Globalisation is catching up with yr Indonesian friend who lives in Singapore, over Italian coffee and food in a German city. And then had a pee stop in Holland and now back for dinner in Belgium.

Sat, 8 Dec

The immigration police at the France-UK border has never seen an Indonesian before. So he called his friend to catch a glimpse of this rare Indonesienne sighting. If they stare 2 seconds longer, I'd charge them 2 Euros each.

Six hours later I arrived in Brussel. My friend Aki has the whole weekend planned for us. He straight away whisked me to snowy Cologne in the warmth of his Audi. We toured the Christmas markets, drank warm wine (Aki) and hot chocolates (just me) and checking out the Dom cathedral. It's beautiful at night. We then drove to snow-covered Dusseldorf. The temp was -10 degree at one point. I saw only white from our hotel room.

We explored the zentrum and discovered my new fave beverage - kinderpunsch!

We're back in Brussel by dinner time. He took me to old school Aux Armes de Bruxelles where I had the best vol-au-vent and  kue semprong. Brussel's Christmas market is even better - the scent from the waffle stalls and hot fruit juices complement this 'warm' city. After sub-zero Germany, Brussel's 5 degree temp feels 'mild'.

Dusseldorf
The red hat figurine remind me of my fave tale character - Noddy.

I'm obsessed with that elf. I want it!

Aki and busy mini bakers.

Dressing up for Christy Turlington

I have avoided severe winter climate all my life. The only time I got 'caught' in freezing cold weather was during a tail end of winter in Istanbul a few years back, which I escaped by fleeing to Cyprus.

So when I find out I'm going to attend the Trust Women Conference in 4-degree rainy London next week, how to survive the cold became a second major concern after getting the visa clearance.

Winter shopping is a foreign concept to me. Luckily, warm clothes are easily found in stores around Singapore. I never noticed before. The shopping part was a bit overwhelming. There are (too) many things to help us stay warm, including the affordable 'thermal' range. But sometime I don't find them pretty.

So I called on my personal stylists - namely my 2 sisters in Jakarta, Carina and Canari. The brief was simple; I'm going to be in the same room with Christy Turlington and Queen Noor. Dress me up.

A few days later, I received a shipment of a small suitcase filled with fancy clothes suitable for cold climate and a pair of black leather boots. I'm impressed.

I just need to make a few additional shop visits for the smaller items like gloves, ear muffs and socks. Even this was not an easy feat.

What kind of gloves should I get? Knitted, leather, flannel? My friend said it's better to coordinate the color with the shoes.

What's the different between leggings and tights? 65% Cotton and 30% polyimide OR 50% cotton and 40% polyimide - which one keeps me warmer? What the heck is polyimide? Even the shopkeepers don't know.

I also received some fashion advises:

"Layer like you're on crack".

"Can not do stylo mylo like dat. Must wear proper pants", a colleague said after I showed her a legging warm enough for strolling around Tanjong Pagar.

"Your outfits must be as fabulous as hers", my sister referring to Christy Turlington who will be speaking at the conference.

Well, I have 48 more hours to prepare. London winter, here I come.

The lady I strive to be #Dreambig

Glamilla

In the mind of my emerging artis friend, my alter ego is blond, tanned and wear head garland. She has unconditional glam status,too.

Makasi Tay! :)

Glamilla

Check out her other work at http://iniruthmarbun.blogspot.sg/

Petugas TNI tidak memukuli wartawan...

I despise an incident that happened in Riau, Indonesia last Tuesday. Three reporters were assaulted by the members of the army while covering the site of a plane crash accident. They got a bashing from some army crew and their cameras were confiscated. The unfortunate plane belong(ed) to the Air Force.

The picture below, showing a guy in uniform (doing what looks like) strangling a Riau Post reporter went viral. As a freelance writer, and a human being, I feel like hitting the army guy with the three confiscated cameras. 

I feel a little victory when 2 Indonesian tweeps, @thepopo and @oomleo, made a mockery out of the army guy. Their twitpic conversation yesterday exchanged a series of superimposed pix - another take of what could have been the army guy. Cracks me up.each time.

Ternyata ada petugas TNI yang bantuin wartawan.

Petugas TNI lagi mimpin sholat berjama'ah

Petugas TNI ternyata mau berlayar

..ngomong².. touring ke majalengka barengan club tiger TNI, ..jadi nggak, sih? ..udah ready, nich.. 

Buat wawasan anak band:
Kenapa gitar Bang Rhoma buntung? ternyataaa....

MY FAVORITE : petugas TNI nggak tau caranya keluar dari bajaj!

Petugas TNI kepleset kulit pisang

Ternyata do'i suka yang rada nge-beat

Petugas TNI lagi santai

Petugas TNI belah duren

Petugas TNI buka kursus buat Idul Adha

Udahan? Kok sepi?

The Man I am Most Loyal to

For more than seven years, I didn't allow anyone else to cut my hair except my trustee Kenneth Chan.
And I cut my hair as often as once a month for a couple of years. Now I go every two or three months.

I see Kenneth more often than I see my dad. He knows my next holiday plan, what I'm up to at work and who's going to visit me in Singapore. I took my sister and a few of my best friends to his salon. Now, some of them make regular special trips to Singapore just to get a hair cut. On one new year eve, my friend Fanny and I got a symbolic hair make over at 7pm on 31 Dec - to kick start the new year. We went straight to Kenneth after Fanny landed from Jakarta.

Kenneth gets me, and my hair, without much detailed explanation. Even when I don't know how I want my hair to look. He never did wrong.

The best part is I still pay the same rate as I did seven years ago.

As long as Kenneth is still reachable by MRT, I don't need no other.

Shakespear and Seal

It was another Friday night in Singapore. I was hanging out by the Shakespear park, chatting with Queen Victoria and Richard III, and play fencing with Hamlet.

 

Then I heard the raspy beautiful singing voice of..... Seal! People start screaming and approached him. Including me. We all followed him to the stage and listen to an intimate 1-hour session of Seal!! I was Kissed by a Rose - all over....

The priceless moment was organized by MasterCard, who converted part of the brand new Marina Bay cruise center into a party scene for their Priceless Singapore launch. Good food, free massage, chocolate tasting bar and Seal. 

 
FUN.

Now I'm off to bed. I have a dragon boat to race in 10 hours. Wheeee....

If every child listens to this sing over and over again, it might reduces crime rate.

It's great to be able to stop, when you plan the thing that's wrong, and be able to do something else instead, and think this song.

I can stop whenever I want to. Can stop when I wish. Can stop stop stop anytime.
And what a good feeling to feel like this.
Know that the feeling is really mine.Know that there's something deep inside.that helps us become what we can.

For a girl can be comeday a lady.For a boy can be someday a man.

http://front.moveon.org/over-forty-years-ago-mister-rogers-fought-for-pbs-and-gave-the-us-senate-goose-bumps/?rc=fb.fan

Home-made head piece and I

A few years ago,Utay put a kick to an old hat I found in a vintage shop. I was going to the Emiratets Singapore Derby and the hat was very similar to the one worn by the cabin crew. The hat was a hit. 

Utay @ work for my Derby hat

In the absence of my personal milliner and fashion advisor, I now have to prepare the look for my office's fundraising gala on my own. 

The theme for this year is Eden. I must have a flower wreath! Never had one before. Since fresh flowers are expensivo here and I don't know any garden where I can pick them from, I look in a magic place where everything is available - Youtube. A few tutorial videos indicate it's easy to make at home. So I gave it a go. 

U'ut, how did I do?

Tea shopping for Adam Levine : A day in the life of Camilla

I was about to doze off for my my post-dragon boat power nap when I received a message from a friend in Jakarta. She said "Can you help to buy something for Adam Levine?". 

And how can I say no this:

Image 1.

Anyhoo my friend Mel is an event organizer and she's preparing for Maroon 5 show this Thursday and Friday. Apparently Adam specifically requested for TWG Vanilla Bourbon Tea, which is currently out of stock in Jakarta's outlets.

Despite chronic exhaustion after my pre-race dragon boat practise, I dragged myself to city center and looked for the tea. Kindly refer to Image 1 for motivation. Luckily the TWG here is well stocked with Vanilla Bourbon.

Today, I spent a good time under the scorching sun looking for the nearest and most reliable courier service around my office. Now I know there's a DHL drop point 10 mins away.

"Adam, we're coming", said the tea bags

The tea bags should arrive a day before the show. Adam baby, you better drink those tea!!

What do I get in return? My friend said she's going to kiss Adam for me.

WHATEVA.
 

90 minutes Zumba session with Robyn

When I heard a few months ago that Robyn was coming , something telling me I have to see her concert.

That 'something' was right. Her concert yesterday was an electrifying 90-minute zumba session. Robyn is a 33 years old energizer bunny. Whatever she's on, it worked on us,too.

The gals went nuts. And she signed my ticket. LOVE.

She signed my ticket!!
 

High on Robyn!!
 

 

What get me through the Ovaltine Biscuit-withdrawal syndrome....
A discovery at Candy Empire!

All good things come to an end.

It's way past midnight, I just left the office 45 mins ago and I suppose to leave for the airport for my Idul Fitri break in less than 5 hours. I haven't packed. The story of my life.

Tired and hungry - I need a dose of my comfort snack combo to get through the night; ovaltine biscuits and milk. My heart stopped when I opened the kitchen cupboard and saw there's only 1 packet left :( :( :(

I've been eating my supply of Ovaltine biscuits sparringly, and lovingly, for the past 3 months. Shipped from Lao, the biscuit is one of my best discoveries in the country. I never went on without a pack in my pantry since I tried it. It was love at first bite. Apparently it's a product especially made for the Thai market. I spent one week after I got back searching for the biscuits in Singapore supermarkets. To no success.

I decided tonight would the best night to finish this brown circles of pleasure. Just like everything else in life, all goodies will come to an end. Symbolically, I will do it in the eve of Idul Fitri - when you are suppose to be reborn as a new person. Only I would like to be reborn with fresh supply of ovaltine biscuits.

Anyone flying in from Lao or Thailand soon?

7-Day Yoga Challenge : Day 8

The 7th yoga class in my 7-day challenge was led by an off-duty elite military officer. Or seems like it. She's gruesome. I even noticed the hot guy (who thankfully kept his t-shirt on this time) taking neutral positions during some of the challenging poses. But I made it through. To celebrate this achievement, I decided to go for the 8th day.

The day also marks several other accomplishments, one of them is finishing "Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys". As I have shared earlier, the book is an enlightment to guys' behavior, including why they have no brain control when faced with barren women's chest. Here's an excerpt accompanied by a diagram which explains division of guy's brainpower in front of a topless woman. 

The book also talks about guys' inherent brain lapse, which led me to another accomplishment that I did.

April 7 : During my post in Lao, a colleague from Bangkok office, Meghan, left the charger of her new Samsung camera in her hotel room in Vientiane. I promised to collect and drop it at the Lao office. Someone from Bangkok will come in June and bring the charger back Meghan.

It was the last days before Lao New Year holiday and the last days of my posting - mad rush period. 

April 12 : I managed to cycle my way to the hotel under the hellish sun of April 12, right before I jumped on the bus for a new year trip in the province. The hotel kept a Samsung charger from room 1209 but for a Thai male guest named Sean. Meghan is a Canadian girl. And the hotel staff can't find the correct item for me.  

 Meghan managed to track the charger from Bangkok while I was in the province. And I promised to collect it upon my return to Vientiane, which also my last 2 days in the country. 

April 20 : My right feet was injured so I got Frederic to drive me to the hotel and collect the charger. I had a long list of errands and appointments before my departure and never made it to the UN office to drop the charger.

April 22: On the day of my departure to Singapore, I asked Frederic for a favor to drop the charger at UN office. Which he responded by pretending to snore.

May 3: I checked whether he managed to drop the charger. He said he forgot to tell me that he went to UN office the week before. But as the security said there's no Meghan Cooper in the entire building (obviously), he brought the charger back with him. UN guards probably won't accept it either. So I asked him to return and attention the charger to a local staff. I didn't follow up afer that. That was a mistake.

June 18 : I got a message from my colleague in Lao, asking if I left Meghan's charger in the office. Meghan's colleague who was in Vientiane at that time wanted to bring it back for her. I confidently responded, "Yes, it should be in the office". Then I quickly checked with Frederic who, then, seated in my living room in Singapore.  "Did you drop the camera cord?"....Answer : "Oh No! I totally forgot about that".

June 27 : Meghan is moving to Australia for a new post. I got her new address in Canberra and do the overdue - sending the travelling camera charger, which was found tucked in one corner of Frederic's backpack, to its righful owner. When I dropped the package in the mail box, I felt a sense of accomplishment. and relief. 

Moral of the story is, guys don't just have A brain lapse. They forgot that they forgot. I should ask Dave Barry to look into this.

Meghan, this baby is coming home to you!

7-Day Yoga Challenge : Day 6

One more day to go. But something came up today that disrupted my "balance" so I may need to extend the challenge a little bit longer - to "stay centered and aligned myself". Speaking like a true yogi.

Talking about alignment, I think I've strained my left back muscle during a floating cobra position..if there is such position. As a result, I have called on the certified office's masseuse aunty, who doubles as the general manager, to work on my back muscles. She diagnosed my problem. Apparently the ache around my scapula area comes from a very stiff shoulder..."Scapu what?"

Anyhoos, Mel skillfully worked on the targeted areas, pressing her fingers and elbows on my scaputhingy, left shoulder and the back of my head. It really suppled me up. I Like.

The interns wanted to have a go at my certified office's masseuse aunty. I shooed them away.

Look at her classic concentration.

 

7-Day Yoga Challenge : Day 5

My body was crying and begging to stay right where it was when the alarm went off at 5.50am. So I told my body, "It's okay. You don't have to do something that you don't want to do. We can just skip the 7 am class and go during lunch time instead."

Lunch time was slightly more crowded than 7am class. I found a hairy guy (a different one) sitting on my favorite spot. NO! It's the second mat from the exit where I can feel the breeze when the instructor intermittently open the door but still pretty central to see yourself in the mirror.

So I planted my self in the nearest mat to the exit. Along came in a good looking guy who seated himself behind me, slightly to my right where I can see him clearly in the mirror. I quietly pleaded "No, don't sit there. You gonna ruin my concentration. I know my weakness." Then, as if ignoring my silent plea, he took off his t-shirt revealing broad shoulders complemented by toned abs and biceps. DARN IT. It's going to be a challenging class.

Just like a sweaty hairy guy is an unwelcome distraction, I find a hot guy is a bigger challenge for any balancing positions.

Nope, Cameron is not in my yoga class today.

           

7-Day Yoga Challenge : Day 4

Waking up at 6am, yoga class, 20 km cycling, social drinks and clubbing are too much for a day when you're on a physical challenge. or any day for that matter.

So when you have to get up the next day and get in this position within the first 60 seconds of class...I started to wonder what have I gotten myself into.

 

I have the habit of signing up for classes based on the schedule rather than the type of yoga the classes offer. And not knowing the type of yoga the classes offer.Classic Camilla. 

So today was hot flow yoga class. Pretty challenging but me likey. 

Mental note: never choose a mat behind a hairy guy. A sweaty, dripping hairy guy with singlet and boxer in front of you is an unsightly distraction when you have to concentrate and do this.

7-day Yoga Challenge : Day 3

What happen if you are up and about by 6am on a Saturday:

- You sleep-walk to the train station, walk into a fire hydrant and hurt your rib cage :(

Bad fire hydrant!!

- You notice someone in the train was staring at you, and when you stare back you realize he was sleeping with his eyes open. creepy.

- You forgot to take spare underwear for change from the laundry line. Oh man.
- The best past is when you arrive at the yoga studio and realize there is no 7am class on Saturdays. It starts at 9am.  :'( 

But at least I came to an insightful chapter of Dave Barry's book: "The Biological Nature of Guys:Important Scientific Reasons Why They Act Like Jerks". The first paragraph is quite profound.Picture below.

True Story.

I want to meet Dave Barry. And come back to the yoga studio for my 3rd day of challenge.

7 Days Yoga Challenge - Day 2

I made it.

Sleeping early to wake up on time was a big challenge. Plus I woke remembering I haven't hang my laundry to dry from the night before. C*ap. I'm running out of clean undies.

Today is a Hot Hatha session and felt a bit easier. But my back bend was not as flexible as it should have. Gotta flex those muscles often. 

Plus on my way to and from the class, I get to read more of the book I found lying around in my office building for the past week. Its titled "Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys".

The back cover line goes like this:

For thousands of years,women have asked themselves:what is the deal with guys,anyway? What are they thinking? The answer, of course,is: virtually nothing.

Hmmm...interesting.



Then the USA Today review goes like this:

Whether you're a guy - or attempting to share a bathroom with one - Barry has some wacky words of wisdom for you.

This book speaks to me.

So whoever left the book in the office, excuse me, but I'm keeping the book for the next few days and will retun it when I'm done.



7 days yoga challenge: Day 1

I am being physically ambitious this week by committing myself to a 7 am yoga class for 7 consecutive days. Why? Because I haven't put myself in a strict exercise regime since I got back from Lao. Life has been a whirlwind since.

I can't remember when was the last time I've stepped on MRT station at 6:18am. Or if I ever. Everyone in the train looked dead.

Paya Lebar MRT 6:18am

Hom yoga studio is located at Boat Quay. So for the first time I saw the quiet side of Raffles Place.

Raffles Place 6:38am

The class was packed with other ambitious yogis who arrived at their mats by 6.45am for the Hot Yoga session.

I managed to stay in the class through out with one child pose-break halfway through the session because I felt lightheaded.

Let's see what second day brings.

It's not easy to be The Sartorialist

My friends, Ayse, Toton and Haryo launched their new label TOTON at Blueprint fashion fair last week. I love  the details on their embroidery works and the spunky accessories.  

http://totonthelabel.com

Toton wanted me to try my favorite piece from the collection and do some styling on my own for their facebook page. I thought "YES, this is my first stepping stone to get on The Sartorialist ".

I chose a teal top with embroidered sleeves and combined it with my mom's batik.


Just before the sunset, we went down to Clarke Quay for the shoot. It's not easy to look like a natural sartorialist. Scott Schuman is darn good.


For a start, there is no way I'm crossing any bridge with those shoes if I have my way. Let alone looking graceful in them.

And this one says "I may be in heels and batik sarong, but if you mess with me, I'm gonna hit you with my sturdy little purse".

Let's see how Photoshop can save me.


In the meantime, check out the rest of TOTON collection on a real model at http://totonthelabel.com.


Like them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TOTONthelabel or follow them on Twitter @totonthelabel

The Great Fall of Singapore

I badly hurt my right leg 3 times in the past 3 months. I still can’t decide which one was worse. To burn my leg on a motorcycle exhaust pipe, to step on a rusty nail during holiday or fall in the middle of a busy road in Singapore. I can imagine the faces of certain friends shaking their heads disapprovingly.

In an uneventful Tuesday, I tripped over my flare pants while I was crossing Siglap Road and fell flat on the asphalt road. Luckily the card drivers saw me fell and stopped their vehicles. I could see car bumpers coming to my face. My knees bled, bruised and swelled. I cut my right palm and toes on the asphalt. So that day was eventful after all.

I’ve been limping my way around Singapore with my (still) stinging wounds, since. I found this place not very injured-friendly. The train doors close to quickly for physically-challenged people to board during peak hours – the only time I need to use the train. The train is very crowded that other passengers hit my wounds several times and because they couldn’t see my wounded knees, no one bothers to offer me a seat.  The red lights on the main roads don’t stay long enough for me to cross without forcing the work of the injured legs. I had to climb a set of stairs to take my Tiger flight while carrying my luggage. It was the death of me. Luckily a gentleman offered to carry my bag. 

I come to appreciate facilities available for the disabled and respect the disabled for overcoming the hardship of living in the world made not for them.