New Panadol...

Interesting conversation between me and R....

B: Geezzz....I just had a crazy meeting with the HR peeps. Nut case...Now I think HR stands for Human Retards...


R: Oh haha, them again huh? They're just super unpopular in most organisations


B: I can see why and now I'm having a headache and just popped some Panadol Extra


R: Ohhh hahaha, if they have Panadol Extra and Panadol Muscle & Joint, I think they can develop Panadol HR too...


B: LOLOLO....totally brilliant! Panadol HR! I'll need them by the truck load...

Ohhh...what a Monday! The torrential rain has proven to be a pain in the ass and the first thought I had when I woke up this morning was "Hmmm, so do I swim or canoe to work?"....I love and hate rain! The awesome cool weather is such respite from the usual sweltering heat and it's almost like "Winter in Singapore" (though I would prefer it to go even chillier). But the grey sky and blanket-nuzzling weather make waking up impossible, and commuting to work and generally anywhere means you'll end up marinating your feet in rain water and whatever sand and mud that get into the shoes....not to mention it'll ruin your shoes! Suffer the little Louboutins and Choos (actually, or Lanvin flats mostly)! And oh dear...the bag!! The bag suffers too and if you forget to rain proof that precious leather bag, you're left with nasty water marks that might not go away (case in point, the Mulberry Oak brown leather)! So here's how you weather proof your garbs!

No.1...this is the ultimate life saver! The mighty old Wellies!!I think everyone should have a pair! And I'm finally giving my leopard prints wellies some mileage since Glastonbury Festival! And now I'm thinking of getting another 2 more to go with other outfits...

I wear them to and fro work and whenever I go run errands out in the torrential rain. You might not think you really need it until you walk through a puddle of water as the muddy rain water gushes into your shoes! And it keeps your pants (you tuck them in) from getting soaked too....And you bring your work shoes or whatever shoes with you so your feet stay dry....yes, it might be a bit odd and I get a stare or two from people, but screw them cos last checked, my feet are dry and comfy and theirs soaked and cold. Stare as you want but oh well, enjoy marinating your feet in rain water till they're stinky (especially if you're wearing leather shoes). I hate wet feet. Especially when you take your feet out of the shoes to feel some relief only to need to shove them back into the cold wet shoes when you need to walk around...ewww

Then, you'll need a bag that's rain-proof without sacrificing on style! With the week-long rainy weather predicted, I've stored all my other bags back into their dust bags and pulled out my Mulberry Roxanne in black with coated canvas that's rain proof. Perfect for rainy weather and you won't have to give your precious IT bag prime estate space under the brolly to shield it from rain. I cringe whenever I see good bags suffering in the rain!

Other good options for decent rain proof bag that's pretty are from Kate Spade and Agnes B. But yes, a girl gotta look presentable even with the crazy pissing rain! Happy Moan-day...at least it's a short week!

Child Discipline

East vs West is the age old thing in many cultural differences and the other day, a friend on Facebook posted a video clip of Dr Phil program showing a mom in the US disciplining her young son who's lying and when the son wouldn't confess or admit to the mistake of lying, she would made him take a mouthful of Tabasco sauce (aka chili sauce) and swish it in his mouth until he owns up and then he's allowed to spit it out. Then he also got the cold shower for fighting in school, lying and getting warnings from teacher. Here's the clip....



Now if you watch it till the end, it shows that many members of the audience were crying cos they got so affected that they were tearing and some called her a monster and some said the child gotta be taken out of the house by social service. But the thing is, the kid is out of control and if you look at the next clip, the mom's explaining that all other methods didn't work and the kid would just say "Is that all you could do to me?" back to the mom...



So here you have it. The thing is, if you ask me, her discipline methods are just soooo common among Asian parents of my generations! And her ways were considered mild cos she didn't even whack the kid. I remember when I was young, I was a major horror and when I got into trouble, my mom would lock me into a dark room aka the store room with no lights and window till I quiet down and hey,  it works (and I'm not afraid of the dark these days too). And I got caned when I did pranks too. I once went into a high end department store and threw a crystal candle holder on the floor for fun and it broke and my dad had to pay exorbitant amount for it and when I got home, I got caned. Nothing uncommon.

I've heard worse stuff on how peeps from my generation got disciplined. A friend of mine was asked to kneel down on two beer bottle caps (jagged side up of course) while he got whacked. A relative of mine got fed chili padi when she failed her test (she'll probably think Tabasco is nothing!) and her mom once made her kick a durian like a soccer ball (okay that I think is a bit sick). Then Ah Meow said her nanny used to make the kids kneel in the squatty toilet bowl when they're naughty (so that it's so gross they won't do it again).

So when Ah Meow and I watched the clip, we went like "Huh? Why the hell were the freaking audience crying? It's really not so bad cos she didn't even hit him and it's nothing compared to how we were disciplined when we were young"....apparently a lot of my friends didn't think that much of it and thought ah it's harsh but it wouldn't consider as abuse though the sound effect of the kid screaming in the shower was disturbing. But hey, he was taunting the mom saying "Is that all you could do to me?" when she disciplined her so we all think it's a bit of a you-asked-for-it thing. Thing is, if you show this clip in Asia, nothing much would happen and you probably wouldn't get mention of social security of sort and my dad actually said just whack the bugger. It's, however, considered child abuse in the West. Interesting huh?

Then another clip on Dr Phil showed this mom being "mean" as she lost her temper quick and she yelled at her daughters and sometimes called them "Stupid" and asked them to "Get out of my face" etc. Again, Ah Meow and I were puzzled cos we went like "Huh? Isn't that what moms are supposed to do? Our mom screamed at us and call us stupid and sometimes said that she'd rather give birth to a piece of char siew (roast pork) than us." So we're quite puzzled why the mom was all teary...

Just quite an interesting perspective of how children should or shouldn't be disciplined. The two dueling school of thoughts between corporal and non-corporal punishment. West is always about not hitting the child and the East is now slowly adopting that though many still think it's important to punish and hit the kid.

Do you? I personally believe in responsible punishment and hitting at times is needed. Of course, you shouldn't hit the kid for no reason and you must make the child understand why. And of course, you shouldn't hit the child excessively with scissors kicks and karate chops, but some reasonable spanking might do the child some good. And with less spanking adopted among younger parents, I really wonder if the 90s kids (aka the Strawberry generation) are so spoilt because they didn't get whacked enough...But I do know that when I have kids, and if I have kids, there'll definitely be a cane hidden somewhere in the cupboard. I'm not condoning violence and child abuse but I think a bit of responsible spanking as discipline would go a long way.

To end this spank or no spank post on a light note, let me end this post with a really funny clip by comedian Russel Peters on child discipline between the East and West....it can't be more apt...now enjoy and have a good laugh...quite long but it's really funny

Lemongrass House Goodies!

You might have read about my previous blog post on Lemongrass House (Click here) last year and I've been using and loving some of their products for some time. I love their stuff and their philosophy! And now they love me back and the nice peeps at Lemongrass House has passed me some products to try out! Yay! I got a bunch of products and I'm slowly trying them out one by one....and now, I've officially found the body butter with the best texture!!!

Okay, I'm obsessed with body butter since I have very dry skin and awhile back, I featured the Boots Fairtrade Rosehip Body Butter and it's awesome and now I've got another favorite and it's the Lemongrass House Lavender & Rosemary Body Butter. They're both awesome but in different ways. And no, I didn't say the Lemongrass House body butter is awesome cos they sent me the products cos I can very well not feature it. I've already spent loads of money buying their products previously (I got their lavender shampoo and condition, body cream, diffuser and shower gel) and I waxed lyrical about their stuff before as you can see in my previous post last year.

They really do have great quality products. In fact, their products are so good that Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons in Phuket and some many world class hotels and resorts in Thailand and US have been stocking their bathroom with Lemongrass House products (though with their own hotel branding). I'm really loving their body butter and I wonder why I didn't try it earlier! Anyway, I just picked up the products like a couple of hours ago and I slathered it on awhile ago and I love it so much that I must about it like NOW cos I'm excited and impressed!

So, why so good? The texture is AWESOME!!! Now, most body butter I've tried have got a heavy texture and the consistency is very thick as it's rich in moisture and oil but the Lemongrass House Body Butter has a delightfully light texture. It's actually very fluffy and it's got a texture that's like whipped cream and it's so easy to spread compared to the usual body butter. You MUST go check out the tester at the shop cos it's really very different. I think it should be called Body Whipped Cream instead cos it's so light and fluffy.

I got the Lavender & Rosemary one cos I'm a sucker for Lavender and it's such a pleasure to use cos the aroma is just really magnificent! It's a very nice treat after work and it smells so good that I can't decide whether to cup my hands together to inhale the nice scent or busy myself slathering my skin with it. So I did both, a bit retarded I know. Repeatedly massaging the body butter in while stealing whiff of the smell from my hands. And it's not your typical Lavender scent cos the Rosemary gives it a tingling minty zing that's very refreshing yet relaxing. And the best thing is that it gets absorbed very fast and don't be fooled by the light fluffy texture cos it's very moisturizing and even my dry bits like the elbows get really soft after use. And the best thing is that it's a no-nasty formula cos it's sulphate and paraben free so it's free of harsh ingredients and carcinogens. Most of their products are actually about 70% organic and you know I'm a major major sucker for organic anything! So this is one awesome gem that I will definitely buy after I finish it. In fact, I'm gonna tell my friends about it cos the texture is just incredible.

So right now, I have 2 body butter I love and I alternate it according to my moods! But really, if you're into body butter, you ought to seriously try this one out. It's light yet potent! I'll be using this at night cos in the day, I actually keep their Lavender Body Cream (I bought that) in my office and I apply it to my very dry shins  everyday and I have to hide it cos my colleagues have a tendency to steal it cos I've got them hooked on it as well. Now I've got the perfect day and night combo! But really, if you pass by their shops, just try it out! (They've just opened their fourth outlet at Raffles City 3rd floor, the other outlets are at Orchard 313, Liang Court and Parco Millenia Walk) Ohhh I'm one happy bunny tonight :)

L'eclipse

Listening to Sean Lennon sings L'eclipse.....he's actually a family friend cos my aunt in NYC was his piano teacher for the longest of time...this is my favorite tune from Sean...the MTV is awesome...The other day, someone as me which Lennon do I like, Julian or Sean (they're half brothers in case you don't know)....I can't decide...I think Julian is a much better singer and I love his music especially Salt Water but Sean is cuter in a more artsy sense..It's a draw...hahaha....I like Julian cos he's a bit of the underdog that John Lennon neglected and Sean Lennon is the prized golden boy but well, despite his girlie voice, this golden boy does have some good talent and he's a very strong resemblance of his father in terms of looks and music (song writing that is, not voice...Julian sounds more like John)....yeah, it's got to be a draw...Okay, maybe it's Sean Lennon after all.....Anyway, here's L'eclipse...



He actually sounds a hell lot better (and sexier) singing French...Cette chanson est trop belle! I love!

Cranial Aromacology!

I've got a new shampoo I like (though I'm about to finish it cos I got a small bottle)...well, actually I only start liking now despite having used it for awhile...and it's L'Occitane Aromacologie Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner. Thing is, I bought it expecting it to smell super nice but I was a wee bit disappointed that it's got a rather faint smell that's similar to the Johnson Baby classic shampoo (the yellow one). You see, I'm all about smell cos whatever shampoo and shower stuff I use gotta smell divine so this one's a bit of a let down in terms of smell, especially when it's called the Aromacologie range.

Well the smell didn't measure up to my exacting standard but the performance sure does! The shampoo lathers really well to give a very moisturizing wash that leaves hair soft and relatively untangled even without the conditioner which is really great. The conditioner's light but enough to keep your hair tangle-free and because the shampoo keeps my hair quite moisturized, I only need to apply the conditioner to the ends of my hair. It doesn't over-coat hair like the usual Japanese pharmacy mass brands which I really hate, so your hair gets very light and very soft!

And now, I've slowly grown to actually like the scent. Not the ideal nice girlie floral type that I love but it's good enough. The only thing I hate about it is that the conditioner is of a smaller size. The shampoo comes in 250ml but the conditioner 200ml. I have issue with that cos I tend to use more conditioner and I dunno why they have a difference of 50ml...I'm fine if it's the other way round though. Will I buy it again? Yes, I think so! I got a small mini bottle to try and I'm definitely getting the bigger ones now.

Best of 7Up!

Fido Dido eat your heart out! 7Up has just got the best ad ever in China to promote its lucky draw which has got pretty high chance of winning! This ad is brilliant and very hilarious...I love it!!! Now that's something I'm gonna remember! Here's something great to relieve a bit of your Monday-titis...

Notable Quotable

"It was probably a few days before we were saying things like, “I think I’m in love with you.” Now, we say it to each other every night before we go to sleep, and we say it at the end of every telephone conversation, and we write it at the end of every e-mail. Every time you think, I love you, I really believe you have to say it. If you think about holding their hand or kissing them, you do it. I do it all the time."

--Tom Ford ( on his long time boyfriend Richard Bucklety)

Super Nature

I had a very spontaneous shopping frenzy trip to the organic shop, Super Nature, at Orchard Boulevard during lunch last week. HL told me about Super Nature by Club21 and I found that they've got my all time favorite organic brand Balance Me there and I made a very quick beeline down to check it out like literally immediately...took a cab from work and flew down)...

It's tucked in a very secluded corner in Orchard and not the most accessible cos it's at the ground floor of an old condo called Park House which is at the cross junction at Orchard Boulevard and Tomlinson Road.

It's got two sections, one for food and the other for everything else including organic dish washing liquid and toiletries and cosmetics.

They stock a pretty comprehensive range of organic face and body products from the more common brands like Burt's Bee to the more niche ones like Balance Me. Once upon a time, I had to buy my Balance Me either from the UK or from this little clothes boutique from Palais Renaissance called Puce Boutique (which also stock 3 of my favorite labels, Twenty8twelve, Erin Fetherston and Jasmine di Milo). And at Puce, the mark up is freaking ridiculous cos for a bottle of body oil that's about £19, I had to pay $90 sgd!! It's outrageous! And for a £12.26 body wash, Puce was selling at an exorbitant rip-off price of $45 sgd! Since Puce closed down last year (ohhh and you wonder why?! you don't say!), I had to rely on friends shuttling back and forth UK to get my hands on Balance Me cos last checked, they don't ship international...garr...


So when I found out that Super Nature has been selling Balance Me, I rushed down and I came back with a big bag of stuff....my Project Chinese Jew down the drain...but hey, it's not just about toiletries cos I also got food and homeopathic stuff too...

What's in this baggie:

• Balance Me Rose Otto Body Wash
• Balance Me Shampoo
• Balance Me Conditioner
• Balance Me Super Body Oil (the best I've tried!)
• Figs n Rouge Rambling Rose Lip Balm
• Duchy Herbals Detox Tincture
• Boiron Silicea homeo tablets for Fatigue
• Boiron Kali Phosphoricum for tension headache
• Pukka Rose Water (as face mist)
• Bach Rescue Remedy Pastilles 
• Organic Quinoa (full of protein)
• Mitoku Japanese Rice Cakes 
• Bear Yoyos Organic fruity candy (pure fruit actually) 

Yes, quite a bit to lug back but good thing is that Club21 member gets a 5% off, so my membership actually comes in handy cos now with Super Nature, Club21 isn't just about big ticketed items like a brand new hand bag or something...

Okay, will blog about the loot in a different post, but if you're after some good quality organic face and body products, do check out Super Nature cos they really have quite a good selection!

Photog Faux Pas

I made a major boo boo 2 nights ago while taking the bus....and it was embarrassing....

On my way home, I saw this school girl in the bus and there's something off about her. Then I realized, oh, it's actually a dude! A small sized one and he's wearing some kind of school uniform. White shirt with those puberty cream puff training bra underneath (you can see okay, cos it's a white on white with scalloped lace), green short skirt and trainers completed with a super kawaii canvas tote with cutesy trinkets dangling around it. He's also got some hair clip on too and he's reading a book. I actually examined him quite a bit (he couldn't really see me looking cos he's busy reading anyway) and it's soooo damn obvious it's a man cos he's got very masculine arms with veiny large hands, angular jaws and even a tinge of 5 o'clock shadow and it's without a doubt he's a dude.

I was texting Scotty about it and I wanted Scotty to see the kawaii Japanese school porn wannabe cross-dresser, so I figure I could take a secret snap shot since he's too engrossed in his book with his ear phones on anyway.

So I put my Blackberry to camera mode only to make the biggest boo-freaking-boo of my photographic attempt!! And I learn the biggest lesson of sneaky photography....

Lesson #1 of "How to take a sneaky shot of someone":
ALWAYS, yes, ALWAYS turn the flash light OFF!

Yes, I freaking forgot to turn the flash off and when I see the flash about to light up, I panicked and quickly stuff the phone in my bag but then you could still see the little bit of light coming out cos I wasn't swift enough and BAM! Mr Jap School Porn wannabe looked up with a murderous stares that probably translated to "You fucking c@#t! I'm so gonna mop the floor with your fucking face!" And he didn't let go of the I-wanna-fucking-kill-you glare until so much later...he stared so hard that it looked as if his eyeballs were about to flip all the way to the back of his head....and I had to pretend nothing's wrong and when I finally got off the bus....I breathed a sigh of relief!

So you've learned from me! So try this at home...no, don't try this AT ALL!

Diana diana diana, I would die for you....

Ohhhh excitement! I went to collect my first two rolls of 120 film I shot on my shocking pink Diana F+ last Saturday and the photos I've got aren't too shabby at all! I was almost expecting it to be shitty cos Mr Bunny said most people would take at least 2 to 3 rolls to get the pictures right and get a good feel of how to use the Diana F+ but well, I'm proud to say that I'm very very happy with the results and even Mr Bunny said he's surprised that I've got quite a lot of nice shots! Most first timer couldn't do that and I'm a natural, said Mr Bunny! *blush* Yes, not much modesty telling you guys I know but hey, I'm really happy with the pictures! So just let me boast a bit! Okay, not like they're super fantastic but it's pretty decent for the debut rolls...

Anyway, I've selected some of my favorite shots.....taken from my recent trip to Thailand and back home in Hong Kong.....I love all its nice vintage feel with grainy yet high color saturation.....I'm so sick and tired of the usual high res, high def digital pictures and it's getting boring and there, DianaF+ gives a very good and fun  artsy alternative to the ubiquitous perfectly crystal clear shots

I love how it's focused on the groin area and off focus on the rest...lol

This is my 2nd favorite, it's got a very slight vignetting 

Diana F+ does best in bright sunlight, I'm gonna try using the color filter flash next time in the dark

My 3rd favorite...it's a golden boy somewhere in the Wat Arun. Mr Bunny likes this best from the thailand collection

Attempting double exposure

Slight vignetting on the top...

Dad painting the poles in the garden...sorry about the thinning hair..but I love this photo

Saving the best for last, this is my all time favorite and Mr Bunny's all time favorite from this lot cos this is the classic text book Diana F+ photo according to Mr Bunny the pro......Nice subtle vignetting at the bottom and I added a bit of tinted flash for that ring light effect...This is my mom and my feline brother Momo...erm if you're wondering why there's white stuff on my mom's face, it's some beauty mask thing...

Can't wait to take more photos! And with my Diana F+ mini too! I'm so excited!

Hellraiser & Bride of Frankenstein

Remember how the Hellraiser look? Yeah that freakoid with needles all over his face? This dude...

Yup, this freakoid that somehow reminds me of the Metallica song "Enter Sandman" despite it'll probably be more apt to call him "Nailman"....Anyways, I kinda subjected myself to the Hellraiser treatment, though not on the face, cos 2 nights ago, I went for some full-on acupuncture. 

I've had acupuncture before and it was on my hand and fingers cos I was having problems with left pinky finger from playing the cello. It's child's play in the dictum of acupuncture cos I merely had 4 needles on my hand and nothing else...but this time, I'm fixing some hormones issue (women's problem) and boy, I had some seriously full-on acupuncture that would probably make Hellraiser proud....I had 17 needles in all. 4 on my head on the skull (the most Hellraiser), 9 on my stomach which looked all super bloated, and then 2 on each leg, so a total of 4 on my legs....

1, 2, 3, 4....

I'm sure this would turn Hellraiser on...it's almost like a piece of art....

Thing is, it doesn't hurt more than just a light prick but I got very very very nervous cos I do have super high pain threshold...tattoo? no problem, Brazilian waxing? feels like a scratch, plucking out all 4 wisdom teeth at one go? Done that and no sweat! But acupuncture freaks the living daylight out of me cos high pain threshold I do have but what I can't deal is seeing the freaking needles stuck in my flesh...things like IV drip needle stuck in my vein doesn't hurt but the idea of foreign object lodged in my body makes my knees weak!

So when I saw the bunches of needle from my peripheral vision, I was hyperventilating to the point I was actually trembling cos that's a real "freak out" feeling....and I was literally scared stiff and didn't dare to even really breathe or flinch a muscle and the TCM doctor had to come and remind me to breathe and he was flinging my arms around saying "It's okay, you can move! Don't have to be so stiff!" 

I also refuse to get the mild current pass the needles for stimulation cos I'm already so freaked out and twitching feeling from needles is the last thing I need. I told him I'll do it the next time cos this is a bit like a rehearsal. So deep breathing I did and I got a bit more relax after. Only that when Ah Meow came in, I tried sooo hard not to laugh when she said "OMG, look at that bride of Frankenstein!" 

So how does that feel after? I dunno...okay I guess but I feel kinda bloated and full after so it's good for not eating and would definitely curb my voracious appetite...and the next morning, not sure if it's psychological or not, I actually felt quite light....we'll see...I'll be back for more on Saturday...it's gonna be twice a week now for about 6 weeks....wish me luck....

A Little Luxury...

Well, yes, I've stopped spending on stuff (with the exception of books, but that's allowed) and after coming back from Hong Kong with a busted piggy bank, I know better that I'd have to be on a Project Chinese Jew regime and start scrimping and saving lest I declare bankruptcy.

So I've been slowly rationing out my loot from Hong Kong. I basically bought stuff and not open it. I keep them in pristine condition and then "revisit" them when I feel the need to have something to muse about. So I unwrap them bit by bit (the last was the Dymo label maker) and now, I've got a bit of luxury...

While I was in the Landmark Mall in Hong Kong, I went to the Harvey Nichols beauty section and bought a bunch of stuff...Chanel eye shadow (*yawn* cos it's just eye shadow though a pretty luxe one) and then the cool stuff! Aka Steam Cream (the two colorful round tins) and Love & Toast Lipbalm in Pear.....Here's a closer look after I've removed all the che che packaging...

What fabulous packaging!!!

Both kinda cult now especially the Steam Cream cos it's selling super well in the UK & Japan. It's a hand bag size cream you bring around with you and the cream can be used for your face, body and hand to soothe any dry spots. What's special about this is that using a revolutionary steam-infused manufacturing process, Steam Cream provides a long-lasting, intensive and effective form of skincare that can be used on face, body and hands. 

This fluffy cream contains soothing and moisturising ingredients such as oatmeal infusion, orange flower water and lavender oil. And the best part? It comes in super attractive designs on the tin! Click here to check out more...

Then come another of my favorite brands Love&Toast. They make really delicious products with wonderful smell and organic ingredients. They have body products and perfume too and they all come in really brilliant packaging that's so damn irresistible.

See the inside of the box? First it's got a heart cut out..

 Ohhh then it's got a toast!

 It happens that my favorite flavor (pear) comes in my favorite packaging design too

Love&Toast has got a very charitable philosophy and a portion of their profit goes to a charity for young women to help empower them. Click here to read more...I wish they have this in Singapore!!! Garrr I wish I have some financial backing to bring in my favorite brands to Singapore! But then again, it'll probably fold and close shop cos I like pretty niche brands! oh well...

Artsy weekend....

I had an artsy weekend and I'm feeling kinda inspired now...First, on Friday, I went to an art exhibition at Art Space at Tanjong Pagar Distri Park and it's a collection of contemporary Asian arts and it's not as bad as I thought! Here are some shots I've taken...

This piece named "Choir" has got 1000 different clay figurines all with a different facial expressions all singing songs...some sad, some happy....

Closer look....very cool...It's got opera music playing and it's as if the whole team of clay figurines is singing to us...and the funny thing was, some opera singer who was also a patron went up to me and Mr Bunny and started singing loudly in our face and she told us she's an opera singer...freaky but hey, that woman really could sing!

My second favorite, this is by an Indonesian artist Agus Suwage and it's a gold skeleton bathing in a bucket of rice grains, depicting the decadence of consumerism... pretty well expressed

This one is about war back when German Shepard dogs were used as "suicide bombers" and you need a timer on top of each of them, indicating when they're gonna explode...

This is my favorite piece! It's a very very long panels of boxes with lighted pictures behind. They're all famous paintings of well-known artists or important figures and personality...And on top of the viewing space, say half a meter away, the entire ceiling was hanging with speakers of different shapes and sizes and it had sound bits, music corresponding to the visual in front...I couldn't take a picture of it cos it's too dark

Recognize that? It's the famous diamond and skull by British shock artist Damien Hirst, who happened to be having dinner with my aunt the night before together with Shanghai Tang's David Tang in Hong Kong....Damn it, I would want to meet Damien Hirst! Other than Hirst, there were also pieces from Picasso, Gustav Klimt, Monet, the usual suspects from the classical world and even pop and contemporary artists like Yoshimoto Nara whose work I would LOVE to collect..

Ohhhh see that? John Lennon and Yoko Ono (who happened to be our family friend....long story)

So that was Friday....It was a lovely time cos I really liked what I saw and the last piece, which is the long panel light installation, would make a very very backdrop for a quirky boutique hotel lobby...

Then today, I managed to catch the last day of Art Stage at the Marina Bay Sands....it's awesome! It's got some pretty good classics from Picasso and modern contemporary artists too...I've taken some shots of some of those I love. Didn't take pictures of everything but I only snapped those I find interesting...

This is an awesome 3D photo montage!! If you look closer, they're all assembled by little squares of actual photographs and they're put together to make it 3D. Very nice

Another one by the same artist

Now one for the wall

This is an awesome sculpture that has a bit of optical illusion cos it looks like the head gets increasingly squashed...you can't really see it here but the actual thing really fucks with your vision a bit

Another angle

A  big installation of giant ants with lights as their heads...pretty cool...

Ohhh sculptures of the two characters of one of my favorite Iranian movies, Children of Heaven! I don't think it's particularly brilliant but I love the movie

I couldn't resist snapping this picture...Two of my favorite things! Books and Cats and it's even got one of my favorite books too, A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Now this is my second favorite...fucking brilliant! This is entirely made of mesh wire...how they made that baby in the center I'm not sure how...but I'm so captivated by it...

Here's another baby...

Ohhhh and the instrument I play! The cello! I WANT THIS!!!

And this is my 3rd favorite....these little figures are made from old vinyl records...very nice and colorful and definitely creative...

Ahhh and this is a super cute one cos the little yellow jumper is for a giraffe! It's called "A gift for giraffe"! What a cute concept! Like wake up one morning and go like "ohhh I shall make a gift for a giraffe!"

AND NOW.....MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE FROM THE SHOW.....tadaaaa It's sculptures made from stacking books together by this Taiwanese artist Chen Long-Bin who's now based in the US. He made a series of Buddha sculptures using old books and phone books....it's freaking amazing!!!! I couldn't stop marveling at it cos to begin with, the Buddha's heads are so very well sculpted and to know what it's made from one of my favorite things in the world, ie. Books, it's even more fascinating! How clever...I would really want to buy one!

You can see from the back that it's all phone books....

Now this is the magnificent front view of the sculpted buddha head using a stack of books

Take a closer look, here're all the book spines you see....

Now this is the tower of a series of Buddha's heads using books of different sizes and colors and I'm sooo very interested in buying this...and it's going at $42,000 USD...not really THAT bad

Take a closer look....it's so nice....

So that's about all the really interesting ones that I've taken....I saw a very very nice Frank Auerbach's painting and I didn't bother taking a snap shot of it after asking how much it is cos it's just demoralising to know that it was sold at over $400,000 USD!!! OMG! 

You know what? I really wish I have so much money that I'll be an art collector....and I'd like the work from the followings:

• Frank Auerbach
• Mark Ryden
• Yoshitomo Nara
• Johan Vermeer
• Gustav Klimt
• Picasso

That's all....not very ambitious but still, it's so freaking hard to achieve cos they're so freaking expensive....can someone gimme some please????