April

was the month

- the man and I made a life-changing decision regarding our work, a decision that I have been so ready for for the past 3 years, but I suspect there is still some residual resistence in the man about making it absolute

- a longtime girlfriend whom I always saw as my young-younger friend turned 50 and

- I realized so many of the people I always thought of as my younger friends are fast turning 50 and it's not fun to be a few years ahead of the pack anymore

- I decided to make blooming flower tea part of the after dinner-experience at our home after getting very surprised and delighted response from friends who swear they are not tea drinkers

- we went to Xiamen for 5 days
- where the highpoint of the trip was my discovery of Chinese fashion label MixMind
- when I promptly proceeded to make such a huge single purchase that I qualified for a VIP discount card
- which tells me boredom makes me act compulsively, because, you see, I swore off urban postmodern fashion 10 years ago and MixMind is unmistakably, unapologetically, strictly, urban postmodern

- I was just glad to get back to Singapore and go about my sane and ordered life

We went to work 6 afternoons this month. Something tells me something's gotta give. And it will be soon.

Raqs Sharqi

It's a little bit modern
a little bit traditional
a little bit American tribal
a little bit cirque

The bits come together to make a sensational night of raqs sharqi. We have Susanna Lawren and Claribel to thank for bringing the show to us. Read 3A Gurl's review here, view promo video clip here.

Now, the workshops follow...

Impression of Xiamen

Remember how I waxed lyrical about my recent trips to China? about the charm of X'ian? the cultural depth of Chengdu? Well, my rosy view of Chinese cities was abruptly and rudely changed with my visit to Xiamen.

The city has the feel of a rough border town. It has embraced the worst of two sets of value systems where communist efficiency is used to feed capitalist avarice.

Highrise and highways dominate the city. Buildings are architecturally void of aesthetics - a fact further emphasised by garish neon-lit signs when night falls.

Entertainment takes the form of hard boozing and hard whoring in custom built KTVs that boast hundreds of private rooms and thousands of hostesses.

For the tourist looking for nostalgia and natural scenic beauty in Xiamen, the time has past. For the tourist looking for modern gentility that accompanies economic success, the time has not yet come.

Eating in Xiamen

In order that we maintain our balanced diet even when on holiday, we ate everything in sight :-)

Seafood - the usual and the exotic

Hong Kong style dimsum - always a favourite

BBQ - Japanese style

On the Isle of Gulangyu

Gulangyu is a small 2 sq km island that lies 500 km off the southwest end of Xiamen - a 5-minute ferry ride from the city.

A once thriving community of rich foreigners and consulates in the early 1900s, most homes today are sadly derelict. The island is a pedestrian-only tourist favourite for visitors wishing to escape the hustle and bustle of Xiamen.

Cobble footpaths snake along the hillsides.Grand and elegant mansions are shielded from inquisitive eyes by high walls.

Motorised vehicles are prohibited on Gulangyu. Raw manpower hauls everything, including construction material, up the hilly island.

On the Streets of Xiamen

On a sunny afternoon in Xiamen, I spied

1. Hokkien ah peks all in a row
2. Scarlet O'hara
3. baby Ronaldo
4. the leader of the lau Hokkiens
5. a hopeful couple

Another week away

I will be away for a week from Monday. Somehow, I have a feeling that this destination is less "foreign" compared to the other China destinations I have been to. On the other hand, I may be totally wrong with my guess, so stay tuned for updates upon my return.

Susanna Lawren presents

Raqs Sharqi - the beauty of Bellydance on Tuesday 29 April at the Victoria Theatre.

Susanna Lawren is a teacher at Claribel's Raks Sharki Studio.

In conjunction with the recent opening of the studio, students who sign up for a course of 8 lessons will receive free tickets to the concert (while stocks last).

There will also be a series of bellydance workshops with Melina the guest performer of the Raqs Sharqi concert.

I hope to see many of you at the concert and the workshops.

Pig-out @ Tiong Bahru

The friends got around to organizing a pig-out at their favourite zhi char joint in Tiong Bahru.

I cannot make out the name of the place: there are several shop signs above their front door. They do not have business cards to hand out either. The friends said they have been coming to this place for years, but never knew the name either. So much for sound research and background information from me :)

The place is bare walls and naked light bulbs. Sit outside. It is a lot more atmospheric. And you get a great view of the eating frenzy going on at its famous neighbour, Sin Hoi Sai in Block 55 (above picture).

There is no menu either. The boss lady/order- taker tells you what they have that night, and then proceeds to tell what you will like to have. She will also decide for you how many dishes and what size order is enough for your party.

But all this unconventional protocol is forgiven once the food hits your table. Everything they do is superb. It is real, it is old-fashioned, it is honest. You cannot get better zhi char than this.

No wonder the friends have been coming to this place for years and willing to put up with the total absence of polite niceties. I, too, am now a convert.

The zhi char place is located at Block 57 Eng Hoon Street in Tiong Bahru.

Claribel's Raks Sharki Studio

has moved to a new location downtown. Friends, instructors, students and newcomers celebrated the occasion yesterday with music, dance and refreshment.

There are many reasons to be excited about the new studio.

The place is conveniently located downtown. The studio is beautifully outfitted to inspire any dancer. The class schedule is extremely flexible and there are many instructors to learn from. The studio is also a great place to drop in for a cup of coffee and meeting up with other bellydance friends.

Classes start next week. If you have always thought of taking up bellydance, now is a great time to begin.

I hope to see many of you soon.

Claribel's Raks Sharki Studio is located at:
31A & 33A New Bridge Road
S. 059394
Tel: 97972261
email: info@bellydanceinsingapore.com

Paella and Basbousa

The Spanish girlfriend cooked us the most delicious seafood paella.

Dessert was, by special request,
basbousa (بسبوسة)

Batter:
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
2 small eggs
2 cups semolina
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup water


Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs, stir in water.
Sift together semolina, baking powder, baking soda.
Mix dry ingredients into creamed mixture.
Bake in preheated oven 180C for 40 minutes.

Syrup:
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup water
juice from 1 lemon

Boil sugar in water till dissolved. Add lemon juice. Simmer 10 minutes.

Pour syrup onto hot basbousa. Let stand overnight.

Painful knees and comfort shoes

Years of pounding on the studio floor doing aerobics and dance have taken its toll on my poor knees which had been screaming pain for months now.

I resisted comfort shoes for years because I always saw them as orthopaedic shoes - clunky ugly footwear in basic browns, blacks, whites and beiges for the crippled. (And I am not ready to concede defeat yet!) But I finally decided I have to stop wearing sexy strappy high-heeled sandals unnecessarily, and go for something sensible when there is no need for heels. Before my knees give out on me completely out of protest.

But comfort shoes that look half way decent are really and truly difficult to find. I got really upset and annoyed at myself for making the poor staff working the shoe department at Taka bring out just about the entire inventory.

By the 10th pair that I rejected after trying, I started to think they must think me a bored bitch! By the 15th pair, I was convinced they must think me a sadistic bored bitch! I kept apologising, I kept telling myself the next pair would be IT. But no, the hunt went on.

I finally managed to find a pair of lace-ups and a pair of ballet flats that I actually really liked. Phew! I would hate to have left the store with nothing! After all their effort, and all my time!

I could not thank the staff enough for their patience with me and helping me with my selection.

I know it is their job, but it is really a physically demanding job - having to retrieve shoes from storeroom, having to squat down to place the shoes at your feet, having to bend to pick up the shoes, then packing the rejects and starting over with the next pairs. Having to do this over and over umpteen times in the course of their work day.

And I wonder how long before the nature of their work take its toll on their knees...

Party @ Claribel's Raks Sharki Studio

This is an invitation from Claribel to all ladies who are bellydance enthusiasts of any level.

Hi Ladies,

We are excited to announce that our studio will be moving to a new location in town :)

The Official Opening of the new studio is scheduled to take place in July, but we are holding a party on April 11 Friday at 1:30 pm at the new studio to mark its 'start of operation'.

You are cordially invited to join us at the party for some belly dance fun and light refreshment.

See you,
Claribel

Do join us for an afternoon of music, dance and friendship. We look forward to seeing you there.

March

was the month


- we went to Chengdu mid-month
- and came back on Thursday, one day before Good Friday
- which made it a super long Sunday to Sunday break
- which put us in the mood to cook Sichuan for the friends.

- a girlfriend celebrated her birthday with a four day-to-night marathon party
- of which I could only stand to be at 2 of the nights
- and even then could only handle about 3 hours each time.

We went to work 9 afternoons this month.

I am so getting used to this kind of work schedule.

China on my mind

Beijing was the only place I ever visited in China between the mid 1980s and 1998. I never got to like the city any better even as I watched her remake herself from a grim grey bureaucratic nanny to a grabby greedy garish capitalist whore.

When we went to Xi'an in February this year, it was a full 10 years since I was last in the country. We did not expect much. If we had a decent level of comfort with accommodation, could get around by taxi without too much hassle, ate familiar food that was edible, end the day without spittle on our shoes, we would not complain.

Xi'an was so unexpectedly enjoyable. The people who smiled and went the extra mile when we needed help. The taxi driver who undercharged me because he did not have the exact change (I regret that I was too stunned to tell him to keep the change). The locals who were, well, just regular folks going about their own business.

If Beijing shut my heart and closed my mind, Xi'an awakened a sense of excited curiosity and optimism about the country and her people.

So in short time, we went to Chengdu. Where we continued to form favourable impresssions of a country coming into its own. Chengdu reminds me of Singapore in the 1970s, when the old stood side by side with the new, a transient period of co-existence before one fades to form yet another historic chapter so the other could forge ahead.

There is incongruency in this transitionary phase. I think of the trio of lady musicians on classical Chinese musical instruments (above picture) setting the mood at lunch time on a day in March in a restaurant in Chengdu. Everything felt so right. Unexpectedly, they struck up Auld Lang Syne.Why? WTF? I realised that this was the last song of the last set only when the stage lights dimmed and the musicians left the stage. So there was logic behind what first appeared to be illogical. I like that they tried to be international. I have lived through this stage in the transformation years of Singapore too.

And so I look forward to visiting China again. And again. While the charm of the old still exists to satisfy our sense of the grand and the gracious . While the pragmatic new accords us the comfort and convenience of modern day expectations.

Lost in Translation

Har?
(for Singapore readers)

Huh?
(for everyone else)

Qingshiqiao Marketplace

how much is that doggie in the window
the one with the waggley tail
how much is that doggie in the window
I do hope that doggie's for sale

recorded by Patti Page, 1953

The city-centre Qingshiqiao Market is a bustling slice of Chengdu life. The tightly-packed market is filled with a bewildering array of food, plants and pets, including bonsai trees, fighting crickets, eels and birds.

source: www.whatsonwhen.com

The marketplace may well have been a busy and exciting place to pick up garden supplies, pets and food at one time. But these days, it is a quiet alley with few vendors still plying their trade. But we were glad we visited the place before it is totally gone.

Sichuan Night

The man and I were inspired by our recent foray into Sichuan food that we decided to add mapo tofu and Sichuan chicken to our menu for the friends over the weekend.

We even used Sichuan red chilis and peppercorns that we brought back with us from Chengdu.

We must have done passably well. All the food were polished off in record time.

This was one of the most enjoyable home dinners I have had in a long time. It was a special gathering of special friends. We did plenty of catching up with
the newly-weds, the soon-to-be-first-time-mother, and the favourite celebrity-personality.

For many reasons, we do not get together as often as we would like. But when we do, it is always an occasion to remember.

Chengdu - Storehouse of Heaven

who will buy my sweet red roses?
two blooms for a penny

Oliver! soundtrack

Chengdu enjoys favorable agricultural conditions, and it has long been known as the Storehouse of Heaven. It is the important production base of commercial vegetable oil, vegetables, fruits and Chinese medical herbs.

source: Chengdu Agriculture

The Hot, the Spicy and the Oily - Sichuan food

We read up on Sichuan cuisine and looked forward to experiencing the unique "tongue numbing" quality of notoriously spicy hot dishes created from their exquisite blend of chili peppers and peppercorns.

We got to try out the popular signature dishes which included

Kung Pao Chicken 宮保雞丁
Twice cooked pork 回鍋肉
Mapo tofu 麻婆豆腐

The food is not chili-pepper hot like where a mere whiff of the chili is enough to induce sweat droplets to pop out on one's forehead. Instead, it is a taste altering medley of tongue numbing sensation when one bites into the peppercorns. A couple of times of this unexpected burst of citrusy-bitter-numbness taking over my taste buds is enough to make me pick out all the peppercorns and sit them aside where they will do no further harm to my culinary enjoyment.

We found the local (read original) version of sichuan food much too oily and salty. The experience helped decide for us to give their famous spicy hotpot meals a miss. We happily complemented our meals with trusty Chinese standards like dim-sum.

We much prefer the internationalised version of Sichuan food for it's tamer and more straightforward taste.

Panda-land

1. Welcome to Panda-land
2. Panda lunch
3. Panda date
4 Panda nursery
5 Panda gym
6 Panda condo
7 Panda loo

The giant panda really is every bit as cute as you always thought he would be :)

Away again

Sinlady will be away again from Sunday till Thursday.

This should be an exciting and culturally enriching trip.

About couplehood

The man and I are convinced that couples who have been together a long time start to be alike in more ways than not.

They seem to have the same likes in movies, books, food. They seem to hold similar views on deeply ingrained values in politics, religion and child-rearing. They usually have the same sense of humour. Eventually, they even dress sort of similar.

And then, they start to look alike. We often look at a man and woman who are obviously together, and we could not decide if they are brother/sister or husband/wife.

And we'd look at each other and say, "You soooo lucky I am good-looking!"

Nasi Padang@Minang House

Of the many nasi padang eateries and restaurants in Singapore, this place is my absolute all-time favourite. The hole in the wall eatery packs in the crowd all its opening hours, but if you are by yourself or with just a small crowd, you always manage to get seated within minutes.

All the dishes are cooked on the premises, so every item is freshly replenished throughout the day. Every dish is distinct in its spicing and as close to homecooked padang cuisine as you can get. The food tends to be just a little too chili-hot and salty but that is easily countered by tucking into their generous portions of fragrant white fluffy steamed rice.

As small as this place is, and as crowded as it gets all day long, I really appreciate that the crew working here do not have the annoying habit of shouting to one another. Some quiet really means a lot at meal time. Especially when it's that one hour time-out from a hectic work day.

Minang House is located at
304 Orchard Road
#02-04 Lucky Plaza
S. 238863
Tel: 6887 4702

On widowhood

The stall that I frequent several times a week for my tall glass of freshly squeezed sugar cane juice was shuttered. On a day that it would normally be open. The neighour food stall operator told me that the husband passed away suddenly the night before.

Long forgotten snippets of conversations with friends pertaining to widowhood came to my mind. Among them:

he: If you die before me, I'd never remarry.
she: Oh please, you can't look after yourself. If some woman loves you enough to want to look after you, you must marry her.

she: You must make enough money so that I don't have to marry another man to raise your children.

she: I could not possible think to go out with anybody after Cliff was gone. We were both virgins when we married. We only knew each other our entire lives. Can you imagine me dating again? At some point, I'd have to say to him, "You want me to do WHAT?"

he: I married almost immediately after my wife died. I could not stand the loneliness.

she: Why would I marry again? I am finally able to live just for myself. Do all the things I have always wanted to do.

I relate to every one of the varied sentiments. One's life has to go on. One copes in whatever way that one can.

I feel for the sugar cane woman's bereavement. But I know she will be fine after a period of grieving her loss. Because life does go on.

Burgers and Frogz and Black Sheep

We like this place for evenings when we want that sinful greasy burger with all the trimmings. The rest of their menu is not too shabby either.

And we really really like that the set-up fits their business. Casual. Outdoorsy. No crowd. Inexpensive. Convenient from home.

And for those who enjoy that pint and more, Hoegaarden on tap. For cheap.

Travel Tales

While I am still in the mood to gripe, let me bring up this other lot of strange people who managed to get us to travel with them.

Couple #1 persisted, pressed, pleaded for a whole year that we must, must, must go with them to their favourite tropical vacation island destination. They would show us all the new hot spots for sight-seeing, dinner and shopping. We finally agreed, so they made all accommodation and travel arrangement.

We found to our dismay that their idea of a vacation was to check all of us into a zero star villa that was in the middle of no-where with no F&B outlet. For recreation, there was this pond that passed for swimming pool amidst an overgrown jungle that passed for the grounds. Yes, we were mosquito bait at sunset and through the night.

This couple wanted to do nothing but sit around the pond all day, venturing out only for lunch and dinner. We of course started to explore the island on our own after day 2, and met them only at dinner time. Unfailingly, it was immediately home to Camp Swamp after dinner every night. Why?

What we don't get until today is why they insisted we came along when their idea of a vacation was to check into a dump and vegetate?

Couple #2 made us travel to attend the guy's birthday. Only their fun friends would be there, they promised. None of the fuddy-duddy relatives were invited. Well, the guests were all geriatrics, friends and relatives. It was one of the longest dinner parties that I could remember and I was so relieved when everyone called it a night at 10.30pm. *Yawn*

We had agreed to go on condition that we got to see their weekend home in the country. Guess what? They tried to wiggle out of that once we got there, citing too many things to attend to. Well, we stood our ground, and they grudgingly drove us up to the country home for an afternoon. That effectively saved the trip and the friendship, such as it were.

Couple #3 wanted to join us on one of our major shopping and eating trips. Well, the woman and I got along just fine. We had a grand time shopping till dinner time everyday. But the guys were stuck together with no common interest. My guy can quite happily entertain himself for hours at a bookstore or supermarket. The other guy needs to be on the move all the time. Needless to say, them boys did not enjoy each other's company.

All these people have actually asked for us to travel again with them. To locales further and more exotic. For longer periods. Go on a cruise even. I ran the scenario through my mind and shuddered.

The man and I must be doing something perversely right. It's just too bad we don't feel the same about these people as traveling companions.

Too-frequent Visitors

Mostly, we love seeing friends who are in town for a visit. We go out of our way to make time for them, facilitate and fast track their needs, do the research to save them precious time. Their wish is our command. Which we fulfill willingly, gladly, unfailingly.

Except.

There was this one guy. He passes through Singapore coming and going between his original home country and his now adopted home country. At least three times a year. That makes it six transits in 12 months.

He stays with us. He eats off us. He even gets us to pay for his shopping since he never has S$ on him. Then he passes us as helpful Singapore contacts to his equally avaricious and exploitative friends and family.

We finally had enough. Took us four years to reach fed-up point. I know. We are slow like that. Nowadays, we are never in town anymore when he or his friends and family come through.

Except.

There was this one woman. She comes back almost every year. Some years more frequently than that. Invariably she is housed and feted by the handful of friends throughout her month-long stay.

And each time, at the end of her stay, she says to us and the friends, "Oh, you must come visit me so I can return the hospitality."

It crossed our collective mind that she really could show sincere appreciation by returning hospitality just once while she is here. By simply gathering us for a dinner that she can pay for.

Except.

There was this other frequent visitor who stays at different friends' homes for one to two nights of her entire stay. If I go to the trouble of readying the guest room, I figure it is only polite that she should just stay the entire time.

Don't get us wrong. Mostly, we really do love seeing friends when they are in town for a visit.

Except.

The ones who outstay their welcome by being impossibly inconsiderate.

February

was the month with:


- the four-day Chinese New Year weekend

- huayi festival where I caught the totally forgettable Shanghai Blues musical

- many festive dinners and lo-hei's

- a visit from an old girlfriend from schooldays during the festive season

- a quick trip to Xi'an

- an even faster in-and-out visit to Bali for the Paul Ropp sale

We went to work exactly 8 afternoons in the whole month.

I can so get used to living like this :)

Peranakan @The Blue Ginger

I think of The Blue Ginger Restaurant as the veritable grand dame of peranakan fine dining.

She is style.
She is refinement.
She is hospitality from a bygone era where the living was gracious.

To celebrate an old girlfriend's home visit during the Chinese New Year, we gathered at this lovely restored shophouse restaurant for an old fashioned meal of Straits Chinese cooking.

And the warm memories of growing up in a peranakan neighbourhood came flooding back.

I miss those days.

Paul Ropp (again)

We received the Paul Ropp email about their factory sale 5 days before the event. The man and I looked at the message in dismay and disbelief. What is wrong with the staff that they would wait till the last possible moment to disseminate information? It was like they sat around the workplace for months, and then suddenly decided that they should like, you know, have a sale because, well, just because it seemed like, well, duh, a good idea?

With a sense of righteous indignation, we said we were NOT going.

Because of the extremely short notice given.
Because we would be in Xi'an.
Because we would be rushing ourselves too much.

We held the moral high ground for all of 10 minutes. Then we broke down. In a matter of hours, we had shortened our Xi'an trip and made our airfare and hotel arrangements for Bali. We would rush in from Xi'an to transit in Singapore for just one night and then dash off to Bali the next day. We even cancelled chap goh mei dinner with friends (sorry you guys but we will make it up to you soon).

Yes, we did all that for Paul Ropp.


My haul was not as big as the last time. The man did alright for himself - he came away with at least 30 shirts that he could not not have.

Between us, we filled the suitcase. But it was just full, not bursting-at-the-seams full, you understand.

And look what the girlfriends have coming their way this time :)

Eating in Xi'an

We were not terribly adventurous with food in Xi'an.

For lunch, we stayed with basic dim sum, instead of the dumpling buffet which Xi'an is famous for. Some how, dim sum is, well, dim sum, no matter how one tries to stretch the imagination. Eating 60 baskets of dim sum is, well, eating 54 more baskets of the same thing as the 6 we happily put away.


For dinner, we stuffed ourelves silly on Xi'an Roast Duck.Yes, the entire duck is carved and served up. Yes, you wrap as many servings as you want. Since we were only 2 demolishing an entire duck, I'd say we ate to our heart's content. We love this departure from the Beijing Duck protocol where you get only the skin (with attendant lump of fat) while the rest of the duck gets made into soup, noodle, vegetable flavouring etc. I say when we want roast duck, give us the WHOLE roast duck!

Dinner is complete with familiar side orders of vegetables, fried rice and (why not?) jiaozi.

We really enjoyed the familiarity of comfort food in Xi'an. I know. We are such culinary bores.

On a street in Xi'an

you will find


1. The Bell Tower
2. Dong Dajie (the shopping street in Xi'an)
3. Medicine on the move
4. Just your everyday friendly roadside medical consultation
5. Ling-ger-ree (for Singapore readers), underwear (for everyone else)
6. It's a guy thing
7. Yu pay more?? Y??

Warriors, Horses and an Emperor

The man and I are not good tourists. We do not feel the need to visit cultural and historical landmarks in our travels. Rather, we much prefer to stay in the city and take in the street scene. Having said that, we still feel some small compulsion to at least visit the most important site of any new travel destination.

So, for Xi'an, we made the obligatory pilgrimage to the Museum of Qin terracotta warriors and horses and the nearby Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huangdi.

The day started at zero degree C and rapidly fell to -7C. Needless to say, we did not loiter. At the terracotta warriors site, we stayed long enough to walk through all 3 excavated pits. We climbed about 2 sets of steps at the Qin Emperor's mausoleum. We took enough pictures to show that we were actually there braving the bitter winter wind. My fingers turned blue and threatened to drop off. And I was bundled in a full winter coat complete with head cover and gloves. Two hours total of this cultural immersion was enough to last us a lifetime.

I don't get how some tourists want to hear every minute detail ad nauseam about the sites from taped recordings or worse, hire those irritating professional guides who yammer non-stop in your face.

I know. We are such philistines.

What to eat in Xi'an

Hard work is...

Our fare is...

Happiness is...

Local flavours of Xi'an.

It is as much a visual treat as it is a gastronomical delight.

Springtime in Xi'an

Xi'an, February 15 - February 18

It is spring time in the city. The highest temperature registered 3C for maybe all of two hours in the 3 days we were there. Most of the time it was -3C and we would be grateful it wasn't any lower.

A winter's tale

Xian, Saturday 16 February, 8am

Some incongruent noise jotted me out of my deep sleep. Reluctantly, I peered at the clock on the bedside table. 8am. I was not ready to get out of bed. I knew it was a dreary grey wintry morning outside, with temperature failing to even make zero degree C.

Then I heard it. Beyond my bed headboard. Coming from the room next door. Eck, eck, eck in 2- second tempo. That's her entire range of sexual noises! Then the eck, eck, eck stopped after 4 minutes. That's their entire sexual repertoire!

If I have to be woken from my precious sleep by love-making noises, I really wished that it would be the truly inspired, deeply felt, and earth-moving variety. The kind that would allow me to forgive myself for eavesdropping on somebody's private intercourse. And then be so crass as to tattle about it here.

Instead, I found it hard to forgive those people in the next room for so rudely interrupting my sleep with their insipid 4-minute eck, eck, eck routine.

I know. I am such a grouch in the morning.

Gone shopping

Sinlady has taken off for some much anticipated shopping and eating. She will be back on the 22.

Shanghai Night

Just one time in the year. During Chinese New Year. The man and I go all out to lay on a Shanghai dinner for the friends.

We do a lot of dinner parties at home throughout the year. Every one of them take time and effort. But cooking Chinese is just a lot more work for the two of us. For this reason, we can manage this menu only once a year.

This Shanghai night dinner has become a special annual reunion with the friends. Something we look forward to. Same time, next year.

The ang pow issue

Warning: scolding people ahead. Quit reading now if you think it is too early in the year for cross words.

On the first day of the Chinese New Year, the man and I readily handed out ang pows to the community of service providers who work in our condo year round. Namely the security guards, the grounds keeper, the supervisor of the cleaning crew, and especially the cleaners who take care of the floor we are on.

In the days that followed, faces we have never seen before started to show up, making sure that we notice them as we enter or leave the building. We decided that they probably do work in the condo too, so we also readily handed out ang pows to them.

Then last evening, our newspaper delivery service representative showed up to collect the monthly newspaper subscription. He mumbled something about ang pow as I handed him the money. I could not believe what I thought I heard, so I asked in a decidedly stern tone of voice, "What?"

He boldly repeated his demand, "Chinese New Year. No ang pow?"

I bristled and replied crossly "No!" And closed the door in his face.

I am not even sure he delivers the papers in the morning! And I certainly was not about to reward his extortionist strategy to get goodwill money.

Then I remembered the one time when this same man claimed to not have change when I handed him all ten dollar notes and he ended up pocketing the difference. These days I hand him exact amounts. What a detestable person!

I have a mind to lodge a complaint with the circulation department of the Straits Times.

Fortune in a pineapple

Wang Lai

(Hokkien for pineapple, which sounds like fortune comes your way)

I can go along with that too.

Upside down Fu 福到

fu dao 福到

it is so easy

Reds and Golds

All things red. And gold
All the things that light up
and blink and twinkle.

It's so ching-chong. In a Singapore-Chinese sort of way.

I love the festive cheery mood it creates even as the loud clash of colours assaults your senses.

Another year

of sweet prosperity

Dance of the Thousand-Hand Guan Yin

This performance is stunning by any measure.



It becomes incredulous when you realise that the dancers are deaf-mutes. They are part of the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe.

Video may be slow loading but trust me it is worth the wait.

Still eating

The eating has not slowed down.

The friend had us over for yet another round of home-cooked gourmet dinner.


Then we headed to our favourite trattoria for some serious carbo-loading.


At this rate, I will never be model thin again. But I have decided I will not deny myself good food and company for the sake of thinness. Yes!

Hainanese Chicken Rice in Singapore

Chicken Rice

A Singapore national dish. The Singapore Hainanese Chicken rice is special because this version is not originally found in Hainan, China. The unique appeal lies in the passion behind its creation. The grains are firstly fried in flavoured oils and garlic before boiling in chicken stock. The chilli sauce must have a spicy and zingy tang to it and the fowl must be stock boiled for flavour and immediately ice dunked for texture. This technique firms the skin, locks the juices and oils and keeps the flesh moist and soft.

Excerpt from Annex A: Orchard Road Carpark Stalls
app.stb.gov.sg

This dish is readily available at food courts, hawker centres, coffee shops and hotel F&B outlets. My long-time favourite place for Chicken Rice is at:

Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
Stall 01-15, Blk 120
Bukit Merah Lane 1
Alexandra Village Hawker Centre
S. 150120

Closed on Sundays and public holidays

My favourite pizza

The absolute best thin-crust pizza to be had is at the Trattoria in Seminyak, Bali. Since it is not exactly in the neighbourhood that I can pop in whenever the craving grabs me, the next best thing is to make it myself.

I have tried different combination of flour mixes to come up with a crust that has that wonderful quality of crisp chewiness. This recipe comes closest to what I am striving for:

2 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1.5 cups warm water
400 g bread flour
200 g plain flour
3 Tbs olive oil

1. In small bowl mix dry yeast and sugar in half cup warm water and wait till mixture bubbles.
2. Mix salt, bread flour and plan flour in large mixing bowl.
3. Make a well in flour and pour in yeast mixture, remaining warm water and olive oil.
4. Knead until the mixture comes together in a ball.
5. Transfer to a well oiled bowl. Let dough rise in a warm place till it is twice the original size (takes about an hour).
6.Punch down the risen dough and separate into 6 balls.
7. Roll the dough out into 24cm rounds (or stretch it by tossing in the air several times).

It is still not quite what Trattoria puts out, but I think this is a worthy close second.

They've only just begun

We've only just begun to live

White lace and promises
A kiss for luck and we've on our way
We've only just begun

The lady in red is now Mrs. B. The friends share their happiness today and all the years ahead.

Well done, you guys.

Golden Zills

I love Suhaila Salimpour's choreography of Golden Zills:



This performance by Team Korea is reputedly adapted from Suhaila Salimpour's choreography.



Sometimes, I am not so sure that it is a good thing to be credited for one's work.

Anyway, the reason for bringing up Suhaila Salimpour is that she will be in Singapore in mid-April.

I am excited!

Space cadet

me: I am calling about the fax I sent you yesterday.

she: Oh, sorry hor. It not yet received. Maybe I receive it tomollo then I can call you can?

If it is of any consolation, she and the office are not of Singapore origin. But I will feel a whole lot better if she and the office are from another planet altogether.

LING-GER-REE

She came up to me, all smiles and sweetness, and cheerily asked, "Hi, can I help you? Looking for ling-ger-ree for yourself?"

I generally overlook mispronunciation. It is a lost cause after all. Yes, pronunciation can be a matter of regional influence. And I am no expert in linguistics.

But ling-ger-ree?

I suppose she thinks Ero (as in the brand name Ero Lingerie) is singular for Eros?

Sigh. Yes, thank you miss. I am looking for ling-ger-ree for myself. And you can help me.

Thanks. Bye. Delete.

Ok. I understand. Sorry I have disturbed u both with my problem. Thanks. Bye

I have read and re-read the sms countless times since receiving it some 3 months ago. I cannot decide if there is resignation or resentment in those words.

We met in Bali. She was the resident belly dancer in a restaurant and we struck up what I thought was a friendship. We kept in touch by sms and email. And some time over the next year or so, she left Bali for Jakarta. Her villa in Bali was put up for holiday rental.

Then I got email and sms from her saying that she was in desperate financial trouble. That she was putting the villa in Bali up for sale. That she could not get a loan from any bank. That she desperately needed to borrow USD20,000 from me to tie her over the next 3 months.

Alarm bells went off in my head. Was it reasonable to ask to borrow money from someone one met on vacation? Why was she not asking to borrow from her friends and relatives in Jakarta? Was this whole scenario for real? Was she for real?

After mulling over the situation for a full day and night, I sms'ed to her:

I am in no position to lend you any sum of money.

Her reply:

Ok. I understand. Sorry I have disturbed u both with my problem. Thanks. Bye

I cannot decide if there was resignation or resentment in those words. It bothered me for reasons I am not able to articulate.

I looked up her villa in Bali online. It is still hers; it is still being put up for holiday rental.

I know I will never hear from her again.

I understand now that the"friendship" was pegged at USD20,000. And so, with equal parts resignation and resentment, I deleted her from my contact list.

ClubSingapura, Southern California

Yes, I was a member of Club Singapura the entire time I lived in California.

Yes, I tried to make it to as many of the events as I could in the year. Click on Events and take a peek at the pictures :)

Yes, all we ever do is meet to eat.

Yes, we are so Singaporean like that, no matter where we live.

Yes, the club still has relevance after all these years.

The good life

When we cook...

When many friends cook...

Among the many good memories of last year was that we ate well.