(Working title) / La Marelle Cafe

My first brunch date of the year with the yogubabes on cny day 3.

(PS, i really miss cafe hopping but my schedules are eating me up. Can't wait for at least prelims to be over omg. Exams are truly the bane of my life ughhhhh)

& Fooooodddd is finally served ^^

Mediocre food (luv the curliest fries though) at really affordable low prices!

Walked over to La Marelle for desserts whoop whoop!

Super cute interior and their hazelnut chocolate cake is super dope *.*

(They'd pretty limited cakes selection that day mehz)

Can't wait to see the same bunch of people on 10th March for our trip whoop!

FYI: Updated my selling post!! Support yi xia hokay? Gum sia x

L E T . G O

"Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything or anyone that no longer serves you,

grows you or makes you happy"

Never liked the idea of being strangers with people who plays an important role in my life. And so, i've constantly try to keep everybody in my life, for as long as possible, despite being hurt all the time. I've a problem with letting people go. But recently, i've grown to know that it takes two to clap in any relationships (for my case, it's friendship). There's no point for me to continue investing my time and effort trying to maintain the relationship while all that the other party do is to sit on it and take everything for granted. 

"Sometimes, you have to give up on people, not because you don't care but because they don't."

I might not be the bestest or the most understanding or sensitive or angelic friend on earth but i really do try to give thanks, to appreciate, to go great lengths for people around me. I took initiative to do things not because i'm actually free to do it, but because i sincerely want to make the effort to show that i care. But it really hurts, knowing that at the end of the day, i'm probably the only one that bothers. To keep myself sane, i constantly tell myself to expect little or best, none at all.

"Sometimes you have to let people go because they are toxic to you. Let them go because they take and take and leave you empty. Let them go because in the ocean of life when all you're trying to do is to stay afloat, they are the anchor that's drowning you."

Recently, i've let an important friend slipped from my life and it wasn't easy. I've had many sleepless nights and even cried buckets (which probably isn't known by the other party) over the drift in our friendship. I'd so much unhappiness, hurt, disappointment and anger in me. Eventually after countless nights of debate i'd with myself, i thought leaving was probably the best decision. Basically i couldn't stand how i was just a sparetyre when a new group of probably more 'happening' friends entered her life, how i was always lied to (especially a couple which reflects that kind of competitiveness which i thought shouldn't exist between friends), how much she tried to be friends with my all my friends yet be secretive about hers, how much she tried to lead my life (ie buying almost all the exact same clothes i do, going almost all the places i went, taking almost the same kinds of photos i took) and how her words obviously doesn't coordinate with her actions.

"One of the happiest moments in life is when you find the courage to let go of what you can't change."

A couple of weeks ago, i chanced upon some articles on Facebook which relates pretty well to me. I thought i came across these articles at a pretty apt timing? It serves as a self-reminder as to why i choose to let go...

Article 1 - "10 Types of Friends You Shouldnt Feel Bad Dumping"

7. People who can’t be happy for you.

"The world offers MORE THAN ENOUGH sources of judgment (hello and welcome to the internet) and the people you keep close to you should be your respite. Your friends are meant to be your champions, genuinely and reliably, so if the congratulatory messages you’re receiving are laced with resentment (“You’re so lucky to work in an industry that promotes people so quickly!”) or negated by subtle insults (“Oh, is that a good grad program? Huh.”) it’s time to question just how invested that person is in your happiness. And they should be super invested! Because the cool things about friends is that their happiness is also yours, and vice versa."

Article 2 - "7 Types Of Friends You Need To Reject From Your Life"

2. People who treat you differently from how they treat their other friends.

"When they see you, they greet you without a smile, they aren’t so eager to start a conversation with you, and basically treat you like they have no time for you. But when they see their other friends, they become completely different and become the friendliest person ever."

3. People who do not know how to be thankful.

"You do something nice for them and they do not thank you for it. They treat it as if you have done something that you would have obviously done and do not appreciate your generosity."

4. People who do not give back.

"People who do not know how to be thankful usually do not give back either. You remember their birthdays and get them gifts, but when it’s your birthday, all you get is “oh it’s your birthday? Happy Birthday.”"

// Updates //

Our usual dinner place since secondary school days to welcome Yilin back. Our kind of 'reunion' dinner at Two Chefs. Subsequently, we met up a week after at Standing Sushi Bar for Yilin's (really belated) birthday. Dragged the girls to satisfy my cravings for rochor beancurd and eggtarts *.*

Nam Nam Noodle Bar & shopping with Jinghui after our sunday make up class. Swear i hate going back to school for make up classes on weekends just because public holidays affect our normal class ugh. 

Chomp chomp w the leong besties. All the calories in our 7-course meal *slurpz*

Chu xi reunion dinner with the famz.

Diy-ed my cny nails which coincidentally looks like the pepsi logo :<
CNY Day 1 outfit / Angpowz ^^
Yearly movie affair w the family. Caught The Lion Men (but why got part 2 mehz)

***

Haven't been going out lately (ever since the year started actually) because it's the busiest time of the year again. With prelims just around the corner, i actually feel 'safer' being at home even though i'm not studying. Self denial at its best. Also, i've been really lazy and nua-ish to even step out of my house. Everyday, every moment i just want to sleep. Sleep is like a new drug to me?

Whatever it is, hope everyone is doing well in the new year!

If you're not, hang on!! *fighting*

Hongkong / Macau 2014 (Part III)

Day 4 of our trip!

Mido Cafe for breakfast. So glad that Mido is only a 2 minutes walk from our hotel whoop and super love the food and ambience. Mad love for the condensed milk toast, super nomz. Definitely one of the best meal we'd ^^

Off to do some shopping @ Mongkok!

Couldn't resist the street food so we bought curry fishball, bacon-wrapped sausage and egglets to share! Super goooooddddd.

Headed over to meet Sheryl for lunch at the Michelin Star Tim Ho Wan. We met some Singaporeans while waiting in queue and they told us that they preferred Sg's over this. & after having the meal, i honestly think that the standard is the same so do just settle with the one over in Singapore. Nothing much to rave about....just that i still love the pork buns all the same.

Shopped along the streets and at Argyle Centre. So many pretty (and cheap) coats and knits i feel like buying all of them but not v appropriate for the hot weather in Singapore mehz :(  Anyway, super dope cold noodles at the basement of Argyle Centre! I dont even know how such simple noodles can taste so good!!!

Peixuan felt a little unwell so we went back to the hotel to let her rest. Met Sheryl for Hui Lau Shan after which and we roamed around aimlessly before parting.

Day 5 of our trip!

Breakfast @ Kam Wah Cafe which is super good. They had one of the friendlier teahouse staffs ever and yup, i think this is my favorite meal in hongkong!!! Love the eggtarts, po lo bao and the maggi (the soup base is super good).

& off we go to disneyland whoop ^^
Love the disney-themed train! Damn cutesy please!!!

The 4 main attractions of disneyland: Tomorrow Land, Fantasy Land, Adventure Land, ToyStory Land.

& here goes a series of photo spam ^^

 Mickey waffles for lunch! Too cute to be eaten hehe

Flights of Fantasy!!

& so... the damn act smart me didn't bring along a coat that day and i was trembling in the cold for 2-3 hours while waiting for the fireworks. We were pretty tired so we didn't want to walk around anymore + our cameras were almost out of batt + we wanted to save the last bar of our cameras for the fireworks.

We managed to stay till the end, spent a million years shopping for souvenirs and finally, ended the day with an empty stomach, empty wallet, empty camera battery life, empty portable charger and our dying phones.

Went back to the hotel to drop our stuffs, charge our batteries and eventually heading out for our extremely late dinner (supper) at 11+pm at Yi Dian Xin. All the famous dishes were oos so we settled for whatever that are still available on the menu. Everything was so gooooodddd, way better than Tim Ho Wan *slurpz* & so we promised ourselves to come back the following morning to try the recommended famous dishes! Super gooooodddd ^^

Day 6 (and our last day) of the trip!

The super duper smart me brought out my dslr without my camera battery inside (AGAIN) so i'd to make do with my iphone camera. Grabbed a cup of hot chocolate from Starbucks and off we go to The Peak.

Rushing to buy all the food that we want to bring back to Singapore for our families and friends.

1. Jean Paul Hevin (box of 5) macarons (which we bought on day 2 of our trip)

Prices are about sgd4 per piece.

2. Pierre Herme (box of 7) macarons

No photography was allowed in the shop so no photos of the super colorful macarons we saw on display. We were asked to choose the "hongkong" or "paris" landmarks boxes and since we were in hongkong, both of us chose the hongkong landmark boxes. Prices are about sgd4 per piece.

3. (Box of 8) Eggtarts from Taicheong Bakery.

Prices are approximately sgd1 per piece.

 4. (Box of 12) Portuguese Eggtarts from Lord Stow's Bakery.

My family loves these eggtarts to the bit (and so do i). Damn frigging good omg, i can have these everyday. Wished i bought more though!! One dozen is definitely not enough for a family of four haha. Prices are about sgd1 per piece.

Brought back some Wife Biscuits as well but i didn't have a picture of it. Not a fan of wife biscuits but i bought them from a famous shop anyway since my friend requested me to. So yes, i kinda spend all my money on fooooooddddd :<

Went back to the hotel to drop all these food barangs and also in an attempt to find my camera battery. The hotel staffs couldn't find my camera battery so i'd no choice but to purchase another battery in one of the camera shops along the street. Sucha waste of money because i managed to find it when i emptied my luggage upon returning home ugh. & we made a trip back to Argyle Centre to get my lost beanie which i just bought the day before. Sobz i'm super careless i know :(

& then it was back to One Dimsum for lunch to try their famous dishes which is indeed worthy of all the raves. Wayyyyyy better than Tim Ho Wan as i've mentioned above.

Was supposed to head to Lantau Island according to our itinerary but unfortunately, we were too late :( Cable car rides to Lantau were almost stopping and the (unfriendly) lady told us that the attractions at Lantau are already closed. Definitely going to be back for Lantau the next time i'm in Hongkong. & so, we explored Citygate instead (which got nothing much actually).

Went back to our hotel to pick up our luggages but how can we miss having Hui Lau Shan the last time! Wished i could tabao these for my dad who is a great fan of Mango!!

Oh and we tried taking photos at all the MTR stations we alighted at, so here's a collection ^^ I'm not quite sure if these are all the stations we went to but should be~~~

Anyway, we fought a tough battle going from our hotel to HKIA :( First, I lost my Octopus card (me and my carelessness, tsk). Second, we kind of overestimate the amount of money we left and in the end, we didn't have sufficient money to bring us to the airport. Third, there's no lift or escalators from the streets of Yau Ma Tei to the MTR so we had quite a difficult time dragging our barangs down 4 flights of stairs. Four, the wheels and zip of my luaggage just had to give way sobz. Amidst all these i'm glad we still managed to make it back to sunny Singapore!!!

& so, i'm including this part of "What i bought" as per requested. Didn't buy much because it's winter over in hongkong and they don't sell summer clothes that we can wear back here in sg. Really cheap Kate Spade Phone Pouch / Hello Kitty Photo Frame / 2 Coats / 2 Knit tops / 2 Knit Skirts / A beanie (which i bought twice because i lose it on my first buy sobz) / 1 Canvas Shoe / Reindeer Hat / Minnie Hairband (from Disneyland) / Photos for keepsake purposes & A whole bunch of souvenirs (mostly keychains) from Disneyland (I forgot to take a picture before distributing :<)

& as for fooddddd....

Like i've mentioned above - Taicheong Bakery Eggtarts / Lord Stow's Eggtarts / Pierre Herme Macarons / Jean Paul Hevin Macarons & Wife Biscuits (which i did not manage to take a photo of).

 ***

Breakdown of my expenses for the entire trip (Total expenses ~ $1.5k):

Air tickets - $200
Accomodation - $300
Tickets to disneyland - $70
Tickets to ocean park - $50
Other expenses - $900

So yeap, that pretty rounds up my entire 2014 6D6N Hongkong Macau trip with Peixuan. I'm really thankful to have PX along with me for these 6 days tolerating my PMS / complaints / rants etc. I can't express in words how much i appreciate her presence and how glad i am to have our friendship brought to a whole new level!

Meanwhile, can't wait for my upcoming trips - Batam in March, Perth in May and Sydney in June!!
*rubs hand in glee*