I don't like the woman

I didn't like the woman way back when.

I didn't like the woman through the years.

So I haven't seen the woman for the last few years.

Two months ago, I heard she was diagnosed with advanced brain cancer, was being treated with chemotherapy and radiation, and was not expected to live beyond 15 months.

I felt badly for her. But I did nothing about trying to contact her - she lives and works out of the country, and comes back frequently on weekends.

She was back all last week, staying at a friend's home. Said friend called me to come over for dinner with the woman.

I told myself to be nice, hold my tongue, smile and nod in sympathy and agreement.

She is still ever the loud-mouthed shameless self-promoter I disliked from way back when. All night, I listened to the woman tell me how great a person she is - as a helpful friend, a hot lover, a doting mother, a filial daughter, a long-suffering wife (twice), an understanding ex-wife (twice), a dedicated employee, a pious person etc etc etc.

I held my tongue, I smiled and nodded in sympathy. I was nice.

At the end of the evening, I felt sad.

For her - because I'd like to think there are many people who really and truly like her, but I have serious doubts about that.

For myself - because I am probably seeing her for the last time. And I still do not like the woman.

I look forward to this

I still look forward to this.Not the factory sale, per se. I love Paul Ropp creations, but I have p-l-e-n-t-y Paul Ropp clothes in my closet; I still have several in their original wrapping. I have also not come back with big hauls the last few times. Maybe Paul Ropp's creative genius has taken off in a different direction and I am just too stubborn to go along.Yet, I still look forward to this.

It is an opportunity to see some dear friends who will never travel anywhere. It is also a walk down memory lane, back to youthful days of living and loving fearlessly. I still recall watching the stunning sunsets, as the lover and I talked of possibilities of being this happy forever, together.

Many wishes and dreams from those days have come to pass. The Bohemian spirit in me still awakes on that island. For as long as I still feel all this, I look forward to revisiting Bali. For the friends, the memories, the unbeaten free spirit.

Yes, I still look forward to this.

Night of Wine and Dine

Bottom left picture - from left:
Pathy (sommelier, Table@7)
Daniel Chathiard (owner, Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte)
Eugenia & Karl (owners, Table@7)
Clinton Ang (owner, Cornerstone Wines)

It is a stretch to find me at wine-pairing dinners. For the simple reason that I am allergic to alcohol.

But because it is the folks at Table@7 who asked.

And because we have fond memories of our dinner at the Chateau Smith-Haut Lafitte.

We went.

It was, of course, another thoroughly enjoyable evening at our favourite restaurant, with some of our favourite people in the F&B industry...

October

was the month
I took a short break, in of all places, China.

Specifically, Beijing and Harbin. More of that later.

I have also taken the time to sort out myself. Specifically, to sort out my relationship with various people.

Everyone out there is either (a) my-type-of-people and we get along famously from the first, or (b) not my-type-of-people, but having evolved into the "nice" person I want to be, I "find" reasons to accept these people.

Of the (b) category people, I now know in myself that it is a lost cause to make unacceptable people acceptable. So I leave them behind (figuratively and literally).

And that does not make me "un-nice".

Away

I have used the time to keep counsel with myself. I am taking longer than I planned to. But it was necessary, and it has been good.

Now I will be away for two weeks.

I will be ready to resume posting when I get back.

I am otherwise doing well, and have been busy with various friends and activities.

But more of everything later.

September

was the month
that the pieces finally fell in place. I can see and think clearly again.

I had an epiphany about people who can only be described as a**holes. Of these, there are family and non-family. Whereas I used to shun the family but did my best to accommodate the non-family ones, I have made an about-face turn. I will suffer and put up with the a**holes in the family; all others will have to find their own emotional punching bag.

To certain somebodies who recently blindsided me with "We don't understand, but we do not(will not?) ask", I have this to say: "Real friends do not question; real friends ask". And I did ask. I got an evasive non-answer. I do not question, but the ball is back in said somebodies' court.

I am glad the harsh Summer season is coming to an end.

I welcome the richer and more sophisticated season that is Fall.

Cabaret - the video

Here are the pictures.

Here is the video:



Thank you, photographer and videoman, for capturing the night.

I treasure the memory.

August

was the month

I would remember for two reasons.

The man turned 60. We gathered friends and family for his birthday dinner party. It was as much dinner as party, with a really class act put together with the dance friends. And I remember again what a beautiful gift a dance makes, for the giver and the recipient.

My parents are relentlessly toxic as parents, and as people. I grappled with my feelings about them, about my role as their daughter in May, June, July. Sometime this month, the decision was made for me by Mother. I am now out of the world of distrust, mistrust, disappointment, misunderstanding, delusion and mischief which the parents created and continue to live in. I remember again why I left them in the first place.

I have removed my earlier posts on Mother because I felt it was time I erased bad memories of bad parents. I find now that I was not wrong about them, so I will retrieve and re-post them. As well, I have no need to write in a closed blog. I stand by what I write.

I would pop that bottle of champagne if I could still drink. For I am, indeed, truly, back.

Mooncakes and more mooncakes

Mid-Autumn Festival. Zhongquijie. Lantern Festival. Mooncake Festival.By whatever name, I love everything associated with this seasonal festival - the celebrations, the myths, the mooncakes! Especially the mooncakes.

There is definitely no shortage of variety and versions here. Creativity and imagination run amok as restaurants, hotels and pastry chefs promote their idea of a new and improved mooncake with new and different flavours, fillings, textures, even shapes (!). Somehow, I think of these re-invented mooncakes as experiments. Oftentimes, quite horrific failed experiments even.

In the end, I really want my mooncake as I have always known it.

With the familiar baked skin complete with its imperfections because a pair of hands worked on it. With the smooth lotus paste filling, just this side of too oily and too sweet.

Rolled up in a stack of 4 on plain white paper contrasted against Chinese Red and Gold decorative prints. Or packed in no-frills boxes of 4. And all stacked into brown paper bags carrying the company name.

In my books, the three masters of old-school mooncakes are (listed in no particular order):

Tai Thong Cake Shop
35 Mosque Street
Tel: 6223 2905

Chinatown Tai Chong Kok Confectionery Hue Kee
122 bukit Merah Lane 1 *01-62 Alexandra Village
Tel: 6270 8994

Tai Chong Kok
34 Sago Street
Tel: 6227 5701

His BigSixOh

On the occasion of his bigsixoh, we threw the best birthday dinner party we knew how.

Not for this man the usual grim and glum food and drinks with the folks, young and old. And talk about the good old days.

Because the good days are not in the past. It is in the here and now.

And so, with the support and help of talented friends, we got ourselves a night of

*fine dining ( Table@7),
*great wines (private collectors),
*mesmerising bellydance (special appearance by G)
*dazzling burlesque-cabaret show (my fabulous showgirls),
*memorable keepsake of the night in pictures (amiphotography)
.
I'd like to think that the fun and friendship will last for a long time after the party is over.

I know I will remember all of you. Especially the friends who made it possible.

Cabaret Night at Table@7

The restaurant is new. The players are not. Their culinary expertise is firmly established but their gastronomic creations continue to surprise with new dimensions.

Table@ 7 opened to rave reviews in April, and its popularity continues to grow from strength to strength.

We've been to the restaurant too many times to count, with too many friends to mention. Each time, we come away happy.

So it went without saying that the man celebrated his special birthday dinner party at this special restaurant.
The restaurant worked closely with us in every way to make the party exactly as we wanted it.

We wanted cabaret. We got cabaret. Heh.

Table@7 is located at:
7 Mohamed Sultan Road,
S 238957
Tel: 68366362
Mobile: 8338 6362
website: tableat7.com

Now you see them, Now you don't

So "they" (mysterious powers that be) withdrew the video clips of bellydance performance I thought were wonderful and posted here. I get some mumbo jumbo reason as to why they are no longer available. So I searched again. And found these two clips, which I post here until "they" withdraw again for some other or maybe same mumbo jumbo reasons. Some bits in the videos cover the performances I thought were great. Of course, there are plenty I would have loved to share but are not in these clips. But there you are.

Fusion bellydance when it is good :)

Oops! The video clips have been withdrawn (August 4, 2011). I will repost if they show up again.

There were some happy and memorable moments during the Singapore Street Festival.

For fans of belly dance fusion, here are some of the really lovely performances:

1. Our very own Darren and Maia:


2. Another home team - Joey and the Jewelz:


3. The very impressive mother-and-daughters dance troupe from Vietnam


4. Bellydance-Indian fusion done right :)

July

was the month
I spent too much time thinking, just thinking, of ways to escape the clutches of wretched souls who seek to subsume the life I have made for myself. I was distracted, ineffective, unproductive. Unfinished business was starting to pile up.

Not anymore. I am myself again. I am back. Because
I accepted the fact that wretched people will always be with me. And so, having realised that they are a constant in my life, I can move on. So long as I never underestimate the ability of such wretched people to subsume me with their wretchedness, I will be alright.

I have not started to write in my closed blog. It isn't a pressing matter anymore. You will hear from me when I get it up and running; I have not forgotten you :)

For now, I am happy to know this: I am back.

The morning after

and I am still reeling from the upset win from last night's bellydance competition. (Click here for details.)

We just knew who the winners were. Too bad the judges didn't. And their decision sticks. Even when it sucks.

I retract my statement about Asia Global Bellydance being a respected competition. I think the quality of the judges is only marginally better than the lot on a recent local TV dance competition.

THE Bellydance Show of the Year

This is one of the most exciting weekends in the year!

I am looking at 3 nights of bellydance performance starting tonight.

The line-up of Singapore competitors this time is simply awesome!

It is good to see some of our strongest performers back in a competition that is suitably respected for this dance form.

To Bali and back

We made the 48-hour turnaround visit to Bali for yet another Paul Ropp Warehouse Sale. We were last there in March! Four months is definitely too short a time between his sales.

There wasn't anything for me to pick up this time. I had bought up everything worth buying the last time. I came away with exactly one pair of shorts. Alright, they aren't just shorts shorts; they are signature Paul Ropp shorts.

The man did better - he managed to find 4 shirts after really rummaging through every rack.

It was still a nice short getaway, made stress-free because we refused to hunt down new places to eat at. We settled for the true and tried Kafe Batan Waru, a short walking distance from our hotel. And for the caffeine fiend in me, this place does a decent latte.

For the uninitiated, this is the only time of the year - the antipodean winter months of June-July-August - when the weather is most pleasant.The days are breezily cool, and the nights are sometimes chilly.

There is still magic in the air in Bali :)

If-you-have-no-clothes

This is talking to me; I have no clothes :)

Oh, not really. But I'm there anyway ...

Remembering

I am tasked with compiling a play-list for an upcoming dinner party. I expected it to be an easy job. How wrong can I go if I select what I love enough to drum my fingers and tap my feet to?

Well, for starters, I am so rusty that I have difficulty recalling the songs I liked, even loved! How sad is that?

I started by looking up "greatest dance song lists" in the last *gasp* 4 decades.That's a long list. It has been a down-memory lane type of exercise as I recall the place, the year, the guy, the friends with every song. I kept only the happy memories.

The guests are my contemporaries; they are going to have to love my selection of hit dance songs.They'd have been down the same roads at about the same time, and therefore they must share the same sentiment. So there!

In the process of making my playlist, I stumbled upon a music genre I loved, which I had long forgotten - Hawaiian slack key guitar music by the maestro Keola Beamer.

I listened. I remembered. The sound still tugs at the heart-strings. And I smiled.

Bellydance Night@Shiraz

I will remember this night for a long time to come. The reasons were many:

The place is Shiraz. They do decent, even good, middle-eastern food. The service staff are always willing to accommodate special requests.

My favourite people - bellydancers - perform every night of the week. I love that they do multiple sets throughout the night. I detest places where the dancer does a single set of 3-songs and immediately leaves for another gig elsewhere; there's no satisfaction from eating or entertainment, just interruptus of the most annoying sort.

The evening provided the rare opportunity to catch up with friends who I otherwise do not get to see.

This time, the limelight shone on Fatema and Katerina Shereen. Both performers saved the very best - the forkloric danceforms - for their last sets with Fatema ending with saidi and Shereen finishing with khaleegi.
I stayed to the very end. The reasons were many.