2+2 = 4 cakes Birthday :)

I just turned 22 last week, and this is one of few birthdays that i have a cake! Yes, i had cakes when i was a child and i even remember inviting my primary school friends over in Pri 4 or 5. But that was kind of the last few years that i've got a cake for my birthday because my family don't really have a tradition of celebrating birthdays with cakes, we are the traditional Chinese family.. except that my dad is not strictly patriarchal, as i grow up i learn to negotiate for more freedom and space to make myself heard in the family. :)

Our 'tradition' is to have mian xian with 2 eggs and pig kidneys for birthdays. My parents feel that cakes are a waste of money, are too sweet and unhealthy and is quite a western tradition. That explains the quiet birthdays, mother's/father's day and so on every year. At most, we will celebrate with a nice dinner outside.

Often, i'll wish that we are a bit more 'western' because i love pretty cakes, making wishes and having candles to blow, taking pictures, having mini parties and receiving presents. It is not really just that, but the effort taken to plan these also reflects care and concern which otherwise, have less chance to be shown this visibly.

This year, i didn't get my mian xian cos my mum forgot to buy it (i even have to remind her lol). We didn't go out for a family dinner. I haven't received a present from my family members but this year, i got my cake, four cakes in fact. And a little Hongbao from mum.

I feel really blessed this year to have such good friends and family who spends time and effort to celebrate with me, and plan lovely surprises! Thank God and thank you everyone!! :)

Cake One:

Fydi + Geog Girls + Joshua and Johnathon
@ Nihon Mura and Timbre - 14th August 08

Prettified using my Sony T70!
Wen Jie, Celest, Me, Joce, Angus, Sophie

I am really glad to have such good friends who never fails to make every day brighter with their presence, care and solidarity. United in Geography kays, no matter where we may end up doing or not doing geography when we start working.

Geog girlfriends who makes Honors year much easier to bear.
Angus found this choice spot for taking pictures with the National Musuem.

And Fydi, very important friends who makes you smile :)

We attempted this at least 5 times or so placing the camera on a low bench, with flash, without flash, smiling, pouting (cos the musuem is closed when we reached, closes at 8pm on friday)

Am I lucky or what? A picture with 4 boys/guys/men(?!)
Prettified :D i love playing with in-camera functions.

I wasn't really expecting a cake but the very sweet Joshua and his friend Johnathon, whom i have never met prior to that day, went out to buy a cake to surprise me while the rest of us are drinking at Timbre and playing table games and jokes! I'm glad Angus and Sophie and I invited him over the phone spontaneously.

Spontaneous things could be real fun actually, i mean, i will never have known Joshua if Angus didn't ask him to join our mugging session 2 sems ago. Friends through social network? It is a great idea actually, i feel especially excited when my friends who previously don't know each other hit off well when they meet at my introduction. Haha.

Cake Two:

Anna, Alvin, Grace (+ douglas later), Sister, Nopp
@ my friendly neighbourhood park - 15th August 08

Before this, Nopp brought me to Cafe Vic @ Carlton Hotel for a Mushroom themed buffet with a huge durain spread. I really didn't know anything was happening although during the buffet dinner, my bf looks really distracted sometimes, receives strange phonecalls and is always sms-ing away even when he is driving. There seems to be something going on, and yes, It's Anna's surprise!!!

She got Nopp to bring me to this area near to the beach park carpark and as i walked around the corner, behind these trees was a tiny grass patch where I was greeted by this very pretty and heartwarming display of candles and lanterns!! Spelling out my name. It looked super romantic and it is so sweet and thoughtful of her to plan the surprise! I turned around to see Alvin, Anna, Grace and even my Sis coming out with a cake! :D

Making a birthday wish :)

Anna Thank you Anna, so much so much!

She's the only JADE member who without fail, is always with me every year in Singapore.. we've come so far since secondary three although sec 4 is really the year that we got really close. We've spent sweet sixteen, eighteen, twenty ones and now twenty two with all the years in between together!

With Alvin and Anna.

I actually really like Alvin, as in approve of him as Anna's boyfriend. I am sure Joy thinks this way too..

Girls of Teesaurus -
I'm so happy to have known Grace through it, she is a really bubbly friend and sometimes remind me of Debbie. But one amazing thing about Grace is that she always seems to be smiley and positive ;)

I never knew my name can look so pretty in candles. ;)
Nopp got the cake for me, it is a chocolate brownie cake from Emicakes. Thank you darling!

Younger Sis, thanks for bringing the tissues and collecting the cake and placing candles with them. The person who knows me since i'm One, share the room, had our share of fights and quarrels and giggly times.

We actually took a lot of photos of the whole group of us but they are on Alvin's camera. Will upload when i get them, we did tons of funny poses and crazy stuff!


Cake Three:
With The-Vine Fellowship in Church, 17th August 08

Esther, her dad and Moses (i think?) got me a cake from Dino and it is a really pretty pink and white heartshape cake! It is just completely kawaii and something i'll love to get for myself if i could choose...

Kawaii pink chocolate rolls.. Buttery soft and fluffy cake layered with puffs and layers of white cream. It is just perfect! I like anything in the shape of a heart or a bow/ribbon or a aloha smiley face. Okay, i know i sound completely girlish but i really like that kind of things. Very Vivi. ;D It will be even more perfect if it has layers of strawberry in them and a biscuity crunchy crusty pie like base at the bottom. Sounds like a strawberry shortcake? (:

No pictures cos they're all taken from other cameras but i'll post them if i get the pictures.

And thank you The-Vine so much! We've all grown up together since i was in Primary 4 and i'm so happy that we're serving the Lord, learning about Him and growing together in church.

Cake Four:

With my family and bf @ my house - 17th August 08
For my Brother whose bday is 10 days after mine, and me!
Bought lovingly and thoughtfully by my dear sister.

We started off with a modest steamboat dinner to celebrate. My decision it is cheaper and more comfy, intimate to eat at home since it has been some time since we all ate together at the same time around the table. Brother comes home only at 8.30-9pm due to work and i am always in school or out with friends/bf, while my mum sometimes won't cook as she will attend church activities on weekdays.

It was quite fun just eating and listening to the PM Speech, and watching the Finals of Singapore vs China in Table Tennis together, and commenting about it.

:D But dad wasn't here for photos and cake cos he went to a church friend's house for crab bee hoon.

Will post the pictures of the buffet soon!

xoxo, principessa