Reminiscence Romance @ Scarlet with Princess Christine

Now that Sir woodblock and me are officially married and with valentine's day falling upon chinese new year, I we decided that we will make full good use of the holidays and hold a pre-vdae celebration @ Scarlet hotel.

The very reason why we were going back to Scarlet to hold our celebration is not just only about their wonderful service but most importantly, it is located just a road away from Chinatown to allow us to go last min shopping and immerse ourselves in the hearty new year mood! Perhaps we will be trying out more other hotels in the coming years to share with you pals so that you can have more ideas on what to plan with your partner with regards to special date plans =)

When we first arrived at Scarlet Hotel, as usual we were being specially attended to and the manager brought us up to our room. I was so crazily happy to know that the executive room that I have booked has been upgraded to an executive room with balcony! Dont get me wrong I am never into balcony so what was it that was making me go GAGA about the upgrade??? Well you will know it in a short while =P


Once we arrive at our room, I was drawn this message and the attached CD.... This wasnt present in the normal standard room that I have booked previously so it makes me even curious....

A sexy cover

Very interesting list of songs but i dun really have a proper music player in our room, so I wasnt too entice to get one.

Cant tell you how much Princess Christine is always inspire to do up her room almost exactly like the rooms in Scarlet hotel!!! So grand, royal and tastefully decorated.

After admiring at our room, we realise that we were running out of time.... and we quickly took a cab down to Aranda Club for our French Cuisine Dinner. It didnt really look like a good day for quite a number of pple as we prolly saw there were 3 car accidents along the way on the expressway.



Wooah my vdae flower in a glass?

Care for a drink sir woodblock? Rose tea???

Nah that's just the centerpiece on the table!! I thought it was quite a simple, elegant setup and definitely cost saving!!! So I took the pic to share with BTBs who wans to DIY their centerpieces too.




I was really in a great and dreamy mood with the nice romantic love melodies and music playing in the restaurant. It felt even better when we were the first too arrive to enjoy the serenity together and immerse in the romancing mood.

Of course, as usual restaurant always provide a stalk of rose for the ladies =) It might seem kinda pointless to many but it felt always funny whenever I see the waitress/waiter trying their best to pass the stalk of rose to the gentlemen and hinting them to present it to their date in full view. For a few moments, these waitress/waiter seriously looks like those matchmakers trying to take care of the lost and blur guys for a blind date.

Hmm my fav, champagne!!! I wish they gave us a bottle instead of just a glass. It was yummy!

Sir Woodblock saying cheers to Princess Christine. However I wasnt really returning his cheers as I was already.....


busy chomping my appetiser and food away! The appetiser was really fabulous and I love how it wasnt presented lol


The prawns are really in a very "sexy" position!

Next comes my apparagus soup with coconut cream.

Love the colour but I didnt like it as I prefer sweet cream soup like pumpkin soup etc. The soup was too salty for our likings and we didnt finish it up in the end.

Our mains! Cod fish!

I have no idea what was on top of the cod fish.... mushroom? escargots? whatever it is, it was delicious and I wish they have put more too. The problem with fine dining is that it is very limited in QUANTITY (sob =()

Sir woodblock's fav type of fish happens to be codfish, so to him this main dish was really thumbs up!

Finally the choc mousse dessert. Surprisingly, the mousse wasnt heavy and Princess Christine really savour very single cream of it =)

Cheers to a wonderful French dinner @ Le Aranda!

After dinner, we got back to our room.... finally I shall solve the mystery of why I am so happy about the upgrade. The real meaning of the upgrade it that now our room is directly in front of the SODA!!!
What's the SODA? It's definitely not a bar but rather.....

Our room number => so that now you know which is the BEST GENUINE upgraded executive room....

The LEGENDARY SODA!!! An almost private jacuzzi for us as nobody actually step in once you are inside as it can be a little paiseh to share "romantic moments" with other couples in a jacuzzi.


The water was warm and woodblock and me had a great time dipping and enjoying the massage from the water jets.

Nothing felt even more romantic as I laid there in the jacuzzi looking up at the sky with little stars and more importantly a balcony-like stairway at the side makes me feel like Romeo, looking and waiting for Juliet to come to the balcony to express his love for her.

All I can say the setting was really PERFECT and exceeded my expectations! So after all the intimate moments alone, we decided to exercise our muscle and go down to the chinatown street to JALAN JALAN (walking and shopping).

True enough the streets was overcrowded but we really had a great time in the crowd and tasting food samples goodies here and there.... (erm just let us call it a supper walk)....

It wasnt before long we felt really tired and retire back to bed but the very first thing when we woke up the next morning was.....



Woodblock lazing on the sunbed reading papers provided Scarlet hotel

As for me, I am not into reading papers early in the morning... but a soaked in the jacuzzi was puuuurfect for a princess like me!

Again when I looked up the sky, it is gorgeous! I wonder why the sky over the jacuzzi just looks so fabulous?? Fengshui?? The night before felt like some dreamy purplish midsummer nightsky. Now in the daytime, the sky is of a very clean and deep blue.....


Cant helped to show how much I love jacuzzi... Sir woodblock can I have one like this at home???

After we check out, we headed very HUNGRILY to our FAVOURITE dim sum hangout restaurant, Tak po, in Chinatown. (the so many benefits of staying near chinatown)


The restaurant is popular with the residents staying @ chinatown and it is no surprise that it is always so crowded in the morning!

Sir woodblock picking out the dim sums! For me I was drooling at the side cos I am super hungry.

Tak Po is fabulous not because of the super duper friendly $$$ pricing of the food but most importantly I prefer to dine in air conditioned(and the air con must be strong enough, not those kind of dying air con) environment, making dining not just so satisfying for your stomach but also very satisfying for your whole physical body and even your pockets!


For those who love to watch chefs in action, you can see in full view in nice airconditioned environment of how your food is prepped.

The SuPER WOW breakfast spread!!!

My Fav mei chai pork steam rice!! MUST TRY!

Finally we got back home to prep for the reunion dinner at my granny's place....


Bought all these cutie tiger ang pows at chinatown....


I was really excited that it as My first time giving away ang pows!

Some momento to commerate this "special event".

However, after wrapping, woodblock didnt felt so excited about the "special event" anymore lol

PS: We just went to watch liao zhai rocks yesterday and it was fabulous. Today is the last day of screening, so do catch it before it's gone! Shall post on this experience in next blog entries.

Down pit Bottom =(

Recently, I have been really down on my luck and it really hit my boiling point when I open my medical report to find my cancer marker to be higher than the normal range.

It suddenly reminds me of the time when i see my uni friend, Kaiyan, at his funeral who had a fierce fight with the cancer demon for a year plus before he finally lost the battle. I really cried badly when I listen to his Aunt on how he spent his last few days on earth crying and suddenly weak from all the fight he had been putting up with for the past year. He had always been so brave when it comes to his fight with the illness and he wasnt afriad to tell the world as you see his countdown with his chemotheraphy sessions. I really thank him for always dropping words of encouragement online even when he was ill.

suddenly i realiase i have many things i have yet done. I wan to set up a home with woodblock, see my little bosses grow up to be fine and happy, spend quality time with my family, travel round the world and dedicate time to art which i indulge the most.

it didnt really helped much when my phone got spoilt in the same week, my home phone plus internet connection was also down and dead and most importantly woodblock just wasnt here to tell me it's going to be alright.

For now, the only assurance i can get from the doctor and even my brother's online "research" that the indicator i get is not too high which is already the luckiest thing i encountered for the whole week. Therefore, for now the chances of a affirmative cancer is pretty low but the doc says i better get a detail check up just in case =( sigh

sometimes i get pretty paranoid whenever it comes to health and death is definitely something i fear more than anything else. I have been to too many funerals in recent times and it was a nightmare when i dreamt about my own funeral last night after seeing the report. i couldnt sleep a wink after waking up from the nightmare. I guess i value life so much more ever since the death encounter last yr with the car accident and a free fall from the high elements in jc. so many close brushes with death and makes me wonder so much more on what i really wan to do in my life to make it truly meaningful and satisfying.

For now, I have been referred to see a specialist next wed to check out my pancreas. I am also looking forward to the return of woodblock who has disappear from my life for 32 days. Finally he will be back next monday!

i guess nothing can get worst then it could get now. well at least hopefully even next wed when i see the specialist.

Grand Shanghai Raw Pics IV

heyo btbs, I am really sorry for not updating for a crazily long time!!! Ever since woodblock has flown over to US, I have been flooded with lots of work and I fell ill soon with a fever hounding me for a full week before I am now finally up and well to continue with my beloved blogging!!

I need to apologise to some readers who have wrote in for queries on wedding related stuff. I did tried my best to return replies to all of them but somehow being a little absent minded at times, I might have miss replying to some of them. So please do resent your email if I have yet reply them because I might have accidentally filed it under my "replied" folder.

Before I go on to write about my vdae account with woodblock, I realise i have yet finished up the last bit of my update on my banquet, so here today am going to finish up on the last bit =) I must also admit that I have been running into trouble trying to charge the battery for my beloved Camera and hence I am badly trying to wait for the return of Sir woodblock to help me with these nitty gritty technical prob so that I can continue to capture my wonderful daily adventures to share it here with all my friends =)

Ok let's not wander off from the banquet adventure.....

As Sir woodblock gets blind folded and get ready for the game.....


My MC is all prepped with the torture that he has prepped under my "secret arrangements" with him. Up till now woodblock prolly din know I am the one who has requested for the set up lol

A compose woodblock?

Let the game BEGIN!!!!


Ever wonder if woodblock was ever PAYING any attention from my multiple kisses on his face on DAILY BASIS????

well here's the good time to test and find out for ourselves!!!

First Mystery Kisser: Woodblock's elder little Sister
(if you dont know the family, you prolly think this is woodblock's elder sister as the whole family has a habit of calling her AH JIE so to do her justice, nope she is way younger than both of us)

woodblock is a VERY SENSITIVE boy, just by talking beside his ear, he is ITCHING all over like NUTS?!?! All the contestant had difficulty trying to give him a kiss..... SIGH


The next Mystery Kisser is already eager to pounce on her prey.

Woodblock: I am itching all over =( HELP!!!!
Anyway before Ah li manage to kiss woodblock, she got so irritated by woodblock that she smacked his head into position before kissing him.

I cant help but try to hide my evil laughter stemming from the succuess of my evil scheme on woodblock.....


NOW for the final mystery kisser.
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AIYAH MUST BE THE BELOVED PRINCESS CHRISTINE!!!!! How can a fairytale wedding end without a princess kissing the prince???
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BOY you RRRRR so wrong. How can it ever be a surprise when it is going to be the USUAL HAPPY ENDING???? Let me reveal the last contestant.....


He is non other than.... DRUM ROOLLLLLLLLLZ.........

MUAAUAUAUAUAAUAUAUAUCK (On the mouth somemore..........)
(that's Ah jie's BF by the way)

I seriously didnt like the mesmorise look on woodblock's face after the crazy mouth to mouth kiss..... *sends a shudder down the spine*

Was that a "good" sign becos of the JUICY kiss? Oh no, I must keep them away from one another from now on!

I am truly entertained!

Guess what after so much kisses, woodblock insisted that the third MYster Kisser must be his wonderful Princess Christine (!^.^)

There were roaring laughter from all the guests and even my MC got kinda worried and decided to give woodblock a second chance.......

So all the mystery Kissers gave woodblock a kiss again!



It felt like woodblock's bachelor night somehow.....

See how kind I am to woodblock, I am not even jealous while so many other ladies and man are busy kissing him. I am such a benevolent wife that I was happy for him from deep within and this photo is such a good proof.

The lucky man finally unveiled his eye mask.

Woodblock: So shiok ar.... so many kisses and all the guests are so happy for me!!!! I never once had so many pple cheer and laugh for my answer before!


Finally woodblock became very smart and realise all the guests were not geniunely cheering and laughing becos he HAD MADE A WISE CHOICE and started to break out in COLD SWEAT!!!!!!

Dont worry woodblock, I will give you a deadly kiss here first and later settle the scores of making the WISE CHOICE back in the hotel room!


My family!

Woodblock's family

Our mahjong KAKIS and their partner!

Our uni friends! Simply love the couch seats!

Not to forget my wonderful AH MA!!!

Woodblock's Sec and closest friends!

A mix of my friends from Sec, Uni and colleagues!

My colleagues!

My pretty jiemei colleagues and the hao nan ren colleagues lol

Unknow to many, I am actually a pretty good drinker. The only bad thing about me is that i just simply dislike the super strong taste of beer and red wines so I always prefer to mix with other fruit juice of soft drinks.

ON the banquet night, woodblock's friend and my 2 brothers concocted some deadly drink for woodblock respectively, but in the end I helped him block everyone away and drank on his behalf. Prolly pple who doesnt know I have a secret habit on drinking bits of red wine on an almost daily basis, the alcohol din really have much of any effect on me...... In fact woodblock will go red whenever he drinks......

My brother with a sneering and doubtful look.....

Realising how much of a good drinker I am, he suddenly felt sad for woodblock for having an alcoholic wife!!!

Finally after an evening and night of merriment, it was time to say good bye to my wonderful and hearty guests!



You can tell how much the old folks love the banquet esp with the oldies songs. This auntie here was almost singing along through the night! I am so glad it was really fun a night for everyone even the old folks!


A hi-five to my little FAN (yes all the little girls will dream to become a Princess bride one day)!

To end the night, it was definitely a night of romance of a true Shanghai Night for the both of us!

Romancing Getaway on an Early Valentine Celebration

Recently, my heart dropped when woodblock told me he was going US for a month(32 days in exact if i count in the time on the plane) on work trip. Perhaps it seems like a pretty short time to everyone else but for woodblock n me, the feeling really felt terrible to the core. It reminds me of the time when woodblock went to San Franciso for just a mere 2 weeks, I already missed him to bits. The same thing happen when I was away in Taiwan on a holiday for 7 days. Yes, we are like usually glue together and we just love each other's company so much!

The only perk i can think of is the crazy sum of allowance woodblock gets from just a month overseas. How crazy? It's more than 3 months of my pay and that excludes his monthly pay. But still, nothings beats my heartache of missing my teddy woodblock for that crazy mind drilling 32 days.

Sigh work is work, cant be helped i know..... but i am so glad that we make a pact that if he ever go overseas to work for a yr or to study for yrs, I will definitely be flying off with my beloved teddy woodblock.

But it's ok cos in order to pamper and compensate ourselves for the lost time, we are going to have a very wonderful vdae celeb together! CNY is just round the corner, so i thought why not check into Scarlet Hotel again so that we can go and immerse ourselves in the vibrant street of Chinatown too.

A gorgeous rich Victorian Building of Scarlet Hotel

Every detail including the lobby excites me and woodblock during our last visit. It just felt so romantic from the very first moment we stepped into the hotel lobby.

We decided to upgrade to executive room instead of the deluxe room we stayed in previously.

I am really excited becos woodblock has also booked seats at Le Aranda for dinner on 12th Feb on the same day as our Scarlet Hotel stay. Here's a peep at the menu:

Appetiser

Seafood Cocktail Calypso, Smoke Salmon Rose & Melee salad

Soup

Fresh Roasted Asparagus Soup Velvet with Pine Nuts

Main Course

Oven-Seared Herb Rib-Eye Steak OR Pan-fried Cod Mignon “Bahama”Enhanced with Chateaubriand Sauce & Ragout Escargot served with Sautéed Spring Garden Vegetables and Tomato Clamart Bigarade Mashed Potatoes

Dessert

Chocolate Bavaroise with Balsamic Strawberry Compote & Mango Coulis

BeverageFreshly Brewed Coffee or selection of Herbal Teas

*Include 1 glass of sparkling wine & a stalk of rose for the lady.

YES!!!! It's french cuisine! I never tried proper romantic french food before and it's so exciting just thinking about it. The best thing is that it is not costing us a 100 plus per pax but rather .......

Union Member: $45+ per person or $80+ per couple

Guest: $45++ per person or $80++per couple

Sounds like a considerable good deal isnt it? And the best thing is that, it only offers this package on 12th Feb 2010 which happens to be the day we plan to celeb vdae together! Just looking at the dessert alone is enough to make me drooolll..... happy advance vdae to everyone!!!