"Heineken The Asteroids Galaxy Tour"

This infectious tune just makes you want to dance - unless you're just a fuddy duddy who is totally unmoved by a great beat.

Last week (was it really last week?), I previewed Heineken's great TV ad "The Entrance", which featured this very yummy young man on Heineken's s lavish set as well as this backing track.

This time around, the spotlight is on the track - the Asteroids Galaxy Tour’s hit single, The Golden Age.

It's the third single from the Danish pop group and this 90-second music video also features behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the ad in a palace near Barcelona.

Want to know more? Visit Facebook.com/Heineken.

'Heineken The Entrance'

I love clever ads. They grab the imagination, they entertain, they amuse and subtly, ever so subtly, they introduce the star of the ad.

I don't believe there is anything to be gained from envy. But it is a hard thing indeed to not envy people who can dream up, visualise and create such clever ads as Heineken The Entrance. I suppose once the germ of an idea has been planted, it just keeps bouncing all over the place - each new chain in that idea more creative and incredible than the last.

Heineken is most definitely one of my favorite lagers. In Bangkok, it is a toss-up (at least for me) between Singha and Heineken ... and if I am in a pub (of which Bangkok boasts more than its fair share), a thirst-quenching ale.

Wonder if I would ever have the chance to be part of a crazy clever ad.... hmmmmm.

'The Right Choice'

Education is big business and a thriving industry in several countries, Australia included.

If Thailand's annual education expo is any indicator, leading institutes of higher education from many countries look forward to "setting up shop" at the expo to attract business.

Australia remains among the top picks for students from several Asian countries. They head down under for short courses, summer school, boarding school and full degrees.

Melbourne is a favourite and I can understand why. My visits there have always been fun - the food is good, great sights and places to visit, good shopping, an eclectic mix of characters and - from what I've heard - a fine university.

Some will find it interesting to hear what these students have to say about their unique Melbourne experience.

WIN Top Christmas Gifts

Alyce, the Westfield Insider, gives us a peek at her top 10 buys at Westfield for loved ones, young and old, this Christmas.

It's simple - either save or splurge - and the goodies will bring smiles to the faces of the lucky recipients.

PLUS, shoppers have a chance of winning one of five "Save or Splurge Gift Packs" that are up for grabs. Read all about it and put in your entry by heading to facebook.com/thewestfieldinsider ... remember, you have to be in it to win it!

Good luck...

'A Pot Noeldle Christmas - by Pot Noodle '

Hands up, all those who just love instant noodles.

Thailand is instant noodle heaven.... a flavour to suit every taste. So is Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan etc etc etc.

Apparently, the UK is also instant noodle heaven. In the land of bangers and mash, Pot Noodle is a big hit, not only for its popular ramen-style noodle in a cup but for its fundraisers.

I loved this cheeky clip for the festive season (including the doggie that showed how much it loved the rear tyre of the noodle van!). Cleverly done and cute.

I wonder whether anyone has a copy of Pot Noodle: The Musical, which made its debut at the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe Festival?

Strip Me Famous - Part 3

This is the conclusion of the world's most low-brow talent show ....

You don't want to miss desperate wanna-be divas Crystal Peters and ping-pong popping Tracy Winger going head to head to win the hearts and lower extremities of the audience and the judging panel.

This clip shows Crystal doing her thing with a vertically challenged elf as Tracy lolls in the wings popping those ping pong balls.

Which of the two will be the world's newest starlet - a product of a mini series of maximum bad taste... watch this and maybe you will find out....

The nail-biting, the suspense, the prayers.... hilarious.

"The Glades"

Every so often, this trailer will pop up on Foxtel, announcing the imminent arrival of The Glades (premieres December 5 on W, I think).

Australia's Matt Passmore (Underbelly, McLeod's Daughters - which I could get even in Bangkok!) has headed west to land this hot role in a show that has apparently had rave reviews in the US.

Passmore, as Jim Longworth is a homicide detective who is great at his job but (as is usually the case) not easy to get along with. He lands in hot water and forced into exile after being accused of getting it on with his former captain's wife....

He takes his payout and heads for Palm Glade, Florida, and a quiet life.

Of course, if that were the case, there would be no story.

But if any one out there wants to know what happens in the sleepy resort town of Palm Glade, they will simply have to watch the show. Happy viewing!!!

Christmas anecdotes Part I

A pinch and a punch for the first day of the month!

Aimee is in seventh heaven. Today, she gets to put up the Christmas tree.

Already, she has most of her pressies wrapped up (theme appears to be purple or shades thereof) and silver. Soooo many and each one individually picked by her for that particular little person or one of her BFFs.

Aimee is great at picking purrfect presents, organising, decorating, baking her should-be-famous fruit cakes, cooking, celebrating ...... we (read Stu and I) will have to do the cleaning up once another Christmas bites the dust.

I love Christmas but it is rather nice not having to worry about what to get so-and-so. I also love the preparations - making the pickle, pineapple tarts and on Christmas Eve slaving over a hot stove in the kitchen for all the festive favourites that we would dig into after Midnight Mass.

But those were the days.

Today, Allan is in Dubai and will be spending Christmas and New Year in Singapore and Malaysia, Niv is in Bangkok and Aimee and I are in Perth. A scattered bunch but love keeps us together.

Love and Other Drugs

Some things simply remain anchored in your memory - like Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain.

Perhaps now as Jamie Randall, a salesman and notorious ladies man, he will be able to break away from that (some would say) controversial role.

Jamie has found that he can sell anything to anyone, that is until he meets his match in Maggie Murdoch (Anne Hathaway) who just isn't buying.

Love and Other Drugs will come to Australia on December 16 so make a date with a best friend. I suppose this would qualify as a chick flick...

All I want for Christmas ...

I am torn.

It was going to be a boring Christmas in Bangkok, where the new year is a blast but Christmas is more of a food & beverage extravaganza at the cirty's hotels and eateries.

Then I bit the bullet and decided to remain a tad longer in Perth, to spend the Yuletide holidays with my darling Aimee, who is doing her darndest to make sure I have a great Christmas.

Then my much-loved Allan asks me to spend Christmas with him in Singapore! He has decided to escape the drudgery of Dubai to visit Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

I so would love to see him - haven't done so since March! And he too spoils me rotten.

But to fork out more than $1,000 for a five-day trip is just obscene, even if I'm not the one doing the paying.

*sigh*

So, it's Perth for Christmas, with Aimee and a house decorated to the rafters - and I know I will enjoy every minute, even though half of me will be in Singapore in spirit.

All I really want for Christmas is to have both my children with me ....

Who is the Westfield Insider?

If Westfield has its way, before too long Alyce will be a household word when it comes to retail therapy. This lucky duck is the Westfield Insider, a plum $100,000-a-year role to entice shoppers of all ages to make Westfield their second home.

What makes a good shopper? Sniffing out the best deals, making the most of our shopping dollars, and mixing and matching - turning ordinary pieces into memorable ensembles.

Anything else?

"I Spy - Letter "K" - The Natural Confectionery Co.'

Harley-Davidson: Judgement Day

There's something about a Harley that just turns grown men into little boys with their big toys...

Who would have thought that this motorcycle manufacturer, which was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the early years of the 20th century (just a bit of trivia), survived the Great Depression and withstood a barrage of competition from those competitive Japanese, would evolve into a household name and the dream ride for countless men of all ages?

Well, if you have always aspired to own one, now's your chance ..... and it may not cost you a cent.

Over 48 days, 58 Harley dealers will customise 48 new forty-eight bikes. You get to choose the best bike. The 49th day will be Judgement Day, when the winner of a new forty-eight will be announced.

Oh yes, and it's fair game for everyone, men and women alike. Go for it!

Of naked figs and Sundays sunny side up...

Perth is just the place for a lazy Sunday breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Imagine seated on a verandah on a sun-swept day with splendid views of the open sea, waves churning away creating the perfect conditions for avid wind-surfers.

And minutes later, the most eye-pleasing palate tempters being placed on the table in front of you by a naked (not nude) figger.

The place? The Naked Fig by the sea in Swanbourne.

Families with children scampering about on the restaurant's lawns, couples, mates - they were all there, many for a late breakfast and many more (like us) for lunch.

It was my first visit and I found it all so pleasant - from the ambience, to the food (worth writing home about), to the friendly staff, who really looked like they enjoyed being there.

Stu opted for (surprise surprise) a steak sandwich, Aimee had the Poor Boy salad and moi pigged out on a blue cheese tart with salad, PLUS potatoes with chorizos (the name escapes me).

To wash it all down, I (with Stu's help) thoroughly enjoyed a bottle of Amberley sauvignon blanc.

Next time you're in Perth (or if you are in Perth, the next time you fancy a meal out), head on over to the Naked Fig or one of its other two sister restaurants - also named after the cheeky fig.

Becoming the Westfield Insider

Alyce Cowell must be in seventh heaven in her new role as the Westfield Insider, who is also supposed to be Australia's savviest shopper.

That's all well and good, and it is always nice to see someone rewarded or do well.

She is obviously in for the ride of her life and if she is truly savvy, she will make the most of this one year. Memories galore just waiting to be cherished.

Well done Alyce. You go girl....

Who is the Westfield Insider?

After a hectic journey and the help of voters, Westfield now has its own Insider.

Alyce Cowell beat a field of 1,400 contestants and nudged out the other two finalists, Brooke and Samnang, for this plush role that will rake in $100,000 for the year. And one can hardly call it a job - more like being paid for a passion. Lucky lucky girl.

See What You Love, Love What You See

I love Australia.

They do so many clever things here - plus the weather is wonderful, food is fantastic, the wines are "constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy", and the people are a potpourri of characters and moods from around the world.

Imagine turning a simple attempt to get people to get eye tests into a feel-good video clip using blimps and people of all ages with great smiles on their dials. The mood is so Australian.

Good on ya OPSM.

Be Part of the New York City Seen

I love perfumes and body scents. In fact, we women (or most of we women) love collecting pretty bottles filled with scents that have been created to tantalise, tease, torment ... or simply help us smell nice.

I have lovely Diors, Oscar de la Renta, Chanel that I actually acquired while shopping at Bloomingdales and Macy's in New York more than 10 years ago. And they still smell soooo good.

At first glance, "Be Part of the New York City Seen" is a typical girl meets boy girl likes boy etc etc. But, as the makers planned, it is a rather clever way to promote .... fragrances?? Playboy fragrances, for him and her, to be exact.


Hmmmmmm.... got to go. More scents to savour.

'Mattessons Fridge Raiders Interactive Free Running YouTube Game'

What on earth is in the case? Perhaps some of Mattesons concoctions, like Cajun jambalaya? Must be pretty ravenous to go to these lengths or Mattesons must truly be yummy.

I thought this was pretty clever, to get younger people interested in a brand, why not create a game?

So go for it guys....

Hackers should get a life

You hear about them, you watch movies about them, you read about them and the worms and viruses they spitefully unleash on the cyber world, you may have idle chatter with friends about them. But you never for a single moment believe that you would be a target for them.

Darn hackers - movies usually depict these nerds bent over a keyboard, obsessively click click clicking away, accessing the most restricted sites, emptying bank accounts, setting in motion chains of events that could end in catastrophes and, sometimes in real life do.

Is anyone safe from these single-minded soulless beings?

Certainly not I, as I have been hacked.

More precisely, my gmail and Facebook accounts. Gmail contained lots of personal contact with family and friends but nothing of importance to anyone but me. Facebook had all my games, which I have labored hard to get to the levels I am at!!!! LOL

It was here in the morning and gone in the evening.

I was baffled and just kept trying to log in to FB, which kept telling me "this email address is not linked to any account....." So, I tried gmail and, heck, it told me either username or password was wrong.

Then it hit me (yes, I can be a tad slow at (rare) times). A bloody hacker has done this.

Two days later, I reclaimed my gmail account. By the way, IDs etc are not proof of ownership of the account; you have to prove you are the rightful owner by providing information about your account e.g. frequently used email addresses (because they come up as soon as you key in a few letters, we tend to become lazy about remembering them or storing them away in a pin dot of our brain).

All this happened on November 2. To date, Facebook has yet to give me back my account, which is really frustrating. My crops have died, my food is spoilt, I have failed to complete missions. A total disaster.

Come on Facebook, get your act together and give me back what is mine and mine alone.

As for those darn hackers, I wish they would get a life and let us get on with ours.

The Stella Artois World Draught Masters championships

Touted as the richest prize in bartending, the 2010 Stella Artois WDM draws 25 finalists from all over the beer-drinking world.

From 25 to eight to the one and only champion.

The challenge is to present a perfect glass of draught following a nine-step pouring ritual.

All very interesting of course, especially the bit about leaving a layer of foam as it seals in the flavour of the draught.

Bottoms up.

The growing years

Isn't it funny that whenever we reminisce about those bygone years - our childhood, adolescence (and school years), young adulthood - more often than not (at least for me) we are enveloped by a comforting glow, fuelled by wonderful memories?

Growing up was far from easy. We were not exactly poor but with 10 children, my father and mother struggled to feed, clothe and educate us. The fact that Papa loved his drink (in his case, stout) meant that there was even less money for the basics. That he sometimes was a positive boor was not easy either although he did mellow with age.

My sister and I (at the age of 13 and 12, respectively), tutored a local boy - she in maths and I in English for $15 each a month. A fortune for a child in those days.

We saved our money for LPs and singles, for stockings (for special times like Christmas and Easter) etc.

Mum must have been a magician in one of her past lives because she would conjure up two pretty dresses for each of her five daughters every year, again for Christmas and Easter. Apart from those tailored frocks, we had a few home sewn smocks and basics. No such thing then as pretty knickers from the store for us.

She was also a sorceress in the kitchen, whipping up the most amazing curries, stews etc with the most meagre ingredients.

We wore hand-me-downs, we used everything until they were literally in tatters (when all the girls in school started carrying those fancy canvas school bags, I lugged around my little battered school case that was so out of date and ugly).

We did not have family getaways, regular outings to the cinema or even a day trip to the city. We lived on the east coast of Singapore. I distinctly remember my very first trip (as a teenager) to Orchard Road, the heart of the premier shopping and tourist district. It was like visiting another country!!!

Watching television was the highlight of our lives. The whole lot of us would gather around the TV (children sitting on the floor) watching Candid Camera, Get Smart, the Ed Sullivan Show, I Dream of Jeannie, Mr Ed the Talking Horse, Lost in Space, Star Trek (woohoo)....

Growing up with very little money was not fun. I would like to think that I was never ashamed of being close to poor but I do remember that awful feeling in my gut as I watched my school mates, many of whom came from well-to-do families, spend money like there was no tomorrow.

However, today, when we talk about those old days, we remember all the great things that we had but never quite realised.  Never feeling lonely, always having a play mate (not only to play but to fight with!!), always appreciating every treat, no matter how small - a feed of great Hokkien-style noodles when Papa had his pay, mugs of Ovaltine or Milo, the Avon body talcs and colognes that my Aunty Sybil never failed to give us at Christmas time, the ang-pows we collected at Chinese New Year (the little red envelopes contained sometimes $2 and if we were really lucky, $10).

I could go on and on but I won't. What I will say is, if I had a chance to live my life all over again, I would not ask for anything different.

Westfield Transformation Cheryl's Makeover: Teaser

Not exactly the story of the Ugly Duckling, but definitely an experience any number of women would love to experience: To be pampered, primped and polished almost to perfection!

A luxuriating soak, a foot rub or perhaps a neck massage (usually with or by someone special in the cosy comfort of home) - mmmmm, a treat for us everyday women.

Cheryl, the lucky ducky getting the Westfield Makeover, must have definitely felt like a new woman - and apparently she deserved everything she got!!!

Cheer 'Em On With Milo

I would have been about eight but I distinctly remember sneaking into the kitchen late at night, filling a cup with Milo and condensed milk, mixing it up and spooning the sickly sweet and chocolatey stuff into my eager mouth. It was heaven and - at the time- oh so yummy.

I don't think that I would have thought it a great idea if I had caught my children doing that but then they got up to their own brand of high-jinks all the time with no help from me.

Milo, of course, still remains a big favourite with young and old.

Now, the young 'uns (most likely with help from their mum and dad) have a chance to win $10,000 "composing" their own cricket chant and help bring back the Ashes.

Does that mean no more Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi?

Strip Me Famous

Is this for real? Well yes, it is and it is not.... I think.

Crystal Peters is a "contestant" in this satirical look at how far those reality TV wannabes will go to win, in this case the finals of Strip Me Famous.

All the smudged bits seem to suggest Crystal is definitely flaunting her talents!

Meet the Westfield Insider Final 3

Alyce, Samnang and Brooke all have an equal chance of becoming the Westfield Insider, earning $100,000 for a year to shop and tell.

Will Samnang triumph and thus be able to bring a male perspective to this high-profile job? After all, male designers do seem to dominate the fashion stakes and rule many of the catwalks all over the world.

'Mitsubishi i-MiEV - Welcome to Tomorrow'

Looks like Mitsubishi in Australia has taken a giant step forward with its zippy, smart and nicely packaged i-MiEV - its first mass-produced electric car.

Imagine having no fuel bill, instead powering up this cheeky car in seven hours through the standard household power supply? It's quiet as a mouse, boasts (not idle, either) zero drive-time emissions and is as sassy as they come.

Makes me want to go out and get one right now.....

See How We Made an Ad Campaign with Zero Carbon Footprint

Having only recently been involved in authoring a Sustainable Development report for a big cement company in Thailand, I found this especially interesting.

The goal was to produce an ad campaign as energy efficient as the cars being advertised.

With a fantastic forward-thinking production team and Hyundai as sponsor, they proved that they could produce an ad campaign with a zero carbon footprint.

The set was made as green as possible and every effort was made to reduce waste from the get go. No plastic water bottles, cutlery that was compostable and ended up in the green bin, reducing the average 50 bags of garbage a day such a set would produce by 75 per cent, using human power and solar power in production work, collecting and using rain water etc etc.

The result?

They reduced CO2 emissions by a whopping 96% versus traditional production methods and invested in carbon offsets for the remaining 4%.

If every corporate entity and every major (and minor) advertising agency in the world were just as ingenious, what a difference it would make to the world we live in.

Small steps to big leaps and bounds for our planet.

Well done.

Meet the Westfield Insider Final 3

Wonder how Alyce, Samnang and Brooke are feeling right now, after having been picked as the three finalists in the Australia-wide search for the Westfield insider?

All three claim to have an eye for fashion and a nose for sniffing out great bargains.

One of the three (Samnang being the only man, who says he will bring a male perspective to a female-dominated field) will end up with a $100,000 wage for one year's work as the Westfield Insider.

Imagine spending your work days shopping and then telling! Talk about job one could grow to love.....

All three stand equal chances of winning so good luck to the trio.

Lucky devils....

Perth is just peachy

I love Perth. Winter is especially nice, when you get to rug up with a cup of hot chocolate, a good book or great movie.

I love the chilly mornings with the sun shining and a cold wind blowing. To me, it beats the horrid mugginess that is Bangkok (another city that I love for many other reasons).

Holidays home are planned around winter and spring. This year, however, although spring has sprung, summer seems to be so impatient to make itself felt.

It was blistering today, not bad in itself but not when you are out and about and having to get out and back in the car after it's been baking for a while. But it was a trip well worth making - first to have lunch with former colleagues at The West Australian newspaper and then to Coles to grab its two-for-one Schweppes offer!


Winter people seem to be in the minority here. Australians love the sun and summer in the city and at the beach is always something to look forward to. Which explains why places like Phuket, Samui, Langkawi and, of course, Bali are popular destinations for these sun lovers.

Summer in Perth means barbecues, sausage sizzles and salads, going about barefoot (why???) and for some men bare-chested ("will you please put a shirt on your bum?" my 16-year-old godson said to one the other day". He didn't hear it - Josh was in the car and the young chap was strolling on the sidewalk).

Summer in Perth means flies - big nasty blue bottles - flies and more flies.

Summer in Perth means the most delicious fruits are in season, performances perhaps in Kings Park,longer days to enjoy the balmy evenings and cool nights for star-gazing.

I love Perth.

Charles Worthington Front Row

After a series of bad hair days in Perth, I so would love to have someone like UK hair guru Charles Worthington turn my mop into a crowning glory!


Worthington and his team are letting their fingers do the talking yet again at the London Fashion Show, a highlight of which is Erdem Moralioglu's Spring Summer '11 collection. A bunch of leggy young things strut their stuff in an incredible dome-like tent in London.

The dresses and outfits are, for the main part, flowery, flowing, feminine with touches of lace and the models look stunning with simple plaits circling theirs heads a la Ballet Russe.

I wonder if I will be able to find Worthington's Front Row Crackle Wax in Perth. It works like magic!!!

What's in a name?

I've had to rename my blog. *sigh*

Veronica's Diary had kind of grown on me since I started the blog and there was this teeny-weeny bit of pride in actually getting down to do it (write the blog I mean).

I was going merrily on my way, inviting friends far and near to drop in on Veronica's Diary and to watch the videos, most of which are promotional but still fun to watch and interesting.

Anyway, while chatting with Aimee, the PR woman in me just could not resist asking her to ask her friends to take a peek at Veronica's Diary. "Do they get to it from my FB account?"

"No" says I, brimming with confidence. "They can google Veronica's Diary".


Just to be sure, I googled Veronica's Diary.

1,820,000 results.

First off the rank a sex-filled site where any and every thing apparently goes - that would make even the Kamasutra read like a Mills & Boon novel.

Another obviously oblivious woman from Ipoh, Malaysia, gives friends a glimpse into her life with a similarly named blog. Then there are book clubs, one about Archie & Friends (remember Veronica) and lots and lots of adult sites.

Hilarious.

I have not laughed this hard for a very long time.

Insanity aside, it was time to think of another name.

What about Veronica's Vibes, I asked (quite seriously) a young friend. Wahahahhahhahahahkekekekkekke. "Why not just make it Veronica Vibrates," she said so irreverently.

Another avalanche of laughter, ending with stitches in our sides.

From ridiculous to rational, we ended up with a rather dreary Postscripts from Perth.

Any suggestions? And nothing rude, or I will be blocked in Dubai AGAIN!

What on earth is David LaChapelle going to do with the new Nokia N8?

Imagine being photographed by none other than David LaChapelle, the man who is responsible for some amazing portraits of some of the world's most iconic celebrities including Lady Gaga, Eminem, Leonardo DiCarprio, Andy Warhol,Muhammad Ali, Michael Jackson, to name a few.

Well, some lucky people down under are going to get the chance....all you have to do is nomiN8 yourself and a friend, telling Nokia why the two of you should be photographed by this prolifically extravagant photographer/director.

I think I will give it a go - perhaps I'll be among the lucky four (+ nomiN8-ted mates) who will be flown to Melbourne and photographed by LaChapelle.

I could become famous, a household name!!!! LOL LOL LOL

Good God It's Shaggy

Shaggy Dog and 42 Below - most definitely a surefire recipe for a hit bash to celebrate the popular Jamaican's 42nd birthday. All wannabe party guests have to do is find Shaggy on the streets of Sydney and watch out for hints on Facebook and Foursquare.

42 Below is most definitely one of my favourite vodkas and I have great memories of working (while I was marketing communications manager at The Sukhothai) with then 42 Below rep, the absolutely gorgeous Paul Warden, in Bangkok to promote 42 Below, South Gin, Still and 420. In fact, I helped launch 420 (designer water from a spring at the base of an extinct volcano in South Island). 42 Below fans of course know that it stands for the exact location of its birth - a garage along the 42nd parallel, where it was distilled as a hobby.

The "420 at The Zuk Bar" tea party was held (you guessed it) at 4.20pm and happily mingling with the media and other guests was then New Zealand ambassador Peter Ryder and his lovely wife.

Then there was the time Paul concocted a great range of incredible cocktails for The Zuk Bar - actually, we had more fun in the creation than we were supposed to!

The Sukhothai holds great memories of great times. Wish I was back there!

There's method in my madness

Who says you have to have read Shakespeare to quote him? Actually, I love Shakespeare and count sitting under the stars on chilly evenings in Kings Park, Perth, enjoying a Shakespearean play as one of the more pleasant things to do in this wonderful city.

Can't quote the Bard by verse but have definitely, and unwittingly, used his words on countless occasions. Here are some of them:

* A dish fit for the gods
* A foregone conclusion
* A fool's paradise
* A plague on both your houses (love it)
* A sea change
* A sorry sight
* All that glitters is not gold
* All's well that ends well
* As dead as a doornail
* Bag and baggage
* (But for my own part) it was Greek to me
* Discretion is the better part of valour
* Eaten out of house and home
* For ever and a day
* I have not slept one wink
* In a pickle
* In stitches
* In the twinkling of an eye
* Hot blooded
* High time
* Green-eyed monster
* Love is blind
* Mum's the word
* Send him packing
* Set your teeth on edge
* Star-crossed lovers
* Such stuff as dreams are made
* Too much of a good thing



Gosh! The list goes on and on and I so love him... what a genius. And if you don't agree, it doesn't matter because I am screwing my courage to the sticking place.

It's a blast - Samsung's new (HD) Galaxy Tab Official Live Demo

In a word of one syllable to describe this nifty gadget: WOW

The slim, stylish Samsung Galaxy Tab with its 7-inch touch screen is easy to handle, a breeze to use and packed full of useful applications.

I especially liked the documents-editing feature, quick launch of the web browser, combined mix of different calendars (for those always on the go), access to a full range of music, the e-reading device, real-time sharing of whatever I see, the keyboard dock and the ability to screen to bigger high-resolution screens .... to name a few.

All that's left now is to make a wish .... since I've been such a good girl, surely Santa will leave it under the Christmas tree for me. :)

'Who’s Australia's savviest shopper?

We’ve searched Australia to find the Westfield Insider!



We’ve searched Australia to find the Westfield Insider, a savvy shopper who loves sharing their greatest finds. Applications have now closed, and it’s over to our judges to decide who’s going to make it to the final 3. Stay connected and follow the search at westfield.com.au.



MY GOODNESS..... HOW DID I MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY?!?

Talk about the ultimate retail therapy - Surely, it would be (almost) every woman's dream to get paid $100,000 to shop and tell?!


Not all women were born to shop. But natural-born shoppers have this innate passion to look for - and actually find - the best bargains ever.

I would have to say that my daughter Aimee is up there with the best of them - always coming up with the most perfect gift for the most difficult people to shop for. She would definitely have given the rest of them a run for their money in the mall!

But that is not to be. So now we will wait and see which charming woman with the greatest shopping nous gets this dream job. Can't wait....

A must watch: Fact Checkers Unit : Turn up the heater with Jon Heder

This blurb from NBC's series Fact Checkers Unit is hilarious from start (a butt-on comparison of spandex, lycra, microfibers etc) to finish.

Dylan (played by Brian Sacca) and Russell (played by Peter Karinen) visit Jon Heder who ropes them into his new workout video in his home...

'Nuff said. Now watch it....

Those pesky phone calls

Open letter to telemarketing companies:

One of my biggest pet peeves is receiving calls:

* from people (who could in real life be really nice people just doing their job) trying to sell me something I don't need such as extendable beds!!!
* from people telling me straight off that "This is not a survey; it is a life analysis".
* at what they believe are "opportune times". Please note that those opportune times are mine and mine alone. I do not appreciate running out of the, shower to answer a call, which I am afraid could be important but turns out to be yet another life analysis I simply can(not) do without.

I do not appreciate getting calls when I am putting out (or taking in) the laundry; while I am preparing meals; while I am ironing; while I am mopping or vacuuming or scrubbing - all chores I would choose without batting an eyelid over a solicitation call - or while I am simply having some "me time".

So, please please, put your ad on the internet where it can be viewed by countless people, and if it is a really great grab, people will call you!

My moan for the day....

Nokia C3 - The Carphone Warehouse Eye-openers!

I must be among a small number of mobile phone owners who really should make more use of their phone's many features.

So this was indeed an eye-opener. Now, all I have to do is get a Nokia!!!!

The month for every woman

Tomorrow is the first day of national (or rather international) Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Australia is up there with the best of them in helping to make a difference. Throughout October throughout Australia women (and men) will be working hard on events (usually with a liberal dose of fun) to not only raise money for research into this killer disease but to raise awareness of it.

My daughter Aimee has for a few years now organised Champagne brunches, afternoon teas and delicious dinners with all the proceeds going to breast cancer research. She has had the generous help of some great WA companies and small business people, who without batting an eyelid have given generously of their produce and products. I take my hat off to wineries such as Lamont, Oakwood.......

In Thailand, where I have a second home, more and more is being done to increase awareness of breast cancer.

I must say I am rather chuffed about a project I initiated and saw to completion.

It was early 2006 and I had been marketing communications manager of The Sukhothai hotel in Bangkok for a few months. What was meant to be a three-month contract was being extended and I was determined to get the hotel involved in some meaningful projects.

The Sukhothai become fully involved in two projects in 2006 but only because of the generosity and far-sightedness of the General Manager, George Benney, and the support of a sassy Director of Marketing and Sales, Anne Lewinski (coincidentally both Australians).

More tomorrow on the first project, "Charity in an A-B-C Cup".

cheers.

Transformation Cheryl's Makeover

Transformation Cheryl's Makeover: Teaser



A nice feel-good story about an everyday shopper, Cheryl, who is nominated and chosen for a Westfield (Australia) makeover.

Westfield Transformations: Cheryl's Makeover: Part 1



Westfield Transformations: Cheryl's Makeover: Part 2



Westfield Transformations: Cheryl's Makeover: Part 3



Westfield Transformations: Cheryl's Makeover: Part 4





Westfield fashion stylist Trish Murray and makeup artist Sarah Laidlaw take Cheryl under their wing and she emerges as a stunner.

Lucky Cheryl!

IKEA creates 3D chalk art, Sydney

Wow, imagine turning part of Sydney's popular Circular Quay into a walk-in kitchen!!!
Passers-by, apron and all, were invited to pose for pics at a kitchen sink set - an illusion developed by 3D chalk artists Jenny McCracken and Anton Pulvirenti.
Woks off to IKEA for this innovative gimmick as part of preparations to celebrate its 60th anniversary.
As a die-hard IKEA shopper, I was tickled pink (yellow, red, blue and green, just like the cheeky apron) with this clip.

Congratulations IKEA.... love the new catalogue too.

Some things are worth talking about

Darn, I should have just left lazy hazy Sunday alone. I had to go spoil it with a post, an inane piece about nothing (sounds like an episode of Seinfeld), which then did the stupidest thing - it got me thinking.

Actually, it was about something close to my heart for ever so long - breast cancer awareness.

Now, this is not lip service. I believe that if you are passionate about anything, you have to (or at least you should try to) do something about it.

Amazingly, a few years ago while I was away in Bangkok working on a project during my stint as marketing communications manager of The Sukhothai Hotel, my daughter Aimee was in Perth working on a project of her own - both unaware of what the other was doing, raising awareness about breast cancer as a killer disease and raising money for research into it.

Hold on to your knickers, not everything at once.

Over the next few days, I will post for posterity more on what we did and how we went about it..... perhaps you might be inspired too.

So, stay tuned....

Where on earth has the weekend gone to?

It's 6.30pm in Perth and another lazy weekend is coming to an end.

The past 40 odd hours have been an absolute waste of time .... and I have loved every minute of it.

How many of us start the weekend with good intentions - do all the things around the house that we don't get around to during the week. Perhaps tidy up the knickers drawer, or (more sensibly although neatly folded knickers do look nice) cleaning out the fridge or pantry?

I definitely also had every intention of pruning some trees (not mine but the neighbours'), weeding, perhaps a visit to the Asian grocer to get all the yummy stuff to cook some Thai and Asian curries, plus to-die-for crunchy munchies.

Instead, I veged out, a real bed potato, summoning just enough energy to refill a drink or graze. I read my Dan Brown novel The Lost Symbol (of which I have two copies, one I simply had to buy at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok while awaiting my flight home and the other, which I had totally forgotten about, awaiting me in Perth - a present from Aimee last October that I left behind so that I would have something to read on my next visit home!), watched reruns of my favourite shows on cable and fidgeted on Facebook.

I did no menial task and spent absolutely no time on plans, grand or otherwise.

But Monday is looming and I am determined, in fact I am resolute, about pruning those damned trees tomorrow morning, .... and tidying up my knickers drawer.

Home sweet home

I am one of those lucky to call four countries on three continents home.

Born and bred in Singapore, I was 23 when I met my future husband, a Thai, at a party I really did not want to attend but which I did because my good friend, Robert Joseph, a budding navigator with Singapore Airlines, had the unenviable task of "providing the girls" for an orientation party at his house for his fellow students at the Singapore aviation school.

There was Niv, a wannabe pilot, all suave and a real sweet talker, willing and able to teach me how to do the bus-stop!

We got married a year (and countless bus-stops) later in Singapore and I fantasised about this exotic life in exotic Thailand. It was not an exotic life but I suppose it had hints of being an exotic land. However, it did grow on me.

I mingled with my mother-in-law's maids and learnt the most common Thai (which is great if you have to get around on your own).

I found a job at the Bangkok Post with my strongest asset: ability to read and write English  (yaay) and loved my 7 1/2 years there.

In this time, I changed nationalities (because my father-in-law, rest his dear soul, kept insisting that I had no choice as Thailand did not have such a thing as permanent residency!),

To cut a very long story as short as possible, I later joined the then Hyatt as public relations manager (another strong asset: a people person, a good talent if one does not naturally suffer fools gladly).

Allan and Aimee were growing up nicely (he into the cutest fellow imaginable who insisted on standing at attention at 6am and 6pm everyday - he was only 5 yet would go down by himself every morning to switch on the television and listen to the national anthem - and always had to have his shirts and T-shirts tucked neatly into his pants); she into a minx who once shaved her eyebrows and bits of her hair, and at another time raided my make-up, and both times then went promptly to bed, giving me the fright of my life when I returned exhausted from work at about 2am). I adored (and still do) them.

Life was good, indeed it was excellent. We had our own little house, both had great jobs, had good help and an enviable social life. But it was not enough, or at least I thought so.

I wanted Allan and Aimee to have choices and although they would have done well in Thailand, I just felt (and I am sure I could have been absolutely wrong) that the social structure was not quite right for them.

So, using my wits and my wiles, I persuaded Niv to look to Australia, Perth in particular, as the place to nurture our children into young adults. It was the best decision I made - absence of maids notwithstanding.

We packed up everything and we left Bangkok. The year was 1989.

Perth was so different even then. It was small, it was not crowded (remember, we came from bustling Bangkok, which never sleeps), the people were different and even having our rubbish collected by white people took some getting used to.

Children being children, Allan and Aimee took it all in their stride. Their first year must have been horrific, understanding most of the language but not being able to speak it well. Looking at, and listening to, them now, you would  never be able to imagine that English actually is not their mother tongue!!!

Perth became home and we all became Australians.

Then Niv made his way back to Bangkok to work in the airline industry again. I stayed behind, believing that the children needed me more - and anyway Bangkok was just a mere five hours away!

Allan graduated, then Aimee; Allan moved to Dubai for work, Aimee no longer needed a full-time mum. I moved back to Bangkok to work - this time in marketing communications at the incomparable Sukhothai Hotel - and again become a full-time wife.

Today, I am as free as a bird (still have a husband though), winging my way to Dubai, Perth, Bangkok and Singapore - my destination being wherever the urge takes me.

Right now, it is Perth, which has grown in more ways than one. I love the busy-ness of Bangkok, the sales in Singapore (plus my beautiful nieces and nephews, and their parents), the draw of Dubai but ..... I still also call Australia home.

Girls are made of sugar and spice

To my daughter, Aimee, who turns 29 today:

A daughter is a bundle of firsts that excite and delight, giggles that come from deep inside and are always contagious, everything wonderful and precious and my love for her knows no bounds.

Happy birthday Aimee. Become the best that only you know you can be. Best friends forever, MUM xx

Are girls really made of sugar and spice and everything nice?

Well yes, until they grow up.

As they morph into teenagers, they (I would like to believe) unconsciously begin to assert themselves as individual young women in their own right. That is, without any doubt, a good thing. After all, how many young men would want to partner or marry a young woman who is the spitting image of her mother in form, feature, focus, foibles and fetishes!!!!!

The problem is: we mothers KNOW that we know best so we (or at least I) spend a great deal of our (read: my) time trying to impress upon our daughters how things should be and should be done - from cleaning their rooms, to keeping house (an impossible task at most times), to any and every thing under the sun. For us mothers, this is a losing battle but one we will not give up as long as we have breath without a fight or two or three. The trick is to realise that this mother:daughter battle must be as old as time itself and that mums must be able to coax a hug every now and then, which like an elixir makes most things right as rain.

Aimee was a gorgeous baby (all mothers say that about those bundles of joy) and grew into an adorable young girl - but with very untidy habits (a Buddhist friend once said a long time ago that perhaps it was a way of expressing herself! Until today, I have not been able to decode any of her secret messages).

However, for as long as I can remember, there was hardly a night that I did not go into her room after returning from work (either the hotel or the newspaper) to sit by her little sleeping form, taking her hand in mine and kissing it. Her fingers were so adorable. That habit has since stopped because her bedroom door is now shut and I would have to knock before entering.

There are so many things I could wax lyrical about Aimee - her uncanny ability to find the most perfect gifts for anyone, her  big-heartedness, her many lovely ways - but suffice it to say that she is (apart from her joy of cooking) so not like me and for that I am glad.

With the passing years, she has grown into a young person with all the prerequisites of a great human being. If that means that I have done half a job as a good mother, well, well done Veronica (self-pat on the back). Truth is, I simply cannot accept much of the credit for how Aimee is shaping into this incredible woman; every person she has come into contact with has played a part in her development - and now, she is her own person... today, tomorrow and every day after that.

I am blessed.

My mum Charlotte

It was late August 2008 and I wrote this down so I would never forget it.

"I returned to Bangkok last night after another visit to Singapore.

I always have a grand time in Singapore, what with five brothers and five sisters-in-law (my beloved Miriam passed away on June 30, 2010, and is so badly missed) who take such good care of me, and 12 little people (nieces and nephews) to spoil and adore.

They're always a good reason to visit my land of birth but, this time, they were not the only reason.

I was there to celebrate the life of my beloved mother, Charlotte. She would have been 84 - she was thirty when I
made my debut in this wonderful, if at times troubled, world, the fourth of ten boisterous children.

Charlotte grew up into a ravishing beauty and remained beautiful until she died on February 14, 2007. I could write a book about Charlotte - her charms, her talents, her wit,  her rather incredible life by any standard. But I won't.

I will, however, take a moment to recall her amazing ability to not only survive but excel as a mother. She could have had any man she wanted and most likely lived a life of luxury but, instead, she chose my father, a hardworking, albeit hard-drinking, battler all his life.

Charlotte was a miracle worker. The going was tough but she always put food on the table, clothed us and made sure we did not miss school. This woman - who once dressed in the finest silks and dined at the finest places - took in other people's sewing, made pickles and tarts, and when the going got really tough, spent nine hours a day slogging away in the home of a woman she had known from way back when for a sad $5 a day. In our blackest days as a family, she wasn't ashamed to ask for and accept charity (always from her older brother); but, when times became good, she made it a point to be charitable in return. Her favourite haunt in her last years was a home for old, many forgotten, people, although her largesse even made its way to Africa and India via missionaries.

I do not recall her ever complaining and she never swore (not until dementia turned her mind). Not about the drudges, not about my father - who wasn't a bad man, just a frustrated soul who never had enough money for anything. We were always poor but we were not unhappy. In fact, my siblings and I have been known to spend endless hours talking about "the good times" - of shoes with potholed soles protected with cardboard; of dresses and uniforms with hems turned down so many times they created a pattern of stripes; of paydays when Papa came home - usually pickled - with a packet of Hokkien fried noodles and maybe two dozen sticks of satay - a veritable feast; of my sister and me saving our pocket money (five cents and sometimes ten cents) for a favourite LP or a pair of stockings (garters separate) for Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve when we were in our early teens.

On August 19, 2008, at 6.30pm, my brothers Gerard, Sidney, Alfred, two sisters-in-law (Joan, Gib) and I - plus two little people - sat in church to celebrate our mother's life. As we joined in the prayers, I beseeched God, asking Him if she could join us, even for a few seconds. I felt, very briefly, a warm tingle spread over me. It could have been anything but I would like to believe that it was Mum, brushing against me as she quickly planted kisses on all of us.

Rest in peace, Mum. I love you and miss you so much.