John Legend for Houston Rodeo

I was never into John Legend, but that man can really sing.

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo (HLSR) is the world's largest entertainment and livestock show.

Every year, more than 2 million people come for this show.

The event goes on for over a month, with different performances every night.

There HLSR has 4 main events, 1 is the Livestock show, where you get to see the coolest cattle, pigs, horses, sheeps, etc for exhibition, for sale and to be 'judged'.

There's also a carnival, awesome funfair where you get to ride the craziest (by this, I mean that it is so wicked because I question its safety since the rides are the 'arrange and dismantle' kind of rides) rides like Ferris Wheel, Roller coasters, and many more. (You also get to see pig races. LOL hilarious)

3rd, would be the Championship Rodeo action, where you get to see people on their horses flipping the ropes and doing stunts.

Finally, would be the concerts they have after the Rodeo action, from various artists performing. The night that I went was Lady Antebellum in action.

After experiencing Rodeo, I've decided.

I want to ride a sheep to work.

The Groove

Sometimes, there are days I just want to switch off and dance like nobody's watching.

Zara Jacket, CottonOn Tights, Steve Madden Boots, MardiGras beads & hat.

Mardi Gras Beads

Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, it is a series of event of celebrations/parades before Ash Wednesday.

I don't know in detail about Mardi Gras because honestly it has nothing to do with me.

All I know is that there will be a lot of partying and celebrating for 4 conservative weeks before Ash Wednesday comes.

And the finale is the final weekend, and of course, the weekend I was at Nola.

The parades were wonderful.

I was fascinated on how people can continue to scream and scream even after hours and hours, even when almost all the Krewes were similar to each other.

Krews @ Crew tu macam group on the parade ride.

And not to worry, like Malaysia, dekat sini pun ada 'pihak pembangkang' juga. I was walking and came across this group of Protestors, and they were preaching devils and saints, etc.

Heh. Cool.

During Mardi Gras, there's this tradition of throwing beads.

So as the spectator you're supposed to collect these beads (for whatever reason.)

And there's a myth that if you 'flash' you will get the most beads. HAHAHAHA

And true enough, I saw quite few 'flashing' myself.

It was funny.

H was happy.

LOL.

But honestly, I got SO many beads that day,

the Krewe even gave me a bag to put all the bloody beads, and oi, I didn't flash, of course.

H & I were just so strategically located, and the Krewe just loves us (especially me, roll your eyes now) so much maybe because I look like I'm 14 years old and is out of place.

I should probably be in the Krewe next year because I think I have enough supply to give to the spectators.

Hello, Nola!

Yes, New Orleans.

H was here for couple of weeks, so I thought which better place to go than to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras?

I've always been a sucker for any type of celebrations, parades or parties, and man, it's Mardi Gras I mean how can I miss it?

Just so you know, New Orleans is called Nola (New Orleans Louisiana), so if you want to sound cool you can say, "Oh I went to Nola."

Cheh macam I'm so American pasal I dah tahu nickname.

Just some warm-up photos before the parade/party started.

XXI Overalls, Express Tighs, Jack Purcell Converse (I bought 6 years ago), Harajuku Lovers Jacket, Mardi Gras Hat & Sunglasses

Eat at Joe's, Crab Shack

Crabs, are amazing.

Carbs, aren't.

5 Guys and A Burger

I was in Tennessee couple weeks back, for work.

In Chattanooga, to be exact.

When I was first told that I had to go Chattanooga, I was like, "What? Where?"

But when I arrived this city, man, I was in love.

It's a small and beautiful city.

It's located by the lake, and the view at night is just spectacular.

I didn't bring my camera, so I don't have any nice pictures so show, but you can just google Image "Chattanooga" and you will know what I'm talking about.

I went to visit a recycle paper mill.

The picture (above) is about as clean as the place can get.

Recycled paper is made 98% from water (amazing!) and you can imagine how 'wet' the mills can get.

I was walking at the production area, when suddenly one of the machines decided to blow it's excess water right before me.

All brown and smelly.

Nice.

I'm always lucky like that -___-

Anyway just to share, what's interesting about the water (blown from that machine) is that when it dries, it becomes like cotton candy, and you can just dust it off you.

Cool, eh?

Had lunch at 5 Guys.

I am a burger addict.

FYI I gained 3 kilos ever since I came to the US.

I tell you this so that you keep in mind never to mention that I gained weight.

:)

Kemah Boardwalk

Somewhere 40 minutes from my home is a happy place where all boats go to play.

I love boats :)

I got to feed the sting rays too, they were so slimy I dropped most of my fish into the pool instead of into their mouth -___-

And I guess the string rays weren't too fascinated with me when I dropped their food into the pool instead of directly into their mouth, so they (the slimy string rays) decided to splash LOTS of water at me.

-___-

Not funny.

Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Such a beautiful and peaceful town. Took a midnight stroll at Riverpark. It was awfully cold but I didn't mind because tonight I love how the wind feels when it brushes my skin.

The OC

*** The OC Beach, Las Angeles

I can't wait for summer to come.

I want to go running barefooted, and feel the sands in between my toes.

Navy Pier, Lake Michigan

I experienced my first snow in Chicago.

I remember going into the steel mill for a meeting in the morning, and as we left the place for lunch, it was already snowing outside.

I was so happy, I literally was dancing and licking the snowflakes from the tip of my tongue!

A colleague (Mat Salleh) of mine said to me, "You're fascinating. You look like you just met Santa for the first time."

I told him, "But I won't lick Santa."

(He was not fascinated by this -_-)

It was -2 celsius, can you believe it?

I was freezing.

And being in Chicago, along the lake, the temperature can drop up to -10 due to the 'wind effect.'

I would walk for 5 minutes, and find a store (any store!) and go inside to reheat myself again for about 10 minutes before I continue walking -__-

Anyway, when you go to Chicago, Navy Pier is a place you should visit.

Navy Pier is located along the Chicago shoreline of Lake Michigan.

Navy Pier is a mix of cargo facility and also, well because of it's awesome scenery, as a hang out place :)

Rachel, Alex & I (Navy Pier & Magnificent Mile)

I think in Winter you should allow yourself to gain few kilos, because Winter makes you hungry all the time, and even if you gain weight, you can always cover them up with your super huge winter jackets ;)

The View from the Tower

John Hancock Observatory, one of my favorite places to hang out in Chicago.

Up on the 96th floor, sipping my coffee and enjoying the spectacular view, the noises around me, fades away.