Starbucks Lucky Treat

I was merely helping my colleague to pay for the Starbucks via RHB Debit Card (because there was promotion buy 1 free 1 on every Fridays, until 31 December 2012; and only I have the RHB Debit Card)....then the barista 'surprised' me "Heh ya!!! You are our lucky customer today!!!"

Apparently Starbucks were having this promotional campaign to get the lucky patrons to do some customer experience survey on Starbucks. As a token of appreciation, the participants can redeem any beverage of tall size, within 14 days of the receipt date.

Remove Background in Pictures - the Easy Way !!

Have you always feel frustrated when looking for easy-to-use image editing software that able to remove the background of a picture?

I do sometimes, as I'm not very proficient in using professional image editing software, e.g. Photoshop...

But today I discovered one great tool in MS Office 2010, that I just have to share with all ^^

Take this picture for example...So how do I use MS Office 2010 to remove the background, and only retain the house (the subject)?

                                                                     Image Source: thehousedesigners

Free Sausage McMuffin with Egg ~woohoo!!

McDonalds Malaysia has been so generous lately (maybe because of the controversy lately? Hmm....)

Only on 19 November, McD branches have offered Sausage McMuffin with Eggs, up to 1000 burgers at each branch. Then on the very next day itself, there are cutout coupons from TheSun where by using the coupon, within 21-25 November, you can redeem the burger for free!!! Yeah :D :D

                                                                                                     * T&C applies *

Within this week I have visited McDonalds Citta Mall twice, just to enjoy my favourite McD morning burger... yum yum :P

Time to visit the gym and pool >.<"

Curling Hair with Sponge Curler

As I did not book any make up artist for my wedding reception at Bagan Serai, I was looking for simple DIY hairstyling on the web. Then I saw this key-shaped sponge curler on a website of an online shop. Among benefits it claims are you can sleep with it overnight since it's very soft, and that it curls hair without heat so it is not damaging the hair.

But the price was not cheap. RM20 for a spongee thingy?? No way....I have to let it go...

Then one fine day while shopping at the AEON (formerly Jusco) pharmacy, I saw the same product on the display rack...and it was darn cheap at only RM6.90!!!!

 

So I took one pack and made my payment. 

Free workshop -- really ar? No free lunch in this world, ok...

Free Image Branding Workshop

So I went to this "Power Up Your Brand" workshop two weeks ago. When I reached the boutique, it was only me and the other two other participants. Well, the boutique is nice, cozy and comfortable. 

                                                                  Image source: Emage Grooming Boutique

After waited more than 20 minutes and when more participants have came in, the workshop started. 

The trainer, Evelyn Ch'ng, started the workshop interestingly, got us to be actively interact with each other. She also showed us how each person has different "colour energy" for garments and attires, and I also like the way how she linked buying a diamond to identifying self-image.

Along the way however, although I was still interested with the class, I was starting to feel annoyed at the same time. Instead of a meaningful workshop on its own, I felt that this so-call 'workshop' is more like a preview for its 'Style & Grace Workshop', or is it 'Image & Etiquette' workshop? Oh, whatever...

Everyday I Love You...

I didn't know this song until when I was looking for song for my pre-wedding photos...instantly I fall in love with this song, and decide...This!!! This would be our MV song!!!

And the lyrics for this beautiful song....

I don't know, but I believe

That some things are meant to be

And that you'll make a better me

Everyday I love you 

Last Chapter of Manicure and Pedicure

After done my first and second session of manicure & pedicure, I still have another 2 sessions left before the package expired on 30 September 2012...but it was already 21 September and I would not want to 'torture' myself for 2hours++ within the same week lol ^^

So I brought Mom along, to enjoy the pampering together on that day...one thing good about this package is it is transferable to close family members :P

I can't remember the girl's name who served me, but I still remember how patient and passionate she was when doing this design for me; strong maroon base with white and yellow flowers and motifs...love it :D :D

Loving my Tiara ♥ ♥ ♥

It was by chance I entered this contest....I was simply browsing the Facebook, looking for ideas for my wedding...thus my browsing tend to be on wedding pages from those wedding vendors lol....and so happened I bumped into this Wedding Planning page...and so happened I saw this tiara (oh, so beautiful !!) giveaway contest going on...

The contest rule was easy. It was:

1. LIKE our page

2. Simple question for you to comment: 
"Do you need a wedding day coordinator? Yes or No, tell us why?" 

Simple right? So I decided to give it a try....

Regardless or Irregardless?

In one of the MUET* classes during Form 6, my Englist teacher, Ms Goh Hai Bee (I hope I spelled the name correctly) pointed out to us the common mistakes in English daily use.

One of the common mistakes is the usage of the word 'irregardless'.

I have heard this word so many times in the meetings I attended these few days, that it prompted me to initiate this post.

The correct word should be 'regardless'.

Most of the time, the user who employs this word wants to express that, "No matter A or B, this is the one".

For example, "Irregardless of the weather, we will proceed with the field trip."

In this example, the user actually means, "No matter it rains or shines, we will proceed to go on with the field trip."

Or, the user actually means, "Let's disregard the weather. We will proceed with the field trip."

So we would ‘not regard’ the weather. Means ‘no regard’. Means ‘regard-less’.

What happen if we use ‘irregardless’? 

Puzzle #2: 1 11 21 ?

Yeah, you read it right... the puzzle starts like this: 1 11 21 ? 

So what is the next number?

Ok, to give you one more clue: 1 11 21 1211 ?

Still not getting it? How about: 1 11 21 1211 111221 ?

Hecks, I can go on and on...but based on my experience, most people cannot figure out the pattern of the numbers, thus could not get the answer...

My Bridal Affair with Tom Wedding City

Bridal shops and wedding services business are really blooming these few years, as many couples are now more willing to pay a bomb for that special occasion. Some spent more than 10k for the PS, and some went abroad to Bali, Korea, Perth, Taiwan etc for the scenery as a backdrop to their pictures....wow...

As for me and my fh? We signed up a bridal package in January 2011 during a bridal fair at MidValley Megamall, without doing much research and have no idea on the plenty of choices we could have consider. Well, I think our impulsiveness was due to the thought that our wedding would be in the same year...

Anyway, we signed up with the first booth right in front of the entrance, Tom Wedding City (TOM = The Only Match), where the BS is actually located at Jalan Loke Yew...the staff that served us, Lily, was actually the MUA for the BS...because we were so 'naive' on wedding stuff that time, we didn't negotiate much but just listen and nod our heads, swiped the card and signed on the dotted lines without negotiating for extra =.=" Lily told us that since we were the first couple to sign up on that faithful day, we were given discount RM1k, so our package cost RM3k only...till now I'm not sure if she was just trying to make us feel lucky and also as a persuasion strategy lol, because I know the normal package at Tom Wedding City is also around RM3k only...

As our wedding postponed to October 2012, so do our pre-wedding PS. It finally happened in April 2012, after many phone calls by SA Helen to remind us lol...Helen talked very sweetly on the phone that it made me feel comfortable, haha good job...during our first meet-up, Helen told us that Lily has resigned from Tom, so we would be assigned another MUA...doesn't matter to me lah, haha...

So my SA is Helen, MUA is Jacquelyn and PG is CM...and album designer is Bing...our package costs us more than RM3.5k after upgrade, excluding miscellaneous such as fake eyelashes, ampoule, hairspray, nude bra and white wing collar shirt, which were sold at very marked-up price =.=" and we only got the basic usual stuff oh since we didn't negotiate much...

Note: Pictures below are not the actual album design...the BS didn't give us the design soft copies... Helen told me that the design would be additional RM30 per page =.="

This is our first image for the Tom exclusive themed shooting. I chose the dress during the gown fitting day, but not the background and setting. The setting that I chose should be dim lit and has flowers around...I'm not sure why the setting was changed without consulting us, and even worse I didn't voice out the wrong setting...stupid me...We chose 5 pictures only for this image, as many of the picture outcomes were really not nice and I looked really 'weird' from some angles...

Shape Night Run Roar...!!!

Compared to my last previous run, I manage to improve my timing for run this year...I finished 11.8km at about 1hour 45minutes...not bad huh? ^^ 

But the route for this run was definitely more difficult compared to the StandChart 2012, what more it was a night run (plants respire at night, I have to fight for oxygen =.=") It was up and down the road, cross bridges, circle the lake...I think I have ran really hard to the finishing line lol...

And oh... Men's Health and Shape Night Run is well-known to be giving a lot goodies and sponsored merchandise to the participants...Here's what I got:

Race Kit
Skechers Running Tee
Running Bib Number
Timing Chip

Pardon me for the not-so-nice picture...nicer picture at Shape webpage

A Thousand Years by Christina Perri

I was at hubby's colleague's wedding dinner when I first heard of this song. This song was used as the photo montage background music of the beautiful couple's wedding day....immediately it made me felt warm and sappy hearing the song...what's more, it's for a wedding video!! My heart melt right away omg...!!

I was determined to find out the song title...I can't remember how exactly I found out, but months later I realized that the song is titled "A Thousand Years", voiced by Christina Perri. In fact, it is from the album "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack", lol...me not a Twilight fan, so pardon me :P :P

Review by a critic: "Initially, it sounds just a bit sappy and even a bit twee, however, stick with it and as the Waltz time begins to sway more and more the song moves into a bridge that is stunningly gorgeous. It then melts back down into a gentle place before sweeping along into a pleasing conclusion."

Wish more beautiful songs like this....♥♥

p/s: See also my choice of wedding songs ^^

Slimming Band for my *Fat* Arms

I am not fat, but I have *quite* fat arms...ugh, flabby arms...all the fat consumed over the KFC or McD meals seem love to converge to my arms... =.="

I want to look great on my wedding day...and so I'm looking for lazy way to lose the fat...then I saw a merchant from one of the many the group discount page offering the Upper Arm Slimming Band at only RM15....cheapest among other merchants selling the same product... ^^

 Picture source from Groupon. But the pair that I bought was not from Groupon...

Picture source from Groupon, another merchant...also more expensive compared to mine :P

Sneak Preview of My Pre-wedding Photo

Yesterday, we went to collect our albums and other stuff from the bridal shop that we engaged.... Excited?...jeng jeng jeng.....

The big photo frame for bedroom (24'x48'), smaller photo frame for '娘家' (18'x12'), big album (18'x12', fully designed), small album (08'x12', fully designed), album box, calendar for year 2013, love card (which is actually poker card), '姊妹' pictures (06'x04', 50 pieces), photo montage movement DVD (1 song), original photo file CD (70 poses)

This is the first page of the big album...it's outdoor photoshooting...

Ronald Cheng & Kelly Chen - 製造浪漫 Zhìzào Làngmàn

I'm falling in love with this sweet song!!! The melody is catchy, the tune is great, the lyric is awesome!!

Sung by Kelly Chen (Chén Huì Lín) 陈慧琳 & Ronald Cheng (Zhèng Zhōng Jī) 郑中基, this song generally urged us to be creative and actively seeking opportunity to create romances in our daily lives, so that the love with our loved one remain strong...aww, so sweet ♥♥

I think the song is a great companion to a wedding MV...wee...♥♥

p/s: See also my choice of wedding songs :)

Standard Chartered KL Marathon Race Pack

Wee!!! Got my race pack for the coming Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2012 today (^^) I'm getting excited, as it is my first marathon event this year....gosh, now I'm worried that I might not be able to run (jog or walk to be exact!!) smoothly...the sprained ankle not yet recovered fully leh... >.< wish me luck ya....

The race pack contents: SCKLM event bag, SCKLM New Balance running singlet, SCKLM bib number with timer and safety pins, SCKLM runner's guide book, MSIG fan, Colgate toothpaste and mouthwash sample, Colgate toothbrush voucher, Titan watch flyer ad, New Balance discount voucher, Yogood bars, Protex shower cream sample and Salonpas sample...

McDonald's Sausage McMuffin with Egg - Price Knocked Down!!!

It is time to head down to McDonald's for an awesome breakfast! 

For one week only - 18 to 24 June 2012, McDonald's Malaysia is offering the mouth watering Sausage McMuffin with Egg made from farm fresh egg, grilled sausage, creamy cheese all in a freshly toasted English Muffin at only RM2.50! Almost half of its original price oh... 

Print out the coupon below to enjoy this sweet deal! 
Or, click here to print the coupon at higher resolution: http://bit.ly/MahZeD

Photocopy, Black & White print-out is allowed oh ^^ 

Wedding Songs

I've been cracking my head lately to choose which songs suitable for my wedding march-in, wedding photo MV, couple photo MV, first dish presentation, songs to play over the dinner bla bla bla....

These are a few songs that I've shortlisted and love so much:

Evergreen:

• The Wedding (Ave Maria)

English:

• 98 Degrees - I Do (Cherish You)
• Backstreet Boys - What Make You Different (Make You Beautiful)
• Boyzone - Everyday I Love You
• Bruno Mars - Marry You
• Bryan Adams - Everything I Do (I Do It For You)
• Celine Dion - I Love You
• Celine Dion - The Power Of Love
• Christina Perri - A Thousand Years
• Elton John - Can You Feel The Love Tonight
• George Benson & Roberta Flack - You Are The Love of My Life
• Westlife (ft Diana Ross) - When You Tell Me That You Love Me

I ♥ Nail Art

I have always loved to see nail art...it takes patience and skill to draw a beautiful design on the narrow surface...the end result is always satisfying, and you just can't stop admiring your pretty nails...

But i'm too lazy to learn the skill, haha....that's why i signed up the manicure + pedicure package at Kamar Emas, Sogo so that people would do it for me, hohoho...well, to be exact, i was 'duped' to swipe my credit card and sign on the dotted line =.="

Anyway, the package of RM252 includes 4 sessions of manicure + pedicure + nail art, and a small gift...not too bad huh, considering i never really spend a lot to pamper myself... (^^)

 This is the design that i chose during the first session, one day before my pre-wedding photography shooting in April...simple and nice....

 This design looks good on the sample, but the end-result was not so....it looked like my toe nails are dirty or i have some kind of weird disease that infect my toe nails =.="

Yut Kee Roast Pork - Heaven!!

I was spring-cleaning my lappie when I came across some pictures taken during one of the many meals with my colleagues. And I have decided - Yut Kee Roast Pork was one of my best lunches on Fridays!!

Kedai Makanan Yut Kee has a very long history, dated back to 1928 if not mistaken. Located at Jalan Dang Wangi, the small restaurant offers many delicious food and is always full of customers...some of the popular dishes are Lum Mee, Hainanese Chicken Chop, Roti Babi (what a name!!), Baked Kaya Roll and many other chinese fried dishes.

Heck, the Roasted Pork Roll is still the best!! The roast pork set comes with potato wedges and mixed beans, made tastier by the rich and flavourful brown sauce. Mind you, it's not cheap though...one set costed RM17.50 the last time I had it :)

 The pork roll is ready to be butchered

 The roast pork set comes with potato wedges and mixed beans

The Beautiful Xi Shi

Have you ever heard of Xi Shi?

Xi Shi (Chinese: 西施; pinyin: Xī Shī) was one of the Four Beauties in the ancient China. Apparently her beauty was so extraordinary that her appearance would sink the most beautiful fish, lol ^^ you can read her stories here and here...

Two years back during a trip to Shanghai, i had the chance to visit the The Temple of Xi Shi (aka The Memorial of Xi Shi), which is located at Shaoxing. The temple surrounding is spacious, complete with a nice pond (a symbolic must have in almost all Chinese houses, gardens or temples). Architecture wise, needless to say, it just tremendous!! Tour guide Susan told us about the history of the Xi Shi temple, but I have forgotten already now, haha...

 Once you enter from the main entrance, you'll be greeted with this huge building

 The signage on the right side when walk in from main entrance

 Almost there....