I have been many places. I have met many people. I have said many goodbyes. I have heard so many we-must-keep-in-touch promises.
We would write the occasional letters. That rapidly deteriorated to once a year at Christmas-New Year. When international calls became more affordable, there were the occasional phone calls (always at an inconvenient time because of time difference). When email was all the rage - we happily wrote short notes with some frequency.
But, the reality is this: when one moved away physically, one gradually moves away emotionally. There is no longer the shared lives, only shared memories. Yet there is a lingering desire to hear from one another, to know that everyone is doing alright.
So I started to blog. I thought it would be an easy way to check on me occasionally and find out what I have been up to. No pressure to read emails and feel the need to reply.
But my original target reader group is a strange lot. They would not even keep an open mind about what blogs are all about. They never visited my blog. Reasons ranged from the blog not being personal enough, to they cannot access the site, to the husband/children monopolizing the comp.
But I treasure the friendship forged from all those years ago. So I give in to their irrational reluctance about blogs. About three times a year, I'd email them with recent pictures and give a brief run-down of what's happening here. And they'd write back to tell me what's happening back there, and how they miss me, and invariably ends the mail with "got to run now. Dinner is about ready/the husband just came home/I hear the doorbell."
I cannot help but wonder if I'd be ulu just like that had I stayed...
In the confined space of a dance studio, one of the most dangerous moments is when the choreography calls for a spin-turn-forward travelling manoeuver. Timing, direction and distance have to be just so, or there will be serious injury from collision of bodies in mid-air.
The dance instructor, after calling out the instructions and making the class walk through the move, would then yell, "Okay, you ready? We try now. Kiki koo kiki." And the class would collapse in laughter.
What is kiki koo kiki?
Well, it's bad Cantonese enunciation for kah kee kor kah kee,
which is bad Hokkien enunciation for "ownself look after ownself",
which is Singlish for "every man for himself".
I love multi-lingual Singapore.
We were finally ready to gather friends for dinner over the weekend. But not quite ready to actually cook the entire meal ourselves. So we compromised.
We met up at our other kitchen, and introduced the friends to what has to be the finest in zhi char cuisine. Then we headed back home for drinks and desserts.
The arrangement worked well. We were not exhausted from trying to do too much, and so were able to enjoy the companionship that much more.
On a different but related note, eatdrinkplayjunkie did not make it to dinner with us. Baby Tyler arrived two weeks earlier than expected. Mother and son are doing well; I presume Daddy is exhausted :)
Friday 18 July was a special day for a special lady - Claribel held her grand official opening of her new dance studio. The day was made all the more memorable by the presence of friends and colleagues who mean a lot to her.
1. Ribbon cutting ceremony - Claribel (centre in pink), Dr. Mo Geddawi (L) and Madam Raqia Hassan (R).
2. Hsiao Ming (L) and Serene (R)
3. Student performer
4. Susanna Lawren
5. Angelina Tay
6. Kyoko
7. Audience and workshop participants
The day's festivities carried well into the night when the partying continued at Shiraz. For details, read 3A's post here.
1. Opera House Promenade
2. Sydney Harbour Bridge (the Coat Hanger)
3. Circular Quay
4. Strand Arcade
5. Central Station
6. Manly Beach
I know I must have covered most of the CBD on foot!
all we need is music, sweet music 
I loved that I could dress like a urban hippie again and not feel out of place ...
My violet-streaked hair showed up brilliantly in the soft wintery sun. I love being funky :)
There are many, many middle eastern restaurants in Sydney. But bellydance entertainment is limited to only Friday and Saturday. I had only one evening free for this, so after much asking around, I settled on Almustafa.
It turned out to be a very good choice.
The decor is all textile and texture; low-lit lamps and an eclectic display of bric-a-brac make the place feel more like a home than just another restaurant.
The menu offers just about everything anyone can want in a middle eastern restaurant. Every item is better than good. I know - I find that hard to believe too.
The bellydancer started her show sometime between the end of dinner and the beginning of desserts and coffee. How more perfect can the timing get?
I have to hand it to this bellydancer - her interaction with the audience was superb. She managed to allocate just enough time for the obligatory picture posing, jammed with the crowd and delivered a drum solo that was exhilarating as it was mesmerizing. I wish they do more than one set for the evening, but on the other hand, maybe one set of really superior performance is what makes it so special for everyone there that night.
Almustafa Lebanese Restaurant is located at
23 Glebe Point Road,
Glebe, NSW 2037
Tel: 61 2 96609006
was the month
- I made my first ever trip to the continent of Australia.
- I was in downtown Sydney, within the CBD to be exact, the entire 8 days. I was totally happy just being in an urban environment where I am most at home.
- And realised how much I miss being in a Western city.
- The days were glorious blue skies, the nights were crisp chilly. Perfect for ducking in and out of shopping malls.
- And so starts that chapter of my life when my time is mine, my life is mine.
- I am happy.
