Halloween Do's & Don'ts

1. Enjoy pumpkin pie with your family and pets.
2. Avoid dark and lonely places at night. And Orchard Towers.
3. Watch all 9 installments of HALLOWEEN so as to better prepare yourself (for what, I have no idea).
4. Avoid going out with anyone named Michael.
5. Say HAPPY 32ND BIRTHDAY to the one and only Rookoo Baby (*muakz*)!!

Mei & Me

An antiquated photograph (*blows off the dust*) taken several years ago at the Roof Garden of Suntec City during some bo liao IT (or izzit career?) fair/exhibition.
The cardigan gal in the middle is my most beloved gan meimei (godsis) Kristine. Known her for a good three years now.
And, of course, the ghastly looking guy in blue is this blogger himself. (I know I look terrible in photos and need help with my dressing. Trust me, I know.)

Lagi No Bithness??

If you ask me, it just looks better (geddit? A spin on Burger King's own slogan?). Still, this newly refurbished BK restaurant @ Tiong Bahru Plaza (BTW, ol' Mickie D's here's also recently retrofitted with completely comfy cushioned seats!) ain't attracting a sea of customers, which as you can 0_0 is all but a sheer understatement. So what gives? Hoi polloi ain't hungry anymore??

P/S: Then again, did you really expect me to hold my intrusive cell cam up before ten chomping people with Mushroom Swiss in their mouths?? LOL.

No Bithness?

The back patio of the "cloistered and elegant" Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, "an oasis of calm just minutes away from the bustling financial and shopping districts" blah blah blah (ref: various Internet sources), along Orchard Boulevard on an insufferably hot & sunny Saturday afternoon (yes, the same day 'One Tree Hill' was logged). Where are all the guests? Has business become so bad? Oh, pardon me, they must all be playing tennis back inside on those exclusive air-conditioned courts ;-)

Megan Tay

At the tender age of 9, when most girls were fussing over their Barbie dolls, primary schooler Megan Tay (then known as Megan Zheng) did us Singaporeans proud by bringing home the prestigious Taiwan Golden Horse statuette for Best Newcomer - in the process becoming the youngest recipient in the awards' 42-year history - for her maiden performance in local filmmaker Jack Neo's dramatic masterpiece HOMERUN.

Needless to say, yours truly here's a great fan and admirer - ahem - of this amazing child prodigy, who's a natural in front of the cameras.

5Megan, now 12, sharing with a reporter where she went for her hair rebonding.

5ONE MORE CHANCE co-star Mark Lee, who plays Meg's ex-con dad (BTW, he looks every bit the part), giving her a shoulder massage. (Maybe it's too ticklish??)

5"I'm sooo tired... I wanna go home..."

New Slippers. For Now.

Purchased this new pair of Reeva - anyone heard of it?? - flip-flops from the NTUC FairPrice mart @ The Beo Crescent. Cost me only $6.96, but the problem is I have to keep buying new ones. Reason? That dastardly Hogan boy keeps treating my slippers as his favorite scratch pads! Argh!

One Tree Hill

Mm...what a fine looking shot, this is (*thick-skinned*). Couldn't wait to post it here when I took it this (insufferably hot & sunny) afternoon while ambling back from work along Grange Road. So now we know ONE TREE HILL isn't just the name of a little-known American teen TV soap. Aha, always something new to learn @ Photo Finish, my dear children ;-)

Miyazaki Movies 1 - SPIRITED AWAY

Man, I luuurve this movie to bits! It's by far my mostest favoritest film - animated or live action, fiction or fact-based. Hayao Miyazaki is the undisputed god of Japanese anime. It's a real shame, then, that this wondrous work of cinematic art didn't reach out to as many an American audience as it duly deserves - despite winning an Academy Award in 2002 for Best Animated Feature. Walt Disney, eat your heart out!

'Obiang' Calendar

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALAN,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!"

Not yet, lah. But akan datang.
*Hint hint*

Masks & Wine

5Spooky Halloween masks for sale @ Jason's - perfect for costume parties on the Night of the Dead. (Where's Ghostface from SCREAM?)
6A vintage wine cellar in the basement of Jason's. Nice and cozy corner, 'dis. Kinda like a mini HMV for wine ;-)

Scary Mannequins

Since my childhood, I've always had this innate fear of mascots - you know, the ones with fat guys stuffed into furry costumes? - and mannequins. Yes, mannequins. I know it's silly, but I always fear they'll suddenly come alive (a la in horror movies). LOL. This photo's taken outisde Euro Tailoring on the ground floor of Orchard Towers. The signboard reads "Well known internationally and world class tailor". I don't know. Somehow, something just doesn't seem right about that sentence...

Foot Reflexology, Anyone?

Feeling sore and tired after a long and hard day at work? Try walking - barefoot - on these pebble paths (found in almost every park in Singapore). Sure to improve blood circulation and rejuvenate that aching body of yours like none other!

JHM & Food

(Clockwise from top): JHM captured in one single frame. A rarity! Jerry looks austere as always, Hogan's hit by the sleeping bug again, and Mandy's pretending to be camera-shy (hee); canned food for the boys; fresh prawns for the Princess :-P

Wild Wild West

Photographed from outside Crazy Horse Disco Pub on Level 4 of Orchard Towers. I'd swear the artist based this fine piece of wall art on the likeness of Kevin Costner in WYATT EARP (1994).
Psst...if you look closely, you can even descry Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson (guess why?) in the background. Yee haw!

ALL ABOUT LOVE

Spotted this gem of a giant cardboard poster erected outside Lido Theatre at Shaw House after my 'tasty and altogether hearty' lunch. Three questions immediately popped into my mind:

1. Did lead star Andy Lau just step out from the set of his last vehicle WAIT TIL YOU'RE OLDER?
2. Why is he cradle-snatching co-star Charlene Choi (right) when the considerably more compatible - age-wise, that is - Charlie Young (left) is standing right beside him? Hello?
3. How come I don't get to be in Andy's shoes?? Boo hoo hoo...

LJS Lunch

Had this sudden craving for high-cholesterol fast food at lunchtime today (hehe), so I made a beeline for Long John Silver's, America's largest quick-service seafood chain, at Shaw House and ordered myself a tasty and altogether hearty Value Combo 2 meal. For those who haven't tried it before, this $5.90 set comes with a chicken fillet, a fish fillet and fries - all deep-fried in batter :-D Oh, and there's also a soft drink (Coke in this case) that comes along with it. Try it! And if you think they (meaning the service staff) did well, then please ring the Captain's Bell! *DING DONG*

Aiyoh, Why So Long One?

A daily (morning) sight in front of Tiong Bahru MRT station's Passenger Service Centre (formerly known as 'Station Control'). What are these people queuing up for? A sneak peek at the new passenger lift that's presently still under construction? Complimentary passes to the next R21 adult film slated to hit the screens of Yangtze Cineplex? Or a free makeover since these folks certainly look like they could use one? :-P Nah. None of the above. These uncles and aunties, who clearly have too much time on their hands, are merely standing in line - albeit crooked - for their free daily TODAY paper. Bummer.

Aki Ross

To my blogpal Leslie: This is Dr. Aki Ross (remember me mentioning to you about her?), the main character in FINAL FANTASY (2001). She's wholly computer-generated (think S1M0NE) and actually looks more real than one Teresa Cheung, no? :-P
According to The Internet Movie Database, "Dr. Ross' hair is only half as dense as the average human crop. However, that still left 60,000 strands to put realistically into motion. When designing the computer graphics, a fifth of the time spent was devoted to those 60,000 hairs."
Holy craparoni. Ahh, but what beautiful hair!

Aishwarya Rai

Aishwarya Rai. Widely regarded in the West as the Most Beautiful Woman in the World. Hollywood, and especially Pulitzer Prize winning film critic Roger Ebert, worships her like a goddess.

* * * *

Crowned Miss World in 1994.
Highest paid actress in Bollywood.

Listed in TIME as Top 100 Most Influential People in the World.

* * * *

Need we say more?

Pumpkin Season

Halloween may still be a week away, but The Gourmet Grocer Jason's Supermarket @ Orchard Towers (Rear Block) is already stocking up on these pulpy pumpkins (mm...). Say, I'll have them prices checked out tomorrow at lunch and post 'em here, aiight? ;-)

P/S: 'Kay, just got back from Jason's (whew, what a rush!). One large pumpkin is priced at - whoa - $23.90! A small one costs no less than $7.90. So, any takers?

My Home, Sort of

After touring the Delta neighborhood, it's time to return home to...I dunno, there are too many names. Even I'm confused. Should we call it Havelock Road? Or should we call it Bukit Ho Swee? I know it's in Tiong Bahru, but what does Kim Seng have to do with it? What about Jalan Besar? Argh! And don't get me started on The Beo Crescent! Nooo...

Delta Series

The nearby Delta residential estate. Passed by the vicinity on my way home from work last Friday evening.
Allow me to be your humble guide and take you on a two-cent tour around this tranquil neighborhood :-)

5A beautiful reflection of apartment blocks along the calm canal. The water looks pretty clean from here.

5A banner cautioning denizens on the dangers of dengue (screw subtlety). Yeah, prevention is better than cure.

5Hey, Mr. Postman. Any letters for me?

5Learning Braille. At the playground. I feel good!

5Money no enough? Fret not. There's a pawn shop just around the corner ;-)

Yanzi

Stefanie Sun Yanzi. My idol...I mean, favorite recording artist. Actually, I have a few 'favorites' when it comes to female singers. There's Penny Tai from Malaysia. There's Fish Leong also from Malaysia. Stefanie's from Singapore, by the way, but she's made it big in Asia - especially in Taiwan, where she's ousted other A-listers like Jolin Tsai and Elva Hsiao. In this promo pic, which has obviously been touched up with Photoshop since we all know the girl doesn't have such baby-smooth skin (sorry), Yanzi is sporting a smart & sassy timepiece from...wait a second, is that hair on her arms?

Kuriya Japanese Restaurant

Not really gonna blog about Japanese restaurants 'cos - paiseh - ain't been to one before (Ajisen and Yoshinoya don't count). Just thought of posting these pix here 'cos they look plenty pleasing, that's all.

And since Kuriya didn't pay me any advert fee, I won't even mention where these shots were snapped.

Anyone care to make a guess, though? First correct answer receives a year's free supply of raw fish courtesy of Cold Storage Singapore.

Sit with Me

Singaporeans should have no problem identifying where this snapshot was taken. No inkling? Clue: it's close to where I work (i.e. Orchard Towers). As I once told my friend(s), I think America's three biggest exports to the world are namely Coca-Cola, Nike and, of course, McDonald's. Anyone who begs to differ can feel free to correct me :-) After all, Ronald McDonald5is about as recognizable around the world as Mickey Mouse and Santa Claus. Children adore him. Parents, too, for the sake of their children. Quite frankly, I find the guy a bit scary. Anywho...

P/S: McDonald's is my 2nd favorite fast food restaurant after Long John Silver's. What's yours?

Free Advert! :-D

Yes, yes, I know. I'm oh-so-shamelessly plugging my own blogsite here, um, on my own blogsite...never mind. So sue me, lah! LOL.

Bye-bye, I'm Off to Work

7:30 a.m. - Bloody alarm goes off; wake up (*yawnz*)
7:32 a.m. - Brush teeth with Darlie, wash face with Oxy (hmm, that shit rhymes)
7:34 a.m. - Shower with Lux & Dove
7:38 a.m. - Change into working clothes
7:42 a.m. - Play with Mandy
7:44 a.m. - Off to work (sianz!)

LOST

Despite being frustratingly slow-moving at times (especially during those frequent flashbacks), ABC's hit television series LOST, which recently won a Best Drama Emmy, is the hippest and 'most happening' (no pun intended) offering on the boob tube right now.

If you still haven't caught on to the craze, it might be too late to start now. Oops. Hehe.

Nevertheless, there are five more exciting episodes left in Season 1.

Will the mystery of the island finally be revealed? Will the castaways be rescued by Jeff Probst? Will there be some sort of cliffhanger? And the ultimate question: Will Matthew Fox return to PARTY OF FIVE??

X-Rated Cat

OMG!! Is he dead?? Is my beloved Jerry-san dead?? Someone please call the cat ambulance! Meanwhile, should I administer CPR + mouth-to-mouth resuscitation? Naah. Chill. The old boy's just enjoying his evening snooze (zzZZzz...) on the cool & clean living room floor. But why does he sleep like that? Why would any cat sleep like that? It's sooo...tsk, obscene? Again, I once read somewhere that says cats that adopt the proverbial 'X-rated' sleeping position are usually domesticated (read: sterilized) 'cos, apparently, they feel very safe and content in their environment. Aww...

Rojak @ Zion Riverside

Every time I stroll home past Zion Riverside Food Centre (opposite Great World City) I'll stop by to purchase for myself & my mom a $3.00 packet of rojak from the friendly old uncle at stall #21. (I bet he can recognize me by now.) See? They boast an 'A' grade and even scored a big thumbs-up from - among other critics - those connoisseurs at CITY BEAT! Dun pray pray, okay?

Hulkamania Lives Forever!

Hands down, my favorite grappler of all time. From the very instant I started watching pro-rasslin', which dated way back to my upper secondary school days, I fell in love with the larger-than-life Hulk Hogan persona. In my opinion, he is to sports entertainment (an adroit euphemism for 'professional wrestling') what Michael Jordan is to basketball. Not only did I worship The Immortal One like a hero, I also bought into the whole Hulkamania movement - hook, line and sinker. I remember the 6'7" behemoth with those famed (and feared) "24-inch pythons" always used to tell his little Hulkamaniacs to say their prayers and take their vitamins (before he proceeded to rip his shirt). Hehe.

P/S: Favorite Hulkster match? Too many to name! LOL.

Doreen & Sis

My ex-colleague & good friend Doreen (girl on the left) with her cute-as-a-button kid sister Yuling (both are Taekwondo black belters, mind you!). This neoprint, taken at Parco Bugis Junction, is rather old, but I like it very much. I thought the colors were really vibrant. In a nutshell: Doreen & I met while working in publishing some three years ago. I was a book editor then (yeah, say it: "NERD"!) and she, fresh from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, was our new in-house graphic designer. Shortly after I left the company, Doreen also resided to America when her airforce engineer hubby got posted over there. From what I understand (from her Friendster profile), she's currently staying in Coppell, Texas, happily married and expecting her first child :-D Oh, and her puppy's name is Ace.

MRT

I must be the unabashed posterboy for Singapore's Land Transport Authority. In all my 30-odd years of existence I've never ever wavered in my support for local public transport. (Part of the reason being that I do not, erm, possess a driver's license.) Every morning I, like half-a-million-or-so other S'poreans, commute to work via the Mass Rapid Transit. I'll board the train at Tiong Bahru (see map) and alight seven stops later, at Orchard. The whole journey takes me about 20 minutes. Now, why am I telling you all this? Gee, I really have no idea! :-P

P/S: The other two stations, namely Outram Park and Tanjong Pagar, also mean something to me. The former was where I alighted when I went for my weekly National Day Parade rehearsals at Nee Soon Camp earlier this year, while the latter (*eyes starting to mist*) was where I was born and grew up... More nostalgia...

Looking for Aidah

Where are you?...

FAN CHAN

5Focus Jirakul and Charlie Trairattana as Noi-Naa and her 'boy toy' Jeab.

"Endearing Thai retro piece set in the 1980s takes an essentially simple story of childhood friendship and prepubescent puppy love, and – with a little help from the persuasive power of nostalgia – transforms it into a tender trip down memory lane."

Oops, what giant fonts! Anyways, that was what I wrote in my patently positive review of FAN CHAN (2004), one of yours truly's favorite Asian films ever.
Do you still remember your first love? :-)

Rainy Day, Empty Seats

Mr. Shutterbug is at it again. Boo-yaa! This pic was taken on my way home from the movies at the nearby Tiong Bahru Plaza. As it was sprinkling, this normally occupied row of seats right under my apartment block was understandably empty. On a fair evening, you can see a small gathering of senior citizens chatting and exchanging life anecdotes. I can envisage myself in that company forty years from now :-P

Room with a View

Snapped from my bedroom window using my handy 1.3-megapixeled Nokia 6230i. Not much of a view, I reckon, since I stay only on the fourth floor (for some Chinese folks it's not even an auspicious number!). Still, it's not too shabby, right? :-) A nice and peaceful lil' neighborhood we have here. For those interested, that's the Kim Seng Neighborhood Police Post - open daily from 12 to 10 p.m. - housed under that squarish red roof. I feel safe, already :-D