morning star

Morning Star greets a morning start. Gorgeous, isn't it? That's all I have to say today. Tomorrow is DP Theme Day. I can't wait!

the all clear

Delayed post today but that doesn't account for the fact that I witnessed the sun rise for the first time in months. No need to rush my freshly brewed cuppa. No need to get stuck in a car. Simply no need.

The misty air fresh and I could almost feel the morning dew penetrating my pores. I realised I missed this sensation. Thank you Insomnia but this time I rode your wave. It wasn't a bad weather day at all, and now it's time for the sun to rise somewhere else and I have 3 dogs that need to play. Woof Woof! Paddy whack give the dog a bone!

shiny baubles

I tried to resist posting any Christmas type shots until December but after I took this one, it just had to get posted. If you look at it long enough, you'll see a snowman smiling at you (I must be tripping on something!)

Yup, looks like I've gotta get the Christmas albums off the shelves and start popping them into the player. Falalalala lalalala! 'Tis the season. Bought your presents? What shall I get for everyone this year, eh? Oh, the weather outside is frightful.

stick it out

Hello Monday! How Ya' Doin'? Just thought I'd post something fun and frivolous. This is my friend Nell's chest. Not that Guys & Dolls is a favourite musical of mine but I like her t-shirt. It's that bling-bling feeling that resides deep in me. Bring on the mirrorball and I'm good to go :)

Have a great week ahead!

Oh, anyone a Cirque du Soleil AND Beatles fan? All you need is LOVE!

turn it off

50mm lens. +4 close-up filter and a very restless spirit stuck in a hotel room waiting for a show to begin. I wanted to take the view from the window but the glass was misted up. Then the chase to find interesting spots began and how close I could get with these filters.

It's a lazy Sunday. Woke up and took my mum to the clinic. Her eyes swelled up last night. Doctor said it was a bad allergic reaction which should clear up in a couple of days. Came home and decided to clean up my study. After this, I'm walking to the shops to get some biscuits. Peanut Butter Cream Oreos perhaps. Yeah, I think so. Ooh, I'll pop in a DVD later. That should be good to close a lazy day.

Hope your Sunday was stress and trouble-free. Tra!

phallos 3 + 4

No image manipulation here. Apart from sharpening the details of the towers, this was how the shot came out. White sky. I was overly excited and over -exposed it. I was going to delete it but somehow I kept it. Again, gut(ter)feeling prevails.

A cloudy morning doesn't necessarily mean it'll be a bad day. Glad you liked this phallos mini-series. I wonder what I'll post tomorrow? Have a great weekend.

ps. I just found out the last of the great jazz divas has passed on. May angel horns herald your way to heaven Anita O'Day. Rest lovely lady.

phallos 2

Here's another bank. I like this because of how the brighter side of the sky is reflected on the building while being framed by the coming storm.

Denton asked about the differences of the banking facilities and procedures here in Malaysia. I'm not a whiz but here's a link to the Central Bank of Malaysia. It should give you an overview of how separate Islamic legislation and banking regulations exist side-by-side.

On a darker note, my friend Candice said that KLDP's last few pictures reveal my sexual frustration. It's much more than that my dear...much more. Read the papers lately?

phallos 1

I took advantage of the wonderful sunlight a couple days ago while I was waiting for my number to be called at the bank. Another mini-series. Tall buildings. 3 shots beginning with this one of Public Bank headquarters reflected off the water feature that sits outside the main entrance of Petronas Twin Towers. I know it would've looked better if the top of the shot wasn't cut off but hey, we're an Islamic nation. You must understand that a little bit gets snipped off.

orkid

It's been a very busy few days and the weather has been wonderful. Bright sunny afternoons followed by rain in the evening. However, I haven't had the chance to roam the city. Luckily, with this weather, the orchids in my house have bloomed once again. Did you know Orchid is derived from the Greek word orkhis which means 'testicle'? I never knew that. But I now understand why I'm so fascinated by orchids. More proof that my mind is in the gutter.

for Ben & Meg

slow trickle

50mm lens. +2 Close-up filter. 2 legs straddled across a 5-foot deep drain and my body bent forward into a position I never thought possible. That was how this shot was taken. It was right after a light rain and I went walkabout around the neighbourhood. I don't know why this caught my attention. It just proves to show that my mind is in the gutter. Simply filthy I tell you.

pinked 3

It was tough deciding which shot to choose for the closing picture of this mini-series. This one won over the shot of pink slippers/flip flops/thongs. Why? I noticed something funny. Can you? Take a closer look at the brand names for the bags. They're the same bag but they have different names. And the lights are so pretty, aren't they? Oh what the hell, here are the slippers too! Obviously not a Blue Monday.

pinked 2

What do you think of this pink chandelier? I love it and I wish I had one hanging in my bathroom. Maybe not a pink one. Ikea had a cheap and cheerful one but I opted against it to look elsewhere.

This hangs over the cashier. No, none of the sales staff had pink hair. However, they were more than helpful and even encouraged photo-taking in the shop. You know how fussy shops can be. This pink shop staff even go so far as to tell you which parts of the shop have the best lighting for shots. Great!

If you're still blushed, have a look at my favourite men's shop, Thomas Pink. Have a great Sunday.

pinked 1

Today begins a KLDP mini-series. A collection of 3 or 4 shots from one place. In this case, it's a shop in the famous Sungai Wang shopping complex. My friend Karen told me about a 'Pink' shop where everything in it is pink. It doesn't have a name (I think) and really, everything is pink! A shop without fluorescent lighting! In the shop itself there are a few items that are coloured (some greens and blues) but pink is the order of the day.

I got some really great shots and I'm sharing the madness of KL youth fashion with you. How many shades of pink can you think off? I thought of a few but when I saw this shop, I had to rethink my mind's pink collection.

moving on

This is the LRT, our underground/overground Light Rapid Transportation. In Singapore, it's MRT (Mass Rapid Trans.) In Germany, it's U- or S-Bahn. In my favourite city, it's the Tube or London Underground. For most of the world, it's Metro. It gets us from one place to another and I think it's a great place to observe people (occupational hazard, sorry.)

This one I hopped on when I was leaving Chinatown. Well, you can say that I'm now on way to the next destination: a mini-series. See you there!

Petaling Street pt.10

Ganesha and his deity companions. Yes, there's a Hindu temple in Chinatown. That's what makes Chinatown so interesting. You get to experience the many cultures coming together to create this wonderful environment in a place I call home. If you wish to see some of the shots I took of this Hindu temple, please click this.

This is the end of the series. Thank you so much for taking this walk with me. I'm so happy you enjoyed it. It brought back many childhood memories. And there's more to be made.

ps. Thanks Karen. Thanks Myra. Love always.

Petaling Street pt.9

Dental hygiene anyone? I would've walked past this shop if it wasn't for my friends giggling behind me when I was snapping shots at something across the road. I turned around to see what the funny was. It's an old school shop and everything in the window looked prehistoric to me. I wonder if anyone actually came here to get their teeth done?

Petaling Street pt.8

Petaling Street/Chinatown is more than the cheap shopping. Walking around the greater area shows you many interesting things. There's a wet market, temples, little antique shops, even a dentures shop (I'll post that tomorrow.)

Here's one of the 2 guardian statues at the entrance of a Chinese temple. I took a picture of this one instead of the other because he looked invitingly at me. And because of him, I entered the temple. The scent of insense welcomed me as I looked up and saw them hanging from the ceiling. Sat on a bench for a couple of minutes. Got up, walked out and continued my frolics down the street.

Petaling Street pt.7

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire... Well, not so much an open fire as it is heated coal. The only open fire we Malaysians have right now is the one causing the horrible haze that blows in from Sumatera. I digress. Roasted chestnuts. There's nothing quite like 'em on a cold night. So, this one goes out to all of you who are grooving into winter. As for us here in the heated country, we wait for the chestnuts to cool.

I'll be taking you out of the main thoroughfare for the last few shots of this series. Till tomorrow.

Petaling Street pt.6

With all the 'practical' things you can buy in Petaling Street, there's also a fair amount of nonsense. Like this strange thing in a bottle. I noticed it from a few feet away and was instantly drawn to it. At first I thought it was a traditional medicine kind of thing. As I approached, I saw little packets of animals and insects. You throw them in water and they expand. Aaahhh, something to keep kids occupied for a couple of minutes. Good if you have a mad scientist for a child. Then he can keep the bottles on his shelf and impress his Igor-like friends.

It's Sunday and the sky is clear for the first time in weeks. I'm going to laze in the garden today. A couple of magazines and an ice-cold cola will do the trick. Have a good day and I'll see you tomorrow.

Petaling Street pt.5

I'm giving you more time to enjoy this series. Can't forget about children, can we? As adults, it is our duty to teach them the value of time, money and responsibilities. All the qualities that make up a good Chinese businessman. Not too sure about responsibilities but with all that time and money, who cares?

To quote a wise man, "I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way." Thank you George (Benson, not Bush with or without the W.) Have a good weekend everyone. See you tomorrow....show them all the beauty they possess inside...

Petaling Street pt.4

Time. There never seems to be enough. So why not haggle yourself a Rolex or a Tag? You won't get any more time but at least you'd look good wondering where it went. No mortgage required.

This man is one of the many that sell these much sort-after timepieces in Chinatown. He tried to sell me one but I declined. However, I did ask him to pose for the camera and he obliged. Don't be fooled by the picture. He has a great smile and was very friendly. I asked him why he didn't smile for the shot. He said he wanted to look dashing and sexy.

Petaling Street pt.3

Guess, Gucci, Prada, Le Sportsac, Coach, Fendi. Whatever designer label tickles your fancy is here and each bag can be yours for less than RM100 (USD27). If you're an expert haggler, you may just get it for less. That's the adrenaline high of coming to Chinatown. The seller throws you a number, you knock it down. He says no, you pretend to walk away. He throws you another number, you turn your head back to him and shout out another number. Two sets of eyes meet and the bag is yours! You walk away with a sense of accomplishment and he pockets your money ready for the next customer encounter.

But please don't haggle over the price of food or fruits. That's just silly. And no one wants a Chinese Mafia brother to bitch slap you. Right?

Petaling Street pt.2

What's Chinatown without cheongsams, eh? Oh, and football jerseys too! Ladies, if you look to the lower right side of the picture you'll notice a fake Le Sportsac bag. My friend, who shall remain nameless, bought one that day. It's very nice actually. Just don't walk anywhere near Paris Hilton.

Petaling Street pt.1

Petaling Street to us locals, a place to buy cheap designer knock-offs for tourists. A place fondly known as Chinatown. It's a place open day and night. The food is great and sometimes you really can find a genuine fake Rolex. Your friends back home will never know. With this series, I'll be showing you the things that caught my attention and you'll see how wonderful it is.

Let's start with the gateway. This is a couple of years old. When I was a child, before tourism became a hot topic, Petaling Street was dirty, full of character and had smells you never want to dream of. Today, it's cleaned up and still, it managed to hold on to it's charm. Just barely. Thank heavens I can still get the best roast duck there.

up high

It's so good to have friends who come visit and book hotel rooms on higher floors. Here's one of the many condominiums that grace our KL skyline. Nothing spectacular of course but I love how the gray clouds frame it. Yup, it's been raining lately and thank heavens for that. It helps to wash away the haze that's still plaguing our air. And the rain didn't stop my friends and me from going to the fairground last night. Wet and wild (and no need for bikinis either!)

Tomorrow I start a new series. Come and see. Looks like it's going to be a good Monday.

red light special

STOP!!! Malaysian drivers, especially city drivers, have a very bad habit of running redlights. Amber means 'drive faster' and red means 'keep going till you're on the other side of the road'. I've been witness to many an accident, mostly minor cases (a bump, scratch.) Why? Because the moment the light turns green (not even) the motorists zoom across. Before the car can even clear the redlight, the other one drives right into it when it's green. That's when the fun begins. Both parties start screaming at each other. Cars abandoned, which causes traffic. Only when both parties are completely satisfied do they get back into their cars and drive away. Courtesy on the road...a phrase many of us are oblivious to.

Have a good Sunday folks. Drive right and keep walking.

a cop out

When there's traffic, there's a traffic cop. When there's a traffic cop, there's even more traffic. The thing about them here is how they try to alleviate the traffic but ended up causing more of it. It's very common to find drivers saying, "Oh no traffic! Must be a cop at the lights!"

It's a tough life for cops. They get so much flack from us. Pity, some of them are quite cute. Oh you know, men in uniform. A stereotype but it's true.

this rock rocks!

Diamonds are girls best friend and that's why I like semi-precious stones. I followed a friend to her jeweller and while she was in the private room, I spotted this beauty and slipped in on my finger. It's a Star Blue Chalcedony. Isn't it gorgeous? But after I was told the asking price, I slowly removed it. I could buy a standard Mac Pro (and then some!)

I have a love for crystals and crystal therapy. Ask anyone I know and they'll tell you. My favourite stones are Petrified Wood, Sugilite, Citrine and all colours of Phantoms. There isn't a day goes by that you don't see some on my person either on my wrist, neck or fingers. Placebo perhaps but each type of stone does something different to me. Clear Quartz helps with general well-being and clarity. I've been wearing them a lot recently.

But this ring...Ooooohhhhh!

bright and shiny

No celebration is complete without some kind of fireworks, and in Malaysia big pow-wow-boom firecrackers are banned so we make do with sparklers. Like this one here. A killjoy for those craving big explosions. A joy for children ages 2 to 92. Like me and my friends' kids the other night. They were so happy! I kept running away from them though I was laughing at their happiness. I kept asking for them to look at me when I was taking pictures but instead they ran towards me jabbing these sparklers at my face. I was giggly as hell I tell you.

And we wonder where we developed our love for all things shiny and sparkly. You'll see tomorrow.

it rocks!

Two birds, one stone. Candice's favourite activity and one of KL's most fun places to visit, especially if you're into tight, hard calves and strong arms (I know I am!) This is Camp 5, a funky indoor climbing facility. Candice goes about 4 times a week. She suffers withdrawal symptoms if she doesn't go at least 3 times a week. I went along the other day and was tempted to climb but I was tired and had just woken up. I did buy myself a carabiner. Now my tripod and camera bag can balance together. If you're ever in town and want to do an outdoor activity indoors, this is the place. Oh, that's our friend Way Cheng climbing (another climbing convert.)