years. Yet, you never gave me a calf to celebrate with my friends. But as soon as this prodigal son of yours comes home, you kill the fatted calf for him!”

Notice what his father told him: “Son, you are always with me and all that I have is yours. We should celebrate because your brother was dead but is alive again. He was lost but is now found.”

Can you see how the older brother perceived his father? He saw his father as a hard and stingy man. He believed that he had to work to get something good from his father. He didn’t realize that he already had an inheritance! He could have killed the fatted calf any time for a celebration!

Like the father in the parable, God has already given you an inheritance in Christ. Don’t fail to enjoy it by doubting God’s goodness or by believing that you must work for it. See your Father’s heart of love and goodness toward you, and celebrate your inheritance today!

Source

No part of this document or any related files may be modified, adapted, reproduced,

distributed and/or converted in any form and by any means (electronic, photocopying or otherwise)

without express written consent of the copyright holder.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®.

move over, subway!

2010-03-19T00:38:00.001+08:00

knew of this place some time back but haven't got to try it until recently, and damn i should have visited Quiznos a long long loooongg time ago!

a sandwich place with a similar concept to Subway, this place puts Subway to utter shame. on my first visit i tried the Zesty Grill Steak sandwich (6" for $6.90), described as "thinly-sliced steak, mozzarella, cheddar, mushrooms, sauteed onions, honey bourbon mustard and zesty grille sauce on rosemary parmesan bread". sounds good? it sure damn was!

the rosemary parmesan bread was warm and fluffy, unlike the ones at Subway which i never did like but had to live with. the thinly sliced steak with all its cheese, onion and shrooms friends made a delicious combination, but more importantly, the ingredients tasted fresh. there was also a side bar with different kinds of jalepenos and pickles to choose from, and they were delish as well.

to top it all off, they actually toasted not only the sandwich, but my cookie as well. i hope my subsequent trips won't disappoint, and as they become popular in singapore (which i'm very sure they will), that their franchise outlets will keep up the fine quality of its sandwiches. three cheers for Quiznos! =)

Quiznos Sub Shop
181 Orchard Road #03-33
Orchard Central
Tel: 6509 9833
Opens daily, 11am-11pm

viewing the world through food.

2010-03-04T18:39:00.001+08:00

Japan: The Ukita family of Kodaira City
Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25

Favorite foods: sashimi, fruit, cake, potato chips

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

Favorite foods: soup with fresh sheep meat

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina
Food expenditure for one week: $341.98

Favorite foods: spaghetti, potatoes, sesame chicken

view more interesting shots in what the world eats, part I

photographs by peter menzel from the book "hungry planet"
source: www.time.com

apart from the wizard talk.

2010-02-28T23:25:00.001+08:00

jk rowling's commencement address at harvard, titled "the fringe benefits of failure, and the importance of imagination" was extremely well written and delivered. dotted with humour and personal experience, this is one video worth watching. she writes so well that almost every other sentence she spoke was capable of printed on those inspirational quote-cards!

J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.

"You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default."
- jk rowling.

a brief history of olympic sore losers.

2010-02-27T00:12:00.000+08:00

interesting feature by time.com, enjoy!

(picture adapted from source)

click here to view article.

tradition.

2010-02-16T10:55:00.000+08:00

our customary mcdonald's breakfast during holidays where my dad gets a rare opportunity to wake up late and enjoy a slow brekkie. that's why the latest advertisement by macs (where the uber cute little girl wishes her dad doesn't have to work so she can have macs breakfast everyday... though that may not be a brilliant idea waist-wise) totally hit the nail in the spot. now... time to get ready for work. =/

introducing the deluxe big breakfast...

for my dad of course, i'm sticking to ma fluffy hotcakes baby!

i am tiger hear me roarrr!

2010-02-13T12:28:00.000+08:00

saw this e-mailer from tiger airways in my inbox today, thought it was quite funny! i feel for woods though, to have almost every industry ride on his personal affairs. anyway, blessed chinese new year everyone! =)

the boy in the striped pyjamas.

2010-02-10T22:33:00.004+08:00

caught this awesome movie on dvd today and i wondered what took me so long to finally watch it. if, like me, you haven't heard of the boy in the striped pyjamas until now, then i highly recommend that you add this to your weekend's to-do list!

synopsis from imdb: set during world war II, a story seen through the innocent eyes of bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a concentration camp, whose forbidden friendship with a jewish boy on the other side of the camp has startling and unexpected consequences.

farmers' market - a piece of europe in singapore.

2010-02-07T17:26:00.018+08:00

a farmers' market is a common feature in europe, somewhat like our local pasar malam, where farmers will gather to sell their produce to the public. chef jane of the pantry at loewen gardens missed that little piece of home, and decided to organise a farmers' market on the first saturday of every month!

organic bread by the organic baker

absolutely devine orange cake by madz chef

when i was living in maastricht, i used to wake up early in the morning on days when the farmers' market was on, cycle to the city centre with a shopping bag and return with my loot of fresh fruits and vegetables. i still remember the comical scene where my friends and i would try to balance the heavy bags while cycling uphill. ahh.. these wonderful memories!

scones and desserts from the pantry

i was really excited upon hearing about this event and decided to forgo my precious sleep, wake up early and head down to loewen gardens with jolene. with no idea how a farmers' market in singapore will work out, we didn't really know what to expect.

olives etc. from olive grove, a supplier to hotel and restuarants

surprisingly, it was a lovely and cosy affair, with loads of imported and homemade food! it's not quite the scene where farmers sold their own produce, but i guess that's about as close as we can get in singapore.

salmon quiche from the pantry

sausage, scrambled eggs and toast from the pantry

jols and i had a lovely brunch at the pantry, and we both went home happy girls with peach cake, sicilian olives and hummus in our bags!

more details on the farmers' market on expat living.

the pantry, loewen gardens, 75 loewen road

loving this shot by lars daniel.

2010-02-01T22:36:00.003+08:00

so old-school yet so classy and modern at the same time. beautiful!

from copenhagencyclechic.

crush me like the mint leaves in a mojito.

2010-01-30T19:47:00.003+08:00

some experiences are just too painful to forget, and they return to bite at you once in a while.

ain't no likin' this feelin' so Lord help me.

is your menu playing mind games on you?

2010-01-24T02:26:00.004+08:00

photograph: public domain

read this really interesting article about how restaurants design their menu in a way that customers will unknowingly be enticed into ordering their profitable items. you have to check it out!

say kim-chee!

2010-01-12T02:38:00.004+08:00

back from a whirlwind work trip to korea. though i can now say that i have stepped foot into the land of kimchi and ginseng chicken, i must admit that i haven't seen much to decide if i like this country. it was probably 80% airports, hotels and offices. i haven't had so much kimchi in a day before, not that i'm complaining!

kimchi

(photo from the korean times)

one thing i realised is that kimchi tastes different in every eatery, and through a quick google i also found out that there are numerous types of kimchi! looks like i have to read up on it some time. if you're interested to learn more, click here.

time for bed, i'm extremely exhausted. i miss the beach. a blue sky holiday would be nice.

christmas dinner 2009 in pictures.

2010-01-02T23:41:00.012+08:00

it was a wonderful evening worth documenting, so here's what we had for dinner:

setting the table

parma ham and rock melon salad; french onion soup

whiskey-glazed carrots; pumpkin with scallops and mushrooms

chicken le cordon bleu

shrimp and scallop pasta in foil package

monkey munchies

lovely company!

7 perfect days between christmas and the new year.

2009-12-31T22:23:00.010+08:00

2009 has been a wonderful year, and the past few months just kept getting better. not that i'm complaining, but there's been so much excitement in my life that i wish i could have a little more rest time. dozing off on a great movie like avatar probably was a good enough indication that i need more snooze time.

in the end, i decided to forego the merry making this new year's eve to spend a quiet one at home with my dad. i'm sleepy as hell, but it just seems wrong to go to bed so early on the last day of the year!

photo by yao hong

in 2007, i made some chocolate peanut butter cups for christmas. that was when i just got kanon as a 21st birthday gift and was so enthusiastic about the birth of this food blog. this year, it's almond chocolate pocky sticks, adapted from pioneer woman's recipe. it's easy, fun, absolutely brainless but looks nice nonetheless!

photo by yao hong

i also had an awesome potluck dinner on boxing day, but i shall leave that to another day, maybe next year... heh! merry christmas and happy new year everyone, it's going to be an awesome 2010 filled with His love, peace and joy. =)

photo by yao hong

selling salt (not by the sea shore).

2009-12-18T22:04:00.004+08:00

one of the most interesting and innovative marketing initiative in a very long time!

product in question - plain 'ol salt!

click here to explore.

tea-break.

2009-12-07T19:20:00.002+08:00

see time's list of top 10 tv chefs for an interesting read!

amongst whom my favourites are jamie and rachel. =)

my foodie christmas wish list. =)

2009-12-05T18:57:00.020+08:00

1. the pioneer woman cooks: recipes from an accidental country girl

by ree drummond

my all time favourite blogger finally wrote a cookbook which i've been lusting for some time now. i can finally smell the book making its way into my arms, thank you lulu for the birthday prezzie! =) [checked!]

2. the man who ate everything

by jeffrey steingarten

i've heard about this award winning book but had held off buying it for the longest time because it costs over forty bucks in singapore. recently bought it in kl for half the price! extremely excited to begin on it! [checked!]

3. cuisinart 2-lb bread maker

figured since i love bread so much i should learn to bake my own, minus the fuss! this one by cuisinart looks so metallic and macho it's sexy! i'll get it... someday.

4. the sweet life in paris

by david lebovitz

part cookbook, part memoir and part guidebook, it speaks about lebovitz's experience in paris when he decided to move to the city of love following his partner's death. paris, france, not just any food but french food, what's there not to want?

5. jamie magazine

by jamie oliver

picked up a copy of the magazine at oriole cafe and i was hooked. jamie oliver was the very guy who got me interested in cooking, going way back during my secondary school days when i'd get to watch his shows on channel 5. gave myself a birthday treat and bought a year's subscription, though it kind of burnt a hole in my wallet! [checked!]

6. dvd of julie & julia

freshly added to chian's-must-watch-movies list is julie & julia, with meryl streep as famed real-life chef julia child, and amy adams as julie powell, who took on the challenge to finish every recipe (524 to be exact) in julia child's first book within a year. a combination of the parisian setting, food theme and love stories amongst the characters makes this movie an absolute winner. as you can see, i've already watched it, but such great movies ought to be bought and kept!

7. mastering the art of french cooking

by julia child

only because the movie impressed me so much that i need to own a copy of julia child's cookbook too. heh!

8. shake aun koh's hands

although chubby hubby's blog may be a little too commercialised at times, he's still one of my all-time favourite food bloggers (and a singaporean one at that) because of his excellent photography skills, writing and love for food. from cooking in his stylish kitchen, conceptualising restaurants, reviewing hotels to interviewing chefs from all over the world, he's doing everything i love, for a living. it'd be nice to be able to meet him in person. =)

9. have breakfast at bills, sydney

i'll always remember watching bill's tv program and admiring his amazing white-themed kitchen right beside the sparkling blue aussie beaches. known for serving one of the best scrambled eggs around, i definitely have to visit his cafe if i ever travel down under.

10. attend a course at le cordon bleu

take time off work and pay tens of thousands of dollars to be a professional culinary student, that shall be my long term aspiration waiting to be fulfilled in future!

so there you go, my foodie christmas list in its full glory. of course, there're still many other wish lists according to categories... like shoes, bags, cars, boys.. kidding! what's your christmas wish list like? =)

i wanna be a Supercook!

2009-11-15T02:55:00.003+08:00

just discovered an awesome website called Supercook from Time's 50 Best Websites 2009, where you can just enter the ingredients available in your kitchen and it will automatically generate the relevant recipes needed to whip up a meal. is this brilliant or what? extremely user friendly, it's quite fun to play around with even if one has no plans to cook.

then again, i get excited at the mere mention of food. =)

cubicle rat.

2009-09-21T13:43:00.003+08:00

i really love wan jun's sense of humour. =D

credit: ms lee wan jun, the maker of funny charts

flowers for each season.

2009-08-31T23:52:00.003+08:00

Today, I find myself running in the opposite direction of one of the best gifts from God.

Ironically, this is the decision that I have came to in peace, and at peace, with myself.

Perhaps I really do have to go through this journey and experience the so called “growing pains”, before I can truly exclaim “this is what I really want”.

Through it all, I’m just going to trust in the Lord that whatever is lost, will be restored with not just a double portion but hundred-fold blessings at the end.

thank you for everything.
thank You for everything.

when i find me.

2009-08-26T18:07:00.002+08:00

song of the moment.

2009-07-24T00:40:00.007+08:00

this song never fails to lift me up every single time i listen to it, gives me a bounce in my steps! =)

The Desert Song - Hillsong United

This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame

I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

And this is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I receive I will sow

memento.

2009-07-09T13:01:00.006+08:00

They say that reaching the age of 21 means being given the key to freedom, it's the age where life as an adult truly begins.

It’s been two years since I turned 21, but it feels longer than that. In between, I was blessed with the chance to experience living abroad in a country I couldn’t have chosen better, suffered a major heart break, got closer to a whole bunch of friends who happened to be in the same season of life as I was, ventured into a new sport, lost some of the fats that’d been with me since a mighty age of three, saw my mum through a career change after 27 years with the same company, and more recently, finally completed 18 years of education. Applying for jobs and deciding on my career path was another big decision to make, and I’m very thankful to be blessed with such an exciting opportunity ahead. These two years have been, I daresay, filled with occasions more momentous than my whole life put together.

Commencement is only 2 days away, and what lies after is yet another milestone in life waiting to be experienced. There are many unknowns, infinite possibilities, but one thing’s for sure – I know that it’s going to be good, because You are in it with me.

let's go dutch!

2009-05-28T12:16:00.005+08:00

this commercial is so typical of the dutch humour it warms my heart just watching it, not to mention a few chuckles and my delight at hearing the familiar dutch accent again. enjoy, AHHHHHH!

taiwan - a sneak(y) peek.

2009-05-25T23:14:00.010+08:00

i have 101 things on my to-do list, and i'd wanted to organise my photos a little first before posting or blogging about them but i figured it'll just take too long! will probably get down to writing something and about my trip to taiwan after my exams end. some photos for now because i've been keeping them for so long my fingers are getting itchy! =)

the taiwanese love everything braised

the oh-so-famous oyster mee sua

shui jian bao at the shihlin night market

my sister

papa on the train to danshui

a little more photos here.

officially registered for my first sprint triathlon!

2009-05-21T11:17:00.003+08:00

750m swim. 20km bike. 5km run.

been pretty busy lately, will be back soon!

2009-05-08T00:56:00.005+08:00

shihlin's celebrity dish [taipei, taiwan]

mixing art and chocolate... truly.

2009-04-26T00:35:00.003+08:00

hi everyone! i've escaped to taiwan for the week and it's been a tremendously enjoyable week with my family. =) i'm exhausted and my eyes are barely open but i have to blog about this otherwise i won't sleep well. caught an episode of anthony bourdain's episode of no reservations in spain (yay!!!), with one visit to a chocolatier called enric rovira up north of barcelona (double yay!!!). his inspiration comes from anthony gaudi's famous architecture and design. seriously, no amount of literary description can justify how AMAZING rovira is. nothing short of a creative genius, you really have to watch this. enjoy!

catch especially from 3.30min onwards!

hahaha part II.

2009-04-18T00:34:00.001+08:00

damn funny! the innocence of kids - simply adorable. =)

parachutin' paris.

2009-04-16T00:36:00.008+08:00

hey guys check out this viral marketing tactic in paris! suspected to be from IKEA, but not yet confirmed. super cool! i think the excitement and attention generated is extremely valuable though judging by the sound of police sirens the authorities may not be too happy haha..

read about it on another of my newly favourite blog: weloveviral. =)

***edit***

the more i think about it, the more i think it probably isn't a viral marketing campaign but some prank. if you watch the videos closely, the parachutes actually carried REAL HUGEASS sofas that floated and landed with a loud thump. if it really was a marketing campaign, then i must say it's a pretty dangerous one (police & ambulance sirens, car alarms going off?!?!). alternatively, they probably staged the whole scene and shot it under controlled conditions. hmm, i guess we'll have to wait to find out!

introducing tan hong ming. =)

2009-04-12T23:25:00.002+08:00

this ad is so brilliant i'm speechless. i absolutely love it and kudos to the creative team and production crew for its flawless execution and creativity. enjoy!

thanks to lynette for posting this on her blog, which i'm taking the chance to introduce to anyone who's interested in advertising. check it out and be thrilled! =)

reminder to self.

2009-03-30T15:05:00.003+08:00

today's devotional really spoke right to me. it really encouraged me that it's not how i answered during the interview, not how i dressed nor how good my resume is, but through His grace alone that I will receive my blessings. a positive expectation of good things to come! =)

Receive By Grace Through Faith

Galatians 3:55 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?...

Imagine that you are at a healing service. An alcoholic walks into the church reeking of alcohol. He sits behind the pianist, a nice elderly lady who has been serving in the church for 50 years. Both of them are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. The healing power of God is present. In an instant, the alcoholic, who has never been in church before, gets healed. The pianist does not.

Most people, on hearing stories like this, would get upset and confused. They might ask, “Shouldn’t God heal this nice, old lady who has been serving Him faithfully all these years, and not that debauched drunkard?” You see, many people still believe that God heals only the deserving.

But that is not how God works. God looks at faith, not works. His power is made manifest in those who trust His goodness instead of their good behavior. So if we go back to the above example, God wants to heal both the alcoholic and the nice elderly pianist. All they need to do is to receive by grace, or unmerited favor, through faith.

You see, we cannot earn the blessings of God. We receive them by believing God’s love and grace toward us. If we receive the greatest blessing — salvation — by simply believing that Jesus did it all for us and not by working for it, what makes us think that the other lesser blessings can be obtained by our works?

So if my daughter Jessica falls sick, I don’t go to the Father and say, “Father, heal my daughter because I am Pastor Joseph Prince and I preach healing to the people.” No, I go to Him by the blood of Jesus and say, “Father, I thank You that 2,000 years ago, Jesus bore Jessica’s sickness in His body. On that basis alone and by Your grace, I pronounce her healed in Jesus’ name.”

When you simply believe that you receive your blessings based on Jesus’ finished work and by His grace alone, you will receive your blessings!

© Copyright Joseph Prince, 2006. All rights reserved.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version ®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

a chuckle a day keeps the locter away.

2009-03-19T00:11:00.004+08:00

my friend just sent me this link to a site called f*** my life, where people actually wrote in to describe what happened in their daily lives and others get to vote either "i agree, your life is f***ked" or "you deserved that one". it's a good perk-me-up when you're feeling bored from work or just need a good laugh. here's a few funny ones..

"Today, I decided to ask my friend to the school dance. It's one where the girls ask the guys. I spent hours placing signs down his street so he would see them on his way home. As I'm waiting in his driveway with balloons I see his car reverse and go the other direction. FML"

***

"Today, my parents said that they bought me a car. I had been begging for one for a year and they always said that I would have to pay for it myself. I got really excited and went to the garage to see my new ride. It was a Hot Wheels car with a note saying "save your money". FML"

click here for more chuckles! =)

can't think of a title!

2009-03-13T22:17:00.009+08:00

who was it who thought that it was a great idea to build a school right at the west end of singapore? it's nearer for me to chop my passport at the woodlands checkpoint than to visit ntu man.

its neighbour? a sprawling live firing area! how cool is that.

***

ok actually i didn't want to post the above post already because i thought it was boring stuff, but since i just read today's devotional and got totally blown away by the message, i figured heck just post both! so i hope you enjoy reading and be blessed!

You Have It, So Say It!

Matthew 25:2929 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

Have you come across people who have little, yet even that little is taken away from them? On the other hand, there are those who already have much, yet they receive even more.

Jesus said, “To everyone who has, more will be given. From him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” Notice that Jesus doesn’t go on to say what it is we have. He simply says, “But to everyone who has.”

Jesus is talking about a firm belief in God’s Word that gives one the courage to say, “I have it!” If you say that you have it, you have it, and more will be given to you. But if you say that you don’t have it, when you actually do because God has freely given us all things (Romans 8:32), then even what you have will be taken away — not by God but by the devil! The devil does not want you to walk in God’s blessings. So when you say that you don’t have it, he can rob you of your blessings because he has your agreement!

When you need something, God says that you are to ask of Him. And when you ask, believe that you receive it. (Mark 11:24) Say you already have it even if you don’t see it in the physical realm yet, and one day, you will see it!

God is not saying, “Oh come on, pretend that you see it. And if you pretend long enough, you will have it.” This is not a game! God is telling us to call forth those things which don’t exist as though they do. (Romans 4:17)

Today, we are talking about the haves and have-nots in the church. If you believe that it is yours, you will have it. You will see yourself possessing it and enjoying it, and more will be given to you. But if you say, “Well, I don’t feel it and I’m not sure if it will come,” in essence, you are saying that you don’t have it when you actually do. Then, even what you have will be taken away. So say you have it today!

blogging when i don't have the time to.

2009-03-09T20:35:00.006+08:00

Tuesday
8.30-12: tax planning quiz & class
12-3.30: accounting for info systems class
4-5: peer counselling duty
5.15-6.45: peer counselling class
nighttime: prepare enron case for strat class

Wednesday
12-3.30: ethics class
3.30-6.45: strategy class
7-8: spinning class
8-infinity: strategy meeting

Thursday
8.30-12: tax planning makeup class
12.30-3: strategy meeting
3-5: sports marketing meeting
7-9: l'oreal recruitment talk

this.. ladies and gentlemen, is my schedule for the next three days, and has been for the past few weeks. i think my smu friends have almost the same thing in their planners. but... i will sail through it like Jesus walking on water because of His Grace, Strength and Favour. Amen. =)

maybe it's a good thing to be so busy, then i won't have time to think about other stuff.

always.

2009-02-22T22:35:00.003+08:00

some time ago, my self esteem had taken a considerable amount of beating, but i'm glad i came out of the episode stronger. heard this song whilst driving today, and it struck a chord within my heart. ladies must find someone who can sing this song and mean it ok! =) pardon the funny music video.. it was 1994 after all.

You're my peace of mind, in this crazy world

You're everything I've tried to find, your love is a pearl

You're my Mona Lisa, you're my rainbow skies

and my only prayer is that you realize

you'll always be beautiful in my eyes.

The world will turn, and the seasons will change

and all the lessons we will learn

will be beautiful and strange.

We'll have our fill of tears, our share of sighs

My only prayer is that you realize

you'll always be beautiful in my eyes

You will always be beautiful in my eyes

And the passing years will show

that you will always grow

ever more beautiful in my eyes

When there are lines upon my face

from a lifetime of smiles

when the time comes to embrace

for one long last while

we can laugh about how time really flies

We won't say goodbye

'cause true love never dies

You'll always be beautiful in my eyes

You will always be beautiful in my eyes

And the passing years will show

that you will always grow

ever more beautiful in my eyes

indian101.

2009-02-21T15:42:00.017+08:00

jolene and rama - lunch with these two fellows is never a simple affair. you'll not only get fed in your tummy but your brains will also get poked poked poked and then you come out at the end of lunch feeling like you're 100x enriched with issues on life's greatest philosophical issues. i think so far we've touched on religion, chinese values, morality etc etc etc etc etc... ...

haha but i've always enjoyed their company and this time was no exception! we ventured into rama's country (somewhere called little india) for some indian food. his mouth dropped when i told him that i don't know what's a dosai so his quest to have some indian-chinese food became an indiancuisine101 lesson.

have you have stepped into a indian restaurant, not knowing what to order and always end up with either roti prata or fish head curry? i take the easy way out, i just don't step into one haha.. the closest i got to indian was prata, which i'm sure someone out there will vehemently object because prata is so not indian.

fear not my young padawans! after today's post you will be able to step into an indian restaurant with your chest inflated and heads up... just remember me when you're eating and mouth a silent "i love you chian". thanks.

rama: it's illegal to use the pedestrian crossing in little india, let me show you the indian way!

jolene blinks and rama has dashed across to the other side of the road.

rama recommended a few places worth visiting in little india, namely gokul vegetarian restaurant (indian-chinese cuisine), chellas and komala vilas. we decided on gokul's!

trying to do the m1 one advertisement thingy

clean and welcoming interior of the restaurant... i like.

pretty!

this is called paper dosai. very large thin piece of dosai with potatoes at the side. the 3 gravy looking thing on the plate are from left to right: coconuty paste, curry and onion paste. delicious! the bowl of green mash on the top left corner of the photo is called paalak paneer, which is actually mashed spinach with cottage cheese and it's really good! when chian says it's good, just take her word for it.

being an indian-chinese restaurant, gokul also sells the indian interpretation of chinese food like mee siam etc. this one above is called chicken kurma, which is like chicken curry, except that they use mock meat instead of real chicken because it's a vegetarian restaurant. the thick spicy gravy is an absolute winner.

breads - one of them is chappathi, the others.. i forgot.

that's all for the first lesson folks, i'm quite a lousy teacher because i think i've forgotten half of what rama said. aiyahhh you guys just take down the names, order and eat can already lah. i hope you'll have a bolly good meal when you decide to go indian next time!

gokul vegetarian restaurant
19 upper dickson road, 207478
phone: 63967769

that is why You are the central figure of my life, and that is why i will have it all together. =)

2009-02-19T00:31:00.006+08:00

it's been a crazy crazy 2 whole weeks of tests, presentations and reports, but the strength and free flowing favour that's been on me is so amazing, i think that's crazier. heck, i even had enough length of days that i managed to squeeze in my first ever biathlon time trial (which i obviously survived heh) and a networking event! all i did was to to do the natural and He made everything supernaturally perfect.

this was the daily devotional for two days ago and i found it unread in my inbox. reading it at the end of my busy week just makes me feel so blessed and full of joy that i have to share it. whether you're a believer or not, i hope that you too will be blessed and your heart be lifted! =)

Life Above The Sun

John 10:1010… I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

When you are not enjoying abundant life, you will feel as if life is full of toil. In your heart, life is meaningless and empty. You feel like someone “grasping for the wind”. (Ecclesiastes 2:11)

It seems as if nothing you do adds up to much. The Bible calls this life “under the sun”. (Ecclesiastes 2:11) Someone who lives life under the sun may or may not know God, but God is either forgotten or not the center of things in his life. His thoughts are earthly and he does things to gratify his flesh. In the end, he finds life depressing and unfulfilled. Life under the sun is full of despair.

But this is not so with someone who lives life above the sun with God. For life with Him is filled with joy and pleasures at His right hand. (Psalm 16:11) Life is abundantly full and good just as Jesus promised — “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”.

When you live life above the sun, your thoughts are heavenward and you become Christ-occupied. You live for Him because you know that all things were created through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:16) When you live for His glory, your life takes on a new meaning and purpose.

God’s Word says, “And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:17) The Greek word for “consist” means “held together”. In Christ, all things are held together. And that is why when Christ is the central figure in your life, you will have it all together. Your mind will be held together. Your hopes and dreams will be held together. Your family will be held together by the cords of His love.

Your life will not be empty, but full of God’s goodness because “Christ in you, [is] the hope of glory”. (Colossians 1:27) It is a wonderful life — this life lived above the sun. And you will have an even more wonderful life to come in heaven!

© Copyright Joseph Prince, 2006. All rights reserved.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version ®.Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.Copyright © 2006–2009 New Creation Church

for the gazillionith time, thank You for never failing, thank You for loving me so much. =)

i <3 threadless.

2009-02-10T19:56:00.011+08:00

i like threadless t-shirts because they're full of character and mostly i just love them for their sense of humour. what's great too is that these shirts weren't designed by some famous designer but by everyday people like us. they've got a new (ok not so new, i'm just extremely backdated) category of shirts called type tees featuring contributions of the wittiest and funniest quotes which made me giggle out loud in class. *embarrassed* hope you'll enjoy some of my favourites here, but please don't read this in class!

and check this one out:

images from www.threadless.com

fcuking tired. good night world.

2009-02-09T00:26:00.003+08:00

a man grinding his crotch against a woman's ass and a woman actually letting him do that, then calling it a social activity, just doesn't cut it for me. everyone's entitled to his own opinion, so here's mine.

now until forever.

2009-02-03T23:47:00.006+08:00

you know, i was never much of a person who'd run away. rather, i tend to have this impatient need to get a problem solved or find an answer and my approach was always to sit down and talk things out. however, i'm currently at this stage where issues just seem so huge and confusing that i've found myself doing the one thing that i hate most - running away. it's like not knowing whether to turn right or left, i decided to just stand still at the fork of the road, hoping that one day it'd all become clear which is the way to go. it's scary, what i'm doing.

how now brown cow, i also don't know.

i know who to follow though, and then i'll know what to do. oosh!

portraitures.

2009-01-28T00:10:00.013+08:00

happy chinese new year everyone! in a way i'm glad it's kind of over because i ate wayyyyy too many cookies and bak kwa. like seriously, i've never been a fan of bak kwa but somehow i was craving it pretty badly this year.

maybe it was the deprivation of all the cny goodies when i was in holland last year. skip a year a feasting and pay back double the year after. yikes!

the one thing i enjoyed the most were the homecooked feasts that happens every year, from my mum, and both the paternal and maternal grandmother sides. it's just that particular kind of taste that no one else is able to replicate. every year i make a mental note to learn from my grandma.. but as you can see, i'm still making that mental note this year... :p

c1 & c2

dunch know why... we dunch look like sisters

i know! ask them.. they made us!

dunch know dunch care.. as long as we're ohana

papa's mama... almost a centurian!

ah ma's kitchen - no.1 on this blog's food list

mummy's bro and funky mama!

in the words of little ethan chia, happy niu year everyone!

damn, now it's back to school.

announcing the arrival of.

2009-01-24T10:12:00.011+08:00

the early bird (me) catches the worm (hmm...)

moving on to some good news (or maybe not so good news depending on how you look at it), my sister-the-menace (KIDDINGGGG) is finally back from her 3 month long internship in the maldives!

SIA flying a menace back from male

ok la i must admit i'm quite happy to see her and i did miss her quite a lot when she was gone. ok la i'm not saying that because she may just happen to read this blog.

mr & mrs excited + mr very-excited-but-shall-look-like-i'm-not

i'm so envious that she managed to get certified as a diver in the wonderful waters of the maldivian island (imagine the corals and turtles and sharks!) and all at a really cheap rate!

doesn't want to leave the arrival hall

she also brought back a whole container load of very pretty seashells, which made those that i used to find at the east coast park look like a scam.

presenting the newest addition to the chew farmalee

you will never understand the pain and issues that i have to deal with.

2009-01-11T23:05:00.002+08:00

“Yes, horrible things do happen. Happiness in the face of all of that, that’s not the goal. Feeling horrible, and knowing that you’re not going to die from those feelings, that’s the point.”

-grey's anatomy, s5e3

damn bo liao post no. 112

2009-01-09T22:48:00.006+08:00

i can't remember when was the last time my dad and i had a meal alone outside or home. must be a long long time ago, or maybe never. just so happened that we reached sengkang at the same time today so we decided to have dinner at compass point. a few quirky and funny stuff i noticed:

1) when deciding on where to makan, he immediately suggested kfc of all places.

it must be a childhood thing that lasts until now, that having kfc which was once a luxury is still a great pleasure in his life haha..

2) he's a big fan of the drumstick.

another childhood thing where he'll only get to eat the juiciest part of the chicken on special occasions like chinese new year, also why he thinks chicken breast is yuckish

3) he stirs and mixes the mash potato and gravy together until it becomes a swirly pile of goo.

in his words "like that then got flavour"

4) he finishes his food in a consecutive manner.

chicken first, washes hand, then mash potato and coleslaw, then his drink ("pehsi")

i think no. 3 is the most amusing haha.. but it was quite nice to see him enjoying the greasy disgusting fast food with so much satisfaction. =)

i lub my papa and so does mrs beckham!

believing and speaking.

2009-01-04T22:37:00.012+08:00

the first day of school tomorrow for the last time. though i've gone through the same routine so many times, this time feels a little different and a bit more special. after all, it's the last stretch of school before i say hi to the working world. *mild butterflies in the tummy* i feel like a primary one kid all over again! but first let me savour what's remaining of any school holidays i'll ever have.

blessed new year everyone! it's going to be an awesome year ahead full of the Lord's love, joy, rest, protection and favour. =)

happy 10th year anniversary daughters of a better age!

deja vu on the last day of the year.

2008-12-31T15:26:00.006+08:00

the old folks have been gone since saturday to do some arm exercises at the jackpot machines in genting, and since the sister's soaking up the sun in maldives (actually no, working her ass off is more accurate), that leaves me home alone for the past few days. the first 2 days went by in a flurry with all the gatherings and i finally stayed home the whole of yesterday and half of today. thank god i was alone but i didn't feel lonely. catching up on all the housework undone and spending time with myself felt like the days when i was back on exchange in maastricht. spent a relaxing morning training at the pool (of which i pointed the middle finger to two cheekopek boys who held their breaths underwater each time i was near) and came back home craving for some aglio olio. it used to be my staple food in maastricht. i'm not trying to brag but it really was delicious haha... what a great way to spend the last afternoon of 2008.

1st dinner in maastricht... and many other times

last lunch of the year... and so velly belly nice