TOPAZ HORIZON

Well, what do you know, it's almost Christmas. The pink tree is up, the gifts are starting to collect under it and I'm going through the first of many Christmas party invitations. It's a bit sad that we won't have our Christmas mascot around this year, though. Well, we'll have to force Matilda to pose for pics then!
Galady is actually Vince's baby girl. I was just the adopted mom so Vince was very sad when Galady passed away. He was really heartbroken. Still is. And he wanted me to add these photos of them so you all see how much he loved Galady:


Look at how round she was! That's why seeing her so thin and old really killed us. Vince has tons more photos of his baby girl. But I guess that'll be all for now. Hope you don't mind the photo tributes to Galady. It's just hard for us to let go...

Let's continue with our Uniquely Singapore Series, shall we? This is me at the Royal Selangor cafe in Singapore having chai and a siopao. This was my breakfast. The siopao was so tiny, I almost wanted my money back. It's a good thing the chai was amazing. Rich and bitter and sweet and full-bodied. Wonderful way to start any day!

When you're in Singapore, you have to try the chili crab. That's what everyone told me and, because I always have to eat the best when I'm somewhere new, I let my friend Ana (that's her in black in the middle of the photo) lead me to No Signboard. That's the name of the restaurant. And if it looks like a posh place, then your eyes aren't deceiving you.

This chili crab was the bomb. It looks tiny in the photo but the crab was actually as huge as a dinner plate. It was also frikkin' expensive. I literally felt the crab crawl up my esophagus when I saw the bill. I just slipped my credit card to the waitress, hoping my husband won't kill me. When I did get home, still stuffed with crab and the amazing mushroom salad, and told Vince about my wildly expensive meal, he said, "Was the crab good?"

"Unbelievably good."

He smiled, "Well then, that's okay."

OMG. I tell you I have the best husband. Ever!!!

It's a good thing then that the chili crab was last on my to-eat-in-Singapore list because I still had a huge appetite for these:

Marinated Smoked Tuna
with Feta and Balsamic Olive Oil salad

Light Cream of Asparagus with Green Peas
topped with Chive Mousseline

Rosemary Marinated Chicken Breast
with Saffron Cheesy Mash Potato

Praline Hazelnut Gateau with Raspberry Jelly

These were all served at the Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards. And they were all a delight. Thanks to Franny Haw for the photos!

Now, not all of my meals were so haughty. We bloggers feasted on the hawker stuff--cheap and edible but not exactly the kind that would make your eyes roll in ecstasy, like this bland pork rice topping meal I had (I could tell Anton Diaz was disappointed with my safe choice!).But that nasty-looking crab that's insanely priced? Heaven. I spent an indecent amount on that crab. Well, it was worth it!

I would like to thank Nuffnang and the Singapore Tourism Board for this Uniquely Singapore Series.

This is Figaro Cafe on Emerald Avenue in Ortigas Center.
It's dark and cool and quiet. It has the feel of a gentleman's library, with the dark paneled walls and deep leather couches. I love the coffee here and the pasta and the vanilla pudding. I love how being here relaxes me. These photos were taken last month. I should've gone there today. I should've hidden away from the world.

Woke up today to urgent messages on the phone but couldn't really call back. Our apartment is strange--even though we're in the heart of the city and surrounded by cell towers, the signal is incredibly weak. So not being able to call back to other people when they're freaking out adds to my stress.

Then this day wasn't so cool... although it ended much better than how it started. I hope this means things will indeed get better. Since Galady got her stroke and then recently died, I've been feeling melancholy and easily bothered and annoyed. Then stuff has been happening that I can't disclose just right now and I am now more agitated than usual.

This of course meant I said some things to some people that I shouldn't have had. Even though what I did say was true, sometimes it's best to just shut up. Unfortunately, when I'm feeling sad and crabby, I'm not the best person to be with.

I should also just avoid Facebook. Or maybe I should just erase all my relatives on Facebook. Or maybe I should just grow up and not be fake and just erase all the people I don't like but accepted as my friends anyway. Why am I pretending we're friends anyway? Why do I let people bully me into accepting them just because we're related or we met at some obscure time in my life?

I am not in a good mood. I think I'm going to shut off my phones, avoid Facebook and my email, and just blog about happy things. Because my life is actually happy. If only some people didn't belong in it or meddle with it, it would be perfect!

My favorite story is the one on the third wedding anniversary of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Read that again--third wedding anniversary. Imagine that! The photo album we made on their marriage shows the couple so in love that I was ashamed for thinking they wouldn't last a heartbeat. Oh well, I do like to be proven wrong and seeing a happily married couple go on and on being happily married is always a good thing.

The November issue is also our Power Issue so we gathered the juiciest trivia about how many Hollywood celebs are just so demanding! It's fascinating! And a little disgusting, if you ask my honest opinion. Remember my fury a few weeks back? Get the November issue to find out who the star was!

Right now, the staff and I are starting on 2010. We're planning a more exciting OK! magazine for you--featuring anything and everything Hollywood plus how to get that celeb look and lifestyle! Yes, expect to see more beauty tips and tricks, fashion how-to's, and thorough reviews on everything from the perfect shade of lipstick and the most trustworthy medical spas to how to burn belly fat and buy the best running shoes!

Anyway, I wasn't able to go on my monthly TV guestings and radio tours to promote this issue. I've been feeling very depressed since Galady died and just can't work up the energy needed for TV and radio. So I'll just share these pics from my radio tours for the October issue at one of my favorite radio stations to visit:Danielle and Rico are sweethearts. They make my job easy. I hope you also all help make my job easy and make me feel better by buying the November issue. Thanks everybody!

Galadriel Amper Sales Rabbit finally said good-bye to us yesterday morning. Since suffering from a stroke in August, Galady hung on because every day I asked her to stay. On my birthday, we stayed home all weekend because she was slipping away but when my birthday came and went and she still greeted us with those big brown eyes, I thanked her for staying with me still.

But she was tired. I knew that. And with half her body paralyzed, that was no way to live. Vince and I sat by her in her final hours and when she started crying, we told her, "It's okay, baby. You can go, you can go." So at 2:40 AM, she finally followed the exit signs she's probably been seeing since August and went on her way.

The last 7 years and 6 months were filled with cuddles and love from the most adorable rabbit we've ever had. For once, I can't find any words to describe the heartache Vince and I are suffering. She was our baby girl. And we miss her so.



Galady, Mommy, Daddy and Matilda love you and miss you. We hope you're running free again in a land that's hopefully filled with all the Haagen Dazs ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, carrots, apples and bananas that you can eat. And be nice to Gandalf when you see her again. We miss you so.