Smorgasbord of celebrations
The office peeps couldn't help but hold the ever so cheesy Christmas exchange this year.
Me and Ms Shopaholic wanted to circumvent the system and nominate each other as secret admirers so we'll get gifts for each other, since we already are going to do so anyway.
But thanks to the insane workload during the week leading to the event, I forgot to nominate her and was thus being admitted to the sweepstakes of gift exchange and was chosen to buy a gift for the boss.
..........
My Pre- Arranged Secret Admirer:
Although it was well over the allocated budget for my grade (which in my opinion can only get a box of fake Ferrero Rocher chocs from Watsons), there is nothing a bottle of wine from my collection can't do. I mean...what else would you give to a wine/beer guzzling brit?!?
My two colleagues who look like celebrities! Somewhat.
Try matching! (I do not look like anyone. No, not even Sandra Oh.)
The Border's 30% voucher came in handy during that period. I got some books for friends and I got myself many books!
My bookshelf is slowly but surely running out of space. I'll have to live with it for the moment till I get my own pad and have floor to ceiling shelves built!
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CPA games award presentation at Singapore Cricket Club's Bar and Billiard Room.
Its no biggie that we were the first ladies to step into that room. Not like I would have clamoured to be in it before anyway. Seriously, it probably was all just about men and their egos.
The bar which recently admits ladies is merely a basement in that club house. If you can look past the history of it being an all exclusive men's only club, there is not much to go there for actually.
It has a dinghy feel and I thought the place smelt musky even. Maybe it just me (and it being an underground basement).
My beloved netball girls!
Its sad that there are so few of us left. This is just the reality of the working world where people come and go so fast. We are not in school anymore....where no matter what, we play together for a couple of years.
Well...it has been an unbelievable run we had for the past 3 years. I hope I can play on for the forth...but...
let me just end off awkwardly by saying "it was good while it lasted".
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If there is anything one must do before the year ends, it would be to visit the National Museum for the Lourve exhibition of the Greek Masterpieces.
If you are not as learned about Greek sculptures as arty farty HamSam, join a guided museum tour (which is conducted hourly on weekends).
The sculpture that best represents him.
The Narcissist
And if you are at the museum, do also catch the GroovisionsSin exhibition. You would like it if you are a fan of Andy Warhol's art. The pop culture is definitely catching up and growing on me!
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Dinner at Stiff Chilli
It was shopaholic's turn to introduce us to a nice eatery...and she chose this quaint Italian restaurant along the most unlikely of places, Jalan Besar. It is identifiable by the huge chilli on the wall....and the numerous chilli padis hanging around the entrance of the restaurant.
The owner hails from a Balinese origin....hence the walls of the restaurant are lined with old pictures of their village in Bali. The pictures are almost primeval with all the bushmen-nudity. The decor of the place is antiqued with a slight quirkiness, trademarked by their food basket lamps.
They could probably improve on their ambience by playing some nice music. To me, music is everything. It makes or break something.
The only music I hear that evening was that strains of karoake music from a neighbouring ktv pub along the street.
The food is value for money with it being reasonably priced and gastronomically delicious. Their thin-crust wood-oven-fired pizzas are a must-try. We had the squid-ink pasta (without the black unsightly teeth because the ink is in the pasta! Brilliant idea isn't?), airflown Italian sausages pizza and chilli padi tiger prawns pasta.
Do also try their home-made ice cream. Particularly the trademark chilli chocolate ice-cream (its spicy!)
I know. Poseur. Wateva.
A Quiet Family Christmas
With a home-made log and nice wine to boot. Together with the company of your loved ones...it was a superlative Christmas.
I miss my SE K800i and I hate Nokia.
Ping
jeremy
Claracadabra
