learn real estate investing for FREE

As the popular saying goes, "Good things don't come for free". True? Not really. The online world has provided us lots of learning opportunities for FREE and some of these are the best material that are not easily available in the offline world.

Today, I finally had a chance to chat with my best friend whom I know for 23 years. She was telling me about her coming trip to Melbourne and that her husband is planning to buy a landed property for their coming migration. This reminded me that in a few years' time, DH and myself would need to think about real estate investing in Australia. And the time to learn real estate investment is NOW.

Learning how to invest in real estate, the techniques, strategies and tools are available to you for FREE at PEI University. With the step by step online program, you can be one of those who bought and sold over $242 million in real estate. Learn this at your own pace as the program shows and teaches everything you need to know to be a successful real estate investor. I know it sounds too good to be true that it is free so why don't you hop down and check it out for yourself?

August ends, here comes September!

Happy Merdeka... it's another holiday and as usual, I try sleeping in a little. For people who work from home, it's hard to tell a holiday from another working day. But somehow, when it's a holiday or a weekend, your mind tends to be more relaxed and it's normal to ease things a little. For a blogger, there is no holidays :) There are so much to report, share and tell everyday...

Being month's end, I sense a little quietness in my mailbox. Similarly, I slow down and spend more time with my boy. The month of August is ending soon... here comes September, another month of exciting things and great adventures!

Search information LIVE on My Live Search

As I'm writing this post, I have more than five windows open on my Mozilla Firefox of which two of them are online travel sites as I'm comparing hotel rates of a condo in hawaii. I realize that I have been relying alot on search engines in the last few years.

Whether it's finding information on children's products, resources on health, sourcing for business speakers for our events, recipes, shopping sites, blogs... I am so dependent on online information. It's fast, convenient and FREE! What if you can search LIVE for a particular product or news or information? Here comes the beta version of mylivesearch search engine where you can search for information LIVE and not that of yesterday, last week or month. All you need to do is to download the plug-ins to you Internet Explorer or Firefox in Windows Vista, XP and Windows 2000. Mac users like this would have to wait for the plug in :(

a glance at australia vacations

sunset at fremantle harbour

Some of my friends think that Clayton is a fortunate boy. He took his first plane trip when he was barely one year old and last year, we took him to Perth. Australia remains a country that is very close to my heart as I did my postgraduate in Curtin Uni for a year and a half.

My favourite past time was to have a takeaway lunch with my research books in South Perth, along the famous Swan River. On sunny days, I would take the bus to Cottesloe for a nice cup of coffee and on weekends, Fremantle markets was my favourite. The wildflower festival that takes place every year in Kings Park is worth a visit if you love exotic and wildflowers. It will be nice if I can revisit Perth during the International Arts Festival. For some reason, I'm always out of the country during the feb/march period.



As I'm writing this post, I'm missing Perth again. Alot of people have lots of misconceptions of this lovely city. They say it's boring, slow, too quiet... but hey, it's a great place to live! Unlike Sydney which has a lot more people, designer boutiques and definitely busier, Perth is less busy and should I say - peaceful - lol. I do like Sydney too. We did the Bridge Climb few years ago when we were visiting a couple of our friends. The Opera House and Sydney Harbour were my favourite landmarks. I only wished we had more time exploring New South Wales.

I haven't been to Adelaide and I should when we migrate to down under in a few years' time. Well, if you are visiting any of these lovely cities, hotels in Perth are categorized in various classes, depending on your budget and personal style. We prefer to stay in the serviced apartments as it's nice to have a kitchen where we can prepare light meals. Eating all three meals in Australia can be costly for a family of three :)

Travel sites like Cheaperthanhotels offers good deals for hotels in Adelaide, Sydney, Tasmania, Melbourne accommodation and all other suburbs and states. You can search for a hotel in Margaret River or a bed and breakfast in Victoria at the site, it is easy to navigate with the powerful search tools on the site.

Make money niche blogs, text link ads niche blogs... what else?

In the last few months, I have been visiting many niche blogs in and around the worldwide web. It looks like many bloggers are starting make money niche blogs, text link ads niche blogs and internet marketing niche blogs. While I find the topics of discussion insightful and informative in some of these niche blogs, alot of them have content that are copied or duplicated. What it means is that, some bloggers will follow some popular make money niche blogs and duplicate the information found on these niche blogs. There is no originality, only a little revision and rephrase on the content.

While there is no right and wrong in this manner of writing niche blogs (not considered plagiarism unless the entire amount or certain amount of content is copied), it gets boring after a while. Text link ads niche blogs are rising in popularity as more and more text link ads companies are launched. While everyone is geared towards making money from blogging, let us not forget to contribute quality content to our readers. This makes niche blogging more fun and meaningful. Agree?

online resource for life insurance matters

In the past, the subject on life insurance sounded foreign to our folks but not today. More and more people are aware of the important of life insurance and its benefits. The focus is not always on the person insured but caring for the needs of the person's family members. At least, that is the reason why I bought a life insurance plan.

It gets better when you can read up more information on life insurance and compare quotes before committing yourself to any. With questions like term life quotes, return of premium quotes, universal life quotes, whole life quotes and survivor life quotes, they can be confusing to a layman. Lifeinsure.com is an online resource to answer to all your life insurance needs. From the website, you can increase your knowledge in life insurance, compare quotes, get quotes and read articles on life insurance.

low fare guarantee at Cheapoair

For most vacations, the main cost of the trip goes to air fares and accommodations. So that explains why whenever there is a huge travel fair going on, the exhibition hall will be packed with lots of avid travelers, who are all ready to grab some cheap and discounted airfares for their trips. To be honest, I stay out of these fairs. I don't like the pushing and noisy crowd, not that kind, if you know what I mean.

What you may not know is you can also get cheap fares for your vacations online. This is another one to bookmark for you future reference - Cheapoair.com, a one-stop travel booking site for the lowest airfares. Cheapoair.com compares all travel sites to present you the best and lowest fares so that everyone can fly. The website features the Top 25 best deals in a glance or you can check on the specific travel deals for honeymoon, weekend getaways, student airfares, family travel and seasonal deals. For business travelers, search for your lowest business class fares right here.

Providing more than just lowest fares to clients, you can check out the searches for hotels, car rentals, vacation packages and other destination guides. Owned and operated by a team of travel industry professionals, http://www.cheapoair.com offers the best in terms of money and service. I'll heading down to check on some top deals now and maybe you should too.

a whole new vacation experience in The Bahamas

You can tell by my previous posts that I'm all passionate about travel. Every year, I will plan for a long vacation for the family and picking a destination is fun. For a long time, I have been thinking about a vacation to the Bahamas and the Caribbean islands, especially when I flip through those travel vacation magazines or watch the Top 10 best beaches shows on Discovery Channel.



Without much elaboration, most people know what to expect from a Bahamas vacation. Idyllic beaches, sweeping waves, clear blue skies, turquoise blue waters, golden sunsets, island cruising, all inclusive vacations, luxury resorts, snorkeling, diving trips...etc. What I really want is to do a Bahamas cruise. I have seen them the Bahamas cruise itinerary on some cruise sites and it looks like a real indulgence if you are a lover of the seas. Since I can't unwind the clock and plan for a honeymoon to the Bahamas, I can propose this for our 10th wedding anniversary. Being an ocean enthusiast, I don't think DH will mind a bit, as long as he is kept in the dark about how much a luxury Bahamas vacation will cost.

children and their powerful minds

I never know a three year old can pick things up so fast, sometimes it scares me. Something fell one day and I yelled out, "Oh My God!" My little boy was there but he said nothing except staying focused on his cars and train set. Few days later, his toys fell on the floor and I heard him exclaimed, "OMG!" I was stunned... and embarrassed. I felt guilty. From that day onwards, I'm careful about what I say and do as I have understood that little minds are like sponges... they absorb fast and well, both good and bad stuff. This incident has taught me to be a more responsible parent because our children look up to us and we are to set examples for them to follow.

expert tips to finding used cars

I smell a conflict in the air... every other month, DH and myself will have this conflict about "who gets to use the car". Since the beginning of this year, I have been talking him into getting him a second car to avoid this 'car' conflict and though he agreed at that time, he changed his mind not long after. DH is a great believer of used cars. He doesn't subscribe to the idea of fast depreciation on new cars. The thing is looking for a good and reliable used car dealer can be challenging at times.Well, I guess that's what a niche site like Auto Guide is for. This is the place to find the used car that fits not just your budget, but with its powerful Guided Search System, you can choose the colour, style, mileage, location, and even one that fits your lifestyle! How cool is that!

With colourful photos and sellers' details, you are not kept in the dark on the purchase. Whether it's a Honda or a BMW, it is helpful to get expert tips on advice on what to look for when purchasing used cars. The website is full of useful information including video and audio reviews by the automotive expert, Bobby Likis.

savouring on the luxury of Turtle Bay Resort

DH almost fell off the chair when I told him that I booked a beachfront studio suite that carries a nightly rate of $1,024 a night. Well, this studio room at the luxurious Turtle Bay Resort features five miles of beachfront that includes the beauty of Kawela Bay, Bay View Beach Lawn and of course Turtle Bay. It's at least 45 minutes away from the busy tourist scene of Honoluly and right here, you can enjoy the natural beauty of the North Shore and spectacular ocean views from every room.

But I am just teasing him. This rate is too much for our family's Hawaii vacation, won't mind it if it is a second honeymoon - lol. Hawaiian vacations can be enjoyed in many ways and styles. You can decide from a relaxing one or a high energy one that involves surf boarding or parasailing, which I will be doing. I have been spending my late nights reading up some Hawaiian Local Travel Information since my day is filled with too much distractions. The excitement is building up as the month comes to an end... that means we are closer to our Hawaii vacation!

great water adventures at the Big Island

Oh yes, we are going to Kona and I'm excited to take Clayton on this cool submarine expedition! This is an unforgettable 35-minute journey aboard an Atlantis 48-passenger submarine, and you may remember seeing it in featured in National Geographic television. Clayton will be so happy to see these colourful sea creatures at a depth up to 100 feet! He has seen it in Little Einstein's TV but very soon, he can experience it for real!



If you are planning for a trip to Kona, here are lots of nice Big Island vacation rentals to choose from. You can also find more travel ideas and tips at the Hawaiian Travel Blog if you are planning on your Hawaii itinerary. Some of these vacation rental homes in Big Island have the best oceanfront views and they do command a higher price. But the scenery of the Big Island is as dramatic as the setting sun, which glows with an enchanting beauty as the ocean beckons. This is what a real vacation is all about, isn't it? To behold the beauty of Mother Nature and all of its surrounds.

luggage online store for your travel needs

How timely! I was just talking to DH about buying a new luggage for Hawaii vacation this December. There is a difference between DH and me. He tends to go for 'no brand' luggage and I believe in quality and durable ones, even if they cost a little more. The problem with 'no brand' luggage is the quality of the material, zip and manufacturing process. And when you have a luggage with a broken zip during your trip, it is frustrating and annoying, and risky!

So, when I came across Innovation Luggage, I was delighted... just when I needed one for our Hawaii trip. The cool thing about this online luggage online store is that you can even find travel tips and articles, and there is one article that mentions Oahu... and that is where we will be based!


Since we are planning to bring only ONE luggage for three of us (we are advised to only bring one and buy one more in the US... our aunt knows that we will be returning home with two luggages - lol), we need one that has wheels, big enough for three of our stuff, easy to bring around and durable. The selections at this luggage online store is fabulous! There are all sorts of luggages - duffles, backpacks, hardside luggages, canvas luggages, garment bags, kids' luggages, totes, plus other travel accessories. You can shop by category or by brand. All luggages are displayed clearly in colour photos and detailed description and the best thing is the websale prices are alot cheaper than retail! Another thing unique to the site is that there are ratings to each bag and you get to read comments/reviews by real consumers. That is such a great idea. This helps to avoid buying a product that doesn't live up to its expectations.

blog directory by alive directory

I just had a discussion with my internet marketing coach about the new blog directory that is launched by Alive Directory. Unlike the thousands of directories in the web, this is one that is not free. With options of regular links, featured links, deep links, you can choose to pay yearly or place the links permanently. Permanent links will definitely cost more than the yearly ones so it all depends on what you need and your budget. My coach has submitted to hundreds of directories to gain my web presence and traffic for his sites. Well, if you are serious about being a pro blogger, directory submission is one area you need to seriously consider.

multiple niche blogs are fun and exciting!

This is getting more and more exciting! I will be receiving some natural make up sample from another online store. It is fun to do reviews like this - real reviews and I don't charge for it :) This, I guess is the perks of blogging and it's something not many people enjoy. But for a shopping like me who owns multiple niche blogs, including a shopping one - this is good fun!

So if you have a nice product which you believe will benefit my readers here, drop me a note and I may consider doing a review for you for FREE :)

attractive hotel deals in South Africa

When Tracy came back from South Africa few months ago, she had so much to tell us. She had taken lots of lovely photos of her trip, visiting the national parks, spending quality time with her close friends and enjoying fine taste of South African wines. I was told that driving in South Africa is rather safe as the roads are well paved and the transport infrastructure is well established. Like most countries, all motorists need to possess a valid driving license and they are not talked on the cell phone while on the road. Common sense and extra care should be observed to avoid any unnecessary mishaps or accidents.

South Africa remains a popular spot for international tourists and hotels in Johannesburg are in abundance. For budget travelers, the two and three star hotels are available around ZAR600 and most holiday makers would probably choose to stay near the city for easy accessibility. Hotels in Cape Town are just as easy to find and there are last minute and all years specials available at CheaperThanHotels. The online hotel booking site is easy to navigate and all the nightly rates of each hotel is displayed on the destination page. Whether you are searching for hotels in Sandton or other South Africa cities, you would have no difficulties finding a hotel that fit your budget.

search for discount hotels in London

London has so much to offer whether you are a first time visitor or one who has been there many times. Everytime when I hear friends talking about London and its attractions, I will nudge my DH and remind him that we must visit London one of these days. Few weeks ago, a good friend had visited London for the first time while her husband was sent there for work. She had such a great time that I knew she would like to book another visit soon!

There are lots to see and do in London. Choose from a driving itinerary to a shopping one, check out the cycling itineraries, history tours, spa and pampering packages, sightseeing and train itineraries, whatever you like - the options are limitless! For me, I will definitely make time to visit all the famous department stores and international labels, local designer boutiques and High Street chain stores. A shopping itinerary will include a visit to these streets: Oxford Street, Regent Street, Carnaby Street, New Bond Street and Jermyn Street.



When visiting Great Britain, look for great hotel deals at Cheaper than hotels, an online travel site offering hotels in London, from 1 star - 5 stars in all various locations. The options at cheaperthanhotels present both last minute and all year discounted deals that make shopping for your accommodation hassle-free and easy. If you are looking for hotels in Birmingham and hotels in Manchester, this is also a great site to start your search. I've recommended this site to some friends and they have good things to say about the hotel rates. Now it's yours to check it out.

submit your multiple niche blogs to directory

Directory submission is not a new topic among bloggers, especially active and probloggers. It is wise to submit your multiple niche blogs to directories, which will help to increase web traffic and your presence in the search engines. Submitting your multiple niche blogs or multiple niche sites is a great way to gain web presence. For companies who are marketing products and service, this is another cheap but effective channel of advertising and promotion. It increases your chances of being found by potential clients or customers.

Branching out from Alive Directory sees the introduction of Alive blog directory, a directory submission for blogs only. Like its parent source, you can submit your multiple niche blogs to the relevant categories and choose from the options of yearly or permanent listing. Deep linking options are also available at a fee as the SEO experts have agreed that deep linking is an effective way to optimize a site. Rates start from $29.95/year for regular with reciprocal submission and featured listings cost between $59.95 - $74.95, the latter one includes the addition of five more links.

Post on Multiple Niche Blogs ranked No.1 at Google!

I was shocked to see this last night but what a pleasant surprise! I have never looked seriously into monetizing on keywords on titles and blog posts but from now, I will! Thanks to my new friend, Vedis, who asked that I joined her for some good blogging fun on mutiple niche blogs and it worked. Here you go... this blog appeared No.1 on Page 1 on Google Search last night.

your one-stop resource for moving to an apartment

Has anyone moved to a new city or town by myself, whether it's for education, business or other personal reasons? Anyone gone through the process of searching for apartment, moving your things over, your car, finding a room mate, locating a good and efficient real estate agent?

I did that when I was moving to Perth for my postgraduate studies and the experience was frantic. At that time, there was no internet technology to tap on so it was very manual and time consuming. Moving to an apartment doesn't have to be difficult if you are equipped with the right resources and information. Here's is a useful guide for anyone who is planning on moving to an apartment or researching for a good house mate. There is even a page of helping you how to identify the right and suitable room mates! The website has more than 6 million apartments to rent all over the US so it won't be hard to find one that fits your budget and specifications. Let the moving guide help you to find the right mover, storage company, contractor and getting settled.

how about a luxurious Hawaii travel experience?

Would you spend $1,000 a night for studio suite for a family of three for a vacation? Well, I don't live in a lifestyle of the rich and famous so the obvious answer for me is 'no' :) But well, if you can afford a Hawaii rental house, whether it's owned by a hotel group or privately owned, go for it! For that cost per night, you can expect an oceanfront room with distinct standards in service, comforts and style. The Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort offers the famous Heavenly bed with whirlpool tubs and a gourmet kitchen and luxurious amenities. I can only say that if you want to spend your honeymoon in a luxurious place like this, don't just book it for a night cos it won't be suffice to complete your experience.

For more Hawaii travel info on luxurious stays and selections in all the islands, read the blog at Hawaiian beach rentals.

love those maui vacation homes

Did I tell you we are heading to big bear cabin for New Year's eve? This is all going to be exciting. I believe the kids are going to have great fun as all four of them hang around in one big cabin. I can also imagine the kind of noise they will make. Well, how I wish Anne and Francis' family can join us for our Hawaii vacation. How nice if we can all rent one of the nice, cosy Maui vacation homes together? This is a wonderful way to catch up with each other since we don't see each other as often as we want to.

We will be visiting Maui via the cruise which means we don't need to worry about where to put up during our 2 days in Maui. I have read reviews in the Hawaiian Local Travel Blog about the beautiful waters and idyllic beaches at Maui. Many travelers from other travel forums rave about the friendly locals and relaxing ambience in Maui. It sounds like we are going to have a great time!

designer taps for new bathrooms

How many of you have husbands who are house proud? Sadly, mine isn't. DH doesn't quite bother about how things are like in the house as long as there is nothing major to be done, especially when it comes to furnishings. We are quite different in many ways :) I like nice furnishings whether it's for living room, dining area or bathroom. I've been hoping to change our bathroom design and that includes even the taps in all the bathrooms. These days, Taps come in all sorts of designs and styles, from minimalist to designer to classic to traditional ones. Here is one cool Amber Hola tap that will add such a nice touch to a contemporary bathroom. I would convince DH to install a new bathroom cabinet and a nice shower curtain will be great to dress up the entire bathroom.

I am hoping that DH will change his mind about furnishings after looking at these collections at taps4less.com... if you want a new bathroom, check out the online store for more.

How many Multiple Niche Blogs do you have?

It seems no surprise that more and more bloggers are starting multiple niche blogs these days. This topic by itself is not new but I have only come to notice this very recently... I'm a late boomer, you see :) Multiple niche blogs mean having blogs of specialized topic whether it's a blog on bags, shoes, fashion, shopping, electronics, beauty, technology, making money, internet marketing, pens, food recipes, digital gadgets, health and fitness, paying credit card debts (like my friend, Vedis), reviews, children, parenting, travel, home based business, relationships... the list goes on.

Personally, I have now 5 active blogs:
Home Office Women
Doris Goes Shopping
Passionate about Travel
Organic and Your Health

Plus this one.... I take my hats off those who can run 6, 10 and even a dozen blogs... 5 blogs and I'm finding it hard to manage. It's not easy if you are not doing this full-time. For me, I have a home based business, a parent to an active toddler so 5 blogs are plenty for now.

How many multiple niche blogs do you have?

check out this inspirational blog

Just as I am thinking of ways to spruce up my home office, I came across some great ideas at the inspirational blog of Karl Moore who shares about his love for his office. Well, this got me thinking... do I love working in my home office? Sometimes, we can get so used to the same table arrangements, the same wall colour, the mundane of work flow that we can lose the passion and love for our work space.



Well, Karl has some simple and wonderful suggestions in his post, 'I love my office' to inspire and motivate you to regain that passion again. Among all his ideas, I am reminded of how pictures of inspirational quotes can help me stay focused. Good ventilation is equally important to circulate air in the room and promote good health.

For more inspirational thoughts, check out Karl Moore's Blog.

Get those sexy legs with Leg Magic!

All in the name of fitness and vanity... last Friday, we bought the Leg Magic Machine. What is that? You wonder. Well, this is a machine that helps to work towards those sexy legs in a month! All you need is a minute, a few times a day on the Leg Magic and the lateral gliding motion helps to work the muscles on those inner and outer thighs as well as those hard to tone buttocks and abs!

At first, I found it hard to believe so I got on the Leg Magic and tried it out. In just 30 secs, I could feel that my inner thighs were tired. I was feeling a little embarrassed but knew this was one cool machine to tone up those muscles before I head to Hawaii in December!

For the past 2 days, I could only manage 2 minutes (with intervals) and I could feel the aches this morning - ouch! Unlike the stepper or a stationary bicycle which you can use for 20-30 minutes, it is not possible to do the Leg Magic for 20 minutes. You could not do the Leg Magic for 2 minutes. But what I like about it is you can do the Leg Magic with the TV, place it in the kitchen while waiting for your soup to boil or put it in the home office when you need that time out from the computer. Priced at $130, Leg Magic is portable and can be set up in seconds and be folded away for easy storage. If you are keen, check your local supplier at Google.com and for those who live in Asia, get it at Aibi Gym.

Hide Your IP Address for personal security

How many hours do you spend online everyday? If you are like me, sending lots of emails, visiting websites, blogging, uploading and sending images everyday, then it's about time to consider your privacy and security in the worldwide web! In the online world, our 'identity' is represented by our IP addresess which can led to a revelation of our identity, which includes personal details. After checking out http://www.hide-my-ip-address.com/, I discovered that my identity can be hidden by bothersome spammers and hackers.

One of the ways to avoid these risks and security problems is to install 'hide IP address', a software that hides your identity so that you can go online without being known. In other words, you can surf in privacy without any fear or worry that your profile will be tracked.

Hawaii cruise updates - Looking for Discount Cruises

After much consideration, I'm settling for the Oceanview Balcony cabin for our upcoming Hawaii cruise. The penthouse suite will cost twice as much so I thought that could be saved for a better accommodation in Waikiki. Just to give you an idea - the Oceanview Balcony one cost around $1099 per person and the cheapest suite will cost $1,699.

Also, one member of the cruise reviews forum had offered a great advice. He had reminded me that we would be exploring the islands in the day and be back in the room in the night. Thus, I don't need such a big space plus the three TVs in the suite. When I told DH that, he was so happy that this Hawaii cruise will cost much lesser now.

Since we are departing from Honolulu, the only Hawaii cruise for us would via the Pride of America, operated by the Norwegian Cruise Lines. I'm still looking for the a Discount Cruise to book with...

do u use natural skin care?

Are natural skin care products the answer to all of our problems? Different people have different answers to these questions. However, the reality is that due to presence of synthetic preservatives, itís really tough to find a natural skin care product that is 100% natural. There are natural skin care products that have natural preservatives, but be prepared to pay more for these since they would have a shorter shelf life.

You should still take heed of the following recommendations even if you are using natural skin care:

• healthy eating habits (avoiding oily food)
• regular exercise, drinking a lot of water (8 glasses everyday)
• personal hygiene.

This will then form a perfect and completely natural skin care routine that will help maintain a healthy beautiful skin for longer time.

the BEST in Dish Network Satellite TV

In our of my earlier posts, I wrote about the battle between the two 'boys' in my house, one is three years old and the other is in his 40s. Somehow or rather, they both were 'quarelling' over the satellite TV and insist on watching each's favourite program.



It's amazing how Dish TV has played such an important role in our lives today, especially if you are staying in a country with lousy local channels. But today, I was shocked by an attractive and 'hard to resist' Dish Network Satellite TV Summer Special. This company is giving away up to $1,399 freebies! All you have to do is to sign up as a first time subscriber with Dish Network and you can qualify for a $75 cash gift plus one of the five fabulous gifts including an Apple iPod, DVD Player, DVD Portable Player, a set of sleek Home Theatre System and a $50 Visa Gift Card.

These summer offers don't just end here though. You still get free installation, free HD DVR and Dual Tuner DVR Receiver upgrades, (savings of $1,000 in total), free activation, free HD Programming for 6 months, free Dish Network system and free HBO and Cinemax for 3 months! How do you resist a real deal like this? Satellite Solutions Network guarantees the best deal in Dish Network TV and stands by its excellent customer service and support.

To find out more or to order instantly, you can do so online or call 1.866.869.3109. Summer offers end on 31 August 2007.

orlando fun

Wyndham Orlando Resort

It looks like the budget for our Waikiki beach accommodation has to be raised. It's certainly not cheap to stay in a beachfront or oceanfront property in Waikiki! Unlike hotels orlando where hotels and resorts are more affordable. Even if you stay in a resort in the Walt Disney World, nightly rates are still around $150 and I'm referring to a 3.5 star hotel. I have heard so much about what Orlando offers, it's truly a city of fun, entertainment, adventures, activities and excitement. For the young and old, singles and couples, the theme parks and night entertainment are the main attractions at Orlando. This city is definitely in our travel destination list in the near future, hopefully before we move to down under :)

marc jacobs or armani?

Just got back from lunch and a little walkaround. DH was annoyed with the bad service from a staff at Deli-cious so there was my caesar salad. We headed to Sushi Groove, a new Japanese fusion restaurant at One-U - food was ok and I only wished they turned the lights brighter. That dim lighting was not suitable for mall diners at all :)



I almost bought a pair of new shades and while deciding between the Marc Jacobs and Emporio Armani, Clayton got cranky and DH's face was black. So that was it - no shades for me. I found these two pairs on the web... the prices listed was more expensive than the ones from the store in the mall, after discount, of course. Now, I can tell DH it's cheaper here... he was trying to convince me to buy it during our US trip - I can't wait!

getting organized

Are you an organized or neat person? I used to be but these days, I'm so swarmed with work that all my stuff are left lying around and it's getting too messy. When I was sewing crystals and beads on my wedding train and gown, I bought of lots of Swarovki crystals. After the wedding, they were left in packets and envelopes and I have forgotten to organize them properly in containers. Maybe, I should get one of these colourful storage bins then people used in garages. It is perfect for me to sort out all the coloured beads and crystals in different sizes. I can even keep my rolls of satin ribbons in the storage bin.

designer bag review coming soon!

I am all filled with excitement. I'll be doing a designer bag review in a few weeks' time! Well, the thing is it is truly a site worth spreading the word and I'll so pleased that I have the privilege to do the review. The bag is so lovely and I can't wait to receive it in the mail. Til then, watch out for the review, ladies!

THOOF - oh, what is that?

A new social media and personalized news site had been launched, I was told. When I went finding out what it was, my friend scribbled on a piece of paper - THOOF.COM. I looked at her and thought she might have made a mistake - what was she talking about>

Oh well, I went looking this morning. So she was right about how it was spelt - Thoof.com. But I wonder, why this name - why not something else? Looking at the logo design of Thoof, the 2 'O's remind me of the 'O's in GOOGLE. They are graphical representation of our human eyes. And that's what Thoof is about anyway - it searches for news, list them for your read and save you time from googling. 'Th' can be the short form to 'That', 'This', 'They, 'Them'... it's about 'Anything' - people, events, things, happenings, buzz... etc. 'F' - oh well, I don't mean to be rude but some people may think it means the big 'F' swearing word. But maybe, it's just there to make the term sounds good. Thoof is better than 'THOO', right?

But let's not worry about what it means... what's cool is the kind of information you can get at this social media site and from here, you can be kept up to date with what's going on in and around the web. So, what do you think 'THOOF" mean :)

last day of holiday!

Finally, it's the last day of school holidays and Clayton is going back to school next week. Sigh... it feels like a month though it's just a week. He's been playing non-stop and watching lots of TV that I'm feeling more and more guilty for not spending enough time with him. He's been so stubborn and strong willed that we can't help but to use the rod on him alot these days.

Last night, he got cranky again and I caned him on his butt (only believe in caning that part). In the midst of it, he cried out in tears, "Mama, why you beat Clayton?" When I heard that, I felt soooooo sad. I put down the cane and opened my arms and gave him a big hug. He calmed down right away as I explained to him what he did wrong. That was tough love...

HITS the SPOT

After reading the special 5-step HITS-THE-SPOT cleaning process at Quality Carpet Cleaning, I am convinced that I can have carpet for our new house! Due to my allergy and rhinitis condition, I get particularly uncomfortable with filthy and old carpets, whether it's found in a hotel room, friend's house, function room or departmental store. It gets worse if the carpet is damped and has a musty odour. Over the years, I have heard complaints from friends with carpet flooring that it is hard getting good carpet cleaners.

Well, I believe they won't have this problem if they make an appointment with Quality Carpet Cleaning who specializes in 'hitting the spot' for all cleaning jobs including carpet cleaning, pet odor control, tile cleaning, upholstery cleaning, rug and drapery cleaning and carpet repairs, for both residential and commercial customers. It is no wonder that the company received positive reviews from happy customers for their superior customer service, job efficiency and quality delivery. With this famous 5-step Hits-the-spot cleaning process, you can ensure that your carpet will be thoroughly cleaned and refreshed. What more, there is a 30 day no-hassle guarantee if you don't think the job is done!

Time out - do a tag!

I owe Shopping Mum many, many tags (pai seh lah)... but since I'm so stressed after a long day putting up with my boy's crankiness, this tag is a good break for me -:) So, this is for your reading pleasure....

Where is your cell phone? Next to me, in case Shopping mum alerts me for any opps - lol.
Relationship? Married
Your hair? Short, coloured, Trendy - yay!
Work? Yep.
Your sister? No
Your favorite thing? Travel
Your dream last night? Too tired to dream :)
Your favorite drink? Juices
Your dream car? The A Merc
The room you’re in? Home Office
Your shoes? Downstairs lah
Your fears? Creepy Crawlies
What do you want to be in 10 years? Lady of leisure who is a problogger too
Who did you hang out with this weekend? Family
What are you not good at? Numbers
Muffin? Depends who bakes it
One of your wish list items? Alaska cruise
Where you grew up? Singapore
Last thing you did? Put boy to sleep
What are you wearing? Errr... not telling you
What aren’t you wearing? Makeup!
Your pet? None
Your computer? MacBook Pro
Your life? Blessed
Your mood? Cool
Missing? Chocolates
What are you thinking about right now? Finishing all my posts
Your car? Nissan X trail
Your kitchen? Messy
Your summer? Huh?
Your favorite color? Black
Last time you laughed? Just did
Last time you cried? don't know
School? No
Love? Yes

luxury of waikiki

After some late nights of research, I've finally confirmed our Hawaii trip itinerary. We'll be spending 8 days (all in all) in Honolulu and another 7 days on the Hawaii cruise on Pride of America. Looking through the Wakiki hotels and Hawaii home rentals, it looks like I need to raise our budget if I like a condo with oceanview. The ones along Waikiki beach are exorbitant but the location is ideal. Imagine waking up to a golden sunrise or ending the day with a beautiful sunset... unobstructed ocean view! Outrigger has many luxury properties in Waikiki and the prices are nothing less than $250 for a one bedroom!

I'm still going to look through the popular pages atHawaii home rentals, just to reconfirm my selection and options. Well, I haven't revealed the rates to the man of the house... he may freak out - lol. Here are some pictures of the hotels/condos in Waikiki...

two boys fighting over TV

This must be one less productive week for me! Clayton is on holidays for a week and he's all over me. Momma has to play cars and watch Playhouse Disney with him. I feel sorry that I can't spend as much time with him as I want to as I have datelines to meet, work to do, posts to complete... for an active 3 year old, being stuck at home must be terribly boring! And they try not to turn on Playhouse Disney for the whole day as he's getting addicted. Can you believe the 'two boys' in the house fighting over the TV? It sounds funny but it's true! Both dad and son are fighting over the TV. One wants CNBC and the other is screaming for Playhouse Disney.

Anyone has this problem at home too?

truth on addiction

Whether you like it or not, we live in a drug-oriented society and it seems that there is a pill to settle any of our discomforts. It is not surprisingly, therefore, that many people have problems with drug addiction. When your body becomes accustomed to the presence of a foreign substance that it no longer function properly if the particular substance is withdrawn, you can said to have an addiction. So when a person who is addicted to a drug experiences withdrawal symptoms if he is deprived of it.

Many of these individuals who are suffering from drug addiction need the help of a Drug Rehab to help them overcome the excruciating pain of withdrawal. Besides, they need help to get back to normal life and that includes healing broken personal relationships, loss of employment and even criminal behaviour. The truth is that with some drugs, addiction becomes a matter of psychological dependence.

a peek at barcelona and madrid

There are various types of travelers - budget, leisure, casual and luxury ones. Before you plan for your travel itinerary, it's important to determine your budget and decide how much you would spend for your vacation. For instance, a train journey from Barcelona to Madrid may cost lesser than flying but imagine the 5.5 hours - 9 hours train journey. It's alright if you can afford the time but if you have only few days to spare, then flying will be the best option. Besides, with low cost airlines being the talk among leisure travelers, it can be less costly than you think. Air Europa flies daily from Barcelona to Madrid and it only takes 1 hour 15 minutes,. tickets may cost between 94 euros to 320 euros return, depending on flight time and schedule. It is normal to pay more during peak seasons too.

When it comes to choosing a hotels in Barcelona or hotels in Madrid, the options are limitless at Cheaper than hotels. If you are a backpacker looking for hotels en Barcelona, a hostel in Barcelona is available at 19 euros and for those who can spare a little luxury, a night at Arts Ritz Carlton is yours at 372 euros :)

For Hotels en Madrid, a 2-star Francisco I Hotel near Old Quarter may cost around 90 euros! And for another 10 more euros, you can choose to stay in the 5 star AC Monte Real Hotel at a residential area. So location plays a big part when it comes to hotel rates. Cheaper than Hotels provides hotel accommodations from 1-star rating to 5-star ratings, featuring all year round specials or last minute rates. Look out for daily specials for every destination. You can also find an overview and useful information for every hotel you are searching for. Bookmark it for your next travel to Spain!

travel from vienna to berlin

My good friend, Tracy, just told yesterday that she might be making a trip to Germany again this November - lucky her! I've never to Germany and would definitely like to make a trip someday.. I'm a travel freak :) I have heard about the high cost of living in Europe so I better be making enough money to make my vacation an enjoyable one.

There are many flights to Berlin and if you are in Vienna, Lufthansa takes you there from 168euros depending on season and flight schedule. There are other cheaper alternatives with low cost airlines such as Air Berlin, Germanwings and Sky Europe which requires some necessary transfers via the SkyShuttle bus. It all depends on your budget. Cheaper air travels may save you some money for better hotels in Vienna or hotels in Berlin. In Berlin, a budget hotel may only cost 10 euros with 5 star hotels starting at 100+ euros. Be expected to pay more for hotels in Berlin in better location, amenities and features.



Hotels in Vienna are cheaper compared to the ones in Berlin with hotel rates ranging from 39 euros to 300 + euros. It still voice down to your budget and preference. For instance, a night stay at 5 star Bristol Hotel Vienna near the City Centre is priced at a special discounted rate from EUR 332. For me, I probably go for the mid range ones located near the city. Convenience is important when you are travelling with a child. Cheaper than hotels offers lots of options for all year and last minute rates so you may like to check them out if you are heading down to Vienna or Berlin. Here are some pictures of Berlin and Vienna...

get your Tae Bo AMPED now!

I just learnt about Tae Bo program yesterday. Founder of Tae Bo, Billy Blanks has such an inspiring story to tell. I was surprised to hear that even DH knew about Tae Bo fitness programs.

In Korean language, “Tae” means “foot and leg” and “Bo” actually refers to “box” in short. This is a no-nonsense program that uses a combination of exercises including self-awareness and control of martial arts, the focus and strength of boxing, and the grace and rhythm of dance to provide you an overall body workout.

Tae Bo programs focus on the physical as well as the mental aspects of your entire being. It is not just about losing those weight but the program helps you to develop self-confidence, discipline, develop speed, strength and the ability to quicken your reflexes. I spent some time on watching the animated and exciting video - the testimonials were great. I have friends who are health conscious, who buy anything related to health, including pulse oximeter, I am definitely recommending the Billy Blanks' Tae Bo AMPED to them!

So, if you are serious about losing those unwanted pounds or to get in shape, Get Tae Bo AMPED now!

Here is Billy Blanks’ Tae Bo AMPED

any Mac blogger out there?

Being a Mac user, I need to spend more money on a lot of things such as Mac accessories, software, Mac memory, upgrades...etc. Unlike DH who spends little on his IBM memory and other stuff, anything to do with Mac costs more. But after all these years, I still wouldn't settle for anything else but my Mac when it comes to graphic design work. I had tried working on the PC for my design stuff and it was just not the same. I know I'm not the only one feeling this way and that's probably why Mac continues to reign among design students. Any Mac blogger out there?

heading to Los Angeles for Christmas

In few months' time, we will be heading to Los Angeles to spend our first Christmas outside Asia and I am so excited about it. We will be staying with DH's cousins and imagine 4 small children having their own fun while we adults get business with Christmas turkey and puddings? I am so glad that DH has agreed to this itinerary, how I miss the shopping outlets in LA!

During a short chat with our cousins, they were sharing us about their California mortgage refinance plans since they are thinking of a new home. With additions to the family, it is normal to consider a new place and that will also increase their level of financial commitments. For now, we are happy to be squeezing in their cosy home with another family of four... this looks like a crowded but fun filled season.

ranting on Clayton's first day of holiday

It's the first day of the one week school holidays for Clayton and as usual, I am left with very little time for my own work. Being a full time work-at-home mom and managing the household responsibilities is a tiring task. Today, I'm so annoyed with the kitchen faucets in my kitchen. For the past few weeks, it has been been leaking and sometimes, I will be all wet when it sprays on my shirt. Clayton enjoys his 'water play' session when that happens and guess who has to clean up the mess?

Where is daddy?

leave it to the experts

Bloggers who are involved with blog advertising networks tend to pay attention to page ranks and SEO matters. I'm not sure about what's happening with the Google Pank Rank updates for this quarter but I don't see to spot any movements in mine. Over the last few months, I have many blog posts on the topic of SEO, website optimization, web traffic...etc.

These days, many companies with websites are looking seriously into optimizing their sites to gain more presence among search engines. Instead of leaving this specialized job to a professional website optimization firm, some companies try to do it inhouse or engage an amateur in order to save some money. But this is a big mistake. An experienced website optimization firm is able to increase your website visibility through various methods which will in turn increase your bottom line profits. Even if you are running a small business such as an online store, optimizing your site can bring you more visitors and exposure in the competitive online marketplace. This will in turn increase your profits in the long run.

travel tales for real

Most of my travel itinerary planning are usually done online but yesterday, I bought a Conde Nast Traveler magazine as the current has a feature of cruises. Personally, I prefer to read stories and travel tales by real travelers, people who have been there, done that. Realtravel.com has a blog that features travel stories of individuals and I'm one of those who shared my travel tales in the blog too! What's nice is that you get to read real experiences and find out what others are doing, their review on accommodations, suggestions on food, shopping and places to see and go.

It can be a wonderful resource if you want to read up travel articles including family travel, honeymoon destinations, itineraries, view and share travel photos, find out flight and hotel info and much more. So, check it out if you like to read the 'real' stuff - unbiased and unedited - all from the writings of real travelers.

tips to stay on diet

We often hear people complaining about being out of shape and not being able to fit into old jeans and dresses. Yet, many refuse to pay the price of maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise. Some prefer to use Caralluma Burn or fat burn products to beat those excess pounds while others sign up for slimming programs.

If you are serious about losing some weight, here are some diet tips to help you stay on a diet:

1. Drink eight (8) oz. glasses of water daily.
2. Keep track of your progress, use a weight loss log.
3. For a good diet, stick to pre-planned healthier foods.
4. Eat smaller meals throughout the day rather then larger meals.
5. Exercise three times a week.
6. Eat slowly, let your appetite catch up with your food intake.
7. If you do break your diet one day, get right back on it.
8. Stay away from starvation or yo-yo diets.
9. Avoid eating late or eating after dinner.
10. Choose healthy snacks if you need to munch in between meals.

do you own a boat?

Just the other day, DH and myself were discussing about how some people would spend millions of dollars on an apartment in the city. So I told him that if I had lots of money next time, I would like to own a cruiser or a small houseboat.

Whenever I get a chance to visit a marina, I will spend some time checking out on some of those luxury boats. I would believe that the owners of these expensive and nice looking boats would have covered their boats with good boat insurance. No body can predict the unexpected change of weather conditions and anything can happen when you are out in the sea.

It's so convenient to get a boat insurance online. With Cover My Travels, customers can have their policies approved instantly or within 24 hours. The site provides insurance for all sorts of boats including canoes, catamarans, yachts, speedboats and more. If you own a boat and haven't got a policy, it's time to get a free quote from the website.

looking for condo hotels...

The excitement is heating up as our airline tickets are confirmed. I've began my itinerary planning officially and DH has agreed that we'll stay in Hawaii for about 2 wks before flying to Los Angeles for Christmas, then possibly Las Vegas for a few days before flying back to LA again.

This morning, an email came from our cousin that we may be spending New Year's Eve at Big Bear Cabin! I'm still hunting for nice Condo Hotels for our vacation, I always prefer the luxury amenities of a hotel plus the spacious and cosy ambience of a condo. It's Saturday so I'm taking a break from work and doing some vacation planning!



I really like the Hawaiian condos managed by Outrigger... I just hope it won't burn a hole in our pockets :)

back to fitness

While many women are fighting to lose those extra pounds, I've been trying to do the opposite :P A large of the weight loss was attributed by extensive nursing and a busy lifestyle of balancing work and motherhood. Maybe I should try some muscle milk or start a weight gain program but at the end of the day, it's health that matters, not the numbers. While I still fit into a Size 6 or 8, a couple more kilos will be great. I'm getting back to a regular exercise routine while waiting for True Fitness to open up. I miss those Les Mills classes - Body Pump, Body Combat and Body Balance. I need those muscles back!

our spontaneous trip to East Coast Park

Clayton is a city boy... don't blame us cos there isn't any beach near to where we live. Growing up in Singapore, I used to cycle at East Coast Park since I was a little girl. The sad thing is I have neglected this popular local beach after I stepped into the working world. During our last trip to Singapore, while DH was driving past East Coast Park, I coaxed him to stop by for a while since we had our car with us. He reluctantly agreed but that decision was probably the best we made in our trip. We seldom do spontaneous things like that, DH is just not that kind but with a crazy wife like me... just be ready with more surprises!



We walked along the beach, rented a bicycle and cruised along the park. Clayton was worried the sand getting into his feet but he got over it very fast.



Here are some photos of our spontaneous, unplanned East Coast Park trip in Singapore... it was one of the best trips we had... after so long.



Clayton loved his bicycle ride... check him out.

I want Airinet broadband!

High speed broadband internet is almost a 'must' these days for most of us who are online more than 12 hours a day. I often get frustrated over slow speeds and worse still, interrupted connections every now and then. In the last few months, DH and myself have been checking on faster internet speed connections in our area but we are often told that installation is in progress. Malaysians can lament with me on this issue - our internet connection and server is simply pathetic.

How I wish we can have wireless broadband - yes - I mean 'WIRELESS', which means no modem needed, just like the one in Airinet Network, which is super fast and only cost $25 a month, serving the Pueblo area in Colorado. For only $25 a month, you get limitless access PLUS 100Mb email and hosting with any monthly plan. With Airinet broadband internet, you can surf and get connected anywhere, anytime, with no cables or telephone wires needed - how convenient is that?

Pure luxury at the Virgin Islands

You wanna talk about luxury? Then you need to take a walk with me to check out this luxury waterfront 4 bedroom villa located in St Thomas US Virgin Islands. Welcome to Villa Nicoletta.

First, I am impressed with the website design - it reflects the concept of this luxury villa, not forgetting the 'live' hostess giving a virtual overview of this property. The information on the website contains everything you need to know about the villa, the surroundings, the area and its attractions. Let me warn you: you will be enticed! It is a site with some of the loveliest photos with clear details of what to expect at St Thomas. Everything looks like a piece of paradise - the bedrooms, dining area, deck, ocean views, beaches, the little touches, decorations, kitchen...etc. I was blown! My DH took a sneak peek when the live video was played and he was mesmerized!

This is such an ideal place for honeymooners and weddings. All you need is some extra cash and you can enjoy pure luxury at every corner of these St Thomas Villas. Let's be honest here, luxury doesn't come cheap but the memories will last a lifetime... don't believe me, check out these pictures!

weight loss portal with a difference

Five years ago, Singapore celeb and actress, Andrea De Cruz went through a bout of liver failure and transplant after taking a slimming pill. She was so close to death but the glimpse of hope came when her then fiance, now husband, Pierre stepped in to donate part of his liver to her.

So why have so many women willing to take risks with unknown and untested slimming pills to fight weight loss? All in the name of beauty, you may say. Being a natural health advocate, I believe that weight loss should not focus on just the 'weight' measurements but the total wellbeing of the person. I took some time to review a weight loss portal with an interesting site name - LookCut, which sets its uniqueness apart by looking at health for life and NOT short term solutions of weight loss.



The articles found at LookCut are geared towards health and fitness that combines issues on weight loss, fitness, diets, nutrition, longevity, wellness and long term benefits of healthy living. It focuses on how healthy weight loss can be achieved realistically by today's urban and busy individuals. I appreciate the teachings of Lookcut of caring for the overall health aspects of busy individuals instead of advocating weight loss techniques like some portals or sites do.

Eating for longevity means selecting wholesome foods including fruits, vegetables and whole grains and saying no to unhealthy saturated and highly processed and refined foods. It involves wise decision making and discipline plus knowledge in knowing what is good and bad.

The resources and supplements offered at LookCut focus on health and longevity, energy and fitness and weight loss concerns. You may also learn more about health issues by participating in LookCut's forum where topics of discussion include weight loss, diets and supplementation.

Text Link Ads, Sponsored Reviews and more!

I love opening up my mailbox in the mornings these days... it brings me smiles except for one morning but well, that is history. They say, 'don't look back, just move forward'!

This morning, I am greeted by another nice surprise from Text Link Ads - I got another Text Link Ads sold in my home office women! Last night, I had two sold - one in HOW and the other in Doris Goes Shopping. That is not it. I had 4 accepted bids from Sponsored Reviews!! I like Sponsored Reviews as I get to choose who I like to write for and I'm beginning to enjoy the bidding process. What's nice is I only pay a 35% commission and not 50%. Besides, most of the advertisers have quality websites to be reviewed. The other day, I had an offer from an advertiser for Live Life: Organics and Your Health - I was delighted! What a fantastic platform it is to connect bloggers with advertisers - in a fair and professional way!




Yesterday morning, I got another Link Post from LinkWorth Ads - this is a new text link ads program and it is fabulous! I'm still hoping for more text link ads from Linkworth :)



I am truly glad that there are many advertisers who are global in their thinking, who believe that the THE WORLD IS FLAT (Thanks for highlighting this, Vedis). They make decisions not based on WHERE bloggers are located but on the QUALITY of the blogs. And that should be the way. So guys, don't feel down just because some paid blogging network thinks that we Asian bloggers are inferior. The world is changing. Just look at which country is thriving in the area of outsourcing? Is it the US? Think about it.

When God closes a door, He opens a window.

This saying is so true and I am counting my blessings :) Thank you for believing in the Asian blogs, advertisers :)

Wordless Wednesday - Clayton loves greens!

Did I ever mentioned that Clayton loves vegetables? Yes, I am so thankful and blessed. I have heard so much stories of how parents have to bribe their kids to eat their greens...





Ahhh......



what is this?



munch... munch.. munch

boost the immune

Ever since I recovered from asthma and my night cough, I have been faithfully taking my Vitamin C, Propoplus and Echinacea daily. I'm feeling good so far except for the little sniffles last week. Whenever Clayton comes down with a cold/flu, I tend to be the next victim so the next thing to do is to work on my immune system.

When we have a strong immune system, our bodies are not susceptible to coughs and colds or other respiratory illnesses. I have been told about the benefits of colloidal silver and how it can help to boost the immune and fight common colds. Though I haven't tried it, I believe there is a great deal of research on the web on colloidal silver that I can find. My friend uses it to ease her monthly menstrual cramps and she swears by it. Anyone has any experience with colloidal silver?

vacation tickets booked!

Finally, I have confirmed our vacation plans this December and booked our airline tickets. Since we need an open jaw ticket, flying to Hawaii and coming back from LA, I need a travel agent to do the job. I figure out that it's too complicated doing this online. The travel agent just confirmed that we would be flying by Delta airlines with a 12 hour transit in Korea before enrouting to Hawaii - 12 hours!

Well, I must not forget to make arrangements for our medical travel insurance, an important must-have in all our trips. I was reviewing the Cover my travels and was impressed with the coverage that included many medical conditions that were often not included in other insurance companies. A good and comprehensive coverage means less worries, headaches and unnecessary stress. In order to ensure a smooth and pleasant vacation, it pays to evaluate a good travel insurance so that all your travel needs can be taken care of.

online tutoring

It's not being a child these days. I remembered those good old days of riding my bicycle in the evenings or hanging around at the playground. It was a wonderful childhood albeit simple and plain. I have many friends with children who are in primary schools and they are already so stressed up during their children's exams... sometimes, I wonder why. They are only 8-10 years old and their weekend schedule is full of activities including tuition for all sorts of subjects.

Have you heard of online Tutoring? Hasn't the internet changed the way we learn and live? At tutor vista, you can find online tutors for a host of subjects including English, Math, Science, Geography, History, Algebra, Physics, Economics and lots more! The interesting thing your online tutor is available everyday, 24 hours! If you are keen to find out more, head down to the website and don't miss the unlimited online tutoring package for all subjects at $24.99, valid for the first month only.

my adsense is moving!

2 weeks ago, I jumped with joy when I saw my google Adsense skyrocketed to $9! I had never in my life had $9 in a day! I know I probably sound suakoo but it's just one of those little things that light my day. As a matter of fact, I can see that my Adsense is seeing some movement compared to my earlier days of blogging. $19 for 7 days - not bad lah ..... I'm looking forward to my second cheque from Google :)

my mineral makeup review is up!

Last week, a package from the US came in the mail and I jumped up with joy when I opened it. In the box were many little jars of mineral makeup powders, sent to me by an online makeup site, Lush Erth, which specializes in pure mineral makeup. Well, I tried them on last weekend and did a review on it. Check out my mineral makeup review plus those fabulous brushes!

If you don't know what mineral makeup is, then you are definitely missing something here. They are affordable, natural, don't clog pores and create a radiant finish. Read it, buy it and try it to believe it!

lesson to be learned

This is a true story. I had a business friend who had a strong entrepreneur spirit. He started his own business in his early 20s and due to his hardwork and determination, he managed to grow his business to more than 50 staff within a year. Being someone who took big risks in his business deals, he started negotiating bigger contracts even when the company was not ready. What made it worse was his poor accounting management skills which led him to accumulated debts. Soon, he was having problems paying his creditors, staff's salaries, getting himself into credit card consolidation and eventually, he resorted to filing for bankruptcy.

This could be avoided if he had approached professional negotiators to help him to draw out a debt relief plan. These debt analysts can assist in evaluating his situation and negotiate a lower debt settlement with his creditors. By doing this, he didn't have to resort to bankruptcy and with his entrepreneur spirit, he could start anew and afresh. The lesson for him would be to calculate his costs first before embarking into any new ventures. It always helps to analyze all business plans carefully and not be overcome by greed and the temptation of getting rich quickly.

discussion continues...

First, we have geo segmentation, then, there is discussion on the boards our 'ingrish' not being up to standards. This morning, I was told about a new discussion on how some old time posties are cheating on the system with an attempt to get higher PR and better Alexa rankings. And it seems that these people who are doing that are not from this region! They are given more opportunities for the simple fact that they reside in the US and then, they cheat the system. It must be frustrating huh, knowing that the mouth that you fed are cheating on you...

Trust the Rome experts

My two good friends, Meng and Kim just got back from Rome for their honeymoon two months ago... they had so much to share. After viewing their lovely photos at their photo sharing page, I am inspired to make a trip to Rome someday. I must admit that I'm not a big fan of ancient architecture or history but I still want to see the ancient Rome. I believe the experience will be an awesome one.



I recalled Meng telling me that searching for nice and affordable accommodations in Rome can be challenging, especially when the Malaysia ringgit currency is low and everything is expensive after curency conversion. So it is important to find just the right accommodation at a good price. Seriously, there are so many online travel sites and it's hard to narrow your search to just one. But this morning, I found a great place to search for hotels in rome and the best thing is, the hotels, bed and breakfasts..etc are handpicked by the local experts, Mauro and Paola. Not only are they experts about Rome... they live in Rome! That means you can ask them about the latest updates of Rome - weather, happenings, local news, attractions...etc.



You can trust that their opinions are current and 'real' as they have visited all the recommended accommodations listed on their online travel site. Who else to trust but the people who have personally seen and experienced these hotels, inns, apartments, car rentals... they have handpicked the selections based on quality so you can be rest assured that you are not picking any dinghy hotel. Find also on the website details of Rome attractions including the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, St Peter's Square, Spanish Steps, Pantheon and much more.

*sponsored

clayton's updates

Clayton is enjoying every bit of school in the last few months. He has been coming home with his craft work and colouring sheets. I often hear him singing to a tune and sometimes, he will be telling me about his friends. He's talking alot these days and could recognize every letter, number, animal, fruit, vegetable, vehicle...etc. I saw these animal masks and thought he would like them for his semester thematic party. He doesn't like anything over his face so I'm really not sure if he would wear them. But they are so cute. Check them out if you have little ones at home.

dinner at SOHO

Lately, we have been hanging out at SOHO restaurant on the weekends. I like the Shanghainese tim sum and the creative dishes on the menu. It's a touch of modernity plus traditional Chinese classic dishes. The other day, we had chilli crab noodles and pork floss olive fried rice. The chilli crab was not too bad except that the sauce is to sweet and the noodles tasted like 'Maggi noodles' - lol. The pork floss rice was surprisingly quite nice but too much of it made me thirsty. I told DH that if he want me to cook with these standards, he better get me a set of berndes cookware. He looked at me and said that he would rather come to SOHO more often. How rude!

Calling all boxing fans!

Ever since Clayton came along, DH was banned from watching any boxing shows in the home. I have no problems with the game, in fact, I used to enjoy a boxing match in front of the TV with DH on those lazy evenings. My brother was a lightweight boxer in his military days and it was fun watching the 'real' match together with an enthusiastic audience.



I just learned that something exciting is happening on August 18 at the South Town Exhibition Center in Sandy, Salt Lake City, Utah. All boxing fans, listen up here! Book your tickets early for this exclusive, not-to-be-missed boxing match between 25 year old heavyweight Russian boxer Roman Greenberg and 35 year old veteran boxer Damon Reed.

To date, Greenberg has been undefeated in his matches with his recent victory over his match with Michal Simms and this coming one will be one that may challenge his career. But Greenberg has come a long way in his boxing career with the support of Backgammon Masters, the backgammon online specialist who also acts as Greenberg's sponsor since the commencement of his career. This big match will also feature professional boxers, David "Tuaman" Tua, "Baby" Joe Mesi and Jeremy Williams.

Some of you may have recalled Backgammon animated series featuring the tiger mascot, Jean-Claude. BackgammonMasters, who is the leader in backgammon online has seen the champ in Greenberg before he became famous and this exciting Utah match will continue to unveil the true potential of this heavyweight boxer.

black diamond, anyone?

Any woman for black diamond? Personally, I'm not very drawn to it as it doesn't sparkle and tends to resemble onyx or artificial black stone but when it's combined with sparkling diamonds, it can be dazzling and alluring. It's the design that counts and makes all the difference. This is a cool one of those sophisticated diamond rings that I saw in an online catalog and the design is contemporary and stylish. Set at 14K white gold with a total diamond weight of 1/4ct. It's on sale at $399.95 (usual price at $595) at reeds.com ( Item # 18899898 )

when voice becomes an asset

The other day, DH was researching on a health product that was hitting waves in the marketplace globally. Out of curiosity, he did a research on the company online and was greeted by a powerful, convincing male voice once the home page was loaded. A clear explanation about the company and the signature product was read out via that male voice over talent. The voice was clear, firm, rich, strong and most importantly, very captivating. It engaged the listener and I was drawn to it even in the midst of my work.

This explains how voice over is so vital in the key aspects of marketing, promotion, advertising and communication. We experience this in our daily lives, whether it's narration on the TV or someone announcing a piece of news over the radio, we can be drawn or bored by 'that voice'. Voice over is a skill and actually influenced by some bit of talent. A good voice over talent is an asset to the company promoting a certain product. It creates life and energy, it interests audience to listen up, to find out more.

So from now on, open your ears. Pay close attention to these voice over artists when you play the radio, watch a movie or an advertisement.

shopping for computer furniture

I just received a furniture catalog in my mailbox few days ago. It is one of those things which I like to keep for future reference since I enjoy looking at home furniture and furnishings. But after browsing through the entire catalog, I couldn't find what I need. I was hoping to find some computer furniture since my work area was getting a little messy with more things added on my working table. I missed the computer table I used to have years ago. It helped to save space and keep my computer equipment neat and tidy.

Nowadays, school computer furniture are getting more sophisticated and modern. With most schools having computer labs, these furniture are becoming popular as they are necessary to provide students a complete learning experience. I would believe that in no time, I would be getting a computer table for my little boy. Things are just so different now...

your stop for evening gowns

I like to be honest here. I tend to get cold feet whenever I'm invited to formal dinners in the past. That is because I always have a problem with finding the right evening gown for the occasion, whether it's a wedding, a corporate dinner ,prom dinner and dance or special event. Being a casual person, I don't have any Formal Dresses in my wardrobe and sometimes, I end borrowing from good friends.

If you are like me who need help in finding the evening gown for that special invitation, check out this online store of elegant and glamorous gowns with various sorts of designs and style. The one-stop store offers designer dresses and gowns that are priced affordably plus FREE shipping on all orders. Shopping online means no time wasted in walking from one store to another and worse still, it may not be easy to find a store that specializes in Evening Dresses.

With a store like Elegant Mart, attending a dinner function is no longer that stressful :)

perks of blogging

One of the nice perks of writing product reviews is that I get to receive nice samples from advertisers. 2 weeks ago, I received a couple of good quality makeup brushes from Erth Mineral Makeup, an online store that offers a good range of mineral makeup including foundation mineral powder, mineral eye shadow, mineral concealer and mineral blusher.

Erth Mineral makeup is 100% pure, crushed minerals which uses the finest ingredients and use no unnecessary fillers such as bismuth oxychloride and our cosmetics contain no nano-particles. In other words, you don't have to worry if you have dozed off to sleep with your makeup on!

The large collection of colours means you can find an appropriate colour that suits your complexion and skin tone. What is nice with mineral makeup is the natural finish of a non made-up look yet making you look radiant, fresh and beautiful. All Erth mineral makeup is naturally non-comedogenic and bacteria resistant which makes it great for those suffering from acne and rosacea.

Read about my Erth Mineral Makeup Brushes with a review on the mineral makeup coming soon! Any jeweler like to send me a sample for review? lol.

relax on the ocean

Few weeks ago, I cut out a newspaper advertisement on cruise vacations and pasted it in front of my work desk. DH saw it and asked if we were going for the 12 days Hawaii Round Islands cruise. It got me thinking about including a cruise in our upcoming vacation and even if we can't do it this time, I would like to take Clayton on an ocean cruise someday.

Going on a cruise is a lovely way to relax, unwind and enjoy a carefree time with your loved ones. I always think it's a great way to enjoy that honeymoon or even tie the knot. Destination Oceans specializes in European cruises including cruises to Alaska, Bermuda, Mediterranean, Hawaii, Greek Isles, South America, South Pacific and more. You can pick from either the attractive all-inclusive cruise packages or cruise-only deals, depending on your preference and budget.



Honestly, I would love to take an Alaska cruise one of these days. I have heard much about the wonderful adventures and spectacular beauty of the Atlaska. Destination Oceans provides lots of cruise options for these popular destinations which makes it a useful resource if you are planning on a cruise vacation.

*sponsored

my query finally answered

Ever since I bought Clayton his first pack of vehicle flash cards, he has expanded his vocabulary in vehicles and taken an interest in construction and heavy equipment vehicles. I have never paid much attention to any construction site til becoming a mom to a talkative boy, who will shout out 'crane', 'loader' and 'bull dozer' whenever we pass by one. Sometimes it makes me think... where do these heavy equipment drivers learn how to steer those huge and heavy vehicles. It requires skill and precision to operate them.

Ahhh.. here is the answer to my query. I came across a heavy equipment operator school who specializes in providing skilled training in heavy and construction vehicles including bulldozer, backhoe, excavator, loader, road roller, crane...etc. Associated Training Services (ATS) has been in the industry for the last 16 years providing hands on and practical training to help those who are searching for a career in heavy equipment operator industry. With various certification for different kinds of equipment, graduates can look out for job placements available from the schools.

If this is what you are after, check out the programs offered at ATS.

let's go brisbane

Whenever I mention about travel Australia, people will be all excited about Melbourne, Sydney and Gold Coast, but if you have never visited Brisbane, you may be missing the big part of fun in Queensland.

My first visit to Brisbane was dated more than 10 years ago and I had been back to this lovely city a few times now. In fact, next year, we may be planning for a trip to check out the property scene, if my DH hasn't changed his mind. What I should include in our itinerary this time around are day trips to some islands like Bribie island, Moreton Bay or Tangalooma. A wildlife trip should excite my little boy and a country drive to the Sunshine Hinterland will be a great adventure for our family.

I would much prefer to pick a Brisbane accommodation in the city or Southbank on one weekend to enjoy the flea markets which is a great place to shop for some local arts and craft and food produce. Besides, I just found an online booking site that has lots of cheap hotels in Brisbane. It is not difficult to find a good Brisbane accommodation with the wide selections at Cheaper than Hotels. Hotels are all categorized in their star ratings or by regional location. Find other attractive deals at the site including Sydney hotels, Adelaide hotels, Perth Hotels and others.

u don't need to be a celebrity

One of the most enjoyable times I had during my last trip to Singapore was the opportunity to have a casual dinner with Jill and my good friend, yarris. It was a girly outing so that was even nicer! Jill has been an image consultant in the last 23 years so she is really an expert when it comes to dressing right and image management. I enjoyed hearing her witty answers to beauty questions and there was so much knowledge in her.

We also had a conversation on los angeles plastic surgeon as I was keen to learn her views on plastic surgery and beauty. It is becoming such a common thing to hear about celebs going for plastic surgery and young women opting for aesthetic surgery to look like magazine models. To many, being beautiful means having perfect features - big eyes, long lashes, sharp face features, sharp noses, flawless skin and a proportionate face. One of the highlights in Hollywood is to talk about what is the best beverly hills plastic surgery where luxury and style can be displayed in every aspect of the center. From the interiors to the service, plus the sort of procedures available, it looks like Rodeo Drive is the talk among media and the rich and famous. Offering services from los angeles breast augmentation, liposuction, tummy tuck and their signature Mommy Makeover, it is a one-stop beauty place for those who can afford the luxury of Beverly Hills. Then again, you don't need to be a celebrity to patronize and in fact, everybody is treated like a celebrity at Rodeo Drive.

on beauty

Lately, I have been paying more attention on my colour scheme when it comes to dressing up. I guess I'm influenced by what I learned in the Image Asset management workshop conducted by Jill Lowe 2 weeks ago. Moreover, I will be conducting her workshop so I should take what she taught seriously.

One of the things I learned is that being beautiful is not about how expensive your clothes should be, what branded shoes you wore, how big that diamond ring is, what sort of makeup you use, how large those boobs are or how tall and slender you should look. I don't deny that I like designer stuff and would hop into designer sales every season. Like any other women, I would go for nice things, sparkling diamonds and flip the latest style magazines (when i find the time).

Many celebrities flock to los angeles plastic surgery to get those eyelids lifted, those botox injections, make the lips fuller or get a beverly hills liposuction to appear slimmer. I suppose they are also influenced by peers who shape those flat noses or schedule for a los angeles tummy tuck to fit in those skinny jeans. That's just a beauty culture in the entertainment industry.

I may be vain but honestly, I won't choose any of these surgeries cos I'm afraid of pain :) Besides, I believe in good diets, regular exercise and natural beauty. As much as I respect the vanities of some women, I wouldn't spend money to go through those painful procedures. The only thing I did that was close to fixing my face was to remove some moles on my face when I was in early 20s. That was also vanity... I was growing up. I do believe that the surgeries may be necessary for some women who need them to fix some facial disorders. Being women, our physical appearance does help to boost our confidence and self-esteem.

Anyone had any facial or beauty surgery before?

wanna go skiing?

I know summer holidays has just ended and you may think that it is too early to discuss about Christmas holidays. But if you are a seasoned traveler, you know August is not too early for that peak season, especially if you are planning for a ski vacation.

Here is your answer to a well-planned ski vacation at Whistler. Let's begin with a look at Whistler accommodation website that lists a huge collection of lovely ski retreats from 1 -10 bedroom properties at the location of your choice. The comprehensive website features Whistler lodging with nice photos and clear details of what to expect for the chosen accommodation, whether it's an apartment or a mountain townhome.



There are so many beautiful snow-covered properties that it is hard to decide which one is the best of the lot! But if I were to pick one, I would like one that has tall expansive views of the mountains and ski fields like the Northern Lights 16. This property is great for big groups as it comes with 5 bedrooms and sleeps up to 12 persons. A 5 min walk takes you to the slope and the village is just round the corner.

Let's travel Swiss

In 2004, we took a family trip to New Zealand for a month. One of the most memorable thing we did was the TranzAlpine trip that took us through Canterbury Plains, through the heart of Southern Alps; passing tunnels, untouched forests and spectacular gorges to the West Coast.



But there is one other train trip that I must take when I visit the Swiss Alps in the next few years. That is the Glacier Express which has won raving reviews from visitors and travelers from all over the world. And if I'm making a trip so far, I definitely have to include a few nights stay at the St Moritz, known for its luxury and exclusivity in every angle. It is a place coveted by those who seek privacy, relaxation and pure travel luxury and the truth is the hotels at St Moritz deliver their quality standards in excellent levels.



The Badrutt's Palace Hotel is one such example which is not only known for its luxury architecture and interiors but it is a legend and a landmark in this elegant town. I read that every room in Badrutt's Palace Hotel has a view of Lake St Moritz to the lovely snowy mountains behind it. I can imagine how breathtaking it would be to wake up to a view like this!

The best way to travel around Swiss cities, Swiss Alps and villages is to buy a SwissPass which allows you unlimited travel during your time of travel. All Swiss Passes include most of Swiss Travel System's public transport network including trains, boats and buses... not only will the Pass saves you time, it saves you money and adds convenience in your itinerary planning. You can purchase the Swiss Passes online prior to your travel and from the website, you can choose from the options available including the Swiss Pass, Swiss Flexi Pass, Swiss Card and the Swiss Transfer Ticket. These Passes provide value and are designed to suit your travel needs.

For more information on planning your Swiss vacation, check out: http://www.travel-swiss.co.uk

I'm back!

After running around for the last two days in Singapore for back-to-back meetings, I'm finally back in my home office. I was so busy that I couldn't find time to update my blogs as much as I like. Nevertheless, it was a fruitful trip with alot done. Let me grab a drink, answer all my emails and post some updates in the next couple of days.

a boat can make a difference

I am almost 100% certain that all of you who are reading this post have roof over your heads, food on your table, internet connection and a computer to surf and read my blog. I would like to ask a thought provoking question today.

Have you thought about those who don't have the above blessings you are enjoying today?

I hope that every one of us is involved in charity in some ways. Charity is not about how much you can give but it all begins with the heart and the willingness to make a difference in the lives of others. I just came to know about CarAngel, a wonderful ministry that accepts the donation of cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles and also boats and use the proceeds to bring hope and cheer to the many orphans around the world, homeless people, contribute to drug and teen rehab and other needy people and groups.

BoatAngel basically focuses on accepting the donation of boats, yachts and jetskis where the proceeds will be used to educate and give a new start to teens, men and women who were facing problems in life, homeless, struggling with drug addiction and other emotional or psychological problems. Through the BoatAngel Outreach Center, many lives had been touched, changed and transformed as they went through the guidance and mentoring of the Christian workers. Besides extending help to this special group, BoatAngel ministry has many programs to help those who are in need including providing funds for education, medical needs, discipleship training, production of children's DVDs to reach out to more children and parents and international emergencies.

You can be rest assured that a receipt be issued when your donation is made and BoatAngel website provides all the details on tax filing issues on your donation. So if you have a boat or know of someone who has a boat, and the boat is probably left to sit in the yard or garage, think about spreading hope through the ministry of BoatAngel. You don't even need to worry about towing. Just give a call or submit an online form to begin your act of love and kindness. Let your boat make a difference in someone's life today.

Another week has passed

This week has passed so quicky again. I found myself fighting for time to finish my outstanding design work for the Singapore office and balancing well between work and parenting. What's new? Then I almost sunk into a state of disappointment when something unpleasant happened few days ago. Well, July seemed like a rough month here and there but looking back, it was still awesome. I made some mistakes, bad decisions but that opened the door for more learning curves to be learned. I'm all geared up to spend half the week in Singapore in the most productive and fruitful way.

last but not least

Alright... I won't be boring you with my Hawaiian vacation planning after this post - promise :) I have enough information to draft out an itinerary after this. After discussing our vacation budget and preferences, DH and myself arrive to some agreement. I guess if I decide to include Maui, I won't be looking at those Maui vacation rentals and condos which cost up to $1,000 a night. $150 is still affordable and if I can find a nice one for less than that, it would be a delight! Wanna take a peek at the most luxurious property in my search? This is a 3 bedroom suite at Grand Wailea Resort, which overlooks the southern shores of Maui, a real luxury delight for vacationers with a big, big budget. A night's stay in this grand suite comes at a price of $14,338 and you need to pay 100% of this rate to hold the reservation! Wow!



All the Hawaiian travel tips I have gathered will be documented in my travel blog once they are properly organized. And if anyone needs help later, I'll be pleased to offer my advice. But, let's me complete my vacation first, k?

off to Singapore again

I'm off for another trip to Singapore tomorrow to meet a Manila event organizer whom we have been working with in the last two years. Then we have meetings scheduled with our Singapore business colleagues and I'll be meeting my image asset management speaker, Jill Lowe, for dinner. It sounds like a busy trip but I know it's going to be a good one. I need to take a break from my home office and other things. Maybe I need to do a little self reflection and possibly, to allow forgiveness to flow...

This is NOT a sponsored post!

The cool thing about myBlogLog is that you get to check out your visitors and sometimes, your spies too :) Spies? You ask. Yes - SPIES. These days, even the blogosphere has spies. These people go around checking you and behaving like 'police'. But they do it with an intention - to get you into trouble.

Let's get straight here. Like the adulterous woman who came to Jesus with a pot of expensive oil, she was not condemned but commended. Jesus asked the crowd who condemned her: If anyone who has no sin, you can throw your first stone.

So what I'm trying to say is: If you are so pure and holy, have committed no mistakes or are not guilty in any way, feel free to go around like a spy and get others into trouble. But if you are not perfect - then BACK OFF.

Maybe I am confusing some readers here but I'm just tired of people who think they are so good and so righteous when they are doing wrong in their own way. Anyway, I'm ranting again... and I do it for a reason. This blog is my personal space - and this is NOT a sponsored post.

benefits of colloidal silver

I'm thankful to be blessed with good skin. Though my freckles and brown spots are more visible than my younger years, I'm glad not to experience acne skin conditions or breakouts like some people do. I had dinner with my close friends last weekend and Mike was consulting image consultant, Jill, on some serious skin breakouts. He had been put on antibiotics for years and it seemed that the medications were working against him now.

I have read about how colloidal silver can help with acne skin. Research has shown that this is a powerful natural antibiotic that can kill hundreds of disease organisms. And it does not conflict with other medications or treatments. It is however necessary to ensure that the colloidal silver is made of silver particles and not silver ions. Mesosilver colloidal silvercolloidal silver is made of the smallest silver nanoparticles measuring less than 0.65nm with 80% concentration while others may only be 10%.

let's go shopping!

The first time I heard about Target Stores was when I travelled to Australia with my group of close girl friends. Target is one cool place to find good buys, contemporary and quality apparel and best of all, variety in a wide range of categories. It's a wonderful place to shop for gifts, homeware, children's clothing, toys and more.

But now, shopping in Target is as convenient as sitting back at the comforts of your home or your lounging chair. With online shopping being so prevalent in our urban culture, you don't have to drive your car, join the queue and cramp with the crowd. And online shopping has other added benefits like buying with coupon codes that help you save. There is a Target coupon that saves you $5 off a $50 purchase.

For jewelry lovers, check out Blue Nile coupons that offers free shipping for your orders. For Body Shop fans, there are few attractive Body Shop coupons that brings more savings for your skin and body care needs.

wedding and party favours

I can't resist cute and nice things. I am a designer, you see so I pay close attention to details and little touches. One of the things I enjoy doing is to help to prepare wedding favours for friends' weddings or organize party favors for birthdays and special occasions. I remembered wrapping more than 200 wedding favours for my wedding 7 years ago - it was hard work! If only I knew about Purple Soup earlier, I would look more radiant and less stressed on my big day!



This one-stop candy wrappers and favours online store has more creative products than you can think or imagine. With lovely illustrations and artistic designs, there are wrappers and items for all sorts of joyous occasions and celebrations - bridal shower, weddings, baby annoucements, holidays, anniversaries, school events and more. There are also favour boxes for your candies and goodies or you may like to check out the artistic paint cans. Choose from hershey chocolates and nestle crunch for your goodies and prices include these yummies too.



From now til 18 August, the store offers free shipping on purchases above $20.

should I include Kailua Kona?

I am just thinking if Kailua should be included in our itinerary for our Hawaii vacations and if I don't, will we miss something wonderful? If I decide to do too much, we won't be able to take time to explore and discover places. So, I do need to be selective and obey the law of sacrifice. Less is 'More' at times, if you know what I mean.

But should I include Kailua Kona into the itinerary, there is no shortage of affordable Kailua ocean front rental available. You can get a nice one bedroom ocean view condo below $300 and if there are 4 persons travelling, the cost per person can even be more reasonable. The good thing with condos is that you get the home away from home feel and it is less congested, more spacious and somehow, less restrictive.

Well, after looking at the vacation rentals, I may just changed my mind and include Kailua into my travel list.

a need to recharge and unwind

They told me that if I visit Kauai, I must visit the Hanalei beach which is known for its white sand and tall waterfalls that flows from the high mountains. It is situated at the northern part of Kauai and Hanalei Bay is known for it’s surfing, walking, swimming, sailing, boating, fishing and a variety of other fun activities. From the Hawaii travel information, the featured accommodaton is the Hanalei bay resort which overlooks beautiful Hanalei Bay on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. This 22 acre tropical paradise features tropical gardens and flowers, waterfalls, cascading pools, and access to one of Hawaii's most beautiful secluded white sand beaches. With a studio room that starts from $175 per night, it looks like this is a good place to relax and unwind. The room has a balcony that overlooks the ocean which makes it a perfect spot to read a book while putting the daily stresses behind you. I think this is the way to recharge and rejuvenate in a vacation.

Sometimes, I can be so caught up with the city life that I have forgotten to take things a little easier and appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds me. I must remind myself that it's a vacation and I should realign my priorities and focus.

I never heard of Kihei

Ok dokes.. so I never heard of Kihei but after all my research, I found out that this is a nice town located on the western edge of Maui in Hawaii. In the 60's, Kihei is far from today where you find plenty of accommodations and activities. Development has grown exponentially over the years and the city is buzzing with life today. Apart from the wide selection of Kihei homes, nice hotels and restaurants, Kihei also boasts a number of excellent beaches, ocean swimming, scuba diving and other water activities. Kihei is a 5 to 10 minutes drive from Wailea and a 20 to 30 minutes drive from Lahaina. For those who love marine life, the Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is a great place to visit, offering education and information about the humpback and other aquatic wildlife.

According to the Hawaii vacation information, the best way to see most of Kihei is to either rent a car, or if you prefer, at least rent a bicycle or Moped. Otherwise, you miss so much. I heard that another great way to soak up some local culture is to try the local food. Sounds like a nice place to hang about if I have some extra time in our itinerary.

do you like gold?

The Mauboussin shop opened up in KLCC last year and being a Melium group member, I receive regular periodicals from the fashion chain. So whenever there is a postcard from Mauboussin announcing the latest collection, I will be tempted to pop by the shop for a look-see. For more than a year, I didn't have the chance til last week, when we had our event in Mandarin Oriental Hotel, next to KLCC.

Usually, I'm not a fan of yellow gold but I must say that the ones at Mauboussin are uniquely different.What I really like is the pink gold collection though they look awful on my tanned skin. Whether it's white, yellow or pink gold, the value of this precious metal continues to appreciate over the years. They are symbols of wealth, good fortune and luxury. While today's modern women prefer investing in gold jewelry, the mature folks choose to invest on gold bars or gold coins. With the advent of internet technology, buying gold can be done online at the convenience of your home now. Companies like Monex Deposit Company (MDC) will conduct the transaction and arrange the gold to be delivered to your doorstep unless you prefer to arrange for safe depository storage. Maybe I should look into investing in gold instead of the malls.

mauboussin 'moi aimer toi'

Last week, I sneaked out of Mandarin Oriental hotel to buy a gift for my speaker and his wife. As usual, I would do a quick window browse as I walked towards the gift shop. For a long time, I have wanted to step inside the Mauboussin store in KLCC but just never had the chance but that day, I didn't know what happened but I stopped at the window display and was invited to step in.

Well, I told the sales assistant that I only had 5 minutes to browse so she showed me this cute ring with an artistic floral flair. I put it on and honestly, I was tempted to pull out my credit card. But I was also 'sober' enough to give it back to her cos the ring was almost RM8K!! For a white gold ring with a 0.15 carat diamond in the middle, that was luxury shopping! I knew I would be paying for the trusted brand and quality of Mauboussin but still, I couldn't bring myself to make that purchase.

I walked out of the shop politely and was so glad I exercised some self control :) Look at the ring - nice or not?

what kind of holiday do you prefer?

I know my DH will frown at my proposal of picking a Hawaii beach front property as our base. He always have this impression that beachfront means expensive and extravagant but this is not always true. If you take your time to find and compare, you are likely to end up with a good enough beach front accommodation that fits your budget. Also, you need to find a comprehensive online travel site that provides you with wide range of options. First and foremost, determine your budget per night and from there, you can list down your options and compare the features of the hotel or condo. Be prepared to pay a little more for new properties and luxurious furnishings. For some, location is key and they prefer to be near amenities, dining and shopping. Others may like a little privacy and be tucked away from the crowd and noise.

Call me a shopping freak or city girl but I prefer to spend some nights near amenities and a few away from commercialism. At least I get to experience both styles when I Hawaii beach fronttravel Hawaii and have a balanced vacation. What about you? What do you prefer?

heavenly sea

In the Hawaiian language, Lanikai means "royal sea" or "heavenly sea." It can't be wrong when the locals have voted Lanikai for being the best swimming beach. When I read that Lanikai beach is blessed with beautiful sunshine, surrounded by lush tropical plants and turquoise waters, I can imagine how scenic this place can be to sit back and unwind.

Understanding from the Hawaiian travel information, Lanikai is situated at the windwide side of Oahu and it is almost a must to kayak to the nearby twin islands to experience the gorgeous seascape and natural bird sanctuaries. Both islands are popular among boaters, surfers, paddlers and kayakers with many coming to the smaller beach for picnics or a nice swim on the weekends. Choose from mountain views, garden views or ocean views, the apartments found in Lanikai are reasonable and affordable with a studio apartment starting from $135 per night.



The Banyan Hideaway looks like a charming vacation home that can accommodate up to 5 persons with Bali settings and decor to lure you into an instant break from the hustle and bustle of life. These are only 2 of the many excellent vacation homes in Lanikai... now, it is hard to make a choice.

planning for our hawaii vacations

Since the last couple of months, I have been building my travel blog very slowly. I wish I can do more but time is just so scarce these days. With 5 blogs to manage, an upcoming image asset management workshop and a public seminar in Singapore end October, I have so much on my plate. What I really want is to sit down and start planning for our Hawaii vacations, compare accommodations, decide which are the better properties that wouldn't kill our pockets and read more Hawaiian tourist info on the web.

I'm glad to find a blog that focuses on Hawaii where I can read more about the various islands including Maui, the Big Islands, Oahu, Kihei and more. The blog also contains recommendations of things to do for tourists, families or honeymooners. With so many properties found on the travel website, it is easy to find an activity that suits the family including cultural shows, island hopping, helicopter rides, kayaking, surfing....etc.

It looks like I have to squeeze time for my planning when the boy is asleep and the night is quiet... then I may be too tired to check rates and read about hotel features.

children loves water play

Which little kid doesn't enjoy splashes of water in the pool? For whatever reason, children enjoys water play and water parks, swimming floats and suits. Two weeks ago, we took Clayton to the pool at Mandarin Oriental after our event and he had such a great time. I was sitting by the edge of the pool watching my little boy and couldn't helped but smiled at his innocence. He stood at the water feature, splashing water for half hour.. nothing else. It was that easy to make him happy and contented. He looked so cute in his swimming suit... I knew I had to spend a few more moments adoring him before he took off in the pool in a few years' time!

budget that fits

I have yet to discuss our vacation budget with DH but of hand (in my head), it looks like the bulk of the expenses is going to accommodations since the ringgit is kinda weak after conversion. Looking at a range of not more than $150 per night, I can forget about stainless steel spacious kitchen, nice quality leather or suede lounging sofas, jacuzzi spa in the bathroom or large balconies at high floors. But it all depends on location and islands too.

For instance, Maui condos are cheaper than Waikiki ones for the same specs and features. So I would need to balance up our accommodation options and search very carefully. I tend to be fussy when it comes to living space. I don't like old condos or hotels, a little modernity and style would be great. Above all, cleanliness and hygiene remains a top priority especially when we are having such a long holiday. I don't I'll have much problems getting a nice condo as my part of our Hawaii travel plans. With more than 50 pages of options on the online booking site, you can easily find one that fits your criteria and budget.

This 2 bedroom at Kapalua resort is an excellent one but it is way above my budget... $759 per night!

how it started...

Someone asks me, why pick hawaii for our vacation? Here is the story...

Few months ago, my husband and I were both sitting in a restaurant waiting for our food to arrive. I picked up a Holiday Destination magazine and started flipping through the pages of beautiful beaches, luxury resorts and hotels, great holiday ideas and lovely sceneries and there was a feature on Hawaii beach accommodations with lots of useful resources on Hawaii vacation info.

Then my husband asked, "So where are we going this year for our family holiday"? Before I could answer, he said, "I wanna go to Hong Kong for a long holiday. I stared straight into his eyes and gave him a puzzled look. I mean, I love Hong Kong. It's a gourmet and shopping haven. But I never thought about going there for a LONG holiday. So I asked, "How long is long"? He couldn't replied me and I knew he didn't know what he was talking about.

I told him, "I'll like to revisit Hawaii". I was only 23 years old when I first visited this lovely place and I truly miss it. My husband didn't not respond to my answer but he knew I was serious. I took that talk seriously and since, I started planning and researching whenever I had some time in my hands. And I'm just so glad he hasn't changed his mind... you know how men are...:)

What do you use your blog for?

What do you use your blog for? A personal space to hide away and pen your thoughts, share your findings, resources, tips and communicate with your cyber friends, families and other buddies? Generally, if you have an active blog, you must have a certain interest in writing, sharing and networking. Like my DH, he struggles with maintaining and updating his blog... what I wrote in 15 minutes would take him 50 minutes. Then he'll get bored and write his next post few days or one week later. Some people just don't like blogging.

What about you? What inspire you to blog? To make money? To know more people or do you use it as an outlet for your thoughts? I use to keep my sanity, as a personal space and not forgetting, to make some money for my personal needs.

i need help for my itnerary

I think I am needing some help here with my itinerary planning. It's not easy to start when my thoughts are in all places, resources all bookmarked on my MacBook, suggestions and reviews from many others.

I'm going to try out the itinerary search available at Hawaiian beach rentals, a one-stop travel resource to find all kinds of Hawaiian travel info. Or if I like, I can even talk to a local expert by filling out a customized itinerary submission form to fit into my requirements. Basically, this is like getting travel advice from a local travel agent without the need to pick up the phone. Doing the planning online can save time and hassle and money too :)

Well, the thing with consulting local experts on when you travel Hawaii is that you get real and updated advices. Books and magazines may not give you news that are current especially when it comes to activities and special discounts on accommodations. Oh well, I better go fill in my requests... I better start my planning.

holiday planning in progress

Now that our big event is over, I would like to spend more time reading up Hawaii vacation reviews and articles as I plan for our family vacation in December. First and foremost, I need to check out our air tickets flying to Hawaii then to Los Angeles. With the visa application and all, it looks like I have more planning to do :)

Actually, I am so excited to see the new Hawaii since my last trip was dated more than 10 years ago! It looks like no trips to Hawaii is complete without visiting Waikiki. No matter what has been said about its commercialism, this is one place that makes me want to revisit this place of lovely sunshine and endless beauty. I captured the best sunset at Waikiki and that was a memorable experience.

If anyone has a good itinerary to recommend, please drop me a comment. I love real life traveller's suggestions and opinions.

irritated and upset

I'm feeling a little irritated and upset with some news I received from my blogging JeeMui, Shoppingmum... and in order not to stir up more anger, I rather not elaborate the details.

Why can't people mind their own business, earn their money, write their blogs and leave others alone to do the same? Why must they try so hard to harm others just so that they can stand a chance to earn another $5, $10 or maybe $50 more. I call this group of people - EFND - and this is an abbreviation that is to be shared with my close blogging buddies. In life, there is more to just insulting others, getting others into trouble and being a sore loser.

I am ranting cos' I'm sick to the stomach... I am truly annoyed with people who think so highly of themselves when they are too lousy and timid to compete fairly.

let's get detailed with curtain poles

When it comes to home decoration details, DH thinks I'm fussy. It's hard not to pay attention to details because I'm a designer :) Take for instance, I wanted to choose the curtain poles for the bedroom and he thought it was a waste of time. He told me no one would bother looking at those poles!

The thing is curtain poles can make a difference too. It can complement the curtains and bedroom or downplay your splendid curtain designs. So you really need to take time to shop for the right ones. Do you know there are several kinds of curtain poles? There are metal ones, wooden ones, bay window ones, extendable poles and net rails... there you go!

golf and my DH

Sometimes, I am actually quite amazed at my husband's interests in the topic of golfing. Though he had stopped golfing for years, he still watch PGA tour programs and read about golf news updates. He can discuss golf related topics with his male friends, even to the point of suggesting where to buy golf cart parts to some of his golfing friends. He told me that he used to not only play golf but eat and sleep with golf previously. Interestingly, his love for golf took a change when he was playing under the scorching sun one day and since, he gave up golfing... that was it. Funny right?

a fruitful trip in Singapore - business & leisure

It's the last day of the month and I just returned from Singapore. This had been one of the most fruitful trips for me - business and leisure. Business: I attended a fabulous workshop with top image consultant, Jill Lowe; met with my internet marketing buddy, Stuart and my lovely friend, Jacklyn. For leisure: I had a splurge at Tiffany and Marc by Marc Jacobs, and a local designer shop, Womb. (Don't tell me hubby - lol)

It was nice catching up with my old friends, yarris and mike too, who babysitted Clayton, along with their wonderful daughters. I only wish I can catch up with few others.