zouk

Talk about irony: I stay so close to zouk (Havelock Road to Zion Road) and has never clubbed a day in my life, yet party animals from all over the island converge at this Phuturistic warehouse every week to indulge in 'Midnight Madness'? Now, that's insanity! (And the cover charge isn't exactly cheap.)

Grand Shanghai

*Cue classic theme song of THE BUND (crooned by Frances Yip)* At the Grand Shanghai, deals - along with promises - were made and broken. At the Grand Shanghai, blood was shed BONNIE AND CLYDE style. The Grand Shanghai had seen its fair share of glory and decadence, but who would remember Ding Lik?

Banzai!

Rhetorical question: Anybody wants to be on the receiving end of Yokozuna's devastating Banzai Drop? Lex?

The Boat People

Take a bumboat ride. Fall in love with century-old godowns and shophouses restored to their original grandeur and rejuvenated into some of the most enchanting and chic quayside dining and entertainment destinations. Visit Singapore River Cruise today!

Bill Rancic

Bill Rancic is living the American Dream. Born and bred in the Midwestern state of Illinois, the one-time security guard graduated from Loyola University and proceeded to start his own online cigar retail business. But it was after winning the premiere season of THE APPRENTICE that Rancic became America's Most Eligible Bachelor - then (he's now engaged to be married to E! NEWS host Giuliana DePandi). One wonders if he knows all the pet peeves of Donald Trump...

La Vita E Bella

Live. Laugh. Love. Sleep later. Wake up with a migraine. But who cares? Life, certainly, is good enough for this lucky chap who's surrounded by a bevy of Italian beauties...

Looks Scrumptious, Tastes Like Shit 3 & 4

4Actually, they don't look that scrumptious. Maybe it's the color?
Pictured top left is the $3.80 steamed rice with chicken (not to be confused with steamed chicken rice) from Great World City's Food Junction. Utterly blah in taste, but, then again, I was too starved to complain.

Top right is the $2.50 Ipoh chicken hor fun from Orchard Towers' Thano Café. Chicken again, I know. Believe it or not, I started regretting my choice the instant the lady who served me commented "try it, as some people like it and some don't". Geez, like you could've told me that earlier? Before I placed my order??3

Lonely, Lonely Load

Peering beyond my balcony parapet (I know it's not much of a view per se) I see a lonely, lonely road save for this single car parked by the side. Anyone feels like joining me for a 'stroll to nowhere'?

Amelia

I label this blog entry under 'Friends', but - in all actuality - I regard a.h.m.e.l.i.a (her nick on MSN) as my real (kid) sister.

Granted, she may be somewhat 'slacking' in her studies of late, but - call me partial all you want - I believe there's a reason to it.

I'm trying to understand her better... (and she'll still be receiving an ang pao from me come CNY *_^)

When There's No More Room in Hell...

...the Dead Will Walk the Earth. Zombies. Love them or loathe them, they are antipodes of humans. Zombies are unbiased and unselfish by nature. Their sole purpose is to feed on human flesh. The only way to put them down is to put a bullet through their head.

Dino Egg?

Archaeological Times reported an unidentified mammoth eggshell in suburban Singapore. Scientists believe this hatched embryo is the product of a supposedly extinct species of dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period, whereas Scientologists conjecture that it's actually an alien oospore straight from outer space!

Tokyo Crossing

The new 'KinKi Kids' Takashi, Toshiro and Yoshio remind themselves that this is Singapore, not Japan. There's a hefty price to pay for reckless jaywalking, so watch out for the traffic! 用心しなさい!

Sinful Snack

Pestered the maternal one to buy ba gua (i.e. BBQ sliced pork) from Bee Cheng Hiang. She got some (500 grams to be precise) from Lim Chee Guan, instead. Ah, same thing, I guess.
The pack cost $20 and we're already down to the last 1½ pieces now. LOL.

America the Beautiful

When 22-year-old Californian America Ferrera ascended the podium to receive her trophy for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy at the recently concluded 64th Golden Globe Awards, there was hardly a dry eye in the room (spotted tearing on National TV were Annette Bening and Jada Pinkett Smith).

As what Halle Berry did for black women at the Oscars and Camryn Manheim for the 'big girls' at the Emmys, Ferrera, who plays an unattractive Latina in ABC's UGLY BETTY (still need vindication?), proved that being geeky can also be beautiful.

Pavillon Par Le Fleuve

'Pavilion by the River' in French, or at least that's how Dictionary.com translates for me. Heh. Then again, I'm not sure if we can call this a pavilion in the first place since there are no seats (i.e. benches) to begin with. And if you look closely, there are hooks on the 'ceiling' plausibly for hanging bird cages. Hmm. The dome-shaped top also reminds me of Julius Ceasar's wreath.

Handmade (Blythe) Accessories

My good friend & fellow blogger orangemilky, who's a Blythe collector & aficionado, has just completed her latest batch of self-knitted hats & tops. And they're up for sale! Check them all out here.

An Old Face

By that, of course, I'm not referring to Joan Collins or Barbara Walters. What I mean is, it was a pleasant surprise when our ex-colleague (and erstwhile Photo Finish cover girl) Madaline Tan dropped by the office a few Saturdays ago to go gai gai with Liana. It was good to see her again (though she had grown taller) and this shutterbug didn't miss the opportunity to snap a picture of her [(*)]

(Note to Mad: Keep in touch!)

Speed Seraph 2 - Phantom

When Speed Seraph crashed and burned at the Turnpike of Abaddon, his soul made a pact with Beelzebub to be reincarnated in the apocalyptic future as Phantom (AKA Fast Food Delivery Man with a New Honda).

NANG NAK

There is no Thai who does not know of Mae Nak. Her tragic tale has been depicted in numerous films (the most famous of which was Nonzee Nimibutr's NANG NAK) and even a stage opera, and there is also a shrine dedicated to her at On Nut, Sukhumvit Soi 77, Bangkok.

5While her husband Mak is sent to fight in a war, a pregnant Nak dies in childbirth. The villagers are afraid to tell him when he returns...

5On this night, the ghost of Nak (with her baby) will return to her unsuspecting husband and kill whoever dares breathe a word to him about her demise...

5When Mak finally learns of Nak's fate, he flees to the temple. Alas, a circle of sermon chanting monks cannot keep him safe from Nak's relentless spirit...

The Big Blur

Life's like a dream (I know this sounds as prosaic as "Tommy, put the pistol down!", but what the heck). Before you know it, reality has caught up. And in our state of cognizance, as we look back on our journey, is everything not just one big blur?

Antique Shop

In this small antique shop along River Valley one will find creaky furniture, moth-eaten tapestry and an effigy of Lord Ganesha. And, who knows?, one may even find some lost memories...

1. Solitude

They say it's lonely at the top. I say it's lonely everywhere. Do you concur?

Beanied Beefcake Returns

"Kenape bus lambat sangat? Aku dah lapar ni..."

The Giant Octopus~~~~~

It may not be completely accurate to classify these sea creatures under 'cryptids' since they do actually exist. Still, one that's large enough to reportedly capsize a French sailship off the coast of Angola in 1801? Now, that's really something! My colleague Allan rightfully fears the dark depths of the ocean because you never know what may be lurking below (think DEEP RISING). After all, 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water; what do you think are the possibilities of a few dozen (or more) krakens living in the blue?

Beach Slippers

Doesn't mean they should be restricted to the beach. You can wear 'em to the mall. You can wear 'em to da bao dinner from downstairs. You can wear 'em to draw money from the ATM... You get the drift ;-)

Cushions??!?

Can't believe I'm actually blogging about cushions. There's so much going on in the world right now - from politics and technology to sports and entertainment - and here I am blogging about something as trifling as cushions. I gotta re-evaluate my priorities, man. In fact, I shall make that my first CNY resolution!

Dub-dew Dub-dew Ee Loyal Lumber

Top three tips from Insider's Guide to Surviving the Royal Rumble by Alan G:
1. Take your own sweet time to get to the ring.
2. Once you're in there, make yourself as inconspicuous as possible.
3. But before all that, rig those entry numbers!

House on Ma Hand

Look, it's Zathura! No, it's Howl's Moving Castle! Ah chey, it's only my adik's miniature porcelain house (used as a paperweight). And vhy's everything so green and 'mossy'??

\|/ Hibiscus \|/

Am I right to say that this is an image of a hibiscus (or rosemallow) of the Malvaceae family? It's Malaysia's national flower, just like orchid is Singapore's. Nicesh.

(P/S: Pardon the 'gleam'.)

From Mehico to Espanol

When you think of Hispanic actresses working in Hollywood today, who come(s) to mind? For yours truly, it's naturally Salma Hayek ('Santanico Pandemonium') and Penelope Cruz (Scientology pariah).
Thank mamacita for these sensuous women, I say!

540-year-old Salma Hayek (born in Veracruz, Mexico), who doesn't look a day over 30 (anyone begs to differ?), is the most successful Latin American thespian (anyone saw FRIDA?) in Tinseltown since the late Carmen Miranda. Last seen romancing former 007 Pierce Brosnan in the 2004 crime caper AFTER THE SUNSET.

5Penélope Cruz (born in Madrid, Spain), 32, starred in a string of Spanish, English, French and Italian films before seizing international attention for her role in Cameron Crowe's VANILLA SKY (1999) and subsequent marriage to The Notorious Couch Jumper. The ex-Mrs. Tom Cruise is now lauded for her searing performance in Pedro Almodovar's VOLVER (2006).

5Hayek and Cruz co-riding in the action comedy BANDIDAS.

Green Green Grass of Home

When singer Tom Jones covered and popularized the title country number (originally by Jerry Lee Lewis) back in 1966, I betcha he didn't envisage sinister shadows of horned hellions hovering over the grass...or did he?

Uzumaki

spiral obsession • scar • firing effect • twisted souls • medusa • jack-in-the-box • snail people • dark lighthouse • mosquitoes • umbilical cord • typhoon

"ARRGH!" (3rd Lamest Post Here - Ever)

"My great people... you sir at the back, can you hear me? Okay, good. I'm sure y'all know who I am. As I stand so proudly before you today, I am Magnus Maximus, the usurper of the Western Roman Empire. Many a fallen general have asked me 'Hey Maxi...' and you know how much I hate it they call me that. Anyway, they go 'Hey Maxi, how come your fighting so tokong?' And I tell them 'Because I scare my enemies shitless.' They ask me how I do that, and I show them this - ARRGH!"

Shino 林 晓 培 - 心 动 (1999)

有 多 久 没 见 你
以 为 你 在 那 里
原 来 就 住 在 我 的 心 底
陪 伴 着 我 的 呼 吸

有 多 远 的 距 离
以 为 闻 不 到 你 的 气 息
谁 知 道 你 背 影 这 么 长
回 头 就 看 到 你

过 去 让 它 过 去
来 不 及 从 头 喜 欢 你
白 云 缠 绕 着 蓝 天
如 果 不 能 够 永 远 都 在 一 起
也 至 少 给 我 们
怀 念 的 勇 气
拥 抱 的 权 利
好 让 你 明 白
我 心 动 的 痕 迹

总 是 想 再 见 你
还 试 着 打 探 你 的 消 息
原 来 你 就 住 在 我 的 身 体
守 护 我 的 回 忆

Nasi Ayam

Is there any difference between the Malay nasi ayam and the Chinese chicken rice? As a connaisseur of the latter, I find the former equally sedap. The chicken usually comes in a chunky piece, which, by itself, is sufficient to fill half your stomach. Love the sambal (or is it belacan?) cili. And, ooh...cherry tomatoes!

A Walk to Remember

What do you think of when you're walking, say, along a river? Self-reflection? Reminiscence of the past? For this writer, he much prefers to scrutinize the waters for any sign of croc (or Komodo) activity. See, this is what happens when you get caught up in kooky 'crypto' crap...
-_-"

Me, Hungry. You, Delicious!

All hail the (hungry) high chief of Uka Shaka, an offshoot of the Zulu tribe. His name is Gatal Gecko (or Cheeky Lizard) and he hasn't fed since that fateful day ol' Jeff Probst and his castaways decided to con them poor islanders of their comestibles.

AMERICAN BEAUTY

5Look closer: Beauty is often only skin deep.

Watch Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey go gaga over his cheerleader daughter's seductive good friend Mena Suvari ("I was hoping you'd give me a bath. I'm very, very dirty").
Watch Academy Award nominee Annette Bening go absolutely bonkers. (OTT acting?)

Watch a plastic bag take a life of its own in the swirling wind.
This is director Sam Mendes' essay on love, freedom, self-liberation, existentialism, and the search for happiness.

This is AMERICAN BEAUTY.

Upside Down?

Lest you think this is something out of Dutch artist and impressionist M. C. Escher's 1953 lithograph print Relativity (thank you, Bec!), nature never fails to surprise us with its own wonders.

Look Who's Coming to Dinner

Tonight, we're very honored and privileged to have with us a dinner guest all the way from Lithuania - the distinguished Dr. Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lecter. He'll be cooking for us a special dish - pan-fried encephalon (courtesy of Mr. Paul Krendler)! If you don't know what that is, well...there's only one way to find out :-P

F O C U S • F O R E V E R

... such doleful eyes ?

Vorsicht!

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Show Some Moves!

THE DANCE FLOOR, Singapore's own version of America's SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, will be waltzing into our living rooms soon. But before we get jiggy with it, do you know what are Singaporeans' favorite dance genres? A cyber poll on TDF's official website showed the following statistics: Reggae (62.2%), Hip Hop (18.7%), Techno (11%), Disco (4.9%), House (1.9%), Funk (1.3%).

Speed Seraph

When pandemonium dominates the planet and poverty becomes as widespread as the plague, mankind's only hope is the one law enforcement used to loathe - Speed Seraph (AKA Fast Food Delivery Man).