Kindly Yours

Miss Ely Yap held a marriage commitment ceremony with Mr Ray Lin in Birchgrove on 18 September 2010, surrounded by panoramic Sydney views, a sparkling spring afternoon and more than a hundred of relatives, mates and well-wishers. The bouquets held by the bridesmaids matched the adornments of the groomsmen. Yachts and ferries passed by lazily in the background. Finger food and drinks were served. The father of the bride, Mr Boo Ann Yap, beamed under the Australian sun, as he walked in with the radiant bride on hand. Ceremony attendees came all over the globe, including Malaysia, California, New Zealand and more.

Karen and Chet back in their hometown of Georgetown. All image credits above to Ideal Wedding Studios, Penang, Malaysia

Karen and Chet pour the champagne fountain on the evening of 23 October at their wedding reception on Penang Island. ( Image credit - Mr Loke Yew Fai from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Above image credit - Miss Yong Tze Yin from Auckland, New Zealand. Above image credit - Mr Loke Yew Fai from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia . Cousins Tze Yin and Su Lin outside the ballroom in the G Hotel after the reception. ( Image credit - Mr Yong Chung Shen from Penang, Malaysia) ( Image credit - Mr Loke Yew Fai from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Parents of the groom, Sian Kin and Kin On. (Image credit - Mr Loke Yew Fai from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) The toast on stage at the G Hotel, joining two families and more. (Image credit - Mr Yong Chung Shen from Penang, Malaysia) Above image credit - Miss Yong Tze Yin from Auckland, New Zealand.

Dr Yong Chern Chet and Miss Karen Yeoh celebrated their wedding in Penang on 23 October 2010. Here they are assembled with several family members in front of the iconic Penang Buddhist Association Building along Anson Road. ( Image Credit - Dr Tan Huck Hoe from the Australian National University , Canberra ) Karen and Chet cut the wedding cake at the Ballroom of the G Hotel along Gurney Drive. ( Image Credit - Mr Loke Yew Fai from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Mandarins, lollies and traditional carriers at home of the groom. ( Image credit - Miss Adelyn Yong from Auckland, New Zealand ) During the Straits Chinese styled tea offering ceremony, relatives gather in front of the bridal couple. The tea is infused with longan slices and tastes sweeter than what would be otherwise served at yum cha brunches. (Image Credit - Mr Loke Yew Fai from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ) Made of rice-based dough, coloured concoctions are rolled into even bite-sized balls for cooking in syrup - the symbolic and meani...

Chet and Karen celebrate their marriage against the backdrop of colonial Singapore. All image credits in this section taken at the National Museum of Singapore by More To Purple

It has been raining for three straight days in the Sydney area during this October long weekend for NSW, the last such one before Christmas. In contrast, my thoughts spontaneously remind me of a wedding day in the middle of the first month of a southern hemisphere spring. The bride, Ely, looked positively elegant and contentedly radiant.  Her groom, Ray, exuded calmness, confidence and assurance. The day had brilliant sunshine and blue skies, accentuated by the Sydney skyline and the calm river waters when viewed during the commitment ceremony held at the Ballast Point Park in Birchgrove. Much had gone into planning and logistics for this special day. I am impressed with the Ann who led the team of friends to get the restaurant venue set and ready for the wedding dinner requirements - and she only had 90 minutes to do so before the evening reception on the very day itself. To an observer, the day's ceremonies had been a blend of the heritage and emphasis of today's...

Chris immediately reflected on his recent visit to the Vue de Monde located along Melbourne's Little Collins Street.. "Definitely different, in terms of the food and the ambiance." We were chatting in a place called the Ad Lib. French inspired in cuisine and with a Sydney corporate table feel, the restaurant was busy on the last Saturday evening for September. I could feel the whiff and dash of fellow diners pass me by, together with the purposeful movement of the staff in attending to the clients. There was no occasion to even contemplate about Provence or have any such lavender-like thoughts. At times, I felt I was in the central business district rather than in a upper northern suburb about half an hour by car from the Harbour Bridge. It became noisy as the evening progressed. The Pacific Highway just outside this venue did still have a stream of vehicular traffic. My group of diners appreciated the friendly customary check of how our food was after the mains were cons...

The rains were so heavy just before dawn. I felt - and heard - the rush of this passing overhead sensation just outside my bedroom window, just as September wound down from a busy but rewarding series of encounters, celebrations and meet ups. A return to weet bix squares came foremost to my mind.  For several days, Vinu from California was having them very breakfast morning. I realised how I took this unique Aussie product for granted over on this side of the Pacific. Then I thought of Rosie, the ultra friendly doggy who came to greet the group of us who came from various corners of the globe to stay at a Henley townhouse in Sydney. Rosie lifted her paws in such a benign and captivating manner to you, locked her persona inside your heart and that could not be easily forgotten. I always in the past had a bunch of keys for which I did not know what they were mostly for. Now I can reckon where all of these keys lead to in my sphere of things. The trick was in paying atte...