Countdown

oh my friend, we're older but no wiser
for in our hearts the dreams are still the same

The intimate stories that we shared, the private thoughts we whispered - as the year draws to a close today we will carry our dreams into the new year...

hello 2009.

Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas, I did nothing much of anything except try to recover from the Night before Christmas.

On the second day of Christmas, I braved the shopping crowd and went into town to have a late lunch with a special friend and ally from the bellydance clique. We spent the rare occasion catching up with girlie gossip and left each other reinforced with the certainty that we righted every wrong.

I even felt brave enough to do a home hair colour job on my tortured hair which has turned a truly yucky yellow-orange. My hair is now a less yucky violet red if any body wants to spot me by hair colour.

On the third day of Christmas, my mother rang. There went my feel-good of the season for the day. Dang!

Christmas of Friends and Family

The Christmas season holds no religious significance for me.

Rather, it has always been a time for remembering special friends and family. For spending some personal time with those special people in my life, and knowing that things are going well for them. For seeing out a year that has been lived with grace and goodness and looking forward to the promises of the next.

But more often than not, I would end up trying to meet the demands and expectations of work and family, taking it upon myself to make sure that everything and everybody is taken care of. The season then becomes an annual exercise in surviving a month-long marathon of rushing from pillar to post. On the outside, I am the very picture of Christmas itself, idiotically cheery in giving of my time and self. On the inside, I'd like nothing better than run away from it all.

This time around, things went just about right at every turn. I had the chance to meet up with different friends separately under circumstances that suit their particular preference. A quiet dinner at home with new parents with infant, intimate coffees and lunches with the girlfriends, family outing on parents' day with friends and their pet, a hafla or two in there to meet up with a very special breed of friends.

And on Christmas eve, family dinner at home which included friends with their grown children who are visiting for the holidays.

Every occasion was memorable. Every one was special. Every greeting of well-wishes was sincere.

Making the time to celebrate friendship and family - this, for me, is what makes Christmas a special time of the year.

Holiday greetings

Thinking of you
and wishing all good things
come your way

Have a happy holiday season!

It's a dog's life

The days ahead leading into Christmas and New Year's is going to be a trying period for me.

On a whim, I asked to tag along with suziewong on her "family" day. I am fully aware it is an extremely precious and private day for this very busy professional so I was very grateful when she said yes with no hesitation.

We went to a part of Singapore I have not been to in decades. I recognised nothing of the area. Where there used to be nothing more than small family farms alongside unpaved dirt tracks, the place is now developed into a residential, recreational, light industrial and small business district.

We met at Ah Boy's boarding home, and after a quick bath for the happy mutt, we took off to spend the late afternoon at a prawning facility nearby. The hours spent there were so blissfully peaceful - a content dog asleep at our feet while we sat by the prawn pond with baited fishing line hopeful for a small catch for the day. It was all about a little quiet time and alot of catching up between friends.

We caught nothing. We basically fed the prawns with the bait. But by the time we left, people and pet were rejuvenated in spirit and soul. More ready to deal with the week ahead.

This is the life - even if it is a dog's life. Even if it is just for one day.

About a special friendship

Friendship in any form has to be one of life's greatest gifts. And friendships form oftentimes in the least expected of ways.

I first noticed the young woman about 5 years ago at a couple of bars that featured open mikes. She and I continued to run into each other like that over a 2 year period. We said hi, we sussed up each other with mild interest, we shared mutual friends (and non-friends), but we never really got further acquainted beyond this very casual level.

Just as casually, we stopped going to these bars. So for a while there, we lost sight of each other, in a manner of speaking.

We picked up each other's trail again from our blogs, and a curious thing happened. I feel I have a better understanding of this person's soul, a deeper appreciation of her intellect, and an unshakeable respect for her integrity through her writing.

And just when I thought I have all the insight that there is to have, she surprises me one more time - she snail-mailed me my Christmas card with a personally penned note! Which I find such a charming and gracious tradition of the season.

So, I am moved to let her know how much I appreciate the friendship forged in our unconventional way.

And may you and yours have more "ups than downs" in the new year too.

Kebab Nite@Potpourri

(click on image for larger picture)

Just when we were wondering what to do on the weekend post Christmas and pre New Year's between two haflas, Potpourri and Stephanie came to our rescue.

This promises to be another unforgettable evening of exoticism - drinks, kebabs, shisha and Stephanie.

I-S said so too! So there!

I attended the recent opening of this restaurant. I have been looking out for reviews of the place because I am interested to know if anyone else feel the same bad vibes I did.

I stumbled upon I-S magazine's review this afternoon. So, for those special friends who share my shameless morbid fascination and salacious curiosity about Pyramisa's future after being treated with sordid contempt we did not deserve, read their review here.

I am just sooo impressed with the veracity and honesty of this insightful review.

I feel righteous vindication about saying all the bad stuff after the shabby treatment they gave me.

So there!

Hafla all the way

Belinda's hafla @ Blu Jaz has returned. The upcoming party will be on Saturday 20 December.

Claribel will host a potluck bellydance party on New Year's eve, 9pm to 2am. I can't think of a better way to ring in the New Year.

Flamenco pena @ Los Tarantos

Flamenco circle @ Los Tarantos

Los Tarantos, the fruit of a labour of love, opened its doors last night, as a flamenco haven for all flamenco lovers. Housed in a beautiful Peranakan shophouse, Los Tarantos celebrated its opening with Flamenco y Tapas, a Flamenco pena in which friends and family gathered in an intimate setting to celebrate the beauty of Flamenco with their way of song, music and dance.

Los Tarantos, December 13, 2008

It was a night of festividad. There were so many things to rejoice in this single gathering: the opening of Los Tarantos as a studio and club for flamenco enthusiasts, celebration of the flamenco culture, and maestro Antonio Vargas turned 68.

I have always been in awe of flamenco with its fiery temperament and haughty posture complemented by strong hand flourishes. I admired all this from afar.

The love and passion for flamenco is palpable last night as friends and family danced, laughed and shared the special night.

And for the first time, flamenco came alive for me.

Los Tarantos is located at:
No. 1, Lorong 24A, Geylang Road,
S.398525
Contact: Daphne tel 97420637
email: daphnehml@pacific.net.sg

I'd like to teach the world to sing

After all these years, the "I'd like to buy the world a coke" ad still makes me want to sing along with it.

And I recall a time when I truly believed that harmony - racial, religious, cultural - was possible. The year was 1971.

I look at the headlines these days, and I wonder what went wrong?

This is the 1984 Christmas tree version:

I'd like to buy the world a home
and furnish it with love
Grow apple trees, honey bees
and snow white turtle doves

I'd like to teach the world to sing
in perfect harmony
I'd like to buy the world a coke
and keep it company
(that's the song I sing)

I'd like to teach the world to sing
in perfect harmony
I'd like to buy the world a coke
and keep it company
(It's the real thing)

Zambra, Gypsies and Dance

I was never big on fusion belly dance, but since attending a workshop on Zambra Mora conducted by Flamenco maestro Antonio Vargas, my mind has opened to the fact that fusion adds a whole new dimention to any dance.

I managed to find a short 45 sec sample of the dance Zambra here. There is also a beautiful heavily Indian-influenced drum solo @2.50.

Specifically, I love the genre of belly dance that is Spanish-Arabe performed by the gypsies, like the dance shown below - Danza Fusion Oriental/Gitanos (Fusion Oriental Dance/Gypsies).



I am looking forward to seeing the Zambra Mora performed by Hsiao Min on opening night at Los Tarantos on December 13.

Some evenings are like that

One recent evening ...

Strange how I never realised he talks too loudly with too-frequent punctuation of projectile laughter at nothing funny. But then I had never been around him outside of the bars. And now we are in the girlfriend's home where she had organised what seemed to be a reunion of her favourite barfly uncles.

As the night progressed, he got more and more garrulous, now dredging up names of nefarious characters he remembered while in an inebriated state in the hazy past. I soon gave up trying to be sociable for the evening and left early.

Another recent evening ...

Strange how I never realised she never talks again after the initial hello's. But then I have never been around her outside of a family dinner environment at her sister's home. and now we are in a fancy restaurant having pre-dinner chit chat over cocktails.

By the time we got seated for dinner, her brain had totally shut down so that now she was furiously fluttering her perfectly mascaraed eye-lashes to make her come across as interesting. I soon gave up trying to be sociable with her and turned my attention to the person seated on the other side of me.

Maybe I am already weary from too many get-togethers.

Maybe there are a lot of people who should never be lifted out of their comfort zones - barflies should be left at the bar, home-bodies should be left at home.

Maybe I should just switch off brain, disengage mouth gear and be nicely dumb. There are 3 full weeks more of December parties to get through.

For Kamariah

Kamariah has been keeping vigil by her husband's side for the last couple of days. The lovely, generous and kind man will not be with us much longer.

Those of you who would like to send words of comfort to our dear friend in her hour of sadness, please email me (sinlady@gmail.com) or sms me for her contact number.

I am so sorry, Kamariah.

THIS is a PARTY

There's a party goin' on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times, and your laughter too,
We' gonna celebrate your party with you

Kool and the Gang

The girl knows how to throw a party. She gave the party-goers plenty of everything - food, drinks, laughter and lots of fun.

Most of all, she gave of herself. Throughout the night, she was hostess, singer, dancer, emcee, all the while making sure that we were having a good time.

The cast of talents - family, friends, students and colleagues - made for an unforgettable night of music and dance.

I thought it was especially touching when mother and daughter shared the stage. We can certainly see where the birthday girl got her singing talent.

Well, girlfriend - you gave us a night to remember for a very long time. We hope that you had a fun night too.

November

was the month
- It finally feels natural not having work days in the week.

- I got acquainted with the zambra mora in workshops conducted by the world famous Flamenco master Antonio Vargas. I fell completely under the spell of this beautiful strong dance genre that has its roots Spanish and Moorish gypsy traditions.For Flamenco enthusiasts, the good news is that Antonio Vargas now has a studio in Singapore.

- The women friends looked me up for coffee chats in between their shopping-filled days. It feels so much like the old days as I realise with amusement and tolerance that we are still the same person after all these years. Just less inclined to disagree because it takes too much energy.

- I got around to clearing out the guest bedroom which became the default store room from too many months of non-use.

- The friends have started to call about the holiday get-togethers. I like the frank forward planning and co-operation from this group of people.

- Two special friends had big "0" birthdays. One turned 40, the other 30. They start a special chapter in their lives. I find it hard to believe I followed the ups and downs and twists and turns of their personal and professional lives for almost ten years! So auntie of me *haha*

- I take a deep breath as I look at getting through December, my least favourite month of the year.