smooth operata...

I felt absolutely fresh this morning cos i had a solid 8 hour sleep last night. Tra-la-la got into a lift and saw this black man ( or rather "mahn") dressed in an african costume. abit like this picture...

















Our conversation goes like this...
Mahn: Good Morning how are you?
Me: Faabulous thank you!
Mahn: oh u speak very good english! (I'm thinking, if i'm local i wouldn't be staying in a damn hotel right)
Me: Oh! thank you (still being gracious)
Mahn: So what do u do?
Me: *frown*, you mean what do i work as?
Mahn: uhh... yeah (like in a, i didn't think about my question carefully beforehand cos i was small talking)
Me: Media (i hardly tell strangers the truth about my occupation so i usually lie abit)
Mahn: Oh I'm a diplomat. (and i'm thinking, A. i didn't ask for ur occupation, and B. Ur country must be ill-treating u cos this hotel is CRAPulous)
Me: Oh!
Mahn: so you u like to give me your numba?
Me: NO........ (lift door opens)
Mahn: why not?
Me: i don't like to entertain....

I'm like WHAT THE... all i could come up with was, "I don't like to entertain"??My last retort was totally unintelligent. and frankly even after sitting here for a while writing this, i still can't come up with a good answer. What can i say without being offensive and personal... but u know what, there is no polite rejection when it comes to this.

So i turned to trustworthy google... and i've compiled the best answers IMO to empower women to bat off horrible pick-up lines.

1. Man: "I'd like to call you. What's your number?" Woman: "It's in the phone book." Man: "But I don't know your name." Woman: "That's in the phone book too."
2. After hearing a pick-up line: Woman: "I like your approach, now let's see your departure."
3. "Sorry, I don't date outside my species."
4. Sure, my number is 911-8473
5. And here's one including the correct snappy return Man: "How do you like your eggs in the morning?" Woman: "Unfertilized, screw off!" (this one is dedicated to mountain man... my unoriginal husband who loves this pick-up line)
6. Man: Haven’t I seen you someplace before?, Woman: Yes, that’s why I don’t go there anymore.
7. Man: Is this seat empty? Woman: Yes, and this one will be if you sit down.
8. Man: Your place or mine? Woman: Both. You go to yours, and I’ll go to mine...

This reminds me of when i was back in uni, during my clubbing days... i used to give my girlfriend and myself alternative hard to pronounce names so people can't bring themselves to talk to us...

I was Fatimah (sorry to all fatimahs out there i don't think it's a bad name, it's just totally not me so it throws people off), and my friend was Vecepia... The plan usually backfires cos my friend will turn to me and... "STEL! wht did u say my name was again?"

ouch!

no this is NOT the latest make-up trend. It's the result of a blundering fool last night, me. I've been working 14 hrs straight everyday since monday. Tired is an understatement... when i got into the cab last night, i banged by specs into the car hood, and my specs smashed into my left eye.. OUUUUCCCHHH. I woke up with this. My eyeliner and brown eyeshadow cannot cover the purpleness of it.

and as u can tell, i have no time to pluck my eyebrows. it's very very ugly... but i got nice lashes. And this is without mascara.

tux

Came across this jacket on my last trip to SH. It's still there this trip and i thought ah what the heck. i love the cutting, the slight poofy sleeve...

tragedy at China Central

I don't like to post unhappy news so it'll be brief.

3 workers fell to their death while cleaning windows at our office estate. from 160M. Instant death.

http://news.sina.com.cn/o/2008-10-20/172014602166s.shtml
(warning: picture is gruesome)

Pls pray for their families and friends. It must be difficult dealing with such news.

update on trendhag

Click on this post if u've missed the previous entry on trendhag.




TADA... me new 501. i posted it on the forum and some b*tch called me fat. I hope she's not anorexic, better see a shrink yo.

Okay i am not saying it's flattering. It makes me feel a bit like a slob. but a sexy one that is... harharhahr... i shouldn't be laughing at my own jokes. pardon me it's late and i can't get to sleep.

10 things i hate about you...

1. Getting here is a pain. Travel 2 hrs prior to flight, 2 hr flight, 1 hr to check out and 1 more hour journey home. 6 hrs of my life is gone, and i leave behind a huge carbon print.
2. Sleepless nights- i hate insomnia, having one right now.
3. Under equipped hotel rooms, No hairdryer, no dvd player...
4. Overworked and overstressed- back to back meetings, short turnover for delivery of work. And i don't know why i don't get any briefs from my beijing colleagues when i am ACTUALLY in beijing, i only get briefs when i am here.
5. Reminds me of my episode last month (when i got really really sick all alone)
6. Too much shopping (it's a bad thing if u wanna quit).
7. No food options for lunch. I love Element Fresh to bits, but i can't eat it twice a day for 10 days straight.
8. Selfishness of people here...
9. No social life (Except jackson but he can't hang out with me 24/7 right)
10. Mountain man ain't here

I am a convert. I like beijing more than i do shanghai now. It's amazing how much a city can affect you. SH- known to be the hub of businesses boasts a metropolitan lifestyle, everyone is more educated, more savvy, know-all and inevitably also more stuck-up. We're foreigners sure, but this city can consume u without u realising it, especially when u're far away from home, which means no ones watching.

Beijing on the other hand is relaxed. very suitable for people like me who cannot take stress. go with the flow. Gee i wish i was back home now. 10 days to go...

Pop! Goes my heart...

i received this from a very generous soul today... Its the Bal 2008 F/W Amethyst Covered Hardware Money. I feel indebted. and so in love with the pink.





PS: pictures taken from my cell under fluorescent light.

Sonia's 3!

My brother's 2nd baby just turned 3. Sonia is the smartest little girl i know. She speaks with the queen's accent, counts to 10 is espanol, and completes 3 jigsaw puzzles AT ONE GO. Everytime i call home, i'll hear endless stories of Sonia's brilliance. btw I am her gan-ma (godma)...



Sonia also got a super special cake on her birthday. My SIL got a plain cake and decorated it together with the kids. So original! my SIL is a trained teacher. she's very very good with kids...

lunchtime humour

Translation gone wrong. I just received this from a colleague. i have problems swallowing my lunch cos i was ROTFLOL.

The following transcipt's brand names have been edited for obvious reasons!

Ms Hu, would you please stay here for a while? We need you are on behalf of your gourp to show your flippant and impressive to our boss and record some important conversation. Let him to learn the Chinese in a very apparent way.

Q: in this meeting we have talked a lot about the XXX, include the new positioning, the concept Would you talk about your opinions?
A：sunshine, flugal, green.

Q：you just refer to a very interesting trope. The previous advertisement left a impression on the malty?
A：yes, sunlight, malty, very golden.

Q：is there any other brand you are used to experience before the xxx?
2：the YYY, the Borong which was introduced by my friends...

Replenishing the kitchen

Here's my first attempt at Pepper prawns... So spicilicous it'll make u sweat. But i'll go easy on the pepper next time... AH CHOOO!



Seeing Mountain man whack everything (including the shells) just makes me so happy. Of course ur husband has to finish everything you cook right, it's only polite.

But the real achievement is when i finished a bottle of soy sauce before it's expiration date! it's a big deal for an amateur cook like me.

I used to watch my grandma and my aunt cook, and i always asked them HOW MUCH soy sauce do i put, and their answer was always... "like that lor, soooooot.." and they'll pour an aga aga (rough) amount. Must say that it's an art to know exactly how much "sooooot" is. Every dash of soy sauce means that i've learnt something new in the kitchen- a new dish, an improved technique, and the concept of moderation in ingredients. But before that, one must get their fair share of overly salty or extremely bland food.

I also replenished the sugar, the cornstarch and salt and pepper shakers. Next time i must delegate the pepper shakers to Mountain Man. It's no job for a lady.

trendhag

okay am i a trend hag? Yes. I have been looking for jeans like these... Reminds me of my 501 buttonfly years ago. I owned 3 pairs, but they got relegated by the bell-bottom cut, that was the period when retro was in.





I enquired the exact cut of the jeans on a forum that i regularly visit, and to my surprise another member commented "gosh i can believe magazines are telling people this is the new look."

How rude!
A. She/he thinks i'm a trendhag (which i am but i rather that information come from myself haha.)
B. She/he thinks i have no discretion.
C. she/he's insulting Lindsay and Katie!

girls agree with me....

Latest results according to Cosmopolitan Magazine. I'm glad that Johnny finally triumphed over Georgy.

TOP 25 HUNKS

1 Johnny Depp, 45
2 George Clooney, 47
3 Jake Gyllenhaal, 27
4 Daniel Craig, 40
5 Brad Pitt, 44
6 James McAvoy, 29
7 JustinTimberlake, 27
8 Will Smith, 40
9 David Beckham, 33
10 Wentworth Miller, 36
11 Christian Bale, 34
12 Jonathan Rhys Meyers, 31
13 Take That (band): Gary Barlow, 37, Mark Owen, 36, Howard Donald, 40 and Jason Orange, 38
14 Ashton Kutcher, 30
15 Dermot O’Leary, 35
16 David Tennant, 37
17 Patrick Dempsey, 42
18 Clive Owen, 44
19 Pierce Brosnan, 55
20 Mark Ronson, 33
21 Gordon Ramsay, 41
22 Russell Brand, 33
23 Pharrell Williams, 35
24 Ryan Reynolds, 31
25 Olivier Martinez, 42

My only question is... how did number 13 get on the list?

Speaking of hunks, for almost 2 years in China i never knew where to find the good stuff. I had lost all hopes of finding eye-candies. Until this afternoon.... i was at the acupuncture place and there was this fugly girl fixing her make-up, and along came her hunky boyfriend who just blew me away. i was like "WOAH LAU Eh.... Can this thing be Made in China?".

Of course i didn't exclaim like i'm doing now but i think the Shifu thought that he hit a particular painful pressure point. Really seriously cute. The lee hom type but ruggard. This proves one thing.... Hunky men get neck-aches too.

I have not forgotten that i am happily married btw.

SALT

Mountain man and I went to SALT for brunch about 2 weeks ago, even before we left for Osaka. Usually i won't blog back-logs, but this one is worth it.

SALT serves semi-western fusion, if such a cuisine even exists. I'm not a food connoisseur, in fact i even have a bit of problem pronouncing "connoisseur", but i know a good meal when i have one.

So i'll let the pictures do the talking.

This is not your average bread basket. The tiny bread in between 2 huge buns is a yummy cheesey lil thing. Dip it in the grounded olives paste (far left) and AHRRMM... Nyum nyum nyum.

3 types of SALT (hence the name of the restaurant) will be displayed on the table. It's edible we tried, but don't know the difference, just don't sprinkle too much even though they look pretty.


The steak.... Oh man. I salivate when i think about it now. It's a huge slab, tender even tho it's medium well (blood makes me queasy). It also blends well with the pepper cream sauce.


My favourite course, The dessert, warm chocolate cake. Looks ordinary right?
Wait till u get inside. The filling is WHITE CHOCOLATE sauce... i've tasted nothing like this. It's light and heavy at the same time so u get the taste without the full guilt. I'm not saying it's low calorie, but it doesn't make u feel "jelak".


The menu has an average of 3 to 4 items for each course, so basically u either pick a 3 course or a 4 course meal, average price is about 100-150 RMB per pax. Very good value considering the quality of the food. i give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Mountain man gets pampered...

This was from a while ago. We were stuck at Yashow cos it was raining. Nothing to do so Mountain man ventured into a little pampering session. i think he was quite pleased with the results!



Look at his cuticles!

Sayonara Osaka/Kyoto

It's our last night in Japan. Boohoo...

We've had great fun. Ate lots and lots, walked so much everyday until our legs wanna drop off, got a bit of culture, did enough shopping, and Mountain man got inked!

Here's a (very) quick recap of the highlights (other than radiohead).

We stayed in this area called the Shinsaibashi. It's like THE AREA for shopping. Rows and row of covered alleys like this with a variety of brands and drugstores for non-stop cosmetic/drugstore shopping.

Osaka Castle. Every city has it's castle, so we gotta check out how the royalties live.

Even before i knew i was coming to osaka, i had heard so much about the Osaka Aquarium, the largest aquarium in the world housing 2 whalesharks. What a graceful creation of God. I've always wanted to see this in deep blue but never got a chance to. So i hope this one rubs off good diving luck on me. Also saw the mola-mola, but pictures no good.

Universal Studios. The Q for each ride was about 70 minutes long (Spiderman was about 110 minutes). We've outgrown the thrills of height and 3D cinema, but we totally love watching other people go wild.

EG. this was the Jurassic Park ride... Whooosshhh!

Tourists looked shocked when they got drenched. Their expression cracked us up REAL BAD.

The food of Osaka- Did u know that Tako(yaki) is indigenous to osaka? It's like the Beijing Duck of Osaka. So needless to say we had our fill of it. Click HERE to see the rest of the Yummilicious food in Japan.

Lastly, u know how taxis in Japan are really expensive. So basically go everywhere must walk. The trick to survival is this magic drink. It's low in calories, packed with vitamin B and keeps u dancing all day long.

For more of our holiday pictures, click here and here... I need to wake up at 530am tomorrow, mountain man is snoring already. Better go. Konbanwa...

Kyoto Ink

One and a half decades later, Mountain man gets inked again, in Kyoto.

The world moves...

but we stand still...

I love Japan's energy. The city is always churning and churning, maximising efficiency, moving quickly. Trains are fast and people walk fast. No time to waste.







It's my favourite kind of shots right now. Still getting to know my camera... It's no SLR, but i'm having fun.

Radiohead...(Updated)

Waiting since 330pm... (concert supposed to start at 630pm, but it didn't till 730pm). I have NEVER EVER EVER waited this long (in the sun) for a concert before. Heck i've never queued for anything for more than 1 hr in my life! By the end of the concert, i really felt like collapsing from hunger and the hours of standing. But if it has to be for anything, it's gotta be radiohead.

This is a band that both mountain man and i love. OK Computer is TOP 5 on our album list, no maybe top 3. It's more than 10 years old, but we still listen to it. I believe we're both more of the pre-electro radiohead fans- Pablo Honey, the Bends, KidA, OK...

The band didn't give in to the mainstream demands (didn't play Creep, or High and Dry) and kinda stuck with their current electro phase, which i guess is less accessible. Nonetheless, we were satisfied by some of our favourite oldies - Mountain man finally got to hear No Surprises live (instead of his alarm every morning).

PS: alot of japanese put us to shame, they can memorise the lyrics from In Rainbow. amazing...


It was a beautiful day...







At 730pm, the concert begins. Fans went crazee... During the songs i didn't know, i was trigger happy. Snap snap snap snap...





















Thom appears...



Thom wants to Free Tibet.



The stage was made up of these light tubes emitting different colours during the performance.








930pm... we were knackered...



Can't remember most of the line-up cos he did most of the new stuff. But i found this online... http://www.greenplastic.com/.





Our "to-watch" list is almost complete.