A colleague, whom I worked with previously at the other place downstairs, and who nowadays likes to pop by my desk and talk his fill of rubbish, said to me today, after looking at my latest read on my table.
"Reading one book a week just means that you've got nothing better to do. You need to get yourself a guy."
Then he adds "want to take out an ad? It'll just say something like, 'looking for someone, have strict requirements - must be a man'."
I laugh it off and stare daggers into his back as he walks away.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Monday, November 07, 2005
Just say thank you already
Two words
Two syllables
Surely it's not that hard to say
'Thank you'
There, that wasn't so difficult was it?
Let's practice that one more time
"Thank you"
Put more heart into it!
"Thank you!"
Good, good.
Now when should you say 'thank you'?
As often as possible!
Especially...?
When people do simple little things like holding doors open for us.
Yes, I would like to educate all the nincompoops out there who do not know how to utter those two words.
Example number one: Walking into the ladies' toilet, I notice someone about to leave, I hold the door open. She stares blankly at me and walks out.
Example number two: Walking out of a mall, a lady behind me is carrying bags in both hands. So I hold the door open. She saunters out without a glance at me.
And I stare after her, half wanting to go up to her and say "say thank you already!" but what's the point in that?
Those two words probably don't exist in her vocabulary. She's probably never heard them before. She probably doesn't hold doors open for people. And I'm guessing if she can't utter those two words, she can't utter one word either - please.
Obviously them courtesy campaigns haven't been working.
So that's my rant for Monday. (I write these things at work, email them to myself and then put them up on blogger when I get home, so technically all my thoughts are belated ones)
And in kitchen news, I made a roast chicken today, vaguely remembering some recipe from one of Jamie Oliver's tv shows a while back - prob when he was just breaking out as the Naked Chef, and when he seemed far more real than he is now.
Essentially it's rub salt into the chicken's cavity, as well as some herbs, rub more salt, herbs and some olive oil under the skin of the chicken (might have to gently ease the skin off a bit first). Then half a lemon and toss both halves into the cavity, and along with that I also threw in a clove of garlic and some ginger slices. Truss it up (is that the right phrase?) with some twine, tucking the wings in.
Fresh herbs are of course preferable, but I didn't have any.
Your oven and roasting pan should be preheated to about 220 deg C.
When chicken's ready, slide some olive oil onto your pan and pop the chicken on, uncovered. Bung it all in the oven.
Roast it for about 5 min on one side, turn over and do the same for the other, then cover with some foil and let it crackle away in the oven for about an hour or so. I took the foil off for the last 10 min to give it a crispier skin, although I reckon it could do with 15 min without the cover.
When it's done, take it out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes before cutting the twine off.
Terribly easy isn't it.
Two syllables
Surely it's not that hard to say
'Thank you'
There, that wasn't so difficult was it?
Let's practice that one more time
"Thank you"
Put more heart into it!
"Thank you!"
Good, good.
Now when should you say 'thank you'?
As often as possible!
Especially...?
When people do simple little things like holding doors open for us.
Yes, I would like to educate all the nincompoops out there who do not know how to utter those two words.
Example number one: Walking into the ladies' toilet, I notice someone about to leave, I hold the door open. She stares blankly at me and walks out.
Example number two: Walking out of a mall, a lady behind me is carrying bags in both hands. So I hold the door open. She saunters out without a glance at me.
And I stare after her, half wanting to go up to her and say "say thank you already!" but what's the point in that?
Those two words probably don't exist in her vocabulary. She's probably never heard them before. She probably doesn't hold doors open for people. And I'm guessing if she can't utter those two words, she can't utter one word either - please.
Obviously them courtesy campaigns haven't been working.
So that's my rant for Monday. (I write these things at work, email them to myself and then put them up on blogger when I get home, so technically all my thoughts are belated ones)
And in kitchen news, I made a roast chicken today, vaguely remembering some recipe from one of Jamie Oliver's tv shows a while back - prob when he was just breaking out as the Naked Chef, and when he seemed far more real than he is now.
Essentially it's rub salt into the chicken's cavity, as well as some herbs, rub more salt, herbs and some olive oil under the skin of the chicken (might have to gently ease the skin off a bit first). Then half a lemon and toss both halves into the cavity, and along with that I also threw in a clove of garlic and some ginger slices. Truss it up (is that the right phrase?) with some twine, tucking the wings in.
Fresh herbs are of course preferable, but I didn't have any.
Your oven and roasting pan should be preheated to about 220 deg C.
When chicken's ready, slide some olive oil onto your pan and pop the chicken on, uncovered. Bung it all in the oven.
Roast it for about 5 min on one side, turn over and do the same for the other, then cover with some foil and let it crackle away in the oven for about an hour or so. I took the foil off for the last 10 min to give it a crispier skin, although I reckon it could do with 15 min without the cover.
When it's done, take it out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes before cutting the twine off.
Terribly easy isn't it.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
unforgettable
I have to confess an addiction I have - I read New York Times' Sunday Styles.
Ok, that's not all of the truth.
The whole truth is that my favourite bit of Sunday Styles is always the "vows" section.
The section where there are write-ups about people's weddings, their lives and how they met. Usually only the first feature is worth reading, the rest tend to be more like "xxx, daughter of xxx and xxx was married to xxx, son of xxx and xxx on Saturday. They met at xxxx. She is a (occupation here) and he is a (occupation here). His parents blahblahblah...."
Ah who gives a crap.
Instead I'd rather read of the couple who met and dated and who broke up after the girl gets spooked by the normalcy of the relationship. "We got along so well I figured something must be wrong." He later moves into her apartment building. She makes her dates walk up the 10 flights to her flat so they wouldn't run into him.
Read the rest yourself
i love reading this stuff. It's like real-life fairytales, somewhat. It's about relationships being condensed - how people met, how they didn't like each other at first (or did), how they got together, what he likes about her and vice-versa, why they wanted to get married, what the wedding was like. All in one Internet page.
Do I read it with a tinge of envy, that these people have met and found that one person they're willing to spend the rest of their life with? Yeah I guess I do.
Am I one of those girls who have a whole thought-out plan of what their wedding's gonna be like? Hell no. (does anyone actually? or is that just in the movies?)
But with several weddings coming up in the last two months of the year, I guess I wonder what goes through my friends' minds when their big day draws nearer.
Everyone opts for the big hotel ballroom, table after table of people you're probably seeing for the first time and probably never gonna see again, time ticking away as people wait and wait and wait. That big entrance in the wedding gown, probably down an aisle with dry ice wafting across the floor to give it that "special effect" - is it so special if it's been done millions of times already? The cold dish/sharksfin/prawn/vegetables/chicken/fish/noodles/dessert combi with a freeflow of coke/sprite/fizzyorange/chinesetea/badwine/beer. The cutting of the fake-cake and the pouring of the champers down the pyramid of glasses. The 'yamsengs' at each table and the photo-taking. That little cake or chocolate or perhaps some kind of little crafted memento for guests to take home in remembrance of this special day.
I've only been to one wedding which was a bit different. It was at the Beaufort and dinner was buffet-style on the verandah. Plus it was western food, with plenty of seafood and all kinds of good stuff. Dessert was in the foyer, where along with various cakes and puddings, the wedding cake - an actual cake! - was served. Homemade, with three tiers - fruit cake, carrot cake and chocolate cake. How lovely. Now that's a wedding I'll remember, while the details of the rest just blur into each other, I'm sorry to have to say.
Now playing: John Vanderslice - The Mansion
Ok, that's not all of the truth.
The whole truth is that my favourite bit of Sunday Styles is always the "vows" section.
The section where there are write-ups about people's weddings, their lives and how they met. Usually only the first feature is worth reading, the rest tend to be more like "xxx, daughter of xxx and xxx was married to xxx, son of xxx and xxx on Saturday. They met at xxxx. She is a (occupation here) and he is a (occupation here). His parents blahblahblah...."
Ah who gives a crap.
Instead I'd rather read of the couple who met and dated and who broke up after the girl gets spooked by the normalcy of the relationship. "We got along so well I figured something must be wrong." He later moves into her apartment building. She makes her dates walk up the 10 flights to her flat so they wouldn't run into him.
Read the rest yourself
i love reading this stuff. It's like real-life fairytales, somewhat. It's about relationships being condensed - how people met, how they didn't like each other at first (or did), how they got together, what he likes about her and vice-versa, why they wanted to get married, what the wedding was like. All in one Internet page.
Do I read it with a tinge of envy, that these people have met and found that one person they're willing to spend the rest of their life with? Yeah I guess I do.
Am I one of those girls who have a whole thought-out plan of what their wedding's gonna be like? Hell no. (does anyone actually? or is that just in the movies?)
But with several weddings coming up in the last two months of the year, I guess I wonder what goes through my friends' minds when their big day draws nearer.
Everyone opts for the big hotel ballroom, table after table of people you're probably seeing for the first time and probably never gonna see again, time ticking away as people wait and wait and wait. That big entrance in the wedding gown, probably down an aisle with dry ice wafting across the floor to give it that "special effect" - is it so special if it's been done millions of times already? The cold dish/sharksfin/prawn/vegetables/chicken/fish/noodles/dessert combi with a freeflow of coke/sprite/fizzyorange/chinesetea/badwine/beer. The cutting of the fake-cake and the pouring of the champers down the pyramid of glasses. The 'yamsengs' at each table and the photo-taking. That little cake or chocolate or perhaps some kind of little crafted memento for guests to take home in remembrance of this special day.
I've only been to one wedding which was a bit different. It was at the Beaufort and dinner was buffet-style on the verandah. Plus it was western food, with plenty of seafood and all kinds of good stuff. Dessert was in the foyer, where along with various cakes and puddings, the wedding cake - an actual cake! - was served. Homemade, with three tiers - fruit cake, carrot cake and chocolate cake. How lovely. Now that's a wedding I'll remember, while the details of the rest just blur into each other, I'm sorry to have to say.
Now playing: John Vanderslice - The Mansion
slow
I've been having one of those weeks that seem to crawl along at the pace of the dog that lives next door. It tries to take advantage of the main gates of the house that are wide open, tempting it to race outside... to freedom... to fun... to foolishness perhaps. But this little mix of a sausage/godknowswhatelse- i'm not good with breeds it is a slow mover. It is like the peoplemover at Disney World, which I remember being absolutely bored on although at Disney kids are never supposed to feel bored! With other dogs one might describe it as ambling, dwaddling along, but with this mutt, it's just racing, although it really doesn't seem to be moving, it is. And it's halfway to the gate, halfway to fun freedom and foolishness and... and... it never makes it there. It loses the race. The gates close. It's not even close to freedom foolishness and fun. It gazes forlornly outside, probably cursing its stubby legs and long body, its lack of fitness and need for speed. It is a dog in need of a reboot, no, a reformat.
I've been sidetracked as usual. As I was saying, it's a week that's just crawled along. Reading dimsumdolly'sblog on my Wild Rocket lunch that never happened (for me at least), I realised soberly that it was only two Saturdays ago. It felt like ages ago since I did not go Wild Rocket-ing and ended up having to go look up someone else instead.
Maybe it was because I did not follow my own advice and take xx days leave to get xx days off during the two PH week last week. But then if I had, it would've been a wasted week anyway! So all sorta... er... turned out.. for the best... I ... think...
So I'm halfway through Dorian Gray and about a-third through American Psycho. It's absolutely fascinating reading one , reading the other. (And also having started on the first two chapters of Comfort Me With Apples - couldn't help it.)
One set in the 1980s, in a hedonistic life of drugs, drink, expensive clothes, restaurants where you need to be seen, gym memberships, facial products, walkmans. The other, in the 1800s. Also decadent, but in the manner of lords and gentlemen. Instead of phone calls and emails, Dorian gets "the usual collection of cards, invitations to dinner, tickets for private views, programmes of charity concerts, and the like, that are showered on fashionable young men every morning during the season.''
Both wholly given to a decadent lifestyle. They who are monsters yet seen as the ideal beings in the eyes of others.
Christian Bale, who plays Patrick Bateman in the film adaptation of American Psycho, said in an interview: "I think of Bateman as a 20th-century Dorian Gray. Essentially, his obsession and vanity about youth and appearance are converted into merciless amorality.
Now playing: Ryan Adams and The Cardinals - Cold Roses
I've been sidetracked as usual. As I was saying, it's a week that's just crawled along. Reading dimsumdolly'sblog on my Wild Rocket lunch that never happened (for me at least), I realised soberly that it was only two Saturdays ago. It felt like ages ago since I did not go Wild Rocket-ing and ended up having to go look up someone else instead.
Maybe it was because I did not follow my own advice and take xx days leave to get xx days off during the two PH week last week. But then if I had, it would've been a wasted week anyway! So all sorta... er... turned out.. for the best... I ... think...
So I'm halfway through Dorian Gray and about a-third through American Psycho. It's absolutely fascinating reading one , reading the other. (And also having started on the first two chapters of Comfort Me With Apples - couldn't help it.)
One set in the 1980s, in a hedonistic life of drugs, drink, expensive clothes, restaurants where you need to be seen, gym memberships, facial products, walkmans. The other, in the 1800s. Also decadent, but in the manner of lords and gentlemen. Instead of phone calls and emails, Dorian gets "the usual collection of cards, invitations to dinner, tickets for private views, programmes of charity concerts, and the like, that are showered on fashionable young men every morning during the season.''
Both wholly given to a decadent lifestyle. They who are monsters yet seen as the ideal beings in the eyes of others.
Christian Bale, who plays Patrick Bateman in the film adaptation of American Psycho, said in an interview: "I think of Bateman as a 20th-century Dorian Gray. Essentially, his obsession and vanity about youth and appearance are converted into merciless amorality.
Now playing: Ryan Adams and The Cardinals - Cold Roses
Friday, November 04, 2005
overbooked again
So over the next three weeks I shall be busy reading:
Bret Easton Ellis- American Psycho
Nick Hornby- The Polysyllabic Spree
William Trevor - A Bit On The Side
Richard Perez - The Loser's Club
Oscar Wilde - The Picture Of Dorian Gray
Ruth Reichl - Comfort Me With Apples
Truman Capote - In Cold Blood
James Villas - Stalking The Green Fairy
I didn't mean to get so many... I only picked up the Ruth Reichl when I was in the cooking section, trying to get a look Rocco DiSpirito's cookbook. Next thing I know, Comfort Me With Apples lands itself right beneath my feet, what could I do other than pick it up and comfort it by putting it with the rest of the books in my 'to borrow' pile?
Besides, reading this will mean I've read all of Reichl's books (I think) and she's such a nice wholesome happy food read. No one comes close. I definitely didn't enjoy Mimi Sheraton's book as much as I've enjoyed all of Ruth Reichl's.
Anthony Bourdain is a different class altogether, he's the bad kid at the back of the class, the kind who saunters in late, sneaks cigarettes in the toilet, spends his afternoons in detention. James Villas (who is also once again on my reading list) is also another sort. He's the type who probably did better in the creative side, English lit maybe. Art even. I'm not sure yet. I've not read enough of him to be able to tell.
While I thought Nick Hornby did his best work in High Fidelity and not so well after, this one interested me for obvious reasons.
"A hilarious and true account of one man's struggle with the monthly tide of the books he's bought and the books he's been meaning to read''
Well, since I'm keeping this Saturday a nice easy one, to give my stomach a break from rich food and my liver a break from alcohol, this is an opportunity to overload on indie music and good books.
Listening to: The Decemberists' cover of The Ballad Of El Goodo
Bret Easton Ellis- American Psycho
Nick Hornby- The Polysyllabic Spree
William Trevor - A Bit On The Side
Richard Perez - The Loser's Club
Oscar Wilde - The Picture Of Dorian Gray
Ruth Reichl - Comfort Me With Apples
Truman Capote - In Cold Blood
James Villas - Stalking The Green Fairy
I didn't mean to get so many... I only picked up the Ruth Reichl when I was in the cooking section, trying to get a look Rocco DiSpirito's cookbook. Next thing I know, Comfort Me With Apples lands itself right beneath my feet, what could I do other than pick it up and comfort it by putting it with the rest of the books in my 'to borrow' pile?
Besides, reading this will mean I've read all of Reichl's books (I think) and she's such a nice wholesome happy food read. No one comes close. I definitely didn't enjoy Mimi Sheraton's book as much as I've enjoyed all of Ruth Reichl's.
Anthony Bourdain is a different class altogether, he's the bad kid at the back of the class, the kind who saunters in late, sneaks cigarettes in the toilet, spends his afternoons in detention. James Villas (who is also once again on my reading list) is also another sort. He's the type who probably did better in the creative side, English lit maybe. Art even. I'm not sure yet. I've not read enough of him to be able to tell.
While I thought Nick Hornby did his best work in High Fidelity and not so well after, this one interested me for obvious reasons.
"A hilarious and true account of one man's struggle with the monthly tide of the books he's bought and the books he's been meaning to read''
Well, since I'm keeping this Saturday a nice easy one, to give my stomach a break from rich food and my liver a break from alcohol, this is an opportunity to overload on indie music and good books.
Listening to: The Decemberists' cover of The Ballad Of El Goodo
Eavesdropping without listening
When recently having tea at Sun With Moon, which was delightfully empty - it was after all, a Monday (albeit a Monday before a public holiday which people should've pre-empted and booked their day off/leave) so we had a nice unobstructed view by the floor-to-ceiling window where we could gaze disdainfully on the people below at Borders Bistro and er, well, make up stories about them.
One couple in particular caught our eye.
The guy faced us, but we couldn't see what he looked like as his baseball cap was pulled down over his eyes. He slouched in the metal chair, cigarette in his right hand, casting his gaze at everything and everyone around, except for the girl seated opposite him, at the same table.
She was lighting her own cigarette, a half cup of coffee on the table in front of her. Her hair streaked brown and blonde. Messy and short. Looked like she was trying to grow it out - hopefully. Her back was to us, so couldn't tell if she was paying any attention to him not paying attention to her.
They sat like that for the duration we watched them, until we got bored with the lack of activity.
But were they friends? A couple in the midst of a quarrel?
If they were friends, how could they just sit there and seemingly ignore each other. They hardly acknowledged the other's presence. They did not seem to speak to each other, unless they had mastered the art of ventroquilism.
Maybe he was trying to figure out how to break up, we thought.
Maybe he was just waiting for that moment, or just to finish his cigarette.
Maybe he was trying to find the right words to say.
He finishes his cigarette. He seems to be saying something. But it's either he's a mumbler or we can't see from this height cos his lips hardly move.
Or maybe he's just trying to get that cigarette taste out of his mouth. Or maybe he just said, 'it's over!'
She looks around - for a waiter.
She pulls out a tenner from her purse.
We gasp - is he such an idiot that he's not going to offer to pay after breaking up with her?
She gets the check.
We take our eyes off them for a while.
But the next minute, he disappears.
I catch a glimpse of him rounding the corner, heading out of sight.
She's still at the table. Packing her cigarettes and purse into her bag.
Wait! we almost want to tell him. Wait for her! Don't leave her behind like that!
She gets up and heads off in the same direction. She doesn't seem to be in a hurry.
We ponder on the strange couple for a moment. We mourn their breakup, their loss, their misused friendship.
Then we turn our attention to the 20-something sitting by herself.
Blind date? We wonder...
One couple in particular caught our eye.
The guy faced us, but we couldn't see what he looked like as his baseball cap was pulled down over his eyes. He slouched in the metal chair, cigarette in his right hand, casting his gaze at everything and everyone around, except for the girl seated opposite him, at the same table.
She was lighting her own cigarette, a half cup of coffee on the table in front of her. Her hair streaked brown and blonde. Messy and short. Looked like she was trying to grow it out - hopefully. Her back was to us, so couldn't tell if she was paying any attention to him not paying attention to her.
They sat like that for the duration we watched them, until we got bored with the lack of activity.
But were they friends? A couple in the midst of a quarrel?
If they were friends, how could they just sit there and seemingly ignore each other. They hardly acknowledged the other's presence. They did not seem to speak to each other, unless they had mastered the art of ventroquilism.
Maybe he was trying to figure out how to break up, we thought.
Maybe he was just waiting for that moment, or just to finish his cigarette.
Maybe he was trying to find the right words to say.
He finishes his cigarette. He seems to be saying something. But it's either he's a mumbler or we can't see from this height cos his lips hardly move.
Or maybe he's just trying to get that cigarette taste out of his mouth. Or maybe he just said, 'it's over!'
She looks around - for a waiter.
She pulls out a tenner from her purse.
We gasp - is he such an idiot that he's not going to offer to pay after breaking up with her?
She gets the check.
We take our eyes off them for a while.
But the next minute, he disappears.
I catch a glimpse of him rounding the corner, heading out of sight.
She's still at the table. Packing her cigarettes and purse into her bag.
Wait! we almost want to tell him. Wait for her! Don't leave her behind like that!
She gets up and heads off in the same direction. She doesn't seem to be in a hurry.
We ponder on the strange couple for a moment. We mourn their breakup, their loss, their misused friendship.
Then we turn our attention to the 20-something sitting by herself.
Blind date? We wonder...
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Taking stock
So as 2005 draws to a close, I've been trying to figure out what it is I have been doing. What achievements have I made throughout the year?
My mind is a blank.
I don't really think I've achieved anything much at work. I realise that every year that I've been at this company, I've started a new year at a new place. Next year, though it'll be back to where I started this year. Mixed feelings.
I am proud of having seen my kid through to Primary 6 and the PSLE, we'll know how she's done soon. CCF has asked me to take on someone else next year, but at the same time I'm not going to give her up yet - secondary school is a big step and I hope to maybe see her through the first half of next year.
I had been all ready to say that health-wise, I've been feeling good, but then, (see previous post) I haven't the past few days. But overall, not too bad I guess, I've been putting in regular exercise so I'm quite happy about that.
I've made some new friends this year, which is fantastic, and also become better friends with some others. I've tried to meet up with friends often, although yes, mej, we've not gone HongKong-ing yet.
I've read plenty of books, although always wanting more, watched far too few movies, listened and bought a good number of CDs (and yousendit-ed a number to people!), travelled quite a number of times but mostly around the region.
I reckon I rack up points when it comes to eating, having tried out plenty of new (for me at least) places, but also finding some duds. Drinks-wise, there have been quite number of hazy nights and one very wasted one vs perfectly sane nights which I reckon sort of evens things out.
Financially, I saved far less than I hoped and spent more than I should.
(to be continued)
Listening to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Pin
My mind is a blank.
I don't really think I've achieved anything much at work. I realise that every year that I've been at this company, I've started a new year at a new place. Next year, though it'll be back to where I started this year. Mixed feelings.
I am proud of having seen my kid through to Primary 6 and the PSLE, we'll know how she's done soon. CCF has asked me to take on someone else next year, but at the same time I'm not going to give her up yet - secondary school is a big step and I hope to maybe see her through the first half of next year.
I had been all ready to say that health-wise, I've been feeling good, but then, (see previous post) I haven't the past few days. But overall, not too bad I guess, I've been putting in regular exercise so I'm quite happy about that.
I've made some new friends this year, which is fantastic, and also become better friends with some others. I've tried to meet up with friends often, although yes, mej, we've not gone HongKong-ing yet.
I've read plenty of books, although always wanting more, watched far too few movies, listened and bought a good number of CDs (and yousendit-ed a number to people!), travelled quite a number of times but mostly around the region.
I reckon I rack up points when it comes to eating, having tried out plenty of new (for me at least) places, but also finding some duds. Drinks-wise, there have been quite number of hazy nights and one very wasted one vs perfectly sane nights which I reckon sort of evens things out.
Financially, I saved far less than I hoped and spent more than I should.
(to be continued)
Listening to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Pin
Too much information
This just wasn't my week.
I end up missing a good lunch on Saturday, spending the lunch hour waiting to see the doctor to get something to cure a urinary tract infection. Having a UTI is no fun - you just constantly feel like you need to pee, even though you just just went. Thankfully the desperate need to go to the loo disappeared after a few hours of taking the meds
Then just four days later I once again find myself back at the doctor's for a different problem altogether - stomach flu.
And when you wake up at 4am to throw up, and again at 6am. It's a problem!
Sitting by the toilet bowl, hoping not to heave again, made me realise that food, whether good or bad, cheap or expensive, just ends up being churned up in the stomach, with the relevant stuff being used and the irrelevant stuff being junked.
And sometimes your body just doesn't want to work and just wants to get rid of everything in the stomach and that's when you find yourself by the toilet bowl in the wee hours, just wanting to go to sleep but not being able to cos your stomach's just churning and not letting you sleep. And when you've finally got everything out, you just want to sleep and not eat and not eating just makes you even more tired and drowsy. Then you wonder if you can make it over to the doctor's because for sure you aren't going to work today but you manage to. Then you go home and stone in front of the TV until you remember that you ought to eat something before you take the medicine so you go cook some porridge but can only stomach a small bowl. but you do and you take the medicine and go sleep somemore.
You know that you should eat and yet it's impossible to eat more than a few spoons of porridge because your head hurts and your stomach's still churning and all you want to do is go to sleep.
So it's 10pm. Five hours earlier than your usual bedtime. You don't care. You drop off into dreamland as soon as you turn off the bedside lamp and before you know it, it's 10.30pm. You've slept for more than 12 hours.
And so at 4.35pm on a Thursday, Hari Raya, I write this at work. I'd still rather be sleeping, or stoning in front of the TV but I guess since I was well enough to check emails at home, I could do the same at work.
All I hope for the coming week is that I'll be in good health. I don't want to have to see any doctor for the rest of the year.
Having two health issues - both for the first time - to get over in one week was more than enough.
I end up missing a good lunch on Saturday, spending the lunch hour waiting to see the doctor to get something to cure a urinary tract infection. Having a UTI is no fun - you just constantly feel like you need to pee, even though you just just went. Thankfully the desperate need to go to the loo disappeared after a few hours of taking the meds
Then just four days later I once again find myself back at the doctor's for a different problem altogether - stomach flu.
And when you wake up at 4am to throw up, and again at 6am. It's a problem!
Sitting by the toilet bowl, hoping not to heave again, made me realise that food, whether good or bad, cheap or expensive, just ends up being churned up in the stomach, with the relevant stuff being used and the irrelevant stuff being junked.
And sometimes your body just doesn't want to work and just wants to get rid of everything in the stomach and that's when you find yourself by the toilet bowl in the wee hours, just wanting to go to sleep but not being able to cos your stomach's just churning and not letting you sleep. And when you've finally got everything out, you just want to sleep and not eat and not eating just makes you even more tired and drowsy. Then you wonder if you can make it over to the doctor's because for sure you aren't going to work today but you manage to. Then you go home and stone in front of the TV until you remember that you ought to eat something before you take the medicine so you go cook some porridge but can only stomach a small bowl. but you do and you take the medicine and go sleep somemore.
You know that you should eat and yet it's impossible to eat more than a few spoons of porridge because your head hurts and your stomach's still churning and all you want to do is go to sleep.
So it's 10pm. Five hours earlier than your usual bedtime. You don't care. You drop off into dreamland as soon as you turn off the bedside lamp and before you know it, it's 10.30pm. You've slept for more than 12 hours.
And so at 4.35pm on a Thursday, Hari Raya, I write this at work. I'd still rather be sleeping, or stoning in front of the TV but I guess since I was well enough to check emails at home, I could do the same at work.
All I hope for the coming week is that I'll be in good health. I don't want to have to see any doctor for the rest of the year.
Having two health issues - both for the first time - to get over in one week was more than enough.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
brownie
brownie
Originally uploaded by olduvai.
We're having some people over for dinner, don't know what the occasion is, but my mum's made a lotta food and er, I, er helped by making a brownie and agar agar!
Tried out this recipe from Ruth Reichl's Tender At The Bone for the first time. Very fudgey brownies. Although dinner's not till later, I just had to cut it open to see what it looks like. Mmm... tempted to keep it all to myself now.
155g cup butter
140g unsweetened chocolate
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup flour sifted
Preheat oven to 200 deg C.
Butter and flour a 9" square baking pan.
Melt butter and chocolate in double boiler, over boiling water. When melted, add vanilla and set aside.
Beat eggs and salt in mixer. Add sugar and beat on high speed for 10 minutes, or until mixture is quite white.
Add chocolate and butter mixture and beat at low speed, just until mixed. Add flour and combine quickly, until there are no white streaks.
Pour batter into baking pan and put in oven. Immediately turn oven dow to 180 degrees and bake for 40 minutes. Do not overbake; these brownies should be fudgy.
Now playing: Wolf Parade - Same Ghost Every Night
Monday, October 31, 2005
Dining Out - Au Petit Salut, Sun With Moon (again) and Food Republic
So what do two girls do on a Monday when one of them's off and the other's on leave?
Eat.
Eps and I had the set lunch at Au Petit Salut. Good food, pretty good prices ($22 for three course lunch with coffee/tea)
The selection available for the set was definitely better than decent and far better than previous such lunches I've had not too long ago (with the exception of Sebastien's).
I went for the mini cheese ravioli with mushrooms and herbs and a tasty sauce that hinted of balsamic vinegar. Eps' snails in garlic and butter were good and we lapped up all the good garlicy butter with the slices of baguette.
My main of veal was interesting, it wasn't just a slab of meat, instead, the pan-roasted meat had been sliced and rolled up within were what looked like mushrooms and some vegetables. It was nicely done, with the ends of the slightly crispy! A mound of salad vegetables came along and helped with the slightly salty gravy.
Eps had risotto with scallops. Very creamy, very tasty.
But the best was yet to come...
I had chosen the chestnut souffle as my dessert, which the waitress said was an "excellent choice" haha! And it was such a dream. So light and fluffy, and hinting, not overpowered by, chestnut. A dollop of dark chocolate in the centre offered a nice temporary distraction from the sweet fluffy dream I was devouring. Heaven!
Eps' dessert didnt fare that well though, I didn't really read the description because well the chestnut souffle - the first on the dessert list - made me not want to look any further. But it was some stewed plums and cherries with a rosemary chocolate ice-cream. Ice-cream tasted as good as it sounds but the stewed fruits just weren't.
After doing some shopping at Far East, where I ended up with a new dress, we popped by Sun With Moon to rest our feet and ended up with more dessert.
We shared a green tea warabi mochi and a walnut fantasy ice-cream - which was ice-cream with walnuts and mochi all mixed up. Yummy. The warabi mochi was good as usual.
And then the last stop for the day - after more window shopping at Wisma Atria - was Food Republic on the mall's fourth floor, where we shared an orh luah and a hokkien mee supposedly from some famous stall. Not bad but not fantastic though. The place was packed and there were some other pretty promising stalls like the dim sum one and the Sergeant chicken rice!
Au Petit Salut
Blk 44, Jalan Merah Sega,
#01-54, Singapore 278116
Tel: 6475 1976
Sun With Moon Japanese Dining & Cafe
03-15/16/17
Wheelock Place
Tel: 6733-6636
Food Republic
Wisma Atria 4th floor
Now playing: Interpol - NYC (live in New York)
Eat.
Eps and I had the set lunch at Au Petit Salut. Good food, pretty good prices ($22 for three course lunch with coffee/tea)
The selection available for the set was definitely better than decent and far better than previous such lunches I've had not too long ago (with the exception of Sebastien's).
I went for the mini cheese ravioli with mushrooms and herbs and a tasty sauce that hinted of balsamic vinegar. Eps' snails in garlic and butter were good and we lapped up all the good garlicy butter with the slices of baguette.
My main of veal was interesting, it wasn't just a slab of meat, instead, the pan-roasted meat had been sliced and rolled up within were what looked like mushrooms and some vegetables. It was nicely done, with the ends of the slightly crispy! A mound of salad vegetables came along and helped with the slightly salty gravy.
Eps had risotto with scallops. Very creamy, very tasty.
But the best was yet to come...
I had chosen the chestnut souffle as my dessert, which the waitress said was an "excellent choice" haha! And it was such a dream. So light and fluffy, and hinting, not overpowered by, chestnut. A dollop of dark chocolate in the centre offered a nice temporary distraction from the sweet fluffy dream I was devouring. Heaven!
Eps' dessert didnt fare that well though, I didn't really read the description because well the chestnut souffle - the first on the dessert list - made me not want to look any further. But it was some stewed plums and cherries with a rosemary chocolate ice-cream. Ice-cream tasted as good as it sounds but the stewed fruits just weren't.
After doing some shopping at Far East, where I ended up with a new dress, we popped by Sun With Moon to rest our feet and ended up with more dessert.
We shared a green tea warabi mochi and a walnut fantasy ice-cream - which was ice-cream with walnuts and mochi all mixed up. Yummy. The warabi mochi was good as usual.
And then the last stop for the day - after more window shopping at Wisma Atria - was Food Republic on the mall's fourth floor, where we shared an orh luah and a hokkien mee supposedly from some famous stall. Not bad but not fantastic though. The place was packed and there were some other pretty promising stalls like the dim sum one and the Sergeant chicken rice!
Au Petit Salut
Blk 44, Jalan Merah Sega,
#01-54, Singapore 278116
Tel: 6475 1976
Sun With Moon Japanese Dining & Cafe
03-15/16/17
Wheelock Place
Tel: 6733-6636
Food Republic
Wisma Atria 4th floor
Now playing: Interpol - NYC (live in New York)
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Thursday, October 27, 2005
daydream believer
As the year draws to a close, I've been wondering, did I possibly make the biggest mistake of my life by attempting to be logical and practical when the rest of me was just screaming against it?
I do see some usefulness of my decision but I just feel like this year has been a bit of a downer for me, especially having ridden on the high of last year. It was hard to pick myself back up again and I didn't exactly make an attempt to, in the first place.
What's the use in regrets, sings Beth Orton, they're just things we haven't done yet.
And in a sense, in my case at least, she might be right.
(Yes, brilliant me, taking advice from a song)
listening to Amandine - Blood And Marrow
(Swedish band, check out their website for two mp3s available for download)
I do see some usefulness of my decision but I just feel like this year has been a bit of a downer for me, especially having ridden on the high of last year. It was hard to pick myself back up again and I didn't exactly make an attempt to, in the first place.
What's the use in regrets, sings Beth Orton, they're just things we haven't done yet.
And in a sense, in my case at least, she might be right.
(Yes, brilliant me, taking advice from a song)
listening to Amandine - Blood And Marrow
(Swedish band, check out their website for two mp3s available for download)
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
sconed
On Tuesday, on my way back from the pool, I dropped by the supermarket to pick up some bread.
I left with two cans of tomatoes, two cans of tomato paste, some celery and lemons and no bread.
Well we weren't in desperate need for bread yet, and I had been hoping to get my hands on some multigrain bread, which unfortunately seems to have once again disappeared from the supermarket shelves. First Bonjour then Gardenia. Is it because people don't like multigrain bread? Or is it just at this crappy neighbourhood supermarket that it does not exist?
I like multigrain bread cos it tastes good and at least has an interesting texture and it might possibly be healthier than the other types of bread. I still do eat white bread but its shiny brightness somehow makes me feel uncomfortable. It just looks like it's been bleached, and in a way it has. I don't mind wholemeal bread but it's just kinda cardboard-ish, especially if eaten untoasted. Then again that's because toast is just one of the best things in the world to eat, especially when its topped with butter or grilled cheese or peanut butter or strawberry jam. Or some combination of the above, except I suppose cheese with peanut butter/jam...
Anyway, I left the supermarket with all those items, not really knowing what I was up to. But I'd remember reading someone's blog about tomato soup with rice. So I thought, I'd throw some things into a pot and hope for the best.
In went two cloves of garlic, about a quarter of an onion, two cans of whole tomatoes (chopped up roughly), chopped celery, sliced mushrooms, some cabbage leaves as an afterthought and some rice. Of course I fried the garlic, onions and the rice first, threw in the tomatoes and later the rest of the vegetables, also adding in various spices like oregano and chili flakes and of course salt and pepper.
While the pot was simmering away, I sliced some fresh button mushrooms, tossed them with salt and pepper and garlic olive oil as an appetiser. And then later discovered I'd made tomato porridge. Wasn't too bad I suppose, although would've tasted better if I'd thought of making some stock first. But it was already close to 1pm when I reached home and after that swim, I was pretty damn hungry.
And today, after checking out food blogs as usual in the morning, I googled 'lemon scone recipe' and out popped one that looked simple enough.
Basic Scone Recipe
Although I realised a bit late that because I was doing the lemon variation, adding the juice of 1 lemon to the recipe really meant that I should reduce the amount of milk. By then I had already poured some milk into the mixture and could only put about 1/2 the lemon juice, which resulted in a less-than-lemony scone.
So in an attempt to make up for that mistake, I made a lemony icing, essentially the remainder juice with icing sugar, which helped to gloss up the scone a bit I guess.
Result
However, the scones didnt turn out to have that nice crunchy crust that I love in scones. Maybe more butter was needed? The recipe called for 3 tablespoons, which to me sounded a bit little. I'll have to try it again and figure out what went wrong, or maybe try another recipe! I'm so envious of all those people who put up such beautiful pictures of their treats on their blogs, then again, I'm sure they've had their disasters...
I think one reason I've been doing this baking is that besides being interested in food, and having a sweet tooth and just being a glutton, I like to know what goes into my food.
I realise I don't really like manufactured cookies that much - and I've always hated famous amos cookies that come in a packet, those bought from the stores are still ok - they leave a bit of an unpleasant taste and really, cookies aren't meant to last that long, so all kinds of preservatives must lurk in them.
Yes I know that plenty of things have chemicals and all other nasties, from shampoos to soaps to pesticides in vegetables and all that. I'm not about to go make my own soap or anything, but I guess when it comes to eating, I figure that why not make some stuff I'd like to eat, rather than just buy them? So what if my scones don't turn out perfect and my cake not as fudgey as expected! It's all part of a learning process, which happens to be a pretty fun one at that.
The measuring of the flour, sifting it, beating the eggs, melting chocolate, mixing things together, watching it take shape and popping it into the oven. Watching it rise, just like magic.
Then the best part, the smells that waft through the kitchen when you open the oven door, oven mitts at the ready, and that first bite when it's still warm.
Heaven!
Made while listening to songs from bands that start with the letter A: Arcade Fire, Ambulance Ltd, American Analog Set
I left with two cans of tomatoes, two cans of tomato paste, some celery and lemons and no bread.
Well we weren't in desperate need for bread yet, and I had been hoping to get my hands on some multigrain bread, which unfortunately seems to have once again disappeared from the supermarket shelves. First Bonjour then Gardenia. Is it because people don't like multigrain bread? Or is it just at this crappy neighbourhood supermarket that it does not exist?
I like multigrain bread cos it tastes good and at least has an interesting texture and it might possibly be healthier than the other types of bread. I still do eat white bread but its shiny brightness somehow makes me feel uncomfortable. It just looks like it's been bleached, and in a way it has. I don't mind wholemeal bread but it's just kinda cardboard-ish, especially if eaten untoasted. Then again that's because toast is just one of the best things in the world to eat, especially when its topped with butter or grilled cheese or peanut butter or strawberry jam. Or some combination of the above, except I suppose cheese with peanut butter/jam...
Anyway, I left the supermarket with all those items, not really knowing what I was up to. But I'd remember reading someone's blog about tomato soup with rice. So I thought, I'd throw some things into a pot and hope for the best.
In went two cloves of garlic, about a quarter of an onion, two cans of whole tomatoes (chopped up roughly), chopped celery, sliced mushrooms, some cabbage leaves as an afterthought and some rice. Of course I fried the garlic, onions and the rice first, threw in the tomatoes and later the rest of the vegetables, also adding in various spices like oregano and chili flakes and of course salt and pepper.
While the pot was simmering away, I sliced some fresh button mushrooms, tossed them with salt and pepper and garlic olive oil as an appetiser. And then later discovered I'd made tomato porridge. Wasn't too bad I suppose, although would've tasted better if I'd thought of making some stock first. But it was already close to 1pm when I reached home and after that swim, I was pretty damn hungry.
And today, after checking out food blogs as usual in the morning, I googled 'lemon scone recipe' and out popped one that looked simple enough.
Basic Scone Recipe
Although I realised a bit late that because I was doing the lemon variation, adding the juice of 1 lemon to the recipe really meant that I should reduce the amount of milk. By then I had already poured some milk into the mixture and could only put about 1/2 the lemon juice, which resulted in a less-than-lemony scone.
So in an attempt to make up for that mistake, I made a lemony icing, essentially the remainder juice with icing sugar, which helped to gloss up the scone a bit I guess.
Result
However, the scones didnt turn out to have that nice crunchy crust that I love in scones. Maybe more butter was needed? The recipe called for 3 tablespoons, which to me sounded a bit little. I'll have to try it again and figure out what went wrong, or maybe try another recipe! I'm so envious of all those people who put up such beautiful pictures of their treats on their blogs, then again, I'm sure they've had their disasters...
I think one reason I've been doing this baking is that besides being interested in food, and having a sweet tooth and just being a glutton, I like to know what goes into my food.
I realise I don't really like manufactured cookies that much - and I've always hated famous amos cookies that come in a packet, those bought from the stores are still ok - they leave a bit of an unpleasant taste and really, cookies aren't meant to last that long, so all kinds of preservatives must lurk in them.
Yes I know that plenty of things have chemicals and all other nasties, from shampoos to soaps to pesticides in vegetables and all that. I'm not about to go make my own soap or anything, but I guess when it comes to eating, I figure that why not make some stuff I'd like to eat, rather than just buy them? So what if my scones don't turn out perfect and my cake not as fudgey as expected! It's all part of a learning process, which happens to be a pretty fun one at that.
The measuring of the flour, sifting it, beating the eggs, melting chocolate, mixing things together, watching it take shape and popping it into the oven. Watching it rise, just like magic.
Then the best part, the smells that waft through the kitchen when you open the oven door, oven mitts at the ready, and that first bite when it's still warm.
Heaven!
Made while listening to songs from bands that start with the letter A: Arcade Fire, Ambulance Ltd, American Analog Set
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Weekend eats
Saturday after-lunch: things that begin with the letter L
I finally sat down to have a bite at Corduroy and Finch.
It's a short bus ride - or a quicker drive - from my house, yet I've never been there. Somehow, proximity to a restaurant/cafe/bar just doesn't do it for me. I like to have to travel a wee bit for my food/drinks. There was an attempt to have lunch there one Friday but there were no tables available at that time.
I'm sure tons of people have written about this place, I know I've read (and heard) various people's opinions of the place, which tend to run in the not-so-good sector. But here's mine, albeit a short one about teatime, where I had
a lemon tart and a latte
I kinda liked the tart with its er.. tart lemon curd. Yet I finished it extremely dissatisfied. It was quite a small portion and was shaped like a bathtub. I guess I was expecting something more along the lines of Marmalade Pantry's lovely slice of a lemon tart, or even Bakerzin's round little pastry. Not something resembling a bathtub.
And the dollop of cream on top did nothing for me. It was effectively tasteless and useless and only ended up on the side of my plate. Maybe a bit of a meringue would've be better, to balance out the tartness with a hint of sweet. I was quite fond of the candied peel - probably the best part of the tart.
It was a gorgeous place though - I loved the high ceiling and the dark wood of the tables, chairs and shelves. And how the floor-to-ceiling shelves were stocked with all kinds of fascinating products. But it was all a bit cluttered and squashed, with the shelves at the corner seeming to get in the way of people wanting to check out their deli section, or get to the tables further inside.
Service was also quite iffy. If a waitstaff is serving a sandwich that has a salad on the side, wouldn't utensils be required?
Saturday was the somewhat extravagant dinner that never happened.
Dinner was supposed to be at Ember but the chef decided to skip town so there wld not be any chef's table menu available. Too bad we only just knew about it... otherwise we could've made alternative plans earlier and not send smses back and forth the three parties, trying to figure out where we should eat. After throwing up ideas such as Kalinka-Malinka and Nadezhda, we ended up at Hanabi for a far less pricey meal than I had budgeted for. It was after all, only $30++ and as we devoured our way through plenty of sashimi, handrolls, tempura and more, I realised that this was probably less than half what we'd have spent at Ember, which probably would've included a bottle of wine. So it was off to the Bullfrog next door for a cold pint of Erdinger.
Sunday lunch: in the mood for pho
I happened to be in the mood for Vietnamese on Sunday.
So it was off to Killiney Road.
With Pho 31 closed for a private function, there was only one thing to do - walk along the row of shophouses to the next Vietnamese place, The Orange Lantern.
An order of chili beef noodles got me sniffing away - I really hadn't expected it to be that hot.
(I'd order some spicy pork noodles at Mai before and ended up throwing in almost all the chili available into my soup)
But it was good and the beef was tender. The beef balls were more like beef pyramids but still yummy.
A order of grilled chicken with vermicelli salad and some spring rolls was also a delight. But
While the service at C & F was iffy, the service here was just flighty when a strangely bashful waitress took our orders and later handed us the wrong bowls - mine wasn't supposed to have brisket.
Sunday dinner: veggie delight
homemade dinner at the office
- baby carrots
- a banana
- an apple
- potato salad - we didnt have any relish in the house and so i suppose potato salad purists might scoff but i threw in some herbs, salami and grated some cheddar cheese over it. (is there really some kinda true potato salad recipe anyway? I suppose it'd be with bacon and chives. But then I hate chives.)
And with the weekend over, another week of eating begins.
Hanabi
559 Bukit Timah Road, King's
Arcade, #01-03, Tel: 6465-5525
Corduroy & Finch
779 Bukit Timah Road Tel: 6463-8038
The Orange Lantern
73 Killiney Road, Tel: 6732 8032
And with that cheaper-than-expected Saturday (didn't even need to pay for a cab ride, since I just had to walk there), I won't feel too guilty about spending more money on my day off tomorrow where the plan is Mortinis and something for dinner/supper after, hopefully HK this Friday after work and Saturday at lunch at Wild Rocket. Although this might mean I shouldn't make too many excuses about exercising.
Listening to Okkervil River - Black
I finally sat down to have a bite at Corduroy and Finch.
It's a short bus ride - or a quicker drive - from my house, yet I've never been there. Somehow, proximity to a restaurant/cafe/bar just doesn't do it for me. I like to have to travel a wee bit for my food/drinks. There was an attempt to have lunch there one Friday but there were no tables available at that time.
I'm sure tons of people have written about this place, I know I've read (and heard) various people's opinions of the place, which tend to run in the not-so-good sector. But here's mine, albeit a short one about teatime, where I had
a lemon tart and a latte
I kinda liked the tart with its er.. tart lemon curd. Yet I finished it extremely dissatisfied. It was quite a small portion and was shaped like a bathtub. I guess I was expecting something more along the lines of Marmalade Pantry's lovely slice of a lemon tart, or even Bakerzin's round little pastry. Not something resembling a bathtub.
And the dollop of cream on top did nothing for me. It was effectively tasteless and useless and only ended up on the side of my plate. Maybe a bit of a meringue would've be better, to balance out the tartness with a hint of sweet. I was quite fond of the candied peel - probably the best part of the tart.
It was a gorgeous place though - I loved the high ceiling and the dark wood of the tables, chairs and shelves. And how the floor-to-ceiling shelves were stocked with all kinds of fascinating products. But it was all a bit cluttered and squashed, with the shelves at the corner seeming to get in the way of people wanting to check out their deli section, or get to the tables further inside.
Service was also quite iffy. If a waitstaff is serving a sandwich that has a salad on the side, wouldn't utensils be required?
Saturday was the somewhat extravagant dinner that never happened.
Dinner was supposed to be at Ember but the chef decided to skip town so there wld not be any chef's table menu available. Too bad we only just knew about it... otherwise we could've made alternative plans earlier and not send smses back and forth the three parties, trying to figure out where we should eat. After throwing up ideas such as Kalinka-Malinka and Nadezhda, we ended up at Hanabi for a far less pricey meal than I had budgeted for. It was after all, only $30++ and as we devoured our way through plenty of sashimi, handrolls, tempura and more, I realised that this was probably less than half what we'd have spent at Ember, which probably would've included a bottle of wine. So it was off to the Bullfrog next door for a cold pint of Erdinger.
Sunday lunch: in the mood for pho
I happened to be in the mood for Vietnamese on Sunday.
So it was off to Killiney Road.
With Pho 31 closed for a private function, there was only one thing to do - walk along the row of shophouses to the next Vietnamese place, The Orange Lantern.
An order of chili beef noodles got me sniffing away - I really hadn't expected it to be that hot.
(I'd order some spicy pork noodles at Mai before and ended up throwing in almost all the chili available into my soup)
But it was good and the beef was tender. The beef balls were more like beef pyramids but still yummy.
A order of grilled chicken with vermicelli salad and some spring rolls was also a delight. But
While the service at C & F was iffy, the service here was just flighty when a strangely bashful waitress took our orders and later handed us the wrong bowls - mine wasn't supposed to have brisket.
Sunday dinner: veggie delight
homemade dinner at the office
- baby carrots
- a banana
- an apple
- potato salad - we didnt have any relish in the house and so i suppose potato salad purists might scoff but i threw in some herbs, salami and grated some cheddar cheese over it. (is there really some kinda true potato salad recipe anyway? I suppose it'd be with bacon and chives. But then I hate chives.)
And with the weekend over, another week of eating begins.
Hanabi
559 Bukit Timah Road, King's
Arcade, #01-03, Tel: 6465-5525
Corduroy & Finch
779 Bukit Timah Road Tel: 6463-8038
The Orange Lantern
73 Killiney Road, Tel: 6732 8032
And with that cheaper-than-expected Saturday (didn't even need to pay for a cab ride, since I just had to walk there), I won't feel too guilty about spending more money on my day off tomorrow where the plan is Mortinis and something for dinner/supper after, hopefully HK this Friday after work and Saturday at lunch at Wild Rocket. Although this might mean I shouldn't make too many excuses about exercising.
Listening to Okkervil River - Black
what do you know
That's all?
My blog is worth $3,387.24.
How much is your blog worth?
I like the Morning News. Always something up their sleeves
Recently, Time magazine published a list of the 100 best novels. But the praise of professional critics hardly matters to the book-reviewing readers at Amazon.com. A compilation of the best of the worst¡ about the best.The following are excerpts from actual one-star Amazon.com reviews of books from Time's list of the 100 best novels from 1923 to the present.
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)
Author: C.S. Lewis
“I bought these books to have something nice to read to my grandkids. I had to stop, however, because the books are nothing more than advertisements for “Turkish Delight,” a candy popular in the U.K. The whole point of buying books for my grandkids was to give them a break from advertising, and here (throughout) are ads for this “Turkish Delight”! How much money is this Mr. Lewis getting from the Cadbury’s chocolate company anyway? This man must be laughing to the bank.”
Friday, October 21, 2005
Fridge-it
How did people ever live without fridges?
I suppose marketing was then (and for some it still is) an everyday affair. Wake up, go to the market, pick out some fresh produce, fresh seafood, fresh meats, for lunch, dinner, supper. And I suppose snacks and what not. Breakfast would probably have been leftovers from the night before.
But these days, who has the time to take a trip to the market everyday? My mum goes on Sundays and stocks up for the week. Perishables get thrown into the freezer and fridge. If we need anything else, there's the little dump of an ntuc within walking distance. Cold storage jelita's also a quick drive away.
The fridge was in a mood the past few days.
The freezer was hardly one. It felt more like Singapore on a rainy night. Barely breezy. The fridge was of course far worse.
Butter was turning liquid, cheese getting runny, chocolates were warm and cloying. Luckily the usual supply of ice-cream had not been replaced.
I decided it was time to finish the last piece of my now warm fudge cake. The fudge is still in the fridge though, ready for any emergency. (I highly recommend stocking up chocolate fudge in the fridge - highly satisfyingly sweet and horribly bad for you, it's saccharin equivalent of a good many shots of your favourite alcohol, without the next day hangover. And it's easy to make. Just make sure you use plenty of good quality dark chocolate.)
When I got home last night, I opened the fridge and a gust of cold wind poured forth. The milk was once again chilled and the fruits crisp and cool.
So thank you repairman, whoever you were.
Woxy is playing Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Follow You Into The Dark
I suppose marketing was then (and for some it still is) an everyday affair. Wake up, go to the market, pick out some fresh produce, fresh seafood, fresh meats, for lunch, dinner, supper. And I suppose snacks and what not. Breakfast would probably have been leftovers from the night before.
But these days, who has the time to take a trip to the market everyday? My mum goes on Sundays and stocks up for the week. Perishables get thrown into the freezer and fridge. If we need anything else, there's the little dump of an ntuc within walking distance. Cold storage jelita's also a quick drive away.
The fridge was in a mood the past few days.
The freezer was hardly one. It felt more like Singapore on a rainy night. Barely breezy. The fridge was of course far worse.
Butter was turning liquid, cheese getting runny, chocolates were warm and cloying. Luckily the usual supply of ice-cream had not been replaced.
I decided it was time to finish the last piece of my now warm fudge cake. The fudge is still in the fridge though, ready for any emergency. (I highly recommend stocking up chocolate fudge in the fridge - highly satisfyingly sweet and horribly bad for you, it's saccharin equivalent of a good many shots of your favourite alcohol, without the next day hangover. And it's easy to make. Just make sure you use plenty of good quality dark chocolate.)
When I got home last night, I opened the fridge and a gust of cold wind poured forth. The milk was once again chilled and the fruits crisp and cool.
So thank you repairman, whoever you were.
Woxy is playing Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Follow You Into The Dark
Thursday, October 20, 2005
pass the mp3
While dragging my ass to work today, what song should pop up on the iPod but Hellodrama by What Made Milwaukee Famous.
An upcoming band hailing not from Milwaukee but from Austin, Texas, they've got such a great catchy sound.
So forgive their name and go stream some of their songs at MySpace.
oh what the hello. here's
hellodrama
An upcoming band hailing not from Milwaukee but from Austin, Texas, they've got such a great catchy sound.
So forgive their name and go stream some of their songs at MySpace.
oh what the hello. here's
hellodrama
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
I love a rainy night
Rainy days are ideal for sleeping in, pulling the covers up around you and hearing the rain slash at the windows.
They're perfect for a hot cup of tea and a hot bowl of soup, sipped slowly while watching your favourite rerun or DVD.
It unfortunately wasn't an interesting thundering event where the wind whips and whirls, and the tree outside bends and sways, and the lightning gives you a quick warning of when the next loud clap's gonna send shivers down your spine.
It was more of a drizzly rain.
Drizzle drizzle drizzle.
Out pops the sun.
The skies cloud over again.
And cue the rain once more.
I hope the cool temperatures will last through the night, so that when I get home after having worked on some mighty boring stories, I can pull the covers up around me while I read by the light of my ice cube lamp.
Listening to Kings Of Convenience - Toxic Girl
They're perfect for a hot cup of tea and a hot bowl of soup, sipped slowly while watching your favourite rerun or DVD.
It unfortunately wasn't an interesting thundering event where the wind whips and whirls, and the tree outside bends and sways, and the lightning gives you a quick warning of when the next loud clap's gonna send shivers down your spine.
It was more of a drizzly rain.
Drizzle drizzle drizzle.
Out pops the sun.
The skies cloud over again.
And cue the rain once more.
I hope the cool temperatures will last through the night, so that when I get home after having worked on some mighty boring stories, I can pull the covers up around me while I read by the light of my ice cube lamp.
Listening to Kings Of Convenience - Toxic Girl
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
i'm sure you've heard it all before on a tuesday evening
I can never resist reading Giles Coren's restaurant reviews. I know I've said this all before, but a guy who starts off his article - this time on actual cooking instead of just eating - with this, is definitely someone to keep reading.
The three questions people ask me most often are 1) How does one become a journalist? 2) Do you ever get bored with eating out all the time? and 3) Can you cook?
To these the answers are: 1) You fail at everything else first and then it just sort of happens.
the rest you can read here.
It's only 1817 and I'm mighty sleepy. It seems to be raining outside so it's likely that dinner will be, horrifyingly, upstairs.
This afternoon I bravely ventured into town before work. A solo trip into town is always a dangerous affair for my wallet but this time I managed to make it through without actually buying any of the usual temptations - clothes, shoes, books, magazines, CDs. Just some moisturiser, which was something I was running out of anyway.
Made a quick stopover at the library today and got some Books I've Been Meaning To Read But Other Books Keep Getting In The Way, which included Mimi Sheraton's Eating My Words and Salman Rushdie's Step Across This Line.
For a Tuesday afternoon, Takashimaya and its neighbour Wisma were pretty crowded. Don't these people work? Don't these kids have homework to do?
They might have been asking themselves the same thing about me.
Listening to: Bloc Party - Two More Years
Recently watched: Dark City by Alex Proyas and remembering what a great film that was! Here's some Dark City trivia.
The three questions people ask me most often are 1) How does one become a journalist? 2) Do you ever get bored with eating out all the time? and 3) Can you cook?
To these the answers are: 1) You fail at everything else first and then it just sort of happens.
the rest you can read here.
It's only 1817 and I'm mighty sleepy. It seems to be raining outside so it's likely that dinner will be, horrifyingly, upstairs.
This afternoon I bravely ventured into town before work. A solo trip into town is always a dangerous affair for my wallet but this time I managed to make it through without actually buying any of the usual temptations - clothes, shoes, books, magazines, CDs. Just some moisturiser, which was something I was running out of anyway.
Made a quick stopover at the library today and got some Books I've Been Meaning To Read But Other Books Keep Getting In The Way, which included Mimi Sheraton's Eating My Words and Salman Rushdie's Step Across This Line.
For a Tuesday afternoon, Takashimaya and its neighbour Wisma were pretty crowded. Don't these people work? Don't these kids have homework to do?
They might have been asking themselves the same thing about me.
Listening to: Bloc Party - Two More Years
Recently watched: Dark City by Alex Proyas and remembering what a great film that was! Here's some Dark City trivia.
Monday, October 17, 2005
bring it on
What's a fashion show without models? A LocalBrand one!
Instead of gaunt models, young and upcoming bands and some not so new ones (Livid Fawn, Public Eyez, Raindogs, Ger) showed off the new collection. Performances were interspliced with short films. All this in one hour at the packed Playden at the Arts House last night.
I er missed the first 10-15 min of the show but the rest of it was fun, especially the closing act Freaky Z.
Oh and the new t-shirt designs look great too. And I'm not just saying it because annabel pops by here now and then.
Listening to: The Playwrights - 21st century
Instead of gaunt models, young and upcoming bands and some not so new ones (Livid Fawn, Public Eyez, Raindogs, Ger) showed off the new collection. Performances were interspliced with short films. All this in one hour at the packed Playden at the Arts House last night.
I er missed the first 10-15 min of the show but the rest of it was fun, especially the closing act Freaky Z.
Oh and the new t-shirt designs look great too. And I'm not just saying it because annabel pops by here now and then.
Listening to: The Playwrights - 21st century
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