Happy moo moo cow year :)

恭喜发财(gong xi fa cai) everyone!!!!!!
which roughly means "Congratulations and be prosperous"

Our humble homw with all the CNY decorations!!!!
Decorated by who else? MOI of cos!!
Moi was pretty fortunate to be able to spend my Chinese New year with Tom and my family.

On the eve of Chinese, Moi n Tom head down to my parents place for the all important reunion dinner. This meal is comparable to Christmas dinner in the West which is a really big time for the Chinese.

Our family reunion dinner is a simple affair, usually consist of steamboat.
My dad offered Tom a big can of Carlsberg beer.
Hey Tom, both of u could be beer buddies :) Moi with my Dad...There's some other pictures but it's still with my sista.
SISTA! send those pictures to me please!!!

Stayed home on the first day of CNY. Tom did a faux pax.
He swept our floor on the first day of CNY!!!!

*faint*

It is considered unauspicious to sweep the floor on the first day as it means sweeping away the good fortune and luck for the New Year. Having said that, we were suppose to springclean and sweep away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes our homes ready for good luck WHICH WE OBVIOUSLY DIDNT AS WELL. So moi guess it doesnt really matter huh.

and TOM was the one who did it! im the innocent one!! hurhur :P

Moi is kinda excited about this CNY cos i have to start giving out red packets (MARRIED liao mah) i.e. ang paos to the elderly and unmarried juniors. HAHAHAHA
In fact, i even quene up at OCBC bank for half an hour just to get my hands on the new bank notes :)

It was really sweet of Tom's Mom & Dad who called and wished us a Happy Ox year!! Moi still waiting for the card to arrive..HeeHee. It was wonderful to hear everyone's fine in Sweden. Hope you both will enjoy the trip up to Poland, as well as Tina Turner's concert up in Hamburg!!! Remember to say hi to her on my behalf :))))

Mom, my brother and my sista came over and stayed for the night.
Playing mahjong.
Bro was the big winner that night. Followed by moi.

新年快乐!!!!

for Babee: French twist!

STEP 1 : Tie a low ponytail
Step 2 : Twist the ponytail about 4inches

STEP 3 : Twist it up.
Im right handed so it's easier for moi to twist it to the right. If you're left handed, then you twist to the left

Step 4 : Start pushing your twist to the right

Step 5: push the pony tail into the middle of the twist
Step 6: Push the remaining of the ponytail in to the middleStep 7: Comb the sides to make it neaterStep 8: Usually you'll get a "hump" at the top of your twist. Just comb it to make it neater.Step 9: Start pinning your twist. Use these "U pins" as they are easier to use.

Use as many as possible to make it more secureThis is how it look from the back
The sideTata!! The front.It's really easy. Just practice practice and practice :)

Christmas in San Francisco :)

Poor Tom! I have been spending my last couple of Christmas away from Singapore.
2006 was in Beijing. 2007 was in Athens. And now 2008 was in San Francisco!

A special thanks to the wonderful colleagues who arranged a Christmas eve party in San Francisco. Instead of having a traditional Christmas meal like ham and turkey, we ordered Chinese takeouts :)

The roasted ducks, chicken, pork and stir-fried veggies!!! It almost felt like a Chinese New Year Celebration.

Moi was so tired and didn't stayed around for the Christmas countdown. Was back to my room and sleeping in Lalaland by 11pm

Outside in the streets on Christmas day. It looks sunny but it's darn cold.It's not fun to spend Christmas Day in SF! :(
All the shops were closed!! Even big departmental stores like Macy's were closed!!!

ARGHHHHHH!!! No shopping for moi... i mean i can understand. People don't wanna work on Christmas Day. It's a day to spend with your loved ones, your family. But the shopaholic in moi just go "Noooooo....i wanna go into A&F, American Eagle, Hollister, Old Navy!!!!"

The worse part was: Moi is leaving SF in the morning of Boxing day and that's when SF will have it's BIGGEST GIGANTIC AND MASSIVE YEAR END SALE!!!!!

ARGHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Just kill me!!!!!

At least the SF trams is still operating. Tons of people queuing to go Fisherman Wharf perhaps
Interesting sight outside of my window. Yesh. It's a crane
See what's on the crane?
Yupz! A Christmas tree!!! isn't that adorable? Come nightfall, the lights comes on and it turn into a blinking Christmas tree. (which was how i noticed it in the first place)

Christmas in Seoul was just as interesting. Took a picture with the huge Christmas tree down at the hotel lobby. Moi remembered taking a picture at the exact spot a few years ago.. Hmmm probably in year 2005.
When i say it's a huge Christmas tree. I mean HUGE!! All the way to the ceiling
Santa Claus on display

Took a picture of the one that says Sweden. Unfortunately, there wasn't one from Singapore :(

Had my favourite Korean Bibimbap.

Wikipedia says Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) and gochujang ( chili pepper paste). A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating. It can be served either cold or hot.

Mine is all veggies and comes with a fried egg on top!!
After adding the chili pepper sauce and all stirred up. The trick to eating Bibimbap is to add tons and tons of chili pepper sauce!!! and stirring it occasionally. Else you'll ended up with burnt rice at the bottom of the hot clay bowlThe Korean side dishes!! Ohh, how i loved them!!!! Sometimes, i wanna tell them to just give moi a bowl of steaming rice and just the side dishes. No main.
After lunch, we had a nice surprise when it started to snow slightly outside.Can't really tell from the picturesMy colleagues taking a picture of snow flakes on my hair. Heehee

Happy New Year Everyone!!

(yupz, betcha thinking why the Christmas tree is still up...and still is)

I know I'm like 5days late but oh well.. Been kinda busy lately

Moi and Tom spent our New Year eve countdown at home with a simple meal. I'm not sure why actually. We could have gone downtown and celebrate the New Year countdown with a few millions people. But the thought of being squashed like sardines, long queues in practically every shops, problem getting home just seem such a turnoff. Issit cos I'm getting older and having a good time just doesn't interest moi anymore? Or am i becoming lazier n lazier n lazier every new year? Geez~

It was wonderful spending New year eve with Tom at home. We even dressed up for the occasion!

Tom pouring the rose Sparkling wine
Dinner was delicious. Pan fried Salmon with Stir fried veggies and mashed potatoes. Made by us truly.

A Big cheer for 2009!!! :)

Tom's family called us a few minutes before midnight to countdown together via web cam which is really really sweet. Considering that their NEW YEAR is 7hours away. We thought of doing the same thing with them but waking up at SIN 7am (especially when we only slept at 4am)!!! As the Chinese saying goes, "the heart is willing but the body is failing"

Sorry peeps!! Well, hopefully in the near future, we'll be able to have a NEW YEAR countdown together!! THE WHOLE FAMILY!! Tom's dad promise to buy moi big big fireworks if we have a New Year countdown in Sweden together. ALRIGHT... He didn't. But *hint hint hint* :P
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My poly kakis popped over our place for a gathering on New Year Day.
Moi finally FINALLY put my mahjong set to good use!! Wahhaha
BTW, i won one "zi moh" lor!!! So so excited leh!!! Moi was jumping up and down while all my friends were giving me this "duhhh" look.

Moi was trying to get Tom to play Mahjong (he knows how to play kaay!!!!) but thinks he is shy.
*cough cough*With all my good friends. We were actually looking at another camera when Darren decided to take this shot cos he claimed "it looks more candid"

Ermmmm... like HELLLOOOOO???
Speaking of which, my good fren, Veron IS PREGS!!! Congrats Congrats Congrats to my good friends VERON & KEN!!! She's like 4months pregnant now. Come next month, she'll know whether it's a boy or a girl. Lily mentioned that if you could see the mommy's waist from behind or something, then it's a boy. So anyway, Lily says it's gonna be a girl. We shall wait and see.

The MACHO+IRRESISTIBLE+CHARMING+SUAVE guys.
Sighz, the coming of the New year makes moi think about Christina suddenly. Maybe it's the thought of knowing she couldn't see 2009 gives me a heartache. Miss you babe. Be happy wherever you are. :)