1 Out of 7 Billion

The world is getting smaller everyday but a lifetime is not enough to explore it. My adventure starts in Singapore.

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Miss Universe 2010

August 22, 2010

The event happens on Monday night (USA) / Tuesday morning (Singapore). Singapore telecast will be on Tue, 24 August, 9 AM over at Mediacorp Channel 5.

Every year, I am hoping that Miss Philippines lands a spot in the semifinals but there are always a lot of surprises in this type of competition. In the end, it really depends on the judges during the presentation show. (FYI, there is a different panel of judges during the finals night).

Anyway, here are a few photos from the swimsuit preliminary competition held last week which I picked up from the Miss Universe website.

Representatives of countries where I used to live and where I am living in right now.

Miss Philippines - Venus Raj

Miss Singapore - Tania Lim

Candidates of countries which won the Miss Universe title during the past 10 years. Venezuela and Puerto Rico won 2 years each.

Miss Dominican Republic - Eva Arias

Miss Australia - Jesinta Campbell

Miss Canada - Elena Semikina

Miss India - Ushoshi Sengupta

Miss Japan - Maiko Itai

Miss Panama - Anyoli Abrego

Miss Puerto Rico Mariana Paola Vicente

Miss Venezuela - Marelisa Gibson

Since a different set of “cheeks” were shown in the above photo :p , I thought I’d post her close-up shot. I think she will be a shoo-in for the semifinals.

Close Up Shot of Miss Venezuela - Marelisa Gibson

The pageant will be held in Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. If only I had the time, I would travel to Vegas, spend some dollars at the casinos, and catch the event.

Miss USA - Rima Fakih

Good luck to all candidates.

Blazing the Trail: 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore

August 15, 2010

I decided to stay home on Saturday night to catch the opening ceremonies of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) hosted by Singapore.

The Youth Olympics will feature 3,600 athletes aged between 14 and 18 years competing in 200 events across 26 sports. The concept is a dream of International Olympic Committee, president Jacques Rogge, who has advocated the idea since 2001 after winning the IOC presidency.

The story behind the Opening Ceremony illustrates the parallels between Singapore and the Young Olympians – their struggles, hopes and dreams. The show celebrates Singapore’s origins and diversity, and offers a glimpse of the nation’s hopes for the future, drawing on all that Singapore has to offer in terms of art, culture and expertise.

The creative director for both opening & closing ceremonies is theatre director, actor and playwright Ivan Heng, while Cultural Medallion recipient Iskandar Ismail will be in charge of sound and music.

My view of the opening ceremonies? Impressive display of colors and creative use of fire and water. More importantly, it was a great showcase of Singapore’s capability as a modern nation to host an international event of this magnitude.

There are specific aspects of the show that I particularly liked :

Note: Unless otherwise stated, all photos posted courtesy of the Youth Olympic Games website and Singapore Youth Olympic Games photostream in Flickr

1) The use of a reflecting pool (90.5m by 50.1m in length)

2) The use of multimedia and special effects to enhance storytelling

The bigger opponent (appearing as a shadow) is part of the special effects in one of the segments

3) “Walking/running on water effect” before the Olympic flame was lit by Singapore teenage sailor Darren Choy

Photo courtesy of Tim Chong (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oeyvind/4891123181/)

Photo courtesy of AP / Wong Maye

Darren Choy – 2009 Byte CII sailing world champion and gold-medallist at last year’s Asian Youth Games, 2007 South-east Asian Games silver-medallist. His role as final torch bearer was a tightly guarded secret. He even had to rehearse at midnight wearing a cap the weekend before the event.

4) Spiral Olympic flame in a 32 meter cylinder / lighthouse structure which represents Singapore as a port city

Other photos from the Opening Ceremonies

Basic info on YOG which I picked up from The Straits Times (14 August 2010, page A16)

Singapore beat front runner Russia to host the Youth Olympics. One reason Singapore won is that it has never hosted an Olympic event before
204 national Olympic teams will participate in the Youth Olympics
Because Singapore is the first host of the Youth Olympics, the livery of the Singapore 2010 logo will be featured in the ceremonial flag for subsequent handovers between future organisers
The next Youth Olympic Games will be held in Nanjing in 2014. China beat Poland by 5 votes, winning 47 to 42
Before Youth Olympics, there was the World Youth Games. Also organised by the International Olympic Committee, they were discontinued after the inaugural games in Moscow in 1998.

Other info on the YOG:

Medals (Silver, Gold, Bronze)

Lyo, a lion cub, embodies the values of Excellence and Friendship, while Merly, a merlion, personifies the values of Excellence and Respect.

Theme song (“Everyone”, sung by Sean Kingston, Tabitha Nauser, Steve Appleton, Jody Williams, Jessica Mauboy)

In-Flight Entertainment Discoveries

August 1, 2010

I’ve discovered a lot of good songs through Krisworld, the in-flight entertainment of Singapore Airlines. Here are two of them.

Let’s start with the slow, emo one…

“Temporary Home” (Carrie Underwood)

Little boy, 6 years old
A little too used to bein’ alone.
Another new mom and dad,another school,
Another house that’ll never be home.
When people ask him how he likes this place…
He looks up and says, with a smile upon his face,

“This is my temporary home
It’s not where I belong.
Windows and rooms that I’m passin’ through.
This is just a stop, on the way to where I’m going.
I’m not afraid because I know this is my
Temporary Home.”

Young mom on her own.
She needs a little help, got nowhere to go.
She’s lookin’ for a job, lookin’ for a way out,
Because a half-way house will never be a home.
At night she whispers to her baby girl,
“Someday we’ll find our place here in this world.”

“This is our temporary home.
It’s not where we belong.
Windows and rooms that we’re passin’ through.
This is just a stop, on the way to where we’re going.
I’m not afraid because I know this is our
Temporary Home.”

Old man, hospital bed,
The room is filled with people he loves.
And he whispers don’t cry for me,
I’ll see you all someday.
He looks up and says, “I can see God’s face.”

“This is my temporary Home
It’s not where I belong.
Windows and rooms that I’m passin’ through.
This was just a stop,on the way to where I’m going.
I’m not afraid because I know… this was
My temporary home.”

This is our temporary home.

Now here’s the track that can make you feel like jogging around the plane … You must really listen to it!

“Won’t Go Quietly” (Example)

I needed more than just a kiss goodnight
Had to go get something out my system I
Ignored the warnings, bit the fruit
She might have tasted good
But man she was my kryptonite

Shoulda known she was trouble from the start
I, knew she’d broken hearts I,
Thought I’d take that chance
Danced with the she devil in the pale moonlight
Alarm bells rang, but I loved the drama
In a dark place but I loved the karma sutra
Shoulda closed that door
But I kept going back for more

She’s electric, she’s the current running through my veins
She’s a siren, hearing voices that I can’t explain
Now I should be thinking it over
Instead I’m calling her over
Now she’s here and she won’t go quietly
I Should be thinking it over
Instead I’m calling her over
Now she’s here but she won’t go quietly

I needed more than just a cheap thrill ride
See I needed something that ran deep inside
Ignored the warnings, bit the fruit
She might have tasted good
But man she was my kryptonite

Shoulda known it wouldn’t last for a year I,
Knew it’d all end it tears I,
Cracked, she was mind addictive, never felt scripted
Upredicatable, tied up, but no strings attatched
Left scratch marks on my back
Her cold eyes got me excited and I can’t hide the truth

She’s electric, she’s the current running through my veins
(I just can’t kick the habit x2)
She’s a siren, hearing voices that I can’t explain
(I just can’t kick the habit)
Now I should be thinking it over
Instead I’m calling her over
Now she’s here and she won’t go quietly
I should be thinking it over
Instead I’m calling her over
Now she’s here and she won’t go quietly

Can’t see the end of this or who survives
It’s just another case of do or die
Can’t see the end of this or who survives
It’s just another case, another case, another case
Another case, another case…

She’s electric, she’s the current running through my veins
(I just can’t kick the habit x2)
She’s a siren, hearing voices that I can’t explain
(I just can’t kick the habit)
Now I, should be thinking it over
Instead I’m calling her over
Now she’s here and she won’t go quietly
I should be thinking it over
Instead I’m calling her over
Now she’s here and she won’t go quietly

Can’t see the end of this or who survives
It’s just another case of do or die
Can’t see the end of this or who survives
It’s just another case of do or die
Can’t see the end of this or who survives
It’s just another case of do or die

Jay Chou “New Era” World Tour 2010 (Singapore)

July 25, 2010 — 3 Comments

I knew nothing about Mandarin pop when I moved to Singapore. The first Mandarin song I heard was “An Jing” (Silence) by Jay Chou in early 2007. Since then I got hooked not just on his work but also on Mando pop in general. Soon after, I found myself enjoying Canto pop too. All these without knowing how to speak/read Mandarin nor Cantonese!!

Here’s a clip of “An Jing” so you have an idea. It’s a stylized version of the original, performed in a HK concert in 2006.

I guess that’s how it is for people who love music. It doesn’t matter what language a song is expressed in. To me, what I like about Chinese pop is the way it’s sung — a lot of passion and emotion. If you go to KTV, the music videos are also awesome. Make the rhythm faster and the choreography also looks great.

Here’s Elva Hsiao performing “Biao Bai” (Confession) :

Some people find it strange that I spend money buying C-pop albums and tickets for concerts. I must tell you – I have no regrets forking out a few hundred dollars on these sort of stuff. I think it’s the same as listening to French, Spanish, or Latin music — you like it even if most of the time you have no clue what’s being sung!!

I’ve seen a few Chinese concerts and this is the 2nd time I’ve seen Jay Chou perform live (in Singapore). I’d say the Jan 2008 concert was better in terms of song selection and production, including the opening (it was also fairly easy to get tickets then). However, there were visual effects in the 2010 world tour that are quite fascinating. You will know what I mean when you see the photos.

New Era World Tour poster (template)

I almost didn’t get to watch this concert. OCBC cardholders were given priority during ticket sales and I didn’t have an OCBC card. When the SISTIC website opened purchase to the general public, the website could not handle the volume and the queues were long for those who braved the “manual” approach. Tickets were sold out minutes after they went on sale. It was really frustrating that I had to post my disappointment as a Facebook status update.

When I was about to lose hope in securing at least 2 tickets, Marvin forwarded to me a message from a colleague who was selling his tickets after having purchased seats in a better section. A few days after, I found myself owning 2 tickets — 2 out of the estimated 24,000 tickets up for grabs! The show ran for 3 days. Thanks Marvin for the “lead” and Percy for selling the tickets to me!

The album “New Era” contains several good tracks. My favorite (track 2) is “Shuo Le Zai Jian (Said Goodbye)”. I think Jet Li is featured in the music video. Jay performed this at the concert as well.

On with the photos…

More concert photos on my photo website . Download as you please (for free) but let me know if you publish them somewhere ok.

Dining in the Republic

July 4, 2010 — 2 Comments

I’ve tasted different types of (McDonalds) McFlurry before but this has got to be the best one so far… in my view, of course!

Horlicks is a malted milk drink sold in powder form. It can be prepared hot or cold, depending on your preference.

I’m glad McDonalds thought of coming up with this variant. I’ve already tasted it twice (not on the same day) and will probably try it again for another two (or three or four) before it gets replaced by another variant.

The photo doesn’t do justice to it. You have to try it yourself.

McFlurry is available islandwide in McDonalds stores with a separate dessert kiosk.

This is not a paid advertisement.

Moving on to something more filling…

Eugene, Veria and I caught up over dinner last night at Gyu Kaku (Chijmes). I can’t remember the last time I went for BBQ in a restaurant… I think it was in a Korean place at Holland Village.

We ordered the set which apart from the photo shown below comes with bibimbap, kimchi, (now it’s sounding like a Korean BBQ place than Japanese hehe), salad, and dessert.

Before we placed the strips and cubes on the grill

Gyu Kaku (30 Victoria St, Singapore 187996, Ph +65 6333 4001) Website

And lastly to something that I didn’t need to prepare myself …

This is my 4th visit to La Fondue and I’ve become a fan of their stuff. Beyond the cheese and chocolate fondue which is what they specialise in, I was pleasantly delighted with their spicy arrabiata sauce.

Swiss Cheese fondue came with...

... steamed vegetables

... and bread

Spaghetti in spicy arrabiata sauce

Cookies & cream chocolate fondue

Not so busy on a Sunday early afternoon

La Fondue (25 Dempsey Road, Singapore 249670, Ph +65 6474 0204) Website

For those of you living in Singapore, enjoy your food adventures and remember to always save some space for desserts!

My 30-something Birthday

June 6, 2010

Another birthday, another reason to thank the Lord for His abundant blessings.

Last year, I had dinner at a Chinese restaurant with my family before going with them and a few friends to the Pussycat Dolls “Doll Domination” concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

This year, here’s what I did.

720 AM – Mass at St Peter & Paul near the Singapore Art Museum.

I wanted to start my birthday via a thanksgiving mass. Weekday masses start quite early (630 am!) so would consider this one as rather late. Had to wake up at 630am.

915 AM – Medical appointment at Gleneagles Hospital

When I was in Hong Kong, my left eye developed a condition called “subconjunctival hemorrhage” which occurs when a tiny blood vessel breaks underneath the clear surface of the eye (white part, called conjunctiva).

For those who saw me around early June, you would have noticed and asked. It’s when blood is trapped under that white part – may look frightening and painful but it’s non-contagious and harmless. Hmm… some instant medical knowledge for you there!

This appointment is the 3rd one (the 3rd doctor as well though this time a specialist) and as with the 2 other doctors I’ve seen, I was given the same message (Don’t worry, it’s just like a bruise on the skin. You just have to let it heal as it will disappear in 10-14 days. No medication required). At least, I was reassured.

Will spare you the agony of feeling sorry for me so I wont post any eye photo.

Update (as of Sun, 20 June) – The hemorrhage completely disappeared last week!

11ish - Lunch at Chili’s then dessert at Applebee’s

Wanted to have brunch at Friven & Co but that meant waiting another 30 mins for it to open so decided to go elsewhere…. the ever-reliable Chili’s. I’m a fan of American diners so it was ok to pick up extra calories over lunch, at least on my birthday.

Chili's with my mom, Ollie, and Jomike

At Applebee's - Maple Butter Blondie. Ask for the cream to be served separately so you can decide how much to pour on your plate.

With the crew after they sang Happy Birthday and served free dessert

Chili’s (163 Tanglin Road, Ph +65 6733 3317)

Applebee’s (111 Somerset Road, #01-11/12 TripleOne Somerset, Singapore, +65 6735 9671)

300pm – Went to Orchard Midpoint to buy a few boardgames then near Chinatown to pick up my birthday cake. Rested at home.

730pm – Birthday Dinner at Nectar (Wangz boutique hotel)

I love boutique hotels and I plan to check out each one of them here in Singapore, or at least try their restaurant/bar.

In my family, I’m the only one gets value for money from buffets so had to go for a la carte. Food at Nectar was good, service was excellent. Also had a quick tour of their guest rooms. Spacious and modern interior. You can even book two adjacent rooms and hold a party over two balconies.

Nectar Restaurant, Wangz Hotel, 31 Outram Road, Singapore (Ph: +65 6595 1383)

930pm – Prince of Persia

I used to play this game when I was younger (hmm, maybe 20 birthdays ago, back when we used floppy disks to install software!!). I am happy that Disney came out with a movie version inspired by the game.

While this movie didn’t have good reviews (Jake Gyllenhaal’s sounding British in a Persian role?), I really liked it — in terms of visual effects, character development, and numerous stunts and parkour.

According to Wikipedia, parkour (PK) is the physical discipline of training to overcome any obstacle within one’s path by adapting one’s movements to the environment. Skills such as jumping and climbing, or the more specific parkour moves are employed.

Here’s a video of parkour stunts so you have an idea of what I CAN’T do. Haha.

Close to midnight – Blowing of birthday cake and more photos

We got these birthday candles from Hong Kong. When lit, each candle emits a different color.

See.. how nice right. I really didnt want to blow them...

... but I eventually did as I wanted to taste the cake.

Made of fresh ingredients (including the cream), really yummy

Also had a lunch celebration with Karl and Julu the next day over at Melt. (Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Singapore 5 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039797 Tel : +65 6338 0066). It’s awesome to enjoy buffet over countless laughs and sumptuous food. Great to have caught up with them.

With Julu and Karl

Thanks to those who remembered to greet me personally or via mobile/email/Facebook. It was truly an awesome 30-something birthday weekend!

Hong Kong

June 1, 2010 — 4 Comments

My “renewed” relationship with Hong Kong in terms of shopping started 3 years ago. I have been visiting yearly since then.

Going to Hong Kong means filling up my luggage with H&M stuff, my most favorite brand. Zara, Pull & Bear, Esprit being the runners up.

Here’s a photo from my very first trip to the H&M store in HK in 2007.

May 2007

At almost the same spot during my recent trip there…

May 2010, minus the yawning lady in the background

Have I aged so much that the guy in the 2007 photo looks like my son?? Oh well. I guess with age comes a higher level of maturity to control impulse shopping and improved fashion sense. My hair is parted on the other side too. :p

Anyway, this 2010 HK trip is not just for my own shopping satisfaction but that of my sister’s who has not seen this beautiful city since 1988. Back then, she always wanted to be carried around by my parents as she could not survive walking along what used to be called Ocean Terminal in Kowloon. No wonder she hardly had any recollection of that trip.

She’s all grown up now and ready to spend more than I could ever imagine! At 20+ yrs old, no one in our family could carry her anymore without risk of serious injury… ha

Welcome back to Hong Kong!

When I was booking the flight, I made sure to choose the Singapore Airlines aircraft that had the new Economy seats. Some years back, Singapore Airlines introduced a new layout for Business Class and improved Economy seats. This aircraft has the same look and feel as the A380 but single deck only. A few photos of the Economy seats I am talking about.

Larger display, better looking remote control, and improved interactive menu

We arrived in HK slightly after noon and it was shopping and sightseeing for 3.5 days.

Hotel lobby of Jia Hotel in Causeway Bay (been staying here for the past few visits)

Cozy bedroom. One new gadget this time around is the iPod player/speaker near the TV.

HK MTR stations are characterized by numerous exits, 2-3 levels of escalators, and thousands of people. This one is like 10x the size of Dhoby Ghaut MRT station in Singapore

The tram that took us to The Peak

Sky was not clear but still happy with the view from above

Near the Madame Tussauds entrance getting intimate with Bruce. We decided not to go into the wax museum due to lack of time.

With Ron and William

Langham Place (mall) in Mongkok. I braved 13 levels and had quite a few good purchases. (Nearest MTR: Mongkok)

Citygate outlet shopping (Nearest MTR: Tung Chung)

More shopping, this time in Kowloon island, near Harbour City (Nearest MTR: Tsim Tsa Tsui)

Before we packed our stuff into 3 suitcases, we checked out the shops near Times Square (Nearest MTR: Causeway Bay)

Final day (morning) spent on a bus tour of south HK island. Passed through Repulse Bay on our way to Stanley Market. Awesome residential properties with stunning view of the bay.

Area surrounding Stanley market

Grabbed lunch at agnes b restaurant in IFC mall

We didn't need to request an additional chair for our bags and jackets as they had a low bench for them.

Spent more than expected but no regrets. I'll go back in 2011. Need to check out New Territories, have a round of drinks in a bar overlooking the city, take the cable car at Lantau Island, ride the ferry to the other island, bargain at day/night markets, eat good dimsum

Special thanks to Steph Ho, Kristy Teng, Vincent Ang, and MJ Kuok for the shopping / bar hopping tips.

And speaking of MJ, check out his latest single “Once Twice 3″.

Support talented musicians like him by purchasing his music from iTunes (search “mj kuok”) or from www.mjkuok.com (Click Shop Online).

Manila Visit (After 18 months)

May 3, 2010 — 2 Comments

It’s been ages since I visited Manila and I must admit I kinda miss the traffic, malls, food, and my relatives/friends.

The main reason why I booked a trip back was to attend Jak and Jolina’s wedding. It was a lovely celebration over at Fernbrook Gardens in the south. Congratulations and best wishes, Jak & Jolina!

Fernbrook Gardens

Before the wedding march : With Tita Wena, Shep Tanya, and Francis (Photo courtesy of Francis Miranda)

With Bernz and Pauline (Photo courtesy of Bernz B Gonzales)

With Bernz and Carlo (Photo courtesy of Bernz B Gonzales)

Jolina walking down the aisle. Awwww

Jak & Jolina's first dance

The rest of my visit was spent shopping around, eating (especially food I truly miss), catching up with relatives and friends. Here are some photos.

Dinner with Christine, Chi-Chi...

... Raymond, Meno, and Dean

Catch up with Rich at Serendra

Lunch with Nora, Tita Annette, and Seth

Serendra & Bonifacio High Street

As the Philippine national elections were happening shortly, lots of establishments were encouraging people to vote. Krispy Kreme was one of them. I was attracted to the "O" in "Vote" hehe

My sister also visited Manila during that time. She was reunited with her "taho" (soybean with syrup and sago pearls) after many years. Photo taken at Powerplant Mall in Makati.

Greenbelt 5 now fully open. Houses a lot of mid-price and premium brands.

The Jeepney, the most common form of public transportation in the Philippines. I have not ridden it for many years.

Klapsons – New Boutique in Singapore

April 10, 2010 — 2 Comments

(This is not a paid advertisement — not even a meal voucher)

I checked out Klapsons, one of the newest boutique hotels in Singapore. I always see it on the way back home and was intrigued how it looked like.

There’s a restaurant on the ground floor called Lucas which serves contemporary European cuisine (at least that’s what I have been told when I made a booking for lunch).

I tried the lobster risotto which was really good.

This is really yummy that I feel hungry again just blogging about it.

After lunch, my sister and I asked one of the reception staff to show us one of the rooms available for viewing. They have about 17 rooms, each with its own design and concept.

There’s a standard set up though for the shower — it’s a transparent cylinder type of shower area just a few steps away from the bed. So if you plan to stay there with someone whom you are not so comfortable with seeing you sing while in the shower in full glory, book somewhere else! Otherwise, next thing you know, you are a You Tube star.

Sorry I didn’t take a photo of the shower area but guess you have an idea already right.

More photos:

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Btw, even their rest room labels are quite creative. Take your pick.

Klapsons

15 Hoe Chiang Road
089316
Singapore

Website: http://www.designhotels.com/hotels/asiapacific/singapore/singapore/klapsons

Who Says Singapore is Boring?

April 3, 2010

My weekend activities this month have either been food adventures or artsy events. Here’s a glimpse.

1) Why I could not hit my target weight by end March

Lemon Cake from The Cookie Museum (8 Raffles Avenue, Esplanade Mall, #01-02/04 Singapore 039802 Ph: +65 63331965)

Korean BBQ (Hansang Korean Family Restaurant in Holland Village)

Marinated beef tenderloin strips, fried rice & fried egg from Tapa King (Lau Pa Sat)

Try Tapa Queen (sweet/spicy)

Lunch Buffet at Starz Restaurant (Hard Rock hotel, Resorts World)

Breaded pork cutlet (Tonkichi, Orchard Central)

2) Artsy

Emerge 2010 (Zirca)

Annual concert organised by NUS CAC Voices. Saw the performance of a few members several months ago along Orchard and sought info on upcoming shows. The show lasted for 3 hours and involved more than predominantly Mandopop performances. Amateur talent with lots of potential.

Asian Civilisation Museum

Mark visited Singapore for the first time so brought him to one of the best museums I’ve ever been to. You need at least 2 hrs to do justice to this place.

Here's Mark trying one of the turbans for this photo

Several hours later... Post-dinner drinks at Brotzeit Vivo City.

To Kill a Mockingbird

I read the novel in secondary school so when I learned about the production, I did not think twice about booking tickets for me and my sister. Brilliant script, highly engaging, creative treatment.