hong kong

late november is truly the best time to be here. the weather is perfect, reminds me of so cal - nice'n sunny, but cool and dry. it's festive everywhere because of christmas, plus, it's refreshing to have the christmas music play all over the place with merry christmas plastered everywhere, no political "happy holiday" correctness. just call it for what it is, CHRISTMAS people in case you missed it! and when it's Hannukah, happy Hannukah, ya know what I mean???

celebrating thanksgiving in hong kong was a bit weird. first time i ever had to work on thanksgiving, but you don't really think about it until you think about it. over the weekend, a bunch of us expats from the office got together and had turkey, ham, stuffing, etc so that was cool... but not the same. no thanksgiving football game to watch and well, the stuffing... was more like a mush, not to mention, i miss my mom's marshmallow sweet potatoes! speaking of food, the food in hong kong is AMAZING! so lucky to work in places that have really good food. tokyo by far has the best snacks, singapore has more of the exotics, and hong kong, just really good food period! plus the men are much better looking here, and taller too i might add.

it's been a while since i've blogged so i feel a bit rusty and not quite myself. been busy and lazy, hence the silence : (

there are days when i feel like the karate kid... wax on and off, paint the fence and sand the floor. i know what i'm doing will all amount to some greater purpose, but for now... i just don't see it.

first late nighter

heading out of the office at 7 pm on a friday night, i run into a coworker who invited me out for some drinks and dinner with her friends. sure, why not, i only had old rice waiting for me at home anyway. what i didn't anticipate was the all european audience. before long, i was sitting at a long table with a bunch of rather attractive europeans: 1 scotish, 1 german/scot (who looked like a younger version of pierce brosnan), 2 french/english, 1 english, 1 belgian and 5 aussies. all "locals" living and working in singapore. oh, then there was me and another american who empahically says, i'm not american, i'm a new yorker. enuf said. the thing about the europeans i find is that they are incredibly interesting and social, but can be incredibly arrogant. the german can come off a bit pompous and self rightious, while the french... well, are very french. the belgian was a bit aloof but i have to say, all in all, i found the evening delightful. at the end of the day or i should say at the end of a very long evening, despite the cultural idiosyncracies, i had a great time! it didn't hurt that the food and wine were equally interesting and enjoyable.

the shared cab ride home was a bit of an experience as well. there were three of us, the new yorker, scot, and me. the new yorker immediately started bossing the cabbie around - "left here, no, right there" - frustrated at his lack of efficiency to which she says "do you want me to drive???" also asking if he has been smoking a joint and that's why he is not paying attention, threatening to report him. this of course is all half serious and jest. after she is dropped off, the scot as if on queue, takes the baton and starts telling the cabbie what to do.

i am wiped by the time i hit the bed, but glad i said yes to my coworkers invitation to what has been the most interesting night in singapore thus far.

Every night I head out of work thinking "what do I want for dinner tonight?" usually in the same spot underground towards the subway. Somehow I find great delight in this nightly thought for many reasons: 1) I really like food, a lot a lot, 2) food options in singapore is great and cheap, 3) gives me something to think about and plan for the night. But above all, it makes me feel blessed, blessed that I have the luxury of thought and execution. Luxury and the freedom to eat virtually anything I want - except for a nice chile relleno (mexican food). However, this happy thought doesn't come without a price. As I think of how blessed I am, I can't help but think about the peeps I know on the skidrow, in kenya, uganda and peeps I don' know in parts of the world that go hungry at night. I have always known that the issue of poverty has never been about the lack of resources but the distribution of them. Few hoarding much. Not to oversimplify the problem but it's true. There is enough resources in the world for everyone to eat well. Take any country in africa as an example. Contrary to popular belief, most countries there are rich in natural resources and yet it is known for it poverty (among others issues). A lot has to do with corruption and again, inequality of wealth distribution. It may seem that I am secretly arguing for socialism. Maybe so if that is what it means. All I know is that it doesn't have to be this way. so I get lost in important thoughts like this often and I try not to just keep it there... just in my thoughts that is.

on a happier note, i have no midnight calls. my first night off this week and tomorrow is friday - oh joy, but then again... weekends are not what it use to be.

without an audience

the dust has finally settled for the most part and i am trying to find my groove. got back into working out (finally) and eating at home alot. this past weekend was a bit of a reality shock. lonely and alone, i found solace in a newly purchased korean drama ("one fine day"), hence the infatuation with Gong Yoo. saturaday came and went like a slug. sunday was a bit more productive (guilt is the great motivator for squandering saturday). i love to counter unproductive days with a productive one, it becomes a wash. besides, one has to contribute to GNP even if it means going to the market and doing laundry.

i find myself in my head more often these days as i have less of an escape, less distractions if you will. and in the process, beginning to discover quite a bit about myself. just when i thot i knew all there was to know about me at 37... voila! there is more. take away all the accountability, structure and distractions and you are left with... well, just yourself, no audience to please or play to. i once heard that you are who you are when no one is looking. that is where i find myself. take this blog for an example. it has an audience that it plays to. sure i'm honest in what i share, but believe me when i say that it isn't published without edits. now imagine a blog without an audience. it would look different. some expletives for those genuinely frustrating moments, intimate thoughts and longings for God or my deep cravings for profound friendships etc. this is a good thing. not that i want to get over critical and analytical nor live in my head all day long, but that i get to have this rare opportunity to discover who i am without an audience. how would my physical and spiritual discipline look? only time will tell. in a way i feel like i need to catch up with myself. i have let distractions, good and bad to keep me from facing me - it's been an easy out. my life driven by calendar, reacting to people and events. not that it hasn't all together been thoughtful or meaningful, but perhaps not as intentional as i would have liked. my pastor once said, don't let life happen to you, DO LIFE. perhaps that's where i finally find myself. but regardless of any given situation, the choice is still mine to make. maybe this time, i will choose differently.

Gong Yoo

my latest heart throb! starred in "coffee prince" (all-in, this is a must see) and "one fine day." i'm in love...

i miss driving

my 5 little cylinder subie that can climb any mountain and plow through any snow storm, but what i miss more is my m3. that car can ride, corner, hug the road like it was no one's business. i should have never let you go... : (

am i actually climatizing???

my body is mutating to adjust, i just know it! how is it possible that s'pore doesn't feel so hot and miserable anymore? walking back home tonight, i actually felt the cool air. was i merely imagining or was there really a cool, evening breeze? i just hope that my brain didn't melt in the heat and humidity to where it now finds solace in hallucination.

i stop by my oh so convenient 7-eleven, just below my condo where i now find myself doing most of my grocery shopping. forget ralphs, vons, trader joe's for that matter, i find virtually everything i need at my trusty 7-eleven. altho now adays, i only buy water, milk, juice and occasional beer. when i get desperate, i even buy eggs and bread there. yes, there is a legit market near by, but that requires carrying heavy bags across and down the street. perhaps that's why i remain cool, avoid heavy lifting and my usual fast walking pace.

after eating my overcooked rice, i relax to "the lake house," a pathetic attempt at a remake of "il mare," a FANTASTIC korean movie. i normally don't say that about korean productions but this was creative and artistic, but hollywoodtized, it becomes flat and loses all of its magic, its originality. i must admit, keanu reeves looked perty hot, but even he could not redeem the movie for me. by the way, what's up with men and their turtle neck sweaters? they look great!!! i don't know what it is, but men look FABULOUS in turtle necks. yes, keanu wore them well. but in general, i find this to be true. to this day, i remember the "turtle neck scene" in the first batman movie with michael keaton. of course, this doesn't help me in s'pore where the temperature never sets below 100 degrees. i exaggerate, it doesn't dip below 90. oh, and add 100% humidity and you will affectively wear a very wet turtle neck. so much for climatizing...

i just realized that my fridge is full of beverages and dietary supplements only. yes, dietary supplements that i brot back from LA, and lots of it. mainly protein shake type of powder. why?... no good answer that will truly satisfy except to say, it's quick and convenient. also ensure that i get enuf... protein? but don't worry, weekend is coming up and i get to make my favorite weekend breakfasts, french toast and scrambled eggs. but it doesn't stop there, i get to use maple syrup and salsa cuz let's face it, sometime you eat the food for the sauce. yes, i'm a sauce girl. for example, filet mignon is completely worthless without the bernaise sauce, like lucy without ricardo. but let's not take this too far...

i am clearly just rambling at this point so i will return to my exciting telecommunications book and desperately try to stay awake for my late night conference call.

back to the land of outdoor sauna

7 days in LA was just what i needed; monday night football and beer, friends at the grove eating nachos and huevos rancheros, tasty eats at k-town, my cutie niece (possibly the cutest in the world), skidrow buddies doing what they do best, friend's birthday in good ol' claremont and mom... lovingly nagging me to drink every health concoction in the world with perfectly sliced bite sized apples. and the FABULOUS so cal weather, daily reminding me that life happens best in the mid 70's.

but i'm back to s'pore where it has a life of its own - or rather, life on my own. i was acutely aware of this as i shuffled with the rush hour crowd on my way home. i heard a sound of laughter among a small group of youngsters behind me - clearly friends sharing a funny moment. it brings an odd smile over my face as i think of my friends back home - wondering what they are laughing about. i learn to quickly readjust to my environment; my pace slows down again to keep me from drowning in my sweat, i carry a hanky to wipe off the sweat, i keep an umbrella with me at all times for those capricious down pours, and i squeeze into the crowded subway just when you think that you'll get caught between the doors or have your face pressed against the clear, glass doors.

i come home to make rice and wonder how much water to put in. i can never remember how to get the water just right. inevitably it's under cooked or over cooked. in this case, under - too little water. nonetheless, i make do and relax in front of the magic box. nothing exciting on TV so i fall back on one of my dvd collection. bridget jones. renee zell...whatever is perfect as bridget, but let's face it, i watch it for colin firth, who arguably is one of the sexiest non sexy man i know on the big screen. i am in love all over again. the gym will have to wait yet again another day.

so i'm back on my blog (thanks for missing me mr. all-in). it was either to blog or to read. considering my reading material for the night - telecommunications, blog was a no brainer. the one thing i have to say about LA that i absolutely despise, loathe and abominate is people's obesession with the celebrity. "breaking news just in, brittany spears loses custody of her kids." are you serious??? don't they know that there's been another devestating pillage in darfur??? from that respect, i'd much prefer BBC here than Fox News there. but all in all, it's rather cool that i get to travel and experience both within 24 hours, oh and skip ahead an jump back in time while i'm at it. crossing the date line is truly a modern day time travel - stuff that orson welles stories are made of - but that's for another time and another blog. so stay tuned...

7Eleven

not only sells mocha flavored kitkats but you can also pay your utility bills there. no joke, just did it. you can also pay your bills in any (what's called) AXS stations in the subways. it's amazing how life can be convenient here. then there is the 5 day "express" dry cleaning. yes, i'll get over it. i think the county is trying to tell you, not to buy dry cleaning clothes. believe it or not, i am climatizing somewhat to this weather. on rare occasions, i actually enjoy it when its cooler of course. last night was one of those rare nights, sitting outside the restaurant, enjoying a nice indian dinner and the cool evening air, and dare i say dry air??? having said that, i am VERY much looking forward to going home to LA for a week. obviously it's not enuf time, but i'll take it! i'll even catch monday night football. what else.. salads, lots of good, california, fresh produce salads! mexican food ofcourse, and... christian assembly in eagle rock! but most of all... friends and my family, can't wait to see you!

and happy early birthday buh, can't wait to celebrate it with you!

friends

meeting people in singapore, s'pore, is quite easy. first of all, they are very friendly (can't say that for many asian races - or at least not outwardly friendly), secondly, they are easy going, and lastly, they are very good about introducing you to other people. so meeting new people haven't been much of a problem, people outside of work that is. there is friend of a friend, then friend of a friend of a friend, and so on. this weekend was filled with meeting new people. friday lunch, i ate with someone that was introduced to me by a friend. friday night, a small group of us went out for chili and pepper crabs, a very popular local dish. one woman was an anchor with ESPN Asia, the other a shiatsu masseuse who just opened her own place, a relationship manager with investment bank, so on and so forth. saturday afternoon a co-worker had an art show at her place. lots of expats showed up for the event, while pleasant, it was more of a shallow social setting. sunday was my usual church day, checked out yet another church and met more people. again, a small group of us went out for lunch. everyone i met from friday through sunday were really nice, however, the more new people i met, the more i longed for my old friends. people that knew me already. people that knew my history and knew what i like to eat. people that knew my idiosyncrasies and knew how to draw out the deeper things of my heart. perhaps i'm just getting tired of introducing myself and explaining why i'm here. for those of you familiar with "sex and the city," you'll recall one of the last episodes when carrie was in paris. life was new and exciting and in the midst of meeting new people and being alone, she would long for her brunch buddies, the ones you can count on to always be there. guess i had one of those moments...

the upside is, i am meeting alot of cool people and got to venture around little india, albeit on my own. it'll be great to see my friends soon. friends that i go to skid row with, friends on the skid row, friends from work, friends from college, friends that are just friends. friends that know me. friends that do not need an explanation as to who i am and why i'm there.

the matrix

there is my world, then there is "THE world," the one that is quite sobering, raw and perhaps more real than my own. i was actually going to blog about my dinner tonight, the one in which i made myself, one that i'm quite proud of - kimchee fried rice. but as i sat here, in my posh, air conditioned apartment ready to blog away about my trivial victories, a different reality shook me as i read an email from a missionary friend of mine from kenya of her recent trip to cambodia where she visited an old brothel that was recently converted into a rehab center. it's one of many where sex trades are made of young girls, many not even past their teens. the one that she visited is the one that was shown on dateline (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4038249/). the accounts that she shared of the girls that were saved from the brothels were worse than i could imagine. modern day slavery is very much alive and real today.

one child/woman in every minute is sold into slavery for 1) sex, 2) labor, and/or 3) child sacrifice (yes, still being practiced in various parts of the world today). i've heard this number translate into 5 jumbo jet loads of people a day. there is a global petition underway that will be presented at the united nations. if you want to have your voice heard, please take a few seconds to sign the petition on this website.. http://www.stopthetraffik.org/help/declaration.aspx

to learn more about other ways you can help thiseffort, check out... http://www.stopthetraffik.org/media/press061106.aspx

for more about oasis trust... http://www.oasistrust.org/

even the coffee you drink or the chocolate you eat maybe indirectly supporting illegal child labor/slavery(see what products are fairly traded).

in the movie matrix, you can take the blue pill and stay in your wonderland where espn is at your finger tips and security guard at your post (and yes, the steak that tastes real). or... you can take the red pill and have your eyes open to what morpheus calls the truth, nothing more - to the social injustices and the fact that you can enter in and make a a very real difference and live for something bigger than yourself (preachy? do forgive me).

only in singapore?

dehumidifer is quickly becoming a very important word in my vocabulary and an item in my closet and drawers that i cannot live without. in LA, i had a humidifier, it was to keep the air... well, humidified cuz it was so dang dry. hospitals use them. consequently, DE-humidifying anything was a foreign concept, but it makes total sense here where you can cut through the humidity with a knife. the problem isn't just sweating all the time, your clothes get moldy if not properly aired out, and well... dehumidified. i brought these packets from tokyo that does the trick, but of course, they have them here in boxes, called happy hippo. don't ask me why. what else about singapore... you have to turn the water heater on before taking showers. you can just leave them on all the time, but why when you can conserve energy. the problem is, when you're rushing in the morning and you forgot to turn it on, there is a waiting period involved. planning ahead becomes more important if you want to be energy conscious. safety locks are huge here, with all the electric sockets, dryers, etc. seeing as i've always been a safety girl, this works well for me. however, there are still some things i haven't been able to figure out about singapore. for example, the escalators are 1.5 times faster than the US, but the people walk slowly. this doesn't mean that you crash into people when the escalators throw you off, but it does leave you wondering what the point of the fast escalators are when people don't seem to be in a rush. on the other hand, it may be the heat and the humidity that slows people down (conserve energy if you will). i haven't caught on yet, so i still walk at my "new york" pace and arrive at my destination sweatier than everyone else (gross). another thing, their "express" cleaners take 5 days to dry clean your stuff. express in LA meant 24 hours or the same day service. perhaps the clothes are too hot to get dry as well. despite or perhaps because of these mysteries, i am growing quite fond of singapore. it may be that i'm still in a "honeymoon" phase, but it's beginning to feel more and more like home. sundays are my favorite days because i get to worship and fellowship with other believers. while i am still not settled in a "home" church and have found my community, i still look forward to my sundays, each time wondering, "could this be the one?"

btw, i finally opened a local account with citibank. it took less than 15 minutes. a follow up visit was required where i was finger printed/scanned. it's a new way of using my account called biometrics. no card required, simply scan my finger at a merchant and punch in my ID and the purchase is made. scary...

MRT

Gone are the days of cars for me. No more zipping in'n out of traffic on the 110 or racing down the 10 late nights. Shifting gears and making the most of my 5 speed subie is now replaced by the subway trains, what they call the MRTs here like the tube in London. In fact, I am blogging in the train on my way to a dinner appt. It has quickly become a big part of my life here like my car was in LA. It's quite communal, except no one speaks. Most are plugged into their ipods or nintendos. Some read, others sleep, but it's pretty clear that we are only sharing a ride, nothing more, nothing less. I am taking this green line to the very end. People get on and off, much like my own life's journey should I choose to get philosophical. I'm listening to jason mraz, wonder what other peeps are listening to. What are they thinking about? Fish head curry? That's what I had for lunch. Quite yummy. Two of my colleagues fought over the eye balls. Once they are pulled out of the sockets, they are quite large, the size of a chestnut. The fish head was exceptionally large. Perhaps a year from now, I will be fighting over the eye balls as well. : )

home sweet home...

it's good to be back in spore! and it's beginning to feel like home, even as i got off the plane, on my ride back to the apartment, it definitely had a different feel than when i landed 3 weeks ago. i made some spaghetti for myself (from one of the 5 jars of ragu sauce) and kicked it, watching one of my fave movies - "so i married an axe murderer," followed by one of my fave korean movies - "my sassy girl." the following day i slept in for the first time in a long time. thank goodness the church service was at 1 pm! went to a korean church with a local missionary. it was cool to have some fellowship, but i definitely need an english service. will be checking out many churches fer sure before i settle down. after church, went to ikea to look at some furniture to fill in the missing gaps. found nothing that i liked but managed to pick up a few things, like clothes hangers, dish dryer (is that what it's called?) and a lamp for the night stand.

my first official commute into work from my apartment was a bit of a drama. when it rains, it really pours here. so my 7 minute walk to the subway was a wet one. the rush hour traffic here is no joke - not as bad as tokyo, but you still cram into the train like a sardine. after you are pushed on and off, you are safe underground all the way into the office. but by the time you get in, you are already stressed and exhausted! all in all it was a good work day, but the 6, unpacked boxes from LA is glaring at me still. if i can just get past this final move...

p.s. did i mention how many electronic crap i fried already and fuse i blew in my apartment???

i miss God...

i have been so busy with work that i've neglected the one thing i truly need (i sound like what's his name from city slickers, but it's true). i really miss Him, and i have a feeling He misses me too. you may ask, why would the God of the universe miss me? doesn't He have better things to do than hang out with me and chat? i am convinced that the answer is a resounding no! so what am i doing talking about talking with God. see you all later!!!

night on a boat...

we celebrated in style! what appeared to be an old, japanese fishing boat turned out to be a full sushi bar, open bar and karaoke! we sailed around the tokyo harbor while eating amazing raw fish, tasty tempura, enjoying the beautiful night air and view and singing karaoke music! and what a fun crowd! there was plenty of dancing along with singing. did i happen to mention what an amazing team i have? they work hard and play hard. tokyo is a great city, quickly becoming one of my favorites. what can i say, the food ain't so bad either ; ) after working all weekend, this was an excellent way to celebrate a work well done!

in a few days i head "home" to spore. i find myself looking forward to it. i have eggs in the fridge i never got to and some frozen veggie dumplings back at the apartment. but never fear, great local eats are just a block away. everything is so expensive in tokyo, i also look forward to cheap cabs and food. but before i head back, gotta get more korean food and sushi in ; )

the upside to working weekends... oh, and i miss you!

you load up on a ton of junk food and feel most justified. between all the krispy kreme donuts and dominos pizza, it's almost as if you're back in college. one of our colleagues was nice enuf to que up in the only krispy kreme shop in tokyo for almost two hours to get us 4 dozen donuts! it just opened recently here so the novelty hasn't worn off. the next day, another colleague brought in beard papa cream puffs!! it's like i never left LA!! oh, then there is all the starbucks runs to keep you working into the late night. the other upside to working all weekend with your teammates is that you get to really bond. they see you without your makeup and walking around barefoot just to get comfortable. and of course, you just get plane silly after awhile. then there is music you get to blast while working to help keep the pace : ) jack johnson, jason mraz, jay chau, black eyed peas, u2, erasure, among other random selections. it's amazing how hard people work here, i am really blessed to work with such talented, hard working bunch! we get to celebrate tomorrow night for the successful completion of our project - that'll be blast!

maybe it's because i have been so busy, but i have not been as crazy home sick as i thought i would be. i miss people back home terribly, family and friends... but not LA itself, which is surprising. old town pas? nah... san fernando valley, NEGATIVE! downtown LA? can't say that i do. but i miss people, ALOT! to my family and friends reading this blog, I LOVE YOU!!! XOXOXO. i miss hanging out, praying, singing, biking, being silly and fun, sharing and doing life together. hope you are happy and well!!!

high tech toilettes

so you have been hearing me rave about the heated toilette seats, but what you may not realize is that they can do much, much more. now, a picture paints a thousand words, so there you have the picture. mind you, this is your toilette seat with BASIC functionality. the enhanced version is mind boggling. i dare not attempt explanation of some of its features, but let's just say that the button with the music notes is one that is most heavily used. it doesn't play beethoven, but what is does do is play a flushing sound to masks the bodily sound made from your #1 and/or #2's. this is most popular among the modest women of tokyo. this prevents the wastefulness of real flushing. now if they can only insert a button that sprays popouri scent into the air...

so why do i talk about toilette seats? 1) to give you a break from all my food talk and 2) cuz it's simply amazing. it gets me every time and it's already been many years since i've been exposed to it. makes me want to take one home with me back to the states every time...

while i just stated that you'd get a break from my food talk, i just can't let this blog entry go by without sharing a picture of a lovely plate of delicate beef slices that were used for shabu shabu! when dunked into a stewing broth, within seconds, you have a cooked meal that melts in your mouth like butta...

onigiri

my meals throughout the day really seem to reflect the east/west culture of tokyo. started off with starbucks iced coffee and sesame bagel (with mango cream cheese) for breakfast. for lunch, we were in a bit of a rush so we grabbed onigiri, rice balls (see pix) with a side dish (egg, meatball and fried chicken). for more on onigiri, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_balls. in this case, out of a big selection of onigiri, i got the tempura one and an "herb" one which simply meant little white anchovies, seaweed and sesames mixed in with the rice - really tasty! milano mint cookies throughout the day, then a quick grab at mcdonald's for dinner (shrimp burger or tandori pita?). a second dinner at a hawaiian burger joint, but had an avocado BLT. i must say, it was the best ABLT i've ever had! the bacon was of perfect thickness and crispiness, snuggled by leafy romain lettuce, juicy slice of tomato and a thick slice of onion, semi grilled. oh and how i've missed you avocado! why a second dinner? i don't mean to live a hobbit's life, but sometimes, a girl can really work up an appetite!

by the way, did you know that you can't eat on the street in tokyo??? people don't walk and eat out on the street. it's a big cultural no-no. this pained me a great deal. you also can't eat in the cab or any other public transportation for that matter (except for the bullet train perhaps?). i find this not only disturbing and unproductive, but highly inconvenient. i like being able to eat on my way to places, for example, drinking coffee while eating a muffin coming into work, or eating a street dog and drinking a soda running errands at lunch time (no street vendors on the street so you can forget the street dog). when you stop and look around and see that no one eats or drinks while walking on the street, it feels a bit like the twilight zone. in that respect, new york fits me like a glove. i can eat and drink anywhere. wait, i take that back, in tokyo, you CAN eat at the park, but it seems that there are unspoken rules about what public areas people can eat. i think perhaps the point is that eating is a ritual, it is meant to be relished in a relaxed manner. proper sitting down is required somehow. but who's got the time??? eating on the run may be very american thing. oh the cultural gaps... you don't realize how deeply "american" you are until you are faced with, well, just how "unamerican" other people are! it's not good, it's not bad... it's just different. i will learn to chew gum instead in tokyo and remember to toss it before i head back to singapore!

kimchee never tasted so good!

sorry to make this so much about food, but in asia, it comes with the territory! the great thing about tokyo is that they have excellent korean food. while S'pore has great asian food in general, surprisingly, it doesn't have good korean restaurants - weird, eh? anyhoo, went to this great korean place for dinner in tokyo that has an excellent view of the city. been here before and the food is FANTASTIC! the fatty kalbi just melts in your mouth, and the kimchee... never tasted so good! i would have taken pictures, but that would have been too obsessive ; )

coming back to tokyo felt strangely comforting. perhaps it's because it's more familiar and i have friends here. and did i mention the heated toilette seats??? by the way, the thing you have to remember about starbucks here is that large is not large, it's grande. if you want large, you have to explicitly say venti otherwise you get a grande. tully's is another big coffee chain here, but no coffeen bean. i miss the ice blended... frap is just not the same (neese would be proud of me).

one of my favorite things to do in tokyo is go to ginza, hit the basement of the department stores for free food samples (all really good!!!). then swing over to the apple store! sounds like a perfect plan for tomorrow night, unless i get derailed for a nice shabu shabu... : )

tokyo

made it to tokyo, after two movies and a nap on the plane ride. ocean's 13... man, that george clooney gets better with age! took economy on singapore air and the service was still outstanding! overall, i would recommend economy only if you are relatively on the smaller side. my knees were crushed most of the ride over.

tokyo is more hot and humid than singapore, as if that's possible! went out for dinner with a couple of colleagues. yummy japanese tapas! i'm too full to sleep. next two weeks will be all about tokyo. strangely, i miss my new apartment already, although, i LOVE the heated toilet seats in tokyo, even in the summer!

must be 7 am sunday in LA. my skidrow buddies must be getting ready to head downtown (miss you guys!). also miss worshipping w/friends at CA, grabbing lunch and hanging out afterwards. it's almost football season which means i will also miss rushing home from church to catch the afternoon games. (hope the broncos have a winning season!) wonder what people do in singapore after church service? rush home to watch soccer or cricket? perhaps they go out for kaya toast and kopi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaya_toast. will find out soon...

views from my apartment

the day view is from my balcony, and the night view is from my room. i'm on the 20th floor so i get a pretty nice view of the city. i feel very blessed...

my big move...

well, my second big move after my move to singapore. moved into my new apartment! the movers came at 9:30 in the morning and was out by 11:15 am! while that might not sound way impressive, it included unpacking, putting things in the right place and taking all the boxes out with all the packaging stuff! the most efficient "unmove" i have ever seen! what would have taken me weeks on my own was 70% accomplished already. while organization needed to be done, first thing was first, LUNCH! part of my shipment included TWO boxes of korean ramen. had my first meal, in my new apartment, and it was what my heart craved... my ultimate comfort food! hence the picture... : )

after a couple of hours of organizing, i had a snack attack. i made myself spaghetti. opened one of FIVE large jars of ragu sauce that was shipped. a couple of more hours pass and i had to venture out. went to the local mall for a walk and had a mos burger. got some grocery as well. $15 dollars for a pack of local beer??? well, 15 Singapore dollars, but still... by the way, the milk doesn't taste the same here. it's a bit sweet, and man, those tropicana orange juice is heck a expensive! so what was my first purchase? 6 eggs, small thing of milk and local orange juice, frozen korean veggie dumplings, a pack of tiger beer, and that was about it. mind you, i have to carry these things back, no more trunk full of groceries. not to mention, i was off to tokyo the next day, so no need to stock up.

TV delivery came that night, albeit 9 pm. so what was the first thing i watched on my new TV? when harry met sally. don't ask me why, it just felt comforting somehow. utter exhaustion set in, but i had to pack for tokyo. all this packing and unpacking is gettin old, but not much i can do... *sigh.* it was nice to sleep in my own bed even for one night. i slept really well...

my first dinner party

it was perfect, my first friday night in singapore and i had an invitation to a dinner party! yes, someone in the office took pity and invited me - yippee!!

for those of you keeping track... i didn't see the cute guy again at spinelli's, but then again, i was 30 minutes earlier (bad sonae!). oh, and i should also mention, the malaysian food here is amazing! my mom may get her wish afterall... i'll gain loads of weight. and if she is really lucky, i will gain weight AND find a husband!

back to the dinner party. it was very cool. the house was this ginormous, colonial place. great appetizers and perfectly smooth red wine. the host was bbq'ing korean ribs! what the...?!? his wife was korean. ahhh... that makes sense. needless to say, dinner was excellent! not only my first dinner party, but korean meal (sort of). met lots of cool peeps and had great convos. i would share more details, but it would be mostly about the food... : )

today i finally get to move into my new apartment - wish me luck! then i'm off to tokyo tomorrow. will try to keep blogging there!

cute man sighting!

had a lil' spring in my steps coming into work this morning. could it be that i had a good quiet time, or that i had a cute man sighting?!? yes, it finally happened, after 2 days, i saw a cute guy while waiting to get my coffee at spinelli's (just downstairs from my office). he appeared to be asian, not sure which ethnicity, but cute! i think he ordered coffee, muffin and a banana. he was my height with heels (yikes, possibly shorter) so not so great on the height, but he had a good body, face and a nice voice! the question is... does he love jesus? and how do i find out? do i sneeze and see if he blesses me??? (j/k) the moment passes and he is gone, but perhaps he will be back tomorrow morning....

i had a chance to make more of an observation coming into work - learning to soak things in a lil' bit more. i noticed that most women wear a cute dress or a skirt, very few wear slacks. soon, i maybe one of those women in a cute, swirly skirts and girly sandals. NOT. the walking pace was more my speed, although i still find myself walking past most. morning traffic can be quite challenging dodging people, but it helps to be a head taller to avoid a stampede. getting use to the clicking of women's sandles in certain parts of the underground when walking down a flight of stairs at one particular location. sometimes you can smell dry fish in the underground walkway as well (not the same location). oh the sights and sounds (and scent) of singapore...

btw, the pix above is the view from my temporary office, what's even better is that you can see my new apartment from here! see the marking in red circle??? the weather is much better today. good lunch always helps the day along... yes, all you can eat indian buffet! i even got a favorite bathroom stall in the office now. life is chugging right along...

first day in the office...

strange suspicion that i will have lots of "first" everything in singapore... : )

why is it that the only thing i can remember today was breakfast? cuz it was amazing! roti prata, my favorite. what is roti prata? check it out... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roti_prata. while i will miss trimana's breakfast burrito, this comes in as a nice replacement. the rest of the day was somewhat of a blur: people, meetings, emails, and coffee in between. lots of warm and friendly welcomes and greetings. new ip phone and flowers. it's raining and dreary outside. everyone is asking for a house warming party. guess the kitchen will get used afterall. this blog is becoming more of a stream of consciousness then a coherent journal : (

day two in singapore and it still hasn't sunk in. i am prepared to snap out of "this" and realize that it was a long dream, like alice in wonderland down a rabbit hole. i have no dinner plans tonight but late night conference calls. if i am still saying this 3 months from now, CALL ME and virtually slap me silly! "get a life or find a boy friend!"

my first REAL day in singapore

as oppose to my previous visits, this was for real, I HAVE MOVED, i am a resident! after 16+ hour flight from lax most of which i slept like a log, i felt quite refreshed when we landed at 5 am. my three luggages and two carry ons all made it safely. the cabby was not pleased with the volume of stuff i had - "why you have so many bags?" he complained. i protested, "it's not so many. i'll be here for three years so not bad, right?" he was still not impressed. the drive from the airport was less contentious, the streets were dark and peaceful. this was my new home... how very odd. the cabby talked about pretty korean actresses on TV. all plastic surgery i told him, but he didn't seem to care. i should have said they were all really men.

i check into the fullerton hotel and debate whether to hit the gym or not. sure, why not, got a long day ahead of me, might as well start early.

at 10 am, i went to my new apartment to do a walk through and get my keys. soooo empty. still can't believe i have a bomb shelter in my apartment IN the kitchen no less. the apartment manager just laughed as looked at him and said "what the heck!" i envisioned instead a lovely storage for my excellent wine collection. the collection comes much later, when i get wine, and hope that they are excellent. i signed what seem like an endless contracts of blah, blah, blah. goodness knows what i agreed to!

i decide to explore my new neighborhood and check out the stores nearby. luckily there is a mall across the street that has an underground grocery store and an MRT (subway, tube, trains...). it's a standard mall, good for emergencies, quick eats, yummy bread store, mos burger, mcdonald's and KFC. i go for the rice mos burger. this isn't so bad i think as i eat and look around to see other people. a group of high schoolers eating, a mother and son, pockets of people enjoying their lunch... the son looks over at me and wonders, why does she eat alone? i just smile back to let him know that it's ok.

i head down to the MRT station and try to figure out how to get to the office from here. three train stops away i was told. i was told correctly, it was perty easy to figure out. i was at the office stop in 7 minutes - not too shabby. i felt quite victorious actually, successful, independent, ready to conquer the world! afterall, i did make it from my apartment to my work place, didn't i???

what next? my bed is held up in customs, along with 30+ boxes and other junk. must get it out of hostage and into my lovely new place. i worry if the furniture will match the light wood, marble, porceline look of my apartment. i wonder if i'll ever use the oven. why do i have beige curtains? will i have nice, cute neighbors? ponder on them i must lest i crash from the jet lag.

almost 11 pm in los angeles... do i really not have a return flight home?