27 weeks

Ken bought me an iPhone 4. Finally, I am on par with the high tech cool dudes... WEE WEE!!! That does not however automatically make me e-savy. Feel-good emotions plunged immediately after I first tried to use the phone to call  Cannot find the green CALL button!!! PANIC. Oh anyway, this blog is about the pregancy... hahahah. My iPhone "I'm expecting" Apps tells me that I am currently 27 weeks. And it is dead acurrate in informing me that I may/should/will be suffering from fatigue, backaches and difficulties in sleeping. Food cravings never really started for me but since I will be forgiven for munching... I might as well not give up on the chance to taste the chocolate peanut butter stack cake from Starbucks! HEAVENLY SINFUL!!!!!! Photo taken by my new gadget of coz. We finally got down to planning for the arrival of Megan this week. Listing the hand-me-down items, what to purchase, how to decorate the baby room (aka duty officer room). Finally signed up for our prenatal course. KK's extremely comprehensive 11 sessions prenat course is fully booked so we went for Thomson Medical's 6 session course. 2 slots left!!! Very excited...

Megan Loh Rui Bin

Let me formally introduce my daughter - Megan, Loh Rui Bin. We are sumwat obsessed with a name that begins with an "M" and ends with an "N". If our baby is a boy, he will most likely to be called Morgan, Mortan, Martin etc... Her expected due date is 24 Nov 2010... During the last scan, doctor says she is fat, has quite a big head, and chinese legs (aka short)... For some reason, Megan is really excited these days because I can feel her kicking and turning in my tummy. Everytime she does that, I cannot help but savour such moments and smile. My little bundle of joy has been giving me serious backaches and swollen legs! Walking can be quite painful on some days... Haiz!! But other than these minor aches and pains, she is as cool as her mum. Tsk Tsk... She is going to grow up embracing what this world can provide -the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly... She is going to bask in the love and warmth of all who love her... she is going to one day fall but take in stride hardships and challenges life throws at her. She is going to learn that the world is not perfect but wonderful nevertheless. She will grow up as mummy's little pearl and in future, a fine young lady with a passion and spirit to inspire and influence... Cringe, my friends without children... your buddy here is turning into those mushy mothers who shows all the signs of "my baby is the cutteest!!!"... Rui Bin, we are so happy to have you... mummy love u. Cant wait for your arrival...

Bali Research Trip

Hotel research trips are always a blast... Not only do you stay in nice places but you get to try interesting food concepts and savour what the market has to offer... This time, Andre and me ended up in Bali to sniff out St Regis, Alila Suites and Bulgari...

St Regis

Very very interesting, the driveway entry into St Regis. You actually enter the compound without realising it. After a short ride, it will suddenly dawn on you that "hey I like this lush landscape, where is this?". My dear, you are already in St Regis... WelcomeThen you encounter a monstrous ancient looking structure. Feels like a readaptation of cambodian ruins. Nevertheless, I like it. Impressive, imposing, a gd stage for unfolding drama. Lobby is typically St Regis in design and detailing. Aka, over-detail but grand and comfy. Ate with Victoria, Allan and Andre at the pool side restaurant facing the beach. Nice cosy place with whitewashed interiors and decorated with pale colored wayang kulit.. nice indigeous touch. Oh btw, food is disappointing. My room is a cool 92msq of space that is very thoughtfully considered. I did find it quite frustating to spend 10 mins walking round trying to find a empty countertop space to place my watch and accessories. Housekeeper does like to clutter up every table space with plates of fruits/ cards/ handwritten welcome notes/ menos etc... Bathroom is perfect. LLLLLLove it..Relaxed ambience totally destroyed by trying to sort out a "simple yet can turn disasterous" shanghai/ wenzhou flight arrangements with incompetent staff back home. Replying to emails burned my afternoon.

Pampered myself to a spa session after a totally stuffed breakfast. (Ken would love this breakfast) St Regis spa concept is butterfly inspired- backlit and floating butterflies are everywhere. I was very well looked after by very professional therapist... memoriable...

VERDICT: At US$450 a nite, not bad a deal... of the 3 resorts, this is the best.

Alila Suites Utuwatu

Heard that Ally and Lx wanna come here... opps sorry my backpacking buddies... so paisei

Designed by Woha, the entrance is totally duh and understated. You definitely get the feeling of "u mean this is it??!!"

But once you step into the compound, you immediately feel refreshed. Lobby reminds me of Amansara but better. Waiting lounge looks right out to a pool and the sea beyond. The set up and color scheme is so chilled out that I agree with Victoria 100% that this is the perfect home. Ken, our next house will look like this ok. Living room opens out to our pool. ok with you or not?

Love the table. Ken, I think we need a table like this by our pool. Good for BBQ parties in the evenings.. kids can mess it up all they want.You can really tell Woha's signature from the villa architecture. Slide and hide walls everywhere. Rooms can be fully opened like a pavillion or enclosed in the comforts of AC. pretty pretty ammenity boxes.. BlissfulVERDICT: At US$650 a nite, it is not worth it. First day - totally excited. Second day - there is nothing to do, no beach, no activity. Resort too comtemplative and zen but honest, I have nothing to comtemplate no matter how deep I look inside myself... Bored and stressed w emptiness.

Bulgari

VERDICT: Din bother about photos, all black interiors and exteriors... US$850 a nite, for people with money chasing the fashionable. Rooms - bad. Restaurant - bad. Spa - bad. People in the pool - bored faces with no smiles.

Happy Birthday To Me

There are a few things that became very apparent to me on my birthday celebration.

1. I am quite creative with flower arrangements. wow wow

2. I like inviting people over to the house

3. I make quite good Asian Tofu salad

4. My sister takes much better pictures than me (DANG!!)

My dayi's humour is one of the kind for her age. Oh I love her. The kids were promised a day of swimming with mimi and their mobile babysitters and all were looking forward to the splash.

A feast for hungry. Noodles and Kong Ba Bao (mimi), salad (me), chicken wings (wuyi), rice... None of us knows how to use the oven! Great job women!! When the party dies down, the real conversation begins over beer and chips.

Everyone tried their hands on the aggressive Wii Boxing game. Erwin's contiunous attacks need no defense, Frank's style apears to douge and hardly attacks, uncle Roger simply doesn't understand why he dies everytime and is our star entertainer (ie. laugh till your jaws get dislocated)

Bangkok Break

The Plan - arrive in BKK. Check in. Eat. Shop. Spa. Eat. Shop. Eat... All in all, we excuted the plan to perfection.

Staying together in a suite has its obvious advantages. Allan always make sure the fridge is well stocked with wine and beer (regardless that it is Bangkok's No Alcohol Day!) and the dining table has supplies of chicken wings, chips etc

Andrea is dead serious in her online research about getting the best spa deal for all of us. Lemon Grass Thai Fine Dining Restaurant is a great place to introduce business associates to Thai food. ie. freshest ingredients, nice ambient, expensive prices, refined taste. BTW, I think the waiters snubbed us because we gave too little tips

Now here we are talking! SomBoon Seafood restaurant. Some say its sensational, others say its heavenly. I call it - worth dying for. I have classified it as a MUST GO pilgrimage. I have never felt so blissful just eating. The steam sotong is beyond excellent. The fried galic prawns is a total inspiration. The salted sea bass is the most wonderful food I have eaten... (A sense of melancholy down there...) If this is my last meal, I will be contented.

The Dinner

Dinner Banquet of choice is Mandarin Oriental. Why not Regent? I was asked plenty of times. Well... because Alex, (my ex-kitchen consultant who never failed to impress me with his recommendations of food) says to try MO. If Alex says MO then MO it shall be!! Anyway MO is one of my fav hotel chains as well...Introducing our receptionists - my lovely cousins Yvonne and Violet. And Ken's sister, Felicia. Strawberries abundant and I can see that Feli is openly munching on the job... tsk tsk New Boss, old boss. Mika Koponen and Andrew Moore.

Grandmother in law is really happy that her Ah Ken is finally married.

Frank has to make the grand entrance as usual.My extremely pretty friends - limin and peizhi, (unfortunatly both very married). ShuFei (married), Kaijun (getting hitched Dec 2010!) and the happy family! Major thank you goes to Shujun who produced the stunning corsages and hand bouquet and Whyee, my bridesmaid!Tsuto Sakamoto, my ex-prof on the left and on the right. the extremely talented Sheila & family. She is the designer of my bridal and evening gown. BTW, why are her sons so tall? Where did the genes come from? Looks like Feli is not the only one huge on strawberries... Dear Kim, Charlie says you are a pro on slide presentation. we think so too...Unexpected last minute changes in table arrangements. Mimi announcing to Frank & wife that she is going to split their family into 3 seperate tables.... Aiyah, being the nicest uncle has its disadvantages...

"Good evening ladies and gentlemens.... please welcome Mr and Mrs Loh!!!!". Winny and Ivan doing a fantastic job being emcees for the evening!Ho Ho Ho.... lets pretend to cut a fake cake!! Ok I know this is our wedding but I always thought that this fake cake things is bizzare... Oh yah, and the dance parade of the first dish.... real passe, i did not know people are still doing it. Heard that the architects died of laughter watching. Food.. is good... I heard... u know I did not eat much that day!

2nd march in - ken is still trying to find out who smashed a ton of petals right into his face. people on the left, own up. people on the right, who stole their petals?

This is one of the best yam seng @ weddings.... fantastic family and friends, brothers and sisters, kiddos and all!!! Phototaking for all of Ken's family tables....

Now for the friends tables! Table of helpers and friends... without you guys, the evening will not be the same.The very Cat High looking Catholic High buddies... a very fun group

The divers. see you underwater in April mate!

The prof, architects and ex-architects!

The Carlson Group and the Hirsch Bedner Gang

The St Nicholas old girls plus auntie Serene! Alicia, I must say, you look stunning in that dress.

Special mention of Song right here! She DID NOT SHAKE HANDS ON HER WAY OUT!!!

What a tiring day... but what fun! Finally a great thank you to all who helped and attended our wedding. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves because we certainly did! cheers...