I bought myself a pair of Feiyue shoes

First two pics taken from http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=383



pic taken from http://www.feiyue-shoes.com/pages_uk/accueil.php



A friend emailed me yesterday asking me to get her a pair of shoes. I opened up the email and was like huh... Feiyue shoes??! I have seen many other local brands here but not Feiyue and definitely not such 'retro' look shoes? It's like those sneaker i wore during my school days, North Star, US Masters... but never have i seen this FEIYUE letters with the bright blue and red strip at the side of the shoes.

Interestingly, my friend told me its very popular in Europe and Hollywood stars wore them now. She asked me to check out at the local shoe shops here. Thinking it maybe a very common local shoes and i thought should be able to get it anywhere easily. But, the fact was not many locals know about this FEIYUE shoes. I went to 3 shoes shop nearby my places and none is selling FEIYUE shoes, mostly are Nike, North star, etc.

Went back and google it, to my surprise, only found few shopping centers selling. Read that Wanfujing Li shen is selling as this seem to be the most accessible or the only street name am familiar with and decide to give it a shot. Called the 3rd level suppose to sell local brand shoes and checked with the person there whether is there any stock there before i go down to the place. The lady answered the phone do not know the brand but luckily another colleague of hers said they do carry the brand.

Took a cab down and while chatting with the driver, i told him am going to LI Shen to buy FEIYUE shoes. He said he never hear before, i told him suppose to be very popular, wore by monks and appear in the Olympics and now western celebrities are wearing it. He has no idea at all...

Finally, i bought three pairs, my friend and her brother and myself since it's only 48yuan! Check with the counter auntie is it popular now, she said yes and Europe is selling $50!

Now looking at the UK website, then i realise there are so many colors and nicer designs and even partner with Celine and others! Heh, am quite happy with this purchase, going to wear back to Singapore!

Insensitive Digital Weighing Machine

Have been wanting to get a weighing machine especially when i felt my face is rounder comparing to the pictures Marina had just sent me which was taken before I left for Beijing.

Went Jin Ke Long to check it out as i remember i saw that they do sell some weighing machines. $75 yuan for the normal scale type and saw the $180yuan for the digital. Of course will get the normal scale one since the digital machine is double the normal scale! However, knowing Des will go for his hair cut nearby after dinner, i decide not to buy on the spot cause its too heavy for me to carry.

After the home cooked bak kut teh dinner, i told Des to go Jin Ke Long to get the weighing machine after his hair cut. He was kind of engrossed with his new Lenovo hp that just arrived in the late afternoon. I like the online shopping in China whereby you can always get your stuff through delivery and can pay only when the goods arrived.

Des finally left at 8pm plus and he said he may not have the time to go to Jin Ke Long but i told him why not you go to JKL first before you go for your haircut since you are more eager to get the weighing machine for me (he always think i have put on weight.. i mean yeah, ok, now this period i think i did).

True enough, he bought the 180 yuan digital one... I knew he will choose that as he think it will get much accurate result though i said the normal scale will do the job as well.

$%@$%^$%^ 52.2kg!!! I always like to remember me weighing at 50kg, so at 52.2kg..my heart sank... Des lost 3kg.. before he weighs himself, he took out his wallet..shirt..pant.. I was like come on.. But after seeing 52.2 kg, i took off my pant too.. ok still the same...think it was because i just had dinner.

30mins later, still thinking about my weight, went to empty my bladder and weigh again.. 52.2kg!! still the same! i tot that amount of urine i pass out should be around 200ml, so at least it should be like 52 or 52.1 right... went out and told Des, hey.. the digital weighing machine is not tat sensitive after all cause my weight din drop abit...

王府井美食街 - Wang Fu Jin Food Street

My first bowl of 炸酱面, not nice and expensive. Had a nicer one at Qian Men.

80 ways to cook dog meat... Eww!

Da Dong Roast Duck

Beijing Roast Duck

seacucumber

duck's tongue

Waited for over one hour for the table..

Nice donuts in Beijing??

Had a donut at some nearby bakery shop... didn't even feel that am eating a donut...

Any nice donuts in Beijing? Real nice donuts like Krispy Kreme!!

Krispy Kreme.. aww... pls have some stores here.

Refinance your home loan now

Refinance your home loan now
Doc Money tells you how
By Larry Haverkamp (Doc Money)mail@AskDrMoney.com
April 22, 2008

GIC - got it from Wiki

It's quite funny to read this on Wikipedia. Think this article going to be deleted soon..?


Government of Singapore Investment Corporation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Key people
Lee Kuan Yew, ChairmanLee Hsien Loong, Vice-ChairmanTony Tan Keng Yam, Executive DirectorLim Siong Guan, Group Managing Director

The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation Private Limited (GIC) is a sovereign wealth fund established by the Government of Singapore in 1981 to manage Singapore's foreign reserves. With a network of eight offices in key financial capitals around the world, GIC invests internationally in equities, fixed income, money-market instruments, real estate and special investments.

GIC's investment portfolio is managed by its three subsidiaries: GIC Asset Management Pte Ltd (public markets), GIC Real Estate Pte Ltd and GIC Special Investments Pte Ltd (private-equity investments).

In 2007, GIC invested S$14 billion foolishly in UBS, a bank whose value has plunged over 60% since that time, meaning that a . S$8.4 billion dollar loss has already been inflicted on Singaporeans.

GIC's stake in ICICI Bank of India, originally hugely profitable, has bungee-jumped 74% down from a peak of 1400 rupees, turning their originally profitable investment into a loss-making one, taking into consideration their average down cost since 2007.
Its sister company Temasek, fared even worse, with a 70% plunge in the value of Merrill Lynch, and a 59% plummet in the value of Citigroup. Even Standard Chartered, supposedly the most stable in the Government's portfolio, has sunk 33.4% based on Friday Oct 10th's closing price of 999.5 p.

Temasek committed another heinous fiasco down under, losing almost S$500 million in the bankrupt ABC Learning after buying at the peak in 2007.

It's also famously losing a vast proportion of its US$3 billion in Shin Corp of Thailand, after the shares plunged over 60% due to Thais' objections and it therefore facilitated an illegality(tax evasion by the former owner Thaksin Shinawatra). Also, it has to pare down its stake to 75% in a falling market.

Due to the recent market selldown, the value of Temasek and GIC's holdings in GLCs like SIA, DBS and such has also plummeted by S$40 billion.

This makes the grand total of deterioration in the Singapore government's portfolio close to S$80 billion, necessitating a hike in transport fares, ERP charges and utility rates to recoup their losses. In 2008, The Economist reported that Morgan Stanley had estimated the fund's assets at US$330 billion[1], making it world's third largest sovereign wealth fund.[2]

Eating at where the locals eat

Had a nice German dinner yesterday with Des's ex boss. It was at Lucky Street.

Tried the small little drink, can't remember its name, it has 40% alcohol content. Des ex boss was saying its common for the Germans to drink it after dinner everyday, its healthy and good for the body.

I though i will be tipsy drinking that, but hey its not that bad after all.

Went out around noon just now to explore the alleys near my place and also trying to search for the nice dumpling store that magazines talk about. Finally, found it and quite a lot of foreigners going there to get a bite too. Thinking will come with Desmond tomorrow or Sunday. Hope he will come with me...

Went to try my fat reducing massage at my waist area. Haha. Its only 30 mins wanted to do another 30 mins for my lower back as it aches again but only realise the No.2 gal i requested knock off at 12pm. It was 12.45pm, she waited for me. I was asking her why didn't the reception told me as i could ask another person. Hoping she can go home earlier, i just take the 30 mins fat reducing massage. Heh, des encourages me to go for it.

After that, No 2 show me the place where she and the rest get their breakfast or lunch fixed cause i mentioned to her i can't find the place she said that got fresh soya bean drink and you tiao. If she didn't bring me there, I really has no idea theres an eatery place at the alley or the side of the building.

I went inside and felt helpless for a while cause i assume there are few stalls selling jian bin or drinks. It was more like a eatery place so since its still early, i sit down and look through the menu. Hee, there goes the fat reducing massage, as they only sells Xiao Long Bao in the morning, i ordered the Ma La Fen and it only cost 5 yuan!

The place looks clean. Of cos i was wondering how can I get Des to go inside this place...

Walking around Sanlitun

Jin Ke Long is everywhere. It's like FairPrice NTUC in Singapore.








Went Yashow to collect a tailored shirt for Desmond. Tailored it at Susan's @ Yashow for 200 yuan, then walk around Sanlitun.

View from apartment

Solana shopping centre at the left side. Right is Chaoyang Park. This is the park where they held Beach Volleyball during the Olympics. Nice lake, haven't enter the park yet and hear from Des need to pay few cents to enter. Will check out soon, thinking to go for a jog.

Beijing Wet Market

First Week in Beijing - pictures

At Xidan. Being curious, i bought the drink to try as i have been seeing people carrying this unique looking bottle with a thin paper cover on top. Bought it for 2 yuan. Didn't realise it was yogurt, i took a big slip, was sourish and very creamy or thick. Not too bad. The bottle was heavy, i thought of bringing it home to use it as as some container for stationary.

Then Desmond said he see people returning the bottle, and we thought we can get some money back, like while in Europe, you can some money back by returning the plastic bottles. I went back to the stall and handed the glass bottle back to the seller, and i waited for a few seconds waiting for her to give me some money, i looked at her and she looked at me, then i walked off... %^%$^T@ to Des.

So many people at Xidan.

Braised Dried Shrimps with Vermicelli and Cucumber.

Next day, we went to Yashow market, and also to Sanlitun Village since its just beside. Tired with the shopping and bargaining of prices at Yashow, we went to this Herbal Cafe @ Sanlitun Village. Its a Hongkong cafe and they claim the food was healthier, lightly salted, less grease and authentic taste. True enough, their herbal tea was really authentic! Its so bitter that we regretted ordering it too early, we should order it after we finish our food. Cause the food was so nice and yummy that it taste werid with the bitter herbal tea.

Ordered the shrimp dumplings, chicken wings and this herbal cafe signature steamed minced pork pie. We love the steamed minced pork pie! Its even better to eat it with our familiar taste of Thai rice.

Hutong

okay, this is one the seafood fried rice we ordered which i had mentioned in my earlier post. Took this picture cause there is no seafood in it, well... not really, did found a prawn tail and very tiny bits of prawn meat.

I know my English is not good but it's quite fun when we try to spot the spelling mistake together with the kids.

While strolling along the lake, I was imaging it will be nice if my friends are here with me to chill out together. Think they will like it.

Starbucks~

The trishaw riders brought us to one of the courtyard residences (siheyuan). We paid 20 yuan to enter. This house was also one of the temporary stay for the Olympic athletes. You can also rent a room here, think its like 400 yuan.

Pubs, chill out places are everywhere. I like the lavender colour sofas on the second level.

Public toilets are everywhere at Hutong cause inside most of the courtyards or homes, there are no toilets inside.

Des went in, came out and took the camera and went in again. Haha, i told him its so clean, though it has no doors but it has dividers. Its nothing compare to the toilets i went to the rural part of Yunnan, Kunming or Jilin, where you have yo empty your bowel in a bucket filled of ... and dividers that are so low that when you squat, you can chat with your 'cubicle neighbour' beside you.

Hee! Baby was cute, he was even cuter when i see his back! See the 'xiao pi gu'! It's common to have a hole so it be more convenient to ... but its so cold...

We took this sign picture just in case we forgot where we park our car.