Season's greetings

This year I'm spending my Christmas weekend in Singapore. My plan was very clear, to sleep and clean/clear my stuff. But an unexpected decision made by an inconsiderate person has shot those to hell. Gosh, I dislike selfish AND inconsiderate people. Anyway, I am enjoying my holidays by lazing around the house and cooking Vietnamese meals. I don't even have the mood to go to the gym, geezzz...

Well, happy holidays to everyone. Here is a big Christmas tree in front of New York Stock Exchange last year.

2010 Year In Review

Another 9 days and this year will come to an end. How time flies... And it is time to do a year in review, just to see what have happened to me this year, good and bad alike.

- Travelling: 3 continents and 4 countries, not bad at all. Spending my new year count-down in New York (albeit in a hotel, mind you!), experience a Hanoi winter (which I didn't like at all) and enjoying an European autumn, I guess I have achieved part of my travel dream. Now I just wish I could strike some lottery and I could spend a whole year to travel the rest of the world.

- Shopping: Less than 10 pairs of shoes which I could proudly say I have successfully followed my plan from last year. A whole lot more accessories were acquired so that I could utilized all the clothes I am having without feeling being repeated. And the biggest achievement of all? My first ever Chanel 2.55, lovingly bought from 31 Rue Cambon store in Paris. Hopefully I will be able to showcase it this Christmas. Now my big question: What to buy next year for bag, after I had bought my dream bag? And no, I won't buy Hermes until I earn double what I am earning now. That is my motivation. Maybe I will not buy any bag next year. Saving for a Delvaux or Celine on my next Europe trip.

- Work: Many changes and no change at the same time. I've learnt quite a bit this year, in terms of corporate politics and other nonsenses. I am feeling content right now, knowing what I should and want to do next year.

- Relationship: I'm still single, if you are wondering. But I believe in fate. Also, marriage doesn't always equal to happiness. I'm glad if my friends find their halves, but if I am content and happy with my current status, I think being single is great in its own way.

- Family: This is one aspect of my life that I don't want to write down. So let's just leave it blank for now. But I think I am a good daughter and sister this year.

- Friends: They are always there when I need them. And I am when they need me. With my friends scattering all over the world, this is the best way to describe our great friendships.

- Health: Not my best year. I think I'm gaining weight and my ankle is preventing me to exercise. I really need to be more serious in my attempt of slimming down. And yes, I will try to watch my diet.

What else to reminisce? If there is, I will just add on later. Next post will be my resolutions for next year, which I never manage to finish all (even half is great). But the point is to have some goals to look up to, ne?

Another ankle sprain (I think) after 2 years

It's the 7th month. Call me superstitious but I feel it was bound to happen one way or another. I did all the things I would never do normally.

First, wearing high heels when it was raining. If you meet me often, you would know that I even bought a pair of jelly shoes to wear during this rain season. And today, I ignored my common sense, or something made me ignorant. I had picked up my jelly shoes, and then put it down, just to pick another pair of high heels.

Second, chasing after a bus. Well, I stopped doing that for a long time, whenver I have to go to that bus stop. Why? Cos I need to cross over an overhead bridge. And the stair going down to the bus stop is very steep. I didn't know why but when I saw the bus today, I ran for it. And I still had two third of the bridge to cross over, plus the staircase. How the hell did I think I could catch the bus? But no, I had to run.

When I ran down the stairs, the heels of my shoes caught the step, I slipped. I dropped for a few more steps before I settled myself. My shoes fell a few more steps further. I just sat there, on a staircase, feeling so painful. One kind uncle picked up my shoes and asked me if I needed any help. I could only say thanks and asked him to continue on his way.

I sat there for about 5 mins when the rain was so heavy. The wind blew the water into my face and clothes. But I couldn't move at all. After a while, I tentatively tried to see if I could stand and walk. Yes (Thank God), but not with my shoes. So I decided to go back to my house, bare-footed. It was raining so it wasn't that dirty. But it was a painful walk.

A fortune teller told me earlier this year: I would have some accident with my limbs. I thought I had had that with my arms burnt by josh sticks during CNY. But apparently, I still had another accident await (hopefully, the last one of this year). And it's the 7th month. I'm not surprised but of course, I'm not happy.

I have to laugh at myself though. Cos the first thing after I feel less painful that I think about is: Thank God! It's this month, not next month. I still have time to recover before my France trip. So yeah, let's cross fingers that it's just a mild ankle sprain.

New York attractions - St. Patrick's Cathedral

There is one established fact that I am a city gal. There, I've said that. When talking about travelling, I always think about big cities with interesting architecture. Natural scenery doesn't appeal much to me. I like my trip well-planned, even down to which directions to take. I don't like the surprised elements, especially when I travel alone. You might think this is not a right way to travel, but I prefer being safe and knowing what might happen.

As a result, I love visiting buildings, i.e. castles, churches, skyscrapers, etc. That was why Chicago really fascinated me with its old but charming buildings. New York was no difference. Even the atmosphere seemed colder than Chicago, I love walking along Fifth Avenue, not shopping (I know what you are thinking), but looking at different architectures. Very lovely and also vibrant.

St. Patrick's Cathedral captivated me with its beautiful design and old charms. I'm not a church goer but I used to dream to get married in a church. And St. Patrick's Cathedral is exactly where I wish my wedding would be. However, that dream is still very far away, at the moment (at least).

One thing I really regretted was I didn't have time to go inside the church. Just to sit down and listen to the choir would be a great experience.

New York eats - Bouchon Bakery

After an interesting but tiring city tour around Manhattan, it was time for us to fill our stomach. We didn't even have lunch, just a big breakfast at Kitchenette. I was amazed that I could still manage to fool around in Columbus Circle. Cold and hungry but we still tried to take as many photos as we could. Oh... the length we could go for our passion/obsession.

Talking about breakfast, I always try to have a good meal to start a day when travelling. Experience has proven that it is a very good strategy. Good breakfast means you have plenty of energy to spend on exploring new places. You cannot always manage to eat lunch on time, sometimes your next meal after breakfast is served as half lunch and half dinner. That is why breakfast is very important.

Back to Bouchon Bakery. This is a small coffee house located inside Time Warner Center. I chose to come here for lunch/dinner for one reason, there is a Borders bookstore within the building. And why Borders? Because I need to buy a book which I have been pinning for a few months. Which book, you might ask? I will show you at the end of this post.

Time Warner Center is located on Columbus Circle and was decorated beautifully during Christmas. A lot of people were enchanted by the mirage of lights when stepping into the building. I was glad to come here, after all!



Bouchon Bakery has an open-space concept. Even there were not many choices, the cafe was still very crowded when I was there. Tracy and I had to wait for more than half an hour to be seated. In the meanwhile, we went to Borders, for Tracy to surf around, and for me to buy my book.

After a good 40 minutes of waiting, we were finally seated. Here is the only picture I have of the cafe:



And the meals we had there:











And here is the book I had to cross half the globe to get my hands on it. Especially on its paperback release date. Yay!!!

New York attractions - Staten Island Ferry

It is said that Staten Island Ferry is one of the must-do when you visit in New York. Part of the reason is that the ferry is free of charge. So instead of paying for some cruise tours, you could just take the ferry. You could get a glimpse of Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline. Not bad at all!

To take this ferry, you just need to get to Staten Island Ferry Terminal at Lower Manhattan (if you get off from Manhattan). This terminal is very near to Battery Park, where you take a cruise to Statue of Liberty Island. Here is the terminal building:



The building has a very big signboard. You can't miss it.



I took the "Spirit of America" ferry:



I also saw another Staten Island Ferry when I was on board one.



You could see Statue of Liberty from the ferry:



And here was I, with Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge (not sure) in the back:

Winter 2009 - Upper West Side Manhattan

I really need to finish writing about New York trip before embarking on a trip to France. That gives me less than 2 months.

Here was I, in Upper West Side Manhattan, in a sunny winter day. There was something very interesting about beautiful old buildings and leafless trees.

I'm going to France this October

Yep, it might be too soon after the winter trip but I think it's time to experience autumn in Europe, particularly in France.

This will be a relaxing trip, which means planning will be much less detailed than US trip. I wanna to walk leisurely in Paris or to soak of the atmosphere in Mont Blanc mountain. Yep, no Internet for 20 days for me, except for flight check-in or other emergencies. Life is too short to just think about problems in life.

Happy 28

But I'm forever frozen at 26. Hohohoho...


At Hue restobar (Amara Hotel), near my new office

Singapore shopping - YSL Iconic Arty Oval Ring

I don't know if I should be proud or feel guilty. Finally, I've got myself a ring from Yves Saint Laurent.
I am a fan of the brand, especially its shoes and accessories. They are so beautifully made and reasonably priced. But I didn't have a mood for YSL accessories, just its shoes. So I didn't explore its accessories until today.

Recently, I have a passion for rings. Previously it was just earrings and necklaces. But Tracy had made me to think differently. So I blame you, Tracy, for my new obsession.

A few weeks ago, I saw this YSL Iconic Arty Oval Ring on the Internet but didn't think the Singapore store was carrying them. So it was just pure coincidence that the SA showed the ring to me. Initially, I only wanted to check out their sale items. But there were not many things I like. The shoes were on 50% discount but I didn't think the marked-down price was justified for me. Maybe I just wait until next US trip to buy some pairs of Dior and Miu Miu shoes. Anyway, I wandered to their accessories counter and tried a few pieces. But they were too normal for my taste. I guess my face showed my thought at the time. That was why the SA told me that he had a ring that might interest me. And the price was the same as the ring I was trying. Well, no harm checking it out, right? Wrong, cos it was harmful to my wallet. It was the ring I've been thinking about, but thought they didn't carry it here (no display in store) and it might be too expensive. It turned out they have it and within my budget. So what else could I do? Buy it of course!

So here are my first YSL ring and hopefully not the only one.

Singapore eats - Durian fiesta at Goodwood Park Hotel

I'm a bit tired of talking about New York and might have lost my muse about that trip. So I've decided to tell you more about Singapore - a super small island/country I'm living in.

One thing about the locals, which you can't tell if you just stay here for a while, is they are really proud about their food. Being the cuisine originated from Singapore or other countries, they enjoy it a lot. And it is much easier to find the food you want to try, if you spend a little time reading food blogs/forums. In Saigon, it is a bit harder, partly because of the lack of info and another part being the messy addresses. If you know the address in Vietnam, it doesn't guarantee you to find the correct place you want. Trust me on this, dun ya?

Since I was young, I've liked summer. Summer meant no school (but there was still cram schools), rains and most importantly, fruits. Lychee, rambutan, longan, mango, etc... you name it, I like it. And obviously, durian is no exception. When I came to Singapore to study and work, I discovered the locals have managed to make variety of pastries out of durian. I was amazed and super happy. What is better than a durian? Of course, a durian puff which eliminates the bitter taste sometimes I unfortunately encounter. Yes, I like my durian sweet and cheesy.

Every year, from around May to July, Goodwood Park Hotel would have a Durian Fiesta which they offer a variety of durian pastries. And the taste and quality are superb. The price might be a tad high but I tell you, it's worth the money and even the calories. You can find the details on the hotel website, if you are interested.

Anyway, here are some photos to entice you. Dun blame me if you run out to buy a durian after this. Hhhehehhee...


Plenty of choices for you to choose


Durian puffs


Durian eclairs


Durian crepes


Durianmisu

Riding a New York subway

Living in Singapore for the past 9 years, I have learnt to appreciate public transport. If you plan carefully enough, you could get to anywhere. That applies to San Francisco, Chicago and apparently Manhattan.

However, I hadn't had a right appreciation for Singapore public transportation system until I rode New York subway. And I've realized that those who are living in Singapore are really pampered (not only the locals). The system has been designed to bring the most convenience to its people which a big percentage of these people don't really understand. Try New York subway for a day and you learn how wonderful the MRT in Singapore is.

Anyway, once you learn how to navigate around Manhattan, subway is a cheap but excellent method to explore this interesting city.


7-day MetroCard


Chambers St. Station






Inside a subway train

New York eats - Kitchenette, Tribeca

After a good rest, we were ready for a full-day city exploration. However, sleep wasn't enough, I need to take in more energy, which meant a good breakfast. And I found this restaurant on the Internet when planning for the trip. About 5 minutes from our hotel, it seemed to be a good place.

It has a cozy and homey ambiance. Once you step in, you could feel the warmth which is a god-sent if you are in the middle of a winter. There is not much to choose from, just very essential American breakfast. As I didn't like bacon and sausages for morning, I had chosen blueberry pancakes and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Luckily I had finished both cos the next meal was actually lunch cum dinner in Columbus Circle.










A huge glass of OJ


A big plate of blueberry pancakes


Looking fresh after a good night of sleep

New York eats - Viet Cafe, Lower Manhattan

After our disastrous shopping trip at Century 21, which Tracy had managed to buy something (amazingly), we couldn't wait any longer to head for dinner. We got lost for a while, but somehow we regained our direction and landed to the right area. But if you ask me for one advice, dun ever plan your dinner around Financial District. The whole place looked like a ghost town to me. Quite scary for 2 girls.

Anyway, we chose a Vietnamese restaurant cos I thought after 2 weeks in North America, Tracy and I might miss our food. And yes, I was right. We were glad to have some cabbage salad and some hot noodle soups for dinner. Even though the price was steep, I dun think I could have chosen otherwise.






Cabbage salad with chicken


Pho Nam Dinh


And of course, a photo of myself on my first night in Manhattan

New York shopping - Century 21

Technically it was my second day in New York, the first day being the day I landed to JFK, aka two week before. But who cares, it was my first day in Manhattan and NYC. And managing to get here on schedule was another miracle (I hate terrorists, but that will be another story of another blog post).

After catching some much needed sleep (I think I didn't sleep a wink the night before in Canada) in the hotel room for about 2 hours and waiting for Tracy to arrive from San Francisco, we went out for some much needed retail therapy and of course, dinner. As we stayed in Tribeca which is quite near to Ground Zero, our logical shopping choice was Century 21.


(sorry, the photo was a bit blurry. I was cold and hungry.)

I'd had high hope for this department store after all the raves from other travelers, and even some New Yorkers. And yet, I was disappointed. The brands the store carried were just blah and the selection was bad. After 5 or 10 minutes in the store, I was bored even others were digging furiously. Its only saving grace was shoes, but I couldn't choose anything as there was no size for me. Really, I had had better luck at Neiman Marcus Last Call in Chicago. I'd managed to score a pair of Brian Atwood heels there.

Anyway, that might be just me. You may find the store interesting if you like those brands. But I won't recommend this for any of my friends' shopping list.

Magnificent Mile at night

If you are a shopaholic, you must visit this part of Michigan Ave. Even if you are not, you should come here as well. Especially at night. The street looks magical and beautiful. I enjoyed shopping at Saks Fifth Ave. The service was warm but not too overwhelmed.