Other than maybe getting new appliances, my kitchen is DONE!!  Just got new tiled flooring in addition to the new cabinets and countertops!  What shall I remodel next? Bathroom? Maybe wood flooring for living room?

See the difference?

Been awhile since I updated...I never got to post up pictures from Singapore and Thailand from over two months ago. It was real nice--tropical island weather--during what is winter at home. So here comes picture overload...

My first breakfast in Singapore...carrot (turnip) cake, wanton mee, roti prata and ice coffee

Sentosa--behind me is the southern most tip of the Asian continent!

Please don't feed the peacock--even if it follows you to Subway

Giant prawn from hawker center in Singapore--YUMMY!!!

Orchard Road is a busy place...great for shopping, eating and people watching

Char Kway Teow--my last supper in Singapore and man was it GOOOOOD

Chatuchak Weekend Market in Thailand--big, messy, crowded, hot but lots of excellent deals after much haggling

Beach near Phuket--the water was so clear and fish so friendly!

Cute monkeys, but so spoiled! They won't eat the bananas that dropped to the ground!

Rafting around Phang-Nga Bay--beautiful limestone formations and views

Don't be fooled! They're all men! Or they started out that way...

Very looooonng Buddha--all made of gold

Sigh...can't wait for my next trip!! So many places still to see...Greece, Australia, Italy, China, Korea. I wish traveling wasn't so expensive and PTO didn't accumulate so slow!

I'm heading to Southeast Asia in just over 2 weeks! Excited! The only thing I'm dreading are the long lines at the airport, the 20+ hour flight, the cramped space on the long flight, and the extreme boredom on the plane.  It worked out several years ago when Harry Potter Book 4 came out the day of my flight to Taiwan--I read the entire way over and just as I finished the book, the plane was descending. That was the best flight ever.

I'm fully expecting this trip to be better than the previous:  Last year's trip to Taiwan I spent all New Year's day at an airport in Japan--9 hour layover. 

Jan 4 (EST) - Flight out to Singapore

Jan 6 (UTC +8) - Arrive in Singapore just as the day starts (midnight)--staying at Kuang's house!

Jan 11 (UTC +7) - Fly out and arrive in Bangkok, Thailand--staying at Pathumwan Princess:

Jan 14 (UTC +7) - Fly out and arrive in Phuket, Thailand--staying at Deevana Hotel and Spa:

Jan 18 (UTC +8) - Return to Singapore

Jan 20 (UTC +8) - Flight back to US

Jan 20 (EST) - Arrive back Home

Goals:  Thai massage, elephant ride, Phang-Nga Bay, eat, buy fridge magnets

After nearly a week of living in sawdust and $6000 poorer, my kitchen has been remodeled--sort of.  New solid beechwood cabinets, black granite countertops (with pretty gold flecks), new pull-out faucet, new stainless steel range hood, and replaced some plumbing. I still have to repaint a section of my kitchen wall and later on I want textured tiles on my floor--something in a cream/beige color. And eventually I'm going to get a stainless steel fridge and flat-top range.  ...going broke soon...

'Before' Pictures:

'After' Pictures:

So I was reading my cousin's xanga during work and she had this image recognition thing on her page comparing her face to celebrities out there. It looked kinda fun so I just had to try it too--during lunch break of course...I would never goof off during work...

Pretty entertaining...although other than the fact that they're all asian, I don't see that much of a resemblance.