Journeys of Aunty Jo Jo

Season's Greetings from Joanna (2011)

2011-12-25T15:31:00.017+08:00

"Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, The one whom the Lord loves rests between His shoulders"

Deuteronomy 33:12

2011 has been a year of resting secure in God's promises. I am writing this newsletter at the end of a six-week vacation in America with my sister, Julie. I've enjoyed the fall colours, celebrated Thanksgiving, harvested oranges and lemons, visited friends in New York and Los Angeles, seen one of my favourite Van Gogh's, and watched the taping of Anderson Cooper's talk show! All in all, a very good holiday.

This after celebrating the anniversary of my first year in business, which has been going well, thanks to the support of clients from Singapore, Malaysia and China. I've also been blessed with connections to new partners in Germany and US. The independence and flexibility of managing my own time, coupled with the intellectual stimulation of meeting new clients, training partners and coaches are just some of the rewards I enjoy about of being a business owner. Thank you very much for your prayers and words of encouragement, and I look forward to sharing some of my reflections with you in the near future.

The freedom of time has allowed me to discover two important things about myself. Firstly, that I truly love singing and miss using this gift. So in August, I auditioned for the New Creation Church choir and got in! I debuted in early November and look forward to serving with the choir in 2012. Secondly, I have gained a clearer view about my personal mission - how I'm meant to channel my skills, experience and networks to serve in a new field. It is very exciting and I look forward to obeying the call as His plans are further revealed in the next few years.

I pray that you will all enjoy the Love and Grace of God in your lives and homes this season. Until we meet again next year,
Merry Christmas and Happy 2012!

Top 5 Tasty Treats

2011-12-24T08:08:00.009+08:00

I can hardly believe that I've made it to the end of my vacation with nary a mention of food that I've had on this trip! To remedy that immediately, here are some of my favourite finds for this 2011 trip to the US.

No. 1 Shrimp and Hot Links Pasta at Johnny Garlic's at Rocklin, California

I love watching Guy Fieri's "Diners, Dive Ins and Dives"on the Food Network and have been wanting to try his restaurant in Northern California for the longest time. The spicy pasta cream sauce was "MONEY!" as Guy would say. Absolutely delicious and highly recommended. And it's not just because I'm a groupie :-)

No. 2 Country Fried Steak and Pies at Marie Callender's

This restaurant chain serves excellent down home Southern style cooking. The very first thing that greets you when you walk in is rows of pies - apple, blueberry, custard, lemon meringue, pecan and everything in between. Went there for breakfast and had my first country fried steak with eggs and hash browns too. All 1350 calories of it. Gulp!

No. 3 Onion Steak at Logan's Roadhouse, Citrus Heights CA

I was carrying a steak craving from Singapore, and the satisfaction factor was met at Logan's Roadhouse. The juicy 6 oz steak was sandwiched between a layer of caramelized onions at the bottom, and topped with deep fried onion rings. That grin on my face says it all!

No. 4 Deep-fried zuchinni at Paul's Diner, Los Angeles

Here's a perfect way to make your vegetables tasty...coat with breading, deep fry to golden perfection, top with parmesan cheese and dip in ranch dressing! Super yummy and highly recommended anytime you find yourself at Paul's Diner located at Buena Park near Disneyland.

No. 5 The Green Room at Chelsea Market, New York City

A rustic yet chic farm-to-table restaurant at the heart of Food Network's HQ in New York. I enjoyed a deliciously healthy spicy sausage and lentil stew for lunch. I'm sure any of the Iron Chefs would have approved of this hearty dish.

From KL to LA

2011-12-17T08:22:00.006+08:00

Don't you love catching up with good friends whom you haven't seen for decades? I do!

Kathleen and I were together at the College Ministry at Calvary Church KL in the early 90's, where we had a fair few adventures. Those were happy times, which got even happier when Kathleen met William, fell in love, got married and whisked off to Los Angeles. Kathleen is now practising immigration law while William works at Disneyland. They have two boys, Sam and Jo, who made us feel so welcome and provided a barrel of laughs!

Joanna and Kathleen in her LA home

(L-R) William and Kathleen with their boys, Samuel and Joseph

Happiest Place on Earth?

2011-12-17T07:46:00.004+08:00

Disneyland claims to be the "happiest place on earth" and on a cold winter's Sunday last weekend, Julie and I set out to find out if that was true. We had free crew member tickets so that was happiness tick no. 1. Then we found out that parking costs $15 - not so happy about that.

Braving the thousands of baby strollers and screams of cranky kids, we made our way to Tomorrowland for the Star Wars 3D ride. The lines were so long that I gave up and headed for the Nemo submarine ride instead while Julie patiently stood in line for 60 mins to catch the Star Wars ride. We had a gumbo lunch at the New Orleans cafe (waiting time 30 mins), Mark Twain riverboat ride (waiting time 40 mins), Its a Small World ride ( waiting time 50 mins), Christmas Parade (40 mins in total). I must admit that after a full day of jostling with a sea of humanity, the experience was as blood curdling as a ride on the infamous Space Mountain!

Still, there's always a silver lining and I found mine at the Sleeping Beauty Castle. It's the one place that left me feeling that this is one of the happier spots in Disneyland, with or without the crowds :-)

Getty Collection

2011-12-17T07:16:00.004+08:00

At the base of the Santa Monica Mountains lies a collection of art treasures attributed to one man, John Paul Getty, who made his fortune during the Depression of the 1930s. The Getty Collection, while not as extensive as the Met in New York or Musee d Orsay in Paris, is certainly a gem of a collection for lovers of Impressionism.

I was so excited to see two of my favourite paintings in one room. "Irises" by Van Gogh, which I had mistakenly assumed was at the Hermitage in St Petersburg and "Haystacks at Sunrise" by Monet. The Van Gogh painting was one of the first prints I ever bought in England, and it hung at the base of my bed for the duration of my MBA studies in 1996. Some of the other artists I was able to identify included Renoir, Manet, Gaugain, Pissaro, Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec.

Another amazing feature of the Getty is its stunning architecture and vistas which show off the City of Angels in all its glory. Thanks again to Julie for planning this trip so that I could get a dose of high culture and art. It was heavenly!

Harvest time at Citrus Cove

2011-12-08T09:35:00.007+08:00

My sister Julie bought her own house in Northern California last year, and it comes complete with a 3000 sq ft backyard with orange and lemon trees. I've always fancied a job fruit picking, and this year, I got to help her bring in the harvest at Citrus Cove (the name of her home)

From Birmingham to NYC

2011-12-08T09:23:00.005+08:00

One of the biggest blessings in my life are the friends I've made and kept over the years. Of these, Andrew and Isabel Chatterton are at the top of the list. I met them when I was studying in Birmingham, England in 1996. Andy was my housemate, and Isabel was my coursemate. I invited Isabel over to the house one day, and the rest is history. They now live in Port Liberte in Jersey City, in a beautiful house with magnificent views of Manhattan.

(L-R) Andrew, Isabel and Joanna

Spectacular view of Manhattan at sunrise from my guest bedroom at the Chattertons

White Collar locations

2011-12-08T08:52:00.009+08:00

My sister and I are polar opposites on many fronts. While I adore New York, she loathes it. In fact, the last time we flew to visit our friends on the East Coast, she refused to go into Manhattan! So it was a pleasant surprise when she agreed not only to come into the Big Apple with me this time, but begged me to track down specific tourist attractions. This change of heart was brought on by a new TV series called "White Collar" - about a gorgeous and very clever art thief, forger and con artist named Neal Caffrey who is working with the FBI to capture other art cons.

And so we spent a day tracking down the filming locations for White Collar.

Here's 351 Riverside Drive a.k.a "June's House" where Neal Caffrey has an apartment. It is a beautiful art deco house with views of the Hudson River. Only caveat is that it is nowhere near the Chrysler Building, which Neal's apartment allegedly overlooks.

No movie or TV show set in NYC is complete without some scenes shot in Central Park. Here are the Observatory Gardens set in the northern end of Central Park, at 110th St. It's less touristy than the Columbus Circle end, but no less beautiful.

The Day Everything Went Right

2011-12-08T07:05:00.007+08:00

30 November 2011 is a date I will remember for a very long time. During English classes in school, teachers used to assign essay titles like "The Day Everything Went Wrong". Well, this is the day everything went right.

Lining up for the taping of Anderson at Jazz on Lincoln, Time Warner Center, NYC

Imagine having a birthday and Christmas present rolled into one. That's precisely what my sister Julie gifted me when she surprised me with tickets to Anderson, a day time talk show hosted by my favourite news anchor, Anderson Cooper. We flew to New York City and headed to Jazz On Lincoln at Columbus Circle for the taping of the show. The theme was "Looking Your Best for Less" and co-hosted by Heidi Klum. We scored front row seats and I'm very excited to watch the episode when it airs this Friday, 9 December 2011.

Heidi Klum and Anderson Cooper aka "The Silver Fox"
(Photo courtesy of andersoncooper.com)

Anderson was standing just 3 feet in front of me for most of the show, but we weren't allowed to ask for photos or autographs so I had to just quietly admire from my seat. He wasn't as tall as I expected but his self-deprecating humour and quietly confident personality came through in person as much as it does on TV. It was also great to see the gorgeous Heidi Klum live in person. But what I really enjoyed was the off-camera banter that took place throughout the show. We got to see these celebrities in a normal every-day setting. Then again, how many normal get to tape a TV show every day? :-)

Strolling through Central Park with Julie

Julie and I lunched at Whole Foods at the Time Warner Center before heading across the road to Central Park. It was magical as always and sharing it with my little sister was very special. Although the colours of fall were slightly muted against the cloudy sky and yet, this iconic setting never fails to evoke a sense of thrill in me about the fact that I am in New York City - my favourite city of all time! As we left the park and boarded a bus on Fifth Avenue, we were stopped by President Obama's motorcade, as he arrived in the city to attend some fund-raisers.

We found out by chance that it was the day of the Christmas Tree lighting at Rockefeller Center so we made our way to 48th St and joined the throng of tourists making their pilgrimage around the tree taking photos. And lo and behold, music started playing on the loud speakers and Michael Buble appeared in front of us! He was rehearsing for the show with some back-up singers. That's celebrity sighting number 4 - in one day!

As if I really needed more reasons for loving New York City!

Christmas Tree and Michael Buble at the Rockefeller Center

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T11:42:00.001+08:00

Thanksgiving is an American tradition that began as a celebration of the harvest when the Pilgrims first arrived to settle in the New Country. It is also a celebration of thanks for everything that God has blessed us with in life.

My sister Julie is one of the chief blessings in my life and I thank God every day for her. Her courage and determination to start a new life in America is an inspiration to me and many others who have entered her circle of friends. She is an amazing cook who has increased her repertoire rapidly from Chinese Peranakan cooking to traditional American Thanksgiving fare in the six years that she's arrived in California.

Our Thanksgiving dinner this year included roast turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing with sausages, green bean casserole, cornbread muffins, baked yams and mashed potatoes. Given that we were born and bred in tropical Malaysia, I believe this was a very credible attempt at producing a traditional Thanksgiving spread. Clap..clap..pat ourselves on the back...

However, food is only part of the equation for a true Thanksgiving. The real essence of the holiday lies in the people who come to share in the feasting with you. This year, we were blessed to share dinner with Esther and Albert Hui, a pair of siblings from Julie's church and the Mouas: Jessica, Joshua, Faith and Zachary.

Fall Colours

2011-11-20T11:28:00.003+08:00

I arrived in Northern California a week ago to visit Julie, and it's the first time I'm seeing America in the fall. The colours are breathtakingly beautiful and I'm really enjoying the walks around the neighbourhood. Inviting you to join me on a tour to enjoy these sights too. These pictures will speak for themselves.

Shanghai Revisited

2011-10-31T12:28:00.000+08:00

Going back to the city I lived in 2008 was very exciting because I love the energy of Shanghai. The super-sonic growth that this city has enjoyed has given it a shiny confidence to greet all visitors. I had the pleasure of showing my American partners, Amy Happ and Eric Woodworth, around Shanghai during our recent visit in October.

One of the things I really wanted to do was to visit my friends Martijn van der Valk and John Laing, who have built a new luxury boutique hotel in the heart of the city, near Jing An Temple. It was so exciting to see the fruition of their dreams, after having listened to them share their visions and plans for the place during our long champagne brunches in 2008.

Posing with Martijn and the brand new Mercedes SLS AMG on the grounds of Hotel PuLi

Kdrama Addiction

2011-09-07T11:55:00.010+08:00

It all began innocently enough one afternoon at the end of July. I had taken a day off to nurse a slight fever and cold. After a futile few minutes of channel surfing, I decided to rummage through my DVDs in the hope of finding something to keep me entertained. My eyes spotted a Korean drama DVD set called "Winter Sonata", which was still in the original plastic wrapper from the time I bought it in 2009! I put the first disc into my DVD player and fifteen hours later, a Bae Yong Joon (BYJ)-loving ahjumma was born!

Bae Yong Joon - the original Korean Valentino who's my biggest crush of 2011

I suppose it would have been a passing phase if I hadn't declared my middle-aged crush so openly on Facebook. The confession opened a floodgate of romantic gushing from my friends, many of whom were die-hard fans of Kdramas, who thought I was too "atas" (Singaporean slang for snob) to ever join the fray. So I spent the entire month of August catching up on the Hallyu (Korean Wave) that started back in 2002 with the release of Winter Sonata. Over many sleepless days and nights, I started chasing down all the BYJ series I could find, both online and on DVDs. These included The Legend, Hotelier, April Snow and Untold Scandal (which is a "hawt" re-make of Dangerous Liaisons).

After listening to my obsessive rantings about Bae Yong Joon for six weeks, Lu Meng, one of my best friends from the Ahjumma Club, gently told me that BYJ is actually passe and it was time to move on to some newer dramas. And so she introduced me to a whole array of delightful new dramas such as Dream High, Boys over Flowers, You're Beautiful and Secret Garden.

Moved on to ogling hot young Korean actors half my age in Boys Over Flowers and You are Beautiful

So in a matter of a few short months, I have become enough of an expert to spot a few trends in Korean drama storylines. It all seems so corny and canned, but I get sucked in every time!

All the lead actors are blindingly beautiful, super fashionable and filthy rich. Look up "eye candy" in the dictionary and you'll see a list of Korean actors. If you don't, then they should be!
The lead actresses are innocently pretty and often economically and intellectually challenged. They seem to need a lot of rescuing!
Boys always end up piggy-backing their drunk girlfriends home
Boys running after bus
Boy always gives girl a star or moon necklace
Boy often has a "bitch" mother who messes with his self-worth and causes him to be supremely obnoxious
Pitiful second male lead who always loses the girl no matter how much he loves her and is always there for her
Someone always has a memory loss/amnesia resulting in an ending with a twist
Sauna spa back rub scene for all the guys
Girls fight by pulling each other's hair!?
Lots of soju (rice wine) accompanied by barbecued pig skin/intestines (which inevitably leads to piggy back for drunk girl)
TEARS!! Every actor and actress can cry to order and weep so prettily that your heart just breaks watching them

And the funny thing is that I didn't even like Korea very much when I worked there in 2000. But thanks to this new obsession, I just might consider another visit soon.

SARANG HE! (I love you!)

A Special Place

2011-07-15T23:02:00.004+08:00

Just at the end of my street lies a pocket of nature known as Fort Canning Park. It's steeped in history dating back to Singapore's inconsequential existence as a fishing village in the 15th century. This 60m hill was known as Bukit Larangan (Forbidden Hill) when Stamford Raffles set foot on the island, and subsequently became the site of his first home.

One afternoon last week, I was looking to retreat from the bustle of my city home and decided to spend a few hours in the quietness of Mother Nature. And I couldn't have wished for a more private oasis.

Fort Canning was home to my father during the years that he was based in Singapore as part of the Malaysian signals in the 1960s. On his last visit here, Daddy discovered that his barracks had been converted into the visitor centre, while his offices are now part of the salubrious Fort Canning Hotel.

I spent a lovely afternoon sitting on a wall hidden under a canopy of trees quietly thinking about the past, present and future. I counted my blessings, thought about my business, sang a few songs and was even inspired to pull out some oil pastels to capture the moment.

That afternoon, I found one of my favourite places in Singapore.

I love Durians

2011-06-24T17:06:00.003+08:00

Can you imagine driving 350kms from Singapore to KL, resting a night, then driving another 400kms to Penang to stay a mere 48 hours? What would possess Aunty Jo Jo to do something as manic as that? DURIANS of course!

Its durian season in Penang and I had to be there for my ang heh (red prawn) and D24! Yumms..

And of course, I got to spend some time with Mum & Dad too! :-)

ArtScience Museum

2011-06-24T16:27:00.007+08:00

The ArtScience Museum opened in early 2011 without much fanfare in Marina Bay Sands complex in Singapore. Which is rather a shame since there are three amazing exhibitions being held simultaneously

Dali - Mind of a Genius
Van Gogh Alive
Shipwrecked - Treasures from the Tang Dynasty

Dali - Mind of a Genius

The word "genius" is often an overused cliche, employed by amateur art critics to window-dress their shortcomings. However, in Dali's case, it is well-deserved. I have always found his surrealist works rather disturbing until I began to understand his masterful use of imagery.

Soft clocks are the hallmark of Dali's work, and they often appeared in his dreams. The reason they appear as soft is because he views time as soft, fluid and cyclical. Unlike most of us who just declare that there are 60 minutes in an hour - hard and fast facts that would have anguished the genius of Dali. He once declared "...as for clocks, they would have to be soft, or not be at all!"

I was introduced to other religious themes in his sculptures such as this work representing Adam and Eve, as well as angels on snails.

In many of Dali's works, butterflies often symbolised the soul. These delicate nature of these female sculptures are reflected in the dainty butterflies they hold aloft.

Apart from sculptures, Dali was also a painter and furniture designer. I thought the furniture exhibition looked rather IKEA-ish, but stood to admire for almost 10 minutes anyway because it was so artfully mounted on the wall and ceiling.

Van Gogh Alive!

Words cannot do justice to this thrilling exhibition. It needs to be experienced, not just seen. Van Gogh is one of my favourites and to see his works projected on 40 giants screens accompanied by some of the best classical pieces is breathtaking!

Standing in front of these Irises projections, I felt as if I'd been magically transported into a spring day in Tuscany!

Sizzling skyline

2011-06-24T16:09:00.003+08:00

Singapore's skyline has undergone a dramatic transformation in the last two years, thanks to the emergence of Marina Bay. The entire complex is breathtaking, be it day or night. And it's such a pleasant place to go for a walk, far from the madding crowds of Orchard Road.

View from Lantern Bar at Fullerton Bay Hotel

Potato Head Beach Club

2011-05-15T22:43:00.000+08:00

I sneaked a quick trip back to Candidasa, Bali in May this year with seester Li Ki to catch up with old friends and make new ones. While propped up at the bar one evening, we heard rave reviews about a new club called Potato Head in Seminyak. Having been sorely disappointed by the arrogant service at Ku De Ta several years ago, we were a little hesitant about this one.

We were pleasantly surprised!

A stunning facade of colourful screen doors greets visitors at the entrance of Potato Head

The Infinity Pool is a great place for kids to frolick

Sunset views of the Seminyak horizon from the bar

The drinks, food and service staff were all superb! We had the undivided attention of Oka, a waiter who anticipated our every wish and catered to every need (almost!). Li Ki and I thoroughly enjoyed the day out at this new club and will definitely be back the next time we're in Bali.

Meet Nancy Malfanti

2011-05-06T13:51:00.009+08:00

Up till now, the Journeys of Aunty Jo Jo has largely focussed on the places, experiences, food and shopping that I've enjoyed on my travels. An area which hasn't been given enough prominence are the people whom I've had the privilege of befriending along the way. Hence, an introduction of a new feature entitled "Along the Way" where I'll be sharing encounters with wonderful people I've met.

Enjoying a walk along Manly Beach (Sydney) with Nancy

One of the most interesting people who has claimed a special place in my heart is Nancy Malfanti.

Nancy and I become the unlikeliest of friends when we lived in the an apartment complex in Belmont Avenue in Wollstonecraft. What would a 30 year old Malaysian corporate road warrior have in common with an elderly Australian retired kindergarten teacher? A lot more than you think!

What impressed me most about Nancy was her hunger for knowledge! She is an avid subscriber to correspondence courses from the "University of the Third Age" and in one of our first conversations, she completely blew me away with her knowledge of DNA coding and genetic engineering! She also took courses in Art History, Geography and Literature.

We developed a special bond over the garden in our complex since Nancy was solely responsible for ensuring we had the loveliest blooms throughout the year. The gorgeous baby blue and peacock blue hydrangeas that greeted us each spring were a product of Nancy's hard work throughout the year.

Our friendship grew steadily as I often volunteered to take her out for a drive to the North Coast (around Palm Beach) where she grew up or to the Southern Highlands for a cup of tea. I learnt so much about her life, her marriage and her aches and pains. But the most important thing I learnt from Nancy is that we must never stop learning.

Published in Expat Living

2011-04-29T13:26:00.000+08:00

Five years after starting this blog to channel my writing energy, I've finally been published in a Singapore magazine! Expat Living picked two of my travel stories, on Angkor and Xian, to feature in their Annual Travel Guide for 2011. This is so exciting!

Here's to the start of an award-winning, best-selling career as an author ;-)

Angkor - Kingdom of Wonder

The Many Faces of Xian

Girls' Day Out at Universal Studios

2011-03-01T08:26:00.002+08:00

My sister, Julie, is on her biannual visit from the US and we've been exploring the latest sights around Singapore. Yesterday, we headed out to Universal Studios at Resorts World Sentosa on a hot, humid day and had a thoroughly enjoyable girls day out. Thanks Amanda for arranging the discounted tickets!

The obligatory tourist shots of Universal Studios logo and Hollywood Mainstreet

We stopped at Mel's Diner for a cheeseburger lunch before moving on to the following sights:-

Steven Spielberg's soundstage - Lights! Camera! Action - which simulated a Category 5 storm (very cool effects!)
Spinning teacups
The Mummy roller coaster ride (Never again!)
Donkey Night Club Show
4-D Shrek Show

Just outside Jurassic Park

Some friendly advice for all those heading for this theme park...

Pack a hat, lots of sunblock lotion, gallons of drinking water
Stay in the shade as much as you can
Don't go on the Mummy roller coaster ride after having cheeseburger and fries for lunch. It's not a pretty sight :-)

Shrek Land - check out their version for Versace...hahaha!

Backwaters of Penang

2011-02-15T23:33:00.003+08:00

On the second day of Chinese New Year, in the last few years, my family heads to Gertak Sanggul, which is located on the southeastern tip of Penang island. It is the home of Ah Huat, my cousin who is also my god-brother. He makes it a point to return from Kelantan with his family to celebrate CNY with the entire clan.

Before dinner, I will always make a trip down to the beach and walk along the weather-beaten jetty to enjoy the glorious sunsets.

Fishing boats along Gertak Sanggul, which was one of the areas devastated by the Christmas tsunami of 2004

Cal Mex @ Aunty Jo Jo's

2011-02-11T23:54:00.002+08:00

My sister lives in California, and while it means I often miss Julie's company, it's a bummer because I miss her food too! She inherited all the Peranakan genes and is a superb cook. Which is why I'm so thrilled that she's back for a visit this Chinese New Year.

I wanted to make sure that my Singapore "family" also got a chance to savour Julie's cooking so the Chang family was invited to dinner tonight. To give the boys a taste of something different, Julie prepared a Cal-Mex meal of tacos and fajitas, with ingredients specially flown in from California. Judging by the way Justin licked the entire bowl of cheese sauce clean, I'd say dinner was a hit!

Jimmy, Jaclyn, Justin and Jared being treated to a home-cooked meal for the first time at Aunty Jo Jo's!

Season's Greetings from Joanna (2010)

2010-12-31T10:11:00.007+08:00

Dear Family and Friends,

As day breaks over the last day of 2010, I pause to reflect and count the many blessings that have taken place this year. More than any year, this has been a year filled with new beginnings, in body, mind, heart and spirit.

You must have many memories to share as well and I thank you for the honour of sharing some of my highlights with you...

Starting my own business, Five Talents Consulting, in Singapore is a long-cherished dream come true. HR consulting and leadership development programs are the focus and I'm delighted to report that we signed our first deal yesterday! Hip, hip, hooray!
Celebrating my 40th birthday in style with a champagne brunch at the Ritz Carlton in the embrace of some of my dearest friends and ending the day watching my first ever Formula 1 race live
Riding a camel into the Sahara desert to spend a magical night under the stars
Wandering around the ancient souks of Marrakech and enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of mysterious Morocco. The men were pretty hot too! ;-)
Falling in love with my Saviour all over again while attending New Creation Church, believing and enjoying unmerited favour and restful increase
Spending a week at Date with Destiny with Anthony Robbins in Bali learning about moving towards love and contribution, and channeling abundance into places of scarcity
Starting a fitness regime by eating properly, joining a gym and exercising with a personal trainer has resulted in a 3-inch loss all round and I'm fitting back into clothes I wore ten years ago! :-)
Visiting Perth and Melbourne in August and it was wonderful to re-connect with old friends while making new ones
Showing off sparkling Singapore to a host of visitors who dropped by throughout the year: Rene from Switzerland, Corrine from US, Grace from Australia, my parents from Penang, and the Lums from KL
Spending quality time with all my godkids: Justin and Jared in Singapore, Kiersten and Katelynn in KL and Alyssa in Melbourne

Wow...even as I'm writing this, my heart is so filled with joy and gratefulness, and I'm excited to think that a fresh new year awaits with still more blessings and abundance to enjoy!

So here's wishing you and your family the highest favour, deepest love and greatest blessing for 2011.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Night of a thousand stars

2010-12-08T21:41:00.016+08:00

"I sat under a canopy of stars in the Sahara desert and listened to a young Berber man tell me his dreams."

What a magical night it was! Who is this man of mystery? Would you like to know more? Read on...

His name is Muhammad, a Berber guide with beautiful olive green eyes set against a dusky complexion tanned by the desert sun. After dinner and songs by the campfire, he watched quietly as I stood staring at the starry sky for almost an hour before he approached me. We struck up a long conversation that lasted till midnight.

What did I learn that night?

Muhammad is 25 years old, third in a family of eight children, whose parents live 56 kms away from our camp. They are farmers.
He's never been to school but learnt English, French, Spanish and German from daily conversations with tourists who visit the camps, where he's worked for the last 3 years
He dreams of getting married before 30 and visiting Switzerland
"There's no time in the desert!" he said playfully as he pushed my watch away when I tried to see how late it was getting
There are desert Berbers, mountain Berbers and Marrakech Berbers - all of whom have very different customs and languages
There are thousands of stars in the desert sky and the brightest one is called "Taghir" in the Berber language. Muhammad taught me to patiently scout the sky for shooting stars and we were rewarded with two sightings!
It is very quiet in the desert at night. Very quiet. And very beautiful

It's gets very cold at night in the desert but a warm campfire, woollen blanket and gracious companionship is a wonderful antidote.

Shukran Muhammad.

Shadows in the Sand

2010-12-08T21:00:00.002+08:00

Reporting Live from onboard Patsy the Camel

2010-12-08T20:48:00.003+08:00

Tales from Western Sahara

2010-12-08T20:44:00.010+08:00

On Wednesday 1 December 2010, we drove for nine hours out of Marrakech, over the High Atlas mountain ranges, across hot arid valleys before arriving at the oasis town of Zagora. It's situated on the southernmost tip of Morocco and served as our gateway to the Western Sahara desert. And so began our desert adventures...

We arrived at dusk at a small field where a caravan of four camels sat waiting. I've always imagined camels to be white so I headed straight for the largest white camel there and called her "Patsy" (her Berber name is actually Behir but never mind!). I strapped on my large red travel bag, loaded with toiletries and make-up (whatever for!) and climbed up onto Patsy's saddle as elegantly as I could. Screams (mine!) pierced the cool air when the camels rose up on their hind legs. But I recovered quickly enough and settled in for the 6 mile ride to the camp.

It was an exhilarating ride into the desert as night fell. The sights and sounds of the town began to fade as stars came up overhead. We rode in pitch darkness for about an hour and I couldn't see anything! Still, I wasn't at all worried as the guide was leading our camels with gentle clicking sounds to show them the way. Finally, the halt order was given and we clambered down from our camels and made our way to the waiting tents using lights from our cellphones, to the amusement of the Berber guides.

The tents were a sight straight out of my Arabian Nights picture books, laid out with carpets, mattresses and blankets of red, green and gold! Our hosts, Hassan and Muhammad, entered to welcome and serve us black tea before disappearing into the darkness to bring us a dinner of chicken and vegetable tagine.

A magical night followed...which you can read about here - no PG rating required ;-)

The next morning, as we peeked out from our tents, we were greeted by the most beautiful sight. Skies of lilac pink sat above sand dunes, with black and white Berber tents dotting the landscape.

It was very cold that morning and seeing that breakfast had been laid out atop one of the dunes, we quickly made our way to the tables and helped ourselves to the hot coffee and tea (trust the Malaysians to be the first ones to spot food even in the desert!)

We waited for the sunrise and here it is in pictures...

You're so beautiful...

2010-12-08T19:47:00.007+08:00

...is a phrase I don't hear very often when I'm travelling in a foreign country. However, Moroccan men must have a fondness for the well-rounded female form because I received a lot more attention than I'm used to (much to my travel companion Li Ki's amusement!)

Scenario 1 (shopping for a mirror and tagine)

AJJ: How much is this mirror?
M: Oh it is a beautiful camel bone mirror with unusual teardrop shape! Choose something else and we will make good price for you
AJJ: How much is this tagine?
M: Oh madam, together it is only 800 dirhams but (drawing closer and nuzzling my cheek while whispering into my ear) for you, I can make special price. How much you offer?
AJJ: Gulp! Err...200 dirhams
M: Oh madam, it is impossible! Listen...(wraps his arm around my waist)..., I will give it to you only 600 dirhams. By the way, my name is Mustafa. You should stay in Marrakech!
AJJ: And will you give me 25 camels to stay?
M: (responds with a languid knowing smile-quite sexy actually :-)
Li Ki: How much for two tagines?
M: Special price for both of you (he kisses Li Ki's hand then mine!)
AJJ: So how much is the final price?
M: Not 600, not 200. (staring into my eyes - he did have very nice hazel eyes - he pulls out a piece of paper) You are so beautiful...can you please give me your phone number?
AJJ: Double Gulp! OK 350...last price...wrap it up!!

Scenario 2 (strolling along Djemaa el Fnaa after dinner)

Man: Hello beautiful...where are you from?
AJJ: You guess?
Man: Japan?
AJJ: No...
Man: Korea
AJJ: No...
Man: China, China Taipei, Thailand, England (huh?), America (double huh?) and continues naming at least another ten countries (all the while following me down the square)
AJJ: No...no...no.. (all the while walking away)
Man: MALAYSIA!
AJJ: YES! (Walks back and shakes his hand)

Being a Muslim country, I was a little surprised at the amount of touching and groping that was going on. Most travel guide books explain that with 70% of Moroccan men under the age of 30 who have little exposure to local females apart from family members, tourists are fair game. As they usually have more access to Caucasians, I suppose an Asian naturally attracts more attention.

In conclusion, I'd say the experiences were harmless and flattering to some extent...in a creepy sort of way ;-)

Film Sets

2010-12-08T18:41:00.005+08:00

When Li Ki and I first heard that Sex & the City 2 was filmed in Morocco, our interest was piqued. Little did we know that Morocco has been THE film set of major epics for the last 50 years! Gladiator, The Passion, Prince of Persia, Troy, Alexander, Lawrence of Arabia and Cleopatra are just some of the names that were dropped when we visited High Atlas Film Studios at Ouarzazate, about 5 hours drive from Marrakech.

The "Made in Morocco" plane from Jewel in the Nile starring Michael Douglas that's crafted entirely out of styrofoam!

The only Buddhist temple in Morocco used in the filming of Kundun by Martin Scorcese

Aunty Jo Jo trying to fit into the film sets for Jesus of Nazareth and The Passion - and failing miserably :-)

Looking glam on the Cleopatra film set, which was also used for Alexander and Asterix

The Aid Benhaddou kasbah used in the filming of Gladiator and Jesus of Nazareth

The discovery of all the different film sets was a pleasant surprise and makes for a highly entertaining detour between the souks of Marrakech and the sands of the Sahara. The affable tour guides offer up a good laugh, as they struggle to keep tour groups together since visitors tend to scatter the moment they encounter a scene they recognize! I was the guilty party on a number of occasions (smiling sheepishly).

How to make Moroccan mint tea

2010-12-08T18:06:00.005+08:00

While out on an excursion to the Ourika Valley west of Marrakech, we stopped by a Berber home and were invited in to sample mint tea, fondly referred to as "Berber Whisky" in this land of Muslim teetotalers. The friendly matriarch of the family demonstrated how mint tea is made.

Step 1. Ensure all the ingredients and utensils are properly laid out: tea, sugar mint, sage, teapot, tiny cups and stove

Step 2. Take a handful of green tea and put it into the teapot. Fill it up with boiling water.

Step 3. Rinse out the green tea twice or thrice until the liquid runs clear. Note the first rinse is always clear so save it (strange but true!).

Step 4. Sort out a bunch of mint leaves and sage and put it into the pot of hot tea. Note that the sage should first be scalded with some hot water.

Step 5. Pretend to add 2 kgs of sugar into the tea to entertain tourists as this lady is doing :-), or simply add enough sugar to taste

Step 6. Once the tea has steeped sufficiently, pour out the tea into tiny glasses and serve.

How to tie a Berber turban

2010-12-08T01:59:00.002+08:00

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Voila! Got it?

Don't worry. Neither did I. Although I've never looked sexier or more alluring :-)

Moroccan food

2010-12-08T01:05:00.007+08:00

If you ever travel to Morocco, be ready for the tagine -lots of it! The tagine is a unique conical earthenware vessel used for Moroccan cooking. I was most eager try it having watched Jamie Oliver, Anthony Bourdain and countless other food journalists singing its praises. It was delicious and I really didn't mind that every other meal consisted of some form of tagine ranging from chicken, beef, lamb, fish to liver...err.. maybe you should skip the liver version.

The Tagine

Beef tagine with almonds and prunes at Residence Amina - it was the best one we tasted on the trip!

Beef kofta curry tagine topped with egg (bottom) and Liver tagine with prunes (above)

Homecooked Couscous with seven vegetables and chicken served by Zahara (Ismail's mother)

A Berber omelette made from eggs, onions and tomatoes - it was super yummy!

O yes..and not forgetting khoobz (flatbread) that is served with every meal. It was a handy tool to mop up all the delicious gravy!

Marrakech the Red City

2010-12-08T00:12:00.010+08:00

As a child, I was hopelessly enamoured by stories of Aladdin, Sinbad, Ali Baba and magic flying carpets. That's what I imagined Marrakech to be and everything I'd ever dreamed about this red city- ancient, exotic, mysterious - came true the moment I stepped within the walls of the medina (old city)

Bab Agnou - the most imposing gate at the southern entrance to the medina

The 12th century Koutoubia mosque stands as a proud compass in the heart of the medina

Marrakech is one of the most important imperial cities in the kingdom of Morocco. It started as a humble trading post for the caravanserais that snaked their way overland carrying goods from China to Europe. It served as the imperial capital in the 11th, 12th and 16th centuries before becoming the tourist capital of modern Morocco.

Colourful dancers and snakecharmers delighting tourists and locals at the Djemaa el Fnaa

The Djemaa el Fnaa or public square is the heartbeat of the city of Marrakech. It used to be a place of public execution which has now been designated a UNESCO world heritage site that's featured on countless episodes on the Travel & Living Channel. Dancers, snakecharmers, acrobats and monkeys rule the stage by day while the food stalls and spice tea sellers rule the night. The frantic bustle is addictive and it's truly a sight to behold!

Market stalls piled high with fruits, vegetables and Moroccan pastries

Aunty Jo Jo posing with a Marrakech water seller

Needless to say - AUNTY JO JO LOVES MARRAKECH!

Shukran (Thank You)

2010-12-07T23:30:00.011+08:00

I've just spent 8 days in Mysterious Morocco and it's time to blog about it. When I write, I usually like to start at the beginning, build up the story and end with a bang - for maximum effect. This time however, I'm going to start at the end. That's because the best experience I've ever had on holiday took place on the last evening.

Firstly, allow me to introduce you to Ismail Hamzaoui, a fine young gentleman who works at the Residence Amina, where Li Ki and I stayed. His was the first smiley face to greet us when we checked in all forlon, without our luggage. Ismail assured us that all was well and that our bags would arrive the next day. Sure enough, they did and he arranged the airport transfer without even being asked! From that moment on, we became firm friends and Ismail was our "go to" person for everything from broken lightbulbs to camel rides in the desert. On our last day, he invited us home to dinner with his family and we delightfully accepted.

(L-R) Joanna, Rasheed (youngest brother), Zahara (mum), Ahmed (dad), Li Ki

Latifah with the basin for washing of hands before dinner

Zahara showing us how to roll couscous balls before popping them into our mouths!

There is nothing more heartwarming than sharing of food with family and friends. Zahara, Ismail's mum, served up an enormous platter of delicious couscous with vegetables and chicken. While eating from the same platter, Ismail said "Whatever we have, we share. This is our custom." Those words touched me very deeply. Especially when a family like the Hamzaouis invite total strangers into their home to share with them a dose of Moroccan hospitality.

Their generosity and warmth continued after dinner when Zahara presented me with an ethnic scarf from southeast Morocco, where the family originted from. Li Ki received a more modern scarf which matched her outfit beautifully. I was touched beyond words. The gesture of genuine friendship required no translation nor interpretation - it simply said "We're friends."

So here's a big SHUKRAN to the Hamzaoui family and may we meet again, insya allah.

Marina Bay Sands Skypark

2010-11-11T22:22:00.001+08:00

When I was offered the opportunity to chair the 2010 HR Asia Summit at Marina Bay Sands in exchange for a stay at MBS, I gladly accepted. The view from the 57th floor Skypark is phenomenal and it's no wonder that the Skypark has quickly become one of Singapore's must-see tourist attractions. And because I was a house guest, the normal SGD20 entry fee was waived, so I took the opportunity to share it with my "family" in Singapore - Lu Meng, Jimmy and my godsons, Justin and Jared, who dropped by one evening for a visit.

View of Singapore skyline from my 37th floor room at Marina Bay Sands

Aunty Jo Jo enjoying the night views of Marina Bay with Justin and Jared

The Chang family posing by the infinity pool on the 57th floor Skypark

My first F1 race

2010-09-26T23:07:00.001+08:00

Lu Meng bought us some F1 tickets as a birthday gift, so despite being slightly tipsy and dozy after the champagne brunch, we headed to the Marina Bay circuit to face the thundering roar of F1 engines. It was a fantastic experience, and although I got to see less of the race than on TV, the live atmosphere is simply electric! And I must say that standing at the Esplanade Turn 17, with a view of Marina Bay before me, I was really very proud of Singapore, for putting on a stunning show for the only night race of the tour.

Joanna with her standard F1 pose

I swear that there's a Ferarri there somewhere if you look hard enough! :-)

40 & Fabulous

2010-09-26T23:00:00.001+08:00

Thanks to the urging of my beautiful friend, Sharon Wong, I decided to usher in my fortieth birthday in style. Since we were aiming for nothing less than the best, my friends and I headed for a champagne brunch at the Ritz Carlton in Singapore, which coincided with the Formula 1 Singapore weekend.

"Sunshine Bouquet"- a gift from Sharon, while posing with Lu Meng and her sons

Sharon flew back from Germany just to attend my birthday, while Kon and Stef were the first to arrive leading to the first of many toasts.

Posing with Li Ki and Rajen, and the whole birthday ensemble

The champagne flowed, the sashimi was sublime, the foie gras was excellent and the chocolate souffle to die for. Not to mention the generous presents ! But above all else, I walked away with an overwhelming sense of gratefulness to be surrounded by the love and company of good friends.

Here's to the fabulous forties!!

Joanna's Top 40

2010-09-26T00:57:00.004+08:00

It's finally 26 September 2010 and I'm fabulous 40! I've been so excited about turning 40 this year. Strange considering I hated the thought of turning 30.

A week ago, I came across an article on what Oprah said about turning 40. To quote the most influential woman on earth:

"You should be out on your veranda dancing because you are about to experience one of the most magnificent, marvelous events in a woman's life. At 40, something magical happens to you--something liberating and rejuvenating and exhilarating. You acquire a healthy disregard for what other people think. You gain the confidence to define yourself boldly and on your own terms. You don't accept anyone else's judgments but your own. In short, you stop living your life for other people and start living it for yourself. The force is with you because, at long last, it is in you."

There's also a list of what every woman must have by the time she hits 40. Let's see how I'm doing...

THE TOP 40

1.) Peace of mind (and a piece of property)...CHECK

2.) A will...CHECK

3.) Willpower...STILL WORKING ON IT

4.) A savings account in your own name (and a pension fund in the name of your future security)...CHECK

5.) A mammogram...NOT YET

6.) A manicure (not to mention a pedicure, a facial and a massage--all on the same day)....CHECK

7.) A set of matching luggage...CHECK

8.) A ticket to some exotic place to unpack it....CHECK...Morocco in November

9.) A great hairdresser, gynecologist and stockbroker...CHECK, NOT YET, CHECK

10.) A passionate, fiery, unforgettable love affair...STILL WORKING ON IT

11.) A little black dress that makes you look five pounds thinner....CHECK

12.) A sense of humor, style and purpose...CHECK, CHECK, CHECK

13.) A selfish streak....CHECK

14.) A spiritual foundation that gets you through a very bad night without going crazy...CHECK

15.) A facial foundation that gets you through a very long day without going ashy...CHECK

16.) A good bra...CHECK

17.) A good spa...CHECK

18.) A library card (used often)...I PREFER TO BUY BOOKS OR READ THEM FOR FREE AT BORDERS

19.) A credit card (used sparingly)...CHECK

20.) At least one person in your life who says: "You call, I come."...CHECK

21.) Good body language (multilingual!)....CHECK

22.) A broken heart and the knowledge you can survive it...CHECK

23.) A cause celebre (domestic violence, infant mortality, save the whales--your choice)....CHECK

24.) A personal relationship with God....CHECK

25.) A personal trainer....CHECK

26.) Selective amnesia ("What Saturday morning meeting?")...CHECK

27.) Gall....CHECK

28.) A good skin-care regimen....CHECK

29.) The ability to converse on any subject without benefit of concrete knowledge or access to facts....CHECK

30.) A shocking secret...CHECK

31.) A pair of silk pajamas....TOO HOT FOR THAT IN SINGAPORE

32.) A lifetime membership in at least one organization dedicated to uplifting women or children...CHECK...WORLDVISION

33.) The phone number of someone who is good with their hands...SHHH...ITS A SECRET

34.) At least one drop-dead, don't-speak-to-me-because-you-know-you-don't-know-me gorgeous photo of yourself...CHECK

35.) A friendship that has stood the test of time...CHECK...MORE THAN ONE THANK GOD!

36.) One last chance to tell the guy you were crazy about in your 20s who treated you like cigarette ashes on the floor what you were too dumb to know when he walked out with your heart in his hands: "Thank you, thank you, thank you."...TOO MANY PLATONIC MALE FRIENDS AT THAT AGE...

37.) A soul mate....STILL WORKING ON IT

38.) Faith, hope and a good fantasy....CHECK, CHECK, CHECK

39.) A dream....CHECK

40.) A plan to make it come true....CHECK

Looking forward to the next decade - which is going to be the BEST yet!

Either live splendidly or die quickly

2010-08-21T07:08:00.002+08:00

I watched the story of Liu Wei, an inspiring musician from Beijing and was moved by his words, "Either live splendidly or die quickly."

Second home

2010-08-07T17:27:00.005+08:00

Aunty Jo Jo with Zachary, Alyssa and their daddy, Andrew in Melbourne

Two weekends before my unexpected trip to Australia, I was chatting on Skype with my little god-daughter, Alyssa, who asked me, "Aunty Jo Jo, why do live so far in Singapore? When are you coming to see us?" Lo and behold, a business class ticket appears on my desk and I was on my way to see her. Never again will I dismiss the innocent prayers of a child.

We sat down to a lovely Vietnamese dinner and Alyssa and Zach kept me entertained with their playful antics, while their daddy, Andrew Wong, updated me on his latest edition of corny jokes. I met Andrew way back in 1990 when he was doing his accounting internship in seedy Kotaraya in downtown KL. We became such good friends, he started calling me Dragon Sister...go figure!

Andrew and his wife, Carina, are wonderful hosts who have always made me feel like one of the family. Sometimes I feel as if Melbourne is my second home.

Awesome offices

2010-08-05T23:02:00.004+08:00

Our new Melbourne offices in St Kilda have awesome views of the Formula 1 race track at Albert Park. Hmm....I really need to figure out how to smuggle myself into those premises come March 2011!

Round House, Fremantle

2010-08-05T23:00:00.003+08:00

(Text copied from signages on site)

The Round House was the first permanent building in the Swan River Colony. It was designed by Henry Willey Revely, the colony's civil engineer, and constructed by Richard Lewis & Co for Stg1603. The prison opened on 18th January, 1831. Gaolers were civil employees, not military.

Reasons for Imprisonment in the Round House

Mutiny
Disobedience
Contempt of Court
Breaking Curfew
Seamen kept in custody
Felony
Stealing
Misdemeanour
Larceny
Sick lunatic
Arson
Manslaughter
Murder
Killing a pig
Spearing cattle

Yummy Northbridge

2010-08-05T22:40:00.005+08:00

While my first meal in Perth was a disappointing Angus at Burger King, my subsequent meals were delicious. Thanks to my colleague, Jacqueline Wang, I had some of the best dim sum in a long time. It was at Golden Dragon, a Chinese restaurant in Northbridge - the entertainment capital of Perth. Thank you Jacqui for being such a brilliant hostess!

The fung chau (braised chicken feet) was sublime - juicy, bursting with flavour and falling of the bone. The egg tarts were equally good with flaky buttery pastry holding all that custardy goodness. The satisfaction per calorie was so high that I didn't eat again till dinner which was a salad!

Old (and new!) friends

2010-08-05T22:01:00.011+08:00

Aunty Jo Jo catching up with Jin Hui and her family in Perth

Most of you know by now that one of my favourite things about travelling is the opportunity to catch up with friends who are scattered across the globe. This time in Perth, I caught up with Ong Jin-Hui, a school mate whom I haven't seen for 23 years! Jin Hui migrated to Perth in 1986, married Michael Ho and they have 3 beautiful children. They were kind enough to take me to a cozy little restaurant in Shafto Lane called Durty Nelly's for the T-bone steak special...sigh...I love steaks in Australia!

3 smiley faces: Alessandra, Isaac and Lucas / Watch out, Lucas!

Jin's 3 children - Alessandra (10), Isaac (8) and Lucas (5) - are the friendliest funniest kids I've met in a long time. They were just so bubbly and hospitable that by the end of the evening, they had invited me to stay at their house for 2 weeks, and asked if they could spend the night in my hotel. Sweet Alessandra is clearly brilliant in school and strives to be the best in everything she does. Isaac, whom I think has the potential to be a handsome film star, is very perceptive and funny. When I said I loved to borrow other people's kids to have fun, he said "Oh, you mean like walking a dog?" LOL! Little Lucas is everyone's darling with a very sweet tooth. You should have seen him rummaging for lollies before dinner and how his eyes sparkled when I offered to buy them ice cream for dessert.

Boys providing entertainment during dinner with their Karate Kid moves

The evening came to a lovely end with a nocturnal trip to King's Park to catch a view of Perth by night. It's a beautiful city made even more memorable with the presence of old (and new!) friends. Thank you Jin Hui, Michael and the kids for showing me your hometown. I'll be back...I promise!

Impressions of Perth

2010-08-05T21:30:00.010+08:00

Last week, I was given 36 hours notice to prepare for a trip to Australia to conduct some workshops. First stop, Perth - a city I wanted to visit while living in Sydney but never got round to because it cost the same to fly there as it did to fly home to Malaysia.

(L-R) London Court Mall and Town Hall

The city centre is a lovely mix of quaint old buildings and chic modern structures. It's very pleasant to walk around and enjoy the sights and weather although one must be careful to do all your shopping by 6 p.m. because that's when ALL the shops shut. On my first evening, I had to eat at Burger King for the first time in over a year because that was the only shop with the lights still on. What a shock to my Singaporean shop-till-you-drop system! But you needn't feel too sorry for me. I did find the Harbourfront Factory Outlets by Day 3, where my credit cards got a good workout. In fact, I had so much fun shopping, I forgot to take photos :-)

(L-R) View of city from Stirling Park and Bells Tower

The one thing that always strikes me when I set foot on antipodean soil is the blue cloudless sky. It makes for beautiful days and brilliant photos. The fact that it was winter didn't bother me at all because it was just so refreshing for body, mind and soul. In fact, Perth is known to have the best weather in Australia and is surrounded by lakes, parks and beaches, which makes it an ideal playground for sports-mad Ozzies. Running marathons and participating in triathlons are run-of-the-mill activities here.

Aunty Jo Jo enjoying the beaches at Fremantle and Cottesloe

Birthday Barn Dance

2010-07-17T20:30:00.001+08:00

This evening, I was invited to a birthday party with an unusual theme - Scottish and English barn dancing! Alison Clarkson Webb, whom I met on a training course, celebrated her birthday by treating all her friends to a healthy dose of her heritage. We gathered at the Overseas Mission Fellowship grounds on Cluny Road for a fun-filled evening of dancing and food (the ham & chutney sandwiches were so yummy). The last time I did any folk dancing was back in school and it was just as fun :-)

Thanks again for a lovely evening, and Happy Birthday Alison!

Aunty Jo Jo with Alison (the birthday girl) and her husband, Martin

My little princesses

2010-06-15T20:17:00.002+08:00

I've been a proud godmother to a pair of beautiful twin girls for almost five years now, and I never tire of them calling me "Mama Jojo"! On a recent trip back to KL, we trooped off to a modern photo studio at the Gardens Mid Valley for a photo shoot.

The girls were so excited when they saw the princess dresses and couldn't help parading in them. Here's a series of photos starring Kiersten as Beauty, Katelynn as Cinderella and Mama Jojo as the (what else!) Fairy Godmother!

Catching up with the Family

2010-03-21T17:45:00.007+08:00

In April 1994, I graduated from university and started my career with Arthur Andersen Business Consulting. In a tiny office nestled among the immigration offices of Plaza Damansara, I met a group of people with whom I've been friends for over 16 years. Never again have I met another bunch of colleagues who are so united in spirit and laughter and so supportive on the career and personal front. We're known as The Family.

Since then, we've all moved on to different companies, careers and even countries but take every opportunity to stay in touch, thanks to Facebook and celebrations. We met up again during one of my recent KL weekend stopovers.

Family reunited to celebrate 16 years of friendship

We met for Sunday brunch at Delicious Cafe in the upscale enclave of Bangsar Village.

Representing the"seesters": Lee Lee, Manjit and Joanna
Representing the "braders": Rajen and Deva
Missing in Action: Li Ki and Yee Siew Meng

Pretty seesters all in a row...oops...sorry Deva!

The words and laughs came fast and furious as we traded stories and updates about members of the family. From work to romance to kids, no detail was spared from the relentless curiosity of all present. The chemistry is still alive and kicking and the 3 hours whizzed by leaving me on a high. A big thank you to Lee Lee for organising and can't wait to catch up again!

Swiss in Singapore

2010-01-30T09:30:00.003+08:00

It's been a good month for reunions.

Another good friend dropped by Singapore at the end of January. Rene Bommer and I were colleagues at PwC in Sydney and as newbies, we spent many happy weekends exploring all that New South Wales had to offer. Rene has since returned to Switzerland and now works in Zurich. He stopped over in Singapore on the way home from Australia and we grabbed the chance to catch up. I took a day off to visit Singapore tourist spots that I hadn't even been to myself after all these years. Thank God for foreign visitors! :-)

Enjoying the stunning views from the Singapore Flyer

First stop - the Singapore Flyer. We caught the last ride of the day and this giant observation wheel located at Marina Bay offered amazing views of the city - especially at night. Raffles Place, The Fullerton Hotel and Marina Sands provided a glittering backdrop to a delightful 20 minute ride. Thumbs up to this tourist attraction!

Singapore Zoo is not only for kids - we loved it too!

The next day, we made our way north to visit the "jungles" of Singapore. I've never really enjoyed zoos, finding them too hot and smelly but the Singapore Zoo is in a class of its own. Rene and I enjoyed wandering through the zoo with it's shady surroundings, clean enclosures and dangerous animals at a safe distance! I especially liked the penguins, hippos and giraffes. And the elephant show was definitely a plus.

We then made our way to Orchard Road for lunch, followed by a wander through all the new shopping malls. 313 Somerset, Mandarin Gallery and ION Orchard - definitely more familiar territory. We walked all the way to Tanglin before stopping for a drink at Harry's Bar. That gave us lots of time to catch up on all that had happened in the last 7 years since we bid farewell at Sydney airport.

Ozzie tucker

2010-01-23T22:56:00.012+08:00

It's the weekend and I've finally found some time to organize the digital photos taken over the last 3 months. To my delight, I spotted some shots of delicious meals from my trip to Adelaide last October to attend my cousin's wedding. I have already blogged about the wedding & our visit to Barossa but haven't said anything about the food so here goes...

For a start, here I am at the Pancake House, with a yummy stack of strawberry pancakes topped with vanilla ice-cream. It looked and tasted awesome... which explains the strange smile on my face. And yes, the knife and fork was poised to fend off potential attacks from other diners :-)

The Original Pancake Kitchen is a 24-hour gem hidden in an alley just off the main strip in Adelaide. It's a huge favourite with uni students and locals alike and has a great country-style decor and friendly wait staff.

Breakfast spread at East Terrace Continental (ETC) bistro in Adelaide

On the morning of the wedding, Aaron (my cousin) brought us to his favourite breakkie spot called East Terrace Continental. My dad had the full English breakfast, while I had smoked salmon & asparagus on scrambled eggs. Aaaah....totally maxxed out on the satisfaction scale. This bistro certainly knows how to serve up breakfast, which explains the packed crowds.

Aunty Jo Jo and Uncle David having fun with the giant donut

After the church wedding, we decided to stop by Coles supermarket to pick up some stuff for afternoon tea. While Aunty Lai Sum wisely shopped for fruits for a salad, I happily trooped into an Italian bakery and discovered a mouthwatering new dessert that I'd never seen before. Italians call it a zepolla but this Chinese Malaysian xiao jie calls it a giant donut!! It tasted very good - even our 83 year grandma agreed.

Afternoon tea at Halia

2010-01-18T23:31:00.006+08:00

I never thought I would say this:- My travel schedule is minimal and I'm LOVING it! It gives me a chance to settle into my new apartment, explore Singapore and strengthen my network of friends. Life is good...

Last Saturday, Four Fantastic Ladies reunited at the Botanical Gardens for English afternoon tea to celebrate Corrine's triumphant return to Singapore!

Joanna, Corrine, Stef & Kon reunited at the Singapore Botanical Gardens

Can you think of anything more delightful than sipping a cup of Earl Grey tea in the tranquil setting of a lush tropical garden with four of your best friends? Restaurant Halia's interpretation of afternoon tea is spot on - salmon sandwiches, chicken pie, raisin scones and o yes....the ginger orange marmalade is to die for!

We had a wonderful time exchanging presents and stories of our lives in the last 6 months. There have been so many changes to our homes, jobs, families and physical locations, it was a treat to catch up on the latest goss. It was no wonder that every one of us woke up the next morning with a smile on our face!

Corrine & Aunty Jo Jo with their English mem-sahib impersonations

Katong capers

2010-01-18T21:34:00.010+08:00

Ever since I started calling Singapore home, there's a little enclave that I find myself gravitating to on many weekends. It's called Katong and it's colourful well-preserved Peranakan architecture and delicious Nyonya food proves popular with many Singaporeans.

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of showing Katong off to a very special visitor. Grace Thomas has been my mentor for almost a decade and it was Grace who inspired me to start a career in HR when we were both at PwC Australia. Grace visits Singapore regulary which gives us a chance to catch up often.

Here's a glimpse of Aunty Jo Jo's personalised Katong tour, which features all my favourite foodie spots:

1) Chin Mee Chin is an authentic Hainanese coffee shop serving the perfect cup of local coffee and kaya toast. We got there so early that the front gates were still closed that we had to sneak in from the back entrance where we discovered the kitchen, ovens and toilets all co-existing happily side by side

2) Next stop was Puteri Mas , where I introduced Grace to the yummiest golden durian puffs in Singapore. The gloriously pungent flavours that explode in your mouth is something that can only be appreciated by true Malaysians...and Singaporeans!

3) And then it was off to Kim Choo, which produces the best Nyonya kuih ever...it even rivals my Amah's which is high praise indeed

4) Last but not least, we ended up at 328 Laksa where we happily slurped down our spicy rice noodles and coconut gravy which hit the spot perfectly...

....BURP....ooops...sorry :-)

Season's Greetings from Joanna (2009)

2009-12-20T23:24:00.017+08:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Firstly, let me wish God's richest blessings on all of you and your family this holiday season! How truly blessed we are to find ourselves in the bosom of dear ones - a truth that I've been powerfully reminded of in 2009.

When the bottom fell out of the economy earlier this year, I received a call informing me that my role had been axed. Although it wasn't easy to bid farewell to a wonderful team of colleagues and the security of a paycheck, this news gave me exactly what I needed - a six-month break and a healthy bank balance.

Within 48 hours of reaching out to family and friends, I was enveloped in kindness and received invitations to stay in homes all over the world - a privilege I happily exercised. The Glass Half Full series chronicles this welcome break.

My heart overflows with gratefulness when I think of the many precious memories that were created this year:

Our Yeoh family was reunited with Julie's homecoming to Malaysia during Chinese New Year, and family ties were further cemented when we took a family vacation to Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, Bodega Bay and Las Vegas
A wonderful vacation to Candidasa, Bali where I enjoyed massages, snorkelling, fishing, massages, drinking, making new friends and I did mention Balinese massages didn't I?
Spending time in New York City with my friends Andrew, Isabel and their beautiful boys. The many hours spent wandering through the inspiring Metropolitan Museum and Central Park has deepened my love for the Big Apple. And a big Thank You to Elaine Li for showing me the world beyond Manhattan, and to my NYU friends for the intellectual stimuli
Hunting down the Liberty Bell, Independance Hall and Philly cheesesteaks in historic Philadelphia with Julie was good fun! We also made a side trip to Washington DC where we narrowly escaped a deadly train crash...thank God...
Visiting and learning about the Amish community in a town called Intercourse ;-)
Witnessing the gala reunion for BBGS (Bukit Bintang Girls'School) at the Pavilion KL was a dream come true. Thousands of girls and teachers came together to celebrate the spirit of a school that has outlasted its bricks and mortar. I am so blessed to have contributed to the event by writing the Back2BBGS blog and the Women of Vision exhibition
Travelling to Australia to witness the wedding of my cousin, Aaron and the baptism of my god-daughter, Alyssa. Being able to catch up with so many good friends made it feel like a proper homecoming
Enjoying 5 minutes of fame when the Star newspaper published an article on my career and travels, through which I connected with old friends and a gentleman who asked me if I liked younger men...YIKES!
Watching all five of my god-kids grow in stature and spirit is such a joy. I'm so grateful to their parents for allowing Aunty Jo Jo to contribute to their development in her nutty, unconventional way

Let me say a big THANK YOU to all my family and friends for your kind words, hospitality, a warm bed, storage space, countless coffees and cakes, food, wine and friendship. All good holidays must come to an end so when October came round, I found myself another position at a oil & gas services company in Singapore. This city state will continue to be my home as I believe it's the perfect beach-head from which to ride the crest of the Asian century.

As we bid farewell to the noughties ('00s) and enter a brand new decade, let's continue to be grateful for all that we have and become all that He created us to be.

Here's wishing you a HAPPY NEW YEAR and a blessed 2010!

Just call me Godma

2009-11-15T23:54:00.005+08:00

Baptism ceremony & Noah's ark cake for Alyssa and Zachary

Today, I had the honour of officially accepting Alyssa Wong as my god daughter. The ceremony took place in a Catholic church in Melbourne.

The setting was peaceful, serene and very symbolic. It was interesting that the unlikeliest couple were asked to be godparents given that I'm a Protestant and AJ (the godfather) is of Jewish descent. You should have seen the look of his face when the priest asked us if we "believed that Jesus Christ is the son of God, was crucified, died and rose again for the salvation of sins"! AJ stood stone still so I quickly said, "We do"! :-)

I also enjoyed helping to make the Noah's Ark cake to mark the special occasion. Carina, her aunty & I slaved for over 6 hours to create the masterpiece and judging from the response, it was well worth it. During the lunch at an Italian restaurant, other patrons came over to our table and started snapping photos of the cake :-)

I shall have to spend more time in Melbourne so that Alyssa won't forget her Aunty Jo Jo.

Brush with AFL hall of fame

2009-11-12T07:38:00.005+08:00

Sat next to Brent Guerra (Hawthorn No. 18) on the plane to Adelaide

My four-year stay in Australia taught me one thing. Sports is a religion and professional players are gods.

I learnt the rules and watched my share of weekend cricket, rugby (union & league) and footie just so that I could understand conversations on Monday mornings. Seriously, no one speaks to you if you're not talking sport.

One of my favourite sports was AFL (Australian Football League) or footie. It's like no other game on the planet (a bit like American football played on a cricket oval without protection). The players are usually tall, fit and wear tight jerseys, which probably explains why it's my favourite spectator sport :-)

To my delight, I found myself sitting next to a professional footie player on the plane to Adelaide last Friday. He was actually all over me (ahem!). Probably because he had to climb over my semi-comatose form to get to the toilet!

Brent Guerra is a Hawthorn forward and has been playing for 11 seasons, starting at age 17. He and his girlfriend Rachel were heading to a wedding in Adelaide. We had a nice long chinwag about footie, travels and plans for the future. Looks like I've got to start following Hawthorne now, in addition to the Lions, Swans and Cats.

Beautiful Barossa

2009-11-10T06:57:00.002+08:00

We spent last Saturday at the world-renowned Barossa Valley - home of the South Australian wine industry. It was very hot (39C) but that didn't stop us from enjoying the stunning views, gorgeous rose gardens and sampling lovely local wines. We stopped at Chateau Barossa, Peter Lehmann's and a fruit wine place. In addition to the wines, we were enchanted by the profusion of roses all over the valley. One garden worthy of mention is Queen Elizabeth's favourite at Chateau Barossa.

Enjoying a day out with mum & dad at the vineyards

This Adelaide holiday has been very different from my normal travels. I usually travel on my own but this time, I'm part of a large family entourage including mum, dad, aunt, uncle, granny and cousins and it's been FUN! The jokes, laughter and family time have been an eye-opener for me. A big thank you to Uncle David & Aunty Lai Sum for the invitation. And to Aaron & Pik Yee for playing tour guides.

(L) Aaron & Pik Yee with their darling Poh Poh

(R) Family photo outside Peter Lehmann
(although Pik Yee thinks we look more like convicts from Pudu Jail..haha)

Adelaide wedding

2009-11-08T16:58:00.001+08:00

My little cousin Aaron got married in Adelaide this week and we all descended on the sleepy capital of South Australia. The Chongs, Wongs and Yeohs had a whale of a time with a laugh-a-minute throughout the five days. Even our 83-year old Granny joined the conga line during the wedding dinner!

Hope we didn't scare poor Jocelyn too much...welcome to the family, my dear...we're really quite normal - I promise! ;-)

Making connections

2009-10-26T08:49:00.008+08:00

Aunty Jo Jo has her 5 minutes of fame ;-) An article on her travels was featured in the Star on 26 October 2009: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2009/10/26/lifefocus/4947993&sec=lifefocus

While her job is in training, Joanna Yeoh never wants to stop learning.

FROM surviving the 1997 riots in Jakarta to learning to trade electricity in Brisbane, Joanna Yeoh’s work has taken her places. Being a travel enthusiast, Yeoh has no complaints. So far, she has worked in eight different countries and lived abroad for as many years.

“In Jakarta, I was posted to work on a process improvement project. We always had our passports and plane tickets with us just in case of an emergency evacuation,” recalled Yeoh, who was attached to a global consulting group in Malaysia back then, via e-mail.

In 1999, Yeoh was sent for her first long-term posting to Brisbane, Australia, and held the position of generation forecasting manager. “I had so much fun learning how to speak Strine (Australian slang) and understanding cricket and rugby because, otherwise, nobody spoke to you on Monday mornings,” she quipped.

Currently, Yeoh, 39, is regional senior manager of learning and organisational development with McDermott, an oil and gas services company, in Singapore.

The former Bukit Bintang Girls School student graduated with a Bachelor of Economics from Universiti Malaya in 1994. She went on to obtain her MBA in International Business from the University of Birmingham, Britain, in 1996, on a British Council Chevening Scholarship.

She returned to Malaysia in 1997 to join the global consulting group as a consultant in energy and mining. In the next seven years, she had stints in Australia, Indonesia, South Korea and Singapore.
Yeoh assumed the post of vice-president of human resources with a Malaysian entertainment and resorts company in 2003.

“That was one of my most interesting and challenging jobs. It’s a 24/7, 365-day operation there with the casinos, hotels and theme parks, hence, a never-ending cycle of recruitment, training and payroll. I loved every minute of working with the team there who were super-men and super-women!”

In 2006, Yeoh joined a multinational energy and petrochemical company for about a year before moving to Singapore in 2007 to join an American-based microprocessor solutions provider.

Last year, she spent six months in Shanghai on a project (under the same company) as head of leadership and organisational development for the Asian region. “I had the chance to build its learning and development teams and also witness the phenomenal growth of China. My proudest achievement was finally learning to speak Mandarin. “I believe that China is ready to claim prominence on the world stage and is on the brink of a new ‘dynasty’ to rival the golden years of the Han, Tang or Ming dynasties.”

In her current position, which she assumed recently, Yeoh works with senior leadership teams to help improve the effectiveness of their organisational structure and people. “The most common areas of focus are performance management, talent and succession planning, leadership development and change management. This is a specialist field within human resources management,” she explained.

Her role is to keep things simple.

“While many leaders acknowledge the importance of organisational development or change management, it is often seen as nebulous and obscure in practice. My challenge is always to keep things ‘simple, implementable and tangible’ so that the benefits can be seen clearly and quickly.”

Yeoh finds satisfaction in her career by playing a role in selecting and honing young talents – “when I meet management trainees whom I hired as fresh graduates walk up to me and say, ‘Miss Joanna, I made it. I’m now a manager in XYZ department. Thank you for giving me a chance and helping me to grow.’”

Not surprisingly, one of her aims is to groom future leaders.

“I am passionate about coaching Asian leaders to lead at regional or international levels,” said Yeoh, who also hopes to pursue a PhD in the next five years.

The Kuala Lumpur-born also believes in trying new things and lending a helping hand to others. “My goal is to become the best person that God created me to be. Every year, I try to learn and practise something new, from skydiving to learning Mandarin to walking on hot coals.

“More importantly, I believe in giving back by helping someone else. One of my favourite quotes is by Winston Churchill: ‘We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.’”

Fact File
NAME: Joanna Yeoh

AGE: 39

HOMETOWN: Kuala Lumpur

EDUCATION: Bukit Bintang Girls School,Universiti Malaya, KL; University of Birmingham, Britain

OCCUPATION: Leadership and organisational development consultant

CURRENT BASE: Singapore

YEARS ABROAD: Eight

E-MAIL:

joannayeoh@gmail.com

All good things must come to an end...

2009-10-06T09:59:00.008+08:00

...so that better ones can begin!

October has arrived and together with it, another first day at work. I've taken on another regional L&OD role with a multinational oil & gas services company based in Singapore. And so, I am declaring, albeit reluctantly, the end to my mid-career break, which is captured in the "Glass Half Full" series.

During the last 6 months, I have been blessed greatly. Thanks to a measure of financial security, I was able to travel freely to meet family and old friends around the world, and make many new ones. So while many of the earlier blog posts have captured stories about the places and activities, it would be remiss of me not to thank many people who have given so generously of their friendship and love.

Firstly, big HUG and KISS to my sister Julie for her love and support these last six months. She is my best friend, and has blessed me greatly with her love, prayers, home, airtickets and even a new computer. Love you!! My heartfelt gratitude also go out to Andrew & Isabel Chatterton who welcomed me into their New York home and Li Ki who has provided a resting place in Singapore. May God bless you all richly for all that you've done!

With Julie coming home for Chinese New Year, and Mum, Dad & I travelling to the US, the Yeoh family spent more time together this year than at any point in the last decade. We travelled to Las Vegas and Bodega Bay for a family vacation. There were adjustments that had to be made to accomodate different tastes and preferences but we survived.

We were also introduced to Julie's new "adopted" family: Jessica Moua and her three kids Josh(11), Faith (9) and Zack (6). Much bonding took place over hotdogs, brownies and cheesecake!

And last but not least, my dreams to revive BBGS finally came true in August. Thanks to a high-flying team of BBGSians, a gala reunion was held at Pavilion KL - the site where my alma mater once stood. The rush of adrenaline and nostalgia that was released from that one day was enough to last several weeks. Personally, I woke up with a hangover the next day despite having only one glass of champagne. In addition to catching up with old friends, I had the opportunity to make new friends amongst the many generations of BBGSians.

So now as I close the chapter on the "Glass Half Full" and embark on new adventures, I want to take some time to crystallise some lessons learnt:

Work cannot continue to be the sole focus of my life
The search for a compelling reason/purpose continues. What I thought I really wanted to do in retirement didn't take off when I had free time e.g. writing a book
I am ready to embark on a God-honouring trajectory, wherever that leads

Birthday blessings

2009-09-26T23:48:00.006+08:00

Today, I learnt that turning 39 feels a lot better than turning 30! Why I wondered?

Elizabeth Lee, my learned friend who's the Head of Sunway College, explains it best with a quote by Robert Louis Stevenson: To hold the same views at forty as we held at twenty is to have been stupefied for a score of years, and take rank, not as a prophet, but as an unteachable brat, well birched and none the wiser.

I have been truly blessed by a stream of well wishes that include:

a beautiful rendition of "Happy Birthday" by Katelynn on the phone from KL first thing in the morning
long-distance phone calls from US and Malaysia from my family
Facebook greetings from friends all over the world
dinner with Lu Meng & family at Sakae Sushi in Singapore (thanks for the treat!)
hugs and kisses from Justin and Jared to end the day

Birthday kiss from Jared & hug from Justin

On top of all that, I even managed to attend a property investment seminar on how to make a million dollars and caught the roar of engines at the F1 qualifying round. We saw a McLaren whizzing down the track as we drove along the Nicoll Highway. Hooray for Lewis Hamilton on pole...couldn't have asked for a better ending to a special day.

Thank You to everyone for your calls, smses, Facebook greetings, emails, hugs and kisses. I thank my God for every remembrance of you (Philippians 1:3).

This and that...

2009-09-19T16:59:00.007+08:00

It's been six months since my mid-career break started and I'm still loving it! The time has been devoted to resting the body and spirit, and developing personal interests. I'm supposed to have written a book by now, but hey...all these blog posts count for something don't they?

Spent most of April - June travelling. July/Aug was devoted to the Back2BBGS mega reunion at the Pavilion. For most of August & September, I've started to meet headhunters and attend interviews. Am getting close to deciding on a role - a regional OD & LD position - with a start date yet to be determined.

O yes...I also attended an Anthony Robbins "Unleash the Power Within" program and walked on white-hot coals....and that was the easy part! Started eating more healthily, exercising regularly and breathing properly so watch out world ;-)

This week, I'm back in Malaysia - spending time with my parents in Penang and attending the twins' birthday party in KL. Will be back in Singapore next week and start making some decisions. So watch this space...

Reconnecting @ home

2009-08-17T16:24:00.007+08:00

Wow...I've been back in Asia for over a month and this is my first post on Journeys. It's been a whirlwind...

Aunty Jo-Jo with Miss Yeap, her former headmistress, and friends from Class of 1987

I've actually been blogging A LOT but the Back2BBGS blog has taken centre stage because of the mega reunion we staged at the Pavilion. The six-star mall now stands on the land where my school once stood. In order to erase the bitter memories of the wrecking ball, and to replace it with happy memories of a grand reunion, we staged a black-tie event on 4 August 2009. Which is why I returned home early from the US. It was a magical event - to see all my former teachers and classmates - in the pink of health. The event generated so much buzz that I was suffering from an adrenaline hangover for almost 2 days :-)

I also attended the wedding of Agnes Long & Desmond Lim - two of my favourite Management Trainees (MTs) from Genting days. Agnes worked for me in HR and Des was one of our Hotel stars. They've both just returned from a year's working stint in the UK. It was so good to catch up with the other MTs as well: Adrienne, Jennie, Shevaun and to hear about their successful careers. O how well I remember the day when they had to go through my "Malaysian Idol" version of Assessment Centres.

And last but not least, catching up with my beautiful twin god-daughters! They've grown so much taller since I last saw them and are hyper-chatty. They are happy to entertain anyone with impromptu concerts, be it ballet or musicals. No more Do-re-mi for these young ladies, they can both sing the Any Dream Will Do score from the Joseph musical. An evening spent in their company gives me enough endorphins to last for days...

I love Intercourse...

2009-06-30T13:10:00.003+08:00

...a town in Pennsylvania! The name may sound risque in today's modern world but really, it's more ironic than anything else. You see, Intercourse is in the heart of Lancaster County or Amish country. The community is well known for its traditional values, simple living and a resistance to adoption of modern conveniences. These include electricity, cars, bicycles and cameras. Unfortunately, that's exactly what busloads of tourists bring into the town daily. I too am guilty of unabashed curiosity.

Aunty Jo Jo sneaking a picture of a traditional horse & buggy used by Amish families

Andrew kindly took a day off work and we drove to Lancaster County on a very wet summer day. It rained non-stop and we could hardly find a dry spot to take photos. Still, we had a nice long chinwag in the car, while taking in the sights. There were enough farms, horse & buggies and families in plain clothing to satisfy my curiosity. I saw men and boys working the fields with nothing but horsepower (literally!) and women doing laundry with musclepower. Little girls pushed themselves along little scooters instead of bicycles. I stopped by the Amish Visitor Center to catch a one-hour movie about the Amish culture and lifestyle. It left me with a deep sense of respect and admiration for the community and their faith.

Andrew and I set off to look for a lunch spot and there were plenty of home-style restaurants to choose from. They all had old-fashioned names like Plain & Fancy, Good & Plenty, Bird-In-Hand and Yoder's Family. We settled for Stoltzfus Farm Restaurant because Andrew had eaten there before. It turned out to be a delightful old farmhouse with friendly staff and a LOT of food! It was all-you-can-eat from the entire menu which included:

Homemade bread and apple butter
Chow chow salad
Fried chicken
Homemade sausage
Homemade honey ham
Mashed potatoes
Corn
Candied sweet potatoes
Green beans
Shoofly pie
Apple crumble pie
Cherry crumble pie
Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting

And so I let Intercourse filled with lots of plain, simple and delicious food, and memories of a happy day spent with an old friend, Mr Andrew Chatterton formerly of Barnsley inYorkshire.

Fun with kids

2009-06-27T06:45:00.003+08:00

I'm back in Sacramento after spending three weeks in the eastern United States. While it's been fun, it's good to hang up my tourist boots and start enjoying ordinary civilian life again. Trips to the gym followed by shopping sprees to Costco. While Julie headed back to work today, I got the chance to spend some time with our neighbour's kids: Josh, Faith & Zach.

The Watermelon Kids (L-R): Faith, Josh & Zach

It was a hot day so the first thing we did was to carve up a watermelon. These kids knew exactly what to do: they each grabbed a slice of watermelon, headed into the back garden, lined up in a straight row and started munching on the juicy coral slices. "We always eat watermelon in the backyard. We don't wanna mess up the kitchen!", was Josh's reply when I asked what they were up to.

Kids enjoying the brownies they helped to bake

I love to bake so it was a treat to have an appreciative audience. Josh & Faith helped me to put together the Ghiradelli brownies and within an hour, we were all helping ourselves to the yummy chocolatey dessert...err...although we didn't actually have lunch. So much for having a responsible adult in the house :-)

Later on, I introduced Joshua to the world of Michael Jackson videos starting with Thriller, Black or White, Beat It, Smooth Criminal and his favourite, Billie Jean.

The nation's capital

2009-06-25T08:00:00.006+08:00

Philadelphia's role as capital of the United States gave way to Washington D.C. in 1800. Julie and I followed the path of I-95 down to DC on Sunday to experience the "nation's capital" - a phrase that was repeated ad nauseum by every tour guide on every Tourmobile we got on. Still, it's easy to be impressed by the grandeur and beauty of Washington D.C's monuments, museums and malls.

By the Reflecting Pool @ Washington Memorial and calling on President Obama at the White House

We took a 90-minute tour around all the sights to familiarise ourselves with the orientation of the city. That essentially covered the Smithsonian Museum mile (all free!), the Capitol Building (no sitting), Union Station (best shopping), Washington Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Arlington Cemetary and the White House. It was a whirlwind tour and after a little while, I must admit that the drone of the tour guide's voice sent me into a daydream :-)

We got off at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to call on the First Family for lunch but they were a little busy. So we made other arrrangements and headed to 1800 Pennsylvania Ave / The World Bank instead. Our dear friend, Isabel Chatterton was kind enough to show us the impressive premises where she works and we had a delicious lunch of green curry laksa, sushi and sandwiches. Believe me, the lunch counters at the World Bank represent world cuisines from every continent!

Inside the Lincoln Memorial and close-up of Washington Memorial

After lunch, we decided to explore the Lincoln Memorial before splitting up to visit different museums since Julie and I have different tastes. Julie headed to the Air & Space Museum while I went to the National Gallery of Art. It features the only Leonardo Da Vinci painting in America and it was so awe-inspiring, in the most delicate way.

We met back at the Mall and my feet were so sore that we ended up dawdling at a park bench instead of heading back to the Metro station at 5:00. Thanks to that, we avoided the deadliest Metro train crash in the history of Washington's transportation history. At 5:15pm, two trains collided on the red line that we were supposed to be on (although in a different direction), and 7 people were killed.

Thank you Lord.

Loving Philadelphia

2009-06-24T20:42:00.010+08:00

Julie and I headed to Philadelphia in Pennsylvania after completing four hours of serious research on American history. We watched National Treasure 1 & 2 starring Nicholas Cage. Yes, Harvard intellectuals may sniff at simpletons like us but I think the movies worked. They created excitement and taught us enough American history (with a couple of conspiracy theories thrown in ) and sent us on our merry way to explore the cradle of American Revolution.

Julie & Aunty Jojo exploring Independance Hall & City Hall

The Independance Hall in Philadelphia is where the founding fathers met to conceive, debate and sign into being America's Declaration of Independence in 1776. It certainly took courage and vision for men like Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to declare independence from the British and inspire a society where "all men are created equal" and have the right to seek "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness". Standing in the room where the Declaration was signed, I began to understand why Americans get so fired up about Liberty. I grew up in a society that accepts inequality amongst its citizens and I admire the way that America constantly reinvents itself and tries to do the right thing, even if it means having to pay a price.

Walking around the streets of Philadelphia, we felt very welcome. While the monied avenues of New York may whisper to new arrivals "Think you're good enough? Well, prove it!", Philadelphia seems to declare "You belong here - just as you are". That was the inspiration behind the founding of the colony of Pennsylvania by William Penn. Himself a Quaker, he welcomed other communities such as the Amish, Mennonites and Jews to build their homes there.

Founding history aside, Philadelphia is also the birthplace of the cheesesteak and Julie and I couldn't wait to sink our teeth into one! Our first stop was Pat's - King of Steaks in South Philadelphia. As you can see, we thoroughly enjoyed the cheesesteaks at Pat's although we found another one the next day that tasted better - Jim's Steaks.

I love Philadelphia and can easily see myself living there. Maybe it's time to get that application in to Wharton...hmmmm...

Thank you, Elaine!

2009-06-19T09:04:00.002+08:00

The last time I met Elaine Li, she was 12 and I was 16 and we went to Bukit Bintang Girls' School. However, the years were emphatically erased when we met up in New Jersey this week. She is now a flight attendant with Continental Airlines based out of Newark so when she noticed from my Facebook postings that I was in New York, she got in touch and offered to show me the city. When I heard that she's a local, having grown up in New York since she re-located from Malaysia, I jumped at the chance to get off the tourist track. That means seeing the other boroughs of New York, not just Manhattan. Needless to say, Elaine really knows her backyard and I'm grateful for her generosity.

Elaine & Aunty Jojo by the shores of New Jersey

First up - Flushing, Queens. I could hardly believe my eyes - it was like being transported into Hong Kong or Shanghai. There were Chinese everwhere! Orientals were pouring out from dim sum restaurants, bubble tea bistros and roast duck shops. Next, we headed to Mitsuwa Marketplace in Fort Lee, New Jersey. It's an upmarket Japanese supermarket with authentic ingredients imported directly from Japan. That weekend, they had arranged a food fair with chefs flown in directly from Tokyo and Hokkaido. This meant long lines of hungry people were queuing for delicious hometown foods and Elaine and I jumped right in! Thanks to our lucky stars, we ended up with the last two bowls of Shinasoba Ramen and last two pieces of a dessert whose name escapes me. Yummy...

Elaine and her husband, Li takes Aunty Jojo to SEA - a hip bar restaurant in Brooklyn

Last Friday, we made our way to a hip bar/Thai restaurant in Brooklyn. This time we were accompanied by Li, Elaine's husband, who had flown from Atlanta to spend time with her. The Sea Restaurant is so cool, it could almost be a setting for Sex in the City. Walking into the bar, one is greeted with a bronze Buddha statue standing in a relection pool. The waiting area is littered with bubble chairs and swings!

And the mango mojitos were simply delicious. So was the deep fried calamari, tom yam gung, pad thai, green chicken curry, roast duck in red curry and fried fish in tamarind sauce. I really can't decide which was better - the food or the company. Elaine, Li and I had so much fun talking about our travels and all the funny stories that have happened to us. Craving ice cream, we made our back into Manhattan for dessert. We ended up in a frozen yogurt bar in Lower East Village called 18 Handles. You get to pick & mix your own flavours and toppings. Double yummy...

I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to Elaine and Li for their wonderful hospitality and I look forward to returning the favour the next time they visit Singapore or Malaysia.

Met inspiration 2

2009-06-18T00:31:00.008+08:00

The gloomy weather in New York has persisted despite some sunny bursts of hope during the weekend. That has given me an opportunity to spend more time at the Met Museum. Yesterday, I was blown away by yet another artist: Louis Comfort Tiffany. I've always been drawn to the colourful Tiffany lamps that are quintessentially New York. But nothing prepared me for the sheer genius of the works in stained glass, mosaics and enamel currently residing in the American Wing. What do you think?

Met inspiration 1

2009-06-10T23:53:00.014+08:00

It was a gloomy and wet day in the Big Apple yesterday and I couldn't have been happier. As far as Aunty Jo-jo was concerned, it was a perfect museum day. Not just any museum, but the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exciting collection ranges from Egyptian to Byzantine to modern art.

When I arrived at 9:30am, the queues at all four ticket counters were already snaking round the Great Hall. So I decided to make a $50 donation and become an Associate Member. That meant free entry for a year, free audio guide and best of all - no queues!

Despite its vastness, there was only place to start. The 19th & 20th century European art collection on the second floor. All the masterpieces that I'd only ever seen between the pages of a book - up till now. Oh...how my soul sang when I entered the galleries echoing Constable, Turner, Manet, Monet, Pissaro, Degas and Van Gogh.

Allow me to humbly share some of the inspiration with you.

Camille Pissarro

To my delight, I found a room full of Camille Pissarro's works. I first encountered this post-Impressionist artist at the Musee de Orsay in Paris. His colourful pastoral scenes have always evoked a sense of peaceful pleasure. Imagine my surprise when I found out yesterday that he was a sworn anarchist!

Vincent Van Gogh

The intensity of Van Gogh's work is captured wonderfully in the Cypresses painting, which is the Met's pride and joy. He worked on this piece during his last summer at the asylum at St Remy. By then, Van Gogh had perfected his style of vibrant colours and aggressive brushstrokes, as can be seen in the swirling sky above the cypresses & wheat fields. Another composition I saw for the first time were that of late sunflowers, one of his favourite subjects.

Claude Monet

The Japanese Bridge over the Lily Pond is one of the world's favourite Impressionist paintings. Mine too. A print of it hung in my bedroom at Birmingham University for the duration of my graduate studies. As trite as this may sound, seeing the original colours and textures with my own eyes was a such a joy. I was also fascinated by a light study of the Rouen Cathedral in the same gallery.

By Jersey shores

2009-06-09T04:44:00.004+08:00

It is 4pm on a sunny Monday and I'm sitting in the garden on Jersey shores with a cup of Earl Grey tea. In front of me is a pretty row of flower boxes and my favourite view in the whole world: the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty resting on the watery blues of the Hudson River.

So while I may not be an investment banker in New York, I am so glad to have friends who are! Andrew and Isabel have welcomed me into their home with open arms, and for that, I'm well and truly grateful.

Tomorrow, I will be making my pilgrimage into Manhattan seeking the holy grail of art museums: the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And perhaps a wander around my favourite neighbourhoods...stay tuned!

Wildflowers on the Bay

2009-05-28T12:29:00.008+08:00

We drove up Highway 101 on the northern California coast this morning and were pleasantly surprised by the the profusion of wildflowers on display along Bodega Bay. I'll let the pictures do the talking...enjoy!

Funny Job Ad

2009-05-26T09:52:00.008+08:00

Saw this job ad for the Pony Express at the hardware store in Old Sac today. Really interesting criteria. Do you think you're up for the job?

WANTED
Pony Express
St Joseph, Missouri to California in 10 days or less

YOUNG, SKINNY, WIRY FELLOWS
not over eighteen. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred.

Wages: $25 per week.

Note: This is one job that I'm definitely not qualified for. Young? Skinny? Orphan? :-D

Old Sacramento

2009-05-26T09:18:00.005+08:00

It's Memorial Day weekend so we decided to head to Old Sacramento for a taste of good ol' fashioned Americana. There were hot dogs, ice cream, salt water taffy and jazz bands that really added to the party atmosphere.

Old Sacramento sits by the American River and is a recreation of the town during the days of the Gold Rush in the 1850s. In fact, it was the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in Sacramento that led thousands along this dusty trail to seek their fortunes. This is the era of wild lawless adventurers that have long captured my imagination. Today, the old paddleboats, railroad and rustic buildings are all operational, and lend an authentic historical feel to the place, even though it's filled with tourists.

Aunty Jo Jo taking remedial classes at Old Sacramento Schoolhouse

We also enjoyed a side trip to the Schoolhouse Museum that shows a replica of a one-room schoolhouse found throughout America in the late 1800s. I got a chance to play Laura Ingalls from "Little House on the Prairie" as I squeezed into a schoolbench and started writing alphabets on the slate. How cool...we should have more living history museums like this. Love it!

By the shores of Tahoe

2009-05-23T02:25:00.007+08:00

Imagine sitting still on a pine log staring at these breathtaking views....

...sigh...that's exactly what my family had the privilege of doing as we headed up to Lake Tahoe earlier this week. Breathtaking views of Sierra Nevada in the background while crystal waters gently lap the shores of Tahoe in the foreground. This is just the kind of nourishment my soul needs.

Aunty Jo Jo and Julie playing by the shores of Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is the largest freshwater alpine lake in North America and is located about 2 hours north of my sister's place in Sacramento. It's shoreline is shared by the states of California and Nevada. Tahoe is the ultimate winter playground for residents of the Bay Area and as you can see, it's gorgeous (and very quiet) in the spring months too. We spent a couple of hours picnicking and enjoying the views at Baldwin Beach in Emerald Bay.

But Lake Tahoe is only half the equation. It would be remiss of me if I didn't also extol the beauty of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The drive up the mountain is really breathtaking and the views provide a glimpse of paradise. So that we may believe.

Sights & Sounds of Vegas

2009-05-16T08:29:00.010+08:00

Okay, so this is Vegas. Entertainment Capital of the World. These are the sights, sounds and impressions that have been forever seared into my memory.
1) There are slot machines everywhere - starting with baggage claim at the airport

2) There are more casinos than convenience stores from the Strip to Fremont St

3) Wherever you turn, there is unmistakable glitz and glamour. Ranging from vintage ritz at Caesar's (left) to glamorous chic at Wynn's (right)

4) They also seem to love their statues with Julius Caesar, Hadrian and real-life street artists at the Venetian. Some were very cool; others somewhat creepy :-)

5) And last but certainly not least, it is hot, very HOT. We had temperatures of over 100F/36C daily and it was amazing to hear the radio DJs describe it as a "wonderful" sunny day! We drank about 3 litres of water daily and slapped on tons of body lotion to prevent drying out. Phew...

Dancing fountains of Bellagio

2009-05-13T06:32:00.005+08:00

It is much too hot to walk around Las Vegas in the daytime with it's 100F heat. But when the sun sets, it's cool enough to stroll around and enjoy the sights. And there are no sights as breathtakingly beautiful (and free!) as the dancing fountains of Bellagio. Enjoy the video...

Viva Las Vegas

2009-05-13T05:57:00.008+08:00

The best advice I received about going to Vegas is "Don't think - just enjoy yourself" and I've been doing just that. After all my European & Asian travels, it's easy to look at the Las Vegas strip and see kitsch, tacky & loud. But if you set aside cultured adult tendencies, and embrace your inner gambler, this city is fun with a capital F.

The Strip by day: Luxor Casino & New York, New York Casino

A familiar feeling seized me the moment I caught sight of Las Vegas Boulevard from the plane window. It was the scene from the opening credits of CSI - the original series. Be ready for an assault on your visual senses when you first drive down the Strip. It's one incredulous OTT (over-the-top) experience after another. From the Sphinx at Luxor to the NYC cityscapes to Venetian Palazzo, you really have to see it to believe it.

Aunty Jo Jo at the Venetian Grande Shoppes & St Mark's Square

The Venetian was our first stop and we all fell in love with it at first sight. It really is Venice at its best- with the pretty gondolas and classical buildings in airconditioned comfort, minus the canal smells! :-) The casino was pretty good too. I made $150 at the slots. Beginners luck...let's hope it lasts for the rest of the trip.

Exciting SFO arrival

2009-05-11T13:14:00.004+08:00

I arrived in San Francisco on Thursday morning to discover a bomb threat at the airport. It was my first ever....cool!

We took almost 2 hours to clear immigration and another 2 hours for us to claim our baggage. Despite the chaos and lingering fear, it was interesting to watch the behaviour of my fellow travellers. The frequent flyers appeared calm and almost blase as they waited patiently for instructions. Other passengers including some mainland Chinese were anxious, loud and clucked anxiously to one another about their stranded luggage. They were persistantly crowding around the exits causing unnecessary confusion.

Meanwhile, the immigration officers went about their business efficiently and as politely as they could, given the circumstances. Lufthansa ground staff were the most service-oriented; coming up with announcements for their passengers every 30 minutes. Sad to say, Singapore Airlines staff was nowhere to be found. I only managed to scrape together some information by eavesdropping on the conversations of flight crew who were milling around the airport.

Anyeong haseyo

2009-05-07T16:06:00.003+08:00

Hi everyone,

I'm at Incheon International Airport and this is the first time I'm blogging on the run. Am on my way to San Francisco to see the family and I'm so excited. A couple of interesting observations on the trip so far:

Why do some passengers insist on being pushed around in a wheelchair when they can walk? There was one lady who was wheeled onto the plane and then spent the rest of the flight walking up and down the aisle to exercise her legs. Huh? I don't get it
You should have seen the killer stares I got when I sneezed on the plane this morning. If looks could kill....
Why does every salesperson in Incheon speak Japanese to me and tries to sell me kimchi?

So adios amigos until my next post when I get to Sacramento.

Random Bali snippets

2009-05-02T00:00:00.001+08:00

As I wrap up my holiday in Bali, here are some random things I've noticed:-

Paradise is not an overrated word when describing Bali
Every other person is named Wayan. This is because there is a set order of names for Balinese families:- Wayan (first child), Made (second), Nyoman (third) and Ketut (fourth). What happens if there's a fifth kid? The cycle starts all over again!
Having a daily massage is not a bad thing. In fact, it's a necessity
Riding a motorbike along the paddy fields with a fresh breeze brushing your face is the best feeling in the world
You can live life at whatever pace you choose - scheduled or unscheduled
Kuta & Denpasar are best avoided unless you like dour aggressive street vendors
Don't count on getting any service in the tourist areas if you're not "white". We had the worst experience in Ku De Ta, an upmarket club in Jimbaran Bay and Uluwatu, a premium linen shop in Ubud. We were totally ignored at both venues in favour of western tourists.

Balinese delights

2009-05-01T22:46:00.008+08:00

You didn't think I was going to let this holiday pass without blogging about food, did you? Not a chance! I've tried quite a few mouth-watering delights starting with papaya juice for breakfast, which has been a "moving" experience :-P

My favourite Balinese dish so far has got to be babi guling or roast suckling pig. And not just any babi guling, it has to be Ibu Oka's. This world famous retaurant is located in Ubud and serves the yummiest porker ever! Never mind that we're in the middle of a swine flu pandemic, this dish is worth it. The meat is so juicy, it almost melts in your mouth. And when it's covered with a spicy bumbu (sauce) served over hot rice with some lawan (vegetable & coconut salad) and crackling on the side....sigh....enough said.

Ikan pepes is a delightful Balinese dish made by baking fresh local fish with pepes(spices) wrapped in banana leaf. When I had it for lunch last Tuesday at Pondok Minah, it was served with kangkong (local watercress) in a spicy peanut sauce over hot rice. Simple fare that's unbelievably tasty!

This is a bottle of Arak Bali that I won at a lucky draw on Sunday night. It's a locally-made rice wine with 36% alcohol content. After having 2 shots neat, I came pretty close to passing out. Still, it helped me make a few friends at the resort when I shared it around :-)

It tastes quite similar to Japanese sake or Korean soju except for one thing - this one burns!

Cocktails with friends at sunset

2009-04-30T19:15:00.007+08:00

There must be something in the air and water in Candidasa that allows friendships to be kindled quickly. It's only my fourth day at the resort and I know the names of almost all the staff and visitors staying at the resort. It doesn't matter if you're sitting in the pool, bar or dining area, within minutes, you'll find yourselves joking and laughing with everyone there - it's very special.

We wandered out for Happy Hour this evening to enjoy the sunset (and a few cocktails) and ended up having a nice long chinwag with our new friends. They were:-

Joanna & Li Ki from Singapore
Carolyn & Larry Bentley from Florida, USA
Bryan & Marie Harrison from South Australia
Neil & Marlene Challis from Geelong, Australia
Tony & Fiona Newstead from Brisbane, Australia
Vicky Spencer from Canberra, Australia
Rod & Sharon Wallis from Hobart, Australia

You would probably have guessed by now that looking for an Australian in Bali is like looking for a needle in a haystack...NOT! :-P

Snorkelling at sunrise

2009-04-29T13:11:00.009+08:00

The alarm clock rang at 5:30am and by the time we walked out to the hotel jetty at 6am, the boatman was waiting beside his jukong. The jukong is a narrow deep-hulled boat with two wooden floaters attached to the sides, giving it the look of a floating spider. We soon set off for a morning of fishing and snorkelling.

It was a beautiful misty morning and the sea was calm as a pond. The sun rose from the horizon and painted the skies bright hues of orange and gold - it was a sight to behold. We sat quietly in the boat enjoying God's handiwork as I hummed a hymn or two. There were other fishing boats out and about and the boatmen started trading tips on where the fish were biting.

After a 30 minute boatride, we arrived at Blue Lagoon for our snorkelling session. And that's where my embarrasment began. Plunging into the cold water, I couldn't quite control my floating devices and ended up flip-flopping all over the place. Instead of being face down, I kept flipping on my back - much to the amusement of my companions. It was such a funny sight that I couldn't help laughing myself.

Eventually, Li Ki managed to get a hold of me and showed me how to snorkel. When I bravely let go of the boat, a new world opened up to me. The corals were all manner of shapes, sizes and colours while the colourful fish were all within arm's reach..amazing! Despite swallowing sea water because of the loose snorkelling gear, I enjoyed paddling around the lagoon. By the way, did you know that plankton stings?

When I surfaced and made my way back to the boat, that's when I noticed queasiness starting at the bottom of my stomach. It was all downhill from there. Throughout our next round of activities, which was fishing, I was struggling with sea-sickness and nausea. Needless to say, I ended up feeding the fish instead of catching them..eeuuuww!

By the end of the morning, Li Ki and Wayan still managed to catch 3 jacket fish and we're both looking forward to a dinner of fried fish with sambal and rice tonight.

Slice of Paradise

2009-04-28T19:59:00.012+08:00

I spent this morning exploring the stepped paddy fields and royal gardens of Bali on a motorbike. Before you start getting images of me in a leather jacket riding a Harley Davidson, let me set your mind at rest. I was riding pillion on a kapcai (Honda Cub) with a brave little Balinese man named Wayan. Humble transportation aside, let me assure you that the views were stunning. There was a slice of paradise along every turn as we made our way up the hilly slopes from Candidasa to Amlapura.

I wish we could have taken photos of the green paddy fields and majestic Mt Agung set against a bright blue sky with the azure sea in the distance. But there was just no stopping that determined kapcai. I could almost hear its little engine chanting "I think I can - I think I can - I think I can" as it chugged its way up to the Tirtagangga Gardens.

The water gardens have been part of the Karangasem royal estate for the last century. Set on a plateau surrounded by hills and paddy fields, it is a sight to behold. The entrance, as pictured above, is breathtakingly beautiful. Unlike other royal spaces, this gem of a garden has been open to the local Balinese people since its inception. This is also the site of the holy water springs that provides irrigation for the surrounding farmlands.

Joanna with Li Ki (in pink hat) and Wayan (my brave motorbike guide)

Li Ki and Ayu posing prettily at the water ponds of Tirtagangga

Li Ki and I were blessed to have the company of two wonderful friends, Ayu and Wayan, who proudly showed us round their hometown. Their gentle demeanours and big beautiful smiles reflect a friendship that is heart-warmingly genuine. They were generous with their knowledge and openly shared stories of their lives, loves and dreams. Wayan summed up his philosophy of life for me with these few words " In Bali, there's no stress. What we have, we enjoy as a gift from God".

Wise words which will accompany me over the next few months...

Bali..at last

2009-04-28T00:00:00.011+08:00

After a busy month of packing, moving and sorting out finances, I have finally begun my holiday. Over the next few months, I will be taking a mid-career break and writing a series entitled "Glass Half Full". For the last 15 years, I've often defined myself by what I do professionally. Over the next few months, I hope to enrich that definition by discovering new facets of Joanna Yeoh. I'm really looking forward to the adventure and you're welcome to join me. We begin on the island of Bali...

The charming village of Candidasa is on the eastern coastline of Bali. It's far away from the bustling commercialisation of Kuta and one is greeted by these sea vistas every morning. You can literally walk from your chalet, pass the al fresco dining huts and step into a boat waiting to whisk you away for a day of fishing and snorkelling. Yesterday, I was baptised by sea water as the waves splashed against the retaining walls and sent a salty spray all over me as I was taking in my first sea views. I feel so blessed..

My friend Li Ki and I are staying at a 20-room property that is full of friendly staff. The moment we arrived, we were greeted with a loud "Hello...welcome HOME!". Actually they are more like friends rather than staff. I think I'm gonna like it here so stay tuned.

More Susan Boyle

2009-04-18T23:56:00.004+08:00

Firstly, I love Susan's rendition of "My Heart Will Go On" and secondly, I find it adorable that Piers Morgan invited her out on a date on live television. How is he going to maintain impartiality as a judge? By the way, I think Susan's right - he's quite a dish too :-)

Watch this and be amazed!

2009-04-17T22:13:00.004+08:00

I have spent the last few days besotted by a YouTube video of a 47-year old Scottish spinster. She never fails to put a smile on my face. Give it a go and enjoy Susan Boyle!

http://wwww.youtube.com/watch?=9lp0IWv8QZY

A Perfect End

2009-03-26T22:34:00.007+08:00

I arrived home after an emotionally-charged last day at work, having collected my severance package, and what do I find?

A box of pure heaven - Belgian chocolates from Brussels! Thanks Martin & Claudia for giving me the wonderful taste of hope that my future will be as rich and luxurious as the Marcolini chocolates you sent. They taste divine.

I am blessed.

Funny faces

2009-03-19T22:38:00.008+08:00

This post is dedicated to two special girls - Lucinda and Nicole - who were sporting enough to give in to my silly suggestion to pull some funny faces. Just because I got bored one rainy afternoon.

Lucinda and her amazing rubber face

Nicole looking sweet no matter what she tries!

Aunty Jo Jo - the biggest freakiest kid of all

TGIF!!

2009-03-17T23:14:00.012+08:00

Now here's a trick question...if you were planning to invite guests over for a weekend, what's the maximum number you would invite? 4? 6? 10?

Try 13! That's the total number of my colleagues who bundled into a convoy of cars and headed to Johor Baru last Friday. We were headed to the home of Kon, Julius & Lucinda - the most generous hosts in the world!

After a long tedious week, we could hardly wait to get out of the office. Even the long queue of motorists at the Woodlands checkpoint was a welcome sight. TGIF, man!

When we got to the immigration checkpoint, I realized what a diverse group we were. There were passports of myriad colours: Singaporean, Malaysian, Chinese, Indonesian, American and Brazilian. I knew then that we were going to have FUN! That's the beauty of working for a multinational company. Now, what sort of a house do you think would fit in 13 guests, 4 hosts and 4 cars? A very BIG one...that's what we found when got to our destination.

The hospitality of our hosts was astounding from the moment we stepped into the palatial living room. Fruits, cookies and murtabak awaited the hungry travellers so we plopped comfortably around the dining table and helped ourselves to the goodies. That was followed by a tour of the house, which was done in 3 shifts - did I mention the house is big?

A sumptuous dinner awaited us at a seafood restaurant and we happily polished off the plates of fish, prawns, crabs, tofu,pork and vegetables as if we hadn't eaten all day. We then proceeded back to the house for more food - this time durians, chocolates, jackfruits, wine and liquor. This strange combination caused us to tell some funny stories about bus rides, showers, comfort foods, favourite countries and potential love interests ;-)

The next morning, we were treated to an authentic Malaysian breakfast before being taken on a tour of Danga Bay, the Sultan's palace and some houses even BIGGER than our hosts'. Then it was massage time! I enjoyed a blissful 90-minute session during which I fell asleep. But some of my colleagues weren't so lucky - "painful" being the most-used word that morning.

After a lunch of fishball noodles, the girls headed for a manicure/pedicure session while the boys headed to the DVD shops. The kids (myself included) headed home to play Nintendo, tinkle on the piano and make funny faces. Thanks Lucinda and Nicole - you girls were really fun to be with and I'll post the "funny faces" story soon. When everyone got home, we all sat down and watched Slumdog Millionaire. Then, it was off to dinner (yes, more food!) and home to Singapore.

On behalf of everyone, allow me to say another big THANK YOU to Kon, Julius and Lucinda for their wonderful hospitality. We all had a wonderful time and many happy memories were made and friendships strengthened last weekend.

Echoes of history

2009-03-09T22:02:00.007+08:00

Kuala Lumpur is where I was born and bred; it is home.

Although her history is fairly recent, there is a corner of KL that I'm very fond of. The beautiful colonial mansion is called Carcosa Seri Negara and it sits atop a hillock above the Lake Gardens. This was the home of Sir Frank Swettenham, the first British Resident of Selangor and now serves as a luxury hotel. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were the first guests to check in.

Every time I'm called on to show first-time visitors around KL, we always end the day with afternoon tea at Carcosa. After the hustle and bustle of Chinatown, it is such a relief to retreat into this cocoon of time-worn elegance. Sinking into the enormous rattan chairs on the veranda, while white-gloved waiters serve Earl Grey from a silver teapot and gently place a plate of fresh scones on the side; it almost feels like England. All my visitors, including the ones from England, agree.

Shona & Joanna enjoying a tour of the Merdeka Suite - where the Declaration of Independance was signed

On more than one occasion, my guests and I have been fortunate enough to be given tours of the hotel. I am especially awed by the Merdeka Suite; where Tuanku Abdul Rahman signed the Declaration of Independence in August 1957, leading to the emancipation of Malaya from colonial rule. I get goosebumps every time I walk into that room.

From the sweeping staircases to the luxurious dining rooms, elegant suites to the jasmine-scented washrooms; Carcosa reminds us romantics of a gentler time. Sigh...what a perfect setting for a wedding...maybe, one day.

Girls' Night Out

2009-03-03T22:32:00.005+08:00

Last week, I realised something very important. Recessions may come and recessions may go, but good friends last a lifetime. And it's vital that we take time to appreciate each other as individuals and celebrate friendship. Profound huh?

Well, that was my feeble attempt to disguise my drunken misdemeanours if my parents ever read this blog. Because Corrine, Kon, Stef & I had a FANTASTIC girls' night out last Friday at Michaelangelo's @ Holland Village in Singapore. We drank, ate, chatted, drank, laughed, drank, teased waiters for a full five hours! Strange how it was so easily accomplished as opposed to a two-hour conference call. Maybe we should start serving champagne...hmm..never mind.

The girls toasting to friendship

The food was simple and very well done. We started with bruschetta and mussels in white wine sauce accompanied by some fresh rolls dipped in olive oil & vinegar. For mains, we had Caesar salad, spaghetti frutti de mare (seafood) and duck with braised pickled cabbage. It was "Mamma mia...molto deliziosa". We also managed to finish a bottle of champagne and a bottle of zinfandel, despite one of us being allergic to alcohol. It was "Mamma mia...hic!"

Lovely ladies waiting for....well, I'll just leave that to your imagination...

After all, wasn't it Ralph Waldo Emerson who said "It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them." ;-)

Let it snow...

2009-02-11T23:41:00.007+08:00

All these Facebook updates about the snowstorms in England have sent me diving into the archives looking for long, lost photos of winters past. In my younger days, I loved the cold weather but many years and bouts of bronchitis later, I have learnt my lesson and returned to tropical climes.

Yes...found the photos...yikes...may not be a good idea to display them cos beanies and me don't go well together.

What did you say? You really want to see them?

Promise you won't laugh...promise?

OK here goes....

Right...that's enough. You can pick yourself off the floor and wipe those tears of laughter from your face. Yes, that's me sitting outside The Spinney, my residential cottage at the University of Birmingham, after the first snow fall of 1995. What's that demented white creature sitting next to me? That's my snow dwarf. I had every good intention of making a "man" of him but it was just too much work...plus my hands were turning blue from cold!

And this is me showing off my ski gear at Falls Creek in Victoria, Australia. It was my very first ski trip and probably my last. Way too painful - for my ego that is. I took 2 lessons with a bunch of six-year olds and they were skiing down green slopes by day 3 but not me. I spent the rest of the week slipping and sliding; flipping and flopping much to their amusement. Grrrr...

Before and after

2009-02-07T22:12:00.005+08:00

I have a confession to make. When choosing photos for this blog, vanity often dictates that the most flattering photos end up on this page. So I think it's time for you to see what really happens to me at the end of the day, when I'm less than picture perfect.

When I found this giant smoked turkey leg at a San Antonio street fair, it looked absolutely delicious. Three hours later, I changed my mind. Seriously though, it tasted pretty good...in the beginning.

Bright and cheerful outside Macy's in NYC at 8am; tired and grumpy waiting for a bus outside MOMA at 6pm. Did I mention that I had broken my toe a week earlier? Limping around NYC on a swollen foot for a whole day was probably not a good idea.

Happy outside the Vacaville factory outlet in the morning, very happy with my shopping bags in the evening. What you won't see is the photo of me opening the credit card bill the following month :-(

Familiar faces & places

2009-01-16T22:17:00.013+08:00

"Aunty Jo-Jo, why haven't you blogged for such a long time? Busy ah?" asked Reco, my Taiwanese friend yesterday. It was that gentle reminder that made me realise that Aunty Jo-Jo has been silent for most of December & January. Thanks Reco!

Well I have been on the road but mostly to familiar places to catch up with friends and family. Some of whom I haven't seen for a LONG time. First stop - KL. To attend Deva "The Stallion"'s wedding at JW Marriott Hotel. It was so good to catch up with the Family: ex-colleagues from my very first job at Arthur Andersen. We sat there teasing each other, imitating old bosses and laughing over the same old jokes while the spouses looked on in bewilderment. It was a pity that Li Ki & Lily couldn't join us.

Seated L-R:Connie, Yee, Manjit, Raten

Standing L -R: Sreedhar, Joanna, Rajen, Shirley

Mum's birthday celebration @ Victoria Station / Hunting down hawker food @ New Lane

I also made a stop in Penang to celebrate Mum's birthday. The birthday girl chose to dine western-style so we reserved a table at Victoria Station Steakhouse. My parents also invited their church pastor, Earnest & his wife Ee-Hui. The steaks were delicious and our conversation was lively & animated. It was a very enjoyable evening, probably because the pastor, his wife & I are around the same age so my parents had the excuse to act "young"...haha...

Also took the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to my second-favourite hawker centre in Penang: New Lane. It's right next to Sunway Hotel in the heart of Georgetown. There are dozens of stalls lighting up the night with an amazing array of Penang delights. We had our fill of curry mee, chee cheong fun, dumplings, chee chap chok and nyonya kuih...burp...

Aunty Jo-Jo with her beautiful godkids: Katelynn (pink), Kiersten (white), Jared (blue) & Justin (orange)

Then it was back to Singapore to celebrate Christmas with my beautiful godkids. The twins holidayed with me and I loved spoiling them. The most exciting thing we did was a train ride from Orchard Road back to my condo in Kembangan. After which Kiersten declared "Phew...we made it!" They also provided many hours of entertainment with song & dance routines including "Ke Len Lai" and "Hokey Pokey". History was also made when I got a chance to introduce the twins to my favourite boys, Justin & Jared. Both families had a delicious seafood & Hokkien mee dinner at Big Eater. After which Jared declared "We finally get to meet the twins..after so long!"

I really should blog more often about familiar places and faces. After all, they make up the memories that never fail to put a smile on my face :-)