+ Tempat Senang +

Romantic getaway at Tempat Senang, Batam

24 hours of absolute bliss and relaxation ! Started our escapade with a 3 hours long spa – Tempat Senang’s signature cinnamon sugar scrub, followed by the delicious honey yogurt oatmeal facial and finally, hot stone massage for baby and yoga-style Thai massage for yours truly. For only S$69/pax, the spa treatment was totally divine and value-for-money! Adopting a “back-to-nature” theme and open-air concept, our rejuvenating treatment was done in an outdoor pavillion that overlooks the adjoining golf course … Moments of bliss, coupled with the soothing scent of aroma oils definitely evoked a calming atmosphere.

In addition, Tempat Senang certainly lives up to its name of being “Batam’s hidden Oasis”. A balinese villa, the resort offers plenty of lush greenery, flowers, waterfalls and ponds … the sounds of the soothing running water that adds to the tranquility of the place.  Moreover, the resort is also filled with a wealth of Thai/Indo/Indian crafts, as it was vastly decorated with an array of sculptures, carvings, statues, paintings and artworks. Kinda sounds like my dream “Balinese-inspired” home !

Baby and I paid a little more for the Thai deluxe room … but certainly more than worth the money than we paid for. It comes along with Thai architecture, a HUGE bathroom that has a bathtub that fits about 4-5 people, a private outdoor terrace that overlooks the koi fish pond and resort surroundings and the best of all? The Turkish Fish Spa, which was simply my obsession! To me, it was therapeutic to have the fishes to nibble away the dead skin on my feet. Be it morning, afternoon, evening or night, I can be spotted by the fish spa. As macho as baby love  is, he however is no match to me as he broke out into frantic laughter the moment the fishes started nibbling at his feet. Too ticklish for him lol. Warning : Not for the faint-hearted lol !

Like all relaxing vacations, it’s a must for us to hang by the pool … so here comes the frolicking.

Considering that we havent had lunch, we were both famished when it came to dinner. Having read many raves about the signature beer-can-chicken, we thus decided on having that for our dinner. If Im not mistaken, the dish is unique as the beer will slowly evaporate into the chicken during the BBQ, therefore making the meat extra juicy and tender. The dish was mouth-watering; we polished the entire 1.5kg chicken!  The whole cooking process takes about 2.5 to 3hrs so it’s always best to order in advanced. Being the only guests on a Monday night, the both couldn’t help but to feel as if we were the owners of the house … the freedom to explore every inch of the place and to have the entire resort to ourselves for the night. So, take my advice and visit this gem on a wkday night … :p

For those who love to lounge in the room, Tempat Senang also offers a small collection of dvds and vcds for free viewing. In between lounging on the bed and watching DVDs, I would sneaked out to the fish spa for more nibbling sessions. Secretly, I think I want to make our money’s worth. Being avid fans of CSI, we wanted to have a CSI TV marathon all night long. Alas, the bed was so comfortable that we soon dozed off …

Day 2. MK baby went for a short swim while moi spent more precious time at the fish spa ( obviously!). Explored the resort surroundings thereafter and soon, discovered that despite the relatively small size, there’re however several nooks and cozy corners for private and quiet moments. The verandah that overlooks the fish pond. The gazzebo and sunbeds by the pool side. The outdoor dining area. There are also two 1m + long meat-eating Amazon fishes, huge fishes i must say!

To end it off, we simply love the tropical Balinese feel to the resort; such an ideal place for city people like us to get away for a romantic time together. Be it the luxury spa treatment or the cozy pool corner or the natural ambiance, Tempat Senang definitely provided the rustic hideaway that we sought for. Above all, much thanks to Jasmine and her staff for their sincere hospitality and personalized service 2 days at Tempat Senang is just too short a time, certainly warrants a longer return trip the next time round!

Where to next, baby love?

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// Never enough time with girlfriends //

One minute, she’s in Michigan, the next she’s in Buffalo, then London and now back to Singapore … yet, before you know it, she’s back in Buffalo again! Met up with the Miss Globe-Trekker, Nicole. Time flies by soo quickly when we’re having fun chatting about her stay in the red-light district in Amsterdam, being an audience of a LIVE SEX SHOW … becoming a true-blue shopaholic in Paris … good old’ times in Buffalo, boys, dogs .. everything goes. Miss lil’ RICH here got herself * gasps! * the classic Chanel 2.55 in black too. MAN, “Cash is King” indeed.

Caught the much-anticipated blockbuster “Angels & Demons” with Shermin. We first talked about travelling together way back in 2003, after our O’s … and in-between then and now, there have been more plans but nothing was ever materialized. But now, with time at hand ( holidays!), more money our and minds set, we went ahead in planning for a 6-days trip to Bangkok. Only been to BKK once, and that was more of a shopping trip … so with this impending one, i hope that we can sight-see and explore more of BKK for there’s def more to it than cheap food and shopping!

It’s been more than a year since Linda and I last met up. What did we ever do in-between man?!? First to arrive and last to leave, the chef of The Pasta Shop treated us to complimentary mocktails for being such loyal customers. Truth to be told, we were just cheapskates :p  – making full use of the venue so that we can continue chatting for hours. Food-wise, the pastas offered by TPS were pretty tasty … if possible, do give the scallop pasta in soup a try. Fresh and succulent scallops that comes with asparagus.

Treated Sok to her first ever pedicure spa session … such a coincidence as we ended up choosing the same colour shade for our toes. The sesame ice-cream offered by Pepper Lunch is almost as delicious as those offered by MOF or other Jap restaurants and the best part is : it only costs $1+ … worth a try! And as seen from the past to present, the chatting sessions with girlfriends just never end; such an integral part of my life that these meet-ups have been.

Leaving for Batam in a couple of hrs’ time … all ready for a well-deserved break
relax, rejuvenate and enjoy !

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The one and probably main satisfaction that all dressers felt – to see the outfits that you handled being paraded by the models down the runway. Here are the various outfits that I was assigned to over the 2 days stint for AFF 09.

Fashion anticipates, and elegance is a state of mind … a mirror of the time in which we live, a translation of the future, and should never be static.
- Oleg Cassini -

“See them in a different light”
Night Safari

Out with Koey

The Gals’ Diary

The “Sex and the City” clique. 2 fresh graduates. Another heading to a local bank for an internship. The last one heading to China for 3 wks of exchange programme. 3 of my gfs – all of whom im proud of. The four of us first got acquainted back in 2006, when we entered university. 3 years later, friendship dynamics have certainly changed. Like I mentioned before, gone were the days where it was just pure clubbing and partying for us, all just in the name of superficial fun … now are the moments where we feel so much more comfortable with one another to talk about private n personal stuff. Will the friendships continue to be the same for us in a few years down the road, when life gets hectic with work and other commitments?

As much as everyone around me is an addict to facebook, I however am so terrible with fb that the last time I visited it was all the way back in Mid-Jan. 4mths. Needless to say, the tagged photos of my gfs and me made me thought of the advantages that being young brings about … The carefree days whereby we are freed from shouldering heavy responsibilities, the allowance to be wild and foolish … Do we really have to bid farewell to those days soon?
“Baby girl, shock me with your electric feel now”

Mothers’ Day Celebrations

Like what Nicky would say, the whole kampong headed to Sanur Indonesian for a mouth-watering Indo feast. That’s my beloved family for you .. 3 generations all living under one roof, crowded (yes! ) but that’s the way we’re so used to and loving it.     

Wan Lok Restaurant

The usual 8-course Chinese dinner with the materal side.

Audi Fashion Festival 2009
Life as a dresser

The first year being a dresser was exciting and full of anticipation … You know how it goes, the first-hand experience of being backstage of a fashion show, the awe of being surrounded by gorgeous, tall and sexy models ( most of whom stood at an average of 1.78m! ) , the first touch of the “oh, too expensive for me to afford” clothes collections. Good-looking people, yes. Come this year, while I still get exhilarated at the chaotic-ness and madness that happens within the 30-secs outfit change, the extremely long waiting and preparation time however bored me to tears.  Another thing to note, put 20 female dressers together in a room and somehow, things can turn hell bitchy lol. One word to describe the feelings brought about by the various collections.  Ashely Isham – Haute Couture. Marc by Marc Jacobs – Light-hearted/Fun. Vivienne Westwood – Quirky (think Tim Burton!). My favourite show goes without saying,  the closing show “Vivienne Westwood” which was as quoted by Fash-Eccentric “playful, bright and full of energy! ” Totally true. Had the lucky pick of assisting this year’s chosen Singapore model, Charmaine Han, who’s such a delight to work with 

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Just 2 weeks ago, I had my break beautifully planned out. A week back, an opportunity came my way and the desire for the job had me make some difficult and tricky decisions along the way. It was a risk I took, one which would result in me having to cancel most of my original plans. Unfortunately, disappointment sets in when someone with more working experience was preferred and now, Im back to square one. No more trips to China or Laos   In other words, Im gonna be stuck on this lil’ island till I make other traveling plans. The excitement that I first had for my holidays slowly fading away … and now, with no plans and so much free time at hand, I feel lost for the first time in the recent years.

On a happy note, MK baby just ORD a couple days back so we’ll definitely make full use of this precious time to have some “US TIME” before he starts work real soon. $$$ comes your way first, love. On my free days – other than Audi fash festival and gatherings with friends – are spent with Archie Boy. Ever watch the movie “Marley and Me” ? To those who think that caring for a puppy is all about fun and play, boy are you so wrong. Similar to what’s being portrayed in the film, caring for Archie has been quite a roller-coaster, a tumult of emotions that I have experienced thus far. An enchanting boy that he is, it’s impossible not to fall in love with him … the way he brought so much happiness and joy into our lives with his funny and sometimes, ridiculous antics and actions. Yet, he has certainly grown to behaving like a rampaging puppy … the constant nipping and tugging of my clothes and arm, digging of the soil, chewing, very short-attention span, etc. Im pretty much so frustrated at my inability to attempt to train him that even my family and baby can sense the tensions that are building in me. Baby and I might not be in the right stage to welcome a puppy into our lives just yet but the least we can do for him is to provide him with as much love and hopfully, basic obedience trng as we could whilst in the search for the right person to adopt him.

Archie Boy and his obsession with his ball and rope.
♥ Archie

The 3rd vacation in a year – this time round, an ultra-short getaway to absolute paradise. Away from the hustle and bustle in Singapore, a gem tucked away on an island not too far off from here welcomes us. Yes, a hidden oasis in the less-than-idyllic island of Batam. Come next Monday, we’ll both get ready to be pampared with a 3 hours spa package, seafood kelong fiesta, and a night long of free movies … all while being surrounded by lush greenary and waterfalls! Imagine Bali, but only at a much cheaper price and nearer location. Baby baby, our 3rd honeymoon getaway awaits!
♥

.busy bee.

Very Wordy Blog Entry Ahead !!!

Last Thursday marked the end of my internship with ZCP. How apt it was then to celebrate the end of my stint with a stage productions co. by watching the phenomenal musical, CATS with my family. An innovative spectacular with entertaining choreography, CATS kept me dazzled and impressed with its extravagant and very well-performed dance moves. The lead song – which is also 1 of my fav – Memories, ended on a high note, receiving much applause from the audience for its flattering delivery. However ( imo), it falls short on having a substantial plot.

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We all know that “change is the only constant” but sometimes, i dread changes… especially so when I have so many plans all planned out for my short break before convocation. It’s not exactly good though cz it’s an indication that I can be rigid when it comes to changes being made to my plans, so gotta learn to be more spontaneous and flexible. Given the current economic downturn ( which might be made worse cz of the swine flu), it would be a sigh of relief to many fresh graduates to be able to secure job interviews after the sending of resumes/CV. However, I found myself in a dilemma when 2 c0mpanies called me up for 2nd interviews last week. ( 1 of which is the interview that i thought i screwed up but turns out that i didnt do too shabby after all!!! ). Downside – both require me to start ASAP. Basically, it boils down to the 2 choices – Take this chance to impress the interviewers and hopefully nail the job OR stick to my plan to rejuvenate. End up I made up my mind that Im going ahead with my travel, relax & volunteer plan and rejected both 2nd interviews because I rather not waste the employers’ time to interview me. Tough call. On one hand, it’s an interview for a potential job … On another hand, im looking forward to traveling to China with my grandparents and aunt ( been 15yrs since i last traveled alone with them) next week and volunteer in Laos! Yes! Got the confirmation from the team leader that Im on board a 2wks volunteer trip to Laos in June. Similar to my previous OCIP trips in 2004, i’ll be staying in the village helping to reconstruct and build rice barns, plant rice crops as well as teach the village kids English & Maths! Like what baby said, sometimes you have to make sacrifices and choices in life, can’t have the best of both worlds. :/  And to learn to prioritize what I wanna do in accordance to my eventual goals.

Yet  just when I thought that Im done with making decisions like this, I got a call from another company today that Im up for a 3rd & final interview tmr. Total surprise and amusement sets in as I kinda assumed that all hope was lost as I was nursing a terrible headache on the day of the 2nd interview … plus, all candidates were required to write an outline of how they would go about planning an impressive press conference, as well as a press release so it was double-wham – both mind and soul not functioning well la. I know, I know.. same problem so no trouble right? But this is the JOB that i was interested in from the start, both the job responsibilities and the company! In any case, im going for the interview tmr. The outcome? If I dont get it, it’s okay … my life goes on with the many plans in store … If I do, tough call again. Argh. We’ll see. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns!

Finally, luck’s on my side as Mel SFF and I are selected to be a dresser for the Audi Fashion Festival once again! This time round, I’ll be assisting shows like Blue Print, Ashley Islam, Marc by Marc Jacobs and finally, the closing haute couture show Vivienne Westwood !!! Super excited as it might be my last shot at being a dresser for the fashion fest series though working hrs can be really lon;, have to put in 11hrs for one of the days. Dang!
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Biggest surprise of all? Some construction workers took pity in an abandoned mutt puppy found in the industrial area and thus surrendered him over to the NPC that MK is working at. The choice was obvious – to lodge a “lost & found” case and report him over to the SPCA. However, conditions at the SPCA kennels are dreadful and in no proper state to house a barely 2mths old puppy. As such, we settled with the decision of fostering and caring for the puppy first. It was simply a case of love at first sight for MK baby! Well, it’s hard not to fall in love with a puppy but beyond that, we soon found ourselves becoming more attached to Archie ( that’s his new name! ) with each passing day.

Definitely a demanding commitment, caring for a puppy takes up the bulk of my day. I’d like to call myself a full-time nanny to Archie lol … he’s a ball of energy that requires attention almost all the time. As adorable as he might seems, he’s a closet terror … Given that he’s currently teething, it becomes inevitable that he wants to chew on everything in sight, including play biting my hands and toes. His fav games? Chasing the ball and playing tug-of-war w his chew rope toy! He even did a mean game of ‘fetch the ball’ a couple of times but most of the time, he just stalks, pounces and chases after the balls as if they were the prey. In a way, his actions of pouncing resembles that of a cat or cheetah as i like to call it and we often kid that he’s a cat soul tripped in a dog’s body lol. An advantage – it seems like he has been outdoor toilet-trained before so it makes things alot easier for us as he always pees and poops on the grass whenever we bring him out for his three-four times walk/day. Yet, a walk with him is never a walk in the park … On a good note, he loves to sprint ( yes, sprint!) occasionally so baby and I got to run along to keep up with him. An excellent way for me to keep up with my goal of exercising. Being a boy that he is, it can get quite exhausting trying to keep up to his boundless flow of energy each day, be it chasing or having to entertain/play with him. A people-oriented dog, we plan to get him to socialize with other dogs once his vaccination is completed so that he wldnt be 1 of those people-loving but anti-dogs dog. Seriously, it’s hard not to fall in love with this lil’ animal that has provided us with both a tremendous share of fun and terror!

There have been quite a no. of my friends who have asked if we intend on adopting Archie. Honestly, that question is always on the back of our minds … the bond that we fostered with Archie over the week certainly created a sense of closeness and trust. However as we all know, caring for a dog is a lifetime commitment and at this point of time, both baby and I are just starting out our careers. Therefore, time is definitely something that we both have to work on if we want to keep Archie so that he’ll grow to become a well-behaved dog. In addition, with the both of us not earning money yet, financially it can be a strain. Meanwhile, being first-time dog owners, we’ll need to rely heavily on information off the net, books, and forums so as to grasp a better understanding of how to care for a pup!

lets not forget – 1 year, 4 mths!

* A race against time, LUV-A-THON 2009

1st May 2009
1 year, 4 months into our relationship, baby love. 
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” When love is not madness, it is not love. “
~Pedro Calderon de la Barca