Errr... More from Melbourne

Errr... this is a continuation from here. I also thought that I didn't buy that much scrapbooking stuff but then when I looked at them today, I thought "Mmm...quite a lot also..."

Silicon Spatulas

(Just found these. They were tucked together with my scrapbooking stuff.

Bought this from the same shop where I bought the Cupcake Holders)

Scrapbooking Set from Costco

(Has 2 albums, papers, stickers, brads, stamps, ribbons, metal embellishments, chipboards)

Embellishments

More Embellishments

No more buying for a loooooooong while!!!

Who said "didn't buy much in Melbourne"????

Who?
Me lah....
I sincerely thought that we didn't buy much as the exchange rate is not exactly favourable to the USD. But when I unloaded our stuff from the bags and put them all on the table, I was a little surprised myself with the amount of stuff we had bought in Melbourne.

S1's Request - A Book
Salad Spinner

Cupcake Containers

(for boys' lunchboxes... H said "waste money"!)

2 -Tier Cupcake/Muffin Carrier
(some of my scrapbooking items are stuffed inside)

A Variety of Dips, Pates and Rolo Dessert
(Yes. Bought a Cool Bag and Reusable Ice Packs)

Pita Bread
(Dad said "never heard of people go australia and buy bread!" hahahhahha)

Chunky Soup, Seasoning, Sandwich Spreads, Sauces and YES - Tomato Ketchup
(My gila hubby lah...he is a tomato ketchup freak!)

More Sauces - A variety from MasterFoods

Instant Mac&Cheese and Soup Stock

Byron Bay Cookies, Halloween Marshmallows, Cadbury Chocolates, Scrabble Belgian Chocolates...

Sweeties (H's) and Ferrero Rocher (boys')

Fruit Bars and Dry Fruits
(for the boys)
Gingerbread House Kit

Vitamins (for S2) and EPO (for me)
Wines and Bubbly....

And I haven't post my scrapbooking stuff yet... Actually, didn't buy that much scrapbooking stuff as they were so much more expensive in Australia than the States. Most of the nice things were all US-brands rather than Aussie.

Melbourne is NO place for diets!!!!

I've said it, and will say it again. Melbourne is NO place to visit if you are on a diet! How to? When the produce is fresh, luscious and bountiful ? Even if you don't go out to the restaurants, a stroll in the market is enough to salivate!

On the first day in Melbourne, I went to Prahran Market on Toorak Road... Just couldn't resist the lamb, sausages etc etc on display. Called my sister and told her that I am cooking in the serviced apartment and she was like WHAT??? Shocked that I was gonna cook on the first day. Okay...not really cook cook. I bought a variety of sausages, a seasoned lamb loin, beef shashlik, pita bread, a variety of Mediteranean dips, a variety of desserts, fruits... All I had to do was chuck the whole lot into the oven. It was very very yummy indeed. Forgot to take photographs. Actually, forgot to take photos of quite a number of meals...didn't take of our Yum Cha at Westfield Doncaster, the pho bo in Footscray nor the yummilicious lunch at The Point @ Albert Park - one of the yummiest meal....

Anyway, here's some photos that we managed to take before diving in!!!

The next 4 photos were taken at The Press Club near Collins St somewhere.. The owner chef is the botak judge in the Junior Masterchef Australia. Don't ask me his name. I donno leh.... Donno what the dishes are called also...

Supposedly my "birthday cake" at Koko Black. Think this was at Lygon Street?? Too sleepy to remember.

Some seafood stuff from Claypots over at St. Kilda.....

Cheese Platter at De Bortoli Winery....

The next 4 photos were all taken at Yerring Station Restaurant ... the pork dish was really really good! Absolutely gorgeous!

Needless to say... all this eating has made me put on lots of extra weight! I should really have done what I said in the sponsored post before my trip...,i.e PACK SOME DIET PILLS in my luggage bag! Didn't lah... Now have to really eat light to lose the 2 kg gained over the few days in Melbourne!

I cannot be a Flight Attendant!

No. Not because that I am aesthetically- or height-challenged. Errr..actually these two are not even a necessity with European/Australian/American airlines. And one definitely need not be young too. I remember the flight attendants on British Airways when I was studying in the UK - they were even older than my Ah Ma (grandmother)!

Why did I bring this up? Well,.... my H had wanted to go to the States again (as in next week!) to do some important tasks and had asked me to tag along. I wasn't too keen ...as we had just come back from the States (landed in Asia on the 1st of August), travelled to Penang in early-August and then just flew back to Jakarta mid-August. In addition, I am going to Bangkok next month.... Seems like a lot of travelling in a short period of time and I really feel NOT settled. Don't know how flight attendants do it!

If I do go away, then I will have to arrange for dad or mom to fly over to Jakarta to babysit the boys. Not only that, I have just recently volunteered for the school's Math program which required me to undergo some training. Am also now the Class Rep for S2's class...as no moms wanted to volunteer - So 'chamm'!! Schedule has been pretty hectic. To go away means my schedule will be a bit mucked-up. Thus, really wanted to have things all sorted out first. Ding Dong here and there, then my H said that he will try to sort it out over here and thus we do not need to travel to the States. So I thought all settled and okay. No need to worry about schedules etc.

Then my H said that he wants to go on a short trip with me... and asked where I wanted to go. Again, my facial expression must have shown that I wasn't that keen...and we almost end up FIGHTING. He said "wanna go away with you also so difficult!".....
Well, to cut long story short, I am flying to Melbourne this Thursday. Yes...so very last minute. Dad's flying in to babysit the boys on Wednesday.... Lots of things to sort out. The boys schedule, my meeting with other Class Reps, our Melbourne hotel, my other appointments etc etc. Aduh!
Think this trip, we NOT going to do anything other than eat, drink and sleep. Oh yah...and shopping for more Scrapbooking stuff! Hahahha. H actually said "I don't care. Next time, I am going to get you more papers! Otherwise you are like sooooo 'hann' like that!"

Okay...gotta go search for my hotel rooms now.

Myer's Christmas Window Display...

Come. Come. Come and look at my photographs of the window display...
Come and "pong chann" lah....

Sis saw the window displays first and mentioned that they were cute....So of course I also wanted to look at them. At Bourke Street, I told boys to go look at the Myer window displays with me.... but NO ONE wanted to. S1 had persuaded H to take him to Angus & Robertson round the corner...and I thought I could persuade S2 to go look at the displays with me. He was already walking away with his dad and brother, looked back at me; waved and said "No thanks, mom!"...leaving me standing there in the middle of  Bourke Street ALONE. Like some desolate woman...

 *sobs* My babies are grown-up. Not interested in these things anymore... :-(

Forgot which is the right order liow..... But basically shows Santa's workshop's various departments from Planning, through to Production and Delivery of the pressies.... 

Melbourne Trip - Summary

Thought I should write a short summary on our Melbourne Trip before this 'ole brain of mine forgets everything....

Monday, 8 Dec'08
- Depart for Melbourne

Tuesday, 9 Dec'08
- Arrive in Melbourne early AM
- Pick-up Car, Check-in @ Hotel
- Lunch at Chadstone
- Visit old friend, K at her home
- Dinner with Mott and Sandee

Wednesday, 10 Dec'08
- Slept like a piggy till late
- Lunch @ Sharksfin House with Family
- Visit to the Old Melbourne Gaol
- Dinner at Queen Victoria Market
- V's Wedding Rehearsal on Swanston St.

Thursday, 11 Dec'08
- Visit to Werribee Open Range Zoo
- Shopping at Chadstone
- Eureka SkyDeck and Southbank
- Unveiling of Advent Calender at Federation Square

Friday, 12 Dec'08
- Trammed to the City
- Visit to Melbourne Aquarium
- Lunch at the Waterfront @ Crown
- V's Tea Ceremony
- Shopping in the City
- Dinner at Sharksfin House

Saturday, 13 Dec'08
- V's Wedding at Brighton Beach Gardens
- Shopping at Chadstone (again!)
- V's Wedding Dinner at Station Pier, Port Melbourne

Sunday, 14 Dec'08
- Brunch at Ackland St.
- Visit to Luna Park and St. Kilda Beach
- Dinner in the Chinese Restaurant on Punt Road.

Monday, 15 Dec '08
- Dumped boys with Grandparents ...to the Melbourne Zoo
- Lunch at Chinatown
- Search for Scrapbooking shop
- Dinner at Waterfront @ Port Melbourne

Tuesday, 16 Dec '08
- Depart Melbourne for Home

Details and photos to come later.....

Blogger Meet-Up

This is a backdated post.

Backdated to last year.... 9 December 2008 to be exact.

Despite of their very busy schedules, Mott and Sandee very graciously met up with me for dinner on Tuesday (9 Dec '08) evening. As I didn't want to bring the boys, nor want to venture too far from our apartment at St. Kilda Road, the ladies suggested that we meet at the restaurant at The Tolarno Hotel on Fitzroy Street.

I happily left the boys (all three of them) to their oven-ready dinners, and walked to the tram stop across from our apartment. A tram arrived quite immediately, and I thought "Wah..so lucky. No need to wait"...and then the tram just whoooooosh passed. Eh??? I didn't know that I had to hail one leh! What to do? Waited for the next tram to come by, and wave like crazy woman!!!

Also blurr-blurr inside the tram. Wondering how to work the ticket machine. Bet people must be wondering where this swa-koo Chinesey woman come from??!?!?

This blurr Chinesey woman did get out at the right stop, (Last time we were in Melbourne, we stayed right on Fitzroy St....so this place not entirely alien to me lah...) and reached the restaurant in no time.

Knew that both the ladies had not seen my face...but I was the only Chinesey woman in the restaurant. So naturally, quite easy to single me out lah.

I supposed I was a little direct.....asking the ladies questions NON-STOP. Come to think of it. It did seem like I was interrogating.

SORRY, GALs!!!!

We had a wonderful dinner and conversation..... the ladies were so very generous. NOT only they both got me gifts, they wanted to buy me dinner!!!!

AIYO!
And I on the other hand, came EMPTY-HANDED.

(Actually, I did want to buy them some handicrafts. Went to the shop on my departure day ...but the shops were closed. HONEST!!!!)

I really really felt soooooooooooooooooo bad.

Luckily, managed to convince them to let me pay for my own dinner. Otherwise, will feel doubly bad.

Gifts from the Gals...

Scrapbooking Kits from Mott

Very very Fragrant Soap from Sandee

THANK YOU, LADIES

LOVED THEM VERY MUCH!

After dinner, the ladies came over to our apartment. Supposed to take pictures....but we were chatting away till we forgot to take the intended photos.

Oh well...I'm sure there will be a next time.
RIGHT??

Read Sandee's account here.

All About Scrapbooking

Organised my scrapbooking stuff this morning.....The following photos are the recent stuff that I bought.....from Berkerley in October, some stuff from here, and most recently from Melbourne.

Albums to-date

Acrylic Stamps from Berkerley

Embellishments from Berkerley

Ribbons and Embroidered Stuff sourced locally

Pressie from Mott

(more about our meeting in a separate post)

Donno why the photos from hereon all so blurry one leh

Embellishments from Melbourne

Themed Sets from Melbourne

Cardstock, Papers and Vellum from Melbourne

Carry-on Tote from Melbourne

Books from Melbourne

Good News. Bad News. Bad Bad News.

The Good News is that H got upgraded to Business Class on the Melbourne to Singapore leg. You probably would say what has that got to do with me???..... Heheheheh. He let me take his seat lah whilst he remained with the two boys in Economy. :-D

I thought something was wrong when his name was called over the PA system when we were in the lounge, but H had already left with S2 to go jalan-jalan. At the gate, told H about the announcement and he went to the airline counter by the gate. Boys and I proceeded into the aircraft first. H took awhile to come into the plane, and when he did...he just passed me the upgraded boarding pass and told me to take the seat. 

How was it? 

Much much better, of course.

As it was a day flight, did not utilise the FULL sleeper function. Watched movies instead. 

S2 didn't know that I was in Business, until we were in the car on the way home. He actually cried and was really upset. 

The Bad News...actually, not that bad lah. The attendant at the lounge over at Changi did not allow ALL of us to utilise the lounge this time. H could only bring ONE guest. Previously, he used the excuse of "only kids" to get the boys into the lounge. However, this time, the attendant was very adamant that the boys could NOT enter. So...we had to wonder around the terminal. Luckily did not spend any money here....you know lah Changi has a lot of good stores around. :-P

Okay. Now the Bad Bad News. My maid has dengue fever. 

No. Don't think she caught it while in my house, as she had the week off while we were in Melbourne. When we got back on Tuesday night, she did look a bit sickly. The next morning, driver said that she had rashes on her arms etc. H instructed driver to take her to the hospital ASAP. She was already gone when I woke up.  

Was hoping that I could relax abit after Melbourne. But Noooooooo. I have to work even harder. GOSH!! So much clothes to IRON!!!! 

Yes. One week of HOLIDAY CLOTHES!!!!! 

Bleah...D@mn 'suay' summore. I had hung all the clothes nicely out in the sun yesterday, and they were almost dried. I was standing by the terrace doors looking out when I saw that there was a lovely breeze. A split second later, I saw two of my laundry stands tip into the blardy swimming pool. I had to jump into the pool to retrieve the stands. Some of the clothes had come off and sunk into the bottom of the pool.

Bleah.. Had to fish them out with the pool cleaning tool. Geezzzz.

No lah. I said jump in doesn't mean whole body lah. Just my legs into the steps of the pool.  So only wet up to my thighs lah. 

*sigh* And tomorrow got to mop the floors, clean the loos.... 

BLeah BLeah Bleah...

This dengue fever is gonna take some time in terms of recuperation, right? Anyone know how long is the hospitalisation?

Kelam-Kabut DAY!

If it's not for my ignorance (or perhaps stupidity), I would be on the plane at this very minute.

Happily hopped into the car with H, the boys, our two big luggage bags for the airport. 45 minutes in the car, and we arrived at the airport. Check-in seems to be straight-forward as I've already done the internet check-in on Saturday. Bags were tagged, Passports checked. THEN...as she was about to print the the lady asks for my Mastercard credit card. The one that I booked the flights with FIVE months ago.

Guess what?
I don't have it with me.
I don't carry all my credit cards with me...especially when I'm travelling. Just one or two cards to "phong sann".
No amount of negotiation, cajoling, arguing would change their mind to issue us with the boarding passes.
I mean I've already checked-in, and got the E-boarding passes (just that I didn't print them out, which on hindsight I SHOULD HAVE!!!), and my passport proves that I am the one that booked the tickets and also travelling on this particular flight.
I do understand it if the person who purchased the ticket is NOT travelling on the flight.
I think it's quite silly....Let's pretend of a hypothetical scenario. I booked the flights 5 months ago. Then two months back, my card was compromised and the bank stopped the card and instruct for its destruction. Does one keep the card and not destroy it just because an airline ticket was purchased months ago???
You tell me. Makes sense or not???
I donno whether is it a Singapore Airlines only thing or what???
Because I booked our flights from SFO to JFK and then JFK to SFO on Delta Airlines and American Airlines via the internet and using my credit card. BOTH airlines did NOT request to see my credit card.
So. Tell me.... WHY???

Luckily they did get us on the 7 pm flight to Singapore (our original flight was at 5 pm so cannot meet up with other family members at Changi already...), and the traffic today was VERY VERY GOOD....public holiday you see. So...we went home to retrieve THE necessary credit card and return to the airport. I tell you, if it was a normal day...I don't think we could actually catch our flight lah...

So...after checking-in for the SECOND time today, we paid for our exit taxes and proceeded through immigration sucessfully. Went to Starbucks to get our two free drinks and sandwiches. Whop it down our throats into our stomachs, and here I am now in the lounge...blogging!
Yes. Boys are here...but there are other PCs around. Thus they are also busy playing their online games. What else??

Okay lah. I'm gonna go kacau H and the boys.....