A prayer every day and night;

Been sleeping at 1am and waking up at 5ish to 6am for the past two weeks; all in the name for mugging and finishing off the video assignment. Not to mention, preparing for the Malaysia trip (passport renewal), the half-marathon (Sundown) on 26th May, and some MYnt stuff too. Need to clear work deadlines as well, ‘cos of my leave taken for the exams next week. Two more weeks to freedom, but I am still in a jittery mode ‘cos two of the three modules are my weakest subjects by far. LET ME PASS PLEASE!

xx These motivational Tumblr posts are really timely for now.

Credits: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4

xoxo, Noi

Nine months;

Time flew by just like that, it’s been nine months since I stepped into a new environment.

xx

Met up with dear peeps after work today, and one of them mentioned a very familar scenario – ‘All pumped up upon entering this new foreign place, and energy boosted up to the maximum level and looking forward to a new day everyday. Then, all that fizzed out after time.’ It’s taking place now, all these zest were long gone and it sucks to see friends leaving one by one. No doubt the remaining ‘survivors’ are happy for them, but a tinge of sadness and paranoia is hovering over our minds now. Having said so much, I guess it all boils down to our own perserverance and beliefs. We may be stuck in a hopeless rut, but these experiences may lead us to stronger individuals and better persons. As we all know, so long that our conscience is clear and upright, bring them on nothing can defeat us. For now, I’m just gonna remain ‘zen’ (as what one of the peeps mentioned), and do my stuff. Come what may, I know I can count on the peeps. Other may doubt us or cast suspicions on us, but we’re just going to focus and channel our energy to healthier stuff. Not to mention, the support from family and friends to tide through for at least this period of time. Indeed, we’ve found love in a hopeless place.

xx

Our motto;

xx

So much for verbal diarrheoa, perhaps the heavy downpour triggered off thoughts. Nights peeps

xoxo, Noi

A week in a blink;

Another week has gone by, and it’s scarier knowing that another seven days are taken off my countdown chart to the first paper for this term. Three papers to take, and one ECA to complete; I just can’t wait for June to arrive! Not to mention how stupid the topic is for the ECA – a three to five minute video on end-of-life care in Singapore. And the lecturer had actually suggested us to interview her mom, who’s struck with a terminal illness. Gees, seriously?!

SATURDAY
That aside, I am glad that I managed to squeeze in some leisure time amidst the crazy weekend of mugging, doing up the outline for the ECA, and planning the study schedule. My aunt from Malaysia is in town to visit us and will be heading back to KL tomorrow, so Mommy and I brought her out on Saturday to have dinner together simple food-fare at Jurong Point’s Kopitiam.

SUNDAY
I headed out to capture some shots for my assignment. First stop was Bras Basah, and we jumped onto the opportunity to tour around National Museum of Singapore since full-time students and regulars get to enjoy free entry/S$5 (special rate) for admission fees.

BOOMZ clouds taken outside the museum;

A couple of exhibitions and galleries were opened when we visited, and I found the photography gallery particularly interesting. Perhaps ‘cos it showcased the history of Singapore from various perspectives of the key people, such as Sir Stamford Raffles and the performers from Great World Amusement Park. A pity I left my SD card at home so, I could only make do with my iPhone to snap some photos from the museum tour. That, I shall leave it to next entry.

Another place that we went to, Tiong Bahru Market; this place serves really delish hawker fare. Ordered Hainanese Chicken Rice, Chwee Kueh, Beef Soup, Oyster Omelette, and Sugar Cane drink to top it off. My fave dish has got to be the Chwee Kueh  from Jian Bo Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh (#02-05)!

Tiong Bahru Food Market & Hawker Centre
(Check out ladyironchef’s post for more food recommendations!)
Address: 30 Seng Poh road
All these for less than S$15, daebak!

MONDAY
After a somewhat long Monday, the whole family brought my aunt out for dinner with some hawker foodfare lovin’. Our initial stop was Redhill Market & Food Centre, but too bad the tzi char store wasn’t opened for business so we decided on heading to Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre instead.

We ordered BBQ Sambal Stingray, Sotong, Kang Kang from BBQ Seafood, and Winter Melon with Spare Ribs soup from Yi Ping Tung. The latter serves really good soup, and the unique way of cooking it charcoal-style allows all the ingredients to be well-broiled. Best of all, the price is reasonable at S$4 per claypot. Yay!

BBQ Seafood
(Check out InSing’s post for more information)
Address: Yung Sheng Road, #03-178, Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

Yi Ping Tung Charcoal Claypot Soup
(Check out InSing’s post for more information)
Address: Yung Sheng Road, #03-157, Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

After the dinner, we brought her to Marina Bay Sands to take in the night-view of Singapore.

Chanced upon the window display of Louis Vuitton, and snapped a photo of it – amazed by the vibrant colours. But I thought the colours used for window display were a big contrast to the pastel colours used in their SS12 campaign.

LABOUR DAY
The journey went like this – Jurong Point, Jurong East, JCube, Redhill, IKEA, Changi, and Old Airport Road Food Centre. And I finally got to try the Lao Ban Soya Beancurd!! Bought a few back for mommy and sister, and they love it too. Mommy said that there’s a tinge of black sugar taste in it. The queue wasn’t that bad when I went at 8+pm, less than 30 minutes I’d say. At S$1.50 per bowl, it’s much pricier than the usual soya beancurd in the market but I think it’s worth the price. HAHA!

Lao Ban Soya Beancurd (Old Airport Road)
Address: 51 Old Airport Road, #01-127 Old Airport Road Food Centre

Wednesday
Alas! Mid-week was finally here, and it’s another day with bad headache etc. Went to the temple to pray that evening, and had a good talk with my god-uncle. Let’s just see how things go!

Simple foodfare // home-cooked food is love! Mommy never fails to let us come home in comfort and bask in love from her. LOL, so much for cheesy lines, but I really learnt not to take such details for granted after working. It’s not like I get to eat home-cooked food everyday

OTD // Crochet top with TheTinselRack Floral Blossoms Paperbag Skirt in Violet Peonies, and my trusty Longchamp bag

xx

Sooooo many movies that I wanna catch, but I think gotta wait till my assignment and exams are over – the highly raved Avengers and Battleship. Boos*

xx
Review on “The Lucky One” movie

Details:
Movie title: “The Lucky One“
1hr 41min – Romance, Drama
Director: Scott Hicks
Writers: Will Fetters (screenplay), Nicholas Sparks (novel)
Stars: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling and Blythe Danner

Synopsis (credits here):
A Marine travels to Louisiana after serving three tours in Iraq and searches for the unknown woman he believes was his good luck charm during the war.

Perhaps I held too high hopes for this movie, so I was tad disappointed after watching it. Other than the scenes with the hot bod of Zac Efron, the rest of the story plot lacklustre and predictable. I felt the emotions shown during the scene where Taylor reminisced about her brother was more real than the chemistry between her and Zac. Nonetheless, it’s a nice movie to catch if you don’t want to fight with the crowd this weekend over tickets to the Avengers movie.

Rating:

.5 out of 5 popcorns

xx

QOTD// daily mantra; thanks for the love received.

xx

This is like, one of my longest posts ever; blogged this over the week and finally managed to publish it today. Gotta find time this weekend to do a good run and finish the rest of my mugging and video assignment \m/ FIGHTING!

xx

TGIF peeps! Looking forward to tonight

xoxo, Noi

Say a little prayer for you;

“Amidst the busy schedules, amidst the never ending tasks, take a step back and immerse in the love from the people around you. For when they are gone, it’ll be too late to say your thanks to them.”

Granny, grandpa, and mommy haven’t really been in the pink of health for the past few months. Saying a little prayer that they’ll be well again soon. Politics has been a silent killer as well, and it’s wearing me out bit by bit. Can never fathom how people can live with their conscience but I guess that’s the hard truth. Exams in two weeks’ time, assignment deadline in one week’s time, let me pass through May in one piece please. I hope the leave approval goes through I miss my grandparents in Malaysia

Back to the books;
Xoxo, Noi.

Joyeux Anniversaire x Célébration de l’amour

Always a joy to spend your weekend away from the hustling crowd, all the more with great company and a wonderful nest to laze in for a day or two. Blessed to be able to get a night’s stay at the newly renovated Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort, and we were even treated to a bottle of red wine which we didn’t manage to finish. Lol! Didn’t take many photos with my camera ‘cos I was either, A. busy eating, B. lazing around, C. zonked out after 1+am. Nonetheless, it was a great night spent and the HTHT was much cherished.

Sneaks from my camera – the pool view was our fave.
So glad that we switched hotels at the last minute! Lol.

xx

A lot of stuff ongoing for the past two weeks, pretty draining seemed right to sum it all up. Had a long chat with my parents just now as well with regards to the available options for, and the optimum solution is pretty straight-forward. However, that would mean that I have to learn how to cope better and perhaps, take things in different light. Having said that, there’s a limit to everyone’s tolerance as I’d always say, so I gotta manage that emotions part well. In anycase, we believe in Karma : ) and what comes around goes around. Period.

’nuff of the text, here’s some of the things that I’ve been doing window shopping on -

YSL Rose Gold Clutch (limited edition, and carries a hefty price tag),

xx

The blazer on the left, the jumpsuit on the left, and the hairstyle on the right. Lol.

and this look is love.

xx

One of the rare nights that I didn’t have any dosage of caffaine but I’m still up at this hour, time to head to bed and welcome TGIF!

Positivism yo! : )

xoxo, Noi

Sweet things in life;

Albeit the busy days at work lately, I’m thankful for the sweet things in life that I have received from the people around me! Met up with Shermaine after work last Saturday, and she passed me lots of goodies! Really sweet of her to accommodate to my erratic work schedule – thumbs up!

The ‘goodie bag’ included a lovely CNY greeting card that contained heartfelt words which I really appreciate, thanks babe. And the edible goodies, Choc Chip Cookie and Honey Coated Corn flakes, are simply delish. Perhaps my family isn’t accustomed to sweet stuff, so the latter was a little too sweet for them but they sang praises for the choc chip cookies! Yay ;D hopefully Shermaine can realise her dream of opening a bakery one day, ‘cos her masterpieces are that awesome. Jiayou babe!

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Mommy has been really patient with me, despite my constant rants as soon as I set foot home, and she even whipped up comfort food for me.. knowing that I can’t really take heaty stuff. XOXO please. Can’t wait for this busy period to be over, so that we can go CNY shopping together. It’s scary to know how time flies at times! Counting down to CNY – less than two more weeks to go.

Having said that, I haven’t run a single bit since the start of this year! Either the weather or lethargic self after work is hindering me from putting on my running gear and heading down for a jog, but I’m glad stay-at-home exercises are helping me in some ways. Feels good to perspire the stress out! No thanks to Stan too, who’s been psycho-ing me to get a treadmill ‘cos he’s lost like 1 to 2kg a week ever since his daily run on his newly acquired (exorbitant price tag) treadmill at home. KNS and guilt-trip max.

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The first fire flare for year 2012;
please grant us the wishes we made in silence.

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xoxo, Noi.

Another year;

(Credits to staticember.tumblr.com)

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Yet another sleepless night, well almost. Too much thoughts lingering on one’s mind, akin to playing ping pong games. Tired and drained; it’s tough to want so much but yet all you can have is that little. Quoting a line from Edward Cullen in the first instalment of Twilight (yes I know, of all movies right?)…

“You’re everything that I want, and everything that I can’t have…”

Sometimes, all the dreams that I want to make plans for, they all seemed too faraway. Out of sight, yet still in the mind. Very lost…

//edited…

• Get my priorities right (to remind self over and over again ‘cos I realised it helps)
• Do not let ____ affect my emotions
• Live life and laugh
• Don’t stop having dreams, and start making plans
• Setting aside time for myself and family (guilt trip made around my mind about this, ok make that two guilt trips)
• Cease the negative feelings
• Brush off the depressing vibes readily

Am I feeling better? Not really, but at least the mind’s clearer.

When shades of blues are appreciated; Love Bonito Taia Kate Dress in Cobalt and Amelie-Anne Sienna Jersey Dress in Rich Blue

First day back to work for a new year, any thoughts/reflections you may ask? Well, let’s just say it wasn’t a good start but we’re all hoping for a smoother week ahead. Shit happened always, as shared by my colleague, the only issue now is to deal with it.

Dear bestie Gwen dropped me a Whatsapp message to check out my day, and gave me tons of encouraging statements. Since I know I’ll be here for a period of time, I should suck thumb and make the best out of it eh? Rather than wallowing in despair everyday, why not take each obstacle as a stepping stone so that the next journey would be made easier? Having said so much, I think it’s really so much easier said than done T.T

Nonetheless, I’m thankful for the phone calls from mommykins and the messages from Stan, earlier during work today. They pushed me through end of work day, and comforted me a little. Stan’s mom gave us this Indon cake, which I really can’t wait to try it out! =) Thank yousss*

By the way, here’s the link to MYnt’s latest collection –  http://mynt-shop.livejournal.com/102295.html! <3

That aside, these are a couple of backdated loots that I had received. Pending reviews of the much-raved Love, Bonito Covet Walsh Top in Black, and others as well. For a head-start, here’s one from Amelie-Anne and Love, Bonito !

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Sienna Jersey Dress in Rich Blue
The Label Love, manufactured by Amelie-Anne

Link – http://amelie-anne.livejournal.com/17207.html#cutid1

A simple-cut dress that could transcend from a day to night outfit, if you would to ask me I paired it up with SMooch Goldie Obi Belt and MYnt-Shop Waterfall Necklace. It comes with a matching sash as well, but I prefer to jazz it up with a contrasting belt! Material wise, it’s really comfortable and it comes with lining as well, a plus point in my opinion. At S$28 shipped, I think it’s so worth it!

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Of course, the highly raved Love, Bonito Taia Kate Dress in Cobalt

I bought it in Size M for this piece, and paired it up with MYnt-Shop Waterfall Necklace for this review. Loving the colour very much and the length is just right, but a pity that it felt kinda snug on my wide (flat) chest, so I let it go. That being said… The material is, as raved by many others, very well-worth the money spent and I think it succeeds many boutique pieces. Now, this piece belongs to a dear owner – Solemate

Ref: UK Big8/Small10, 168cm

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Back to reality and work tomorrow, FIGHTING yo!

Good night – xoxo, Noi.

Thank you, year 2011!

Year 2011 has been very kind to me, albeit some obstacles did stand in my way. Really thankful for all the opportunities that I have been given, all the friends that I’ve kept to close, and my dearest family who has been generous with all the support that they have provided for me during the past year. Especially in terms of my career, I kinda took a big switch to what I’m doing now; I wouldn’t say that it’s all a bed of roses, but let’s just say that it’s best suitable for my studies now. That being said, I am so happy that I passed all my modules for this semester. Yay!

I’m also really glad that despite the different busy schedules we may have, we still managed to stay in touch via various means (thanks to technology?)! Cheers to friendships and better years ahead!

Also, thanks to dear customers of MYnt =) your tremendous support has been really generous, and I truly appreciate it!

Year 2012 is approaching, and I hope that the year ahead will be a greater one for everyone of you… More visuals will be up on the first day of a new year ;D for now, let’s take a few moments to rejoice on what’s taken place in year 2011, and reflect on the bads to become a better person in year 2012.

Cheerios! Happy New Year 2012!

xoxo, Noi.

A week documented in visuals;

A whirlwind week that saw the end of my exams for this semester, I can only say that I have done my best and I pray for a smooth transition to the next semester! Another round of events over the weekend, work events that is. Last Friday and Saturday, I had a long car journey; so, out of boredom, I dabbled with my iPhone and snapped a couple of images of the beautiful clouds. This got me to be kind of fascinated with scenic landscapes and sky photography now! Check out the amateurish shots below, heh.

~Poofy clouds~

~Lone man standing~

~Baby, we can rule the world~

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And last Friday evening, I had a great night with my KAL babes at our beloved Jenn‘s wedding. Thanks hannie for accompanying me to get some tonics for mommy, prior to making our way to Grand Hyatt Hotel =) On the way there, we met up with Yun and Yiling too! As usual, the endless gossips kicked start ;D Arriving at the wedding dinner venue, we were delighted to know that Jenn and Azlan had prepared a photo-booth corner for the dinner guests. Needless to say, with the camwhore nature in us, we had fun at the photo-booth and even more fun when the rest of the KALs arrived (Prisc and Lynn!). Here are a couple of photos to sum up the fun and laughters we had that night :B once again, congrats to the newly-weds – Jenn and Azlan!

And here’s a photograph of my OTD with my new SMooch Goldie Obi Belt. The belt is pretty unique with the gold rope to fasten the belt, and it can worn in many ways (major love). I would say that it would complement any top or dress, and makes a good accessory too! A gem for S$15, super worth it! The dress is another prized gem that mommy had picked for me from a retail store located at Jurong West Blk900+ area, a surprise find in a neighbourhood area.

And ending this post with my current screensaver that would possible melt any girl’s heart – Zhendong Ke, the male lead of the renowned movie “You’re the Apple of my Eye”. :B

(p.s. thanks to all for your well-wishes/ messages =) mommy’s op went ok, and we are praying for optimistic results now)
(p.p.s. all the above images are taken with my iPhone)

xx, Noi.