Maple Loo

It's a jungle out there, Bambi!

2011-08-22T18:58:00.001-07:00

It all started when my friend Jane came to me one day some months ago with a baby palm civet cat that literally fell from the sky. Apparently a tree somewhere in KL was being felled and this little thing, then merely the size of my palm, had fallen to the ground from its nest. And so it was immediately orphaned. And for that reason, I had named it Bambi.

I brought Bambi home that night. She had to be bottle-fed. I took over some supplies Jane bought : formula-milk for kittens, mini milk bottle and a little toy doll - together with the cage she had loaned me. Mee Tee, my Thai helper at home was immediately put in-charge to care for Bambi.

I went to the pet store the very next day to buy a bigger 'home' as I figured it'll only be fair to deck it out like a jungle gym where she has ample space to run about and start to learn how to climb. And so I got her a 3-storey 'palace' where she lived till her day of release.

In her 'palace', she had a pink hammock which she absolutely loved. It didn't take long before she learnt to climb her way up to the 3rd 'floor' to crawl into what became her cozy crib where she'd curl up into a ball and fall sound asleep anytime of the day. Then I got her one of those cat scratchers with hanging furry balls which she also quickly grew really fond of..... It's incredibly fun to watch her go nuts with excitement in her home with these toys to keep her active. It's a priceless experience for me to have the opportunity to watch her closely and learn about civet cats. They do behave like a domestic animal, they play and they respond to petting and love a belly rub:) They're like dogs! Bambi would get 'geram' playing with her little plastic doll and then attempt to rip it apart, like a dog with a toy! She would climb up and down the cat scratcher, hang upside down, and go totally crazy clawing and playing with the hanging fur balls, like what a cat does!
Once, Bambi got pretty sick after accidentally eating a guppy. My fault, it was meant as a visual amusement! She had diarrhea and was vomiting, I was terrified that she might not make it... she was still so little! I did what I could, I fed her water with a syringe every half hour. She was lifeless! Brought it to Jane who then brought it to a vet. Before we knew it, she was all normal again the next day! That I didn't quite understand, but anyway she thrived and I felt so relieved words can't even describe it.

Friends who have experience with civet cats (Bali and Loret, thank you!) had been great help. After putting Bambi on a milk + fruit diet for a couple of months, I was advised to start introducing her to meat. Raw chicken neck + liver and a nut mix with dried figs were included in her diet as she would need additional calcium and minerals to grow. And she did, quite quickly!
We started to feed her live crickets too for additional protein and also because she should be 'in training' to catch some in the wild later all on her own. She LOVED crickets!! It's a real joy watching her catch them herself in her 'palace' and then eat up. We know then that she's thriving very well, growing up healthy and we're doing the right thing.

We would take her out of her enclosure everyday and put her on the tree in our garden so she learnt to climb. But boy, she was getting ferocious and feisty more and more. And I figured perhaps we should prepare for her release soon so that she doesn't get too comfortable faring within a domesticated environment. Well, I'm still not very sure if I should've released her sooner than this weekend but my instincts tell me she's gonna be okay over time.

So the chance finally came when we decided to drive to Tioman on Friday because flights were full and we had to by hook or by crook, get to our resort this last weekend before it gets even more impossible with our traveling schedule, work load in KL and Spore and other circumstances. So fantastic! Time to ferry Bambi to her new home away from home, as initially intended.

We have 11 acres of vast jungle within the grounds of JapaMala Resort where she can roam endlessly, even past our grounds. There's plenty of fruit trees, lots of other civet cats around, lush trees of sorts where she can nest, free from human predators hence the least disturbance. Tioman really is the best place to be. It's anybody's dream place and I'm seriously jealous....
So the process of Bambi's move began on Friday morning at my house. Mee Tee my helper was suffering from the separation. I on the other hand, only had the best thoughts in mind. I know this was no doubt the best thing to happen to Bambi - FREEDOM at last! Or least on its way....
We found a box where we could keep her in darkness throughout the whole journey. She obviously didn't like to be moved and locked up. Confused, threatened and stressed, she was very uneasy inside the box. We could hear her hissing and striking the box from within quite a bit. So we moved the box to the back seat from the back of our 4-wheel drive and she immediately became more settled. I guess it was the vibration that caused her discomfort?? Oops... sorry baby!
THE DAY BAMBI LEFT KL : From car to boat. Our speed boat waited for us in Tanjung Gemuk. We finally arrived at JapaMala after about an hour. It was a pleasant ride, we rode on pretty flat sea in the sun. I've missed Tioman so much!!!!

Our staff, like everytime, waited on us at our jetty. So nice to see everyone again! Bambi was the first to get off the boat and I brought her straight away to private grounds. I wanted to give her some water quickly. Found an old laundry basket which was good to transfer her to from the box. Found a bamboo cup and filled it with water, placed inside the basket together with a piece of fruit and then we had to figure out how to get her from box to basket whilst she was in attack mode! Tough one.... Figured the best way to do it in the end was just turn the box upside down as Bambi could just leap into the basket and that was exactly what me and my husband did after much fuss about finding a cloth or glove to handle her in case we get bitten.

So there she stayed for a bit, waiting for her to get a little calmer (yes she was drinking! good sign) while we went to check if her new home was ready! We had already given instructions to our contractor/carpenter ('Maradona' as he preferred to be called) hours before. It was after 5pm then and 'Maradona' was nowhere to be found. And I, was getting annoyed. Hubby walked over to the contractors' residence on the other beach and returned with an old bird cage. He said the new enclosure will be ready only tomorrow! I was pissed by then hahhaahha..... anyway, the bird cage was decently spacious at least so Bambi would still be comfortable for one night. The problem is, the door is a tad tiny for us to squeeze her in! We tried nevertheless but she wouldn't go through! Now that's gonna be a bitch to try and handle her again! She was super feisty by then. Hmmmmm.........
I suggested we crack open the roof where Bambi will enter from the basket. Still didn't work. Then we then toppled the basket upside down. Again, she refused to go into the cage. She hung onto the wicker with her strong sharp claws and refused to budge! Now what.
So Federico then decided to handle her. Wrapped his hands with some cloth we found on-site and angry as Bambi may have been, she succumbed to his gentle petting which seemed to have calmed her down a little. Some TLC was what she needed at that time I guess? Everyone went, "Awwwwwww......" hahhahaha..... During this time, I hooked up her hammock (her version of our human 'smelly pillow' or 'bantal busuk') and placed her bamboo mug with water and fruit to set up her crib for the night. Then after some minutes, 'daddy' then tried to pick her up again but she put up a fight again! This went on like for 15 minutes - 3 men and a baby. What an ordeal!
After some struggling and not-so-rough handling (thankfully), Bambi was finally inside the bird cage. She found comfort in her hammock right away (Awwwwww..... good thing I brought it along). Drank some more water and even caught a cricket! By then it was nightfall. My nocturnal baby's first night in the jungle:)
NEXT MORNING : I've chosen a spot for Bambi's temporary new tree house. It's on a dense mango tree. While watching 'Maradona' construct Bambi's tree house, I thought, how perfect. She loves ripe mangoes! Here she gets plenty :D

The idea is to introduce Bambi to the wild slowly. This tree house will be constructed around the tree, with trunk and some branches enclosed within for her to climb about or cultivate the art of climbing on a real solid big tree with rewards waiting at the top. Once she adapts to this environment (we figured 2 weeks), our staff will open the roof door and allow her to roam around. And yes, that will be the first time ever Bambi will roam freely on her own in the wilderness. I've instructed that the roof door to be left opened whenever they let her out so that she's able to return whenever she wants to for food, water or her 'smelly pillow'. Just in case, you know....
At least she gets to explore beyond her enclosure, find her own food and hopefully learn to build her own nest eventually. When she doesn't return to her man-made crib anymore, that's when we'll know she's ready to be on her own. But in the meantime, there'll always be an opened door for her if she feels insecure being out there.
We have a crew of wonderful and reliable staff at JapaMala whom I can depend on to care for Bambi while I'm gone. They will collect ripe mangoes, wild figs, wild jambu, crickets and other insects etc... fruits in and around her new natural habitat for Bambi everyday, to 'educate' her on the right foods to eat.
So the tree house was finally ready after lunch (terima kasih pakcik 'Maradona'!) Now it's time to move Bambi into her temporary home! Rabi and Sudir are islanders who are used to wildlife and have had encounters with civet cats one too many times. Rabi lifted the bird cage up while Sudir supported at the bottom, and door to door, Bambi entered into her new crib!!! Effortless.
I don't know when we'll return to Tioman again! Time as always is my biggest enemy. But I know Bambi is in good hands. Although I'm worried sick about predators like snakes and monitor lizards... but i know that's the course of nature and there's nothing I can do about it except trust her instincts. I'll get daily updates on her progress from our crew and I just can't wait for Bambi to grow up in our jungle and find a mate eventually and produce her very own Bambini one day!!

Bobbi's Pole Studio Malaysia on NTV7's Women Zone

2011-08-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

This is my first ever attempt teaching pole dancing in Cantonese :D And of course it has to be on national TV?! God was it hard work....Hahhahaa.....God especially the interview! Yah well.... things we do for passion despite the possible public humiliation? :P

So this program was designed for women. Once again I was honored when the producer approached me to do a feature of my then newly opened Bobbi's Pole Studio Malaysia, to promote women fitness, sensuality, self-confidence and overall wellness, all through the art of pole dancing. Yes, pole dancing in Malaysia indeed exists.... as a matter of fact, this day my studio is therapy for alot of women. My students have built a necessary feel-good network and the studio is therefore an important social house that they all share. I love it! The power of Venus at work....

Life-sized barbie girl Kim from Bobbi's Perth is in the show too! Dang.... Cantonese for Dummies didn't quite help with the express learning but watch her actions that speak louder than words. What a chance, that the shoot coincided with her short time of visit! The power of Venus at work;)

Thank you NTV7! You've definitely made women in Malaysia see pole dancing in a totally different light. I know so:)

Enjoy the show! And to those we know me, please don't laugh, buggers?

The Art of Seduction

2011-08-09T19:52:00.000-07:00

Or at least one of them.

In the master chamber, there was a large bed with decorative posts up to the ceiling. Made of redwood, the bed had been carved with peonies, eggplants, tomatoes, bananas and cherries - which suggested male & female sexual organs. The curtains were washed white and perfumed. The side walls had built-in shelves displaying miniature sculptures. Most were Buddhist gods in the middle of coupling. The actions were cleverly depicted, the poses elegant - females mounting males in positions of meditation. The lovers' eyes were either half open or closed.
It's all about arousing the mind.

Ancient Erotica : striptease during the Renaissance

Ever heard of a FAN DANCE? Not your ordinary fan dance as we know it.... It's a form of Burlesque yes, but EROTICA.....oh yeah. A skill a woman could acquire to 'drown the man beneath you in pleasure'.... I'm quite sure:)

A stack of money is place on the floor/bed, then a small round pillow over it and finally, a dozen eggs on a bamboo tray on top! The woman then squats over the eggs like a hen. Her goal is to turn the stack of money underneath into the shape of a fan, by rocking her bottom. The rule is, that the eggs cannot be broken. Apparently an exercise to gain power and control of your body plus "it adds sensitivity to your bottom lips." Extraordinary theory!

Shall we practise that in class girls?! Hahahha

The famous Matahari (1906) - exotic dancer & courtesan

Pole Dancing in Malaysia

2011-03-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Week 8 of each term is showtime! Students from every level perform the routines they've been learning for the last 8 weeks in front of friends and family they invite.
Our studio is an elegant, cozy and friendly domain, with instructors who are helpful, inspiring and unpretentious.

For a life-changing experience, write to me at malaysia@bobbispolestudio.com.au

Meanwhile, catch me on a live interview recently on Bernama TV with Ben Ibrahim on pole dancing + fitness + womanhood.

BOBBI'S POLE STUDIO IS POLE SCHOOL OF THE YEAR!!!

2010-12-09T19:34:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much to all who voted for us! xoxoxo

My Spectacular Spectacular Weekend In Perth

2010-12-06T19:35:00.000-08:00

Let's see. We started off with some ROUGH SEX....
Or rather, foreplay. Yes indeed, we had rough sex as foreplay didn't we.

And then there was alot of giggling & laughing, VERY little sleep, a far bit of coffee...

....more goofing around in after-show deliriousness....
...some delicious midnight salads (yes, Felix makes salads and LOVES all the vegetables I hate; Kim's just a life-sized barbie domestic goddess so I'd just be happy to eat anything she makes and eats)

in Kim's kitchen at 4am
with Butch....

Oh and there was this one such wicked Mars bar-milk concoction that was introduced by Jedda (may as well be described as "Russian Roulette").... heh.... you know how it is - what's bad for you always tastes good. And there's the super powerhouse show that we all flew in for (5 poles, 20 acts, 60 performers - including Miss Pole Dance Australia 2010 ALLEGRA, 2-time World Pole Champion Felix Cane plus a rare performance by Bobbi herself and her costume was absolutely out-of-this-world amazing).

and this is the lovely Brooke, youngest sister of Bobbi & Kim who helps run Bobbi's Perth and had organized this spectacular Christmas Show! Some sisters are just lucky to have a sister like that:)

And seeing Jedda nail her most spectacular JEDDA move, her Russian Roulette routine was just spectacular.... so sexy, beautiful and just magic....watching her dance and remembering her practising back in KL just made me cry! Oh those shoes.... they're definitely worth all the trouble hey!

And so the Spectacular Spectacular Christmas Show was nothing less spectacular. I finally got to see all of Bobbi's Perth's gorgeous instructors perform and I can never get tired of watching Kim. Lush has the longest most stunning legs any woman would dream to have and she's such a beautiful dancer. Emma's solo routine was really pretty, just like her. They're such a great bunch of beautiful people.

Then after the spectacular show, there was the after-party at VooDoo. But SPECTACULAR continued - TA DA! Felix went full NUDE - yes...from seeing her pole with no shoes for the first time to seeing her butt naked ALL in one night, was this playground extreme? From remote goddess to honest-to-goodness blood,sweat and lipgloss sweetchild stripper Felix, I LOVE IT)

And then there were some zen moments with Kim on koi pond, stoned walls, paradise-home and such...with one most adorable pitbull-scoobydoo named Butch and a blind cat named "Blindy" in between all of that.

In between all of that - the sum of all my influences in a given moment. Everything was the highlight and I was definitely star-struck and so excited to finally be in the action! I've never really been surrounded by so many powerful women all at once but most defining was still to see everyone in their real self, their faces devoid of make-up, rehearsal clothes yet readily consumed by the process of performance.

Another one of Bobbi's ingenious craft. The talent of great stars who sustained was that they keep regenerating themselves, keeping others interested and that's why they're colossal.

I love that.... I've always loved the process of a performance.... and definitely would love some ROUGH SEX too!

backstage warming up, getting decked out, photo time...

...getting the bling on (that's Felix just before her stunning lyrical performance to Hide & Seek) ...and getting BOBBI-fied (this is Emma, instructor from Bobbi's Perth)

I'm flanked by Chilli (my right), Sassy my left) + Jedda from Bobbi's Sydney

how to be a world champ

Felix & Jedda - in the calm after the stormAnd then it all summed up beautifully with a finale of home-grilled sausages, fresh Perth strawberries, Moscato (heh, there's always an Italian somewhere) and a birthday cake.... out in the garden with the family....hahhhhhhh....under the sun. Brunch in the sun... it's right therefore it rhymes....

....and that was the ONLY day I didn't need Felix's Uggs or Kim's winter-rejects :D

it was belated Bobbi's but premature Felix's

THANK YOU SO MUCH Kim, Brooke, Bobbi, Jedda and Felix for a truly heartfelt spectacular weekend. And of course all the men of our superwomen - Lino, Cristian & Josh - you're not forgotten in fact you're loved:)

Special thanks to Frank and Muriel:)

It was special.

Tamarind 10 on 10-10-10

2010-10-30T00:06:00.001-07:00

Here it is! We're finally online! Or at least bits of it... but thank you Fashion TV!
Look out for the magical Apsara Deva show and how Tamarind came alive on this momentous night under the jungle canopy.

p/s : And there's my husband on screen :D

Bobbi's Pole Studio Malaysia : Graduation Party

2010-09-11T02:28:00.000-07:00

Kim from Bobbi's Perth came to visit so we decided to put on a little something special for the students in KL since it was our end-of-term party.

Bobbi's Solo

2010-09-11T02:09:00.000-07:00

As the saying goes, there's Bobbi and there's everybody else.

Bobbi's FABULOUS Perth Teachers

2010-09-11T01:58:00.000-07:00

SHAPE Magazine

2010-08-20T01:41:00.000-07:00

I've been an ardent fan of SHAPE magazine since I was 17. But never have I imagined to ever be on the cover one day! Life is really a mystery....

So here's the preview of some pictures taken at the shoot yesterday. Look out for the November 2010 issue!

Thanks to the entire creative and production team of SHAPE! Azzura darling, for her impressive journalism. And Merina, the chief :)

Another side of Maple

2010-08-07T20:25:00.000-07:00

Another side of Maple : Sunday Metro 8/8/10 (The Star)

There's nothing more gratifying than being recognized for your hard work and for believing in yourself. Thanks for reading!

Showdown 2010 - Top 4

2010-07-07T19:32:00.000-07:00

Showdown 2010: Ep 15

Watch Giller Battle Crew, Floor Fever, Wakaka and HMC PHLOW show you what they got at last night's 2nd last episode of Showdown 2010! Good bye to HMC PHLOW, they've impressed me from day 1 at auditions and remember telling them I felt privileged sitting there as they danced for me.
Joe Flizzow and I have no more power over the Top 3 crew's fate in the finals next week so PLEASE vote for your favorite crew because they need your support!

Bobbi's Pole Studio Goes to Hollywood!

2010-07-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

Our very own Felix 'Bobbi's Babe' Cane on Tyra Banks show! Managed to dig it up, this was some months ago. To all my students, get inspired :) See that Bobbi's style written all over Felix? :D

The 8TV Quickie : Top 5 Showdown 20102

2010-06-30T19:53:00.000-07:00

The 8TV Quickie: 30 June 10

Interviewed backstage after last night's show. My best wishes to Famous Crew, one of my favorites. I'm really sad to see them go..... but I'm so proud to see them having grown outta their b-boy shell and evolved into the powerhouse entertainers that they are today, after just merely a couple of months on Showdown. I've always fancied them and thought they're fantastic dancers, always very in sync and with such a clean execution style. They're also the only crew that has taken every bit of my advice in the last so many weeks on their performance skills and stage craft and actually applied it. I'm so glad they came this far in the competition and I know, they will continue on to be even more FAMOUS and fabulous with the bag of tricks they now walked away with:)

Watch them on the Martial Arts week - out of all the shows, that's my favorite performance!
I love you guys!!! Best of luck, whatever you do.

Bobbi's Pole Studio Malaysia on Wedding Guide Asia!

2010-06-30T02:53:00.000-07:00

This is a great place to look for information and shop for your wedding ideas! Brainchild and my girlfriend, super model Stephanie Chai's baby :D

http://weddingguideasia.com/2010/06/get-fit-fast-welcome-to-pole-dancing/#idc-container

Thanks for being such a cheerleader babe!!

Showdown 2010 : First LIVE show!!

2010-06-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

Showdown 2010: Ep 7

It's finally here! LIVE telecast from KL Life, watch all the crews show off why they've been picked by Joe and I as Malaysia's best Top 12 crews in the running for RM50,000 !!

Showdown 2010 Top 11 : My Life

2010-06-24T20:57:00.000-07:00

Showdown 2010: Ep 8

This week the crews translated their lives through dance on the big stage. Get to know about them; where they came from, what they're made of and where they'll go from here.
It was a hell of an awesome journey! Watch it!!!

Showdown 2010 Top 10 : Michael Jackson

2010-06-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

Showdown 2010: Ep 9

This show was a tribute to Michael Jackson. One of my favourites of all the weeks.... The crews did a fantastic job on their showcase, it was a great experience.
Guest judge was one of the most talented choreographers in the country and also my personal friend, Pat Ibrahim.

Showdown 2010 Top 9 : 70s

2010-06-24T20:36:00.000-07:00

Showdown 2010: Ep 10

Catch the crews get their groove on! Yeh it's all about the retro flavor b.a.b.y;)
Special guest performance by Malaysia's own 'Tom Jones' and Arafah!

Showdown 2010 Top 8 : Street Flava

2010-06-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

Showdown 2010: Ep 11

From the streets to the big stage, crews this week demonstrated their creativity and versatility in lyrical hip hop, steppin', new school, locking, krumpin', shuffling and house!!
Definitely one of the best shows. Guest judge was multi-award winning Reshmonu!

Showdown 2010 Top 7 : Martial Arts

2010-06-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

Showdown 2010: Ep 12

Watch the 7 best crews punch and kick to stay alive! Got chops?
A fan of martial arts myself, I loved the show! The crews really kicked-ass and I'm so proud of everyone's talent and hardwork. Guest judge was none other than the funny teddy bear Aflin Shauki!

Showdown 2010 Top 6 : Timbaland

2010-06-24T09:48:00.000-07:00

Showdown 2010: Ep 13

See the Top 6 crews rock to Timbo's songs! Special feature of duo performances as crews collaborate to win hearts... The show this week featured the sexy Mizz Nina!

SEX & THE CITY 2 (Malaysia Premiere)

2010-06-05T07:05:00.001-07:00

So let the SEX begin...And a few Cosmos later....

SEX chicks hit KL...

And painted the town PINK!

G.N.O Party at Bobbi's Pole Studio Malaysia!

2010-06-05T03:38:00.000-07:00

This is part of the making of our history so I've got to document it. The inaugural G.NO. (Girls' Night Out) party was alot of fun, especially so when Vanessa from Bobbi's Australia was in town too, having flown all the way from Sydney to help me out with everything and anything at the studio! It was a great night of bonding with all my old AND new students, friends who brought friends and some, even their husbands;)

I decided to throw the party on this night purely because Vanessa's in town. And it was her first trip to KL too so what a reason to celebrate! I'm thankful to have comrades to help put it all together; Jane, my student took the initiative to bring in all the new guests and also organized a cake for Vanessa, made in the shape of a corset just like the e-invitation (also my Bobbi's bizcard); Tiffany, my Marketing Manager made all arangements with the chef & bar manager on food and beverages with Vino to help her co-ordinate; and Sue who also helped here and there - these are really my biggest 'cheerleaders' :D

Now a demo is kinda like a ritual in our studio parties. So I did a little show to demonstrate what a more advanced Bobbi's-style routine would look like. Since many who came that night have never really watched a live pole performance, I thought the show was not only a fun idea but was intended to be an eye-opener that'll move hearts and change mindsets.

I'm always hesitant about posting dance videos of myself and had now taken alot of time to pick up some courage to do so here. This performance is not perfect in my eyes and some could probably tell I'm under-rehearsed.... but Bobbi reckoned it was beautiful. Plus this first G.N.O. party was indeed memorable. So here it is, but the next one WILL be better, I promise!

And thanks heaps to Ania Przeplasko of IPDFA (International Pole Dance Fitness Association) for grazing our little private do and for filming this;)

Letters From Passion, With Poise

2010-06-03T01:51:00.000-07:00

From passion, with love.

These letters are over 6 months old. Late but never too late.... I say this to all women coming to 50 who have the desire to pole dance but fear. WeiHong at 49 is one such validation that age is just a number.

I find her beautiful, passionate and spunky self a force to be reckoned with. And her courage to participate in Pole Idol last October which she went and swept the crowd crazy with her insanely lean & toned physique, and then later bagged the Best Performance prize, I'm overcome by a profound sense of appreciation and this deep sense of responsibility to publish Wei Hong's thoughts. Or rather, her short journal if you will. Because her letters to me are really an insight of the life and mind of a 49 year-old pole dancer. Great energy, beautiful language and definitely inspiring for all. Please indulge.

From the days leading up to Pole Idol
Stepping home and seeing Maple's email ... Reading your mail makes me happy! A diva actually personally wrote me a reply! And reading your blog, the Anatomy of Pole, makes me want to tell my friends to go read your blog too. Many still frown at me, asking me,
"What's happened to you? Why are you doing this (pole)?"

The photos are outstanding - the gorgeous dancer, the poses, angles, lighting and contrast, and the writeup is most appropriate to change the mindset of the uninitiated, my dinosaur-age-friends and the hard-core gym-junkies.

From WeiHong, with love.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sometime after Pole Idol and the Style Rocks! Party at NEO... Maple, your name still conjures up an image of a life-size goddess, a golden lion's mane, graced on a beautiful regal body, exuding a heart of generosity, passion, grace, and the art of living.

I still cannot get over the weekend, and so I fail to write ...... To say thanks seems so inadequate that I am paralysed into silence. Firstly, thanks to Linna (her teacher) for goading me along. I was hesitant, then longing but embarrassed, because the choreo is NOT my choreo (but it is the only full routine I know), and I am nowhere near as good as the other gals.

I had a reminder in my mobile phone to write to both of you, a thank you note, but somehow, I could not write ... for the want of better words than a mere thank you.

From WeiHong, with love.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After class one night soon after Pole Idol, reminiscing her experience...
I fell with that spinning pole, and honestly, my right sit bone hurt quite a bit then, my right knee was bruised too, and the front of my neck, 24 hours later was painful. Jessie was so kind to send in my old video.

And upon arrival in KL, you all helped me so much and made it all possible. After what must be my best lamb cutlet, century eggs salad, most humongous prawns and fabulous jungle-dining experience for a long long time (at Mandi-Mandi), and imagining you all pole dancing amongst the greenery (some 2 years ago), the mood was building up.

The opening night at NEO (Style Rocks! Party) to see the glamorous you, Maple, and how you spoke to the (Burmese) cleaner clearing the broken glass, I was witnessing the path of success that you were walking on. And on the day itself (Pole Idol), I felt the tension, the excitement rising, firstly with Linna coaching me on what to do - do my hair first, stretch, rehearse, stretch, and all those things that she tells me during class seem to come back. I must do it, to rise to the occasion, to live up to her expectations! (but sorry, I still miss the opening accents :-()

And then it was Maple - your personal time to do my make-up, perform, enjoy every bit of it, and each and every accessory that you decked on me, I felt more naked and more focused to do my best and enjoy it!

From HATE to LOVE... I think all the performers loved the "stage". I loved it! The appreciative spectators, their close proximity, no blinding spotlights, the screams and encouragement, the sound-system. (Though the audience at the back may not like it so much because they cannot see except when we are on top of the poles!) I loved it! I truly did! I loved attention and limelight afterall!!! :-)

KFC did not seem like a grand ending to the evening (we all pigged out at the KFC next to NEO), but it speaks volumes of an ability to transcend to the practical and mundane when the need arises! We rise to the stratosphere, but we actually need to live in the atmosphere on a day-to-day basis to stay sane and healthy because we are but mortals.

From Dinasaur to Diva... This experience is not just about perming my hair (the last time must be when I was 27. YES! WeiHong actually permed her hair at the salon I brought everyone to for their make-over for Style Rocks!), and my first dance competition, but also me getting me into FaceBook now, and I will sign up for a basic make-up course, and think about killer heels! Yes, Linna, I will - so that I will stop troubling Li Leng and Maple.

A Note to Linna...I have come a long way. I saw your Body Talks students pole-dancing at Gotham Penthouse, and it was only 2 years later, last year June, when I finally muster the guts to sign up for Pole-dancing. It is weird, that after the paralysis, for the want of words, I am quite liberated now! Thanks Maple!!!

Ah! Thanks to both of you, my teacher, Linna, and diva, Maple, for helping me continue my journey in life - so wondrous, fabulous and fulfilling!

From WeiHong, with love.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Somewhere between the bucks and the crux...
Yes yes ... I received my prize money. I am smiling all the way, not to the bank, but to my deepest of my soul!!!! Btw, it is really hard to explain "my packs" (6 packs at 49 ahem!). I DID NOT DO ANYTHING (bitch...). I think it will go way when my hormonal imbalance is over. Not just no estrogen, but also no testostorene. (Shit, I can't wait for menopause then!)
It is like second wind I suppose .... and will I have my third? I will let you all know.

Hot flushes so what... so long as I'm still hot!
Thanks for the encouragement. I want to do better. Carpe diem every day of our lives - every good day that I still have. Even as "pole" time gets shorter, synapses depleting, recovery time lengthening, skin drier and thinner (and sometimes unbearably sensitive) and body in need of that elixir of youth to fill my veins again. Remember RGS school anthem? ;-)

Last night, was it mere coincidence or by design, your boots offer and a chance to perform with the advanced gals was a foot in the door for me with them! :-) I have been invited to elope FaceBook now - Sandra and Wen Lene sent me the invitation. I am part of their pole-circle now! Yipee!!! You helped me break the ice with these gals, who are largely clueless as to why I am in the same pole-class as them. You have alot of influence over them!

Which reminds me of Maple's influence over all the people around her. You two are alike in so many ways, and yet different, or rather unique! I am the lucky beneficiary. :-)

From WeiHong, with love.

~~ IT'S THE END ONLY IF YOU BELIEVE IT IS ~~

Waiting to exhale...

2010-05-24T00:11:00.000-07:00

Yeh... that's HERE and NOW today, in real-time. Back in Tioman, back at the crib that I haven't seen and slept in for months! The weather is just incredible... The tide is low and the sea is so amazingly hot it's like soaking in hot Epson Salt bath :D This is what I LOVE doing.... sitting in the water just like that when the tide is low. The sand bottom is soft and smooth and I've played with little fishes of sorts that have come close enough. I'd read a book too :D This was my study spot when I was doing my MBA years ago, back when JapaMala was merely chalet-styled. Can't believe how much the resort has evolved....

And I had passed my MBA with flying colors :D Well, it's all about the state of mind isn't it....
Such joy to come back to the island and have my doggies run up to greet me:) They're all grown up too!! There's Tiger, Mario, Poppi, Mikey & Blackie. Mikey, the one with a pink nose and super short legs, apparently LOVES his evening dips in the sea and then later, squirms on the beach and play with sand. Hahahhaha I'm waiting to catch him do that!

HaH.....If THIS is not heaven on earth I don't know what is.

Check out Tengku Zatasha's blog on JapaMala.
http://frogandprincess.wordpress.com/2010/05/23/japamala-resort-tioman/
She came on holiday with her husband 2 days before I arrived:)

Malaysia's Premiere Pole Dance School

2010-05-20T00:11:00.000-07:00

In the last couple of years, pole dancing really has become a new craze in exercise. From clubs to classroom, now what an incredibly fun way to stay trim, taut and terrific!

Lesson 1 - where to buy a new 'me'
Bobbi's Pole Studio is a world-renowned and highly-reputed pole school in Australia. Now it has finally hit Malaysia! Our studio is in KL, located off Jalan Ampang, right behind Ampwalk Mall/beside Sucasa Hotel in a corner bungalow. So yeah, you enjoy FREE private parking!

Our space is extremely private, providing a comfortable and elegant environment for students to express themselves in, discover themselves in....which comes too, with all the fun they deserve :D Aha... it's worthy to note too, that we're the ONLY studio in Malaysia equipped with spinning brass poles. Now why is that special....?

LESSON 2 - what's between your legs
Brass is a bright yellow metal made from copper and zinc. It's the zinc that occasionally leaves the greenish-grey discoloring on your hands, as a result of oxidation. Brass poles are stickier hence offer far better grip in pole dancing. Because in our manufacturing process, the brass poles which are naturally 'rougher' than other highly polished metalic materials (such as chrome, titanium and stainless steel), are 'smoothed' to a specific degree to enable more comfortable handling for the pole dancer. Even for the most tender areas of our body especially the skin on the inner thighs, the pole dancer achieves far better grip, more controlled sliding and without a doubt can perform with alot more ease!

What this really means is, I guess the best way to explain this is, brass is the 'smoothest' material that can maintain the highest level of 'roughness'.

LESSON 3 - why walk when you can fly
Our syllabus and techniques will help anyone develop super core strength and a lean body - the dream body. Spinning pole techniques ARE different from those used on static poles because there's this thing I call 'aerodynamic drag' that the human body will experience during swifty transitions of moves on the spinning pole which requires lots of core strength and muscular expenditure in order to manage the body weight. I personally found it to be true that static pole training builds more bulky muscles. Spinning pole promotes far better grace too, in execution. Our execution style and techniques are typically BOBBI'S designed by Bobbi which in essence means anyone can be trained to dance like a professional showgirl:)

LESSON 4 - thy will be done
At Bobbi's Pole Studio, we're like your therapy... or even your aesthetic clinic. We 'build' women from inside out, outside in...stronger and sexier women, bolder and more beautiful beings. And I personally swear by this : "One is not born a woman, one becomes one." I believe sometimes, one needs a catalyst to unleash that 'venus' that exists deep within, which you may or may not know you have..... I'd like to believe your catalyst could be us:)

The studio is not fully decked out yet because alot of my furniture and accessories are still being shipped in. But when it is eventually, it IS a dream. My dream. My sanctuary. My new beginning...as depicted on the wall at the studio's Tea Salon. Oooohhoooooooo..... still gives me the shivers everytime I think about how cosmic this whole Bobbi thing happened in the first place...

LESSON 5 - who takes the love
So if you're as passionate about dance as I am, then Bobbi's Pole Studio IS the place for you. Our instructors AND students are equally passionate people, always friendly, ever-ready to assist and are all living their dream - that is, making dance a part of their life's journey. You will too, perhaps...?

Bobbi's Pole Studio Malaysia

2010-04-27T02:44:00.000-07:00

SHOWDOWN 2010 EPISODE 2 Sneak Peek : AUDITIONS PART 2 KL

2010-04-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

It’s the continuation for the search of Malaysia’s best dance crew. Showdown 2010 is a one of kind dance crew reality show that’s taking it from the streets.
Episode 2 showcased the KL auditions. KL serves a buffet of culture with vibrant colours and endless attitude.

Will Joe & Maple be wowed with the talent or cringe with horror as crews from all ages, shapes and sizes take a shot at the RM 50,000 prize?

This is way TOO funny. Watch it :

Bona Fide BOBBI-FIED

2010-04-15T18:07:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the very sunny Sydney, once again I brought the tropics with me :D Looks like I haven't run outta luck, not especially when I've come back a different animal, I've got so much more to look forward to back home here in Malaysia. See why :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3xgjD9d4-E

Anticipating the opening of Bobbi's Pole Studio Malaysia with 10 million students waiting at my parking lot, squatting under the trees, all waiting to be BOBBI-FIED - that's not too much to expect is it hey? It's all about living the dream. AND bringing BOBBI-fication to its ultimate stature.

Sign up for your classes NOW.

SHOWDOWN 2010 - 31st March, 9.30pm 8TV

2010-03-27T03:04:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for the SHOWDOWN?
I AM :D

Watch this clip from one of the KL auditions. These FUNKY GIRLZ are awesome.... they had put alot of the other contestants to shame!

We Have Arrived!

2010-03-14T22:17:00.000-07:00

Yes! In a FERRARI :D Bobbi's Pole Studio's first-ever show in Malaysia on Saturday March 13 at the KL Convention Centre.
The grand ballroom was beautifully decked out and Ferrari owners came together from all over the region to fill those hot seats in support of their club's 1st Royal Charity Gala. If there was one word to describe it, it'd be 'high-octane'.

Bobbi, Kim and I was the opening act. And we opened the night with Bobbi and Kim driven to their stages IN A FERRARI :D Now how cool is that....
And then we got a bidder who contributed RM15,000.00 to charity in exchange for a dinner party for ten at NEO and a pole performance by Bobbi's Pole Studio Australia. Great start of the journey for Bobbi's Pole Malaysia, great exposure, great entertainment for Ferrari's audience and super great fun for us!

What an incredible experience for me! Kim arrived a day before Bobbi and so we had one night and one full day to rehearse and jam together, before show day. I had such a blast with Kim. She's an amazing performer. A showstopper with an insanely ripped physique to die for. Her trait is this perpetual beautiful smile she wears, even when she speaks - if you haven't noticed already.. Something I should do more often aiy...? Kim's FOREVER camera-ready.
Bobbi had choreographed a beautiful flowy routine which we were to dance in sync. And I, could not have been more flattered to do it in Felix's costume!!!!!! You know, Felix Cane the World Pole Champ.... Gosh what a crazy crazy impossible act to follow!!!
Hahahah!! When I first put it on, my first reaction was 'Hey we're the same size!' I know I'm such a dork... Then fear set in. Ants in my knickers. I was so overwhelmed by the whole idea of dancing next to Bobbi and Kim, the anxiety would've been just as intense if it was Madonna.
Right away, I felt myself shrink 10 inches shorter and grew a 100% fatter. I was zonged out for the entire week working on my shit and then now nit-picking and beating myself up for not having perfected it enough.Most people don't get it. There're many pole dancers in the world who are dancing for that personal achievement, contrary to common belief, that we only dance for men. That's totally misunderstood...an absurd presumption and an awfully judgmental conclusion to draw. I personally would perform at any given chance, only because I wanna better my skills and gain more stage intelligence. All dancers need an outlet as do other forms of work. Be fair.

Sorry Bobbi, cold hard evidence of my imperfections here..... and here :P

Caught in the act by Federico hehehee...damn it!....I see it now.... I see what you mean Bobbi. Gotta break that. For those who don't know Bobbi and Kim, I tell you, they're such troopers. They're such generous professional artistes who don't hold back their will to share. When they teach, they give you all.
What I love most is the nit-picking. To me, nit-picking is the utmost vital part of a learning process, one too important to dislike. Because in performance, everything is in the details - small things make a big difference. Not many teachers are observant enough (yes, that's a gift too) or even not bothered enough to nit-pick a student's flaws unless they really care. So thanks for zooming-in on my imperfections Bobbi. Trust me, I DO love it. It's what I do to myself anyway.
I'm so very blessed for this priceless opportunity to work with such an amazing bunch who in my eyes and the eyes of many many others who respect and revere them, is the best on the world.
I believe it's fate.... the law of attraction that Bobbi's Pole Studio Malaysia came together in the first place. The unstoppable fact that I'm now 'married' to Bobbi plus her entire powerhouse family :D It's fate.

It's gonna be a life-long journey... a pink one, stuck with the best :D This marks me being the official BOBBI'S GIRL and in a more serious tone, this marks the beginning of something greater than the dream itself. And I can't be happier. I'm at total peace.

Bobbi's Pole Studio Malaysia will launch in KL in May 2010. Enrol your classes with me at anytime before April. Our timetable is still in the working but should be ready very soon. So is the studio!!!!!!!!!!! Exciting pole and lap dance classes along with flexibility classes available 7 days a week. Bobbi is trained in all forms of Cabaret and has developed a unique technique for pole dancing which she brought to Australia since 1998. I'm the chief (:D) of Bobbi's Pole Malaysia, teaching together with another Bobbi's Girl named Summer in KL, offering all Malaysian women a sensational new way to women's fitness and emotional well-being, where you build super core strength and lean muscles as you learn the sensual side of yourself. And the best thing is, you'll have so much fun doing it, I promise!!!!

Buns in the Oven!

2010-03-09T23:13:00.000-08:00

HAH! Buns, BUNS not babies for crying out loud ! Oh yeah...buns as hot as days, and it's not a metaphor. Lot's of blood and sweat people, there're no short cuts to success. See, perpetual mood swings, brain fog and constant fatigue - I AM symptomatically transforming into a different animal. I'm coping alright, with very little time to do the very many grrrrrreat things waiting for me to do since the start of this year. Sorry friends, family, screaming unborn children, "me & myself" included, and you readers, I've totally alienated you in pursuit of my interests....buns I mean....my bad. Time may be my enemy, I hope not you.

Yeah I'm starting to admit perhaps I AM a masochist... seems like I can NEVER say no to buns! There's always one in the oven! I loathe not getting enough time, not enough rest, too much work yet I KEEP TAKING ON stuff! STRESS more like it...! But you know what, in the end, I always get my fucking shit together by hook or by crook.

Justly masochistic, I do love being pushed to the deep end. HAH! Because I know I can swim. In fact, what I love is the intensity. Because this is how I get better, all the time. So I think only of the reward at the end - the hot bun at the jetty, waiting for me.

So let's talk about my BUNS. Here I have 'in the oven' a grrrr8TV show coming on air from March 31st on Wednesdays at 9.30pm - I'm having far too much fun than I deserve, being a DIVA in this Hah!

Then there's my new 21-room boutique hotel in KL waiting to pop out of the oven too (the ingredients are in and the recipe is definitely right) and finally the next best of the best thing - my very own pole dance studio!!! Which is materializing sooner than I could believe...It's ready to launch in May!!!

YES! FINALLY, many say;) NEVER THOUGHT OF IT, I say. It's true, having my own dance studio has never crossed my mind, strangely I know... until this real chance came. Really... this morning I did a live interview with BFM radio for International Women's Day and Frida (the presenter) asked me if it's sheer hard work that got me to where I am today or is it being at the right place at the right time? Although I always had to work so freakin' hard for everything I want, however I think sometimes, TIMING is everything. And Bobbi agrees. She told me herself. Wanna know who Bobbi is? Watch HER transformation into a different animal :D

Get it? That's Bobbi! My idol-turned-personal friend-turned-business-partner!!!! Look, how many stand a chance like this huh....to be 'married' to that one you watch, get inspired by, dream about and drool over only on TV. Yeah CHANCE. TIMING. She's ready to do this and I'm ready to let her turn my world upside down, what the hell. HELL YEAH! This is exactly my point, first there's the chance of a lifetime but you've got to recognize it and seize it, then comes the hard work. Or you'll lose your bun.

I also mentioned the issue of discipline to Frida at the interview. Which without, I think I'll still be kneading dough. It's funny how I can never be satisfied with myself... who did I get this from??! I'm always so fired up by this undying urge to constantly be better than myself - an obsessive torture from the masochist herself... me against my own music; For instance, I must be fitter than I was last month, I must be smarter than I was that last time, I must look better than I did last week, I must be healthier than I was last year, I must speak better than that last speech, I must dance better than myself every single time. Shit I don't think I'll ever get to retire! And I still wanna write a book! Oh god...that's one more bun on my plate not yet in the oven.

Well, in this case I dare use the cliche - Love is all you need - I think it's right... 'Love it, believe in it, do it, live it, enjoy it' and then you start all over again 'Love it, believe in it, do it, live it, enjoy it'.... it's a viciously addictive cycle. Only TRUE LOVE for what you do will make your buns a purposeful purpose and a meaningful purpose to have in your life. Maybe that's why I keep masochistic-ing myself with more buns, lesser and lesser time and zero neurotransmitters. See what people do for LOVE?

PRESTIGE Magazine - February 2010

2010-02-27T04:09:00.000-08:00

me : Chanel
him: his own

Certainly one of the best shoots I've ever done! Thanks to PRESTIGE MALAYSIA for this great opportunity and for making us the 'most prestigious' couple Rozita!!! Those 6 fashion pages are definitely memorable and we are truly and utterly flattered.... It was such fun :D
If you don't know already, this marks our very FIRST cover EVER :D

me : Gucci
him: Canali + Gucci

Thanks to Sarah Saw for her billiant art direction :) And for wrapping me up with all the beautiful dresses....(i still wish I could have kept them all hahahah... especially this long black Gucci number below)

me : Gucci
him : Canali + Gucci + LV

And Myth Studio photographer KahMun for his excellent camera work and great skills. Federico would like to spend a day with you so he can learn a thing or two from you :D

me : Chanel
him: Canali + LV

me : Versace
him: LV

'IT TAKES TWO' was the theme of this shoot. It sure does.... more than two sometimes.

me : Ferragamo
him: Gucci

SHOWDOWN 2010 on 8TV

2009-12-15T19:10:00.000-08:00

New show on 8TV
Coming to you live from the streets of Malaysia!
Come back for more info on audition dates scheduled for January 2010.

We're looking for Malaysia's BEST dance crew!
Judges : Flizz Joe & Maple Loo

ARE YOU GAME? click here

VNDER THE TVSCAN SVN

2009-12-08T00:50:00.000-08:00

It was a wonderfully warm winter. The air felt fresh and zesty like it was springtime. Florence's warm welcome was pure. My not-usually-sunny-disposition was immediately sunny. There was an immaculate combination of a few good things... the energy, great. I immediately liked the place - one very very pretty place.

Florence is a compact little town made up of narrow streets (like a huge maze), intersected with bridges over the river. The whole city is really like an "open-air museum", no wonder it's regarded by so many as the art capital of Italy. There, I felt a certain something special...you know, the sensation of being in a great sphere where your dreamy estrangement from real life is preserved...? That was why Florence is special.

The city lies on the River Arno and is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture. It has been the birthplace or chosen home of many historical figures, such as Dante, Boccaccio, Botticelli, Niccolò Machiavelli, Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Donatello, Galileo Galilei, Catherine de' Medici, Antonio Meucci, Guccio Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Roberto Cavalli and Emilio Pucci.

We had just arrived by train from Trieste 5 hours ago. It's very comfortable traveling by train in Italy. Except for those gypsy thieves that we needed to beware of at the stations. Be especially careful though, when in the Rome station. Anyway, the trains are clean and with decent leg room. I thought the power points next to each seat a genius idea... a real life-saver for laptop-holics or the absent-minded owner of uncharged mobile phones.

The cab ride from train station to hotel consisted of meandering through the narrow cobblestoned streets just about wide enough for one-and-a-half of a horizontal me. The sun broke into daylight like an egg being cracked against our cab window.

I wound down the window to catch some heat, waking my mind to a slow-turning kaleidoscope of smells and noises. I heard Florentinos 'ciao-ed' to one another outside their trattoria and pasticceria as our cab swung by the curb. Sounds of bustling tourists too, I heard Japanese and American.

After we checked into our super nice hotel room and ready to ramble, I was about to find out Florence is my favourite city in Italy.

This delicious little township is lined with eye-candy shops that sold Italian leather bags, shoes by artisan cobblers, antiques, separated by real candy shops.

Shops that display heaps of gelato, piles of merrigue, paneforte, paninis, waffles and sweets of sorts in between. 2 days of unadulterated schnarfing, never have I been so turned on by food.

You just wanna eat whatever you see... it's so NOT funny! Everything looked extra delicious in Florence. Thank god my hotel has a gym. The gelati were awesome (I snacked on these after almost every meal), they have flavors that are only found in Italy, like Kinder, Mascarpone, Gianduia chocolate. I'm not a gelato fan hence was pretty convinced I won't be tempted. But I guess my eyes betrayed me. But you see, this sort of thing can only happen in Florence.

The pastries were always fresh and crisp, the cakes and candies were never stale and hard. How could anyone with a sweet tooth resist these?! I found myself gawking whenever I walked pass the window of a pasticceria, like the fashion of an insatiable nymphomaniac.

Oh oh and then there's the fresh dark chocolate truffles (1.50 Euros each only), oh my GOD... they are seriously TO DIE FOR. Buy them from Gelateria Santa Trinita on the corner near the bridge just 5 minutes' walk from Hotel Continentale (where we were staying) - good news is, they're open till late night. Their gelati was so super yummy too...

....even the doggie agrees :D

So that was our dessert stop one night after dinner at a gorgeous high-end modern Italian restaurant called Nove IX (Lungarno Guicciardini, 50100 Florence, Italy Tel/Fax: 055 2302756)

I would recommend Nove IX to anyone despite my disappointment in the main course (I thought the fish with shoyu + ponzu reduction was way too salty for my taste). Their service though, was somewhat impeccable (which is something I greatly appreciate at any restaurant). Do order the Foie Gras to start! Y.U.M.M.Y

Luxe-For-Less Hotel

Our room at Hotel Continentale here (one of those very nice Lungarno Hotels) was so very comfortable. It was such a steal. I highly recommend this trendy boutique property for comfort and convenience at only 165 Euros/night. (a: Vicolo dell'Oro Firenze t:+3905527262 e: continentale@lungarnohotels.com)

Staff are very nice + POLITE.

The perfect place to stay for the shopaholic-culture-vultures because this hotel is just around the corner from Via Tornabuoni (it's shopping galore and calling fans of H&M, yooohooo! Your pockets will burn!) and minutes-walk to the die-die-must-go Galleria Uffizi (at the Palazzo Vecchio), then the neighbourhood hang-out Piazza della Signoria, another musuem just next to the Piazza called Bagello and then the Pitti Palace which is slightly further away.

The Pitti Palace

shopping paradise just outside the hotel

Don't cramp your style, but be clever. Wear NOT stilettos here (or in Rome) even if you may be sure you'll only be mosey-ing about most of the time. Comfy wedged or low thick-heeled boots that aren't too high are most ideal, and you'll last a lot longer;)

Palazzo Vecchio's vast and open grounds attract alot visitors everyday. The prominent landmark here is the clock tower. A replica of David also stands modeling at the square.

a copy of Michelangelo's DAVID standing on its original location - at Piazza della Signoria

Signoria Square (Piazza della Signoria)

At the Signoria Square : These marble sculptures of Hercules & The Centaur and Rape of the Sabines both by Giambologna from the 1500s decorated the Palazzo Vecchio. The original piece of the latter is displayed at the Galeria Academia, which is the other NOT TO BE MISSED museum.

Because if you didn't see the most spectacular sculpture of all time which many men are named after (including Madonna's Malawi son; including the world's most revered soccer star; including the most famous magician on tv), then you can't say you've been to Florence nor can you say you've paid your respect to the great genius Michelangelo.

Just around the corner past the Uffizi Palace is where Galleria Degli Uffizi is. It's a treasure trove where many famous great paintings are kept. The ticket costs only 10 Euros so DO NOT MISS!

The Uffizi

The Uffizi opens from 10am and closes early, 6.30pm. Go early to avoid hordes of queue.

I was most excited to visit the Uffizi. It's there that I saw many paintings I've been longing to see for years! Leonardo Da Vinci's, Michelangelo's, Botticelli's, Ghirlandaio's etc...

The gallery is big - double-storey with many rooms - so we bought a guidebook. Smart choice;)

Make your way upstairs into the rooms. It's a bummer but yeah, no pictures allowed in most of these mseums:(

ROOM 10 - 14 (Botticelli) :

Adoration of the Magi Interesting, we eavesdropped on someone analyzing the painting that 'gayness had since the beginning of Christ been accepted' through Botticelli's interpretation. Pay attention to the 2 men at bottom left side of the painting. And present in this painting is also Botticelli's alleged self-portrait, as the man with yellow mantle on the far right.

tempera on wood (tempera is made of egg white that produces an enamel-like surface finish)

Birth of Venus This painting is my answer. It's beautiful. In there, I saw The Hanging Garden...I love the rush of excitement that was oozing from my pores as I looked at Venus. Because I saw me.

"...in wind-blown draperies and falling roses, in rippling waves and tossing locks, in the swift action and glad gesture of the welcoming nymph, in the gliding motion of Venus herself."

tempera on wood

Forms of fantasy concocted by my imagination on too many things as I stared at the painting, studying the details and reading about the meaning of it all. By then, I could no longer deny that meeting Venus here in the Uffizi in Florence was meant as a sign.

I left the Uffizi later but with a terribly toyed psyche. Everything I looked at it was as if I couldn’t escape my own reflection! Venus lived in the spoon I used to stir my green tea; it was undulating in the tea itself, in the burnished wood of the table at the cafe, Venus was also in my husband's eyes. This, is beyond doubt, an epiphany.

This surely consummates the birth of my "new beginning" which I still wasn't sure I had. I guess now I do. Nothing could've been more perfect. The timing, the purpose, the reason behind it all... the reason I was led to see this painting is positively indisputable, it's fate. I grew scared nonetheless. Scared, ecstatic and confused all at the same time.

Well, the saving grace is this. As if by calling or a twist of fate, I was drawn to this specific piece by Botticelli also because of the striking resemblance between Venus and Madonna (the singer not the virgin)....I remember how her hair looked on the cover of my favourite album Ray of Light - long, flowy and orangy - and her face on the cover, pale and snowy - that whole phase of Madonna's life.

Zephyr appears on the left of this painting blowing his soft breath at the Aphrodite, and was of course mentioned too in the lyrics of Ray of Light. Was Madonna somewhat inspired too by this same painting? Not too far-fetched in the case of an art collector, is it? Well, I may be seriously going off my head right now assuming this and speculating that like a total nut case but whatever it is, this whole thing is making me unusually effusive and my heart is racing still as I'm writing this... I have got to accept that The Birth of Venus is my new beginning! That's it!

Spring (Primavera)

It's funny how I've always loved a school excursion...especially with great teachers. After some half-hour staring at Venus, i walked a few steps to the next painting, which also has Venus in it. There was a bunch of American kids crowding around at the front of this painting, listening intently to a teacher. And I've always loved a good story.

tempera on wood

I learnt a few things eavesdropping : there're the 3 dancing graces, Mercury the angel of death (far left), Venus (right below Cupid), Zephyr (in blue on far right) and Cupid (Venus' son). All the women in the painting looked pregnant for Spring signifies the time of fertility when everything blooms. Mercury seems oblivious to his surroundings because death knows no season. Chloris appears twice in this painting to demonstrate her metamorphosis into Flora - Zephyr captures her, flowers comes out of her the mouth then manifests into Flora (lady in flowy floral dress).

"As she talks, her lips breathe spring roses:
I was Chloris, who am now called Flora."

ROOM 15 (Leonardo Da Vinci)

Annunciation I continued to tag along with these kids to the next room - where paintings of Da Vinci are displayed. He was an artist who painted with science, the teacher said. While volume is important, he loved depth too - she asked to observe the snow-peaked mountains and sky and shapes of clouds that formed the background.

And the most impressive of all, Da Vinci was like a magician or rather, an illusionist how he created these deep perspectives to his paintings. In this one, watch Virgin Mary's lap. The teacher asked everyone to walk around and away from the painting, towards any direction from there but without taking their eyes off Mary's lap. It is true. No matter where you look from, her lap follows you!

Baptism of Christ A painting by Leonardo Da Vinci's master Andrea del Verrocchio which he assisted. This painting is famous for Da Vinci's kneeling angel holding the mantle. He also helped touch up the backgrounds demonstrating great originality in water, mist, sunlight and shadows (compared to the rather stiff even plastic look by his master), even the tuft of grass under the angel's knee speaks life. It was typical of Da Vinci to follow his own artistic path despite coaching. It shows in this painting in 2 ways. First, compare the 2 angels, Da Vinci's pays close attention to the event and has brightness in the eyes while his master's looks away staring into space looking bored. Second, An x-ray of this painting was apparently done to examine Verrocchio's original sketching of Da Vinci's angel and was found to be entirely different from what Da Vinci had painted in the end. It's said that after seeing Da Vinci's angel, Verrocchio never again wanted to lift a brush because his apprentice had proven to be better at it than him.

tempera on wood (except for Da Vinci's parts which was oil)

ROOM 25 (Michelangelo)

There were not many paintings of Micheangelo here at the Uffizi. I remember just this one significantly - The Holy Family - because the frame is original and was designed by him. This was commissioned by some merchant and was used as the head board of his bed.

It's alot to take in for that couple of hours. The walking, the standing and the mental arousal. Take a coffee break (or in my case, Cordino break) up on the terrace of The Uffizi and then continue on to the other rooms or move on with your museum-hopping!

Bagello Palace

We tried to get in yesterday but it had already shut - CUISO. Do go before 5pm. There're alot of marble sculptures here that came from the fountains and garden of the Medici Palace. The Medici family was fiercely fashionable during their time, having commissioned Da Vinci and Michelanglo amongst others to sculpt and paint. Amazing stuffs in here too so try not to miss. I had wanted so bad to come here because I read in the guidebook that Micheangelo's bronze David was here.

This statue is part of a much bigger fountain as illustrated here. There were many pieces of white marble sculptures as such, each signified something - goddess of this and that, angel of this and that, and even a few put together to display a story of some sort like this one.

You'll also get to see lots of treasures like solid gold and silver shining armors worn by great generals, ministers and knights once upon a time. I love this one most - medieval meet punk-rock. The pyramid studs used by most Italian fashion houses this season to bring back the 80's rock culture, is likely to have been inspired by the dark ages in the first place.

David (bronze) by Michelngelo, one of those hard-to-see pieces. The "real" David, the famous one sculpted in marble is housed at Galleria del Academia

Gallery of Academy

Turn left at the yellow block and you'll come to the Gallery of the Academy on Via Ricasoli. There was no queue when we got there... lucky.

It's absolutely indispensable to remember that nearly all the museums in Florence, as in the rest of Italy, are CLOSED ON MONDAYS!

The World's Most Perfect Man

No pictures of DAVID of course, I thought that to be rather absurd. Why not??!! People have flown across the globe just to see it, one of the world's greatest work of art in history and NO PICTURE?

I was again hit in the face, like when we stumbled upon the Duomo 2 days ago. I had no idea he was such a giant! (Errrr... not in the 'manly' sense unfortunately...) He towers at almost 4.5m high (13.5 ft) and is absolutely stunning. First of all, placed majestically in the middle of this huge room under the domed-ceiling, this colossus of a sculpture surely meant WORSHIP. Then, the meticulous details. As I stood staring from toe to head at David, he, in no way resembles a mundane statue. How the hell did Micheangelo do this without screwing up on the perspectives??! He must have definitely climbed a ladder, sat on some scaffolding etc... but it's not like he could erase a wrong stroke or throw away the piece of paper and start again... Every chisel deserves to be marveled.

I felt hypnotized in timeless quietude as I observed the magnificent details of David's veins. The veins on his right hand, right bicep and right foot. Michelangelo's incredible skill in creating this life-like human whose moment, like as if he had just returned, fresh from battle. He exudes this strong energy like any athelete would, frozen in time and space. I couldn't believe I finally got to meet him face to face.

got this pic from the internet

I could not get over those veins. My god, I've never seen veins on a statue! I scrutinized the artery that runs down on the right side of David's neck. INCREDIBLE.... All contours of a perfect man's anatomy, all virtues of the universal male, Michelangelo had carved it. Pay attention to the shadows and contrast cast by light in his technique too - the contours of David's ribs, knee joints, muscle tone, it was as if David was a real man only plastered with marble. Don't forget to check out his ass :D There're benches behind him for people to sit on to admire his stark behind.

David was created in 1501, it took Michelangelo 3 years to finish. Such superb work had apparently, never been seen before either in Florence or elsewhere. Nude is obviously Michelangelo's power-statement as demonstrated in almost all of his work, David was however the largest ever sculpted in Renaissance. Michelangleo had ostensibly challenged the ancient Greek and Roman masterpieces. So impressive that Michelangelo was called back to Rome by the Pope himself (Giulio II) to paint the famous Sistine Chapel later.

We also strolled past Santa Maria Novella which is another to-see sight. It's a railway station with beautiful architecture. Ever since the Middle Ages it has been used for feasts, tournaments and other events (some things don't change..). Architectural design and colors of its exterior bear similarities to the Duomo.

we walked past the basilica at night so didn't manage to take a good shot. Got this pic from the internet... look at the facade and the colored marble used. Looks like something out of a fairytale storybook.

Piazza Del Duomo

And I thought the Notre Dame is Paris was the most magnificent...

My first encounter in Florence was the Duomo. Stumbling upon it after snaking through the maze was as if we were 2 blind rats bumping right into a mammoth. The sun had begun to wane then... the sight of the Duomo was surreal in that light.

Notre Dame is rather Goth-ghostly, but the Duomo of Florence is best described as a gaudy beauty. The colors of the marble are amazing. The building looks almost like a doll-house. Built on the ancient sacred area of the Roman castrum, The Duomo of Florence is one of the religious buildings which formed the original nucleus of what was to become the religious heart of today's Florence.

For this, you gotta have stamina. No pain no gain is exactly right. Work your athletic muscles if you're compelled to show the rest you've "topped" the world. Climb those 464 steps to top of the Duomo because it won't be a fruitless attempt. This is the Brunelleschi's Dome, the most photographed object in Florence (besides David's genitals). Well, the best thrill is to come home with a postcard-adventure captured by your own lens!

It usually takes 10/15 minutes to get to the top and since the route is often a tight squeeze through the dark stair well, it's not exactly ideal for claustrophobics! But look out in the light for panoramic surprises and small brilliant details.

Doesn't the ancient city look like it's a lush candyland of sunbaked Christmas gingerbread houses?! Hmmm...told you Florence makes my hungry!

Now who doesn't like being on top. Being on top of the world's ancient capitol is by and large, climactic... and strangely meditative. While I basked in the unusually-intense Tuscan winter-sun, I suddenly thought of this : what crazy amount of time, effort and money the whole of Italy spends on upkeeping and restoring their ancient structures on a daily basis.... that's not only an expensive way of life but what a crucial responsibility to mankind! I felt then, a great nobility... happy to have helped the country hold the sky together with 15 Euros while I got to touch the sky myself.

I remember watching the movie "2012" recently. The thought of historical treasures like all of these simply vanishing is too insane to grasp...oh way way way too heart-breaking to even imagine...

What else to do in Florence?

EAT !

Meat lovers, what you do NOT wanna miss is the Florentine Steak. This is seriously a real treat....a much coveted meal to not try when in Florence. You can find this dish in almost any restaurant, so not to worry.

There's a cafe at the Palazzo Vecchio called Rivoire, right next to Chanel, and facing the Galleria Uffizi which serves an Espresso at only 1 Euro and they make their own chocolates too.

the outdoors of Rivoire facing the Piazza del Signoria

Rivoire and Chanel both at the Piazza della Signoria

Truffle lovers brace yourselves! Go to Procacci. It's a small place right opposite Roberto Cavalli that serves panini tartufati (mini bread with plain truffle butter or pate or smoked salmon).

Also a potato-egg-carrot quiche topped with shavings of black truffles. They sell everything with truffle in it, including chocolates;) Well, if you happen to come here, do ask them back our Florence guidebook which we accidentally left behind - and you may use it if you like :D

For delicious paneforte of sorts, croissant, pastries and desserts - go to Bar la Borsa (left and left from our hotel)

The proliferation of the 'pasar malam' culture is obvious in touristy destinations in most parts of the world - Florence included. Stalls are found at various prime spots around Florence and these are manned by foreigners, pretty much like KL's situation in Petaling Street. Goods sold range from leather bags, fur coats, knick-knacks, souvenirs, hats & scarfs and some bootleg brands.

So here i have, an immaculate collection of the best in Florence. I'm just really really glad I got to see all the original masterpieces and brilliant works of art by my favourite artists, which for years have merely been as real as my text books. Florence, has just the right ingredients for a Tiramisu aficionada... and rightfully so.

THE IMMACVLATE TIRAMISV : ROMA

2009-12-03T23:44:00.000-08:00

Tiramisu stands for Italy. Quintessentially Italian. And that’s just ONE of the many ingenious conceptions by the Italians. Many great things and great people came from here. From aqua ducts to Armani, mascarpone cheese to Micheangelo, the Italians were, and are really the maestros of beautiful creations. Don’t forget Nutella and Prada.

My holiday in Italy this winter has been nothing less than stupendo. The only country in the world where just the thought of food can mentally excite me, Italy is truly astounding….gorgeous in a daunting but poignant sort of way. Trieste is a wonderful non-touristy town with nice people, Florence has a gem-like exquisiteness, and Rome was simply inconceivably mind-boggling and dreamlike.

You may have heard much about Italy, have seen it on TV or pictures too but it’s nothing like seeing with your own eyes. To experience that tangible and absolute presence of such greatness is a rare privilege. A country that should be on everyone's bucket list.

ROQING ROME !

Standing high above the world in the capitol of the world and face-off with Italy’s intriguing history, you can't help but be awestruck by the brilliant works of its Renaissance artists and all of its splendid architecture. An ancient city within a modern city... it's all so dramatic. The grandeur of the Renaissance period, the magnificence of Baroque elegance, an old empire in a modern city... what a world to be in.

I find most surreal, not the fact that Rome is 2000 years old. But the fact that the Rome today is looking almost exactly like it was 2000 years ago! And where Blackberry-Romans live and work at the same town as did Julius Ceasar!

Blackberries walking on the same cobblestoned pathways as Baroques did. I can now say I did! Except automobiles now replaced carriages, aggressively weaving into every bend and curve or parked alongside tight lanes. It's mind-blowing to learn that the Roman empire had already, since 2 millenniums ago, built this city with concept and intention - which was to make Rome an ETERNAL CITY.

A city built to last. Being there therefore feels like being in a matrix….. it’s the future, it’s also the past.

it is said that this is the oldest walkway in ancient Rome, and the busiest during Baroque times.

Whether it’s a concrete-slab, Renaissance-aged architect or the horse-hook and eye, reminders of the past are patently magnificent.

The Vatican City, St. Peter’s Basilica, Castel San’ Angelo…These same places where Popes and princes of the past have stepped foot in.

Centuries-old piazzas, palaces, fountains and sculptures - all enormous structures - gloriously built, painted and decorated by the greatest architects and artists like Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Bernini etc.

Rome's centuries-old City Hall - marble & bronze sculptures by Michelangelo where they have been since day-one, at this fountain or rather, tavern bath.

I stood admiring incessantly at the Trevi Fountain. The size stunned me. It was the first monument in Rome we came upon (it sits just outside our hotel - Hotel White). Geez, it’s way too majestic to be just a fountain. See, Italians love 'drama'. It’s massive!

The gigantic sculptures and big slabs of marble wall behind it, all very intricately carved, like those of Michelangelo's style. Tons of people hang around, sit around, snack and make out at this fountain everyday. Couples kissing in front of fountains, on bridges, middle of the road - that's typically Italian, and common, as you see in movies. Yup, La Dolce Vita it is...Well there's where I like to have my breakfast at.

It’s a cool fact to know that the water in the Trevi Fountain is in fact still generated by a 2000 year-old aqua duct (and not some high-tech modern pump) that pumps water from a river. Rome was the only city in the ancient world to have had running water to all households, via this clever water system called Aqua Duct. Invented of course, by the ancient Romans, modern Romans are just as proud of this as their Tiramisu. And the Rome today still uses the same old system for many parts of the city.

I must say water in Rome really is sweet! So run the tap of your hotel bathroom or help yourself to ancient drinking fountains you find around town and have a taste yourself. NOT a metaphor it really IS sweet! Believe me.

I still can’t fathom how such ginormous Renaissance structures, cathedrals, castles and even sculptures could possibly have been made and built by hands of humans.

the Angel of Garden at Castel S'Angelo

Such precision... With only primitive tools and not computers? Pay attention to the proportions, symmetry, geometry, detail and most fascinating of all, perspective. Very very fascinating stuff.

this is just a monument yet not JUST a monument, it's huge! built to commemorate Italy's very 1st king Vittoria Emmanuel, slap right in the middle of town amid busy road traffic.

For example, at The St.Peter’s Basilica (in The Vatican City). Note that the alphabets lining the edge at the top – they look tiny, almost need to squint to read, but actually the letters are each 2m in height! That puts you in perspective just how massive this building is.

Then there's Michelangelo’s Last Judgement wall painting and the back-breaking work on the entire ceiling of The Sistine Chapel (also located in The Vatican City) which he must have painted lying down most of the time.

One more thing that intrigued me was another ceiling fresco in the gallery that displays Flemish tapestries from the 1500s (on the way to The Sistine Chapel) which was painted with 3-dimensional techniques. Yes, 3D! And already since the 18^th century. Figures on the entire ceiling looked so life-like, but they were not reliefs or carved. They’re indeed flat. And the guide made sure she pointed this out.

It amazes me to realize how advanced people were already since back then....I feel small amid all these greatness. And above all else, the ravishing details. Really, time in Europe is a constant awakening. Open your eyes and marvel.

Castel S'Angelo (a museum today, some great views of the city and Micheangelo's Dome at The Vatican City)

Inside St. Peter's Basilica : the painfully intricate work of mosaic art. Pieces of tiny colored mosaic fused together to create this frighteningly detailed piece which took 15 years to complete!

Inside the Vatican galleries : the incredible details on murals and sculptures are fascinating

The Vatican City, St.Peter’s Basilica & The Sistine Chapel

Go buy a tour if you want proper guidance while in the museums, ancient sites and especially The Vatican City. It helps alot to know what you're looking at and what to look out for. I'd advise you SKIP THE LINES to same time and tours offer this privilege, so spare yourself and spend it.

We had only 4 days so we gotta get the best out of Rome...it was vital we get our priorities right - for me, The Sistine Chapel is on top of my list. So The Vatican City was our top priority.

Honestly, I wasn’t too optimistic and in fact was pretty upset when Federico said ‘no more tickets online’ and ‘horrendous queues on site’. But by hook or by crook, I MUST get in there somehow or I’d be way too miserable and MAD.

Not usually my common take but for this, I am thankful for the tours because I did eventually get to stand below The Creation of Man while looking on at The Last Judgement. That seriously made my day.

Canari Tours (their booth is just at the side of St.Peter’s Square), paid 187Euros (for 2) for a guided 3-hour walking tour at The Vatican City that included the 7km of art galleries that look like this (pic below) which led to the final destination, The Sistine Chapel. It was worth it.

Then we went underneath St.Peter’s Basilica to see the catacombs, and after back up to the basilica to appreciate the interior, most importantly to see Michelangelo’s earlier work, the world-famous Pieta, sitting in a a glass room fully shielded from the outside world. I thought the one in the Galeria Academia in Florence (where David is) was the one, but I didn't get to see it anyway as it was being restored at the time. Well, turned out this Pieta here at St.Peter's Basilica was precisely THE ONE I had wanted to see! So I’m glad I saw it in the end!

Inside St.Peter's Basilica : Pieta

The Sistine Chapel ( La Capella Sistina)

Seeing The Sistine Chapel in that incredible state still since 1478, I couldn't believe I was physically in the cradle of the Renaissance. And seeing this fresco, Micheangelo's back-breaking effort, was the highlight of my time in Rome.

The Last Judgement by Michelangelo inside The Sistine Chapel

This picture is a miracle in itself.... a million-dollar one as no photo-taking is allowed once inside the chapel and the guards are very strict about it. You'll hear with finger pointing every minute or so, "No photos please!" Ah.... but somehow, through some miraculous divine intervention, there was distraction - there were some VIP visitors who needed escort out of the chapel at the time we were there. Suddenly all lights were turned on inside the chapel (normally not) and all the guards disappeared to the back of the chapel and some, out through the door we'll never be allowed to step through. This was my one chance to do the forbidden - TAKE PHOTOS!!! A distraction long enough for me to steal some shots Ha! :D

I managed to steal a few, albeit blurred shots but they're MINE nonetheless:) I must say though, that the entrance to the Sistine Chapel was much less glorious than I had expected; there was just this normal doorway, a flight of short steps up from the public toilets and the cafe where we had our coffee break. It felt more like entering into a backroom of some house...:( I didn't even realize I was already standing inside the chapel which I so longed to see since Art History class! Immediately after a very 'duh' but excited 'Oh..oh we're here?!' which followed by an echoed 'Ssshhhh no talking please...', my eyes began to search frantically for THE wall. The room was packed with people. Many staring up at my direction where I entered...

I turned around and there it was. The blue fresco I've seen and studied in books, looking back at me from the wall, behind the alter with Jesus on a cross. Yes, The Last Judgement.

But before reaching the Sistine Chapel, the tour guide took us through a series of galleries. They were pretty spectacular. The first was lined with a lot of white-marble statues, found and excavated from different parts of Italy.... they're the treasures of The Vatican. Apparently, sculptures were originally colored because the Romans loved strong colors. They’re over 20,000 statues in The Vatican City and the youngest, is 1800 years old.

the statue of fertility

Inside Tthe gallery of maps

So this was where Michelangelo had spent 9 years of his life in total, just painting. The Last Judgement took him 5 years to complete. He must have painted it lying down most of the time, standing up or stretched out in all forms, yet he had not miscalculated. Precision and perspective. The details are amazing... he was superhuman.

another miracle shot of The Sistine Chapel before leaving...

Pray for a good guide because there’re amazing stories to be heard. Here's a couple :

In the painting, Michelangelo does a self portrait depicting himself as the apostle St. Bartholomew after he had been flayed (skinned alive). This is reflective of the feelings of contempt Michelangelo had for being commissioned to paint The Last Judgement. The figure of St. Bartholomew depicts the satirist and erotic writer Pietro Aretino who had tried to extort a valuable drawing from Michelangelo. He holds the painter's flayed skin as a symbol of attempted victimization. So look out for Michelangelo's face.

Now this is a funny story : The Last Judgment was an object of a heavy dispute between a Cardinal called Carafa and Michelangelo. The artist was accused of immorality and intolerable obscenity, having depicted naked figures, with genitals in evidence, inside the most important church of Christianity. So Carafa organized a censorship campaign (known as the "Fig-Leaf Campaign" like the picture of this marble statue below) to remove the frescoes.

When the Pope's own Master of Ceremonies, Cesna said "it was mostly disgraceful that in so sacred a place there should have been depicted all those nude figures, exposing themselves so shamefully," and that it was no work for a papal chapel but rather "for the public baths and taverns," Michelangelo worked the Cesena's semblance into the scene (far bottom-right corner of the painting) with donkey ears (foolishness) and a Satanic look, while his nudity is covered by a coiled snake. The guide told us that Cesena had then complained to the Pope. But the Pope who obviously favored Michelangelo responded that "his jurisdiction did not extend to hell because he'd be in heaven", so the portrait would have to remain. :D

While your stare may be fixed on the amazing ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, do pay attention to the murals on the sides too below the old and new testaments – the detail of shadow-and-light play on the drapes are amazing.

St.Peter’s Basilica

This bronze structure is the most prominent attribute at St.Peter's. The grounds of this church used to be a Roman cemetery. Underneath the basilica is where the great popes are laid to rest. The catacombs of Popes - John Paul I and John Paul II, the previous Pope whom many adored. Surprised to find the tomb of Queen Cristina of Sweden (1626-1689) too.

To commemorate Saint Peter, this Basilica was built as a final resting place for his body which was laid to rest there since 2000 years ago. It was unbelievable to be standing just 6ft away from the remains of St.Peter, whose catacomb was clad in colorful marble. He was crucified (upside down as he had wished) just a block away from this Basilica.

The Vatican City

It’s a pretty amazing fact that this is the smallest, most sacred country in the world. Not just a city, but a COUNTRY. It has its own towns, schools, own car plate and even its own currency!

SCV stands for Santa Chita del Vaticano

The official written language is still Latin. Everything that’s produced within The Vatican City, stays in The Vatican City. Like books, peace crosses blessed by the Pope, mosaic art and other memorabilia, all can be purchased inside The Vatican only.

The Colosseum Where it stands today used to be a huge lake. The ancient amphitheatre with 240 arches/viewing galleries was built in just 10 years.

A total of 75,000 spectators could be housed all at once to watch a gladiator combat (btw, lions eating Christians is an absolute myth).

Today, The Colosseum is in fact 1900 years. Many wonder why Roman structures from 600 years old dating back to 2000 even are so resistant. Well, the tour guide explained that there’s 12-13 feet of concrete, solid underfoot.

And this day, more than ever, I had cause for gratitude : gotta thank the Romans for having invented cement! Bravo!

The Ancient City

The Roman Forum One of the most important archeological sites in the world. Rome in general is a constant archeological discovery. The entire city is still being dug-under and excavation is an ongoing job.

Imagine how enthralling it is to unearth some marble floor area of some once-upon-a-time castle or dungeon of some place. Like this one….

Well, there’s a chance that it could even be parts from one of the underground galleries which led to other parts of the city during the times of Juilius Ceasar!

What else to do in Rome?

EAT!

BEST EAT #1 : If you know who the late Federico Fellini is (director of La dolce vita) is and looking to conjure the spirit of this great film director, no visit to Rome is complete without a meal at the famous Il Pastarellaro restaurant. This traditional eatery founded in 1848 was a favourite haunt of the filmaker’s whom have inspired the just-released musical movie "Nine".

The restaurant is not a fancy place, in fact a very modest, homely sort of trattoria patronized by many locals, service was very classy, your old waiter will welcome you a glass of Proseco and a night cap of alcoholic digestive on the house. You won't be disappointed with the quality of food or the hospitality.

Order the Mussels & Clams in a garlic-parsley broth, Roman-style artichokes with ham and Ossobuco (Rome is THE place in Italy to eat bone marrow) with button mushrooms in tomato sauce. Do not leave without a dessert! Go poke your nose on the trolley and you shall salivate…Must order the ‘Mont Blanc’ a home-made cake with (a lot of ) fresh cream layered-filopastry base then topped with chestnut-paste ‘spaghetti’. Very unique, it’s Roman and it’s different but it’s superb (Tel : +39 065810871 - #47, Piazza In Pisinula)

BEST EAT #2 : One other very very small local eatery called SORA LUCIA (via della panetteria) sits inconspicuously just around the back of Hotel White. You really gotta open your eyes to notice it – if it helps, it’s right next to a gelatria, apparently one labeled by New York Times as ‘has the best ice-cream in the world’. SORA LUCIA has really, just under 10 tables with lady and her mother-in-law (really bubbly & warm folks) taking orders and husband who cooks. Awesome place for authentic Roman home-cooked food at affordable prices.

I highly recommend these super yummy dishes :

Fettucini Gamberi, Zucchine, Asparagi (fettucini pasta with prawns, zucchini & asparagas in a creamy/alfredo-type sauce) – only 9 Euros Bistecca alla griglia (grilled steak) – only 15 Euros Dessert : crema con filo-mille (cream & mixed berries or chocolate topped with philo-crumbs) or simply a Tiramisu (forgot the price).

What else to do in Rome?

SHOP!

So what did I buy?!

THESE.

Punk it with Prada! 2009 Fall Collection - this is just divine... a masterpiece... an immaculate conception. Troy meet Lion Fish meet Trojan - the one and only pair in the whole of Rome and they were my size! I went to Italy to look for them and they were obviously, waiting for me.

The main shopping strip is along Via Del Condotti and Via Del Corso which conjoins at intersections. All the major brands – Gucci, Fendi, Dior, YSL, Prada, LV, Versace, Ferragamo – are here.

Gucci, Dior, Prada & YSL are right opposite the famous Spanish Steps which is pretty much a square where it’s constantly packed with people loitering about, sitting on the stairs, a spot where Italian men hang out to pick up women!

And at the top of these steps not far up the road is the famous Villa Medici. The acres and acres of sculpted gardens within Villa Medici is incredibly beautiful and grand. Many statues, fountains and sculptures done by most of the famous Renaissance artists including Michelangelo and Da Vinci were used to decorate the garden. You however, are only allowed in with a guide, so do book yourself one at the reception.

Take a bus or walk and watch out for ruins from the Roman Empire and suck in all the grandeur of this skyscraper-free city. Take a cab (meter starts at 5.80 euros = approx RM25) or a bus (full-day pass at 4 euros or 3-day pass at 11 euros)

Apart from the exceptionally heavenly weather, the few lucky encounters from beginning to end during this last weekend in Rome, summed the trip up quite immaculately. We flew home with particularly good spirits (although I wouldn’t say we’ve ‘rested’), a pocket full of cash from all our tax-refunds and overloaded baggages of fantastic memories. I wish however, that I could have just one more TIRAMISV.

HEAD OVER HEELS

2009-11-26T22:11:00.000-08:00

I'm writing this in Florence, Italy. This place is what I call the 'erogenous zone'. Today I saw something magnificent in the famous Uffizi Gallery. No, it wasn't the bare-naked anatomy of David. What I saw was my own manifestation.... it was like an epiphany as I stared at Botticelli's Birth Of Venus. It hit a nerve, right away.

It meant something. I saw The Hanging Garden in the painting and I saw me, Venus! I felt the same racy heartbeats as when I listened to the Burmese monk's revelation of my star readings 2 years ago.

Suddenly I can't wait to pole again... it has been almost a month now. Can't believe it has been that long already since Bobbi and Kim came. They were so awesome in class, gosh I had a great time learning. And bonding! We all did. I thought of them, wondering if Koh Samui was fun... wish they had been in KL too. And I'm constantly thinking about my sisters.... miss them like hell too. Wondering if Jas is finally feeling better and regaining strength, if Li Leng is training with The LadyBirds and if Linna is excited about her Hen's Party, wedding etc etc etc.... I hate leaving Singapore, every time.

Reminiscing that 1st week of November I was, we all were indeed, head over heels in delirium with Bobbi and Kim. To most pole dancers, Bobbi and Kim are the world’s most iconic pole celebrities. Totally privileged and downright flattered that Bobbi accepted our invitation to teach at Jitterbugs Swingapore this APS, the coveted collaboration of Bobbi herself and sister, Kim has made many pole dancers’ dream of being taught by them or even the mere chance of meeting them in person, come true. No doubt the event was a total sell-out this year.

Both our students as well as those from other pole schools in Malaysia (my home ground) and Singapore whom we welcomed just the same, stepped into Jitterbugs that weekend to enter the house of Bobbi’s Pole Studio. What a diamond-studded opportunity in a cinch. This was the first time Bobbi has ever collaborated with another pole school, it’s also their first venture in Asia. What a privilege.Thanks to Bobbi + Kim:)

Both the exotic and spinning pole sessions kept adrenaline levels levitating throughout the whole 4 days of explosive training. Bobbi & Kim’s fabulous style, their body movements, their elevated sense of sultry-‘haute’ expression, was all a lesson in sharp femme - fashioned with unapologetic sexiness. Above all else, it was just tons of girlie 9-inch fun. Judging from everyone’s over-zealousness, the sisters concluded we were maniacs.

Bobbi and Kim are larger than life though not much more on TV than in person. They are sports-illustrated material (need i say more?)....yes, Victoria’s Secret-model stunners. So when they move, you’ll find yourself involuntarily gawking. They look terrific…gorgeous, real people with a great sense of humour and a big heart. I don’t think many know them like that. Well, I’m glad I do.

They rock not just my pole world but Bobbi has, turned my life upside down (heh, quite literally). And I’m not even complaining.

My time with Bobbi in Sydney 10 months ago was anything but run-of-the-mill (Read my SENSATIONAL SDYNEY blog). In fact she has left me besotted and I’ve changed my life quite dramatically since. And I’ve never felt better! This time I had looked forward to more Bobbi-time in Singapore, reverently craving to relive the experience. Following Bobbi’s advice so assiduously, developing from the set of skills I brought home, my pole power has propelled to a whole new level. It's first-hand. Proud she is, to see me, see us The Butterflies, having been ‘BOBBI-FIED’ – was how she had very cheekily put it - I was quite surprised I wasn't too disappointed with myself this time. I'm just happy I could beat the demons AGAIN.

Well, I would describe our relationship as merely at a ‘peek-a-boo’ stage. There’s much more coming for us... I feel it in my gut. As the saying goes, it is ''a shadow of things coming''.... the process of a more solid personification. The process of BOBBI-FICATION :D (Heh new buzzword for you Bobbi!). This is what our knickers will say from now on : BUTTERFLIES BOBBI-FIED

It’s not about one single element, it’s about the right mix of attitude…the right chemistry.

We didn’t meet Kim when we were in Sydney last because she lives in Perth. But we hit it off like sugar and cream this first meeting. Let's just say she's like chili-flavored chocolates. (ooh…have you ever tried those?). For those who don't know Kim personally, she's sweet, with hints of spiciness (yeah, the sizzling part) but yet beautifully balanced. Those who have taken Kim’s Exotic PussyCat Dolls Routine and SLAP (Strip/Lap Dance) classes would agree.

Hot, Hot, Haute!

Now Bobbi's new instructional DVD is a MUST-HAVE. So go online and buy The Pole Ultimatum. A high-quality video production, highly stylized with great moves to die for. The ‘doubles’ which is the icing, is really the most brilliant deviation from the basic stuff.

And Bobbi & Kim are the perfect marriage. You see, this is exactly why I'm so awe-inspired by Bobbi. From a show standpoint, in my personal opinion techniques aside, small details like the graphical appeal, visual impression, synchronicity and even the geometry, make a very striking difference to the scale of quality in a performance. In short, the right formula. She knows the art and science of a great show. The right composition, the right package - the ingredients of a show-stopper. Hence Bobbi & Kim - perfect symmetry, the right balance of dynamics, the costumes - the perfect package put together, try and beat that.

No one looks as good as them, no one does it like them, and who else has legs like theirs?! :D No one thinks like Bobbi, and honestly, none comes close to being quite as talented as Bobbi.

I love a good theory so here goes : One has got to have ‘an eye’ for beautiful things. And, that special sense for style; these, I’m sorry to be frank, is an innate quality, a gift from God that can’t be learnt. Good imagination…and musicality. These stand for T.A.L.E.N.T.

Sometimes though, not knowing how to put talent to good use is as good as saying "there's light but don't know where the switch is". But when one’s equipped with these distinct qualities and KNOW HOW to use their good instincts innately to fashion their craft, then greatness is born. That's Bobbi! A fabulous si-fu in her forte.... capable of creating something she knows implicitly that will work. Implicit is a good word... IMPLICITLY BOBBI is what her next knickers should say.

I’d like to think Bobbi and I speak the same ‘showgirl language’. This is something I'm shamelessly proud of and will be thick enough to forever brag about. I’ve come to learn, see and understand, over the years of experience, what separates a great from a good, or the great from the greatest. Bobbi to me, is like the Karl Lagerfeld of the pole world! For all that she is, I truly kow-tow to her. For her originality, creativity, great imagination, her gifted musical talent, brilliant ideas, her ‘third eye’ and her being such a Trooper - I love you most of all for your humility and your big heart. As much as you love us, know that we love you back much more, and respect you IMPLICITLY.

What an absolute blast we had with you 2 weeks ago - our champagne-high-tea tete-a-tetes, shopping, eating Japanese, tanning and working on the doubles-triples-quadruples, it was priceless! Albeit too short a time... Again, I didn’t quite get enough of you both so hope the temptation to shop will lure you back sooner than we think.

And Lino (Bobbi’s goofy hubby-manager who's also Italian), he's such a gem of a pole-queen's husband. Most men who have wives and girlfriends who pole and can't handle it will say Lino is spoiling the market. Well, we say we don't wonder why Bobbi is head over heels herself:)

So what does Botticelli and Bobbi have in common?

A HEAD-OVER HEELS VENUS!

HAhhahhaa....

Speaking French

2009-11-20T06:43:00.000-08:00

Breakfast In Paris We arrived in Paris on Nov13 at 5.30am. Now we could not have imagined this... I mean how could we have guessed that after having flown 13 hours across the globe, we'd end up so close to home! Yup, straight ahead looking back at us was the jetty of our JapaMala Resort in Tioman! On a gigantic rectangular light box on the wall of this Parisian airport, beaming warmly at us with "MALAISIE". Kudos to Malaysia Tourism France! Well, we have indeed ARRIVED. Our warm welcome was immediately blazed with the chilling fleet of Parisian morning winter air at the bus stand. I crossed all my extremites and prayed to the sun...Here I am I thought, at last...the land of the covetables. Crepes, macaroons, truffles, foie gras, foie gras and more foie gras! Well, I must say I did get quite a lot of all that in the next few days to come.

We checked into Hotel Costes K, a trendy design hotel owned by Hotel Costes which is famous for their music. Got one full day in Paris before we fly to Biarritz! The first thing on my mind was crepe with bananas + nutella for breakfast at a sidewalk café somewhere in town so I can sit and be a Parisian - watch people (and doggies).
Wish granted, spent the rest of the day getting lost in the city; went inside Lido to book show tickets, walked past the Arch of Triumph, saw Eifel Tower from a distance, strolled along the river Seine (found my Moulin Rouge posters, yayy!)... ...shopped a little on Saint Germaine, sat outside a café again and sipped tea, went inside Notre Dame. Paris looked exactly the same 11 years ago.
We then went on to District 6 to shop some more. Good shopping near the opera too but we decided to prioritize as time was our enemy.
Dinner was awesome. Found fresh oysters & had also steamed mussels ‘marinere’ at a restaurant on an ally somewhere at Saint Germaine. Oh here's a reminder, English is almost never used in most restaurants in France, so do learn some basic French for your own sake or you won't know what the menu says! Especially those who have food allergies, go learn those few words to save yourself. After dinner, we were supposed to go watch Lido but we were quite dead by then. Plus we were catching a 7am flight to Biarritz in the morning and having to wake up at 5 put me off already. So no Lido:( That morning at the airport in Paris was an experience so atrocious I think France will forever be tainted. Well, to cut the story short, this staff of Easy Jet should just burn in hell. Budget airline or not, whichever the industry, no customer in any circumstances, let alone a lady, should be called a MOTHERFUCKER. Agree?

Supper in Spain Anyway, we got in to Biarritz and I was still boiling with rage. The weather, just as hot as my temper. That same evening at San Sebastian however, totally blew our minds. As much as I couldn't stomach the Easy Jet incident, I decided to shove it aside so that I can fully digest what's coming. Being in San Sebastian was like stumbling upon a food playground.

Half an hour drive from Biarritz is the Basque country which I’ve never heard before. It’s a very old country bordering France on the south which belongs to Spain. Stephane drove us and Eugene there to meet our friends Joerg and Txuku (pronounced chu-ku) who own an apartment in this charming town.

from left : Eugene, Stephane & Txuku

Our one and only objective there was to EAT. The way to do it is tapas-hopping, from one bar to the next, from 9pm till late. We were brought to these packed tapas bars which served smorgasbords of small Spanish eats or what they call, PINCHOS displayed on the bar for your own helpings. We squeezed in amid people reaching for ham in croissant, veal cheek, pig’s ears, preserved cod fish, pan-fried gigantic mushroom sponges and mini sandwiches of sort. There was one bar that served a very unique item which our friend Eugene was most intrigued by. He has a thing for delicacies and he's one who'd gladly pay (through his nose) just to try it. So, we did just that! We ate sautéed baby eels – which cost 400 euros/kg.

It was Saturday night and the town with tiny & tight little bars was crowded with happy people, noisy with talk, perfumed by food and drunk on life. And this scene, we were told, is everyday in San Sebastian! I think we must have hopped into 3 bars by now, purely relishing.

This 4th place had apparently, the best wines in the world. They cooked fantastic chunky steaks too! Eugene, again asked for the most obscure - the fattiest piece of meat, trimming of course not necessary. Very juicy indeed...I felt like having a glass of red all of a sudden. Quite unusual that I'd ask for a 'drink' but oh... that wine and the meat, perfect balance.

My disinterest, or actually my dislike in alcohol must sound totally absurd to those we love drinking. I mean the gallons of wines and champagnes that are perpetually bestowed upon me are enough to literally drown me, yet how rarely do I ever indulge. Hmmm... why am I not in the shoe business...? Seriously...

Just downstairs from Joerg and Txuku’s holiday apartment which sits next to a clock tower on what looked like an old railway square was in fact an old bull-fight ring, are 230 tapas bars as such all stacked one after another squared around the town. People, neighbors, friends, gather to socialize there very regularly. And everyone there is ostensibly obsessed with food. So you can imagine how good food here must be. Here's an interesting story :

Back in the day in San Sebastian, some hundred years ago there were these MEN-ONLY clubs. Although this has changed now, quite clearly women were not allowed then. I of course had immediately pictured prostitutes-gambling-smoking-drinking joints, you know the common pleasure-principles. Well, pleasure indeed, except these Basque-men gathered really, only to cook! This cracked me up big time. Obsessed with food you don't say!

Txuku’s brother took us to one such club, somewhere in the cracks which he’s a member of. There, we talked and laughed and after one bottle of local champagne later(Cava it's called), we walked down the alley past all these pinchos bars again to a Whisky Bar, or rather a Whisky Museum. In the basement of this place, people congregate to sing ala karaoke-style except to live music. All are free to join in.

from left : Eugene, Federico, Stephane & Joerg

It must be almost 2am. Yes, we decided the Whisky Bar was the last stop. We saw Txuku have her birthday dance with brother and decided to call it a night. They (Jorg, Txuku & brother) however, partied on. Stephane drove us out of San Sebastian while I struggled to stay awake to keep him awake while the other two (my husband & Eugene) snoozed away. Road signs were really vague, we had no idea IRUN and IRUNA were not the same so ended up heading towards Pamplona (which is the opposite side of Biarritz) – 30km in the wrong direction before we found a no-sign exit. It was quite freaky to be driving on a totally deserted highway in the middle of nowhere at that hour… not a single soul on either side of us. By the time we reached Biarritz, Stephane and I were totally wasted. He wasn't gonna get much sleep - 7am was his call time for the 1^st R&C meeting!

Dinners in Biarritz Well, that Sunday in Biarritz was truly awesome. Slept in from the late night plus no work:) And not that I’m complaining, but whatever happened to winter?!!? The temperature was perfect, the sun was out to warm my face. I did bring the tropics with me!

So I woke up in the hotel room to sunny Biarritz with the sea outside my window. I couldn't wait to get outside. I knew I needed just a sweater. How very nice! Since shopping in town was closed, we went and ate crepes again back at the same place overlooking the canyon. Then we just mosey-ed around town in a lesiurely pace, admiring the castles in the hood.

Adam's Family - I passed this castle everyday getting to town. There's a creepy-wonderment about it. It's a childhood fantasy of mine to stay in a castle one day... like those I read in storybooks. But I'll probably freak out spending the night in this one. We came to Biarritz specifically for the RELAIS & CHATEAUX XXXV International Congress (15-18 November 2009). All the members meet at a different country each year to attend the seminars and parties. That same night was the Relais & Chateaux welcoming party at the castle by the sea, at the L’Hotel Du Palais.

R&C OPENING PARTY Again, lots and lots to drink whole night long, with endless helpings of cuisine of the most sumptuous sorts prepared by some of the best grand chefs in France.

Le Parcours Gastronomique des grand chefs Relais & Chateaux

The setup was ala station-style where we helped ourselves to anything and everything and in an eat-all-you-want environment. To my delight, there was foie gras (again) and fresh oysters too - infinite offerings. To end, a myriad of not-possible-to-resist desserts of the finest French sorts, but I was literally badgering the macaroons booth.

Starters & Main Courses

Restaurant Helene Darroze - Escaoutoun with truffles

Chateaux Cordeillan-Bages (Grand Chef Thierry Marx) – Fresh, raw oysters, iodine breadsticks & caviar

Restaurant Richard Et Christopher Coutanceau (Grand Chef Christopher) – Confit scallops au naturel in a viennoise of fresh herbs on creamy broccoli with an acidulated beetroot vinaigrette

Carre Des Feuillants (Grand Chef Alain Dutournier) – Daube of tripes with ceps

Le Saint-James (Grand Chef Michel Portos) – Cannelloni of ceps & aubergines, coriander cockle vinaigrette

Hostellerie De Plasiance (Grand Chef Philippe Etchebest) – Cubism of foie gras & smoked tuna, aspic of oceanic bonito & Aquitaine caviar

Les Pyrenees (Grand Chef Firmin et Philippe Arrambide) – Shredded hare a la royale

Desserts by L’Hotel Du Palais (Grand Chef Jean-Marie Gautier)

Churros with Eugenie chocolate, soft macaroons with almond cream, waffles with fig compote & Bourbon vanilla & “Russian” with pistachio.

R&C Basque Dinner Biarritz was its most beautiful on Monday morning. The sun and he sea was calling. Hung-over or not, most attended the 8am congress down at the casino. Whereas I, spent 2 fabulous hours in the outdoors, power-walked by the sea and sprinted around the sleepy town. Met everybody for lunch later and then proceed to shop some more.That night was the FETE BASQUE – the Basque-themed night out at a farm called Ferme Inharria, somewhere out in the countryside. All of us (some 600 people from all over the world) were asked to dress in red & white with a red scarf & red berret.

Like the food, the event was nothing less original. And any R&C event is never short of surprises. A welcoming entourage of men dressed like characters of Asterix, drumming, marching and trumpeting.That was, Basque-style. We were led on red carpet first passing a trojan-looking beefy man demonstrating his physical power, then some ladies offering trials of their specialty chili-jam and finally to our dinner venue, the barn.

To start, a smorgasbord of cold cuts with bread (which was delicious beyond speech). Again, free-flowing champagnes and wines while Basque men out in the cold, roasting our dinner.

THE BASQUE MENU Lobe de Foie Gras de canard entire (yes FOIE GRAS again. I almost couldn’t eat anything more after this butter-rich slab of fat)

Cochon de lait cuit a la braise, haricots tarbais au chorizo (yup, the suckling pig was roasted just outside the barn – it was so super juicy I stuffed it anyway...)

Fromage de brebis & bleu basque, confiture de cerise’s Itxassou (strong-flavored cheese with berry jam, which I’m sure was to die-for but I was sitting there like a bag of bananas by then albeit not much worse than those who have had to sit through a full-day of talk at the Congress earlier - they were heavy with sleep by then)

Delice d’Amatxi, sauce caramel au cidre basque (AH…. now THIS was food for my soul. Quite special, picture cream flan on top of an apple pie then topped with a caramel-cider sauce. It was so light I simply inhaled it.)

Lunch at the fish market Now this was truly WOW. What was in-stored for us all after the Champagne Cocktail Brunch that didn't interest me at all, was really outstandingly. Unwilling to spill the beans, Stephane walked us through the Biarritz town to a mystery place. There was singing and drumming again as we reached what smelt like a fish market. Indeed it was! A market place – one end fish, the other meat. And OH MY GOD...

Need I say more??!!! Let's rape the oysters!!! There were also poached red prawns, boiled mussels, sautéed calamari, caviar… we, and hundreds of people from Relais & Chateaux were gobbling down like the world was running out of air. We could eat all we wanted.

And I, was unstoppable. It was the case of "I've come and I've conquered" AND totally raped the oysters. Hence no time for pictures, was too busy gobbling. Oblivious to the rest, I’ve lost Stephane too (another oyster rapist) by now, I moved on to other stations eating like a hungry homeless person. Now that, is the true meaning of 'indulge'.Then, when I was starting to look like an oyster, Federico pulled me away to the other side – the meat, cheese & dessert market. Yeah, let’s eat something else! Oh my oh my….guess what, just as we stepped through the door, I saw foie gras AGAIN! Slither after slither of foie gras pate later, I was again dragged away.

I had room left only for sweets. So there I had my first dose of basque cake and something called Canale which looks like a kind of Malay kuih. But it has an interesting tenacity and a hard-to-forget flavor... kinda burnt vanilla-caramel with a hint of rum. I was again relentless, in fact desperate. Since I almost could not eat no more, I asked to ‘ta pao’ :D Voila, I asked, I got! We had them for breakfast with coffee in Paris on our way outta France two mornings later.

R&C Finale Gala - The Charleston Night That was our last night in Biarritz. Held at the Casino, the party's themed was Charleston glamour. Think ‘Cabaret’, think old Hollywood divas, the aristocratic glamour of the 40s. Sequined and tassle-trimmed dresses with legs sheathed in fishnets and elbow-length laced gloves, ostrich-feathered head dresses and lips in come-hither red, set the stage for the cameras. SHOWTIME it was!

I always make it a point to dress as required at parties. You wouldn’t believe how I had scrambled to improvised...from Paris to Biarritz I searched for bits and pieces of glitzy accessories to put together, adding some degree of loudness I bought some look-at-me rhinestone bracelet and necklace, organza gloves that were really stockings, all that eventually became my mix-&-match medley of the cabaret-diva look for the night. Geez…. I was again, very lucky to have found something at all within just those 2 days! Although I’m never the plan-what-to-wear sort and even if I do have an adventurous spirit, in order to save myself some sanity AND MONEY while traveling, I vow to plan ahead next year. Before leaving Biarritz...Henriet's chocolates are, according to Stephane, the best in the world! I was here everyday. Their nougat-filled chocolates are really THE BOMB. The pralines and truffles are awesome too. I grabbed a bunch of different mixes - colorful macaroons, home-made candy, fudge, Basque cakes and candied fruits.

Back to Paris Flew back to Paris from Biarritz to fly to Venice on 18/11/09. Was a cold day too. And my temperament, just as cold as I stepped into that same airport remembering that rude Easy Jet prick. Suddenly I was pissed off all over again. I will file that complaint the minute I get the chance.

Arrived from Biarritz after a 2-hr flight almost. But with absolutely no luck getting a hotel in Paris! Paris was packed out! Us being us, definitely DID NOT learn from the last New York experience. We were very very lucky then. This time we were likely gonna have to pay an arm & a leg just to sleep somewhere for one night. Well with no options left, we resolved to the Sheraton Hotel at the airport. Which didn’t turn out to be that bad an idea since we were to fly out to Venice anyway the next afternoon. Although, yeah, we did end up paying 500 Euros (about RM2500) for a generic hotel room! So learn folks… PLAN AHEAD.

Nevertheless, we ended our Parisian trip on a high note. I got to see Moulin Rouge! Quite a way to end our night in Paris:) I’ve always wanted to watch the show and it was nothing less than what I had fantasized. Show tickets are expensive though. They run 2 shows a night 9pm (105 Euros - RM600+) and 11pm (92 Euros RM500+). With dinner, prices start from 150 euros.The entrance and inside the theatre with seatings at tables cabaret-style all facing the stage. Loads of Japanese tourists. Take note that you'll be asked to deposit your jacket/coat before entering the theatre but you won't be told you'll be charged 1 Euro for it. Just so you know, you CAN refuse if you don't see the need to.

They do change their shows occasionally, this one was Ferie. Pretty spectacular... a troupe of 100 artists, including 60 Doriss Girls (recruited world-wide) ; 1000 costumes of feathers, rhinestones and sequins, set up in the most famous Parisian workshops ; sumptuous sets in shimmering colours uniquely designed by Italian artists and the giant aquarium... Ah....this sold me the show actually. The high-tech stage made anything possible including an emerged aquarium where a topless Egyptian goddess submerged into a dance with some big pythons. Preview here!

It was a highly entertaining variety showcase with some of the best, most outstanding international acts; a super juggler, contortionist-comic dance which was amazing and a ventriloquist that uses a dog as his prop and who also engages audience participation. It’s a show not to be missed while in Paris!!! Do book online or call in advance because you don't wanna be stuck in a queue like this.Unfortunately Boulevard de Clichy isn't exactly a decent area to hang out at. In fact pretty dodgy and filthy...I didn't feel safe here at all. This is actually the red-light district of Paris so you can imagine lah. Just down the road from the Moulin Rouge theatre are strip clubs, sex shows, sex shops in the dodgiest form. Horrible. What made it worse that night was the soccer fans of Albania, hooligans really, who were celebrating their win against Egypt. Speeding cars on the streets, people clad in flags and painted faces screaming and honking, burning stuffs... gosh they turned Paris upside down as seen in the news. There were police in high-tech gear roaming outside the theatre, tons of rubbish on the road. Ugh it was rowdy and ugly.

That night, we saw one helluva spectacular world-class cabaret performance, possibly best I've seen in the world, and one lousiest, most gross pole dance show I've ever seen in my life. Talk about extremes... Well, I had no idea! I was curious but then no peeping aloud so it wasn't like we could walk in to check it out first before paying! I seriously thought Paris would have some good pole dancers...was hoping to buy a lap dance even. So I forced my hubby to go in with me. He was not amused at all. Sure enough, we got conned. 20 Euros each for a damn lousy act (I won't even call it a 'show') or whatever it was, at this dark and filthy joint of zero customers. As we entered, working girls were lazing about half-asleep on some sofa and were immediately 'shoo-ed' to 'wake up' to show us to our table. I realized then it was a mistake. Hahahahh! This place looked and smelt so dirty I didn't even wanna sit anywhere, let alone drink. We were really, the only morons there by the way.... Some young-looking eastern-European girl (i think) then came and started to 'dance' around the pole on the 'stage' in front of us. She did absolutely nothing and we felt cheated. We only have my pole passion to blame. Anyway, now I know... Been there, done that. Earlier that evening before coming to this rowdy side of town, we were at the posh side of town and had dropped in at the famous Buddha Bar for a drink. Nice ambiance....reminded me of The Spice Market in New York. After, as we strolled closer to the main street to catch a cab, I came upon Laduree! What a coincidence. Just a couple of nights ago in Biarritz, I heard from my friend Ilsoon that this shop sells the best macaroons in Paris.

Look at the packaging. Haute macaroons they are, aren't they. If you're a macaroon fan, Laduree is opposite Dior on the main road not far from Buddha Bar. We also managed to walk around a bit in Paris on this last night. 'Pet'-A-Porter One thing I love about France is that people here love dogs. Dogs are allowed everywhere:) In fact, the 3 weeks we spent in France and Italy, I've not seen one stray dog. I remember a tourist joke I read from somewhere long time ago, when asked how France was upon one's return, the answer is, "I don't know because I was looking down the whole time!" - yeah, watch out for dog poop.Well, I think I've seen enough of France for now... less than a week of the good, the bad and the ugly. I can now say I've been there, done that. I must admit though, I don't particularly speak French.

ASIAN POLE SUNMMIT 2009

2009-10-25T20:50:00.000-07:00

Can't wait to see Bobbi again! They're both so gonna set us all on fire!!!
Kim is a fantastic dancer herself. In fact many yonks ago, she was gigging in Genting for over a month! She's gonna be teaching an Exotic Pussy Cat Dolls Routine and an Exotic Strip & Lap Routine. Definitely not something anyone's gonna wanna miss!

I personally, am really really looking forward to some quality time with my butterflies and Bobbi herself as well as with everyone from The Hanging Garden. Can't wait to welcome you all to Jitterbugs! We'll have such a pole-licious time. I have something very very special planned for all my wonderful students. Thank you for being a part of me:)

Radio Interview with BFM

2009-10-06T18:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a recent interview on the Big Picture segment with BFM's presenter David.
To listen click here.

Part 1 : The art of pole dancing

Part 2 : Learning to pole dancing

Are You The Next POLE IDOL?

2009-09-25T20:06:00.000-07:00

POLE IDOL is geared to promote pole dancing as the new phenomenon in dance and fitness. This acrobatic sport, undeniably a beautiful art form, has recently captured the interest of many Malaysian women as well as men. This competition is therefore an exciting event for all, but essentially an eye-opener!

The Pole Idol champion will represent Malaysia to compete at the upcoming Asian Pole Summit in Singapore.

Over RM10,000 worth of cash and prizes to be won!

Time & Date

LIVE AUDITIONS : Oct9 & Oct10, 2009 (9pm)
GRAND FINALS : Oct24, 2009 (9pm)

Venue
NEO
(19, Jalan Sultan Ismail - opposite TGIF/next to Wisma KFC)

For those who wish to compete, please contact me. Students from all pole schools in Malaysia are welcome to participate.

As for the rest, come and enjoy the show!

A Pole Dancer Most Extraordinary

2009-09-06T18:51:00.001-07:00

Felix Caine is superhuman and for this reason, she's now a part of Cirque Du Soleil (in Las Vegas i think...). She's really amazing and every time I watch her, she blows my mind completely. I love her for taking pole to a whole new level.

Watch her special appearance at the Conan O'Brian show recently to promote ZUMANITY :
Felix Pole Dancing on the Tonight Show Thurs 25th June

Btw, Felix is a part of Bobbi's Pole Studio in Australia, the same school I went earlier to train at (read it in SENSATIONAL SYDNEY!). Bobbi herself has been invited since to the upcoming APS (Asian Pole Summit 2009) happening in Novemeber. Don't miss this!!!

(shared via AddThis)

The TAMARIND Deva : NUDE Party

2009-09-05T20:28:00.000-07:00

I usually detest putting videos of myself on the internet but this recent performance was special. To all my pole-liciously wonderful students whom I love and cherish dearly, never forget this :

The Hanging Garden is
your garden of expression,
your place of dreams
and
the home to your own hidden greatness.

I love you all:)
Enjoy!

The Anatomy of Pole

2009-09-02T21:25:00.000-07:00

To achieve optimal performance, a dancer needs to understand the blending of science and art to improve dance techniques. Pole Dancing is a highly acrobatic sport, undeniably a beautiful art form. Scientific knowledge and understanding in the connection will help dancers blend anatomical and kinesiological principles with artistic expression.

Because pole dancing in the advance level requires tremendous total-body muscular strength, a dancer needs to condition the body in order to increase muscular power, flexibility, stamina and core strength as a preventive regime to reduce risk of injury, at the same time enhance performance longevity.

As a weight-bearing exercise, pole dancing increases bone density thereby strengthening joints as well as all of their connecting tissues. Most people don't realize the importance of bone health but a higher bone density means lower risk of osteoporosis, which women are known to be most prone to.

lift your abs + lengthen your spine

To "pull up" or "lift" is often used in conjunction with the abdominal muscles (pull up or lift with your abs). A desired anatomical interpretation of this cue is to contract the abdominal muscles such that the inferior (lower) attachment onto the pelvis is the moving end, rotating the pelvis posteriorly (backwards) to achieve the desired neutral position of the pelvis and normal curvature of the lumbar spine.

"Pull up" is very important in executing air-borne dance moves as well as those that defy gravity. How the "lift" helps is it keeps the entire body "frozen". During this time, core action will kick into play, like when the body is planked. I personally find myself "pull up" most when performing the Shoulder Mount (using ab strength instead of momentum by kicking up, that is). Also when executing a rotating trick called Cyclone, where the movement requires the body, at take-off, to plank once air-borne and keeping the legs extended straight out while allowing the body to stay in this position as it swings till it's time to touch down, when eventually the legs are pulled into an 'attitude' position.

However, the planking of the body doesn't always apply for other more extreme moves in pole dancing. Dancers do execute tricks which, very often require excessive backward movements and arching of the back. For instance the "Pole Arch", "The Ball" and especially the contorting "Bird's Nest".

There's therefore a great need, in fact, imperative to build and strengthen the back extensors (the 2 strips of protective muscles running alongside the spine all the way to the upper back). These are the muscles that'll stablize the skeletal frame and offer better support of the back when core is weak.

think of your pelvis as a basin... avoid spilling the content

Imagine your pelvis is a basin so avoid letting it tip. This is an effort to maintain desired alignment of the pelvis. From an anatomical perspective, keep neutral pelvis and avoid letting the pelvis tilt in an anterior (forward) direction - as you are asked to practise in Pilates.

This is a great exercise so practise regularly to strengthen the lower back region and learn to activating the core muscles, where you encourage the use of abdominal muscles to lift the pelvis to a neutral position. The same technique does kick into play when maintaining balance and stability of the following move, for instance.

There're some moves, however that require the dancer to do the exact opposite. For instance when executing rotating tricks like The Butterfly and Goddess, the dancer must use the lower ab muscles to tilt the pelvis forward (hence "spilling the content") while keeping the lower back arched and glut muscles (the butt) contracted.

use lowers abs + quads/hip flexers

Greater use of the abdominal- quads (front of thighs) force couple. If more stability is established, use of this force couple helps maintain a neutral pelvis and to position the weight of the body appropriately to maintain balance. For instance, The Boomerang.

Such a blend of science and art will empower dancers to realize their potential and expand their artistic vision. Start from the basics and teach the body. Our body is an incredible machine. It is remarkably obedient because the muscles remember what you make them do. You'll be aware of what your body is capable of and how it can work for you, if you pay attention to it each time. Understand it, appreciate it, look after it.

I love this quote by Astrid Alauda,

"Your body is a temple, but only if you treat it as one".

Well, that's exactly it.

Notes on theory from Dance Anatomy & Kinesiology
Thanks to Brandon & Justin for these awesome photos (taken at the NUDE party 26/7/09)