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| Friday, 13-Oct-2006 00:00 |
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At Geylang Bazaar with Azizah
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Beautiful lights; although previous years' were much better.
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Hunger + Haze + Humidity = Insanity
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The looks that are just asking for a slap each. Or so we think.
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Food, fooooood (finally).
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Savouring the food.
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Mmm hmm, still eating.
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I spy with my little eyeee.
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Ouch, neck strain.
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And we washed the food down with good 'ol plain water.
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I met with my favourite girl friend after weeks of not doing so and boy was it a therapeutic day. Then again, with her that has always been the case.
From Clarke Quay MRT to that long bus trip to Paya Lebar to breaking our fast with fruit juice to exploring one end of the bazaar to buying food for a proper break fast session to having a proper meal at the staircase of Tanjong Katong Complex to completing our exploration of the bazaar. We thereafter wrapped up our night with a train ride that, once again, saw us being transported back to our days of adolescence.
Thank you, love, for always ALWAYS having my back and being armed with a truckload of advices and reality to boot.
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| Sunday, 1-Oct-2006 00:00 |
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Geryl and Marilyn's Wedding
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At Marilyn's, after the proposal stint - blinded by the flashes.
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Discussing the trip to Geryl's.
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"Buhbye, Mummy Daddy. See you at the hotel.)
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Leaving for Geryl's.
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Marilyn in the bridal car.
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2 of the bridesmaids - (L-R) Felicia and Noi Noi.
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The day saw me awaking for my pre-dawn meal as usual before making my way out of the house after my morning prayers and a few minutes of the Qur'an recitation. I arrived at Marilyn's in time to go through the final changes to her schedule as well as a quick run-through of the day ahead.
A moment of rest and the day had begun.
I watched in awe as her mother, the makeup artiste, did her magic to further enhance the bride's loveliness. In the midst of her getting ready, Geryl and his troop of boisterous best men arrived. And thus, the games began.
The loud group was intentionally made to wait behind closed doors under the pretext that Marilyn's bridesmaids were not ready. When they felt that they had tortured the men enough, the door was opened to reveal a suave Geryl grinning from ear-to-ear while demanding that the gate be unlocked so he could be with his wife.
Unfortunately for him, it was not going to be that easy. Grinning just as widely, the bridesmaids insisted on a hefty sum in order for Geryl and his troops to be let through. When he was unwilling to cough up said asking price to the bridesmaids, he and his troop were made to do (oh, I know you saw this coming) a series of punishments, beginning with his best men having to don bright pink boxers each over their pants. And if that was not enough, they were made to spell out Marilyn's full name in the air using their, to put it less crudely, posterior. Of course, that was not enough for the ever-gleeful girls and the men were thereafter made to do push-ups that could rival their days in National Service. Fifty pumpings later and just when they thought it was all over, they were given balloons to blow until they (the balloons, not the men) burst.
This was about the time I tapped one of the bridesmaids' shoulders to inform her that they had fifteen minutes left and subsequently ran into the kitchen (yes, I have a fear of bursting balloons; go on laugh at me). The ordeal lasted all of five minutes but I was nevertheless relieved to have survived it.
The final touches to the games was to have the groom himself dig into a shallow bowl of flour, with his mouth and while blindfolded, for the key to the gate. After a ten-minute process that involved squealing bridesmaids (because the groom threatened to throw the bowl of flour at them), cheering best men and a choking groom with flour stuck in between his teeth, Geryl finally got the key that would unlock the gate. While he cleaned up, I went into Marilyn's room to check that everything was ready before giving the signal for the doors to her bedroom be opened to let the groom in.
What followed was a sweet moment of Geryl on his knees to propose and that kiss on Marilyn's forehead when she accepted his proposal (but of course). A photo-taking session was next, after which we proceeded to Geryl's where we got acquainted with his family, which included a very adorable and hyperactive nephew, and after more photo-taking, we made our way to the couple's new home.
The first thing all of us did when we arrived was to explore their house and when we were done gushing over the beautiful simplicity of their chosen layout and design, the couple resumed their photo–shoot, much of which involved us looking on or snapping along with the professional photographer. Once the serious part of the photo-shoot was over, we entered the bridal chamber where Geryl's nephew was coaxed to perform his duties – roll around on the bed a few times and urinate in the designated potty. That done and over with, we ended the indoor photo-shoot of the day with a few crazy shots that included, amongst others, the bridesmaids stomping on the groom and the best men staring up in awe at the bride.
Before the bridesmaids and best men took their leave, the couple and I went through the schedule to confirm with them the time that they had to be back at the hotel for the solemnisation ceremony, rehearsal for the dinner and cocktail reception. We then went our separate ways with me accompanying Geryl and Marilyn to Emperor's Hill for the outdoor photo-shoot.
It was inspiring watching the photographer work his magic, seeking inspiration from every nook and cranny of Emperor's Hill and the various movements of the couple themselves. After a gruelling hour, we checked into Traders Hotel to rest our aching feet and for me to perform my prayers, after which all of us managed half an hour of luxurious rest before the crazy day resumed.
If the earlier part of the day went like clockwork, the later part was one of harried relatives and off-schedule timings that rendered almost everyone a wreck. Nevertheless, methinks that it is situations like this that make a special occasion all the more memorable because when everyone looks back, they can pat themselves on the back knowing that the whole ceremony was a success despite the glitches that came with it.
After the tea and solemnisation ceremony, the bride and groom proceeded to their room to touch up and for me to take a few minutes of time off for prayers.
I made my way to the dinner reception with Andrew, Marilyn's god-brother, and met with a few former secondary schoolmates (excluding the four who were bridesmaids and best men) there. Needless to say, there was much squealing, gushing, reminiscing and catching up going around. In the midst of all that, I received a call from my parents that it was time to break my fast and as I was going to grab myself a glass of iced water, I was stopped several times by the couple's various relatives and friends to enquire if it was time to break my fast and, if so, whether I had already done that [insert sincerely grateful look here].
When Marilyn made her way to the cocktail reception, we immediately surrounded her and the whole bunch of St. Hildan's insisted on a group photo via every camera available. Marilyn, of course, happily obliged and managed to indulge in a bit of conversation with a few of them before she had to make her way back to her suite for a rest.
Shortly after, we were ushered to our respective tables and I was just happy to rest my feet. At last count, I had been on my feet for the past eight hours!
Right smack on cue, the newlyweds made their entrance to Shania Twain's "From This Moment" and the dried ice effect. Seeing my two good friends walking down the aisle, I finally digested the fact that one of my favourite couples had gone through the trials and tribulations of courtship to realise their love enough that they were now wedded. In that moment of realisation, I had to fight back my tears of happiness and that extreme exhilaration one only feels if one has been through a lot with the couple and one finally sees said couple happily tying the knot.
I took a glimpse at the Muslim Menu and was touched at the effort they had put in. Unlike some, they had ensured that the Muslim Menu was the halal version of what the others were having and that each course came out at approximately the same time. But by the time we reached the main course, I was much too worn out to eat, delicious as the food was. Instead, I indulged in some reminiscing and updating with my friends, who made me laugh as they used to despite my lethargy.
And then it was time for the surprise (not as much for me as it was for the rest of the guests). Bride and groom entered from different doors singing the entrance song and at the end of it, received a standing ovation for the singing that could have rivalled any Singapore Idol finalist, hands down.
After the champagne-pouring ceremony, a heartfelt speech by the couple and a photo-taking session that, once again, saw us St. Hildan's grabbing the spotlight with our antics and insistence that every camera be utilised for this once in a lifetime moment, I made my way back to my seat only to be intercepted by a very amiable Alex, one of Geryl's best men, who esorted me to the back of the ballroom to have a photograph taken with him – "My fling for the night," he claimed to anyone who cared to ask [insert raised eyebrow here].
The night ended with the newlyweds and their respective parents thanking their guests and when all of them had filed out of the ballroom, all of us indulged in another round of photo-taking – me with my melting makeup, tired smile and all – before Andrew and I went back to the newlyweds' suite to collect our things and for me to give my personal congratulations to them.
I slept through my whole journey home and awoke just as Andrew pulled into the carpark near my block – a sign of my exhaustion for I very seldom slept when a friend was driving, especially when I am in the front seat.
Despite the aching feet (thank you, oh Narrow Pair of Stilettos) and overall exhaustion, I had a blast of a time (emotional hangover notwithstanding); made all the more wonderful because I was very much involved in the wedding of my good friends. Geryl and Marilyn, thank you for trusting me enough to assist in the co-ordination of your wedding and letting me experience the joy and splendour of being very much involved in a tradition that was not my own.
And thank you even more to your family for being so concerned about me throughout, especially for being understanding enough to give me time to perform my prayers as well as to ensure that I had broken my fast come sunset. (Where else can you see such capacity for racial and religious understanding, aye?)
May the two of you live in wedded bliss for as long as you live. My wish for the two of you is that you will continue to love one another as you do now, if not, more. And that you will always double your happiness and share your troubles in the ups-and-downs of this thing we call a marriage. God bless.
Photographs taken not that many, though, considering I was with the newlyweds the whole day. For several reasons; one of which was that my camera's battery decided it was going to be a diva, coming on only when it felt like it. And another more compelling reason was simply that I was too busy running around and making sure that everything was running smoothly.
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| Friday, 8-Sep-2006 00:00 |
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Night Out With Geetha and Shah
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The baju kurung she wanted to buy.
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Pinky-pink! Gorgeous, isn't it (and she)?
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While waiting for the cab...
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The day I met up with my beloved Assomull's Angels for a much-needed food therapy and stress-relieving session. Sadly, Jo was unable to join us so we were one down but that did not stop us from having that fun we intended to have.
Dinner was at Arnold's Fried Chicken since Geetha had never eaten at said eatery and Shah and I have been craving for fried chicken for awhile now.
Aside from the sinfully filling and delicious junk food we allowed ourselves, there was much girl talk, advices and updates on our lives thus far to go around. And in that short time over dinner, they bluntly brought me back to reality and, ironically, made me feel better and much happier over issues that have been bringing me down over the past few weeks.
Dinner over and done with, we decided to ease our guilt with regards to the consumption of junk food by walking off whatever excess we had taken on - from shoe boutiques and First Lady at City Plaza to This Fashion to First Lady at Tanjong Katong Complex. Thankfully for our pockets, nothing caught our eyes enough so after about an hour or two of aimless walking around while sharing ideas and tips, we decided to drag our tired selves back home. But not before we snapped some photographs (of ourselves, of course) by the road, ensuing much laughter and glee from all three of us and happily ignoring the curious looks people were giving.
Thank you, loves, for that highly therapeutic night out; as short as it was.
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| Sunday, 6-Aug-2006 00:00 |
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At Embah's Kenduri Kesyukuran & Erfan's Birthday Celebration
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Mama & I, before setting off to Auntie Idah's
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Watching my youngest brother on the computer.
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Food, glorious food (and this is only half of it)!
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A family gathering of my maternal side; something I can never get enough of. Oh, and it was Erfan's (belated mini) birthday celebration, too.
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| Friday, 4-Aug-2006 00:00 |
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At Fish & Co. with Rose
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Introducing... Rose!
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It was going to rain, so I thought to make the menu more useful.
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Busy bee on the phone.
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Dinner with a former colleague after my medical appointment; ambience at the Jurong Point branch is much cosier, by far.
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| Sunday, 30-Jul-2006 00:00 |
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At a Wedding Function (Mahd's)
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Fadzilla and I, onboard the train.
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And again.
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I was trying to compare her slim thighs and my fat ones.
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Mahd and Man, I sincerely wish the two of you continued bliss in your relationship; that you constantly have the love, strength and guidance to see yourselves through this new phase in life together, insya-Allah.
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| Saturday, 29-Jul-2006 00:00 |
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At the 2006 National Day Parade Preview
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Liyana & I, outside Tampines MRT.
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And again. My beloved cousin :)
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We love ourselves so much, we even show it onboard the train.
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A full-dress rehearsal of sorts for the National Day Parade in conjunction of Singapore's 41st birthday. Thank you Jolene, for the wonderful day out.
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| Friday, 28-Jul-2006 00:00 |
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At Mahd's Henna Party
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Mahd's aunts preparing the bridal room.
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In the midst of wrapping the gifts.
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And I was fascinated with Mahd's Germany collection.
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Henna by Kak M, more commonly known as Jewel in the Blogosphere. She may be contacted at http://jewelmuse.blogspot.com.
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| Sunday, 16-Jul-2006 00:00 |
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At a Wedding Function (Saliza's)
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Kartini & I, pre-lunch.
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Fizah, post-lunch and with the wedding favour.
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Clockwise: Kartini, Fizah & I.
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Yet another friend weds. This time, a good friend back in Chongzheng Primary School.
Saliza and Rudie, here's wishing the two of you a lifetime of marital bliss; that the two of you always be strong enough to stand through any disasters and double your happiness in whatever journey you take together, insya-allah.
More at Kartini's: http://tinytini.fotopages.com/?entry=867299
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| Saturday, 20-May-2006 00:00 |
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Day Out with The Maternal Aunts
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A fruitful day filled with shopping, satisfied purchases and a surprise at the end of the day, courtesy of Aimee, Shima and Steph.
More at http://rocksbaby.diaryland.com/060519_30.html
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. I wonder if we can still eat so much. Maklumlah, dah tua! 
