Friends – SMALLCRAZY

Three Days at Oktoberfest 2011

Yishyene — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:31:00 +0000

Two weeks ago, a group of us embarked on a crazy road trip to Munich for Oktoberfest (and then on to Amsterdam). Guess how long it took to drive from London to Munich? Just guess.

17 hours. SEVENTEEN.

I nearly killed myself and ALMOST regretted going on the trip.

We were delayed as we got to Dover too early ahead of our scheduled train – get this, you can actually take a train across the channel to Calais as in your car drives INTO the train. A CAR train! It was amazing!

There were also road blocks and we got stopped by German police (immigration check) at a random section of road in the dead of the night, at which point everyone took turns to run into the pitch-darkness to pee.

I have to say, I found this part really exciting.

It was drizzling as well!

Predictably, we arrived there exhausted, agitated, and lacking sleep

But two hours later, we were at the festival grounds – time must not be wasted!

The first tent we visited was a relatively new one and sold beers in 0.5 litre portions instead of the full litre, for the same price of €10.

To be precise, it’s €9.10 but it’s common practice not to receive change for a tenner and let it be the tip.

You do get what you pay for though – this was my favourite of the whole fest

I love its smooth orangey colour

It tasted smooth, too, and rich

Me and a giant salted pretzel

There’d be girls with baskets walking around to sell them in the tents

Emma managing to hold two litres

Which is NOTHING because you’d see all these crazy waitresses holding up to a dozen of these mugs AT ONCE

The rest of our first evening was spent outdoors in a beer garden

Where we witnessed a beautiful sunset – a blanket of thick cloud lit by golden rays beneath

Of course, you can’t get the full effect from a mere photo.. :p

Days Two & Three

I was going to do each day separately but my memories of both have melted into each other.. it’s quite hard to recall what happened when..

The following day we were all much fresher

And got dressed in our ‘Oktoberfest Gear’

By this I mean ‘cheap beer wench outfit from eBay that you think is what girls will wear at Oktoberfest but in reality they’re all tastefully dressed in traditional dirndls, making you feel just a BIT silly’

Still, I liked the costume and really enjoyed wearing it!
Then again, I like looking silly..

I got myself a a red felt hat from one of the numerous souvenir stands
Which I later LOST in Amsterdam.. I’m so bummed.. don’t even talk about it..

The interior of our Day Two tent

Outside one of the tents
Each one is very elaborately decorated, both inside and out, and have a unique feel or vibe

For example, the Hofbrau tent is supposedly the ‘international tent’, where you’ll find a truckload of people from all around the world.. mostly Australian, I’m guessing.. hahaha

Me, Aysh, Emma in our matching costumes hehe

I drank my beer so fast that day I felt so tipsy after just one

I think this was the drink that spurred me on to buy my red hat

Sausage and sauerkraut

I love sauerkraut!
I used to pile it on at the bratwurst stand at Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne that I used to visit regularly for my sausage fix

A little bit drunk

This is obviously a drunk face (Ryan)

Mark and Dave in their matching festive shirts
Lederhosen are expensive to buy!

In the evening, we managed to get a table in a really lively tent

We perched ourselves on the benches

Sang along to loads of cheesy songs performed by the live band

They play a lot of really cheesy/universal stuff.. I’m not sure why.. but probably cos everyone will recognise the songs

We shouted ‘Prost‘ (that’s ‘cheers’ in German) a bazillion times to plenty-a-stranger

And heartily yelled the words to a popular German singing toast which goes ‘Ein prosit, ein prosit der Gemutlichkeit’ even MORE times.. the band would play this every 10 minutes or so

It was one of my favourite things!

Aysh & Ryan.. not sure what happened here

The atmosphere was absolutely buzzing

You really had to be there

Everyone was HAPPY and loud and smiley

Emma & I

Me and some randoms we drank with!

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Outside the tents, the scene was like a giant carnival/fun fair
Full of colour and things to make you feel like a kid again

We went on a good number of rides

SO EXHILIRATING

Especially when you’re half-drunk and your bladder’s about to burst 😀

It was quite a sight – to see so many people dressed for the occasion

By the end of it I kind of wished I had a lederhosen..

Yes, we wore our outfits two days in a row.. ha!

I LOVE Oktoberfest!!

And I’m not even a beer person!

I had so much fun
The atmosphere was incredible and nothing like I ever imagined

For some reason, I imagined it to be something similar to a music festival – muddy and kind of rowdy – but it was nothing like it.

It’s hard to describe

If you haven’t been, GO!

Special thanks to the German dude, Bene, for putting us up for a couple of nights at his apartment 🙂
German people are awesome!

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A Million Moments of Closeness

Yishyene — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 22:41:00 +0000

When I first left home some eight years ago, I was excited.

I was going to a new place, a new country (Australia), to meet lots of new people, and to learn about and experience a whole different culture. I tried new foods. I learnt to surf. I joined a gym for the first time. I learnt to ski and fell in love with it. I went camping with wombats and kangaroos swam in the most beautiful beaches at Wilson’s Promontory. In the summer I went skinny-dipping. I joined a kung-fu club. I dressed up and danced as Dame Edna in the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in 2006. I even learnt how to cook cheaply and quickly (though not often), do my own laundry, and operate a clothes iron.

I did a whole multitude of things that I simply can’t itemise in one paragraph.

Despite all that, I still had many moments of loneliness, especially in the first year. Moving far away from the familiarity of home not only gives you a newfound freedom to explore and be independent, but also means leaving behind your family, your friends, and all the people and things you know and grew up with. And in these circumstances, it’s easy to feel lonely.

The thing about loneliness is that it can consume you. Without the presence of positive relationships, your self-esteem suffers and you can even lose your appetite and forget to look after yourself. Social isolation can also lead to anxiety and depression, along with a higher risk of obesity and high blood pressure.

Being in a foreign country for all of my adult life, I know how debilitating loneliness can be. It’s ever so vital to be close to people you can share with and confide in, and people who can simply keep you company when you most need it. Staying connected with your friends and family can help steer you away from loneliness and depression.

It goes without saying that when you’re surrounded by people you love and have a great sense of togetherness, you will have a healthier, happier heart!

To celebrate its 100th birthday, NIVEA are promoting the spirit of healthy togetherness. Get involved by visiting the Facebook page here, where you can take part in NIVEA’s A Million Moments of Closeness by uploading your favourite photos of you with someone you’re close to – a friend, sibling, parent, partner, pet, toy, anything/anyone – and win prizes.

You can also find out about roadshow events where you can pick up some NIVEA freebies and if you’re up for it, you can also participate in the ongoing debates discussing topics such as what makes people truly feel close to each other and how modern technology can change the way we stay connected.

Personally, I couldn’t be more thankful for the internet and mobile phones. Back in Australia I used ancient $5 call cards and exchanged text-only emails to keep in touch with my loved ones. But communication tools quickly evolved and by the time I relocated to London, I could stay in touch with my friends and family in both Malaysia and Australia using video and free instant-messaging tools on my iPhone 🙂

For many a sad moment, I’ve relied heavily on the comforting words and presence of the friends I’ve made here.

In the absence of my family, these are the people I can count on for a hug, a movie partner, a dance buddy, or simply someone to.. you know, watch my face as I talk.

Text messages and photos can only do so much – physical proximity can do so much MORE!
Here are some of my favourite photos that remind me of the wonderful people I have in my life:

First and foremost: My family

Aysha and Emma, who brought so much fun and joy to London

L: Joyce, R: Melissa, and Nadia, who made my summer last year one of the best!

Ryan, the bestest friend and companion that I could ever ask for

My sister, the most precious thing in my life

Hmmm.. crazy people

Joyce again, the best travel-friend in the world!

More Aysha

Kubhaer, one of my newest friends who sent kind words all the way from Prague when I was down

Sam and Meesh, friends who are always smiling!

A special note to Sian, who always has good advice and never passes on an ice-cream date.. And also Marisa & Azlan, for the great company and all the amazing food.

An essential thing I’ve learnt in my eight years living abroad is the value of friends.
Without them, I wouldn’t have lasted this long ;p

Appreciate your friends
Make an effort to keep in touch
Get together and do something fun regularly!

Learn more about the NIVEA Feel Closer campaign here

This is a sponsored post

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Crazy in Kingston

Yishyene — Sat, 07 May 2011 17:09:00 +0000

Here are two photos I love from a day Aysha and I spent by the river in Kingston
We’re always taking silly pictures together
I can’t wait to print these and stick them in my new room.. wherever that may be!

I take a bus Kingston (instead of the tube).. it takes about an hour and passes through Richmond
I don’t mind it because it’s such a scenic route

Richmond to me is almost the best place in London
It’s got lots of greenery, the river, animals, boats, ice cream.. and a beautiful vibe

I say almost because I can never decide what really is the best

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Sunstroke Madness in Putney

Yishyene — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 23:53:00 +0000

“Sunstroke Madness” is a term coined by Aysh
It happened one day when it was sunny and she had been on a train home after we’d hung out in Kingston earlier
Suddenly, a wave of spontaneity hit her and she jumped off before the train reached her stop, determined NOT to get home until it was well and truly dark
A friend lived nearby and she ended up going there and having dinner with a group of people

The sun.. it makes you do great things
And it’s true – during the warmer months I never want to go home if I know the sun’s still out!

Last week, we had a barbie in Putney
We ate so much {good} food.. giant burgers and an amazing salad
Drew ridiculous things on the street using sidewalk chalk

I wrote beside a neighbour’s car,
“Welcome to your car, Mr Crabbs”
accompanied by a cartoon crab (like in Spongebob!)
Who knew that the owner would walk out not two minutes after I was done with my artwork!
Luckily, he thought it was funny and had a laugh!

We packed up our cocktails, beer, and ice-cream into a cooler
At the park, the boys played football
Emma and I danced, jumped, and went crazy to Bob Marley
You could say we had a bit of Sunstroke Madness

Here are some photos from the day

Top – H&M
Shorts – H&M
Shoes – Bertie

I was having a bit of fun with Photoshop!
Which effect do you like best?

What crazy things does the sun make you do?

PS – I changed my banner/header yet AGAIN!

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La Dolce Vita, Bar Kick, & The Shoreditch

Yishyene — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 19:33:00 +0000

I wanna start by sharing some photos of my buddies Aysha & Emma

I love looking at these
Cos it reminds me that we really are just three girls trying to have the best time in London
We face similar troubles, obstacles, and down-times in the quest for the ideal work/travel/play balance

But essentially, I think, we have so much determination and positivity inside us that I have no doubt that each of us will leave London smiling, satisfied, and our minds filled with vibrant memories of numerous holidays, festivals, parties, and colourful people.

My nicknames for them are Booby (Aysha) and Pecan (Emma) – pronounced with a stress on the A, like Pe-CAHHN. I’m glad I met them. Plus, we all do Crazy Dancing, what a bonus.

Aysha’s holding a wine glass she’d nicked from the Italian Fair that we’d just come out of :p
The event was called La Dolce Vita, held at the Business Design Centre in Islington

It was definitely the fair for greedy people who love food
There were heaps of samples to choose from – ham, salami, SPREADABLE spicy salami (this was superb), a million types of olive oils and wine, pasta, desserts, bread, the most flavourful dips (such as chopped olives + garlic + chilli + aubergine + whatever it is I can’t remember), and the best pesto.

We pretty much had our lunch there

++++++++++++++

Tummies full, we then tumbled down to Bar Kick, a really cool bar on Shoreditch High Street so the men could watch the footy while we.. did not.

Football fans like this bar because downstairs, they have three additional screens, a Big Normal one, a Medium Normal one, and a Medium 3D one.

You get the 3D glasses from the bar in exchange for a £2 deposit, so you can sit downstairs looking stupid but feeling like you could pinch out the people on the screen with your fingers, and.. dunk them into your drink. It’s quite surreal, and quite cool.
Even for a non-football-fan like myself.

There’s a somewhat old-school theme going on too
They have school desks and chairs
Lots of foosball machines
Red & white checked table-cloths
And their menu is in the style of a crumply old lined exercise book

Bar Kick – Home of Table Football, Great Food, & Live Sports
126-127 Shoreditch High Street
Shoreditch
London E1 6JE

Click here to see events they hold – these include comedy nights, films screenings,
and even speed-dating!

+++++++++++++++

After a most satisfying Vietnamese meal with my friend Sian whom I met later, we spent the rest of the evening at The Shoreditch.

Previously called The Last Days of Decadence, which had reopened in 2005 following a closure of 80 years and apparently boasted decor with a 1920s / 30s influence, The Shoreditch now has a more art-deco feel and is a really cool place to watch eclectic people and drink cocktails!

And, what other place has a club night in the basement called ‘Mutant Disco’?

We had JUST missed the 2-for-1 cocktails offer
Normal price: £8.50 each

Sian is determined to make a trip to Tallinn, Estonia this year
I’d like to join her, I hope
I wonder what’s good to eat/see/do/play with/drink there!

The Shoreditch – MUSIC//DANCE//FOOD
145 Shoreditch High Street
London E1 6JE

++++++++++++

Now, I’m going to have dinner
With ginger wine
And watch a movie on the sofa
A ROMANCE movie

I might as well be 50 years old

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A Spotty Match & Rainbow Cake

Yishyene — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:56:00 +0000

Something I wore in January to a friend’s birthday party
I matched the spots on my leopard necklace to the ones on my top – which is something I picked up from the Pick & Mix Vintage Sale.
The necklace is an old favourite from Me & Zena.

I can’t remember where the other necklace is from. Who cares?

I didn’t take many photos at the birthday party
But I was sure to remember to capture the gummies

And the Rainbow Cake – specially home-made for the birthday girl by another friend

Here’s a picture of my friend Jayna and I.

She LOVEs taking photos and owns one thousand and five hundred cameras and probably has enough film to carpet her floor and walls and all around outside her building.
I think she eats them too.

Or NO.. maybe she EATS PHOTOGRAPHS.

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The Old Blossom Box Store – A Gem in Malaysia

Yishyene — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:42:00 +0000

Wednesday was a super day

Joyce, like the last time I was back (in October 2009), so very kindly took me out and about. You see, I hold a valid driving license but I don’t really drive. It’s too scary here and I don’t know the roads well enough…
Basically, I’m a chicken -_-

We had tea at a new restaurant called ‘Plan B’, which apparently has extremely slow service and occasionally includes insects in your food. We shared the most delicious plate of French Toast – luckily for us it didn’t take too long and came with no living things! She took me shopping for DVDs and clothes, and we later met a couple of friends at a bar for drinks and food. Felt like she was my big sister, haha.

Most importantly though, we visited a fairly new boutique: The Old Blossom Box Store
I used to browse the Malaysia-based online store from London, but refrained from purchasing anything due to shipping costs.. and perhaps not knowing how to use Western Union. SO I was really excited to see all the pretty things in real life and also to meet Jezmine, the extremely sweet owner and creator of The Old Blossom Box.

Here come LOTS of pictures, cos everything was so NICE!

With the fairy, who took these two photos below
When I was hot and sweaty and yucky
But luckily that didn’t get captured onto the camera, ha

Top – borrowed from mom
Shorts – ASOS
Feather necklace – Diva
Shoes – Zara
Bag – Topshop

I’m holding a plastic bag containing Season 5 of ‘How I Met Your Mother’, and Avatar
🙂

I like the cat. It makes me laugh!

Crazy-colourful brooches. Can you guess which one I got?

I really liked these necklace versions but hmm i’m not that sure.
Still got a day to think about it
I love the store so much I’m going again tomorrow!

The blue rail

The decor of the whole store reminds me of things like Bambi, candyfloss, carnivals, a cupcake store, TOYS, and ice cream. There are lots of small animals and little ornaments everywhere, even a small rocking chair to hang bags on. I was going to photograph this to share but there was a customer blocking the area oops.

The picture on the right reminds me of my sister, whose name is partially ‘Jane’ 🙂

An accessories table
Clearly oozing with sweetness

RM25 = about £5

Me and the wonderful Jezmine

I loved so many things at her store
Very affordable as well
For RM350 (approx £70), I managed 6 tops and a skirt!

Here, I’ll show you some of the things I got!

We visited another boutique called Sevendays, from which I bought a dress, shirt, and skirt.

All of the above from The Old Blossom Box Store
I can’t wait till the warmer weather – in London – so I can wear them ALL

Light blue shirt from OBB
Sheer shirt + skirt from Sevendays

Below are the accessories that Jezmine kindly gifted me as part of my purchase

This is something I’m looking forward to wearing to a festival when summer arrives!
Or really just any other day..

Love this cos of the colour

THANKS a bunch Jezmine!
You – and also Joyce – have restored my faith in Malaysian shopping
Just that I’ll probably be broke by the time I leave the country

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Pick n Mix + The Big Chill + Emma B’s

Yishyene — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 00:51:00 +0000

Went to my favourite vintage pick n mix sale last weekend (where you pay for the a bag – the price varies according to size – and then stuff it to the brim with whatever you want!) with Aysh, Emma H + Emma B. If your name is Emma, there’s too many of you!

Had the BEST time
I picked up lots of colourful summer shirts and blouses to wear over the whole of Feb while I’m away in tropical sunshiney weather. Everyone got really fun and quirky and weird stuff. We left the store heaving what must’ve been an 8-10kg bag each with a sense of shallow satisfaction/accomplishment, haha.

Some pics from Big Chill Bar:

Parts of our shopping bags

There wasn’t a spare table when we got to the bar
So we squeezed in with a bunch of random guys who were quite friendly

Random guy wearing something Aysh picked up from the sale
It’s a furry jacket with HUSKIES at the back

It’s so awesome I borrowed it to wear to the party later that night heheh

Blurry pic of Aysh + Me

Emma B’s Cool Flat

Headed to Emma B’s place after
Imagine 4 girls with a giant bag of clothes each – already a feat trying walking on the streets
The flat was on the.. I dunno.. 10th floor or some shit
And the building had NO LIFTS!!

By the time I got to the top I secretly declared that I’d done my share of exercise for the rest of the month
It’s terrible..

Anyway, we played dress up with all our vintage bargains
With loud music and wine and pizza
It was hilarious and funny and crazy and stupid!

Here, Emma H and I take turns to model a tapestry waistcoat
Pics were prob taken in mid-dance

Aysha in a sheer black shirt with gold print

Emma in a silk scarf headband

The ‘Bad Girl’ hat may or may not have been from the vintage haul.. I can’t remember
But everything else is!

I LOVE this yellow silk scarf I found
It has pheasants/birds printed around it – but they’re not readily visible in the photo sorry!

Now you know where my outfit from this post came from hehe

Crazy people

More crazy

After this we all went to Hoxton for some house party
Where things got really crazy – good AND bad – so no pics

😉

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Asian Desserts + My Same-Named Friends

Yishyene — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:50:00 +0000

Last night – look, me writing about something that happened a mere one day (instead of 6 months) ago – our food-loving friends Marie and Jayna took us to an asian dessert house in central London

I love asian desserts
The menus always seem endless and there are so many combinations of dessert you can create
Out of all the different types of jelly, coconut cream/milk, red beans, green beans, with/without shaved ice, a variety of interesting fruits. And what about all those flavours of bubble tea!!

We had so much mango

Shaved coconut flesh + ice + jelly cubes + lemon
This tasted like really refreshing sorbet

Mango puree + fresh mango + sago

Fresh mango + pomelo + sago

Marta & Marta

Marta and Marta are both from Portugal and they both live in London!
Long-haired Marta invited us to her house last Friday evening for a dinner + wine + olives

She made the most delicious brocolli rice + gay chicken + roast potatoes with peppers
It’s loosely called ‘gay chicken’ apparently because the chicken’s stuffed with a lemon before cooking.. haha!

Did some research – the actual dish is called ‘Frango a Paneleiro‘

I was so preoccupied with eating as soon as dinner appeared so no photos of the food!

But meet Cleo – the resident kitty
She’s really cute but loves to bite playfully

Longhaired Marta + Shorthaired Marta

Whoa this sounds like I’m naming animal breeds

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I Love Orange – A Halloween Exclusive

Yishyene — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 22:08:00 +0000

Halloween is the only time I embrace the colour orange!
Other times I hate it. It’s mainly because I hate carrots.

Here are some pics of a small party I had at my place – all unedited cos there’s simply no time for that crap right now.

Last-minute lame makeup using a £1 kit!

Emma and I didn’t have any real costumes planned so half an hour before the party started we set up a little makeup counter by the top of the stairs (there’s a mirror there) and started painting crap on our faces.

We changed our designs and masks through the night!

Also had a moustache/sideburns/eyebrows kit to play with. It was fun!

Puking pumpkin + vampire teeth gummies + monster veins / inflatable pumpkin

I dyed the spaghetti orange

I loved the result

Smiling skull confetti on spiderweb tablecloth

Greeting pumpkin outside the door.

We also wrapped nearly all the lights (inside and outside) in orange crepe paper.

The whole place looked super COOL.

Emma + me / me + ‘Holy Shit’

Green couple Emma + Mark!
Mark’s mask was hilarious! It’s constantly sad no matter how hard you smile behind it :p
It’s great for funny-dancing with.

Uhh.. someone from Mad Men (I don’t watch it) / Amy Winehouse. In real life known as Jayna and Natalie.

Hanging deco.. i LOVE the skeleton.

We had a few dances together. He’s got some good moves!

Jayna brought one of her many Polaroid cameras and we started a Polaroid wall.

This was less than halfway through.. I forgot to take a photo of the full wall later on due to the effects of alcohol consumption.

Emma + me looking beautiful in our new rubber facewear. I have a ridiculous amount of masks..!

Meesh + me

Love this shot – it’s so 60s!

Vampire rockstars!

Mummy-dogs courtesy of Samantha.

Sam + Arivind looking ever so cultural.

We many times felt compelled to have a big hearty ‘HA HA HA’ while patting our tummies.

It’s the moustache effect!

Some kind of Zorro (me) + Mrs Dracula (Emma).

My favourite Halloween decoration was the cobwebs I put all around the room.
They were so much fun to put up.. you have to pull and stretch them heaps, in the right directions to get the ‘perfect’ cobweb.

I also stuck a whole bunch of glow-sticks on the walls along the stairs.

But the bestest bit was the climax keyring. It’s this little thing with two buttons – you press one and it lets out a LOUD sound. Of a woman orgasming. It’s got ‘three different orgasms’ and each one goes on for ages!

Anyhow, we taped up the keyring against the front door outside and had a sign saying ‘press me’

It was hilarious every time someone arrived.. or came..

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