Navy@Vivo 2013

[via]

RSS Intrepid, a Formidable-class Frigate from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) was recently deployed to the Gulf of Aden as part of an international counter-piracy task force. 

This coming Friday (15th March), the RSS Intrepid will sail into VivoCity Promenade and berth for public visits onboard. 

Check out some of the latest weapons and gear used by the elite Naval Divers at the booth. There will be photobooth for kids to take a picture dressed in either Navy's smart whites or pixelated uniforms!

Urgent: Funds Appeal For 38 Rabbits After Caregiver Dies

If you have paid due attention to the news, you would have learned about the unfortunate case of Ms Pauline Chin - owner of a makeshift shelter at Farmart - who was found dead in her shop in an apparent asthma attack.

She has left behind hundreds of caged animals in her shelter including rabbits, guinea pigs, cats and dogs.

According to the other tenants at Farmart, the animals had been abandoned outside Ms Chin's shop thus she had no other alternative except to take in all of them.

Although the dogs have already been claimed back by their owners, the remaining 38 rabbits, 4 guinea pigs and 50 cats are still in dire need of help.

The moment news about the plight of the animals got out, local animal welfare groups began springing into action.

The rabbits and guinea pigs had been taken in by the HRSS (House Rabbit Society Singapore) while the cats are in good hands with the CWS (Cat Welfare Society).

Despite that, there is only so much the societies can do due to a lack of fundings and resources as the people running them are basically volunteers.

How To Disable That Annoying Notification Sound On Facebook

Step 1

Video: Call Me Maybe - Thai Horror Parody

One hot guy, two transvestites, some black magic and a very happy girl.

I guess you can only use 鹬蚌相争，渔翁得利 to describe this situation!

SAFRA: Bringing NSmen Closer Together

Whether you are a full-time NSF or ORNS personnel, your dedication towards our nation's defence is applaudable and undeniable.

As part of NS45, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will provide about $100 million worth of SAFRA and HomeTeamNS benefits to more than 900,000 NSmen as an appreciation for their vital contributions to defence.

If you are a male Singaporean or PR who is serving or already done with NS, check your eligibility at https://ns45.safra.sg/Register.aspx. (Registration for NS45 vouchers ends 28 Feb 14 while vouchers are valid until 31 Mar 14)

NIKON 1 J2 CAMERA

NIKON 1 J2

The NIKON 1 J2 is a mirrorless camera that comes with interchangeable lenses, a 3-inch LCD screen and a 10.1 megapixel CMOS image sensor.

Here are some of the key features found on NIKON's websiite:

Smart Photo Selector:

It starts shooting before you even press the shutter. The camera chooses the best shot for you.

Taking photos during Full HD movie recording:

Simultaneous recording of movies and stills without dropping a single frame.

Full HD:

Enjoy Full HD movie recording.

Turning on/off with retractable lens:

You can switch the camera on and off by simply rotating the zoom ring on the lens.

Built-in flash:

Inside. Outside. Get the light on your side.

Mount Adapter FT1:

The extensive lineup of NIKKOR lenses may be used with Nikon 1 through this adapter.

River Hong Bao 2013

GONG HEI FATT CHOY, my dear friends!

2013 is truly the year of the water snake as it has been pouring intermittently since the eve of the Lunar New Year.

Yesterday was the third day of the festive season and there was a bout of rain in the morning though it began clearing up in the afternoon.

Having cooped myself up at home for the first two days, I decided it was time to step out of the house for a breath of fresh air at River Hong Bao.

River Hong Bao first started in 1987 and has a history of  26 years in Singapore but it wasn't until three years ago that I visited it for the very first time.

It is an annual event where local organisers would bring in China craftsman to make giant lanterns based on folklore or zodiac animals. Each year, organisers would feature a different province from China and invite performing art troupes to put up a show here.

For this year, the featured province is Guangdong so do expect booths peddling Guangzhou delicacies and handicrafts.

视频：My Astro 《开心过年》

《开心过年》

春风吹到你的家
健康快乐带来啦
小朋友呀都听话
学业成绩顶呱呱
情侣今年结婚啦
快快生个胖娃娃
这个世界有多大
最重要过的开心啦

给你一个红包说好话开心笑哈哈
换上新衣戴新帽新鞋和新袜
时间滴答答带着梦想慢慢发芽

举起手唱啦啦啦啦
没烦忧来开心过年
生活里有苦辣酸甜
人总要学会快乐一点
举起手唱啦啦啦啦
向前走来开心过年
祝福你天天是好天
走过了从前才懂得珍惜每一天

视频：My FM 《团圆饭》

《团圆饭》

一阵阵米饭香 在飘扬 装满新年带来的温暖
那遥远的家乡 那扇窗 还留着儿时的模样
转运的风车 转呀转 一转眼我们都已成长
我把所有祝福 大声讲 朋友啊祝你新春吉祥
一人一个梦想 一人一个愿望 慢慢变成满天的星光
再刻一个梦想 再许个愿望 别怕我有宽大的肩膀

一顿团圆饭 心里藏 数十年温馨都一样
欢迎你共聚一堂 齐聚这圆圆的桌上
团圆饭 加碗热汤 就像有我在你身旁
化作一双大翅膀 带你飞越重重难关

一阵阵米饭香 在飘扬 装满新年带来的温暖
那遥远的家乡 那扇窗 还留着儿时的模样
转运的风车 转呀转 一转眼我们都已成长
我把所有祝福 大声讲 朋友啊祝你新春吉祥
一人一个梦想 一人一个愿望 慢慢变成满天的星光

再刻一个梦想 再许个愿望 别怕我有宽大的肩膀
一顿团圆饭 心里藏 数十年温馨都一样
欢迎你共聚一堂 齐聚这圆圆的桌上
团圆饭 加碗热汤 就像有我在你身旁
化作一双大翅膀 带你飞越重重难关

一顿团圆饭 心里藏 数十年温馨都一样
欢迎你共聚一堂 齐聚这圆圆的桌上
团圆饭 加碗热汤 就像有我在你身旁
化作一双大翅膀 带你飞越重重难关

视频：My Astro My FM 《大团圆》

《大团圆》

说一声恭喜贺新年 迎接美好的新一天
人人在门前贴春联 欢迎春降到人间
游子们想念回家园 老老少少庆团圆
围一个圆圈在庭院 诉说每一段思念

新的一年 你我许心愿
期望新一年 会是丰收年
每一个人都身康体健 天天笑容满面

大团圆 大团圆 不管距离有多远
好朋友 在身边 我们约定这一天
大团圆 大团圆 手牵着手心相连
祝福你 福寿全 恭喜恭喜乐无边

视频：My Astro 《天天好天》

《天天好天》

记得那一年 那一段岁月
一个小小的家园 天天都怀念
一杯白开水 也可以很清甜
一碗热情汤面线 是一种思念
心若能放开一点 路就宽一些
财富和幸福之间 还有知足作界线
啦。。。

一天天 一年年
天天都是好天
不管天多高 路多远
祝福你快乐一万年
是晴天 是雨天
天天都是好天
知足常乐开心一年
我看见艳阳天

记得那一年 那一段岁月
一个小小的家园 天天都怀念
一杯白开水 也可以很清甜
一碗热情汤面线 是一种思念
心若能放开一点 路就宽一些
财富和幸福之间 还有知足作界线
啦。。。

一天天 一年年
天天都是好天
不管天多高 路多远
祝福你快乐一万年
是晴天 是雨天
天天都是好天
知足常乐开心一年
我看见艳阳天

一天天 一年年
天天都是好天
不管天多高 路多远
祝福你快乐一万年
是晴天 是雨天
天天都是好天
知足常乐开心一年
我看见艳阳天
我看见艳阳天

视频：My FM 《庆祝》

《庆祝》

绽放了你的笑 来庆祝新年到
传统的佳节 你别忘了
在妈妈的怀抱 她哼的新春歌谣
每一字一句 还在耳边绕 

不管男女老少 接过了大红包
恭喜你祝福你 少不了
年初一到元宵 处处都是好预兆
吃口年糕 你我会步步高

春来到 画个圈圈做记号
每年都来团圆 好不好
相约好 从今以后直到老
我们都要记住这一朝
 

来庆祝 来祝福
所有思念来倾诉
一年又一年
不管多忙碌
家中有等你回家的父母
就是最大的财富 

来庆祝 来祝福
老朋友一起欢呼
经过这些年
重逢就满足
前尘和往事都历历在目
原来已经值得庆祝

Namewee: Thai Love Song

泰國情哥

词: 黄明志 Namewee

曲: 黄明志 Namewee

来 美丽的女孩
Oh my pretty Thai girl
虽然我是大马的Bluechai (男孩)
Though I'm not a handsome Malaysian boy
但我爱吃Tomyam(东炎汤) 喝喝椰奶
I'm in love with tomyum and your coconut milk
我很愉快 因为约会你出来
I'm really happy that we're dating today

Kop Kun Kap (谢谢) 你是什么Cup?
How are you? What's your cup?
Sawadeecaap (您好) 就算是A cup
I don't mind even it's only A-cup
只要你能证明你不是Krak toei (人妖)
Just as long as you're not a man
看不出来 希望不要太见怪
Sorry but sometimes its hard to tell

但是我 不太会说Thai (泰语)
I can't understand Thai
只是偶尔 会跑去Hatyai (合艾-泰国地名)
But I love visiting Hatyai
如果你跟我谈情说爱
So if you'd be my girl
我让你SameSame (一样) 每天都精采
I promise to make you happy everyday

你是我心中最Shuai Makmak(美丽)的女孩
You're prettiest girl in my heart
送给你Rajapruek(金链花)代表我的爱
Here's a Rajapruek as sign of my love
带你到Pratunam(水门市场)你想买的我都会买
I'll take you shopping at Pratunam
买完了就去佛庙拜拜
After that we'd pray at the temple for good luck

无可取代最Shuai Makmak(美丽)的女孩
You're prettiest girl in my heart
对你的真心希望你会明白
Believe me that my love is real
我也会Massage(按摩)纯正的泰国的Style
I can even do Thai massage for you
会让你身体健康Ao mai? (要吗?)
We can stay healthy together ok?

来 美丽的女孩
Oh my pretty Thai girl
虽然我是大马的Bluechai (男孩)
Though I'm not a handsome Malaysian boy
但我爱吃Tomyam(东炎汤) 喝喝椰奶
I'm in love with tomyum and your coconut milk
我很愉快 因为约会你出来
I'm really happy that we're dating today

Sabai...(舒服)
So chill

Short Film: The Forgotten Child

The Lunar New Year is a time for family reunion.

During this period, people would spring clean their house and throw out junks they don't need.

But what happens when a family abandon a member just to make space for another in the new year?

Video: Long One Or Short One?

Which one do you want?

http://www.facebook.com/Jinnyboytv

Namewee: Last New Year

Namewee's new year song "Last New Year" reminded me of my own maternal grandparents.

My Ah Gong was already gone way before my birth while Ah Ma followed suit not long after I was born.

The only impression I had of them is through a yellowed photograph which Mum has kept in the photo album.

As I have never experienced being doted on by them, I would be so envious whenever I see my classmates having a Ah Gong or Ah Ma to come pick them up from school.

Isn't it a bliss to have a grandparent to throw little tantrums to?

If your grandparents are still around, do learn to appreciate them before they are gone.

I know I will.

Short Film: Ka Fan 加饭

This is the story of a Mum who single-handedly raises her son by washing laundry for others.

Despite how busy she is, she would always make it a point to have her meals with her son everyday.

All she wants is just being able to spend more time with her son.

"Ka fan"?  she would often ask.

As years gone by, the child grew up.

With work and social life, it became his turn to be so busy that he hardly returns home for dinner.

Mum is then left to have her meals all by herself.

When the son returns home for the Lunar New Year, much to the delight of his Mum, he finally realised the meaning behind "ka fan".

Now, when was the last time you had dinner with your Mum?

永别了，潘安邦！

他走了。

刚从面子书上得悉52岁的潘安邦在今天下午因心脏病而猝逝的消息。

从小听着他的校园民歌长大的我对这突如其来的噩耗感到十分震惊。

在他许多歌中，最耳熟能祥的莫过于这首《外婆的澎湖湾》吧。

希望潘安邦在天之灵能够安息。

Oprah Winfrey Tells You About Puppy Mills

Have you ever been so tempted to bring a puppy home each time you step into a pet store and seeing those rambunctious puppies vying for your attention behind the window?

Sure, puppies are cute but have you ever wonder where they came from or even how their parents were being treated?

Without much further ado, let us meet the parents of those adorable pet store puppies...

Punggol East By-Election

Timelapse of Workers' Party's final rally by Jake Wang

In a couple more hours, the results for the by-election of Punggol East would be revealed. 

Which of the four candidates would emerge victorious after nine days of vigorous campaigning?

Would it be:

a) Koh Poh Koon, "the son of Punggol" from the ruling party People's Action Party (PAP),

b) "Jeya baby" Kenneth Jeyaretnam from the Reform Party (RP),

c) Desmond Lim, former protege of Chiam See Tong from the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), or,

d) Lee Lilian, the sole female contender in this by-election from the Workers' Party (WP)

Whoever it may be, I only hope the residents of Punggol East exercise their voting rights wisely.

That aside, is anyone waiting for Yam Ah Mee tonight? Kee Chiew!

再见，南哥！

今早开启电脑，就惊悉资深艺人“阿南”逝世的消息。

他是因为心脏病在今天凌晨三点五十分在陈笃生医院与世长辞。

“阿南”，原名钟耀南，是一名著名的歌台艺人。

除了在主持界深获好评外，他也曾参与多部本地卖座电影如《钱不够用》，《吓到笑》，《鬼也笑》等等。

他的逝世无疑是本地娱乐界的一大损失！

南哥，永在怀念中！

Viedo: Barkour - Pakour For Dogs

Meet Tret, Jackie Chan Of The Canine World

表哥住院了

 
话说在一个多月前，表姐突然来电哭诉说表哥被送进了医院的加护病房。

可怜表姐不敢让年迈的父母知道儿子的病情，但又不知如何是好于是就给我们拨了通电话。

到了医院，我们众人分批轮流进入加护病房并透过隔离窗探望躺在病床上的表哥。只见他身上插满了许多链接到各种仪器的管子，我们这才意识到他病的不轻！

经过了解才知道在入院前，表哥是因为头痛了好几天到医院做检查，结果医生要他马上入院接受观察。而入院当晚，表哥就立刻陷入了昏迷状态。

Video: Give A Little Love

Giving a helping hand does not have to be made very complicated.

You can start doing so in your daily life by giving up your seat to someone more deserving; sharing your umbrella with someone on a wet day; or simply brighten up someone's day by sparing a thought for them.

If helping others could spread some warmth and happiness to your heart, why not?

How wonderful our world might be if we care a little more about the people around us?

Qualifications Of Men: KBS Family Choir

Among the many missions the cast of Qualifications Of Men has undertaken, my favorite  has to be the choir ones.

In the midst of training for their Triathlon episode, the cast have received their third choir mission which is to take part in the 2012 Busan Choral International Festival.

It is an international competition with teams hailing from Latvia, Thailand, China, Singapore, Philipines and Korea among others.

The theme this time round is "Family" and they have enlisted the help of Maestro Gum Nan-Se as their conductor and to pick the new choir members to join them.

Among the families turning up for the audition are celebrities including the parents of Cha Tae Hyun of My Sassy Girl fame. 

Accident At Woodlands Ave 6 And 7

Yet another senseless accident that could have been prevented.

In the wee hours of 22nd December, a motorcyclist was caught beating the red light at the junction of Woodlands Ave 6 and 7 near Admiralty MRT Station.

He was going so fast that he actually mowed down a female pedestrian who has just begun walking across the road.

The impact tossed her into oncoming traffic while the motorcyclist continued on his way.

Have A Cheesy Christmas!

Winter Solstice And End Of The World?

Happy Winter Solstice, everyone!

Better known as Dong Zhi (冬至) here in Singapore, this festival is widely celebrated by Chinese everywhere.

“冬大过年”，Mum would say.

In fact, the significance behind Dong Zhi is much more important than the Lunar New Year but people nowadays do not bother with traditions and customs anymore.

Movie: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis

Director: Peter Jackson

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure/Action

Language: English

Release Date: 13 December 2012

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Official Site: The Hobbit

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first part of a trilogy film based on J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel of the same name.

The two other parts, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is due for theatrical releases in December 13, 2013, while the third film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again is slated for July 18, 2014.

Closure Of Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange From 16 December 2012

With effect from Sunday, 16 December 2012, Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange will cease to serve the residents of Bukit Panjang.

Existing bus services will be re-routed and call at additional bus stops.

The closure is to make way for a new air-conditioned bus interchange that will be ready in 2015.

As I was meeting someone at the nearby Bukit Panjang Plaza today, I thought I would take some photos of the interchange for memories sake and it seems that I wasn't the only one toying with that idea as I spotted several others doing the same.

There would be a total of 11 bus services affected.

For more info, please check out the SMRT website.

Thye Hong Fried Hokkien Mee 泰丰炒福建虾面

Thye Hong Hokkien Mee

Fried Hokkien Mee (or simply Fried Prawn Noodles), is a popular local dish well-liked by many Singaporeans and tourists alike.

With a mixture of thick rice noodles and yellow egg noodles, this noodle dish is first fried over a high flame then stewed in a savory broth till the sauce seep into the noodles.

Throw in some prawns and bits of squid then dish it on a plate (preferably with a Opeh leaf in between) with some sambal and a lime by the side and there you have it, a scrumptious serving of Fried Hokkien Mee.

The Accident Outside ION on Friday Night

I was at Orchard Road last Friday night (07 December 2012) taking photos of the Christmas decorations when I came across this accident.

This black car was flipped on it's back outside ION across the road from CK Tangs. By then, a patrol car was already at the scene with the police directing the traffic.

The Manhattan Pizza Co.

The Manhattan Pizza Co. which is famed for it's XXXL pizzas in NYC has found it's way to our shores here in Singapore.

Thanks to Daniel, I had won myself a e-voucher to redeem a free 20" pizza. 

As usual, I always procrastinated till the very last day of the voucher's validity before I actually made my way down to Orchard Central where the pizzeria is situated.

The place was surprisingly empty when I arrived there on a weekday afternoon. It is located at basement 1 beside Gong-Cha, where MOS Burger used to be.

Movie: Frankenweenie

Cast: Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron, Cochata Ferrell, Winona Ryder

Director: Tim Burton

Genre: Animation/Comedy/Horror

Language: English

Release Date: 15 November 2012

Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures

Official Site: Frankenweenie

FRANKENWEENIE is a black-and-white stop-motion animation film brought to you by the critically acclaimed film director, Tim Burton.

Similar to his previous productions (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, etc), Frankenweenie too has a dark and gloomy theme to it's storyline.

Victor Frankenstein is an introvert boy who lived with his parents and dog, Sparky in the small town of New Holland. Concerned over his son's lack of friends, Mr Frankenstein wanted Victor to go outside to have a game of baseball where he, miraculously, hit a homerun.

His moment of glory was shortlived, however, when Sparky dashed onto the road in pursuit of the ball and was hit by a car.

Movie: Rise Of The Guardians

Cast: Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman

Director: Peter Ramsey

Genre: Adventure/Action

Language: English

Release Date: 22 November 2012

Distributor: UIP

Official Site: Rise Of The Guardians

THE GUARDIANS - protector of the children of the world - were made up of a couple of old familiar mythological figures: Santa, Toothfairy, Easter Bunny and Sandman.

The story began 300 years earlier when Jack Frost has just been created out of a frozen lake with no inkling to his past. He soon discovers his ability to freeze anything with a touch but when he ventures out to town, he realises that he can't be seen, heard or even be touched by others.

Fast forward 300 years later, the evil Bogeyman threatens to enshroud the world in darkness. He poisoned the happy dreams of children, causing them to have nightmares and waking up in fear.

Movie: Life Of Pi

Cast: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Adil Hussain, Gerard Depardieu, Rafe Spall

Director: Ang Lee

Genre: Adventure/Drama

Language: English

Release Date: 29 November 2012

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Official Site: Life Of PI

Life Of Pi is an incredible story about Piscine Patel, a boy who lived in Pondicherry, India.

His mother is a botanist while his father owns a zoo. Due to political unrest in the country, his father made the decision to emigrate the family (and some of their animals) to Canada.

While en-route to Canada, a terrible storm hit Tsimtsum, the Japanese cargo ship that they were travelling on and the ship sank, bringing along with it everyone on board.

Nick Pitera: Tribute To Disney's The Lion King On Broadway

The Lion King celebrates it's 15th year on Broadway this year and this is Nick Pitera's tribute.

Other than Nick himself, he has the main cast of the show making a cameo in his video!

In case you are wondering who's Nick Pitera, I have blogged about this talented youtube sensation, here before.

合艾2012：美食篇之甘英饭店

今天想向大家介绍的是在网上口碑深获好评的甘英饭店（Kan Eng Restaurant）。

我心理非常纳闷为何到过合艾那么多次却从未听说过有这么一家店？

据我所收集到的资料显示，甘英是一间小有名气的餐厅。它不但深受当地人欢迎，就连许多游客都会慕名而来。

这次的合艾行，我就特地找上门看看它是否真的有如网友所评价的那么好？

店内虽然只有一些简单基本的陈设，它胜在于地方够宽敞也很通风。但对我来说，最重要的还是这里的环境很干净。在这儿用餐非常的舒服。

一翻开menu就察觉到店家很用心地把里面的每一道菜都拍成了照片。就算是语言不通的我们只需用手指点给服务员看就行了。

甘英的营业时间是从早上10.30至晚上9.30（2点至5点休息）。每当到了繁忙时段，就会产生座无虚席的情况！

为了避免久等，最好是提早一点到。

合艾2012：美食篇之Shabushi

位于蠡園酒店（Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel）1楼的Shabushi是结合了旋转生锅和自助寿司的概念。

简单的说，师傅会把生锅的配料放在盘子后再摆到运输带上而运输带将会围绕着餐厅的吧台而行，方便食客随意地拿。

寿司则是以自助的方式呈现。

以345泰铢（13.80新币）就能吃上两种日式料理实在是物超所值！

但有趣的是，此店规定顾客必须在75分钟（即1小时15分钟）内吃完否则每超时10分钟将会有额外20泰铢（0.80新币）的收费！

合艾2012：美食篇之Hachiban Ramen

这家Hachiban Ramen位于蠡園酒店（Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel）的1楼。打从入住这家酒店那天起，我就一直想试试这里的拉面了。

但由于两老比较向往吃道地的街边泰国料理，我就没向他们提出此要求。

然而，父母见我每次经过此店都会放慢脚步因此就问了一句：“是不是要吃拉面啊？”

真不愧是我爹娘也！那么了解我！

就这样，我们终于走进去啦！

合艾2012：美食篇之蠡園酒店33楼Sky Buffet

之前提到，我们入住了全合艾（Hatyai）最高的酒店 - 蠡園酒店（Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel）而在它第33层的顶楼有个非常廉价，叫Sky Buffet的自助餐。

成人只须区区的169泰铢（6.70新币），就能够享用丰盛的一餐。乐龄还享有50%！

听说这已经是起过价的了 - 之前是149泰铢（5.90新币）呢！

既然有这么划算的自助餐，我们又岂能错过？

合艾2012：酒店篇

大家好，我刚结束了5天4夜的合艾（Hatyai）之旅。

合艾处于泰国南部宋卡府，靠近马来西亚的边界。是许多马来西亚于新加坡人爱到的旅游地点。

我家几乎年年都会到那放松一下，所以今年也不例外。

只是，我们这次决定不安排任何的行程；我们不去拜佛，不逛水上市场，不光赏人妖秀也不去看美人鱼。

这些都是往年去过，看过，玩过的因此没必要再花钱去多一次。

因为纯粹是staycation，所以大部分的时间除了在酒店附近买东西，吃东西和按摩外，就是呆在房里补眠。

这次的旅行有爽到 ～

Seventh Death Anniversary

宝贝

今天翻出你的遗物，

才惊觉你已離開了那么多年。

每逢想起你的点点滴滴，

心里就会不由自主地揪了一下。

在开始写这篇时才赫然发现，
原来我已没有任何你的照片可用了。

往年都是反复地使用那几张仅有却已发了黄的照片。

非常纳闷为何当初没能为你留下多些回忆呢？

自从你离开以后，
我都尽量避免经过我们曾一起散步的街道。

Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, Penang

Penang is a melting pot of cultures with east-west influences. Apart from its exotic food, what piques me the most would be their heritage.

The Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi (龙山堂邱公司), or simply, Khoo Kongsi for short, is a clan association in Penang that was built by the immigrants from Sin Kang village in the Hokkien province of China for the purpose of looking after the welfare of their fellow clansmen.

Before my visit, I wonder why many have commented on the elusiveness of its location? It was only when I was there in person that I truly understood what they meant.

The main entrance at Cannon Street bears no clue as to what might be inside as it looked just like any of its neighbors along the entire row of pre-war building.

Happy 14th Barkday!

Some people suffer difficulties

Making friends for life

But when it come to you, my Pal

You're better than a wife!

You're always pleased to see me

You hang onto my every word

You will follow me to the ends of the earth

completely undeterred!

Maybe because you can't talk back

that helps the situation.

But I'll do anything for you, my friend

Without any hesitation.

Gurney Drive, Penang

Gurney Drive

Mention Penang and what comes to mind?

For me, it's the iconic Penang Laksa and Char Kway Teow (Penangites spell it as Char Koay Teow). And where better to enjoy Penang hawker fare than Gurney Drive - home to Penang's most popular street food?

Well, just think of it as Penang's equivalent of our very own Newton Circus.

Flamingo Hotel By The Beach, Penang

[via]

After visiting Kek Lok Si Temple, it was time to check-in to our hotel.

It was already early evening when we arrived. The hotel was situated atop a steep slope but for some reasons, the coach was unable to drive us in and we had to walk in, lugging our own luggage behind us. 

With the horrible experience of our previous hotel at Hat Yai still fresh in my mind, I am wary of what is to come at this hotel.

Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang

In my previous post, we visited the Padi Muzium in Kedah. After that, we are headed for Kek Lok Si Temple (极乐寺) located at Air Itam, Penang.

Kek Lok Si Temple, or Temple of Supreme Bliss, was founded more than a century ago by the benevolent Beow Lean, a devout Buddhist from Fujian province. 

Do you know, the project received the sanction of the Manchu Emperor Guangxu, who bestowed a tablet and gift of 70,000 volumes of the Imperial Edition of the Buddhist Sutras?

Muzium Padi, Kedah

This is a long overdue post!

Remember my previous trip to Hat Yai where I complained about the lousy hotel with cockroach-infested bathroom and being served the same breakfast every morning?

I will be going to Hat Yai again next month and I still have not completed blogging about that trip from 11 months ago!

I gotta stop procrastinating and pick up where I left off to complete this trip!

Check out my last night at Hat Yai here where we visited the Transvestite Show.

So, the next morning, we boarded the coach to the Thailand - Malaysia border where we exited Songkhla to re-enter Malaysia.

Video: The Magic Castle By Dong Woo Baek

Recently, I have fallen in love with this song "The Magic Castle" by Dong Woo Baek.

I got to know about this song while watching Qualifications of Men on KBS Channel when one of the participants they are auditioning for their choir sang this song.

Yes, Qualifications of Men is coming up with their third choir and the theme this time is "Family".

More on that later in another post, but first, let us enjoy this song "The Magic Castle" by Dong Woo Baek.

The Amy Cheong Incident...

The repercussion from Amy Cheong's incident has set me thinking.  

Sometimes, words that come out of our mouth may inadvertently hurt someone without us realising even though the malice wasn't intended in the first place. 

While it is understandable to feel indignant by her offensive remarks (especially if you're a Malay), let's not get too personal over this. Retaliating with name-callings doesn't make us any holier than her.

There's no denying what she has done was indeed wrong, but I wonder have we Singaporeans over-reacted? I mean, is it really necessary to fire her from her job? Would a community work service have suffice?

Whatever the case, she has received her due punishment so let's be magnanimous and move on. 

The lingering shame and ridicule that she is going to live with should be punishment enough, yes?

Cheng Ji - Steamed 'Song' Fish Head In Hot Sauce @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

I first had this steamed 'Song' fish head at the temporary market near the MRT station when Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre was undergoing renovations a few years ago.

I haven't had another after the hawkers have shifted back to the newly renovated complex. That is, until last weekend when Mum had a last minute errand to do at Chinatown and Dad suggested having this as we did not have it for a while.

There were a couple of stalls tucked away at a corner of Chinatown Complex all selling this same dish but from what I observed, only two stalls were doing a roaring business.

One of it was Cheng Ji, featured on Sizzling Woks (煮炒来咯) season 2 hosted by Li Teng and Pornsak while the other stall next to it (separated by a drinks stall) have gone on a cooking segment on Channel 8's Golden Age (黄金年华).

Krispy Kreme Is Coming To Town

Haven't you heard?

The doughnut company has awarded the franchise development rights to Star360 Group, a premier lifestyle leader in Southeast Asia.

And you know what that means? 

Krispy Kreme is finally coming to Singapore and they are opening 15 stores here within the next five years!

REJOICE, Krispy Kreme fans!

Say goodbye to the days of lugging boxes of Krispy Kreme back from Batam or Malaysia!

Video: Oppan Gangnam Style - Red Army Version

Totally wicked!

This Oppan Gangnam Style has really taken the world by storm. Not only is everyone making parodies of it, even Britney Spears tweets about it.

I am LOVING this video - so fun! Thinking that I should possibly learn the choreography. Anybody wanna teach me?! haha britspears.me/159zje
— Britney Spears (@britneyspears) August 28, 2012

My favorite parody so far has got to be this Red Army version!

Heng Ji Chicken Rice @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

The queue at Heng Ji

Heng Ji Chicken Rice has been around Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre for decades and my family has been patronising them ever since I was a little boy.

Other than Tiong Shian Porriage at the main road (opposite CK Department Store), Heng Ji Chicken Rice seems to be the only other thing we eat whenever we visit Chinatown.

The thing about Heng Ji is that they only sell poached chickens and there is always a perpetual queue for it's chicken rice.

I remembered their rice used to be served in tiny blue colored bowls and because the bowls were really small, we always had to order extras.

Heng Ji's rice is fragrant and slightly oily which is fine with me but they uses broken rice which crumbles easily in the mouth.

We continued to patronise Heng Kee for many more years until the opening of the Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle stall (#02-127) a few doors away. 

The chickens hanging off the hooks gleamed under the lights and looked so much more tantalising than the pale looking ones from Heng Ji.

We decided to give the new stall a try and we are glad we did for we have never looked back since.

Mid-Autumn Festival @ Chinatown

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Mooncake Festival, falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month when the moon is at its fullest and brightest.

It is a celebration of reunion, when families gather to admire the full moon and sample Mooncakes - a traditional Chinese pastry, over a cup of unsweetened tea.

I missed the official light-up and opening ceremony at Chinatown last weekend but I managed to make a trip down to immerse myself in the festivities this week.

Other than the celebrations at Chinatown, there are also floats over at nearby Clarke Quay which you must not miss!

Video: The Lorax OST - Thneedville

This is another song I like from The Lorax.

It is the opening song and if you listen to the lyrics carefully, it pretty much explains the situation in Thneedville which gives you a better understanding of the later developments in the movie.

Enjoy!

Video: The Lorax OST - Let It Grow

I especially like this quote and soundtrack from the movie, The Lorax because it is a gentle reminder to the environmental issue that we have on hand.

Everyone plays a vital role in protecting this planet we call home and it is up to us to fight for it's well-being because we do not have an alternative planet to move on to should this one fails.

Please do not have that "but I'm just one person; it does not make any difference" mindset. If you think you are too small to make a difference, be reminded tha tthe ocean is made up of many drops of water!

No effort is too insignificant because everything adds up.

Many a little makes a mickle.

It is never too late to start caring for your environment today.

Delays On SMRT Train Services

After the series of major train breakdowns that inconvenienced thousands of commuters, I noticed that SMRT has taken to social media to disseminate news of any breakdowns or delays. 

I think that is a good move as we could then plan our journey accordingly.

I am not sure if that is a tactic to alleviate rising tensions against the transport company but from what I see, the tweets are getting more "personalised".

Graffiti

Graffiti at Teck Lim Road (behind Tong Ah Coffeeshop)

Happy Birthday, Kai Kai!

Kai Kai, the male Giant Panda who is here on a 10 year conservation program celebrates his 5th birthday today. He's seen here enjoying a special birthday cake made of carrots, apples and high-fibre biscuits all frozen in ice.

Kai Kai and his female counterpart, Jia Jia, are currently undergoing quarantine at the River Safari.

Movie: The Lorax

This movie is adapted from a children's book of the same title written by Dr. Seuss which was first published in 1972.

Perhaps it might be a little late to write a review for this animation now but I only got to watch it on cable last weekend and I must say I could totally relate to the storyline which brings forth a very strong message about the crisis that we are facing right at the moment.

The story revolves around twelve-year old Ted (Zach Efron), an ordinary boy living in the walled-up town of Thneedville where everything is artificial.

In this climate-controlled town, the air is not clean and the townsfolk had to buy bottled oxygen from Mr. O'Hare, the greedy proprietor of a bottled oxygen company and who's also the mayor of Thneedville. 

Trees had long been extinct and the only trees and flowers they had were all made of plastics.

When Audrey (Taylor Swift), the girl whom Ted is carrying a torch for wished nothing more than just to see a real, living tree, he spared no effort to sneak out of town in search of the legendary Once-ler (Ed Helms) who knows what exactly happened to the trees and most importantly, where to find one.

Giant Pandas Kai Kai And Jia Jia Arrives In Singapore

After much anticipation, two VIPs - Very Important Pandas - have finally landed in Singapore on a Boeing 747 cargo freighter. 

They were here on a ten-year loan from China with the objective of promoting Giant Panda conservation and raising public awareness of this critically endangered species.

There to receive them at the JetQuay Terminal at the Changi Airport were 60 guests including Mr Teo Ser Luck, Minister of State (Trade & Industry), chairman of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) Claire Chiang, former President S.R. Nathan and the chairman of CapitaLand Hope Foundation, who is the sponsor and conservation donor of the Giant Panda collaborative programme,.

Happy 40th Birthday, Sentosa!

It was Sentosa's 40th Birthday last Saturday (1 September) and entry to the island via the Boardwalk and Sentosa Express were free.

I took the chance to visit the Nature Walk which is something that I have been wanting to do but was unable to as I could not find it's entrance.

I know it is located somewhere on Mount Imbiah but I just could not find it during my previous visits.

And it's no wonder because the entrance was really secluded and hidden out of sight. (Who would have guessed that the entrance was just a little further down from the restroom?)

I was only able to find it after checking with a friend who used to work there.