Chatty Lass

I had hoped against all hope, believing that Mercy and Compassion will prevail; that every person deserves a second chance at life and the death penalty is not only an act of a flawed system and regressive thinking, but more than that, it is never the answer.

No man ever has the right to claim another man's life, be it as an individual or as a system. There is no way to reconcile that.

As I drove to work on one of the darkest of days, I saw a full rainbow arched across the sky; magnificent in its spectrum of glory.




I was so reminded of these verses:

AM: Snailed out of bed, hit the shower and got ready. Left our home at 6am for the City of Tomyam and Pork Trotters.

Noon: After a dreadfully lengthy wait at the immigration counter, we finally arrived at 11:30am (local time).




Checked-in to the hotel and since our rooms were not ready for us just yet, we headed out for lunch on foot.

Lunch. Satisfyingly incredible lunch.

Swensen's Mango Ice-Cream with Pandan Sticky Rice.

My must-have dessert whenever I'm in Thailand - Coconut ice-cream with sticky rice and peanuts.

I squealed with delight when I saw these SUPER adorable mini (and very edible) sweet and savory treats.

Weekly check-in before I scoot off to finish a few outstanding chores and resume packing...


1. Came across *this* article while reading Dayre and the article lists a total of 35 differences between a woman who prefers her wine red or white.

For amusement's sake, I skimmed through the piece and found several notions listed to be startlingly true.

P/S: Most of the time, my default pick is a glass of full-bodied Cab or sultry Merlot (both of which belong to the red wine family), although I've been known to waywardly stray and indulge in a good glass of Chardonnay (smooth white wine with a fruity scent) every now and again.


#10. Red wine drinkers speak their minds; white wine drinkers are good listeners.


I've been told that I can be rather "opinionated". Who am I kidding… I am never short on opinions and I have a take on everything. More often than not, those thoughts remain only in my mind as: a) I only articulate my full opinions with people who I am closest to, and b) Most people ask for the truth, but are unable to handle the weight of it (this is usually the case).


#12. Red wine drinkers like a little scruff; white wine drinkers like their men clean cut.

YES… Usually, I like a little stubble on the RIGHT MAN (in my not-so-humble opinion, Hugh Jackman is THE hottest actor alive), unlike these scruff-gone-wrong cases: this, this and THIS.


#14. Red wine drinkers loved English class; white wine drinkers loved Science class.

I enrolled for the Science stream in my upper secondary schooling years, and I did fairly okay in all three. No points for guessing which was my favorite subject though, seeing what I grew up to be.


#32. Red wine drinkers like good literature; white wine drinkers like good movies.

A riveting book, on any given day.


#33. Red wine drinkers enjoy table conversation; white wine drinkers enjoy chatting on the phone.

Unless and until the former becomes not plausible, I've always opted for a vis-a-vis meet / conversation. Preferably tucked away from the crowd in a quiet corner, with a cup of tea or a glass of wine.


#34. Red wine drinkers like evenings in; white wine drinkers are all about party time.

Occasionally hanging out in a crowded room with sweaty people nudging you and loud music blasting in your ears was a lot of fun while it lasted. Nowadays, I'd rather have a home-cooked meal with my family or close friends and let streams of laughter flow late into the night.



2. 4 out of 5 days of cooking from home to bring to work.

AM: Woke up with a year added to my age, feeling as tired as ever because I have yet to catch up on sleep after my trip to Ho Chi Minh (Read about it here - Part One and Part Two).


PM: We (my bestie and I) finally locked down on our available dates to travel and booked the tickets for our first fully self-funded holiday trip after working for 2 years. Happening in July 2015. Sooooooooo excited! *cartwheels all around the room*

Wholegrain toast + sauteed oyster mushrooms with thyme and hard-boiled egg.

Her savory treat.

My sweet treat - Håagen Dazs' coffee for her, and green tea with almond nibs for me.

Banh Mi - Baguette loaded with pickled vegetables, cold cuts and OVEN ROASTED PORK BELLY.

Pho Ga - Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup.

Mutton Curry and Vietnamese Baguette.

After being in the country for almost a week, I must say that my boss was quite right - I did enjoy being there. In fact, if an opportunity to visit this populous city presents itself again, I wouldn't mind taking it up.

Ho Chi Minh (HCM) is a city that throbs with life and pulsates with energy. Traffic is buzzing madness in this vibrant metropolitan (the jams here are less insane compared to Bangkok and Jakarta - notorious for their severe traffic congestion), there's a staggering amount of motorbikes on the road and the drivers in HCM bring a whole new meaning to the word daredevil.

The seamless blend of modernity, historical sites and ancient places of worship is what makes HCM an immensely interesting melting pot of culture and tradition.


Monday (Apr 6th, 2015)

AM: Take-off. Flight route: Penang > KL > Ho Chi Minh.

Brunch - Sambal Fish and Red Wine.

In-flight USB port to replenish my battery's juices.

Canapés and St. Pellegrino.

The view of the city from where I was sitting.