piccies from Seoul... Spring 2011 [part 3]

Part 3 --- Food! Glorious FOOoooood!

One of the reasons why i love Seoul is the food you get there! Super YUMS!!! 

I love Korean food. Have always loved Kimchi and all things spicy+sour. I love hot soupy stuff too, and Korea has some superlicious soupy goodness like their dumplings and ginseng chicken :)))

Lovesss!

It was great that the sisters loved Korean food too. Hee! Makes trying new stuff that much more fun!

I'm just going to let the pictures do the talking now :ppp

For lunch one afternoon, we headed for the famous Myeongdong Dumpling place --- 

Unless my memory fails me, i think all they had on the menu were three standard items - a dumpling noodle soup thingy, the dumplings, and a dry, hot/spicy noodle thingy. 

We ordered one of each and shared the love :)

A super yummy, rich, choc muffin i had for brekkie one morning. Got that from an adorable 'lil bakery in Hongdae.

One of those very economical dinners we had --- a one-pot something (rice/ noodle) with simple side dishes that the kind aunties kept replenishing for us :)

Here's one of those simple, soupy dinners i had - Rice with beef and beansprout soup.

Korean strawberries!!! Need i say more?

 Oh, here we are, ready to dig into the best Ginseng Chicken for dinner one evening :)

My stomach is rumbling now as i look back on these absolutely delicious foods :( where in SG can i get something even remotely close to that awesome stuff they get in Korea huh?

Can't bear this any longer.

Shall post two last shots of food. If i uploaded all those foods we took, we're just gonna look like such pigs :p ha!

Another one of those fav' places where the side dishes get polished off awfully quickly, and just as quickly, get replenished :)

My awesome, mackerel + kimchi soup noodle thingy bubbling away.

So gooooooooooood!

That's all for now folks. Hope i made you all hungry too :p 

Must share the pain (of being able to see but not taste the food). Haha!

piccies from Seoul... Spring 2011 [part 2]

Part 2 --- Half-day trip up to Namsan

So one morning, the sisters and i went up Namsan.

My first trip there after having been to Seoul twice the year before :p
I'm telling you, it really makes a different who you travel. 
Travel companions matter so very much!
With the sisters, it was great!
We walked so much :) Even when we didn't know where we were going, we'll just keep walking. And we'll enjoy the walk just cause we're together :)))


Anyways, back to Namsan.

Tickets for the Cable Car

The obligatory "i was there" tourist-y shot :p

The sisters. At the foot of a long flight of steps up to where the Tower stands.

Lo and Behold --- The N Tower.
An icon of Love and Friendship with family and friends... and love stories... (see below pic of A Lock of Love)

Part of the City Walls.

Locks of Love!!!

We went round looking for anything written in English (amongst the sea of writings in Korean)

The vending machine area where filming of a fair bit of K-dramas took place. 

Including Boys Over Flowers :p 

To end off this post, a random pic of the pretty colours (of the sky) from the top of Namsan.
It was a lovely way to spend our morning. Must remember to go back with hubs next time.

piccies from Seoul... Spring 2011 [part 1]

So i finally got round to getting all those photos we took with the sisters cameras, onto my computer.

Time to group 'em all together.

Massive work in order :p

But here's a few quick piccies from our short trip to check out one of our fav' foods :) KIMCHI!

The Kimchi Field Museum @COEX

About 8 different varieties of Kimchi were available for sampling in The Tasting Room when we visited

So very many different kinds of Kimchi!!!

Some of which we've never seen before here in SG. Like this "White Kimchi" (which wasn't the least bit spicy. it was more... salty! i didn't like this one.)

This one wasn't available for sampling :p Kimchi made of... baby carrots???

The Museum's a lovely little place to check out. Makes for a nice change from everything else you get at COEX - the shops!!!
I think it's a great place to bring the kids too!
We walked into a small group of pre-schoolers having some storytelling session in the Museum.
There's also a section of the Museum dedicated to educating the public on everything Kimchi - the origins, the benefits of consuming kimchi, the making of kimchi, the equivalent of kimchi elsewhere in the World...... and in cute piccies too! Perfect for keeping children interested and occupied.

See? The Italian's kimchi "equivalent" ---> Olives!

The Museum didn't take us very long to cover really. I'll say 90mins was more than enough? It was a nice way to spend my lunch break during work that weekend @ COEX.

Now, on to part 2 of the trip.

twenty-second may, two thousand eleven.

A simple homecooked dinner.

"Toasting" with bubbletea.

Telly together throughout the evening.

That's how we celebrated 22 May 11.

Two years since we official became a couple.

Six months since ROM.

ilu hubs.

Wedding- Related: MUA - part 2

my search for a MUA for KL isn't going too well.

been flipping through Malaysian Bridal Magazines, reading up on MUAs on the Malaysian Brides Forum, asked a couple of girls who got married last year where and with who they got their Actual Day makeup and hair done......

i did send out a couple of emails to ask about services and all, but i have not received anything i'm 100% happy with.

• some MUAs are asking for amounts which i feel is ridiculous. RM800 for one session (read: ONE makeup + ONE hairstyle).
•  some don't seem to get what i need for our Actual Day i.e. One session, late morning on the Day before our Tea Ceremony, then some sort of touch-up of makeup and hair around noon, after the Tea Ceremony and before the Wedding Lunch starts. very difficult to understand? cannot be flexible? -_________- 
• others take forever to respond and that just turns me off.

and i've come to realise they don't offer free trial makeup sessions in Malaysia!!! i will have to pay between RM150 to 300 for a trial session.

wtf!

how can?!

i'm very concered. confused too!

without first getting to know a client's face and hair, can these people really come up with the right... styles... the right look for the person? i mean i know it's easy to just send them a picture of what i like, but what if my skintone ain't good with that particular color? or my bangs need to be an inch longer. my eyebrows arch too much or ............ whatever! you know what i mean right?
anyways, to conclude this random rant of an entry: i do not have a MUA for KL yet :(
how how hhhhhooooooowwwwwww???

Wedding- Related: MUA

the sister definitely got it easy when looking for a MUA for her ROM-cum-Chinese Wedding Dinner :p

i had already started my research and shortlist of MUAs for SG and when her Date was set, i offered to pay for her MUA.

*sigh.

anything for my 妹妹.

ok, so.

i think i've been very lucky in my search for a MUA too.

at least, for the SG side. I've only just started looking for one over at KL side.

*gulp. 6months to go. shouldn't dilly-dally liaooooooooooo.

so i asked around the girls who got married in the last 12 months or so... checked with my own hairdressers (Charlotte & Ivy)... did a bit of 'flipping of the bridal mags for tips and whatnots...

my final shortlist of MUAs:

Vecce from Makeup Shop N Studio

Ophelia from Pretty Box

Juey Huey from The Make Up Room

there are plenty of other options out there. but i shortlisted the above based on recommendations and personal experience.

# # # # # #

Juey Huey did my makeup and hair on several occasions when i was younger. For D&Ds, sis' wedding... and she used to do free trials for me when i first started working! She wasn't with The Make Up Room then. But with The Make Up Room... well, let's just say their packages cost almost double what most MUAs were charging. Waaaaaay above my budget.

# # # # # #

Ophelia came recommended by Veron. Veron looked absolutely beautiful on her own wedding day so i kinda knew i could trust her :) But sadly, i didn't decide on her services cos she took forever to reply to my emails! And i couldn't have that. Not when i'm trying to plan my wedding while traveling for work and need to communicate over the email.

# # # # # #

Vecce came highly recommended by my regular hairdresser. For both her natural makeup. And gorgeous hair-dos. Since Charlotte knows my hair well (hey, between Ivy and herself, they have been taking care of my hair the past 15 years!!), i knew i could trust her recommendations.

# # # # # #

i did a fair bit of corresponding with Vecce when i was working over in Malaysia and Sri Lanka earlier this year. She was quick in her emails back to me - something i really appreciate :) and she's so friendly!!! and helpful with dishing out suggestions and tips. how do i know?

cos i arranged a trial session for the sister as soon as i decided to get Vecce to be her MUA. and i was in the room the whole time Vecce came over to Boon Lay to give Yuan her trial session. 

oh. even mum liked her. aiya, she's just a really friendly person. the kind who instantly puts you at ease.

on April 30, Yuan & Giles were caught up in last min' rehearsals at the Ballroom and wasn't 100% ready yet (makeup-wise). I arrived at the Hotel to see Vecce patiently waiting for it all to be over before providing the final touches to Yuan's hair and makeup. nice right?!

i've seen some gf's MUAs rush through their evening makeup and hair, and just leave as soon as they get paid. they don't bother to make small-talk or engage you in any way. bah!

the sister looked absolutely gorgeous with her makeup and hair Vecce did that evening. i lost count the number of people who told me my little sister looked every bit the beautiful bride :)

she was every bit as happy with how Vecce worked magic to her hair and face too.

so, yup! now I CAN'T WAIT FOR MY OWN DAY when Vecce works her magic on me.

hehehee!

more updates on this after my own trial session with her :)

wOOOooooooo!!!

OMG!!!
This came on earlier this morning and i was blasting the radio throughout :p

郭富城 － 爱你

Brings back memories!

We were all young once :)

I was 11 when he was like, the hottest thing evaaaaaaaaa!!!

THANK YOU!!!

...for taking time out to come share that beautiful evening with us, thank you.
it being a really important day to the Chongs.
and it being a pretty hard day on me because, for every ounce of happiness i feel for my darling Yuan, there is an equal amount of sadness i feel as i think of her impending move away from SG.
you may not have realised it, but your presence made me feel that much better, knowing that i still have you girls around.
so,
...for being the bestest girlfriends anyone could ever wish for, thank you.
i love you girls for who you are.
every single one of you.
♥♥♥