I received a lovely card from
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28 January 2012 @ 01:02 pm
I received a lovely card from
23 January 2012 @ 07:23 pm
Archi site visit to St John's and Lazarus Island off the coast of Singapore.
( more photos )
09 January 2012 @ 01:22 am
08 January 2012 @ 03:15 am
I always love grocery shopping - or at least grocery store browsing! I particularly enjoyed it in London. Somehow, rows of neatly arranged products are so appealing!
our dinner
my part of the dinner. I wish our grocery stores had such a large range of microwavable soups...
Bought the independent for the Miranda Hart interview, and then sort of fangirled to myself while calmly taking the doctor who magazine from the racks...
and because it's packaging is so awesome, it deserves a solo photo. My mother doesn't really like it though - well, in comparison to our large range of instant noodle flavours (my favourite is singapore laksa - it's DELICIOUS.) that's not surprising!
I'm going to watch War Horse tomorrow! Looking forward to seeing Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston on the big screen <3 I will try to post photos from the British Museum tomorrow! It's a bit worrying, because I'm only nearly done posting photos from the first day of my vacation in London and Switzerland, out of the 12 days of photos I have, and my second semester (of hellll) starts on monday. :(
05 January 2012 @ 04:01 am
Alright, spoiler alert. Scandal in Belgravia screencaps feature in this video.
After watching Sherlock on Monday, that tune he plays on the violin at the window was so hauntingly beautiful, that it got stuck in my head for quite some time. And so when it was time for my daily piano practice, I picked out the tune on the piano, and decided to try to extend it!
I wouldn't say I do justice to it, but it was fun all the same. Do give it a listen even if you don't watch Sherlock!
05 January 2012 @ 02:52 am
02 January 2012 @ 06:28 am
A Scandal in Belgravia was perfect, even though I missed chunks of the episode due to faulty live streams. But from what I saw, the cinematography, the music, the pacing, the script ohhh the script as always is fresh, exciting and engaging. As I said on twitter, Benedict Cumberbatch and Lara Pulver were ELECTRIC. What an amazing episode.
So very appropriately, here's a short video of my visit to North Gower Street and my lunch at Speedy's!
and of course, photos!!
Not exactly 221B, but still it's THE door ;D
( more photos! )
01 January 2012 @ 03:59 am
Is Loves of 2011
Norman Foster
I love his works, and almost bought a book of his work, but it was too expensive! I'm happy that I got the chance to visit the British Museum and walk under the famous roof.
Peter Zumthor
I was also lucky enough to visit Therme Vals, which is a truly amazing place. Having read his books - Thinking Architecture and Atmospheres, the way he sees architecture and his obvious passion for music makes me respect him so much. His sensitivity to architecture is ever so present in his built works, and i'm so glad I got the chance to experience it.
Janelle Monae
Her albums tell a story and describe a future-scape, making references to the film Metropolis. I like concept albums, especially ones that deal with dystopian/science-fiction themes! Tightrope was a song that helped me through a bad phase this year.
America's Next Top Model
I got into watching ANTM, starting with cycle 15. Ann Ward (top photo) is AH-MAY-ZEENG. She's my favourite girl from ANTM, ever. I was rooting for Molly(second photo) in cycle 16 because her photos are gorgeous, but of course Brittani had to win. ANTM is always fun to watch. It also makes you want to run head-first into the fashion world and be dazzled by everything.
Francesco Carrozzini
With Angelo Filomeno
With Ruska Bergman
I knew about him through ANTM, him being one of the guest photographers for cycles 15 and 16. In fact, for cycle 15 there was a 3 second cutaway of him in the first episode, and immediately I was like - 'WHO WAS THAT. WHO WAS THAT. I NEED TO KNOW WHO WAS THAT.' He is gorgeous and sooo cute. :3 His work is amazing as well, and I admire his view on making art and where his inspiration comes from. A true artist, photographer and director. It is difficult to describe good photography, but when I look at his photos, they make absolute sense in the composition - it clicks, it's dynamic yet calmly so - just...amazing.
Happy New Year everyone! I'm officially in 2012 now. I hope 2012 will bring much more awesomes, less tears, more joy, love and warmth all around for everyone. <3
31 December 2011 @ 05:44 am
It's the last day of 2011! What are y'all doing for the day? I'll be having my piano lesson later at 4.30pm, then dinner at my grandmother's house. Then I'll probably be doing nonsense on the internet as usual till the wee hours of the morning, like now. I like my New Years and Christmasses to be relatively normal you see...Well! Here's the next bit of the 2011 roundup:
Awesomes of 2011
NUS year 1 Architecture Exhibition: While I'm sure the planning of the exihibition was a bit hectic for those in the planning team, I thought the evening did turn out quite well, and it was pretty posh as well, considering it's location at the Asian Civilisations Museum. Thanks to all my friends who came for the exhibition! <3
Fashion Fast Forward Style Scout for Topshop: I didn't make it into the final round, but was shortlisted. Time was rather tight near the dateline for the submission of a blog post, so I couldn't whip up something better. Perhaps with my ThistleandSpine.tumblr.com blog, I might stand a chance next year if they have it again!
Trying for New Paper New Face: Weeeeell who was I kidding anyway. I wasn't called back, but for me it took a huge amount of courage to walk up to Sara and Wee Teck, so I'm giving myself kudos for that!
Joining Original Music Society (NUS): I'm a photographer and a writer for OMS, a student group in my university. It's nice to have other activities outside of archi...
Meeting Sam, Alex and Kevin from Two Door Cinema Club: Before their concert I did like their music, but wasn't a huge fan. After meeting these three charming men however, I'm a total fangirl. I shook Sam's hand like he was a dignitary, told Alex I love his hair, and was intimidated into silence in the presence of Kevin.
Noise Singapore Press Play writing competition: Won one of the stages, and got $150 worth of book vouchers!
Helping out for the Naoko Tosa Exhibition: I'll actually be helping out at her exhibition for 2012's Art Stage! Can't wait. Her exhibition this year was at the Japanese Cultural Centre, in a beautiful restored bungalow.
Decided to take an English Literature minor: I might actually be killing myself with the work load, but i'm happy to be able to continue studying eng lit in uni. :')
Got emailed by New Paper: They probably got my contact details from the New Face applications, and called me back to do a shoot for a healthy lifestyle article. I didn't accept it though, because archi school was being a bitch.
Tried ice skating!: I got into watching figure skating obsessively on youtube this year. I used to watch olympic figure skating whenever it was on and get goosebumps, but then this year I went on a figure skating video watching marathon. This led to an insane desire to try ice skating for the first time, and what an experience that was! The first time I stepped on the ice I was like - HOLYSHIT this is way more difficult that I thought it would be. I've been on the ice for about 3 times, the third time in an open air ice rink in Zermatt, Switzerland. Every time I feel myself getting a little bit better, and even though i'm just moving forward at a relatively slow pace on the ice, I'm really proud of myself for managing it by myself! In some ways it's like learning an instrument. I just wish I had more chances to go on the ice. I had planned on taking lessons this december, but because of other stuff I couldn't find the time. Hopefully when the 3 month holiday comes, I'll be able to take lessons!
I got tweeted back by Charlie Mcdonnell and Patrick Chan in the same week: You know these celebrities, they can be so unpredictable. They'll reply your tweet when you least expect it. I'm proud to proclaim to everyone that I'm (probably) the first random person that Charlie has tweeted back - complete with a photo. Also, Patrick Chan the amazing Canadian figure skater replied my tweet as well. Alas, his tweet isn't as interesting as Charlie's though.
Met David Hurley, Timothy Wayne-Wright, Paul Phoenix, Philip Lawson, Christopher Gabbitas and Jonathan Howard, from The King's Singers: After such a fantastic concert and meeting them face to face - ohhh it was wonderful. As usual you can count on me to make silly conversation during the 3 seconds in which we had with each one of them, and so I asked Christopher Gabbitas: 'Do you guys always take pictures like that?' - referring to the way each of them held a 'twist' up (in the manner of Japanese kawaii poses) when the girl in front of me asked if she could take a photo of each one of them, individually. He replied in a deadpan sort of voice - 'I think we've been in Korea too long...'. Also Timothy Wayne-Wright was such a dear when he said: 'You're very tall!' and his 'Oh!' when I told him I was wearing heels.
Visited the ever so glorious and beautiful city of London, and met with![[info]](http://l-files.livejournal.net/userhead/324?v=1321200422)
dltoro: London. Oh, the only place that tugs at my heartstrings constantly, even though it is sooo terribly cheesy to say this. Meeting with Helena is pretty awesome, seeing how I never thought I'd actually meet her in the near future - or anyone of you amazing people i've met on Livejournal. Possibly I will have the chance to meet some of you in my lifetime - maybe that should be on my bucket list!
Taking a day trip to Cambridge, showing my parents around Girton College: It happened so fast. One day I was in Singapore, and the next I found myself back in the place where I've frequently visited in my mind - over and over. We couldn't stay long though, because of the silly way the sun goes down too early in winter. We probably only spent about 45 minutes walking around Girton. While I was really happy to be back there, somehow it made me really sad. It was different - it being winter, some trees were bare and the grounds not as colourful as it was in the summer. I felt really sad that I didn't have Sofia, Evelyn and Sneha with me, and the other Reach Cambridge people to share the experience with. I feeling more pensive and introspective, rather than happy and chatty as I thought I would be. I don't know if you can call it being depressed, but I was in a rather bleak state of mind on the train back to London. While I wish I could have been more cheerful when I was there, it did inspire a piece of writing...
Selected for the playwriting module next semester: Right after arriving back in Singapore I sent in my application for the playwriting module. One of the pieces of writing I sent in was the one mentioned above, and the other was the Press Play competition piece. It is pretty difficult to get in, and there are only 12 students per semester. I really wonder what the tutor saw in my writing, because honestly I feel that my writing has many flaws in every aspect of writing - grammatically, sentence structure-wise, punctuation, etc. It's a bit daunting to walk into a class of 12, knowing that the others are probably really talented writers, and I'm just a person who dabbles in writing...
In an attempt to be optimistic, I'll take it as an opportunity to learn from my classmates and the tutor - after all this is why we go to school/university! Learning how to write plays could also be really useful in the future. I have this hazy plan of my future i've been formulating in my brain...I was thinking of working around the film industry. I've always loved films, I'm such a geek over soundtracks, my architecture course could lead me to production design, and I could also be a screenwriter. and if it works out, I might even be a director. Wow. That sounds massively unattainable though. XD TOLD YOU IT WAS A HAZY PLAN.
Lastly, I (might) be going to do an exchange in Paris next year!: I say 'might', because i'm not sure if the email I received confirms my place as an exchange student, or I have to see if the partner university accepts me, because there are still referral letters and annoying admin stuff I have to do. BUT, assuming that I am going, it's probably going to be life-changing. Pretty exciting. Also I might actually need to brush up on my french verbal skills. I survived in the french part of switzerland by translating what they said, but I couldn't speak a word of french to them because I was sooo scared! I'm also hoping that I would be able to cross the channel to London....8D
-~-
This took a little longer than I expected, so the last bit of the 2011 roundup will come later today. I don't want to flood y'all with posts as well. ;D Have a great day ahead!
Awesomes of 2011
NUS year 1 Architecture Exhibition: While I'm sure the planning of the exihibition was a bit hectic for those in the planning team, I thought the evening did turn out quite well, and it was pretty posh as well, considering it's location at the Asian Civilisations Museum. Thanks to all my friends who came for the exhibition! <3
Fashion Fast Forward Style Scout for Topshop: I didn't make it into the final round, but was shortlisted. Time was rather tight near the dateline for the submission of a blog post, so I couldn't whip up something better. Perhaps with my ThistleandSpine.tumblr.com blog, I might stand a chance next year if they have it again!
Trying for New Paper New Face: Weeeeell who was I kidding anyway. I wasn't called back, but for me it took a huge amount of courage to walk up to Sara and Wee Teck, so I'm giving myself kudos for that!
Joining Original Music Society (NUS): I'm a photographer and a writer for OMS, a student group in my university. It's nice to have other activities outside of archi...
Meeting Sam, Alex and Kevin from Two Door Cinema Club: Before their concert I did like their music, but wasn't a huge fan. After meeting these three charming men however, I'm a total fangirl. I shook Sam's hand like he was a dignitary, told Alex I love his hair, and was intimidated into silence in the presence of Kevin.
Noise Singapore Press Play writing competition: Won one of the stages, and got $150 worth of book vouchers!
Helping out for the Naoko Tosa Exhibition: I'll actually be helping out at her exhibition for 2012's Art Stage! Can't wait. Her exhibition this year was at the Japanese Cultural Centre, in a beautiful restored bungalow.
Decided to take an English Literature minor: I might actually be killing myself with the work load, but i'm happy to be able to continue studying eng lit in uni. :')
Got emailed by New Paper: They probably got my contact details from the New Face applications, and called me back to do a shoot for a healthy lifestyle article. I didn't accept it though, because archi school was being a bitch.
Tried ice skating!: I got into watching figure skating obsessively on youtube this year. I used to watch olympic figure skating whenever it was on and get goosebumps, but then this year I went on a figure skating video watching marathon. This led to an insane desire to try ice skating for the first time, and what an experience that was! The first time I stepped on the ice I was like - HOLYSHIT this is way more difficult that I thought it would be. I've been on the ice for about 3 times, the third time in an open air ice rink in Zermatt, Switzerland. Every time I feel myself getting a little bit better, and even though i'm just moving forward at a relatively slow pace on the ice, I'm really proud of myself for managing it by myself! In some ways it's like learning an instrument. I just wish I had more chances to go on the ice. I had planned on taking lessons this december, but because of other stuff I couldn't find the time. Hopefully when the 3 month holiday comes, I'll be able to take lessons!
I got tweeted back by Charlie Mcdonnell and Patrick Chan in the same week: You know these celebrities, they can be so unpredictable. They'll reply your tweet when you least expect it. I'm proud to proclaim to everyone that I'm (probably) the first random person that Charlie has tweeted back - complete with a photo. Also, Patrick Chan the amazing Canadian figure skater replied my tweet as well. Alas, his tweet isn't as interesting as Charlie's though.
Met David Hurley, Timothy Wayne-Wright, Paul Phoenix, Philip Lawson, Christopher Gabbitas and Jonathan Howard, from The King's Singers: After such a fantastic concert and meeting them face to face - ohhh it was wonderful. As usual you can count on me to make silly conversation during the 3 seconds in which we had with each one of them, and so I asked Christopher Gabbitas: 'Do you guys always take pictures like that?' - referring to the way each of them held a 'twist' up (in the manner of Japanese kawaii poses) when the girl in front of me asked if she could take a photo of each one of them, individually. He replied in a deadpan sort of voice - 'I think we've been in Korea too long...'. Also Timothy Wayne-Wright was such a dear when he said: 'You're very tall!' and his 'Oh!' when I told him I was wearing heels.
Visited the ever so glorious and beautiful city of London, and met with
Taking a day trip to Cambridge, showing my parents around Girton College: It happened so fast. One day I was in Singapore, and the next I found myself back in the place where I've frequently visited in my mind - over and over. We couldn't stay long though, because of the silly way the sun goes down too early in winter. We probably only spent about 45 minutes walking around Girton. While I was really happy to be back there, somehow it made me really sad. It was different - it being winter, some trees were bare and the grounds not as colourful as it was in the summer. I felt really sad that I didn't have Sofia, Evelyn and Sneha with me, and the other Reach Cambridge people to share the experience with. I feeling more pensive and introspective, rather than happy and chatty as I thought I would be. I don't know if you can call it being depressed, but I was in a rather bleak state of mind on the train back to London. While I wish I could have been more cheerful when I was there, it did inspire a piece of writing...
Selected for the playwriting module next semester: Right after arriving back in Singapore I sent in my application for the playwriting module. One of the pieces of writing I sent in was the one mentioned above, and the other was the Press Play competition piece. It is pretty difficult to get in, and there are only 12 students per semester. I really wonder what the tutor saw in my writing, because honestly I feel that my writing has many flaws in every aspect of writing - grammatically, sentence structure-wise, punctuation, etc. It's a bit daunting to walk into a class of 12, knowing that the others are probably really talented writers, and I'm just a person who dabbles in writing...
In an attempt to be optimistic, I'll take it as an opportunity to learn from my classmates and the tutor - after all this is why we go to school/university! Learning how to write plays could also be really useful in the future. I have this hazy plan of my future i've been formulating in my brain...I was thinking of working around the film industry. I've always loved films, I'm such a geek over soundtracks, my architecture course could lead me to production design, and I could also be a screenwriter. and if it works out, I might even be a director. Wow. That sounds massively unattainable though. XD TOLD YOU IT WAS A HAZY PLAN.
Lastly, I (might) be going to do an exchange in Paris next year!: I say 'might', because i'm not sure if the email I received confirms my place as an exchange student, or I have to see if the partner university accepts me, because there are still referral letters and annoying admin stuff I have to do. BUT, assuming that I am going, it's probably going to be life-changing. Pretty exciting. Also I might actually need to brush up on my french verbal skills. I survived in the french part of switzerland by translating what they said, but I couldn't speak a word of french to them because I was sooo scared! I'm also hoping that I would be able to cross the channel to London....8D
-~-
This took a little longer than I expected, so the last bit of the 2011 roundup will come later today. I don't want to flood y'all with posts as well. ;D Have a great day ahead!
31 December 2011 @ 04:26 am
Bolded(grey) titles are those that I really enjoyed!
Movies watched in 2011
Burlesque (online)
Sex and The City 2 (online)
An Education (online)
Limitless (online)
Rango
Unknown
I Am Number Four
The Adjustment Bureau (online)
Black Swan (online)
The King's Speech (online)
Paul (online)
No Strings Attached (online)
The Tourist (online)
Tron Legacy (online)
Thor
Hop (online)
Super 8
Pirates of the Caribbean 4
Forest Gump (online)
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows 2
Bambi (airplane)
Captain America (airplane)
Larry Crowne (airplane)
Friends With Benefits (airplane)
An American In Paris (airplane)
Jane Eyre (airplane)
Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows
Concerts attended in 2011
Baybeats
53A School Invasion Tour
Live Lounge NUS
Cirque Eloize iD
Sumi Jo & The Academy of Ancient Music
The King's Singers
Two Door Cinema Club
Exhibitions
Art Stage
Various exhibitions at: Tate Modern,
British Museum,
Zurich Design Museum.
& Landesmuseum Zurich.
NUS Architecture year 1 exhibition
Van Gogh and Dali exhibitions at the Art Science Museum.
Music Heard in 2011
Dan in Real Life OST
Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? - Paloma Faith
The ArchAndroid, Metropolis Suite 1 - Janelle Monae
High Violet - The National
XX - The XX
Tron Legacy OST - Daft Punk
Betcha Bottom Dollar, The Rise and Fall of Ruby Woo - The Puppini Sisters
Burlesque OST
New Moon Rising - Wolfmother
Adele (various songs)
Enchanted OST
Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys
Jane Eyre OST - Dario Marianelli
The King's Speech OST - Alexander Desplat
The Lady Killer - Cee Lo Green
O My Heart - Mother Mother
Tourist History - Two Door Cinema Club
Edith Piaf (collection of songs)
Chameleon Circuit - Chameleon Circuit
Doctor Who S5, S4 Specials, S5 Christmas Special OST - Murray Gold
Wild Young Hearts, What's The Time Mr. Wolf? - The Noisettes
Overpowered - Roisin Murphy
Gronlandic Edit - Of Montreal
Light & Gold - Eric Whitacre
Good Things - Aloe Blacc
Cirque Eloize iD OST
of the Blue Colour of the Sky - Ok Go
Burst Apart - The Antlers
Places Like This - Architecture In Helsinki
Kitsune Maison (Various compilations)
Elle Me Dit - Mika (+ various other new songs)
Sherlock Holmes: AGOS OST - Hans Zimmer
Movies watched in 2011
Burlesque (online)
Sex and The City 2 (online)
An Education (online)
Limitless (online)
Rango
Unknown
I Am Number Four
The Adjustment Bureau (online)
Black Swan (online)
The King's Speech (online)
Paul (online)
No Strings Attached (online)
The Tourist (online)
Tron Legacy (online)
Thor
Hop (online)
Super 8
Pirates of the Caribbean 4
Forest Gump (online)
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows 2
Bambi (airplane)
Captain America (airplane)
Larry Crowne (airplane)
Friends With Benefits (airplane)
An American In Paris (airplane)
Jane Eyre (airplane)
Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows
Concerts attended in 2011
Baybeats
53A School Invasion Tour
Live Lounge NUS
Cirque Eloize iD
Sumi Jo & The Academy of Ancient Music
The King's Singers
Two Door Cinema Club
Exhibitions
Art Stage
Various exhibitions at: Tate Modern,
British Museum,
Zurich Design Museum.
& Landesmuseum Zurich.
NUS Architecture year 1 exhibition
Van Gogh and Dali exhibitions at the Art Science Museum.
Music Heard in 2011
Dan in Real Life OST
Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? - Paloma Faith
The ArchAndroid, Metropolis Suite 1 - Janelle Monae
High Violet - The National
XX - The XX
Tron Legacy OST - Daft Punk
Betcha Bottom Dollar, The Rise and Fall of Ruby Woo - The Puppini Sisters
Burlesque OST
New Moon Rising - Wolfmother
Adele (various songs)
Enchanted OST
Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys
Jane Eyre OST - Dario Marianelli
The King's Speech OST - Alexander Desplat
The Lady Killer - Cee Lo Green
O My Heart - Mother Mother
Tourist History - Two Door Cinema Club
Edith Piaf (collection of songs)
Chameleon Circuit - Chameleon Circuit
Doctor Who S5, S4 Specials, S5 Christmas Special OST - Murray Gold
Wild Young Hearts, What's The Time Mr. Wolf? - The Noisettes
Overpowered - Roisin Murphy
Gronlandic Edit - Of Montreal
Light & Gold - Eric Whitacre
Good Things - Aloe Blacc
Cirque Eloize iD OST
of the Blue Colour of the Sky - Ok Go
Burst Apart - The Antlers
Places Like This - Architecture In Helsinki
Kitsune Maison (Various compilations)
Elle Me Dit - Mika (+ various other new songs)
Sherlock Holmes: AGOS OST - Hans Zimmer
