Andrea Fonseka

Miss Universe 2011: Nothing and Everything for Deborah Henry

2011-09-22T05:30:00.000+08:00

Deborah with Brazil, Netherlands, who made top 16, and Aruba

Everytime I spoke to someone when I was in Sao Paulo, Brazil for Miss Universe, it was pretty much the same thing.

Before Miss Universe 2011 final night:

"Oh my GOD I LOVE your girl! Malaysia is VERY impressive this year!"
"Look at my list! Look look LOOK I made a list! LOOK your girl is # 1/2/3/4/5!!"
"WOW your MALAYSIA IS STUNNING! STUN. NING!"
"SHE'S MY FAVOURITE!"

(You kinda get the picture..)

After Miss Universe 2011 final night:

"WHAT HAPPENED?? WHY DID SHE NOT PLACE??"
"I am so sorry. Something must've gone wrong. SOMETHING SOMEWHERE"
"Darling. I just want you to know, I thought she should've at least placed. She was beautiful in the prelims!"
"Its not your fault, its not her fault, its the JUDGES! HOW could they overlook HER!?"

(again, you get the picture..)

I had the same response to both types of comments. I just smiled, and said thanks.

It hurt, and I felt sad. For Deborah, she put in so much work into preparing herself.. For her family, who travelled more than halfway around the world to see their daughter (who many predicted would WIN), go unplaced. Of course, I was sad for Malaysia, our people and country, whose hopes were riding so high on Debs. And why not? People from ALL around the world predicted her to be the one to beat!

An unprecedented level of support flew out to Debs and I before and even after the pageant. We are both touched with the love that our country had in their hearts for us.

But it's still sad.

Now the 1 million dollar question is: If Deborah couldn't place, how will any other Malaysian do well at Miss Universe?

The answer is simple: There are different judges every year. Different political situations, different dramas, different countries hosting. I firmly believe that Deborah could've won, if situations would have been different. She would be just a deserving winner as Miss Angola, the reigning Miss Universe, is right now. But the thing is:

SO WOULD MANY OTHER GIRLS THAT NIGHT. (Be deserving winners, that is)

We must remember that all 89 girls had a certain level of beauty. A lot of them did not place, who were on the same 'level'. Arguably, some even were better than Debs! (My prediction was it'd have come down between Greece, Malaysia and Ukraine, and whoever answered the question best would win..)

The videos above are of the Preliminary competition, of which the girls were judged BEFORE the final night, in order to select the TOP 16 finalists. These videos do not do the girls justice, as they really did have much more stage presence than what you see on the vids.

Anyway. Bottom line is this: Such is the nature of competitions. The ones you think are best may not necessarily win. Point is, Deborah made us SO proud. I have not come across a Malaysian who did not firmly believe that she should've at least place. Furthermore, she played a role of actually bringing Malaysia TOGETHER in support of her. How great was that? Twitter was flooded with well wishes, the media covered her journey manically, and did you know that "Miss Universe" and "Miss Malaysia Deborah Henry" was the 3rd fastest rising search quotes on the net in Malaysia last week?!

Sometimes to win you just need Lady Luck on your side. Instead, Debs had all of Malaysia. She's come home with her head high, with 'Nothing' to show for the 'Everything' that she should be proud of!

Malaysia Boleh, Miss Universe! And one day, some day, you will recognize that too!

Deborah Henry, 26, Malaysia: The Perfect Miss Universe!

2011-08-30T15:16:00.000+08:00

Now I've alreay explained, in detail, in my post below why Debs is such an amazing young woman. Here's a 1 minute clip which captures everything I've written and more.

Miss Universe Malaysia 2012 finalists, take your notepads out. This is how it's done!

2011 Miss Universe - Malaysia?

2011-06-29T01:15:00.000+08:00

Deborah Henry. 26. Malaysia.

Since her crowning on the 27th of January as Miss Universe Malaysia 2011, there has been lots of hype around Deborah being a potential winner at the Miss Universe pageant at Sao Paolo this year. Now I'm a firm believer in 'jinxing' things by talking about that, so I wont. (Sorry guys!).

What I will share with you this:

Debs is an amazing young woman whom I truly respect. And here's 5 reasons why:

1. She walks the talk.
"World Peace" and "Eradicating Poverty" are in the top 5 answers for most cliche Beauty Queens. Deborah runs her very own school for children of refugees in Malaysia. Click here to see more.

2. She is humble and sincere.
If you go back to the Fugee School website, how much of Deborah do you see on it, taking credit? So many people begin foundatons named after themelves, they can't stop talking about how much good they're doing.. What does Debs do? She tweets when she needs volunteering at her school. She humbly asks for help when the school needs it. It's really refreshing to see a celebrity in this day and age not wanting to be all about the limelight.

3. She's determined and disciplined.
The two hardest qualities to find in young girls these days. Most girls want the fast-track to fame and aren't aware (or willing) to put in the blood and sweat that comes along with the job. Reality Check. You'd think Deborah can just sit back and sail through to Miss Universe just because she's done a pageant before? Oh hell no. Samba training twice a week, till she gets blisters on her toes. Gym 4 times a week (minimum), total diet planning, vitamins for hair nails and skin, Portuguese lessons -- and that's all done on her OWN. The Miss Universe Malaysia Organisation is overseeing other things such as: QnA training, wardrobe planning, fitness advice, skin consultation, .. basically the bigger picture items, of which Deb takes it into her own initiative to get there. A National Director really appreciates this bit especially because seriously -- there is nothing more tiring than having to drag a horse to water and trying to force it to drink..!

4. She's professional and sticks by her principles.
"Deb, I think we ned to whiten your teeth, tone up your abs, lower body. You need to increase your muscle mass. And your hair. You need to take multivites. And your skin -- why are you breaking out? Please darling do a million sit-ups before the photoshoot tomorrow to make you abs really pop. Why are your nails brittle? Are you not taking enough Calcium and Vitamin D? Why aren't you comfortable talking about yourself hunny, that's what interviews are about! And hmmm. Perhaps we should get you some facials, eh?"

I'm not the most tactful person in the world -- I get to the point and I get there fast. What I love about Debs is that she takes everything you say into consideration, and uses her own head on (1) whether or not my advice/request is reasonable and (2) if she should follow it. For example: Many girls at Miss Universe have had breast augmenation. It's a fact, I'm laying it out there. I have nothing against it, in fact, for many girls it can make or break winning or whether or not they even make it to the semi finals.

Does Deborah need breast augmentation? No. Would it be a disadvantage against all the other cosmetically enhanced women at Miss Universe? Of course. Did Deborah think about it? Yes. Her answer to getting cosmetic surgery? No. Was I happy about it? Oh yes.

She has her principles and she sticks to them. And whilst she listened to what I had to say, she took no offence whatsoever. She knew everything I said and advised her on was borne out of a sincere want for her to look and be her best.

5. She would make a great Miss Universe.
Coming from Malaysia, growing up in a multicultural home and country, Deborah has proved on her own that she has the guns to stay in the industry. Combined with all her traits above, she is guaranteed to make one of the hardest working, real Miss Universes ever.

Her look trancends all commercially driven racial boundaries, her passion for children ignites hope where she can bring it, and her ability to speak well and forcefully about her thoughts and beliefs would pierce through every stigma that a Beauty Queen may still have in today's day and age.

She would make a great Miss Universe. She really would.

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Now I'm sure there are alot of other candidates this year who would make equally impressive winners. I can only speak of Deborah as I've grown to know her personally and professionally. I'd be elated if she won, because she deserves it. But even if she didnt, I'd still be glad that the world got to meet this gorgeous gem of a young woman, who hails from Malaysia.

The sweetest song in the world.

2011-06-28T00:53:00.002+08:00

Enjoy! :)

My thoughts on Osama's death.

2011-05-05T20:03:00.000+08:00

The killing of a man should never be celebrated.

Don't get me wrong - I do believe that he had what was coming to him. Planning and organising terror will get you hunted down and killed.

However seeing footage of Americans celebrating in the streets at the announcement of his assasination has left a bad taste in my mouth. Not towards them specifically - but to the world and how we handle things these days.

What has happened to us that we think it's okay to kill completely innocent strangers - in the name of Religion that is supposed to teach us to love, respect and take care of one another? Why is Religion polarizing us?

Why is it okay for one government to think it's okay to murder another country's leader? What is fair in war these days? Is terrorism the only resort left to the much poorer party in this war, and does that make it okay?

And what has happened to us that we now think it's okay to dance and sing at the news of a man's death? Who's fault is this?

There are two sides of answers for every question above. Who knows which one would hold more water... But one thing's for sure though.

Innocent lives - American and Muslim - have been lost in this raging war. The blood of these people are on the hands of everyone that thinks this is a war worth fighting.

Because it's not.

Beauty 101: I got it from my Momma.

2011-03-13T17:22:00.000+08:00

First of all, apologies for not updating as often as I should've. It's been crazy times, and .. well, I just got a bit lazy. Facebook is killing my urge to blog, I have to say, because I update EVERYTHING there! But then again there's nothing like a good article, for long term reference, eh? :)

Anyway on to the topic - Beauty 101. I got it from my Momma. Seriously.

When I was little I used to admire beautiful women (yes I started young), and I remember how I kept asking her, "Ma, is she beautiful?". Mommy knows best, right? Mother used to surprise me sometimes, because she'd say, "No, not really" to someone whom I thought was absolutely gorgeous. When I asked her why, she'd go on to explain to me:

There's a difference between being 'pretty', being 'attractive' and being 'beautiful'. To see if someone's really beautiful (judging purely on outer beauty of course), you have to look first at the eyes, then the nose, then the mouth, then bone structure, and overall face shape. Last but not least, the facial balance is important - that is how all the features complement each other! A Beautiful woman will be beautiful yesterday, today and tomorrow. Add 10 years, 10 pounds, it wouldnt matter. That lady you pointed out was 'pretty', not 'beautiful'. That 'Pretty' lady won't age as well as a 'Beautiful' lady.

Like with many other things explained to me as a child, I didn't understand what she was talking about, up until now. I totally get it now though, based on my own experience, and based on learning from how my mother critically evaluated Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys and Pamela Anderson -- when I asked her to. (Of course plastic surgery has helped two of the three ladies stay 'attractive' to many, but only Alicia Keys was judged to be 'Beautiful' by Mommy - and that was, "only just"! )

Example:

VENUS RAJ, MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES 2010

Me: Mommy, is she beautiful?

Well, her face is very symmetrical - that's very important. Her eyes are quite nice, but they are slightly too close to each other. Her nose is a good shape, with a high enough bridge to complement her face. She has very nice, full and balanced lips, and they are of good shape. Her forehead-face proportion is perfect - her forehead is of one-third of her face, with her nose being one third, and from the top of her nose to her chin, one-third. Her best features are her cheekbones - very strong. Her jaw is slightly square, but it suits her! Overall very attractive. She will age gracefully, if she takes care of her skin and weight.

LUPITA JONES, MISS UNIVERSE 1991

She's very very beautiful.
Her eyes are beautifully balanced, of good size with high brow-bone. Her nose has a high bridge, perfectly balancing her very very high cheekbones. With such beautiful eyes, it is good that her lips are well shaped, even if they are not too thick. She has a very slender jaw, complementing her overall beauty. Only thing if I were to criticize - her forehead is a touch too big. But that's okay - it doesn't stand out, because her face is so balanced! She will age very gracefully, and will retain her beauty well.

Really? I ask.

Lupita, 10 years on. *Jaw drops, homigawd.*

But Mommy, what about all these people whom everyone is crazy about??

Britney, younger, fresher

Britney is not beautiful, she's very pretty and attractive.

Her eyes - if you look closely - slope downwards at the outer corners. It is not so noticable with make-up but as she ages, that will be a problem for her. Her brow-bones are not very strong, her cheekbones not pronounced. She has a good nose, and pretty lips though! Her face is also very evenly balanced - forehead, nose, chin. Good face shape. But will not age well. She's pretty, and attractive.

Well, mum was right about this one - we all remember how Britbrit looked when she got a little chubby, and had hair issues. ;)

GISELE BUNDCHEN

She's very attractive, and quite beautiful. Good eyes, though they are not spectacular. Nice lips. Her nose is too long, her tip too low. That's the biggest technical flaw on her face, but it goes well with her face shape so it's okay. She looks a little gaunt, and her features can be of a very pretty man. But that's what makes her such a good canvas to be a model! She will age well, provided she stays slim. If she puts on weight, her nose will be the center of attention (as it is the case in most people!), so she must be careful. Her face shape and bone structure (cheekbones and brow-bones) are her best features.

ME: Mommy, what about my Miss Malaysia, Nadine?

NADINE ANN THOMAS, MISS UNIVERSE MALAYSIA 2010

Nadine is pretty, very attractive, and beautiful. Her eyes are the most striking thing about her - it is very much like in the case of Lupita. They are beautiful, long, almond shaped. Her nose is slightly large towards the tip, but that is forgiveable and with the right make up you won't even notice it! She has a small mouth, which should be played up more because it is of a cute shape. Good face proportion, and very good cheekbones. But really, her stunning feature is her eyes - it is one of a kind, which is what makes her uniquely beautiful. This girl will also age well. But if she gains weight, her face might overwhelm her eyes, and they will not be the center of attention anymore - so she needs to be careful with that.

Andrea says: !!!!

XIMENA NAVARRETE, MISS UNIVERSE 2010

Perfect. Even more beautiful than Lupita, in my opinion - at least in this picture anyway. Perfect face proportion, good bone structure, cheekbones. What I especially like (besides the perfect eyes, nose and mouth) is the fact that she has a full, healthy face. She doesn't look gaunt, which can be a problem for models, when they get too thin. She looks healthy, wholesome, and a plump face at her age will serve her well as she gets older. She will become even more beautiful in her 30s, trust me.

Next post - perhaps I'll get my Mummy to evaluate MY face. Hmm. Don't know if I'll be able to take it tho. ;)

Vblog entry one!

2011-01-16T22:16:00.000+08:00

Done just before I crawled into bed. A little pale - no make up.. ;)

xoxo and Happy New Year!

Love Long Distance

2010-09-11T22:59:00.000+08:00

So... Now that you're MARRIED....

"So when are you moving to Australia?"

Uh, I don't know.

"*blur look*"

Well, you see, Paul just got awarded Directorship at his firm, and I'm running the Miss Universe Malaysia Pageant, and neither of us want to sacrifice our careers just yet so...

"*Attempting to hide surprised look* Wow.. Okay.. that must be.. hard...?!"

Yeah, it is, I miss him. We still see each other once a month on average though.. *awkward smile*

"Heh..heh.. yeah. Wow. Yeah. .. WOW."

....Yeah. Oooh look I'm just going to.. uh... yeah go to my friend..over..there....

------------------------------------------------

Okay so maybe that's not how it always goes, but the conversation above is a true story! I know its not conventional, since a "Good Wife" will be with "Her Husband" at all times...

But lets think about it this way.

I'm lucky enough to have found the man of my dreams, who supports me in everything I do, and my happiness is his. I am happy as National Director of Miss Universe Malaysia. I am happy to be able to see my now 72 year old father every morning and night. I am happy with my friends, my social life and my career.

If I have the rest of my life with Paul to look forward to, I don't see why enjoying what makes me happy for a while longer yet is such a bad thing!

The same goes for Paul, who has finally found an area of the Law that he enjoys. His friends and family are in Perth as well. I can't drag him away from that to stay in Malaysia to be my man-bag! (though it was tempting even to him at times LOL!). He would not be able to practice Law here, and would miss out on valuable years at the firm.. it just makes sense for him to be in Perth for now.

Yes, we trust each other. We speak every day, in fact, a few times a day! I travel with our framed photo in my suitcase, I text him on average 10 times a day, and we try to plan two big holidays a year together. When I am not working, I take time to go to Perth, and when he has the time, he flies to KL.

It's expensive, but its worth it.

And if I had a choice between having my soulmate far away, than not at all, I'd much rather pick the former! Wouldn't you?

Rempit-ing in Phuket

Peas in a Pod!

..Distance; a tiny obstacle with a bond this strong!

Love at first sight

2010-08-25T06:04:00.000+08:00

Love at first sight

Thanks Kee for the really cute write-up!

Just to note tho - Paul and I didn't met last September, we met May 2008. :)

xox
A.

Nadine's journey begins: its a long distance relationship for now!

2010-08-09T20:12:00.002+08:00

Nadine's in Mandalay Bay, Vegas, I'm in downtown Manhattan, New York.

But I'm still in control *muahaha!*

Here's a pic Nadine has sent to me for me to keep up to date with her progress. Due to her allergies and the INSANELY salty foods in Vegas, she's started to retain a little bit of water - have spoken to her about that and we're going to try to change her diet a little.

Keep up to date with Nadine's progress @ Miss Universe here and here.

On to other things -- as mentioned I'm currently in NYC for a week for a little work and alot of play. I really like where I'm at, it was love at first sight really. Am staying with one of my husband's best friends, Mark Pieri, who has been in Manhattan for four years now. Taking pics on my journeys, catch them here.

Tonight I'm making my speciality Spag-Bolognaise for Mark and his sweet flatmate Maureen. :) Fun times, FINALLY a day of relaxation...!

How to get that Winning Smile..!

2010-07-18T17:20:00.002+08:00

As you would know, if you've been following my FB page, you'd know Nadine and I have both gone for extensive teeth whineting at MyDentist. Results have been amazing, especially in Nadine's case, as you can see from the pictures in my posts with her!

I really have to seriously recommend it (and you know I don't anyhow-recommend-things on my blog). Dr. Foo has not paid me for this at all:: I've been to alot of dentists and there's a reason why he's known to be the best in his field. :D

Thanks Doc! :D

Training Nadine Entry 04: Almost there

2010-07-16T21:55:00.003+08:00

Latest picture from Nadine's Official Photoshoot: Thanks to Anneff@Parkson, Melinda Looi, Elegance Club, Xpression Master with L'Oreal Paris and A Cut Above. Photos by StudioROM. For more pics, hop over to the Miss Universe Malaysia Organisation Official Facebook Page.

Nadine's been going very well, keeping up with her Bikram Yoga @ True Yoga and gymming at True Fitness. She's been quite disciplined thus far and is taking on instructions well.

The shoot was conducted in one day, with a total of Four looks, (Plus National Costume, but I can't upload that:: Officially Unveiled on Monday at Parkson, Pavilion KL!).

Basically our angle was to experiement with looks, to get as many different 'types' of shots as we could. We infused the good Old Hollywood Glamour charm to see how she'd look as a Malaysian Marilyn Monroe. It worked pretty well as you can see form the link yourself!

Right now Nadine is under house arrest as we went to Dr. Calvin Chan for an incredible facial called the .. er... I can't really remember. But its similar to a chemical peel, whereby Nadine's skin will flake for about an entire week, to reveal a fresh, spot-free face. Other things that we have for her preperation:
- Vitamin C Serum: To brighten and nourish
- Rejuvenating Serum: To .. er, rejuvenate her skin
- Pigment Bar: To even out her skintone (especially elbows, knees)
(All from the Calvin Chan Aesthetics Line which he has inhouse).

We also got a LOVELY line of products from L'Oreal Paris. I highly recommend the Hydrafresh line, its moisturiser in a lovely gel texture. Also do try the White Perfect Double Essence. It plumps up your skin, and promotes a "Rosy Glow". I've personally been using it for a while now, and I would recommend going in this direction if you can't stay in your house for a week just for your skin to peel off!! ;)

Nadine's also been working on her QnAs.. and we'll be going over her catwalk next week with some luck! I've been SO busy with my wedding, I'm feeling a little guilty on not training her enough. But that's just me being a perfectionist;; If I had my way, Nadine and I would be living together!!

I went over to Nadine's place on Tuesday to drop by and say hi to her Mom, it was the first time I was going to meet her. I can only understand a mother's concern over the safety of her daughter.. I'm sure Aunty Christine was like, "Who is this woman! Why is my daughter looking so thin now!! WHY is she attending events at this hour? (er, 10pm only what? heh!), IS SHE SAFE???"

Needless to say it was a smooth meeting, I assured Aunty Christine that I was here solely for Nadine's best interest.. to give her as best a chance as she has at the Miss Universe Pageant.

After that, we looked through Nadine's wardrobe to see what could be used to supplement her full casual wardrobe supplied by Parkson to take to Vegas. Bottom line was: PARKSON WE NEED MORE CLOTHES LAH NADINE WEARS WAAAAY TOO MUCH SOLID COLOURS!! ;) Parkson heard me, and I'm looking forward to accessing all the AMAAAYZING brands they have in house: Desigual, Sisley, FCUK, Miss Sixty, Bread n Butter... *rubs hands in glee!*

My angle for Nadine is not to be too OTT at the Pageant. Nadine is exactly what the pageant is this year: Hip, Urban, Relevant and Real. She will not be in cocktail dresses 24/7 -- she's a jeans and top kinda girl. But there are ways to wear such clothings, and then there are ways to wear such clothings in order for it to look stylish, chic and effortless. I really do believe that Nadine has what it takes to pull the MTV Awards-esque sort of look where you look stylish, but not overdone.

Two weeks or so before she's off to Vegas. Wow. Before we know it, it'll all be over!!

Till next time,
xox
A.

Training Nadine Entry 03: A Star is Born

2010-06-29T22:10:00.004+08:00

Having alot to smile about

Am really happy with the finished result of Nadine's shoot -- we went to The Thistle Port Dickson Resort for her first ever full swimwear shoot.

In short, she blew me away.

She took every little piece of advice, was a trooper on hard tree branches, sand, stones, I cannot say how dedicated and hardworking this young lady is. All her physical lack of training/grooming have now been addressed:

Bad habit of hiding her neck when she takes pictures: Gone!

PS: Notice how you can't run away from rubbing off on people... LOL!

..anyway back to Nadine... ;)

Learning her best angles

Major Toning UP - check out the oblique muscle just catching the light there -- the hours of Bikram Hot Yoga has done wonders!

I always knew she had it in her, I think she knew she had it in her as well... she just needed that extra 'push' to go further. Am so happy she joined the pageant, and I daresay she is one of the most beautiful Miss Universe Malaysia winners in history. (Coming a close second to my mother perhaps? ;) Love you Mom!)

In fact, for those who are unaware -- the judging panel consisted of 6 former Miss Unviverse Malaysia Queens , and two other male industry experts. They all unanimously agreed that Nadine was the best choice to represent Malaysia, and looking at these pictures, they really got that right!

Just in case you were wondering, I wasn't involved in the judging on the Final Night at all! ;)

Anyway back to Nadine: We actually went to Dr. Calvin Chan in Singapore to get her full body hair removal, even out her skin tone, and he also prescribed her topical medication for the scars left behind from her younger days of raging acne. (Nadine had Chronic Cystic Acne up until two years ago)

We did several treatments, amongst them are:

Medilite C6 Laser Toning

Medilite is perfect for facial acne scars, open pores, and it also reduces hair thickness and rate of growth.

ZAP! Ingrown Hair, Open pores, Scars, BEGONE!

and Cutera XL Coolglide, the best option for darker skinned ladies who cannot undergo IPL treatments and need to get permanent hair removal. Nadine did it on her underarms. Its a *little* more painful than the Medilite, but much more powerful in permanent hair removal.

I chose to drive all the way down to Singapore with Nadine and Kelly (our make-up artist) simply because Dr. Chan is a doctor that I've been going to for the exact same treatments since 2007. I would never put Nadine through anything I have not experienced before... I guess that's one of the benefits having me as a mentor; I'm so vain that I've tried every possible facial / hair removal treatments possible..? ;)

Whilst I am a firm believer in technology and science helping us to look our best, I do however draw the line at invasive procedures: I do not think Nadine needs to go or should go for any form of plastic surgery. She has a wide jaw, full cheeks, quite a wide-framed body (not narrow like some models) -- but I think that all ads to her Hip Urban Relevant and REAL feel about her.

I am sure you can get the above treatments in Malaysia but as I've never tried anyone in Malaysia and I know Calvin very well (he used to play cards with Paul in Uni! Small world!), and on top of him absolutely trustworthy (he wont perform procedures he doesn't think you need - a rarity in this industry!), the 4 hour drive was well worth it.

Nadine's skin is glowing now, and we will be going back for more follow-up visits.

Physicality aside, I am constantly getting to know her better, which helps me build a sense of *self* about her for her to believe in as well. I am brutally honest in telling her off (say thank you for lunch! You forgot to say thank you to our sponsor!), in the manner of which she talks, and stands. She is actually a very vibrant girl with a wicked sense of humour and a contagious laugh -- she just doesn't open up when you simply press "PLAY". We're trying a few techniques soon to combat that, which I will be recording... so that's what our next post update will be. :)

Till then, Momma Fonzie is Signing Off -- need to update my Wedding Blog soon!

Pageant Week Webisodes: Pretty interesting stuff!

2010-06-22T23:26:00.002+08:00

A little delayed, but what can you do. ;)

Training Nadine Entry 02

2010-06-16T01:36:00.004+08:00

~~As mentioned below, part of Nadine's Training is to make herself up first thing in the morning, time how long she takes, and then emails the shots to me. I then advise her on how to improve the shots, and how to make her features stand out more.

In this case, as it is a fully frontal shot, she needed to shade her face a little more (her jac) and also highlight her cheeks and the bridge of her nose more. Her eyes are very nice, (that's her trademark), but I will definitely caution her against always having the same 'safe' make-up. It may become boring. She'll need to be more adventurous, and with T-50 days to Vegas.

That's right!!! its FIFTY days to VEGAS for her. Time to pull up our socks and get into it!!

Tomorrow, Nadine and I are attending a Sex And The City Moet Preview and Party, and we're going to the Thistle Port Dickson Resort for a sssizzling bikini shoot. She's looking very good right now (don't let the chubby cheeks fool you -- she's just been to the dentist hence some swelling), so am very excited on things.

Wil definitely update once all is done.

Till then, You can call me Momma Hen Fonseka. Or Momma Fonzie for short. ;)

Ps: in the middle of all of this, I'm also planning my WEDDING! I'm rushing for time, and .. am a little anxious to be honest. 0_O

Nadine Ann Thomas: Candids

2010-06-11T01:49:00.002+08:00

Training Nadine Entry 01

2010-06-11T00:26:00.004+08:00

Pics I took of Nadine today, first was after her shoot with Ieaye of Murai.com.my with Amir Luqman! (*mwah! Thanks guys!*), the second at the Redberry event this evening. Apologies on picture condition, Nadine's Brand New SonyCyber-shot was out of battery!! Silly girl. ;)

Nadine's progress is coming along really well. We've been working on several aspects:

1. Teeth -- Gotta have that winning SMILE!

MyDentist has given Nadine SPARKLING white teeth -- Dr. Foo is God-Sent!

See, Nadine had braces before for many years and as a result, she suffered from severe staining on her teeth. Last Monday she went to The Smile Doctors and they scaled, whitened and gave her a transparent retainer (not a permanent one like she had before for her lower teeth), and they've done a reaaaally great job.

2. Fitness

With Nadine now going to True Fitness, she's really toning up. I am a little concerned with her though as she tends to put on muscles very easily -- am going to need to speak to her trainer on that. We can't have her looking too bulky -- a good balance of being toned and lean would be best. I do think she's putting on a little too much muscle -- Mr. Personal Trainer and I will need to have words!!

3. Skin

With L'Oreal Paris on board, we've amaaazing products for Nadine to use, both for skincare and cosmetics. However she did suffer from severe chicken pox when she was younger, and we're remedying the scars with some creams I got from my trusted skin-doctor Dr. Calvin Chan, whom I swear by (swing over he's in Wheelock on Orchard road in Singapore - his treatments are ah-may-zing!). We've spoken to her family physician who also recommended Moenomycin for her skin -- Nadine sometimes breaks out on her back and upper -- its a mild antibiotic to help her skin's "good bacteria". It seems to be working a charm!

I also went to Perth recently and brought back St. Tropez Tanning Mousse to even out her skin-tone and give her that olive-glow finish on her skin. Will be going over to Nadine's place tomorrow to test it out! (Pictures to come I promise! ;))

4. Fashion

In my travels I also pick up accessories that I believe will suit Nadine, especially when they're on sale (This morning @ Perth Intl Airport: Diva was on sale, THREE bunches of whatever you wanted for AUD10!!) . And I have also bought the most beautiful one-piece for her to do a shoot with, can't wait to show you all how that goes. I'm really excited, we've got Michele Yong, whom I would say is goign to be oe of Malaysia's most talented exports (she's moving to Paris at the end of the month) and we're going to do a shoot with her, soon! [[[top secret for now]]] ;)

5. Public speaking and Presentation

Have been taking Nadine to many of the best events in KL just to get her used to the camera, to break her bad habits on how she poses in pictures. She tends to slouch forward with her chin down, which creates the illusion that she has a short neck --> Not True! So when I am with her, like I was today at Redberry's launch I keep reminding her on her posture. She also needs to smile more! Especially now that she has those amazing teeth!!!

Its not going to be a walk in the park, but I have to say that Nadine, luv if you're reading this: Love you lots. I'm going to be coming down hard on you for the next two months, but its only because I know you're worth the effort I am putting into this. You are an intelligent, beautiful young lady, and I am sooo happy that you are willing to work with me wholeheartedly on this.

Next Up:

1. More GYM: I forsee ABS in VEGAS!

2. Styling lessons: Nadine must learn how to put together a 'look' with make-up and hair in an hour --> People are surprised that Delegates actually have to do their own hair and make-up most of the time at Miss Universe! There are make-up artists, but Nadine must be confident on her strongest points and capitalise on them. With 85 candidates from around the world, it is forseeable that Nadine will not get 100% love and attention from her designated make-up artist in Vegas, hence she needs to learn how to take care of herself!

3. National Costume: As some of you may know, Amir Luqman is the Official Designer for this year's National Costume. We're going to be having a spectacular photoshoot, and reveal it in all its glory in a press conference! :)

4. Hair: I need to consult Winnie Loo on Nadine's hair colour. Its beautifully black right now, but with her new skin and complexion, it may be worth while to look at other colours to further enhance her beauty.

5. Catwalk and Interview skills: Am actually going to be renting out a meeting room in a hotel in Petaling Jaya, to get Nadine to practice speaking into a microphone, as that is how she will be communicating to the judges (and the audience) in Vegas. Will then get Sony's Handycam (thank GOD they came on board as sponsors!! ;) to record her speaking, and also her catwalk, because there's no better way to learn that to watch yourself on TV. ;)

Well its a full month ahead, I'm also going to have to plan a wedding. :S More on that later. All I can say is: Thank.God.For.Jovian.Mandagie. xoxoxoxox!!!! :D

Congratulations NAT!

2010-05-21T00:36:00.004+08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you.. Nadine Ann Thomas!

Very proud of our New Miss Universe Malaysia 2010 -- she's been working very hard; I personally believe that she has what it takes to do very well at Miss Universe!

Pageant Week : Outside Looking In

2010-05-07T22:40:00.005+08:00

Venezuela's representative to this year's Miss Universe ~ Just one of the Competitors our New Miss Universe Malaysia 2010 will have be up against!

Okay so whilst the Finalists for the Miss Universe Malaysia 2010 pageant have been busy blogging and what-not, I was busy.. well, being with them, talking, advising, helping, scolding, feeding, training, (trying to be) inspiring them.

It wasn't easy. It was the first time I've done this, I am sure I could've done more, or made better decisions at any one point.

Here's what I found:

The girls were Hip, Urban, Most of them were Relevant, and not all of them were Real. Well, not initially anyway.

Yes, its a competition. Most of them became fast friends, ALL of them were well behaved in my presence, (apparently I scare them?), but.. for most, their true competitive colours only began to shine through after day 3; when the Challenges started.

I guess its when we throw mini-competitions their way, did it finally dawn upon them how THEY WERE COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER!

I mean, it was Day One that I informed them:

Look around you. For 17 of you, one girl you see will beat you, and win. Are you going to let that happen?

I guess it took a while for that to sink in?

But everyone became "Best Friends" and "everyone was lovely" by the end of day 2. Okay that's all fine and dandy, I was actually pleasantly surprised.

And then, apparently, it began.

We had the Sony I-Spy Challenge, the team with the fastest time did not win - it was the team with the most perfect pictures. (*whisper-whisper-grumble-grumble*)

Then we had the Parkson Style Challenge, where each girl was left to her own devices to grab clothes from the rack to style themselves for it. Some girls were left without much of a choice, others were allegedly pushed and trampled on. (*grr. Arg.*)

The next day we had a True Fitness Challenge, one girl got two out of three awards. (*raised eyebrow*)

[Mind you - Team MUMO and I were there, 24/7, to ensure that everything was executed in a fair and precise manner. We were judge and jury when it came to issues down the line, and we ensured that ALL finalists had as equal a chance as their peers to compete and win. The activities were planned for the sole intention of building team spirit, and allowing the reality of competition to dawn upon them at the same time.]

I find out later, (recently), that there were some unhappy finalists, that it wasn't as rosy as I initially had surprisingly thought. Some finalists have confided in me -- *Andrea says in Yoda voice* judge them or their 'foes' I do not, but interested in the psyche of how things have "flipped", I am.

Does that make the Finalists bad people? Does it make them hypocrites?

...

No.

It makes them Human. It makes them finally, Real! It showed us all how they handled stress, how they handled losing, and winning. (Tune in to Webisodes to witness their Journey to Real-ness!)

I mean, Seriously. Do we really expect 18 strong, ambitious, intelligent young women to get along, under the pressure of Stress and Competition?

Please-lah. ;)

There's a cracking point for all of us. There's a reaction to every action. There's a legit reason for their feeling the way they do.

.................I guess that's why we have Pageant Week - and not Pageant Day?

***Note to Finalists who are reading this: Lets be real from this day forward? Lets kinda take a line out of Avatar, and use it to context:: I see you. Deep, them words are. (Again in Yoda Voice please?)

If you don't like someone, you needn't layan them -- its absolutely fine. However you must remember that its common courtesy to be at least civil at all times. I am not saying we should all tolerate bit*hyness, I am saying that its absolutely normal to get upset when you lose out on something! Its absolutely normal to feel threatened in a state of competition, or to become more competitive! The key is: How to handle it so that it makes you the bigger person, and How to not allow things to upset you so much so that you are side-tracked from the obvious goal that you have in mind:: To win!

Read the Art of War, and the Art of Power. Whilst ruthless, some of the advice in those books do make some sense.

And to the girls who have truly made fast friends, good for you. Sincerity is key here, its when you can look at each other in the eye, smile and say, "I hope I beat you!" - and know that you can still be friends tomorrow -- THATs when you should really know that you found a friend. ;)

I'm so PROUD of them!

2010-04-30T18:05:00.001+08:00

Check out the blogs of the Miss Universe Malaysia 2010 Finalists!

Not just pretty faces... ;)

Pageant Week Pointers

2010-04-27T01:45:00.002+08:00

Okay so we al know we've got Pageant Week coming up for the New Miss Universe Malaysia 2010 finalists coming up this weekend. For their reference, and to everyone out there who will be joining a pageant, here's what you need to pack.

Silicone bra

Nipple tape

Thick scotch tape (masking tape) – tan coloured if you’re fair, black if you’re darker.

Hollywood tape (double sided tape from stationary shops aint gonna cut it, not sticky enough. Get the Hollywood tape – you can get it from but buy it from Parkson, with the silicone bra, above.

Heels – two types: The ones you can walk in, and the ones that just look good. You will have different occasions to wear them no worries.

Sneakers, sports bras, tights and flipflops – you will / should be going to the gym.

Body lotion, preferably with glitter in it. Otherwise just have some body shine on hand.

Face masks – deep cleansing ones to suck the muck out of your face after 18 hours of make-up. Hydrating and Moiturising ones to deal with harsh air con.

False eye lashes that you already know suit you.

Hair dryer – the ones in hotels cant dry a bald cat if it was wet.

Straightener and curlers as well – we’re not going to have hair stylists for you all the time

Make up remover – lots of it. Best buys: Johnson’s baby oil to remove eye makeup for budget, Clinique eye-makeup remover (oil and water in one bottle) otherwise.

Accessories – you need to look dolled up even walking around the hotel.

A handbag big enough to fit two pairs of shoes in. You will have alot of things to carry around, plastic bags are so-not-glam at all.

Tip – go buy some light, self tanning lotion, even if you are quite tanned. It will give you a sunkissed golden-ish glow, which will help you look more toned and healthy. Warning - do not go overboard or you will look like a carrot.

Borderline carrot - but still 'pass'. ;)

KL Auditions - the New Miss Universe Malaysia

2010-04-27T01:40:00.002+08:00

Aw Hans. :)

Tagged: Hans Isaac, Jules FlyFM, Phat Fabes, Julia Dolmatova and me! ;)

Part 3 of Webisode 2!

2010-04-12T23:07:00.003+08:00

My hair was a little off, as were the Penangite young women!! ;p

Why I hate saying NO.

2010-04-09T00:54:00.003+08:00

I do try to be nice, you know!

I got this message on FB only just.. I thought I'd share it on my blog. Please note however, that not all girls that the MUM prelim judging panel said no because of this. It would be useful, however, to note the points that I have outlined below...

---------------------

hi andrea,
im xxxxx from xxxxxxx..
could i know wat should i improve for my perfomance?
I could wish to join it next year..
i got no chance to ask u n u just told me tat u r not in to the final...
hope u remember me..
pls give me some advice...

thank u...

My Response:

Hi XXXXX,

I admire your dedication in coming to KL.

First of all - the impression I got from you was that you had no further ambitions *after* Miss Universe Malaysia. What do you want to do with your life? Are you able to honestly answer that question?

Secondly, you did not impress the judges with your intelligence, wit and charisma. Maybe you were just having a bad day? If so, I am sorry. Being Miss Universe Malaysia is more than having a beautiful face. I hope you do know that by now.

Lastly, it was unfortunate for you but the depth of talent we had this year was amazing. All the women in the top18 have an Xfactor about them - something which makes them special. There were also many girls who possessed that Xfactor whom did not make it to the finals. Take comfort that you were not the only one we had to say no to.

I hope that helps answer your question?

Take care and good luck in your future endeavours.

A.
------------------------------------------

A note to future Miss Universe Malaysia Finalists (and everyone else, really).

If you're writing a serious email, to someone you do not know personally, using the correct Punctuation (Capital letters, full stops!), is very important. Really, REALLY important.

Sigh.. Now I feel really bad. Hope she's not too upset, and that she doesn't take what I said the wrong way.

Oh by the by, things have been going AMAZINGLY well. We've completed the top18 photoshoot, I have JUST looked through THOUSANDS of photos (I kid you not) to pick the best of the best pictures! I am very excited, and happy with the results. Go Team MUMO on our first Photoshoot! ;)

Oh. And while I'm at it - I really need to start planning my wedding proper soon....

eeps!

;)

The Making of The NEW Miss Universe Malaysia 2010

2010-04-05T22:23:00.002+08:00

Webisode 1: Humble Beginnings

Webisode 2.1: Open Castings PJ: Where's The Coffee?

Miss Universe Malaysia 2010: Advice Column 01

2010-03-28T23:21:00.002+08:00

Hey there!

So you guys should know by now, I'm the new National Director of MUMO (Miss Universe Malaysia Organisation). We're had our Open Castings yesterday, with a closed-door selection of the Top 18 finalists. We're only announcing the Top 18 finalists on the 14th of April, so Malaysia, be patient! ;)

In the mentime, I've recieved my first email from one of the girls. Her issues are addressed below: Hope the rest of the finalists (and even everyone else who reads my blog), enjoys the read. Please note, however, that this is not advice for a diet: It is simply tricks on how one can get into better shape in 7 days. Please do not follow this diet for 7 MONTHS!! Also always remember to consult your doctor should you have any health issues. If you have low blood pressure, please be careful as following a low-sodium diet may affect you negatively.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi XXXX,

Thanks for the email. It’s good to know you’re taking this seriously. Before I go into your questions, you need to realise one thing: You have a one in 18 chance of becoming Miss Universe Malaysia. Which means that whilst you may win, there is a chance that you may not as well. Do not put yourself through a massive preparation effort for the pageant. *Do it for yourself*, prove to yourself that you can do anything once you put your mind to it.

Ok? :)

Now. Getting down to business. Breaking it up into several segments here, based on what you will be needing to do.

Your first photoshoot will be on the 5th and 6th of April. You have one week to that. Lets focus on that first, shall we?

DIET:
1. Cut out salt from your diet, NOW. Salt makes you retain water, a lot of your weight may in fact be water retention. So by doing so you will lower the sodium level in your body = less water retention. If you have to eat out, no salty sauces (no soy sauce AT ALL).
2. Cut down on carbs. Fruit, bread, Pasta, rice, would all constitute carbs. You may have any of that before noon, but not after.
3. Have lots of leafy vegetables, but not one day before your photoshoot. Fibre is great and all, but it may bloat you one day before a shoot. Instead, opt for high protein, less fibrous foods such as potato (in the morning), Chicken fillet, fish.
4. I would suggest the following meal plan: (Don’t forget your multivitamins)
a. Cabbage Soup Diet for the next three days: Use low-salt stock cubes, Cabbage (50%) potatoes (10%), carrots(10%), celery(10%), onions(10%) and tomatoes (10%) + 1 chicken carcass (bones only. If you buy the entire chicken it’ll be too oily with the skin and the meat). Boil for hours and hours and hours (it’ll taste better the longer its boiled). Drink as much as you want for three days, with fruit only in the first half of the morning. Continue topping up with vege. Do not eat more than one potato and one carrot a day, but have as much cabbage, celery, onions as you want. If you’d like to snack, have asparagus, steamed lightly.
b. The following four days: You may still have Cabbage soup if you like, but increase your protein. Have egg whites, chicken, fish. Remember: NO OIL, NO SALT. Cut down on Cabbage a day / two days before the shoot, but still drink the soup (but not the vege – too much fibre, remember?).
5. Tip: Every Morning: Have ONE large sweet orange. Wait an hour, only then, have breakfast. The Orange will wake up your digestive system, pushing things ‘through’ naturally and efficiently.

Workout:

1. Start your workout with a 10 minute cardio warm up.
2. Go to weights for 40 mins: Do low weights, high rep. Ie: The lightest weights, 25 tricep curls, 4 reps. Focus on your triceps, obliques, abs, back, shoulders. For your legs and bum: not necessary: you have very tones legs: I remember. ;)
3. Follow with 20 mins fast walk / jog on a cardio machine.
4. Bikram Hot Yoga: if you can, go for a class everyday. Go to true fitness, and ask for a trial session pack and don’t pay anything for it. Say you just wanna try it out. ;) they have Bikram Hot Yoga at Pavilion and Subang. Normal hot yoga is great too, but BHY is much much better.
5. Sit in a sauna for 40 mins a day two days before the shoot (read: Not steam room). It’ll help you sweat, hence lowering the sodium content in your body.
6. Make sure you drink LOTS OF WATER. 2 litres a day at least, 1 litre when you’re working out.

Skin:

Moisturise your body well everyday after a shower. It’ll help with skin elasticity and the mini massage will help your blood circulation. Emphasize on massaging your waist, upperarms, thighs, a little harder. It’ll hurt a little but just help “wake up” your fat cells in the area. Face: cleanse well, use a moisturising mask a day beforehand.

Golden Rules to Remember:
1. No snacking after 7pm.
2. No salt
3. Orange in the mornings
4. Do not starve yourself: that will make you lose muscle, which will make u flabby. Some girls at the castings I would rate as thinner than you, but you had a better body because of proportion and tone. Even if you work out, and you don’t eat, it’ll be worse off than if you eat the above mealplan and do not work out. I hope you know where I’m coming from.
4. Always take your multivitamins (after breakfast, an hour after your morning orange.) :)

I will update you with a different plan after the shoot. For now, this will suffice; as this is a one week plan to look aesthetically better in pictures (different than looking better in person.)

Hope this helps!

Xxx
A.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mummy and Me. :)

2010-03-24T00:47:00.001+08:00

NST Online BFAMILY: /BLike mother, like daughter

Getting Ready to be Judged

2010-03-12T00:02:00.011+08:00

Okay so the Open Castings for the New Miss Universe Malaysia is on this Saturday at the One World Hotel in Bandar Utama, next week at the Cititel Penang, Georgetown, and then finally at the Royale Chulan in Kuala Lumpur. This is just a little something for the girls, just so you know what the judges will be looking for.

vs.

Which pic do you prefer? ;)

1. Natural Beauty.

Too much make-up may look okay in photos, but not when you’re standing 4 feet away from us. Less is more, but make sure you play up your best features: Your eyes, cheekbones, lips…BUT NOT ALL AT THE SAME TIME! Oh, and Please. We’re Asians. With Black Eyes. They will never be blue, and they will never look good blue.

If you *must* wear contact lenses, make sure they’re colour blends, so you do not end up looking like an Avatar character.

2. Style

Kurara Chibana of Japan caught everyone’s attention with her quirky sense of style. You can do the same, but remember there’s a line between stylish and OTT. Show us your personality in your clothes. If you really don’t know what to wear, skinny jeans and a white tank top – you can’t go wrong with that!

3. SHOES

Two words:
High. Heels!

4. Think about what you can say to be original.

Just like the contestants in American Idol, you will stand out when you say something out of the norm “I have always wanted to be Miss Malaysia since I was a little girl because I want World Peace” speech. Eg:

What makes you special?

Essentially everyone’s special, right? There are so many definitions of special! I’d like to say that I never shy away from a challenge, and I have a very competitive streak in me. That’s both a good an a bad thing, I feel, as sometimes I tend to become a little *too* competitive. Its only because I never settle for second best, and always strive for perfection in everything I do.

You see? Its admitting that you’re human (humbling) and yet showing that that ‘competitive’ streak in you is also a good thing! It makes you human. It makes you REAL.

5. Know your stuff.

If your passion is saving animals and you don’t know that Tigers live in Jungles and Lions in Africa, then you really need to find a different cause to champion. Period.

6. Be Polite.

We know you’re nervous, we know you’re trying to impress us. But DO NOT BE OBNOXIOUS OR RUDE cause that’s the fastest way to get the shoe out. Politeness never fails to win us over, so always come in, say hi, thank us for our time, and then thank us again as you leave.

7. Walk the Walk.

Practice infront of a full length mirror as you walk. Here are a few tips:
Keep both arms on your sides, shrug shoulders to relax. Imagine a string pulling the top of your head upwards, lower shoulders a little, and square up your chest to lengthen neck. Accentuate hips by arching them to create more of a curve in the small of your back (basically stick your bum out a little). Now allow your feet to lead the rest of your body forward, one after the other in a straight line. It does feel a little awkward, but you’re doing fine, trust me. Your head and shoulders kept relaxed, let your arms naturally sway on your sides. When you get to the end of your ‘runway’, make a little mini U turn (no need to catwalk pose at the end), and go back to where you started, take a half pivot, and pose with one hand on your hip as your stop and face the judges. Done! J

Oh. Four words: Practice. In. High. Heels.

8. Last but not least: Take all criticisms constructively.

Whilst being a beauty queen can be learnt, not everyone is cut out to be one. You need to have the basics there in order to take on the skills of a beauty queen. There are many other outlets to show your creativity and talents, and work towards that. J

Good Luck, and I’ll see you this Saturday!

Andrea Fonseka

shimmer sparke SHINE!

2010-03-11T01:01:00.002+08:00

Reach for the Stars (and meet them too!)

www.missuniversemalaysia.com.my

Are YOU the NEW Miss Universe Malaysia 2010?

2010-03-08T12:38:00.002+08:00

Hey guys,

If you're a Hip, Urban, Relevant and Real young lady aged between 18 and 26 years of age, in the Klang Valley vincnity, drop by the One World Hotel, Bandar Utama for the Open Casting for Miss Universe Malaysia 2010!

Panel of judges Hans Isaac, Phat Fabes, Julia Dolmatova and myself will be evaluating hopefuls and shortlisting applicants for this year's pageant.

The winner of Miss Universe Malaysia 2010 pageant will take home RM50,000 and the opportunity of a lifetime!

This year, we're going to make you SHINE. :)

Details:

One World Hotel, Bandar Utama
Saturday, 13th March
10am-4pm

See you there!
www.missuniversemalaysia.com.my

Hello Malaysia! :)

2010-01-28T00:48:00.002+08:00

Yep! MUMO - Miss Universe Malaysia Organisation - is now an All-Girl-Team, and we're really excited to have things kick off with a bang! Thanks to Clovetwo for this amazing article!

http://clovetwo.com/interactive/blog/default.asp?cat=6

I know..I know..

2010-01-21T23:25:00.003+08:00

All in a day's work on a Sunday Afternoon...

Sorry lah I know its been a while. *blush* If it means anything, this is what I've had to do in the past two months:

After Fashion week ---> A month in Singapore for the play I did with Tan Kheng Hua (amazing experience!), The Composer then ---> to KL to spend Christmas with the family then ---> to Perth to spend New Years with the husband-to-be then ---> in KL now planning something that will be announced at the Press Conference on the 27th of January!!

So yes, I've not even had time to firm my hotel for the Wedding --->31st July!! --->haven't even seen the design of my gown yet ---> JOVIAN MANDAGIE you busy boy, quickly finish your work and call me soon! ;)

So once again, apologies. Here's a nice update on what's going on:

1. My sister (Natasha) is coming to KL on Sat night with her husband, Christophe. Fun times except I'm going to be so busy putting the entire PC together with my team-mates: Mae Leong, Eugenie Chan and Jojo Lee. This PC is to announce that basically the four of us are embarking on a journey together...to make dreams come true. :) Just stay tuned here to find out more lah ok? :D

2. Been having interviews with quite a few members of the media; apparently people really want to know about my life, now that I'm getting married. I'm not complaining, I suppose its because I don't see myself as anyone uber famous so much so people would be interested in my life to the extent that the news would report it.

3. Oooh catch The Breakfast Show on NTV7 on the 28th of Feb to see what I'm talking about (the PC I mean!) :)

4. Paul's in Perth, and I'll be going over to see him over CNY which conveniently falls on Valentines Day! It'll also be his birthday on the 7th of Feb, but he's spending that with his mates on one of their 'Boys' Weekends' where they all sit, drink, and play poker.

5. Being back in KL is great, and I've decided a few things I love about this city that you can't really find anywhere in Singapore or Perth:

i. Valet Parking

ii. Cheap movie tickets

iii. GOOD mamak food

iv. Pasar Malam, and Asam Laksa

v. Rojak (Penang)

vi. Satayyyyyy!

vii. FLYfm

viii. My own car

ix. Cheap petrol

x. Mum and Dad.

Aaand if you'd like to know more often on a day-to-day basis what I get up to: just go to my fb! Andrea Fonseka. ---> banner on the right of this page. xoxox!

How I Rocked F1!

2009-10-30T01:59:00.004+08:00

F1 in Singapore - most would say the highlight would be, well, the cars, teams, getting tickets to watch the only night street race......

....yyyeah well all that was great. My best moment?

All the Single Ladies!!!!

PUT YOUR HANDS UP!!!

Caption not needed for this one... ;)

Eugenie and Baba

Jovian and Angela (my wedding planner!)

She was absolutely amazing, regretfully unable to perform in KL but... oh well. Good news is, she'll probably be back in Singapore soon and its just a drive down south!!

I know its not much, but hope you can hear the vocals....!!

Bling!

2009-10-21T23:17:00.002+08:00

Its a diamond center, with six petals, each with its own little diamond in it, surrounded by beautiful sapphires!

If you're wondering why its not the 'conventional' diamond solitaire engagement ring - well - its because that ring was given to him by his mother. Its his great-great-grandmother's engagement ring!! At 101 years old, you can't get rings in the same (hand)cut stones anymore! And each petal actually has decorative engravings on it! Its pretty damn heavy on my finger, not because the ring itself is pretty solid, but due to the gravity of the situation should I lose it!! *gulp*

But its still really sweet, and such an honour to have the family heirloom. I'm a pretty lucky girl. ;)

As for the hotel ballroom shopping, I have to say... I've been to a few now, and whilst I have never noticed it before.. is it me or do hotels have the WORST carpeting in their ballrooms?!? Who said it was a good idea to have gold + blue + red/maroon?? TOGETHER??

Carpeting aside, I am pretty happy with the progress so far. I have narrowed it down to two, with the option of viewing more in the coming month, cause... Paul's coming to visit!! :D He'll be with me for two weeks (*joy!*) and we're going to be doing some sightseeing around KL and Ipoh. All this while he's not been in KL for more than a weekend, so its really nice to have him for 14 days.. albeit me having to work at the Malaysian International Fashion Week Galas everynight from the 4th to the 8th Nov! But not to worry, the event is sponsored by Chivas! Paul loves Chivas! I reckon he'll be having more fun at the parties than me. ;)

I am so excited, things with MIFA and MIFW are really moving along at breakneck speed! Its going to be SUCH a blast! Make sure you come down to the Pavillion KL for the fashion week - don't miss out!

Oh! AaaAnd I am so happy I've got the most amazing wedding planners ever!!! :D

Next post: My wedding planners! (Putting your pictures up here, Angela and Team - so, no pressure! hehe! ;) )

Here's some news.. :)

2009-10-14T01:55:00.008+08:00

I said, "Yes!"

I have officially begun hotel ballroom-shopping, florist hunting and gown designing. The date? Yes, its been set sometime mid next year - and with my planning a TV show, that doesn't give me much time!! Till then, I reckon this blog will be filled with not just my role as the Face of Malaysia Fashion Week this year, but my entire wedding planning experience! *grin* Please let me know what you'd like me to focus on (in terms of the wedding preperations, etc.)

Stay tuned!

With that; I shall leave you with one of my favourite songs. ;~) Yes, my dear friends. I am officially a soppy soooky la-la. Here's to every soul in this world - that you may find that Somebody.

Coming up next post: The Ring!

Back with a bang - CloveTWO

2009-10-13T17:29:00.001+08:00

Back with a bang - CloveTWO

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What I've been busy in KL with! ;)

2009-09-23T23:11:00.000+08:00

STARMETRO, WEDNESDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2009 EVENTS M9

Stellar return for fashion showcase Model and TV host picked as the face of annual event

THE Malaysian International Fashion Alliance (MIFA) heralded the return of the Malaysia
International Fashion Week (MIFW’ 09) by announcing Andrea Fonseka as the face of M-IFW’09 at an inaugural party held at Aristo, Zouk.

According to MIFA chief executive officer Syeba Yip, the event was the first in a series of exciting parties aimed at building up the excitement among avid fashion followers, sponsors and event partners in the run-up to M-IFW’09 from Nov 4 to 8 at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

“We are pleased to welcome Fonseka back to the Malaysian fashion scene. Her sterling achievements and versatile talents transcend the fashion and entertainment fields in Malaysia
and Singapore. Besides being a highly sought-after model, she is now a TV host and an
actress to boot,” Yip said.

Since the announcement coincided with Fonseka’s 25th birthday, the MIFA team presented her with a fourtier cake and a Roxy bikini. Maxis as the main presenter surprised her with an iPhone while Pernod Ricard as the official liquor partner gave her a bottle of Chivas.

More than 50 local designers are expected to showcase their collections at this year’s fashion show. Adding international flavour to the runway will be top Japanese supermodel Ai Tominaga, 10 models from Beijing, China, and several guest designers fromHongKong,India,Japan,Thailand, China and Indonesia.

“We are also launching a coffee table book in recognition of our top designers and key fashion industry players who have helped to move Malaysian fashion forward. “After a one-year hiatus, the Islamic Fashion Festival is also returning to the fold with special showcases that celebrate beauty in modesty. Fifty designers from the Bumiputra Designers Association are also expected
to show their latest collections,” Yip added.

Supercallyfragilisticespedellidocious!

2009-08-16T13:09:00.006+08:00

First up - yes, I realise I have not posted in AGES. Trust me, there's a valid reason for that - which WILL be revealed in the Malaysian Press following the 29th of August. ;) You can get the news first from my Facebook page: Andrea Fonseka (link on the right of this blog).

Things have been incredibly busy with me, reshuffling of artiste managements, new deals, taking care of old ones, hosting events all over the place, and trying my best to spend enough time with Dad and Mum, and of course, Paul.

Adeline came to town for a visit (that is always too short), with my lovely nephew, Lucas. Such the adorable (and mischevious!) little one he is: he's grown, and speaks profficiently - so well that its quite scary for a 4 year old saying "Bats hunt for food using Echo-Lo-kay-shionnn". :D

Just a little toss on what I've been doing to fill my time:

Attended the Shout awards in KL, I hosted the Chivas Regal Alexander McQueen Limited Edition bottle (Chivas Regal - without a doubt my most fave fave alcoholic beverage), the opening of the new Park Hotel Clarke Quay (Amaaaazing food), the launch of the new Honda Freed, did a cover photoshoot with Jovian Mandagie (superb local designer and dear friend), helped plan the outline of a fashion TV programme, am currently planning an event, and am trying to find the time to plan my birthday - my TWENTY-FIFTH birthday (jeez I'm a quarter of a century old now), happening at my place at the end of the month. I have friends flying in from Singapore, Perth, Sydney, and of course my mates from KL will be there too, but can you imagine trying to accomodate everyone (about 70 people) at my place in KL?? And then planning the event afterwards when we all go out to celebrate?!

Jovian Mandagie's uber-glam weding gown.

Me backstage, wearing Jovian's gown (he was so sweet to loan it to me on such short notice..thank God it fit!!

I *heart* Chivas Regal. I do occasionally have a drink or two when I'm out, and everyone calls me the Chivas-Queen 'cause I'm never seen drinking anything else!! *laughs* Note the Chivas "crown" on me head, totally accidental! Hehe! But very apt..

Its definitely a Milestone, turning 25. And I wanted it to be in KL to share the special occassion with Mum and Dad - their youngest is now 25! Gosh. How time flies!! If I could with for anything though, it would be for me to know two years ago what I know now.. but I guess its a chicken and egg thing: I wouldn't have learnt my lessons through my mistakes back then; so theoretically it'd be impossible for me to know then what I know now, but you get my drift, I'm sure. ;)

I hope everyone is keeping well, we've passed the halfway mark of the year now, and lets move towards ending this year with a bang! :D

Inspiration (and quite a harsh post?)

2009-06-22T10:18:00.002+08:00

I just finished watching The Biggest Loser on telly. Its pretty amazing, they've been in there for 5 weeks, and one guy lost 70 pounds (approx 30 kgs). That's .... amazing. Yes, they have personal trainers, they have people monitoring their food, etc. But... THEY do the work, THEY put in the effort, and THEY reap the rewards. The format of the show annoys me a little, but lets not get into that. The point I am trying to make here is this:

These are ordinary people. Doing extraordinary things. It filled me with such hope, and such inspiration to push myself further. Nothing is impossible really - I bet these people felt for the longest time that they will be obese for the rest of their lives. They all weighed more than 100kgs, some even more than 150kgs when they started the journey on the show. When you have to overcome such a huge mountain, its easy to get discouraged and think its impossible. It made me feel like my weight loss was chicken feet compared to what they were going through - I had Marie France to help me trim away the weight! Then again, I also had the determination and ambition to reach for my dreams, and luckily, I have been blessed enough to be where I am now.

I think we can all improve ourselves in any area of our lives if we really want to. I'm not just talking about physically here. I have come to believe that anyone who is of the mentality "I'm just like that." or, "I am XX years old now, you can't expect me to change my ways" is just taking the easy way out. Its not as hard as it seems, though old habits are tough to break. I guess what we can all learn from The Biggest Loser is that change just boils down to:

HOW MUCH YOU REALLY WANT IT.

I look back on the past year, and am amazed at how much I've changed as a person. Often we need a catalyst for this, and I learnt this lesson from someone very close to my heart. If you really want to change something in your life, the first and most important thing is:

1. BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF.

You are responsible for your own actions. Emotions are another issue - but how you handle your self, how you react to them, and how you decide you want to be - is all your own CHOICE. (Unless you have a medical condition of course, but that's another issue). You have to be honest with yourself, and realise this before you can change any flaw you have within yourself. Yes, if you're lazy, hot tempered, unkind, etc, its time to face up to it. Don't play victim and go, "I had issues growing up", or "Its not my fault, he/she/they make me this way". Yes some people have it harder than others, but at the end of the day, YOU ACTED THE WAY YOU DID and THAT'S WHY YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE.

2. WRITE DOWN THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO ACHIEVE/BE.

Want to lose weight? Write it down. You want to be more liked by your peers? Write it. Want to be rich? Or want to get along better with your parents. Whatever you want in life to be better, write it down. Then follow that with what you need to do to achieve that. NO EXCUSES like writing what is stopping you, because as of now, only thing stopping you from change, is yourself. For example:

a) I want to lose weight. ----> need to eat better: exercise more .

b) I want to improve my personality/character ----> This one is a little more tricky as you need to look within yourself and your flaws. Here's where the honesty bit comes in. For example, if your girlfriend has told you time and time again that you're unreasonable, there could be some truth in this. Look at yourself how you'd look at someone else. If there is anything there that is holding you back, write it on your list. Follow this with why you want the change - to be a better person, to make the world a better place, to satisfy your narcissism, remember whatever it is BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF.

3. CHANGE!

You can't expect results immediately. Remember that this is not a 'temporary' thing, and that you're changing your LIFE. This is who you are, you are improving yourself, and you want to be better. Take baby steps. If you're someone who has massive road-rage, the next time something bad on the road happens don't just snap, but remind yourself the reasons why you want to change that about yourself. Even if you forget, and succumb to being a swearing angry person behind the wheel, make it a point to look at that later, remind yourself why acting that way upsets you and the people around you, and why you'd like to change.

As to how you change, just tell yourself that nothing will be achieved from succumbing to your weaknesses. The contrary infact tends to be the case - situations are often worsened. So focus on what would be best for you in the long-term to achieve your goal(s). The more you think in this manner, the easier it gets.

I know it seems to be the case that things are easier said than done - and that is often true. But nothing will change otherwise, and whilst it may be *easier* per se to stay the same, life definitely wont be better. So as I said. It all boils down to, How Much You Want It.

Quick Update!

2009-05-27T16:32:00.007+08:00

So whilst some of you may have seen me HERE:

I was actually, HERE:

And here are some behind the scenes shots of the FHM mag shoot (Out now, go get!) :) Enjoy!

Me sucking on a piece of ice cause I was thirsty - and didn't want drinking from a cup to spoil the makeup! Lol!

Bend it like Bikram

2009-05-04T14:27:00.002+08:00

Lol. Ok quite lame lah my post title. ;) (ps. Bikram is a special sort of yoga..)

But yes, in case you guys don't already know, you'll be seeing me in pretty stretchy positions around Singapore and Malaysia ..

This photo was taken from www.trueyoga.com.sg. :)

Go check the classes out, try 0ne even, and I guarantee you'll love it. Warning though: don't bite off more than you can chew, because yoga can be pretty intense! :)) Start slow, and you'll be surprised how quickly you feel and see the effects!

I won't be able to go for yoga over the next three weeks tho. Cause I'm going to LONDON and PARIS! :D :D :D its going to be such blast, I've always wanted to go to Paris and how I finally will! And London to see Lucas my nephew (wait I think I've blogged about this already, but i'm just so excited that I can't help but keep raving on about it, sorry ah!). :)

Oh and to those who have replied to my post below, thank you.

Anyone knows anywhere good in Paris? ;) Let me know!

Would you "settle"?

2009-04-28T02:44:00.002+08:00

This thought came to me as I was on my trip back to Singapore (from KL) as I was answering some interview questions...

Would you "settle" for someone?

If he or she was "good enough" but not "great"? If that person was "alright", but didn't blow your socks off? Would you wait enough long in a relationship and possibly waste both of your time, or hope that your love for him/her would grow and eventuate into what you always dreamt your lovelife would be?

Its possible to eventually fall in love with someone. Hell, I've been that person that someone 'eventually' fell in love with. Was I happy being in doubt? No. Did I trust him? No. But was I esentially happy...? .

...No.

The excuse that, "Hey, is alright. I could do alot worse.", is NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Sorry. If you could do alot worse, you could also do better. And deep down inside, you know that.

The fact is, if you're seriously with someone (we're talking about living together here), that person should know, and feel, that he or she is your world. And there should be no doubt. At. All.

Why do some people then choose to 'settle'?

Insecurity, the inability to be alone (strong factor), amongst many other reasons.

How would I approach it?

Well, I'm comfortable enough to be on my own now, than to be with someone for company's sake. I choose to have enough respect for a person than to choose to be with them just 'cause they're *there*. When I'm with someone, I want it to be because I *know* that he is someone that I would be proud to be with, that I can reflect with and upon, and whom I know is someone of calibre that... well, deserves me! Is that being narcisistic? No. I think its just a level of self assurance, and knowing one's worth.

Because if deep down inside I *know* I can do better, then deep down inside, I wouldn't be happy. We should always work towards obtaining the best that we can in life; be it being the best person we can be, being the best friend we can be, the best daughter, friend.. why should we not strive to be have the best partner we can have?

But then again - here's me playing Devil's advocate with myself again - maybe its easy for me to talk. I'm in a happy, fulfilling relationship. *heh!*. Paul's an amazing man, and I am truly lucky to have him. I actually can't imagine my life without him - and that's a sign of what I believe to be true love. Its not when you can imagine your future with that person - its when you can't imagine it without.

Maybe its because I feel every good soul in the world deserves to have and feel what I do; A partner that fulfills every essence of our being.

I will try to fix you

2009-04-23T17:42:00.004+08:00

One of the most amazing songs ever written - absolutely selfless and sincere. I cry everytime I really 'feel' the song..

Hope you guys enjoy this. :)

Oh and, if you guys are wondering what i'm up to: I'm still in KL at the moment, just did a shoot for Shape magazine Malaysia, will be doing another shoot tomorrow for Clive magazine's 1st year anniversary edition. I came to KL a few weeks ago 'cause my Dad was home alone (my sisters and mum are in Spain for a fantabulous holiday; i didn't go cause I needed to work. :( ), and so I thought I'd keep him company. Its been nice just catching up with him, spending time with him - his health's doing alot better lately, he's eating well.

Will be back in Singapore soon for another press interview with the Berita Harian. Flying to London and Paris on the 9th of May, (yes will take lots and lots of pictures don't worry! ;)), will be going to visit my sisters and my nephew, I can't wait I'm so excited! Will be there for two weeks, back in KL for the month of June to begin shooting the movie!

*phew!*

Almost out of breath just typing all of that out! *laughs*

Ok. Picture Time! :)

I was here.....

For a James Bond themed party. This is Ho Fei Fei, my bestie.. and we were comparing, er, "packages"...
Us posing - Face-Off!

What happened next???

........

..........awwww. ;)

Miss you Fei, come back to Singapore soooooon! :D

FHM International's 100 Sexiest Women 2009

2009-04-03T12:19:00.001+08:00

Hey Guys!

I've been nominated to be in FHM International's 100 Sexiest Women 2009, feel free to vote for me at http://www.fhm.com/girls/covergirls/andrea-fonseka. :)

Thanks lah! :)

Updates!!

2009-04-01T02:35:00.003+08:00

Okay so last week was massively hectic, involving friends coming down from KL to visit, FHM's Top 100 GNDs, catching up with old friends. In Singapore at the moment, for some work, before I head back to KL to be with Daddy, who's home alone due to Mum being overseas.

My shoot for the next cover of FHM (wow its been like, two years since the last one!), is on the 6th of April, and I'm so excited! It'll be out on a very special issue, so watch out for it in the coming months!

AND. Just recieved confirmation that I will be working on a movie in Malaysia. I don't think its appropriate for me to talk about the details before the press conference, but lets just say it'll open nationwide, and will probably be released in Singapore as well. :D Its going to be fantastic to be working back home again, with people who are at the top of their game. AND it'll be in Malay, which will be a new experience for me. AND I'll be back home in KL which is always great for me.. :)~ (Mmmmm.. Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa, anyone? Heh.)

Will be keeping this post short, have an early morning tomorrow for an interview with MyPaper. So will sign off for now, and leave you with this really sweet song from Jason Mraz. Enjoy! :)

No prizes to guessing who this song goes out to. ;) I love romantic duets!!!

The best year yet

2009-03-06T11:03:00.003+08:00

2009 has been really, really good so far. :)

I think I'm finally finding the perfect balance between work, play, love and life. Here's a quick update with that.

Work
Work has been great. My campaign with True Yoga will launch in a few months, the photoshoot was so much fun! I worked with Mr. Universe 2004 (go google!) and he's HUUUUGE! Like, literally! Also he's the new Terminator in Terminator Salvation. Am currently working on a few independent projects, short films which will be taken throughout the world on film festivals, and am looking forward to working more in KL. :)

Roland and I. He's HUGE!

Like, SERIOUSLY HUGE!!!

The man who taught me to bend over. Backwards.

Play
Just attended a friend's wedding in Perth recently. She got married to her first love, whom she met at the tender age of 16! They went out for a while before going their seperate ways, and a few years later, Voila! They met, realised they still loved each other, and got married! In the words of the Emcee that night (Mark Pieri, awesome job): Love is like a motorcycle. Sometimes you need to kick it twice to get it started. I've never been to a wedding in Oz before, and I have to say. Its VERY different from weddings in Asia. It was loud (in a very good way), there were loads of jokes, laughter and DRINKS. Man can they drink. My poor Asian liver couldn't keep up at all, and I knew it so I didn't even bother trying.

The New Mr. and Mrs. Potger.

Love
:) Am very happy. Paul's still as fantastic as ever, and everytime I visited Perth I found a fresh bouquet of my favourite flowers (pPink starburst lillies) on the table. He said the sweetest thing the other day: that he never knew he could be so happy with anyone, and that his life was complete with me in it. *Awwwww* (try not to gag).

And you wouldn't believe it >>>> HE BOUGHT ME A CAR. (okay so maybe I'm 'boosting'a little here *guffaw* but I'm just so happy with it I just HAD to share it with everyone!). See the thing is, I visit Paul pretty often here in Perth, when work permits. And because he knows I can't drive his manual car (with absolutely no power steering), he bought me a Honda Accord Euro. So I can use it everytime I came to Perth, and not be stuck at home while he's busy at work. :D

Life
Family is doing well. Mum and Dad are missing their children, which is why I'm flying back to KL for Mum's Birthday mid March! :) Cant wait to get home, and have lots of Mum's cooking. Dad's health is steady yet, knock on wood. Miss them both heaps lah, can't wait!!!

So there you have it! A v. brief update on things at the moment. As I am not at my laptop right now, I can't post any pics up, but they will be edited in with time. Meanwhile, take care, and I hope 2009 has been good so far for you guys too. :)

Mum, myself and Dad taken during Chinese New Year. Dad found a hat that I got in a goodie bag and decided it was perfect for gardening. Heh. Bless!

Super Big Long Post

2009-02-02T22:41:00.005+08:00

Hurroes!

Okay so its been a while, I've been eating mandarin oranges and collecting angpows all week. This has honestly been one of the best CNYs ever, I only wish the entire family was back for it. Natasha Lena and Adeline were all overseas, so it was just Mum, Dad and lil' ol' me here in KL. Awesomely good nonetheless.

So I've got a few things to do in this blog. First Up!

Answering some Questions that you guys wrote in. Note: Sorry can't answer all of them in a go, we'll come it coming as I keep posting ya? ;)

So here goes!:

1.Back then, you won the pageant pre-marie france. But in your personal life, do people around you pay more attention to you, or suddenly take more interest in you just because your are hotter & slimmer now?

People definitely started paying me more attention when I started appearing on magazine covers and on TV. Often times I got calls from acquaintences who never used to want to catch up, and now they're all like, "Oh Andrea come to my place for dinner!". I go like, wha? I mean I appreciate it and all, but its kinda funny when people only want to get to know me better when I got a little famous.

2. Has being sexy and slim now made people unwittingly focused on your looks rather than your personality?

It surprises people who just get to know me that I'm a Law Graduate. Whats the big wow about? I don't get that. At Miss Universe '04, Miss Peru was a doctor. That's right. DOCTOR MISS PERU. None of us even blinked when she told us, (I just think that's awesome), and we all respected each other. People seem to think that just 'cause someone's good looking, they don't need to focus on other aspects of their lives, or don't want to. I think that's just wrong.

3. Do you get alot of unwanted stalker attention from guys when you are in Singapore or Malaysia? Being a pretty gal and all, do you get random men coming up to you wanting to be your friend? And if so, how do you differentiate the genuines ones?

Proposal to be a 'kept woman'? Check. Random hitting on me? Check. Stalker? Double check.(<<<--- that's why I don't like to post where I'll be eg. events etc, until the very last minute or unless necessary. Infact, I'll be changing my phone number soon.) Difference between them and genuine interest? Just the vibe I get from the person, you gradually begin to be able to tell. When I met Paul, he had no clue who I was, or what I did for a living. All he knew from a common friend was that I was a Law graduate, and that's how we started talking. He lacked all 'sleaze-vibes', which is why we got along so well. So maybe I'll pose this question to him and ask him how he did it. Lol! 4. About your cover shots etc, most are stunningly hot & sexy. How does your parents react to that, especially dad?

*Laughs*! Yes. Daddy doesn't approve of FHM shots, but has come to realise that the industry is as it is, and allows me to do what I need to do for work's sake. But he did shy away from watching Carrotcake Conversations though, simply cause he didn't want to see me act as a prostitute. Even though it was nothing like the real thing! Lol. He's cute. Mum understands more, but urges me to not do men's magazines anymore... so I told her that I will only do so if the shoot is something exciting that I want to do. So far FHM has been very good to my career, I pointed that out to her, and she can't help but agree so.

5. Has being beautiful been more a blesssing or a bane to you?

First up, I don't see myself as being stunningly beautiful like Michelle Chia or y'know, like Nadya Hutagalung. I'm answering these questions under the assumption that I am because of what you guys thinks, and also on how my life has changed post Marie France. Honestly speaking I look in the mirror and I see the same girl that looked back at me six years ago. Andrea. Same eyes, nose, mouth, large ears, goofy grin. Blessing or bane? well, I think its pretty even. I actually find it harder to meet more sincere people these days, and people always have an assumption about me (good or bad) based on what they read me as. But I always try to keep it as real as possible, so hopefully that shows.

(The above questions were sent in by Cheng Eu-Hahn. Thanks luv! Hope that answers it for ya.)

Will be getting to the others soon.

Now. On to the next topic,I attended a CNY dinner hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Sin (who own Rafflesia and Mandalay, they specialise in Pearls, Jades and Rubies). Beautiful event, flanked by heaps of supportive celebs such as Jimmy Choo, Ning Baizura and Anita Sarawak.

Mrs. Sin herself

So glam right. Lol. I have this really bad habit of late being really lazy to take pictures, but I made it a point to do so I can blog about it and show you guys. All together now *AWWWwwww*. ;)

I used RMK makeup for this event. They have a fantastic range of foundations which I find really really suits Asian skin. They have a counter at Isetan Scotts, I swear I am a new fan. Their make up base is really really good as well, and smells glorious! Just incase you guys would like to know, I'll let you in on what I used to create my look that night. Btw, it may look like I wasn't wearing alot of make up.. well, cause I wasn't! *laughs* I was going for a more 'natural' look since my dress was already so loud... but on hindsight I think I could've used more blusher. oh well. :) Live and learn. You can use this simple step-by-step for any big day really, or even a casual meeting.

1. Cleanse face, apply oil-free moisturiser and make up base.

2. Use a highlighter - I used RMK's highlighter in Coral. Apply only to cheekbones, undereyes and nose.

3. Apply foundation. One shade lighter around eyes, cheekbones and nose first, maybe along the bottom of your forehead a little. Any area you'd like to highlight basically.

4. Use one shade darker foundation along your jawline, top of forehead, temples and just below your cheekbones. Any extra areas that need a little more coverage and highlighting, (such as undereyes), use the Radiant Touch pen by YSL. I've blogged about this before, its a miracle worker!

5. Apply loose powder. Dust a lighter shade of blusher along the highest point of your cheekbones, with slightly darker shade from your temples down to your jaw. BLEND WELL otherwise you'd look really funny. I like YSL's blushers, they have a little glitter in them.

6. Apply *a little* bronzer all around your T-zone for healthy glow.

7. Use eye make up colour of your choice (again, RMK has a great line of eye colours), line lower and upper eyelids. I use MAC's waterproof pencil eyeliner, its really really good. And Shiseido's liquid pen eyeliner for the upper lid.

8. Curl lashes, use mascara (Dior Blackout is amazing), and use lipstick and gloss of your choice. I use Benetint lip and cheekstainer (LOVE IT! looks really natural and doesn't rub off!), with YSL's lip gloss pen with glitter in them. It isn't too sticky or shiny, but stays on well.

All done! :) A little tip: instead of using lipstick which tends to kiss off very easily, use a lipbalm, followed by a lip-liner to colour in your lips. The colour from lip-liners tend to last better.

Hope you girls found that helpful. :)

Alrighty then, I've got to get some sleep! Hope you all had a fantastic CNY!!

Andrea Bites Back Meow!

2009-01-19T02:01:00.003+08:00

Okay am feeling particularly brave, and slightly politically incorrect at this time of the night (or should I say morning). So here goes.

Its a New Year (still, I feel, since we're in January yet), and I reckon for the past four years since winning Miss Malaysia Universe 2004, I've been pretty polite (read: quiet) regarding criticism/comments/questions thrown my way. So for all of you, who have faithfully been following my blog, lets set the record straight, shall we? ;)

1. I look like a Transvestite.
I actually take this as a compliment - there are ALOT of really HOT transvestites out there. ;) Seriously though, I think this comes about due to my frame, and the fact that sometimes when I have makeup on, my features may tend to look rather strong (masculine almost? I don't know). Anyhoo, it doesn't bother me at all. Infact, I was mistaken as one when I was in Phuket (albeit from the back). Funny story, my girlfriends and I were in a Ladyboy district area in Patong Beach, and I had to use the bathroom... and the bathroom caretaker lady who saw me walk in (so she only saw my back), tried to tell me that ladyboys had to use the Mens. Eeeek! I just went, "harh?!" as I turned around and she apologised when she heard my voice. Good thing I didn't have a sore throat, otherwise I'd really sound like a man! Heh!

2. I got my nose 'fixed'.
Er. NO. I think its cause pre-Marie France days I looked like I had a more bulbous nose....but that's cause I was, well, more bulbous everywhere else too. I lost weight everywhere when I went through the treatments, which includes my face as well.

3. I starve myself now.
Again, NO. Ask anyone who has worked with me, I still eat normally, and healthily - four meals a day (sometimes five): Breakfast, Lunch, Tea(4pm), Dinner (7pm) and sometimes supper. Full, hearty healthy meals with lots of fruit, veggies and protein. :D How do I maintain my figure? 1. everything in moderation, be it exercise, or food. 2. regular trips to Marie France.

4. Err. I can't seem to think of any other issues here. *laughs* - how uncontroversial is that?! Heh. Try also cannot. ;) If anyone has a question or a notion they'd like me to answer, here's your chance! You have one week, just email me the questions, and I'll answer them in my next post. Howzat? :) This should be interesting..

A very honest post.

2008-12-27T04:07:00.004+08:00

You know, its tough once you get out of Uni. I never thought I'd say that btw. Lol.

See, in Uni, your life is somewhat planned for you. No matter what goes on, you know you have a purpose, you know you have something to *do*. When you leave Uni, its the weirdest feeling ever (especially if you don't dive into the area of study). Its a "now what?" feeling that washes over you. Fear grips you as you realise that the decisions you make today or tomorrow may affect the rest of your life.

That's how I'm feeling right now, really. Is this industry, as good as its been to me, something that I want to do for the rest of my life? Don't get me wrong, I love my job. I love everything about it. But the longevity of it is doubtful, the need to always be "hungry" for work is tiring. And I have so many other parts of my life that I could explore.

What do I do?

Do I continue what I'm doing because I've already started? Do I explore other means of making a living? Do I travel to see the world - after all we only have one life? Should I *shock horror gasp* practice law?

I don't know. I do know its never too late to change your mind about what you want to do in life. I have friends who live by that mantra, and have explored every part of employment as a means to experience new things and learn new skills.

All these questions plague me, at 4.14am, as I sit in my room in KL, before I fly back to Singapore tomorrow afternoon.

I suppose it all boils down to the question of: What makes me happy?

Its much harder to answer than you think.

Take a Bow

2008-12-09T22:00:00.002+08:00

Babyface wrote this song for Madonna, and out of nowhere I started singing it in the bathroom. Lol. Its an amazing video, and awesome song.
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Anyhoo so on to other things - Christmas is coming!! *big big smile* I can't wait to get my holiday shopping done. :)

Have a few thing lined up this month, will be going home for about two weeks to be with Mum and Dad, will be coming back for the New Year Countdown on Ch 5. That's going to be fantastic fun, will be doing a little performance too! ;)

Hope to see you guys there! Thank you for reading, take care and have fun this holiday season!

FONSEKA... ANDREA FONSEKA.

2008-11-17T13:40:00.009+08:00

Note: Sorry it took me so long to update, I've had to move, AGAIN! Am in temporary lodging at the moment at a friend's place on Orchard, will be moving to my very own pad in Bukit Timah come January. So yes the packing, between work and travel, has been crazy. Forgive!

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Okay so you guys know I was going to LA, I hinted very strongly why so. I went to interview the cast and director of the now already released movie Quantum of Solace. Yes, I spoke to Daniel Craig. :D

I stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel on Doheney Drive, its a quaint, cosy little place with a REALLY comfortable bed. Heh Heh. Had to take pretty pictures...

And Guess What!? They actually delivered a bottle of champagne, compliments of the junket! :D So sweet, it was like, *knock knock* Miss Fonseka? Compliments.

The view was fantastic as well,

But of course, the highlight of the trip? Well lets put it this way, I step out of my hotel room the next morning, guess what is on the door RIGHT NEXT TO MINE?

.........

His interview room!

Anyway. Woman's gotta work, so I carried on my duty to interview the cast, Director Marc Foster, Olga Kurylenko and Daniel Craig. Was incredibly floored by Olga, she was gorgeous, Marc was really down to earth and clearly very into what he does, and Daniel was charming, eloquent, engaging and .. does NOT potray that when he takes a picture, but oh well. I guess he was in character.

Hey Everyone! :)

2008-11-08T12:19:00.002+08:00

Meet Director Michael Wang and Andrea Fonseka in an exclusive dialogue session after the preview screening of THE CARROT CAKE CONVERSATIONS.

Date: Monday, 10 November 2008
Time: 7pm Movie Screening
8.40pm Q&A Session

Venue: Cinema Europa, GV VivoCity
Ticket Price: $10
$8 (Student price, only for sale at GV VivoCity Box Office)

Synopsis
The Carrot Cake Conversations is the story of four strangers, who find themselves stranded in Singapore, two days before Christmas and how they find companionship over a plate of carrot cake and a conversation.

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The cinema is already half full, so be quick to get your tickets! :)

The Carrotcake Conversations!

2008-11-05T14:28:00.002+08:00

Okay so the premiere is today, at Great World City Golden Village. I'm really nervous, and my mum's coming from KL just to be with me for support. Have a few of my closest friends attending, and I'm literally shaking as I write this - I HAVE NO IDEA HOW ITS GOING TO BE. Fingers crossed.

Have had some pretty good reviews on my part, am hoping that Singaporeans are open enough to accept this "arthouse" movie. Here's the trailer for those of you who missed it in an earlier post, go catch it in cinemas as of tomorrow! (Support local movies, lah. :) )

Feature in the Star, Malaysia

2008-11-05T01:05:00.004+08:00

Much Thanks to Vivienne Pal, for her thorough research and open mind when conducting this interview. :)

Monday November 3, 2008
Beauty in full bloom
By VIVIENNE PAL

There’s not been much news about Miss Malaysia/Universe 2004 Andrea Fonseka since she became the latest Malaysian ambassador for Marie France, but the model-cum-actress has been busy.

ANDREA Fonseka greets me briskly at the front door, her head cocked to one side as she slips on a pretty pink earring. She looks fabulous in a simple print halter dress.
“Sorry for making you wait a bit,” she apologises as she ushers me from the porch into the spacious hall of her family home in Taman OUG, Kuala Lumpur.

Busy bee: Andrea Fonseka is Marie France ambassador, actress and model.

The 24-year-old was back in Malaysia for 10 days to celebrate her father’s 70th birthday and spend time with family.
“Would you like a drink? Coke Lite?” she offers over her shoulder.
I am quite floored, I confess. Andrea is hotter in person than in the Marie France print ads: tall, lean and long-limbed. Her long brown hair is perfectly in place, and her make-up is flawless, accentuating her sharp features; she laughs easily, showing off perfect white teeth and a hint of a dimple on her left cheek.

Well, if you don’t already know, the former Miss Malaysia/Universe has been riding high. She’s signed lucrative modelling contracts, appeared on the covers of several magazines, hosted a number of shows and starred in various dramas and commercials in Singapore – and, in the process, making her detractors and rumour mongers eat their words (there was talk that she’d “run away” because she could not face the embarrassment of being a large-sized beauty queen).
“I’d go further than Singapore if I really wanted to run away, wouldn’t I?” she sighs, rolling her eyes.

And the reason for being in Singapore?: To read Law at the National University of Singapore (NUS). "I got accepted to study in Perth and Britain, but Singapore offered the most cost-effective, value-for-money degree, especially after dad had put my sisters through higher education in Britain and Australia. I’ve been here ever since because a contract with the Singapore bursary for my education required me to work in Singapore for three years upon graduation,” she says.

In spite of being more recognised in Singapore than in Malaysia, Andrea is happy.
Although it may seem to the outsider that her life has been largely defined by her win in the beauty pageant in 2004 and her appointment as slimming treatment centre Marie France ambassador last year, Andrea’s move to the island city has also had a big impact on her life.
“Life has been busy and fun. I’ve finally graduated; I’m done with school. It’s been a comfortable life so far,” says the actress-model with a disarming grin as she folds her 1.76m frame into a more comfortable position on the couch.

Now that school’s out, she’s been living the dream and doing what she has always loved – showbiz.

“I’ve always wanted to act and sing,” she says, confessing that she studied Law to please her father, Malaysian Kennel Association (MKA) licensed specialist judge and former president Datuk Dr C.G.A. Fonseka.

Juggling school and being the face of Marie France has been hectic and Andrea’s portfolio includes – even back then – hosting ESPN’s Score Today, appearing as briefcase babe No.10 in the Deal or No Deal (Singapore) game show and co-hosting Live The Dream, a live TV singing contest with MTV VJ Utt and Michelle Chia. She has also been acting, starring initially in bit parts in Maggi & Me and Parental Guidance before landing major roles in Housemates, the Channel 5 drama En Bloc and her first feature film ever, The Carrot Cake Conversations which will be premiering on Thursday in Singapore.

All this, alongside having appeared on numerous covers, including FHM Singapore, and winning top spot in FHM Singapore’s 100 Sexiest Woman for 2007 and 2008, making her the first repeat winner. Incidentally, she was also chosen to be FHM Malaysia’s 100th issue covergirl.
“Woohoo! I’m so pleased that ‘Malaysia Boleh’ in Singapore!” she cheers. Amazing, though, that she was able to juggle both work and studies.

“Ha, ha, I remember how my mum was, like, ‘Andrea, are you sure you’re in school?’ But, yes, I’m a workaholic. I get it from dad, who always puts in 110% into everything he does,” she chuckles.

At the moment, Andrea is experiencing a mix of excitement and anxiety on her soon-to-be-released movie, directed by Michael Wang.

Andrea plays Ruth, a prostitute longing to be Singapore’s first blues singer, whose path converges with that of three strangers stranded in Singapore two days before Christmas.
“I did some research – spoke to friends who knew, and went to Geylang with Michael to speak to some of the ladies of the night. I’m very nervous because I’m not sure if I did a good job. Part of me hopes I didn’t so I can improve – if you do a good job from the start, then where’s the room for improvement, right?” she muses.

“Frankly, even if I ‘bombed’ in this movie, it’d be fine. I’ll just learn from my mistakes and do better next time,” she says.

Much as her success is due to her hard work, Andrea would be the first to admit that she would not be where she is today without Marie France. “When Marie France approached me to undergo their treatments, I saw it as a great opportunity to slim down the right way. Marie France is responsible for where I am now – absolutely! If they hadn’t given me the endorsement, then I wouldn’t be here. I’ve been very blessed. FHM Singapore put me on the cover, then Mediacorp ‘found’ me and the rest is history,” admits the Virgo.

If you’re curious, Andrea currently weighs about 59.5kg.

Flower power: Andrea and her mother, Datin Josephine Fonseka, share in her father Datuk Dr C.G.A. Fonseka’s passion – orchids.
“I have a contract with Marie France to maintain my weight at about 60kg – which I do effortlessly! I eat four square meals a day; I have breakfast, lunch, foursies (tea time) and dinner. I don’t take supper unless I really cannot tahan, and then I’ll cook Maggi mee – hey, if I’m gonna eat after 7pm, I might as well go all the way right?”
But like any other girl, Andrea has her vices, too.
“I have a serious Diet Coke addiction,” she admits. “I need to drink more water.”
“There was a time, not too long ago after I got out of a relationship when my weight plummeted to 57kg. I scared myself when I saw my ribs showing; I looked so unhealthy! I decided to do something about it, and now I eat as much as I want. I go back to Marie France once or twice a month and tell them to hit me with it,” she shares, referring to the slimming treatment.
Andrea says she doesn’t work out but has been toying with the idea of getting a gym membership.
“Maybe I’ll try getting a personal trainer or joining a gym by November. I want to be healthy,” she contemplates.
Meanwhile, what keeps her active is the constant walking from her apartment to Orchard Road – to meet friends, do her hair and nails, and go shopping.
The real thing
Even the most envious of women would be loath to hate Andrea. And why should they, when the woman has remained friendly despite all the cruel jibes thrown at her. That she is intelligent just makes her more alluring.
Articulate and eloquent, she responds quickly and confidently, segues effortlessly from one topic to another and answers questions as frankly as possible. She demurs, however, when I ask if she’s seeing anyone new.
“Well, Paul is someone special and very dear to me. I don’t want to comment on the status, things are still very new, but I’m very thankful that he’s come into my life.”
Family meal: Andrea (right) with her parents, sisters (Lena, left; Adeline, second from left; and Natasha; second from right), and nephew, Lucas.
Not willing to comment further on the matter, we quickly move on to an important aspect of showbiz – beauty.

“It’s very tiring to look beautiful,” she confesses. “It’s not really about vanity – even though I admit I’m vain and that vanity is necessary in this industry – but it’s about being presentable. I call it an occupational hazard.”

Surprisingly, Andrea’s daily beauty routine is practical and her choice of facial care products, not too taxing on the wallet.

“My mother taught me this: would my skin suffer so much from not using expensive products, if the day should come that I can no longer afford them? I’m sure the expensive stuff works, but I believe that if the affordable ones work as well, then why not use them?” she says, repeating the counsel of her mother Datin Josephine Fonseka, a former beauty queen.

“At the end of the day, it’s about the health of your skin. Still, different strokes for different folks,” she reflects, adding that she consumes healthy portions of vegetables and fruits. For an instant boost to particularly tired skin, however, Andrea recommends laser skin resurfacing – something she’s only done twice in the past two years.

As we speak, Andrea’s three-year-old nephew suddenly appears, bringing an instant smile to her face, and revealing her affectionate side. "I’m a very loving person – to a fault, according to my mum,” she quips, giving Lucas an affectionate cuddle.

Clearly, family is important to her. Following her father’s recent illness, Andrea had rejected a number of jobs to come home more often to be with them. Being home this time was particularly meaningful, especially since her three sisters Adeline, 35, Natasha, 27, and Lena, 26, are all back, too.

Adeline and Natasha, both human resource managers, currently reside in London while Lena, a pharmacist, has been living in Perth for the last four years. “I’m a daddy’s girl. I’m close to mum too, but in a different way. My mum had three other girls before me, so I guess I’m like the ‘son’ my dad never had. We talk about sports and movies and we have an unspoken respect for each other. I still hold my dad’s hand when we go out sometimes, and people give us dirty looks,” she sniggers. “Ultimately, my family has always been there for me; we’re very close-knit. When I’m home, I feel my life is richer.”

But she craves time on her own, too – to rest and reflect.
“Most of my ‘me’ time is late at night, like when I was up till 4am this morning just randomly surfing YouTube. I enjoy chilling on my own, like having my favourite whisky at my balcony.
“I question myself, having come this far, am I more at peace? Does my life feel fuller? I’ve made it a point to spend more time with my friends and family, and the fact that I have more than one true friend just shows me how blessed I am,” she reflects.
Having friends and family around her has kept her grounded; Andrea is happy enough being her own person despite the celebrity status.

“It’s nice to be recognised for being good-looking but, at the same time, the industry can make you feel like a product. But have I changed? No, I’m very much myself – I don’t pretend to be an angel or anything I am not,” she stresses.

Presently, the statuesque beauty is enjoying the relaxed pace before her schedule picks up again next year.

“I’ll be doing a bit of travelling, and then I’ve got a spectacular shoot with a magazine coming up soon. I’m also in the midst of negotiating a few gigs.”

And, just in case any local movie producers are reading, Andrea’s very open to the prospect of working in the local film industry.

“My Malay is very good, by the way,” she concludes with a giggle, as she heads to the dining table to join her family for a much-awaited lunch.

Tell me, did Venus blow your mind?

2008-10-29T22:40:00.003+08:00

Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chickenYour best friend always sticking up for you even when I know youre wrongCan you imagine no first dance, freeze dried romance five-hour phoneConversationThe best soy latte that you ever had . . . and me.

Had a really intense recording today, it was extremely highly stressul, so much so that when I got home, I had a nosebleed! Like, What The Hell?! *laughs* the last time I had a nosebleed was when I was like, 8 years old! Oh well. ;P

Anyhoooooooo I'm waiting to post up pics from my gig in LA recently, but I think I may need to wait for it to air on Ch5 first before I talk about it. So.. yes.. you'll all have to wait patiently for the unveiling of an amazing shot I took. ;) In the meantime, I'll treat you to a beautiful picture of Downtown LA's nighttime silhouette.

Take care an God bless to all of you, and don't worry - a much more thorough post of LA will be up very verrry soon. ;) Thank you for your messages, and continuous support. :)

Lightning Crashes

2008-10-20T02:41:00.003+08:00

Okay so this isn't really a proper music video, you're supposed to just wait for it to load, and then enjoy it. Whilst you read my blog, of course. ;) Oh and incase you're wondering, its Lightning Crashes by LIVE. The same fellas that sang Turn My Head, and Dolphin's Cry. Which is another two amazing songs btw. Would love to see them live. Pun intended.

Feeling particularly mellow at the moment. I just came back from being with Daddy in KL, and he's feeling better (thank you, Lord). He just went for a checkup, and his blood-cholesterol level is 5.2! That's a healthy level (5.5 is normal). The pain in his chest has gone away, which is indicative of his heart healing well after the angioplasty he had earlier in the year. Still, the first year is extremely crucial, and he still has a few more checkups to go for. I'll try to be there for all of them, I told him. :)

I really am having an entirely new perspective on my priorities, am concentrating more on my family, and I really do believe that I am blessed. I'm going to share something very special with you guys.

My Por-Por (my mom's mom, that's what I called her. Hehe.. So cute right, can you imagine a little 6 year old me going, "POR-POR!!!!" whenever I came back from kindy? hehe) spent her last few years with my family. Being the youngest grandchild in the family, she doted on me alot... and I remember being very close to her, even when I was as little as 4 years old. She used to take me around town in a taxi whilst she ran her errands while mum and dad were at work, and I actually dragged her into a video arcade once, and during those days they were pretty rank, with lots of ciggie smoke, and druggies. Yeah. It was dark, and she held my hand and sat through one pac-man game with me, simply because I wanted to.

Anyway I digress. She was devastated when Kong-Kong (granddad) passed away, and became quite weak. Everything went pearshaped when mum had a minor accident and Por-Por hit her head on the front screen, and had to be admitted for about a week, I think.... I don't remember much, but I remember her getting weak, very quickly. And soon she stopped talking, and needed help walking. There was one day, I distinctively recall.

It was a bright afternoon, Por-Por had the guest room downstairs. She had finished her lunch, and tried to call for someone to help her get back to her room. I don't remember why but I was the only one there, and rushed to her side when I saw her try to get up on her own. I helped her slowly walk to her room, which must've took something like 10 minutes for her when it'd take a normal person about 8 seconds.. and halfway there she just turned and looked at me. With her deep, 73 year old eyes. (Or was she 78?)... She didn't say anything, but those eyes, rimmed with cholesterol buildup, and partially due to old age, they get a deep, dark blue almost... I think its due to the cornea just aging over black eyes giving it a misty look.

Por-Por looked at me, and I immediately knew, that she was thinking of all those times that she held my hand whilst I was walking, trying to run off somewhere, all those times she peeled grapes for me at the backseat of a cab (I didn't like grapeskin then. Heh!)... and now how fate and time has turned things around and I was there for her now. I just smiled at her and said, "Come on, Por."..And then I felt it. That I knew she would always watch over me from above.

Por-Por was an extremely pious lady, she was an extremely devout Catholic. I used to wake up for school at 6.30am when I was in Primary school, and I remember her already being up, saying the Rosary. Not just a Rosary, but the entire book, day by day prayer that came with it. That's hardcore. She did it about 5 times a day. I used to ask her why she prayed so much, and she said she prayed for us - the people she loved. And that so she would go to Heaven, and continue praying for us, and taking care of us from above.

I do believe my Por-Por is taking care of me, and that she's my Guardian Angel that keeps me safe. I can't help recalling that yellow afternoon when she looked at me, and everytime I do, I know that everything's going to be okay. That's the only explanation I have for how blessed my life has been thus far. I mean, I seriously have alot to be thankful for, things have always gone my way in ife and i've been extremely lucky. And now, I've given up a fair bit of work to make time to go home to be with my Dad, still doing some (like flying to L.A tomorrow morning to interview the cast of that certain movie). But inspite of doing less work, I'm being approached by BIGGER jobs. Its really great, and I thank God for the opportunities that come my way. And my Por. :)

Here's to my Por. (I don't have any photos on me, i'll have to scan them in!) She's an amazing lady, mother of 10 (yes, TEN) children, raised them singlehandedly whilst her husband worked the mines in Ipoh. She lived, and was loved, and is still missed dearly.

Everybody's changing.

2008-10-13T00:53:00.002+08:00

Found this while I was surfing youtube. A little morbid, I know, but after the initial sympathy for the families in there, it struck me fast and hard that we really don't spend enough time appreciating the presence of loved ones.

Do we really have enough time on this earth to be obsessed with privial things? By trivial I mean anything that does not enrich our lives on a deeper level than just physical.

Love. We definitely don't love enough. And I don't mean just to your boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife fathers, mothers sisters, daughters, sons like in the video. I'm talking about friends, the busman, taxi drivers, the old auntie that serves you at McDonalds - how much love do you show them? In reference to this sort of love, I classify it as a sincere appreciation for the presence of the other person, and that you wish for nothing but happiness and general wellness towards him/her. With that comes respect, and politeness.

This isn't some bloody community service message by the way. Heh.

I'm serious; how often do we stress ourseleves out by being angry or aggitated by someone else's behaviour? A little too much, I reckon. You control your own actions, you can't say that someone else "made you do that". And you can stop the chain of destructive emotions/actions by not allowing another to affect you. Granted, its easier said than done, but its definitely worth a try.

Can you imagine if everyone woke up tomorrow, and was just...nice to one another? In that way, free-will is flawed as it allows us to have ill-will. That, in my opinion, is the crux of almost every problem involving human relations...just think of certain bloggers having cyber wars for example, and all that flaming. Just stop already, no one wins in an argument! ;P

Bottomline? Love your loved ones. Show them. You only have one life to live, and they can be gone tomorrow. Don't let a loved one go without them know just how much they mean to you. But don't stop there - spread the love, all around you. You'll be surprised; it doesn't actually run out... but quite the contrary. (Now I'm reminded of this song: *laughs!*)

REM's cover of WET WET WET's Love is All Around. Awesome right?!

With that note, I'd like to send big hugs to all of you reading this - thanks for dropping by. :) And to a certain someone out there who I was am absolute narky crazy woman to on the phone, I'm sorry. Life's too short to spend being like that, and I apologise. To my friends, I am sorry I've not spent enough time with you in the last two years, I hope the last two weeks made up for it? ;) And to the taxi driver who couldn't understand me, I'm sorry if I was aggitated because you got my destination wrong. Thanks to the lady in the lift who kept it open for me and... well. You get the picture. ;) Big love to all of you, and I hope you have a wonderful week. Remember - essentially, whether or not its a good or bad week - it is up to you. :) xoxoxo

Fav song of all time top 10

2008-10-10T14:12:00.002+08:00

:)

Its actually a prety sad song, got hooked on it by this trailer of Grey's Anatomy. Personally GA was a love/hate show for me, cause although I loved watching it - it used to make me get really depressed! *laughs* Yes I get quite affected by what I watch on telly - I even used to get surgery nightmares after watching Nip Tuck. Like someone operating on me without my consent, eeek!

I had my 8 days shoot yesterday, and you guys should check it out. It'll be out soon, and its me with a very hunky man. You'll just have to lookout for the cover and see. ;)

After moving around non-stop for the last two months or so, Its so nice to be able to chill in my room, not have to rush anywhere, and do my laundry and clean up my room. It was only a few weeks ago that I unpacked all my things (well, there's still some boxes but... they're tucked away safely so its fine. ;P).

I love my new place, its got a big pool, gym, sauna, two tennis courts... and its a stone's throw away from Orchard! *JOY!*

I hope everyone else has had a good week, thanks for all your emails and kind wishes to my Dad. He's changed his diet dramatically over the last two months and he's feeling a little better. :) Take care and God Bless!

Ps. Carrotcake Conversations will be out on the 6th of Nov, not the 13th!! ;)

A Thousand Miles

2008-10-03T00:14:00.003+08:00

Vanessa Charlton sang this one, beautiful song.. I especially like the piano bits in them. ;)

Anyway, just to let you guys know, family time is going really great. My daddy has cheered up tremendously since all of us daughters have come home, infact, today's his Birthday... and I'd like to dedicate this song to my father. His daughters would happily fly a thousand miles to be with him on his special day. HAPPY 70TH BIRTHDAY DADDY! LOVE YOU SO MUCH! :)

Alrighty then, lets get on to a serious post as to what's happening these days. Haven't had one of these in a while!

1. I will be flying to L.A *again*!! This time to interview the cast and crew of an upcomming new movie. I don't think I can speak of it yet, you guys will have to catch the preview on Ch. 5, Mediacorp. ;) Will give you guys a few hints though: Its a HUGE HUGE blockbuster, it stars just ONE MAN, the movie before this was the BEGINNING of the story, and it involved cards and cars. The movie is also based on a book, written by an Englishman (many books, many of which have been produced into movies over the past few decades, starring different men as the lead). And, it was a gig that I was fankly, extremely keen to do, for many obvious reasons. Any guesses?? ;)

2. Carrotcake Conversations is out on the 13th of November! The Premier will be on the 5th of November, at a Golden Village Cinema. When I get more details I'll let you guys know about it. We can probably have a proper meet and greet session there. :) Anyone up for that?

3. I will be in the coming issue First magazine, the movie mag, in conjunction with Carrotcake Conversation's debut,

4. I will be in 8 Days again pretty soon in the coming weeks.

5. I will be in One Utama Shopping Centre, KL, for a Marie France Roadshow - Any Malaysians reading this? ;) That'll be on the 18th of Oct.

6. Doing another branding shoot for Channel 5 to be aired in time to come. :)

So my month of October is pretty much packed... Going from KL-Sing-KL-Sing-LA-Sing! I'm going to be one tired bunny at the end of the month... Also in November I have a friend's wedding to attend in Phuket! How exciting, I've never really been. Any tips for a week in Phuket? :) Not to worry, will take many nice pictures. Need to buy a new camera charger though, can't seem to find mine.. sigh. Matters not though, thanks to my sister, Lena, I still managed to get a hold of some pics. Here's a family one. :)

L-R, Clockwise: Adeline, Lena, Me, Natasha, Dad, Lucas, Mum. :) I heart all of you! xox

2008-09-29T01:18:00.000+08:00

FHM's 100 Sexiest Women 2008

2008-09-22T15:00:00.010+08:00

Note:
Long overdue blog, apologies. Have been all over the place, mainly KL, moved out of my apartment in the East to get closer to town (Yes, I'm back near Orchard now. *big sigh of relief*), in between that, been working on events and shoots, trying to organise a *spectacular* shoot at a secret location early Dec ... Sigh. Been a busy bee, really.

FHM! *laughs* I totally didn't expect it, I can tell you that much. I thought the invitation was to present the prize to the new #1 - I almost choked on my drink when they announced my name that I won. *laughs* I would have definitely NOT have drunk champagne should I have known that I was going to win it, and would have definitely dressed better! I just ran out of my condo, with the first thing I could find in my stack of still unpacked clothes. I picked that outfit solely because it wasn't crumpled. Lol. I was so unprepared, I didn't even make out a speech when prompted, so will say one out here properly:

*ahem*

I'd like to thank my family and friends for their support and love for the last year. It hasn't been an easy one, and I wouldn't be standing here today if it were not for you special people: Mom, Dad, my sisters, Mae, Eugenie, Rhubs, Kai, Daph, Roz, Kai, Baba, Gwen, Mike, Sani.. thank you for your love and support. Sorry for not always being there, but you're in my heart and thoughts always.

To the FHM team, for being so supportive and great with the initial shoot, and for being a great bunch of people to work with. I can't wait for the next shoot guys! Also to Mediacorp, for giving me a go to host and act, and thank you to Melissa Lam, my manager.

To Lance, for going up to the FHM team two years ago and saying that I should be on the cover.

Finally, this also goes out to Paul, a very special person in my life, who in such a short period of time, managed to change how I see the world. You make me want to be a better person, just your being puts a smile on my face. I couldn't ask for more from anyone, thank you for coming into my life. ILY.

Enough of that, here are some pics from the night! Love to Eugenie Chan for being handy with the camera! ;D

Me arriving in my ride. Thanks, FHM! ;)

Eugenie caught me coming out - 'artistic shot' she says. Actually just didn't set the exposure right on the camera... but its okay...;)

Yet another 'artistic' shot.

Press shots : ala red-carpet ish. :)

Eugenie taking random candid shots.. I think I was listening to the Editor's Speech: David Furhmann-Lim. Oh and for the ladies, if you'd like to know: I used MAC Studio Fix foundation (best for outdoor events, it doesn't smudge off the face), YSL Touche Eclat under the eyes, on the nose bridge and cheekbones for highlight, BodyShop cheek and lip tint for cheeks, its a very natural, long lasting colour, YSL lip gloss, Dior mascara, and Shesheido liquid eyeliner. But remember the best look is to have great skin to start with: Olay Whitening Range is really good for day-to-day use, and their moituriser acts as an illuminator and make-up base!

Got called up, called for speech. It was like on this verandah, I didn't know if I should speak down to the crowd who attended, or back to the people behind me - photographers, video camcorders etc. Lol. So I flipped back and forth.

David, Myself and the event sponsor for the night.

Eugenie ran off with my 'plaque' to take artistic shots with it. *laughs*

I *heart* Eugenie! For those of you who don't already know, Eugenie Chan here and I have been friends for like... 10 years now. *laughs* High school days till now - she's now working in Singapore. Bless!

To the first man that loved me

2008-09-03T15:42:00.003+08:00

Yeah I know this is a song from a Father to his Daughter, but it still makes me cry! *laughs* Everytime I listen to this song as well. (yes,I'm a big softie..)

I remember the first time I heard it, I was at the backseat of my daddy's car, we were driving to or from dinner.. it must've been about 8pm. I always had a similar loving relationship with my father.

Dad's not in the best of health at the moment, as some of you may know he's had an angioplasty done earlier in the year. I won't go into detail the extent of things because that's not important - what's important is that I've come to realise how I've taken his love for granted the older I've become, and that I've neglected the man that held man hand growing up. I love you Daddy, and I promise never to do that again.

I'll be going back home to KL alot more often now, to spend more quality time with him. His 70th is coming up. :) SEVENTY! Well all in all he's had a happy life - one grandson, four daughters, two son-in-laws, a loving wife, heaps of friends who respect him, a long established career and a generous pension scheme. ;) All his children have graduated from Uni with professional degrees, all of whom are doing pretty well for themselves. Only one daughter in the region though - me - and I think its such a blessing that I have a career that allows me to take time off as and when I need to. (Much thanks also goes to all the people who are supporting me in doing so.)

So yes, Daddy. Here's my birthday present to you - more of ME! ;D Its a little early, but oh well why wait.

Someday We'll Know

2008-08-28T23:39:00.002+08:00

This is the version by New Radicals - I liked this edited version 'cause I love the lyrics, and when you read the lyrics they strike you more. Mandy Moore and Jon Foreman also sang this song, it was the soundtrack to the movie A Walk to Remember. I prefer this version, I really like New Radicals. They've disbanded though. :(

But yes. Back to the song...beautiful isn't it. Causes me to feel contrary to my post before - about making a decision and then sticking to it. Slightly. What I mean by that is, if we make a decision, and somehow due to things not working out (even if you tried your best) - would you then regret, and realise that the last person you were with was actually 'The One'?

But then again, with my chosen belief - everything happens for a reason. Perhaps if you never left the person/if the person never left you, you'd never realise that they were the one. Just another way to think about it I suppose. Possibly it'd be too late to turn back time then, but I guess one would just have to move forward and try to make the best of things isn't it.

Yes. It'd be better to know that you loved, and lost it, than staying in a relationship and never realising that the person you are with is the one for you. That will eventually lead to an imbalanced relationship where one or both parties would suffer anyways. Slightly 'sour grapes' way to think about it, but its either that or you can choose to think that way, or just spend the rest of your life regretting things.

Anyone been in this situation before? Heh. How'd it turn out?

Snow Patrol - Set Fire to the Third Bar

2008-08-22T07:02:00.002+08:00

Really cool song. Haunting tune to top off rather pensive / brooding / wistful lyrics. Just makes you stare out into space whilst having a cup of coffee go from hot to warm in your hands...[Yes, since Singfest I've been on a bandbinge. Just surfing the net for some good songs that we don't often hear on radio. Will compile a list one day of my all-time favourite songs.]

So yes. I'm flying off to Manila today. Will be there over the weekend, to judge a dog show (no worries, pictures will be taken. ;)). Am trying *not* to do too much shopping whilst I'm there, I managed to rack up quite a bill thus far. *heh*

This song really makes me think - how relationships work. [Lol yes here we go again].

Do we really decide when and where we fall in love? Can we force situations in times like this? 'Cause often we hear that a 'budding' relationship didn't work out due to the fact that one party 'wasn't in a place in life where he/she wanted to have a relationship'. Is that the case or is it merely an excuse?

Two people may be together for years, and love one another, and yet that love may not match the intensity [or even emotional depth] of a couple that had met for a few weeks and know *immediately* that there was something special there. What can be used as a barometer for falling in love with someone? [Apologies as these are mere meanderings of my train of thought on this subject]. Without the benefit of hindsight, what can we do in this lifetime to ensure that we live a life without regrets?

My answer [the only one that I may humbly put forth with regards to this], is that we make choices, and we stick with it. And try our bloody best to make the best of it. Its wavering and looking back that make things seem uncertain, or that we could've done 'something else that would've been better'. Not true. My dear friend Eugenie profoundly told me once: "We don't make mistakes, dear. We make choices that we genuinely feel at the time - and thus there is no right or wrong."

How we react to things is what makes our choices right or wrong. Not the choice itself.

[Wah sorry if this particular post makes no sense to some. Just my little head thinking in caffiene overdrive.]

SINGFEST REPORT!

2008-08-09T02:19:00.007+08:00

It was two beautiful days of sunshine, live music, and lots of fun. It was actually a *little* to hot for my liking, but that didn't stop the 10,000 strong crowd from rampaging in through the doors! Thanks goes to All the Worlds and Midas Productions for putting together what a fantastic event.

Okay so to most of y'all who attended, Singfest 08 may have looked like this to you...
(this photo courtesy of a photographer/blogger who took a pic of me, I steal back can ah? Since its a pic of me can right? ;))

But really, Singfest started out like this for me.............

....Don't ask. Lol.

How much beer at Singfest? Fourthousand Fivehundred Litres. (only?)

But then things got a little more interesting....

Interviewing guys from Simple Plan

Guitarist David and Drummer Chuck

Interviewing the Lost Prophets

One Republic

And the highlight of my stint, speaking with Mr. Mraz himself.

Really humble guy, everything about him just ooozed real-ness and super-niceness. ;)

So yes... I didn't really get to watch alot of the performances, was busy working 'cause Singfest was recorded into a programme to be aired soon. Will definitely let you guys know where and when that happens.

Hope you've enjoyed the pictures! :)

How Cool is Travis...!

2008-07-21T09:39:00.001+08:00

Best cover rendition ever, Who'd have known a pop song would sound so good on accoustics?! Really hope they perform this at Singfest. :)

SINGFEST 2008

2008-07-11T10:57:00.004+08:00

God bless outdoor concerts. :)

When I attended last year's Singfest, I had such a fantastic time I spent all year lookin forward to this year's event. Infact, you saw how great it was here! Surprisingly to me, there weren't as many people as I expected last year, but this year's I suspect will be heaps more popular with the masses.

Alicia Keys - one of my all time favourite artistes, is being flown in for the event, she'll be performing on Day 2 of Singfest. Jason Mraz (whom my sister Lena saw live before and said was "FANTABULOUS") will also be performing on Day 2, along with ... *drumroll please* THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS.

I KNOW.

How on earth the organisers (MIDAS & All The Worlds) managed to pull this act together, beats me. That's not even mentioning Day 1 for little rockers like me (Travis (!!!), Simple Plan, New Found Glory, list goes on..).

So yes. Two Days, over 20 hours of music! All the acts will be performing FULL LIVE SETS - as opposed to just one or two songs like some showcases - at the Fort Canning Park. I booked my tickets ages ago actually, I thought paing $150 for each day (Two day ticket prices are $300 - cheaper if you use Visa!) was a bargain, seeing as what the lineup was. I'd pay $300 JUST to watch Alicia Keys, so when you throw in the rest it all makes quite a sweet deal. ;)

I'll definitely be there, anyone else going? I'm SOOOOoo excited!

Ah. Sorry had to get that out of the way.

On to other things: Apologies for not posting as much as I know I should've. See, I've spent the last month looking for a new place to stay, packing and now unpacking! My new place is out of town. :) Just moved in a few days ago so its a complete mess! Lol.

Graduation is happening in a few days - yes thats right, I'm finally graduating with my cohort of 2008! So happy, my parents are coming down, and I will be their final child graduating. Ah... finally feels like I can concentrate on work full time now, without looming deadlines. Life will be good. :)

Perth - finally

2008-05-31T14:52:00.011+08:00

Okay so sorry for super long delay.

See problem was that the SD card that I bought from this fella wasn't working so I had to hunt high and low for the cable that I needed to hook my Nikon up to my laptop in order to load the pictures. Sigh. Thank God my cam had this cable otherwise all the pictures I took habis lah! (translated: finished lah!).
So anyway, here are some of the pictures I managed to take on my trip. :)

It was SUCH a beautiful day, I went out into town on my own (Lena had to work)

The sun went away the moment I took this shot, but you can still see how beautiful these old shops are.
Went back outside, took a shot of myselt hoping to get the city behind me. Oh well. : No one said I was a good photographer. heh.

YEAH. Went a tad overboard with the shopping.. Hey they actually have 1/2 sizes there ok! As in if you're between a 9 and a 10, shoe size, you can buy size 9 1/2! How cool is that?!

Suddenly I craved local food. As in Asian food. And whoopdeedaa look what I came across???

ASIAN CUISINE BABY! (It was like AUD$10 for a bowl of wan tan mee okay. They call it "Dumpling Noodles". Lol.

Me patiently waiting for my bowl of "Dumpling Noodles with Soup".

And life was good. ;)

I took the bus back to Lena's place, and itchy snappy fingers, took a shot of what busses look like in Perth.

So that night, we all got dolled up, Myself, my sister and my bestie Daphne, and we headed to this place called the Red Sea. Pretty cool, wish I could take more pictures of the interior, but Lena confiscated my camera 'cause she was like, "you're here to have a good time, not take pictures of people!!" .......uh ok Che. Sorry ah.

Group shot!!

I heart Lena!

Last shot of the night - my amused face. Lol.

The next day was BEAUTIFUL! Had some friends who had a boat and we all went out wakeboarding.

Shiok right. Sigh. If only Singapore's waters were like that..

Lots of jellyfish in the water, but apparently they're absolutely harmless.

This guy's name was also Andrea - and was the only Andrea that got into the water that day. I was too cold lah. Heh.

My darling sister, her friends

More of her friends - we were eating Dim Sum. It was very good, but not quite as good as Crystal Jade Kitchen (Level 2 Takashimaya)

Love you Lena! xoxoxo!

So yeaaaah. Perth was absolutely gorgeouss. I still have more pictures, which are self-explanatory.

Cottesloe beach!

Was totally rejuvenated after my trip there... seriously people. If you guys just need to recharge your batts, head down south. The air is so clean and crisp, it almost *tastes* sweet. That being said - I still love Singapore and Malaysia - Muggy weather, 38c 98% humidity and all! ;)

James Blunt Concert and Perth City!

2008-05-16T13:16:00.005+08:00

Here are some other pics taken, I was there with DJ Rosalyn Lee (98.7fm), and we had much fun. Thanks to Michael Hoskings of MIDAS for the amazing concert tickets - our seats were AWESOME! 2nd row from the front.

Yes. Thats James Blunt. Surfing on a piano.

Yah I know I was wearing too much undereye powder. Remember that I'm still catching up on sleep over the past few weeks okayyyy.. ;P

Okay guys sorry it took so long - my sister's internet not working la. So here i am sitting at an internet cafe. Lol. I had to buy another SD card for my camera, 'cause my old one just didn't have enough memory to support my 3mb pics. ;) The things I do for you guys my readers I tell you...

Anyhoo. Just to note again, James blunt concert. AMAZING.

I took a video, but can't seem to upload it....will have to do it later, need to get back on the streets of Perth now, 'cause all the shops here clsoe at 5pm. Lol. Will really try to upload them later, the sound not that great on my camera, but its SO SUPER CLEAR! (the Image I mean). I LOVE MY NIKON!! ;)

Okay what's next: Ah yes. Perth. Its beautiful. Unfortunately I had to upload these pics and videos on before I could take more pictures, so you're gonna have to wait till I get back and upload them ALL! ;)

Its really great getting away from Singapore for a coupla days to come to Perth.. Its so laid back, really relaxing. And funnily enough: the air smells GOOD. Like, clean! I've never felt so rejuvenated in my life, lungs wise. Heh.

NO MORE PENS, NO MORE BOOKS!

2008-05-12T09:38:00.000+08:00

(No more teacher's dirty looks!)

*hehehehehehehe*

Yep, ladies and gentlemen who read this: I HAVE OFFICIALLY COMPLETED ALL MY NECESSARY MODULES FOR MY LLB (HONS) IN LAW. For this I would like to thank my friends, who have helped me out a great deal with 'mugger' notes, my lecturers who have kindly assisted me throughout my years at NUS Law, and my family who have supported me and never failed to keep driving the point home that I needed to complete my degree. :)

That being said, its been a great four years at NUS Law, I am so happy I chose to come here to Singapore for my graduate studies - for more reasons than one of course. ;)

I am going to be taking it easy this week/month, don't have too much work to do. Decided to scrape some cash together and go travelling. Will be flying to Perth for a week or so to visit my sister, then back to KL to spend time with mum and dad. Will probably be back in Singapore the end of the month. Next month I'm hoping to go to Canada/Las Vegas (wherever my darling bestie Fei Fei can meet me - she's from Canada), and hopefully drop into London to visit my nephew and my sisters. :)

I think I'm going to be so broke when I come back. *grin* But it'll be worth it. I've been working/studying non-stop for the last year and a half, I deserve a break I reckon.

Oh and to answer someone's question, yes I'll be going to the James Blunt concert! Come up and say hi if you see me! :)

Anyway, just picked up the papers today; they're setting up MORE ERPs at the north/south bridge area. Looks like sooner or later Singapore's just going to be like Tokyo. EVERYONE's gonna take the busses and trains. (hey that's a bachelor girl song. heh.)

Anyways, will be trying my best to post as often as I can while I'm gone, will be taking my Nikon digicam with me and snapping away as I go. So tune in to this page, and travel with me! :)

I don't wanna wait for our lives to be over...

2008-05-03T18:42:00.003+08:00

E's post there about my music made me think of songs... and somehow I thought of this as I was walking back from the grocery shop just now. I've been feeling really drained of late, no prizes for guessing. ;) Anyhoos its a really old song, it was pretty big in Malaysia while I was a teen - was it big here in Singapore?

Anyway Paula Cole is an incredibly underrated artist - just 'cause she didn't do the whole "Mariah Carey" image change (ala 'Honey' music video debut)... Oh well. So here's to Paula Cole. She also sang "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone". I much prefer this one tho, just read along to the lyrics while you listen to the song...

So open up your morning light
And Say a little prayer for I
You know that if we are to stay alive
To see the peace in every eye

She had two babies
One was 6 plus one was 3
In the war of '44

Every time the phone rang
Every heart beat stinging
When she thought it was GOD calling her
Oh would her son grow to know his father?

I don't wanna wait
For our lives to be over
I want to know right now
What will it be?
I don't wanna wait
For our lives to over
Will it be yes or will it be.... Sorry?

He showed up all wet
On the rainy front porch step
Wearing shrapnals in his skin

And the war he saw
Lives inside him still
It's so hard to be gentle and warm
The years pass by and now he has grand-daughters

I don't wanna wait
For our lives to be over
I want to know right now
What will it be?

I don't wanna wait
For our lives to be over
Will it be yes or will it be....

Oh, so dig a little more deeply, my love
All we have is the very moment
And I don't want to do what
His father and his father and his father did
I want to be here now...

So open up you morning light
And say a little prayer for I
You konw that if we are to stay alive
To see the peace in every eye

I don't wanna wait
For our lives to be over
I want to know right now
What will it be?

I don't wanna wait
For our lives to over
Will it be yes or will it be....

I don't wanna wait
For our lives to be over
I want to know right now
What will it be?

I don't wanna wait
For our lives to over
Will it be yes or will it be...Sorry?

So open up you morning light
And say a little prayer for I
You konw that if we are to stay alive
To see the love in every eye...

Nobody said it was easy....

2008-04-28T12:33:00.006+08:00

Wah Lieu. (Yes I do say that once in a while now. lol)

I have two more exams to sit for. Sigh. But I have officially completed my LAST research paper EVER!!! *does big happy jolly dance around the room* Its been really hard trying to study and work for the last two years... but I have to say, it has definitely been worth it.

Anyways, if you've been following the latest entertainment news in Singapore, you'll know that Dance of the Dragon was a really glam affair. There was a red carpet affair, lots of friends. Thank GOD I remembered to bring my camera to take them pics. ;)

Photo taken by Benjamin Seetor, AsiaOne, equipment unknown.

My boys; Joakim and Nat Ho. They both looked so good that night I couldn't decide who to stand next to so I just went, "OK OK I STAND IN THE MIDDLE!" ;)

One of my favourite designers: Francis Cheong, with his guest Madam Lily. Francis designed Fann's dress you see in the last 'dance' of the movie. Beautiful!

"Quickly quickly while no one's looking! Take picture with the banner!" *blush* Nat: So thick skin ah not your movie also must pose?? My reply: For my BLOG readers LA! :P

The after party was at the Forbidden City, where we all just chilled out and had a really good time.

Male lead Jangng Hyuk. Such a sweetie.

I heart Calvin from EasternLightFilms! :) He's such a great, charismatic and sweet fella, I had to take a nice big huggly pic with him. :)

Unless otherwise noted, all pictures in this entry were taken with the Nikon Coolpix S52

The Carrot Cake Conversations Trailer

2008-04-18T15:51:00.001+08:00

Production Stills

Oh oh, the sweetest things!

2008-04-16T22:59:00.003+08:00

Whoopdedaa I finally got a new camera, its the Nikon Coolpix S52! So yes, no more excuses on not having enough pictures up. From now on, (due to popular request) I'll be taking my camera out with me to my events, and sometimes even everyday stuff that I do, just to let y'all in on whats going on in this little bubble that is my world. ;)

Anyhoo guess what. I'm going to be so stressed out tomorrow. I have castings at 11am, 2pm and 5pm, and then I need to come back home and work on my Trademark law assignment which is due Friday at 5pm. Eeek! Can die lah. I have already completed half the assignment, and will need to do the rest of it tomorrow night/friday morning. No sleep for this little rabbit. :( But its ok, its my last paper for this module, after which I have another paper due in a week's time, and then two exams to sit for in May, and I'M DONE WITH LAW SCHOOL! (*clap hands* quick!)

Heh. So here's a funny story - I was shopping in Carefour, and suddenly *snap*! My slipper(/thongs/flipflops) broke, lah! Omg it was so embarassing, 'cause I was left dragging my left foot around the meat section like, *step*-*draaag*-*step*-*draaag*. Finally I couldn't do it anymore, and I was just like, to hell with it, and walked around barefoot ala Britney Spears. I pretended not to notice the stares, but the floor was really cold too. :( I could'vebought a pair there but I'm really picky with the things I buy... but maybe that didn't serve me too well 'cause the pair that ripped was a pair of Havaianas! Expensive slippers that lasted me, what, a year?! Blah. Very unhappy with the brand.... but may still buy another pair from there 'cause they're preeeetyyy.... heh. I am a girl after all. Infact I think I'm getting more girly by the day. I like my little pearl-baby-pink laptop, I just coloured my toes pink, and i'm looking forward to getting more pink accessories. I doubt I'd be as radical as this though. I was forwarded this link after my "Fashion Forward" raid post, and I guess, well, no my room doesn't look like that. Nothing wrong with it, its just a preference, right? Much respect to XiaXue (first time I read her blog, pretty interesting girl), its very very neat. I am *not* so neat, but still okay lah. ;) Tune in to Fashion Forward's upcomming ep (I don't know when mine's coming out, will let you know), when they raid my humble abode. ;)

Okay I'm exhausted, gotta hit the sack. Much love to y'all! :)

New Carrotcake Conversations Poster

2008-04-16T22:56:00.001+08:00

Work it, Baby!

2008-04-13T17:00:00.003+08:00

Life. Its definitely a journey, and its one better to have no regrets for. So this post is, for several reasons, about beauty pageants and girls who want some tips on the upcoming tiara-fest.

1. Attitude is key.
There's nothing that makes you different from the next pretty girl standing on your left. What you can do is, from the moment you step on stage, smile and strut like you own it. Remember not to look too arrogant tho, 'cause that's a turn off. Walk like you know what you're doing, and remember - you're there to win, and to show the judges why you should be the next one to represent your country. Hold your head slightly higher, show teeth when you smile, even laugh a little if you like, in a "HaHa! Yeah I'm so happy to be here!" kinda way. Miss USA 2004 did it, and she went pretty far. ;)

2. Hair spray
Less on the head, more on the thighs. Yes, you heard me - not *too* much hair spray on your hair. You want it bouncy. But, putting lots on your thighs (and arms even), helps firm them up so they don't appear too jiggly. Hey I know we're human, all women have some fat on them whaat. ;) So go buy the "shine" type, the one that is supposed to create shiny hair at the same time. But only put it on about 5 mins before you get on stage. Things to watch out for; flaking of spray, creating white powderlike substance. That's why u need the 'shine' type of spray. Make sure you experiment at home first, ya so you know just how much to spray on.

3. TAN TAN TAN
Go get a tan!!! Tanned bodies look healthier, slimmer and more toned. I don't like the sun so much so I use Banana Boat's leave on fake tan lotion thingie. You can buy it from good pharmacies. Make sure you got your desired colour a day beforehand otherwise it'll streak. Also, put some shimmer on all areas exposed before you get on stage. Don't over do it, otherwise you'll look like a disco ball. And nice moisturised skin is good too so pack in a tub of body butter or something from the Body Shop and you'll smell yummy too. ;)

4. Acrylic nails
Go to Bellissima, Orchard towers and get yourself a set. They last for 3 weeks. :D French Tip nails are extra posh. So make sure you get them!

5. White teeth
Very big in the US, not so big in Singapore. Go get your teeth whitened. It makes a difference when you attempt (1) above.

6. Make sure you have (done) the necessaties.
Nipple tape? Check. Hollywood Tape? Check. Gel insoles for uncomfortable shoes? Got it. Silicone bra? Check - two pairs. Brazillian wax? Yep. Razors and tweezers? All packed with facial masks, and good moisturising shampoo. ;)

7. If you can afford it, get your face lasered.
Laser treatment on your face creates a glowing complexion. Its not too expensive for something that lasts a good month or two, and instantly lightens dark spots on your face. Also, it makes all your facial hairs white for some reason, so you instantly look brighter and fresh faced. And make up sits reaaaaaaaally well too.

8. Hair extensions
If you have thin hair. Volume matters, and ALL the ladies in at Miss Universe from Latin American countries have 'em. They're plugged in well. I suggest you go to the japanese place in the Heeren that weaves it in bit by bit. Its very glam, but very high maintenance. If you opt for it, pack in a straightener or curler, 'cause it looks horrid if you dont have it styled all the time. And extra extra moisturising shampoo, conditioner and hair mask.

9. Invest in good beauty products
If you're really serious about this, you'd start preperations early. Buy good undereye creams, facial foams etc. It doesn't need to be expensive, get one that suits your skin. I find that Olay products are pretty good as it cleans effectively yet moisturises at the same time. Also get a small tub of Vaseline for your lips. It aso helps tame unruly brows. Buy good make up. I swear by the Radiant Touch pen by YSL for days requiring only light make up. Put under eyes, on cheeks and nose, followed by compact powder over for a very natural look. Also look for a makeup range that has a range of 'stay on forever' foundations that don't come off even if you've had it on the entire day. But remember, the most important thing is to have good skin to begin with!

10. SHOES
The higher the heel, the better. TRUST ME. You want to stand out, and what better way than to stand tall? Shoulders back, head slightly lifted. And a pair of 5 to 6 inch heels to boot. ;) Ferragamo is good for very stylish, high heels. For those with lesser budgets, go hunting for heels that have a little bit of 'height' in front as well, so as not to strain your feet too bad.

11. Know how to work it
I used to practice smiling in front of a mirror to perfect my camera pose for my face. Do it. Don't worry no one's watching, no one will know. Heh. I still do it now, just to see how I can pose for photos differently. Use a full length mirror to see which angle suits your body best.

12. Have fun
Remember a pageant is supposed to be an enjoyable event. Over competitiveness is unattractive, and you can be deemed as a try-hard. Only one girl can win. So as long as you enjoy the journey, it'll have been worth it, trust me. ;)

Sigh. I really wish I knew all I do back then. Oh well. Starting to wish I could join a pageant again... heh! Its really so much fun, and if you're thinking about it, I strongly suggest you give it a go. Good luck, and God bless girls. :)

SK Jewellery Event

2008-04-11T11:31:00.000+08:00

Channel News Asia Interview for En Bloc

2008-04-10T18:36:00.004+08:00

Hey Guys! :) In case you weren't able to catch the interview on CNA this morning, this is for you.

It was lots of fun, my second time on CNA. The last time I was with Michelle Chia, and this time I was with Emida, Executive producer, and Nat Ho my "younger brother". He's such a sweetie. Heh.

"What're you doing?! You're on top trying to take advantage of Tina?? SHE'S A SCHOOL GIRL!!" (I proceded to slap him on the arm several times, and Nat was like, "No, Che! *Ow!* I didn't la! *OW!*")

Thought of popping by 987fm's studio and saying Hi to my PrimeTime morning boys, Dan and Young. That picture Young is pointing to was one he stuck up when I first appeared on 8 Days as a DOND girl. Lol!

Life, oh life..

2008-04-09T09:59:00.004+08:00

I'm a supersticious girl,
I'm the worst in the world
Never walk under ladders,
I keep a rabbit's tail (fake one, don't buy animal furs okay....)

Lol! I'm feeling especially chirpy today! Hence my two blog posts in a row - tee hee. I'm still trying to figure out why my pics from *that-certain-cd-burnt* won't upload into my computer and into my blog post btw. But I shan't let that dampen my spirits!! :)

So I'm currently writing a paper on biomedical law, its about minors (below 21 yrs old) and their 'choice' when it comes to medical decisions. Did you know that the court can overrule your rejection of medication and force you to undergo treatment? Example, if you're a Jehovah Witness, and you reject blood transfusions, the hospital can apply for leave, and the court can say, "okay go ahead put blood into her eventhough she signed a card saying she didn't want that, and even though her parents don't support it". Hmmm. Welfare vs Autonomy. Tough moot point, that.

But serious stuff aside, I came home the other day and guess what?? I was raided by the Fashion Police from Fashion Forward!! *Lol* I don't know when the episode is up, but I'll find out and let y'all know about it. No one has ever stepped into my bedroom with a camera before! I don't have a huge collection of clothes, but its growing lah. heh.

In the meantime, I was forwarded this little thing, and it made me burst out laughing. Hope you guys enjoy this as much as I did! (oh if only such humour would be tolerated in Singapore...)

Momma, momma you know I love you...

2008-04-08T17:09:00.002+08:00

Hey guys!

Get an exclusive peek into my life this week on 8 days. I did a special with my mother, go get it and tell me what you think.

The whole shoot was really fun, much thanks to Tinoq Russell Goh for the amazing make up, Fong Fan, one of the best stylists in Singapore, and Serene from 8 days for the amazing interview write up. :) She totally nailed it.

Also guess what I was up to a few weekends ago? I shot Teman for 8TV (Malaysian Channel), and it involved me bringing the two hosts around Singapore for a 'road trip'. Belinda and Melissa were really great, they were so sweet and friendly. The highlight of it all for me was when we went to Sentosa, to the Dolphin Lagoon! I got into the water (fully decked out in my True Religion jeans and my Ed Hardy top some more!), and got completely drenched to touch the dolphin. Totally worth it, its always been one of my dreams to touch one. Next, I gotta go swimming with wild dolphins!

Seriously though, it was such an experience, I almost cried. Actually I did, I teared a little especially when she came up close and kissed me on the cheek. Its amazing, dolphins are one of the most intelligent mammals, did you know that? I could feel it, it was thinking, I knew it was having fun and did what the trainer asked it to just to make everyone happy. Beautiful. I managed to get my hands on the photos, so here ya go. ;)

I want to be where the sun hits the sky..

2008-04-04T00:03:00.000+08:00

(Okay I know this is pretty bad poetry, but I'm putting this post up for a reason. So critique it if you like, but I know I made someone smile by doing this. So Nyeh! :P)

Down in a valley, sat a farm
"Farm Fresh - Best Meats, Vegetables and Fruits"
Its been good business for the farmer
He's been blessed so far

A cloud has formed
Over the pretty little farm
The farmer looks up
He knows he's in for a trying time.

He gathers the sheep again
And pulls in the horses
But this storm is different
It sends shivers down his spine

He tries his best
But not knowing the future
Holds on to his hat
Knowing this may just be a test

For two years he has worked the fields
Sowing seeds, waiting for harvest
He's had it tough here and there
But he fears this may be the toughest

So the rain falls,
For days and days,
Drowning the stock, flooding the fields
He is helpless

Then the rain stops
And the farmer looks out the window
Its sunny now, but his farm is ruined
How will he go on? Its not the same

So he puts on his boots
And walks out to check
Then with a smile on his face
He sees fish swimming in the pond of water before him

"Okay," he says, as he takes down the sign
With his shaky hands he writes over it again with wet chalk
"Fisherman's Freshest - Best Fish, Prawns and Bait"
He looks at the pond again
Knowing its there to stay
And after being a farmer his whole life
He pulls out a rod, and casts out a net
As the sun sets in the valley's sky.

I Love Rock and Roll! (...rock-ish anyway... heh)

2008-03-26T11:06:00.001+08:00

Last night I went to watch Maroon 5 perform at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. A few observations:

1. Frontman's voice is really good.
2. They're all really good musicians...but
3. THE DRUMMER STOLE THE SHOW MAN!!! He was really really good. :D

It was a fairly good performance, they were really rocking out on stage, but unfortunately my ticket seats were a tad too far away to feel the vibe. But was still pretty good-lah, inspite of the show lasting just over an hour and it took me almost as long to catch a cab home and the hotdog I ate didn't agree with me!! :(

I love watching live acts perform. I think that there's such an element of... energy to it, y'know? That's why when I have the occassional night out I like going to pubs with good bands playing.

Anyhoo on to other things.. I just wrapped EnBloc. Now I have to concentrate on my finals. Gonna graduate in May, baby! I will be really slogging it out in the following weeks, with four papers due in three weeks. EEeep! Wish me luck, y'all.

Oh but will be attending a few shows at the upcoming Singapore Fashion Festival.... :) So will start on Uni work tonight. ;(

Facebook

2008-03-19T13:28:00.002+08:00

Just a quick post to invite everyone to my facebook profile. You will find a bunch of pictures there, including some behind the scenes pictures of Carrotcake Conversations.

Style Weddings Singapore Mar-Aug 2008

2008-03-18T21:32:00.000+08:00

My latest cover, Style Weddings Singapore Mar-Aug 2008 with Max Loong.

I saw the sun! And it openened up my eyes...

2008-03-17T10:14:00.000+08:00

After a few days of rain, finally it looks like the cloud has parted and we got some B-E-A-U-tiful rays today! :D Lets just hope God doesn't snap his fingers and make it rain suddenly today-lah. ;)

Feeling really optimistic today. Surprising for a Monday but methinks its 'cause I don't have that much work to do today (aside from running errands). Heh.

I attended the Viewer's Choice Awards last week, and the best Ad goes to "Dei, Mumbai Lah!" by M1. Close second came "Anything, Whatever" kedai runcit ad. Both were great. Also met some interesting people that night, it was good fun.

Okay so lets spread the optimism, shall we?

You know, inspite of all of the complainin' and stuff we make, Singapore's a bloody great country to live in. Okay so we have a Class 1 terrorist on the loose, but he's being a good boy and not causing much trouble aside from causeway jams... so we can put the issue of Mat Selamat to the sidelines for now.

Think about it - the country is relatively safe (compared to many other countries/cities), its clean, and even after the price hike, taxis are affordable. Public transportation system is top-notch, people are generally friendly, and the weather is still better than most najor cities in the world (i.e London). Hard work is rewarded, and we've one of the strongest currencies in the region which equates to GREAT SHOPPING ABROAD! Great nightlife. The economy is doing relatively well, and there is a low poverty rate. Traffic jams are still better than other cities in the region, (try travelling in KL during rush hour - 3 hours on the same road, man), and lots of international acts drop by.

Lets put it this way - life could be a lot worse, y'know what I mean? :)

Speaking about life; someone asked me the other day, what I wanted in it. I thought for two seconds and just say, "I want to be happy." Simple, no?

Yeah, being in the industry is great, I love my job. But essesntially, I want to be HAPPY. And it may not be my job, it may not be money... its that thing you think of, if you should face your moment of reckoning, that you love the most. If your plane is gonna crash/ship is gonna sink/office chair is gonna explode... what would be the first thing that pops into your mind that you wish you spent more energy on? That's what makes you happy, luv, and that's what you should invest most of your energy into, to be happy. That's my current formula anyways. Keeps things in perspective.

Well, I hope everyone else is having a great day as well. If not, go do something that would make you happy. Heck, buy a chocolate easter bunny and bite of its head if that's your kinda thing. *big big grin*

Now that your rose is in bloom, A light hits the moon on the grave...

2008-03-11T09:18:00.000+08:00

Last night we shot some finals scenes for Enbloc (8pm every Wed! ;) ) and while I can't give too much away, I have to say that Cindy, my character, goes through lots of ups and downs. Last night was one of my downs. Which brings me to this question.

Would you be the third party in a relationship? As in be the person that would cause a relationship to break up, to be with the girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/wife. Would you be the "Other woman/man"?

Sometimes in life you meet people, whom you connect amazingly with, that you wonder what it'll be like to be with that person... and he or she ends up to be either in a relationship, or worse, married. Actually, I won't explore the married option, because that one's really off limits. heh. A more controversial question would be the other one. I guess there are a few options;

1. Try to steal he/she away from her partner
Personally I believe in karma, that is what goes around, comes around. If you steal her away from her partner, there'sa high chance that it'll happen to you. Not just because of Karma, but hey - if she can leave her man for you, she sure a hell would be able to leave you for another man. So tread carefully on this turf. Playing devil's advocate though - and this is a true story - the lady ended up leaving her fiancee for the guy, and they ended up happily married. So how? Its still a risk to take this path, because if she decides not to leave her man, your relationship with her would be ruined forever. She wouldn't respect what you tried to do (especially if you were manipulative), and you possible may have lost respect for her in the process as well (for cheating on her partner). So there is a high chance of this one not working out.

2. Be 'friends'
Almost like option (1), but not really. Whilst you make it clear to her that you have feelings for her, and you'd be the best man in the world for her, refuse to do anything with her while she's in a relationship. She would probably admire your 'principles' (or not, pending on how you handle it), and you may or may not get results. Point is, ball is in her court, and its she who decides what she wants to do. Make it clear though, that being the third wheel is not an option for you. Whilst very easy to initially do, this option becomes complicated if emotions are thrown in the air and treads on option (1) above. Amazing amount of willpower is required is to carry this option out.

3. Quietly sit in a corner and wait
Establish a good enough relationship so much so that you guys go out occassionally enough to 'kinda' know of her lovelife situation. Better yet, befriend her best friend (and hopefully she has a loose tongue). Then wait for her relationship to fall apart, and STRIKE! while the iron is hot. Heh. Sounds easy enough, and it can possibly be so if your timing is good enough, but danger lurks where she's having a fantastic relationship with her (blasted) fella, and you end up waiting for about 3-7 years before she decides to marry the dude and have little mini-hers running around. So whilst this option may not guaruntee results... it is possibly the safest. I mean, if its meant to be, its meant to be.. (another life-principle I believe in), and depending on your own principles, you could possibly even date other people while you're waiting around (though this is tricky as well, 'cause then you end up using someone else to pass time). But I'm not here to judge you, and to be honest - whatever floats your boat, right?

4. Burn it
Totally not have anything to do with her, 'cause you're not that sorta person to break a relationship up. Slightly less pro-active than option (3), but still, it really ain't a bad idea, at the end of the day. There are LOTS of fish in the sea. Trust me, you'd find someone else as good / better than that person that you think is the special one. Stop wanting what you can't have, and move on. With some luck, she'll realise what she let go, and chase after you instead. ;)

En Bloc Stuff

2008-03-04T16:48:00.001+08:00

Mediacorp Video.... Watch me talk about my character, Cindy

I love the Contender Asia

2008-02-29T10:17:00.001+08:00

Okay so what's not to love.

Muay Thai fighters, from all around the world, showing skill, precision, and their sixpacks on AXN every Wednesday night! ;)

Seriously though, one of the reasons I started watching was because a dear friend of mine, Zach, was one of the contestants. He's Singapore's only representative, but unfortunately something happened, and he got eleminated last week. He explains that, and the last seven episodes on his blog; http://www.zig-zach.blogspot.com/.

Nonetheless, I will be attending the finals of the Contender Asia at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on the 12th of April. Lets hope Zach gets a rematch, 'cause he really deserves one!

..In other fronts, I will be attending the Laugh and Learn Gala Dinner on the 5th of March, organised by 938Live. I've just completed a 5000 word essay in Infocommunication law, (due at noon today), and I thankfully don't have Enbloc shooting today cause i'm completely exhausted! Stayed up all night to finish up the research paper.

If you've managed to catch the trailers on tv, you'll know to be sure to tune in to Ch5, next Wednesday at 8.30pm. Yeah yeah I know it cuts into the Contender's timeslot, but the fights only start half an hour into the programme (so Contender fights start at 9.30pm.)

Be sure to catch the first episode of Enbloc, and tell me what you guys think ya? :D

Ahoy Matey!

2008-02-18T10:00:00.000+08:00

I managed to nick these pictures off a friend's album. Heh. My digicam is *STILL* busted!!! But I noticed I've not posted up pics in a long time, so here you go. I had one day whereby I didn't have to work, and this was how it went...

So. A little while ago, a big group of friends decided to charter a yacht, coupled with lunch, to sail off into the afternoon sea (okay, just 10 mins from Sentosa. But the water was clean!)

The Afternoon was filled with much joy and anticipation.

I was particularly excited, and nervous at the same time, as I tend to get a little seasick on choppy waters. Hell, I get motion sickness when people play videogames.....

But all was well that fatefull afternoon, (thanks to Sara's ginger motion sickness pills), and I was happily sitting on the decks, with wind in my hair....And pretty soon we reached our port.

Sweeet....... The water looked good. And when the captain said it was safe to swim in,

I was first to jump ship!! (Much thanks to Jade Kua for taking this midair sommersault.)

The water was AMAZING. I think I used the word "Glorious" several times that day.

After that, lunch was served....

And then of course, to welcome in the New Year of the Rat, we had several rounds of Blackjack. I was Banker, and lost my pants on that table!

Jade actually got "Triple 7s" at one stage. I hadn't even scored 21 yet.. Lol.

Before we knew it, we were back at Sentosa... All of us agreed to gather up all the spare change we had around the house to buy one of these babies... Heh.

And then, we promptly agreed to all continue the blackjack session at my place! :D

Girls just wanna have fun. ;)

But *some* of us tend to get a little serious in a card game...

Yeah. Some of us get really serious.. *snigger* I actually won back all that I lost on the ship, and then some more.

So there you have it. A weekend of Boats, Bikinis, and Blackjack. :)

(Chinese) New Year Resolutions!

2008-02-12T09:36:00.000+08:00

Okay okay Sorry ah I haven't posted in AGES I know.. I know..

Been busy either with
1. School (Got two papers due by the end of the month, bleurgh!)
2. Shooting Enbloc (upcoming drama on Ch5)
3. Flying home to be with family. Waiting for my sister to forward me the pictures. lol.

Between that, and me trying to maintain my sanity, its been a tough month and a half so far. But I'm still breathing, so couldn't have been all that bad. ;)

And for all the kind wishes with regards to my Dad, thank you all. Very sweet of all of you.

On to the topic of the day. Chinese new year resolutions anyone? Here are mine.

1. Try to me more punctual when meeting up with friends. Somehow I will be able to be 15 mins early for shoots, but when it comes to my friends, somehow or other (*sometimes* for reasons beyond my control), I am unable to arrive/meet up on time. As it is I am already living the life of a social hermit, and when I do have the occasional hour or two to spend with my friends, I really should put in more effort... *blush* Sorry Tara.

2. Be more hard on errant taxicabs.
Have you noticed that in some cabs now they have a sticker saying, "you can report errant taxi drivers, call 1800-2255582"? EVERYONE TAKE THIS NUMBER DOWN! Seriously, sometime last month I got into a cab on Raffles, and had to take a cab to Sembawang (don't ask. Lol), and the cab driver told me to GET OUT after I already GOT IN! So no excuse for being "on call" etc, I honestly lost my cool. Didn't make any noise to him lah, I just whipped out my phone to complain.

Don't get me wrong, I understand driving people around can be quite a stressful, tiring job, but I really believe that CabDrivers are in a Customer Service line, they reflect on Singaporeans as a whole. God knows how many tourists have had bad taxi experiences, only to go home and complain about it! Now I have had the luck to ride with some really polite, nice cabbies, and it just made the journey so much more enjoyable. And it leaves me wondering, if these nice fellas can do it, why can't all of them?? I support that fact that taxi fares are more expensive, I mean, its really not an easy job, and Singapore is still relatively cheap in comparision to other developed countries. In Australia, taking a cab would cost you no less than 30AUD just to go to town. So no complaints there, just Please-Lah Be Nice, Cabbies! Oh. One last thing: PLEASE PUT AIR FRESHENERS IN CABS. 3 out of 5 cabs I get into a stinky, for some reason. Eek. (I seem to moan quite abit about cabs in my entries, don't I. Lol.)

3. Go home more often to spend time with my Daddy.

4. Save money. No more spending an insane amount of money over-shopping, no more calling for Cabs just because there's a queue (take the bus as often as I can anyway), cutting down fine dining to just once a week. No more buying way over the top expensive ingredients to cook at home, and no more buying expensive games for my Playstation 3!! (Am even putting off buying the Nintendo Wii, until I reach my target savings figure). No more getting foot reflexology every week. (gonna really miss the last one)..

5. Put on a little bit of weight because Dad says I'm too thin. Sigh. He really doesn't get the industry, but hey if it makes him happy, 2kg it is. I'll go to the gym and build up 2kg of muscles. ;) Which is very easy for me btw, I seem to be able to put on muscle really easily.

6. Take care of my health a little better. Started by cutting down on my staple drink, Coke Light, and opting for just water or juices. Also, started having meusli for breakfast.

7. Start going for regular facials.

8. As this is now the season of Lent, I am going to do just like that the priest preached on Ash Friday...which is, "One kind deed, One kind word, and One kind thought.." a day.

Can't think of a title today...

2008-01-22T08:09:00.000+08:00

So effectively since the New Year, I've been working almost everyday, safe for the days I go back home to visit mum and dad. Its been tough, but I think I'm pulling through.

School's hectic as well, but fortunately I've worked a schedule around it and it seems to be working. :)

Heard some interesting rumours circulating about me, and I guess I should really put it out here first, but I don't wanna 'pecah lobang' on the article that will be out in TNP about it. Keep a lookout, and yes I will be putting up an official post regarding it after its out. *laughs* Its quite hilarious really!

Am currently shooting Enbloc, which is quite fantastic. Patrick Teoh (old family friend) plays my "Pa", Nat Ho is my younger brother, Darren Lim and Nick Shen are my older brothers, and Rebecca Lim (hottie!) is my sister in law! Its going to be a real drama-rama so you guys would wanna watch out for that in March. More info on the Mediacorp website, me thinks...

I can't wait to go home for Chinese New Year! :D Mandarin Oranges...yum..

Oh. And my digicam is still busted. :(

Oh, look what you've done, you've made a fool of everyone..

2008-01-12T10:15:00.000+08:00

Woke up this morning feeling particularly dreary. (Aiyoh why my posts so depressing these days?! Sigh. Sorry ah. :P)

Last night I spent a coupla hours with Eugenie watching a Gladiator and then a really stupidly funny chick flick on HBO. We had our laughs and then she went home, and then... I was alone again. Well, not really, Skit and Demi were with me. I got ready for bed, (cleanse, exfoliate, tone, moisturise, nightcream. bleah.) and slipped under the covers. Skit tried to get into the bedroom (clawing at the door, that spoilt little kitty), so I let him in after 20 minutes. Then I just tossed and turned, and although I was exhausted I couldn't bring myself to fall asleep. Fine. So I got up, went to my fridge and pulled out my favourite bottle of red wine (its the only one that I drink), which is a Brown Brothers Shiraz, its a slightly effervescent sweet red wine. I sat at my computer desk and stared out into the night.

I've got work this morning till evening. Shooting a drama called Enbloc. Yesterday I was marinated in a tub of milk for a shoot! Lol. I love how I do something different everyday... but I'm realy tired, guys. I think all this rushing around, University and preperations... is leaving me with little time with myself lately. I know I said before that "Me" time is overrated, but.. I don't know. I'm not sure I know much anymore.

Oh bloody hell. Enough with wallowing in self pity or whatever it is that is making me feel this way. I'm flying home tonight to be with my family, (the ENTIRE family is back, Lucas included! YAY! I get to see my nephew! :D) and best of all, I'll get to sit down in front of the telly, pass my dad that tub of (now low fat, low cholesterol) icecream, and chill with him. He'll probably have gone out to buy durians for me too. *smiles*

Alrighty I've gotta run. Need to be at Holland in 30 minutes. Time to gulp down this now lukewarm coffee and start my day.

Big hugs to all of you for your prayers and well wishes. Thank you.

Oh and Happy Birthday to Tara. :)

Dear Lord, Thank You.

2008-01-08T15:51:00.000+08:00

I know I share alot with you guys on this blog, I really feel like I've gotten to know (some) of you rather well even... I know somethings in life should be kept private (and I do maintain a high level of privacy inspite of this blog, as some of you would now come to realise), but I feel that hey, there is no harm in letting you guys know the following, and what's more I'd probably get a little more prayer towards the cause.

I recieved the news at about 3pm on Saturday. Dad called me up to say that after my nagging, he finally went to the cardiac doctor and got his heart checked out. He's been having miss-beats regularly, and sometimes felt uncomfortable. They found four clogged arteries, one of which is severely blocked. Needless to say that the photoshoot I had to go for the new drama I'm shooting, Enbloc, involved a rather puffy-eyed Andrea.

That night I had to shoot CarrotCake, so I could only fly back then the scene wrapped, which was at about 8am. Packed up, went home, managed to spend some time with my now 69 year old father. My mother kept telling me to be strong and brave for him, so he never saw me shed a tear or rack a sob. I'm his "little girl", you see, and it'd break his heart to see me cry... all I could bring myself to say was, "I love you daddy. It's gonna be fine, I know it."

He checked into the National Heart Centre in KL on the night of Sunday, and we returned Monday morning as he was all scrubbed up to have an Angioplasty. Failure of that procedure would mean he'd need to go in for a bypass (open heart surgery). I've never seen my father sick before, so seeing his grey hairs tucked under a paper shower-cap, with a blanket pulled up to his chin just broke my heart. I realised that he's not so young anymore, and this could well be the last time I saw my dad. He was so brave for us as well, and I immediately had flashbacks of how he used to pick me up from school, how he got mad when I flicked water on his spectacles (but not really la), how he used to sit me down on his knee when I was still little enough for him to hold my weight. I used to drive with him to go "durian hunting"... I only allowed myself to cry after we all said "Okay la! I'll see you soon! :D" to him, to keep him brave.

The surgery took longer than expected. We overheard nurses apologising to other patients waiting to go into surgery that the current case (my dad) had some "complications". My mother's eyes widened and she had to try very hard to keep it together.

An hour and a half later than expected, my daddy came out of the operation room. His skin still looked good, which means he didn't loose much blood. But an Angioplasty doesn't involve alot of bloodloss anyway. We findout later that he had a clot that was a little tricky, so they took a while to get it sorted.... but they did in the end. Dad spent a night under observation (heavily protesting, of course. Doctors make the worst patients. lol), and I had to fly back at 5pm for another shoot of Carrotcake (which was last night) which meant that I had to work till 7am following all the hospital drama.

But who cares really. I'd readily stay awake for three days, weeks, months or years if it meant that I'd be able to be with my dad a little bit longer. I felt so bad having to leave him yesterday while he was still recuperating, but I explained that I had to as if I didn't shoot it today, I'd have to do it in a week's time anyway - which would interrupt my wanting to go home then to see how he's doing.

Work is really unforgiving, I am close to telling everyone to shove it as I need to have space for myself and to travel back home... but contracts have been signed, dates have been fixed, and it'll be immensely selfish of me to interrupt the lives of other (actors) for my own needs right now. All I can do tonight before I close my eyes (at 1opm, for a change!!), is say a small prayer for my dad, to thank God for making everything move so smoothly for him. I'll probably get through this month a little more tired than usual, but I guess its a price I gotta pay for choosing to do what I do. My sisters are flying back from London and Perth this weekend, I'd love to be there but will only be able to get in on the 11th evening and will need to fly out on the early morning of the 14th (Last day of shoot for CarrotCake on the 14th at 10am.)

So, yes. Things are somewhat sorted now, not to worry. But I will be a little too busy to blog much over the next few weeks, thank you for understanding, dear readers. This post has actually been therapeutic for me to type actually. lol.

Sleepless in Singapore, Scene 22 d, Take 4!

2008-01-04T13:37:00.000+08:00

Okay so we've been shooting a coupla days now for the upcoming movie Carrotcake Conversations... and I can say a few things about my experience so far:

1. Adrian Pang and Alaric Tay are amazing actors.
2. Shooting in hawker centres is really difficult (noise pollution!).
3. I'm getting little to no sleep (think shooting from 9pm to 9am, then having a photoshoot to go for at 3.30pm that same day!! That's what I gotta go through today! :().
4. My character is alot of fun to play.
5. Michael Wang and the entire team working on set are extreeemely patient and professional.

Okay so I'm halfway through the shooting now, only about a week more to go nocturnal before its a wrap and school starts. (!!!) The year has barely begun and already I'm in need of another holiday. Lol.

Anyway on to more pressing details. I have come across a case of a cat that needs to be adopted. If any of you, or if you know of anyone who would like a new addition to the family, please email Magdalene Lim at play_inc@hotmail.com. Info on the cat:

The vet estimated she's about 5 years old. She lived as a stray until she was taken in. She was diagnosed with a liver problem, but I can assure you alot of pets actually have this as their diets aren't exactly healthy. She got hospitalized for a while, but the vet discharged her because she has fully recovered. No fleas nor ringworm. She is remarkably trusting with human beings. She allows herself to be carried, very affectionate, and litter trained. Its really rare to find such a pretty, loving little cat. She just needs someone who'll love her despite her condition, and watch out for any relapse (my worry). She's ginger all over, sterilized, and has a clipped ear.

Here are some pictures, I really hope any of you can help. I would love to take her in but unfortunately my two cats haven't responded well to newcomers and I fear for her safety should I bring her into my home. (Skit's pretty big and fierce.)

Isn't she adorable??? *sigh*.. breakin' my heart really. Lol. Again, please forward all enqiries to Magdalene Lim, play_inc@hotmail.com.

Lets find this cute little thing a home, people! :D

No me ames

2007-12-28T09:08:00.000+08:00

Last night I was watching Love Actually on Ch 5 (Yes, I'm a sucker for romantic comedies, you guys should know that by now. lol).

With the different stories of love, intertwined amongst each other; the Husband Who Finds New Love After His Wife Cheats on Him, the Adulterer Who Got Caught, the Man With Power Who Finds Simple Love, the Wife Whose Husband's Best Friend is In Love With Her, the Young Boy Experiencing 'Total Agony of Love', .. I don't know why it made me think of the song No Me Ames, a duet sung by Jeniffer Lopez and Marc Anthony. (Perhaps because the best part of the movie was when Collin Firth falls in love with his Portuguese housekeeper, and proposes to her...and thus made me think of a Spanish song? Although the Portuguese speak.. well, Portuguese I do realise that. But that's irrelevant, it sounds same same to me.)

ANYWAY. Marc and Jlo sang this back in 1999, before they became a couple. I managed to source the lyrics, Spanish and its English translation. Only then did I realise what a sad, sad song it really is. All along I thought it was a beautiful love song, not a tragic one!

So for all you Karaoke fanatics out there who'd like to attempt this song with someone, this one's for you. ;)

MAN:
Dime porque lloras-----------------------------Tell me why are you crying?

LADY:
de felicidad--------------------------------------From happiness

MAN:
y porque te ahogas----------------------------And why are you so choked up?

LADY:
por la soledad----------------------------------Because of loneliness

MAN:
di porque me tomas---------------------------Tell me why are you holding
fuerte asi, mis manos-------------------------my hands so tight
y tus pensamientos---------------------------And your thoughts seem to carry you away
te van llevando

LADY:
Yo te quiero tanto-----------------------------I love you so much!

MAN:
y porque sera---------------------------------And why is that?

LADY:
loco testarudo---------------------------------Don't be so crazy and stubborn
no lo dudes mas------------------------------Stop doubting me!
aunque en el futuro---------------------------Even if the future holds
haya un muro enorme------------------------a vast emptiness for me
yo no tengo miedo----------------------------I'm not afraid
quiero enamorarme quiero enamorarTE------I just want to love you

MAN:
No me ames-----------------------------------Don't love me
porque pienses--------------------------------because you think
que parezco diferente-----------------------I seem different

LADY:
tu no piensas que es lo justo----------------You don't think it's right
ver pasar el tiempo juntos------------------for us to spend this time together?

MAN:
No me ames--------------------------Don't love me
que comprendo----------------------because I know
la mentira que seria-----------------what a lie it would be!

LADY:
Si tu amor no merezco-----------------If you don't think I deserve your love
no me ames----------------------------then don't love me
mas quedate otro dia------------------Just stay another day here...

MAN:
No me ames----------------------------------Don't love me
porque estoy perdido-----------------------because I'm lost
porque cambie el mundo-------------------because I change the world
porque es el destino------------------------because it's destiny
porque no se puede------------------------because this is impossible
somos un espejo---------------------------We are like
y tu asi serias------------------------------a mirror image of each other
lo que yo de mi reflejo-------------------And you would become what I am

LADY:
No me ames---------------------------------Don't love me
para estar muriendo------------------------to be dying
dentro de una guerra-----------------------in a war of regret
llena de arrepentimientos
No me ames---------------------------Don't love me
para estar en tierra-------------------to remain tied
quiero alzar el vuelo------------------to the ground
con tu gran amor-----------------I want to soar with your love
por el azul del cielo--------------through the blue sky

MAN:
No se que decirte-----------------I don't know what to say
esa es la verdad------------------That's the truth
si la gente quiere-----------------When people want to
sabe lastimar----------------------they can really hurt you

LADY:
Tu y yo partiremos---------When you and I part
ellos no se mueven---------they will remain unmoved
pero en este cielo-----------But now, in this big sky
sola no me dejes------------don't leave me all alone

MAN:
No me dejes, no me dejes------------Don't leave me...don't leave me
no me eschuches---------------------Don't listen to me
si te digo "no me ames"---------------when I say "don't love me"

LADY:
no me dejes, no desarmes------------Don't leave me
mi corazon con ese "no me ames"-------Stop breaking my heart with that "Don't love me"

MAN:
No me ames, te lo ruego------------Don't love me, I'm begging you
mi amargura dejame----------------Leave me with my bitterness

LADY:
sabes bien, que no puedo-----------You know very well I can't do that
que es inutil-------------------------That it's useless
que siempre te amare--------------That I'll always love you

MAN:
No me ames---------------------------Don't love me
pues te hare sufrir--------------------I'll only make you suffer
con este corazon que-----------------with this heart
se lleno de mil inviernos--------------that is full of a thousand winters

LADY:
no me ames------------------------Don't love me
para asi olvidarte------------------to forget
de tus dias grises-----------------your sad grey days
quiero que me ames--------------I want you to love me
solo por amarme-----------------because you love me

MAN:
No me ames---------------Don't love me
tu y yo volaremos-----------You and I
uno con el otro----------------will soar with each other
y seguiremos siempre juntos------and continue together forever

LADY:
este amor es como el sol que sale---------This love is like the sun
tras de la tormenta---------------------------that comes out after a terrible storm

BOTH
como dos cometas------------------Like two comets
en la misma estela------------------in the same galaxy

MAN:
No me ames
No me ames
No me ames

LADY:
No, no me ames
No me ames
No me ames
No me ames

Just a note to end - If you're planning on singing this song to someone special, do it in Spanish. It somehow loses its melodic lyrical essence when translated, dontcha think? Although when you say "Please don't love me" it does sound better than "Don't love me".

Oh Lordy I really should stop blogging this early in the morning. Substance is lacking in this entry I fear. ;)

Does Andrea Kill Adrian Pang???

2007-12-27T22:07:00.000+08:00

Well start your year off right and watch Maggie & Me on the 1st of Jan to find out!!

Its that wonderful time of the year

2007-12-25T21:24:00.000+08:00

Merry Christmas!

I'm back home in KL, had my Aunt Pamela's wonderful Christmas Brunch this afternoon, followed by "Ta-Pau"-ed food for dinner. Am a very happy cat, me.

I'd like to take this opportunity and reflect on the past year, and thank everyone that has been essential in my journey to this date..

My family - I love you, and thank you for everything you have done for me. Thank you for understanding when you can, and loving me no matter what.

My Friends - Malaysian Sisters: Eugenie, Siu Mae, Rhubzie... (*Does the special Taman Petaling handshake*) You guys are my pillars of Strength. Thank you for the advice when I needed it, the shoulder for me to cry on, and the smiles that greet me everytime we catch up. You guys knew me from way back, and I know we're going to be friends forever. Eugenie, can't wait for you to come to Singapore!! (Just incase y'all didnt know, y'know that chick with me in the Lee Hwa interstitial I did? That's Eugenie Chan. And she's coming to work in Singapore in January!!! Woooot! Now when are my other girls gonna do the same? :P)

My Friends in Singapore, and the rest of the world: Lance, Kai, Mariam, Mash, Arvind and the rest of the boys from Law School, Tinoq, Dr Calvin Chan and "Jenn" ;), Joan from Mediacorp, Michelle, Utt, Mardi, The rest of the people from Mediacorp, My beautiful manager Melissa Lam, Samuel Seow, Marcus his cute colleague, Michael Wang and Co. at Vintage Films, The Crew at Three Monkeys, Gwen, Mike, Sunny, Baba and Glen. Mighty Big Hugs all round, thanks for your support and love. I am honoured to have met you, and yes I know I may not keep in touch as much as I should, but I want you to know that ALL of you have a very special place in my heart always.

Last but not least, my dearest blog readers.

Thank you for your support in this short year, I know I may not update as much as I used to this recent months but I hope you understand that it is due to the amount of work and obligations that I need to fulfil. Its a really busy time for me at the moment, I am due to fly back to Singapore tomorrow, as I have work at 6am on the 27th!! And when one works as much as this, sometimes when I have a minute to myself to do nothing with, that's exactly what I want to do... Thank you also for the emails and wishes, May you have a merry Christmas, and a fantastic New Years! I'm gonna be in Singapore for the New Year for the first time, I'm so excited. :D

New Year Resolution? ... To become a healthier, happier person, to make others happy too when and as I can, and to set up my own Charity. ;) Anyone else?

I Come From the Land Down Under!

2007-12-10T07:55:00.000+08:00

Yes, I realise its been a while since I've posted... but I have a really valid reason, honest!!

For the past week (and a bit), I've been in Australia!! Yep, went there for a little bit of work, and a little bit of play (who says business and pleasure don't mix?). I'm waiting to grab the pictures off my friend (who owns the camera. Note to self - always bring your own digicam!). It was really really great, I flew in to Brisbane, took a connecting flight to Canberra, drove two hours to Turros Heads, then took a scenic drive to Nowra, then to Wollongong, then to Sydney, then took another flight to Brisbane, spent the night there, and then came back last night! :D All that in a span of 9 days, I'm pretty impressed with myself!

Will be putting a really detailed photo commentary up soon, so watch this space!

In the meantime, as I've not checked my email in AGES, I realised this morning that I am a very busy girl in December. Huff! If y'all didn't quite catch it, I will acting in a feature film, called Carrotcake Conversations, to be directed by Micheal Wang. I will be starring opposite Adrian Pang and Alaric Tay amongst the few notable cast, and I am PSYCHED! Filming starts the end of December, the movie will be released next year around October (the film will be campaigned at several film festivals throughout the middle of next year before its released).

My role? Heh heh. I'm playing the role of a high end call girl. How la. My first role and I'm a prostitute. Lol! No seriously though, her name is Ruth, and she aspires to be Singapore's first Blues Singer. And if you think this movie is Singapore's reply to Lust, Caution, well you're sadly mistaken. *heh*. You just have to keep your eyes peeled for more details at carrotcakeconversations.com :)

So yes, I'm a busy girl today! I need to whip my butt back into shape, pull up my socks and get back to work! Tis the season to be jolly, but I'm working all throughout! Don't even have time for my best friend's birthday on the 21st.. :( I need to make up for the fact that I've not been in Singapore for the last 10 days, and that means lost of cramped schedules. Ah such is life. But hey, its good to be back. :)

Her World & Lee Hwa

2007-11-27T10:02:00.000+08:00

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

2007-11-26T10:50:00.000+08:00

I was speaking to a friend and it made me remember this book, written by Milan Kundera. Its an absolutely fantastic read.. I couldn't find my old copy, so I went out and bought a new one.

Re-reading is a beautiful thing. Like watching a delicate movie over again, you tend to notice things that you didn't before.

The book tells a story of two lovers, Tomas and Tereza, as well as that of Sabina and Franz. Tomas, who has had a failed marriage, falls in love with Tereza. Their lives were brought together by little happenings of fate (you know, those little unexplainable things), but also raises the question as to how much we play a part in determining our future. Tomas, a womanizer by disease, can't stop his old lifestyle, and Tereza s driven quite mad by it. But at the end we realise that in spite of his ways, Tomas was bent and broken by the will of Tereza's submissive force.

One of Tomas' mistresses, Sabina, also had a relationship with Franz, a married scholar. Tomas and Franz are very different, and the latter is deeply in love with Sabina, whereas the former looks at her more as a friend. Franz's wife is a terror, and he only realises it much later on - which plays on the theme of how sometimes we overlook things when its easier to do so. He eventually divorces his wife for Sabina, but Sabina, sensing that this relationship is not right for her (deep down inside she loves Tomas), flees the country. And Franz goes a little mad, attributing everything in life (even his new girlfriend!) as a sign of faithfulness to Sabina. But eventually he snaps out of it, but dies in the end tragically.

What's great about this book is that its full of amazing 'one-liners' that you won't be able to find elsewhere. Some of my favourites:

"The heavier the burden, the closer our lives come to the earth, the more real and truthful they become."

"Any schoolboy can do experiements in the physics laboratory to test various scientific hypotheses. But man, because he has only one life to live, cannot conduct experiments to test whether to follow his passion or not."

"But when the strong were too weak to leave the weak, the weak had to be strong enough to leave."

"Love begins at the point when a woman enters her first word into out poetic memory."

"Characters are not born, like people, of woman; they are born of a situation, a sentence, a metaphor containing in a nutshell a basic human possibility that the author thinks no one else has discovered or said something essential about."

And my utmost favourite:

" Perhaps all the questions we ask of love, to measure, test, probe and save it, have the additional effect of cutting it short. Perhaps the reason we are unable to love is that we yearn to be loved, that is, we demand something (love) from our partner instead of delivering ourselves up to him demand free and asking for nothing in return but his company."

Hmm .. I wonder if reading a really dark romantic novel has anything to do with my mood lately. *lol*