I can't seem to rid of this song in my mind...

...hence, you are getting this too :)

TGIT!

It is still ok to talk about January?

Please don't put me in jail when I am still talking about the stuff that happened months ago...I wanted to write but just, lazy. (hopefully you can't really read this word if you are reading off the phone).

January was kinda significant because I moved from 20something to 30something. I remembered I woke up with birds chirping outside the room, weather was great and wrinkle-free still! I dumped the idea of making breakfast at home and determined to enjoy the day fullest. I tell you, it was all the simple thing that made the day perfect. Simple. No more, no less. 

Celebrating another year of life with all the people who matters

Another big thing in January was that my 3 other gfs also had their birthday celebrated in the same month! These are friends whom I known since secondary school days. We always make it a big thing to come together and celebrate, eat and be merry. No fail in attendance unless their leave is approved. Every year we have new members joining the gang and soon enough we will need to book the whole villa to fit all of us in. :)

The tell-it-all banner. Now, who will believe the group of 16 year old looking ladies turned 30! *flip hair*

Then I finally got to meet these other girls whom I have missed for a long time! Reason, we need more reasons to come together. So, I was being used, as a reason. :)

Almost 10 years! The best colleagues/friends anyone can ask for 

And the highlight of January was...(drum roll)...(drum roll)...(drum roll)...THIS!

Special dinner request

This trio of beauties was my dream come true. This trio of beauties tasted perfect. This trio of beauties was prepared by EY!!!!! First in the 5 years we dated, 2 years in marriage and woah, hopefully not the last *Fingers crossed* :P 

I'm really glad for all the old and new friends and events that started the year together and made time to be with me/us. 

January just past us by. So is February, soon. Maybe I should do this post-month post? Yeah right... :) 

xoxo

Once in awhile...

Saw this on my google+ and brought smile to my face. I guess we all need that 'someone' once in awhile, don't we?

Happy Monday everyone. xoxo

Friday free day

I have a strong attraction to Southeast Asian food. I think the strong flavors of the chili, fish sauce and oyster sauce makes my taste buds very happy. Everytime I think about stir-fry, noodle, sambal, my mouth would start watering. 

I have been following a recipe book named "Bangkok Street Food" and it's the perfect book to satisfy any thai cravings I have. 

I made some adjustment to the taste by adding some oyster sauce and black soy sauce for the color and added prawns just because I love prawns. This dish is perfect for 1st timer homecook - it will take you not more than 15mins from preparation to having your first bite in your mouth! Enjoy guys. :)

Holy Basil with Minced Pork and Prawn

Ingredients (Serve 1)

(Main)

150g minced pork

100g Prawns

1 handful of Thai Basil 

1 chili padi (you may choose to add regular size chili for less spiciness)

2 cloves of Garlic

1 shallot

1 egg

Oil

(Seasoning)

2 teaspoon of fish sauce

1 teaspoon of oyster sauce

1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon of sugar

2 tablespoon of chicken stock

season with pepper

(Method)

First, cook your egg. Any style of egg of your choice. Once it's cooked, put aside for serving

Saute the garlic and shallot

Throw in (gently) your pork and when it's 70% done, throw in your prawns. 

Add in half of your basil and chili after your prawn has turned pink

Pour your sauce when all the meat is cooked and allow the sauce to be infused into the meat. Taste your dish at this point. 

Add the rest of the basil and give it a final stir. 

Serve with rice and egg

Staying Grounded

Hooray to 2014! Just to be real - I woke up feeling just the same; just like yesterday; like any Wednesday should feel, except I'm not teaching because my students are traveling, schools are closed and even studio at SpaceandLight (where I practiced now) is closed.  

My day started with a long snuggle with E, greeted each other a great year to begin. We trots down to Tiong Bahru for porridge then to SIL and back home where I laid my mat and began to practice. 

I sat on the mat for awhile, thinking what should I practice today. I was reading an article by Swami Sivananda Sarawati and it said: Yoga aims at developing willpower. A person with strong and dynamic willpower will always sit upright and walk with his chest thrown out in front. The practice of asanas if of vital importance and, though the practice may be found to be painful and troublesome at the outset, when the habit of sitting in one asana for a considerable length of time is formed, one will feel a peculiar thrill and pleasure while seated there, and will not like to change the pose on any account. 

Now, to achieve the willpower Swami Sivananda was saying, I gathered there must be real strong determination, persistency and focus. That to me have to start with being grounded. The willpower must stem from a strong base of foundation. To be grounded in my practice; being grounded in my character; being grounded in my belief. Hence, my practice today was all basic yoga asanas, focusing on staying grounded with the floor. Reminding myself through the importance of my limbs and the strong foundations they create to stay stable and yes, grounded. I'm not near the yogi level and hence, I have to keep working on it...ya?:) 

Anyway, these are all home practice stuff and sharing as I go along. Cheers to all! 

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Anjaneyasana

Setu Bandhasana

Bhujangasana

Embracing everything of 2013

It's always a sentimental moment for me when the year is ending. 365 days have passed and I wonder if I've lived it well. This year has been exceptionally blessed for the Es because we survived a change. We left our "monthly salary lives" to pursue what we called - passion. It was really tough to live out of the comfort zone - our pockets got lighter, meals were simpler and travelled lesser. Many challenges along the way dampened our spirits but our hearts were happy. We wake up everyday with dreams in our head, a purpose to fulfill and a hungry stomach to feed. :)

God was super awesome for us. Everything happened for good reasons and I wanna thank the Lord for giving us strength and wisdom to live this through. He led us through situations, to people and places that changed us and showed us what life at this point meant to us. 

I'm so grateful to all the old friends, new friends, students and teachers. You never ceased to show me what the meaning of sharing, giving and loving is. I am who I am because of all of you. 

I don't know if I'm doing justice by speaking as 'us' throughout this post but I felt very strong being a single unit in this Yip household. What say you, EY? 

Anyhooooooo, I'm putting together all the events that I am grateful for, that happened in MY life and it felt really good to do so. I choose to think I've lived it well..enough. 

Anyway, too late to regret now... huh!? 

I turned 29 with these bunch of lovelies and our families. Celebrating another year of life and friendship that last through time

I was 'certified' to play with children of all ages and very blessed to meet all the awesome 'child at heart' friends who added so much laughter and fun to my life

I jumped on the opportunity to travel with my two favorite girls in this world. We had a ball and thank you for all the love 

I had my first private group class, my first corporate class and first kids class. I loved all the "firsts" this year 

I bid goodbye to these lovely people at USS after 1.5 years. It was a refreshing friendship with these young people; dancing, chilling and living each day as it is. They reminded me life sometimes should be like this - always dancing, chilling and living in the moment

Then I bid farewell to another bunch of fun folks after 1.5 years. It's here that I matured as a "corporate-being" and took everything in my stride. I wouldn't trade anything for this experience

I arrived at Nasik India on 14 October and there has not been a day that I have not thanked God for allowing this opportunity to happen. I came here to become a Yoga Therapist but I think I was being cured in someways or another. 

Everyday was lived in joy; joy overflowing from my heart and spirit. I met many wonderful people here and man, can you believe if I said there was never a day I didn't laugh. Yeah, thanks to Soo, my evil twin :) 

This trip is easily the best trip of the year. Period! 

I loved this man with all my heart and thank God for making him mine always. Happy 2 years marriage BABE! 

I cooked my first indian food! I'm a genius! Sorry, I must be humble... :) 

I'm just over the top that I'm venturing to cooking different cuisine and it's major achievement to me

I also had the opportunity to witness 3 of my best friends getting married, 4 newborns and 2 pregnancies. Ahhhh, things like that reminds me that I'm growing older... inevitably 

I've decided to go against the flow and not make resolutions for 2014. Because I believe life is always changing and plans are always changing. My resolution might work for today but might not work for tomorrow. The plans are loud and clear already and I think it through everyday. I don't want to end my year ticking boxes. I want to measure my life like the Bhutanese - By Happiness. 

Here to a blessed 2014 everyone. Love to all. xoxo

* Special shout-out to dear Leftie! 

When the wind blows...

We decided to fly kite at the Marina Barrage!

Looking at the delicious looking kites up above

We were flying a kite board 'training kite' and it was a total body workout! The control of the kite is pretty easy once you get the "pull-push" concept. The kite catches the wind and flies on its own but it can get boring if it's just static and still. Hence, we tried making maneuvering a 'figure 8' using the handlebar, flew it up to above our heads and purposely bring the kite to low level and tried to bring it up to the air. 

Being amateur, our skills were so limited and our kite crashed many times on the grass, over the wall, over the railing etc. The running and climbing really worked us. :(

Nevertheless, we had a ball! The sky was threatening and there were tiny drops of rain every now and then, but it held up very well for us the whole time we were there.

We definitely will return for more :)