Trail My Tales

Let The Engines Roll

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 02:38:00 +0000

Another chapter has begun for me, this time happening right at my own backyard.
What I'm trying to say is that.. I'm no longer in Russia nor Turkey. I have returned to Malaysia.

Hahahahaahahahaa and no, I'm not pulling your leg(s)!!!

I decided to go for my Housemanship since Tolga is going to the military. I mean, Mummy's alone (and she fell ill last month) so we figured it's the best time to be back for service. Uhhmmm.. I have stopped blogging for too long and needless to say, I miss it and miss reading everybody's.

Either ways, it's time for me to pack up and get on moving. I'm going to miss my exciting life globetrotting and writing about every new places we explored but I guess.. the only things I'll be exploring from now are patients' ulcers and inner organs. How exciting LOL

Don't fret, my friends. I'll always be around.

Hiatus Mode

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:36:00 +0000

I'm going off the line for a while. It's the stress of everything that has got to me and I need to keep a reality check. Tolga is very supportive, I have to say that if our love isn't strong enough.. we wouldn't have come this far but unfortunately I have to leave my blog for the time being. Though I've little to write nowadays..

I thank all of you for your loyalty, and I shall write again when the joyous feeling returns.

Love.

Two Of Us

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:20:00 +0000

Harvested from our cherry tree in the garden ;)

Digital Grafitti

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:05:00 +0000

It's been a while since I wrote about my current stay here in Istanbul. I was really down and needed time for myself and Tolga, which helped because hospital takes up alot of my day. I often return home exhausted either from work or the heat.

I was going through some pictures and I came across the folder from santralIstanbul. I remember we enjoyed ourselves there especially with the interactive games. This place served as the power station in the Ottoman era, but now it consists of a modern art museum, an energy museum, an amphitheater, concert halls and a public library. It is somewhat like Moscow's WINZAVOD which we visited in the past.

Tolga and I miss Moscow when we talk about it, mostly because we had so much to do there. We explored every hole we could sneak into (I usually give in to his curiosities) and we were always up to something, somewhere. We like it here too but there are some differences which I don't really know how to explain. Anyways, here's the cool part in santralIstanbul which drove us nuts! LOL

The blank screen before we start "spraying" colours on it
Note the camera/light sensor at the bottom of the frame

The camera basically captures us and the light movement..
.. but the colours stay while we could still move around on the screen

Hehehehee didn't take us too long to attack each other

The entertainment is free and our monkey business was actually recorded. I'm not surprised if we are displayed in this exhibition elsewhere in the world next time. There were several tools apart from the flashlight; there were lasersticks, canister-lookalikes, "spray paints" and lightsabers! We tried every item in the dark room for every light effect. ~~Cheap thrills.~~ Hahahahaa we had so much fun ;)

I'm your worst Jedi nightmare :P

The lightsaber effects stole most of the limelight! No pun intended LOL

Some other screen devices/technology/all-you-can-try which excited us to the max.

The smoke graph? (I don't know what it's really called)
We lit a match and the grid follows the direction of the flame.. very cute

Bursting bubbles.. they really burst okay!

Tolga uses his head even *rofl*
I love this picture! We look like shadow puppets ;)

We all know what's a Turntable, right? But a Reactable? Oooohhh, I was really pleased to get my hands on the complicated yet so sophisticated machine. The Reactable is an electronic musical instrument which is super über cool! OMG. This is one of a kind invention that requires special knowledge to utilise it. We kinda figured out how it works but we could very well be wrong because the tunes sounded very hypnotic :P You can read more about the Reactable on Wikipedia.

The blocks are called tangibles representing unusual symbols and icons
and with the right combo.. it would trigger music notes and sound effects

The 4 geniuses from Music Technology Group who gave birth to the Reactable

santraIstanbul is highly recommended for everyone to visit!! ;)

Woes Of Work

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:40:00 +0000

"I show up same time as you so shut the fuck up"

I think I'm having some problems at work. I'm not as happy as I'd like to be and a couple of my colleagues irritate the shit out of me. If you ain't gonna teach me shit or help me in any way.. then leave me alone. Making fun of my Turkish language prolly makes him feel like a big hero.

Then there are others too. OMG. I'm so not in the mood to ~~save lives~~ talk about it.

Oooohhh why, why, why am I in such a dilemma.

Speaking in foreign tongue is already difficult and I'm no 5 year old absorbing water like sponge, I'm freaking 25 and going goo-goo-gaa-gaa isn't a pretty sight. Thank God my style fits it so others don't take me as a retard. I remain positive all this while telling myself (and being told) that everything will be okay. I don't know but it's really hard to see anything good doing what I do at the hospital, with the patients, asking help from left and right..

Russia was no easy task but here isn't all dandy either.

At least there are times like now, I don't feel good about anything at all. I don't write about them here because like I say before, I prefer remembering good times but once in a while, we need to keep bad ones for rainy days. Could be PMS matter like last month but if PMS gets be back to reality, it's not so bad huhhh.

I know most of the time I sound like a ladi-da having the time of my life and some of you prolly wonder what the hell am I really doing. Sometimes I wonder the same question.

Bloody hell. To the ones on my hit list right now, let me say :

If you're in my shoes, start a life as a yabanci in a yabanci-land and speak yabanci language. I bet you won't survive as long as I did, muthaaaa.. you'll lose your damn hair bald and as it is, you're already half bald. Whether you shoved me aside on purpose or not, you shouldn't have done that!!! :(

To the other idiot in blonde, fuck you. You may earn much more than I do but money isn't everything. Fuck you and your money talk. I'm happy with what I have. At least I'm lovable, you pig. Big show off.

My dear readers. All the "you" isn't referring to you, YOU. Unless.. seni sevmiyorum, evet, SEN.

Let the bad days be over.. please, please, please. I need my mojo back!

Peepee Pilavi

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Sun, 31 May 2009 14:07:00 +0000

Tall tales : "During and after the circumcision.. the adult folks like to say they will make peepee pilavi from "it". Hehehee pilav, you know. It's the rice and we will be scared. Eh, you Chinese eat everything. Don't laugh. Ours is only a joke" - Tolga.

For some reason, this weekend was spent attending once-in-a-life events. Yesterday we attended a wedding and God bless that the union will last a lifetime, and this evening, we attended a post-circumcision party. Hehehee don't start giggling just yet. It's a huge celebration and even larger scale in comparison to other occasions. Everyone who knows the members of the family, relatives or not, will always come to cheer.

Tolga says that nowadays, this sünnet practice is partly religious and partly for hygiene purposes. Some kids are circumcised shortly after birth, during childhood or at puberty. Hehehee there are professionals ~~dick cutters~~ circumcisers who are popular to call upon. One of the most well-known around here is Kemal Özkan. See he's even got a website so you can more or less guess how famous he is. Hahahaahaa a pro to the max, he has a list of 15,709 names which he recorded through the decades.

That's a load of foreskin LOL.

The star tonight is actually the grandson of Hatice (who comes fortnightly to clean the house). Hatice is a very nice lady, and like I said, everyone will come from far and wide to celebrate this rite of passage for the child. I'm neutral with this custom really. I read about ethical, psychological and legal considerations plus protests on infant circumcisions etc.. I don't see it's much of a debate to do it or not. ~~Jesus' dick was cut.~~ Jesus was circumcised too. Why make so much noise.

It's the family's glory to have a son to don the costume and hold the sceptre on the stage

Batuhan seated upright like a king :)
People who come will greet him, kiss him and pin money/gold on his coat

Check this out, a towering 7-layer cake!!
~~Want to get your dick cut now?~~ It's nice! *rofl*

Batuhan's parents having a slow dance together..

This picture was taken off the photo which was printed for us already

What an eye-opener. No matter which religion, what race or mentality in today's society.. I agree that there are some perks to having a son. I'm not saying that we should choose one sex over another but it's somewhat the truth. But then again, when the time comes and you'll have a daughter only.. I don't think you'd think much about missing the circumcision. There'll always be invitations by other families ;)

Wedding Witnesses

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Sat, 30 May 2009 19:05:00 +0000

Hehehee not ourslahhhhh.

This evening, I got the opportunity to attend a Turkish marriage ceremony with Tolga and his family. Tolga's second cousin sister got married to a comedian. Seriously. Her husband-to-be is a known theatre artist and the guests from his side who showed up were quite a show, if you catch my drift LOL

Turkey is a Muslim country but they run on secular regime (unlike Malaysia). Weddings are carried out at the registry followed by a dinner after. We only went to the registry at Kadiköy, not the reception. Oooohhhh, almost everyone I've met so far are lovely people. Funny folks. And I still blush whenever Tolga's mum introduces me as Tolga's fiance! You know, religious or customary practices are illegal here but in rural areas/villages, they do take place. Not in the city though. Here's the first 1/2 of what happens usually :)

At Kadiköy District Marriage Registry- the biggest joint in Istanbul

The hall is like an amphitheatre big enough to sit hundreds of audiences.. shocking isn't it?

The lady in the red robe is the marriage registrar,
Elif (the bride) and Naşit (the bridegroom) with 2 witnesses on their left :)

"You may now kiss the bride"

When it's all over inside the auditorium,
everyone goes up and in queue to congratulate the newlyweds *sniffles*

And collect wedding sweets!! :)

Handmade by Elif's mum (some people make by themselves, some buy from shops)
The wedding sweets are really chocolate balls laced with silver and gold colours.. yums!

Hehehehee I got a handful ;)

This is the funniest wedding photo I've ever taken
If you notice.. no one is looking at the camera! My eyes are even closed! LOL

These are the photographers who make money out of other people's celebrations :P

We say "Mutluluklar dilerim!" in Turkish.
Sooooo.. this is a sneak preview to how ours will be. Stay tuned! ;)

Dusty Bulbs

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Fri, 29 May 2009 07:16:00 +0000

We got a pair of mini chandeliers installed in our living room! They are super pretty!

Heheheee don't imagine the giganto ones in the palaces, please. It's a modest antique piece, with four arms bearing lights upwards. I'm not sure if they are made of brass or wrought iron. It is very old, therefore the colours are rugged and aged. Tolga and I can't take our eyes off the ceiling ever since LOL

Some pictures taken during the installation. Cheap thrills.

Taaaa-da!! :) :) :)

Okay.. I didn't put them up but it's no harm posing for a pic or two

This is the family's electrician (he's been of service for decades) handling our lights like a pro

Can't say the same about Tolga though! *rofl*

The Yabanci

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:11:00 +0000

I like my new nickname. Call me yabanci (pronounced as yaban-ji) meaning foreigner in Turkish.

Hahahahahaa yabanci, yabanci, yabanci. I like the sound of it.

Through much pain and sweat, running around from one department to another.. no thanks to redtapes and bureaucracy. Standardized procedures, strict protocols and whatnots.. let me say a big ~~fuck you~~ thank you and ~~*middle finger*~~ *thumbs up*. I hate paperworks. I hate queueing and I definitely hate the fear of authorities in these kind of places. You might even want to think twice before letting out a rip.

Here it is. My PR is granted :)

Don't underestimate this little booklet
Every yabanci (for all purpose) who makes long stay here should have one

I can't imagine if I'll have half the patience to make one for Tolga if we decide to move to Malaysia

Yours truly! ;)

Sorry.. better not post the numbers in public LOL

You know.. looking at the pictures here, I remember the time when I got my Ordinatura ID. The good ol' days in Moscow. And time passes by too quickly, huh. Exactly a year ago about this time.. we were preparing for our final exams and graduated the next month. The current 6th Year students are doing their time now.

Those days were good. Real good :)

Turkish Style

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Mon, 25 May 2009 18:43:00 +0000

My colleague, Hakan made me a cuppa Turkish coffee after lunch. I've tried it once somewhere, sometime ago but I don't remember liking it. I only remember it was too strong and bitter. Maybe it was some other coffee.. but I definitely enjoyed it this time ;)

This brew is indeed a signature drink of Turkey. The portion is tiny, meant for small sips over a period of time. The history traces back to 15th and 16th century, chroniclers wrote that coffee beans originated from Yemen but the technique to making this drink was invented by the Turks.

And yes, the technique is rather interesting indeed. Hakan can't carry it out so well but I appreciate that he did LOL

Scooping coffee powder from the most famous brand - Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi

Hahahahaha it really looks like Hakan boiled me some shit to drink :P

This is crucial.. the uppermost layer when the coffee boils has to be laid into the cup

And the rest is filled after more boiling..
The link above explains more (I'm still trying to like this drink LOL)

It is a yummy cuppa Turkish Coffee! ;)

Soapbox Sadness

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Sun, 24 May 2009 13:17:00 +0000

We were looking forward to the 1st Red Bull Soapbox Race held in Istanbul for weeks but today was such a disappointment. I don't want to bitch much about the poor management for spectatorship and organisation of the whole venue. The event location was at Maçka adjacent to the public park. There were just too many people, we couldn't enjoy the show properly :(

I was trying to squeeze my way through the front to catch a better glimpse while Tolga was busy sneezing from pollen-allergy. Disastrous. The weather became hotter, then in addiction to the pushing crowd and on top of that imagine we were stuck in the narrow, almost non-existent walkway for anyone to go down further the slope. The viewers are so damn stupid not to budge.

Here are some pictures I managed to take. I certainly hope they would do better next year (if it's gonna be an annual thing).

Hahahahaa see the sign? No engine!

The route - Buradasiniz is the starting point

People like us who came for this race plus the people in the park

I got a free flag!! ;)

The opening ceremony with what else but an original Red Bull Soapbox

I couldn't snap any pictures of the passing car..

Total failure, lost my mojo LOL

Hahahahahaaa it wasn't all that bad like it sounds. We were pretty contented to witness what a soapbox race is about. I imagined that street kids make carts out of unused boxes, then race amongst each other. I think it could be true, how else would this game come about? In this Red Bull-sponsored challenged, the rules (like most races) are as follows:

- The car must have no motor
- The car must have at least 4 wheels
- The car may have to have some type of brakes
- The driver must wear a helmet
- A push at the top is allowed for extra speed

I couldn't take pictures of each individual cars because of the limited space. I didn't want to plaster myself to the fences looking desperate like a jailbird. Most of the contestants were creative, came up with quirky and some hilarious themes. Before they plunge themselves down the slope, they have to make a short performance. Hehehee Turkish folks can be quite funny. Other carts were just too big to be manuveured, they went crashing into the haystack.

Best view No.1

Best view No.2

Even better view on the big screen :P

Then we found a nice spot near the starting point

At least we could see something happening.. soooo pathetic LOL

OooOoOooof.. either get to the venue early or never again!

Here's the link to a Turkish site if any of you are interested to see the race. Tolga and I are both quite traumatised by this event LOL

Another Aydın

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Sat, 23 May 2009 15:07:00 +0000

We visited Tolga's father's youngest brother and family in Büyükçekmece, a district in the suburbs of European side of Istanbul on the Sea of Marmara coast. It's quite a nice place but more importantly, they (Tolga's uncle and family) are darlings. They are such warm people and his wife is a superb cook! Though we all agreed that the highlight of our visit was shone more at their new puppy, it was supposed to be at me LOL

Meltem (Tolga's 19-year-old first cousin) and her Golden Retriever

Meet Pati!!
Hahahahahaha Pati, yes you heard me ;)

She's got all the vaccination she needs!

See how my picture only comes after Pati LOL

Sea view from the balcony.. heavenly home, eh?

Leo, you are right that I'm not updating my blog as often as I did before.

I'm really not sure why but lately I've been really occupied apart from the fact that weekdays are no longer happening. I come back from the hospital, have a cuppa tea, read medical books, brush up on Turkish, dinner, spend time with Tolga, do my yoga, in the evening TV/movies and such.. I seriously need to find free time to slot in for Internet! Thank for the reminder, my friend :)

Soooooo.. Büyükçekmece is still Istanbul but it's rather far away from city proper. It's a boring town, really because it's built solely for settlement sake even during the Ottoman period and migrants come to make a life here. Life is very mellow and slow in places like this because there isn't much to do apart from talking a way by the seaside or having a picnic and the likes. We took Pati for a walk and she's a real superstar! ;)

By the seaside (sorry, the picture's a bit blurry)

We were surprised to see that Büyükçekmece is the Sister City of Gelsenkirchen of Germany

Hamsap fella touching, touching Pati >(

L-R: Tolga's Mum, Tolga's soon-to-be-fiance, Tolga's aunt, Tolga's cousin and Pati

I was glad to meet Tolga's relatives. Truthfully speaking, there aren't many left. So far everyone I've been introduced to are very welcoming and gave me presents :P For first meeting (it's pretty much their customs). These people will be at our engagement dinner on the 20th June and possibly at our wedding :)

Carnivàle

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:50:00 +0000

Sometime last month, in early April, I read an article on some gossip channel of a list of series which were really good but cut short too early. I flipped through all of it and the poster of the Carnivàle was the only one which caught my eye. It is a mystery/fantasy, semi-horror drama about the battle between good and evil.

The plot is set during the US Depression-era in the mid 30's, focused on 2 main characters. A confused young fella (always caked with dirt and soot) Ben Hawkins with unmastered healing powers yet to discover his true nature, working with the traveling carnival alongside with many other interesting/shady characters. The protagonist is Rev. Justin Crowe who was initially a staunge Christian, but became God's Left Hand, meaning he has lost his God and slowly discovers his unearthly powers. Evil powers to be exact.

One word - A MUST WATCH!

We were on The Mentalist and Supernatural in Moscow, now we are actually on par with the current runnings. Tolga and I prefer downloading them to watch all in one go so we shall wait after each season finale ;) Sadly, Carnivàle has only 2 seasons and both comprise of only 12 episodes. The show won five Emmys in 2004, was nominated for 10 further Emmy awards, and received numerous other nominations and industry awards between 2004 and 2006. I am disappointed they didn't fulfill the contract of 6 seasons!

Bring back the Carnivàle! Bring back the Carnivàle!

Sheepskin Wolves

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:11:00 +0000

I don't really the like drug companies' representatives.

They all look good, smell good, don fancy if not flashy suits and charge at us with ear-to-ear grins reminding us to prescribe patients their products. Then from their suitcases pull out a couple of ballpoint pens to everyone of us, sometimes notepads and boxes of samples.

On alternate weeks, we have seminar with them in the meeting room. You prolly guessed correctly that they bring in statistics and the works to convince their medications are life-savers. And because these meetings take place during lunch time, they cater meals for us. Usually it's the kebab stuff, meatballs and the norm but this afternoon.. we had a bit of a gala show in the kitchen LOL

We were served traditional Hittite cuisine which is really Salt-Baked Chicken (Cantonese=Yim Kuk Kai) if you'd asked me! LOL But working under the Head Professor of the Internal Disease Department really does have its perks. He is the one who calls the shots so our department is priviledged, let's put it that way ;)

The back of the bigshot I told you about LOL

Let's all sing, "Happy Birthday to you.." ;P

I must say this EN pharmaceutical firm is very generous, we were all very impressed

The guy hammering the solid salt wrap with a chisel to get the chicken out

Hehehehee after the first few, his employee took over

I wasn't the only one snapping pictures! Look! Everyone's a jakun LOL

Funny thing is.. back in Cheras (where I used to live) our Pasar Malam sells it too

Salty, spicey-aromatic, chicken rice..
.. not too good-looking with skin all over the place but it tastes good :)

Ironically, they were trying to sell us drugs for Hypertension.

Counting On Crunch

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:47:00 +0000

I've started back on yoga/pilates today. The last time I stretched a muscle was back in Nikulinskaya Ulitsa. I remember Pisa and I were very determined to execute these workouts but I think I gave up while she continued and then the continuation we did after was cook more, ate more.

Tolga dl-ed this 40-45minute CRUNCH Workout Super Slimdown session for me. It isn't too difficult but I don't think I'm going to look like the instructor anytime soon. Also, the fit ones in the program wear tank tops, showing off their abs to the world while the still-not-there-yet wear T-shirts and put at the back of the room LOL

Mostly, I "follow Marty" who has modified the moves for beginners. For example, when the instructor and the rest of the class does the head up, body bent in, legs 30degrees, pull in pull out move.. Marty does the head up, body bent, pull in pull out (omit the legs 30degrees because it might burst my bladder). It's not as easy as it sounds! Serious!

So let's see how I'll be in a month's time! ;)

"Reach for the skies.. just reach out for it.. oooohhh.. yes you can"

See Marty LOL

Hakimevi Hangout

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:25:00 +0000

It's another national holiday in Turkey today, the Remembrance of Ataturk, Youth and Sports Day to commemerate the founder of Republic of Turkey. God I'm so loving this country. The number of official day offs here is as many as Malaysia LOL

We took this opportunity to see the venue of our engagement dinner. It's located on the highest peak of the hills of Tarabya near where we live. It's called the Hakimevi, just like Bahasa Malaysia, Hakim means Judge. So in direct translation from Turkish, this is really the Judge House. Uhmmm.. I'm not quite sure what is the purpose of this building but Tolga says it's a club for the lawmakers.

Hahahahahaa and our union can't get anymore legitimate than this ;)

Tolga's family lawyer insisted we hold our function here actually

Aikkkkssss.. I forgot to put an arrow on the spot!
Our pre-wedding event is on the terrace at 12 o'clock on this picture LOL

This is the showroom of classic wedding decors and whatnots arrangement

Hehehehee anything with purple is a-OK from me ;)

Especially these beautiful hanging ornaments/candle holders!

I've been receiving lots of congratulations and well-wishings from everyone, from back home and in Russia. I feel very touched yet slightly sad at the same time. If it's possible, I'd like to invite everyone to all the events we are planning for and i mean EVERYONE from far and wide.

Wouldn't that be nice? :)

The Promise II

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:33:00 +0000

On 28th April Tolga proposed to me.. with a red string instead of a diamond ring (it rhymes! LOL). Heheheee he didn't know the size of my finger so what happened was quite unorthodox. That's why that evening, we couldn't stop giggling. It was so silly, yet so real ;)

Today is exactly 20 days later, and it wasn't a secret what he was going to do :P But the venue was a big surprise and very romantic. We had the whole historical Sarı Köşk (Turkish=Yellow Pavillion) to ourselves! The historical Ottoman mansion was perfect. Purrrrrrrfect! Everything fell nicely into place.

Lovely dinner, beautiful atmosphere, gorgeous setting.. I couldn't ask for more! I love Tolga very, very much.

Built between 1871 and 1878 on the hilltops of Emirgan Grove

Chandelier and pink/gold cushioned chairs give the room a luxurious look

I know I'm going to marry a decent man..

.. but I wonder if he realises what he's getting himself into LOL

One hour after another passed by with sweet nothings. We spoke much, yet I don't remember half of our conversation LOL We reminisced most of our wonderful memories together in Moscow, which reminded us how much we really missed that city. Food was really good despite excitement inhibited both our appetite!

Sarı Köşk Specialty which is really lentil soup with tomatoes (real yums!)

Tolga's Almond and Cream Soup was heavenly.. the rich taste of roasted almonds :O

Potatoes Pancake as hot appetizers to share
(we took too long to eat, they became cold appetizers :P)

Another Sarı Köşk Specialty with lamb

I had a cheesy Casserole dish (loved it!)

Words cannot describe the wonderful feeling we shared tonight. It was definitely a "Yes" to the question he was going to ask, yet we were both shy and nervous about it. My jaw was aching from smiling too much LOL When the velvet black case was opened, the diamond ring took my breath away. I've seen many in jewellery shops, even my Mum's but this one swept me off my feet. It holds the promise to our marital bliss ahead :)

Guess what's for dessert LOL

Ta-daaaaaaaa!!
These pictures were taken after his proposal :)

Hehehee don't ask me about the specs.. I never asked!

We worked very hard to come this far together :)

Thank you, my friends for celebrating my happiness with me. In words, in touch, in every ways imaginable and even in silence.. I am very touched with all your kindness, blessing and warm wishes. I know it is almost impossible to witness each other's events in person especially the most important ones in our lifetime but I hope little by little, to be able to share them through my blog.

Live. Laugh. Love!

Garden In Bloom

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Sun, 17 May 2009 13:41:00 +0000

Tolga's house is surrounded by a lot of greens. Trees that seasonly bear fruits and whatnots. It also means that, there are lots of tiny creatures as its habitants. Earlier post, you have seen those sluggish snails zoomed in 10x for starters. Well, for your meal if you will but not for me LOL

Anyways, to be honest I am not particularly fond of the garden but lately.. the magic of bloom(-ing flowers) has changed my perception of nature's best. I must admit that there are more than my thoughts of creepy crawlies (which surprisingly mind their own business if I mind mine). I understand now why Tolga loves his garden so much and encourages me to see its beauty too.

In its original form, unaltered by Photoshop.. unbelievable, huh?

Wild strawberries.. at this point I was imagining little fairies and pixies harvesting them

A single riped tiny tot hidden under the leaves :)

Tolga caught me behind the fence playing with Pisi
Hehehehee his skills in photography has improved so much!

More roses have opened up.. they are ~~mutant breeds~~ gigantic! :P

The one and only yellow rose around, also as gigantic

I suggested we should plant more flowers in the empty spaces, like pansies or something. I like pansies but dogs/cats like to destroy them. I've seen many times stray dogs sniff around and often do their business there. Ooohhhh.. and next time I'll take some pictures of the neighbouring houses. One house has wild roses crept upwards until the 3rd floor making the old house look damn attractive LOL

Fashionably Early

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Sat, 16 May 2009 14:40:00 +0000

Our engagement dinner is set on 20 June (in roughly 5 weeks' time). The venue is at the Hakimevi, also known as the Judge House located near our place. It is not going to be a grandeur event, more like a gathering with family friends of Tolga. There will also be a modest ceremony that evening I think.

Under geographical distances/circumstances, we can't exactly do it the old-fashion way. Ooohhh well. We need to skip a few customs, if not postpone it to near future. For now, it's just all Istanbul. We look forward to it very much! :)

Tolga and I set out to hunt for an engagement gown this afternoon. Heheheee I didn't mention this before but my workplace district is famous for dresses. Bridal houses and gown galores, lined on both sides of the street one after another. I told myself to keep it cool, not to get stressed out should we fail to see something I like. I had some clue of what I would like to wear so I made a small note before hand.

Colour : Purple, Pink, Red, Blue, ~~Black~~, ~~White~~, ~~Yellow~~, ~~Green~~, ~~Brown~~, others can be considered.

Length : Preferably a long dress.

Style : Anything that can hide my fats well enough to deceive audiences

We went to the shop Tolga's Mum recommended first, supposedly everyone goes there for their gowns. Unfortunately my eyes didn't pick up any. Let alone my taste. I did try on a few and God bless the shop owner who is slightly effeminate, he was so nice to us. Almost every shop's changing rooms are equipped with high heel shoes for customers to put on! How brilliant :)

Tolga says now is the peak season for dresses since graduation is around the corner, proms and whatnots we are in luck for new arrivals. We went into more shops, some packed with women (of all size and age). Most of the time I didn't bother trying, just browsing through the heavy range of different evening wear.

Too plain.

Too flashy.

Not my style.

Only one size.

Faulty last piece.

Until we came to this corner shop tucked away from the open, with modern designs and the mannequins donned attractive gowns which caught my attention. We stepped inside and I knew I found the right place. The shop employees were nice, friendly and all the dresses had my size. Their designs are beautiful, including colours like turquoise, peach, hazel and other unique colours.

We both fell in love with this one-shoulder, Empire waist, fuchsia-coloured gown, made of chiffon by Zöe.K (whoever he/she/it is LOL). My first try in this shop and we decided this is it. We found it. Whether I'm going to pull it off or not, I'm wearing this at our engagement party. We didn't have to search further because I always believe, what you don't see.. you won't miss so if there's any more beautiful dresses out there, I'm not going to cry about it.

The gown needs a bit of alteration. I'm not that tall, you see :)

Counting down till 20th June 2009 comes! *very, very excite*

Personal Gift

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Fri, 15 May 2009 08:16:00 +0000

It's about damn time I got myself a new handphone. The Nokia 6300 which served me well for 1 1/2 years died and I was handicapped for a while. Its substitute was Tolga's old, old, old Nokia but I don't know what's the model, nor can I find it on the net LOL

I feel extremely happy with my Nokia 3600 slide gadget! It's very slim, the camera's good (3.2MP like my previous one) and I like the features. I'll prolly use 40% of them only. Techologically illiterate, if you know what I mean. I read the reviews but it isn't favoured or given thumbs up. It's no 3G but whatever G it is, I don't think I'll know how to appreciate its usage. Heheheee I just like it small and light.

These pictures below are samples of the camera quality. Not too shabby :)

The package.. Nokia 3600 slide

Oooooohhhh, guess what..
I can take pictures in the dark now! It has flash!

For once, it's good to see something which isn't Made In China!!

NOKIA Connecting People (definitely a hit tagline)

Yours truly in Sepia mode LOL

Hmmmm.. what else, what else.
Tomorrow Tolga and I are going to hunt for my pre-wedding dress! We finally got our terms right. It was confusing to juggle between Turkish and English. After Tolga proposed to me, a pre-wedding party (engagement party) will take place next month and next year, the wedding. Step by step, ~~oooohhhhh bebehhh~~ ;)

Like this:

Proposal ---> Engagement ---> Wedding

Hahahahahahahaaa again I must say, it feels like I'm only blogging about these events nowadays!
But then again, I've been so lifeless and down.. I promise I'll be back to my old chirpy self in no time!

Discover Myself

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Thu, 14 May 2009 11:21:00 +0000

I never really thought I would have PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) like 80% of the women out there.

I was very irritable, uncooperative and quiet. Tolga said he sensed red lights glarrrring like hell, he knew he had to be nice and soft with me. Smart man, haaa? :P It's uncanny how easily people notice (almost immediately) that I'm "not happy". A few of my colleagues made statements that I'm sad while some joked that the reason was, I can't get married.

Which reminds me that it is partly to be blamed for my foul mood. Yes, I can't get married until I get my hands on this "Surat Pengesahan Taraf Perkahwinan (Sijil Status Bujang)" from Putrajaya back in Malaysia. The Turkish Marriage Registry requires written proof that I'm single because polygamy is forbidden in this country. I might have to return in person for this shitpaper. What a hassle :(

Other that my PMS and setback on our wedding plans, I'm fine.

I'm learning a lot at work, and my favourite department is the MRI room. The giganto machine excites me. Hehehee just kiddinglahhh. It's comfortable there and the radiologists are all cool Joe's. Actually my favouritest department is really the canteen. Food is delicious, free, great service and we get to see hunky Orthopaedic specialists carry lunch trays with their tight, muscular arms. Hahahahahaha I'm getting hungry. ~~Ooooooohhh, carrying lunch trays with very tight and muscular arms indeed! :P~~

Here are a couple of pictures from the rose bushes in the garden.
We have officially entered the spring season and soon, we'll be sweating like pigs because the heat will be unbearable.

Beautiful pink roses..
I'm going to start chopping stalk by stalk and sell them like a gypsy would

Tolga was trying to make Pisi pose for me but she wouldn't
Hehehehee force was the only solution.. see how a cat freeze always works

French Tongue

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Sun, 10 May 2009 11:38:00 +0000

Almost every Chinese believes that there is a Chinatown no matter where you go. That is not true. Of the cities I've lived in, Moscow has none except the name Kitai-Gorod which is direct Russian translation, but you won't see any Shaolin-lookalikes nor redness in the district. I remember there isn't even a Chinese restaurant close by. Istanbul has no Chinatown too.

So we resolved to visiting Cezahir Sokağı (Algerian Street) which is known as the La Rue Française, or French Street is famous for its pubs and restaurants playing live music. Don't ask me why Algerian to French, but I suppose money talks, name walks. The narrow passage is really pretty, with colourful tents and furnitures on the stone steps. They are authentic Parisian material from the Municipality of Paris, including the century-old street lamps.

I like the address plate.. it looks like some truck ran over it LOL

The French have a very important legacy in Beyoğlu (this district)..
Buildings on Cezayir Street bear the signature of famous French engineer Marius Michel

Hehehehee a curious cat peeked out from the grills when I was snapping around

Some cheapkai-looking sculpture which I decided to pose with :P

Kinda creative, isn't it?

More colours, more charm to attract customers!

I love their purple couches, sofa sets and lightings in every other joint.. nice!

Tolga relaxing on the steps, admiring the greens and a breath of fresh air

I've been to France before. Sadly, I didn't enjoy my visit much. Almost all my friends who went there loved it especially Boss and Pisa. Hummmphhhh. I found this pseudo French Street lovely and all, but we didn't stay for a cuppa or anything. I thought this place is only nice to look at. Which was a good thing because it's quite the ex LOL

Angels On Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Sun, 10 May 2009 06:02:00 +0000

Fats returned to KL to celebrate Mother's Day with Mummy. I was very touched to hear that. He's a good boy (like how Pisa said it). I spoke to them both on the phone and they sounded really happy, eating and shopping all over the place LOL

Thanks to Anna Jarvis who created this special holiday in 1917 to honour our mothers. Of course we can do it everyday by all means, but a mark on the calendar acts like a reminder to initiate us to do something about it ;) In many countries, Mother's Day is recognized on the 2nd Sunday of May.

For people who are near their mothers, be by their side. Just a simple greeting would make them smile.
For people who have lost theirs, do remember them with much love and reminisce on the happier days.

Mothers are angels,
Who gave life to us,
Love thy mother,
Cherish her forever.

Happy Mother's Day! :)

Our Alyans

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Sat, 09 May 2009 16:40:00 +0000

Tolga and I went to scout for our alyans (pronounced as ah-lee-ans) at Eminönü today! :)

Alyans means wedding bands in Turkish. Though unnecessary, let me declare that we both have never been married before. This is our first time LOL We are learning the customs and traditions to marital bliss step by step. I know, I know I've been raving about this deal on every other post lately but you really can't blame me! Even the simplest metal which symbolizes marriage isn't so simple after all.

Ever heard of the joke "Marriage consists of 3 rings: Engagement ring, Wedding ring, Suffering"?

Heheheee what a bugger joke. I don't know if that is true (yet) but Tolga said that there are 3 rings for me; engagement ring (customarily the one-stone diamond), wedding ring (traditionally matching gold rings) and eternity ring (post-marriage). He will only have the gold band :P We were excited to choose our alyans, and curious whether we would pick the classic plain ones or fancy designs. Then we were unsure if we would like the same element. I like white gold while he thinks the yellow hue would suit his finger better (and match his gold-rimmed glasses).

Destination: Eminönü
Mission: Wedding ring hunt ;)

One of the hundreds of goldsmith shops in the district, this is the common display from outside

Most shops have been around for decades and they boast skillful ringmakers with godly craftmanship

I expected local names but an Italian jeweler, Roberto Bravo has goods in all 3-storey

We narrowed down our search to Alyans-specific shops, especially the famous ones

And voila.. T&S Alyans!
Heheheee I know it doesn't sound so glamourous but this is it :)

Our perfect pair of Alyans were chosen behind this modest glass window..

Our experience was easy (but Tolga says, "Yeahhhh.. easy for you but for me, you were unbearable" LOL). Definitely funny too because I couldn't make up my mind. We tried on white gold, which Tolga looked good with it too but then my sight shifted to a couple of elegant gold rings! So from one ring to another, back at the previous ones and then repeat 2-3x. I felt bad for the shopkeeper who attended to my fickle taste!

Finally, we couldn't believe we found the one we both adore. It's so lovely and we know it will signify our love. The bands will be with us for life.. it just feels so right. They fit us so well.. I don't know how to put them to words. I'm sure when you go through the same path, you will be able to understand :)

Past Perfecto

noreply@blogger.com (Gorgeous Ol' Eve Loves Vanilla. You?) — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:49:00 +0000

My life is very exciting.. not. I'm starting to have really bad aches on my legs and back. I don't sit much except when I'm on the couch or computer, and why the fuck are the beds so low. I'm pretty sure there's a hump slowly forming and I'll be a camel soon. A couple of my colleagues are already quasi-Quasimodo.

On a lighter note, it feels very rewarding after I check out from the hospital :)

Hahahahahaaha and guess what. Weekend's here! We can stay up late tonight, wake up without an alarm the next morning and the Turkish breakfast is ohhh-so-rich. Plus tomorrow is extra special because Tolga and I are going to the get our engagement rings from Eminönü! This district has the most goldsmiths and shops that basically robbers would love to rob most LOL

I'm very curious about the style of my dress for our engagement day because it's going to be semi-formal since the event is between family friends, Tolga says it could be casual too. My wedding gown is still the hot topic but I'm worried because current fashion are mostly strapless and I don't wear that cut. Fats on both sides of my armpits race to squeeze out for freedom. Urrggghhhh. I must work out, man.

I went through the wedding pictures of my Dad and his brothers. Back in their times, it was really quite plain. As we were observing, Tolga pointed out to me that the bowtie of my 3rd Uncle and 4th Uncle are the same. Hahahahaha they prolly went to the same bridal shop or selection was just limited ;)

My eldest uncle and his wife, looking very agogo
Does anyone know this term agogo? It seems that I'm the only one LOL

Daddy and Mummy :)

This is my 3rd Uncle and his wife.. look below..

.. my 4th Uncle and his wife
I suspect that their bouquet could be the same too LOL