Surprise Military Birthday & Ube Cake

Krazy Korea Relived

Its been almost one week since we touched down in Melbourne from our epic holiday. I'm trying to keep up my spirits and not be depressed about being back. Little things remind me of my holiday. I get annoyed at the RRP in Australia. I dont want to buy food because its too expensive. I'm happy to be home so I can fully rest. I havent slept in since 3 weeks ago. And I needed some time alone having always been around someone, even when i was sleeping someone was around. I thought I'd be sick of my travel buddies by now but I'm not. We are still communicating on Whatsapp and orgainising: Relive  Korea Week, Relive HK week and Relive Taiwan week which is a trip to Sydney to eat at Din Tai Fung the dumpling resturant.

This Friday was relive Korea night. Agenda:

KBBQ at Oriental Spoon
KKaraoke at Chaplins
377 (unsuccessful)
Che Regine


We made with Bruce and Erica (english names) the Korean waiter/ress at Oriental spoon and told them of our korean trip.

Korea Relived.

Damn you Oporto, you're shit.

Holiday mess. CB.

Taiwan nails lasted two weeks. Painted over them to preserve the memory

Getting sushi on my break. 

Carton boxes on the floor for rainy days remind me of Taiwan and HK.

Oh the little things..

Like my outfit?

Paradise is very nice.

At our reserve, I can hear someone playing sick ass music. Sometimes its hip hop but today was the original song that LL Cool J sampled in his Paradise song. I didnt know it was a sample! I wrote it on my arm to remind me to check it out. 

Keni Burke 

Hong Kong

Fa Yuen Street a.k.a Sneaker Street, Mon Kok
Po Lim Monastery
Lan Kwai Fong
Muslim Cemetery

Making friends like I do it for a living.

Photos play a major part in remembering what happened the night before.

Helen: Jen/Dave, who are those girls?

1.5 Litres I think. Unlimited peanuts from 1m high sacks at

Inside Out American Diner

Eaton Hotel.

21st Storey heated rooftop pull. Cooling off from a day of HK's humidity and heat.

I sit on the beach chairs and stare up at the two birds flying and chasing each others tails while the sun sets to orange gold. It's a sign that my tattoo is a good idea. It makes me smile.

'Luxurious' by Gwen Stefani plays in the back ground.

Shoes! Sneakers!

Ransom x Adidas is a great range. Masculine, neutrel amry colours, canvas and leathers, high tops, durable and workwear, chunky, grippy. Brands bringing out styles I'd never expect. Rebook, Converse, Puma, Crocs, Adidas, Nike, Timbalands... Lacoste is actually COOL! I spent 2hours exploring a 10metre radius of Sneaker Street, Mon Kok and bought two shoes and one pair of leggings. I had two streets of sneaker shopping to go. Everytime I walk into a shop I go straight to whatever is chunky, neutrual in colour, and subtle in design. Unfortunately, these tend to be mens shoes. My heart it broke so many times. I wish I was a guy so I could wear these :( Or at least had a male partner who shares the same excitement and taste in shoes as me! That way it doesnt feel like a waste. I can still see them on somebody :)

http://ransomholdingco.com/index.php/main/entry/801

6am Yum Cha

We're here so early all the lights arent even on.

Keith to waiter: Can we please order?

Waiter: The lights arent on, that means we're not open!

Chinese people are so brutually honest

Last day. Sorting out our luggage space. 

Borrow this. Carry this. Take that.

Macau

View from our hotel room 1669.

What room? SIXTY NINE

Two of of my favourite numbers, you know what I mean. Add em up and they equal 15.

We are all shattered because when we get down because that pool isnt actually Hard Rock's pool. 

Cubic Club. 

What a strange mix of people. Internationals and filippino models. Western dancers on stage, they must get paid a mint. This place was more epic than Luxy Club in Taiwan. You get a small blow torch of sparking fire whenever you get a champagne bottle. Helen and I successfully pick up about 10 fob girls for Vuongie to choose. Ladies get free entry and FREE cocktails (shit that they actually shake up) but we soon discovered they were watered down because by the 4th drink I didnt feel shit. Annoyed. Why dont you just advertise free pineapple juice then?? Not feeling this place. Seems artificial and try hard.

We're outta here.

The Venetian at 3 or so AM

Exploring the shopping centre while everything is closed. 

So peaceful. We can do whatever we want.

Avoid eye contact with security guards.

Hard Rock Hotel

A bar inside the heated outdoor pool, San Miguel Beer Tower?

Shit mang

Luxy Club

Hahaha! Last night was fucking craaaayyyyyyyyy

Police raids
Free shots
Special consideration because we were tourists
Male strippers pouring down vodka in our mouths
Getting cut at the bartenders for watering down their drinks by 15%
Photoshots on the bar
New cute friends
I had better luck picking up girls than the dudes did
I attract the lesbians

____________________________________


Luxy Club
Taiwan's largest and apparently 'sexiest' club. Check out this ad for it:



Luxy Ad


This place was full of laser lights which amused me and helen while we were at the bar. We were grabbing the light/invisible air and soon others were doing the same. I had drank my 4th glass of vodka and orange but not felt a thing. Usually I would feel tipsy but I wasnt. Helen and I were so sure that they had watered down the alcohol. Not happy because these prices are the same if not more than australia. ($7.5 a drink, $15 a shot). We went to the bar and ordered a plain shot of vodka to taste. It didnt smell like anything but boy it tasted like shit house. Thats how we knew was definetly alcoholic. I still reckon it was watered down, at least 10%.

To make sure they werent jibbing us on quantity either we made sure they poured us 30ml. I stuck my fingers out and counted three seconds, and six seconds for a double shot. Yep! fool proof.

This club was full of asians but mixed with internationals and tourists. There were these trashy looking fake barbie doll white girls in leopard dresses who were apparently 'models'. What kind of models where they? If I was a stylish, I would not dress my model like that. Platnum blonde hair, bright red lipstick. She clung onto the asian dude in a business suit. She was bigger than he was. She smiled while he looked unemotionally into the distance. Definetly a language barrier. But he clung on to her too, probably to show he owned her. I reckon she was a call girl.

Joe and I have accumulated many inside jokes since being korean room buddies. A line of african american guys walked in. I called him from afar and pointed excitedly at them. He cracked up laughing and so did I. He got my joke. 'Actual black people'

There were photographers everywhere taking photos of girls. They got the girls to pose on the balconies. They were shooting them for about 5 minutes. I looked like something professional. A spanish speaking photographer approached me. My photograph is to appear on the Luxy facebook. I am waiting to see it!!

We met a few people last night. The dudes were trying to pick up girls on the dance floor but it ended up being me. It all started off with a smile. Then she came and tried to grind on me. Okay I'll grind back. She spoke english her name is Gabrielle. Then I met her friend Eve. Then I danced with the rest of her friends. The girls kept cupping my face and saying 'You're so cute!! You're so cute!!' I side-looked over to the dudes and gave my proudest 'ohh yeahh boooii!!' hahaha

I bumped into Eve in the toilet. she had lost her friends so I asked if she wanted to hang out with us. She's a happy little kooky thing, full of excitement and positivity and love. I bought her a drink and she was happy to receive it. I thought for a moment, if some random I met bought me a drink, I would not take it unless I saw it being poured. When I looked over to her, her drink was empty. She had skulled it! I poured her half of my drink. Her friends came to me and thanked me for looking after her. I wasnt really, was i?

Eve was originally from Thailand, and spoke spanish.. or she was originally from spanish and spoke Thai? Not sure. But she was in Taiwan for study. She held my hand, smiled at me, introduced me to her friends, laughed with me and kept complimenting me. 'Let me be your tour guide!!!' Haha! She was so trusting and loving of me, I just gave that back.

Jen Sato. I love you :) Please don't forget me :)
*wrote down my name in her phone so she can add me on facebook*

On top of my name, I saw daves. I see he's trying to get in there. I showed dave what I wrote in Eve's phone, and gave another sickunt look. Hahah!


Eve: Where is your boyfriend?
Me: At home. Do you have a boyfriend?
Eve: No
Me: All my of friends are single, which one do you want?
Eve: None of them. I want you


O.O

And then it hit me. Has she been hitting on me this whole time? When a guy was talking to Eve, I would come up and stick my nose in the conversation, she would turn her full attention to me. I thought I was rescuing her from unwanted attention.

Eve and Gabby in Luxy Club Toilets

Helen and I went to piss and when we came out the lights were up. For a moment I thought it was finished but the place was swarming with cops. Helen says we were going through a raid. Lights were full blast. Music stopped and they called for silence. The bar still served drinks though. People had to stay still and get their ID out for the cops to see. They moved systematically through the crowd checking everyones ID and telling those where noisey off. They checked everyone except for us, and other foriegners. I dont know what they were looking for. Drugs, underage, wanted criminals...  I dont think it was a good way to do it. The raid lasted for about 30 minutes and i wanted to leave. It killed the moment. They were however handing out free shots which is probably the only reason why i stayed.

I made friends with one of the security guards, who was handing out the shots. Everytime they came around we got them to shot w us. It was cheap and very nasty. I asked him 'do you like it? no? then why are you serving this to us?'. It phased me that they werent so strict on RSA here. On the stage were two buff topless men in bow ties with a smirnoff bottle in each hand. They were pouring alcohol into peoples mouths and drinking it themselves. They were walking around. I got one to have some of my drink (i would not dirnk a strangers drink) and they poured me some of theirs. hahahhaha

We partied til we got kicked out. Me and joe were about the only ones still standing so we got maccas and fell asleep as the sun rose.





Today

Wake up at 930am for buffet breakfast of hash brown and chicken nuggets
Go back to bed
Awaken by a knock on the door
Helen comes in wrapped in her blanket like a marshmallow with legs
Helen naps on the couch
Awaken by another knock on the door
Andrea comes in to reclaim her bed
Joe and helen go back to their room
Woke at 230pm and head to helens room for some street food
Walk in the rain to the near by markets look for food such as the pork pancake, wonton soup, fish ball and pork mince soup, freshly blended fruit juice with weird fruit, portreguease egg tarts
Gathered back at my room and shared our food and two spoons. Ate as a family

Took cab to Taipei 101, the second tallest building in the world
The overcast was so thick we thought the windows were covered with glass frosting
Didnt see much especially it being night. Was more interested in the jade and coral sculptures there

Went to 24hr dumplings/chinese restaurant for 12am dinner
Dinner next to Taiwanese drug lords

No wonder the waiter was sweating

Taipei, Taiwan

Highways in the sky
Next to none occupational health and safety for construction workers -
Fish nets draped loosely in between bridge lanes to catch workers if they fall
Developing country in terms of lots of construction
Deteriorating concrete reminds me of Philippines
Bloated stray dogs lying almost dead at the train station
English is known here
Polite people
Blaring sun and stinking humidity and heat
Blasting aircon inside
Buses done up, pink with tassel curtains
Maps in chinese
'Waiting lines' at the entrance to the trains to allow people to exit and enter easily
Many old people
Cute babies

This place reminds me of the Philippines, except cleaner, richer and safer

Alleyways of Taipei

GNFU

Taipei 101

Din Tai Fung Dumpling Restaurant

Calligraphy 

'Attention! The gangster may use the English operation interface to cheat you!'

Staring at this cluelessly until it my balance shows up. What just happened??

Ahh! They look so good together. Flouro is in my friends. 

Done subtly of course.

No body cares if a stay dog enters the bakery with all the breads laid out without packaging.

Corndogs!

Purple

Xie Xie Ni!

I left our Taiwainese hotel cleaners a thank you note and a pineapple cake for

folding our clothes lovingly on our beds and not stealing our cash.

Amused For A Few Seconds

Fire wood.

The wick was too far down to for my lighter to get. 

Surprised at how fast things burn.

George Lane Way Party

Happy Intensified Weekend

I love my weekends. I would argue that I have some of the best weekends amongst my friends. It's so important for me to have a banging weekend and I know my weekends will never fail me. I make them what I want and I make them fun and adventurous. You just need a the right mix of open minded people (possibly connected ones), shoes you can walk in and just a little bit of money to start off with. If you're creative, you can do a lot with the little you have so essentially, do you need anything to have the fun you want?


Thursday


I have this thing where my weekends start on Thursday. I've blogged it about it previously but it was Phuong's surprise birthday party. About 25 of us greeted a disbelieving and shaking phuong. 'I'm shaking, I'm shaking!' is all she said when she hugged us. Later she would tell me she thought she was going to faint. She was teary, its two years in a row now that phuong has cried tears of joy at her birthday and its something Id like to keep going. It was such a good thing to see her happy. I was almost teary myself being so overcome with elated emotion.

I shared her feelings like they were mine. That moment brought me back to a time in year 8 religion when she was chosen to pray for something. Phuong started off but couldnt finish because she burst into tears. We both left the classroom so she could calm down. I hugged her tightly and felt her body vibrate as she shook with deep inhalation. It was terrible. I couldn't take seeing her like this. I had to cry too. Our teacher came out and asked me why I was crying. I said 'I dont want to see her like this' and Phuong's tears softened and she hugged me. The teacher was confused. She didnt want to send any one else out to comfort us beacuse she thought that person would end up crying.

The dinner was so yum. We had three rounds of Japanese BBQ and couldnt even finish the king prawns, salmon and abalone. :S I hate wasting things when I know people out there are suffering. I think of the kids in the Bacolod Orphanage.

It was green tea ice cream for desert. We were only allowed to choose one of the 4 flavours but phuong asked for the three exotic ones. we were at a fancy restuarant. The waiter said that phuong could only have one because one is enough. hahaha. Eventually there were ice cream left over and phuong had all three exotic flavours, green tea, red bean and black seasame. Black seasame is the SHIT so good.

I saw my 2nd ever comedy show and my first up close and personal one. We were running late so we had to be snuck in and only stayed for the last 20 minutes of the show. It was held at the Victoria Hotel which I'm sure has to be a heritage listed building just by looking at it. I'm not surprised if it was haunted either. We saw Mike Wilmot which I didnt find that funny because it was crude humour about saggy vagina's and old men sucking on nipples. I did not hate it. I did a few grunts of approval, you know that thing you do before you laugh but its not quite a laugh. I did like his Canadian accent though and, throughout his gig, was what life would be like growing old with a comedian and his crude jokes.



Friday


I had day off. I was happy about because I was pissed off at work on Thursday and  I wanted to leave all the unfinished work for the ungrateful people at work to finish off. Huh! Take that while I have a day off. It was sunny and such a beautiful day. I was still very happy from last night, so happy in fact that it actually felt like it was MY birthday. I posted on facebook that I had one happy intensified weekend when the weekend has not technically begun and only one day gone from 'my' definition of a weekend. I jump into things too fast.

We were off to the Carlton Club for drinks for Phuongs birthday, the one SHE planned and up til now it was very difficult to not give the surprise away. I thought I was doing a good job of it but Phuong picked up a couple hints in my msgs last night e.g. 'I'll see you tonight' which I had to stop myself from writing about 3 times. I guess one slipped by.

As always I was in a rush to get ready. I had about 20 minutes because I was napping at mums house in my comfy and over heating bed. 5 more minutes, 10 more minutes, 5 more minutes and BAM im late.

I never been to the carlton club before but its a beautiful classy venue and I love the rooftop bars. The carpet is patterened and lavish red. There were stuffed ostriches and giraffe heads in the main room I really hope they arent real :S It was really annoying because Josh was having trouble getting into because he looked too casual in his jeans and tshirt when Joe could not get in at all because he was 'too formal'. He needed jeans to get in, not those business trousers. That is fucking bullshit. What cunts.

Joe

I was sipping on Chardonnay all night because i missed wine and it was probably cheaper than vodka. Because I didnt mix drinks I only buzzed. Oh wait, I was doing tequilla shots. I bought Phuong her first drink. Her third drink was a jug of Sangria. She was sipping out of it from several straws and cheers-ing us with the massive jug. Haha! I said, use a cup! I didnt know if security will allow that sort of behaviour. There was dilemma's that night and phuong wasnt happy. And I wasnt happy that phuong cried tears other than tears of happiness. I fucking hate controlling and jealous people. Just sit back and relax mate you can rule this world and the actions of others.

Last night was also the first time I felt comfortable with a male stranger coming up to me in a bar and talking to me. He was actually really smooth and genuinely nice. He wasn't even drunk/tipsy because he had given up alcohol ages ago and he was on water all night. He's mates watched from a couple steps away but even that didnt make me feel awkward. He came up to me and Stacy after our Don Julio White shots (no chaser needed it was that nice) and he said he liked my style. He said I was beautiful. Stacy motioned to leave but before she did she had a concerned look on her face that said 'do you want me to rescue you?' I gave her a nod of assurance that said 'Thanks, I'm fine'. I don't remember what we spoke about but it was a pleasant conversation because interesting topics just flowed and he wasn't a creep. He had to go because he's friends we're waiting downstairs and he asked for my number.  I told him a had a boyfriend. 'Where's the lucky guy?'

Our friends slowly left and it was time for Phuong's birthday speech. I made the guys gather around and she made her speech right then and there. She appreciated us, everything we had done for her. She had the bestest of friends. She was so lucky. Again, tears of happiness. :)

We had KFC which was bland as fuck. The inaudible hobbo kept coming up to us and offering some of his Pie Face and some of hes drugs. Ugh. Get away.

I was on my way home when a friend mentioned he was outside. I didnt think he would actually come and we were literally walking to a car home. I told him I had to go, I must leave him on his own. I left. Felt like a rat. Then went back in to the Carlton. I drank some more Chardonnay, kicked back on the balcony and got home at 3:30am after a $51 cab by myself. I hate cab fairs.


Saturday

I didn't wake up with a hang over but I was a little groggy. I wanted a pork roll but James suggested a big breakfast. I warned him I had no money whatsoever. this week I am literally struggling for cash since I had to pay for holiday accomodation, rent, and bills. The accomodation alone was more than I earned in one week.

James took me to Chez Dre a french cafe in a alley way of South Melbourne. Adventurous me got a Breakfast Platter which I was a little disappointed with beacuse i thought it would not fill me up. And there were no instructions to eat it. A french breakfast patter included:

• A boiled egg (on a egg cup i havent seen one of these in years!!)
• plates of home made raspberry and strawberry jam with dried apricots
• two shavings of ham
• a block of cheese
• crunchy sweet wheetbix covered in natural yoghurt
• a toasted bagette and a
• glassed croissant

Where do I start??? Oh but I started, and I finished. I finished everything!!! And we got a take away bagette and some macaroons for the road. It was 3pm. Now it was off to Joel's apartment in the city :)

James and the French Breakfast

Carrying around a bagette I felt so French!

James put on season 1 of Games of Thrones and I am so addicted. I am in love with Khal Drogo, Son of Bharbo. He's every bit of man. I wish so much that he was real so I could follow him around. Now here are photos of Khal Drogo, Son of Bharbo.

Drogo. The more I look at him the more I become obsessed. Ugh. So. HOT.

I braided Joel's hair to prepare him for Tough Mudder. Gods speed. James and I decided to head to Section 8.

I go over to Joel's house so we can braid each other's hair

Section 8 I had one glass of house wine. Then we were to Kokoro Restuarant to visit Cheese and bitched about Jwow. I skulled 1.5 glasses of sake a munched on free Japanese fried chicken that and fried gyoza's which was better than anything ive ever tasted. MJ met us up and we headed off to the Billboards with a $100 drink card. We met Mackie the manager at the front of the venue so we could skip the line. Mackie said if the drink card isnt enough, we should see him. I've never been to Billboards before. Apparently its a venue that is not known for either RnB or Trance or a genre of music, it is known as an events venue. Musicians come and play here. There is a moshpot section and an elevated stage like the HiFi bar. The floor to ceiling of the stage is entirely LED disco lighting. Dj's play on stage and look down at the clubbers. The bars and audio visual technitians are elevated and I think its a really convenient set up.

Mackie took us to the VIP lounge which over looked everything, even the LED lighting board. The VIP room had white leather couches and their own bar. Floor to ceiling blacked out windows. It was pretty fucking amazing. I wonder what shit goes down up here.

Cant see shit here but this is the VIP room at Billboards

We were doing shots of this, chasing it down with that. I lost count but I learnt long time ago that counting doesnt matter. We were off to the Croft where by this time my memory is weary. They were gonna charge us $10 each at the door but MJ said he was M-Phases manager. I remember innocent faced door girls and guys and eventually I got a cool stamp on my wrist. We had to climb so many stairs. People were making room for me, stepping aside, because I climbed like a gorilla. I was tired.

I was tripping out because their was actual glass on the bartop. I couldnt stop playing with it, combing it with my fingers but trying not to tear it away. I met DJ Flagrant. M-Phases was DJing. I was dancing on stage. I remember spilling a drink because the fkn grass bartop was not stable. Most of it went on me. I'm lucky to get a second pour.

We went to the Carlton Club after which by then I felt I was dreaming. I dont remember being there. James said we had KFC. We did? I dont remember the walk to the car, paying for the park or even the drive home. I was drunk texting too and asking people to keep me awake to that tomorrow I wont wake up with a hang over. 

Amin sent me a photo of his weird thumb.

I sent him a photo of a normal thumb

Markings of a good night. Pretty cool trademark for the

Croft Institute

Sunday

I feel asleep with my light on and my orange juice bottle empty. I needed a pork roll but I remember I am really really strapped for cash. Last night at the ATM I got rejected because I didnt have enough funds to withdraw $40. When I checked my balance I had only $16 and I cant even withdraw that! I needed cash but i only had silver. I had to use on car coinage. I picked up Afro Dave, my new found highschool ex bf's right hand man who lives down the road from me and we get pork rolls. I had just enough money for a can of solo.

Go home. Go to vman's house to watch eposides and eposides of Games of Throne. I watch too much of it and now I'm late to meet up with dave. I'm pissed off because Drogo is drying. UGH. PISSED OFF. While we wait for Grace I am tempted to withdraw my $16 on my card and gamble so I can make more money. Ha. Gambling's a lopsided bitch. You win a bit, but you will eventually lose it all. We go to crown to watch 21 Jump street. I was thinking of Drogo and if he will make it through the night.