Boots And Company

If I am not mistaken, I think there is a department store or cosmetics shop with this name in the United Kingdom. But I am not referring to cosmetics, rather, I am trying to find out where to get a pair of knee-length boots.

I have a pair of black ankle boots, which I bought a few years back from Hush Puppies. The reason I like that pair is because it has a rather classic look. I just slip them on and zip them up, not the troublesome button-down boots. But I seldom get to wear it because it is hard to find an occasion to wear boots here.

So why am I thinking of buying a pair of long boots now? There are lots of cute boots in the stores, but I am looking for something that is not black, more towards camel colour, suede material, not expensive yet durable, not too hot or stuffy when I have them on, not too heavy or weighing down and weather-resistant. Quite a lot of criteria right? Which is why I find it so hard to buy boots even though I would so like to own a pair!

The first pair of boots I tried on was years back when my best friend and I went to Doc Martens. I remember I saw a pair of boots which I absolutely adored, and in my size, yet when I tried them on, they were too heavy for me. I could hardly walk in them! I was complaining to her that it was heavy, and she remarked that they are boots, of course would be heavy! Duh!

Since then, I never did find any nice pair of boots that were light and durable until the ankle boots I saw in Hush Puppies. Now what I really like is a pair of knee-length boots to complete my wardrobe. But it is so hard to find them here!

Body Style And Profiling

Yesterday I attended the second part of the grooming class which I attended a month back. This time the image consultant touched on body style and profile. Apparently, the perfect body length is eight heads, ie measure the length of your own head. For instance, the length of my head is seventeen centimetres (I always thought it is longer!) from forehead to chin. From the chin to the chest, and from the chest to the waist, each should be seventeen centimetres. This comprises of the upper body (three heads length).

From the waist to the crotch, another seventeen centimetres. From the crotch to the knee, two heads (crotch to the thigh, thigh to the knee, seventeen centimetres each), and from the knee to the ankles, another two heads (seventeen centimetres each). So by right, judging by eight seventeen centimetres, the perfect height for me should be one hundred and thirty-six centimetres! Hmmmm... I should stop griping about my height (or lack of!).

Apparently, my body shape is a soft hourglass (although I do not mind the top part being a bit bigger), and I have a longer upper body, longer rise (the area between the waist and crotch), shorter upper legs and proportionate lower legs. Which means no more low-rise hipsters for me! :-(

I have to stick with high-rise hipsters and bootcut jeans instead of straight cut! However, I am able to take ankle boots, ankle straps and knee-length boots pretty well. As well as short skirts and knee-length skirts! My shoulders are straight, which means I can take sleeveless, strappy and halter tops pretty well! :-)

The kinds of fabric I can take according to my body type is medium drape like pashminas, thin cottons, and fluid materials like chiffon. Looks like I am wearing all the right things so do not need a major wardrobe revamp! As for necklines, there are two balance points. The first is seventeen centimetres from the chin to the chest, that will be where my neckline ends.

The second is to use your thumb and little finger to measure from the widest part of the face to the chin, then use the length to measure from the base of the neck. Where the little finger touches below the neck is the second balance point. So when we wear tops, the neckline should end at either one of the balance points.

For instance, if I wear a top or dress that ends on the first balance point, I can wear a necklace that ends on the second balance point, vice versa. The required neckline should not end below the first balance point. There was someone who pointed out, what if we are wearing turtlenecks or mock turtlenecks? Where is the balance point?

The consultant said that those with short necks cannot wear turtlenecks (luckily I am one of those who can), so with turtlenecks, there is no balance point. What we can do is to match the turtleneck top with accessories and necklaces that end on either one of the balance points. This is what I have always been doing - whenever I wear a mock turtleneck top, I always wear a layered necklace over it!

One thing which I notice in general is that, is the informal dress code here T-shirts and jeans even for females? In both sessions, I was the only one who was wearing a dress with some makeup on, the rest were all in T-shirts and jeans sans makeup. And they were not school kids. Most of them are around my age!

Being girls, is it not our priviledge to dress well? Compared to guys, we have lots more varieties to play with. Whether to have a dress, or pants, or skirt combo, which top to go with, which accessories to match, which bag and shoes, what makeup look to carry off. It can be a real headache at times, but that is the fun of it, because we get to experiment with different kinds of looks and still look good (provided we can carry it off). So why stick with the normal Tee and jeans combo when there is a whole myriad of articles to play with?

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Using My Perks ....

One of the perks working in my company is that I get to have a free stay at any of the resorts every year. I wanted to go to the resort in Bintan last year, but was turned down a week before as there were no more vacancies. My entitlement for last year will expire in September this year, so I have to use it up by then, or else it will be forfeited. Thus, yesterday I was fretting over where to go and who to go with.

I asked a friend if she will be willing to go to the hotel in Bangkok with me, but she could not confirm. Then I asked my cousin if she likes to bring her two kids along, but she stated that they are probably not interested. In the end, my mum suggested she can go with me as she still has lots of leave to clear. Then I remember that my mum likes Yunnan and would like to go there again, so I told her we can go to the resort in Lijiang if she likes, and she said to bring my aunt along too.

So if all goes well, I may just make a trip to China around end of August, after the Olympics! It will be the first time ever I stepped into China, so it is quite an eye-opener if I do get to go this time! And I am hoping I can go, so my entitlement will not be forfeited, otherwise it will have to be next year before I can use the entitlement again.

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Oscar's Cafe

This is a time when my inspiration is at the lowest peak. Even though things at work have been quieter lately, no correspondence or phone calls from lawyers, clients and colleagues, so things are pretty lax lately. But somehow I just did not have the inclination to write anything, even though there were quite a few things on my mind. Anyway, I thought to just try writing on my bed and see if thoughts and words can flow.

I went to Oscar's Cafe at Conrad Centennial a few days back. A very generous friend treated me, that was his promise after I did him various favours. I have heard about Oscar's Cafe quite some time ago and have always wanted to try it out, so when I got the chance a few days back, I seized at the opportunity. However, it was quite a letdown. Or perhaps I was expecting the place to be cosy and quiet, with a nice aura, but it was just a normal place for buffet. The food is alright, with a a bit of variety, but overall, I was not overwhelmed by the place.

For a cafe with such a name, and at such a location, I would kind of expect it to be better, considering the price paid. I have heard raving reviews about the hot chocolate there, but when I ordered one, it was nothing out of the ordinary. I have had better hot chocolates elsewhere. Also, I heard it is one of those places that still have my favourite dessert - Gula Melaka, but there was no trace of it at all! Overall, my experience there was quite disappointing.

I do not mind going there again though, but at a different time. Perhaps the lunch, tea or supper menu will be better? Not to mention it is open twenty-four hours of the day, so maybe the menu on the other timings are better?

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Mobile Woes

I just blew up at the poor customer service officer of my mobile service provider. All these years when I have been using the service, nothing happens. Last year, because of my laptop, I signed up for their broadband service and rented a modem in order to use my laptop. However, the modem never did manage to work, so I terminated the line.

That was about a year ago. I thought everything was terminated, and there was nothing much to settle. All of a sudden, on Saturday, I realised I was not able to use my phone in Malaysia at all! So when I called my mobile service provider after coming back, I was told I had incurred charges on my broadband subscription, and until the outstanding charges were cleared, all extra services on my mobile line would be cut off!

Is that not so ridiculous?! In the first place, nobody told me I had outstanding charges due to the termination of the broadband line! In the second place, even if I had incurred outstanding charges on this related account, resulting in my phone line being cut off, I could have at least have some notification! What gives them the right to just cut off without any warning when I was not in the know?

Besides, the problem lies with the broadband line, not my mobile phone! So how can my mobile services be terminated because of the broadband line? These are two totally different lines and totally different accounts! It is so unfair! I as much as told the customer service officer that. Just like for a mother with two kids, she does not punish one kid for the wrongdoings of the other, is it not?

So why must my services be cut off without any notice because of unpaid charges (when I had no idea about) on my broadband line, when it has nothing to do with my mobile phone line? Which was why I blew up at the poor girl. Honestly, am I being unreasonable for being pissed? It is okay if they sue me for non-payment for the outstanding balance, because if the bill was really unpaid, they have every right to sue me for default, but they have no right to terminate services on my mobile phone line when it was my broadband line that was the issue!

In the end, the girl said she had checked and if I returned the broadband device(s), all charges would be waived and my auto-roaming and international dialing will resume as per normal. So I said in that case, can they not re-activate my auto-roaming services first? But the girl said she has no control over it because it is her Finance department that gave the order to terminate the line, as both lines are under my name, so they do not care which line it is. Can you believe that?!

If it is not because the service provider has given me lots of perks during the years, coupled with the fact that it has one of the cheaper executive plans and auto-roaming services, I would have switched to another service provider immediately! Perhaps I shall, but before I give a death sentence, it is only fair to give another chance for a fair trial. Hopefully this will not happen again!

The Happening

M. Night Shyamalan has done it again! Another film with a tinge of the supernatural with a message behind it! I have watched all his shows, save for Unbreakable. Not all his movies are good though. Besides Sixth Sense, Signs, The Village and now The Happening, his other films are not that appealing.

At least in The Happening, he did not appear in the movie at all, unlike his other shows, where he would write his own character in somehow. The Happening is more a jibe and warning to pollution, industrialisation and global warming, about how humans start taking nature and the Earth for granted, and this time round, the trees and plants start fighting back.

There is no physical action of any plant literally fighting. Everything was done in a subtle way, so subtle that even until the end of the show, there may still be some who could not get the full meaning. But his films are like that - either you get it or you do not. Those who managed to get the message behind the films will appreciate the movie, and those who did not will find the entire show boring and wonder how in the world he could get a Best Director nomination (or was it a win?)

But I enjoyed the show somewhat. It is a good movie throughout. Those who enjoy comedy and slapstick will not appreciate it because some view movies as a way of relaxation, so they prefer not to exercise their brains while watching a show. To each their own.

Clearing Immigration ....

It had been so long since I have stepped into Malaysia, that it was the first time I was using the new checkpoint around the border on Saturday. As I renewed my passport four years back, it was not yet the biometric system, so I had to use the manual check-in for my passport to be stamped instead of the automatic fingerprint entry.

It was really a big crowd going across the border on Saturday morning! I know quite a number of people like to go across the Causeway during the weekends to shop. And there are quite a number of Malaysians living and working here who go home during the weekends (like my friend K for instance.) So it was a long queue at the checkpoint. Plus the hunt for the missing detainee is still on-going, so there are more stringent measures for people going across the Causeway.

When it was finally my turn to check in my passport, the guy asked to scan my thumbprint and my passport, then matched it with that of the missing detainee to see if they fit. Now, I find that really ridiculous! Yes, I know he is being cautious, I know his orders filtered from above, and I know the detainee has a possibility of going for plastic surgery, change a hairstyle, and produce fake credentials.

But is it not obvious that I am a full-bodied lady? No matter how rich or powerful his background or backing is, can it really be possible for him to suddenly grow inches shorter, and become a full woman in such a short period of time? I am not begrudging the poor guy at the immigration counter in doing his job, but at times, one can exercise some common sense, is it not, and save a lot of people's times at the same time.

Still, I managed to go through without any glitch. However, on our way back, it was a bit different. It was pretty late, so I had to use the automatic check-in (check-out?) back into Singapore. I think it is very obvious that I do not go across the border, because somehow I was not able to scan my passport into the machine properly, and the middle-aged man behind me had to tell me what to do.

After that, I had to do a thumbprint scanning before I could go past the gantry. For some reason, the machine was not able to detect my thumbprint. So the same "uncle" behind me told me to rub my face with my thumb and try again. This time round, my thumbprint was able to be detected, but because it was not detected twice, I had to report to the security counter for verification. Darn that terrorist! Making things difficult for everyone!

Anyway the security guy verified my particulars in a jiffy and let me through. So that concluded my day trip across the causeway!

Back From The Causeway!

It was an enjoyable albeit tiring day yesterday. We had to wake up at six in the morning just to go to the destination to catch the coach on time. It was still dark when we went out, and it was already dark when we reached home. On our way out, we saw a cactus plant blooming in front of one of our neighbour's home, so I could not resist taking a picture of the cactus flower!

A cactus flower

It was bumper to bumper along the Causeway! After not having stepped in for ages, I have forgotten how heavy the traffic can be! It took us about an hour to clear the checkpoint at both Woodlands and Johor Bahru before we could finally be on our way in Malaysia.

Streets of Johor Bahru

Our first stop was breakfast at a local eating place. The place is run by Chinese and sells noodles. In fact, the place sells the favourite kinds of noodles I like, exactly like the ones I can get back home!

On the way to breakfast

Pictures of fish on the wall of the eating place where we had breakfast

After breakfast, we went shopping at Jusco, the high-end mega department store. There are really lots of shops of all kinds of varieties! I saw Esprit, G2000, even home-grown brands like BreadTalk, as well as brands that were no longer found in Singapore! The prices are not much of a difference though, if converted from Ringgit to Dollar.

Part of Jusco Department Store

Interior of Jusco Department Store (Ground Floor)

Mini-garden inside Jusco Department Store

Dunkin Donuts! (Not found locally anymore!)

After the mini shopping spree (where I bought some tops - again!), we went to a Giant nearby. The place has a flee market outside, and upon entering, it is similar to the one we have at Turf City, even the layout is the same! After Jusco, the experience at Giant is somewhat of a letdown!

A bridge outside Giant

Walkway leading to the entrance of Giant

After coming out of Giant, we proceeded to lunch at a Chinese restaurant. On our way, we passed by a number of zinc houses reminscent of olden Singapore, which we can hardly see any of it around now, with the housing blocks and tall buildings of urbanisation!

An old dilapidated house

Another village house

After lunch, we went to Desaru Fruit and Agro-Tourism Farm. The fruit displayed in the shop at the entrance to the farm are really big and juicy-looking! There are mangoes (ripe and unripe), bananas, jackfruit, breadfruit, water apples, guavas, passion fruit, dragonfruit, honeydews and tangerines to name a few.

Honeydews

Jackfruit in a cluster

Jackfruit (actual size)

Guavas

Cluster of Dragonfruit (looks like a human heart to me)

Tangerines

Breadfruit (no way does any of it resemble bread!)

I am not sure what this is, but apparently Ribena is made from this
(No, they are not blackcurrants!)

Water Apples (aka Jambu Jambu)

Ripe Mangoes

Unripe Mangoes

Pineapples

Soursop in a bunch

Ripe bananas

The shop at the entrance of the farm also sells honey, because the farm has its own apiary as well. The honey has a variation of new and old honey, as well as honey with a Malay traditional herb called Tongkat Ali, supposedly to increase libido in middle-aged men.

Bottles of Honey (the middle ones contain Tongkat Ali)

After exploring the shop (and buying a few fruit), we entered the farm / orchard / plantation for a tour, starting from the dragonfruit plantation, all the way to the animal farm at the end.

Dragonfruit Plant

Dragonfruit Flower

Dragonfruit

Ripe Dragonfruit

Breadfruit Tree

Breadfruit

After all my readings on "Mutiny On The Bounty", I was quite surprised that the breadfruit tree is actually much bigger than I envisioned. And the breadfruit is rounder than I thought!

Pineapple Plant

Jackfruit Tree

Lots of Jackfruit

Rambutan Tree

Rambutans (cannot really see them though)

Passion Fruit Flower (apparently the passionfruit plant is a creeper)

Passion Fruit

Durian Tree

Durians!!!

I have no idea what this is, but it was hanging from a creeper

Somewhere around the middle of the farm, we passed by a little hut. Outside the hut there is a koi pond full of kois (carps). Inside the hut, there are real bird's nests and little animals made from birds' nests.

Koi Pond

Birds' Nests

After coming out from the hut, we passed by a mango tree, the apiary, the Jambu Jambu trail, a banana tree, before finally reaching the animal farm where some animals are reared.

Mango Tree

Hanging Mangoes

Apiary

Can you see the bees?

A small Banana Tree

Going Bananas!

Jambu Jambu Tree

Jambu Jambu (unripe)

Apparently, the Jambu Jambu is grown by marcotting. A word I have not come across in ages! I still remember back in primary school, we were taught how to grow a new plant using marcotting.

The first step is to cut away strips of bark on the stem, cover that part with soil and water, wrap and tie it up in a plastic bag, and leave it for a few weeks. Then roots will start growing, and the whole stem will then be cut away and planted into a pot and the new plant will start growing.

I cannot believe I still remember the concept! However, I have not seen anyone who really grow plants that way, until this!

Cutting away strips of bark

Marcotting - wrapping the stem with soil and plastic

A new plant after a few weeks

Gooseberry Tree

Gooseberries! (Look like grapes actually)

Eagles at the entrance to the animal farm

The Goat Pavilion

A cute baby goat!

The monkey

Turkeys!

I cannot believe there is even an Ostrich!

The Wild Owl and Barn Owl

Geese (or Gooses?)

Now, that is a beautiful big cock! :-p

Pigeons

I love this rabbit!

After coming out from the Desaru Fruit Farm, we proceeded to Lucky Mango Farm. The Mango Farm is actually owned by a family, so there is a private residence with the mango plantation next to the house. However, because we were late, all the good mangoes were already sold, thus we were not able to buy any mangoes from there.

Lucky Mango Farm

A big mango hanging down from the tree

After leaving the mango farm, we proceeded to Pengaran for a seafood dinner. The town of Pengaran seems to be stopped in time. It is a little village of sorts where old zinc-roofed houses and dirt roads still exist. The restaurant we had dinner in is apparently rather famous amongst Singaporeans, there is even a big-screened television showing Singapore channels!

The restaurant where we had a seafood dinner

Frame up of a lobster at the entrance of a restaurant

A zinc house next to the restaurant

Malaysian flags side by side on top of a house

After dinner, we then proceeded to our last stop for the day - Kota Tinggi, where we were to take a little cruise along the Kota Tinggi river to see the fireflies.

Implant of a leaf on one of the floor tiles along Kota Tinggi river

Another implant of a leaf

Part of Kota Tinggi River at night

Going towards the little boat to see the fireflies

The little bridge leading to the boat

There was quite a long queue, so we waited about half an hour before we could board the boat. The boat operator brought us under a bridge to see the bats first (YUCK!!!), before bringing us on a cruise around the river. We had to go into the darkest end just to be able to see the fireflies! The fireflies were congregating on trees and bushes, and they were blinking and sparkling like Christmas lights!

Honestly, if I was not with a group, I would be totally freaked out! I have never seen real darkness until last night on the river! There was no boat, no lights, no residences nearby, just clumps of trees and bushes. I would never want to be stranded there! Not to mention Malaysian roads are also rather dark at night. No wonder there have been sightings on Malaysian roads!

After the fireflies sighting, we boarded the coach and went back home. The driver dropped us all the way to our homes! We reached home around past midnight, and I was so tired that I fell asleep the moment my head touched my pillow!