I’ve kept my hair long for many years now. And it’s beginning to be quite a hassle. Don’t get me wrong, I love how it falls over my back, covering parts of my body to appear less bulky (I hope). But there are days where those locks simply get in the way.
For example, when I wanna reach down to pick something which has fell on the ground (gotta be sure to pull back my hair just so it doesn’t touch the ground)… when I am trying to zip my pants (yes, if I’m not careful, my hair might be caught in the zipper)… when I’m cuddling in bed with SOMETHING (I’m always yelling “MY HAIR! MY HAIR!”), etc, etc. -___-
I’m been contemplating to chop off those locks for some time now. I was thinking perhaps I can get it done when I’m back in SIN for my vacation. So I started experimenting with a couple of looks on iVillage’s Makeover-o-Matic (A Free Virtual Makeover). Check out some of the looks I’ve tried out! >.<
Yet another bombing incident happened in Beirut last Wednesday, 19th Sep 07.
Picture extracted from BBC News
Smoke rises in Beirut from the wreckage of a car carrying Antoine Ghanim, a Maronite Christian MP in Lebanon's anti-Syrian coalition. At least six other people were killed in the blast, which also damaged nearby buildings.
It somehow seems to me that wherever I happen to be, it’s just not safe. Bombings in Algeria, suicide bombers in Morocco, car bombings in Beirut ... ... ... etc. Er, Boss, I ain’t exactly earning millions here for me to be risking my life can. -___-
SOMETHING& I were at ABC Ashrafieh watching RATATOUILLE on the 19th actually. We were kinda celebrating our 4yr 2mths of dating anniversary. (YES! We still celebrate on a monthly basis… very juvenile I know, get over it can! =p) Simple movie & dinner date thingy, nothing exaggerated really.
Oh! Oh! This is addressed to Alicia! Remember the book I bought you for your 23rd Bdae - "All About Me"?! I saw it at a bookstore in ABC Ashrafieh . And guess what!? They have a version called "All About Us" now! Interested? *winks*
Alicia posing with all her gifts back in 2003
Anyhooo, back to the bombing incident on Wednesday... it kinda earned us a day off from work on Friday as the Lebanese gathers to mourn the death of the latest political victim.
Didn’t exactly get to enjoy the long weekend as I was down with what seems like mild food contamination. But after a day’s rest, I managed to drag myself out of the cramp little studio apartment SOMETHING& I are bunking in along Hamra Street.
On 22nd Sep, Saturday, we headed down to our favourite shopping mall ABC Ashrafieh for yet another movie on the big screen! *woo Oooo*
Movie No. 3 *Check!*
After shopping around for a bit, we took a coffee break @ PAUL. I miss coffee frappa sooooooo much! (ice blended/ ice coffee is non-existent in Algeria)
In short - WE ARE HAPPY!!! =)
In didn't take us long before we decided to grab dinner (they don't call us The Eating Couple for no reason *hahaha*).
We tried to keep the dinner light by ordering some BBQ wings to share and a salad each. But the portions were huge and somehow we end up feel stuffed as usual. =p
The animation in the movie was most impressive. The details of every movement, the depths, the colours… all very very superb! Pixar has certainly outdone themselves this time! *applause*
The movie tells the heartwarming story of a rat living in Paris; name Rémy, who goes beyond all boundaries to follow his heart and fulfilling his dream of becoming a chef.
Ratatouille is actually a traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice. The full name of the dish is ratatouille niçoise.
Oh! And I just love the theme song from the movie. The song is in French, it’s called “Le Festin” (Translates to “The Feast”). The song was written by Michael Giacchino & performed by Camille.
Beautiful beautiful song ~ *sway along with the music*
Le Festin
Les rêves des amoureux sont comme le bon vin
Ils donnent de la joie ou bien du chagrin
Affaibli par la faim, je suis malheureux
Volant en chemin tout ce que je peux
Car rien n’est gratuit dans la vie...
L'espoir est un plat bien trop vite consommé
À sauter les repas, je suis habitué
Un voleur, solitaire, est triste à nourrir
À nous, je suis amer, je veux réussir
Car rien n’est gratuit dans la vie...
Jamais on ne me dira que la course aux étoiles, ça n’est pas pour moi
Laissez-moi vous émerveiller, prendre mon envol
Nous allons enfin nous réga(ler)...
La fête va enfin commencer (thanks stef stef)
Et sortez les bouteilles, finis les ennuis
Je dresse la table, de ma nouvelle vie
Je suis heureux a l'idée de ce nouveau destin
Une vie à me cacher, et puis libre enfin
Le festin est sur mon chemin...
Une vie à me cacher et puis libre enfin
Le festin est sur mon chemin...
English Translation:
Dreams are to lovers as wine is to friends
Carried through lifetimes, (and) spilled now and then
I am driven by hunger, so saddened to be
Thieving in darkness; I know you're not pleased
But nothing worth eating is free
My hope is a banquet impatiently downed
Impossibly full, now I'll probably drown
Many thieves' lives are lonely with one mouth to feed
If giving means taking, I'll never succeed
For nothing worth stealing is...
Free at last; won't be undersold
Surviving isn't living; won't eat what I'm told
Let me free, I'll astonish you; I'm planning to fly
I won't let this party just pass me by
The banquet is now underway, so...
Bring out the bottles; a new tale has spun
In clearing this table, my new life's begun
I am nervous, excited; (oh) just read the marquee!
Congrats Bro for making it to the Semi-Finals!!!!!!!! For more details on the rankings, go here.
The internet connection in Beirut was too slow, thus I wasn't able to watch the competition live on the web. I would like to say loads of thanks to my dear dear friend Alicia - who was watching the competition live from Sydney. She was narrating the entire competition to me the whole time while sending me screenshots of the website she was viewing just so that I can be updated of the outcome!!! *THANKS HONEY*!!!
After 4 grueling months in North Africa, I’m finally back in the Middle East – Beirut. *Woo hOoo*
Back to Base = Back to Civilisation = 2 Days Weekend (^.^)v
Especially since now that Ramadan has begun, I am particularly grateful that I am not in Algeria. My bliss ain’t gonna last for the entire month of Ramadan thou… as I’ll be heading back to Algeria at the beginning of October. Which leaves me with 2 weeks of Ramadan to endure. >.<
Oh! And did I mention that during Ramadan, we get shorter working hours too! *Woot* (08:30 ~ 16:00, Thank you very much!) This means I get a chance to knock off earlier and head to the theatres to catch all the movies which I’ve missed out while being stuck in North Africa!!! (Yes, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m quite the movie addict).
Let’s see… since I arrived in Beirut last Friday evening, 14th Sep, I’ve managed to catch RUSH HOUR 3at the theatres in Verdun yesterday, 16th Sep.
And I don’t intend to stop there. I also wanna catch the following movies which will be screening in the theatres here over the next 2 weeks. (In order of priority... *hee*)
This entry might not interest many… esp. the male readers. But I’ve gotta share these life saving products with you. Who knows, you might be interested to try them out yourself! (*o^)v
As most of you already know, I spend more than 85% of my time working in Algiers, Algeria. And if you’ve read my post on “A Peek Into My Work Life”, you would have seen the terrifying (at least to me) working environment I come in contact with every day.
*YIKES*
With the dry climate in North Africa, plus the pollution I’m exposed to day in day out, it’s not surprising that my already sensitive & blemish-prone complexion went from bad to worse since I arrived. Somehow, the products which worked for my skin in Singapore didn’t quite work for me in North Africa.
After much research, I finally found a couple of French products which I’m comfortable with, that managed to keep my troubled skin under control. Well, of course the blemishes are still there. But I now have fewer outbreaks, plus, the surface of my skin feels a lot smoother.
Here are the products I use for my daily skin care regime:
1) Cleanse with Avène - Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser
2) Spray on a layer of Avène - Thermale Spring Water, pat dry with fingertips after 30 secs (*Highly recommended! This bottle of baby can be used for all sorts of purposes; set make-up, toner, anti-irritation, refresh skin when travelling or when in air-conditioned rooms, etc. I keep a bottle in my handbag at all times! Can’t leave home without it!) 3) Apply La Roche-Posay - Effaclar K Acne Treatment Fluid(*Highly recommended! Unclog pores and gets rid of all the blackheads, whiteheads, etc. You can feel the skin smoother after 5 days! I swear!) 4) Apply Avène - Hydrance Optimale Light Cream (*Optional: If your skin feels moisturised enough, then no need for this)
5) Apply Avène – Emulsion SPF50+(*If you’re heading out for the day) I’ve recently purchase Avène – Spray SPF 50+, wanna try something different after using the Emulsion SPF 50+ religiously for the past 5 years.
Call me girly, but I’m all excited just thinking I’ve a new product to try out! Contented with the little things in life! >.<
Went on a short biz trip to Annaba from 07/09/07 ~ 08/09/07. Annaba is a a city in the north-eastern corner of Algeria, near the river Seybouse and the Tunisianborder.
Took this pic in a moving car, pardon me for the blur image >.<
The biz trip agenda was very tight, as a result, I didn't get a chance to look around Annaba. However, I did manage to catch a glimpse of one of the must sees of Annaba - the Church of Saint-Augustine of Hippo, or "Lela Bouna" as it is sometimes reffered to in Arabic. (not becos there was time, but becos I could see it from where one of the dealers was situated at... had to super zoom with my camera in order to take a decent pic of the church) -___-
Church of Saint-Augustine of Hippo
I was staying at Hotel Le Majestic. It was a fairly simple hotel. But good enough for a small city in Algeria if you ask me. Oh, btw, the beds are hard as a rock. My ribs almost broke when I slept on my side... >o<
Hotel Le Majestic main entrance
View from the balcony
On the night I arrived in Annaba, the branch manager brought me and a couple of my colleagues out for dinner at a restaurant by the beach - Restaurant L'Albatros . The food was superb! Esp. the appetiser we had, Papillote Crevette (Shrimps w/ Cream Sauce)... my goodness... it was heavenly. *drool*
Restaurant L'Albatros
A variety of cheese for finger food - My favourite has gotta be Camembert Cheese *yum*
Papillote Crevette (Absolute Heaven)
Fish for the main dish (forgot the name of the fish... but it was pretty good too)
And finally, we finished off the dinner with a traditional cup of Algerian mint tea.
We tried to keep the dinner light by ordering some BBQ wings to share and a salad each. But the portions were huge and somehow we end up feel stuffed as usual. =p
Finally caught the movie 
