CLEARING IPHONE PHOTOS

I've 64GB memory space in my iPhone and I've deleted most of the recently-irrelevant photos and still, I need to clear more photos. So let this platform be the saviour of important imageries I'll soon delete from my phone haha.

1. AMPED TRAMPOLINE PARK

Many of y'all emailed and asked me about this place when I posted it on Instagram (longlongago). Here it is! Amped Trampoline Park. It's located near Tanjong Katong.

Trey, a really good friend of mine, was back from his New Zealand school break early this year. He summoned most of his friends for some fun at this you-didn't-think-you-would-perspire-that-a-lot-but-you-did-anyway place hahaha.

We paid $12 per pax for an hour (if I remember correctly). At first, we were all like "huh, just for an hour? why can't it be longer?" We overestimated our stamina, man hahaha. Trust me, if you're gonna make a fuss about that hour.... DON'T. It's more than enough. It was such a workout man. And of course, I hope they do change the sponges regularly cause they probably soaked up everyone else's and our perspiration. Yeah, eww.

Today. 3 April is Trey's birthday. So I guess my entry though overdue is actually pretty appropriate for this occasion yeah. I don't know if he'll ever see this but thank you you Trey, for being the exemplary friend everyone needs, the older brother I've never had since birth. Thank you for always looking out for me, being protective and doing anything within your means to make sure I'm okay despite the distance. I wish I can do more for you to help you with the academic stress, but I can't do much really. I promise you though when you're back end of this year, we're gonna have a blast!! We're gonna do our thing. We're gonna count down overseas. We're gonna dive. We're gonna party hard. We're gonna make great memories. Happy Birthday, Trey! I love you, my long time precious friend!


2. WHEELER'S YARD
Situated somewhere in Balestier, a place where I don't frequent often. While walking there, an unique apartment caught my attention. The thing is.... there are many beautiful things around us which we overlook simply because we take for granted of the things we have, including the people we love.

The beauty of things don't change. Even when we age, we do gracefully. It's all subjective.

My honest review of this place?

Ambience: 10/10

Food: 5.5/10

I wasn't a huge fan of the food. If I were to go there again, I'm sure it's not for the food. It'd probably for the huge huge space they've. Unlike some cafes with limited space, Wheeler's Yard has got enough room for events and stuff. So drop by and check it out yourself ;-)

Stanley, a mate I knew since secondary school. I love how our friendship withstand time and still prosper. Thank God for Internet and Snapchat hahahaha.

3. JB GETAWAY

On random days, we love heading over to JB just to unwind a little. On that day which I forgot when, Kit Mun brought us (Natasha, Charles and I) to this little market where they would sell illegal pets. I bugged him for the longest time because I'd been so so curious!!! And yes, no doubt I saw a lot of creatures I didn't think I'd see. And ya, they're cute but that's just all to it on the superficial level. 

I am glad Natasha was seeing the entire situation the way I did. After meeting this racoon (which was still okay as a pet), we saw a helpless baby monkey (a really young one) clung on tightly to a human for support and comfort. That human, was the seller. I then casually asked where's the mommy monkey. And he said the mom was eaten by humans. I didn't buy the story a single bit. I just couldn't. 

All I could think of then was them snatching the baby monkey away from the mom. Or having her killed so they could take the kiddo away for sale. It's all vividly too ruthless in my head.

The amount of pepper, MSG...... I can't I just can't

Don't ask me how to get to the illegal pets market cause I really don't know how. Kit Mun drove us there and I doubt he can verbally navigate the place to y'all cause it took us quite a while to figure out how to get there as well. Maybe google? Maybe that'll help. If you're going, just be extra careful yeah.

Annnnnddddd on a random note: Kit Mun brought me to take the GMAX ride. The bungee/pendulum thingy at Clarke Quay. It was...... thrilling (definitely much more than skydiving). I felt my heart shifted all the way up my ribcage and stayed there for days.

4. SEA AQUARIUM

I felt so happy looking at stingrays cause they looked so happy all the time

That somehow looked totally gross to me

Smart educational marketing

Still not a fan of Sea Aquarium, River Safari was in my opinion much much better. Or maybe I went on a wrong day when it was totally packed with tourists. I got annoyed so easily that day. I was literally hissing at people who didn't understand the "No Flash" sign and go ahead with it anyway on those poor fishes. My level of tolerance for such act, I'd have to say is extremely low.

5. SG BIENNALE 2014

In secondary school days, I used to volunteer to be a Biennale's guide almost annually. And then somehow I stopped for a few years though I really wanted to continue doing so. It's hard to find someone who thinks exhibitions like that are cool and interesting, till I met Tommy. He thinks it's appealing to see and know of things like that too. So we went!

I couldn't stress how relieved I was that I didn't miss this year's. If I did, I'd do so so sad.

Warning: Abstract photos ahead (haha)

How a glow in the dark chandelier looked like from an ant's point of view

How a tree in the evening looked like in Irina's point of view

I love how Tommy always tries to take photo of me taking things. It makes me feel... like I'm more important than what's before him. It's just a really nice feeling.

You can charge your phone here how cooooool. I am definitely in need of a portable solar station for my phone. No point having a portable charger if I don't charge them aye.

Wrote messages to inmates in response to their hopes, dreams and wishes

If you're wondering why was I wearing a different dress... cause it was impossible to cover the entire Biennale trail in a day. Moreover, we started quite late on the first day so we sorta leave the rest of the adventure to day two. Which was a really good thing, the pace was good.

6. VALENTINE'S DAY

This was probably my biggest and most satisfying project by far this year. Somehow out of nowhere I decided to bake and deliver cookies to my beloved girlfriends on V-day. I hadn't had the chance to emphasise on the importance of their existence in my life so I thought that would be a really great opportunity to do so. I had never baked without the supervision of Hoho and that was a first. It was terribly hard because she's in the list and as much as I wanted to fill her in with the details, I couldn't. I had to keep my mouth shut. And I found a new baking partner: Gwen!

Got another friend, Abel's baking recipe to make Chocolate Chips but I kinda changed it to Almond Chocolate Chips cause I like it that way haha. We baked the night before V-day and intended to set out for delivery early in the morning. So while baking, we tried for about 3-4 times before we got it right. It was so demoralising at first to keep getting it wrong when we did follow the recipe (somewhat) closely. I was stubborn and ambitious. I was confident that it would be easy so I didn't want to go with the premix instead. Plus baking from scratch would definitely be more heartwarming.

Awful first attempt. The cookie tasted gooood but it was so so flat. Far from what I envisioned.

Second batch... just a litttttttle thicker than before that's all. So we kept trying and playing around with the temperature and the amount of flour to add to the dough till we got it right.

THIS. This was finally the perfect batch but guess what? We accidentally, not knowing how.... dropped the entire tray on the floor!!!! So yeah, technically we only got it right on the 4th try. Though it's a little exasperating, it's definitely rewarding getting there when you didn't think you could. After all, baking from scratch did make me feel like a total chef!

Packed all the cookies into appropriate V-day looking packaging haha

Strung each with personalised note at the back for the girls

Tommy volunteered to be part of this movement which made the entire process so much easier! He's so good with road, I didn't have to worry about getting lost. It was possible that we toured the entire Singapore in a day except for Sentosa; driving from one end to another just to surprise these sweetpies. We set out at 9AM. That day was a really long day considering how we still went for Biennale after the delivery.

It's nice seeing the girls' reaction and their faces. Priceless. Looking at these photos as I blog, makes me wanna bake again soon. FYI I WAS TOLD THAT MY COOKIES WERE DA BOMB MAN HAHAHAHA SERIOUSLY ALMOST FAMOUS AMOS STANDARD HAHAHAHA and honestly, I thought my cookies were super nice too and I didn't know how I got so lucky.

Didn't manage to take lots of photos cause half of my girlfriends were in their jammies (except Karina, she wasn't camera shy at all haha). 

Above were the later ones in the afternoon. And yeap. That pretty much summed up my really awesome V-day. Never had such a different and.... fulfilling Valentine's before. It's always the cliche. It's always with boys and fussing about boys. I'm really glad I did what I'd wanted to do in a very long time. 

The beauty about being single is that I'm not accountable to anyone. I've achieved things I wanted to do since forever in the past few months from throwing a birthday party to this project. There's no holding back. There's no second opinion or objection to the things you wish to do.

I am finally now, in control. I am finally now, back on track.