Thank you anyway...

I have been quite happy with my bags for the last year and a half, after my husband had braved a sea of estrogen to buy for me the very first tokidoki for LeSportsac bag (a very useful stellina) in February 2006. My close friends then got me a citta caramello last November and I got myself a paradiso campeggio during the same period. I have been and will continue to be happy with the bags as the super kawaii characters make me smile. :-)

The stellina from last year started with minor problems, it was the zip, when the bag is unzipped the zipper gets caught in the end of the bag, causing the stitching and fabric there to wear out. When I'd gone last year to the LaSportsac counter to ask the salesperson for help, and she had plainly told me not to open the bag to widely... how silly an answer is that? I had to suppress my laughter when I heard it. Nonetheless, the bag still works, I just stitched the zip shut just before the end so that it won't catch the fabric every time the bag was opened.

I was prepared to put up with a temperamental zip when I purchased the campeggio, I just stitched the zip up before the fabric got chewed. The bag worked fine for 7 months until this evening when I'd notice that the stitching along the top of the leather band that held the strap to the campeggio had completely unraveled. Augh... :-(

I wrote an e-mail to the customer service e-mail address listed on the LeSportsac website to express my disappointment. Did you know that their repair department does not fix limited edition merchandise such as tokidoki? And even for the classic items they do fix, you got to send it to Kentucky, USA. Not many choices for international customers. Anyone know a good bag repair person in a country near me?

Oh well, no more bags for me from them. And to think the latest spiaggia was the cutest to date with the fishes, surfers, sea urchins, dolphins and crabs... Thank you anyway... it was good while it lasted...

Another Sunday

Need to kumxia all the nice heavy truck drivers along the airport's coastal road last Saturday, 16th June 2007. Many truckers were kind to allow us cyclists a whole lane when they past us panting peddlars.

Especially to a kind gentleman, XB/D8912?, hard to see too clearly past sweaty eyes, who had allowed the 2 of us to pass before him, even after the light had just turned in his favor. Thank you! :-) I feel safer on the road when I know that there are such nice drivers along that road. I kumxia all the drivers who ply that road on Sundays. Kumxia kumxia...

Pro Bono Baker Strikes Again!

Kumxia to the one who feeds both my belly and my mind. Very yummy pretzels, but got the seeds stuck in my teeth all morning. Thank you!

MayDay Concert

The 3-hour MayDay concert last night was great! Surrounded by people who's average age was like not more than two-thirds mine, the sold out concert was ripping from start to finish. Though I recognised only eighty percent of the songs and could sing along to maybe a quarter of that, the energy was infectious!

Been to a few concerts, English and Chinese performers alike, I feel like this could be one of the best I've been to yet. Even when the lights dimmed and there was a "charge" to the front of each section, everyone still had their own personal space. You were free to jump, sway or move to the music without fear of bumping, stepping or hitting anyone! Not like the last few concerts we went to, there were fights and arguments and unhappy people about - these kids were the happy shiny type!

Also, one does not often go for a concert at the end of which the band takes a bow, just like you would see in theater at the end of a performance. The 5-man band took a total of 4 bows to the audience. Stage center, stage left, stage right and back to the center with the rest of the musical crew. These dudes had pride in their work and the audience appreciated it - light sticks and all.

The CamLin Engagement

Thank you to our friends who included us in their lovely engagement party last night. Kumxia for the good company and yummy food. Sorry we had to leave early.

Here's the warmest wishes to the both of you and to a great life ahead together!
:-)

Happy Dumpling Makers!

Spent Thursday (a public holiday) assembling Chinese dumplings, the triangular leaf wrapped type. MIL spent 3 days prior buying, washing, cutting, chopping, slicing and cooking all the ingredients that went into the nonya dumplings and the regular meat dumplings.

The meat dumplings were short the preserved egg yolk, but they still had the stewed pork belly, mushrooms and chestnuts, chinese sausages, braised dried oysters, spicy prawn and friend garlic bits. The nonya ones were equally yummy!

Kumxia for the fun morning re-learning how to turn leaf corner to leaf corner. Next step - learning dumpling ingredient preparation? I think not, better left with the ones who know better. ;P