Food Truck Rally...

We spent our lovely sunday eating our hearts out! (Well, sorta..)

One of our foodie friends invited us to join them at the Food Truck Rally at Prospect Park, Brooklyn. Though it was a little bit of a commute, we just had to go for the experience!

The stupid park was just so huge that we got lost, partly because we got off at the wrong station. We were a little worried when we got off the station and didn't see any crowd at all! (The banner on top was spotted only after we called our friends to make sure we got the venue and date right!)

It was quite an eye opener seeing all the colorful and pretty trucks! I was so tempted to try all the food, but sadly, the food wasn't as cheap as I thought it might be. (A lobster roll was USD16!) Plus, the crowd and the heat was really offputting. Nonetheless, I was able to order Mr Lim around to get some of the yummy food I craved!

A glance at some of the yummilious food we got! The best had to be the Kimchi Taco! I would have gotten another one if not for the uber long queue!

The heat was a killer and since Mr Lim was wearing jeans, he was clearly almost suffering from heatstroke. Hence he went straight for the ice cream sandwich. (It's just one of the most sinful thing ever.. Ice cream sandwiched by cookies.. Of course, I gave it a miss..)

A rather happy me with the uber expensive lobster roll that was unfortunately quite disappointing. Well, at least Sam enjoyed the pieces of bread that I peeled for him.

Forced the little boy to take a picture with me again, and he's just eyeing on the kebab I had. Lucky him, he got a small piece of chicken!

All in all, it was a pretty fun experience. Just sitting around, having a picnic and great company, despite the great heat! Looking forward to doing it again next month, hopefully the weather is gonna get better!

Of course, the happiest of us all... (Yummy food + lotsa grassy areas + Birds & squirrels to kill chase = Happy Sam!)

Going Home..

Yap! I'm going home!

Amid my indecisiveness, I've finally decided. And I'm glad I made that decision. Apparently, Mum was so happy that she called my bro, who in turn called me almost immediately. I would like think he's happy too. Afterall, I will be there to share Mum's overbearing-ness for 2 weeks. So why not?

Of course, I'm sure I'm going to miss my little man. To reduce my guilt, I'm thinking of boarding him at a farm, so that he would enjoy the freedom of roaming on acres of land, running on grass and breathing in fresh fresh air. I've narrowed down to a couple and let's see how things go from there.

Anyway, looking forward to home!!!

Photo Booth fun!

Finally a perfect one after Nth tries...

Home?

Where's home? I used to think that home is where Sam is. I still do. It's just that I have a sudden yearning for home, the other home where the rest of my family are. I used to pride myself for having little homesickness and actually enjoying the freedom I get being away from my overbearing mom. (Oops~) But now, I actually feel like going back home. And it really doesn't help that my dad spoke to me personally about wishing that I would go home.. (He seldom makes such requests and when he does, my heart definitely goes soft...)

I guess that the trigger is Zim's upcoming trip home, most possibly without me. I'm a little tempted to go back with him. Okay the truth is, I'm VERY tempted to go back with him. That being said, there are a couple of factors holding me back. Financially, it does not make any sense. The trip back and sam's boarding would easily add up to USD3k. In addition, I have to leave my other home, the home where my little boy is and it breaks my heart to do so. Lastly, it's the 20 hours flight. The uber long flight that would make my butt break and where I would be constantly worrying if it's going to crash. (Yap, I've a phobia of planes.)

So, is it worth it? I don't know...

I thought that I had made up my mind, but the constant struggle about the decision makes me realise that I'm clearly not happy with the decision.

Sigh.... How can I be so indecisive? Rawrrrrrr~

Random Shots of KeY's life...

My wall of bags... And yap, Qian's gonna scream at me for being a Bitch for having so many Longchamp bags. Current count: 5! =P
A painting of Ed Heck that a good friend gave. I really love his illustrations of dogs...
Our new Dahon folding bikes. His on the right and hers on the left. Our new exercise/ relaxing routine - a good ride along hudson river.
My new arts & craft room! Yap, yellow is the new black for me. Wished I could paint the walls grey though. Nonetheless, I'm really happy with the end product! (There's just a little more touches to be added on.)

Loving my yellows and greens!

Last but not least, the silly little man that slept beside mummy while she blogs...

Say Goodbye...

Made a long overdue effort to revamp the guest room into a craft room. In the process of doing so, I finally tossed some things away, most of which were just trash. There were a couple, however, that had some memories attached...

1. My childhood stereo..

This was a birthday gift from my parents when I was in secondary school. It was antique enough that it had both a cassette tape and a MD player! It had served me well during my school days, always there for me while I chilled out in the room or while I struggled to study. It's definitely hard to say goodbye, especially after a decade. But I guess when it's time to let go.. I've to..

2. My snowboarding helmet..

This thing probably saved my life last fateful Christmas. Though I've absolutely no use of it now, it was a little heartbreaking tossing it out. Afterall, I am indebted to it.
Seeing the evidence of the crack it endured while it sacrificed itself for me still gives me chills and make me grateful that no long term damage happened (but again, maybe I did get dumber..=P).

Saying goodbye isn't easy, especially to things with memories. While I no longer hang on to these physical possessions, looking at the photos still give me a little warmth in my heart (and a little ache as well). At least there's still some memories of them that I could hang on to for as long as I would like...

For now, GoodBye...

Me Time trip.. Planning..

OMG. I didn't realise how difficult it is to plan a backpacking solo trip. It's even tougher for someone who tends not to plan for any trip and kinda do things as and when she feels like (Well, I'm a super last minute, impromtu kinda person I guess). I'm having a major headache just selecting the places I wanna visit, and suddenly, 2 weeks seemed to be wayyy too short!

I wonder if I would ever get done.. The scary (yet really thrilling) part is that, I would have to have a pretty complete plan as I won't really have anyone to lean on when something shitty happens.. Well, I'm pretty sure something IS going to happen. (Maybe a charming English prince or knight would come to my rescue then.) But till then, I'm definitely on my own! The unknown is just so exciting!!!! Sigh, wished I could have done this earlier!

Here's a quick look of the top places that are the highest priority in my itinerary as of now...

1. Bath

It's kinda stupid why I wanna go Bath. I was watching some HK drama (which I can't even recall) about a couple meeting and being together in Bath and I thought that I wanna go there someday.. And yap, that someday is in October!

2. Stonehenge

Definitely have to visit the iconic prehistoric site right?

3. Glasgow

Yap, Scotland's in my travel plans as well!!!

Other places include Liverpool, Cambridge and Edinburgh as well!!

Hopefully, the photos I upload in November will be that of those I took myself! Meanwhile, back to planning... *Pulls hair*

Musicals!!!

I recently bought tickets for two musicals that I've been dying to watch!!!

1. Rent

Remember me being super excited about Rent's return to broadway? (here) Yap, I finally bought tickets for it!!

Won't be able to collect my tickets till the actual day, but the seats are amazing!! I really can't wait till July 27!!!

2. Book of Mormon

Sigh, sad story on why I got the ticket. I probably tried the lottery about 5 times (and nope, didn't make it for any..) ! The crowd for the lottery tickets was insanely huge (possibly bigger than that of Wicked). Eventually, I decided that luck wasn't on my side and I'm finally willing to pay for two full priced good tickets (for me and Zim). Annoyingly, the next available date for two decent orchestra tickets (middle) is in April 2012! WTH.. Frustrated and desperate to watch it (come on, I'm a HUGE south park fan!), I decided to be a bitch and ditch my husband. In exchange, I managed to get really good seat for ONE in November! I am soooo excited!

Sorry Mr Lim, I promise to give you a good synopsis of the musical! I'm so enjoying the soundtrack I just can't wait!!! yippppppeeeee~

PS: If you are planning to visit me Sam next year and wanna catch this musical, BUY TICKETS NOW!

Me Time Trip..

Yap, I'm going Great Britain for my solo holiday!!! Not quite sure what the itinerary is as of now, and I seriously need to sit down and spend sometime planning the trip.. but you know what, I'm so freaking excited already!!!!!

I'm counting down to October...

So, wake me up when September ends ya?

Purple monster..

Something new for a change...

Can you spot my havianas tan? That's the results of Sam's daily noontime dog park visits! Yap, I officially have a thong tan.. LOL
Not exactly sure if I'm in love with the color, but nonetheless, it's an interesting change..

Time to ponder on what I should get next...

Kiasu Americans...

Goes to show that Singaporeans ain't the only kiasu people around..

The fireworks won't begin till 9.20pm and people are already reserving spots.. Nice...

Lucky us, we have the full view of the fireworks in the comforts of our own home! *Smug look*

anyway, Happy 4th July!!

简单爱

Suddenly had an urge and gian-ness for Jay chou's first two albums. Afterall, I was a fan some donkey years ago. Unfortunately, silly me forgot to transfer my songs from the CDs I bought (legally) onto my macbook before I came to NYC. -_- As result, I just had to deal with the cravings/ yearnings I had for these songs. (Hm, it's beginning to sound a little weird..) Anyway, now that I finally got my hands on it, thanks to Raye~ I'm totally loving it.

Interestingly, the number one song that I just can't stop playing, surprisingly, is 简单爱. Well, I didn't exactly like it previously.. but there's someone that kept appearing in my mind when the lyrics are planning and I just love the whole feeling of it..

Yap, you probby guessed. It's SAM! I love you SAMMY!!! =

我想就這樣牽著你的手 (more like paw~)不放開
愛可不可以简简單單沒有傷害

你靠著我的肩膀
你在我胸口睡著
像這樣的生活　我愛你　你愛我

Okay, I'm starting to sound like a psycho... but he is indeed, the love of my life.. sorry zim~ =/

Me Time...

I was just chatting with a few of my friends over the past week about how being in NYC has changed us. (Luckily for us all, it's usually a change for the better..) I know that I've matured (yes, it comes with age), became more sensible and definitely am more independent. I am even surprised by how resilient I could be and how I could actually stand on my own feet and cope without Zim around. And of course, I am pretty proud of myself for being a relatively good doggy parent (Okay, self praise is no praise..but you get the gish~). Well, that is if you see beyond what a brat the little monster has become. Sigh~ Still, it's an achievement for a first time dog owner!

Though I'm pretty proud of what I have become (*Smug look*), I still wanna push myself a little more. So, *Drums roll*, I am going to challenge myself by going on a backpacking trip ALONE. Yes, alone. This is really a pretty big decision considering what a wimp and scaredy cat I can be. So, hopefully through this, I will be able to grow even more!

I've a couple of plans in mind about where I would like to explore on my own. (Definitely places that have no lizards!) Hopefully things will work out and I would be able to get some me time to myself... Fingers crossed!!

School-less...

I didn't get into the school I applied to. So, what now?

Interestingly, I wasn't exactly disappointed that I was rejected. In fact, it kinda helped me settle the dilemmas I faced with regards to the financial capabilities to afford the studies, the time constraints and the practicality of the decision. Despite that, I know I still wanna work with animals. Thus, even if I ain't able to be a veterinarian, I'm confident that there are alternatives for me to explore.

I've found a shelter to volunteer in. I had previously tried volunteering with ASPCA but the commute got the the better of lazy me. This time, I managed to find a shelter within the vicinity. Hopefully, I will be able to keep it up. I guess time would tell.

Meanwhile, I shall continue to indulge in my taitai-hood, examless and carefree days of ultimate nua-ing.

Life isn't that bad after all, isn't it? *Grinz*

One year and counting.

I am really lousy with dates and anniversaries. (Good for Mr Lim I guess) I actually just realised that I've missed Sammy's first anniversary with us which was supposedly on 28 March!

Well, this first year with the little boy has been a roller coaster ride. From having a little cute puppy to having a handsome but slightly rebellious adolescent. From struggling with separation anxiety, to being able to remain in the crate for several hours while mummy and daddy are out. From sleeping in the crate, to pretty much owning the bed at night. From strictly dog food, to little treats of yummy human food (one of his all-time favourite is cheese). And most importantly, from tons of potty accidents, to, well, not so many accidents. (Yeah, there's still room for improvement.)

I've to say we got pretty lucky. Sam has an absolutely amazing personality for a jack russell terror. He does have his pissy moments (where he gets a little snappy), he does play a little rough (especially when he realizes that the other party is a pushover) and he does have a hell lot of energy. Yet, he is an independent, healthy and happy little guy. I cannot thank him enough for the tons of joy, laughter and pride he brought into our lives (more in mine than in Zim's life I'm pretty sure).

I love you, my silly little boy and of course, Happy one year anniversary.. and many more to come!

Cowardly me..

Curiosity killed the cat and killed my courage. Out of curiosity, I had been watching numerous horror movies and documentaries over the past month. As a result, there were several occasions when I woke up due to nightmares (yap, mostly those surrounding the supernatural). Even when I'm wide awake, I would scare myself with silly thoughts of scenes I saw on tv. (The number one culprit was a particular scene in 见鬼2 where a perverted old man ghost was staring at the lead actress in the public restroom. Shrugs). Thus, when Mr Lim had to leave for a short trip again, I was really upset (okay, mostly scared) and didn't dare to sleep till the sun started to rise. (Yes, for once, Sam didn't help much. In fact, I was sub-consciously worried that he might stare at nothing and bark again.) I was pretty much dreading the next time Mr Lim had to leave for a work trip that I couldn't tag along (those that include any sorts of plane rides).

Yap, that was sunday. Well, honestly, things weren't as bad as I thought. For once, I am actually really appreciative of the noisy streets of NYC, the ridiculously loud sirens and the constant traffic (yap, even in the wee hours of the morning). At least I wasn't alone! Little Sam was pretty cooperative as well and didn't do any of his sudden outbarks at nothing. (Phew~) All in all, seemed like I've pretty much gotten rid of the cowardly me for now. (Until I succumbed to my curiosity and start watching any scary shit again, well, and knowing me, that would be pretty soon..) But seriously, I really do take my hat off those who stay alone! I could never do in the long run!

Anyway, the good news is.. Mr Lim is coming home today! Time for a real good night of sleep.

zzzzzzzzz

What I want for XXX...

XXXX as I really cannot think of any occasion that is coming up which I can justify getting meself a gift or extorting Mr Lim for one. Nonetheless, I want this!
Yap, it's a customized Longchamp Le Pliage bag! *Sigh* I'm a huge sucker for longchamp bags (current count at 4). The shape of this bag is pretty cute and I don't have any of this size as of now. (Does it mean it's justifiable to get it?)

The slightly bigger one, (additional USD30) is quite a contender too. But I do have a pink one of this size. =(

Out of my 4 bags, my favourite is the navy and blue one (which also happened to be my first of the 4). However, wear and tear is taking a toll on that bag and it's in pretty bad shape. I really love the colors and is quite disappointed that it happened to from a limited edition collection. Hence, if I were to customize one, that would definitely be my colour scheme. To add a personal touch to it, I would even emboss my initials (erm, on second thoughts, KEY would be way better than LKY) on it. Nice right?

Sigh, so the dilemma is, is it worth spending USD200 on a bag (includes taxes and shipping) that I could buy off the racks (well, the classic designs though) for possibly 60 Euro? Argh...

Think think think...

My new toy!

Okay, it's not really that new. Mr Lim bought me a Silhouette SD during the black friday thanksgiving sale last year. After procrastinating for, erm, 5 months, I finally opened the package and put it to test. And you know what, I'm loving it!

It was a little confusing to use initially, but after a short while (and some youtube tutorial), I eventually figured out what to do.

So, I chose the font type and paper size, type in the words I wanted.

The setup of the machine was really easy and there was no compatibility issues at all! The installation was a breeze as well. (Unlike my stupid Canon Selphy.) Thanks to the youtube tutorial, I knew how to insert the paper correctly.

The end product was amazing and the cutting happened within minutes. It's so much better than the QuicKutz Squeeze that I previously used. Definitely a time and effort saver.

On a side note, the silhouette SD machine produced a really funny noise that woke the little boy. He was pretty fascinated by what he heard and could not stop staring at it.
Here's the end product! Isn't it awesome! (And yap, no surprises, it's for Sammy, yet again)

Anyway, this is really quite exciting and tons of fun! I really can't wait to put it into more use!

Cherry Blossom weekend in DC..

I finally made an effort to visit Washington DC! As usual, we tagged along when Mr Lim went to work. Honestly, DC is awesome. It's so beautiful, well-kempt and seriously clean. (Sigh, I guess everywhere is clean when the comparison point is NYC) I really enjoyed visiting the monuments and museums (I got two under my belt). And best of all, we happened to be there just in time for the Cherry Blossom Weekend. I was quite concerned that the rainy week prior to our trip would wash away all the cherry blossoms, but lucky us, we made it there to see it!

Here's a little glimpse.

We stayed in the W hotel in Washington. Really nice and posh place! Pity Mr Lim's starwood privileges didn't come into play and we didn't get a free upgrade as hoped. But again, we really shouldn't expect much, especially since this is the peak season in DC. Anyway, the best part of the hotel is that the restaurant located there is J&G Steakhouse!!. How could we say no! Well, this was by far the best room service food we ever had! Yum~

Unfortunately, due to expensive lodging (it was almost USD400 per night) and time constraints, we didn't really get to enjoy more places within DC. Hence, I'm pretty sure I will be heading back once again. Plus, Sam seemed to really like the daycare I found him!

Our last night in DC was spent in a touristy place called National Harbour. Erm, as it was still the off-peak season there, it was pretty much like a ghost town. Other than the hotel, Aloft, we stayed in, the whole area was not very dog friendly. We weren't even allowed to dine at the outdoor seating area with Sam. (Apparently, a new policy came into play just last year.) It was quite frustrating as the hostess had already sat us down and we were ready to order when a 'seasoned' waiter came out to turn us away. Duh~ In the end, we decided to just pack up, check out, get the hell out of that place and find a MacDonald Take out. (nothing's more satisfying than a good filet-O-fish anyway) Guess that would probably be our first and last time to that area.

Nonetheless, the trip was good and seems like pesty Sam did enjoy himself while understanding the culture and history of his country.

New Look for Spring 2011

Watching little Sam investing a fair amount of time setting up and beautifying his blog made me a little guilty neglecting mine. Thus, after much deliberation and a lot of hard work, I have decided to give me blog a facelift! Nope, I'm not narcissistic. It's just that I needed to find a picture that would not have it's quality compromised by the reduction of the file size. Plus, since we spent so much money on our wedding photo shoot, using this picture as the background does make quite a bit of sense.

So here's the outcome. Not too bad I hope...

Rent..

I remembered reading the NY times article about the musical coming to the end after a 12-year run and could not help but feel a sense of regret of not being able to catch it. I loved the dvd version and had always wanted to catch it on broadway. Well, the regret kept hanging over my head everytime my ipod plays "Seasons of love" until I realized that....

It's back!!!! Or rather, it's coming back!


I CANNOT wait...... whoopie~

Best of all, there's lottery tickets to the show! Time for me to spend my weekdays standing in line for tickets!

This is just one of the reasons why I love NYC!

I am finally insured!

After a year in the states, I am officially proud to say that I finally have health insurance! (YEAH!) No more overpaying ridiculous amount for simple consultations. And no more disgusting high hospital bills that are uber jaw-dropping.

On a good note, thankfully AIA and Zim's company were able to cover the hefty snowboarding bill. (The final bill was almost 5 digits) We are really relieved that we didn't have to fork out a single cent. (Phew~)

Nonetheless, at least I no longer have to crack the joke that my dog has insurance and I don't. Now me and little Sam are both well-insured. =D

Sammy's little blog...

Okay, after procrastinating for the longest of time, I have decided to give Sam, the stupid dog, a blog of his own. That would hopefully, prevent him for hogging the contents of my blog. And maybe, the future updates here would orientate around my life, not his! While it might not be as interesting, at least it's about me, not him. (Grumbles..)

On a good note, Sam types miraculously fast! After all, he does have four paws, instead of two hands. Hm, good for him.

Anyway, check out his stupid little barks here.

Sam in action...

The little destroyer caught in action!

Sam the destroyer..

Our little boy is a PEST, especially when he's bored. And when he's bored, he would definitely put his little jaws into some use (Not in a good way though). He's a pampered brat with tons of toys and one of his favorite boredom killing hobbies is to destroy his stuffed toys bit by bit.

Sam has a little routine which he does while decapitating his toys. His routine begins with the Tags to the Ears to the Tails (if any) to the Limbs and finally to their Bodies... You could almost always see his satisfied little face after he had torn the toy into pieces. (Doesn't he just sound like a pretty seasoned serial killer?!)

Keeping his tortured habit in mind, I am pretty cautious in buying toys for him. While avoiding real human toys, I do look out for toys that are meant to be for aggressive chewers. And apparently, Kong's toys are meant to be sturdy and long lasting. (And I really adore their chew toys..) But I guess their stuffed animals really couldn't withstand the "Sam" test...
Zebra Kong was one of his first toys.
I guess Monkeys just ain't his kind of animal.
Tiger was the latest addition, and that probably explains why he is still pretty intact. (As of now..)

After watching him destroy 3 kong stuffed animals, I wondered if he was just against Kong toys, so I bought Booda to try it out. And of course, to nobody's surprise, he killed Booda bit by bit... (and yap, I had to clean up after him AGAIN. -_-")

So, I gave up on having to clear up the mess of a stuffed animal (cotton wools) and invested in a Skinneeez stuuffing free toy. Somehow, Sam managed to flip the poor fox inside out.. (At least there wasn't much of a mess to clean up after this time round.)


I bought this cuddle pal for Sammy in Singapore as I felt really guilty for abandoning him for such a long period. Judging from the outcome of the toy, I guess Sam's still in a pissy mood over being left behind.

Here's a little glimpse of Sam's ongoing projects..

My independent little man...

As much as I adore Sam, he's possibly the one rare dog that is not at all cuddly. Unlike most dogs who would love to crawl up to your lap for a good rub, Sammy would rather sit at the other end of the room and glance at you with the corner of his eyes. 犯贱的我 is usually the one crawling up to him to disturb him (especially during commercial breaks). At the dog park, when owners leave their dogs behind, the dogs would start staring out of the gate and waiting for the owners to return. Sam? He would just give me a quick glance and go right back to his games. Even when I return, I pretty much still don't exist in his eyes when there are other distractions. Sad huh? But again, this is really characteristic of terriers, who are supposedly more independent to begin with. (Okay, that probably also explains why he doesn't do recall well at all.)

We left the little man at his usual daycare for the whole duration of our Singapore trip. When we picked him up, the lady at the daycare was full of praises of how wonderful Sam was. She commented that Sam was super independent and did not cry or whine at night. Even in the day, he would just play as much as he wanted and when he was tired, he would head to a small little corner to sleep on his own. When I heard that, my whole heart just ached. He sounded like a poor little kid that had no parents to care for him and he's just left to fend and mind his own stuff. T_T Sigh, how I wished I could have been there to give him a little pat when he's trying to cuddle into a ball to sleep or maybe even a little kiss, or to greet him when I wake up in the morning. (To compensate, Sammy boy got to sleep on the bed for the next couple of days.)

Sigh, as much as I appreciate his independence, I do kinda wish that the little man would be a tad bit dependent on me...

Us...

Conversation between Husband and Wife

Me:"Do you think Sam is talking to the other dogs when he barks at them?"
Zim: "Possibly.."
Me: "Hm, do you think the dogs in Singapore will understand Sam's american accent then?"
Zim: -_-

Well, I always dig the american accent in ABCs to begin with. So effectively, Sam is our ABCD - American Born Chinese Dog!

Frankfurt!

Zim and I decided to stop by Frankfurt on our way back to Singapore for two main reasons:

1. To break up the long and horrid plane ride on SQ26/25. It's officially the worst SQ planes of all the SQ flights I've been on. Apparently, while all the other SQ flights have been upgraded to the newer planes, this is the one rare flight that is still using the ancient Boeing 747-700. The screen is possibly smaller than my kindle screen and the chairs are oooold. So, by stopping over at Frankfurt, we managed to book the newer flight (YEAH~) for our Frankfurt-Singapore leg.

2. Shopping! There are only two destinations on my shopping list - Longchamp and Crumpler! So far so good! Crumpler was awesome!!!!! Apparently, the crumpler in Europe is different franschise from the crumpler in Asia and America, thus the collections are totally different from those in Singapore and NYC. AND I LOVE THEM ALLL!!!!!!! Nothing new for Longchamp, except that it's dirt cheap after tax refund. Ho Ho Ho... I'll update my loot when I get back to Singapore. Swinging by Crumpler one last time tomorrow for a few more grabs. =D

Other than that, Frankfurt isn't exactly the most exciting of places and it really sucks that the weather is wet and cold. It's been raining for the past two days that we were here, what luck. Maybe tomorrow will be a better last day.

New Year Resolutions...

I've only ONE resolution this year.

Always trust my own instincts.. It's possibly always right...

I learnt the lesson the pretty hard way in 2010. So I guess it shouldn't be too tough for me to achieve that in 2011.