Seems like a year ago

.Me playing with Ian the inchworm at the LA shoot

The bf and I have been spending every single day working on the move. Packing. Tossing. Selling. U-hauling. It's all very new and exciting, not to mention, extremely tiring. And because we've accomplished so much in the past few weeks I feel like it's been a looong time since I was last at work. Can anyone help me remember when I had my HP notebook glued to my hand? That was barely 2 weeks ago!

Boy do I miss that notebook.

Admittedly, my last few weeks at work did involve sunshiney days at Santa Monica, 5-star rooms at the Huntley hotel, cocktails at the Penthouse, 3-hour spa treatments at the bestie's hotel, getting sun-kissed (not a tan, because we all know that's impossible for me) lying by the pool, client dinners and endless goodbye parties. Now when I think back on my last moments at work, memories of the photo shoot will inevitably flood in. It all seems too perfect.

Click here to see pictures of LA and the photo shoot>

A week after paradise, Livie and her beau came to town and we had drinks every night followed by hearty meals at Zuni Cafe, Yank Sing, and Epic Roasthouse. Talk about indulgence. We're going to miss you Livie! Who am I going to stuff my face with in SG?

Click here to see pictures of Liv and Peter's visit>

P/s: I can't stress this enough but Chris and I are really just going to be a flight away.

;)

OMG! OMG! OMG!

I had started a blog post prior to this one, but after what happened tonight I just have to "OMG" post about this other thing!

As some of you know, the bf and I spent the whole day loading boxes at our shipping company and decided to celebrate our weeks' worth of work with a long-overdue 4 year anniversary dinner at Fleur De Lys. After dropping the U-Haul truck off, we came home, spent about 30 mins getting ready and headed straight to the restaurant downtown.

From the moment we entered the place, the service was as the bf noted "A-A-A" or rather 3As. Sure it has a somewhat stuffy old school jewel-box like feel and most of the clientèle was 40 and older but with every bite of each course came an "Ooh" and an "Ah." While the oohs were for the unexpected, the ahs remain apparent for the traditional French touch each dish carried. Before I bore you to death with terribly foodie talk let me just get to the point.

Our experience at the restaurant, although pleasant from the start hit a different note when we saw Hubert Keller himself having an unassuming dinner at his own restaurant. Between giggles and peeks, we tried to keep composed while having a first class view of the chef from where we were seated. When dessert came, the bf and I both spent a good 5 minutes poring over the Fleur burger: a lightly spiced dark chocolate ganache, home-made Beignet, banana flavored milkshake, & frozen fennel ice cream "Pomme Frites" all made to look exactly like an In-and-Out meal (but tasted nothing like).

Between bites of this teeny fruit-filled burger, a server brought to our table a candle-lit vanilla bean mousse with the note "Happy 4 year Anniversary" written in chocolate. I was surprised at the attentiveness of the staff as I hadn't mentioned the occasion except perhaps under the notes section in our OpenTable reservation. This was followed by another surprise: a plate of petit fours gently laid on our table by another server who said, "Compliments of the chef. Congratulations on your 4-year anniversary."

My heart beat EVEN faster when Mr. Keller himself approached us in his humble chef uniform and started chatting with the bf. With everything going on, I don't recall much of the conversation except for the occasional mentions of grilling, tomatoes, cast iron pans, and good steak.

We were sent off with leftover petit fours and a few books, one specifically on heirloom tomatoes. It was truly an eventful night made more so when the cab the restaurant called for us was the exact cab we had taken earlier that day. I can't think of a more surreal experience. As if 4-years of a relationship isn't enough :)

Thanks for the amazing night hon. I love you for taking me out to these nice restaurants even though I know you'd rather have a burger. Kisses*

Pics here>

LA and "Livie time" to come

Dinner at 26 Beach with the bestie

I've been slow with posts cause of the intense packing the bf and I have been doing. Moving's a b*tch.

DC has left the building

.

Say "Singapore!"

Last Friday marked my last day at the Publicis building on The Embarcadero. So many memories and so much learned in just a few years. My teammates surprised me with flowers, champagne, iced cakes and a video appropriately titled "La Vie en PF" (an obvious inside joke).

The production was sweeter than the cakes, I had to refrain from bursting into tears. But alas I chose to complete the event with hard liquor instead. So those of us who could, ended the evening at Ana Mandara. After all, no goodbye is complete without more drinks.

KDW caught stuffing CDs filled with "memories" into my purse


KDW and me

I'm going to miss this crew.

***

Recent favorite IMs:

(7:39:43 PM) daniellechong@gmail.com/Home: love?
(7:40:02 PM) Chris Lau: boo! I love you!
(7:40:05 PM) Chris Lau: :)

me: i always feel weird when people call me CHONG
mmed: because you don't look like a Chong :)
mmed: you look like a Wang
mmed: Danielle WAAAAAANG

mmed: dont quote me unless i say you can

T: i'm saying this in the most heterosexual way: i like the way ur hair frames your face!!
T: i dont normally like bangs, but it works with you

(11:25:48 PM) Fat chips: btw are u the sort that throws away an entire batch (of macaroons) coz its not the right level of creaminess or moistness or whatever shit
(11:25:54 PM) danielle: yeah
(11:29:17 PM) Fat chips: dun b tied down by these imaginary boundaries
(11:29:23 PM) Fat chips: i think u can go ahead and sell CRACKED macaroons
(11:29:31 PM) Fat chips: crack them if they aren't cracked
(11:29:38 PM) Fat chips: that differentiates u from the ppl selling uncracked ones

(9:07:21 PM) sUEn: i feel surreal for you
(9:07:26 PM) sUEn: moving back after so many years
(9:07:37 PM) danielle: yeah.. pls do so on my behalf..
(9:07:40 PM) danielle: cause i'm still in denial

Busy as a bee

It's my 2nd last day at work and I'm going crazy just thinking about packing, selling and "getting rid of" things, let alone work. The most I've been able to do is upload Vegas pics onto Facebook.

Click here for Vegas album I>
Click here for Vegas album II>


17 days to go....

Viva Las Vegas!

.

SW and me at Mix

Friday:
5:15PM: Arrival at (LAS)
6PM: Drinks with SW's gfs
Dinner: 8PM Daniel Boulud Brasserie
Late PM: Drinks at Caesar's Palace PURE with pussycats

Saturday:
Brunch: Egg & I
AM: Ethel’s Chocolate Lounge
PM: Outlet shopping
Dinner: Simple hole-in-the-wall Viet Pho place
Late PM: Drinks at T.Island's Christian Audigier with jelly fish and willing male strippers

Sunday:
Brunch: The Egg Works
PM: Shopping on the strip
Dinner: 7PM Alain Ducasse's Mix, Mandalay Bay

Monday:
AM-PM: Outlet shopping
Dinner: Wynn Hotel Buffet

Tuesday:
Lunch: Arby's!
PM: M&M World, more shopping on the Strip, Bouchon at the Venetian
7:15PM: Dept to (LAX)

...and that was just Vegas. More on LA later.

P/s: I'm seeing my honey tonight!

This is not a vanity post

...but rather one to express surprise.

I went to work today with unwashed hair, NO makeup, a simple black tee and my darkest denim jeans: everything to create a silhouette that says, "I'm really not bloated. Leave me alone." Thrown over this prosaic outfit was a chunky striped cardigan with bright red thread sewn through extra-large buttons. Pretty as it is, especially since it was a gift from the bf who has damn good taste, it flatters no feature on my body except for my inherited (Mom, not you again?!!) childbearing hips where the seams rest.

So imagine my surprise when I walked into La Salsa and was immediately told that the fish burrito and salad I ordered was on the house. Half awake I looked at him startled, "Are you sure?"

"Yes yes. Don't worry bout it"

As if a private conversation had already taken place, this sweet little man's friend who was making the burrito turned to me and said, "This is special for you! Come again and bring friends."

Bear in mind, there was a line of 8-10 tourists waiting to order their own burritos.

*Beam*

Sure my I spilled Greek yogurt all over my purse (cell phone, camera, journal, wallet, and God knows what else) this morning. And yes, today's my last day at work this week before leaving for Vegas and the LA photo shoot, meaning there are a ton of to-dos in my inbox, and nothing complete in my outbox.

It's still a f'king good day.