Head Tilts!

Without a doubt, one of the most famous buildings in the world is a building that looks like it's about to fall smack into the grounds - the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Although i've never seen it personally, i saw some pictures of my friends posing in front of it. Weird though. in most of the pictures, they lean over, and make the leaning tower look straight.

Kinda makes me wonder. If the building was straight, would it be as famous? Would it be as unique? I seem to remember a Superman movie where Superman himself turns evil, and straightened the famous tower out of spite.

I think the fact that we have to tilt our heads a little to see it in its splendour makes it all the more unique. No need to lean over so that we can get a straight picture of it.

There.... that's better!!! Don't you think?

The Magnetic Mummy

I have never been to Egypt, but i hope that one day i will. My Ma and Abah went a few years back, and they came home with ONE metal fridge magnet of an ancient Egyptian cat with the word EGYPT carved right underneath it. The story goes that she tried to buy a few with USDs but the shopkeeper was in a bad mood, and wouldn't accept them. So she had to make do with what little Egyptian money she had left, and bought only one. Hmph!!!! :-*


So i had to make do with what i found online.

So i have a very nice pyramid

the Pharaoh and Queen Nefertiti.

Somehow not as satisfying as that metal cat my Ma has in posession. It's like... i'm still sulking! I wonder why?

The City of Love

I love Paris. I love it. So much culture, art, and life. I remember gawking at the Eiffel Tower til my mouth went dry.

I remember some little girl on our tour laughing her head off at the naked carvings of men and women on the Arch de Triomphe.

And i remember screaming when i received this gorgeous metal magnet of the Eiffel Tower, the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur and the Seine from Marina.

Thank You friend!!

Simplicity

I bought this magnet from Kak Sham. It was simple, rough and in its own way, beautiful. It reminds me that sometimes, things don't have to be intricate and perfect to be appreciated. We just have to accept them they way they come, and love them nonetheless.

Walkabout

During my college years, we used to study this book called "Walkabout", by James Vance Marshall. It was about an aborigine boy on his Walkabout - a coming of age challenge for boys, and a chance to prove that he is capable of surviving and becoming a man - who stumbled upon Mary and Peter, brother and sister who were survivors of a plane crash in the middle of the Australian desert. He helped them survive, only to die himself from a simple flu.

So sad, yet so inspiring. The book kinda stuck with me for a long time. So when i saw this Aborigine magnet, i had to have it. No questions asked.

A True Heritage

My late Cik lived in a traditional Malaysian Kampung House. I didn't like the house when i was a kid. I thought it creaked and croaked, and the fact that we had to go outside to do our business just didn't sit well with me. Oh... and the fact that there was an old, abandoned graveyard in front of it didn't help with things either.

So last week, when Wokanna, myself and our cousin Gee went to Penang for an all-girls holiday, we decided to visit the birth-home of Malaysias very own gem, the late, great, Tan Sri P. Ramlee. The house is a typical Kampung House, very small, very quaint, very cute. Wokanna was enjoying herself, unashamedly closing and opening the doors and windows, speaking in dialogues OUT LOUD - as if that was her home, and she was inviting guests inside, telling them that sitting out in the foyer is better, since it's cooler (rolling my eyes...).

I was laughing, but i have to admit. The moment i stepped into the house, i felt tears prickling - i realized straightaway that i miss the creaky old house in front of the abandoned graveyard. I had some very good times there. I miss sleeping out on the foyer with my cousins on cool, breezy evenings and waking up in the morning to the coolest breakfast spread EVER! I also realized i miss Cik. So much. And how i wished i had been kinder towards her, instead of being the grumpy grand daughter i was.

I miss you Cik. Al Fatihah.

My Very First Guitar Pick

I've had HRC magnets in the shape of guitars, surf boards, soda glasses, tall glasses, guitar heads and the like. But this is definitely my first guitar pick.

Don't EVEN think to play a guitar with it.

Classic Tokyo

I bought this one online. It's simple, it's classic, it's beautiful.

Need i say more?

Greedy, Am I?

A few years ago, my baby sister came home from San Diego with this cool surfer board from HRC. I was elated. I have a fridge magnet from HRC, San Diego, and a beautiful one at that!!

But then a friend asked whether i was interested in purchasing another HRC magnet from San Diego - not a surfer board. I haven't even seen it. But the glutton in me immediately said yes. Afterwards, i started thinking - those things don't come cheap. Why did i agree to buy a magnet i have never laid eyes on? And, i also have one from the very same store already!

But then, before remorse had the chance to creep in, it arrived.

BOY, AM I GLAD I BOUGHT IT!

Boom-a-What?

I once visited a family friend as a kid, and upon arrival, the mother was sweeping bits of broken glasses off the floor. "The boys were playing with the boomerang" she says. Ohhh...... WHAT? What is boomerang? And what has it got to do with the broken glasses?

At that age, i didn't even know what boomerangs were. Now that i know, i honestly have not seen one. Ever.

For now, i'll settle for having this colourful, rubberry, mini-version that my good friend Azie's husband bought for me.

Another Frantic SMS, and a Frantic Me

I received another frantic SMS all the way from Kuwait - also from Kak Sham. "Ozzie, this is URGENT!. A friend is in Vietnam. You interested?

As if you have to ask Kak Sham. I replied immediately, and waited patiently for the parcel to arrive. I called the friend to confirm my address.

But then she posted a picture of the magnet on her Facebook account. That got me writhing, i tell you! Literally!

I mean, when you see how gorgeous that magnet is, and you know for a fact that the sender literally lives 15 minutes away from you, you couldn't just wait a day for the PosLaju ti arrive right?

I drove over, waited for her to come home from the grocery store, and unashamedly walked into her home - despite never having met her before!

I mean, look at it! Can you blame me?

The Best of Bali

I've never been to Bali. But i have to say, i am the proud owner of this wonderful piece of art from one of the most famous HRCs in the world.

Hard Rock Cafe Bali.

I'm A Survivor!

Of the three OUTs mentioned to describe a survivor in Singapore, i have to admit that i am only capable of doing ONE of them. And i do it very well too. You can spot it the moment you see me!

Three guesses which one?

One of Our Own

With all the HRC magnets i own, i am ashamed to admit that HRC KL is one of the latest ones i purchased. It's not that i didn't want to buy it, it's just that HRC is kinda far from my house, and parking is a hassle. So one day, my baby sis and i went out there for lunch, and before i even ordered, i made sure i grabbed the sweet magnet before they get sold out under my very own nose (remember HRC Singapore?)




So now i am proud to say, i have HRC magnets from all around the world, AND i have one from my very own hometown. :)

Loch Ness Tease

When my family and i went to Scotland, we didn't miss the chance to camp right on the shores of one of the world's most famous lakes, Loch Ness - said to be the home of a monster, lovingly dubbed Nessie.

My sister, who was only 10 then, woke up one day with my Abah telling her that Nessie herself came ashore, poked her head in our camp and licked her (my sister) face, but she never woke up. We ended up having to console the very upset 10 year old, for meeting Nessie herself would have been very cool!

So everyone, meet Nessie

She is as much a symbol of Scotland as the Scottish bagpipe

and the Scottish Terrier!

The Merlion

Although i was disappointed with the lack of HRC magnet from Singapore, i have to admit, i fell in love with the city. It's clean, the people are friendly and courteous - both on and off the road - overall, Singapore really is a fine city.

I even have a fridge magnet to prove my point!

I also got some classic-looking, glow-in-the-dark magnets

A Singaporean Flip-Flop

Overall, i love the city!

The Singaporean Challenges

Most of you should know by now that i have a craze over Hard Rock Cafe fridge magnets. So when i had the opportunity to go to Singapore last year, i was super excited by the fact that there are TWO Hard Rock Cafes in Singapore. I dreamt about coming home with TWO new HRC magnets.


So when i got to Singapore, i dragged my travelling buddy Kak Intan to HRC first, despite the fact that it is situated at the other end of the very long road that we were staying at. We took a cab, and i almost forgot to pay the cabbie out of over-excitement. I practically ran up the stairs, pushed the doors open with all my might and went straight to the counter to ask the employee for those sturdy, beautifully crafted magnets. He looked at me, smiled and said,

"Sorry ma'am. They're out of stock"

WHAT????????????

I walked out of HRC with the biggest sour puss ever. Thank God for all the other merchandises available. Otherwise i would've sulked throughout the entire trip!!!


No matter, there's still that HRC at the airport to look forward to. So on our way back, we got the cabbie to drop us at Terminal 3, as that's where HRC is located. We walked in and went straight to the Information Centre - only to find out that we have to check in at Terminal 1 before being able to get to HRC. So we dragged our now heavy bags to the train, went to Terminal 1, checked in and rushed to the train back to Terminal 3, found the HRC and.......

suddenly i was tired no longer.

Sure, i didn't get the magnet from the City branch, but Singapore, i shall be back, and i shall drag everyone i go with to the HRC to get that work of art!

Anticipations

My friend Sally used to work at the very beautiful Kuala Lumpur International Airport. So when the first F1 was held in Malaysia, she and a majority of the staff in KLIA were excited over the fact that they could be the first people in Malaysia to see Michael Schumacher's famous Ferrari when it arrives.





On the day in question, she and some other employees got their cameras ready and waited in the hangar, with breaths that were bated. The plane arrived, the cargo door opened. All cameras were at the ready. All forefingers were at the snap button. The crew came out, carrying.......

boxes of nuts and bolts, tires, spare parts, body parts and the likes!!!!!

DANG!!!!!

Oh well. No Ferraris for now. But i do have this magnet! :)

Fiercely Hard Rock

I received a frantic SMS from Kak Sham one morning - all the way from Kuwait. She asked me if i was interested. Then she quoted the price. It was enough to wake me up from slumber, and that's saying something. I mean, i can sleep through anything! Without even thinking about it, i said yes - this is one opportunity i cannot miss.




Kak Sham asked me if i was interested in purchasing a Hard Rock Cafe magnet from Bangkok. So worth it! SO worth it!

The First Step

The one very good thing about Facebook is the fact that it can bring people together... you know, the six degrees of separation rule and all. So i met this person on Facebook. She's one of the 'taiko' in the fridge magnet world - her magnet collection can make people cry - so to speak. She's Malay, but is living in Kuwait with her family. So when my good friend Anne (who's also living in Kuwait) introduced us on Facebook, i told her that i wanted my collection to grow bigger, but i don't have that many contacts.


A few days later, she e-mailed me on Facebook, asking for my address. And a week later, i received this beautiful magnet from Iran

It was the start of a very beautiful friendship. She didn't even know me, and still she thought of me. We'd exchanged so many magnets ever since. My collection grew with her help. But this particular magnet was definitely the first step. Thank You Kak Sham!

Bear and Guitar

I got these sweet magnets from Denver, Colorado from my baby sister. I guess having these magnets would represent Colorado in my eyes - i have no idea if i'll ever go there someday. But for now, i have these.

A cute, shy-looking bear

A classical guitar from Hard Rock Cafe. I like the colour. Very rustic. Makes it look classic and antique-ish doesn't it?

Harrod's, Oh Harrod's!

When you are a shopahollic, i guess it'd be a dream to shop at grand, famous shops like Harrod's. I mean, the place sells elephants for crying out loud. It's one of those stores that require a dress code. So i once persuaded my Ma to buy a bottle of perfume from Harrod's in London, just for the sake of shopping at Harrod's. Then, i patiently waited for her to have newer perfumes so that she'd forget about that purple bottle, and i 'borrowed' it - and now i can tell people i have a bottle of Dior's Poison from Harrod's!! Somehow it sounded more posh and expensive when i mention the name.


So when i'd heard that Harrod's opened a branch in KLCC i asked if they sell magnets, and voila! The salesgirl pulled out 6 sweet hand-painted magnets with the Harrod's brand - bit overpriced though. So i called my cousin who lives in London and asked her to get me some - they're only 4.99 a piece there!!! So now i have these three, but i'm a hankerin to get my claws on the other three!


So far i have:

a cute Harrod's truck

a full shopping bag (ah... my dream come true)

and Harrod's Rodney bear!

As i understand it, the bear was named after Harrod's oldest and most loyal employee/doorman, Rodney. Ain't that sweet?

So now i'm biding my time til i get the other three!