Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Attended my first jazz band performance at Dewan Philharmonic with Scott. I took a trip down to KLCC via the LRT and it was very crowded when I got to the Mall surprisingly, with the H1N1 outburst and yet people are wearing mask and still spending alot of time in the crowd. Was a little confused with the location to pick up the tickets as I thought we were in the Conventional Center instead of the Philharmonic Hall. What a blur case I was at... *knock knock head*

Had dinner at Chinoz and enjoyed our fountain view a fair bit since the performance only starts at 8.30pm. They had stopped serving/making my favorite main course; pasta serve with duck-meat & olive oil. So, had to rethink of what is tempting with a reasonable price too...

We had a great evening as the performance was very entertaining, lively & jazzy. Since there is no camera allowed in the Hall, I had an opportunity to take pictures of them & even a short video when they continue to parade out from the hall to the already-arranged tables for their autographing section.

A Short Video of Preservation Hall Jazz Band outside the Hall : Video One
A Short Video of Scott in Action : Video Two (only for the intended viewer)

Salsa - Module 1

Attended my first salsa lesson tonight. I was rushing back home to grab a quick dinner before I head out to the dance studio at Jalan Kasuarina. Phew... was I exhausted with the driving and also the rushing. But, I was the earliest to arrive and had an ice-breaker section with Jason; the instructor and Fai; his assistant. After 20minutes chit-chatting and getting to know a little about the instructor and his background in the salsa industry. Turns out, his instructor was Sam from Havana EStudio.

Started the first lesson after 9+pm knowing that I was not in a hurrying and none of the other 8 students are turning-up (which out of them, 3 have fever), Jason & Fai taught me as 1 and only student. I had to say, its a privilege and it's like a private-class and I get lots of attention!! Hehehe...

With no dancing background & experience, I think it's only right to tell out front about this when I'm seriously going to take up salsa. Jason teaches "on-1" lessons.

First, I learned this... occasionally, I skipped a step or I didn't leave up my foot to make a step... Hhhmm... honestly, I don't think it's as easy as it seems... coming from me that is quite a tomboy... this sexy-dance may not be that easy to pick up especially, I had to have a good posture with my hands and the way I leave them up at my waist and not down on my side. Also, since the steps are done slowly, I even had the intention to jerk up my shoulder every single steps I take... Thinking back on the replay Jason showed me on how I did my steps, I had to laughed and make sure I remember not to do that.


Second, I learned to step right with my right foot and left foot to the right. Then, left with my left foot and right foot to the left. This is very simple but still I tend to missed a step.

Third, I learned to make a turn after the 5th step. I had Fai to be my partner to also learn how to be lead to turn with an arm raised and how a partner can raise his arm and still do not require to turn. Jason requested Fai to trick me a few times to make sure I'm alert and I never failed to be tricked. Hahaha!! During the turn, it is also important to make sure that I don't show my armpit but keep my elbow at the shape of an L-shape from my shoulder when I turn. This is to ensure I don't hit my partner with my elbow when I turn and also to make a graceful turn. And I'm not supposed to leave my left foot up-high into a L-shape when I turn either.

Before Jason let me leave, he make sure I learned how to listen to the music and know the timing on-1. So, I was given a short quiz to test me if I know how to count along with the music.

I left the dance studio by 10.30pm without even had to pay my RM200 fee yet; which is an advantage despite that this is not normal but I guessed, some people do it for passion and not for the business. I'm just glad I stumbled over this place in the website and I had to say, I had a GREAT first-day lesson with an instructor that I'm comfortable with too. But, I had to do some "homework" as well... I can feel a little sore... time to Zzzz...

Salsa Workshop @ Havana Estudio

I enjoyed myself very much at the Wednesday Salsa Social Nite at A li yaa where dance-partner first introduced me to the salsa environment. So today, dance partner brought me to attend a salsa workshop at his dance class; Havana Estudio.

To be frank, I was very nervous and paranoid as I'm not sure what am I to expect in this kind of workshop and social-gatherings. Sam; the instructor doesn't seems to realize the existence of me; that has no dancing experience whatsoever before. But, what can you expect when you just pay RM10 that comes with pizza & soft-drinks. The price came with learning a few basic steps for salsa and merengue.

Drew a circle in the picture to identify myself in the dance floor. This kick-start the salsa workshop whereby the basic steps are taught. The instructor in black & her dance-partner in white-top & yellow-skirt; Jen.

My head is always turning towards the instructor as I'm still figuring out the steps & making sure I did it correctly and I think I still couldn't differentiate the music tempo if my dance-partner don't count and lead me *chuckled*.

Merengue; a much slower & easier dance step compare to salsa. Personally, I prefer this one more due to the less complication and less spinning-speed. But, dance-partner felt this very boring as it's just plain-marching-alike kind of dance. He probably will doze-off while standing (or rather dancing)!!

After the brief introduction to the basic steps of salsa & merengue; the social night started with dimmer lights and bigger crowd. I can feel the heat coming with the packed-like-sardine dance room and this is the time where you start seeing lots of good dancers enjoying themselves. Meanwhile, we had a few rounds of salsa and trying to get myself into it from what I had learned. In this picture, dance-partner trying to learn the new technique he saw in UTube and somehow, one part got us tangled & we were figuring out how to untangled correctly with grace!

*Phew* I felt sweaty and that my bra is slipping lower underneath my dress. So, I had to excuse myself to the toilet to get that adjusted but I think after that, I was a little worry that it doesn't work that much as it continues to slip with the spinning-steps I constantly do *shy*. On & off, I had to keep pulling it up in public which I feel kind of embarrassed. I had to make sure the next time I attend another social night for salsa, I have to wear well-supported bra-stripped & a dress that don't show my bare-shoulder.

Other than having an impatience dance-partner who shows me black-face when I can't get one of the harder steps learned, I enjoyed myself for the night. Despite that I got kicked several times by the men behind me - that hurts at my heel & the skin-above my heel! Just hope I don't get the blues & bruises tomorrow.

LoVe Is...

"Love is a noble act of self-giving, offering trust, faith, and loyalty. The more you love, the more you lose a part of yourself, yet you don't become less of who you are; you end up being complete with your loved ones."

1,2,3,4 by Plain White T's

Relaxing Indulge: Home Spa

I was dying to have a shoulder massage since last few days ago when I felt a very aching shoulder in the office. But one can never just drop by a Spa center conveniently like dropping by a petrol-kiosk for petrol, right? I'm not sure about others but I'm very particular about spa treatments and the service I will get for the money that I spend. Then, I was dreaming, "How nice if I can redeem my V-Day massage voucher from Scott today?". "Okie, return back to Earth please!"

Today, even a Saturday, as usual, the brain-alarm will wakes me up at 7am but I woke up just to drape the curtains close to cover the brightness and went back to curdle my bolster. Zzz...

By 10am, I was awaken by the door-bell; my mom's friend came to visit. So, I dragged myself up, brushed my teeth, eased my bladder and went down to make myself breakfast after saying "hi" to the Aunty. After scanning thru the Saturday papers, I went to do my laundry.

It started to thunder loudly and I was delighted, "God, finally you're sending the rain! Thank You!! I hope the thunders will follow by rain ah..." I whispered to myself. As I completed hanging my laundry to dry, few drops of rain came and so, I watered my plants by my room windows and open up the windows as it was shut the whole night thru due to the bad-smokey-haze that I don't want it to penetrate into my room.

Then, an idea came to me... it's such a wonderful Saturday so far... and why not pamper myself a little bit with the home-spa-treatment? So, I took out my manicure set and started to work on my nails, filed them and off I went into the bathroom for a shower.

Started with washing my hair and then, leave the hair-conditioner to work it's softness into my hair. Then, the full face to toes scrub starts... I didn't buy any special scrubs, I just used the St Ives facial scrub for my face, my body, my hands and my legs till my feet. It's not my first time doing this and the result never failed me. Well, a few strokes are done for body and legs just so that the dead-skins are really removed.

After rinsing it with cold water, I filled up the baby-tub with the maximum hot water I could get from the shower and pour lavender gel into it. Well, lavender supposed to be calming the mind and make one sleeps well at night. Once the tub is 3/4 full with water, it's time to dip in!!

Hehehe... I know, it's just a BABY-TUB!! But, will do since my house don't have a bath-tub... So, I have to take turns to soak different part of my body & legs... My front part is impossible to have a soak but I could actually soak my whole back with my shoulder in the baby-tub and it was so relaxing.

With the sounds of the rain splattering outside the windows, I almost fell asleep for a quick 5 minutes before I awaken by the thunder! 15-20 minutes after all the soaking, I rinsed off the lavender suds and my hair-conditioner with cold water. It will be more pleasant if I could get ice-cubes with me into the bathroom. *chuckled* But, I don't want to raise the suspicious from my mom who doesn't know a thing that I was up to in the bathroom.

Yeehhh... now, I felt my aches are gone and since I want to enjoy the rest of my Saturday relaxing and without sitting in front of the computer, I better stop blogging and grab my lunch. Wow! Never had such a nice beautiful weather Saturday after so long...

Berjaya Hills, Pahang

As Lily, Charlie & 5th-Aunt from Johor Bahru are in town for several days, it was also a time for me to spend some time with them as Lily & I are now the closest among my many cousins after our INTI-days-together.

Weeks before, several enquiries were made for Pangkor Island's resorts but was very frustrated with the economical hotel's service and gave up trying to book a room during the King's Birthday-Hols-Weekend. Of course the better resorts are too pricey to even thinking to attempt during the peak-season.

We head up to the Berjaya Hills for a one day trip excurssion. This is my 2nd time up to this hill and personally, the cool weather is not there anymore. Maybe, it's partly due to the heat at KL which probably when the weather is not so hot, the hill maybe cooler.

We detour to Bentong for dinner which happened to be an adventure-drive for me as I took the trunk-old-road from Janda Baik to Bentong that took us to an endless-winding road trip that I think my aunt's heart beat never stop worrying until we reach Bentong town.

After dinner, lucky found the Karak-Highway but it was pitch-dark and I was really worried driving on it. Alan's sms-message asked me to be careful driving in Karak-Highway, did not leave my mind at any seconds until I reach the end of the Highway. For the first time in my life, I'm a little bit in fear to be driving at so-pitch-dark highway. Thank God!

Special thanks to Charlie for taking most of the wonderful & memorable pictures. PHOTO

Elisa's 2nd-BDay

Elisa will be TWO tomorrow officially.
We had home-cooked food today for Elisa's 2nd-birthday-get-together.
And also a home-baked chocolate cake of her choice.

At the age of two, what took all of us into surprised when my Sister asked her, "What would you like to have for your birthday?" and the replied came out to be, "Kong-Kong to come celebrate with me..." and while her own Daddy is away to oversea for work.

Being "Kong-Kong"; Grandpa in Mandarin (my Dad) the God-fearing figure for Kristen & Elisa most of the time but yet, you could never be amazed with the little ones.

Elisa reading with "Kong-Kong" with both of them yaking-away at almost the same time.

Elisa will always be the first to warm up with any member of the family, either my brother or myself. Then, Kristen will follow as she is usually more reserved and tend to let Elisa take the first step despite she is the elder one. *chuckled*

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To my surprised, Kristen actually wanted to take a picture with "Ah-Ma" wherelse, Elisa ran away from this photo-shot. Hehehe...

ALVIN D'CHIPMUNK & BUSTER also joined the party!

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TIME for the birthday cake ceremony after dinner... Elisa was so excited and eager to blow the candle and she totalled up blowing THREE times!! And the funny part was, she forgotten to go thru the cutting-cake part after removing the candle, the flowers & the Happy-Birthday; that Grandma has to help her to put them back again and do the cutting-cake ceremony. What makes me admired her was she said, "I want to help..." with cutting the cakes into small pieces and distributing it for everyone to eat. Then, she sit down quietly on the dining-table and enjoyed her chocolate-cake and wanted more than 2-servings!

A Family Portrait (without Elisa's daddy)

Marley & Me : Book vs Movie

I generaly love the book better because it allows me to imagine what things would look, sound, smell like, on my own and it goes so much more in depth than you can even in the best of movies. But, the movie still brings things to life in a way that simply reading can not. It makes things seem more real sometimes.

Big Bad Wolf Books Sales

Sweating... *Phew* ~ Catching my breath...

Just got back from an amazing warehouse book sale. Took me 30+mins to get my books paid… hehehe… its pretty common. I don’t have much time to browse thru books at all. I just go hunt around for Kristen’s & my sister's shopping-book-list.

After 1 round that took me around 20 minutes searching for their books, I failed to find them. So, I went back to th only corner that attracted me upon my entrance in the first time; that was the long table with books stacked-up quite high with John Grisham, Stephen’s King & Barbara Taylor that are familiar to me. To my surprised, when I returned, the books stacked high is very low and some of the authors that are not familiar to me are finished! This author; Jodi Picoult was grabbed like hot-cakes and I managed to grab all the last 3 books of her. Sister said she read once her book but she don't like 'em. After reading each of the book's synopsis, I find it alright so I hope I won't regret grabbing them all. Hahaha!!

I couldn't find any Danielle Steel nor the other new popular authors … and just on my way to the cashier, I saw the "Marley & Me" book that I was planning to look for today. Since the book attracted my attention in KK's airport last month, I had wanted to get it. Once again the book just "called out" to me so I grabbed it. I'm very sure the book was not there earlier, someone must have put them back because there are some "dog-ears" on the cover and a few pages. Definitely not too good a quality but I don't mind.

Lucky I managed to get back into office by 2pm. Actually, I wasted around 15 mins looking for the location of the building and indeed I had wasted quite some precious time. If the map given would have mentioned Xerox; where I used to work, I would have not taken the other side of the road and make a big-circle from behind. Would have just gone straight passed Jaya 33 and take a right-turning. Also since I have quite forgotten the area after so many years, also my own fault too but it's an adventure to learn them back again... It's also pretty normal for me to get "lost" sometimes at unfamiliar places; as long as I willing to learn and remember them the next time, that's nothing wrong about it.

Big Bad Wolf Books rented a floor from this vacant building next to Kodak. After trying to look for a parking along the road, nothing available. Without wanting to waste more of my time, I decided to check with the Guard of the building because I could see from the road, there are ample parking spaces inside the building compound. And Pak-Cik Guard said need to pay him RM3 and I was like, "huh?" and I think the Guard "masuk" into his own pocket wan... Because, I actually parked at the Kodak's visitor's space.

Quickly make my way up to 2nd-floor, already see lots of people coming out with plastic bags full of books & magazines. Some even carting big boxes!! And it’s with air-cond. It’s quite nice to browse thru if you have the whole day. I saw people pushing their market-cart and books are pilling up in them. Even saw 2 people carrying the "guni-sack" type of bag; huge!! when I was lining up to pay for my books.

WwooHhoo!!! I’m satisfied with my purchase!! I bought 5 books for myself and 1 book for my sister. Just dissapointed that I couldn't get anything for Kristen.

I love the wolf-paw-print on the plastic-bag!!! Oh yea, anyone who reads my Blog and interested to borrow the books in my collection, you're welcome to let me know. You can have 'em anytime.

"Sharing is Caring, Caring is Loving."

Note: I'm not promoting for Big Bad Wolf Books but if you're book-lover or even magazine-craze, go check them out! From 14 (Thu) to 18 (Mon) May 2009 : 10am-9pm. Big Bad Wolf Books is brought to you by the people behind BookXcess as they truly believe in helping people read more for less.