Life's Pleasures is ONE

Friday 25 June 2010

Just realised that this blog turned one on June 13! How time flies!

Although there's been ups and downs, it's been a great year and I'm looking forward to even much better times ahead. Thanks for sharing my life with me. You guys are the best!

Luv, Jo

xoxo

I want a horse

Wednesday 23 June 2010

Had such a great lesson today! Got a girl this time. A whitish-greyish beauty named Tordilla. Was a bit lazy at first but after I overcame my guilt of kicking her, she trotted and turned as I asked. Rode a little better with 1 hand holding the reins and the other holding the whip. Felt like a cowgirl yee har!! Anja, my German instructor was pleased.

I'll own my own horses one day and ride them freely into the country (If Jerry doesn't get me a pegasus yet). *sending my request out to the Universe now*

Horsies, you'll be mine one day

I'm officially a member!

Monday 21 June 2010

I am proud to say that after going for several Sunday Karma classes, I am officially a member of Be Yoga, my friendly yoga centre down the road at Metropolitan Square, Damansara Perdana.

Be Yoga's reception

Place is run by Ninie Ahmad & Azmi. Joined for 3 months (RM488 for unlimited classes) as I'll be joining my sweetie in NZ in September. Getting quite addicted to classes as they have both pilates & yoga & a combination of yogilates & Chilates (tai chi & pilates!) ha, never felt so fit in my life! With horsie, Gasing, swimming, yoga & pilates, I'll be super fit & toned in no time!

Azmi & Ninie

Greening my life even more

Saturday 19 June 2010

Was so inspired by Ladia & Hana after the visit to their permaculture farm in Lenggong, Perak, that we came home and planted our own little garden.

Herbs courtesy of Hana (top) and planted Japanese roses above the pond

(from l -r) Basil leaves from Lenggong in a plastic container (see! I'm recycling!), my smiley plant which became more bushy and my newly trimmed (by Jerry) bonsai tree

My balcony

Jerry had a great idea to cover the balcony rails with netting and grow creepers on it. Hope it grows fast! Maybe I should play Beethoven to them more often. Grow green babies, grow!

Feeling the fresher air already :)

Langkawi Sunsets (or lack of it)

Friday 4 to Sunday 6 June 2010

Langkawi. My favourite duty free island where beer is cheaper than water. RM1.60 for a can of Skol. Not bad huh? Tiger's RM2.20 at the airport. I'm sure it's cheaper else where.

Balan (who's been an absolute darling!) of Astute Experience, a lifestyle membership card, hooked us up with Rebak Island Resort this time, the only resort on a private island run by the Taj Group. You need to catch a boat from Langkasuka Jetty for the 15min ride there. Sorry, no other way. Once you're there, you're kinda there. Great if you want to get away from the whole world but not that great if you want to be near the cheap booze of Chenang Beach. Just make sure you ta pau kau kau before you get to the island.

Our deluxe sea-view villa

Chiling at the private beach

Siok Hui hooked us up with a Sunset Cruise with her Japanese friend's company Crystal Yacht which allows guests to binge on a 16-course BBQ dinner and drink till you drop from the yacht's open bar for RM250.

Yacht Tiki - fits 36 pax

16-course BBQ dinner

Unfortunately, I was too green to enjoy the BBQ or the booze. Imagine passing up on the free flow food & drinks!! sob sob. But yes, I did. Jerry joked that he'll sell his house & buy a yacht coz he was enjoying the rare golden silence on my part. hmpph!!! Not myu fault the waves were so big!

The waves finally calmed down after we passed the islands into shelter. There's a submerged net hanging on the side of the boat 'salt-water jacuzzi' it seems, that we could chill in with a beer in hand.

As usual, the Aussies were the life of the party, with one 60 year-old guy who was celebrating his 39th wedding anniversary loosing more than he bargained for.

Chilling in the 'salt-water jacuzzi'

"Fuck my pants. As long as my beer's safe!"

Roaring into Lion City

Friday 28 -Sunday 30 May 2010

Took advantage of the Wesak weekend holiday to head down to Singapore. Jerry needed to make a visa run anyway as his visa expires in a few days. Highway was damn bloody jam as everyone was going somewhere or another. Our bus ride took 5 1/2 hours to reach a rainy Singapore.

We stayed with Jerry's uni mate Shehan and his wife ET, both Sri Lankans. They were such nice hosts who cooked us a big Kiwi fry up for breakfast. Ironic that my first Kiwi breakfast should be in Singapore.

Shehan's Big Kiwi fry-up

Shehan stays in an apartment on Emerald Hill Road. The walk up is damn poyo with expensive looking cosy bars at the bottom and fancy heritage houses lining both sides of the road. Shehan said he asked about the rental there once and the agent said S$25K. A MONTH!! Sheesh. This is just a tiny double storey terrace shophouse mind you, although they are heritage buildings but S$25K??? That's like RM60K a month! That's disgusting. Might as well just buy the bloody thing. How can people throw so much money away? I can buy a low cost house each month with that amount.

Wanna rent these shophouses for S$25K a month?

Was supposed to meet up with Carolynn and Byron at Clark Quay that night but we got lazy and stayed home enjoying drinks with Shehan instead. Sorry you guys! Walked around the city the next morning. Damn bloody hot! Almost had a heat stroke.

The impressive Marina Bay Sands

Walking around town

Here comes my favourite part. Singapore's Night Safari!! Singapore never dissapoints when it comes to their attractions. I enjoyed their Zoo with Tanya the last time I was there and the bird park was apparently good as well (don't remember it though as I was young but I trust my daddy!) Night Safari is S$22 for the entrance fee and S$10 for the tram ride.

Being the kiasu buggers we arrived before 7pm, the opening hours of the park, to be treated to a tribal performance by... wait for this... a Borneon tribe!! What they doing showcasing our people?? I swear they were wearing Iban costumes.

Tribal performances

Had these yummy yummy Bongo lamb burgers for dins

It's really weird this night safari. The animals here are exactly like Singapore - everything's all in place and everything feels like they are putting on a show. You would expect to be squinting for lazy hidden animals only to catch a glimpse of its motionless backside in the dark but no, not singaporean animals.

We saw every single animal except for the Tapir and indeed, a glimpse of the rhino's ass. It's really weird. When you appraoch their enclosure, the animals are always doing something like eating or posing. The Fishing Cat was hunting for fish (ok, the keepers threw fish pellets into the water to make the fish jump) and the otters were swimming and posing on the logs like puppies begging for attention.

The hyena posed in the light (Lion King style) everytime a tram passed by and the leopards, lion & tigers all did the same. The kancils were happily munching away in the light just a mere 2 feet away oblivious to the noisy humans rudely pointing at them. The fruit bats were happily munching away right in my face. I could just reach out and...
At one point, I suspected the animals to be mechanical coz it's just unnatural to be moving about so actively everytime someone walks by! Like, it's too perfectly orchestrated. But I'm not complaining. I reckon the animals are just so used to humans and their food is placed in the light so they keep heading there.

ET, Shehan & Jerry for the tram ride

Love the zebra chairs!!

Various animals at the park

Flash photography is not allowed at most enclosures so I gave up trying to capture any pictures as it was just too dark for the pics to come out nicely. We ended up leaving the park at midnight. There was just so many things to see! Really enjoyed ourselves there. Highly recommended for animal and nature lovers.

Yours Truly is now 30

Sunday 23 May 2010

Where have all the years flown to?? Seems like just yesterday that I was 23.. sigh.. yes, I've finally reached the big 3-0 and will it be downhill from now? Friends say 30 is the new 20 and age is just a number but I can already feel the effects. Recovery is not as fast as it used to.. but other than that, everything's like it always was.

I don't crave drinking and late night partyings like I used to in my 20s. Past birthdays have always been intimate dinners with the ones I love and this year was not going to be any different.

Horse riding is so darn expensive here. Seems like it's an activity for the rich so riding is not an often luxury. My birthday treat from Jerry was a gorgeous horse ride in the cool mountain air of Berjaya Hills.

Here we are at the top of the plateau.. you can just see Colmar Tropicale in the left corner

Explored the French-themed resort of Colmar Tropicale too

Daddy's birthday is 2 days after mine so we always end up having one dinner and one cake. But I don't mind sharing coz I my Daddy's cool :P (and he doesn't give a damn really. I suspect he's pretending to make a fuss coz his family expects him too). Dinner was at Courtyard, Damansara Heights. Food was good, especially the mushroom pasta yummm!!!!

Sis bought a green tea cake for us

Told Wifey that I wanted to have dins with my close friends and she said ok, she'll arrange everything. And boy did she arrange! Such a sneak! She told me she was taking me to Murni in SS2 for dins and no one wants to come for my birthday except for Ninja her cat. We ended up at d'Italiane in Sunway Giza, Kota D, where she invited over 20 people! Talk about a pleasant surprise! I love my wifey Susan Tan.

My bestest wifey in the whole world!!

TQ to Susan Tan, Edmund, Carolynn, Tyng Tyng, Redwan, Farshie, Jerry, Liara, Vern, Lilian, Deep, Henry, Max, Byron & Azim who made my 30th birthday such a memorable one. You guys are the best in the world. I am blessed to have such friends.

Susu, Farshi, Tyng Tyng & Carolynn got together and gave me the best birthday pressie ever - riding lessons at Bukit Kiara. Susu even got me a pink riding hat! I never felt so loved in my life. Had tears sneaking out as I hugged them. Susu, hat fits perfectly fine!

My pink hat for when I ride my purple pegasus

Continued the party at Boathouse in TTDI where Susu treated me & my astrological twin Azim to a flamin. Remind me never to mix wine, champagne & flamins ever again. Urgh... suffered whole of the next day for it.

Twins in da house..