"Guo Da Li" + Shopping for Christmas gift

I had been very busy for the past week, shopping for Christmas gifts and also helping up in “guo da li” on behalf of my brother.

“Guo Da Li” took place on 23 of December, a few days before the actual day, mum, cousin and I were busying preparing the customary items (a procedure whereby the groom send the the bride's gift as requested by Bride's family) and doing decoration for the basket. I had took a picture of the basket which I had decoration.


The customary items include
-“Pin-Jin” (red packet, thanks my future sister-in-law’s parent dor bringing her up 养育之恩红包）
-12 cans of pig trotters
-12 oranges
-12 packets of rice vermicelli
-a pair of dragoon and phoenix candles
-2 bottles of hard liquor
-2 packets of candy
-a pair of gold bangles

(Each item must paste a “xi” sticker on it representing blessing)
All items were to be given to my future sister-in-law as bride’s dowry.

On the actual day, we set off early in the morning as we were afraid of traffic jam. We gathered at my brother’s home first before setting off to my future sister-in-law’s parent’s home.

After “guo da li”, we went for lunch with my future sister-in-law family. Uncle had ordered a lot of food and not to waste it, my cousin and I had to finish the leftover.

It time for my Christmas gift shopping after “guo da li”. Everywhere was having sales in orchard and was packed with lot of people, long queue for fitting room, long queue at cashier, long queue for buying food…..long queue.

In the evening, Bing joined me for shopping. We had a quick dinner and off to shopping. Instead of shopping for Christmas gifts, we had end up buying things from body shop to pamper ourselves, hee hee….

I am back....Merry Xmas n Happy New Year

It had been a long time since my last entry….Everyone, I am back. ~大家好....我回来了.....！ . I had started my online business, response wasn’t good at the beginning but I am not giving up. It is hard to start a business especially reaching out to customers is not an easy job. Could any kind soul out there, give me some guideline to it. Hopefully as time past by, things are getting better.

Year 2009 is coming to an end soon, look back at the past, nothing much has been achieved for this year. Here, I wish everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Shopping with Evelyn and her mum for her sister's wedding's gift

Two weeks ago, Evelyn’s mum and Evelyn were in Singapore for 2 days to shop for her sister’s wedding jewellery and other things for wedding. I had asked Eve to help me buy a bottle of 1L of Martell VSOP in the airport, as I had to started preparing for my bro’s wedding dinner which held in the beginning of next year. It wasn’t cheap when I started to convert the price into Ringgit as Martell VSOP cost S$77 and in Johor, it sells at RM150-RM180 per bottle.

We went shopping in orchard and went to almost all the jewellery boutiques in orchard to look for an ideal jewellery piece for her sister. We even went into Cartier to look at jewellery pieces, the services that they provide was truly impress even though we didn’t make it a point to dress up before going in and other customers in there look at us like an alien. This was my first time in my life to enter such a posh jewellery boutique and the jewellery pieces in there were really beautifully design and crafted. Apart from this, I was so amazing with the way they service their customers, the sale girl had to knee down on floor showing us the jewellery pieces while we were sitting on sofa in their VIP room.

We also went to Bulgari and Channel jewellery boutiques to look at jewellery but was disappointed in their servies. As the moment we went in, their eyes were liked scanner, they looked at us from head to toes a few and reluctant to services us. The unpleasant services made us very uncomfortable and we left after browsing jus a few items on the display.

Same things happend when we went to Flower Diamonds boutique, the sales staffs were very unfriendly and very reluctant to services us. No smile at their face when servicing us and wasnt keen to answer our request. Evelyn's mum interested in a few jewellery pieces and wanted to buy right away but I told her to go and have a look at other boutiques before making decision. After shopping a few more jewellery boutique, Evelyn's mum still keen on the deisgn from Flower Diamonds boutique. Evelyn's mum bought a pain of earrings and pendant with necklace for Evelyn's sister. The jewellery was really beatifully design and the earring and pendant can be mixed and match and worn in a few ways. Currently, Flower Diamonds boutique is promoting their jewellery pieces at 9pm show of channel 8.

Visiting my aunt in Potian

Last Sunday, we went to Potian to visit our aunty. Life in Potian is different, it is much more to Kampoo living style as the phase is slower compare to Singapore or Johor Bahru. The travelling journey is around 2 hours starting from my home to my aunt’s place. On our way, we went to buy some braised duck meat, beans curbs, pork intestines and eggs as we were having lunch together with my aunty and uncle. We arrived around 12.30pm; my uncle was sitting in the coffee shop chatting with his neighbors while waiting for our arrivals.

Eating together brought our relationship closer.

Everyone enjoyed the braised food

Nowsaday, we seldom see toilet that was build outside of the house. After finish using the toilet, you have to pour water yourself in order for the waste to wash down to the drain. A different kind of living experience.

My aunt grown fruits and vegetables by herself for self consume.

My aunt gave us alot of egg plants. The texture and taste of the egg plants were different from those selling in the market, its tasted sweet and juicy and not mushy soft.

Both of them were discussing how to grow plant.

My aunt is good at gardening and she managed all this by herself.

My mum pricked these back home for her garden.

The papayas are so big but too bad its havn't ripe for eating.

Before we head back home, we decided to come to this temple for praying with my aunt. My aunt told us that a few of the people from their town had striked lottery after praying and each of them won alot from it. We decided to ask the god to give us a few set of numbers for the lottery games, we are going to "HUAI". Pray hard for this weekend lottery prizes.

You can see alot of people in and out asking for numbers for lottery games. Hope we can be the next big winners.

My mum's creation; Desert Rose= Fu Gui Hua= 富贵花

My mum likes to do gardening during her free time. She takes prides in her flower creation and goes extra miles for her plants. When raining heavily, she would ask me to go and take an umbrella to shelter her plants for her. I always ask her, why so crazy over the plants. My mum would tell me that too much water is bad for the plants and will wilt easily. Growing a plant is not easily as it required a lot of time to take care of it. To have a healthy plants, my mum would water its at least twice a day as its need sufficient water and sunlight for it’s to grow. At the same time, frequent fertilizing and always loosen the soil so that the roots of the plants can consume enough water.

Her favour plants among all is Red Fu Gui Hua= 富贵花

Searching for Wines

This afternoon we went to Nusa Bestari to settle some paperwork. After settled all the paperwork, we drove around to search for wine shop at that area. We managed to find two shops selling wines; one of them is named "WINESSHOP" located at 9G, Jalan Nusa Bestari 1/5, Taman Nusa Bestari, and 81300 Johor Bahru. On the signboard, there is a very big Chinese word '酒' and just a few shops away from KFC outlet. The other shop is named "Climax Wine Trading SDN. BHD" which is located at 10 & 12, Jalan NB2 1/4, Taman Nusa Jaya Mas, 81300 Skudai, Johor. You can check out their website: http://www.climaxwine.com/ for more information.

After visiting these two shops, we made a comparison of the prices that they are offering and we found that Climax Wine is offering better prices. They also provided a better serives and they will recommand you which kinds of wines are suitable for which occasion. If you are seraching for wines for your wedding, give it a try at Climax Wine.

Kim Chi & BBQ

Labour Day is here, as usual nothing much to do for the day. I had planned to go and eat Korean food with my family for lunch. My family didn't like Korean food as they had a bad encounter a few years back when we were having dinner at Korean Garden at Lido Beach. The quality of food was not tasty, very few sides’ dishes were given, the presentation of the food was bad and the worst of all was the service. I won't recommend my friends to go there as it is not worth what you paid.

I brought my family to Kim Chi & BBQ restaurant for lunch and was located at No 24, Jalan Perang, Tmn Pelangi, JB. The Korean restaurant started operating a few years ago and is run by Korean. The restaurant is very cozy ambiance and bosses were very friendly. We ordered chabchae, fried rice cakes, bbq spicy pork belly, bbq pork spare ribs and a seafood steamboat. Coffee and korean citron tea were ver nice, didnt kinds of taste from our local drinks. After finishing our meal, we were serviced with ginger balery drinks with a red beans pancakes for free. Having cold icy ginger drinks after meal and red beads pancakes for dessert really make my day happpy. Must give it a try... ...

New Korean Resturant at Pelangi, must go and try.

Air vent sprout all over the place, reduce the smell of BBQ.

Waiting for the food to be serviced.

The side dishes were very tasty and you can ask for refilled of side dishes. We loved the tasted of marinated black beans, it was sweet and with abit of sour taste. We bought the a packet of marinated black beans before we left. Mum said she will try to make some of the marinated black beans herself. Looking forward of trying my mum's marinated black beans but don't know when will it happened, wuhaha

BBQ spicy pork belly and pork spare ribs, its were very yummy when go with the marinated spring oions.

Fried rice cakes was one of my favour dishes. My dad said it tasted like our local "Zhu Chang Fen" and it too spicy for my dad.

My family didnt like seafood steamboat as they had hard time eating the crabs, peeling the prawns and cracking the clams. I also had a hard time eating it as I need to get my hands dirty for peeling the prawns for them. Maybe next time, I should order TOFU steamboat or GINGSENG chicken soup for them.

Tea time @ Niniq Bakery & Bistro

Yesterday, i went to Shih Jia's home for catch up. We spent hours chatting and gossiping before going out for tea. Around 5pm, we decided to go to Niniq Bakery & Bistro for cakes and drinks as Jia was planning to give me a treat to celebrate my birthday. It is located at Jalan Perang, Tmn Pelangi near to Giant hypermarket. Niniq bakery & bistro has a very cosy ambiance where one can spend their days with their love ones there. Thank you, my dear.

I had tea to go with my oreo cheesecake. Orea Cheesecake was normal, wasnt impressive about it.

Jia had ordered black forest cake with apple drink to go with it. Black forest cake was a better choice compare to orea cheesecake. Black forest cake was very moist and wasn't very sweet.

Removing my wisdom tooth....scary

On monday 27 of Apr, I had an appointment with DR LAU to remove my wisdom tooth. Something which I am afraid of and refuse to go but I had no choice as I knew that my wisdom tooth was badly decay and it had affect on big tooth.

DR LAU told me that removing my wisdom tooth contain some risk as my wisdom tooth laid on my big nerve. If the operation didnt go smoothly, the outcome is that my jaw will be numb for the rest of my life. DR LAU told me that he had perform such operations number of times and none of them has failed. Everything went smoothly during the operation and it wasnt as painful as I thought. After the operation, I carried on my daily routine, eating and talking as normal but once the anesthetic was over, I can feel the pain of it.

Cousin's birthday.

It had been a few weeks since my last posting. Nothing much happened, helping up my mum with some document issues and last week, celebrating my cousin's birthday. We went to have our dinner at Beijing restaurant located next to Sutera Mall. The restaurant was packed of people as there were 3 wedding dinners going on in the other halls. Everyone was having a great time at the dinner and before we went head back home, I stop by at Sutera Mall with Shih Jia to buy birthday cake for my cousin from Secret Recipes. A different kind of wishes was written on the birthday cake which was Jia's idea. It was so funny and innovative. Take a look and you will know.

Come in Exhibition

Come in exhibition representing interior design as a contemporary art medium and is held in Singapore national museum. You will get to find out how designers pass the massage across to the public by presenting their art work.

Origami lantern designs by Min Chen. It celebrates light as divine providence given for comfort, joy, vision, revelation and life.

Can you see the message hidden in the painting? The message is 'DO NOT DISTURB'

More photo of CHRISTIAN LACROIX the costumier exhibition

More photos to go for Christian Lacroix exhibition...enjoy it

Very impress of the dresses that hanging up in the air can be rotated

CHRISTIAN LACROIX the costumier exhibition in Singapore

Christian Marie Marc Lacroix is a high-end French fashion designer.
At a young age he began sketching historical costumes and fashions. Lacroix is a very innovative designer; he is good at mix and match of material together to form his creations. His stage costumes show the close link between haute couture and the performing arts in France. Costume design is regarded as a key factor that contributes to the overall success of a performance. We hope that the exhibition can further inspire our performing arts groups, especially those in theatre, drama and opera, to even higher levels