www.natashayong.com

Malacca Food Day Road Trip 2012

2012-01-14T02:12:00.000+08:00

5 Hungry People on a Road Trip for One simple purpose - TO EAT!

What was supposed to be a Malaysian Kelong Weekend Escapade turned out to be Malacca Food Day Road Trip! As usual, getting consensus for a Date, Cost and Program amongst a not so young bunch of people proved almost impossible to organize. It was eventually, the monsoon that sealed our decision that January wasn't the right time for a Kelong Trip. Since the date was already reserved, we settled for a Road Trip. And when it came to FOOD, everyone had a suggestion or two about what they wanted dig into after two butt warming hours in the car. As far as I can remember (excluding those family road trips when I was little), I visited the historical Malaccan town in 2007 with the Singapore Women's Cycling Team (SWCT) on a 250km ride for Hearts On Wheels (H.O.W) Charity and probably a decade earlier with Esther, Charles and Pris.

The Food Trail:
10:30am - Breakfast Pitstop
Somewhere between Tuas and Malacca
You cannot expect much from a stop-over break. Expect however, sub-standard food at semi-reasonable pricing of which a portion of the cost goes to the availability for you to use the toilets.

My Bee Hoon Soto

11:30am - Early Lunch Stop
Ole Sayang Nonya

Authentic Peranakan setting

Ordering Rendang Chicken, Chap Chye, Sotong, Sambal Prawns, Omelet...

And the to-die-for Otak Otak!

1:00pm - Bee Bee Pineapple Tarts
About two streets away from Ole Sayang

If it wasn't for Gabriel, we would never have guessed that a small zinc roof house by the side of a small road was a homemade cookies factory!

We are talking about serious output of freshly baked Pineapple Tarts, Kok Chye Cookies, Kuay Ban Cake and other imaginable New Year Goodie! The aroma entering the living room of the home was bakery divine! Seasoned Chinese and Malay aunties kneaded dough and twirled mixtures for the preparation.

2:00pm - Jonker Walk
Durian Spring Rolls, Durian Muar Chee Balls and Gula Melaka Ice Shavings
As far as I can recall, Jonker Walk remained much commercialized and instead of any heritage, you end up buying mostly Made-in-China stuff. I did however enjoy scouting through dingy old stores cramped with toys from my childhood days. Styrofoam airplanes, Chewing Gum with transferable water tattoos, Wooden Guns to shoot rubber bands... they were definitely nostalgic! Knowing these toys clearly defined the Gen-X and Gen-Y kids... as we found out through Gab!

Suprisingly delicious deep fried Durian Spring Rolls and Durian Muar Chee Balls

Gula Melaka Ice Shavings

What Cat and Patrick regret not buying!

4:30pm - Ice Cream Break @ Patrol Kiosk

We had wanted to make a return Durian Stop, but we were rushing back to Singapore for Dennis' own birthday party which greeted us with even more food! It was a great day trip, but it would have been more ideal if we stayed a night. Besides even more EATING, we were told a cruise along the canal river is now very delightful.

As of now, I am officially 1.5kg above my usual weight! Serious Sigh!

More Malacca Food Day Road Trip 2012 Pictures

Read:
Category: Food And Drinks
Category: Travel
2007 Singapore Women's Cycling Team (SWCT) Hearts On Wheels (H.O.W) Charity

A-Mei 张惠妹 AMeiZING Singapore World Tour Live 2012 (AMeiZING 世界巡迴演唱会 2012)

2012-01-08T02:11:00.000+08:00

I surprise people when they hear that I listen and know how to sing Mandarin songs, much less attend a Mandopop Concert. To many, I am what they call a 'Banana' - Yellow on the outside, white in the inside or "Jiak Kang Dang" - Someone who eats potato. Ironically, my staple is very much white rice! Lately, a new friend started commenting that I am a closet Lian ("莲").
In the words of Wikipedia:

"Pejorative term applied to a certain group of ethnic Chinese girls in Southeast Asia, especially Singapore and Malaysia. They are regarded as bimbos, and are stereotyped as anti-intellectual, superficial, materialistic, and shallow."

Closer friends exclaim at how non-lian I am. I am simply amused at the different vibes I portray.

In all honestly, there are few Mandarin artists I follow. They include; Jacky Cheung, Jay Chou, Sammy Cheng, Wakin Chau (Emil Chau), Faye Wong, S.H.E and A-Mei. They are all A-list artists and I largely know their songs for those rare karaoke occasions. If my iTunes playlist have any Canto / Mandopop songs, it would be theirs. That's as far as I will go. Really.

A-Mei (Chang Hui Mei)'s music goes back a long time to my Uni-days. Attending a A-Mei concert, besides her powerhouse vocals was also very sentimental. I hate to admit it, but I am really a very soft cookie!

Asia’s reigning Queen of Mandopop celebrates 15 years in showbiz with her musical extravaganza AMeiZING WORLD TOUR LIVE. Concert goers were promised an out-of the-world music experience as the Taiwanese multi-award winning vocalist entertained from 8pm - 11:30pm! A whooping 3.5hrs where the “Pride of Taiwan” delivered a repertoire of all-time favourite hits such as “Bad Boy”, “牽手”, “姊妹”, “三天三夜” as well as the emotional “記得”, “聽海”,“我要快樂”, ‘哭不出來”.

Kicking off her concert with an electrifying start, A-Mei, who was decked in a modern-take of her aboriginal costume with wind-swept curls, easily commanded the attention of the full house Singapore Indoor Stadium with her undeniable stage presence.

View from our seats
We had awesome seats in the house, as close as could right to stage for our price range (S$128). I even had my AKIRA flash stick from the National Day Parade whipped out! Cheesy to the max, but who cares!

A-Mei 张惠妹 - 日出

A-Mei 张惠妹 - 给我感觉

A-Mei 张惠妹 - 'High High High'

It was magical when A-Mei requested for all our mobile phone lights to be switched on as she sang 掉了 (Diao Le) from her 阿密特 A-MIT album. The studium turned into an illuminating canvas of stars!

A-Mei 张惠妹 - 黑吃黑 - 阿密特 AMIT
The much-respected music icon continues to evolve in her music and stage performances. She took stage with her alter-ego, AMIT(her Puyuma aboriginal name), rocking the stadium with 'Kai Men Jian Shan', and the Hokkien, 'You Dan Ni Jiu Lai'.
The AMIT segment simply ROCKED! Fawn on the other hand, hated it!

It was pretty insane to hear the entire crowd singing 解脱 (Jie Tuo) in a non-stop 40-minute long medley of ballads that best described the ups and downs in A-Mei's music career

And the crowd went wild when 听海 (Ting Hai) was sang!

Happy Concert-goers!

It was Fawn's 1st ever concert and as most reviewers had already commented, it was an awesome concert. With A-Mei pulling all the tricks to really entertain. I also came to know that Sr. Wendy's cousin, Ah Bong (Bass Guitarist) tours with A-Mei! Sr. Wendy really got a crazy talented musical family! At the end of the day, it was listening to A-Mei's vocals live that was worth every penny. In my opinion, the younger generation will be listening to A-Mei's music in time to come like how we now treasure Teresa Teng (鄧麗君)'s music.

More A-Mei 张惠妹 AMeiZING Singapore World Tour Live 2012 (AMeiZING 世界巡迴演唱会 2012) Pictures

Read:
933 Singapore Hit Awards 2009
Super Band (纵贯线) Singapore Concert 2009

Bill Gates on the Road to Philanthropy?

2012-01-03T21:15:00.000+08:00

I hope you will reflect on what you’ve done with your talent and energy. I hope you will judge yourselves not on your professional accomplishments alone, but also on how well you work to address the world’s deepest inequities, on how well you treat people a world away who have nothing in common with you but their humanity.

- Bill Gates to members of the Harvard community

People will forever compare Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement Speech in 2005 which we will also remember with "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish". Jobs made the world more beautiful and the billion of us with resources loved him for it. Gates is making the world ideal, and the billions of us with no voice will be forever impacted.

At the end of the day, I'm happy that the very rich are doing their part for the many in the world that are far less fortunate. Call him a philanthropist or not... I don't really care.

Read:
Really! You Gotta Love the New Windows Phone Ad
Top 50 Most Social Companies 2010
The Future through Microsoft
Microsoft vs. Mac Part II: "New Family"
Microsoft vs. Mac: Revenge with Jerry Seinfeld Shoe Circus Commercial
Bill Gates' Last Day

A HIGH Start to 2012: Kite Flying @ Marina Barrage

2012-01-02T01:50:00.000+08:00

2nd day in 2012 and what did you do?

Pretty ironic that the Kite Flying outing at Marina Barrage resulted in NO KITE FLYING pictures! Actually I am sure there are a couple of shots in another DSLR camera. Just don't know whose...

Dinesh has some pretty neat toys and amongst his DSLR cameras, prime lens, bicycles... is a Fish Kite. Kite flying goes back a long way when the 1st generation STYG Youth used to gather and fly our kites in the now defunct Marina South. Well, Marina South is still present... but have under gone numerous transformations. I remembered the place for cheap Eat-All-You-Want Korean BBQ, Bus 400, Victor's Superbowl and a large empty grass field for kite flying.

Kites too have gone a long way. These days, they are huge, equipped with LED lights and have some big-ass reeling system strapped to a body harness. Gone are the days of simple tracing paper kites! In fact, one of my art and craft project in school was to build a kite from "sapulily" broom and tracing paper! Dinesh's Fish Kite was mid-sized but despite good winds, it wasn't all that easy to lift the kite and keep it afloat. Somehow I didn't recall lifting a kite to be difficult previously. There were occasions where the release of the line get entangled and wind turbulence that cause the kite to suddenly drop. I did get the kite flying pretty high at a few stages and am still amazed at how some other kites can be flown waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay up there!

Kite flying is something I could grow to enjoy. Decent investment for hours of fun.

I love the fact that I was out in HOT sun, getting an UNEVEN tan; setting a picnic, having pizza (thanks to Jerry) and WARM BEER (thanks to Bel); tossing around a Frisbee and oh, trying my hands on the UKELELE!

Starting the new year should be this fun!

Read:
Marina Barrage City Skyline (Night)
Sustainable Singapore Gallery at the Marina Barrage
Ice-Cream Mania
Wishing I had more time at the festivals

My Bucket List - What if I Die Tomorrow?

2012-01-01T23:58:00.000+08:00

While the rest of the world was committing themselves to 2012 New Year resolutions, I was creating myself a BUCKET LIST. And so on 1 January 2012, I had one :D
I'm still very much well and kicking (thank God) but as I sat down to give what I wanna do before I "kick the bucket"; I came up with the following 51 items.
They largely surround diving, visiting places and watching concerts. I admit the list is incomplete and probably will include a couple of "spiritual" items; of which I must give some serious thought. And than the ultimate question remain... what if I die tomorrow... will I truly regret not having completed any of the items at all?
All that being said, I must remember to get Wendy's template for my Mass Funeral Booklet.

The Bucket List online can be found at
http://www.dayzeroproject.com/user/natashayong/

As of 1 January
1) Scuba dive off Australia's Great Barrier Reef
2) Scuba dive in Palau Micronesia
3) Scuba dive in Bali with the Mola Mola Sun Fish
4) Scuba dive in Manado
5) Scuba dive in Sipadan
6) Scuba dive in a Shark Cage at Cape Town, South Africa
7) Learn Spanish
8) See the Northern Lights
9) Visit Machu Picchu PERU
10) Hike Mount Kilimanjaro TANZANIA
11) Hike the Grand Canyon ARIZONA
12) Visit Las Vegas NEVADA
13) Visit Israel
14) Visit Dubai
15) Visit Angkor Wat CAMBODIA
16) Run a Marathon
17) Watch Tennis Rafael Nadal on Clay
18) Watch Tennis Grand Slam at Wimbledon
19) Watch Tennis Grand Slam Australian Open
20) Build an iPhone app

21) Skydive
22) Ride in a hot air balloon
23) Write a book
24) Write and illustrate a children's book
25) Visit Brazil
26) Visit the Galápagos Islands ECUADOR
27) Visit India
28) Go on an African safari
29) Visit the Star Trek Theme Park
30) Watch all Star Trek Seasons
31) Watch all X-Files Seasons
32) Create my own Ice Cream Flavour
33) Visit Bangkok THAILAND
34) Float in the Dead Sea ISRAEL
35) Stare up at the ceiling of The Last Judgment at Sistine Chapel
36) Study Classical Music History
37) Study Astronomy
38) Study Art History
39) Drive a 4-Wheel Drive to Thailand
40) Learn how to play the Keyboard
41) Collect 7 Family Recipes and Learn to Cook them
42) Travel with decisions made by a Magic 8 Ball
43) Swim in the Sea at Night
44) Watch U2 Live in Concert
45) Watch Madonna Live in Concert
46) Watch Green Day Live in Concert
47) Watch Stevie Wonder Live in Concert
48) Write 101 Awesome Things I have done
49) Learn Bar Tendering
50) Bike Tour in Taiwan
51) Own an old apartment decorated Retro

Someday
1) Adopt a Child
2) Donate my organs

And 26 Random Misc Items to get around doing...
http://www.43things.com/person/natashayong

1) Drink at 1-Altitude Gallery & Bar
2) Drink at Naumi Bar
3) Drink at Ta.Ke Studio M, Nanson Road
4) Read a book at The Pigeonhole, Duxton Road
5) Visit Mandrin Gallery
6) Drink Rum & Raisin Flambé at Drink Culture, Kreta Ayer Road
7) Go Prawn fishing
8) Lazy Afternoon at Colbar Whitchurch Road, Wessex Estate
9) Drink Coffee at Papa Palheta, Bukit Timah Road
10) Chill at Little Part 1 Cafe, Jasmine Road Off Upper Thomson
11) Drink Belgian Beer at Brussels Sprouts, Robertson Quay
12) Make Shepard's Pie
13) Drink Mojito at La Terraza Rooftop Bar, Ann Siang Road
14) Drink Coffee at Shots, Ann Siang Road
15) Eat Dry Aged Steak
16) Hike Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
17) Visit MacRitchie Submerged Boardwalk
18) Go Camping
19) Eat at Kinki Restaurant + Bar
20) Eat at Barnacles Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa
21) Brunch at Food For Thought Botanic Gardens
22) Eat Tappanyaki at Keyaki Restaurant Pan Pacific
23) Weekend Brunch at Riders Cafe
24) Eat at White Rabbit
25) Get a date treat to Les Amis
26) Drink at 83 on Club Street

Happy 2012 at Yello Jello!

2012-01-01T00:25:00.000+08:00

Happy 2012 at Yello Jello!
This is how we PARTY! Boogieing the New Year away!

Read:
2011: Off to a WILD start
Catching up in the New Year (2010)
Retrospective 2008
Closing up 2007
The First and the Last (2006)
2005
Counting down to 2004

Panoramic Tasmania 2011: Waterfalls

2011-12-28T23:16:00.000+08:00

Russell Falls
One of the best joy I get from climbing up to the top of a mount or trekking miles into a dense nature reserve is to discover the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. This treasure is represented in the break of dawn when the horizon is lit by the crack of sunlight or a majestic waterfall. As the waters crashes down from a drop, you cannot help by wonder how far it had traveled to form this spectacle.

Located in eastern boundary of Mt Field National Park, in Tasmania, Australia; lie Russell Falls. They were first named the Browning Falls after the original discoverer, c.1856, but were known as the Russell Falls after 1884, by which time they were already a popular tourist attraction. The Falls Reserve was established to protect them in 1885.

We started the walk through Tall Trees Walk. An easy walk through a mixed forest comprising towering swamp gums, the tallest flowering plant on Earth, and species typical of wet forests and cool temperate rainforests, such as dogwood, musk and myrtle. The tall swamp gums of Mt Field National Park are amongst the tallest trees in Australia.
Towards the falls, the track is framed by stunning tall tree ferns. The falls themselves are impossibly picturesque.

St Columba Falls
St Columba Falls are the tallest falls in Tasmania, a high volume multi tiered waterfall that throws itself 90m down the side of Mt Victoria. Its water cascade over granite ledges, through forests of tree ferns, sassafras and myrtles.
The spectacular St Columba Falls is situated about 30 minutes from St Helens and 12 kilometres from the township of Pyengana. Much of the falls can be viewed from the road and the 20-minute easy return walk.

We had BBQ burgers at the picnic area near the entrance into the tracks.

Pencil Pine Falls, Cradle Mountain
Pencil Pine Falls is a very attractive fall, a mere 100 metres downstream from the bridge, at the entrance to the Cradle Mountain National Park. Further down Pencil Pine Creek, is Knyvet Falls, a small fall of possibly 5 metres or less. A short stroll of about 30 minutes return, can take in both falls.

More Panoramic Tasmania 2011 Pictures

Read:
Category: Travel
Tasmania Travel 2011 Map
Panoramic Tasmania 2011: Cradle Mountain Region
Panoramic Tasmania 2011: Ronny Creek Cradle Mountain
Panoramic Japan 2010
Panoramic Bali 2010
Panoramic Sydney 2008
anoramic Sydney World Youth Day 2008

Panoramic Tasmania 2011: Ronny Creek Cradle Mountain

2011-12-27T01:42:00.000+08:00

My first taste of Tasmania's Cradle Mountain was an insanely wet and rough one. While Carl put potatoes to boil and beef to stew, we took a hike down Ronny Creek in search of wildlife. Many hikers start their Overland Track from Ronny Creek Trailhead and hike North to South. It was a fairly simple downhill hike if not for the ridiculous wind and rain. The ponchos were rendered useless and umbrellas were a joke!

Exposed to the wide and wild buttongrass lands, I was walking firm in case the winds pushed me off course. Such weather is common in the west Tasmanian region and considered mild!!! It was an experience to respect how vicious the mountains can be.

Starting our hike downhill

Head South toward the highlands

Wombats and Wallabies can be found within the grassland. I was too engrossed in getting myself out of the rain!

The tail end of the boardwalk trail. Some of the most beautiful sights are seen turning around and taking a deep breath

We returned to the cabin wet, cold and overjoyed to dig into our steaming hot beef stew!

The following day, we tracked toward Cradle Mountain and the weather took a 180 degree turn! How crazy is that?!?!

More Panoramic Tasmania 2011 Pictures

Read:
Category: Travel
Tasmania Travel 2011 Map
Panoramic Tasmania 2011: Cradle Mountain Region
Panoramic Japan 2010
Panoramic Bali 2010
Panoramic Sydney 2008
anoramic Sydney World Youth Day 2008

Panoramic Tasmania 2011: Cradle Mountain Region

2011-12-26T18:13:00.001+08:00

This is as close to Heaven on Earth for me...

Cradle Mountain, the start of the 65-kilometre (40-mile) Overland Track, is the northern end of the 161,000-hectare (397,840-acre) Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Tasmania's highest mountain, 1,617-metre (5,305-foot) Mt Ossa, is in this park, just off the Overland Track, while another beautiful national park, the Walls of Jerusalem, abuts its eastern boundary.
The sheer magnificence of Cradle Mountain inspired Austrian-born Gustav Weindorfer to build a chalet of King Billy pine here in 1912 and work tirelessly for a decade to have the area declared a national park "for the people for all time". His dream was realised in 1922, and today a quarter of all visitors to the state travel here to share his vision.

We spent the good part of the morning doing the simple 6km Dove Lake Circuit track, one of Tasmania’s premier walks. The track took us around Dove Lake and beneath the towering spires of Cradle Mountain. The track is boardwalked for much of the way and would take about 2 hours to complete.

Our track was insanely delightful. Starting out with crazy gusts of winds, drizzles of rain during the walk, falling flakes of snow from the summit of the mountain and warm sunshine toward the end.

Standing, looking up to the magnificence of Cradle Mountain

Ballroom Forest

Towards the southern end of Lake Dove you will enter a magnificent cool temperate rainforest known as the Ballroom Forest. Ancient myrtle-beech trees festooned in moss tower majestically from a moss strewn forest floor. The effect is stunning, and reminiscent of an ancient cathedral.
Myrtle-beeches are a dominant species in Tasmania's cool temperate rainforests. These fire-sensitive plant communities once grew extensively thoughout not only Australia, but also the southern continents of South America and Antarctica. It was part of the distinctive suite of plants that evolved on the supercontinent of Gondwana. Today the species finds its stronghold in Tasmania, but also occurs in Victoria, while its closest relatives are confined to New Zealand and South America - both once part of Gondwana.

Buttongrass

The mountain is one of the favourite features in the park and is surrounded by stands of native deciduous beech (wonderfully colourful in autumn), rainforest, alpine heathlands and buttongrass. Icy streams cascade down the mountainsides, and ancient pines are reflected in the still glacial lakes and a wealth of wildlife ensure there is always something to captivate you.

Boatshed

The often-photographed boatshed that stands on the northwestern shores of Lake Dove was built in 1940 by the first Ranger at Cradle Mountain, Lionell Connell. The shed was built largely of King Billy pine. Although some restoration work was completed in 1983, the shed remains substantially unaltered from its original form
Although the boatshed is now vacant, boating was popular on the lake up until the 1960s. Indeed, during the 1920s Gustav Weindorfer used a very basic and somewhat perilous raft comprised of two pine logs connected by a pailing deck. He later used a more substantial punt to ferry passengers around the lake. In 1938, the Cradle Mountain Reserve Board purchased three Huon pine boats, which reamined in service until the 1960s. It was for these that the Lake Dove and the similar but smaller boatshed at Crater Lake were built.

Road leading to Ronny Creek

More Panoramic Tasmania 2011 Pictures

Read:
Category: Travel
Tasmania Travel 2011 Map
Panoramic Tasmania 2011: Ronny Creek Cradle Mountain
Panoramic Japan 2010
Panoramic Bali 2010
Panoramic Sydney 2008
Panoramic Sydney World Youth Day 2008

Tasmania Travel 2011 Map

2011-12-26T03:52:00.000+08:00

View Natasha Yong's Travel Map in a larger map

Plotting of my Tasmanian Travel in Oct / Nov 2011.
Despite having spent 9 gorgeous and serene days within the lone island, there is much of Tasmania, especially the great reserves that remain to be explored.
It's an awesome place to be one in nature.

Romans 8:38-39

2011-12-25T14:20:00.002+08:00

"neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nothing already in existence and nothing still to come, nor any power, nor the heights nor the depths, nor any created thing whatever, will be able to come between us and the love of God, known to us in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39)

Update:
Wow! I didn't realize I blogged on the same Bible verse back in 2006 in The LOVE of Christmas!
Amazing how the word stands the test of time... always...

Giving and Receiving at Christmas

2011-12-24T21:09:00.002+08:00

Thinking of loved ones. Doing a Christmas gift list. Pulling hair out thinking of what to buy. Squeezing with the festive crowd and this year braving the thunder storms to get that perfect gift. And than before Christmas - exchanging the gift. The entire process of gift giving at Christmas.

People buy each other gifts in the "spirit of giving" and it makes me wonder about what this "spirit of giving" is really all about. Surely, Christmas presents an opportunity for one to pick up a special gift, letting another know their individual worth. But the world has commercialised Christmas so much that the message behind the "giving" is lost. More often than not, we circum into the materialistic desires of personal wants. The gift is often one we can live without.

I gave this concept of "giving" and "receiving" some thought this Christmas. To different people, there were varying understandings and meanings. Last year, I extended the giving in Charity to the giving in Christmas gifts. Having thought long and hard if I should buy a regular Christmas gift or continue with a life changing gift to someone less fortunate than we are, I caved in to what I believe is the more meaningful and joyful message of Christmas. In line with my personal cause to give the gift of Education. This year, I donated school bags with stationary, a bicycle and sponsored for a child's need for education. What I thought was beautiful gift of "giving" had lead me to also realize that some people thought otherwise. Non-Christian views felt awkward that a gift given wasn't directed for them, while others felt that charity should be done within oneself. I recognize both views and have come to realize that there is no right or wrong when it comes to giving. And equally as important is the joy in receiving and being grateful that you were important enough to be in someone's mind.

Colleen wondered if the school bags came in another design... like in designer bag... Prada!?!?

A child in Cambodia will receive support for 1 year of school. I pray that the small contribution can help him/her grow to become an instrument for God's grace

An AIDS orphan child will receive a gift of a bicycle to travel to school. May the 2 wheels lead him/her to greater exploration of God's wonders

And as much as we delight in all the gift exchange and merry making, all these bear no meaning without baby Jesus. The story of the nativity, and Mary and Joseph saying "yes" to God. The four weeks of Advent this year, I've come to realize the deeper joy in Christ's coming. My best gift is having my family and friends walk this journey with me. Again this year, I have be blessed.

Let us rejoice in Christ eternal love for each one of us.

Read:
The Gift of 'Giving'

Thanksgiving 2011: What Not To Thank?

2011-11-30T00:12:00.001+08:00

I share snippets of conversations with Pascalene as I catch rides from her after our TOB prayer meetings fortnightly. We both agree that this year in particular "flew" by too quickly. I have offered to host this year's Christmas gathering for our community and realized that it's been a year since we had our last night picnic Christmas outing at Botanic Gardens! The speed at which we live each day at times worry me. The extended hours at work, the large amounts of miscellaneous things we rush about doing and the little attention we pay to our health and relationships. Sometimes I think about the nonsense life throws at me and I wonder how I learnt to manage quite a few things well enough.

One of the sweetest priest, Fr. Michael Arro once questioned in his sermon, "First ask yourself, is there something you are thankful for when you come to church?". And over the years, I started asking myself everyday (or at least I try to remember...);

Have I grown to be a more loving person?
Have I created a spark in someone with my actions or conversations?
Do I give a moment to quiet my heart?
Have I taken care of my body?

Surely there are more days than I would admit that I was probably too engrossed with myself.
And in my struggles to lead a God worthy life, I've been guided and blessed.

I danced [Salsa, Tango and Bachata]
I traveled [Jakarta, London, Penang, Australia]
I dived
I hiked [Cradle Mountains in Tasmania]
I led
I earned
I re-kindled broken friendships and fostered new ones
I deepen relationships with my TOB Community

Perhaps it was a fast year. But I am again thankful that it is a beautiful year.

Read:
Giving Thanks 2005

VeggieTales Time!

2011-11-28T23:00:00.001+08:00

For many years now, I have these Excel Spreadsheets that I use to tabulate my Christmas Gift List. Especially for the people in my life that I value and love, I'd want to be thinking of getting something meaningful each Christmas. The process of evaluating the right gift never come easy to me and quite often there will be a couple of gifts that are left till the last days of Christmas!

As I entered into Advent, I made it a point to pull out the Christmas Tree, blast out Christmas Carols, dig out my Advent Magnificat Companion and started to pick out gifts I've been thinking about getting. And part of what I do each Christmas is to spread a little VEGGIE Love. Joshua is a little young but I figured it wouldn't be an issue to introduce him to Larry, Bob and cool Bible Stories! I picked for him "VeggieTales - Heroes of the Bible - Lions, Shepherds and Queens (Oh My!)"

In the spirit of VeggieTales, I spent tonight watching "VeggieTales: It's a Meaningful Life". In the spoof of Roberto Benigni "Life is Beautiful" but not quite. Till you watch the movie, you wouldn't believe vegetables can teach you so much about self-worth. There is so much in the story that both young and old can learn from. And than there is Steven Curtis Chapman who wrote the theme song and shared about his life with his adopted daughter. Being able to adopt a child into family is such a beautiful thing. The next time Chapman is in town... someone please let me know!

VeggieTales: It's a Meaningful Life Trailer

Steven Curtis Chapman - Meant To Be

Read:
VeggieTales : Lord Of The Beans

The Hen Party

2011-10-22T23:38:00.000+08:00

Hi Gals,
Got 3 options for Jacinta’s Hen Party.

1) Wonderland Dinning
Starting with Dinner at White Rabbit
http://www.ladyironchef.com/2011/02/the-white-rabbit-romantic-restaurant-singapore/

The White Rabbit
39C Harding Road
Dempsey Singapore
Tel: +65 6473 9965

Ending the night with Sweet Endings at Ben & Jerry’s
8 Dempsey Road #01-14 Tanglin Village Singapore
Tel: +65 6473 3231

2) Spa Escapade
Bride-to-be enjoys a 60mins spa at Bishan’s award winning Aramsa Garden Spa
http://www.aramsaspas.com/spamenu_massage.html

Joins us for dinner at Canopy
http://www.canopydining.com.sg/canopy_alldaydining.html

Canopy Garden Dining & Bar
Bishan Park 2
1382 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1
Singapore 569931

And ending off with drinks outdoor at Middle Rock if it doesn’t rain. http://www.canopydining.com.sg/canopy_highlights.html

3) Riverside Dining
Starting with dinner at Sabai Fine Thai on the Bay
http://www.sabaifinethai.com.sg/restaurant/customs-house/#
70 Collyer Quay
#01-02 Customs House
Singapore 049323
T: +65 6535 3718-9
F: +65 6535 3716

Possible to book private room for 10 pax.

Ending night with drinks at Kinki Bar
http://www.kinki.com.sg/
70 Collyer Quay #02-02 Customs House, Singapore 049323
or
Lantern
http://www.fullertonbayhotel.com/dining-en.html
The Fullerton Bay Hotel (Rooftop)
1 Fullerton Road 049178

Total budget per pax is between $70 - $100 (inclusive of Jacinta’s share)

Please feel free to contribute to the comments and propose any alternatives.

Reminiscing Penang @ Gurney Drive Restaurant

2011-10-04T01:46:00.002+08:00

Somewhere in July, I was at the REAL Penang Gurney Drive - the must visit outdoor seafront hawker centre boasting the best local food-fare Penang has to offer. I remembered rampaging through the long stretch of food stalls trying to find the most authentic Gurney Char Kway Teow, Asam Laksa, Rojak, Chendol, Poh Piah, Curry Noodles, Nasi Kandar, Satay... and the list goes on. But as Fawn can testify on my behalf, I kindda lost my sense of taste in Malaysia's Food Paradise. No thanks to one of the more deadly flu I contracted. Though I was eating, I wasn't really tasting. And I sometimes wonder if I felt more sorry for myself or for Fawn, cause I supposed my lack of appetite rubbed off a little on her.

Gurney Drive Restaurant at Suntec Fountain Terrace

Authentic looking floor tiles

Having learnt that Gurney Drive Restaurant opened their second outlet in Suntec City receiving positive reviews, I figured I had to get Fawn out to reminisce our good times in Penang. There's a certain joy in that gal when it comes to good food. While hunting down the restaurant around Suntec Fountain Terrace, I was actually surprised that it was an actual restaurant, occupying a decent floor area. For the average price of SGD$5.50 per dish, I speculated the outlet to be in the Fountain Terrace Food Court! Considering my usual economic rice these days cost SGD$4, I was presently pleased with the ambiance and price tag

We started off the main dishes to share:

Penang Char Kway Teow

The chef uses a homemade chilli paste to bring out the flavours of the dish, known to food lovers as the ‘white’ version of the noodles. This dish, in my opinion is the Must Eat. You haven't really eaten Penang street food till you've eaten a good plate of Penang Char Kway Teow!

Penang Asam Laksa

But Penang food lovers will tell you that you haven’t tried Penang street food until you’ve had Penang Asam Laksa! The dish consists of ingredients like mackerel, shreds of sardine, ginger flower, laksa leaves and assam; served with a generous dollop of prawn paste to make a very aromatic and tangy dish. Gurney Drive Restaurant's Asam Laksa was right in the ally of a powerful mix of sour, spicy and sweet. It leaves a very satisfying after taste.

Penang Lor Bak

It was between the Rojak or the Lor Bak and we choose the latter simply cause it sounded more mysterious. We later found out that it was another fancy name for Ngoh Hiang!
Wrapped with a crispy beancurd skin, these Ngoh Hiang rolls came chock-full of chunky strips (rather than the usual minced meat) of tender pork marinated with five-spice power, garlic and leek.

Ice Kachang - Seen here with crushed peanuts toppings

Ice Kachang - Seen here with slices of nutmeg?!?!

We left room for dessert, and it was a fight between Chendol or Ice Kachang. But on second look into the ingredients of the Ice Kachang which had toppings of crushed peanuts and thin slices of nutmeg, we decided to give it a shot. Personally, the unique toppings didn't quite do justice, but you generally can't go wrong with shaved ice sweetened with sugar syrup (flavoured Sarsi, Rose and this Green stuff), milk and sweetcorn

But the best item for me was actually the Ampla Juice or lovingly called "Buah Long Long" in Penang! Served with crushed ice, the "Buah Long Long" fruit is mixed with a sour plum and is known to contain antioxidants and is high in Vitamin C. Sourish on the first few sips but definitely refreshing overall.

If not for anything else, I will be back for the Ampla Juice going at SGD$2.50. A superb deal, considering what you pay for bubble tea these days!

Still there are lots on the menu worth checking out, such as the grill items, Rojak and Cuttlefish Kang Kong.

Read:
Category: Food and Drinks

More Gurney Drive Restaurant Pictures

Learning the New English Translation at Mass

2011-09-25T00:34:00.000+08:00

I must admit that I came to know of the New Roman Missal change very, very late. Unlike other parishes which held programs for parishioners to better understand the new translation, my parish wasn't as active. To be very honest, I was sceptical if the "change" was necessary initially. I figured it would cause confusion and questions. I mean... I've known the current "version" of the Mass, all my life! Then I realised that Catholics (in general) don't question and few would analyse into what impact the new translation would really bring. But all these "doubts" slowly dissolved as I came to better realise the meaning and words from original Latin. And as I am still learning, it has opened more depth into my participation in Mass. I am indeed starting to realise that I am living in a very exciting time of church history.

"We have an unprecedented opportunity that doesn’t come around often to have a really big, widespread conversation about the Liturgy. To really bring everybody in the parish to the same place and the same page." - Fr. Richard Hilgartner

Mark Hart helps high school teens understand HOW and WHY the words of the Mass are changing. Mark compares the "dynamic equivalent" and the "formal equivalent" of how we translate words from Latin to English, and then explains the elaborate process used to create the new Roman Missal. Finally, Mark challenges teenagers to rediscover the meaning behind the words we pray at Mass each week.

Helping Our Catholic Teens Understand Liturgical Change - Fr. Richard Hilgartner from Life Teen on Vimeo.
Fr. Richard Hilgartner, Executive Director of the Secretariat of Divine Worship, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), shares some of the changes behind the new translation of the Roman Missal. He particularly talks about the challenges and opportunities about sharing these changes in the context of youth ministry. Video is taken from the 2010 Life Teen Liturgy and Music Conference.

The transcript of the talk can be found here.

EWTN Global Catholic Television Network: EWTN Live - Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J. - Colin Donovan - The New Translation of the Mass

Natsumatsuri: Japanese Summer Festival 2011

2011-08-29T22:27:00.000+08:00

Japanese Culture... Japanese Food... Japanese Shows... Japanese Things... they never really caught on to me for the longest time. Then I visited Japan in 2010 and started to remotely understand the obsession many people have with everything JAPANESE! Japan remains an ultra cool place but since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster on 11 March 2011, I doubt I will be visiting the country any time soon. Thinking back on the faithful disaster day, Wendy and I were just discussing about a trip to Sendai and Tokyo! All the planning her dad did were instantly washed away with the Tsunami waves.

Natsumatsuri: Japanese Summer Festival

Back in the tropics of Singapore every August, is the Natsumatsuri: Japanese Summer Festival; organised by the Japanese Association. I suppose it's the next most authentic local Japanese festival apart from really travelling to Japan. Held all the way in Upper Changi Road North at the Japanese International School, the venue was transformed into a mini Japanese village with locals and Japanese turning up, many in Yukata (light-weighted kimono used for summer). Everyone came by to enjoy the fun carnival of games, food and performances.

Finding a shady spot, we laid our picnic mats and soaked in the festivities of the night

Stage performances brought on Japanese song and dance acts distinct of past and present Japanese cultures

Kiosks selling food, drinks and games packed with long queues of people

A wide variety of food were sold and we bought a LOT of food which included Japanese Curry Rice, Taiyaki (Fish-Shaped Cake with Bean Paste), Sausages, Okonomiyaki, Corn Cup, Japanese Apple Cider, Beer, Ice-cream and Yakitori

My yummy Taiyaki with Custard filling

Participants enjoyed performances from traditional Taiko (Japanese drum) and Folk dances

The highlight of the event ended with “Bon Odori” (Japanese folk dance) with a football field of participants dancing together in unity, regardless of age or nationality.
We cannot help but join in the fun too. But after doing the "same" steps for about half hour, I kindda felt it grew a little stale.

Ending the event was the Bon Odori to the "Singapore Song"!

Being a very family centric festival, the event ended in good time by 10:30pm - 11:00pm with free shuttle services ferrying guests to the Singapore Expo.
Similar to Japan, the ushers bowed and waved goodbye as the buses left the school gates.

If I ever have to be back for another Natsumatsuri: Japanese Summer Festival, it'll have to be for the Bon Dance! Do the MASS Dance in the name of Japanese Culture!

Read:
Love Japan for...
Footprints in Japan
Fugu - The Forbidden Fish
Panoramic Japan 2010
HDR Japan 2010
Anime Festival Asia (AFA) 2010

More Natsumatsuri: Japanese Summer Festival Pictures

The Straits Times: Condo Heroes feature Soleil @ Sinaran

2011-08-27T15:02:00.003+08:00

Straits Times: Sat, Aug 27

It is no longer enough for condominiums to boast a pool, gym, clubhouse and tennis court. Developers are adding fancy facilities such as a spa, sports bar, rock-climbing wall, luxury dining room and even a bird-watching tower to make their projects stand out.

Take the 417-unit Soleil@Sinaran condo at Novena, which was recently given its temporary occupation permit.

It has its own spa on the premises, run by well-known local chain Aramsa Spa. Soleil is believed to be the first in Singapore to tie up with a spa operator to run the facility in a condo.

Adding to the wow factor is that the swanky spa consists of three wooden- decked pavilions that each has two massage beds, a hot tub and a shower area, located in full view of the pool.

They are a striking sight amid the condo’s lush greenery and although they are out in the open, curtains can be drawn for privacy.

The spa pavilions are not the only fabulous feature Soleil residents can enjoy on top of the usual pool, gym, tennis court and barbecue pits.

The condo has two sports bars on its 20th floors, for residents only, where they can watch football matches while enjoying a beer. Developer Frasers Centrepoint Homes is finding an operator to run them.

The condo ‘high’ life craze includes Meadows@Peirce in Upper Thomson Road, which has a three-storey bird-watching tower where residents can spot birds nestling in the greenery at nearby Peirce Reservoir.

At Tree House condo in Dairy Farm Road, developer City Developments is building three tree houses on its premises, which ‘offer a different experience of play for the young and young at heart’, says Mr Anthony Chia, its director and head of projects.

One Devonshire condo in Killiney Road, meanwhile, scales new heights with a three-storey rock-climbing wall.

Fancy something not so ‘out there’? At Palm Gardens condo in Choa Chu Kang, there is a bowling alley at the clubhouse, while upmarket Nassim Park Residences has a luxurious dining room.

Over at The Orchard Residences, residents can rent wine lockers to store their wines.

The chief executive of real estate firm ECG Property, Mr Eric Cheng, says of the trend: ‘Telling potential buyers their units can have a pool view no longer cuts it, as condos now all have pools.’

Indeed, Soleil’s additional facilities were what attracted Korean-Australian expatriate Verena Lim, 29, to buy a two-bedroom unit there.

‘The spa and the sports bar caught my attention as they have not been seen before in condos here,’ says Ms Lim, a vice-president at an Australian investment company.

Frasers Centrepoint Homes worked with Aramsa Spa to design the pavilions, and the developer’s assistant general manager of sales and marketing, Mr Elson Poo, notes: ‘In line with the strong interest in spas, we have incorporated spa facilities so residents will be able to enjoy the convenience of a spa experience right on their doorstep.’

Indeed, Ms Lim, who usually goes for spa treatments in Orchard Road once a month, says she will switch to the spa at her home, because ‘there’s no reason not to use the one downstairs’.

Like other owners, she has just received her keys and is in the midst of moving in, and adds that she will be making a booking soon.

Residents need to make appointments for their treatments such as massages and facials two weeks ahead. The cost is the same as at Aramsa Spa’s outlet in Bishan Park. A 60-minute massage, for example, costs $108.

However, spa manager Kelvin Tay says that although there are no additional charges, residents have to purchase a minimum of $200 worth of treatments a session for transportation charges to be waived.

Mr Tay adds that other developers have also approached the spa to set up shop at their condos, but declined to elaborate.

As for other unusual condo facilities such as Palm Gardens’ two-lane bowling alley, a spokesman for developer Keppel Land says: ‘Such innovative and lifestyle features make for stronger value offerings in our homes.’

According to retiree Danny Nai, chairman of the condo’s management corporation strata title (MCST) committee, the bowling alley is very popular with residents, who pay $5 an hour for its use. Bowling shoes and balls are provided. ‘We have bookings every night and the alley is packed on weekends.’

Over at One Devonshire, the idea for its rock-climbing wall on one of its sky terraces was proposed by the project’s landscape developer, Belt Collins.

Ms Anna Tabo-Nair, a project manager at Belt Collins, says it offers residents a different experience. The condo already has a pool, barbecue pits, clubhouse, gym, tennis and squash courts and several gardens. ‘But for residents who want something different, they can go to the rock-climbing wall,’ says Ms Tabo-Nair.

The idea went down well with the condo’s developer, Allgreen Properties.

Ms Tabo-Nair says the hand grips needed to climb the rock wall go up to 3m high, ‘so it is still very safe, and there will not be any supervision needed’.

She believes it will be a hit with residents when the condo is completed next year.

As for the dining room at Nassim Park Residences – a project by United Overseas Land (UOL) Group and which was completed earlier this year – it has a pool view, can seat 14 people and comes with a plush lounge. It also comes with a fully equipped kitchen, so residents can hire their own private chefs to do the cooking.

UOL Group’s deputy general manager for marketing, Mr Anthony Wong, says: ‘We have in mind the lifestyle of these home-buyers; we envisage frequent socialising and dinner parties. Therefore, we provided a well-furnished dining room, lounge and kitchen where owners can invite their friends over and have a chef whip up a good meal without having to clean up their own place afterwards.’

A resident who declined to be named says the dining room ‘is decorated like a hotel private lounge’. The room is done up in dark wooden panels and has a sofa and thick carpets.

UOL Group also developed Meadows@Peirce, which, along with the talking-point bird-watching tower, also has a sky-gazing jacuzzi near the pool.

Mr Wong says enthusiastically: ‘The design fuses outdoor and indoor spaces to create a sanctuary of peace and tranquillity. We created the bird-watching tower and the sky-gazing jacuzzi facilities in line with its nature-based theme.’

But added facilities come with an additional price – a higher monthly maintenance fee.

‘There would be more facilities to maintain, so naturally the maintenance fees would be higher,’ says Mr Francis Zhan, chief executive of Association of Management Corporations in Singapore, which represents more than 3,000 MCST committees of condos here.

He adds that the extra facilities are usually in upmarket condos, where monthly maintenance fees can range from $800 to $1,600.

In comparison, the ‘mass market condos usually charge about $300 to $400 monthly in maintenance fees’.

Ms Eleana Teo, executive director at Knight Frank Estate Management says, ‘For estates with more varied facilities and an in-house team of concierge and/or guards, residents would have to pay around 10 to 30 per cent more in terms of maintenance charges to finance such expenses.’

ECG’s Mr Cheng says that ‘with so many condo launches, projects must have their selling point, hence these facilities’.

Added facilities will ‘attract’ buyers, he says, ‘even if they may not use the facility, they still want to have it.’

Even if the condo is not in an ideal location, its facilities will pull in buyers, as ‘buyers are attracted to the condo’s offerings. Plus it is easy to get around Singapore these days’.

One home-buyer, however, is not convinced by these condo ‘carrots’. Housewife Mary Lee says: ‘Location and the design of the apartments are more important. The facilities are good to have, but apart from the pool, I may not use the others and don’t see the point of paying to maintain them.’

taysc@sph.com.sg

Source: The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd

Philosophy through Humour in "Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar"

2011-07-20T01:11:00.009+08:00

If I had read Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar . . .: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes by Thomas W. Cathcart and Daniel M. Klein just shy of 2 years ago, I wouldn't have appreciated and enjoyed the book as much.

2 years ago, before I had the opportunity to sit through months of theology classes with Moral Theologian Fr. David García from the Dominican order, I was an absolute philosophy nut. It didn't help that a good majority of my clasmates were brainiacs in the law and medicial profession. They were asking the most intellectual and mind provoking questions! Figuring out why I thought what I thought was never really in my agenda. Perhaps not in a mindful way. Somewhere along the studies of moralities and ethics and the need to rationalise complex arguments, I was inevitably drowned into the studies of PHILOSOPHY! A crash course within the first few lessons! I was struggling with philosophers from Aristotle to St. Thomas Aquinas, William Ockham to Rene Descartes to Jeremy Bentham! And as my understanding matured, I really started to appreciate the gift of thinkers gone, present and to come.

Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar came into my reading list at the right timing. A book shared by Celeste when she got to learn about my studies in theology. She was spot on when she figured I would enjoy the book. The book presented philosophy in the most light-hearted, hilarious, and utterly amazing way through the conversation between two fictional ancient Greek philosophers; Dimitri and Tasso. Spanning through classic categories of philosophy from Metaphysics to Epistemology to Ethics to Relativity, with concepts explained or illustrated by jokes.

There is a distinction between the telos of life - what human beings are meant to be - and a particular individual's goals in life - what he wants to be.

The optimist says, "The glass is half full." The pessimist says, "The glass is half empty." The rationalist says, "This glass is twice as big as it needs to be"

Without logic, reason is useless. With it, you can win arguments and alienate multitudes.

If a man tries to fail and he succeeds, which did he do?

How do you know that you know the stuff you think you know? Take away the opion of answering, "I just do!" and what's left is epistemology.

Do not do unto others as you would have others do unto you; they may have different taste. - George Bernard Shaw

The problem with German food is that, no matter how much you eat, an hour later you're hungry for power.

There is no way you can read this book and not have a laugh out loud moment every now and then. You'd probably heard a few jokes before but it's still a nice little introduction to a handful of philosophical topics.

A Gamester Even In Twitterland

2011-07-18T16:51:00.001+08:00

You Are What You Tweet Infograph

I absolutely adore Visual.ly's Infographics. “You Are What You Tweet” is a neat tool that looks up your twitter account and calculates some useful metrics based upon wheat information is publicly available. Above is my infographic about my @natashayong account. I guess... there's no surprise... wait... is that coffee in my hand?!?!

What it means to be Perfect

2011-07-12T11:12:00.000+08:00

"If you ask me what you are to do in order to be perfect, I say, first—Do not lie in bed beyond the due time of rising; give your first thoughts to God; make a good visit to the Blessed Sacrament; say the Angelus devoutly; eat and drink to God’s glory; say the Rosary well; be recollected; keep out bad thoughts; make your evening meditation well; examine yourself daily; go to bed in good time, and you are already perfect."

Beerfest Asia 2011: Losing its Flavour

2011-06-19T02:21:00.045+08:00

Beerfest Asia 2011 returned for the 3rd year, again held at Marina Promenade (behind the iconic Singapore Flyer) with a programme all too familiar. Similar to Beerfest Asia 2010, the organisers (Beerfest Pte Ltd) boast of a wide variety of international beer selection and flew in tribute bands for the stage performances. It was the reuse of the same floor-plan layout, the same token valued payment system, the same stage settings. Minus the outdoor screens used for the 2010 World Cup, fewer selection of food choices and a serious lack of interesting beers! Unlike in 2010, where an entire tent was dedicated to independent international brewers, it was obvious that the big boring players dominated the scene this time round. it made me wonder why I paid an entrance fee of SGD$49 (a 2x increase from the previous year) to drink common beers like Archipelago, Magners, Storm, Schneider Weisse and Kronenbourg?!?! Majority of the other offerings paled in comparison to Charlie's Corner in Changi Village!

These were the few more interesting malted wheat drinks:

Swiss Beer

The English Green Goblin!

The English Traditional HobGoblin Ale was very enjoyable

The ridiculously popular Lychee Beer, which guys were actually enjoying! Box set of the Taiwanese "fruit" beers were sold in a easy to carry package.

Scotland's Sheepy's

Japanese Beer

And what I truly love! Beer Spa - A collection of Beer Shampoo, Shower Gel and Bath Foam!

Back again by popular demand are tribute bands "The Killer Queen" and "The U2 Show - Achtung Baby" who performed last year to belt out classic hits from the two best-selling acts - UK's Queen and Ireland's U2.

Having watched The Killer Queen's rocking performance last year, I opted to catch All Star Showstoppers paying tribute to The Beatles and Achtung Baby playing covers of U2 songs. I am reminded that I really should try in my lifetime to catch a U2 concert live! If Achtung Baby can be this good, I can't imagine the real thing!

All Star Showstoppers' tribute to The Beatles

Achtung Baby, a US cover band from Melbourne, Australia features Michael Cavallaro as Bono (lead vocal), Cgair Jupp as Larry Mullen Jnr. (drums) and David Attard (obscured) as Adam Clayton (bass guitar).

The band name Achtung Baby is the seventh studio album by rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 19 November 1991.

Again I stood too near to the sub woofers. Beware the strong bass in the clips:

Beerfest Asia 2011 U2 Achtung Baby - Elevation

Beerfest Asia 2011 U2 Achtung Baby - In The Name of Love
This is a real U2 classic!

Beerfest Asia 2011 U2 Achtung Baby - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

Beerfest Asia 2011 has lost much of its flavour this time round. And with the escalating entrance fee, pathetic cover drinks and repeated stage acts, I might consider to give the following year a miss.

Read:
Beerfest Asia 2010: Beer of the World Unite!
Beerfest Asia 2010: Hell's Belles AC/DC Tribute
Beerfest Asia 2010: The Killer Queen Show
RedDot BrewHouse's Green Beer & the Greenery Ghosts
Wagyu Beef and Beer

More Beerfest Asia 2011 Pictures

Gola Bronson Tokyo (eBoy) & LA Gear Timmy Tactical Attache SWAT (Thinkgeek)

2011-06-09T01:39:00.007+08:00

I was taking advantage of the low US dollar to do some online shopping and picked up two pretty kick-ass bags. Kenny was kind enough to bring them back to Singapore from Atlanta. RAWKS!

Gola Bronson Tokyo by eBoy (Limited Edition)

UK sportswear label Gola hooked up with German pixel art collective eBoy on a new footwear and bag collection for the 2009 spring/summer line. Influenced by building robots, cars, handguns, world filled with girls, and 3D cube’s their unique approach is taken from eBoy’s graphic arsenal and smacked on some of Gola’s classic styles.

Love the quality of the bag overall. Nice compartment and linings in the interior of the bag

Video review of the Gola Bronson Tokyo

LA Gear Timmy Tactical Attache SWAT by Thinkgeek

The LA Gear Timmy Tactical Attache is rugged and practical. This bag has one big chamber capable of holding a small notebook computer, netbook, iPad as well as a pile of gadgets, cables, tools and phone. There are velcro strips along the back to attach additional tactical pouches, or even your name or unit patch. Because it is ballistic nylon, it's extremely durable. In the field, this bag may very well outlast me!

Features
- The bag measures approximately 14" x 10" x 6"
- Hidden full size interior pocket with velcro
- Two adjustable side pockets
- Large main pocket has a removable stiffener/divider system to organize gear
- Two pen pockets
- Four accessory pockets for phones, mp3 players or external drives with adjustable - Velcro closures
- Large side zippered pocket for wallet, passport, keys and other valuables.
- Padded Removable Shoulder Strap
- Carry Handles Of Heavy Nylon Webbing, Running The Entire length and across the bottom for extra secure support.
- Large quality Zippers With Para cord Pulls (for when your fine motor skills are shutting down from lack of caffeine
- Velcro Patch on side pocket to attach name tape, flight suit tag or unit patch

More Gola Bronson Tokyo (eBoy) Bag Pictures
More LA Gear Timmy Tactical Attache SWAT (Thinkgeek) Bag Pictures

25 Years of The Legend of Zelda

2011-06-08T00:01:00.066+08:00

The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary

This is Zelda, one of Nintendo's most influential and revered franchises. And it has been 25 solid years. The game for me was love at first play. The adventurous quests, the magical worlds, the brilliant storylines. There is nothing not to love.

2011 is the year of Zelda. And Nintendo announced at E3 recently on a whole suite of Zelda new and old releases.

But I know I am in trouble when I still have a copy of the "The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks" (DS) sitting in my cupboard not played! I just never got around to playing it!

Then comes... the Nintendo 3DS launched in March! If I've been following my trend of skipping a major console before the next purchase... this will be it...

The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic three-dimensional effects without requirement of additional accessories

And Nintendo 3DS will re-launch the 1998 "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" on June 19, complete with touch screen and gyro sensor controls. An improved framefrate and updated graphics have been implemented in the remake of the classic Nintendo 64 game. Additional content, such as help videos, a mirrored master quest mode, and a boss challenge mode are also included.

I've never played "Ocarina of Time", so this is extremely tempting!

Nintendo 3DS version of Legend of "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time"

And who knew that Robin Williams is a big Legend of Zelda fan - such a big fan, in fact, that he named his daughter Zelda! That beard sure does look crazy on him...
Here's an adorable clip of Robin Williams and daughter Zelda talking about their love for "Ocarina of Time".

"The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" expected to be released on the Wii this holiday season. No brainer - I will be getting this!

"The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" introduces full motion control enabled by the Wii MotionPlus accessory, which synchronizes player movements with Link's actions while offering intuitive play control.

With the Wii MotionPlus accessory, every movement of Link's sword matches the player's motion with exact precision. If players motion left to right, Link swings from left to right. The precision play control is applied to enemies as well, as players must contemplate strategy when battling opponents that actively try to defend against attacks

At E3 2011 - Orchestral performance of Zelda music through the ages accompanied by a highlight reel of Zelda games from the original NES title to clips from the upcoming Wii title, "Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword"
Miyamoto announced a worldwide orchestral concert tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "The Legend of Zelda", with tour dates coming soon. Crossing all my fingers they will be coming to my town!

Read:
The Legend of Zelda's next adventure: Spirit Tracks
The Legends of Zelda on Wii Music
Wii Music
The Legends of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
"The Legend Of Zelda" Retrospective
I have a Nintendo DS Lite!
Hooked on Zelda!
The Legend of Zelda is back with The Minish Cap!