2013

*pic taken at Harajuku, Tokyo*

Friends asked me to sum up my 2013 in a word. I was speechless. I couldn't. But as alwiz it had been a smashing one. Well we must alwiz make our own lives as interesting as it is right? So knowing Monkey, I lurve to EAT....anyhow we do EAT everyday don't we??? hahahaha....I only believe in eating the right food and not waste calories..well if u gonna put some form of calories into your body it better be worth it. Otherwise don't bother.

Since I couldn't sum them up in a word or a pic, I would just do a summary of the most memorable events of 2013....in Notti Monkey's notti life :P

I started the Resolutions 2013 baking and cooking project. The aim was to cook something new each week but looks like I failed, in terms of the timeline. Didn't really have much time to but if u love to see wat's been produced in my kitchen....here is the compilations *click*

it has never been easy buying birthday pressie for the love of ur life, so Monkey bought JS a flying experience :)))) despite the fear of heights and flying, I did enjoy it more so the Birthday Boy
*read about it here*

Sexay Back Maggie's Hens Nite was a success and she was so sporting enuff to play this role as a nurse. Bahahahaha. Oh don't worry she still loves us very very much. Read about it *here*

Demure Lucie and Boonie who photo-bombed us
Then Monkey flew to Switzerland for work. It was only bearable with this group of fun and crazy colleagues around....otherwise I would have refused to go.

Lovely Ju, Superman Gregoire and their lady boss Marie. I didn't have a pic of Hyper Katharina though. As u can see we do nothing but hold glasses after glasses of champagnes all day...
*rolls eyes*
yeah yeah that's wat we do only...

Romanian Andrei alwiz insist we have more than one drink.
If all the men in Romania are this good looking I am goin to work there. Boss would u please transfer me to Romania? :D heeeeeeeeeee

Directly from Switzerland, Monkey choo-choo off in the TGV train to Paris and have coffee with BCBG Amy. We celebrated her birthday in Paris alongside the W's boys.

Both BCBG Amy and Notti Monkey really shopped till drop and maxed out our credit cardsSSSSsssssss. Hahahahaha

Then the love of my life Mr JS decided that he wanna be better looking than Romanian boys and flew to Paris to see Monkey. In this pic, he's so tanned from golf and almost comparable with the black man at the back...hohohohohohoho. Nvm I like tanned men :))))

The hobbits were in Saint Emillon France!!! *click here to read*
from Paris we zoomed to the Wine Capital of the world - Bordeaux. It was our very premier visit, despite being wine enthusiasts.

Think we visited Burgundy and Champagne much more...bahahahaha. Even Barbaresco, Italy...or Jerez, Spain. Funny we've visited everything and JS recently concluded his visit to Suntory Yamazaki Distilery in Kyoto *read bout it here*

Monkey and her favourite Celine Trapeze :)))))))))

and then as usual....Monkey shopped way way too much in Paris
:P come to think of it...6 luggage bags are our usual modus operandi...nothing abnormal. :D hehehehe. 4 pieces check-ins and 2 pcs of hand carry luggage. In fact for business class we are allowed 2x each person onto the plane...but I'm just too lazy to lug too many bags on board.

Once home, another surprise awaits....my birthday pressie!!!!!!!
:)))))))))))) Miss Poot Poot Poot is really a cute nippy car for work/city.

in less than 24 hours after we touched down from Paris, it's the big day for Shy Chatwin and Sexay Back Maggie....we had so much of fun and it was the Wedding of the Year!!!!
*click here to read*
now, we'll be busy planning the next one for Devigaga :)))))))

Then JS hosted a belated birthday partay for Monkey.....and he opened a bottle of KRUG d'Ambonnay. The most RAREST of all the KRUGS. Walled up in the small 0.68 hectare of land since 1766, it was more than a treat. *Read about the dinner here*

Then the other highlight was Macarons!!! and it was a success!!! all thanks to Hot Mama Thevi...oh no I have yet to blog bout this masterclass conducted at my home :P they looked so pretty already on my first attempt :))))

Then I made other flavours like LIME???? :P

My favourite has got to be Chocolat Macaron....oh yummmssssss. Each attempt makes 72 Macarons to the horror of JS and in the end it was to the horror of his office. Because his entire department had to swallow my Macarons everyday for one week!!!!!

Finally I taught my Roomies Shell Shell and Nee Lee to bake Macarons...it didn't look as pretty then...shows that I am NOT READY to teach yet...BAHAHAHAHAHA.

From Macarons to KRUG Champagnes...
It was also a very memorable dinner hosted by Olivier Krug himself the 6th generation of the KRUG family. :))))

Bag of the year - Chanel Boy :))))
It must have been my lucky day bcoz apart from the Krug private dinner....JS found a Chanel Boy in Galuchat skin at Ngee Ann city.....our hands were already full with paperbags and shopping loots. He insisted on going in *he saw that same bag on the hands of the mannequin much earlier*.

Monkey insisted we need to rush off to shower and prep up for Krug dinner and we were running late. Plus there was a queue outside Chanel. He was much stronger and insisted we go and queue. HELLO!!! MR JS doesn't queue for anything :P

so in less than 8 minutes, that bag was MINE :)))))))))))))

and during the Hari Raya break, we had so many postponed and relocation trips...
from Bhutan to Kathmandu to Maldives and finally to Bangkok...bahahaha due to the weather it's impossible to fly and see Mount Everest, and Kathmandu would be too wet and the sky would be too gloomy for photography...while Maldives will have too much of rain -_-"
Anyhow Bangkok is alwiz my favourite destination *click*

2013 also gave me many many beach holidays...this one was in Shangrila Dalit Bay Resort...it's good to have a balance of city trips and laid back trips :)))))))


the following week after Sabah, we headed to Taipei, Taiwan....it was our first trip. And yes I am way way way and far too behind all my postings...have yet to finish blogging about Taipei.
*click here*

It was also in Taipei that I had a very memorable chat with a friend. She moved me to tears of her determinations and will to live and to fight for her life :)))) At the end of the nite, I wanted to be a better person and be more responsible of myself :)))) Thank you and I wish you well alwiz :)))

weeks after Taiwan, we head of to East again....JAPAN!!!! and spent almost a month there. I simply Love LOVE LOVE this trip, it was the highlight of the year :))))

had a close encounter with a Tiger in Ueno Zoo, Tokyo...phewwww

suffered and jolted awake from a 7.3 magnitude earthquake early in the morning. It was too strong but no worries both of us were fine and JS slept through the earthquake...PIG!!!

brought my hobbits to Disneysea Tokyo
everyone had a great time except JS

then off to another beach holiday in Phuket with my girlfriends. We painted the town Pink and Red everynite. :))))) Our best picnic had to be Rawai Beach *click here to read*

and finally back to KL and celebrated Christmas with the W's = William & Wilbur. On Christmas Day we were in Ipoh for a full slam 5 days of Food Suicide with the Adelaide, Melbourne and Singapore gang...this I have yet to find time to blog...bahahahaha.

So 2013 had been a grand slam...and I am sure 2014 would be a blast as well. Now let me concentrate and re-plan some of our itinerary for Japan in 2 weeks time :))))

I hope all of you had a memorable 2013 and are working and looking forward to 2014. Remember, your life is as interesting as you made it. :))))))

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!