Hot Pants: trendy or indecent?

Most wearers of such a fashion item are young girls and reading what one of them said appalled me."I know they encourage us not to wear...but you don't have to listen." It smacks of wilfulness on her part. I hope that she is the exception.

Seeing young pre-teenagers wearing it is still acceptable in my eyes, as I am giving them the benefit of the doubt in assuming that they have no intent to use it to flaunt their sexuality. However, knowing that a 34-year-old woman wears it to work is simply flabbergasting. She is a retail assistant and that is somewhat of a professional job. How can she be so nonchalant when she is asked about it?! It is one thing to see it as practical but it is another thing to wear it to work. It certainly degrades her professionalism and casts an adverse effect on her retail outlet. She is not a part-time worker at this age, I reckon.

Another equally shocking knowledge is the fact that VCH and the Esplanade are rather lenient with dress codes. I have performed in VCH a few times and I would not want any member of the audience to wear such an outrageously unsuitable item to my performance! As a member of the audience at Esplanade, I make sure I wear something decently presentable like pants or a dress as a form of respect to the performers. The theatrical operators may not seem to mind but this is merely proper theatrical etiquette to me.

I know that it is a vastly different situation in London because watching musicals is a common activity among Londoners. A man was wearing a singlet to the performance of Sister Act and he was not stopped at the entrance. It is not a common activity but a form of luxury for we Singaporeans though.

I am heartened to note that Les Amis does not approve of such dressing. Kudos to their discreet yet effective measure of providing appropriate outfits to counter this.

It is strange how some wearers are aware of the unwanted attention they get on their bodies when they wear hot pants, but they still do not opt out of wearing it. Though not every guy gives them lecherous looks when they wear it, the looks do make them feel uneasy. What harm is there then in wearing a more decent fashion item? Should they continue to wear it, the lechers may mistakenly think that they really are sexually easy to prey on. When that happens, it would be too late to harbour any regrets.

Double standards towards fashion etiquette

A viewer showed his verbal disapproval towards a newscaster's choice of dressing on Deepavali. Her silver-gray dress was unfortunately intensified in tonal colour on television such that it appeared as black. It is ironic how no one else filed a similar complaint. Even the president of a Hindu temple acknowledged that different settings give allowance to different codes of dressing, and the practical setting of a news bulletin complemented the colour of the dress. The viewer seems to have overlooked this.

Now that it has been proven that it was due to the camera that the dress appeared darker, it would be good if he extends an apology to the newscaster. Contradictions are noted in his comment to the media when he said that he "had moved with the times" and didn't care about the dressing on Vesak Day. If he truly has, then why is he complaining about the newscaster's dressing? He seems to be implying that he is thinking of the interests of other viewers by writing in but they did not express any negative opinions towards her dressing. Strange, is it not?

Lindsay Lohan's attempt at fashion design

Her collection for Ungaro was met with harsh criticism and I can see why. She designed dresses which were very short and tight. They make me think that wearing them is equal to not wearing anything at all. Also, there were blazers worn as blouses, unfastened over tight strapless bras. These are extremely fantastical.

Let me go to the graphic prints now. They were made of mostly hearts and glitter. It surely does reflect her own tastes but she had forgot that the brand she was designing for counters them, specifically the hearts. They seem more suitable for little girls' fashion, besides her pink dresses.

Reading from books versus from the Internet and audio

Tradition has maintained that reading means doing so from books, whether paperbacks or hardcovers. I've never strayed from this physical entity.

Though audio books are available in the market, they cost more than real books. Their attraction is the bringing to life of the writer/ narrator's thoughts which had been done so in word form. Reading becomes a whole new experience. At the same time, Siva Choy brought up a very valid point. The spelling of students will suffer due to the fact that they are unable to read the words and see them on pages. Listening to the words being read aloud will improve merely their oral pronunciation of words.

With the advent of Internet technology, e-books have been created. Words appear on a screen instead of on a page. This effects the probability of causing one's eyesight to deteriorate, as he strains his eyes to read the e-book. Moreover, it requires more effort to use, as the reader has to scroll down to the bottom of the screen in order to read a page. In addition, it is in greater danger of being stolen due to its high monetary value. Lastly, an e-book disallows literature students from making notes next to, or highlighting certain parts of, the text for simultaneous reference and study purposes.

Both audio books and e-books present the opportunity to read on the go but in my personal opinion, they dilute the traditional and real experience of reading from books in the physical sense.

Ms Singapore Universe's national costume

The ultimate choice for the costume was a pink gown with orchid petals attached to the back. There are critics who are deadly against it. I think it is simple and yet outstanding, as compared to other countries' costumes, like that of Panama's. In comparison to last year's Merlion costume, it is prettier. I am not really passionate about the scale-like design on last year's. It does showcase our national icon but it looks bizarre.

Ion Orchard: a dazzle!

Life ran a full-length feature on its highlights and perks. Looking at the picture of its public loos already leaves me bedazzled. I do not mind not being a VIP who can gain access to the $10 000 restrooms. Even though different terms are used for the same place, the public ones are very spacious and the huge mirrors in the middle definitely makes one's vanity checks more luxurious. :)

I am enticed by the fact that the architectural design was inspired by Orchard Road's history as a real orchard. Its history has been resurrected through Ion! I also am happy to note that all the shops are easily visible and reached. I am not a consumer who goes for designer brands and so I will immediately go to the basement levels.

I am very excited about the food outlets. Canton-I seems to be as good as Crystal Jade. I must go and try its food. :) I know my mum would have looked forward to eating there. I will go on her behalf then. ThreeSixty Marketplace has Fortnum and Mason products on its shelves. I am ecstatic! It is the English queen's grocer, for your information. I went to its original location in London. Its products are gourmet in nature and its cakes are the traditional kind! I was so excited to see Victoria Sandwich cakes. Its wedding cakes are those worthy of being at a royal wedding. Its window displays will cause you to take a second glance at. Ginza Bairin's tonkatsus and Katsu sandwiches sound delicious, and so do R Burger's Asian burgers. Ooh, what about Tsukiji Gindaco's takoyaki balls and AOBA Ramen's shoyu ramen?! I will wait till the crowds die down though. I hate crowds.

The Sunday Times featured an article on the food offerings in Ion. There has indeed been a long queue for Tsukiji Gindaco's takoyaki balls, since they originate from Japan. difference though is that they are crispier than takopachi balls. The latter, which can be found at outlets like Junction 8 and Bugis Junction, is still soft on the outside, and I prefer this. Also, I prefer its smaller serving of 3 balls, as compared to Tsukiji Gindaco's 6. Thus, I guess I may not try this new fad after all.

The picture of Ginza Bairin's Katsu sandwich is enticing. The pork cutlets look pristine white in the centre, indicating they are well-cooked, while their breaded batter looks crispy. My tastebuds are reacting to the picture! The sandwich comes as finger portions and costs $9.10, a tad expensive for my pocket. Modern Peking Duck serves its duck skin slices in crepes at $6 for 5 pieces. This is a rather reasonable price but the health factor of this delicacy is on a low level, to be frank. The Chicken fenugreek tikka kati roll from Go India Express has the same issue with me. It is more expensive at $6 for 2 pieces and using prata as the roll decreases the health factor of the dish. The Taiyaki falls into the low health factor category as well.

I went to the supermarket ThreeSixty Marketplace and it is full of exotic products. In the deli section, I saw an unusual pre-made dish which merely needs to be put in the oven before eating. Bell peppers are filled with minced beef and shredded cheese. There are unusual canned products as well, in the form of butter beans and refried beans. I spent a rather long time in the baking needs section, where I bought ready-made graham pie crusts. I hope to make pies and cheesecakes with them. There were more varieties of Hawaiian Host chocolates, for example, Jewel. Exotic fruits and juices were also displayed in their various sections. The last attraction for me was the huge single portions of cheesecakes and brownies, as well as the exotic desserts served in covered plastic cups. Of course, their prices are expectedly high.

High heels and flip-flops per se

I've never liked stilettos because I know that despite their ability to make women look taller, slimmer and sexier, they cause long-term damage in a physical sense. To compromise my bodily functions for vanity is not worth doing. I love kitten heels though. They may not be as sexy as stilettos, but they are better for my legs. I have to wear flat shoes due to my arthritis, but I disagree with Sumiko Tan's opinion that they make me look old. I love them, as I feel like a ballerina in them.

It is true that regardless of brand name and price, high heels still do damage to the wearer's legs. I especially like A.A.Gill's humorous opinion on high heels. They are the modern version of the feet-binding which women in ancient China had to endure. Sumiko Tan equates the act of forgoing high heels for a month to let her legs recover to a short-term sacrifice, and the wearing of stilettos to a long-term pleasure. I hope she is just being satiric here, as the short-term sacrifice should really be forgoing high heels for lower ones, and the latter be maintaining healthy legs.

Like stilettos, flip-flops are harmful for our feet. However, Trove Tkees supposedly makes them look better. The range is named after makeup essentials, and seek to enhance our feet's appearance. Though flip-flops offer comfort to their wearers, they have thin soles, which give very little support to our feet. Again, is comfort worth obtaining at the expense of health?? Also, no matter how comfortable they are, they are definitely not suitable for formal occasions such as meeting the State President, even if their designs are sparkly and pretty. Blame the Y-shaped straps they have as their basic design.

The price of vanity

A housewife was found dead after having consumed a slimming drink. It caused her to physically weaken as a result. Andrea D'Cruz needed an organ transplant after having consumed slimming pills which had an adverse effect on her body.To maintain a good figure, it seems that one must destroy one's body in the process.

I have heard of slimming drinks that strive to be appealing in taste, by introducing delicious flavours such as chocolate. The truth is that we need food from all 3 groups for our body to properly develop. If we fear putting on weight, we can reduce our carbohydrate and meat intake, while increasing our consumption of fruits and vegetables. Believe it or not, sleep helps us lose weight too. I am a personal testimony to this truth. When I sleep enough, ie. 8 hours, I actually lose weight and vice-versa. Science has advocated the fact that we burn about 70 calories an hour as we sleep.

Perspiring shoppers

A girl was stopped by a shop's staff member from trying clothes on because she was perspiring after her exercise session. As a result, her sister who was with her, expressed her unhappiness on a forum. I feel that there is no justification for this rant. If the girl was a considerate customer, she would have freshened up or brought clothes to change into.

Even if she was allowed to try the clothes on, it does not mean that she was doing the right thing. The staff member was probably too polite to say anything. It is so true that she would leave her perspiration and even body odour on the clothes. It would be so repulsive for other customers after her. After reading about this, I feel disgusted at the thought. How many businesses will send their clothes for laundering at the end of the week, so that customers can try the clothes on with no fear of such dirt sticking onto their skin? With the H1N1 virus so rampant in the world, this is social irresponsibility! The staff member has the right to tell the customer to refrain from trying the clothes on, albeit in a polite manner. There will be other customers going into the shop, after all. She has to think of them too.

my London itinerary‏

20th May: check-in at Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Gloucester Road station
dinner at Burger King(just landed, tired)

21st May: breakfast at Java Bean Coffeehouse, Gloucester Arcade, Gloucester Road station
Westminister Cathedral, Victoria station
Waterstone bookshop and Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross station
lunch at Golden Dragon and Imperial China, Gerrard Street, Piccadilly Circus station
Covent Garden Market, Marks and Spencers, Covent Garden station
dinner at Thai Taste, Cromwell Road, Gloucester Road station
Sainsbury supermarket, Cromwell Road, Gloucester Road station

22nd May: Waitrose supermarket, Gloucester Arcade, Gloucester Road station
lunch at Malaysian High Commission Students' Hostel, Bayswater station
Book Warehouse, Notting Hill station
Clarks, Ferrari shop and Caffe Concerto, Oxford Circus station
Whiteleys shopping mall and Tesco supermarket, Bayswater station

23rd May: breakfast at Richoux Tea Room opposite Harrods, Knightsbridge station
lunch at Harrods and then to Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge station
Hard Rock Cafe, Burlington Arcade and Fortnum & Masons, Green Park station
Whiteleys shopping mall and dinner at Gold Mine restaurant, Bayswater station

24th May: Westminister Cathedral, Victoria station
lunch at Giraffe and then to Waitrose supermarket, Brunswick Centre, and then to University of London, Russell Square station
Emirates Stadium, Arsenal station
dinner at Bugis Street Brasserie, Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Gloucester Road station
Holiday Inn hotel, Gloucester Road station

25th May: breakfast at Hung's chinese restaurant perpendicular to Gerrard Street & then to Little London souvenir shop, Piccadilly Circus station
The Science Museum, South Kensington station
lunch at Thai Taste, Cromwell Road, Gloucester Road station
Waitrose supermarket, Gloucester Arcade, Gloucester Road station
dinner at Bugis Street Brasserie, Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Gloucester Road station

26th May: Leeds Castle
lunch and to Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury
Dover
dinner at Bugis Street Brasserie, Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Gloucester Road station

27th May: Southbank Centre and Royal Festival Hall, Embankment station
W.H.Smith bookshop, Charing Cross railway station
lunch at Rasa Sayang, Macclesfield Street and to Claire's and HMV, Piccadilly Circus station
Borders and The Plaza, Oxford Street, and Liberty, Regent Street, Oxford Circus station
dinner at Cape Town Fish Market restaurant, Argyll Street, Oxford Circus station
Sister Act musical at Palladium theatre, Argyll Street, Oxford Circus station

28th May: breakfast at Richoux Tea Room opposite Harrods, Knightsbridge station
Victoria & Albert Museum, South Kensington station
lunch at Bugis Street Brasserie, Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Gloucester Road station
Java Bean Coffeehouse, Gloucester Arcade, Gloucester Road station
dinner at Tai Ka Lok, Gerrard Street, Piccadilly Circus station
Haymarket and Little London, Piccadilly Circus station

29th May: breakfast at Duke of York Square, Chelsea, Sloane Square station
Waterstone bookshop and Peter Jones, Chelsea, Sloane Square station
lunch at Bugis Street Brasserie, Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Gloucester Road station

(Editor's note: my photographs are in my albums on Facebook)

Do Singaporeans dress badly?

The first thing that comes to mind is how we dress down on Sundays. People in bermudas, shorts, T-shirts and flip flops litter Orchard Road. Some ladies wear more decent-looking bottoms via mini-skirts. Perhaps this is our way of letting loose after a hectic working week. I join in this 'trend' as well, albeit a skirt and sandals/shoes instead. To wear flip-flops and shorts seems rather too casual, I feel. This is especially outstanding, in a negative way, when we enter restaurants.

On the contrary, we tend to dress up for a musical at the Esplanade or Victoria Theatre. This type of event deviates towards the cultured in its nature, hence the more formal attire donned by Singaporeans. This is in contrast to how the Londoners dress for one. I had recently watched Sister Act the musical in London and saw a male member of the audience in a tank top. I guess this is due to the fact that watching musicals is part of their lifestyle. Look at the number of musical theatres London has!

Wearing PJs out is a definite taboo. It should be reserved for home. Even other nightwear like nightdresses or sexy lingerie worn on its own, is within this category.

Upcoming shopping malls

There are 7 new malls in the making and at least 2 malls which will be revamped. I understand that the government wants us to spend more so that the economy can recover, but the crux of the issue is that most of the retail businesses are international fashion brands. How many consumers can truly spend their money on such designer wear like water? I quote Mr Foong King Yew's view to support my stand: "In good times, consumers are freer with their purse strings...".

I feel that it would be more practical to have lower-priced retail outlets for the consumers. After all, many retrenchments have taken place. Such people are just using their savings for their expenses. There are some mid-priced outlets to be included in the new malls but more of these would be ideal. More people would patronise the malls and actually purchase things from them then. Perhaps low-priced outlets like This Fashion and FOS can be included too.

Ageing well and pink courtesy of New Paper 15th Feb

1) A good skincare routine: tight skin means excessive cleansing.
I've experienced tightness. Guess I must let my skin take a break when that happens.

2) Wear less make-up.
I'm probably an oddball who doesn't put makeup before going out but now I can safely advocate this point. :)

3) Sleep well, drink more.
Yes, sleep is essential for glowing health, and for losing weight. Each time I weigh myself after having slept late the night before, my weight increases. Water too, is a miracle elixir. It cleanses our body system and gives us good skin.

Yeoh Wee Teck likes the colour pink too and I am reinforced in my liking of it. I've felt negative vibes towards my liking of this colour. Does it make me too cute and childish? Who has the right to comment on and dictate my tastes? See, even a guy likes it. He even recommended an Adidas watch in bright pink, which is similar to one I have and looks so cool. Eat your heart out!

National Geographic Museum

I went to this museum at Vivocity. It is a place of wonders, filled with history, landscapes and portraits. Little photography exhibitions and archaelogical discoveries are testimony to that. They even sell equipment meant for children, so that they can participate in the studies pertaining to the world's hidden wonders. Children can be egyptologists, scientists and underwater explorers through these.

I saw an exquisite medicine cabinet used to store Chinese medicinal herbs as well as photographs on the frog world. The latter was so visually spellbinding with their vivid colours and larger-than-life dimensions, courtesy of the photographers' skills.

This brings me to Solomon Lim's article on discovering. He laments on how locals go for tangibles and bargains as compared to enriching exhibitions on the wonders this earth has. I remember how people were goggle-eyed at the Siamese Twins and even at executions in ancient times. Being amongst the few appreciative people in the museum made me feel cultured but more importantly, it was a fruitful visit. My mind was exposed to the wonders of history and the natural world. My eyes beheld such awe-inspiring physicals and I learnt so much more about our earth. I definitely agree with him.

Aunty Elaine's house: full of treasures

A hanging ornament reminding me of a childhood game which used paper to tell my fortune; somewhat like origami. I like the patterns on the paper, very Japanese.




A Chinese knot ornament: the fan shapes make it more elaborate and unusual.










This was on a calendar and its simplicity struck me. The lilac background contributed to the simplicity.
"Chun" means spring and youth.




Bath, in England, is where the character the Wife of Bath in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales was based on. I would love to go there, a place so rich in literary history.








Another Chinese tasseled ornament: the paper lantern is reminiscent of CNY decorations my classmates and I used to make in school and those my late mum used to make for our home. She had always been an artistic lady.







Another Chinese ornament: like the pink flowers.










During CNY, the host uses her most beautiful cutlery for her guests and Aunty Elaine's no exception. This is really a small fork holder with small forks inserted into it. This is in the shape of a banana. I found it intricate and cute. Even the forks are designed in the shape of bananas!






These are in the shapes of a custard apple and a mangosteen!






My Chinese zodiac sign: a rabbit. This is one of the 12 animal ornaments she bought from Chinatown to decorate her pussy willows. According to the Chinese zodiac calendar, there are 12 years in a cycle and each year is allocated to an animal. People who are born in a certain year have certain characteristics of that animal and these can determine their future.


Another Chinese tasseled ornament: "Fu" means luck.










A CNY plant: pretty in design and colour.

Art gallery onboard Legend of the Sea!

A glass of champagne but painted amidst bold colours and graphics in the background, in an avant-garde fashion.









The death of Jesus and His Mother's grief portrayed in a sketch-like manner.










Love this landscape, so realistic, and the flowers look especially pretty. The ships in their cove look like a hidden paradise.







This looks so beautiful with the flowers adorning the place. Guess I have this thing about flowers.




Elegant ladies playing their musical instruments and sharing their melodies. I like the fashion in which this scene was painted, the colours give a New Orleans feel to it.




A very ethereal muse, in all her features; the purity of her face, the baby's breath in her hair and the chiffon sheath on her.









Appropriate for Valentine's Day, with hearts in the background highlighting a couple slow-dancing. The graphics used to paint the hearts make this painting post-modernist in style.







The colours combine to form this landscape, which is just so striking and gives off a velvety feel.





Such colourful flowers and clear blue skies surrounding a fountain; an idyllic landscape.






Yet another landscape painting where nature takes precedence. Love nature and so this painting is eye-catching. Wordsworth would second my opinion, I'm quite sure.

A different side of Earth

The horizon of the sea, made up of the meeting between the sea and the sky. Such a combination of blues can only be created by God. Seems like evening time, since the tones of blue are not so bright.



An even more beautiful view of the sea, as if the waves are rolling in their foam.






A lone vessel on the waters amidst a perfect alignment of the sea and sky.







A huge ship with its funnel spewing out smoke, which is something
we neglect to admire.







A trail of ships "playing the game Follow the Leader". Such an adorable thing to behold. :)

Towel folding class

A rabbit, my Chinese zodiac sign! :)









A dog, and I'm nuts about canines! Sigh...







An elephant, realistic! Like this one.










My disastrous attempt at an elephant. :S Obviously, I'm not the artistic type. Can't help laughing when I see this. Haha.










An alligator, apparently the simplest animal of all to fold.

Facilities onboard Legend of the Sea

Mini golf course











Spa pool: the umbrella-like shelter gives it an unusual touch and one of exclusivity.






Casino: money either to give you or to get from you. lol. We got a voucher for US$8, which could be redeemed for the cash. Our CNY present!






Bar counter stocked with cocktail ingredients






Video Arcade: this machine puts in value into your passcard for you to play the games











Video Arcade game: shooting bears with a gun. It was difficult.







Video Arcade game: getting stuffed toys with the claw. It was difficult. How did the Amazing Race Asia players get it done?





My bed in the cabin: comfortable; slept so well. We took a Larger Interior Stateroom.










Mini-bar in our cabin: I took about 2 bottles of mineral water, costing US$1.95 each















Nightclub for teenagers






Club especially for children: parents can rest assured that the people in charge are experienced and qualified. Saw a group of kids embarking on an excursion.










Ben and Jerry's ice-cream parlour: orders are not free though.





Internet corner: spent about $50 on the internet, blogging and checking emails. More expensive than my monthly bill. Looks like I am addicted to it. :S It costs US$0.55 a minute and you swipe your passcard to pay.




Live music provided at Romeo and Juliet Dining Hall: the melodious and soothing tunes enthralled me.




A therapeutic-looking water feature to beautify the ship.

My trip to Phuket

The last time I went there was back in 1983. It has been16 years.

The view from the cruise ship








The view of the hills from the cruise ship








Patong Beach with shops and eating outlets galore.






Patong Beach full of sunbathers. I even saw topless Caucasian women.








A rural area opposite the temple with the largest Buddha statue.