The Westin KL

Ever since being upgraded to a suite and clubroom a couple of times (@ Indianapolis and Sheraton Imperial KL) because of my SPG gold membership, I had assumed that I would be upgraded from the deluxe city view room I had booked with The Westin KL.

However, I was informed at the front desk that the next category of rooms - premier rooms - were all fully booked if I wanted a king-sized bed and since nothing beats a large comfy bed when travelling for work, I decided to accept what I had booked, which looked comfortable enough with a nice passage way and spacious room.

However, beyond those windows which had sunlight streaming in (it was about noon when I went up to dump my bags before heading off for another meeting), lay a sight that had me calling room service and asking for the upgrade.

This. A hideous large apartment block right opposite the window. Normally I wouldn't care too much about the view outside the windows because I keep the curtains drawn but I guess I wasn't quite prepared to have to endure this large monstrosity while paying good $ to stay here.

So, when the doorbell rang, I went with 1 of the staff to the premier room which had 2 twin beds and looked exactly similar to the deluxe room I had just left. Except that it was on a slightly higher floor (4 floors up with a common concourse to the other premier/lounge level rooms). I thought that the view would be much better but sadly, it wasn't. Instead, the huge monstrosity was still visible from the windows (although slightly to the left this time). So I lugged everything back down again to the deluxe room which had at least, a big comfy bed. I assure you, everything was exactly the same, even the bathroom.

And the complimentary amenities provided at the mini-bar. Now, I have to confess that this is the first time that I've been in a 4-5 stars hotel that has a box of condoms amongst the snacks. 4 Points by Sheraton in Bangkok also had a box which makes me wonder whether it is just the SPG hotels in the Asia Pac that provide these (the hotel in Indianapolis certainly didn't).

Anyway, disgruntled with the lack of upgrade, ugly view, I decided to go to the club lounge and use the internet instead of using the free wifi in the lobby. I probably could have charged the internet access to my room because I was using it strictly for work (an urgent email) but I figured that I wasn't going to have my company pay this hotel a dime more. So up to the club lounge I went and they did ask for my room number which I gave them but they didn't say very much when I told them I just needed to send an email.

Now, maybe it was the hour which I went up the lounge (about 2pm) but it was relatively empty and other than some cookies and 3 types of juices, it was a far cry from the club lounge of the hotel I had stayed in the night before. The problem sometimes about living too well is that it is relatively hard to adjust to something less, especially when the price difference is just SGD40. Anyway, I had problems accessing the hotel wifi on my computer laptop which had them send up an IT staff who confessed to me it was his second day on the job and he couldn't fix the problem. So I asked to use the 1 available computer in the lounge to send my email but it turned out that the computer was busted. The one other computer was occupied by another guest.

And the view from the club lounge isn't that great either. Even the view of the twin towers is a partial one. The Slog Reviews: 7/10. Other than its great location just opposite the mega upscale shopping mall, Pavilion, the friendly and helpful staff, there is nothing to crow about the experience I had with The Westin KL. And given the number of hotels in KL, I am not likely to ever choose this hotel again when I return to the city for work. With just a handful of stays left to maintain my SPG gold membership, I would rather stay slightly away from the malls at Sheraton Imperial where I had a much more pleasant experience before. Or Marriott which is one of my company's preferred hotels.

A getaway at Four Points by Sheraton (BKK)

Easy to tell where I've just returned from yesterday, given the latest addition to my new collection of fridge magnets, a collection inspired by the great experience I had at the Hard Rock Cafe in Indianapolis this year.

I would agree with the lot of you that going for a short holiday ThisClose to the wedding with so much left undone isn't the wisest thing. However, because of all the travelling the past 2 months, these dates were the only ones we both could work with. And in the end, the trip turned out to be one which we both felt was much needed - loads of rest and quality time together! Having a very comfortable room with a nice big bathtub helped to set the atmosphere. Despite having stayed in far more expensive places like The Datai, my CEB proclaimed this hotel to be as good as the first hotel we'd stayed together as a couple (Hyatt in Hongkong) - an apt and fitting ending to our journey together as bf and gf.

After travelling with my CEB quite a bit, I knew better than not to book breakfast at the hotel - my CEB's idea of a good hotel includes somehow, the quality of the breakfast, and 4 Points didn't disappoint. There was a wide spread consisting of porridge, noodles, salad, fruits, noodles, rice and many other hot dishes. The food wasn't anything to shout about but it provided a satisfying filling breakfast.

The Slog Reviews: I would rate our 4 day stay at 4 Points in Bangkok an 8 out of 10. Location was pretty alright - a 7 mins walk from Asok station with its sister SPG hotels like The Westin and Sheraton being much closer. I wasn't wowed by the rooms, breakfast or service (and I hope it isn't because I'm becoming a jaded traveler) but I believe these were more than decent. There are a couple of places to get a drink at the hotel - the lounge on the first floor or the sky bar on the 8th floor (rooftop) where the rather smallish pool is located.

Other than lazing in the very comfortable bed the whole morning, we spent the rest of the time walking around, shopping and eating. MK, a local chain of restaurants was the first restaurant we went to and my CEB loved the food there, in particular the mixed meat dish which was all of about SGD 5 for a small portion. Talk about cheap and good.

We were also enticed by the aroma wafting from the other tables to try out the steamboat at MK, something which I had never done despite being here numerous times (the heat and humidity in Bangkok pretty much puts one off from having a steamboat meal). I think there must have been loads of seasoning in the soup because I ended up drinking loads of soap and eating almost everything in the platter (cost of which was about SGD12).

Of course, Fuji which I'd written about briefly before was not to be missed. My CEB and I had been to the one at Phuket, and the quality of the food and the local crowds at each Fuji outlet was pretty much consistent. I suppose it is because the food is very reasonably priced but that being said, there are loads of Japanese restaurants in Thailand, in particular at Central World near Isetan which all appear pretty attractive as well. Then again, one follows the crowd and the crowd is found at Fuji.

We also took a cab (a horror story as to be expected) to Chinatown to satisfy my craving for fish in lime soup - talk about sour heaven. My CEB and I also shared a plate grilled river prawns (about SGD 12) and a large bowl of sharkfin soup (SGD20) at T&K restaurant (just next to the famous Nam Sing restaurant). By the time we finished the meal, his mood was pretty much restored and we ended up walking around Chinatown and buying some snacks for the folks back home. There were many durian stalls around the area but he kept to his promise and stopped me from buying any. Bah.

We did some shopping (of course!) and to my surprise (he always claimed that buayas were ugly), my CEB picked up this creature at Central and insisted on buying the same for me.

On hindsight, I think it was more for the boy inside of him than for me. 

Thor (2011) Movie

The Slog Reviews: 7/10. Very good graphics (Frost giants, rainbow bridge) and an acting cast that more than appeals to the eye (think blue-eyed, blond-hair, chiselled face...) but nothing overly impressive which makes me really glad that I didn't buy gold class tickets for this movie!

The plot can in fact be summarised in one paragraph: Thor calls his father Odin the O Father, a stupid old fool for not going to war with the Frost Giants who breach their realm (there are 9 realms) and Odin banishes him in anger to Earth where he meets a mortal called Jane and falls in love with her. It is revealed that it is his adopted brother Loki who has let the Frost Giants into the realm and Loki lies to Thor that Thor is forever banished from the immortal world. When Thor offers his life in exchange for that of his friends, he is considered worthy to wield the mighty hammer again (which Odin had cast on earth with a charm) and he goes about to set things right in the realm where Odin has fallen into a coma and Loki is ursurping power. However, because Loki is bent on destroying the realm of the Frost Giants (he is a Frost Giant himself) and proving himself in Odin's eyes, Thor has no choice but to sever the rainbow bridge which is the only path that allows him to enter another realm (Earth, where Jane is).

Limitless (2011) Movie

The Slog Reviews: 9/10. Worth the RM10 spent watching the movie :) An exploration into an impossibility which hopefully may some day be a reality. A question though that occured to me - if everyone of us on this planet had access to a pill which would allow us to use 100% of each of our brain without any adverse effects, what would the world we live in today look like? Really. I mean, would there be people willing to do manual and menial jobs? What would the social hierarchy look like? Now that's a scary thought. Maybe that's why this movie remains a happy rags-to-riches fiction (stress on the word fiction).

Little Red Riding Hood (2011) Movie

The one and only movie we caught over the weekend in Msia was Little Red Riding Hood, of which a very good plot summary can be found here.

The Slog Reviews: 7.5/10. This movie should be titled Big Red Herring instead of Little Red Riding Hood! That being said, I am not really sure why this movie has been called the worst movie of 2011 because we both enjoyed the movie. What I particularly liked was that it drove home to me (painfully of course), the point that sometimes I always miss what is right in front of my eyes, what is so obvious. Right from the moment the lead's mother disclosed to her that her sister had a different father, and that father was also killed by the werewolf later on, it should have been clear that the person with a motive was the lead's father. However, I was distracted by the triangle romance between the lead and the 2 men. And, by her grandmother of course.

On a side note, The lead actress is really beautiful with blond hair, pale flawless skins, huge blue eyes and luscious red lips.

Whatever you Think Think the Opposite by Paul Arden

I happened to pick up this book while at Borders last week. Tired from all the walking and running about, I decided to flip through the rather thin but interesting looking book while resting my feet/butt at the bookshop. Some of the pages didn't "speak" to me but some did, especially those related to work woes which a number of my friends have been sharing.

So I thought I'll share the wisdom in the book to encourage those of you who are discouraged / tired etc at work.

Life is about decisions. Whatever decision you make is the only one you could make. Otherwise you would make a different one. Everything we do, we choose. What is there to regret? You are the person you choose to be.

If people constantly reject your ideas or what you have to offer, resign. You can't keep fighting AND losing. That makes you a problem. If you are good and right for the job, your resignation will not be accepted. You will be re-signed on your terms. If they accept your resignation, you were in the wrong job and it is better to move on. It takes courage but it is the right move.

Death is more universal than life - everyone dies but not everyone lives ~ A. Sachre

Peperoni Pizzaria

I realize I have been posting very little about food or books. And it really isn't the case that I haven't been having quite a bit of both in my life lately, especially the former. It's just that the current matter has occupied all my working bandwidth and the upcoming nuptials, most of my non-working bandwidth, leaving me with little time to blog about other stuff.

Anyway, to distract myself from the conference call I have with my boss in a matter of hours (the time zone difference means we are talking after he puts his kids in bed), I've decided to write about a meal that I had the week before with my best friend from Secondary school days. Being a strictly west-side gal (before and after married life), she suggested that we go to a nice little restaurant Greenwood Avenue to satisfy her pizza craving for dinner.

We were most surprised to be told that most of the tables were reserved when we got there at 6am. Nonetheless since some of the reservations were from 7.30pm, we were given a table and given the menus. We started with the Chicken Wings- S$8 for 8 pieces - undeniably finger licking good stuff.

I had been having a risotto craving for some time and so I ordered the Seafood Risotto - S$24. The Slog Reviews: 4/10. I think there is a reason this place has the word pizza in its name - it doesn't do Risotto very well - the risotto was freaking tasteless and a sheer waste of calories. Ingredients were mediocre and didn't impress. Do not waste your $ ordering this dish really

Unfortunately, my best friend decided to give risotto a try instead of her pizza and what a bad decision it turned out to be. The Prawn Risotto - S$26 was left 1/4 untouched - she said she ate the rest only because she was so hungry but she would never order this dish again either.

As we were there during Happy Hours, we ordered the Softdrink Jug at S$13. Talk about yet another mistake. The Jug was so full of ice that we only got less bang for the buck ordering the jug as opposed to ordering ice lemon tea at S$3.50 per cup.

I'm not in a hurry to go back to this restaurant but I think that if one has to dine here, one really would be better off trying out the pizza.

Here is the address and tel number:

Peperoni Pizzaria

6 Greenwood Avenue Singapore 289195
Tel: 6465 6556

Flying to Indy and Sheraton Indianapolis City Center Hotel

After 15 hours, my flight from SG to LA touched down at LAX. Although I had 2 connecting flights to my final destination, Indianapolis, I had to go through customs and get my luggage bag off the conveyor belt because LA was my port of entry. I took about an hr to clear customs which is considered relatively fast - there was a lady who had a connecting flight in half an hour to San Fran and she had to ask the pp around if they would let her go ahead. That is the reason why I prefer having as few connecting flights as possible when travelling - either one cuts it too close or one ends up sitting around in transit.

In any case, because all the flights from SG to NY were full that weekend, I had a 5 hour wait in LA before my 3 hour flight to O'Hare airport (Chicago) at 11pm. And that red-eye flight was full and perhaps overbooked because the airlines made a couple of announcements asking if anyone was prepared to give up their seat on this flight for a seat on the next flight out in the morning in exchange for cash vouchers and a free hotel stay.

After touching down in O'Hare about 5 in the morning, I had another hour's wait before my flight to Indy, by which time I had finished watching all the cartoons on the ipod touch and was feeling dirty, gritty-eyed and tired from all the transits and flights. In fact, I felt so lousy I swore that I would not fly out any more to Indy unless compelled to do so. However, just like there is a silver lining to every dark cloud, I got to see a really impressive sight from the airplane's window - the lights of Chicago taken from the plane - pretty impressive, isn't it?

After an hour or so up in the air, I reached my final destination. Finally. Indy's airport is large, spanking new, clean and spacious with quite a number of shops, a pleasant contrast to the tired-looking terminals at LAX.

My boss told me that downtown Indy is built outwards from the town's circle center, the very center of which is erected this very tall sculpture.

1 of the largest shopping malls in downtown Indy is the Circle Center Mall - it has my favorite shops like Bath&Body Works, Coach, Victoria Secret and 2 departmental stores - Nordstrom and Carrie Pine Scott. The former store carries high-end goods (including more Coach stuff) while the latter is a bargain-hunter's dream come true. I kid you not - I managed to get a CK suit for just USD40, 70% off its original price. As there was a firefighters' convention that week, most of the hotels in downtown Indy were fully booked. Fortunately, I managed to secure a room at the hotel of my choice: Sheraton City Center Hotel for 3 of the 4 nights I was in Indy. The reason for choosing this hotel was because it was a stone's throw to my offices and I could walk there easily every day instead of depending on public transport. Also, because I have the SPG gold card, I get a complimentary upgrade if a better room is available. This time around, I was upgraded to a suite on the 15th floor. Above and below are some pictures of the room - the suite was large enough that it made me regret not having any travelling companions with me to enjoy the place. There was a separate living room and even a mini-kitchenette area! However, the best bit about the suite was the plushy bed in the bedroom stacked with 4 pillows.

I didn't take any pictures of the bathroom which was rather smallish (but had a tub) but only of the rather spacious bedroom. Although the colors of the carpet and curtain leave much to be desired (dark blue which had a dirty cramping effect), having a couple of 40 inch TVs in the living room and the bedroom, as well as a work desk made me feel that I could live in the hotel room quite happily for a month or more.

The Slog Reviews: 7.5/10. There are many good hotels in downtown Indy like Conrad, Hyatt and Marriott which are more centrally located (connected to the shopping mall and convention center) and probably able to give Sheraton City Center hotel a good run for its money. This hotel does not have free broadband and wifi is only available in the lobby area. The elevators are spacious enough and run very quickly between floors but the color scheme of the hotel makes one feel as if it were rather run-down. It is a decent place to stay all in all though with a convenience store around the corner and a bus stop (IndyGo from the airport stops there) right in front of the hotel.

Hard Rock Cafe in Indianapolis

I noticed that there was a Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Indianapolis when my boss was giving me a ride back to the hotel after work. I didn't even know there was a HRC in the town because one really doesn't have the opportunity to see places other than the airport, office and hotel room when travelling for work. So right after I dumped my laptop and files in the hotel room, I took a 15min stroll to the HRC which was located near a Borders that was closing down.

I am not a HRC fan as I've said before but I had a craving for steak (which is what the mid-west is famous for) that evening and I figured I couldn't go too far wrong with the well-established HRC. As I was pretty early (about 6.30pm when I got there), the bar and restaurant area was relatively empty and I was served very promptly by the friendly servers after I had made my first ever HRC purchase - a fridge magnet in the shape of a guitar with the word HRC Indy on it.

Even though the weather was chilly, all the walking had made me thirsty so I started the meal with a vanilla milkshake that came in a very unique-shaped glass which I bought just by paying an additional USD2 more. The milkshake came with whipped cream on top (oh horror of horrors for some1 who really doesn't need the additional calories) and chicken me didn't dare to ask for the cream to be removed as I should have done b4 it was served. So I decided to drink from the bottom and leave the cream. But like with all good intentions that pave the road to hell, I not only finished each drop of the rich creamy frothy milky vanilla shake, I also slurped up all of the whipped cream. Did I regret putting on my hips all that good stuff that went pass my lips? No Sir. The milkshakes in this HRC simply rocks.

I was done with the menu in all of 5 mins - How could anyone resist ordering an entree that is described like this:A USDA choice 21-day-aged, center-cut, 12 oz. New York strip steak grilled to your liking and topped with Merlot-garlic butter. Served with White Cheddar smashed potatoes, gravy and fresh vegetables. Here is a picture of my New York Strip Tease which I ordered medium-well-done.

The Slog Reviews: 10/10. I can't find fault with the beef and if pressed to do so, the only negative thing is that the portion was so huge I had trouble finishing it towards the end. The meat was a huge slab of gastronomical pleasure that had me closing my eyes while relishing each morsel of tender beef that oozed just the right amount of rich flavor. The meat was so tender that I wouldn't call the mastication process chewing...more of pressing the meat between one's teeth to feel it give way oh so gently, to feel it melt in the mouth. Not bloody, not burnt - I don't know how they manage to do such a fine job of their steak. I couldn't finish the mashed potato that came with the beef despite my best efforts but from however much I managed to stuff in my tummy, I'll tell you that the mashed potato is awesome too. The rich dark gravy makes this side dish a perfect complement to the beef. Solid unforgettable stuff.

I am now an official HRC fan - if the beef in their SG branch is that good, they are going to get one more regular patron! (So who wants to go have dinner at HRC SG with me sometime soon?)

In any case, if you are ever go to downtown Indianapolis while travelling in the good old Midwest, do drop by 49 South Meridian which is open till midnight most days of the week. Click here for more information and the menu!

Silver Kris Lounge at T3 and Biz Class on SQ to LA

This is the first time I've been to the Silver Kris Lounge at Terminal 3.

And the variety and quality of food and drinks there was simply amazing. It made me regret that we just had a really expensive "Parents meet Parents with Matchmaker" lunch at Crystal Jade just before my flight out to LA.

Nonetheless, because I had nothing to do for the 1hr before flying out, I got myself a diet coke, some cha soba and other light desserts to enjoy while soaking in the ambiance and reflecting (on my life as usual).

Well, because I had indicated my default seat preference as an aisle seat, I ended up seated next to an elderly gentleman instead of having my own individual seat by the window. Hence, all the photos I took this flight were with my trusty Sony Ericsson W995 phone instead of a camera.

Now, there is a vast difference between flying business class and economy - and I mean, vast. The last time I flew economy on SQ was to Melbourne the first week of Feb this year so comparing the 2 was easy - to start with, not only the seats and entertainment screen 2 times wider and more plushy (very much like the GV Cinema Gold Class seats), even the hand-sets below are different - this one shows the flight time left to the destination, and even how far one is into a movie.

About 2 hours into the flight, it was dinnertime and we were served local satay for starters.

Followed by shrimp salad which I washed down with pineapple juice. I thought the satay and salad were both amazingly tasty for airplane food.

But they were nothing compared to the main course - I had the cod fish with lobster bits in creamy sauce and asparagus. And, it was so absolutely tender, fresh, creamy and delicious that I was ready to die happy after experiencing this culinary pleasure. I kid you not.

But of course I didn't die. I had two (yeah, I shameless asked for another) bowls of Haagan Dazz ice-cream which came with nuts and some sort of a sweet biscuit-like wafer thing. After that, on a full stomach and completely satiated, I watched movies and went to bed (the chair folds down into a full length bed).

In the morning (because of the time-difference this was supposed to be our lunch), we were once again plied with food of the Gods. Like this starter for example - huge succulent scallops with cold streaked bacon.

I had beef as the main course and you know, given how more than 10 hours had passed since we took off, I was totally amazed by how soft and tender the meat was instead of cold and hard. SQ's business class food is truly superb.

I ended my meal with some lime cheesecake but that was really like eating solidified sweetened fats so I didn't eat too much of that. There was quite a wide variety of drinks available throughout the entire flight as well as light snacks like Lays potato chips, small packets of Amos chocolate chip biscuits, and even fish porridge if one wanted something more substantial.

You know, in 1 of my first few posts this year 2011, (click here to read), I did say that my job change would mean a change in the life that I have always known. And indeed it has given me opportunities and experiences that I otherwise would never have had - from going to Melbourne in February and then to the Midwest and New York in March. Because I am a firm believer that tomorrow is never a given right, I am just grateful to have the chance to enjoy each good thing that comes my way, including the chance to fly biz class on SQ non-stop to LA and non-stop back from New York.

The Way Back (2011) Movie

I don't know why this movie came to mind while driving to work this morning and listening to songs by Casting Crown. It was the next movie that I caught right after watching The Fighter on the way back from New York and a good summary of the movie can be found here. The Slog Reviews: 7.5/10. This movie is a testimony to the resilence and will of the human spirit to survive against the odds. Although the plot was straightforward - prisoners escaping a camp in Siberia and trekking by foot over snow, desert and land over 4000 miles all the way to India and dying 1 after the another till only 3 were left, the pace of the movie was excellent. I felt like I was following their journey through the snow blizzards and the desert storm (which finished off the young girl and another of the prisoners) - rejoicing when they did (in finding water) and despairing as they did when there was no water, much less food.

 

Shopping Heaven - Macy's and Fifth Avenue in New York

My one check-in bag weighed 15kg when I flew off. After all the shopping in Indiana, that one check-in bag weighed 35kg. AND, after all the shopping in New York, I had two check-in bags, 1 which was 29inch and weighed 25kg and the other which was 32inch and weighed 28kg. 53kg minus 15kg = 38kg worth of shopping, and a new Samsonite bag to boot (the 29inch). Go me.

A large part of my purchase consisted of footwear - this is how much footwear I bought in New York (save for 1 pair from Indy) and brought home. The ones in the top row all belong to me - from the left, 2 Ferragamos and 5 Coach. The ones in the bottom row belong to my sister and mum - from the left, 1 Louboutin, 1 Chanel, 2 Coach (these are my gifts to my mum) and 1 Chanel - the cost of my sister's 1 pair of Louboutin shoes is just slightly lesser than the cost of all my shoes. If you count the cost of her 2 Chanel footwear, these are like 30% more than the cost of my shoes so yeah, I had a good time shopping, - "swiping my card" for what items that never would be mine and feeling well, high on spending. Thanks Sis :)

New York is a "shopaholic"'s dream come true - esp if one is into big names and fashion. Just perfect for my little sister who has more branded stuff than any person I know. I was totally floored when her boyfriend got her a pair of Louboutins last month which cost S$1400 - for something that goes on your feet and pound the ground, that's a hell lot of $. However, when I was at Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale's and Sak's shopping for my sister, I saw tons of Louboutins, Prada shoes, Chanel shoes, Jimmy Choos and Manolo Blahnik on display or just lying around. The picture below taken at Bergdorf shows all Louboutin shoes at the forefront of the pic and Blahnik's in the middle. Shoes that are in the high hundreds to a few thousands (USD). And the ladies there snapped pairs of these without batting an eyelid twice.

My own shopping was confined largely to Macy's which was just one street away from my hotel along the same avenue. Macy's doesn't carry Ferragamo or Prada, much less Louboutins or Blahnik's. However, they have one of the widest range of Coach shoes and with the visitor card, I'm talking about a 10% savings which really helps given the tax rate in NY for non-clothes item is a whopping 8.875%. Macy's is really huge but the layout is such that the women stuff are found in one building/annex while the men's stuff on another so ladies can have uninterrupted shopping pleasure without having to look at men's stuff. Macy's has clearance racks and items less 30 - 70% so it is possible to find some really good buys (I didn't).

Fifth Avenue in New York is the equivalent of Singapore's Orchard shopping belt. Fifth is the shopping belt and Saks at Fifth Avenue is one of the premium department stores, a class up from the above-mentioned Macy's. No clearance racks of course, and when I asked if the items there ever went on discount, the saleslady gave me The Look and mentioned something about friends and family day - tourists however do not get any discounts whatsoever.

While strolling along Fifth Avenue, I took some pictures of the unique-looking buildings where well-known brands had set up shop and presence, such as Cartier below.

And of course, Trump Tower which was open to the public (up to the fourth level where there is a public garden) and has a store on the entrance level selling all sorts of Trump stuff, like neckties and even a teddy bear with a Trump T-shirt. The bears were seriously cute and only prudence stopped me from bringing one back home with me (Trump is 1 of my heros).

Some other unique buildings along Fifth Avenue such as the one below which has three gold statues as part of its facade - I adore pearls (much less Mikimoto pearls!) and like diamonds, they are a wild extravagance - existing purely to give pleasure through their beauty.

But seeing and day-dreaming costs nothing and I guess that is part of the appeal of window shopping at Fifth Avenue. There is of course the infamous LV - I think this is the flagship store.

And I couldn't help stepping into F.A.O simply because I had seen this famous toy store featured in oh-so-many movies. I think this is a store that cannot be missed if one has children or has brought children to New York - the range of toys that one can find pleasure and amusement in for hours is enchantingly bewildering and the stuffed toys - talk about every size and type! Going into this store almost (just almost) made me wish I had a child of my own!

Bergdorf Goodman must be one of the classy and upmarket departmental stores I've ever come across - nothing like Macy's of course and even more, well, geared to the rich, than Saks is. According to 1 of Bloomingdale's salesman, Bergdorf has the widest range of Louboutins (Bloomie does not carry these even though it has Chanel, Prada and Ferragamo shoes).

While walking along, I also stumbled across The Plaza. I had recently watched Brides War and remembered how it was each girl's dream to be married at this hotel and even from a distance, I could see why. It looks mighty impressive, even when viewed from a distance and although I really would have loved to check it out, I couldn't make myself cross over because my legs were crying out in pain - I'd been walking all the way from 34th, mind! And my ultimate goal was to get to Bloomingdales which was on 59th!

Still, in any case, I made it to the fringe of the famous Central Park - someone told me that this was one of the "must-go" places in NYC and of course I'd heard of it before (given how often it is featured in the detective novels that I like) but I figured that going to Bloomingdale on 59th and Lexington was infinitely more important for a pseudo "shopaholic" like myself. Therefore, right after this picture, I turned my tired feet in the direction of Lexington Avenue...I tell you, I've never walked so much in my entire life in one day (I swear this is quite the truth) and the next day, I couldn't get out of bed till almost 11am!

The Fighter (2011) Movie

I went to bed abt 3am on Sat morning after meeting with a friend I hadn't met with for more than a year. I have been so jet lagged that by 5pm on Fri, all I wanted to do was go home and sleep, which I did until he rang me at 730pm to say that he was already at where we had arranged to meet. Oops. Fortunately it was close by and I took 15 mins to get there. And we sat there eating and drinking till almost 11pm...when one is having a good time, one tends to forget the time I guess. So anyway I slept the whole if sat away without getting up to eat even. I guess it is true that the older one gets, the harder it is for the body to recover. Maybe the lack of exercise since July has also quite done me in and I think it is time for a lifestyle overhaul.

Anyway, this meeting with my friend reminded me somehow of the first movie I caught on the 18hr non-stop flight back from New York. It was one of the recommended movies in the in-flight entertainment magazine and it turned out to be a rather unforgettable movie which is all the more remarkable because it is based on a true story. The Slog Reviews: 10/10. The movie is more than just one of those rags to riches, beating the odds to rise to the top boxing movie. What makes this movie unique (to me at least) is its exploration of family bonds and how these shape one's life and eventually one's destiny.

Dickie who is the lead's younger brother is a legend in their town for having knocked down Sugar Ray. He teaches Mickie all he knows about boxing and their mother is their manager. However, she and Dickie gets Mickie into a particularly bad fight where he not only loses but is beaten up badly. Mickie seeks comfort in the arms of his new gf who is a college dropout and bartender but who genuinely cares about Mickie. He moves in with her and stops boxing. His mother is furious and confronts her when Mickie introduces her to his family. This girl holds firm to her position and when the mother asks Mickie angrily if he is going to let his mother be spoken to this way , he replies that what his gf said is true- that Dickie is a crackhead who fails to turn up for his training and all he has been getting into are bad fights where he loses and is beaten up. Mickie chooses the shot at a better life he is given by a new manager and accepts the condition imposed by this manager and his gf that he will not let his mother and Dickie play any further role in his boxing career.

When Dickie hears that, he devises a plot to impersonate a police officer and extort money but is chased by the real cops one day when trying to pull off this stunt. Mickie is having dinner with his gf and family when someone bursts into the restaurant to tell them that Dickie is being beaten by the cops. He rushes out and when his Gf tries to stop him he shoves her away, hard enough for her to tumble to the ground. While trying to stop the cops from beating Dickie , he gets his hand brutally broken. Dickie is sent to prison and Mickie goes back to his Gf. He makes a promise to her he is fine with letting his family ruin his life and he makes the same promise to his new trainer.

When Dickie is released he goes back to the gym where Mickie is training. Mickie tells him he can't train anymore with him. Dickie is hurt and disappointed and turns away. Their mother screams at Mickie he would not have won his last boxing fight if not for what Dickie taught him. Mickie admits this is true but says he would not have won the last fight either without his present trainer. When his gf reminds him he had made a deal with her, he replies he wants his family too and she tells him this is not part of the deal, to which he replies what is so wrong with wanting my family! She is for obvious reasons very disappointed with Mickie - at that moment I perfectly empathize with her feelings of hurt, betrayal and disbelief. It's like how could you break your promise to me when the intent behind the promise is to benefit you and for your own good! And like I did before when someone I knew made empty promises he later dishonored, she turns away from him and leave him.

Dickie who is witness to this exchange then picks up the welcome cake his sisters have baked and walks to the crackhouse he used to go. Despite his friends' exhortations to join them, he resists successfully the temptation to go in and goes to look for Mickie's gf. He swears to her that he will stay clean and turn over a new leaf and manages to persuade her to give Mickie and him a chance. At this moment Mickie also turns up at her house and they reunite. Mickie tells Dickie to go get his manager back too which Dickie does. The movie ends with Dickie winning a title fight with his family, new trainer and gf all behind him.

I think I like the movie so much because it depicts how our family may want the best for us in their own way but that way may not necessarily be the one that is successful or even right. But it doesn't change the fact that they are family and such blood bonds are not easily broken. I also like the movie cos it shows how it can take just one person's genuine love and care for another to turn that person's life around, to give that person courage and strength to go against all he has ever known or believed in, to choose a better life for himself.