Sunday, November 30, 2008

Simplicity

who says life is complicated. you just make it.

Portobello&GermanChristmasMarket-at-HydePark

A fulfilling saturday i would call it, despite me having to drag myself out of bed by half nine, a feat i find too difficult to accomplish on weekdays for lectures.clutching hot starbucks ginger christmas coffee special in our numbed palms, we made our way to notting hill where the portobello market is. this place is like a treasure trove selling everything from antique cameras to wooden racquets to chinese leaf lettuce and garlic. taking a stroll, ooh-ing and aah-ing at odds and ends while continuously snapping photos, we made our way slowly through the crowds. stopping every now and then to fill our rumbling bellies of course. a seafood platter, churros-fried doughy sticks dunked in sugar a chocolate, paella and ghana-ian meals were on the menu. we finally called it a day, loaded with our shopping bags.

the bratwurst and sauerkraut being barbecued the traditional way on a giant pitthe ferris wheel that james thought was the london eye when he was younger and naive...which was not too long ago

in the evening, the whole lot of us decided to crash D's date with M in Hyde Park. the place has been converted into a winter wonderland complete with a german christmas market. a part of it has even been flooded and turned into an ice rink, giving the whole white christmas feel-father christmas who stood in corners and the carols that filled the air simply complemented the atmosphere. james, our half swedish-half german british buddy introduced us to bratwurst and sauerkraut. food, glorious food. a glass of mulled wine and some candied nuts later, we carried little mats up to the top of a tall, curvy slide to come whizzing down!i miss my childhood joys oh so much. it's on days like these that it helps to have a botomless pit for a stomach. after all that excitement, hy and i had a toffee-ed and chocolate coated apple each and then headed to chachamoon for fried carrot cake and singaporean noodles.
i want to go ice skating next!

Friday, November 28, 2008

Desi Roots

cheng who insists bhangra is all about screwing the lightbulb. he can actually sing along to punjabi mc!
all hands in the air!
steve trying to pot the jinxed black ball
a fight that almost, but never happened
Saff, totally lost in his zone

I have never been to any of these desi events before. since this one was down the road in elbow rooms, angel, i decided why not. bhangra, i swear, all has the same underlying beat and rhythm. just the lyrics change in each song. but it sure has energy, which i always love :)

Thanksgiving

for our american friend, who is so far away from home
we had roast with stuffing, wine and dessert. that was my first thanksgiving. the boys spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen, preparing the perfect dinner for the whole lot of us. as we sat around the table, digging into the delicious spread, it came the time for everyone to say a word or two, expressing gratitude and gratefulness. i sat there thinking, my list was endless. but to sum it all up, it boiled down to my loving family and my amazing friends. the people i love who give me a reason to smile.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Three down, one to go

congrats sis, yep...one more dr. raj in the family. way to go! i'm so proud of you!*muaks*

jo&lis

even though thousands of miles away, josephine makes me laugh so hard. i really miss that little bundle of energy. what i really would want is to be stuck on a boat with lis and jo, cruising down the mediterranean, letting them talk my ears off about everything that has been going on. having one of our unforgettable crazy holidays. damn, i miss our sunday night catching up sessions in college. and lis wandering from room to room starting her sentences with 'Bla bla (anu/hy/jo/sap), I am so depressed'...for no particular reason.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Enigma@paperclub

how ironic. the event was called enigma-a puzzling or inexplicable occurence, and that was exactly how the night went, with many blank gaps to fill in, in our memories. like how hanad came home with more than 100 photos in his camera, qj with a cut lip, pictures of random people in the cameras, missing black pumps, oh the list is endless.

the pre-party was at qj's place, champagne and screwdrivers. feeling all warm and slightly fuzzy, we headed down to regent street. having vip tickets let us skip the queue outside and the cloakroom queue. thank god for that, as i really needed the loo and made a beeline for it. it was the weirdest toilet i have ever seen. one sink outside the one cubicle, and inside the cubicle, TWO toilet bowls. i go back and report this to hanad, who promptly replies 'yalaa, you girls love to do everything together. now u can shit also together'...ewww!

the drinks were flowing freely, the music was pumping and the crowd was vibrant. that made my night. since it was a malaysian-singaporean thing, the bumping into random old friends that i haven't seen for quite awhile added to the fun.

the getting home part was the most hillarious. hy and diana were in charge of a zoo and pracitically herding animals back. with justin sprinting down the street (in the wrong direction of course), me crossing roads without looking, darren screaming in cantonese to qj, terrence just gone. superstrong hanad suddenly decided he misses the gym and picks me up as weights and starts running back. today his muscles were aching-must have pulled something somewhere!

once again i ended up crawling into bed in the wee hours of the morning, exhausted and still bundled up in my jacket and scarf with bodytape still on...i think the cleaners were rather amused to see me emerge from my room at noon in a little black dress, hair toussled, make-up intact to use the toilet.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

already in the spirit of christmas

every day i come home determined to get some work done. too bad it never happens.

we had a riya monday last night. i am not kidding, riya is a goddess. she whips up the wickedest meals for us monday after monday. yesterday it was spare ribs and fried rice. the whole kitchen was then transformed into a mini starbucks, with james serving his delicious concoction of marshmallows dipped in hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream crumbed biscuits and flaked choc. all this with jolly christmas songs playing in the background, and us discussing our soon to be held thanksgiving dinner. of course a little dancing on the side too.

last night we even managed to book our train tickets back from france. it's almost official, italy and france....here i come!!!wheeeee...and my holiday spree continues for this year!


Monday, November 24, 2008

sorry

to say that i'm disappointed, it will be an understatement. yes i am slightly hurt. no, i'm very hurt. you always told me you would do this, that it was just your defense mechanism kicking in. i always thought you would change. i laughed, i even scoffed at your valiant efforts in the beginning. but now, i see that i'm the on the losing end. we both have lost our battles. gone is something that was so beautiful. but letting go means letting go completely....you know i know you're reading this.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

partying up

i had my doubts about the boat party, an AIESEC all-london social. deciding to go at the eleventh hour, i'm glad i did. cruising down the thames, passing the twinkling nightlights of london, sipping wine and dancing as the high tide swayed the boat gently from side to side, it was fun. the dresscode was orange,black&white-and my my, the crowd sure was creative.

before i knew it, the boat had docked and we were back in embankment. off we were, straight to holborn to drag hammie out of bed for his surprise birthday party. that sleepyhead turns 20 today, while gene turns 21-happy birthday u two!

miss independent, by sani

i received a little prezzy all the way from manchester today.oh boy, sani your voice is amazing..and it's making me miss you even more. ..i couldn't upload the mp3 here, so i decided to add a little touch of mine..

sani, you're a born star!

Friday, November 21, 2008

cooking is the next step...

the little keychain that has been hanging on my pencil case for the past 4 years says that 'a person born on the 6th of may will be dab hands in the kitchen.' for the greater part of my life, i have been clueless and lost in the kitchen-considering that i came to london hardly knowing how to fry an egg. i think i have come quite a long way ever since, and slowly heading towards the realisation of the words of wisdom on that keyring. I have been baking quite abit lately. Yes, baking has always been my forte...but i have taken it a step up by putting extra effort into presentation and decoration. Some of the things we've done lately...
celine's french faced cartoonish muffins

josephine's lemon yoghurt cheesecake, slightly ash covered from her magic candles that wouldn't extinguish
Hammie's 20th pineapple-chocolote-orange cupcakes

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

happy wednesdays

it is the peak of my week. the time when we dance a little or play some games and then head down to town for our weekly dose of retail therapy, chinese cuisine and delectable desserts.

this wednesday i played dodgeball with james,saff,luna and cheng. we made up team 'James Rules'. i'm in love with dodgeball!!~the mat-salleh version of 'bola cap' and 'susu slipper'. of course dodgeball is alot safer as it doesn't use a small hard tennis ball but instead a soft-ish football-ish thing. it doesn't involve jumping across drains (and sometimes into it), running onto roads trying to avoid on-coming cars, climbing up slides or hiding behind trees. it's a relatively painless and regulated version of all the games i grew up playing. and thank god there is no 'jesus christ'-where we had to stand up against a wall, hands spread as everyone took a shot at your back as punishment for losing (this was part of susu slipper).

oh but today, i think there was as much fighting, arguing and squabbling as there was playing on the court. some of the rules that we decided upon at the beginning were slightly ambiguous, causing a great deal of confusion. despite all that, it was terribly fun. especially since the day progressed with us taking a trip to cha cha moon off regent street for chilli prawn mee and capping the night with italian gelato at ciao after.

Butoh Dance

A Japanese post World War Two Dance depicting the psychological damage inflicted upon the people. It requires 3 years of training to dance on stage and 3 hours of isolation prior to a performance....and the Japanese Butoh dance company Sankai Juku will be showcasing their talent just down the road from where i live in the Sadler's Wells theatre!!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

little things that i love

when someone picks me up and spins me around, transforming my world into a kaleidoscopic mosaic of colours, leaving me happily dizzy-fied.

the smell of brownies baking and chocolate chip cookies dunked into a glass of milk. even though i am not a fan of chocolates and ice cream.

reaching the top of the hill to be greeted by a spread of magnificent turqoise blue sea, that stretches so far into the horizon that it seems to blend with the sky. only in kuantan, where i call home.

having friends who hug me when i see them, hug me in midst of a conversation and hug me before i go to bed, time and time over again.

the way my senses heighten and pumped up energy surges through me when i'm on the squash court, even more so when there is an audience.

nightfall. there's something about the darkness that i find mysterious even welcoming. at times it's sexy and sensual. while others it's deep and soulful. this is why i'm rather nocturnal.

a platter of seafood. i'm a total food junkie and the sweet succulent taste of prawns, crabs, calamari and fish is a turn on. one of the reasons why i enjoyed bali to bits.

falling into deep undisturbed sleep, dreaming of nothing and nobody. and to awake in my own sweet time, not to be rudely shocked out of slumber by the incessant alarm.

chalet hopping back in college and now room hopping to entertain myself when i'm bored. this rarely happens nowadays though.

bangsar on a sunny weekend morning, with the endless boutiques to appease my apetite for clothes and smell of roti canai, nasi lemak and banana leaf wafting through the air from the many mamak joints, making my stomach rumble.

long warm showers where i can lose myself in my thoughts, i lose track of time as well.

mum and dad.bro and sisters.josephine and alissa.sujaen and sanjev.solo and sani.hannah and joanna.pragash.suresh and mohan and pradish and their endless family.vinodh.everyone who is not with me right now.i miss them.

being captivated enough, interested enough to hang on the phone for hours on end wishing it could last forever, bursting with excitement, looking forward to the next time we meet-yep that's when i'm in love.

playgrounds with swings. i will never grow up.

warm fingers kneading my sore muscles after a long day, with a strong and firm grip. it gives me a sense of security, like i'm being taken care of.

this can go on and on. i love joyous little sensations, things that keep me happily fulfilled.

when the clock strikes 12-our rendezvous

i came home after a long day of rehearsing the strut, tying sarees in toilets and standing in never ending make-up queues, really looking forward to a nice, long shower and my welcoming bed. instead i found myself sitting in a rent-a-car-for-9-pounds vehicle, whizzing about london, on a midnight joyride. qj and the boys had driven down to oxford earlier for a scrumptious seafood dinner and decided to take us girls for a spin after. it's been awhile since i have sat slouching in the front seat, knees hugged to my chest as i watch the twinkling lights of a big city pass me by. i felt like i was right back at home. in the car, with the music...but not all things were quite the same. we explored some nooks and crannies of london that i have never seen before. it was beauuuutiful!..and then to see the real part of london, we went through a hustling bustling drunk chinatown and leicester square. i was a happy tired zombie by the time i reached my bed.

this is london baby, not australia, not porto malai...i want to live hereee!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

catwalk



today, after alot of convincing and pushing (all thanks to guru who went to great lengths to get me moving), i reluctantly walked down a runway, modeling a hot pink saree, accompanied by dazzling guys in suits. yeah i did it, even though i'm very much vertically challenged and horizontally gifted (as pragash puts it). it was an all tamil event, Western Thalaam, and i must say i had quite abit of fun there even though i was terribly exhausted from the relentless week i have had. the other performances were amazing:-with dances that ranged from the groovy and jazzy, to funky street and hip hop, awesome vocal talents, skits and stand-up comedians. everyone who took to the stage worked it proper. oh and the girls who were in the fashion show all looked absolutely gorgeous in their silky sarees adorned by sparkling jewels. hopefully i will be able to get my hands on some photos to put up.

Friday, November 14, 2008

i need to breathe

i feel like my life is spinning out of control. it just goes at it's own pace...which is rather speedy and deadly at the moment. the clock never stops ticking and i find myself taking showers at 4 in the morning, sleeping through lectures and skipping meals. i have deadlines to meet, essays to write, portfolios to compile, parties to attend and friends to please. it's viciously taking a toll on me. and what am i doing about it?...blogging!!!...it's time to get a grip on things.

whirlwind pace

i love surprises and unexpected little bundles of joy, and boy was i in for a treat this week. arvindd made a sudden trip down to london which was totally out of the blue. it has been more than a year since i last saw him. pizza and fried chicken over homework, walking down oxford street to see the christmas lights (we tried to catch the countdown with sugababes for the turning on of the lights but missed it due to terribly packed trains at rush hour), fireworks at cheng's...our belated bonfire celebration, shawamar at edgeware, wine and a movie marathon into the wee hours of the morning, i really hope i was a good hostess. the icing on the cake was lunch in chinatown with hamzah. yeah he made his way down to london as well. although brief, it was lovely catching up with him. it's been too long awhile.

all i have between now and till my sister comes is a massive pile of work that has been slowly accumulating...i should tackle it before it grows into a mountain.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

spicing it up...a lil too much

ohhh the horror stories that i have had to grit my teeth and listen to. about the times when all sense of sense was lost, totally gone. instead, in it's place boundless energy and whacky ideas. when inhibition virtually ceased to exist in the dictionary. a shovel would be the best thing anyone could give. i would dig a deep deep dark hole, jump in, and along with me i hope it consumes all the embarassing moments, all the crazy things i am capable of doing....and have done. when you wake up and your first thought is 'ohh fuck', yep you know there goes another resolution of yours. i'm sure everyone saw this coming-me and my list of 'three'. nobody had faith in it, not even myself. and now, two have been struck off, lasting less than two months. at least i'm still sticking strongly to the final one.

but hey i'll look on the brightside...at least i was entertaining.. :)

Monday, November 10, 2008

MAXIS 2008

from roll calls to endless chants and non-stop dancing, the conference was pretty good......

even though
port talbot could not handle the mass of AIESEC-ers that descended upon it and ran out of water halfway through. yes, the taps were literally dry. it was actually rather hillarious when some people walked out of the toilet stalls and pumped handwashing liquid out, only to realise there was no water to wash off all that soap!

despite the scarily over crowded accomodation. i was put in the 'big barn'- a dorm with 24 girls, two showers and toilets. as expected, i immediately rolled my suitcase out and ended up sharing a bed with hy who was placed in the cabins (which was slightly nicer). the boys were in the 'doghouse' and 'cathouse' as well as 'breakout' which closely resembled prison cells. yep, when you stay on a farm, that is how the dorms get named.

although the horribly miserable weather left us cold and damp all the time as it poured sporadically throughout the day. the cold bread that we were served for breakfast, lunch and dinner complemented the bleak weather, doing nothing to lift our spirits. i don't think i can handle seeing that massive pile of bread ever again. 3 meals a day for 3 days is enough to last a lifetime.

however, the energy demonstrated by the organising and national comittee far outshone the fallbacks. some of the plenary sessions were really useful while others bored me to bits. but that i expect of all conferences. 2 amazing speakers made time to come down all the way to the farm, Marcus Orlovsky especially. a genius mastermind with visions that stretch far and wide. he made the phrase 'nothing is impossible' sound nowhere near cliche but very true and believable. yes, i'm still in awe over what he has achieved and how he did it. i really do hope he will be able to give us another talk sometime soon.

the people, the so very diverse people were a pleasure to meet. when it came to going around to thank and hug everyone, i actually realised there were so many little things that i had done, or had been done for me that made the whole experience memorable. so the verdict is out....yep it lived up to my expectations!~

Surfinnnn on our welsh farm.it was supposed to be part of our roll call.sadly, due to some technical glitch, the wrong version of 'the bird is the word' was played

the crazy malaysians who ditched notts games...and we were just a fraction of malaysians who turned up in Wales

our president, the energiser bunny. he kept us entertained, four hours straight on the bus!...

us lot..the entire delegation after our formal dinner, before the party kicked off

the ladies from City

UCL-SOAS, rawking in the house...lol

only in AIESEC: trudging through mud and rain,the girls in lovely stilletos&cocktail dresses, the guys in suits

furry pigg!-the pig that looks like a sheep, unique to that farm

flex those muscles and LIFT..

AIESEC bhangras:Tunak tunak, tunak tunak,tunak tunak tha tha tha..one of the many many dances

the paper tower that was taller than me, only made out of A4 and nothing else..nice job team!

never drink and dance:i crushed this accidentally

Welsh themed partay:i don't know how i fit the theme..

BOAT RACEEE!!!wheeeee!!~four half-pints of beer to be downed by a team of 4....drink drink drink!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

roadtrip~

today i leave for wales to participate in MAXIS, an AIESEC conference. i will be forgoing notts malaysian games. yep, as much as it pained me to give up a massive reunion as well as a chance to play some squash, something that i have been looking forward to for so long, i did it. i chose wales. i will be going to port talbot where my brother used to work a year or so ago. our accomodation is a farm and i'm guessing it will be slightly btn styled-ONLY in terms of bunk beds and sleeping arrangements (not the horrendous toilet that spews water out of the drainage hole). the stark difference would be that btn was filled with unbelievably dense people, MAXIS on the other hand will be an eye-opener with dyanmic and intellectual individuals. the hype about this conference has been unbelievable. it has been deemed to be an unforgetable experience that will be simply priceless. hmmm...it sure has alot to live up to after the craazy rotaract conferences i've had. well, i'll just have to wait and see.

oh oh..apart from the usual plenary sessions that is a must with all conferences, thursday night is a rubik cube themed party, where everyone comes dressed in many different colours, with the aim of exchanging items with each other in order to leave the party wearing only one hue. the following night is a welsh character party (after a lil bit of research hy dug up a famous welsh pornstar she can go as-oh the wonders of google!)...and finally a formal event on saturday. sounds interesting..:)

oh oh and when AIESEC City dances, we do it like the pro...we do it like the family guy!!


Sunday, November 2, 2008

the demons came out to play




it's that time of the year again, when blood sucking, human eating, wand swishing, crazy creations and creatures roam the streets. yeah, halloween. donning whacky costumes, we decided to head out for some fun. too bad we wound up in dodgy gothic camden, in some club that played heavy rock...or metal.i actually have no idea what sort of music it was. i just remember looking around at the zombies, vampires and draculas that packed the dancefloor, feeling really lost. and never will i forget the endless head banging (the only way you could move to such music), flinging what little hair there is on my head around (yep i had another trim recently). thank god the teeny bit of alcohol i had had worked its magic by numbing the throbbing pain in my feet. oh, the drudgery of having to wear heels on a night out. i was quite glad when i finally got back to my warm bed, curling up and falling asleep in my witch outfit, broom in one hand, rufus in the other.