Take a bite out of this!

A trip to Raffles City this morning,simply to purchase my Origins Refining Powder as I had clumsily dropped my current one the other day and it broke (I salvage what I can).I was so mad at myself.I had just used it for only a few weeks.Plus,it's so much cheaper to get it in our neighbouring country (without the GST and stuff) instead of here.

As always,I love to let my baby run free (when there's a good place for it,of course) coz he's just so happy when he gets to do it.There's a space on the third floor of the newly renovated building that he can run and soak in the sights.

Evidently,I had my share of doughnuts at J.Co...*drool...*My other indulgences were from Aldo and Dorothy Perkins *grin...* I have a surprise for a tiny tot too.

Oh,before I forget,my baby boy's sprouting yet another new tooth!Yay!

...but you can't see it here!

Email from afar

Received an email from bro in Xi'an.Glad that he's well and adjusting to the weather there.It was -4 degrees when he woke up this morning..brrrrr....Reminded me of the days I had in Ankara and Cappadocia when it was nearly -20deg at night!Anyway,here are some nice photos he took in Xi'an....

Random thoughts

1.SIM is offering a new course-Degree in Translation & Interpretation, for those who has the love for languages and wish to strengthen their proficiency of the languages.It covers literary works,translation of business and media materials to name a few, and teaches consecutive as well as simultaneous interpretation.

I was thrilled when I found out about this.I'd love to take this up.Unfortunately,it only covers English and Chinese languages but I'm sure my Chinese interpreter friends in court are keen to take this up.I hope SIM would consider having other languages like Malay and Tamil some time soon as there has always been a demand for a proper and professional translation and interpretation course as most of us (i.e interpreters) honed our language skills only through reading,listening,learning and exchanging information between colleagues and work experience....hardly through a proper course.

2.I was reading the Sunday Times headlined "Do S'pore Women Expect Too Much" and I personally think some ladies' out there are over the top,snobbish and some,purely lame.Making their men carry their handbags?It's ridiculous and stupid.Shockingly,I have seen some men doing that (and I feel like taking the bag and hitting them on the head).I mean,what were they thinking?Yes, we women like chivalry,but that's not part of it.

3. I hope we have IslamChannel like they have in England.I'd love to catch 'CitySisters' (and join them as a presenter perhaps...*chuckle*).




This is what I got from their site :

'City Sisters' is a brand new Women's Lifestyle Show on Islam Channel! Its made by women for women and looks at a whole heap of topics that will inshaAllah really interest you! The show will be covering all lifestyle topics including fashion, shopping, cooking, women's health issues, weddings and much more!The idea is to depict the Muslim women in a completely new light, a way in which the media has not covered to this date. There will be interviews with women in creative fields to hopefully inspire others who want to follow suit! In all it's a very girly show and so will appeal to women from all walks of life!

Will Singapore broadcasters be 'afraid' to have this on TV(since it's religious-based)?

4.I hope the bank would settle the problem about the illegal transaction made in my credit card account soon.I have sent in my disputed form and waiting for their outcome of the investigations.Fyi,it was an online transaction for USD$474.You can imagine my shock when I found out about it.

5.Hubby's away on another business trip : ( Can't wait till he returns home.

6.Gosh,I desperately need a haircut!

Reaching new heights....

As the little one becomes more active and hyper,the more we have to watch his moves.We have done quite a fair bit in child-proofing our home since he started to crawl many months back.... the standing fans are netted,doorstops are placed on all doors,the kitchen cabinets and bathrooms are latched with safety locks,the corners of tables and sharp ends are secured with cushioned edge protectors (though he would diligently peel each one of them!*roll eyes*).All items on tables and shelves have to be kept,even furniture are pushed to the sides so that our home resembles a vast field where one can roll from one end to the other.

Recently,the little one has started to adore climbing....EVERYWHERE!On the tv console (where he can easily press the buttons on our flatscreen),on the dining chairs and table (where he usually pretends he's looking for food) and our four-poster bed which is in fact, quite high (he hoisted himself up by climbing onto the bookshelf first).

So we are always trying to keep up with his adventures and making sure that he is safe.Recently,hubby noticed that having a swivel chair in front of our pc is rather unsafe especially when,yup,you guessed it,he climbs up onto it...in a mere two seconds!Not only could he fall from the swivel chair,he could also get hurt if a finger or toe gets 'rolled over' or stuck in the rollers.Therefore,hubby decided we should get a new chair at Ikea.

We filled up our tummies first when we got there,knowing that there are some halal food now.There was a measly menu of about 3 or 4 halal items (as compared to non-halal food of fried chicken,spaghetti and much more) but we tucked in anyway.What's nice was having our little one in a circular play tent,while both mummy and daddy ate on the sides.





Although we have our eyes on him (and on the food at the same time,figure that out!),we managed to eat 'peacefully' while he played with the wall-mounted toys.Isn't it awesome if more restaurants have this child-friendly concept?Though there are a few other eateries like this (such as Globetrotters and Disney Naturally), unfortunately, none of the them are halal-certified : (

We didn't purchase anything at Ikea except for a spider mask (haha!) so off we hopped to the next building to browse.The furniture there were either pathetic-looking or exorbitantly-priced so we ended up at the eatery (again!) after seeing that it was managed by Eatzi.Unlike the branch at Simei,this served hard and cold fish and chips (which seemed to have been fried many hours before),cold mashed potato and steak that tasted blah!So if you feel like having cold dishes,head down to the eatery at Courts.Urgh!

Though we came home disappointed,like hubby said,we had quality fun time together...and we had more quality time later,the three of us snoozing the lazy Sunday away....

Au revoir!

Taking a trip to the airport for two days in a row didn't dampen his excitement in any way.In fact,he loved it.Vast reaches of open space where he can run free...refused to sit even for a millisecond,what more to hold my hand.

We welcomed his daddy home yesterday.Both men were smiling from ear to ear when they saw each other.For me,seeing hubby was a sight for sore eyes.He was exhausted from this recent trip and boy,was he glad to be home.

This morning,it was my brother's turn to fly off...to Xi'an.I hadn't realized until recently,how much my brother has grown (which incidentally makes me feel rather old...hah!) and now he's independently flying off to some faraway city to gain more insight and learn new things.

Bon Voyage,bro!

He shall be celebrating his birthday away from the family this year.We'll have a grand fiesta when you return,ok?Meantime,do take care and have fun at the same time...and don't forget to keep yourself warm there,you won't want your ears to fall off because of the cold! : )

Day out

As always,when hubby's out of the country,I'd feel bored...the hours seemed to drag...so a good thing to do was to get the little one and I out of the house.

Let him roam at Toys R'Us...And roam he did.In fact,he ran aisle after aisle as excitement overwhelmed him,seeing so many toys!



Found out there is a TV room and a playground at the mall (even though I've been there many times!),thanks to a nice security officer who told me about it. So off we ventured....



Running and climbing...

He was more interested in the switch....hah!

Of course I had to bring home some shopping bags...

Got some cool tees from BabyFox...

a Hi-5 DVD (to watch during car rides).....

..... and for me,something nice for Saturday night : )

I'm feelin bubbly....

Fell in love with this song....

I've been awake for a while now
You've got me feelin like a child now
Cause everytime I see your bubbly face
I get the tingles in a silly place

It starts in my toes and I crinkle my nose
Wherever it goes, I always know
That you make me smile please stay for a while now
Just take your time, wherever you go

The rain is fallin on my window pane
But we are hiding in a safer place
Under the covers stayin dry and warm
You give me feelings that I adore

It starts in my toes, makes me crinkle my nose
Wherever it goes, I always know
That you make me smile please stay for a while now
Just take your time, wherever you go

What am I gonna say
When you make me feel this way
I just...hmmmm......

And it starts in my toes makes me crinkle my nose
Wherever it goes, I always know
You make me smile please stay for a while now
Just take your time, wherever you go

I've been asleep for a while now
You tucked me in just like a child now
Cause everytime you hold me in your arms
I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth

It starts in my soul and I lose all control
When you kiss my nose, the feeling shows
Cause you make me smile
Baby just take your time now
Holding me tight....
Wherever, wherever, wherever you go
Wherever, wherever, wherever you

So this is especially for my best friend,partner,hubby,soulmate,my baby.... Je t'aime...

Can't break away from Prison Break...

Cuddled up in front of the screen to catch Prison Break late last night...We watched episodes 9 to 12 of season 3...and as always,we are hungry for more.What happens next after James.....oohhh...better not spill the beans here.I don't want to be a spoiler for those who have yet to watch these episodes.Fyi,I hate spoilers!!!Be it when I watch TV,movies or read books,or even to a place I've yet to explore....these people rush eagerly to tell me what happens next,even knowing (especially knowing) that I hate being told what comes next.I feel like shoving them down the rubbish chute!LET ME WATCH/EXPERIENCE IT MYSELF UNDERSTAND?!

Hmmm.....where was I? Or yes, Prison Break Season 3....It still grips me as much as before,keeps me on the edge,gnawing my knuckles.It is fantastic!I still don't understand why it's not been given any awards.Lack of women in skimpy clothes or no sex in the plot,perhaps?!*roll eyes*

For those who can get me episodes 13 and more,pleasssssse let me know!Oh,and Heroes too...If you have,I'm up to episode 11 of season 2 and waiting anxiously for more....

Anyway,hubby's away on his business trip again...*sob...sob...*It'd be back to back with 2-3 days at home before he flies off again.It's still not easy for me when he's away on trips...Some people said it'd get easier but no,I still miss him....a lot....The days seem so long without him.I'll be counting the days till he returns home....

Well......absence makes the heart grows fonder right?

Alcapone...Don Mochino...Black Jack...

Happy belated birthday to Sis....

Sorry the gift didn't arrive to you earlier,but we hope you like the Guy Laroche handbag in red (since you don't have a red one!)

As promised by hubby,we had J.Co doughnuts today, even before we had lunch!

We had 3 doughnuts and a caramelita (this drink couldn't beat Coffee Bean's though).Had 2 dozens (yes, that's right!That's 24 doughnuts in all!) to go.Hehehe....Don Mochino...Coco Loco...Black Jack...Sugar Ice...Why Nut...Alcapone....and lots more....YUmmmm...MMMYYY....

If you think hubby and I (and baby) were the ones who ate them all,c'mon we are not that gluttonous.We brought them over to Sis' place as we had an unintended family congregation.Everyone,especially the kids,loved them of course.For me,I had 6 today...some shared with hubby....and I'm kind of craving for some more...opps!

Hubby,in the meantime,couldn't resist getting this....

...a cool, yellow Fast and Furious car....a remote controlled one,that is...to play with his son.

Boys will be boys. : )

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Due to my recent trip,I had a few copies of past days newspapers that are yet to be read.

I was reading yesterday's Sunday Times when I came across headlines on doughnuts....and it happened to be about J.Co!!!

Apparently,they have just opened one (on Saturday!) right here on our sunny island, at the basement of Raffles City Shopping Centre.It's a bit far off from our favourite hunts so maybe in time,they'd open one say,at Parkway Parade?!

But I think I know where I'll be this weekend! : )

Home Sweet Home

Back home at last.

While it's always good to go for a holiday,it's even nicer to come back home.

Where I can sleep soundly on my four-poster bed....with my extra long bolster....zzzz.....

Addicted to doughnuts...

Time to check out today.

Prior that,we roamed around a bit.Hubby suggested we make our way to that doughnut shop we saw the other day (he knew my love for yummy doughtnuts).We were glad to see there was no queue like yesterday so we ordered 3 doughnuts and plonked to a plush sofa.Once we sinked our teeth into those doughnuts,there was no going back.They were the BEST we've ever had,period!Krispy Kreme,Dunkin Donuts,etc....were far behind.

J.Co Donuts and Coffee! If you ever pass this, you have to try some!Or better still, go look for it!

We had Alcapone-Belgian chocolate topped with crunchy almonds....Coco Loco-dark chocolate both inside and out,and another chocolate based doughnut (I couldn't recall its name but equally delightful!)

Even you-know-who couldn't resist!Just look at him!

The variety looked amazing.....

We are definitely hooked.Drool....drool.....It's truly addictive.

We spent the night at Sis' condo.Time was in our hands so we relaxed a bit,took a nap then had dinner at Al-Marjan for some Lebanese and Persian cuisine.It was not as nice as the one we had on our previous trip...at another Lebanese Restaurant near Ampang.

The little one bought some good books at an Arab bookstore which was a stone's throw away from Sis' condo....

We'd be heading back home tomorrow.We had such an enjoyable trip.A big thanks and a sexy kiss to hubby for taking us on this trip...Thanks so much dear!

Food Galore

Breakfast at the hotel was so-so.Though the variety of the spread was plenty,not all could be given a thumbs-up.I didn't take the cappati because there was no beef keema (only had curry),the prata (or roti canai as they call it) was not 'happening',the nasi lemak was grainy and hubby didn't even finished his yogurt.My scrambled egg with lots of cheese was done nicely.The little one enjoyed his cereal and juice.

It was water playtime again this morning....Changed to our swimming attire and off we venture to Mali Cove,Kalahari Kids and Jeffrey's Bay.There were moments whereby our little one trembled so we tried warming him up a bit and getting him into the sun.Hubby enjoyed sitting beneath this huge water bucket which filled up with water every few minutes then tilt over when it was full and he'd get splashed!Cheap thrill I tell ya!Hah!

Then,we decided to try the Zulu Walk today to say our hellos to some animals.There were beautiful tortoises,rabbits,snakes,skunks,bears....

monkeys.....

and birds,just to name a few.....

We hiked up to get to the swaying suspension bridge and walked all 428 metres of it!Phew!

As always,our baby wanted to run free.....If it looked as if I'm dragging him,I'm not!Just trying to get him to hold my hand and not to fall....

By the end of the bridge,we were all gasping and our cheeks flushed by the burning of the sun.

He looked more adorable with his cheeks so pink!

When we got back to the hotel room,it took him mere seconds to fall fast asleep....

Lunch was at a new place of course....Italian this time...Michelangelo's.

I had something unpronounceable,something with lots of cheese...hubby had spaghetti with baby lobster (though he believed it was crayfish).Both were not outstanding...even the brownie with ice-cream was blah...so we had an excuse to search for good dessert...A while later,we sat scooping New Zealand Natural Ice Cream while watching silly antics of ice-skaters at the rink next to us.

The little one was munching on a custard bread from Breadtalk and running in the hotel lobby when I called out to hubby 'dear'.Upon hearing that, my baby called him out too!He kept repeating 'dear,dear'.We were both astounded and burst out laughing.

He never ceased to amaze us everyday....

Pyramid Tower

Managing a super-active baby on our roadtrip was not easy...only thing that kept him still was mummy's milk...the rest of the time,I'd have to entice him with his books,toys,food and by watching The Wheels on the Bus dvd.Hubby didn't want to speed (too much) this time as he didn't want to get booked (again).At 12.30pm,we finally reached the hotel.

The view from our 10th floor hotel room was fantastic!

I was already itching to get to the theme park...Our little one,in the meantime,was busy exploring the room!

We have to hide several items and safe-proof the room immediately.

We were hungry by then,as we only had nasi lemak at 10.30am at one of the stopovers,but decided to head for the theme park as it will close at 6.We hunted for the rides that our 15 month old can take...Chief Crazy Horse Carousel,The Vulture,Wagon Wheel....Poor baby was sleepy at this time,rubbing his eyes and looking dazed,but with all the various colours and movements,how could he sleep?

Hubby and I managed to take an adventure ride (we are both thrill seekers and love adventure rides) and had our little one with Sis.But as we slipped into the 'Tomahawk' seats,he started to cry and call for us.We had taken the front seats and thus he was able to see us from the gates.We saw him pushing Sis' hands away from him and tears were streaming down his rosy,sun-burnt cheeks.I felt bad leaving him there and even thought of getting off (if not for the fact that we were already belted up).After hubby and I were hurled upside down and the ride was slowing down,I waved at my baby boy and suddenly saw him desperately trying to slip under the gates to get to us.It was hilarious and heart-warming at the same time.He clutched to me closely when I picked him up and was still sobbing quietly.When his daddy tried to take him,he slapped his hand away,perhaps angry that daddy had taken mummy away from him.....As you may have guessed,that was the ONLY ride we took without him.

We sat to eat while watching big,beautiful tigers at Tiger Cage Cafe.After some mini bites (that didn't do much for my rumbling tummy),we were off to the water park!This wiped the sleepiness off my little one,no doubt!

He went down the baby slide and splashed through 'The Mali Cove' in 'Waters of Africa'.He didn't want his float and refused to hang on to us.He wobbled in the waves but had a splashing great time.

It poured near closing time so we headed back to our room and changed for dinner.

Dinner was at the shopping mall just next to our hotel (there is an internal access so it was very convenient) at a new place called Pappa Rich.The kway teow was so yummy,not too oily,salty or black....and the kaya-butter toast was superb!Although the bread was thick,it was crispy yet soft.It was no doubt nicer than at Killiney's.

That was the beginning of our food-feast.....stay tuned.....

Bon Voyage

Bags are packed.....

Camera is charged....

Hotel confirmation letter and passports are safely placed in the bag....

Bright and early tomorrow morning...for our trip.
Hope to have loads of fun....and good food!

See you soon....Here's to a safe trip,Insya Allah.

Chocolate overload....

Had my personal masseuse to come over today.It was a much anticipated massage, though she seemed a tad hurried today.

Didn't get to go grocery shopping as it was raining cats and dogs.I was itching to get out of the house even though I was sooooo sleepy so suggested to hubby that we went out for a while in the late afternoon.

We had our lunch at home and still,I was not sure why I was famished so we had an early dinner at Swensons.Something new in the menu that caught my eye....cheesesticks!It's so hard to get cheesesticks (superb ones) locally (I don't think there's any other place that has delicious cheesesticks!If you know any,please enlighten me!) but hubby and I,and even our little one,loved this.Its warm cheese was oozing out when we bit on it...yumm!Reminded me of the time Arti and I had loads of hot cheesesticks when we were in California.Cheesesticks and hot chocolate.....that was soooooo good I tell ya!

We had dessert at Ben & Jerry's....

Our New York Super Fudge Chunk of course, and Chocolate Fudge Brownie (if I'm not mistaken).We also had their new Chocolate Euphoria shake-it was wow!

It was so chocolately-sinful....hehe....

Still.....I bought 2 chocolate doughnuts before I hopped back into our car to head home... : )

Downtown

I will need to check if the moon is blue today....

Going to town on a Saturday was never in hubby's agenda.Or on any other day,for that matter.But lo and behold,he suggested that we pay a visit to DFS at Orchard Road.Hmmm....of course he has something up his sleeves..... I can already see his impish smile.

After searching high and low,trying on dozens of pairs and walking to a few malls (not that I mind the latter-it gave me ample opportunities to browse for my stuff too!), this was what captured his heart (and wallet!)....


A handsome pair of Oakley Spike in pewter with polarized lenses.

He wanted to get another Oakley for the longest time and now finally!He's grinning away....a boy who just got his candy....

We went in search for a place to lunch after we discovered that Breeks at Taka was no longer there.There were not many options apart from the usual fast-food restaurants.We ended up at Delifrance Bistro,which was clearly understaffed.Our little one was restless and getting cranky even before the food arrived.He was undeniably tired as he had missed his morning nap.We managed to move to booth seats,our baby got his hot milk and he slept almost immediately.So with our little one asleep,we had a quiet,romantic lunch,just the two of us!We both agreed we had to cherish that moment,coz these days,that was rare!We ate slowly,talked softly and even ordered another cup of hot chocolate to share...before the little one wakes up!

Indulge

Smoke....

Fire....

Burn....

Can you smell the smoke, feel the heat, see it burn....?

Call the fire department coz I've burnt a hole in my pocket!

Ooooohhhh....but I'm not sorry...hehe.It's not all the time that I cave in to my indulgences...
or is it?

my red leather Rabeanco....
a sleek red pen to go with it....
and 3 gorgeous new tops!

It's all for a good cause.....I have to be a fashionable hijabi mum,right? : )