Kyoto, Osaka e Nara

The Shinkansen fast speed train is amazing. Within 2 hours of leaving Hakone, we arrived at Kyoto - the traditional homeland of kimonos and geishas. Of all the Japanese cities, we were most enamoured with Kyoto (L hopes to move here in future) as it was a beautiful blend of old school and modern conveniences. I think we are also both old souls who must have lived in Kyoto before. The grand city is best explored on bicycle (cheap rental rates and flat wide roads) or by public transport. We spent a whole day riding our elegant bikes all over town - and got lost a couple of times, poking our heads into quaint UNESCO heritage decorated temples and shrines, and on my part, hoping to catch a glimpse of koyo (the changing of seasons where the maple tree leaves turn a deep shade of red).

Be warned; Kyoto cannot be explored entirely in 1 day, nope not even 3 days as we found out. (I wondered how some friends only set aside 1 day trip in Kyoto, such a shame, cannot lah). Just Gion alone is worth a day and night to investigate. The renowned geisha zone was a hotbed of tourists as everyone is on the hunt for geishas which are more easily spotted in the evening (we laughed at a bunch of American students who were beseeching the Jap policemen in slow, loud English and in broad daylight "wheeereee can we seeee the Geeei-shas?").

In the day, it's best to take a stroll across the Kamo river and spent some time at the traditional teahouses sipping on fragrant green tea and chowing down on macha mochi with azuki beans. At night, while searching for a decent ramen joint, we tried to peep into the private KTV clubs and kaiseki restaurants manned by sharp-looking bouncers in black. Very often, some burly drunken Jappy businessmen would roll out with 2 perfectly coiffed Japanese ladies (some in modern dresses, mostly in ornate kimonos). Are they high class escorts or modern geishas? It's totally fascinating to second guess what goes on behind the screens.

Can you see from this picture - why did the geisha cross the road?
To get away from the shutter-mad crowd!

After Kyoto, we spent a night at the ancient imperial city of Nara, which is incidentally celebrating its 1,300th anniversary. Woa-hor. My sis was in Japan around the same time as me for the Goddess' Golden Light trip and I can imagine the kind of ancient knowing energy they were tapping into. Nara is kinda sandwiched between Kyoto and Osaka so it can be easily visited on a day trip from either city. Famous for its deer park (where these sacred creatures are allowed to roam freely and terrorise people - ok I made it up), it is infamous for its mascot Sento-kun - a smiling Buddha boy with deer antlers - a controversy given the violent reaction when it was first unveiled. Even my Jap friend 'Yuka Maya' who was normally quite reserved and sweet made a face and said it is not kawaii neh. I thought it was rather cute, given that I like deers and Buddha. Strangely it also bore an unlikely resemblance to Luigi (both have kind blue eyes, compassionate aura and bald heads). We toured the tiny city's temples and pagodas on foot, and even saw Nara's oldest tree. Tourists also fed biscuits to the greedy deers (not me), which are not afraid to nudge and jostle you for food. I was thinking what'd happen to the roadkill? Sento sashimi? 

Post Nara, we can't wait for Osaka - Japan's hungriest city, where the 2 Yukos were already anticipating our visit. It was great to see them after 2 years since Perugia. Osaka's vibes are more toned down, casual and the city's easy to befriend as we walked from the main train station to our hotel in the throbbing Dotonburi district - the very heartbeat of Osaka where people-watching is entertainment indeed. Every lane is filled with cafes, eateries and shops - it seemed that no one really sleeps nor stops eating here. Street food is at its best and cheapest at Osaka, with affordable fast food inventions like L's favourite takoyaki balls and sizzling okomomiyaki pancakes sold at every corner. We also walked into a couple of "love hotels" that were in our area and saw from the automated check-in panel that they have large thematic kinky rooms. Hilarious. I even spotted a porn DVD vending machine on our walkabout!  

On the 2nd night, Yuko1 insisted we stayed at her family home at Kitano, a sleepy cosy town smacked between the bermuda triangle of Nara, Osaka and Kyoto. Perhaps this was her attempt at returning the favour (when she last slept over at Pozzuoli) but hey, we won't say not to Japanese hospitality. Her folks were supremely charming and open, and our exchange was almost comedic as the Yukos translated our Italian conversations to Japanese and comedic English. It was her brother's birthday and (funnily) at our request, her parents had organised a takoyaki party in honour of us (L was over the moon). Takoyaki is the steamboat equivalent here - almost every household has a takoyaki pot and recipe. Needless to say, we had a ball of a time (pun intended haha) as we churned out plates after plates of tako stuffed with octopus bits and cheese, washed down with Japanese birra. The temperature dipped and was chilly but we slept snugly in their family tatami room. Arrigato, amici! 

Luigi's perfectly cooked tako balls - bravo!

Ciao Giappone

It has been more than 10 years since I was last in Japan on a 1-night stopover to Beijing with my beloved granny and all I can remember is 1) how cold it was 2) the campy, kawaii and fun Disneyland and 3) how good everything tasted, especially the short-grain Japanese rice. This time round, we went for a well-deserved vacanza and also to meet up with some of my Japanese classmates from Perugia. I was expecting it to be cooler in October but Yuko3 said they had a very hot summer so 'koyo' (changing of colours of leaves) would be delayed till November. Bummer.

For our first rainy weekend in Tokyo, we stayed in the thumpin' Shinjuku area that glimmered with billboards and was brimming with youthful energy. The mood was simply electric. The food was of course amazing. We indulged in a steaming bowl of ramen everyday (from Nogata and Ippudo to no-name hole-in-wall joints) and snacked at every chance at the heavenly departmental food halls and wolved down fresh sushi at the Standing Sushi Bar. If you are not into food, you're at the wrong place.

On our first night, Yuko brought us to a fantastico tofu kaiseki restaurant, Umenohana, in Ginza (they have many branches) and we feasted on sublime multi courses of exquisite tofu creations - in soups, disguised in a cheese gratin, etc. The second night, we met her Italian-speaking amici for an all-you-can-eat/drink shabu shabu dinner in the thick of Shinjuku. We also paid extra for 90mins of all-you-can-drink - good value considering we can easily knock back 3 Sapporo and a shochu lemon for the road.

Tokyo is quite big so we had to make the most of each day even though we'd be spending 5 days in the citta. As the appointed tour guide, I made sure we devoted time to each section - West (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi), East (Ueno) and Central Tokyo (Ginza). Sunday was the best time to visit Meiji Shrine in the heart of the lush Yoyogi Park as there are usually a few traditional weddings in procession, followed by a jaunt to Harujuku, a mecca for the young, the bold, beautiful, ugly and weird. You can just spend your whole day people watching - it's much more entertaining than tv or movies.

Japan is quite fascinating in the sense that its general population seems serious, reserved and traditional but at the same time, there's the other side which is edgy, dangerously mad and unpredictable. There are age-old customs and rituals but yet there is plenty of room for making new rules, progression and originality. Maybe people are so polite that they would not criticise the daredevils. Maybe people can't take the suppression that they snap and break free in search of their own identities. Perhaps Singapore will be like this in time.

It is also the epitome of consumerism - everyone is decked out from head to toe in luxe brands, heavy with mascara-ed lashes to blonde hair and hanging onto a bevy of handheld gadgets as seen on the train. Packaging is everything but they also pay attention to quality (we're talking about food here). They obviously love their seafood - judging by the sheer size of the Tsukiji fish market which is a great haunt for food lovers and chefs. I have been to many fresh markets but this one is the mother of all fish markets. The tuna auctions are a major attraction and start at 4am but we only managed to get there at 7.15am after a short stroll from the boutique Hotel Gracery in Ginza (great location, lovely room for its price).

There are all kinds of live fishes, shellfish, hairy crustaceans, sacks of ikura and fishcakes. I actually felt sorry for the much prized tuna as they laid frozen, covered in straw mats with just a sliced portion of their tail end that exposed their bright red bloody flesh. I remember seeing these gigantic petrified creatures hauled up in  huge fishing nets and being speared up by the fishermen on telly. Blue fin tuna are becoming an endangered species, so let's consume less of them to give them a chance. After Tokyo, we also spent a night at the quaint lil' hot spring town of Hakone.

This was our 'Japan Hour' fantasy come true as we lapped up the gorgeous tatami room with a private hot spring bath in our balcony, followed by a full-on 8-course gourmet dinner. Luckily we wore our loose yukata robes! Sleeping on the floor (despite the bellowy comforter) takes some getting used to but after a hot soak, it's not hard to drift off. We couldn't wait for Kyoto, Nara and Osaka!  

Luna Di Cielo

It's a gorgeous full moon outside tonight - everyone's out celebrating Mid Autumn Festival in full force. Me, I had my fair share of mooncakes already and trying to digest my 2 full meals today. These days, my diary has been chock-a-block with tastings - given the number of new accounts - and my belly is looking quite chubby.

My biz partners and I couldn't believe it's our 10th anniversary next year and we're tossing ideas for a fun party to thank family, friends and clients - and doing it our way. Our office is buzzing now that there are 7 of us. It's a proper office alright ;)

The Lion citta' is pumping with F1 buzz and lucky me got passes to catch the action upclose, although I don't see why everyone's excited about the sport - including L who loves his Grand Prix like every full blooded Italiano. He has been in an extremely good mood since getting his motorbike licence, and we've been zooming around town on his new moto. I think he'd be truly over the moon in 2 weeks' time when we land in Nihon - can't wait!

Love Is All Around

As corny as this might sound, love is really all around - if we bother to look in the right places or even ask for it to manifest itself. I found 'love' everywhere - in nature and even on this adorable cat (nicknamed 'Amore') at an animal shelter! It literally has 'love' written over it. Enjoy my photos below - they convey pure love and light... your task this month is to look for 'love' too :)

Love on the ground

Love in the canopy

Love in the skies

Love on 'Amore' il gatto

Mates In Malacca

Over the National Day weekend, I went away on a road trip to Malacca with my old JC mates - F, A, P, A and B. We don't spend as much time with one another as before but when we get together, I appreciate the quality time and laughs. We get the kick from all the constant jabbing and teasing, especially B and I, who are the silliest and we get each other with a hint of a grin or a snigger. 

I've been to Malacca countless times but this was the first time I've stayed at the wonderful Majestic Hotel -and it's worth every penny of the S$230 per night with its heritage charm and luxurious rooms. I looove the bath tub and sprawlingly huge bed, and wasted no time in drawing a foamy bath. We also ate so much that it's indecent to mention. Of course we did our rounds at the usual chicken rice balls shop and cendol at Jonker street, and dinner at the Teochew restaurant and Kengdom, but we also tried the morning bah ku teh coffeeshop for brekkie (thumbs up) and dinner at Nancy's Kitchen (over-rated). Overall it was a great road trip with my mates - love you guys!

August was an indulgent month indeed. A couple of weeks later, I had a staycation at The Fullerton, hanging out with Mic and Margh who were my classmates from Perugia. It was such a joy to see them again, esp Mic who is my dear fellow Cancerian and we def share a lot of giggles together, despite our 20-year difference. 

We laughed at everything and took the piss out of staying at The Fullerton which was quite disappointing compared to the grande dame, Raffles. For S$1,000 per night, the suite was not up to scratch. The high-tea at the lobby was honestly crap and the room service was worse. And with my luck, I stepped on a dead bee at the pool's shower and the duty manager can only looked at me meekly and said 'You better go to the Raffles Hospital'. I told Mic we better move to The Raffles. Lol.

We made plans to go on a tiger safari in India next year and hopefully can meet up in Italia. I do miss my motherland so much so I want to book a flight back for Natale... but before that, I think L and I deserve a vacanza together, so I surprised him with a pair of tickets to Tokyo for his birthday in October. You should have seen his shocked expression, senza parole.

The poor boy's been working his arse off and we hardly spent quality time together, so this'd be a precious trip to eat, play and love. Also, it has always been his dream to visit Japan (it's his first love) and I always remembered our first conversation at the hotel lobby where he was working on a night shift - and I was on my last night in Italy in 2005. 'I want to marry a Japanese girl, (glanced at me), or maybe a Singaporean,' he said in all seriousness. So now I told him this is his last chance to see all the sweet Japanese girls before deciding to marry me. Hehe.

Foto Per Voi

Ciao tutti, I've been experimenting with my new camera Sony NEX - a gift from my cleverest bf - and just wanna post some of my fav nature foto here for you to enjoy! ;) Nature never looks so gorgeous. Get out and enjoy the light.

Five years later

I turn 35 in exactly 2 hours - exactly five years since I've first started this blog in 2005 when I left on my epic solo journey. Things have changed a lot since - making room for new friends, a grande amore, expanding businesses and a bigger consciousness and spirituality. I still make mistakes (I'm not perfect). I still sulk (altho lesser mood swings). I still remember my italiano (grazie dio). And I'm ever more grateful for what I'm blessed with - old friends, health, family, humour, colleagues, appetite for life and of course my love L. 

He always has the best taste in gifts (from flowers, a tasteful ring, fitted dress, even shoes and lingerie). L outdid himself when I opened his gift a few days ago - a gorgeous state-of-the-art Sony Nex-5 camera - 'perche sei molto brava'. 

Most of all, I love his card (he's a poet at heart) - it reads 'there's no gift in this world which could express my immense love for you.'  He entered my world 5 years ago - on the last night of my trip. Today he's sleeping in the same bed, along with my beloved bolster and furry cats. How funny life takes you or is it the other way round?

In any case, I am pleased for coming this far, and look forward to the next stage in my life. Maybe it's time to grow up - or maybe not, haha. Here's a toast *salute!

Something Different, Something New

I never made a mid-year resolution before but with my 35th birthday fast approaching, I find myself with a desire to do something fun, creative, adventurous - anything that would shake me out of my rut and comfort zone and give life a great big hug. So my mid-year solve and gift to myself is to do something different every week - from small things like making myself a fab fresh salad for lunch or changing my hairstyle (both I have done this week!) to exploring a new country. Life is too short to worry about 'will I look good with a fringe?', 'will green look good on me?', 'should I wear gold eyeshadow?' Who cares? Just fucking do it and have fun at it!

Of course, the best birthday gift would be to finally purchase my own home but COV prices are sky high and L's plans are still in limbo, so we'd take a chill pill and see what unfolds at the end of the year. For now, L and I are appreciating whatever time we have together and making the best of it.

Last night on his day off, he made me truffle pasta with freshly shaved black truffles and trickled with more truffle oil - buonissimo e pieno d'amore! Funnily he made himself fried bah-choy vegetables, ate it with chopsticks, followed by a box of smelly durians. We're such opposites.

I couldn't decide if I should celebrate my birthday - half of me wants to throw the party of the year yet the other half just wants to crawl into a hole and let the day pass. Maybe I'll toss a coin by the end of the week or do something different - just as I had decided :)

Kuching Cats

I took 3 days off and flew by Tiger to Kuching, the city of cats in Sarawak, with my folks and sis. Why Kuching, many asked? I replied - 1) becos I've never been there, 2) the ticket is cheap and 3) I want to eat Sarawak laksa. My dear friend A who is a Kuching native was flabbergasted why I want to go there. She said 'but it is soooo boring there!' I didn't believe her, plus I want to see for myself.

AND you know what? The city itself was kinda lacking in action. Ok ok it's probably the last place to look for action but my neighbourhood Elias Mall has more action and people than the whole of Kuching city combined.

After we checked in, we tried to orientate ourselves by looking at the map and once we locate the distance between our apartments and Hilton, we realised how ridiculously small the scale is. At 4pm, everyone was taking a siesta. We couldn't get into the ornate Tua Pek Kong temple or find a decent cafe for tea.

The Main Bazaar souvenir shops didn't have any wares that could part us from our ringgit while the makeshift stallholders outside the shops desperately tried to sell us their tongkali, aprodisiac potions and toxic multi-hue kuehs and sponge rolls.

At 6pm, we were hungry and found Top Spot easily above a multi-storey carpark (just behind our apartments) - where locals and tourists go for a seafood feast. It is almost like East Coast seafood centre where there are many zhee char seafood stalls vying for your attention with their display of fishes, veggies and other ingredients. The fish expert, my dad decided on ABC seafood because their fishes looked the freshest. Boy, was it cheap! The garoupa was MYR56 (S$22), the two crabs cooked in Sarawak black pepper cost MYR24 (S$10!) while the steamed big pomfret went for just MYR36 (S$14). We ate and busted our cholesterol levels, and toasted to my mom's 59th birthday. We love you, mamma!

The next day, we left early in a private van to Batang Ai Hilton for a luxury longhouse experience. Sis and I decided we're not going to risk staying in a traditional longhouse where the headhunters used to kill their enemies and where we have to sleep on mattresses (bedbugs scare). Don't get me wrong, I'd be happy to camp in a caravan or sleep under the stars but that'd be for another trip. Plus it didn't cost much to stay in the Hilton longhouse, the only gripe was it was so damn far. We spent 4 hrs in the van which was skilfully manouvered by our driver through the drizzle all afternoon.

We stopped for a taste of kolo mee, another local delight of plain maggi noodles with char siew but I'd take my laksa anytime. Before long, we reached the lake and made our way to Hilton in a little motorised boat. I must say the scenery was lovely and untouched - no other houses in sight across the lush islets in this man-made dam. The sunset and sunrise were also gorgeous.

After check-in, we went for a traditional longhouse tour 40mins away by longboat. Our guide said this was the nearest longhouse; he has even brought people to a longhouse 4 hours away by boat and hike. I guess those are the types of longhouses where they still headhunt.

When we got there, boy were we glad we didn't opt for a homestay and we also counted our blessings as Singaporeans with our modern comforts. The longhouse comprised a row of 'homes' and the 300+ residents shared a communal corridor space and deck where they do their washing and cooking etc. The head chief has 2 wives and god-knows how many offsprings, and replied to our questions shyly via our guide.

There were a few handicrafts on display for sale to curious crowd like us - from carved wooden sculptures and handwoven baskets, hats and mats. We were more taken with the longhouse cats and kids, than the souvenirs. Soon it was time to go and we indulged in a well deserved lunch of Sarawak laksa (the no.1 reason why I came to Sarawak) and long lazy afternoon nap at The Hilton. At dinnertime, we were surprised to see so many people at the restaurant - it wasn't so remote after all.

The next day after brekkie, we decided on a guided hike in the forest, still moist from the rain. It was humid and soon, we were all dripping with sweat. It was adventurous at the same time as the guide took us through gentle slopes and a tightrope bridge for another scenic view of the surroundings. I'm glad that the world still has these natural spots for animals and plants and hope that we will all protect and treasure what we have on planet earth.

To concerto

I've always liked Andrea Bocelli and have some of his CDs so I can sing along to his songs to brush up my italian. So when I saw an ad that says "Watch Andrea Bocelli live in Singapore at the Botanic Gardens", I was quite excited that the maestro is coming to town. What's even more exciting is that the public stands a chance to win tickets to see him in a ballot - courtesy of YTL. I urged some of my italian classmates and colleagues to join the ballot, ma alas non ci sono biglietti per me.

Dejected, I emailed the rest and was prepared to beg anyone who'd have won tickets to the concerto when A replied to say her dad sits on the board of directors and we'd get the corporate passes! Yaaaay! Better still, she said we'd attend the cocktail reception in suitably cocktail dresses before Andrea comes on the stage. Che fortuna! Now if only she can arrange for some hunky italian escorts... :)

We had a smashing time, R was going at the canapes and camped at the food station while we gawked at the tai tais and black-tie men. We feel a bit under dressed but who cares! Andrea was excellent and his soulful voice echoed through the Botanic Gardens, charming the 12,000+ fans (includg President Nathan). I shouted 'bravo' and soon everyone was shouting it.

Things got even better when A told us that we're invited to the post concerto supper in the VIP tent - in the same breathing space with Andrea, Jimmy Choo and Michelle Yeoh! We bumped into Michelle earlier and almost hopped onto the same bungy with her, had we recovered from being star struck. The tent was gorgeous and we even get to enjoy the vino from Andrea's winery in Toscana. He didn't stay long after accepting a pot of orchids that are named after him but we did get some good shots of him. Arrivederci maestro!

The next day, it was Mom's Day and we celebrated it with nanny and family. Sis and I wanted to treat her to another holiday but she's not up for it so it'd be us and our parents at Kuching - a first time for us in the cat city to celebrate mommy's birthday in May. My new travel motto is to travel to new places. I'm still toying with where I should head to for my 3-week birthday retreat in July. Decisions, decisions.

Lite packin'

I've been under the weather this month; got fever twice in the month and still nursing a nagging dry cough but managed to crawl out of bed this morning (even after a late night of 'Spartacus' episodes which L and I are addicted to) to get some sun and fresh air at the secret garden. The usual kakis are there - although everyone was also recovering from flu. The bug's in the air and we'll ve to manifest our wellness!

What's keeping me chirpy are the new additions to my patch at homes - new pots of mint, basil and dill, as well as a crop of pomodorini from my taller-than-me tomato plants. Boy, do these homegrown little buggers taste good! I just make a simple pasta with them, some chilli, basil and Italian parmiggiano - super buono.

The capsicum plants which I moved to the garden have also blossomed and have sown baby peppers that are the size of an egg. Funnily the seeds came from the normal size capsicums found at supermarkets but I guess they needed more fertilisers and space to reach their full size. But I'm not complaining cos I'm eating the food I've grown. Not many people can claim this, ha (sorry lah, just showing off).

The weather's been crazy hot so I stayed in bed all day - like every other weekend - with a good book or movies. Today, I shared some time with George Clooney - the sexiest, funniest man alive (si, L sa che io amo Georgie). He's a hoot in 'Men Who Stare At Goats' and irresistably restrained in 'Up In The Air'. This guy doesn't just look good but he could direct and act in a range of roles (heard he's dating an Italian model now, at least we have the same passion for Italia).

Anyway I could totally emphasize with his character in 'Up In The Air' and I could well be that person - happily carrying a light bag pack without committments and travelling around the world. Sometimes I want the house, the wedding ring, the kids and designer stove. Then at times, I'd swing to the far end of the pendulum and rejected all these notions, drawn to a rebellious, carefree, free-spirited existence that would bend all rules. 

They say the older you get, the more you know yourself. But I find myself all the more confused becos there are so many options and possibilities. It's like stepping into a supermarket hungry and everything looks good. Decisions, decisions.

I'm not complaining becos it is a good thing to have options. Some people simply don't have the luxury or think they are stuck with only one choice. I guess my challenge is to figure out what I want to fit into my bag pack - the basic precious things I need in this lifetime without them weighing me down. And if it gets a lil heavy, L would be there to carry it for me :)

Travelling tales

My travel itch has been acting up and I'm thinking where next - literally begging L to take a weekend off so we can be whisked away to a faraway isle villa (ok no need very faraway lah). I'm hoping to get away for a short jaunt before July when I already chob 3 weeks leave so I can pack my bags and hit the road again - maybe even on my own, since L's career is uncertain. We are manifesting his dream job and good news are just around the corner! Yes and so be it!

Anyway I've completed a few travel articles including a 6-pager on NZ for F+T mag, and these 2 gorgous spreads for F.B. Mag which is yet to be published. Here are the sneak previews in low-res. You can't beat the joy and pride in seeing your own works in print; the extra pocket money is also welcome. I'm still wondering if I'd publish a book - maybe if I were to live abroad one day.

Reading others' travel tales also inspire me especially if it was as well written as "Head Over Heel - Seduced By A Southern Italian" by Chris Harrison. He's like L, except he gave up everything in Sydney to move to south Italy to be with his woman. I read somewhere - people migrate for 3 main reasons - career, war and love. Love is always the most inspiring reason, isn't it?

Manifestation magic

I've been practising the Law of Manifestation quite often recently; starting with taxis. You know how sometimes it is near impossible to get a cab in S'pore, but after learning about the power of manifesting, I no longer fret. Instead I turn to the skies, focus my energy on visualising a cab, and voila it appeared in less than 5 mins! It has been successful the last few times to the amusement of friends.

The trick is to be:
1) as SPECIFIC as possible in your visualisation
2) be POSITIVE and 200% confident of the results (to the point of being almost cocky and do not have any doubts/sniggering thoughts)
3) and be THANKFUL! :)
For instead of saying 'please give me a cab', I'd say 'the cab is here in 5mins, thank you for it and so be it!' at the same time I'd visualise a blue cab with a green lit 'TAXI' sign and imagining it pulling up in front of me.

You can apply it to anything in your life - be it a partner, career, apartment, dream holiday, etc. But remember to apply the above rules. Everyone has the power to create and manifest - so start practising your manifestation muscle today! L has seen it worked a couple of times and is slowly manifesting his dream job. I've also just shared it with my younger cousin ZJ who is recovering from a sudden rare VKH eye disease. He's much better now but his vision was still a tad blurry. But he's showered with golden light and love, and in no time he'll be fine. I told him - 'you have the power to self-heal, just have faith!'

Marching on

February came and went away in a flash - and for the first time I was truly exhausted as a tour guide. Maybe it's because L's folks didn't speak inglese (which is why my brain is always churning subtitles/ transcript for every conversation). Also I didn't want them to get lost altho technically it's very hard to get lost on our tiny isle and they ve been trained to say 'bedok north ave 4, police station'. I just want to wow them and show them that S'pore is the new Asia - that it is safer, cleaner and more efficient than Napoli/Italy, and that L is well taken care of here by an equally loving family and not living among the slums. When I was in Italia, they and the rest of the family would ask if Spore has this and that. It was hard to tell them yes we are actually a civilised, accomplished first-world society in Italian without trying to roll my eyes. 

So it's good that they experienced it first-hand and went away so impressed that they say it'd be a nice idea to visit every 6 months. As my uncle said, they would be like triumphant voyagers  and sail back with glowing descriptions of the wonderful faraway land in Asia. Funnily if L and I aren't together, they'd probably never step into this part of the world. All it takes is a relationship to build bridges for many individuals.

Now that the italians came, saw and were convinced, I think it's high time for my family to experience italian hospitality and culture. Granny would love to go but we doubt she'd make the 10+ hr flight. It'd be delightfully hilarious if my aunts, uncles, cousins and family are all walking down Pozzuoli's streets and stopping by Mel's for lunch! I do hope that day will come soon.

Anyway I think we're ready for the next stage of our life, and even starting our own family. I'll be 35 this July and all I can think about is the use-by-date of my eggs! I've always wanted kids before 30, now I'm lucky if I have 1 before 40! Hmm we'll see how the future unfolds... 

For now, I'm happy harvesting my tomatoes (yay!) and also the fruits of our labour. My company is 9 this year and we're finally taking the leap of faith by hiring a full-time staff who is likeminded and equally passionate! It's a great feeling to see that our agency has expanded to more than 4 of us and that our staff is happy and motivated - including. K, our recent intern, who is a happy bunny. We've all come a long way as colleagues, partners and friends. I think we'd make great bosses too :)

Year of the puss

We can't believe it's mid Feb already. 2010 is flying by. This weekend, we're expecting 2 VIPs in town - L's folks lol. It's Mel's and Raf's first time in Spore and Asia, so I'm sure we'll have a blast in the next 2 weeks. Already mamma mel is lugging a few kilos of food to feed a small Italian contingent. Ma questo e' l'amore di una mamma.

I'm a bit afraid to face all that yummy proscuito, mozzarella, dolce, ecc. Already my tummy is as bouncy as a burrata cheese, even after all that yoga. I think I need to exercise more to purge out all the toxins and rid the pimples. Arrgh.

Anyway how apt that it is the year of the tiger... a tribute to all our feline friends! Cats Of The World is just 4 and half months away (OMG) and I can't believe it's the 4th year running. I'm truly, truly grateful for all the warm response and hope to raise more funds for CWS. They're also organising a Tiger Show after CNY and we've donated 20 photos for exhibit/sale. Be sure to catch the show; visit http://www.catwelfare.org/ for more info.