[Results Announced] NDP Preview Tickets Giveaway

When I hosted the giveaway for my NDP Preview Tickets, I did not expect that the response will be overwhelming.

I have read every single e-mail from you guys (Thanks to a few of you who even went the extra mile to send me photos that showcase your Singaporean pride!)

Trust me, it was NOT easy for me at all as I felt EVERY single one of you deserve the tickets. So much that I started questioning myself "WHY CAN'T I HAVE MORE TICKETS TO GIVEAWAY?!"

After all, I only have one pair and I could only select one winner out of the lot.

After filtering the entries (Some entries are unfortunately disqualified), I decided to leave the fate to a lucky wheel. 

I had NO idea who would be the winner (No kelong here - I just wanted it to be a fair and square system) so I kept my fingers crossed and started spinning... ...

I wanted to be transparent in how the winner was picked - so here you go, I've used http://wheeldecide.com/

(Only names with valid entries will be accepted. I am sorry to some who took the effort to send in but   due to the fact that they were incomplete entries, I could not place them on the wheel to be fair to the other participants)

Congratulations, Muhammad Sufri!

I've read your entry I sincerely hope both you and your mum will enjoy the show! 

It sucks to know that many of you will be disappointed - but please do not be because I may still be hosting more giveaways in time to come. 

Yes, that may even include next year's NDP tickets when the time comes - So do stay tuned!

A BIG THANK YOU to each and every one of you for taking time in participating my giveaway. It makes me happy knowing that so many of you are proud Singaporeans.

But I can't help feeling sad to know that some of you are even contemplating to purchase tickets from 'gold diggers' just to catch the show. Please DO NOT ever encourage such sellers - The tickets may worth some money, but it is meaningless if you purchase them.

Everyone deserves the chance at ZERO cost - Why put a price to your national pride?

I hope more of you guys will be able to ballot successfully in the upcoming years ahead. Else, there will always be many other giveaways around as well.

Don't give up!

(And don't give up on reading my blog lah... I will be hosting other giveaways for you guys!)

Love you all! Xoxo.

Birthday Celebration at British Hainan (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED RESTAURANT!!)

When it comes to sourcing for ideal restaurants/cafes for birthday celebrations, I have to admit it isn't an easy task. 

Both Ah Miao and I had something in mind - To surprise our other BFF, Pei Wen, with a self-made video of us writing our own song and singing to her.

Our ideal plan was to have it played on a TV/projector screen in the midst of our dinner in a restaurant so it would take her by surprise.

For weeks, we planned on the song after work and met up for rehearsals .. to eventually recording it. It was our first time doing something like this, so we were keeping our fingers super crossed that everything would turn out smoothly!!

"BUT WHICH RESTAURANT IS WILLING TO HELP US?!" I asked, helpless. 

It was only a 3-person dinner, and we were completely clueless of which restaurant to turn to for such request.

It had been days of online researching and it seemed that there wasn't many positive results.

BUT ONE.

(Picture credit to: http://www.misstamchiak.com/)

I came across photographs of this unique-looking restaurant online and was eventually led to their Facebook page.

They have everything that caught my attention. From the retro theme,style to vintage decorations, it isn't difficult to be attracted. (Since I am such a retro/vintage fan myself!)

In addition, there was quite a number of highly-raved reviews from satisfied customers who posted on their page.

I decided to get in touch with the restaurant owner with my request (Honestly, I did not pin high hopes) , and waited for their reply.

Much to my pleasant surprise, I received a favorable response from the owner the next day - and YES (YES! YES!) he was willing to help us!! I was so excited that I almost cried. (HAHA)

We made arrangements on how I would reach one hour earlier for the preparations, such as burning our video on a disc to be played on their player, etc. (Oh my, it sounds so much like we are planning on a  marriage proposal. HAHA. But hey - It can be a good idea, no?)

When the actual day finally arrived, I prepared the video which I had burned into a CD-ROM

and cabbed down to the restaurant with high anticipation. 

As my cab was approaching the restaurant, I could feel the excitement building up in me.
The restaurant was at Paya Lebar - Being someone who lives in the West part of Singapore, it felt like a mini adventure.

What can I say, the restaurant is such a GEM.
As I did not come with an intention to blog, I did not bring my usual camera with me (I really regretted not doing so!!!) Nonetheless, I made do with my phone camera - so please do pardon the poor quality. At least, I have the courtesy to share with all my readers this rare gem! :)
 If you've never heard about this place, I am sure you will be tempted to visit it after reading my entry.

I was really intrigued by the interior design of the restaurant. It has a retro feel to it , and it was almost like stepping into a time machine!
From what I've heard, there are actually real, vintage collectibles on display. Even if you are not here for the food, I am sure you will be impressed by the ambiance.



The antique on display - I'm completely awed by the wide collection!
Look at those old records!

I met with the restaurant owners and I have to say that they are one of the most friendliest people I've ever came across.

They were hospitable and assisted me with the birthday preparations. (They even gave me a large table for the occasion, which I was really thankful.) 

While waiting for my two dear BFFs to arrive, I was served the menu to look through. OH BOY, did I salivate just by flipping through the pages.

I did a double take when I saw this on their menu:

Braised lamb shank!!!

I have always LOVED, LOVED lamb shanks. And look at how the illustration picture was portrayed!!!

Unfortunately, I did not get to try it on that day as my BFFs were not really hungry (and Ah Miao is a vegetarian) and I was afraid that I would not be able to finish such a large portion myself. (But I will make it a point to come again and try it someday!!!)

We ordered the oven-baked fish instead and I almost fainted when it was served to our table.

Again, I would like to remind you that I have no reason to exaggerate in my entry because I am not paid to advertise for them. It was really so good that I felt it NEEDS to be shared.

The photos simply DO NOT do the food justice. 

*makes it a point to bring my camera along on my next trip*

In case you are wondering, the item wrapped in aluminium foil is actually a potato being cut into 4 slices, and coated with bacon + sauce that will send your taste buds tickling and yearning for more after each bite.

No, I am not exaggerating. It's really THAT good.

I can't even begin to emphasize how well-marinated the fish is. It seemed like the perfect blend of white sauce with the softness of meat. It tasted so good when chewing it, and even better during the after-taste. If I had to rate this, I would give it a 10 out of 10. And mind you - I am someone who is very particular about fish meat.

I KNOW A GOOD FISHY DISH WHEN I EAT ONE. (LOL)

Now, here's another MUST-TRY item:

I've forgotten the exact name of this dish, but I have to say this is one of the best chicken meat I have ever tasted in my entire life. No kidding.

My eyes literally bulged during my first bite.

SO FREAKING TENDER - It's magical.

Let me take a close-up:-

I have no idea how they made it, but the meat was soooo soft that the skin slid off it once I attempted to cut it.

Every bite was tantalizing and I kept exclaiming "OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD". HAHAHA.

The meat was very well-marinated and the taste was on-point.

I told my BFFs that the combination of the chicken meat and sauce is like a "perfect match in heaven". LOL. I had no other words to describe it. 

The fries are similar to Mos Burger fries - and I like it that way!

As an appetizer, we ordered this item on the menu as well - 

BACON WITH CHEESE MELT - Combined with Portobello mushroom
(Just the description is enough to make anyone salivate, pls!)

It's quite small in size, and you will feel like it is not enough! 

It's very rich in taste and I actually like it very much despite the fact that I am not a big fan of such mushrooms.

And the owners were so kind to offer everyone a complimentary mango pudding that was so tasty!

Thank you so much!!

In the midst of our meal, the boss reminded me of the birthday video that was supposed to be played. He was so kind to make a special announcement to all the guests who were present and everyone shared our joy in celebrating Pei Wen's birthday!

Our birthday plan was actually a bit screwed up due to the last minute incompatibility issues between the CD-ROM and the restaurant's player, but thank God Ah Miao brought her laptop along - so we ended up playing the video on the  laptop's screen while the boss helped us to project our audio through the speakers.

Our singing voices filled the whole restaurant as Pei Wen was watching the video. Oh man, we were blushing throughout the 4 minutes! Nonetheless, it was a surprise success!!

I wish I could share the video on here, but sorry - it's meant for our dear friend only... HAHAHA.

Here's a screenshot nonetheless: 

We were so glad to see Pei Wen smiling so happily after watching the video :) All our efforts definitely paid off!

And it wouldn't have been possible without the help from the bosses at British Hainan!

If you are reading this, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for everything from the bottom of my heart.

Like what I told my friends, "Even if I live far away, the food alone is worth the trip."

AND I WILL DEFINITELY BE BACK AGAIN.

As below is their address: - (Don't say I never share hor!)

It's really an ideal place to celebrate birthdays or any other special occasions - I highly recommend this place!

Address:

75 Carpmael Rd

75 Carpmael Rd, Singapore 429812

Official Website: www.british-hainan.com

DRIVE: 

Parking available at Haig Road HDB Carpark Block 1 or 2.

or

MRT:

Alight at Paya Lebar Mrt and take a 12-15 minutes walk down towards Blk 1 Haig Road, look out for Carpmael Road which is at the intersection of Crane Road.

or

BUS:

Catch bus 33 which stops at Joo Chiat Road, or bus 16 which stops at Carpmael Road (near Shell Station).

My (HAPPY) Birthday Weekend!

Gosh~ Time flies and this was the first time that I did NOT have time to look forward to my birthday at all. It was here even before I knew it.

BUT I still had a wonderful birthday with my loved ones - because they made it an awesome one for me! 

I don't know where to start off, but I guess I shall begin with my unexpected Saturday (which was my actual birthday) last week.

So my BFFs (Pei Wen and Miao) called me out for a *simple* lunch at Manhattan Fish Market (JCube), while plans had it that I would be meeting my momo boyfriend at later part of the day.

Miao said that she would be reserving the place for us; hence she was the one "who reached the earliest".
Well.. To cut the long story short....

Halfway through while I was occupied at the lunch table, both my BFFs disappeared to the toilet.

Well.. I did not think much of it until....

SOMEONE suddenly came up to where I was sitting from nowhere and spluttered "Happy Birthday".

There was something- which I later realized was a small birthday cake after being stunned for a mere 5 seconds - presented to me on the table.

No, the SOMEONE wasn't any of my BFFs. (Initially I thought the "someone" was a Manhattan waiter)

But .. It turned out UNEXPECTEDLY to be... ...

My Momo..
(He was grinning so happily in this photo. Hahaha)

*starts to shed tears of joy*

I couldn't believe my eyes for a second. (All the while I thought he was at home sleeping or something)

Soon, both of my BFFs reappeared along with him and started singing a birthday song for me at the top of their voices.
(Gosh, I love it how they were not afraid to be embarrassed while singing aloud in the restaurant!! *touched*)

Personally, this was really a huge surprise as my BFFs and momo do not quite know each other well.

AND they actually went through the effort to contact him just to plan this for me on my special day.

Gosh, how touched could I not be?! 

They then later told me that they had actually reached the venue earlier than I expected (while keeping me in the dark) and already planned everything.

Even the seat that I was sitting at was a specially chosen one after having tried and tested by them that it was a confirmed blind spot.

Our delicious seafood platter:

And I was soon presented a beautifully wrapped present from my BFFs:

Striking a pose with my pressie:

With my momo:

My BFFs requested me to open the pressie; and so I did:

(I was feeling so excited!)

 I opened it slowly and carefully (they said that it was fragile) ; to reveal a ... handmade DOMO.

I did not realize that I was actually KISSING the domo and my action was captured in action on camera:

Seriously, no words can describe how touched I was when I saw the handmade domo right in front of my eyes... So touched that I literally went speechless.

My facial expression does not lie. Even the blind can see that I was at the peak of happiness:

The feeling was indescribable.
I knew that the Domo was definitely not an easy one to make, and requires a hell load of time and effort to do it. Even as an ex-art student myself, I doubt it would have been a possible task for me. I am not good with clay and handicrafts.
And it really warms my heart when I held onto the Domo, knowing that it is a creation of blood and sweat from both my BFFs; whom had came together to make it specially for me.
Girls, thank you soooo, sooo much for the valuable present. It means alot to me, and I'll absolutely treasure it for as long as I live. It sure is a one-kind Domo that I will not be able to find anywhere else in the world. Even if there is a similar one, it will NEVER be the same or comparable (not even close) with the one that you girls had made for me.
It isn't just any ordinary gift, but a gift of love, sincerity, thoughts and friendship, etc...
Thank you for making me feel like the happiest birthday girl on earth!

A picture with my lovely ones:

(I stole this picture from Pei Wen's Facebook. Thanks, Wen! Haha)

And one from my camera: (I realized that the flash was too strong and momo was trying to open his eyes so hard as depicted in this picture. HAHAHA)

And here's a collage of the domo-making process - in courtesy of Pei Wen:

(Look at the amount of hard work they have invested!)

Awww.. I just love my BFFs, lah!!

My day was just full of surprises, and all did not end just there. My momo had prepared his own individual surprise for me ; which was later revealed to me at night.

(He had been dropping me hints prior to my birthday that there would be a "treasure island" for me... I was like "What the heck is this treasure island about??!")

It was simply an emotional day for me when all was finally revealed -(No, no - don't get me wrong - it isn't the SAD kind of emotional; but happiness, touched, etc... All mixed in one in a good way. :)

Momo told me that he had actually planned everything from scratch for months (Awwww)... and that he was nervous himself when the day was finally here.

Well, I was just as nervous as he was!

He brought me to his house, "blindfolded" me and led me in... slowly and carefully..

When it was ready for me to open my eyes, he switched off the lights.

There was a beautiful green glow around his room.

There it was -a magical glow on his table. He led me closer and I was amazed at the sight before me.

It was a round tank that was glowing with my favorite items inside - including a Halloween-themed bearbrick:

The picture was actually taken with lights switched off.

Trust me, it looks so much more amazing in real life. 

He gave me a "glow-in-the-dark" door gift as well - a mini treasure chest that looked like it came out from a fairytale:

I did not even think this is possible:

Lying in it was a glow-in-the-dark nail polish.

Well, if you are wondering why was everything in a "glow-in-the-dark" mode - it was because I have always loved such stuff and anything pertaining to Halloween. Hence, Momo was trying to give me a "Halloween-themed" birthday surprise; something he knew that I would love - and I really did.

Fancy that - He actually went through alot of hard work and effort to get everything in place, to the extent of searching for a supplier to get that special glow-in-the-dark ingredient to make the items GLOW.

There was a sweet love letter that came with it as well...

(The heart-shape was drawn on by him using glow-in-the-dark paint too! And it glowed really beautifully with lights off)

There was a real cactus in the tank!

(He remembered that I mentioned once that I would like to keep a cactus... And so he got me one as part of my surprise *sobs*)

It was like staring into another world whenever I looked into the tank.

It's so freaking beautiful, right?!

Here's the overall outlook:

(I just could not have enough of spamming photos of the same thing over and over again!)

My lovely birthday gifts from the lovely one of my life:

most And his mum prepared me a gift as well!

Awwww.... Thank you, auntie! I really love the doggy pillow!! :D

 

My birthday in 2013 may not be the most significant one ; but it sure was one of the most memorable ones as it marked the first time that I was celebrating it with my dearest momo.

Truth to be told, I have never had any boyfriend celebrating my birthday with me before ; and he was my very first.

I was touched beyond words when I heard how much he went through just to prepare everything from scratch - to the final product that I am looking at now.

To me, the price of a gift does not matter. What matters most is the sentimental value of it, and I am proud to say that it is one of my most treasured possessions.

There may be millions of people around the world who were celebrating their birthdays the same day as me, but one thing for sure - I felt like the most blessed and happiest one on 19th October 2013.

Thank you for coming into my life and painting it with such fanciful colors, momo.

I may not be sweet with words ; but I hope you can feel how much I appreciate everything you have done for me...

I love you.

......

And I have a special mention here for my laopo a.k.a Shreky - my dearest friend whom I have known since my early polytechnic days. I still remembered the first day of how and when I met her (Yes! It was during our school's freshman orientation) ; and the positive impression she left on me.

She struck me as a humble, nice and shy girl... and she indeed is!

I am always thankful for the friendship; and am glad that we are still in contact years after our graduation. (I actually married her on Facebook! AND MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS A LESBIAN. No, no. I am legally straight!!! Hahahaha. It's all just in the fun of Facebook.)

She met me out specially for lunch on 17th October 2013; and gave me a glass of MARIMO balls!

Too darn cute!!!!

Look at those balls. They are actually alive and can GROW!

It's like taking care of a plant; and water has to be changed weekly.

CUTE, RIGHT?!?!

Hahaha, I have since placed it in my bedroom and taking out to see it whenever I am free.

Thank you, my dearest laopo shreky... Although we are leading different working lives now- but I really appreciate the fact that we still managed to meet out every now and then. I am always happy even when it is just a simple lunch or dinner!

I thank God that our paths crossed - and Shreky friends forever! :)

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And the following Sunday was another birthday celebration with my secondary school clique - Pei Wen, Shi Yun and Si Ling.

We had a buffet at Orchard Grant Court!

As below is a compilation of our food... We actually spent more than three hours chatting, resting and chiong-ing for MORE food.

(The dory fish slices, mango cake and durian melaka were the most delicious of the lot!)

Ling and Yun gave me a laptop bag and a laptop fan cooler; which I really love as it is just the perfect bag for the new laptop that I recently purchased! (I shall blog more about this in future posts)

Both Ling and Yun wrote me a sweet note and birthday card as well; and Ling gave me this handphone jack -which I immediately put it to good use. Hahaha.

Thank you to all my dear friends who have made my birthday in 2013 such an eventful one. I am thankful for each and every birthday messages, Facebook posts, text messages (You know who you are) that I received during my birthday. I appreciate even the simplest thoughts!

 It's people like you that make me feel blessed ; and there is nothing more I can ask for.

I LOVE YOU GUYS!

THANK YOU, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!

Our very FIRST BFF (Best Friends Forever) Photoshoot!

I used to be actively involved in photoshoots, but that was only me, myself and I.

The thought of having to shoot with my two BFFs (Pei Wen and Ah Miao) this time round excites me!

(It was actually a birthday gift for Ah Miao, but we somehow postponed the shoot to a later date.)

We had so much fun during the shoot that we were told over 300+ photographs were taken.
Photographs are such wonderful inventions... They are essential when it comes to capturing memories.
Photographs are ETERNAL.
You can look back at them 100 years later (not that I can live that long anyway.. LOL) and they will still be there. The youth, that moment, that smile..
They're imprinted there like a sealed stamp.

So of course.. We purchased ALL the photos back (even though abit heart pain), and I attempted to edit them.

So here are a few of our final products (Sorry lah, I am not a professional when it comes to editing photographs.. But I tried my best nonetheless!):

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

I particularly like this cute shot and Ah Miao's (the one standing up) expression:

I edited to give it a more "vintage" feel. Haha.

Now, this gives off an eerie feel, no?

Think Shutter 2. LOL

A photo of our hands. Cool hor??

Now featuring some of my single shots (trying to act like some supermodel only. Chey~)

Omg, why on earth did I have this cheeky expression?! I hope nobody actually copies my picture and put it on 9Gag.

Inspired by Marilyn Monroe:

Shall we dance?

Okay.. final picture of me before nightmares start appearing:

Nothing professional lah, just all in the name of fun!!

And behind these "glamor", now let's look at some BEHIND THE SCENES - using my own camera. Hahaha. Just goofing around with the studio props!!:

My two BFFs rocking the AFRO: 

Ta-Da!!

Seriously, time passes fast whenever you are with people you love. 

You know, it's true when people said that we do not need MANY friends in life to make it complete.. 

I admit, I do not really have THAT many friends but I sure am contented with what God has given me - My two BFFs.

They have been with me through thick and thin, and countless laughter and smiles were accumulated so much over the years... Too much that NOT just anybody can comprehend.

Thank you for being a part of my life. 

May our friendship continue to blossom and soar to greater heights as we grow older! Hahaha. :)