She is now a new mommy. And she is finally ready to have people over to see her new boy.
The friends got together over a simple potluck dinner. It was almost like pre-baby days. Only almost.
The baby really is a good little fella who slept through most of the evening, waking only with mild protest that he should be fed too. And once obliged, he quickly fell off asleep again.
The friends carried on catching up with each other, almost like the old pre-baby days. Almost.
I don't usually pay attention to "native" sounds, but this pair of aboriginal street musicians caught my attention. That they were friendly and encouraged photo-taking, even posing with tourists, added to the joyful mood.
I ended up getting their spirit of the land CD - a compilation of didgeridoo on techno phunk.
I see my light come shining
The thing to do on weekends in Sydney is the weekend markets.
I managed to do Paddington, the Rocks, and Paddy's.
I expected really funky, arty, creative, unique stuff. There was very little originality or cleverness for sale.
My precious find is this boho 2-layer sari silk wrap that I am able to wear 100 different ways. I have worked up my way up to No. 3.
It will keep me entertained till the next shopping spree.
It's got taste. It's got style. It's got attitude. It's got funk.
The Bite Me burger is definitely not your ordinary quarter pound beef patty hurriedly slapped onto a hamburger bun .
I am amazed at how the lowly burger can be elevated to cult gourmet status.
Bite Me Burger Co is located at
340 Oxford St, NSW 2021
tel: 61 2 93311916
and
108 Campbell Parade
Bondi Beach NSW 2026
Tel: 61 2 93006566
Dinner at a middle-eastern restaurant is still what I look forward to on the weekends.
For the food. For the ambience. For the bellydancing.
Even if it is for all of 15 minutes.
We made it to Abdul's and Hannibal's this trip. Yes, they are next door to each other. And yes, we went to one on Friday and the other on Saturday.
Abdul's Exotic Lebanese Restaurant is located at
563 Elizabeth St
Surry Hills, NSW 2010
Tel: 61 2 96981275
Hannibal Lebanese Restaurant is located at
557 Elizabeth St Surry Hills, NSW 2010
Tel: 61 2 96988288
I love the pulse of Sydney. Especially within the CBD where we stayed. Many places of interest, eateries, shops are within walking distance. Public transport is easily available for access to places that are not within walking distance.
The problem is that the pulse stops too early for visitors like us who are used to the Asian city lifestyle, where the action never stops. In Sydney, they roll up the sidewalks by 7.
We are on holiday. We move late in the day. We wake about 9 in the morning. We do a self-catered big breakfast of eggs and bacon. It is only at noon that we are finally ready to step out of our room.
We next feel like eating about 3 in the afternoon. No way we want dinner till well after 8.
In Sydney, the shopping stops at 6. The food courts prepare to shut down at 5. Restaurant staff are twitching to throw you out at 9. We refuse to change our holiday timetable, and we refuse to be rushed at dinner time. So, we never made it to any of the fine dining establishments.
We made it to many Chinese eating places though - the food at some more forgettable than others - because they stay open much later. We even stumbled upon a Sichuan restaurant that served up the real thing, as oily and unpalatable as what we had in Chengdu!
This post is dedicated to the food experience that I'd like to delete from my memory bank.
The highlight of my Sydney trip this time is the Bellydance Expo 2008.
It was a full day of performances and workshops. In the short breaks between showtime and jamming, I was busy being tempted at the booths offering bellydance costumes, accessories, henna tattooing, coffee cup readings.
Dozens of lovely ladies and one fun-loving man gave their best performance to an appreciative audience of fans, friends and family - they were just awesome in their passion and love of the music and dance. Styles ranged from folkloric to cabaret to tribal and fusion - the diversity makes for an unforgettable show of creativity and originality.
The darling of the day has to be 10 year old Janelle (below) with her wings of Isis dance. She has incredible control and maturity of any child dancer I have seen in a long time.
I have to mention a very special lady I met: Ileana was dancing to a sound track that I love, but the CD was not available at the expo. I am extremely touched by her generosity and kindness when she insisted that I take her copy instead. I gratefully accepted, and hope that our paths will cross again soon.
Maybe at the Farha Tour in Sydney in early November?
and eating
and clubbing
and more shopping!
Will be back on the 18th. Blogging will resume shortly thereafter.
My favourite of the designer durians is the 101 for it's creamy melty texture.
But it's still the small unbranded durians selling at give-away prices like 5 for $10 that I really love. They are less predictable, but what a gem when you chance upon that one that has the perfect balance of bitter-sweet soft creaminess and fragrance.
A big part of enjoying the durian is in the range of taste and texture of the fruit.
When it comes to French cuisine, I am at a total loss as to what to expect. Unlike other great cuisines of the world, French defies description. The French pride themselves as totally adventurous when it comes to food. They are ever creative, still evolving. Which means you may be in for the most impressive gastronomical experience of a lifetime, or you may be eating someone's failed cooking experiments.
So, when the girlfriend suggested a double date at Gunther's, I was hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. There are many reviews of the place. Two statements stood out in every review.
1. The cold angel hair pasta, Oscietra caviar is a must-try;
2. Expect to pay a lot.
The conscientious reviewers were right on both counts.
But, it is the perfect place to bring your date if you are out to impress with a good expensive dinner.
Gunther's is located at
36 Purvis Street #01-03
S. 188613
Tel: 6338 8955
The girlfriend and her husband thought we'd like the food at Kashmir Restaurant, and made the necessary arrangements for dinner over the weekend. Oh, we more than like; we love!
The restaurant is tiny compared to the big boys along Race Course Road. But the small touches they provide makes the experience more than just stuffing one's face.
It begins with the ceremonial washing of hands in a tashtri. The food that is presented to the table is both a feast for the eyes and the stomach. Serving portions may be smaller than expected, but every mouthful is a delightful awakening of the senses.
We certainly look forward our next time there. There is a long list of dishes we look forward to trying.
Kashmir Restaurant is located at
52 Race Course Road
Singapore 218563
Tel: 62936003
was the month
- I got re-acquainted with a very special woman, someone I knew as a colleague for a short while some 25 years ago. We did not know much of each other outside of work; then we left the organisation at about the same time. Shortly thereafter, I left for the US and she for Sydney. For no particular reason, we stayed in touch first by snail mail, then by email, through the years.
- that, on a whim, I decided I should look her up while I was in Sydney. It turned out to be one of those serendipitous decisions. I felt like I had reunited with a very good friend who has been away for much too long. I believe she feels the same.
- I emailed my friends in the ulus with my favourite picture of myself. They all replied, dutifully telling me how wonderful I look and updated me about themselves. Now that we are all caught up with the news, we can all be quiet until, oh, around Christmas.
- our other kitchen closed until further notice, so in desperation to find a replacement, I tried a zhi char place recommended by one of this country's most respected food reviewers. I came away determined never to believe that has-been journalist-whore of the puerile palate again.
- I am shaken to know that a dancer friend sustained a medial meniscus tear in her left knee while attempting the rock-and-roll with her husband. Surgery is the only course of treatment, followed by a 3-month period of rehabilitation. I am now even more wary of my dance auntie partners in high heels.
- that felt like it was a very short month.
