Tuesday, July 31, 2007



I nearly ran over this dog this morning, which was having a tan on the tarmac. I thought it was dead, but it turned its head to look at me as I took its pic.



So what am I supposed to do when I see this sign? Just walk off?



Her colleagues organised a party for her at Gourmet Tofu, one of the nicest Korean restaurant around.



Happy birthday, dear! Today is her actual day.



Edmund surprised Eliss with a huge birthday cake.



World peace?



More than enough for everyone.



I hope you like your present!

Sunday, July 29, 2007



Happy birthday to the July Babies! Eliss and Alice.

Hey, Jake! What are you afraid of?



Looks like we are all going to have a slice of it, if they cut it small enough.



Tell me who doesn't love a pressie?



Rhema Cell group shot.



In the evening, we had dinner with her sis and boyfriend.

Saturday, July 28, 2007



The Kirribilli Market happens on the last Saturday of each month. And we only got to know about this about a week ago.

Sheesh.



It has over 300 stalls of new and vintage fashion and accessories, arts and craft, collectibles and antiques, plants and fresh flowers, giftware and gourmet food.

I love the Harbour Bridge as the backdrop best.




There are plenty of food to choose from, but this one as the longest queue.

Gözleme is a savory Turkish pastry made by rolling dough with a thin roller and repeatedly folding it. It is filled, and browned in a pan. Varieties include:
  • Etli; meat
  • Ispanaklı; with spinach
  • Karışık; mixed
Being undecided, we chose the mixed variety. It tasted like roti prata with meat and spinach. Was a bit sour because of the lemon juice.



We went over to Manly to have a nice stroll by the beach. Interesting to have the moon out so early in the afternoon, though.



The happy couple from Melbourne.



As they have a craving for Korean, we went to Chatswood and it was a very good decision indeed.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007



Hey, if you are from SHC and is watching this, share this video with your friend!

Let them know that on the 19/8, we are having a fun filled day, with exciting prizes to be won.

There will be more losers.

The Cellympics!

See you there!

Monday, July 23, 2007

We celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary today.

Wow, it's been a year exactly since I came here. I could still remember the amount of things I had to sort out before leaving Singapore to come here, so that I could spend our first wedding anniversary together.



Yeah, and I bought her flowers this year. Something that she deserved long time ago.



We chose the Summit Restaurant this time.





Located on the 47th floor of Australia Square, we were not only treated with stunning views of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, but also beautiful modern Australian food from the kitchen of chef Michael Moore.

The food is visually appealing without being fussy, the service a Sydney rarity, slick and informed without any stiffness, and the flavours clean and harmonious.



Mozzarella di Bufala (Naples) garnished with peppers piedmontese, prosciutto crudo, almond brittle, new season olives and pencil bread.



Shellfish "Tortelli" of blueswimmer crab, Kinawooka mussels, seared scallops, crab and corn bisque and green peas.



Grilled Aged Beef Fillet with fire roasted onion confit, foie gras brioche, caramelised carrots, watercress and shiraz jus.

It was really nice that we get to sit down and enjoy food together. She just had a mad week, so it's good that she can relax now.

Looking forward for the many more anniversaries celebration to come.

I love you, dear.

Thursday, July 19, 2007



When Frank Sinatra sang fly me to the moon during his time, I reckon he would not imagine that space travel would really be possible.

The infant industry got a boost when Boston Harbour Angels backed XCOR Aerospace in developing a spaceship that will take off and land like an aeroplane.

While passengers have to pay full or partial deposits ranging from $US195,000 to $US250,000, Virgin Group chief Richard Branson and Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos are on the list to have the chance to float in zero gravity on the Xerus.

As for the rest of us, let's wait for some budget airline... I mean spaceline to do it.

Talking about travelling, Eliss had flew off with her company to the Snowy Mountains for a ski trip.

Yup, fully paid for, lor.

Me? Looking forward to see her coming back on Saturday night.

Things are getting better at work now. I've just got my patch (sales territory) and I'm really happy about it.

For the past few weeks, I was working really hard, proving to the manager that I'm ready to go on the field alone. When you are faithful to the little things, you will be rewarded with the big things.

The area is pretty close to work and home, so no need to travel too far for it. Thank God.

And the Nokia 6110 Navigator that I bought in Singapore had been the most helpful, giving me directions from the inbuilt GPS feature. No more getting lost!

It's a really great investment I reckon. Now all I need to do is to start selling.



Would you pay $150 for a meal of this fish?

Some had even pay with their life.

Yes. This is fugu or more commonly known as the pufferfish.



Sliced fugu displayed as the petals of the chrysanthemum.

Eating a plate of this is like playing Russian Roulette, man. Is it really that good?

Tuesday, July 17, 2007



It was so cold today, I tell you. And no wonder because we are up to the coldest July morning in 21 years today, when the thermometer dipped to 3.7 degrees.

Early risers were greeted by frost-covered gardens in Hornsby Heights, rowing in Balmain on water like a millpond and running on ovals of crunchy grass.Although there is no chance of snow falling in the city, the Blue Mountains may soon be dusted in white.

Talking about snow, I found a list of ski resorts for those of us born without a silver ski in our mouths.

1. Poiana Brasov, Romania. Ok, so the terrain won't challenge the advanced but you can't beat skiing past Dracula's castle in the Carpathian mountains of Transylvania. A six day ski pass costs about $160, private lessons $10 an hour, a bottle of wine $7 and a bottle of beer $2.

2. Bansko, Bulgaria. Hailed as the new Aspen of the East without the Colorado prices. There's not many places you can get lift passes for $40 a day, a sixteen kilometer run, no lift queues thanks to computer data lift passes and $2 bottled beers all served up in a World Heritage listed town.

3. Cheget, Russia. Ski with your comrades on the volcanic cone of Mt Elbrus. Don't tell the French, Swiss and Italians but it's the tallest mountain in Europe (5642metres) and once used by Russian astronauts for high altitude training. Now home to Russia's new rich, there's loads of both groomed and off piste for a mere $15 day lift pass. Then there's the vodka, try $5 for a bottle.

4. Zakopane, Poland. This seventeenth century town is the hub for a series of ski resorts. Kasprowy Weirch cablecar costs $7, add another $10 for lunch with beer and you can afford to shout your instructor and his mates.

5. Jasna, Slovakia. Lift passes cost a mere $21 for four resorts on the one mountain with 17 lifts, one gondola and four chairlifts. Be warned, advanced skiers won't necessarily be sweating and lift queues can take a while. Beer's $1.50 so that will restore the smile when you sup on a bottle in the Besenova hot springs. Take your own spices, Slovakian food can be bland with a capital B.

6. Shemshak, Iran. What do you call a skier impaled upon their ski pole in Iran? Skibab (groan). There's enough steeps and undulating hills to make Shemshak perfect for all levels. Add some youthful Persians with trust funds on holiday and prepare to party. Ski passes are $12 and gals, wear a beanie and cover that hair for cultural purposes on the slopes. Can't tell you the real price of beer as there's not supposed to be any but where there's a will...

7. Yabuli, China. Host to the 3rd Asian Winter games and home to the world's longest toboggan run. Prices start from $42 for a full day including equipment hire on weekdays.

8. Nakafurano, Japan. Ok, it's small, very small and the longest, and only, run is 400metres but it's a mere 1030 Yen or $9.60 for a lift pass. Or try Shiga Kogen's 21 linked ski resorts and 71 lifts with a $45 lift pass. Chu Hai alcoholic rice liquor soda pop is $1.40 a can in vending machines and crumbed chicken curry a mere $7 on the mountain.

9. Loveland, Colorado. What, infamous Colorado powder and bluebird days for under $100? Impossible! Think again. An hour from Denver, Loveland's day pass is $45 and the snow in abundance.

10. Mt Dobson, New Zealand Four hundred hectares on the south island for $54. The New Zealand clubfields offer the best snow value for money in Australasia. If you stay on mountain and pitch in with chores at Canterbury's Mt Olympus then dinner, bed, breakfast and lunch will only cost you $80 a day. Bring your own booze.

Sunday, July 15, 2007



Watch out, world! Here comes the weapon of mass seduction!

Meet Osama's niece Wafah Dufour, the daughter of Yeslam, one of his half-brothers.

"It isn't easy being the sexy bin Laden." she said in an interview.

Her occupation? Pop star, reality television star and wannabe actor.

She's the bomb!

I played squash for the very first time yesterday, after much encouragement from friends.

Didn't really want to pick that up, as I thought it's quite silly. I mean, 2 guys hitting a ball against the wall and chasing after it? So duh.

Anyway, I held the racket and ball for the first time. The first thing I noticed was that the ball doesn't bounce. So you need quite a fair bit of energy to hit the ball with the whole arm, not just wrist power.

And I had to keep my body profile low to hit the ball, as it doesn't really bounce. Now my thighs are aching like mad.

And also muscles and joints that I didn't know existed are pretty sore too.

Feel like a cranky old man now.

Thursday, July 12, 2007



For all you single guys out there.

Want to know the chat up line that got Catherine Zeta-Jones's attention?

You all must be thinking how smooth talking old man, Michael Douglas did his thing, right?

The revelation...

"I want to father your children."

What the!?

Wednesday, July 11, 2007



A 2m giant squid was found washed up on Tasmania's Ocean Beach, near Strahan.

Imagine the amount of fried calamari that can be made. Yum!



Does this guy have the balls to keep up with the hype?

We all know he is not the best in terms of skills. I mean, besides his famous free kicks and those precise long passes, he is best known for popularising the Mohawk hair style.

Let's wait and see.

Sunday, July 08, 2007



Happy birthday, Joseph (left)!

Julia (right) planned a surprise party for him at JuJu.



Joseph with his cell members.



Errr... what are you doing?



The gang enjoying some raw beef slices. Tasted quite good, actually.



Ollie and Sharon loved the yaki soba and okonomiyaki.



We had shabu shabu this time, instead of sukiyaki for a change.



Have a blessed 31st birthday, Jo!



Hope you like your pressie!



After a hot meal, a bowl of green tea ice cream was like... err.. icing on the cake.



Ben showing off his new pet on his arm.




Remember that "ranger" who placed that brown envelope on your car windscreen, while you were tucking in that sumptuous dinner?

Or when you come back from your big shopping spree, and notice that slip clipped on the wiper?

Yes, the grey ranger had struck.

They has just undergone a makeover and now don a new uniform of a pale green shirt, dark green pants and jumper and a light brown Akubra hat.

They are also going to be expanded tourism ambassadors, apparently.

New duties will include providing directions to visitors and tourists and handing out pocket-sized maps.

Haha. Imagine our "Fatimah" in Singapore doing the same. That'll be a joke.

So hopefully, all these will keep them busy and will not be so active in issuing tickets to us, drivers.

Friday, July 06, 2007



Eliss's superior, Shae (in red) invited us for a drink at The Argyle to celebrate her birthday.



Sipping some champagne with Eliss.



We had German for dinner. The sampler was huge with pig trotter, sausages, sauerkraut, mash potatoes and ham !



Cheers! Some schnapps to sweeten the whole dining experience.