Ma-MMa-Mi-Aaaaa!

 

We don’t live our names “Chalie Chubbies” for no reason. As you know,
Sikit-sikit, lama-lama jadi LEMAK!

on our way to chubbiness~
Oh, that purple leggings was only like… B$9? as most of the boutiques here are selling them for more than B$15. Where else but eBay!

Before heading to Da Mammamia (Oops! I think I forgot to mention that we’re going there, but I guess the title of the post is quite obvious), I read from Mau’s and Pab’s blog posts on what’s good to order.

Loving the orange walls and the furniture.

I have no idea how the previous restaurant (Dunes) looked like but for Da Mammamia, those little decors on the walls and shelves are really cute, especially the trumpet.

Enjoying the food while seeing busy people on the road

Bobby’s Orange & Pear Juice and my Apple Tea.
(Lost the receipt so I can’t really remember the proper name)

Bruschetta – my favorite of the day

I really really love the bruschetta because the texture of the bread was really different. Read from Pabs that Da Mammamia makes their own bread and that’s the reason why you must really try that. It’s not your average baguette bought from Supa Save or Soon Lee bakery with chopped tomatoes, olive oil and herbs. The bread wasn’t soggy and the sides crunched! Yums!

Calzone, or the folded pizza.

Bobby knifing it.

Oooohhhhhh! Look at that yummy cheesy goodness!

I guess it’s the anticipation while opening it the calzone which made the food fun. Not forgetting, it tasted good too. Bobby loved the pizza dough the most.

The Seafood Pasta, with crayfish and prawns. Al dente spaghetti with that sour and appetizing sauce. *slurps*


The total bills added up to B$39.00. Tad expensive for lunch but it’s quite worth the experience. Definitely going to have a second visit!

 

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Ending this post with the above photo. Hehehe.
Watched “When in Rome” with Bobby and had the whole cinema to ourselves.

Nah, I didn’t sit like that with my feet up, it was just for show. Numb kali ah!

Yellow

 

The song by Coldplay, which Martin the vocalist fit the word “yellow” in for all the missing key word… I like the story when a friend told me that how the word just fits in. It’s like, all the time in my life, what I’d been missing is “Yellow” too. The word that only Bruneians have close ties with and the colour so distinctively symbolizing the people. The word which motivates us all to be a better man in life and proves that we’re all worth it.

I’d been wanting to write this post for as long as I can. From the day I finally took the first step walking in the office, the moment I received the phone call, the day I sat for the test feeling all emotionally and physically drained but adrenaline rush was so strong that it made me going on writing on the paper non-stop for 2 hours, and finally…. the day I had the letter which made the huge turning point.

I only regret that I’d not done this earlier.

.

.

.

 

You know what I really dislike? People who complains a lot about the system and country who has already given them so much yet just sits there and do nothing about it. Whining about how life is unfair to them, what they deserve and what’s not being given. Hello friend, ask yourself, have you done anything to change the situation? Have you thought of a solution? Have you really go out and give it a try, making a difference? Or just waiting for Lady Luck to come knocking on your door?

Know what Cikgu Mansor said on the very first day for my “Yellow Boot Camp”?

Ask not what your country can do for you — Ask what you can do for your country. (quote John F. Kennedy)

 

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Okay, enough of seriousness.
Let me share with you all my humble little journey of attaining my citizenship.

July 2007 – Sent in the application.

September 2008 – Received the phone call asking me if I’ll wanna sit for the test and get ready.

30th November 2008 – Sitting for the test / Mett & Soly’s Bersanding (which has nothing to do with my application anyway )

3rd June 2009 – Received the result letter.

6th January 2010 – Submitted the relevant documents for the process.

11th February 2010 – Oath of Citizenship.

24th April 2010 – Certificate Presentation at Songket Ballroom, Rizqun International Hotel

 

In between, we had several briefings telling us our duties and responsibilities as a citizen.

 

There, a journey which took me near to 3 years but it’s all worth it. I really appreciate that we’re all given an opportunity (actually, lots of them, we can keep trying even if we failed) and a huge thanks to His Majesty for this priceless gift and such momentous moment in our lives.

Now, I can finally proudly say that,
”SAYA ANAK BRUNEI!”

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Here, some pictures taken during the certificate presentation.

The Stage

 

“Hi, I’m NonnieLawaBrabis.”

To avoid the tudung slipping off, I wore a spa headband, those with velcro closing to cause more friction. It was really good, no hairs coming out and tudung stayed where it’s suppose to stay.  

And.. my Charles and Keith bag looks like the Miu Miu Coffer.

My lovely shoes, but… NeverSamaTasteTheen said it’s very ma-lai-po…
What the… 48, I miss shopping with you lah!

Going up the stage

Whee! My cert!

SolyMornie my beloved BatWoman, who waited outside the ballroom because no outsiders allowed, but.. she got offered a seat inside and hence helped me took a lot of nice piccies~!



Lastly,

      
The P31 – SSS !
Thank you Cikgu Mansor!

Fitness Test

Yesterday I nearly died of this….

14 sit-ups in 30s
Tahan 31s for the pull-ups
12.05s for 4 x 10M shuttle run
Only 1.28M for standing-board jump
Only 24cm for Sit and Reach (Maybe I should sign up for yoga)
And lastly… 8 minutes for 1km run.

My BMI is just at the edge of being “fit” and I’ve gained weight after CNY.

And… I’m definitely this week’s bet.

Oh, Bobby and I had a bet.
We’ll weight every week and the one who loses more weight wins.
But.. so far I’ve not put any effort in my food intake and exercising.
Bye bye $5.

PIBG Sport Day 2010

(Me with error-proof accessory, Shades! Squint all you can while still look glam in photo)

Woke up at 7am on a Sunday morning for this event. If I’m not wrong, we won the marching band. Probably because our school is the most kiasu one with all props.

You want flag, every school has flags.
You want confetti bomb, some school has that.
You want pompoms, again.. some school has that.

Our marching band had all of the above, plus mini umbrellas and 人多势众 (power in numbers) mah. Most important, the spirit – Sportsmanship.

To be honest, we didn’t win much on the event.. quite a few we got last but we still cheered around.. If there’s a competition on food, I think we win 9 streets.

When I turned around and saw foods prepared on other schools’ tables.. it’s all healthy and … mm.. delicate?

Ours was like buffet spread!

 
Fried Mee Hoon, Curry Puffs, Egg Tarts, Fruit Tarts, Fruit Platters..

I was quite grumpy in the morning when I found out there’s no penjaja there selling burgers. Humphhhhh! I woke up thinking what burger I wanted to eat already can.. Burger Ayam + Egg + Cheese and ice cold air tebu!

So, no fish, prawn also can.

You know what I like most…

Adorable babies!!!!!!!

Another 2 more months Dayna will be turning 1.
Time flies…

Smillow..

 

Smillow – short for “Smelly Pillow”.

I’d only met Smillow twice in my life (hopefully none for the rest because the stench was overpowering.. And, I think “overpowering” is an understatement). I could tell that it’s original colour is somewhere near to pink/peach/orange/yellow and now it’s turning to brown due to the accumulated sweat, drools, tears and probably mucus too from it’s owner, Bobby.

(I’m not saying that Bobby very macho or man or what.. but, it’s still weird to see a big guy squeaked and truly enjoyed his moment rubbing his face against a small lifeless (because the cotton inside also became solid and un-fluffy) pillow, smelled it like sniffing drugs and gave me a satisfied look every time he did that. I die.)

I’m sure some, or most of you out there have your own version of Smillow (or bantal busuk for Malays out there). Be it a pillow, bolster, blanket even a towel… It’s like an imaginary friend who provides sense of secure and belonging. I don’t know, I just don’t understand because I grew up liking to touch the corners of towels. Any towels actually, even till now. Nothing to be proud of but at least I think it’s less freaky than bantal-busuk.

My best friend 48 has, or had.. a bolster she named it “Bean-Bean”. She gave Bean-Bean life by imagining out his/her/it’s character. She disallowed me to touch that ugly bolster of hers and claimed that Bean-Bean hated me. *Roll eyes*

Bobby often joked that if he has his Smillow with him when I’m sleeping, he would put it near my nose or my face so that I’ll learn to appreciate it. Nice one boyfriend. –___-“

And today… I received a good news!

Bobby had lost his SMILLOW!!! Woohooooo!!!
I mean, I’m sorry to hear about this baby.. Deepest condolences.

(My karit boyfriend only will reward you $8 if you can find his Smillow)

I wonder if it’s his mother or auntie cannot tahan that little gross pillow and threw it away for good.

Ahhhhhhhhh, what a good way to start my Saturday~
Lalalalalala

Looking hot effortlessly

 

 

Yes! Effortlessly!
All you need is just hair extension (cover 1/4 of the face’s width) and a oversized shades to cover like 1/3 of your face’s length.

Ok! I’m going to leave my hair super long till it covers my nen nen chest!

Go Pink!

This was what I made on last Sunday for the Brunei Foodies Go Pink! event and won the 15th place! Woots!

(I still think it tasted awful and it got a number because of the presentation.. By the way, it’s a bird, not a chicken!)

I want to post more photos but pardon me as I’m having a really pack week.

So, if you really know what happened last Sunday, click here to view my FB album. Mr. Kurapak and Pabs have more photos than I anyway~ Just click on the links ya.

Click here for the Borneo Bulletin coverage and here for Brunei Times.
Will try to blog more but no promise.

Public toilet sign

 

 

I find this funny because the signage is pointing to Bobby’s car..
So what? His car is welcoming you to pee and poop inside?

Smile for the camera in self-timer mode

 

Note: My friends had been telling me that they had difficulties commenting my post and I just realized that blogger changed my comment settings to only allow registered users to comment. Wadapak? I revert it back to even anonymous can comment liao so gimme me some comments now!~

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Took this photo last Saturday before heading to a 1yo birthday party.

(And that’s the latest wake-up call I had about aging. Previously, it was me getting invited to friend’s birthday party with curfews. Then came wedding invitations. And now what?! My ex-classmate’s son’s birthday party?! This is getting really really ridiculous!

Today, when I was filling up an online survey form.. I had to tick the 26 – 35 years old category. FML)

This.is.very.very.VERY!rare!

I mean, having both of us look good in it with a cohesive smile. And.. the last time I really really like a picture of us together was taken after the prom, with the help of self-timer, too.

How lah like that? We look so stiff when smiling to the lens of the photographer and seems like self-timer is the only thing that would cut down the awkwardness, acting all cool and vain.

Has anyone heard of self-timer wedding photography? Hahhahahahaha~

When my man hogs the kitchen…

I need to be alert that it might be a conspiracy, for him to trick me into cooking what he wants to eat!

Seriously!

At first, he was telling me that he’s gonna cook me dumplings (kau-zhi, jiao-zi, gyoza) and I asked where can he find those gyoza skins? Then he changed his mind and said ravioli is good… I gave him a raised brow and kept quiet, until we’re in Supa Save and told him there’s no way he can make raviolis out from scratch.

So there he was, walking around with a basket thinking aimlessly thinking what to cook for me. He suggested bacon wrapped asparagus, then he thought baked aubergine with cheese and pepperonis (the one we had in Senja lounge for his bday celebration) shouldn’t be too hard to make and went on suggesting more and more appetizers.

I was like,
excoooze me sir? mana main course?

But it was a scary idea when I voiced it out because the last time he cooked me pasta, it was a combination of boiled fetuccini and mushroom Campbell soup! *faint*

Since he’s going to “cook” me 2 dishes, I volunteered to just grill whole chicken leg then.

And we went back to my place, watched an Astro movie (Woohoo 大日子) and when we’re done, it was already 2.30pm. Time to cook!

We emptied the shopping bag taking all the raw ingredients out.

He started to cut the tomatoes.

I boiled some water to cook (sap/rebus) the chicken.

Done with the rebus.

He was still cutting the tomatoes.

Marinated the chicken.

He’s done with the tomatoes, now cutting the asparagus.

I boiled another batch of water for the asparagus.

Then he’s gonna slice those brinjal/aubergine/eggplant (why so many names? got difference kah?)

. . . okay, I couldn’t tahan seeing him “sawing” those aubergines, using the knife like a tenon saw and took over.

He stood there, “observing” how I did it.

After slicing the aubergines, he went on preparing it. Putting the supposingly pepperonis but he choose black-pepper chicken slices, and cheese on top.

I wrapped the asparagus and tomatoes with bacon.

I was done with wrapping, he was still struggling.

I went to grill/fry the chicken.

I preheated the oven.

I don’t know, I just ended up doing the rest of the work and all he did was standing there, looking at me.

Let me summarize to you what he’d done.
- Cut the tomatoes
- Cut the asparagus
- Put the black pepper chicken slices and cheese on top of aubergines.

That all, took him almost an hour…

 

*cough* My lunch “cooked” by him…

 

Now you tell me, does it sound like a conspiracy to you now?

I think he knows how impatient I am and will go and take his job over so he “volunteered” to cook.

  
Now, say hi to…

The genius, who is good in tricking me into things…

p/s: That’s my spec he’s wearing and I thought he looks good in it. At least cannot really see his eye bags mah. Hor?