Devouring Movies

Mmm. Being on break is pure bliss. :)

I've been a regular to the theatre this past week. I have seen:
i)  The Princess and the Frog,
- I liked it! There's just something about classic Disney animation that makes one grin.

ii) Avatar (in both formats, if you're curious to know, regular and 3D), and
- It is almost identical to the Pocahontas storyline. Plot could have been better, I thought. However, amazing graphics and cinematography. 3D is recommended.

iii) Sherlock Holmes
- Bloody entertaining and brilliant! Loved, loved, loved the chemistry between Downey's Holmes and Law's Watson! :P

Phew~ And that's just the movies I watched at the theatre.. I also caught, in front of the small screen:
iv) Shaun of the Dead,
- It did have its LOL moments. And it's British humor, you gotta love that! Haha

v) Wolverine, and
- Lots of hot guys (the only thing that kept me staring at the screen, really).. and explosions.. overall, it was blah.

vi) My Sister's Keeper
- Very good, I thought. Get a box of tissues ready though.. I teared up, bad. And I heard the book is sadder still. How, I'm not sure. Haha

It's been a busy, busy week all right. :P

Catching up with family and friends has been great! I guess that's what the holidays are all about.

It's That Time Of Year Again..

Christmas.. New Year's.. it's that time of year again..
Maybe it's the snow? Maybe it's the cold?
Maybe it's realizing how alone I truly am?
Not quite sure what it is, but I find myself missing you this time of year, much more than any other.

La Di Dum Di Dum

Yay! I iz finally on holiday! XD May the drinking and partying begin (lol yearight as if I'm that cool.. =.=)!

Done with finals. Done with assignments. Done with the semester.

Now if only my History prof will post my final grade.. then I can have full peace of mind... I've been checking and rechecking every two minutes (Yes, I am reduced to that level of desperation!).. I swear, I feel like I'm on the verge of a myocardial infarction every time I refresh the page too!

Praying for that score I need for an A! Oh please oh please oh please let it be an A!

Updated: Finally found out my grade... and yay it is an A! Woot~ Happy happy news. I was literally jumping in joy!

Red Ribbon Foxes

For joy doesn't come in boxes
Nor peace in a heavy watch
For love doesn't come in boxes
Nor truth in a crowded shop
For faith doesn't come in boxes
Nor God in your silver cross
But the searching never stops

- Red Ribbon Foxes, A Fine Frenzy

*guilty look* I have already started listening to Christmas songs, and I've found some lovely ones! :) Compiled a playlist on YouTube and everything.

Falalala~
'Tis the season for an emotional rollercoaster ride~

You know it's true..

You seek me out when - and only when - you have nothing better to do, no one else to see.

走丢了 :'(

不想错过了你... 但我好像是走慢了几步... 恐怕已跟不上你的人影

Poop

Feeling like shit.

等

在等什么等啊?
都搞不清楚自己为什么那么傻...
一直默默的在等待.
等了好累,好烦,也好辛苦
可是也只好继续等下去.
放弃的念头，想了千百倍
最后时刻还是心软又舍不得.
真觉得自己很笨也很可笑...
等一个不在乎我的你,
总希望有一天,
你会回头发现我的存在,
明白我有多喜欢你.

Mixed Messages

Me no likey mixed signals.
Makes me very confused.

Me no likey overanalyzing.
Makes me has false hopes.

Happy 19th To Me! :P

Yeaps, I have officially turned 19.. omg, last year of being a teenager! T.T Omg so scary, so scary!

Anyway, before I turn this entry into one of despair... *clears throat* I had a pretty awesome birthday! :) My amazing friends (hehe, you know who you guys are!) made the day super special. I felt so loved! ♥♥♥

I'm so lucky!

It's November!

Wow, it's been a while since my last post! Just wanted to put in an entry so the month of November 2009 won't feel so empty. Haha.

Halloween has just past, which means Thanksgivings and Christmas are soon to follow suit. It's that time of year again... the end of the calander year. T.T

Nothing too exciting has been happening. What to do? I lead a mediocre existence. :P

D:

Philosophy bakes my noodle.
Philosophy boggles my already befuddled mind.

Save me!

Three Wise Women?

School has been a bitch as of late. Tests, tests, assignments, more tests, rinse and repeat. It doesn't help that my memory has been failing me as of late too. What the fish.

I should be studying right now, but eh, what the heck right. :P

Actually, to be fair, I was studying for the past hour until I stumbled upon this in my Sociology text. It was an intro blurb to the chapter. I thought it was most hilarious and I decided to spread the humor. :P

It goes,
"Do you know what would have happened if there had been Three Wise Women instead of Three Wise Men?" 

And the answer goes,
"They would have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver baby Jesus, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, brought practical gifts, and there would be peace on earth."

Wahaha. The chapter was on gender roles.. not surprising. :P

Los Angeles, baby! [Day 3]

And we’ve come to the last of my Cali entries! :)

Day Three is the day I realized just how ridiculously obsessed the general public is with all things celebrity. I mean, it really just hit me, like a piece of brick, how insane people are when it comes to anything Hollywood. I just found myself laughing at the whole superficiality of it all. I’m not trying to say that this is all beneath me.. it’s just, I never noticed how insane we, as a society, are about stars! ;p

 
#1: The Kodak Theatre. Made specifically to host the annual Academy Awards.

We went on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Kodak Theatre, mostly because it was one of the attractions included in the CityPass.

It was a pretty interesting tour, the tour guide was very cool. We learned some things about the Kodak Theatre and the Oscars and what-not. Haha.There is a lot of thought, money, and effort put into every single event. It looked pretty impressive in there but we couldn’t take pictures though. It was to keep everything mysterious apparently. *shrugs*

#2: The rest of the Kodak Theatre building is actually a full-fledged shopping mall!

#3: SEPHORA! Omg such a fun makeup store! :D

Later, we went on an hour and a half tour to see the stars’ homes. =__=ll More like, tour to see their fancy gates.

This was exactly when I started to laugh to myself. I mean, can you not laugh when the majority of what came out of the tour guide’s mouth was something along the lines of, “If you look over there to your right, you’ll see a yellow roof, so and so who just starred in so and so movie just moved in there!” And everybody goes, “Oooh!”.

Wtf, people actually pay money to be driven around to look at gates? Man, I’m such a sucker.

But haha, at least, I got to see the rest of sprawling Los Angeles.. I probably wouldn’t have had otherwise. *trying to justify myself*

#4,5: Smoggy and hazy L.A.

 
#6: A cactus!

#7: Stupid Hollywood sign.

Entering Beverly Hills! :P Lots of pretty and fancy houses.

#8: Lauren Conrad’s casa, if I’m not mistaken.

 
#9: Ringo Starr’s amazing gate.

#10: Look familiar? It’s Bruce Wayne’s pad.

 
#11: I just took random shots of anything I found vaguely interesting..

#12: OOOH LOOK! A CELEB!

Next, we take a brief drive down Rodeo Drive. Where all the rich and glamorous splurge. Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, any designer your little heart can flutter for.. as long as you can pay the exorbitant price tag, you’ll be having the time of your life here. Unfortunately, I do not possess an unlimited amount of moolah, so a shopping spree is out of the question.

#13,14: A taste of Rodeo Drive.

Before the day is through, we went on a last tour (I know, I know, excessive amounts of tours much!). This was a walking tour of Hollywood. I think the best part of that tour was the tour tour guide we got. He was quite awesome, very funny and informative. Haha, and he was English. I think he has the entire list of Oscar winning movies committed to memory.. he could tell you what movie won if you named the year you were born. XD Skillz, man. Haha.

 
#15: The tour guide (can’t remember his name..) started the tour with his own life story, explaining how he ended up in L.A. It was a cute love story of how he met his wife and decided to move. Btw, How To Look Like A Tourist 101, hehe. Headphones and gear and all..

#16: Rawr!

 
#17: I couldn’t resist! ;P

#18,19: Last pictures of Los Angeles. ;)

And that’s the L.A. trip. Haha.

Los Angeles, baby! [Day 2]

Day Two started with us hopping over to the neighborhood Japanese grocery store! Man, have I mentioned my love for Little Tokyo yet? ;p

#1,2: Spoilt for choice. :D :D :D Believe me, I had a hard time making up my mind..

We figured we’d be back late that day so we just bought dinner and kept it in the fridge. It was a good plan, I have to say. 

We spent a whole day at Universal Studios. I was very excited! I missed out on going to the Universal Studios when I was in Orlando last year, so I was determined to visit this one.

 
#3: See, told you I was excited! :P

 
#4: We get to skip the long lines, muhaha, because we are so well prepared like that! ;D

I really didn’t take that many pictures of the park.

#5,6: The Studio Backlot tour.

#7,8: Scene from War of the Worlds. Major wreckage.

 
#9: Standing in line for the Shrek 4D show. Nyeh, it was nothing to shout about.

#11: Kwik-E-Mart! No, I didn’t see Apu working in there. Yes, they did sell Duff drinks, not beer but close – energy drinks!

 
#12: Very cool entrance to the Simpsons ride. It was a simulation rollercoaster, not as exciting but pretty cool nonetheless. ;D

 
#13: The most famous piece of sponge you’ll find.

We went on the Curse of the Mummy ride twice, mostly because we felt very ripped off the first time. :P We stood in line for 20 minutes.. and the ride was over in less than 30 seconds, I kid you not. So, to make up for it, we went to the single rider line and rode it a second time! Haha. It was fun.

Then, we went on the Jurassic Park water ride and that soaked us both.. =_=ll it was cold.

Much later, we went into the House of Horrors. GAWD, adrenaline rush like no other! It’s masochism in its purest sense!

What you experience in that haunted house is pure irrational fear.. It’s like, you know for a fact that those monsters/frankensteins/murderers are all just actors paid to scare you.. even so, you just can’t help but scream like a little girl when one of them jumps out and freaks the living daylights out of you.

I am such a scaredy-cat.

Last show of the day was, in essence, this short 20 minute skit. Filled with stunts, special effects, and even real life actors!

#14,15: The best pics I could take of the cool chase scene on water! ;D

#16: Universal City. Very cool looking at night.

#17: Pretty colors. :D

#18: Eccentric window display..

#19: Gotta love a drunk cow. :P

And palm trees.. because what Cali trip would be complete without them, right?

#20,21: Palm trees, they were everywhere!

 
#22: Waiting in line for the shuttle. ;)

Thus concludes the second day in L.A!

Los Angeles, baby! [Day 1]

What visit to California would be complete without a trip to Los Angeles? Keeping that notion in mind, we planned our last four days for the City of Angels.

Los Angeles is the second largest city in the States, and the pollution levels sure do reflect the high population numbers. Because of the city’s sprawling size, everybody drives, which of course, contributes to the poor air quality. I am not exaggerating. As we were flying into LAX, I could literally see a dome of smog/haze engulfing the city. What a great first impression, no? :P

Anyway, we set off early as usual and were in Los Angeles at 11am. Which was wayyy too early to check-in to the hotel. =.= We had 4 hours to go, so, we left our luggage and went around looking for lunch!

 
#1: One huge bowl of ramen! I am drooling at the very thought..

I read rad reviews about this little ramen place called Daikokuya right across our hotel and just had to go pop in and see what the fuss is about. Haha. We sauntered over to the tiny establishment and were immediately seated. We were hungry and ready to order the house special. Before long, we were greeted with a bowl of pork broth yummy-ness, a plate of cold ramen (hot weather = cold noodles), and a separate plate of condiments. Ahh~ It really was pretty damn delicious! Good thing we were there early enough though, because as soon as noon came around, there was already a crowd of people waiting outside for their turn at ramen goodness.

We kept on thinking of going back for another round, but the huge crowds we saw every time we passed the restaurant discouraged us from doing so. Bummer.

After lunch, we began our customary adventure of exploring new territory.

#2,3: Pretty. :)

I am so, so, so glad we decided to stay in Little Tokyo! I would definitely stay there again if I ever go back to Los Angeles.

Why Little Tokyo, you ask? Well.. because it is:
a) safe,
b) clean,
c) within walking distance to the subways,
d) less expensive accommodations and, 
e) hello, it’s Little Tokyo! Enough said. :)

It was probably one of the best conscious decisions I’ve made in a while. Hahaha.

#4: Our awesome hotel room! XD The bed was amazing!

I brought along my dad’s AAA membership card and got so many bonuses because of it! I flashed said card and I got the hotel room upgraded, and free continental breakfasts! *beams proudly* Yay me for researching beforehand. ;p

After lounging around aforementioned awesome room, we decided to head out and  do something on the agenda.

#5: Union Station.

We took the subway everywhere. It was cheap ($1.25), easy, and fun. I’m a bumpkin like that. Los Angeles may be huge but at least it is pretty well connected. ;D

#6: Just one of the MANY street performers hanging around Hollywood Boulevard.

Los Angeles, in my humble opinion, is way overrated. It was still fun, in its own way.. but I definitely liked San Francisco better. XD

#7: Tourists aplenty, strutting around Hollywood.

 
#8: The most sought-after star of the moment.

We bought these awesome-for-tourists package deals for both San Francisco and  Los Angeles. They’re called the CityPass, it’s basically a booklet of tickets to popular attractions. It saved us quite a lot of money and time. Highly recommended if you’re going on the touristy route like us.

#9: Where all the cool wax figurines celebrities hang out. :P

#10: Lookie who it is! Gosh, President Obama sure is tall.

The cool thing about these wax figurines is that they are all custom made and are the exact replica of the real deal.

Some of them looked more realistic than others.

#11: Carrie Underwood, if you couldn’t tell. ;p

#12: Brad and Angelina! Angie looks omg so real! It was scary.

 
#13: See what I mean by realistic? Johnny Depp giving the paparazzi the glare..

#14,15: Classics.

 
#16: Guilty of not being a fan of Westerns. Heh.

#17,18: Just hanging out with my pals. ;p

#19: Creepy. Enough said.

#20: Famous yellow tracksuit.

#21: Spiderman playing stalker.

#22,23: Ironman.

 
#24: Yeah.. my classic “Wtf?!” look. ;p

We finally left after an hour or two of posing around and being silly. Vika no doubt had the time of her life. Haha. xD

  
#25,26: Dusk falls upon the Boulevard of Broken Dreams.

#27,28: All sorts of creatures come out to play..

There were tons of street performers around, all dressed up to make a quick buck from tourists who wanted a photo op. 

We got quite a fright when we stumbled upon the Joker! He looked just like the real thing, face paint, purple suit, the whole enchilada! We were heading home via the subway and he sprinted past us from a blind corner (must be late for a heist, eh?).. gosh, made me jump. Haha.

Wisdom Teeth-Less

    I frowned at the sound of my grumbling stomach as I checked the time for the umpteenth time. My watch indicated that it was already three oh five. I was supposed to check in at three ten. "Crap," I thought to myself. I may not make it in time. I literally sprinted across the clinic to reach the receptionist. "Just in time!" the nice nurse from behind the counter told me after I gave her my last name. I nodded, happy to be punctual. She handed me a beeper and assured me the doctor was going to be here shortly.

    I looked around the lobby, if you will, and felt at ease. Perhaps it was the dim lighting, or maybe the soothing atmosphere with soft music playing in the background. Oddly enough, I wasn't nervous at all. I was calm and collected (which is unusual of me), maybe even a little excited. Perhaps it was knowing that I was going to be receiving the best health care money can buy.

    After ten minutes of lounging around, the beeper sounded, signaling the next step. I was ushered into a room, where I was then hooked up to a machine. I was also given a bracelet tag, with my name and birth date printed across it. "Oooh, I feel like a real patient now," I thought to myself. It was all very new and cool to me. As sadistic as it probably sounds, I wanted to keep the tag as a souvenir.

   Just as I was comparing this real life scenario of mine to an episode of House, in walks in a pretty resident doctor. I remember I was envious of her pretty red hair. We shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. She begins by walking me through the procedure and showing me the x-ray of my lovely jaw. Joy of joys, I find out that I only had three, as compared to the usual four, wisdom teeth in total. One less extraction to make. This piece of news was a good one for sure. Just then, I hear the booming voice of, believe it or not, Ray Romano. I wanted to pinch myself, to make sure I wasn't hallucinating even before the drugs were administered. Fortunately, it turns out I was not hearing things, the dental surgeon walks in and starts talking in his Ray Romano voice. I wanted to tell him I thought he had the voice of Ray from Everybody Loves Raymond, but ultimately decided against it. I didn't want him to think I was already high before the drugs.

   Later, I was led, in a manner not unsimilar to herding a sheep, into the operation room. Complicated looking machines and equipment surrounded the spotlight dentist's chair. I was instructed to lie down on the said reclining chair and be as comfortable as possible. I noticed that they were two other assistants in the room, in addition to the two surgeons from before.

   My hair was pulled back and wrapped around my head with a headband. "Wow, this reminds me of going to a facial," I blurted, unthinkingly. The pretty doctor laughed and said, "That's a nice way of thinking about it, keep it up,"

   As soon as I was in position, an oxygen tube was inserted into my nose. It was interesting inhaling pure oxygen, although having a tube in my nostrils was sort of annoying. In the mean time, my arms were being probed with a needle. My veins were being very stubborn (playing hide and seek, it looked like) and refused to show themselves to the pointy needle. After the third jab, the surgeon with Ray's voice finally embedded the IV into my arm. The effects of the anesthesia were instantaneous, I was out cold like a baby. Matter of fact, I can't even seem to recall opening my mouth... I wonder if they had to pry it open themselves.

    Having never been under the influence of anesthesia before, I've come to the conclusion that being knocked out is like having a dreamless sleep. A nice, deep slumber. I can't even explain it myself but I just woke up... and found myself staring at a guy who was busy stitching up my mouth. Sticthing up my bleeding gums, I mean. I was amazed at how quickly the procedure went. It took less than an hour and already I was good to go! The surgical team asked how I was feeling and if it hurt and what-not. I could hardly talk. Mumbling was the best I could manage with an extremely numb mouth. My mumbling was pretty comprehendable though, surprisingly.

    I was all gauzed up before they wheeled me over to another room so I could "recover" from the possible after effects of the anesthesia. The pretty doctor noted that I might emerge crying for no reason after the surgery. Apparently, there is this phenomenon that affects girls (mostly), where they would regain consciousness and get really emotional. Interesting, no? Later, a nurse wrapped an ice pack around my face.. in the end, I looked like a crazy numbed up eskimo. I was told not to eat any yummy foods (ie solid foods) for two weeks, and was ordered to only consume baby food (ie soft foods) for the time being. Woe is me.

   I thanked the various professionals who worked on me (I really had gotten rather attached to them in the very short time I've come to know them, as I was actually sad to go.. wow, the things drugs makes one feel) as my mom wheeled me away on a wheelchair. Oh yes, I got to ride on a wheelchair, legitimately! It really was quite exciting. We went to the pharmacy and got more drugs for me before finally heading homeward.

   Everybody had a good laugh upon the sight of me. I gave them the evil glare. I can't believe they (they being my family) went off to a gathering without me to have yummy Korean food (which, might I add, I supplied the kim chi!). My dinner was a healthy serving of milk (a whole five tablespoons of it, dumped carefully down my throat with my self-nursing skills, lol) and a generous tablet of painkiller (what kind I'm not sure, I just hope it's something real strong). If this isn't happiness, I don't know what is.

   I love how I am getting increasingly sarcastic as this entry is dragging on.. Apparently, sarcasm and pain are directly proportional to each other; the more pain one feels, the more sarcastic one is inclined to be.

   Now, as I am typing this entry up, six hours after the procedure, and three hours after the anesthesia has run its course, I'm no longer in a very good mood. The good mood I started out with, I mean. Quite the contrary actually, I am now cranky and am in pain. A dull, throbbing pain that is tolerable yet noticeable enough to be annoying.

   It really is all fun and games until it starts hurting. :(

Niagara Falls

I’m going to backtrack and talk about my first summer trip before finishing up my Cali trip, just to get a little variety! :P Hehe.

In a sentence, Niagara Falls was spectacular! :D

Let me assure you, it was a very loooong car ride to even get to see the Falls. Setting out from Rochester, Minnesota, we crossed Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio before finally reaching the state of New York.

Having been on quite a few roadtrips now, I’ve come to be a wiser traveler. :P I’ve found that, to survive such trips, one needs to bring a few essentials along.

Roadtrip Survival Kit:
1) A pillow – for the neck!
2) A lot of CDs for the car – bad reception = bad music
3) A personal music player (iPods,Zunes, pick your poison) – good for conflicting music tastes
4) A book or a couple of magazines – self explanatory 
5) Snacks, and lots of it! – again, self explanatory
6) A pair of sunnies – because it gets pretty darn sunny!
7) Sunscreen – ditto
8) GPS – highly recommended!!
9) An emergency kit – you know, with a basic first aid kit and all that.

So yeah, once one gets all that gathered, one shall be all set for a roadtrip! XD

Anyway, back to Niagara Falls!

Canada and the US “shares” the Niagara Falls. According to numerous sources, the Canadian side of the Falls is a lot prettier. We didn’t cross the border though, we just stayed on the American side and I thought it was pretty enough...  However, it really did look a lot busier on the Canadian side! Haha, can’t believe the US got the short end of the tourism stick eh!

Niagara Falls is made up of the Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls. According to Wikipedia, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End was shot here to portray “World’s End”. Pretty neat.

When we got to the National Park, we headed for the Cave of the Winds “self-guided tour”. For a mere eleven dollars, you get a ticket to experience the biggest shower head you’ll ever encounter, a neon yellow poncho, and a pair of sandals! What a bargain, right! XD After we were suited up in the appropriate sight-seeing attire, we were ushered down an elevator that brought us down, down and further down from the base of the park to the base of Bridal Veil Falls!

 
#1: Walking towards our impending doom. *cue dramatic music*

 
#2: Still dry... for now. The flimsy piece of plastic didn’t stand a chance against the Falls. Haha.

#3,4: If you squint hard enough (or if you click and enlarge this pic, lol), you'll notice a particular sign on the bridge directly under the Falls that says, “No Smoking”. I’m thinking, “Seriously, who in their right mind would even think about smoking at a time like that? And besides, would the cigarette even stay dry?” Lols.

 
#5,6: Very impressive piece of architecture! I mean, seriously.. stilts and planks under a waterfall?!

These wooden steps still amaze me to no end. Apparently they have to be taken down each fall and then reconstructed again for spring.

#7: Dry no more..

#8: Um yeah, definitely not dry anymore.. ;p

  
#9,10:

#11: Bridge to Canada.

 
#12: American Falls.

Later, we went on the Maid of the Mist. The Maid of the Mist is a boat tour that takes passengers to see the Niagara Falls. We were given a blue poncho this time.

#13: Muhaha.

 


#14,15,16: Oooh and aaah~

And indeed it lives up to its reputation.. it gets misty alright! The mist (from Lake Erie) tastes like fishy water. Erlack.

San Francisco, baby! [Day 4]

Welcome to the rebirth of my blog! Isn’t she gorgeous?! Gosh, I don’t know about you guys, but I personally love the new layout to bits! (Kudos to Maria for helping me figure out all the computer java! xD) Why the sudden makeover? Well, last night I signed in to check on my blog and, lo and behold, I found it quite literally dead (the previous blog template had a heart attack I think). In a frenzy, I searched high and low for a replacement blog template.. long story short, this ol’ blog of mine evolved for the better! =)

Anyway, I digress…

Wow, time flies huh! I’m already half way done blogging about my Cali trip! xD
Day Four was our busiest day! We were running around the whole town, trying to see as much as possible before having to head back.

We started the day by paying Chinatown a visit! =D

#1: Passport to China. xD

When you cross the gates into Chinatown, it feels almost as if you’ve ventured into an altogether different country. The bilingual signs are the first indication that you’re not exactly in San Francisco anymore. You know for sure when suddenly, you’re surrounded by throngs of Chinese people, some cutting through you impatiently and others bargaining in Cantonese at the top of their voices.

Even I –not the sore thumb sticking out anymore ;p- was overwhelmed by all this. It didn’t help that San Fran’s Chinatown was designed like a labyrinth (it seemed so to me. :P)



#2,3: See, I got pictorial evidence!

Chinatown definitely reminded me of Kuching’s own Carpenter Street... only maybe a tad grittier. There were a bunch of grocery/convenience stores which were very much akin to the ones we’re used to in Kuching. You know, those old school stores where primary school students would go to after class to spend all their pocket money. XD Yeah, those are the ones I’m talking about. The ones that sells fresh veggies and fruits outside, and dry goods inside.

 
#4: Look Ma, durians! =D Yeap, the stinky King of all Fruits. Hellou, of course it’s the King.. I mean, you can just imagine (note: the intimidating thorns and the odor) how the thing threatens all the other fruits that were in the running for fruit royalty.

We had a good time just poking our heads into random stores and seeing what we would find. I went into one of those Chinese medicine places and emerged with a few boxes of ginseng candy (upon the request of my dad). I even practiced my bargaining skills and got a few dollars off. I was proud, hehe.

The sad thing is.. I don’t speak or understand Cantonese (only the most useful and widely spoken Chinese dialect) very much at all! =__= And because of that, they probably thought I was some wannabe “gwailo” who spoke broken Mandarin. T__T


#5: Lovely picture, no? The blue skies make everything better.

After some souvenir hunting in Chinatown, we set forth for the famed Lombard Street, a.k.a the crookedest street in the world. Fyi, in reality Lombard Street isn’t the windiest street in the world. Yet another tourist con. :P  




#6,7,8: I believe these were taken somewhere in the North Beach neighborhood.

Oh! Day Four was awesome for a number of reasons.. and riding the cable cars was definitely one of them! I had so much fun hopping on and off those things. I swear, I could do it all day long! XD There were a LOT of people (ahem, tourists like me mostly) though.. I guess that’s the only downside to it. But man, hanging off those cable cars was fun!



#9,10: Taken on the cable car, believe it or not. :)


#11: Good pic, I especially like the pensive looking businessman sitting there. Adds an artsy component to the photo. ;p


#12: Random apartments we saw on our way.

*drum roll* Take a deep breath (haha) because the prettiest pictures (in my humble opinion, that is) are coming up!

I was in awe when I got off the cable car and witnessed this sight...
It was breathtakingly prettyful! :D I’ve never been to Europe before, but this is what I imagine Greece (more specifically, Santorini) to be. Ah~ I want to live here! Not forever, but a few years would be nice...

#13: Gorgeous~

 
#14: Notice the teeny tiny bunch of people on the bottom of this picture. Yep, they’re tourists. XD



#15,16: The pretty windy street =) The hydrangeas were not in their full glory though.. otherwise it’d be perfection. 

 
#18: Obligatory pic xP


#19: Coit Tower in the distance. It has the best views of the city, I hear. We didn’t go though, because of time constraints. (Next time, next trip ;p)

 
#20: Look familiar? There’s a picture of it that I took on our way to Lombard Street.

We stopped by Grace Cathedral to have a look-see on our way back to Chinatown for dim sum.


#21: The interior of the Gothic cathedral. Those are stained glass windows.. sadly my camera not pro enough to capture the beauty of ‘em.

After visiting a religious institution, we thought we might indulge in one of the seven deadly sins – gluttony! :P To be fair though, this was kind of our form of lunch and dinner combined. XD


#22: Dim sum in all its glory! XD

Vika had never tried dim sum before, so I took it as a mission to change that fact! XD

We tried all the classic favorites:
siu mai (pork dumpling = yum!),
har gao (shrimp dumpling = yum!),
char siew baau (steamed pork bun = not the best),
lo mai gai (rice wrapped in lotus leaf = yum!),
fried shrimp ball (yum!)
lo bak go (turnip cake = horrible; too mushy!)
fung zao (chicken feet = not too bad)

Vika didn’t think the chicken feet were very good. Understandable. xD Overall, I didn’t think the dim sum we had at that particular restaurant was in any way AWESOME, but it was passable. And the service was great... craaap, that probably means I walked into one of those tourist traps. >.<lll

Afterwards, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art!

#22.5 (haha too lazy to change the numbers!): The cool lobby of the SFMOMA.

I personally don’t really get Modern Art. Most of it anyway.
My feeble mind cannot comprehend ideas of such great and dynamic artisans. Hahaha. However, I do like that everything is pretty much open to interpretation.. muhaha. XP


#23: It’s an inflatable house! What do you think?


  
#24,25: This is possibly the most disturbing piece of art I saw that day. I don’t know why I thought it was so perverse. As you can see, there’s a bunch of black poodles standing in a circle, and in the middle was this baby. I have no idea what it means but I just find it disturbing for some reason. >.>


#26: L.O.V.E

 
#27: I thought this one was cute! =) There’s a 3D door handle in the middle of the painting.. literally, it screams “Door to My Heart”.


#28: The above is no ordinary urinal. Haha. Apparently, this particular urinal, titled “Fountain”, challenged conventional ideas about artistic processes and started the whole Modern Art revolution. Pretty ambitious for an ordinary urinal huh.

  
#29: Tee-hee, an hourglass of brains!


#30: “Stray Piece of Stepped Bubblegum” is what I think.. ;p


#31: Frankly, I have not a clue what this is...


#32: Self explanatory. ?_?

 
#33: I FOUND WALDO! XD He’s been hiding on top of the building across from the SFMOMA all this time...

 
#34: Creepy looking spiders. xp I’m also reminded of a microscopic virus when I see this.

We spent about an hour and a half (hurriedly) going through as much of the museum as possible. We had to go back to our hotel, freshen up and get ready for the ultimate highlight of the day! =D =D

WICKEDness awaits! Muhaha~


#35: The Orpheum, The Orpheum. Such a wicked theatre! :)


#36: Because I’m obsessed... ;p


#37: We weren’t allowed to take pictures of the musical itself, so I took a picture of the stage! Hehe. So cool, right!

Wicked was so amazingly awesome, I kid you not! Definitely should go see it if the opportunity comes by! I love the whole idea of the story, what a brilliant way of retelling an old story we all know and love!

The performance made my skin crawl! The cast was SO talented! And gosh, the songs are just so delightfully catchy! =) I find myself humming them out of the blue. Haha.

Speaking of which. Just the other day, I was singing “I’m Not That Girl” out loud whilst riding my bike home from class. It was ultimate mortification to find a guy cycling (unbeknownst to me!) behind me the whole entire time I was belting out said song. =__= I wanted to bury my head in sand when I saw him ride by me as I was turning into my street. Seriously, these things only happen to me.

San Francisco, baby! [Day 3]

Day Three in San Francisco was quite an exciting day! We had blue skies! =D The weather was perfect! =D The pictures looked extra pretty! =D Haha, lots to celebrate! =D

We spent the majority of the day at Fisherman’s Wharf aka the Bay Area. Locals stay away from this place generally because it is flooded with tourists –and flooded with tourists it was! But, honestly, I don’t see why locals have such a high disdain for touristy places (besides the obvious overprice-ness of everything and having to tolerate ignorant tourists).. I mean, the place has got to be popular for a reason, right? :P I for one have nothing against touristy places. Hehe.

Anyway, first thing’s first! We went on an hour long (or was it an hour and a half?) cruise to see the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. When I say “see”, I literally mean seeing only. XD


#1: The whole idea of having a boardwalk is just awesome. We should have some in Malaysia too! =)

 
#2: Pier 39, all the tourists (haha), and the ship/ferry.

#3,4: Ship/ferry and me on the ship/ferry. XD

 
#5: The blue, blue skies! And blue, blue ocean. =)

#6: The strangest sight ever, well at least to me ;P! Seals leh!

#7: Heading into the mist! It was bloody freezing! Especially with the wind hitting your face.

#8: It was a challenge to even see the bridge in the thick mist.

Even though I couldn’t see the Golden Gate Bridge as clearly as I’d like to.. but I suppose this view isn’t half bad. Gives the bridge an air of mystery.

#9,10: Haha more Golden Gate Bridge! It was challenging to even take a remotely good picture.

#11,12,13: A brief glimpse of Alcatraz.

As you all probably know, Alcatraz was at one point in time a military prison and later a federal prison. Some famous prisoners at “the Rock” include Al Capone (famous gangster, haha). Today, it is a tourist attraction (we didn’t go.. next time,next trip! ;p).

 

#14,15: These pics look better enlarged. ;p Click picture to do so.

 
#16,17: Sailboats.. and the boardwalk.

After the cruise, we went and got some early lunch to beat the crowds. Hehe.

#18: Yums! This was the seafood platter I got. I hope you’re drooling…  

 
#19: What Vika got. Spaghetti topped with crab goodness! I hope you’re still drooling… :P

#20,21: They made us wear bibs! Lols. 

San Francisco is apparently well known for Dungeness crabs. So Dungeness crab was what we had for lunch! It was really good.. and it was also the most we spent on a single meal the whole trip.

#22: Busy even though it was a Wednesday. 

 

#23,24,25: Haha, uh yeah, vain pictures. My blog, I blog what I want. :P

Later, happy and full, we went to check out the Aquarium at the Bay. We didn’t really have high hopes, seeing as we weren’t thoroughly impressed with what we saw the day before at the Academy of Science. I’m glad we were proven wrong though, we had a great time at the Aquarium! =)

 
#26: Jellies! They were SO cool, we spent quite a while going “Oooh” and “Aaah” at the tank where the jellyfish were floating.

#27,28: I know, I’m obsessed. XP

 
#29: One of my favorite pics! Doesn’t it look amazing (haha if I do say so myself)?

#30: Before it ended up being our food… ;p Look how huge it is!

#31: Do you see what I’m seeing? ;p

There was also a touching pool. I got to touch a stingray and a shark! Omg, can’t believe I didn’t take pictures. =___=lll And I got to touch a variety of sea stars! Some were squishy and soft, some were hard like rock. So cool right.

Before heading back to the hotel, we stopped by the famed Ghirardelli Square! Yet another touristy spot. It was packed to the max with people! We didn't go to to the Chocolate Factory (haha next time, next trip! ;p).. heck, we didn’t even buy any chocolate (you can get Ghirardelli chocolates anywhere.. for cheaper too I think!) but we did get some ice-cream! Mmm.

 



#32,33,34,35: Not subtle with advertising their name brand, eh? Haha.

#36,37: One of the many cute boutiques around.

#38: I FOUND THE PERFECT SCENT! <3 Lollia’s Breathe! *hint hint bday present hint hint* xp

San Francisco, baby! [Day 1,2]

My big California adventure officially begins with me leaving for San Francisco.

#1,2,3,4: Riding on the train. Views out of the window. =)

It was a four hour train ride from Hanford to Emeryville (the Amtrak doesn’t go into the city), and another hour on bus from Emeryville to the city of San Francisco. The hours flew by quickly enough, I watched Shrek 2 on the iPod. Haha. I’ve decided that going by train is the way to go! =) I detest plane rides.. ugh..

We got to the city at about noon time.. and since it was still to early to check into the hotel, we did what many people would do under these circumstances: explore! XD We got some lunch and we rode the bus. And, we saw two male models in the flesh! How did we know for sure? For starters, they definitely looked the part. And they were using keywords like “agency” and “cast call”. It was really quite exciting! =D

We didn’t really do too much on the first day. We were staying pretty close to Japantown, so we just explored that part of the city. I love Japantown, even though everything was so pricey! – well it is supposed to be a reflection of Japan, I suppose. There even was a Kinokuniya Bookstore which effectively made me go, “Omg so cute!” every few seconds. XD

#5,6,7: Everybody walks/bikes/takes public transportation here. Random pictures of the city; not the best day for pictures, unfortunately – it was cloudy.

So, what do you do when you get to an unfamiliar environment? Well, you wander around, seemingly without an aim in mind. :P I call it the adjustment period.

The next day, however, we had a full day planned. Hehe.


#8: Heading out in style ala the locals. Haha. Notice the number of Asian-y people around, made me feel at home. XD

Golden Gate Park is a sprawling estate. We spent almost all day here and still did not manage to see everything. In fact, we probably only saw a small chunk of it.
Apparently, it is often compared to New York’s Central Park. And it is also the third most visited city park in the States.

#9: We stop by the SF Botanical Garden.



#10,11: Strange cabbage-like flowers?

#12: Shakespeare Garden

Then we paid 5 bucks and got into the Japanese Tea Garden. According to Vika who’s been to actual Japanese gardens in Japan, this one was very much like the real thing!

#13,14,15: So prettyful! I had a great time poking around and taking pictures! =)

#15: Wicked bridge! =D

It was cloudy the second day we were there. But otherwise, the weather was perfect – nice and chilly! =D

#16,17,18: Pagoda and a fancy red gate.

#19: A Zen garden.

Later, we hopped on over to the De Young Museum. It was a cool art museum. We got a private tour guide (haha, because nobody showed up) and we found out more than we’d ever wanted to know about Ancient American art – very gory history.

#20: Ze exterior of ze museum.



#21,22: An assortment of all kinds of art.

#23: Coolest optical illusion!

#24,25,26: From Classical art to dangling pieces of charcoal and blobs of silver a.k.a Modern art. Haha.

After having lunch, we pop on over next door to the California Academy of Science. It was super crowded! Typical of popular museums. =.= Didn’t even bother taking that many pictures.

#27,28: There was a Rainforest dome thingy in the building.. and boy, did the climate in there remind me of good old Kuching! Hot and humid! Haha

#29,30: Butterflies! I think that one is resting/sleeping… or maybe it could be dead? Shrugs.

#31: Seahorsies.

#32: Underwater tunnels. Not the best place for claustrophobics. XP

#33: Sick creepy looking sea worm thingy.

#34: Lizard with a cool tail!

#35,36: Stuffed animals, don’t they look animated?

#37: What I thought was one of the coolest things about the California Academy of Science – The Living Roof. What a cool way to utilize the space, eh?

#38: I’ve landed on alien soil. Lols.

#39: Yep, it was pretty windy up there! ;p

Day 3 and 4 is a lot more exciting, I promise. XD So, check back ah!

Off to California

I’m back from my travels! :) Just in time for school. =( Not so excited about that, truth be told. I’m exhausted. So much for going on a stress-free break huh? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining! Don’t stone me to death… xp

Anyway, on to talking about the travels! =) Before everything leaks out of my skull..

#1,2: Looks like the surface of a different planet, doesn’t it?

I traveled with my good friend, Vika. :) And I’m happy to report that we didn’t kill each other (can’t promise we didn’t think of killing each other though haha :P)! I stayed with Vika’s family in the Valley when we were not in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

#3: Spotted a bambi!



#4,5,6: Waterfalls.

We went to see the giant Sequoias at the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park. And they were gigantic all right! It’s quite amazing, to be surrounded by such utter.. greatness! XD

#7,8,9: The Sequoias!




#10,11,12: So you can see just how big we’re talking about. Pretty dang huge, yes? Haha

The temperature at top of the mountain where the sequoias are was about 30F colder than the temperature at the base of the mountain. I believe we were 7000ft above sea level?

The Not-So-Fun Part of Traveling

The ugly part of traveling is the waiting. Ugh.

I am worn out. >.<
Waking up at 2:30am (mostly because of travel-related paranoia) just to be in time to travel at 4:00am sucks. I can't believe getting home is taking twenty-some hours. It is partly oversight on my part, and partly the stupid airline's fault (I blame it mostly on the latter though :P). Hey, they did reschedule the flight.. and on top of that, they are delaying it! Absolutely. Frustrating. Grr.

Don't get me wrong though, I genuinely had fun on Trip #2. =) Pictures will come when, no - if, I get home. Haha. At this rate, the chances are dim.
I'll blog all about it.. or at least, as best as I can. xD My memory is slowly failing me. Not that anyone cares about the little details, I suppose... ;p

Truth Is.

I don't think I've ever not needed you...

North Shore, Revisited

Two weeks ago, I went along with mi familia on a short weekend trip up to the northern part of Minnesota. The North Shore, it is called, is as scenic as ever. =D Apparently it is one of the prettiest drives in the States.

It’s almost like an annual trip we make, since we’re lucky enough to have generous family friends who let us stay at their lakeside cabin in Wisconsin.

#1, 1.5: My bro floating. My sis and I in a canoe. The pretty cabin hidden in the trees. And the pretty cabin up-close and personal. xP

#2, 3: Wow, isn’t this picture just gorgeous?! Btw these pictures are all taken by my dad. I’m not THAT thick-skinned so as to go shout at my non-existent photo taking skills.

North Shore is littered with State and National Parks, and we paid a visit to a couple. The weather was pretty nice, albeit cloudy.. but at least it wasn’t too warm! Always a plus in my books. XD

#4: One of the waterfalls at Gooseberry Falls State Park.. kind of pathetic if you ask me. :P Oh and the color of the water is from the soil… not because it’s dirty or anything. Looks can be deceiving, eh?

Show you something really cool!

#5: Not one, but TWO does! Deer encounters never gets old for me. Ditto for bunnies or chipmunks… XD They’re just so darn adorable!

Oh, them does are not as close as they seem. The camera’s zoom option is pretty sweet!

After loitering around the park for a bit, we decided to hit our next stop, Palisade Head (try saying that name for 10 times.. tongue twister!). I’ve got to say, so far, it’s my favorite favorite nature place!

The views were spectacular…

#6: The very edge of the cliff. :P

#7: Spot me, if you can! I feel like a mountain goat, traipsing across the rocky terrain.

#8: [Zoomed in] There I am. :P I’m such an adrenaline junkie… sort of. I was terrified by the way, that’s why I’m on all fours, looking down.

#9: Pretty wildflowers. =)

#10: :) Just chilling. And it was chilly… the mist was rolling in and it was starting to drizzle.

The rain ended our neat excursion on the cliff. We continued driving north and came to a quaint little town. Grand Marais was its name. We were so north that we were just 50 miles from the Canadian border!

#11: Misty! xD

Because of the delightful weather, we couldn’t fully explore the town. :(

#12: But! We DID get to eat some super yummy Fish and Chips! :)

#13: Ze views!

And I leave you with a picture that is super drool-worthy.. :P

#14: *salivates* I’m hungry just looking at this…

If there’s one thing that I’ve learned about myself after this little trip, it’s that… I don’t think I’ll ever get the guts to dive off a cliff, ever. xD