Individuals as couples

I used to hold the view that a couple are just two individuals in a relationship. Therefore the deeds, words, behaviour, or viewpoint of one should not be presumed to be binding on the other.

I have since changed my stand.

If the one has unacceptable traits, and the other never protests or apologises for them, then the only logical conclusion is that they share the same values, that the one acts, speaks, thinks the same as the other.

The earlier stand is an intellectual notion conceived by naive expectations of a young forgiving mind; the latter is harsh reality brutally driven into the conscious by the experience of life and passage of time.

p.s. I miss being young and dumb.

What I Say, What I Think

Case 1

she (on phone) : We have not heard from you for so long. I suppose you are busy.
me : Not busy at all. You must have been busy.
she: Yes. Been so busy. Been travelling so much. Times now so hard. I cannot retire like you. I have to save $5 million before I can think about retiring.
me : Oh, like that you have to work very hard for a very long time more.

My real thoughts: Oh go on. No one can save $5million.

Case 2

she (after dinner) : You guys make the most fantastic arrangements. I don't know how you do it.
me: Just pick a restaurant, phone friends, go. You can arrange the next one.
she: Oh yes. I will, I will. We really enjoy doing things with you guys so much.
me: We hear from you soon then.

My real thoughts: I am not holding my breath. Would have asphyxiated long time ago.

Case 3:

she (via sms) : Hi. Have not seen u guys in ages. Been busy?
me : Not busy at all. U dropped out of sight saying u very busy.
she: Sigh. Yes, move office then business slowing down. Then my son had to change school because he diagnosed with aspergers. Wish I not so busy. Do u see (so-and-so) and (so-and-so).
me : So u still busy and yes, I see (so-and-so) and (so-and-so)
she: Sigh. We have been dropped from everybody's radar. I guess we are no longer useful.
me : When were you ever useful to anyone?

My real thoughts : when were you ever useful to anyone?

One day, when I am really old enough to be excused for being cranky, I will say what I really think all the time. That day may not be so far away.

On going natural

I did the Californian thing when I lived there. I did the beach thing, the pool thing, the suntan thing. I was gloriously tanned year round. But the combination of sun, sea and chlorine did serious damage to my once beautiful thick black tresses.

Sun-bleached and chlorine-stripped raven black hair is like sickly reddish brown burnt straw.

The hair dresser suggested I coloured my hair aubergine to give it depth. I loved it. So I carried on colouring my hair in the burgundy, violet, plum hues.

Well, colouring does its share of damage to hair too.

I did a drastic hair-colour thing in June - I had strips of hair totally bleached and then streaked in violet. The highlights were glorious.

Then they started to fade about 2 months ago and turned an HDB-auntie orange. I could not decide what next to do, so I left it alone. I also skipped the touch-up session because my hair really felt tortured.

I though I would "go natural" for a while; take a break from the tiresome demands of beauty regiments. I thought of the girlfriend who said she would not colour her hair anymore once she retired from work. I asked how much grey she has now. She said unflinchingly, "About 50%".

I realised I did not know how much grey I have. I coloured my hair before I had grey hair, and had kept it up. So, during this rest-the-hair stage, I found that I am about 20% grey. I am alright with that.

I also saw the shock on my girlfriend's face at lunch; she could not take her eyes off the now white/dull black/brown/HDB orange mess on my head. I could just see the questions in her eyes. "Are you alright? Is everything alright? You can tell me, you know."

My resolve to go natural vanished right then. I did a small touch up job to cover the white and black roots and will consider torturing my hair again soon.

I cannot do natural. I don't have the courage..

A very personal decision

We are soul mates and lovers. We conquered the twin obstacles of distance and time. We are finally together living our lives as we have always wanted to.

There is no need for the legal status marriage. That we have both been married before and know that the best of intentions can be attrited over time by divergent goals makes us skeptical about the institution of marriage. That piece of paper cannot keep two people together when they do not want to be; it most certainly cannot make the two love each other more. It just makes it difficult for the two to separate and get on with their lives.

So we would have been blissfully happy to carry on with the status quo, building a beautiful and meaningful life together. Over the years, we pooled our resources and capabilities. Over the years, the wealth (quantitative and qualitative) we accumulated became greater than the sum of its parts.

Then a chance reading of inheritance rights got us to thinking about legal protection. We hated the idea that at the worst possible time in either of our lives, that family has the right to challenge provisions we have made for each other.

So, quietly, on a beautiful sunny day some time ago, with just the two requisite witnesses who are the closest of friends, the man and I got married.

And nothing has changed. Not the way friends who always thought we were an old married couple viewed us; not the foes who are still waiting for bad things to happen to us, not the way we go about our lives.

There is poetic beauty in the simple clarity with which we made our decision.

Junk Mail

Ooooh...I really detest how my particulars get sold to mailing lists.

I picked up this highly time sensitive correspondence from this rag mag that just will not die. Wah, the envelope says adult signature requested, and registered tracking number XXXX some more, then it gets dropped by regular snail mail. Duh??

The letter goes:

Dear Ms (my name),

Please don't discuss this letter with anyone.

In your hands are exclusive documents that not everyone, including neighbours of yours in (my address) is eligible to receive. You, Ms (my name) are the one and only person in all of Singapore who can use your 6 non-transferable Prize Draw Numbers imprinted on the enclosed form for your chance to win an instant cash transfer in the amount of S$200,00.

ya da ya da ya da. Two full pages later,

If we don't hear from you by the stipulated closing date, any chance of transferring funds to your bank account will be lost.

This has been a private correspondence.

Sincerely,

(rubber stamp signature of person named below)
Florence Wu
Director, Sweepstakes Committee

I have made their private correspondence public with you. I guess I will never be one of the prize winners now. Might as well toss it into the trash bin along with all the other junk mail. Oh dang!

Arabian Nights@Marrakesh

Belinda says:

A storm is brewing

the monsoon season hovers
even as we bring you
Arabian Nights@Marrakesh

Come dressed Arabic style
and join dancers and drummers
for the rain dance

It is happening on 27 November (Thursday)
8.30pm - 12.00am

Reality check

I don't deny my looks matter a lot to me.

I was a great looker in my day with a few beauty titles to my name oh all those years ago.

But the years march on. And the years can be cruel to womenfolk. I am not a young woman anymore, although I still turn heads on occasion (for the right reasons still, thank you.)

So I tell myself these last several years that when three young people - strangers - call me auntie in the span of one week, I will go for that face lift.

I discount the silly China sales girls, ok? What do they know? So that said, I am grateful the auntie test has not happened.

But what has happened is that several people have asked if I have put on weight recently. I have. The sweethearts followed that observation with "but you look good. You tall enough. Better don't be too thin when we get older. Or else face get wrinkled."

Sigh. I will HAVE to shed a few pounds. Then, if people start telling me I look wrinkled, I will consider that face job.

A new word

... has just been added to the Urban Dictionary.

Use conservatively or liberally.

It's happening

"Change has come..."

I'm OK I'm OK

It was a scary episode.

Tests by the ophthalmologist showed that I have bilateral visual field defects with normal IOP (intraocular pressure).

Accordingly, an MRI brain scan was ordered to eliminate all suspicious possibilities. The result: No MR abnormaility is detected in the orbits, anterior visual pathways as well as in the brain. There is no MR evidence of infarct or space-occupying lesion in the brain. In other words: no tumour, no stroke.

Additional comment: Mild prominence of CSF (Cerebral Spine Fluid) space in the optic nerve sheaths noted. Clinical correlation for any papilloedema is advised. In other words, the distortion of my eyeballs from a lifetime of high myopia has created a space in the optic nerve membrane, and this is the cause for the visual field defects. I am to be checked on a periodic basis for any change in this condition.

My episode of severe double vision was due to a decompensated squint which I likely brought upon myself for lying on my side to read in bed. Note to self : will read lying on my back only henceforth. And I will be OK.

Another fascinating fact about my brain gleaned from the scan: In the brain, the gray-white matter differentiation is preserved. In other words, my brain is intact. I am more OK than I thought possible. Wow!

October

was the month

- i started my blog two years ago.

- with the most bellydance-filled days and nights I have had in a very long time.

- I met two bloggers who have been corresponding with me for several months now. One is exactly as I imagined, the other isn't. But it was totally rewarding to finally meet them and I know it is the beginning of good friendship.

- two distasteful women who I thought were out of my life re-surfaced. I am determined that they remain far away from my thoughts and my life.

- the sun suddenly set on the financial sunshine of some of my friends. I worry for them.

- I find I have scant sympathy for the cry-babies who are only poorer compared to a few months ago, but who otherwise suffer no financial damage in any real sense.

- I had a medical scare but am sure that it will be something minor that can be managed without any drastic change to my life. Conclusive diagnosis is expected early next week. In the meantime, I am more focused about how good my life is and am happy with everything about it.

- I feel the end of the year drawing closer.

for Halloween

Belioz's Symphonie Fantastique
for your Halloween enjoyment

of Halva and Hafla

I have been researching sooji halva (otherwise, semolina pudding). Recipes are easy to come by, and most go by the ratio of 1:1:1:4 of butter:semolina:sugar:liquid. All sources say the dessert is good eaten cold or warm.

Most people prefer cold desserts to warm, especially with our climate. Take heed that the sooji halva made from the above recipe will set into a very thick unattractive and unappetizing gooey lump. After numerous unglorious tries, I find the best proportion is 1:1:1:8. For a dressier version, I'd skip the sugar, and make a syrup (lemon-, rosewater- or vanilla-flavoured) for adding to individual taste at time of serving.

This simple-to-make dessert was a big hit at dinner parties over the Deepavali weekend :)

Elsewhere, Belinda's tribal themed hafla was a big hit with the crowd. The performers put in a lot of effort to prepare for this.



The use of fire in their dance upped the spectaculo-quotient several notches. I feel like we celebrated the festival of lights in our own way:)

p.s. The next hafla by Belinda at Blu Jaz will be on Sunday, November 9.

p.p.s. November 9 date for hafla is cancelled. For updates, please check here.

I sseee ddouble

of everything the last three days. Like every face on television has 3 eyes.

Life as I knew it was becoming difficult eg I have difficulty figuring out where the extra fingers go on the typepad. Depth perception is also altered, so I can forget driving for now. I don't remember a time when I could see well without glasses or contact lens, but this latest vision problem is something completely out of my experience with poor eyesight.

Opthalmic tests today determined no glaucoma, no retinal tear, no neurological deficit. I am thankful for that. Likely cause of double vision is a decompensated squint in my left eye.

I have follow up tests next week to rule out any other ocular or neurological causes.

I am already trying to imagine an eye patch as an accessory...

p.s. I am not receptive to alternative course of management, so please do not make those recommendations even though I deeply appreciate your concern.

Don't say I never show you

... pictures by mkop of the recent opening of Egyptian themed restaurant Pyramisa.

A gala night and that woman

The gala event was to start at 7pm. That woman (i.e. the organiser) wasn't even there. The place was a third filled. No drinks were proffered; we all just sat at our assigned tables making polite chit chat, noticeably uncomfortable in the cavernous function room made worse by the barely-there air-conditioning.

Sometime before 8pm the woman made her grand entrance - every bit like the proverbial bad fairy gliding on halcion-induced oblivion in her black robe. She declared the evening started by informing the room that she was caught in traffic but she rushed and so here she was (finally). Oh was I ever so impressed with her public relations skills at that moment.

Everything about the evening was simply off the mark:

- There was the late start caused by the the organiser's tardiness.
- The evening started with 2 lovely dancers who held everyone's rapt attention.
- The mood of enchantment was abruptly broken when the emcee announced that we now please get to the buffet line for our food.
- No sooner had we returned to our table than the show resumed. (What's the rush?). Most platters were left untouched for the rest of the evening.
- The pressure was on the two international performers to carry the evening, since the other two highly publicised talents did not show. (No reason given; it was as if they were never scheduled in the line-up).
- And as clumsily as the evening started, it was all over.
- The time was 10:00pm.

My deepest respect goes to all the dancers for giving their everything in their performance. Especially our special friend who danced on our table (you know who you are; thank you for making the evening extra special for our table).

But I must voice my grievance about the gala event: when two out of four star draws failed to show, and no mention is made of it prior to or through the whole evening, I have to assert that there is something fraudulent about the marketing of this event.

A restaurant opening and this woman

I must have a short memory. I have forgotten about the extremely absurd and bizarre nature of this woman.

So when the bellydance girlfriend got all excited about the grand opening celebration of an Egyptian themed bar-restaurant and managed to get me an invitation, I agreed to go.

Only to be told at the door of the restaurant by the woman that this opening celebration is for special invited guests only. Of course the girlfriend's name could not be found on the guest list. I waited outside till the girlfriend showed up to talk our way back onto the invite list.

For my readers who are curious about the event :-

- the place got over crowded in the extreme (so much for special invitees only)
- the crowd was an enthusiastic lot of the happy bar drinking type
- forget the promise of a generous buffet spread - we subsisted on exactly 1 cheese puff, 1 buffalo wing and 1 samosa each
- the bar crew were going full hilt the entire time, so the girlfriend and I hung on to our 1 drink for the entire 2 hours that we stayed, quenching our thirst by sucking on every last ice cube left in our glasses
- the bellydancers were generous and gracious with their stage time, as always
- the rest of the time was taken up by a talkative emcee, audience games and a snake charmer. To be fair, the audience participants were great sports with dance and acting talent,
- from where we sat/stood, the girlfriend and I only caught bits and pieces of what went on on stage. A glimpse of wrist, a wisp of hair, a quick peek of red hip belt.

We left when the segment drew to a natural close and adjourned to a nearby restaurant to collect our senses. This competitor restaurant was an oasis of civilization to our frayed nerves.

We never went back to find out if there was a second segment to the evening. We had to shore up our energy to face another of the woman's events tonight.

October hafla by Belinda

Another exciting night presented by Belinda
at Blu Jaz on 25 October.

On his turning 50

His was one of the best big 5-0 birthday bashes I have been to.

He gathered his favourite people from all corners of the world - family, childhood friends, good neighbours, colleagues, business associates. He threw a party which is more about letting these people know he is happy to have them in his life than about having people show up to see him turn 50.

We came away feeling we understood so much more about him in this one evening than all the years before from the company he keeps.

May he meet many more good people who will become life-long friends in the years ahead.

These bad times

Every year around this time, the girlfriend comes through Singapore from Los Angeles for a day's layover before continuing to Kolkata.

Every year, I'd meet up with her for a long lunch, catch up on news of my friends back stateside, snap some quickie pictures of her and me, do some impulse shopping, and I'd see her off at the airport. Later in the evening, I'd email the pictures to the friends with a short message, saying how I'd really wished they'd been here too. And every time, I'd hear from them within a couple of days, all thrilled and excited with the news and pictures.

Not this time. It's been several days now, and no one has written back yet.

I had asked after them; specifically, I had asked how badly hit are they in this financial meltdown. The girlfriend said everyone is reeling from the financial fall-out, and fearing for the worst. It has to be bad because they have fully retired from employment for between 5 to 10 years. They would have sizeable amounts of their money in managed funds.

Their silence now screams calamity to me.

I feel so so bad, and worse that there is no help I can offer. Worst of all, I don't know when things will start to look up and feel alright again.

A weekend of Magdy el Leisy

Claribel gave us another unforgettable weekend of workshops with Magdy el-Leisy. As has become his signature style, the master teacher shared with us the world of belly dance that is filled with joy and humour.

Ever gracious, Magdy always takes the time to pose for those keepsakes pictures at the end of every session.

We will always look forward to training with Magdy whenever he is in town.

September

was the month

- we decided we will not be travelling anymore for the rest of the year. Seven trips in eight months is really over-doing a good thing. It was to have been Qingdao via Beijing in October.

- I started hula dance lessons; I love the the dance form.

- we picked up on the pig-out sessions again, and have been back to the newly discovered Zi Yean four times in the month. I sense burn out on the way, and soon.

- we made the decision to catch up with friends as often as we can for the remaining months of the year.

- we came home.

Selamat Aidilfitri

A lovely evening of cross-cultural celebration with Malay food from our non-Malay kitchens.

At our dinner table were friends who are recent arrivals to Singapore. They were delightfully fascinated with the intricate tastes of Malay-style food - a totally new culinary experience for them. Looking at how they readily tried all the alien- looking and tasting dishes in front of them, I know they will take to living here well.

I am happy to be one of the first locals to introduce them to the local food scene.

he mele no lilo

Indulge me. I just love this song :



There is this really cute children's version :



Then the version I'd love to dance:



... and now I can't stop the song playing in my head...

Pig-out@Zi Yean Restaurant

Of late, the pig-out friends are having a hard time coming up with places to, well, pig-out at.

Our old reliable standby, Moi Kong, is closed; the entire building is undergoing massive renovation. Our other kitchen is closed and waiting for renovation to be completed at a yet-to-be-disclosed new location.

I don't include the big name restaurants in our pig-outs because there really isn't any surprises in those places. On reputation alone, one already expects impeccable service, opulent ambience and spectacular food.

Rather, we delight in finding low-key restaurants that would turn out some outstanding dishes. If the food is truly out-of-this-world divine, we would even put up with noise, over-crowdedness and untrained wait staff.

One recent foray turned out to be a delightful discovery. Food was decent, service was efficient and the place was not noisy!

Two of their dishes deserve special mention:

- their fried la mien had a beautiful wok hei aroma that woke up even jaded taste buds

- their 3-flavour fried chicken was skilfully done with different fragrant peppers and finished with a distinct citrus note

Zi Yean Restaurant is located at
Blk 56 Lengkok Bahru, #01-443
S 150056
Tel: 6474 0911

My old neighbourhood

I grew up in East Coast Road and Katong,

My memories of the place will always be
- the school where the sea waves lapped up against the fence,
- three cinemas within walking distance of each other,
- Roxy laksa,
- coffee houses in shopping arcades where the girls swooned over boyfriends of the week while gobbling up sundae banana splits,
- seafood restaurants in rest houses,
- cozy homes with carefully tended gardens,
- and tree-lined quiet avenues.

I rarely go near the area once I left it. I hear of the developments and changes over the years, but I never experienced it. The place grew up and became a stranger while I carried on with my necessary journey of breaking away from ties that bind too tightly.

A handful of times a year, I'd find myself making my way to my old neighbourhood to visit friends, have lunch, and look in on family.

Today was one of those days.

Visited an old friend who recently moved to Bedok.

Had lunch at Bedok Market Place.

Met the newest addition to my growing clan - my nephew Thadeus.

I feel no nostalgia for the East coast area; I recognise very little of it; I have gotten away.

One of us is from Mars

I rarely see my dance mates outside of their dance classes. Now that I am imminently leaving them, I decided to join them for coffee.

For whatever reason, I told them the following documentary I saw on TV some time back:

The date was October 15, 2003. The first Chinese astronaut was to be shot into space in a capsule. On D-Day, there he was, in space suit and all, at his send off attended by all the very important people involved with the Chinese space programme. It was a grand ceremony as befitting the occasion. Among the well-wishers were the astronaut's wife, in her whatever uniform, and their son who looked about 8 years old.

The historical moment neared. The wife said her goodbye to beloved husband by sticking out her right hand for a farewell handshake. The astronaut husband shook her hand, then turned to their son and stuck out his hand. Son shook father's hand.

There was no show of any emotion (excitement, anxiety, something, anything).

Eleven hours later, in the control room, the same very important space programme people and wife and son were waiting expectantly for a tele-conference with the man in his capsule in space. The man came on the screen. Some static, and then audio connection was made.

First words out of her mouth: "Ni hao mah?"
He: "Hai hao. Ni ne?"
She: "Wo men do hao. Ni fan xin"

Again, no show of any emotion to indicate the two people are anything to each other!

The coffee group turned thoughtfully silent. Then one uncle opened his mouth and said, "I don't get it. What are you saying is wrong?"

Stunned, I looked around the table. The others clearly shared his perplexity.

Despair gripped me in the gut like a vise at the same time that crystal clarity seized my brain: one of us is from Mars, and it isn't any of them.

afterthought : what planet are my readers from?

footnote: for historical accuracy, read the segment on China's first piloted space flight here.

Two haflas and a hula dance

I made my way to the haflas on my own, knowing I'd meet up with the usual suspects. I decided not to bring my camera. I wanted to just kick back and enjoy the performances instead of peering through the lens on the lookout for photo-worthy shots.There were many videos and cameras going. One of the videos appear here.

I am truly happy for Belinda and Claribel that their haflas were very well attended. There were many many new faces, always an encouraging sign for this small community. And then there were the familiar faces - a heart warming show of support for friends who put in so much effort to bring these events to the bellydance circle.

The weekend also turned out to be rewarding in a personal way. A chance conversation with a fellow bellydancer uncovered a little known hula dance class available in a studio downtown.

I was looking to stop social dance for a while; I am not having a good time at salsa with the uncles and aunties.

The hula class will be an ideal substitute.

I don't know what to expect, but I am hoping it will be this.

Noise and more noise

Chinese restaurants are noisy. But there is noise, and there is noise.

I put up with boisterous adults celebrating too enthusiastically because I have to. If I must, I put up with wait-staff who clang and bang the crockery around when clearing tables.

But I finally had it with children running all over the place screeching and shrieking in their horse-play.

I stomped up to the offending child ring-leader and yelled at him to cease and desist. The helpless maids minding the unmindful children were embarrassed. The adults who own the noise-monsters looked up with a what's-your-problem-with-our-cute-playful-children expression, but did nothing more. I glared at them with poison darts in my eyes and venom in my heart.

But, the noise assault dropped immediately to a more acceptable level.

I know I will not hesitate to act exactly the same way the next time. And the next time.

Weekend of Haflas

click on picture for larger image

Belinda's line-up of performers for her monthly hafla in September at Blu-Jaz Space promises to be a strong cast. Read more about it here.

Claribel is holding an open house and hafla on her premises on Sunday, 14th September. More details here.

Bali and Paul Ropp

We made our short 3-day turnaround visit to Bali for the Paul Ropp sale. Like we have done faithfully twice a year for the past 3 years.

This is, sadly, too many times for too many years. There is no new exciting clothing or accessories to be had this time. We spent 2 days going through the inventory. Still, nothing.

What saved the trip was the chance meeting of new friends. I have a good feeling about this couple. Time will tell.

We decided that we will skip Paul Ropp in February next year, and think carefully about the big sale next September.

Yes, something has changed in our love affair with Bali and Paul Ropp. So so sad...

The Paul Ropp annual sale

3 - 8 September 2008

I'm so there already.

August

was the month

Styx river, NSW

that whizzed by too quickly.

So many things I did not get around to doing ...

A baby and potluck dinner

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.

Aboriginal musicians

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.

All dressed up

and I have places to go

Mirror, Mirror

He flatters me.

Blue Mountains - Jenolan Caves

I see my light come shining
from the west unto the east
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released

Light at the end of the tunnel - oh what a wondrous sight - as we start on the homeward leg of a very long day trip by bus to Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves.

Like, beh tahan to sit bus so long you know?

We gave up the idea of a day trip by bus to Hunter Valley.

We confined our exploration to Sydney and its suburbs.

To market, to market

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.

Life's a beach

Bondi (top row) is brash.
Bronte (bottom row) is beautiful.

They are among the most breath-taking beaches I have been to in the world.

I am not usually given to wanting a home by the sea, but either of these two beach towns could change my mind.

Go on - Bite Me

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

Go on - It's Lebanese again

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

Go on - what's for dinner?

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 Bellydance Expo 2008, Sydney

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?

Gone Shopping

and eating
and clubbing
and more shopping!

Will be back on the 18th. Blogging will resume shortly thereafter.

Still the king

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.

Gunther's on Purvis

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

Kashmir Restaurant @ Race Course Road

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

July

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.

August hafla by Belinda

click on picture for bigger image

Belinda's hafla series for August will be held on the 9th.

The theme for the evening is "Fire". Her special guest performer is Angelina, resident dancer at Shiraz.

Bellydance fans and friends can expect another spectacular fun-filled evening presented by Sahara Sundance.

In them ulus back home

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...

Kiki koo kiki

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.

A Saturday with friends

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 :)

Congratulations Claribel

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.

Sydney walkabout

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!

Sydney street scene

all we need is music, sweet music

there'll be music everywhere
there'll be swinging, swaying and records playing

and dancing in the streets

The street musicians and entertainment at street fairs are surprisingly good. Most of them have quality CD recordings of their music for sale. They add a lot to the street scene in the city.

Being my hippie self

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 :)

Raqs Sharqi in Sydney

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

Sydney Opera House

still beautiful
after all these years

June

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.

Away in Sydney

I will be back 12 July.

Meantime, I leave you with these exciting news from my friends:

Here's Suzie Wong
and here is Claribel

Here's Suzie Wong

Since her grand opening earlier this month, the dynamite polefessional Suzie Wong has been very busy.

Her brand new studio, outfitted with many unique features, is now open for pole/dance classes, rehearsals and rent.

Suzie Wong has also started a forum for pole and belly dancers. Do join to make this a lively platform for dancers interested in discussing costumes, events, "how-to's" etc.

We look forward to hearing a lot more from Suzie Wong in the days ahead.

and here is Claribel

Official Opening of Claribel's Raks Sharki Studio
at her new location:
31-A New Bridge Road (opp. Central)

Date: 18 July (Friday)

Time: 1.30 - 5.oo pm

Guests of Honour :
Madam Raqia Hassan
Dr Mo Geddawi

It's party time with light refreshment
+ free belly dance trial sessions
+ belly dance demo
+ belly dance jam

Fee: Free for all

Dress code: casual or middle eastern

Intensive bellydance course for
instructors, performers and choreographers
starts Staurday July 19.

Enquiries: tel 65368394 (Claribel)

email info@bellydanceinsingapore.com