Doreen's Endless Page 韻語

End of 2011 trip - Florence, ITALY

2012-01-30T13:12:00.000+13:00

Michael Angelo's hometown, also home to "David" and many other famous statues. Florence is considered as "Cradle of the Renaissance".

Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower

Inside of Basilica

The sculpture-studded Signoria Square

羅馬夜景

2012-01-26T21:03:00.000+13:00

Vatican City

Merry go round

Castle of St Angelo

1st day of the lunar year 2012

2012-01-24T22:48:00.001+13:00

Although there is not much celebration around here and it is business as usual, I do feel a little bit more about the occasion this year. AJ is growing up, and it is fun teaching him our Chinese custom and culture. He has been very much into Chinese new year since we got back from our holiday, watching/singing Chinese new year songs everyday. He also has strong interest in “dong dong chiang” (the Lion Dance) after he saw his very first lion dance last Saturday in the Chinese New Year Festival.

There was a 紅包 giving session and it was quite an enjoyment seeing AJ “拜年” with his almost perfect mandarin of “恭喜發財，紅包拿來!”.

Of course, having my parents here this year has made the new year celebration a heart warming one. 能和家人一起吃團圓飯是一種幸福.

We have also given the house a wee touch of Chinese new year décor.

I made sure I wore a new dress to work.

Last but not least, the family shot!

新年快樂，恭喜發財，萬事如意，龍年行大運！

End of 2011 trip - Rome, ITALY

2012-01-21T15:51:00.000+13:00

After a long 13-hour flight, we arrived into Rome internatonal airport, at 6am. It was a rainy day.

Rome, as famously known by all a city full of history and ancient artefacts. It is certainly a pure heaven for history and art passionates. I felt like I was transported back into ancient time. I was most intrigued by the well known Michaelangelo's paintings in Sistine Chapel, Vetican City. Having known the stories behind and understanding the painter's mind make the paintings even more beautiful. Now I can understand why Michaelangelo is called a genius of all time in the fine art history.

History aside, Rome is quite an interesting city unfortunately in a not-so-good way. The traffic is bad. Drivers are ruthless. They drive to their own rules. Pedestrians need to be extra careful when crossing. Beggers are a common sight. They would come right in your face with their little tin cup. This is the best time to practise "ignorance is a bliss"! LOL.

There are also many off street sellers, selling fake goods mainly designer bags. LV, Gucci, Prada etc all laid out nicely on the floor. When the polices were around the area, they grabbed their bags all in their arms like bracelets and disappeared in seconds. The next thing I saw, they were in business again in a different street!

On a good sunny day, people come to you selling sunnies. On a rainy day, you have human trees of umbrellas running into you, €5 each. Then on a cloudy day, all disappeared, you have your peace and quiet! LOL.

Just arrived into Rome Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport

Our hotel which is just a stone throw away from the Vatican city

Castle of St Angelo

Piazza Navona

Christmas Market at Piazza Navona

Pantheon

Spanish Steps

Via Condotti - the place I found my comfort after an awfully long day of walking

Trevi Fountain

Vatican Museum

Genesis and The Last Judgement by Michaelangelo

St. Peter's Basilica

The stunning interior of St. Peter's Basilica

Sunnies for sunny day!

Take note fashionistas, the world first shopping mall! (no longer in operation of course!)

Piazza Venezia (aka the Wedding Cake)

Colosseum

Why we should drive a teeny-weeny car

I am not a fan of pizza, but the authentic version is just so much nicer. Love~

And yes, ice-cream in winter! LOL

My one-month holiday

2012-01-12T22:43:00.000+13:00

Touched down on 30 Nov 2011. 4 years it has been.

This is Athan’s first trip back to his parents’ home country, also his very first overseas trip, the very first stamp in his passport. Athan coped amazingly well. He slept long enough on the plane, no ear pain and he settled into the new environment straight away. I see no jetlag in his dictionary obviously. He enjoyed so much that he didn’t even miss us while we jetted off to Europe for a 2 week elope!

Sending us off to Europe at Kuching airport

The only problem he (and all of us) had to deal with was the mosquitoes. They were madly aggressive. I had spotty legs for almost the entire holiday. Talking about wearing shorts to beat the heat. Wishful thinking it was!

Apart from spending most of my time in Kuching (ok, almost even with time in Europe), I had a weekend trip back to my hometown. All I could remember about my time in Malaysia is all the jolly merry eating/drinking with family, relatives and friends. Arhhhh….what a life!

Oh and a visit to the crocodile farm

Shopping? Not much. 3 tops, 2 pairs of shoes, 1 wallet, 1 bag, 1 pair of earrings, 1 bottle of perfume and handful of cosmetics. Considered myself well discipline.

To be truly, honestly frank, I enjoyed my time in Malaysia more than in Europe this time. I know it is hard to believe, but believe it! I missed Athan very much throughout my Europe trip. There was not a single day and night that I didn’t think about him. I just couldn’t relaxed myself and enjoyed the tour fully. It became so hard for me that in the last few days of my Europe trip, I just wanted to pack and go home. On the contrary, while I was in Malaysia, I was contantly surrounded by family and friends. All the talking and laughing we had, relaxed me. I love that! I have found that my family value has grown stronger as I aged. But also not discounting the fact that I am blessed with loving family and friends. I am thankful for that.

The best part of this trip is not how much I have seen in Europe, not the shopping hauls I brought back but the time I have spent with my family, relatives and friends.

Still, I can’t deny the fact that I am so very broke right now BUT very happy!! Hahahahaha

Happy 2012!

2012-01-04T12:54:00.001+13:00

Just came back from a month long holiday. A lot to share. Will update soon!

AJ turns 2..today

2011-11-28T22:03:00.001+13:00

We held a party for AJ at home in the weekend. It was nothing grand like last year, but an intimate affair with some friends. Just nice, cosy and relaxing. The theme was one of AJ's favourite shows - The Wiggles. The birthday boy sure had fun to the max! LOL

Having a good laugh with auntie cecilia

A test run to one of the pressies!

Lunch @ The Ponsonby

2011-11-27T21:28:00.001+13:00

We love Belgium cafe. The beers, steamed kilo pot mussels and the rest of it! Leuven was our favourite back then in Wellington, there is only one there anyway. Here we have five but we are yet to try every one of them. We have only tried two. The Ponsonby is where we frequent a lot because of it's convenient location to us.

"Look at my colouring!"

Growing a year younger!

2011-11-25T20:45:00.001+13:00

Ah yes, definitely a year younger :P

This year birthday is rather quiet. An early celebration was actually planned at a fine restaurant in SkyCity, but was cancelled on the day as AJ wasn’t feeling too well. Then we spent the next few days taking turn to look after AJ at home. So subsequent celebration didn’t get planned. Well, here I am today, just like any other working day but filled with impromptu scrumptious breakfast at Caffe Mossimo, lunch at Zarbo and Taiwanese home style dinner at Bubble Tea Cafe.

Cake? None this time. AJ’s birthday party tomorrow with a big cake, I don't want cake overdose!

Present? Well….let’s just say it is on the way…

And last but not least, many thanks to the birthday wishes from all the friends and family. You guys (and gals) are awsome! (^_^)

Here is to happy life, for you and me!

Crystal Mountain theme park 12/11/2011

2011-11-24T21:29:00.001+13:00

It is more like a farm than theme park in my honest opinion although they do have some small rides.

Nonetheless, we had fun. AJ was overwhelmed by the animals – Ponies, pigs, peacocks, lamas, goats, geese, bunnies and whatnot. He got to feed the animals and cuddle a bunny!

"Sorry son, next time then!"

AJ @ 23 months

2011-11-23T21:27:00.001+13:00

AJ's little corner

2011-11-20T23:23:00.001+13:00

AJ's toys are taking over like a storm, so we decided to convert one corner into his little world to house all his toys and whatnot. What parents do for their kids aye?

"World of Athan JX Liew"

Another note. The Christmas tree is up!!!!

Tram ride 05/11/2011

2011-11-19T22:42:00.001+13:00

I am sorry that I haven’t been writing much here apart from dumping pictures. Nov is a busy month for me. I have been juggling my time between work and home. But I trust pictures are always louder than words although I am so very far behind with my photos.

Anyway, we took AJ to his first ever tram ride in town. It was a quiet day, not many passengers. We could literally walk around freely and swap seats for different views. LOL The tram ride was only 15 mins, so we did two rounds to make our money worth. LOL

And of course, we concluded the day with scrumptious lunch at Fiori cafe in Takapuna!

Athan and his first laptop

2011-11-15T20:53:00.001+13:00

Kids size, not the real laptop of course!

Athan received a surprise birthday present from 大舅 today, all the way from Perth! He is over the moon and can't stop playing. LOL

Thank you, 大舅!

A day out with D&M

2011-11-13T21:57:00.001+13:00

D and M came for a quick visit on the weekend of 29/10. It was nice to have them around. We had a great time catching up with them. Athan love them!

"Helicopter!"

You read right. Trouble is my middle name!!

Cool?

Rain, rain, go away.....

2011-11-11T21:33:00.001+13:00

Rain, rain, go away

Come again another day

Little children, little children

Little children want to play

My heart is crying

2011-11-07T21:58:00.000+13:00

So you are gone...
After only one year that you started your new life.
I saw you. I heard about you. You were happy.
It came all too sudden, it came all too soon.
You were only 6 weeks old when you picked me to be your world.
We had our 9 years together although I had never given you enough.
But I loved you Vell, with all my heart, my soul
Tell me, how to let you go.......

A piece of me will always be with you
Rest In Peace Vell

Goat Island

2011-11-01T21:52:00.003+13:00

The highlight of our Labour Weekend - a day trip to Goat Island. It is New Zealand first marine reserve, located about 1.5 hour drive north of Auckland city. The place is a popular spot for snorkelling, and with the crystal clear water, you can literally walk and play with the fish. Not a single goat in sight by the way in case you were wondering.

It was a cool cloudy day, so we were keeping ourselves on the shore, didn’t go deep enough to meet the fish. I suppose I will greet them when summer comes (^_^)

On our way home....lunch at Black Dog Coffee And Country Kitchen, Matakana

Came home to find......

2011-10-25T22:07:00.000+13:00

A BIG BEAUTIFUL BOUQUET SITTING BY THE FRONT DOOR!

First came to my thought - hubby? Then...my secret admirer? Muahahahahaha NEITHER!

But BETTER.

I picked up the bouquet then saw an envelope attached. It was from my company (also happen to be my hubby's company)!! I wonder why......

The card reads........

Signed, the General Manager and CEO.

This really got me by surprise. Rick was just doing what he was hired to do, and if anything, should be given to him...but me? Wow, what a thoughtful gesture! That brought my mood all the way to the milky way!

Well, what can I say but a big THANK YOU to the company.

One more thing though....when are we hosting another Rugby World Cup? LOL

Green and white

2011-10-20T22:04:00.000+13:00

Always love pairing green with white. The combi gives that refreshing and cleanliness feeling which I adore.

One caring little man

2011-10-16T21:52:00.002+13:00

AJ putting his buddy "Zipo" to bed.

A side note.

Hubby:"This might just be my new found passion. I think I should become a clown and spend time with kids" HAHAHAHAHA~~~ Laugh die me!

Hubby's first attempt of chopper

The Cloud

2011-10-14T00:06:00.000+13:00

We have finally made it to the RWC fan zone at Queens Wharf and explored the much talk about The Cloud. The long white Cloud is the hub of showcasing New Zealand throughout this tournament through innovative displays and scrumptious food and wine. On every match day, the whole area turns into a fan zone with live entertainment. All the crazy dedicated rugby fans can drink the night away while cheering for the match live through the two giant tv screens. Well, definitely not my pass time :P

Acting like a tourist :P

The Cloud

The formula powered

AJ was having so much fun in rugby training.......

AJ @ 21 months

2011-10-02T13:58:00.000+13:00

Dragging my heavy feet……

2011-09-28T21:18:00.000+13:00

I am so unmotivated lately, the result of a long dreadful winter. Winter is bad enough, yet in NZ, it feels even longer when there is not a single long weekend throughout the dull season, from mid June all the way to end of Oct. 4+ months of solid working days and the gloomy cold weather. It drains me. Every single time.

I long for a holiday. Not just a few days, but much longer! I need to recharge, I need to get away from work, I need a break from the 5 days a week 8 hour PC confrontation. My body, mind and soul need a good rest, desperately. I want Bora Bora…or Maldives…or St Tropaz…or Damai beach heck even Tanjung Lobang can do! (Ok, you won’t know the last two unless you are familiar with my hometown). But…..that won’t happen anytime soon. I could only hope for the next long weekend, which is still 4 weeks away.

I am crawling....very slowly…….

A music lover

2011-09-24T20:54:00.005+12:00

Some light entertainments from the house. AJ is certainly a music lover!

頭髮又剪了!

2011-09-23T22:30:00.004+12:00

之前的頭髮長了, 很不好看. 偶然看到雜誌上的這款髮型, 二話不說, 剪了!

The orange pink tights

2011-09-20T21:42:00.003+12:00

Wore this to work today. Pairing my beloved sweetheart jacket with royal blue skirt and shoes. I thought it looked a bit too dull and so coloured it up with a pair of orange-pink tights. It is spring after all!

Bag organiser

2011-09-18T21:41:00.002+12:00

This is my best buy of the month (so far…haha), costing only NZ$6. This compact size bag organiser fits almost all my bags apart from those small size evening bag. It makes my bag changing exercise so much easier, quick and pain-free! And no more scrambling for keys, phone, wallet etc. Love!

中秋節, 提燈籠

2011-09-12T21:37:00.002+12:00

It was AJ’s first mid autumn celebration, his first time holding lanterns. I wanted to get him those animal shaped ones that we have back home, but couldn’t find any. Nonetheless, he still had lots of fun!

中秋節快樂!

Vell

2011-09-06T21:52:00.006+12:00

I was sent photos of Vell as I wanted to know how she is doing with the new family. Looking at the photos, I miss her even more but at the same time grateful that she is doing so well. She looks gorgeous, healthy, happy and of course fluffy as always. LOL I was told she likes to chase their chicken and that has become her regular exercise! I am thankful that the family is taking good care of her and keeping her happy.

I couldn't have asked for more. Really.

I do...from time to time, wonder if...she would still remember me...I could only hope she does.

Jo Malone

2011-09-03T18:57:00.002+12:00

My new found love!

Combating the stubborn under eye dark circles

2011-08-31T21:09:00.006+12:00

Can’t believe it is the end of August! 4 more months to go and we will be welcoming 2012, yet it feels like 2011 has only just begun. My life has been rather quiet lately, nothing much happening. It is more like hibernating through the winter though we have had a mild winter this year.

So apart from cutting my hair short, I have also been busy combating my new found enemy – under eye dark circles and eye bags! Obviously the late nights has taken its toll on me. I have been having only 6 hours of sleep (at most) almost every day since AJ was born, and that excludes the interruptions I get from AJ during that 6 hours. I suppose my body has had enough and finally showing me its colour, right under my eyes!

I have tried quite a few different eye creams, one being the much talked about Estee Lauder Idealist Eye Cooling Illuminator.

I even bought the high tech InstantFX by Skin Physics eye cream with the vibrating triple micro-massage rollers.

Well, either they are useless or I am blind. No apparent results whatsoever!

The traditional eco friendly tea-bag method does help a bit but still not too the level I wanted. Seriously, I am done with all these eye creams. To me, cheap or expensive, branded or no brand, they all deliver the same result. So I am coming to my conclusion that spending too much on an eye cream is just a waste. A basic eye cream would be just as good.

I have also spent a lot of time researching and trying on different concealers for an instant fix while waiting for my dark circles to go away. So far, no luck! Haven’t found anything that does a better job than my existing Make Up Forever 5 Camouflage Cream palette.

Dejected.

Anyway, I want to say that the whole exercise of finding a good eye cream and concealer is actually quite pointless. I knew these problems are due to lack of sleep yet I was trying to fix it using chemical/cosmetics interventions rather than targeting the root cause. That’s just plain silly, isn’t it? All this time, I had been wasting my time doing all those research while all I needed to do was as easy as sleeping early!

So I started hitting my sack 1 hour early for the past two days and avoid drinking too much water before bedtime (apparently too much water before bedtime can cause puffiness the next morning), and already I am starting to notice improvements on my eyes. As miracle as it sounds, it is for real! Obviously 7 hours of sleep is still not quite enough, I am now aiming for the optimum 8-hour sleep routine. That means I would have less spare time for myself but for the purpose of health and beauty, I am willing to compromise.

While adapting the new sleeping routine, I am sticking to the InstantFX eye massager twice a day as I trust it would help in the long term.

AJ and his beloved turtle

2011-08-28T22:10:00.001+12:00

頭髮, 剪了!

2011-08-22T22:11:00.001+12:00

All me, nothing else!

2011-08-14T23:37:00.004+12:00

Orange is the new black

2011-08-03T21:08:00.001+12:00

Couple day

2011-07-29T22:29:00.008+12:00

It was an impromptu decision to take a day off, both of us. No work, no kid, just the two of us enjoying couplehood once again. We haven’t done that since AJ was born. We have been flat out with work, house move and kid these couple of years. We really needed a break, from all these.

So the day went like this:

Sent AJ off to the daycare, then arrived at our first destination- New Zealand Immigration office to get our visa transferred to our new passports. Ya still can’t get away with an errand to run. Lucky we were first in the queue. All done in 10 mins!

Breakfast at MacD. (I know, we could have done better than this like a proper breakfast at a café, but we only had 30 mins to spare!)

Caught 3D Captain America at 10am. And that was my first 3D movie also my first cinema visit in 2 years!! (OMG, can’t believe it!)

Spending some quiet time together at viaduct harbour. Rick took quite a few shots of me, will share in my up-coming post.

High tea at Cin Cin (Such a funny name eh? lol)

The day went pass so quick. Before we knew it, it was time to pick up AJ. This is a much needed break and we enjoyed every bit of it. Emm….we really should make this a regular affair.

House keeper in training - Lesson 2

2011-07-23T22:51:00.001+12:00

Lesson 2 - SWEEPING!

And...when the training goes wild. LOL

Sweetheart jacket

2011-07-16T23:57:00.001+12:00

My newly bought sweetheart jacket. Love it to the max!

Spanish lunch at Tarca

2011-07-14T22:16:00.002+12:00

5 tapas + sangria + churros

My new little toy

2011-07-12T22:35:00.002+12:00

I would like to say I am a person who likes to be at the forefront of things where possible. However, when it comes to technology I am way behind the crowd. Just couldn’t be bother. I have a mind of old woman in this aspect. LOL.

I remember, the first phone that caught my breath and made me proud was my Nokia 8850 Gold. It was a piece of art then, and now a piece of beautiful antique in dad’s collection. That was my only pinnacle in mobile phone. Since then, I stopped following trend. The pace was just too hard to keep up with. I couldn’t care less about the latest technology, just a phone with call and text function would suffice. Pretty old school huh! I guess I was hanging on to my 8850 and resisted to move on. Or there was nothing for me to move on to.

Then, all changed last Friday when I managed to lay my hands on the latest piece of technology – Samsung Galaxy S2. I had a long thorough consideration before I put my order down. I had my worries on how I could keep up with all these techies after been living in a “cave” for so long. And the worst fear I had of all was to use this piece of art as a “call & text” phone not utilising the best of what it can offer. That would be a real waste of my hard earned money!

That didn’t happen, luckily!

The super user friendly interface of this phone sucked me right in! I was like a little kid who has just been given a new toy (Rick’s comment), got all excited and grinned from cheek-to-cheek as I was running my fingers all over the phone! LOL I was (still am) blown away with how powerful the little gadget is, it is scary!

So yeah, I am now bringing this little baby back to my “cave”, and I think I won't be out for another 10 years (may be?) Hahaha!

6 years

2011-07-10T21:58:00.003+12:00

Celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary at an Italian restaurant, Cafe e Cucina. This year, our anni fall on the same day as Father’s day. Our plan was to have a double celebration on the day. Full Italian lunch for anni, and a light dinner at a Taiwanese cafe for father’s day. However, with a toddler these days, sticking to the plan is a thing in the past. Athan decided to nap only 30 mins during the day (as opposed to his normal 1.5-2 hour), and dozed off just before we were about to head off for dinner! So the dinner was off and Rick and I ended up having Penang prawn noodle soup for dinner - the 3 minute version! LOL

AJ say hello

2011-07-09T20:15:00.002+12:00

Family portraits

2011-07-07T21:45:00.003+12:00

In big shoes

2011-07-02T19:19:00.000+12:00

AJ is obsessing about daddy's shoes

The coffee table is here!

2011-06-27T21:23:00.004+12:00

Finally finally, after 1.5 month wait!

Also redecorated my guest room to give it a bit more winter look!

BEFORE

AFTER

House keeper in training

2011-06-22T21:35:00.001+12:00

6 years later

2011-06-21T21:32:00.002+12:00

I was extremely delighted to have met up with a friend that I hadn’t see for 6 years, and best part is, I finally got to meet her little prince too! We stopped keeping in touch for quite a while then suddenly came along her FB message saying “Hello Doreen, I am now in New Plymouth, will be in Auckland for the weekend of 12/13 June before heading back to Malaysia.” I almost fell off my chair. At this age, I can no longer take this kind of surprise you see. Hahahaha. So we met up for yum cha at Newmarket. We ate, we chatted, we laughed! I could see time has been treating her very well, there isn’t any time ravage I can see on her. This is what I called the lucky bunch.

1 big and 1 small

2011-06-16T22:28:00.004+12:00

I was born with single eyelids and I used to hate them. Because, face it, single eyelids are not attractive. I wanted those double eyelids so badly. But as I grew older, I learned to accept them and embrace them dearly.

But….of late, I noticed there is an extra line (or crease) on my left eye. I thought it was a temporary thing, but it ain’t going away and seems like it is pretty determined to stay. I know, I know, it is probably due to aging, as you age, you starting to lose fat on some areas but this is not the point I am trying to make. The crease though not deep, it does make my left eye appears bigger. Me not likey! (T____T) My “old” eyes were small but at least they were somewhat even. Now, I have “big small eyes” (o_O). I have to carefully balance them out using make-up, but could only get it spot on half the times. ARhhhhhhh!

Give me another crease on my right eyes, or I want my single eyelids back! Thank you very much!

Macaroons

2011-06-09T22:50:00.003+12:00

This is what happens when you watched MasterChef. You are tempted to try all the dishes/restaurants mentioned in there. They opt to be top notch to be able to make an appearance. So after much raving about these macaroons (a French delicacy) by this French pastry chef Guillaume Nicoli in the final episode, I was in a mission to find it. I had never heard of macaroon before watching the episode, let alone trying. Guillaume Nicoli has his own brand called Ma Cherie, but he doesn’t own a retail shop. His macarons can only be found at some selected French delicacies stores.

I bought all 9 different favours from this French cafe near my work place. $1.50 each. They look as good as in the show. Beautiful colours and taste heavenly though it is a tad too sweet for me (but I think it is suppose to be that sweet one la) to have it alone without coffee. I don’t normally fancy sweet stuff, I drink my coffee with little or no sugar at all, so you can imagine.

vanilla, green tea, raspberry, cherry, mocha, citrus, strawberry, orange, chocolate

My favourites? Green tea and chocolate!

My eventful Queen's birthday long weekend

2011-06-07T21:32:00.002+12:00

My eventful long weekend. Both good and bad. It started off great, but with a terrifying ending. I will tell you why.

I had my house warming on the Sat. I woke up 7am and worked/cooked around the clock till the guests come at 5pm. It was a busy and hectic day for me, but the evening turned out just great. We all had fun catching up. The kids were having so much fun playing. AJ was really happy! It was such an enjoyable night.

Sunday, we tried this Korean buffet restaurant located at Princess Wharf. There was a great selection of food though average and relaxing atmosphere with sea view. Then we had a stroll along the wharf walking off that extra baggage while absorbing vitamin D.

The long weekend had a deep plunge on Monday, the evil day. At around 3:30pm, AJ fell down and hit the trolley while we were doing our shopping. The moment I picked him up, my heart sank. I almost lost my heart beat. He had a very deep cut near his left eye. It was about 2mm from to the eye, yes, that close! And the blood was oozing out. Rick wiped off the blood while I quickly pulled the plaster from my wallet and stick it on. AJ then stopped crying. He was back to his normal self. Being first time parents and the fact that the cut is so close to the eye, we decided to take him to the clinic. I sat there, couldn’t stop blaming myself for not being more careful and at the same time fearing that he might need a stitch or two. The doc took a look at him and told us the cut was rather deep but there was nothing serious. He would need to glue (yeah, skin glue just like super glue, geez I didn’t know such thing existed) the wound together so that AJ gets a good heal. There was no need to stitch (phew!). I still can’t shake my mind off the incident. It keeps flashing back. I guess I have been hit really hard both mentally and emotionally. The worst fear a mother can have is the health and safety of her child being compromised.

Don’t worry, AJ is all good now. Happy, cheerful and chatty like always.

Boots

2011-06-06T19:14:00.006+12:00

I started looking for a pair of boots 3 months ago for this coming winter, and it was such a tough mission.

The requirements I had were
- brown colour
- 2-4 inch heels
- slim fit
- Feminine
- knee length
- plain and simple, no fancy details
- leather or PU leather
- < $100

Not too much to ask, isn’t it? Well, ok la may be with that price range probably a mission impossible. I saw a nice one with a price tag of $389! Slim fit design it says. I tried. I looked like wearing a pair of giant boots let alone the exorbitant price. Forget it. But, as luck has it, I stepped into this shop the other day during my lunch break and this pair of boots caught my very eyes. The price was even more beautiful, $79.90, slashed from $229! Last pair in my size. I tried. The moment I put it on, I felt in love with it! I even asked the SA if she has got them in black coz’ I was prepare to buy two pairs! LOL. Anyway, I am one happy lady.

Ah~ good things take time......

High tea 6/5/2011

2011-05-30T22:03:00.002+12:00

It was a Friday afternoon at Stamford Plaza. I really like the idea of high tea. I think it is a relaxing way of catching up with friends/family. As you are chatting away, you indulge yourself with those exquisite club sandwiches and sweet tooth all tastefully staked on the beautiful multiple tier stand. And suddenly, you feel like you have gone back to the old time. Just that...this time, the high tea stand is too modern to my liking. I was expecting something a bit more traditional and victorian which I fancy. Nevertheless, the sandwiches and cakes are delicious. We went all crazy about their curry puff. Really nice!

You won’t see AJ here as we deliberately took half a day off to spend quality time with my in-laws while he was at the daycare. We had made it strictly R18 otherwise high tea would sure become splashing tea. Hahahaha.

Dancing through the night

2011-05-29T14:48:00.001+12:00

He loves Justin Bieber. Really, he does!

The Wiggles 22/04/11

2011-05-25T13:10:00.004+12:00

I couldn’t believe I was actually sitting there watching the Wiggles show! Before AJ, if you mentioned Wiggles, I would laugh them silly. But hey, look what happened? Me sitting in cosily and even cheering for them. Oh dear! They are still silly, but in a good way. Funny how a child could change your perception that you so dearly held on to for many years.

AJ is not their super fan. He is just too young to know about fans and idols. However, there are a few tricks and songs that they do attracts his attention. And since the tickets were free courtesy of my company, why not right? It was a good experience for AJ and I was curious to meet the four in person having to see them on TV. What surprised me was, there were kids actually brought flower, self-made cards and gifts to give to their idols! At that young age? Wow!

Easter road trip - Taupo (part 2)

2011-05-21T11:06:00.002+12:00

Just photos!

Huka Falls

We all loved the bright orange trees behind

Laughing away....

Guess what caught our attention?

Easter road trip - Taupo (part 1)

2011-05-14T20:46:00.004+12:00

Our time in Taupo was much more enjoyable. We had lunch at Huka Falls restaurant which we missed out last time as they were booked for a wedding reception. This restaurant offers a peaceful environment with stunning views of vineyard and Mt Tauhara as the backdrop. The food and service were great.

Then, we had a bit of fun in their vineyard.

Easter road trip - Rotorua

2011-05-09T22:23:00.003+12:00

We spent our Easter long weekend on a road trip to Rotorua (again!) and Taupo (and again!). This time we brought along my in-laws. That was their first time visiting Rotorua and Taupo.

Anyway, it wasn’t a good day in Rotorua when we were there. It was wet and grey, a rather big contrast comparing to last time. And yep, it still smells!

Mother's day

2011-05-08T15:34:00.015+12:00

I have a great day today. Got two pressies, one from AJ (with helps from his teachers of course) and one from Rick (on behalf of AJ he says). Both I love very much!

From Rick - Free standing full length mirror (Ya, me in my pj)

From AJ - cookie and fridge magnet

But the highlight of today is this......

Churros

The first time I had this was in Paris at stall by the street near Jardindes Tuileries. It was love at first taste. Both Rick and I loved it very much. We didn't know what it was called and that was the end of it. Since then it has always been in our mind. A few days ago, Rick told me that he is going to cook me something on Mother's day. Something I love. Something we both love. Something we once had overseas. I don't know how Rick went about digging out the info, history and recipe about this thing. But, there I was after 4.5 years, happily indulging and reminiscing. It tastes just like what we had in Paris!

This was then. A whopping 5 euro for each of that little pack! (I looked like craps I know)

Thank you my dear, for giving me such a great and memorable day!

Happy Mother's day to all the mothers out there. Hope you too have a great one!

A day full of fun

2011-05-07T20:35:00.001+12:00

A change of my grand plan

2011-05-04T08:02:00.001+12:00

So, my most coveted trip has been called off! Reason? Let’s just put it as business, on my dear other half. I was furious, dejected and disappointed, but what can you do? Seriously, what can you do if you still very much want to bring home that piece of bacon?

I was really looking forward (and this is an understatement) to this trip. Imagine.....autumn in the Scandinavian, how romantic and beautiful is that? I started planning this trip even before AJ was born and that’s how serious I was about it. Oh well, really no point crying over spilt milk. Might as well clean that up and get a new bottle. No more Scandinavian’s autumn but I would still want to go somewhere. It’s been way too long since my last overseas holiday trip. I am now looking into Dec to other places and hopefully it would still be somewhere in the Europe!

Welcome to my house

2011-04-28T21:09:00.002+12:00

The house has finally come into one piece except that there is still one coffee table to be purchased. I still looking for a suitable design. Anyway, the house has 3 lounges, so we have decided to decorate each of them differently with their own theme. We get bored easily you see. LOL

Anyway, take a seat...coffee or tea?

The rose garden

The deck

Modern Paris

Writing desk with a suburban view

The living room

Funky twist (still looking for a suitable coffee table for this area)

Dinning

Kitchen

The office

My house - sneak peek

2011-04-24T21:44:00.002+12:00

Wall of art

2011-04-15T23:44:00.001+12:00

AJ @ 15 months

2011-04-11T22:22:00.002+12:00

AJ throwing tantrum

2011-04-06T22:47:00.002+12:00

AJ was throwing tantrum last night, in a very cute and funny way I must say. I gave him yoghurt as his dessert (he looooooooves yoghurt!). He sat on my laps while I spoon fed him. He was so happy eating away and I knew without me putting a stop to it, he could just go on finish the whole yoghurt. That’s just too much. So I told him there is no more yoghurt and we can have more tomorrow. He didn’t take it too well I supposed. He cried while running all the way to the very dark wardrobe of mine, stood there and cried, and cried. It was really funny. As I walked closer towards him, he went further away from me into the wardrobe. So both Rick and I waited outside the wardrobe. After a few minutes, he had enough and finally came out for a cuddle.

Mad rush March

2011-04-01T23:40:00.001+13:00

The budget (work) is a huge monster. I had to pull all my strength together to finally win the battle and successfully contain it, well for another year before it comes out and bite me again. And by then hopefully I will be more well equipped to put up with the fight and squash it like a little ant! (I don’t do that to ant ok, pure illustration only). Hahahahaha

Home wise, was busy furniture hunting and getting everything organised. The house is looking more like a home now. Will share some photos soon.

So what is coming up? April will be another busy month too but no more monster (^_^)

- Catching up with a friend from Wellington
- In-laws visiting for 3 weeks
- A long weekend getaway to Rotorua and Taupo (hoping to snap some nice autumn shots)

AJ's transition

2011-03-30T21:57:00.001+13:00

AJ started Centre 2 on Monday. The transition was smooth and AJ settled in very quickly which came at no surprise being a real socialiser that he is. We could notice he was getting rather bored in Centre 1 since his older friends had transferred across and he was left with all the babies.

This morning, we were told by the teacher (centre 1) that AJ enjoys so much in Centre 2 that he didn’t even bother to go back to Centre 1 even when she tried to call him in. And for the last two days, he showed no interest to go home. He saw me…he continued on playing. I had to go pick him up myself. This is completely opposite to when he was still in Centre 1, as soon as he saw me, he ran to me with long arms. What a quick change in behaviour! Sigh boys!

Home bake

2011-03-21T22:37:00.004+13:00

Finally dusted off the bread maker we bought few months ago and giving it a test run. Never thought bread baking can be that easy!

We picked the french bread recipe. Rick was the one doing the measuring and mixing. I helped eating only. LOL

The bread turned out soooooooooooo yummy. Now I am addicted to fresh home bake bread!

Finance is evil

2011-03-17T22:57:00.004+13:00

Financial budget was never my problem. We engineers don’t care. The numbers come out of our calculation have a unit at the back, not $ in front. No offence, that’s the reason why engineers and accountants/economists don’t mix (well mostly). BUT, as I now moved into commercial, things that was never part of my working life, is now sticking on to me. I am overwhelmed. Things like EVA, CPI, RFR, X-factor, wash up, revenue accrual, blah blah blah $$$$$$$. WAH! Can someone shot me in the head please! Why can’t it be as simple as V=IR? The logic just doesn’t make sense. You may ask:”Then why the hell did you take this job? Go back to engineering lah”. Good question! I don’t know. Because I eat-too-full-nothing-to-do and wanted some challenge so that I can bang my head on the wall more and start complaining here in my blog!

Like it is true.

Actually, seriously, honestly, this job is quite a catch (not monetary wise). Financial budget is only part of the deal. You see, I want to move away from hardcore engineering but not totally detached from the industry you see. This job fits like a ~~pizza~~ puzzle.

Anyway, right here right now, the battle between me and finance continue.....

Hope they are managing through all these...

2011-03-16T21:31:00.002+13:00

I am utterly devastated by Japan's ordeal. It is heart breaking watching a beautiful country being ravaged like this. I am sadden by what the people is going through especially the children. My hearts and thoughts go out to the Japanese. It is a difficult time for the country right now. But I trust they will manage through this ordeal. Japanese are strong, they have been, they always are and they always will be.

Cornwall Park - take 2

2011-03-09T22:15:00.003+13:00

This time, photos taken by Rick

Quick update

2011-03-04T23:11:00.005+13:00

2 weeks into our new home, there are still 5 big boxes lying around. Progress is slow. It is not that we procrastinate, we just don’t have the time. On one hand, we want to get everything in order asap, on the other hand, we want to spend enough quality time with AJ. And on top of that, we are adjusting to our new routine too. So things are just not moving as quickly as I would like it to be. Time juggling is an art!

It is really frustrating when you have a lot to get done, time is not on your side. I am the kind of person who wants to get everything completed in the shortest possible time. Get them out of my chest asap so I could put my soul and mind at ease, otherwise it is just not possible for me to put my feet up and enjoy. So you can see how hard it has been for me. At one stage, I even thought of taking a day off work just to sort things out, but then I am saving every hour of my leave for my potential big trip in Sep.

Oh well, enough for the rant. Night!

2202 the dark and the evil day

2011-03-03T22:53:00.009+13:00

22 Feb 2011, the whole of NZ turned up-side-down. That one hit, hit us hard….real hard, right in the heart and soul. It was all over the newspaper the next day. Buildings collapsed, many lost their homes, people missing….and this time the 6.3….kills. It has taken many lives, not even sparing the innoncent ones, as young as 5 months (as the record shows so far). I have just found out, my lecturer has lost his wife. 9 days passed, there are still bodies yet to be recovered. As how the PM put it, this is NZ darkest day. What used to be a peaceful nation and a beautiful city, now no more. I trust everyone here, affected or not, has a hole in their hearts.

It hurts watching tv and reading newspapers these days. The pains they went through are just too much to bear, my eyes tear, everytime. It is devastating. I was reading through an article about the first funeral of the earthquake victims – a young (used to be) cheerful cute little boy, 9 months old. This, burnt another hole in my heart. Such a young life, how could you…..and why, mother nature? Is this necessary?

The whole nation is doing everything they possibly could to help Canterbury pick-up the pieces. Donations, appeals are everywhere. Sure, eventually the city would rise again, strong and proud but it will never be whole again. Those precious lives lost will forever cast a shadow in us.

Bless the souls.

Family shoot at Cornwall Park

2011-02-15T22:17:00.007+13:00

We are getting there....

2011-02-11T22:41:00.001+13:00

We have had blinds measured and quoted. We are having Fantasy blinds all over and SheerFold for the two french doors. Took us a while deciding on the fabric. We have picked sky blue for AJ’s room and a light cuppucino shade for the rest of the house. It usually takes 4-6 weeks to make so won’t be ready when we move in L. Gonna live in an aquarium.

We will have more furniture arriving tomorrow, and heat pump installation on Sun.

Another busy weekend ahead!

House decor progress

2011-02-09T23:23:00.002+13:00

I have been busy with the house decoration (what else right?). The look will be classic with a bit of modern elements into it. Colour theme is natural earth tone. I think the classic look would match well with the exterior appearance.

The challenge for me is trying to marry every single piece together virtually, in my mind. The endless selection available on market makes it even harder. You know, it’s like you have set your mind on this, then suddenly you like those, and then these, and those and these…….“Urggh, stop switching, make up your mind!” Frustrating!

Anyway, I now have a fairly good idea of what goes where. Here are a peek to pieces that I have picked up for the house so far….let’s just hope that they would marry well when put together just like how I imagine it to be.

Cruising along Auckland harbour 02/01/2011

2011-02-07T23:15:00.005+13:00

This is old. Life has got too busy that this blog just can’t keep up (ya, the blog is lazy, always just sit there goyang kaki. Hahaha)

Anyway, we went on a 2-hour cruise around Auckland harbour. We had an awesome family time together, sitting around enjoying fresh sea breeze and beautiful sunset.

It was AJ first time on a boat, you can see how exciting he was!

A mouthful of blueberries

Busy, tired and exhausted

2011-02-02T10:55:00.009+13:00

Got the house key on 28 Jan, and since then we have been busy cleaning, gearing the house up for humans. Although brand new, there are still quite a bit of cleaning up to do like wiping off the woody dust from the cupboards, shelves and wardrobes, vacuuming, mopping and whatnot. There are a lot to do before we could move in and start enjoy the house. Adding to that, AJ hasn’t been feeling well lately. He caught a cold, and we also suspect there is another tooth coming out. I guess the packing and moving too has made him unsettled. So all in all, progress is slow but I believe we could still move by end of Feb, and if we are lucky, mid Feb.

Anyway, wishing y'all a very happy year of the rabbit

Blueberry + scallop picking - our way of celebrating new year

2011-01-22T22:03:00.004+13:00

Summer is the blueberry picking season. There is this blueberry farm near ngatia, just about 1.5 hour drive south of Auckland. We were there with a bunch of friends on new year day. The sun was not forgiven at all. So hot that we almost turned into ikan masim (salted fish). Hahahaha. It was our first time seeing blueberry trees. We were eating (blueberries) non-stop (hey if it is inside your stomach, it is free!) while picking. It was more like a blueberry eating frenzy than picking. LOL. We picked about 750g and cost half the retail price. Fresh and cheap. Happy!

After blueberries and lunch, we drove to Clark beach for scallop picking. I was quite looking forward to find out how this is done although I wasn’t sure if I want to immerge half of myself in the sea. As soon as we reach the beach, I was like….Oh~my~ god…… is this a joke? Then the urge of scallop picking gone right down to nil. The sea was actually about 2km away from the beach (extremely low tide?), where we were standing! Adding to the woe, the weather is sweltering hot. The heat was just too much to take. I would be all dried up and die before I even reach the sea. So, we decided to just take it easy by the beach and let AJ have fun stepping on patches of water.

And here is the new year fireworks captured at a good friend’s house at midnight of 1/1/2011.

Nothing spectacular comparing to other countries but the fun and most important part is having to celebrate it with good friends. We had a great time, laughing our way to new year!

Athan talking non-stop

2011-01-22T09:50:00.002+13:00

We had a good 15 mins chat the other day. Athan was on and on about something exciting, non-stop. LOL

The deal is sealed

2011-01-17T20:46:00.007+13:00

We now have a place called HOME

Now let the decorating game begins.....

Tauranga

2011-01-15T22:47:00.004+13:00

After Rotorua, we drove to Tauranga for 1 night. I have been there once, not very impressed but Rick hadn’t so insisted laying his footsteps on this tiny little town. It really is a small town, nothing much to see apart from a nice beach.

On our way back to Auckland, we had a brief stopped at Paeroa . A town where the famous (NZ famous only I think) L&P (Lemon & Paeroa) carbonated drink was originated.

Also a quick peek at the gold mine (still active I think) in Waihi

And this concludes our 2-day road trip.

Rotorua

2011-01-12T22:14:00.001+13:00

About 2.5 hour drive from Auckland. The moment we drove into Rotorua, we were greeted by the infamous smelly air. Wonder how the residents there could stand the smell 24/7. Imagine waking up early in the morning, your first gulp of fresh air smells like rotten egg!

We spent only one day there, doing nothing apart from driving around taking pictures. I didn’t bring my swimsuit so missed out the hot pool. We couldn’t be bother to visit those geothermal sites, entrance fee too expensive and AJ is too young to know anyway. The highlight of the day is Rick accidentally locked the car key in the car! We ended up waiting 1.5 hours under the scorching hot sun for the help to come. So much for sightseeing.

Lavender fun

2011-01-07T22:20:00.004+13:00

Alphra lavender farm, approx 1 hr drive from Auckland. This time AJ had all the fun and we were merely cameos/slaves of the day. Hahaha

However, he seemed more interested in doggy and was extremely persistent in initiating a conversation. LOL

Playground

2011-01-02T00:14:00.004+13:00

For the big and small

For the little and the old

A place for laughter, a place for joy

Swing away the worries, swing away the past

Let your new year starts anew

Happy 2011!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-28T21:53:00.008+13:00

This comes a bit late, but better than never! We didn't do anything special on Christmas day (nothing opened) apart from bringing AJ to a playground. That was his first!

Anyway, here are some photos taken while we strolled along Franklin road full of Christmas lighting.

Auckland skytower

Santa getting his gear ready

AJ opening his Christmas present

AJ caught on video

2010-12-27T08:53:00.003+13:00

Loud and bold. Don't know what his problem was. LOL

AJ's first driving lesson

AJ talking on the phone. Always a busy man! LOL

Our house......SOLD!

2010-12-17T21:57:00.004+13:00

Yeah, finally finally......

Now we can move on.........

And the search of new home begins...........

AJ's first birthday

2010-12-05T10:24:00.018+13:00

The long awaited day has finally arrived. It marked a very important milestone for AJ and for us as first time parents. It is just like a roller coaster ride – fast and furious, ups and downs, beautiful scenery at different angle (that’s as if you open your eyes) but flashes off all too quickly. Before you know it, you are at the finish stop. Then, of course for a real life roller coaster, you can repeat the ride, same route many times as you wish. But this? ONCE is what you get. The next ride will be of total different nature.

So, to celebrate this special day, we had a birthday party in Wellington, the place AJ was born. It was held in Intercontinental Hotel, Toy Story theme and AJ was the much loved Woody on the day! Although there is no Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and the rest, he had fun playing with his mates, and we too had a good time catching up with friends.

"I am a busy man y'know. So many birthday calls... "

Rite of passage - AJ picked the hammer, the Judge hammer! LOL

Woody show finished, now I am back to papa & mama's boy!

A year older 25/11/2010

2010-11-26T23:41:00.003+13:00

Since I had celebrated it in advanced, it was just like a normal (yet special) day. We went out for a casual meal at Squid Row, a restaurant nearby. We didn't even order any main dish (kinda full), so we had wedges, garlic bread, desserts and that was it! No cooking, no washing on the day, it gotta be good! (^_^)

AJ turning 1 this Sunday. We are heading off to Wellington tomorrow for his birthday party. It will be a good time catching up with friends too. Exciting!

De Fontein & Kelly Tarltons

2010-11-20T22:29:00.009+13:00

Celebrated my birthday in advance at De Fontein, a Belgium restaurant just like our favourite Leuven in Wellington. Finally reunited with the mussels! LOL

1 kilo pot steamed mussles in coconut cream & lemon grass curry

Grilled mussels in salsa verde

After the delicious mussels, we hopped over to Movenpick next door for desserts!

Chocolate and raspberry brownie with Cappuccino ice-cream

Nothing on the ceiling, I was only following AJ. LOL

Then, with full tummies, we hopped again (are we rabbits or what? Hahahaha), to Kelly Tarltons. An underwater world named after a kiwi adventurer. I was excited about the visit as I have never seen a real life penguin before (-_-). I am soooo "suaku" (-_-)

AJ in jaws, exploring!!!! LOL

PENGUINS!!!

Penguins, penguins and more penguins!!!! I WANT ONE!

AJ started his first step

2010-11-18T22:24:00.004+13:00

AJ started his first step 3 weeks ago, and he is tottering around everywhere in the house. LOL

Here are a couple of casual moment, kinda funny.

Day trip to Whangarei

2010-11-16T21:57:00.003+13:00

This is actually what we did in the labour weekend about a month ago. Ya, I know way outdated post, but life is just too busy. Hahaha (yeah right!)

Anyway, Whangarei! About 2.5-hr drive north of Auckland. It is a place blessed with beautiful beaches and countryside. A little town with a lot to offer!

Lunch at Mondo's Cafe - Wedges & Sour Cream, Beef Nachos with Guacamole

Whangarei Falls

Dinner at Joust in Orewa on our way back to Auckland - Beef Burger, Banty Pizza

Life in Auckland....is good!

2010-11-11T23:26:00.003+13:00

It’s been two months living in Auckland and I have no complaint whatsoever (ok, except the apartment we currently living in but that’s just temporary anyway, so doesn’t count!).

I don’t know if it is just us, we have found that living expenses here in general is surprisingly on par if not cheaper than in Wellington. One of the worries we had prior to the move was the transportation (to work). We thought we may not be able to drive to work anymore due to the terrible traffic (that everyone has warned me about) and the exorbitant parking fees. Then guess what? Our parking fee here only costs us the humble $5/day as compare to the crazy $12/day in Wellington! Even the parking fee right in the CBD is no more than those in Wellington. As for the notorious traffic jam, well we are yet to experience it as our apartment is only a mere 10 mins drive to our office and we have early start/finish working hours.

Here, we are spoiled for choice, be it food, Asian grocery stores, Asian hair salons, clothing, cosmetics brands and whatnot. There are many Japanese/Korean cosmetics that I used to source through Ebay can now be found right in the stores. Top that off with designer brands LV, Gucci, Dior, Loewe, Prada etc (Chanel when are you coming?) to freshen up my eyes.

And just last weekend, we were thrilled to have big bowls of delicious noodles for just $6.50 each, $4 cheaper than in Wellington! Gosh!

We have also learned that, a friend of ours who own a house in a nice area pays less rate to the council. Their house value is worth much more than ours in Wellington and yet their rate is almost half of ours. House price is generally a bit higher here which is expected (Hey, it is Auckland!) but I am sure we will find one that we can afford.

Comes to the weather, Auckland wins, hands down! Needless to say more.

Daycare for Athan – cheaper, better, cleaner, more systematic and professional.

International travel? Cheaper, easier and less troublesome. No more transit to Wellington.

And why the hell did I live in Wellington for the past 9 years?

A new start

2010-11-10T21:28:00.003+13:00

First week into my new job. I now have fairly good idea of what I will be involved in though am still trying to digest all the information given as much as possible. To cut the story short, it is something new, something exciting. My current company is the customer of my ex company, so it gets rather interesting.

I would like to think that I am settling well into the environment. Better than I expected!

And yes, Rick and I are in the same company, 1 floor apart. We worked in the same company too in Wellington. Fate huh! And no, Rick didn’t get me in in case you were wondering. They didn’t know till later (^_^)

Anyway, we had a full yummy breakfast at Urban cafe to kick start my first day!

My spicy chicken omelette

Rick's salmon egg benedict

Lost and found

2010-11-07T10:19:00.005+13:00

It is a very happy week for me. A long lost friend, found and met.

We knew each other through a mutual friend in our first year of University in Otago. Quite often, I crashed at her place for a quick afternoon nap in between lectures. After that year, I moved to Christchurch and we lost touch.

I always thought she went back to Malaysia. Tried to look for her recently (via Facebook) but too no avail. Then, lo and behold, through that very mutual friend, we reconnected!! (Thanks to Facebook!), and to my pleasing surprise, SHE IS LIVING IN AUCKLAND!! You have no idea how happy I was.

So, after a long 10+ years, we met again, yesterday. A great catch up over yummy "dim sum". I am just utterly so delighted and pleased to have found her and knowing she is doing great. She has always been a friend that I treasure very much. I am thankful fate has brought us back together!

Video - Athan pushing "car"

2010-10-29T09:36:00.006+13:00

I think this is really funny. What he did yesterday. I've been watching it over and over again, couldn't stop laughing. Hahahaha

Hope it puts a smile on you (^_^)

Picnic picnic

2010-10-25T20:07:00.002+13:00

At Auckland Domain........

On a side note, came across this cute little thing when we went yum cha at Sun World. A Hello Kitty green tea and red bean pudding. How can you refuse such an adorable dessert!

What we did over the weekend

2010-10-18T21:02:00.002+13:00

We spent 5 hours shopping in Dressmart. Couldn’t help it, SALES everywhere! This thing is evil....once you start, you just keep on going like a mad cow, it is a disease. LOL. If I were to make a stop at every store, I probably would need a 10 hours straight! And of course, I was not the only guilty one, the big boy too. In fact, it was his idea to go to Dressmart. LOL I am afraid the only innocent party is AJ although I did buy him some clothes...without his consent of course! Hahahahaha

Shopping aside, we also met up with Betty, HK and Jonathan for a late lunch at Haru, a Japanese restaurant. Love the food there. Didn’t take any photos though.

Then, we had a nice catch up session with YH who came back from the UK for a brief holiday over afternoon tea at Mecca. Situated right at the Viaduct, offering good seaview, perfect setting for killing time/hanging out with friends especially on a good sunny day or a romantic sunset dinner. I was saying to Rick that we should come here for dinner one Friday night to experience the hustle and bustle.