An upcoming movie by Pixar Animation Studios is hitting the screens! =) BRAVE!

A synopsis of the movie:
Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In “Brave,” a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts. Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson).

Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Wise Woman (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

Directed by Mark Andrews (“The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” “John Carter of Mars”) and Brenda Chapman (“The Lion King,” “Prince of Egypt”), and produced by Katherine Sarafian (“Lifted,” “The Incredibles”), “Brave” is a grand adventure full of heart, memorable characters and the signature Pixar humor enjoyed by audiences of all ages. The film opens in Singapore theaters on 8 August 2012, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

There must be a heroine in everyone's life, whether a sister, a dear friend or even your mother. For me, it was my mother. =)

When I was in Primary 1, I wasn't your ideal type of girl. I was the girl who would climb trees, get into a whole load of trouble, and simply be just messing around with my classmates and teachers. Haha. =P Anyway, one day, I was being a douche-bag and annoying my cousin, my auntie and my mother. I was chasing after my cousin trying to catch her in the carpark. [Gosh, how dumb could I be... Lol] Anyway, I tripped over a tree root and my leg landed on the edge of a drain. Oh ya, big flap of skin dislodged from my leg. I just sat there and was momentarily in shock, before 10 seconds later, I started to brawl like a baby. Haha. =X

My mother, unlike my cousin and aunt, remained calm and taking a tissue, dabbed on the blood that was spilling out and carried me to the (our) car and drove to the nearest clinic. The nurse was also positively stunned when she saw my wound. So I was kind of rushed into a room for a mini surgery. The doctor was telling me to calm down while he patched my leg up, giving me no less than 8 stitches. Haha. He said he was quite impressed with my mother, being calm and all, and still able to give my Dad a call about what had happened to me, in a steady voice. Haha. So ya, after getting my stitches, I was sent out again and I cuddled in my Mother's lap.

Even though it may seem like a small incident, but to me it was a great deal. To me, my Mother is the greatest heroine I can ever have. Not to mention all the situations that have happened throughout the years in my life. My Mother will always be the one to look out for me no matter what. She is my heroine and my guardian angel. I love you always, Mom. =)

So who is the heroine in your life? =) Give a shoutout to Nuffnang and you may stand a chance to win one of the 80 pairs of tickets that they are handing out! Toodles y'all, I shall keep my fingers crossed and hope that I am one of them too. Heh. So ya, a trailer for you guys! =)

Catch Disney • Pixar’s BRAVE in cinemas this 8 August 2012 and like the Official Walt Disney Studios Singapore Facebook Page, follow the @disneystudiosSG and subscribe to Official Disney Studios Singapore YouTube Channel!

After a fulfilling (stomach-sense. lol) night at Raohe Night Market yesterday. We decided to snooze in and meet up with my Taiwan friends. Haha. I met Nicky and Jimmy in Brisbane, and we shared the same house for about 4-5 months. They were the best housemates I can ever ask for!! =D We were always making stuff for each other to eat, well it was easy too, cause seriously, Chinese dishes are more or less similar in almost all countries. Haha. Gosh, and with a blink of an eye, 1 year has passed already. Haha. =) So now, onwards to Day 5!

We woke up late and headed to NY Bagels for brunch! =) In case you were wondering, NY Bagels is in Q Mall, Level 1, just opposite Starbucks. Heh. We had a seat outside cause it was fully packed on a Saturday. Haha.

Jimmy was slightly late, so I took a photo with Nicky. =D

Oooh, my favourite, Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon.

Then, we were discussing on where we should head out today. So we decided to head to 淡水 Danshui! Heh. So ya, we took MRT from Taipei Main Station to Danshui station, end of the red line. Do take note of the terminal station of the train, because we boarded a train that terminated early, at Beitou station. Trains can either terminate at Danshui Station or Beitou Station, so do take note when boarding!! =) The journey took about 40 mins, but we were looking at the scenery and catching up, so time flew by. Heh. =D After alighting at the station, we took the exit to the left, and facing us was a beach-like area, with the sea at the horizon. There were so many people there!! Well ya, weekends and all. Haha. Anyway, photo-bombs below. =P

Danshui Laojie! This was taken at about 5pm, when we were heading out.

Tall ice-cream. Haha. It melted quite fast cause it was quite a hot day. Booo! LOL.

Many different flavours of Taiwan sausage.

I distinctively remembered a Wasabi-flavoured one. LOL

Another view of Danshui Laojie, taken at about 2pm. Observe the difference in the amount of people. Haha.

Sour Plum Juice/Water.

A hit with the Taiwaneses, and probably older folks too. =)

After that, we decided to get to 渔人码头 Fisherman’s Wharf. But of course, without the lead of our tour guides, Da and I would definitely be lost. LOL!! So ya, in case any of you guys want to know. Heh.

We walked towards the end of Danshui Laojie to a park-like area, which I remembered was a Traffic Circle type of road. So ya, follow the arrow. =)

Up a steep road, to a main road

And from this main road, cross to the other side (straight ahead), and turn left. There will be a bus stop ahead, and there are a few buses that can be taken to head over to 渔人码头 Fisherman’s Wharf! I remembered taking a bus called Bus Red-26. But I think buses 836 or 837 are also feasible, just ask the driver before boarding ya. =) Heh. So we took the bus all the way to the terminal stop where everyone (of course) leaves. Haha. So we were welcomed with the breathtaking sight and strong winds. It made me regret wearing a dress out. Bahh!! =X

All of us! Haha. Da looked weird. LOL!!

On Lover's Bridge. Damn my dress, it was hard to take a flattering shot! D=

More pictures can be seen on my facebook!

After "hiking" up the bridge, we took a bus back to Danshui. Then our tour guides decided to bring us to a place that sells the Taiwanese delicacy, Ah Gek 阿给! And I have noticed that a lot of blogs say that one should try 阿给, but never put directions on how to get there. So ya, I tried. Pardon my ugly black arrows. I'm using a very old version of Adobe Photoshop ya!! D= LOL!

To get to the famous Ah Gek 阿给! Up the winding slope!

This is the more famous 阿给, but when we headed over (5.30pm), it was already sold out. Boo!

But there was another stall a bit further up that also tasted quite good, according to Nicky. Heh.

I know, it doesn't look too appetising, but believe me, once you have one bite, you'll definitely order another one!!!

阿给 with the glorious home-made sauce. Simply splendid!!! =D

After that, we headed back to Danshui to get a drink. =)

Another famous bubble tea brand in Taiwan!

Indulge me in this cute doggie. Thank you =P

By the time we were done, it was about 6.30pm. We headed back to 淡水 (Danshui Station), and took the MRT to 剑潭站 (Jiantan Station) to get to 士林夜市 Shilin Night Market!! And yes, don't be mistaken by the Shilin Station!!! So after alighting, we followed the crowd, and headed to the Night Market. Haha. =)

From across the street, Shilin Night Market is quite noticeable, I mean, look at the gi-normous Adidas sign. Sheesh. LOL!

Cold noodles! I wanted second helpings for this, because it was so freaking nice!! But they said I shouldn't be stuffing myself for the first snack. Booo!

The cold noodles are served with cucumber and a slightly tantalizing peanut sauce. You can request the different spicyness level you want. =)

The famous Big Chicken Cutlet thingy!! Lol.

Delicious, but the annoying bones irritated me. LOL

水煎包. Ooooh, filled with the natural goodness of meat~ Mmmm.

Quite juicy too, had to made sure the "zup" did not spill out. Hurhur.

Another famous delicacy: Ah Zhong Mian Xian (阿宗面線)! But sadly, the vermicelli came together with large intestines instead of oysters. So, not as much kick as the Raohe Night Market's Oyster Vermicelli. Haha. Personal preference yo! =)

Then, we headed out, cause both Nicky and Jimmy had to rush back home. =)

Last photo of the four of us before Nicky took a bus back home.

Then the four of us took the MRT back to Taiwan Main Station. And we walked back to Ximen Station, with guidance from Jimmy. Haha.

Last photo with Jimmy. =)

After that, Da and I walked back to our hotel, washed up and wham-ed on our beds and KO-ed. Long, tiring but fulfilling day with our dear Taiwanese friends! Miss them so much! =) Hope they come to Singapore one day, and we can be the tour guides!! =)

Woke up late, as usual. LOL. Anyway, we had brunch at Ximending, a random Japanese restaurant that we stumbled upon. Cause we were freaking hungry already. HAHA!

My set meal Udon!

His set meal Chicken Karrage Don.

After that, we took the MRT to 中正紀念堂站 (Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall Station). Took only about 5 minutes. Haha. Way fast. Anyway, we headed there, and the first impression we got were- so many old folks here. HAHA. We saw almost no youngsters. Oops. Anyway, it was quite a hot day, so we walked around and took some photos. =)

Not sure why, but these buildings kind of remind me of the show's , 步步惊心, architecture. Lol. =P

After sight-seeing, we headed over to Taipei 101, by taking MRT to 市政府站 (Taipei City Hall Stn). After alighting, we headed to exit 2, then turn right and walked along the main road. We were looking out for a bus stop with free shuttle service to Taipei 101, and there was already a queue there. Haha. Well, it is afterall a free bus service. =P So we boarded the bus with a electronic sign that says “Free 101”. It was about a 10 minutes ride, and we got to see the Taiwan CBD area. Heh. =) Then we reached our destination!! Haha. We were contemplating on going up Taipei 101, but there was a flat rate of about 400 TWD per adult to go up the tower. So we decided against it. Another thing was because there were so many tour groups too! And they were super rowdy!!! No prize on guessing what country they were from. Sigh. D=

So we walked about Taipei 101 for awhile, pretending we were rich and walking along the famous brands, Miu Miu, Prada, Gucci, Hermes, etc. etc. Haha. You get the idea. Haha. But ya, we were mostly there for the air-con. =DD Oops. Anyway, we decided to get along with our itinery, and our next stop was 国父纪念馆 (Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall). It was a 5-10 minutes walk from Taipei 101. Haha. I got a brochure of Taipei 101 and there was a map, showing that Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall was quite near. So, we decided to walk there. Anyway, that place was so big!! =D Great part terrace and so many dogs!! =DD Haha. Let the pictures do the talking!! Hee.

Say hello To Dr. Sun. =P

Nice view of Taipei 101 from Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall.

Marching soldiers at about 5pm, signalling the end of the day where they lowered the Taiwan flag. =)

Awwww. These dogs were a few of those we saw there!! /swoons

Anyway, it was about 5.30pm, and we were freaking hungry. So we decided to go to Raohe Night Market. We took MRT from Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall Station to Houshanpi Station and exited from Exit 1. After that, we walked straight, cross the very big road. There should be a stall at the diagonally right hand side (a yellow signboard with a large bearded guy. Hahaha). Walk straight, cross one more road. Around here is the Wufengpu area. Forget that for now, just walk all the way straight (seriously), no turns. We walked past a park that is just beside the Wufengpu Shopping Distict, along the road, cross another road. Here you should be able to see the Songshan TRA Station. When we first reached here, we were a bit lost, so we headed downstairs to ask the information counter. Haha. Apparently we entered from the East exit of the station, but in order to get to Raohe Night Market, we had to exit from the West Exit. So ya, once we exited, there were signs directing us (along with the traffic) to the Night Market. We then crossed a very small road, walked along the pedestrian walk till a rather large road where there was a policeman directing traffic (even though all the traffic lights were in perfectly working order). LOL. From here, the Raohe Night Market sign (see below), is already observable. So we walked towards it, and our eating feast began!!

First stall we saw. THE FAMOUS PEPPER GRILLED MEAT BUN!!! Think it was 80 TWD each.

The ingredients. Om-nom-nom! We bought one each. Super nice!!

Forgot the exact English name for it. But its actually Chicken Breast (that looks like a hotdog), wrapped in Chicken Skin, that has many different flavours to choose from. There's Salt and Pepper, Spicy, Wasabi, etc. We bought 3 for 100 TWD.

This was the best thing I have ever eaten! Yu Zi Shao! This was advertised by 康熙來了 (Kang Qi Lai Le), and specifically Raohe Street Night Market!! Apparently this episode was broadcasted the night before ONLY! So imagine how lucky we were =D Haha. So ya, ordering this, made us wait for about ONE AND A HALF HOURS!! But it was worth it la. HAHA. =P

The flavour we ordered: Ming Tai Zi! Heh. This was after the 1.5h wait.

We ordered Fried Oreo and Fried Banana from here! Haha. This was also a past recommendation from 康熙來了, so you can see the owner taking photos with Taiwanese actors and actresses. Heh. =)

Oyster Mee Sua. Holy nice~ WAY BETTER than those found in Singapore /melts

Finally, dessert time!

Strawberry Milk Shaved Ice. Holy sweet ending to a great night of food!!

ME!!

Bought this for breakfast tomorrow!

After all the eating, it was about 10pm, we walked back to Houshanpi station, and I got distracted, so we walked about Wufengpu for a while, and I managed to buy one top! ONLY 290 TWD~~ Less than 15 bucks please!!! Hurrah!! Then we walked back to Houshanpi station, for real this time, and took MRT back to Ximen Station. Headed back to our hotel for a good rest!

Finally, day 4 of my Taiwan trip. Sorry for taking uber long to update the entire trip. Been rushing out my URECA Research Paper, and being a noob, it took me about 2 weeks to get it written up and finalised. Horrible me!! Now, finally submitted and accepted on the last date, 30th June. And during the period of writing up the report, I had the decency to fall sick. BOO! So ya, feeling slightly better, but still having sore throat and runny nose. Had to miss my sbs friends' bbq getaway today too. Dang, the weather in Singapore is really unforgiving, really!! But on a side note, I headed to TKGSSB concert yesterday night (2nd July 2012) at Esplanade with Minfei! Yay TKGSSB!! =D They got Gold with Honours in the VERY recent (30th June 2012) National Band Competition too! So proud to be a TK girl, and a band member to boot! Hurrah! =D