Mariuca

Marina Bay Sands By Night

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Mon, 28 May 2012 04:46:34 PDT

After a slightly salty lunch @ The Quayside, B and I made our way back to Studio M Hotel, Singapore. If you have yet to see our cosy loft accommodation, feel free to look through my older travel posts. We made our hotel booking online by the way and besides hotels in Singapore, there were many other awesome offers on other great destinations as well including apartments in Madrid that you may be interested in for your next vacation.

From Studio M, we got a cab to take us to Marina Bay Sands. The taxi driver was a Malay chap, very friendly and talkative. We got to talking about the casino and he told us that most Singaporeans prefer to head down to Genting Highlands, Malaysia instead of their own casino because of the SGD 100 surcharge imposed on Singaporeans! Good thing we were tourists so no entry charge for us.

Cab ride view

Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is an integrated resort of hotel living, shopping, dining, entertainment and sightseeing; capped by the landmark Sands SkyPark, which gives you the best view in Singapore. Upon arrival, we didn’t know where to go first. The sun was going down too so we snapped some photos in a hurry before scurrying inside The Shoppes.

Marina Bay Sands

Time to Shop

The Shoppes

I did not shop on the first night but was accosted by a saleslady who tried to sell a manicure set to me. Being the pushover that I am, I had the most difficult time saying no while she frantically rubbed some nail lotion on my nails, all the while telling me how dry and lifeless my nails looked so that’s why I needed to get this nail set. Like that was going to make me buy the kit any faster!

I declined politely and B managed to drag me to safety! Here’s the one and only, very blurry picture of me trying to decline!

No, thank you!

The promenade level was cool with plenty of shoppers and tourists hanging around; walking and basking in the evening sun.

Fluffy woofs

Marina Bay

Waiting for the sunset

My Darling

Evening Crowd

Most of the restaurants were packed but finally we spotted an empty table in South Coast, an Australian bistro and bar that offers a relaxing ambiance and tasty finger food. Tired from walking, we settled in and enjoyed the view of MBS while devouring tasty tapas.

South Coast Bistro

Al-fresco dining

Yum yum!

Garlic Prawns & Baby Octopus in Chilli Oil

Garlic Prawns, Capers and Lemon

Well rested and fed, we walked around the esplanade, and blended right in with the rest of the crowd enjoying a cool evening out in MBS before ending our night at the casino. I didn’t want to have too many photos in this post (because it takes ages for me to upload them!) so my next Singapore post will see me posting about The Shoppes in Marina Bay Sands.

Twinkling Night

Marina Bay Sands at night

If you are planning a short and fun weekend vacation, why not visit Singapore? If you’re looking for something further like Europe, don’t forget to check out the awesome daily deals on superb Madrid apartments online. Until then, stay tuned for more travel photos and stories from me!

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BLUEDREAMER

MM – We’ve Got Tonight by Phil Phillips *

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Sat, 26 May 2012 12:18:55 PDT

When I found out Phil Phillips, the dark horse of this season’s American Idol was going to sing We’ve Got Tonight, originally sung by Bob Seger way back in 1978 and later recorded as a duet by Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton in 1983, I was in ecstasy!

Even B jumped when I suddenly screamed and clapped my hands in glee the moment I heard Jimmy (American Idol’s mentor) said he had chosen this song for Phil Phillips to sing in last week’s Top 3 vital performance. I could not ask for a better song, thanks Jimmy for reading the mind of this incurable romantic!

I love what Jimmy had to say about this song. A deep meaningful song, with a dark edge to it and all the emotions of a romantic, aching soul, complete with a haunting melody and lyrics indeed! No wonder this has always been one of my all-time favourite classic songs when it comes to sad love songs with words so beautiful you just wanna cry!

Results show last Friday was totally intense and as much as I love Jessica Sanchez, I was really hoping for a PP – Joshua finale. It is such a shame that Joshua Ledet, the obvious best singer of this season, will not be fighting in the finale, don’t you think?

Yes, I’m posting three different versions of this song because I love them all, starting from the latest version by Phil Phillips. Let’s hope this super duper cutie pie makes it all the way to the Top! Happy Music Monday and please vote for Phil Phillips, America!

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

MARIUCA LOVES

My Travel Horoscope!

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:44:15 PDT

If you must know, yes I do read my Horoscope daily. Not only do I read what the stars have aligned for me every day, I also have it tweeted out daily on my Twitter timeline. Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that I place 100% belief in everything my Virgo horoscope has to say but more often than not, whatever fate has in store for me that day, almost always rings some truth in it.

This is what my horoscope from Twittascope says today, which I gotta say, immediately put a hopeful dreamy smile on my face!

OMG! Does this mean I’m headed for another awesome travel adventure soon? Will you be seeing me excitedly blogging from Hungary while luxuriating in beautiful Budapest apartments or hotels?

Like my Twittascope horoscope says, “Daydream about your vacation today, don’t even try to hide your vision”. Okay Twittascope, I will follow exactly what you suggest! Maybe this will help further strengthen my hope and wish to travel to all the cool places in the world, which I have yet to visit including Budapest!

Budapest is not only the capital and largest city of Hungary but the largest in East-Central Europe as well. I want to stay in gorgeous apartments in Budapest, eat exotic foreign food to expand my palate, visit old historical museums and enjoy sightseeing in one of the most beautiful cities in the world!

LOL! I guess we’ll just have to wait and see! But whatever happens, this prediction really made my night! Even if a vacation or weekend getaway is not in the pipeline right this very minute, the very idea of having a specific travel horoscope like today; is enough to drive me to continue dreaming about and working towards another great vacation destination soon!

So what did your horoscope say about you today?

-FCC Scoreboard point for my FIRST commenter-
LADY JAVA

Happy Mother’s Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Sat, 12 May 2012 14:39:35 PDT

Have you called your Mom today to wish her a very Happy Mother’s Day? We celebrated Mother’s Day a day earlier it seems so last night, B and I rushed to Victoria Station steak house for dinner with the family.

It was a last minute affair, brought forward a day earlier so I was not prepared with gifts. I also forgot to charge my Sony Cyber-shot so I depended on my iPhone camera for some shots, hence the blurriness.

Mel & B

The two of us

Munchkins

Mariuca & Mel

Bread

Shrimp Cocktail

Shrimp & Steak

Fresh Watermelon

What did you get your Mom for Mother’s Day by the way? Something luxurious like a trip to Paris and free stays in beautiful apartments in Paris? Or something simpler like a day of pampering in a nice spa? Last year, I got my mom a digital photo frame, which I thought was pretty cool. This year however, I am just stumped.

Times like these, I really wish I was a millionaire. It would be awesome to give my Mom a super fancy gift like a trip to Europe, Paris specifically. We were talking on the phone the other day and she mentioned Paris as a superb place to visit one day.

I’d look for the perfect Paris apartments for us to stay in of course and imagine all the shopping and sightseeing we’d be doing in Paris. It’s definitely a cool dream, one I hope to make come true for my Mom one fine day.

Until then however, here’s to wishful thinking and here’s wishing my Mom a very Happy Mother’s Day. I couldn’t get a clear snapshot last night so this one was taken a few months back on her birthday.

Mom & Dad

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LADY JAVA

Big & Tall or Small & Short?

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Tue, 08 May 2012 06:05:55 PDT

Would you prefer to be big and tall?

Or small and short?

For me, it would have to be the former. As long as you are tall, then there is still the hope of not looking too big because your height can easily camouflage your not-so-slender built!

Being too tall however does pose certain problems especially in the clothing department because not all stores cater to tall 'giants'. I did come across one Big and tall Clothing store recently, which all you big and tall bloggers out there may want to visit.

I believe I am of average height so finding the right clothing store is not an issue with me, which is great because I know some friends who have to scout around online just for the right size shoes or jeans.

Being too tiny and short on the other hand has its own set of problems in the clothing area. I remember a college friend of mine was so tiny and small that nothing could fit her, which of course brought out the green-eyed monster in me because her problem seemed so trivial to the not-so-small-nor-slim me then!

Just right!

I am definitely content with my height of 163cm and that’s 5’4” according to Blogthings. Yup, I could not resist a Blogthings quiz today and this one seems most appropriate with my height issue. Apparently, I am “about as tall as the average Australian woman”. Maybe that’s why I didn’t encounter any size problems when shopping for clothes on my Melbourne vacation!

Have fun and do share your result with me!

Your Height Says You're Friendly

You are a warm, outgoing person. You are a very social creature.

You value harmony, and you often play the role of mediator.

You are a very real and honest person. You know how to kindly tell people the truth.

You crave love and approval. Luckily, you are a very easy person to love.

You are about as tall as the average Australian woman.

What Does Your Height Say About You?

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LADY JAVA

MM - Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall by Coldplay *

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Tue, 08 May 2012 03:15:07 PDT

Yup, definitely feeling musical tonight and what better way to start my week than featuring Coldplay for Music Monday? I truly enjoyed Coldplay as guest performers on American Idol last week. Both their performances were so inspiring. I felt like I was in a Coldplay concert somewhere far from home; simply awesome!

I'm sharing with you my musical high of the week with this great number, Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall from Coldplay. Happy listening and have a great week!

MARIUCA LOVES

Lunch @ The Quayside, Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Sat, 05 May 2012 06:02:49 PDT

After checking in to Studio M Hotel in Singapore a few rainy weekends back, B and I did a little exploring in the surrounding area. Singapore is a great vacation destination by the way. The accommodation here is definitely not as expensive as the beautiful apartments in Madrid we saw online while researching for our vacation of course but let's save Madrid and Europe for another fine day, yes?

The Quayside

Anyway, B and I had looked up Studio M Hotel’s vicinity prior to arrival but we still had to make that walk down to Clarke Quay ourselves to really see what our location had to offer. As always, pictures are a must and poor B had to wait while I snapped away.

B so cute

I’m not really sure how to describe this specific spot we were in but this was the bridge leading to Clarke Quay area. Unfortunately, Clarke Quay comes alive only at night so most shops were still closed.

Clarke Quay

Mariuca in Singapore

Although there were not many people crowding The Quayside during that hour, there was still plenty of action going on within the places that were open for business including this quaint family-oriented restaurant we came across called epicurious.

Epicurious, The Quayside

Among the other cafes/restaurants opened at that hour, epicurious had the most patrons so we figured the food had to be somewhat decent at least.

Lunch Crowd

The menu was pretty extensive and the first thing I noticed was this little clause at the bottom of the page.

I gathered this establishment has got to be a family business and I was curious to see just how long we would have to wait before being served. Hopefully not too late because you know how I hate waiting but since we were tourists, I was on my best behaviour and spent my time checking snapping photos of the restaurant and its surrounding area instead.

Great view from epicurious

B thirsty

Everything on the menu sounded delightfully tempting but I didn’t want to order something that I’d usually order back home (since our food here in Malaysia is similar to that in Singapore) so after much debating, B and I decided to share a plate of spaghetti while I chose the appetizer.

I love cheese so I decided to have the cheese toast, which features blend of cheeses, grilled on toast to yummy perfection. Our server informed us that blue cheese will be included, which was fine with me. Sometimes I like my cheese a little strong, yum!

Cheese on Toast

The pasta on the other hand was a bit disappointing to the both of us simply because it was way too salty. I love all sorts of pastas and was keen to try spaghetti with prawn and miso-cream sauce but this time, I barely touched the pasta and focused on the succulent prawns instead.

Spaghetti with Prawns and Miso-Cream Sauce

Iced Lemon Tea

Iced Latte for me

It was all good however because we weren't that hungry. Plus, we were excited to head down to Marina Bay Sands and experience all the excitement and thrills we've only seen on TV or online so far. Of course, if given the choice between a vacation in Singapore and one in Madrid, we’d definitely have opted for the latter. We’ve both never been to Spain and besides staying in beautiful Madrid apartments or hotels; I would also love to practise my not-so-good Spanish there!

Walk back to Studio M

After lunch, we walked back to our hotel, rested for half an hour and changed for our night out in Marina Bay Sands. I’ve already posted my casino night in Marina bay Sands, so I will post photos of the huge shopping centre in my upcoming travel post. Until then, do have a wonderful weekend and thanks for travelling to Sensational Singapore with me this week!

See you in my next travel post!

-FCC Scoreboard point for my FIRST commenter-
LADY JAVA

MM - Makes Me Wonder by Maroon 5 *

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Sat, 05 May 2012 06:00:24 PDT

I am in need of a great song to kick start a brand new week and a brand new month. Love this song by Maroon 5 and love Adam Levine as judge on The Voice and since I have yet to feature this awesome number on Music Monday, here goes.

By the way, Team Adam on The Voice this year doesn’t appear to be as strong as last season and I have a feeling The Voice 2012 will emerge from Team Cee Lo! Let’s see if my prediction comes true. Until then, have a good listen and I wish you a productive day and an even greater week!

MARIUCA LOVES

Work First, Travel Later!

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:23:02 PDT

With all the jobs I’ve been receiving and taking in recently, one would think that I’d be able to afford a nice vacation abroad and stay in beautiful modern apartments in New York right? Well, you would be wrong if you’ve been thinking that. With the amount of bills I have to pay every month, a huge chunk of my earnings goes to my expenses. And what’s left will go to my vacation fund while the rest remains in my account for rainy-days withdrawals!

Unlike B and those of you who are working full-time 9-5, I don’t get a pay check at the end of every month. Sometimes, freelancer copywriter me gets paid only after months of working. Other days, I get paid within the week of finishing my job. It all depends on the arrangement I have with my clients of course.

Currently, my work plate is full. With three on-going projects keeping me awake at nights, I truly have no idea when I’ll be done. Copywriting jobs usually require plenty of changes; bouncing back and forth between the advertising agency and the client before it goes back to me for copy finalization. I’ve completed my end of the bargain so right now; I am playing the waiting game. Only when the job is complete and good to go for printing, will I be able to relax for real and dream about my vacation in USA, whenever that will be.

So wait for me New York! One day I will return and I will be back happily staying in gorgeous New York apartments, shopping in Saks Fifth Avenue, dining in HRC, NY and visiting the Statue of Liberty. Just give me some time to collect more moolah and find the right time to leave all my work and worries behind to truly enjoy a vacation like no other; one I know only beautiful bustling New York will bring!

Have a great weekend folks and thanks so much for stopping by today. Oh don't forget to check out my casino night in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore too!

-FCC Scoreboard point for my FIRST commenter-
LADY JAVA

Cool Night @ Marina Bay Sands!

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:32:23 PDT

Busy, busy, busy! If it’s not work that’s keeping me sleeping in to the late hours of the afternoon due to staying up all night, it is me busy building my city on CityVille. I am currently so into CityVille on FB that I’ve neglected all my other games that I was previously playing including the super cool Slotomania no deposit bonus casino games I was into before discovering CityVille.

Speaking of casino bonuses and games, B and I had a blast on our last casino visit @ Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. We’ve heard so much about this new casino that we just had to pop in and check out what all the hoopla was about.

I wish I could have taken photos of the casino; there was really so much to see and ooh and aah about. The casino is huge and security was tight. I was stopped by security on the first night, asking to see my passport to make sure I was over 18. At first, I was a little worried to have been stopped by security. But when he asked for my passport to make sure I was of the right age to enter, I was more than pleased to oblige! With a beam on my face, I happily handed my passport over before skipping, hopping and jumping into the grand Marina Bay Sands Casino!

There were plenty of casino bonus, fun and games and the place was packed. Free drinks were everywhere and after I had a cup of coffee, I’d have mineral water, followed by a soft drink. All for free of course! The ladies room inside the casino is super clean too by the way, which was great because with so many free drinks to enjoy while happily playing slots, roulette and black jack, trips to the ladies were a must! By the way, I didn’t do too great that first night but B made up for my loss with his win!

We ended up leaving way after midnight but taking a cab back to Studio M Hotel was not a problem. There was a long queue at the taxi stand right outside Marina Bay Sands but there were also plenty of cabs waiting in line to pick up passengers. We waited for less than 5 minutes before being driven back to our hotel.

Oh, I managed to take this shot as I was going up to the escalator to the second floor of the casino. Of course I was very discreet about it hence the blurriness!

-FCC Scoreboard point for my FIRST commenter-
FOONG

MM - U Got It Bad by Phillip Phillips *

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 11:44:57 PDT

I just love watching American Idol this year! The overflow of talent this season keeps me going and waiting eagerly to watch the remaining top Idols every week. I have quite a few favourites this year. Jessica Sanchez and Joshua Ledet are the obvious favourites to win and deserving too since both idols are simply amazing! Every week, these two continue to deliver flawless performances to keep me smiling and entertained.

My personal fave however is … Phillip Phillips and it’s not just because I have a not-so-secret–crush on him! Isn't he oh-so-dreamy by the way?

Phil Phillips, what a cute superstar name; befitting this soulful dreamy talent and I am hoping he would be one of the two still standing in the finale! Please vote for Phil Phillips, thanks America and Happy Music Monday!

MARIUCA LOVES

Stressed

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 09:24:53 PDT

Having a major Triberr (social network) issue right now, which is pissing me off but there’s not much I can do about it. To some, my plight may sound trivial and not worth stressing over. But for perfectionist Virgos like me, we tend to get really restless when something goes awry in our usually smooth-sailing life hence the stress.

Like I told my friend Emila on Twitter, I’m gonna de-stress with comfort food and lots of them! When I am stressed, I tend to pig out (hence the yo-yo dieting and weight) and as bad as that sounds, it does help to calm me down.

I am also stressed with work that is waiting for me this weekend. Annual Report season is back, which I love because I get more opportunity to make moolah but one period that I also hate because these would be my busiest days of the year. I have to work on a 10-page Chairman Statement and if you’ve ever written one, you’d understand the headache this very important piece of document can give!

Stressful Mess

So, apparently, I am stressed about work, keeping up with my MMO blog activities, and now this unnecessary Triberr issue is adding more weight to my burden. What I need right now besides comfort food is another vacation and a really long one at that! A week-long stay in Rome apartments sounds perfect right now, don’t you think?

What do you guys do to de-stress? Do you indulge in sweet delicious comfort like me then feel a little guilty at first before the food warms you up inside and slowly you start regaining composure again?

Or do you plan a nice long getaway like me and travel somewhere far away; leaving all your worries behind luxuriating in beautiful apartments in Rome, and only deal with your problem after your vacation is over?

Do share your de-stress indulgence with me. Who knows I might pick up one or two new ones to help me relax more? Thanks for reading and have a good weekend!

-FCC Scoreboard point for my FIRST commenter-
MONICA

Heading to Europe?

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 02:25:08 PDT

Received a message on FB from my good friend Shyam asking me about my European Escapade and how I went around booking our hotels for that trip. Does this mean she’s happily planning a trip to Europe and looking to stay in some gorgeous apartments in Berlin, London or Paris?

Well, I’m not sure if she’s headed to Europe for real but if she does, I’m definitely gonna get her to get me some stuff from London! So if you’re reading this Shyam, here is my advance notice, save some space in your bags for my stuff YAY!

If you are an ardent follower and reader of my blog here, you would have probably read in my many travel posts about the 4 different hotels B and I stayed in throughout our two weeks in Europe. I loved all the hotels but my favourite has got to be Novotel London, Paddington simply because the hotel room was huge with a Double bed AND a sofa bed. Plus the hotel is fairly new so everything was clean and very modern.

Oh the Internet service was great too, super speedy although I gotta say between London and Amsterdam, the latter was most speedy when it came to Internet speed. I was amazed at how fast I got connected while in Amsterdam and I wish Malaysia’s ISP would take note of this and give us the same super speedy internet speed here soon.

Hotel Novotel London

Spacious and Gorgeous

Since I love hotel stays, I am happy to assist my friend in securing the best deals on hotel stays in Europe. We’re meeting up for lunch next week (thanks for picking me up Shyam) and I guess we’ll discuss her vacation then. I must remember to ask her to check out Only Apartments as well. One of the most popular accommodation sites online today, I see their ads all over the Net! Love that they love advertising (great advertisers advertise everywhere for maximum exposure) and I will definitely recommend this site not just to my friend Shyam but to all of you planning a vacation in Europe too. Check out the beautiful Berlin apartments for super saver booking online!

To my friend Shyam and to all vacation planners out there, have a great time planning your getaway and I hope to return to beautiful London one fine day!

-FC Scoreboard points for my first commenter-
LADY JAVA

MM – Waiting For a ✩ to Fall by Boy Meets Girl *

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:20:22 PDT

Busy but pleased to have worked on and closed several new jobs for this month. Also received good feedback for work done so work wise, it is shaping up to be a great month.

Busy but happy to spend tonight with B and tomorrow is also a public holiday. Yes, I love living in Malaysia!

Busy but happy to be able to steal some time playing my latest game craze CityVille with blog buddies LadyJava and Nessa! Anyone else playing, please feel free to add me on FB. Make sure to leave me a message saying you want to be CityVille friends on Facebook and I'll happily add you!

For that, I am in need of a feel-good song to match my pleasant mood and here’s a great number from the good old 80s. And speaking of 80s, didn’t you just love the 80s theme on American Idol last week? Happy Music Monday people!

MARIUCA LOVES

3D 2N in Studio M Hotel, Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 22:38:40 PDT

So here we are at LCCT. My bags are packed (very lightly) and I have not slept since the previous night, worried I wouldn’t be able to wake up if I did sleep and miss our flight to Singapore. We had looked at both Firefly and Air Asia rates prior to booking and since the latter was way cheaper, we decided to save on flight tickets by flying with Air Asia.

Let's go already!

Checking in was a breeze since we were early and there was not a long queue and we decided to have a quick bite before flying.

Breakfast

Morning PMU

I love flying to Singapore by the way because the trip is so short. Less than an hour and we arrived in Changi Airport, breezed through customs, got a cab and headed to Nanson Road to Studio M, the 4-star hotel we had booked online.

Outside Studio M

I think we got a pretty good deal on our room @ Studio M, breakfast included and free Wi-Fi . You know how I love hotel stays and besides the perks I’ve just mentioned, we chose this particular hotel for its location within the Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay entertainment hotspots, and the unique loft design of the rooms. Speaking of great deals, don’t forget to check out other awesome deals for apartments in Budapest online, if you’re headed to Europe that is!

Welcome!

While B checked in to our room, I walked around to snap photos of the lobby. It was sunny outside but there was a slight breeze thanks to the morning rain so weather-wise that first day in Singapore, it was perfect. Definitely not as hot as the last time we vacationed in Sentosa Island last year.

Checking in

Service while checking in was pleasant. The front desk staff was friendly, very accommodating and asked if we preferred a city view or a pool view. We requested for a city view and our room was also upgraded F.O.C. from premier to the executive loft, which got me excited since I’ve never had a free room upgrade before!

Cosy Corner

Seating Area

When we actually got to our room however, we really couldn’t tell the difference between a premier and an executive room. But just having the upgrade made for a nice welcome-to-Singapore surprise so thanks Studio M! I wonder what surprise will be in store for us if we check-in to one of the glamorous Budapest apartments should Europe be our next vacation destination.

Our room was on the 3rd floor and as we walked down the narrow dimly-lit corridor leading to our room right at the end, we were greeted by a friendly old lady who was part of the housekeeping staff. She was cleaning the rooms on our floor and throughout our stay, she’d greet us every time she sees us, which made us feel very much at home.

Room key in place, we pushed the door open, eager to see what’s behind Room 3.01. Here we go!

Beautiful don’t you think? Though small, the chic, stylish loft-inspired design of the room made sure we had everything we need, plus the feel of being in your own home, with a separate sleeping loft above and a working and living area below.

Work space with a view

The bathroom was really small but clean, equipped with all the facilities you need to enjoy a nice hot/cold shower in a cosy simple layout.

Coffee or Tea?

Complimentary mineral water

Upstairs, there is a comfy plush bed, the second TV, the usual basic shelves to put your belongings and a small side table. I love how cosy it was up in the loft!

Up to the loft!

Cosy comfort

Watch out for the ceiling though. The ceiling is low so you had to be careful not to knock your head. The glass panel, which made for walls on one side of the bed was a little low. I was afraid of falling down so I made sure not to lean anywhere near that area.

TV Time

View from above

I snapped more photos of the room, checked out the view outside our window and unpacked a little before finally jumping on the bed with B!

Outside my window

Hotel Deck

Morning view

The two of us

Catch me in my next post to see what we did next on the first day of our anniversary weekend in Singapore!

-FC Scoreboard points for my first commenter-
LADY JAVA

Anniversary Getaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 08:41:12 PDT

Happy Friday everyone! I am in an exceptionally good mood this rainy morning as today marks my ten year anniversary with my Darling, my best friend, my soul mate forever! My days and my nights will not be complete if you’re not here with me and I hope our journey together will leave us with a lifetime of wonderful memories, fulfilled dreams and everlasting love.

10 years of being together, through thick and thin definitely calls for a celebration and after much discussion, we’ve decided to enjoy a short weekend getaway out of Malaysia. Yes, the time has come to pack our bags and fly off to a nearby destination for a little R&R (especially for B who has been working like a mad panda these last few months!), stay in a nice cosy hotel, savour delicious food in a strange city and take lots of pictures to remember our special anniversary weekend.

The last few days saw the two of us busy looking for the perfect hotel online. I came across some really great offers on Barcelona apartments, which would have been great if we’re heading to Europe. But since we’re not, I had to drag myself away from my return-to-Europe dream and concentrate on securing the best hotel for our weekend getaway, somewhere much closer to home.

As always, there were so many hotels to choose from, and with so many mixed reviews from travellers all over the world, it was quite difficult for us to choose one that we both agree on. We finally decided on a hotel last night and though it is definitely not as fancy as the gorgeous apartments in Barcelona I mentioned earlier, it does look like a really great hotel judging from the pictures online.

I can’t wait to snap photos of our room the moment we arrive. That’s what I usually do first whenever we stay in a hotel by the way. Dump my bags in one corner, take out my camera and start snapping away before messing up the room!

It looks like my weekend is pretty much set but I still have lots to do before the trip, starting with sending our fluffy kids to the Pet Hotel in a few hours. See ya later then and do have a wonderful weekend as well!

-FCC Scoreboard point for my FIRST commenter-
MONICA

Issy Moments *

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:32:41 PDT

My 4-yr old niece Isabella is so cute. When I visited my parents over the weekend, baby Issy greeted me with a “Hello Aunty Marzie, how’ve you been?”, and then she gave me a big fat hug and made me play with her bag of dinosaur toys together with her!

Isabella speaks fluent English, a little Spanish and a little Malay but according to her, she just wants to speak ‘normal language’, which is English! I love asking her questions and listening to her very clever answers. Plus her little girl voice is too cute for words so I just want to keep her talking.

Yes, Issy definitely makes my day whenever I see her and yes she is one active naughty but totally adorable little girl. Love ya Issy!

Don't be angry Issy!

Talking dinosaur with Uncle B

Both in pink!

Cute baby doll!

Issy & Aunty M

MARIUCA LOVES

Counting My Chickens!

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 22:22:07 PDT

Landed a huge job today in my freelance copywriter work from home life!

This really puts me in a good mood because when you work on your own, it always feels great knowing your work is appreciated. And I'm not referring to just the monetary aspect but I'm also talking about the satisfaction of knowing my work is recognized by established organizations seeking my services. This self-recognition reaffirms itself whenever I receive important jobs, which not only test my capabilities as a copywriter but challenge me to exceed my skills in hopes of securing repeat orders from the same client.

So thanks to the job acceptance email I received this afternoon, I am starting the weekend on a high note! And when I am feeling great and happy, I tend to 'count my chickens before they hatch' so here I am happily conjuring images of my Darling and I vacationing in Europe and staying in gorgeous apartments in Paris upon completion of this new job! France is an expensive place to visit so it will take lots and lots of saving on our end to finally reach Paris and happily embark on yet another great vacation adventure!

Speaking of Paris, B’s colleague recently went on a 2-week Europe vacation, which of course got me reminiscing about our European Escapade back in 2010. B's colleague also went to Paris and though she came home with more captivating stories on London compared to the former, I would still love to visit France and stay in cosy Paris apartments one day. As they say, Paris is one of the most romantic cities in the world and incurable romantic me just have to get there and truly experience and soak up all the romance pretty Paris has to offer!

By the way, today is the 23rd of March, leaving me with just one week to plan a nice simple celebration to mark my 10-year anniversary with B. I plan to dig up some wedding pictures to share here with you but that all depends on whether I can find the huge box of wedding albums I hastily stored away during my rush to unpack when we first moved in to our home many years ago. Meanwhile, I am heading back to Dreamland to happily continue counting my chickens ... all the way to Paris!

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LADY JAVA

Celebrating 10 Years!

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 05:37:02 PDT

Two more weeks to my 10-year anniversary of being Mrs. B! This definitely calls for a celebration, don’t you think? What to do, what to do?

If I had the money, my first choice would definitely be a short getaway to Europe! I want to stay in beautiful Venice apartments! I want to cruise along a canal in a magical gondola while admiring the beauty of Venice. I want to eat yummy food in cosy romantic Italian restaurants! I want to soak up the culture and history of Venice and most importantly, I want to make this the most memorable getaway for B and me!

That is of course my first choice. Realistically speaking however, a long distance vacation is not on the table right now. So if we do want to get away for a while, it would have to be someplace closer to home. It’s not only cheaper but it also makes more sense seeing that getting time off is near impossible for B, what with his busy work schedule and commitments for the year.

Wherever we do end up celebrating our ten years as hubby and wife however, I just know that it will be unforgettable and I’m definitely looking forward to the end of the month. My dream vacation in Italy, luxuriating in beautiful apartments in Venice will have to be put on hold for now but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen one fine day. I just have to continue believing and working hard to fatten up my vacation fund to reach that goal!

No photos for this post but here’s a fun travel quiz for you to enjoy. I am in complete agreement with my result by the way. It’s true, I already have my passport ready and I’m definitely raring to go on an adventure someplace exotic BUT all that’s missing is the vacation cash!

Happy weekend people!

You Are Quite Worldly

You've done a good bit of worldly exploring, and you have an international perspective.

And you're definitely looking forward to your future adventures abroad.

You've got the passport, the desire to travel, and maybe even the language skills.

Now all you need are the means!

How Worldly Are You?

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MONICA

MM - If I Ain't Got You (The Voice) *

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 01:33:13 PDT

Aside from American Idol, which keeps my Thursday and Friday nights fully occupied, I am also following another great program on TV. The Voice this second season seems to have better contestants than last year too and it comes on Wednesday night. So that’s three nights of awesome music and impeccable singing from unknown talents soon to be superstars to keep me entertained these next few months.

This week, I wanted to feature a fantastic rendition of Alicia Keys’ If I Ain’t Got You by two very talented contestants on The Voice. Sadly, I am unable to feature the battle video (code unavailable), but feel free to check it out HERE. You won’t be sorry!

For your listening pleasure at my blog, here is the studio version by Jesse Campbell, winner of the most epic battle on The Voice so far and I gotta agree. Happy listening and have a terrific Music Monday!

MARIUCA LOVES

Reminiscing

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:55:05 PST

Whether it's vacationing nearer to home in Sensational Singapore or someplace really far away and staying in beautiful apartments in Lisbon, holidays to soothe my weary soul are always welcomed. A nice short getaway is a quick pick-me-up to rejuvenate but a longer vacation does wonders to inspire and captivate with all the beauty and excitement every travel destination offers.

Vacations are always fun. With so many things to do, the days seem to go by really fast and before you know it, the time has come for you to say goodbye and return home. Some people may prefer to go on city tours by day and catch a musical or show by night but here are some of my favourite activities to do when vacationing away from home - Shopping, Dining, Sightseeing, Visiting Theme Parks and of course enjoying my stay in beautiful cosy hotels.

Movenpick Heritage Hotel, Singapore

Westcord City Centre Hotel, Amsterdam

Shopping in Bicester Village, Oxfordshire

Brownies shopping in Bandung, Indonesia

Morning coffee in Dam Square, Amsterdam

Yummy Amsterdam Specialty Fries

Indonesian specialty - Soto Madura

HRC, Sentosa

Majestic Merlion, Singapore

Visiting Melbourne Zoo, Australia

Sightseeing in Melbourne

Trafalgar Square, London

Raya in Tokyo Disneyland, Japan

Exploring Tokyo

Universal Studios Singapore

Dam Square, Amsterdam

Amsterdam by night

Biking in Amsterdam

B in Anfield, Liverpool

Looking back and reminiscing past vacations work well for me too. I love looking at my old photos and remembering all the great moments B and I shared on our time away from home. Old vacation stories and mishaps are bound to be mentioned too and those always make for a great conversation piece with friends and family.

So until my next vacation (I’m hoping for some place awesome like Lisbon so I get to experience a luxurious stay in Lisbon apartments), I have my lovely collection of photographs and memories to fulfil my need for a breathtaking getaway. I hope you enjoyed the photos as well. Did they make you want to plan your vacation anytime soon?

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MONICA

MM - I Know U Won't by Jeremy, Carrie and Kelly *

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:57:45 PST

American Idol definitely came back with a big bang this 2012! After the last few years of somewhat sombre singing, I got to say this new season is probably showcasing the best talent we have seen so far. The fan in me already has a few favourites and I think it will be tough for America to decide who goes out every week.

I’ve yet to hear the original version of Carrie Underwood’s I Know You Won’t but after listening to Jeremy Rosado of American Idol Season 11 singing this song to beautiful perfection last week, I am truly in love … with this song. Such beautiful words to accompany a sad heartbreaking melody and I can’t seem to stop listening.

So I looked up Carrie Underwood’s version and apparently, Kelly Clarkson did a cover of this song too. Two of my favourite singing sensations belting out the same great song! Both versions are awesome and I just can’t decide which I love more!

MARIUCA LOVES

Weekend Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 13:34:59 PST

Two weekends back, B and I attended a ‘long distance’ wedding with our good buddy Zeffer. Now, before you ask me just how far the wedding was and did we end up staying in faraway apartments in Paris for this event; let me assure you that it was not that great of a distance!

For one who doesn’t like long distance road trips however; the drive seemed endless and I was happy when we finally reached Mantin a little after 2pm.

The wedding was set within a golf course residential area and though it was green and pretty all around, the afternoon heat did not show much sympathy to the wedding guests, who like me were sweating through our fancy clothes. Good thing I decided to wear something white.

Anyway, the bride happens to be B’s former colleague and the groom is my friend Sher’s brother so it was a lovely event of rekindling friendship with old friends, enjoying delicious Malay wedding food and simply basking in the togetherness of love only gatherings like weddings can bring.

Congrats to the happy couple

Me with my friend Sher

I met several long lost friends from college that day, which was a pleasant surprise indeed considering we have not met for more than 10 years I believe! Wow, talk about walking down memory lane!

Meeting old friends from way back then!

Me and Jeni

Delicious wedding lunch

As usual, B and I had the hardest time thinking of the perfect wedding gift for this lovely couple. Something like a trip to France inclusive of stay in gorgeous Paris apartments is way beyond our means so how about a handy kitchen appliance for their new home instead? Perhaps cash would be preferred to help them start off their new life together? In the end, we went with cash, which we hope the lovely couple will enjoy as much as we enjoyed attending their day of happiness.

B and former colleague Tasha the bride

Me & B with Sher & Zeffer

Mariuca & Ita

By the way, the honeymoon is set to be in Bali, which is another vacation destination I have yet to visit. Bali seems to be a popular honeymoon choice don’t you think? And though I may not be a fun-in-the-sun beach gal; it would still be nice to visit beautiful Bali and simply enjoy the majestic view of this island resort one day.

Congratulations to our friends Tasha & Razman. May you be blessed with a lifetime of wedded bliss, true love and happiness. Oh, and have a wonderful honeymoon too!

Holding Hands

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MONICA

My New Idol!

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:01:22 PST

Have I told you that Jennifer Hudson is my new idol? And I don’t mean just for her sensational singing prowess but I am referring to her new svelte super skinny figure as well! Doesn’t she look amazing in this tribute for the late Whitney Houston? Even her face has slimmed down and now, she looks like a super sleek singing goddess!

I love weight loss success stories especially if they involve celebrities utilising healthy and effective weight loss programs in their journey. It is truly inspiring to see the thin confident winner emerge from the formerly fat person and these strong-willed dieters inspire me to lose a few pounds too.

Of course I’m not looking at a dramatic change like Jennifer Hudson but losing a few pounds after all the eating and pigging out I’ve been indulging in lately would be a big fat bonus for me right now.

Having said that, it is definitely hard to lose weight with the abundance of yummy food available to me when dining out or dining in. Every day I tell myself the diet has got to start but every night I end up eating something sweet to satisfy my sweet tooth!

It’s even harder to lose weight when rice is a staple for almost every meal but as hard as all the above, what’s most upsetting is not being able to fit into that old skinny jeans hanging inside your closet just waiting to make an appearance as soon as you’re ‘thin enough’!

I am still waiting for that day to arrive, which means I should seriously start dieting soon but at the rate I’m stuffing myself silly nowadays, I doubt that day will come any time soon. Meanwhile, I am consoling myself by sticking to my so-called diet of two meals a day, coffee with no sugar, housework as exercise and dark clothes as camouflage!

Happy Thursday and thanks for reading.

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LADY JAVA

Travel Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Mariuca) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:42:54 PST

Every week, I receive travel notifications and promotions via email from my travel sites subscriptions. And each week I am reminded of the fact that I will not be going anywhere great anytime soon.

But it’s all good because B and I are a little picky when it comes to our travelling needs. So this lack of time and funds to go on a truly wonderful getaway somewhere far away is a blessing in disguise. It gives us tome to collect more money, research for the best rates for apartments in Florence for instance, and plan our destination and itinerary better when we do decide just which country we’d be visiting. Plus, it also gives me time to lose a few pounds prior to travelling!

If you however have been bitten by the travel bug and have no destination in mind, do consider Florence, Italy. There are plenty of great travel promotions on Florence apartments right now and with an abundance of touristy things to do and sights to see, you are bound to enjoy a truly wonderful time in an exotic city with your loved ones. Oh don’t forget the delicious Italian food too of course. I happen to love Italian food so like I told B last night, if ever there is a country we must visit one day simply for the food, I choose beautiful romantic Italy!

Speaking of Italian food, I found the perfect quiz to go with this post and there is only one question to answer so do give this Italian Food Test a go!

You Are Loved

You are completely loyal and totally devoted to your friends. You stay true no matter what.

You have a sensuous side that partners are a bit surprised by. You have a tender heart and touch.

You're the perfect combination of simplicity and divinity. You are a secret hedonist, and no one knows how indulgent you can be.

You get yourself into sticky situations at times, but you have the grace to recover beautifully.

The Italian Food Test

Have a great weekend with your family and friends and I will see you here again soon. I have a wedding to attend this Saturday, which means another makeover is scheduled to help me get rid of this current wifey clown image I’m sporting! Now, if only I can figure out what to wear ...

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MONICA