New Horizons

I was watching Marat Safin bring down the curtain on his career at the Paris Masters, via Astro that is. I've never been a great fan of the gifted but temperamental Russian tennis star. Nevertheless, I found myself intrigued by what he had to say when the tributes began flowing post match.

The tough situations he faced as a sportsman will be an ally when taking on new challenges in the future, he surmised. He went on to say that when one closes a door, another opens.

I am often inspired by such sentiments. They motivate me. There are always new horizons to conquer........

Photo shot at the waterfront in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Comfort Food

I know I am stressed when I have cravings. Boy, I could really do with a toffee apple or two. The ones featured in the photo were concocted by Anizah of TrulyScrumptious! for a Halloween party which I attended.

Comfort food always comes to mind when I need a pick-me-up. A warm bowl of tau-foo-fah, sweet seedless grapes, Swiss chocolate, an A&W root beer float, vanilla flavoured cupcake topped with buttercream, teh tarik, New Zealand Natural ice cream, pavlova, the list goes on.

Sinful for the body, great for the soul. Have a look at this videoclip.

Photo of toffee apples, aptly named Forbidden Fruits.

PIW@MIFA

The wedding industry was out in force last evening at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, in support of Pretty In White's MIFA fashion show.

What I like about the industry, in particular vendors within the 'weddingsmalaysia family' is the camaraderie. There are ripples in the calm waters from time to time but we are a relatively close-knit group and lend support to each other whenever the opportunity arises.

The photo is only of a few of us among the many who showed up dressed to the nines. Much congratulations to Dennis and his team.

Photo of ZZ of Classic & Vintage, Allan and Ann of Just Heavenly, Patrick of Budget Brides, Louisa of That Special Occasion, Fiona of weddingsmalaysia, Kar Yik of That Special Occasion, Kris of weddingsmalaysia and Natasha of The Peak Xperience.

New Market

It is always exciting taking a new path in one's business venture. Ke Wynn of Whizarts Wedding Photography has taken such a step. Although offering wedding photography services nationwide and throughout the region, Whizarts is based in Penang and recently fulfilled an aspiration of setting up a boutique studio.

Housing photography, stationery, gowns, cakes and favours under one roof at Whizarts Wedding Photography Boutique Studio, it aims to offer soon-to-be-wed couples an all encompassing experience in sourcing for vendors. That Special Occasion is privileged to have been invited to be part of this grouping in Penang.

Apart from opening up a new market for our wedding gowns, it also gives us an opportunity to get to know our Penang-based industry colleagues better. Encouraging one another, taking the leap-of-faith together, sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas, I believe these are what great partnerships are made of.

Photo of the entrance of Whizarts Wedding Photography Boutique Studio in Penang, Malaysia.

Melancholic

'In one of those moods I am'. I don't normally phrase my sentences in such a manner. Must have been influenced by my cousin Wui Ken, who has lately taken to speaking like Yoda.

Anyways, melancholic I am. Ain't sure of the catalyst that brought about this state-of-mind. I have experienced much over the past year or so, in my personal life, family and work. Exhilarating moments, bittersweet encounters, challenges, occurrences that make one view life differently, wonderful travels with good friends, validation, the list goes on.

What a difference a year makes. Same time last year? Perfectly happy. At this moment? Not entirely unhappy but could be better. If I were to look for a silver lining, I suppose things can only get better. Now that's some much needed optimism!

Photo shot at Cafe Bali in Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia.

Greener On The Other Side

I was watching Whitney Houston's recent interview on Oprah. No holds barred, raw and honest, it brings to light that despite the enormous success that she has had, Whitney has to deal with issues just like everyone of us.

We often lament when we see others enjoying more success in their careers and relationships. Little do we realise that they too suffer from the same insecurities that we face, the same pressures at the workplace, the same emotional upheavels.

The thing is, we incessantly seem to think that the 'grass is always greener on the other side'. What we fail to acknowledge is that we too have it pretty good. We just need to focus on the positives. And no, the 'grass is not always greener on the other side'. We should instead be thankful for all the good in our life, work towards a purpose and lead a meaningful existence.

Photo shot at Passion Road in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

I Have A Date With Spring

I first went to a production by Dama Orchestra a few years ago and have been going ever since. Along the way, I also ended up doing 2 feature stories about Dama for Heritage Asia magazine. If memory serves me well, a summary of 1 of the features was incorporated into the souvenir programme of a production as well.

This time round, I attended the last performance in the run of 'I Have A Date With Spring'. If helmed by Dama, one is guaranteed of a stellar production. An added incentive was that my friend and wedding industry colleague Janet Lee was in the cast; she played Lulu. As always, I come away from a Dama production with conflicting emotions. A sense of hope and faith on the one hand, melancholic on the other. The storyline and songs tug at the heartstrings, and when a performance arouses such sentiments, it has made its mark.

'I Have A Date With Spring' reminds us of the support we gain from strong friendships and the importance of nurturing and cherishing such relationships. It illustrates the fact that the varying decisions we make in life lead us to differing resultant outcomes. It encourages us to acknowledge and appreciate those who have helped us along our way, be it in our careers or personal lives. It tells us that if we let go of unrequited love, we can open our hearts to another. And being the sucker for good endings that I am, and despite the cynicism and skepticism that we face in these modern times, 'I Have A Date With Spring' celebrates the essence of true love, that if 2 persons truly love one another and are meant to be, fate will destine that challenges can be overcome and 2nd chances embraced. Food for thought ........

Photo courtesy of Dama Orchestra.