• En route – Thomson. http://instagr.am/p/BveYo/ #
• De Alto Cedro voy para Macané, Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí. #
• Paleo starts again. @ Spize The Makan Place http://instagr.am/p/BxmWQ/ #
• NOOoooooooooo ….. Mummy brought durians into the apartment! Urgghhh the smell will be here for days!! #
• This is what a muscle up n00b looks like! @ Crossfit Singapore http://instagr.am/p/Bxtci/ #
• I'm at The Brand Union http://4sq.com/hP3DiU #
• Just finished lunch w/ @jlfang just missing @alittlewhine (@ Sushi Tei) http://4sq.com/edafKG #
• Will be at the @HSBCWomensGolf Welcome Reception at the Fairmont w/ @fazabdulgaffa w/players & invited guests. @christabelgoh see u there? #
• Silly me. The @HSBCWomensGolf welcome reception is at the raffles hotel. Lucky I was just across the road. #
• Wish this girl gd luck! Representing Singapore at the @hsbcwomensgolf from tomorrow. @christabelgoh http://instagr.am/p/ByySK/ #
• At the new office party. Great catching up w old colleagues. http://instagr.am/p/B0Peo/ #
• Stolen pic from @jlfang http://instagr.am/p/B0PnA/ #
• Another stolen pic from @jlfang fav one of the night http://instagr.am/p/B0QWV/ #
• En route – balestier road http://instagr.am/p/B0km_/ #
• The diminishing Fewa lake in Pokhara due to urbanization. http://instagr.am/p/B0lFx/ #
• I'm at Crossfit Singapore (Kallang Industrial Park, Unit 01-147, Kallang Ave, Lavender) http://4sq.com/ePegDm #
• Damn u citimobile app,made me walk for ages to an ATM that doesn't exist!least u can do is update the locations. due diligence! #citisg #
• Layers. http://instagr.am/p/B1JNh/ #
• Am i weird to get excited over dark clouds and skies approaching in the distance. Like butterflies-in-my-tummy sort of excited. ohhh yeahhhh #
• Can you rain already!!! Talk abt a climatic curtain reveal! http://instagr.am/p/B1QH3/ #
• The black swan was consuming and disturbingly brilliant. Deeply affected. Anyone else? Is tat the best way to describe it? #
• Just had a vivid dream of a SQ plane crash. I keep having nightmares abt plane crashes lately.is it a premonition? #
• Time to check out the top female golfers in the world @HSBCWomensGolf ! #
• beautiful day at TMCC for the @hsbcwomensgolf http://instagr.am/p/B2bfS/ #
• At the 14th hole @hsbcwomensgolf waiting for Tseng http://instagr.am/p/B2d5v/ #
• Beautiful day at the @hsbcwomensgolf lots of spectators, vibe is great. http://instagr.am/p/B2f9j/ #
• Panorama – 360 view at the @hsbcwomensgolf : http://occip.it/pt43ur0y http://twitpic.com/43ur0y #
• Crowds at the last hole @hsbcwomensgolf http://instagr.am/p/B2mk9/ #
• Happy birthday beautiful! Perth girls are finally all together! http://instagr.am/p/B3M-k/ #
• The Perth girls #2 http://instagr.am/p/B3NYf/ #
• Perth girls #3 http://instagr.am/p/B3Nej/ #
• Big crowds @hsbcwomensgolf at the 7th hole. #
• Yanni Tseng- 3birdies in a row now up to 2nd place!what a comeback @hsbcwomensgolf http://instagr.am/p/B4IQB/ #
• I'm getting the vibe that Webb isn't exactly the crowd favorite.everyone rooting for arimura or Tseng to overtake the lead #
• I'm getting the vibe that Webb isn't exactly the crowd favorite.everyone rooting for arimura or Tseng to overtake the lead @hsbcwomensgolf #

Heat is on… lots of golf enthusiasts gearing up for the HSBC Women’s Open 2011 here in Singapore. All the big names in womens golf are in town and it looks like an interesting weekend ahead.

Every year during the photocall, they’d make the golfers do something unique, usually something cultural and relevant to the host country. Last year at the HSBC Mens Open in Shanghai, they made Tiger Woods do Tai Chi.

Quite amusing for the photographers and camera men at the photocall. For the Singapore one held yesterday, they donned
Michelle Wie in a Korean hanbok and Paula Creamer in a Japanese kimono.

Above: Michelle Wie (left) and Paula Creamer (right) dressed in traditional Asian clothes at a photocall for this week’s HSBC Women’s Champions, with world number one Yani Tseng (centre)
Photo: Getty Images

You know what’s also different about Women’s golf? That added dimension that the men don’t really pay attention to? Fashion. I mean sports merchandising is huge! I find myself checking out what the golfers are wearing on the green – shoes, shirts, caps, gloves. And it was in golf that i first came to know about SKORTS!

While we are on the lines of fashion, there was even had a special Caddy Bib Design Competition held in collaboration with Raffles Design for the HSBC Caddy of the Year awards.

Tonight is the HSBC Womens Golf Welcome Reception at the Fairmont. Hope it was just as spectacular as the one in Shanghai.

The HSBC Women’s Champions 2011 will see 63 of the world’s top female golfers, including all of the 2010 major champions and all of last year’s LPGA tournament winners, battle it out over 72 holes of individual stroke play. The tournament is sanctioned by the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and will offer a purse of US$1.4 million.

The same crew from India 2005.

Clockwise from top left: Rohit (Roh) Honawar, Elzena (Elz) Ibrahim, Saskia (Sas) Smellie, Tobias (Tobs) Smellie.

Long overdue posts about India. No not the trip in Dec 2010, but even earlier, July 2010! Life got in the way, but that doesn’t mean I should forget about it all together. These blog posts are a means to archive my journey and perhaps inspire you to travel to these places for yourself.

I’ll try keep it short and let the pictures tell the story. Life changing is an understatement, I owe the rest of my life to this trip to India.

First of, getting there.

Me and Elz needed to meet the rest in Delhi, and for those in Singapore, airlines flying to Delhi were:
- Singapore Airlines
- Cathay Pacific
- Air India
- Jet Airways
- Thai Airlines (Stopover in Bangkok)
- Kingfisher (Stopover in Mumbai)
- Emirates (Stopover in Dubai)

Jet Airways was the most affordable, and the timings were better for us working professionals. We could leave the office on Friday, get on the plane and reach Delhi at 2am in the morning, DIRECT.

I definitely recommend flying with them. Though it’s a young airline, it has done very well in positioning itself as a leading player in the industry. Don’t be frightened at the thought of it being an Indian Airline. It may not be as good as a Singapore Airline, but it’s still pretty good for the money you pay.

Here are some of my top flight travel tips

• Forget about looking good, wear something stretchy and comfortable. Because my mum said so. And like many things she says… she was right. Forget about jeans and skirts, go through stretchy track pants.
• Always carry a travel toothbrush and paste. You don’t want to be greeting your loves ones with foul breath
• Try to pre-book your seats if you can. I use seatguru sometimes. If you don’t go to the loo alot, then window seats are best because you can lay your head against the window to sleep.
• Why do I always look terrible when I look into the mirror in the plane loo? Face starts looking like a raisin! Moisturiser and spray mists can help keep your face hydrated.
• Coping mechanism: Peace of Mind® by Origins – This tip was given to me by a friend recently. Person sitting next to you with BO? Or toilet stinks? Or you’re just feeling a bit stressed or anxious? This tiny bottle is travel size and a great addition to your handbag. Just a small amount, rubber under nose, temples and the ingredients such as Peppermint, Eucalyptus and Basil starts working its magic!

*Update

Will be posting video by day or activity because there’s just way too much footage for a collage, and some videos deserve to stand on its own. Not saying this next one does.

• Food poisoning on last day at Nepal has left me worshipping the throne all day http://instagr.am/p/BlChk/ #
• lucid dreamed.Thot I was sleepwalking so I mde myself sleepwalk thru the house turned on lights just to test if it's real when I woke up! #
• Jules just gave me a flower. Awwwwww my valentine this year http://instagr.am/p/BmHWo/ #
• En route – balestier. But still feeling nauseous. Blearghh http://instagr.am/p/BnDCG/ #
• Miss waking up to this every morning. Really takes ur breath away. http://instagr.am/p/BnDM-/ #
• Shadow play of prayer wheels. http://instagr.am/p/Bnoq2/ #
• Monkey perched on swayambu nath, Kathmandu http://instagr.am/p/BnoO2/ #
• Watching over you http://instagr.am/p/BnqxB/ #
• Pigeons. Lots of pigeons. Durbar square, Kathmandu http://instagr.am/p/Bnrk5/ #
• At one of my fav coffee joints. Waiting for Mr. Poo! You're late tsk tsk http://instagr.am/p/BnroQ/ #
• Durbar square. http://instagr.am/p/Bn5GD/ #
• No idea what kind of berries. http://instagr.am/p/Bn5Lk/ #
• En route – Thomson http://instagr.am/p/BoR1U/ #
• I did say lots of pigeons. Durbar square, kathmandu http://instagr.am/p/BoSjX/ #
• Himalaya range, Nepal http://instagr.am/p/BoiPK/ #
• En route – Thomson http://instagr.am/p/BpgE9/ #
• Sky was going all abstract on us this morning http://instagr.am/p/Bpk0Z/ #
• Why am I still feeling so sick. Thought it was over http://instagr.am/p/Bpyum/ #
• Mystical forest. Chitwan national park http://instagr.am/p/BqCUz/ #
• The nose knows. http://instagr.am/p/BqCZA/ #
• Namaste http://instagr.am/p/BqCu9/ #
• Ele hugs http://instagr.am/p/BqN1a/ #
• Elephant treats. Mixture of molasses, rice wrapped in elephant grass. http://instagr.am/p/Bqtyq/ #
• Happy to see visitors http://instagr.am/p/Bq08i/ #
• I think I have christened every toilet in the apartment this morning. #TMI #
• Good morning to this view is pretty awesome http://instagr.am/p/Brphh/ #
• Keep pedaling http://instagr.am/p/Brqi7/ #
• Morning chores http://instagr.am/p/BruMO/ #
• Tired much? http://instagr.am/p/BsNYS/ #
• Careful or you'll get burnt! http://instagr.am/p/BsywK/ #
• Thanks for the link love RT @Graffiti6: Calling all fans in Singapore! RT @angelaleowgray http://bit.ly/gZcoql #
• YOU GoT TO be JOKiNG!!!! WHAT the HELL? http://twitpic.com/41fz9w #
• Got woken up again at 5am w nausea & nothing to hurl.Wat kind of bacteria food poisoning is so cruel! it's been 1wk & no I can't be preggers #
• Can't wait for the new crib/studio to be pimped.I've got blank canvases waiting and magic to be made. friends r welcomed to join the Art Jam #

Some snaps from Jules’ 2nd Birthday! Big boy, and also a 哥哥 now. I can just imagine the two of them getting up to no good when they are in their teens. Heart breakers in the making.

Am I the only Jamie Scott/Graffiti 6 fan in Singapore? Surely not. Hope he comes to Singapore again, maybe for a smaller more intimate acoustic session at TAB, now that would be sweet. I feel his strength lies in the more raw acoustic performances. Either way, the album is a pleasure to listen to.

Here’s their album title song “Colours”.

Download their album “Colours” on itunes
Visit their website at www.graffiti6.com
Follow them on twitter @graffiti6
And the other usual social pages: Facebook, Myspace, YouTube.

Am myself around you and not afraid of acting like a fool, because you’re just equally as goofy!

xoxoxo

Just some snaps from Nat’s engagement dinner at La Braceria Pizza and Grill. Food was not bad but not great either, but it was a perfect location for a more intimate dinner with girlfriends. Don’t bother on the house wines, they weren’t that good. If you want, ask one of the staff to recommend a bottle to go with dinner.

La Braceria Pizza and Grill
5 Greendale Ave
Tel: +65 6465 5918

And I love you too!

So what did you do this Valentines Day? I just spent it at home with food poisoning, but did manage to get out of the house and see the lil one at the hospital.

I’m one of those girls who doesn’t like the idea of Valentines Day, and I’m especially bitter this year because it seems like everyone else around me is in love.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss being in a relationship, but at the same time I don’t want to waste my youth on duds or people who don’t know what they want.

People say don’t go looking, it will just happen. Well I haven’t been looking. Maybe I should turn to the Laws of attraction, if you want something really bad, it will happen right? But that would just prep me for major disappointment. I think I will start living up to my disappointment, that way it’s easier to achieve.

I think it’s official, there are no men in Singapore for me. Where are you Magenta!

*Update
Aiyo… no he is just a friend. Was just using this photo for the post.

Awhile back I attempted to make dark chocolate truffles for a dinner party at home and sowered the internet for a simple recipe. In the end, Martha Stewart was the choice. Went out to the supermarket to get all the ingredients, started the day before, everything look promising until it was time to mold the truffles.

See what happens is, you heat the cream, chocolate and rest of the ingredients and pour it into a tray to cool. By the next day, it should be ready to be scooped and molded into little lumps of happiness.

That wasn’t the case. I’m not sure if it’s because of our climate, but the truffles kept melting in my hand before I could even coat it with cocoa powder?

Can you tell I was disappointed?

Anybody knows what could have gone wrong?

I’m a proud Auntie again!

Say hello the big boy Benji who arrived in the wee hours on Sunday 13th February 2011 at 3.78kg.

So here are the 4 who guessed the right date for Pop Day #2

1. Sharon
2. Alicia
3. Shaun
4. Mason

I asked my sister to choose a number 1-4, and the winner is:

MASON

Congratulations! Will be emailing you soon to let you know how you can collect your 3 tubs of Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream!

And well done Jie Jie, going all naturale with no epidural! FwaH!

• 2 days without connection to the outside world. A brief minute now w wifi just to say hi http://instagr.am/p/Bcm95/ #
• Chitwan national park. Spotted one horned rhino among other animals. Now on to pakhora http://instagr.am/p/BcnJ4/ #
• Never knew they loved chillis!!! http://instagr.am/p/BcohG/ #
• Still in Pokhara for Day 2 of the PATA AT&RTCM2011 Conference. It's really not that cold here, are you sure it's winter :/ #
• Listened to an inspiring keynote today by @brucepoontip at the AT&RTCM2011.Can't wait to get new company off the ground and out to do good! #
• Last day pokhara. Then back to Kathmandu. I love being here but I wish I was home with Jie jie. #
• Currently in Mumbai Airport waitin for connecting flight back home! See you soon! #
• only used 15mins of my 2hrs and it's expires now! Darn no Internet while I'm on transit @MUMairport #
• Can't really see frm here but behind me r some of the worlds tallest peaks. Annapurna range. http://instagr.am/p/BjQ8X/ #
• From pokhara. http://instagr.am/p/BjRE5/ #
• En route – Thamel Kathmandu http://instagr.am/p/BjROY/ #
• Thangka http://instagr.am/p/BjRXn/ #
• Impressed!! Thanks! RT @MUMairport: @angelaleowgray Sorry to hear that. We've already instructed our internal teams to rectify the issue. #
• Can't believe it!! bumped into JB! We r on the same flight back frm Mumbai #
• Home sweet home. But with a fire belly #
• En route – tanglin road http://instagr.am/p/BkLMB/ #
• Ollie, cousins lil one. Family in town frm Portsmouth http://instagr.am/p/BkaMh/ #

Been quiet on the blogging front due to the limited internet access I have in Nepal, so I apologise for the hiatus.

So besides the ‘POP’ day giveaway, I’ve got another one coming up! Have been blogging recently about the fourth HSBC Women’s Champions event that will be staged once again on the Garden Course at Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore from 24th – 27th February.

The HSBC Womens Champions follows after the Mens Champions which was held in Shanghai in November last year. If you remember, I blogged about my visit to Shanghai where I had the priviledge to watch the world’s top golfers swing and putt against each other.

Last month I also blogged about the weekend iPhone augmented reality game they had at Ngee Ann City where you could have won $10,000! It was nice to see our young local golfers at the event and forgot to say a hello to Christabel whom I met at a previous Shell event in Kuala Lumpur! Congratulations Christabel!

So who wants free tickets to watch the tournament!!!

I have 3 pairs of tickets to give away to 3 of you who can tell me who  won in the local qualifying tournament for the HSBC Womens Champions?

 
3 winners will be chosen randomly from the comments section of this blog post with the right answers.

Closing date is 16th February 2011, 11:59pm

Visit the HSBC Women’s Champions 2011 website for more information. Answer is there too!

• En route – kallang ave @ Crossfit Singapore http://instagr.am/p/BTTMl/ #
• Past 3 days have made me really happy! My faaavvv weather non-stop! Sweet! #
• I've giving away 3 tubs of Ben & Jerry's ice-cream!!

  http://blog.angelaleowgray.com/2011/01/30/when-is-pop-day-2/ #

• Heartburn. #
• Love the poll happening on the blog now.3 tubs of Ben & Jerry's for the winner!
  http://blog.angelaleowgray.com/2011/01/30/when-is-pop-day-2/ #
• En route – Thomson http://instagr.am/p/BUhlm/ #
• En route – Thomson. Qi ge long dong qiang dong qiang http://instagr.am/p/BVmLe/ #
• Looking forward to steamboat CNY reunion lunch with the family, and then it's a mad rush to pack for my 11pm flight. Oof :/ What r ur plans? #
• OOoooo 10 Feb 'Pop' Day seems to be the most popular. http://blog.angelaleowgray.com/2011/01/30/when-is-pop-day-2/
  Have u voted yet??? #
• When I eat mandarin oranges, I'd always put a wedge against the sun to see if there r seeds http://instagr.am/p/BV3YK/ #
• Not sure if the cab driver is killing the moths or me!! mothball overkill. #
• En route – to Changi airport http://instagr.am/p/BWQJ1/ #
• Hello jet airways. Good to see you again!! http://instagr.am/p/BWVxU/ #
• Just spent 4hrs sleeping on a chair in transit at Delhi airport. *yawn* Gd morning India! http://instagr.am/p/BW5s-/ #
• Flight re-scheduled twice, still in Delhi Airport waiting for my flight to Kathmandu.dum dee dum dee dooo…. #
• Finally after 7hrs at Delhi airport, am on Flight to Kathmandu #Jetairways http://instagr.am/p/BXDKK/ #
• Walked up to Swayambhunath, prayed for protection,played w the street dogs and sat in on prayer songs after all t http://instagr.am/p/BYlYo/ #
• Vegetarian momos for lunch. Hmmmmmm http://instagr.am/p/BYlbC/ #
• In the courtyard 12degree weather with the himalayan sun warming me up while I read my book. http://instagr.am/p/BYmSX/ #
• Havin an emotional moment being here in Nepal. I wish i cld carry all my friends in my pocket and bring u here. Pics will have to do for now #
• Just chanced upon this place in Thamel where I'm uploading all these pics frm. http://instagr.am/p/BYpEB/ #
• Starting to get chilly. http://instagr.am/p/BYpuk/ #

Perhaps it’s because we’re sisters…

By the way, your last chance to vote on her ‘POP’ day and stand a chance to win 3 tubs of Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream!

CLICK HERE to take part

So what do you do to inaugurate the condo’s new BBQ pitt? Break it in with a Burger cook-off!

The weather seemed promising, so all of us pattied up our burgers with all sorts of spices and ingredients.

If I remember correctly, there was a chilli beef burger, beef-mushroom-caramalised onion patty, pesto chicken, vege patty and a beef and chestnut.

The one thing we should have done is came up with an original name for our creations! Mr Collis was the judge and I believe Chris won Best Burger of the day.

So level 1 Español Classe is over, and I should be signing up for Level 2. But I missed out the last few lessons at Las Lilas and don’t feel like I’m ready for it yet. Guess I need to self-tutor myself those last few chapters.

Have always loved the Spanish language, and I’ve got this ‘in-my-gut desire’ to go to South America.

And an idea came about early 2010 to quit my job, go to South America and volunteer for 3-6months. So I took up Spanish lessons to make it easier for me to communicate while I’m there.

But as all laid out plans turn out, it DIDN’T go as planned. I DID quit my job, but I soon fell into another one straight after and had to shelf that idea for now.

But having said that, I’m not that upset by it at all. I’m doing something I truly enjoy and will continue to enjoy for years to come.

Got a lil excited when I saw this ad below. From 28 March 2011, Singapore Airlines flies three times weekly to Sao Paulo, their first South American destination. And even better, via Barcelona!

I may not be able to go there for 6 months at a go, but I definitely feel with this new flight route a trip is in the horizon. The places I’d like to go: Cuba, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil.

Since we’re on the same topic, here’s one of my fav Buena Vista Social Club song.

A more modern version of the same song