Face Off

Women have a lot to thank where make-up is concerned. I always see women in town with make-up. I've got nothing against make-up. In fact, a little make-up is good. As a rule of thumb, make-up, by right, is meant to highlight facial features, not so much to cover flaws. Unfortunately, some women use so much make-up on their face that when all is stripped away, she looks like a totally different person. (Hmm...in some cases, it might just be a better idea to have all those layers on the face ...heh!)

Truth is, with make-up, all women can look like celebs in their own right, plus that extra help from air brush, Photoshop, etc.

The lovely Gwyneth Paltrow. Actually, she doesn't look that bad in the picture without make-up (left), especially when she's smiling. I've seen worse pictures of her in her unglam moments in Hello & OK! magazines (I miss these mags soooo much!!) The picture on the right is a nicely made-up Gwyneth, with her hair nicely pulled back into a bun. Frankly speaking, I probably wouldn't recognise her from the picture on the left.


Ahhh!! Cameron Diaz. The former LA Gear model who found her way to the lights of Hollywood in the film The Mask (starring Jim Carrey) is every guy's dream surf babe. Remember her in the white bikini in Charlie's Angels? You see what make-up & lighting has done for her, the transformation from picture on the left to the picture on the right. Apparently, she has pretty bad skin.


Oh my goodness!! You see what I mean?!! No one would know that the woman in the picture on the left is Pam Anderson. That's how the Baywatch star looks like when she wakes up in the mornings. And to think that world's most handsome male model Marcus Schenkenburg & her were engaged before. Perhaps this is the reason why the engagement got called off :p But really...WOW!! What a difference!! If I ever saw her looking like the picture on the left in the supermarket, I wouldn't know or think that it's Pam Anderson.


Really, what would women do without make-up? So you see, anyone of us, people like you & me can become a celeb. At the end of the day, it's back to the same expectation, that women are supposed to look good. Why else do you think I'm blogging about this - looking less-than-perfect without make-up? :)

How to know if you are aunty-fied

I'm sure it's nothing to do with the age but simply because I'm just aunty-fied.

Kids The little ones start addressing me as 'aunty'.

Buy right buy left I know where to get household stuff (CHEAP!) & what products are useful for the house, like the dehumidifier for one. I can tell you right down to which brand is better and how much they are priced. I can even tell you the price difference right down to the cents.

Market on my mind I always have at the back of my mind, to make time to go to the supermarket. I'm constantly making a mental list of the things that I need to get.

Do-It-All-Fix-It-All I clean the toilet. I clean the floors. I do the laundry. I change the fused lightbulb. I fix the leaky tap. I fix my meals.

The ultimate tell-tale sign: "Eh, I think you are super aunty!"

Pervs in Boogie Wonderland

My, oh my! I can't imagine I used to party & drink that much while in Uni that when I did a repeat of that some nights ago, I woke up the next day with a massive hang-over (OK, I slept only 3 hours because I had to wake up to get some work done & attend a meeting..how I survived, I don't know).

I must say that there really is a lot of fun in that, although I admit that I *might* be a little matured (AHEM!) for that. Oh, but not the hang-over bit though. I went out drinking & clubbing in my most unglam outfit because it was totally unplanned since I only planned to go shopping. That's besides the point but in that one night, within those few hours, I (1) re-lived fun, crazy dancing (2) recalled & put to use survival skills.

(1) Fun crazy dancing
Cheesy music & more cheesy music! It's really fun to sing & dance to cheesy music. Most of the time, the usual cheesy music gets its tempo up so that makes it - sing & dance. They didn't play Tiffany's I Think We're Alone Now at Mambo, which was a shame because that used to be SOOO popular back in Uni that everyone would just sing to it (yes, embarrassing, I know). Instead, they were playing Love In The First Degree by Bananarama, classic ones like YMCA & wey-hey, watching & trying to move like the people on the platform do synchronised dancing is so much fun. Aahhhh..and I impressed & drove my friends nuts by 'action-ing' to Bizarre Love Triangle & Don't Blame It On The Boogie. ("She's crrraaaaazzzzyyyy!!!!!", "You're crrrraaaazzzyyyy!!!") Call me a nutter or whatever but that gave me more energy to get on with the 'action-ing'.

That aside, I really am so glad that I re-lived that.

(2) Survival skills
Survival skills at clubs are SOOO important. It's not so much about avoiding being treaded on while dancing or whatever but it's more like surviving the rest of the other people there who are equally or more crazy & the perverts!

(i) Crazy other people
They are fine. They are just there to have fun & dance also. The most important thing when a treading incident takes place, show some grace & let it go. Unless there is SOOO much space (enough to conduct yoga lessons for 10) & the bugger insists on treading, then perhaps, be assertive. Sometimes people are just too drunk & oblivious to their surroundings, you know?

(ii) Perverts!
My pet peeve! These pervs stop at nothing. I had the strangest pick-up line ever. These 2 pervs were standing behind me at the bar counter & when I was about to go off with the 2 jugs, they went "Oh wow! Are you sure you can finish all that?" What was I suppose to say? "Oh no, I'm waiting for someone like you to share this with me?" (giggle giggle)

Nonetheless, I've noticed a few types of pervs that lurk around in clubs. The ones I mentioned above are one kind. Let's take a look at them..

Octopus-sy These are the types that have more than a pair of arms & hands. Suddenly, they get their hands everywhere.

Solution
1. This is where the elbow comes in. Since dancing involves movement of arms, that's where elbow power takes over & give the perv a jab with the elbow. It won't seem deliberate because you are supposed to be dancing. Remember, elbow power!

2. Ahhh...I advocate heels. Yes, they might be a bit of a pain & discomfort, especially when it takes skill to dance & balance in them. Heels are a powerful weapon against pervs. No one dances without moving the feet so take the opportunity & step on the bugger's foot!

Handy Mobile Cellular These are the types that go around asking for names & contact numbers. For what, I don't know. I'm here to enjoy myself, not become a walking/dancing name card.

Solution It is one's right to politely refuse to give the name & contact where it's not on the agenda to be so 'generous' with such information. Otherwise, the tried & tested way is to cook up some name & a fake number. Be careful with the fake number thing because these pervs will call to check the number if it's real. Just pretend that the phone is in the cloak room/locker or whatever.

Eye power These are fairly harmless but their eyes can make one feel uncomfortable.

Solution Simple. I-G-N-O-R-E.

I don't think I have that kind of time & energy to go boogie so much anymore. However, the fact remains that pervs are still going to be around anytime anywhere. Bottomline is this - always stay prepared to face one. Staying fit by going for Body Combat is a good way of doing so..tee hee!

Boogie Wonderland!

Dear Santa

Dear Santa (I know you don't exist but I'm saying this anyway)

It would be really nice if you could free some your elves to help me do some of the following chores.
Work
1. Finish SOWs (so I don't have to take them with me to New York)
2. Prepare lessons (I don't think I can avoid taking this to New York)
3. Settle current form class's paperwork - arrange personal files & report books in order
4. Clear/tidy up desk & shelf space (throw things away?)

Domestic
1. Pack up & clean room (Santa, I would actually like a makeover of my room. Something from Ikea, perhaps?)
2. Pack up & clean the rest of the house (Seriously, I think the house could do with a little makeover. It hasn't changed very much from the time we moved in.)
3. Get grasscutter to cut the grass (the garden looks like a jungle now)
4. Renew road tax
5. Renew car insurance
6. Clear fridge
7. Settle whatever bills that have to be cleared

You know, Santa, I wouldn't mind if you could put in some extra moolahs into my account to sort out all of the above. That would really free up some money for shopping in New York, unless you want to drop the items on my wishlist into my house, which I really wouldn't mind. Perhaps, I'll write you another letter to tell you my wishlist. You are such a darling, Santa, did anyone tell you that? ;)

Others
1. Pack for New York
2. Buy things Mum asked for (maybe you could get your elves to buy them & drop them off at her place. I don't think Rudolph would mind the cold in New York)
3. Write Christmas cards (make sure I give/send them to the people I've written the cards to)

I promise I would be a good girl (haven't I always been anyway? ;p) and I promise I will not make fun of your beard & belly. Instead, I will take you along with me to the gym to do some kick ass stuff like Body Combat & Body Pump so you'll look trim & fit for the next Christmas. I can also recommend you to a good barber to give you a new funky hair-do so kids will love you since you're going to be such a happening Santa :)

Thank you, Santa!! Be quick!!!

Milly Me


************************************************************************************
This is so no good. The last few nights were miserable because I wasn't sleeping well at all. As though tossing & turning in bed having work as last thoughts isn't bad enough, work haunts me even in my dreams. To top it off, I wake up suddenly at 5am (even though I set my alarm for 6.30am) with the circuits in the brain running around....work! It's bad! And I had the shock of my life when I woke up at 8am one day & thought that I was late for work, until some 10 seconds later that I realised that it's a Saturday.

I have about 2 weeks before I head off to New York but arrrrgghhhhh.....I haven't even done half the things I am supposed to do. Will I ever, ever get a time where I can totally switch off & not think of my responsibilities? :(

Yeah right! *snort*

Check this article out

'Saying 'I-do' in your mid-20s best for marriage: Survey'
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/179274/1/.html

Help me then!! I'm doomed!! Nowhere near marriage. Probably shouldn't even get married at all since I'm past my mid-20s. Afterall, the survery thinks that my marriage will be doomed since I'm going to get married in my 30s...MUWAHAHAHAHA!!!!! *snort*

Confessions on a Dancefloor

I bought it! The new album from Madonna 'Confessions on a Dancefloor'. Madge just never fails to disappoint. I love this one. It has a real disco feel to it. The first single off the album, Hung Up, is doing so well on the charts now. It's at number one on the Britsh charts and has been hanging on to the number one spot on Billboard's Hot Dance/Club Play Chart. Wooo hoooo!!! Way to go, Maddie!!

My favourite songs from the album...it's a difficult choice..let's see:
Track 1: Hung Up
Track 3: Sorry
Track 5: I Love New York (and she actually says "F off!" in the song. I wonder if the censorship board has deliberately cleaned it off or did she really go "F off!" Hmm..)
Track 8: Jump
Track 12: Like It Or Not

Madge is fantastic. I grew up with her, from the days where she had big hair tied up in a ribbon (think Desperately Seeking Susan), to her conical bra & long blonde ponytail (remember her Blonde Ambition Tour?) to the brunette in red robes in Ray of Light to Eva Peron in Evita, to mummy to Lourdes & Rocco & wife to Guy Richie (he's hot!)...at 47, she still ain't stopping.

So you see, this is one important lesson to learn from the Madge. In order to stay competitive & remain on the top, it is so important to reinvent & revamp. She moves with the times, she gets radical & does the most shocking things. I don't really care if she locks lips with Britney or with the Queen (now THAT would be something!), Madge never fails to get attention. It's that attention that gets her on top. Who would forget all the controversy she's caused but that's exactly what she gets - attention. It is no wonder this Queen of Pop has such great staying power. She hasn't faded into nothing. From a penniless dancer with big dreams, her career has spanned two decades, going into its third.

According to the Guiness Book of Records, she's the most successful female solo artist of all time, selling over 200million albums worldwide (and I bought 4 of them!). I can't think of any other female artist that has that kind of power Madge has, nor staying power, for that matter, in the ever-fickle music industry.

Just take a look at the many looks she has adopted over the years. She's a different person everytime. Today, she's Mama Madonna-Mrs Guy Ritchie, deep in the Kabbala faith & a piece of engineering, thanks to yoga. I don't think that Britney will ever reach Madge's level of phenomena despite them having locked lips before..heh! Afterall, it's kids who love Britney & her scandals but it's mature *ahem!* people like you who are reading this who know what a good thing is when you see one, like Madge, for one :)

And you know what, you don't need to be drunk to confess on the dancefloor that Madge is one hellavu power woman. That's because she really is the one & only - Madonna.

Up north

Here I am, with some noteworthy things & memories from the trip up north to the capital and host of 2 tall buildings. It was a good trip to see friends from Uni again. And if you must know, they were girls whom I used to hang out with for coffee, lectures, shopping, drinks & clubbing. So basically, they were the people who made life in uni come alive. I had a good time exploring the city on my own while they took time to do their own things first.

YPT & YC took me to this place called Yu Ai in Petaling Jaya. My gosh! It serves the yummiest seafood curry kway teow/noodles. I'll tell you why - huge fresh prawns, mussels, clams, squids. The soup/gravy is heaven!!! Ermmm..can someone please pass me something to wipe my drool..thanks! :p

Here's something interesting. Was in the car along Jln Alor, across BB Plaza when we saw this. Out of nowhere, among the really rundown & hideous apartments were a whole lot of inflatable lanterns hanging off the balcony. Mind you, they are not any lanterns but there were Power Rangers fighting with a dinosaur, Ninja Turtle versus Powerpuff Girl, a Power Ranger holding on to an inflatable Guiness bottle, Spiderman versus Power Ranger, Minnie Mouse beating up Power Ranger with a smile on her face. It's really hilarious!




Along the road we drove & turned ourselves into this spot where they sold absolutely delicious beeef ball noodles. I wasn't too particularly interested in the inerts of the cow but the beef balls were good. The noodle was laced in some unidentifiable sauce but it was really yummy. What really gave the entire meal the big bang was dessert. Oh my gosh!! I had the best dessert in my life ever - mango loh. For a mango-eating monster like myself, anything mango is good and this mango loh did not disappoint.

For you who have not had this before, let me tell you what this mango loh is all about. It's basically like ice kacang, except that instead of dodgy pink and green syrup over the shaved ice, it's sago & fresh mango puree. Hello, I said fresh mango puree, not mango syrup or mango juice but fresh mango puree. Why do you think I went mad? And to top it off, there are pieces of fresh mango around that mountain of yellow mango puree. It's pure heaven!! Given a choice between this & chocolate brownie/fudge cake, I'd gladly take this mango loh, anytime! Errmm..we also had wall band but I think we were all too eager to dig into it so no photos..heeps!!

Otherwise, you know what? I think KL is way more happening than Little Red Dot. The nightlife is way much better, except that there was a massive lack of cute guys around that Saturday night. Why? Because of a major football match - England vs Argentina. It's interesting that while I lament the lack of good-looking guys in the Little Red Dot, my friends think that the guys here look way much better than the guys in their own country. Their reason: the guys in the Little Red Dot have been put through NS & are therefore more fit & better built, while the guys in their own country are either too scrawny or just fat. Hmmm.. to me, there are only at most, no more than 20 good-looking guys in this world and they do not come from either the Little Red Dot or her neighbour up north.

And yes, besides being happening, we found on this stretch of clubs & bars, a row of power cars - 4 Ferraris (3 red, 1 blue), 1 blue Audi TT, a black Porsche & some SLKs. Even if I don't own them, it's nice to look good next to one of these beauties..hehe!

Anyway, back to the point - KL is way happening and I think I shall find myself up there more often instead of going by there once in 3 years..hur hur! How shameful. Really appreciated my friends' & their effort in meeting up despite being busy with their own schedules. Thanks YP & YC for driving around. Give Troy a big hug for me! :)

Flashbacks

I've been invigilating at the O Level exam & it's oooOoOoOoOoOoohhh so boring. I've never felt so useless while awake. All I do is stare although I'm supposed to be watching these kids but really, who would risk 3 years being barred from the exam because of cheating or something? So yeah, that's when the mind of mine starts to drift away...

Today, something that happened 19 years ago came flashing into my mind. I was 8 when my Mum made an outfit for me - a pyjamas to be exact. It wasn't the most exciting thing on the planet (especially when I learnt some years later from my aunts (Mum's sisters) that my Mum told them before she got married, that she would make lots & lots of clothes for her daughter next time. For the record, she's made a total of ..*ting* ONE outfit for me, which is this pyjamas I'm talking about :D).

Nonetheless, as an 8-year-old, fascinated with almost anything, I was so excited by it. It was 2 pieces of cloth sewn together, with holes for the head, arms & legs to come out. So imagine, I looked like a living square, with head, arms & legs. Ah-ha! Mum can claim copyright for Mil-Bob Square-pyjamas!

I remember being absolutely delighted by this pyjamas that I insisted on wearing it to sleep at family gathering at a bungalow my uncle booked because I wanted to show it off to all my relatives. All that came flashing to my mind was me 'floating' around in the pyjamas and calling out to all my aunts to take a look at my cool outfit :D I can't seem to recall what my Mum's reaction was though. But I do remember her telling me to change out of it otherwise I would not be allowed to sit on the swing or run around the open space with my cousins.

The next thing that came flashing across my mind was another incident that happened a couple of years before I was 8, perhaps when I was 5. Again, it's at a family gathering at the same bungalow but well, it was a few years earlier. My uncle brought along an inflatable boat because he wanted to go out fishing with my Dad, other uncle & my grandpa. When it wasn't in use, it was kept inflated, sitting either in the porch or in the living area. And guess who had to play 'Row row row your boat?' Mini Milly & brother.

It's nice to have such pleasant flashbacks. Maybe it's nice to not do anything for a while & let happy things fill the mind :)

Please explain the following

1. Ladies with make-up in the gym. Aren't they supposed to be sweating it all out? Just because make-up come in waterproof versions these days mean that they can doll up & sweat it out? I can't imagine the clogged pores & amount of grime & dirt stuck on the face. Eeeeekss!

2. SPG
(i) They are less than good-looking. So why are they so attractive to the Caucasian men?
(ii) Their accent.
Overheard at the gym:
"Oh my god! You've been heRe feR 2 yeaRs but you have not been to the Night SafaRi?" (note the 'R'. This SPG used the pseudo American accent. Everything sounded so Singlish until the 'R') She turns around when tapped and she said to that friend (who obviously isn't Caucasian) "Aiyoo!! Faster lah! Class going to start liao.."

I need answers.

Where..where..tell me where?!!

Met up with Elaine & some chaps from uni since she's down in town. Apart from eating, we delved into our usual fav uni past time - drinks at a watering hole! We had Jap food (hurray..so interesting!) & headed to Brewerkz for pre-clubbing drinks. Had wine & I tried, for the first time, this ale that infused strawberries & some other berry into it. Very light & sweet! Considering I'm not a beer person, it really isn't that bad at all.

We headed off to a club in MS. The music was pretty good & the shots were cheap ($3! Woo hoo!) I'm so proud of myself because I controlled my alcohol intake because I'm driving and also, I refuse to consume empty liquid calories :)

While on the dancefloor, Elaine commented the lack of good-looking blokes in this Little Red Dot. See, see!!! Even someone from out of the Little Red Dot also says the same thing. Where.. where..tell me where..where are the good-looking men?! If the men go out to look for eye candy, surely females are entitled to that too but what eye candy?! I'm not even asking for a Takeshi Kaneshiro look-alike or some Jason Lewis model face but just one pleasing-to-the-eye chap was nowhere in sight. Even those chaps Elaine labelled as 'cute' looked like they were still in uni or NS (OK, it's probably age playing the catch-up game).

Elaine did mention that girls in the Little Red Dot look better than those back home but I beg to differ. Or is it because I've been here for too long that I've become 'immune' to how the girls look here. That's besides the question. The big question we asked ourselves was this - are there really no good-looking men on the face of this side of the planet? Poor us. The place was full of men but good-looking men, none. Where have they gone to? Or is it because we have set our standards too high?

Are we being superficial? Well, according to anthropologists, psychologists & other social scientists, studies have suggested that physically attractive species naturally more well-received in society, such as better job/career prospects, earn more money & more choices in the playing field of relationships. Hmmm...Brad Pitt is worth ????? millions of dollars because of his good looks. Oh, woe to those who look like Quasimodo for they shall remain in the bell tower and earn a pittance for the rest of their lives because they were born with less-than-desirable looks.

Gee..I really don't know. Maybe good-looking chaps do exist on this Little Red Dot but perhaps I walk around with my eyes closed or they are either married, gay or hung-up on their mothers. No wonder YP & me had this silly 'club' - WISOMWAMGOHOTM (Women In Search of Men who Aren't Married, Gay or Hung-up on Their Mothers).

Anyway, here's one hot hunk I haven't mentioned. Everyone - Olivier Martinez, Kylie Minogue's squeeze.

I shall end off with some of these great websites where YP & me had a drooly good time looking at the pictures:
Water, water everywhere - http://wetmen.provocateuse.com/
All Hands on Deck - http://handson.provocateuse.com/
How Spectacular! - http://spectacle.provocateuse.com/
Best of the Rest - http://bestof.provocateuse.com/

Things I want to do in NY

Days to New York: 33 days

Hurray!! I've got 33 days more before I get to see my parents again!! :) It will be so cool to look out at the skyline of New York City from the window at dinner or from the TV couch.

This was the view I got from my TV couch at 8.30pm on a summer evening

Of course, it will be about winter time when I'm there this time but NYC still will not freeze. In fact, so much comes to life then. All the post-Thanksgiving sales, pre & post-Christmas sales, tons of people in the City itself - it truly is the City that never sleeps. So what will I be doing?

1. Hanging out with my parents & brother Haven't seen them since June this year. Haven't been talking to them very much on the phone either because I have been a bad girl who's been doing work all the time or too tired. So I shall hang around them a lot to make up for lost time. It will be great to talk crap (read: gossip/catch-up on news about relatives & friends).

Dad will be at work most of the time so I'll see him at dinner & the rest of the evening. He's always watching 'Wheel of Fortune' at dinnertime so we'll probably sit there & guess the alphabets. Oh..the perfect excuse for leaving Mum in the kitchen - talk with Dad while she & my brother can prepare dinner. Afterall, I'll have more time with Mum in the day :P (yah, like be her personal porter after a trip to Chinatown or the supermarket. Thank God that the supermarket does a free delivery service for big purchases. No way am I going to carry another 20 pound frozen turkey for her again!)

'tis the time for my Mum to go mad when she sees her two grown-up kids behaving the way they did 20 years ago. Hehe!! I can't wait to do the Snowman & Dog Jingle Bell thing with my brother. It's hilarious! Otherwise, yes, we both will be of good service to Mum. At least we can hold clever conversations with Dad :)

2. Go to other cities Dad says he wants to go to Washington DC because the last time he went there with Mum, they didn't get to check out the museums ("Eh Girl..it's free one, you know?") . Point taken. Will certainly drop by the White House & Capitol Hill & pose by Abe Lincoln's statue. See, so touristy! Mum will surely make me drop by some Chinatown restaurant for lunch & then start to compare the size of Chinatowns in NYC & Washington DC & wherever. Her obsession.

Maybe I'll pop by Boston (Hey Elly!! No promises but I'll see how it goes!). No idea where else Mum would suggest. I bet she'll have this sudden idea to go somewhere because she'll say that she saw such-and-such a poster at Chinatown offering a return bus-ride to whatever city. (That's what she did the last time - I was sleeping when Dad came in to say that he's taken the day off to go to Boston..hurray! That was in June, by the way.)

3. Visit Museums I visited the Met Museum last year but it was really crowded because it was a rainy day so everyone had the same idea of visiting an indoor attraction. (WOW! How brilliant!) Moreover, some of the exhibits were undergoing a retrofit, like the costumes & musical instruments. So I will part with my US$12 just to visit those exhibits.

I'll probably heighten my awareness for art by dropping into the Guggenheim Museum and the MoMA. I was told by Ee Chin (she's an architect in NYC) to look out for the little galleries down in SoHo & Chelsea. Hmmm...that is if I'm game for it.

4. Ice skate in Central Park I refuse to queue up & pay US$22 to skate for 2 hours at Rockefeller Center with the whole of 5th Ave watch me fall. I'd rather make my way up to Central Park & pay US$10 to the Trump organisation & skate all I want. (Yah right! As though I would be able to last the day there). And I won't have 5th Avenue watching ungracious Milly Me on ice skates attempting to do a fakie on ice.

5. Watch a performance I have no idea what I want to watch on Broadway or off Broadway. Think I'll probably drag my parents to watch Stomp! and/or Rent. It will be nice to watch a classical concert though. Was hoping to catch Joshua Bell but I think he's on tour to Europe or something. And I'm so annoyed that I'll miss U2 although they have had dates in NYC in Aug, Sept, Oct & Nov. (Yah..beat that! My Dad called to say "Eh Girl..U2 got concert you know?" Thanks, Pa!) Would love to watch Depeche Mode with my brother but he's not going to be in NY until a week after the concert. Dave Matthews Band will also be performing at Madison Square Garden but I don't think that Boy is interested. He totally didn't even want to listen to my suggestion of watching Gwen Stefani. OK, maybe I'll try getting tickets to Jay Leno or David Letterman??

6. Shop Excuse me, this is something I will not leave out. I'm probably going to max out my credit this time round, considering the fact that I'm thinking of investing in a pair or two of really good solid designer shoes. (They are supposed to last me 10 years..long-term investment) I'll probably be following Mum around since she knows where the nooks & corners for good buys are. You can be sure that I'll never miss Macy's & Bloomingdales out. I love checking these places out without buying anything. Macy's good for all the munchie corners but tad too complicated because it's too huge a store, while Bloomies seems easier to navigate though there are less munchie corners in there.

I'll definitely check out Gap, Old Navy, Victoria's Secret, Forever 21 (well, at least I get to look at more stuff inside 4 storeys), H&M, Niketown, blah blah blah. The good, cheapo corners can be found anywhere, actually. Mum & me always go to the one at Grand Central Station (it's along Vanderbilt Ave) plus Conway. As usual, the hope for good post-Christmas buys :)

7. Eat How can I forget this - eating bagels with cheese spread and coffee! Au bon pain is good but a bit too pricy. Otherwise, it's a good place to sit in to enjoy that without being in the cold. Can't wait to savour Mum's cooking too! I'm thankful for the fact that Dad gets meal allowances, which includes buying stuff from the supermarket so hurray, I shall just pick stuff from the shelf, like my tubs of Ben & Jerry (they have the yoghurt version of Cherry Garcia & Chocolate Fudge Brownie...tastes just as good!) & bottles of Snapple, plus tubs of yoghurt. There's this little corner in the living area where Dad stores up all his munchies so I'm not worried. I'll probably try out one of the eateries in the Dining Level in Grand Central Station & have Mum yell in my ear for splurging US$10 on a sandwich.

Actually, my brother & me discovered some nice eating places along Broadway on Upper Manhattan towards Harlem. We had a real yummy set lunch for 2 at a total of US$15 (with tax + tip). Mum's probably going to overdo it by dragging me to Chinatown to eat mee pok because that's what she did - I had to endure walking with her & Boy from Battery Park to Chinatown (she can't navigate for nuts!), hungry, thirsty & tired...all for what? Her bowl of mee pok! That's because she hasn't had a decent bowl of mee pok since Chinese New Year & my brother hasn't had that in...a year. Forgiven, Mum :)

8. Help friends get stuff These are things I'll do as I walk around, like getting a Vera Wang catalogue for Gabby, shop for make-up (only because it's cheaper, like Clinique is), get stupid t-shirts for Gabriel (OK, I promised him a NYPD tee...hehe!! Beef up, Gabriel! Run everyday from Tiong Bahru to Orchard!). I'll be looking out for nice, cheap but good bags or whatever accessories.

9. Watch trashy & informative shows on TV Mum & me had a good time watching Jerry Springer-like shows. Scandalous & more scandalous! I forced my parents to watch the Spongebob Squarepants cartoon with me. Dad just walked away to watch news on the other TV while Mum thought it was cute for 2 minutes until it occurred to her that Patrick's a starfish, a pink one, mind you. My favourite channel is probably VH1 - all the garb & juice on celebs... I like! Otherwise, I'll have my eyes glued on National Geographic, Discovery History, etc while eating my breakfast. I hope I do not get rude shocks when I turn on the TV in the middle of the night due to jet lag & find some porn going on. I think I'll just bring my laptop down to the lobby to surf the Net.

10. Chill out Hey man! That's what a holiday is for. I'll be happy to just take a book, a coffee & my bagel & sit on a bench in Central Park (when it's not raining, of course!) or by the little park next to the UN HQ (across the street only..can go in my PJs :p) which faces the East River. Otherwise, just sitting in Barnes & Noble with a coffee is good too. If I could, I'll probably bring the laptop along so I can put down my thoughts. If not, my little notebook will be good too.

So many things to do in the Big Apple! If I'm lucky, I'll spot a celeb or two. Tom Cruise in June was a bonus..heh! I should keep my eyes open & my camera will be useful. Otherwise, just being in New York to be with my family is more than enough for me.