last toe

I went for a pedicure last night. It's not the best angle for my feet i realise.

Anyway, I found out that there is a distinct difference between China Chinese women, and Singaporean women. Chinese women have almost no last toenail. According to the manicurists, most Singaporean women have beautiful last toenails that can be easily painted on. Chinese women on the other hand usually just requires a "dot", or a "stroke".

You must be thinking "Wow such useless information... "

So to add abit more value to this post, i did a surf on the www for information on toes.

1. Our biggest toe has a scientific name called the hallux. Commonly known as thumb toe also.
2. Morton's Toe is a common term referring to your 2nd toe (next to hallux) extending beyond the hallux. It's apparently a birth disorder. WOAH LAU, my 2nd toe is really quite long, especially the left one.

Okay actually there are alot of information but mostly related to toe deforminites and fungal infections and ingrown nails... Too disgusting. I took one look and closed the windows. gross.

Can't get enough...

Sometime last year, i posted this online lingerie shop (http://sable-inc.com/shop/) on the blog (http://lovexiaolongbaomore.blogspot.com/2007/12/inner-beauty.html). At that time, i thought my, the designs are really really sweet, but so pricey! In the end I thought to myself, since i'm getting married why not splurge a bit. So i bought 3 (ya i know, thts why i said splurge).

I've had lots of nighties before, the silky types. Most of them are not cheap, at least 50 bucks a piece. They tend to go haywire if u toss around at night, and they don't really fit Asians, if you know what i mean.

Now i'm a sable convert. I've been wearing them almost everynight since Spring came. It's extremely comfortable, fitting but not tight, and it makes me feel *ahem*, sexy. I think i can accept paying this much for good quality stuff.

In fact there is a new arrival i'm eyeing, and its called the Stella Chemise...

PS: this is not an advertisement. I am not that famous. Yet.

Sharon gets stoned...

LOS ANGELES - Sharon Stone's "karma" is having an instant effect on her movie-star status in China. AP, Wednesday, May 28




The 50-year-old actress suggested last week that the devastating May 12 earthquake in China could have been the result of bad karma over the government's treatment of Tibet. That prompted the founder of one of China's biggest cinema chains to say his company would not show her films in his theaters, according to a story in The Hollywood Reporter.



"I'm not happy about the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans because I don't think anyone should be unkind to anyone else," Stone said Thursday during a Cannes Film Festival red-carpet interview with Hong Kong's Cable Entertainment News. "And then this earthquake and all this stuff happened, and then I thought, is that karma? When you're not nice that the bad things happen to you?"



Ng See-Yuen, founder of the UME Cineplex chain and the chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, called Stone's comments "inappropriate," adding that actors should not bring personal politics to comments about a natural disaster that has left five million Chinese homeless, according to the Reporter.



UME has branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hangzhou and Guangzhou, China's biggest urban movie markets.



During the brief interview, which has also surfaced on YouTube, Stone also said she cried when she recieved a letter from the Tibetan Foundation asking her to help the quake victims.
"They wanted to go and be helpful, and that made me cry," she said. "It was a big lesson to me that sometimes you have to learn to put your head down and be of service even to people who aren't nice to you."



Stone's words created a swell of anger on the Internet, including at least one Chinese Web site devoted solely to disparaging her comments.



An after-hours phone call and email to a representative for Stone were not immediately returned Tuesday night.



"To Sharon Stone's comment, it's unlikely that we will respond," said a woman who answered the phone at the Foreign Ministry in Beijing. She refused to give her name or position.
According to the Web-based database imdb.com, Stone has at least four movies coming up between now and 2010, including "Streets of Blood," "Five Dollars a Day" and "The Year of Getting to Know Us."



*******************************************
So Lester and I had a conversation about this...

Stella says:
btw, sharon stone made a comment about the earthquake being bad Karma from the way the chinese treated the tibetans
Stella says:
now china ban all her films
lester says:
issit?
Stella says:
stupid right?
lester says:
haha.
Stella says:
she shd just stick to her endorsements and not dabble with politics
lester says:
it's just her basic instinct

....hahahahhaha... he cracks me up.

comeback of comebacks...

Famous for their hit single Love me For a Reason, I say let the reason be abs... (i didn't draw the heart on Ronan's thing, the picture is from perezhilton.com)

I thought Spice Girls made a hot comeback, Boyzone is like molten hot, appeals to both sexes i believe.

Well it's nice, but i'm sorry its also a bit desperate.

***********************************************************
Btw, somehow the boyzone picture reminded me of a recent devastating news. Okay maybe not so recent but i just found out not too long ago... Wentworth miller and i may have something in common, we like men!




He is apparently linked to Scotty(Luke McFarlane) from Brother's and Sisters, Scotty is gay in the show.


Not that i have a chance if he is straight, and even if i do i only have eyes for one man and i already married him.

So Wentworth is denying that he and Luke are an item, but usually these rumours are true. So far all the young and supposedly down to earth hollywood actors have either become womanisers, or they're dating someone well-known. Yet Wentworth is so low profile. *shrug*

Rainy night, 27 May

I walked in the rain today, willingly. It almost never happens. Ask Lester and he'll know that i'll do anything to take cover from the rain no matter how light it is. But somehow, i felt liberated enough to walk in the rain today. I didn't fear falling sick, or mind the frizz i'd get in my hair, or have mascara run from my eyes. (i did however feel the ache as raindrops created dark spots on my handbag which fortunately disappeared when the leather dried off... )

The house is quiet once again. My mom, irena's godmom, 2 other female relatives and my pek-kong from Taiwan has left after a three weeks visit. And Lester's off to beijing from Mon-Fri and only back on weekends.

So with the freedom and time i have, i goofed around abit at home. April's getting married in July and I am one of the bridesmaids! I collected my dress today and i posed around at home, jumped up and down to make sure that the dress doesn't fall off cos i don't trust chinese tailors, especially when it cost only SGD 20 to make the thing.

Voila, not bad right? The colour is gorgeous! I am totally excited for April.

putting yourself out THERE

Before your read this post, read this article : Four Reasons You Should Remove yourself from Facebook.
http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2007/10/30/four-reasons-you-should-remove-yourself-from-facebook/

I know alot of people who don't believe in putting yourself out THERE. So exactly what are the risks of joining facebook and the likes of it?

To the article's first point:
Employees have perks to snoop around. So your point being....??? And the point of joining social networks being....???? There's a voyeur in everyone of us, we watch others and others watch us, and we portray ourselves the way we want others should see us.
Users can control what they put online. Honestly, if anything, your online profile can be a perfect decoy for who you really are if you want to hide your identity. And even then, no one will bother to snoop around u unless u are interesting.

2nd point and 3rd point are actually the same point. Giving up your database and targetisments, and this actually makes advertising more efficient. That means no more Viagra advertisements and potent bakblu drugs UNLESS you need it.
Like it or not, we're walking billboards ourselves. I have more than 50 brands from head to toe, there is no way we can escape advertising. And it helps that at least we'll be seeing messages useful to us. Behavioural targeted advertisments doesn't just benefit advertisers, it also acts like a natural filter to the consumers.

The article ends of with the writer saying that one day, a media conglomerate will buy up all our database and surfing history and they'll do something really bad with it. Sounds like a potential blockbuster movie? Maybe there already is. I don't know if you've watched The Net with Sandra Bullock.

Other than mankind's natural instinct to be voyeuristic, i believe that survivial instincts are even stronger. We'll figure out ways to protect ourselves against risks like identity thefts.

I am not encouraging everyone to sign up with every social network there is right now. But rules apply, be discerning about information you give out and privacy protection clauses. Other than that, enjoy what it does for us. Like Fire, the internet is a good servant but a bad master.

Let me tell you a story. My friend overdosed when she was in her early twenties. And there's absolutely no way of remembering this person other than her little friendster profile that will always occupy a few megabytes in cyberspace.

Moldy Peaches- Nothing Came Out

If you've had a crush on some guy when you were 12, this song will remind you of what it was like. Sorta like Radiohead's Creep, only not creepy. The recording sounds very unpolished, but the melody and lyrics are lovely.



Just because I don't say anything
Doesn't mean I don't like you
I open my mouth and I try and I try
But no words came out

Without 40 ounces of social skills
I'm just an ass in the crack of humanity
I'm just a huge manatee
A huge manatee

And besides, you're probably holding hands
With some skinny, pretty girl
That likes to talk about bands
And all I want to do is ride bikes with you
And stay up late and watch cartoons

DuckTales, Shirt-Tails, TaleSpin, Sailor MoonGI Joe, Robotech, Ron Jeremy, Shmoo

I want to watch cartoons with you
Josie and the Pussycats and Scooby-Doo
I want you to watch cartoons with me
He-man, Voltron, and Hong Kong Phooey

I tried to ask you to your face
But no words came out
Put on my hood and walked away

That doesn't mean I don't like you
And besides you're probably holding hands
With some skinny pretty girl
That likes to talk about bands
And all I want to do is ride bikes with you
And stay up late and maybe spoon

Just because I don't say anything
Doesn't mean I don't like you, noI opened my mouth and I tried and I tried
And besides, you're probably holding hands
With some skinny pretty girl
That likes to talk about bands
And all I want to do is ride bikes with you
And stay up late and watch cartoons
I'm just your average Thundercats ho!

Style Profile

Style Profile debut on Gabriel Mendes' new blog. I feel so honoured.
http://www.gabrielmendes.net/?p=4

19 May, 2:28pm, BJ Time (UPDATED)

The world's fastest growing economy stopped for 3 minutes today to mourn for the death of earthquake victims. Cars sounded their sirens, and everyone gathered together in the office and along the streets to bow their heads in silence. The feeling is just hair-raising...

Here's the view from my window, taken with my cameraphone.



Our heart and prayers goes out to those who've lost their loved ones... May God's grace and peace find them and comfort them.

************************************************

To coincide with the nationwide mourning, online portals like Sohu, Tom, 163 have also made their site black and white for one day.

It will normally look like this...

Now that the wedding is over...(Updated slideshow link)

April tells me, its womens' prerogative to gush about their weddings for as long as they want. The men have army, we have our wedding!

So let me say it once and say it right... it ain't over till i say its over.

So anyway, planning a wedding remotely is no joke. It means no personal meet-ups, everything via email, via sms, via phone calls. The success of the wedding wouldn't be possible without the professionals who have put forth their best for us. These are the people who took our very vague and "wild" demands into reality. They know us even before they saw us. So it is only right to credit the folks who truly deserve the accolade.

Also this goes out to the brides on multiply/singaporebrides forum who read my blog, and wants to know who the vendors are.

Not in any particular order...

Sattine Bridal Couture (Danny):
Both gowns were made-to-measure.

The wedding gown is full lace, with removable shoulder straps. It was genious because i love the victorian shoulder strap look, but then i knew i couldn't stand to have it on the whole day.

The blue dress was Danny's (the designer) creation. I originally saw it in orange and mustard yellow, but it was later remade into this lovely blue. Danny initially had a hard time undertanding what i meant by a cobalt blue dress . I mean how many percent of the population actually remember the colour of cobalt.... So in the end he found the exact shade i wanted, only he called it Primary colour blue. And people who attended the wedding commented "i love the electric blue dress!". So whatever blue it is, he pulled it off in perfection.

Card Blanche (Ferne Yap):
The invites and mass booklets were really beautifully designed and looks great in pictures! Ferne was also very prompt in everything- quotations, designs, printing...basically the bride and groom have nothing to worry about.

Thanks so much for everything else you've done for us. Patrick is very lucky to have you.

Stamford Catering (Joyce Ling):
Actually this picture captured the very reason i engaged them in the first place- Thai Olive Fried Rice. The price was right, the decor was what i wanted despite my very vague description, and the service was excellent. They even came a day earlier to set up the buffet at my last minute request. The rest of the food also received very rave reviews.

If u're hiring them, i also suggest the wasabi mayo prawns, and cheesecake.

Make-up Artiste (Sophia Chia):

My beautiful mua who earned me lots of compliments. At a wedding, no one would say, WOW such great artistry in make-up! THey'll just say "Wow look like model.... "So MUA is very often underated, but definitely important and worth every penny. It was truly a joy working with her because she was patient, professional, stylish (not the auntie auntie type), and she knew what worked for me. AND she only met me for the first time on my wedding day! I didn't make it to trial due to an eye infection.

Her friend Jasmine also made-up for my family members. She too deserves the credit cos she made my family look very good. I don't know what we were laughing about but i remember it was fun chatting with the two ladies in the wee hours of the morning. Its quite important to have an MUA to perk you up at 5am!

Caravan Jazz Band (Tama Goh):

For the first time in history, CJB played Rock infused with Jazz. They had ONE rehearsal (only because they were so good and that's all they needed), and they blew the night and the audiences away. Apparently everyone got up to encore the band while les and i we were out bidding goodbye to our guests. Basically the crowd didn't want to go home and wanted more, and i kept getting asked "What band did you hire again?". I don't think Tama will ever forget Lester, ever.

Four Seasons (Ginny Khaw and the staff of Four Seasons):

The person who saw the ugliest side of me has to be Ginny. AND Yet...She was so patient and understanding throughout. Everything was perfect, the food was excellent, the decor was wow... Les and I actually shared a very special moment together in the suite- it was when the night ended, we were in our hotel room at 430am in the morning after crazy partying at St James. We were served our supper and the food was just absolutely divine. We looked at each other and said... "Four Seasons really quite oo hua..."

Last but definitely not least...

Photographer (Gabriel Mendes):

A picture paints a thousand words, and he took so many great ones. His work immortalised our special day (he took all of the pictures in this blog). Our relatives and friends and even strangers have sung his praises. Not only is he good at what he does, he is also honest. He tells u what you need to do before the picture becomes perfect, even if its not positive. If you've hired him, whatever it is, just trust him.

I know i posted until ad nauseum. But go see this slideshow if u haven't: http://www.gabrielmendes.net/lesterstella/

Gabriel if u're reading, it makes me cry, and smile, and then hit the replay button. I've had so much fun, i want to do this again someday.

So seriously. THANK YOU ALL for making this day happen. We've truly had a blast. The best way to repay you really is to brag about your greatness for the rest of our lives.

So pls log on to http://www.lovexiaolongbao.weddingwindow.com/ to access to their websites/contact information. If contact info is missing, just ask us for it.

I now leave you with You and Me by LiFehouse, the song used in our slideshow.

3rd Postcard from Maldives

This is probably the last postcard from Maldives. We've had quite enough of sun, or at least i have. I am so dark i look like a manual labourer. Les on the other hand is still pale as snow, and no freckles!

Anyways, we haven't said anything about the resort so far. We're currently staying in the Angsana: Velavaru. It's under the Banyan Tree Group who owns 4 resorts in the Maldives. The Velavaru was only opened in dec 2007, it took over an old resort and was rebuilt after the Tsunami. This resort takes up the entire island, but its a pretty small island.



Must say that service has been very impressive. Everyone's friendly, rooms are always clean, towels changed, water refilled...



Click here to see pictures of resort:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=51648&l=b3c8a&id=611505872


Here are some more fun shots. We took em while exploring round the island.
We've become quite good at taking our own pictures.













Saw this ray swimming around near the shore. Which reminds me, we haven't had sambal stingray!




It was high tide, so a watermelon was swept upshore. lester wanted to crack it and eat it. But never got round to doing it.


Saw a pair of father and son heading out to snorkel. So sweet.







Very nice beach bodies. No cellulite when you zoom in.



For the rest of maldives pictures, click
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=51815&l=e92a4&id=611505872

2nd Postcard from Maldives

Multi-tasking has become part of the metropolitan life many of us chose to lead. We play many roles back home. Lester is a husband, a son, a brother, an employee and a boss all at the same time. I am a daugther, an aunt, an employee, a friend, a wife, and for a while a bridezilla.

I now understand the importance of honeymoon, and why it traditionally occurs right after a wedding, that is when a man and a woman assume new roles of husband and wife respectively . During the honeymoon, u're nothing else but each other's life-long partner. And maldives is perfect cos there are no distractions, far from the rest of the world world, only connected by very weak internet signal (allowing me to blog at an alarmingly slow speed).

Entertainment on the island is so far pretty good. There's loads of free time to do stuff we don't normally do. Like Read....Les loves his business books, i like my novels.

We also do 1 dive a day. Today's dive was by far the best of 3 days. We saw 2 eagle rays, lots of tuna, jacks and giant groupers.

And after hours, we play CHESS! Okay for the record, Lester is not good, i just really really suck at it. haha. He won me 5 out of 5 times.

This is me contemplating the next move. At the end of this game, i was left with my king and 2 soldiers. Poor King was cornered by a castle, the knight, and a bishop.

Last night, we had a special performance by the local boatmen. They got together and did a diki barat style sing-song.

At some point, the boatmen invited ladies in the audience to get up and dance. I was such a spoilsport for refusing to join in (partly due to stress of losing chess). Diki barat music doesn't exactly evoke my dancing mood, but some people evidently enjoyed themselves!

This holiday is also perfect for honing photography skills. I'm very amateur so its good when i have all the time in the world to practice.

Ok gotta go Les is waiting to kill me in chess battlefield again. Till tomorrow!

Postcard from Maldives

Howdy!

It's day 2 in Maldives Angsana and it's been grreeeaaatt! We're currently lounging around having a beer (lester) and a cold chocolate milkshake (me) after a productive day in this gorgeous tropical island.

We did loads from the moment we arrived. First thing on the list was to do a Scuba dive refresher course- Les hadn't s-dived since 1997, and i stopped for 2.5 years. The checkout dive was fun, despite the lack of aquatic action, i really really missed being underwater- free from mobile phone, laptop, and worldly worries. Just me and God's magnificent creation. And Lester was really good!

Night time, we ventured out to the sea again for Night Fishing! Frankly i've never been to a fishing trip (unless you count prawn fishing in Pasir Ris) and was never really interested. It's very out of character for me cos it involves bloody baits, hooks, and extreme patience. So the night was quiet and boring untill....

Lester: "Fish Fish!"

Boatmen: "hgudhgurtnvjfnheiuyt4iijfhirjhfuhigfgjk!" (in native language)

And they reeled in a gigantic Red Snapper.

TADAaa... Lester beaming with his prize. It's SUPER DUPER HUGE.

The boatman caught a barracuda and Lester caught the only other fish on the boat. So proud of him!

It then became this by lunchtime the next day....Red Snapper baked in banana leaves, with a mix of spices and herbs and lotsa lemon juice.

So juicy... Yuumm....

It was so huge that it was the only thing we could stomach for lunch. This was what became of Mr Red Snapper, we did justice to his death so may he rest in peace.

The wedding was everything we could ask for, and now the honeymoon now is really cherry on the icing.

Therefore we jump for joy!

Yeeeeaaaaahhhh!!

Weeeeee!!!

Art from the heart...

Early morning after the wedding, Lester and i received a note slipped under our suite room door. We opened it and found a letter from Shannon, my niece and flower girl.



It says...
I am Shannon, we are from Singapore
Just now we sing
Today it is a sunny day
I like to be a flower girl and colour the letter and their xxxx (can't read)
Why you dided (didn't) throw hand boky (bouquet)


I want to tell something
ako is like a wonderwoman
uncle is like a superman

Our hearts were filled with warmth upon reading the letter. The details of her drawings were also impeccable. Notice how i have a side bun and very red rouge. I didn't know it meant so much to Shannon that i had to throw my hand bouquet, if i did i would have done it. On hindsight, no wonder she kept grinning all day and kept asking when i'd throw my hand bouquet.

Shannon had dreamt of being a flowergirl even before the engagement. She pestered her mom everyday and she even practised her walk dilligently. She did a FANTASTIC JOB in leading the troops in bridal march.



A moment i had with Shannon before Lester broke through the door.


Dear Shannon,

Thank you my darling. I hope you had fun and will remember this experience for the rest of your life....You were such a great flowergirl, and a very very lovable niece.

Love,
Uncle Lester and Ako Stella

PS: Last 2 photos from Gabriel Mendes, Unedited.

Wedding Blogs....UPDATED

We've been too busy lately to blog. But there have been blogs about our wedding already!

Cousin Irena: http://everydaypostcards.blogspot.com/

Gabriel Mendes: http://gabrielmendes.net/

Esther TAN-TEO: http://tulips02.multiply.com/journal/item/33

Yann: http://yannisms.com/archives/2008/05/15/four-more-months/


The day was so perfect. Weather was great- nice and sunny for photography. We've also gotten very good feedback on different parts of the wedding. Fr. Anthony Ho was very personable, beautiful church, delicious catered food, great service and food at Four Seasons. And the highlights were definitely the touching speeches (Sisters, Bestman, Lester's Dad), and of course Caravan Jazz Band who rocked the night away.

There's really nothing more to say except more THANK YOUs to those who've helped, offered to help, and prayed really really hard for us.

Stay tuned for more pictures and write-ups.