Don't Be A Slouch

This weekend Fifi introduced me to an iPad / iPhone app called Zinio.

It is basically an app that allows me to subscribe to mainstream magazines as e-magazines that I can read on my iPad / iPhone...although not all publications can be read on the iPhone, so it is best if you have an iPad.

I decided that I should start reading more about yoga instead of blindly attempting to write about it and, after a few minutes of deliberation, subscribed to Yoga Journal - a magazine that I have actually contemplated buying at the newsstand.

The much cheaper price-tag was certainly a motivating factor, with most magazines surprisingly cheaper bought / subscribed to on Zinio than at the newsstand! I was pleasantly surprised.

I came across this article that I strongly relate to and that serves as a good reminder of why I am an advocate of yoga.

Article from the September 2011 issue of Yoga Journal.

About five years ago I was suffering from terrible backaches caused by piercing pain in my lower back.

Some days this pain would cause me sleepless nights as even lying down on my bed wouldn't make the pain go away.

During the day the pain often caused me to be grumpy and snappish, and it most definitely was a damper to my energy levels and mood in general.

I was only 23 years old, and my mom lamented that it was unusual for someone so young to have such chronic backaches. She worried about how much worse it would get with age.

I would say that the backaches were a result of a combination of a really bad scoliosis, bad posture, a pretty unhealthy lifestyle of excessively late / sleepless nights and partying, an addiction to tottering around in skyscraper high heels (which I still do, but now am sensible enough to switch to flats if anticipating long bouts of walking / standing) and a lack of exercise.

Thankfully my friend and then colleague YJ introduced me to Fitness First and together we went for my first yoga class with Dr. Kajal - at Fitness First in Capital Tower.

I still remember that day. I could not touch my toes. I could barely touch the floor. I would topple over during ever balancing pose. That relatively moderate class of yoga left me breathless. I was decidedly UNHEALTHY.

I was also stick thin and weighed 39kg, so I was constantly told that "you can afford it" (with regard to eating fatty / junk food) or "don't need to exercise la!!".

Such is the complacency of youth.

So, given that my skinny exterior did not motivate me to exercise - if not for peer pressure (thank you YJ!) and (more so) for the fact that after just two sessions of yoga I realized a significant reduction to the pain in my lower back - I would probably not have bothered to exercise.

That would have been a monumental personal disaster if you ask me. I cannot even imagine the state my back would have been now if not for yoga. I cannot imagine the pain and (more frequent :P) mood swings I as well as those who love me would have had to endure - I thank God that I found a solution.

Today, as I edge dangerously close to thirty, I notice that many of my friends are beginning to get aches and pains. Despite my scoliosis, I dare say that I'm in a much better, painless, state than most.

My advice always is:

1. Yoga, or any exercise that strengthens and stretches your back. Pilates is awesome too I suppose.
2. Sit up straight and watch that back. I truly believe that a healthy spine is the key to retaining your body's youth and vitality.
3. Being "naturally skinny" is no excuse to be lazy.

Namaste and have an awesome week ahead!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Greenleaf, Singapore

Mooning Over Making Mooncakes

Yet another "Yonder" posting.  :D

But a fun one at that.

Today me and Fi decided to try our hand on making...drum roll please...snowskin mooncakes!

Skeptical? Here is the evidence!

And we were not just posing!

It's all in the name of research! As we explore what's next for A Sweet Cause - our little home kitchen bake-a-thon charity group that we work hard at keeping alive. Especially since we're going to be losing one of our key members, Dorine, to the foggy fantasia that is London. Sadness. Who's going to bake those glorious melt-in-your-mouth macadamia + dried strawberries + white chocolate chip cookies?!  Who am I going to call for a perfect home-cooked brunch. I am just devastated.

The process summarised! 

Anyway, it was quite an experience, and I learnt a few things:

1. Snow skin mooncakes are not cooked / baked / steamed. In fact, if you have all the products purchased, and can't be bothered / are not confident enough to make your own lotus seed paste, all you need is a kettle, weighing scale, the ingredients, a clean dry work surface, a rolling pin and mooncake molds. 
2. There is something called "fried" glutinous rice flour, aka Hong Kong glutionous rice flour or "gao fan" (I think). This is the only flour you should be using.
3. Past experience playing with Play Dough will come in very useful. Even the mooncake molds remind me of my childhood PD days. 
4. Deal.com.sg is legit. Yey. 
5. Mooncake making isn't as complicated as it sounds, and it is quite a lot of fun. 

How it all started.
A deal on Deal.com.sg which we pounced on!

Achieving mochi-like gooeyness...

This is probably the part with the largest margin for error.

At the beginning...

It involves you adding hot water to sieved "gao fan", icing sugar, shortening and the flavoring ingredient (i.e. green tea powder if you are making green tea snow skin, or yuzu paste if you are making yuzi snow skin and etc). 

This is a simple yet tricky process and you must avoid adding too much water. 

Our dough, which we childishly nicknamed "Jerry".

The aim is to get a mochi-like bounce to your dough, that is a slight bit gooey from that little bit of added moisture. 

Working on Jerry!

It is a delicate balance, and once it is achieved, leave the dough to "rest"; ideally overnight, but that obviously did not happen at the class.

"Resting" allows the moisture to evenly disseminate and work it's magic, allowing the mochi-like dough to gain a little bit more bounce and firmness. 

Jerry finally gets to "rest" for a bit.

Well-rested, we started packing it in...

The rest is pretty straight-forward, particularly as pre-made and purchased lotus seed paste was used. 

You roll the lotus seed paste into little balls and then envelope them in rolled-out pieces of dough so that they look like floury mega xiao long baos. 

Following which you carefully yet firmly stuff them into the mooncake molds, and voila! Out comes your snowskin mooncake!

We were lucky enough to get the
one and only Hello Kitty mold!

At this point of the class, I experienced a jaunting wave of "that-is-it-ness"at the realization that our class required more assembly rather than what I would consider real "cooking" / baking.

Still...aren't they pretty?! ... and hopefully delicious. We will see tomorrow, as we were advised to let them settle a bit in the fridge before consumption. 

Although we have to figure out a way to prevent the lotus paste from becoming this oily...

If only they were this easy to multiply:

So there you go! 

Snow skin mooncakes. For A Sweet Cause...maybe. We'll see!

Before I hit the sack, a wanted to share with you one last tip...looking for a good variety of mooncake ingredients / supplies? 

Apparently this the go-to place:

Kwong Cheong Thye

61-63 Lorong 27

Geylang off Sims Ave

Singapore 388187

Tel: (65) 6748 0128

Have fun! And GOOD NIGHT!

Introducing Harry Leo Gryffindor - My New MacBook Pro.

So...I can't help myself, but I can no longer refrain from announcing how lucky I am to have a Beebs who recently got me a brand new Powerbook MacBook Pro for my birthday. THANK YOU!! <3 <3 <3

No excuse for me not to blog more regularly now! In fact, no excuse for me not to read all my personal emails and organize my volumes of random / holiday photos anymore.

Here is a cheeky picture of me taken when I was unwrapping my gift, which is FINALLY up and running with internet connection etc.

Not the most flattering picture...but I was very excited and jumping all over the place, rendering all the pictures blurry or plain hideous. If I want to be a serious blogger, I really should take these picture perfect moments a little more seriously.

Unwrapping my new MacBook Pro, Harry Leo Gryffindor

I am a bit of a dork when it comes to computers and cars, and I have named all my computers and my one and only car to date.

Following the tradition, I have decided to name my new MacBook Pro Harry Leo Gryffindor.

Hideous name you say? Caving into all that Harry Potter craze (well maybe...).

I beg to differ, it has meaning behind it! I have the same birthday and star sign (Leo) as both Harry Potter and his maker, J.K. Rowling. Watching the very last installment (boo hoo!) of the Harry Potter movie series (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2) was also part of my birthday celebrations.

Plus, I am completely infatuated by the whole Harry Potter universe (Muggles, wands, charms, potions etc) and currently going through my second bout of childish Harry Potter obsession - the first craze having occurred maybe about a decade ago when the books first came out. I can't believe it is all over! At least for now (fingers crossed).

The concept of Gen X / Y / Z and our "prolonged adolescence" alas is true. :P Sadly. Or maybe not so sadly...whateverrr!

I think that the current Mac OS X Lion this MacBook Pro comes with also pairs in nicely with "Leo".

Am I over-doing it? Probably...but what the heck. :D Everyone needs a geeky indulgence every now and then.

Whatever it is, Harry Leo Gryfindor is definitely going to cause me a few late nights!

Thank you Beebs! <3 <3 <3

Yondering Downunder: Yoga (Finally) & Love Never Dies (Day 4) .... Sometime Later

NOTE: Yes, I know that it has been more than a month. But I've been busy. New job, new office location, birthday celebrations, short trip to Bangkok. Like I've said many times, Blogging is hard / harder work than I expected.

But I'm not going to give up!

Esp. because the Beebs has given me a new PowerBook MacBook Pro for my birthday! Yey! I have something new to blog on! Once it's all set up I will have no excuse. For now, I'm still blogging on my iPhone.

Anyway...back to business!

I WAS yondering downunder and blogging...and a good part of this post was written in Melbourne...until Sydney / Threadbo / Bangkok and of course Singapore took over and I procrastinated finishing this post and posting it.

As I was saying....

In Melbourne...some time back...

I'm waiting for the airport shuttle to come pick me up, and it is moderately cold. The sky is clear and there is sunshine.

Here is a picture:

Just as I take this picture, the shuttle cruises by - you can just see the back of it on the front left of the picture. :P

Damn. It looks to be a good day. And I take a few more quick snaps on my iPhone from the shuttle.

Here's a funny one :P

And on a more serious note, my last glimpse of the Yarra River:

Okie, enough of being cheeky :P.

Yesterday, Day 4 or Wednesday 29th June was a pretty awesome day.

It started with a guilty 10am start followed by a reunion with Ness, the long lost childhood friend I mentioned in my last post.

Together we walk to Breathe Wellbeing, a yoga and Pilates studio in the city.

Here is a picture (ignore the girl waiting for the lift, that is not Ness...). I think "Breathe" is a pretty cool name for a yoga studio.

Stepping out of the lift, I am immediately drawn by the openness of the studio.
I should have taken a picture, but we were running just on schedule so there wasn't time to spare.

HANG ON....

Oh dear. A quick distraction from Day 4...Right off the shuttle and am confronted by this:

Hello old friend. How could I have forgotten you. Should I?...

Hello hello hello! And help! Glossy temptation!

Bagged!

Sweet and crusty deliciousness. Mmmmm....After all, anything that starts with "Kris" must be good :P. *Playful snigger*

Anyway...I'm 2 hours early for my flight back to Sydney so, with Krispy Kreme donut safely packed into my stomach, I'll continue on Day 4 :p

Lets get down to yoga downunder! (FINALLY)

I have never done yoga anywhere else but in Asia and Breathe is a refreshing change from my usual yoga experience.

Wooden flooring, white walls and crisp natural lighting give the studio an atmosphere of airy serenity. I feel almost ethereal upon entering.

The studio is not very large, actually smaller than Pure in Singapore, but there is a greater sense of spaciousness.

It is indeed very different. I keep on using this word, but I have to use it again. It is quaint.

There are no lockers, which might be a bit of a scary thing, but it seems to suit everyone just fine.

Instead, there is a change room that has all four walls lined with different colored coats. Bags of all shapes and sizes litter the floor.

It is this little display of individuality, instead of the usual rows of numbered lockers, that gives the studio character.

The class is a welcome relief from days of no yoga or exercise. The Vinyasa is relatively similar to the Vinyasa I know; starts with three Omms, lots of Chatugangas, the usual warrior poses and ends with three Omms.

The interesting part is the fashion! There is great variety on the mat...leopard print tights, a T-shirt with a printed bow-tie motif tucked into loose balloon track (?) pants, a tie-dye T-shirt tied into a knot at the midriff...the list goes on. It's cold, so there is lots of layering going on - so unusual to my eyes used to just the usual sports tank tops and pants.

There is also a good sprinkling of Lulemon wear (myself included), but what I do notice is that there is not a spotting of recognizable Nike. Strange.

The air is also different. It feels lighter, easier to breathe, and is powered by nature. No air-conditioning, yet no humidity.

At the end of the class something else interesting happens. The students file to the back of the room picking up spray bottles and cleaning cloths from a basket.

Strange...what is going on? I wonder. They walk back to their mats and start spray wiping their mats clean.

Ah! I get it!

I follow suit, telling Ness that in Singapore, every class is followed by a team of cleaners who rush into the rooms to mop and disinfect the floor and mats. People are just in too much of a hurry in Singapore! Both of us have a bit of a chuckle about this.

As we walk back down to the change room, the friendly yoga teacher, a very alternative bright red head comes to ask how I went as I am new to her class.

We have a bit of a chat and I learn something new! The word Vinyasa really just means "flow" in Sanskrit and so any class which involves "flow", or what I interpret as lots of fluid movement instead of just static poses, can be called a Vinyasa class.

Therefore, contrary to my previous post, Ashtanga is a form of Vinyasa and not the other way around.

She agrees with me that Ashtanga depends a lot on a specific series of poses, but does not agree that Ashtanga is the "original" form of Vinyasa. Perhaps one of the earlier forms she says, but it can't be clearly defined as the "original" form of Vinyasa.

Another interesting observation she makes is that with Ashyanga you often start your sun salutations raising you hands upwards by your sides (as if you are bird stretching out its wings) while in most other Vinyasa classes (or at least hers) you start by stretching your hands in front of you and reaching forward.

Interesting. I will have to find out what others think.

The next stop is lunch, and Ness takes me out for a good old Australian pie. Simple but comforting.

Meat pie lunch.

I wish I could tell you where we had pie, but the truth is that, to me, we walked through a labyrinth of tiny side-streets and all that I know is that we were somehow somewhere off Collins Street. Such is the beauty of Melbourne, anything good is in some small alleyway.

After lunch we head to Koko Black, a specialty chocolate cafe where I have a latte and a walnut chocolate that did not last long enough to get its photo taken.

We have a good catch up chat and then decide to go for a little bit of shopping.

Crazy end-of-financial year sales! Yippee! But also "oh no...." :P.

Melbourne's GPO (General Post Office) Building.

My first purchases are two pairs of Sass and Bide jeans from the GPO (General Post Office) building, both were marked down. This is followed by two funky work skirts from CUE. Awesome!

The sun soon starts to set, as is usual for winter in Australia, and Ness and I settle for a coffee and snack at Brunetti - a popular joint right under the shadow of St. Paul's Cathedral and overlooking the famous Melbourne Town Hall.

As sun sets, Ness and I have our last bit of chat, a hug and she hurries home to cook dinner for her fiancé - a perfect conclusion - I feel - to a much delayed reunion.

After Ness leaves, I whip out my iPad and start blogging while waiting for Dina to finish work and meet me at at Brunetti, It is a perfect time for me to catch up on blogging, I tell myself - but we of course all know that I failed terribly in the end, seeing as I am only posting this entry today.

What I do remember is that it starts getting pretty cold, and my fingers are numb as they clank against the hard glass screen of the iPad. I finish typing my blog entry about the day before, Dina soon arrives, meeting me with her usual warm hug.

We walk a few blocks before we walk past the Regent Theatre. I have many times teased Dina at uni about her obsession with the Phantom of the Opera, and what is showing at the the theatre is pretty apt.

It is Love Never Dies; Andrew Lloyd Webber's sequel to the Phantom franchise. We're very lucky, and given that it is a weekday evening, we score pretty good seats at the stalls for just $45.

We have a little time before the show starts, Dina takes me to yet another small Melbourne joint hidden in an alleyway. This time it is a very swanky bar called Spice Market. We have a few quick drinks and finger-food while indulging in another good catch up session before we hurry back to the theatre.

I will not go into Love Never Dies too much, because I honestly did not think too much of the storyline. It all seemed a bit too far fetched to me and came across as a commercially-driven stretch of the Phantom franchise...although, perhaps this is just theatre I don't understand. There were also some pretty irritating and repetitive songs in the production ("It's so beautiful...so beautiful...!!) that ring in your head for a good length of time after the production. I do, however, have a lot to say about the the costumes and set; which were marvelous.

The set and costumes at Love Never Dies were beautifully elaborate.

Nevertheless, Dina and I had a wonderful and memorable evening out together; and for a good time after that we continued to tease each other with Facebook wall messages saying "It's so beautiful...so beautiful..."

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Melbourne,Australia

Yondering Downunder: Art & the Vegie Bar in Melbourne (Day 3.2)

It's 5.52 pm right now in Melbourne, the sun has set and the sky is already a dark indigo. It amazes me firstly how early night falls in Australia, and more so how fast it does.

Below: Brunetti cafe, just before sunset, with St. Paul's cathedral in the background


I'm at this cafe called Brunetti, which is apparently quite famous and located right next to St. Paul's cathedral. Dina's on her way from work, so I'm just typing away on my iPad.

Today was a good day. Melbourne weather wasn't that moody and I got to catch up with a friend that I have not met in more than a decade. Priceless.

Ness is a primary school friend from Singapore, and we used to hang out quite a bit as kids. Her family then moved to Melbourne and I later moved to Sydney and we lost touch - completely.

Sometime last year, she found me on Facebook and we cyber re-connected. I learnt through FB that we both enjoyed Vinyasa yoga.

But that is not the most important part. What is more important is that we decided to get back in touch, and I'm thrilled about that.

It's wonderfully strange how it wasn't awkward when we first met - we bear hugged along the street, and immediately connected the way old friends do.

I am also grateful that Ness had the time to take me around and show me the lovely quaint side-streets and cafes of Melbourne city - basically for the whole day. I will blog about this tomorrow.

I have a bit of catching up to do, so I'll just dive right in...

Given that I'm limited in time, this post will focus on Day 3.2, or the second half of yesterday.

Day 3.2: After Lunch, the National Gallery of Victoria and the Vienna Art & Design Exhibition.

Below: The NGV. I find shadows in Melbourne enchanting. As long as there is no fog / rain, the light here casts incredibly distinct shadows, be it from tree branches to simple railings. It's beautiful. I'm pretty sure that the architects thought about this when they built buildings like the NGV.


This exhibition deserves a whole post on its own, and that will come, but probably when I get back to Singapore. I certainly have a good line-up of posts in my head.

For those of you who don't know, Art History was one of my majors in university and I've always been interested in the concept of imagery and how it can hold meaning and therefore capture history.

Since I moved back to Singapore, perhaps through a combination of entering the "grown-up" workforce, battling the new and/or maybe due to a lack of stimulus, I feel like I have neglected this part of my life and plain forgotten the passion for art. The simple pleasure of trying to interpret and understand imagery and maybe go into a frenzy reading into the history of some has been lost to me

This is such a pity because I realize now, more than ever, how it can stir thought and introspection. At least for me.

This is important for active and therefore healthy braincells I believe :P!

Besides, art is fun.

Every symbol, every image has a message(s), whether it is intentional and/or unintentional. Some messages are more subtle, diluted by the commonness of the everyday, others are more potent and spur thought that can lead to action.

Anyway, I am starting to yonder off course, and I don't have much time, so I need to get to the point. :P I'll save this discourse for later.

After lunch at World Cafe, I took a stroll down Yarra River towards the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).

Devotion to art was already on the streets, with anonymous chalk drawings on the ground. All were classical art depictions. Beautiful and unreal given that they were created using chalk. I wanted to make a donation (it was written in chalk that donations were welcome) but there was no one to give these to.



There is something about art like this, art intentionally created to be temporary - like sand art - that intrigues me. It brings to surface the transient nature of our world and our existence and reminds us, or at least me, to stop and appreciate art/love/life while you can.



The walkway is getting busy as its lunchtime and I notice that - just like Sydney - there are a good number of people having lunchtime runs. Aussies are so healthy and outdoorsy :P.

I take a couple of photos along the Yarra River, here is one that I especially like because of that seagull perched on the streetlamp.



Eventually I make it to the NGV, but not before passing by The Arts Centre.



Unfortunately I have missed the 11am guided tour :(. I think about catching the ballet, but tickets are pretty pricy. Maybe another time.

Then I see this:



Ah huh! I have arrived at my destination.

To sum it up plainly, the exhibition is awesome, and I will have to devote an entire post to it.

What I thought would be a quick one hour excursion ended up taking almost 3 hours.

This time I was lucky and managed to catch a free guided tour - which was wonderful. I now hold the architecture and art of Vienna with higher esteem and am a lot more curious about the history and ideology of the Vienna Secession movement.

I'll have to get into this in more detail another time. But bottom line is that I'm now a fan of modern Viennese design.

The NGV exhibition closes at 5pm, which is just in time for me to get back to Dina's apartment and prepare for dinner.

The moment I step out of NGV I notice that a fog has settled. It's much colder.

The walk back is a little strenuous and I get lost, but I manage to take some photos of this incredible fog. Moody Melbourne...






I'm looking forward to dinner - it'd be the first time in a long time that we get to catch up.

Dina takes me to the Vegie Bar, which is located in grungy Branswick.

It's dark but I somehow already know that I like the hip and alternative Branswick vibe.

The Vegie Bar epitomizes this - and I now get Dina when she speaks about Melbourne as being "quirky".



It is a very popular, even on a Tuesday, and it only serves vegetarian, with good vegan and gluton-free options.



I love it. I love the idea of it. I love its quirky alternative aura. I love its commitment to providing the perfect substitute to an otherwise typical meal out. I would recommend it.



But, be prepared for the wait (Dina and I had to wait over drinks at "the courtyard" for about 35 mins). Also be prepared for big Aussie servings. We most definitely overordered and there was a good deal of wastage.

Below: Dina and I at the Vegie Bar, Branswick:



This is what we ordered, together with the soup of the day which was pumpkin and sweet potato soup. Yummy!:



Their Mexican Burritos are famed, and both Dina and I order it as our mains.

Delicious, but huge.

We take the tram home, and it's freezing. Our breath forms mist as we speak, but I did manage to capture a couple more iPhone photos of quirky Branswick.

I love this blend of old and alternative personalities:





That's all for now folks!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:City Road,Melbourne,Australia

Yondering Downunder - Day 3.1. Melbourne from Morning to Noon

I've come to Melbourne mostly to visit a good friend from college, Dina, who moved here about 2 years ago. I'm also going to be meeting a very very old primary school friend, Ness, whom I lost touch with years (more than a decade) ago but got back in touch with through Facebook.

Such is the marvel of technology, this includes BlogPress, which is allowing me to write this all out while on board a Star Bus airport shuttle to Dina's.

My first observation is that it is colder and it seems to be much foggier than Sydney, which has been blessed with crisp sunshine these last few winter days.

Just as I'm thinking this, the sun comes out, and by Melbourne winter standards, it is a lovely day. Strange, and a tad temperamental.

Below: iPhone picture taken alongside the Yarra River (Southbank). I like this picture because I think it somehow manages to capture the natural tension of Melbourne's weather.... sharp sunlight cast distinct shadows and the sky is clear blue, but you get the sense that something (maybe the fog?) is looming "somewhere beneath the surface". To me Melbourne feels moody.


It is as if the city has caught on, and, in tandem with the competitive spirit between both cities - like Sydney - Melbourne decides to bid me welcome. :)

The shuttle's radio is blaring and there is a heated debate over a public apology some young footie player made for a racist comment on the field. Radio here seems to have people constantly yelling at you or each other and between the ads and the commentary I feel like I'm stuck in a circus crossed with a fish market. I escape from this by looking out the window.


It has been years since I've last come to Melbourne but, like Sydney, it mostly looks and feels the same.

I think that that is the comfort of Australia for me. Her consistency.

Its her easy-going approach to change and the familiarity of her down-to-earth charm that remains (more or less) constant that comforts me.

I can't say the same about Singapore and its never-ending talk of upgrade. Not that it's anything bad, it's just different, and the two countries are at very different stages of their development / history / maturity.

The shuttle is packed and it takes me longer than expected to reach Dina's apartment at Southbank.

She's waiting eagerly for me on the sidewalk, but with her usual good nature apologies that she doesn't have much time and has to rush back to work.

Briskly, we drop off my bags and immediately head off. Her apartment is centrally located and in a matter of moments we are walking alongside the famous Yarra River (Southbank).

She drops me off at a cafe called the World Cafe and I order my first coffee of the day as well as tapas for lunch. Dina rushes off, but promises to meet me at 5.30pm, after work.

It is truly a beautiful day and the sun gives the air a translucent quality.

Eating slowly, I people-watch and savor the opportunity of being able to just sit (comfortably, without getting sweaty) outside with coffee and food that I can just slowly appreciate.

When I feel like it, I continue to blog a little.

A couple walks past me and they leave their dog just outside, next to me, before entering the cafe. Both of them scratch behind its ear before leaving it, the lady even gives it a cuddle and kiss. I miss my dogs - terribly - and hope that doggie heaven has weather just like this all the time.

Below: A quick collage of images (taken using my iPhone) from my lunch in Melbourne. You can see the Southbank Yarra River footbridge - which is quite a pretty structure- against the Melbourne city skyline. I have not used any filters as I wanted to maintain the quality of the light.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Southbank,Australia

Yondering Downunder: The Lowdown (Days 1 and 2)

Just touched down in Sydney.

This is most definitely a "yonder post" as I have had no opportunity to practice yoga in Sydney.

Glorious glorious Aussie coffee.

Glorious glorious coffee. My love affair with coffee has been re-ignited; and I'm not sure how I am going to survive mornings when I get back to Singapore. Nothing beats a good frothy cuppa, with fresh Australian milk.

I've also been re-acquainted with "proper" food, and I now understand what a big breakfast really is. Just avocado and tomato on toast tastes so(ooooo.......) good. I've missed the fresh food here in Sydney, with its light and refreshing down-to-earth honesty. Sydney does the cafe so terribly well.

The "lady". Used to drive past her every time I went to back to high school. 

It was also good to visit Godsista's apartment - so many memories lie within those walls, and the good times I spent staying with her during uni all came back to my mind. *Smile*

Hello Mount Franklins water? AUD 3 a bottle now? How could you?!!

I've missed the magnificent view of the Harbour Bridge from her veranda, it never fails to take my breath away, especially on the crystal clear sunny day that was yesterday, the day that I arrived. Sydney has certainly welcomed me home! :D I have been away far too long - 3.5 years is just way too long.

View of Harbour Bridge from Godsista's apartment. Beautiful day!

It was also good to properly catch up with Nic. It's been some time since we've been able to hang out the way we have the last two days.

Cousin Nic & I. 

I'm on holiday now, so not really wanting to spend too much time blogging, so here's the lowdown.... in pictures mostly.

Day 1:

Thank you very much Kev for picking me up; I was slightly tired from the red-eye flight but the moment the crispy clear Sydney air and sunshine hit me, the adrenaline kicked in.

Off to Rose Bay and to Godsista's apartment. Boy, have I missed her place. I said hello to old friends of mine, "froggy stuffed thing" (as seen in the picture below :P haha) and a stuffed elephant. Memories of mucking around with GS...*another smile*. Too bad GS is in Ibiza, wish she were here.


This was followed by a cafe lunch in Rose Bay and my first, much awaited, skinny latte. Heaven. Pure heaven, accompanied by good old Australian scrambled eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomato and toast. Aussie cafe food - have I missed you!

Aussie cafe food. Yum!

Next up, Nic and I go to Bondi Beach, it's winter and it's cold, but it is still sunny and beautiful, with optimistic surfers dotting the shoreline.

Managed to bag a eel skin leather wallet at Bondi Beach Sunday markets too. It's a wonderful sky blue colour. When I get back to Singapore, it will remind me of the Sydney sea, sand and sky which I love. Score.

In a distance, the famous Kings Cross Coke sign.

Dinner and drinks at Hugos Lounge at Kings Cross (www.hugos.com.au) follow, and I get to meet some of Nic's friends. I'm in disbelief when I realise that Sunday nights (aka "Sneaky Sundays") at Hugos mean $5 cocktails and pizza all night. And it's not crap cocktails and pizza too - it's proper yummy stuff. I have a bellini and a frozen mango daiquiri.

Sneaky Sundays at Hugos Kings Cross. $5 cocktails & pizza! Here's the proof! 

Day 2:

The Art Gallery of NSW, on a really good day.

Nic and I head off to the Art Gallery of NSW (www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au) to catch the newly installed John Kaldor Family Collection. We had a pretty good time, us both being quite "artsy". It was a good exhibition (at least compared to what I'm used to in Singapore), with a few thought provoking pieces that sparked interest - I will have to blog about this another time, when there is more time.

The next stop is Bondi Junction Westfields where we have a good catch up over (another) coffee with Clare, an old college friend. She's bubbly and full of stories and optimism as usual, exactly the way I love her.

I then got a little extravagant and bought myself the most expensive pair of jeans I have ever bought in my entire life from General Pants, a pair of Nudie Jeans. These jeans deserve a whole post on their own. Again, I will get to that, hopefully soon. (Plenty to blog about now, I can't believe that when I started this blog I was worried that I would run out of topics!).

Later on, B and his twin brothers tell Nic and I that Nudie's is having a sale at their Oxford Street flagship store with up to 50% off and I'm completely exasperated by this. Ha!

Unfortunately, the sun set at 5pm. Unbelievable. It was completely dark by 6pm (?!?!!).

Korean BBQ in the city. Hearty meal with lots of fun and laughter.

The day ended beautifully with Korean dinner in the city (Chinatown area) with Nic, Mic, B and his twin brothers. Dinner was filled with good hearty Korean BBQ and lots of fun and laughter.

The clan! Minus Mic who accidentally got cut off! :(

It is 10pm now in Sydney, and Mic is teaching B how to play the piano while Nic and I play "Hanging with Friends" on our iPhones.

So, that's the end to a pretty good day. Tomorrow early morning, Melbourne here I come!