Happy Birthday, Mommy!

We went out for a family dinner to celebrate the occasion.


Beanie came over and brought us to this fantastic place called Hakka Restaurant, just behind The Pavilion @ Bukit Bintang.



We always passed by this restaurant and thought that it would be a very upscale place to dine at. Since it's mom's birthday, we thought that we should give it a try.

Furthermore, I am part of the Hakka reign as well. So to speak. But don't ask me to speak in Hakka, because I'll speak in the weirdest language ever - all mixed up. :P


So, Hakka Restaurant impressed us with its really nice view.
It just rained earlier on in the evening, so the weather was cooling.


Mommy loves this place a lot because she said that it reminds her of a classic restaurant we used to always dine back from where I came from.

Hint: my dad used to cook in that restaurant too!


We ordered a few things and all of them was just so yummy! Especially the salted chicken and the Cod fish. Perfect.



Happy birthday mommy! You continue to inspire me in many ways.


I love you.



XOXO,
theRascal

The Full Moon

I had it all planned for the party.


Why do you want to do that anyway? She's not your baby.



Oh shut up.



When you want to do something, just do it nicely. Making sure it's perfect, not matter who the person is. As long as you could put a smile on their faces, I don't mind doing it. Why should you mind who and who the person might be, or what would the rest of the people think?


You know what?



I don't give a damn.



When I do something, I go all the way out til' the end. That's me.



So ....




I got the balloon. Period.



It is a happy occasion. Those who really know me would know that I love children a lot. They inspire me in many ways. Believe it or not, they are the purest soul on earth.



Look at Leong Papa, he was so happy to just look at Lee Yi's sleepy face. :)


I wonder, how would my parents be when it's my turn to produce one? I guess my mom will be all carried away with what's best to develop the baby's brain, reading the latest techniques of bringing up the kid, what's good to keep the baby up and going, etc.

My dad? He'll be the super cool one. Keeping his tone low. But once the baby's in front of him, he'll glee like a little kid given a lolipop!

*ok I know, bad description but yes, something like that lah*


Darling bought her the princess hat. We bought her things almost every other week! :P


Oh, she was woken up by the stroll of people gathering around her baby cot looking at her. She was really curious and couldn't stop starting around!


I bought her the pink baby jumpsuit! Cute?


Cousins, aunties, uncles, friends, grandparents were all there at the buffet party that night.


You could sense that I wasn't there for the food because until NOW, no food pictures yet.




Because I was guarding my balloons.


Haha!


Joking lah, but I freaked out when one of the little girls just sat there looking at the balloons like she was going cry and want the whole thing. :/

AND I tell you, another fella told the brother-in-law's sibling...


"Wah, need or not oh ... need to write It's A Girl. Scared people don't know ar?"


Bloody hell, I asked Darling to go scold them. :P


WEI, that's the typical message right! If I don't use the It's A Girl theme, would I use It's A Boy theme? Or your stupid camera kept clicking at one baby only ah? Without my balloons you will take so many pictures TOGETHER with the balloons meh?

Idiot.


Anyway, I got tired of guarding my balloons after a while. Because Beanie rushed down the stairs asking me to do him a favour.


Guess what?


A little girl was standing at the toilet, asking Beanie to help her in the toilet. She wanted to pee.



-_____-

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Have a great week ahead!





XOXO,
theRascal

Hi and Bye (s)

Today was Subra's last day at work. I took a group photo for the team :)

***********************

It was the time of the week again and this time, I promised to bring him a gift for scoring in his exams!


I told Pei that I will be giving him an NTV7 cup and she said that she would not like it.



Oh well, I didn't have a choice since I already placed the gift in the car and he called me at work to make sure that I visit him!



"Hi! So, tell me honestly, are you coming today?"

"yeah...?" (doubting)

"Okay... tell me most honestly now, did you bring my gift??!" (sounding so excited)

"oh yeah...of course"

"OkieEEeeEE!!!!!!" (super-duper excited)



So, despite the SUPER heavy rain, I braved myself with my red umbrella and through the crazy traffic.

It was worth it.


Because ...




He was smiling all the way!



These are some of the many little things in life that made my day. :)






XOXO,
theRascal

The Unspoken Crap

All of you know that I can come out with a lot of crap that not many would think of.

Crazy character. Annoying ones. Sometimes just being rude.

The thing is that it's hard to just be yourself when there are so many things happening around you. The perks, influences, negativity and the list goes on. Trying to stay true to yourself can be very difficult.I'm lucky to have a very supportive circle of people around me. My family, partner, friends are all very beautiful people in their own rights who sees the same thing about being yourself.

There was, however, one thing that popped into my head all of a sudden.



It is normal to be gay nowadays. It's normal to have a lesbian friend or a gay BFF.

What if your son/daughter is gay?


Like one fine morning when the beautiful sun is shining and you look at your family photograph, smiling to yourself that you have a very beautiful life (no pun intended :P).

Suddenly, your child comes back and tells you that he/she's gay.

What would be your reaction?

I have seriously thought about it to myself and I find that it is fine to be gay if you really believe that you're gay. We will have to accept the person for who he/she really is. Perhaps it would be so hard to believe and take in, but what can we do? Chase the child out of the house? Disown him/her? It'll be the most unwise thing to do because you're ruining your own family.

Don't we all pledge to accept all God's creations?

And I find that most gays are not annoying at all. They are all very interesting people with beautiful personalities. They would give you different perspectives others don't. They will be your BFF at the store. They see things you don't because of their unique personality.

So, I would say, accept a person for who he/she turns out to be despite he/she may not be the son and daughters. It doesn't mean that when are person is gay, he/she is erased off the rights of being a human being.

We are all just uniquely different! That's what makes us all beautiful, isn't it?

XOXO,
theRascal

Tech Saved The Spaghetti

I came home today after feeling really productive at work. I felt like having pasta for dinner!

Alright alright, no connection between feeling productive and pasta but still!!!

It's just how I want to see a connection, that's all. :P


Anyway, I took out the sausages to de-froze, washed the tomatoes, took out the bottle of tomato paste and started boiling the spaghetti.


I tried so so hard to open the bottle of tomato paste! I spent like at least HALF AN HOUR trying to open that bottle of tomato paste I tell you!


So, I remembered what someone taught me (seriously, I think it's my cousin or my uncle ... I forgot who) about putting the rubber band on the cover and try opening with a towel.


Poop!!


It opened :)


And then, I tried opening the can of button mushrooms using my dad's new Ikea can opener.

Swear to God, I never felt so bimbo before!

The stupid IKEA can opener just didn't work! OK, I didn't know how it functions even after examining the thing for a long time.


So.... I figured out - YouTube!!!


I searched "How to open the can using a can opener" but I couldn't find something that is similar to my dad's.


I continued to search "How to use an Ikea can opener".


I saw a video titled "Ikea Can't Opener"



AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


Don't you think the title is so ironic?!?!?!?!?! :P



Anyway, yes, it saved my mission in the kitchen today trying to cook up my pasta.

The ingredients

I had a very wholesome dinner.


All thanks to YouTube.


Amazing, isn't it? :)



XOXO,
theRascal

From Paris with Love

... and it is with a lot of love.


If you have been following my FB status religiously, you'll know I have a wedding invitation from a very dear friend of mine - Thao.


I was so happy when Beanie told me that Thao sent me her wedding invitation card.





All the way from the US!

It's my first letter from US!

Did I mention that Thao is working for the United Nation in New York? So proud of her :)




Thao invited both of us to her wedding reception in Paris, France. But to keep my bank in a healthy state, I decided not to go, even though Beanie could do it. Just not this time.

I'm so sorry, Thao. We'll surely meet in Singapore!


XOXO,
theRascal

Shine through the morning sun

I happen to wake up early in the morning to attend an event in Midvalley. It was still pitch dark as all the shops weren't open yet. I walked to Coffee Bean after being told that it opens early.

I was the second customer.

Looked pass the menu and the specials board, I went on to order something from the chilled section. I settled for a piece of chocolate cake, it's of my liking.

I spotted their array of coffee beans selection. The aroma was so rich.

The coffee bean selection ended up with a small talk with the waitress about different coffee beans. Of course, I purchased one for Leong Papa.



At the counter, the waitress placed a cup of coffee on my tray. I told her that I didn't order any coffee.

"It's for you," she said with a big smile on her face.

I would have rejected if she asked me first because I don't take solid coffee. But I went on and thank her for being so generous. :)

I chose a quiet corner.

The ramba music was playing in the background. It is a very upbeat song, not too noisy ... just right to start a day. I love its rhythm. It reminds me of the good ol' days when I ramba and salsa with my friends back in Alicante. Good ol' times ...

I stared ahead of me. The morning sun greeted me.

It would be perfect if I have a book to read.


Nothing beats a lovely morning at a quiet coffee shop, with the ramba music playing in the background, drinking coffee and a chocolate cake.

Just you, the music, coffee, cake and the morning sun. Nothing else.

This is life. I'm so blessed to be living it.

Thank you for everything. whoever you are.


XOXO,
theRascal

I was in ....

Hong Kong










Film Festival







today









at




Midvalley




-_________-!!!!!





:P





HAHAHAHAHHAHA



Seriously, when I read the email that I am suppose to attend the Hong Kong Film Festival with a bunch of students, I was ecstatic!


WOW, I am going back to my favourite place where I felt I belong again!


I opened the email and started looking for details... hopefully staying in Tshim Tsha Tshui, you know, where all the shopping good deals and good (cheap) food are located.


I kept reading.


Venue: GSC Midvalley



-_______-!!!


Ahhh well, it was definitely a good exposure.



I arrived Midvalley when it was still in pitch dark. Watching shop keepers opening the grill doors, putting out their products on the display cabinets, contractors coming in to make sure the stage at the Alice in Wonderland event at Center Court is doing fine, etc.



Since Beanie said that Coffee Bean would be open already, I strolled myself there and sat down in a quiet corner. More about that later.



That was my colleague Anna and two students, among the rest of them who attended.

We watched the gala premiere of one of the movies which are part of the HK Film Festival, At the End of Daybreak.

Very artistic. Superb script. Well directed.



We sat in for the press conference.

So funny-lah... especially when KK (one of 988 radio's DJ) asked the film director, Ho Yuhang, to stress on the point when he said that this superb film was done without participation from any Malaysian monetary contribution. :P

sensitive sensitive sensitive



Looking at the picture above, from the left is the film director and the rest of the actor & actresses.


Anyway, I am so impressed by the Alice in Wonderland event at Midvalley. Don't you just love the Mad Hatter's Crazy Tea Party??!?!?!

Can you spot Alice in Wonderland running around with the rabbit in the picture???


Another shot of us...

❤

We met up after my gym session for a nice pub dinner at Chilly's. It was my first time sitting at the high table and I love it more than the usual ones. Just because I get to feel tall for once (wtf) and also ... sit closer to each other and have a good chat.

But I just can't wait for a vacation when we could just sit down and chat without our phones ringing. You know, quiet time. No technology. No stress due to work. No sense of time (rush). No duties for a moment.


I love that kind of feeling once in a while even though i can't live without my phone and the internet.


I'm a blogger, remember? :)




XOXO,
theRascal

I always believe in having great passion in something.

No matter what you do, as long as you love it and have such strong interest, which constitute to passion, it'll push you to greater heights.

Look at all the successful people. No matter if they are frying noodles at a stall, playing squash, kicking a ball, painting, or giving out letters to people's houses, as long as you love what you do ... it all matters that at the end of the day, you feel good doing something you love.

What is Jimmy Choo and Zang Toi before they build their own brand in their own name? They were just someone doing what they love doing, despite all the crap people used to say about them not being "the typical man" who became a doctor or a lawyer.

Celine Dion used to only sing in her family's cafeteria by standing on the table when she was young. And she barely knew a single word of English.

Today, they are all stars of their own. They shine.

So, when my boss asked me why should she hire me instead of someone with 15 years experience in advertising, I said "Because I have passion not just in advertising, but also teaching. I know what I'm doing ... I love what I'm doing. And I'm going to be so good at it."


She hired me.


Thus, I always impart this idea to my students. Do not study what your parents want you to study. You fight for what you want. You decide your own destiny. However, if you fail, stand back up and considered that as a lifetime experience. You wouldn't want to miss that for a lifetime. BUT, always remember to put your family into your plans because they are part of who you are.


My late grandfather said "been there, done that".


Don't be afraid to experience life. It is a journey ... so, have a good time.


I love the quote that I stumbled upon a while ago. It read right into my heart.


“If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you.” - T. Alan Armstrong


Don't you agree?



XOXO,
theRascal

The Ritual

My mother told me the secret to life, which was passed down by my late (maternal) grandfather.


Every night before going to bed, he would put his palms together and place them in front of his chest in the praying position and thank God for the good day he had.

Thank you for my great health and good family.

He would thanks God for the day and wish to continue the rest of his journey. Stay healthy and happy.

My mother, on the other hand, chose to thank God every time she wakes up from her sleep in the mornings. She thank God for her good health and wish to have a great day.

So, I told my mother about Thao - a friend I befriended when I was in Macau. She's a Vietnamese born French. Her parents migrated to Paris and she was born there. So, she speak fluent native French, perfect English and of course, Vietnamese. How cool is that?

I love Thao the very moment she smiled at me. She is one of the sweetest girl I have ever befriended. Also, so down to earth and thankful for everything she is today.

I quote her in one of our email conversations:

I am so blessed. Really. My life is full of great people and I feel so blessed just having you as a friend. My husband would be migrating to New York to be with me after our wedding celebrations in our cities. Enough for long distance!! We can finally be together and make pancakes every morning. I hope to see you in Paris! It's OK if you can't make it, at least you tried. I hope to hear from you very soon! We can still meet in Singapore! :)


I love Thao for that. I learned something from her. Every time we write to each other, she'll always be thankful for something. That is when I realize that it is so important to be thankful for everything in life.

I started to understand why my late grandfather and my own mother thank God for their good health and for having a good day ending up safe in bed. It is because they are satisfied.

Nothing more. Just this would be good.

Being happy with what we have achieved is important, accomplishments are as important... but being thankful and grateful is the key to stay happy.

Because if we constantly want more, we would never be happy. As in life, we don't win everything. Sometimes we loose, fall ... crawl and stand up, complain, learn from the lesson and thank God that we survived the challenge.

It is OK to endure/go through challenges, because those who never go through them don't grow up.

We're on a roll, baby!

It was a really pack (rush) weekend. I worked whole day on Saturday at the Education Fair on Saturday. Pretty much the same routine. Just a few stuck up people who don't know what they are looking for but yet, tried to sound smart by challenging me.

KNS


Anyway, I miss visiting Lee Yi last weekend. I wonder how has she grown?

OK fine.

She may not have grown very much because I just visited her the week before but babies do grow very fast you know!

I want to absorb every single moment of it. :)


DL and I went to visit so many baby boutique stores in The Garden's. I got her a few baby jumpers while the proud uncle bought her a really cute dress from Poney.

We saw a lot of cute ones at Pumpkin Patch but she has yet grown to fit the sizes that they have. So, it'll be later.

I can just foresee that she'll have so many trendy and pretty clothing!

Know what? Because Leong Mama is also on her little project. She whooped out her magic sewing kit and was on a roll. Sewing pillow cases within minutes and designing dresses for the little one. How lucky is she?

My mom and 2 younger sisters are having a good time in Dubai now. *envious* But it's ok, I'll go there one day. If not, somewhere nicer. Hmmpphh!

Mei told me that they visited the desert last night and it was worst than a roller coster ride. BUT, a very good experience. :) Will catch up with them when they get back on Wednesday night.

I have to run now.

Toodles~

XOXO,
theRascal

Sze's Big Day!

After seven beautiful years of courtship, he finally proposed.


Of course, we all see it coming and was waiting for the big day! :)


The beautiful wedding dinner was held at the Sime Darby Convention Hall.

I'll let the pictures do the talking because I can be bad with illustrating things :S



Don't you love the romantic pastel coloured table setting? Oh, the candle lights just blew me away with romance :)

And fresh flowers decorate the ballroom ...


Me and the beautiful bride. I look so ... not proportionate already. Le sigh.


The menu.

Unlike typical Chinese wedding dinners, there would always be a huge dish in the middle and everybody would take their share from the center of the table.

This, is something new to me, when everybody has their own set :)

I love this idea. Very elegant. Neat. Not noisy.

AND LESS LEFTOVER FOOD!

Definitely.

That's the main table. Look at those lilies! My fav. Uhh-hmmm.... *clears throat*


Sze's father gave a very heart-warming speech. I was so moved at some moments.


Leong mama sew the dresses for the flower girls as well as for the boys!


Look at them having a fun time crawling around! :)


It was time for the toast!


Don't you love the gown? So elegant I tell you.




And the newly weds gave a speech, and Sze sang (a bit). She sings beautifully. Trust me.


Oh that's the rice and butter prawns :)


Then... they had their first dance as husband and wife.


grrrrrrr.........

People trying to take a picture, she had to stand in the middle of nowhere ... of all places to stand
lor!

Anyway, they had the father and daughter dance too.



Hmm... will my dad dance with me on my day? *ponders*

Because you know what. We are (almost) of the same height. So if I don't dance with my dad, also a bit wasted right. Because hard to find a someone who is at your height to dance with you know.

hahahahahahahah....


It was a joke. Geddit geddit?



No?



Read on.



Boring la you people.


OK that was a joke as well. Please love me. :P





The night ended with a really nice dessert. :)



All my best wishes to the newly weds! :)


XOXO,
theRascal

A Cozy Sunday

Last Sunday, both of us didn't know what to have for dinner.


So, we just went around a few places to buy what we crave and set-up the dinner table in front of the TV!



It was a really cozy, fulfilling dinner. Something you'll need for a Sunday :)



XOXO,
theRascal

Today... I present to you

Lee Yi.

Awww... look at her, she gave me a kiss! :)


OK, that was just my own description!


I saw these adorable socks so I bought one for her :)


XOXO,
theRascal