Weekend

Hello me is back!

Made a huge mess before I left Dubai - 

I tore my visa cancellation (proof) papers, tore my e-ticket because I thought there were just old papers I had. Gosh, luckily they could issue tickets with your passport and the immigration officer was easy... :(

I also lost my Rayban aviators and now im thinking of having them replaced before Bali if possible.. JS bought them for me in HKG when I finished probation in my previous job and we really liked them :-(

So many boohoos that JS nagged me to be less careless when I'm back.

Here's a tired looking me (plus bad hair day) and a OOTD to fill this space.
Went out for drinks with JS the day I landed - am surprised I still had energy, might be due to jetlag.

tracyeinny floral dress
casio vintage watch
bbag
zara flats

My BK noodle house minced meat mee sua recommended by Meiting.
I was craving for something not too heavy and this is perfect. JS loved it too!

There's this Mookata (Thai Steamboat) place that JS wants me to try badly - I promise I will!

Seated by Boat Quay, we settled for Timbre and was surprised that a Saturday night seemed to be a quiet one - I thought Timbre and Boat Quay area will be filled with crowds on a Sat night!

That makes me wonder where people have their Sat drinks at?

Timbre now high tech hey...

Service bells on each table and iPad for ordering.

JS wanted to try Stout (he's quite a beer lover on normal days) and I had my mocktail - Shirley Temple because I'm swearing off alcohol due to "healthier" diet reasons.

Hate how my g12 performs at night with low light.
We're thinking of converting the g12 to a underwater camera for diving purpose (someone's pushing me to get a diving license) and getting another semi pro with better low light function.

& Today...
JS in his AE tee and Pull&Bear mustard berms we got in Madrid. He lost a bit of weight recently because I've been telling him to do so. We'll try to avoid bad carbs together.

Grande Iced Latte to save the day.
Singapore's getting a bit too humid and warm for me that I run from mall to mall, and Starbucks' still one of my favorite coffee spots.


Here's me doing some window shopping in Wisma because I threw some of my stuff in Dubai due to luggage constraints and am now regretting some of the things I left behind... such as my sneakers :-(

It's a blur shot cos I'm hyperactive and cannot stop moving.
Bershka offshoulder top
Bangkok purchased blue shorts
Aldo pumps
ps1


Had Seoul Garden Hotpot @ Cineleisure and ordered the seafood kimchi hotpot and marinated beef hotpot respectively. All I can say is service is good but I'm not going to patronise this restaurant again because it's not bang for the buck. I'd rather settle for a normal kimchi soup in a food court for the quality.

It's day 2 and I'm thinking of which jobs to apply next....
I'm also seeing Sham for a hair appointment so that I can get my hair treated, Dubai's water made my hair super dry and weak :-(

Will return to blog soon!

Running around like a headless chicken

Possibly my last few posts in Dubai before I move to Singapore, hooray! :-)

Things I need to do before I go on my final work trip:

- Change my bed linen (things you do when you live alone, abroad)

- Pack my bags to return (labeling and packing!)

- Settle tickets and reservations for mom and/or bro to Dubai

I've sent out a few emails with my resumes attached, and I am unsure if I will get replies from them... 

Tons and tons of things to do before I move :-(

Just gonna touch a little on Hongkong!
I'm dying to post on Nice (in South France) but I'm a little tired now from all the errand-running this morning...

I made my 24 hours in HKG really worthwhile.
A ride on the dingding at night is highly recommended at night.
We sat from Causeway Bay where I was staying put, to the bustling Central.
 

Not a very good picture of me since I was in all black but I had to post this up since it's mid levels.


Settled in a small cafe because I don't want to do alcohol so Peiyu had sangria while I had my usual Mocha.
I would say give this cafe a miss if you see it (it's hard to miss, it's the only few cafes around) and give the pubs/restaurants a go. I find the quality of F&B so-so. Mocha was alright.
Best Mocha = Holly Brown for me. You can find it in Central, Elements @ TST and etc.


Carrot cake was nice though but we hated the chocolate cake below.
It looked like it's gonna be a lava cake, but it was BAD. Served lukewarm.


Woke up at 7am since Peiyu had a trekking session and I have work later, so we settled at a nearby New Star Restaurant for dimsum! Read that this is the only other restaurant that opens that early which is located in the central area of Hong Kong.

Peiyu and her CamOne, which is a GoPro dup. Awesome cam for sports since you can clip it on your bike/diving suit.

Seated around us are elderly folks, chillax-ing with their newspapers and tea.


This is quite a bit for two, but we're not missing any one of these!


Our usuals;

Can you believe this pork ribs steamed rice is HKD1 (SGD0.15)?
 It comes with any dimsum ordered.

Us at the table #selfie

Liu Sha Bao a.k.a.
Salted yolk buns

Lava-style.
The liu sha baos here are highly recommended! Yums!

Happy us at the dimsum table, I would love to come back for more :-)

xo,
Steph

What's in my travel makeup pouch?

I was in New York just 24 hours ago and now I'm back in the very warm Dubai. I think it's now an average of 40 degrees outdoors (29 degrees at night). My transport for summer sticks strictly to cabs because of the horrid weather conditions!

Slept almost 21 hours since yesterday's 7am and I'm not sure if I am suffering from jetlag anymore 

(the last trip I had severe sleep problems and I couldnt tune back to normal Dubai hours). This time, I will make sure that I will stay up in the day and only sleep late at night.

*   *   *   *

Shirleen hosted a dinner a week ago at her apartment and it was steamboat this time! We all brought our favorite steamboat ingredients and I was in charge of bringing dry food. So I brought my favorite glass noodles, HK shrimp noodles, luncheon meat and since I was in Seoul that period, I also brought a whole bag of kimchi as starters.
The food extended to the second table, which we used Shir's coffee table, so it was that much food we brought lol! We had 4 bags of different chinese vegetables that Veriza and Christine bought from Singapore and Malaysia respectively but we had no difficulty finishing them. I concluded Tang-O is the best veg for the purpose of steamboat.

The base that we used that day were mala-spicy base from Shanghai, and satay instant base from Hong Kong. Both are really good! :)

Tons and tons of food with good girl company!

*   *   *   *

Since I won't be visiting NY for a period of time, I got some of my essentials before I left!

From top left
Essie's millionare treatment polish, US$9
MAC select concealer in NC20, US$19
MAC Matte Rouge A Levres in Russian Red, US$17 as a b-day gift for Erika.
Carmex Soothing Lip Balm and Healing Lim Balm (for Joey) - US$2.50 each
NARS blush in Orgasm shade - US$31

I forgot to get the MAC/Sephora blending brush and I'm cursing myself for that :(

I also had time to do a "what's in my travel makeup pouch". I believe in packing light for makeup and because I lost my makeup pouch in March (with makeup items once from Dior/Chanel).

I know with such extensive traveling it might happen again... so I've packed my makeup pouch with brands that will not hurt my pocket!

Eye makeup

Dejavu Fiberwig mascara in black
Lavschuca (Kanebo) PK-1 quad eyeshadow
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden
Heavy Rotation Perfect Liquid eyeliner in black

Face

NARS blush in Orgasm
Maybelline Mineral BB Watergel Shade 02
Face of Australia Blush in Primrose
Etthusais BB Mineral Compact in Natural shade

Others

Travelo filled with Flora by Gucci, Gorgeous Gardenia scent
Carmex Lip/Cold Sore balm
MAC select concealer in NC20
Refresh eyedrops
Maple Clinic Pimple concealer
SASA Nail file

Lips

Paul & Joe Rouge A Levres in Shade 14
Lavschuca (Kanebo) Lipstick in RD-4

*   *   *   *

Gonna go do some reading in bed before heading for dinner tonight with more girlfriends! Cheeros to a good Monday!

I hate gastritis

I visited the A&E yesterday.

I have a very weak tummy to begin with, and it is really hard for me to resist food I really like.

My family doctor once told me that I should avoid or have less of:

- greasy, fried food

- buffet / eating too much at once

- lactose

Most of the times when I have too much of the above, I will experience a bloated tummy, and some slight discomfort that makes me ill. With such a weak tummy, I get infection of the stomach easily, especially with street food, spicy and greasy food, while others just have a round of diarrhea or two at worst. Whenever I get acute gastritis, I will have sharp pains around the central upper stomach area, so antacids like Maalox actually help to defuse that pain.

Of course, Panadols give me a temporary relief whenever I don't have my antacids with me.

I've also found this page on "gastritis diet" while I was researching, so it might be of help if you do have the same problem as I do, since I knew very little of it before.
(credits: http://www.gastritisdiet.info/)

• Try to avoid caffeine - Lowering your caffeine intake will help you avoid that heartburn feeling. Caffeine affects the pH in our stomach and can often cause that extra acid rumble, that is going to give you heartburn. Look at coffee and tea, and even soda pop as the culprit. 
• Limit chocolate – Try and limit the amount of chocolate in your diet, this can often cause stomach upsets. 
• High acidic and spicy foods – Foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits alter the pH in the stomach often irritating the stomach or causing heartburn. 
• Avoid excessive alcohol use – Try to limit alcohol consumption. 
• Avoid lactose from dairy or gluten from wheat – These foods have been linked to stomach irritation. 
• Avoid using aspirin and anti-inflammatory medications – These are known to irritate the stomach. If you are using these in moderation, take with a small meal to minimize stomach irritation.
• Try eating smaller frequent meals during the day. By doing this, it allows you to keep smaller portions of food in the stomach at one time. If you eat large portions of food at each meal, it can cause the stomach to become to full and push the acid up into the esophagus causing that negative feeling of heartburn or acid reflux. 
• Avoid laying down anytime after eating a meal. Once you lay down after a meal, it’s easier for the contents of the stomach to empty out into the esophagus causing that feeling you want to avoid.

*   *   *

On a happier note,  Suy adopted Jakster so he became my new housemate!
I'm really unsure which breed he is since Veriza bought it from a pet store in Dubai, and gave him away since her housemate had a rash towards fury pets ( I think?)

Such a cutie. I guess the one thing I never knew about rabbits is its ability to eat. It seems like it's eating and jumping around all the time, and the speed that it hops, is faster than the speed I brisk walk.

Random picts of me and Suy while waiting for our friends to meet Jakster at home :)

I kinda photoshopped my acne scars away... the next time I see my derm, I should let him know that I want a Vit A serum.

*   *   *

While I was in bed, I was looking around for a new bag (I've been thinking of owning a medium, and/or a contemporary designer from NY) so brands like alexander wang, marc by marc, michael kors have been in my mind since.... I've not really set my mind on 3.1 philip lim because Ive seen quite a few fakes in the market..
Then again, I really like its expandable design... so I might go give it a visit in Saks fifth ave (nyc) when I'm there this weekend



Considering its sturdy embossed leather and its size, I might get it as a homecoming gift for myself! I had a go at the Celine nano luggage before, but I find it on the chunky and heavy end, and I wasn't prepared to pay that much for a bag before I get a new job in Singapore.

Then again, we shall see ;)

A little on Dubai

A beautiful sight I caught in Apr' when I visited my friends in Vienna

I've gone missing for a while I know, because I was really busy working. Even when I had spare time, I spent it on either solo traveling or reading in bed 

(I'm so gonna get Dan Brown's Inferno when I get to NYC - if they come in paperback edition!)

I've tendered my resignation and that felt strange to me. It's gonna be a huge change. I'm no longer gonna live in an "all-expenses-paid" apartment, going to lose some freedom and independence I have when I'm in Dubai. I will also lose the opportunity to keep traveling, but I do want to come home to spend time with my loved ones and friends. One year and four months, in a job I spend my days abroad, I've outwitted myself in doing so.

People often ask me how's living like in Dubai, because of the numerous horror stories they read online. However, many tourists do stop by for a visit when they do their transit stop because Dubai owns a very centralised location (well, it's also known as middle east for some reason), and to avoid spending 14-24 hours of direct flights in the cramp economy seats, it's easy to get a tourist visa to spend a day or two in Dubai. 

 Dubai is a conservative country since it is part of the UAE, yet it is also the most liberal and cosmopolitan one out of the 7 states. You would probably not find yourself adapting that well if you were in Doha or Sharjah, and perhaps even more difficult if you visit Saudi Arabia due to the strict Sharia law and the Muslim culture. It IS still very different from Singapore although we do have a Malay community, living in the UAE means you do respect spoken and unspoken rules in this community. 

Hmm, let me elaborate in my own terms.

Dressing

When in public places, I try to refrain from wearing clothes that reveal my shoulders and thighs - but that doesn't mean I stop wearing my skirts or short sleeved tops... 

If you read my past few posts relating to Dubai, you will realise that I do wear sleeveless tops. If I reveal my shoulders, I will make sure that I will wear a jeans or a knee length skirt... &... I always have a cardigan or scarf to throw on since the malls and restaurants set their a/c temperature really high for some reason :\ Some malls, like the well visited Dubai Mall does have a dress code, but if you do what I recommend, you should be fine.

I don't encourage shorts because you won't like to invite stares from men... ;)

In the pool, you're more than welcome to wear your bikini/monokini/one piece swimsuit. Simply put, no nudity.

F&B

Yes, alcohol is allowed in Dubai. We have them in duty free (cheap) and most pubs/restaurants/clubs do serve alcohol. We have the most amazing range of foreign restaurants and cafes - Laduree/Paul/TGIF/Cold Stone was in Dubai before it was even franchised in Singapore and Magnolia/CheesecakeFactory/IHop and many more American hangouts are will be badly missed by me when I come home :-(

Regarding pork, we have supermarkets and restaurants that are licensed to sell them, so people should stop telling me Dubai doesn't allow pork -_- 

When you know Dubai better, you will find that it has a good variety of Asian cuisines and restaurants, I secretly think Korean BBQ and pancakes taste better in Dubai than SG's.

Electronics

Dubai is supposedly tax-free so most electronics are affordable, as compared to European/American regions. Iphone was priced the same in Dubai/Singapore/HongKong, so I find it pretty competitive.

Shopping

When in Dubai mall, it's hard not to shop. There's free wifi in the mall so that you can ask your friends if the color of your dress suits you, or if you would like to buy dates with almond or without.

It's one jam-packed mall with everything you can find, from luxury shopping to your usual spanish clothing outlets.

PDA/Hotels

Public display of affection is restricted in Dubai. You can hold hands, but avoid anything more in public. If you're engaged, do bring a copy of your marriage certificate with you if you're sharing a room. I know of people who're just boy and girlfriends and sharing a hotel room, but you would really want to avoid being caught in this situation. 

Ramadan

During the holy month of Ramadan, the rules of the above-mentioned must be strictly followed, and there will be few restaurants which will open during the day, so I would avoid traveling to Dubai as a tourist during that one month. Eating and drinking in public places is not allowed as a respect for Muslims who fast. So I do stock up my own groceries to cook at home for breakfast and lunch :) Deliveries and takeaways are allowed, so you see - it's actually rather flexible.

Safe?

Dubai is a safe place to travel and live in, if you look at the crime rates in perspective. The laws in Dubai is kept strict for crime prevention and anything illegal in Singapore, is also illegal in Dubai. Avoid jaywalking, eating in train cabins and etc. 

In clubs, do avoid sharing a drink or leaving a drink at your counter, I think this rule works everywhere.

Also avoid taking taxi alone in the middle of the night, especially if you're unfamiliar with the roads or traveling out of the prime area. 

Hotels

Would recommend prime area - so hotels in Sheikh Zayed (which is Dubai's Orchard Road, kinda?)

 If you think it's pricey because of its prime location, try Bur Dubai, it's 10-15 minutes drive from Sheikh Zayed.

To Do:

- Arabian Adventures (Safari Tour)

- Dubai Mall 

- Dubai Fountain Show

- Burj Khalifa (tallest building in the world)

- Barasti (Beach pub)

- Cirque du Soir (Club)

- Traditional Gold Souk (market) 

- Burj Al Arab (supposedly the only 7 star hotel)

- Souk Medinat / Medinat Jumeirah on the Palm

- Drive/Bus to Abu Dhabi for Ferrari world/Mosque 

More on tripadvisor

Overall...

Dubai is relatively clean and malls are smoke-free. Roads can be rather sandy. Traffic jams are not too bad as well, taxi fares are cheaper as compared to SG with the minimum charge of 10 dhs (3+ SGD) and starting fare at 3.50dhs (1+ SGD). Exchange rate is currently pegged at 1 SGD= 3 DHS.

Well, that's about it! It's time for me to snooze, I've called in sick so that I can rest well tomorrow. Can't wait to be back in 3 weeks :)

Blog and Syd

It's been a long, long time I blogged. Time is passing so quickly, it's officially a year I've moved to Dubai.

I'll like to write about 2 things today, and end with a quote I like from an article I found on facebook.

One.

First, I'll like to write about my blog.

Blogging used to be a one-person affair for me back in school days. I used to lock my private posts so that I could keep everything to myself.

 It came to one point when blogging became a platform, where I shared tips, shopping, travel information, pictures, reviews with everyone, and vice versa. 

Then blogging became commercial. I had advertorials, reviews that I uploaded items I like from the blogshopsphere, and I kinda enjoy that bit of attention I used to seek.

Recently, blogging became a little space for reflections, for me to write my thoughts, reclude, rethink about things. That's the best bit about living alone, you think A LOT more than you're surrounded by people. This space then became one where it didn't really matter if anyone reads.

What matters most is this place never left me, a platform for solitude.

//

Two.

I've also wanted to count the places I've been since I moved, and a new destination I've conquered quite recently is Sydney, where my good friend's living currently.

Sydney's a very vibrant and busy city, and the first day I went, I wasn't really lucky to have met a stormy Syd in Summer. Realised that the clothes I had with me wasn't adequate and Ming & I were freezing in that cold.

Sydney Opera House

The Rocks, a nice chillout place nearby the Opera House.

Bought some good Papaw (Papaya Ointment) which was well-raved everywhere. Got two because I'm still the good ol' Singaporean kinda kiasu. It's unlike me to go Sydney every other time so :)
 
Also stocked up a new fragrance by Gucci. I'm a girl who likes her fragrances girly and light.
Was in Auckland where I fell really sick so this was the only photo taken of me in my room when I was still well.

Back to Syd to meet my girl again where we had Japanese for lunch and cupcakes for dessert!
 

Brought me to the beautiful Darling Habour when the weather's really good. Not too sunny, yet breezy. Perfect for a good after-lunch stroll!

Here's a koala hanging on the tree, doing his afternoon nap.

Ming brought me around town (which happens to be George Street) and I saw a vending Havaianas! How cool is that. Basic flops for 20 Aussie :)

The oldest mall in George St.

I'll love to keep the photos coming (I do have some from Barcelona that I would kill to blog) but this sudden rush of 'feel' to blog doesnt come very often. I'm going for a holiday to Spain and Italy with JS for my birthday, and with that, I'm also glad to announce that I'm coming home soon! Well at least the strong urge to home has been bugging me.

Singapore, I've missed you so.

//

Quote.

‎"Of course, you never really forget anyone, but you certainly release them. You stop allowing their history to have any meaning for you today. You let them change their haircut, let them move, let them fall in love again. And when you see this person you have let go, you realize that there is no reason to be sad. The person you knew exists somewhere, but you are separated by too much time to reach them again." 
thoughtcatalog.com