Sleepy Hollow Stanley

Insomnia, a word that rarely associates with Stanley Nam - someone who perpetually sleeps anywhere, anytime, regardless of whatever situation and scenario. And note, I never had jet lags ever, even during my cabin crew days.

Yet it has been haunting me for the past 2 weeks.

I have been wondering what is going on in me: Is it a decline in my health? No. I can still bench massively in the gym and eats well. Is it emotionally? Yeah, probably true. Guess all the pressure's been piling up onto me ever since my relationship lit the red light. In additional, the anticipation of a new job in July, changes from a busy routine to an unstructured lifestyle and the increasing responsibility towards my family amounted to a greater proportion in the stress level.

Nevertheless, like what Ms Christina A said, "I'm a fighter". Hakuna Matata (I hope I spelled right), meaning 'Be Happy, Don't Worry'. All will turn out well eventutally.

Guess I need to rely on counting sheeps for the time being. Hahaha!!

Black-eyed (Kung Fu) Panda,
Stanley

Stanley's Farewell Lunches

This is a thank you message to my dear friends at the IT company that I have just departed from:

I have enjoyed the 1 1/2 years here with you guys and ladies. Each and everyone of you are special in my heart and I shall never forget the wonderful times and joy that we have shared. I feel blessed having you and it's a pity that I have to move on. All the best and good luck in everything and have a great life.



Love,
Stanley

Prive @ Keppel Island (Must-try entertainment hangout)

Stanley was invited to attend an all-boys gathering at Prive on Sunday; and we were there to support our pal, DJ Shigeku, who was guest spinning at the decks.

The sleek and trendy bar, located at the Marina on Keppel Island (off mainland Singapore and across Sentosa), was a spectacular feast for the eyes as sparkling lights, Caribbean-styled apartments and floating yachts greeted as I stepped into the Prive Gastrobar.

The waterfront, comfy lounge sofas and dimmed lights brought about a relaxed, romantic and soothing mood for guests present. Sipping the night away with champagne and other wild concoctions of cocktails was a breeze (excuse the pun) as the airy and spacious watering hole has made me forgotten that I was in Singapore but somewhere in Brazil or the beaches along Santa Monica.

I heard the entertainment hub comes with Prive the Restaurant, a cosy 88-seater; and Prive Bakery Cafe, a must-go venue for pastries, breads and deserts lovers.

Wonderful~ Now we have another option for chill-out sessions in the future.

25 Minutes (too late) at Thai Express, Vivocity

Good service is imperative in today's wine and dine dictionary, regardless of whether it is a top notch 5-star restaurant, fast food outlets or even a snack bar along Orchard Road.

I was with my buddy at Vivocity on Sunday and being a self-proclaimed foodie (not yet a gourmet), I was spoilt for choice by the variety of eateries at the mega mall. Finally, we set our decision on Thai Express, as I have missed their beloved Pad Thai dearly.

I was surprised that we didn't have to wait for a table, considering it was dinner time on a busy weekend. Upon entering the restaurant, the hostess signalled our table at the far right corner on the side and we made our way without being ushered.

Just as we sat down on our seats, the server cleaning the table beside ours dropped his tray and spilled a whole glass of ice water on the floor, table and onto my pal's denim jeans. The poor guy looked flustered and immediately went to fetch a cloth to clear up the mess. The manager on duty came running with a stack of tissues and I thought she was offering them to my friend.

Oh boy, was I wrong.

She took the tissues and began wiping the table ONLY. We were totally ignored. Oh Lordy!

Nevermind about that, we ordered my Pad Thai and his Tom Yum Chicken broth glass noodles. While placing the orders, two girls sat down on the table next to ours (yes, that same table).

My bud and I were chatting happily and unknowingly, 25 minutes had passed. The slurping sounds of the girls eating joyfully caught my attention.

They were having Pad Thai and Tom Yum Chicken broth glass noodles. The very same order as ours, only made 10 minutes later than us.

I turned and stared at my friend. I swear the same thoughts were going through our heads - the waiteress who took our orders had given the female patrons our food.

A hungry man is an angry man. But being all poised and collected always, I kept my cool and asked for the waiteress. She strolled to our table and after hearing my enquiry, replied,"You have to wait."

In less than a minute, our dishes were chucked onto the table. Neither an apology nor eye contact were made from the waitress.

Regardless of how big the portion was or how great my Pad Thai tasted, my gastronomic experience was ruined, BIG TIME.

I swear I will never return to the same Thai Express outlet again.

Stanley's verdict (out of 5 bleats) -
(The Pad Thai has saved the restaurant from total shame)

Pietrasanta - Cool Italian Restaurant

Stanley was with his beautiful girlfriends - Josephine and Carina last Friday at Pietrasanta for a nice dinner and chill-out session.

Set in a nostalgic background of colonial old-world black and white house, this one-storey cottage restaurant is named after a small town in northern Tuscany, Italy.

We ordered quite a lot of fanfare, from mouth watering appetizers such as Black Mussels in White Wine and Fresh Tomatoes and Carpaccio Di Manzo Con Grana Padano E Ruccola, or Thinly Sliced Beer Tenderloin with Rocket Salad and Shaved Parmesan with Lemon and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Dressing.

Main course were the black squid pasta and stuffed meat penne with tomato sauce. To sweeten the deal, we had the wonderful Semifreddo Cioccolato Bianco e Muscato, or White Chocolate and Muscato Wine Parfait and Tiramisu.

The total bill - Only S$150. Not bad for the great ambience and taste, although the service was a tad slow as they had a shortage of staffs.

Stanley's verdict (out of 5 bleats) -

Here's the address:
5B Portsdown Road, #01-03 Wessex Estate, Singapore

Note: Please book in advance to guarantee a table as all nights are usually full.

Desaru Adventure in the Wild

Desaru, Malaysia. The Sand, Sea and Sun - all in one. Pure heaven.

According to desaru.com.my...

DESARU located on the eastern tip of the peninsula has clean sandy white beaches and is popular with tourists as well as locals. It is a village of casuarinas with 25km of unspoiled beaches and lush tropical forest.

The numerous resorts and hotels here cater to the budget traveler as well as families seeking fun in the sun. Among some of the many activities include golfing, horseback riding, tennis, canoeing, swimming, boating, fishing, snorkeling, jungle trekking, theme park and other sea sports.

The beaches are lined with casuarina trees dotted by rustic fishing village. To make your visit more memorable, visit Tanjung Pengelih to see the relics of World War Two and the historical relic of the Malay Johor Riau Empire at Johor Lama. One thing that keep attracts people to come back to Desaru is the beach. It's clean and no matter where you stay in any of the resorts, you can still enjoy the same clean and sandy beach.

The beach is quite unique as the sand is quite grayish but you can walk nearly 50 meters into the sea and still the depth is approximately 4 feet deep). Desaru has one of the best beach in the mainland of Johor.

My pal and I drove up a couple of months ago and I was deeply fascinated by the wonders presented in front of me. Being an outdoorsy person, I was captivated by the clean beaches and bright sun. The people seemed so relaxed, chilling in groups, drinking and having fun.

Here are some fun pics that I took during my day excursion there.

Shallow Hal...Oh Holy Cow !!

Self-confidence is a much abused phrase to use nowadays.

Magazines, TV, Books and even the internet boast about ways and tips to raise up your personal self-esteem and better your image and outlook.

Many lecture on wearing the correct clothes, color combination, makeup, hair; some talk about building a perfect body, eating well and exercising right; the rest mention crafting the perfect career and widening your social circles...blah blah blah...the list goes on.

It's only recently that we realise true self-confidence comes from within. It's not the exterior that counts, but how you feel about yourself and being comfortable in your own skin that matters.

That's why you see many labels and brands marketing their products nowadays with real women and people who undergo realistic life encounters. Gone are the days of perfect long-legged creatures, hunky adonis and fairytale stories that plastic surgeons with needles, scapels and botox fillers do not exist.

I watched Shallow Hal last midnight and was greatly amused but touched at the same time by Jack Black's love for Gywneth Paltrow. At the end of the show, Black's character decided to forgo Paltrow's oversized image but focus on her kind inner beauty.

Many people would show disbelief that such stories are unreal, and that our primitive reaction to beautiful things and beings hold true.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but a similar Shallow Hal incident did happen to me.

I remembered when I was in my teens, I developed an amazing feeling for this person who didn't have a great bod, smothering looks, wonderful skin, etc. But rather, this person was quite ordinary, plain looking. What I saw was the sweet kind heart for people around and the unfortunate. I was very blessed to be able to go out with this person for a good two years and I thank God for this enriching experience and also that I don't judge a person by how he or she looks on the outside.

The inside is what really matters. Trust me.

So people, quick ditch the mentality that wearing the latest high end fashion or owning loads of materialistic gains contribute to a fab self-confidence. In actual fact, wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans can be very sexy and attractive when you have a simple, kind loving heart for yourself and the people in your life.

Go, gear up now, Self-Confidence!

Stanley

Newsflash - 10 June 2008 (NEW!)

The world is a beautiful place and interesting happenings occur everyday around us. However, many of us have little time to find out about them.

So from today onwards, Stanley will present here interesting news in a nutshell that relate closely to you and me.

Here's today's newsflash

1) Apple unveils faster, cheaper iPhone

Apple will launch the newest iPhone on 11 July, which is designed for faster Internet downloads, longer talk times, and takes advantage of the high-speed network to provide GPS mapping built in. The iPhone will be available in 70 countries and will come with 2 new forms of Jap and Chinese. Prices will range from US$199 (S$272) for a eight gigabytes memory and US$299 for a model with 16 gigabytes of memory. Sexy~


2) US scientists unveil world's fastest computer

US scientists unveiled the world's fastest supercomputer, RoadRunner on Monday, a US$100 million (S$136 million) machine that for the first time has performed 1,000 trillion calculations per second in a sustained exercise. The machine may be used for civilian engineering, medicine (think HIV vaccines) and science, from developing biofuels and designing more fuel efficient cars to finding drug therapies and providing services to the financial industry. Wow!

3) Dehydrated tomatoes may fight prostate tumours

Studies has suggested that a form of carbohydrate called FruHis, found in dehydrated tomatoes, may prevent one from developing prostate tumours. Tomatoes are the savior for many men! Alleluia!

4) Smoking linked to mid-life memory loss: study

Smoking is found to pose an increased risk for memory loss in people at mid-life, a new study released on Monday found. Luckily for me, I have stopped smoking for more than 10 years already, so I will have one less worry. Keke.

5) HDB launches 382 BTO flats for sale at Marsiling

Anyone seeking a new house? HDB is offering 382 flats for sale at Marsiling under the Build-To-Order (BTO) scheme on Tuesday.The flats at Straits Vista @ Marsiling, near Woodlands Regional Centre, comprise 50 three-room and 332 four-room units. The three-room flats, with floor area of between 67 and 69 sq metres, are priced from $116,000 to $164,000, while the four-room units, with floor area of 93 to 95 sqm, will be sold at between $184,000 and $257,000.

Mean Girls..Growing up pains as a teenager in Singapore

Growing up in Singapore as a teenager can be quite scary.

From young, you are brain-washed by the society (and your parents) that the key to living life is to excel in everything, everytime.

As soon you as you reach two, you are enrolled in some nursery; three, you start learning ballet; four, the abacus; five, playing the piano or violin; the list goes on.

During Primary/Secondary school life (or Junior/Middle for the US), you are expected to score distinctions for all subjects and to be top notch in your ECAs (read: activties you do during your remaining free time except for lessons, sleep, eat and toilet/shower breaks)

No wonder we are ranked one of the most hard-working or stressed nations amongst the world in a recent global survey.

And in an attempt to escape from being labelled as an all-round achiever but individualistic, lone-ranger (or some would call nerds), many young boys and girls form cliques of their own and determine their own codes of conducts which dictate the habits, lingo, culture, and preferences of the youths in the group.

The better ones or 'atas' (high class or society) types would be like those in the Lindsay Lohan movie 'Mean Girls' - classy, pretentious and aloof.

The not-so-glam ones would be what many would call - the LV, Gucci and Prada brands-adoring Ah Bengs and Ah Lians, fashion victims of colors gone wrong but full of comaradie and justice for the brood.

But did anyone ask why is there the popularity of forming these cliques, in Singapore and everywhere across the universe? These could be some reasons, I guess.

1) Our animalistic instincts tell us that being in groups are good. Or at least by nature, we are better acustomed or work better, being together.

2) All the peer pressure of having to be in a group with same interests and virtues contributes to this phenomena. It's like how many women worship their Jimmy Choos or Bottega Veneta. It's literally the same.

3) The fear and insecurity of being alone and feeling all-powered up like some powerpuff girls or superman when they come together in a group.

To me, this is all part of growing up. Many of these youngsters will grow out of this phase when they emerge in their twenties, get into universities or embark onto their working lives. Soon enough, they will realise that they have grown to like themselves better, and to accept who they really are and be comfortable in their own skin. Many did. Well, I did. But for some who don't, hmm.. let's just give them a couple of more years then.

Life is all about having fun, so don't get too serious.

Stanley

Coffee with a dash of revenge

People always say revenge is sweet, especially when it's do onto others what they have done onto you.

I beg to differ.

To me, revenge is sweeter when you are able to let go of the past and move on.



Trust me, it kills the other person more when he/she knows that you are having a better life and not letting the past linger on. Of course, it drills even deeper when they realise that the pain they inflicted onto you didn't hurt as much, but only makes you stronger; and that these insignificant people are easily forgotten like yesterday's old news or some one hit wonders. Hee hee...



I am not one who bad-mouth about people but when it's unfair treatment or lack of justice, I will be the first to stand forth and be vocal about it. I have to thank Mdm Ng (my mom's maiden name) for her good upbringing and instilling the good virtues in my life. Of course God played a major part in modelling who I am today.

And because of that, I have made 2 big (brave) leaps this month:

1) Ended a draining and negative relationship
2) Divorced my boss (and my job)

Of course, I believe there are some good in the above, but well, what can I say? If it doesn't work out, it's better to pack your bag and leave then to continue being in misery. Life is too short for self-piety.



Besides, it could work in favor for both parties. Stop wasting each other's time and effort, knowing certain things just don't fit well together. (Think size S bikinis on Rosie O'Donnell or desert wine with beef lasagna and raw oysters...eewww!!) Nevertheless, I wish all the best for these people whom I have left behind.

Today, I let my girls go out for lunch together (I am a good boss, ok! haha!) They deserved the time off and I can secretly feel their sadness when they heard about my departure. These wonderful ladies are the reasons why I can't bear to leave this place. They are just like my family and I love them dearly for all their kindness.

To make myself feel better, I decided to take some wacky photos of myself, in a bid to cheer myself up.

Spinelli coffee - they serve the greatest lattes


What a beautiful bejeweled PINK poppy...pen


Apple's baby bear - ain't it cute?


Luv this pepsi can design (although I am not a fizzy drink lover)


I'm sure gonna miss this office and my cosy little work corner. But life is all about moving on and learning new experiences. To those who feel or are going through likewise, don't despair. Remember, there's always a beautiful rainbow after the rain.

God Bless,
Stanley