I know I’ve been on a blogging roll the past few days and I had been churning out at least one post a day for this blog. I am in a blogging mood and I had been all so motivated to write for some reason..Anyway, this is just a update on what I had been up to the last couple of days..

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Met the fabulous Pinays of Phnom Penh last Monday. Had coffee and muffins again @ Brown Cafe plus lots of girl talk. Thanks Che for the muffins! That didn’t end there, we also had lunch in Sofia’s Kitchen where the food is good and so affordable. Next stop was K-four Appliance Center for some appliance browsing, which reminded me I still have to work on and buy that LCD TV to replace the bedroom TV I accidentally dropped a few months back. We then went to Golden Sorya Mall, a new shopping complex near Central Market and Sorya Mall. Browsed all stalls, hehe didn’t buy a thing then we went to T & C cafe near Pencil Supermarket for more chikahan. I love days like this, its not often but yeah its a big deal for me to be able to get some free time for myself and just to have some girl bonding times with my friends. And for me, Phnom Penh is really a more fun place because of these fabulous ladies..

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Tuesday was a busy day. Some errands to run here and there. I also had to do some grocery shopping. I also resumed doing my regular cardio exercises since I’ve been trying to lose some stubborn pounds. Imho, getting regular exercise and a healthy diet I think is way much better than phentermine diet pills. I’ve also been searching the net for some light exercise instructions and I’ve printed it out. Bought myself some light weights too because I want to tone some of my flabby extras.

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Wednesday, Ouwie and I decided to go on a shopping trip to the Russian Market. I can’t find my backpack bag and I’ll be needing one sometime soon. So we headed over to Tuol Tompong Market about 9 am and whew! it was already jam packed with tourists and locals doing their shopping. We headed over to the clothing overruns section and got myself a Kipling Bag (L) for only $8 and another Kipling sling bag convertible to belt bag too for only $4. We browsed the market some more and I also got some comfy Lee Riders capri pants for only $5 each. After an hour I really couldn’t take the heat inside the market anymore so we headed over to Cafe Yeji just around the corner. After a refreshing drink we browsed the art galleries near the market..Will post the photos of my buys soon. I have yet to download them from my camera. I’ve started a ‘Shopping in Phnom Penh’ category and will be featuring bargain haunts and best buys around Phnom Penh. Soon.

Yes, there are shopping malls here in Phnom Penh but I don’t really like shopping there for clothes. Mostly because they just sell stuff that can be easily found in Bangkok but at super high prices at times their markups are more than 300%! I only like going to these malls for coffee, to stroll around to get away from the heat, or to shop at the supermarkets. When it comes to clothes shopping I prefer going to Russian Market (Phsar Tuol Tompong) for casual stuff, shops along St. 240 for classy dresses, and lately we’ve been discovering lots of places to shop for vintage, second-hand items at super low prices.

I’ve been hearing long-term Phnom Penh expats rave about Japan Thrift Shop but I kept putting off going there because its a little far from our house. Anyway, a few weeks ago, Ouwie decided she wanted to have more blouses to add to her ‘work wardrobe’ but she doesn’t want to spend a lot. I suddenly remembered Japan Thrift, so I forego my morning blogging duties and doing research about nutrisystem to explore Japan Thrift Shop.

It’s located along St. 47, a street in the middle of Monivong Blvd. and Sisowath Quay, almost to the Old Olympic circle. I find it much easier to go from Wat Phnom, turn right to St. 47. The shop is located a few meters down Total Gas Station. It’s facade is a little indistinct so it might be easy to miss..

You can see some toys and shoes in racks outside the building but its the inside you might be wanting to see. I like the way items are organized here, makes sorting a teeny bit easier. Note that it is not air-conditioned, but the high ceilings and some fans help ease the heat, but do prepare bottled water in case you get so hooked at sorting those piles of goodies. Another perk is their fitting rooms so you can try on your finds before buying it!

Lovely, lovely skirts! All less than a $1.

Cool looking leather jacket, only $1.75! Too bad it couldn’t fit me haha!

I’m slacking off, I know. Not with blogging though, I’m pleased to say since February I’ve been posting regularly hahaha. I dunno, it just helps me cope with homesickness and missing my parents back home in the Philippines. It must also be because I know were going home in July. (I hope my mother won’t read this, and for my relatives checking this out, PLS. don’t tell my parents about our vacation in July, its supposed to be a surprise for them)  It should be a secret but I can’t help blabbering about it again, that’s how excited I am about going home for a long vacation. Lol! I just hope they won’t find out in advance so they can enjoy the surprise of seeing Chinkee again. Did I mention they don’t really miss me but only Chinks? Hayy, I’ve resigned myself to being ignored since I gave them a grandchild. Haha, seriously I don’t mind, I find it very amusing though, how my parents dot on my daughter.

Anyway, this post is about reminding myself again what I have to do this March..Some sort of checklist for me, I’m placing it here because it pressures me to accomplish the task.

Home and Shopping..

• Look for an area rug and some of those Khmer style floor/sitting cushions.
• Look for a door chime or maybe make one myself.
• Nag Graciously ask Hi-ace about painting or tiling the front stairs.
• Re-pot my bougainvilleas.
• Visit Boeung Keng Kang Market again and hunt for 4 panels of embroidered curtains.
• Shop for tank top shirts or thin cotton shirts. Should not get sidetracked with cute kid stuff =)
• Look for a backpack. I can’t find my other bag and I need one before the 26th.

Crafts..

• Check O’Russey Market for some seed beads. Japanese or Czech variety will do.
• Also for some beading thread.
• Continue downloading beading patterns.
• Make some beading patterns with my bead tool.
• Search for suppliers of polymer clay online. I had no luck finding it here in Phnom Penh, hayy!

Web and Blogging

• Finish uploading plugins to my new blog – Lui-Bloggera.
• Update other blogs.
• Finish TaskWise schedule reminders.
• Upload free ad spot banners and headers. (I keep forgetting this!!)
• Visit and read more blogs..

Important (yeah  these are really important)

• More cardio exercises.. jumping rope go, go, go!
• Veggies and fruits only for dinner. I should go with this strictly. lol!
• Buy dumbbells.

Leisurely Saturday..

I love weekends like this. Just doing nothing, spending the day with Hi-ace, Chinks and Ouwie. It rarely happens that all of us are not busy, more often than not we have someplace else to go even during weekends. Hi-ace didn’t have any meetings, trips or classes. When its like this we take advantage of the time to just be together.

Yesterday morning was spent just lazing around, sleeping till 8 am, eating a leisurely breakfast, then we played board games. Afternoon we spent biking around Phnom Penh. It’s been awhile since we’ve done this and I had a fun time. We also brought Chinks to the bookstore since she had been asking for some art supplies.

We also browsed those sidestreet vendors along Monivong Blvd., offering printing of business cards and wedding invitations. We both want to have some printed and those sidestreet sellers are really offering value for printing services. 100 pcs of business cards cost just less than $10 depending on the design and you can also have your own design printed for an additional fee. As for the wedding invitations, hmm they have a wide variety of designs some amusing, some cute, some very elaborate and some really with lots of embellishments. I didn’t inquire about the price though hehe..

Sunday shopping..

Hi-ace and Chinks went with Ma to visit their uncle in Kandal province. They left about 6:30 am so I had some free time to do some shopping. Food shopping was done first, of course, in Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tompong). Got our week’s supply of vegetables, meat, fish and fruits. Shopping in local markets is now a breeze for me, I already have regular suki vendors so I get a good price plus freebies.Ouwie and I also roamed around the clothing section coz I was planning to buy some tank tops. The summer heat is getting unbearable so I wanted to have some cotton shirts. After browsing several stalls I found myself buying stuff for Chinks instead. Bought her a couple of shirts and I also found lots of cute swimwear and I also got her some since she’s taking swimming lessons already in school.

10:30 am, the market was already crowded so Ouwie and I decided to escape from the crowds and headed for a cup of coffee at the Coffee Korner just off the Russian Market. This has already been our favorite coffee place after doing our shopping rounds of Phsar Tuol Tompong.

Hi-ace and Chinks got back around 12 noon, so now were all lazing around again. Me, writing this really lazy post, Hi-ace watching TV, Chinks tumbling around the floor and Ouwie reading a book. Wish every weekend would be like this haha! I should really get back to reality..

Here in Phnom Penh one of the places to be is the riverfront. Officially known as Sisowath Quay, the riverfront is a great place to stroll, to join those ever popular mass tai chi and aerobics sessions, eat in the numerous cafes and restaurants lining the street, feed the pigeons in the park right in front of the Royal Palace, to shop for some souvenirs, and to simply sit and enjoy the river views.

As for us, we like driving around this place, getting ourselves a place to sit and people watch for an hour or two, just taking in the vibe of the place. It has been something like our favorite weekly ritual since we started living in Phnom Penh.  I always have a camera with me, a digital camera if I’m toting a handbag with me, or my phone with a camera if I just have my favorite wrist pouch with me. So since I’m compulsive about taking photos, I didn’t realize I’ve collected a good number of photos of Phnom Penh riverside. Let me just share..

The Royal Palace… taken before 7 am, the best time to take photos here I think..

Rows of Flags.. Chinks likes these. She gets to name which country a flag belongs to..

The other side of the road.. lined with hotels, cafes, restos..

Viewing deck…

Chinkee loves feeding the pigeons..

Newly revamped riverside park right before the port..

More on my PHOTOS page..

It was a really boring afternoon last Saturday. We were planning to revive Chinkee’s pond in a pot. Last time it had lots of fishes already but somebody played with it while we were not around and all her fishes died. She has been asking to have it again, Hi-ace though is always busy to take care of it. We were planning to buy a small garden pond filter and some fishes but we got distracted walking around the malls. Before we knew it twas early evening already. We had early dinner in KFC, came back home then watched TV. We realized we still had time to kill before bedtime, so I decided to raid my closet to organize my clothes. All things I don’t use anymore I packed for donating. I love doing this, I almost always unearth something I’ve forgotten that I have.

I was digging, digging, sorting when I saw a gauzy black empire cut dress a friend gave me last year. I haven’t worn it coz its too short for me, I could wear it with leggings but I always thought I don’t look good on leggings (hehe with my fat legs and all..). But I kept this dress coz I like its stretchy bodice, I mean even if I get totally huge, I could still wear it..Lol! Anyway, my little fashionista and kikay daughter saw it and tried it on. I had to tie the back with a ribbon so it wouldn’t fall off. Haha! She was giggling and asked me to fix her hair, ‘Tie it up, please Mommim and take photos of me..”

Lol! We had loads of fun taking photos again. Hmm, this is something that I really like about living in Phnom Penh. Life is simple, at an unhurried pace so I get to enjoy and play silly games like this with Chinks.

So here she is..And no I didn’t tell her how to pose. She just posedand pouted by herself with me just snapping photos with my phone’s camera..

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