keep calm and find peace.

took half day to run errands before proceeding for light shopping and conclude the afternoon with bikram class with yt and emmy. its our last bikram class in Singapore, for 2012! (:

its yet another awesome bikram class by yujung. although i must admit, her class is more slack compared to other instructors. its less hot. HAHAHAHA. but, best class to end off our bikram session for the yr of 2012. cause i have ppl i love around me.
 
SAY YEAH!

while enjoying my very welcoming two minute savasana - dead body pose, my thoughts were running a little wild today. i am smiling as yt and emmy lie down resting beside me enjoying our savasana today.

(Savasana is preformed to heal the body after preforming the standing series. Savasana is one of the most important parts of a hatha-yoga practice and it is often said that this is where the “magic” happens in the Bikram Yoga series. That magic is the healing that is created by the stillness of the pose.) - YES. STILLNESS. you do not move.  it is said to be the most difficult pose. well, you got to resist temptation to move your fingers/legs/body or to wipe your sweat away. keep still like a dead body.

i nv look back ever since. i am glad i signed up for it.
honestly, its a major decision to make. after all, the overall package is not cheap and i dont want to sign impulsively. i dont want to give up halfway cause i am bored and sick of yoga, but still pay for the installments. that is a real nightmare. (even though i can sell the membership away, but thats not the pt. the pt is, i dont wanna sign up for fun, for the sake of doing it.)

should i sign, it must be solely due to passion, due to love for all the great things i can achieve in each class. passion will bring you far and beyond. else, chances are you will give up halfway along the course. i don wanna sign up due to sheer peer pressure.

pls dont sign up, just because your friends sign up. if order not to lose common topics with your friends, you join in the fun and sign up too. i cannot emphasize the importance of signing up for yourself, not for others. you lead your own life.


honestly, i can sense that XX is not happy that i signed up the package. XD hmm, he is not an advocator of paying to exercise. simple. with so many free exercises to do, why spend the extra money to go for classes. thats stupidity. "you siao is it. why pay to suffer. are you crazy. what's more. yoga has v funny and weird poses. SAFE A NOT."

 i have a special ability to read his mind. can you imagine the stress i faced when i told him i wanna sign up for a package? as much as i know he is not gg to be happy, cause he is fearful for my 3 mins of interest that may fade away with time. i know whats on his mind, he didnt show disapproval but i know what he is thinking.

nonetheless, i decided to go with my heart and went ahead signing. call me stubborn. even though i know i didnt do it on impulse. i have been doing birkam and attending classes faithfully for a few mths alr. i am very proud to say, i managed to squeeze in 2 classes of bikram every week despite all the crazy gatherings in December. find time, find time. grow time grow time. i am quite sure i amazed XX by the fact i can attend my 2X bikram class faithfully every week. HAHAHA.

99% practice. 1% theory. flexibility doesnt come overnight.
one day, with enough determination. i hope, i can achieve this.
well, one can dream. so that we can aim to achieve. like a ballerina, my legs are 180 degrees up. its possible, i see it with my own eyes in class.


I am a firm believer of doing the things i like and enjoy. only from there, you can leap off the benefits from it.

you love what you are doing, you strive. for the soul. for the mind. for the body.

with sheer luck, i managed to find a grp of friends who share the same thinking as i do.  i love my friends. i love for the fact that we share so many things in common. to cover so many different topics in life that i would nv have imagined. from BGR to facials to running marathons to yoga to bikram to skin care to food to EVERYTHING. life is perfect indeed. (:

i enjoy and cherish every weekend that i have. cause it means dating time with XX. i find time to leave house early for yoga classes in town. i enjoy my exercise routine of yoga.bikram.run on repeat mode. (even though its more of bikram on repeat mode now.) i promise to squeeze time for running too! and i will squeeze time for hot yoga class!! (HAHAHA. everything also need to squeeze time. it seems that i need to exercise everyday in order to complete the routine. LOL)

WOOHOO! i enjoy seeing my friends happy. they happy means i am happy. pls spread all my happy vibe. i enjoy seeing everyone around healthy and smiling.

 lets all pray for a healthier body. enjoy life to the fullest! feel the change. love your body.  you are in charge of your own destiny. smile and embrace for anything that may bring you down. life is beautiful. as always.

even in birkam classes, some poses are exceptionally difficult. like, pose . locked knees. forehead to knees. chin to chest. CHOKE. its a choking sensation. but, Shaan will ask you to smile. smile to yourself. smile, because you are enjoying what you are doing. seems really difficult, but smile. it applies the same to life too. everyone has their own share of problems and worries. but smile, we will all emerge strong.

 i smiled today. did you?

i found peace today- calming therapy. keep calm and find peace.
Namaste.

NAMASTE!

i attended a very rewarding bikram class by Shaan today. (i attend bikram class at True yoga.)
honestly, i thought the class conducted by Yujung is a truly rewarding class. she is one of the better instructors in bikram - v encouraging.

but, i got a shock today. Shaan is even better. She is a v responsible instructor. no wonder her class is almost full. now i know why.

pls attend her class if possible! she will be back in 2013.

for the first time in my life, after attending so many bikram classes from everywhere, Shaan is the only one who will stop halfway and demonstrate the correct posture. although she only demonstrated 2 poses, probably due to time limitations. if she is given a choice, she would gladly demonstrate all the postures for you to spot your mistakes. LOL.

usually, 99% of the time, the instructor will not show you how to do the poses.
thats because bikram class has a fixed, standard 26 poses.



you learn by monkey see monkey do, imitating what others are doing on your left and right. trying v hard to understand and visualize what the instructor is saying, send prayers and hope that you are doing it correctly.

bikram is a strict 1.5 hours class. the next class is scheduled in 15 mins after you end your class.
there are strict no. of seconds for you to rest, strict no of seconds doing a particular pose. which means, there is really no time for the instructor to show you how to do a pose.

i used a long long long LONG time to understand and do the poses. LOL.

and, i am ashamed to say, i have been doing my eagle pose wrong. my thumbs should face me. my wist should be straight. NO ONE TOLD ME THAT BEFORE, until today.

nvm, so long i got it now. better late then nv.

Shaan brought me alive. she pushed my limits to a level i nv have imagined. its a personal best class for me today. she unleashed my hidden inflexibility. i thought i am gg to plateau for a long long time. LOL.  i shall bare in mind to attend Shaan's class faithfully.

she made me trust my body more. bent more. stretch more. believe in my spine more. push back more, lean back more.

sometimes, its truly amazing how one can balance with one feet, suspend and concentrate in the moment - just a few inches of flesh on the floor.

i finally have my toes seen behind my ankle in pose 4! (thats an achievement for me)
i finally managed to lock my knees flat on the floor, forehead to my knees in pose 23.

although i must admit, i am skeptical of achieving that for my next class. i probably got lucky. LOL.
a proper warm up to stretch more is essential.

i have come a long way.
from bent knees to locked knees.

i am happy with what i am doing.
and seriously, bikram is amazing. its addictive.

it calms my soul. it rejuvenates my body. it relaxes my mind.
no, running cant achieve that.
close perhaps, but not as good as bikram.

for a v long time i have been running without music. it serves to train my mental strength too.

its an attempt to calm myself, not wandering off to think abt lyrics and get moody (why are lyrics all so emo-ish?) but it didnt really have the same level of tranquility experienced as bikram classes. bikram needs my full concentration and effort, there is really no time and space for me to get distracted and think of sth else.

40 degrees hot sauna in a bikram class environment sounds v daunting to many. trust me, i have been through that.

the first time i went for my bikram class, i almost fainted in the class. the 90 min class seems to stretch likes its 90 hours. i feel giddy and jelly all over. out of the 26 poses, i am probably sitting down and resting for 13 poses. HAHAHA.

yes, thats how chui i am.
i can understand how one can almost black out by the intense heat.
cause i almost did once, a few mths ago when i started to go for bikram class regularly. its more than just scary. i thought i am gg to die of heat stroke. you radiate ALOT of heat.

no, i didnt go running for the hills and say no to bikram since that incident.
take it slow and easy.
one day, you will get used to the heat.

LOL.

once i asked myself if i like bikram, hot yoga or hatha (or other forms of yoga done in air conditioned room more). there are ALOT of variety of yoga. different ppl like different kinds of yoga. not all exercise is suitable for everyone.

i like to sweat. so, there is no doubt to the qn: its birkam. bikram is a weekly must workout exercise for me. i dont feel good if i dont attend bikram classes every week. i will try to find and squeeze time to go for 2 classes every week. LOL.

- Hot yoga is fun. a 1 hour class. you get to try new poses every time you go for a class, there are no standard fixed postures. you tone a different part of your body for every class you go. cause different instructor have diff poses.

of which, i need to repeat the process of monkey see monkey do again.
i always wonder what is the next pose to do, thinking if i am doing the pose correctly. truth is, hot yoga is v stressful for me. i probably need to attend like 1 yr of hot yoga classes to feel comfortable in it; to know what to expect next.

LOL! fun in a way too, you nv know what to expect. every single class you go, you train and tone diff parts of your body. (of course, unless you always go for a particular class by a specific instructor)

 i find hot yoga pace v fast too. usually there are no repeat poses, unlike bikram classes.

- Hatha yoga is v jaw dropping difficult for me. there are no hot temperatures to warm yourself up. hatha makes me realise the cold hard truth of how inflexible i am, even today. like ouch. i nv say so many wtf in my life before, except perhaps in hatha classes. the poses are all so difficult and jaw dropping.

how did they managed to do that without breaking bones? like, WAH SEH.
hatha is v difficult for me. LOL. in fact, it takes courage for me to attend the class. T.T

nvm,we must learn to walk before we run.
take it slow and easy.

one day, perhaps with enough determination, i will be able to achieve that too. one day, i can lock my knees with ease too.

be positive, be hopeful.  (:


truth is, every bikram class i go, i learn sth.
find it easier to do a particular pose. stretch more today.

every class is rewarding. every class is a joy to go.

you gain sth out of every class you attend.

peace, calm, relaxation ----> i can think of many many more. bikram is just amazing.

and pls, shake off the idea that bikram/hot yoga will make you lose weight. truth is, you lose water more. cause you sweat wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too much.

compliment your workout with running/swimming if your intention is to lose weight. you need CARDIO.  your daily diet plays an impt role too. don indulge, don succumb to temptations, say no to fried food. yes, that fried chicken.

bikram is good. it stretches my tight muscles from my running. in a way, compliments my running too.
it work both ways.

enjoy exercising!

rmb, you exercise for yourself. dont give yourself excuses that you need your friends to accompany you in order to attend classes tgt.

exercise for yourself, not for others. if you have the need and tendency to go for classes ONLY if your friends are there to accompany you, chances are you will give up soon. well, its certainly not easy to find a common time for both of you to attend classes tgt right? everyone has their own commitments.

change your mentality. change your thinking.
exercise for yourself, not for others. some ppl just need to get this thinking to their thick skull head. (this is so Christian Grey. HAHAH) why why why, don do it for others. do it for yourself.

do it with passion, else you wont last long.
enjoy it with your heart.

appreciate from within.
it will do you alot of good.

stay healthy today! ^^

Just sharing:
should anyone be interested, ask for Jackson at 90050666. (he is a consultant from True Yoga, True Fitness and bikram) he is really nice. forever concerned abt the classes i attended, to ensure i am well taken care of.
pls find him. he is namaste friend cum consultant now.

well, i have seen far too many shitty and pushy consultants. Jackson is really a rare gem. LOL.

go for the free trial classes and see if you like yoga!
NAMASTE!

(:

weekends splendid.

i am back! for a mini update.

so the thing with working means heading to town to relax for the weekend.
well, staying at home seems the last thing on my mind, especially when work is alr so mentally stressed. heading out to relax and breathe in fresh air seems the next logical thing to do.

go around HM, go to F21, go to random shops for window shopping.

basically, as much as i loathe gg to town.
but there is really nth i can do leh?

except to go for window shopping, catch a movie, eat dinner at our favorite restaurant.
and the day is gone just like that.

oh, not to mention, a hole in the wallet cause we went out that weekend. LOL.

usually Saturdays are meant to be town roaming days.
Sundays are bean curd making at my house and running at the park with XX.

yup, my weekends are usually planned out and scheduled.

attended XX's relatives wedding.




***
ice cream to remind me life is still sweet, so lets slow down our pace and breathe, eat and enjoy what we are having.

i really like the ice cream cone! i love the biscuit.




tea time!
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OTD.


i used at least one yr to remove most of the scars on my cheeks. its a long and painful process. i am glad and grateful for auntie's magical hands.

the nightmare finally ended. extraction is mega painful and i feel like dying.
lets hope pimples stay away from me.



*****
headed to town on friday.

oh boy, makeup less makes me look so pale. LOL.
totally no colour on the cheeks sia.

anyway, say hello to my holy grail blazer!

TCL colour blockbuster blazer in white, size S
ASOS lace dress in burgundy.






decided to eat ramen for dinner that night! ramen is my next favourite food.

soup that used hours after hours to brew into a bowl of yummylicious creamy, porky essence broth.
noodles that are springy.
eggs with the yellow yolk oozing out.

life is awesome.
grateful to eat. happy to eat food that i like, relieved to find and enjoy quality food.

Daikokuya ramen at Paragon.






*****
attended class on Saturday morning before i roam around in town. super shiok to attend class in the morning to kick start the day right! exercise to burn, then head off for awesome brunch, relax by catching a movie, destress by shopping.

(actually, shopping can be v stress de leh. you stress if you should buy this or that. i sinned at F21 for a leather jacket ytd. LOL)

sweat it all out! then you go for brunch with an empty stomach, enjoying all the food. HAHAHA.
since i am gg to town anyway, might as well use the time to enjoy my bikram first.

Ohvola Crochet Fresco top in white, Size M   
Love, Bonito Miranda Skirt in Cobalt, Size S 




love my outfit!
did i like say, i saw a girl who wore the exact same ohvola crochet top as me, wearing a blue bottom when i turned my head while using the escalator? we went to the same theatre for breaking dawn movie too! LOL.

what are the chances???
HAHAH.

nvm, both of us have got taste. the top looks very pretty on her!



thats our only photo with the Christmas tree this yr. HAHA. i shall go take more! ^^


say hello to my new flats i bought from Taiwan! i opened ceremony for my flats and crochet top.


decided to have Dean and Decula for bunch!
i always wanted to try their red velvet cake. it was sold out the last time i went there.
i finally got my chance ytd!

The cream chesse is a tad sweet. but there are hardly any red velvet cakes available in town!! anyone has any recommendations? maybe i should just head to PS cafe for my favourite carrot cake. LOL.

Red velvet cake
 

Sauteed Brioche French Toast with Caramelised Bananas.

this dish is really meant for sharing. nvm abt the potion, the Sauteed Brioche French Toast is really awesome on the first bite, its crisp, v slight crunchy.

but, the fact that its mixed with caramelised sauce makes the entire dish a little too overwhleming to finish it by its own.

therefore, i suggest you share the dish! my first toast taste really good. the second toast is making me full and the third toast just makes me sick. LOL. i am so relieved XX is there to help me finish the food. LOL.

but, i really like this though! its an awesome dish for the sweet tooth.
i shall admit that i have double standards for all things sweet. LOL.
 

The thick slices of Brioche consist of a layer crushed cornflakes to give the crunchy bite.
i like how the cold vanilla ice cream is served with the hot Brioche! hot meets cold is heavenly.

fresh berries added for your dose of antioxidants. did i say berries is my next favourite fruit? usually its 2 boxes per week.

maybe it would be better if they cut the amt of sugar used in the dish. LOL.


i am happy to see food. i am sooooooooooooooooo hungry!!!

Movie outfit to combat the cold!
its my favourite blazer to date. absolutely nth can threaten to rock its position in my heart. LOL. love the cut and material!



wrote my wishes on the balloon.


and XX was so lazy, he merely wrote, same same. O.O
my eyes were literally rolling.

how can he be that lazy????


and because life is sweet. and shall remain sweet.
 ice cream serves as a reminder to remind us that fact.

lets all stay happy k! there is no pt making your life so bitter.


meetup with friends for Christmas shopping!




and er, the 4 of us bought the exact same present. HAHAHA.
thats v epic indeed.

and dinner is,
predictable.

hello ramen! we met again!
pls tell me why veron cant stay away from you??

but i was so full from my toast and ice cream, i cant finish my ramen and gave everything to XX. HAHA. having a rubbish bin like bf is essential in life to ensure there is no food wastage.


i like black ramen for a dose of garlic.
XX like red ramen for a dose of chili.
what kind of ramen is your favourite?


how did you spend your Saturday!!

post bikram activity part 2.

i was searching for appropriate winter wear clothing for mama out in town.

no, taiwan is not cold. just the normal air con temperature. i am preparing winter wear in advance for my family trip to jiuzhaigou next yr. i dont think shops starting selling winter wear in September yet. there is a need to purchase new ones. cause mama sized up and clothing are not enough. LOL.

i shall spam in Taiwan. winter wears are so pretty!

a bared face full of imperfections. i hate scars. really. why still so many.


i was really famished after bikram class. hey, i burnt too much after each bikram class and that calls for happy food in my stomach. yes?

highly raved and recommended Dean and Deluca at Orchard Central, level 4.
if you haven been here before, kindly make your way there ASAP.
there is a reason behind all the hype. i finally know why.

they serve all day breakfast.
i opt for American country breakfast.

it comprises of Bacons, roasted tomato, 2 thick slices of multi-grain toast, scrambled eggs(!!!), sauteed mushrooms, sausage

the sausage was juicy, although i thought it was a tad salty. then again, sausages are meant to be salty. LOL.
throw the thoughts of the potential high blood pressure aside. HAHAH.

the scrambled eggs are TO.DIE.FOR.
i am not an egg person. truth is, i am survive without eggs. egg is not really part of my diet. thats how much i eat egg. if i buy a box of eggs to cook at home, chances are the eggs are kept all the way till the expiry date and then i throw away. LOL.

but the scrambled eggs are cooked to perfection. HAHAHA.
love the eggs.

egg lovers, pls head there soon.

v big portion. i suggest sharing of food to ensure good food doesnt go to waste.. HAHAHA.


my favourite cake; Carrot cake.


PS cafe sells really good carrot cake, cause its moist enough. i think the Dean and Deluca still cant really match PS cafe standard though! a little more moist to the cake's texture would have me gg back very often to feed my dessert craving after every meal. HAHAHAHA.

its XX's treat that day!! WOOHOO!


i am really happy to see food that afternoon. SO HUNGRY.


i am gg to be back for Salted Caramel Bananas and Berries! looks very tempting.
and i spot my red velvet cake!! OMG. i must try this!


all prices on the menu are inclusive of service charge and GST.

post bikram activity part one.

If you are reading this now, hello from Taiwan!

i scheduled this blog post in Singapore. LOL.

i always make it a pt to head out for good food after bikram class. afterall, i exercise to eat. HAHAHA.
and thats what life is all abt. (:

MGG Gemma blazer in lilac. i mentioned i wont buy it in lilac cause its likely to be a seasonal colour. but seriously  this blazer shade and cutting is too good to miss. i like mgg blazers, even though sometimes i think it doesnt justify the price. but i heart the mid arm sleeves length. appropriate for the Singapore's hot weather.

selling another piece of this MGG gemma blazer in lilac for my friend! lmk if anyone is interested! (:





off we go to kki cafe. its a little cafe situated at ann siang hill. everyone is raving abt this little cafe, i finally succumbed to temptation and followed the crowd and head there that afternoon.

actually ann siang hill has got alot of nice cakes. i shall try them the next time round.




read from somewhere that its the undisputed queen of cakes. cause the cakes are delicate and absolutely divine simple cakes. a truly feast for your eyes with the cakes they are offering in their little cafe. HAHAHA.

ever since he got his iphone 5, he cant survive without his phone now. LOL. seriously, i cant believe he can survive with his old nokia phone that long. everyone is alr moving forward to whatsapp, fb-ing on the go, while he is still at 2G, using SMS. HAHAHAHA.


and now, he is trying to deny the fact that he is slave to his phone after he finally discover why everyone cant survive with their phones now. LOL.


tired and slpy after the class. LOL.



there is a little drom store selling cute looking, unique out of the norm stuff cause they are all vintage. not cheap though!


if you wanna spend a quiet afternoon slipping tea, wasting time away, read your favourite book in a quiet place, pls head to kki cafe. HAHAHAHA.

this tiny little cafe is very cozy. and the owners are very friendly.
lovely place. lovely cakes. lovely ppl.
life simple pleasures.


i randomly said, lets take a photo of your nose hair!! he almost freaked out. HAHAHAH. i am so bored and sick. LOL.


i thought the tiramisu cake is mediocre. HAHAHA. maybe because i have eaten nicer ones. nothing special.



on the other hand, the mont blanc was to die for. ma chiam use a lot of effort to make the cakes. like a little christmas tree!


O.M.G
the outer layer swirl cream is made of chestnut and i swear this little cake is heavenly.
there are 4 layers of different textures/taste in it. sweet cream and soft sponge and a butter cake like base.

its a no wonder this is one of their best sellers.





the cakes are not cheap. but its still worth gg there for a try! at least try once for their mont blanc cake that impressed me!! perhaps there were too many raves for their cakes and the steep prices make us expect much more.  HAHAHA.

my post bikram welfare. HAHAHA. a massage, cause my back is aching. LOL.


Kki cafe is found at
No. 7 Ann siang hill.

Pls note that the cafe is very small, so either come early or be prepared to take-away

Opening Hours: 
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday: 11am - 9:30pm
Thursday Closed at 7pm
Saturday Closed at 4pm
Closed on Mondays.