KhrizAngel's LoveNest

The Making of 绝对佳人 (La Femme)

2008-04-19T17:46:00.004+08:00

Yesterday was the final Mediacorp filming session at our lovenest. It has been fun!! And now we know being an artiste is really tough; we must appreciate them ok, even though the shows are not very nice...oops... ;P

The Chinese name of the drama had been changed to 绝对佳人, instead of 女人当自强.

KhrizAngel had made a short video in remembrance. Enjoy and look out for show in June 2008!

---
Zoe Tay's signature on our winkplay's wall:

More filming!! - 17 Feb 08

2008-02-17T23:47:00.013+08:00

Another new starlet called 'Tiffany'...

---

Nope, these hampers and gifts are props, not for us...*chey*
---

The small screen where the producer controls the entire set
---

'Rolling...5, 4, 3...'
---

Ahem, Tianci seemed to have his hand in the wrong place...
---

And again...
---

And again...God! Is it really that itchy?!
---

The starlets with the veteran producer...and take that hand away, Tianci, for goodness's sake!! *facepalm*
---

Angel with the 'fierce' cameraman...this is one guy all stars would fear!!

Valentine's Day Dinner

2008-02-17T23:34:00.004+08:00

Our 'lomantic' Valentine's Day dinner at home...Creation by Angel.

*Awww...*

Mediacorp Filming

2008-02-05T20:57:00.000+08:00

In the morning of 5 Feb 08, 8:30am... *yawnz*
Hey, what is happening?? Why so many people and equipment??

---

Angel: 'Faster come in and see!!!'

---

Study room turned into wardrobe room~!

---

Orhh...so-des-neh! Mediacorp filming Nu Ren Dang Zi Qiang...
Woah~! Got 'ang-kong siao' leh... *worried*

---

Ren shan ren hai...hmmz, good for fengshui~ Increase 'ren qi'!!
HUAT AH!!

---

The shy starlet, Cai Qi Hui, fixing her microphone...

---

*Gasp* She sat on my sofa!!
*Ahem* Auction starts at $900, every bid is $100! Come ah, come ah; rare sofa sat by Zoe Tay before ahh...!

---

Briefing by producer... *serious look*

---

Getting the camera ready...

---

"Ok, Zoe, come, turn right abit more...abit more...yah! Stop!! This angle perfect, most beautiful liao, cannot see your wrinkles!"

*Oops*

---

Briefing by producer again...

---

NRDZQ, take one, camera! Action!!

---
After a few hours...plus lunch...then a few more hours...

NRDZQ, TAKE ONE HUNDRED~! CAMERAA~!! ACTIONNN~!!!
ARHhH...
*no voice*

---

Checking final footage...ok~! *Siew kang*

---
SAY CHEESE~!!

---

---

---

***************** THE END *****************
.
.
.
---
ENCORE~ (Behind the scene)

Zoe: "Aiyo, backpain lehh..."
PA: "Come, massage for you...here huh? Or here...?
Zoe: "Ooo...Ya, here here! Wah pain...Oooo..."

Our first HDB Flat...

2007-11-30T14:19:00.000+08:00

Finally managed to handover our old flat, but not after a few ding-dongs and hiccups.

Well, it had served us well for what it is supposed to do (hehe), hence we had created a special memoir video.

Enjoy!

WinkTailor - Done!

2007-11-08T10:21:00.000+08:00

Housewarming party...We Are Sorry!!

2007-10-15T17:09:00.002+08:00

Unlike our wedding, the housewarming party was quite badly planned, with the whole event just flashed past our eyes literally.

Really have to apologise to a great many of you, whom we only got to meet twice: First when you came and received your gifts, second is when you decided to leave and came to us to say goodbye.

*Sobs!*

Alot of long-lost friends had reappeared; but alas, by the time we remembered our cameras, these are all that we'd got:

But still we have to thank everyone for your kind gifts, vouchers and angbaos; great efforts were obviously made to solicit them, and we must say they are very valuable to us.

Well, do drop by again if you are free - we can take your pictures and put them up here again...nobody will notice, serious! ;P

Some random pics...

2007-10-15T16:51:00.000+08:00

Erm, we reckon that we won't insult your intelligence by labelling the location of these pictures...go figure!!

Wink ;-) in our lovenest!

2007-10-15T15:47:00.000+08:00

Latest addition!! Vinyl stickers, Dandy Cream, by winkplay:

Christine working on the stickers...

***

Oops...struggling with a crooked dandy...

***

Glass door closed...

***

Glass door opened...

More works to be done by Winkplay is a tailored-made design on the living wall, next to the kitchen. They had came up with an artistic impression (almost real) for our preview...

From this:

To this:

Once we confirmed with them, it would be up within seven days. *Yaaa...*

Beauty - Freedom from the known

2007-10-15T15:39:00.000+08:00

WE HAVE BEEN enquiring into the nature of love and have come to a point, I think, which needs much greater penetration, a much greater awareness of the issue. We have discovered that for most people love means comfort, security, a guarantee for the rest of their lives of continuous emotional satisfaction. Then someone like me comes along and says, 'Is that really love?' and questions you and asks you to look inside yourself. And you try not to look because it is very disturbing - you would rather discuss the soul or the political or economic situation - but when you are driven into a corner to look, you realize that what you have always thought of as love is not love at all; it is a mutual gratification, a mutual exploitation.

When I say, `Love has no tomorrow and no yesterday', or, `When there is no centre then there is love', it has reality for me but not for you. You may quote it and make it into a formula but that has no validity. You have to see it for yourself, but to do so there must be freedom to look, freedom from all condemnation, all judgement all agreeing or disagreeing.

Now, to look is one of the most difficult things in life - or to listen - to look and listen are the same. If your eyes are blinded with your worries, you cannot see the beauty of the sunset. Most of us have lost touch with nature. Civiliza- tion is tending more and more towards large cities; we are becoming more and more an urban people, living in crowded apartments and having very little space even to look at the sky of an evening and morning, and therefore we are losing touch with a great deal of beauty. I don't know if you have noticed how few of us look at a sunrise or a sunset or the moonlight or the reflection of light on water.

Having lost touch with nature we naturally tend to develop intellectual capacities. We read a great many books, go to a great many museums and concerts, watch television and have many other entertainments. We quote endlessly from other people's ideas and think and talk a great deal about art. Why is it that we depend so much upon art? Is it a form of escape, of stimulation? If you are directly in contact with nature; if you watch the movement of a bird on the wing, see the beauty of every movement of the sky, watch the shadows on the hills or the beauty on the face of another, do you think you will want to go to any museum to look at any picture? Perhaps it is because you do not know how to look at all the things about you that you resort to some form of drug to stimulate you to see better.

There is a story of a religious teacher who used to talk every morning to his disciples. One morning he got on to the platform and was just about to begin when a little bird came and sat on the window sill and began to sing, and sang away with full heart. Then it stopped and flew away and the teacher said, `The sermon for this morning is over'.

It seems to me that one of our greatest difficulties is to see for ourselves really clearly, not only outward things but inward life. When we say we see a tree or a flower or a person, do we actually see them? Or do we merely see the image that the word has created? That is, when you look at a tree or at a cloud of an evening full of light and delight, do you actually see it, not only with your eyes and intellectually, but totally, completely?

Have you ever experimented with looking at an objective thing like a tree without any of the associations, any of the knowledge you have acquired about it, without any prejudice, any judgement, any words forming a screen between you and the tree and preventing you from seeing it as it actually is? Try it and see what actually takes place when you observe the tree with all your being, with the totality of your energy. In that intensity you will find that there is no observer at all; there is only attention. It is when there is inattention that there is the observer and the observed. When you are looking at something with complete attention there is no space for a conception, a formula or a memory. This is important to understand because we are going into something which requires very careful investigation.

It is only a mind that looks at a tree or the stars or the sparkling waters of a river with complete self-abandonment that knows what beauty is, and when we are actually seeing we are in a state of love. We generally know beauty through comparison or through what man has put together, which means that we attribute beauty to some object. I see what I consider to be a beautiful building and that beauty I appreciate because of my knowledge of architecture and by comparing it with other buildings I have seen. But now I am asking myself, `Is there a beauty without object?' When there is an observer who is the censor, the experiencer, the thinker, there is no beauty because beauty is something external, something the observer looks at and judges, but when there is no observer - and this demands a great deal of meditation, of enquiry then there is beauty without the object.

Beauty lies in the total abandonment of the observer and the observed and there can be self-abandonment only when there is total austerity - not the austerity of the priest with its harshness, its sanctions, rules and obedience - not austerity in clothes, ideas, food and behaviour - but the austerity of being totally simple which is complete humility. Then there is no achieving, no ladder to climb; there is only the first step and the first step is the everlasting step.

Say you are walking by yourself or with somebody and you have stopped talking. You are surrounded by nature and there is no dog barking, no noise of a car passing or even the flutter of a bird. You are completely silent and nature around you is also wholly silent. In that state of silence both in the observer and the observed - when the observer is not translating what he observes into thought - in that silence there is a different quality of beauty. There is neither nature nor the observer. There is a state of mind wholly, completely, alone; it is alone - not in isolation - alone in stillness and that stillness is beauty. When you love, is there an observer? There is an observer only when love is desire and pleasure. When desire and pleasure are not associated with love, then love is intense. It is, like beauty, something totally new every day. As I have said, it has no today and no tomorrow.

It is only when we see without any preconception, any image, that we are able to be in direct contact with anything in life. All our relationships are really imaginary - that is, based on an image formed by thought. If I have an image about you and you have an image about me, naturally we don't see each other at all as we actually are. What we see is the images we have formed about each other which prevent us from being in contact, and that is why our relationships go wrong.

When I say I know you, I mean I knew you yesterday. I do not know you actually now. All I know is my image of you. That image is put together by what you have said in praise of me or to insult me, what you have done to me - it is put together by all the memories I have of you - and your image of me is put together in the same way, and it is those images which have relationship and which prevent us from really communing with each other.

Two people who have lived together for a long time have an image of each other which prevents them from really being in relationship. If we understand relationship we can co-operate but co-operation cannot possibly exist through images, through symbols, through ideological conceptions. Only when we understand the true relationship between each other is there a possibility of love, and love is denied when we have images. Therefore it is important to understand, not intellectually but actually in your daily life, how you have built images about your wife, your husband, your neighbour, your child, your country, your leaders, your politicians, your gods - you have nothing but images.

These images create the space between you and what you observe and in that space there is conflict, so what we are going to find out now together is whether it is possible to be free of the space we create, not only outside ourselves but in ourselves, the space which divides people in all their relationships.

Now the very attention you give to a problem is the energy that solves that problem. When you give your complete attention - I mean with everything in you - there is no observer at all. There is only the state of attention which is total energy, and that total energy is the highest form of intelligence. Naturally that state of mind must be completely silent and that silence, that stillness, comes when there is total attention, not disciplined stillness. That total silence in which there is neither the observer nor the thing observed is the highest form of a religious mind. But what takes place in that state cannot be put into words because what is said in words is not the fact. To find out for yourself you have to go through it.

Every problem is related to every other problem so that if you can solve one problem completely - it does not matter what it is - you will see that you are able to meet all other problems easily and resolve them. We are talking, of course, of psychological problems. We have already seen that a problem exists only in time, that is when we meet the issue incompletely. So not only must we be aware of the nature and structure of the problem and see it completely, but meet it as it arises and resolve it immediately so that it does not take root in the mind. If one allows a problem to endure for a month or a day, or even for a few minutes, it distorts the mind. So is it possible to meet a problem immediately without any distortion and be immediately, completely, free of it and not allow a memory, a scratch on the mind, to remain? These memories are the images we carry about with us and it is these images which meet this extraordinary thing called life and therefore there is a contradiction and hence conflict. Life is very real - life is not an abstraction - and when you meet it with images there are problems.

Is it possible to meet every issue without this space-time interval, without the gap between oneself and the thing of which one is afraid? It is possible only when the observer has no continuity, the observer who is the builder of the image, the observer who is a collection of memories and ideas, who is a bundle of abstractions.

When you look at the stars there is you who are looking at the stars in the sky; the sky is flooded with brilliant stars, there is cool air, and there is you, the observer, the experiencer, the thinker, you with your aching heart, you, the centre, creating space. You will never understand about the space between yourself and the stars, yourself and your wife or husband, or friend, because you have never looked without the image, and that is why you do not know what beauty is or what love is. You talk about it, you write about it, but you have never known it except perhaps at rare intervals of total self-abandonment. So long as there is a centre creating space around itself there is neither love nor beauty. When there is no centre and no circumference then there is love. And when you love you are beauty.

When you look at a face opposite, you are looking from a centre and the centre creates the space between person and person, and that is why our lives are so empty and callous. You cannot cultivate love or beauty, nor can you invent truth, but if you are all the time aware of what you are doing, you can cultivate awareness and out of that awareness you will begin to see the nature of pleasure, desire and sorrow and the utter loneliness and boredom of man, and then you will begin to come upon that thing called `the space'.

When there is space between you and the object you are observing you will know there is no love, and without love, however hard you try to reform the world or bring about a new social order or however much you talk about improvements, you will only create agony. So it is up to you. There is no leader, there is no teacher, there is nobody to tell you what to do. You are alone in this mad brutal world.

J. Krishnamurti, 1969, Freedom from the Known, "Chapter 11", HarperSanFrancisco

Our housewarming party!

2007-10-10T16:24:00.000+08:00

For those who are staying at Blk 89/90/91 Tanglin Halt Road, we will be having our housewarming party this Saturday at 12:30pm. All of you are invited! Please come along for lunch and get to know each other. No need for any gifts at all, serious. Just want to know all of you neighbours!

Ok ok, if you 'die-die' must bring a gift, then we will gladly accept. *Haha* Giam peng...

What do we want???

Well that's a tough question; almost everything is bought liao, so just gift vouchers would be great, eg from Takashimaya, Tangs or Robinsons.

If you need our address, please call Khriz' mobile at 81883355 - erm do not use a private line so that we can trace who we gave my address to.

Saga with Electrician (Final Episode...or is it??)

2007-10-03T00:56:00.000+08:00

We are still being showered by concerns for the electrician saga - thanks to all! We love you too! *bleah*

Anyway, Khriz spoke to the electrical boss the other day, after he came to touch up on all the remaining works. As he go about his work, kept mumbling how he is losing money in this project, that he don't do HDB flats, very busy but still help us, blah blah.

*Angry* Never mind, 'lun' first...finish up the works first!

So comes the final showdown - the invoice was pushed towards Khriz in the most subtle way, almost as though he was embarassed to do so. Trying to be as diplomatic as possible, Khriz offered to pay for whatever extra charges that was incurred; the boss "proudly" declined, then go on and on about how he is doing us a favour and so on.

*Grrr* Mai lun liao!!

Khriz opened up all the books and shown the electrical boss the details of the works that was done by his worker; the bad patch-up, the careless cutting of the false ceiling, etc that all added up to extra rectification charges. Most importantly, the unnecessary screw-up that caused high rectifying costs and long delays. Sensing something was wrong, the electrician boss started his voice-rising, declined to pay for the extra charges and demanding for payment of his invoice. This was something expected, but we will never accept.

Given the figures, even we do not pay the electrician a single cent, we still incur a huge loss. To us, we will never deny anyone of their well-deserving payment, simply because we understand its all blood and sweat money. However, surely it is also basic principle that if a worker had caused damages while doing his work, he must bear the consequences and costs too.

The electrician's boss immediately took back his invoice and stormed off, threatening (but mumbling) that he will get 'people' to collect this payment from us.

Quite a loser, isn't it? But a clever loser.

This veteran only knows the game too well - the worst fear of an electrician is not to be sued for damages, but to lose the licence. While it is the owner of the property that dictates what works is to be done, the onus is still on the contractor NOT to perform illegal works, such as unauthorised hacking. The moment that the authority is notified of the electrician's role in the hacking, his licence would definitely be affected, if not suspended.

As such, without the invoice in our hands, he could simply deny that he had ever worked in this project; in other words, he was trying his luck to collect money from us (even though he knows that he was very lucky to have escaped from being penalised by the authorities), but after Khriz throw all his cards on the table, the electrician knew his time is up.

Well, that quite sums up our electrician's saga: Nobody came out a winner in this situation, like abovesaid, even if we do not pay the electrician a single cent, we still lose. Oh well, a lesson learnt!

Our First Meal...

2007-10-03T00:51:00.001+08:00

Yaaa...finally moved in - here's a look at our first meal:

And the one responsible for it is... *drum-roll*

Please, don't ever tell her that she looks like a "huang lian por" or housewife...although she certainly looks like one in this photo! *snigger*

Free Lockset!

2007-09-13T15:30:00.000+08:00

This is for the main wooden door of our flat, don't need it after we changed to Duro. Can be used for any door/lock, standard size. Self-collection at my convenience. Please logon to Renotalk forum and PM to zirhk3355.

Update!!

2007-09-12T21:51:00.000+08:00

Yes, finally the time has come that our flat is *almost* completed! Take a look at the video:

Although the flat is not officially hand over yet, with some touching up here and there, we will be moving in this Friday. Now our flat is really in a mess, but Angel still have the mood to go posing for some pics:

Securing my metal gate...

2007-08-04T16:10:00.000+08:00

Met a handy man today while passing by a unit at Blk 91, who is working on someone's metal gate. Upon observing, realised that he is doing what we are searching for; to secure the hinges of the metal gate.

You see, our standard metal gate is as shown below:

With a few swift knocks of a hammer and chisel at bottom rounded part, the nut actually came off and the bolt can be taken out from the top. Once removed, the hinges are separated and the gate can be taken out straight.

Some guys actually thought that since the gate is within the door frame, it cannot be lifted. But do note that you do not have to lift up the gate to remove it; as long as the bolts are gone, you simply yank it towards you!

As of date of this post: Six counts of housebreaking in my estate by this method, mostly belonging to the lower floors units, studios and 3-rm. Its a "good time" for burglars now with all the noisy renovations going on; they can bang and knock all they want and nobody will give a damn.

Hence, the solution:

A long bolt with a nut screwed at the bottom, then welded. The hinge now becomes 'dead', and the only way to remove it is to saw it off.

Some light paintwork to make the whole hinge matching with the overall gate. From far, totally no difference! *Good*

Total Damage: S$60 for change of 6 bolts, include welding and paintwork.
.
.
.
.
.
Our fast-food outlet!!

Ok lah, some people already knew liao, but for the benefit of those who doesn't mah...This is good news for us because WE LOVE LJS!! *Yeah*

TGIF!

2007-08-03T10:19:00.000+08:00

Thank God Its Friday!! Nothing much to post, still waiting for the stupid HDB officer to get back to us on the hacking issues.

Anyway, a funny vid for your enjoyment, reflecting the sentiments of all Singaporeans:

(you must understand Teochew to watch)

Shoes' Cabinet issue...

2007-07-29T18:30:00.000+08:00

Yippie! The kitchen carpentry is on its way!

But not without some pushing from Khriz to the ID, who had been delaying the carpentry with alot of excuses.

View from outside...shoes' cabinets...

Ooi, ID, you tua suay sim ah...how come the cabinet one big one small one??

So who's going to get which one??

Yeah, no prize for guessing correctly...

Side-track from renovation abit, tell you guys what had we been up to this weekend...

We went for a concert, and for the first time in our lives, got VIP seating at the FIRST row in a concert!! Mai siao siao leh...*whistle*

But wait, what concert first? Take a look below:

*kwa kwa, kwa kwa*

Angel: "What what what?? SHE concert nice leh! I like them ok..."

Khriz: "Ok lor..."

Electrical Works...& carpentry works!

2007-07-27T09:30:00.000+08:00

KhrizAngel would like to express our gratitude to those who are concerned for us regarding the electrical works' saga. Well, there is nothing much we can do about it, except to Pay & Pay. It was fortunate enough that the HDB officer did not fine us, but he requires us to engage a PE to oversee the rectification works, which costs us $2k+.

More than that, whole saga is dragging and affecting the next stage, which is carpentry works. Almost every part of the carpentry works had an area that has illegal hacking, which needs to be rectified before the carpentry can be done at that area. Thus, as of now, only the kitchen's carpentry can be done.

According to the HDB officer, after my PE had submitted the report to him, he will forward to HIS structural engineer for comments. Then he will come back to my PE again so that he can work on the comments. After he had done his rectification works, he has to go back to HDB again and ask for comments, even invite the structural engineer to come down to see the place. Only AFTER ALL THAT, then it will be okay...sighz...civil servants.

Anyway procedures will be procedures, nothing we can do. But what PISSED us off the most are things that CAN be done; eg this whole saga could have been avoided if the electrician told that it is illegal to hack at certain places. And since he wanted to hack for us, we had already told him to hack AFTER the HDB officer had visited the place (the HDB officer was here to see the hacking of the kitchen's wall). However, due to his 'busy schedule', he just HAD to hack before the HDB officer came. Totally unnecessary, isn't it?

If we had been caught by a HDB spot-check, nothing I can say. But now its like we had invited the HDB officer to come up to our unit to catch us!

Ok, let's look at the horrible works of the electrician:

Yup, and guess what? He done all these, piak-piak backside and went off! My ID will have to follow up and patch up the works with plaster, which is usually not the case. According to several contractors we spoke to, the unspoken rule is 'whoever hack, whoever will plaster back'. Thus its inevitable that my ID had charged me for the plaster, which I will probably have to channel it back to the electrician.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Moving on!! Happy thoughts, happy thoughts!!

Our woodworks had been delivered!!

Kitchen...
.
.Bedframe and display cabinets...
.
. Erm...some parts of the wardrobe, I guess...
.
.

Parts of the kitchen...

Parts of the TV console and feature wall...

Today the carpenters will be coming back (no, not to sing, they are the REAL carpenters lah, not the singing one!! *faintz*) to work on my kitchen, because there are no 'illegal hacking' there.

For other areas, will have to wait for the civil servants' procedures lor...

Thank You For Her...

2007-07-25T17:04:00.000+08:00

Dear God,

I knew that she was out there.
The one that I'm supposed to share my whole life with.
And in time, You will show her to me.
Will You take care of her, comfort her,
and protect her, until that day we meet?

Let her know, my heart is beating with hers.

"In a dream I hold you close
Embracing you with my hands
You gazed at me
With eyes full of love
And made me understand
That I was meant to share with you
My heart, my mind, my soul"

Then I opened my eyes
And all I see
Reality shows I'm alone
But I know someday that she'll be by my side
Cuz i know God's just waiting till the time is right

God, you had kept her safe from the thunderstorm
When the day is cold
You had kept her warm
When darkness falls
You shown her the way

God, will you let her know
That I love her so
When there's no one there
That she's not alone
Just close her eyes
And let her know
My heart is beating with her

Now I thank you
For that day has come
When our hearts beat as one
I had wait so patiently
For her to be by my side
Cuz I know
Now the time is right

HDB Summon...

2007-07-23T23:22:00.000+08:00

Khriz got summoned the other day at my own flat's downstairs the other day - 100 bucks! All just while trying to stop the ID and electrician from quarrelling; park how long? 10-min. Yes, som-pa!

Sent in an appeal, here's their brilliant reply:

NOTICE OF PARKING OFFENCE NO. A5162408Z DATED : 11 JUL 2007

We refer to your email of 16 July 2007.

2 The notice was issued when the car was found parked against the double yellow lines along the service road near block 88, Tanglin Halt Road.

3 Please be informed that the service roads serve as a vital access to the nearby buildings for vehicles from the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Police especially in times of emergencies. Parking outside the designated parking lots and against the double yellow lines not only causes inconvenience to other users but also poses a hazard, if left unchecked. We have also received repeated feedback on illegal parking there.

4 We have considered your appeal but regret that it is unsuccessful as the notice has been issued correctly. Please remit payment for the fine to HDB within the next ten days.

Yours sincerely

LEE SOCK HWA, MICHELLE (Ms)
ESTATES OFFICER
HOUSING ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT

Duh~

Frankly, Ms Lee, a short notice to tell us that our appeal is unsuccessful would suffice; no need to "take off pants to fart"...

Confirmed: We get Sheng Siong supermarket!

2007-07-19T12:19:00.000+08:00

Yes, it has been confirmed! Signboard already up liao, just now saw a SS van there also...

Support private sector supermarket, yeah... =P

WE ARE BACK!!

2007-07-11T01:46:00.000+08:00

It has been a looooonnnngg time, right? *bu hao yi shi*

Lazy to post, somemore busy with so many stuff, choosing tiles, laminates, veneer, lighting, paints, etc. Also got problems; ID vs electrician, ID vs aircon-man and even with HDB somemore. Well, with so many pics on hand, not sure what to upload for you all to see, hence this video instead:

But how does the actual thing look like?? For you kan cheong kings/queens, here a peek for youin artistic impression, or in design lingo, "perspectives":

Erm, for those who are confused, the windows here are supposed to be full height. The TV console was proposed to be 1.5m tall, but Khriz worried that if at night watching TV, suddenly a head walking behind the console will be too much for him to handle. Hence, it was raised to 1.8m. The TV console hides the two bedroom doors.

This is the main door entrance. The full height doors and one half-height doors are the shoes' cabinet, to hold Angeline's 70 pairs of sandals/heels/shoes/etc, and Khriz' one pair of leather shoes and one pair of loafers. Life's sometimes is a little unfair, yeah...?

The inside of the small, small kitchen - the cabinets are supposed to be grey with a slight tint of blueish-ness, but artistic impression made it look like blue. At the cabinet nearer to the bi-folding glass doors, there is a pull-out table, which overhangs the microwave oven.

Ok, this is a little confusing to visualise. Remember in the video above, there's an extension of the MBR? The door will be sliding with mirrors behind. From the inside, Khriz' wardrobe space is on the right and Angeline's wardrobe space is on the left (as above). Again, life is not fair...moving on...

Walking further into the WIW, there will be a display showcase for Angeline's huge collection of necklaces, earrings, etc accessories and, erm, ok, three of Khriz' watches. The drawers below will be for folded clothes. And behind that wall (of the display showcase without the glasstop), that is where our Samsung 26" LCD R71 will be hung, facing the bed. This wall is not plain like that, there will be wallpaper covered.

Last but not least, the bed. Behold that "thousand-over dollars" headboard that was specially crafted for Angeline.

Now to complain about my problems...

Apparently, the ID and electrician did not click very well with each other. Eight characters not match, maybe enemies in their last life.

Started to bombard each other: Not cooperative lah, cannot compromise lah, unreasonable lah...blah, blah...

*face palm*

Khriz got to act like manager trying to handle small spitfires amongst employees. Came to an extent, both are not talking to each other, started to call Khriz when there is a need to liaise:

"Can you tell the electrician hor, Thursday come down to check the wires in the false ceiling..."
"Orhh..."
"Can you ask the ID when can come down to redo the switches..."
"Orhh..."
"The electrician forgot to take his tools leh, can ask him to come back?"
"Your ID never tell me to do this leh, so must do or not?"
.
.
.
*facepalm*

Worst is when problem arises: HDB officer saw there were 'illegal' hacking in the flat when he was inspecting the hacking of the MBR's and kitchen's walls, started to take photos and threatening to fine us, to take out all the installations, stop work, etc.

*tulan*

"Why cannot hack??"
"Because will affect building's structure"
"Huh, we only hack one small line to conceal the wires..."
"Cannot, cannot!! You hack arh, will cause vibrations, then will affect the building structure! Wait the building collapse how??"
"Hack one small line will cause the building to collapse??"
"No, but it will weaken the structure and indirect contribute to the building to be unstable - the vibration is not good for the RC beams..."
"So how arh?"
"You got to stop work, I will ask my structural engineer to check and write you a letter. Most probably got to reinstate the walls, cannot conceal wires one...not allowed one..."
"If my hacking caused the vibration and in turn cause instable structure, you mean if I take it out the structure will automatically become stable??"
"Erm...unauthorised works cannot be retained one, so must take out..."
"But the structure will still be instable, how??"
"Never mind, take out, take out..."
"Never mind...???"
"Ya ya...aiya, you wait for my letter ok?? I ask my structural engineer then we see how..."
"Huh, so what now, must take out or wait?"
"Wait, the engineer will check first...then we see how"
"So what I am supposed to do now?"
"Wait lor!"
"Then you call me for what??"
"Inform you lor!"
"Inform me to wait?"
"Ya ya, ok? If anything then we will contact you again..."

Sigh...that's civil servants for you.

Not sure about you guys, we got this so many times from govt departments, but never sure what exactly it means:

"If anything then we will contact you again"

Isn't that an oxymoron? I mean, when you contact somebody, surely there is SOMETHING, isn't it?

I am sure you will not call someone just to say, "I am contacting you for nothing. Not to update you of anything, nothing had happened so far, got nothing to tell you, I am not even asking 'how are you' and not even to say hi...I am just contacting you...for nothing."

Siao, right??

Like my grandma always say, take off the pants to fart; kong machiam bo kong.

Anyway, back to the ID vs electrician, they continued to push to each other, blaming each other for problems with HDB.

In the end?? We still kana the worst shit.

According to ID, all HDB wants is to cover kar-chng, as long as we can find a "QP" (qualified person, which also means engineer lah!) to sign and state that the hacking does not affect the structure, they will be okay.

Yeah, right.

Just a simple 'okay', we now have to pay another extra fees for this "QP" fella!

Moving on...

So, what else is left to do for the flat? Just spoke to ID this morning, coming Thursday will be installation of aircon and lighting (Yeah! So now at night also can see the flat liao...), then it will be carpentry and cleaning up of the place.

Completion for handover, will have to wait until the "QP" fella go meet with that Mr Teo person to 'settle' the problem, see what else is there to do. Hopefully, can have the flat ready before Khriz' birthday at the end of this month.

Hmmz, Angeline seemed to be very anxious about the completion being before Khriz' birthday...
*Gasp*

Does she have something special in store for him??? Sekali one birthday cake only...*kwa kwa, kwa kwa*

Next thing is to buy all the little stuff; coffee table, console table, area rugs, etc.

Also to come up with a wishlist for things that our relatives/friends will be conned into buying for us...oops, no, no, will 'kindly' contribute to our little lovenest as gifts...hehehe!

Angeline's Little Speech...

2007-05-06T21:18:00.000+08:00

Well, needless to say, I'm the wife of Khriztopher (who else will have access to this blog right?)...keke...My dear hubby has been bugging me to post something in our blog but I've been procrastinating till now *stick out tongue* So here I am on the 6th of May, posting my ever first blog entry! (I know a bit unbelievable since blogging is such an "in" thing now but it's true! haha)

Khriztopher and I held our customary in 2005 and it's been 2 years since we are "legally" married. We aren't like a normal couple who will settle their wedding and lovenest simultaneously so financially we were not that stressed as we just had to save up for the wedding expenses and save up another sum for the flat which will come in 2 years' time (Can you imagine? Now we have collected the keys to our lovenest! Time really flies...)

Let me give a brief summary of how khriz and I met (ya lah, I know this blog supposed to be for our flat but without us knowing each other and getting married, we won't have the house also mah...so pls bear with me..keke)

Fate played quite an important role in our relationship....I remembered I was still with my ex-boyfriend when I met Khriz (don't worry, I have already 'declared' to my ah lao so even if he reads this, I am not at all worried..haha..) But A (shall named my ex-boyfriend 'A' for easier identification) being a commitment freak, was reluctant to settle down (common excuse given was to have a career before a family)....I am that type of gal who would like to settle down at a younger age (ironically, I was already 29 years when I finally got married) so apparently I didn't want to accept that.....Anyway, I didn't restrict myself in knowing other guys at that time....

It was when I was featured in a controversial site called "Sweet Young Thing" that I met my hubby....He was actually the date of another girl when we had dinner and drinks at the old Satay Club sponsored by the organiser....I didn't paid much attention to him during the dinner since he was not my date (nor was I interested in my date as he was such a nerd..oops sori...keke) But things were different when we had drinks at one of the pubs at Fullerton.....I had chance to mingle with other people in the group and frankly was quite relieved by then.....haha....(you should know why).....And it was then that I realised Khriztopher was staying at Tanglin Halt too and my block was just opposite his! To think that I didn't even seen him near my neighbourhood for the 10 over years I have been staying at that precinct but actually got to know him over the "internet"....

Soon he was asking me out for dinners, clubbing and sending me back after every dates since we stayed so near each other (we had both "ditched" our dates! hahaha) After a few mths, he finally "pop the question" (oh, not to ask me to marry him hor...must be step by step mah....to be girlfriend first..hee) I was quite sceptical at first as he was actually 3 years younger than me....but still I decided to give ourselves a chance (after all those conversation with him, I found him to be a mature guy who doesn't think his age)....I even told him that there will be a 3 mths' probation (machiam like working...kek).....We finally managed to survive that 3 mths and even ROMed 6 mths later! (yes, it's due to our flat as what Khriz mentioned, we are typical Singaporeans) So the rest is history........

During our wedding preparations, Khriz more often played the "bride" role whereas I was more like the "groom" (the bride usually does more and worry more whereas the groom just go along with the idea)...He has ever so many ideas on how to make our wedding a memorable one and I just concentrated on being a stress-free and pretty bride....And true enough, I was surprised by him on our wedding night (well, shan't say what he did...For those who have attended our wedding, they should know...keke...)

Likewise for the renovations of our lovenest, he also played an active part by sourcing for all the reputable interior design firms, joined reno forum to get more ideas and comments, etc.....I just told him one thing, i.e. to have a red head board on top of our bed...haha....(inspired by the cushion wall at Marriott hotel grand ballroom)

So to take this apportunity, here's what I wanted to tell my dear hubby :

I have always appreciated what you have done for our wedding and house. I guess we are like stapler and staples - can't function without each other.....(Did I hear anyone "coughing" or "puking"? hehehe)

THANK YOU SO MUCH! Muakz......

Interior Design - Image Creative...belly good one ahh...

2007-04-12T01:24:00.000+08:00

Today Khriz went to an interior design firm, Image Creative. As usual, Angel 'zzzz' away at home...

Anyway, got high hopes for this firm, because they got alot of awards, what radac lah, hbay lah, superbrands lah, etc.

Mai siao siao ok...must be good lah!!

Spoke to this "Joe Law" person who, after 2-hr discussion, turned out to be a disaster. Kept pushing to pay the oh-so-special-rate of $500 to reserve their even-more-special 'exhibition' price, so that can get the 3D drawings.

"Why cannot just get the layout and quotation? Then I can sign up immediately."

"Ya, but without the 3D drawings, how you know what is the design? From layout you cannot see the design one...later you douch like how?"

*hmmz, make sense...*

"Somemore, if now you sign up, can get all the 3D drawings you want!"

"Wait, all I want??"

"Yes, all you want! You want how many views also can!"

This kind of so-called 3D drawings can forget it; last week just got a quote from a professional 3D renderer for my company's project - per A3 piece is $300! What is he using, Google SketchUp?? *facepalm*

Somemore got very bad design sense.

Tell him about a simple bar counter cum shoe rack, must explain for about half hour.

Cannot visualise what Khriz draw on the paper, be it drawn in front view, side view or intersectional (eh Khriz' drawings not that bad hor, all the other IDs can understand immediately leh...).

In-between the discussion, kept interrupting Khriz with small issues like 30mm difference in the dimensions, lightings' positions, etc.

Somemore never give namecards, must ask for it! *Baaa...*

Only when I get the card then I understand: His title - Sales Designer. *kwa kwa kwa...*

Probably just another high-comm, low basic salary type of salesman who 'designs' based on his own imaginations and ideas from magazines...

Anyway Khriz insisted on just having the layout and quotation first before committing to anything, and see the poor boy's Sianz-Chek-Pua face.

And the last straw came at the end:

"Actually hor, I no need to draw layout mah, all the layout we discussed here liao, more or less."

"But those are just my suggestions; I want you to suggest because you have experience!"

"Oh, but your suggestions very good already! You see, this dining table put here just nice, the bar counter will be this same length, the sofa will be this type one lor. Then your bed, you got fengshui advice one, so cannot change much also. The display cabinet also cannot change. All very good already, can already!!"

"Joe, if I had already firmed up my layout and all the designs that I want, I do not have to come to you, I can go to a contractor. I need your design advice that is why I came."

"Ok, I can draw out the layout for you, but it will be the same as we discussed lor. You still want meh?"

*Pengz*

OK, NEXT PLEASE...

Photos photos photos!!!

2007-04-06T19:25:00.000+08:00

Finally we can see our own flat! One picture speaks a thousand words; please scroll down and view our post of few tens of thousands words ba...

View from front door entrance...
.

The usual, as advised by the FS Master...
.

.
Ok, enough of the living room - next, the master bedroom...

.
Windows of bedroom 1...
.

.
Windows of the bedroom 2...
.

.
Last but not least, the kitchen....
.

Ok...for those who are still keen, you can view a short video of the whole place by clicking below:

Countdown to Keys' Collection...

2007-03-22T17:50:00.000+08:00

Counting down to 28th Mar'07 2:10pm...
.
.
.
.
.
5 days, 20 hours, 4 minutes and 24 seconds...
.
.
.
.
.
Then afterwhich, another 5 days, 22hours and 20 minutes to door-opening for prayers...
I am going crazy...
.
.
.
.
.
Okay, DON'T THINK ABOUT IT LIAO. Tamade... *pull hair*

Anyway, the other day Angel's friend commented why the FS Master did not tell us to splash rice and salt in the unit. Khriz was like, "For what?? Let the insects eat so that they won't disturb us??" But apparently, it was supposed to chase away all the dirty things (where available) and make the flat heng-heng, so that we can tio bey-peo, song-song gao Jurong. Baa...

Checked with Master Gan today, and was informed by him that the 'splashing' of rice and salt is indeed to chase away dirty things, but that is only for resale flats. He felt that it is unnecessary to do it for new flats since nobody had stayed there before.

"Huh?? Sekali ah, those bangla workers all sleeping inside during the construction, how? Also, they 'ku-ling-ling' one person in foreign country working so hard, cannot release their urges. Otherwise why do you think they always hold hands with each other..."

Well Master Gan gave in and say if we want to do it also can lah, but it will be an extra step lor.

Ok lor, extra then extra lah, we Singaporean mah! Tell you ah, bet Angel is now thinking to buy 10kg Thai Fragrant Rice and 3kg of salt to cover the whole flat. Oh no, forgot to ask Master Gan if the rice and salt must buy organic one or not?? Hmmz...later go ask...

Ciao~

2007-03-18T21:57:00.000+08:00

Multi-storey carpark - external facade
.

Floorplan - click for larger size...
.

Supermarket - just next to our block!
.

Front entrance of supermarket, #01-10
.

Floorplan for fastfood restaurant, #01-09...
.

Main door for fastfood restaurant
.

Floorplan for eating house, #01-08.
.
Might be some kind of food court? Got a row of stalls on the left...
.

Side entrance of eating house...
.

The rest of the shops...
.
.
.
***THE END***

2007-03-18T21:12:00.000+08:00

Emergency panel at ground floor - apparently, any ah-pek/ah-soh press their emergency button in their studio apts, their unit number will be flashed here...

Why lydat?? No privacy leh - want to go hospital also must let the whole block know meh? Pai seh leh...

The special stretcher lift!

See the left side of the lift, got two buttons? Why need two buttons??

Cuz one of is the "Stretcher Lift Call Button"!!

Ermmm...what button is that?! I duno also!! Muhahaha...

The special stretcher button!

Close-up.

Hey, spotted the roof top!

Found a staircase that has roof access - going up to take photos for you all to see... ;-)

Aiyo, cheyy! Locked one... *Kwa kwa, kwa kwa...*

Never mind, we go explore...

The ROOF GARDEN!!

.

Where got garden...machiam soil exhibition, displaying different types of soil and fertilizer...
.

See what I mean...haiz...

Must not let your children see this...otherwise...

"Mummy, mummy, did the playground just got bombed by terrorists?!?!"

Wait~! What's this...

Angel examining the fire panel...
.

Hmmz...what she looking at...?!

Oh, its the floorplan. Hmmz, multi-purpose hall...eh?? Isn't that the place for Malay weddings and Chinese......oops.

Multi-purpose hall, picture 1...

Multi-purpose hall, picture 2...

Multi-purpose hall, picture 3...

Cannot be what...so colourful, how can be for...ahem! Think more for childcare centre or something...

Activity room 1...

Activity room 2.

Office

Back view of Multi-purpose hall...

.
.

Ok! That's all for now...next post, photos of the MSCP and shops!

Afternoon Visit...Photos Photos!!

2007-03-18T20:30:00.000+08:00

As planned, KhrizAngel met up this very 'kay-yan' FS Master at Balestier Plaza on Friday; entertained by him for about 2 hrs, tell abit of fortune, tell abit about other FS masters and con-men fortune-tellers, etc. blah blah blah...in the end managed to bring him back to the topic and fixed a date for him to visit our lovenest. No need to pay deposit somemore, on the day itself then pay...good right?? ;-)
.
According to him, the nearest day to open door should be 3-Apr'07 (Tues).
.
.
.
That's FIVE days after we get the keys!!
.
.
.
Aiyo, irritating leh...imagine the keys ling-ling-long-long in your pockets but cannot go see...humph~
.
.
.
Anyway, Angel and Khriz visited site (again!), but this time in the afternoon.
.
Good weather (Angel: Good your head! So hot~!!!), so snapping away with our Exilim.
.
.
Enjoy!!
.
.

Blk 89 - View from ground floor
.

Blk 89 - View from roof garden
.

Blk 90 - View from 40th level of Blk 89
.

Walkway from Blk 89 to Blk 90 (can anyone spot that some passerbys were photoshopped off??) Hehe...
.

"Feature wall" behind the bus stop...
.

Airwell - looking down...
.

Airwell - looking up...
.

Elevator's window design.
.
Khriz si bei hiao lah, never seen this design before so must take picture show others...*facepalm*
.

Bay windows...why got slope one?? :x
.

Toilet-door...(si bei chio, right??)
.

One forummer complained that the cement kerb is very close to the front door and metal gate, cannot put tiles.
.
Tada!! The solution as below:
.
Original cement kerb knocked off, new cement coated over...
.

Close-up...
.
.
.
Wah lao leh, this blog really very hard to use leh!! Post photos until very tired...alignment kept running off one...
.
.
More photos later...go drink water first...*tulan*

We are collecting our keys!

2007-03-16T02:16:00.000+08:00

Sorry for being so late since the first post, and so much had happened. Cock-up by bank, trying to redempt the loan, gotten the letter to collect our keys, and making a tour around the vicinity of our new home.

After the letter informing us that the flat will be ready by 2nd Quarter 2007, the next issue is to clear the loan. That really made us see the true blue characteristics of a bank: Cunningly evil. And that is for describing no one else other than OCBC.

You see, HDB had written to ask them for full redemption of our loan by 28th Feb'07 and that's when the nightmare starts. OCBC used a lawyer to reply (WLAW LLC somemore, *whistle* *baaa...*) to HDB and cc to us, but cunningly put in small print that the current redemption amount will be based on the actual day.

What the...??

And that's not all: After two weeks, their silly computerised system started to send reminder letters for failing to pay the monthly instalment, although HDB had already informed that CPF will cease payment wef mid-Jan'07 and all due/accrued interests should be lumped and put together as full redemption of loan. Very free, somemore got registered mail with a letter in red ink. Got money don't where to spend. Chuck the letters and wait for HDB to quickly redempt the loan.

Just when we were suspecting that things cannot be so smooth, 28th Feb came and Khriztopher's mobile rang: HDB officer called and informed that OCBC is asking for $50 extra on top of the full redemption, somemore never reveal for what.

So we were stranded on a busy Wednesday with two choices:

1. Go down the WLAW immediately to make payment for the $50 in cash, or

2. Don't pay and get HDB to liaise with the bank for the full amount again, bearing in mind that even more interests will be incurred.

LL - Khriztopher drove all the way to WLAW, oops, no parking facilities!! Wah lau, buy one big white colonial building in Shenton Way but no parking!

What, just because last time people use horse-carts during colonial times, doesn't mean you don't have to provide normal vehicles' parking ok!

Tamade...

Anyway, parked at the expensive Market St carpark, only to realise another bad news: No shelter to WLAW's building!! God, what have I done to deserve this?? Bo pian, ran all the way in the rain and Khriztopher found himself standing at the posh lobby of a law firm, dripping wet like a pathetic chicken drowned in soup (literally, "luo tang ji"), trying to speak to some whatshernameagain lawyer, just to pay 50 bucks so that the damn loan can be redempted.

So much for sob stories...

Anyway, we will be getting our keys!! It was supposed to be 19th March, but since Angeline had not invested her excess CPF monies into some balanced funds with her AIA agent, we pushed the appointment date back to 28th March. Yes, we are one of this damning couples who do not believe in feeding the system with all our hardearned money, even though the money is locked up in CPF in any case...

Earlier this week went to see our new estate: Fencing is down liao, cheong ahh! Khriztopher was more excited than Angeline and the rest of the family, but he became puzzled why everyone also bochap, not interested to see. As usual Angeline is being accused of not loving him anymore...haiz...

Loved the carpark - our block is the only block that has direct linkage from 2nd to 6th floor, where the last floor is the roof garden.

Loved the little shopping area, although not as big as Dawson's Place, its still sufficient and very near to our block.

Got NTUC leh, mai siao siao okay??

.
Somemore pics here...

Lift lobby at #34...

Corridor outside our main door...see the whole corridor only has one unit, which is our unit!

Angeline: "Can put housewarming buffet here hor...??"

Khriztopher: *facepalm* Women...

Loved the main door...

Pic taken from the opposite of the airwell...

Ok lah, that's all, folks! Tomorrow evening we will be consulting a FS master, someone recommended by someone in a forum, and see how we can go about making our home a FS-sound dwelling so that we can live happily ever after...zzzz...

Why the bardy formatting is so difficult in blog ah?? All the alignment running out...old already...buay hiao blog lah...

KhrizAngel's LoveNest - Completion by 2nd Quarter 2007

2007-01-12T16:00:00.000+08:00

Just received THE letter informing us our lovenest will be completed by 2nd Quarter 2007. Here's our floorplan as below:

Khriztopher had came up with a very preliminary (and very ugly!) layout drawing, here:

Hmmz, so much for the first post on our blog. Still sorting it out to make it look as beautiful as others.