THE ULTIMATE TEASE

The lights are low. The music is seductive. She gives in to the temptation of the mood.

She looks him in the eye, smiles a knowing smile. She caresses herself, runs both hands down her body. Eyes closed, she tosses her head backwards, tresses tumbling free.The pleasure she feels is unmistakable.

She struts on killer heels showing off lithe long legs, sensual body, eyes teasing all the way. Every studied move to make him desire her madly - the fluid body undulation, suggestive hip rotation,sensual cat crawl and the in-your-face pelvic pump.

The music ends. The lights come on. I look around me.

There are twenty women in various stages of undress, bits and pieces of lingerie cover the dance floor, every one of us looking flushed from two hours of dance. We just finished the Ultimate Tease Workshop conducted by the bodytalks.

I find dance liberating; I find exotic dance to be particularly so because it frees the sensuality in me.

THE WINE COMPANY@EVANS

She had always wanted to have a place where the experience of enjoying wine is complemented with in-house dining. That wish became reality yesterday.

At the Official Launch Party of The Wine Company@ Evans, I was met by a very tired but very elated Belinda.

I knew of the obstacles she encountered at every turn. I remembered the time of self-doubt she went through. I have heard the relentless criticism of nay-sayers.

She has overcome all. She has survived. The Wine Company is her triumph.

...really cool place to chill out...

HENG HWA NIGHTS ENCORE

We wanted to go back to Pu Tien Restaurant for several weeks now. We finally found a reason to do so (yeah, right, since when did we need a reason).

It really was a good reason. The pair of them has November birthdays. Never mind that he, then she, already had their birthday celebrations. WE wanted to be in on it.

We started so daintily with blanched pork slices (L) and piggy intestines(R).

Then we lost control and ordered all our favourites *burp*.

Now we are looking at friends with December birthdays...

SEEING KETI AGAIN

She has the most dazzling smile and winsome personality. I first met her at a bellydance workshop for beginners in Singapore. I was drawn into the world of bellydance ever since.

So when Keti came through Singapore one recent afternoon, I could not pass up the chance to see her again. She is as captivating as I remembered her - the delight in her voice, the enthusiasm in her work, the optimism in her future.

We caught up on news about each other.

I am a little saddened to hear Keti say she no longer dances. Nowadays, she is busy with organising cultural and bellydance tours of Egypt . The rest of her time is taken up with dvd/cd production.

I had only ever known Keti as a dancer - a most beautiful and elegant bellydancer. But the look of contentment, certainty, and confidence on her face tells me she has moved on from bellydance to something that is more meaningful to her now.

I am happy for her.

(See Keti Sharif's Egyptian desert dance video clip here.)

HOR FUN, ANYONE?

Beef Hor Fun. It brings back fond memories: after-school lunches, family dinners, dating days, quick pick-me-up on rushed days.

The dish is so obvious. Slices of beef fried with Hor Fun in a robust gravy of stock and slightly scrambled egg for added smoothness.

So when a childhood friend visited from abroad, Beef Hor Fun was the immediate choice for home dinner. She was delighted; she had not had Beef Hor Fun since whenever.

We settled to a long night of girl-chat - husband, children, old friends, new friends, fashion, theatre. The conversation went everywhere, just like the old days.

At the end of the evening, she gave me a big farewell hug, looked me in the eye and said with all sincerity, "I so enjoyed your evocative Hor Fun".

Evocative Hor Fun? Example of usage : "Those bell-bottomed pants are evocative of bad 70s fashion". Evocative Hor Fun? Can Hor Fun be, of all things, evocative?

I looked at my childhood friend. I don't know when I will next see her. I recall shared memories. And I thought, "It's all alright." I knew what she meant...

A FANCY FAIRE AFFAIR

I look forward to the Fancy Faires. It is retail therapy in an atmosphere that is cosy, friendly, unrushed. It is about caressing the merchandise, about the intimate knowledge the vendor has of her wares, about the inspiration behind each piece of handicraft.

There is always something special waiting for me at the Faire - the most adorable ear-rings by bling girl Simone, the most versatile bag in the world by snatch girl Louise. Both are ingenious artists. Both are very dear friends of mine.

The Christmas Fancy Faires are held at:

Orchard Hotel
3rd Floor Orchard Ballroom & Lavender Room
Tues 14 November 1000-2000hrs
Wed 15 November 0930-1700hrs

Tues 05 December 1000-2000hrs
Wed 06 December 0930-1700hrs

HONEYMOON KRABI

Krabi was inevitable. We love short 3-day get-aways that take under two hours to get to. We've been to Bangkok 10 times last year. We were in Bali four times in three months. We had to go somewhere else.

Tiger Airways advertised impossibly, irresistably low fares to Krabi. We figured Krabi was IT.

We stayed at Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort which sits on 8-hectare of beautifully landscaped grounds with 500-metre of pristine white-sand beach.

We checked out Krabi Town. It was utilitarian. We checked out Ao Nang. It was deserted. There were no shopping, great eats, happening clubs. Eco-tours, rock climbing, canoeing rule. Unfortunately, these are not our idea of a great time.

We beat a hasty retreat to our hotel. We passed our time like honeymooners. Namely we ate at the hotel (a first for us), sat out by the pool, strolled along the beach, enjoyed and entertained each other. We lived in splendid isolation.

...walking hand in hand with the one I love...

It is a self-evident truth that honeymooners are the happiest people anywhere...

HENG HWA NIGHTS

Pu Tien is a coastal city in Fujian Province with a dominant Heng Hwa population, a minority dialect group within Fujian. It is also the name of a restaurant on KitchenerRoad that serves authentic Heng Hwa food. What is outstanding about Pu Tien (the restaurant) is that the food here is ordinary chinese food prepared with great skill and presented with loving care.

Here is the scrumptious dinner we had. From top clockwise:

1. Thinly sliced bottle gourd fried in sticky rice flour with egg batter (a la Orh Luak).

2. Home made braised tofu with the most delicate aroma and texture.

3. Fried taro that has a caramelised crispy outside and fluffy inside. Just heavenly.

4. Heng Hwa Fried Beehoom - not soggy, not dry, just perfect textured with the right balance of prawn, belly-pork, vegetables, peanut, mushroom and topped with crispy fried seaweed.

5. Tender shoots of Kai Lan topped with delicate beancurd skin.

6. Neatly sliced rings of squid which was first roasted then braised in stock resulting in a delicious combination of flavours.

A closer look at the squid dish - notice the evenly sliced rings...

... the supreme dish of the evening - the fried beehoon!

Pu Tien Restaurant is at 127 Kitchener Road, S. 208515. Tel 62956358

A DATE WITH ROMANZA ESPANOLA

I was at Romanza Espanola because of Rose Borromeo and Chang Hsiao Min. One is a long time friend; the other is a fellow bellydancer. Both are dedicated Flamenco artistes. Romanza Espanola is the expression of their love for the dance form in their own way.

... with long time friend Rose Borromeo,

Artistic Director of The Rose Borromeo Spanish Dance Company

Romanza Espanola is a two act Spanish dance-drama-theatre produced by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and the Rose Borromeo Spanish Dance Company.

Act One - Viva Flamenco - is a series of dance that showcases Flamenco rhythms.

Act Two - Romanza Espanola - tells the universal story of young love through dance, music comedy and drama.

My knowledge of Spanish culture and dance is regrettably limited. But for one short evening, I was transported to a magical place where arrogant elegance meets forkloric charm, where fiery temperament meets romantic naivete. I saw the beauty in the proud that is the Spanish character.

The Hsiao Min Fan Club. From L ...

Kyoko, Namiko, Li Hoon, Serene, Rani, Agnes, me
It was a night for catching up with fellow dancer friends too :)