First, a hearty brunch at the prata store at Jalan Kayu. I had the largest dum biryani that was crazily filling!  The honeydew drink was a little too bright in color for my liking but I guess it’s because I had expected real honeydew juice when I ordered it.

The Pixar Exhibition happened sometime in June and I met up with Sushi and Daryl to go check it out.

It was also a good excuse for me to check out the Singapore Science Center since it’s been years since I last visited that place.

Here’s a the video of my little excursion to the Pixar and Singapore Science Center exhibitions. (to be viewed at www.renzze.com)

And this 2nd video below was of the Balloon Science Show we attended. I was as throughly amused as the kids that were entertained and I believe it was a wonderful and interesting way to make learning a fun experience for everyone. The Singapore Science Center is doing a great job and the 2 hosts of the Balloon Science Show had fantastic chemistry with each other as well as the audience.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Just wanted to conclude the wedding posts of Andrew and Koji with a little video presentation done for them.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

As you read this post, I’m probably already out of Singapore. I’ve already scheduled posts so you can still check back here everyday for new posts and content! As you can see, I’m trying really hard to keep up with my multitude of travel and photos! Email replies and comments will be slow but as usual I’ll try to get back to it.

Continuing from where I last dropped off, we climbed up till we found a secluded spot with a section of waterfall that we didn’t have to share with anyone else! The sound of the forest with the rushing sound of water was really calming. After the hike up, the water was so inviting, we couldn’t resist going in for a dip!

I really wished I had brought along my swimsuit so I could go for a splash in the water instead of wading around with my trek pants rolled up. There were some deep pot holes so I had to feel really carefully where to wade. I also pretty much avoided them by climbing all around the slippery rocks which was quite a risk since if I slipped I’ll be totally drenched!

We spent quite some time there resting, chatting, splashing, taking photos and trying out funny poses.

The water was cold but not freezing which was perfect for wading in on such a hot humid day. The water was also surprisingly really clear with just a few baby fishes here and there.

Everyone had a great day and I look forward to spending more time with Celynn and Andrew when we head to Bali later this year! Having long distance friends can be a little harder to maintain but they are such nice people and even though I don’t meet them as often, it always feels right!

We must have taken a dozen or more photos at the waterfall. But since I didn’t bring a tripod, I had to take more in case there were many blury shots. And I’m quite happy that a large portion of the photos were really nice even though we had no tripod and the camera shutter had to be opened longer than usual to capture the full effect of the cascading waters.

We even manage to do a really corny waving gif photo! Hehe!

I was incredibly reluctant to leave to cool comforts of the icy water but it was time to catch brunch and feed my poor tummy.

I slipped on a rock and almost fell when I was coming back down but I guess girls generally have a pretty good sense of balance and I shifted my center of gravity just in time to avoid the catastrophe.

One last parting shot of Andrew helping Celynn take her picture on his phone camera.

And if the pictures aren’t enough for you, here’s a short video as well.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Took my parents out to watch a musical over one of the weekends.  We were there about an hour or so before show time so we decided to have dinner at the peranakan restaurant in esplanade.

Not sure if I mentioned this before but mum’s a big fan of nyonya cuisine since her mother was of straits Chinese descent.

Deco, food and serving sizes were not bad and their staff were really attentive. However, I still prefer IVINS food.

Crackers and ah-char to build up our appetite before the main dishes arrive.

Portions were all very generous especially the curry fish head so we were all stuffed beyond words by the time dinner was over. How terrible and indulgent of us to have such sinfully full meals!

A snap or two of my parents before heading into the concert hall.

And of course I’ll remember to include my outfit of the day shots. One photo with and and another without my trusty cardigan to keep me warm in the cold hall.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I’ve been very very sick since I got back from my beach trip. Fever, cold sweat, flu, cough… the works. And I didn’t even have the energy to log online at all.  I’ll be safely tucked into bed now trying to ride over my flu instead of blogging but I’ve got a flight to catch in a few hours and I better be awake so I don’t miss it!

Back to where I left off, the City of Bath is a beautiful one and it’s worth staying at least one night there.

The day I was there, they had a night market going on. I’m not sure if it’s a permanent thing or just for that weekend but it was absolutely delightful! And I got to ride on a carousel! Yes, I know it’s a tad childish for a lady my age to still enjoy carousel rides but I do!

So if you are like me and enjoy non-age appropriate activities, go ahead and enjoy yourself. As long as it doesn’t harm anyone else I really don’t see why not. Happiness is such a valuable commodity and there are so many people out there that seems to want to put a limit to it. But at the end of the day if I’m happy then I don’t have to care what others say. If you’re thinking that I’m speaking about more than just my little joy ride then you’re probably right… lol.

I guess I’ve been seeing a lot of unnecessary streaks of meanest in people recently. From strangers to strangers and from lovers to friends. I don’t believe that they realize what they are doing exactly but it’s still a little sad to see how people can get so easily worked up over the smallest of issues and spread that unhappiness to someone else. I’m wondering if society’s stress is getting too much for people to bear or is just lashing out without thinking just a trendy with people these days. If we could just plant one seed of kindness a day… how more beautiful life could be.

I know I’m totally digressing! But I think the pictures speak for themselves! I was very happy in Bath… somehow it felt a little less gloomy there compared to London even though the weather was pretty much the same. Overcast and drizzling !

Other than the quaint village market, I think I really enjoyed having hot chocolate drinks while people watching at the cafes there. It is the really thick and chocolaty espresso sort so do try if you are a chocolate lover!

And I’ll end my little segment on Bath with a video! ( You can only watch this video on www.renzze.com )

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

The surreal landscape set the tone for my visit to one of the world’s most famous stones. The Stonehenge. Found in Wiltshire, England amidst countless of other burial mounds and stone monuments.

The Stonehenge is said to be built during the Neolithic (last of the stone ages) and Bronze Ages. These stones were errected here around 3000BC – 2500BC! That’s such a long time ago and it makes it hard to process how and why these stones were placed here.

The area around Stonehenge is a burial ground for humans at the early beginning but it is unknown if there were any other uses of these ancient stones throughout history. Many believe it is used as a temple or a worship place of some sort. It is voted as one of Britain Seven Wonders and at some point in time had been a gathering point for many neopaganism believers.

Though personally I much prefer ancient buildings rather than rock formations, I can understand how Stonehenge can be such an intriguing mystery given that these massive stones were carried to these plains from a distance of 240miles away. With no modern tools, it would have taken 600 men to get past some obstacles in while transporting!

If you believe in legends and mystery, then this place in all purposes and intents is one with magical mystic powers of honor and healing. It is said that King Arthur and his descendants were all buried here. And that Merlin the wizard had the stones magically moved from Ireland to it’s current location.

In the photo above you’ll see me standing in front of a drawing of what the Stonehenge Circle was supposed to look like while the photo below shows you what is left of it today.

There isn’t much else around Stonehenge itself because the government is working hard to maintain the land to be the way it was thousands of years ago. Of course there are still a little commercialism seen near the site with a gift shop or two but the wide vast lands nearby is devoid of houses or anything much actually.

If you are interested in the Stonehenge, the best time to visit it is on the 21st June where the Summer Solstice festival is celebrated there. Admission the the circle is free and throngs of people would camp at Stonehenge overnight to greet the first day of summer. Normally the stones are roped off to prevent visitor contact but for that one night, you could actually stand next to the stones, touch, feel and become transported to the time when druids gathered for festivals around the rocks.

Hope you enjoy the little video clip I have of my trip there. ( Video clip can only be watched at www.renzze.com)

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

As promised, I’m gonna share with you with more details of my time in the United Kingdom. Well, I bought a greyline bus ticket and visited Windsor Castle in the English County of Berkshire . It is currently still one of Queen Elizabeth II’s official residences and is the world’s oldest castle that has continuous occupation. Which simply means it’s always been a home to the royals since King William I of England which was born in 1029. Gosh! That makes this a 900+ year old castle!

Windsor is pretty much what you would expect of  the sort of castle you hear of in fairy tales. Huge, made of stones, lots of guards and the Queen stays here.  It appeals to me so much more than Buckingham Palace ever did. Buckingham Palace is more like the Queen’s office.

We weren’t allowed to take much photos inside the castle but there were lots of exhibits and a few room filled with knights armors, swords and medals through the ages. Even my umbrella was considered dangerous and had to be left at the coat check in before I was allowed to proceed through!

When you are inside the walls of the castle, you’ll realized that the whole place was built and expanded around this round tower on top of a motte. This was actually the original beginnings of the castle and when it was first built, it was built with wood. Of course it got replaced with stone bricks and over the years, the various monarchs slowly expanded the castle till it is the way it is today. The round tower, being smack in the middle also divides the castle into to main wards. The upper ward houses the Queen, formal state rooms and the main arena for the Order of the Garter. The lower ward is mainly occupied by St George’s Chapel.

The view around the castle has a serene feel to it. It’s as if time stood still here and I was transported to the time where women wore corsets and curtsy while the men escorted them from horse carriages. There is so much history and so many important events started their origins from this ground. ( Do you know that the current official marathon length race is derived from the distance from Windsor Castle to Olympic Stadium in London.) It has been a home, a fortress and at some dark moments a prison for so many rulers.

A short distance away is Eton College, one of the original 9 public schools in England. Which is a total misnomer since this public school is anything but open to the general public. It’s the world famous school for the uppity up of the who’s who! Their students include 18 former prime ministers, lots of princes ( recent onces being Prince William and Prince Harry), European kings and royalty, Asian royal family ( Kings of Thailand, Nepal, India, etc) and many many more famous personalities like Ian Fleming, Boris Johnson, Hugh Laurie to name a few. If you watched “Shakespeare In Love” you probably saw how Eton looks on the inside as quite a large part of the filming was done there.

Other than the gorgeous chapel, one of the main tourist draws in the castle is Queen Mary’s Doll House. Queen Mary was a huge fan of miniature creations. So this doll house was created. It’s a impressive work of art with every single thing in the doll house made in exactness to their real counterparts.

Unbelievably beautiful! Most of the items are made from the actual companies that made the original full size versions. Miniaturize paintings by their original painters, miniaturized books written specially by their authors including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Thomas Hardy, Rudyard Kipling, among others. The lights work like lights do and so do the plumbing. Tiny toilets flushes when pressed together with tiny toilet paper! I love the fabrics of the furnishings which are cut from the same fabrics used in Windsor Castle.

I didn’t get a chance to bump into any royalty but I did spot this fat cat lounging in the confines of Windsor Castle. A royal cat I suppose. LOL.

Heading down to the lower ward I got to explore the St George’s Chapel. Other than hosting the Order of the Garter (which is basically the most exclusive form of knighthood since Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table), the chapel has overseen a number of royal marriages. The most recent one being the Blessing of Union between The Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles.

The chapel is also mainly the place for many royal funerals and interments and when the present Queen Elizabeth II dies, she’ll most likely be buried here as well.

Being at the right time at the right place, I manage to catch 2 change of guards ceremony at different parts of the castle. And if you view the video at the end of this post, you might see how I feel that the guards here are a lot friendlier and more adorable then the ones at the Buckingham Palace.

Enjoy the video and remember, if you are viewing this anywhere else other then www.renzze.com , you can’t see the video so go to renzze.com ! In the front part of the video, if you pay close attention, you’ll see the Singapore flag cause we drove pass the Embassy area. And no one, including the guide, knew which country that was! With people making all sorts of wild guess. So I supposed Singapore isn’t as high profiled as I though

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Took the tube to Bond Street to do major shopping at Oxford Street. Oxford Street is the high street of retail in London and it stretches past many tube stations. Bond Street Station is one of those that hit right in the middle of Oxford Street.

Dropped by Marks and Spencer Simply Food to grab some yummy food and drinks to stock up in the hotel cause it was winter when I was in London and the cold makes me hungry all the time!

Beautiful lightings and lots of stores from American Apparel & H & M to Primark and Urban Outfitters! I spent a whole lot of time (and unfortunately money) at Selfridges as well so not much time to take photos. The only consolation is that the pound is pretty low these days.

After shopping it was time to meet up with girl pals and have some really good dinner.

And in London, really good dinner roughly translates into Bayswater Roast Goose Rice. I usually eat at Gold Mine. Yummy, fatty and sinful but absolutely irresistible!

Greedy me even had additional fried wantons and hot soup ( a must-have when it’s chilly outside)!

Finally some slices of complimentary oranges. But these were the most sour oranges ever! LOL… I had a shock when I bit into it as you would see from the video.

Enjoy the short video

(For those who are viewing this elsewhere, please go to www.renzze.com to view the video.)

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I have been wanting to meet up more often with Audrey but wanting and having the time to actually do it is 2 different matters altogether. And I’m terribly guilty that her birthday present is still with me long overdue! Hopefully I’ll get to see her soon, sometime early May.

Meanwhile, these are photos of the last time I met her. You can tell it was a long time ago because Orchard Rd still had the Christmas decorations up in the photos and videos!!!

We had simple dinner at a HK cafe in 313 Somerset and catch up session. So much have change since then so I’m sure the next time I meet her there’ll be more catching up to do!

The black dress I wore is of a simple design but the lace is pretty and I wore a bold necklace with it. I love how I can wear louder accessories with LBDs without looking OTT.

Here’s a simple video of that day too!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

SH was keen to try out some of  the yummy food stuff I posted up on my blog before so we headed down for him to try our famous Singapore Katong Laksa!

And he gave it a thumbs up approval!

After lunch we headed over to buy durian puffs and then to the Smelly Toufu store in Joo Chiat.

If you read my smelly toufu post before, you’ll know how I can’t stand the smell of it but I always compromise for friends. So there we were once again at the smelly toufu store.

SH loved it so much he unbelievably  ordered 2 plates and finished them clean! This was right after lunch too! Gosh! I wasn’t so daring and ordered a plate of Taiwan friend chicken pieces instead.

After that awesome meal we tried to burn it all off on mini-golf! I didn’t take pictures cause SH took photos and I havent gotten them back from him but there’s the video!

We were so silly and this mini golf wasn’t as easy as it looks. Well at least it’s pretty hard if you are trying to get par and below. And I am really bad at mini golf! Some of the kids there are regulars and they are so good!

And lastly, the usual posting ofmy outfit that day.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!