Baking Gingerbread Men

Fruitcake and I were getting into the spirit of Christmas and what's more Christmassy than baking ginger bread me? We've never done it before and thought it would be fun. So we Googled the recipe which looks very complicated. Our next best option: Take a short cut. So here goes!

We start with the pre-mix in a box which we kneaded and the dough turned out to look like ... well, see and judge for yourself.

The baking set even came with a ginger bread men cooking cutter!

We cut and decorated the men with M&Ms, raisins, Jelly Tots and sugar hearts and stars.

And into the over for 12 minutes. Here's Belle keeping a watchful eye.

They're expanding! And the M&Ms are exploding!

The Smarties made it though. Ta da! Our gingerbread men is ready to be eaten.

Christmas 2007 in Singapore

Happy New Year!

So it’s 2008 and so much has happened in the past few weeks. So many parties and traveling and before you know it, it’s the New Year!

Paul and I spent a week in Singapore celebrating Christmas. Since we are both very familiar with the island, all we did was shop (the Boxing Day sale is irresistible even to non shoppers) and meet up with friends there.

About shopping – I bought 5 pairs of shoes.

Yes I know my shoe obsession is getting out of hand especially since the pretty ones are usually too painful to be worn for long periods of time which means in the end, they don’t end up being worn much. But they are way to pretty not to be bought. I justify the purchase by wearing them for at least 6 hours every 6 months.

Also bought some dresses, pants, tops and accessories from AX, FCUK, Esprit, Gap and other small non branded shops. I almost bought a Prada bag which wasn’t on sale but is still much cheaper than in Malaysia. I didn’t bother to go into LV because as usual, there was a queue going into the store.

I can see why Singaporeans are such shopaholics. Firstly, there’s not much else to do. And secondly, things are so cheap, including branded stuff. If I was earning in S$, prices will be dollar to dollar and I’d be able to afford to go shopping every weekend too.

But other then shopping, it was great to meet up with friends.

And when you’ve shopped and finished drinking with friends, there are 2 things which can be done in Singapore but not in KL and that’s midnight shopping!

As we were drinking in Holland V and there was a 24 hour Cold Storage in the area, it’s often we do a spot of drunken shopping which is totally hilarious.

We did that one night when Paul’s cousin suggested an even better way to entertain ourselves when drunk – to go shopping in the 24 hour Mustafa Centre! So we hopped into a cab at midnight and arrived at this amazing building selling everything. Imagine Poh Kong, Watch Shoppe, Tesco, Ace Hardware, World Traveler, Jusco and World of Sports under one roof.

That’s 6 floors of Nike watches, Casio watches, Omega watches, Victorinox Swiss Army Knives, Samsonite luggage bags, dried popodoms, Maggi instant noodles, scissors, Indo mie instant noodles, gold chains (I’m talking 2 whole floors of total bling), frozen turkey, chopped chicken, baby powder, bottles of honey, basket balls, Nike running shoes, non-branded white school shoes, balloons, masquerade masks, super glue, bicycles, industrial sized rice cookers, dice, Winnie–the-Pooh toys, toilet bowls ……

It’s possible that the only thing they don’t sell at Mustafa Centre are cars, tanks and jet planes.

Needless to say it was a thoroughly entertaining experience enhanced with a little bit of alcohol going to the head which makes a pile of Nike shoes in the middle of the aisle excruciatingly funny.

I’m certainly going back there the next time I’m out drinking in Singapore.

We’re scheduling the next trip there in July 2008 to coincide with the Great Singapore Sale. After all, drinking and shopping are the only things to do in Singapore!

Hugs and Wishes and Merry Wishes!

The last few days in the office was spent wrapping Christmas presents. I’ve gotten a few paper cuts (marshmallow marshmallow marsmallow!!!!) but have finally wrapped every single present and given them out. So the stress of Christmas is over and I can now enjoy the joy and festivities!

The company secretary was also kind enough the buy a macadamia cheese cake, cookies and a few bottles of wine for us today before we all go on leave which was great but it lacked something …… entertainment!

We screamed at, cajoled, cheered and threatened (with a bad evaluation to his college professor) one of the interns to take off his shirt and do star jumps. The poor boy was so shy that he was clutching his t-shirt tightly and hid in a corner in case we ripped it off him. But as the cheers and support grew louder and more people walked into the room to see what the fuss was all about, he probably thought he should bite the bullet and do it before the his audience become 2 fold. So the boy actually did it in front of about 15 people. Respect.

Now the other intern needs to do the same. It’s only fair. And again, he’s been threatened by a bad evaluation. We’re so evil. But it’s all in the name of fun.

Now I wonder if anyone captured the intern and his 6 pack on camera……..

I’m leaving the office now for dinner with Paul and Jon. Then Paul and I are off down South to spend one week in Singapore for Christmas.

Merry Christmas everyone!

May you have love, joy, hope and many presents from Santa!

Hugs & Kisses and Merry Wishes!

Holidays In The Next 3 Months

The work days are finally getting easier. I’m not working as late and the days are not as intense, nor as stressful as usual. This is how the month of December should be. It will be too much to ask for snow but easy, relaxing, festive weeks leading up to Christmas would make me happy too.

Paul and I will be spending Christmas in Singapore and will be there for one whole week. There will be a bit of Boxing Day shopping since friends tell me that the sales are totally crazy and worth it. It’s been a decade since I used to make yearly pilgrimages to Singapore for shopping so I’m totally out of touch. And there will be lots of catching up with friends and a little bit of eating since generally food in Singapore cannot match up to the overall taste of Malaysian food. Unless you’re talking gourmet….then, they’ll beat us hands down.

We’ll be back in KL to celebrate New Year Eve in KL with friends in the Fragrant Garden in Paul’s condo. It’s going to be a BBQ among a small group of friends with good food, good company and of course plenty of booze. I’d now much rather this than to be stuck in a club with far too many people….. or stuck in a traffic jam trying to head from one New Year Eve party to another and end up doing the countdown in the car.

Then in mid January, Paul and I are off to Bali for one week to celebrate our 1 year anniversary. We’ve booked 2 lovely private villas with pools and I can’t wait to enjoy the tranquility of our own villa as well as tanning and surfing on the beach. Fairy who just came back Bali also recommended swimming with dolphins and that’s something else I want to check out.

And after one week of being back after Bali, I’m off to Krabi on a company trip. Last year, I lost the fight to a Group Account Director who chose to go to Chiang Mai since he’s into mountainous jungle terrain. So this year, way before anyone even asked about a company trip, I did the research, pitched it to the CEO and sealed the deal. I believe more of us would want the beach and fun in the sun rather than being up in a mountain yet again. Well, I know I do anyway. The more beach holidays, the better!

Then CNY will be upon us. More holiday and good food.

And in mid March 2008, Paul & I will be in Chiang Mai with his family.

I’m loving the next 3 months!