Showing posts with label festive season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label festive season. Show all posts
Monday, February 14, 2011
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Thursday, January 06, 2011
New Year's Pt. 2 | London
From One New Change, we zipped down the Strand in the seemingly swelling crowd which were already starting to head to the fireworks viewing areas along the Thames. We decided to have dinner at some random Italian restaurant where I had the ravioli. The prices weren't too high considering it was a sit in meal in the city of London. I have to know more places to eat cheap food in London.
After dinner, we took a brisk walk, used the tube and got ourselves pretty close to the Thames where we could just make out the London Eye from afar. And a few minutes later, 2010 ended.
As you would imagine, the fireworks were pretty spectacular and I would imagine it to be so much more if we were to see it upclose. But from where we were, we had the advantage of not being crushed in a crowd and managed to quickly leave after the show was over.
London at 1am on New Year's day was insane. You wouldn't have thought it was post midnight with the amount of people shuffling along the streets some drunk, some losing it, some being festive and others, like us, completely sober with aching feet. Alcohol would have helped my aching feet.
With the streets still blocked and the tube free from 12am to 4am, I got to walk in the middle of the roads in London, took a stroll down Saville Row and look at the ritzy stores. Just things I wouldn't ordinarily do on a normal day. After all, New Year's not really a normal day is it?
| outside the Savoy Hotel, the Strand; checking for directions
| dinner: ravioli
| the dinner table
| people swarming towards the fireworks viewing area
| view of the London Eye 12:03am 01/01/11
| post-midnight in the street
| literally in the middle of the street
With that, my New Year's eve experience in the city of London concluded. We managed to drag out aching feet, sore backs and stone cold fingers to the bus stop and headed back at about 3am. I ventured out to London the day before without a single plan, but ended up doing a list of random expeditions and pretty much took our own detour throughout the journey. It's one for the memories. And that was how I ended my 2010. How was yours? And remember:
| dare to dream
More next time.
After dinner, we took a brisk walk, used the tube and got ourselves pretty close to the Thames where we could just make out the London Eye from afar. And a few minutes later, 2010 ended.
As you would imagine, the fireworks were pretty spectacular and I would imagine it to be so much more if we were to see it upclose. But from where we were, we had the advantage of not being crushed in a crowd and managed to quickly leave after the show was over.
London at 1am on New Year's day was insane. You wouldn't have thought it was post midnight with the amount of people shuffling along the streets some drunk, some losing it, some being festive and others, like us, completely sober with aching feet. Alcohol would have helped my aching feet.
With the streets still blocked and the tube free from 12am to 4am, I got to walk in the middle of the roads in London, took a stroll down Saville Row and look at the ritzy stores. Just things I wouldn't ordinarily do on a normal day. After all, New Year's not really a normal day is it?
| outside the Savoy Hotel, the Strand; checking for directions
| dinner: ravioli
| the dinner table
| people swarming towards the fireworks viewing area
| view of the London Eye 12:03am 01/01/11
| post-midnight in the street
| literally in the middle of the street
With that, my New Year's eve experience in the city of London concluded. We managed to drag out aching feet, sore backs and stone cold fingers to the bus stop and headed back at about 3am. I ventured out to London the day before without a single plan, but ended up doing a list of random expeditions and pretty much took our own detour throughout the journey. It's one for the memories. And that was how I ended my 2010. How was yours? And remember:
| dare to dream
More next time.
Monday, January 03, 2011
New Year's Pt. 1 | London
London was plagued with a surge of people on New Year's Eve. The crowd along Oxford Circus was a tidal wave of bodies filtering through the sidewalk in and out of stores each toting 3, 4, 5 bags of goods on sale. Consumerism is scary when it's like that. And what's more scary, stroller parents who take their babies out on such cold wintry days in downtown London and practically bowl through the crowd with their strollers.
Then, we journeyed via tube through London's East End to my new favourite little bagel shop in Brick Lane for a quick bite at the old establishment which dates back to 1885. I'm still attempting to try one of everything from the shop. But there is just too many. And many of them are just so sweet.
From the graffiti-ed walls of Whitechapel, we went all the way back into the city to stroll in the vicinity of St. Paul's Cathedral. The sheer scale of the cathedral is astonishing in itself without even considering the detailed ornamentation of the facade. And the looming dome of St. Paul's doesn't fail to impress as does the strong axial presence running through the cathedral to Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern and even Jean Nouvel's new mall, One New Change.
| the shopping crowd at Oxford Circus.
| at the Beigel Shop in Brick Lane
| 'carved' graffiti near Hanbury St.
| graffiti laden truck
| in One New Change with St. Paul's Cathedral in the back
| stunning reflective surfaces
| the ornamentation on St. Paul's Cathedral
| under the portico of the cathedral
| tuppence a bag anyone?
| the front facade
More pictures to come.
Then, we journeyed via tube through London's East End to my new favourite little bagel shop in Brick Lane for a quick bite at the old establishment which dates back to 1885. I'm still attempting to try one of everything from the shop. But there is just too many. And many of them are just so sweet.
From the graffiti-ed walls of Whitechapel, we went all the way back into the city to stroll in the vicinity of St. Paul's Cathedral. The sheer scale of the cathedral is astonishing in itself without even considering the detailed ornamentation of the facade. And the looming dome of St. Paul's doesn't fail to impress as does the strong axial presence running through the cathedral to Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern and even Jean Nouvel's new mall, One New Change.
| the shopping crowd at Oxford Circus.
| at the Beigel Shop in Brick Lane
| 'carved' graffiti near Hanbury St.
| graffiti laden truck
| in One New Change with St. Paul's Cathedral in the back
| stunning reflective surfaces
| the ornamentation on St. Paul's Cathedral
| under the portico of the cathedral
| tuppence a bag anyone?
| the front facade
More pictures to come.
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Friday, December 31, 2010
2010 | A Year in Warhol-esque Pictures
It seems this is the third time I'm presenting a picture from every month of the past year. Sort of a review in pictures. I like it. It forces me to sift through files of pictures allowing me to recollect all the good times I've had.
But just to add that smidgen of wonkyness to the collection of pictures this year, I've edited them into slightly Warhol-esque pictures by playing with the colours.
January | We were together after such a long time. We need another meet-up
February | We drank the night away, by the beach.
March | We all wore green that day.
April | We took a group picture but in reverse.
May | We finished our crit! And started to part ways.
June | We took to Redang Island, and had the best time together!
July | We went crazy taking pictures.
August | We gave two people a tart.
September | I went abroad, a change of scenery.
October | We had our first few dinner gatherings.
November | I saw some Warhol
December | It snowed and snowed and snowed.
2010 was an interesting year. I'm not all that sure how I could sum it up. It was a mix of ups and downs. Bits I will keep in my mind forever and events I wish to purge from memory. Certain incidences may have messed me up but fuck it, that's just life. Things won't miraculously change for the better, there's a process that we all have to go through.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that just because the year is ending doesn't mean everything will change for the better. We're still in this continuum which at anytime, anything can happen. But it's the effort and the actions we take that can alter the course of our future. So, take charge of your future. Take a chance. And if it doesn't come out favourable, there's always alcohol.
Happy 2011 everybody,
see you next year!
But just to add that smidgen of wonkyness to the collection of pictures this year, I've edited them into slightly Warhol-esque pictures by playing with the colours.
January | We were together after such a long time. We need another meet-up
February | We drank the night away, by the beach.
March | We all wore green that day.
April | We took a group picture but in reverse.
May | We finished our crit! And started to part ways.
June | We took to Redang Island, and had the best time together!
July | We went crazy taking pictures.
August | We gave two people a tart.
September | I went abroad, a change of scenery.
October | We had our first few dinner gatherings.
November | I saw some Warhol
December | It snowed and snowed and snowed.
2010 was an interesting year. I'm not all that sure how I could sum it up. It was a mix of ups and downs. Bits I will keep in my mind forever and events I wish to purge from memory. Certain incidences may have messed me up but fuck it, that's just life. Things won't miraculously change for the better, there's a process that we all have to go through.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that just because the year is ending doesn't mean everything will change for the better. We're still in this continuum which at anytime, anything can happen. But it's the effort and the actions we take that can alter the course of our future. So, take charge of your future. Take a chance. And if it doesn't come out favourable, there's always alcohol.
Happy 2011 everybody,
see you next year!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Christmas Dinner
Well, technically, pre-pre-Christmas Eve dinner makan-makan. We had a little gathering about a week ago before Christmas for some good food, good music and good company time. But I swear I will never make a chicken pie for 10 people ever again. Not only was it stressful to prepare all the filling, stuffing it into a huuuge pyrex dish and then rolling out the pastry to top it all off, then I have to stuff the thing into a teeny tiny oven which could just barely accommodate the thing.
| Chicken pie on the far right.
| Feasting
It was one helluva dinner. We had chicken pie, potato salad, yorkshire pudding, brussels sprouts with cream and cheese, sausages wrapped in bacon, temaki made from an actual Japanese and to top it all off, ice-cream for dessert and tong yuen...since it coincided the winter solstice.
Eat well and be merry!
| Chicken pie on the far right.
| Feasting
It was one helluva dinner. We had chicken pie, potato salad, yorkshire pudding, brussels sprouts with cream and cheese, sausages wrapped in bacon, temaki made from an actual Japanese and to top it all off, ice-cream for dessert and tong yuen...since it coincided the winter solstice.
Eat well and be merry!
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Happy New Year.
Happy New Year to all, I wish you well and happiness. I'm hoping for a great year ahead!
It's been sweltering here in Penang. The sun shining tirelessly and I've been spending my time here mostly hibernating at home trying to quickly recover back my voice. And it's no walk in the park given the awesome New Year food and snacks which are just lying there on the table.
This was what my family united over for lunch. Best. Meal. Ever.
PS: Yes sis, that photo is for you.
Stay tuned for more.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Three Days Ago.
Our little group 'reunion'. We chatted, caught up with each other, ate, movie-d and hung out. Unfortunately I wasn't feeling very well that day and had to leave early. But it was still a great time.
Now, I'm wondering whether I should photoshop in Khang May, Karen, Lee Xin, Loo Hoang and Kai Xin?
Stay tuned for more.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
New Year Blues.
Most Chinese New Year celebrations would go something along the lines of ang paus, new clothes, happiness, feel-good times, gorging oneself with copious amounts of alcohol and great food and then post-CNY bitching about weight gain. But I don't feel like going over every single detail of my Chinese New Year celebration. Yes, there's the great food and ang paus (although steadily declining) and all the other things which make the new year such a cliche.
But I think as I get older, Chinese New Year is just not as fun any more. A recent conversation with Damien made me realize that I'm not the only one feeling bored during the festivities. Don't get me wrong, I love Chinese New Year, at least the concept and tradition of it. But when the day finally arrives, I find myself hating everything from the weather, the damn traffic, the hiked up prices of goods and the all-round chaotic atmosphere.
I think what I really like most about Chinese New Year ironically, is the time before Chinese New Year. That time when I start to get into the CNY mood, when I start to go shopping, when I start the preparations and cleaning and planning for the big day.
This is not a typical Chinese New Year post, and if you think I'm getting you down by being a little blase, please go on and surf over to a few other blogs which elaborate to you how great their celebrations were and how they all say "OMG, I'm going to gain weight from all the food!"
I hate to be a kill joy.
Stay tuned for better times.
But I think as I get older, Chinese New Year is just not as fun any more. A recent conversation with Damien made me realize that I'm not the only one feeling bored during the festivities. Don't get me wrong, I love Chinese New Year, at least the concept and tradition of it. But when the day finally arrives, I find myself hating everything from the weather, the damn traffic, the hiked up prices of goods and the all-round chaotic atmosphere.
I think what I really like most about Chinese New Year ironically, is the time before Chinese New Year. That time when I start to get into the CNY mood, when I start to go shopping, when I start the preparations and cleaning and planning for the big day.
This is not a typical Chinese New Year post, and if you think I'm getting you down by being a little blase, please go on and surf over to a few other blogs which elaborate to you how great their celebrations were and how they all say "OMG, I'm going to gain weight from all the food!"
I hate to be a kill joy.
Stay tuned for better times.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
I Woke Up in the Wrong House
I woke up in the wrong house. That was the first thing that came into my mind as I opened my eyes. My room was usually dark even during daylight but this one was much brighter. The colour was wrong, smell was new and everything seemed different.
As I sat right up on a queen-sized mattress, I was immediately confronted by a swash of the colour green. Even without my glasses on I could see sunlight piercing through the ruffles of an olive green curtain.
I looked left, right and all around and then...it all came back to me.
I was in a little place called home.
Happy Chinese New Year to everybody. I hope this is the time for you to chill, enjoy and just be yourself.
Stay tuned for more.
As I sat right up on a queen-sized mattress, I was immediately confronted by a swash of the colour green. Even without my glasses on I could see sunlight piercing through the ruffles of an olive green curtain.
I looked left, right and all around and then...it all came back to me.
I was in a little place called home.
Happy Chinese New Year to everybody. I hope this is the time for you to chill, enjoy and just be yourself.
Stay tuned for more.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas
Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Hopefully your stress has melted away in the company of your loved ones.
Stay tuned for more.
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