The Canteen

no way is this going to be a food blog zach! My life is more than just about food joints ok!! But, hehe that guy has a point - food really gets me going. Gives me the 'buzzing' feeling that very few people can give me! hahaha

I went to The Canteen today... the atas one by Les Amis along Shaw Centre. Actually we were supposed to go to the French Stall but freak, the whole place was closed. Hmmmpph. Never fear. We were not undeterred in our quest for good dinner. All of us were STARVING.

The set dinner consisted of an appetiser, an intermezzo, the main course, dessert and a choice of coffee/tea. All at the steep price of $38 ++ But since it was on my list, it was worth me being able to finally cross something off. I must say that the intermezzo, the mushroom soup, was a delight. It came in a tiny cup, slightly larger than an expresso cup. But it was thick, frothy and smooth.

The main course wasn't much to crow about. Dunno why Lihui insisted that the french fries were fantastic, but I thought they were too skinny. But the dessert was superb man... 3 of us had this rich thick tiramisu. It's way thicker than the one at Prego's. Ceyu got the apple pie that came wrapped like a fried wantun in filo pastry. His was the largest and the flashiest. When I go there again, I'll definitely get that...

I have been spending way too much money on food the past few weeks. I'm starting to get very concerned... But I think I must curtail the expenditure soon!! This week... this should be the last week.....

If you are always a different person with every different group of people you hang around with, does not make you a CLOD instead of a PEBBLE? (Ref to Blake) If the conversations that you engage in vary from group to group and the spectrum is very wide, what does that say about you? Does that make your identity shapeless? What defines you socially? Different groups of friends talk about such diverse subjects, and you just casually shade into them. Then your character becomes a camouflage. What are you? Who are you? What kind of conversations really appeal to you? Do you actually enjoy each and every single of these gatherings? Or are u usually in the backseat as an observer? When are you at your element?

I have no clue. But I know that sometimes there are arresting moments... little conversations that just light up your week. But these are the conversations that can bring you tumbling down from your pedestal too.

Old kakis

Since the end of The Pupillage(it's really an event. It was hard, tiring, and yet pretty fun sometimes), I have been meeting up or planning to meet up with random people. Unfortunately, I don't have pics for all, but it kinda crossed my mind that I haven't been appreciating the people around me enough. I mean, I see church friends to often to really bother about meeting up and doing stuff outside of church. Besides dinners and conversations on msn, I have been super nuah about everything. I think I am by nature a passive friend. I don't initiate, unless I feel the situation is dire.. haha

I thought it was quite dire when I met up with the people below!! The plan was to eat at The Canteen when they had that 50% special from Aug 1-4, but what to do? No more bookings!!!
Here we are at the Second Choice (it wasn't a second choice, but more of a "since we are at far east plaza and it's the first eatery we came across, why not?")


Yup, my dear hall friends, the people I spent so much time with. And yet, there's still some mystery about what we are doing with our lives now, because I don't see them so much anymore. We used to do everything together la!


And then there's this bunch of gals from way back... This is a smattering of my once-10 strong clique from RGS 410... I think we have had our ups and downs and still we meet up. Everyone is busy doing their own thing now. No two people are involved in the same job or industry, or even taking a common path, but still we meet! And even if I don't show it often, I think you gals all rock! We should do balaclava more often...



Another good girl friend from yonder RGS days... this girl is a globetrotter. She travels from continent to continent, never staying too long in one. But now she is embracing the States as her de facto home. She has the lifestyle I always wanted, but could never afford. But she has the guts to pursue what she wants. The last time she came back would be the last time in a very very long while. I will miss you! Kris is the only one who gets individual mention this time round. Cos I actually have a pic of her in my comp! Sorry to those individual good friends whose pic I simply do not have...

I can't ignore the gals from my cell in church. Here we are in our more carefree days. I think some of us hit a dry spell, and the journey was a bit bumpy along the way. But I think various friendships were forged, or unusual bonds were etched. I drew closer to some of them. Or at least, I got a better sense of where each one of us was coming from. Here we are at a retreat in ulu Changi...

Awe

God spoke to me during Sunday School:

"Now I can
Trade these ashes in for beauty
And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
I lay every burden down
At the foot of the cross"

He also spoke to me during worship on Saturday:
"Laid aside Your majesty
Gave up everything for me
Suffered at the hands of those you have created

You took all your guilt and shame
When You died and arose again
Now today You reign
In heaven and earth exalted"

It suddenly hit me. He gave up SO MUCH for us. And yet, it's so difficult for us to lay aside our hopes and our plans. We pin our hopes on the ephemeral. But this is a GOD who laid aside His whole identity, His majesty and greatness, and power and authority, to become Man for us all. And it wasn't just the act of dying on the cross for us (I couldn't get a sense of the awe of the death of the cross for a long time. After all, so many others died the same way then too) Rather, it was the fact that He had planned it all from time memorial, from the moment He made His first creation. For it was already prophesied in the Old Testament that God had a grand plan, which involved the Son of God. And this was all to prepare the way for Jesslyn Chia to go back to God in the end.

That was a surreal moment.

EIC, I love...

I have found my answer to good live music and a very unSingaporean ambience... This is one place so worth checking out. Wala Wala's on Friday nights is the place to go and enjoy some great rock pop and the band is so full of energy and pizzazz. The rapport between the members is superb. It's amazing how they maintain their passion and their chemistry despite playing almost every night at random places around Singapore. And they play the music I love, the music that gets down to your gut and sends electricity running your spine... Heck, the GooGoo Dolls, Matchbox Twenty, Red Hot Chilli Peppers... just can't get enough.

This is about the third time I've been to Wala's. The first time was over a year ago. Then, the crowd was much thinner and it had the makings of a cult band with its loyal following of friends and groupies. The whole place is very dark, and full of people singing to the familiar tunes. But it was sort of intimate still. I like the dark ambience of the bar. It somehow reminds me of the bars I visited in Australia. This time, the place is just swarming with people, neck to neck. I had to queue like mad outside Wala's. The last time I just did a walk in. I had many close brushes and intimate encounters(butt brushing was a frequent occurrence). And I met people I recognised. It's no cult band anymore. It's just about the most famous band in Singapore. That sux. The exclusivity is gone. The music is still amazing. I'm loving Jack(the lead singer) more and more... haha. His voice is so electric. He has the AC guy quality that never fails to draw me. And who doesn't love a guy who can serenade?? swoon......

Definitely going to check them out soon at Timbre and Balaclava...

My List

I just crossed off two things on "My List of things to do these few months before I sell my lifeblood to Allen and Gledhill" - I had the gelato at Watten's Estate and I managed to buy a Lana fudge cake before it got sold off! When I was there, there were only 6 left. Kevin had no blingbling, so he had to go home(very nearby) to get some first. But when he came back, they were all gone! My sympathies...

And by the way, they were REALLY REALLY GOOD. Very moist, not too rich, not too sweet. Just the right texture and consistency. And chocolatey enough. Zach says I should convert this blog into a food blog. Nah. I can't wax lyrical about food with hyperbole. I don't think my English is that equipped. I am only good for hyperventilating over them.

I also picked up some sausages from the Swiss butchery. I am such a sucker. When someone tells me, "The food here is good", I simply have to try it. Same goes for uncooked sausages. Kevin only had to say, "The seasoning is great. The meat is prepared very well" and I had to happily purchase 2 smoked and spicy sausages. But the word on that is not out. Wait till I have grilled it.

The gelato did not disappoint. I had the Honey Maltesers, a flavour I haven't seen in Singapore yet. And the orange sorbet and peanut butter gelato. Who doesn't love peanut butter? Spread the word. Anything with peanut butter on it is heaven.

Saturday's sermon

Today's message in church really struck me hard. It was based on Philippians 1:1-11. About regaining the joy of being a child of GOD, something which I think I lost along the way. And Ps Melvyn talked about how if we give up our preoccupations, no matter how important they seem, God will reward. God will repay. People disappoint but God will never do so.

That really makes sense. How many times do people end up disappointing, just when you have placed expectations on them? Expectations inevitably set in once u get close to people. And never do they deliver 100%. Desires preoccupy me too, but invariably, once I get it, the taste of success or procurement just doesn't thrill me for long. The joy dissipates after a time. Isn't that sad? We pine and pine for something, only to realise the apple isn't as red or sweet close up.

Connected to this is the idea that we are a Work In Progress. If we trust and let everything go, He will deliver in the end. We are still being moulded, still being tested. And our growth will improve tremendously especially in the midst of trials and tribulations.

I have my cross, but it's not mine to carry. I'm going to leave it as His feet.

One Tree Hill

Honestly it is getting quite embarrassing. I feel like a voyeur living vicariously off these "teenagers" on tv.. hahaha... They are all angsty but they look good angsty. And they hang out in the nicest places. Was watching the season 1 episodes on Starworld and there was this scene where some of the guys left Karen's Cafe to go play basketball at the nearby park. A whole bunch of guys turned up, with their friends from school, a huge bunch of them just hanging out on a saturday night. It's a scene set aptly in a small town, where everyone knows one another. It kind of reminds me of hall. On tv, everyone is chilling, watching, laughing... And I start to wonder, once work starts and gets into full swing, how many group outings and chilling sessions will I get? Now, meetings with friends centre around town at some atas coffee house or bar. Drinks are a requisite. I haven't done anything casual like just sit around at a park or around a basketball court for a long time. I guess this is called growing up? Or, it just means my lifestyle has changed somewhat. So watching this casual saturday night on One Tree Hill just made me wonder when I'll be doing that soon.

It's hard to explain. Maybe I'm just not good with words. But the scene is set in my brain. No, it's seared in my brain. I'm also prone to romanticise. But it is also apparent to me that I'm growing up, that I must leave some semblance of my youth, what I used to do when I was younger, aside to embrace new things in adulthood. Admittedly, they are things I have grown used to and I indulge in them quite often. But every so often, a little show like One Tree Hill would bring back nice memories...

Shoe Fetish and Feet

That's right, my feet are permanently tainted and scarred now! I blame the shoes that I wear. No, I think I have to go to the root of the problem. I blame my utter vanity. I need to wear nice shoes. And usually I'll suffer for them. I just bought this v v chic pair which looked good but hurt like hell when I wear them(cos the back is very hard). And it didn't help that I walked a lot in them on the first day! So what I did was wait for my wound at my heel to heal first(no pun intended) and then I wore them again for the second time. Now the wound is open and the whole heel is red raw.

While I was swivelling on my chair, I accidentally flayed the skin off my heel. It happened as fast as the ripping of a band aid, but the aftermath sure lasted a good 20 seconds!!!

Bah, the price women pay for shoes. I feel like an ancient Chinese woman, whose feet look so dainty on the outside but once the shoes come off, hell the feet become condemned!

I just read my friend's post on her blog, talking about how we have moved on from hall. It's so funny, but hall was such a big part of my life once. But now, when I try and recall it off the top of my head, I can't seem to remember very much. It was all about small moments here and there, lots of laughter, and some crying... I just can't remember anything specific straightaway until I try very hard.

What my friend wrote really made me feel sad. We had put up a Queens Central Road signage above our E3 corridor, a sort of marking of our territory, you can call it. While the sign remains, the people that defined E3 have since moved on. It reminds me of how the old seniors would graduate and while I'll always remember how they defined hall for me, it would always be replaced by another rowdy bunch of people. Buildings stay, but people move on. No matter how important it was to you, you start to realise how insignificant you actually are. Why did we take everything so seriously back then? All the bitching, the gossiping, the late night meetings, the stressing to put up productions and ensure that Eusoff was top in everything we did... What was that all for?

Even now, while I treasure the friendships I've forged then, I am starting to realise how tenuous those links are. How often do I meet those friends nowadays? We used to share secrets and they were the first ones I would turn (since they were right outside my door!) Now, your immediate circle friends have changed. Things change. People move on. Effort has to be made to make friendships work now. It ain't so easy anymore. And then you start to wonder whether what you thought was friendship was merely pure convenience... Friendship shouldn't be that dispensable rite? This is a projection of the future. In a few years' time, people will be so immersed in their jobs that they will have zilch time for friends. Friends in turn will get whittled down to that sparse handful. Or replaced by new friends.

On another note, I remember that some of my happiest group memories revolved around people in Eusoff Hall - my block friends, my supper kakis, my jogging kakis, my orientation programmers, my dance production working mates. We shared good memories. And I learnt to laugh a lot.

Meat, wisdom tooth and me

I have a hole where my wisdom tooth once was. Now it's just a trap for all sorts of food. Once, I had a piece of lamb stuck there and it wouldn't come out. I brushed, scratched, gargled, dug, scraped and to no avail. I gave up, thinking it may have been my imagination.

The next morning, a piece of soft lamb was found in my mouth.

Now, I have a piece of rib in my mouth. No matter how valiantly I dig and brush and gargle, nothing is coming out. Maybe tomorrow a significantly softer lump of pork will inch its way out.

Not just a song

I'm getting the *zing* feeling from this particular song... It's got an electrifying effect, bringing with it a rush of adrenaline, the tingle down my spine. And it evokes such a rush of emotion. Suddenly I'm transported into a more exciting time, when things weren't so monotonous. The blur from the highs that life brings, the desire for time to stop to capture a memory, a moment. It is stored away in snapshots in my mind. I retrieve it every now and then and it brings a smile to my face. This song brings it all back. And it makes me feel so young. Anything is possible. How is it that a mere song can make me feel this way? And so rarely can a PERSON inspire me feel like this?

And yet, this song makes me feel a tinge of sadness. What will be will be. And I've got to accept myself for who I am.

Gavin Degraw rocks.

Shanghai!!!

Ok, Shanghai isn't as hip and happening as I imagined it to be. TIME magazine completely misrepresented! I was swept away by the romanticised image of the city from people's accounts and from articles and guidebooks. I came away with heaps of shopping, but tourism-wise... it was a tad lacklustre.

But I must confess that this is one of the most eventful holidays I've had. I arrived Friday - a windy cloudy day. Already people were warning that a typhoon was approaching. Bummer. It's supposed to be the worst in 8 years. Of course I completely freaked out, especially since it was supposed to last all the way to MONDAY. And I was only staying till tuesday morning!!! Arrggh.

Day 1 Friday:

Friday was a super productive day. And by productive I refer to food and shopping. Every Singaporean girl's dream. Man, I feel so generic. I went to the Tailoring Market to do outfits. It was really a steal. Sometimes it wasn't so much of a need, but because it was just so cheap I could not simply pass it up without regretting. Shirts were S$14, and they were custom made. Skirts were about S$12. This very gorgeous material was turned into a full skirt, only for S$20. I feel kind of bad shopping so much in Shanghai actually. Throughout, I was half ecstatic with my buys and half plagued with a nagging guilt. These people slog like mad to earn these few dollars from me. It's really a sweatshop mentality over there. The tailors are up and about at the market in the afternoons. At night, they don't sleep, but they work all around the clock. And they even deliver outfits to your hotel room. This was one of the many instances where I was fully aware of how blessed I am.

Next stop: Xiangyang Market. Who can visit Shanghai without taking a look at this IP-infringing haven??? Police officers walk around the market very calmly. Apparently no one cares. The moment you step out of the taxi, you are affronted from all corners by people touting fake branded goods. LV is the hot favourite. And they push and poke you to get your attention. Bargained like mad for tons of bags and gitzmos... ... Bargaining drains u, although at first u feel a tad pleased with how much u've whittled it down to. And then, after some time, you realise that you've been swindled in the first few stores because other stores are offering a far better price. Grrrrrr... ...

It was about 4pm when we finished and we went on the prowl for good Peking Duck. The Quan Ju De restaurant was nearby but we had to trek up and down and up and down Huaihai Road before we finally found it. But it was worth it. On hindsight. The skin was crispy and so sweet. And it was to be eaten with cucumber and sugar. And the meat was tender and falls off the duck so easily as the chef cut it. I'm getting hungry thinking about it again.

By nightfall, the rains have started to arrive. And it's not a small rain mind you. It began to POUR.


Day 2 Saturday:

The next morning, when we set out, the rain was steady and the winds strong. I destroyed an umbrella when the winds tore through it. I had to succumb to buying a cheesy raincoat. In times like these, one gets desperate. Saturday was truly an "indoors" day. There was no way anyone was getting out in the rain, because it was pouring cats and dogs. And the wind was shaking leaves and branches and traffic lights. You can literally see rain coming down in sleets. Tried the famous NanXiang xiao long bao. The gravy is rich and thick, unlike the clearer broth in other versions I've tried. Heck, it beats Ding Tai Feng hollow. The skin isn't so thin, but the broth makes up for everything else!

The most miserable thing that happened during the storm was the fact that everyone was trying to rush home at the same time and it was close to impossible to get a cab. No one wanted to be outdoors. It was only later that I realised how dangerous it was to be walking in the rain. It wasn't because there was possible thunder and lightning. But electrical wires left exposed on the road could trigger an electric shortage, as was what happened to a couple of people that day. Anyway, we waited in vain in the rain but they were all full and everyone was pushing and shoving and cutting queues. I wanted to kill someone at this point. So we walked down in the direction of our hotel. This was a difficult feat because of all our shopping bags, which were threatening to give way.

One happy thing that happened was that we went for a foot reflexology session. If we had to stay indoors, we might as well do something worthwhile! And it was really cheap and really good. Where else in Singapore can one get such an hour-long session for S$8??? I sound super auntie right now, but I have to spread the good cheer.

I must say, despite my general bad impression of Chinese city folk, some do surprise me. I was walking through a marketplace which was lined with small food stalls and raw food, just soaking in the general Chinese marketplace atmosphere. And it suddenly started to rain more heavily. I rain for shelter for a while. Suddenly the shopfront opened and a nice man asked me if I needed help or if I wanted shelter for a while. A bunch of guys were inside the room playing mahjong.. haha.

As I passed the marketplace, I peered into some houses by the roadside. They were dank, dark, depressing, with mud floors. It had a grey depressed feel to them. And they were narrow. You can vaguely see stacks of belongings piled against the wall, or the occasional sewing machine... and a few old women and men sitting inside the dark squashed corners. It made me feel really sad that I had so much and these people had so little. I also saw little rooms carved into the underbelly of the expressway bridge at Yannan Donglu by the Bund. They were the size of a large toilet cubicle, but it was obviously someone's home. The poor-rich gap was much more striking, set against the background of the skyscrapers at Pudong.


Day 3 Sunday:

This is the part where I have to thank God. He answers prayers!
Or at least, he chose to answer this one. Typhoon Matsa diverted its course and skirted past Shanghai. I was amazed not to see rain, since everyone was predicting that it would last till Monday.

This meant that we could walk through the DongTai Lu antique market, which was highly recommended by TimeOut, but the cabdriver who was sending us there laughed and claimed that it was a mere tourist trap. Saw many small shops selling basically the same things. Antique Mao memorabilia, little Chinese cups, wooden carvings, bric a brac... ...

We also walked to Xintiandi, where huge shopping malls could be found and where cafes and upmarket eateries were sprawling. Apparently Crystal Jade in Shanghai looks exactly like Crystal Jade in Singapore. Except the Shanghainese congregate in very large groups for Sunday brunch together.

Went to Nanjing Road and visited Peace Hotel, where we went to check out the jazz band. Basically, Kris was right. It's a bunch of old men playing instruments, with a very droll expression on their faces. When bands play music, they usually look like they are enjoying what they are doing. But the old men here seem to perceive it as a mere living for their bread and butter. Nothing more. No enjoyment of their music can be fathomed from their faces. And it wasn't as dreamy or interesting as it was made out to be. It's supposed to be a vestige of the Old Shanghai. A reinvigoration of its former glory. But sadly I just saw it for what it was. A bar with a bunch of old men playing jazz music.

Day 4 Monday:

This was my last full day in Shanghai. I went back to Xiangyang Market to buy more... I didn't think I was capable of shopping so much! And we had mala steamboat. This was really oily and rather salty, but the clear soup was so good. The beef was tender and the peanut sauces were rich and flavourful.

At Nanjing Road, we bought lambshanks for S$1. I can't get over how cheap certain things can be.
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I'll be back. For the shopping=)

Airport, Popeye and more

Partook in good old Popeye Chicken at the airport today=)
Many thanks to Zach for helping fulfil this really really bad craving!!!
Coffee at Caffe Ritazza was good too
I love the airport.
It gives me these nice happy vibes. And this little tingle at the back of my spine. Because it's always been associated with happy memories.
Never mind that we stupidly forgot to look out for our stop and ended up boarding the wrong train all the way to Pasir Ris=)
I had a great time.