Gosh, it's already Thursday, and we are not done packing yet!!
Went to Midway Mall yesterday to do some last-minute shopping at VS. The store was crowded with people like me, all waiting till the very end to get presents. Was deciding between Bath and Body Works and VS, and finally settled on VS. Yifan's right, some people may not like having body lotions/cream on their skin, and even if they do, I dun know what flavours they will like. ( There's Sweet Pea, Cotton, Brown Fig, Coconut blah blah...)
I was thinking of just bringing back a small trolley bag and a big suitcase ( for the two of us). Not sure if this will be possible now cos the bags are nearly full, and there's still stuff that should be in, but is not in yet. Then there's Yichuan's game console and pedals that arrived just minutes ago.(!!) PHEW. Definitely can't fit those in my luggage. Checking in may be a problem too. I am worried that the console will break. * troublesome*
Feeling a little nervous about the long flight tomorrow. Esp the DFW- Tokyo sector. Hopefully I will feel okay. * pray pray *
*****
Winter Solstice is today ( yesterday sin time) . Too bad I missed it.
No tangyuans, never mind. I will have all the good food I want in a few days' time.
That's all for now. Yifan just called me to pick him up at work. He'd to leave his truck at the office.:)
Singapore, here I come!!
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Monday, December 19, 2005
The New Paper
'Merry Christmas.
Thank you for leaving your car door unlocked.
Instead of stealing your car, I gave you a present.
Hopefully this will land in the hands of someone you love, for my love is gone now.
Merry Christmas to you'
That was from something I had read in TNP 18 Dec 2005.
A man in Westborough, Mass. found a US$15,000 ring and the above note in his car.
I was very sad when I read that. In fact, I cried.
I dun know if the love of his life was taken away from him by God, or if she had left him for someone else. Regardless, this man must be heartbroken now.
It's been days since I read that article, but I can't seem to get those words out of my head.
I hope whoever he is will be happy soon. His unexpected gift to the man in Westborough will surely serve as a constant reminder for the recipient to cherish his loved ones and not take them for granted.
Thank you for leaving your car door unlocked.
Instead of stealing your car, I gave you a present.
Hopefully this will land in the hands of someone you love, for my love is gone now.
Merry Christmas to you'
That was from something I had read in TNP 18 Dec 2005.
A man in Westborough, Mass. found a US$15,000 ring and the above note in his car.
I was very sad when I read that. In fact, I cried.
I dun know if the love of his life was taken away from him by God, or if she had left him for someone else. Regardless, this man must be heartbroken now.
It's been days since I read that article, but I can't seem to get those words out of my head.
I hope whoever he is will be happy soon. His unexpected gift to the man in Westborough will surely serve as a constant reminder for the recipient to cherish his loved ones and not take them for granted.
Friday, December 16, 2005
This Must Be A Record
5 hours. That was how long I spent in Target yesterday.
I walked almost all the aisles except for those in the Electronics section. This is not the usual Target store, it's a Super Target, so it has the fresh foods/frozen foods section, in addition to all the other departments found in a regular Target like Women's clothing, Shoes, Household etc etc.
One interesting discovery I made: Waterproof shower curtains are a thing of the past. They're selling 100% cotton, 100% polyester shower curtains now. It's strange how people are not using those vinyl waterproof ones these days. I, too, use a cloth one in my bathroom, but only because I hadn't noticed that it was not waterproof when I bought it. It was only later on when I wondered why the bathroom floor was wet that I realised. Okay, so I had felt my shower curtain with my hands all the time, but it had never dawned on me that the material wasn't waterproof. I dun know why. I just assumed it was. Anyway, back to those cotton shower curtains. Some of them were beautiful, they look more appropriate for the living room. Some had feathers on them, and some felt like suede to me. (?!!) I guess aesthetics are more important than practicality.
It was a toss between hanging out at PizzaHut and Starbucks, both located within the Target store. I sat at PizzaHut for 2 1/2 hours. My arms were aching from the bags I was carrying, and I knew Yifan wouldn't be back for me anytime soon. Better to get a drink and read my FHM.
FHM USA is quite different from FHM Singapore. I remember reading the Singapore magazine a couple of years ago. It was mostly pictures of skimpily-clad women, and the kind of magazine that is solely for men. Maybe a tamed version of Penthouse?!
I love the USA version of FHM. Sure, there are lots of pictures of women in bikinis and lingerie, but there are also some very funny and interesting articles like one on how the cast and crew of Jackass got together. Parts of the magazine made me smile ( I might have laughed out loud if I was reading at home).
I found out that more than 1000 girls try out to get on the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, and that only 38 girls are on the team. Those girls have dance backgrounds, and are subjected to gruelling daylong workouts. There are tests on the Dallas Cowboys and on the NFL that the girls have to go through, as well as, get this, ... Talent segments where they have to perform for the judges.
And Americans' favourite bird: the Turkey
Did you know that:
1) female turkeys are artifically inseminated so they can ensure a constant production of new birds
2) turkeys are specially bred so they have more meat on their thighs and breasts and have white feathers so the skin will not be pigmented when the feathers are plucked
3) turkeys get decapitated usually by human hands
why do I think it's the favourite bird in America? not only because Subway sells turkey sandwiches everyday in their outlets, and Walmart sells turkey bacon, but also because 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving Day alone !!
You're probably wondering what I was doing with the FHM. I actually have a subscription with them. One -year FREE subscription. yay!
It's not just men's magazines that I like reading. One of my favourite TV programs is " The Man Show". As implied, it is a show specially created for men. In particular, I love the segment called " Wheel of Destiny" where male audience members are invited onto stage to spin the Wheel, something like Wheel of Fortune, except instead categories on this wheel include " Tongue-kissing an old woman" , " Shoe Stew" where the contestant has to drink up a portion of beef stew from some guy's track shoes. Of course, there are categories the men would gladly love to do-- like getting a kiss from a pornstar, and whatever else it is with pornstars. I always hope they get the " bad" ones cos it's funny and usually quite gross. And I cheer loudly at home when they do get it. Heheh.
** above info on turkeys and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading Team gathered from reading of FHM Dec issue.
I walked almost all the aisles except for those in the Electronics section. This is not the usual Target store, it's a Super Target, so it has the fresh foods/frozen foods section, in addition to all the other departments found in a regular Target like Women's clothing, Shoes, Household etc etc.
One interesting discovery I made: Waterproof shower curtains are a thing of the past. They're selling 100% cotton, 100% polyester shower curtains now. It's strange how people are not using those vinyl waterproof ones these days. I, too, use a cloth one in my bathroom, but only because I hadn't noticed that it was not waterproof when I bought it. It was only later on when I wondered why the bathroom floor was wet that I realised. Okay, so I had felt my shower curtain with my hands all the time, but it had never dawned on me that the material wasn't waterproof. I dun know why. I just assumed it was. Anyway, back to those cotton shower curtains. Some of them were beautiful, they look more appropriate for the living room. Some had feathers on them, and some felt like suede to me. (?!!) I guess aesthetics are more important than practicality.
It was a toss between hanging out at PizzaHut and Starbucks, both located within the Target store. I sat at PizzaHut for 2 1/2 hours. My arms were aching from the bags I was carrying, and I knew Yifan wouldn't be back for me anytime soon. Better to get a drink and read my FHM.
FHM USA is quite different from FHM Singapore. I remember reading the Singapore magazine a couple of years ago. It was mostly pictures of skimpily-clad women, and the kind of magazine that is solely for men. Maybe a tamed version of Penthouse?!
I love the USA version of FHM. Sure, there are lots of pictures of women in bikinis and lingerie, but there are also some very funny and interesting articles like one on how the cast and crew of Jackass got together. Parts of the magazine made me smile ( I might have laughed out loud if I was reading at home).
I found out that more than 1000 girls try out to get on the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, and that only 38 girls are on the team. Those girls have dance backgrounds, and are subjected to gruelling daylong workouts. There are tests on the Dallas Cowboys and on the NFL that the girls have to go through, as well as, get this, ... Talent segments where they have to perform for the judges.
And Americans' favourite bird: the Turkey
Did you know that:
1) female turkeys are artifically inseminated so they can ensure a constant production of new birds
2) turkeys are specially bred so they have more meat on their thighs and breasts and have white feathers so the skin will not be pigmented when the feathers are plucked
3) turkeys get decapitated usually by human hands
why do I think it's the favourite bird in America? not only because Subway sells turkey sandwiches everyday in their outlets, and Walmart sells turkey bacon, but also because 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving Day alone !!
You're probably wondering what I was doing with the FHM. I actually have a subscription with them. One -year FREE subscription. yay!
It's not just men's magazines that I like reading. One of my favourite TV programs is " The Man Show". As implied, it is a show specially created for men. In particular, I love the segment called " Wheel of Destiny" where male audience members are invited onto stage to spin the Wheel, something like Wheel of Fortune, except instead categories on this wheel include " Tongue-kissing an old woman" , " Shoe Stew" where the contestant has to drink up a portion of beef stew from some guy's track shoes. Of course, there are categories the men would gladly love to do-- like getting a kiss from a pornstar, and whatever else it is with pornstars. I always hope they get the " bad" ones cos it's funny and usually quite gross. And I cheer loudly at home when they do get it. Heheh.
** above info on turkeys and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading Team gathered from reading of FHM Dec issue.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
almost christmas
We have 2 parties to attend on Christmas Day !! There's one at Johnson's place in the afternoon, and another at Sue Ann's at night. We arrive early Xmas morning, so hopefully I can get a couple of hours of sleep before everything begins.
Haven't really decided what to bring to Johnson's party yet. He said not to bother, but still it's not very nice to show up at someone's party empty-handed. I was thinking of durian puffs from Angie The Choice.
*****
I love potato chips, and I eat lots of it. Yifan forwarded me an email about how eating chips can cause cancer. I didn't bother to read the email. :)
An excerpt:
" high levels of acrylamide found inside. Acrylamide is formed when starchy foods are baked or fried at high temperatures and is considered a cancer-causing chemical by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment".
So no more Lay's Potato Chips for now ( that is, until I finish my current packet).
*****
For those interested to know ie Kel, Hammy (my pet turtle) is still surviving. However, he seems lethargic, and has not been eating for at least one month. I think he is going through his hibernation period now. I sometimes feel bad that he is out in his cold tank, so we try to keep him as warm as possible by crushing newspapers and laying kitchen towels inside. Hopefully that helps. Other than that, he is pretty much left alone, and we only check on him like once a week. (oops!!) In a way, I am glad that it's hibernation now, cos we'll not be able to feed him for the next two weeks, but on the other hand, I also worry that the water we leave for him in the tank would have all evaporated long before we get back. Or maybe he doesn't drink during hibernation??
Haven't really decided what to bring to Johnson's party yet. He said not to bother, but still it's not very nice to show up at someone's party empty-handed. I was thinking of durian puffs from Angie The Choice.
*****
I love potato chips, and I eat lots of it. Yifan forwarded me an email about how eating chips can cause cancer. I didn't bother to read the email. :)
An excerpt:
" high levels of acrylamide found inside. Acrylamide is formed when starchy foods are baked or fried at high temperatures and is considered a cancer-causing chemical by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment".
So no more Lay's Potato Chips for now ( that is, until I finish my current packet).
*****
For those interested to know ie Kel, Hammy (my pet turtle) is still surviving. However, he seems lethargic, and has not been eating for at least one month. I think he is going through his hibernation period now. I sometimes feel bad that he is out in his cold tank, so we try to keep him as warm as possible by crushing newspapers and laying kitchen towels inside. Hopefully that helps. Other than that, he is pretty much left alone, and we only check on him like once a week. (oops!!) In a way, I am glad that it's hibernation now, cos we'll not be able to feed him for the next two weeks, but on the other hand, I also worry that the water we leave for him in the tank would have all evaporated long before we get back. Or maybe he doesn't drink during hibernation??
Saturday, December 10, 2005
a grain of rice
Happy 29th Birthday, xiaoliu!!
Yifan enjoying his birthday brunch-- a meal of bacon, sunny-side-up, and baked beans.
We went Olive Garden in McKinney for dinner. Italian Food. It's one of my favourite restaurants, together with The Cheesecake Factory. Tonight was packed, as usual.
While waiting for our table at Olive Garden: some outdoor pics first
They have this electronic " disk" ( see the thing i am holding in my hand) so when your turn comes, the disk turns red.
* See the small sign on the wall behind me on my left. It says " Corey Rivers" the restaurant manager.
Lots of stone in Olive Garden.
Yifan and his unnatural smile.
That's my salad in the picture. Yes, it's a huge portion... comes with my entree and best of all, it's free-flow.
Yifan had the sausage and potatoes soup instead so we could share. It was also very good.
My usual when I eat at Olive Garden-- Shrimp Primavera. It's penne with shrimps, mushrooms, and red and green peppers.
Yifan's was chicken with broccoli and some shell-shaped pasta.
After a very sumptuous dinner, we walked across the parking area to Braum's for ice-cream. :)
Had Banana Split... with all 3 scoops of different chocolate flavours.
1. German chocolate
2. Rocky Road ( but I didn't taste any marshmallows or nuts in it)
3. Chocolate with Almond
all for only $3.50 or so.
I know it doesn't look very good in this picture, especially when strawberry sauce DOES NOT go with chocolate ice-cream flavours. I dun know why Yifan picked the strawberry sauce. * shake head* I thought the logical choice would be chocolate sauce.
Yifan enjoying his birthday brunch-- a meal of bacon, sunny-side-up, and baked beans.
We went Olive Garden in McKinney for dinner. Italian Food. It's one of my favourite restaurants, together with The Cheesecake Factory. Tonight was packed, as usual.
While waiting for our table at Olive Garden: some outdoor pics first
They have this electronic " disk" ( see the thing i am holding in my hand) so when your turn comes, the disk turns red.
* See the small sign on the wall behind me on my left. It says " Corey Rivers" the restaurant manager.
Lots of stone in Olive Garden.
Yifan and his unnatural smile.
That's my salad in the picture. Yes, it's a huge portion... comes with my entree and best of all, it's free-flow.
Yifan had the sausage and potatoes soup instead so we could share. It was also very good.
My usual when I eat at Olive Garden-- Shrimp Primavera. It's penne with shrimps, mushrooms, and red and green peppers.
Yifan's was chicken with broccoli and some shell-shaped pasta.
After a very sumptuous dinner, we walked across the parking area to Braum's for ice-cream. :)
Had Banana Split... with all 3 scoops of different chocolate flavours.
1. German chocolate
2. Rocky Road ( but I didn't taste any marshmallows or nuts in it)
3. Chocolate with Almond
all for only $3.50 or so.
I know it doesn't look very good in this picture, especially when strawberry sauce DOES NOT go with chocolate ice-cream flavours. I dun know why Yifan picked the strawberry sauce. * shake head* I thought the logical choice would be chocolate sauce.
Friday, December 9, 2005
??!!
After those past few days with temperatures in the sub-zero range, it felt like Spring today. Nice and sunny, 5 C so I was out and about with my flip-flops. :)
Called a couple of car rental companies to get quotes for 23 dec from Durant to DFW. Enterprise Durant doesn't do drop-offs at the airport anymore? The girl mentioned something about them not having enough cars due to the hurricanes. Hmm, I wonder what she meant. The cars got destroyed during the hurricanes? or they are worried that cars being left at the airport have higher chances of being destroyed by the hurricanes?
It appears that the savings we would gain from renting instead of parking our car at the airport for the 2 weeks will be minimal. Not to mention the hassle of having to drive 30min to Denison to pick up the car a day before. At times like this, I miss living in Hartford. Bradley Airport was a mere 20 minute cab ride, and cab fares dun go more than $30 one way.
*****
Dish Network erroneously sent us a satellite box. Through no fault of mine, I now have to drive to the UPS store, and send the box back to them !!! Talk about customer service.
*****
Yifan has some 3-3 basketball match tomorrow morning. ( organised by his company)
He wants me to go cheer for him. Sigh, dun know if I'll be able to crawl out of bed so early.
Called a couple of car rental companies to get quotes for 23 dec from Durant to DFW. Enterprise Durant doesn't do drop-offs at the airport anymore? The girl mentioned something about them not having enough cars due to the hurricanes. Hmm, I wonder what she meant. The cars got destroyed during the hurricanes? or they are worried that cars being left at the airport have higher chances of being destroyed by the hurricanes?
It appears that the savings we would gain from renting instead of parking our car at the airport for the 2 weeks will be minimal. Not to mention the hassle of having to drive 30min to Denison to pick up the car a day before. At times like this, I miss living in Hartford. Bradley Airport was a mere 20 minute cab ride, and cab fares dun go more than $30 one way.
*****
Dish Network erroneously sent us a satellite box. Through no fault of mine, I now have to drive to the UPS store, and send the box back to them !!! Talk about customer service.
*****
Yifan has some 3-3 basketball match tomorrow morning. ( organised by his company)
He wants me to go cheer for him. Sigh, dun know if I'll be able to crawl out of bed so early.
Thursday, December 8, 2005
The Morning After
After yesterday's 4-hour snow, today was a total letdown.
the road right outside my estate
just outside my door
my backyard
and this --- the ultimate disappointment. Only 1 cm thick !!!
People in TX and OK make a big deal out of nothing. On the news on Tuesday night (the night before the supposed " winter storm" ) they were telling people to let the car engines run 5 minutes before they drive off, check that the cars had sufficient anti-freeze, blah blah blah.
Pur-leazz... the snow we had yesterday was chicken feet. They made such a big hooha, saying we're gonna get 2-4 inches of snow accumulation, but from what I saw on my aircon condenser, it was more like 1 cm or half an inch.
Some schools are closed today, because of the snow yesterday. (!!)
There was even the huge vehicle out last night scraping snow off the roads. Neighbours were seen scraping snow off their car windshields at our parking area downstairs. Can you believe it??
What is there to scrape off? It's a mere dusting of snow on cars and roads, there's not even enough snow to make a snowball for a snowball fight.
I have only one word: Pathetic
I miss winters in New England, where snow storms are really not things you can afford to take lightly.
I remember 2 years ago when it snowed really heavily for more than 24 hours nonstop that the cables gave way, and parts of the town were left without electricity. I remember scenes of neighbours scraping snow off what used to be where their cars were. ( someone's old Beetle disappeared entirely under the snow.) Snow that accumulated in my balcony came up to my knee-level. Mailboxes and even road signs got covered with snow, that you don't even see them anymore.
Even the regular snowdays had accumulation of at least 4 inches to a foot.
Those days were fun.
I knew the snow in OK wouldn't last too long. ( the pics above are probably what you'd see in CT after it stops snowing for 5 days, NOT one.)
I am disappointed. People say it snows here once a year. So this must be all of it. Argh!
the road right outside my estate
just outside my door
my backyard
and this --- the ultimate disappointment. Only 1 cm thick !!!
People in TX and OK make a big deal out of nothing. On the news on Tuesday night (the night before the supposed " winter storm" ) they were telling people to let the car engines run 5 minutes before they drive off, check that the cars had sufficient anti-freeze, blah blah blah.
Pur-leazz... the snow we had yesterday was chicken feet. They made such a big hooha, saying we're gonna get 2-4 inches of snow accumulation, but from what I saw on my aircon condenser, it was more like 1 cm or half an inch.
Some schools are closed today, because of the snow yesterday. (!!)
There was even the huge vehicle out last night scraping snow off the roads. Neighbours were seen scraping snow off their car windshields at our parking area downstairs. Can you believe it??
What is there to scrape off? It's a mere dusting of snow on cars and roads, there's not even enough snow to make a snowball for a snowball fight.
I have only one word: Pathetic
I miss winters in New England, where snow storms are really not things you can afford to take lightly.
I remember 2 years ago when it snowed really heavily for more than 24 hours nonstop that the cables gave way, and parts of the town were left without electricity. I remember scenes of neighbours scraping snow off what used to be where their cars were. ( someone's old Beetle disappeared entirely under the snow.) Snow that accumulated in my balcony came up to my knee-level. Mailboxes and even road signs got covered with snow, that you don't even see them anymore.
Even the regular snowdays had accumulation of at least 4 inches to a foot.
Those days were fun.
I knew the snow in OK wouldn't last too long. ( the pics above are probably what you'd see in CT after it stops snowing for 5 days, NOT one.)
I am disappointed. People say it snows here once a year. So this must be all of it. Argh!
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
whooppee!
It's SNOWING!!!!!
taken from my doorstep.
A close-up. See the snow on the roof. I know it's not much, but still, I get excited whenever it snows.
Today's the coldest day so far. -2 C but with the wind chills, temperature's down to -8.
Hopefully the snow will stay, so I can get better pictures. I want to go out so badly and stick my tongue out to catch the snowflakes, like I always do, but I am still recovering from a flu. :(
[ the best i got was sticking my head out the door, and taking a few quick shots from my backyard.]
i really do need to check my mailbox. hmm. * wink *
taken from my doorstep.
A close-up. See the snow on the roof. I know it's not much, but still, I get excited whenever it snows.
Today's the coldest day so far. -2 C but with the wind chills, temperature's down to -8.
Hopefully the snow will stay, so I can get better pictures. I want to go out so badly and stick my tongue out to catch the snowflakes, like I always do, but I am still recovering from a flu. :(
[ the best i got was sticking my head out the door, and taking a few quick shots from my backyard.]
i really do need to check my mailbox. hmm. * wink *
Sunday, December 4, 2005
anak
SW gave birth to a baby boy last night ( sunday afternoon sin time).* smile * 10 days early too!!!
a saggitarius baby.
I can't wait to talk to her on MSN. So exciting.
*****
Yifan prepared dinner today-- herbal Bak Kut Teh, one of my faves. Of course, he had some pointers from me. :) I dun know how it's going to turn out ( haven't had dinner yet) but it sure smells good.
He made lunch today too-- steamed fish and stir-fried veg with dumplings.
In case you are wondering, I cut my finger last night, so am excused for the day. :D
For those who want to cook Bak Kut Teh but are too lazy to prepare the dish from scratch, you can try Star Flower Brand Bak Kut Teh ( for the herbal version of the soup) packet from those chinese medical shops.
I ran out of that long ago, so got the herbs from chinatown in NY instead. Will have to stock up on that this coming trip back.
a saggitarius baby.
I can't wait to talk to her on MSN. So exciting.
*****
Yifan prepared dinner today-- herbal Bak Kut Teh, one of my faves. Of course, he had some pointers from me. :) I dun know how it's going to turn out ( haven't had dinner yet) but it sure smells good.
He made lunch today too-- steamed fish and stir-fried veg with dumplings.
In case you are wondering, I cut my finger last night, so am excused for the day. :D
For those who want to cook Bak Kut Teh but are too lazy to prepare the dish from scratch, you can try Star Flower Brand Bak Kut Teh ( for the herbal version of the soup) packet from those chinese medical shops.
I ran out of that long ago, so got the herbs from chinatown in NY instead. Will have to stock up on that this coming trip back.
Saturday, December 3, 2005
time to bring out my jacket
i am soo excited...
I thought I'd really have to save this, especially since this is the FIRST snowfall I'll be experiencing in Oklahoma.
*****
A word of caution: for those who post pictures/ upload files onto their blogger sites, remember to save each and every individual file with a different name. Even if the files dun go onto the same post.
I learnt this the hard way. I have repetitive names for my pictures ( for different posts). Now, all my pictures are screwed-up cos the older pics with same file names got overwritten by the newer ones. Luckily I have most of the pictures in the hard disk, so i'll just have to spend A LOT of time looking through every post i written thus far, look for the correct picture, and then repost them.
*****
I think I am a late-bloomer.
At the ripe old age of 27, I am just starting to discover the joys of makeup, realising the need to take care of my skin, getting interested in fashion etc etc.. In other words, I am going through what a 17 year-old may be going through right now ...in the areas of fashion and makeup and all the other girly stuff .
3 years ago, I found out about Clinique's All About Eyes... from Yifan.
3 years later, I am talking to Sue Ann about Stila's eyeshadow colours, checking out MAC's eyeshadow pots in Sephora, learning about what they do at facials from xz, surfing sites like Biotherm and Laneige...
In fact, my very first experience with using an eyeliner was a couple of months ago when Yifan lined my eyes for me !!!
I think everything that I am going through now is just fascinating. All those years, I have never taken notice of cosmetic counters in the malls, never bothered with my dressing, never kept up to date with trends.. i was like a boy.
That characteristic in me surfaces every now and then. I go to Walmart dressed in the sloppiest of t-shirts, when everyone else is dressed pretty decently.( I end up having to zip up my sweater so that my old tee wouldn't be visible.) I wear my slippers to almost everywhere. I hate my picture on my CT driving licence cos I was very sick that day, and I dressed exactly like how I felt then.
It's not that I dun bother to look presentable when I go out. It's rather I think I'd be overdressing if I go out in jeans or something. Ridiculous, I know. Understandable too, considering if I hardly wear jeans, any time that I actually ever wear it would be an OCCASION... so of course, i feel overdressed. It's something I need to change. So dun be too surprised if you see me dressed-up this december in singapore. :) I am, afterall, a girl.
I thought I'd really have to save this, especially since this is the FIRST snowfall I'll be experiencing in Oklahoma.
*****
A word of caution: for those who post pictures/ upload files onto their blogger sites, remember to save each and every individual file with a different name. Even if the files dun go onto the same post.
I learnt this the hard way. I have repetitive names for my pictures ( for different posts). Now, all my pictures are screwed-up cos the older pics with same file names got overwritten by the newer ones. Luckily I have most of the pictures in the hard disk, so i'll just have to spend A LOT of time looking through every post i written thus far, look for the correct picture, and then repost them.
*****
I think I am a late-bloomer.
At the ripe old age of 27, I am just starting to discover the joys of makeup, realising the need to take care of my skin, getting interested in fashion etc etc.. In other words, I am going through what a 17 year-old may be going through right now ...in the areas of fashion and makeup and all the other girly stuff .
3 years ago, I found out about Clinique's All About Eyes... from Yifan.
3 years later, I am talking to Sue Ann about Stila's eyeshadow colours, checking out MAC's eyeshadow pots in Sephora, learning about what they do at facials from xz, surfing sites like Biotherm and Laneige...
In fact, my very first experience with using an eyeliner was a couple of months ago when Yifan lined my eyes for me !!!
I think everything that I am going through now is just fascinating. All those years, I have never taken notice of cosmetic counters in the malls, never bothered with my dressing, never kept up to date with trends.. i was like a boy.
That characteristic in me surfaces every now and then. I go to Walmart dressed in the sloppiest of t-shirts, when everyone else is dressed pretty decently.( I end up having to zip up my sweater so that my old tee wouldn't be visible.) I wear my slippers to almost everywhere. I hate my picture on my CT driving licence cos I was very sick that day, and I dressed exactly like how I felt then.
It's not that I dun bother to look presentable when I go out. It's rather I think I'd be overdressing if I go out in jeans or something. Ridiculous, I know. Understandable too, considering if I hardly wear jeans, any time that I actually ever wear it would be an OCCASION... so of course, i feel overdressed. It's something I need to change. So dun be too surprised if you see me dressed-up this december in singapore. :) I am, afterall, a girl.
Friday, December 2, 2005
Gatorade
Currently reading:
I believe Gatorade is the top-selling sports drink in the US. I often see people buying cartons of it in Walmart. I have only just recently discovered how much I like the taste of Gatorade. Especially the Orange and Tropical Fruit Flavoured one.
I used to get leg cramps pretty often-- it happens when I go shopping, when I watch tv at home, when I try to tip-toe ...
Turning to Gatorade for help. I read that the drink replenishes the necessary body salts, which in turn will help with my leg cramps, but more importantly, the drink helps relieve menstrual cramps. ( If that really works, I will definitely stock up.)
*****
Parents here pamper their children a lot. Or rather, they spend a lot of money on their kids. I was at the mall today when I saw a long line of young mums with their toddlers in tow queueing up for something. I went up to have a closer look-- they were queueing up for their kids to have photos taken with Santa Claus. * i am amazed* And it's not like the children were screaming to take pics, cos they were mostly too young to even know what was happening... meaning, parents were there becos they actually wanted to do that !!!
I thought it very strange indeed. I dun think many parents in singapore would do that.
Note that you also have to pay something like $5 for a picture with Santa.
There are businesses here, which cater to young children, that are doing pretty well. I often see photo studios in malls and Walmart that specialise in taking children's photos, and parents are always bringing their babies there. Shops like these can only survive in singapore if they take more young adults/ makeover shots.
I followed Yifan to see a work-in-progress house. Houses in the neighbourhood were full of christmas decorations. One house even had this snowflakes-falling-thing-in-a-glass-bottle, using a pump to continually "throw" the flakes up.( only it really wasn't a glass bottle, but some rubberised float-looking thing) You know, the toy where you invert it, and snow falls onto the little house? !.. so fun.
p.s. just found out that it's called a snow globe.
I believe Gatorade is the top-selling sports drink in the US. I often see people buying cartons of it in Walmart. I have only just recently discovered how much I like the taste of Gatorade. Especially the Orange and Tropical Fruit Flavoured one.
I used to get leg cramps pretty often-- it happens when I go shopping, when I watch tv at home, when I try to tip-toe ...
Turning to Gatorade for help. I read that the drink replenishes the necessary body salts, which in turn will help with my leg cramps, but more importantly, the drink helps relieve menstrual cramps. ( If that really works, I will definitely stock up.)
*****
Parents here pamper their children a lot. Or rather, they spend a lot of money on their kids. I was at the mall today when I saw a long line of young mums with their toddlers in tow queueing up for something. I went up to have a closer look-- they were queueing up for their kids to have photos taken with Santa Claus. * i am amazed* And it's not like the children were screaming to take pics, cos they were mostly too young to even know what was happening... meaning, parents were there becos they actually wanted to do that !!!
I thought it very strange indeed. I dun think many parents in singapore would do that.
Note that you also have to pay something like $5 for a picture with Santa.
There are businesses here, which cater to young children, that are doing pretty well. I often see photo studios in malls and Walmart that specialise in taking children's photos, and parents are always bringing their babies there. Shops like these can only survive in singapore if they take more young adults/ makeover shots.
I followed Yifan to see a work-in-progress house. Houses in the neighbourhood were full of christmas decorations. One house even had this snowflakes-falling-thing-in-a-glass-bottle, using a pump to continually "throw" the flakes up.( only it really wasn't a glass bottle, but some rubberised float-looking thing) You know, the toy where you invert it, and snow falls onto the little house? !.. so fun.
p.s. just found out that it's called a snow globe.
Thursday, December 1, 2005
My toilet bowl overflowed for the very first time today. The water level just kept rising, and i stood there just looking at it, not knowing what to do. For the first few seconds, I was stunned. And feeling very grossed out.
The stupid thing about bathrooms in the US is that there is no drainage area for the water to flow into.
I had to use an entire roll of kitchen towels to wipe/mop the floor dry. And because I couldn't wash the floor with soap, the best I could do was mop it up with Kleenex after that. Ahhh, talk about timing. I was just about done with preparing lunch. How appetising!!
FYI, I use Kleenex brand kitchen towels. They are strong, and very absorbent. Hehhe.
*****
Thinking of getting this:
Don't know how much it's selling for in Singapore. But it's around $16 here. Hopefully, it'll be much cheaper in Japan.
I am tempted to buy online, but then I lose part of the pleasure I derive from buying at a store.
Yifan just bought a Manfrotto tripod with Bogen head/plate online a few days ago. It should arrive probably tomorrow or the day after. We desperately need a good tripod. It is hard to get people to take photographs of us, especially because the pictures they take mostly dun turn out well. Also, to pass your DSLR to a stranger ( who most of the time is NOT a tourist, and therefore more dangerous, in my opinion) is not a very wise thing to do.
So you can imagine my excitement in getting a tripod. We checked out Wolf's the other time, and they only sell lousy Sunpak ones. I miss B & H in Manhattan.
*****
The weather has turned much colder over the past few days, and I am surprised that at times, it is colder here than it is in New England !!
Poor Yifan is feeling a little under the weather. He caught a cold on Monday. The thing about the weather here is that it is more windy than anything. You need more than a good sweater. Without a jacket, the wind just goes right through the "holes" in your sweater, and into your bones. All it takes is a couple of hours outside and you'll find yourself down with a cold. It is that easy.
So I learnt that there is NO cure for the common cold. There is only relief. Hot tea (without milk and sugar ) works pretty well.
I should try to keep warm myself. I always go out in slippers or sandals. Even in winter. I hate wearing shoes. When the mercury level goes above 0, my toes come out.
For XZ who will be going HK in a couple of weeks ( and anyone else who has problems sleeping at night because the air is too dry), remember to keep your bedroom humid by leaving a basin of water in a corner of the room. This also helps if you are recovering from a cough.
The stupid thing about bathrooms in the US is that there is no drainage area for the water to flow into.
I had to use an entire roll of kitchen towels to wipe/mop the floor dry. And because I couldn't wash the floor with soap, the best I could do was mop it up with Kleenex after that. Ahhh, talk about timing. I was just about done with preparing lunch. How appetising!!
FYI, I use Kleenex brand kitchen towels. They are strong, and very absorbent. Hehhe.
*****
Thinking of getting this:
Don't know how much it's selling for in Singapore. But it's around $16 here. Hopefully, it'll be much cheaper in Japan.
And this:
I am tempted to buy online, but then I lose part of the pleasure I derive from buying at a store.
Yifan just bought a Manfrotto tripod with Bogen head/plate online a few days ago. It should arrive probably tomorrow or the day after. We desperately need a good tripod. It is hard to get people to take photographs of us, especially because the pictures they take mostly dun turn out well. Also, to pass your DSLR to a stranger ( who most of the time is NOT a tourist, and therefore more dangerous, in my opinion) is not a very wise thing to do.
So you can imagine my excitement in getting a tripod. We checked out Wolf's the other time, and they only sell lousy Sunpak ones. I miss B & H in Manhattan.
*****
The weather has turned much colder over the past few days, and I am surprised that at times, it is colder here than it is in New England !!
Poor Yifan is feeling a little under the weather. He caught a cold on Monday. The thing about the weather here is that it is more windy than anything. You need more than a good sweater. Without a jacket, the wind just goes right through the "holes" in your sweater, and into your bones. All it takes is a couple of hours outside and you'll find yourself down with a cold. It is that easy.
So I learnt that there is NO cure for the common cold. There is only relief. Hot tea (without milk and sugar ) works pretty well.
I should try to keep warm myself. I always go out in slippers or sandals. Even in winter. I hate wearing shoes. When the mercury level goes above 0, my toes come out.
For XZ who will be going HK in a couple of weeks ( and anyone else who has problems sleeping at night because the air is too dry), remember to keep your bedroom humid by leaving a basin of water in a corner of the room. This also helps if you are recovering from a cough.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
More on the road trip
First stop: Austin
State Capitol Building in downtown.
Shilla Restaurant -- the Korean restaurant and sushi bar that we found by chance. Interestingly enough, there were 2 american families having their dinners there. I wonder why they weren't home for the traditional turkey dinner.
The kimchi was wonderful. I ate 2 portions. :) It's too bad this place is too far away from Durant, or I'd definitely go back again.
A pond with REAL turtles in University of Texas- Austin. See how the turtles had their necks stuck out facing the left? Dunno what they were looking at, but they kept the positions for so long, we thought they were fake turtles.... until i saw the biggest one move his leg.
Yucks ! The turtles were eating a dead bird.... still covered in feathers. I felt sick looking at it.
The clock tower in the university compounds.
It was peaceful and serene. I like.
Someone covered the face of Jefferson Davis with a Texas A&M tee. hehehe.
The Liberal Arts department.
The front view of the clock tower, and in my opinion, the prettiest place on campus.
I wonder if Tom Cruise is one of the sponsors/ funders for the building.
The State Capitol on a foggy morning.
* I love foggy days like that.*
*****
Natural Bridge Caverns, TX
Natural Bridge Caverns. It's the largest cave in Texas. We joined the hour-long North Cavern Tour. There is also a 3-4 hour one where you had to use a flashlight and crawl around, but no thanks. One hour in a cave is more than enough. The cave is kept at 99% humidity level, and people were perspiring like mad.
That's the Natural Bridge, formed over the years.
Inside the cave. I thought the cave was beautiful, though some parts were a little scary-looking, like this one. I think those lumps look like human skulls.
When stalagmites and stalactites join, they form a column.
Top view of the largest room in the cave. I didn't know they call separate areas in a same cave a ROOM. Interesting.
Towards the end of the tour, some older folks were tired and panting away. We were told not to touch anything inside, but I guess they must have been too tired to care, cos I saw one old couple sitting on the rocks.
There used to be bats living in the caves, and where they used to hang from the roof, there are now black marks left behind. And that's why people are not allowed to touch the limestone, cos over time, the stone will get black.
Drinking water directly out from the caves. I dun know how true it is, but the water tasted no different from anywhere else.
*****
San Antonio~~
San Antonio's Market Square. I love the colourful decorations. This is the most mexican area in the whole city. Lots of mexican restaurants. Even the people there were mostly mexicans. Caucasians were the minority. We were the ONLY two asians.
The back wall of La Margarita, a Mexican restaurant. Mexicans love bright colours. I think the colours represent them very well. They are a community of lively, fun-loving people.
There were stalls set up along the sides selling mexican food. I dun know if this is something they have regularly, or it was because it was Thanksgiving weekend. Anyway, we found out shortly that hotels in downtown San Antonio were all fully booked. Oops. That night, we had to stay outside of downtown. According to a man I spoke to at one of the motels, San Antonio is THAT busy every single weekend. Apparently, people just love to visit the city. I can see why. San Antonio is not known as Mexican Manhattan for nothing.
We didn't try the skewers, although they looked really good. I didn't want to spoil my appetite for dinner. The lady was so shy when we were taking this pic; she quickly turned away, but not before smiling at me. :)
Some dance performances at a mall next to Market Square. The 2 men were audience invited us to take part in some contest. I told Yifan not to stand too near just in case he gets picked. heheh.
Hats and more hats. See the mexican sombrero on the left.
The waiting area at Mi Tierra Cafe. It actually is a lot more than a cafe. It looks like a posh restaurant. It started way back in 1941, and Yifan said that was why it's still called a cafe, cos that was what it was years ago. The star-shaped decorations hanging down from the ceiling are mexican piniata, according to yifan, they contain confetti, and it's a mexican tradition to hit them with a stick till it breaks and confetti sprinkles down.
The people in the picture are all waiting for a table inside the restaurant. My!!! Business is soo unbelievably good. The restaurant also has a bar area where people could order drinks and hang out while they wait.
Me and my drink-- Bahama-mama. It had orange juice, Bacardi 151 and dunno what else in it. Yifan's is the big reddish drink. He said it had tequila in it. Mine tasted better. It was sweet, but strong. Bacardi 151 is supposedly one of the most potent alcohol. We actually didn't know what to order since they didn't have a drinks menu, and we couldn't tell one drink from the other. Mine was a recommendation from the bartender. Good job, eh? Yifan told him to " make my wife something good", and the bartender chose something power.
There were mexicans going around singing and performing.. all for a price of $5.
We finally had a table after an hour's wait. I love the salsa dip. It's spicy, but still nowhere as spicy as the La Salsa's habenero sauce.
Lisa Mar, the singer. We thought her style was very much like Selena's.
Virtually all the restaurants were packed. I dunno where all these people come from. But they are all Americans, no Europeans, no Asians. This part of the US is not favoured by overseas tourists, I think. It's a little too way out for most.
I dun know what that building is, but it looks a little like the Empire State Building.
The Elvis float on Riverwalk.
There was even a lion dance float.
A cathedral right in the heart of town.
That night, we stayed at this Indian- run motel. I dun know why motels can advertise saying that continental breakfast is included in a night's stay, when really, all they serve is orange juice, coffee, and muffins at best. This indian one had the worst breakfast of all-- coffee and honey buns. Yucks! Well, at least he compensated for it by recommending a very good Indian restaurant. Cheap too !!! Less than $7 per pax for the lunch buffet. I love indian food and curries. Sidetrack a bit: I am still thinking about the indian curry I cooked last night.
That morning Yifan curled my hair.
Ta-dah!!!
I looked stiff in the picture cos i was worried that i would ruin my hair if i moved. It's a pity my curls didn't stay on for very long, even though we sprayed a lot of the hairspray. Must leave the curlers on for a longer time in future.
While driving in downtown, I saw The Pig Stand Restaurant.
So cute....
There are a number of Missions in San Antonio. Spanish missionaries came to Texas a long time ago to spread the Bible way of life. They taught the native indians how to plant and harvest crops, and the missionaries together with the indians lived together in an area known as the Mission. They had their own chapel, their courtyard, and rooms where they lived. It wasn't a very big area, but it was sufficient for 200-300 people.
Mission Concepcion is the only one that is in its most original state.
Every single mission had its own well. ( see the well on the front left of pic) The people were afraid that their water supply would be cut off by enemies, and so built their own well right in front of the chapel.
An original painting on the wall in one of the rooms.
I think the missions will serve as a very good backdrop for wedding pictures. I am tempted to take some there next year. :)
Mission San Jose. I like this one the best out of the 5 we saw.
See the cactus. It looks exactly like those cactuses they have on cartoons.
There was some function going on while we were there. The girl in white had just turned 15, and they had a ceremony. We had thought that she was a bride, given her wedding gown-like dress. A man was with her, whom who we thought was the bridegroom, although he looked to be very young, 20 at the most. It was only when we asked the camera-man later on that we learned the ceremony was a ritual for 15 year old girls.
Mission Espada.
Towards the end, we were a little tired of seeing the forts. After a while, they all look the same, and have identical chapels and courtyards.
Tower of America.
The Alamodome.
The nicest building in town -- Marriott Hotel.
Some pics of the city:
Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum.
The Alamo -- the only mission that is in downtown.
This is the start of the Riverwalk. A small river flows through right in the middle of town, and restaurants line both sides of it. There is even a shopping mall built within, so shoppers can stroll along the river while they shop-- indoors.
Boutique hotels right by the riverside.
Al-fresco dining. I thought some of the tables were too close to the pavements, and with lots of people walking by every minute, sitting indoors would be better.
Dinner at Joe's Crab Shack. I had grilled Red Fish. Ours was one of the best tables in the restaurant-- our table overlooked the river, but yet because it was enclosed, passers- by couldn't get too near, so no worry about people bumping into our chairs etc.
The Riverwalk Mall. There was a mexican band playing, and people were standing on the bridge enjoying the performance.
*****
Fredericksburg
The entire bird nest and bird is made from chocolate.
Lunch at a german bakery.
We bought a watering glass from this store. The glass is shaped round like a ball on top, with a long stem, and you are supposed to stick it into the soil, and water will be released slowly into the ground. I thought it'll be something nice to have for our new home. We are slowly collecting stuff we like for our house now. It's a waste we can't get the bigger items cos shipping back will be a problem.
The Bank of Fredericksburg on the left. The entire town looks quaint and lacking of modern amenities. It seemed like it was the only place left untainted by commercialism....... until we drove past Walmart. Funnily enough, Walmart sits almost out of the town, i think because the city council wanted to preserve the European town image and thought having a Walmart right in the middle wouldn't go very well with the theme.
*****
Driftwood-- A town about half an hour west of Austin.
We went there all because Yifan had read that they had a famous BBQ restaurant.
No exact address, so we were lost for a while, and got kind of frustrated. Then finally, managed to find someone to get directions ( not very possible in the beginning cos it's a very small deserted town, and there was no one/ no store around.) Yifan had a broad smile on his face. He was soo excited. Hahah. Me? I was pretty indifferent throughout cos BBQ-ed food dun really interest me all that much.
The Salt Lick Restaurant was quite nice to be honest. The food was okay, nothing to shout about, but the entire place looks like a tourist attraction. Not that it is anything grand. It's more like a farm/ ranch in the middle of nowhere, but with lots of cars and lots of people. I dunno why so many people patronise it.
Looks like a kampung. But dun let the exterior deceive you. It looks a lot better inside.
So happy now. Just minutes before, he was soo sian because we couldn't find the restaurant. I kept teasing him about it throughout lunch.. Heheh.
*****
Prime Outlets at San Marcos
We made a slight detour to San Marcos ( 10 minutes south when we should be heading northwards for home) There was still time to catch some last minute shopping.
The mall was designed like the Venetian in Las Vegas.
They even have the Rialto Bridge.
I find it strange that people would actually pay for a ride in the gondola ( on a really small stretch of waters), when it's not even the real thing, and when they had gone to the mall with the intention of shopping!!
The rower couldn't sing, so there was another guy who walked along the perimeters accompanying the gondola and serenading the customers.
And lastly, a panoramic view of the mall. ( mind you, this is NOT all of the mall. it's a huge place-- in fact, there are 2 malls right next to each other, so there are a total of about 180 stores.)
*****
Exhausted now from typing this much. Wooh!!
State Capitol Building in downtown.
Shilla Restaurant -- the Korean restaurant and sushi bar that we found by chance. Interestingly enough, there were 2 american families having their dinners there. I wonder why they weren't home for the traditional turkey dinner.
The kimchi was wonderful. I ate 2 portions. :) It's too bad this place is too far away from Durant, or I'd definitely go back again.
A pond with REAL turtles in University of Texas- Austin. See how the turtles had their necks stuck out facing the left? Dunno what they were looking at, but they kept the positions for so long, we thought they were fake turtles.... until i saw the biggest one move his leg.
Yucks ! The turtles were eating a dead bird.... still covered in feathers. I felt sick looking at it.
The clock tower in the university compounds.
It was peaceful and serene. I like.
Someone covered the face of Jefferson Davis with a Texas A&M tee. hehehe.
The Liberal Arts department.
The front view of the clock tower, and in my opinion, the prettiest place on campus.
I wonder if Tom Cruise is one of the sponsors/ funders for the building.
The State Capitol on a foggy morning.
* I love foggy days like that.*
*****
Natural Bridge Caverns, TX
Natural Bridge Caverns. It's the largest cave in Texas. We joined the hour-long North Cavern Tour. There is also a 3-4 hour one where you had to use a flashlight and crawl around, but no thanks. One hour in a cave is more than enough. The cave is kept at 99% humidity level, and people were perspiring like mad.
That's the Natural Bridge, formed over the years.
Inside the cave. I thought the cave was beautiful, though some parts were a little scary-looking, like this one. I think those lumps look like human skulls.
When stalagmites and stalactites join, they form a column.
Top view of the largest room in the cave. I didn't know they call separate areas in a same cave a ROOM. Interesting.
Towards the end of the tour, some older folks were tired and panting away. We were told not to touch anything inside, but I guess they must have been too tired to care, cos I saw one old couple sitting on the rocks.
There used to be bats living in the caves, and where they used to hang from the roof, there are now black marks left behind. And that's why people are not allowed to touch the limestone, cos over time, the stone will get black.
Drinking water directly out from the caves. I dun know how true it is, but the water tasted no different from anywhere else.
*****
San Antonio~~
San Antonio's Market Square. I love the colourful decorations. This is the most mexican area in the whole city. Lots of mexican restaurants. Even the people there were mostly mexicans. Caucasians were the minority. We were the ONLY two asians.
The back wall of La Margarita, a Mexican restaurant. Mexicans love bright colours. I think the colours represent them very well. They are a community of lively, fun-loving people.
There were stalls set up along the sides selling mexican food. I dun know if this is something they have regularly, or it was because it was Thanksgiving weekend. Anyway, we found out shortly that hotels in downtown San Antonio were all fully booked. Oops. That night, we had to stay outside of downtown. According to a man I spoke to at one of the motels, San Antonio is THAT busy every single weekend. Apparently, people just love to visit the city. I can see why. San Antonio is not known as Mexican Manhattan for nothing.
We didn't try the skewers, although they looked really good. I didn't want to spoil my appetite for dinner. The lady was so shy when we were taking this pic; she quickly turned away, but not before smiling at me. :)
Some dance performances at a mall next to Market Square. The 2 men were audience invited us to take part in some contest. I told Yifan not to stand too near just in case he gets picked. heheh.
Hats and more hats. See the mexican sombrero on the left.
The waiting area at Mi Tierra Cafe. It actually is a lot more than a cafe. It looks like a posh restaurant. It started way back in 1941, and Yifan said that was why it's still called a cafe, cos that was what it was years ago. The star-shaped decorations hanging down from the ceiling are mexican piniata, according to yifan, they contain confetti, and it's a mexican tradition to hit them with a stick till it breaks and confetti sprinkles down.
The people in the picture are all waiting for a table inside the restaurant. My!!! Business is soo unbelievably good. The restaurant also has a bar area where people could order drinks and hang out while they wait.
Me and my drink-- Bahama-mama. It had orange juice, Bacardi 151 and dunno what else in it. Yifan's is the big reddish drink. He said it had tequila in it. Mine tasted better. It was sweet, but strong. Bacardi 151 is supposedly one of the most potent alcohol. We actually didn't know what to order since they didn't have a drinks menu, and we couldn't tell one drink from the other. Mine was a recommendation from the bartender. Good job, eh? Yifan told him to " make my wife something good", and the bartender chose something power.
There were mexicans going around singing and performing.. all for a price of $5.
We finally had a table after an hour's wait. I love the salsa dip. It's spicy, but still nowhere as spicy as the La Salsa's habenero sauce.
Lisa Mar, the singer. We thought her style was very much like Selena's.
Virtually all the restaurants were packed. I dunno where all these people come from. But they are all Americans, no Europeans, no Asians. This part of the US is not favoured by overseas tourists, I think. It's a little too way out for most.
I dun know what that building is, but it looks a little like the Empire State Building.
The Elvis float on Riverwalk.
There was even a lion dance float.
A cathedral right in the heart of town.
That night, we stayed at this Indian- run motel. I dun know why motels can advertise saying that continental breakfast is included in a night's stay, when really, all they serve is orange juice, coffee, and muffins at best. This indian one had the worst breakfast of all-- coffee and honey buns. Yucks! Well, at least he compensated for it by recommending a very good Indian restaurant. Cheap too !!! Less than $7 per pax for the lunch buffet. I love indian food and curries. Sidetrack a bit: I am still thinking about the indian curry I cooked last night.
That morning Yifan curled my hair.
Ta-dah!!!
I looked stiff in the picture cos i was worried that i would ruin my hair if i moved. It's a pity my curls didn't stay on for very long, even though we sprayed a lot of the hairspray. Must leave the curlers on for a longer time in future.
While driving in downtown, I saw The Pig Stand Restaurant.
So cute....
There are a number of Missions in San Antonio. Spanish missionaries came to Texas a long time ago to spread the Bible way of life. They taught the native indians how to plant and harvest crops, and the missionaries together with the indians lived together in an area known as the Mission. They had their own chapel, their courtyard, and rooms where they lived. It wasn't a very big area, but it was sufficient for 200-300 people.
Mission Concepcion is the only one that is in its most original state.
Every single mission had its own well. ( see the well on the front left of pic) The people were afraid that their water supply would be cut off by enemies, and so built their own well right in front of the chapel.
An original painting on the wall in one of the rooms.
I think the missions will serve as a very good backdrop for wedding pictures. I am tempted to take some there next year. :)
Mission San Jose. I like this one the best out of the 5 we saw.
See the cactus. It looks exactly like those cactuses they have on cartoons.
There was some function going on while we were there. The girl in white had just turned 15, and they had a ceremony. We had thought that she was a bride, given her wedding gown-like dress. A man was with her, whom who we thought was the bridegroom, although he looked to be very young, 20 at the most. It was only when we asked the camera-man later on that we learned the ceremony was a ritual for 15 year old girls.
Mission Espada.
Towards the end, we were a little tired of seeing the forts. After a while, they all look the same, and have identical chapels and courtyards.
Tower of America.
The Alamodome.
The nicest building in town -- Marriott Hotel.
Some pics of the city:
Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum.
The Alamo -- the only mission that is in downtown.
This is the start of the Riverwalk. A small river flows through right in the middle of town, and restaurants line both sides of it. There is even a shopping mall built within, so shoppers can stroll along the river while they shop-- indoors.
Boutique hotels right by the riverside.
Al-fresco dining. I thought some of the tables were too close to the pavements, and with lots of people walking by every minute, sitting indoors would be better.
Dinner at Joe's Crab Shack. I had grilled Red Fish. Ours was one of the best tables in the restaurant-- our table overlooked the river, but yet because it was enclosed, passers- by couldn't get too near, so no worry about people bumping into our chairs etc.
The Riverwalk Mall. There was a mexican band playing, and people were standing on the bridge enjoying the performance.
*****
Fredericksburg
The entire bird nest and bird is made from chocolate.
Lunch at a german bakery.
We bought a watering glass from this store. The glass is shaped round like a ball on top, with a long stem, and you are supposed to stick it into the soil, and water will be released slowly into the ground. I thought it'll be something nice to have for our new home. We are slowly collecting stuff we like for our house now. It's a waste we can't get the bigger items cos shipping back will be a problem.
The Bank of Fredericksburg on the left. The entire town looks quaint and lacking of modern amenities. It seemed like it was the only place left untainted by commercialism....... until we drove past Walmart. Funnily enough, Walmart sits almost out of the town, i think because the city council wanted to preserve the European town image and thought having a Walmart right in the middle wouldn't go very well with the theme.
*****
Driftwood-- A town about half an hour west of Austin.
We went there all because Yifan had read that they had a famous BBQ restaurant.
No exact address, so we were lost for a while, and got kind of frustrated. Then finally, managed to find someone to get directions ( not very possible in the beginning cos it's a very small deserted town, and there was no one/ no store around.) Yifan had a broad smile on his face. He was soo excited. Hahah. Me? I was pretty indifferent throughout cos BBQ-ed food dun really interest me all that much.
The Salt Lick Restaurant was quite nice to be honest. The food was okay, nothing to shout about, but the entire place looks like a tourist attraction. Not that it is anything grand. It's more like a farm/ ranch in the middle of nowhere, but with lots of cars and lots of people. I dunno why so many people patronise it.
Looks like a kampung. But dun let the exterior deceive you. It looks a lot better inside.
So happy now. Just minutes before, he was soo sian because we couldn't find the restaurant. I kept teasing him about it throughout lunch.. Heheh.
*****
Prime Outlets at San Marcos
We made a slight detour to San Marcos ( 10 minutes south when we should be heading northwards for home) There was still time to catch some last minute shopping.
The mall was designed like the Venetian in Las Vegas.
They even have the Rialto Bridge.
I find it strange that people would actually pay for a ride in the gondola ( on a really small stretch of waters), when it's not even the real thing, and when they had gone to the mall with the intention of shopping!!
The rower couldn't sing, so there was another guy who walked along the perimeters accompanying the gondola and serenading the customers.
And lastly, a panoramic view of the mall. ( mind you, this is NOT all of the mall. it's a huge place-- in fact, there are 2 malls right next to each other, so there are a total of about 180 stores.)
*****
Exhausted now from typing this much. Wooh!!
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