Shanghai trip LAST year!

Last year, my company organized and paid for a 3 days-2 nights "incentive trip" for all employees to Shanghai. That was sometime in Sept06, I think... I remembered that the hairy crabs were in season.

Before I know it, a year has passed and for this year, I am entitled to go to Perth. As my dept is extremely lean, basically it's just me and my boss right now as the other fund manager has left us to relocate to HK.

So, I'll be traveling to Perth with BF, just like what we did last year for Shanghai.

This is a picture that BF took while he was wondering on his own and while I was somewhere in Jiangsu attending a meeting. This is "lao Jie", which means Old Street. It is situated just next to Yu-Yue (aka Jade Garden in English), which is a tourist trap. I've never seen more tourists in any other parts of Shanghai.

However, just a street away, Lao Jie managed to retain some of its old charm where locals were still cycling away, no tour group leaders waving their flags and you can find rather cheap items to buy. I bought a traditional Chinese tea cup for only S$3, which can easily cost 3 times more in Singapore!

Anyway, I just wana post something about my Shanghai trip b4 I go for my next one in Aug.

Someone once told me that once you hit 25 years old, time will just fly and b4 you know it, you will be an old fart and that's provided that you are lucky enough to be still alive and kicking!

Yup, I do begin to feel like an old fart.

More pictures from my baking class on last sat!

My very first baking class!

Last Friday, while I was surfing the net, looking for cute pictures, I came across Karen’s website – perfectfairycakes.com (as mentioned in my most recent post) and I realized then that she would be holding a baking class on the very next day!

Immediately, I called her and signed up for the class. Another good gf of mine decided to join in the fun as well.

So, on the very next day, I woke up a bit earlier to get ready as Karen’s class was at 10 am. GF and I shared a cab down to Karen’s place, where she holds her monthly baking classes.

There were 8 of us in total, 7 were girls and 1 brave boyfriend joined the class with the girlfriend. How very sweet of him.

After some small talk, we started on my virgin baking class! =p

We learnt 3 recipes – carrot cake cupcakes, savoury onion cupcakes and marmalade bread pudding.

My favourite part of the class was the moment when we started decorating the carrot muffins with all the girly flowers, butterflies and pearls, awww… so sweet! Then, the highlight of the day – we got to eat what we baked! Yeah!

Mmmm… the bread pudding was really delicious, and the savoury muffins, woah! And don’t get me started on those pretty, darling carrot muffins. Yum Yum Yum!

All in all, I really had fun baking and EATING the goodies. Can’t wait for her next class.

Oh, did I mention that I actually do NOT have an oven at home?!?! Although I suspect my microwave oven does have a “confectionary” function. Hmmm, time to check out my kitchen ware.

I’ll be traveling!

Recently I went to the library to borrow some books and I borrowed a LonelyPLanet Western Australia Guide Book as I will be going to Perth in Aug!

Yeah, yeah!

Finally a long awaited and well deserved break! I’ll be hitting Perth during the National Day weekend and will be hanging around at Down Under for 6 days. Heard that there is really nothing much to do in Perth (the guide book kinda confirmed that already), but luckily, both BF and I are such alcoholics that we are planning to spend most of our days getting drunk at Margaret River.

For those who are not so familiar with the drinking scene, Margaret River has many of the best vineyards in Australia, so I am really excited about the trip! Plus, this is my virgin trip to Aussie!

Other than this trip, I’ll also be heading to the Banyan Tree resort @ Bintan (Indonesia) for a 2- days-1- night stay in about 2 weeks time! Yeah, can’t wait again… I have always wanted to try a Banyan Tree. Heard so much about their spa, services and beautiful rooms that I can’t wait to experience it first hand! Although the resorts at Bintan are considered to be at the lower range, but that is as much as I can afford. ;(

And after that…. I will be heading to KL, Malaysia for a hardcore pig-out session! A bunch of us have decided to book ourselves a suite at The Ascott KL, eat ourselves silly at the Overseas Restaurant (THE best Chinese restaurant in KL), and then go back to our suite and drink, watch DVD and basically…. Just chill.

Ahhhh… meanwhile, back to reality. I’ll be working over this weekend. Argh. Not the best way to spend a weekend.

Nonetheless, all these trips are making me so excited!!! ;p And all these happy thoughts are making me hungry, so here is a picture of a beautiful cupcake that I found online. This chef makes the prettiest cupcakes! I wonder do they taste as good as they look....

Cupcakes from this website: http://perfectfairycakes.blogspot.com/

Check them out!

To end it all?

Once again, I am very tempted to end my blog. To start with, how many people actually read it? Not that many.

Then I look through all my old entries and hit me once again that I have recorded my thoughts and beliefs for the past 2 years or so, it would be such a pity if I end were to end it all… all else fails, I can always read my own blog.

Ha.

So, I’ve just joined Planet Fitness last week. After 1 year of consideration, I have finally decided to pay the exorbitant fees to use a few pieces of gym equipment and hopefully to lose some pounds and tone some muscles.

Why the sudden enlightenment, you may ask?

Well… Last Saturday, I had to attend a wedding dinner and I had my wardrobe all planned out days earlier before the actual dinner. From the dress, to the earrings, to the clutch bag, to the type of shoes, to my eye make-up. I had it all sorted out.

Until I realized that I could not fit into the god damned dress! Cannot even zip it up. Even after sucking in my breath! Sigh, so sad.

So, I had to find another dress at the very last minute.

After the wedding dinner, I joined Planet Fitness immediately on the following Monday.

In fact, my body is aching all over right now, especially my thighs and calves. I went for the “Cyclo” class yesterday for the very first time, thinking “Aiyah, how hard can riding a bike be?” Since I run at least 8 km every week, I should be quite fit right?

Yeah right. I nearly fainted after the class. Woah… talking about a workout session manz.
My knees buckled after I got off the stationary bike and I am now walking around like “stick figure” as my legs are so, so sore.

So now that I have a reality check, I’ve decided to go for this “Cyclo” class every week until my legs stop cramming after each session. Guess that will take a while though…

Hopefully in time to come, I will be a lean, mean fighting machine. Not that I wana fight anyone lah. ;p