The Holiday - Movie

Yesterday I got a pair of free tickets to watch the preview screening of "The Holiday". I always wanted to watch this movie since I'd watched the trailer. Finally. Its a romance comedy.

The movie is about Amanda (Cameron Diaz) of Los Angeles, CA and Iris (Kate Winslet) of Surrey, England live five thousand miles apart and have never met, but are dealing with the same problem: men. Amanda having just broken up with her cheating boyfriend, Ethan and Iris having pined for her ex, Jasper, who becoming engaged to the woman he left her for decide to take a vacation during Christmas. Amanda comes upon a website called home exchange and she wants to stay in Iris's cottage. Iris got an idea to swap houses for two weeks that both agreed with a goal to forget their troubled love lives. But love ends up finding them anyways. Amanda starts a romance with Iris' older brother, Graham (Jude Law), and Iris starts a romance with Miles (Jack Black). With new found romance, both their lives change forever.

This movie was really good and meaningful enough to understand more about love, not only in a relationship but to friendship and the bond between human beings. The plot was a little slow but not slow enough to loose your interest. Jude Law's character added a different dimension to his character and it made you love him more in the movie. Jack Black's character was sweet, not corny... he was not a goof like he usually is in his movies but sense a little touch in the movie that likeable as in Iris's character. Overall, I love most of the quotes from the movie. Here are the some of it:

Iris: I've found almost everything ever written about love to be true. Shakespeare said "Journeys end in lovers meeting." What an extraordinary thought. Personally, I have not experienced anything remotely close to that, but I am more than willing to believe Shakespeare had. I suppose I think about love more than anyone really should. I am constantly amazed by its sheer power to alter and define our lives. It was Shakespeare who also said "love is blind". Now that is something I know to be true. For some quite inexplicably, love fades; for others love is simply lost. But then of course love can also be found, even if just for the night. And then, there's another kind of love: the cruelest kind. The one that almost kills its victims. Its called unrequited love. Of that I am an expert. Most love stories are about people who fall in love with each other. But what about the rest of us? What about our stories, those of us who fall in love alone? We are the victims of the one sided affair. We are the cursed of the loved ones. We are the unloved ones, the walking wounded. The handicapped without the advantage of a great parking space!

Graham: Long distance relationships can work, you know.
Amanda: Really? I can't make one work when I live in the same house with someone.

Iris: ....I don't know the exact quote, but I know that there's no such 'cheating' in a relationship.

Amanda: [In the car with Graham] Sex makes everything more complicated. Even not having it because the not having it makes it complicated.

Anna Oh's Wedding - Dinner - Continued

Wedding one another weddings. Phew~ This year alot of my school-classmates getting married. Not only them but to the others of my friends too.

Nothing much to say about Anna's wedding nite but very grand ambience. The hosts were bored, the foods were good, her bridal photos are beautifully shots. I like her bridal album especially on the entrance. Very different and good feels too. And Anna was looked amazing and charming bride. :)

Anna Oh's Wedding - Dinner

I’d attended Anna’s wedding dinner at Sunway Resort Hotel last Saturday. Get dress. Put on makeup. It was heavy rain.


Anyway, will be continued with more photos. :)

Strike with Viruses

Last Saturday, my PC got strike with viruses. Thanks to myself for not being careful with it. I was damn panic when I was trying to backup my files which can't. I'd called my friends and even smsed them for help. They all talked IT language which I was damn blur case, 0 knowledge, continue panic and cried for help.

Luckily my cousin-bro, Darren was around. I asked him for help, he came, he re-install the Windows for saving my backup files, re-format the whole PC...now is brand 'new' PC.

Thanks Darren. You're my saviour. :)

Steammingboats

11 January 2007
Went to Joanne’s bf house at OUG for steamboat. She is leaving to UK for her further studies, something related to laws. Anyway, the house was nice and pleasant with 4-storey.

I, Jenny, ChooiLin, LiangSer and Phoebe came for the dinner. All were gals. It was a delicious soup with lotsa foods. A comfy conversation while steaming the foods in the pot. We were all missed most our life in history during school. It’s good to have a gathering with the school-classmates for once a month or so.


Bon voyage and have a safe journey. Wish Joanne all the best and hope to see her come back to KL.


12 January 2007
Then I have another steamboat for dinner but this time with my cousins. I was home early after work. I was sleeping then. This Darren, cousin-bro came to my house, visiting grandma. He called me and asked me whereabout. I was in my room taking nap. He’ve been so long never see me since he traveled for work so I suggested to go out to have dinner with other cousins.

Huat, me and him went to Sri Petaling had a porridge steamboat which I’ve never eat before. It was tasty with the fine porridge to steam most of the raw foods into it. Then it likes a junk porridge with vegetables, meat, fish/meatballs and others. It was totally different from normal steamboat. Oh, well. This is my first time eating porridge steamboat.

I got new 'Mouse'

Got a Christmas present from George. He bought it from Japan as the packaging of the box and the warranty card were written in Japanese language. It was small and compact. I always want to change my 'mouse' and finally I have one with scroll bar. Cool. Thanks George for a lovely gift. ;)

Wedding dinner in early January 2007

Last Saturday I attended another wedding for the New Year. It was my school-classmate, Melina. I was so close to her during when she came to join our school since Form 4. But I was being crazy with her. I used to tease her and make her laugh. Now she is married now and here are the photos. It held at Eastin Hotel, Petaling Jaya. I went with Agnes and her husband.

The whole concept of her wedding was nice. Every guest who came for the wedding was given a Polaroid shot for her Guestbook with their wishes and signature. There was cocktail refreshment at the reception that served with red wine and orange juice. During the wedding dinner itself, they have their own few projection shows of their wedding photos in KL and Bali too. I love their Bali wedding style shoots. It was relaxing feel and enjoyable. Anyway, here are the photos:






Congratulations to Melina and her husband again! :)

After Singapore Trip, what did I do???

More pictures here. Just cut the crap of my post, I just summarize them as I could but definitely the pictures are more interesting than my words.


26 December 2006
Went to Midvalley to watch midnite movie. We watched ‘ The Haunted Apartments’. It’s a Japanese horror movie. The storyline was a bit decelerated with not much effect but it was out of expectation for the whole movie was about.



30 December 2006
Attended Gary’s wedding. Gary was my ex-colleague year ago. He was with his wife (now) for about 10years (I guess). They were such a lovely couple. George is his only little brother who was emcee that night. It was a great night with the some funny slide show and speeches from George himself.





Congratulations to Gary and Jessica!


31 December 2006
New Year Eve we; I and Irene went to Midvalley. We were just ‘lepak-ing’ in the mall while shopping together. It was great to shop around with someone along. We had lunch at Dome Café. They have their new menu with the same dishes’ name for New Year. We didn’t like their new menu especially their ‘Wild Mushroom Soup’. I prefer their last time really ‘wild’ mushroom soup. Every dish seems totally different taste and flavors. Then their services were suck like shit. They were so slow to get the hot water to be refilled in our hot tea. It took ages. Later that lunch, we had for ice-cream craving. Baskin Robbins has their on every 31st of the month got 31% off on every ice-cream. We bought handpack pint of ice-cream with 2 choices of flavour. Originally it costs RM21.50 + 5% GST, after discounted at RM15.57.
We spent the day from noon til the shops closed. We had played pool. Then we had a midnight movie on 'The Cadaver', a Thai horror movie with KJin. I didn't like the ending as it seems not compromising. After the movie, we went to mamak for 'yam char'. That was the new year celebration in the cinema.





1 January 2007
New Year day was having a buffet lunch at Traders Hotel. It was an enjoyable lunch with comfy interior and environment. Though there were not much variety of foods were served, most of the seafoods were not so fresh but at least we had a good day to hang out. They have nice spot for picture intake. We took some pictures.









2 January 2007
It was randomly planned to have a small little gathering with my ex-colleagues. I’d called them out the day before about meeting up for lunch. It was CHIPsians’ Lunch gathering. It was supposingly at about 9 people should have come but instead 6 of us. It held at one of the shop at Taman Desa. I’d also called Irene to join us. We spent almost 4hours eating and sitting and chit-chatting. It’s good to have mini re-union on holiday.

Almost Self-trip to Singapore

Since the time I was jobless and been thinking a lot of travel alone. I always wanted to travel in different countries other than in Malaysia. Thought of going to Japan to visit Vikram and his wife in mid of April/May in 2007 but that plan has crashed due to my retrenchment.

So changed the plan and decided to go Singapore, the nearest and familiar with. But this time I wanted to explore alone in Singapore. The last time I went was with my relatives or friends.

I’ve been telling most of my friends about me going to Singapore for Christmas holidays. By this, I may go down to Singapore with friends who want to go too. I went down to South with a guy friend, Jason by bus. He bought the tickets for one-way to Singapore. He decided to stay there for few days with his girlfriend who working in Singapore.

So I got to buy the back KL ticket by myself. Thought of travel back KL by bus, but instead buy train ticket since I haven’t experience. I got to buy return ticket with train in order to get the cheapest price. I got to buy go Singapore on 20th December with a economic seat costs RM21 then back to KL on 24th December last night train with bed cost RM43. Flood was happened on 20th December and KTM is responsible to refund the ticket that travel on the date has happened. I’m lucky, if not I got to reimburse my RM21 on the air. Heeheee. So, bus to Singapore costs RM45, back to KL by train RM43. Not bad at all. Thanks Jason who bought the bus tickets.

We took the last bus at night in Puduraya. We departed at midnight, reached in Tuas Checkpoint, Singapore at 4.30am on 23rd December. The bus stopped at bus station somewhere nearby at Lavender Street at around 5.15am. Once we dropped the place, Jason and I were travel separately. He took a taxi go to look for his gf and I started to walk alone in the early morning to look for a place to stay.

Yah, I know. It was late to do the hotel booking during the Christmas season. So I thought that I could find one once I reach in Singapore. I do have cousins who stay in Singapore, it just that I doesn't want to trouble them with my arrival. Therefore I want to have some exploration. They were staying out of the town which kinda of unconvenience for me. I decided to have my own place to stay.

I was walking alone with backpack and a big tote bag while reading the map. I’d written list of affordable places to stay in a notepad. I walked for 1 ½ hours to find a place to stay. I found Sleepy Sam's Place at Bussorah Street but it only opens at 8am so I look for another place. I went to Bugis Street for Bugis Backpacker Hostel but it closed for holidays. Damn. Then I went to Bugis MRT to buy the EZ Link Card for S$15 (something like Touch ‘n’ Go card in KL). I was kinda tired after walking awhile with backpack. I was totally lost my way to look for more but luckly I had prepared with the listing of the places I wanted to stay with their contact number. I called each of them at the phone booth in MRT station. Finally I got a place to stay! Phew~

Finally got to Penang Hotel at Jalan Besar for a dorm (dormitory) bed costs S$15 each night with an extra S$5 for early bird check-in. I check-in at 7.30am. The dorm was filled with 4 double-deck bed that can occupy 8 people and a share bathroom. I took the lower bed. I was pretty exhausted and I took a nap at about 8am.

So far to this journey, it likes aimless or not well prepared. I do not know what to do instead I took the nap and informing most of friends who stay in Singapore of my arrival. I do not know what to plan, where to go. I didn’t take my breakfast although I’d passed some of the shops to stop by. I was thinking that I need to find a place to stay at first. Most everything is unprepared and randomly happens.

I smsed Darcy, my ex-colleague who is now working in Singapore for lunch which about to meet his girlfriend, May at Lavender MRT at noon. We went to Orchard Road to have lunch. We couldn’t decide what to eat but ended up eating Hainanese Chicken Rice costs S$8.90 and Homemade Barley Ice S$2.80. Thanks to Darcy for the lunch. After that, we walked around to shop as I wanted to buy clogs and sneakers. From Orchard Road, we went to Bugis Village, Sim Lim Square to look for gadget. I want to have a MP3/MP4 player but my budget was tight. Darcy said buying some of the electric stuff in Singapore somewhat is cheaper than Malaysia after the conversion. Then we stopped to have a coffee break nearby and we chatted and rest. From at least 1pm, we walked and shopped until almost 7pm. I couldn’t walk anymore as well for Darcy and May as we all were tired. I went back to dormitory to take bath and slept at about 10pm.







I think this post going to be damn long, so I decided not to write more but let the pictures speak itself.














Click this picture below for larger view on 360 degree:



















On my departure back to KL, my MSN friend who live in Singapore came to see me. It was great to meet someone new face.


Check in at Malaysia Immigration in the Railway Station at about 10.15pm. Got into the train while waiting it move at 12 midnight.



My bed was nearly the end of the coach of the train. A lot of unoccupied beds or seats.



At 1am, it stopped at Woodlands Train Checkpoint. It started the journey at 1.15am.


In the train, I was asleep though it bumpy but it was a good sleep. I reached to KL Central at the next day on Christmas at 10.20am.


Overall, I was brave enough to travel although I'd lost my way and not well prepared. I'm looking forward to have another trip, but not sure when.