The Charm Beneath 胭脂水粉

Chinese Title : 胭脂水粉

Cast:
Moses Chan
Gigi Lai
Yoyo Mung
Chan Hung Lit
Michael Tong
Anne Heung
Sharon Chan
Mandy Cho
Kiki Sheung
Cecilia Yeung Sze Sze
Tseung Chi Kwong

Producer : Mui Siu Ching ( Shine On You )

Honestly, when i came across this production, i was a bit disppointed to see the group of cast because most of them were unfamiliar to me and no one in particular i wanted to support much..and was also a bit disappointed that sheren tang was taken out of the show. However, the reason why i took a step to rent this drama serial was because the title 胭脂水粉 caught my attention and the gal at the rental shop managed to persuade me that this was a nice piece of work.. plus i have always been interested in periodic dramas.

Set in the 1920s and 1930s in Hong Kong, Halle De Fleur was the business owned by a very wealthy family, 'chuk family'. They were doing cosmetic business with roller lipstick as their star product. You can definitely expect politics among the family with loves, hatred, jealousy..and of course the good and better among the goods, and the bad and even worser among the evil. (Anyway not going to say much as just in case someone out there wants to watch the show..this is a show that one should not know too much in advance..)

What impressed me about the show was how the technique of 'xuan lian' was put to use. This was a term i learnt during my scriptwrighting module in nafa. It sort of means the technique of stopping at a point when its near to climax.. I felt a good 'xuan lian' is actually vital in sustaining the audience in captivity.. And i like the plot and the theme of family, romance and frienship. (However i felt that the scene that marks the end of problem was lame. How can someone succeeded in jumping into river and commit sucide in the pressence of so many good people who were 1 to 2 metre away.. and also i felt the real reason for the death of the founder of Halle De Fleur should be revealed to the family household members.. and Siu Hsing (the character played by Sharon Chan) should know the truth of who killed her brother..

Moses Chan as Cheuk :

Simply a 'bai jia zi' and lady killer who was yet creative , kind and carefree. After going through much, he became matured. (But i don't like the way he handles relationship. )

Moses' performance was ok but still room for improvement.. At times I felt he could have been a little bit more emotional esp the part when he saw his beloved being stabbed with knife.. something lacking still.. but i guess he just has the look of a witty spoil from rich family which makes him more suitable for the role than bowie lam who was replaced by him.

Gigi Lai Cheuk Wing Wai:

A sophisicated and smart woman who was observant and who truly cares for her family. Interestingly, her husband was played by Tseung Chi Kwong who was many years older than her and also in terms of looks.. He looks like an uncle.

Gigi did quite a good performance (even though i din really like her) except the part where she cried to which i felt could be improved though she manged to touch me in some crying scenes.. Anyway i thought this was a good role which TVB has given her and heard that the review for her was good.. (but my guts feeling tells me that sheren tang will also be able to do a very good job for the role as i felt she will be good for periodic drama..)

Yoyo Mung as Yee Fong

A gentle spirit lady who gets along well with everyone. She has her intersting and silly side even though she was shy towards the one she loves. A very gal next door who likes to watch drama and is also one who will go through thick and thin for her loved one.

I am not one who watced Yoyo Mung's show often. But i gotta say i likeYoyo inside the show..the potrayal of Yee Fong .. even though her hairstyle was ugly it has some air and ex-factor.. got wei dao..

Chan Hung Lit as Shan

Boss of Halle De Fleur .. A fatherly figure with authority and was Head in Cheuk family. Some respected and was grateful to him, and some trying to get into his good book for some motives.

I like Chan Hung Lit inside the show.. Felt that he's good as he has the air of a father.. and i felt his fatherly loves in the show..

Anyway, my favourite character in the series are Cheuk Wing Wai and Yee Fong!

A great show!

Morning & Afternoon.. Night

Morning started the day,
with an alarm ..
Inside my blanklet,
tossing around,
not wanting to face it,
but yet i got to.
Perhaps i have lost the heart for the day..
perhaps i am still indecisive,
although not giving up..

Afternoon formed part of the day,
with a crying smile.
I know you are there,
yet I am running away,
getting myself lost..
I hope you will find me,
you can,
you want,
and you will..
with rainbow..

Can one sight decide for all?

Eyes were open,
ear were hearing,
hearts failed to understand..
perhaps it was never meant to,
or never want to..

Voices were circulating the tight air for the night,
but i hear my cries more.
Yet, trying to be happy.

Can one sight decide for all?

saturday & sunday

Saturday :

this was a working day.. royston was at work too.. i remember i dread myself from the bed and headed to work. was almost tempted to ask rui en to cover for me as i felt i needed rest for my sick body but think it was too late, its 8.30am i looked at the time..

anyway afterwork i headed home to rest.. and had my lunch. afterwhich i went to ang mo kio popular to do some research from my coming work on mon. pei and man were there to accompany me too. after which we went to have our dessert and i headed home while pei and man went to East Coast Park (which i suppose ting steph and kelly going the very next day)

at 7pm i went to miracle service.. felt better after that.


sunday:

waking up for the day, i decided to go for night service. as i felt maybe a night service will be better for me for the day..

Baby Cadence, my sis and my brother in law came back today.. hee cadence started to choose who can hold her and who cannot hold her.. this baby gal started to feel for her surrounding..and knows how to make noise to show.. anyway she was used to us after sometimes and just lay still with as we play and hold her..

After which, mummy went to work and i went to meet eddy which was a last minute decision made the night before.

Soon it was bishan station. I alighted and was looking out for eddy but i can't seemed to find him.. and i thought could it be i can't recognise him? the last time i saw him was many years back during my nafa days. soon he saw me.. and still quite the same except that he seems fairer. we went to this cafe cartel.. and i ordered camomile tea.. we had a good chat about those old memories when we are doing productions and our some of our future plans.. anyway we left the place at about 5pm and i felt i needed to get home to rest before i went to the 7pm service.

i met venon and ivy serving as asher today. Nice of them to give me a ride today..

i enjoyed the service.. remembering Pastor Bernette saying something like 'to finish strong, everyday is a masterpiece..'

Morning

i woke up at about 9.30am, having and knowing the thoughts of reporting to work at 12pm for claiming of overtime.

i started the day with my washing up and quiet time followed by a meal. am happy to spend the morning with mummy..we watch tv together. hee..

What Colour

I am writing this half an hour after i came out from toilet. As i was looking at the mirror, glancing at my black hair..i thought i look down to earth.. Am thinking of red cum purple cum blue.. shall be my next colour..

Shall i cut short my hair?
Shall i rebond my hair?
Shall i perm my hair?

well, will see how..

Sunday

Wake up at around 9am+ for the day.. ate breakfast and prepared for service. there was some change of plan. i would be meeting xiao guijing at 12.55am after the service instead of 10.40am.

Service was a little fast than norm and i reached admiralty station in time to meet xiao guijing. after which she came to my house - we were watching TV and playing with bibi cadence (as sis and brother-in law came with her) Mummy also cooked nice nice dishes..so long never tasted her soup with sweet corn, pop ribs,onions, carrot and potatoe..yummy!! and love her chicken..love her vege ..love her fish..bibi cadence was so cute..she has brought much joy to the family.

After which i accompany xiao guijing to church a while and proceeded to take train to chinatown after the announcement made as i got an appointment with my beauty doctor cindy.

Again, she analyse my face, and did a scraper, extraction and blue laser shined on me. the whole thing took about 1hr.

i proceeded to bugis after that to meet shumin. finally i get to meet her to pass her the cds.

reached home at about 9.30pm.

i had an early sleep..slept at 12.30am..

its a great day!!

Saturday

My initial plan of the day was to start 30min of running at 8am. But looking at the time, it was 8.30am. The weather was cool, my bed was nice, i dun want to be late and in rush with meeting up with pei. thus i decided to accompany my pillow and blanket a little while..

Never did i expected that 9.20am came so fast.. as i was meeting pei and her sis at 10.15am.. i did my preparation with a good speed ..and fly to ang mo kio. On my way, i met kai zhong..erm think gotta rephrase..he met me as he saw me 1st. A small world it is..as he was also going to Ang Mo Kio and some times back, i learnt we had a common friend that is Rui En..as he knew her through Johnson.

Ang Mo Kio station arrived and we walked to the Jubilee hall as kai zhong also wanted to say hi to pei. After which we proceeded to ang mo kio market for our breakfast and hopped onto the cab proceeding to Alexander Hospital with pei and her sis to visit their mother who had watched me grown up.

Aunti , pei's mum which i addressed looks good..i guessed she was on a recovery side. She ate the lunch from the hospital and the porridge pei bought for her after which.. while i also did spent some time chating with her, roaming the hospital and reading magazine. Soon it was 1.45pm and the visiting hours will soon be over till the next slot of time.. Thus we made a move.. Before that, I hold aunti's hand and prayed for her wishing her a speedy recovery, with strong health and able to walk with no side effect..(hee i actually find aunti to be comfortable looking..her eyes were actually big with defined double eye lid and was potentially fair.. i told pei that aunti must be a beautiful lady during her youth..)

Then, we went to Harbour Front Centre..and have a drink and snack at Breeks.. we shared buffalo wings, fish nugget with lime sauce, and i ordered Ocean, pei ordered brownie with ice cream and also a drink which tasted so sour.. Yinn came to join us shortly after and she ordered brownie with ice cream and ocean too.. we had a good chat.. after that we shopped around the area .. 5plus came and we went our separate ways as pei has to go back to hospital to be with her mum and family..Good gal man! i am impressed. (a potential good wife definitely. ) meiyin and i took 145 to head to toa payoh. after which i went back to woodlands for miracle service and yinn see see look look walk walk at the vicinity of toa payoh.

the testimony of the twin miracle babies were encouraging. I am so happy for my sis in Christ..who has been through disappointment, down times ...and ultimately God answers her prayer for wanting a twin pair of babies..With God anything is possible!! Amen.

looking forward

waking up for the day, i looked forward to breakfast with mummy while watching the 37 TVB anniversay with her..its really a joy.. we had teh tarik with toast bread.. and she made chee cheong fun for me before i left for work..

a great start for the day!!

Thanks

i knock off for the day yesterday at around 5.15pm.. before i left rp, i wanted to buy a peanut pancake for myself.. but aunti said she is running out of that kind of pancake..and thus she offered me another kind of pancake which has hotdog , cheese and egg..which was actually more expensive..but aunti charged me only $0.80. it was nice!! thank God and aunti..and as weather was fine, i decided to walk home.on the way, i saw an ice cream man and he gave me a free ice cream which he accidentally opened it the wrong way..thank God and uncle..i enjoyed my journey back home..

ate my dinner and watch tv..went to Shine Light ministry meeting after which.
ends at about 10pm..get to know some new friends today. thank God!

thank God that i no need to wake up early the next day too..hee

That time...

Have not blog for a few days simply because i am lazy and not in the mood. but i have decided to do a capture of my past few days for my own record..

i managed to meet up with xiao guijing..so glad to see her..as it has been a yr since the last i saw her.. miss her man..!! Salute and congrates to her for completing her mission overseas!! I am proud of u !! Not easy to study oversea alone i understand.. well done! We went for 11am service and after which she came to my house.. we bought all the japa lang food..and watch beauty and war together ..after which we went to causeway point..to see see look look walk walk.. and have a great conversation with her.. its a great day. thank God.

for the past few days, i have not been running as i felt wind in my stomach. guess i have to change my diet..always love to eat the oily..and sweety and savoury taste..which usually clog up my whole health system .. maybe i should try and appreciatie the beauty of plainess in food.such as fish soup..yau tau foo(soup base)..or perhaps also ..friends encourage me ok!!
(hee am happy ..this week someone commented that i had slim down..)