METEOR GARDEN ★★★

Someday I might just wanna read my archives and laugh at myself (I have this weird habit of laughing at myself) I can't imagine what would happen to all of us if we don't have access to internet in the future. PLEASE DON'T LET THE INTERNET DIE :(

Anyway, I spent my first 2 weeks of holiday at home, accompanying my dogs and of course, WATCHING DRAMAS!

Okay, actually this post is nothing interesting because I'm just gonna blog about how I feel about the dramas I've watched. So far, I've watched The Legend of Zhen Huan, IRIS and Meteor Garden! I shall start with my all time favorite drama - METEOR GARDEN ★♥

METEOR GARDEN

I remember this show was broadcasted in channel 8 around 2002/2003 (I was in Primary 2/3) and my mum, sisters and I would gather around the TV. It was one of the famous dramas and though TV productions have changed over these years but I still prefer dramas produced in the 1990s to early 2000s :)

In Meteor Garden, they were using the old Nokia phones...... you know, our dad's old Nokia phone with the non colored snake game? Something like that:

Here are some facts I didn't know

• Meteor Garden is based on Japanese manga series, Boys Over Flowers.
• The band, F4 (now JVKV) was formed after this drama. (I thought they were formed before this drama was filmed!) 
• Dao Ming Si's freaking big house is a hotel! 
• Ying De University is a university in Taiwan. 

I'm sure many of you know what this drama is all about. To those who didn't watch this drama, I feel sad for you but don't worry, here is a good website to watch!

GOODDRAMA.NET

(Some pieces of information are adapted from Wikipedia)

Barbie Hsu as Shan Cai 

She is a hardworking, tough girl who always defends the weak. She thinks herself as a 'weed' of her school. She first likes Hua Ze Lei, but then starts to have feelings for Dao Ming Si. As her life gets tougher, she just keeps enduring, earning the respect of all the F4 boys and soon becomes good friends with them. 

I respect how she has the strong sense of justice in her and always forgiving those who had hurt her. She even had to work part time to support her family. I was just pissed off at how she's not sure about her feelings for Dao Ming Si and Hua Ze Lei then she just sort of like "betrayed" Dao Ming Si when she was away for a holiday with F4; She couldn't sleep at night and kept thinking of Hua Ze Lei so she went to the beach for a walk and saw Hua Ze Lei. They were talking about their feelings and Hua Ze Lei kissed her. She was enjoying the kiss and also hugged Hua Ze Lei. The worse part is, DAO MING SI SAW IT! Omg his heart broke and my heart broke too :(

Jerry Yan as Dao Ming Si 

He is stubborn, hot-headed leader of F4, and distrustful of everyone but his three childhood friends. He thinks money can solve anything. He is at first is angry at Shan Cai for her defiance but, over time, he comes to love her. 

I wouldn't say Dao Ming Si is 101% perfect but I would say he is 92% perfect ;) The 9% of imperfectness goes to his hot temper and stubborn character! He would hurt anyone who pissed him off. He's overprotective but whatever la ok he is damn funny! In this show, he's also snobbish and thinks that just because he's rich, he can do/have everything he wants BUT Shan Cai proved to him that money cannot buy her. I don't blame Dao Ming Si for this flaw because his parents were very busy people and he met his parents once in every few years. Furthermore, he didn't have a lot of friends due to his background and his personality. I mean, obviously these somehow contributes to the reason why he is like that. Excluding the 9%, he is someone every girl would wish for :) HAHA ok maybe just me....  He is handsome, tall, muscular, cute, funny, retarded, weird, wealthy, goes all out to protect the girl he loves OK basically he is quite perfect. His house is freaking freaking freaking huge!

Vic Chou as Hua Ze Lei 

He is a soft-spoken and kind boy whose opinion Dao Ming Si relies on. His friendship with Dao Ming Si almost ends over Shan Cai. He loves his childhood friend, Jing. He becomes Shan Cai's protector and close friend, and later falls in love with her. At the end he goes back to Paris with Jing. 

I think he's more handsome now leh ♥.♥

He's such a boring guy. I always skip the part where he met Shan Cai at the rooftop. When he was on a date with Shan Cai, he didn't even plan where to go/what to do. And they don't even quarrel! This is boring.... *yawns* i wish I could be like him; 15 hours of sleep a day.

Ken Chu as Xi Men

He is a fun-loving playboy of F4 that only date girls no longer than a week and close to Zuoling. He is nice to Shan Cai. Xiaoyou is attracted to him. 

Vaness Wu as Mei Zuo

He is the other playboy who is very loyal to his group of friends. He is also nice to Shan Cai.

Though Xi Men and Mei Zuo didn't capture my attention as much as Dao Ming Si and Hua Ze Lei did, I like how they (including Hua Ze Lei) are always supporting Dao Ming Si. Though sometimes Dao Ming Si is overbearing and bursts his temper on his good friends, the 3 of them will always be there for him. They are also rich kids and heirs to their parents' business empires but they don't look down on Shan Cai, who is an ordinary girl. They even go all out to help Dao Ming Si and Shan Cai to get together. Their friendship is more than anything in this world, it is priceless :)

Winnie Qian as Teng Tang Jing 

She is very close to Lei. While he loves her, she seems to see him as a younger brother most of the time. At the end she persuades Lei to go back to Paris with her, which he did. 

GODDESS ON EARTH. Beautiful, smart, sweet, nice, friendly and humble. I guess she's really perfect :) She's the heiress of some holdings but she chose to be a lawyer and help the poor. Though she's a 千金小姐, she didn't look down on Shan Cai.

Wang Yue as Shan Cai's mother

While a loving mother, is desperate to get Shancai married to a rich man. She is the one who uses some contacts she has to get Shancai into the F4's school. 

I felt quite annoyed when she forced Shan Cai to continue studying in Ying De University because she wanted Shan Cai to find a rich husband there. Honestly, the students in Ying De are damn rich (top 10 wealthiest in Taiwan/top 100 wealthiest in the world) and Shan Cai's family is not even 1% near. The mother should be more "auto" in her thinking la. But those rich kids in Ying De are stupid and arrogant. They attended school for the sake of showing off -.- 

Dong Zhicheng as Shan Cai's father

He is always sneaking food and seems to have no luck with his job which he later loses. He seems to always cause the family financial problems. 

He is really one useless piece of shit! Though he worked, he was stuck in the same position for 20 years. Then, he borrowed a large sum of money from loan sharks and spent it all on lottery, thinking that he would win. In the end, he lost and Shan Cai had to borrow money from Dao Ming Si. Though Dao Ming Si insisted that she shouldn't pay him, Shan Cai took on another job to earn more money so that she could pay back.

Mary Hsu as Dao Ming Zhuang

She is Dao Ming Si's older sister. She is very violent and always seems to hit Dao Ming Si. 

She looked better with long hair

(I heard she has passed away in real life due to gastric cancer???) She's the violent version of Teng Tang Jing but I really like Dao Ming Zhuang because there's only one word to describe her: COOL. She's also nice to Shan Cai though their family backgrounds are so different. She didn't mind Shan Cai's background and supported her brother, Dao Ming Si to get together with Shan Cai. Actually, I feel bad for her because her mum forced her to marry a hotel magnate to build her mum's career and not someone whom she truly loves. She's always in the US but she went back occasionally especially when Dao Ming Si is in trouble.

Zhen Xiu as Dao Ming Feng

She is Dao Ming Si's controlling mother. She is very strict and everything mostly goes her way. She uses many different cruel ways to get Shan Cai away from Dao Ming Si. 

I prefer her atas hairstyle in Meteor Garden to this weird ah ma hairstyle

Dao Ming Si with his mummy!

She's domineering and has the powerful aura in her. I hate how she looked down on Shan Cai because of her family background. I hate how she controlled Dao Ming Si as if he was a puppet she could manipulate. I hate how she tried to use money to break up Shan Cai and Dao Ming Si. I hate how she arranged Dao Ming Si's marriage with He Yuan Zi, a daughter of some rich dude. (THIS PART I DAMN ANGRY PLEASE)

Dao Ming Feng even told Hua Ze Lei if he is willing to start anew with Shan Cai, she would help his father's insurance company. WTH really one bitch! But Hua Ze Lei damn man la, he rejected her and said he would be Shan Cai's guardian angel AHHHHHHHHH ♥.♥ She would also get her personal assistant to stalk Dao Ming Si, Yuan Zi and whoever related to Dao Ming Si. Damn sick! I want to slap her when I see her face in the show.

My favorite scenes

• Shan Cai was beaten up by a few guys in the field (due to some misunderstanding that her friend created). Dao Ming Si stopped the guys and hugged her tightly and told her that he believes her.
• He then took Shan Cai to his house to clean up herself and clean her wounds. 
• Dao Ming Si saved Shan Cai when Xiao Shun took her away to an isolated warehouse so he could get revenge on Dao Ming Si (knowing that DMS would save Shan Cai) 
• On Dao Ming Si's birthday, he went against his mother's will and ran out with Shan Cai. He was feeling hungry and he gave the child-like smile when Shan Cai passed him the cookies she made for his birthday. 
• Shan Cai didn't have the money to spend on expensive gifts for him so she shaped the cookies with Dao Ming Si's pineapple hairstyle :) 
• He was so touched when he knew that Shan Cai spent a few days to practice baking the cookies after her work. 
• Shan Cai scolded Dao Ming Feng and chased her out of her house (Shan Cai's house) in front of Hua Ze Lei, Mei Zuo and Xi Men! RESPECT! 
• That old hag Dao Ming Feng bought over the whole row of houses which Shan Cai lived in, forcing her to move out. She had nowhere to go and Dao Ming Si was searching for her frantically. Eventually, he found Shan Cai at the place they usually meet. When they hugged, it was one of the most touching moments ever :') 
• Dao Ming Si brought Shan Cai to the balcony to see shooting stars ★
• He gave her a customized diamond shooting star necklace and they had a long kissssssssss and he told Shan Cai "Shan Cai, let's date officially" OMGGGGGGG Shan Cai agreed to be his girlfriend and he was so shyyyyy *ahhhh so cute!!!* and he started dancing HAHAHAH Shan Cai walked back and saw him dancing then she walked out. Damn awkward but damn cute la ok. 
• Dao Ming Si refused to go on double dates with Xiaoyou and her new boyfriend, Zhong Ze but he turned up at the amusement park and surprised Shan Cai! 
• Yu Sao protected Shan Cai and even threatened to kill herself if Dao Ming Feng chases Shan Cai out. 
• When I knew that Hua Ze Lei dated Shan Cai to force Dao Ming Si to face his feelings bravely and when Dao Ming Si sent Hua Ze Lei off at the airport 
• Dao Ming Si and Mei Zuo took their FIRST bus trip 
• Ya Men (Dao Ming Si's phoney cousin) gave up on wooing Shan Cai because he knew Shan Cai loves Dao Ming Si.
• Dao Ming Si ran after the bus and Shan Cai got off and they ran towards each other and HUGGED *AHHHHHHHH~~~* 
• Dao Ming Si rushed over to Shan Cai's house when there was an intruder and Shan Cai accidentally dialed "1" (his number) and screamed.
• Xi Men the playboy found out that he has feelings for Xiao You and even gave up a party for supermodels.
• With the help of Yu Sao, Mei Zuo, Xi Men and Hua Ze Lei tried to rescue Dao Ming Si by sneaking into the house.

Ok my fav episode is the last episode!

(3:30) Dao Ming Zhuang knocked some sense into Dao Ming Feng

Then she finally gave in and flew back to New York, allowing Dao Ming Si and Shan Cai to be together.

(0:00) Shan Cai finally met Dao Ming Si again and they played the flashbacks...

(3:31) And when Shan Cai said "I like you".

Some scenes I don't like:

• When Shan Cai left Dao Ming Si, he said mean and hurtful stuff to his good friends (Xi Men & Mei Zuo) though they tried to cheer him up. 
•  I also don't like Shan Cai's parents because they keep bragging about how rich their future son-in-law is! 
• Not to mention her mum's annoying high pitched voice -.-
• The saddest part is where Dao Ming Feng locked Dao Ming Si in the house with bodyguards and injecting tranquilizers in him and even made a wedding invitation with Dao Ming Si and Xiao Zi's photoshopped wedding picture -.- Forcing Dao Ming Si to torture himself :(

Now that I've watched Meteor Garden Part I, I'm afraid to watch Part II because Dao Ming Si would get involved in a car accident and lost his memory. I still have many dramas/movies to watch!

F4 IS FOREVER NO.1 IN MY HEART ♥.♥

Just before exams.......

After few months of discussion, the BFF and I decided on a similar OOTD and we chose checkered/plaid shirts and denim shorts. Somehow, we don't look like twins anymore and I highly suspect this has got to do with us being in different classes. You know, you don't see your BFF that often and you girls start to look different. Okay, you get my point.

Check out our OOTDs next semester ★

(Sinful and depressing moment) I was complaining about being hungry in lecture and I wanted finger food so my good friend told me to get some french fries but I said it's too fattening. THEN, after lecture, I met BFF and we went to 8 Fahrenheit for ICE CREAM. 

Yuzu x Hazelnut Chocolate

I recommended the brownie to BFF! It's not very thick and sweet (perfect for me) and it's only $2+? So guess what? SHE TOLD ME TO GET A BROWNIE + ANOTHER SCOOP OF ICE CREAM. 

The brownies were sold out and I thought it's god's way of telling us to stop eating and start dieting.

The owner (or co-owner) is super duper nice and friendly! He asked if we want over baked brownie for free! Because it's over baked, it's a little bit hard so it tasted more like a cake than a brownie. This shows that 8 Fahrenheit does not sell what is not up to their standard. *So proud of my seniors*

You will never be able to slim down successfully with a best friend who loves food like you.

Horlick x Brownie

It was Team Salt's first dinner @ Munch and it was nice seeing some of my freshies and meeting new people.

I didn't want to eat but I gave in because I missed the Fish Soup.

My kind of breakfast consist of butterfly fritters and the kuehs my aunt made :)

Mum and my domestic helper went back to Toa Payoh to clean the house because we are renting out to another group of university students from China. Yup, we have a flat in Toa Payoh and my parents don't intend to sell it because they are thinking of moving back when they're older. The previous group of students made such a mess! Yeah, because it's not their house so they think they can dirty it. Dirty = Dusty.

Anyway, I had to stay at home to take care of my dogs because no one was at home to feed and accompany them.

Home cooked lunch with family ♥

Left (restricted diet): Zegna

Right (rice x chicken): Buddy

Supper for myself because my sister refused to give me her seaweed :(

I don't know why did I take such a boring picture. I must be leading a very boring life. Oh help, I hate school but I need to attend school to earn money in the future to get a life. Okay.

And guess what, my dad bought my favorite BAK KUT TEH from Balestier for supper!!!!!

Usually, I would be the one to ask him if he could buy Bak Kut Teh for me for supper but on that day, he asked if I want it for supper. Oh well, maybe he was hungry and wanted someone to accompany him. Haha.

I went to accounting lecture and did marketing notes. I went to service tutorial and used my phone. School ended at 1pm. Good job, I don't even know why did I bother to go to school on that day. 

I met James at Toa Payoh Lor 8 market because we wanted to eat Yong Tau Foo but it was closed! He came to my house in the evening because we wanted to bring my dogs out. Then, it RAINED -.-

We also planned to eat at Chomp Chomp but dad called to ask if I want to have dinner at Mellben Seafood. I was just telling James I wanted to eat some crabs. Yes, I believe this is what they call god's plan.

85% of my blog posts are filled with FOOD. I've been eating so much that I feel so disgusted with my own body gaining fats and all :( So after much procrastination, I finally decided to hit the gym! I was disappointed because I've grown from weaker to weakest........ 

I went back to Marina Bay Sands gym because it's the best! The gym instructors and assistants are really nice and friendly. Due to school/assignments/projects/ok I am just lazy, I couldn't find time to go to MBS gym.

I went to my aunt's place at Tanjong Katong for dinner. I felt that I had made the wrong decision. Her helper always cooks yummy food and those calories I had burned (not that I had burned a lot) during the gym session was wasted. 

Exactly 3 more weeks to holiday and I am already planning my post exam activities! I plan my holiday activities but I always end up doing nothing at home. Okay, my March holiday this year was a productive one though :)

Abrupt ending. Bye.

Indonesia: Tanjung Pinang

It was our relative's 70th birthday and a celebration was held in Tanjung Pinang, Indonesia. My father doesn't like to attend events such as weddings/birthday celebrations so I always represent him. I like to socialize. I can click well with the older generation. I tend to be more clingy to my mother ♥

I went for eyebrow threading at the usual place (The Verge @ Little India). I don't trust chinese to do eyebrow threading for me but the indian lady wasn't free so I had no choice. I felt insecure.

The next activity was driving lesson....... My mum, dad and sister told me to learn manual and I kind of regret listening to them because it is difficult :(

Being a typical kiasu Singaporean and health freak, I wore a mask out on DAY 1 of #SGHAZE. Everyone around the driving centre was judging me but hello, few days later, it became a trend. (Was informed that surgical mask doesn't work so dad got us a box of N95)

After the driving lesson, I went for facial :) There were so many pimples after camps! This is one of the reasons why I don't really like camps. 

Day 1

Outfit

Ohsofickle (Top) ● Forever21 (Jeans) ● Victoria's Secret (Bag)

We met my aunts, uncle and niece at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal before departure. The thing about bringing a kid out is that the adults expect me to act like an adult and take care of the kid....... I'm still quite kiddy at heart. Anyway, I was glad that I had someone to communicate with in english. We're sorta like good friends.

It was a 1 hour 45 mins ferry ride to Tanjung Pinang. Gosh, the last time I went there was exactly 10 years ago?!?!?! I was 9. My grandpa used to travel to almost every part of Indonesia before settling down in Tanjung Pinang. After he passed away in 2011, his house was sold.

WELCOME TO THE LAND OF CORRUPTION.

Anyway, after clearing the immigration, we took a car and checked in at Hotel Bintan Nirwana. The host booked several hotels for the guests to stay for a night. Almost all the Chinese drivers were booked by them too. Hotel Nirwana is one of the newest hotels in Tanjung Pinang but because it was my first time staying in Tanjung Pinang's hotel, I was quite shocked..........

#1 NO lifts

#2 NO air conditioners along the corridors

#3 Shampoos and body foam wash are NOT provided (seriously......... -.-)

#4 Wi-fi works only at night

#5 It is quite far from the city so it is difficult to get a car.

I'm not asking for much but these are some basic facilities that they should provide, right?

Okay, actually I shouldn't complain that much because my mum and aunts told me that it is the best hotel (or at least one of the best) in the city. I can't imagine how dirty other hotels can get :/

We immediately changed into our evening dresses and put on make up.

At the lobby, waiting for the car to pick us up.......

My niece doesn't eat shark's fins too! My aunt kept persuading her to eat this bowl of shark's fins but she didn't give in.

We reached the hotel at 12am and I was so lazy to remove my make up. (Yup, wearing inheritance shirt hehe)

Day 2

My mum woke me up at 6am because we had to do visiting, zzZzz...............

We had Soup Ayam for breakfast :)

6 Soup Ayam and 5 martabak add up to less than 3 SGD?!?!?!?!?! I would migrate to Indonesia if there weren't any security and hygiene issues.

And some MARTABAK!

Shared 4 martabak (butter & sugar)

@ grandaunt's place

They still use water well!

We picked up my relative's son at his school before going to the temple. My mum told me (and I remember my Indo friend told me the same thing) that most parents in Indonesia send and pick up their children from school because they're afraid the kids might get kidnapped? Eh..... quite scary.

Dog guarding temple.

We had lunch at one of the famous restaurants in the city :D Yes, I always eat a lot whenever I go to Indonesia. You don't go there to shop (nothing much to shop anyway). You go there to EAT. I can't wait to go Medan...... heard the food is damn good :)

Chocolate avocado smoothie, yummy ♥

FRIED SOTONG AND ASAM PRAWNS

"Shiok" is the only word

YAM YAM YAM.

 Another relative's house.

They have 6 dogs! And each dog guards one door!

 Zegna & Buddy's cousin

This dog is so adorable! He's always clingy to me :')

The owner of this house does property development and we looked at some of the houses he is in charge of.

Spending some quality time with my puppy in the car.

Visited ANOTHER relative. I don't know who she is. This is the problem with a big family tree. My relatives are all scattered across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore. 

SUNSET ♥☼♥☼♥☼

We went to this "shopping mall" and it doesn't even look like one. It's so different from what we have!!! I found moo moo ice cream!!!

(And no, this is not a wink)

Time passed by so quickly there and it was dinner time again!

Crab Beehoon

My hands were dirty from eating the crab so I didn't take pictures of other food we ordered. 

They are famous for their porridge too.

After dinner, it was karaoke time! This place, 888 (triple 8), is damn cool. They have a stage for the  audience to sing but we have to bring our own discs and wait for our turn to sing in front of everyone. There are also some food stalls there (sort of like a canteen) and we can eat while enjoying the performance.

I like this concept because it's new to me and it has that kind of feeling which bonds everyone together. It's better than singing in the karaoke room but just that you will be quite paiseh.

 MARTABAK AGAIN FOR SUPPER 

Day 3

Mum, aunts and uncle had bak kut teh for breakfast but I had no feel for it so yeap, this was my breakfast for day 3.

We brought some food and visited another relative...... Haha, yes, really a lot of relatives everywhere. We left for the ferry terminal at 10am. The ferry terminal is just rundown and horrible -.-

Took wave master back to Singapore!

The taitais were having their own party......

My niece and I had our mini party too....

Had Gado-Gado for dinner! I love Gado-Gado! ♥♥♥

And fried sotong mum bought it for us! Super duper yummy! I finished all the fried sotong!

I think I've gained another 3kg but it's worth it man.... seriously, damn worth it :)

I'm still thinking if I should go to Batam with my mum next month for a wedding dinner. I will be staying over at my granduncle's place. Sometimes I just wanna be like some of my relatives, just travel everywhere and sing karaoke when they're free.

School reopens tomorrow. Good luck to everyone and myself! 2 months to the next long holiday! :D