Puffyrazzi At Work

Ahhh...one of the rare pictures showing me at work. This was taken in September during the Suppliers' Day organised by Society of Cosmetic Scientists in Amara Hotel. Puffyrazzi works hard despite already having a booming 'Yong An' business around the world =P

Giza Pyramids

After lunch, we drove back to Cairo for an excursion to the most famous symbol of Egypt, the Giza pyramids! First, we stopped by at the Great Pyramid, the oldest and the largest among the three, built by the 4-th Dynasty king Khufu (2589-66BC).

We were allowed to scale it, but only to a certain height. As you can see, the rocks are already starting to lose their shapes, but from afar, the pyramids still look like a very smooth triangle.

From left to right : The Great Pyramid, the pyramid of Khafre and the pyramid of Menkaure, built as the burial tomb for three generations of the Egyptian king. The sun at the moment was so glaring and bright we couldn't open our eyes to see much, let alone look in the camera lens, so all photos were taken by estimation. Haaahaa... Although it was hot and sunny, it was dry and we didn't perspire as much as we expected.

We were offered a camel ride but i chickened out due to three reasons. 1) They were really high once mounted and has only a small handle to hold on to 2) They were awfully smelly ( like you cannot imagine!) 3) A particular camel was growling like an angry dog and he kinda scared me

The enigmatic Sphinx, which reminded me of Mona Lisa, don't ask me why. This unexpectedly small landmark seemed to be in place to guard the Pyramids. I was glad i had a chance to see the last remaining Seven Ancient Wonders of the World ( the Giza Pyramids)... :)

Saqqara & Memphis

First post about my trip to historical Egypt. We flew on a night flight and arrived in Cairo early morning. Our tour bus drove us from Cairo to Saqqara. This place is renowned for its step pyramids, the earliest in Egypt and were the prototypes for the later pyramids.

This is the pyramid of Djoser, which was under restoration when we visited. The weather in Cairo is cool in the morning, about 22 deg. The sands at Saqqara were soft and fine, pretty much like those you find at isolated beaches.

We could get in to the Pyramid of Teti for free at Saqqara. Despite being a small tomb, it is easy to navigate and we could see the inner passages intact. The carvings on the wall were still well preserved.

A stairs leading down to the burial chamber.

Late morning, we drove to the area called Memphis, which was the ancient capital of Lower Egypt. Currently at this site, they displayed various relics from ancient Egypt, including a Sphinx, a statue of Ramses II (right behind me in this picture) and other stone statues.

Also in this site is this colossal limestone statue of Ramses II. This statue is really huge and just look at the size comparing to the visitors around it. A very fine piece of mastery by the Ancient Egyptians.

Shih Tzu Can't Get Out

What's On My Dressing Table? (Part 5)

Lucidol has been a brand well-known for its hair product. I've once tried their hair wax and they are pretty good and long-lasting. I bought a new bottle of hair perm water from Watson's. It's all pink and pretty. However after a few uses, i don't think it works that well, honestly i don't see any difference in the conditions of my hair and the curls. I guess i'll move on to something else after i finish this bottle.

I got this Lancome Genefique Eye Concentrate on a sample size. Compared to its Genefique skin version, this one pales in comparison. Also, i don't see any immediate or long-term effects after using it for 1 month. Skip....

Ooh, Pretty from Elizabeth Arden. This floral and girly scent is all me! Some of my girlfriends do not like the scent, but others love it to bits. I think it brings out the feminine side of ladies.

HydraQuence Intensive Bi-Phase Serum by Clarins. Its soapy texture means that it stays on my face for a looooong time and leaves it oily and slippery to touch. This serum comes in bi-layer so shake well before use. Will not purchase this anymore. Kinda wondering why there are more negative comments on products on this post?

Amore Pacific day cream with SPF protection. My friend got this from out of Singapore. Amore Pacific is a well-known brand in Korea and the US ( quite a premium brand), but does not extend its market to other places. Their product range is quite reputable and feels good on the skin. Just a note, Amore Pacific is the parent company of Laneige and Etude House from Korea :)

Everytime my friend flies to the US, she'll get us tubes of Victoria's Secrets hand and body lotion. This time she got me one of the Strawberry and Champagne version. Previously she got me a Green Pear version which i used for years, it's a big tube! This product is very very oily and the fragrance is overpowering. This is sold in Singapore too but almost double the price.

Soup Broth Asia

Every year, in the month of November, Women's Weekly will gift its readers a stack worth of 1-for-1 meal vouchers. And we will all happily go and try some of the better deals.

Soup Broth Asia is a new outlet situated at Raffles City. This oriental soup place is the brainchild of the same people behind The Soup Spoon.

We placed our order at the counter, and sat down to wait. The orders came promptly, and it started with our drinks, Lemon Grass Nata de Coco. I love lemongrass taste and it'a quite a refreshing idea to put those tiny, chewy nata de coco into the drink.

I can't remember the name of the soups though. I think this is Fish & Vegetable soup. The soups are full of flavour and nutrients. First spoonful and we fell in love with it!

This is Fish Maw soup. The servings are so big you don't need any side orders. Another plus point is that they add pacific clams into all their soups, i love that~

One last photo before i dig in!

Mutts & Mittens

One of my friends, Elin, is a long-term volunteer at Mutts and Mittens. I joined her for one weekend at this place. This place is not a pet shop selling kittens and puppies, rather it is an animal shelter for stray animals, but they do offer adoption options and boarding as well.

Wow... a handsome cat sitting in one of the cat cages. They have so many compartments and each one fits several cats. These cats have huge cages to play in and elevated areas to jump around in.

Each dog gets an area space like this including a sunning area ( see behind the dog) . I think this is a Japanese Shiba, but i think they are typically brown? Perhaps this one has albino, but nevertheless, he looks good. And he was so overzealous when we went into his cage too!

There are a few Golden Retrievers there too and they are just so sweet-natured.

This particular one looks like a real naughty QQ, and he barks a lot too.

These air-conditioned cages are for animals meant for boarding. This magnificent Siamese cat was awake when i visited. Look! They have a small window to peep outside :)

This must be a loner cat in his own kingdom at home. He was staring at us without blinking ever since we walked into the room.

There is a small swimming pool at the end of this building for them to host birthday parties for doggies and the happy dogs will take a dip in the pool.

Best Entertainment '10

Now, what are the memorable entertainment that has kept me in suspense and in awe over the past year :

談情說案 was quite a good show. I've always been keen on HK dramas which stray away from the mainstream lifestyle kind of storyline. This particular one focuses on how the police solve cases with the aid of a Physics professor. Well, Raymond Lam could've done with less botox, though....haha...

掌上明珠 is one of the stupidest show ever, with its storyline which revolves around people eavesdropping on everyone and everything happens by chance. Even with its ludicrous fiction, it kept me gripped in my seat cos of its DRAMA! Gosh.... only HK dramas can getaway with it.... Love it~

下一站，幸福 is presented so beautifully, from the setting to the colours and the choice of actors. Its simple story touches your sensual side and weaves its way around your emotions. Vanness is so suave in this show.

Best movie of the year : Inception! With no close second...all other movies i watched were pretty much crap. Inception was complex, intricate and nerve-wrecking all in one. Haven't seen such a good movie since.... The Dark Knight.

Yeay.... Best TV show this year goes to Bones. I've only started watching to the 3rd season, but i can't help but love Dr Temperance Brennan. She's so cool but yet such a failure at being street-smart. Some very graphic scenes ( with all the decomposing body and stuff), but that's what makes it so real.

My favourite English song this year is Bad Romance by Lady GaGa.... i adore watching all her outrageous MVs. Have any of you seen her 'Paparazzi' music video? That's the most wicked of them all, in my opinion. Check it out on Youtube.



Favourite Chinese Song : 无言以对 by Jolin. I fell in love the moment i heard this song. One of her best songs to date. I also admire the sensual and captivating dance she danced along to this mid-tempo melody.

Matlock Opening Theme

Beautiful Angel (ia)

This is the nursery area for babies age 1 and below at the Bukit Panjang Covenant Evangelical Free Church. On the right of this room are large windows overlooking the church mass so that parents can join to listen in to the sermon while looking after their tiny tots.

Oh my Lord, who is this cute little angel? She is Angelia Quah Yurou.... the beautiful baby Yurou that we all adore so much~

She was all smiley and happy but it's not easy to get her to let you carry but after a while she was able to connect to Tze Ching and me. We all think it's because she's so used to hearing our laughter while in mummy's belly so it all came back to her immediately...heehee...

Mummy, Angelia and Ann Jie Jie....haha....the irony is that Yurou calls me jiejie even though i'm older than her mom....wakakakakak

Dajie, Erjie and An-An

Who are these three cuties? They are the three orphan sisters from the movie Despicable Me. I've been wanting to post this for some time. The three sisters in the movie were always together : the eldest gives instructions to the younger ones, she is skinny and wear glasses. The middle child always keeps her mouth pointed and mumbles without giving much of an opinion. She is also tomboyish. The youngest of the lot stares at everyone with her big brown eyes and most of the time is up to no good. Sounds familiar, eh sisters?

Olio Cafe

Olio cafe is actually under the same parent company as Dome Cafe. I just find it redundant why give it two names when both are serving coffee and food? Comparing between the two, i think Dome Cafe is much better.

And i hear you ask, why bother coming here then? This is the answer : 1-for-1 pastas!

We got one of those seats with the grandfather leather sofa. Once we settled it, we were so comfortable and didn't want to leave :)

Ahhh..then we found out they have a Tea Set Special in the afternoon where you pay $7.90 to get a cup of coffee/tea with a slice of cake. Not too bad lah, considered cheap for this kind of settings.

This is Crayfish and Crab Claw Sambal Penne - the gravy was plentiful and the crayfish was especially succulent. Overall, pretty tasty but slightly spicy for my tongue.

This is Seafood Marinara Fetuccini in tomato herb sauce. Haha... or as i call it Italian Ban Mian.... =P My verdict is that i don't think i'll go back to Olio Cafe anytime soon. The food is alright, but not fantastic, if i didn't have the food voucher, i wouldn't have bothered walking in.

What's On My Dressing Table? ( Part 4)

This is the new mass-market sunscreen lotion created by US company Mentholatum. I had to bring a strong sunscreen to Egypt and this new product was just launched. Check out the SPF130/PA+++! I think it's the first product to feature such a high Sun Protection Factor! Good point : It's not oily AT ALL, not surprising with the amount of silicone present in the ingredient list. I love how velvety it actually feels, i didn't like it at first, but after a few use, i must say i'm impressed. However, be reminded to shake it before use, or all the inorganic UV filters will be settled at the bottom, and you don't get optimum protection. Bad point : it's too fluid for my liking and when i apply it tends to drip before i could spread it out.

My Missha masks! You know, these Korean brands really come up with yummy-flavoured masks. This one comes with extracts like royal jelly, aloe vera, caviar, champagne etc. Putting these masks on are effortless and the packaging is attractive. I've bought the whole line to try out. However, i still prefer The Face Shop's and Skinfood's masks.

The Face Shop Sake Body Lotion is what i slapped on my body after my shower to keep the skin moisturised. It retains the moisture and keeps my skin supple. Actually, i'm not that demanding when it comes to skin lotions, as long as it's easy to spread and does not smell too strong is fine for me. It's the act of gently rubbing a lotion, slowly massaging your skin which carries your worries away :)

This trusty brand Head & Shoulders is still head and shoulders above the rest of the new anti-dandruff shampoos. After years of experimenting with different brands, this is still the forerunner in combating dandruffs.

Estee Lauder's advanced night repair reminds me of body secretions like the mucus. Estee Lauder has lauded this product as their 'IT' product - every brand claims to have a product they are most proud of. This product feels very similar to Lancome's Genefique, but uses less ingredients. I have seen many new products by brands like Bioessence, Clinique, SK-II which felt similar and has same functions. This kind of product calls out to the baby boomers and are sort of like answers to their worries. Actually, i can't tell if this product actually works though. In my opinion, i prefer Estee Lauder's Perfectionist (CP+)Wrinkle Lifting Serum, which i thought is a much better product.