This Is Your Night

HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY, RUSSELL!

Sure wish we could party to really celebrate it!

Bright Lights

Tonight, we had dinner in Chinatown at the famous food stalls that line Smith Street.
I love to eat there, unfortunately, it really only comes alive at night.
Therefore, when I am working with on projects with the various production houses that have offices in Chinatown, it's a real disappointing place to have lunch.
Nonetheless, the 6 months I've been away has made the food taste even better so I'm just happy I ate there again tonight.
Looks like I'm starting to babble so here are the pictures of the street and the glimpses of Chinese New Year decor for you guys to enjoy.

Smith Street:




Some of the food stalls:



Photos hosted by: www.flickr.com

It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas

Ok, so my timing is a little off. But it's really never too late to document Orchard Road's Christmas Light Up, now is it? Unless they've taken it all down to put up the Chinese New Year decor, of course.

That famous junction where all the Christmas/ New Year/ Some Other Significant Holiday Countdowns are held:


I snapped this long-exposure shot while standing in the middle of the pedestrian crossing between Wheelock Place and Shaw Centre. I would've turned out real good if that bus didn't choose to get involved. Damn bus:


The weird singing boxes on every corner of the junction:


They basically churn out high-pitched renditions of Christmas carols and then the boxes open up to reveal cheesy doves at the very top of the stack:


I cannot exclude the good ol' ice-cream dude that parks his cart at the corner of the junction from morning till night, selling chunks of ice-cream sandwiched between thin wafers or slices of colourful bread. I promise to document the ice-cream one day before my sister or mum chomps it down...



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If Everyday Was Like Christmas

It's a tradition in my family to prepare a Christmas dinner on the Eve and open our doors to family, friends and anyone who would like to join in on the celebrations. My Dad's Catholic and Mum's Buddhist, and I love how we celebrate occasions from both religions in my family. Christmas is particularly special for me because our parents have always reminded us about the importance of this day. And who could refuse the potential of being showered with gifts?

It so happens that every year in Singapore, it will rain on Christmas Eve. In fact, it pours:


And the dogs always feel and look neglected while we prepare the food for dinner:


Here's Mum making her renowned Apple Pie. Notice the placement of the Christmas tree due to lack of space what with the hoard of presents under it:


Ana's contribution to the Christmas decor - some items she bought while in Freo on the weekend:


This is lunch for us; Peppered Crabs:


My best friend of 14 years, Caroline, and the man that has (finally) asked for her hand in marriage, Marc:


Mum and a present from her god-children:


Derek trying to use his present to hide his face from my camera. My dear, no one can escape the long-exposure of my camera coupled with my steady hands! Muahahaha...

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Majulah Singapura

Yesterday, I arrived past 5pm and we ended up having dinner at the airport. Everyone else went for Mediterranean but I went next door to order a steaming hot bowl of Nonya Laksa!
It's good to be back!

Ana:


Mum & Dad:


Earlier tonight, we had dinner at the kopi tiam nearby. Only in Singapore will you find a talking green parrot having dinner with its owners two tables away from you:




Here is the half-massacred feast we ordered including Indian Fish-head Curry, Sambal Kangkung, Stir-fried Beef with Spring Onion and Claypot Tofu:

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That was one of the best Asian dinners I've had in a long time. No offence to Michelle who cooks me superb Chinese food all the time, but nothing beats good old hawker food from home!

Goodbye To the Circus

It's the night before I fly home to Singapore and I caught up with my uncle, my grandaunt and a few friends before I left. Daryl and Michelle were having a nice, fancy dinner together and caught up with me later on in Northbridge.

With a very persistent Michelle, we ended up at Hip-E Club (what a horrendous place!) and came home with about 5 hours left for me to sleep, but we still managed to take the time out to smile for the camera together one more time:

Photo hosted by: www.flickr.com

Thanks for everything!

New Way To Fly

Ana and Shirley have just gone off to the airport and it's high time I slept as well. We stayed up all night last night till this morning, playing Monopoly (stolen from my office) to keep us awake:


Ana was the eventual winner and a true-blue Miss Moneybags:


Shirley is seen here trying to pay her $1750 rent:


Us looking delirious before we took a short nap:

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Time to sleep!

Caught By The River

Ana and Shirley went off on tour to the Swan Valley this morning and so Michelle and I decided to spend a little time together. Daryl was nice enough to lend us his car again because we wanted to catch the carollers at Mill Point Road.

Seeing that we were early, we decided to go down to the river and have a little picnic with the Hungry Jacks we bought earlier in the city:


This time, both Michelle and I wished we were in that boat:


Families having their own picnics in the park:




The duck pond:






A view of the city with the beautiful black swans Western Australia is known for:


Heron by the river:




We soon drove down to Mill Point Road to look for the carollers but to no avail. It was truly sad, but we still got to grab a few beautiful shots of the city yet again:

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After that, we ended up at the bar at Windsor Hotel because the band was playing some pretty good music. Too bad the crowd was full of old fogies and gay people. Nonetheless, we had a good time and that's all that really matters!

Weekend

I decided to take Ana and Shirley out to a proper tour with a weekend at Fremantle and Subiaco starting out early in the morning. I made sure they saw the essentials like the weekend markets and Cicerello's by the harbour:


Check out the one stuffing her face in the background:


It seems we came on the day that the clipper in that around-the-world race had just arrived at Freo so we were in luck. We were happy to see the Singapore flag flying proudly next to the Aussie flag:






I wish I was on that little fishing boat:


There was alot going on at the harbour today, including this lady offering free face painting to kids:


Looks like she left a tiger running around eating chips:


And there was also this stiltwalker making balloon animals for the kids:




Check this sign out. Love it!


Seated next to us, we spotted this weird-looking dog in a Japanese lady's bag:


The Fremantle Markets:




Strangely, I didn't take any pictures from then on. Probably wasn't paying attention or something. But after Freo, we made our way to Subi by train and again, I brought them to the weekend markets and to the other little shops in the area. Although Michelle and I have walked through the markets many times, we never actually bumped into Russell although we know that he works there. It so happened that this trip, I caught sight of him and hogged him for a short chat. A good day indeed.

After Subi, the girls were tired and we raced back home to rest our tired feet. Ana was still gung-ho enough to make us dinner consisting of Cheese-topped Meat-stuffed Mushrooms:


Prawn, Chilli and Spinach Risoni:


And a Prawn & Avocado Salad:

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Yummy!