Today was hot! Literally. The rising temperatures have not been helping lately. Heatwave! :( At least in Singapore there's air-conditioning.. But yeah, what better thing to do than head out for some cool shade and cold streaming water? So off to Lynn Canyon we (Elena, Vinh, Angela and myself) went. Lol how ironic that the day before, someone got seriously injured at the same location? Stupid move on their part though. That sure didn't stop us from going. We headed over to the creek, and managed to catch some breeze and chilled for a bit. Good stuff. And after, all you can eat sushi! Pretty fitting considering it's this hot. And thankfully the place had air-conditioning. (okay I know I sound kinda spoiled with the whole a/c thing.. but growing up in Singapore, that was essential! haha) Anyways, we went to Kingsway Sushi for lunch. I guess the service there is alright. But i don't like the fact that they didn't allow people who weren't eating to be at the same table as their friends. Lamesauce. Lol. Oh wells. And now I'm home, and baking in this weather.. Off to camp tomorrow, till Monday! So I'll update you guys when I'm back.
Rise above
There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain something greater. Be vulnerable, put your guard down. Step up, and rise above yourselves. and I realized that tonight. It was the first time I've led a song and said a prayer.. out loud. And to be honest, it felt really good. It felt good to finally step out of my comfort zone, put my guard down, and not worry about how I would sound, or how stupid I would seem. That didn't matter at all tonight, because this time, it wasn't about me. But instead, it was about God, and for Him. I guess we gotta remember that when we step up at church, as leaders, it shouldn't be for the fame and the glory, but all for God. With that being said, this, for me wouldn't have happened if it weren't for my friends, who kept pushing me, and made me strive to just do it. I guess all I needed was that extra push, for me to step up, and not doubt myself. And for that, I'm so grateful for them. You guys know who you are lol, so thanks. much ♥! My friends are the best eh? ;)
(edit) Chanced upon this while reading Eunice's note.
Take that step out of your comfort zone and be obedient to His call because, as I’m continually being taught, you never know the extent of how God will use you and what He will show you until you let Him.
Nuff' said.
Frozen in time, in this heatwave
"At this moment, there are 6 billion, 4 hundred, 71 million, 8 hundred, 18 thousand, 6 hundred, 71 people in the world. Some are running scared.. some are coming home. Some tell lies to make it through the day.. others are just now facing the truth. Some are evil men at war with good, and some are good.. struggling with evil. 6 billion people in the world, 6 billion souls -- and sometimes.. all you need is 1."
Everyone has a certain part of their lives where they truly wish they could just freeze time. Whether it was five years ago, today, or sometime in the future. Whether it was just a moment, a whole day, or a whole summer. Everyone has a time in their life when they wish everything would just stop. The world would stop turning and people would just stop changing because to them, at that point in time, everything was perfect.
(Edit) The heat is killing me! Heatwave? I think so. Are we in Asia? No! If the weather continues like this, I am going to faint. Literally. The weather is so draining, it's worse than Singapore. At least in Singapore there's the A/C. over here, our malls aren't even cold! The minute I shower and get out, it's warm air. It's almost pointless to shower. Showering 3 times/day doesn't even help! Camp is this friday, and it's going to be 30 degrees out? Grrrr. And yes, this weather has caused me to be VERY easily agitated. Ok end of rant.
It's a beautiful day
In the end, it comes back to this. JAM SESSION >> MOVIES >> NAP >> TIMMY HO'S
" Ears closed, what i hear the world just has to know.. " as I'm sitting here trying to write, I couldn't help but take a moment to catch the view from my window. It's definitely not that breathtaking a view, but the sky was beautiful tonight. (picture on the left, view from my window.) Now if you were here to see it, you would agree. fusion of reds, pink, purple, orange.. It's not everyday you see something like this. I spent a good amount of time just gazing at the beautiful sky. God's wonderful creations? Definitely. I guess it's moments like these where I find myself just not thinking about anything else, but just being in the moment, and embracing what life has to offer. On another note, I had a pretty good day. Jam Sessions with the band + Late night Timmy Ho's? Good times. Practice for camp went well. I finally got to try out "At The Cross - Hillsong United ", and my nerves were gone! Yay? (P.S this song is starting to really grow on me.) First time leading a song, but overall, I think I'll do fine. There's a first for everything, right? Anyways, I'm looking forward to camp. Missed out on the one last year, and the last one I went to, well let's just say it left quite an impact on my life, and changed me for the better. That was basically the kick start to my growth in faith over the years. Ok to end this post off.. Here's how beautiful the sky looked tonight. The video doesn't really do it justice.
" Ears closed, what i hear the world just has to know.. " as I'm sitting here trying to write, I couldn't help but take a moment to catch the view from my window. It's definitely not that breathtaking a view, but the sky was beautiful tonight. (picture on the left, view from my window.) Now if you were here to see it, you would agree. fusion of reds, pink, purple, orange.. It's not everyday you see something like this. I spent a good amount of time just gazing at the beautiful sky. God's wonderful creations? Definitely. I guess it's moments like these where I find myself just not thinking about anything else, but just being in the moment, and embracing what life has to offer. On another note, I had a pretty good day. Jam Sessions with the band + Late night Timmy Ho's? Good times. Practice for camp went well. I finally got to try out "At The Cross - Hillsong United ", and my nerves were gone! Yay? (P.S this song is starting to really grow on me.) First time leading a song, but overall, I think I'll do fine. There's a first for everything, right? Anyways, I'm looking forward to camp. Missed out on the one last year, and the last one I went to, well let's just say it left quite an impact on my life, and changed me for the better. That was basically the kick start to my growth in faith over the years. Ok to end this post off.. Here's how beautiful the sky looked tonight. The video doesn't really do it justice.
Where I belong ..
Remember that song by Tanya Chua? (well you Singaporeans should know this song, since it was our NDP song awhile back.) Yeah somehow it brought back tons of memories. And yes, I'm still up. And it's 5:21 a.m. Woot. But it was worth it. I just got off the phone with my twin nephews, and boy do I miss them a lot. They're such cuties!! I swear, they are going to be such studs when they grow up. They just had a new addition to their family, Arianna, and she too is such a beautiful baby. Aside from talking to my nephews, (which I had the chance to hear their funny conversation between themselves) I was also on the phone with my uncle, my aunt and my mama. I guess it's times like these that make me want to pack up, and run back to my hometown. I love my family to pieces, and being so far away from them, and missing out on all the milestone moments breaks my heart sometimes. Nostalgia? I think so. My grandparents were the ones who brought me up during my childhood days. And going from being with them 24/7 to only seeing my mama once every few years, saddens me. Like i said before, I don't do well with the long-distance thing lol. Anyways, I'm getting pretty tired. But here's how the conversation went after they had a fight to who would be able to watch the show they wanted..
Obviously I've edited the English a little so it would be understandable, mind you they're only 3.
Rainier: What if I took the bus to Canada? I won't see you anymore. you still want to fight with me? I'm going.. *and he walks away*
Mykel : OK, bye!
Hahaha. How cute eh? But yeah I think I shall get my few hours of sleep before I head out with the boys after. So goodnight my loves!
P.S My aunt got me the pair of shoes I wanted from Charles & Keith. Since I'm not in Singapore to purchase them, she asked me to email the style to her, and she went to look for them and bought them for me. I ♥ her!! Much thanks to Sueann who were sporting these shoes during her D&D, which is when I first saw them. She looked hot in them ;) Been looking for a pair like this forever! They're the perfect pair of nude heels with a gladiator-like style. Comparing these to Aldo, I'd say they are a steal!
Remember when days were like that?
When you put two crazy girls and their DSLRs together, what do you get ? Tons of silly fun + good times! ♥ So much for waking up early and meeting at 10 am sharp eh Mandy? Hehe, it's okay, we were both fashionably late. Headed to Metropolis Metrotown for a bit before lunch and some photography. I so broke my no shopping unnecessarily rule :( I went there determined to find a pair of aviators, but luck wasn't on my side. Couldn't find one I really liked.. so I proceeded to none another than Aritzia to check out some of their summer stuff.. only to find something I liked, and made an order. There goes more of my dollah dollah bills. I couldn't say no to the lavender Wilfred romper. You would all agree it's cute if you saw it! I shall post a picture when it comes in. Anyways, we left the mall after that, just to stop us both from shopping any more haha. Headed to Waterfront, and saw a huge film crew shooting some movie. Nothing new, Vancouver's known for being a good filming venue. After that, we hit up the infamous japadog stands! (the one at Coal Harbour is my favorite location because there's actual seating, the vendors are so friendly, and there's a great view of the harbour.) For those of you who don't know what japadogs are, they're Japanese styled hot dogs served with different dressings, and seaweed + onions. I have to say, it was worth the $6.75. Comparable to Mr.Lai's, but definitely delish. We then walked off the lunch we just ate around the area for a little photography, which gave us a good laugh LOL. (Mandy, you know what i'm talking about) Gastown was our next stop, and boy we started to get tired. We found a store that caught our eye. It had a variety of things, and we spent a good amount of time laughing at the " how to know if you're drunk " sign. "omg this is my favourite song!". Remember that Mandy? Haha. Anyways after that we got pretty tired, (we walked quite a bit!) and Mandy totally forgot she was supposed to be at a birthday party. Whoops. so we both headed back home after that. Overall, it was a pretty awesome day. I think it would be nice to have more days like that. Okay to end this post off, here's the link to the rest of the pictures. Oh, and here's also a little video we did earlier. enjoy! xox
Time for another visit
Hello world! Sorry for the lack of updates this past week, I've been rather busy due to the fact that the fam is in town. Nonetheless, it was a great but tiring week. Lack of sleep = a very cranky me. Moving on to the Thursday getaway, Victoria Island. It's my second trip there, and I gotta say I quite enjoyed it, minus the long hot wait for the ferry on the way back. Victoria is a beautiful place, with quite a bit to see. Chinatown, Buchart Gardens, and Craigdarroch Castle were some of the places we visited this trip. I gotta add the
BC Royal Museum to that though, even though i didn't make it there this time round. It's interesting, and pretty fun actually, to check out the exhibits and learn more about British Columbia. Going into more detail about these places.. starting with Chinatown. It's pretty similar to Vancouver's I'd say.. but Victoria's Chinatown gives you a really cosy feel. It also features beautiful life-size bonzai trees, and alot of asian accents (deco-wise) all around. Even the bubbletea places were different. Definitely no bubbleworld there, but it's all good. Well we decided to have lunch at Chinatown (typical family of mine), and surprisingly I enjoyed the food. I usually am not too keen on Chinese food especially, because I have it literally everyday.. But somehow this time was refreshing. The place we had lunch at was Gladiola Bakery & Restaurant. It is located at 622Fisgard Street if you ever wanted some good Chinese food in Victoria. Their egg tarts were delish as well. After the very filling lunch, we took a stroll around the area, and stumbled onto Urban Barn. Why didn't i find out about this store earlier? I have no idea, but I'm glad I did. It has become my favourite deco/furniture store. (aside from IKEA) A little on the pricier side though, but some of the things in that store are gorgeous! Ended up picking up a wall deco piece and quotes you could rub onto the wall for the dining area. (shall post pics up once I'm done decorating) Next up, the parliament building. nothing much to see, haha. Nice architecture though. Another beautifully structured building is the Craighdarroch Castle. A little info about this place : Craigdarroch was built between 1887-1890 for Robert Dunsmuir, a Scottish immigrant who made his fortune from Vancouver Island coal. This legendary Victorian mansion, built on a hill overlooking the City of Victoria (Craigdarroch
means "rocky, oak place" in Gaelic) announced to the world that Robert Dunsmuir was the richest and most important man in Western Canada. He died in 1889 leaving his entire estate to his wife Joan who lived in the Castle until her death in 1908. The immense fortune of the Dunsmuir Family is reflected in the four floors of exquisite stained glass windows, intricate woodwork and fabulous Victorian era furnishings. They had 39 rooms in that castle. Who needed 39 rooms during that time? After hanging around that area for a bit, we left for the Buchart Gardens. This was probably the highlight of the trip. Beaautiful florals all around, and themed gardens. I loved the Japanese one in particular. Stands out to me for some reason. But yes, a must-see if you're ever in Victoria! It's definitely worth-while. Acres and acres of stunning flowers and colours.
(my favourite shot of the day)
Overall, Victoria was pretty fun. However, the ferry ride back was less than fun. Piece of advice : Come an hour early at least for the ferry you're planning to board. Because there's always a high chance that the ferry is fully loaded, and you'll then have to wait for the next one. I had to wait 2.5 hours. Yeah, that sucked. And if you miss the last ferry, well too bad you're stuck in Victoria for the night. That would be a total bummer. But yeah, definitely a fam jam when they're in town! Can't wait till the next big reunion.
Chasing pavements
Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements
Even if it goes nowhere..
Even if it goes nowhere..
Ok rant time. I'm so annoyed with my dating life right now. Seriously, why is it that whenever something good is going on, there are always a few minor setbacks/flaws that ruin it? I know it's never perfect, but at least it works out, unlike my situations lately. It's either.. No chemistry, but all around great guy, or.. tons of chemistry, similar hobbies/interest, established with his career, smart, cute.. whatever. And then ... *drumroll* the age factor comes into play. I've said this a million times. I feel like I'm born in the wrong year lol. The people I tend to be around and associate myself with, are often quite a bit older than I am. But I get along perfectly well with them. However as of late, the age factor seems to be quite a problem. It's not that I have a problem with it, but usually, the guy does. Most of the guys I've dated or am attracted to, are at a point in their lives right now where they're ready to settle down, and already have a stable job. Whereas I, am fresh out of school, and I'm still planning to go to school. It's not like that would make a big difference to me, but it's usually somewhat of a problem with the guy. I believe that if it's the right time to settle down, it'll happen, at the right place and time. (obviously not too soon lol) It's not like that would stop me from doing the things I want to do, and the goals I want to accomplish.. Because that guy would be someone who would support and respect my decisions. I just wish it wasn't that big a deal with whoever I'm dating that's quite a bit older. Because.. that's the only thing practically that's kind of iffy within the relationship. It makes us question if it would work out, because I'm a little younger, and might not want to get tied down too soon. Damn boys, I wish it wasn't so complicating : ( Sorry I don't like guys around my age -.-
Beauty Haul
Okay, so as many of you know, I love love love make-up. It's something I am passionate about and enjoying doing, along with styling and photography. It might not be my parents' "ideal" career for me, but what's important to me is that I'm able to do what I love. Anyways, I've decided to start making videos of different make-up looks/anything make-up related sometime soon, so if you guys have any requests, let me know! But in the meantime, I shall do a post on faux eyelashes (video coming soon), since I have quite a few people asking me how to apply them the proper way.
Faux eyelashes for me, is like the icing on the cake. It completes the look. (unless you're born with beautiful long lashes, and don't really need them.) When you're trying to pick the right faux lashes, first ask yourself what kind of look do you want. Do you want a slightly more dramatic look? Or a more natural one? The different types of lashes varies for each occasion. I mean there are even ones with feathers on them if you wanted, which can be found at Shu Uemura. (which btw, makes the most amazing eyelash curlers! You can find those at either Sephora Pacific Center, or in Holt Renfrew's cosmetics department) For me, I usually buy #101 or #105 (more natural) from Ardell lashes. But i also like the criss-crossed ones from Faceshop, which are slightly more reasonably priced. Another good place to get them would be from ebay, which comes in a pack of 10 usually. Or.. if you don't like shopping online, Daiso works as well for $2/set. Ok now onto the application of the faux lashes. Here are the steps. (the video will probably be better than this step by step lol)
#1 : The lash application comes last. Make sure you're done your eye make-up before you apply the lashes. And if you really need to, you could always touch up after.
#2 : Pick your lashes, and apply the glue onto the lash bone (it's where the edge is). I use lashgrip, which is a glue from Ardell, and dries clear. Leave it to dry for about 15 secs, until the glue gets a little tacky or sticky. Key* Once the glue is tacky, it allows for a much easier application.
#3 : Gently lay the eyelashes on your eyelid, as close as you can to the lash line. You don't want your lashes to look weird if it somehow ends up on your double eye-lid or something. Once it's in place, use two fingers (thumb + index), and sorta squeeze (softly!) or press it down so it'll be secure.
#4 : Finish it with a coat of mascara. The mascara will sort of bind your real lashes with the falsies. And if you need to touch up with your liner, you could do that as well.
I hope this made sense lol. If not, the video should be up soon! ♥
Just needed to say
You know, I'm grateful for our friendship, and everything you've done for me. Even though I might not show it at times.. Just so you know, you do matter a lot to me. You've been there for the past couple of years, regardless of what happened, and stuck by my side. (yeah cheesy, I know, better appreciate lol) You've always been opinionated about everything, and kept it real by telling me how it is straight up. I know you care a great deal for me, trust me I see it. And I'm sure you know I do too. But at the same time, you seem like you don't. You want my advice, and ask for it, but you never ever listen. Then again, you're really stubborn. It's been 5 years, and you're still the same old stubborn, arrogant guy. You know I can not care. I always will care, that's just my nature. But if you want my opinion, don't blow me off after. Don't just leave it as it is. Don't say you're right, then turn around and do the exact opposite. If you want me to still care, just please don't act the way you do right now. I can only put my two cents worth and show my concern so many times, with the same situation. Sometimes.. I really can't keep up with you.
Welcome, love.
This week so far, has been quite a slow one. The rainy, cold weather these past few days hasn't helped either. Where is my summer? I'm sure everyone has been asking themselves that. Although it was somewhat nice to be away from the heat for a couple of days, I do miss Mr.sunshine. The beach days, sunbathing, and BBQs. The weather is looking good though, just in time for the weekend and a little surprise. Next week however, will be quite a busy one. Relatives are over from the states, which is always nice because I haven't seen them in years. It'll be a fam jam for sure. Also, I've been thinking of doing a trip this winter, or fall. Somewhere hot would be nice for Christmas. (if the winter is anything like the last, I'm outta here!) But i might hit up the hometown for September, as Sharon is getting married. Congrats babe ! ♥ I sure hope you convincing my daddy works. Drinks @ One Twenty-Six was the last time we hung out! It's been far too long. And also, my cousin-in-law just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Finally a niece in the family. Welcome Arianna Gabrielle! If that trip is a no-go, Domincan Republic anyone? or Maui! Gorgeous beaches are always a fav. destination spot. Speaking of which, I shall do a post sometime soon about the top 10 places I would love to re-visit or vacation at. Out for now, xox.
P.S The chatterbox on the sidebar has been removed, as the comment box finally works! So leave me one if you like : )
Reunited at last
And I’ll taste every moment,
and live it out loud.
and live it out loud.
Recap of Saturday: The trio, reunited! ♥ I don't even remember when the last time was that all three of us were out together. It was about time we met up. Well the day was off to a great start. Granville island, we went. I haven't stepped into that place in ages, and this was a good opportunity to go again. Great weather + a photowalk with Andrew's spanking new Xsi. To those who haven't been to Granville Island, I highly recommend this place. It is truly an urban oasis. as stated on it's site, where else in the world can rusty tin-sided factories boast rebirth as a Public Market, an art school (Emily Carr University), shops, restaurants, theatres, galleries, a hotel, and a great deal more? Anyways, it was a nice place to be that day. From people stalking watching, (I have some fabulous pictures of street photography) to their famous calamari for lunch, I couldn't ask for a better day with great company. We then headed to Johnson Street, which is also located at Granville Island. Over there.. there are a bunch of craft/art-like stores. And that was when i spotted.. BeadWorks! It's been a really long time since I've shopped there. The last time was probably with Gabrielle, when I was about 13. Anyways, I picked up some stuff.. and eventually came up with a simple design later that night. It took me awhile to get the hooks on and what not, because the pliers were simply not cooperating.. Grr. Go figure, I did this at like 2 in the morning. But I managed to come up with this. (pic on the right) I actually really like it, so much that I made 3 of them, and gave one to Gloria. Hers was fairly similar, but had just the Swarovski heart + pink teardrop instead of the white. I also used a different chain for hers, which is just like a regular silver chain. It's a fun jewely project to do. Looks as good as the ones that are being sold at Blue Ruby if you ask me. But the cost of it is like 1/4 of the price! For real. So what was the total cost? Well the chain was $1.75/ft if I'm not mistaken. I bought 3 ft, and that made 2 necklaces. And the crystals were $2.50 each, but I have a bunch at home, so i didn't bother buying that many. The hooks and circle-like things were $0.75. And that adds up to approximately $11. Works for me! Anyways, the rest of the pictures are located here. Enjoy! xox.
Give love a try
You, you're like driving on a Sunday
You, you're like taking off on Monday
You, you're like a dream
A dream come true
You, you're like taking off on Monday
You, you're like a dream
A dream come true
So.. I'm not exactly a Jonas Brothers fan, but this song, is one of the few Jo Bros song that I actually love. And I thought I'd share it with you guys. (this guy did an awesome cover of it, better than Nick Jonas I'd say haha.) Enjoy!
Fragile
I hate the way that you could push me to my limits with the things you do, but at the same time.. Know how to make things right, and make me forget everything that you did wrong in the first place.
Sunkissed is the new black
Sunbathing, or tanning rather, was nice today. Cool breeze, but the sun was still out as well. Speaking of which, I've decided to blog about what essentials are needed for the beach/tanning. First off, definitely op for flip flops! Seriously, who wears pumps, or even runners per se, to the beach? You're only going to get sand all over it, and potentially ruin them. There are a bunch of places that sell cheap, affordable ones, such as H&M, or Old Navy. (you could get old navy ones for $1 if you happen to be there for their sale. what a steal eh?) But the classic Havaianas will do as well, and you could find those at Below the Belt, or Aritzia. And towels! I say go colourful, even though it doesn't matter as much since you'd be sitting on it. But a cute towel is always nice! Another staple item would be a great beach bag. Aritzia sells those for approximately $20, and their designs are rather cute as well. Anyways, here's what's in my beach bag, the bare minimum : a couple of mags, an iPod, bottled drinks, a football/volleyball, a towel, my shades, and sunscreen. It'd be best if the bag was waterproof, as you would be at the beach. But that doesn't matter too much. Don't load up on too many things, as it could be a pain to carry all of it, and it also could possibly get stolen while you're tanning. And to end this off, here's a tanning secret from Victoria Beckham herself. It's taken from the book that I read this afternoon, which is called that extra half an inch, by Victoria Beckham. Enjoy ladies! ♥
TANNING SECRETS
To get a good colour on holiday, exfoliate beforehand as this will ensure you get the best colour. Yes, it does mean that you'll look like a pasty ghost for your first few days of holiday but the end results will compensate. My favourite scrubs are both from Origins - Never A Dull Moment for my face and Paradise Found for my body, both of which I rely on for my pre-holiday prep. Of course, though, you have to be very careful when you tan and make sure you get a good sunscreen with a high SPF. No one wants to end up looking like one of those old ladies with a face like a Louis Vuitton handbag. In fact, I tend to try to get a tan on my body and leave my face lighter, which means my beach formula is sunblock on the face and a high-factor suntan lotion on the body. Having a tan on your face also means that you have to change your usual make-up palette, which is a total pain. Who can be bothered with that on holiday? So, given all the important health issues, be extra careful about covering yourself in sunscreen every time you go out.