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About Me

About Me
CrystalPhuong.net is a Personal Style & Travel Blog based in Singapore, written by Crystal Phuong. The blog was nominated FOUR times in Top 10 Best Fashion Blogs in the annual Singapore Blog Award from 2012- 2015, voted as one of the Best Lifestyle Blogs in Singapore in 2013 by Hotelclub.com, and Best Travel Blogs in 2016 by Foodpanda.com. Crystal hopes to connect and inspire young women to lead a healthy and happy life. Be confident, be positive, and be kind.
Showing posts with label New Year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Year. Show all posts
THE START OF A NEW DECADE

THE START OF A NEW DECADE


When 2020 started, we were all so excited about welcoming a new decade. Like many people, I had a long bucket list of what I'd like to do, where I'd like to go in 2020. Little did I know that flying back to Singapore from Vietnam in February was my last flight in 2020. That also means it's been 16 months since I last placed my footsteps on an airplane. It feels like forever ago. It's all because of the deadly virus called Covid-19! 


Missing my family so much! 

As I'm sitting in my comfortable home writing this blog entry, over 3millions people died of Covid in less than two years. I can't complain that I couldn't be home with my family to celebrate the last Lunar New Year or I couldn't go on a holiday. I'm blessed and still incredibly grateful that I still have a great job and perfect health. This pandemic made me realize how unpredictable and uncertain life is. You can still plan your life, but you need to be flexible and adaptable to changes when necessary. My 2021 resolution list got longer, with many items brought forward from 2020, which I don't know when I can cross them off. Now that the pandemic has the world on pause, it's a perfect time to take things slow, reflect, and focus on what's most important. I miss traveling. I'm sure you do too. When I looked back at all my beautiful travel photos, they instantly put a smile on my face. This post will be a long one, as I wanted to take you back to my 2020 memories. I wanted to reflect on how I lived my life through the global pandemic and how blessed I was to thrive through the world's most challenging time. 

So here we go!

January 2020, Stef & I were lucky enough to be able to welcome the New Year in one of the most romantic cities in the world, Rome. We had breakfast in Vatican City one day, threw a coin in the Trevi fountain the next. I'll save Rome stories for another entry. For now, here are some throwback photos from our fabulous trip. 



After Rome, I flew back to Vietnam to celebrate Lunar New Year with the family. I remember watching the news with dad about the virus happening in China. We thought this was just China's story until it spread out to other countries and things got serious pretty quickly. I came back to Singapore in Feb and didn't plan any more trips after that. I wanted to focus on my health, so I went for the whole body checkup, read a lot about Lasik surgery.  One of my 2020 resolutions is to focus on improving my health and wellness overall, and that's what I did. Four days before the Singapore government announced the lockdown on April 1st, I went to have my Lasik surgery done. You can read more about my Lasik surgery experience here and why I decided to do this before the lockdown started. The question is, why not? Looking back, I still think it was the bravest and best decision that I made in 2020.  


Before the pandemic, I was hardly home. Either I was traveling for holidays or work, or I was out with my friends during the weekends. I thought it would be difficult to be locked in the house for a few months. Somehow, I adjusted my lifestyle very quickly and got so used to staying at home. Even after the lockdown was over, I hardly went out. I enjoyed working from home more, taking my conference calls at home while having a cup of coffee when the morning sun lighted through the window. Working from home gave me the work-life balance that I didn't have before. I spent less time traveling on the road, more time getting things done, and most importantly, more time on my fitness routine, which I love. I set my workout routine at 6 pm every day after I finished working. 

Being in the lockdown for a month urged people to do things that they had never done before. Myself included. I had my hairstyle cut extremely short and I liked it. 

I never cared about plants before, but I started growing some herbs and plants at home. I was so motivated to redecorate my bedroom after 4 years of living in it. I know right? What's the odd! But Covid, everything could happen. 

This is how the room looked before. 


I changed the shoes closet once, but didn't quite like the room still. The high beam ceiling really bothered me and I used to have so many nightmares. Some dreams were so strange and scary that I woke up crying and my heart beat so fast.  


Then, I started reading about fengshui in the the house, measuring every corner in my bedroom, searching for furnitures, and redesigning the whole room. This is how the room looked like during the day and the night after a month of measuring, rearranging, and furniture shopping. Surprisingly, I have no crazy nightmare ever since. How amazing! 



I was so pleased with how the room turned out that I seriously consider learning more about home decoration & interior design. 

During the lockdown, we also started to appreciate our relationship, health,  freedom, and many other things that we took for granted. I called my family almost every day to make sure they know that I'm well and safe. After the lockdown, I had many long-overdue catch-up lunches and dinners with friends. 


I even had the most memorable birthday party on a yacht, organized by my best friend, a birthday staycation at the most luxurious hotel in Singapore, many cakes to eat, and candles to blow that birthday week. 

Yet, on the same day, thousands of people around the world were dying of Covid. Thinking of it made me sad but also made me realize how fortunate I am. That is why I'm constantly reminding myself not to take anything of that for granted and always offer a helping hand whenever I can.   

When Stef told me that she needed help with her endometriosis surgery, my first instinct is "Yes". Yes, I'd help her in whatever way I could physically, emotionally, even financially. Yes, I would be her appointed guardian to give consent to the proposed treatment if she was unable to handle her affairs in critical condition. Yes, I wanted to be the first person she'd see when she woke up after her surgery. Yes, I wanted to stay in the hospital the entire time until the doctor let her go home. Everything sounded so easy until I was at the hospital ward. The reality kicked in. As soon as we said Goodbye and the nurse took her away from me, I felt so heavy and terrified. I was praying that no one called my phone that day and asked, "Are you the guardian?" or "I had to give consent that impacts someone's life." The nurse said, "the surgery usually takes 3 hours approximately," but 5 hours later, she was still in the Operating theatre. My brain started going down to the "negative" lane with all the scary thoughts. No matter how strong I am, I can never handle the emotion when someone I care about gets hurt. And I cried in the waiting lounge for no particular reason. It was an overwhelming and exhausting day and week. 


Looking back now, I'm so proud of Stef for doing this surgery and willing to share her experience with the world so she can create more awareness about endometriosis. You can read more about her story via this link here

Although we didn't manage to travel to other countries as planned, our year-end holiday last year became the most memorable one as Stef's surgery was just one week before Christmas (December 17th). For the rest of the weeks, we spent time at home for her recovery. I had a couple of dinners towards the end of the year with some other friends. It was a quiet and unusual New Year's Eve with no midnight countdown. But we still had some fun with new friends in a bar, then rang in the New Year with champagne, laughter, and wish at my house until late. 

2020 didn't turn out to be a great start of the a new decade like what we all hoped for, but at least, it reminded us of many things we took for granted, many valuable lessons that we needed to learn and relearn.There will still be many uncertainties in the year ahead. But as long as you are content, healthy, and surrounded by good friends, you are good. 

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Crystal Phuong
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HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013!


Hi everyone,

No matter which part of the world you are in, I hope you are having/ already had fantastic New Year's Eve celebration to bid farewell to 2012 and to welcome 2013. 

I believe It was a happening year to all of us and whether it was good or bad year, It's still worth a toast.  So HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! May a New Year be more successful, eventful and joyful to all. 

I had my celebration last night with Mike. We went to have New Year's Eve dinner at JAAN- a Artisanal French fine dining restaurant located at level 70 of Swissotel The Stamford.


Breathtaking view of Singapore landscape from our dining table. 


We were the first couple arrived at the restaurant and so we had lot of time for photo-taking. The restaurant even had in-house photographer to take picture for us. 


Toast for another year being together and many more years to come. 


Special New Year's Eve Menu. 

There were 11 courses for each of us last night. I'm gonna show them all to you now. 


1. Krug Grand Cuvee

 2. Sea Bass "Pointe Bretagne" Carpaccio

 3. Obsiblue Prawn.

 4. Foie Gras "Marbre"- This is my all time favorite 

 5. 55' Smoked Organic Egg. 

 6. Roasted Wild Caught Turbot. 

 7. Granite "Thym Citron" 

 8. Venison Loin

 9. Herve Mons Selected Brie De Meaux.

 10. Pre- Dessert.

 11. Sphere "2013"

 And lastly, 12. Petit Fours. 

Fantastic meal to end the year, delicious foods, romantic ambience and especially a sweet, loving company.

We finished dinner after approximately 2 hours as expected, our driver came to pick us up and drove us to Marina Bay Sands where we had our countdown and firework watching at Ku De Ta- Club Lounge.
People were all dressed up for the party.

I was wearing bodycon lace dress with gold glitter pumps for the night.


Here we were! At Ku De Ta- Skybar enjoying ourselves with our favorite drink: Vodka Tonic and nice music before midnight.


New Year's Eve Kisses are the magical ones ;) ! xoxox. 

And it's time:
GOODBYE 2012! 
HELLO 2013!

Hopefully 2013 will be a good year to all of us. I'm so excited about what's happening in 2013 or what I will make it happen in 2013. 

In the next blog post, I'll review my 2012 resolution and write a new resolution for year 2013. It's gonna be interesting so stay tuned! 

Happy New Year everyone!
Love,
Crystal
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Crystal Phuong
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Happy Rabbit Year!

Happy Rabbit Year!


Since Rabbit Year (according to Chinese horoscope) is coming closer, I shall have one topic talking nonsense about...the rabbit.


When we are talking about rabbit, the first thing comes to your mind is...




PLAYBOY MAGAZINE!!!!

What else? But does  anyone know why did Hugh Hefner choose rabbit as symbol of his magazine? Oh well, you may say "Because rabbit is marked as a sex symbol?" And why is it so? Why not pig or monkey?

Pig is sexy too! :D

After searching for a while, I managed to find some answers on the internet!

According to Answers.com: Hugh Hefner chose rabbit because "Rabbits are know how quickly they have sex". How quick??? 30 seconds to 40 seconds ONLY. 

Not only that, to your surprise "Rabbits have a very rapid reproductive rate. The breeding season for most rabbits lasts 9 months, from February to October. In one season a single female rabbit can produce as many as 800 children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren" (From wikipedia.com)

I'm like "WTF!!!" No wonder, it's called sex symbol. But when does a rabbit have sex? I've never seen, have you? Or maybe it's too fast, lolz. 

Most of the time, when you see a Western girl in rabbit costume especially Playboy bunny girl, you have no other words besides "SEXY" 



SMOKING HOT



EXTREMELY HOT!
They look just so effortlessly sexy! My God! I hate them! 
But somewhat, when rabbit costume arrives in Asia, it has been transformed from sexiness to...cuteness which I dont know why! Or either, we call it "cutely sexy" 

like this! lolzzzzz!

or better one is like this


Maybe, it's due to the culture or what. It's same like Westerners never forecast what's happening in Rabbit year but Chinese do. What is your prediction of this year?
My prediction for the year of rabbit is: World population will increase rapidly since it's the year of sex! 

HHAAAAHAAAA!!!!! *Oopps! Who is born in Rabbit year??? :

Dont take it seriously! I'm just joking while I'm so bored at home alone and I've already told you that I'm talking nonsense here. 

Less than a month to Lunar New Year, I'm so excited and looking forward to my Vietnam trip again...with my *ehem* fiance'. I'll write a New Year resolution post soon before new year either before or after I go off. 
Til then, happy Rabbit Year eveyone especially you! Rabbit born people :D
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Crystal Phuong
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We were having so much fun!

We were having so much fun!


Sorry for being not up to dated! I was spending the whole day today just to edit those photos that i took on NYE party! Not so much hardcore activities :p, but it was fun. KL that nite was tragedy crowded. Most of them are teenagers i guess with so many different hairstyle, make up, dress up which didn't look like a normal human, lolz. Something like this: To me, they are just weird. I read the news there are number of boys, gals were arrested on that nite itself due to having sex and drug in a lower class hostel. Well, I'm not their parents so.... none of my business! Ok, back to our party. It turned out to become "Single-ladies night". 7 of us went to Pavilion, got our open air table with windy weather. And we drank, ate, talked, took photos and counted down among thousands of noisy people out there.
My girls under my "make up" skills :D Hey I can be a make up artist, u know?
Our first drink. It's quite reasonable on that day with 1 jug only RM68 for 4 ppl. So we order 2 jugs. I swear if I could remember the name of the drink. All foods and drink names are written by Sapanish language, of course with English sub as well. But perhaps, the owner of this place wanted to make something more special. So i just helped him to name it. Okay, I named this drink is "VOLTA SAMBA" coz after u drink few jug, perhaps you can walk zig zac like the volta step. lolz
Ymmm! Fruity smell! :D
What are these 3 doing? Like never tried this type of drink before, hahaha...Cant wait to taste it. Here you go! My food! Let's me introduce to you! The "RUMBA CUCARACA SPAGHTTI" lolz
and the "RONDE CHACHA"
Lolz, you couldn't believe the reaction of the waiter when i order "Can i have Rumba Cucaraca" He was stunned and asked me "HAH? :-O" Lolz, damn funny you know.
Almost near to the 12, the restaurant gave each of us these toys. You guess what?
Ok, here is the hot glow! I don't know what the hell this one for? Perhaps shaking round and round :D It just looked funny!
Showing off my new nail color for a while :D I don't know what Yvette was trying to do with the string :D And now! It's blowing session. Hey, this is clean blowing game, okay. Do not try to elaborate or over imagine, hehehe :D You see! These 3 ladies were trying so hard :D
12 am: 1 Jan 2009 The Pavilion was full of "gold dust", very shining and beautiful :), full of noise, lightning and screaming. You can see how crowded it was that time.
And here, can you see the firework behind me? Camwhoring last time before we walked back to our hotels for 2nd session, party gals :D
This drink was brought by Yvette, I love every drink that she brought each time we have party: sometimes it's blue color, sometimes orange. If you have 1 pink color, pls keep it for me ok, Yvette? :D The taste is just great! Light but easy to get drunk. We manage to finish this whole bottle after 2 big jugs earlier. Such a heavy drinkers! lolzzz.... Let's me pose with this bottle for a while since it's so nice! After drinking, then we ate again, and talked again: all ladies stories. Wondering what we were talking about???? Sorry, this one i couldn't tell because it's confidential :D
Yeah! Cheer up everyone! Cheer up for a better beginning! Happy New Year all!
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Crystalicious
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