After all the fevered anticipation, Final Fantasy Distant Worlds concert made its Asian debut here in Singapore over the weekend.. For the uninitiated, the Final Fantasy series is one of the most influential and most successful video game series around.. (Rumour has it that what FF 7 was realesed, students were so engaged in playing it that a good number failed their exams in north america!)
I don't usually play computer games, but the Final Fantasy is so amazing, that for me, it is not only video game.. FF is a harmony of beautiful artwork, a triumph of imagination, fantastic storytelling, CGI designs way ahead of tand of course, captivating music.
The music in the series, written by Nubuo Uematsu, is also propably the most recognised, and most popular video game music in history, spawning many albums, and live ochestral concerts in North America.
The FF Distant Worlds concert is one of such performances.. where game music has been arranged to be played by a full ochestra and choir.
When news spread that the concert was coming to Singapore as part of the Singapore Arts Festival, it sparked off a frenzy;
When the tickets first went on sale, the Sistic online website was flooded and jammed with people trying to buy tickets - and in less than a day, tickets for both concerts were snapped up, urging organisers to put in a 3rd show. Tickets beearing exobitant prices started showing up on the black market.
Yes I was one of those frenzied fans clicking on the "Buy Tickets" button incessantly for more than an hour that night.. and manged to get tickets for the 2nd show on Sat night.
Pre concert Photo- whoring
How was the concert?The Orchestra played famliliar pieces spanning the entire series, such as "To Zanarkand", "Eyes on Me", "Aerith's Theme".
Backed by a choir and soloists, the choral pieces were powerful and enigmatic.
Although the Singapore Festival Orchestra was not great-- Timing was out of sync at times; Intonation was off here and there; the music flowed, and still, the performance was immensely enjoyable..
But what was truly amazing about the experience, was that the music composer, Nobuo Uematsu, was present at the concert! He was seated amongst the audience during the performance, made a little appearance on stage towards the end, and even joined the choir for the encore performance of "One Winged Angel"! Now that was one hip music composer!
For all of us present, the concert certainly brought back memories. Scenes from the game series played seamlessly on a projector screen as the music flowed, marrying visual and audio artisty. The crowd was enthusiastic and appreciative; Arnie Roth, the conductor, was engaging and playful.. The whole experience, was, magical, just as the Final Fantasy games were. =)
This is a poignant and beautiful Final Fantasy theme, from FF X, titled "To Zanarkand". It is one of my favourite.
- Music:To Zanarkand
I flew in to San Francisco first.. then went down south to Palo Alto, Silicon Valley first...
The town was really charming... small, low rise... idyllic, with many students from nearby Stanford..
But meals were lonely..
And Chewie (or his twin) pops up even in Palo Alto!! =D
Andy arrived on 6 August... Thats Stanford university behind us..
( Doggie Digression... )
In August 2008, Andy and I made a trip to the west coast of USA.
We started off in San Diego, then San Francisco, and Los Angeles..
My closer friends will know that the trip meant alot of me.. in fact, it was/ is the important trip I made..
These posts are long long overdue, but better late than never...
There are a series of 8, so stay tuned!
Planning started way before...
Here's Pot, with us at the tailor's...
To do the fitting for the suits...
And to take photos while Andy and I did the fittings..
Dave, our tailor was in fact really nice.. He managed to rush the suits for us in less than 2 weeks.. in a peak period... Go to him for shirts! =)
After the clinic opened, its been harder to cook.. .
But we managed to over the weekend!
Spent the morning in Mustafa picking out some ingredients for dinner.. and tada!
The Ingredients... well, some of them..
The white gluey thing is the Thosai mix....
The hunk on the right is the cook.. (the other hunky person is busy taking pictures..)
Chick Peas boiling away... and Thosai cooking cooking..
And the final products!
Masala Chickpeas!
Served with Thosai!
With Brown Rice salad and Guiness Beef Stew! (ok.. these stictly do not adhere to the title..)
- Mood:
happy
- Mood:
shocked
Sibling Rivalry even when going for walks..
Enter Nugket..
"See my Beautiful white fur! " *Sashays* 
Enter Chewie..
"Rubbish! I am more Beautifuls!" *wriggles butt* 
Enter Chewie's Nose
"Watch while I attempt to block out that white furry blob with my ever so cute nose!" *Block!*
Final Photowhoring attempt
"Now who's cuter huh?" *Delighted* 
- Location:Clinic
- Mood: amused
That is, until Daddy decides to heat up some yummy food in the microwave.. *Woof!*
Now,
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
grand_mal, can you tell who that is in the picture? =P- Location:in Dog Food
- Music:Muse- Starlight
Did I ever mention that Chewie has an almost perfect Heart Shape right at his er hem.. behind?
See for yourself! 
- Location:Still in Chewie Poo
- Mood:
content - Music:4 minutes
In fact, these days, it is Nug who keeps us sane.. while the little terror destroys everything in its path!!
Enjoy these pictures while I go clean some more Chewie Poo!
Nugket stays smily despite the competition.. in food, affection, and living space!
grand_malcan you guess whose chest that is?? =P
.. And remains calm and composed... must look beautiful all the time mah!
- Location:Covered in Doggy Poo
- Mood: happy
- Music:4 minutes
I have delayed making this post until now, cos the for the past week, we wren't sure if the little one would survive..
We bought Chewie 2 sundays ago; and unfortunately, he fell very ill 2 dyas after coming home..
At first, it was some sneezing, then followed by this green discharge from the nose.. sunddenly, it looked as if he was going to die!
He probably developed a pneumonia, after coming down with a flu.. wasn't eating, drinking, or moving too much at all..
We brought him back to the pet farm, after the breeder said he was in bad shape, and might possibly not survive the illness..
So, after lots of anxiety, many trips to Pasir Ris Dog Farm, constant bugging of the breeder (he was really nice.. and took great pains to nurse him! ; though he propably flees when he sees me now), and one and a half weeks later, Chewie is finally back home!
And our family is complete! Again! =)
He's still lethargic, moody, and not really eating much, but I hope he'll improve..
Any one who issues Child Sick leave for dogs?
- Location:Work Desk
- Mood:
relieved - Music:4 minutes to save the world
Meet our new dog Buttons!
He doesn't pee, doesn't shit, doesn't bite, and doesn't need to be fed!!
(and he costs only $3.90!)
Nugket seems happy with his new friend.. =D
- Location:work
- Mood: amused
- Music:Reflections- Christina
Look what he came up with, in the later part of the week... (Yes, home made, and recipe secret, AGAIN!)
- Location:Yishun
- Mood: content
- Music:Garnet- The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Came home yesterday night..
And look what Andy made for supper! .. (in his true blue from-scratch-fashion again!)
Don't ask me about the recipe.. he wouldn't tell!
- Music:ZARD- Dan Dan Kokoro Hitereteku
She was this pretty, popular J-pop singer in the 90s, quite awhile before J-pop made it big in Singapore..
She sang the the theme songs for Slam Dunk (My Friend), DrangonBall GT, and had numerous beautiful ballads, like Eien (Forever).
Those who know me from awhile back will probably remember the Dragonball GT theme song she wrote, Dan Dan Kokoro Hikariteku? The one I used to irritate everybody with by singing it all the time and splashing its song lyrics everywhere? (yes I learned to write the Hiragana for it!)
I just found out yesterday, that Izumi Sakai, has passed away, half a year ago on 27 May 07..
She had been diagnosed with cervical cancer a year ago, and had undergone tumour resection..
She then suffered a relapse of the cancer in April this year; the cancer had metastasized the the lungs..
On the morning of 27 May, she was taking a walk in the hospital grounds, when she fell, likely as a result of the side effects of the chemotherapy drugs
She passed away from head injuries.
Take a listen to the song below, Eien.. Its my favourite song from her.
Rest In Peace, Izumi.
Izumi Sakai, 6 Feb 1967 - 27 May 2007.
- Location:Work
- Mood:
sad - Music:Forever - ZARD
- Location:Bedok reservoir
- Mood: amused
- Music:bananas in pyjamas
Its the first time I won something in a lucky draw I think!!
And it happens to be .. 30 x $100 vouchers for Best Denki!
Thank you Sophia! ;-)
- Location:Workplace
- Mood: thankful
- Music:Still.. Close to You
LOTSA FOOD
LOTSA FOOD!
Here's some of the items..
Thursday/ Fri Dinner..
I went for Lectures on Sat, and when I returned, Andy was already in the process of this... of course, he WILL NOT tell me how he came up with this mysterious brew...
So I took photos of the process instead!
And here it is!
Home Made Prawn Bisque!
Chicken Breast with Herby (Andy refuses to tell me what went in!!) Cream sauce
And for Dessert.. Chocolate Bread Pudding!
I swear my pants is tighter...
- Location:Workplace
- Mood: satisfied
- Music:cLose to you
The reason why I put up with all that shit cleaning... =)
- Location:Yishun
- Mood: cheerful
- Music:No one - AK
- Location:yishun
- Mood: content
- Music:Little wonders - rob thomas
So this weekend, it was the first attempt to try BAKING something with it...
Decided on a Oreo Cheese cake.. for dessert..
And Roast Beef with Roasted Vege-tables.. for the main meal!
And here it is!!
Ingredients for dinner!
Loads of vege, oreos, philedelphia cream cheeeese, mushrooms, beef, etc!
Me at Work!! (Yes I Do work too!!) ... Whisking via the primitive manual way..
And there's Nugket... eyeing the final product!!
AND the final products!!!
Yes, what the product insert claims is true... the Broiler IS very good for baking and roasting! =D
Mandatory dog pic for the weekend!
Popped over to the dog walk area today.. and snapped this cute-until-die shot of Sundae, my fellow colleaugue's 1yr old Maltese
- Location:yishun
- Mood: cheerful
- Music:Angel-Sarah Mc.
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